ã€ŠLife of Being a Crown Prince in Franceã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Introduction

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Introduction

    In the early winter of 1787, in the east wing of the Palace of Versailles.

    Joseph sat in a room adorned with rococo gold trimmings and large oil paintings, shaking his head with a wry smile at the exam paper in front of him.

    The light from a luxurious two-meter diameter crystal chandelier flickered, casting reflections on his fair skin, as well as his youthful and delicate features, making him look like the handsome Paris from a painting.

    At his side, an elderly man with a white curly wig and wearing a lace cravat sighed and with disappointment flashing in his brown eyes, he bowed to Joseph and said, ¡°Crown Prince, if you find this difficult, perhaps you can start with the basic courses¡­¡±

    Joseph was startled and quickly returned to his senses from his reverie, nodding politely to the old man:

    ¡°Mr. Lagrange, I think you may be mistaken, I meant to take your course¡¯s final examination, not the entrance exam.¡±

    Indeed, this unassuming old man was none other than the founder of analytical mechanics, a pioneer of group theory, and the celebrated French mathematician and physicist known as the prince of mathematics¡ªLagrange.

    ¡°Final examination?¡± Lagrange frowned at the boy of only thirteen, ¡°Your Highness, the courses I teach are university level, you might¡­¡±

    The other extravagantly dressed noble youths who were taking the exam immediately turned their heads and looked over, their eyes filled with curiosity.

    At that moment, a sixteen-year-old boy wearing an embroidered silk coat with laced collar and with slightly droopy eyes showed a disdainful expression and loudly said,

    ¡°Crown Prince, I remember you still have two years to complete the basic courses.¡± He nodded to the old man, ¡°Mr. Lagrange often says that one must climb the ladder of mathematics step by step, aiming too high will surely lead to a nasty fall. Perhaps Your Highness should heed this advice.¡±

    Joseph ignored him and earnestly said to Lagrange:

    ¡°Sir, I have studied university mathematics courses on my own. I really do need to take the final examination.¡±

    The elderly mathematician sighed with resignation and turned to his assistant, ¡°Andrei, please bring me the exam paper from the very bottom of my folder.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Professor.¡±

    Soon, several exam papers were laid out in front of Joseph.

    He quickly scanned them and found that the difficulty had increased several times compared to the previous one, but most of it was still high school level from later generations, involving a limited amount of calculus content¡ªit really wasn¡¯t difficult for him.

    Yes, just over half a month ago, he was still in the 21st century, studying for his master¡¯s degree. That day, he went to France with his tutor to work on a wind turbine project, accidentally fell from the top of a tower, and when he woke up, he found himself reincarnated as Louis XVI¡¯s eldest son¡ªLouis Joseph. Perhaps due to the effects of time travel, Joseph was born a few years earlier than in history, and was already thirteen.

    As Joseph quickly wrote down the answer to the first question under Lagrange¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, his mind wandered to France¡¯s historical trajectory: the French Revolution would erupt next year, the royal family would be executed, and as the Crown Prince, he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape¡­ King Louis XVI was inept at everything except locksmithing, France was in debt for more than two billion, but had an annual income of only 500 million.

    Due to financial collapse, civil servants were backlogged with wages, government operations were struggling, foreign trade stalled, and the colonies were deteriorating. In order to bolster the finances, the Cabinet had no choice but to levy heavy taxes, sucking the common people dry to the bone, while the tax-exempt nobility lived a life of extravagance.

    Moreover, next summer France would face a severe hailstorm, and with the impact of previous years¡¯ droughts, a national famine was imminent. This would be followed by a mob of hungry people storming the Bastille, triggering the immense upheaval of the Revolution, with hundreds of thousands meeting their end at the guillotine¡­

    So, to keep his own head, he counted his options on his fingers: one, solve France¡¯s fiscal deficit; two, secure enough food to prevent starvation; three, deal with treacherous nobles; and lastly, fend off the covetous British and Prussians.

    With a famine starting in July, he had barely more than half a year left, and he rubbed his forehead in annoyance, for being too young to participate in state affairs, having no outlet for his efforts.

    It was an absolute hellish start, with scant hope¡­

    ¡°`

    Not far away, the young man with the droopy eyes saw his movements and assumed he was fretting because he couldn¡¯t solve the problem. He immediately sneered with disdain: ¡°What an idiot, actually coming here claiming he can handle university courses, how embarrassing! Why is this strawman the Crown Prince and not me?!¡±

    While thinking about how to save his life, Joseph quickly wrote down the answers, soon completing the first page of the exam.

    He flipped through the pages with some impatience, for once he had passed Lagrange¡¯s subject, he could consider his studies at the University of Paris complete!

    Half a month earlier, he had proposed to Queen Mary, his stepmother, that he wanted to participate in politics in order to reverse the dire situation he was in, but she promptly refused him, telling him to focus on his studies and wait until he had achieved academic success.

    So he had to make an agreement with the queen that after finishing his courses at the University of Paris, he would formally join the political scene.

    Of course, with his level of knowledge during that era, he was a study prodigy among the fighter jets. In the past half-month, he had already passed most of the subjects, and that was because he had to remember incorrect knowledge which delayed his time¡ªmany truths widely accepted in that era were actually errors.

    Lagrange, watching the Crown Prince¡¯s pen fly across the paper, had stopped paying attention to the other students, his eyes growing wider and wider.

    This was work meant to be completed with five years of study at the University of Paris, yet the Crown Prince was answering effortlessly, with clear thoughts and not a single mistake!

    He was only 13 years old, and he was self-taught! Lagrange¡¯s heart shook violently¡ªcould it be that another Leibniz had been born?

    Suddenly, Lagrange glanced at his assistant, his eyes narrowing slightly, wondering if Andrei had leaked the exam questions to the Crown Prince. After all, the Crown Prince¡¯s performance was too unusual, considering that a super prodigy like Leibniz had only started attending university at the age of 14.

    He immediately took a piece of paper and quickly wrote down a few lines and handed them to Joseph, saying,

    ¡°Your Highness, there is no need to finish the rest; just complete these few questions and I¡¯ll consider you to have passed.¡±

    Seeing this, the young man with droopy eyes sneered to himself: Hah, is Lagrange trying to make it easy because he sees that he doesn¡¯t know how? What a fool clinging to the royal family! I must find a way to let everyone see the Crown Prince¡¯s exam paper later, to let him properly embarrass himself.

    Joseph looked at the paper in surprise¡ªthere were only 5 questions. The difficulty remained the same, but the quantity was less. Good news.

    He quickly finished the first two questions, and then he saw the third question, ¡°Please write out the proof of Rolle¡¯s Theorem.¡± This he knew very well, without a second thought, he wrote on the blank space:

    Rolle¡¯s Theorem states that for a continuous function f on a closed interval [a, b], and f is differentiable on the open interval

    (a, b), if f(a) = f(b), then there exists at least one point c in the open interval (a, b) such that the derivative of f at that point is zero.

    Proof: Because the function f(x) is continuous within [a, b], it attains its maximum value (M) and minimum value (m)¡­

    Joseph completed the proof quickly but then felt Lagrange¡¯s breath quicken next to him. He looked up and saw the old mathematician looking at the exam paper with the excitement of seeing a first love.

    Joseph immediately looked down at the questions again, and hesitated, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have written it wrong, should I?¡±

    Lagrange grabbed the exam paper and after examining the proof several times, muttered to himself, ¡°So it holds true for differentiable functions as well! Why didn¡¯t I think of it?¡±

    He then turned his fervent gaze back to Joseph: ¡°Your Highness, how did you come to think of this?¡±

    ¡°Ah? Isn¡¯t it just¡­¡± Joseph suddenly recalled that Rolle had simply proven that in a polynomial equation with two adjacent roots, the equation has at least one root in between, and it was not until the nineteenth century that it was extended to differentiable functions.

    He had been careless and not careful enough¡­

    ¡°Cough!¡± He hurriedly took back the paper, changing the subject, ¡°Lagrange, sir, I¡¯m going to do the last two questions now.¡±

 Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Favored Son of God

    Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Favored Son of God

    ¡°`

    ¡°No, no need to continue!¡± Lagrange gripped Joseph¡¯s shoulders tightly, excited, ¡°This entirely new derivation is enough to prove your capability, I will go back to the university today to apply for your degree certification.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Joseph beamed with joy, breaking free from the old mathematician¡¯s grasp, he bowed to him and rushed out the door.

    Lagrange had intended to deliver a speech, but found that the man had run off.

    He paused for a moment, then hurriedly followed, calling out urgently:

    ¡°Your Highness, how did you think of differentiable functions? Tell me about your thought process!¡±

    The young men in the classroom looked at each other in bewilderment, and it took a while before someone hesitantly said, ¡°Can anyone tell me if the Crown Prince has graduated?¡±

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°But he only came today¡­¡±

    The youngster with the corner-upturned eyes stared at Joseph¡¯s retreating figure, bitterly saying, ¡°No, he must have cheated!¡±

    Andrei glanced at him expressionlessly, placing the problem Lagrange had posed before him:

    ¡°The question was made up on the spot by the professor, and the Crown Prince¡¯s proof is an entirely new mathematical discovery. Duke of Chartres, if you think cheating could achieve this, perhaps you might like to try it yourself.¡±

    The Duke of Chartres stared at the formulas he couldn¡¯t understand at all, as if struck by lightning; he had always considered himself the cream of the crop among the royal youth, yet now he couldn¡¯t even comprehend the written proof¡­

    Could it be that Joseph¡¯s previous incompetence was all an act, just to make a fool of himself?

    He clenched his fists tight, Joseph, you wait, I will have you crawling at my feet sooner or later!

    Joseph, of course, couldn¡¯t hear the others¡¯ conversation, but even if he had, he wouldn¡¯t have cared¡ªjust the prattle of children. Right now, all he was thinking about was that he could finally participate in politics, how to reorganize France, and avoid the outbreak of the Revolution and the risk of losing his head.

    Lagrange, panting, caught up to him, pestering him with numerous questions for a while, then suddenly, he felt as if he had grasped something from the Crown Prince¡¯s proof, muttering to himself:

    ¡°What if, f(a) isn¡¯t equal to f(b)¡­¡±

    He repeated it several times, his expression growing serious, then he hastily took his leave from Joseph, returning directly to the office at the university.

    Joseph watched him walk away, whispering softly:

    ¡°If f(a)¡Ùf(b), then that¡¯s your Lagrange¡¯s Mean Value Theorem. Good luck with proving it a few years early.¡±

    Once the old mathematician¡¯s silhouette was out of sight, he waved over the attendant who had been following close behind:

    ¡°Eman, where is Queen Mary now?¡±

    The tall blond young man quickly bowed and responded, ¡°Your Highness, Queen Mary is in her tea room.¡±

    Joseph nodded at him and ran towards the far end of the wide corridor. The vigorous exercise induced a bout of coughing, reminding him that his pneumonia had not yet healed¡ªthe original owner¡¯s physique was very weak, and the pneumonia had lasted for over a month with no signs of recovery.

    He waved to Eman, who had come closer, to indicate that he was fine, then after meandering for over a hundred meters, he finally saw the door to the Queen¡¯s tea room.

    Starting today, he could finally put his abilities to use, begin saving himself! He took a deep breath and pushed through the doors, between the guards on both sides, striding into the room.

    In the tea room, decorated with a cozy elegance, sat Queen Mary, her hair in a complicated two-foot-high hairstyle, her skin fair, and with a pair of light blue beautiful eyes. She leaned on an armchair with oriental styling, holding documents in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, listening intently to a minister next to her¡ªit appeared she was dealing with government affairs. With Louis XVI spending his days in a lock-making workshop, most of the time it was Queen Mary who governs.

    Joseph sighed inwardly. Louis XVI was one of the rare benevolent rulers in the history of France, but he had inherited a deeply troubled nation. Coupled with his ineptitude in governance and his obsession with lock-making, he ended up driving the people to such despair that the Revolution broke out.

    If it had been a more peaceful and prosperous time, Louis XVI might have been a beloved and good king. In fact, Joseph had a rather good impression of him and would actually like to save him if possible.

    Then came the voice of the Ceremonial Officer: ¡°The Crown Prince has arrived¡ª¡±

    Following court etiquette, Joseph stepped half a pace back with his right foot, facing Queen Mary, touched his chest, and bowed, then returned salutations to each minister in the room before excitedly stepping forward and saying to the Queen:

    ¡°Mother, I have passed the mathematics graduation examination at the university!¡±

    ¡°`

    ¡°Joseph, you truly are the pride of your father and me!¡±

    She had already sent someone to verify the Crown Prince¡¯s studies and confirmed that, aside from mathematics, he had passed all subjects with excellent grades, meaning, at this moment, he had completed the University of Paris¡¯s curriculum!

    She looked at her son with a complex expression, ¡°Why did you keep your self-study a secret from your father and me? I mean, you could have studied with a tutor.¡±

    To explain the sudden transformation into a top student, Joseph could only fabricate an excuse that he had studied privately for many years.

    ¡°Because¡­¡± Joseph said, bracing himself, ¡°I wanted to give you a surprise.¡±

    ¡°This surprise is really wonderful!¡± Queen Mary picked up a piece of pudding with strawberries and stuffed it into his mouth, then affectionately stroked his slightly curly hair, ¡°How did all this knowledge fit into your little head?¡±

    A tall, thin man in a dark blue patterned stuffed shirt with a collar adorned with sapphires furrowed his brow and whispered to the minister beside him:

    ¡°Bishop Brienne, did the Crown Prince just say he has completed university mathematics?¡±

    The latter nodded, ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°I am also very shocked.¡±

    Behind them, Queen Mary¡¯s trusted Clerk softly added:

    ¡°It¡¯s not just mathematics. His Highness has completed over a dozen courses at the University of Paris, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, geometry, English, and more.¡±

    The few ministers around them immediately widened their eyes, ¡°How is that possible?!¡±

    ¡°I remember, isn¡¯t the Crown Prince just thirteen years old?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simply unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± sighed the Clerk, ¡°Those teachers who once taught His Highness all called him ¡®the Child of Divine Favor¡¯.¡±

    ¡°The Child of Divine Favor? Haha, with such a genius heir, France will surely shine even more brightly!¡±

    ¡°Truly, Heaven blesses France!¡±

    Joseph ignored the ministers¡¯ flattery and eagerly pulled away from Queen Mary¡¯s hand, saying to her:

    ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, according to our agreement, I can participate in government affairs now, right?¡±

    Queen Mary nodded indulgently, ¡°Indeed, my genius son. Oh, by the way, I suggest you start at Paris City Hall, to gain some experience.¡±

    Joseph frowned, he was to reform France! To fundamentally prevent the enraged citizens from slaughtering the entire Royal Family! What could he do at the City Hall? Manage urban transportation or sewage treatment?

    He had seen many documentaries about the French Revolution before and knew that France¡¯s core problem at the moment was finance¡ªthe collapse of administration, the inability to provide relief during disasters, the nobles¡¯ dissenting hearts, and so on, were all triggered by the financial collapse.

    Therefore, to reform France, one must first reform its finances!

    Joseph looked towards Queen Mary and ventured, ¡°I think, perhaps the Finance Minister might be more suitable for me.¡±

    Queen Mary smiled kindly when she heard this. France¡¯s financial problems were a chronic illness, and since the ascent of Louis XVI, almost all efforts of the court had been focused on solving the financial crisis, yet they had always been helpless.

    A thirteen-year-old boy, even if he was ¡°the Child of Divine Favor,¡± how could he possibly shoulder such a heavy burden?

    She dropped her smile, thought for a moment, and said, ¡°Joseph, if you are interested in finance, you can start at the Paris Tax Bureau.¡±

    Joseph knew this meant she did not believe in his ability, but it was normal; after all, his body was only thirteen years old. He had no choice but to request the next best thing:

    ¡°Then let me be the assistant to the Finance Minister?¡±

    At that time, the role of the assistant was essentially that of a deputy Finance Minister, the second in command in financial matters.

 Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Heading to Paris (Please Bookmark)

    Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Heading to Paris (Please Bookmark)

    This time, Queen Mary had yet to speak when the thin, tall man with the cold gaze suddenly coughed dryly and stepped forward half a step, saying:

    ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, it seems you mentioned that you would allow the Crown Prince to participate in governance?¡±

    Queen Mary turned her head, her tone calm:

    ¡°Yes, Duke of Orleans, the Crown Prince and I agreed that if he completes his university courses, he can participate in the nation¡¯s affairs.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans¡¯s gaze sharpened as he thought to himself: The Crown Prince has always been mediocre, so why has he suddenly become so formidable? Could it be that he was pretending all along? But why would he do that, and now, revealing his strength all of a sudden, what is he scheming?

    No matter what, after years of manipulation by himself, the prestige of the Royal Family had greatly declined, and his position was increasingly unstable. If a ¡°genius Crown Prince¡± were to suddenly appear, it would surely strengthen the court and the public¡¯s confidence in the Royal Family.

    This was very unfavorable to his plans; he had to find a way to hold him back!

    With this thought flashing through his mind, he immediately spoke loudly, ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, the Crown Prince is still young and lacks experience in governance. I think it would be more appropriate to select a seasoned minister to teach him the knowledge of administration for a few years before he participates in governance.¡±

    Queen Mary frowned slightly; the Duke of Orleans made some sense. Though the Crown Prince was extraordinarily talented, he was after all only 13 years old. If he were to mess up in state affairs, it could negatively impact his reputation.

    She looked at her son and suggested gently, ¡°Joseph, perhaps you could study for a while longer.¡±

    Joseph glanced at the Duke of Orleans. As a transmigrator, he was well aware of the man¡¯s background¡ªLouis Philippe, a relative of Louis XVI. Everyone believed him to be loyal and patriotic, but in fact, he had been working to overthrow the line of the King and ascend to the throne himself since his father¡¯s time.

    After the success of the French Revolution, when the Girondin Party voted on whether to execute the King, the Duke of Orleans did not hesitate to cast a vote in favor. Eventually, Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a vote of 301 to 300. It could be said that it was his key vote that sent Louis XVI to the guillotine!

    Joseph didn¡¯t expect him to jump out so hastily, and without yielding, he retorted:

    ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, Joan of Arc defeated the British army at the same age as I. She proved herself through her actions. Please believe in my ability and give me a chance to prove myself!¡±

    The Duke of Orleans spoke ¡°with weight and solemnity,¡± ¡°Your Highness, state affairs are of great importance; it is not just about having confidence¡­¡±

    Joseph had no patience for him and, firmly gesturing with his hand, said: ¡°Duke of Orleans, this is an agreement between Her Majesty the Queen and myself, please do not interrupt.¡±

    He then looked toward the Queen, ¡°Mother, I can also learn by being an assistant to Bishop Brienne, can¡¯t I?¡±

    The Cabinet Ministers were all taken aback; they did not expect the young Crown Prince to have the courage to confront the Duke of Orleans face to face. They knew that even the Chief Minister usually had to discuss matters with the latter.

    The Duke of Orleans certainly did not expect Joseph to be so dismissive. Stunned for a long while before regaining his composure, he raised his voice indignantly:

    ¡°Finance is the lifeline of France and absolutely cannot be meddled with by an inexperienced youngster!¡±

    Many ministers around him nodded and agreed. Seeing this, Queen Mary then looked at the Crown Prince, who stood with a steadfast expression, and finally compromised:

    ¡°Joseph, you will first take a position at Paris City Hall. If you perform well, we will then discuss letting you get involved with finance.¡±

    Joseph swept a look at the seven or eight Cabinet Ministers present, knowing that with them there, it would be difficult for the Queen to give him the green light. It seemed he would have to bide his time at Paris City Hall for the time being and so he nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Queen.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans still wanted to stir things up, stepping forward and saying, ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, the Crown Prince should first learn¡­¡±

    ¡°It has been decided,¡± Queen Mary raised her hand and interrupted him, looking at Brienne, ¡°Please continue with the matter of tax reform.¡±

    Joseph sat to one side, having listened to the cabinet meeting, and gained a deeper understanding of France¡¯s dire financial situation¡ªthe conversation was ninety percent about money. Oh, to be precise, it was about having no money.

    At the end of the meeting, Queen Mary insisted on rewarding him. She dragged him through a tasting of a vast array of desserts, until he was sore-throated from gorging on various exquisitely made and colorfully varied cakes, puddings, and macarons, finally winning his freedom.

    With heavy thoughts, Joseph left the tearoom and suddenly thought that perhaps he could walk in Louis XVI¡¯s footsteps.

    Upon his arrival at the King¡¯s Bedroom, he was informed that Louis XVI was busy with a ¡°project of the ages,¡± having spent the last three days eating and sleeping in the lock-making workshop without coming out.

    Joseph felt a wave of weariness wash over him; with such a father, how could one not worry about ending up on the guillotine?

    Forget it, he speculated that the engrossed Louis XVI would probably send him to find Queen Mary, like a boomerang¡­ He smiled bitterly, shook his head, and turned to instruct Eman, ¡°Please prepare the carriage; we¡¯ll go directly to Paris City Hall.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    As Joseph stepped out of the main entrance of the Palace of Versailles, he saw over ten carriages stopped in the Marble Courtyard in front of him, with sixty to seventy people standing respectfully to the side.

    He couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with his hand on his forehead. He recognized most of these people; they were the Crown Prince¡¯s personal attendants, including beauticians, chefs, tailors, and more¡ªall seemingly prepared to accompany him, hence the need for so many carriages.

    Joseph hurriedly had Eman send them back. Bringing this crowd to City Hall would surely cause chaos, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Then, he glanced at the silver royal carriage parked before him. Its elegant design and the intricate reliefs that covered its surface, adorned with gold filigree at the corners, exuded sheer luxury.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, he turned and boarded an ordinary carriage used by attendants¡ªtraveling in a royal carriage would mean there would be no peace along the way.

    Soon, three gray-black carriages left Versailles Palace Square and sped eastward.

    The Palace of Versailles was located west of Paris, a journey of more than three hours to the city. Inside the carriage, Joseph yawned listlessly. His eyes caught sight of a stack of documents on a wooden stand in front of him, so he picked it up and began to flip through, discovering it was information about Paris City Hall.

    He looked at Eman sitting opposite him; the man immediately smiled, pressed a hand to his chest, and bowed, having clearly prepared everything.

    Being a Chief Steward for the Crown Prince takes exceptional insight, something not just any commoner could compare with. Joseph smiled and nodded at him, then began reviewing the detailed information at hand, which covered everything from the organizational structure and functions of City Hall to its daily operations.

    When Joseph turned to the third page, he saw that among the City Hall¡¯s subordinate departments, there was, indeed, the Police Department.

    He eagerly continued reading and confirmed that the Paris Police were entirely under City Hall¡¯s jurisdiction, his eyes lighting up at the discovery.

    It appeared that taking a position at City Hall wouldn¡¯t be a waste of time; at the very least, he could reorganize the Paris police force.

    For the lower classes of France, lawlessness was the second greatest nightmare after crippling taxes! Being robbed or mugged on the streets was the least of concerns, with frequent home invasions, murders, and kidnappings. Not to mention the gang members who oppressed and exploited the citizens of Paris, a significant blight on the city.

    At that time, no modern police system had been established in Europe; law enforcement relied on the community¡¯s self-defense, and solving crimes was hardly feasible. Crime was rampant, and the general populace lived in constant fear for their safety.

    Therefore, reforming the police was of great significance; addressing the problem of public security could greatly enhance social stability, and social stability could, in turn, substantially reduce the people¡¯s impulse to rebel against the Royal Family.

    After Joseph had finished perusing the City Hall information, he pondered in detail over the improvements needed for police reform. The carriage had already entered Paris City, and an overwhelming stench instantly wafted in through the window.

 Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4: There is only one truth! çœŸå®Ÿã¯ã„ã¤ã‚‚ã²ã¨ã¤!

    Chapter 4: Chapter 4: There is only one truth! ÕæŒg¤Ï¤¤¤Ä¤â¤Ò¤È¤Ä!

    Joseph casually drew back the curtains and, upon seeing the surrounding scene, immediately furrowed his brow.

    Since arriving in this world, he had been taking exams at the Palace of Versailles. This was his first glimpse at the face of Paris.

    Completely unlike the most prosperous metropolis in Europe that he had imagined¡ªthe buildings were dirty and old, the streets were full of mud and sewage, and even excrement. The stench originated from there. Occasionally, the bodies of dead animals floated down the Seine River, while workshops along the bank discharged strangely colored wastewater into the river, staining it brown.

    Merchants haphazardly set up their stalls on both sides of the road, making the already spacious street extremely congested. Children waved clumps of mud, happily chasing each other. Curses could be heard without any clear reason.

    Fights and scuffles were a common sight, and passersby turned a deaf ear to the screams of those being beaten.

    There were even robberies in broad daylight, which did not cease until Joseph had his guard intervene. The robbers then scurried off into the alleys. And this was in the Louvre District, supposedly the safest area in all of Paris¡­

    In short, the entire city lacked any romantic vibe from the influence of enlightenment thought, nor did it show the vigorous spirit of the industrial revolution.

    Despite its proximity, the grand Palace of Versailles seemed to exist in a different world from Paris.

    The carriage crossed the northern bank of the Seine River, and the coachman softly called ¡°Whoa,¡± bringing the vehicle to a slow stop.

    ¡°Your Highness, we have arrived,¡± Eman bowed to signify and then descended from the carriage to open the door for the Crown Prince.

    Joseph rubbed his buttocks, which had nearly been jostled to pieces, and walked down the stairs set up by his attendants, and raised his eyes to see a grandiose building nearly a hundred meters wide in the front, its outer walls covered in statues, composed of numerous columns and arched floor-to-ceiling windows, like a huge castle presiding over the center of Paris, declaring the supreme power of the feudal class.

    The city hall had already received news of the Crown Prince¡¯s visit and officials of all ranks were now gathered on the square outside the main entrance to greet His Highness.

    But the silver royal carriage they had been eagerly waiting for never appeared.

    It wasn¡¯t until three grey-black carriages stopped in front of the city hall¡¯s main entrance, and Eman emerged from the carriage, that Paris Municipal Commissioner Levebelle twitched his eyelid and hurriedly beckoned those around him:

    ¡°Quick! It¡¯s the Crown Prince!¡±

    Levebelle pressed his black tricorn hat and moved his widely spread legs, driving his body that was close to 200 pounds, and led everyone to run in front of Joseph to bow respectfully one after another, ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince.¡±

    The surrounding musicians also snapped to, and began to play their music in a flustered hurry.

    Levebelle made his introduction first, and then, pointing towards a middle-aged man next to him with grey-blue eyes and cheekbones so sharp they seemed about to pierce through his skin, said, ¡°Your Highness, allow me to introduce you, this is Viscount Freselle, President of the Paris Chamber of Commerce.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph took a longer glance at the man. From the information he received a while ago, he knew that although Levebelle was the Paris Municipal Commissioner, equivalent to the mayor, the actual foremost authority in Paris was this Freselle. There was no helping it, the government was short of funds and in order to maintain operations, it had to rely on the Chamber of Commerce to finance them, plus the connections of the Chamber of Commerce could solve many problems, so the President of the Chamber of Commerce had become extremely powerful.

    Viscount Freselle stepped forward again to bow, ¡°Your Highness, we have prepared a luncheon in your honor. We hope you will grace us with your presence.¡±

    Although Joseph greatly disliked banquets and balls of this era, finding their intricate ceremonies and rules to be outright torture, societal expectations could not be ignored, so he nodded in response:

    ¡°Then I thank you all very much.¡±

    In the spacious and luxurious hall of the city hall, servants bustled back and forth, and tables were filled with various precious dishes. Any that cooled were promptly replaced with new ones.

    Laughter and chatter flowed amidst the clinking of cups; Joseph responded to the endless flattery from the officials, but his thoughts were preoccupied with the issue of police reform.

    ¡°Does His Highness mean to get involved in managing the police?¡± The stout mayor, surprised, exchanged looks with the President of the Chamber of Commerce and then quickly turned to Joseph with a compensating smile, ¡°Your Highness, you are so noble, how can you deal with petty thieves and murderers?¡±

    The President of the Chamber of Commerce hastily nodded in agreement, ¡°Exactly, and the Police Department is burdened with many trivial matters, which are incredibly tedious.¡±

    His heart was full of complaints, ¡°Good Lord, you were just supposed to be here for a touch of gold, but please don¡¯t take it so seriously. If the police system is thrown into chaos, won¡¯t Paris erupt in rioting?¡±

    Joseph felt somewhat helpless as he was caught up in a back-and-forth argument with the two men when suddenly a woman¡¯s high-pitched voice came from outside the town hall:

    ¡°No! Lenot couldn¡¯t possibly have killed himself! You must catch the murderer!¡±

    Her voice turned shrill at one moment and melodious the next, ¡°Lenot was so cheerful, and we were going to get married next month. How could he commit suicide? The case cannot be closed! The murderer is still at large¡­¡±

    The chubby mayor¡¯s face turned dark as he angrily said, ¡°Why has she come back again?¡±

    Freselle immediately waved vigorously at the guard, ¡°Get her out of here! Don¡¯t you see who¡¯s here today?!¡±

    He then turned to Joseph, with an apologetic smile, ¡°Ah, Your Highness, she¡¯s just a madwoman. Don¡¯t let her affect your mood.¡±

    Joseph looked out the window and asked, ¡°I heard her mention a murderer, what exactly happened?¡±

    Mayor Levebelle hurriedly replied, ¡°A month ago, her fianc¨¦, that is, Viscount Lenot, committed suicide by swallowing his sword. Oh, the case is clear, there is absolutely no problem, but it seems this woman has gone mad, insisting it was murder.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been so disruptive that we had to bar her from entering the town hall, but every few days she comes back to shout outside.¡±

    Joseph found it odd and remarked, ¡°Swallowing his sword to commit suicide?¡±

    The thin man sitting to the right of Levebelle indicated his chest:

    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s when one rests the hilt of the sword on the ground, places the tip in one¡¯s mouth, and then thrusts downward, driving the sword through the back of the neck. It¡¯s a common method of suicide.[Note1]¡±

    Joseph remembered that the chubby mayor had just introduced him¡ªhe was Viscount Gizo, the Director of Police Services, the highest-ranking official in Paris law enforcement.

    Gizo, seeing that the Crown Prince seemed interested, eagerly recounted the story:

    ¡°Over a month ago in the afternoon, a servant of Viscount Lenot came to report his master¡¯s death in his own bedroom. I sent people to investigate, and we found that he had committed suicide by swallowing his sword.¡±

    Joseph frowned, ¡°How can you be sure it was suicide? Was there a suicide note, or had he shown signs of world-weariness before?¡±

    ¡°There was none of that,¡± Gizo said, ¡°But Lenot used his own sword, and no valuables were missing. There were no signs of a struggle in the room, and he had no other injuries on his body.

    ¡°You must understand, Your Highness, Lenot had fought wars in the United States, was over 6 feet tall, and was skilled in hand-to-hand combat. If someone could manage during a clear day, without leaving a scratch on him, to push a sword into his mouth, that person could only be himself.¡±

    At over 1.9 meters, 6 feet was indeed quite towering.

    Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly. He had seen similar murder methods plenty of times in detective novels. Without signs or a note of suicide, only the untrained and isolated police of the 18th century would crudely determine such a case as suicide.

    He looked at Gizo and said, ¡°No, there is one other kind of person who could do it.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness must be joking,¡± the chubby mayor said with a laugh, waving his hand, ¡°Do you mean the person could use magic?¡±

    Joseph spoke calmly, ¡°No, he just needs to know how to treat teeth.¡±

    ¡°To treat teeth¡­ you mean a dentist?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, a dentist.¡±

    The people around were suddenly stunned, images forming in their minds¡ªLenot, obediently opening his mouth at the dentist¡¯s command, then the dentist covering his eyes with the white cloth used during operations, turning around to draw the sword hanging on the wall and effortlessly stabbing it into Lenot¡¯s mouth, with blood spurting out instantly¡­

    [Note1]: Since in 18th century Europe, swordsmanship was esteemed for being ¡°quick and agile,¡± which led to nobility carrying swords that were both thin and light, making it difficult to cut one¡¯s own throat, they often resorted to the method of swallowing their sword to die. Moreover, this way of taking one¡¯s life allowed the person to maintain a kneeling prayer posture after death, which made it even more favored by the nobility.

 Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 The Duke of Orleanss Counterattack

    Chapter 5: Chapter 5 The Duke of Orleans¡¯s Counterattack

    Gizo was the first to react, summoning a subordinate sitting at the far end of the banquet table and instructing,

    ¡°Cesar, take some men and check if there was any dentist who had contact with Lenot a month ago!¡±

    Joseph pondered for a moment and then added, ¡°If a dentist had been to Lenot¡¯s house, his servant should know.¡±

    ¡°But the servant¡¯s testimony didn¡¯t mention¡­¡± Gizo began before he suddenly paused, realizing something, ¡°Wait! Cesar, interrogate the servant as well!¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±

    Outside the city hall, the wailing of Lenot¡¯s fianc¨¦e had stopped, whether because the guards had driven her away or someone had informed her that the case was to be reinvestigated was unknown.

    In the afternoon, the portly mayor, accompanied by a group of city hall officials, came to invite Joseph to a dinner. It was then that the policeman named Cesar hurried over and whispered something to Gizo.

    The latter¡¯s eyes lit up. He turned to Joseph, placed a hand over his chest in a gesture of respect, and proclaimed in a lofty voice,

    ¡°Your Highness, as you had surmised, Lenot¡¯s servant confessed shortly after his arrest. He said that indeed, a dentist had visited Lenot¡¯s home at the time of the crime. The servant had taken money from that man and provided false testimony.¡±

    The head of the merchants¡¯ council urgently inquired, ¡°What about the murderer?¡±

    ¡°Cesar searched the dentist¡¯s residence and discovered he was a Briton. His brother had fought in the United States and was killed by Lenot. He came seeking revenge.¡± Gizo lowered his head, clearing his throat with a cough, ¡°However, Cesar accidentally killed him during the pursuit.¡±

    The surrounding dozen or so city hall officials upon hearing this could not help but look towards Joseph with surprise and admiration in their eyes. At the noon banquet, the Crown Prince had deduced the situation of the murderer based solely on some overheard clues.

    And now, the actual investigation by the police almost perfectly matched his prediction!

    The portly mayor immediately exclaimed loudly in praise, ¡°Thank heavens for the Crown Prince¡¯s wise and discerning judgment, or the murderer might have eluded justice.¡±

    He then turned with a smile to the officials behind him and said in a low voice, ¡°That woman will finally stop causing disturbances at the city hall¡­¡±

    As night fell, upon the repeated invitations of Freselle, the head of the merchants¡¯ council, Joseph stayed in his private villa. The city hall was too far from the Palace of Versailles, and he did not want to commute back and forth.

    Joseph reclined on the soft bed, staring intently at the wall opposite, but feeling somewhat vexed.

    Today, the portly mayor and the head of the merchants¡¯ council had kept deflecting him, unwilling to agree to his involvement with the Police Department. He turned over, contemplating that if he still could not persuade them tomorrow, he would write to Queen Mary, asking her to place him in the Police Department.

    Outside the room, Eman knocked lightly on the door: ¡°Your Highness, have you gone to bed yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, come in.¡±

    Eman entered, presenting a letter respectfully to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, this was delivered by the Police Department, it appears to be from Miss Lenot¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡±

    ¡°Her? A letter for me?¡±

    Eman spoke with a solemn tone, ¡°That is¡­ she took her own life out of love tonight¡­¡±

    Joseph felt a heavy sadness, not having expected there to be such a devoted woman in the world.

    As he unfolded the letter, he saw that the first few lines were filled with thanks to police officers like Cesar, followed by her expressing a strong desire to personally thank the Crown Prince who had exposed the real culprit, but due to the enormous difference in their social standings, she could not meet him and could only show her gratitude in this way, filling an entire page with her thanks. At the end of the letter, she wrote that without Lenot, life held no appeal for her. Now that the police had avenged Lenot, she was ready to follow her lover in death. After her passing, she wished to bequeath all her property to the Crown Prince and the Police Headquarters.

    Joseph was somewhat surprised by this bequest, while Eman added softly at his side, ¡°Your Highness, it is said that Miss Estelle leaves behind a fortune of 4000 livres¡­¡±

    The banks of the Seine River.

    The Royal Palace situated here was once a hunting lodge of Louis XIV and now belongs to the Duke of Orleans.

    The Orleans family once served as Regent during the reign of Louis XV, wielding immense power and, after more than a hundred years of accumulation, possessed wealth comparable to the Royal Family.

    The current Duke of Orleans had continued to expand his influence since his father¡¯s time, using this as a basis. Though he held no official position, he was able to attend Cabinet meetings and held substantial authority. Additionally, being a skillful actor and not stingy with his money, he was a welcomed guest in various political circles and maintained great prestige among the nobility.

    A luxurious carriage entered the Royal Palace and stopped in front of the gallery where the Duke of Orleans stepped out, descending the stairs arranged by his servants.

    Not far away, the sound of a speech drifted from the garden; he turned his head to glance in that direction, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He knew that this was a gathering of some organizations dissatisfied with the Royal Family.

    Indeed, the Royal Palace had become a secret base against the Royal Family, where future core members of the Feuillants, Girondin Party, and Jacobins often met. Moreover, various prohibited items, including controlled weapons, were traded here.

    The Duke of Orleans used his power to provide them with a protective umbrella. He had painstakingly managed this for decades, supporting anything that could help overthrow the Royal Family.

    The Duke of Orleans tossed his coat to a servant and strode into the main hall. Just as a guard opened the door, he saw his son berating a maid.

    He cleared his throat and approached, saying, ¡°Philippe, what has happened here?¡±

    The young man turned around. It was the droopy-eyed youth who had taken the math test with Joseph that morning. He pointed at the maid, shouting sharply, ¡°This idiot! She brought me black tea when I was in a bad mood! And it¡¯s so hot!¡±

    ¡°What has upset you so much?¡±

    ¡°That Joseph!¡± Philippe clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, ¡°He must have cheated! There¡¯s no way he could have studied university-level courses!¡±

    The Duke of Orleans asked about the details and frowned. He hadn¡¯t expected the Crown Prince to impress a university scholar like Lagrange so much. After such difficulty with Louis XVI, who lacked intelligence, why was his son so outstanding?

    He needed to suppress the Crown Prince¡¯s growing prestige before it made overthrowing the King even more challenging.

    He consoled his son for a while before the butler approached rapidly, bowing and saying, ¡°My lord, Mr. Frouwa requests an audience.¡±

    ¡°Is it Levebelle¡¯s confidant? Have him wait for me in the study.¡±

    In the study, the Duke of Orleans read through the letter Frouwa had brought, a cold smile appearing in his eyes. He handed the letter to the butler beside him:

    ¡°The Crown Prince may have some cleverness, but he¡¯s still a child after all. If he were to mingle at the town hall, I would indeed have no way of dealing with him, but he has actually volunteered to participate in police management.¡±

    The butler, looking at the letter, clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Paris has always been a place of chaos, especially the poor districts where robbery and murder never cease. Even those with decades of municipal experience are at their wits¡¯ end. The Crown Prince is really asking for trouble.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans laughed and nodded, ¡°Since Joseph is so confident, let¡¯s help him make a name for himself.¡±

    He turned to Frouwa and said, ¡°Go back and tell Levebelle to appoint the Crown Prince as the Police Commissioner of the Saint Antoine District.¡±

    The Police Commissioner was a powerful position second only to the Director of Police Services, in charge of all police matters in one of Paris¡¯s major districts. There were only six Police Commissioners in all of Paris.

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±

    After Levebelle¡¯s confidant had left, the Duke of Orleans instructed the butler, ¡°Ensure ¡®Paris News¡¯ and ¡®The Citizen¡¯s Daily¡¯ pay close attention to crime in the Saint Antoine District and the police management there. They should specifically mention the one in charge of the police affairs, our Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the butler bowed and exited.

    The Duke of Orleans strolled to the window, contentedly gazing at the Royal Palace Gardens in the night, a smirk forming on his lips:

    ¡°Once the Saint Antoine District turns into chaos, let¡¯s see how the Austrian wench defends her son. Crown Prince? Hmph, soon you¡¯ll be considered just as inept as your father in the eyes of the people!¡±

    By ¡°Austrian wench,¡± he referred to Queen Mary, born in Austria.

 Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Start as a Minor Official (Seeking Recommendations)

    Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Start as a Minor Official (Seeking Recommendations)

    Early the next morning.

    As soon as Paris Municipal Commissioner Levebelle caught sight of the head of the Chamber of Commerce, he waved at him with his chubby face and after exchanging a few pleasantries, he said,

    ¡°By the way, what are your thoughts on the case the Crown Prince solved yesterday?¡±

    Freselle exclaimed with emotion, ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s intelligence and wisdom left me absolutely stunned. I really look forward to the day he leads France.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Levebelle said with a smile, ¡°after careful consideration, I think His Highness is entirely capable of serving as the Police Commissioner.¡±

    After his persuasion, Freselle was eventually convinced. Since the Crown Prince himself also wanted a position within the Police Department, it was better to offer him a favor that would go with the flow.

    Meanwhile, when Joseph had just entered the entrance of the City Hall, he was greeted by the portly mayor, who approached him with a beaming smile,

    ¡°Your Highness, yesterday the Police Commissioner from Saint Antoine District, old Similion, took an extended sick leave. I wonder if you would be interested in the position of Police Commissioner?¡±

    ¡°The Saint Antoine District?¡± The head of the Chamber of Commerce was taken aback, then whispered to Levebelle, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention it was that place? It¡¯s too chaotic there; if the Crown Prince¡­¡±

    The Municipal Commissioner interrupted him softly, ¡°The Crown Prince won¡¯t be patrolling; there won¡¯t be any danger.¡±

    Freselle wanted to say more but was blocked by the plump mayor, ¡°Your Highness, the people left by Similion are all experienced. You can rest assured.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat surprised at how quickly the two men changed their tune, but he immediately accepted the offer, ¡°Alright, I accept the position.¡±

    He had learned the day before that the Police Commissioner oversaw all police operations in a large district, with only the Director of Police Services above him. And it would be unlikely for the City Hall to allow him to become the Director of Police Services, considering his age.

    Levebelle immediately laid on the praise thickly, accompanying the Crown Prince all the way to the Police Headquarters, and ensured that the appointment documents were signed before leaving contentedly.

    Joseph wasted no time. Under the personal escort of Director of Police Services Gizo, he headed straight to Saint Antoine District to take up his new position.

    After more than an hour in the carriage, they entered the perimeter of Saint Antoine District, and the surrounding scenery immediately became even more dilapidated.

    The passersby had numb expressions, wobbly makeshift shacks were everywhere, homeless people emitting foul odors were sprawled in the corners, half of the shops were closed, and there were very few street vendors. Only prostitutes in cheap clothing intermittently solicited customers, bringing a slight semblance of vitality to the area.

    Not long into their journey, Joseph saw several instances of protection racketeering, followed by gang members fighting on the streets, with blood everywhere. Passersby who spotted the fights from a distance quickly lowered their heads and fled, and throughout it all, no police appeared.

    Gizo, however, seemed to be accustomed to the scene, cheerfully talking about the ball and even encouraging the Crown Prince to attend a masquerade next month.

    Joseph thought to himself: No wonder this was the first place in France where the Revolutionary unrest started. Anyone living here for years amidst such extreme poverty would definitely accumulate a deep resentment, and once unleashed, the destructive power would be astonishing.

    He sighed deeply. It seemed that he had, after all, come to the right place by coming to Saint Antoine District.

    Another half-hour passed, and the carriage stopped in front of a small yard, surrounded by uneven wooden planks. Inside was a decrepit building with no sign in sight.

    Gizo made a courteous gesture outside the carriage, ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve arrived at the Saint Antoine District Police Station.¡±

    Seeing that the person getting off the carriage was the Director of Police Services, a police officer hastily ran inside to report. Moments later, several officials from the police station came out to greet them hurriedly.

    First, Gizo bowed to Joseph, then, turning to the people in front of him, he cleared his throat and declared loudly, ¡°The esteemed Crown Prince has graced us with his presence, and from now on, he will serve as the Police Commissioner here.¡± An assistant immediately displayed the appointment document.

    All the members of the Saint Antoine District Police Station were so shocked that they stood rooted to the spot, not knowing what to think: How could such a high-profile figure come to our humble place? But isn¡¯t the Crown Prince only 13 years old? Lord, he¡¯s going to be a Police Commissioner? The police station will probably be thrown into complete chaos¡­

    After a long pause, a tall, thin man with sunken eyes stepped forward and bowed respectfully, ¡°Crown Prince, your arrival brings splendor to our modest place! Acting on behalf of everyone here, I, assistant commissioner Bono, sincerely welcome you.¡±

    He then turned to introduce the others, ¡°Your Highness, this is Magone, the second squad¡¯s security supervisor, and this is the third squad¡¯s security supervisor¡­¡±

    The several security supervisors hurried forward to bow, and Joseph smiled as he returned their greetings one by one. He had seen in the documents at the town hall that the assistant to the Police Commissioner was the second in command at the police station, while the security supervisors were responsible for commanding police officers to respond to emergencies and patrol, usually with more than a dozen subordinates, and were part of the police station¡¯s middle layer.

    Bono and others escorted Joseph inside the police station, and Magone, rushing a few steps ahead to catch up, said with a look of admiration, ¡°Your Highness, I heard from Cesar that just yesterday, you solved a murder case in merely over ten minutes, making us old police officers who have served for over a decade ashame.¡±

    Joseph hadn¡¯t expected the news to have reached the Saint Antoine District so quickly and hurriedly responded with a few modest words.

    After entering the rundown building of the police station, Joseph, seeing the policemen following him step by step, frowned slightly and instructed them not to all follow and to go about their duties, including sending Gizo away.

    Once the surroundings were finally quiet, Joseph, led by Bono, made his way to the Police Commissioner¡¯s office. He looked around the room and sat down at the large oak desk.

    With a smiling face, Bono offered, ¡°Your Highness, would you like tea or hot chocolate? I will immediately prepare dinner for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, no trouble is needed,¡± Joseph waved his hand to decline, ¡°Please bring me the files regarding the situation in our jurisdiction, as well as those related to cases and personnel.¡±

    Bono was somewhat surprised; he had thought the Crown Prince was just coming to play for a few days but didn¡¯t expect him to be serious!

    The files were quickly brought over. Joseph only flipped through a few pages before his brow furrowed ¡ª just last month, the Saint Antoine District had seen 28 murders, 63 robberies, and 220 thefts¡­

    And the district¡¯s population was only 80,000!

    Those numbers were just the reported cases; who knows how many went unreported? The situation was much worse than he had imagined.

    Joseph then picked up the police officers¡¯ information. There were a total of 181 policemen in the Saint Antoine District, 120 of whom had bought their positions, while only 61 had joined the force through inheritance, recruitment, and other methods.

    Besides these, there were the civilian volunteer patrol squads, totaling over 200 people.

    He had seen in documentaries that the most common activity for Paris Police officers nowadays was extortion! From vendors to criminals to victims, they shook down anyone they could. As for fighting crime? They¡¯d get around to that in their free time, after all, they needed to earn back the money they had spent on buying their positions, right?

    Therefore, maintaining public order largely depended on the civilian patrol squads, but they were volunteers without law enforcement authority, and their weapons were rudimentary; they could only intimidate criminals, not even capable of making arrests.

    So, the truly useful police force amounted to roughly just those 60 or so who were recruited.

 Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Reorganizing the Police Force (Seeking Investment)

    Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Reorganizing the Police Force (Seeking Investment)

    After flipping through the files, Joseph learned that these more than 180 police officers had not received their full wages for four months.

    Their salaries were supposed to come 20% from the city hall and the remaining 80% from the chamber of commerce. However, because the merchants often failed to cooperate, the funds were insufficient, which meant the police officers received less pay.

    Joseph frowned and shook his head. To have over sixty people managing a large district of 80,000 inhabitants and to be in salary arrears¡­ it was no wonder that there were twenty-eight murders popping up in a month. It was equally unsurprising that in the beginning of the great upheaval in France, when masses of citizens went to the military hospice to grab muskets, no one stood in their way.

    Everything depends on people, so it seemed that the urgent matter at hand was solving the manpower issue.

    Joseph pondered for a long while, recalling various advanced policing concepts from later generations, and then wrote a good four or five pages, sorting out a framework for reforming the police force, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

    He put down his pen and glanced at the first item he had written, ¡°Restructure civilian patrol teams,¡± and summoned the Police Commissioner¡¯s assistant Bono, instructing:

    ¡°Please gather all the police and civilian patrol teams of the Saint Antoine District here tomorrow morning.¡±

    The latter was startled, ¡°Your Highness, you mean, everyone?¡±

    ¡°Yes, everyone. I will have Viscount Gizo bring in people from other districts to help with the patrol, so do not worry.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Joseph then turned to Eman, ¡°Please arrange for someone to fetch twenty thousand livres from my private funds.¡±

    ¡­

    When the sun rose again, nearly 400 police officers and civilian patrol members had gathered in the open space in front of Paris Police Headquarters, standing in two somewhat disorderly squares.

    Even though they had been informed that they would meet the Crown Prince, their current superior, today, when they saw that handsome young man in a red double-breasted uniform and tricorne hat on the wooden platform in front of them, they were still filled with nervousness and shock.

    At nine o¡¯clock sharp, accompanied by the sound of military drums, Joseph raised his hand to signal, and loudly said:

    ¡°Gentlemen, good morning. I am not one for idle chatter, so I will make just three points, and I ask everyone to listen carefully.¡±

    Though his voice was youthful, it carried a strong presence: ¡°First, as of now, the entire civilian patrol team of the Saint Antoine District will be incorporated into the Police Department, becoming official police officers. Of course, those who are unwilling are not forced.¡±

    The civilian patrol team members were in an uproar!

    To buy a police officer position cost 500 livres. With just one casual statement from the Crown Prince, they had all become official police officers?!

    In Paris, while the reputation of the police was not very good, it was nonetheless a government position with status and standing! These folks who had organized themselves out of sheer necessity could never have dreamed of becoming police officers; this was a rapid promotion!

    Joseph signaled for everyone to be quiet and continued, ¡°Second, from now on, everyone will have to go through an evaluation process. The content includes character, physical fitness, and professional competency, etc. Based on the scores, police ranks will be granted¡ªah, similar to military ranks, divided into Police officer, Inspector, and Chief, each with three grades. In the future, as ranks are promoted, salaries will also increase.

    ¡°Starting from trainee police officers, the monthly salary is 18 livres. The salaries for the first to third grade officers are 22, 25, and 30 livres respectively. The salary for inspectors starts at 40 livres.¡±

    He pointed to several wooden boxes nearby: ¡°Here are twenty thousand livres; after the evaluation of ranks, you will be able to receive this month¡¯s salary. From now on, salaries will be paid here in cash, with not a day¡¯s delay.¡±

    The crowd exploded again! 30 livres was nearly the income of a city hall official, and 22 livres was enough for modest comfort, with the salary being paid in cash! The previous salary for the Paris Police was only 16 livres, and it was often docked, so what they actually received in hand was just over half.

    All eyes shone bright, reflecting the glint of silver coins.

    They had to compete fiercely in the assessments! If one could be evaluThe ated as a third-grade officer, it meant saving at least ten, no, twenty years of struggle!

    As for those who were portly, they were already becoming anxious as they looked at their own figures.

    ¡°Third,¡± Joseph¡¯s voice interrupted everyone¡¯s thoughts, ¡°in the future, a performance review system will be implemented. This means that based on indicators such as case-solving rates, the volume of emergency calls, and the number of complaints, assessments will be conducted monthly. Good work will be rewarded with bonuses, and unsatisfactory performance will result in fines deducted from the salary. Promotions in rank and position will also rely heavily on performance scores.¡±

    He looked around at those present: ¡°That is all I have to say. I believe everyone is in favor.

    ¡°Now, everyone will begin the reorganization and evaluation on the spot; the reorganization must be completed within ten days!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± an enormous roar immediately went up from below the platform.

    The former civilian patrol team members were so excited that their faces turned red and their hands trembled, cries of ¡°Long live the Crown Prince¡± rang out continuously.

    They could never have anticipated that this unexpected gathering would result in such a huge turn of fate. It was foreseeable that their lives would be filled with hope from now on!

    The Crown Prince had already become like a savior in their hearts, emanating a sacred radiance; hundreds of people swore in their hearts to give it their all, to repay the Crown Prince¡¯s great kindness!

    Then, several of the Crown Prince¡¯s guards ran over, each picked several tens of police officers, and led them off to start reorganizing into teams.

    Joseph¡¯s measures may seem commonplace in later times, but in the eighteenth century, they were definitely seen as the most advanced concepts¡ªstandardizing structure, detailed job roles, performance evaluations, and rewarding capability; all were revolutionary improvements.

    According to the original historical trajectory, it was not until decades later that the talented and mighty Napoleon initiated police reform, and his efforts, although less than half of those made by Joseph, had already become an example for all of Europe to learn from.

    Two days later, the residents of the Saint Antoine District began to notice many new things.

    At the corner of each street, a wooden box with a slit at the top was hung, labeled ¡°Police Complaint Box¡± in bold letters painted on with oil, with a small note explaining that all dissatisfaction with the police could be written down and dropped in there, and the Police Commissioner would personally review and address them. The results would be made public immediately.

    And in many populated areas, a large number of wooden stands were being constructed. According to the carpenters, these were security pavilions requested by the Police Headquarters, where police officers would be on duty all day, ready to support the patrolling officers.

 Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Problems

    Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Problems

    Three days later.

    The Commissioner¡¯s office.

    ¡°Sir, are you aware of the Crown Prince¡¯s reorganization of the police force?¡± Frouwa stared at the Commissioner, voicing his concerns anxiously, ¡°The Duke of Orleans wants the Crown Prince to be embarrassed, but now the reformation is quite impressive, and the officers have high morale. I¡¯m worried¡­¡±

    Levebelle carefully selected a bottle from the wine cabinet and took out a bottle of wine, ¡°Relax, Gael, someone will take care of this.¡±

    ¡°Someone will take care of it? Who?¡±

    Levebelle admired the purple liquid in the bottle against the light, and said slowly, ¡°I spread the word about the Crown Prince¡¯s actions yesterday, and I guess some people should already be unsettled by now.¡±

    As he spoke, Director of Police Services Gizo knocked and entered, hastily saluted him, and urgently said, ¡°Sir, you must go and advise His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The portly mayor took out a corkscrew, deliberately asking, ¡°Advise him on what?¡±

    Gizo paced back and forth on the floor with his leather boots, annoyed, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? His Highness has completely transformed the police force, and it¡¯s going to severely affect the order in the Saint Antoine District!¡±

    He recounted how Joseph had reformed the police force and added with a worried face, ¡°Honestly, if it were anyone else causing such upheaval, I would have fired them already, but this is His Highness the Crown Prince, you see¡­¡±

    Levebelle forcefully pulled out the cork, sniffed the aroma wafting from the bottle, shaking his head, ¡°Viscount Gizo, the actions of the Crown Prince are internal matters of the Police Department, it would be difficult for me to intervene.

    ¡°Besides, I have to deal with the matter of funding lately. You know, the funding from the merchants is just so little, and the Crown Prince has added many officers, so nearly half of the Police Department¡¯s funds have to be allocated to the Saint Antoine District.¡±

    ¡°How can this be?¡± Gizo exclaimed loudly, ¡°He can¡¯t use up that much of the funds! You must help me think of a solution!¡±

    Levebelle feigned difficulty and pondered for a while, poured a glass of wine and handed it to Gizo, the corners of his eyes revealing a subtle smile, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way out, for example, you could make the Crown Prince back down. I will try my best to support you here.¡±

    Gizo looked deeply at him, gulped down the wine in one go, nodded forcefully, and left with a dark expression.

    After the office door closed, Frouwa looked at the portly mayor in surprise: ¡°Sir, how did you know Viscount Gizo would come?¡±

    Levebelle passed another glass of wine to him and smiled, ¡°Although the Crown Prince has some skills, he¡¯s still a child in the end, only looking at the present and neglecting the consequences brought by his actions.¡±

    ¡°Consequences?¡±

    Levebelle sipped his wine and explained, ¡°Besides the merchants¡¯ funding, the biggest revenue for the police force is the profits from the sale of police positions. When I spread the word that the Crown Prince had promoted commoners to police officers, those who planned to buy the positions must have speculated that there would be no need to buy positions in Paris¡¯ police force in the future, who would want to spend money at this time?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the biggest source of income for those in the police force.¡± The proud mayor swirled his glass, ¡°I¡¯ll just withhold some of the funding from City Hall for Gizo, they are bound to be driven mad. What do you think they¡¯ll do?¡±

    Frouwa¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°They will do everything they can to stop the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    The sun set in the west.

    Police Director Gizo¡¯s carriage finally arrived at the Saint Antoine District police station.

    In Joseph¡¯s office, Gizo respectfully saluted and put on a forced smile, flattering, ¡°Your Highness, you are truly formidable, with such a reorganization, the police force has been completely rejuvenated!¡±

    After blowing a bit of smoke, his expression turned to concern, ¡°However, those people from the civilian patrol you¡¯ve enlisted into the police force, they hardly know how to use swords, let alone have experience with crossbows and firearms. They¡¯ll need at least three to four months of training, or they won¡¯t even be able to deal with street thugs.

    ¡°During these months of their training, the patrols they were originally responsible for have gone unattended. You previously had me call in over 120 police officers from other districts, but the pressure on public security there is also great, and they will soon have to return¡­¡±

    Joseph had him sit down and smiled, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take that long; I have a simplified training method that can be completed in about ten days. Borrowing police from other districts for a little over ten days shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±

    ¡°This, of course, can be done.¡± Gizo put on a serious expression, ¡°But training is of utmost importance and must not be taken lightly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± Joseph said. ¡°Rest assured, I will handle it with care.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Gizo nodded stiffly, still unwilling to give up, ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s another thing. Your sudden requisition of over two hundred police officers, the Police Headquarters simply doesn¡¯t have enough equipment to supply them¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the equipment; I will take care of it.¡±

    Gizo hadn¡¯t expected that the ¡°difficult problem¡± he had meticulously prepared would be dismissed so lightly by the Crown Prince.

    He then stubbornly broached several ¡°issues¡± with police reform, to no avail, and in the end, he had to take his leave, sullen and confused. It seemed the Crown Prince was intent on throwing the Police Headquarters into turmoil.

    It¡¯s likely that there wouldn¡¯t be much of the municipal hall¡¯s budget allocation left for him in the future¡­

    In fact, he was overthinking it; Joseph hadn¡¯t set his sights on the meager funding of the Police Department at all, and the police¡¯s financial support relying on the private sector¡¯s chambers of commerce was, to begin with, quite abnormal. With technology and advanced concepts from the future, there were plenty of ways for him to make money. He planned to plug the 20 billion debt hole of France, and sustaining a police system was merely a trifling matter to him.

    In the carriage, Gizo¡¯s eyes gradually turned ice cold; it was crucial to kick the Crown Prince out of the police system as soon as possible and restore everything to the way it was!

    Not long after Gizo had left, two exquisite carriages arrived at the Saint Antoine District police station.

    Louis XVI¡¯s attendant alighted from the carriage, put on gold-rimmed glasses, frowned as he checked the dilapidated police station, confirmed it was the right place, then briskly entered with his servants.

    Upon seeing Joseph, he first completed the entire court etiquette procedure, and then respectfully handed over a letter, ¡°Your Highness, this is a letter from His Majesty the King.¡±

    Afterward, he motioned for the servants behind him to open the delicate wooden box, ¡°Her Majesty the Queen heard you didn¡¯t bring even an Imperial Chef, and worried you wouldn¡¯t eat well, so she had these made for you.¡±

    Joseph looked into the box, which was filled with delicately made cakes, strawberry tarts, cream puffs, and various kinds of candies.

    He smiled ruefully and touched his forehead, feeling overwhelmed at just a glance, but he knew that this was Queen Mary¡¯s sincere affection.

    He then broke the seal on the envelope and unfolded the letter, seeing the beautiful, flowing Italian handwriting of Louis:

    [My dear Joseph:

    I hope this letter brings you all my warmest thoughts and affection! Here, as a father, I express to you my deep concern and longing.

    Did you know that I finally finished the ¡°Salamander Fountain¡±? I swear before the Lord, it is absolutely the finest piece of art¡­ (he rambles about his lock). When it was finished, you were the first person I wanted to share it with, and that¡¯s when I discovered you had gone to work at the municipal hall. I am sorry, I really was in the workshop for too long and didn¡¯t know. How is life in Paris for you? And your mother as well, how could she let you undertake such a burden at just thirteen? That is something Brian and the others should be taking care of¡­

    Oh, by the way, I heard you¡¯ve completed your college courses! How did you do that? It¡¯s unbelievable! I¡¯m proud of you! Son, you are the pride of the entire Royal Family! I am convinced you will one day return France to the glory of the Sun King¡¯s era¡­ (he goes on praising his son for an entire page).

    Joseph, I heard you are now reforming the Police Department, and you¡¯re doing well, that¡¯s great to see! Just go ahead and do what you want to do, if there¡¯s any issue I¡¯ve got your back, I will always support you¡­ If you feel tired, rush back to the Palace of Versailles, your mother is always worried about you not eating well¡­

    Lastly, I want to tell you that no matter where you are, you are forever my dearest son. A thousand kisses!]

    Although the letter was filled with French sentimentality, Joseph still felt the profound love of a father within it.

    He took a deep breath; in his previous life, his parents, in poor health, passed away one after the other during his university years. He had long been deprived of the warmth of family, and at this moment, he felt his heart was full of warmth. He hoped that in this life, he could live with his family in peace and happiness for a long time.

 Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Results (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Results (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

    Before he knew it, it was already the tenth day since Joseph had taken over the police force.

    The open ground in front of the Saint Antoine District police station was dusty, and over two hundred new police officers clad in neat blue uniforms, with wide-brimmed hats in blue and white, were sweating profusely as they wielded oddly-shaped weapons in practice.

    These uniforms had been procured from military units stationed in the suburbs of Paris, costing Joseph several thousand ¡°livres.¡± At present, police across France and even in Europe dressed at their discretion, with no standard uniforms. In terms of attire alone, the police of the Saint Antoine District were decades ahead of their peers.

    When it came to the weapons and equipment for the police officers, Joseph did not choose muskets, as they were no different from fire sticks without half a year of rigorous training.

    He did not even provide the force with a large number of swords, but instead had carpenters make over two hundred two-meter-long Y-shaped wooden forks. They also had shields shared between every two people; these items might look simple, but they were extremely practical. The security at airports and stations in later times used this set, which combined with specific formations, worked excellently for riot control.

    These officers, coming from the lowest stratum of Parisian society, cherished their police identity enormously and trained for 10 hours every day without a single one complaining of fatigue.

    Joseph watched the training ground with satisfaction. According to plan, from this noon on, this brand-new police force would start assuming responsibility for the security of the Saint Antoine District.

    Of course, criminal cases were still to be handled by the original 60 veteran police officers of the force. As for those who paid for their positions, Joseph had basically assigned them to the logistics team, meaning they were in charge of chores like cleaning and transport, naturally earning the lowest pay.

    Now there were 50 detectives, 236 patrol officers, and 125 individuals for miscellaneous tasks in the Saint Antoine District police station; it was quite a formidable force within the whole of Paris.

    One should know that these over 280 main force officers were each brimming with energy and high morale, completely unlike the hoodlum air of other district police officers.

    Moreover, these officers were truly capable of maintaining public order, a stark contrast to the old police force primarily engaged in extortion.

    Especially in terms of responsibility, they were eight times as reliable as the former policemen.

    It could be said that this was truly the police force in the modern sense!

    Under the brilliant sun, and after having lunch, nearly three hundred officers left the police station in formation, shouting resounding slogans at Joseph¡¯s command, officially taking over the duty of maintaining order in the Saint Antoine District.

    In fact, they had already been patrolling in the district, knew exactly where trouble was likely to appear, and were rich in experience. Now with formal status and advanced management models, their ability to control crime had increased exponentially.

    The citizens had long been informed, but aside from giving the police¡¯s impressive uniforms a few more glances, they didn¡¯t pay it much mind¡ªwhat expectations could one have of the police in France?

    On the east side of the Saint Antoine District, Oray Street.

    Vulgar curses and roars echoed through a back alley.

    Four or five burly men in black vests and felt hats cornered a middle-aged man against the wall, brandishing clubs and iron axes, ¡°You dare to owe the Viper Gang money? Are you looking to die?¡±

    The middle-aged man shrank in terror, ¡°Gentlemen, I¡­ I¡¯ll pay next week! For the love of God¡­¡±

    ¡°You have already missed paying the protection fee three times this year,¡± a red-haired man sneered and signaled to his subordinates, ¡°According to the rules, we need to teach you a lesson.¡±

    ¡°No! Please, no!¡±

    Before the middle-aged man could finish speaking, one of the burly men in felt hats swung down a club fiercely onto his arm, instantly followed by the sound of breaking bones, accompanied by an inhuman scream of agony.

    The red-haired man ground his foot into the twisted, pain-wracked figure on the ground, ¡°Remember, next week. If you dare to delay again, it will be the other hand!¡±

    He was speaking when suddenly four people in blue military uniforms and wide-brimmed hats appeared at the entrance of the alley, looking down at the groaning wounded on the ground.

    The redhead recognized two of them and said casually, ¡°Baptiste and Quirian? I heard you became police officers. Hmm, those uniforms fit you well.¡±

    These two were former members of the civilian patrol, and they were quite familiar with the Viper Gang.

    The redhead swung the knife in his hand: ¡°I¡¯m here collecting my dues, everyone get out of the way.¡±

    The police officer named Quirian suddenly took out a whistle and blew it hard, then pointed at the group and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re committing an assault in broad daylight, I¡¯m going to arrest you!¡±

    He used to be a tanner who, in order to provide security for his family, had voluntarily joined the patrol and would patrol the vicinity from 6 PM to 11 PM. When encountering thugs like the Viper Gang, he would usually avoid them if possible.

    But now he was a bona fide police officer, with a high salary of 35 livres a month. His wife and two children had white bread to eat every day, and every few days they could even have some meat, which was something he had only dreamed of before.

    Now, there was only one thing he wanted to do: to do his utmost to maintain the security of his district and ensure a happy life for his family, and at the same time to repay the Crown Prince. Moreover, arresting more criminals would lead to better performance ratings, and the higher the performance, the higher the bonus!

    He and the other three police officers shouted in unison, ¡°In the name of the Crown Prince! Charge!¡±

    The redhead snorted disdainfully and waved his hand at his underlings, ¡°Teach these idiots a lesson!¡±

    He was very confident; not to mention the patrol, even the police officers, in his view, were all bluster and no substance, timid and afraid of trouble, ready to flee like women at the sight of blood.

    However, this time he was wrong.

    Three of the police officers took off the two-meter-long Y-shaped wooden forks from behind them and stepped forward neatly. They used the forks to block two of the attacking Viper Gang underlings at the waist.

    The head of the wooden fork was as wide as an arm, and one could hit the target even with closed eyes. It was the security device of the future¡ªthe riot waist fork.

    Another police officer with a spear took advantage of the opportunity and stabbed a gang member in the foot.

    A cry of pain went up as the man rolled on the ground clutching his foot. Nearby, another Viper Gang underling bared his teeth and glared, wildly swinging a short sword, but was blocked by the wooden fork and couldn¡¯t reach the police.

    The redhead was furious and took the lead in charging forward. Although there were four people on his side, they were blocked by the riot waist forks and couldn¡¯t get close to the policemen even after a long time; instead, two more of his men were sneak attacked by long spears, hitting them in the lower legs.

    The redhead felt extremely frustrated. The fighting skills he had honed through over a decade of blood and battle were of no use against the police officers¡¯ strange formation.

    This was the ¡°Security Combat Method¡± taught to the police by Joseph, commonly used in stations and airports in the future. The technique prioritized holding the enemy at bay rather than killing, and it was conducive to self-defense.

    More importantly, this combat method was simple and easy to learn; anyone could master it after just a week of practice.

    The redhead was gritting his teeth so hard they could shatter, unable to fathom why the police officers were so tough today. Soon, he decided to give up¡ªhe himself had almost been stabbed¡ªand decisively waved his hand and shouted, ¡°Retreat!¡±

    However, at a security booth half a street away, on-duty police officers had heard the whistle and immediately dispatched four people to provide backup.

    When they arrived at the narrow alley, they ran head-on into the Viper Gang who were planning to escape. The leading police officer shouted ¡°In the name of the Crown Prince,¡± and three riot waist forks were instantly positioned in front of them.

 Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Great Chaos

    Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Great Chaos

    The members of the Viper Gang barely put up a fight before being pinned down to the ground, sandwiched from front and rear by truncheons, and they whimpered in terror.

    Quirian, while thanking the colleagues who had come to provide backup, bound the criminals one by one with rope.

    That very day, the same scene unfolded in various parts of the Saint Antoine District.

    The police, as if injected with an adrenaline boost, would charge at the sight of any criminal activity, shouting, ¡°In the name of the Crown Prince,¡± and use riot forks and spears to harshly discipline the miscreants.

    For a time, the thieves, robbers, and gang members in the Saint Antoine District were in complete disarray, their audacious arrogance nowhere to be found.

    The residents of the Saint Antoine District, witnessing the police cracking down on crime everywhere, were both shocked and delighted; they had never seen the police arrest so many troublemaking gang members and criminals with such earnestness.

    In this era, the people¡¯s expectations for public security were extremely low; getting robbed or burglarized would just be chalked up to bad luck, and as long as their lives were not at risk, they were quite content. However, the actions of the new police force had greatly exceeded their expectations.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the people to spontaneously bring the police water and food, to cheer from the streets for the officers who caught criminals, and the encouraged police worked even harder in response.

    Soon, citizens learned a new trick: shouting ¡°In the name of the Crown Prince¡± when facing a crime could scare off the villains with a not-so-small chance of success.

    ¡­

    Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans, looking at the ¡°Paris News¡± on the table, had a grim expression. The newspaper¡¯s front-page headline read ¡°Chaos in Antony District, Crown Prince Oversees Police Reforms.¡±

    Compared to the ambiguous wordings of the ¡°Paris News,¡± which he controlled, the surrounding tabloids were much more direct¡ª ¡°Crown Prince Restructures Police, Improvements Seen in Saint Antoine District,¡± ¡°Saint Antoine District Residents Praise the New Police Force,¡± ¡°Crown Prince¡¯s Astute Intelligence, Solves Dentist Murder Case in Three Minutes¡±¡­

    The Duke of Orleans felt irritated, originally wanting to use the chaos in the Saint Antoine District to thoroughly humiliate the Crown Prince through the newspapers, but his plan had unintentionally boosted the Crown Prince¡¯s reputation instead.

    This Joseph had transformed the police force in just over ten days, a feat that simply didn¡¯t seem possible for a thirteen-year-old boy!

    Thinking this, he frowned suddenly: could the Austrian wench be using her son to start purging the Paris officialdom, beginning with the Police Headquarters?

    The more he thought about it, the more he believed it was the only possibility, as the Crown Prince alone could hardly achieve all of this.

    Then he must disrupt the Queen¡¯s plans even more, absolutely not allowing the Royal Family to stir any waves!

    After pondering for a while, the Duke of Orleans hastily wrote a letter, called over his butler, and instructed, ¡°Deliver this letter to Levebelle. Tell him to succeed at all costs. I might consider helping him become Governor of Normandy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    ¡­

    In a small villa on the east bank of the Seine River, Director of Police Services Gizo eyed the slightly ajar door and called out to his mistress who was eavesdropping outside, ¡°Anna, close the door and make sure no servant gets near.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The woman reluctantly shut the door and walked away, murmuring under her breath, ¡°Hmph, ordering me around as if I were a servant¡­ this is my own home¡­¡±

    Only then did Gizo turn his attention back to the short, curly-haired man in front of him, took a strong pull from his pipe, and said, ¡°Similion, this time the Crown Prince isn¡¯t just playing around for a few days before returning to the Palace of Versailles. He¡¯s here to stay at the Police Headquarters.¡±

    The short man, who was the former Police Commissioner of the Saint Antoine District, now ¡°on sick leave,¡± immediately replied anxiously, ¡°But the municipal commissioner said I could be reinstated in at most two months¡­¡±

    ¡°Who knew it would turn out like this?¡± Gizo exhaled a plume of smoke. ¡°It¡¯s not just you; the Crown Prince is a huge problem for the whole Police Headquarters.¡±

    He stared at Similion and said, ¡°There¡¯s something now that, if you do it well, not only can you be reinstated, but you may also be promoted.¡±

    The short man¡¯s eyes flashed with joy, ¡°Just give your orders, sir!¡±

    ¡°You know the Saint Antoine District best, who are the most powerful gangs there?¡±

    ¡°The Host Gang and Black Sheep Gang,¡± Similion said, ¡°They control over eighty percent of the territory in this district, each with hundreds of subordinates.¡±

    Gizo nodded, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to him, his eyes flashing with a crazed glint, ¡°Go find them, and whether it be dismemberment, rape, kidnapping, or arson, it¡¯s all good, just cause complete chaos in the Saint Antoine District. I want a total loss of control, thorough chaos!¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Similion¡¯s pupils contracted with shock at those words, before he nodded and said, ¡°Alright, complete chaos.¡±

    He glanced at the paper in his hand and suddenly sprang up from his chair, exclaiming, ¡°Thirty thousand livres!¡±

    The paper was indeed a bank draft for thirty thousand livres. At this time, twenty thousand livres could buy a villa in Paris, so thirty thousand livres was definitely a huge sum that could drive any gang mad.

    ¡°That sum is nothing,¡± Gizo gestured for him to sit down, ¡°tell the gangs that for every incident that causes panic, they¡¯ll get a thousand livres. After a month, whoever has done the most notable job will get an additional twenty thousand livres.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Similion¡¯s hands trembled slightly with nervousness.

    ¡°Off you go then,¡± Gizo gave him another long look, ¡°and remember, if anything goes wrong, the powerful figure behind me will clean up for you, but all of this was your own idea, it has nothing to do with me, got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve got it, don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Gizo stood by the window, watching Similion hurry away, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

    He had not originally planned to go this big, but when Levebelle told him yesterday to just go for it and that he would take care of any trouble, Gizo no longer had any reservations.

    ¡°Crown Prince, you could have enjoyed your luxuries at the Palace of Versailles, yet you insist on muddying the waters here,¡± he muttered through clenched teeth.

    ¡­

    Three days later.

    The police station of the Saint Antoine District.

    Joseph was under the shade of a tree, perusing letters of complaint from the citizens¡ªthough they were mostly praise for the police¡ªwhen the security inspector, Magone, suddenly rushed over, bowed, and gasped,

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s been another incident! Two people were killed in a shoe store on White Iris Street, and the store was set on fire!¡±

    Joseph immediately frowned; since the afternoon the day before yesterday, multiple violent incidents had occurred in the Saint Antoine District, with two deaths the day before yesterday, three deaths and two serious injuries yesterday.

    He had thought they were isolated incidents, but now there was another.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation like now?¡±

    ¡°Alden has taken people over,¡± Magone said, ¡°The fire has been extinguished, but the criminal hasn¡¯t been caught yet.¡±

    Joseph immediately returned to the office to start mobilizing personnel and dealing with the case.

    As twilight approached, Alden brought back updates on the White Iris Street incident and was reporting to Joseph when suddenly another police officer brought more bad news¡ªthe Black Sheep Gang had gone mad for some reason and were slashing people all over Misanla Street. Seven or eight passersby had been wounded and urgent police reinforcement was needed.

 Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Crown Princes Guard

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Crown Prince¡¯s Guard

    ¡°This situation isn¡¯t right,¡± Joseph frowned and pondered, ¡°Have the gangs in the Saint Antoine District gone mad these past few days?¡±

    He immediately instructed Alden, ¡°From now on, all personnel are to extend their policing hours, let everyone work harder, and double their performance bonuses. Night patrols must be especially strengthened, as more incidents are likely to occur.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Alden saluted with his hand on his chest, ready to turn and leave, when the officer in charge of police personnel ran in, sweating profusely:

    ¡°Your Highness, there has suddenly been a large, large number of police officers taking leave¡­ it¡¯s estimated to be nearly a hundred.¡±

    ¡°Nearly a hundred?!¡± Alden was stunned. The main police force of the Saint Antoine District, plus various support staff, amounted to just over 400 people¡ªthis meant a quarter of them were asking for leave.

    ¡°Yes, some say they are sick, others have family emergencies.¡±

    Joseph took the leave request list and glanced over it; they were all former police force members, with the logistics team making up the bulk, and there were also about a dozen detectives.

    And what¡¯s more, leading the request for leave was none other than the deputy chief of the police station, Bono!

    Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. On one hand, serious crimes were occurring frequently, and he had just called for full mobilization to maintain order, and on the other, there was a mass leave? Could this be mere coincidence? There must be a problem here!

    ¡°Your Highness, we need manpower now, they¡­¡± Alden said anxiously.

    Joseph turned, handed the leave list to his attendant, and said coldly, ¡°Eman, you personally take a doctor to verify each one. Anyone whose leave does not align with the given reasons is to be immediately dismissed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Joseph gave a cold laugh, ¡°Trying to dig a hole for me? This will indeed save a considerable amount of expenses. Do they think I¡¯m out of options with just a mere hundred or so people?¡±

    He first ordered Alden, Magone, and other public safety supervisors to lead teams to maintain order, and then gestured to the Captain of the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard who was standing steadfast five paces away:

    ¡°Viscount Kesode, how many of my guards are here?¡±

    ¡°105, Your Highness,¡± replied the latter without hesitation.

    Ostensibly, Joseph was only accompanied by two or three guards, but in fact, within a 300-meter radius, there was always a large number of Crown Prince¡¯s Guards on alert.

    ¡°Detach 90 men to join Magone and the others in patrolling the streets to maintain order.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Kesode stood up straight, ¡°This is against protocol¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Protocol is made by man; don¡¯t be so rigid,¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°Besides, you are my guards, listening to me is not wrong.¡±

    Kesode¡¯s face was a mask of military firmness and uncompromising spirit, ¡°Your Highness, our duty is to protect your safety! I believe that King Louis XVI would definitely not agree with your proposal either.¡±

    ¡°King Louis XVI?¡± Joseph suddenly smiled craftily and turned to pull out a letter from Louis XVI from a few days ago from a drawer, handing the last page to the stubborn captain, ¡°I actually do have the King¡¯s endorsement.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Kesode was taken aback.

    Joseph pointed to the letter and read, ¡°¡®You just do what you need to do¡­. If there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ve got your back.¡¯ This is handwritten by His Majesty; you must follow his orders.¡±

    Kesode was stunned, ¡°But¡­¡±

    Joseph then threatened, ¡°If you do not listen to me, then I will lead the patrol myself. You¡¯ve heard about the situation outside just now.¡±

    ¡°You absolutely mustn¡¯t go on patrol!¡± Viscount Kesode hurriedly intervened, and after a standoff, he finally said with a pained expression, ¡°Your Highness, we mustn¡¯t let Major Faison know about this. Also, you mustn¡¯t leave the police station.¡±

    Major Faison was the Captain of the Court Guard at the Palace of Versailles and Viscount Kesode¡¯s direct superior.

    ¡°Deal!¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve still got 15 men here, so safety isn¡¯t an issue.¡±

    Viscount Kesode bowed once more and left Joseph¡¯s office, hastening outside to the open space in front of the police station. He reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a whistle, and blew it forcefully twice.

    Within moments, over a hundred members of the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard, swords at their sides and guns on their backs, gathered from all around like a rushing tide and formed up swiftly into five rows.

    Viscount Kesode signaled a few officers to step forward and quietly gave them several instructions.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the officers shouted in response, then each led their men out of the police station at a run, including a group of ten cavalrymen.

    ¡­

    In a dilapidated house in the Huaike District, filled with the acidic smells of foot odor and vomit, several leaders of the Black Sheep Gang were holding their drinks and laughing loudly, ¡°After all, the girls from White Laurel are the toughest, the Saint Antoine District doesn¡¯t have stuff this good.¡±

    The big boss took a large gulp of liquor and disdainfully glanced at the man, ¡°Look at your inexperienced face. If we¡¯re talking about harlots, the ones from the Louvre District are top-notch! Thirty livres for one night, those breasts, tsk tsk¡­¡±

    A man missing half of his ear said roughly, ¡°These past few days we¡¯ve made 2,000 livres. Isn¡¯t that enough to play with the high-class girls from the Louvre District whenever we want?¡±

    Someone immediately teased him, ¡°Vallian, you lost all your money for the high-class girls at the gambling den, 150 livres, right? You must have pissed on your hands, haha.¡±

    ¡°Half Ear¡± grabbed a copy of the Paris News beside him, belched, and retorted, ¡°See? The paper even covered the shoe store arson I did. Similion, that crooked cop, will bring me 1,000 livres tomorrow! Afraid I won¡¯t have enough money for the brothel?¡±

    ¡°Look at your ambitions,¡± the big boss pointed with the liquor bottle at the men in front of him, ¡°Only thinking about harlots? Put more effort into it! Win that 20,000 livres, and I¡¯ll take you to play with real aristocratic women, haha!¡±

    The gang leaders¡¯ eyes shone with lewdness as they howled in unison, ¡°We¡¯ll follow the boss¡¯s orders!¡±

    ¡°Host Gang are nothing, the 20,000 livres will definitely be ours!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the men to do it tomorrow!¡±

    Ever since Similion promised them 1,000 livres for every major crime three days ago, the Black Sheep Gang had been under strict orders combined with hefty rewards to create chaos at any cost. Even though the police had nabbed quite a few of their underlings these past few days, they¡¯d also raked in a hefty sum.

    The gang leaders envisioned being rich until the later part of the night, when they finally fell into a deep sleep.

    The next day, as soon as the sun rose, they were jolted awake by a series of heavy pounding on the door, ¡°Boss, boss! Something¡¯s bad, one of the brothers is dead!¡±

    The big boss climbed out of bed, massaging his throbbing forehead from the hangover, and said displeased:

    ¡°What¡¯s all this noise about, isn¡¯t it just someone dead? Who did it? Host Gang or the police?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s neither.¡± The voice outside trembled a little, ¡°It¡¯s the Royal Guard, and three men are dead¡­¡±

    ¡°The Royal Guard?¡± The big boss frowned and kicked his disheveled underlings, ¡°Get up, now! Let¡¯s find out what¡¯s going on!¡±

    Shortly, two of the gang leaders grumbled as they left, trailing a few men behind the person who brought the news.

    They hadn¡¯t gone far when they saw a troop of soldiers dressed in fine uniforms, wearing tricorne hats adorned with feathers, displaying the Royal Family¡¯s crests, armed excellently, and striding towards them with imposing carriage, coming from the opposite side of the street.

    ¡°What are these people doing in the Saint Antoine District?¡± ¡°Half Ear¡± asked nervously.

    ¡°They seem to be maintaining order,¡± the messenger replied with a sullen face. ¡°They are numerous, and almost every street is filled with them.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Clues (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Clues (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

    Several members of the Black Sheep Gang were talking when they heard a commotion nearby, which seemed to be a street robbery.

    The men of the Royal Guard immediately rushed over, shouting loudly, ¡°Get down immediately, or we are authorized to shoot you!¡±

    Two thugs from the Host Gang completely ignored them, slashing down the victim and running towards an alley without looking back.

    These Royal guards were completely different from the poorly equipped police, each armed with a musket and a breastplate.

    They immediately lined up in a row, raised their guns to aim, and the leader shouted again, ¡°Last warning, get down immediately!¡±

    However, the robbers made an insulting gesture behind them, laughing maniacally as they ran even faster. In their experience, as long as one was bold and fast, neither the police nor anyone else could touch them.

    But this time, they were facing the most elite guards of France.

    ¡°Fire!¡± As the leader gave the order, five muskets fired simultaneously, and the two distant thugs were hit by bullets, toppling forward with several hand-sized holes in their backs, gushing blood.

    The precise marksmanship and the chilling resoluteness of the action made the members of the Black Sheep Gang shrink back.

    Exchanging glances, they quickly ran back to report to their boss without even checking on their dead henchman.

    The Crown Prince¡¯s Guard swept through the Saint Antoine District like an unstoppable behemoth, and by just past 10 a.m., six gang members had been shot by them. The two gangs, previously arrogant and stirring trouble everywhere, suddenly became listless¡­

    This was the order Joseph gave to the guard, to shoot and kill on sight if they could not apprehend criminals! Harsh medicine for a severe illness, and without blood to intimidate the gang members, who knew how many civilians would die? In any case, it was the era of royal power; no one should talk about the rights and liberties of criminals, there were no holy mothers here!

    The leader of the Host Gang hunched in his lair, peeking through the curtain slit as the tall and formidable Royal Guard walked past in the streets, their presence causing his eyelids to twitch uncontrollably.

    The door was knocked intermittently, bringing the news of gang members being captured or shot.

    In one day, he had lost 17 men; his heart was bleeding. ¡°I¡¯m just a thug, is it necessary to call in the army to suppress me?¡±

    The Black Sheep Gang reacted a bit quicker, calling their people back by noon, only losing about a dozen men.

    In the following two days, no violent incidents occurred in the Saint Antoine District¡ªthe rewards from Similion were high, but the men of the Royal Guard were deadly serious. What use was money if one had no life to spend it?

    The news of the gang members lying low reached the police station, where everyone was thrilled, praising the decisiveness and methods of the Crown Prince, as well as the formidable Royal Guard.

    Joseph didn¡¯t pay attention to the flattery; he knew that the guard, by intimidating the gang members with thunderous methods, was only a temporary solution. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the gangs to find a loophole, especially since the guards were unfamiliar with the area and lacked investigative skills.

    Moreover, most members of the guard were titled knights; if they were to keep patrolling the streets, their morale would soon fall due to a lack of action.

    There are thieves every day, but one can¡¯t be vigilant every day. If the mastermind behind this chaos wasn¡¯t found, a major incident was bound to occur sooner or later.

    Security Inspector Alden knocked and entered the room, saluting, ¡°Your Highness, all those captured have been interrogated, they are all small fish, but many of them mentioned that for every job done, someone gives their boss a thousand livres, and they also get a good share.¡±

    Joseph frowned inwardly; these guys were indeed committing crimes for money. A thousand livres per time? The mastermind was really generous!

    He instructed Alden to interrogate them further, when suddenly a military officer from the guard strode in, saluting respectfully,

    ¡°Your Highness, my men have just captured a man named Vallian, his identity seems to be no ordinary¡­¡±

    ¡°Vallian?¡± Alden immediately excited, said, ¡°He¡¯s the Black Sheep Gang¡¯s second in command! How did you capture him?!¡±

    The officer said, ¡°He got into a brawl at the gambling house. When I led my team there, he tried to escape, but my men shot three of his henchmen dead. If he hadn¡¯t given us his name, he would have likely been killed too.¡±

    Alden swallowed hard, feeling a bit of sympathy for the Black Sheep Gang thugs, then he turned to Joseph and said,

    ¡°Your Highness, Vallian may know something, I¡¯ll go interrogate him right away!¡±

    In less than an hour, Magone came rushing back, his clothes still spattered with blood he hadn¡¯t had time to wipe off, and handed a confession to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve made a big find!¡±

    Joseph saw the confession of the Black Sheep Gang leader, which stated that a man named Raymond was paying them to create chaos, thousand livres at a time, and after a month, if they caused more trouble than the Host Gang, they would get an additional twenty thousand livres.

    He frowned slightly and asked, ¡°What does this Raymond do?¡±

    Alden shook his head, but the police clerk beside him exclaimed, ¡°He¡¯s Mr. Similion¡¯s cousin.¡±

    ¡°Similion?¡± Joseph felt the name was somewhat familiar.

    The clerk said, ¡°The former Police Commissioner for this district.¡±

    Joseph suddenly understood; no wonder nearly a hundred police officers had taken leave at the same time, the mastermind behind the scenes was their former supervisor, which explained everything.

    Alden, who had been promoted from the civilian patrol, was not quite clear on these convoluted matters, and looked inquiringly at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, should we arrest Similion?¡±

    Joseph was about to nod when he suddenly thought of something, and asked the clerk, ¡°Could you tell me how much Similion used to earn?¡±

    ¡°It should be thirty livres a month, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Is he from a big family?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness, Mr. Similion¡¯s father was a minor civil servant, an ordinary household.¡±

    Joseph narrowed his eyes, ¡°On his salary, twenty thousand livres would take more than fifty years to save up. Where did he get such a large sum of money?¡±

    Alden was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Joseph said slowly, ¡°There must be someone else behind him giving orders.¡±

    Alden pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Your Highness, I remember Vallian mentioned that Raymond had shown them a bank deposit certificate for twenty thousand livres to prove his ability to pay, from Havre Bank.¡±

    ¡°This could be an important clue.¡± Joseph nodded, took out a map to check, and found out that Havre was a small bank with only two branches in Paris.

    ¡°Count Eman, you and Alden¡­¡± he thought for a moment, shook his head and said, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯d better go there myself.¡±

    In the Havre Bank branch closer to the city hall, the bank manager initially refused to let anyone look at the accounts, until Joseph revealed his identity and threatened to have the Secret Police investigate if he did not cooperate. The manager finally gave in.

    Similion¡¯s account was straightforward; there were only a few transactions¡ªcashing a banker¡¯s draft for thirty thousand livres, then splitting the money into several deposits at the bank, one of which was exactly twenty thousand livres.

    Joseph inwardly sighed at how little awareness people of this era had regarding financial tracking and then obtained the information he most wanted to know¡ªthe payer of that draft was the Director of Paris Police, Viscount Gizo!

 Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Trading

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Trading

    Joseph left behind two guards to watch over the bank manager, to prevent any leaking of information, and led the others out of Havre Bank.

    Alden said urgently, ¡°Your Highness, let me take men to arrest Gizo.¡±

    Joseph raised his hand to stop him, ¡°Gizo only gave Similion thirty thousand livres, there¡¯s no evidence to prove his involvement.¡±

    ¡°Then arrest Similion, perhaps he will confess against Gizo.¡±

    Joseph had not expected the mastermind behind all this to be the Director of Paris Police and couldn¡¯t help but frown in contemplation; given Gizo¡¯s special status, as long as he steadfastly denied everything, merely Similion¡¯s confession would hardly suffice to convict him.

    Eman glanced at the dimming sky and said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s getting dark; we should head back to our residence.¡±

    But Joseph had an epiphany upon hearing this, ¡°That Vallian was arrested close to twilight, so the news should only reach the City Hall by tomorrow morning, right?¡±

    Alden nodded, ¡°He¡¯s just a thug, surely no one will care about him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good!¡±

    Joseph quickly boarded the carriage, leaned over the small table to write a letter, and handed it to the captain of the guard:

    ¡°Viscount Kesode, please send someone back to the Palace of Versailles, and give this to Queen Mary. Make it fast!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    At four in the morning, Count Herman, the clerk of Queen Mary, yawning heavily, arrived at the Saint Antoine District police station together with Antoine, the commissioner of the Secret Police.

    Without waiting for the customary greetings, Joseph warmly had hot cocoa served and pulled them to sit down.

    ¡°Your Highness called us here in such haste, is there something urgent?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, there is something I need to trouble the two of you with,¡± Joseph leaned in and began to outline his plan.

    Herman¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work out¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Leave it to me, there will be no accidents,¡± Antoine appeared confident, ¡°The Highness¡¯s method is excellent, I¡¯m thinking of incorporating it into the Secret Police training curriculum.¡±

    Joseph bowed to them in gratitude, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it in your capable hands.¡±

    ¡°It is our honor to serve Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    As dawn was breaking, Gizo, yawning, got into his carriage, tossed his walking stick to a servant, and lazily waved his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The carriage slowly started off, bumping along the cobblestone road. Gizo¡¯s home was still some distance from the City Hall, and he was just about to rest against the seat and take a short nap when he suddenly heard the coachman cry out in alarm and the carriage came to an abrupt halt.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gizo irritably pulled open the carriage window to see what had happened, but the door was violently yanked open.

    Three burly men, wearing tattered leather caps, clad in black armor, and reeking of foul odor, appeared outside the carriage.

    Gizo¡¯s bodyguard hurried to draw his sword, but the opposing rapier was already pressed against his neck.

    A thin-faced man with protruding joints gestured outside and said in a deep voice, ¡°Everyone out.¡±

    The servants and the bodyguard quickly got out, and Gizo was about to move but was held down, ¡°You stay put.¡±

    Then the three burly men jumped into the carriage, the one with the knife closed the door and said to the coachman:

    ¡°Keep going, as if nothing happened.¡±

    As the carriage resumed, the look of shock on Gizo¡¯s face immediately disappeared, he leaned back, and said in a cold voice:

    ¡°You must be Vallian, right? Who sent you here?¡±

    Yes, as the Director of Paris Police, he still had some impression of the leaders of the well-known gangs in Paris. The man in the middle, missing half of his left ear, he had seen just last year¡ªthe second-in-command of the Black Sheep Gang.

    Vallian¡¯s eyes glanced toward the gaunt middle-aged man sitting on the left, and, lowering his head, he mumbled vaguely:

    ¡°Let¡­ Let one of my men talk to you.¡±

    The gaunt man stroked his stubbly face with a knife, glancing sideways at Gizo as he said:

    ¡°Lord Gizo, our boss wants to discuss a transaction with you.¡±

    ¡°You?¡± the latter laughed contemptuously, ¡°What makes you think you¡¯re qualified to transact with me? Get out of my carriage at once!¡±

    As if he hadn¡¯t heard, the gaunt man continued speaking to himself:

    ¡°Regarding that matter of twenty thousand livres, if you don¡¯t listen, you will definitely regret it.¡±

    Gizo drew out his words, ¡°Twenty thousand livres? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Why bother to conceal it?¡± The gaunt man smiled, ¡°Similion went to the tech institute with our boss, and after getting drunk, he talked a lot about, for example, the task you gave him.¡±

    ¡°That waste!¡± Gizo muttered, turning to look outside the window, ¡°Whatever it is, go talk to Similion about it.¡±

    ¡°No, he can¡¯t decide on this matter. Our boss wants you to pay those twenty thousand livres directly to us.¡±

    Gizo seemed to be amused, ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Surely, you¡¯ve heard that a large number of the Royal Guard has arrived in the Saint Antoine District recently, and now no one dares to cause trouble there.¡±

    Gizo¡¯s expression shifted slightly, ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°The task requested by Similion will probably be hard to accomplish, whether by us or by the Host Gang.¡± The gaunt man extended two fingers, ¡°But our boss still wants to make those twenty thousand livres.¡±

    Gizo laughed, ¡°Want money without doing the job?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about not doing it,¡± said the gaunt man, ¡°but to directly pull off a big score, one worth twenty thousand, and then lay low.¡±

    Gizo suddenly took an interest; he had heard about the Royal Guard¡¯s sweep of the Saint Antoine District¡¯s gangs and was worried about it. At these words, his interest piqued, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±

    ¡°What do we plan?¡± The gaunt man shook his head, ¡°No, it¡¯s what you want us to do.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gizo couldn¡¯t maintain his aloofness any longer and sneered:

    ¡°If there¡¯s something that can utterly disgrace the police of the Saint Antoine District, make all the newspapers put it on the front page, and have all Parisians talk about it for a year, I¡¯d consider giving you the twenty thousand livres directly.¡±

    The gaunt man pondered, then said, ¡°How about we find an opportunity to sneak into the police station of the Saint Antoine District, kill ten cops, and then set the station on fire? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Gizo stroked his chin, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth. If the police station were burned down, wouldn¡¯t the Crown Prince lose face? The city commissioner would certainly be very pleased, ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡±

    The gaunt man nodded, articulating each word clearly, ¡°Let me repeat the agreement, you pay twenty thousand livres to hire us to kill ten cops and set the police station on fire, correct?¡±

    Gizo found this way of speaking a bit strange, but the content was certainly correct. Assuming the ruffian was just inept at speaking, he nodded subconsciously, ¡°Right, just like that.¡±

    ¡°No one forced you to make this decision, did they?¡±

    ¡°What? Of course not.¡±

    The gaunt man looked up at him, smiling, ¡°I¡¯m curious, Mr. Gizo, why would you spend so much money to do things that have no profit at all?¡±

    Gizo¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Fool, that¡¯s none of your business! Now, get out of my carriage immediately, and go back to the Saint Antoine District to do what you need to do!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s time to get down to business.¡± The gaunt man smiled as he put away his dueling knife, removed the worn leather hat, tore off the beard, and then drew a pair of iron handcuffs from behind, shaking them at him, ¡°Gizo, you are under arrest for conspiring to murder police officers, destroy a police station, and threaten the safety of the Crown Prince, in the name of the Royal Police.¡±

    Being referred to as the Royal Police was a more polite term for the Secret Police, equivalent to the modern-day FBI, with significant power, including the direct power of arrest.

 Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 The Roundup

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14 The Roundup

    Gizo¡¯s face stiffened as he looked at Vallian, ¡°Control your man! What is he babbling about?¡±

    The carriage suddenly stopped, and the latter revealed a smile uglier than crying. An awkward twist of his body allowed Gizo to see a dagger pressed against his lower back.

    Gizo¡¯s pupils shrank, and he sprung up, reaching for the carriage door handle. But the gaunt man was quicker. The moment Gizo¡¯s rear left the seat, the man¡¯s right hand had already clasped his neck, pinning him against the backrest.

    Gizo struggled fiercely and hysterically began to shout:

    ¡°Let go of me! I am the Director of Paris Police! You don¡¯t have proof, you can¡¯t arrest me!¡±

    The man who had been silent, sitting to Vallian¡¯s right, suddenly spoke:

    ¡°I am Ambroise de Hermann, representing Her Majesty the Queen, and I have witnessed everything just now. I can prove your guilt.¡±

    The carriage door was opened from the outside, and Alden along with a police officer pointed their guns at Gizo, furiously declaring, ¡°I was driving just now. We heard everything, and we can testify!¡±

    Gizo suddenly went limp¡­

    On the precinct grounds of the Saint Antoine District, Joseph watched as a large number of police officers ran past, nodding to them. The officers responded with loud slogans.

    Alden, still buzzing with excitement, continuously rambled to the Crown Prince about what happened that morning, unable to stop:

    ¡°Viscount Antony¡¯s men were waiting at the corner and took Gizo away directly. I think they must have taken him to the secret police¡­ ahem, the interrogation room of the Royal Police. I followed another team to search Gizo¡¯s house, and when I noticed something bulging at the head of the bed, I felt something was off. I smashed it open and, sure enough, I found a hidden compartment¡­¡±

    Joseph had already heard the story once and now smiled, ¡°Then you found that notebook; you¡¯ve made a significant contribution this time.¡±

    In Gizo¡¯s notebook was recorded information about the main gangs in the Saint Antoine District and many dangerous criminals. The last few pages detailed how Gizo provided protection for these people and the ill-gotten money he received in return.

    Joseph immediately mobilized all his police forces and, with the support of his own Royal Guard, followed the leads, heading straight for the criminals¡¯ lairs.

    The Saint Antoine District experienced a particularly tumultuous day. Gang members and criminals, caught off-guard, were chased through the streets, but were soon tackled to the ground by riot gear or shot when they resisted.

    The arrest operation lasted two days. When the citizens heard the news, they consciously stayed at home to cooperate with the police operation. Even some bold individuals took up clubs and helped the police block the criminals at the street corners.

    Cells at the Saint Antoine District police station quickly filled up, and the subsequent criminals were sent to the Bastille.

    Such a significant commotion attracted nearly all of Paris¡¯s reporters to investigate.

    On White Iris Street, a middle-aged man with disheveled hair, deep wrinkles, and thoughtful expression frowned as he looked across the street where a group of Royal Guards, leading seven or eight handcuffed, disheartened, and bloodied individuals, was passing by.

    The young man by his side said nervously, ¡°Mr. Mara, you really didn¡¯t need to come here in person. It seems rather dangerous¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Mara gestured dismissively, ¡°Without being on the scene, one can never know the real truth!¡±

    He quickly stepped into a grocery store, made a small purchase, and pointing to the distant Royal Guards, asked the shopkeeper, ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re doing? Arresting political prisoners?¡±

    The shopkeeper gave him a disdainful look and said irritably, ¡°Political prisoners? Those tied up are members of the Viper Gang; they¡¯ve done nothing good!¡±

    While saying this, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal a scar, ¡°Look, I was beaten by the Viper Gang last year. Before the Crown Prince brought the new police force, I had to pay them five livres every month! God bless the Crown Prince, now these despicable people have finally been caught! I¡¯ll have money to buy butter for my children!¡±

    Mr. Mara habitually took out his notebook and began recording, ¡°Could you tell me about that new police unit?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the shopkeeper put down what he was doing and sized him up, ¡°You¡¯re a journalist, aren¡¯t you? Haha, can you put my words of thanks to the Crown Prince in the paper?¡±

    ¡°Ah? I can¡­¡±

    After a while, Mr. Mara left the grocery store filled with praises for the Crown Prince, skeptically stopped a passerby on the street, and once more asked what the police and guards were up to.

    Then, he received almost the same answer as from the shopkeeper.

    After interviewing seven or eight people and visiting the police station on White Iris Street, and even directly questioning the arrested criminals, he finally began to believe that the Royal Family had actually done something beneficial for the common people!

    This was too abnormal!

    In his mind, the Royal Family and those nobles had always only exploited and bullied the common people, but to eradicate harm for the people and not even charge them for it was definitely a first.

    But as someone who respected facts, after acquiring a considerable amount of firsthand interview materials, he immediately returned to his hotel and wrote down the headline for tomorrow¡¯s news report ¡ª ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s Police Reform Achieves Remarkable Success, Eradicating the Criminal Foundations of the Saint Antoine District¡±.

    ¡­

    Several grey-black carriages traveled along the north bank of the Seine River towards the Palace of Versailles.

    In the middle carriage, Joseph coughed fitfully, feeling like he was riding on a pile driver, almost shaken to pieces.

    He rubbed his aching forehead and thought to himself, I need to quickly come up with spring suspension, and preferably tires too. There will be many more days of carriage rides ahead, and I don¡¯t want to be jostled into any mishaps by this contraption.

    Yesterday, he had received a letter of commendation from the Cabinet praising his feat of clearing out the criminals in the Saint Antoine District, asking him to return to Versailles Palace to report on his duties, with the King and Queen¡¯s signatures at the end.

    Joseph laughed and shook his head inwardly. Reporting on duties just over twenty days since taking office, this must be a record, he thought. Probably the King and Queen were missing their son and found an excuse for me to come back.

    Yet, this coincided perfectly with his own plans.

    Joseph had no intention of staying at Police Headquarters indefinitely. His primary objective was always to rescue France¡¯s finances, to prevent national bankruptcy and the risk of being decapitated by an angry mob.

    This was the perfect opportunity to leverage his success in fighting crime to ask the Queen for the position of assistant to the Finance Minister, to see what excuses those in the Cabinet could come up with to oppose him.

    In fact, if it weren¡¯t for Gizo and the tens of thousands of livres he threw into creating chaos, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull off the bold ¡°sweep-black¡± operation that electrified all of Paris.

    Joseph¡¯s gaze swept over the few sheets of paper in his hand.

    Those were the transcripts of Gizo¡¯s testimony and interrogation records sent from the Secret Police.

    From them, he learned that his overhaul of the police force had affected the Police Headquarters¡¯ profit from selling police jobs, which in turn provoked such a frenzied retaliation from Gizo.

    Under the impetus of those twenty thousand livres, gang members in the Saint Antoine District killed over a dozen citizens and wounded even more within a few days, nearly causing the situation to spiral out of control.

    Joseph took a deep breath involuntarily. Had it not been for Similion¡¯s lack of anti-financial crime awareness, he would surely have been overwhelmed with trouble, and his police reform might even have been aborted midway.

 Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Political Capital

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Political Capital

    Joseph felt a sense of retrospective fear. Now, whether it was the bureaucratic power, nobility, Church, capitalists, or foreign forces, in the process of his restructuring of France, the slightest inattention could touch their interests, leading to a frenzied backlash.

    In other words, incidents like Gizo¡¯s clandestine actions would proliferate in the future, making it virtually impossible to guard against them all.

    How could he avoid being caught off guard?

    He looked out of the window, tapping his fingers against the armrest of his chair as he fell into thought.

    To avoid being plotted against, it was best to be able to detect potential threats in advance and learn about the conspiracies targeting him.

    It would be even better to have professional personnel to help nip these threats in the bud for him.

    To achieve this, however, he would need a large network of informants to gather intelligence for him.

    And on top of that, an information analysis and summary center that could come up with response plans, then send people to deal with the problems based on his instructions.

    At this thought, several names immediately surfaced in Joseph¡¯s mind¡ªCIA, KGB, MI6.

    If he had a professional intelligence agency like that in his hands, he wouldn¡¯t be as blind or deaf when facing the covert plots of various forces, and could ensure that the progress of his restructuring of France would not be hindered.

    In fact, France did have an existing espionage organization, the Secret Police.

    But Joseph knew that they were completely unreliable¡ªthey only knew how to do things like steaming open letters, eavesdropping on conversations, and surveilling aimlessly.

    In fact, they were so inept at even these tasks that they were often caught, which made the reputation of the Secret Police utterly detestable.

    Therefore, it was most reliable to set up his own intelligence team.

    He could use the advanced concepts of later generations to guide and train them, ensuring higher loyalty as well.

    However, just the existence of the Secret Police alone had already incited the wrath of all of France. If he were to establish another one, he¡¯d likely become an immediate target of public anger.

    Joseph frowned, wondering how he could accomplish this discreetly.

    And where would he find the personnel?

    After all, he was isolated and lacking in political capital. It was difficult¡­

    Prolonged thinking gave him a headache, accompanied by a bout of coughing.

    He shook his head with a wry smile, his frail body always suffering from chronic pneumonia. Recently, the poor living conditions in the Saint Antoine District had caused his condition to deteriorate. It seemed that getting in shape also needed to be prioritized.

    The carriage suddenly started to slow, and Joseph looked towards Eman, ¡°Have we arrived?¡±

    ¡°We should have not yet, Your Highness.¡± The attendant leaned out of the window, calling out loudly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    A guard from the carriage in front immediately hurried over, placing his hand on his chest, and reported, ¡°Your Highness, the Minister of the Interior, Count Mono, happens to be passing by and wishes to greet you personally.¡±

    Passing by? Joseph looked at Eman with an inquisitive gaze.

    The latter leaned in and said, ¡°Your Highness, it might be related to Gizo.¡±

    After hearing about the relationship between the two, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued. He was just worrying about his lack of power within the Cabinet, and this could be the political capital coming to him.

    He nodded to the guard, ¡°Please have Count Mono come to my carriage.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    After a moment, a fifty-year-old man with slender brown eyes and a head full of large wavy hair, with powder on his face, came to the carriage, handed his cane to a servant, and then bowed deeply, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter the Crown Prince here, such a fortunate moment.¡±

    Joseph politely returned the bow and invited him into the carriage, pushing the pastries on the small table toward him, ¡°These are from Her Majesty the Queen, please do try.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Mono accepted a piece with exaggerated flattery, as if suddenly remembering something, gestured for a servant to bring a wooden case, and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve recently acquired a beautiful knife that suits Your Highness¡¯s valiant aura perfectly. I¡¯d like to gift it to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Then I must thank Count Mono.¡±

    Once Joseph had taken the wooden case, Mono, pretending to make small talk, said, ¡°Your Highness, there has indeed been a lot happening in Paris recently.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, there has.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s truly regrettable, the actions of some officials.¡± Mono, a high-ranking official in the Cabinet, showed considerable humility and sighed, ¡°Gizo was actually a very upright person before, who would have known he would¡­ ¡±

    Joseph opened the wooden case and interrupted with a smile, ¡°If you have something to say, feel free to speak plainly.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Mono¡¯s face was full of sincerity, ¡°I recommended Gizo simply because he was capable. As you know, I had no idea about the things he did; otherwise, I would have done everything in my power to stop him.

    ¡°Thankfully, Your Highness is wise and saw through his malicious tricks, preventing this disaster.¡±

    Gizo had been his student and the very one he promoted to the position of Director of Police Services. This big incident made it difficult for him to clear his name.

    Although Mono was a high-ranking official, as Gizo was now with the Secret Police, Mono was still unaware of the specifics and didn¡¯t dare to ask the Queen directly. So, he waited on the road to the Palace of Versailles, hoping to probe the young Crown Prince.

    ¡°Your Highness, may I inquire what Gizo is charged with?¡±

    Joseph seemed quite interested in the gemstone-studded Chasseur Curved Sword, caressing it repeatedly, and casually said, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s instigating a riot.¡±

    Mono¡¯s body stiffened; rioting was a grave crime that could overthrow the government. If proven true, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t be implicated!

    He chuckled nervously, ¡°He, he couldn¡¯t be so audacious¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Joseph put down the curved sword and passed the confession on the table to him, ¡°The Royal Police delivered this in the morning; Gizo directed a large number of thugs to attack the Saint Antoine District police station. Oh, I happened to be at the station at that time.¡±

    After scanning the document briefly, Mono felt cold sweat pouring down. Although he felt Gizo lacked the motive to incite a riot, based on this evidence, labeling it as a riot seemed plausible.

    He became so flustered that he didn¡¯t know where to put his hands, cursed Gizo fiercely, and looked to Joseph with a pained expression, ¡°Your Highness, is there any chance of turning this situation around?¡±

    Joseph blinked and said, ¡°Some say Gizo incited a riot, but I¡¯m not sure. After all, I knew the situation at the time best.¡±

    ¡°Right, right!¡± Mono nodded vigorously, ¡°Please be sure to explain the situation to Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we can talk about that in a few days,¡± Joseph picked up the curved sword again and waved it a few times, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy preparing lately, trying to prove to my mother that I can handle the role of assistant to the Finance Minister.¡±

    Mono was startled by the swift change in topic but quickly remembered the Crown Prince¡¯s proposal at the Cabinet meeting to become the assistant to the Finance Minister and hastened to say loudly, ¡°Nobody is more suited for this position than Your Highness! The Cabinet meeting is the day after tomorrow, and I will propose that you take on the role of assistant to the Finance Minister!

    ¡°Oh, and I can also persuade Bishop Brienne to support you!¡±

    Bishop Brienne is the current Finance Minister and also the Chief Minister, the most powerful minister beneath the king.

 Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Girls New Fashion

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Girls¡¯ New Fashion

    Talking to a wise person is always relaxing, Joseph smiled and nodded, ¡°Gizo should be charged with hiring assassins and sheltering criminals, I will explain clearly to Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness is truly a spokesperson for justice,¡± Mono immediately said, touching his chest in a salute, ¡°Please believe, I am forever loyal to the King and Her Majesty the Queen, and also forever loyal to you!¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your loyalty, oh, and for your scimitar, I quite like it.¡±

    Mono felt a great weight lift from his heart, exchanged pleasantries for a while longer, then hurriedly excused himself and left.

    Suddenly Joseph remembered, the Minister of the Interior was in charge of managing municipal affairs nationwide and supervising the police, so it was Mono who would decide the next Director of Paris Police.

    He would mainly focus his energies on finance in the future, so the police reforms would need a reliable person to help push them forward.

    Additionally, he could use the shell of the Police Department to cover for the intelligence agency he was planning.

    So he raised his hand to stop Mono, asking, ¡°By the way, I wanted to ask you, who will take over as the Director of Paris Police?¡±

    Mono immediately thought of the Crown Prince¡¯s police reforms and said without hesitation, ¡°Of course, we will also need to hear Your Highness¡¯s opinion.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Very well, I will try to give you some suggestions. Also, I am convinced that Gizo¡¯s actions are in no way related to you. Please, take your time leaving.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Your Highness,¡± Mono said, bowing deeply, then took three steps backward before turning and leaving.

    After walking out more than ten meters, he finally let out a long breath, no longer daring to treat the Crown Prince as a youth easy to sway. Just then, in the carriage, the Crown Prince had always maintained control of the conversation, appearing calm and more than equal to the task, evoking in him the feeling he had in the presence of Louis XV.

    He instructed the coachman to return to the Palace of Versailles, murmuring to himself, ¡°Indeed a child blessed by the divine, it seems I will have to keep some distance from the Duke of Orleans in the future.¡±

    Joseph also resumed his journey, having traveled for another hour or so when suddenly the melodic sounds of trumpets, accompanied by the brisk rhythm of military drums, were heard in the distance.

    Quietly, Eman reminded, ¡°Your Highness, we have arrived.¡±

    The carriage soon stopped, and two unfamiliar nobles approached; one opened the door of the carriage and stood aside, waiting for the Crown Prince to alight, while the other arranged a wooden step ladder in front of the door.

    ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, welcome back.¡±

    Joseph alighted from the carriage, nodding to the two, then looked off into the distance and saw that a regiment of guards, arrayed in immaculate uniforms, was aligned on either side, their swords raised to the sky.

    And in the Marble Courtyard in front of the main entrance to the Palace of Versailles, indeed, hundreds of nobles had gathered on the steps, eagerly looking his way.

    Upon the appearance of the Crown Prince, cheers erupted from the crowd, drowning out the music of the band.

    Joseph was somewhat surprised, ¡°What is all this for?¡±

    The two nobles hurriedly replied, ¡°Your Highness, the King and Her Majesty the Queen are personally here to greet you.¡±

    Joseph pressed his forehead, this reception was as if he had come back from a triumphant campaign against a foreign enemy¡­

    It¡¯s no wonder, after Louis XVI ascended the throne, immersed himself in lock play, and had done nothing to show his face to the public. Queen Mary was a woman of ordinary ability, barely able to cope with state affairs, and rumors of her excessive spending further tarnished the Royal Family¡¯s reputation.

    This time the Crown Prince had astounded everyone, having thrown the Director of Paris Police into jail and eradicated nearly all the criminals in the Saint Antoine District, he had become the focus of conversation throughout Paris.

    With their son having accomplished so much, how could Louis XVI and Queen Mary not publicly celebrate in a grand manner?

    Thus, an unprecedentedly large welcome ceremony was held. In fact, many nobles who had no right to stand in the Marble Courtyard were eagerly waiting inside the Palace of Versailles.

    Joseph walked through the guard of honor and looked up to see a dignified and beautiful woman standing on the highest step, dressed in a purple silk gown with a wide skirt, a white mink shawl over her shoulders, and two long feathers stuck in her towering hairdo.

    It was none other than Queen Mary.

    At her side, half of his body hidden behind her, was the plump man in a blue swan velvet coat intricately embroidered with fine silver threads, wearing a black tricorn hat, and black calf leather high-heels, looking somewhat nervous¡ªnone other than the current King of France, the renowned locksmith, and sufferer of social anxieties¡ªLouis XVI.

    Joseph hurriedly quickened his pace towards them.

    As he walked, nobles on both sides of him bowed their heads in respect, in front of the main entrance of the Palace of Versailles, large colorful waves seemed to gently roll towards the steps above.

    Just as Queen Mary was about to smile warmly and open her arms to welcome her son, a noble young lady wearing an off-shoulder dress to Joseph¡¯s right appeared to freeze, and her pale body swayed forward and collapsed.

    Joseph reflexively reached out to support her, asking with concern, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    The girl closed her eyes and curled her cold body into his embrace.

    The surrounding young noblewomen instantly glared with jealousy, grinding their teeth secretly: Alisa, that wench! She dared to use such despicable tactics to get close to the Crown Prince!

    The old Crown Prince was unremarkable, even somewhat useless; although his status was illustrious, his reputation among the noble ladies was quite low.

    Now, the Crown Prince¡¯s achievements such as ¡°knowledge that shocked Lagrange,¡± ¡°cleaning up the criminals of the Saint Antoine District in two days,¡± ¡°solving a murder case in three minutes,¡± and the like had already become legendary among the young ladies of Versailles.

    Talking about the Crown Prince, collecting news about him had become fashionable among the young girls of Versailles. Almost two and a half of every three sentences they spoke were about the Crown Prince.

    The ¡°Son of Heaven¡¯s Blessing¡± had become the dream lover of all the girls, and even if they knew their status and social position were far too different to marry him, just being his lover would suffice.

    A tall young lady to the left thought to herself: Hmph! I can do it too!

    She immediately dropped her fan beside her feet and uttered softly, ¡°My dress is so tight I can¡¯t breathe,¡± and leaned towards the Crown Prince as she slumped.

    Joseph quickly supported her with his left hand, and a vinegary smell filled the air. Soon, coquettish exclamations like ¡°It¡¯s so cold,¡± and ¡°I suddenly feel so dizzy¡± resonated around, with more than a dozen soft and warm bodies collapsing towards him.

    As Joseph was at a loss, the captain of the guard, Kesode, stepped forward, picked up the two young ladies in his arms, one in each hand, and then yelled at the guards behind him, ¡°Quickly help the ladies up!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The ¡°fainting¡± noble ladies squinted to see the burly guards rushing towards them, and miraculously stood up straight, regaining their poise and elegance against gravity¡¯s pull.

 Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Aspirin Youth Edition

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Aspirin Youth Edition

    ¡°Oh, my dear heart!¡± Queen Mary embraced Joseph after he paid his respects, holding him tightly in her arms, ¡°I have been thinking of you day and night.

    ¡°Are you hurt?

    ¡°Look how thin you¡¯ve become!

    ¡°You must bring a chef with you when you go out¡­¡±

    Louis XVI also came over, but as he gazed at the dense crowd around them, he didn¡¯t utter a single word, instead giving his son an encouraging look.

    ¡°Come inside, it¡¯s cold out here.¡± The Queen pulled Joseph into the Palace of Versailles, looking back at the colorful throng of ladies and then whispered in her son¡¯s ear, ¡°Joseph, you are of age to be betrothed. Which princess do you fancy? Spain? Or perhaps Savoy¡­¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but feel both amused and helpless. Betrothal? My young body has just entered puberty, please don¡¯t trouble me with this.

    He quickly turned to Louis, changing the topic: ¡°Father, your ¡®Salamander Fountain¡¯¡­¡±

    Louis XVI glanced around at the people and gave an irrelevant response: ¡°Joseph, choose a girl you like; I¡¯ll support you even if she is not a princess!¡±

    Queen Mary glanced at him helplessly and took her son¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Darling, I have also prepared a grand ball for you¡­¡±

    She suddenly stopped: ¡°Why is your hand so hot?¡± She then touched his forehead, ¡°Oh God, you have a fever!¡±

    She turned and called out to maid Debreninac: ¡°Quick, find Doctor Lamark!¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, Doctor Lamark went to Paris this morning.¡±

    ¡°Then get Doctor Larseny, quickly!¡± Queen Mary, kissing her son¡¯s burning forehead, was so anxious she was almost in tears, ¡°From now on, you must take a doctor with you when you go out.¡±

    Joseph felt a warmth in his heart and hurried to comfort her: ¡°I just have a slight fever, it¡¯s nothing serious¡­¡± he said, though a coughing fit seized him.

    ¡°Still claim it¡¯s nothing? You are severely ill! Go and rest, let the doctor take a proper look at you.¡±

    The girls around, upon hearing that the Crown Prince was sick, immediately crowded around anxiously, nearly lifting him to the bedchamber along with the Queen.

    Once Joseph lay down on the velvet-covered bed, the Queen cast a reproachful glance at Louis XVI, with a look that seemed to say, if you had half the capability of the Sun King, our son wouldn¡¯t have to toil so hard for the country.

    Soon, a short middle-aged doctor entered the room, panting, and after being hastened by the Queen, he took Joseph¡¯s temperature and conducted an examination. He then bowed to Louis XVI and the Queen and said, ¡°Your Majesties, the Crown Prince¡¯s pneumonia has worsened, and he has a fever of 37.9 degrees. I believe we must begin bloodletting immediately.¡±

    ¡°Very well, please proceed quickly.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face darkened at the words, Bloodletting what? With my frail body, do you want me dead even faster?

    Of course, he didn¡¯t blame the doctor¡ªit was a time when medical practices were almost akin to barbers playing alchemy, and bloodletting was a common treatment. Little did they know that, a few years later, the Great Commander Washington of the United States would die from bloodletting.

    He immediately feigned discomfort, wishing for peace, and sent out all the visiting nobles, along with the King and Queen.

    As soon as the bedroom door closed, he quickly got out of bed and said to Doctor Larseny: ¡°Do not perform bloodletting! No matter how severe my illness, I absolutely do not want bloodletting.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s not possible!¡±

    Joseph tried to persuade him repeatedly, yet seeing the doctor remained uncompromising, he had no choice but to draw the Persian Curved Sword that Mono had given him, and said in a grave tone, ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself, no bloodletting, understood?¡±

    The blade reflected the cold light, causing Larseny to shrink back, immediately reminded of the Crown Prince¡¯s fearsome reputation¡ªchasing half of Paris himself, capturing the Director of Police Services. Leading ninety guards and hundreds of gang members in a fight, and utterly annihilating the criminals!

    Yes, after being passed down several hands, the message had indeed changed to this.

    Larseny swallowed and nodded hastily, ¡°I shall follow Your Highness¡¯s orders.¡±

    He added cautiously, ¡°But, Your Highness, you are still feverish¡­¡±

    Joseph felt a wave of dizziness and fatigue upon hearing this, thinking that it would be great to have penicillin, a powerful weapon against pneumonia. But such a drug was not easily made.

    What was there that could bring down a fever in a short time?

    Suddenly, he remembered a documentary he had watched about aspirin which detailed the extraction method of salicin¡ªthe youthful version of aspirin.

    Fortunately, he had a good memory and remembered the main process. Salicin had only a slight anti-inflammatory effect, but it was excellent for reducing fever; most importantly, it was simple to produce and could be made in half a day.

    He immediately turned to Larseny, asking, ¡°Do you know how to extract medicine?¡±

    The other immediately showed a confident expression, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I even taught that in university.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent.¡± Joseph quickly took out paper and pencil, wrote down the preparation process for salicin, and then explained in detail, ¡°Crush the willow bark to a powder, dry it, add a small amount of quicklime, soak it in alcohol in an alkaline environment for an hour and a half, boil, filter, evaporate to concentrate¡­ adjust the extract to alkaline, soak again, and repeat¡­ until crystals form.

    ¡°It¡¯s roughly like that. How long do you think it will take to make this?¡±

    Larseny¡¯s eyes widened with astonishment, the level of expertise shown by the Crown Prince in his words was definitely no less than his own! Truly a God-blessed child!

    After discussing the preparation process in detail with Joseph to ensure nothing was overlooked, he pondered and said, ¡°The Royal Alchemy Laboratory has all the necessary materials. If all goes well, it could be ready before four o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    ¡°Your Highness, pardon my boldness, but I¡¯ve never heard of this medicine before¡ªare you sure it¡¯s safe¡­¡±

    ¡°Positive!¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°Just go and make it. Also, don¡¯t tell my parents that I didn¡¯t let blood.¡±

    ¡°This¡­ very well, Your Highness.¡±

    After all this hustle and with the fever, Joseph soon fell into a deep sleep.

    After some time, he vaguely felt a gentle hand touching his forehead. Struggling to open his eyes, he saw eyes as clear as lake water, pale green, and a nose with an elegant curve.

    Joseph shifted back a little and could finally see that it was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. However, she had applied a tan substance to her lips and was wearing a heavy white wig, dressed in a dark green male hunting outfit with black leggings, like a mischievous little girl sneaking into her father¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Your Highness, I am sorry for waking you,¡± the girl curtsied and then turned, saying, ¡°Dr. Lamark, the fever is very high.¡±

    A middle-aged man with curled hair, wearing a simple light grey coat, his face gaunt with prominent nose and pale green eyes, approached and gestured, ¡°Perna, please take the prince¡¯s temperature.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Doctor.¡±

    Dr. Lamark bowed to Joseph, then rolled up the sleeves of both his arms to check and frowned, ¡°Your Highness, Larseny told me that he had let your blood, but clearly he didn¡¯t tell the truth.¡±

    Joseph sat up, feeling dizzy, while Perna supported him with one hand, whispering, ¡°Your Highness, please open your mouth and be sure not to bite.¡±

    Joseph opened his mouth drowsily, and a large glass thermometer was inserted into it.

    After more than ten minutes, Perna removed the thermometer and looked worriedly at Lamark: ¡°Doctor, 38.6 degrees.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Lamarks Shock

    Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Lamark¡¯s Shock

    Mr. Lamark immediately took a small knife and a copper basin out of his leather case and said to Perna, ¡°Prepare to bleed the Crown Prince.¡±

    Joseph firmly objected, ¡°Stop! I strictly forbid you from bleeding him¡­¡±

    Mr. Lamark, seeing his feeble expression, seriously said, ¡°Your Highness, I must do this. If the fever lasts too long, it could lead to serious consequences!¡±

    Joseph struggled to grab a bendable knife, but Mr. Lamark added, ¡°If you refuse treatment, I will have to report this to Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    Joseph felt a headache coming on as he pondered how to convince the hardliner, when he saw Mr. Laseny enter, holding a glass bottle.

    ¡°Your Highness, here is the item you requested.¡± Mr. Laseny seemed somewhat guilty as he handed over the bottle, stammering, ¡°It might be, slightly impure¡­¡±

    Joseph glanced at the grey, viscous substance in the bottle. Upon opening the lid, he immediately smelled the scent of alcohol and thought bitterly, was this just ¡°slightly¡± impure? Still, he consoled the doctor, ¡°It¡¯s your first attempt; this is already very good. Thank you very much.¡±

    Joseph was about to take the Salicin when a thought struck him. He looked at Mr. Lamark and asked, ¡°Mr. Lamark, if I accept your bloodletting treatment, how long before the fever breaks?¡±

    Mr. Lamark pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°Perhaps the body temperature could return to normal by tonight, or maybe by tomorrow morning.¡±

    Joseph lifted the glass bottle as a sign, ¡°With the medicine I¡¯ve prepared, the fever will break within an hour.¡±

    Mr. Lamark felt his professional dignity being challenged and immediately shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, your pneumonia has not been controlled, and in my knowledge of medicine, there is nothing that can break a fever so quickly.¡±

    He was a fellow of the French Academy of Sciences, a renowned European biologist and medical scientist, the first to propose theories of ¡°biological evolution¡± and ¡°natural selection,¡± and also among France¡¯s top physicians; he had full confidence to make this claim.

    Joseph smiled wearily, ¡°Then let¡¯s make a bet. If my fever breaks within an hour, you must never bleed me again.¡±

    Mr. Lamark was momentarily taken aback, then confidently nodded, ¡°Very well, Your Highness. If your medicine isn¡¯t so effective, you must not refuse any treatment from a physician henceforth.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Joseph poured out a spoonful of Salicin, threw it back, and swallowed. The taste was very bitter, with a heavy alcohol bite that made him retch.

    Mr. Lamark meticulously took out his pocket watch and indicated to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, it is now 4:21 pm.¡±

    Joseph nodded. He wanted to sleep a bit more, but with three people, including a girl, standing by his bed, he felt awkward. So he got up instead and began discussing the purification of Salicin with Mr. Laseny.

    Listening on the side, Mr. Lamark heard that the medicine was made from the bark of willow trees. He couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. The British had researched the medicinal properties of willow bark more than ten years ago; while it did have antipyretic effects, it required continuous use for several days to be effective.

    Moreover, the substance was not stomach-friendly. Many people gave up due to stomach pains before it could reduce their fever.

    Nevertheless, he was extremely impressed with the Crown Prince¡¯s experimental theoretical knowledge, which far surpassed that of his own students. If the Crown Prince devoted himself to pharmaceuticals or experimental science, he would certainly achieve great things.

    In reality, Joseph was only modestly skilled in this area, having only been lightly influenced by a chemistry major roommate back in his university dormitory, but that made him seem quite professional in the eighteenth century.

    ¡°So, by precipitating, the cooling can be done faster¡­¡±

    Joseph was in the midst of talking when he suddenly stopped, rubbed his forehead, and smilingly said to Mr. Lamark, ¡°Mr. Lamark, I believe my fever has already subsided.¡±

    Mr. Lamark was listening intently to him about the experiment, nearly forgetting the matter at hand. He rushed to look at his pocket watch, 4:58 p.m., just 37 minutes after the Crown Prince had taken the medicine.

    He then looked at Joseph and noticed a gleam in his eyes. He quickly bowed slightly as a sign and reached out to touch his forehead. It was indeed no longer hot!

    ¡°Perna, the thermometer.¡±

    Mr. Lamark took the thermometer, placed it in the Crown Prince¡¯s mouth, waited for a while, then personally took it out to look. His eyes were filled with disbelief.

    36.8 degrees Celsius!

    His temperature had returned to normal!

    ¡°How, how is this possible?!¡± he murmured to himself, then suddenly grabbed Joseph¡¯s shoulders excitedly, ¡°Your Highness, was what you just drank really an extract of willow bark?¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the purified effect to be this good!¡± Stars seemed to twinkle in Mr. Lamark¡¯s eyes, ¡°Your Highness, if the effects of the medicine are stable, this is definitely an epoch-making drug! May I try to produce this medicine?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Let Mr. Laseny explain the details to you.¡±

    ¡°I can hardly express my gratitude to you!¡± said Mr. Lamark, bowing deeply to Joseph, frantically pulling out his notebook to find Mr. Laseny, then turning back to ask, ¡°Your Highness, did you invent this medicine?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Joseph was taken aback, then casually replied, ¡°Ah, surely it must have been Divine inspiration that led me to a flash of insight.¡±

    Oh, my Lord! Mr. Lamark was shocked inwardly, could the Crown Prince truly be a God-favored son? To think of such a potion simply from a flash of insight!

    But grounded in scientific rigor, he believed extensive experiments were still necessary to truly confirm the effects of the medicine. With that thought, he was immediately filled with fighting spirit, pulling Mr. Laseny toward the alchemy laboratory and leaving behind the message, ¡°Perna, keep a close eye on His Highness¡¯s condition and let me know immediately if anything arises.¡±

    ¡°Yes, doctor.¡±

    ¡­

    Two days later.

    After being treated with salicin, Joseph¡¯s condition had stabilized considerably. Although he still had some coughing, there were no further instances of fever.

    As he stepped into the golden doors of the east council hall in the Palace of Versailles, it wasn¡¯t yet nine o¡¯clock, a few minutes before the Cabinet meeting was to start.

    All the Cabinet Ministers had already arrived, and when they saw the Crown Prince enter the room, they stood up to greet him.

    The Minister of the Interior, Mono, even came to Joseph with a big smile, whispering, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. The decree dealing with Gizo was issued yesterday, making no mention of inciting riots.¡±

    Joseph smiled, pulling him down to sit, as he had mentioned to the Queen over lunch yesterday to place all the blame solely on Gizo. Later, he had the Clerk draft a formal report, and thus the case was sealed.

    While Joseph suspected that there might be more to Gizo¡¯s case, he didn¡¯t think it concerned Mono. Once his own intelligence agency was established, this would be the first matter to investigate.

    Suddenly, Mono stood up, spread his arms, and said loudly to the crowd, ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s leadership over police reform has achieved impressive results. As we all know, the criminals in the Saint Antoine District have been nearly completely eradicated! His Highness lives up to the name of a God-favored son! Let us all congratulate His Highness!¡±

 Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Assistant to the Finance Minister

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Assistant to the Finance Minister

    ¡°`

    The Cabinet Ministers heard the news and, regardless of their actual thoughts, all rose to offer their congratulations to the Crown Prince, with endless flattery pouring forth.

    Joseph was politely returning the gestures when the golden doors to the hall were pushed open, and the voice of the Ceremonial Officer announced, ¡°Their Majesties the King and Queen have arrived.¡±

    The ministers inside the chamber were somewhat surprised by the King¡¯s rare attendance at a Cabinet meeting. They quickly turned toward the entering Louis XVI and Queen Mary, respectfully placing their hands over their hearts and bowing.

    Louis, who was quite familiar with the Cabinet Ministers, displayed less of the symptoms of his social anxiety, and said with a smile, ¡°You are all always so diligent. Oh, can anyone tell me what you were discussing?¡±

    Mono immediately responded with a beam, ¡°Your Majesty, we were just expressing our admiration for the brilliant achievements the Crown Prince has made in the reforms of the Police Headquarters!¡±

    Louis took a seat at the head of the conference table with the Queen, their faces alight with barely hidden joy¡ªespecially Queen Mary, who again tirelessly recounted Joseph¡¯s recent exploits.

    Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Mono gave Joseph a meaningful look and, with a light cough, stood and said, ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, during his tenure at Police Headquarters, the Crown Prince has amply demonstrated his exceptional abilities. I remember, Your Majesty, you once mentioned that if the Crown Prince performed well at the City Hall, you would have him serve as an assistant to the Finance Minister.¡±

    Queen Mary nodded with a smile.

    Somiare, the Justice Minister, frowned slightly and side-glanced at the Duke of Orleans, noticing his unresponsiveness. Pretending to speak to himself, he murmured, ¡°All Her Majesty said was to allow the Crown Prince to be involved with financial affairs¡­ ¡±

    His voice was just loud enough for a few nearby people to hear clearly.

    Queen Mary¡¯s smile faded as her gaze swept across the others, finally resting on Brian, the Finance Minister. ¡°Archbishop Brian, what is your opinion on this matter?¡±

    Mono gave Joseph a reassuring look, indicating that he¡¯d already communicated with Brian.

    The round-faced elder sitting next in line stood up and offered a bow to the Queen without hesitation, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe the Crown Prince is fully capable of serving as an assistant to the Finance Minister.¡±

    He was the Archbishop of Toulouse, serving as the Chief Minister of the Cabinet as well as the Finance Minister. With his approval, no one else would voice any objections.

    A smile once again appeared on Queen Mary¡¯s face, and she was about to announce the appointment when Brian added, ¡°Your Highness, the financial issues at hand are of great importance, and since the Crown Prince lacks experience in this area, I ask to have the final decision on financial policies, and that the Crown Prince cannot deal with financial matters without going through me. I hope Your Majesty will agree to this.¡±

    Joseph could only wryly smile to himself, thinking how much the old man must fear him bankrupting the nation¡¯s treasury. Now, who besides me is capable of saving your coffers?

    As he pondered how to persuade the old man, he saw the Duke of Orleans suddenly stand and say, ¡°Archbishop Brian, there¡¯s a great deal to deal with in national finances, and in the past, many minor things were handled by assistants to the Finance Minister. If you need to overlook all these things, it will inevitably greatly distract your energy. I believe that you should concentrate on pushing forward the new tax law at this moment, rather than being distracted by trifles.¡±

    The meeting room suddenly grew quiet, with everyone quite surprised¡ªduring the last Cabinet meeting, the Duke of Orleans had been at odds with the Crown Prince, nearly coming into open conflict, so why was he now speaking on his behalf?

    Queen Mary cautiously looked at Brian and asked, ¡°Currently, what affairs are being handled by the assistant to the Finance Minister?¡±

    ¡°Mainly dealing with loans and repayment of the national debt, as well as the organization of some tax law clauses.¡±

    The Queen¡¯s brow relaxed; these were rather simple tasks. The bank had a long-standing cooperation for loans, and organizing laws would have the assistance of Clerks and lawyers.

    Joseph would surely handle these tasks with ease, which would be a perfect opportunity to familiarize himself with financial matters.

    ¡°`

    Without any further hesitation, she politely asked Louis XVI a few questions and then loudly announced, ¡°The Crown Prince shall be fully in charge of the affairs previously managed by the assistant to the Finance Minister, and any other matters must be approved by Archbishop Brienne.¡±

    ¡°The formal appointment is hereby made, the Crown Prince will serve as the assistant to the Finance Minister. Please have Count of Barongden prepare the appointment documents.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Joseph bowed to accept the order, exchanged a few pleasantries, and glanced curiously at the Duke of Orleans, wondering what the man was up to.

    Although the Duke of Orleans maintained a composed expression, he was smugly sneering inside.

    He knew he couldn¡¯t prevent Joseph from becoming the assistant to the Finance Minister given his recent popularity, so he had started to scheme a few days earlier to set a trap for Joseph.

    The government had six million livres of national debt coming due next month, and he had already reached an agreement with banking capital to suspend all loans to the government.

    He had even thought of the headline¡ªThe Crown Prince¡¯s mishandling leads to government debt default, triggering a financial crisis.

    Queen Mary encouraged her son with a few words and then turned to Brienne, ¡°Please start with today¡¯s agenda.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    The round-faced old man pulled out the prepared documents, put on his gold-rimmed glasses, and said, ¡°Given this year¡¯s fiscal revenue and expenditure, I believe budget spending must be cut again for the next half-year.¡±

    He looked towards Queen Mary, who nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, I have reviewed your report and fully support this proposal. On behalf of the Royal Family, I state that the Royal Family will reduce its expenditure by one million livres each year to alleviate financial pressure.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your majesty¡¯s kindness,¡± Brienne looked towards the long-faced, large-nosed middle-aged man to his right, ¡°I suggest that the Navy reduce the construction of one battleship and two second-rate ships, which will save the treasury 1.35 million livres.¡±

    The Navy Minister Marquis of Castries immediately sprang from his chair, protested loudly, ¡°How can this be?! The British fleet has already far surpassed ours! We need to add four more battleships to the original plan just to barely maintain our trade lines, and you¡¯re not only refusing to increase appropriations but also cutting one? Oh, and two second-rate ships too!¡±

    Queen Mary signaled for him to remain calm and looked towards the other ministers, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    The vast majority expressed agreement with the cuts, given the fixed budget. To avoid cuts in their own domains, they preferred to choose the Navy for reductions.

    The Marquis of Castries was sweating with anxiety, realizing he couldn¡¯t count on the others, his gaze inevitably fell on the Crown Prince.

    He had heard that not long ago, the Crown Prince had led guards into battle against the gangs of the Saint Antoine District; he should be a youthful and staunch supporter of military expansion!

    He addressed Joseph without delay, ¡°Your Highness, do you also agree with Archbishop Brienne¡¯s reduction plan? That would leave us even more powerless against the British!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Joseph said emphatically, ¡°Reducing the number of battleships is inappropriate!¡±

    ¡°Exactly¡­¡±

    The Marquis of Castries had barely spoken two words when Joseph¡¯s next statement left him stunned, ¡°I believe all current battleship construction plans for the Navy should be put on hold!¡±

 Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Budget (Seeking Investment)

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Budget (Seeking Investment)

    Castri¡¯s face turned green as he glared and exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness, how can you say that? The fleet is France¡¯s sharpest spear, we absolutely cannot¡­¡±

    Calmly, Joseph looked at him, ¡°Marquis of Castries, may I ask how many ships the British can build while we build one battleship?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Castri seemed to lack confidence, ¡°about one and a half¡­¡±

    Seeing the Crown Prince smile without responding, he became somewhat annoyed and said, ¡°Two. The Brits do indeed launch new ships at a very fast rate, even more than two!¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°That is to say, no matter how hard we try to build ships, we will never beat the British Navy.¡±

    He had uttered a truth that everyone present knew but dared not openly acknowledge, and suddenly there was complete silence.

    Joseph continued, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why should we waste vast resources on shipbuilding? For escorting merchant ships, the current fleet is sufficient.¡±

    He certainly knew the importance of the fleet and would definitely not oppose expanding the navy. What he opposed was continuing to waste money on large and useless old-fashioned sailing warships.

    England held a huge advantage in shipbuilding, with numerous shipyards, skilled craftsmen, ample funds, and, being an island nation, the ability to allocate army resources to the navy, something France could not afford.

    If it was a mere contest of shipbuilding numbers, France was destined to fail. The Battle of Trafalgar more than a decade later proved this, as even with France¡¯s utmost efforts to produce warships, combined with Spanish and Dutch fleets, they were still thoroughly defeated by the British Navy on the high seas.

    After that defeat, France¡¯s maritime trade routes were completely blockaded by Britain, leading Napoleon into a decline, while Britain eventually became the empire ¡°on which the sun never sets.¡±

    Thus, there was only one way out¡ªabandon the popular multi-decked sailing warships and leverage the advanced technology in his mind to move directly to ironclad ships, equipped with steam engines and stronger artillery, to launch a dimension-reducing strike on British warships.

    However, he couldn¡¯t disclose these plans at the Cabinet meeting, especially since someone like Orleans could very likely leak the information.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Knowing full well that the Crown Prince was sophistically arguing, Castri did not immediately know how to refute him and was only worried that Queen Mary would really listen to him and slash all the new ships.

    Brian gave Joseph an approving look; the young man knew how to haggle! And he had just taken office, yet he already was contributing to the financial cutback schemes, which might indeed prove him to be a valuable assistant.

    He cleared his throat and pretended to be serious, ¡°Your Highness, although our finances are a bit tight, we absolutely cannot give up on naval development. Cutting even one ship of the line is already the limit.¡±

    Mono joined in advising, ¡°Our overseas colonies also need warships for oversight, otherwise the rioters there will cause trouble every few days.¡±

    In the end, Queen Mary made the final decision, ¡°Joseph, reducing expenses should not be too radical. Marquis of Castries, for now, let¡¯s follow Archbishop Brienne¡¯s plan and cut back one ship of the line and two second-rate ships. However, for the construction of the other new ships, I hope you can also carefully review them and eliminate wasteful spending.¡±

    Castri¡¯s new ships were nearly obliterated; he weakly nodded, having narrowly escaped disaster, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    He silently lamented: the Crown Prince was still too young to understand the significance of the navy to the nation, focusing solely on cutting expenses. He must communicate more with him in the future to change his perspective.

    With the troublesome Navy now taken care of, Brian felt much relieved and moved on to read the subsequent cost-cutting plan, ¡°I believe everyone has heard about the situation in the Netherlands. The Patriot Party resisted for less than a month before being crushingly defeated by the Prussians. In light of this, I think we can halt our support to the Dutch Patriot Party, which will save the treasury 250,000 livres a month.¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly, remembering the information about the Dutch Patriot Party movement.

    It was a rebellion initiated by the new Dutch capitalists and citizens aimed at overthrowing William V. With the support of France, they had successfully expelled the Stadtholder William V from the Netherlands and established the States General.

    Later, under the scheming of William V¡¯s wife, Prussian Princess Wilhelmina, the Prussians intervened with troops, the Patriot Party collapsed, William V was restored, and the French people¡¯s initial investment was entirely lost.

    One by one, the Cabinet Ministers expressed support for abandoning the Dutch Rebel Army; after all, twenty thousand regular Prussian troops had already marched into the Netherlands, and the Patriot Party¡¯s forces were no match; it was best to cut losses as soon as possible.

    Queen Mary looked around the room, ¡°Any other opinions?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­¡± Joseph stood up.

    Minister of War Saint Priest had wanted to struggle a bit more since France had invested a lot in the Netherlands, but seeing the Crown Prince speak out, he immediately felt disheartened¡ªjudging from his recent move to scrap all new ships from the navy, he must be part of the anti-war faction, and with the Queen¡¯s favoritism towards him, assistance to the Dutch was surely doomed.

    Joseph said loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, I think we must not only continue supporting the Patriot Party but also need to increase our aid and even display an attitude willing to confront Prussia with troops. We absolutely cannot allow the Patriot Party to collapse!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The Queen was quite surprised, ¡°Tell me your reasons.¡±

    ¡°Firstly, the Netherlands is the mouth of the Rhine River to the sea. If we control it, we can effectively restrain Prussia.

    ¡°Secondly, the Netherlands has a well-developed commerce. Incorporating it into our sphere of influence, we could recoup the aid through trade alone.

    ¡°Finally, we will inevitably have a war with Prussia in the future, and the Netherlands could tie down a large number of Prussian troops on the western front.¡±

    ¡°If we allow Prussia to control the Netherlands, all of this will become an asset for Prussia!¡±

    In fact, Joseph left out two points.

    First, the Netherlands has a significant reserve of coal and iron, and now with the starting gun of the industrial revolution fired, whoever holds more coal and iron resources in the future will have a greater advantage.

    Second, the Patriot Party is adept at inciting trouble; they would flood into France after being driven out of the Netherlands by Prussia. Historically, they frequently caused disturbances in France during the Great Revolution.

    No sooner had he finished speaking that the expressions of all the Cabinet Ministers changed slightly.

    The Crown Prince was indeed very reasonable, but while he was adamantly against constructing warships, here he was supporting aid to the Dutch, especially with his mention that ¡°a war with Prussia is inevitable¡±¡ªcould it be¡­

    They all lowered their heads, forcing themselves not to consider the worst possibility.

    Brian was the first to speak up, ¡°Your Highness, our financial situation no longer permits us to give more money to the Dutch.¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we just save a sum intended for building warships? Let¡¯s allocate some of that to them.¡±

    Navy Minister Castries nearly cried, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    The Minister of War, however, was overwhelmed with joy, ¡°Thank you so much, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Brian again felt relieved that the financial decision-making power remained in his hands.

    Queen Mary helped him out, ¡°Joseph, your reasons are well-founded, however, even if we provide more aid to the Patriot Party, I fear they might still be unable to withstand the Prussian army.¡±

 Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 The Unfathomable Crown Prince

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21 The Unfathomable Crown Prince

    ¡°The key to this battle lies with Wilhelmina,¡± Joseph had already considered this issue, ¡°As long as the Patriot Party delays a little longer, we make good use of Wilhelmina and deploy some troops along the France-Prussia border, Prussia should withdraw its forces.¡±

    ¡°As for the specific plan, I will submit it to Marquis Saint Priest in an official document.¡±

    Queen Mary nodded, ¡°Good, I will decide whether to continue the support based on the Minister of War¡¯s opinion.¡±

    Just at this moment, Louis XVI, who had been largely inconspicuous, suddenly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for treasury funds, I will personally contribute 600,000 livres to support the Patriot Party.¡±

    Having said this, he gave Joseph an affirming smile.

    Brian immediately breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to Louis XVI, ¡°Thank you for your Majesty¡¯s generosity.¡±

    ¡°With this money from your Majesty, the treasury can temporarily suspend the allocation of funds to the Patriot Party. We will decide whether to continue the support based on the situation in the Netherlands two months later.¡±

    He turned to Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, would this be acceptable to you?¡±

    The Queen nodded, ¡°Good. Let¡¯s continue to the next matter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Brian looked somewhat apprehensively at the Crown Prince, worried he might cause another stir, but fortunately, Joseph didn¡¯t say much more about the subsequent reduction plans, and most of them passed smoothly.

    Afterward, the Cabinet meeting discussed some miscellaneous matters and was nearing its end.

    Queen Mary, signing the last two documents without looking up, asked Brian, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, I¡¯ve heard that there are some complications with the tax legislation.¡±

    She was referring to the new tax reform bill that the government had been actively pushing since the beginning of the year, the main points of which included: imposing land taxes on the nobility just as on the common people; freedom of grain transport and trade; abolition of corv¨¦e; increasing the stamp duty, and so on.

    Of course, the aim was to increase state revenues and bridge the gap in the treasury. If implemented, it would actually benefit the general populace.

    However, the tax reform had met with unanimous opposition from the aristocracy and had not been able to pass for half a year. For this reason, the previous Finance Minister had been dismissed in disgrace.

    Brian nodded his head gravely, ¡°Your Majesty, the new bill is being stalled by the High Court. The information I¡¯ve received indicates that they are likely to reject the bill.¡±

    According to French law, the tax reform bill needed to be registered in the High Court and then signed by the King to officially take effect.

    However, French courts were firmly controlled by the aristocracy, and this bill, which touched upon their interests, was stalled in the registration process, thus preventing its implementation.

    Queen Mary¡¯s voice carried a tinge of weariness, ¡°You know our financial situation; the tax legislation must be implemented as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will do my utmost!¡±

    Joseph shook his head silently; he knew that according to original historical trajectory, Brienne had never managed to get the bill passed. Eventually, Louis XVI, in a state of desperation, followed the advice of some hardliner and stripped the High Court of many powers, exiled the stubborn judges, replaced them with a fully empowered court controlled by the Royal Family, and forced the bill through.

    However, the aristocracy immediately took advantage of this to incite public opinion, painting Louis XVI as a tyrant who disregarded the law, which sparked a tax resistance movement throughout all of France, leading to financial chaos in the country.

    Louis XVI, without any public support, could not contest these accusations and ultimately had to recall the exiled judges and restore the powers of the High Court. Subsequently, the High Court terminated the recently implemented tax reform bill.

    The worst impact of this was that the aristocracy confirmed that the King could not defeat them, and they became even more arrogant and domineering. Left with no other option, Louis XVI commenced the Estates-General, hoping that the commoners would support him against the nobility.

    As for the outcome, that was the aristocracy using the Estates-General to foment revolution, not anticipating it would coincide with the Great Famine of France in 1788, which was then followed by an escalation of the crisis and the eruption of the French Revolution¡­

    Joseph thought to himself as he looked at Brienne, isn¡¯t trying to get the aristocracy to accept a tax bill that requires them to pay more like asking a tiger for its skin?

    To undertake tax reform, the nobility must first be sternly reminded of the power of the monarchy, ensuring their compliance in paying taxes.

    Furthermore, control over public opinion must be firmly in our hands. The nobility are adept at distorting the truth and stirring up public sentiment to disrupt the nation for their own gain. Only by allowing the people of France to hear the government¡¯s voice and understand the truth can they avoid being exploited by the nobles.

    He took a deep breath. Having taken his seat as the assistant to the Finance Minister, he had made the first step. However, to alter the course of history, he would inevitably face many obstacles. Stubborn nobles, the Church, capitalists¡ªall who dared to challenge him would receive no mercy from him!

    ¡°That will be all, the meeting is adjourned,¡±

    The voice of Queen Mary interrupted Joseph¡¯s contemplation. He rose with the other ministers, paid his respects to the King and Queen, and prepared to leave.

    ¡°Joseph, do not leave just yet,¡± Queen Mary called out to him.

    Joseph had no choice but to return and sit down.

    After the other ministers had left the council chamber, the Queen then smiled at him and said, ¡°Joseph, you¡¯ve done very well with the police reform. The Saint Antoine District has obviously become the safest area in Paris.¡±

    She paused, and sighed, ¡°However, this police reform must come to an end.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    The Queen spoke earnestly, ¡°After your reforms, the police salaries have become too high, and the city bears the burden. You used your own money to pay the police forces before, but the city hall simply cannot afford this. The security of the common citizens must still rely on civilian patrols.¡±

    But Joseph did not hesitate to say, ¡°Security is of utmost importance. I believe, not only should it not be terminated, but it should also be promoted throughout all of Paris and indeed all of France!

    ¡°As for the matter of money, you need not worry. With my involvement¡­ ahem, participation in financial management, the treasury will soon be replenished.¡±

    Queen Mary looked at her son with interest and asked, ¡°Where do you plan to get the money from?¡±

    Joseph was momentarily at a loss, thinking to himself that steam engines, blast furnace steelmaking, rubber, mining, cement, and even armaments, any one of these could earn tens of millions of livres.

    But I can¡¯t tell you that¡­

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he chose a few areas that the Queen would find acceptable: ¡°For instance, finance, real estate, luxury goods, in short, I am confident about it.¡±

    Queen Mary frowned, feeling somewhat uncertain, and after some thought, she said, ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll give you six months. If you can resolve the issue of police salaries, then you may continue with the police reforms; otherwise, everything must revert to its original state.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I don¡¯t think it will take six months.¡±

    On the side, Louis XVI checked the time and said to the mother and son, ¡°It¡¯s almost lunchtime. No work should delay lunch.¡±

    He took them both to the royal dining room, and as they walked through the corridor, Joseph remembered something and asked Queen Mary, ¡°Mother, do you have anyone in mind for the Director of Paris Police?¡±

    ¡°Director of Police Services? You¡¯ll have to ask Count Mono about that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, he will accept my recommendation.¡±

    The Queen was taken aback but quickly understood the implication, ¡°Are you using Gizo¡¯s matter to pressure him?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Joseph said candidly, ¡°I¡¯m just helping him to feel at ease.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Planning the Police Academy (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Planning the Police Academy (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

    Queen Mary observed her son with curiosity and smiled, ¡°No wonder he proposed you today to be the assistant to the Finance Minister, how exactly did you ¡®persuade¡¯ him?¡±

    Seeing that Joseph remained silent with a smile, she didn¡¯t press further, pondered for a moment, and named two individuals: ¡°Besancon, who has served as a trade coordinator in several provinces and led the Mounted Police to eliminate smugglers, is quite capable in coordination and management.

    ¡°Frient, formerly a company commander in the Flander Regiment who has been my guard, is now responsible for the recruitment of new infantry soldiers, and is adept at training and drafting regulations.¡±

    She added, ¡°I can assure their loyalty, as for who to use, it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Alright, I will make contact with them and decide thereafter.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t familiar with either of them, but being new to the political scene and without his own team, he had no choice but to seek the Queen¡¯s help.

    He suddenly thought, with control over the police system, he could indeed invest in establishing a police academy, recruiting students from the common populace. On one hand, it would train professional police officers, reducing the influence of the nobility over the police force. On the other, it could offer subjects like management, commerce, journalism, law, etc., from which to select outstanding talents and cultivate his own ¡°legitimate line.¡±

    An image suddenly appeared in his mind¡ªsometime in the near future, a group of high government officials saluting him, warmly calling him ¡°Principal¡±¡­

    Well, politically speaking, the Whampoa model is quite successful.

    The sound of a door opening with a ¡°creak¡± came from ahead, and Joseph looked up to see they had arrived at the dining room¡¯s entrance, the vast dining room already packed with nobles who came to observe.

    Yes, since Louis XV, all activities of the French Royal Family, including eating, sleeping, entertainment, and even childbirth, were open for anyone to watch.

    Joseph felt overwhelmed as the Queen pulled him to sit at the spacious and luxurious dining table. The Ceremonial Officer struck the ground forcefully with his cane, then a melodious trumpet blast followed¡ªthis was the fixed ritual for serving dishes: music had to be played for each dish, passed through several hands, followed by a whole lot of flamboyant motions, before one could eat it.

    Suddenly recalling something, Joseph leaned in and whispered to the Queen: ¡°Right, if the Navy Minister comes to you about cutting the shipbuilding program, just send him to me, I¡¯ll persuade him.¡±

    Queen Mary looked at her son in surprise; truth be told, she was just troubled by this exact issue. Castri was stubborn and passionate, and having his budget cut might lead him to pester her for an entire month.

    She nodded with pleasure; her son was able to relieve her of her worries¡ªthanks be to God!

    Meanwhile, on the staircase at the western side of the Palace of Versailles, the Justice Minister whispered to the Duke of Orleans, ¡°Judging by the Crown Prince¡¯s actions, does he intend to side with England?¡±

    The latter narrowed his eyes: ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the Austrian mother¡¯s idea. If the reduction of the fleet incites an adjustment in British policy towards France, it would be quite disadvantageous to us¡­¡±

    On the square two leagues away, Mono and the Civil Registrar Nico Herve walked side by side in the sunlight.

    ¡°At the very least, the Crown Prince appears to be firmly anti-Prussia,¡± said the Minister of the Interior.

    ¡°Anti-Prussia and anti-British, that¡¯s the hardliners. Neither anti-Prussia nor anti-British means the peace faction.¡± Nico heaved a sigh, ¡°What I¡¯m most afraid of is being anti-Prussian but pro-British¡­ Let me be frank¡ªif France gets a ruler like Peter III, it would be a disaster.¡±

    He was referring to the previous Tsar of Russia, who had an adoration for Frederick II, the King of Prussia, from an early age, and even when Russia had the upper hand in the war against Prussia, he forcibly ordered the Russian Army to retreat and signed a treaty with Frederick II that was extremely disadvantageous to Russia.

    After today¡¯s Cabinet meeting, everyone was worried that the Crown Prince was a British enthusiast.

    Mono shook his head slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve interacted with His Highness, and he is an extremely intelligent person. Advocating the reduction of the navy might simply be because warships are too expensive, rather than trying to please the British.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s the case.¡±

    The general situation of the Cabinet meeting quickly reached the office of the British ambassador to France.

    Upon hearing that the French Crown Prince advocated halting the construction of all warships and taking a tough stance against Prussia, Ambassador Harriet pondered for a full three minutes before summoning a trusted aide and giving careful instructions.

    After his subordinate left, Harriet seriously wrote a report on the matter and sent it back to England.

    ¡­

    Lunch, where each bite had to follow strict rules, at last came to an end. Louis XVI, brimming with enthusiasm, took Joseph to visit his workshop to see his latest masterpiece and gave him a brass safe he had made himself before letting him leave.

    By the time Joseph returned to his chamber, Doctor Lamark was already there, consulting with Perna about the recent health condition of the Crown Prince. Although Joseph had his own personal physician, Perna still insisted on checking on the Crown Prince¡¯s illness every day.

    When Joseph came back, Lamark hurried forward to greet him, ¡°It is inspiring to hear that Your Highness¡¯s condition is under control. I believe this must be thanks to the miraculous effects of Salicin.¡±

    Joseph returned the greeting with a smile, ¡°And Doctor Perna¡¯s care, too.¡±

    Perna spoke softly from the side, ¡°I have not yet obtained a medical license.¡±

    ¡°Perna¡¯s skills are better than those of most physicians,¡± Lamark praised his assistant, then took out a small glass vial, eagerly looking at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Laseny and I have produced several batches of Salicin, and its purity is getting higher and higher.¡±

    Joseph took the glass vial and admired the beige powder inside, ¡°You are indeed Europe¡¯s finest biologist and pharmacologist, the purity is already quite high.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I haven¡¯t done much, the purification process was all instructed by you,¡± Lamark humbly replied and continued with excitement, ¡°I¡¯ve been distributing Salicin for free in the New Bridge area, and its effectiveness is very good. I¡¯ve found that it¡¯s not only pneumonia; this medicine is effective against fevers from many illnesses. It has saved seven or eight people¡¯s lives in just a few days!¡±

    He paused, slightly uncertain, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Laseny and I discussed raising some money to produce Salicin on a large scale. This medicine could save countless people¡¯s lives! I wonder what you think? Of course, half of the profits from the medicine would belong to you.¡±

    He added in a mutter, ¡°But, as you know, most people tormented by disease can¡¯t afford to pay much¡­¡±

    ¡°Raise money for pharmaceutical production?¡± Joseph shook his head, ¡°In that case, the production and sale of the medicines would be influenced by investors.¡±

    Lamark looked puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I will fund it, build a pharmaceutical factory, and produce Salicin,¡± Joseph recalled the homeless person he had seen collapsing in a corner in the Saint Antoine District, ¡°Keep the profit margin within 3%, and even consider exchanging Willow Bark for the medicine.¡±

    Both Lamark and Perna looked at him with admiration in their eyes, ¡°Your Highness, you are truly compassionate, may God bless you!¡±

 Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Dream Battleship (Please Favorite)

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Dream Battleship (Please Favorite)

    Lamark hesitated for a moment before saying to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I feel it¡¯s my duty to remind you that this pharmaceutical workshop will likely require an investment of fifty or sixty thousand livres, and if you aim to make only a 3% profit, I¡¯m afraid it will take you a very long time to recoup the costs.¡±

    Joseph smiled and shook his head, ¡°This 3% is intended as a contingency fund, I have no plans to make money off this medicine.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t trying to play the saint, tossing his money away. Instead, he had a mature commercial plan.

    As a medicine, salicin could save many lives, and selling it at a low price could still be considered doing good.

    But this substance was not just for reducing fever; it was also an effective cosmetic product! Even in the 21st century, acne and skin softening products would still contain salicylic acid, which is an oxidized form of salicin.

    There¡¯s a saying in the future¨Cwho¡¯s money is the easiest to earn?

    Of course, it¡¯s women and children!

    Provided the packaging and marketing are done well, salicin skincare products could easily sell for more than ten livres a bottle, and those noblewomen would buy them like crazy.

    Lamark said, ¡°You are truly great, I thank you on behalf of the countless ordinary Parisians!¡±

    Joseph waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Eager to spread this miracle drug throughout Paris, Lamark immediately suggested, ¡°Your Highness, I know of a very suitable location to build the workshop, take a look¡­¡±

    Joseph pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°The purification of salicin doesn¡¯t require very complicated equipment. Building a workshop from scratch is too inefficient. It¡¯s better to directly acquire an existing pharmaceutical or chemical reagent production company.¡±

    Suddenly, the attendant Eman said, ¡°Your Highness, may I interject?¡±

    ¡°Please, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°I remember that among the Royal Family¡¯s properties, there is a perfumery that has been losing money for a long time and is about to be sold, which might meet your requirements.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been a great help!¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°Do you remember how much they are asking for it?¡±

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s twenty-six thousand¡­¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t wait for him to finish and suddenly slapped his forehead, saying, ¡°Since it¡¯s a Royal Family property, why pay for it? I will just ask Queen Mary for it.¡±

    Queen Mary, upon hearing that her son wanted to produce affordable medicine to help the common people, immediately nodded and had her lawyer handle the formalities. In less than half an hour, the perfumery was transferred to the Crown Prince¡¯s name.

    Joseph intended to see the place himself but was interrupted when a servant came to announce that the Marquis of Castries was seeking an audience.

    Regrettably, Joseph had no choice but to leave the matter of the drug factory to Lamark and went to the drawing room to meet the Navy Minister.

    In the spacious drawing room, Castri respectfully bowed, then went straight to the point, ¡°Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen has sent me to discuss with you the construction of new warships, I believe we should not cut back¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled and interrupted him, ¡°Marquis Lastri, I want to ask you first, why do you want to build such a large number of warships?¡±

    ¡°Of course, to deal with the British!¡± the Navy Minister¡¯s tone was as hard as steel, ¡°To defeat their proud fleet, to take back our colonies that were stolen, and to deeply humiliate them, just like they once humiliated my grandfather!¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°So, do you think, even if the treasury fully supports your shipbuilding, that you have a chance to defeat the British?¡±

    Castri had prepared for this, ¡°If we join forces with Spain and use reasonable tactics, there is a chance!¡±

    ¡°The chance is very small.¡± Joseph responded bluntly, ¡°Besides, in terms of naval tactics, the British are stronger than us.¡±

    Castri¡¯s expression dimmed slightly, but he still persisted, ¡°How do we know without trying?¡±

    Joseph gestured for him to have some tea, his expression very calm, ¡°If we had warships equipped with a speed exceeding 20 knots, carrying twenty-five 42-pound cannons, thirty 24-pound cannons, and wrapped in iron hulls.

    ¡°With the addition of the existing warships, do you think it would be possible to defeat the British fleet?¡±

    ¡°That is an unrealistic fantasy,¡± Lastri said with a smile, ¡°If we had such warships, I could make the British wet their pants.¡±

 Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Steam Engine and Carronade

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Steam Engine and Carronade

    Joseph looked into the eyes of the Navy Minister, seriously, ¡°I assure you, fast within a year, slow within two or three years, the construction of this ¡®fantasy¡¯ warship can begin.¡±

    Castri was greatly surprised, ¡°You, you mean that? How is that possible¡­¡±

    Joseph took a sip of tea, reiterating, ¡°It¡¯s true, I am fully confident.¡±

    ¡°So, don¡¯t continue to waste money on manufacturing the existing warships, at most in two or three years, they will all be junk!

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to wait too long. I will make a trip to Brest Port soon, and then you will understand everything,¡± he said.

    He was so certain because the steam engine had already been invented by then, the craftsmen and their skills were mature, and the only thing missing was the low power due to poor design. But this was not a problem at all for Joseph, not to mention Watt¡¯s minor improvements, he had seen even more perfected steam engines.

    Castri felt dizzy, his mind jumping back and forth between doubt, excitement, and wild imagination, to the point where he didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment.

    Joseph then advised, ¡°You go first to coordinate with the Shipbuilding Bureau to start preparing craftsmen and raw materials; the trial production of the new ships will be a complex process.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Castri found himself starting to believe the Crown Prince, after all, that dreamlike warship was too tempting, ¡°I will go to the Shipbuilding Bureau right away.¡±

    He suddenly looked intently at Joseph, his voice trembling somewhat, ¡°Your Highness, please be sure to keep your promise!¡±

    ¡°Rest assured,¡± Joseph spoke and then remembered something else, ¡°Oh, and when you go back, you can gather craftsmen to make a type of large-caliber, short-barreled cannon.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡°Just extend the existing mortar cannon,¡± said Joseph, ¡°It should fire projectiles over 60 pounds, but the barrel and the charge are less than half of that of a cannon, so it¡¯s light and will not be too difficult to process.¡±

    Castri, in surprise, asked, ¡°Your Highness, that cannon must be very powerful, but the range is definitely very short. What is the use of that?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly at him, ¡°Wait until I get to Brest Shipyard, and then I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    In fact, this was the ¡°Carronade¡± that later caused the French Navy a good deal of trouble in the Battle of Trafalgar.

    The current French Navy always had a misconception, that was, they blindly emphasized range.

    According to the ideal scenario, if my range is long, then I can hit you, and you cannot hit me, wouldn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m sure to win?

    However, this was where the theory of the French Navy was detached from reality. In the age of sailing warships, ship maneuverability was not very good, and it was difficult to keep both sides within your maximum range at all times.

    And then there was the problem that solid shot was insufficiently powerful; at long range, it was hard to seriously damage enemy ships.

    In actual naval battles, most of the ships were going at it face-to-face, as if they wanted to press their cannon muzzles into the enemy captain¡¯s quarters and fire away.

    At that time, range was meaningless; whoever had the larger caliber cannons was the boss!

    The British understood this point and directly abandoned range to develop heavy cannons with large calibers and short barrels¡ªthe Carronade.

    But in this life, it was France¡¯s turn to be the first to equip its navy with this potent weapon!

    After repeated communications with the Navy Minister and making sure he had no objections to his plans, Joseph personally escorted him out of the drawing-room.

    No sooner had Joseph caught his breath than Eman approached briskly, bowing, ¡°Your Highness, Marquis Saint Priest requests an audience.¡±

    Joseph hadn¡¯t expected the Minister of War to be so impatient, but that was just as well, as he wouldn¡¯t have to write that document himself.

 Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 The First Pot of Gold

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25 The First Pot of Gold

    ¡°`

    Unlike when he met with the Navy Minister, Joseph received Marquis Saint Priest in his own study and sent all the servants away, with the guards standing back ten meters from the door.

    After Joseph had explained his plan in detail, the Minister of War exclaimed in surprise, ¡°How did you know she was in Nijmegen?!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that of course, he had seen it in a documentary, but could only maintain an air of mystery as he said, ¡°Ah, that is a secret, but the information is absolutely reliable.¡±

    Marquis Saint Priest furrowed his brow, finally nodding with difficulty after a long moment, ¡°This, although feasible, also carries great risk. You know, even the best spy can make mistakes. If we are careless, it could trigger a war.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Rest assured, even if the matter leaks, as long as Wilhelmina is safe, Prussia will announce it to the public as we say. Because their economic situation is also very poor, they definitely do not wish to go to war with France.¡±

    The Minister of War pondered for a long while, then stood up and said, ¡°This matter is too significant, I still need to report to Queen Mary before making a final decision.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Joseph said as he escorted him to the door, suddenly adding, ¡°Marquis Saint Priest, shouldn¡¯t you thank me properly for this matter?¡±

    The Minister of War was taken aback, the Crown Prince had helped negotiate the budget from the Netherlands and had devised the action plan, and he had been busy implementing it, so he had forgotten to thank the Crown Prince.

    He nodded continuously, somewhat ashamed, ¡°I really should thank Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Then give me a gift.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness need only ask.¡±

    ¡°Well, give me twenty of your top spies.¡±

    Saint Priest almost cried, thinking to himself that the Crown Prince was so young, yet so ruthless, more so than a bandit. Twenty spies, and the top ones at that! Did His Highness think his spies were picked up from the roadside?

    He said with a pained expression, ¡°Your Highness, the army doesn¡¯t have twenty top spies in total.¡±

    ¡°Eighteen.¡±

    ¡°At most two.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Three, that¡¯s really all there is!¡±

    ¡°Twelve, no less!¡±

    The two haggled back and forth, one starting high and the other bargaining down, until finally Joseph managed to get three top spies and eight ordinary spies from the Minister of War. Although it was not a large number, it was the cornerstone for building the ¡°French Intelligence Agency.¡±

    Today was destined to be a busy day, as soon as Saint Priest left, the two individuals recommended by Queen Mary came to visit, one after the other.

    Joseph had an in-depth conversation with the two and gained a general understanding of their character and abilities. Combining this with their own wishes, he ultimately decided to appoint Besancon as Director of Paris Police Services, as it was a role requiring management skills.

    Frient was equally talented, and Joseph naturally would not waste such an asset, so he appointed him as the Dean of Academics for the Paris Police Academy, which was being organized ¡ª naturally, the position of Principal would be personally filled by Joseph.

    Frient had a wealth of experience in training new recruits, which would be very helpful in training policemen.

    ¡°So, the most important task for you upon taking office will be to extend the police reforms throughout Paris,¡± Joseph said to Besancon. ¡°I¡¯ve already had someone compile all the regulations and restructuring plans into a booklet, you just follow them in implementation.

    ¡°Oh, and the security pressure has been relatively low in the Saint Antoine District lately, so you can pull some personnel from there to assess the other districts. If that¡¯s not enough, I can allocate guards to help you.¡±

    ¡°`

    Kesode twitched at the mention, feeling that since the Crown Prince began the reform of the police services, the guard was increasingly being treated like errand runners¡­

    Nethanson took serious notes, musing, ¡°Your Highness, I have some understanding of the police reforms. If we are to reorganize the entire Paris police force, just the salaries would probably cost about 50,000 livres a month. Adding in uniforms, equipment, and other costs, the City Hall will definitely not be able to afford it.¡±

    The budget for police services from the Paris City Hall was only 8,000 livres a month.

    Joseph said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about money. I will allocate 50,000 livres for you later, and it will be delivered monthly from now on.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Joseph then looked to Frient, ¡°Your workload will be quite heavy; the first priority is selecting a location for the police academy. It can be somewhat remote, the cheaper the land the better.

    ¡°Another issue is teaching staff. The only available personnel right now are the experienced officers from the Saint Antoine District, but they are far from sufficient.¡±

    Frient immediately responded, ¡°Your Highness, I know quite a few retired veterans and even officers who could be capable of conducting drilling and combat training.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Joseph nodded with pleasure, as military training standards were far higher than those of the police, ¡°Contact them as soon as possible; their pay will follow the standard of municipal officials, plus an additional 30%.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore, we need to hire trainers from finance, trade, journalism, and law fields; these courses will be offered at the police academy.¡±

    Frient asked in confusion, ¡°Why should a school for training police officers teach these subjects?¡±

    Nethanson, whose mind was more agile, immediately said, ¡°I think His Highness means that only by understanding the criminal methods of the criminals can they be caught. I remember when I first started chasing smugglers, I didn¡¯t even know how to calculate tariffs, or which goods were easy to conceal and transport, and for months, I caught no one. It was only after I seriously studied smuggling methods that I finally caught the first group of smugglers after more than half a year.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Joseph nodded in approval, ¡°Police need to be more professional than the criminals in order to effectively deter and combat crime.¡±

    Frient, who had never heard such advanced concepts before, was greatly shocked and kept nodding his head, quickly taking notes in his notebook.

    Joseph instructed them on many more details, allocated 20,000 livres as startup funds to Frient, and saw the two men off.

    Upon returning to his private chambers, his exclusive accountant immediately presented him with two expenditure slips for Joseph¡¯s signature.

    Joseph sighed as he looked at the total expenditure of 70,000 livres, realizing that his personal assets amounted to a little over 200,000 livres. Previously, he had paid the police a salary of 20,000 livres and had given Lamark 10,000 livres to purchase essential items for a pharmaceutical factory, leaving him with just over 100,000 livres in hand.

    Indeed, money was being spent like water. He must focus on increasing his income; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he¡¯d have nothing left.

    He immediately recalled the plan to produce cosmetics using salicin, to think that what began as a simple fever relief concoction had now become the project that could earn money the fastest.

    After dismissing the accountant, he turned to Eman, ¡°Please help me order some items.¡±

    The attendant immediately took out paper and pen to record the order, ¡°As you command.¡±

    ¡°50 kilograms of glycerine, 1 kilogram of rose essential oil, 500 seven-ounce glass bottles, an equal number of small wooden boxes, sized just right to fit the bottles. On the box, emboss¡­¡±

    Struggling to come up with a name, Joseph paused for a few seconds before he suddenly remembered a birthday gift a roommate from a previous life bought for his girlfriend called ¡°SK2 Miracle Water,¡± thinking the name was catchy, he continued, ¡°Emboss ¡®Angel Water¡¯.¡±

    ¡°All of these items must be of the highest quality, don¡¯t worry too much about the price.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I¡¯ll see to it immediately.¡±

 Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Terrible Debt

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Terrible Debt

    The next day.

    On his first day as assistant to the Finance Minister, Joseph arrived early at the south wing of the Palace of Versailles, where the Finance Minister¡¯s office was located on the first floor.

    As he hurried along, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the time he used to rush to clock in every morning in his previous life.

    However, he also used this as an excuse to skip the ceremoniously elaborate breakfast, opting instead for some simple bread, grilled fish steak, and vegetable soup, saving quite a bit of time.

    Once Eman had helped him open the door to the Finance Minister¡¯s office, he immediately saw Brian slamming the table angrily with a stern expression, loudly rebuking in a deep voice,

    ¡°These selfish wretches, they speak of equality and justice, but their eyes only see gold coins! Don¡¯t they realize that this will strangle the finances of the entire nation?¡±

    Joseph stepped forward to upright the brass pen holder that had been knocked over on the table and asked,

    ¡°Archbishop Brian, who are you angry with?¡±

    The clerk at the side hurriedly said in a low voice,

    ¡°Your Highness, the High Court officially refused to register the tax law yesterday afternoon.¡±

    Brian sighed deeply and said in resentment, ¡°Those greedy nobles, just for a little land tax, are willing to ruin France. Don¡¯t they know that when that day comes, they will go to hell just the same!¡±

    As a rather upright priest, this was the most vicious curse he could muster.

    He turned to Joseph, apologetically saying,

    ¡°Your Highness, I apologize for these impolite words you had to hear.¡±

    Joseph waved his hand to dismiss the concern,

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Archbishop. I can understand your feelings.¡±

    He then picked up the thick stack of bill texts that had been returned by the High Court, seeing the stamp ¡°not registered¡± on the top,

    ¡°Archbishop Brian, what do you plan to do next?¡±

    Brian closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, dejectedly saying,

    ¡°We can only make more compromises, then seek the support of the Church and try to persuade those selfish and greedy individuals.¡±

    Joseph silently shook his head; those high clergy also had the identity of nobles, and to expect them to follow doctrines to save the people was simply dreaming.

    Seeing he was silent, Brian sighed again,

    ¡°I know it may not help. May God bless France.¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly, knowing he must intervene in the matter of the tax laws.

    This incident seemed to be just about the nobles not willing to pay more taxes, but in reality, it was a test of the noble class against royal authority.

    Historically, Louis XVI had been hard and soft on the matter of the laws, but was defeated by the nobles relying on the courts and public opinion tactics. Since then, the nobles confirmed Louis¡¯s weakness and bullied him even more unabashedly, struggling for power from the Royal Family, and the nation became increasingly chaotic.

    Therefore, Joseph had to nip this in the bud.

    To implement the bill in the least time possible, suppress the arrogance of the noble class, and let them know that royal authority will always be the father of the nobility!

    The matter seemed difficult, but it was not.

    What the nobles relied on was nothing more than the registration rights of the High Court and manipulating public opinion to incite the people against the Royal Family.

    For the former, the corruption of France¡¯s courts was notorious, not a single person in the court system was clean, and there were many handles to exploit once their shady activities were known.

    As for the latter, using 21st-century internet public opinion bombardments and various new media tricks against these nobles¡¯ so-called public opinion tactics was basically like an adult fighting a primary school student.

    After pondering for a moment, Joseph looked at Brian, as if comforting a helpless old man,

    ¡°Archbishop, things may not be as bad as you think; perhaps in another two or three months, the bill might pass.¡±

    ¡°I hope it is as Your Highness says,¡± Brian nodded, walking towards his own office in the west with heavy steps, ¡°I will see what else can be compromised within the tax provisions¡­¡±

    Joseph also returned to the office on the east side and asked his assistant to bring the internal financial documents, and began to scrutinize them closely.

    The more he understood the financial situation of France, the more alarmed he became, and he felt sorry for the Finance Ministers who had come before, not knowing how they had managed to prevent the nation¡¯s finances from collapsing.

    France had a total debt of 2 billion livres, most of which were government bonds. Sixty percent were held by French nationals, and forty percent by foreigners.

    The interest on these government bonds ranged from 8% to 12%, which meant that just on interest alone, they had to pay 200 million livres a year!

    The nation¡¯s annual fiscal revenue was only 500 million; 40% of that had to go towards interest payments, and repaying the principal was out of the question.

    Historically, it was not until after the Great Revolution that the National Convention confiscated all the properties of the Church, and together with the war benefits that Napoleon had won through battles in the north and south, they barely managed to fill this massive deficit.

    Besides government bonds, there was an even more terrifying debt ¨C the short-term bank debt.

    This was the short-term loan borrowed in the name of the state from banks when finances were tight, usually to be repaid after selling government bonds, but interest rates as high as 15%-25%!

    This short-term debt was less than 120 million livres, but the interest paid to the banks every month exceeded 1.8 million.

    And though it was called short-term debt, with France¡¯s current financial condition, it¡¯s basically a cycle of borrowing new debts as soon as the old ones were repaid, hardly different from long-term debt.

    As Joseph was worrying about the debt issue, his assistant knocked and entered, saluting him and saying, ¡°Your Highness, Labod Bank says that due to temporary business changes, the loan negotiation needs to be postponed, and the specific date is not yet determined.¡±

    Joseph nodded without much concern, ¡°Thank you, I know.¡±

    He then remembered that one of his main responsibilities as assistant to the Finance Minister was to negotiate short-term loan matters with banks, basically borrowing new debts to repay old ones.

    He picked up the list of important matters that the assistant had already prepared, and sure enough, there was a loan negotiation with Labod Bank scheduled for 2 pm.

    And this money was mainly for repaying a 6 million livres one-year government bond due in a month.

    According to the original plan, this money would be borrowed from two banks, repaid after two months using the revenue from government bonds. The previous interest rates were 18% and 19%.

    ¡°Running a bank in this era sure is a lucrative business,¡± he couldn¡¯t help remarking. In the 21st century, these interest rates would be considered usury.

 Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Sharp Sword (Requesting Monthly Ticket)

    Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Sharp Sword (Requesting Monthly Ticket)

    Joseph chuckled to himself,

    ¡°I must start a bank myself if I get the chance.¡±

    After he finished reviewing the financial documents, he pushed the file basket aside, rubbed his sore shoulders, and picked up the documents of the new tax law to read.

    The bill had many clauses, with over thirty pages in total.

    The more Joseph read, the more he furrowed his brows. The person who drafted these laws was indeed very clever, mixing a mess of unrelated things all together. Even someone with a 21st-century higher education like himself felt dizzy and overwhelmed, expecting ordinary people to understand what was written in it was simply a dream!

    And it seemed that, fearing the bill would be obstructed by the nobility, the drafters intentionally included some provisions favoring the noble class at the expense of common people.

    What they hadn¡¯t anticipated was that it was these nearly insignificant tax items that became the leverage that the nobility used to attack the tax law. The common people couldn¡¯t grasp the intricacies of the clauses and, believing popular opinion that claimed the law would harm their interests, opposed it as well.

    In reality, the core content of the bill was to abolish the nobility¡¯s land tax privileges and have them share some of the national fiscal burden.

    Additionally, it included stipulations that allowed the free transportation and trade of grain, as well as the removal of tariffs between different regions within the country to promote economic development.

    This bill fully reflected the weakness and conciliatory nature of Louis XVI¡¯s government¡­

    It was like sugar mixed with shit¡ªas if trying to please both nobles and commoners, they ended up disliked by both.

    Thinking of this, Joseph picked up his pen and crossed out every tax item that was detrimental to ordinary people and small business owners, one by one.

    To pull some in and push others away was the way of politics.

    After the cuts, this bill was no longer a tool for the noble class to manipulate the government but rather a sword to attack them with!

    Joseph checked it over carefully once more and was about to hand it to his assistant for re-copying and organizing when he realized it was already twilight.

    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll deal with it tomorrow.¡± He stretched lazily, threw the draft of the bill into a drawer, and resisted doing unto others what he wouldn¡¯t want done to himself¡ªunless it was an emergency, he wouldn¡¯t force his subordinates to work overtime.

    As soon as he stepped out of his office, he saw Eman coming toward him with a maid, ¡°Your Highness, Queen Mary is hosting a gambling game in the Mars Hall, and she invites you to join.¡±

    A smile flickered in Joseph¡¯s mind. It seemed so strange for a mother to pull her son into gambling.

    However, he knew that this was a very normal form of entertainment at the Palace of Versailles, and even the Sun King, Louis XIV, had specially requested in his ¡°Advice to the Crown Prince¡± that the court hold more of these activities to strengthen the bonds between monarch and subject.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go at once.¡±

    He went back to his living quarters first to change into a set of light but luxurious clothes appropriate for entertainment and then followed the queen¡¯s maid to the Mars Hall.

    Joseph could hear waves of noise accompanied by cheerful piano music emanating from the hall from afar. The guards at the door bowed to Joseph, then opened the two-person high doors.

    Queen Mary, who was playing baccarat beneath the huge portrait of Louis XIV, spotted her son immediately and waved with a beaming smile,

    ¡°Darling, you finally arrived!¡±

    Joseph hurried over and bowed, and the queen, clearly in a good mood, said, ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been busy all day at Brian¡¯s. Go play and relax a bit. Oh, do you know? I just won eleven rounds in a row! I hope you have the same good luck as me!¡±

    The surrounding nobles, upon hearing of the Crown Prince¡¯s arrival, paused and paid their respects to him, especially the young girls dressed in luxurious silk gowns, all with peach-blossom eyes and giggling continuously.

    As Joseph watched the nobles who fawned and flattered around Queen Mary and the queen herself who was flushed and laughing heartily from winning, he suddenly remembered a lamentation by the writer Zweig from a later era¡ª¡±She was too young at the time, not knowing that all the gifts fate had given her had already been secretly marked with a price.¡±[Note 1]

    While Joseph reflected silently, Mono, his face caked with white powder, came running over with a big smile and eagerly gestured behind him,

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve arrived just in time! We¡¯ve been fretting over being one player short, come join us for cards,¡±

    Upon hearing this, a young noble at the card table was taken aback and quickly vanished, effectively realizing the ¡°shortage of players.¡±

    Joseph, unable to decline the warm invitation, sat down next to the Minister of the Interior beneath the painting of the God of War, and servants immediately brought over wine and beverages.

    ¡°Two tens,¡± Count Papus, sitting at the head of the table, played his cards.

    The game was similar to ¡°Fight the Landlord,¡± but the smallest card was an Ace, and K, representing the King, was the highest.

    Joseph took a glass of juice, looked at the cards in his hand, and shook his head, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±

    He glanced at the pile of gold ¨¦cus and silver livres on the table, and couldn¡¯t help thinking about France¡¯s 2 billion debt. Looking across at the Cabinet Minister, who was carelessly tossing gold coins and playing heartily, Joseph shook his head with a wry smile, thinking perhaps a major reform was indeed necessary¡­

    Preoccupied with thoughts of the national debt and his poor card skills, he quickly lost three games in a row, losing 12 gold ¨¦cus in total.

    Not far off, more than a dozen noble young ladies watched the table intently, seeing the Crown Prince somewhat distracted, they assumed it was due to his losses at cards. They clenched their little fists, grinding their silver teeth with a crunching sound.

    Several girls sprang into action immediately.

    Some swept around to face their fathers or uncles, enveloping them with looks of murderous intent and eyes full of grievance.

    Others went to their brothers¡¯ sides, seemingly inquiring how his hand was but covertly pinching a chunk of flesh on their arm and twisting it 180 degrees.

    In fact, according to the traditions of the French Court, intentionally losing at gambling was not allowed, but the three men playing with Joseph at that moment unhesitatingly decided to forgo this convention.

    Mono broke a straight from six to ten, playing just an eight. Count Papus, looking at the seven played by the Crown Prince, gripped a single ten and a Queen firmly in his hand, and resolutely called, ¡°Pass¡±¡­

    Joseph¡¯s ¡°luck¡± suddenly improved, no matter how he played, he won, even one hand where the highest card was only a Jack, and most were single cards, he still came out victorious.

    His winning streak buoyed his spirits, and he forgot all about the time until he felt a bit weary and glanced at the clock, realizing it was already half past eleven in the evening.

    He quickly rose to bid farewell to his card companions, asking Eman to collect the winnings, and, dragging his weary body, headed towards the sleeping quarters.

    Upon leaving the hall, Eman caught up, whispering excitedly:

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve won a total of one hundred and fifty-six ¨¦cus.¡±

    One ¨¦cu was equivalent to six livres; hence, in one night, Joseph had won nearly one thousand livres!

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Joseph said with a sense of accomplishment, ¡°I earned so much without doing anything half the night!¡±

    But he immediately remembered that terrifying 2 billion debt and mentally calculated that, at his current winning rate, it would only take about 550 years to pay it off.

    Joseph sighed. To pay off such a massive debt, relying solely on personal money-making projects was nowhere near enough; he would have to use himself as a fulcrum to leverage the Industrial Revolution across all of France¡ªthat was the way out of the financial dilemma.

    Therefore, the Steam Engine and textile technology needed to be developed as soon as possible, along with accompanying financial and patent policies.

    As Joseph thought about the Industrial Revolution, he had inadvertently wandered somewhere; suddenly, he heard a ¡°growl¡± from his stomach and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with a wry smile. Preoccupied with winning money all evening, he had forgotten to eat supper.

    Looking up, he realized the corridor in front of him led to the kitchen, which was still lit up inside, indicating that an Imperial Chef was on duty.

    Since it was quite a distance from the Crown Prince¡¯s sleeping quarters, waiting to have the food delivered there would take who knows how long.

    He might as well have a chef whip up something on the spot to tide him over. Thinking this, he walked towards the kitchen.

    [Note 1: From the biographical novel ¡°The Queen of the Guillotine¡± by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig (November 28, 1881 ¨C February 22, 1942).]

 Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: A Night Encounter with Sadako (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 28: Chapter 28: A Night Encounter with Sadako (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Eman, upon seeing this, hurriedly stepped forward, pushing open the large doors of the kitchen, and bowed his head for the Crown Prince to enter.

    Guard Captain Kesode hadn¡¯t expected His Highness to suddenly turn towards the kitchen. He stumbled in his steps, turned his head to signal the two guards with a wave of his hand, and hastened to follow.

    Joseph stepped through the door and saw a very spacious kitchen. In the center were six or seven huge cutting boards pieced together, giving off the smell of fish and spices. The surroundings were stacked with various ingredients and cooking utensils. Only half of the lights were on, but there were no chefs on duty to be seen.

    He remembered that even when there was no ball or celebration in the palace, there should still be at least three to five imperial chefs on duty at night. But what was happening today?

    Joseph walked further inside, circled around a brown storage cabinet over two meters tall and four meters wide, and faintly heard rustling noises coming from the corner.

    However, his view was obstructed by a rack full of pots and metal spoons, making it impossible to see what was happening there.

    Joseph was curious. What were the chefs doing hiding in the corner? Playing cards in their spare time at night?

    He turned around the wood rack, puzzled, and as he raised his eyes, he saw under the light in the corner a figure with its back to him, draped in a wrinkled white robe, with a head of disheveled black hair, not very tall.

    It was only then that Joseph noticed a large slanted wooden board in front of the person, covered in knife marks and surrounded by plenty of bloodstains. Under the flickering candlelight, it appeared exceedingly sinister.

    The figure in the white robe seemed to be very focused, and only then, hearing the noise behind, did it turn around abruptly.

    Joseph¡¯s pupils shrank instantly as he saw the figure¡¯s front covered in blood, with a black and red knife in hand, its face hidden behind disheveled hair, barely making out a pair of round eyes emitting a greenish glow, and its hair hanging down to the waist was sticky with viscous bits, like the innards of something¡­

    A buzz sounded in Joseph¡¯s head and he felt a rush of adrenaline fill his body instantaneously, with only one thought in his mind: Fuck! Sadako?

    He immediately jumped back with force, banging his back against the rack hung with soup spoons, making a chaotic noise.

    He could not care about the pain. Just as he was about to turn around, he saw Eman flash to his side, holding a short sword in his left hand and pulling the Crown Prince behind him with his right.

    ¡°Protect His Highness!¡± Eman shouted loudly.

    Kesode muttered that this was not good and charged forward in several quick strides, drawing his sword and standing shoulder to shoulder with the guards.

    ¡°Guard!¡±

    Following the shout, he turned to Joseph and said, ¡°Your Highness, please exit first!¡±

    More than a dozen of the Crown Prince¡¯s personal guards rushed in, suppressing their fear of the unknown entity, whether a ghost or a witch, and stood ready to die as they cocked their weapons, aiming their guns at Sadako in the corner.

    Just then, Sadako finally moved.

    She threw the knife in her hand up in the air, plunged her fingers into her long hair, crouched in place, hugging her head, and let out a piercing scream, ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    Joseph was taken aback and poked his head out from behind Eman, suddenly feeling that this Sadako looked somewhat familiar.

    ¡°Hey, stop screaming.¡± He tried to communicate with Sadako, ¡°What are you¡­ a person?¡±

    Having heard his voice, Sadako clearly paused for a moment, raised her head, and peered through the gap in her hair, her voice trembling slightly, ¡°Crown, Crown Prince?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? You know me?¡±

    Sadako nodded fervently, ¡°It¡¯s me! Your Highness, I am Perna! Don¡¯t, don¡¯t shoot!¡±

    Kesode cautiously moved forward, parted the woman¡¯s hair, and couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief, sheathing his sword, and turning to say:

    ¡°Your Highness, it is indeed Miss Perna.¡±

    Joseph, his head full of black lines, sized up Perna and the bloodstained wooden board behind her, asking in confusion,

    ¡°You? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Perna instinctively glanced at her hands and realized the small knife was ¡°gone.¡± Her eyes flitted uncertainly as she explained, ¡°Well¡­ I was helping Mr. Valister to cut the meat.¡±

    As she spoke, she frantically wiped the bloodstains off her hands onto her brown apron before picking up a hairband from the ground, tying up her long hair behind her head and quickly curtsying, ¡°Your Highness, Crown Prince.¡±

    Joseph looked at the bloodstains on her face and brought out a handkerchief, gesturing, ¡°Wipe your face with this.¡±

    Eman hurriedly took the handkerchief, stepped forward, and gave it to Perna.

    She carefully accepted it and as she meticulously wiped her face, a visage as white as ivory slowly came into view.

    On that delicate face, a pair of pale green eyes were like two clear emerald beads, her lashes thick and black, and especially the sweet dimples by her charming red lips, she looked nothing like that frightening ¡°Sadako¡± from before.

    Joseph was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you dressed up like this before. Quite pretty.¡±

    He looked at the wooden board behind Perna, on which a small animal was neatly secured with nails.

    It was a rabbit, with a neat incision in its abdomen, its internal organs cleanly dissected.

    He couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°Are you practicing dissection?¡±

    Perna was startled and waved her hands, saying hastily, ¡°No, I¡¯m not, I didn¡¯t, don¡¯t talk nonsense¡­¡±

    Joseph stepped forward and looked at the rabbit, nodding, ¡°Such professional technique, you must have practiced a long time, right?¡±

    He then turned to Perna, ¡°By the way, why are you practicing dissection in the kitchen?¡±

    Listening to the certainty in his tone, Perna¡¯s heart tightened. The Crown Prince actually knew about anatomy; it seemed she wouldn¡¯t be able to deny it this time.

    She clenched her left hand with her right, hesitated for a while, and finally, as if having made up some resolve, she stood up straight and declared loudly,

    ¡°Your Highness, yes, I am practicing dissection!¡±

    She took a deep breath as if finally voicing something she had held back for a long time,

    ¡°I believe that the current customs are very detrimental to the advancement of medicine!

    ¡°For instance, the fact that women aren¡¯t allowed to study medicine is a severe constraint on the medical field, and even more so, an injustice towards women!

    ¡°I greatly admire my father and ever since I was little, I have accompanied him in treating patients, which has filled me with aspiration for the medical profession, to save lives and help the injured.

    ¡°I know my father loves me very much, he even agreed to let me dress as a man to assist him in treating patients, for which I am very grateful.

    ¡°But even so, he resolutely forbids me from stepping onto the operating table or practicing dissection, as it would make me unmarriageable, for nobody wants to marry a female doctor! That is the reality!

    ¡°Nonetheless, I still hope to become a doctor who can stand on her own and save patients. I can¡¯t get access to human bodies, so I can only practice dissection on animals to familiarize myself with biological structures.

    ¡°I¡¯ve reached an agreement with Mr. Valister; every night I can come here to practice dissection, and incidentally cut meat for the chefs to use the next day, while he helps me keep it a secret.¡±

    By this point, her eyes were full of tears, clearly having suffered indignities over the years because of this.

    She sniffled, her tone becoming calm, ¡°Your Highness, please go ahead and report me. I frightened you earlier, and this is the punishment I deserve.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Instant Fangirl (Seeking Investment)

    Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Instant Fangirl (Seeking Investment)

    Joseph looked at the pitiful girl in front of him, shook his head slightly, and felt greatly moved.

    He had read in Maum¡¯s books the words of Monk Lewis from this era¡ª¡±I detest, pity, and despise all female litterateurs. They should have a needle in their hand, not a pen. It is only the needle with which they can work freely.¡± (Note 1)

    Up until the 18th century, the status of women remained very low. Even in France, the birthplace of the Enlightenment movement, women were not allowed to engage in writing, medicine, law, or even to have bank accounts; society firmly bound them within the family.

    As a person from the 21st century, Joseph naturally disagreed with such notions, but the dozen or so people beside him all looked at Perna with strange expressions, seemingly thinking that it was extremely inappropriate for a woman to speak of learning surgery.

    Even Kesode showed the kind of helpless smile one has upon seeing a naughty child creating trouble, because Perna reminded him of his own rebellious sister who insisted on studying law.

    Yet his smile only made Perna feel even more upset.

    She was fed up with the mocking and playful smiles of the men!

    Just a moment ago, she had fantasized that the Crown Prince in front of her, praised by Professor Lagrange and with extensive knowledge of medicine, might hold enlightened views. But the attitude shown by his captain of the guard easily shattered her fragile hope.

    The Crown Prince probably had the same thoughts as them, Perna thought, looking up, trying hard to keep her tears from falling, but then she saw the Crown Prince walking towards her, his voice full of encouragement:

    ¡°Dissection is the foundation of medicine. I am very supportive of your pursuing this practice. Keep it up!¡±

    Perna froze, her clear green eyes filled with disbelief: ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Joseph picked up the dissection knife from the ground and said with a hearty laugh:

    ¡°Someone like you, who is full of ideals and brave in practice, will surely become a great doctor in the future.¡±

    ¡°But I¡­¡± Perna hadn¡¯t expected the Crown Prince to actually support her, and she became tongue-tied, ¡°I am a woman. Your Highness, do you think women can become doctors too?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Joseph said, handing the scalpel back to her, nodding, ¡°Being a doctor is just a profession, and women are fully capable of it. If one day I were seriously ill, oh, I mean in case, the one saving my life could very well be Doctor Perna.

    ¡°If I have the opportunity, I would even push for legislation to allow women to engage in medical work.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Your Highness! For the love of God, please tell me, do you really think this way? Are you not mocking me?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Joseph nodded sincerely.

    Perna¡¯s heart suddenly began to beat violently. The Crown Prince himself supported her ideals¡ªwhat else did she have to worry about? Could her dream actually come true?

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anyone speak like this before.¡±

    She gazed at the Crown Prince in a daze, feeling as if she were in a dream. Everything around her lost its color, only the Crown Prince shone brightly, like the angels in Raphael¡¯s paintings, so beautiful and pure.

    Suddenly, she covered her face and began to sob softly, expressing through her tears the grievances of the past and her joy at this moment.

    ¡°Sob¡­ Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Look at you, why have you started crying all of a sudden?¡± Joseph patted the girl¡¯s shoulder, about to console her with a few more words when his stomach inappropriately rumbled.

    Perna paused, and then a chuckle escaped her lips, she asked softly:

    ¡°Your Highness, did you come to the kitchen to have a late-night snack?¡±

    Joseph looked around somewhat embarrassedly and said:

    ¡°I am a bit hungry, but the cooks have all disappeared; it seems I came here for nothing.¡±

    ¡°The cooks¡­ may have gone to move the vegetables needed for tomorrow, I guess.¡±

    Joseph knew that the cooks were most likely slacking off and sleeping, but he didn¡¯t expose her, as he too had snuck in some sleep when working late shifts in the past.

    ¡°Your Highness, if you don¡¯t want to wait¡­¡± Perna seemed to muster a great deal of courage, her face flushed as she spoke softly, ¡°perhaps I could make something for you to eat?¡±

    She looked at the Crown Prince nervously, afraid that he would laugh at her.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Joseph nodded cheerfully, ¡°then I¡¯ll thank you for it.¡±

    Fortunately, the fires in the royal kitchen never went out, and the ingredients were already prepared. Perna took off the apron she wore for dissection practice, thoroughly washed her hands, and then started bustling around the stove.

    In less than 20 minutes, a dish of richly aromatic red wine-baked goose liver was placed on the small table used by the chefs for tea breaks, accompanied by a plate of beetroot tomato soup.

    Kesode tasted a bit of each dish very conscientiously, and only after confirming there were no issues did he step back to the side.

    Joseph had been starving for a while, and, smelling the fragrant aroma, his appetite suddenly surged.

    He picked up the cutlery, ready to start eating, when he saw Perna standing awkwardly to one side. He hurriedly waved her over,

    ¡°Come and eat with me.¡±

    The girl waved her hands repeatedly, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, but I¡¯ll pass. Please go ahead and taste it, does it suit your palate?¡±

    Joseph looked at the goose liver on the plate, which was enough for three people, and without further ado pulled her to sit down. He fetched another plate, divided the dish evenly, and said with a smile,

    ¡°It makes no sense for you to work hard all morning and then just watch me eat. Besides, I can¡¯t let France¡¯s first female doctor starve, can I?¡±

    Perna¡¯s face turned instantly red, and she lowered her head, quietly picking up the knife and fork.

    Joseph put a piece of golden-browned goose liver and a slice of black truffle into his mouth. The unique rich, oily taste filled his mouth, but with the truffle¡¯s modulation, it wasn¡¯t at all greasy.

    His teeth broke through the crispy skin, and the tender meat of the goose liver almost melted into his mouth without resistance, making Joseph squint with enjoyment.

    After swallowing a large piece of goose liver, he pointed out with praise,

    ¡°This is simply fantastic. If you weren¡¯t a doctor, you would definitely make a great chef!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Perna¡¯s eyes filled with joy, ¡°I learned it in my spare time from Mr. Valister.¡±

    Joseph cut another piece of goose liver, lifted it, and gestured,

    ¡°To thank you for the meal, I¡¯ve decided to give you a gift.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m already very happy that you like it. How could I accept something more from you?¡±

    Joseph laughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy; the attire you wore while practicing dissection earlier was long and cumbersome. I¡¯ll have a tailor make a special medical uniform for you. Oh, and in the future it might be introduced nationwide; consider it a trial run on my behalf.¡±

    Perna¡¯s face blushed to the tips of her ears. She looked down and said softly, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    The next morning, as usual, Perna attended to the Crown Prince after he got up and carried her medical box to perform a routine check-up for him.

    But what was different from before was that today, she didn¡¯t apply the dark powder on her face, her lips kept their natural color, and her complexion appeared refined and smooth, radiating a healthy and exquisite beauty.

    When she came before Joseph, she set down her medical box, curtsied, and took out the medical records, asking,

    ¡°Your Highness, does your throat still hurt?¡±

    ¡°Much better, just a little.¡±

    ¡°Are you coughing?¡±

    ¡°Occasionally, but it¡¯s quite rare now.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any phlegm?¡±

    ¡°A little.¡±

    The girl carefully noted down each answer and suddenly, when she raised her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the handsome lines of Joseph¡¯s face. Her heart skipped a beat, and the thought crossed her mind: The Crown Prince is so handsome, how did I not notice before¡­

    Her face turned crimson in an instant.

 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Pharmaceutical Factory Commences Production

    Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Pharmaceutical Factory Commences Production

    Perna hastily completed the routine check, hoisted her suitcase, and ran out of the house like a scared deer without looking back, yet once she was out the door, she turned around swiftly to steal a glance at the Crown Prince.

    Joseph watched her retreating figure, blinked in surprise, and said, ¡°What¡¯s with her¡­ Did she get a stomach ache?¡±

    Palace of Versailles, South Wing.

    In the office of the Finance Minister, Brian took the tax reform bill, which was significantly thinner, from Joseph¡¯s hands, and asked with a puzzled tone:

    ¡°Your Highness, it seems you have removed many taxes?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an attempt of mine.¡±

    Brian quickly flipped through the bill, his frown deepening as he went, and when he reached the halfway point, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Joseph and say, ¡°Your Highness, all the clauses you¡¯ve removed benefit the nobility?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Archbishop.¡±

    Brian put the bill back on the table and shook his head:

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±

    Joseph countered:

    ¡°Do you think that by constantly conceding, the bill will pass?¡±

    Brian shook his head.

    ¡°Exactly, so we might as well take a different approach. You can submit this version of the bill to the High Court to start with.¡±

    Brian let out a sigh:

    ¡°Your Highness, but doing this will only infuriate the nobility and achieve nothing else.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said:

    ¡°Have you ever watched a bullfight?¡±

    ¡°A bullfight? Yes, Your Highness, I have.¡±

    ¡°The matador always desperately uses the red cloth to anger the bull because the infuriated bull will lose its senses, thus making mistakes, giving the matador the chance to strike,¡± Joseph said, ¡°Let those nobles get angry; there¡¯s no harm in it.

    ¡°Please trust me, even if it¡¯s rejected this time, this bill will eventually pass!¡±

    Brian still appeared skeptical and asked, ¡°Can you tell me how you plan to do it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother reasoning with those people; target their weak points, divide and conquer, and at the same time, control the public opinion so they have no choice but to submit.¡±

    Brian looked at the Crown Prince with a surprised gaze, catching the confident and somewhat sly look in his eyes, and for some reason, suddenly felt that he might not be making a rash move.

    After a long moment, Brian nodded, then started to smile:

    ¡°Alright then, I will send this bill to the High Court, but please don¡¯t say that these changes were made by you, otherwise those greedy and selfish people will surely bear a grudge against you.

    ¡°And as for me, if I can¡¯t get the bill implemented by the end of the year, I should probably leave my position as Finance Minister. With the little time that I have left, I might as well take a risk.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your trust.¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t expect to persuade Brian so quickly. He wasted no time and turned to his assistant:

    ¡°Please contact the largest newspapers in Paris and reserve prominent space in them.

    ¡°Once the High Court rejects the tax bill this time, immediately publish the first tax item in the papers, with a detailed interpretation, such as who will pay this tax, what impact it will have, etc.

    ¡°From now on, publish one tax item every day until the entire content of the bill is disclosed in the newspapers and everything is clearly interpreted.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Additionally, organize a group of journalists to report in detail on the proposed law, from the time of its introduction to its rejection by the High Court. Oh, don¡¯t report it all at once, write a little bit at a time to keep the momentum.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And another thing¡­¡±

    After being busy in the Finance Minister¡¯s office until noon, Joseph finally completed the preliminary preparations for the tax reform bill and then had lunch with the queen. Eman reported that Dr. Lamark was requesting an audience.

    Joseph followed him back to his own reception room and saw Dr. Lamark pacing anxiously back and forth.

    ¡°Mr. Lamark, is there an issue with the pharmaceutical workshop?¡±

    Dr. Lamark hurriedly bowed respectfully, first nodding, ¡°There is a matter¡­¡± then he said nervously, ¡°Your Highness, I heard that last night my daughter offended you. She is young and surely didn¡¯t mean it! Please forgive her.¡±

    Joseph smiled and gestured with his hand:

    ¡°Miss Perna has made no mistake; it was I who unintentionally intruded into her ¡®laboratory¡¯. Oh, and she even offered me a midnight snack.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your generous understanding.¡± Dr. Lamark quickly bowed again and said with a shaking head, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have agreed to let her study medicine. That child, she even went into the palace kitchen in the middle of the night to dissect animals¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss Perna is very talented. Actually, you could let her practice dissection in the Royal Family¡¯s laboratory. Oh, if you don¡¯t want others to know, I can order the guards and servants to keep it a secret for her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Dr. Lamark¡¯s eyes filled with gratitude, ¡°You are too enlightened. If the people at the Medical Association were half as open-minded as you, Perna would have already earned her medical license and saved many patients.¡±

    Joseph noticed the glass bottle in his hand and asked, ¡°Right, you mentioned there was something about the pharmaceutical workshop?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, yes.¡± Dr. Lamark hurriedly handed over the glass bottle, excitement returning to his face, ¡°That perfume workshop is just perfect! It has a very comprehensive set of equipment, it even has a water mill.

    ¡°I only added some high-precision thermometers and condensers, which are enough for the purification of salicin.

    ¡°Also, the workers are quite good, skilled, and many of them have experience with purification processes. Look, this was produced last night by the craftsmen, and neither Mr. Laseny nor I intervened.¡±

    Joseph looked at the beige powder, nodded with satisfaction, and then asked:

    ¡°How much do you estimate the output could be?¡±

    Dr. Lamark thought for a moment before replying:

    ¡°If we have enough raw material, about 2500 grams a day. Once the workers get skilled, it should be possible to double that.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s basically enough for all the patients in Paris, and we should even be able to supply some to the provinces.¡± Joseph said.

    With salicin used for its anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing properties, a daily oral dose of about 0.5 grams meant that for Paris¡¯s population of over half a million, ten thousand doses a day would be sufficient.

    Dr. Lamark nodded and said, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Laseny and I have estimated the costs, each pill containing 0.25 grams of salicin would cost about 3 to 4 deniers to make. We plan to initially sell them for 5 deniers each and then adjust the price later based on revenue, what do you think?¡±

    One livre is equal to 20 sous, and one sou is equivalent to 12 deniers, meaning one livre could buy 48 pills¡ªa very reasonable price indeed.

    ¡°You can decide on the price.¡± Joseph said.

    Joseph then remembered his own ¡°Angel Water¡± and said to Dr. Lamark, ¡°Ah, Mr. Lamark, I have some special requirements. Please purify 300 grams of high-purity salicin for me daily, with as few impurities as possible.¡±

    With only a little over one gram of salicin needed in 200 grams of skincare product, 300 grams a day was enough to produce over 200 bottles, which should be sufficient for initial market probings.

    Dr. Lamark readily agreed, ¡°No problem, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    On the same evening that Joseph and Dr. Lamark were discussing the pharmaceutical factory matters, 400 kilometers away from Paris in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the leader of the Patriot Party, Dandels, was welcoming guests from France.

 Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Huge Profits (Seeking Investment)

    Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Huge Profits (Seeking Investment)

    ¡°Mr. Colbert, the envoy,¡± Dandels glanced at several senior members of the Patriot Party by his side and sighed, ¡°following the vote by the Provincial Congress, we have officially decided to cease hostilities and enter armistice negotiations with the Orange Order. The negotiation meeting will be held the day after tomorrow.¡±

    The ¡°Orange Order¡± he referred to was the Royalist Party supporting the original Dutch Stadtholder, William V, named after William¡¯s title as the Prince of Orange.

    Colbert furrowed his brow, stood up, and in a high-pitched tone, said:

    ¡°Mr. President, the intent of the French Cabinet is clear, no compromise without negotiations!

    ¡°You and your army need only repel the enemy frontally once and hold out for at least five days. The rest will be handled by great France, who will definitely crush the Prince of Orange¡¯s counterattack!¡±

    Dandels¡¯s face turned red, and he clenched his fists:

    ¡°Mr. Envoy, we do not wish to submit either! But you know, that wretch Wilhelmina, the traitor, she has brought the Prussian Army here, and she is spreading rumors everywhere, saying we have kidnapped her¡­¡±

    Colbert gave a light cough, looked away, and said as if offhandedly:

    ¡°In my personal opinion, the Princess of Orange did all she could for what she believes is her duty, and should not be considered a traitor.¡±

    Dandels paused, then remembered that the envoy before him represented King Louis XVI of France.

    He suddenly felt a hint of irony; the Dutch people¡¯s ally in their fight against a dictator was another dictator.

    Perhaps this was the sorrow and helplessness of a small nation.

    Dandels did not dwell on this digression and continued:

    ¡°Currently, over twenty thousand Prussian troops are threatening Amsterdam, demanding the release of Wilhelmina. God, she is not even in our custody!

    ¡°And our army has only 7,000 soldiers, nowhere near as well-equipped as the Prussians.¡±

    This was Wilhelmina¡¯s plan to help her husband regain power¡ªmaking a high-profile appearance in The Hague in Holland to provoke the Rebel Army into arresting her. Of course, the Rebel Army, wary of her Prussian princess status, quickly released her. However, she claimed to be still detained by the Patriot Party, begging Prussia to send troops to rescue her, while quietly escaping to the border city of Nijmegen to hide.

    Colbert nodded:

    ¡°I did not ask you to defeat the Prussian Army, only to make them realize they will face fierce resistance.

    ¡°Moreover, I have heard that 300 young Frenchmen, sympathetic to your plight, have volunteered to help you in battle. They come with over 2,000 firearms, it seems there are also cannons.¡±

    ¡°2,000 guns, and cannons?¡± Dandels felt less defeated, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we need! Where did you get the cannons from? But, isn¡¯t 300 too few?¡±

    Colbert immediately denied:

    ¡°The cannons might have been stolen by someone from French warships. Mind you, France has aided you with 600,000 livres, but never sent troops.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t think 300 men are too few; the majority of them are artillerymen, and you should know an excellent artilleryman can potentially turn the tide of an entire battle. Remember, this might be your only chance to preserve your government!¡±

    Dandels and those beside him exchanged glances, then said to Colbert:

    ¡°Mr. Envoy, we need to discuss this further.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    After just one hour, the Patriot Party, after a vote, decided to break off negotiations, defend the City of Amsterdam, and engage in a decisive battle with the Prussian Army.

    Two days later, more than a dozen people dressed as merchants, artisans, and even beggars entered the eastern Dutch border city of Nijmegen through different channels and quickly made contact with two French spies.

    In a small cottage on the outskirts of Nijmegen, the group formed a circle around the lieutenant in charge of the mission, Lieutenant Favart, who pointed to the east side of the Nijmegen map on the table and said:

    ¡°Wilhelmina should be hiding in the Countess of Lippe¡¯s estate and seldom goes out.

    ¡°You should familiarize yourselves with the streets and environment of the town in the next few days. We¡¯ll make our move when she goes to church this Sunday.¡±

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    Joseph sat in a lounge chair, basking in the afternoon sun of winter, and let out a long yawn.

    The tax bill was still going through the High Court, and there was temporarily no news from the Netherlands. The police affairs had just begun, and there was no information yet¡­

    Since his arrival in this world, he finally had some rare free time.

    However, Dr. Lamark seemed to be afraid that he would get too bored, so he delivered the refined salicin he had requested last time.

    Joseph hurriedly instructed him that in the future, he would send someone to collect it and that there was no need for him to make the long trip from Paris.

    After seeing off Lamark, Joseph picked up that large bottle of powder that had almost been purified to white, opened the cap, and sniffed it¡ªthere was no hint of alcohol smell, very pure.

    He opened a chest in his study, inside which were glycerin, rose essential oil, and other auxiliary materials, as well as some measuring instruments that had been prepared earlier.

    He precisely measured out 1000 grams of glycerin, 60 grams of rose essential oil, and 22 grams of salicin, and mixed them together in a large glass flask.

    By now, the solution had completely turned a pale purple and was emitting the fragrance of the essential oil, showing no trace of salicin.

    Then, following a ratio of one part mixture to three parts water, he produced the first batch of ¡°Angel Water.¡±

    He frowned at the large bottle of thin liquid; as a cosmetic product, its appearance was rather plain.

    After some thought, he decided to add a thickener and immediately grabbed a candlestick from the desk, pulling off a high-quality beeswax candle.

    The candle powder blended into the glycerin, and as Joseph kept stirring, the solution quickly became thick and opaque.

    ¡°Now it starts to feel like a skincare product,¡± he said with satisfaction, taking a small dab of ¡°Angel Water¡± with his finger and applying it evenly on the back of his hand. It felt smooth, moist, and floral, very pleasant.

    After waiting half an hour without any signs of allergic or irritating reactions, Joseph summoned his beautician and applied some to his face.

    Afterward, the beautician and his assistant were conscripted into service, and under Joseph¡¯s direction, they filled small, flat, round 7-ounce glass bottles with the thick, pale purple gel. Then they placed the glass bottles into exquisite wooden boxes embossed with ¡°Angel Water.¡±

    Even with their very nimble hands, they were busy until 3 o¡¯clock in the afternoon before they finally finished bottling about 50 bottles.

    Once Joseph confirmed the beautician¡¯s skin felt good, he instructed Eman to have someone deliver 40 bottles to the more famous luxury goods stores in Paris on consignment, with each bottle priced at 15 livres.

    He himself took the remaining 10 bottles to Queen Mary. Speaking of cosmetics, who could be more suitable as a spokesperson than her? And it was a free endorsement.

    Walking down the corridor, Joseph did a quick calculation: the cost of one bottle of Angel Water was slightly more than one livre¡ªthe glycerin of this era was made from olive oil and expensive, accounting for ninety percent of the cost. The main active ingredient, salicin, was the cheapest.

    With a selling price of 15 livres per bottle, after deducting transport and sales costs, there would be at least a profit of 12 livres and 10 sous!

    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh: Indeed, women¡¯s money is the easiest to make!

    Mr. Ma did not deceive me!

 Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Big Shopping Spree (Seeking Investment)

    Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Big Shopping Spree (Seeking Investment)

    Queen Mary curiously pulled out the cork from the glass bottle and cautiously smeared a bit of the pastel purple cream on her hand.

    ¡°Hmm, quite smooth, not bad,¡± she said with a pleasant smile looking at her son, ¡°Dear Joseph, you always bring me surprises. Where did you buy this?¡±

    Joseph launched into sales mode:

    ¡°I devised it myself; I call it ¡®Angel Water.¡¯ It can soften the skin and is particularly effective at removing acne.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Queen Mary immediately waved over a maid standing at the door:

    ¡°Morgana, you could try this out.¡±

    Only then did Joseph notice that the maid had several pimples on her forehead, not quite hidden by makeup. Many of these maidservants were only seventeen or eighteen years old, precisely the age prone to acne.

    Seeing Morgana quickly approaching, Queen Mary took out a box from the nine wooden ones in front of her and handed it to her, upon which she bent her knee in surprised gratitude:

    ¡°Thank you so much, Your Majesty.¡±

    Joseph, smiling broadly, said to the Queen:

    ¡°All you need to do is to mention it in front of the ladies, saying you are using it.¡±

    Queen Mary affectionately stroked his hair but feigned upset:

    ¡°You charge a fee for giving me a few bottles of skincare product?¡±

    Joseph immediately straightened up and put on a hurt expression:

    ¡°I spent so much effort and conducted many experiments to develop the ¡®Angel Water.¡¯ Today, as soon as I succeeded, I thought of you and immediately brought it to you. And now, you won¡¯t even do this small favor for me¡­¡±

    The Queen was amused and picked up a biscuit from the table to feed him, consoling:

    ¡°Alright, alright, I will mention it to them, happy now?¡±

    As it turned out, Joseph need not have worried about promoting the ¡°Angel Water.¡±

    The ladies of the Palace of Versailles, who spent their days as if they couldn¡¯t wait to examine the Queen with a microscope, immediately followed suit like they had been shot with chicken blood the moment they discovered something new.

    That afternoon, whilst the Duchess of Broglie, who had come to chat and listen to music with the Queen, instantly noticed the exquisite wooden box on the dressing table, she turned to the nearby maid and asked:

    ¡°What¡¯s in that wooden box? Which shop sent it?¡±

    The maid hurriedly whispered:

    ¡°It is skincare product called ¡®Angel Water,¡¯ given by the Crown Prince. It is said to be personally developed by His Highness.¡±

    ¡°¡®Angel Water¡¯? That¡¯s a rather unique name.¡± The Duchess of Broglie didn¡¯t pay much attention to the claim of ¡°personally developed by the Crown Prince,¡± speculating it might just be a skincare workshop using the Crown Prince¡¯s name for promotion.

    When Queen Mary heard her, she immediately ordered a servant to bring a box of ¡°Angel Water¡± and generously gifted it to the Duchess:

    ¡°This product is quite good, especially at eliminating acne.¡±

    The Duchess of Broglie was overjoyed but made a show of demurring:

    ¡°How can I take something of Yours?¡±

    ¡°I have plenty more, take it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll take it. Thank you so much, Your Majesty!¡±

    The several ladies chatting nearby instantly looked over, their eyes filled with envy, cursing themselves for not having discovered the Queen¡¯s new ¡°equipment¡± sooner.

    Queen Mary noticed the uneasy atmosphere and smilingly had her close maid Debreninac distribute a box to each person present, and the ladies finally rejoiced.

    Soon, the news of the Queen using the trendy skincare product ¡°Angel Water¡± spread across the Palace of Versailles like ink dropped in water.

    By twilight, almost all the noblewomen were inquiring where they could buy ¡°Angel Water,¡± especially the young girls who were frenzied, naturally because they heard that ¡°Angel Water¡± was personally developed by the Crown Prince.

    If they didn¡¯t buy a bottle immediately, they would later be embarrassed to say the Crown Prince was their dream lover!

    Finally, someone tracked down the original source of ¡°Angel Water¡±¡ªit was a gift from the Crown Prince to Queen Mary.

    Subsequently, after someone paid a benefit fee of 50 livres, they obtained information from the Crown Prince¡¯s personal beautician that 40 bottles of ¡°Angel Water¡± had been consigned to a luxury store in Paris that afternoon.

    By then, it was completely dark, and young noble ladies could not step out; hence countless girls stayed up all night, eagerly waiting for dawn.

    Only the assistant to the Crown Prince¡¯s personal beautician, indignantly staring at the 50 silver coins, thought, why didn¡¯t anyone come to ask me?

    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the afternoon¡¯s errand, carrying a bag of ¡°Angel Water¡± and visiting luxury stores one by one in his carriage.

    Especially at that ¡°Silver Knight¡± perfume store located on the Champs-Elysees closest to the Old Palace, where he painstakingly negotiated with the manager for a long time, yet the manager insisted on a consignment fee of 100 livres a month, citing store policy.

    Even when he mentioned the Crown Prince¡¯s name, the manager remained unmoved.

    Although this was one of Paris¡¯ most famous shops, he dared not casually commit to this cost on behalf of His Highness.

    In the end, he had no choice but to leave in frustration.

    Fortunately, the manager of the slightly smaller ¡°Source of Elegance¡± perfume and cosmetic store across the street was more amenable, so he left all five bottles of ¡°Angel Water¡± originally intended for the ¡°Silver Knight¡± there.

    By the time he completed the consignment task and returned to the Palace of Versailles, it was already twilight, but surprisingly no one offered 50 livres to ask about the consignment of ¡°Angel Water¡±!

    The next morning, who knows how many carriages hurriedly left Versailles heading for Paris.

    In the magnificent high-end jewelry store next to the Louvre, a lady¡¯s maid spotted a small wooden box embossed with ¡°Angel Water¡± in the showcase and immediately exclaimed with joy:

    ¡°Madam, there it is!¡±

    By coincidence, two seventeen or eighteen-year-old noble missies entered the store and, hearing this, rushed to the showcase without regard for etiquette, their voices shrill with urgency:

    ¡°Quick! That¡¯s it, I¡¯m buying it!¡±

    The lady, taken aback, stepped forward without hesitation and grabbed the clerk, asserting resolutely:

    ¡°I want some too, 10 bottles!¡±

    The clerk apologized profusely:

    ¡°Madam, our store only has 5 bottles of this ¡®Angel Water¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take them all!¡± the young noble lady replied quickly.

    ¡°No, I was here first, give it to me! How much?¡±

    The clerk carefully extracted himself from between the two groups and said:

    ¡°Each bottle is 15 livres, for a total of 75 livres.¡±

    The noble lady immediately said:

    ¡°I¡¯ll offer 80 livres, now, give it to me.¡±

    The lady looked down on the two girls with disdain, thinking, scared of bidding against you two young ladies over money? She calmly asserted:

    ¡°90 livres, I¡¯m taking them.¡±

    ¡°100 livres!¡±

    ¡°120 livres!¡±

    In the end, it was the lady, who had deeper pockets, who acquired the 5 bottles of ¡°Angel Water¡± for 150 livres. She walked out of the store with a victor¡¯s smile, looking triumphant past the two young girls.

    Meanwhile, batches of noble young ladies entered the Silver Knight perfume store on the Champs-Elysees one after another, asking if ¡°Angel Water¡± was available for sale, as this was one of Paris¡¯ most famous luxury perfume stores and the likelihood of ¡°Angel Water¡± being sold there was very high.

    However, the manager of Silver Knight could only bear a pained expression as he saw them leave disappointed, cursively berating himself repeatedly for his decision the previous afternoon.

    Before long, a ferocious battle for possession had already commenced within the ¡°Source of Elegance¡± store¡­

 Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Paris Angel Trading Company

    Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Paris Angel Trading Company

    The pace of life in the 18th century was as slow as clouds drifting across the sky.

    Although Joseph was aware of the frenzy among the ladies at the Palace of Versailles for Angel Water, it wasn¡¯t until the following evening that the beauticians¡¯ assistant brought back news from the shop.

    ¡°So, you sold a total of 1,460 livres?¡± Joseph asked the young man in astonishment, ¡°40 bottles?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Those misses and madams were all bidding up the price, it was impossible to buy it at the original cost. I heard that in the ¡®Source of Elegance¡¯ store, their attendants nearly came to blows.¡±

    Joseph let out a long sigh, a misstep, sold too cheap!

    It seemed,

    his heart was still not cold enough¡­

    his understanding of the weight of the ladies¡¯ purses was still insufficient¡­

    his trust in the Queen¡¯s influence on fashion was still lacking¡­

    Having learnt from this painful lesson, if there¡¯s a mistake, it must be corrected, and Joseph immediately decided¡ªraise the prices!

    Of course, you couldn¡¯t just slap a higher price on the original product, that would look too unsightly.

    Joseph realized his initial commercial plan was too hasty, and had not fully developed the commercial value of Angel Water.

    He immediately returned to his study, wrote feverishly for over ten pages, and revised it several times before finally being satisfied.

    The ¡°Commercial Planning Proposal¡± in front of him now had the earlier version of Angel Water discontinued as a ¡°tasting edition,¡± replaced by three different grades of the official version: Luxury, Deluxe, and Regular.

    Segment the market, harvest the wealth of ladies of varying spending abilities!

    The Regular edition would be the same in content and packaging as before, but the quantity reduced to 4 ounces, priced at 14 livres.

    The Deluxe edition, based on the Regular, would include some olive oil, come in a heart-shaped glass bottle nestled in a brass box, all for 4 ounces at a price of 26 livres.

    The Luxury edition would build on the Deluxe by adding a small amount of lanolin, incorporating scents like lavender, jasmine, and immortelle¡ªessentially using different essential oils¡ªwith the bottle fashioned in the flower shape of the selected fragrance and packed in a pure silver box, 4 ounces going for 50 livres.

    Furthermore, there would be development of a line of Angel Water derivative products.

    His first choice was a face mask.

    He had seen the face masks of this era, which were generally thickly applied directly onto the face, and some used mask-like items that covered the face; the disposable fabric masks of later eras that leave the eyes, nose, and mouth exposed had not yet appeared.

    And making these was incredibly simple¡ªcommission shaped pieces of cloth resembling a face, soak them in Angel Water without any added thickener, and that was that.

    Considering the mania for beauty products displayed by the ladies at the Versailles these past days, the market for face masks was surely not going to disappoint.

    Joseph also split the face masks into three grades.

    The Luxury edition used silk, the Deluxe edition wool, and the Regular edition cotton; disposable products to be discarded after one use. Priced respectively at 5 livres, 3 livres, and 2 livres per mask.

    In addition, the product line would include: hand cream, foot cream, toners¡­

    In essence, it was a matter of adjusting the ratio of glycerin to salicin, or mixing in more lanolin. A change of packaging and name, and it was a completely different product¡ªthese were standard practices in the cosmetics industry of later times.

    On top of enriching the product line, Joseph also redrafted the marketing plan.

    Consignment sales clearly wouldn¡¯t do, only specialized direct-sale stores would bring the required professionalism.

    Implement a VIP membership system, which is divided into Gold Card members, Silver Card members, and regular members. The Gold and Silver cards will be made of real gold and silver, full of ceremonial sense, emphasizing luxury and extravagance.

    In the end, expand throughout Europe by allowing franchised store models!

    Joseph looked at the large stack of business plans and realized that he couldn¡¯t achieve this alone. It would require a company and a large number of employees to manage such a large operation.

    He immediately called his entourage and began assigning them tasks.

    The accountant took people to purchase glycerin and other raw materials, as well as to order bottles and packaging; they were also tasked with signing long-term contracts with suppliers to ensure a stable supply.

    The beautician, accompanied by several maids, was responsible for filling the bottles of Angel Water. For the time being, they would release 200 bottles into the market per day, with plans to increase production once the exclusive stores were ready.

    The lawyer went to register a company in Joseph¡¯s name.

    At this point, Joseph, who always struggled with naming, paused for a while. After considering for a while, he felt it was important to highlight the connection with Angel Water, so the company was finally named ¡°Paris Angel Trading Company¡±.

    As for the company¡¯s location, as well as the recruitment and management of employees, he was not worried.

    All of the cosmetics¡¯ bottles and packaging were custom-ordered from stores in Paris. Raw materials like glycerin and essential oils were easily purchased from the market. The ¡°France Angel¡± company was, in fact, only responsible for the final steps of bottling, packaging, and sales.

    These tasks did not require any special skills and workers could easily be recruited. As for management and sales, Paris, being one of the most commercially developed cities in Europe, had an abundance of such talent.

    Moreover, the Crown Prince¡¯s personal entourage was mostly unoccupied, and they could be used temporarily if there was a sudden shortage of staff.

    The core technology of all the products¡ªsalicin¡ªwas firmly in Joseph¡¯s hands. Even Lamark didn¡¯t know that what he was processing for the Crown Prince was actually a raw material for cosmetics.

    So even if all the recruited employees turned against him, they would not be able to replicate even a drop of Angel Water.

    After arranging the work, Joseph found himself with free time. Seeing that it was still early, he had Eman prepare the carriage for a trip to Paris, planning to personally choose the location for the flagship store.

    The carriage jostled for several hours and just after noon, they entered the Paris City area.

    Eman suddenly pointed out of the carriage window, ¡°Your Highness, your perfume workshop, oh, now it¡¯s a pharmaceutical workshop, is over there.¡±

    Joseph indeed saw a sizeable courtyard nearby, located beside a branch of the Seine River, with a large waterwheel slowly turning on the east side of the yard.

    He said to Eman, ¡°Let¡¯s go over and take a look.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    The courtyard was very large, containing more than a dozen buildings and an open space that was more than twice the size of two basketball courts.

    The gatekeeper, recognizing the air and attire of Joseph and his party, did not dare to stop them and even eagerly led them inside the yard.

    Soon, Lamark, wearing an apron, came out to greet Joseph, bowing and saying, ¡°Your Highness, what brings you here?¡±

    Joseph smiled and returned the greeting, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of opening a store in Paris. I took the opportunity to come and see you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern,¡± Lamark said. ¡°Actually, I have a matter I would like to discuss with you as well.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is it? Please tell me,¡± Joseph encouraged.

    Lamark gestured towards the workshop as he spoke, ¡°Previously, there were more than 40 workers here, but purifying salicin does not require that many people. Your Highness, should we lay them off, or should we allocate some to continue making perfume?¡±

    Having many workers was a good thing! Joseph immediately instructed, ¡°We can neither lay them off nor have them make perfume. Purchase some more equipment and continue to increase the production of salicin; that will keep them busy.¡±

    His goal was to turn ¡°Paris Angel¡± into a luxury empire that marketed throughout Europe and launched into the Americas; the demand for core raw materials was undoubtedly a huge number.

 Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Secret Weapon

    Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Secret Weapon

    Lamark glanced uneasily at the physician beside him, Larseny, who stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Highness, I will take care of the matters afterward. Mr. Lamark, he¡¯s actually leaving here in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Leaving?¡±

    Larseny continued, ¡°Actually, Mr. Lamark has received a special grant from the French Medical Association and is preparing to go to South America for botanical research. As you know, there are many unimaginable plants there, and perhaps new medicinal agents can be discovered. Ah, in fact, he has already resigned from his position as a court physician.

    ¡°As for the technique of purifying salicin, he has already taught me in detail, which means he has no more business in the workshop here.¡±

    Lamark coughed slightly and bowed sincerely, ¡°Your Highness, I truly apologize.

    ¡°To be honest, one of the major reasons I got this funding is that the Medical Association read my paper on the effects of salicin. Oh, and you are still the first author of the paper. But the opportunity to go to South America is really rare, and I thought¡­¡±

    It was only then that Joseph remembered receiving a letter from the Medical Association a couple of days ago, complimenting him on his contributions to salicin, but he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it at the time. It turned out it was because of Lamark¡¯s paper.

    If it had been before, he would have congratulated Lamark and personally seen him off to South America, but today, after seeing the professional processing and experimental equipment in the workshop, as well as the numerous skilled technicians, he had other ideas.

    That was to try to manufacture the legendary medication in the pharmaceutical world that he had been thinking about ever since he arrived in this world ¡ª penicillin.

    If penicillin were available, firstly, his own pneumonia could be completely cured, and secondly, this miracle drug would be very important militarily ¡ª in the wars of the 18th century, being wounded almost meant death due to infection, but penicillin could bring the wounded ¡°back to life.¡± One could imagine, in war, one side¡¯s wounded continuously returning to the battlefield, while the other side¡¯s numbers dwindled. How could the latter side keep fighting?

    The idea of making penicillin had been with him for a long time, but the manufacturing process and technology were extremely complex; not only did it require a highly professional laboratory, experimental and cultivation equipment, but also a professional experimental team to operate it, to possibly succeed in creating it.

    Previously, these conditions did not exist, but now there was a possibility, that being this pharmaceutical workshop right in front of him.

    With just a few additional experimental devices and Lamark, an eminent figure in biomedical science, along with the workers here, perhaps penicillin could be introduced more than a hundred years in advance!

    So, he certainly couldn¡¯t let Lamark leave at this moment.

    With this in mind, Joseph shook his head and said, ¡°No, you need not apologize; it¡¯s my lack of consideration. Your stage shouldn¡¯t be limited to this small pharmaceutical factory. Those unknown areas of biomedical science are where you can truly shine.¡±

    Lamark was moved and said, ¡°Thank you for your understanding. Please trust that wherever I am needed here, I will come back at any time.¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, as if making an offhand remark, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity. I originally wanted to ask for your help in trying to make a new medication. Now, it seems we can only wait for your return from South America.¡±

    Upon hearing ¡°new medication,¡± Lamark immediately became interested, ¡°Oh? May I ask what medication Your Highness is referring to?¡±

    Joseph was about to say penicillin directly, but then he thought that just the preliminary preparations for making this substance would take quite some time. It would be better to start with a ¡°small toy¡± to get Lamark warmed up, which would also help to train the experimental team in the process.

    So he temporarily put aside penicillin and said, ¡°I heard about a medication that can delay aging, treat miscarriages, and even make a man¡¯s, cough, performance much more formidable.¡±

    Lamark searched his mental database and found nothing that matched this description. He was about to shake his head in denial when he suddenly remembered the miraculous effects of salicin and quickly dropped his dismissive attitude, ¡°That¡¯s really incredible, are you certain such a thing exists?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no mistake,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°it also has a special name, called tocopherol.¡±

    The so-called tocopherol is vitamin E, a substance that was very common in later times but had not been extracted in the 18th century.

    He chose vitamin E for a couple of reasons, one being that its extraction is relatively simple with a high success rate. Second, it could be mixed into cosmetics as nearly all skincare products related to anti-aging and suppressing age spots in later generations contained vitamin E.

    This would be the second secret weapon of the ¡°Paris Angel¡± company to extract money from the purses of wealthy ladies.

    Mr. Lamark, upon hearing such a professional name, became even more serious, ¡°Your Highness, do you know how to obtain this¡­ ah, tocopherol?¡±

    Joseph affirmed, ¡°I know of a method to extract tocopherol from corn germ, which will require the purchase of some additional equipment, such as centrifuges, sedimentation dishes, and so on, oh, and the construction of a constant temperature greenhouse.¡±

    ¡°A constant temperature greenhouse? Is that a laboratory that maintains a fixed temperature? How could that be achieved?¡±

    In this era, without air conditioning, maintaining a constant temperature was indeed not easy.

    After some thought, Joseph explained, ¡°Lay dense water pipes beneath the flooring and inside the walls of the room, and build a large water tank outside, connecting these pipes. When you need to raise the temperature, heat the water in the tank; to cool down, draw water from the Seine River. This waterwheel could be put to good use.¡±

    Even in the summer, the temperature of the river water can stay below 20 degrees Celsius, which is sufficient for biological cultivation.

    Lamark was obviously interested in this substance that could delay aging, but on the other hand, his long-standing wish to explore the plants of South America made him appear indecisive.

    Seeing his hesitation, Joseph promptly threw out even bigger ¡°bait¡±:

    ¡°Mr. Lamark, after acquiring facilities like the constant temperature greenhouse, there is actually another, more miraculous medicine that I need your help to experimentally produce.

    ¡°This medicine can treat diseases like pneumonia, wound infections, childbed fever, and can even cure deadly diseases like the Black Death, syphilis, and septicemia.¡±

    Lamark was stunned!

    If such a medicine really existed, wouldn¡¯t it fulfill his life¡¯s dream¡ªfor there to be no more death from disease in the world!

    He breathed excitedly, almost out of breath, ¡°Your Highness, are you, are you not joking?¡±

    Seeing that he had ¡°taken the bait,¡± Joseph smiled and said, ¡°After you have produced this medicine, try it and see, won¡¯t you?

    ¡°Right, about going to South America, I will fund your expedition later on, and guarantee it will be a larger sum than the Medical Association would offer, with more freedom too.¡±

    With that said, where would Lamark hesitate any further? He nodded vigorously, ¡°Your Highness, I will give it my all to produce that miraculous drug with you!¡±

    ¡­

    After leaving the workshop and giving Mr. Lamark the method for extracting Vitamin E, Joseph¡¯s carriage arrived at Paris City Hall by a little after 3 p.m.

    Eman exited the City Hall and waved at the slightly overweight man with the large ears behind him, ¡°No need to trouble yourself further, please go back.¡±

    The man could only reluctantly turn and head back into City Hall while Eman approached the carriage across the street, bowing to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I have inquired clearly. There are a total of fourteen properties registered for sale in Paris that meet your requirements.¡±

    Without hesitation, Joseph said, ¡°I want the best.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, that would then be the Nagel Jewelry Store on Champs-Elysees.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Under Amsterdam

    Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Under Amsterdam

    In the middle of the Champs-Elysees, this location is 600 meters from the Tuileries Palace, looking south at the Louvre.

    Before Joseph stood a jewelry store spanning some twenty meters wide, but at the moment its doors were half-closed, with the sign of Nagel Jewelry Store still hanging.

    According to what Eman had learned, the owner of this store had married a Spaniard and thus planned to sell the property to move to Spain.

    Joseph entered the store to look around, finding it quite new with two floors, each roughly over five hundred square meters, solid oak flooring, and all the corners of the room and banisters of the stairs wrapped in brass¡ªits decor was very particular, exuding a kind of restrained and exquisite beauty.

    He didn¡¯t dawdle, quickly reaching an agreement with the store owner¡¯s agent and bought the shop for 36,000 livres.

    For the busiest commercial district in Paris, this price was rather fair.

    Eman went to complete the transaction, while Joseph looked around and said to the accompanying architect, ¡°Mr. Archid, I need your help with some modifications to this store.¡±

    Yes, among the Crown Prince¡¯s personal entourage, an architect was always on hand, though there was hardly any work for him most of the time; today, at last, there was a use for his skills.

    ¡°Please give your instructions, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph pointed to the wall facing the street: ¡°Replace all these walls with glass, as large as possible, allowing passersby to see inside the store at a glance.¡±

    ¡°Replace all these wooden counters with custom-made glass display cases about a meter high, and the merchandise will be placed directly on top so customers can touch them at any time.

    ¡°The lighting must also be changed. Use the same type of crystal chandeliers as in my reception room. Absolute illumination is necessary, every corner of the store must be brightly lit.

    ¡°All exterior walls painted in a fresh and soft tone¡­¡±

    Archid kept recording in his notebook until Joseph turned to him and asked, ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it, how long will these modifications take and how much will it cost?¡±

    The architect hurriedly flipped through his notes, hesitantly said, ¡°About half a month, and probably 3,000 livres.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°I will give you 5,000 livres to finish within a week, can you do it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will do my utmost.¡± Archid thought for a moment and added, ¡°With all due respect, Your Highness, even if Angel Water was displayed in New Bridge¡¯s grocery store, it would still sell out immediately, and this shop is already quite good. Why bother spending so much to renovate it?¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Because, besides Angel Water, the shop itself is also merchandise.¡±

    Archid looked surprised: ¡°You intend to sell the shop too?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m speaking of a different kind of merchandise; consider this store as a sample.¡±

    ¡­

    Netherlands.

    Within a military encampment 4 kilometers south of Amsterdam.

    An elderly man in a green military uniform, with half-white hair and a slight tilt to his left chin, frowned at a map. After a long moment, he finally spoke: ¡°I believe that we should abandon Amstelfen and retreat south of Amsterdam, using the river as a barrier¡­¡±

    The man in a deep white military uniform beside him immediately interrupted loudly, his tone tinged with sarcasm: ¡°Colonel Wolster, my men and I have traveled great distances to the Netherlands, not to witness your army¡¯s ¡®evading the enemy¡¯ tactics.¡±

    Wolster had the final say in the Dutch Army, but facing the man with only the rank of captain, he dared not rage, only stressing his words more: ¡°Mr. Dibowa, the Prussian Army¡¯s vanguard is only 15 kilometers from Amstelfen, and the town itself has no fortifications to defend. Do we intend to sit here and wait for death?¡±

    Amstelfen is a town immediately bordering the southern part of Amsterdam. If lost, Amsterdam would be completely exposed to the Prussian Army.

    The French captain continued sarcastically, ¡°A fortress? Your grand army couldn¡¯t even hold onto Utrecht, such a stronghold, let alone Amstelfen with ten fortresses¡ªI¡¯m afraid it wouldn¡¯t be of much help to you.¡±

    Wolster¡¯s face turned red, ¡°What¡¯s the use of talking about this? What¡¯s most important now is to decide how to face the enemy!¡±

    ¡°Attack,¡± Dibowa said loudly, ¡°French soldiers have always crushed their enemies with an offense!¡±

    A Dutch officer hurriedly interjected, ¡°Monsieur Dibowa, even with the recently conscripted soldiers, we barely have over 9,000 men, but the opposing Prussian Army has over 20,000. Under such circumstances, an attack would be no different from suicide.¡±

    Dibowa laughed, ¡°20,000 is the total strength of the entire Prussian forces, the vanguard that can reach us certainly won¡¯t have that many.

    ¡°What¡¯s more, thanks to your earlier retreat being too fast, you¡¯ve forced the Prussian Army to pursue at a high pace for over ten days, and given the dense network of Dutch waterways, most of their cannons will likely be unable to keep up with the vanguard troops.

    ¡°While we have over ten cannons at our disposal!¡±

    Wolster looked at him with wide eyes, ¡°Are you really planning to attack the Prussian Army?!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Dibowa looked back at him, ¡°The Prussian Army certainly won¡¯t expect the continuously retreating Dutch Army to dare a sudden counterattack, hence their guard will be down. This is our opportunity.¡±

    Wolster, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze, looked down and said, ¡°No matter how brave your soldiers may be, even if they are armed with cannons, such a rash advance upon the enemy¡­¡±

    Dibowa shook his head, ¡°No, not my soldiers, but yours.¡±

    ¡°Mine, my people? How could that work¡­¡±

    Dibowa cut him off again, ¡°Yes, your people, and you will use the new recruits to attack the Prussian vanguard. Then let them act as if they are routed¡­ oh, they will surely be routed.

    ¡°While my men, along with your main forces, will wait for the Prussian Army to catch up in the narrow area between the Sibella River and the Abcoude Lake, with all my cannons set up right here.¡±

    The Dutch officers, upon hearing this, saw a glimmer of hope, envisioning the Prussian Army falling into a surprise ambush and fleeing in panic.

    Ever since Prussia intervened in the Netherlands, they had not won a single battle, and at this moment, their desire for victory was immense.

    Wolster frowned and shook his head, ¡°Even if we could defeat the vanguard of the Prussians, it would be useless. Their main forces would arrive soon after, and we would still be unable to hold out.

    ¡°The mission the Congress has given me is to hold out for five days.¡±

    Dibowa corrected him, ¡°Before holding out for five days, you need a victory that repels the Prussian offensive, or else you could just keep retreating to Holland, and you could ¡®hold out¡¯ for more than a week.¡±

    He looked at the young officer standing stiffly to the side, with curly hair and a nose as straight as a sword, ¡°Andr¨¦ (note 1), how long do you think it will take the Prussian main forces to reach Amsterdam?¡±

    The young officer stood tall and said, ¡°Commander, if left to march unimpeded, they will cross Amstelfen before nightfall tomorrow. But if we can harass their supply lines, that time frame will be significantly extended.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Dibowa gave him an approving look, ¡°Then this task is yours to complete.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Wolster exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Lieutenant Davout only has a little over sixty cavalrymen, how could he possibly attack the Prussian supply lines?¡±

    ¡°No, not just sixty,¡± Dibowa shook his head and smiled, ¡°but your 650 cavalrymen as well.¡±

    [Note 1: Andr¨¦ Davout is a fictional character requested by the readers, set as the brother of the historical military leader Louis Nicolas Davout.]

 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Blood and Courage

    Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Blood and Courage

    ¡°650 men?¡± Wolster immediately protested, ¡°That¡¯s all my cavalry, You have no right to command them¡­¡±

    Captain Dibowa didn¡¯t let him finish and smiled, ¡°Give me your cavalry, or face the Prussians alone.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± the commander of the Dutch Army sighed resignedly and waved his hand, ¡°The cavalry are under your command now, we can¡¯t have infighting at this time.¡±

    ¡°A very wise decision!¡±

    Dibowa turned to the curly-haired French lieutenant and said, ¡°Andre, proceed as planned. How soon can you set off?¡±

    Andre saluted, his hat in hand: ¡°Yes, sir! My men are all prepared and can set off at any moment. However, the Dutch cavalry might need a bit more time.¡±

    Dibowa nodded, ¡°They are under your command now, go teach them how to improve their efficiency.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    As the cavalry lieutenant left, Dibowa looked at the Dutch officers in the tent: ¡°So, does everyone now agree on taking the offensive against the Prussian vanguard?¡±

    The others nodded in silence.

    ¡°Very well, thank you, gentlemen.¡± Dibowa moved to the map and pointed at the location of the Sibella River, ¡°Mr. Wolster, please deploy The Hague Imperial Guard here.¡±

    The Dutch officer, somewhat disgruntled, said, ¡°There¡¯s practically no Imperial Guard left now; they are all troops of the provincial congress.¡±

    Dibowa nodded indifferently, ¡°Alright then, whatever they are called, in any case, they will be combined with my artillery and await the Prussian vanguard here.

    ¡°And the ¡®Free Corps¡¯ will form a battle line 200 meters to the south, to face the first charge of the Prussian Army.¡±

    The so-called ¡°Free Corps¡± was a militia group formed by the Dutch Patriot Party, and The Hague Imperial Guard were originally elite troops of William V; the disparity in their combat effectiveness was obvious. Of course, these Imperial Guard members had also participated in the exile of William V, so there was no doubt about their loyalty to the Provincial Congress.

    A Dutch officer immediately objected, ¡°This is making the Free Corps cannon fodder! Why shouldn¡¯t the French people face the front?¡±

    Wolster raised his hand to stop him, ¡°Captain Dibowa is right, without the veterans at the rear, the Free Corps would quickly rout in front of the Prussian Army¡­¡±

    Yet Dibowa calmly said, ¡°The Free Corps doesn¡¯t need to engage the Prussians to the death. They only need to open up the flanks after the engagement. What I¡¯m concerned about is their level of training, whether they can execute the tactical plan without descending into chaos.¡±

    Wolster suddenly stood up taller, his voice firm, ¡°I will personally command the Free Corps.¡±

    Dibowa nodded, and continued, ¡°Then after that, we¡¯ll do this¡­¡±

    As he sketched with his pencil, the area of less than 2.5 kilometers wide between the Sibella River and Abcoude Lake on the map was now marked with Dutch and French troops.

    ¡­

    On the south side of Amstelfen.

    ¡°Report!¡± A cavalry scout came up to Andre and, circling his horse¡¯s reins, saluted with his hat, ¡°Three kilometers east, tracks of the Prussian Army were found, numbering over four thousand. Mainly infantry, but also some cavalry.¡±

    Andre nodded; this must be the Prussian vanguard. He immediately turned and ordered, ¡°The entire army will move one kilometer west, quietly and at a slow pace, be mindful of the Prussian scouts.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Andre glanced at his pocket watch, then took out a map to check it; according to previous intelligence, the main body of the Prussian Army was 15 kilometers from here, right downstream of the Sibella River. If they continued at the current pace, they would be able to skirt around them by tomorrow noon.

    As he had anticipated, at 2 p.m. the next day, the Cavalry Scouts spotted a large Prussian convoy, protected by more than three thousand Prussian soldiers.

    Andrei ordered the entire army to line up on the west side of the Sibella River, and it was then that he noticed his palms were covered in sweat.

    Having graduated from military school less than two years ago, this was his first time actually commanding in battle. It was impossible not to be nervous. Originally, he was the assistant to the cavalry squadron leader, but the squadron leader had to return to France for dysentery treatment on the way to the Netherlands. Thus, Andrei was suddenly entrusted with command, becoming the cavalry squadron commander of the French volunteer soldiers.

    He gazed at the distant plains and rivers, suddenly filled with worry.

    It wasn¡¯t the face-off against the Prussians he feared. Even if it was merely a harassment mission, or even a decisive battle, he was confident that with his glorious blood and fearless courage, he would crush the enemy!

    Five days.

    Even if it meant dying in battle, he believed firmly his sword would lay between his body and the Prussian forces.

    What worried him was what would happen after those five days.

    After holding off the Prussian forces for five days with the French volunteers and Dutch forces, would the Prussians really retreat?

    His uncle had learned through internal contacts that this operation plan was devised by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, a military plan by a thirteen-year-old boy¡­

    Andrei tried not to think too much about it. He wasn¡¯t afraid of death; dying on the battlefield was a soldier¡¯s destiny. What he feared was a meaningless death. Especially since he came to the Netherlands ¡°privately,¡± if they failed to preserve the Patriot Party in the end, the military wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge his death as one for the country.

    He hoped that the ¡°Child of God¡¯s Favor¡± really was as miraculous as people claimed.

    He did not know how much time had passed when the voice of a Cavalry Scout interrupted his thoughts, ¡°Report, the Prussian convoy is coming.¡±

    Light flashed in Andre¡¯s eyes, and he waved his hand forward and shouted, ¡°Charge!¡±

    The French cavalry squadron led at the front, with the former Dutch Imperial Guard cavalry after, they pounced towards the Prussian supply troops.

    When they were still a great distance away, sharp bugle calls echoed amongst the Prussian soldiers, and a large number of infantry quickly assembled. They backed against the convoy and formed dense line formations, with muskets and bayonets pointed forward, ready for the enemy.

    Dust billowed, hoofbeats thundered, and Andrei, from afar, could only see the dense masses of Prussian soldiers. He then raised his Charleville 1728 model short musket and took a shot towards the Prussian side.

    The cavalrymen behind him also fired their weapons, with loud bangs and crackles erupting, and the battlefield was instantly enveloped in a cloud of gunsmoke.

    However, at this point, they were still over 400 meters away from the Prussian forces, and the bullets could not inflict any damage.

    Yet, the dense gunfire still made the Prussian commander very anxious. The cavalry before him seemed to be close to a thousand men, perhaps the main force of the Dutch Army.

    After firing his shot, Andrei immediately led the cavalry south in a swift turn, galloping past the front of the Prussian formation at a distance of more than 300 meters.

    The Prussian forces waited for more than twenty minutes, not seeing the enemy charge, and were just about to grumble and prepare to move on, when suddenly a large contingent of cavalry attacked from the side and rear, accompanied by intense gunfire.

    The Prussian commander¡¯s face turned dark as he ordered his forces to re-form to meet the attack. But the opposing cavalry merely circled in front of them before swiftly riding away.

    The Prussian cavalry protecting the convoy was too few in numbers to pursue.

    So, Andrei commanded the cavalry to come and go, to and fro, forcing the Prussians to stay in place and maintain their defensive formations until the main force of Prussian cavalry arrived to reinforce as dusk neared. Then, at last, Andrei ceased the maneuvers.

    Andrei allowed his troops to rest in a dense forest for a few hours before immediately ordering a march northwards through the night, heading straight for the primary Prussian forces¡¯ assembly point.

 Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: The Franco-Prussian War

    Chapter 37: Chapter 37: The Franco-Prussian War

    5 kilometers south of Amstelfen.

    Outside the brightly lit camp of the Prussian Army, Andre was directing the soldiers to move two cannon barrels down from the horses¡¯ backs.

    As it was a light cavalry raid, they could not carry the heavy cannons. Instead, Andre had brought cannons that weighed less than 200 jin¡ªlight enough to be carried on a single horse.

    He didn¡¯t even bring mounts for the cannons, simply digging a hole in the ground and propping the cannon barrels at an angle inside, never expecting to hit the Prussian Army.

    Load the gunpowder, load the shot, ignite.

    With two booms, the Prussian camp was immediately thrown into chaos.

    By the time the Prussians finally discerned the direction of the enemy attack, they promptly gathered more than ten cannons to return fire.

    Meanwhile, Andre had already strapped the pound cannons back onto the horses¡¯ backs, taking advantage of the night to head towards Utrecht in the south.

    The commander-in-chief of the Prussian Army, Duke of Brunswick, did not sleep soundly that night. He was quite surprised that the Dutch, who had been beaten without the power to retaliate, would take the initiative to provoke a fight.

    When day broke the next day, he sent cavalry to thoroughly search the area, making sure there were no enemy ambushes, before ordering the army to continue advancing towards Amsterdam.

    However, just then, the vanguard of the Prussian Army was under a surprise attack by the Dutch.

    Although the Prussian Army had not expected the enemy to attack proactively, their military discipline, honed by Frederick II, was extremely high, and they almost immediately counterattacked.

    The Dutch, as always, could not withstand a single blow. After losing roughly twenty men, they began to scatter in all directions.

    The Prussian vanguard commander, Blucher, reacted extremely swiftly, immediately leading the army in pursuit and soon reaching the eastern shore of Abcoude Lake.

    Before him lay the Dutch Army¡¯s line formation stretched for miles¡ªthis was the most common line infantry tactic of the 18th century, with soldiers spaced one to three steps apart. Thousands of men formed a neat single line, usually in three or four ranks, standing erect and alternately firing their muskets at the enemy.

    Blucher sneered secretly, ¡°Is this the Dutch purpose? To lure me into rash action with a routed army and then ambush me here?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, you underestimate the quality of Prussian soldiers!¡± He immediately gave the order for the entire army to halt their pursuit, form into line formation on the spot, and have an additional company from Campbell Camp charge in column formation.

    The Prussians moved very quickly; in just twenty minutes, over four thousand soldiers had completed the formation.

    Two thousand three hundred men formed a one-kilometer-long line to directly face the Dutch line formation. Behind them, eight hundred soldiers formed into several columns, ready to charge the enemy lines at any moment.

    Additionally, nearly two hundred cavalry stood by on both flanks, ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice.

    The display of organizational discipline and operational capability alone was enough to send a chill down the spines of the Dutch across from them.

    With the sound of a bugle call, the Prussian drummers began a rapid beat, and almost simultaneously, the platoon leaders waved their hands forward, ordering an attack.

    At the same time, several four-pounder cannons embedded in the Prussian lines started to roar.

    As Prussian soldiers advanced steadily to the drumbeat, the infantry lines of both sides drew closer. Amidst the barrage of cannon fire, some of the Dutch already showed signs of retreating, but they were promptly driven back into line by their officers¡¯ sabers.

    Not until the two armies were about 100 meters apart did the Dutch lines begin to spout flashes of fire, while the Prussians, as if the other side was merely setting off fireworks, continued to march forward in precise order.

    Prussian ranks saw men falling, but without so much as a furrowed brow, they kept advancing until they were only 60 meters apart when the drumming of the Prussians suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Raise guns, aim¡ªfire!¡±

    With the continuous commands of the officers, Prussian soldiers skillfully unleashed a volley, creating more than a dozen gaps in the Dutch line formation as shouts of panic erupted everywhere.

    As the two sides began to exchange fire, the huge disparity in military training between them became apparent.

    The Prussian Army could fire five times while the Dutch Army could manage only three, and the Prussians¡¯ actions were impeccably synchronized, with almost the entire line firing simultaneously, whereas the Dutch side was sporadic, and many soldiers fired hastily without taking proper aim under the stress.

    After more than ten rounds of Prussian firing, gun smoke shrouded the entire battlefield, and the Dutch began to retreat en masse.

    Seeing this, Blucher did not hesitate to order, ¡°Advance in column!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    With the sound of uniquely rhythmed drumbeats, more than forty columns of the Prussian Army charged fearlessly into the fray amidst the flashes of gunfire, while their own line also moved forward ten paces.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115921¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115921/44433988a4ea7ba1a50034a3cd561102f2Nvqh94p9lqsp4.jpg¡±>

    More than a dozen charging Prussian soldiers immediately fell, but they were in column formation, with the leading soldiers taking the brunt of the bullets and their comrades behind them still advancing at a jog.

    The Dutch infantry line was quickly broken, and the soldiers fled in disarray, but they were soon restrained by their officers, neatly splitting east and west to avoid the Prussian onslaught.

    Blucher observed through his telescope and pointed westward, ¡°Cavalry, pursue them.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    His observation was astute; Wolster was commanding on the east side, and the west side was evidently in greater chaos.

    Blucher himself commanded the main force, continuing the advance, and at this pace, he could take Amstelfen that same day.

    However, just as all the Dutch soldiers had left the frontal battlefield, sudden and sharp cannon fire erupted from the vanguard of the Prussian side.

    Several massive iron balls howled as they tore through the Prussian line formation, creating a blood mist in midair. One of the iron balls landed and rolled on for more than forty meters, crushing the lower leg of a commander before it finally came to a stop.

    Blucher¡¯s eye twitched at the sound; there were at least a dozen cannons, and by the sound of it, they were of no small caliber!

    He had been marching hard for days, bringing only five 4-pound cannons, and was almost instantly suppressed by the artillery fire from the opposite side.

    The momentum of the Prussian army¡¯s charge suddenly stalled, and Blucher hesitated for a moment before looking towards Amstelfen nearby, gritting his teeth and ordering a battalion and a half from the reserve troops to press on¡­

    Two hours after the Duke of Brunswick had led the Prussian Army¡¯s main force, he heard dense cannon fire from the north and frowned slightly¡ªthe Prussian army¡¯s cannons were with him, and Blucher had only five, so it couldn¡¯t make such a commotion.

    Did that mean the cannon fire was from the Dutch?

    But their artillery had been completely wiped out by his forces half a month ago, and even if they got their hands on some cannons, they would not have the gunners to operate them.

    After all, artillerymen were the hardest soldiers to train; without years of hard practice and solid mathematical fundamentals, they might fire dozens of shots without a single hit.

    As the Duke of Brunswick pondered, a messenger rode up hurriedly, reporting that a large number of Dutch cavalry had been spotted near Utrecht.

    The Duke of Brunswick¡¯s heart tightened¡ªUtrecht was his supply base, with food and munitions transported from there to the frontlines daily, critically important and not to be lost.

    What exactly were the Dutch up to?

    As an experienced commander, he quickly scoffed and shook his head. With an absolute advantage in troop strength, why should he dance to the enemy¡¯s tune?

 Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Decision of William II

    Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Decision of William II

    The Duke of Brunswick immediately ordered the main force of the Prussian Army to defend their position, instructing Blucher to ascertain the enemy¡¯s situation without making rash attacks. He then sent out three infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment to construct a defensive line stretching 20 kilometers from Amstelfen to Utrecht to protect the logistics.

    Before noon, he received bad news ¡ª Blucher¡¯s troops were fiercely battling the Dutch by the Sibella River and suffered heavy shelling and encirclement by the enemy forces, with over 800 casualties.

    The Duke of Brunswick took a deep breath, not expecting the Dutch to still have the strength to struggle, and he quickly sent reinforcements to Blucher.

    By the time the Prussian Army¡¯s logistical defense line was established and the vanguard troops had regrouped, two days had passed.

    The Duke of Brunswick did not mind the wasted time; he had already plugged the gaps caused by advancing too quickly earlier. Now it was time to crush the Dutch with an absolute advantage in forces.

    Four days after repelling the Prussian vanguard, Dibowa welcomed the most ferocious attack yet from the Duke of Brunswick at noon.

    On the plains south of Amstelfen, there was no room for strategy, only a brutal clash of iron and blood!

    Dibowa commanded 12 cannons that continuously bombarded the most dense formations of Prussian soldiers. Andre also led the cavalry, constantly harassing the Prussian flanks and firmly capturing the attention of the Prussian Cavalry.

    The Dutch held the higher ground and, inspired by their significant victory a few days prior, their morale was extremely high. They displayed remarkable fighting capabilities, and the Prussian Army, despite their furious attacks until nightfall, failed to break the Dutch defenses.

    At first light the next day, the Duke of Brunswick continued the assault. The dense musket fire exchange and rampant shelling quickly littered the battlefield with thousands of bodies.

    The battle was incredibly intense; by 2 p.m., the French Artillery had already run out of shells.

    On seeing Captain Dibowa and his artillerymen withdraw from their positions and ready their muskets to join the infantry in combat, Andre knew the situation was dire.

    He looked toward the Prussian Army¡¯s cannons, which were still spewing fire, made the sign of the cross on his chest, raised his cavalry saber high, and shouted to his blood-soaked soldiers behind him, ¡°Follow me! Let¡¯s break through the Prussian artillery lines!¡±

    The French Cavalry immediately struck their breastplates with their sword hilts and bellowed in response, ¡°Yes!¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick frowned as he watched the smoky battlefield. He hadn¡¯t expected the Dutch resistance to be so stubborn, especially their artillery. Although they had only half the number of cannons as his own, their remarkable marksmanship held its own against them.

    Based on the current situation, taking Amsterdam would likely incur hefty costs, completely deviating from his original plan.

    While he pondered whether to commit his reserves in one final, fierce attack, the King¡¯s orderly officer arrived with a message.

    The Duke of Brunswick looked at the retreat order signed by King William II himself, brought by the envoy, and frowned, saying, ¡°What in the world is this about?¡±

    The envoy awkwardly explained, ¡°It has been confirmed that Princess Wilhelmina is not in the hands of the Dutch.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s impossible!¡± exclaimed the Duke of Brunswick in shock. His very purpose for this battle was to rescue Wilhelmina, and now they were telling him she wasn¡¯t here?!

    The envoy said helplessly, ¡°She was found in the Southern Netherlands, allegedly kidnapped by an Italian-speaking gang. The police in Antwerp rescued her and even killed two of the kidnappers.¡±

    He was referring to the Southern Netherlands, which is modern-day Belgium and at the time, Austrian territory.

    ¡°Kidnappers? Impossible!¡±

    The envoy continued, ¡°Your Grace, Princess Wilhelmina has returned to Prussia¡­¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick glanced at the withdrawal order again, reluctant, ¡°Even so, we could use this opportunity to wipe out the rebels and allow the Prince of Orange to return to the Netherlands!¡±

    The envoy gave an embarrassed smile again, ¡°In fact, the Dutch Parliament officially announced yesterday that they accepted the Prince of Orange¡¯s return to Amsterdam to assume the role of Stadtholder.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick stared blankly for a long time, finally resigned, he waved to the orderly officer at his side, ¡°Order the entire army to retreat.¡±

    The return of William V to the Netherlands was indeed arranged by Joseph, and initially, the Patriot Party adamantly refused, but the French envoy Colbert relayed the Crown Prince¡¯s words to them, ¡°The so-called Stadtholder can very well be a ceremonial position. Rather than letting William V stir up trouble from the outside, why not bring him back to Amsterdam to keep an eye on him. William V¡¯s influence is in The Hague, and you control the army, you can even take him as a hostage.¡±

    Afterward, the Patriot Party happily accepted this suggestion.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115889¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115889/512df61219d96adf31b892a0b47490284Tn1wnQ78HC9nfi.jpg¡±>

    Three days ago, a French spy set an ambush in Nijmegen and hijacked Princess Wilhelmina on her way to church. The Prussian princess believed that her hiding place was unknown to others, and therefore only brought seven or eight bodyguards with her. She was kidnapped with barely a struggle by ¡°kidnappers who spoke Italian.¡±

    Though Prussia had occupied the southern part of the Netherlands, it was limited to large cities; small towns and villages were still in the hands of the Patriot Party, enabling the French spy to leave the Netherlands unimpeded and take Wilhelmina to the Southern Netherlands. Along the way, they even sent a letter to William II demanding a ransom.

    Latterly, the contact in Antwerp arranged for two corpses to act as the kidnappers who had been killed and alerted the local police about ¡°suspicious foreigners,¡± also arranging for journalists to follow and report on the incident.

    Wilhelmina, rescued publicly by the police, could no longer pretend to be held hostage by the Patriot Party, and thus the main excuse for King William II of Prussia to send troops to the Netherlands disappeared.

    The Patriot Party then conceded further, and coupled with France holding an impressive military exercise in the south of Luxembourg, and the Duke of Brunswick unable to take Amsterdam, things started to shift.

    In the end, William II looked at his pitiful purse and decided to withdraw the troops.

    Andre, watching the thousands of enemy soldiers stationed around the Prussian Artillery¡¯s position, and the Prussian Cavalry that were continuously keeping a close eye on him, knew he would likely never reach the Prussian cannons without being struck down on the battlefield.

    But this was the only way to save the dire situation, and even with just a one percent chance, he had to try. He gently kicked his horse¡¯s flanks, gradually speeding up, and as he was about to approach the right flank of the Prussian Infantry, suddenly a horn sounded from within the Prussian camp, and the Prussian Infantry¡¯s lines began to retreat¡­

    He pulled on the reins, standing there until the Prussians had all but vanished from sight, and only when the surrounding Dutch began cheering did he finally believe that the enemy had truly retreated.

    He made the sign of the cross in front of his chest, looked up to the sky, his chest swelling with emotion, ¡°He is the son blessed by God; he really did it!¡±

    ¡­

    As dawn broke, Joseph left for Paris by carriage.

    Today was the grand opening of the Paris Angel¡¯s exclusive store on the Champs-Elysees, and he had to be there by noon for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

    Although it was just a store opening, the store itself was also a commodity, and he naturally needed to ensure the ceremony was befitting, to add to its perceived value.

    The opening had been widely publicized through newspaper advertisements, and by the time he reached the Champs-Elysees, the area was already crowded with people, especially the middle section where the new Paris Angel store was located, which had become completely impassable.

 Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Crown Princes Blessing (Please Follow)

    Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Crown Prince¡¯s Blessing (Please Follow)

    Angel Water had previously only been a sensation within the Palace of Versailles, but after a period of trial use by the noble ladies, its wondrous effects had already spread throughout Paris.

    Now, not a single woman among the entire noble class of Paris was unaware of this miraculous cosmetic.

    Claims such as ¡°two days to smooth out pimples,¡± ¡°five days for skin to become soft and supple,¡± and ¡°a week to fade spots¡± were all backed by numerous individuals who could attest to its efficacy.

    Especially prominent was the advertisement that appeared on the front pages of major newspapers ten days ago¡ªa single, bold line dominated the page: ¡°Angel Water, you deserve to have it.¡±

    Simple, direct.

    Like an arrow shooting straight to the heart of every woman. Yes, the noble and luxurious Angel Water might be expensive, but I deserve to own a bottle!

    If one flipped casually through the other pages of the newspaper, one could see announcements about the grand opening of the Paris Angel Exclusive Store, clearly stating that Angel Water would only be available at this type of store, where a multitude of new products would also be launched.

    The grand opening was scheduled for 12:00 noon, and long before dawn, people had already gathered outside the exclusive store, peering curiously through the completely transparent glass facade at the merchandise displayed inside.

    Joseph frowned as he looked at the street that was so congested with the crowd waiting for the store to open; though he was the owner, he was unable to get close to the door¡­

    It wasn¡¯t until Kesode ordered the Royal Guard to step in to maintain order that a narrow passage finally emerged on Champs-Elysees.

    At exactly 12:00 noon, more than ten sales associates, each over 1.8 meters tall, with blond hair and blue eyes, handsome features, and wearing neatly pressed thick red velvet uniforms, emerged from the Paris Angel Exclusive Store.

    They lined up neatly in two rows at the flower-decked entrance, accompanied by a band playing joyful celebratory music, as two slender girls pulled out a red silk ribbon, tied with a bouquet in the middle, strung across the front of the store.

    The manager of the exclusive store came to the forefront, bowed, and then announced in a loud voice:

    ¡°May I invite the ¡®Child of Divine Favor¡¯ from Versailles, the esteemed French Crown Prince, to inaugurate our store!¡±

    A thunderous cheer burst from Champs-Elysees. Moments earlier, when people saw the Royal Guard maintaining order, they speculated that an important figure might be arriving, and to their surprise, it was the Crown Prince himself.

    Dressed in ceremonial garb, Joseph walked out from the store, waving to the crowd to signal them, and declared loudly:

    ¡°Today marks the official opening of the first exclusive store belonging to the Paris Angel Company.

    ¡°The mission of Paris Angel is to ensure that every French woman can preserve her youth and beauty forever!

    ¡°I wish you all a delightful shopping experience!¡±

    The crowd stirred and cheered again, with some admiring fans even starting to chant, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    Joseph took the scissors from the manager and cut the red ribbon in front of him, then quickly ¡°escaped¡± the scene through the back door with Kesode¡¯s protection.

    There was no helping it, he feared that if he moved any slower, he would be engulfed and devoured by those starry-eyed noble maidens.

    From all directions, flower petals were scattered into the air, and the manager, with a smile, gestured for the people to enter the store and make their purchases.

    As people talked about the novel inaugural ceremony, they swarmed into the store. In almost an instant, both floors of the exclusive store, spanning over a thousand square meters, were packed with customers, yet outside, there were still a thousand more people anxiously waiting for a chance to get inside.

    A young woman with a tall and elegant figure, dressed in a dark blue long dress with a wide-brimmed hat, its veil falling and concealing her face, looked at the sea of people outside the Paris Angel Store and furrowed her brows slightly as she complained softly:

    ¡°How could there be so many people? If only I had known, I would have asked Mr. Balvetto to buy it for me¡­¡±

    She touched the barely noticeable blemish marks on her cheek, as though making up her mind.

    A few days ago, one of her girlfriends had gifted her a small half bottle of what was said to be the most popular skincare product at the moment, ¡°Angel Water.¡± After only a few uses, the stubborn pimples that had troubled her greatly had significantly receded.

    But that bit of ¡°Angel Water¡± was about to run out, and for the sake of her lovely face, there was no question that she had to buy another bottle to take home!

    She surveyed the Paris Angel Exclusive Store for a moment and then, moving her long legs, swiftly walked towards the back of the store.

    Joseph emerged from the back door of the exclusive store, where a carriage had already been waiting for him. Just as he was about to get in, he suddenly caught sight of a disheveled little boy, about eight or nine years old and covered in dirt, begging pitifully at the entrance of the alley:

    ¡°Noble sir, madame, please grant me a few coins.¡±

    Gazing at the even younger girl slumped in the corner, the boy¡¯s voice grew urgent:

    ¡°Please, I beg you¡ªjust 5 deniers, so I can buy my little sister a ¡®Crown Prince¡¯s Blessing¡¯! I beg you, she has had a fever all day long¡­¡±

    However, this alley was seldom traversed by pedestrians, and even the few who hurried past didn¡¯t spare him a glance.

    Joseph approached and dropped two silver coins into the battered can the boy was holding. The child immediately knelt down, choking up as he said:

    ¡°Thank you, kind sir, thank you! May the Lord bless you!¡±

    Kesode was first to help him to his feet.

    Joseph said,

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, hurry and get your sister some medicine. By the way, what is this ¡®Crown Prince¡¯s Blessing¡¯ you just mentioned?¡±

    The boy eagerly replied,

    ¡°Noble sir, it¡¯s those small pills, something salicin, they can save lives and are very cheap. I¡¯ve heard that the Crown Prince himself invented the medicine, so everyone calls it ¡®Crown Prince¡¯s Blessing¡¯.¡±

    Joseph gestured to Eman, who immediately brought over a few grains of salicin¡ªJoseph had also been using salicin to control his pneumonia.

    ¡°Is it this medicine?¡± Joseph handed the pale yellow pills to the boy.

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s the one!¡± The boy was overjoyed, bowed deeply, and fed a pill to his sister¡¯s mouth, then gave her some water to drink, nodding vigorously at her, ¡°Swallow it, swallow and you¡¯ll feel better soon.¡±

    As the boy made as if to kneel again, Joseph quickly held him up and asked:

    ¡°Where are your family?¡±

    The little boy forced a broken smile:

    ¡°They all got sick and died last year, only my sister and I were spared.¡±

    As he spoke, a series of ¡°gurgling¡± sounds came from his stomach.

    Joseph felt a pang of sorrow and gave him some more money, but then he suddenly caught sight of the crowd on the other side of the alley hoarding Angel Water.

    It¡¯s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.

    He looked at the little boy, ¡°Do you want to stop going hungry?¡±

    The boy nodded earnestly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a way,¡± Joseph pointed toward the crowd, ¡°there¡¯s a store called Paris Angel over there. Take this money and buy some chairs, then rent them out in front of that store, 2 deniers an hour. Remember to take a security deposit.

    ¡°Once you¡¯re familiar with the situation at the store, buy some clean and tidy clothes to wear, and help the ladies who don¡¯t want to queue or who need someone to make purchases for them. You can probably charge 1 livre per service.¡±

    The boy¡¯s eyes widened, and he bowed deeply:

    ¡°I really can¡¯t thank you enough! You must be the savior sent by the Lord for me and my sister!¡±

    Behind a protruding pillar in the alley, a woman with long legs veiled in gossamer watched Joseph from a distance and murmured to herself:

    ¡°That man appears to be the Crown Prince? I didn¡¯t expect him to have a somewhat kind heart. It seems that not everyone in the Royal Family is a viper or a parasite, after all.¡±

 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Hunger Marketing and Thin Profit Volume Sales

    Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Hunger Marketing and Thin Profit Volume Sales

    The tall girl waited until Joseph¡¯s carriage had disappeared into the distance before she darted toward the back door of the Paris Angel Company. After checking that no one was around, she bent down to peer through the keyhole and saw an old doorkeeper sitting at the entrance, listlessly staring at the front door.

    She studied the layout of the room for a moment, bit her red lips, and moved to the side door window. She pulled a thin wire from her hair and slipped it through a crack in the window, deftly manipulating it until the bolt quietly slid open.

    Carefully pushing the window ajar, she leaped in with a soft grace, unbeknownst to the doorman who was merely three meters away.

    The girl tossed a pebble against the back door, creating a light ¡°snap,¡± drawing a frown from the doorman, who got up to investigate.

    Taking advantage of the moment, she swiftly stepped forward, used the back of his chair to vault herself over, and disappeared into the entrance hall.

    The doorman seemed to feel a breeze and turned his head to look, but all he saw was an empty hall.

    Passing through a storeroom, the tall girl effortlessly evaded several clerks and found herself in the Paris Angel¡¯s first-floor sales area.

    The store was crowded, but luckily the employees controlled the number of people entering, so it wasn¡¯t too packed.

    She glanced at the crowd squeezed outside against the glass wall, a triumphant smile crossing her face, then turned her attention to the shop that had long piqued her curiosity.

    Next to the entrance stood two life-sized oil paintings, both depicting the same pretty woman, except the woman on the left had dull skin with a few pimples on her forehead, next to the words ¡°Before Use.¡± The woman on the right, however, had smooth, fair skin that radiated charm alongside the words ¡°After Use.¡±

    Walking leisurely forward, the tall girl discovered that the shop had no counters, just over a dozen chest-high, step-like glass displays neatly arranged.

    Atop the glass displays lay various exquisitely packaged cosmetics, with small wooden cards beside them listing the names and prices, all glittering under the chandelier lights.

    The soft piano music playing around the store enveloped it in an ethereal, upscale ambiance.

    Not purchasing anything but merely strolling through the store was already a form of splendid mental indulgence.

    ¡°A mask?¡± she paused in front of something that resembled a cloth mask, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    A tall and handsome clerk immediately approached and bowed politely, ¡°Miss, the mask is a new skincare product our store has launched. It is highly effective at¡­¡±

    As she listened to his magnetic voice, her eyes inadvertently caught sight of his firm, upright neck, making her cheeks feel warm.

    Before long, her small bag was filled with Angel Water, masks, hand creams, and a bunch of other items.

    The store had an odd rule, where customers would pick up items first and pay for everything at the end. Looking at her little bag, she sighed; she had only planned on buying a bottle of Angel Water but ended up with so much more. But these items were just too tempting¡­

    A well-dressed lady walked past her, nearly spilling over with cosmetics from the three bags she carried, muttering, ¡°To be able to buy freely without a price increase, my God!¡±

    The realization hit the tall girl in an instant, see, indeed no one could resist these damned wonderful products!

    She lingered in the store for close to an hour before she was content enough to prepare to pay and leave. The handsome clerk then told her she could apply for a VIP card at the shop, which offered services like free delivery and complimentary greeting card writing, and holders of the Silver Card and Gold Card could enjoy a 5% and 10% discount, respectively.

    She cautiously inquired, ¡°What kind of status does one need to get a Gold Card?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, madam, anyone can apply for the card,¡± the clerk replied with a smile. ¡°You just need to deposit 1000 livres in advance. This money remains yours, and when you come shopping, the amount is simply deducted from your prepaid balance.¡±

    The tall girl was taken aback by the 1000 livres, then asked, ¡°And the Silver Card?¡±

    ¡°A prepayment of 500 livres, madam,¡±

    As the girl squeezed her way out of the crowd and turned back to look at the sign of Paris Angel, she suddenly stamped her foot in annoyance, cursing herself for not being able to hold back at the end!

    That VIP card had cost a whole 200 livres, and now she wouldn¡¯t be able to go to the opera next month and the month after, nor could she buy new shoes!

    She murmured with a distressed face, ¡°If only I had accepted Mr. Weston¡¯s reward last time¡­¡±

    She halted mid-sentence and then stared seriously at her reflection in the glass, ¡°Soleil! What are you thinking? You¡¯re doing this not for money but for freedom and justice! Don¡¯t let money consume your ideals!¡±

    The next day.

    The general manager and boutique manager of Paris Angel Company rushed to the Palace of Versailles early in the morning, reporting to Joseph in his reception room about the previous day¡¯s sales.

    The bespectacled elder, who used to manage the largest jewelry store in Paris and was poached by Paris Angel Company with a high salary, read clearly from his ledger,

    ¡°A total of 2,206 bottles of Angel Water and hand creams sold, with 2,110 facial masks.

    ¡°Common VIP cards 71, Silver Cards 35, and Gold Cards 40.¡±

    He paused for a moment, closed his ledger, and continued, ¡°The total revenue is 126,562 livres.¡±

    Joseph, although prepared, was startled to hear this number. This wasn¡¯t just opening a shop, it was like robbing money! He blurted out, ¡°126,000? Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, 126,000¡­¡± The bespectacled elder glanced nervously to the side.

    The man next to him, with a flat nose and a slight limp, quickly bowed his head and said in a deep voice, ¡°Your Highness, this was my mistake! I underestimated the sales volume, leading to insufficient stock. After 5:30 p.m. yesterday, the store ran out of stock, so the revenue might be less¡­¡±

    Joseph coughed slightly, mentally praising him; this was indeed the former general manager of the Plymouth Shipyard highly esteemed by Eman, always feeling he hadn¡¯t made enough for the boss.

    He nodded and said, ¡°Mr. Brent, actually, this is quite good. Hunger marketing can enhance customer¡¯s eagerness to buy. From now on, let¡¯s stock up to 95% of the anticipated sales volume.¡±

    ¡°Hunger marketing?¡± Although Brent didn¡¯t understand the meaning of the term, he immediately nodded and remembered the Crown Prince¡¯s request.

    Joseph knew it would be difficult for such a day of 126,000 livres in sales to happen again since a large part of it was from VIP card top-ups, meaning those customers wouldn¡¯t spend money on future purchases.

    Moreover, after releasing their purchasing power this time, consumers would need quite a while to finish using the cosmetics they had bought.

    However, making seven or eight thousand livres daily in sales shouldn¡¯t be difficult in the future, and most importantly, Paris Angel¡¯s brand effect was now established.

    This must be leveraged wisely!

    He thought for a moment and then instructed Brent, ¡°Please contact the top workshops in Paris after you return, and commission a batch of jewelry, hats, and shoes. Use the finest materials, the best workmanship, the most fashionable designs, and spare no expense.

    ¡°Additionally, sign a contract with the workshops that anything made for Paris Angel, without the company¡¯s consent, cannot be reproduced in the same style.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Brent nodded, noting it down, and then cautiously asked, ¡°What exactly do you intend to do?¡±

    ¡°Stamp these items with the Paris Angel mark and sell them in our boutiques. Price them at three to five times the cost. For secondary products, we¡¯ll focus on making thin profits on high volume sales.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Absolute Monopoly (Please Add to Booklist)

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Absolute Monopoly (Please Add to Booklist)

    Brent was struck by a sudden thought, a vision of those ladies and young mistresses who, after purchasing cosmetics, would casually pick up a hat or a pair of shoes, filling him with immense admiration for the Crown Prince¡¯s business acumen.

    At his side, an elderly gentleman wearing glasses suggested, ¡°Your Highness, nearly half of yesterday¡¯s customers were noblewomen from the Palace of Versailles. Do you think we should open a branch there?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Joseph smiled and shook his head. ¡°Letting them travel all the way to Paris to buy our products will further highlight the preciousness and irreplaceability of Paris Angel. At the same time, when the nobility of Paris see them frequently entering and leaving our store, they too will follow suit and make purchases.¡±

    After discussing product sales, Brent continued, ¡°Your Highness, in the past few days, Count Albrow, Duke Lavalier, Marquis de Montes, and six other individuals have expressed interest in franchising with Paris Angel Company. What are your thoughts on this matter¡­?¡±

    Indeed, from day one of planning his specialty store, Joseph intended to expand Paris Angel through franchising!

    Opening stores one by one was not only slow but also a tedious and laborious process.

    Without you having opened many, those capitalists with keen senses of smell would mimic you and compete.

    Although Joseph held the core technology of salicylic acid and did not fear competition, it was inevitable that he would lose some customers.

    Thus, he wanted to use the method of franchising to quickly conquer the cosmetics markets of All of France and even Europe, ensuring that from product efficacy to marketing and market size, Paris Angel left no opportunity for competitors!

    After all, there was no concept of antitrust laws in this era; not to monopolize was practically to refuse the gifts of the times.

    Moreover, the profit margins on his cosmetics products were extremely high, roughly between 800% and 1300%. Allocating one-fifth of that to franchisees was completely acceptable to him, and for the franchisees, it would be like laughing all the way to the bank!

    Ultimately, by working with the agents of Paris Angel, a comprehensive sales network could be established, ensuring that any future products could also rely on this channel for a swift distribution and rapid cost recovery.

    Joseph nodded, telling Brent, ¡°The matter of franchisees is entirely in your hands. I have written all the franchising conditions and negotiating tactics in the document, which I trust you have learned by heart. Just bring it to me for signature once you finalize the negotiations.¡±

    Joseph had never underestimated the intelligence of people from this era; what they lacked was simply the vision and concepts from future generations. As long as he taught them these things, they would not perform worse than people from the future.

    Especially someone like Brent, a remarkable expert in his field.

    In the future, Joseph¡¯s energy could definitely not be wasted on the routine business operations of Paris Angel. Thus, it was essential to train his subordinates early and to delegate authority to them.

    ¡°Thank you for your trust,¡± Brent said, touching his chest and bowing, ¡°I will surely not let you down!¡±

    Sevigne Street in Paris.

    The headquarters of Paris Angel Company welcomed several high-profile visitors on this day.

    These individuals included Count Albrow, Duke Lavalier, and Marquis de Montes. Whether they were from wealthy old nobility or newly affluent capitalists, each one held a notable reputation in the Parisian business world.

    They had come together for the same purpose today¡ªto join the Paris Angel Company as franchisees.

    Brent first gave them a tour of the company¡¯s production workshop, which left these elites of the business world in awe.

    Was this a workshop? It was more like a grand villa!

    The workers were dressed in clean and neat uniforms, seated on carved chairs, working at a steady pace. Everything from the raw material storage to the filling station was made of high-quality oak, exquisitely crafted and spotless.

    After showing the production plant, Brent led them into the conference room and presented a large oil painting of the company¡¯s exclusive store. He announced, ¡°Franchising is actually very simple; it is about letting each of you also own such an extraordinary shop!¡±

    Then, he smiled slightly, ¡°I know you may be worried that perhaps you cannot achieve such remarkable results. Rest assured on this matter, you don¡¯t need to handle the new store¡¯s decoration or arrangement at all¡ªleave it to Paris Angel Company. What you will receive is a shop ready to open for business immediately.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to worry about management staff or clerks, Paris Angel Company will train them for you, supervise them for you, and even take care of making the uniforms!

    ¡°In other words, all you need to do is sign the franchise contract, and then you can just count your money every day.¡±

    Count Albrow, Duke Lavalier, and others all showed knowing smiles.

    Brent immediately added, ¡°I can reveal a secret to you, the exclusive store that Paris Angel opened on the Champs-Elysees has a record sales of up to 126,000 livres in a single day.¡±

    Even those elite businessmen, accustomed to handling large sums of livres, were so astonished that their eyes widened at his words.

    The shop¡¯s daily turnover was even higher than what their vast factories made in a month!

    Brent continued, ¡°The company will open only three franchise stores across the whole of Paris, and the distance between each store must not be less than half a league.¡±

    One league is four kilometers, so a distance greater than two kilometers between stores ensured they wouldn¡¯t compete for the same customers.

    ¡°Oh, for the first franchisee, the company will offer a discount, and the franchise fee will be 150,000 livres. After that, the franchise fee will increase to 180,000. For franchisees outside of Paris, the price will be 110,000 livres.¡±

    The business elites immediately started whispering among themselves.

    Truth be told, the franchising policy and prospects were very appealing to them, especially since they had witnessed the astonishing success when the store on the Champs-Elysees street opened, but they had never dealt with this franchising model before, so they had some reservations.

    Duke Lavalier, with deep frown lines, said, ¡°Mr. General Manager, who can be sure these days? Maybe today it sells for 126,000, but perhaps tomorrow it¡¯ll only sell 1,200. I¡¯m pessimistic about its earning ability.¡±

    ¡°Your Grace underestimates the dedication of ladies to beauty. They would rather starve than neglect their faces. I assure you, Paris Angel has no off-season.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope to sell other goods in the store,¡± said Count Albrow.

    ¡°Oh, that puts me in a difficult position¡­¡±

    As everyone was bargaining, a young man sitting in the corner clenched his fists tightly.

    His name was Boduan, and he had taken over his family¡¯s textile industry just three years ago. However, last year the French Government and the British signed a trade agreement, cutting tariffs on almost all industrial goods to near zero.

    A flood of high-quality, inexpensive British textiles poured into France, and his factory was immediately overwhelmed.

    In just over a year, he had lost more than half of his substantial family business and eventually sold off his remaining dozen or so textile plants in agony, planning to retire gracefully and live a quiet life of a wealthy man.

    He hadn¡¯t intended to franchise with Paris Angel, but an old friend had dragged him here to take a look. At that moment, he suddenly recalled the franchising advertisement for Paris Angel in the newspaper: Perhaps the pessimists are always right, but only the optimists make money!

    He stood up abruptly, staring at Brent, ¡°Mr. General Manager, I¡¯ve decided to franchise. As the first franchisee, I¡¯m entitled to the 150,000 livres opening discount, so I am going to invest 300,000 livres to open two franchise stores!¡±

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Loan Crisis

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Loan Crisis

    ¡°You will certainly not regret your decision today.¡± Manager Brent tipped an imaginary hat in a grand gesture, speaking with an enticing tone, ¡°Viscount Boduan, congratulations on becoming a member of the Paris Angel Company!¡±

    Count Albrow hadn¡¯t expected this young viscount to be so daring, but he reacted very quickly, immediately saying, ¡°I also decide to invest in a franchise.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is wonderful, my Lord Count, your investment insights are as sharp as ever.¡±

    The others were momentarily stunned. Just a second ago they were still haggling, so how come in the blink of an eye, the three stores in Paris were already divided up?

    You see, there¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°France actually has only two provinces, Paris and the rest.¡± As the political, economic, and cultural center of all France, Paris¡¯s consumer spending power is far greater than other regions.

    When someone invests a large sum, it undoubtedly means the business is extremely profitable! Those who had hesitated to act were now berating themselves, regretting their lack of courage.

    But one cannot miss the opportunity a second time!

    Duke Lavalier followed, ¡°I would like to open a store in Reims, my hometown is there, after all.¡±

    ¡°Ahem, I¡¯ll join too. I have some property in Marseille; I¡¯ll invest in two stores there.¡±

    ¡°I will invest in a store as well¡­¡±

    That night, in Brent¡¯s home, he kissed the seven franchise contracts in his hand fervently and began jumping around and shouting like a madman.

    Joining the Paris Angel Company was undoubtedly the best decision he had made in his life; earlier that afternoon, he had achieved financial freedom¡ªJoseph had promised a commission of 3000 livres for each franchise signed.

    In other words, he was now a wealthy man worth over twenty thousand!

    He poured himself a glass of wine, took a big gulp to accompany the contracts, and happily calculated: he would buy a villa first in either the Louvre District or the Saint-Germain District and then go to Viscount Machievi¡¯s residence to propose a marriage for his son! That old miser could no longer mock his family for being poorer than his, ha ha!

    ¡­

    Joseph signed his name on each of the contracts Brent brought, not feeling too surprised.

    Any discerning person could see the profitability of Paris Angel Company, and though the French Government was poor, the people were quite wealthy. Such a promising project would have no lack of investors.

    The seven stores were just the beginning; he predicted that after these franchises opened, the demonstration effect would bring at least double the number of franchisees.

    After Brent left, Joseph, the second in command of France¡¯s finance, set out towards the Finance Minister¡¯s office.

    As soon as he entered, all the officials in the room gathered around to warmly greet and congratulate him, ¡°Your Highness, congratulations to you!¡±

    ¡°It was Your Highness who saved the Dutch!¡±

    ¡°The Prussians just retreated in such a meek manner, ha ha.¡±

    ¡°The blessed son of France!¡±

    Finance Minister Brienne approached the front of the crowd, earnestly saying, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve heard about the matter with the Netherlands. I must say, I am astounded by your diplomatic skills!¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°This is a victory for France, I merely gave a slight push from behind.¡±

    The room erupted again with high praise before gradually dispersing.

    Brienne¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Your Highness, from what I¡¯ve inquired, the verdict from the High Court should come out in the next few days, and it will likely still be a refusal to register.¡±

    Joseph was not surprised, as the legislation submitted was made with the expectation of being rejected.

    He said indifferently, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, there¡¯s no need for concern. This is just the beginning¡ªI haven¡¯t made my move yet.¡±

    Brian thought of the Crown Prince¡¯s brilliant maneuvers in the Netherlands and felt a sense of assurance. He nodded in encouragement and casually added, ¡°By the way, I saw yesterday¡¯s financial report; it seems that your loan has not yet been finalized?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, thank you for the reminder. I shall take care of it promptly.¡±

    Upon returning to his office, Joseph glanced at the important matters of recent days and asked his assistant, ¡°Has tomorrow¡¯s loan negotiation with Ravel Bank been postponed again?¡±

    The latter replied with a sense of helplessness, ¡°Your Highness, they said they need to audit their accounts and currently lack the capacity to handle other matters.¡±

    Joseph frowned. ¡°What about the arrangements with Labod Bank?¡±

    ¡°No reply yet, but I¡¯ve heard they¡¯ve invested a lot of money in England¡¯s automatic loom industry and might not be able to provide a loan of several millions in the short term¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed immediately.

    As he understood, the French Government had been obtaining short-term loans through partnerships with both banks for over a decade. Previously, even without the aide of the Finance Minister, the banks would prepare and send the agreements two months in advance.

    Yet, with just half a month left until the government bonds matured, both banks were still giving the runaround. If there wasn¡¯t a problem, it would be a miracle!

    In this era, the efficiency of the banking system was very low. It would take several days to process a staggering amount of over six million livres from the signing of an agreement to the availability of funds. This means that delaying another eight or nine days could lead France into a debt default!

    He had to think of another solution.

    Joseph immediately signaled to Eman, who was standing by the door, ¡°Please prepare my carriage; I need to go to the Paris Discount Bank.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    By noon, Joseph had arrived at the headquarters of the largest bank in France at the moment, the Paris Discount Bank.

    The manager of the discount bank greeted the Crown Prince with great fanfare, leading the entire management team and even offering to host a luncheon for him.

    However, as soon as Joseph mentioned the loan, he was politely rejected by the other party, ¡°Your Highness, we have an early agreement with Ravel and other banks that they are responsible for the government¡¯s large short-term loans; it is inappropriate for us to involve ourselves in such business.¡±

    After multiple attempts, the discount bank was only willing to offer medium to long-term loans with collateral, and even then, raising the funds might take a considerable amount of time.

    Joseph left with no other choice and proceeded to the Paris Bank, only to receive a similar response.

    His final destination was the Royal Bank.

    Only¡­ this bank truly had no money.

    Although it was a major bank, ever since John Law concocted the Mississippi Company pyramid scheme, causing hyperinflation and ruining the reputation of the Royal Bank, this government-backed bank had been as impoverished as the French Government.

    Ultimately, only two medium-sized banks were willing to loan 600 thousand livres to the French Government, and that too at a high interest rate of 25%. As for the smaller banks, many had capital of only one to two million livres and couldn¡¯t offer much in loans.

    Back in the carriage, Joseph¡¯s expression was as dark as still water. It seemed most of these banks had acted deliberately, and not just to raise the interest rate.

    He turned to the Finance Assistant accompanying him, ¡°Is it possible to use administrative pressure on those banks?¡±

    The latter immediately grimaced, ¡°Your Highness, given the current financial situation of the government, it would not be suitable to fall out too badly with the banking sector¡­¡±

    Joseph took a deep breath and looked out the carriage window at Cano Bank, saying in a deep voice, ¡°So they think they can play with the nation¡¯s finances just because they control the money?

    ¡°Very well, then I shall just start my own bank.¡±

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Power of Money (Begging for Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Power of Money (Begging for Monthly Votes)

    Indeed, Joseph had long planned to start a bank.

    To straighten out a country¡¯s finances, a bank is an indispensable tool, especially after the Royal Bank¡¯s decline left France without even a symbolic ¡°central bank,¡± leaving the government¡¯s financial control capabilities virtually nil.

    Furthermore, the Industrial Revolution was on the cusp of bursting forth. Massive financial support was needed during this period to ensure unimpeded industrial development.

    Thus, for Joseph, establishing a bank was a necessary action; however, according to his plan, now was not the optimal time.

    As is well known, banking relies heavily on the scale of capital. A bank with a capital of 1 million livres, no matter how well-managed, would have a hard time outperforming a competitor with a capital of 10 million livres.

    Joseph¡¯s original plan was to enter the banking sector after mobilizing more resources at his disposal.

    However, the banking capital¡¯s various provocations to the finance system, along with the looming possibility of a government debt default, decided him to accelerate this process.

    Luckily, the Paris Angel Company¡¯s profits were exceedingly good, even exceeding his expectations, which greatly bolstered his confidence in terms of funding.

    What remained was to figure out the operations.

    The carriage moved slowly. Joseph looked out at the trees and passersby sweeping past the window, silently organizing the specific plans for setting up the bank in his mind.

    Although the banking industry of the 18th century was already thriving, from a historical perspective of finance, it was just beginning, and the various clever tricks invented by the future financial moguls had yet to appear. For Joseph, France¡¯s financial field was like the American continent in Columbus¡¯s eyes¡ªfresh and full of opportunities.

    After a little more than an hour, a complete plan had formed in his mind.

    Having repeatedly confirmed the completeness and feasibility of the plan, a relaxed expression finally appeared on his face. He ordered Eman,

    ¡°Please send someone to notify Mr. Brent to come to see me with utmost speed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    More than three hours later, when Joseph returned to the Palace of Versailles, he found that Brent had already been waiting for him¡ª the diligent manager had ridden a horse directly here in the interest of time, foregoing a carriage.

    Joseph first praised his efficiency and then summoned his personal architect, painter, carpenter, accountant, and other personnel to his study to assign tasks:

    ¡°From now on, your sole task is to open as many Paris Angel franchise stores as possible in the shortest amount of time.¡±

    He looked toward Brent:

    ¡°You will be in full charge of this matter. You can utilize all the resources at my disposal, with the aim of opening at least three stores in the Paris area within one week. In addition, open a direct store in Reims.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Brent¡¯s face showed a grave look. Although according to the Crown Prince¡¯s earlier instructions, the glass walls, display stands, lights, and even the staff uniforms for new franchise stores were prepared, the renovation work for new store interiors and flooring would be very time-consuming, particularly with multiple stores happening simultaneously¡ªa one-week timeframe was virtually an impossible task¡­

    Joseph, seeing his expression, smiled slightly and said:

    ¡°For opening the first franchise store, you will receive a bonus of 1,000 livres. For the second store, the bonus will be 1,500 livres. And so on, increasing by 500 livres for each additional store.¡±

    He then looked toward the architects and others:

    ¡°For the first store you open, each of you will receive a bonus of 500 livres. For each additional store thereafter, an increase of 200 livres.¡±

    With the money ability buff, everyone becomes Superman!

    Brent¡¯s heart raced as he quickly calculated that if he could open 3 stores in Paris, he could earn 4,500 livres in one week!

    4,000 livres for 4 stores, 10,000 livres for 5¡­

    If he could manage to open 7 franchise stores and 1 direct store, his bonus would be a whopping 22,000 livres!

    He had the money for his second villa!!

    Almost with bloodshot eyes, he blurted out:

    ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness! I swear to the Lord, I will not disappoint you!¡±

    He eagerly gestured to the architect, painter, and the others, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, follow me!!¡±

    The group hastily bowed to Joseph and sprinted out of the Crown Prince¡¯s chamber like they were on a 100-meter dash.

    In the open area outside the Palace of Versailles, Brent handed the coachman ten livres and shouted loudly:

    ¡°Quick! Back to Paris, quick!¡±

    Mr. Painter furrowed his brows, having just calculated the amount of the bonus:

    ¡°¡­2,100 livres for the three shops¡­ If everything is completed, that¡¯s 9,600 livres! Oh, God! 9,600!!¡±

    His heart gave a lurch, and his breathing quickened. He turned and roared at the coachman:

    ¡°Mr. Brebo, show your skills! Quick!¡±

    After everyone had left, Joseph swiftly wrote a few lines, handed them to Eman, and instructed:

    ¡°Please follow these ideas, and advertise them through all newspapers, salons, balls and other channels. I¡¯m giving you 15,000 livres, and you must spend it all within a week.¡±

    Eman had never heard of such a bizarre request and looked at the paper in his hand doubtfully. It read:

    [On November 30th, stocks of the Paris Angel Company will officially be released to the entire nation of France. We welcome your subscription.

    Advertising slogan: ¡°Stand at the blast of the wind, and even pigs can fly. The next blast, lies with the Paris Angel!¡±]

    The rest of the paper contained information about the business model and operating data of the Paris Angel Company.

    November 30th was exactly a week away.

    He promptly bowed deeply with his hand on his chest, earnestly saying:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will do my utmost!¡±

    Joseph then had a servant invite Brian, Mono, and Count Robel to join him for dinner.

    He had a particular intention for inviting these three¡ª the first two were Cabinet Ministers and on good terms with him, while Count Robel was nominally the State Counselor but in reality the head of the King¡¯s Secret Police, closely connected with the Royal Family and with great influence.

    At the luxurious dinner table, Mono looked around and, not seeing the ¡°audience¡± that usually came to observe the Crown Prince¡¯s meals, realized that this was no ordinary dinner. He raised his glass with a smile:

    ¡°Let us toast to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince.¡±

    The others immediately echoed: ¡°To His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince.¡±

    After enjoying the fine wine, Mono praised Joseph¡¯s exploits in the Netherlands and then casually broached the topic:

    ¡°Your Highness remembers us old fellows amidst your busy schedule, there must be some good news, haha.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said:

    ¡°You are all my closest friends. Actually, I would like to ask for your assistance in a matter.¡±

    Brian responded with a cheerful smile:

    ¡°Please command me, Your Highness, if there¡¯s anything you need.¡±

    Joseph wiped his mouth with a napkin and put on a serious expression:

    ¡°In fact, I am planning to establish a bank and would like to invite you all to take a stake in it.¡±

    When making big moves, it is always wise to avoid eating alone.

    Giving a piece of the cake to others means that if anyone dares covet that cake, you don¡¯t need to lift a finger; the stakeholders will take care of chopping off his claws for you.

    As long as you hold the decision-making power in the bank, sharing some profits is inconsequential.

    These three officials were the first batch of shareholders Joseph was bringing in, of course; there were even more influential figures to follow. With these people backing the bank, it was destined to prosper smoothly.

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Powerful Group of Shareholders

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Powerful Group of Shareholders

    Joseph saw everyone¡¯s attention converging on him and continued to say:

    ¡°The bank¡¯s total share capital is 10 million shares, each priced at 1 livre. For now, it will not be offered to the public.¡±

    Mono nodded with a smile:

    ¡°Since His Highness has invited us, we are certainly interested in taking a share. But I wonder how much the total investment for this bank will be?¡±

    ¡°Around 10 million livres.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the three men immediately seemed less enthusiastic. They thought they had spotted a profitable opportunity, but instead, they were being solicited for investment? With your empty-shell bank claiming an investment of 10 million, who knows how much will actually materialize? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to invest in an established discount bank with this money?

    Robel, who was the least acquainted with Joseph and also the poorest among the three, said with a wry smile:

    ¡°Your Highness, as you know my situation, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have much money to invest¡­¡±

    Joseph gave a slight smile and said:

    ¡°Hear me out.

    ¡°In a week¡¯s time, the Paris Angel Company will offer its shares to the public, with a total share capital of also 10 million shares, and 2 million of those will be released at a price of 2 livres per share.

    ¡°If you invest in my bank, you will be able to subscribe to the same amount of Paris Angel shares at the pre-public offering price of 1 livre per share.¡±

    Once he finished saying this, the three men¡¯s eyes instantly lit up.

    However, Brian, being in finance, immediately expressed some hesitation:

    ¡°Your Highness, although the business operations of Paris Angel are doing very well, I doubt each share could really be evaluated at 2 livres?¡±

    At 2 livres per share for a total of 10 million shares, this amounted to a terrifying market valuation of 20 million livres for Paris Angel!

    Joseph gestured to the lawyer at the door to bring over the franchise contracts and smiled as he said:

    ¡°In this period, Paris Angel has already acquired 7 franchise stores. Here are the contracts, and many more investors are ready to sign the franchise agreements. Additionally, I am planning to open several more company-owned exclusive stores around the country.

    ¡°I believe, before long, you¡¯ll see Paris Angel Exclusive Stores in all the major cities of France. Within half a year, Paris Angel stores will be spread across all countries in Europe.

    ¡°To be honest, a pricing of 2 livres per share is quite low.¡±

    He then explained the concept of the franchise model again, and the three men at the table could no longer remain calm.

    Which company in Paris is the hottest right now? That would, of course, be Paris Angel.

    Every woman in the streets and alleys of Paris knows about ¡°Angel Water,¡± and their own families¡¯ matriarchs and young ladies are also splurging thousands of livres on these cosmetics.

    Moreover, the influence of Angel Water has begun to spread across All of France, with even groups of high-ranking ladies from Marseille coming to Paris to snap up the products not long ago.

    If there was only one store, then the company¡¯s valuation certainly could not reach 20 million, but with 9 stores, that number becomes much more believable.

    And that innovative ¡°franchise¡± model was indeed very attractive. To be honest, after hearing about it, all three of them had thought about investing in a franchise store. How did the Crown Prince come up with such a brilliant commercial model? No wonder everyone says he is a child blessed by God, his mind must have been touched by the Almighty!

    Clearly, it won¡¯t be long before France is filled with Paris Angel franchise stores.

    When that happens, the company¡¯s market value will surely rise like the floodwaters of the Seine River during the rainy season, surging day by day!

    Brian squinted his eyes. If one could acquire shares at 1 livre, then selling them later would net at least a profit of 1 livre per share! It was like getting the bank¡¯s shares for free.

    And he estimated that the Paris Angel¡¯s share price would not stay at 2 livres for long; it was bound to rise soon!

    Without further hesitation, he looked at Joseph and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, since you¡¯ve said as much, I¡¯ll take a share of 250,000 livres.¡±

    Seeing the Archbishop had made his move, Mono immediately followed:

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ll invest 500,000 livres¡­¡±

    Joseph spoke with some difficulty:

    ¡°Count Mono, this, due to the limited number of shares, we can only offer you 3%. Please understand, after all, there are the King and Queen, and the Prince of Conde, the Count of Artuwa¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the names of these individuals, Mono immediately smiled and waved his hand:

    ¡°All right, all right, then make it 300,000.¡±

    Robel also gritted his teeth and produced 200,000 livres.

    In the end, Joseph made it clear that these shares only carried dividend rights and no management decision rights. The three of them were there purely to make money, and naturally had no objections.

    At the dinner table, everyone was overjoyed, clinking their glasses together in hearty laughter.

    The next day, Joseph had lunch with Louis XVI and Queen Mary, using the opportunity to pitch to them a 5% share of the bank stocks each.

    With his own parents, there was no need to use Paris Angel¡¯s shares as bait; Joseph casually asked for an investment of 500,000 each, with a simple ¡°thank you¡± to express his gratitude.

    However, Louis XVI had last time taken out 600,000 livres to support his son¡¯s Netherlands strategy, which, although later proved to be a successful bet, politically made a fortune but didn¡¯t earn a penny in cash.

    Now, with only about 100,000 in spare cash left in his hands, he threw it all into his son¡¯s venture, issuing IOUs for the rest.

    Meanwhile, Queen Mary, known as ¡°Madame Deficit,¡± was essentially being smeared, but she indeed had a habit of spending lavishly on a regular basis, with only 220,000 on hand and the remaining 280,000 owed.

    But Joseph wasn¡¯t truly after their funds; it was more about securing two significant backers as investors, so he could later flaunt his influential connections.

    In the afternoon, Joseph hurried back to Paris, where he successively met with the Prince of Conde, who had great influence in the military, and the staunch Royalist, the Duke of Artuwa, who also happened to be Louis XVI¡¯s younger brother.

    Both, upon learning they could acquire Paris Angel shares at a low price, naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse free money and subscribed to 400,000 livres of bank shares each, remembering this favor from the Crown Prince.

    That noon, all over France, people were discussing the sale of shares by the Paris Angel Company. There was no helping it, as Paris Angel was mentioned in nearly every newspaper, and at the beginning of any salon, someone would steer the conversation towards this topic.

    Naturally, within the Palace of Versailles, there was insider information circulating that Paris Angel¡¯s daily sales reached 120,000, with eight or nine branches opened, and plans to expand into England, Spain, the Netherlands, and other places, indicating a shocking scale for the company.

    Everyone was itching to get in, hurriedly gathering funds in anticipation of snapping up the initial shares of Paris Angel.

    At the same time, within the office of the general manager of Ravel Bank in Paris, General Manager Etienne frowned and asked his assistant:

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone from the Finance Minister¡¯s side come to negotiate?¡±

    The latter nodded:

    ¡°Yes, a low-level official inquired about a loan over ten days ago, but no one has come since.¡±

    Etienne muttered in confusion:

    ¡°Strange, the national debt is about to mature, and yet the Crown Prince seems to be in no rush?¡±

    The assistant suggested:

    ¡°Could they have secured a loan from another bank?¡±

    Etienne shook his head:

    ¡°The Duke of Orleans has already spoken to the other banks, it¡¯s impossible that anyone would lend to him.¡±

    He mused to himself; Even if the Crown Prince had no experience, the other financial officers should have reminded him about the national debt, so why is he so calm?

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Taking Control of Parisian Policing (Please Follow)

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Taking Control of Parisian Policing (Please Follow)

    Etienne pondered for a long time and decided to visit the Palace of Versailles in person tomorrow to inquire about the situation, after all, this loan was also an important business for Ravel Bank.

    He had only agreed to the Duke of Orleans to delay the loan until the last day, but that didn¡¯t mean he was not interested in doing this deal.

    The next day.

    Inside Joseph¡¯s reception room, Besancon and Frient sat stiffly on the sofa covered with a Persian carpet.

    Joseph signaled them to drink tea and said with a smile,

    ¡°It seems things are going quite smoothly on your end.¡±

    Besancon had officially received the appointment as Director of Paris Police. He first took out a document and respectfully handed it to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, the evaluation, reorganization, and training of police officers in all districts of Paris have been completed, and as of a few days ago, the new police force has taken over the maintenance of public order.

    ¡°This is the list of recommended candidates for key positions in the Police Headquarters after the reorganization; your final approval is still needed.¡±

    Joseph opened the document and saw a series of police positions, each with at least two candidates, as well as their detailed information.

    Joseph glanced through it and, in general, it represented a major turnover of officials in the entire Paris police system.

    The Saint Antoine District had the earliest police reform, and consequently, the Saint Antoine faction accounted for nearly forty percent of the official selection, with Alden and Magone both receiving nominations for Police Commissioner.

    Furthermore, police officers who were selected from the former police force, skilled in their work, incorruptible, and with a good reputation, were promoted to various officer ranks. But according to Joseph¡¯s previous requirement, only those of minor nobility and commoner origins were used.

    There were also a small number of people from Besancon¡¯s own circle.

    Joseph nodded. From this list, it was clear that Besancon was very dedicated to the police reform and also capable. Once this batch of officials was replaced, one could say that the police system in Paris was completely under his own control.

    He ticked off several people he was more familiar with, like Alden, and left the rest for Besancon to decide¡ªtrust those you employ fully, grant your subordinates more power, and they will work better for you.

    Besancon continued:

    ¡°Your Highness, as for the former police officers, I took the liberty of forming a ¡®Daily Affairs Squad¡¯ tasked with responsibilities such as river supervision and sanitary clean-up, and transferred them all to this squad.¡±

    Joseph knew he was referring to those who paid to get into the police force and as they had contracts with the city hall, indeed they could not be directly dismissed; transferring them to manage city hygiene was indeed a good solution.

    ¡°Hmm, this arrangement is very good.¡±

    Besancon carefully added lastly:

    ¡°Your Highness, the new uniforms have been tailored, and equipment has been replaced with new ones, only, regarding the funding¡­¡±

    Joseph laughed and waved his hand:

    ¡°Just write a report about how much money you need and send it to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph now held the franchise fees of the Paris Angels franchisees, plus the bank shares invested by everyone from the King to the Cabinet Ministers, as well as the business income coming into the Paris Angel Company, totaling more than 3.1 million livres.

    The funding for the Paris Police Headquarters was indeed not something he took to heart.

    Frient, after Besancon¡¯s report, immediately said:

    ¡°Your Highness, the first batch of students for the Paris Police Academy has been recruited, totaling 201 individuals. I plan to officially start the academy a week from now; do you think you might be available to preside over the opening ceremony?¡±

    ¡°So soon? Of course, I¡¯ll be there,¡± Joseph was quite surprised. He knew that just half a month ago, the police academy was still just an idea of his, and in a week¡¯s time, it was actually going to open?!

    Frient said:

    ¡°Your Highness, as per your instructions, I purchased two hectares of land in the Saint Antoine District, which contained many buildings. Although somewhat rundown, with minor repairs, they are still passably usable as school buildings.

    ¡°Moreover, when the citizens of Saint Antoine District learned that the police academy was being established by Your Highness, they came to help voluntarily, and tasks like leveling the training field and similar work were completed in just one week.¡±

    Besancon added:

    ¡°Your Highness, actually, starting from last week, on my end, 100 police officers are rotated daily to the police academy for training. Although the academy is currently in a rudimentary state, it is sufficient for general training purposes.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself: This Frient really is talented, his efficiency is simply unlike that of an 18th-century person!

    Such a subordinate must be rewarded handsomely!

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Award Ceremony (Request for Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Award Ceremony (Request for Monthly Pass)

    Delaude Labod had never been as agitated as he was today since taking over the family business.

    The manager of Labod Bank brought him some very bad news today¡ªthe Crown Prince, who was responsible for financial loans, intended to terminate their cooperation with the government of France.

    At present, the industrial and commercial situation for the whole of France was gloomy. Government loans were the most premium segment of Labod Bank¡¯s business. Losing this deal might well mean that Labod Bank would not survive.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Labod Bank¡¯s major shareholder, Goldman, confirmed the government¡¯s intention to end the partnership.

    In this matter, the two banks were like grasshoppers on the same rope, and they had to work together with all their might.

    After discussing for a long time with the shareholders of both banks, they finally pinpointed the crux of the problem¡ªit was the Bank of France Reserve.

    This was an outlier that did not abide by the tacit agreements within the banking industry. Had it not been for the Reserve, the French government would have no choice but to plead with Labod and Ravel Bank for loans.

    Soon after, someone suggested, ¡°Perhaps we can strike some kind of deal with this Bank of France Reserve.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Count Labod looked at everyone, ¡°who has information about this bank?¡±

    No one spoke. After a while, Goldman frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably a foreign bank, one that just arrived in Paris.¡±

    Labod nodded, ¡°It seems we have no choice but to seek Mr. Necker¡¯s assistance.¡±

    In the villa gardens of senior advisor to the Banking Guild of France and famed banker, Mr. Necker¡­

    Labod and Goldman recounted the events, simply referring to the French government as ¡°a certain major client¡± and the national debt as a private debt of that client, then gazed eagerly at Necker.

    If there was one person in Paris who understood the Bank of France Reserve, it would definitely be this master, the most well-informed man in the French banking industry.

    However, Necker merely smiled and shook his head, ¡°I have not heard of such a bank.¡±

    He bent down to trim the jasmine and continued, ¡°However, I believe the two of you have fallen into your client¡¯s trap.¡±

    ¡°A trap?¡±

    ¡°He is a gentleman who holds his nerves very well.¡± Necker swept the fallen branches into a pile and wiped his forehead. ¡°The more you believe he wouldn¡¯t risk deceiving you at this time, the more I am nearly certain that the Bank of France Reserve is nothing but a ploy to intimidate you.

    ¡°If you go to him, worried about losing the business, it allows him to lower the interest rate, pretending to stop working with that fictional bank and demanding you to issue the loan promptly.¡±

    Labod and Goldman exchanged looks, both feeling as though they¡¯d just had an eye-opening revelation.

    Necker had the expression of a hunter who had seen through the hiding spot of his prey, ¡°I believe, if you do not compromise, that client, two days before the deadline of his debt, will spare no expense to secure your loans.¡±

    Labod nodded vigorously, ¡°Mr. Necker truly is the most outstanding banker in France! Without you, we would have been fooled this time!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll heed your advice and certainly wait until the last day!¡±

    ¡­

    In the Apollo Hall of the goldenly resplendent Palace of Versailles, a very solemn award ceremony was taking place.

    The brisk beat of the military drums and the solemn sound of horns stopped simultaneously, and the Minister of War, Marquis Saint Priest, called out loudly to the soldiers in front of him, ¡°Attention¡ª¡±

    The aide next to him fiercely slammed his staff on the ground, emitting a muffled ¡°thud,¡± and the soldiers stood tall and straight as swords.

    Saint Priest turned around and, lifting his hat, saluted toward Louis XVI, ¡°Your Majesty the King, Your Majesty the Queen, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, please allow me to introduce the heroes of the battle at Amstelfen¡ª

    ¡°Captain Marie Francois Du Bois!

    ¡°Lieutenant Trez Preville Fouquet!

    ¡°Ensign Louis Andre Davou! [note 1]

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After he had introduced everyone, Louis XVI stepped forward to Du Bois and gave him high praise, then reached for the brass cufflinks, solemnly handing them over, ¡°I hereby promote you to the rank of Major.¡±

    He then moved towards Lieutenant Fouquet, continuing the promotions, while Queen Mary took a wreath from her lady-in-waiting, placed it on Du Bois¡¯s head with a smile, and said softly, ¡°You are the hero of France.¡±

    As she moved on to the next awardee, Joseph came up to Du Bois, delivering the speech he had prepared in advance, ¡°Your tactical strategy was splendid; without your command, the Dutch Army may have ended in defeat in the first two days.¡±

    He had not intended to participate in such a tedious ceremony, but as the planner behind the Dutch repulsion of the Prussians, both the Queen and the military had strongly requested his presence at the award ceremony, so he had reluctantly attended.

    Du Bois immediately raised his hat to salute in return, ¡°Your Highness, these are not my achievements; you designed the overall strategic layout, forcing the Prussians to choose retreat. As for the tactical arrangement at Amstelfen, it was actually planned by a good friend of mine, Captain Bertier, before I left, and I only executed it.¡±

    Joseph thought he heard a familiar name and quickly asked, ¡°Bertier? Which Bertier are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, it is Major Louis Alexander Bertier, under General Custine.¡±

    [note 1: The surname Davou should be close to ¡®d¡¯Avou,¡¯ resembling ¡°De Avou¡± as per translation convention, but it is still written as Davou, and prefixed with ¡°de¡± to symbolize nobility.]

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Today Is a Good Day

    Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Today Is a Good Day

    Joseph¡¯s eyes immediately brightened, but to be on the safe side, he continued to ask, ¡°Do you know anything else about him?¡±

    Dibowa felt a bit gloomy, as if he were the one being commended today, yet the Crown Prince kept asking about Alexander¡­

    Nevertheless, he patiently answered, ¡°Your Highness, he comes from a military family and excels at mapping. He is quick-witted and can endure hardship. He also fought in America under Count Rochambeau, and the battle plan for Yorktown was created by him.¡±

    Hearing about his skill in mapping and participation in the American Revolution, Joseph could fully confirm that this man was the historically renowned Napoleon¡¯s ¡°personal aide,¡± Chief of Staff of the Army, who followed Napoleon from Italy to Russia, accumulating numerous accomplishments, Marshal Bertier.

    Of course, the future marshal was currently just a mere major, scraping a living under some mediocre military noble.

    Joseph knew that to reorganize France, the military had to be firmly in his control!

    However, it was the great nobility that controlled the French military power at that time.

    France was still in the transitional period from feudal to modern military systems, where the military resembled the private armies of regional commanders during the late Ming dynasty¡ªwith local finances and nobility responsible for funding and training the stationed troops in each province.

    The equipment and combat effectiveness of the army depended entirely on the local investment. Naturally, following the principle of ¡°he who pays calls the shots,¡± only local military nobles could command these troops.

    This was evident from the names of the military units at the time¡ªFlander Regiment, Souvanson Infantry Regiment, Bordeaux Regiment, etc.¡ªall named after places, which were former domains of great lords.

    Thus, if the King wished to mobilize the army, he had to regard the military nobility. In times of peace, the nobility would generally cooperate, but if there was any turmoil, that would be a different matter.

    For instance, the relationship between the great nobles and the King was not harmonious at the moment.

    During the reign of Louis XVI, it was claimed that he had summoned the manpower of 20 regiments to support the monarchy, but until his execution, not a single soldier had marched into Paris.

    In that period, only the Swiss mercenaries and a few personal guards¡ªboth funded privately by the King¡ªremained completely loyal. Apart from them, even the French Guards stationed right under his nose were beyond his command.

    Keep in mind, the Parisians who attacked the Bastille, though armed, could only sigh at the formidable stronghold towering over ten meters high. In the end, it was the French Guards dragging cannons to the scene that forced Governor Launay to surrender unwillingly.

    Hence, despite the Royal Family seeming powerful and glorious, the great noble class and the emerging Capital Group had already joined forces, slowly taking control of the military, judiciary, economy, and public opinion.

    Among these, the King¡¯s power in military and economic matters had been the most severely undermined.

    Currently, the great nobles and Capital Group had not yet coordinated their interests, and it was the residual influence of the monarchy that maintained a facade of tranquility; but once an opportunity like the Estates-General arose, these individuals would soon stir up trouble.

    So, controlling military power had always been Joseph¡¯s top priority.

    However, his political foundation was still too weak to reach into the military nobility¡¯s bowl and seize military power, a process that was destined to be long and extremely difficult.

    Of course, Joseph had his own comprehensive plan for this, and the Paris Police Academy was in fact the first covert move he had made in the military realm.

    In the mindset of that era¡¯s people, the police were essentially a gang hired by the government and not considered a significant force, which gave Joseph the opportunity to influence the violent institution.

    With the police academy as a foothold, he could begin to build a loyal lineage of troops that would obey him absolutely.

    This venture might be summed up in a single sentence, but it involved a myriad of complexities.

    First and foremost was the need for money¡ªmilitary forces are a gold-consuming behemoth. Fortunately, he now had the Paris Angel Company; although far from feeding the gold-consuming beast, he could still come up with initial startup funding.

    Next was equipment¡ªthere had to be advanced weapons that could overwhelm all opponents. Joseph was most confident about this, as he knew the equipment technology in his mind was absolutely capable of crushing this era, it just needed to be manufactured.

    Last, and most crucial, was the people, the military talent. This included high-quality soldiers and excellent commanders, particularly the latter, as a good general could even determine the victory or defeat of a battlefield!

    And Marshal Bertier was precisely such an outstanding officer. It could be said that without his assistance, Napoleon¡¯s military achievements might have been far less impressive.

    Right now, there was an excellent opportunity to establish a connection with Marshal Bertier, and Joseph definitely could not miss it!

    As he was about to further inquire from Dibowa about the Chief of Staff, he heard someone coughing twice beside him. Turning his head, he saw Eman incessantly signaling to him with his eyes, and Joseph then remembered that they were in the middle of an award ceremony.

    He could only walk helplessly towards Lieutenant Fouquet and spoke a few encouraging words to this artillery company commander before continuing to the next person.

    The young cavalry company commander immediately straightened his back even more. Ever since he learned about some hidden facts behind the situation in the Netherlands, his admiration for the teenage Crown Prince had grown immensely.

    Joseph smiled at him, and ever since he heard that this officer¡¯s surname was ¡°Davout,¡± he had been filled with anticipation.

    After first praising Lieutenant Davout for leading the cavalry in valiant combat, he couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°Lieutenant Davout, has anyone in your family served in the Imperial Guard?¡±

    Davout nodded in surprise, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, my father once served as a company commander in the Royal Cavalry Regiment.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Do you have a relative named ¡®Nicolas¡¯?¡±

    Davout was even more surprised, ¡°Your Highness, do you know my brother?¡±

    ¡°Nicolas is your brother?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, Louis Nicolas Davout, is my younger brother.¡±

    Joseph was overjoyed inside. What a lucky day was this? To come across two jackpots in a row!

    Nicolas Davout!

    Iron Marshal!

    One of the strongest of Napoleon¡¯s top three generals, a supreme military genius.

    For him, winning against greater numbers was routine, and he had reversed the course of battles many times on his own.

    The man whom Napoleon hailed as ¡°France¡¯s purest glory!¡±

    If he missed this opportunity, he would never forgive himself!

    Joseph stepped forward and asked, ¡°Where is your brother serving now?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, Nicolas is still at the military academy; he won¡¯t graduate until next year.¡±

    Not yet graduated, huh¡­ Joseph was slightly disappointed, but then he thought it was better this way. Now to hold on to his brother, and once he graduated, bring him straight here to build trust more easily.

    After the award ceremony concluded, the group of meritorious officers bid farewell to the King and Queen. When they came before Joseph, he suddenly held back Dibowa and Andr¨¦ Davout, using the excuse of wanting to ¡°hear them talk about the intense battles on the Dutch front,¡± and took the two to the square outside the Palace of Versailles.

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Strategic Vision of the Crown Prince

    Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Strategic Vision of the Crown Prince

    The great fountain refracted joyous rainbow lights under the sun¡¯s illumination.

    Before Joseph even spoke, Andre couldn¡¯t contain himself and asked, ¡°Your Highness, I really want to know, how did you make the Prussians retreat?¡±

    In the past few days, the image of the Prussian Army suddenly withdrawing just as he was resolutely facing death had often appeared in his mind.

    Dibowa was about to reprimand him for breaching etiquette when he heard the words ¡°make the Prussians retreat,¡± but he was surprised and said, ¡°Was the situation in the Netherlands really your doing, Your Highness?¡±

    He had no connection to the Dawu family; though rumors linked the Crown Prince to the events in the Netherlands, this was the first time he had received concrete news.

    Andre nodded and looked towards the Crown Prince with anticipation.

    Joseph chuckled and said, ¡°The details are not convenient to disclose, but in essence, it was about handing over Wilhelmina to the Southern Netherlands police and having them deliver her back to Prussia, then letting the Patriot Party bring the Prince of Orange back to Amsterdam. This naturally eliminated William II¡¯s excuse to interfere in the Netherlands.¡±

    His brief explanation contained huge implications¡ªhow they found Wilhelmina, how they got her to the Southern Netherlands, and how they sent her back to Prussia to precisely coincide with the timing on the battlefield, without raising William II¡¯s suspicions about France¡­

    Andre and Dibowa exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and admiration in each other¡¯s eyes for the Crown Prince¡¯s masterful move! As it concerned secret matters, though they were burning with curiosity, they didn¡¯t feel it was proper to inquire further.

    They then began to describe the bloody and fierce battle conditions in the Netherlands, especially on the last day when the Prussian Army¡¯s offensive was extremely intense, and the French Army had over forty casualties among their 300 volunteers.

    With a grave expression, Andre sighed and said, ¡°The Prussian Army has strict military discipline and high levels of training. If the battle had continued, I estimate that the Dutch would not have held out until nightfall.¡±

    Dibowa nodded, ¡°Alexander is currently studying the Prussian Army¡¯s military structure and training intelligence. According to him¡­¡±

    He glanced at Joseph and cautiously said, ¡°The fighting capability of the Prussian Army is one-third greater than that of the French Army.¡±

    Joseph knew his statement was not an exaggeration, as Prussia once claimed to have the number one army in Europe. The Junker Nobility¡¯s military training system was very comprehensive and strict, along with the German perseverance and obedience. Although its capabilities had declined somewhat, its combat effectiveness was still not to be underestimated.

    He solemnly said, ¡°The structure of France¡¯s military is too outdated; it should have been thoroughly reformed a long time ago.¡±

    Historically, France¡¯s outdated military had suffered severe setbacks on the battlefield until Napoleon appeared, steadying the situation. Under Napoleon¡¯s leadership, the military reform was completed, eventually becoming the dominant force on the European Continent.

    Dibowa immediately agreed, ¡°Indeed, Alexander and I have discussed this multiple times. We should comprehensively study Prussia to deal with various future challenges!¡±

    ¡°Study Prussia?¡± Joseph looked at him but shook his head slightly, ¡°What we need to do is surpass the Prussian Army, not simply emulate them.¡±

    Andre and Dibowa looked at each other again, ¡°So, Your Highness, how do you think the military should be reformed?¡±

    Joseph had thought about this matter previously and replied, ¡°The biggest problem with the French Army is that the forces are fragmented, there is no unified command, no standardized training, and the disparity in the quality of equipment and soldiers is stark. During major battles, an assembled army might seem vast, but in reality, the number of capable corps is very limited¡­¡±

    As he had brought up military reforms, he went on to talk about abolishing local regiments, nationalizing army management, increasing the number of non-commissioned officers and their training, and developing new tactics.

    Listening intently, Andre and Dibowa¡¯s eyes grew wider and wider. The Crown Prince was barely thirteen years old, yet he already possessed such strategic foresight. They, with several years of military academy education, only knew to repeat the experiences of the past¡ªit was as if they had been functioning without a brain¡­

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 All Come into My Bowl

    Chapter 50: Chapter 50 All Come into My Bowl

    Especially Dibowa, who was somewhat older, knew deeply that organization, management, training, and logistics were fundamental to improving the combat effectiveness of the army. He had already taken out paper and a pen, quietly repeating the military reform content that the Crown Prince had just mentioned and swiftly copying it down.

    ¡°Establish a conscription system for all of France, a comprehensive conscription and compensation regulations, forming laws¡­

    ¡°Establish a French Ministry of Military Affairs, gradually eliminate local garrisons, unify the selection, assessment, and promotion systems of the French Army¡­

    ¡°Elevate the status of meritorious soldiers, let supreme honor become the highest pursuit of the army¡­

    ¡°Construct national-level military armament production and equipment systems, encourage the research of new weapons, and accelerate the adoption of new weapons¡­

    ¡°Set up military hospitals¡­¡±

    The more he wrote, the more excited he became. If these measures could be implemented, France would surely have an invincible army capable of defeating all enemies. The humiliation of being forced to sign the Treaty of Paris would be completely washed away, and France would take back everything it had lost!

    His father died on the battlefield at Legnica during the Seven Years¡¯ War when he was only eight years old.

    He only remembered that France was defeated, and the whole country was shrouded in gloom. His father¡¯s death did not bring him any honor, instead, there were those who mocked the incompetence of French soldiers to his face.

    He also knew that, as a mere Major, he could not influence the military reform of France, but he could pass these precious ideas to experts like Bertier for further in-depth research!

    Joseph, out of the corner of his eye, saw Dibowa¡¯s earnest and excited expression as he transcribed, feeling that the timing was nearly ripe, and thus he revealed a sly, fox-like grin, ¡°It seems that the Major finds this military reform plan quite agreeable. I wonder if you would be interested in assisting me in advancing this work?¡±

    ¡°I am willing to serve Your Highness¡­¡± Dibowa began, then hesitated, ¡°Only, I am not very skilled in this area and am afraid I might disappoint Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that this was the time to find someone who is skilled, like the Chief of General Staff, but he still smiled and said, ¡°You have rich combat experience, which is exactly what we need to perfect the military reform plan. To be frank, I am organizing staff to carry out research in the field of military theory and hope you can help me.¡±

    Dibowa immediately stood at attention and said proudly, ¡°Following Your Highness is my lifelong honor!¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Andre with a warm tone, ¡°Lieutenant, why did you not continue with your forebears¡¯ glory and serve in the Imperial Guard?¡±

    A flash of frustration and sadness passed through Andre¡¯s eyes, ¡°Your Highness, my heart has always harbored a great flame called love. Back then, because of the pursuit and persistence of this flame, I hurt some people¡­ Eventually, I went to the Soissons Cavalry Camp.¡±

    Joseph asked, ¡°Would you be willing to serve under me then?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Andre could hardly hide his surprise and delight as he exclaimed, ¡°The Dawu family¡¯s title was conferred by His Majesty the old King; loyalty to the Royal Family is the Dawu family¡¯s oath! I will become Your Highness¡¯s most loyal soldier!¡±

    Joseph also looked at the two men before him with considerable joy, knowing that sooner or later Bertier and Dawu, these two heavyweights, would come to his fold.

    ¡­

    Lately, the talk of all Parisians has been about the new stores of Paris Angel Company.

    They couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to it ¨C the simultaneous preparation of three new stores was like three whirlpools on the sea surface, incessantly pulling in wood, glass, paint, and copperware from all over Paris.

    The top craftsmen of Paris were also concentrated in the stores of Paris Angel Company, each exhausted to the bone, but their faces were filled with feverish excitement.

    Over the past week, they made more money than they usually did in three months!

    Every day, the stewards of Paris Angel made sure to prepare four meals a day, delivering them on time, attentively waiting on the workers to finish, then politely asking them to resume work.

    As for the meals, there were fried meats, buttered corn, white bread, tomato vegetable soup, all rich and tempting¡ªeat as much as they wished.

    Not a single craftsman complained of fatigue, nor did anyone want to rest¡ªwhoever brought up rest at that time would be cursed without hesitation¡ªit was quadruple the pay! To stop even for a second was a sacrilege to their wallets!

    Come evening, a great number of oil lamps would be lit inside and outside the storefront, illuminating the area as bright as day, as the second shift of workers took over to continue the work.

    Even those in fine fettle set a record: working continuously for three days and two nights, earning a whopping 28 livres in ¡°overtime pay.¡±

    Oh, to think there was extra ¡°pay¡± for overtime! It was simply unbelievable! When the craftsmen learned this was at the Crown Prince¡¯s behest, they prayed for him several times a day.

    Some later generations always love to say that Westerners value freedom and the good life and have traditionally disliked working overtime. In fact, 18th-century France was highly competitive, and it was normal to work 14 hours a day in the factories. With the right pay, 20 hours of work was nothing.

    What Joseph initially hadn¡¯t anticipated was that, in rushing the progress of the franchise store openings, it brought an unexpected boon¡ªthe Parisians with nothing much to do started treating the construction of the new store as a form of leisure and entertainment, which continuously hiked up the popularity of Paris Angel. If this era had trending searches, Paris Angel would dominate the top ten.

    It¡¯s no wonder, really, since there were so few entertainment options during this era. A luxury storefront undergoing 24-hour renovations was truly a novelty.

    The little boy who used to beg in the alley behind the Paris Angel Exclusive Store, now bustling with joy as he managed a group of six children, including his sister and four other street kids, was busy renting out a stack of chairs amidst the crowd.

    He took Joseph¡¯s suggestion and started a business renting out chairs, making a fair number of silver coins during this time, with his team growing to six people.

    He now rented a room, and he and his sister no longer had to go hungry. He was even planning to save up more money so that he could spend a few hours a day learning to read and write.

    Time flew by swiftly.

    Brent, the general manager of Paris Angel Company, stood on Saint-Denis Boulevard, looking at the new Paris Angel store in front of him, luxurious and elegant, a great pride and sense of accomplishment welling up within him.

    In just seven days, merely seven days, the new exclusive store was completely renovated. It was a miracle he had created with the company¡¯s workers and countless craftsmen!

    Of course, the 20,000 livres in renovation costs also played an indispensable part.

    In the west and north of Paris, there were two more exclusive stores like this one, both of which would be finished by the end of the day.

    Meanwhile, in Reims, 30 miles away, another franchise store was awaiting its opening. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances, the newly opened exclusive store there would need two more days to complete.

    This meant that Paris Angel now had five exclusive stores ready for business. Even the stores in Marseille and Bordeaux, according to the reports sent back by his subordinates yesterday, should be finished with renovations by the end of the month at the latest.

    At the same time, in front of Paris City Hall, the crowd was buzzing with about four or five hundred people craning their necks, anxiously awaiting the moment when Paris Angel Company¡¯s stocks would officially go on sale.

    Hmm, due to the influence of ¡°The Bubble Act,¡± this was the temporary stock exchange Joseph had chosen.

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Paris Angel Company Goes Public

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Paris Angel Company Goes Public

    In 1717, the financial juggernaut John Law established the Mississippi Company to solve France¡¯s massive debt. He obtained exclusive rights to operate the Louisiana colony from the French Government, and subsequently, the company began offering shares.

    Because there were rumors of abundant gold mines in the Mississippi River basin, and the company successively gained the rights to operate more of France¡¯s overseas colonies, the stock price steadily increased.

    From the initial offer of 500 livres per share, it soared to a peak near 20,000 livres. Yes, don¡¯t miss a single zero, the stock price increased by 40 times!

    John Law believed the opportunity to resolve France¡¯s 1.5 billion national debt had arrived. Starting in 1719, he issued additional shares five times in a row, leveraging the skyrocketing stock prices with the issuance of banknotes by the Royal Bank, and he truly managed to wipe out the French Government¡¯s debt in one fell swoop!

    Of course, it was impossible to earn 1.5 billion livres within three years; all the money was piled up by the stock market bubble.

    In 1720, as a large number of prospectors came back empty-handed, the legend of the Mississippi gold mines began to crumble, bringing with it a crash in the Mississippi Company¡¯s stock price. People panicked and sold their shares en masse, causing the stock price to plummet below 200 livres.

    The ruling French powers at the time, led by the Regent, the Duke of Orleans, hastily retracted all privileges granted to the Mississippi Company. The company went bankrupt, and the bubble of several billion livres vanished overnight, an amount equivalent to more than thirty years of France¡¯s fiscal revenues!

    Countless people who had invested in the Mississippi Company¡¯s stock were ruined, plunging the entire country of France into a severe economic crisis. The whole commercial and industrial sectors came to a halt, leaving only agriculture barely alive, which also led to the subsequent rise of French agrarianism.

    John Law left behind a disaster and fled to Brussels, while France would not recover for decades.

    At the same time, a similar ¡°South Sea Company¡± incident occurred in England, and the British Government promptly enacted the Bubble Act, which strictly regulated the sale of company shares.

    France followed suit, enacting its guidelines that any company intending to offer shares publicly had to pass through a Cabinet review and receive the King¡¯s signature for approval, which typically took over a decade to grant permission for one company to go public, with very stringent oversight.

    Of course, none of this was a problem for Joseph.

    The Finance Minister and the Minister of the Interior had long been developed into beneficiaries of the Paris Angel Company¡¯s stock, and the King and Queen were insiders.

    Additionally, Joseph assured in Cabinet meetings that the Paris Angel Company¡¯s stock price would never exceed 30% of the company¡¯s actual value, that the publicly offered shares would not surpass 40% of the total shares, and that the company would provide funds to support the stock price if it fell to a certain level.

    Confident that all financial risks had been eliminated, Louis XVI readily signed the proposal for the Paris Angel Company to go public.

    Actually, Joseph still had much wiggle room in this. What really is the company¡¯s actual value? For a store with daily sales of 120,000 livres, valuing it at 5 million livres doesn¡¯t seem excessive, right? So, the Paris Angel Company could easily be valued at tens of millions of livres.

    Of course, Joseph did not want to fish the pond dry; messing up the stock market wouldn¡¯t benefit anyone.

    After all, the Industrial Revolution needed significant capital support, and a healthy stock market was necessary to ensure industrial development.

    Besides, allowing another incident like the Mississippi Company to happen could spell doom much earlier than expected.

    In front of Paris City Hall, a wooden platform half a person¡¯s height had already been set up early.

    The platform was adorned with numerous ribbons and garlands, as if celebrating a festival. A banner at the top of the platform read ¡°Paris Angel Company Stock Offering Event.¡±

    Chairs filled the area around the platform, and on the platform itself were the counters of stock traders, as well as clerks dispatched by various banks to provide services.

    Most conspicuous was a large, smooth wooden board on the left, with the words ¡°Trading Records¡± engraved at the very top, destined to display trading information in the future.

    The entire trading scene covered an area as large as two modern football fields.

    Due to John Law¡¯s sensational maneuvers, the French people had grown wary of stock trading, and the securities exchange was deserted, crumbling, and cramped after decades.

    Therefore, Joseph simply set up the trading location outside City Hall.

    At 10 a.m., with the uplifting sound of trumpets, people began to scatter flower petals around, and Brent climbed onto the wooden platform and announced loudly, ¡°Paris Angel Company¡¯s stock is now officially on public offering! Anyone can invest here.¡±

    Immediately, an assistant displayed the document signed by the king granting permission for the stock sale to everyone.

    Then, one by one, officials from the Paris City Hall took the stage to offer their congratulations for the listing of the Paris Angel Company.

    But investors could not wait any longer. They paid no attention to the officials and swarmed toward the trading counter, shouting loudly at the traders the number of shares they wanted to buy, almost knocking Brent to the ground with their bustle.

    This spectacle had not been seen in France for decades. Even when some major banks issued stocks, people were extremely cautious, and there were few buyers.

    However, Paris Angel had thoroughly prepared in advance, not only with overwhelming newspaper publicity but also with the actual exclusive stores that appeared all around Paris, where everyone could see the bustling scenes of renovation.

    Just yesterday, three new Paris Angel stores in Paris opened simultaneously, practically emptying the streets. Numerous ladies and misses emerged from the shops squeezing through the doors with their purchases, their faces brimming with excitement and satisfaction.

    It was said that in places like Reims and Marseille, there were even more Paris Angel Exclusive Stores, and even England was preparing to open new stores.

    Moreover, Paris Angel Company promised that if the stock price fell below 80% of the issuing price, the company would immediately use its own funds to buy back all the shares.

    At the same time, the stock price would not exceed the actual value of the company by 30%.

    All these were evidence that there would be no bubble in Paris Angel Company! No risk at all!

    Seeing the booming business of those exclusive stores, everyone was convinced that the stock dividends would be substantial, and they determined this was a rare investment opportunity. Just buy, that¡¯s all!

    Soon, an employee of the stock exchange wrote down the first transaction information on the wooden board displaying trade records¡ª

    Purchase, Paris Angel Company, 2 livres, 30 shares, total 60 livres.

    Then came the second transaction¡ª

    Purchase, Paris Angel Company, 2 livres, 105 shares, total 210 livres.

    The third transaction,

    The fourth transaction,

    The fifth transaction¡­

    Paris Police Headquarters had sent over sixty officers to the trading scene to maintain order, barely keeping the situation under control. The surrounding reporters¡¯ eyes widened as they recorded this astonishing moment.

    At 9 p.m., Brent and the Crown Prince¡¯s personal accountant raced to the Palace of Versailles, excited.

    In the Crown Prince¡¯s reception room, Brent handed a trading report from the exchange to Joseph with somewhat trembling hands.

    The nearby accountant immediately exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Your Highness, a total of 773,000 shares have been sold, amounting to 1.55 million livres!¡±

    The main issue was that due to the limitations of this era, stock trading relied entirely on manual operations, which were very inefficient. The maximum speed traders could fill out forms and banks could reconcile accounts was 2,000 transactions per day, resulting in a total of just over 700,000 shares.

    Outside the City Hall, people kept arriving to purchase stocks, leading to jam-packed conditions, but only a small portion who had arrived early to queue up actually completed the transactions.

    Joseph praised Brent for his work, then calmly instructed, ¡°Transfer all the funds to the Bank of France Reserve. As I said before, you do not need to report back to me until the funds reach 6 million livres.¡±

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Bank of France Reserve (Added for Finance Uncle Ning)

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Bank of France Reserve (Added for Finance Uncle Ning)

    Joseph had just acquired a small bank on the verge of bankruptcy two days ago and then renamed it to the Bank of France Reserve. The entire renaming and registration process was fast, after all, he had connections in the court.

    The bank¡¯s storefront and personnel were already in place, so it had started normal operations from yesterday.

    The next day, the Paris Stock Exchange, at Brent¡¯s request and after receiving a handsome fee, dedicated five additional dealers specifically for the business of Paris Angel Company.

    The speed of stock transactions immediately picked up, and by 4 p.m., close to closing time, a mysterious buyer suddenly appeared and snapped up the remaining 430,000 shares of Paris Angel Company.

    When the transaction information ¡°Buy, Paris Angel Company, 2 livres, 430,150 shares, for a total of 860,300 livres.¡± appeared, the entire trading floor went silent for a moment.

    After about ten seconds, the trading information board displayed: ¡°For sale, Paris Angel Company, 2 livres 2 sous, 40 shares, for a total of 84 livres.¡±

    The record of these 40 shares being bought immediately appeared below.

    Soon, more sell orders emerged, and in less than ten minutes, the asking price had reached 2 livres 5 sous, with all shares being instantly bought up.

    The next morning, the share price of Paris Angel Company opened directly at the high of 2 livres 8 sous, but it was still in short supply, and stock trading suddenly became lively.

    At the trading floor, a young American surrounded by seven or eight bodyguards sat in a corner observing the trading information.

    After a moment, he signaled his assistant with a glance, who immediately approached the dealer and placed a sale of 8,000 shares at 3 livres each.

    The investors didn¡¯t pay much attention, as the price was too high, and it seemed unlikely they would be sold.

    However, within three minutes, these 8,000 shares were all bought up in three separate purchases.

    All present holding stocks realized something was amiss¡ªthe stock price was surely worth much more if someone promptly bought them no matter how high they were offered. In an instant, everyone started to hold back from selling.

    Afterward, the American directed his subordinates to make more than a dozen buys and sales, mostly selling stocks themselves and then buying them back under a different guise, with the sale price increasing each time.

    After the closing, the American youth, along with his bodyguards, went to a nearby upscale hotel, double-locked the room door, placed a large stack of notes on the table, and began to reconcile accounts with Joseph¡¯s personal accountant.

    Yes, this person was the operator Joseph had hired, with all of the bodyguards being from the Royal Guard.

    Due to restrictions from countries such as England and France on company stock sales, the unrestricted United States had become a paradise for stock trading, giving birth to many stock market prodigies.

    Thanks to their skilled manipulation, the closing price had already reached nearly 3 livres 5 sous.

    The headlines of Paris¡¯s newspapers were almost all frantically reporting on the stock price of Paris Angel. Now it wasn¡¯t just Paris; even people from nearby provinces were rushing to buy stocks, and a massive amount of capital flooded into the stock exchange.

    By the sixth day of Paris Angel¡¯s stock offering, when the share price of Paris Angel Company hit 4 livres 5 sous, a large number of sell orders surfaced. However, once the stock price started to slide, someone would immediately step in to buy in bulk and stabilize the price.

    Just after noon, the American operator sold the last batch of 100,000 shares and then left the crowded place, looking relieved.

    Under Joseph¡¯s direction, through his buy-low sell-high operations, he had also sold 200,000 original shares belonging to Joseph, altogether acquiring 6.15 million livres in funds!

    Inside the office of the Finance Minister at the Palace of Versailles, Joseph looked at the loan agreement in front of him with an easy smile, finding it somewhat amusing. He was both an assistant to the Finance Minister of one party and simultaneously the owner of the Bank of France Reserve of the other party; he was literally dealing with himself.

    Finally, he, representing the French Government, signed a loan contract with himself for 6 million livres, at an interest rate of merely 15%.

    The payment of funds was not an issue; at that moment, more than 8.1 million livres lay quietly in the account of the Bank of France Reserve.

    Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans looked at the headline of the Paris News on the table¡ª ¡°Crown Prince Struggles to Address Financial Distress, Government Debt Looming Default.¡± He suddenly grabbed the newspaper and tore it into pieces with force.

    This was the newspaper from the day before yesterday.

    He had received the news this morning that the 6 million livres national debt had been fully paid off, with funds flowing out of that Bank of France Reserve.

    Half an hour ago, representatives from Ravel Bank and Labod Bank had just left. To appease both banks, he had no choice but to allocate more of the British business to them.

    The Duke of Orleans couldn¡¯t help but recall a month ago, at that party, where he had used the opportunity to introduce major French banks to invest in the British automatic spinning machine project, asking the two banks to thwart the 6 million livres loan and get other banks to cooperate as well.

    At that time, he thought it would only take a simple maneuver and the Crown Prince would surely be out of options since the leading figures of the entire French finance industry were by his side at the table. As long as they agreed, no one else could possibly get a large loan from a bank.

    Unexpectedly, that young man managed to secure the funds.

    Soon after, the butler knocked and entered, saluting the Duke of Orleans: ¡°My lord, we¡¯ve found out that the bank was originally called Seltor Bank and had just been acquired by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince a few days ago.¡±

    The acquisition information of the bank was public and easy to check.

    The Duke of Orleans immediately furrowed his brows¡ªhow was this possible? How could the Crown Prince manage to come up with a bank with a capital of 6 million? How did he do it?

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Political Conspiracy

    Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Political Conspiracy

    The Duke of Orleans immediately thought of the Paris Angel Company that Joseph had established.

    He didn¡¯t know much about the shop, having visited only once to buy a one thousand livres VIP card for his mistress¡ªsimply because she had pestered him about it for days.

    However, he had heard that the ladies of the Palace of Versailles were crazily snapping up the expensive cosmetics from the shop as if enchanted.

    The Duke of Orleans then remembered that the papers had been talking about the Paris Angel Company issuing shares these past few days.

    He couldn¡¯t help but squint, it seemed that the six million livres might indeed have come from selling shares. Could a shop that sold women¡¯s skincare products really be worth six million livres?!

    In fact, this was still without Joseph thinking about cashing out in large quantities¡ªhe still had 1.8 million shares of the Paris Angel Company that he could sell, which could net him another six or seven million if he sold them all.

    After the Duke of Orleans had thought through all this, the anger on his face gradually subsided, replaced by a serious and anxious expression.

    If the Crown Prince had been only a bit of a nuisance before, he had now become a serious problem.

    A problem that had to be resolved quickly!

    Public opinion, finance, and the military were three sectors that absolutely could not be controlled by the Royal Family, otherwise he would have no chance of challenging their authority.

    Through the concerted efforts of several generations, the Orleans family had maximized their influence in these three areas at the expense of the Royal Family.

    For example, in the realm of finance, the Royal Family had almost become a tool for the large banks to earn profit. Nearly half of the financial revenue was used to pay interest on debts, and the amount owed was increasing.

    If things continued this way, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Royal Family would collapse under massive debt. That would be the Orleans family¡¯s opportunity!

    In fact, this was indeed how the original historical trajectory developed.

    But the emergence of the Bank of France Reserve was like a breach in the financial sector for the Royal Family.

    In the future, this bank could potentially take on more and more national debt, eventually to be signed off and written off directly by the Crown Prince in control of the bank.

    Not to mention this, even just a little bit of financial initiative gained by the Royal Family would boost people¡¯s confidence in it.

    Therefore, this gap had to be plugged.

    The Duke of Orleans paced back and forth in the room, feeling agitated. He waved towards the butler outside the door: ¡°Donnadieu, help me invite Count Isaac, Marquis of Ludo, Count Capefield¡­ yes, those from the Banking Guild, to go hunting in my estate at Yvel tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    The next day at noon.

    In the vast estate to the west of Yvel, the sun shone on the yellowing grass and bare trees, with the sound of horses¡¯ hooves and the barking of hunting dogs filling the air.

    Dozens of servants directed hundreds of hounds, driving deer from various directions in the underbrush, gradually herding them toward the open space on the southern side of the thicket.

    Sitting in the saddle, dressed in a dark blue hunting outfit, the Duke of Orleans raised his Charleville 1763 short-barrel flintlock gun, took careful aim at a stag in the distance, and firmly pulled the trigger.

    Gunsmoke wafted through the booming sound, the deer disdainfully took a few steps forward, and then lowered its head to graze.

    The Duke of Orleans showed a look of regret and gestured to the middle-aged man beside him with slightly bulging eyes and a hooked nose, ¡°Count of Isaac, it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    The middle-aged man smiled faintly and almost as soon as he raised his gun, he fired. The distant stag collapsed at the sound, twitching weakly where it had just been grazing.

    The people around immediately burst into cheers and congratulated him, while the hunting dogs and servants rushed towards the prey.

    ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve discussed that bank too,¡± the Count of Isaac handed the gun to a servant and then turned to Orleans, ¡°Obviously, he¡¯s violated the universally accepted rules within the industry, for instance by using administrative measures to cancel Labod Bank and Lavier Bank¡¯s government business.¡±

    An older man with a neck so short it was nearly invisible leaned forward and added, ¡°If we don¡¯t stop this behavior, it¡¯s bound to harm everyone¡¯s interests.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans immediately gave him an approving smile.

    ¡°Therefore, I suggest,¡± the old man raised his gun and aimed at the herd of deer, ¡°members of the Banking Guild should unite to boycott the Bank of France Reserve, including refusing its notes and demanding our customers not to conduct any business with it and so on.¡±

    A man in his fifties wearing a beige tight-fitting coat and with a large chin rode up from behind, ¡°But this alone, I fear, won¡¯t stop the Bank of France Reserve.¡±

    Isaac turned to look at the newcomer, ¡°Then, Mr. Necker, what do you suggest?¡±

    Necker respectfully bowed, chest to hand, ¡°I believe that His Highness, the French Crown Prince, dares to act recklessly in the financial sector entirely because of the support of Her Majesty the Queen and the Finance Minister. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to secure the permit for stock issuance from the Paris Angel Company.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans nodded thoughtfully, no wonder the Austrian woman wanted her son to become the assistant to the Finance Minister¡ªwith that, plus Brienne, she could completely control the financial policy. So, the Paris Angel Company and the Bank of France Reserve must also be part of her plot!

    He immediately said in a cold voice, ¡°You¡¯re right. Since Bishop Brienne has chosen to betray, he¡¯s no longer suitable to continue as the Finance Minister.¡±

    Brienne was once the speaker of the ¡°Assembly of Notables,¡± an organization representing the great nobility, and a leading figure against Louis XVI¡¯s tax reform proposals.

    Later, to win over the Assembly of Notables, XVI appointed Brienne as the Finance Minister.

    Only after taking office did Brienne realize France¡¯s finances were riddled with problems, and the state was on the brink of disaster. Tax reform was imperative.

    As a result, he abandoned his personal interests and firmly supported the King, but he was consequently ostracized by the great nobility and the Church.

    Isaac surveyed the few people present, smiling, ¡°If we use our influence to remove Brienne from office and replace him with another Finance Minister, such as Mr. Necker¡­¡±

    People like Isaac held sway over the financial lifeblood of France, and with Orleans¡¯ clout in the political arena, together with the support of the noble class, they definitely had the power to influence the choice of Finance Minister.

    Necker¡¯s eyes flashed with delight, and he immediately bowed, ¡°I will find a way to sever the government¡¯s cooperation with the Bank of France Reserve and push for legislation that revokes the Paris Angel Company¡¯s stock issuance license. All issues will be resolved at their root.¡±

    ¡­

    Joseph was completely unaware that a political conspiracy against him was quietly unfolding.

    He was at that moment presiding over the opening ceremony for the first cohort of new recruits at the newly completed Paris Police Academy.

    Accompanied by the rhythmic beat of military drums, the Police Academy instructors led their students in neat steps in front of the grandstand.

    ¡°Attention! Right turn!¡±

    At the command, the more than two hundred new recruits, arrayed in several square formations, turned together. Through the rising dust, they eagerly gazed at their principal¡ªHis Royal Highness, the French Crown Prince.

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 "Huangpu Police Academy" (Please follow)

    Chapter 54: Chapter 54 ¡°Huangpu Police Academy¡± (Please follow)

    At the viewing stand of the Police Academy, Joseph, clad in a brand-new blue and white Paris Police Force uniform, revealed a warm smile to the instructors and trainees before him and spoke loudly, ¡°First of all, I want to congratulate all of you, for you are going to become the glorious police officers of France!¡±

    ¡°Yes, at present, almost everyone looks down upon, even spits upon the police, but please believe me, this history will end with you!¡±

    ¡°The police of France will be a sacred profession, protecting the public, maintaining public order, and combating crime.¡±

    ¡°From now on, you will be respected by everyone, praised, loved, and girls will flock to marry you.¡±

    After bolstering the morale, Joseph moved on to his key points, ¡°I am delighted to be your principal.¡±

    ¡°Once a principal, always a principal!¡±

    ¡°Please remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter, no matter what adversities you face, your principal will stand firmly behind you, supporting you forever!¡±

    ¡°Even if one day, you graduate from the Paris Police Academy, and even if one day you grow too old to continue as a police officer, this academy will always be the eternal bond between you and me!¡±¡±

    The audience beneath the stage was so moved that they could barely contain themselves, feeling that entering the Paris Police Academy was simply divine favor. Had there not been rules to follow, someone might have already shouted ¡°Long live the principal!¡±

    Joseph raised his hand and made a forceful gesture, ¡°Paris Police Academy officially starts its courses today!¡±

    All instructors and trainees raised their hats in salute and replied loudly, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Subsequently, the Director of Paris Police, Besancon, took the stage and announced, ¡°Please allow the Crown Prince to instate the newly promoted Police Commissioners of the Paris Police Headquarters.¡±

    Immediately, more than a dozen uniformed individuals, under the lead of Alden, came to the center of the viewing stand and stood in a neat row, heads held high and chests puffed out.

    This ceremony had been arranged by Besancon, and Joseph inwardly praised his subordinate thoroughly.

    Although the positions had already been determined, this ceremony declared to everyone that their posts were granted by the Crown Prince himself, to remember whom they serve.

    Joseph took from Besancon¡¯s hand a set of copper collar and cufflinks engraved with the image of a sword, symbolizing the rank of Second Grade Police Inspector, and one by one, adorned them on the several elevating to Police Commissioner.

    After the instatement was completed, the Police Academy instructors led the regular training of the police officers in a drill performance for the Crown Prince, and only then did the entire ceremony come to an end.

    The trainees dispersed in an orderly manner, and Joseph then followed the Dean of Administration, Frient, to inspect this newly established Police Academy.

    Other officers from the Police Headquarters accompanied them at a distance.

    Deliberately lagging a few steps behind, Besancon gave a meaningful glance to a square-faced Police Commissioner, who hurriedly approached.

    With a frown and in a low voice, Besancon said, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you made a move on that matter yet?¡±

    ¡°Director, in fact, I was prepared two days ago,¡± the square-faced police officer hurriedly explained, ¡°but then an individual from the ¡®Daily Affairs Squad¡¯ said he had a better plan.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    The square-faced police officer swiftly recounted the plan, and Besancon immediately smiled, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s just the kind of trick those fellows are best at; this is a good plan.¡±

    The square-faced police officer also smiled, ¡°I think so too. This way, we can severely teach those damned banks a lesson without leaving any trace, so I let them prepare anew.¡±

    Besancon nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Good, proceed as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    As Joseph walked from the academy¡¯s buildings to the training grounds, he shook his head inwardly. The school buildings were extremely rudimentary, clearly repurposed from slums¡¯ dilapidated houses; though the training ground was relatively flat, it was utterly barren, probably only suitable for drill and running exercises.

    However, it can be understood, after all, this place only started to be constructed nearly a month ago.

    But this is his Whampoa¡­ cough, his Paris Police Academy, how can it be so shabby? Especially now that there¡¯s some money in hand, it must be built according to top-tier standards!

    Joseph first pointed to the dilapidated school buildings and said to Bleriot, ¡°Build new buildings over there that can accommodate at least 2000 people. Each room must have a fireplace, and the toilets must be equipped with flushing systems.¡±

    Then he looked at the training ground, ¡°All kinds of training equipment must be fully supplied, climbing frames, rope ladders, obstacle courses, sand pits, mud pits, we can¡¯t just practice drills¡­¡±

    Upon arriving at the academy¡¯s storeroom, Joseph frowned deeply, ¡°Why is it all anti-riot forks and swords, spears? Where are the firearms?¡±

    Bleriot responded somewhat aggrievedly, ¡°Your Highness, back in the Saint Antoine District, didn¡¯t you restore order with just these¡­¡±

    Joseph sighed, ¡°I had no choice at that time. Provided there¡¯s rigorous training, firearms will certainly be more useful!

    ¡°Take note, purchase 500 firearms first. They should be the new guns produced by the Salle-a-Manger Company.

    ¡°Stock up on more gunpowder and lead bullets, and from now on, everyone should fire live rounds 10 times every three days. The Elite Class should do it at least 8 times a day.¡±

    Bleriot nodded in surprise¡ªthe academy currently had only around 200 cadets, and you¡¯re preparing 500 guns¡­ and the amount of live-fire practice far exceeds even the elite troops of the Imperial Guard.

    Joseph, however, was obviously still not satisfied and continued, ¡°Also buy some cavalry horses, let¡¯s start with 50, and hire a stablemaster. Members of the Elite Class must learn horseback riding, and those with good talent can also be taught cavalry tactics like mounted combat and formation charges.¡±

    Bleriot was numbed, alright then, whatever you say we should buy, we¡¯ll buy. But 50 cavalry horses will cost over 300,000 livres.

    After visiting the entire academy, Joseph seemed slightly unsatisfied, smacking his lips and shaking his head slightly, ¡°The area is a bit small.¡±

    Just as Bleriot was about to say that the academy has two hectares of land, which should be enough for training any project, he heard the Crown Prince mutter quietly, ¡°Even if we reduce the load of gunpowder, a cannonball would still reach the city center.¡±

    This time, not only Bleriot but also all the police officers who heard these words felt a twitch in their hearts, From the sounds of it, is the Highness planning to train the police to use cannons?!

    Joseph thought for a moment and instructed Bleriot, ¡°Look around the outskirts of Paris to see if there¡¯s a larger open space, buy one.

    ¡°Build something like military barracks, anti-cavalry defense, I¡¯ll bring over some cannons later¡­ By the way, does anyone here know how to operate a cannon?¡±

    Bleriot and the others exchanged looks, all shaking their heads.

    Joseph said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine, Dibowa is an Artillery Officer, he can teach. Hmm, for a startup phase, this will be about right¡­¡±

    Paris Louvre District.

    Ravel Bank¡¯s largest store in Paris.

    A group of people dressed in blue and white police uniforms, wearing a ruffian look on their faces, carrying anti-riot forks and shields, sauntered in through the doors.

    A bank employee hurriedly greeted them with a smile plastered over his face, ¡°Officer, what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need anything, it¡¯s your bank that needs us,¡± a burly policeman bellowed, ¡°We¡¯ve received a tip that a gang of robbers is planning to rob this place today!¡±

    No sooner had his words fallen than the customers in the bank, whether depositing money or arranging transfers, scampered out of the bank like startled birds, abandoning their transactions and running without looking back.

    The burly policeman gave his subordinates a signal, ¡°Go, guard the door properly! Inspect everyone who comes in carefully, we must not overlook a single robber!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Lady Sangbellon

    Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Lady Sangbellon

    Joseph did not intend to interfere much with the specific preparation and establishment process of the Police Affairs Department. He was an outsider in this area, and preferred to leave the specific work to those who were adept at it, while he would ensure control over the overall direction.

    The people of the Police Affairs Department all watched as the Crown Prince walked away, each one eager to try their hand.

    To tell the truth, when Prosper and the others heard that the Police Affairs Department would be part of the police system, they were quite dissatisfied, even if it was only in name. They had all thought they would be transferred to serve in the Imperial Guard.

    However, after learning that they would receive a high salary sufficient to heal any emotional wounds, all their displeasure immediately vanished, replaced by a surge of motivation.

    ¡­

    When the Duke of Orleans returned to the Royal Palace, his face wore a relaxed smile.

    Just as he was preparing to overturn Brian, news came from the High Court that Brian¡¯s latest tax bill contained extremely tough provisions that took no account of the feelings of the nobility.

    The High Court rejected the bill even before the process was complete.

    It was as if God had arranged it all! This would be an excellent opportunity to deal with Brian!

    At the just-concluded banquet, he had easily completed all the arrangements.

    First was securing the support of influential nobles.

    They would spread the word that Brian would only harm the interests of the nobles, branding him an enemy of all nobles and calling for their class to firmly resist Brian¡¯s policies.

    After that, in alliance with the Justice Minister and the Foreign Minister, they would join forces at the Cabinet meeting to push for a motion to dismiss Brian on the grounds of his incompetence and lack of progress on the tax bill.

    Meanwhile, the entire financial sector would coordinate from the periphery, releasing rumors that Brian did not understand the economy and that only the great banker Necker could save France¡¯s finances. The banking industry would firmly support Necker and work earnestly with him to improve the economy.

    With a multifaceted assault, Queen Mary would be left with no choice but to abandon Brian in order to stabilize the political situation.

    Once Necker took office, everything would once again be under his control!

    The Duke of Orleans walked past the east corridor with a light step, heading towards his study, but suddenly he heard some unusual noises and immediately stopped, turning towards his son¡¯s piano room.

    The door to the piano room was tightly closed, and the sound was becoming clearer. He frowned at the guard standing far away. The latter immediately bowed his head deeply and said softly, ¡°I¡ªI know nothing¡­.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans called out loudly towards the piano room, ¡°Philippe, are you in there?¡±

    Sounds of disarray immediately emanated from inside the piano room.

    Moments later, the door was pushed open. A woman in her late twenties, of a plump figure, ran out in a panic. She was the Duke of Orleans¡¯ son¡¯s piano teacher.

    The woman¡¯s face was flush, her hair disheveled, and her dress was skewed, obviously hastily put on.

    She knelt before the Duke of Orleans, then quickly skirted the wall and hurried away.

    The Duke of Orleans entered with a stern face, only to see his son¡¯s shirt buttons were all done up wrong, and immediately pointed at him and rebuked, ¡°How many times have I told you not to mess around with this kind of lowly trash! You could easily find high-born ladies who would be delighted to be with you¡­.¡±

    Little Philippe, though avoiding his gaze, interrupted him discontentedly, ¡°How could any of those young ladies compare to the charm of Madame Hollate?¡±

    ¡°You!¡±

    Little Philippe shrank back his neck and hurriedly turned and fled from the piano room.

    The Duke of Orleans was about to explode in anger when he suddenly remembered his own experiences at his son¡¯s age with the adult maids in the house, which were far from innocent.

    ¡°`

    He suddenly felt relieved, shook his head, and sighed. At that age, which boy could resist the temptation of those ripe women?

    Speaking of mature allure, the image of a woman he saw at the soir¨¦e instantly came to mind¡ªLady Sangbellon.

    A coquette, the epitome of seduction. Every pore on her body exuded a temptation no man could resist. Numerous noblemen of high status were bewitched by her. She had at least six or seven lovers.

    If Philippe, at such a young age, saw her, he would likely have only one thing on his mind.

    He suddenly let out a snicker, unaware that one of her lovers, Count Capefield, had contracted syphilis.

    Just the day before yesterday, while hunting, Count Capefield boasted to everyone how he had tumbled with Lady Sangbellon before coming, and he had just been diagnosed with syphilis that very day.

    Which means, within a few years, that woman would be covered in sores, emitting the stench of death, and avoided by everyone.

    Syphilis, although treated as a boastful tidbit amongst those nobles, was well known by all as a terrifying terminal illness.

    The Duke of Orleans knew that, in fact, Louis XV had died of this disease.

    How wonderful it would be if they all died from this disgusting disease! He cursed vehemently but abruptly stopped, as if he had caught onto something.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Infect them all with it!¡± A manic joy appeared in his eyes, ¡°That boy will surely not be able to resist Lady Sangbellon¡¯s temptation, and then she will pass it on to him. Yes, just like that!¡±

    He pondered over the plan carefully for a long time, confirming that the success rate should be high and, even if it failed, he would not suffer any loss.

    He immediately called for his butler, whispering a set of instructions.

    ¡°Yes, master.¡±

    Several hours later, in Lady Sangbellon¡¯s house, Viscount Valais said excitedly, ¡°He said that if you can hook the Crown Prince, you¡¯ll receive fifteen thousand livres!¡±

    Lady Sangbellon wrapped her long arms around his neck, her eyes bewitching as she spoke, ¡°So much money? Which significant person is so generous? What does he want to do?¡±

    Viscount Valais naturally did not dare to mention the Duke of Orleans, merely waving his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about who it is. That person wants to get close to the Crown Prince, so he needs to know some of his movements. You just need to get close to the Crown Prince and report on his situations, and you can receive an additional reward.¡±

    Lady Sangbellon was clearly very tempted¡ªseducing a thirteen-year-old boy was almost guaranteed success for a shark like her in the game of love, and there might even be additional rewards from the Crown Prince¡¯s side.

    The French Court was a mess, and even an affair with the King was not uncommon and wouldn¡¯t matter if people knew.

    She suddenly felt that not considering this approach before was a significant loss.

    She giggled and nuzzled Viscount Valais¡¯s face with her nose, cooing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you heartbroken to push me into someone else¡¯s arms?¡±

    The latter pinned her down on the velvet mattress and kissed her, ¡°I can still come to you, so what¡¯s there to fear?¡±

    ¡°Oh you, stop it¡­¡±

    The next day, in Queen Mary¡¯s music room.

    A host of noble ladies surrounded the queen, chatting about various gossip to the accompaniment of gentle music.

    Queen Mary¡¯s lady-in-waiting, Countess Debreninac, suddenly said, ¡°Next week is Saint Nicholas¡¯ Day; shall we hold the masquerade ball as usual?¡±

    Lady Sangbellon, standing at the edge, perked up at this; the Crown Prince would surely attend the Saint Nicholas¡¯ Day ball. It was an opportunity.

    Countless experiences on the battleground of love flashed through her mind, and she immediately spoke up with a laugh, ¡°Every year¡¯s masquerade ball is the same, everyone must be tired of it. This year, I have a great idea!¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Sarabande Dance

    Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Sarabande Dance

    The eyes of the noble ladies immediately turned to Lady Sangbellon, and as soon as she proposed her idea for the ball, it sparked a wave of laughter and cheers.

    ¡°I think this idea is great,¡± Earl Debreninac was the first to affirm.

    Queen Mary smiled and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s very interesting, let¡¯s do it this way this year.¡±

    The noble ladies all echoed one after another, ¡°This year¡¯s masquerade ball will definitely be spectacular!¡±

    ¡°Lady Sangbellon is truly full of wisdom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m planning to dance all night.¡±

    From that day on, a new face suddenly appeared in the Crown Prince¡¯s chamber.

    Charming and seductive, drawing every man¡¯s sideways glance, was none other than Lady Sangbellon herself.

    It was a tradition in the Palace of Versailles for grand nobles to serve Royal Family members, for instance, every morning when the Queen got up, it was common for the wife of a prince or duke to come help her dress.

    Though Lady Sangbellon¡¯s status was not extremely distinguished, she was still qualified to do some miscellaneous work in the Crown Prince¡¯s chamber. Especially after she gave some small gifts to the Crown Prince¡¯s maidservants, her presence could be seen everywhere except in duties assigned to specific hands.

    Lady Sangbellon was very skillful, often appearing within the Crown Prince¡¯s peripheral vision holding a vase or tablecloth, letting other maids shout her name, but never allowing the Crown Prince to notice her directly.

    Joseph had no idea that such a maidservant had been added; there were simply too many birds and swallows in the Palace of Versailles. But after a few days, he had grown somewhat accustomed to her presence.

    A week went by in the blink of an eye, and soon it was Saint Nicholas¡¯ Day.

    Joseph stepped out of his study, extremely unwillingly, under the repeated urging of the maidservants.

    The Queen¡¯s maidservant, Earl Debreninac, came over personally holding a black gown and called for all the maids to help.

    Joseph¡¯s face was even darker than the color of the gown, and if it had not been for Earl Debreninac, who was essentially the chief stewardess, watching over him, he might have already fled the Palace of Versailles.

    The maidservants clumsily removed his coat and trousers, and Earl Debreninac immediately gently pulled the black gown over his head, then helped him stick his hands through the sleeves, and tightened the corset belt at the back of the dress with force.

    Joseph was in pain from being squeezed and hurriedly shouted, ¡°Gentle, gentle, I¡¯m suffocating!¡±

    ¡°The ball is about to start, Your Highness, please cooperate a bit,¡± Earl Debreninac put a semi-transparent silk shawl over him, took out a towering wig with feathers, and carefully placed it on his head, looking him up and down and nodding, ¡°Hmm, it fits very well.¡±

    Joseph looked at the gown on his body and could only think about giving a good beating to whoever came up with this idea¡ªhe had been a perfectly straight man in his previous life, only to be forcibly turned into a cross-dressing aficionado in the 18th century.

    Yes, the theme of this masquerade ball was ¡°gender switch,¡± with men dressing as women and women dressing as men.

    Joseph glanced at his reflection in the mirror and could hardly bear to look; he shook his head and thought to himself, The French people really do play flamboyantly.

    In fact, in some of the private balls of nobles of this era, shameless antics were commonplace. Tonight¡¯s masquerade ball, however, was considered very proper.

    Luckily, Earl Debreninac did not force him to wear high heels, since those were not exclusive to ladies.

    When Joseph put on a mask and walked into the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles like a zombie, a rhythmically upbeat sound of music immediately began to play all around.

    Twenty-four huge Bohemian crystal chandeliers on the ceiling shone dazzling light, illuminating the hundreds of noble ¡°men and women¡± attending the ball who all turned their heads to look toward Joseph.

    The King and Queen had already arrived. Dressed in a bright red swordsman outfit and with a fake short beard stuck to her lips, Queen Mary looked at Joseph and chided, ¡°Miss, you are late.¡±

    Louis XVI wore a deep blue gown, holding a matching silk fan to cover his face, and nodded with a smile toward his son.

    Dressed as a shepherdess, the Chancellor stepped into the middle of the Hall of Mirrors, delivered a series of festive greetings, and then announced the start of the ball.

    Masked men and women started dancing to the music. Within a moment, seven or eight noble young ladies dressed in various men¡¯s attire rushed to Joseph¡¯s side, and curtsied, offering a hand, ¡°Esteemed miss, may I have the honor of a dance with you?¡±

    ¡°Would you care to dance with a police officer, madam?¡± The girl speaking was dressed in the latest Parisian police uniform.

    ¡°Miss, you know, I was the first to invite you.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful lady, please, dance with me¡­¡±

    Though Joseph wore a mask, it was apparent that he was recognized immediately by these fluttering noblewomen.

    According to court etiquette, only those of higher status may invite those of lower status to dance, never the reverse.

    Moreover, it¡¯s traditionally the gentlemen who invite the ladies to dance, but today¡¯s theme was gender reversal. Seizing the opportunity, these young women hesitated not a whit before pouncing on the prince of their dreams, His Highness the Crown Prince.

    In the end, a burly ¡°coachman¡± pushed the other girls aside and grabbed the still-confused Joseph¡¯s hand, dragging him to the center of the dance floor and cleared her throat forcefully, ¡°Ahem!¡±

    She must have given everyone the signal beforehand, as the surrounding nobles immediately stopped and circled around her and Joseph.

    The ¡°coachman¡± asked softly, ¡°Might I inquire, miss, which dance would you like to perform?¡±

    Feeling desperately awkward and following the expectant gazes around him, Joseph could only respond with resignation, ¡°The Sarabande.¡±

    ¡°As you wish,¡± the ¡°coachman¡± signaled the musicians, and immediately a Bach dance tune filled the air.

    Joseph was led into the dance, his movements exceedingly clumsy from only a month of court dance lessons.

    The musicians stared at the Crown Prince¡¯s feet, desperately trying to match their accompaniment to his steps, but clearly, it was a challenging task.

    If they knew the term ¡°Brownian motion,¡± they would certainly use it to describe the Crown Prince¡¯s dance.

    Soon enough, Joseph stepped on the ¡°coachman¡± three times and gave her an elbow¡­

    The girl in the police uniform took advantage of the ¡°coachman¡± rubbing her shoulder to step forward and steal Joseph away, ¡°Beautiful lady, what dance would you care for?¡±

    ¡°The Sarabande.¡±

    Joseph had no choice; it was the only dance he had learned.

    On with the music, on with the dance, and before long, the ¡°police officer¡± too had given up, replaced by a ¡°cavalryman¡±: ¡°What dance do you desire?¡±

    Joseph sighed, ¡°The Sarabande.¡±

    And so, he danced the Sarabande for nearly an hour straight. Despite being harried by his poor dance skills, the noble maidens persisted valiantly, contending eagerly one after another.

    In a corner, Lady Sangbellon, dressed as a scholar, watched with wide eyes as a throng of young girls surrounded the Crown Prince, irritatedly squeezing the ¡°Cartesian Geometry¡± in her hand.

    The idea for the masquerade ball was hers, meant to create a chance to flirt with the Crown Prince, but now she couldn¡¯t get anywhere near him¡ªthe noble young ladies were just too strong!

    Suddenly, she tossed aside the geometry book and sneered with disdain, ¡°Hmph! To think they could compete with me with such meager skills.¡±

    She requested pen and paper from a servant, pondered for a moment, quickly scribbled a note, handed it to Viscount Valais, and signaled to Joseph.

    Finally, after Joseph had changed to his tenth dancing partner, Perna, who had been watching him silently in a cinched white coat, could no longer bear to see his distressed expression, stepped forward, and pushed away a ¡°woodcutter¡± who was about to invite him for a dance.

    ¡°The Prince¡¯s pneumonia has not yet fully healed; it is not advisable for him to engage in prolonged activity.¡±

    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s right!¡± Joseph exclaimed as if he heard the music of heaven, perceiving Perna at that moment as if she were Queen Mary descended to earth, radiating a holy aura.

    He nodded at her gratefully, and like a man escaping his fate, squeezed out of the crowd.

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 I Want to Duel with You!

    Chapter 59: Chapter 59 I Want to Duel with You!

    Perna gazed at the Crown Prince¡¯s retreating figure, worried he might be upset over the dance, and wanted to follow but hesitated.

    Suddenly, she remembered her duty to monitor His Highness¡¯s health and, pursing her lips, she pushed through the glaring noble maidens and chased after Joseph.

    Joseph tightened his mask, yanked off the bothersome shawl, and wriggled his way out of the crowd.

    He took a deep breath and wiped off his sweat. Taking the opportunity while the birds had not yet caught him, he hunched over and slipped out next to the great door of the Hall of Mirrors.

    The night air of Versailles Palace Square was cool and fresh. He stretched his arms and walked at a leisurely pace, feeling much relieved and secretly swearing in his heart never to attend such balls again.

    In the dim light of the courtyard lamps, Eman, dressed as a maid, could barely make out the Crown Prince¡¯s figure and hurried over, ¡°Your Highness, why did you come out so early?¡±

    A graceful figure in a white robe arrived almost simultaneously from the other side, ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±

    Eman turned, slightly surprised, ¡°Miss Perna, why are you¡­¡±

    His gaze swept over the two of them, and suddenly getting an idea, he cleared his throat, ¡°Ahem, Your Highness, I have a little matter to attend to on the other side.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± Perna blurted out, her face flushing red, ¡°I just came to ask if Your Highness is feeling unwell!¡±

    Joseph hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just wanted to get some fresh air. Dancing is indeed exhausting.¡±

    Eman, realizing he might have misunderstood, nodded awkwardly, ¡°Ah, yes, those ladies are indeed too enthusiastic.¡±

    As the three of them stood in awkward conversation, they saw two figures approaching, mingled with the sound of a girl¡¯s sobs.

    ¡°No, Andre, you won¡¯t understand! If possible, I¡¯d trade everything for the time spent with you¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s voice replied, ¡°Oh, Emily, then please marry me! Since compassionate fate has reunited us, I will not miss the opportunity again!¡±

    ¡°But you know it¡¯s impossible¡­¡± The girl tried to hold back her tears, speaking in fits and starts, ¡°My heart lets me bestow all my love upon you, but my reason tells me the entire Vilar family still rests on my shoulders, I must put aside my love for you and turn to another man whose embrace leaves my heart locked.¡±

    ¡°My dearest Emily, I wish I could puncture my own ears not to hear your cruel words, and wish to blind myself not to see the sad tears flowing on your face! Do you know you appear in my dreams every night? I love you, and you love me, isn¡¯t that enough? Should we really let another innocent soul stand between us, to bear our painful feelings caused by this fickle fate?¡±

    The girl began to cry softly again.

    It seemed the young couple was at a critical point in their conversation, and not wanting to disturb them, Joseph planned to walk around them, but found his path blocked by a large topiary of trimmed shrubs behind him, and the couple occupied the way ahead.

    Helplessly, he looked at Eman, who after scanning the surroundings, pulled him behind a maple tree.

    Perna hurriedly followed along.

    But the maple tree wasn¡¯t thick enough, with Eman¡¯s back pressed against the trunk, Joseph and Perna squeezed together, barely keeping out of sight.

    The moonlight was dim, and without close scrutiny, it was hard to detect anyone hiding there.

    The girl¡¯s sobbing voice grew nearer, ¡°Andre, not all love can be blessed with sunlight.

    ¡°You know, my mother values reputation too much, cares too much about the Duke¡¯s title, she¡­¡±

    The man hugged her tightly, ¡°Emily, I¡¯ve just earned a distinction on the battlefield, and now I¡¯ve been promoted to Lieutenant! Please believe me, in a few years, I¡¯ll have a status worthy of you!¡±

    The girl also wrapped her arms around his waist, shaking her head in agony, ¡°But my uncle keeps pressuring me to marry his son, I can¡¯t hold out much longer!¡±

    ¡°No! You cannot marry him!¡± the man urged, ¡°Your mother wouldn¡¯t agree, would she?¡±

    The girl sighed, ¡°Do you know? Actually, it was my mother who suggested that my uncle transfer you to Soissons, to make me forget about you¡­¡±

    ¡°Andre? Soissons?¡± Joseph slightly frowned, then suddenly remembered the voice of the man, ¡°Is he Lieutenant Dawu?¡±

    Eman peeked out halfway, examining the seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl dressed in Crusader¡¯s attire under the dim gaslight, and mused, ¡°She seems to be the Duchess of Villar.¡±

    ¡°Duchess?¡± Perna exclaimed in a whisper, ¡°That girl is a duchess!¡±

    Eman nodded, lowering his voice as well, ¡°Do you know of Marshal Villar? The one who twice defeated the British at Stenkerque and Nerwinden, who routed Prince Eugene¡¯s forces and captured the former Austrian capital of Freiburg.¡±

    Perna nodded, she had naturally heard of the marshal whose fame resounded during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV.

    Eman continued, ¡°This Miss Marie Emilie is the great-granddaughter of Marshal Villar and the current Duchess of Villar. However, her father faced severe punishment during the Seven Years¡¯ War for negligence, causing a great decline in the family¡¯s strength. Still, the Villar name holds considerable prestige in the military, especially in the region of Mulan.¡±

    At that moment, a tall, slender man dressed as a flower girl hurried over, and upon seeing Emilie, he immediately called out loudly, ¡°My dear Emilie, why have you come here? Come back with me, the ball isn¡¯t over yet.¡±

    Emilie retorted coldly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business where I go. Please leave.¡±

    But the ¡°flower girl¡± reached out to grab her, ¡°I am your fianc¨¦, how can I not care about you?¡±

    ¡°No! You are not my fianc¨¦, I have never agreed to it!¡±

    The ¡°flower girl¡± smiled, ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time. Your mother will surely agree to your marriage with me! Without the thirty thousand livres from my father, your family probably couldn¡¯t even maintain the dignity of the Villar duchy.¡±

    From behind a maple tree, Perna puzzled, ¡°Thirty thousand livres is indeed a lot, but would the duchess¡¯s mother really marry her daughter off to a man she doesn¡¯t like just for the money?¡±

    Eman whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the assets and influence of the ducal family of Villar are managed by Major General Villar¡ªoh, that¡¯s Miss Emilie¡¯s uncle.

    ¡°It seems he has quite possibly usurped control from Miss Emilie and her mother, keeping everything firmly in his grasp.¡±

    Joseph sneered, ¡°Such cunning plans, to force his own son to marry Miss Emilie, then everything the Duchess of Villar possesses would become his.¡±

    Perna clenched her teeth in anger, ¡°Shameless! This is utterly shameless!¡±

    The ¡°flower girl¡± spoke, then glanced at Andre nearby, with a mocking tone said, ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you that little officer from Soissons? You actually got to attend a ball at the Palace of Versailles, what¡¯s the matter? Still not giving up on my Emilie?¡±

    Andre had been invited to the ball as a reward for his military service. He glared at the man, ¡°I am deeply in love with Emilie, and she loves me! I will not let her marry you!¡±

    ¡°Ha ha,¡± the ¡°flower girl¡± suddenly laughed, ¡°Someone like you aspires to marry the Duchess of Villar?

    ¡°Do you know how much it costs to run the Villar ducal mansion? Your meager salary would hardly suffice for two days.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Andre began to respond but was somewhat choked up.

    The ¡°flower girl¡± continued, ¡°Listen, even if Emilie were to marry you against all odds, it would only make the Villar family a laughingstock. Her mother wouldn¡¯t be able to lift her head in front of the nobility, why?¡±

    He affected a patronizing tone, ¡°Oh, Lady Villar, I heard your daughter married a poor lieutenant with no significant title? How pitiable you are!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Andre¡¯s eyes burned with fury, and suddenly, he removed his glove and threw it to the ground, drawing his sword fiercely, ¡°I, Louis Andre Davou, challenge you to a duel!¡±

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 I Have a Friend Who Can Tell Fortunes (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60 I Have a Friend Who Can Tell Fortunes (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

    The ¡°flower girl¡± across from her sneered and also drew a sword from her waist, ¡°I, Honore Rocher de Vilar, will make you remember today¡¯s lesson.¡±

    Almost all members of the Vilar family were of military background, and this Rocher was no exception. He was a Major in the Bourges Legion, indeed possessing some courage.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡± Emily cried out in alarm, ¡°Stop fighting, please!¡±

    However, once the two young men had drawn their swords, all they expected was to see each other¡¯s blood.

    Andre attacked first, his Swift Sword thrusting straight for his opponent¡¯s ribs.

    Rocher forcefully smashed down, pressing the tip of the sword towards the ground, and then took the opportunity to stab towards Andre¡¯s calf.

    Andre, who had actually been on the battlefield and seen blood, responded extremely quickly in a life-and-death moment, immediately retreating while wielding his sword upward.

    Rocher dodged in panic, seemingly not expecting the low-ranking officer to have such formidable swordsmanship. He immediately became more spirited and his movements quickened.

    Within the garden¡¯s floral beds, the ¡°lady in red¡± and the ¡°flower girl¡± shuttled back and forth among the shadow of swords, fighting to a stalemate.

    Joseph peered out from behind a tree, sensing that Andre had the advantage. But with the dim light, if one was not careful¡­

    A thought flashed through his mind.

    First and foremost, he absolutely could not allow the future Marshal Dawu¡¯s elder brother to die here.

    Secondly, it was evident that Emily and her mother were being bullied, with their estate about to be plundered, and she was Andre¡¯s beloved; to not lend a hand to the young couple was utterly indefensible.

    Moreover, if Emily and Andre were to marry with his help, they would definitely be able to reclaim the power that belonged to the Duke Vilar. The Vilar family had considerable influence within Mulan¡¯s military, and in the future, they might become a substantial support for him locally.

    ¡°Stop fighting¡­ Andre, be careful¡ª¡± Emily cried seeing the duelists, suddenly running forward, extending her hand to intervene between them.

    Both men were startled and hurriedly pulled back their swords.

    However, Rocher was a split second too slow, and his sword¡¯s tip grazed the girl¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Emily cried out in pain, looking down to see a gash, as wide as a finger, appear on her arm.

    Rocher hesitated for a moment, then proceeded to dramatically clutch his chest in front of the girl, ¡°Oh, dear Emily! I am so sorry, it was not intentional!¡±

    Andre, however, was so frightened that he grabbed his beloved¡¯s hand, speaking incoherently in his rush of worry, ¡°How, how bad is it? Are you seriously hurt? Why did you suddenly run over¡­¡±

    Joseph emerged from behind the tree as this happened, and Eman hastily stepped in front of him, addressing the two swordsmen, ¡°Please put away your weapons!¡±

    Perna promptly opened her small leather case, taking out her tools and approaching to tend to Emily¡¯s wound, relieved to see that it was not serious.

    Seeing the arrival of outsiders, and with Emily injured, Rocher realized they definitely could not continue fighting, so he wiped sweat from his forehead, sheathed his sword, and went to pull Emily, ¡°Hmph, consider him lucky. Emily, let¡¯s go back to dancing.¡±

    Joseph suddenly said in a cold voice, ¡°Excuse me, sir, why are you pulling Marshal Dawu¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Dawu¡¯s? Ha ha!¡± Rocher, not recognizing the disguised Crown Prince, immediately let out a scornful laugh, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. But he will never be able to climb to the status of Duke Vilar.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°Then let us make a bet.¡±

    Rocher paused, ¡°Oh? Bet on what?¡±

    ¡°If tomorrow Marshal Dawu is engaged to the Duke Vilar, you will kiss his boots in public,¡± Joseph said, ¡°If they are not engaged by tomorrow, then Marshal Dawu will kiss your boots.¡±

    ¡°This is not proper¡­¡± Andre objected in shock, speaking out to stop it but then saw the young man winking at him.

    Joseph pointed to Eman and said, ¡°Marshal Dawu, please trust my friend here, he is proficient in prophecy. He has just accurately divined that you will be engaged to this lady tomorrow.¡±

    Eman: ¡°¡­¡±

    Andre felt a sense of familiarity with the voice and suddenly exclaimed in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s the Cro¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately interrupted him with a forceful cough, ¡°Cough! As for this bet, what do you two think?¡±

    Although Andre had no idea at all, since the Crown Prince had said so, he gritted his teeth and nodded, ¡°I agree.¡±

    Rocher scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take that bet.¡±

    ¡°Good, please clap hands.¡± Joseph then signaled to everyone, ¡°All of you present are witnesses, I hope you can uphold justice.¡±

    Rocher didn¡¯t take it seriously, gave Dawu a casual clap, and then strode off.

    Andre wanted to ask the Crown Prince about his plans, but heard the latter say, ¡°I shall not disturb the precious moments of lovers. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±

    He could only suppress the doubts in his heart and watch the three people walk away.

    Only then did Emily remember something and hurriedly waved to Perna¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Thank you for treating my wound, may I know your full name?¡±

    Getting no reply, she sighed softly, turned around, and hugged Andre tightly, thinking that this might be their last moment together.

    After walking a distance, Perna curiously asked Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, how are you going to engage Miss Emily and Mr. Dawu?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°I will persuade Miss Emily¡¯s mother.¡±

    ¡°Persuade?¡±

    Joseph gestured towards the Hall of Mirrors, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go find her now.¡±

    When the three returned to the Hall of Mirrors, the ball was reaching its climax, with everyone moving elegantly to the music.

    Joseph, fearing a siege, stood in a corner and sent Eman to find Emily¡¯s mother.

    No sooner had Eman left than a young man in a sequined dress edged closer, scrutinized Joseph up and down, and then stuffed a note in his hand, pointing to a woman on the second floor of the Hall of Mirrors pretending to be a scholar, ¡°She asked me to give this to you.¡±

    Joseph glanced suspiciously at the seductive woman, opened the note, and saw only one line: I know your greatest secret. If you want it to remain a secret, come to the second room at the end of the east side on the second floor of the south palace.

    The note was from Lady Sangbellon, who was adept at attracting men.

    Usually, the success rates were not very high for those young girls who wrote bluntly, ¡°I admire you,¡± or for lascivious noble ladies who wrote, ¡°I wish to spend a splendid night with you.¡±

    She knew that no one could resist a secret.

    Especially the secret of how someone else could know one¡¯s secret.

    She smiled smugly.

    She had enough confidence that once that thirteen-year-old boy entered her room, he would not want to leave!

    Joseph frowned¡ª his greatest secret?

    Of course, it was the fact that he came from another world.

    Could it be, that woman also traveled here like him?

    At that thought, he immediately turned and left the Hall of Mirrors, heading for the south palace.

    On the other side of the Hall of Mirrors, a young man dressed as a fairy watched Joseph¡¯s departing figure and couldn¡¯t help but narrowing his eyes: the Crown Prince had left behind hundreds of noble ladies here, and it was his second time going out. What was he up to?

    After pondering briefly, he leaped up and followed.

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Mulan Infantry Regiment

    Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Mulan Infantry Regiment

    The following day.

    Many nobles of the Palace of Versailles received invitations to attend a small ball that evening. The ball was hosted by Madam Vilar.

    No one declined because they had danced the night before¡ªattending a ball every night for a month was common for them, but a ball hosted by Madam Vilar was not.

    The fact that the Duke Vilar was having financial difficulties was an open secret.

    At 9 P.M., guests gradually arrived at the modest ballroom. After the host delivered some warm-up remarks, music filled the air. The current Duke Vilar, which is to say, Marie Emilie, with a stranger¡ªa young man¡ªtook the lead in the center of the hall, presenting the opening dance to everyone.

    As everyone whispered to each other asking who the young man was, Madam Vilar, beaming with a smile, asked everyone to look her way and then loudly announced that her daughter, the Duchess Vilar, would be engaged to Louis Andre Davout in three days.

    The crowd was astounded, for nobody knew who this Dawu fellow was.

    Soon after, a nobleman finally heard about Dawu¡¯s origins from his servant:

    ¡°It is said that he¡¯s an obscure little baron serving as a lieutenant in the Soissons Regiment.¡±

    ¡°Why would the Duchess Vilar marry him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard that this Dawu is quite favored by the Crown Prince, but seems to have nothing else remarkable about him.¡±

    ¡°The lad has certainly hit the jackpot¡­¡±

    Madam Vilar did not offer any further explanation and instead warmly invited everyone to continue dancing to their heart¡¯s content.

    In a room of the Palace of Versailles, a young nobleman, breathless, pushed the door open and, disregarding any sense of decorum, shouted at Rocher, ¡°The, the Duchess Vilar is getting engaged!¡±

    Rocher stood up in surprise and asked, ¡°Engaged? Has she accepted my father¡¯s suggestion?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all! It¡¯s with a lieutenant named Davout!¡±

    Rocher felt a darkness before his eyes and quickly clarified the source of the news before storming out of the room.

    Duchess Emilie, with a radiant smile, looked at Andr¨¦ Davout before her and danced gracefully. Their steps were so in sync that they resembled two butterflies playfully entwining in the grass.

    She felt as if all this was simply too surreal, like a dream. She had prepared herself to settle with fate and marry a man for whom she felt nothing, but then, just last night, her mother had unexpectedly said she should get engaged to Davout.

    She couldn¡¯t help but recall the conversation she had with her mother at the time.

    ¡°Lieutenant Dawu is highly esteemed by His Highness the Crown Prince, and he has now been transferred to the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard as an officer, essentially becoming His Highness¡¯s personal confidant and bodyguard.

    ¡°Moreover, His Highness has also said that should Mr. Dawu distinguish himself on the battlefield, he will request from the King himself to bestow the title of Viscount or even Earl upon him!¡±

    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t have much money, and our financial situation¡­¡±

    ¡°No, His Highness the Crown Prince said he guarantees Dawu has a substantial sum of money, at least 50,000 livres.¡±

    Her mother lowered her voice: ¡°Most importantly, His Highness said that Mr. Dawu is exceptionally capable. If you marry him, His Highness will give his full support to help you reclaim everything from Noetta that belongs to you!¡±

    The Noetta mentioned by her mother was Emilie¡¯s cousin. Although the fortune left by the ancestors of the Vilar Dukes had diminished in her father¡¯s generation, they still possessed several dozen hectares of land¡ªnot the titular lands of the Versailles nobility but real fiefs, complete with tenant farmers and seigneurial rights!

    And the immense influence and appeal of the Mulan Infantry Regiment. Although the Vilaral Duchess line has only one female heir left, with little to no contact with the military, a summon in the name of the Duchess would surely gather a crowd within the regiment.

    It was by using the name of the Vilaral Duchess that her uncle reached the rank of Major General.

    No wonder her mother ultimately chose to have her marry Andr¨¦; compared to a life of humiliation under her uncle¡¯s charity, her mother preferred to restore the glory of the Vilaral Duchy!

    Sitting opposite Emily, Andr¨¦ also had a multitude of thoughts. Last night, his Highness the Crown Prince had summoned him, informing him of the consensus reached with the Vilaral family for his marriage to Emily.

    The Crown Prince had also generously lent him 50,000 livres for the wedding and future living expenses, interest-free, with repayment at his discretion.

    However, the Prince also left him with a task, which was to help his future wife reclaim all the resources rightfully belonging to the Vilaral Duchy and, using the foundation of the Mulan Infantry Regiment, train an elite army.

    He was now holding Emily¡¯s tender little hand, completely enveloped in joy, wondering how he could ever thank the Crown Prince¡ªperhaps turning the Mulan Regiment into an invincible force would be the best repayment!

    Suddenly, Rocher burst in, causing a hysterical commotion like a clown, but was gently coaxed out by Lady Vilaral¡ªtoday was a joyous occasion, and everyone should handle matters calmly and peacefully, even disgusting and rude intruders.

    Andr¨¦ saw Rocher glowering at him with venom in his eyes but paid him no mind, quietly pointing to his own boots instead.

    ¡­

    Inside the Crown Prince¡¯s study, Fouche respectfully presented Joseph with a list.

    ¡°Your Highness, these are the members recently recruited by the Police Affairs Department, a total of one hundred and seventy-six people.¡±

    Fouche¡¯s eyes were bloodshot; in preparation for the Police Affairs Department, he had slept only about four hours a day, yet the taste of power kept his spirits exhilaratingly high:

    ¡°Most of them were former Royal Police officers, and some are retired soldiers and the like. As per your orders, I have strictly screened them to ensure they have no serious criminal records and no bad habits.¡±

    Joseph flipped through the roster, which listed each name along with basic background information and specialties.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly remember all these people, but it was a necessary process to show that he was the real controller of this intelligence agency.

    Joseph didn¡¯t know how Fouche had managed to recruit so many people in just over a week and form a preliminary organization, but it was clear that appointing him to head the Police Affairs Department was the right decision.

    He looked at Fouche and praised, ¡°Your work is indeed very effective; you are an exceptional manager.¡±

    ¡°So can you tell me when the Police Affairs Department will be ready to start operations?¡±

    Without hesitation, Fouche replied, ¡°Now, immediately, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Your efficiency truly amazes me. Now, there are two things that need your immediate attention for investigation.¡±

    Fouche immediately took out paper and pen, standing to attention, ¡°Please give your orders, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°I wonder if you are aware of the former Director of Paris Police, Gizo, collaborating with gang members to create chaos in the Saint Antoine District, and the plot to attack the police station?¡±

    Fouche nodded, ¡°Yes, I have heard of this matter.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling there are others involved in this affair, but Gizo has always taken all the blame upon himself. The first matter for you to investigate is whether someone else is behind Gizo and what their motives might be.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Gradually Leveraging the Political Sector

    Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Gradually Leveraging the Political Sector

    ¡°Another matter, not long ago, Ravel Bank and Labod Bank suddenly wanted to suspend the long-standing loans with the government and nearly caused a default on the national debt.¡±

    Joseph said, looking at Fouche, ¡°These two banks¡¯ refusal to lend would only cost them profits, so there must be other reasons behind their actions. I need to know the inside story.¡±

    Fouche immediately bowed and said, ¡°Yes, I will investigate this matter as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Joseph added, ¡°I have some leads that I think might be useful.

    ¡°When I first sought a position in the financial system, the Duke of Orleans did everything in his power to thwart me, and ultimately Her Majesty the Queen had to send me to the city hall.

    ¡°Later, when I took over as the assistant Finance Minister, Archbishop Brienne, worried about my lack of experience, demanded that he oversee all financial affairs, while the Duke of Orleans insisted that I handle the government lending matters.¡±

    ¡°Then came the issue of the banks¡¯ refusal to lend.¡± Fouche, who was taking notes, paused, ¡°It seems that I need to conduct a thorough investigation into the Duke of Orleans.¡±

    He paused, looking at the words ¡°Duke of Orleans¡± on his notes, and frowned slightly, ¡°Your Highness, the Duke of Orleans possesses many privileges. And currently, the Police Affairs Department is a department under the Police Headquarters, with only police authority. As you know, as police, we are not permitted to inquire into the affairs of the Royal Palace.¡±

    ¡°Please continue,¡± Joseph said.

    ¡°What I¡¯m thinking is that if the Police Affairs Department could borrow some of the Royal Police¡¯s authorities, at least those pertaining to postal services, then the progress would undoubtedly be much faster.¡±

    Joseph gave him an approving look; he had been considering this too, and it seemed Fouche had come to the same conclusion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to do that.¡±

    He nodded to Fouche, then emphasized, ¡°However, the Police Affairs Department can¡¯t solely rely on authority to obtain intelligence. It cannot become a simple replica of the Royal Police; relying on intelligence techniques and establishing a vast network of information is fundamental.¡±

    Fouche immediately placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    As night fell, a large expanse of gauzy canopies was erected on the northern lawn of the Palace of Versailles. The melodious sounds of bagpipes and accordions wafted through the air, mixed with bursts of laughter, filling the atmosphere with relaxation and peace.

    This was an open-air cocktail party.

    Joseph did not particularly enjoy attending such social events. Usually, they were filled with rumors and lewd jokes. He would just show his face and then leave swiftly.

    However, today the head of the Secret Police, Count Robel, happened to be there, so he stayed a little longer.

    In a corner of the party, by a small table, Robel, holding a wine glass, said with a troubled expression, ¡°Your Highness, as you know, there really is no precedent for this kind of thing. I¡¯m afraid it has to be discussed in a Cabinet meeting¡­¡±

    Joseph interrupted him with a smile, ¡°Please rest assured, I will report to the King and Her Majesty the Queen. And the Royal Police has nothing to do with those Cabinet Ministers.¡±

    Establishing such a significant intelligence agency, he had to inform the Queen anyway; otherwise, if their tasks collided with the Secret Police, they might end up fighting each other.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Seeing Robel¡¯s evasive attitude, Joseph sighed inwardly¡ªthe Secret Police were the greatest power in Robel¡¯s hands. Although there was the favor of sharing stocks last time, it seemed it was not enough to make him share some of his privileges.

    He had no choice but to use the bait he had prepared in advance:

    ¡°Count Robel, I have always felt that the Royal Police have been treated unfairly.¡±

    Robel was startled, the subject had shifted abruptly, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask in bewilderment, ¡°Your Highness means?¡±

    Joseph spoke earnestly:

    ¡°The Royal Police are always shouldering the safety and security of France, making many great sacrifices for France, yet to this day, they are just a small department within the Police Department. This is too unfair!¡±

    ¡°I believe that the Royal Police should have been made independent a long time ago, as a department on par with the Police Department, and should not even be under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior!¡±

    ¡°In fact, the Royal Police are directly commanded by His Majesty the King and there¡¯s absolutely no need to involve themselves with the internal affairs system.¡±

    At this time in France, the police and intelligence systems were still intertwined and, as per tradition, part of the internal affairs system. In actuality, it wasn¡¯t until Napoleon¡¯s era that the intelligence system completely separated from the police, and sometimes the head of intelligence would also manage the police system.

    This meant that the position level of the Secret Police was greatly limited¡ªyou couldn¡¯t hold a higher rank than the Director of Police Services as a subordinate department of the Police Department, could you?

    Count Robel¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this. If the Secret Police could become independent from the internal affairs system, wouldn¡¯t his position skyrocket from the so-called ¡°State Counselor¡± to ¡°Minister of Intelligence¡± or ¡°Minister of Security,¡± earning him a seat at Cabinet meetings!

    He quickly suppressed his excitement and asked:

    ¡°Your Highness, is this coming from Her Majesty the Queen, or¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me, and it¡¯s a consensus with Count Mono.¡±

    Count Robel was somewhat surprised: The Minister of the Interior was nominally the direct superior of the Secret Police. If he agreed to the independence of the Secret Police, the resistance to this move would be halved, and with the Crown Prince¡¯s support, the chances would be even greater.

    He cautiously looked at Joseph, ¡°Has Count Mono promised your Highness anything?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Joseph shook his head but said with confidence, ¡°I can assure you, he will agree.¡±

    The funding for the Secret Police came from the King¡¯s private coffers and was completely beyond the control of internal affairs, which was in reality of little value to Mono.

    In Joseph¡¯s future financial revenue increase plans, many would involve matters of internal affairs such as real estate development, public transportation, and the like.

    These projects were the real interests of the Minister of the Interior. Joseph was certain that faced with these interests, Mono would not hesitate to discard the unimportant concerns.

    And Joseph intended to use these interests to maximally leverage the political landscape to his advantage.

    Count Robel¡¯s eyes squinted slightly, his years of experience in intelligence work telling him that the Crown Prince wasn¡¯t merely speaking off the cuff.

    He hesitated only for a moment before raising his glass with a sincere smile, ¡°Your Highness, the Police Headquarters gathers intelligence also for the security of France, serving His Majesty the King, which aligns perfectly with the goals of the Royal Police.

    ¡°I believe that in many areas, we can cooperate and support each other.¡±

    Joseph also smiled, ¡°For example, by sharing some minor authority.¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡±

    Joseph clinked his glass gently with his, ¡°To the future Minister of Intelligence, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡­

    The British Ambassador to France, Hartley, finally received a reply from London.

    He slit open the envelope with a letter opener and took out the cipher book kept close to his person, carefully decoding the message.

    The letter discussed many of his recent tasks, but the last two points were of particular importance to him.

    First was to confirm as soon as possible the true stance of the Crown Prince of France towards England, and whether he was as Anglophile as rumored. If so, efforts should be made to court him and use his influence to affect France¡¯s policy towards England.

    Second was to increase as much as possible the Crown Prince of France¡¯s aversion to Prussia, and encourage him to adopt a tough stance towards Prussia.

    The antipathy of the Crown Prince of France towards Prussia was well known; he had uttered in a Cabinet meeting that ¡°a war with Prussia is inevitable.¡± So, as a troublemaker under the code name Blue Star, how could Britain not stir things up here?

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Eden Covenant

    Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Eden Covenant

    ¡°`

    For the first task, Hartley had already set things in motion and now, having received instructions from London, it was merely a matter of sending more people to probe into the Crown Prince of France¡¯s political inclinations.

    From the Crown Prince¡¯s opposition to the expansion of the navy, Hartley deduced that he was, at the very least, not anti-British, so it was possible to arrange relations with him as soon as possible.

    It was said that the Crown Prince was also a mathematician of considerable ability. Hartley quickly decided to send a scholar to make contact with him.

    As for the second item, it was a bit of a headache.

    After Prussia retracted its troops from the Netherlands, its interactions with France were not that frequent.

    After much thought, he found no good angle to exploit; at most, he could spread rumors or smear. It seemed that he could only wait for a better opportunity to arise.

    Hartley carefully put away the secret letter and immediately convened a meeting with his subordinates to instruct them on all the matters mentioned in the letter.

    ¡­

    Bright and early, Joseph welcomed a distinguished guest.

    His mentor for a day¡ªthe ¡°Prince of Mathematics,¡± Mr. Lagrange.

    In fact, Lagrange would visit the Palace of Versailles to teach every other day. But lately, Joseph had been busy all over the place, and the two hadn¡¯t seen each other at all.

    After exchanging polite greetings, the old mathematician slid an exquisitely crafted invitation across to Joseph, earnestly persuading him for quite some time. The gist was that he wanted him to attend an academic conference two days later.

    Actually, Joseph had already received two invitations from the French Mathematical Society, but he¡¯d been too busy to attend and had declined both.

    Half a month prior, Lagrange had formalized and published Joseph¡¯s extension of Rolle¡¯s theorem. By now, he had gained some fame in the French mathematical community.

    At the same time, the Mathematical Society wanted to leverage the Crown Prince to expand its influence, so they brought out a master like Lagrange to extend the invitation.

    Since his teacher had personally requested it, it was difficult for Joseph to refuse again, so he promised he would certainly attend.

    The next day, in the Saint-Germain District of Paris, within the luxurious villa of the noble widow Madame Joison, dozens of scholars from the fields of mathematics and physics stood up to pay their respects to the Crown Prince.

    In that era, the lines between physics and mathematics were not so clear. Physicists often mingled with mathematicians.

    An official from the mathematical society delivered an enthusiastic speech and introduced the Crown Prince at great length before officially opening the conference.

    One after another, people took the stage to present, with most of the content focusing on cutting-edge mathematical topics of the time, and the atmosphere was quite serious.

    More than an hour later, the conference moved into a free discussion phase, and servants began to continuously bring out various delicacies, spreading the aroma of beverages and snacks throughout the room.

    Laughter and lively conversations filled the air as the meeting scene turned into something similar to a mathematical salon.

    Joseph had intended to leave, but Madame Joison, the hostess, kindly brought him a cup of fine red tea and enthusiastically pushed him to the centermost seat. Clearly, the attendance of the Crown Prince greatly honored her.

    Sitting beside Lagrange somewhat reluctantly, Joseph sipped the fragrant hot tea and listened to an elder with white hair to his left describe his ideas on the derivation of a discrete probability distribution within probability theory.

    After the elder had spoken, a buzz of discussion erupted. Joseph could vaguely make out that the elder¡¯s statements hinted at something similar to the Poisson distribution, though it was still a good distance from a finished product. Hmm¡­ he wondered if Poisson had even been born yet.

    Soon after, Lagrange stood with his manuscript and began to expound his theorems and ideas linking functions to their derivatives. Since his in-depth discussion with Joseph about Rolle¡¯s theorem, he had deeply studied the subject and recently made significant breakthroughs.

    The audience likewise gave him high praise and engaged enthusiastically in the discussion.

    Subsequently, several other scholars spoke. While they did not have the depth of the previous two masters, most had clever approaches and novel perspectives, offering substantial academic value.

    Just then, a young scholar wearing a dark grey short coat cleared his throat, drawing everyone¡¯s attention before starting a speech on the negative influences of Protestantism on science.

    Joseph, quite surprised, whispered to Lagrange for confirmation that this man was not a member of the clergy but an assistant professor of physics from the University of Paris.

    Having finished his speech, the young professor unexpectedly won bursts of applause. Everyone present, except for a few including Lagrange, praised and expressed their agreement with his views loudly.

    From there, the discussion took a somewhat skewed turn.

    A short, plump middle-aged man talked vehemently about the industrial espionage perpetrated by the British against French science and technology, claiming that such actions cost France tens of millions of livres annually.

    Joseph frowned slightly. In this age, the absence of patent laws meant that it was common for England and France to steal each other¡¯s technological achievements. However, France tended to steal more from England, contrary to what the round man suggested. Plus, such talk seemed somewhat inappropriate for an academic conference.

    But the others apparently didn¡¯t think so, as they quickly started a barrage of criticisms against the Brits, with sneers and insults filling the air.

    The brown-haired young man sitting behind and to the right of Joseph loudly recounted the leading history of France in academic matters, item by item, denouncing the British for plagiarizing French achievements, and finally expressed his scorn for the British academic community through gritted teeth.

    ¡°`

    Someone cried out excitedly:

    ¡°Therefore, the British will never surpass France in the world of science!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, look at their foolish papers, claiming that light is a wave, ha ha!¡±

    ¡°They always come up with such laughable stuff, and are so pleased with themselves.¡±

    ¡°Only France can lead the progress of science; it is the will of the Lord!¡±

    The French academic community was still very arrogant at the time, and coupled with the age-old enmity between England and France, denouncing England had become politically correct.

    ¡°Has Britain ever had a great scholar? No!¡± The brown-haired young man exclaimed excitedly, waving his hands.

    Then, he looked at Joseph, seeking support and bending forward, said, ¡°Your Highness, you agree, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Joseph sighed, shook his head slightly, and whispered, ¡°They have Newton.¡±

    The room grew quiet, and dozens of eyes turned to Joseph as if they didn¡¯t expect the Crown Prince to speak for the British.

    Joseph thought for a moment, then stood up, as the atmosphere and those arguments just now had made him uncomfortable: ¡°Actually, Britain also has many commendable aspects in science.

    ¡°Besides Newton, I think everyone is familiar with Mr. Taylor, whose Taylor series is often used in calculating trajectories.

    ¡°And Maclaurin¡¯s ¡®Structural Geometry.¡¯

    ¡°In fact, more often than not, Mr. Watt¡¯s steam engine might bring even more astonishing impact; in the textile field, all of France has already felt that threat.

    ¡°Speaking of textiles, an Englishman not long ago invented an automatic loom¡­¡±

    A middle-aged man with spirited eyes and a large nose said softly, ¡°Cartwright.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, Cartwright.¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°If this loom is combined with the steam engine, it will be a crushing blow to the entire world¡¯s textile industry.

    ¡°France indeed has many very excellent scholars and has made astonishing academic achievements, but we must also see that, in many ways, the British have actually moved to the forefront¡­¡±

    His reason for saying this was to remind the French scholars present that the battle for the Industrial Revolution was imminent, and the next technological explosion was coming.

    Steam engines and textile technology are areas that must be focused on; they will be the core pillars that determine the Industrial Revolution.

    Being caught up in France¡¯s past academic glories or envying the progress of the British will only lead to a complete loss in the Industrial Revolution.

    After he finished speaking, the room suddenly grew cold, and for a time, no one stood up to speak, as if caught in the struggle between arrogance and reality.

    The middle-aged man with a big nose approached Joseph¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, what you said was excellent! I didn¡¯t expect you to be so knowledgeable about England.¡±

    Joseph nodded and smiled at him.

    The middle-aged man continued, ¡°Some years ago, I thoroughly investigated British industry and technology for the Anglo-French trade negotiations. Just as you mentioned, Britain has gained a lead over France in many technologies. It¡¯s a pity that insightful people like you are too few; most are still indulging in arrogance¡­¡±

    ¡°Trade negotiations?¡± Joseph looked at the middle-aged man, ¡°May I ask who you are?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my excitement has made me forget basic courtesies; I¡¯m really sorry. My name is Dupont, Pierre Dupont.¡±

    That name was too familiar. Joseph immediately asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who participated in the American Independence negotiations and run a company in the chemical industry?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, Your Highness,¡± Dupont said, surprised, ¡°You know me?¡±

    Joseph internally nodded to himself, realizing this was indeed the well-known industrialist Dupont he had encountered here.

    ¡°I have heard of you.¡±

    So, the two began to talk about British industrial technology, and soon the topic shifted to Anglo-French trade negotiations.

    ¡°Your Highness, ever since the death of Count Vergena, our negotiations with the British have stalled¡­ The Single Tax Plan has also failed to be implemented,¡± Dupont said with concern, ¡°You are aware that the negotiations are actually incomplete, and the ¡®Eden Treaty¡¯ that has been signed is very disadvantageous for France.¡±

    What he referred to as the ¡®Eden Treaty¡¯ was the Anglo-French trade treaty that was just signed last year, in which both sides made a series of restrictions on tariffs¡ªFrance significantly reduced tariffs on British industrial goods, while Britain reduced tariffs on French wine and some agricultural products.

    As a result, French industry lost tariff protection and was battered by the technologically superior British. The increased sales of French wine and agricultural products could not make up for the huge losses in industry.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°This treaty was signed under very inappropriate conditions, causing disastrous effects on French industry.¡±

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Master of Public Opinion (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Master of Public Opinion (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Dupont nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with agreement: ¡°Yes, Your Highness, this is indeed a disastrous treaty. After the reduction of tariffs, a large number of textile workshops in Lyon have closed down, and the steel industry is also in jeopardy, leaving thousands of workers unemployed.¡±

    He continued speaking for a while longer as officials from the mathematics society began delivering their concluding remarks on stage, announcing the end of the academic conference.

    The attendees respectfully made way, allowing the pathway to be clear for the Crown Prince, the most distinguished person present, to leave first.

    Joseph bid farewell to Lagrange and a few other scholars before turning to walk towards the door.

    Dupont hurriedly caught up with him, cautiously saying, ¡°Your Highness, during the original negotiations, the British had already agreed in principle to the ¡®single tax plan.¡¯ If the negotiations could continue, perhaps France could secure even more favorable terms.¡±

    He was one of the presidents of the French Chamber of Commerce, responsible for northern France, and also a major capitalist. The reduction of industrial tariffs by France had a very significant impact on him personally. Encountering the Crown Prince today, who was well-acquainted with Anglo-French technological industrial conditions, he naturally seized the opportunity, no matter how small the possibility, to try his utmost to facilitate the modification of the treaty.

    Dupont had been involved throughout the Anglo-French trade negotiations. From his earlier conversation with Joseph, it was clear that the talks were initially led by the Foreign Minister, the Count of Vergena, and the Finance Minister, Viscount Carolina.

    But now, one of these two men was deceased, and the other had been dismissed over the tax legislation affair, causing the negotiations to halt, but a preliminary ¡°Eden Treaty¡± was signed.

    Considering the current situation, the British had already reaped tremendous benefits and certainly wouldn¡¯t want to modify the treaty. At present, the only solution was to quickly enhance France¡¯s industrial strength and competitive edge.

    Of course, employing certain strategies to scrape out some minor benefits from the trade negotiations should still be possible.

    Thus, he stopped in his tracks and said to Dupont, ¡°I will bring this matter up in the Cabinet meeting, striving for the trade negotiations to resume as soon as possible.¡±

    Dupont was overjoyed and promptly bowed, saying, ¡°Your Highness, you are the savior of countless French industries! You are truly great!¡±

    As Joseph left Madame Joce¡¯s villa, a young man who had attended the academic conference, seemingly lost in thought, stumbled ahead with his head down, inadvertently heading straight towards him.

    Eman, quick to react, hurriedly intercepted him.

    It was only then that the young man with the horse-like face realized that he had almost run into the Crown Prince. With a look of panic, he placed his hand on his chest and apologized, ¡°Oh, Your Highness, I did not mean to offend you.¡±

    He spoke in English.

    Joseph, instinctively, responded in English as well, ¡°It¡¯s all right, you didn¡¯t bump into me.¡±

    The horse-faced young man offered another apologetic smile, still speaking in English: ¡°You see, I was born in Birmingham, and I just revert to my hometown dialect when I¡¯m nervous.¡±

    Joseph made a courteous remark, ¡°Birmingham is a nice place.¡±

    The horse-faced young man beamed with gratitude and said, ¡°Thank you for the compliment. Oh, I was listening to your lecture, and it seems you hold England in high regard.¡±

    Joseph, thinking the young man was trying to ingratiate himself, casually praised his hometown a few words, ¡°Well, British industrial technology is progressing very rapidly. (That¡¯s a fact)

    ¡°And they are very skilled at international politics and diplomacy. (Natural troublemakers)

    ¡°When it comes to cooking, they¡¯re quite innovative. (Dark cuisine)

    ¡°Furthermore, the British are very practical and thrifty. (Old-fashioned and stingy)¡±

    Excitement flashed in the young man¡¯s eyes as he was about to say something more, but Eman, standing nearby, cleared his throat with a cold expression.

    The young man with the horse-like face could only offer an awkward smile, bowed again, and said, ¡°I won¡¯t keep Your Highness any longer. Have a safe journey.¡±

    He watched Joseph depart, then immediately boarded his own carriage and headed straight for the British Embassy in France.

    ¡°You mean to say that the Crown Prince of France has been conversing with you in English?¡± Hartley looked at his subordinate with some surprise.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Hartley,¡± the young man with the horse-like face asserted firmly, ¡°his English is very fluent, and he has a high regard for England. At the academic conference just now, he publicly refuted remarks that slandered England.¡±

    He then repeated Joseph¡¯s words in detail.

    Hartley¡¯s expression turned contemplative; the French people, especially the Royal Family, were quite hostile towards England and didn¡¯t deign to learn English. Latin was their preferred language. This made a Crown Prince who knew English very exceptional indeed.

    All signs were increasingly pointing towards one conclusion: the Crown Prince of France must be very pro-British, or at least he held England in high esteem.

    If Joseph knew what he was thinking, he would definitely laugh out loud¡ªlearning English was a necessity for his academic studies. As for a fondness for England? Don¡¯t make him laugh; in his previous life, he had a strong dislike for England, the troublemaker marked by the Blue Star, and now he thought daily about how to deal with France¡¯s greatest enemy.

    Hartley fumbled for the armrest of his chair, more convinced than ever that he needed to establish contact with the Crown Prince of France as soon as possible. He took out paper and pen and wrote a letter, which he instructed his subordinate to deliver to a lady at the Palace of Versailles.

    After the subordinate took his leave, Hartley was reminded of London¡¯s instructions to sow discord between Prussia and France. He ordered an attendant to prepare a carriage and then set off for the Royal Palace.

    ¡­

    The Duke of Orleans looked at the newspaper the butler had just brought and couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.

    The ¡°French Messenger¡± newspaper filled two entire pages with a detailed introduction to the tax clauses in the tax law recently rejected by the High Court. Everything from the reasons behind the levying of the tax, who would be taxed, to the impact the taxation would have on the country, was explained in very simple terms.

    There was also a feature article by a journalist, narrating the King¡¯s efforts to implement the new tax law. However, it only mentioned that the tax law was proposed by the former Finance Minister Carolina and had been rejected by the High Court twice. Clearly, there was more to come.

    He then picked up another newspaper with similar content.

    ¡°Archbishop Brienne has finally gotten smart,¡± the Duke of Orleans said with a smile.

    Since last year, when Carolina proposed the new tax law, the French Government had been intent on enforcing the law by authoritarian means. When met with resistance, they resorted to continuous compromise without realizing the need for public support through propaganda.

    It was only now that the Finance Minister had finally begun to drum up support for the tax law in the newspapers.

    Truth be told, the new tax law did not overly affect the lesser nobility and commoners, especially after the recent amendments, which targeted primarily the great nobility. With the right publicity, it was bound to gain broad support across France.

    The Duke of Orleans tossed the newspaper aside, his face full of contempt. He and the banking magnates were plotting to use the rejection of the law by the court to push for Brienne¡¯s dismissal; they had no intention of allowing him to shape public opinion.

    ¡°To think of using newspapers to pressurize the High Court¡ªBrienne¡¯s idea is too simplistic,¡± he said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

    After years of investment and courtship, nearly half of Paris¡¯s newspaper and ¡°pamphlet¡± industry was under his control, and, aligned with the great nobility associated with him, they nearly dominated the entire publishing and printing industry in Paris.

    At this moment, his word was the direction of public opinion!

    He was the master of public discourse!

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Story of the British Ambassador

    Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Story of the British Ambassador

    A black carriage made its way to the front of the Royal Palace.

    The guard immediately approached to stop it, ¡°This is the Royal Palace. Please state your name.¡±

    The coachman took out a small copper tag and flashed it. The guard promptly opened the gate and bowed his head, saying no more.

    The carriage went directly to the east side of the Royal Palace and stopped. A person dressed in a black robe, with the brim of the hat pulled down very low, quickly walked up the steps and entered through the door with great familiarity.

    The Duke of Orleans was seated at a desk, pondering a matter in his head, just about to put pen to paper to write a letter, when he heard the voice of the butler from outside the door, ¡°My lord, Mr. Hartley, the British Ambassador, has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Let him in.¡±

    After a moment, the door was pushed open, and Hartley, dressed in black, gestured with a hand over his chest toward the Duke of Orleans, saying with a smile all over his face, ¡°Oh, Philippe, my old friend! It has been some time since we last met.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans nodded with a smile, ¡°Dear David! What brings you to me today?¡±

    After exchanging pleasantries, Hartley got to the point, ¡°Philippe, as you know, London is always giving me trouble. And here in Paris, I can only rely on you, old friend.¡±

    ¡°Speak openly if you need something.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to publish something in the newspapers.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve come to the right person,¡± said the Duke of Orleans with a laugh, ¡°Tell me, is it an advertisement, or some kind of notice?¡±

    ¡°Uh, to be precise,¡± Hartley spread his hands, ¡°it¡¯s about publishing some stories.¡±

    ¡°Stories?¡±

    ¡°Some tales about the Prussians,¡± said Hartley. ¡°For example, a story of Duke Schwarz of Prussia competing with Earl Filson for Queen Mary.¡±

    ¡°Duke Schwarz? I didn¡¯t know there was a¡­¡±

    Mid-sentence, the Duke of Orleans suddenly broke into an understanding smile, ¡°Oh, I see, never mind if there¡¯s a Duke Schwarz or not, the crux is the story with the Austrian lady.¡±

    Hartley nodded, ¡°You are indeed a clever man. There¡¯s also a story about Baron Ramos of Silesia having a secret rendezvous with Princess Therese.¡±

    Silesia had by then been incorporated into Prussia. Princess Therese was the eldest daughter of Louis XVI, Joseph¡¯s sister. And, of course, everything Hartley said was sheer fabrication.

    The Duke of Orleans casually added, ¡°Baron Ramos¡¯s female slave was taken fancy to by the Crown Prince during his secret meeting, and it¡¯s said she is now with child.¡±

    Hartley¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°If you were a screenwriter, you would be famous all over Europe. Let¡¯s do it this way, please get these published as soon as possible.¡±

    All these matters touched upon the honor of the Royal Family, and without the Duke of Orleans¡¯ connections, they simply would not appear in the newspapers.

    The Duke of Orleans smiled slightly, ¡°This won¡¯t be an easy thing to do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I came to trouble you, aren¡¯t all the newspapers in Paris under your control?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans noncommittally said, ¡°The money I invested last time in the British automated loom industry, a sizable part of it is still under review.¡±

    Hartley nodded, ¡°I can help hurry that along for you. You know how inefficient those government officials can be.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans finally showed a look of satisfaction, ¡°Then I¡¯m counting on you. As for those stories of yours, they should soon become common knowledge.¡±

    Not long after, Hartley left.

    The Duke of Orleans immediately wrote letters to several major newspapers under his control, mainly to arrange how to deal with the tax legislation issue, and in the end, he mentioned the story of the British Ambassador as well.

    ¡­

    At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Joseph¡¯s carriage left the Paris Police Academy and hurried back to the Palace of Versailles.

    He now had to study at the Police Academy two to three times a week, mainly taking classes on tactical command, military cartography, and logistics.

    He was well aware that with the deepening of the Industrial Revolution, the European continent would begin to destabilize, with the redistribution of interests between old and new powers, leading to endless wars.

    Only by mastering sufficient military knowledge could he ensure the security and stability of France.

    At this time, France did not yet possess the attribute of capitulating at the speed of light, it was even quite martial; a king who could lead France to victory would be adored by all French people, wielding supreme authority.

    Even if he did not personally go into battle to fight, at the very least he needed to know which battles could be fought and which could not.

    Therefore, he had to study the basic military courses, and at the same time, he could give feedback to the military instructors at the Police Academy.

    Topics like infantry-artillery cooperation, cavalry-artillery cover, concentrated use of artillery, and even military theories such as grand envelopment that had not yet emerged. Although he could not teach them thoroughly, they were like opening the doors to a new world for the instructors.

    With a concept and general direction in place, they could continue to refine and perfect it, and then incorporate it into the military training curriculum.

    A few days ago, Dibowa had already arrived at the Police Academy to take charge of the ¡°Strategic and Tactical Research Office¡±. He was very surprised why a school that trained police would study strategy and tactics, but he gladly accepted the position nonetheless.

    After he saw Joseph¡¯s advanced military theories, he completely understood the necessity of this research office¡ªthe level of military theory at this Police Academy was absolutely much higher than that of the Paris Military Academy! He felt fortunate in his heart to be valued by the Crown Prince and to be stationed at this military school, oh no, it should be Police Academy.

    A ¡°Police Academy¡± equipped with a large number of military horses, as well as three four-pound cannons and one eight-pound cannon¡­

    Joseph sat in the jolting carriage, silently repeating to himself about the spring suspension he had not had the time to deal with yet, and casually picked up the newspaper on the small table in front of him to browse through.

    Recently, the propaganda about the tax reform bill had been very effective. In just a few days, he had heard people discussing the new tax clauses on the streets of Paris.

    If this trend continued, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the grand nobles of the Assembly of Notables found it difficult to stir up public opinion to oppose the Royal Family.

    However, when he saw the front page of the Voice of the City newspaper, he couldn¡¯t help but frown¡ªthe top story for that day was about the murder of a noblewoman.

    He then snatched up the Paris News, and to his surprise, the front-page headline was, ¡°New Tax Legislation, Brian¡¯s Attempt to Arbitrarily Impose Taxes?¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face darkened as he read on; the article was full of sophistry, twisting concepts, portraying the tax legislation as arbitrary impositions by the Royal Family due to excessive extravagance, likely to have a very negative impact.

    He slammed the newspaper on the table angrily, How could such a thing pass the news review?! What were those reviewers doing¡­

    He then realized that the news review was a subordinate department of the High Court, and since the High Court was opposing the tax reform bill, they naturally turned a blind eye to such messy articles.

    Joseph looked at the France Messenger newspaper, and not unexpectedly, its front page headline was, ¡°The High Court Refuses Registration! This May Be the Victory of Freedom!¡±

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Press Association

    Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Press Association

    Joseph picked up ¡°The Citizen¡¯s Daily¡± again and unfolded it, the front-page article essentially said: the new tax law had not undergone strict scrutiny and was concocted by the former Finance Minister Carolina out of thin air. If implemented, it would have unpredictable effects on France.

    The several other newspapers conveyed more or less the same message, essentially beating around the bush and attacking the tax law with all kinds of absurd reasons.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but think of those unscrupulous self-media of later generations¡ªyou talk reason to them, they talk history. You talk history to them, they get sentimental.

    Anyway, all sorts of twisted logic were thrown around, simply avoiding a direct and straightforward discussion of the issue itself.

    He looked for a long while but found only one paper, ¡°Paris News,¡± that continued to publish an analysis of the tax law.

    When he turned to the author¡¯s name, he saw it was signed ¡°Jean-Paul Marat.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. If this Marat was the same figure as one of the core leaders of the Jacobins during the great Reign of Terror period, this was a perfect irony.

    The only voice for the Royal Family¡¯s tax law turned out to be the future Jacobin leader, the most ruthless and relentless opponent of the Royal Family.

    By the time Joseph had roughly flipped through the newspapers on the table, his face was as dark as water.

    Overnight, articles introducing the tax law had disappeared, and the entire press was strikingly unified, starting to viciously attack the tax laws.

    Someone must be pulling the strings behind this.

    Overtly opposing the Royal Family.

    Arrogant, utterly arrogant!

    Joseph glared at those newspapers, his fists clenched tightly. It was just some news agencies, after all. Since they dared to be so troublesome, let them taste whether the royal hammer was hard enough!

    He was so focused on the tax law that he didn¡¯t notice the article tucked away in the corner of ¡°The Citizen¡¯s Daily¡±¡ªseemingly an introduction to the lives of the nobles at the Palace of Versailles, but subtly hinting that a ¡°Duke of Schwarz from Prussia¡± might be Queen Mary¡¯s lover.

    In Joseph¡¯s hands, these newspapers with larger circulations were still relatively reserved. On some of the smaller papers, there were already numerous articles published insinuating scandals about Queen Mary or Princess Therese and their ¡°Prussian lovers.¡±

    And pamphlets with more explicit descriptions were increasingly appearing in the streets and alleys of Paris.

    The so-called ¡°pamphlets¡± were a very unique kind of publication that were mostly circulated in secret to avoid regulation.

    These pamphlets, of low print quality and cheap price, focused on ¡°the three vulgarities¡± and thus had a very wide audience, selling much more than newspapers.

    Joseph had intended to go directly to discuss with Robel how to deal with the wicked press, but by the time he returned to the Palace of Versailles it was already past nine in the evening, so he had to suppress his anger for now and wait until tomorrow.

    ¡­

    At the office of ¡°Paris News,¡± a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and deep nasolabial folds hurried into the editor-in-chief¡¯s room with just-printed proofs in his hand: ¡°Mr. Darmanin, why wasn¡¯t my article analyzing the relationship between the tax laws and the people published?¡±

    The editor-in-chief, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, looked up with an apologetic smile: ¡°Mr. Mara, it¡¯s the demand of the Press Association. They say that disclosing too much of the law could subject the court to too much external interference.¡±

    Mara protested loudly, ¡°But it¡¯s the taxes French people have to pay; the people have the right to know the details!¡±

    The editor spread his hands: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really can¡¯t help it. I must adhere to the rules of the Press Association.¡±

    After arguing his point for a while and seeing that the editor was resolute, Mara left in anger: ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Darmanin. There will surely be newspapers willing to publish my article!¡±

    The editor looked after him helplessly and shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen¡­¡±

    The next day.

    After a simple breakfast, Joseph set off for the office of the head of the Secret Police.

    No sooner had he arrived at the entrance when he heard the angry voice of a young girl emanating from inside, ¡°These vile, disgusting, low-life scum! How could they concoct such shameless lies?!¡±

    Seeing the Crown Prince arrive, the guard at the door promptly bowed and pushed open the grand doors for him.

    Joseph entered the office to find a young lady slightly older than himself, hands on hips, glaring furiously at Count Robel.

    The girl was not tall, dressed in a white, wide-skirted dress, with a hint of baby fat on her face, skin delicate and porcelain-like, and a pair of eyes as clear and bright as sapphires.

    A name immediately sprung to Joseph¡¯s mind¡ªMarie Therese. Louis XVI¡¯s eldest daughter, the Princess of France, his own dear sister.

    Joseph remembered she had been unwell and was convalescing in the more suitable environment of Meudon Castle; how had she suddenly returned to the Palace of Versailles?

    Hearing footsteps, Therese turned around, and upon seeing Joseph, she quickly curtsied before breaking into a warm smile, ¡°Joseph, my dear brother, it¡¯s so wonderful to see you. Has it been three months since we last met?¡±

    Joseph placed a hand on his chest in a gesture of respect, ¡°It has been a long while, dear sister. Why have you returned, and how is your health?¡±

    ¡°How could I not come back?¡± Therese said as her face set into a scowl again, ¡°It¡¯s all because of those detestable rumors that torment me every single moment!¡±

    ¡°Rumors?¡± Joseph looked at Robel in surprise.

    ¡°Those tabloids like the Paris Post, The Spectator, and such. And pamphlets.¡±

    Seeing Joseph shake his head, Robel pulled out two newspapers from the desk, flipped to a particular section, and, after a cautious glance at Therese, handed them to Joseph.

    Joseph quickly skimmed the papers and his brow furrowed immediately.

    Several articles hinted or insinuated that recently a Prussian noble had arrived in Paris, and was having an improper relationship with the Queen and the Princess. One even mentioned that he had been involved with a brown-skinned female slave.

    Therese said angrily, ¡°Since the afternoon before last, these shameful publications have been appearing in the newspapers! I had no choice but to rush back.¡±

    She looked at the head of the Secret Police again, ¡°Count Robel, as you heard from Her Majesty the Queen just now, we must severely punish the rumor-mongers!¡±

    So she had already gone to Queen Mary to complain.

    Robel immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. In fact, I had already dispatched people to deal with it yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Did you shut down those newspapers?¡±

    Robel hurriedly said, ¡°No, Your Highness, that¡¯s certainly not possible.

    ¡°However, we confiscated the printing plates of a few newspapers like the Paris Post and fined them heavily. Oh, and we arrested the editor of The Joyful One; he is currently being questioned.¡±

    Therese was far from satisfied, ¡°They insult the Royal Family, and they only receive such a light punishment?¡±

    The head of the Secret Police seemed quite helpless, ¡°Your Highness, the truth is, there are no words that directly insult the Royal Family in their text.

    ¡°I know, the content is full of innuendos that can easily be misunderstood, but the court will definitely not rule the newspapers at fault for this.¡±

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Control Public Opinion, Use It for My Benefit!

    Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Control Public Opinion, Use It for My Benefit!

    Robel continued, ¡°Your Highness, if we forcibly shut down the newspaper office without the court¡¯s support, public opinion will be extremely unfavorable to the Royal Family¡­¡±

    ¡°As you know, a few years ago there was a fuss over something called ¡®freedom of the press¡¯. The Royal Police arrested some people, and as a result, a large number of articles criticizing the Royal Family emerged. In the end, His Majesty had to release them.¡±

    This was the peculiar situation in France at the time.

    Under the guidance of the nobility, novelists and tabloid journalists frequently fabricated ¡®little stories¡¯ about the Royal Family. And as long as these people weren¡¯t caught red-handed, they wouldn¡¯t encounter any trouble. For the common people, reading various scandalous anecdotes about the Royal Family had become a routine pastime.

    On the contrary, any sign of dissatisfaction from the Royal Family would be seized upon and blown out of proportion, leading to all sorts of criticism.

    In the end, it was the result of the Royal Family completely losing control over the narrative in public discourse.

    Seeing that Therese remained silent, Robel carefully added:

    ¡°Moreover, Your Highness, shutting down a few newspaper offices won¡¯t have much effect. Close one, and two more will spring up, continuing to fabricate rumors. Even if all the unofficial newspapers were shut down, as the old King Louis XV once did, they would continue with pamphlets¡­¡±

    ¡°Actually, Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s point just now was to try to control the situation as much as possible. Of course, if there is concrete evidence, we must severely punish the rumor-mongers.

    ¡°Look, like the editor of ¡®The Joyful One¡¯, I found a manuscript of rumors bearing Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s name in his office and arrested him immediately. But for the other newspapers, we don¡¯t have evidence yet.¡±

    Therese glared at him, indignantly saying, ¡°If the newspapers lack evidence of insulting the Royal Family, those pamphlets must have some, right?

    ¡°I heard from Dati that those are full of undisguised insults against my mother and me! Why don¡¯t you arrest them?¡±

    Robel replied with a pained expression, ¡°Your Highness, those pamphlets are typically written by one or two people in dim basements, then secretly taken to print, making them very difficult to find¡­¡±

    Therese fell silent at once.

    As far back as she could remember, she had heard all sorts of rumors defaming the King and Queen, which had never ceased. She also knew that if the Secret Police could catch those people, they would have acted long ago.

    Joseph, frowning deeply, had come here with the intention of using the Secret Police to deal with the newspapers attacking the tax bill.

    But Robel¡¯s reminder had made him realize that matters were far from simple.

    At the moment, the Nobility Group was likely just waiting for the Royal Family to use force, and then they would immediately incite public opinion, connecting the tax bill to issues of the ¡®Royal Family¡¯s abuse of power¡¯. This would make the tax bill even more problematic.

    The judiciary and public opinion supported each other, and the nobility had a firm grip on this aspect. It was no wonder that when Louis XVI was guillotined back then, he had no chance to defend himself.

    Therese¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened, and she curtseyed slightly to Robel, saying, ¡°Earl Robel, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have lost my temper with you, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    Robel hastily said, ¡°I understand your anger, Your Highness, there is no need for apologies.¡±

    Therese, with tears brimming in her eyes, took her plump blue-gray Chartreux cat from her maid¡¯s hands and turned to walk out of the room.

    Joseph wanted to go up and comfort her, but for a moment he didn¡¯t know what to say.

    He really wanted to disregard everything and raid those unscrupulous newspapers, but reason told him that he would fall into the trap of the Nobility Group.

    Just as Robel had said, shutting down one newspaper would lead to countless others, and behind them, pamphlets.

    Even during the most stringent control of public opinion under Louis XV, journalists arrested and put in prison quietly started a ¡®newspaper¡¯ behind the high walls. It was also during that time that liberal thinkers like Rousseau and Montesquieu emerged like bamboo shoots after the rain.

    By this time, France had already been baptized by Enlightenment thought, and the concept of freedom of the press had deeply rooted in people¡¯s hearts, making it impossible to control with absolute power as had been done in the past¡­

    As he reached this conclusion, Joseph suddenly froze.

    No, he realized he might have been led into a fallacy by his anger.

    Why control public opinion with absolute power?

    The goal should not be to control public opinion but to harness it, to have it work for me rather than attempting to eliminate it!

    With this thought flashing through his mind, Joseph felt as if a light shone before him, and his thoughts broadened.

    Just then, Therese¡¯s maid passed by him. He reached out and pulled her aside, whispering, ¡°Please tell my sister that I will make all the rumors vanish and ensure that the people who started them will apologize to her.¡±

    Surprise flickered in Dati¡¯s eyes. Although she believed the Crown Prince was merely trying to console the princess, she nodded gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I will be sure to convey your message to the princess!¡±

    Joseph took his leave from Robel and walked towards his own quarters, pondering the ways to control public opinion.

    As someone from the modern era who had experienced the fights among various entities on internet platforms, he knew well that ultimately, it¡¯s all about the size of the audience.

    If your voice can be heard by 90% of people and others can only influence 10%, then what you say becomes the truth!

    The media in this era were essentially newspapers, books, pamphlets, and the like. So, how can these be leveraged to quickly increase one¡¯s audience?

    He immediately thought of how Master Jin drove his nascent newspaper, ¡°Ming Pao,¡± up the bestseller lists in a short period using ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.¡±

    In the 18th century, people had few entertainment options, yet he had many powerful ¡°weapons¡± at his disposal, each of them not any less mighty than ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.¡±

    In terms of content, even if all the newspapers and publishers in Europe were tethered together, they would be no match for him.

    Therefore, he needed his own publication first, and then to overwhelm his rivals with superior content, quickly spreading it among readers.

    With this in mind, he immediately said to Eman, ¡°Please help me gather information on all the newspapers and printing workshops in Paris, the sooner the better.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Eman turned and left, while Joseph continued to fall into deep thought: after having the content, the next step would be pricing and distribution channels¡­

    Various plans gradually took shape in Joseph¡¯s mind, and his frown slowly smoothed out. It was just a battle for public opinion, after all. Bring it on.

    The Royal Family had abandoned the ground on public opinion for so many years. It was time to take it back!

    Before three in the afternoon, Eman came hurrying back, dusty and weary, placing a large stack of documents respectfully in front of Joseph.

    These were the detailed files of all the newspapers in Paris. Newspapers were required to be registered with the court, and since registration data were not confidential, they were easy to obtain.

    Joseph carefully perused the information of all 57 newspapers in Paris and various printing workshops, eventually setting his eyes on the Paris Commercial News.

    It was a small newspaper with a circulation of only about 800 copies, but it met his needs perfectly.

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Competitive Advantage (Asking for Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Competitive Advantage (Asking for Monthly Votes)

    First, the Paris Commercial News had no aristocratic backing.

    The newspaper¡¯s owner was a merchant from Marseille, inheriting the family business, and he was the sole shareholder.

    Secondly, the newspaper¡¯s business was not very optimistic, having applied twice in a year for a delay in tax payment, so there should be a willingness to sell.

    Finally, and most importantly, the Paris Commercial News owned a very large printing workshop, which seemed to be intended to run a printing business for other newspapers as well, though evidently this aspect had not brought in much profit.

    Joseph decided then and there, it would be this one.

    He wanted to enter the publishing industry, and the most direct approach was to acquire an existing newspaper.

    After that, he screened a few other options, and by the time he finished, twilight had fallen.

    Early the next morning, Joseph went straight to the Paris Commercial News office in the northern part of Paris to discuss the acquisition and, of course, to inspect the newspaper¡¯s situation for himself.

    The Paris Commercial News was located in a district that was not bustling, but a very large building by the river was extremely conspicuous.

    A sign for ¡°Paris Commercial News¡± hung on the building¡¯s main entrance. From a distance, one could hear the noisy bustle from inside. Over at the back, black wastewater was being discharged continuously into the river.

    Joseph first looked around the newspaper office, and that huge building was the printing workshop, which contained no fewer than seven printing presses.

    The craftsmen in the workshop pulled the levers over a meter long on the printing machines, pressing blank sheets of paper against the baseplate.

    When they lifted the levers again, a newspaper had been printed.

    Around them, dozens of workers were busy with inking, drying, and transporting, their movements quick and precise, obviously experienced hands.

    After Joseph had looked over the storeroom and editorial room, he had a general understanding of the overall situation of the newspaper and was quite satisfied. So, he took the opportunity to stop an editor and expressed his desire to meet with the newspaper¡¯s owner.

    The editor quickly led them upstairs to an office on the second floor, pointing to a slightly overweight middle-aged man in a dark green vest wearing glasses: ¡°This gentleman is Mr. Denico.¡±

    Upon seeing visitors, Denico immediately rose to greet them, smiling as he bowed, ¡°Welcome, esteemed sir. May I ask if you are looking to place an advertisement, or would you like something printed?¡±

    Joseph disliked dawdling, and after returning the greeting, he got straight to the point, ¡°Mr. Denico, I am interested in acquiring your newspaper.¡±

    Denico immediately sat back down in his own chair, waving his hands as he exclaimed, ¡°Please go back, not for sale.¡±

    Seeing that Joseph didn¡¯t move, he raised his voice, ¡°Leave, or else I will have you removed!¡±

    Joseph glanced at Eman, thinking according to the clich¨¦ in the movies, shouldn¡¯t you stand up and say something like, ¡°How rude! Do you realize that you are standing before His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince?¡±

    However, Eman apparently had no intention of intervening.

    Joseph had no choice but to pretend not to hear and continued, ¡°Can you tell me why you won¡¯t sell?¡±

    Denico muttered, looking down, ¡°I promised my father that I would run this newspaper well.¡±

    Joseph exhaled and sat down on the chair opposite him, smiling, ¡°I offer 150,000 livres for the acquisition. Moreover, you can still manage and run the newspaper.¡±

    He had brought an accountant with him and had already made a rough estimate. The newspaper was worth about 120,000 to 140,000 livres, mainly for the real estate and the printing workshop.

    Denico was taken aback; in fact, the newspaper had been running at a loss for over a year, and he thought it would be good to sell for just over 100,000. He hadn¡¯t expected this young man to offer such a high price.

    He began to struggle internally but still shook his head, ¡°No¡­ My father instructed me before he left¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°160,000 livres.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°170,000, my last offer.¡±

    ¡°Paid in full?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°170,000 livres¡­ Are you sure¡­ you want to acquire my newspaper, sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph signaled his accountant to show the newspaper owner proof of his bank assets worth 170,000 livres.

    Denico stared into Joseph¡¯s eyes, confirming he wasn¡¯t joking, struggled for a good while, then suddenly relaxed his shoulders, revealing a resolute expression, ¡°Oh, alright, it¡¯s yours then.¡±

    He thought to himself: Dear father, you can¡¯t blame me, he simply offered too much¡­

    Joseph¡¯s lawyer immediately took out the contract that had been prepared in advance and handed it to both parties to sign. Afterward, the accountant went with Denico to the bank to settle the payment.

    The efficiency of banks during this era was originally not high, and on top of the large amount, the procedures took over two hours to complete. All the payments had to wait three more days before they were entirely settled.

    On the way to the bank, Denico had already inquired about Joseph¡¯s identity from the accountant and felt that he had struck it lucky today. Not only had he made a large sum of money, but he had also made a connection with the Crown Prince.

    When he returned, he became exceedingly respectful, repeatedly assuring Joseph that he would definitely manage the newspaper well for the Crown Prince.

    Joseph encouraged him and asked, ¡°May I ask how the newspaper¡¯s profits were before?¡±

    Denico hesitated and said, ¡°You know, nowadays people love reading those tabloid news. It¡¯s quite difficult for newspapers like ours that focus on liberty and ideals¡­ um, we lost 1,200 livres this year, but in the first half of last year, we still made a few hundred.¡±

    Fearing the Crown Prince might change his mind, he quickly added, ¡°Actually, when business was okay in the previous years, we used to make a thousand livres annually.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you an annual salary of 1,000 livres, plus 5% of the newspaper¡¯s total profit as a bonus.¡±

    His acquisition of the newspaper was entirely for winning the war of public opinion, and Paris Commercial News was going to be his important base of operations. Therefore, it was crucial to stimulate the enthusiasm of the management as much as possible, binding their interests with those of the newspaper.

    Denico couldn¡¯t believe his ears¡ªselling the newspaper meant he no longer had to worry about losses, and now he was going to receive such a high salary!

    The Crown Prince was like a godsend to rescue him!

    He was so moved that he repeatedly pledged loyalty and swore to do his utmost to satisfy the Crown Prince, to make the newspaper quickly profitable and grow stronger!

    Then he heard Joseph say that he intended to increase the salary of the newspaper¡¯s management and core craft workers by 20%. He immediately urged, ¡°Your Highness, the newspaper is still losing money, it¡¯s not appropriate to increase the expenses by such a large amount.¡±

    Joseph smiled. The man was indeed diligent and responsible, immediately thinking of saving money for his employer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the business situation will improve very soon. Do as I say.¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t linger on the issue of salary and immediately brought up a serious matter:

    ¡°Mr. Denico, how many skilled plate-making craftsmen does the printing workshop currently have?¡±

    The current newspaper printing technology was quite rudimentary, with the text segment using movable type made from lead, which was relatively cheap.

    All pictorial content required copper plate intaglio printing technology, where the craftsmen etched onto a copper base, one detail at a time, before fitting it into the movable type assembly, or printing it separately. Because the engraving was very laborious and time-consuming, this was the most expensive part of the printing process.

    Without hesitation, Denico said, ¡°Your Highness, the workshop currently has five plate-making craftsmen, among whom three have over ten years of experience and are quite renowned in the Coppersmiths Guild.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Please prepare some fine-textured chalkstone plates for me, cut to the size of a drawing board, and polish one side until smooth. I¡¯ll need about 40 pieces. Bring those three craftsmen to the Palace of Versailles¡ªI have a task for them.¡±

    Chalkstone is a type of limestone, commonly seen as a building material and inexpensive.

    Denico, surprised, said, ¡°Chalkstone? Are you planning to repair the floor?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly and shook his head, ¡°To be used for lithographic printing.¡±

    Denico¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You mean to say, print using stone plates?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Joseph was well aware that simply having high-quality content wasn¡¯t enough to dominate the publishing industry. One must tackle cost, distribution channels, and other aspects to leave no chance for the competition to retaliate.

    My newspaper features brilliant content, and costs just 1 sou, or even only 8 deniers. Your newspaper has mundane content and costs 4 sous. What can you use to compete with me?

    Regarding cost control, stone plate printing, also known as lithography, was a major asset.

    Due to cheap raw materials and simpler, quicker plate production, the cost of stone plate printing was only one-fifth or even one-tenth of the current copper plate printing!

    Another tool for reducing costs was the cheap papermaking technique¡ªusing wood as the raw material for making paper. If produced on a large scale, it could reduce the cost of paper by 70%. Historically, this paper-making technique even triggered a newspaper revolution in England.

    Armed with these two technologies, Joseph had ample confidence to push the price of his newspaper to less than a fifth of the current cost while still making a profit.

    Of course, the technology required for cheap papermaking was more demanding, and he wasn¡¯t completely certain of success, but stone plate printing wasn¡¯t complex, and experienced plate-making craftsmen should be able to master it quickly.

    After that, Joseph instructed Denico on some other tasks that needed to be done in the near future, such as increasing the newspaper¡¯s staff, stockpiling more ink and paper, and designing a brand-new layout for a publication called ¡°News and Pictures.¡±

    Having roughly arranged the newspaper¡¯s affairs and seeing that twilight was approaching, Joseph, before leaving the newspaper, casually asked Denico, ¡°Is there a large paper mill nearby Paris?¡±

    Denico immediately pointed northeast, ¡°Saint Antoine Town has one. Your Highness, half of the paper used in Paris comes from there.¡±

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Stone Tablet Printing Technique

    Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Stone Tablet Printing Technique

    ¡°`

    The Palace of Versailles lay to the west of Paris, while Saint Antoine Town was in the northeast. To avoid shuttling between the two¡ªwhich was primarily because he simply couldn¡¯t stand the bumps of a carriage ride¡ªJoseph spent the night dealing with business at the President of the Paris Chamber of Commerce¡¯s place. The next morning, he headed directly to Saint Antoine Town.

    This small suburban town of Paris somewhat resembled a ¡°special economic zone¡± and was the only place around Paris that wasn¡¯t influenced by various guilds. Craftsmen could find work here without having to join any guilds.

    As they could save on guild membership fees, the wages that craftsmen expected were slightly lower. A large number of workshops looking to cut costs took root here.

    After years of development, Saint Antoine Town was now filled with workshops, gathering thousands of craftsmen and their families.

    Joseph had Eman find a guide to take him on a tour of several paper-making workshops in the town, but he began to frown more and more with each visit.

    Those smaller workshops hardly had the conditions to experiment with new paper-making technologies.

    The largest workshop, which had more than two hundred craftsmen, was quite sizable, but the workshop owner, Leviang, was not willing to try new paper-making techniques.

    After all, new technology required a significant investment for production trials, and the results were unpredictable, carrying great risk.

    Joseph did entertain the idea of biting the bullet and buying the workshop to do it himself, but he ultimately gave up on it.

    Leviang¡¯s workshop cost at least 500,000 livres, and launching low-cost paper production technology would also require an investment.

    Because Joseph had been frequently exercising his ¡°financial ability¡± recently, his fortune, which had amounted to more than 2.3 million livres just a while ago, had now shrunk to a mere 700,000 or so.

    If he used all of it to purchase the paper workshop, he would immediately find himself in a difficult situation should other needs for money arise.

    Therefore, after weighing his options time and again, Joseph realized that he could only put aside the matter of the low-cost paper-making technique for the time being until his financial situation improved.

    However, this result was also within his expectations. After all, industries like paper-making, which were large-scale with high output value, could not complete technological changes overnight.

    One should know that if one could complete the industrial upgrade of the paper industry and spread its adoption across the country, it could even give a significant boost to the economy of France.

    By the time Joseph returned to the Palace of Versailles, the three engravers from the Paris Commercial News Agency had been waiting for him for quite some time.

    Joseph looked at the three men carrying heavy tool bags on their backs and the various sized hammers at their waist, then at the glossy marble floors of the bedroom, and immediately abandoned the idea of teaching them the chalkstone slab printing technology here.

    Eman approached quickly, bowed to him, and said, ¡°Your Highness, those chalkstone slabs you asked for are still on the carriage. Where do you want them to be unloaded?¡±

    Joseph furrowed his brow and thought: it would be nice if there were a workshop.

    At the thought of a workshop, a location suddenly sprang to mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile. He said to Eman, ¡°Take them all to His Majesty the King¡¯s workshop.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Eman said in surprise, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I will speak to His Majesty about it.¡±

    Joseph then signaled to the three craftsmen, ¡°Please come with me.¡±

    More than ten minutes later, inside King Louis XVI¡¯s fully-equipped, spacious, and bright workshop, His Majesty the King of France looked curiously at the chalkstone slabs before him as well as the craftsmen dressed in coarse cloth garments.

    Firstly, Joseph sincerely thanked his father for the tremendous help he had provided to the publishing industry of France; then, with a very serious expression, he turned to the three craftsmen:

    ¡°`

    ¡°The technology I am about to reveal to you is of utmost importance! Without my permission, it must absolutely not be disclosed to anyone else, or else¡­¡±

    He thought for a moment, chose the gravest charge he could think of, and said, ¡°It will be considered treason.¡±

    Inside the Royal Workshop were the current King and the Crown Prince. Outside, stood tall and formidable court guards. The craftsmen, having never seen such a scene, were so nervous that their legs trembled, and they dared not raise their heads, only swearing oaths and promising never to utter a single word to anyone else.

    Immediately, Eman brought out the prepared confidentiality agreements and had the craftsmen sign them one by one.

    Actually, Joseph also knew that there was no patent law at the time, so this technology could not be kept secret for too long. In the future, he intended to spread lithography throughout all of France.

    However, for now, this was his triumph card that absolutely could not be leaked. For a while, he would send people to protect these three plate-making craftsmen at all times, at least until he could control the public opinion in Paris.

    After completing the confidentiality induction, Joseph started to formally introduce the lithography technology.

    He asked a craftsman to fix a polished chalkstone plate onto a table, and then he took the printing ink that had been prepared in advance, mixing in some paraffin and rosin.

    Once the additives in the ink were completely dissolved, Joseph dipped his brush in the ink and wrote on the chalkstone plate, ¡°To your Majesty the King.¡±

    An hour later, the ink had essentially dried, and Joseph brushed the stone with dilute nitric acid twice.

    The parts of the stone covered with ink were unaffected, while the rest had a thin layer eroded away by the nitric acid.

    ¡°The base plate is complete,¡± Joseph said nonchalantly as he spread a layer of water on the stone, then brushed on the printing ink.

    In his heart, he marveled that during that month he spent volunteering in the mountains, helping the principal use a mimeograph to print test papers for the kids, he never thought that little ¡®craft¡¯ would come in handy here.

    At that moment, the areas of the stone eroded by nitric acid absorbed the water, which prevented the ink from sticking, while the dried ink already on the plate picked up more ink.

    Joseph placed a sheet of paper on the stone, pressed it lightly, and then carefully lifted it off, revealing a line of text on the paper¡ªTo your Majesty the King.

    However, the text was mirrored.

    The three craftsmen exchanged glances, each seeing in the others¡¯ eyes an immense shock.

    The line of text was simple and not very neat, but from beginning the plate-making to the completion of printing, it took just over an hour! This had completely subverted their understanding of printmaking!

    Louis XVI, who had been watching with interest for quite a while, now asked leisurely, ¡°What is so special about the printing process you just demonstrated?¡±

    One craftsman, the oldest among them, seeing the King¡¯s sincere inquiry, hastily bowed and explained, ¡°Your Majesty, the Crown Prince¡¯s technique could make all the current printing methods obsolete!¡±

    Another craftsman, excited, continued, ¡°In the past, we used copper plates, first covering the copper with a layer of wax, then laying paper over it, and using a pen to carve away the areas of the drawing that we did not need on the paper.

    ¡°The pen would take away the wax underneath. After the drawing was complete, we would immerse the copper in iron chloride solution. The areas not covered by wax would be etched away, then we would remove the copper, wipe off the wax from its surface, and brush on printing ink to print.

    ¡°Just the step of carving the wax would take a long time, and the etching of the copper would need half a day. Normally, to complete one base plate it would take at least two to three days.

    ¡°Moreover, the Crown Prince¡¯s method of plate-making involves directly drawing the necessary parts, which is much simpler than carving away the unnecessary parts!¡±

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 "Ghostwriter" and Literary Master (Please Follow)

    Chapter 71: Chapter 71 ¡°Ghostwriter¡± and Literary Master (Please Follow)

    All three plate craftsmen were eager to demonstrate their skills before the King and the Crown Prince, and immediately took their stone plates to make serious attempts at printing.

    All three were experts in printing, and stone plate printing was indeed overly convenient and simple. All of them were successful in their first attempt.

    However, the eldest craftsman, noting some flaked-off dry ink on the stone plate, suggested,

    ¡°Your Highness, perhaps the ink primer could be thicker.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°The specific consistency of the ink will need to be adjusted by yourselves.¡±

    He only had a general knowledge of the stone plate printing process, and the technical details of the craft would still have to be perfected by these experts.

    The craftsmen immediately began discussing:

    ¡°We should add some bitumen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we could also try adding some resin¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s another problem,¡± a middle-aged craftsman suddenly said, ¡°The method of stone plate printing differs greatly from copper coins, such as the pressure and angle of the imprint. The former printing machines probably can¡¯t be used directly.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Joseph was momentarily taken aback, as he was an outsider when it came to the specifics of printing machines.

    He looked at the craftsman and asked, ¡°Can you modify the printing press?¡±

    The craftsman immediately shook his head.

    Just as Joseph was pondering whether to seek out the workshop that made the printing presses, a somewhat modest but very confident voice came from beside him: ¡°Perhaps, I could be of help with this.¡±

    Joseph turned his head to see Louis XVI looking at him with an eager expression.

    His eyes lit up at once; this man was a top-notch mechanical craftsman, and his ¡°assistants,¡± who made locks, were famed masters. Wouldn¡¯t altering the operation of a printing machine be a breeze for them?

    He immediately performed a chest salute and smiled, ¡°You truly are the savior of the stone plate printing technology. I propose that this new printing press be named the ¡®King¡¯s Printing Press¡¯!¡±

    Afterward, as Joseph observed the royal workshop bustling and too busy for him to assist, he returned to his sleeping quarters, knowing it was time to start preparing the content for the publication.

    He summoned his clerk and gave him a brief outline, instructing him to write a novel based on it.

    The clerk took the order and did not return until it was dark.

    Reading the manuscript, Joseph felt speechless¡ªthe sentences were smooth and the argument was coherent, but the character portrayal was stiff, with no sense of immersion.

    He sighed. The gentleman¡¯s expertise was in drafting formal documents. It seemed that hiring professional writers was necessary for novel writing after all.

    He had no choice but to instruct Eman to find several authors as soon as possible.

    Eman was highly efficient. The next day, right after Joseph finished his breakfast, four authors of varying ages and appearances appeared before him.

    Of course, this was also because these authors originally resided in the Palace of Versailles.

    After the greetings, Eman began introducing them to Joseph one by one: ¡°Your Highness, this is a renowned Parisian man of letters, Earl Bomasha.¡±

    Joseph was surprised: ¡°Bomasha? ¡®The Marriage of Figaro¡¯?¡±

    The old man with gray hair and thick nearsighted glasses immediately bowed slightly:

    ¡°I am extremely honored that Your Highness has read my play.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat amused; he had just been looking for a few ghostwriters, and Eman had directly brought him literary giants.

    He hurriedly praised the great writer in earnest.

    Eman then continued with the introductions, ¡°This is Viscount Saint Pierre¡­

    ¡°This is Barret¡­¡±

    Not one was an ordinary person; all were notable figures in the French literary scene.

    Joseph felt numb, but since everyone was already there, he decided to impose on the writers to play the role of ghostwriter.

    He turned to the four masters, smiled, and said, ¡°I need someone to help me write the stories I¡¯ve conceived into novels.

    ¡°After the novels are published, the manuscript fees will be yours to keep, and I will pay an additional two livres for every 500 words. What do you think?¡±

    Regardless of what they thought internally, the writers all owed the Crown Prince the courtesy, so they bowed and nodded, ¡°It would be an honor to serve Your Highness.¡±

    However, they were all quite curious as to how many stories the Crown Prince had that necessitated the hiring of four people.

    Joseph wasted no time, promptly taking everyone to the study, organizing in his mind some of the most thrilling stories from his past life, selecting a few, and then began to assign the tasks.

    ¡°Viscount Saint Pierre, the story you will be writing is about a young man named¡­¡±

    Joseph almost blurted out that familiar name but quickly thought to better tailor it to the French taste, and thus, he revised, ¡°A young man named Hurter Xiao and his story of growth.¡±

    Saint Pierre took notes with a hint of disinterest, doubting that a thirteen-year-old Crown Prince could come up with any fascinating stories.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Hurter Xiao was born into a family of alchemists.

    ¡°As soon as he was born, he possessed extraordinary alchemy talents that far surpassed those of his family¡¯s generation.

    ¡°However, at the age of twelve, he accidentally put on a ring, and after that, everything changed.

    ¡°His alchemy abilities began to regress. Three years later, during the alchemy test, he was barely assessed as ¡®Alchemist Third Grade.¡¯ His family members also began to mock and discriminate against him.¡±

    Saint Pierre couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°That¡¯s truly unfortunate. What was the problem with that ring?¡±

    ¡°I will explain that later,¡± Joseph teased, continuing, ¡°The hardest thing for Hurter Xiao to accept was that his fianc¨¦e, a genius girl from the Alchemist Knight Order named Elizabeth, one day came to his house and proposed to terminate their engagement in front of all his family members.

    ¡°Because she felt his talents were too inferior to match her own.

    ¡°Hurter Xiao suffered a great insult and argued adamantly. To avoid damaging her family¡¯s reputation due to breaking off the engagement, Elizabeth put forward a proposal: To compete in alchemy with Hurter Xiao in three years, and if he lost, the engagement would be void.

    ¡°Hurter Xiao bravely accepted the challenge and declared with ironclad conviction, ¡®Thirty years on the east of the Seine River, thirty years on the west! Do not insult a young man for his poverty!¡¯

    ¡°After this engagement fiasco ended, Hurter Xiao suddenly discovered the secret of his ring¡­¡±

    Saint Pierre was already captivated by the story and impatiently asked, ¡°Your Highness, what happened next?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°Please write down these parts first, and then I will tell you what happens next.¡±

    Saint Pierre nodded reluctantly, then exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness, this is a most fascinating tale! I will do my utmost to write a narrative worthy of it. Oh, by the way, what is the name of the novel?¡±

    Joseph pondered briefly and responded, ¡°Let¡¯s call it ¡®Breaking Through the Azure Sky.¡¯

    Viscount Barret, who was standing nearby, eagerly approached once Saint Pierre left, hoping to hear a sensational story as well.

    Joseph cut straight to the chase, ¡°You will write about a lady¡¯s story.

    ¡°Her name is Cleis. One morning, she wakes up with an especially painful headache, only to realize she is lying on her desk. The notebook open beside her has a sentence written on it, ¡®Everyone will die, including me¡¯¡­¡±

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Shameless (Vote for Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Shameless (Vote for Monthly Pass)

    Joseph spoke with a ghostly tone, ¡°After that, she saw the gun, surrounded by bloodstains, and in the mirror, her own reflection with a ghastly, burnt-edge wound on the head. Yes, it was clearly caused by a bullet hit.¡±

    Barret¡¯s eyes widened instantly, ¡°Good Lord, this is unbelievable! She actually survived?!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph said, ¡°and furthermore, she discovered she possessed divine power and could float in an endless grey mist¡­¡±

    ¡°How marvelous! What¡¯s the name of the novel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®The Master of Besties.''¡±

    ¡­

    After Barret left, Joseph continued to the next author, ¡°The story you are going to write is about a nobleman who was locked in the Bastille due to mental illness.

    ¡°This young man, named Fer Lee, claimed that when he closed his eyes, he would enter a magical world.

    ¡°In that world, there was an evil wizard who captured many deformed or sickly young boys and girls to brew an Elixir of Immortality. And Fer Lee was one of those captured¡­¡±

    ¡­

    When Joseph turned his attention to Bomasha, this most famous old writer in all of France looked somewhat impatient, ¡°Oh, your Highness, what about my story?¡±

    Joseph immediately thought of his most revered online fiction writer from his past life¡ªTianhaishan. Every one of his books would rapidly become popular throughout the country, nearly a step away from the Nobel Prize in Literature, and he was also extremely handsome, the dream lover of nine hundred million girls.

    Joseph was so familiar with every one of Tianhaishan¡¯s books that he blurted out, ¡°This novel is called ¡®Madam, Please Stop¡¯¡­¡±

    The day passed quickly. At twilight, Joseph received four manuscripts.

    It was no wonder Bomasha and his peers were famed writers in France; their novels were extremely vivid. Whether it was character portrayal or plot description, their writing exuded an air of masterfulness, making for an intoxicating read.

    However, Joseph found that each person¡¯s submission was only four pages long, at most around two thousand words.

    He had to subtly suggest that the great authors could write a bit more each day.

    Bomasha and the others looked at each other. They were fascinated with their stories, so much so that they had skipped lunch. This was already more than double their normal output of words.

    And yet, the Crown Prince seemed to think it was not enough!

    After they returned, they each summoned their disciples or writer friends to help, not so much to earn the extra few livres. These great writers were not short of money, they mainly wanted to write faster in order to hear the rest of the story from the Crown Prince as soon as possible.

    On Joseph¡¯s side, he sent someone to deliver the manuscripts to the ¡®Paris Commercial News¡¯ newspaper overnight, asking Denico to print them as soon as possible.

    The next day as dawn broke, Denico brought a proof copy and hurried to the Palace of Versailles to report the first publication situation after the redesign to Joseph.

    Joseph briefly flipped through the two newspapers.

    One was the ¡®Paris Commercial News.¡¯ The overall style was still based on the theme of ¡®freedom and ideals,¡¯ covering market trends and business insights. What was different was that one whole side of the second page was dedicated to a novel called ¡®Breaking the Firmament.¡¯ The third page was an explanation of the content of the new tax law.

    The other was the newly published ¡®News and Pictures Reports¡¯¡ªthe publishing license could be processed by noon. Of course, that was the speed exclusive to the Crown Prince. Normally, applying for a license would take at least two months at best.

    ¡®News and Pictures Reports¡¯ was less polite, with a front-page title ¡°Delving into the Deep Reasons Why the New Tax Law Continuously Fails to Register.¡± The second page was ¡®The Master of Besties.¡¯ The other pages mostly related to the tax law and also interspersed with hot news from around France.

    As for the pictures, as lithographic printing had not yet been introduced, they only included previously engraved baseplates of Parisian landscapes. In the future, they would publish a large number of news illustrations. But in this era without photographs, they could only hire artists to draw illustrations.

    Joseph was quite satisfied with Denico¡¯s work; indeed, it was a family that had been in the newspaper business for three generations.

    Once these two newspapers appeared in the hands of the Parisian people, the Great Noble Group would no longer be able to monopolize the channels of public opinion.

    Upon seeing the Crown Prince had finished reviewing the proof copies, Denico immediately reported, ¡°Your Highness, as per your instructions, both newspapers are priced at 3 livres for a month¡¯s subscription.

    ¡°I feel I must remind you, we will be incurring a serious loss at this price.¡±

    Most of the daily newspapers at the time cost between 6 and 8 livres a month, and the weekly publications ranged from 1 livre and 10 sous to 2 livres.

    The ¡°Paris Commercial News¡± and ¡°News & Picture Paper¡± both being dailies, 3 livres was definitely a selling price at a loss.

    Joseph nodded indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s sell it at that price. Once we get lithographic printing sorted out, the cost should drop below 3 livres per month.¡±

    In fact, even if they operated at a loss, he did not mind¡ªonce the newspapers¡¯ circulation surged, they could definitely turn around their losses just from advertisement revenue.

    Seeing his firm conviction, Denico could only continue to report the next item of business, ¡°Your Highness, as for the ¡®newsboys¡¯ you mentioned before, I¡¯ve managed to recruit over 40.¡±

    He hesitated for a moment, cautiously saying, ¡°I feel that not many people might be willing to buy newspapers on the streets of Paris.¡±

    Newsboys were exactly the new sales strategy for newspapers that Joseph had in mind.

    At present, the newspaper industry across European countries mainly used a model of subscription in advance, followed by ¡°newspaper deliverymen¡± delivering to the hands of customers.

    The newsboys that later generations would find so familiar had not yet appeared.

    One of the main reasons that had constrained retail newspaper sales was the expensive price. An average newspaper cost 4 to 6 sous, while the daily wage for an ordinary craftsman was only 5 to 10 sous. Very few people would impulsively buy a newspaper.

    Now, Joseph had pressed the price of a newspaper down to 2 sous, with plans to drop it further to 1 sous, or even lower in the future. At that price, many people could afford it.

    Joseph was well aware that street retail was the best channel for newspaper sales!

    Newsboys shouting out the highlights of the newspapers could easily attract the interest of passers-by who would readily buy a copy. Moreover, the newsboys could also sell other items on the side, using their profits to offset the cost of the newspapers.

    As for ¡°employing child labor¡±¡­

    That concept didn¡¯t even exist at this time.

    In every European country at the moment, it was common to see children as young as seven or eight working in the workshops. They were an important economic pillar for their families.

    Selling newspapers, a relatively easy and well-paid job, would probably soon have people vying for it.

    After instructing Denico on a few more matters, the newspaper manager took his leave and returned to Paris.

    What they didn¡¯t yet know was that by then, the two newspapers had already stirred up quite a storm in Paris.

    On the streets of Paris, someone heard a child waving a newspaper and shouting:

    ¡°Get your paper! 2 sous a copy! Read the latest novel¡ªAlchemy Youth dumped by his fianc¨¦e! Can he gain justice after three years?¡±

    The man, who had just received his pay yesterday, bought a copy out of curiosity. He immediately became engrossed in the enthralling story on the second page, reading as he walked until he bumped into a tree and realized he had taken the wrong path.

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Using the Newspaper as a Sword

    Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Using the Newspaper as a Sword

    The frenzy of newspaper sales played out all over Paris.

    Most of those newsboys originally couldn¡¯t find anything to do, so they tried their luck at the Paris Commercial News Agency, only to find that the sales were exceptionally good.

    As per the agreement, for every 10 newspapers they sold, they would receive a wage of 6 deniers. Just after noon, the luckier newsboys had already sold 50 papers, earning several times more than they would in a workshop!

    The story of Hurter Xiao¡¯s broken engagement, as well as Cleis¡¯s survival after being shot, had become widely known in just one morning.

    Many people, itching with curiosity, heard others discussing an intriguing tale with great enthusiasm, yet had no idea what it was about.

    As they hesitated over whether to spend money on a subscription, they heard that newspapers were being sold on the streets outside, and promptly bought a copy.

    The most fashion-forward high society ladies had already started arranging their salons, with topics like ¡°The Undying Cleis¡± or ¡°The Alchemist¡¯s Family.¡± They keenly sensed that these stories would become the most fashionable topics and were determined to get ahead.

    By that evening, even Parisians¡¯ greetings included the phrase¡ª¡±Have you read that novel?¡±

    No wonder, entertainment in the 18th century was very monotonous. Novels and plays were just a handful and most people had long tired of them. They could only pass the time by gossiping about nobility scandals.

    Those thrilling formulas honed by countless authors in later generations were utterly soul-shaking for readers of this era, addictive at first glance!

    For Parisians starved of mental stimulation, the novels¡¯ thrilling moments, constant build-ups, and cliffhangers made them irresistible.

    The next day, as people were still discussing the plot of yesterday¡¯s novel, they were astonished to find new chapters in today¡¯s newspaper!

    Some of yesterday¡¯s mysteries were unveiled, but even more suspense was left behind, keeping the story as exciting as ever¡ªwho could resist not reading it?

    Meals could be skipped, but this newspaper was a must-buy!

    People even fought over the last copy of the newspaper in the hands of the newsboys¡­

    Just past 3 p.m., the storerooms of the Paris Commercial News and the ¡°News and Pictures Newspaper¡± had been completely emptied.

    Denico, looking at the several dozens of newsboys anxiously awaiting their papers, felt as if he were dreaming.

    He knew the Crown Prince¡¯s incredibly fascinating novel would boost newspaper sales, but he never anticipated this astonishing volume.

    Good heavens! Each type of newspaper had printed a full 7,000 copies, and all were sold out!

    You should know, there were just over half a million people in Paris, and the previously best-selling Paris News sold less than 3,000 copies. And now, the combined sales of these two papers had surpassed five times that of Paris News!

    His hands started to tremble, and he immediately rushed into the printing workshop, shouting at the printers:

    ¡°Print more! Immediately print 1,000 more copies!! At your fastest speed!!!¡±

    Just then, a manager from the newspaper office hurried over, excitedly gesturing toward the office:

    ¡°Mr. Denico, please come quickly! The Eau de Elegance Perfumery, Onitol Iron Tool Shop, among others¡ªseveral well-known shops are here to discuss advertising.¡±

    Denico, with a commanding wave of his hand, declared:

    ¡°Have them wait. I¡¯ll deal with the reprinting first and then head over.¡±

    He certainly had the right to be imperious¡ªwith a circulation exceeding 14,000 copies, there was no worry about finding advertisers.

    As the Paris Commercial News Agency¡¯s papers sold hotly, many readers, after enjoying the novel, also glanced at the articles on the tax law bill in the newspaper.

    In the streets and alleys, people had begun chatting about the law:

    ¡°If you ask me, it¡¯s high time those noble lords started paying more taxes!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw it,¡± added Joseph, ¡°the extra taxes are all on the nobility. Why should we poor folks pay more taxes than the nobility?¡±

    ¡°The town hall is always saying there¡¯s no funding. Why don¡¯t they ask the nobility for it?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, the High Court keeps rejecting the tax laws, isn¡¯t it because those judges are nobility themselves!¡±

    ¡°No wonder they always talk about defending the rights of the court. Turns out it¡¯s the right to not pay taxes!¡±

    ¡°Exactly¡­.¡±

    For a time, the concerted efforts of the Duke of Orleans and the entire Paris press to create an unfavorable opinion on the legislation had abruptly taken a turn.

    In fact, Joseph hadn¡¯t gone all-in on the war of public opinion yet; he still had two novel manuscripts at hand, reserved for pamphlets.

    Indeed, he had no intention of relying solely on newspapers for the battle of public opinion¡ªthat would be at a disadvantage.

    Since war had been declared, there was no point in maintaining pointless gentlemanly decorum. Pamphlets, though lowbrow and filled with rumors, attracted attention through sensationalism and were scorned by mainstream society. Yet, their audience was vast.

    Now that the literacy rate in France had surpassed 60%, many who couldn¡¯t afford newspapers turned to pamphlets for entertainment. It¡¯s fair to say that pamphlets dominated the lower-end of the market.

    Naturally, Joseph would not miss exploiting this propaganda tool.

    However, it was difficult for the audience of pamphlets to make regular and continuous purchases, which could affect the readability of serialized novels. Therefore, he planned to publish a pamphlet every week, containing a week¡¯s worth of novel chapters.

    When tens of thousands of pamphlets appeared on the streets of Paris, that would be the true launch of his all-out offensive.

    ¡­

    At the routine ball in the Palace of Versailles, a group of noble ladies cast envious glances at Princess Therese, complaining about how she kept monopolizing the Crown Prince.

    The young men, on the other hand, looked helplessly at Joseph, hoping one of the kind ladies would ¡°kidnap¡± the Crown Prince, giving them a chance to get close to Her Highness.

    Of course, this was Joseph unilaterally using his sister as a ¡°shield¡±¡ªhe had a bit of a psychological shadow about dancing¡­.

    Therese, having come to terms with the rumors over the past few days, was now chatting idly with Joseph:

    ¡°I heard that your invention, ¡®the Crown Prince¡¯s Blessing,¡¯ is quite miraculous. I¡¯ve been taking it recently. But, so far, it doesn¡¯t seem to have any effect¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately expressed his concern, ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?¡±

    Therese shook her head: ¡°No fever. It¡¯s just that I often feel dizzy and weak, and I get short of breath. I fainted a few months ago. The doctors couldn¡¯t find the cause. Doctor Baptiste suggested I rest in Meudon Castle.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face was a picture of exasperation: These are not symptoms that Salicin is meant to treat, what are you taking such medicines for?

    ¡°You mustn¡¯t just take any medicine because it¡¯s said to be miraculous. You should follow the doctor¡¯s orders.¡±

    Therese nodded seriously: ¡°It¡¯s Doctor Baptiste who told me to take it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Joseph touched his forehead then asked: ¡°Are you taking any other medications?¡±

    Therese mentioned several names of herbal remedies.

    Observing her pale face, Joseph thought to himself: The symptoms she described sound like severe anemia. Girls her age seem prone to it. But it¡¯s not clear whether this is iron-deficiency anemia or pathological.

    Therese added: ¡°Besides taking medicine, I also receive bloodletting therapy every half a month.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face turned utterly dark: ¡°You would be better off firing your doctor.¡±

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The King is the Best Craftsman

    Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The King is the Best Craftsman

    Her own sister¡¯s vitality was incredibly tenacious! Joseph marveled in his heart, suffering from anemia and still needing to be bled twice a month, yet she had managed to survive until now¡­

    Therese, however, asked in confusion, ¡°Why is that, Mr. Baptiste? What did he do wrong?¡±

    ¡°He never did anything right¡­¡±

    Joseph suddenly thought of the news Dr. Lamark had sent a couple of days ago, saying that tocopherol had been successfully extracted, and his heart stirred.

    He originally planned to use Vitamin E, which is tocopherol, to make cosmetics. However, it also seemed to have the effect of treating pathological anemia and could boost immunity.

    It would be perfect for Therese to take.

    Combined with some iron supplementation, it should be able to greatly improve her anemia.

    As for the iron supplements, he could have Dr. Lamark help synthesize some ferrous sulfate.

    This was simply done by heating iron with dilute sulfuric acid, then filtering out the precipitate, making production very simple.

    He earnestly cautioned Therese,

    ¡°Never let yourself be bled again, it seriously harms your health. Besides, I have made a potion that should help alleviate your condition. I¡¯ll have someone deliver it to you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Really? You have such a potion?¡± Therese showed a look of surprise.

    In fact, she had long been reluctant to be bled. No girl would want to have permanent scars on her arm.

    Joseph nodded.

    ¡°Oh, dear Joseph, you really are a genius!¡±

    While Therese was speaking, she suddenly felt dizzy, excused herself from the crowd, and, supported by her maid, left the ballroom to rest.

    As Joseph pondered over the dosage of Vitamin E and ferrous sulfate for his sister, it occurred to him, why not sell these as health supplements at the Paris Angel¡¯s shop?

    Vitamin E also had anti-aging properties and regulated the female menstrual cycle. Combined with ferrous sulfate for blood supplementation, it would be the perfect ¡°Woman¡¯s Friend¡±!

    This product would certainly drive the ladies of high society crazy.

    He thought of a certain famous oral liquid from the future and his eyes sparked with the light of livres as he murmured to himself,

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it ¡®Ladies¡¯ Joy Oral Liquid¡¯!¡±

    The young noblewomen around him, who could hardly contain their excitement, saw that the princess had finally left and immediately crowded around the Crown Prince, trying various methods to attract his attention, either by striking poses or with bashful glances.

    Joseph, feeling overwhelmed, was about to seek help from Perna when he saw a woman in her thirties carrying wine and pastries walking towards him.

    He casually picked up a glass of wine. The lady curtsied to him, smiling and said,

    ¡°Your Highness, may I have a few minutes of your time?¡±

    Next to him, Eman quickly whispered a reminder,

    ¡°Your Highness, this is Lady Eric.¡±

    It was only then that Joseph realized she was not a maid, and he bowed slightly to her,

    ¡°Do you need something?¡±

    The fluttering and chattering young ladies around him saw the ¡°old auntie¡± act with such rapid response and seize the opportunity, and they all looked at her with eyes filled with envy and anger.

    Lady Eric, oblivious to their stares, spoke to Joseph,

    ¡°Your Highness, as you know, my late husband had a business partner. He admires you greatly.¡±

    Lady Eric handed an envelope to Joseph,

    ¡°This may be somewhat presumptuous, but he would like to discuss some matters with you. Oh, of course, whether to meet him is for you to decide. However, he also said that you definitely would not regret meeting him.¡±

    Joseph opened the envelope and saw inside a theatre ticket.

    Lady Eric leaned in closer and whispered,

    ¡°Your Highness, this is from Mr. Hartley, the British Ambassador, for you.¡±

    The British Ambassador? Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly. What does he want with me?

    He suddenly remembered the Eden Treaty between England and France that Dupont had mentioned before and thought to himself, Regardless of what the British want, it would be good to make contact and see what they¡¯re after.

    So he raised the envelope to Lady Eric with a smile and said,

    ¡°Please tell him I will go.¡±

    Having endured until the end of the ball, Joseph returned to his sleeping quarters, exhausted, only to find the King¡¯s attendant waiting at his door.

    ¡°Crown Prince, Your Highness,¡± the King¡¯s attendant bowed, ¡°His Majesty the King invites you to his workshop. He has a surprise for you.¡±

    Joseph immediately followed him to the Royal Workshop. He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to bow to Louis XVI before the latter excitedly dragged him in front of a dark iron machine.

    Joseph could tell it was a printing press.

    Louis XVI gestured to a plate-maker at his side. The craftsman nodded immediately, securing the etched stone plate in the middle of the press, then fetched a few sheets of paper to place on the iron rack above. After he brushed on the ink, he pulled down the long lever firmly to make the impression.

    When he lifted the handle, the paper had transformed into a landscape painting of the Palace of Versailles.

    The craftsman did not stop there; he removed the printed painting and pulled the handle again, producing another one.

    He continued to print like this, producing five paintings in succession before he paused to apply more ink and add paper. The whole process took just over a minute!

    Louis XVI watched Joseph with pride, seemingly waiting for a whirlwind of praise.

    ¡°Dear father, you¡¯ve already completed the improvements to the lithographic press?¡± Joseph exclaimed in delight, ¡°And in just three days¡­¡±

    The craftsman beside them, noticing that the Crown Prince was unaware of the full achievement, carefully ventured,

    ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty has invented the automatic feeder.¡±

    He pointed to something that looked like a rake on the paper-loading iron rack:

    ¡°Previously, we had to reset the paper after each print, aligning it each time. Now, it can print five copies in sequence, speeding up the process multiple times over!¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Louis XVI, thinking to himself that the holder of the new guillotine patent was indeed well-deserved of his repute!

    Not only had he adapted the printing press for a stone base, but he had also greatly improved its efficiency!

    This meant that the time and cost of printing could be significantly reduced.

    ¡°Other than to express my admiration and praises for you, I can think of no other words,¡± Joseph said with exaggerated reverence, touching his chest in a bow to Louis XVI, ¡°You truly are the most impressive king I have ever seen!¡±

    In his heart, he added a caveat: regarding mechanical innovations.

    Louis XVI rubbed his hands together proudly and said with a smile:

    ¡°If the spring is further improved, we could print 10 to 20 copies at a time.¡±

    He began to explain his invention with the familiarity of an expert:

    ¡°Look here, when you pull down the lever, it moves the paper, and then pushes it forward¡­¡±

    As Joseph watched those intricate mechanical devices, an idea sparked within him. Perhaps there was no need to wait for the craftsmen at Charleville Arsenal; he could start developing the next generation of rifles right now.

    The King was the finest craftsman of all; it would be a waste not to make full use of his skills!

    He enquired about the situation of the plate-makers and learned they had already mastered the making of stone printing plates. He then summoned Eman to call the guards prepared for them and ordered them to escort the craftsmen back to the Paris Commercial News Agency immediately.

    Louis XVI sent his own assistant, the renowned lockmaster Mr. Ferrolant, along with them to the agency to help with the overhaul of the printing machines.

    Once all the craftsmen had left, Joseph quickly approached Louis XVI and said in an enticing tone:

    ¡°Dear father, I have a very ingenious rifle design proposal, which can only be crafted by someone with exceptional skill.

    ¡°Would you be interested in giving it a try?¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s eyes instantly lit up¡­

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Disruptive Weapon

    Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Disruptive Weapon

    Joseph briefly explained, ¡°This gun will adopt an entirely new ignition mechanism. The loading speed and power will be significantly improved over the current Flintlock Gun, and it will also have better resistance to rain and a lower misfire rate.¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s eyes shone even brighter. Even those who didn¡¯t understand military affairs could tell that this new gun would have a revolutionary impact on warfare!

    In fact, he was quite aware that all over France, people were talking behind his back, calling him ¡°inept¡± and ¡°not dedicated to his duties.¡±

    He too wished to be a king revered and worshiped by his subjects like the Sun King, but running a country sometimes really depended on one¡¯s natural talent.

    And he just happened to lack that talent.

    But gun-making was his forte¡ªbecause of his familiarity with precision mechanics, many gunsmiths of the era came from the Watchmaker¡¯s Guild.

    He was a master craftsman certified by both the Locksmith Guild and the Watchmaker¡¯s Guild.

    Before, even if he made the finest locks, no one would sincerely praise him for it.

    But guns were different! They were a nation¡¯s military pillar!

    If the new guns he developed could help French soldiers sweep through enemy forces, who would still call him a useless king?!

    Joseph had a guard bring in a Flintlock Gun and pointed to the firing mechanism at the rear of the gun:

    ¡°The current Flintlock Gun uses a piece of flint on the gun¡¯s mechanism to strike a steel plate, creating sparks that ignite the gunpowder in the chamber, which then ignites the firing powder in the barrel and shoots the bullet.¡±

    Louis XVI nodded; he often went hunting and was quite familiar with this.

    Joseph removed the flint from the gun¡¯s mechanism and continued:

    ¡°A few years ago, the British synthesized something called ¡®Fulminate Mercury¡¯ that explodes upon impact. If we fix the Fulminate Mercury to the rear side of the barrel and use the gun¡¯s mechanism to strike it, it will directly ignite the firing charge.¡±

    Louis XVI frowned and said:

    ¡°But how can we fix the Fulminate Mercury? And since it explodes on impact, it¡¯s not safe for the soldiers to carry¡ªif they accidentally fall, they might lose their lives.¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly:

    ¡°That¡¯s also why the British haven¡¯t been able to use Fulminate Mercury to make weapons until now.¡±

    Louis XVI looked at him with anticipation, knowing that his son must have come up with a solution.

    ¡°I call it a ¡®Percussion Cap,''¡± said Joseph, picking up a piece of paper he had used for printing and tearing off a small piece, folding it into a bowl the size of a green bean, ¡°this represents a copper shell.¡±

    He pinched some wax: ¡°This represents the Fulminate Mercury.¡±

    He pressed the wax firmly into the paper bowl:

    ¡°A Percussion Cap is then complete. The copper shell can block the external impact force so that the Fulminate Mercury won¡¯t explode easily.

    ¡°If we put the Percussion Cap into a cartridge bag padded with cotton, it would be even safer.¡±

    Louis XVI asked in surprise:

    ¡°But how would the gun ignite it?¡±

    ¡°Because copper is malleable,¡± Joseph said, taking a small hammer and striking the bottom of the paper bowl, ¡°if the gun¡¯s mechanism is made hammer-shaped and the spring is strong enough, the gun¡¯s mechanism will be able to flatten the bottom of the Percussion Cap, setting off the Fulminate Mercury inside.¡±

    Louis XVI picked up the Flintlock Gun and pondered aloud:

    ¡°So, the priming chamber can be removed, and we can just make a hole here in the barrel, stuff the Percussion Cap in, pull back the gun¡¯s mechanism, and it fires.¡±

    Joseph was taken aback, indeed a master, he even beat him to the answer!

    He nodded and said, ¡°Making a hole is not conducive to removing the percussion cap after firing. It would be better to fit a hollow cylinder on the rear side of the barrel. The cap would be pressed onto the cylinder. When fired, the flame will travel through the hollow into the barrel, and the cap can be easily pinched off after firing.¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s expression became increasingly excited.

    With a flintlock gun, the latter half of the firing sequence was: removing the gunpowder pack, pouring the powder into the priming chamber, packing it down, pulling back the firing mechanism, and firing.

    With a cap, all one needed to do was pull back the firing mechanism, place the cap on, and it would fire.

    It was at least two to three seconds faster than the flintlock gun!

    Don¡¯t underestimate these two or three seconds. Half a second on the battlefield could decide life or death. A seasoned soldier who has trained for years might only load his gun three seconds faster than a new recruit.

    Furthermore, the caplock gun didn¡¯t have the leakage hole of the priming chamber. The propelling force of the gunpowder could fully act on the projectile. The power would certainly be much greater than that of the flintlock gun.

    He looked at Joseph with pride and affection in his eyes:

    ¡°My dear son, how did you come up with such a brilliant idea? Oh, I guess God must have kissed your head.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that it was, of course, from a military forum. He smiled and said:

    ¡°Thank the Lord.¡±

    He took paper and pen, drew out the structure of the percussion cap gun from memory, and handed it to Louis XVI:

    ¡°This is roughly how it looks, but the specific dimensions and proportions, as well as issues with component processes, will have to be solved by our great King.¡±

    Louis XVI puffed out his chest with boundless enthusiasm:

    ¡°Rest assured! Together, father and son, we shall create a firearm that will astonish all of Europe!¡±

    Leaving the Royal Workshop, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of asking the King for help with weapon development earlier?

    In terms of equipment, this place had the most complete and high-quality tools and instruments in all of France.

    In terms of expertise, Louis XVI and his assistants were the very best.

    What was more important was that with the King working on research and development, there was absolutely no concern about technological leaks. If this were a munitions factory project, at least a hundred guards would have to be posted to prevent any spying.

    He then thought that there would be more and more matters involving technological confidentiality in the future. It would be prudent to hasten the introduction of a patent law.

    Furthermore, once the caplock guns were developed, the corresponding fulminate mercury processing and firearm manufacturing would have to catch up rapidly to achieve mass production.

    This new type of gun would not just be a simple weapon; it would also be an instrument for him to exert influence over the military. So it would be best for his own arsenal to handle the production¡­

    Lost in thought, Joseph had returned to his quarters. He tiredly unbuttoned his coat, his hand brushing against the envelope Lady Eric had given him that night.

    He casually pulled out the theater tickets from the envelope, noting that the play was scheduled for performance at the Com¨¦die-Fran?aise in four days.

    When he flipped the ticket over, he froze¡ªthe name of the play was ¡°Refining the Vault of Heaven,¡± which had just started serialization a few days ago!

    Only then did he remember that yesterday, Denico reported that a theater wanted to buy the rights to perform the serialized novel from the newspaper. Joseph hadn¡¯t paid much attention at the time and let Denico handle it entirely. Who could have thought it would premiere in just four days?

    The novel had only been serialized for three days in total. How eager must those troupes be?

    And they would have had at most a week to adapt and rehearse. How did they manage it?

    In the following days, Joseph first visited Lamark¡¯s pharmaceutical workshop to discuss the processing of ferrous sulfate.

    Then, he arranged the promotion and sales of Paris Angel Company¡¯s new product, ¡°Lady¡¯s Delight Oral Solution,¡± and occasionally visited the Royal Workshop to check on the King¡¯s progress.

    Four days passed quickly. That afternoon, Joseph¡¯s carriage stopped at the corner of Rue de Richelieu. The entrance to the Com¨¦die-Fran?aise was overflowing with people, packed tight as can be.

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Whos Fooling Whom

    Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Who¡¯s Fooling Whom

    Joseph naturally did not jostle with the regular audience, but instead entered the theater directly through the VIP entrance, escorted by the guards.

    His seat was in a luxurious box on the third floor facing the stage. It was very spacious, able to accommodate 12 people. However, at this moment, he was the only one sitting there.

    As the audience gradually took their seats, the surrounding music began, and the stage curtain slowly opened.

    On stage, the set was a light grey castle.

    Inside the castle, a blonde youth wearing a blue double-breasted coat was inscribing runes on a conical glass bottle. Colorful mists immediately started churning inside the bottle.

    An elderly man in a long robe in front of him glanced at it and said with an indifferent voice,

    ¡°Thanks to the gift of the elements. My dear Hurter Xiao, I regret that you have only achieved Alchemist Third Grade.¡±

    Mocking voices immediately arose around him:

    ¡°Oh, has my hearing deceived me? Our genius has only reached level three?¡±

    ¡°He must have been spurned by the elements, without any progress for years¡­¡±

    ¡°I never imagined that a genius would fall so quickly¡­¡±

    Joseph did not expect that aside from some exaggerated expressions, the actors were actually quite good; he was engrossed in the performance when he heard someone knocking at the door of the box.

    Eman glanced outside and whispered to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s the British Ambassador.¡±

    ¡°Please let him in.¡±

    Subsequently, the door to the box opened, and a middle-aged man in a grey-black robe with very thin lips took off his hat and bowed to Joseph, ¡°Respected Crown Prince, I did not expect to meet you here; I am quite fortunate.

    ¡°You may not recognize me; my name is David Hartley, the current British Ambassador to France. Of course, I am here today in a personal capacity to visit you.¡±

    Joseph nodded to him, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ambassador. Please have a seat.¡±

    Hartley sat down in the back corner of the box, a position invisible from the other boxes. As an ambassador, it was quite improper for him to meet privately with the Crown Prince of France; it could even cause a diplomatic dispute if word got out.

    ¡°Respected Crown Prince, I often hear people praising you,¡± Hartley said with a smile, ¡°The ¡®Child Blessed by God¡¯s¡¯ talents astonish the world, his boundless kindness, and full of wisdom¡­¡±

    After a long round of flattery, the British Ambassador then continued, ¡°Your Highness, as you know, I have always advocated firmly developing the traditional friendship between England and France¡­¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyelid twitched, thinking, do England and France even have a traditional friendship? Are you referring to the kind that¡¯s always plotting to dig each other¡¯s ancestral graves?

    Hartley, a seasoned politician, spoke sincerely, ¡°However, due to the instigations of some ambitious individuals, there have been many frictions between our two countries in the past. It¡¯s quite regrettable.

    ¡°Even now, there are many who do not wish to see our friendship.¡±

    He glanced at Joseph, probing, ¡°So, I believe we should work even harder to promote this precious friendship. What do you think?¡±

    Joseph, not knowing what he was getting at, humored him, ¡°Yes, long live the friendship between England and France.¡±

    Hartley brightened up, having not considered the thirteen-year-old boy before him to be cunning, thought to himself: This Crown Prince is indeed pro-British, the intelligence is correct.

    He rambled on about the vast prospects of Anglo-French cooperation, then switched topics, ¡°Your Highness, actually, I have always had a proposal that would be beneficial for both our countries.¡±

    Joseph posed with an interested look, ¡°Oh? Please elaborate.¡±

    Hartley sat up straight, ¡°I heard, Your Highness, that you were strongly against the wastage of funds on the construction of large warships. I highly agree with this view.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s gaze sharpened. This was a matter discussed in the Cabinet meetings. How could the British have gotten news of it? It seemed he needed to thoroughly investigate the issue of internal spies.

    Hartley continued, ¡°In fact, in England as well, there are some fellows incessantly advocating for the building of warships, squandering tax revenue. I believe these funds need not be wasted. If everyone stops the mad rush to build warships, the mutual threats will consequently disappear.

    ¡°So, I propose we could promote the signing of a treaty to restrict the scale of shipbuilding among nations.

    ¡°For example, the warships launched by England each year should not exceed 5000 tons, and France should not exceed 2000 tons. Oh, you know, England¡¯s maritime trade is vast, and we need more ships.

    ¡°Of course, countries like Spain and the Netherlands should also join in signing this treaty¡­¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but frown. Do they really think I¡¯m a child to be fooled?

    History had proven, through the bloody lessons of Napoleon and German Emperor William II, that if the mainland countries of Europe didn¡¯t have powerful fleets, they would inevitably be blockaded to death.

    He had ordered a halt to the production of sailing warships in the navy merely to avoid wastage. He hadn¡¯t expected the British to misinterpret it as giving up on challenging the British Navy.

    Seeing Hartley continuing to prattle on, he interrupted him immediately, steering the conversation in the direction he wanted:

    ¡°Ambassador, a shipbuilding treaty seems a bit distant. Why don¡¯t we start by discussing the existing treaties, instead?¡±

    ¡°The existing ones?¡±

    ¡°For instance, the Eden Treaty.¡±

    Hartley immediately became alert, ¡°Your Highness, I believe this treaty is very comprehensive and reasonable, and there¡¯s nothing worth discussing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, very reasonable, but there¡¯s still room for improvement,¡± Joseph said with a smile. ¡°Actually, France¡¯s industrial manufacturing capacity is quite weak. We can¡¯t produce many essential goods ourselves, and the inexpensive, high-quality British products are exactly what we need.

    ¡°But as you know, the tariffs set by the Eden Treaty are still too high, making these products expensive. The French people would have to spend much more money as a result.¡±

    Hartley was taken aback. This wasn¡¯t quite right. Normally, the French would desperately want to raise tariffs to protect their own industry. Yet the Crown Prince of France thought they were too high¡­

    He¡¯s indeed pro-British, no mistaking it!

    Hartley asked cautiously, ¡°What would be your suggestion, then?¡±

    Joseph spoke with a sense of righteousness, ¡°I think we should continue the negotiations of the Eden Treaty and further reduce tariffs! That truly aligns with the interests of our two countries.¡±

    Hartley showed a smile, ¡°Could you elaborate?¡±

    ¡°First, the tariffs on industrial products including textiles, steel, and paper manufacturing should be halved at least.¡± Joseph glanced at the British Ambassador¡¯s expression and added, ¡°To reflect our mutual equality, Britain should also reduce its tariffs on French industrial products simultaneously.¡±

    Hartley nodded, ¡°Equality, yes, you¡¯re right, it has to reflect equality.¡±

    The current industrial scale and technology of Britain were far ahead of France; they had no fear of competition from French industrial products. In his opinion, even if the import tariffs on British industrial products were reduced to zero, it would not have any effect.

    Seeing Hartley struggling to contain his excitement, Joseph knew it was time to reel him in: ¡°But as you know, if I want to push for treaty negotiations, I must first plug the mouths of those domestic fellows. They constantly complain about ¡®damaging French interests.¡¯

    ¡°So, I want to try an alternate approach. For instance, we could initially raise the tariffs on French industrial products to 25%, then gradually decrease them over seven years to reach 5%. This way, having secured short-term benefits, they will be less resistant.¡±

    Currently, the Eden Treaty prescribes that the tariffs on French industrial products are between 12-15%. Following this model, they would be able to reach the current level in just three years.

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Revolt

    Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Revolt

    Hartley silently calculated in his heart: According to this method, France¡¯s tariffs would drop below 10% in less than five years. France¡¯s industry would never be able to turn over a new leaf!

    Once the tariffs were reduced to 5%, France would almost become like England¡¯s colonies, a dumping ground for goods.

    He suppressed his excitement, hid his trembling hands behind his back, and said, ¡°I will report this to Congress. However, I personally believe that your suggestion is very beneficial!¡±

    Joseph also breathed a sigh of relief: If the tariffs stayed at the current level, France¡¯s industries would soon be overwhelmed by English goods.

    A 25% tariff would allow the workshops to catch their breath. Once he had a political base, he would start to push for France¡¯s Industrial Revolution.

    With the technology and concepts from a later era, if he couldn¡¯t surpass England in industry within seven years, he might as well buy a block of cheese and use it to knock himself out.

    Once France completed an enhanced version of the Industrial Revolution, then it would be France that dumped goods into a tariff-weakened England!

    Having bamboozled the industrial aspect, Joseph was ready to collect his interest: ¡°Mr. Ambassador, France has made substantial tariff concessions in industry. So, in terms of agricultural products, shouldn¡¯t England also make a gesture?¡±

    Hartley immediately nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s no problem, wine tariffs are still negotiable.¡±

    In the last trade negotiations, what the French people were most concerned about was the export of wine, actually exchanging much of their industrial goods market for England¡¯s wine market.

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°In fact, in addition to wine, we have some beer workshops in Normandy, and I think there are some spirits as well. The tariffs on these beverages would be best reduced to below 10%.

    ¡°Oh yes, luxury goods, there are also luxury goods. Perhaps you¡¯ve heard that I have some luxury goods industries; if you could accommodate them, I would be most grateful¡­¡±

    Hartley pondered briefly then nodded: ¡°I will definitely convey your thoughts to Congress.¡±

    The quality of French beer was quite average, and spirits had even less sales volume, so they could completely open the English market to them. The luxury goods market wasn¡¯t too large either. Compared to the huge profits in industrial goods, these were mere trifles.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we could reach a consensus,¡± said Joseph, ¡°We must both work to expedite the resumption of trade negotiations.¡±

    Then Hartley recalled another concern: ¡°Your Highness, what you just mentioned, are these your own thoughts, or do they represent¡­¡±

    ¡°Only my opinion. However, I believe that they will also be the terms presented by the French negotiating delegation.¡±

    Hartley nodded, lifted the glass on the table, and signaled to Joseph: ¡°To the flourishing trade between England and France!¡±

    But inwardly he thought: With just the Crown Prince¡¯s political influence, it would be difficult to control the content of the negotiations entirely. I must suggest to Congress to mobilize England¡¯s resources in France to help him achieve this.

    Even if it couldn¡¯t be agreed upon in the short term, as long as the Crown Prince of France had such intentions, a new treaty would sooner or later be signed.

    Joseph raised his glass to clink with his gently, just as they heard Hurter Xiao on stage loudly proclaim: ¡°Thirty years east of the Seine, thirty years west of the Seine! One should not mock a young man for his poverty!¡±

    The passionate words made all the audience stand up, applaud vigorously, and even moved some to tears.

    ¡°Then, I won¡¯t disturb your enjoyment of the wonderful play,¡± said Hartley, rising to his feet, bowing, and taking his leave.

    In his mind, he was already calculating: if all the negotiation terms mentioned by the Crown Prince of France could be met, he might be able to contend for the position of the next Prime Minister as a distinguished contributor.

    And as for his predetermined objectives for this trip, the sales of shipbuilding treaties, those were long forgotten.

    ¡­

    The next day.

    In the east hall meeting room of the Palace of Versailles, the first Cabinet meeting after the tax legislation had been rejected by the High Court was about to be convened.

    Joseph walked into the golden entrance of the hall and tucked away the several pages of the report he was holding.

    It was an investigation report just delivered by Fouche. It mentioned that they had found Gizo¡¯s mistress, a woman named Anna.

    With Gizo¡¯s arrest, Anna had become impoverished. Eventually, under the inducement of a spy from the Police Affairs Department, she revealed that Gizo and Similion had discussed disrupting the Saint Antoine District to cause trouble for the Crown Prince at her place.

    The key point was that in the conversation between Gizo and Similion, it was mentioned that if anything went wrong, a ¡°high-up¡± would help clean up.

    After Gizo¡¯s arrest, Anna had visited him. Gizo had asked her to seek out Paris Municipal Commissioner Levebelle, saying he would find a way to help him.

    Although there was no concrete evidence, it was basically certain that the person behind Gizo was Levebelle.

    And Levebelle¡¯s political faction belonged to the Duke of Orleans¡¯s camp. He himself had no conflicts of interest with Joseph. Thus, it could be deduced that the mastermind behind the scenes was the Duke of Orleans!

    Furthermore, Fouche had discovered that before Joseph took on the role of Assistant Finance Minister, the Duke of Orleans had attended a banquet hosted by the Banking Guild and openly asked the banks to delay the government¡¯s loan of 6 million livres as much as possible.

    Since many people attended the banquet, this news was not difficult to obtain.

    Thus, all the trouble was brewed by the Duke of Orleans.

    Joseph¡¯s eyes were cold. He must find a way to eradicate this scourge; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t tell what kind of mischief he would create for himself in the future!

    Soon, Queen Mary arrived in the conference hall. Everyone bowed respectfully. The Cabinet meeting officially began.

    Brian, as the Chief Minister, was about to deliver the customary summary of important matters that had occurred recently, but he saw Justice Minister Somiare and the Duke of Orleans exchange a glance, and then Somiare suddenly stood up, raising his voice:

    ¡°Archbishop Brianne, at this moment, the most critical issue for France is advancing the tax legislation. I think everyone must be waiting for you to introduce the progress of this matter.¡±

    Brian¡¯s expression immediately darkened. The High Court¡¯s rejection of the legislation was common knowledge, and the Justice Minister¡¯s pointed question here was clearly a challenge and an insult to him.

    Suppressing his anger, he responded in a deep voice, ¡°The High Court has refused to register it. However, I have revised the provisions of the legislation and will submit it to the High Court again.¡±

    Somiare smiled, ¡°The legislation you previously proposed heavily targeted all the nobility, which is the reason it was rejected. How do you plan to adjust it this time? Target the military, or go directly after the Royal Family?¡±

    ¡°You!¡±

    Somiare continued, ¡°As far as I know, the High Court has reached a consensus to refuse to cooperate with you. In other words, any legislation you submit in the future will surely be rejected.¡±

    As he spoke, he turned toward Queen Mary, raising his voice, ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, I believe that for the sake of the financial stability of France, we should replace the Finance Minister to ensure the tax legislation can be passed as soon as possible.¡±

    Before the Queen could say anything, Foreign Minister Vilran stood up and placed his hand over his heart, ¡°I agree with Count de Simeon¡¯s suggestion. The nation¡¯s finances are on the verge of collapse, and Archbishop Brianne should take responsibility for this.¡±

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Great Offensive and Defensive Battle

    Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Great Offensive and Defensive Battle

    Somiare bowed to Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, I have also received word from the Duke of Seville, Count Seyrelier, Marquis de Saint-Veran¡­¡±

    He listed over ten names in one breath, all of which belonged to very influential nobility.

    ¡°¡­to convey their suggestion that Archbishop Brian resign from his position.¡±

    Vilran glanced at Brian and said, ¡°Nowadays, all over Paris, discussions are rife about issues such as Archbishop Brian lacking knowledge in finance and his financial policies being outdated.¡±

    Queen Mary had not expected so many people to want Brian to step down and hesitated, saying,

    ¡°The tax bill matters are very complicated, perhaps we should give Archbishop Brian more time¡­¡±

    The Duke of Orleans had long been plotting to topple Brian and certainly wouldn¡¯t give him the opportunity to catch his breath.

    He cleared his throat, stood up, and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Queen, some friends in the banking industry have told me that due to the Finance Minister¡¯s assistant abruptly disrupting the loan cooperation with two banks not long ago, it caused the banks to suffer serious losses.

    ¡°Lately, the entire banking industry has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the national financial policies.¡±

    He deliberately blamed the actions of Joseph on Brian to target him. However, this was somewhat acceptable since Brian was the highest responsible person in the financial system and should be responsible for any finance-related issues.

    Somiare cooperated by displaying a shocked expression, saying, ¡°This situation sounds very serious.¡±

    ¡°It is indeed,¡± pretended the Duke of Orleans with a worried look, ¡°My friends have revealed that the Banking Guild might boycott Archbishop Brian, which would severely impact the government¡¯s ability to obtain loans.¡±

    He looked at Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, as you know, without the support of bank loans, we will not be able to pay the government debt, meaning a default on national bonds.¡±

    In fact, this was entirely an exaggeration. For banking capital, lending to the government was the best deal; not only was the interest high, but also there was hardly any concern about not being able to collect the loans. Ravel Bank and Labod Bank had lost the business of lending to the government, causing their revenues to plummet, and they were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

    However, Queen Mary started to feel uneasy, and with a frown, she asked, ¡°What can be done about this? Is there any room for recovery?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± The Duke of Orleans ¡°thought hard¡± for a moment, then suddenly looked up and said, ¡°There is one person who can deal with the current situation.¡±

    The Queen eagerly asked, ¡°Who is he?¡±

    ¡°You know him too, Mr. Necker,¡± said the Duke of Orleans, ¡°He has always been well-connected with the banking industry and possesses extensive experience in financial management. I believe that he is the most suitable candidate for Finance Minister at the moment.¡±

    Vilran and Somiare immediately nodded in a mimicry of agreement, ¡°Mr. Necker indeed has the capability to solve these problems.¡±

    ¡°I too think he is the only one fit to be Finance Minister.¡±

    Queen Mary watched the three of them, all feigning concern for the nation and its people, and waxing lyrical with great passion, and she too sighed inwardly.

    In fact, she was quite dissatisfied with Brian¡¯s handling of the financial system after taking over¡ªthere was no reduction in the huge national debt. The tax bill had been underway for over half a year with no progress. Now, to make matters worse, the banking industry had been offended¡­

    Initially, she wanted Brian for Finance Minister because he was the speaker of the ¡°Assembly of Notables¡±, which represented large nobility at the time, and by drawing him in, it was beneficial for the Assembly to support the new tax bill.

    Unfortunately, no sooner had Brian shown an attitude of support for the Royal Family than he was abandoned by the Assembly of Notables. It could be said that politically, he was almost without value.

    If replacing him could facilitate the advancement of the tax bill and also obtain the support of the banking industry, it would indeed be worth considering.

    Moreover, Mr. Necker had once served as Finance Minister. Although he was dismissed for unilaterally disclosing the expenditures of the Royal Family, he was indeed very professional in financial management.

    Thinking of this, Queen Mary looked up at the other ministers, ¡°Then, what are your opinions on this matter?¡±

    Joseph had been caught off guard by the sudden attack from the Justice Minister and Duke of Orleans, among others, but he finally understood¡ªthey were trying to get rid of Brian to elevate Necker.

    Historically, Necker did replace Brian as Finance Minister, just a few months later than now. It can be said that it was precisely by using this man as Finance Minister that Louis XVI¡¯s last hope of survival was buried.

    Simply put, Necker represented the interests of capitalists, more specifically the interests of banking capital!

    How could he possibly serve the Royal Family with wholehearted sincerity?

    It was during his tenure as Finance Minister that the French Government¡¯s scale of borrowing from banks rapidly expanded by several times.

    Even though the subsequent Finance Minister, Carolina, tried to avoid high-interest loans, by then France¡¯s finances had already become dependent on borrowing, a situation that was beyond salvation.

    In addition, he had made public the Royal Family¡¯s expenditures, provoking fierce criticism from all over France over the Royal Family¡¯s enormous spending. In reality, a large part of this was government expenditure on repurchasing noble lands and the like.

    The actual expenses of the Royal Family were essentially covered by the King¡¯s own estates and industries, and the King often had to use his private wealth to fill gaps in the treasury.

    Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly; he absolutely could not allow the Duke of Orleans to have his way!

    His own taxation legislation was just beginning to take shape, and he needed Brian¡¯s cooperation at this time. He had to protect him, which was also a strike against Necker.

    He immediately stood up and said, ¡°In fact, Archbishop Brienne has been very effective in advancing the tax legislation.

    ¡°One can go to Paris and see, many people believe that the nobility should pay land tax and the like, and they are very supportive of the new tax legislation.¡±

    Although he was somewhat exaggerating, similar public opinion had indeed begun to appear in large numbers.

    Somiare looked over at him, ¡°Crown Prince, as far as I am aware, there are still many who are skeptical about the tax legislation.¡±

    Joseph laughed dismissively, ¡°But that number will continue to decrease.¡±

    As the circulation of his two newspapers continued to rise, public opinion would inevitably lean towards supporting the bill. Moreover, the content of the bill did not affect most people and could improve government finances, giving them no reason not to support it.

    ¡°No, Your Highness, the tax legislation has been opposed for a long time, people will not just suddenly¡­¡±

    Joseph did not want to get entangled in these minor issues with him. The other party was clearly prepared, and if he got into a discussion of the details, that would fall into their pace.

    Joseph immediately raised his hand to interrupt him, turning to Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, the Archbishop Brienne has long had a detailed plan in place to promote the tax legislation and has already begun implementing it.

    ¡°Here, I can assure everyone very confidently that within at most two months, the tax legislation will certainly pass through registration at the High Court.¡±

    All present were taken aback, not expecting Brian to be so confident.

    Brian was also completely bewildered, as he didn¡¯t know about this plan himself, but he quickly realized the Crown Prince was helping him.

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Declaration of War

    Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Declaration of War

    Daussumial and Vilran immediately looked towards the Duke of Orleans¡ªthey had made comprehensive plans but did not anticipate such a situation.

    According to the usual pattern of political strife, under their sudden attack, the unprepared Archbishop Brienne could only react in two possible ways:

    One, he admits defeat, and announces his resignation directly.

    Two, he offers specious excuses and waits for the Cabinet meeting to end before looking for political leverage to break the predicament.

    However, their side was well prepared. When the time came, they would mobilize more of the Great Noble Group and unite with the banking industry to put pressure on Queen Mary. In the end, Archbishop Brienne was still fated to be dismissed.

    Yet, who knew Archbishop Brienne would counterattack on the spot!

    The Duke of Orleans furrowed his brow and said coldly, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, you were at your wit¡¯s end with advancing the tax bill before. How come you are so confident all of a sudden?

    ¡°France¡¯s financial situation is extremely severe. If you still cannot get the bill passed after two months¡­¡±

    Archbishop Brienne glanced at Joseph with the corner of his eye and, seeing his affirmative look, steeled his heart and declared loudly, ¡°Duke of Orleans, how do you know that my previous attempts were not tests for the High Court? And the rejection of the bill is also part of my overall plan.¡±

    He was already a veteran in the political arena, capable of spouting truth and falsehoods with ease.

    He then looked towards Queen Mary, and said with a determined expression, ¡°Your Majesty, if the tax bill is still not registered after two months, please exile me to Corsica!¡±

    Exiling erroneous high-ranking officials was a tradition in France, usually to remote towns like Lorraine or Perpignan, but being exiled to an island outside the mainland was a much more severe punishment.

    In fact, Archbishop Brienne had anticipated his dismissal sooner or later, and was prepared to accept it resignedly, but for some reason, he had a premonition at that instant that the Crown Prince really could get the bill passed!

    He was not willing to see his political career end just like that, so he made a choice on the spot¡ªtrust in the Crown Prince and take this political gamble!

    Seeing a hint of hesitation in Queen Mary¡¯s eyes, the Duke of Orleans immediately raised his voice, ¡°There¡¯s no need to waste another two months. Mr. Necker should be brought in to rescue France¡¯s finances right now!¡±

    Joseph smiled faintly and asked, ¡°Allow me to ask, Duke of Orleans, is Mr. Necker certain he can get the tax bill passed within two months?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans faltered, as he himself was one of the masterminds behind blocking the tax bill, and thus could only shake his head, ¡°Probably not¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately turned to Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, if Mr. Necker cannot accomplish this, then what reason do we have not to give Archbishop Brienne, who is confident, a chance?¡±

    Orleans urgently said, ¡°Your Majesty, Archbishop Brienne will only continue to worsen the financial situation!¡±

    Joseph immediately responded, ¡°Only by getting the tax bill passed can the financial situation be improved. And Mr. Necker is powerless in this matter.¡±

    Actually, he also knew that collecting a bit more tax from the nobility was almost negligible for France¡¯s finances. But the passage or failure of this bill was a significant symbol of the power struggle between the monarchy and the Great Noble Group! Whoever lost would face a significant setback on the political battlefield.

    Thus, this bill must pass!

    Queen Mary, seeing the two men at loggerheads, rubbed her brow wearily. The burden of these national affairs was indeed too heavy for her as a woman.

    Her gaze shifted back and forth between Joseph and the Duke of Orleans. While she felt that the former seemed to make more sense, the latter was a seasoned minister with vast political experience, whose opinion might be more worth considering.

    She then recalled Archbishop Brienne¡¯s confident demeanor, seemingly holding a winning ticket, but she also had to consider the attitudes of the ¡°Assembly of Notables,¡± those great nobles, and the banking industry¡­

    She could only feel various factors in her head plunging into chaos, uncertain whom to listen to for the time being.

    After a long while, Queen Mary looked to the other cabinet ministers for help, ¡°May I ask what are your opinions on this matter?¡±

    The neutral cabinet ministers did not want to rashly take sides and remained silent, heads down. The Minister of the Interior, Mono, opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

    Seeing no one speaking up, the Queen glanced at the Duke of Orleans and Brian and finally placed her hands weakly crossed on the conference table in front of her, murmuring, ¡°Then, regarding whether Archbishop Brienne should continue to be in charge of financial affairs until two months later, I sincerely ask you to make a fair judgment for the common benefit of all of France.¡±

    ¡°I have decided to adjourn for the time being and continue the cabinet meeting tomorrow to resolve this issue with a cabinet decision.¡±

    What she referred to as ¡°decision¡± was a collective vote by the cabinet ministers for the matters that were difficult to decide.

    After making her announcement, as if she had exhausted all her energy, she gestured to adjourn and was the first to walk towards the golden door with the help of her maids.

    Joseph frowned inadvertently, not expecting the Queen to lack decisiveness and courage, actually passing the problem to her ministers.

    The Duke of Orleans watched Brian with a smug look and, without saying anything, led his group out of the meeting hall.

    Both sides had declared war; there was no room for compromise, and what followed were political maneuvers and deal-making.

    ¡­

    Joseph and Brian went to the office of the Finance Minister together.

    After closing the door, Brian immediately bowed and said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for your assistance. You have saved me, as well as the finances of France.¡±

    Then he eagerly asked his most pressing question, ¡°Please, you must tell me the truth, are you really confident that you can get the bill passed?¡±

    Joseph knew that their interests were aligned, so there was no worry about Brian leaking secrets, and immediately nodded, ¡°Rest assured, I am indeed confident.

    ¡°The ¡®Assembly of Notables¡¯ may seem like a difficult political beast to confront, but in fact, it has two fatal weaknesses.

    ¡°First, its interior is not an extremely united whole but a combination of the Great Noble Group and the Capitalist Nobility¡­you can simply understand these as the nouveaux riches who have rapidly accumulated wealth. We can divide them and break them apart.

    ¡°Secondly, it relies too heavily on the High Court. Without the support of the High Court, they are just a bunch of ordinary nobles with no authority. And since the High Court is inherently corrupt, there are plenty of vulnerabilities to attack.¡±

    Brian nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this, ¡°Your analysis is very insightful but we only have two months¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately smiled, ¡°Please be assured. I now have enough interests and methods to divide the ¡®Assembly of Notables¡¯ in my hands, as well as the public opinion tools to subdue the High Court. Along with your political capital, as long as we manage it properly, it won¡¯t take two months to get the bill passed.¡±

    A light flashed in Brian¡¯s eyes, and it was not until this moment that he finally believed he had bet correctly!

    As they were talking, Eman¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Your Highness, Count Mono has arrived.¡±

    Brian and Joseph exchanged looks, then called out loudly, ¡°Come in, please, the door is unlocked.¡±

    The door was pushed open, and the Minister of the Interior, Mono, entered with a serious expression.

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Political Deals

    Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Political Deals

    Count Mono bowed to Joseph and Archbishop Brienne, saying earnestly, ¡°The Cabinet¡¯s decision this time relates to the future financial path; how we decide, I fear, will be taken with utmost caution by all.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne immediately showed a smile, ¡°Count Mono, I heard your child is going to be 15 soon, quite exceptional.¡±

    He extended both hands towards Mono, ¡°This may be somewhat presumptuous, but I believe he is indeed a fine candidate to inherit your title.¡±

    Mono¡¯s eyes lit up at once, ¡°You mean, you have a way to help him¡­?¡±

    He was past his sixtieth year, his legitimate wife and only son had both died of illness, and although he had several illegitimate children, according to French law, bastards could not inherit the family estate.

    Archbishop Brienne nodded at him, ¡°This will take a considerable amount of time, but I believe there are some means to achieve it. I can promise you that.¡±

    Mono immediately grasped his hand, excitedly saying,

    ¡°Archbishop Brienne, you have always been the Finance Minister I respect the most! This will never change.¡±

    He originally had some acquaintance with Archbishop Brienne, and later formed some bonds with Joseph.

    This time, with the Crown Prince firmly on Brienne¡¯s side, he had roughly determined his own stance, but the political compensation he was due couldn¡¯t be less.

    And Brienne was also quite frank with his rewards. After all, arranging for a Count¡¯s bastard to inherit a title was not easy, and without Archbishop Brienne¡¯s Church background, and his power as Chief Minister, it was almost impossible to accomplish.

    Of course, Mono also took a great political risk, but he also calculated very clearly that even if Brienne fell, he would still gain a favor from the Crown Prince and wouldn¡¯t lose everything.

    Archbishop Brienne likewise bowed in thanks, ¡°Thank you for your trust! Count Mono, you will always have my friendship.¡±

    Having completed the exchange of benefits, Mono immediately began to offer strategies and efforts to the team:

    ¡°Archbishop Brienne, regarding tomorrow¡¯s decision, do you feel confident?¡±

    Archbishop Brienne responded truthfully, ¡°Currently, only His Highness and you have confirmed your support for me.¡±

    Mono pondered, ¡°According to custom, military men generally do not get involved in such matters.

    ¡°As for the Duke of Orleans, he has the Justice Minister and the Foreign Minister, also three people. So¡­¡±

    Brienne continued, ¡°The position of Count Nico Herve will thus be particularly important.¡±

    He was talking about the current Registry Minister, a minister who usually had the least presence in the Cabinet but had now become the center of the storm.

    Mono lowered his head, analyzing, ¡°The Duke of Orleans should already be on his way to win him over by now.¡±

    Joseph looked at him, ¡°What do you think, can the Duke of Orleans come up with as a bargaining chip?¡±

    After some thought, Mono said, ¡°It should be money, a large sum of money, or something like an estate. As you know, the Duke of Orleans is very wealthy.¡±

    Joseph asked again, ¡°Can you tell me about Count Nico Herve¡¯s situation?¡±

    ¡°Well, he once was an advisor to His Majesty the King and later, on the recommendation of Viscount Carolina, became the Registry Minister. However, he doesn¡¯t have much of a record, and behind his back, everyone calls him ¡®Invisible Nico Herve¡¯¡­¡±

    As he finished, a smile appeared on Joseph¡¯s face, ¡°I think, I might have a talk with him.¡±

    ¡­

    As twilight approached, Nico Herve respectfully followed by the side of the Crown Prince, walking slowly along the cobblestone path on the edge of the Versailles Palace Square.

    He was well aware of the current situation, just waiting for the offers from both sides to roll in.

    However, he had originally thought Brian would come to find him, yet it was the Crown Prince who arrived.

    ¡°Trade negotiations?¡± Nico Herve appeared extremely surprised, ¡°Your Highness, are you saying you want me to preside over the trade negotiations?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Yes, before long, we will be reopening negotiations for the ¡®Eden Treaty¡¯ with England.¡±

    Nico Herve asked in confusion, ¡°But ¡­ what does this have to do with me? Such negotiations are usually the responsibility of the Foreign Minister and the Finance Minister.¡±

    Joseph laughed, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case. The Finance Minister is in charge of drafting the specific terms, while another person is responsible for coordinating and communicating with the British.

    ¡°You see, after today¡¯s Cabinet meeting, it has become quite difficult for Vilran to work with Archbishop Brian. And since the Finance Minister must be involved in the negotiations, we will have to choose someone else to team up with Archbishop Brian. Like you, for instance.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Nico Herve¡¯s heart stirred. Presiding over negotiations with the British could give him political capital that he could never gain by conducting tens of thousands of censuses.

    The most significant accomplishment of the celebrated Count of Vergena was facilitating the Franco-American Alliance, followed by signing the ¡®Eden Treaty¡¯.

    Could he also have the chance to achieve the prestige of Count Vergena!

    At this thought, he suddenly hesitated and said with some reservation, ¡°But Your Highness, I have no experience in this area ¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately replied, ¡°That is easy, all you need to do is maintain the dignity of France in front of the Englishmen.

    ¡°I know you possess exceptional abilities; it¡¯s just that you haven¡¯t had the opportunity to showcase them.

    ¡°If you can demonstrate your diplomatic skills during these negotiations for everyone to see, you could even have the chance to take over as Foreign Minister.¡±

    Nico Herve¡¯s breathing grew a bit rapid, not simply because the position of Foreign Minister held greater authority, but more so because he had long since grown weary of the registration system¡ªwithout any eye-catching opportunities, the uniform documents and data, and even being mockingly referred to as ¡®transparent¡¯.

    To be Foreign Minister, however, meant to have the world as your stage, where you could dance freely among different nations, enjoying such careless and heroic abandon!

    He looked at Joseph and asked earnestly, ¡°Your Highness, are you certain that the trade agreement will be renegotiated?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely certain. You can inquire about the relevant situation from the British ambassador to France.¡±

    ¡°Then, will Archbishop Brian be presiding over the negotiations with me?¡±

    ¡°What I have conveyed is precisely the Archbishop¡¯s own intention.¡±

    Joseph maintained his smile throughout. When he heard from Count Mono that Nico Herve came from a very wealthy background but had always lacked presence in the Cabinet and was quite dissatisfied with it, he knew exactly what to offer in trade.

    Indeed, Nico Herve paused, turned back, and gestured over his chest, ¡°Your Highness, you will have the vote you seek.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction, then added, ¡°Count Nico Herve, there¡¯s one last thing I would like to remind you. If Archbishop Brie resigns as Finance Minister, then it will be Necker and Vilran presiding over the trade negotiations.¡±

    Nico Herve immediately said with a determined tone, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will make sure such a thing does not happen!¡±

    Compared to the allure of the position of Foreign Minister, the several hundred thousand livres promised to him by the Duke of Orleans were utterly insignificant!

    After parting ways with Nico Herve, Joseph headed towards the Palace of Versailles, musing to himself that politics was like haggling among market vendors¡ªsome made offers, others made counteroffers, and in the end, the highest bidder won.

    There were also those who understood the psychology of the buyers well enough to ask for the moon.

    Or if you were strong enough, you simply forced a sale.

    But in the end, it was all still a trade.

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Traitor

    Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Traitor

    ¡°`

    At 9 in the morning, the conference hall in the east wing of the Palace of Versailles was once again convened to decide the destiny of France.

    ¡°So, let us begin the Cabinet resolution,¡± Queen Mary surveyed the attendees on both sides of the expansive conference table. ¡°Gentlemen, those who agree with Count de Simeon¡¯s proposal and believe that Archbishop Brienne should resign immediately, please show your support.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans immediately revealed a smug smile and slowly raised his right hand. He was utterly confident in toppling Brian¡ªthe day before, he had promised Nico Herve a full three hundred thousand livres, an enormous sum that was sure to tempt the ¡°transparent minister.¡±

    Somiare and Vilran also raised their hands one after the other.

    A moment of silence fell upon the hall.

    The Duke of Orleans glanced at Nico Herve, signaling with his eyes that it was time for him to take action.

    But there was no response.

    The Duke of Orleans frowned, coughed softly, and whispered, ¡°Ahem, Earl Nico.¡±

    Nico Herve, however, kept his gaze focused intently on the queen at the head of the conference table, as if he had heard nothing.

    Queen Mary once again looked around and asked, ¡°Anyone else?¡±

    Seeing Nico Herve remaining as unmoving as a stone sculpture, the Duke of Orleans finally realized there was a problem and glared at him furiously, as if his gaze could pierce through Nico¡¯s chest.

    Queen Mary, with her hands braced on the table, stood up and announced loudly, ¡°According to the Cabinet¡¯s decision, Archbishop Brienne will continue to serve as the Finance Minister for the next two months.¡±

    She then turned to Brian, nodding in acknowledgment, ¡°I hope you bring us good news in two months. If not, I trust you will remember your promise.¡±

    The queen turned and left.

    The Duke of Orleans, seething with rage, turned around the conference table, wanting to confront the Minister of Civil Registry sitting on the other side, only to see the latter had already left through the golden doors without looking back, as if they had never met the previous night.

    He dashed out of the conference hall but did not chase after Nico. Instead, he quickly exited the Palace of Versailles, hopped onto his carriage, and gnashed his teeth in anger, ¡°Nico, the damned traitor!

    ¡°As for you, Brian, you¡¯re just wasting another two months. That bill will never pass!¡±

    ¡­

    Royal Palace.

    Huge crystal chandeliers illuminated the grand hall, over fifty meters in length.

    In the oil paintings on the wall, the old Duke of Orleans looked proudly towards the middle-aged man on the platform in front of him, as if he were reporting to the Regent.

    ¡°We must do something!¡± shouted the middle-aged man with curly white hairpiece and a face marred by acne scars, gesticulating furiously with both hands, ¡°Let¡¯s all write to his Majesty the King. Demanding Brian steps down immediately¡­¡±

    The hall was filled with dozens of nobles, either standing or sitting, all echoing loudly:

    ¡°Yes! Brian has betrayed everyone here; he shall be punished!¡±

    ¡°How dare they expect us to pay the same taxes as those commoners, it¡¯s an insult!¡±

    Anyone who had attended the Assembly of Notables earlier in the year would recognize that the participants were members of the Assembly, the most influential nobles.

    By the arched window on the west side, a man nearly forty, with a broad face and a double chin, whispered to the person beside him, ¡°We just had a gathering like this ten days ago, why another one?¡±

    The noble next to him replied, ¡°Count Mirabeau, are you not aware of the Cabinet meeting from a couple of days ago?¡±

    ¡°`

    ¡°I heard that Count Somiare launched a motion to dismiss Archbishop Brienne, but it failed.¡±

    The nobleman laughed, ¡°Although he wasn¡¯t dismissed, Queen Mary has demanded that he get the tax legislation registered within two months, or else she will exile him to Corsica.¡±

    Mirabeau nodded slightly, previously, Finance Minister Carolina had been exiled for not successfully pushing the tax legislation, and if Brienne were to fail as well, it would be a declaration to all the nobility that the High Court had the power to regulate the authority of the Royal Family.

    He also revealed a smile, ¡°This gathering will unite us even more, and in two months, we will ultimately prevail.¡±

    At this moment, in a room on the second floor, the Duke of Orleans glanced down at the bustling hall and then turned, raising his glass with a smile, ¡°Look, gentlemen, everyone is on our side.¡±

    Those before him also raised their glasses, one said, ¡°Correcting the mistakes of the Royal Family is the duty of the High Court.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that bill, it¡¯s filled with absurdities. I believe no judge would ever allow it to be registered.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But even if Archbishop Brienne makes significant changes to the clauses, we can¡¯t let the bill pass.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, this time it¡¯s outright provocation to the High Court!¡±

    The Duke of Orleans laughed and nodded, enthusiastically clinking glasses with a few others.

    These men were the most powerful judges of the High Court; any legislation that wished to be registered would need their approval.

    With the commitments from the judges and the support of the great nobles in the hall, even if Brienne were incredibly capable, he would have to roll obediently off to Corsica in two months.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯ve also prepared some surprises for everyone.¡± The Duke of Orleans indicated towards several tightly closed doors to the side, his expression insinuating, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll like them.¡±

    The judges exchanged glances, responding with knowing smiles.

    They knew these were activities the Duke of Orleans provided for his esteemed guests. The ones inside those rooms weren¡¯t ordinary performers but carefully selected beauties; although reportedly of dubious origins, they were indeed rarely seen in this world.

    The men nodded their thanks to the Duke of Orleans, then picked up mummy powder that had already been prepared on a nearby table, each chose a room, and entered with licentious laughter.

    The pharaohs of ancient Egypt could not possibly have dreamed that their bodies, so meticulously prepared for resurrection, would be ground into powder thousands of years later and consumed as aphrodisiacs.

    ¡­

    Paris Commercial News Agency.

    In a warehouse over ten meters wide, the smell of ink and a faint scent of mold permeated the air. More than a dozen workers, dressed in coarse gray-yellow clothes with cracked faces and hands, were busy using ropes to bundle books into stacks, then arranging them neatly on wooden planks.

    The piles of books in the warehouse stood over two meters high, filling half the space.

    Suddenly, the door was pushed open. A handsome young man in a luxurious dark blue coat and an otter fur tricorn hat walked in.

    The workers, sensing his very high status, stopped their tasks and nervously stepped back, bowing their heads.

    The young man greeted with a smile, ¡°Please continue with your work, don¡¯t mind me¡­¡±

    As he spoke, a foreman wearing a felt cap and dressed in a black leather jerkin and trousers, carrying a wooden club, suddenly came from the other side and hit the closest worker with a stick, ¡°Laziness! It¡¯s not time to rest yet, do you all want a beating?¡±

    After taking a few steps and about to strike another worker, the foreman looked up and saw the noble young man and the arriving manager Denico, who had just entered the warehouse, and immediately understood what was happening.

    He hastily bowed, ¡°Your lordship, I hope I didn¡¯t offend you.

    ¡°Mr. Denico, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    The youth was Joseph. He snatched the foreman¡¯s club, threw it on the ground, and said coldly, ¡°Next time, if you hit someone without understanding the situation, you¡¯ll be out of a job! This time you¡¯re fined three days¡¯ pay.¡±

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Freedom Fighter

    Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Freedom Fighter

    ¡°`

    Denico hurried over and shouted at the bewildered overseer, ¡°What are you standing there for? Apologize immediately! This is the owner of our newspaper.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the overseer stammered, taking several steps back and bowing repeatedly, ¡°I¡¯m extremely sorry.¡±

    Joseph gestured to the workers around, ¡°You should be apologizing to them.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right.¡± The overseer turned and bowed his head to the group of poorly dressed people, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Denico frowned and shook his head as a sign, ¡°Just go.¡±

    The overseer hurriedly backed out of the storeroom and, in doing so, stepped on a string used to tie up bundles of books, almost falling over.

    The workers cast grateful glances at Joseph. One of the bolder ones even bowed and said, ¡°Thank you, sir, you are truly a kind and good man.¡±

    Joseph noticed their cracked skin and ordered Denico, ¡°Mr. Denico, please buy some lanolin for everyone to use for free, and make sure no one gets frostbite.

    ¡°Also, during the coldest month of each year, give everyone an extra week¡¯s wages as a cold-weather subsidy.¡±

    Denico nodded quickly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll remember that.¡±

    The workers could hardly believe their ears, feeling that this young noble boss was simply an angel in human form, not only stopping the overseer from hitting people at will but also being so generous to everyone.

    These simple workers weren¡¯t eloquent, so they silently got back to work. However, their hands moved noticeably faster than before, and when binding and arranging the booklets, they did so with greater care.

    Joseph continued walking through the gaps between piles of books, casually picking up a booklet. It was evident from the grayish-yellow, coarse paper that it was of the lowest quality, with crude printing, and only crudely stitched together in the middle with some plant fiber to prevent it from falling apart.

    However, the booklet had 16 pages, including five illustrations.

    He looked towards the mountain-like pile of books and asked, ¡°Mr. Denico, how many copies were printed this time?¡±

    Denico eagerly stepped forward, ¡°Your Highness, we printed 30,000 copies of each of the two types of booklets, which should be enough for sales in Paris and the surrounding towns.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°What was the cost for one of these booklets?¡±

    ¡°Because it has more pages, it costs 1 sou and 5 deniers,¡± Denico added. ¡°Your invention of that lithography is truly miraculous. Without it, the cost would definitely exceed 3 sous.¡±

    In fact, if the old copperplate printing method had been used, no booklet would dare to include five illustrations¡ªengraving the copperplates alone would have increased the cost of the booklet several times over.

    It could be said that the booklets launched by Paris Commercial News this time were definitely the most luxurious standard in the booklet industry.

    Without a second thought, Joseph said, ¡°Then sell them at cost price.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Denico had gotten used to his boss¡¯s extravagance. Last time, if it weren¡¯t for the shops eager to advertise, they would have lost money on the newspapers.

    Joseph opened the booklet in his hand; the first few pages were light-hearted novels. In the middle, there was an article titled ¡°How Much Money Have the Judges of the High Court Embezzled?¡±

    There were four such articles interspersed within the light-hearted text in total.

    Joseph briefly skimmed through and found that the quality of several articles was indeed somewhat unsatisfactory. The writing was tedious, it didn¡¯t stir up the reader¡¯s anger, nor was it very resonant.

    He couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly, ¡°The articles need to have more inflammatory content.¡±

    Denico nodded awkwardly, ¡°Yes, I will do my utmost.¡±

    Joseph knew that it wasn¡¯t Denico¡¯s fault; the Paris Commercial News had been a small circulation newspaper before, and the editorial capacity was just as it was.

    ¡°`

    He thought for a moment, then pointed at the booklet in his hand and said, ¡°We can start by making some improvements to the headlines.

    ¡®For example, this ¡®How Much Money Have the High Court Judges Really Embezzled?¡¯ can be changed to ¡®Fury! They say ¡®If you have no money, get lost; you don¡¯t deserve to win¡¯.

    ¡®And this one, ¡®The Truth About Magistrate Wezignia¡¯s Handling of the Leon Inheritance Case,¡¯ could be ¡®Shocking! A Widow, Two Men, and the Untold Story Between Them and Magistrate Wezignia¡¯.

    ¡±The Effects of the Unregistered Tax Laws on the National Finances¡¯ becomes ¡®Terrifying! They are Stealing France¡¯s Money, and We Don¡¯t Even Know¡¯¡­¡±

    Denico¡¯s eyes suddenly went round as saucers.

    These titles seemed to have a tiny bit of relevance to the content of the articles, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t quite right either.

    However, the main point was that these headlines were too tantalizing; anyone who saw them would definitely be unable to resist reading the articles that followed!

    He sighed inwardly: If the Crown Prince were to become a journalist, with his knack for crafting headlines alone, he would be fiercely sought after by all the major newspapers.

    As Joseph was speaking, he saw a newspaper executive signaling to Denico from afar. The latter hurriedly said to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, the guest you were waiting for has arrived.¡±

    Joseph nodded and went with Denico to the newspaper office.

    A middle-aged man with disheveled hair and deep nasolabial folds was already waiting there.

    When he saw them enter, he quickly stood up to greet Denico and said, ¡°I¡¯m delighted to meet you, Mr. Denico. Thank you for publishing my article. May I know why you have summoned me?¡±

    Denico immediately followed Joseph¡¯s instructions and introduced the man, ¡°Mr. Xavier, this is Mr. Mara.¡±

    He then pointed to Joseph, who wore a tricorn hat: ¡°Mr. Mara, this gentleman is the owner of our newspaper, Mr. Xavier.

    ¡°Oh, it was his idea to publish your article.¡±

    Mara hastily bowed to Joseph, saying, ¡°Thank you very much, Mr. Xavier. You are truly young and talented, having led the Paris Commercial News to such success.¡±

    Joseph smiled and returned the gesture, gesturing to a chair beside them: ¡°Mr. Mara, please take a seat.¡±

    Yes, his main purpose for coming to the newspaper office today was to meet Mara¡ªthis historically notorious Jacobin leader, who with a mere signature could have three thousand heads rolling.

    Mara¡¯s article analyzing the tax laws had been rejected everywhere, and had finally been sent to the Paris Commercial News.

    Denico, who was in need of such pieces at the time, had published it straight away.

    And when Joseph saw Mara¡¯s famous name in his own newspaper, he had an epiphany and asked Denico to arrange a meeting.

    Joseph was fully aware that although Mara appeared to be just a journalist with a sharp pen, in reality, his influence was enormous, with extensive connections and huge sway among the common people. If handled correctly, Mara might play a significant role in the game between himself and the High Court.

    However, given Mara¡¯s extreme animosity toward the Royal Family, Joseph had to choose to meet him in a different guise.

    After Mara had taken a seat, Denico made the excuse that there was an issue in the storeroom and left.

    Joseph looked at Mara and smiled, saying, ¡°I have always admired you, Mr. Mara. You are a true Freedom Fighter.¡±

    Mara clearly took pride in this title and immediately returned the compliment, ¡°It is my honor to fight for justice and rights for the people of France.¡±

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: On-shelf Address

    Chapter 83: On-shelf Address

    Dear esteemed readers, good evening!

    I¡¯m reporting to you as the author: this book will go live at midnight on December 1st, 2023.

    The autumn breeze of October, like a golden paintbrush, rendered the splendid Palace of Versailles within the pages, and at that moment, ¡°I Was the Crown Prince in France¡± embarked on a new chapter.

    The frost and snow of November resembled a grueling journey that taught me persistence and patience in the ongoing writing process, striving to satisfy you all.

    As for December¡­ never mind, I¡¯m not going to try to sound European anymore; it¡¯s too exhausting.

    I¡¯ll just speak plainly.

    ¡°I Was the Crown Prince in France¡± began to take shape in June when I came across a book about modern European history. After reading it, I immediately developed a keen interest in the history of the French Revolution, convinced that the era of rapid and dramatic changes brought forth many interesting stories and sigh-inducing characters.

    Thus, I was struck by a strong impulse to create, hoping to write fascinating stories. For this purpose, I started to search through various historical documents and materials. It was only when I started looking did I realize the difficulty¡ªmany of the historical records lacked Chinese translations, and numerous historical figures had various transliterated names. I even made a comical mistake initially, thinking they were two different people, only to later find out it was the same individual with different transliterations of their name.

    After more than three months of searching, I felt I had gathered quite comprehensive material and finally began to write this book. As I wrote, I realized that some segments of the outlines I had initially designed still needed further refinement to truly capture the essence. Even though I wrote slowly, the unwavering support of gifts, monthly passes, and recommendation tickets from you, dear readers, has warmed my heart and moved me deeply.

    Through all the stumbling over the past month, we¡¯re finally approaching the launch date, and I am quite emotional. This is the third book I¡¯ve managed to bring to launch, like my third child. Although it surely has flaws, I still love it dearly. I hope you too will fall in love with it.

    In the end, what I want to say is thank you to my two editors who picked up my work, Brother Green Bean and Brother Penglai. I was quite worried that my book, being a niche topic, would have a difficult time passing review. But to my surprise, both editors picked it up and have helped me a lot. I truly hope the subscription numbers will live up to their good opinion.

    Also, I want to thank the four helmsmen of the book: Adorably Average Caesar, R-island, Uncle Cai Ning, and This Isn¡¯t Good, for their generous donations, along with all the book friends and supporters for their love and support for the book.

    I beg you all, on account of the little author who skipped dinner tonight to keep typing away, to contribute a first subscription to the book! Because it really means the world to me, I love you all!

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Public Opinion Boomerang

    Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Public Opinion Boomerang

    Joseph said somewhat excitedly,

    ¡°I have read many of your articles and always wondered why, as a freedom fighter, you never attacked the filthiest, most corrupt, and darkest place in Paris. It was not until I saw that article of yours that I realized I had wronged you.¡±

    Marat blinked in confusion and asked,

    ¡°By the filthiest and darkest place, what do you mean?¡±

    Joseph clenched his fist and said,

    ¡°Of course, the High Court! It¡¯s full of money and power trades, constantly creating unjust cases. The judges treat the suffering of the victims as a means to wealth, making it the source of all the misery of the Parisian people!¡±

    He didn¡¯t slander the High Court at all¡ªlater records show that the High Court at that time was one of the most corrupt places in France, without question!

    Due to the gradual hereditary nature of judgeships, coupled with the increasing power of the judges, the outcome of lawsuits completely turned into a competition of bribing the judges.

    So much so that many of the lower class, when they had issues, would rather seek help from gangs to resolve them, rather than go to court.

    It wasn¡¯t until Napoleon came to power and vigorously reformed the judiciary that the court began to clean up a bit.

    Marat furrowed his brows. His sources were very reliable, so he naturally knew about the dirty dealings within the High Court.

    Compared with the High Court, the bureaucrats in other departments were as pure as underage girls.

    Joseph continued,

    ¡°Your article was excellent, denouncing the High Court¡¯s shameless obstruction of the tax law and revealing their dirty dealings with the nobility!¡±

    Marat felt somewhat ashamed upon hearing this. His own article had merely mentioned that the law was beneficial to national finances and that the court had no sufficient reason to reject it, and that three consecutive refusals indicated something fishy was happening.

    But it was far from the ¡°denunciation¡± Mr. Xavier mentioned.

    Joseph sounded as if he was making a speech,

    ¡°Since the High Court holds the right to review publications, no newspaper has dared to expose their ugliness, but I¡¯ve decided to declare war on them!

    ¡°Even if my newspaper is banned, even if I end up behind bars, I will have no regrets! At least the respected Mr. Marat fought alongside me!¡±

    Listening to his impassioned declaration, Marat suddenly felt like nothing more than a coward.

    Because subconsciously knowing that writing about the High Court would be difficult to pass the review for publication, he involuntarily avoided this topic, and countless atrocities and injustices were buried beneath lies due to his timidity.

    The young Mr. Xavier is the true fighter!

    Joseph, seeing the expression on Marat¡¯s face, thought to himself that the success or failure of his plan hung in the balance. He took a deep breath and said,

    ¡°Mr. Marat, I know all of this is extremely dangerous, and if you choose to step back, I¡¯d completely understand. But I will continue the fight for the people of France to the very end!¡±

    Marat felt a surge of blood rush to his head. He stood up abruptly, clenched his fists tightly, and declared earnestly,

    ¡°I will fight with you, expose the crimes of the High Court! To return justice and dignity to the people!¡±

    ¡­

    In the western suburbs of Paris, at the headquarters of the Police Affairs Department.

    Accompanied by Fouche and other high-level officials of the Police Affairs Department, Joseph swiftly walked past rooms labeled ¡°Intelligence Team,¡± ¡°Action Team,¡± ¡°Resource Team,¡± and entered the chief¡¯s office at the end of the corridor.

    The Police Affairs Department had developed quickly. Fouche had just given him a brief report. The entire Police Affairs Department now had more than four hundred ¡°police officers,¡± with informants spread throughout Paris.

    Important departments such as city halls, courts, and embassies had already established complete intelligence networks that collected and summarized information on schedule every day.

    In terms of intelligence-gathering capability, even the Secret Police, with seven or eight times more personnel, wouldn¡¯t dare claim to outperform the Police Affairs Department.

    Joseph sat down at the desk, praised Fouche and others for their excellent work, and then began assigning tasks:

    ¡°The Police Affairs Department must, within a month, investigate the corruption and criminal behavior of the High Court¡¯s magistrates and key officials!¡±

    In fact, he could have had someone instruct Fouche to do these things, but as it concerned his political future, he decided it was better to personally visit the Police Affairs Department to show its importance.

    ¡°Also, the Duke of Seville, Count Seyrelier¡­¡± He looked at the note in his hand and read off more than a dozen names, all of whom were the great nobles mentioned by Somiare in the Cabinet meeting as supporters for the dismissal of Brian.

    ¡°These people must be thoroughly investigated. Whether it¡¯s seducing women or tax evasion, or even injuring servants, investigate everything you can find!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Joseph then read out a series of street blocks and door numbers, directing to Fouche,

    ¡°This is Marat¡¯s address.¡±

    Fouche asked, puzzled,

    ¡°Is that the Jean-Paul Marat? The stubborn anti-Royal Family member?¡±

    Joseph nodded,

    ¡°For now, he¡¯s ¡®one of us.¡¯ You can have your people actively become his informant, passing him the dirt on the High Court that they find.¡±

    He had just successfully guided Marat, the ¡°piranha,¡± towards the High Court. To get the piranha to bite more fiercely, the prey needed to show some wounds.

    ¡­

    Paris High Court.

    In the magistrates¡¯ lounge on the second floor, Magistrate Vergniaud violently threw a bunch of newspapers in front of an official, angrily saying,

    ¡°What the hell are you doing? How could you let such a thing pass news review!¡±

    The official carefully picked up the newspaper, unfolded it, and saw that it was a copy of the Paris Commercial News, with the front-page headline glaringly reading ¡°The Dangers Brought by the Hereditary Nature of High Court Judges.¡±

    He frowned, then glanced at the following ¡°News and Pictures Paper,¡± whose front page was titled ¡°Discussion on the Scope of the High Court¡¯s Authority.¡±

    He hurriedly defended himself,

    ¡°Count Vergniaud, there aren¡¯t any problems with these articles. I examined them carefully yesterday. Although there are some implications or misleading content¡­¡±

    The judge with the hooked nose next to Vergniaud frowned and said,

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    The officer responsible for news censorship stammered,

    ¡°Perhaps, I can ask them to change a headline.¡±

    Vergniaud¡¯s face darkened as he said,

    ¡°Your censorship standards could be stricter!¡±

    The officer immediately bowed and responded,

    ¡°Yes, my lord, I¡¯ll make sure articles like these don¡¯t appear again.¡±

    Vergniaud turned to the judge beside him,

    ¡°Let¡¯s just have Rene bring some people to this newspaper office and find some pretext to shut it down.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ll go order him to do so immediately.¡±

    Two hours later, more than thirty publishing police armed with clubs and shields surrounded the front and back doors of the Paris Commercial News Agency.

    Although called ¡°police,¡± the publishing police were not managed by the Police Headquarters but were dispatched by the courts like bailiffs.

    Leading the publishing police, Rene took a few people and marched into the agency, grabbed a worker, and demanded loudly,

    ¡°Who is in charge here?¡±

    The worker pointed tremblingly towards Denico¡¯s office. Rene pushed him aside and barged into the office, pointing at Denico he commanded,

    ¡°You¡¯re in charge here? Get everyone to gather on that empty ground over there immediately. I want to conduct a thorough inspection!¡±

    However, before Denico could reply, Rene heard a series of whistles coming from outside the agency.

    Rene turned to look and saw more than a dozen police officers in blue uniforms accompanied by the sound of whistles, running into the premises in formation.

    He approached, puzzled, and tipping his hat in salutation to the leading police officer, asked,

    ¡°Excuse me, are you here to apprehend criminals?¡±

    The police officer gave him a glance and said coldly,

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Rene presented the court¡¯s documents,

    ¡°This agency might have contraband. I am here to search on orders!¡±

    But the leading police officer ignored him and said,

    ¡°Have your men leave the agency immediately.¡±

    Rene blinked and raised the court¡¯s documents again,

    ¡°I¡¯m executing orders, please let us¡­¡±

    The leading police officer gestured with his hand and the police officers behind him immediately formed two lines. The front row pointed their riot forks at the publishing police, while the back row cocked their fire guns.

    Rene, staring at the dark muzzles, recoiled slightly but still blustered boldly,

    ¡°What do you intend to do?!¡±

    The leading police officer smiled,

    ¡°My task is to prevent any outsider from interfering with the agency¡¯s operations. Please leave at once!¡±

    Rene still wanted to resist but noticed another team of police arriving, surrounding the publishing police at the door.

    His publishing police, who usually handled searches for prohibited books and closures of agencies, didn¡¯t dare to go up against the public order police and obediently huddled together.

    Rene hastily nodded,

    ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯re leaving.¡±

    Then, he led his dozens of subordinates out of the agency, their tails between their legs.

    Joseph had anticipated that the High Court would resort to dirty tricks against the agency and had alerted Besancon beforehand.

    The latter had directly set up a police booth opposite the agency and doubled the number of patrol officers in the nearby streets, making sure they protected the normal operation of the agency.

    After Rene returned and reported the situation, being scolded by his superior, he had no choice but to bring even more publishing police back to the agency, only to find the police already positioned outside with guns, barring even close access to the main entrance.

    The next day, several articles from Paris Commercial News and Journal des D¨¦bats had indeed failed the review, forcing them to hastily fill the spaces with innocuous articles.

    That same afternoon, numerous pamphlets featured those censored articles, accompanied by a commentary titled ¡°The High Court Trampling on the Freedom of Press.¡±

    The front-page headline of another pamphlet read, ¡°Shocking! Publishing Police Violently Raid! Their Unbelievable Purpose¡­¡±

    The main content of both pamphlets was thrilling, appealing literature and, priced very cheaply, quickly sold tens of thousands of copies, spread throughout Paris¡¯s streets and alleys.

    Two days later, as the contents of the pamphlets fermented, journalists and individuals from the publishing industry began appearing in front of the High Court to protest, demanding non-interference with publishing freedom, insisting that the Paris Commercial News articles contained no banned content and should pass the review.

    Other journalists started giving street speeches condemning the High Court for employing violence against an unproblematic agency.

    The people of Paris had long been dissatisfied with the corrupt High Court, and many gathered around the speakers, enthusiastically discussing and cheering loudly.

    Although by regulation, Paris prohibited unapproved public speaking, the police of Paris had received orders to turn a blind eye to speeches involving the High Court and not to interfere.

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Skills Derived from Genes

    Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Skills Derived from Genes

    Paris, Saint-Germain District.

    In a luxurious villa on the east side of Saint-Germain Boulevard, a salon was being held.

    The hostess, Lady Valville, listened to the philosophical words of the guests, occasionally clapping her hands gently in delight.

    The servants brought platters of snacks and fruits to each guest¡¯s table and refilled empty wine glasses with expensive wine.

    After several young guests had made lively opening remarks, a middle-aged man with disheveled hair stood up. Before he even spoke, he was greeted with a round of cheers:

    ¡°Mr. Mara, we have been waiting to hear your esteemed opinion!¡±

    ¡°The highlight of today has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Mara, your article was written so well, I¡¯ve read it several times!¡±

    ¡°Everyone be quiet, let Mr. Mara speak¡­¡±

    Mr. Mara smiled and gestured to the crowd with his hand on his chest, then raised his right hand and said in a loud voice:

    ¡°Today, I want to talk about the most corrupt, darkest place in Paris, which is the High Court!

    ¡°You all must have heard, just two days ago, they actually dispatched the publishing police to harass the Paris Commercial News office for no reason, even attempting to shut it down!

    ¡°Those madmen, filthy maggots! Using their censorship power, they kept many articles revealing the truth from being published in the Paris Commercial News; they are the enemies of freedom!

    ¡°Those hypocritical judges think that newspapers and publications are playthings to be manipulated at will, thinking they can control the thoughts of the people¡­¡±

    His speech was harsh and incisive, and his tone and demeanor were highly infectious. As far as inciting emotion went, his ability was off the charts.

    The dozens of people sitting around him voiced their agreement from time to time and responded with enthusiastic applause.

    They were all influential journalists in Paris, and Mr. Mara was the most authoritative opinion leader in this circle.

    After Mr. Mara set the tone with a brilliant speech, the entire salon revolved around criticizing the High Court. Lady Valville, with a face full of admiration, urged several recorders to make sure to jot down every detail of the speeches.

    Mr. Mara picked up the wine in front of him, gave a thumbs-up gesture to the journalist who was speaking, and then turned to the young journalist on his right with wild hair and sharp eyes, saying in a low voice:

    ¡°Viscount Demulan, my old friend, we haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time, have we?¡±

    Demulan nodded respectfully:

    ¡°Yes, it has been more than half a year since I¡¯ve seen you. I¡¯ve always wanted to visit you, but I was afraid of disturbing you.¡±

    Mr. Mara said with a smile:

    ¡°You know I am always happy to see you. By the way, I remember you once served as a judge at the High Court for a few years, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Demulan¡¯s face reddened with anger:

    ¡°Yes, that is true. Just as you said, that is a filthy place, and I truly could not endure it, so I resigned and became a journalist. Every time I see my father, he scolds me for this.¡±

    Mr. Mara lowered his voice slightly:

    ¡°Then you must know quite a bit about those corrupt judges, right?¡±

    Demulan said:

    ¡°I know a lot. I even have some evidence still in my possession.¡±

    Mala¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly, and he said solemnly,

    ¡°We must, like warriors, bravely expose the crimes of those scoundrels to the people!¡±

    Demulan nodded seriously:

    ¡°I, I¡¯ll listen to you! Right, I also know, know a few friends who have worked at the court, they, they must also want to do, do something!¡±

    ¡­

    Just one day later, a large number of manuscripts were sent from Demulan¡¯s apartment to various newspapers in Paris.

    Unlike those manuscripts that analyzed the pros and cons of the court system or criticized the court¡¯s interference with press freedom, this time the manuscripts contained real cases.

    Cases of High Court judges¡¯ corruption and bribery that led to countless tragedies.

    Not only were the cases described clearly, but the writing was extremely inflammatory, clearly the work of an expert.

    Naturally, such material would not dare be published in newspapers, but the teams that produced pamphlets treated it like a treasured gift, beginning to type and print throughout the night.

    Of course, there were bold newspapers, like a tabloid called the ¡°Paris Morning Post,¡± that published these cases directly without censorship.

    The next morning, tens of thousands of pamphlets containing the dirty deeds of the High Court judges started circulating through Paris.

    Real cases resonated with readers much more easily than any theoretical or policy analysis, especially the tragic fate of the victims in the cases, which infuriated countless Parisians.

    The protesting skills embedded in the genes of the French people were instantly activated. Before long, under the leadership of some journalists, hundreds of citizens gathered spontaneously outside the High Court, incessantly cursing and protesting loudly. The more daring threw mud and excrement over the court¡¯s walls.

    After half a day, when the citizens realized the police were only patrolling outside the High Court and not bothering with the protesting crowd, they joined in droves, and the numbers swelled exponentially.

    The women formed a ¡°logistics team,¡± distributing bread and water to everyone, which even brought the homeless into the protest.

    Street speeches became more frequent, and the speakers could even receive prepared speeches¡ªcoming directly from Mala, definitely full of inflammatory material¡ªprompting the audience to cry out in agitation.

    At the corner of Sevigne Street, a man dressed in a dark gray overcoat shook his head in distress, saying something to the fat man beside him.

    From nearby came a fervent voice that caught their attention, ¡°¡­the so-called justice and morality of those judges are nothing but silver coins! Miss Angers¡¯ fortune was shamelessly awarded to that villain, while she was driven out of her home in the cold snow¡­¡±

    They glanced at a few policemen chatting not far away and curiously squeezed into the crowd around the speaker.

    The speech continued, ¡°But even so, according to that perverse verdict, she still owes that villain a huge sum of money! Do you know her fate? At the age of twenty-three, she died from exhaustion in the laundry room of a workhouse, her body covered with frostbite¡­¡±

    The man in the gray overcoat felt a surge of rage in his chest; he pinched the script in his pocket and said to the fat man,

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided, I¡¯ll stage this play when I get back!¡±

    The fat man too was filled with outrage, nodding vigorously,

    ¡°Shall we perform next Wednesday at the Comedy Theatre of France?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± the man in the gray overcoat said, ¡°Free street performances, we need to show it to more people, and I¡¯ll cover the costs!¡±

    He was the leader of the troupe that had collaborated with the Paris Commercial News, staging ¡°Breaking Sky.¡±

    He had just gone to the newspaper to discuss subsequent novel adaptations for the stage when Denico handed him a script¡ªthe story of an Ottoman judge accepting bribes, which was actually an allusion to the Paris High Court.

    He had originally not wanted to take the play, knowing he could be troubled by the censorship department at any time, but the speech just now made him decide to become a warrior!

    Moreover, performing in this play meant securing a contract with the Paris Commercial News for novel adaptations for the next year.

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Meeting (Added for R_Island Boss)

    Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Meeting (Added for R_Island Boss)

    Police Affairs Department, Intelligence Team¡¯s office.

    Fouche, with a dark face, coldly stared with his dead fish eyes at several intelligence team leaders in front of him, his voice hoarse, ¡°Disgrace! This is simply a disgrace!¡±

    The members of the Intelligence Team bowed their heads in aggrievement, not daring to respond at all.

    Fouche paused after every word, ¡°I¡¯m giving you another 10 days. If you can¡¯t come up with anything useful by then, I¡¯ll find a few journalists to take your places! Do you understand?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, we understand!¡± the group said in unison.

    They were genuinely helpless¡ªthey had gone to great lengths to find a mere hint of dirt on the judges of the High Court and had gleefully passed it to Mala via a ¡°mole¡±. Unexpectedly, Mala had smiled and handed the ¡°mole¡± a booklet. Their ¡°big discovery¡± had already been printed in it, and was much more detailed than what they had found. By the next day, the whole of Paris had known about it.

    They couldn¡¯t fathom how these journalists, who were not even in the professional intelligence field, could obtain information faster than them¡­

    The group could only quietly resolve to procure such significant intelligence that would astound these journalists and redeem their previous shame!

    Fouche huffed and puffed as he left. The intelligence team leaders immediately began to whisper amongst themselves:

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a hook on Vergniaud¡¯s maid and also Dibor¡¯s mistress. What about you?¡±

    ¡°My people have cracked Vergniaud¡¯s family safe and we¡¯ve infiltrated two agents, but there hasn¡¯t been a chance to act¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve copied all those judges¡¯ letters. Do any of you want to see?¡±

    ¡°My informant can enter the archives of the High Court. If all else fails, shall we just steal all the records?¡±

    ¡­

    Paris High Court.

    In the conference hall, Magistrate Wezignia¡¯s speech was repeatedly interrupted by the noise of protesters outside. He angrily rushed to the window and yelled down, ¡°Can¡¯t you keep it down? You uncultured bunch!¡±

    Some incredibly strong protester immediately hurled a fist-sized clod of earth that nearly flew into the third-floor window.

    Wezignia, taken aback, quickly retreated back to the conference table and, with a dark face, bellowed, ¡°What are those police doing? Why haven¡¯t they arrested the rioters yet?!¡±

    A melancholic-eyed judge sitting to the left covered his ears with his hands, saying, ¡°Those pamphlets are the key. It¡¯s them inciting hatred towards the High Court. Without those, the crowd will disperse quickly.¡±

    Wezignia nodded slowly but was very puzzled as he said, ¡°Viscount Dibor, aren¡¯t those types of pamphlets mostly under the control of that person in the Royal Palace? Why would they target the High Court?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Dibor replied, ¡°Perhaps we need to go and find out from him.¡±

    The eagle-nosed judge beside them spoke in a grave tone, ¡°You go to the Royal Palace. I¡¯m going to Police Headquarters! These damned police, they just know how to slack off. I¡¯m about to be driven mad by this rabble!¡±

    Soon, a few carriages, amidst the jeers from the protesting crowd, awkwardly squeezed out of the High Court and went off in two different directions.

    ¡­

    In the study of the Royal Palace, the Duke of Orleans looked at the two middle-aged men in front of him and asked, ¡°So, what do you think?¡±

    Just moments before, a judge from the High Court had left after lamenting the recent oppressive public opinion against the court and urging him to come up with a solution.

    He too was aware that there were pamphlets in circulation that were out of his control, and it was time to strike back. Therefore, he immediately summoned the two most formidable writers at his disposal to discuss a counterstrategy.

    The man with the high nose bridge, who bore a resemblance to an Italian, flipped through the booklet in his hands and hesitated, ¡°Your Grace, to be frank, these novels are quite captivating¡­ I mean, the unenlightened common folk would find them quite interesting.¡±

    The handsome man with blue eyes added, ¡°And they¡¯re very cheaply priced. I¡¯ve heard they sell for just 1 livre and 5 deniers. You see, they even come with 5 illustrations.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± the Duke of Orleans nodded, ¡°I need you to write something more interesting as soon as possible to overshadow these booklets.

    ¡°As for the price, you needn¡¯t worry.¡±

    As an old hand at manipulating public opinion, he was well aware that the cost of a 16-page booklet with 5 illustrations was between 5 and 6 livres. But to take back control of the public discourse, he could only sell it for 1 livre and 5 deniers.

    Moreover, judging by the scale of those booklets¡¯ circulation, at least tens of thousands must have been sold. That meant, to match the same sales volume, he would have to suffer a loss of three to four thousand livres a day.

    The Duke of Orleans furrowed his brow; he could afford the money, but who was behind this, willing to lose so much to go against the High Court?

    Could it be Brian?

    He revealed a sneer, thinking to challenge me with public opinion tactics? Let¡¯s see them try!

    ¡­

    Vergniaud hurriedly arrived at the town hall and made a beeline for the Police Headquarters but was informed by a clerk that the Director of Police Services had gone to Brittany to purchase police equipment.

    Brittany was far on the west coast of France, and a round trip would take at least a fortnight.

    Vergniaud asked helplessly, ¡°What about the Assistant Director of Police?¡±

    The clerk replied respectfully, ¡°He¡¯s gone to Brittany as well.¡±

    Vergniaud angered, ¡°Who¡¯s in charge here now?!¡±

    ¡°The Director¡­ didn¡¯t say¡­¡±

    Vergniaud felt stifled but had no choice but to return to his carriage, preparing to visit the Police Commissioner of the Louvre District.

    However, upon his arrival at the Louvre District police station, he learned that ¡°Commissioner Alden, along with all the principal officers, has gone for training at the Paris Police Academy.¡±

    The next day, Vergniaud, travel-weary, made his way to the Paris Police Headquarters, only to find out that Alden had gone to the training ground opened by the academy in the southern suburbs, more than ten kilometers away.

    In this manner, he circled around looking for Alden for three days but never managed to catch him.

    Finally, he planned to request some police force from the nearby Saint-Germain District to disperse the protesters outside the High Court. But the Saint-Germain District Police Commissioner expressed willingness to help, only if he had a cross-district authorization from the Director of Police¡­

    Mirabeau looked out of the carriage window as the scenery flew past, subconsciously caressing his cane, his brow involuntarily furrowing.

    To tell the truth, he was truly reluctant to partake in today¡¯s meeting¡ªhe had already received news about the previous Cabinet meeting and was well aware that the Crown Prince was now aligned with Brian. Having attended a gathering denouncing Brian just a few days earlier, what could he possibly have to discuss with the Crown Prince?

    Yet Mr. Dupont insisted that the meeting was of utmost importance and repeatedly requested his presence.

    Although his relationship with Dupont was rather ordinary, Dupont was a significant financier behind several politicians he was on good terms with and was also the president of the French Chamber of Commerce. As he himself operated numerous workshops and shops with a lot of business relying on the Chamber of Commerce, he couldn¡¯t simply snub Dupont¡¯s face.

    A child blessed by God, he mused with a chuckle and a shake of his head, no matter how exceptionally gifted, was still just a thirteen-year-old child. Was Brian planning to use his status to negotiate terms with him?

 Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Who is the Friend? (Extra for Septembers Patron)

    Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Who is the Friend? (Extra for September¡¯s Patron)

    The carriage jostled for quite a while, finally coming to a stop after entering a large workshop in Saint Antoine Town.

    Count Mirabeau stepped out and immediately smelled a pungent chemical odor.

    He looked up and saw in the distance a row of ¡°cooking pots¡± bigger than millstones, emitting yellow-white fumes that enshrouded half of the workshop.

    In front of the shed was a huge square pool with several sticks hanging above it, and it seemed there were also wooden slats crisscrossing between them.

    More than a dozen workers, their arms swollen from the chemicals, were working together to lift something out of the pool and carefully placed it atop a wooden rack that stood taller than a person, before returning to the pool to start stirring again.

    Mirabeau held his nose and frowned, thinking, what was the Crown Prince thinking? To arrange a meeting in a paper mill¡­

    As he grumbled to himself, he saw a middle-aged man with a large nose, wearing a black coat, approaching him with a warm greeting, touching his chest, ¡°Oh, Count Mirabeau, I¡¯m delighted to see you here. Although the smell is a bit unpleasant, I believe you¡¯ll come to like this place shortly.¡±

    Mirabeau, with a radiant smile, tipped his hat in return, ¡°I am also delighted to see you, Mr. Dupont.¡±

    He took a few steps forward and lowered his voice, ¡°And him?¡±

    Dupont led him around the large pool, pointing towards a rack enveloped in mist, ¡°His Highness has been waiting for you for quite some time.¡±

    Only then did Mirabeau see the figure standing on the wooden rack taller than a person, a young man whose attire stood out clearly from those around him.

    He smirked and with his plump legs, strode quickly forward, bowing to the youth, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to see you, Your Royal Highness, the Crown Prince.¡±

    Dupont hurriedly introduced them from the side, ¡°Your Highness, this is Count Mirabeau.¡±

    Joseph turned to look at Mirabeau¡ªone of the creators of the French National Assembly during the great covenant era and currently a heavy-hitting politician in the Assembly of Notables, a leader among the Capitalist Nobility. He was also a key figure in dealing with the High Court.

    He jumped down from the rack and tipped his hat to Mirabeau:

    ¡°Ah, wonderful, you¡¯ve finally arrived, Count Mirabeau.¡±

    The workers, kept at a distance by guards in plain clothes, did not hear the conversation among the three.

    Curious, Mirabeau inquired, ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Studying paper-making,¡± Joseph replied with a smile. ¡°Would you like to take a look?¡±

    Mirabeau spread his hands, ¡°Oh, you had me ride a carriage for most of the day to this remote place, just for paper-making?¡±

    ¡°Um, that¡¯s indeed one of the topics we need to discuss,¡± Joseph stated.

    ¡°You see, I have no interest in paper-making,¡± said Mirabeau with a smile, then continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me straight, did you come on behalf of Archbishop Brienne?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m seeking you out,¡± stated Joseph seriously. ¡°I am here to befriend you.¡±

    Mirabeau nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, you are my most esteemed friend.¡±

    He then changed the subject, ¡°Of course, the Duke of Orleans, the Duke of Seville, they are also my friends, so I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you are mistaken, they are your enemies.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Mirabeau was taken aback, thinking this was a rather poor attempt at alliance-building, and quickly shook his head, ¡°No, no, we have a good relationship.¡±

    Joseph continued at a leisurely pace, ¡°They are Old Nobility. And you are a Capitalist Noble. You are natural enemies!¡±

    ¡°What, Capitalist Nobility?¡±

    Joseph explained, ¡°The so-called Old Nobility are those with large tracks of land and estates, whose main sources of income come from grains and ground rent.

    ¡°Whereas the Capitalist Nobility, like you, have most of their assets in industries or trade, earning profits as their income.¡±

    Mirabeau nodded, it seemed he had heard similar theories before, ¡°But we are still friends.¡±

    ¡°The conflict between you lies in the labor force, in the needs for the environment!¡± Joseph asserted, ¡°The Old Nobility need the labor force to work the fields, they want everywhere to be estates, and just a few cities for their enjoyment will do.

    ¡°And the Capitalist Nobility needs labor to enter their workshops or to navigate their merchant ships, hoping for as many cities as possible. A few manors producing enough food will suffice.¡±

    ¡°Your conflict with the Old Nobility is irreconcilable. They obstruct your growth, while you aim to destroy the Old Nobility¡¯s paradise!¡±

    Mirabeau was taken aback once more, shaking his head subconsciously, ¡°No¡­¡±

    Joseph said with a smile, ¡°I know you¡¯re now allied, seeking to gain more power.¡±

    Mirabeau was startled and hurriedly waved his hands, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡±

    Joseph, still smiling, cut him off, ¡°Let¡¯s say, hypothetically, you overthrew the Royal Family, which of course is impossible. Just suppose for a moment, what do you think would happen next?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°A fight to the death between the new and old nobility. To the bitter end!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself: I¡¯ve read history. After the Great Command, you massacred the old nobility without leaving a trace.

    Mirabeau fell silent. Carefully reasoning in his heart, he found it to be exactly as the Crown Prince had said¡ªif the King were gone, both sides would certainly fall into deadly conflict until one completely lost its power and influence.

    Seeing his expression start to waver, Joseph began to insert his own agenda, ¡°The Royal Family will always need the nobility to help manage the country. To the Royal Family, the new and old nobility are merely different in their approach to development.¡±

    Mirabeau, somewhat frightened, muttered, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°Only the Royal Family can help you remove the obstacles facing the Capitalist Nobility!¡±

    Joseph thought, of course, you could also rely on the bourgeois revolution to remove them, but could I tell you that?

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡°For instance, the Royal Family could introduce the Company Law.¡±

    ¡°It includes defining who represents the company, oh, meaning the one who can exercise the company¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°How to establish, dismantle, or merge companies¡­¡±

    ¡°And how company shares are issued, allocated, and transferred¡­¡±

    ¡°The scope and liability of company debts¡­¡±

    A series of modern corporate concepts, which left Mirabeau wide-eyed¡ªthese were common knowledge in later times, but during the early days of the Industrial Revolution, they were extremely valuable experiences.

    As a representative of the Capitalist Nobility, Mirabeau placed great emphasis on the development of the industrial sector and was very aware of the issues France faced in this regard. One could say that with such legislation now, the productivity of French workshops would see a significant increase!

    Joseph glanced at his expression and continued, ¡°There¡¯s also the Patent Law.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say, you design an efficient machine or very popular fashion, and before you¡¯ve made much money, someone else has copied it.

    ¡°Gradually, everyone becomes reluctant to innovate, instead desperately driving down the costs of old industries, until nobody makes money in the end.

    ¡°But if there were Patent Law, after you applied for a patent for some invention, others would only be able to use it by paying you, or else face heavy penalties¡­¡±

    Mirabeau¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up¡ªthat was exactly what he needed!

    He was very keen to invest in improving the technology in his workshops, but had always held back out of fear that others would benefit instead.

    If there were Patent Law, he would be able to quickly enhance his competitive edge, even surpass those damned British!

    Joseph kept throwing bait, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s also the Financial Law, Contract Law, and so on¡­¡±

    After he had introduced the implications of these laws, he looked at Mirabeau, ¡°Do you think, the Old Nobility would support the emergence of these laws?¡±

    Without waiting for Mirabeau to answer, he preempted, ¡°They won¡¯t!

    ¡°Only with the Royal Family¡¯s initiative could these laws take shape swiftly, helping the industries of France to rapidly develop!¡±

 Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 87 Switching Positions

    Chapter 88: Chapter 87 Switching Positions

    Joseph saw that Mirabeau had fallen into deep thought and knew that the groundwork had been sufficiently laid, so he began to get to the point, ¡°Let¡¯s talk again about the tax legislation.¡±

    Mirabeau became immediately alert upon hearing this, ¡°Your Highness, you know that the nobles are united in their attitude towards the bill.¡±

    Joseph spoke seriously, ¡°Actually, on this matter, you have been used by the Old Nobility!¡±

    Mirabeau laughed and gestured dismissively, ¡°Your Highness, how could that be?¡±

    Joseph casually picked up a small stick for picking impurities out of paper pulp and said, ¡°If I may ask impertinently, how much land do you own?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Mirabeau was somewhat surprised but still answered, ¡°Over ten hectares in Paris and another forty in Reims.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Do you know how much land the Duke of Orleans owns?¡±

    ¡°That, I¡¯m not quite certain about, but at least four or five thousand hectares, I would guess.¡±

    ¡°And the estates?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps around a dozen?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just it. The most core part of the tax legislation is the land tax.¡±

    Joseph raised the stick in his hand, ¡°For instance, this represents the scale of the land you own; the land tax has almost no impact on you.¡±

    He pointed toward a paper-drying rack support, which was twice a man¡¯s height and as thick as a child¡¯s waist, ¡°And that¡¯s the scale of land owned by the Duke of Orleans and the Old Nobility like him; the land tax is essentially paid by them. That¡¯s the reason they fiercely oppose the tax law.¡±

    ¡°But you and the Capitalist Nobility like you are also being dragged along with them, opposing the bill together and exerting considerable effort, yet you¡¯re only safeguarding their interests.¡±

    Mirabeau paused for a moment, knowing the Crown Prince wasn¡¯t wrong, but he immediately retorted, ¡°The stamp tax, the legislation also introduces a stamp tax, which has a significant impact on industry and commerce.¡±

    The so-called stamp tax is a tax levied when signing contracts or applying for documents.

    Joseph said with a smile, ¡°As one of the leaders of the Assembly of Notables, you must have read the text of the bill, the rate for the stamp tax is very low. In actuality, the main purpose of the stamp tax is to have the government act as a notary to the contract.¡±

    During the last amendment of the bill, he had already reduced the rate of the stamp tax, precisely to win over the Capitalist Nobility.

    Seeing Mirabeau still hesitating, Dupont couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Count Mirabeau, it¡¯s quite clear that the tax legislation is beneficial to the nation¡¯s finances,,we have no need to oppose it.

    ¡°Moreover, His Highness has promised that once the bill is passed, he will restart the negotiations for the ¡®Treaty of Eden¡¯ and significantly raise the tariffs.¡±

    Dupont was highly opposed to the ¡®Treaty of Eden.¡¯ Therefore, as soon as Joseph told him it was possible to amend the treaty, he immediately reached an agreement with the Crown Prince.

    Although he didn¡¯t have much political influence, he could affect Capitalist Nobles like Mirabeau, so he facilitated this meeting.

    Mirabeau immediately looked at Joseph, ¡°Are you sure the British will accept?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken with the British Ambassador. France¡¯s industrial tariffs will be raised to 25%, and England¡¯s liquor tariffs will be reduced to below 10%.¡±

    Mirabeau¡¯s pupils contracted, ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How did you persuade the British?¡±

    ¡°We can discuss this slowly later on, but I can assure you, the new treaty will definitely be signed. Of course, if you are not reassured, you can inquire about the situation from the British side.¡±

    As a heavyweight in the political arena, Mirabeau certainly had his own channels of obtaining news from England.

    Mirabeau finally began to waver.

    He was well aware that, given the current levels of tariffs, France¡¯s industry would not survive two years before completely collapsing.

    By then, his own industries would inevitably suffer as well.

    If he could secure the renewal of the ¡°Eden Treaty,¡± oh, and the implementation of the ¡°Company Law,¡± ¡°Patent Law,¡± and the like, previously mentioned by the Crown Prince, with a tax bill that had little impact on him¡ªthat would definitely be a very worthwhile deal!

    He bowed to Joseph and said, ¡°Your Highness, this matter will involve many people. I need to go back and discuss it with Viscount Dico, Viscount Peillier, and the others.¡±

    The individuals he mentioned were representatives of the Capitalist Nobility in the Assembly of Notables. Considering the conditions laid out by the Crown Prince just now, he felt quite confident that he could persuade them to switch their stance.

    ¡°Of course, I look forward to your response,¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile and then gestured towards the pulp pool at his side, ¡°Now that we¡¯re done with serious matters, we can finally talk about papermaking.¡±

    Mirabeau was a bit slow to react, ¡°You mean, papermaking?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph said, ¡°I mentioned it when you first came here.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Joseph led him to the huge ¡°cooking pots¡± and said to the workers standing by, ¡°Please tell Count Mirabeau what is being cooked in this pot?¡±

    The worker immediately bowed respectfully and said, ¡°It¡¯s wood, sir.¡±

    ¡°Wood?¡± Mirabeau looked at Joseph in surprise, ¡°I thought you said we were going to make paper?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°This is the first step in papermaking. Once the wood is boiled down, we can make paper. Of course, it¡¯s with a new technique I¡¯ve created.¡±

    Mirabeau said in disbelief, ¡°You can make paper out of wood?!¡±

    He had some understanding of papermaking. Typically, the raw materials for making paper were scraps of cloth, flax, and at most, a blend of some tree bark fibers.

    ¡°Yes, willow and pine,¡± Joseph gestured outside the workshop, ¡°just cut down this morning.¡±

    He turned to ask a nearby worker, ¡°How long has this pot been boiling?¡±

    The worker glanced at his watch and replied, ¡°Six and a half hours, sir.¡±

    ¡°It should be about done¡­¡± Joseph wasn¡¯t certain either, as he had only seen the wood papermaking process in a documentary, so he instructed the workers, ¡°Please pour out the wood pulp and carry out the filtering and bleaching. Oh, using the old method will do.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± they complied.

    Seven or eight workers gathered around, lifting the huge pot onto a stand, opened the lid, and poured the boiling yellow liquid into a square stone trough.

    Mirabeau watched the liquid with astonishment, unable to believe that wood could be boiled down to this state.

    The workers began to remove debris from the water with various tools, and one of them carefully added a small bottle of chlorine bleach, dripping it slowly into the trough while constantly stirring.

    Then the workers added a large amount of water to the pulp pool, stirred, filtered, and engaged in a series of complex processes, busy for more than half an hour.

    Before the pulp had completely cooled, another group of workers surrounded with square ¡°sieves,¡± carefully soaked the bottoms with the pulp, and then gently lifted them with a shaking motion.

    When Mirabeau saw the thin ¡°film¡± on the bottom of the ¡°sieve,¡± his heart skipped several beats¡ªif this method could really produce paper, it was undoubtedly a revolutionary technology!

    Compared to the usual papermaking materials like scraps of cloth and flax, wood was practically free, and the cost of paper would significantly decrease.

    This also meant that this brand-new papermaking technology would dominate Europe¡¯s paper market!

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 88 Consensus of the Paper Mill (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 89: Chapter 88 Consensus of the Paper Mill (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

    The papermaker carefully lifted the paper-forming frame, which is the ¡°sieve,¡± and placed it on a rack surrounded by several furnaces to increase the temperature.

    After more than half an hour, a craftsman removed the paper-forming frame and carefully peeled off the paper on top, respectfully presenting it to Joseph, ¡°Master, take a look, it¡¯s already dry.¡±

    Under normal drying processes, it would take at least half a day; the use of high heat to speed up drying was purely for demonstration to Mirabeau.

    Joseph rubbed the paper in his hands, which was crisp and quite thick, with uneven texture inside; one could say its quality was rather poor. But it was undoubtedly a sheet of paper¡ªmade from wood.

    He passed the paper to Mirabeau with a touch of regret, ¡°The craftsmen and I are first-timers with this new technology, so the quality of the product isn¡¯t too good.¡±

    However, he was not in a hurry since papermaking largely depends on experience.

    How much additive to use, the time and temperature for boiling the wood, the use of bleaching agents, and the technique of drying¡ªthese all require repeated experimentation to find the optimal solution that produces a qualified paper sheet.

    But with the correct technical theory, it¡¯s only a matter of time before a mature process is figured out.

    Mirabeau excitedly examined the paper in his hands, fully aware of what this meant¡ªthe French paper market alone was worth millions of livres.

    If exported to all of Europe, the market was at the very least at the ten-million level!

    And predictably, the papermaking techniques of any European country were far more expensive compared to wood-based paper, meaning there was no stopping the dumping of wood paper.

    Joseph, seeing his exhilarated expression, smiled and said, ¡°Using my method, we could reduce the paper production cost to one-seventh of the current paper prices. Of course, we don¡¯t have to go that low, selling at two-thirds of the market price would be fine, leaving us a larger profit.¡±

    Mirabeau keenly caught the word ¡°we¡± and looked at the Crown Prince with great anticipation.

    Joseph deliberately let him ¡°suffer¡± for a few seconds before saying, ¡°As you can see, rolling out this new technology on a large scale requires a significant capital investment, as well as a lot of energy. I couldn¡¯t do this alone.

    ¡°So, I would like to invite you, and of course, your friends, to invest together and build a large number of paper mills at the fastest speed and take over the market. And this papermaking technology will be my share in this partnership.¡±

    ¡°That would be wonderful!¡± Mirabeau¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy as he pondered, caressing the head of his cane, ¡°So, how much of a share do you wish to hold?¡±

    ¡°20%,¡± Joseph replied. As the paper technology was meant to rally and divide the Assembly of Notables, he did not want too much of a stake.

    Mirabeau understood the Crown Prince was conceding profits and immediately beamed, ¡°You are far too generous! I believe we can set a time for Viscount Dico, Viscount Peillier, and others to discuss this papermaking investment. Oh, and the tax legislation.¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile, ¡°I fully endorse your proposal.¡±

    After they set the time and place for their meeting, Mirabeau couldn¡¯t wait to return to Paris, eager to meet with a few of his political allies.

    Once inside the carriage, his curiosity got the better of him, and he turned to ask, ¡°Your Highness, can you tell me how those woods are cooked into liquid?¡±

    ¡°You need to add some chemicals,¡± Joseph replied with a smile as he helped close the carriage door.

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t reveal just yet that it involved the addition of sulfites. After all, knowledge can be simple when shared, but without guidance, it might take half a century before wood-based paper technology emerged.

    The next day.

    Accompanied by three noblemen, Mirabeau arrived at Joseph¡¯s paper mill¡ªto prevent any leaks, Joseph had already purchased this small workshop.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is Viscount Dico. This one is ¡­¡±

    Following Mirabeau¡¯s introduction, the three people bowed to Joseph in succession.

    Soon after, another carriage arrived. Archbishop Brienne stepped down from the carriage.

    And so, in a dilapidated and simple workshop, the Crown Prince sat on the paper drying rack, the Chief Minister and Count Mirabeau sat on a cart used for transporting paper, and the others stood leaning against the shed, beginning a discussion crucial to the future of France.

    However, the negotiation process went very smoothly.

    Brian promised to push forward the implementation of the ¡°Company Law,¡± ¡°Patent Law,¡± and other legislations together with the Crown Prince. He would also lower the tax rates for certain stamp duties.

    Joseph reiterated his commitment to restart Anglo-French trade negotiations within two months and to resign the ¡°Eden Treaty¡± at the previously discussed tariff rates.

    Mirabeau and the others assured that they would persuade their peers in the Assembly of Notables to support the tax bill. Since the manipulative forces behind the High Court were the great nobles of the Assembly, this meant their spokespersons in court would no longer obstruct the tax legislation.

    What everyone spent the most time on and showed the most enthusiasm for, however, was the discussion about establishing a papermaking company.

    The final agreement was that the five people present, excluding Joseph, would contribute a total of 3.6 million livres to build a large papermaking workshop in Saint Antoine Town, Lyon, and Bordeaux respectively, reaching the production capacity to satisfy all of France¡¯s paper needs within half a year.

    Afterward, depending on the situation, they would invest more to expand production and start exporting until they could dominate the European market.

    Joseph would provide the technology, holding a 20% stake, while the others would divide the remaining 80% according to their investments.

    However, to accommodate the numerous papermaking workshops in France, Joseph specifically requested that the company must provide pulp to other workshops to allow them to carry out downstream processing and maintain their livelihood.

    After all affairs were discussed, everyone was very pleased.

    Brian was the first to rise and take his leave. Half an hour later, Mirabeau and the others also left.

    ¡­

    On the street opposite the Paris High Court, a wooden platform about six or seven meters square had been erected.

    The platform was surrounded by dark grey curtains. Around two or three hundred people crowded below it, watching the performance on stage with rapt attention.

    When the actor playing Judge Osman, the big villain, died howling after mistakenly eating a poisoned cake out of greed, the audience erupted into thunderous cheers.

    Someone turned and pointed toward the distant High Court, shouting:

    ¡°Do you see? This is the end of shameless, greedy officials!¡±

    ¡°You should meet the same fate!¡±

    ¡°You bunch of rats, maggots, dare you come out?¡±

    Inside the conference hall on the third floor of the High Court, several judges hearing the end of the play¡¯s music breathed a sigh of relief and redirected their attention back to the conference table.

    With a disdainful expression, Vergniaud tossed the stack of documents in front of him forward and snorted, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to consider! No matter how Brienne changes it, this thing will never get registered!¡±

    What he had thrown out was the new tax bill that Brienne had just submitted that morning.

    Dibor looked at another judge beside him, who had a pointy chin and always wore a surprised expression at the corners of his eyes. They exchanged glances, and he slowly opened his own copy of the bill, calmly saying, ¡°I think we should discuss it a bit, maybe we will come to a different conclusion, no?¡±

 Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 89: Stumbling Block

    Chapter 90: Chapter 89: Stumbling Block

    ¡°What do you wish to discuss?¡± Magistrate Wezignia turned his head, looking at Dibor with surprise and suspicion, ¡°As for this bill, not even remonstrance is necessary, the conclusion can only be non-registration!¡±

    Dibor gestured toward the dense crowd of protesters outside the window, ¡°Mr. President, please listen to their voices. Perhaps it¡¯s time we made some changes in this matter.¡±

    The judge sitting opposite him, with dark circles occupying half his face, rubbed his bloodshot eyes and yawned as he nodded, ¡°I suppose, this matter must be settled one way or another¡­ Adjusting the clauses of the bill could be negotiable.¡±

    He had hardly slept last night, for every so often, someone had thrown stones at his villa, shattering several panes of glass, and frightening the women and children of his house into tears all night long.

    And on his way to the High Court this morning, the rooftops lining the streets were filled with citizens who cursed and threw tiles at his carriage, injuring the coachman¡¯s hands.

    Now, he could not care less about any bills, he just hoped that the riotous crowd would disperse soon to bring peace to his household.

    So, after Dibor initiated the discussion, he immediately had the mind to second the motion.

    Another judge, short of stature, nodded subconsciously.

    The judge with a hooked nose beside Wezignia frowned, ¡°You want us to heed those lowlifes outside, and then make all decent people uncomfortable?¡±

    ¡°If the bill is beneficial, then decent people should not be put in a difficult position,¡± said the judge, who always had an expression of surprise, giving Dibor a knowing look.

    The latter closed the bill in front of him and looked around at everyone, ¡°If nobody wishes to discuss the clauses of the bill, then let¡¯s vote on it directly.¡±

    Wezignia¡¯s gaze swept over the two men¡¯s faces, and he said coldly, ¡°Do you know what you are saying? Rejecting this bill is the consensus of all nobility, there¡¯s no need for a vote!¡±

    ¡°It is not a consensus,¡± Dibor shook his head, ¡°I ask that the sitting officials cast their votes.¡±

    The so-called ¡°sitting officials¡± are the core judges of the High Court¡¯s internal legislative body, currently six in number, with a great deal of authority to decide most of the Court¡¯s affairs in their meetings.

    As Dibor spoke, he raised his hand first, ¡°I believe the tax bill can be registered.¡±

    The perpetually surprised judge followed suit, raising his hand, ¡°I agree as well.¡±

    The judge with dark circles hesitated, remembering how the High Court had almost become a symbol of sin and corruption, and when even the skillful women refused to serve him the day before, he too slowly raised his hand.

    The defection of three sitting officials immediately changed the direction of the wind in the conference room.

    The short judge, also plagued by the protesters, stole a glance around and was about to raise his hand when he saw Wezignia stand up abruptly, exclaiming loudly, ¡°I will not allow this bill to go through registration!¡±

    He pointed at the ¡°dark circles,¡± ¡°Count Vadier, who supported your becoming a magistrate? Are you going to betray them?!¡±

    He then looked at the shortest judge, ¡°Viscount Ollal, I must remind you of the Duke of Aiguillon¡¯s stance on the bill!¡±

    As President of the High Court, Wezignia held considerable sway; his few words frightened Judge Ollal so much that he trembled and hastily retracted his hand.

    Judge Vadier, on the other hand, found himself in a struggle, his right hand moving back and forth undecidedly.

    Dibor also stood up, protesting, ¡°I object! Count Wezignia, you are threatening voting freedom!¡±

    Wezignia, finally seeing Vadier rest his raised hand back on the table, ignored Dibor and with a darkened face, waved his hand dismissively, ¡°That¡¯s it for today, the meeting is adjourned.¡±

    ¡­

    The Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans frowned as he looked at the thin pamphlet in his hand, shaking his head, he said, ¡°Viscount Lacroix, this is too little; you need to give me at least a 3,000-word manuscript to boost sales.¡±

    Standing before him, Lacroix¡¯s face was etched with distress, ¡°Your Grace, I am truly incapable. This is already what I managed to produce without sleeping all night.¡±

    He glanced sideways at the man who resembled an Italian, ¡°Mr. Brisso didn¡¯t even submit a draft ¡­¡±

    The Duke of Orleans grabbed a thick pamphlet nearby, his voice filled with anger, ¡°But their stories exceed 7,000 words! At this rate, who will buy ours?!¡±

    Lacroix and Brisso were also extremely frustrated; they were considered outstanding novelists of their time.

    Especially Lacroix, who had once swept Paris with his book ¡°Dangerous Liaisons,¡± prompting countless French writers to add ¡°Danger¡± or ¡°Relations¡± to their titles to ride on his popularity.

    For the Duke of Orleans¡¯s pamphlet series, he had prepared an exciting novel.

    But his writing speed quickly fell behind, at his regular pace, writing 3,000 words of story was his limit in a week. And now the Duke of Orleans was asking him to complete this amount in just three days, which was simply impossible!

    He couldn¡¯t comprehend how someone under the pen name ¡°Silkworm and Potato,¡± along with ¡°Octopus in the Water,¡± could easily produce over 7,000 words every three days! Do they not need to conceive ideas?!

    Over the past few days, Lacroix began to doubt his own writing talent for the first time.

    As for Brisso, he had already given up struggling and was preparing to change careers ¡­

    The Duke of Orleans knew that he had lost control of public opinion; the ever-growing number of protesters outside the High Court was proof.

    And he was utterly powerless to counteract.

    Just as he was riddled with annoyance, the butler knocked on the door and reported, ¡°My lord, Mr. Alexis has arrived, saying he has important matters.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans was somewhat surprised; Alexis was Magistrate Vergniaud¡¯s confidant. What could be the matter from the High Court?

    After he listened to Alexis in the study, he was immediately shocked¡ªsomeone had voted in favor of the tax law bill being registered! This was sheer madness!

    The High Court, once seen as the bastion against royal power, had cracks appearing in it!

    He hurriedly ordered the butler to invite the members of the Assembly of Notables to meet at the Royal Palace.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    Joseph carefully read the unmarked letter he had opened.

    The content of the letter was brief, detailing today¡¯s voting process at the High Court on the tax law bill. Though it nearly passed, in the end, it was forcibly suppressed by Count Vergniaud leveraging his authority as the President of the Court.

    The letter ended with their intentions to continue seeking a solution.

    Joseph furrowed his brows, he had not expected that despite having the upper hand, the Nobility Group would no longer care about face, resorting to a president¡¯s position to stubbornly stall the bill.

    But with the presidential election still two years away, Joseph did not have that much time.

    His fingers lightly tapped the desktop as he quickly pondered the situation; thus, it was essential to remove Vergniaud, this stumbling block.

 Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 90 Unable to Accuse

    Chapter 91: Chapter 90 Unable to Accuse

    Joseph calculated the time, and there was only one month left until the deadline for the tax law to be registered. To bring down the President of the High Court in such a short period, unconventional methods were necessary.

    When it came to ¡°unconventional methods,¡± he immediately thought of the Police Affairs Department, and gestured to Eman, ¡°Please send someone to fetch Fouche¡­¡±

    He suddenly remembered that he still had to attend a tactical command lecture at the police academy today, ¡°No, prepare the carriage, I¡¯ll go there myself.¡±

    Three carriages departed from the Palace of Versailles one after another, and several hours later, they entered Paris City.

    As soon as the carriage crossed the Seine River, Joseph could see from afar a large wooden sign about the height of two people at the east end of the bridge, with a huge oil painting on it.

    In the painting, an elegantly dressed noblewoman held a small glass bottle as she sat in a warm and refined home, her face exuding happiness and contentment.

    At the top of the painting were large letters ¡ª No gifts for Christmas this year, if giving gifts, give the joy of a noblewoman!

    Beneath it was a line of smaller text ¡ª Noblewoman¡¯s Joy Tonic Christmas extravaganza, free exquisite gift box with purchase.

    Further down the road, two flamboyantly dressed young people waved leaflets and shouted, ¡°Buy Paris Angel Cosmetics, spend 50 livres and get a voucher for 20% off Noblewoman¡¯s Joy Tonic.¡±

    Joseph nodded silently to himself, Manager Brent was indeed earning his salary. Although the marketing idea was his own, for someone from the 18th century to understand it so thoroughly and to implement it was certainly a genius in business.

    It was worth considering giving him a bonus.

    Before long, the carriage entered the Police Affairs Department.

    Joseph walked straight into the office and asked Fouche, ¡°What kind of leverage do we have on Vergniaud?¡±

    The head of intelligence was obviously well-prepared and replied without hesitation, ¡°His first year as a judge in Paris, he accepted a bribe to rule in favor of the uncles in the inheritance case of the Antoine brothers.

    ¡°The following year, in a case where a noble¡¯s carriage struck someone, he ruled that the victim had deliberately spooked the horses and only awarded 50 livres in compensation. He likely took money for that decision too.

    ¡°In that same year, during the Camilley murder case, evidence unfavorable to the killer mysteriously disappeared from the court¡¯s evidence room, and the killer was acquitted. It¡¯s said that the killer¡¯s uncle gave the judge 8,000 livres.¡±

    ¡°Two years later, in the Maan Street murder case, the noble who committed the murder bribed¡­¡±

    He went on for a while, causing Joseph¡¯s brows to furrow tightly. Since becoming a judge, Vergniaud seemed to have been continuously accepting bribes and creating miscarriages of justice, never stopping.

    Joseph interrupted Fouche, ¡°So you¡¯re telling me I could have someone arrest him right now?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Fouche shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible.¡±

    ¡°Why? What he¡¯s done is enough to hang him ten times over!¡±

    Fouche replied awkwardly, ¡°These cases are at most sparsely documented, or simply conveyed to me by Mr. Mara; we haven¡¯t found any solid evidence.¡±

    Joseph frowned at this news but soon came to terms with it¡ªVergniaud was a player of the law himself and would certainly be very careful to destroy evidence.

    He reached out to Fouche, ¡°Bring me this man¡¯s file, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything we can use.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Soon, a stack almost half a meter high of files was laid out on the desk in front of Joseph; evidently, the Police Affairs Department had also been working hard recently.

    Joseph picked up the file on top and flipped it open; it contained the basic information of Vergniaud:

    ¡°Henri Francois Minet de Vergniaud, 56 years old, 5.5 French feet tall, weight¡­

    ¡°At the age of 33, he inherited the position of his father, who served as a judge in Grenoble, and was elected as the local judge.¡±

    It¡¯s amazing how judges of the time could perfectly combine hereditary and elective systems, being elected to inherit positions from their fathers.

    ¡°Six years later, he was transferred to Paris High Court. At the age of 51, he was elected President of the High Court¡­

    ¡°Personal wealth¡­

    ¡°Interests¡­

    ¡°Favorite food¡­

    ¡°Frequently visited places¡­¡±

    It listed almost every trivial detail. It could be said that not even Vergniaud¡¯s parents or his wife could know him this well.

    Joseph picked up the next dossier, which detailed the social relations of the President of the High Court:

    ¡°Political allies: Duke of Aiguillon, Count Seyrelier¡­

    ¡°Political opponents¡­

    ¡°Close friends: Darcy, judge at the Paris High Court, 49 years old¡­

    ¡°Valjean, Assistant Commissioner of Caen Municipality, 51 years old¡­

    ¡°¡­

    ¡°Ordinary friends¡­

    ¡°Enemies¡­¡±

    The following documents described the situation inside Vergniaud¡¯s household, including detailed information about the layout of his house and his chauffeur, gardener, chef, maids, and so on.

    What surprised Joseph the most was a special note on the dossier stating that both of Vergniaud¡¯s chambermaids had been ¡°taken care of¡± by the lads sent by Fouche.

    Now, these two girls were completely submissive to their respective handsome, romantic, and wealthy boyfriends. They could even find out how many times Vergniaud yawned each day from them.

    Joseph held his forehead and forced a smile, thinking that Fouche was going a bit mad, not hesitating to seduce young girls just to gather a bit of intelligence¡­

    He put down the document in his hand and picked up a stack of letters, discovering that all of these were Vergniaud¡¯s private correspondence from recent years.

    Fouche, seeking recognition, said, ¡°Your Highness, half of these were supplied by the Black Room, and the rest were copied directly from Vergniaud¡¯s study.¡±

    The ¡°Black Room¡± he referred to was the Secret Police¡¯s postal espionage service, tasked with ¡°reviewing¡± various letters and being the most efficient department within the Secret Police. However, the Black Room still couldn¡¯t compare to Fouche¡¯s ¡°maid¡± strategy, as the letters from the study were most likely obtained by them.

    Joseph inquired, ¡°Is there any usable evidence in these letters?¡±

    Fouche shook his head: ¡°Any that could be used to incriminate him have probably been destroyed.¡±

    Joseph helplessly opened the last document, which was also the one with the most content, documenting all the cases handled by Vergniaud.

    Fouche added, ¡°Your Highness, all these were taken directly from the High Court¡¯s archive, absolutely reliable.¡±

    Joseph nodded, beginning to browse through them.

    The first one was a property division case, nearing the end of its trial.

    The second was a rape and murder case, which had only begun trial more than ten days ago.

    The case was roughly about a minor noble named Runashe who, suddenly overwhelmed by lust, abducted a 15-year-old commoner girl into his oil painting shop and assaulted her.

    During the ordeal, the girl¡¯s 9-year-old brother followed the clues to the door and cried out for help loudly.

    Out of desperation, Runashe dragged the boy inside and killed him. Fearing that the matter would be exposed, he killed the girl as well and threw her body into the Seine River.

    Since several of the victim¡¯s belongings were found in Runashe¡¯s shop and neighbors had seen the boy enter the oil painting shop, Runashe was quickly arrested and prosecuted.

    Joseph sighed, feeling pity for the brother and sister. According to the case files, this case had already been heard once in court but had not yet been sentenced.

 Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Uncle Is Here!

    Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Uncle Is Here!

    Joseph reviewed the cases handled by Vergniaud from start to finish and discussed at length with Fouche and others, yet he discovered that there really was no angle to work from.

    Some cases, if thoroughly investigated, might yield some clues, but it would certainly take a considerable amount of time.

    As everyone was at a loss, Eman approached and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, if we don¡¯t depart now, we¡¯re going to miss the class at the police academy.¡±

    Joseph rubbed his temples, realizing that finding a grip on Vergniaud would not be quick or easy, so he might as well go to his command class.

    He got up and walked toward the exit, then thought better of it, turned back, and called Fouche over to discuss further on the way.

    Fouche hurriedly gathered up a stack of documents about Vergniaud from the desk and quickly followed, but he had only taken a few steps when the letters in the files suddenly scattered everywhere.

    Fouche awkwardly set down the files and called for those around to help pick up the letters.

    Joseph, looking at the hundred or so letters on the floor, gestured, ¡°Let¡¯s go, there¡¯s no need to pick them up, there¡¯s no useful evidence anyway¡­¡±

    He sighed, shaking his head irritably, ¡°If only there were a few letters detailing his crimes.¡±

    As he spoke, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, feeling as if he¡¯d grasped a bit of inspiration.

    If he didn¡¯t have any evidence, could he possibly find a way to make Vergniaud unwittingly write something incriminating?

    He rapidly went through the documents he had just reviewed in his mind, suddenly turned around, and pulled out a few from beside Fouche, spreading them on the table.

    One of them was Valjean¡¯s file, and then he looked at the information of Runashe¡¯s father, the perpetrator of the recent murder case.

    Although the two men had nothing to do with each other, they had one thing in common¡ªthey were both from Caen.

    Joseph pondered with his head bowed, perhaps he could use this small leverage to move forward like this¡­ and then lead the situation like that¡­

    Then, even if Vergniaud was ever so careful, he would still inevitably fall into the trap!

    He picked up the details of Vergniaud¡¯s maid again, asked Fouche excitedly, ¡°Is there anyone in the Police Affairs Department who specializes in imitating others¡¯ handwriting?¡±

    Fouche nodded, ¡°Several, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Good, call them here now,¡± Joseph then pointed to the letters on the floor, ¡°Find Valjean¡¯s letters.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Valjean?¡± Fouche reacted, remembering the man was Vergniaud¡¯s close friend, and hurriedly began searching on the ground.

    Shortly, he held up a letter, ¡°Your Highness, here it is!¡±

    Several handwriting experts arrived one after another at the office, and under Joseph¡¯s direction, they imitated the handwriting of Vergniaud and Valjean in a few paragraphs, using their letters for reference.

    Joseph selected the two most convincing imitators and then had all of Valjean¡¯s letters gathered and handed them over to the professional intelligence personnel to analyze if there was any coded message or the like.

    With the preparations complete, Joseph said to Fouche, ¡°Assign a few capable people to leave for Caen immediately.¡±

    ¡°Caen?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Go and investigate Valjean¡¯s situation in detail, then arrange things like this¡­¡±

    After he gave all his instructions, Fouche clearly had an epiphany, his face brightening, and he nodded continuously, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get right on it!¡±

    Joseph then discussed the detailed plans with Fouche, ensuring that all aspects were considered. Only then did he leave the Police Affairs Department feeling much lighter, heading towards the police school.

    Only by then, the tactics and command class had certainly already ended.

    ¡­

    Several days later.

    On the Left Bank of Paris, in a small villa on Mufuta Street.

    An aristocratic couple in their forties sat in chairs, furrowing their brows in distress, each lost in their thoughts, occasionally letting out a sigh.

    A stew, bread, and vegetable corn soup were laid out on the table in front of them, but the food had already gone cold without a bite taken.

    A knock on the door startled them. The maid hurried to open the door a crack and asked, ¡°May I ask who you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    ¡°Is this the home of Viscount Monteli?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    The man inside stood up wearily and went to greet the newcomer, frowning at the stranger in front of him, ¡°Excuse me, may I ask who you are?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Sylvan,¡± the visitor said enthusiastically, hugging Viscount Monteli¡¯s shoulders and giving them a pat. As the latter still looked confused, the visitor smiled, pointing to himself and said, ¡°Lange, don¡¯t you remember? Your cousin.¡±

    ¡°Cousin?¡± Viscount Monteli was utterly befuddled.

    Mr. Lange seemed a bit displeased as he thrust the gift he was holding into Monteli¡¯s hands and stepped back, ¡°My mother, your Aunt Anrelique, does that ring a bell?¡±

    Monteli suddenly realized, nodding repeatedly, ¡°How is Aunt Anrelique? Oh, dear cousin, how did you find your way here?¡±

    The so-called Lange was naturally not his cousin at all, but a secret agent from the Police Affairs Department.

    The Police Affairs Department had recently visited Monteli¡¯s hometown of Caen and made thorough preparations, specifically choosing one of his distant relatives as a point of entry.

    Lange took out a copy of the ¡°Caen News¡± from a week ago, unfolded it, and showed it to Monteli, ¡°I saw the news about little nephew Runashe. Oh, it¡¯s really¡­ such a shame.¡±

    The newspaper carried the news of the ¡°Runashe Murder Case,¡± recently taken over by Magistrate Vergniaud.

    Lady Monteli also came over, her eyes reddened as she covered her face, ¡°God, even Caen knows about this now¡­¡±

    Lange hurriedly said, ¡°Mother saw the news too and immediately instructed me to help you. So I hurried over.

    ¡°Oh, right, how is the case going? Has it been judged yet?¡±

    Viscount Monteli shook his head, ¡°Not yet. But the presiding judge doesn¡¯t want to see me, and I think¡­ there might be no hope left.¡±

    Lange smiled, patting him, ¡°I¡¯m here for exactly that reason.¡±

    ¡°You? You have a way?¡±

    Lange nodded, ¡°The master I currently serve has some connection with that judge. I¡¯ll go and make some arrangements for you.

    ¡°Of course, it might require a sum of money, a substantial amount.¡±

    The Montelis were so excited they almost knelt before him, repeatedly saying, ¡°We will find a way with the money. Anything but a hanging, we¡¯ll take anything. Please!¡±

    Lange pulled them to sit down in their chairs and asked, ¡°Please tell me the details of the case again.¡±

    After a long while, Viscount Monteli finally recounted the case in a rambling manner, and Lange asked some more details, then stood up and said:

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head to the High Court now. Wait for my good news.¡±

    Forty minutes later, Lange¡¯s carriage stopped outside the side entrance of the Paris High Court.

    He glanced at the dense crowd of protesters in front of him, shook his head helplessly, and squeezed through the crowd to get inside.

    Before long, in the largest office on the third floor of the High Court, he finally met his target¡ªMagistrate Wezignia.

 Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 92: Dig a Hole, a Big One!

    Chapter 93: Chapter 92: Dig a Hole, a Big One!

    Lange appeared very restrained as he greeted Vergniaud and introduced himself before handing over a letter to the chief justice.

    After confirming that the seal on the envelope was intact, Vergniaud slowly opened it, casually inquiring about the situation on Valjean¡¯s end.

    The Police Affairs Department already had a clear grasp of these matters, so Lange naturally flowed with his responses.

    Only then did Vergniaud take out his glasses to start reading the letter.

    In the letter, Valjean began by recalling some past events between the two and then mentioned that Lange, who brought this letter, was his most loyal servant and could be fully trusted.

    It had been three or four years since Vergniaud had last seen Valjean, but he vaguely remembered a servant named Lange at his good friend¡¯s side.

    He continued reading further.

    In the letter, Valjean conveyed that one of his cousins, namely Viscount Monteli, had become entangled in a lawsuit. Valjean had only learned about the case from the newspapers recently and discovered that the presiding judge was an old friend of his, prompting him to ask for a favor. As he was not feeling well lately, he sent his servant to Paris to handle the lawsuit first but would visit his old friend as soon as the weather warmed up.

    Then he expressed his hope that Vergniaud could be as lenient as possible in his sentence for Runashe. As for the expenses involved in making arrangements, the Monteli Family had already prepared everything and would certainly not put the old friend in a tough spot.

    Yes, on Vergniaud¡¯s end, Monteli¡¯s relative had changed to Valjean.

    Vergniaud put the letter away and said to Lange, ¡°I will certainly help with Victor¡¯s issue. However, that young man has gone too far, and with witnesses, he must at least face whipping and over thirty years of imprisonment.¡±

    Lange nodded, then nervously rubbed his hands together and said, ¡°Earl, actually, my master means that it would be best if the verdict could be not guilty¡­¡±

    Vergniaud was about to shake his head when Lange¡¯s next sentence made his eyelids twitch, ¡°Viscount Monteli is willing to pay thirty-five thousand livres.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Vergniaud sighed and said, ¡°The matter with the witnesses is not easy to handle¡­¡±

    ¡°We will find a way,¡± Lange said.

    Suddenly, Vergniaud turned and waved his hand, ¡°Go back for now, I will give you an answer in a few days.¡±

    That very afternoon, when Vergniaud returned home, he immediately wrote a letter, sealed it with wax, and then summoned his trusted servant Bruno to deliver it to Caen as quickly as possible, to be given to Viscount Valjean.

    Before Bruno could mount the carriage, Vergniaud¡¯s ¡°glazier¡± relayed the news to the Police Affairs Department officers who had been waiting outside the villa.

    Vergniaud¡¯s trusted servant traveled nonstop for two days and finally arrived in Caen.

    This small city had only one main road leading to Paris. At this time, the street vendors on either side of the road were huddled up, lackluster in attracting business.

    Bruno consulted a map, got out of the carriage, and walked to the nearest vendor to ask where Viscount Valjean¡¯s house was.

    Valjean, being the ¡°Deputy Mayor¡± of Caen, was known to everyone. After receiving five deniers, the vendor eagerly pointed him in the right direction.

    Bruno resumed his journey and after nearing the city center, got out of the carriage again to stop a young man for directions.

    Just as the young man was about to respond, he saw a fight break out nearby, quickly approaching them, and he immediately turned and walked away.

    Bruno looked around, grabbed a middle-aged man passing by, and inquired about the location of Viscount Valjean¡¯s house, receiving the same answer as from the vendor.

    By the time Bruno reached the Valjean family¡¯s villa, it was twilight.

    A manservant warmly ushered him into the house, while he observed the Valjean family¡¯s coat of arms on the walls and staircase railings, nodding to himself in approval.

    Then, he saw the Viscount Valjean, wrapped up tightly because he was ill, nodding at him from the second floor.

    Bruno hastily handed the master¡¯s letter to the manservant, who then went upstairs to deliver it to Valjean.

    About half an hour later, Bruno received a reply from Viscount Valjean and immediately set off back to Paris under the cover of night.

    However, he failed to notice that the gardener and other servants in the mansion were identical to the peddlers he had seen on the main road entering Caen.

    And the maid who served him tea was actually one of the people involved in the fight downtown, only now in women¡¯s clothes¡ªthe Police Affairs Department really was short on female spies, so he had to play the role.

    As for the ¡°Valjean¡± who greeted him, under the dim light and from such a distance, with a bit of makeup, even Valjean¡¯s own mother probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell the difference.

    The true whereabouts of the Valjean household was actually still some kilometers away¡­

    Once Bruno returned to Paris and handed over the reply to Vergniaud, declaring that he had seen Viscount Valjean and even had tea at his home.

    This couldn¡¯t be blamed on his incompetence. In this age of severely underdeveloped communication, it was indeed difficult to verify the identity of someone in a distant city within a short period. Even if he had gone straight to the city hall, the Police Affairs Department had long since planted someone there, allowing him to catch a glimpse of the ¡°Viscount Valjean¡± from a distance.

    By then, Vergniaud no longer had any doubts, immediately had Lange summoned, and informed him that he could arrange for Runashe¡¯s acquittal, but due to the magnitude of the case, it would cost 40,000 livres.

    Lange agreed straight away, though he hoped the trial would commence soon because Viscount Valjean¡¯s young nephew, that is, Runashe, who had lived a life of luxury since childhood, couldn¡¯t bear the torment of prison.

    Vergniaud, of course, readily agreed.

    After Lange returned to Viscount Monteli¡¯s house to report the news, he found a doctor, and on the pretense that the eyewitness of the Runashe case often got drunk and beat his wife, he paid the doctor to provide a certificate that the witness had mental issues.

    The Montelis mortgaged their villa and painting shop, and after scraping together funds, could only muster a little over 30,000 livres. With no other choice, Lange ¡°dug into his own pockets¡± and supplemented them with 6,500 livres.

    With everything ready, Lange repeatedly instructed their ¡°cousin¡± that, as relatives of the accused, they must avoid excessive contact with the judge, and then he led them outside Vergniaud¡¯s villa.

    Viscount Monteli handed the bank notes to the judge Vergniaud¡¯s servant and saw the Grand Judge nodding to him from a window, which finally set his heavy heart at ease.

    Lange then visited Vergniaud¡¯s home that evening on behalf of his master to express sincere thanks and requested Vergniaud to write a letter of reply, confirming his successful completion of the mission.

    Vergniaud, having just made 40,000 livres, was in high spirits and at once wrote three pages, mostly expressing to an old friend the great effort he had put into the case, suggesting he remember this favor, while also commending the manservant.

    Lange then left with the letter.

    A few days later, another messenger from Valjean delivered a letter of gratitude from his master to Vergniaud.

    The Grand Judge read the letter once and immediately burned it, reminding the messenger to tell Valjean to burn all recent correspondence.

    He had been involved in too many cases of miscarriage of justice to not understand the importance of destroying evidence.

    Five days later, Runashe¡¯s case was reopened in court.

    First, the eyewitness was proved to have mental issues, invalidating his testimony.

    Then it was discovered that the so-called relics found in Runashe¡¯s home did not belong to the victim¡ªthis was, of course, the result of Vergniaud tampering with evidence in the evidence room.

 Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Public Trial (Extra for Boss This is Not Good)

    Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Public Trial (Extra for Boss This is Not Good)

    In the courtroom, the young lawyer defending the victims listened with a smile as the judge distorted right and wrong, yet he never uttered a word.

    Soon, amidst the wails of the murdered siblings¡¯ parents, Vergniaud raised his gavel and declared, ¡°The court pronounces that Runashe is not guilty of the murder charge and is hereby acquitted.¡±

    Just as his gavel was about to strike, the young lawyer suddenly stood up and shouted, ¡°This is an illegal judgment! You are trampling on the law!¡±

    Vergniaud shook his head¡ªhe had seen many such unruly young people before. With a contemptuous smile, he waved to the bailiffs, ¡°Get this guy out! What¡¯s his name? He will be charged with contempt of court afterward.¡±

    The lawyer stood his ground and said, ¡°My name is Danton! Georges Jacques Danton, go ahead and charge me!¡±

    He then held up several sheets of paper over his head, ¡°But first, Mister Judge, you need to explain what these letters are all about!¡±

    ¡°Letters? What letters?¡± Vergniaud looked at the pages and felt they seemed familiar. Suddenly his face turned pale; those appeared to be the letters he had written to Valjean! How did they end up in this lawyer¡¯s hands?!

    The letters had naturally been provided to the lawyer by the Police Affairs Department.

    Not long ago, Joseph happened to hear Fouche mention that the lawyer for the victims in the ¡°Runashe Case¡± was named Danton. He immediately had someone check with the High Court¡¯s registered attorneys and learned there was only one named ¡°Jacques Danton.¡±

    Which is to say, this young lawyer was later the leader of the Jacobins.

    In history, Danton was fiercely opposed to evil and possessed extraordinary oratorical skills, easily capable of inciting a riot of thousands.

    So Joseph decided then and there to entrust the task of dealing with Vergniaud to him. Faced with such an egregiously wicked case, Danton would surely make a significant uproar.

    At the trial, Danton leaped onto the bench of the public gallery and loudly read the parts of Vergniaud¡¯s letter that could serve as evidence: ¡°My dear old friend, I saw your servant. But I need to confirm one more time, do you really want me to intervene in Runashe¡¯s case?

    ¡°As for that money, it¡¯s all for greasing the wheels. You know, just the evidence room alone will cost us ten thousand livres, after all, destroying evidence is a grave crime¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how they plan to deal with that witness, but I swear to you, as long as that damned carpenter keeps his mouth shut, I will be able to acquit your nephew¡­

    ¡°Poor Runashe must have had his fill of the damp and moldy prison. Oh, he was originally going to stay there until death, even end up on the gallows. But rest assured, after the next session, I will have him released¡­¡±

    ¡°Bailiffs! Stop him!¡± Vergniaud pointed at Danton, screaming like a madman, ¡°He¡¯s lying!¡±

    The few bailiffs in the courtroom had yet to react, and Vergniaud, impatient, stepped on a chair and leaped out from behind the judge¡¯s bench, eyes red, lunging toward Danton.

    But the latter agilely dashed between the court¡¯s tables and chairs, continuing to read the letter as he did so.

    By the time he finished reading the key parts, he had already run to the courtroom door. He pushed away the bailiff guarding it and dashed out.

    Outside the High Court, over a thousand citizens had already gathered, many more than the usual protesters, summoned by the likes of Mala and Demulan, all to coordinate with the trial.

    Danton rushed to the iron railings of the courthouse and shouted, ¡°That shameless and despicable man has insulted the law before everyone! He acquitted a murderer!¡±

    Angry roars immediately erupted from the crowd, ¡°Hang the killer!¡±

    ¡°Hang the corrupt judge too!¡±

    ¡°Execution! It must be execution!¡±

    Danton gestured for silence and raised the letters in his hand, ¡°I have evidence of that judge¡¯s corruption and will ensure he receives the punishment he deserves!¡±

    A few bailiffs wanted to stop Danton, but under the threat of the thousand-strong crowd, they trembled and dared not approach.

    In fact, just ten paces away, more than thirty policemen stood ready. If the bailiffs made a move, they would instantly rush in to rescue Danton.

    Danton continued to shout, ¡°To prevent those people from destroying the evidence, I suggest we hold a public trial right here!¡±

    The crowd immediately erupted again:

    ¡°Public trial!¡±

    ¡°Right here, let us watch the trial!¡±

    ¡°The judge who let the killer go, come out!¡±

    And so, the angry mob yelled throughout the entire day, their numbers growing steadily.

    It wasn¡¯t until twilight when Chief Minister Brian appeared, publicly promising that the Royal Court of Justice would take charge and hold a public trial for Vergniaud¡¯s bribery case in the square outside the High Court, that people gradually dispersed.

    At eleven o¡¯clock at night, once Vergniaud had his subordinates confirm multiple times that there were no longer any protesters outside the court, did he slip out the back door, disguised in a coachman¡¯s clothes.

    However, what he didn¡¯t know was that the Police Affairs Department had been watching him from the shadows all the while.

    Vergniaud¡¯s carriage had just passed two streets when he heard someone shout, ¡°The judge who colluded with the killer is right here!¡±

    ¡°Come quickly, everyone, Vergniaud is here!¡±

    Torches quickly lit up around them, and Mala, leading hundreds of people, rushed up to pull Vergniaud out of the carriage and beat him mercilessly without a word.

    In the corner, dozens of police officers felt it was about enough and hurriedly appeared, whistling to part the crowd¡ªafter all, they couldn¡¯t really beat the criminal to death or there would be no one to stand trial.

    But the Vergniaud on the ground had already been beaten beyond recognition, convulsing as he lay in a pool of blood.

    Two days later, a judge sent by the Royal Court of Justice conducted a public trial for Vergniaud at the High Court¡¯s entrance.

    The Royal Court of Justice, under the control of the King, still had significant authority before the reign of Louis XIV; over time, its power gradually shifted to the High Court, and it became largely ceremonial.

    The judges could hardly believe that they would have the chance to preside over a real case.

    However, under the watchful eyes of thousands of angry citizens, no one dared to question their qualifications to try the case.

    Vergniaud, with one leg broken, was wrapped in bandages and lay to one side, occasionally letting out pained moans.

    Danton handed the letters to the judge, also claiming that there were more in Vergniaud¡¯s home.

    The judge immediately ordered a search of Vergniaud¡¯s house, and they quickly found ¡°Valjean¡¯s¡± letters in his study.

    The correspondence from both sides mutually corroborated each other, further solidifying the fact that Vergniaud took bribes to absolve Runashe.

    Vergniaud lying on the plank could not comprehend how these letters, which he was sure he had burned, could appear in his home.

    In fact, two copies of ¡°Valjean¡¯s¡± letters had been written¡ªone for Vergniaud to burn, and the other quietly placed in his study by her maid.

    Shortly afterwards, the Monteli family was also called to testify. Under the evidence and the angry gaze of countless people, the couple quickly admitted to bribing the judge.

    And the Royal Court of Justice publicly pronounced its judgment, finding Vergniaud guilty of bribery, cover-ups, and destruction of evidence, sentencing him to fifty years in prison. Given Vergniaud¡¯s poor conduct, the court announced that all the cases he had previously overseen would be sent back for retrial.

    The thousands of citizens watching erupted into a thunderous cheer at once, but Danton, Mala, and others were not elated. The verdict they wanted had only one form: execution.

 Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 94 "Kick Someone When Theyre Down

    Chapter 95: Chapter 94 ¡°Kick Someone When They¡¯re Down

    Several judges of the Royal Court of Justice immediately stepped aside, allowing Count Vadier, the presiding judge of the High Court, to come forward. Trembling, he read the verdict again, signed his name, and stamped it.

    Since the Royal Court of Justice had no trial authority, it was necessary to have Vadier go through a legal procedure. Only then was the charge against Vergniaud truly affirmed.

    Immediately, voices of dissatisfaction and protest arose from the crowd of onlookers:

    ¡°Judicial authority! The Royal Court of Justice must have judicial authority!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t let those shameless judges judge themselves!¡±

    ¡°The guys from the High Court only cover each other¡¯s backs!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! They are not qualified! Let the Royal Court of Justice conduct the trial!¡±

    After a few people took the lead, the call rapidly grew into a chant of thousands, with the term ¡°judicial authority¡± soaring to the skies.

    In reality, having the Royal Court of Justice step in was Joseph¡¯s arrangement, and the people who had been shouting for judicial authority that day were also well prepared in advance.

    Joseph had exerted immense effort this time, managing with great difficulty to pry open a gap within the High Court. Naturally, he intended to press his advantage¡­ ah, no, to pursue his victory and thoroughly tear apart the monster nurtured by the Great Noble Group!

    Not until Vergniaud was carried away did the judges of the Royal Court of Justice promise the crowd that they would convey the matter of judicial authority to His Majesty the King, and only then did the citizens gradually quiet down.

    That afternoon, the entire High Court was shrouded in gloomy and despondent mood, yet everyone was extremely busy. The cases that Vergniaud had presided over were too numerous, and the workload of retrials was immense, to the point that the entire court¡¯s energy was almost entirely focused on this matter.

    Meanwhile, in the meeting room on the third floor, five judges, who were also important members of Parliament, were voting on the new tax bill.

    ¡°I vote in favor of registration,¡± Dibor was the first to raise his hand and declare.

    Vadier, even quicker to raise his hand than the Glaite judge from Dibor¡¯s faction, said, ¡°I agree as well.¡±

    The disturbing scars that adorned Vergniaud were still etched in his mind. Now, he simply hoped that all of this would end soon, allowing him to return to his usual tranquility.

    This time, without Vergniaud¡¯s suppression, all four judges quickly agreed to register the bill.

    Only Luo from the Old Nobility faction cast a vote of abstention with a sullen face.

    A ray of sunlight pierced through the windows of the meeting hall, casting its light on the text of the bill laid upon the table.

    Looking around at the other judges, Dibor then flipped open the document, used his left hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight, and with his right, he penned the words ¡°Permission Granted for Registration,¡± before forcefully stamping the seal of the Paris High Court.

    After being dragged on for a year, rejected several times, leading to the dismissal of a Finance Minister, and being used by the Nobility Group as a tool to pressure the Royal Family, the tax bill was finally approved at this moment!

    Through Joseph¡¯s meticulous planning, the situation where noble power expanded and royal power receded had been completely reversed from this point onward.

    Palace of Versailles.

    In the comfortable and elegant music room, upon learning that the tax bill which had tormented her for nearly a year was finally passed, Queen Mary was so excited she nearly danced on the spot, immediately lavishing praise on Brian. She was effusive in her compliments.

    Afterward, the judges of the Royal Court of Justice reported to her the demand from the protesters for the granting of judicial authority.

    The Queen, who had been disgustingly frustrated by the High Court for too long, would not miss this opportunity to vent her spleen and signed the decree without hesitation, granting the Royal Court of Justice the authority to adjudicate all cases involving Vergniaud.

    And although the nobles wanted to object to this development, no one dared to show it.

    Now, the scandal surrounding Vergniaud is boiling over. Anyone daring to say ¡°no¡± at this time would surely be branded a cohort of a corrupt judge, awaiting nothing but the scorn of all Parisians.

    Control over public opinion is certainly not in their hands, making any attempt to obfuscate the truth impossible.

    However, Queen Mary was also deeply concerned about the over a thousand protesters who had been causing a stir at the High Court for more than a month¡ªno ruler could possibly be unruffled by large-scale street demonstrations.

    So, she instructed Brian to disperse the crowds of protesters as soon as possible and restore peace to Paris.

    Joseph felt a sense of relief upon learning of the decree regarding Vergniaud, as it would make the maneuvers that followed much easier.

    He had assumed that, with Queen Mary¡¯s hesitancy and indecision, he would have to go and personally persuade Brian, but her actions this time were surprisingly decisive.

    Perhaps it was also because the passage of the tax bill subconsciously boosted her confidence.

    Next, as long as the judges of the Royal Court of Justice put forth a bit of effort, the High Court should inevitably fall.

    In the Crown Prince¡¯s reception room, three judges from the Royal Court of Justice sat respectfully on the couch, all listening attentively.

    They had gleaned from the hints dropped by Archbishop Brienne that it was the Crown Prince who had afforded them the opportunity to gain exposure in the High Court.

    Joseph smiled at the three and asked, ¡°What are your thoughts on the future of the Royal Court of Justice?¡±

    The judges looked at each other, perplexed; aside from providing legal counsel to the nobles of the Palace of Versailles, what else could they aspire to?

    Joseph continued to lead them on, ¡°If this case with Vergniaud is judged well, it might set a precedent, and trials involving judges and prosecutors may fall under the jurisdiction of the Royal Court of Justice in the future.¡±

    The three brightened up at once.

    The eldest judge keenly seized on the crux of the Crown Prince¡¯s words, asking eagerly, ¡°Your Highness, what would count as a well-judged case?¡±

    Joseph stated solemnly, ¡°Punish Vergniaud severely, and return justice to those who have suffered unjust trials.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying, the matter of reopening the cases he handled?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°We must close the cases quickly, and decide with severe sentences.¡±

    Several of the judges had glanced over those case files, and one expressed concern, ¡°Your Highness, many of those cases are from many years ago, and a great deal of evidence is missing¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled coldly, ¡°When Vergniaud judged those cases back then, did he care about evidence?¡±

    The eldest judge immediately caught on, nodding, ¡°Your Highness, we understand what to do.¡±

    Joseph further reassured them, ¡°Vergniaud now symbolizes sin; everyone is eager for his immediate death, and no one will care if there is anything unreasonable about the trial process.¡±

    The next day, the public hearing for Vergniaud continued in the square in front of the High Court.

    Victims of the wrongful cases created by Vergniaud arrived at the scene, many of whom were brought in by Mala.

    As the hearing began, the thousands of onlookers immediately fell silent.

    Contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, it took less than half an hour for a case from three years ago to be overturned. A murderer previously declared innocent was ordered to be rearrested. And Vergniaud faced a slew of new charges: accepting bribes, sheltering criminals, and tampering with testimony.

    The crowd immediately erupted into sustained cheers, and the family of the deceased in that case had already fallen to their knees, weeping and crossing themselves on the chest.

 Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Finding You a Father

    Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Finding You a Father

    After the verdict of the Royal Court of Justice was announced, a court official came out to show the decree signed by His Majesty the King¡ªthat the Royal Court of Justice would be in charge of all trials involving Vergniaud.

    The crowd immediately erupted into cheers again:

    ¡°Judicial power! The Royal Court of Justice has full jurisdiction now!¡±

    ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    ¡°Long live France!¡±

    ¡°God bless the people of France!¡±

    ¡°Punish the shameless judges harshly!¡±

    The judges of the High Court watched all this from the building behind them. Had this been before, such an order encroaching on judicial authority would certainly have met with their remonstrance, but at this moment, they could only pinch their noses and accept it.

    Outside, the public sentiment was inflamed. At this time, whoever dared to challenge the jurisdiction of the Royal Court of Justice, the mob would tear them to shreds immediately.

    Despite there being hundreds of police officers around, the judges all knew that the police would not intervene even if they were torn apart.

    The Royal Court of Justice was extremely efficient. In one day, they had already overturned six of Vergniaud¡¯s previous cases. The victims, all crying and shouting ¡°Thank God¡± and ¡°Long live the King,¡± included many people so overwhelmed that they fainted on the spot.

    The charges against Vergniaud were no longer of any concern; there were too many to count anyway.

    The next day, the Royal Court of Justice had completed the retrial of all eleven cases involving Vergniaud.

    In fact, there were initially more cases planned for retrial, but some were minor or the files had been lost. The judges of the Royal Court of Justice, strictly following the demands of the Crown Prince to resolve cases as soon as possible, temporarily ignored these kinds of cases.

    Eleven major cases were enough for a heavy sentence.

    Especially since in one of the cases, Vergniaud was implicated in conspiring with the defendant to kill a witness in prison, and the murder was wholly blamed on Vergniaud.

    The defendant¡¯s lawyer had not expressed any objections from start to finish.

    At 4 o¡¯clock that afternoon, the oldest judge picked up the judgment and first read aloud a long list of the various crimes committed by Vergniaud, and then pronounced loudly, ¡°The sentence¡ªis death by beheading!¡±

    The emotions of the onlookers erupted like a volcano! Cheers and applause lasted for over ten minutes without pause. Many people spontaneously ran through the streets and alleys of Paris to spread the good news as fast as they could.

    Standing on a shop windowsill in the distance, Mala jumped down with his right hand supporting him, dusted off his trousers, and snorted coldly, ¡°Beheading? Hmph! That kind of guy only deserves hanging!¡±

    The guillotine, as a less painful method of execution, was still a privilege reserved for the nobility; commoners could only be sentenced to hanging.

    At the Paris Commercial News Agency, Denico got the news of Vergniaud¡¯s death sentence and immediately, following Joseph¡¯s prior instructions, took out the pre-prepared manuscript and started instructing the workers to print.

    The headline on the front page of the Paris Commercial News read, ¡°The High Court¡¯s power is too great, who is to oversee it?¡±

    The front page of ¡°News and Picture Report¡± was titled, ¡°The High Court meddling in governance, a grave danger!¡±

    At the same time, Mala, Demulan, and others were also writing press releases as fast as they could, including details of Vergniaud¡¯s case, discussing why the High Court had completely decayed, and the positive role of the Royal Court of Justice, among other topics.

    Subsequently, these manuscripts were sent to various newspapers¡ªnow that the High Court was in disarray, causing its subsidiary news review agencies to halt operations, the newspapers were almost in a state of no supervision, and all sorts of news could be published.

    In the onslaught of overwhelming public opinion, almost everyone in Paris was discussing the matters of the High Court.

    Meanwhile, the crowd protesting outside the courthouse had greatly diminished, but there were still nearly a hundred people gathered there, demanding a thorough investigation of the judges, except for Vergniaud.

    Soon, even the Palace of Versailles was caught up in the fervor of discussing the High Court and the case of Vergniaud.

    After waiting for the public opinion to ferment sufficiently, Joseph went with Archbishop Brienne to look for Queen Mary, prepared to hammer the final nail into the coffin of the High Court.

    In the tea room, the Queen began by praising Brian, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, your excellent and effective work has brought hope to the nation¡¯s finances. I must thank you for the effort you¡¯ve put into the tax law.¡±

    She had seen Brienne three times recently, making a point to compliment him in various ways each time. Indeed, she had been severely vexed by the matters of the law before.

    Brienne quickly bowed and said, ¡°Your servant is honored to be able to do what he can for the great France. In fact, the passage of the law this time is mostly due to the credit of the Crown Prince.¡±

    Queen Mary smiled and nodded, taking it as a compliment to the Crown Prince.

    She believed that her son must have played a significant role in this matter, but after all, he was still a teenager, so the real planning and strategizing were surely the work of the old minister, Brienne.

    Joseph gave Brienne a significant look, whereupon the latter hurriedly handed the law to the Queen, ¡°Your Majesty, this is the new law drafted by myself and the Crown Prince. I ask you to review it.¡±

    Queen Mary took the several pages of documents, opened them, and curiously asked, ¡°What is it about?¡±

    Brienne hurriedly explained, ¡°Recently, public opinion has been very supportive of the role that the Royal Court of Justice has played in the trial of the Vergniaud case. I believe that the court could serve to effectively oversee the High Court, to prevent similar cases from happening again.¡±

    Queen Mary went through the law in her hands and saw that its main content was to grant the Royal Court of Justice the authority to supervise the High Court, including the right to conduct searches, audits, prosecutions, and sentencing, among a series of other operations.

    It was also suggested to rename the Royal Court of Justice as the Royal Supreme Court, to show that it is a superior department to the High Court.

    Furthermore, the law also stated that due to the High Court¡¯s excessive interference in administrative affairs, it should no longer manage the news review agencies to enable the court to focus on judicial matters.

    Queen Mary couldn¡¯t stop her lips from curling up with pleasure¡ªthe High Court had ¡°oppressed¡± her for so long, and to be able to appoint a superior department for it was perfect!

    However, she immediately expressed concern, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, this law will also need to be registered at the High Court. How could they possibly agree to such an arrangement?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly and said, ¡°You just need to sign the law, and I guarantee that the High Court will pass it.¡±

    The Queen looked at her son in surprise, then at Brienne, seeing both of them full of confidence. She then signed her name and afterward had the Clerk take it to Louis XVI for his signature and seal.

    ¡­

    Paris High Court.

    In the boardroom on the third floor, five senior members stared at the law in front of them, most with grim expressions.

    This law was tantamount to looping a rope around the neck of the High Court. The end of the rope was clenched in the hands of the Royal Court of Justice, oh, now called the Royal Supreme Court. With a mere tug, they would be strangled!

    Chief Justice Lue, with his hawk-like nose, slammed his hand on the table and growled through clenched teeth, ¡°Such a law cannot be registered!¡±

 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Under Great Pressure

    Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Under Great Pressure

    Dibor sighed but did not argue with Luo. They were united in their opposition to the Supreme Judicial Court.

    However, circumstances overpowered individuals.

    He glanced towards the door, representatives of the Supreme Judicial Court were just in the opposite room, and shook his head, ¡°But no one wants to end up like Count Vergniaud¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, the pupils of several members of the panel constricted.

    Just now, representatives from the Supreme Judicial Court had brought word that, following the strong demands of the Paris populace, His Majesty the King was considering a review of all major cases handled by the High Court in recent years.

    The High Court was rife with systemic corruption; to be a judge there meant it was impossible to be untainted by corruption.

    Their hands were just as dirty as those of Vergniaud!

    Moreover, they were powerless to stop the review¡ªwith the current fervor in Paris, a single shout from the representatives of the Supreme Judicial Court could immediately assemble thousands to surround the courthouse, just as had happened to Vergniaud.

    After a long while, Dibor, leading by example, raised his hand in defeat, pronouncing gravely, ¡°Let¡¯s register it.¡±

    He had his own distinct stance compared to the other judges; the representatives of the Supreme Judicial Court had told him that once the legislation passed, they would fully support his appointment as President of the High Court.

    Of course, this was also hinted at by Joseph. With an opponent who seemed to be at a dead end, it was essential to adhere to the tactic of pulling one faction while hitting another, to prevent a desperate last stand.

    So for Dibor, although the High Court¡¯s powers would be greatly curtailed in the future, his personal power could be compensated for from the position of the President, thus he could reluctantly accept.

    Judge Vadier followed with a long sigh, raising his right hand, ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s end this soon¡­¡±

    Glaite and Ollal had no choice but to raise their hands resignedly.

    And so, holding their noses, the judges passed the bill that granted the Royal Supreme Court oversight of the High Court.

    As for the final provision of the bill, which removed the High Court¡¯s control over the press review agency, they barely took notice¡ªwho would care about a few hairs when the ox is already dead?

    The most surprising thing was that this significant piece of legislation hardly made a ripple in the circles of the nobility.

    From the perspective of the nobility, the High Court remained the High Court, the Assembly of Notables remained the Assembly of Notables, as if nothing had changed.

    Oh, there¡¯s a new Royal Supreme Court? Wasn¡¯t that just the old Royal Court of Justice that had been around for hundreds of years¡­

    In stark contrast to the indifference of the nobility, the common people of Paris were extremely excited. The long-standing grievances against the High Court found their release through Vergniaud.

    For days on end, cries such as ¡°Long live the King, long live the Royal Court of Justice!¡± could be heard sporadically in the streets.

    ¡°Execute the shameless judges!¡±

    The victims of Vergniaud, in particular, went everywhere proclaiming the King¡¯s mercy and wisdom, sending down the Royal Court of Justice to punish the scoundrels.

    Soon, led by the Paris Commercial News, various newspapers in Paris began to feature articles with titles like ¡°His Majesty the King¡¯s Glorious Victory¡± or ¡°The King¡¯s Just Judgment.¡±

    For the first time, public opinion of the Royal Family started to change for the better.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    When Joseph heard about the passage of the Supreme Judicial Court¡¯s bill, he was not surprised.

    Under the current circumstances, the High Court had only one path¡ªto accept the bill.

    However, with the High Court¡¯s interference gone, he felt much more relieved in his heart; at last, he could truly demonstrate his capabilities and deal with matters of greater importance.

    When it came to important matters, he immediately thought of the imminent famine, which couldn¡¯t help but give him a massive headache.

    All of France had more than 20 million people, and if the food shortage was calculated at 30%, that was a terrifying number. Moreover, he remembered that the shortage of grain would continue until the beginning of 1790.

    Joseph looked at the snowflakes falling outside the tall arched French windows; it was already mid-January.

    There were six and a half months until the famine¡¯s massive outbreak in July. Where could he find so much grain¡­

    He had some ideas before, but the closer he got to the outbreak of the problem, the more he felt it wasn¡¯t nearly enough.

    For instance, purchasing from foreign countries would need a large amount of funds, which France currently couldn¡¯t spare to buy so much grain, given its financial situation.

    And to store such a quantity of grain, storage facilities would be necessary, not to mention prevention of grain looting during the toughest times.

    From his recent understanding of the grain market, purchasing solely from foreign countries would not be nearly enough to fill France¡¯s deficit.

    This was assuming that the grain market remained stable. If unscrupulous merchants took advantage of the situation, the shortfall would be even greater.

    As for preventing hail in advance¡­ Historical records stated that this year¡¯s hailstones were as big as an adult¡¯s fist. Unless the crops were clad in steel armor, there was simply no stopping it.

    Joseph¡¯s thoughts on purchasing grain funds led him back to the financial situation of France.

    Before he took over the financial affairs, it hadn¡¯t seemed so pressing, but now those billions felt like a mountain crushing his chest, making him struggle to breathe just thinking about it.

    All of his hard work with the Paris Angels, if sold off entirely, would at best be worth ten million livres. In other words, 200 Paris Angels would need to be created to plug this enormous hole!

    He couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath to ease his chest.

    Therefore, to solve the debt issue, it still had to rely on the Industrial Revolution.

    On one hand, the massive industrial products generated by the Industrial Revolution could obtain huge economic benefits and directly fill the fiscal deficit.

    On the other hand, the Industrial Revolution could also significantly enhance national strength, thereby gaining greater interests in wars and overseas colonies, which would then nourish the industry, creating a positive cycle.

    In fact, England experienced a severe debt crisis at the beginning of the 19th century, no better off than current-day France, but they managed to break through the predicament while saddled with huge debts via the dividends of the Industrial Revolution.

    Joseph picked up the warm teacup, took a sip, and thought that to achieve industrial success, control of the national industrial policy must first be obtained.

    He shook his head; France did not even have a ministry of industry at present¡ªthe Minister of the Interior also oversaw industry. If Mono were to handle the Industrial Revolution well, that would be a miracle indeed.

    However, luckily, he had recently acquired a few cards to play, which he could use to negotiate with Mono and persuade him to relinquish control over the industrial sector.

    As night fell.

    At the ever-present ball at the Palace of Versailles.

    Joseph gritted his teeth, weaving through a flock of lighthearted ladies until he finally managed to squeeze to Mono¡¯s side, hurriedly grabbing hold of him.

    The young girls, who had originally thought that the Crown Prince was going to invite one of them to dance, saw him tightly grasping the arm of the Minister of the Interior, and strange expressions appeared on each of their faces¡­

 Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Do Not Deceive the Old and Poor! (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Do Not Deceive the Old and Poor! (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Count Mono looked at the throng of angry young women glaring at him and, with a tinge of embarrassment, bowed slightly towards Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡­ aren¡¯t dancing?¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to dance. I have serious matters to discuss with you.¡±

    Count Mono glanced again at the crowd dancing merrily around them:

    ¡°Are you suggesting we discuss serious matters here?¡±

    Joseph thought to himself, I would prefer to sit on a sofa, sipping tea while chatting leisurely, but after searching for you all afternoon, not even your servants knew where you had been gallivanting.

    ¡°I came looking for you this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Count Mono touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, not wanting anyone to learn about his little affair with Countess Mesayer.

    He quickly led the Crown Prince to a more secluded corner:

    ¡°Please, go ahead.¡±

    Joseph considered for a moment, then said:

    ¡°To put it simply, I want to engage in promoting industrial development. And currently, that falls under the management of your domestic affairs department.¡±

    Count Mono blinked his little eyes in agreement.

    ¡°To be direct, I hope you will relinquish control over industry.¡±

    Count Mono continued nodding, waiting for the Crown Prince to propose a trade of interests.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Currently, the new censorship is no longer under the purview of the High Court. We could establish a Bureau of News and Publishing, which would handle these matters, and place it under your management.

    ¡°Additionally, I have discussed with Archbishop Brienne the issuance of a ¡®Patent Law.''¡±

    He explained the concept of the ¡®Patent Law¡¯ and added, ¡°Correspondingly, a patent office should be established, which could also be managed by you.¡±

    Count Mono calculated in his mind¡ªFrance¡¯s industry was no match for England¡¯s, already in a state of near dormancy, holding it in his own hands had little value.

    However, the patent office the Crown Prince mentioned seemed quite good, and being able to tie it to fashion design would definitely be lucrative. Just the news censorship seemed of little use.

    He then showed a na?ve smile and said, ¡°Your Highness, you see¡­¡±

    Without waiting for him to ramble, Joseph immediately said, ¡°Plus one printing workshop.¡±

    ¡°A workshop?¡±

    ¡°I possess a technology that can reduce the cost of printing images to one-fifth of the current cost. With an investment of 200,000 livres. Oh, of course, this sum will primarily come from you, we could monopolize nearly all of Paris¡¯s printing business.

    ¡°Shares would be divided equally between us, with each of us holding 20%, and the Bureau of News and Publishing holding 60%. Moreover, all profits for the first seven years would be yours.¡±

    The printing workshop Joseph had in mind was also a way to control pamphlets.

    If someone wanted to print a pamphlet, they¡¯d have to come to us; otherwise, the price would be much higher than others¡¯, leading to no sales whatsoever.

    And if you come to us for printing, hah, this workshop is connected to the Bureau of News and Publishing. You¡¯d have to get through their censorship first.

    After Count Mono repeatedly confirmed that this inexpensive printing technology was already in use, he immediately displayed a radiant smile and nodded:

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re always so generous, distinguished Crown Prince! May God bless you!¡±

    ¡­

    In the Royal Workshop, after being busy for the better part of the day, His Majesty the King of France set down the musket on the workbench, wiped his sweat, ready to enjoy his dinner.

    As servants helped him out of his apron, he casually picked up a newspaper lying nearby¡ªevery day, a servant would bring in some influential newspapers¡ªand immediately saw the eye-catching headline ¡°The Great King¡¯s Glorious Victory.¡±

    He scratched his head¡ªhaving spent the last while immersed in the workshop focusing on gunsmithing, how had he suddenly achieved a glorious victory?

    He switched to another newspaper. The front page proclaimed ¡°The King Brings Justice to His Loyal Paris.¡±

    Louis XVI hurriedly perched his glasses on his nose and read the newspaper carefully, realizing it was due to the law concerning the ¡°Royal Supreme Court¡± that he had signed a few days earlier.

    He set down the newspaper, puffed out his chest with a look of pride, and thought to himself: Managing state affairs doesn¡¯t seem to be that complicated after all. Hmm, haven¡¯t I been handling them quite well?

    ¡­

    In front of the gilded doors of the eastern meeting hall at the Palace of Versailles.

    Joseph, dressed in a burgundy formal outfit, puffed up his chest and strode through two rows of bowing guards, entering the meeting hall with decisive steps.

    This was the first time he was so eager to enter this place.

    Soon, all the Cabinet Ministers had arrived, and Queen Mary had also arrived a bit earlier than usual.

    After everyone had exchanged bows, the gilded doors creaked shut, and the Cabinet meeting officially began¡­

    Archbishop Brienne looked around at everyone with a face full of joy, then naturally started discussing the tax bill:

    ¡°After the passage of this bill, it will greatly relieve the national fiscal distress.¡±

    He opened the file that had already been prepared: ¡°Just from the land tax alone, we expect to increase financial revenue by 18 million livres each year. The stamp tax is predicted to increase¡­¡±

    Having read everything in detail, he glanced at the somber-faced Somiare and concluded:

    ¡°Considering all these taxes combined, the annual financial revenue will increase by 22 million to 24 million livres!¡±

    Queen Mary led the applause and nodded:

    ¡°This will be a day worth commemorating in the financial history of France!¡±

    All the ministers, whether willingly or reluctantly, also applauded, congratulating Brienne.

    After finishing the discussion on the tax bill, Brienne switched to another document, bowed to the Queen, and then announced loudly:

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin the first item on the agenda.

    ¡°Count Mono proposes that Count de Simeon should be held responsible for the scandal in the judicial system, and is no longer suitable to serve as Justice Minister.¡±

    Somiare, with his head down, glanced quickly at Mono, then fixed his gaze on the brass pen holder in front of him, saying nothing.

    He knew that the affair with Vergniaud had made too great an impact, and as the Justice Minister, he definitely could not escape the accountability for lax supervision.

    And having impeached Brienne in the past, Brienne would certainly not miss the opportunity for revenge this time.

    The Duke of Orleans had also anticipated that Somiare would be impeached and was prepared to do everything in his power to protect his political ally.

    He stood up, cleared his throat, and said:

    ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, as far as I am aware, Vergniaud was always very cautious in every instance of bribery, and it was very difficult for outsiders to detect. Although Somiare was negligent in his supervision, impeaching a Cabinet Minister on account of a single judge, is that not¡­¡±

    Joseph sneered from the side:

    ¡°The Duke of Orleans really has a way with words. First off, Vergniaud was not only involved in bribery, you can go take a look at his verdicts.

    ¡°Secondly, there are probably more judges with issues within the High Court than just Vergniaud. Shall we continue investigating to see?¡±

    He was not afraid to bring down the High Court; after all, it was the Nobility Group¡¯s domain. Destroying it would conveniently allow him to establish a system of his own.

    As expected, the Duke of Orleans¡¯s face turned beet red, but he dared not respond.

    The judges of the High Court, wishing to avoid investigation, even reluctantly accepted the Royal Supreme Court. If he were to stir up more trouble, he might become the public enemy of the judges.

    Seeing this, Brienne immediately pushed the pre-drafted dismissal document towards Queen Mary, respectfully saying:

    ¡°Please make a decision, Your Majesty.¡±

    The Queen, observing the ministers¡¯ greatly unanimous opinion, reassured Somiare briefly, then picked up the pen and signed the document.

    Brienne, satisfied, put away the document carefully and, looking at Somiare, raised his hand toward the golden door and gestured:

    ¡°Count de Simeon, please excuse yourself.¡±

 Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 98: The Meeting Belonging to the Crown Prince

    Chapter 99: Chapter 98: The Meeting Belonging to the Crown Prince

    Somiare suddenly felt the entire hall was filled with the stench of humiliation, and, trembling with rage, he had no choice but to stand up indignantly and walk towards the exit with a darkened face.

    As the golden doors closed again, Queen Mary sighed softly and turned to Brian, asking, ¡°Archbishop Brian, who do you think would be suitable to succeed the Justice Minister?¡±

    Brian immediately responded, ¡°Your Majesty, Baron Breti, the current court advisor, is competent and loyal. He studied law at the University of Paris and could be appointed as the Justice Minister.¡±

    This was also the result of Joseph and Brian¡¯s repeated deliberations. Breti was skilled in networking and had decent political abilities.

    Most importantly, he was a cousin of the King and very loyal to the Royal Family. In history, during the most dangerous moment when Louis XVI was preparing to flee Paris, it was Breti who had been actively planning and strategizing for the King, never betraying him.

    Queen Mary nodded, ¡°Have him come to see me after the meeting.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Joseph swept a discreet glance towards Vilran, the Foreign Minister. He would be the next target; once Vilran was dealt with, it would be like pulling out all the political teeth of the Duke of Orleans, that fiendish tiger.

    Then, Brian picked up the documents again and read, ¡°The second agenda item.

    ¡°In light of the High Court¡¯s relinquishment of power over press review, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suggests the establishment of a News and Publishing Bureau to handle matters of press review.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans snorted coldly, keeping his head down and silent.

    In the recent ¡°Pamphlet War,¡± he had been utterly defeated, and now with the loss of the power over press review, he could forget about controlling public opinion ever again.

    In the past twenty minutes or so, he had first lost an important political ally and then saw his media hegemony crumble. Today¡¯s Cabinet meeting was nothing short of a nightmare for him.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good,¡± said Queen Mary, nodding happily.

    She had been continuously smeared by the media since her marriage into France, and at last, it seemed like a break through the clouds was at hand.

    Brian gestured towards Mono, ¡°Since the duties of the News and Publishing Bureau are closest to domestic affairs, I suggest that Count Mono be in charge of its management.¡±

    Mono immediately bowed to the Queen, ¡°Your Majesty, I will make sure those vulgar and shameless articles disappear completely from this world!¡±

    Queen Mary displayed a satisfied smile and after praising Mono, she immediately signed the document.

    Brian continued, ¡°The third agenda item.

    ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has submitted a report, stating that the signing of the ¡®Treaty of Eden¡¯ has caused great damage to France¡¯s interests, particularly in the textile and steel industries, which are almost unable to continue operating.

    ¡°Therefore, the Crown Prince suggests that we should promptly restart trade negotiations with England and amend the treaty¡¯s contents to prevent the situation from worsening.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans felt he finally had a chance to strike back, and promptly sneered, ¡°Perhaps the Crown Prince is being too simplistic. How could England, which has gained so much from the treaty, agree to amend it?¡±

    Joseph glanced at him and bowed towards the Queen, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, I am completely confident I can persuade the British.¡±

    Without waiting for the Queen to express doubt, he added, ¡°Even if negotiations may not succeed, we should try. After all, we have nothing to lose.¡±

    All Cabinet Ministers, except the Duke of Orleans, including Vilran, immediately expressed their agreement¡ªeither they were political allies of Joseph or stakeholders, so how could they disagree?

    Queen Mary also nodded slightly and asked, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, have you prepared the specific terms for the negotiation?¡±

    Brian immediately placed a document in front of her, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, these are our established negotiation goals.¡±

    ¡°At the core of these goals are two main points: first, to strive for England to lower the import tariffs on alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer, and spirits, to below 10%.¡±

    Ministers hearing this content for the first time were filled with anticipation.

    Alcoholic beverages, especially wine, are a pillar of France¡¯s exports, but they are currently facing fierce competition from places like Spain, Tuscany, and Venice.

    If it were indeed possible to get England to lower the tariffs on French alcoholic beverages exclusively, it would greatly enhance the competitiveness of French wine.

    Brian continued, ¡°Second is to raise our industrial import tariffs to 25%, then reduce them by 3% every year until they drop to 5% after seven years.¡±

    The Foreign Minister immediately stood up in opposition, ¡°5%? Absolutely not! That would completely strip French industry of its protection!¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Even at the current tariff of 12%, our industry is no match for the British. It might be better to give the workshops a breather and then switch lines of business as soon as possible, which could reduce losses.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, only by significantly lowering the tariffs on industrial goods can we make the British lower their tariffs on alcoholic beverages.¡±

    He naturally did not mention anything about quickly improving French industrial capabilities, especially with someone like the Duke of Orleans present.

    The queen looked at Brian somewhat hesitantly, ¡°Archbishop, do you agree with this as well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. This is the most favorable approach for us at present.¡± Brian was actually quite confused himself, but, trusting the Crown Prince completely, he still chose to support these terms.

    ¡°Other negotiation items also include the formation of a Combined Fleet by England and France to combat smuggling.¡±

    Everyone was stunned to hear this, thinking something was wrong with their ears.

    A Combined Fleet formed by England and France?

    It sounded incredibly surreal!

    But this was exactly the effect Joseph wanted. The British would see this as a symbol of France surrendering its maritime ambitions, and combating smuggling would be much more advantageous for France.

    British industrial goods smuggled into France every year had dealt a heavy blow to French industry¡ªwith smuggled goods essentially entering at zero tariffs, they were far cheaper than domestically produced French goods.

    If this point was agreed upon, it would be tantamount to the British fleet protecting the French industry.

    England would gain face, and France would gain materially; why not?

    Brian continued, ¡°Another point is to request England to sell one million pounds of wool at a fair price to Le Havre every year¡­¡±

    Since its defeat in the Seven Years¡¯ War, France had lost a great many overseas colonies, leading to a shortage of wool, which was detrimental to the development of the textile industry.

    Of course, Joseph wasn¡¯t certain that the British would be so generous, but after all, they¡¯d be part of a Combined Fleet, so wouldn¡¯t it be expected for the British to show some gesture? If not one million pounds, then at least five hundred thousand pounds.

    After discussing the trade negotiations, Brian went on to read the next agenda item, ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince suggests introducing the ¡®Patent Law¡¯ and ¡®Company Law¡¯¡­¡±

    Since both these laws were urgently needed by the Capitalist Nobility for the development of their industrial enterprises, and they posed no harm to the Old Nobility or the common people, Queen Mary signed the documents very efficiently, ordering them to be presented to the King for his signature.

    As for the High Court, not to mention they had no grounds to reject these two laws, even if they did have grounds, under the gaze of the Royal Supreme Court, they could only obediently register the laws.

 Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Night Encounter with a Thief

    Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Night Encounter with a Thief

    After an entire morning of Cabinet meetings, the ministers all showed signs of exhaustion.

    Just as Queen Mary was about to announce a recess to continue after lunch, Brian interrupted, ¡°There is one last issue.¡±

    The queen silently sighed in her heart and, just as she had lifted herself a half inch from her seat, she sat back down again.

    Brian looked at Mono, ¡°Count Mono believes that considering the dire state of industries such as textiles, steel, and glass, there should be a specific entity managing these industries to try to turn the situation around.¡±

    Queen Mary was too tired to ponder and directly asked the Chief Minister, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, what do you think we should do?¡±

    They had already discussed this matter. Brienne immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, I suggest setting up an Industrial Planning Bureau, dedicated to managing the above-mentioned industries. This way, Count Mono will no longer need to handle these matters and can save his energy to better oversee news censorship.¡±

    The queen thought it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal and nodded, ¡°Then, whom do you think should be in charge of this department?¡±

    Joseph had been waiting for these words and stood up, ¡°Your Majesty Queen, please entrust it to me. Hmm, this should be a good opportunity to gain some experience.¡±

    ¡­

    The Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans looked puzzled at the British ambassador to France, ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve already communicated with the Crown Prince about trade negotiations?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Hartley nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Then, do you know what he said during the Cabinet meeting?¡± The Duke of Orleans scoffed, ¡°He wants England to lower the import tariffs on wine from France to below 10%, haha, he must be joking¡­¡±

    Hartley hesitated for a moment but still told the truth, ¡°Your Grace, to my knowledge, the British Parliament has in principle agreed to these terms and asked me to finalize the negotiation dates with your country as soon as possible.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans was stunned, ¡°How could you agree to such terms?¡±

    As he spoke, suddenly from outside the door came the guard¡¯s shout, ¡°Catch him! He¡¯s running that way!¡±

    ¡°Send a few men to block him in the corridor! God, he¡¯s as slippery as a squirrel!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    ¡°Careful! His swordsmanship is very formidable¡­¡±

    The butler hurried in through the door, immediately locked it behind him, then, addressing the Duke of Orleans, he patted his chest, ¡°My lord, a thief has snuck in. The guards are in pursuit. You are safe here.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans frowned slightly but was not surprised. Many kinds of people visited the Royal Palace every day, and it was easy for thieves to blend in. However, he was curious; there had been such a commotion, and yet the guards had not caught the thief.

    Soon after, a guard entered breathlessly and reported back to the butler.

    The latter hurriedly told the Duke of Orleans, ¡°My lord, it seems the thief has stolen something from your document room and has just fled the Royal Palace.¡±

    ¡°This damned scoundrel!¡± The Duke instantly looked gloomy. The document room contained many important papers, and it was heavily guarded¡ªhow could it have been breached by a thief?!

    He immediately gave an order, ¡°Increase the guards, we must catch him!¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    Shortly after, over a hundred fully armed guards poured out of the Royal Palace, disappearing into the last rays of the twilight sun.

    Five carriages traveled swiftly along the wide cobblestone roads of Paris Saint Honor¨¦ Street.

    This was the Crown Prince¡¯s ¡°moving¡± convoy.

    Yes, Joseph found that after taking over industrial management, there was just too much to do. If he were to travel back and forth between Paris and the Palace of Versailles every day, it would waste a tremendous amount of time.

    So he simply bought a house in the Paris Louvre District to serve as the office location for the ¡°French Industry Planning Bureau.¡± He then moved his personal and office supplies over, ready to reside there permanently.

    In the carriage, Joseph was silently pondering how to quickly secure a large ¡°grain fund.¡±

    He had roughly calculated that, with a 30% grain shortfall, even if grain prices remained stable, he would need to purchase 60 million livres worth of grain to barely make it through 1788.

    This did not even include the cost of building granaries and other expenses such as losses.

    As for 1789, it would likely be difficult to acquire grain from abroad either, given the global climatic anomalies, with widespread famine from Europe to Asia.

    And if the problem of famine was not well addressed, there would only be one path left for the starving people¡­

    Joseph first thought of loans, but given the French Government¡¯s current financial reputation, getting such a large sum of money in a short period would be extremely difficult. And even if a loan could be secured, the interest would certainly be frighteningly high.

    Issuing public bonds¡­ Forget it, the Finance Minister would have sold any saleable bonds long ago, leaving none for himself.

    Earning money from new technologies or the like was out of the question, given the lack of time to earn such an amount.

    Therefore, he needed to make quick and substantial money¡­

    While his brain was operating at overcapacity, he suddenly heard the distant sound of gunfire, followed by noisy crowds, and the speed of the carriage immediately slowed.

    After a little while, a guard reported outside the carriage window, ¡°Your Highness, it seems they¡¯re catching a thief up ahead.¡±

    ¡°Catching a thief? And they fired so many shots?¡± Joseph was somewhat surprised, ¡°Is it a band of thieves?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness,¡± the guard said, ¡°It¡¯s said to be just one person.¡±

    ¡°One person causing such a commotion?¡± Joseph asked again, ¡°Is it the police who are making the arrest?¡±

    The guard shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s the Royal Guard from the Royal Palace, Your Highness.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans¡¯s men?

    Several more shots rang out in the distance, and Eman hurriedly instructed the coachman to retreat, staying away from trouble.

    Just as the convoy had turned into a side alley, a shadow suddenly leapt lightly from the rooftop to the right.

    The shadow slowed down by pushing against window ledges, and seizing the moment when a carriage passed in front, suddenly smashed open the carriage window and leaped inside like lightning.

    ¡°He¡± braced himself against a small wooden table in the carriage to quickly regain balance. At the same time, ¡°he¡± confirmed by the candlelight that there were only two people inside the carriage, one of whom was an unthreatening youth.

    ¡°He¡± was incredibly swift; as soon as ¡°his¡± feet were set, ¡°his¡± right hand had already drawn a short knife from ¡°his¡± waist, slashing towards the blond man inside the carriage.

    ¡°He¡± didn¡¯t intend to kill but was planning to use the knife to hold the man hostage in order to threaten him to break out of the encirclement.

    However, as ¡°his¡± knife had barely swung an inch, a flash of cold light shone in the man¡¯s hand, and a short sword was already pressed against ¡°his¡± throat.

    The blond man said in a stern voice, ¡°Don¡¯t move, or you¡¯ll lose your life!¡±

    The shadow paused, and the short knife was snatched away by the blond man.

    ¡°Guard¡­¡±

    The blond man was about to call out when the youth sitting opposite him raised his hand to stop him. The youth then asked the intruder in black, ¡°The people from the Royal Palace were chasing you just now, weren¡¯t they?¡±

 Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 100: Unexpected Gains

    Chapter 101: Chapter 100: Unexpected Gains

    The man in black turned his head at the words, and when ¡°he¡± saw the young man¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Crown Prince?¡±

    Joseph was also a bit surprised, ¡°It¡¯s a lady? You know me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that, I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±

    Eman quickly pulled the stiletto from the waist of the man in black¡ªalthough it was almost impossible to use it inside the carriage, it was safer to take it away for the safety of the Crown Prince¡ªthen pointed at her mask and gestured to Joseph, asking if he should unveil it.

    Joseph shook his head slightly and asked the man in black, ¡°Who are you? Why is the Duke of Orleans after you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ You can call me Tulip.¡± The woman in black was evasive, then added, ¡°I just went to the Royal Palace and took some things, and the guards went crazy chasing me.¡±

    Joseph frowned, ¡°So you¡¯re a thief?¡±

    ¡°Strictly speaking, yes,¡± the woman in black said, suddenly sucking in a breath, then she pressed hard on her shoulder, her voice trembling a bit, ¡°But everything I do is for equality and justice.¡±

    It was then that Joseph noticed blood seeping through her fingers, ¡°You¡¯re injured?¡±

    ¡°A minor wound, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the woman in black shook her head, ¡°Now, you can hand me over to that guy Philippe. He should thank you for it.¡±

    The Philippe she mentioned was the name of the Duke of Orleans.

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°First, tell me your real name. Second, what did you steal?¡±

    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t want to waste time with her, signaling to Eman, ¡°Eman, please check what she stole.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Miss, excuse me¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± The woman in black quickly recoiled, gritting her teeth, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. I took some promissory notes and contracts from the document room of the Royal Palace.¡±

    ¡°Promissory notes? Contracts?¡±

    ¡°Yes, belonging to Mr. Lenoir and his partners,¡± she said, then took another breath, obviously in pain, but went on, ¡°The harvest hasn¡¯t been good these past few years, their wine cellar has been having financial difficulties, so they borrowed money from Philippe¡­ Now that they can¡¯t pay back temporarily, Philippe wants to take their wine cellar and houses, land!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡¯s son is also seriously ill, and if the Lenoir family loses everything now, he will surely die! Oh, and those who work in the wine cellar, they too will lose their jobs, with no money to buy bread.¡±

    Joseph touched his nose, feeling that paying back debts was only natural, but the way she spoke it sounded as if Lenoir had suffered a great injustice and persecution.

    However, the idea of causing trouble for the Duke of Orleans didn¡¯t bother him at all.

    ¡°All right, so you¡¯ve sneaked into the Duke of Orleans¡¯ document room just to take a few promissory notes? Didn¡¯t you take anything else with you, like evidence of his collusion with foreign nations or corruption and illegal dealings?¡± Joseph sighed regretfully, and with this ¡°Tulip¡± nickname, she seemed like a typical adolescent.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me who you are, and I may consider letting you go.¡±

    The woman in black was taken aback, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    Remembering the scene when she saw the Crown Prince helping homeless siblings outside the Paris Angel Store, the woman in black squeezed out a smile, ¡°Indeed, your heart is still not so¡­ cough¡ªokay, my name is Sorel. Anna Sorel.¡±

    Eman quickly searched his memory and said to the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, she¡¯s the sister of Viscount Ferez.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat amused: a noble from the Palace of Versailles, in the name of ¡°upholding justice,¡± donned a garb of night to steal from the Royal Palace late into the evening¡­

    He heard the shouts of the guards approaching from a distance and turned to give Eman a look. The latter immediately pushed the door open and got out of the carriage.

    Just as the carriage moved a few steps, it was stopped by two squads of fully armed guards, front and back.

    Eman stepped forward to meet them and shouted, ¡°What are you doing? This is the carriage of the Crown Prince!¡±

    The captain of the Royal Palace guards recognized him and hastily bowed in salute, ¡°Count Eman, we are apprehending a thief¡­¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any thief. Alright, move aside.¡± Eman waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t delay His Highness¡¯s journey.¡±

    Seeing that Kesode arrived with the Crown Prince¡¯s personal guards, the guards dared not say more and signaled their subordinates to make way for the carriage.

    A few carriages then sped past and had gone a good distance when, turning into a small alley, Joseph instructed them to stop.

    He gestured towards the carriage door and asked Soleil, ¡°Are you sure your wound is alright?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡±

    Soleil was about to step out with her long legs when she suddenly remembered something and turned back, ¡°Your Highness, as a token of my gratitude for helping me out of trouble, I can tell you something.

    ¡°Today at the Royal Palace, I overheard a conversation between Philippe and the British ambassador to France; it seemed to involve you.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up; he hadn¡¯t expected an unexpected gain.

    ¡°Philippe said he hoped the British would allow Necker to serve as a financial advisor, involved in some negotiation that you proposed. And he mentioned that it would be best to marginalize Archbishop Brienne, letting Vilran and Necker lead. However, the British didn¡¯t seem to agree.

    ¡°Oh, Philippe also mentioned that the investment of 15 million livres in England by his banks had been secured, and now there are a few more banks hoping to invest another 10 million livres in England¡¯s automated looms.¡±

    Having finished speaking, she turned to get out of the carriage and, holding her wound, bowed her knee to Joseph, ¡°My sincerest thanks once more, Your Highness. Additionally, I ask you to keep this confidential.¡±

    Eman handed her stiletto back to her. The girl took it and clipped it to her side, nodded in thanks, and then, twisting her slender waist, darted off like a black cat and vanished into the night.

    Joseph smiled, not expecting that there were actually self-appointed heroes in this era, seeking to administer justice single-handedly, and it was a young girl at that.

    Once the carriage started moving again, he recalled the words of Soleil, and a chill flashed in his eyes. These banks, using France¡¯s capital to help the British advance the industrial revolution!

    A full 25 million livres, of which more than half was probably earned from the interest on the debts of the French Government. It seemed the financial circles needed a thorough reorganization as well.

    Before long, the convoy arrived at the office location of the Industrial Planning Bureau in Paris.

    Joseph hurried into the small building, only to find it still somewhat disordered since they had only started moving in the day before.

    He went to the director¡¯s office at the far end and immediately saw a neat stack of files on the desk. These were the documents on France¡¯s industrial situation he had asked his assistant to compile; he hadn¡¯t expected them to arrive so soon.

    He suddenly laughed and shook his head, realizing that despite being in charge of industry in France, on the journey he had been pondering over grain matters.

    Joseph sat down in the chair and started to flip through the files. Eman busied himself by bringing over a candlestick with five candles to provide more light and softly ordered a servant girl to prepare a cup of tea.

    After reading just over a dozen pages, Joseph¡¯s brows were already tightly furrowed.

    In just last year alone, in Lyon, textile products valued at over one million livres had backlogged. Nearly a hundred textile workshops closed down, leading to more than three thousand workers losing their jobs¡­

 Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 101 Paris Fashion Week

    Chapter 102: Chapter 101 Paris Fashion Week

    Although Lyon is the center of the textile industry in France, this number is still shockingly alarming.

    Aside from silk products, France could barely maintain a breath due to its high-end clothing industry, but all other fabrics such as cotton, wool, and linen were being ground into dust by British products.

    This evidenced the tremendous damage the Edict of Eden Treaty inflicted on the French industry.

    Joseph continued to go through the data, and sure enough, it was not far off from what he had anticipated. France¡¯s steel, glass, and porcelain industries were also a complete mess, and it seemed that in no more than a year or two, they would collapse completely.

    No wonder the industrial revolution in France lagged a full half-century behind England and could never outcompete England. Although there were forces of destiny at play, the Edict of Eden Treaty definitely ¡°played a critical role.¡±

    He suddenly felt an immense pressure.

    With some minor maneuvers, he had won France three years of tariff barriers, but after those three years, the country would face an industrial showdown.

    Now, not only was there the need to solve the grain problem, but also the development of industry needed to be undertaken¡ªall of which he had to support by himself. How could he not feel the pressure?

    Furthermore, grain required money, developing industry required even more money, yet French banks had invested all their money in Britain¡­

    Joseph sighed and looked out into the night sky, realizing that in the end, it all came down to money.

    Feeling somewhat agitated, he decided to step out and take a look at the Paris nightscape, allowing his brain a rest.

    The cold winds outside brushed against his face, indeed making his head feel a lot clearer. However, the sanitary conditions in Paris were far worse than the Palace of Versailles, with even the wind carrying a faint scent of urine and feces¡­

    Thankfully, he was not like other French nobility who liked to douse themselves in hefty amounts of perfume, otherwise the mixture of the strong fragrance and excrement would have been a cruel torture for the nose.

    Joseph adjusted his collar. Count Eman quickly caught up to him, draping a crimson thick woolen cloak over his shoulders.

    ¡°Oh, thank you very much.¡±

    Joseph turned to thank him, when suddenly his attention was drawn to the tall, cold wall to the left.

    Looking up and across, he realized just how long the wall was, stretching out endlessly and disappearing into the night without a visible end.

    Joseph moved about ten more steps to the right to get a better angle and finally saw the lofty spire of a building behind the wall.

    ¡°What place is that?¡± he asked Eman, pointing at the spire.

    ¡°Your Highness, that is the Tuileries Palace.¡±

    Joseph blinked. No wonder the building was so extravagant; it turned out to be the Old Palace.

    The Tuileries Palace was King Henry III of France¡¯s royal residence, but under the threat of the Fronde and also considering the ease of controlling the nobility, Louis XIV moved out and had the Palace of Versailles built.

    Hence, from the seventeenth century onwards, the Tuileries Palace remained unoccupied. According to history, after the outbreak of the Fronde, Louis XVI was brought back to this place by the Parisians and lived here for a while.

    He suddenly remembered the report from a few days ago about Paris City Hall applying to the Finance Minister for funding for the autumn and winter fashion show. Turning his head back to gaze at the Tuileries Palace, an idea gradually emerged from his mind.

    As the dominant fashion industry leader in Europe, France has been holding two fashion shows each year, spring/summer and autumn/winter, since the reign of Louis XIV.

    The entire fashion circle in Europe invariably looked up to Paris. Every time the fashion show ended, it would trigger a new fashion trend that swept across the whole of Europe.

    From what Joseph understood, the so-called fashion shows at present were simply about setting up an exhibition hall where renowned designers would take the stage to showcase their works. Journalists and fashion industry personalities would then comment on and document the event below.

    Viewed from the perspective of later generations, this was simply a waste of the spotlight, a waste of attention.

    ¡°That¡¯s just wasting a golden opportunity to make money!¡±

    You should know that the old palaces in France can be used for other purposes.

    For example, the Louvre is currently a royal museum.

    Joseph walked quickly around the Tuileries Palace on the icy pavement, nodding to himself in approval.

    It had size, grandeur, and selling points.

    With proper packaging, the Tuileries Palace, with such a big IP, coupled with the title of the fashion center of Paris, could easily generate a massive cash flow with just a bit of hype.

    To think that it had been idle for over a hundred years, what a terrible waste!

    He considered how to maximize the benefits of this hot spot, and suddenly the cold night wind didn¡¯t seem so biting.

    ¡°¡®Fashion show¡¯ is such a bland name,¡± Joseph shook his head slightly, but as someone who struggled with naming things, he eventually resigned himself to borrowing a term from a previous era, ¡°Let¡¯s just call it ¡®Paris Fashion Week¡¯.¡±

    Of course, when we say ¡°Fashion Week,¡± it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean it only takes place for a week. Adding something like a experience season, promotion week, or a grand song and dance festival afterwards could easily stretch it to a month.

    He pointed at the Tuileries Palace and turned to ask Eman, ¡°Count Eman, do you know how many rooms there are here?¡±

    ¡°This¡­ Your Highness, I am sorry, I am not quite sure, but it must be over 2000, at least.¡±

    ¡°That many? Excellent!¡± Joseph showed his pleasure, ¡°Let¡¯s say 700 of the best rooms, rent them to merchants as shops, with a monthly rent of 50 to 150 livres.¡±

    You should know, this is a royal palace, and this rent is definitely a fair price.

    Joseph mused to himself: ¡°Rent out the remaining rooms a bit cheaper at random, or use them as hotel rooms, which could easily fetch 3 to 10 livres a day.

    ¡°The rent for the main halls could be a bit higher, 1000 livres a month. Build some billboards outside the palace square and sell them to merchants.

    ¡°Hmm, we need to find a spokesperson. Speaking of the fashion industry, I have Europe¡¯s trendsetter here, the very symbol of luxury and elegance.¡±

    He recalled how well ¡°Angel Water¡± had sold at the Palace of Versailles:

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the queen, she should agree to be the ambassador for the fashion week. Then we¡¯ll pull in some publicity in the newspapers, along with the queen¡¯s portrait, and wouldn¡¯t the nobility from all over Europe flock to us?

    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ll also need to talk to some jewelers and hat makers about endorsements, things like ¡®Royal Family¡¯s exclusive supplier,¡¯ ¡®Chosen by the Queen,¡¯ and so on. Just the queen¡¯s endorsement fees alone could bring in hundreds of thousands of livres!¡±

    ¡°Regarding the specific arrangement of the venue,¡± Joseph looked towards Eman again, ¡°where can I find a layout map of the Tuileries Palace?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, you might need to go to the City Hall to find that.¡±

    Joseph expressed some regret: ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow then.¡±

    He took a deep breath. If preparations were fast enough, they could hold the fashion week by this coming February.

    Before that, get in touch with Lyons¡¯s textile merchants, have them bring their excess inventory, come to Paris for a sale, and recover a good chunk of the costs.

    If the effect is good, orders are bound to come in, probably enough to sustain half a year¡¯s production in Lyon.

    And on Paris¡¯s side, during the fashion week, a huge influx of foreigners is certain. The income from tourism-related sectors like food, shelter, transportation, and more would be substantial, truly a case of killing two birds with one stone!

 Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 102 "Food Squad

    Chapter 103: Chapter 102 ¡°Food Squad

    Joseph returned to the office while his mind was still buzzing and, recalling the ¡°persuasive¡± PPTs his mentor had made in his previous life for clients, began to write on paper:

    Title ¡ª Planning Document for Paris Fashion Week.

    Contents ¡ª

    1. Prospects and Feasibility.

    2. Business Operation Methods.

    3. Detailed Project Planning.

    ¡­

    6. Profit Model.

    ¡­

    The next morning, Eman had someone fetch the architectural layout plans of the Tuileries Palace from the city hall.

    Joseph, rubbing his sore eyes ¡ª he had been busy until after 2 a.m. and had slept for less than six hours ¡ª spread out several blueprints and, as if he had found a treasure, began to divide up the venue.

    ¡°The Eastern Hall faces the palace gate and also has several very spacious halls, making it most suitable as the main venue.

    ¡°Select spacious rooms on the first floor of the Southern Hall for dining and entertainment venues; by then we can assign some Imperial Chefs there¡­

    ¡°The first floor of the Northern Hall can sell jewelry and luxury goods. Hmm, we must reserve a good spot for the Angel of Paris¡­

    ¡°The second floor will be set up as high-class hotels. The service and reception staff need to be recruited and trained in advance¡­¡±

    Two middle-aged men knocked and entered, bowing to Joseph. Seeing him busy, they tentatively asked, ¡°Your Highness, do you need our help?¡±

    They were two assistant directors of the Industrial Planning Bureau, newly appointed by Joseph, essentially the second and third in command.

    One of them was previously an orator. The other was an academic with business experience, very familiar with the industrial situation in France, and had been recommended by Brian.

    Joseph nodded and handed over the notebook with his plans to the taller man, ¡°Good timing, Viscount Valerna, please help me to keep a record.

    ¡°Mr. Sylvan, please help me hold down the blueprints.¡±

    The tall man looked at the blueprints and voiced his surprise, ¡°Your Highness, this appears to be the Tuileries Palace?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph affirmed.

    ¡°What are you planning to do?¡±

    ¡°To rescue Lyon¡¯s textile industry,¡± Joseph said, pointing at the square in the center of the palace on the blueprints, ¡°We¡¯ll set up a large T-stage here, at least 50 meters in length, with dense lighting, and shows taking place every three hours.¡±

    Valerna had just written a few words when he stopped, his face showing difficulty as he looked at the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, this T-stage and the shows are¡­¡±

    ¡°A T-stage refers to¡­¡±

    Again, hours passed in the blink of an eye, and after arranging the venue, Joseph was modifying the recently drafted planning document when Eman glanced at his watch and approached him, ¡°Your Highness, those three individuals you requested will arrive soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, have them come here directly,¡± Joseph responded, feeling as busy as a machine running at full capacity.

    Before long, three men of various heights and sizes arrived at the office and respectfully greeted Joseph.

    Joseph nodded in return and then entrusted the fashion week plans to the two assistants, ¡°Please tidy this up as soon as possible and make two copies.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± the two men bowed and left the office.

    Joseph then turned to the three newcomers, smiling, ¡°May I ask how long you have all served the Royal Family?¡±

    The three exchanged glances and hurriedly replied, ¡°Fifteen years, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Thirteen years.¡±

    ¡°Over twenty years.¡±

    ¡°`

    They were all originally in charge of managing the Royal Family¡¯s industries.

    Joseph was very clear, if he or the government were to purchase grain, it would quickly draw the attention of unscrupulous merchants, causing the price of grain to skyrocket.

    Therefore, he needed someone to act as a ¡°white glove¡±, to purchase discreetly and in multiple small batches. Thus, he had Eman select three individuals with rich commercial experience and proven loyalty to come.

    Joseph nodded to them with a smile, ¡°Gentlemen, please take a seat. I must remind you, the task you are about to undertake must be kept in absolute secrecy, understood?¡±

    The three men were just about to sit down when they heard this and immediately stood back up, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, please trust our loyalty!¡±

    Joseph nodded, trusting in Eman¡¯s judgment of character. He invited the three men to sit down again, then instructed them, ¡°From now on, you are the owners of six grain shops. Each of you will be responsible for two shops. You will select the shop¡¯s location and staff yourselves.

    ¡°After that, you only need to do one thing, and that is to buy as much grain as possible.¡±

    ¡°Buy grain?¡± An older man asked, ¡°Your Highness, when you say to purchase as much as possible, roughly how much are you talking about?¡±

    Joseph replied, ¡°As long as the funds I provide you have not been exhausted, and as long as it does not cause market price fluctuations, continue buying.¡±

    The three men exchanged surprised glances, and the older man added, ¡°Your Highness, we don¡¯t need to sell any?¡±

    ¡°You may sell a little, so as not to arouse suspicion.¡±

    Although the men did not understand the reason, they still bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, we will follow your orders precisely.¡±

    ¡°Begin by preparing the storefronts and warehouses. The initial capital will be around 300,000 livres per person, and someone will bring it to you in a few days.¡±

    All three men inhaled sharply at this, 300,000 per person, that¡¯s a total of 900,000!

    What does the Crown Prince want with so much grain?

    But what they didn¡¯t know was that the 900,000 livres were just the beginning. According to Joseph¡¯s plan, they were going to buy several tens of millions of livres¡¯ worth of grain within half a year.

    ¡°I must stress this once again.¡± Joseph looked around at the three of them, speaking sternly, ¡°Try not to attract any attention, and absolutely do not cause market fluctuations. The task you are undertaking is extremely important, and you shall report to me on the grain purchasing situation weekly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    After carefully explaining the details of the grain purchase, the three men took their leave. Joseph walked to the window, opened it, and stretched his aching back in the winter breeze, immediately catching the smell of excrement wafting from the street.

    He looked up just in time to see someone defecating in a corner across the street, and his brow furrowed at once.

    In the past, Paris¡¯s filth and disorder were at most an annoyance, but with the start of fashion week, it could affect the economy!

    The city¡¯s appearance must be properly managed.

    This was going to be a huge project¡­ He sighed, thought it through carefully, and decided to start with public urination and defecation.

    Joseph summoned Eman and gave his instructions, ¡°Please have someone go to the city hall and call for the business association¡­¡±

    He had intended to put the president of the business association, effectively the mayor, in charge of this matter, but thinking it over, he worried that the man¡¯s execution might not be sufficient, so he changed his mind, ¡°Let¡¯s call for Viscount Besancon instead; I have important matters that require his attention.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    More than an hour later, the Director of Police Services was sitting opposite Joseph.

    ¡°Your Highness, are you saying you want the police to monitor those who urinate and defecate in public?¡±

    ¡°Yes, only the police can handle this.¡±

    ¡°But where do you suggest those people go¡­ ahem, to relieve themselves?¡±

    Truth be told, even Besancon himself often resorted to the streets, so the problem was not unfamiliar.

    ¡°Build public toilets.¡±

    ¡°Public toilets? What is that¡­?¡±

    Joseph massaged his forehead, no wonder Paris was so dirty and smelly. He explained, ¡°These are toilets built on the side of the street that anyone can use, so they need not relieve themselves on the street, cough.¡±

    Besancon¡¯s eyes widened in amazement, exclaiming, ¡°Right! How did I not think of that before? Your Highness, you truly are the embodiment of wisdom!¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Frances Strongest Biologist

    Chapter 104: Chapter 103: France¡¯s Strongest Biologist

    Joseph felt somewhat embarrassed by Besancon¡¯s lavish praise. Ah, the wisdom of public restrooms, right?

    However, he could understand, after all, if it weren¡¯t for his intervention, Paris might have had to wait half a century before seeing its first public toilet.

    He continued, ¡°Oh, and trash bins. On the main streets of Paris, we¡¯ll construct large stone bins every 200 to 300 feet for pedestrians to dispose of their rubbish.¡±

    Besancon kept nodding, then another question occurred to him and he hastily asked, ¡°Your Highness, constructing these public toilets and trash bins will cost quite a bit of money, and later on, quite a few people will be needed to manage them.¡±

    Being the Director of Police Services, he immediately thought deeper on the subject. Joseph nodded, ¡°The construction investment will come from the finance allocations, and for management, we can entrust it to your ¡®Daily Affairs Squad¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, as for carrying away things like human waste from the public restrooms, we can use them as fertilizer, and there should be people willing to do that voluntarily. The manpower from the ¡®Daily Affairs Squad¡¯ will just need to do some cleaning; that should be manageable.¡±

    Besancon showed hesitance again, ¡°Your Highness, the citizens might not be very cooperative¡­¡±

    ¡°You can have notices posted on the streets and I¡¯ll also arrange for the newspapers to run a campaign,¡± Joseph paused to think, then added, ¡°Let¡¯s call it the ¡®Beautiful Paris¡¯ campaign.

    ¡°Oh, of course, the police will need to oversee it primarily. Those who litter or relieve themselves in public should be promptly reminded and warned, and repeat offenders can be fined to clean the toilets.¡±

    After Besancon had left, Joseph, looking out at the empty streets from his window, muttered to himself, ¡°Or perhaps we could also lay some wooden rails for some city rail transport. Hmm, with wooden rails, a two-horse carriage could possibly transport more than ten people. It would also get artisans accustomed to laying rails ¨C that will be very useful in the future.

    ¡°Sigh, it all requires money¡­ why does France have to be so poor?¡±

    Eman¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Your Highness, Count Lamark has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph was a bit surprised and quickly said, ¡°Please, have him come in.¡±

    The door opened, and Lamark stepped forward with a smile, bowing deeply in greeting, ¡°Crown Prince, I went to the Palace of Versailles to find you, but they told me you had moved here, so I came to see you. Seeing you¡¯re in good spirits, I am relieved.¡±

    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± Joseph bowed in response and said, ¡°I owe much to Doctor Perna who regularly examines me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what she should do,¡± Lamark replied with a smile and nod, then took out a glass bottle, saying, ¡°Look, this is the latest extracted tocopherol, it¡¯s very pure now.¡±

    Joseph took the small bottle and saw that inside was a light yellow powder, very fine.

    ¡°Your technique is truly exquisite,¡± he remarked.

    ¡°Oh, this is all thanks to the greenhouse with constant temperature you had built,¡± Lamark¡¯s eyes unblinkingly stared at Joseph, as if to remind him of something.

    ¡°The greenhouse with constant temperature is finished?¡± Joseph asked in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Actually, we had a failure midway, Mr. Laseny and I sought the help of the court¡¯s artisans, and finally, it was a success. Now, we can keep the temperature within a 5-degree Celsius range, which greatly helps in the refining of tocopherol.¡±

    He looked at Joseph with great expectation, ¡°So¡­?¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    Lamark urged, directly saying, ¡°Your Highness, you said that with a greenhouse with constant temperature, we could produce a miraculous medicine capable of treating deadly diseases like pneumonia, puerperal fever, and the Black Death. Have you forgotten?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s correct, no mistake,¡± Joseph suddenly recalled, realizing Lamark was here for the penicillin. He had been so busy lately that he had completely forgotten about it¡­

    He nodded eagerly, ¡°Then, I will visit the pharmaceutical workshop tomorrow and tell you how to make it.¡±

    Lamark stood up excitedly, placing his hand on his chest, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Your Highness, if this medicine can be successfully produced, it will save countless lives!¡±

    Joseph warned him seriously again, ¡°Doctor Lamark, this medicine is very important, it must be kept absolutely confidential! Of course, I will also send the guard to protect the medicine workshop.¡±

    ¡°Rest assured, I will not reveal a single word to anyone!¡±

    The next morning, Lamark couldn¡¯t wait to arrive at the Industrial Planning Bureau, obviously setting out before dawn.

    Joseph had a quick breakfast, practically dragged onto the carriage by him.

    He had spent the previous night working on the grain procurement issue, and his head was still filled with wheat and bread¡­ There was no helping it, there wasn¡¯t much time left for preparation.

    Amidst the jolting of the carriage, Joseph remembered that the man sitting opposite him was France¡¯s most formidable biologist, who might have a solution, ¡°Count Lamark, is there a way to prevent crops from being destroyed by hail? Oh, hail this big.¡±

    He said, lifting his fist.

    Lamark frowned, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible, Your Highness. With hail like that, even small trees might be damaged.¡±

    Joseph sighed in resignation, only to hear Lamark continue, ¡°Unless it¡¯s potatoes, then there might be a chance to save some of the harvest.¡±

    Joseph was suddenly taken aback, and his eyes gradually brightened.

    That¡¯s right! Why hadn¡¯t he thought of that himself? The bulk of a potato is underground. Although July is not yet the harvest season for potatoes, by then they would have at least grown to seven or eight tenths of their size.

    This was far better than having crops like wheat completely flattened!

    Of course, there was a drought that year, so the potato yield might not be good, but by immediately promoting the planting of potatoes throughout All of France, it could to some extent alleviate the famine.

    Lamark added, shaking his head, ¡°But the French people don¡¯t eat them.¡±

    Joseph puzzled, ¡°Why do you say that? I often see mashed potatoes and the like at the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    Lamark laughed, ¡°Only the nobility eat them, and that¡¯s limited to Paris.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Lamark spread his hands. ¡°In the past, someone must have eaten potatoes with sprouts, leading to poisoning, so there began to be rumors among the common people that potatoes were toxic.

    ¡°Later on, people said that potatoes came from ¡®the devil underground.¡¯ Because they grow under the ground, they even got a name called ¡®Ghost Apple,¡¯ considered to be an omen of bad luck, and eating them would bring misfortune.

    ¡°As the rumors spread, people even said that eating potatoes could lead to stroke, lung disease, leprosy.

    ¡°Oh, those in the know understand it¡¯s all nonsensical talk, but the ordinary citizens believe it. Back when Naples was going through a famine, people there would rather starve than eat potatoes.¡±

    Joseph asked, ¡°Then why do the nobles not care?¡±

    Doctor Lamark explained, ¡°All thanks to Her Majesty the Queen. Doctor Parmontier believed that potatoes were excellent food and recommended this plant to the Royal Family.

    ¡°The Queen liked potato flowers very much and wore them on her chest. She also tried eating potatoes. As you know, the nobles at the Palace of Versailles love to imitate Her Majesty¡¯s actions.¡±

 Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Medicine No Longer Exists

    Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Medicine No Longer Exists

    Lamark continued, ¡°Indeed, in the northeastern regions, such as Metz, Lorraine to Belzons, I have seen people plant potatoes, and some villages there even use potatoes as their staple food. As for other places¡­ the people of Toulouse wouldn¡¯t even use potatoes to feed pigs, claiming it would contaminate the pork.¡±

    Joseph felt somewhat disheartened. Just as he had found a way to alleviate the great famine, it seemed that French people would rather starve than eat this thing.

    Moreover, considering what Lamark implied, the nobility had accepted potatoes quite early, so why hadn¡¯t they been able to influence the common people?

    Using newspapers and pamphlets for widespread publicity, along with offering free tastings, might do some good.

    He also remembered Lamark mentioning that some said potatoes were ¡°the devil from the ground,¡± suggesting that perhaps superstition was the main reason people were refusing potatoes. If that was the case, then the support of the Church would be necessary for promotion¡­

    Afterward, Joseph asked Lamark about the knowledge of potato cultivation. As they were discussing, the carriage had already arrived outside the pharmaceutical workshop.

    ¡°Your Highness, it seems you have great interest in potatoes,¡± Lamark steered the conversation, ¡°I could compile this knowledge and copy it for you.¡±

    Looking at his eager expression, Joseph could only nod and say, ¡°I would appreciate that very much, Count Lamark. Now, let¡¯s begin with the penicillin trial production.¡±

    ¡°You mean, penicillin? Is that the name of this miraculous medicine?¡± Lamark quickly pulled out pen and paper to begin taking notes.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph said, pausing before reminding Lamark, ¡°Even this name must not be divulged. From now on, we will refer to this medicine as type I antibiotic.¡±

    The words ¡°penicillin¡± and ¡°penicillium¡± were too similar and could easily lead one to make the connection.

    This strategic-level medicine absolutely could not have any information leaked.

    The one who opened the door to the pharmaceutical workshop for Joseph was a Royal Family guard¡ªthe security at this location was now taken over by them.

    Upon seeing the guard¡¯s immaculate uniform and the muskets behind him, Joseph frowned slightly and instructed the guard captain, Kesode, to have these guards wear plain clothes to prevent drawing the attention of foreign spies.

    As the carriage stopped in the open space in the middle of the workshop, Eman promptly opened the door for the Crown Prince.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Joseph nodded to his attendant as he got out of the carriage and looked around to see that things had changed significantly since the last time.

    Firstly, the ground was spotless. The workers¡¯ clothes, as well as the equipment inside the workshop, were all remarkably clean, hardly reminiscent of the 18th century.

    Under the shed to the right, there seemed to be drying racks, laden with various ingredients that needed to be air-dried.

    The workers were bustling in and out of the workshop, either transporting materials or loading the prepared medicines onto the carriages.

    Of course, many were busy in front of various instruments, occasionally shouting data to the scribes nearby, who would remind them about the timing of their operations. Now and then, faint steam wafted by, obscuring their silhouettes.

    Joseph nodded silently to himself, it was clear Lamark had put a lot of effort into managing this place. He guessed that one couldn¡¯t find a more professional pharmaceutical site in all of Paris.

    After touring the laboratory, he was essentially certain that it had the capabilities to produce penicillin.

    He turned to Lamark and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get started. First, please find some moldy substances for me, the blue-green kind.¡±

    ¡°`

    Lamark was somewhat surprised, but still meticulously noted the information in his notebook before turning to leave the room.

    Perhaps because the workshop was kept too clean, it took him more than half an hour to return with a few moldy ears of corn and a moldy towel.

    Joseph lowered his voice and said, ¡°Now, the most important thing I will tell you is that this type I antibiotic is actually a secretion of Penicillium, which can be extracted from these mold spots.¡±

    Lamark¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, but the Crown Prince had shocked him more than once before, so he didn¡¯t harbor the slightest doubt and simply kept recording.

    Recalling documentaries about penicillin he had watched in the past, Joseph went on, ¡°So first, we need to cultivate more mold. You can use things like corn, rice, and potatoes to make a thin paste and place the mold on it. Then control the temperature to a certain degree, which you¡¯ll have to determine through experimentation, and in a few days, you¡¯ll have a large amount of mold growth.

    ¡°Additionally, you need to cultivate the bacteria to test the drug¡¯s effectiveness in advance. For example, take the sputum of pneumonia patients, put it into filtered meat broth or agar, control the temperature properly, and wait for them to multiply¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Lamark spotted a blind spot, ¡°Are you saying there are ¡®germs¡¯ in the sputum of pneumonia patients? Is this related to pneumonia?¡±

    Joseph held his forehead, remembering that although the existence of bacteria was known to the medical community at this time, they had not yet managed to link bacteria to diseases.

    He had no choice but to give Lamark a rough overview, ¡°There are indeed pathogenic components in the sputum, specifically a type of bacteria.¡±

    ¡°Bacteria? Are you saying bacteria cause illness?!¡± Lamark appeared extremely agitated, ¡°No, this is completely different from miasma theory, humoral theory, or acid-base theory. How do bacteria make people sick? How did you determine this? Is there a mature theoretical system¡­¡±

    ¡°Those theories you mentioned about miasma and bodily fluids are incorrect. And the answers you¡¯re seeking are actually in the medicine you¡¯re about to produce,¡± Joseph stopped the curious Lamark from asking further. These medical topics were quite verbose, and moreover, he didn¡¯t know much about them.

    It would be better to wait until penicillin was produced, so Lamark could see for himself that penicillin could ¡°purify¡± the sputum culture, that is, Pneumococcus. Then, after observing penicillin cure pneumonia patients, he would naturally understand the relationship between germs and diseases.

    Lamark¡¯s hands trembled slightly. If what the Crown Prince said was true, then all the medical knowledge he had learned would be overturned! Or, to put it another way, the entire field of medicine would no longer exist!

    And if what the Crown Prince said was wrong, then the miraculous type I antibiotic might just be a fantasy.

    He didn¡¯t want either outcome¡­

    Suddenly, Lamark was struck by a philosophical question¡ªif all previous medicine was erroneous, then was he still a doctor, or should he be considered a charlatan, or perhaps a spreader of rumors¡­

    He shook his head, trying hard not to think about these maddening questions, and refocused his attention on the medicine, ¡°Your Highness, what should we do next?¡±

    Joseph looked at his pale face and sighed softly before continuing, ¡°You need to carefully filter the Penicillium culture fluid. What exactly to use for filtration, you¡¯ll also need to determine through experimentation.

    ¡°Since penicillin is water-soluble, we can use oil to extract other substances from the filtrate, leaving behind only the layer that is insoluble in oil.

    ¡°After that, you purify it using activated carbon¡­¡±

    ¡°What is activated carbon?¡± Another point of ignorance arose.

    ¡°Oh, activated carbon is created by dry burning wood pieces in a metal container¡­¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 105 The Drought is Coming

    Chapter 106: Chapter 105 The Drought is Coming

    ¡°Then wash the activated carbon with distilled water.

    ¡°Next, adjust the solution to acidic so that the penicillin molecules turn into free state¡­

    ¡°Followed by extraction with alcohol, neutralize with an alkaline solution, separate the solution, and then extract with acid again¡­

    ¡°Finally, the product obtained after filtration is penicillin¡­ Oh, it should be called a type-one antibiotic.¡±

    Joseph finished in one breath, and then said, ¡°The drug obtained should be added to the previously cultivated bacteria. If we can see the bacteria being eliminated, it means the drug is effective. If the bacteria are unaffected, then we need to modify the experimental conditions and start over.¡±

    He was well aware that making penicillin was extremely difficult; he had only told Lamark about the basic theoretical foundation. This was like telling Columbus in the 15th century, young man, there¡¯s a new world somewhere on this earth, go for it!

    Columbus would first need to get a ship and crew, then venture into the vast ocean, trying every direction¡ªeast, west, south, and north¡ªgoing through countless life-threatening dangers, plus a bit of luck, to have even a slight chance of success.

    The situation Lamark was now facing was the same. Any step in the operation, for example, if the medium¡¯s composition was inappropriate, the timing was off by even a little, the pH was slightly wrong, or even if his hand shook once, could lead to the failure of the experiment.

    The most important thing was, without super strains, even if the experiment succeeded, the yield would be very poor. And cultivating the strains would take who knows how many years¡­

    However, Joseph had all the patience in the world. No matter how long it took, as long as he came up with penicillin, it would be like holding a trump card in hand. Even if it could be prepared only in small quantities in the lab, using it to save the life of a commander on the battlefield could have a huge strategic significance!

    So Mr. Lamark, say goodbye to your hair. In the coming days, you might have to live in the laboratory.

    Joseph silently wished Lamark well in his mind, and then added, ¡°Count Lamark, different strains of penicillium can produce significantly different amounts of penicillin; you will need to test many samples to find the strain with the highest yield. Afterwards, you may even need to actively promote mutation¡­¡±

    He suddenly felt he had said too much and hurriedly added, ¡°Ah, never mind what mutation means. Right, I will leave you 30,000 livres for the experiments on the type-one antibiotic. I¡¯ll allot more to you after it¡¯s used up.¡±

    Lamark felt something was amiss¡ªcould such an experiment really cost more than 30,000 livres?

    Of course, this thought was fleeting and was completely overshadowed by his immense desire for penicillin.

    Afterwards, Joseph watched Lamark repeat the production process several times. By late afternoon, around four, he felt he had said nearly everything that needed to be said and was ready to leave the workshop.

    He hadn¡¯t even stepped out of the door when his mind was once again filled with concerns about food.

    The pressing issue was the potato, to promote its cultivation nationwide. This was going to be very difficult¡ªFrench people had a strong aversion to potatoes.

    Therefore, on top of making good propaganda, it would be best to use administrative measures to push for it, which meant he needed the support of the queen and Brian.

    And to get their support, there had to be some ¡°motivation.¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, such as the terrifying memory of the ¡°flour riots.¡±

    So, who should he find to remind them?

    After pondering for a moment, he suddenly slapped his forehead¡ªthe best candidate was right beside him.

    He stopped and turned to Lamark, ¡°Count Lamark, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like your help with.¡±

    ¡°It would be an honor to be of service to you.¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°Could you write a report for Archbishop Brienne, predicting that there will be a severe drought this year? From the angles like abnormalities in various plants or particular climatic conditions, suggest that the government should prepare in advance.¡±

    Lamark, already immune to the Crown Prince¡¯s countless astonishing actions, simply looked at him and said, ¡°You also foresee a drought coming?¡±

    Joseph was taken aback, ¡°You¡¯ve noticed it, too?¡±

    Lamark nodded, ¡°Many signs have indeed proved this, but it shouldn¡¯t be as serious as you said. I shall write a report to Archbishop Brienne.¡±

    ¡°No, you must write it more seriously!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Joseph, unable to explain, could only intensify his tone, ¡°This is very important, please make sure to do me this favor.¡±

    Lamark, however, flatly refused, ¡°But, Your Highness, I believe that in academic matters, I should maintain absolute honesty.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡± Joseph was somewhat helpless in the face of the biologist¡¯s integrity.

    After thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to lie at all.

    ¡°You just need to phrase it slightly differently. For example, before a prediction of a severe drought, you could add qualifiers such as ¡®a certain probability¡¯ or ¡®might face such a risk.''¡±

    Lamark paused, as strictly speaking, any event could result in countless outcomes, and pointing out one of those possibilities could also be considered rigorous academic research.

    He realized there indeed was no problem in including this kind of ¡°rigorousness¡± in his report¡­

    A compromise between personal feelings and integrity was struck, and he eventually nodded hesitantly.

    Joseph sincerely thanked the biologist and turned to leave, but then heard a gentle voice in front of him, ¡°I am very pleased to meet you, Crown Prince.¡±

    Perna, rather unusually, had donned an emerald green dress, lifting the silken floral skirt as she curtseyed to him.

    ¡°Oh, I am also very pleased to see you,¡± Joseph quickly nodded in response, ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    Perna, for some reason, blushed slightly and looked down, ¡°I am going to start studying blood circulation with my father, and I can also help manage the laboratory on the side.¡±

    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t because she heard that the Crown Prince had moved to Paris and she hurried after him.

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°With your assistance, Mr. Lamark¡¯s experiments will surely progress much faster.¡±

    Perna silently gathered her courage, looked up and said, ¡°Your Highness, I heard you will be staying in Paris for a while. Perhaps, I could continue to do your regular health check-ups.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you very much, Doctor Perna.¡±

    Instantly, the girl¡¯s face turned even redder.

    ¡­

    Two days later, at the Palace of Versailles.

    Archbishop Brienne looked at the ¡°Paris Fashion Week Planning Document¡± in his hand, listening to the Crown Prince describe the bright prospects of the fashion week, but seemed somewhat distracted.

    ¡°The initial investment for Fashion Week only requires less than 600,000 livres, with expected revenues to exceed 4 million livres,¡± Joseph recounted enthusiastically, ¡°At the same time, developing real estate around the Tuileries Palace could also generate income in the millions of livres.

    ¡°After Fashion Week ends, the eastern wing of Tuileries Palace could be converted into the ¡®Paris Business Center¡¯, continuing to bring in profits. Later, as the influence of Fashion Week grows, it could host the ¡®All Europe Expo¡¯¡­¡±

    Brienne nodded incessantly, smiling, ¡°Your Highness, all your ideas are very good. I have added the 600,000 livres budget you requested, and the documents for the use of Tuileries Palace should be delivered to you by tomorrow.¡±

    Suddenly, he took out several reports and handed them to Joseph, then said, ¡°Your Highness, these are the reports I have received in the past two days. Please take a look.¡±

    Joseph looked down to see, the top report titled ¡°Some Observations on This Year¡¯s Drought¡±, signed by none other than Lamark.

 Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 106 Flour Riot

    Chapter 107: Chapter 106 Flour Riot

    Joseph didn¡¯t even need to look to know that the following reports were written by renowned scholars he had sought out from the French Academy of Sciences. These scholars lacked Lamark¡¯s academic ethics, and after each received seven to eight hundred livres, they managed to craft reports of ¡°severe drought¡± in just half a day¡¯s work.

    Archbishop Brienne patiently waited for him to flip through the first two reports before speaking with a worried face, ¡°Your Highness, the conclusions of the reports that follow are similar. If such a situation were to truly arise, chaos would undoubtedly ensue¡­¡±

    Joseph felt a surge of joy in his heart, as these reports were initially intended to give Archbishop Brienne a nudge, after which he could smoothly transition to discussing how to deal with the famine.

    Unexpectedly, Archbishop Brienne caught on and initiated the discussion himself.

    In fact, after the tax legislation issue last time, Archbishop Brienne had developed the habit of consulting the Crown Prince whenever there was a major concern.

    ¡°Just like what happened in Normandy the year before last, oh, and earlier in Burgundy and Reims,¡± Archbishop Brienne said as he looked at Joseph, ¡°Actually, I was just about to report this to Her Majesty the Queen to prepare in advance¡­¡±

    Joseph thought he was going to say ¡°relief grain¡± and was ready to nod in agreement, but then he heard Archbishop Brienne say, ¡°Prepare the army in advance to deal with possible riots.¡±

    Joseph almost choked on his breath. After all that, were you planning to suppress it by force?

    Archbishop Brienne was also quite helpless.

    Starting from over a decade ago, with frequent natural disasters, France often experienced crop failures, leading to multiple ¡°flour riots.¡±

    From Reims to Burgundy, to Normandy, even the surrounding areas of Paris, the famished broke into bakeries or the homes of nobility, stole flour and bread, and left some money behind at what they deemed a fair price.

    This act even had a specific term¡ª ¡°people¡¯s tax.¡±

    The most recent flour riot took place in Normandy the year before last. To quell the riot, the French Government deployed over twenty thousand soldiers and arrested more than five hundred people, barely managing to suppress the unrest.

    Now, the French Government was so financially strapped that it couldn¡¯t afford the funds for disaster relief. Seeing the signs of famine, Archbishop Brienne had no other choice but to prepare the military for suppression.

    Joseph set those reports aside and said, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, I had already seen these reports through other channels before. I came here today specifically to discuss this matter with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What do you suggest, Your Highness?¡±

    ¡°We should find a way to provide the people with food, to avoid the outbreak of riots. As you know, whether it¡¯s rioting or military suppression, both cause serious damage at the local level.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne said with a pained expression, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re right, but given our financial situation¡­¡±

    Joseph hurriedly cut to the chase:

    ¡°If we promote the cultivation of potatoes nationwide, we could significantly mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

    ¡°With the same piece of land, the yield of potatoes can be four to six times larger than that of wheat.

    ¡°Prussia and Austria often encounter natural disasters as well in recent years, but they have far fewer famines than we do. In fact, their agricultural efficiency is nowhere near that of France.¡±

    At that time, both Prussia and Austria were still operating under serfdom, with exceedingly low agricultural productivity.

    ¡°They were able to get through the crisis solely by depending on the mass cultivation of potatoes. Without this high-yield crop, the Prussian-Austrian war of ten years ago probably wouldn¡¯t have lasted two months.¡±

    What he referred to was the Bavarian War of Succession. Both the Prussian and Austrian sides, lacking supplies, relied on freshly dug potatoes and stubbornly persisted in fighting for a year. Hence, this war was also called the ¡°Potato War.¡±

    In fact, at present in Europe, only the Catholic countries of France and Italy have a strong aversion to potatoes; in other places, potatoes have long been a common item on people¡¯s dining tables.

    Joseph patted the report on the table, ¡°If we also engage in mass potato cultivation, even if disasters lead to a reduced yield, the harvest would still be far greater than that of grains. When the time comes, the government would only need to allocate a small sum of money for disaster relief to get through the crisis.¡±

    Brian still looked troubled, ¡°Your Highness, I have actually looked into this crop as well, and indeed, your method is worth a try.

    ¡°The only thing is, to promote potatoes on a large scale still requires a substantial sum of money. Moreover, farmers are very resistant to potatoes¡­¡±

    Joseph knew he was right. Farmers usually buy seeds for the next season in advance, and if you suddenly want them to switch to planting potatoes, most are unwilling and unable to come up with the money to purchase potatoes for sowing.

    He thought for a moment, then said to Brian, ¡°I will find a way to resolve the issue of people being reluctant to eat potatoes. Of course, this also needs the Church to cooperate with the promotion.

    ¡°As for the money to buy potatoes, you¡¯ll allocate part from finances, and I¡¯ll cover the rest.

    ¡°You need to send people to buy large quantities of potatoes from the northeastern provinces and transport them to other provinces. First, distribute them free to farmers for planting; after harvest, they need only to return two-thirds of the amount.

    ¡°If really no one wants to plant them, then keep the potatoes locally, stored as disaster relief grain.

    Brian roughly calculated and frowned, ¡°Your Highness, to achieve the necessary scale of planting, we need at least five million livres, and the government¡¯s finances could at most provide one million.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Alright, within half a month, I will arrange a loan of four million livres to the government through the Bank of France Reserve.¡±

    While he didn¡¯t have much cash on hand, he could mortgage the shares of the paper mill to Mirabeau and others for a loan, and sell some shares of the Parisian Angels; raising four hundred or so million wouldn¡¯t be difficult.

    And in a few months, Paris Fashion Week would bring in a considerable profit.

    The two then discussed the details of the potato promotion work, and Brian convened his subordinates to start formulating a detailed potato promotion plan.

    This matter sounded simple, but it involved the entire food production of France, with innumerable tedious tasks; it was not something that could be implemented at will.

    For example, how many potatoes should be transported to each region, what to do if some places are willing to plant or there is not enough supply, how to buy potatoes from Prussia or Austria to replenish their food supply after the northeastern provinces transport theirs out, and how the Church would follow the potato delivery teams and convince farmers to change their prejudice against potatoes, etc.

    All of these required very detailed planning.

    Seeing he couldn¡¯t be of much help anymore, Joseph prepared to stand up to take his leave.

    Brian escorted him to the gate of the Palace of Versailles, still worried, ¡°Your Highness, do you really have a way to make those farmers willing to eat potatoes?¡±

    Joseph sighed, nodded, and said, ¡°Please be assured, as long as we continue to promote, if two or three out of ten people accept potatoes, it will have a significant effect on alleviating the famine.¡±

    In fact, he had already instructed Denico to start printing a booklet on popularizing potatoes yesterday, and he had already planned more promotional methods in his mind, which would soon begin to roll out.

 Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 107: The Masterpiece "Child of Divine Favor

    Chapter 108: Chapter 107: The Masterpiece ¡°Child of Divine Favor

    Barnaby had never imagined that as the Imperial Chef to His Royal Highness, the French Crown Prince, there would come a day when he would be cooking food in the streets of Paris for men without even trousers to their names.

    However, it was an order from the Crown Prince and 14 other court chefs shared the same fate.

    Barnaby fixed the peeled potatoes with a specially-made fork, and with his right hand holding a knife, he began to cut with extremely dazzling skills.

    Then he skewered the potatoes onto an iron stake and spread them out evenly, turning the potatoes into curly tornado shapes.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115890¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115890/0d0525f9161c449d00882feeb2971b84wicK2hmtc9K13z0.jpg¡±>

    The ¡°tornado¡± strings were then fried in an oil pan for a while, taken out, and dusted with a variety of seasonings before being inserted into a wooden plank with holes to the side.

    The assistant standing next to him immediately looked up to passersby and loudly said, ¡°The most popular court cuisine¡ªTornado Potato Tarts! His Merciful Highness the Crown Prince invites everyone to taste them for free.¡±

    The tent used for cooking was surrounded by people, all of them desperately sniffing the aroma of the ¡°Tornado Potato Tarts,¡± yet no one approached to take any of the food.

    That was the ¡°Devil from the ground,¡± after all, rumored to cause lung diseases or leprosy if eaten!

    After who knows how long, a filthy little boy with his hair clumped into one big mess came over, staring at those potato strings, hungrily swallowing his saliva.

    Eventually, under the relentless urging of hunger, he grabbed an iron stake and viciously bit into it.

    Delicious!

    The eyes of the little street urchin grew wide; this was tastier than the bread with brown sauce given to him by the kind lady during Christmas.

    Ignoring the pitiful gazes of the crowd, he devoured three skewers in one go and, fearing blame, reluctantly turned his head to leave.

    Before long, a few more dirty children arrived and quickly devoured the remaining Tornado Potato Tarts.

    The spectating citizens shook their heads and sighed as if these children were going to turn into corpses any moment.

    ¡°Newspapers for sale!¡± At the street corner not far away, a newsboy waved the latest issue of the Paris Commercial News, shouting, ¡°Come read the news! 2 sous a copy. The latest novel, Adventurers Sweep the Caribbean Sea, Winning Riches and Beauties!¡±

    Someone bought a newspaper, finished reading the latest issue of ¡°Breaking Through the Blue Sky,¡± and then flipped to the third page, immediately captivated by the new novel there.

    It was about an adventurer, nicknamed ¡°Popeye the Sailor,¡± who sailed a fast ship called the Black Pearl on adventures throughout the Caribbean Sea.

    The most fascinating aspect was that Mr. ¡°Popeye the Sailor¡± had a unique constitution; he could immediately become incredibly strong after eating potatoes, thereby effortlessly resolving all troubles¡­

    The Palace of Versailles.

    Under the personal supervision of Archbishop Brienne, the plan to promote potato cultivation was completed in less than three days.

    Joseph arrived at the Petit Trianon Palace early in the morning along with Archbishop Brienne, carrying the plan.

    In the garden outside the Queen¡¯s bedroom at the palace, Queen Mary gave her son a warm embrace and seemed extremely happy, ¡°Dear Joseph, I was just about to have someone call you back from Paris.¡±

    She turned to Earl Debreninac and said, ¡°Could you ask Lady Lebrun to come here for a moment? Tell her the Crown Prince is also here. Oh, she must bring that painting with her.¡±

    Having heard this name before, Joseph knew her as a famous court painter, many portraits of the King and Queen had been done by her.

    He looked at the Queen, puzzled, ¡°Mother, what do you need Lady Lebrun for?¡±

    The Queen smiled and said, ¡°Lady Lebrun has conceived a wonderful painting, it¡¯s about you, and the title is ¡®The Child Favored by the Gods.¡¯ Oh, I believe you will certainly like it once you see it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, all right¡­¡± Joseph suddenly had an ominous premonition for some reason, but still quickly turned to the matter at hand, ¡°By the way, Mother, Archbishop Brian and I have an important matter to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What matter?¡±

    Brian hastened to hand over the planning document to Queen Mary, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, according to the analysis of Count Lamark and several scholars, a drought is feared this year, and it may be even more severe than before.¡±

    Queen Mary instantly showed a look of worry, ¡°Do you have any good solutions?¡±

    Brian quickly said, ¡°It was the Crown Prince who thought of it; we can promote the cultivation of potatoes throughout the country to make use of their high yield in reducing the possibility of famine.¡±

    After listening to a detailed explanation of the proposal to promote potatoes, the Queen nodded, ¡°In Austria, people use potatoes to cope with famine. Joseph must have studied the systems of many countries in detail and flexibly applied the beneficial aspects to France.¡±

    She took a pen from a maid by her side and signed the document, murmuring with a smile curling on her lips, ¡°As Lady Lebrun¡¯s painting depicted, my Joseph is exceptionally gifted and must be blessed by the Lord.¡±

    Joseph hadn¡¯t expected things to go so smoothly. Had he known it would be this easy, he would have come to the Queen for her signature three days ago, without waiting for the detailed plan to be completed.

    After all, there was just over a month left before the sowing of wheat, and once the farmers had sown the wheat, it would be absolutely impossible to dig it up and replant it with potatoes.

    Plus, to transport the potatoes from the northeast of France to the southern provinces would take about a month at best, so time was of the essence.

    The Queen handed the document back to Brian, just as an elegant middle-aged woman approached and curtsied to the Queen, Joseph, and Brian in turn.

    Queen Mary smiled and nodded, then instructed, ¡°Lady Lebrun, please show your painting to the Crown Prince; I can hardly wait any longer.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lady Lebrun immediately signaled to her assistant. Several young people hurried over, carefully carrying over a painting frame nearly as tall as a person and removed the dust cover from it.

    The moment Joseph saw the painting, he froze¡ªthe upper part depicted God floating in midair, cradling a lamb in one arm and holding an unknown book in the other, with a dazzling aura shimmering behind.

    Below God¡¯s feet was a sumptuously dressed youth with his hands in prayer and a look of devotion on his face, gazing up and listening to the holy teachings.

    And that youth¡¯s appearance ¡ª wasn¡¯t it his own¡­?

    Joseph felt as if his toes were curling so much he could almost carve out a three-room flat, how had Lady Lebrun created such an awkward piece of art?!

    But Queen Mary was radiant, saying, ¡°Joseph, this painting is a gift for you, you may hang it in your reception room.¡±

    Ah! Please no¡ª Joseph¡¯s heart twitched; seeing this every day, he would certainly get cringe cancer!

    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m afraid it will take a few days,¡± Lady Lebrun said. ¡°Strictly speaking, this painting is not finished; I still need to perfect some details.¡±

    At this, Joseph breathed a sigh of relief, hastily adding, ¡°Please do take your time to refine it, there¡¯s absolutely no need to worry about the time.¡±

    Watching the painting, Brian nodded appreciatively, ¡°Lady Lebrun, your artistry is absolutely splendid! I¡¯ve felt the holy essence of the Child of Divine Favor from this painting. The Child of Divine Favor will surely be praised by the world!¡±

    Felt the holy essence? At those words, Joseph suddenly had a thought ¡ª yes! People of this era loved to use oil painting to propagate religion, and the content depicted in paintings was almost considered to have truly occurred.

    That was why the Queen cared so much and appreciated the painting so highly.

    Perhaps, this was the best way to dispel the French people¡¯s superstitions about potatoes!

    A vision nearly instantly formed in his mind.

    Joseph casually made the sign of the cross over his chest ¡ª having often made the gesture since arriving in this time, it had nearly become a reflex ¡ª and thought quietly: Lord, it seems I need to call upon you to endorse this.

 Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 108 Preparing for a Blind Date!

    Chapter 109: Chapter 108 Preparing for a Blind Date!

    ¡°Since the Crown Prince is here, you could refine your painting by studying him closely,¡± Queen Mary indicated with a smile to the painter Lady Lebrun, then she had her maid bring a chair and forcefully seated Joseph on it.

    Brian, upon seeing this, cast a helpless look towards Joseph and, holding the potato promotion plan signed by the Queen, took his leave.

    Lady Lebrun very professionally directed her assistants to set up the painting equipment. She squinted at the sunlight and, once satisfied with the angle, began to revise the painting titled ¡°Child of Divine Favor.¡±

    Joseph had plans that required a painter as well, so he assumed the posture of prayer as the Queen had requested and inquired of Lady Lebrun, ¡°Excuse me, would you be able to paint a ¡®The Last Supper¡¯ like that of Da Vinci¡¯s?¡±

    Lady Lebrun, rolling the paint on the canvas with a finger, nodded without hesitation, ¡°Your Highness, that is certainly possible. In fact, every student at the Paris Academy of Art has copied that painting hundreds of times.¡±

    Joseph smiled and asked, ¡°Then could you make some changes to the painting for me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, please return to the expression you had just now, Your Highness,¡± Lady Lebrun frowned, but she nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible, are you thinking of altering the attire of one of the saints?¡±

    Joseph quickly subdued his smile and looked upward obliquely, ¡°Ah, no, actually, I was thinking of adding two potatoes to the food on the table.¡±

    ¡°That would be easy¡­¡± Lady Lebrun had begun to respond when she suddenly froze, ¡°You mean ¡®the devil from the ground¡¯?¡±

    She looked distressed, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid that would require the Church¡¯s consent, otherwise I fear it would cause some sort of sacrilege. You know, that could make me subject to ecclesiastical trial¡­¡±

    Joseph tried to persuade her some more, but Lady Lebrun dared not agree and expressed that any other painter would also dare not casually add such a controversial thing as potatoes.

    Joseph felt helpless and couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly: Pleading on behalf of God was indeed not such an easy task¡­

    Queen Mary, sitting a little way off, saw her son frown and used her fan to shield him from the sunlight, calling out loudly, ¡°Darling, what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Potatoes¡­¡±

    The Queen showed a gracious smile, ¡°Stop thinking about potatoes for now, those matters will naturally be taken care of by Archbishop Brian.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, did you know? Next month, Princess Maria Amalia from Two Sicilies is coming to Paris for a visit.¡±

    ¡°Ah, alright,¡± Joseph, preoccupied with how to persuade the Church, treated the Queen¡¯s words as mere small talk and responded nonchalantly.

    However, he forgot something critical¡ªby royal custom, such pointed ¡°visits¡± usually signaled a matchmaking opportunity.

    Queen Mary, seeing her son¡¯s agreement, took it as a sign he was pleased with the Princess, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit anxious inside. She hastily added, ¡°Also, your cousin, that is, Maria Clementina from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, will be visiting next month. How do you feel about that?¡±

    Since the current Archduke of Austria, who was also the Emperor of Holy Rome, Queen Mary¡¯s brother Joseph II had no sons and his wife had passed away many years ago, it was almost a given that the daughter of his younger brother, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, this Archduchess Clementine, was one of the highest-ranking young ladies in the Habsburg family.

    And she was the daughter-in-law Queen Mary favored the most¡ªher own dearly beloved niece.

    Joseph still hadn¡¯t caught on and maintained his pose, saying, ¡°She is welcome to Paris.¡±

    The Queen was pleased but then felt slightly perplexed. Her son had no objections to either party; which one did he favor more?

    Never mind, it¡¯s better to wait until they arrive.

    She was quite concerned about the marriage of her overly excellent son, but precisely because of his excellence, she had to consider his own opinions as well.

    If it had been someone with the temperament of Louis XVI in his younger years, she might have arranged a marriage proposal long ago.

    When noon finally arrived, Queen Mary pulled her son, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for several days, to enjoy an exceptionally lavish lunch.

    Louis XVI was the last to enter the dining room. Although he appeared to be in high spirits, the heavy bags under his eyes reminded everyone that His Majesty the King was deeply engrossed in weapons research night and day.

    First, Louis XVI embraced his wife and son, then he whispered excitedly yet covertly to Joseph¡¯s ear, ¡°Joseph, the first prototype has been assembled. However, the airtightness still needs improvement, I believe, by next week you will be able to witness its firing!¡±

    Joseph gave him an immensely appreciative look and responded in a similarly hushed tone, ¡°You truly have the most skillful hands in all of France! Without you, who knows when the gun would have been completed. Let¡¯s go to the Paris Police Academy next week for a test fire; they have a professional shooting range there.¡±

    The father and son nodded to each other, grinning secretly, but as soon as Queen Mary looked their way, they both immediately suppressed their smiles¡ªHis Majesty the King secretly crafting dangerous firearms in the palace was something she cannot know, or she would scold him for days.

    After finishing lunch, Joseph gave Louis XVI a thumbs-up gesture and, before Lady Lebrun had arrived, he promptly beckoned Eman and dashed out of the Palace of Versailles.

    In the carriage, Eman leaned forward and asked, ¡°Your Highness, do you wish to return to the Industrial Planning Bureau or¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately said, ¡°No, let¡¯s go to Notre Dame de Paris!¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness.¡±

    After hours of bumping along, the carriage finally entered Paris City. Through the carriage window, Joseph saw workers digging and building walls by the roadside, clearly a construction crew erecting public toilets.

    Along the way, he had already seen seven or eight construction sites for public toilets.

    Joseph nodded to himself, thinking that although Mono is an old political fox, he actually does a good job when put in charge of a project.

    He just wondered how much of the funds he might have embezzled.

    Joseph grimaced, contemplating that he needed to remind him sometime soon that this was his own project, so he better not be too greedy.

    After a while, Joseph finally saw the towering spires of Notre Dame de Paris peeking above the treetops. Soon the two square towers, standing tall like fortresses between heaven and earth, appeared in sight.

    This largest cathedral in Paris is also home to the Archbishop of Paris.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10134231¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10134231/2722878fb01e9282762ae52759dc8b959SdN01xmj629mS8.jpg¡±>

    Joseph was visiting on this occasion to discuss with the Archbishop the revision of ¡°The Last Supper.¡±

    Although Archbishop Brienne also held the title, his influence in the Church had waned since he became Finance Minister. Moreover, as the Archbishop of Toulouse, he held even less sway in Paris.

    Upon learning of the arrival of the Crown Prince, a group of black-robed priests quickly greeted him at the church entrance, led by Archbishop Beaumont.

    Joseph warmly took Beaumont into Notre Dame de Paris, saying with a genial smile, ¡°Archbishop Beaumont, I have a small favor to ask of you.¡±

 Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 110: Catwalk

    Chapter 111: Chapter 110: Catwalk

    ¡°Mr. Balthasar, you can¡¯t just look at the appearance,¡± Joseph whispered to his fashion designer, ¡°They¡¯re here to walk the runway, not attend a ball.¡±

    He pointed to the giant T-shaped catwalk in the square, ¡°You see, when the guests gather below the stage, they can only see the models¡¯ figures, postures, and the clothes they are wearing, and can barely make out their faces.¡±

    Balthasar nodded again and again. He had only been exposed to these ¡°runways¡± and ¡°T-shaped catwalks¡± for two days and was still feeling his way around.

    The publicity for the recent Fashion Week was in full swing, and the whole of Paris was buzzing about it.

    Therefore, after the ad for recruiting models for Fashion Week was published, the ladies of Paris were instantly abuzz¡ªwearing the latest fashionable garments in the splendid Old Palace, becoming the center of attention for Europe¡¯s upper class under countless lights, and with a high reward for it, who wouldn¡¯t be tempted?

    Yes, in this era there simply was no such profession as a fashion model, so Joseph had to cast from the public.

    Instantly, ¡°model¡± and ¡°catwalk¡± became the most popular words among Parisian women. Whether actresses, singers, or fallen women, and even noble young ladies, as long as they had a modicum of confidence in their looks and figures, were tempted to go to the Tuileries Palace to sign up and give it a try.

    After several preliminary rounds of screening by Balthasar, these few dozen people had been selected as the best among the candidates.

    Joseph helplessly watched the models who were either stiff in movement or deliberately displaying their ¡°career-lines.¡± He sighed, stood up, and clapped his hands sharply to get the models¡¯ attention, then did something he least wanted to do but had to do¡ªdemonstrated the catwalk himself.

    ¡°Watch carefully, your second step should land here.¡± His scalp tingled with embarrassment, but he persevered, ¡°First lift your knee, ¡®swing¡¯ your lower leg out, and then the next step¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t use too much force with your hands, just let them hang naturally¡­ I didn¡¯t ask for your hands to go limp! Forget it, just put your hands on your hips.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your eyes wander, have a vacant look¡­¡±

    Although he himself was not a professional, having at least seen pigs walk if not eaten pork, he managed to imitate the countless times he had observed Victoria¡¯s Secret in his previous life, and could somewhat replicate the look.

    Once he had walked back and forth, the models immediately responded with warm applause.

    Joseph sat back in his chair with a dark face and said weakly, ¡°Whoever masters it first can become a coach, with double the pay.¡±

    Under the incentive of money, the models immediately started to take things seriously. Several noble young ladies with dance training began to get the hang of it and their movements gradually looked the part.

    Joseph let them practice on their own, and then turned to the other side of the hall to the male model group, raising his hand to gesture, ¡°Please, gentlemen, have a go as well.¡±

    Dozens of handsome French lads immediately raised their long legs, and in their high-heeled shoes, they walked with a coquetry that was far more convincing than that of the ladies next to them.

    ¡°Stop¡­¡± Joseph felt like he was about to have a heart attack, ¡°That¡¯s not right! The steps you¡¯re doing are for ladies¡­¡±

    One bold blonde hunk immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t that just how you walked a moment ago?¡±

    Joseph halted him from continuing with a murderous glare and turned to his captain of the guards, ¡°Viscount Kesode, could you please walk a few steps to show everyone? Just like you do when you stroll in the Palace of Versailles normally.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Kesode hastily came to the center of the hall, walked forward with his head high and chest out, exuding vigor and power.

    Joseph turned to the male models, ¡°Please practice like this.¡±

    Under a construction shed in the square of the Tuileries Palace, the chief auditor of the Fashion Week organizing committee was staring intently at the west hall. There, dozens of beautiful women in gorgeous dresses were walking one by one across the wooden platform, with alluring gazes, charming demeanors, and graceful elegance.

    He unwittingly swallowed a gulp of saliva and asked the president of the merchant association next to him, ¡°Viscount Freselle, what is happening over there?¡±

    ¡°It is said to be a method of showcasing fashion invented by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, also called a ¡®fashion show¡¯,¡± Freselle replied casually, but in his heart, he couldn¡¯t help lamenting: How does the Crown Prince come up with such a splendid idea at his age, ahem, such a brilliant idea. With this kind of fashion show, this year¡¯s Fashion Week is sure to shock all of Europe.

    ¡­

    ¡°Brian, that despicable, shameless bastard!¡± Vilran slammed the letter in his hand down on the table with a bang, ¡°I swear! One day, I will tear you to pieces with my own hands!¡±

    His attendant heard the noise and hurriedly pushed the door open to inquire, ¡°Are you all right, my lord Earl?¡±

    ¡°I am fine. Get out!¡±

    Vilran turned his head and roared, his complexion colder than the pristine snow outside the window.

    The letter was written by the Duke of Orleans. Judging from the date, it was sent out the second day he left Paris. However, the postman clearly didn¡¯t keep up with his pace, and it wasn¡¯t until he paused in Smolensk that he finally received it.

    The content of the letter was brief, informing him that British-French trade negotiations had officially begun. The representatives for the negotiations were Brian and the Minister of Civil Registry, Nico Herve.

    Vilran¡¯s teeth gritted with a grating sound, and he remembered asking Brian about when the trade negotiations would begin just half a month earlier. Brian told him that some financial data needed for the negotiations were not yet ready and that it would take a considerable amount of time to prepare.

    Afterward, he was dispatched to Russia to convey so-called ¡°France¡¯s concerns about the Russo-Turkish War¡±.

    Little did he expect that as soon as he left, the British-French trade negotiations began.

    What he couldn¡¯t accept the most was that the person who replaced him in the negotiations was that worthless ¡°transparent minister¡±, Nico Herve!

    For a long time, he sat limply in the chair. This place was over 2,000 kilometers from Paris, and even if he rushed back immediately, by the time he arrived in Paris, the treaty would undoubtedly have already been signed.

    What awaited him would only be the ridicule of the entire Parisian political arena.

    In the fireplace, the wood crackled and the fire burned bright, but Vilran felt only a bone-chilling cold. He knew that his political career was likely over¡­

    ¡­

    The west bank of the Seine, at Mirabeau¡¯s villa.

    Mirabeau had not expected His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come for a sudden visit, thus when he came out to greet him, he appeared somewhat flustered, ¡°Oh, it is a pleasure to see you, Your Highness.¡±

    He took a half step back with his right foot, placed his right hand over his chest, and respectfully bowed.

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°I am also pleased to see you, Count Mirabeau. Actually, I have come today because there is something I would like to seek your assistance with.¡±

    Mirabeau personally opened the grand door for him, ¡°You know, Your Highness, I am always eager to serve you.¡±

    Once in the drawing-room, Mirabeau invited Joseph to sit and pointed enthusiastically to the freshly served tea, ¡°Your Highness, you simply must try this, freshly imported from the Far East, not at all like those cheap commodities from India. Oh, by the way, what do you need me to do?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the tea. The flavor is excellent,¡± Joseph said, lifting the creamy and fragrant tea cup as a gesture to Mirabeau, then continued, ¡°You might have heard that the government is promoting the cultivation of potatoes across the country.¡±

 Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 111 The Future of Industry

    Chapter 112: Chapter 111 The Future of Industry

    ¡°This will require the purchase of a large number of potatoes to serve as ¡®seed potatoes.''¡± Joseph caressed the pattern on the teacup and looked towards Mirabeau, ¡°Currently, the government can only provide one million livres, while a total of five million are needed. I also don¡¯t have that much money on hand for the moment, so I was hoping to borrow some from you.¡±

    Joseph knew that after investing in the paper mill, Mirabeau might not have much money left either, but he had extensive connections and was on good terms with many of the capitalist nobility, so he could help by reaching out on his behalf.

    ¡°Oh, of course, rest assured, I can mortgage the shares of the paper workshop or ¡®The Angel of Paris¡¯ as collateral.¡±

    Mirabeau said, ¡°Your Highness, you can only buy potatoes in a few provinces such as Alsace and Lorraine. Are you saying we need to procure them from places that far away?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Mirabeau first nodded, ¡°Your Highness, I can figure out a way to get the money for you.¡±

    Since the tax reform incident, he and the Crown Prince had become entangled in mutual interests, so naturally, he wanted to do his part for His Highness.

    But then he frowned and said, ¡°However, what I¡¯m going to say next might upset you, but I feel obligated to remind you.¡±

    ¡°Please, feel free to speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s only a little over a month left before the wheat sowing season, and given the efficiency of those government officials¡­ you should know, purchasing millions of livres worth of potatoes, they will need at least three weeks. That leaves hardly enough time for transportation and sowing.¡±

    At these words, Joseph was taken aback, admitting to himself that he had indeed been careless and failed to take into account the terrible efficiency of the bureaucratic system.

    After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Count Mirabeau. Perhaps, I need to make a personal visit to Lorraine.¡±

    ¡°With me overseeing them, their actions will surely be much faster.

    ¡°Additionally, I would like to take the opportunity to survey Nancy, in preparation for establishing an industrial development zone there in the future.¡±

    ¡°You are doing so much for France.¡±

    Mirabeau praised him, and then, recalling the new term he had just heard, asked curiously, ¡°Your Highness, what is this ¡®industrial development zone¡¯ you mentioned?¡±

    Joseph set down the teacup and explained, ¡°It¡¯s an area designated where the government provides support to attract people to set up workshops, thereby promoting industrial development.

    ¡°Oh, for instance, workshops in the industrial development zone might receive tax cuts, be free from administrative officials¡¯ interference in production, receive rewards for new technologies, abolish the guild system, and so on.

    ¡°At the same time, the government will also build a host of supporting facilities in the development zone. For example: banks, schools, hospitals, and even apartments.¡±

    Mirabeau¡¯s eyes suddenly bulged. This was precisely the business environment he had longed for! Not to mention the tax cuts alone, which could entice countless individuals to set up factories.

    And then there was the detestable guild system.

    Currently in France, no matter what kind of workers you wanted to hire, you had to get permission from the relevant guilds. Jobs that were originally quite simple, that anyone could do, had to go through corresponding guilds that would collect dues from the workers and in turn extort the workshops.

    As for the exploitation and harassment by government officials, this too was a continual headache for all workshop owners.

    If these detrimental influences could be eliminated, the profits and efficiency of the workshops would see a significant increase.

    He immediately exclaimed with excitement, ¡°Your Highness, this idea of yours is truly wonderful! Industrial development zones, they are exactly what France¡¯s industry needs at the moment!¡±

    He suddenly felt a wave of emotion, as the French Government had always only valued agriculture and exploited and neglected industry. Only the young Crown Prince sincerely wished to promote industrial development!

    Mirabeau suddenly thought of something, looked at Joseph, and said in surprise, ¡°Your Highness, you just mentioned that you want to establish an industrial district in Nancy? Excuse my boldness, but that place is quite remote and lacks any significant industry; perhaps setting up the district in Lyon would be more appropriate.¡±

    Joseph nodded, understanding that from Mirabeau¡¯s perspective, what he said was entirely correct. Although the Lorraine region was rich in coal and iron deposits, they had not yet been developed. It wasn¡¯t until after the industrial revolution in the 19th century that Nancy, the capital of Lorraine, became one of the cores of France¡¯s heavy industry.

    ¡°Count Mirabeau, what do you think is the foundation of industry?¡±

    Mirabeau blurted out, ¡°It should be the textile industry. Mining, shipbuilding, and the like are also important, but none have the development potential of the textile industry.¡±

    Seeing that the Crown Prince remained silent, he laughed and said, ¡°Your Highness, surely it¡¯s not the wine industry¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled as well, then picked up his teacup and said, ¡°If industry is a plant, then whether it¡¯s textiles or shipbuilding, these are all the stems and leaves above ground, while only coal and iron are the roots beneath.¡±

    In his heart, he silently added that in the future, it would be iron and petroleum, but that was still far off.

    ¡°Coal? Iron?¡± Mirabeau blinked, ¡°But the trade volume for these two isn¡¯t much.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Coal and iron together make the steam engine. This is the true foundation of industry!¡±

    Mirabeau laughed as well, ¡°Your Highness, you do jest. The steam engine? That thing isn¡¯t very useful, it¡¯s costly, and breaks down easily.¡±

    ¡°No, technology is always progressing.¡± Joseph said, ¡°The old Newcomen steam engine could only pump water, and its actual efficiency was less than that of two diligent children.

    ¡°Now, the steam engine can pump water from a mine 90 meters deep, something humans definitely cannot do.

    ¡°I dare say, the performance of steam engines will continue to improve dramatically. Whoever masters the steam engine will have the initiative in industry.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Mirabeau appeared unconvinced.

    Joseph continued, ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the automatic loom newly invented by the British, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Mirabeau nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, but that is powered by water wheels.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just temporary. In fact, the British are already researching replacing water wheels with steam engines. Once they succeed, the efficiency of the textile industry will increase tenfold or even more.¡±

    Mirabeau sat up straight, visibly becoming tense.

    Yet, Joseph gave him a glimpse into even broader prospects for the application of steam engines: ¡°Aside from the textile industry, the advancements brought about by steam engines in forging and stamping are even more noteworthy.

    ¡°The stamping machines driven by steam engines are several times more powerful than the current waterwheel stamping machines, and they will become even more powerful in the future, while their speed is dozens of times faster. What¡¯s most valuable is the tremendous improvement in precision.

    ¡°If we have reliable steam-powered stamping machines, not to mention armor, bearings, carriages, and such, just using them to produce chandeliers, agricultural tools, even forks and knives, would significantly reduce costs and multiply product quality. Though these items are small, collectively they can bring in astonishing trade income.¡±

    He then solemnly said, ¡°If, however, other countries take the lead in mastering steam engine technology, we will face a very difficult situation.¡±

    In history, it was England that broke through with the steam engine, initiating the industrial revolution and building The British Empire.

 Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Industrial Chain and Market

    Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Industrial Chain and Market

    Count Mirabeau savored the Crown Prince¡¯s words, simultaneously considering France¡¯s actual situation, his expression gradually turning solemn, ¡°Your Highness, but currently the most advanced steam engine technology is in the hands of the British, and we can only copy their products from a decade ago.

    ¡°By the way, I heard that not long ago England created the latest steam engine, which has already surpassed the power of ten horses.¡±

    ¡°You are correct,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°That is why I want to quickly establish industrial development zones to attract capital and talent for the research and development of new technologies.¡±

    Count Mirabeau, somewhat disheartened, said, ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ll still be able to catch up¡­¡±

    A confident smile appeared on Joseph¡¯s face, ¡°You must have faith. Our setback is only temporary.

    ¡°As long as we build the foundational industry chains and create positive industry cycles, technological breakthroughs are an inevitable result.¡±

    Count Mirabeau started to get confused again, ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean by ¡®industry chain¡¯ and ¡®positive cycle¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I spoke too hastily,¡± Joseph said apologetically, waving his hand, ¡°The so-called industry chain refers to a series of industries tied to the development of a particular industry, combined together to form a chain.¡±

    Count Mirabeau could play a significant role in advancing France¡¯s industrial development, so Joseph explained the related knowledge and concepts with patience.

    ¡°For example, we used to spend a lot of money to bring in British textile technicians to help us develop the textile industry, but after they arrived, they found even the simplest tools were unavailable, making it impossible to start work.

    ¡°These small tools are actually part of the textile industry chain. Similar to that, for instance, are the cleaning and storage of cotton and wool as raw materials, the manufacturing and repair of looms, the construction of workshops, the transportation and sale of products, and even the recycling of waste, and so on.

    ¡°Together, these form the industry chain for the textile industry.

    ¡°Only if the entire chain develops healthily can we have a strong textile industry. Originally, we neglected the industry chain, thinking that by acquiring a few looms, we could catch up with England¡¯s textile industry.¡±

    Count Mirabeau felt as if a cloud had been lifted, nodding repeatedly, ¡°So we spent a lot of money, but the textile industry has always been tightly suppressed by the British. It turns out these trivial things behind the loom are what we lack even more!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that Mirabeau truly was a talent from the grand era, understanding with just a hint.

    He continued, ¡°So if we want to develop the steam engine industry, we must value the industry chain from the beginning.

    ¡°Starting with the most basic coal and iron mining and transportation, to the workshops that manufacture basic measuring tools, to those that print blueprints and documents, and then to building experimental test platforms.

    ¡°Gradually transitioning to the construction of workshops for producing small parts, foundries for machine rough casts, all the way to workshops that assemble entire steam engines.

    ¡°And finally, there are supplementary industries such as the sale, maintenance, and on-site assembly of steam engines.

    ¡°With these, we can truly say we have the capability to manufacture steam engines. Otherwise, even if we manage to replicate the latest British models, we will sooner or later be left far behind by the British again.¡±

    During Joseph¡¯s speech, Mirabeau had already had a servant bring paper and pen and was earnestly taking notes at great speed¡ªthese concepts were all new to him, opening a door to a new world.

    It was a world named ¡°industrialization.¡±

    Joseph waited for him to stop writing before adding, ¡°The industry chain is the foundation of an industry, but for an industry to thrive, there also needs to be an ¡®industry cycle.¡¯

    ¡°Put simply, it¡¯s the process of ¡®capital-production-market-recapturing capital.¡¯

    ¡°Actually, this is not quite accurate; the actual starting point of an industry should be the market, which gives rise to the drive for production and thereby attracts capital investment¡­¡±

    What he was talking about is almost universally known in later generations, but at the present moment, it had only been a little over a decade since Adam Smith wrote ¡°The Wealth of Nations,¡± which had only introduced the most basic concepts of capital operation and was far from the refined and practical ideas of later generations.

    Joseph elaborated on these issues in detail before concluding:

    ¡°Therefore, for the industrial industry, the market is always the most important. As long as the market is large enough and the profits high enough, no matter how big the obstacles are, the corresponding industry will certainly develop.¡±

    Count Mirabeau furrowed his brow, ¡°Your Highness, but France does not have many mines that require pumping, nor automatic looms¡­ the market for steam engines seems very small.¡±

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°There are many markets that we need to dig out.

    ¡°For instance, currently, everyone is using water mills and olive presses. If these were replaced by steam engines, efficiency would be greatly improved.

    ¡°Although we don¡¯t have many mines, we do have a lot of agricultural fields that need irrigation. If every village owned one or two steam pumping machines, the cultivated land could increase by a substantial percentage. This could also reduce crop losses during drought seasons.

    ¡°And as I mentioned earlier, the stamping machine can be used in almost all metal manufacturing industries.¡±

    He paused, switching to a somber tone, ¡°Actually, our biggest lack in the market is purchasing power.¡±

    ¡°Purchasing power?¡± Mirabeau simply wrote it down, numb to the new terms by now.

    ¡°It means how much money people have to spend on products.¡±

    Mirabeau hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, the nobles still have a lot of money¡­¡±

    Joseph sighed somewhat helplessly, as the Count had straightforwardly filtered out the vast majority of the poor.

    ¡°That¡¯s far from enough. If everyone, I mean whether they are craftsmen or tenant farmers, had money to buy industrial products, that would be what the industry truly needs¡ªa market!¡±

    He thought to himself: To achieve all this, we would need a very difficult reform, because it will definitely touch on the interests of the old nobility.

    Mirabeau was stunned, slowly and firmly nodding after a long pause, ¡°You, you are absolutely right!¡±

    The two talked until five in the afternoon. Feeling he had roughly covered the basic industrial concepts, Joseph prepared to take his leave, ¡°However, industrial development must be put on hold for now. Currently, I must first focus on the matter of potatoes. Only if everyone is well-fed can we think about pursuing industry.¡±

    Count Mirabeau immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, are you talking about buying potatoes? I have a friend who operates in the grain business who has quite a few dealings in the northeastern provinces. I can ask him to help.

    ¡°I think, if I stand as a guarantor, he might be able to help you purchase on credit, and even deliver directly to the location you specify.¡±

    Joseph was overjoyed, ¡°That would be wonderful! I am very grateful to you, Earl Mirabeau.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing at all, Your Highness.¡± Count Mirabeau bowed slightly, ¡°I hope I can contribute to the great cause you have planned.¡±

    ¡­

    The following day at noon.

    In the luxurious villa of Parisian socialite Lady Ebel, a salon was taking place that, in reality, had been initiated by Count Mirabeau.

 Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Political Foundation

    Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Political Foundation

    The participants of the salon were mainly the emerging Capitalist Nobility, as well as a few enlightened members of the Old Nobility and entrepreneurs.

    Lady Ebel warmly instructed her servants to attend to the guests, but her eyes were constantly on Mirabeau, who was passionately giving a speech.

    This time the salon was essentially a conference for Mirabeau¡¯s speech¡ªhe was expounding on the industrial development ideas that Joseph had shared with him yesterday. He had spent the previous afternoon organizing them and had memorized them overnight, just to present them to everyone today.

    No one contested him for the right to speak, and someone would urge him to continue as soon as he paused even for a moment.

    Mirabeau, with his inherent calm, imposing, and compelling style of oratory, portrayed to those present the vast future of the French industry as depicted by Joseph.

    Around him, some listeners were so moved that they clenched their fists tightly.

    Others appeared contemplative, nodding their heads from time to time.

    Even more were staring intently at him, with excitement dancing in their eyes.

    It wasn¡¯t until twilight that Mirabeau¡¯s voice became somewhat hoarse, and people finally let him be and began to discuss in small groups:

    ¡°There will be many opportunities in Nancy in the future, I must go there to open a workshop.¡±

    ¡°What do you think, can the tax reduction mentioned by the Crown Prince be implemented?¡±

    ¡°As long as His Majesty the King signs the bill, we must use all our efforts to ensure the High Court passes it!¡±

    ¡°If all the points mentioned by His Highness can be realized, France will indeed welcome a new glorious chapter!¡±

    ¡°I heard the ¡®Eden Treaty¡¯ will be amended as well, this really is a great investment opportunity.¡±

    After drinking several glasses of wine, Mirabeau¡¯s throat finally felt a bit better, and he casually brought up the Crown Prince¡¯s intention to promote the cultivation of potatoes, which was short of funds.

    Immediately, a middle-aged nobleman stood up and said, ¡°Count Mirabeau, I can lend 100,000 livres to His Highness the Crown Prince without interest, please pass on my message to His Highness.¡±

    Once someone took the lead, there was a crowd of respondents:

    ¡°I happen to have some spare funds recently, and can lend out 200,000.¡±

    ¡°I am planning to invest in Nancy, so I can only lend 100,000 livres to His Highness.¡±

    ¡°I also can¡­¡±

    Although these individuals were quite wealthy, sums of ten to twenty thousand livres were not insignificant amounts for them.

    However, after listening to Mirabeau¡¯s speech, they all regarded the Crown Prince as the hope for the industrial sector of France, and even for policy adjustments, naturally offering him their full support. Besides, Mirabeau said that the Crown Prince was using Paris Angel Company as collateral, so there was no risk in lending the money.

    Before long, including Mirabeau, this group of affluent Capitalist Nobility had put together 1.8 million livres. A few others also indicated they had resources at their disposal to help with the procurement or transportation of potatoes.

    After this small interlude, everyone began to enthusiastically discuss topics like industrial development zones or industry chains, until they parted late into the night, still not ready to leave.

    Joseph had no idea that, with this salon as a landmark, his future political foundation was beginning to take shape.

    ¡­

    Paris Police Academy.

    The training ground, shrouded in dust, had two people standing on a viewing platform, taller than most men, on its eastern side. One of them wore the blue uniform of the Paris Police, while the other was in white military attire; however, from the insignias on their collars, they both held the rank of Major.

    The man in white military uniform appeared to be in his thirties, with a high bridged nose and a touch of melancholy in his light blue eyes.

    He watched the police academy cadets training in shuttle runs through the dust and asked the officer beside him with some perplexity, ¡°Francois, what¡¯s the point of them running back and forth like this?¡±

    The one addressed was Dibowa, who, after distinguishing himself in the Netherlands battle, had been poached by Joseph directly from the award ceremony to the police academy.

    Dibowa laughed and said, ¡°Alexander, this is called a shuttle run, a standard training exercise in the police academy curriculum, which can improve the soldiers¡­ ahem, the police officers¡¯ physical strength and reaction capabilities.¡±

    Alexander voiced his skepticism, ¡°Is this effective? Shouldn¡¯t they focus more on drilling formation?¡±

    ¡°Formation drills are just the basics. Shuttle runs can significantly improve the police officers¡¯ speed in charging and turning.¡± Dibowa pointed to the other end of the training ground, ¡°Oh, look over there. That¡¯s called pull-ups; every officer has to do dozens of those daily to increase arm strength. You know, on the battlefield, they often need to hold a gun for hours, and this exercise keeps their shooting steady.

    ¡°And that one¡­¡±

    As he was speaking, a troop of police officers ran into the training ground entrance shouting slogans, kicking up even more dust.

    Dibowa immediately showed a proud expression and gestured towards the group of officers, ¡°Aha, do you know? Those officers just went through the most ¡®brutal¡¯ training exercise¡ªfour kilometer cross-country run while armed.¡±

    Alexander exclaimed, ¡°You mean they just ran four kilometers?!¡±

    Dibowa nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, and they had to complete it within 15 minutes.¡±

    Alexander¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Four kilometers is equivalent to one farthing! Even the most elite soldiers couldn¡¯t possibly run such a distance within 15 minutes!

    However, Dibowa continued to ¡°stimulate¡± him, ¡°Each one carries only an 18-pound load.¡±

    He expressed dissatisfaction, ¡°The Crown Prince expects at least 25 pounds, but these guys, alas, still haven¡¯t reached that level; they need more intensive training.¡±

    Alexander tried to appear composed, ¡°Are you saying these drills were requested by the Crown Prince?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, as I mentioned in my letter to you. The Prince has devised many novel military theories, and the same goes for training. Honestly, I also didn¡¯t understand why we had to train like this initially.¡±

    Dibowa showed a triumphant look again, ¡°But soon, I understood; the officers trained according to the Prince¡¯s requirements improved significantly in both formation and stability.¡±

    In this era, soldiers placed a great emphasis on formation drills but mostly skimped on physical fitness training.

    Yet, in reality, only those with robust physical strength can easily execute various formations and transitions. After military theory developed into the modern era, no army dared to neglect physical fitness training.

    Jospeh naturally instilled the correct concepts directly into his troops.

    Alexander watched the officers in blue uniforms pick up wooden rifles and begin to drill into line formations on the training ground and couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°Francois, aren¡¯t they police officers? Why are they practising this? Do they have to face Parisian gangs with infantry lines?¡±

    A peculiar smile spread across Dibowa¡¯s face, ¡°Ahem, in fact, only the cadets with the worst grades are assigned to be policemen.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And the others?¡±

    Dibowa quickly changed the subject and muddled through. There was a rule at the police academy: the information that elite cadets were trained according to military standards was not to be disclosed to anyone.

 Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 114: Getting it without any effort

    Chapter 115: Chapter 114: Getting it without any effort

    As they were talking, a leisurely rhythm of drumbeats emerged from the north side of the parade ground.

    The instructor in charge of training immediately called a halt and began to gather the troops. A team of police officers closest to the parade ground¡¯s main gate were already lining up and running towards a grey building not far away.

    Dibowa patted Alexander on the shoulder and gestured towards the grey building, ¡°It¡¯s time for lunch. Oh, what day is it today?¡±

    ¡°Wednesday.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, it¡¯s Wednesday. You¡¯re in luck; today there¡¯s beef stew and butter pea soup.¡±

    In the spacious dining hall, Alexander, looking at the hundreds of cadets waiting for their meal, asked in a low voice, ¡°Francois, aren¡¯t we going to the officers¡¯ mess hall?¡±

    Dibowa said as if it were obvious, ¡°This is the officers¡¯ mess hall, and of course, also the cadets¡¯ dining hall.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Alexander instinctively remembered the black bread and cured meat usually eaten by soldiers in the army he had served, ¡°Are we really eating here?¡±

    Dibowa knew why his old friend was asking such a question.

    In the French army, officers and soldiers belonged to two different classes, and it was similar in the police force. Soldiers or police officers were like commoners, while officers and police chiefs were nobility. Their living conditions were vastly different; they never ate together, let alone the same food.

    He nodded and explained, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how we do it here. Officers and police officers mix together; I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡±

    Before he had finished speaking, a police officer with a tray came over, bowed to him and Dibowa, and then placed two servings of food in front of them.

    Alexander was instantly taken aback¡ªit was beef stew and butter pea soup, along with white bread and half a boiled egg.

    He quickly turned to look at the other academy tables; they had the same food!

    He said to Dibowa in surprise, ¡°The cadets here eat this well?!¡±

    Dibowa handed him utensils and shook his head, ¡°Only on Wednesdays can you have beef stew, and on Fridays, you get lamb or turkey. Other times, it¡¯s just pork or fish.¡±

    Alexander¡¯s eyes widened, somewhat unable to accept this. In the army he served, soldiers¡¯ rations included bread, wine, and a small piece of cured meat. But the plate of stew in front of the police officers here was equivalent to the meat ration of those soldiers for three days.

    And this was freshly stewed, steaming hot with an aromatic smell, incomparable to cured meat.

    No wonder those police officers could carry an 18-pound load and run a mile in 15 minutes. This was built on excellent food!

    He turned to Dibowa again, ¡°How much does this cost?¡±

    ¡°Between five and seven sous per person per day. The Crown Prince said that food is one thing we can¡¯t skimp on.¡±

    ¡°That much!¡± Alexander found it hard to believe. Were these policemen? His soldiers only got three sous a day¡­

    He suddenly realized something, ¡°Francois, why do you always mention the Crown Prince?¡±

    ¡°Because this police academy was established by His Royal Highness.¡± Dibowa said while chewing beef, ¡°The funding is directly allocated by His Highness. He also set the training curriculum. Oh, and the Crown Prince often comes to attend classes or to participate in training.¡±

    As he spoke, a loud voice at the entrance commanded, ¡°All rise!¡±

    Everyone in the dining hall immediately stood up with a ¡°whoosh,¡± followed by a jovial voice of a young man, ¡°Please, everyone, take your seats, don¡¯t let me interrupt your meal.¡±

    Alexander looked around and saw a young man in a Paris Police uniform entering the dining hall, accompanied by several high-level officers of the police academy.

    Dibowa whispered, ¡°I told you, His Highness often comes.¡±

    ¡°Is that the Crown Prince?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he usually comes on Mondays and Thursdays, but sometimes he drops by to check on things.¡±

    Only when Joseph had taken a seat at a table did the other officers also sit down together.

    Soon, several police officers proudly placed stewed beef and other dishes on the table for Joseph and the Director of Education. It was an immense honor to serve a meal to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, achievable only after excelling in exercises twice in a row.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Joseph nodded his thanks to the officers, his gaze suddenly catching a strange face next to Dibowa.

    ¡°Major Dibowa, who is this?¡±

    Dibowa and another hurried over, lifting their hats to salute.

    Dibowa gestured to the person beside him, ¡°Your Highness, this is Major Bertier, whom you had once inquired about.¡±

    Alexander Bertier appeared very reserved, immediately saluting again, ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, he had only decided on a whim to attend a logistics class that day, and didn¡¯t expect such an unexpected gain.

    Mr. Chief of Staff, finally seeing you in person, this time I must keep you here at all costs!

    He smiled and nodded to Bertier, ¡°Please sit down. I have long heard of your excellent performance in the Yorktown campaign. Without your meticulous planning, the British might have held out much longer.¡±

    Bertier sat upright, ¡°It was indeed a tough fight, Your Highness. Fortunately, we eventually won victory and glory.¡±

    Joseph then started to talk with Bertier about the Yorktown campaign.

    ¡°Oh? Was it Major Dibowa who invited you to visit the Paris Police Academy?¡±

    While speaking, Joseph gave Dibowa an approving glance without revealing too much.

    ¡°Oh, yes, Your Highness,¡± Bertier still seemed a bit nervous, bumblingly saying, ¡°Actually, I have a cousin in Paris who is getting married, so I rushed over. Coincidentally, Francois mentioned in his letter that he is working at the Paris Police Academy and said that it is quite special here¡­¡±

    Joseph waited for him to finish, then casually asked, ¡°By the way, Major Bertier, you are currently stationed in Soissons, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Dibowa leaned in, whispering, ¡°Your Highness, Francois has been serving in the engineer camp. In fact, he came to Paris this time to look for a way to be transferred back. However, I fear he might not yet have ¡®sufficient conditions¡¯.¡±

    Joseph knew the ¡°conditions¡± he referred to meant the cost of pulling strings, and was surprised the Chief of Staff was faring so poorly within the old army system.

    However, for himself, it was as if he had stumbled upon a treasure without any effort.

    He thought with joy, wanting to return to Paris is great, I just need people here.

    He smiled at Bertier, ¡°Perhaps I could recommend you to Marquis Saint Priest, to serve in the Imperial Guard or the France Guard.¡±

    Bertier had not expected the Crown Prince to extend such significant help and immediately stood up, excited, ¡°Your Highness, I really don¡¯t know how to express my gratitude to you!¡±

    ¡­

    Besanval pulled at his collar; the winter wind was so biting that he could hardly keep his eyes open, ¡°This damned weather.¡±

    He shook the reins, turned his head, and asked the officer beside him, ¡°How much further?¡±

    ¡°General, less than 3 miles.¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    As the officer conveyed the command, the beat of the drum immediately quickened and hundreds of soldiers from the France Guard hurriedly quickened their step as well.

    Besanval muttered under his breath, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t those noble ladies wait for it to get warmer before coming¡­¡±

 Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 115: A Whole New Tactic

    Chapter 116: Chapter 115: A Whole New Tactic

    Due to the visit of Her Highness the Princess of the Two Sicilies to Paris, the French Guards, as part of the Paris Garrison, naturally assumed the responsibility of escorting her along the way.

    And General Besanval, the commander of the French Guards, became the busiest person.

    He had to ensure that all officers and soldiers remembered every step of the reception, along-the-way vigilance, and escort process before the princess¡¯s arrival.

    Such affairs could not afford any mistakes. Therefore, he had to personally oversee the troops, repeatedly practice the entire reception and escort process along the princess¡¯s predicted route, and only then could he feel reassured.

    Thinking of the upcoming visit from the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, he felt a headache coming on.

    The French Guards marched in three columns along the small roads of the outskirts of Paris, moving briskly. Just as they were about to reach the predetermined reception point, a sudden thunderous explosion came from the southwest, and the advancing columns came to a halt like startled rabbits.

    General Besanval furrowed his brows; he could tell that it was the sound of a cannon.

    How could there be cannons in this godforsaken place?

    As if in response to his query, another boom resonated from afar.

    The soldiers of the French Guards had already taken their flintlock guns and were looking around, preparing for possible attackers.

    General Besanval made a gesture to an officer next to him. The latter immediately sent out two Cavalry Scouts toward the direction of the cannon fire to reconnoiter.

    After more than ten minutes, the scouts returned, halting their horses and shouting:

    ¡°Report, it¡¯s the Paris Police Academy conducting artillery training!¡±

    ¡°The Paris Police Academy? Artillery training!¡± It took General Besanval a good while to connect the two, puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Paris Police Academy in the Saint Antoine District?¡±

    ¡°General, they say this is their training field.¡±

    General Besanval squinted his eyes. As the commander of the Paris defensive forces, he was unaware that there was a training field with cannons in the Southern Suburbs of Paris!

    Actually, he couldn¡¯t be blamed for this; with the level of information in this era, sometimes two large armies could brush past each other ten kilometers apart without any detection unless one made a deliberate reconnaissance effort.

    Since enemy forces could not possibly appear around Paris, the French Guards naturally wouldn¡¯t scout around aimlessly.

    Thus, the training base of the Police Academy had been in use for a month and a half, and they had not discovered it until now, as they happened to pass by this location while familiarizing themselves with the princess¡¯s route.

    After thinking for a moment, General Besanval instructed the officer next to him, ¡°Orders to rest in place. We¡¯ll go have a look.¡±

    ¡­

    Inside the training base of the Paris Police Academy.

    Major Bertier watched in shock as nearly two hundred police officers, following the beat of the drum, efficiently formed infantry lines, and also heard a messenger shouting, ¡°Maintain the formation!¡± as he galloped past the front of the troops.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115923¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115923/a1fad5d8aaa5445f47f4887feec0e29ecrahWGrkI79dlL5.jpg¡±>

    To the left of the troops were conspicuously two four-pound cannons.

    And opposite them were another hundred or so police officers, their arms tied with white cloth bands.

    The ¡°Blue Team¡± seemed to lack training, as only two-thirds were formed into two thin lines, while the remaining third was sparsely scattered in front of the lines, constantly advancing towards the opposite defense line.

    Going by his military instinct, Major Bertier shook his head and said to Dibowa, ¡°If the white side doesn¡¯t form up soon, they¡¯ll probably be overwhelmed.¡±

    The latter, however, smiled and shook his head, ¡°Alexander, their formation has no problems at all.¡±

    ¡°Formation?¡± Major Bertier frowned. What formation did the ¡°Blue Team¡± have? This was clearly a case of officers unable to restrain their soldiers¡­

    Suddenly, he felt something was not right.

    Although the ¡°Blue Team¡± looked messy, those scattered police officers in front of the infantry line always maintained the same pace, as if they were forming a barrier in front of the infantry line.

    Immediately, the ¡°Blue Team¡¯s¡± cannon roared. Of course, it was just an exercise, with no projectiles loaded.

    The instructors responsible for casualty assessment quickly made their judgments, with one of them giving two numbers to an assistant. The latter then immediately signaled to the training ground with flags, indicating that the shell passed through the scattered formation of the ¡°White Team,¡± causing only 2 deaths and 4 injuries.

    ¡°They¡¯re courting death. I think they need more training,¡± Bertier couldn¡¯t help shaking his head.

    ¡°Please watch patiently,¡± Dibowa calmly reminded.

    After the ¡°Blue Team¡¯s¡± cannon fired another two times, the ¡°White Team¡± changed their approach.

    The beat of the drum suddenly quickened, and the disarrayed police officers in the front erupted in a roar:

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    ¡°Break through the enemy lines!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, go for it!¡±

    The disorganized formation began to run, and the ¡°Blue Team¡± immediately greeted them with volley fire from their flintlock guns.

    However, because the ¡°White Team¡± was too scattered, the shooting only inflicted limited damage. Over three-quarters of the ¡°White Team¡± police officers charged to within thirty meters of the ¡°Blue Team¡¯s¡± infantry line.

    ¡°Stop advancing!¡± With the order from the ¡°White Team¡¯s¡± officer, dozens of police officers halted simultaneously and raised their flintlock guns.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    A puff of smoke rose from the scattered formation. The close-range volley instantly claimed seven or eight men from the ¡°Blue Team.¡±

    As the ¡°White Team¡± began to reload their ammunition on the spot, the ¡°Blue Team¡± fired another volley in retaliation. The ¡°White Team,¡± having just charged forward, was immediately assessed with 3 deaths and 6 injuries.

    While the ¡°Blue Team¡¯s¡± infantry line was entangled with these disorderly opponents, the ¡°White Team¡¯s¡± infantry line had quietly arrived less than 50 meters behind them.

    The scattered ¡°White Team¡± police officers suddenly retreated, quickly ¡°merging¡± into their own lines.

    Immediately after, the ¡°White Team¡± line of police officers raised their guns, while the opposite ¡°Blue Team¡± was in disarray due to the prior exchange of fire.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    A well-ordered volley from the ¡°White Team¡± caused even more chaos in the ¡°Blue Team¡¯s¡± ranks.

    In a line infantry exchange of fire, whoever maintained a tighter formation and unified firing rhythm gained the upper hand.

    The ¡°Blue Team¡± subsequently began to suffer more gaps in their ranks under continuous fire from the opposition and were ultimately judged as defeated by the overseeing instructors when their casualties reached one-third.

    Bertier turned his head to stare at Dibowa, his face full of disbelief¡ªhow did the disorderly ¡°White Team¡± manage to win? Their numbers were even slightly less than the enemy!

    From his first day at the military academy, he had been taught, ¡°The infantry line must be kept orderly. If disarray occurs, it¡¯s better to stop firing and reform than to continue.¡±

    He was certain that the exercise just now was conducted properly, without any trace of favoritism, but why did the side with the disorganized formation win?

    Dibowa resolved his confusion, ¡°This is called the ¡®scattered infantry assault tactic.¡¯ It was invented by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°Scattered infantry? That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Bertier¡¯s face was full of questions. The Austrians did indeed use skirmishers, which was to facilitate mountain warfare, but he had never heard that this could overpower the enemy¡¯s well-organized infantry lines.

    Sitting in the front watching the exercise, Joseph felt somewhat ashamed, saying to himself that this was a tactic created by Napoleon, and all he did was copy and paste it.

    However, he still turned around, displaying a sly smile reminiscent of a little fox, ¡°Major Bertier, if you would like to understand more about this tactic, you¡¯re welcome to often visit the Paris Police Academy. Oh, there are also many other new tactics here that you might find interesting.¡±

    ¡­

    Besanval had barely caught sight of the walls of the Paris Police Academy training base when he was stopped by several individuals in police uniforms, ¡°Police Academy training, keep away!¡±

    An officer spurred his horse forward, proudly stating, ¡°This gentleman is the commander of the France Guard, General Besanval. Who is in charge here? Let him come over.¡±

 Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Terrifying Administrative Efficiency

    Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Terrifying Administrative Efficiency

    In the training field of the Paris Police Academy, a police officer hurried over and reported the situation outside to Joseph and the others.

    ¡°Baron Besanval?¡± When Joseph heard this name, he couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.

    Wasn¡¯t this the commander of the French Guard?

    Back when the Parisians attacked the Bastille, not only did this man fail to stop them, but he also moved all his troops to the Mars Field on the outskirts.

    If he had only watched on, it would have been one thing, but he actually dispatched a team of artillery to assist in bombarding the Bastille. And his troops often resupplied at the Royal Palace, so it was basically confirmed that he was part of the Orleans faction. For Louis XVI to entrust Paris to such a man¡ªit would be a miracle if he could maintain control.

    This was someone Joseph definitely planned to replace, but at the moment, he needed to stabilize the military nobility group, so he had yet to make a move.

    However, now that the man had come to him, there was no need to show him any courtesy.

    ¡­

    After a short while, Frient emerged from the training field and tipped his hat in greeting:

    ¡°You must be General Besanval, yes? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.

    ¡°My name is Frient, the Chief Academic Officer of the Paris Police Academy. May I know how I can be of service to you?¡±

    Baron Besanval sat upright on his horse, nodded slightly, and pointed towards the training field with his riding crop, ¡°Why do I hear the sound of cannons here?¡±

    ¡°Cannon fire?¡± Frient, following the Paris Police Academy¡¯s ¡°Confidentiality Plan,¡± replied with a smile, ¡°Ah, we¡¯re holding a ceremony to mark the completion of an assessment, and we need to fire cannons in celebration.¡±

    Baron Besanval was taken aback and said irritably, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, why are there cannons in the training field of the Police Academy!¡±

    ¡°Your excellency, General, there¡¯s no law that forbids the Police Academy from having cannons, is there?¡±

    Baron Besanval was taken aback again; it seemed there really wasn¡¯t¡ªbefore the existence of police academies, where would there be any related laws?

    He frowned and asked, ¡°Why did you buy cannons?¡±

    Frient stood his ground and asserted, ¡°Of course, it is to maintain urban security.¡±

    ¡°You need cannons to maintain order?!¡±

    Frient nodded, ¡°General Besanval, do you remember the street barricades the rioters piled up at the street corners during the ¡®Flour War¡¯ a few years ago? At that time, even the forces sent to quell the disturbance couldn¡¯t cross those barriers.

    ¡°We believe that if similar events occur in Paris, we can only rely on cannons to restore order.¡±

    ¡°If a real riot were to break out, it wouldn¡¯t be up to you policemen to resolve it,¡± Besanval said dismissively as he looked at him sideways and scoffed, ¡°Speaking of which, when the mob besieged the High Court for so long last month, I didn¡¯t see any police daring to suppress it.¡±

    Frient replied with a look of shock, ¡°Your excellency, General, those protesting citizens were demanding severe punishment for the wicked Vergniaud. Surely you don¡¯t think they ought to be suppressed?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Baron Besanval was choked with anger. The current public opinion had already equated Vergniaud with evil. Anyone who dared to make the slightest mistake on this issue was waiting to be blasted by the Parisians.

    He glared at Frient fiercely and haughtily said, ¡°Please step aside. An important personage will visit soon, and I must ensure the security of this area. Now, I need to conduct an inspection.¡±

    Frient didn¡¯t budge an inch and smiled thinly, ¡°I am afraid that won¡¯t be possible, General, unless you have an order from His Majesty the King or from Police Headquarters.¡±

    Baron Besanval had never taken the police seriously, and he turned his head and gave his guard a look.

    Several guards immediately stepped forward to take Frient away, but then the sound of footsteps came from the direction of the training field, and more than thirty police officers ran out in formation.

    The police officer leading the team issued a series of commands. The thirty-some people quickly spread out, forming two horizontal rows and aimed their guns at Besanval.

    The latter¡¯s face rigidified at once. He believed even the Director of Police Services would have to be respectful upon seeing him, and he had not expected an official from the Paris Police Academy to dare point a gun at him.

    ¡°You! You will regret your actions today!¡± Besanval snorted coldly, yanked the horse¡¯s reins, and left dejectedly with his men.

    Joseph didn¡¯t pay too much attention to this little episode; after all, the Police Academy was nominally under the municipality¡¯s jurisdiction, and Besanval would not dare do anything to it.

    ¡­

    In the northeast of France, Lorraine Province.

    Marquis Latour, the Governor, glanced over the document in his hand and asked his assistant with a frown, ¡°Charlie, isn¡¯t this the order I issued to Morris the day before yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my lord, it is here.¡± The assistant hurriedly pointed to a line of fine print, ¡°Viscount Leneveu thought there might be a conflict with the recruitment decree from the year before last, so he specifically sought your confirmation.¡±

    Latour frowned again, ¡°So, is there a conflict or not?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I believe there should be none¡­¡±

    Latour nodded, signed the document, and was about to hand it back to his assistant when an officer hurried into the office, bowed, and said, ¡°My lord Marquis, a document has just arrived from the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be a request for you to immediately dispatch someone to tally the potatoes in preparation for shipping.¡±

    Latour took the document and skimmed through it, expressing surprise, ¡°Where did these potatoes come from? Morris just sent back the document about purchasing potatoes to me.¡±

    The officer replied, ¡°My lord, it appears to be Viscount Valrand who had people acquire them. Oh, his people arrived at noon, and they are now waiting outside.¡±

    Latour instructed to let in Valrand¡¯s subordinate and after understanding the situation, he learned that Valrand, entrusted by someone, had begun acquiring potatoes five days ago throughout the territories; now over a million pounds had been amassed, all clogging up the docks waiting to be tallied and loaded onto ships.

    Latour hurriedly had a document drafted, reviewed it, signed, and distributed it to the corresponding Governor¡¯s deputies.

    Then he had another document drafted, reporting to the Palace of Versailles about the previous work that was terminated due to order changes and the assistance of merchants.

    Valrand¡¯s subordinate, following his master¡¯s instructions, used money to expedite the document transfer through the clerk and followed him all the way to the Governor¡¯s deputy¡­

    According to France¡¯s administrative process at the time, the primary responsibility of the Governor was merely to mediate and issue documents, relaying instructions from the Palace of Versailles to the various Governor¡¯s deputies.

    The Governor¡¯s deputies had to confirm the documents, and if there were issues, they would have to be sent back for resigning. If there were no issues, it was up to them to identify the local official responsible for the matter, who would then request funding and hire people to carry out the task.

    Of course, if there were concerns with the file at the lower levels, it would be sent back up for confirmation¡­

    By Lorraine Province¡¯s administrative efficiency, they had just barely reached the halfway point of the first step, and it would probably take another four or five days before the potato acquisition work could begin. Meanwhile, the merchant friends Mirabeau had found had already amassed over a million pounds of potatoes, with even more in transport by land.

    The fleet of vehicles and ships used for the transportation were also sourced by Mirabeau¡¯s friends; otherwise, his Excellency the Governor would still be slowly gathering the necessary transport.

    However, just dispatching officials to tally the quantity of potatoes took a full three days¡ªan aspect of the process merchants absolutely could not undertake. Without an official¡¯s signed confirmation, they could not receive the funds for buying the potatoes.

    An additional day elapsed by the time they finished tallying and loading the over one million pounds of potatoes onto the ships.

    At this point, only about twenty days remained until France¡¯s usual time for spring planting, and it was almost certain that the southernmost provinces would definitely miss planting potatoes.

    The first group of ships, filled with potatoes, set sail along the Orne River towards the more distant Bordeaux.

 Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 117 The Old Nobility with Undying Thieving Hearts

    Chapter 118: Chapter 117 The Old Nobility with Undying Thieving Hearts

    As the ships loaded with potatoes from Metz, Lorraine, and other areas began to sail south, in the office of the director of the Paris Industrial Planning Bureau, Joseph was flipping through a thick stack of reports.

    A fifty-something official with many smallpox scars on his face and wearing glasses stood solemnly to the side.

    He was the Commissioner of Agricultural and Financial Affairs, reporting to the office of the Finance Minister, and these were the documents he had just delivered.

    The content of the documents was the recently compiled number of manor owners and farmers in each province who were willing to grow potatoes, as well as the data on the planned planting area they had proposed.

    Since Finance Minister Brian was currently in Caen conducting trade negotiations with the British, these documents were sent to his deputy, Joseph. In fact, this kind of matter was usually the responsibility of the Minister of the Interior, but Brian and Joseph had previously agreed that the promotion of potatoes was so important it was best not to let Mono, that old slick, get overly involved.

    Joseph had not even reached the halfway point of the documents when his brow began to furrow more and more.

    Though he had initiated an intense public relations campaign across the country to promote potatoes, spending forty to fifty thousand livres on printing propaganda pamphlets alone, the Church had also been somewhat cooperative. Local churches had begun to distribute the new version of ¡°The Last Supper,¡± proclaiming to their parishioners that potatoes were not ¡°the Devil¡¯s apples¡± from underground but rather ¡°a gift from the Lord.¡±

    However, judging by the planting intentions around the provinces, the prospects for the propagation did not look optimistic.

    Apart from the areas around Lille and Valenciennes in the north of France, as well as the provinces near the Rhine River where the acceptance of potatoes was relatively high, the rest of the places willing to switch to potato cultivation amounted to less than 2% of the total arable land area¡­

    As Joseph continued to review the subsequent documents, he found that the further south he looked, the more intense the resistance to potatoes became. Near the areas close to Spain, like Foix and Bayonne, almost no one wanted to plant potatoes.

    This was far from what he had anticipated. With only 2% of the planting area, it would hardly serve any purpose in preventing droughts and hail disasters.

    He suddenly noticed a new problem in the documents, hastily reviewed the types of people accepting to change to potato cultivation, and then looked up to ask the Agricultural Finance Commissioner standing beside him, ¡°Viscount Nassien, why are there so few large estates willing to grow potatoes?¡±

    The majority who accepted the change to potato cultivation were subsistence farmers, with only a small portion being tribute farmers. Nationwide, less than twenty estates had declared that they would allocate some cropland for potato cultivation. The owners of these estates included people like Duke Vilar, Count Mono, and others.

    Nassien hesitated for a moment before bowing slightly and saying, ¡°Your Highness, from what I¡¯ve heard, those manor owners are all discussing the matter. They demand a reduction in land tax before they would consider planting potatoes.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed; the so-called manor owners were none other than the land aristocracy.

    He had thought the matter of the tax legislation had already ended, yet these old nobles were still holding out hope and looking to leverage government policies to bargain over land tax by boycotting government affairs.

    The land tax definitely could not be reduced. Once that door was opened, not only would the nobility take much more from an inch in the future, extorting the government for tax cuts over various matters, it would also be a severe weakening of the Royal Family¡¯s authority.

    Nassien added, ¡°Moreover, Your Highness, potatoes can be eaten directly without needing to be ground into flour, so if potatoes are cultivated, it would also affect the revenue of mills. Therefore¡­¡±

    Joseph simply nodded in silence.

    According to the current laws of France, ordinary tenant farmers must take their grains to mills to be ground into flour and pay a certain ¡°mill tax.¡± The owners of these mills are also the same old nobility. The mill tax is significant income for them.

    Considering all these factors, it¡¯s no surprise that they would resist potatoes so vehemently.

    The frown on Joseph¡¯s forehead grew even deeper as he realized his potato plan had encountered so many obstacles before even taking its first step.

    These old nobles, who held vast amounts of land and tenant farmers, only knew how to brutally exploit these tenants relying on feudal privileges and posed the largest obstacle to industrialization. Simultaneously, they constantly hindered the government¡¯s policies at every turn, interfering with the nation¡¯s development, a veritable scourge indeed!

    In order to thoroughly resolve France¡¯s various issues and successfully develop industry, the old nobility, this group of bloodsuckers, must be dealt with.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. It was still too early to think about these things; one has to eat one bite at a time. The most pressing issue at hand was how to deal with the famine and keep the nation from descending into chaos.

    And relying solely on purchased grain was far from enough to solve the problem. It was imperative to spread the cultivation of potatoes throughout the country.

    But how could one break through the barrier of the old nobility¡­

    Nassien cautiously reminded from the side, ¡°Your Highness, the first batch of potatoes heading to Bordeaux has already set off. Considering the current willingness to plant, would it be better to reduce the following batches a bit?¡±

    Upon hearing the word ¡°Bordeaux,¡± a thought suddenly struck Joseph.

    When speaking of what people in the Bordeaux region value most, without a doubt, it¡¯s winemaking. This is not only the pillar industry of Bordeaux but also one of France¡¯s important export goods, bringing in huge income every year.

    And at the moment, Pasteurization had not been invented, winemaking suffered annual losses due to lactobacillus contamination, amounting to a quarter or even more of the wine. Even the successfully fermented wines often had a faint sour taste, seriously reducing the quality of the wine.

    If he could come up with a solution to prevent the wine from turning sour, all Bordeaux vineyards would go crazy for it. At that time, if he proposed some conditions, like planting some potatoes, he believed they would hardly refuse.

    Spring planting was imminent, and there was no time to delay. With that thought in mind, Joseph immediately stood up and said to Eman, ¡°Please help me prepare to leave for Bordeaux posthaste.¡±

    ¡°Bordeaux?¡± Eman paused for a moment, then bowed and responded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph then turned to Nassien, ¡°Send a message to the northeastern provinces to continue sending potatoes to the south. There¡¯s no need to cut back.¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115911¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115911/a3779f31be779db8c4707556d9e595a6x41QWg7xQ70yzJx.jpg¡±>

    While Eman was preparing for the trip, Joseph also visited the Palace of Versailles to see the newly appointed Justice Minister, Baron Breti, and asked him to recommend Bertier to the Minister of War.

    The reason he used Baron Breti as an intermediary was to avoid drawing attention to any connections between Bertier and the Royal Family, thus preventing Bertier from being ostracized by the military nobility.

    ¡­

    The next morning, a convoy of seven or eight carriages, escorted by more than sixty cavalry guards led by Kesode, set off from Paris and headed south through France.

    On the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage, Doctor Perna was taking notes seriously, interjecting with questions from time to time.

    Joseph, seated opposite her, was explaining the working principles of red blood cells¡ªalthough he only knew a bit from science popularization videos, in the late 18th century, this constituted the cutting-edge of medical knowledge.

    Indeed, when Doctor Perna learned that the Crown Prince was heading to Bordeaux, she immediately stated that the current cold weather was very detrimental to lung diseases and required constant checks. Thus, she volunteered to accompany the Crown Prince on his journey south.

    Joseph felt a little guilty for disrupting her classes on blood circulation, so he casually shared some knowledge about it with her.

    However, this made things difficult for Doctor Lamark¡ªupon returning, his daughter would certainly tell him with a stern face, ¡°Much of what you taught about blood circulation is wrong!¡±

 Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 118: The Real France

    Chapter 119: Chapter 118: The Real France

    ¡°`

    ¡°Your Highness, are you saying that blood is used to transport nutrients and oxygen?¡± Perna¡¯s large green eyes glittered, her pretty face full of earnestness, ¡°So, if we let blood from a patient, wouldn¡¯t that make them even weaker?¡±

    Joseph clapped his hands gently, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve uncovered the truth.¡±

    ¡°Then why do we perform bloodletting as a treatment?¡±

    ¡°That is a mistake.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you have always refused bloodletting treatments. Could all the doctors be wrong?¡± Perna nodded thoughtfully and then, suddenly looking at Joseph, hesitated a bit before saying, ¡°Your Highness, what if¡­ what if your conclusion is incorrect?¡±

    ¡°To study science is to have a spirit of doubt, to not blindly follow any authority.¡± Joseph first nodded in approval of the female doctor, then continued, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite simple to find out if something is right or wrong, we just need to do a double-blind experiment.¡±

    ¡°Double-blind experiment? What is that?¡±

    Joseph explained, ¡°In simple terms, it involves finding some patients with the same condition and similar physical constitutions, dividing them into two groups, and ensuring they cannot see each other.¡±

    ¡°Then one group receives bloodletting treatment, and the other does not. We see which group recovers first to determine whether bloodletting is effective.¡±

    Perna jotted this down in her notebook, nodding in amazement, ¡°This indeed seems like a very feasible method to test. Oh, Mother Mary, how has no one thought of doing this over the past several hundred years! What if bloodletting therapy actually has only adverse effects¡­¡±

    Her eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°Your Highness, perhaps we could also use this¡­ oh, double-blind experiment, to assess whether a certain medication is effective, or whether some factors might affect the illness.¡±

    Joseph gave her a look of approval for her quick understanding, ¡°You are quite right, these can indeed be verified through double-blind experiments.¡±

    Perna¡¯s hand trembled with excitement as she held her pen, her eyes filled with light as she gazed at Joseph, ¡°You, you are truly amazing! How did you come up with these ideas?¡±

    She glanced at her notebook again, ¡°Your Highness, may I tell my father about this method?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you may.¡±

    As they were talking, the sound of ¡°pitter-patter¡± came from the roof of the carriage, clearly indicating that it had begun to pour outside.

    Soon, the carriage came to a slow stop. Kesode, the captain of the guard, announced from outside the window, ¡°Your Highness, the road ahead has been flooded by the rain; it¡¯s probably not suitable to continue.¡±

    Joseph, somewhat helpless, ordered to find a place nearby to take shelter from the rain.

    This was his first time leaving Paris, and he had thought that even if other areas were somewhat inferior to Paris, they wouldn¡¯t be far off. Yet to his surprise, not even a hundred miles out of the ?le-de-France region, everywhere looked impoverished and neglected.

    Take the road they were currently on, for instance; it was obviously constructed with work skimped and materials scrimped, resulting in a loose and crumbly surface. In places where the ground was slightly lower, the rainwater had pooled, and it quickly became impassable.

    Particularly for a carriage, if one were to insist on passing through, it would most likely get stuck in the mud and become immovable.

    This time, in order to speed up the journey, he had specifically instructed to avoid local officials from coming to meet and see him off, but here he was, stopped by the heavy rain.

    After a while, a scout from the cavalry reported back, saying there was a small village to the east. Kesode hurriedly directed the convoy to turn that way to take shelter from the rain.

    After Joseph¡¯s carriage got stuck in the mud five or six times, they finally arrived at a group of decrepit cottages with thatched roofs.

    Kesode picked the largest one, knocked on the door, and gave the owner eight livres. Immediately, the owner was overjoyed and could not stop thanking him.

    Upon entering the house, Joseph was hit by a musty smell. The place was not spacious, with newspapers pasted on the walls and furniture comprising only a wooden cabinet and a wobbly wood table. Still, it was enough to serve as a shelter from the wind and rain.

    Because the lodging fee Kesode had given was excessive, the farmer¡¯s wife felt she needed to provide exceptionally good hospitality. She took out the best food they had, borrowed quite a bit from neighbors, and finally prepared a ¡°lavish¡± meal, bringing it out carefully from the back room.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need, we brought our own food¡­¡±

    Kesode stepped forward to stop the farmer¡¯s wife, and Joseph then saw the tense and disappointed expression on her face. Not wanting to dismiss her kindness, he ordered the captain of the guard to let her bring the food over.

    Eman tested the white bread, pickled meat, roast chicken, and vegetable soup on the table meticulously and only then nodded to the Crown Prince that it was safe to eat.

    Joseph ate a few bites, finding the taste quite bland but not to the point of being inedible.

    Kesode and Eman both ate some as well, and Perna, the least picky about food, nearly finished her portion and even complimented the hostess¡¯s cooking skills in the back room.

    Sitting idly and quite bored, Joseph struck up a conversation with the male homeowner, ¡°Do you know about the government encouraging potato cultivation?¡±

    The farmer bowed stiffly and nodded, ¡°Yes, my lord. Father Marmont talked about it, saying that it was a gift from the Lord.¡±

    ¡°So, are you planning to plant some?¡±

    The farmer shook his head.

    ¡°Why not plant them? After the harvest, you only need to pay back two-thirds, which is quite beneficial.¡±

    The farmer was silent for about ten seconds before quietly saying, ¡°Viscount Colbert said, it¡¯s best not to plant those things¡­¡±

    Kesode hurriedly leaned in to whisper to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I inquired just now; Colbert is the landlord here. Nearly everyone around is his tenant farmer.¡±

    Joseph nodded and then asked the farmer, ¡°But isn¡¯t it up to the farmers themselves to decide what to plant?¡±

    The farmer said monotonously, ¡°But Viscount Colbert won¡¯t allow it.¡±

    Joseph sighed. These serf farmers¡ªalso known as tenant farmers¡ªwere, in name, free to cultivate the land and simply had to pay rent, but in reality, they were still largely beholden to the feudal lord who owned the land.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 118: The Real France_2

    Chapter 120: Chapter 118: The Real France_2

    For example, they couldn¡¯t freely leave their land, they had to undertake numerous tasks for the feudal lord, and even disputes could be adjudicated by the feudal lord¡ªif the feudal lord lived nearby.

    Therefore, these tenant farmers usually wouldn¡¯t go against the wishes of the landlord. The Old Nobility¡¯s boycott of potatoes also led to a large number of tribute farmers being unable to plant potatoes.

    Joseph chatted with the farmer for a while and gained a general understanding of the household¡¯s living conditions.

    The farmer was named Geiszler, who farmed 27 acres of Viscount Colbert¡¯s land, with an annual grain income of around 200 livres.

    However, after paying the rent to Colbert, this family still had to pay the Poll Tax, Military Service Tax, the Tithe, the Vingti¨¨me, and the Road Labor Tax, among a long list of other taxes.

    In daily life, they also had to pay the mill tax, press tax, salt tax, goods tax, and tolls, among others.

    What was left was barely enough for the family to eat black bread every day.

    As for savings, Geiszler said that in recent years droughts had been frequent, leading to poor harvests, and the family had already gone into debt for nearly 50 livres.

    Since Geiszler was relatively strong, his family was still considered to be better off in the village. According to him, one-fifth of the village couldn¡¯t manage to eat their fill at every meal.

    Joseph sighed in his heart; tenant farmers like Geiszler numbered over twenty million in France, and in the face of severe natural disasters, they had almost no ability to resist. When the time came, they would undoubtedly join the ranks of the rioters without hesitation to prevent themselves and their families from starving.

    He sighed, knowing that whether it was France¡¯s enormous debt or the livelihood of the lower-class farmers, a lot of difficult reforms would need to be made to solve these problems, such as promoting industrial development, adjusting land distribution, weakening the feudal privileges of the aristocracy and the Church¡­

    As he was pondering, he walked to the window and saw from the corner of his eye that Lady Geiszler in the other room had carefully collected the leftovers from their meal. Half a bowl of vegetable soup that Eman hadn¡¯t finished was poured into a pot, water and a few leaves were added, turning it into a large pot of soup. Another piece of preserved meat, the size of a walnut, was carefully sliced into almost transparent thin slices and tucked into black bread.

    Two children, about eight or nine years old, looked on with longing as their mother busied herself, occasionally wiping their mouths as if they were gazing upon the most delicious delicacies in the world.

    Joseph felt a pang of sorrow; in Paris, he saw nothing but the power struggles of the elite, the decadent lives of the noble ladies, and the endless balls and salons of the aristocracy. Yet, it was only today, at the Geiszler¡¯s home, that he truly saw the real face of France.

    Poverty, decay, conservatism, teetering on the brink¡­

    Just then, a knock came from behind.

    Geiszler hurried to open the door and let in a small man in a grey overcoat, respectfully saying, ¡°Mr. Babo, what brings you here?¡±

    The man named Babo nodded at him and went straight to Eman, bowing humbly, ¡°My lord, I am the stadtholder here; you can just call me Babo. May I ask where you are from?¡±

    The title of stadtholder sounds impressive but is actually an official in charge of managing the lower parish¡ªthat is, the village¡ªequivalent to the village head.

    As Babo was speaking, the priest of the parish, having heard that someone of importance with many attendants had come to the village, also hurried to Geiszler¡¯s house.

    ¡°My lord, is there anything I can do for you?¡± Babo, taking Eman to be the core of the group, asked with a smile covering his face.

    Eman, seeing from the doorway the priest had come through that the rain outside had stopped, pointed in the direction of the road that had been damaged by the rain: ¡°Mr. Babo, the road outside the village has been spoiled by rain; could you trouble your people to fix it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, of course, we can.¡±

    Babo nodded repeatedly and then turned to the priest: ¡°Father Marmont, please entertain the distinguished guests; I will go and lead the people to fix the road.¡±

    He walked a few steps and then turned back to signal to Geiszler: ¡°Did you hear that? They¡¯re going to fix the road; you come too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, Mr. Babo.¡±

    Geiszler responded and went to get his coat hanging on the wall.

    Joseph casually asked, ¡°Mr. Geiszler, for work like repairing the roads, how much do you get paid?¡±

    ¡°Wages?¡± Babo immediately replied eagerly, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s just fixing a road; there is no payment.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph frowned slightly, ¡°Is the road outside the village also owned by Viscount Colbert?¡±

    Babo shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±

    ¡°Then has Mr. Geiszler paid the road labor tax?¡±

    Babo was taken aback, nodded, and said, ¡°Yes, paid.¡±

    ¡°Since the road labor tax has been paid and it¡¯s not the lord¡¯s labor, why not pay him for the road work?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled at him and said, ¡°Mr. Babo wouldn¡¯t be unfamiliar with the law, would he?¡±

    Babo startled, as an official in France, you could be incompetent, but you absolutely could not be unfamiliar with laws and regulations, for that could cost you your job!

    He hurriedly shook his head, ¡°No, no, you are quite right, he should indeed be paid. Ah, 2 sous per person, do you think that would do?¡±

    ¡°You just follow the regulations.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, right. Follow the regulations.¡±

    Geiszler bowed deeply to Joseph in gratitude and then hurriedly followed the stadtholder out.

    Three hours later, Joseph¡¯s entourage continued along the road that was now paved with branches and gravel, heading back towards Bordeaux.

    Geiszler and his wife stood by the side of the road, watching until the last of the cavalry escort had disappeared before returning home.

    Lady Geiszler prepared to cut some dark bread for her husband, who had been busy half the day, to stave off hunger, only to suddenly discover a small cloth bag on the stove.

    She hesitated, then carefully opened the cloth bag and immediately cried out, ¡°Lord Almighty! Adam! Come and see!¡±

    Geiszler hurried into the room and saw his wife holding a cloth bag and a large handful of silver coins.

    He took the bag and found a note inside, he unfolded it and read: Mr. Geiszler, thank you for showing me another side of France. Please do not refuse this token of my appreciation.

    He looked in the direction where Joseph had left, made the sign of the cross over his chest, and murmured, ¡°May God bless you, kind young master.¡±

    Lady Geiszler quietly counted the silver coins, a total of 50 livres. She excitedly grabbed her husband and jumped for joy, tears in her eyes, ¡°Adam, we have enough to pay off our debts!¡±

    You see, the interest on the debt they had taken was as high as 15%; if they could not pay it back quickly, with the state of their home, they would likely never be able to settle it¡­

    Eight days later.

    On the avenue north of the Bordeaux Exchange Palace, a large crowd gathered on both sides of the road, eagerly awaiting the passage of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    Soon, several elegant and luxuriously made carriages approached from afar, and the people immediately burst into cheers, waving their arms vigorously.

    In one of the middle carriages, the Governor of Bordeaux, Count Montsorro, respectfully said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, most of them arrived last night, and indeed, you could convene a meeting anytime you really need to. However, the banquet is ready, or perhaps you could first¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile, ¡°You have worked hard, Count Montsorro.¡±

    He looked at his pocket watch, which showed it was one-thirty in the afternoon, and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s start at three then.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, your esteemed Highness.¡±

    The carriages passed through the crowd, and Joseph occasionally waved in acknowledgement to the citizens who welcomed him. Meanwhile, the people arranged by Eman in the carriage behind followed tradition, scattering coins and sweets among the crowd.

    The heart of Bordeaux, Exchange Square, had been taken over by Kesode and his guards. Joseph didn¡¯t even go to the villa that Montsorro had prepared for him to rest, but headed straight to the Exchange Palace, ready for the three o¡¯clock meeting.

    The potatoes would be arriving soon, and he did not want to waste a minute.

 Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 119 Turning Passive into Active

    Chapter 121: Chapter 119 Turning Passive into Active

    ¡°`

    Bordeaux, as France¡¯s most important export location for grape wine, is the soul of the city with its wine trade.

    The Royal Square, which adjoins Bordeaux¡¯s core transportation waterway¡ªthe Garonne River, was once the residence of Louis XV, but now the King no longer comes here. Consequently, the vast square and the adjacent palace have become a trading place for wine merchants and cellar owners.

    So people prefer to call it Exchange Square.

    Here, massive amounts of wine are traded every day, then sent all over Europe and even across to the Americas.

    At this moment, in the grand palace¡¯s main conference hall in front of Exchange Square, there were gathered fifty to sixty noblemen or their representatives.

    These noblemen all share another identity, that of grape plantation owners.

    They own the vast majority of vineyards in the Bordeaux region and also operate winemaking workshops, controlling nearly sixty percent of France¡¯s grape wine production industry.

    Three days ago, they received an invitation from Count Montsorro, the Governor. In the invitation, the Governor mentioned that the real convenor of the meeting was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    Out of respect for these two prominent figures, all invitees set out early and converged on Exchange Square.

    Three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    A melodious tune came from outside the main conference hall of the Exchange Palace, drawing the plantation owners¡¯ gaze toward the main door. They saw Governor Montsorro respectfully following a young man in a dark blue coat, entering the hall one after another.

    Everyone knew it must be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so they all rose respectfully, bowing their heads in salute to the young man.

    After the Governor formally introduced the Crown Prince and delivered a brief opening speech, Joseph, seated in front of the hall, raised his hand to signal to the plantation owners and said loudly, ¡°Thank you all for attending this meeting.¡±

    First following convention, he talked of Bordeaux¡¯s ¡°long history and abundance of products,¡± then got straight to the point, ¡°The main reason we are here today is to talk about potato cultivation.¡±

    Whispers immediately filled the room:

    ¡°I knew it; it has to do with those damn potatoes.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been rushing us to plant this stuff for half a month, who knows if it will lose money.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, planting grains is risk-free¡­¡±

    ¡°Let them talk. As for me, I won¡¯t plant a single potato unless they reduce the land tax.¡±

    ¡°Even the Austrian lady is sending the Crown Prince; she must really care about this.¡±

    ¡°So, this is a good opportunity. We must stand together and get him to lower the land tax¡­¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s about abolishing the land tax altogether¡­¡±

    Most of these men spoke in low voices, but a few deliberately spoke loudly enough for the Crown Prince to hear.

    Joseph smiled slightly and ignored them, continuing, ¡°In recent years, droughts have often occurred, and everyone¡¯s harvests have been very bad. Potatoes yield a high output and could quickly alleviate the shortage of food caused by disasters.¡±

    He looked around the room and said, ¡°Therefore, I hope you will heed His Majesty the King¡¯s call and plant more potatoes during spring sowing. Oh, the potatoes for ¡®seed¡¯ should arrive in Bordeaux in about ten days.¡±

    As land aristocrats, these grape plantation owners also controlled a large amount of arable land in the Bordeaux region. As long as they cooperated, potatoes could be easily cultivated on a large scale.

    Below, a nobleman with a peculiar upturned nose tentatively called out, ¡°Your Highness, could you consider reducing the land tax a little?¡±

    Immediately someone responded, ¡°Count Ledney is right; planting potatoes might lose money, it would be best to reduce the land tax as compensation.¡±

    ¡°Please promise to lower the land tax first.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a separate issue.¡± Joseph said indifferently, ¡°If you have opinions on the land tax, you may propose them to the Finance Minister and submit them for review by the High Court. Today, I am only talking about potatoes.¡±

    The noblemen all showed signs of dissatisfaction upon hearing this, and the room fell into silence.

    Joseph calmly went on to enumerate the various benefits of planting potatoes, speaking for over half an hour. Finally, he said, ¡°Alright, I understand that switching to a crop you¡¯re unfamiliar with is a difficult decision.

    ¡°You may all return and consider it. Tomorrow morning at nine, we will meet here again, and I hope to receive a positive reply from you.¡±

    After Joseph finished speaking, he prepared to leave. Governor Montsorro hurried to the center of the hall, inviting the estate owners to a banquet with a cheerful smile, in an attempt to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere.

    Joseph was well aware that he could have easily presented the ¡°Pasteurization Technique¡± trump card at the beginning, and likely many estate owners would have chosen to cooperate.

    However, doing so would make the land aristocracy feel that they forced the Royal Family into granting these benefits by using ¡°not planting potatoes¡± as leverage.

    Therefore, on his way to Bordeaux, Joseph had already planned to turn passivity into initiative, making the plantation owners realize that cooperating with the Crown Prince is beneficial, and that opposition would only lead to disadvantages.

    After a dreary banquet, Montsorro invited Joseph and the nobility to a dance party at his residence.

    Fortunately, Bordeaux¡¯s noble young ladies had some awe for the unfamiliar Crown Prince, so Joseph was not ¡°besieged¡± at the dance party, but instead had the chance to genuinely enjoy some authentic Bordeaux wines.

    Just as he managed to get through the party and was stepping out of the dance hall, a middle-aged man hurriedly followed him from behind.

    Eman immediately intercepted the man with vigilance.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 119 Turning the Tables_2

    Chapter 122: Chapter 119 Turning the Tables_2

    The man hurriedly made a chest-touching salute from a distance to Joseph, ¡°May God be with you, Your Royal Highness Crown Prince. I am Pierre Victiniang Venio, serving at the Bordeaux High Court. May I have the honor of speaking with you for a moment?¡±

    Joseph felt the name was somewhat familiar. Venio? He suddenly remembered¡ªwasn¡¯t this the famed orator of the Girondin Party?

    Indeed, the name of the Girondin Party originated because several of its main leaders were from the Gironde province, and Venio was one of them. Of course, the Gironde province was only delineated after the Great Commandment; presently, it was still only Bordeaux or the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

    Joseph remembered that Venio was one of the few in the Girondin Party who advocated for cooperation with the Royal Family, but he had no idea what he wanted with him.

    So, he signaled to Eman, ¡°Please let Mr. Venio come over.¡±

    Eman nodded and stepped aside.

    Quickly advancing a few steps, Venio once again gave a respectful bow, ¡°Thank you, Your Royal Highness.¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°May I ask what can I do for you?¡±

    Looking around and seeing no other nobles nearby, Venio spoke earnestly, ¡°Your Royal Highness, please forgive my presumption. In truth, you really shouldn¡¯t have come to Bordeaux this time.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, the noble lords just recently refused to plant potatoes, and then you arrived immediately. You may wish to resolve this matter before spring planting, but this will make the nobles feel that you need them and thus bargain with you even more stubbornly.¡±

    Joseph blinked in surprise, wondering why this Mr. Venio seemed even more concerned about the potato planting than himself.

    Venio continued, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve heard news from Paris that this year there might be a serious drought.

    ¡°And those great nobles will not care about it. They are wealthy and even a poor harvest won¡¯t affect them. Some of them worry that the profits from potatoes won¡¯t be as high as grains, but more are seeking to use this as an opportunity to lower the land tax!

    ¡°But as you know, disasters have been frequent in recent years and the farmers of Bordeaux are impoverished, unable to endure another drought.

    ¡°I have been to Prussia; the people there rely on potatoes to fight off famine. At the moment, we need potatoes too, the farmers in Bordeaux need potatoes!¡±

    Joseph was moved, not expecting that this lawyer would be so concerned with the suffering of the common people and willing to toil for the improvement of their lives.

    He nodded, ¡°Yes, I came to persuade everyone to plant potatoes.¡±

    Venio¡¯s expression showed great urgency, ¡°Your Highness, the plantation owners have formed an alliance. Oh, I also run a small vineyard. They approached me too. They say if you do not reduce the land tax, they will absolutely not plant potatoes.¡±

    ¡°Are you here to persuade me to lower taxes?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness, the land tax must not be lowered,¡± stated Venio, ¡°the nobles must bear their obligations to the nation!¡±

    Joseph looked at him with interest, ¡°Oh? And what do you suggest we do?¡±

    Venio¡¯s expression was somber, ¡°The only option now is for the government to provide a sum of money as a subsidy for planting potatoes. Under the drive of benefits, there will certainly be those willing to plant.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself, You indeed possess the Girondin¡¯s spirit of compromise.

    He smiled and shook his head, ¡°Mr. Venio, you should be aware of France¡¯s financial situation¡ªthere¡¯s simply not that much money available. Moreover, it¡¯s unnecessary. In just ten more days, everyone will be competing to plant potatoes.¡±

    Venio smiled awkwardly, ¡°Your Highness, you jest. Unless you reduce the land tax, they will never¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately interjected, ¡°How about we make a bet?¡±

    ¡°A bet?¡±

    ¡°If within ten days, more than half of the plantation owners have not volunteered to plant potatoes, I will do as you say and provide a sum of money for potato subsidies.¡±

    What about the other way round?¡± inquired Venio.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to do something for me.¡±

    Joseph knew that Venio was skilled at oration and capable in handling affairs. By enlisting this ¡°sturdy man,¡± he would be able to save himself a lot of trouble.

    After only half a second of hesitation, Venio extended his hand, ¡°Very well, Your Highness. As you say.¡±

    Joseph clasped his hand, struck the deal, and then took his leave.

    Perhaps because of the wine he had drunk the night before, Joseph immediately fell into a deep sleep upon returning to his bedroom.

    When he arrived at the palace conference hall of the exchange the next morning, he found that seven or eight people were absent compared to the day before. Naturally, these absent nobles had all made various excuses, seeking leave from Montsorro.

    Joseph was not troubled by this, and he got straight to the point, ¡°So, who is willing to sign a contract to plant potatoes now?¡±

    There was another moment of silence below; the mere attendance today was out of respect for the Crown Prince, and yet he was still thinking about the potatoes?

    Venio immediately stood up, ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to plant five hectares.¡±

    He was but a lawyer with some family assets, and that was all the arable land he had.

    Several plantation owners who were on good terms with Venio responded, ¡°Your Highness, I can also sign for eight hectares.¡±

    ¡°I can plant six hectares.¡±

    Joseph nodded with satisfaction and looked around the room once more, ¡°Anyone else?¡±

    The plantation owners glanced dissatisfiedly at Venio and others, but under the Crown Prince¡¯s persistent inquiry, they still needed to offer a token gesture, so as not to offend the Crown Prince¡¯s dignity.

    Someone hesitantly muttered in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll plant 40 mu.¡±

    A hectare being 100 French acres meant that this was less than half a hectare.

    The other nobles followed suit, ¡°Then I¡¯ll also plant 50 mu.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll plant 40 mu.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 119 Turning the Tables_3

    Chapter 123: Chapter 119 Turning the Tables_3

    ¡°I have 30 acres¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled as he watched these people respond to him, then suddenly raised his voice, ¡°Oh, right, I¡¯ve been so preoccupied with potatoes that I completely forgot about another matter.¡±

    He gestured to Eman, who immediately had documents distributed to the nobles present.

    Joseph continued, ¡°This is the ¡®French Brewing Technology Association¡¯ I¡¯m planning, to facilitate the exchange of brewing techniques. Listed here are some of the new technologies the association possesses.¡±

    The estate owners below were instantly filled with question marks¡ªwhy had the topic suddenly shifted to winemaking, and what was this technology association?

    However, as they began to peruse the document in hand, their eyes grew wider and wider.

    Someone couldn¡¯t help but exclaim aloud, ¡°New technology that reduces the failure rate of brewing to a negligible extent? How is that possible?¡±

    Another person said, ¡°And this technology, it can make the wine taste less acidic, improving the quality manifold!¡±

    ¡°Good Lord, and it also extends the preservation time of wine by more than tenfold!¡±

    The plantation owners immediately began to discuss among themselves, their voices growing louder and louder.

    Even Venio was extremely shocked as he also owned a winemaking industry and was quite familiar with the matter.

    Firstly, winemaking was something that always had some failure rate. To keep the failure rate below 10% was the mark of the top winemaking masters. Typically, if 30% of wine production failed, that was considered acceptable.

    What was even more unbelievable was the technology claimed to eliminate the acidic taste of wine.

    You must understand that the presence of an acidic taste is an important criterion of wine quality.

    Ordinary wines usually have a hint of acidity, affecting the taste. Only the more high-end wines can nearly eliminate the acidic taste.

    Which means, this technology could make all the wines produced of high-end quality!

    And the price difference between ordinary and high-quality wines can be more than tenfold!

    Someone immediately stood up excitedly, holding the document in hand and asked Joseph, ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, are these technologies real?¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile, ¡°Of course they¡¯re real. They have already been applied for patents at the Paris Patent Office and should be registered soon.¡±

    An older plantation owner expressed his skepticism, ¡°Your Highness, forgive my frankness. I have been in winemaking for decades and have never heard of such technology. Couldn¡¯t this be¡­¡±

    Joseph looked at the eager nobles and immediately stood up, ¡°Who has a wine cellar near here? I can give a demonstration on the spot.¡±

    ¡­

    In the northern suburbs of Bordeaux, Yalsen Cellar.

    Although it was already winter, the cellar still had grapes specially smoked and dried for long-term storage, which could be used for winemaking.

    It wasn¡¯t long before craftsmen arranged several barrels of completed grape pulp and brewing water in front of Joseph.

    He also asked for a heating stove and a large bucket among other things, then signaled the watching plantation owners to leave first.

    As soon as Kesode had ¡°escorted¡± everyone out, Joseph immediately had Eman help fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove to boil.

    When the water came to a boil, he mixed the hot water with cold water in a large wooden barrel and took out the thermometer he had brought to measure the temperature until it was exactly 65 degrees Celsius.

    He then placed the small barrel containing the grape pulp into the large wooden barrel, started timing, and continued to measure the temperature. Whenever the temperature dropped, he immediately added hot water to keep the grape pulp above 60 degrees Celsius.

 Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 120: Must Be Loyal to His Majesty the King!

    Chapter 124: Chapter 120: Must Be Loyal to His Majesty the King!

    After processing the grape pulp, Joseph placed the water for brewing into another large wooden barrel, also maintaining it at 60 degrees.

    Half an hour later, Joseph took out the grape pulp that had been soaked in hot water, covered it, and began soaking the next barrel of grape pulp¡­

    Just like that, he and Eman busied themselves for three or four hours and finally processed all the brewing ingredients.

    Joseph wiped the sweat from his brow and asked Eman to invite in the expectant vineyard owners who were waiting outside.

    More than thirty nobles streamed into the brewing room, but upon seeing the scene before them, they all exchanged puzzled glances¡ªwater was still water, and the grape pulp was still grape pulp.

    The senior vineyard owner looked at Joseph and said cautiously, ¡°Your Highness, it seems you haven¡¯t begun the brewing process yet¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Then have your brewers start now.¡±

    The old noble¡¯s face showed surprise, ¡°You mean, let my people do the brewing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The crowd immediately showed their disappointment; so much for ¡°reducing the failure rate¡± and ¡°improving quality¡± techniques¡ªthey were just a joke made by the Crown Prince.

    Joseph, seeing their expressions, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and pointed towards the barrels inside the room: ¡°All the important steps have been completed where you cannot see. Brewing is just simple finishing work, anyone could do it.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Very well, Your Highness.¡± The elder noble lacklusterly called his brewers over, instructing them to start making wine.

    As the brewers began to hustle, Joseph only reminded them to minimize contact with the ingredients and use high-temperature treated utensils before he gracefully left.

    The nobles escorted the Crown Prince to the driveway outside the Yalsen Cellar until his carriage door closed. Then they stopped their saluting gestures and started to discuss:

    ¡°Viscount Jules, do you think the Crown Prince was serious about those techniques?¡±

    ¡°It stands to reason, His Highness wouldn¡¯t come all the way to Bordeaux just to tease us, right?¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s true; my cellar hasn¡¯t made money in years¡­¡±

    ¡°Alas, neither has mine¡­¡±

    ¡°Speculating here is useless; we¡¯ll know in a few days after we see the brewing results.¡±

    On the carriage, Joseph leaned back in the soft chair backrest, enjoying a rare moment of leisure¡ªnow he just had to wait for the wine to be brewed and then he could ¡°cast the net¡± at the opportune moment. Until then, there was nothing he could do.

    It was actually his first vacation since becoming the Crown Prince.

    Where to relax? He pondered for a while, then turned to Eman, ¡°Count Eman, there should be some nice beaches in Bordeaux, right?¡±

    After a moment¡¯s thought, the other nodded, ¡°Your Highness, if you want to enjoy the beach scenery, I recommend Arcachon. It¡¯s a half-day journey to the southwest from here.¡±

    ¡°Good, let¡¯s go there!¡±

    Joseph suddenly remembered Doctor Perna who was alone at the Governor¡¯s villa in Montsorro and hurriedly ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go back and pick up Doctor Perna too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Before long, Perna clad in a white men¡¯s coat, her hair tied up and wearing a tricorne hat, climbed aboard the carriage. Upon learning they were going to Arcachon, she excitedly crossed her hands over her chest and cheered, ¡°Oysters! God Almighty, I love oysters the most! Thank you, Your Highness, thank you so much!¡±

    Joseph was taken aback, ¡°Oysters?¡±

    Eman whispered an explanation, ¡°Your Highness, Arcachon has been a famous oyster-producing area since Roman times.¡±

    Perna quickly added, ¡°The best oysters in all of France!¡± Her eyes sparkled with a pilgrim¡¯s devoutness.

    Joseph chuckled, not expecting their little doctor miss to be such a foodie.

    The carriage set off and after another bracing half-day¡¯s ride, they finally reached the town of Arcachon.

    Joseph stood by the seaside, feeling the cool sea breeze blow in his face¡ªhere was a temperate marine climate. Even in winter, the sea breeze wasn¡¯t too cold. Looking out at the painting-like great dunes and the golden beaches that stretched to the horizon on the other side, he felt a resonance with nature, filled with peace and tranquility.

    Smelling the faint fishy odor of the sea wind, Perna smiled at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, this climate is very beneficial for your pneumonia; perhaps you should stay here for a while longer.¡±

    Joseph sighed lightly, ¡°Yes, if possible, I really don¡¯t want to leave this place.¡±

    Perna replied with a smile, ¡°But moving the Palace of Versailles to Bordeaux would not be an easy task.¡±

    After some more idle chat, the young miss started peering around curiously.

    With a smile, Eman leaned over and whispered to her, ¡°I have already contacted the best oyster vendor; he will be here soon.¡±

    Perna, her secret thoughts revealed, blushed slightly.

    Shortly after, on the flat beach, guards used drapes to encircle a spot. A middle-aged man wearing a black coat, with rough and tough skin, directed several men to unload barrels from a cart.

    Eman ordered servants to bring several elegant little wooden tables, place tablecloths on them, and set up the utensils, pastries, and wine. Then he turned to signal the oyster vendor guarding the barrels, ¡°Please begin.¡±

    The middle-aged man immediately used his calloused hands to fish out an oyster larger than his palm from the barrel, took out a small knife, skillfully levered and cut through, then extracted the milky oyster meat from the hard shell and placed it on a plate in front of Joseph. He then cut a lemon in half, squeezed out the juice onto the oyster, and attentive to Joseph, indicating he should try it.

    Eating raw? Joseph felt a bit awkward: Mate, fresh from the sea these oysters may be, but what if they make me sick? Could have mud worms, you know? And there were viruses too¡­

 Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 120 Loyalty to His Majesty the King! _2

    Chapter 125: Chapter 120 Loyalty to His Majesty the King! _2

    He saw Perna at the next table already bright-eyed and picking up her fork. He quickly stopped her, clearing his throat and saying, ¡°Ahem, you¡¯re in for a treat today. I know a much healthier, more delicious way to cook oysters. Would you like to try it?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    Joseph thought for a moment, asked the oyster vendor for a grill, some garlic, and a few spices, and then gave detailed instructions¡­

    Half an hour later, on the iron grill, the oyster shells filled with garlic paste and various spices held oyster meat turned golden, sizzling and bubbling with oil. The rich meaty aroma blended with the scent of garlic, wafting over half a mile away.

    Joseph lifted a piece of oyster meat the size of a walnut, slathered in garlic paste, to his mouth with a fork and instantly squinted his eyes in delight: Indeed, it was from the best oyster producing area in France! The meat was plump, tender, juicy with a hint of sweetness! Paired with spices and garlic paste, grilled over a fire, it was as if the ocean¡¯s freshness and the flame¡¯s spiciness melted together in the mouth, as sweet as kissing a beautiful, lovely girl!

    Ah¡ªthis is the flavor!

    Perna, on the other hand, had forgotten everything, abandoning all semblance of ladylike composure, desperately stuffing grilled oysters with garlic paste into her mouth. Even though they were hot enough to bring tears, she was unwilling to stop.

    In this manner, Joseph spent the first day of his vacation accompanied by sunshine, the beach, and grilled oysters.

    What he didn¡¯t expect was that shortly thereafter, a dish named ¡°Crown Prince Oysters¡± would become a sensation throughout Bordeaux¡­

    Leisurely holidays always fly by, and after having a blast all over Bordeaux for eight days, Joseph returned to Yalsen Cellar.

    Because the wine had already been brewed.

    In the warm brewing room, dozens of vineyard owners watched the ten or so oak barrels, anxiously awaiting the outcome.

    Joseph smiled and gestured to the old nobleman beside him: ¡°Baron Polutak, please, would you do us the honor of checking the brewing for everyone?¡±

    ¡°At your command, Your Highness,¡± Polutak said somewhat nervously as he used a bung extractor to remove the cork from the barrel. He then inserted a hollow glass tube into the barrel and plugged the other end with a finger.

    When he drew the tube out, a good amount of wine had filled the lower end.

    He released his finger, letting the wine from the tube flow into a nearby glass. He sniffed the wine and then took a tentative sip.

    Someone nearby asked anxiously, ¡°Baron Polutak, how is it?¡±

    Polutak¡¯s eyes sparkled, and he nodded vigorously: ¡°Very good! Although it¡¯s from cellar-stored grapes and of average quality, it really has no sour taste at all!¡±

    Another vineyard owner quickly stepped forward to take the glass, uncaring that someone else had drunk from it, and tasted a sip, immediately exclaiming excitedly, ¡°Really, completely devoid of sourness!¡±

    Polutak sampled from the next oak barrel, tasted, and once again exclaimed in amazement, ¡°The same, absolutely no sourness!¡±

    People couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, each taking a glass to taste for themselves, followed by waves of excited praises.

    Once Polutak had checked the last oak barrel and looked back at Joseph, his eyes were filled with nothing but reverence.

    ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince, I can confirm that your brewing technique is effective¡­¡± he started, then suddenly shook his head, ¡°No, it¡¯s simply perfect!¡±

    Out of twelve barrels, not one had failed to brew! Polutak was very aware of his own brewer¡¯s abilities, which surely would have been impossible before.

    If, in the past, they brewed twelve barrels and no more than two turned into ¡°vinegar¡±, he would certainly reward the brewer.

    But this time, with the assistance of the Crown Prince¡¯s miraculous brewing technique, not a single barrel had spoiled!

    You should know that this effectively reduced his cost of wine production by nearly 30%!

    While the success rate of brewing was nearly a hundred percent, the quality of the wine also saw a significant increase.

    This wine, devoid of even the slightest bit of sourness, was definitely a high-end product. Its price would be at least one or two times higher than before!

    He felt his heart pounding with excitement¡ªhe had just made a rough calculation, finding that his annual income would increase by nearly ten thousand livres!

    Clearly, the other vineyard owners had also calculated how much the new technique would benefit them, discussing amongst themselves with unparalleled excitement.

    Suddenly, someone bowed to Joseph and inquired, ¡°Your Highness, may I ask what the cost of this brewing technique is?¡±

    Everyone was taken aback and looked at Joseph in unison. True, the income had doubled, but if the cost had also doubled, then the profit wouldn¡¯t be much greater¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ve never calculated that,¡± Joseph said, somewhat uncertain, for he had no idea how much it would cost to heat a barrel of water, ¡°But the added cost per barrel of wine should not exceed 1 sou.¡±

    Their eyes immediately lit up.

    One barrel of wine for just 1 sou? Even the casual sips stolen by the cellar workers cost more than that!

    Some couldn¡¯t help but smile proudly, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s see how the Venetians will compete with us now!¡±

    Another person laughed heartily: ¡°Not just Venice! With the Crown Prince¡¯s brewing techniques, Spanish wine will be no match for Bordeaux.¡±

    ¡°Bordeaux wines will dominate the entire European market!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, all of Europe will be drinking our wine!¡±

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    Venio raised his glass and exclaimed loudly, ¡°To the Crown Prince!¡±

    The others promptly raised their glasses in unison, echoing, ¡°To the Crown Prince!¡±

    Once the vineyard owners¡¯ excitement had calmed slightly and they exchanged glances, the Count of Torendal, speaking for them all, stepped forward and bowed to Joseph: ¡°Your Highness, how might we utilize your brewing technique?¡±

 Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 120: Must Be Loyal to His Majesty the King!_3

    Chapter 126: Chapter 120: Must Be Loyal to His Majesty the King!_3

    Joseph nodded, his own groundwork having been laid out for so long, was finally about to bear fruit, and he immediately smiled, ¡°The purpose of establishing the French Brewing Technology Association is to pass on the new brewing technology to our members. The technology usage fee is 3% of the selling price per barrel.¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone was ecstatic. They had been worried that the Crown Prince would demand an exorbitant price, but it turned out to be only 3%. Knowing that just the quality improvement of wine brought by the new technology could double the selling price, 3% was almost like getting it for free.

    Count of Torendal immediately asked, ¡°Your Highness, what qualifications are needed to join the association?¡±

    Joseph drawled, ¡°That, I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±

    Everyone was stunned.

    Joseph then looked at Venio and others who had agreed to plant potatoes on a large scale a few days ago: ¡°However, Mr. Venio, Viscount Clement, Mr. Mune, and others have already proven their loyalty to His Majesty the King through their actions. To commend this loyalty, I believe they will be among the first batch of members.¡±

    Venio and others were overjoyed, never having thought that agreeing to plant potatoes to alleviate the famine among the people would result in such an unexpected windfall!

    Other plantation owners, upon hearing ¡°proven loyalty to the King,¡± couldn¡¯t help but pause, but recalling the recent actions of Venio and others, they quickly found the answer¡ªthey had agreed to plant a large number of potatoes!

    Baron Polutak pondered with his head down, knowing that as long as he could obtain the new winemaking technology, even if the potato yield was not much, the losses could be easily compensated for by the profits from wine. After all, the potato ¡°seeds¡± were provided by the government, and the income from wine could at least double.

    With this in mind, he immediately stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to plant ten hectares of potatoes!¡±

    Joseph looked at him and asked, ¡°May I ask how extensive your vineyard is?¡±

    ¡°About forty hectares.¡±

    ¡°Plant potatoes on one hectare for every four of vines,¡± Joseph nodded slightly, ¡°That roughly shows your loyalty.¡±

    Baron Polutak was elated, ¡°Your Highness, does that mean I can join the association?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°The membership fee is calculated based on the size of the plantation, fifty livres per hectare per year.¡±

    ¡°Membership fee?¡± Polutak glanced unconsciously at Venio and others, and seeing no objection from Joseph, he quickly understood¡ªthey had a discount.

    However, compared to the huge profits that the new brewing technology would bring, this membership fee was negligible. He immediately agreed without hesitation.

    Seeing this, other plantation owners hurried to declare their intentions, jostling each other, ¡°Your Highness, I can also plant thirty hectares of potatoes. Oh, I have a total of one hundred and twenty hectares of vineyards.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to plant twenty-five hectares¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ll also plant fifty hectares¡­¡±

    As for the ¡°Land Tax Alliance,¡± it was long forgotten by them.

    Joseph smiled and gestured for everyone to register their area with Eman and to sign the planting contract.

    Watching the plantation owners eagerly sign up to plant potatoes, Venio suddenly remembered something and hurriedly approached Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, Count Ledney and others are not aware of today¡¯s events. Would you like me to inform them?¡±

    He was referring to the few who had asked for leave and not attended the meeting Joseph had convened the next day.

    Joseph sneered and shook his head, ¡°Thanks for the reminder, but it¡¯s not necessary. Not everyone can meet the qualifications to join the French Brewing Technology Association.¡±

    The surrounding plantation owners, upon hearing this, felt a chill down their spines, but at the same time, they were relieved.

    You see, if most of the wine cellars start using the new brewing technology, those without it will quickly lose their competitive edge and go bankrupt.

    Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t listened to Count Ledney that day; otherwise, their own wine workshops might also have been on the list of bankruptcies.

 Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 121 The "Disgrace" of the French Guards

    Chapter 127: Chapter 121 The ¡°Disgrace¡± of the French Guards

    After all the vineyard owners had signed the contracts to plant potatoes, Joseph then kindly expressed that a specialist would soon handle their membership into the French Brewing Technology Association and teach their brewers the corresponding techniques.

    Lastly, he also warmly reminded everyone to beware of those cellars that were using the new brewing technology without authorization.

    Pasteurization, when it comes down to it, is quite simple; it¡¯s about controlling the temperature and heating time, and those who have come into contact with it could easily leak it out. But now, France has patent laws and a patent office, so if anyone dares to use the patented technology casually, they better be prepared to pay until they¡¯re bankrupt.

    The vineyard owners present immediately declared, with shared animosity, that they would diligently supervise everything with all their might.

    After all, competitors are enemies; they wish for fewer rivals so that their own sales would be better. And since they had paid membership and patent usage fees, how could they possibly sit by and watch those who weren¡¯t members ¡°freeload¡±?

    Even more so, some were already pondering how to buy the bankrupted parties like Count Ledney¡¯s industries at a low price after their downfall.

    After praising everyone¡¯s loyalty to the King, Joseph left the Yalsen Cellar.

    As he arrived at the gates of Yalsen Manor, he suddenly slapped his forehead, realizing he had forgotten someone. So he instructed Eman, ¡°Count Eman, please invite Mr. Venio over.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Before long, the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage convoy slowly set off, leaving the grape plantation.

    In the carriage, Joseph smiled towards Venio, ¡°Mr. Venio, you see, just as I said, everyone was very eager to request the planting of potatoes.¡±

    Recalling the bet between the two, Venio immediately replied with an admiring tone, ¡°Your Highness, what you have done is simply astonishing. Please command me as you wish; I will do everything within my power to accomplish it.¡±

    Joseph nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Then let me thank you in advance for the hard work you will be putting in. The promotion of potato planting in Bordeaux has had certain effects, so there are other similar places that can also use this method to promote, such as Burgundy, Provence, and so on.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Venio immediately understood the Crown Prince¡¯s intent, his eyes lighting up ¡ª both Burgundy and Provence were wine-producing regions, and although their production was less than Bordeaux, the brewing industry there was also significant.

    As long as they used the new brewing technology as bait, repeating Bordeaux¡¯s script, he believed many vineyard owners would be willing to plant potatoes.

    Joseph added, ¡°Right, Brittany and Normandy can also promote potatoes in this way.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Venio was puzzled, ¡°Your Highness, but these places don¡¯t produce wine¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°But they have the beer industry. My brewing technology is not just effective for wine, it works for beer and spirits as well.¡±

    His eyes wide, Venio exclaimed, ¡°This technology is simply too incredible!¡±

    ¡°It can even be used to preserve milk.¡± Joseph added casually, looking towards Venio with a smile, ¡°I hope you can represent me in these places, promoting potato planting through brewing technology. Of course, I will provide the necessary staff for you.¡±

    With exceptional oratory skills and passionate about potato planting, Venio was just the right person for the job. With him traveling back and forth, Joseph could save a great deal of energy.

    Immediately, Venio bowed deeply, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s an honor to serve you. I will definitely satisfy your expectations!¡±

    He then discussed some important details with Joseph about the ¡°technology for potatoes¡± trade, and finally couldn¡¯t resist asking what he had been most curious about recently, ¡°Your Highness, could you tell me how you manage to improve the success rate and quality of brewing without even being involved in the process?¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t hide anything; after all, the ¡°patent law¡± offered protection, so there was no fear of leaks, ¡°Mr. Venio, failures in brewing and poor quality are related to the sourness of the wine. Do you know where the sourness comes from?¡±

    As someone who managed a cellar and was fairly knowledgeable, Venio promptly answered, ¡°There are several possibilities, such as poor quality of grapes, or the control of brewing time being imprecise¡­¡±

    After letting him finish, Joseph shook his head with a smile, ¡°The factors you mentioned may have some effects, but they are not the fundamental cause.¡±

    Immediately, Venio¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°The fundamental cause? What is that?¡±

    ¡°Lactic acid bacteria.¡±

    ¡°Lactic acid bacteria?¡± Venio was confused, ¡°That seems to be a type of bacteria?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the stuff used for making yogurt.¡±

    ¡°But that is yeast.¡± Venio blurted out.

    ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± Joseph corrected him, ¡°In fact, it is something completely different from yeast. It breaks down proteins or sugars, releasing lactic acid, which is the source of the acidity in wine.

    ¡°And these bacteria are found everywhere in nature, so during brewing, they easily contaminate the grape pulp or water, thus causing the wine to sour.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, they are very fragile. They just need to stay in an environment at 60 degrees for half an hour, and they will be completely dead.¡±

    Thoughtfully, Venio said, ¡°So according to you, just by heating the raw materials used for brewing to 60 degrees and maintaining it for half an hour, we could solve all the problems?¡±

    ¡°Indeed so.¡±

    Astonishment spread across Venio¡¯s face, ¡°Is it really that simple?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how science works, without the process of exploration, the conclusions are often not complicated.¡± Joseph said with a nodding smile.

 Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 121: The "Shame" of the French Guard_2

    Chapter 128: Chapter 121: The ¡°Shame¡± of the French Guard_2

    ¡°`

    The next morning, as Joseph was having his luggage packed to return to Paris, Governor Montsorro and Venio suddenly arrived in his room.

    Joseph was somewhat surprised, still having two more hours before his scheduled departure time; why had these two come to see him off so early?

    After the greetings, Montsorro seemed quite embarrassed as he said, ¡°Your Highness, please forgive the intrusion, but after discussing with Mr. Venio, we felt it would be better to inform you about a matter.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Please, speak,¡± Joseph said.

    ¡°Well, Viscount of Joubert, Viscount of Vienna and Baron of Chappelier wish to have an opportunity to show their loyalty to His Majesty the King. I mean, they want to plant some potatoes.¡±

    Seeing that the Crown Prince had no recollection of these names, Venio hurriedly reminded him, ¡°Your Highness, they did not attend the meeting the next day.¡±

    Montsorro continued, ¡°Your Highness, they have expressed a willingness to plant potatoes on half of the cultivation garden¡¯s area.¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly. Venio quickly persuaded, ¡°Your Highness, they know they were wrong and are pleading for your forgiveness¡­¡±

    Joseph was aware that these three had also spent a significant amount of money, especially to have the Governor intercede on their behalf.

    It was a classic case of ¡°Refuse the wine and be forced to drink the dregs.¡± In that case, let them bleed a little more; planting more potatoes would be beneficial nonetheless.

    So, he said with an impassive face, ¡°Tell them to plant potatoes on two-thirds of the cultivation garden¡¯s area, and the membership fee will be doubled. That will suffice.¡±

    Montsorro¡¯s face relaxed, and he promptly bowed, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, they will surely be grateful for your kindness and generosity.¡±

    As for the nobles who had yet to receive the message or were still hesitating, they had lost their last chance to join the Brewing Technology Association. A bleak future awaited them.

    ¡­

    A few days later, the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage entered Paris.

    Looking out the carriage window, Joseph saw that quite a few public toilets had been constructed along the streets, with citizens going in and out. From time to time, there were also carts collecting manure, filled with fertilizer, being pulled by horses towards the outskirts of the city.

    The streets were plastered with signs reading ¡°Do Not Urinate or Defecate Anywhere At Will,¡± and police officers were watching passersby with an eagle eye. Anyone who appeared to be about to relieve themselves on the spot would immediately be met with a whistle and a stern reprimand.

    The results were quite apparent, with street feces reduced by seventy to eighty percent. However, there were still ¡°fish that slipped through the net¡± who relieved themselves on the streets, leaving behind traces. It was not surprising, as cultivating a habit of public hygiene in citizens was not something that could be achieved overnight.

    At this moment, Paris was becoming one of the cleaner and more orderly cities among the major cities of Europe.

    Joseph took a deep breath, feeling that the air in the city was much fresher, no longer bearing that constant sensation of walking through a toilet.

    As the carriage passed the Seine River, whether it was psychological or not, Joseph even felt that the river water had become somewhat clearer.

    In fact, with the reduction of feces on the streets, the pollutants washed into the Seine during the rain had indeed decreased significantly. Even the Parisians drawing water from the river could vaguely sense that the taste of the water was becoming ¡°milder.¡±

    This also prompted them to pay more attention to the issue of relieving themselves in public, with many citizens beginning to report those who did so on the streets to the police.

    When the carriage passed a rather deserted public toilet, Joseph instructed the driver to stop, and then he got out of the carriage and curiously entered the facility.

    Inside was a large pit latrine, divided by wooden boards into four squatting areas, with handrails thoughtfully installed on the boards. Opposite the squatting areas was a long row of urinals; overall, it was quite well-appointed.

    After relieving himself, Joseph left the public toilet contentedly, but after a few steps, he suddenly felt that something was not quite right.

    He turned around to look ¨C it seemed like everything that should be there was present¡­

    Suddenly, he realized something and his face darkened¡ªwere there only doors to the men¡¯s toilets?!

    Recalling the public toilets along the way and after questioning Eman, he finally confirmed that indeed, they all only included facilities for men.

    After Eman grasped why the Crown Prince was dissatisfied, he tried to explain, ¡°Your Highness, perhaps they assumed that ladies rarely relieve themselves on the streets.¡±

    Joseph sighed. It was truly bothersome; without his specific instructions, things just wouldn¡¯t be right¡­

    The carriage resumed its journey, and as it neared the city center, more and more posters promoting fashion week appeared on both sides of the street, along with road signs with arrows and inscriptions in multiple languages at the intersections.

    ¡°`

    According to Joseph¡¯s arrangement, more than a month earlier, advertisements for Fashion Week had already been placed throughout Europe, with advertising costs alone totaling over one hundred thousand livres.

    However, the effect was significant, with nobles from all countries now discussing Paris Fashion Week, even to the extent that over seventy percent of the high-end hotels at Tuileries Palace had been booked.

    One could imagine that once Fashion Week officially opened, a massive influx of foreign tourists would pour into Paris, freely spending gold coins, creating a historically memorable gala.

    ¡­

    In the south of Paris, near the suburbs, a villa was hosting a gathering.

    Most of the attendees were military officers. Their circle wasn¡¯t too fond of salons, so gatherings like this became their most common way to socialize.

    In an inconspicuous corner of the gathering, a major with teeth black as pitch swirled his glass and said, ¡°Auror, tell us about the activity patterns of those despicable police officers.¡±

    The tall and lean lieutenant beside him immediately nodded respectfully and said in a hushed tone, ¡°I¡¯ve had my men watch that police training ground for over ten days. They conduct artillery training every three days¡­¡±

    The surrounding officers immediately showed looks of disdain:

    ¡°A bunch of stinking police officers have gotten their hands on cannons!¡±

    ¡°Hmph, they¡¯re lucky if they manage not to shoot the cannonballs into their own camp.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, cannons are not something those sorts of people can handle!¡±

    Auror continued reporting on the police academy, ¡°On the day they train with the artillery, they¡¯ll have a session in the morning and another in the afternoon, with an interval¡­¡±

    After he finished, the major with the black teeth asked, ¡°Have you investigated all the villages around it thoroughly?¡±

    Auror nodded, pulled out a map, and pointed to a rectangular shape in the center, ¡°This is that damned training ground, and these circles represent farmhouses.¡±

    The major looked at it for a moment, then pointed to a circle on the north side, ¡°How far is this from the police training ground?¡±

    ¡°Half a league.¡±

    ¡°A bit far, what about this one?¡±

    ¡°Slightly over a third of a league.¡±

    ¡°Good, it¡¯s this one. Additionally, there¡¯s a dense forest nearby.¡± The major with black teeth revealed a cold smile, ¡°Cecilian, you and your men will be responsible for vigilance.¡±

    He pointed to the north side of the training ground on the map, ¡°Right here. Auror, you¡¯ll be in charge of transporting the cannon and also removing it after we¡¯ve secured it. If anything unexpected happens, hide in this dense forest first.

    ¡°According to your intelligence, the police¡¯s last training session is after 4 p.m. If you delay just a bit, night will fall, and then you can calmly return to the barracks.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The major then looked at the blond, short-statured man sitting opposite, ¡°Komu, you and your men will take care of the shooting. You¡¯ll only have one chance to fire, and you must hit that farmhouse, then quickly withdraw into Paris City.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you can count on me.¡±

    ¡°Auror, when¡¯s their next training?¡±

    ¡°The day after tomorrow, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good. Tomorrow you¡¯ll go again to familiarize yourselves with the terrain, and you¡¯ll take action the day after tomorrow,¡± the major with black teeth raised his glass and said fiercely, ¡°Cheers! Those lowly police officers dared to insult our General and the French Guard, we must give them a memory they won¡¯t forget!¡±

    These men were officers of the French Guard.

    Last time, the commander of the French Guard, Besanval, had been shamed after being forced to retreat from outside the police school training ground at gunpoint, regarding it as an immense disgrace and blaming it all on the head of police school administration and the Director of Paris Police.

    Of course, as a high-ranking officer, Besanval knew that dealing with those two would require political tactics, but his subordinates only wanted to have their revenge immediately.

 Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 122: All the Talents of the World Fall Within My Net

    Chapter 129: Chapter 122: All the Talents of the World Fall Within My Net

    Joseph¡¯s carriage had just stopped in front of the Industrial Planning Bureau¡¯s office building when a disheveled figure suddenly sprang out of the street corner and strode toward him.

    ¡°No closer!¡± Two guards immediately stepped forward to stop the man.

    When Joseph saw the deep nasolabial folds on the face of the newcomer, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. Wasn¡¯t this the ¡°Piranha,¡± oh no, wrong, Mr. Mara? You¡¯ve finally come.

    He hastily leaned out the window and signaled to Kesode, ¡°Please let Mr. Mara come over.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Before long, in the visitor¡¯s room of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Mara sat down opposite Joseph, his eyes full of anger, ¡°Crown Prince, you actually used me with such disgraceful tactics! I will definitely make this public!¡±

    After toppling the President of the High Court Vergniaud, Mara was indeed happy for a while, thinking he had done a great service for the Parisians.

    However, half a month ago, when he happened to see the portrait of the Crown Prince, he felt it looked familiar, then it struck him, wasn¡¯t this Mr. Xavier, the young owner of the ¡°Paris Commercial News¡±?

    He immediately pieced together the events, and realized that the Crown Prince approached him to eliminate his political enemy.

    He had been used!

    So, he stormed off to the Palace of Versailles, only to be told that the Crown Prince was recently working in Paris, and then he rushed to the Industrial Planning Bureau, learning that the Crown Prince had gone to Bordeaux¡­

    He had waited at the Bureau for several days, and today he finally ¡°caught¡± Joseph and immediately came to confront him.

    Joseph knew he would definitely come and had already been waiting for him.

    Joseph rested his right hand on the arm of the sofa, revealing a relaxed smile, ¡°How can you say that, Mr. Mara? It wasn¡¯t exploitation, but fulfillment.¡±

    ¡°Fulfillment? Hmph, a pale excuse.¡±

    Joseph said indifferently, ¡°Pray tell, have you not always desired social justice, wanted to help the oppressed?¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s the case.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. Together, we brought the most corrupt President of the High Court to justice, vindicated a large number of people who suffered from wrongful cases, and even caused a significant reduction in the corruption within the entire judiciary. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted to see?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Mara hesitated; indeed, it seemed so. If it weren¡¯t for the Crown Prince¡¯s guidance, the High Court might still be accepting bribes, manipulating the law, persecuting the common people.

    Joseph didn¡¯t give him time to reflect further and immediately continued, ¡°Mr. Mara, please believe that in punishing corruption, reducing injustice, and improving the lives of the French people, our stances are very much aligned.¡±

    He thought to himself: Only if the people¡¯s lives are better can the monarchy be stable¡­

    Mara looked at Joseph in surprise, these words sounded like the claims of someone from the liberal camp, yet they were coming from the Crown Prince.

    ¡°You, are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Time will prove everything,¡± Joseph looked at Mara earnestly, ¡°If, after a few years, the lives of the French people have not improved, then it will not be too late for you to condemn me.¡±

    Mara opened his mouth then frowned,¡±Regardless, Your Highness, you shouldn¡¯t have deceived me. You didn¡¯t even give me your real name!¡±

    ¡°You misunderstand me,¡± Joseph said with an innocent look, ¡°Xavier is indeed my middle name¡ªLouis Joseph Xavier Francois.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I did not tell you that I am the Crown Prince, but surely you don¡¯t introduce yourself to everyone as ¡®I am a reporter,¡¯ do you? It¡¯s just a little personal privacy regarding one¡¯s profession.¡±

    After this conversation, the anger Mara felt upon arrival had unwittingly dissipated, leaving him feeling as if there was nothing left to say, and he prepared to rise and take his leave.

    Naturally, Joseph was not going to let him leave just like that.

    He had been planning the Anti-Corruption Bureau for some time now; bureaucratic corruption was a major problem plaguing France.

    It was difficult for people to resist the temptation of various interests on their conscience alone.

    Not to mention those old-style bureaucrats, even the newly reformed police system, if not supervised, would inevitably end up like the old police force.

    While administrative reform was the cure, establishing a supervisory body was also necessary, at the very least to make the officials think twice.

    The reason Joseph hadn¡¯t pushed forward with building the Anti-Corruption Bureau was largely that he couldn¡¯t find the right people to investigate corruption.

    Using existing officials was like having them supervise themselves, which would inevitably lead to collusion and cover-ups. Training new personnel from scratch, on the other hand, was too time-consuming.

    Then he thought of Mara, Demulan, and others¡ªsharp-witted and with a wealth of investigative experience. Most importantly, they should be among the least likely in France to collude with officials.

    Moreover, using these ¡°Jacobins¡± to establish the Anti-Corruption Bureau had two advantages.

    One was that these people couldn¡¯t sit still; if you don¡¯t give them something to do, they would find their own affairs, and they might just trigger the start of a major conflict at some critical moment. So, it¡¯s better to incorporate them into the royal system and keep them busy.

    The second was that based on the experience of dealing with Vergniaud, Joseph found that if people like Mara were used well, they were indeed capable of tearing political enemies to shreds. In the process of his bureaucracy reform and the weakening of the Old Nobility, they could prove to be helpful.

    Joseph gestured for Mara not to hurry off, and said gravely, ¡°Mr. Mara, do you want this country to be more just, more equal, to help more of the common people?¡±

 Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 122 The Worlds Talents Are All Within My Grasp_2

    Chapter 130: Chapter 122 The World¡¯s Talents Are All Within My Grasp_2

    ¡°`

    Mala sat back down on the sofa and slowly nodded, ¡°This is my lifelong ideal, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Now there is a chance for you to better realize your ideal. I am preparing to establish a¡­,¡±

    Joseph had intended to say ¡°Anti-Corruption Bureau,¡± but suddenly felt that ¡°fair¡± and ¡°justice¡± would be more appealing to Mala, so he changed course, ¡°to establish a Police Department¡¯s ¡®Justice Investigation Department,¡¯ specifically to investigate corruption, dereliction of duty, and other such issues among officials and police, to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of the public. This department will, for the time being, be under the Police Department, but it will not be subject to the police system¡¯s jurisdiction and will report directly to me.¡±

    ¡°I am very much looking forward to you becoming a member of the Investigation Department.¡±

    Mala was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up again and said icily, ¡°You want me to be the Royal Family¡¯s enforcer?¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that you truly are of the Jacobins, having such a disdain for the Royal Family.

    He smiled, shook his head, and said, ¡°That¡¯s a bit of an unfair statement.

    ¡°The ones you¡¯ll be investigating are not farmers or craftsmen but high-ranking officials and wealthy, powerful nobles!

    ¡°Even if you are an enforcer, you would be the people¡¯s enforcer, not the Royal Family¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°The people¡¯s enforcer?¡± Mala repeated these words softly, his eyes gradually becoming passionate.

    Joseph immediately struck while the iron was hot, ¡°I can even provide the Justice Investigation Department with a prosecutor. Once you find an issue with an official, you¡¯ll be able to directly prosecute them!¡±

    Joseph wasn¡¯t worried that Mala would clamp down on his political allies. Although at this time virtually no official was free of corruption, Mala would merely be an investigator for the Justice Investigation Department, at most a team leader, with layers above him including himself and the department heads, which would ensure that the direction of the crackdown was controllable.

    Mala, with his hands clasped together, pondered for a long time and finally lifted his head, ¡°Your Highness, I believe I truly cannot find a reason to refuse. I agree to join the Justice Investigation Department. However, let us agree on this beforehand: if I feel that this institution does not align with what you have described, I will withdraw at any time.¡±

    ¡°That is your right,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°I believe we will certainly not disappoint each other.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, as for the prosecutor for the Justice Investigation Department, what do you think of the young lawyer who defended the victims in the Vergniaud case last time?¡±

    Mala recalled for a moment and said, ¡°Are you referring to the lawyer named Danton?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s him.¡±

    ¡°He is an honest and brave man,¡± Mala nodded, ¡°It¡¯s just that he is not a prosecutor of the High Court, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°He will be very soon. And, your friend, Mr. Demulan, if he could also join the Justice Investigation Department, that would certainly strike more fear into corrupt officials.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I think so too. I will try to persuade him,¡± Mala said.

    From the second-floor window of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Joseph watched Mala leaving and couldn¡¯t help but muse, ¡°Just one Robespierre short of assembling a Jacobin team. Letting them fight corruption seems like making the best use of their talents.¡±

    ¡­

    England.

    On the south bank of the Rex River in Birmingham, a man¡¯s voice, somewhat dissatisfied, came from a two-story villa with a light grey fa?ade: ¡°Mr. Dupont, I think I have made myself very clear, I have no interest in your proposal.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Watt, perhaps you could state your conditions,¡± said Mr. Dupont as he walked out of the villa, with a side comment, ¡°I am willing to consider any request.¡±

    A man in his fifties, with a high nose, broad face, and piercing eyes, followed him out, gesturing towards the carriage not far away, ¡°Thank you for the invitation. But my friends are more important to me, and they are all in Birmingham, as well as the Moon Society. France does not have these. I think it¡¯s time for you to get into the carriage.¡±

    Mr. Dupont showed a look of anxious helplessness. For his convenience, the Crown Prince had specially instructed Archbishop Brienne to set the final signing location of the Anglo-French trade negotiations in Birmingham, and in the past few days, he had sought out Mr. Watt three times to no avail in persuading the stubborn man.

    Today, England and France had officially completed the signing of the new ¡°Eden Treaty,¡± and by tomorrow at the latest, he would have to return to France. How could he not be anxious?

    Mr. Dupont nodded, then suddenly turned around, taking out his last resort: ¡°Mr. Watt, in reality, I am here on behalf of someone¡­,¡±

    ¡°`

    Just then, a middle-aged man clad in a black short coat, with slightly drooping eyes and an honest-looking face, approached from the lane east of the villa.

    When he heard what Dupont was about to say next, he abruptly halted his steps and dodged behind a column.

    ¡°He is a distinguished member of the Royal Family, I swear his status is beyond your imagination,¡± Dupont said, gazing at Watt, ¡°He truly admires your talent and wants to assist you in creating even more brilliant technological achievements, so¡­¡±

    Watt laughed and shook his head, ¡°You see, I¡¯m not lacking anything, money, villa, company, and family. I really have no plans to leave Birmingham.¡±

    Dupont had no choice but to deflate and stop his persuasion, returning to his carriage. Although he did not understand why the Crown Prince held such a high regard for this British craftsman, his mission to bring him back to France was a complete failure.

    The middle-aged man who had hidden behind the column now stepped out, pensively gazing in the direction where Dupont had left. And then he knocked on Watt¡¯s door, handing over some company documents to him.

    While Watt was upstairs signing, the middle-aged man stopped Watt¡¯s maid, whispering, ¡°Lady Edwina, do you know what that gentleman who came earlier said to Mr. Watt? The one with the rather large nose?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember,¡± Lady Edwina turned to leave.

    The middle-aged man quickly pulled out his wallet, fished out a one shilling banknote, and handed it to her, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit curious about that man, would you mind recalling for me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright then.¡± The maid took the money and paused, ¡°He was French, and wanted Mr. Watt to go to France to set up a factory. Oh yes, he said France is planning some industrial zone or other, and they will invest a lot of money in steam engine factories, but Mr. Watt didn¡¯t agree.¡±

    ¡°Steam engine factories?¡± the middle-aged man eagerly inquired, ¡°Did he mention how much money they were going to invest?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it was 1 million livres.¡±

    As the maid left, the middle-aged man clenched his fists with excitement¡ªa 1 million livres investment, and it was a project under the attention of the French Royal Family!

    It was as if God had handed him an opportunity!

    After he got the documents signed by Watt, he did not return to the company but followed Dupont¡¯s departure path, asking around until he finally found the hotel where the latter was staying.

    ¡­

    Joseph looked at the ¡°Salicin Preparation Method Patent Certificate¡± that had just been delivered to him, nodding his head in satisfaction.

    The French Patent Office, from its organizational structure to its operational mode, copied everything from England, allowing it to be quickly established. To amass patent examiners in a hurry, Joseph had even specifically brought out M. Lagrange, inviting a whole group of experts.

    This resulted in the appearance of the first patent certificate in all of France that he held in his hands.

    Of course, Joseph also made many adjustments to the British model.

    You see, at this time in England, applying for a patent would take at least a year to complete, and the fee could be a shocking several dozen or even a hundred British Pounds!

    Joseph, however, mandated that the approval must be completed within three to eight months, and the cost must not exceed 10 livres, with the government¡¯s treasury providing subsidies to the Patent Office.

    As news of the Patent Office¡¯s beginning operations spread, the Paris office received a dozen applications every day, with many people from other provinces also en route to apply for patents¡ªcurrently, only Paris had a Patent Office, after all, it was just starting, and expanding too quickly could easily lead to problems.

    Eman¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Dupont has arrived. It seems he has brought a British person with him.¡±

    A British person? Joy sprang in Joseph¡¯s heart, could it be Watt?

    He immediately stood up, ¡°Please invite them to the drawing room.¡±

    Before long, Dupont and a middle-aged man with an honest-looking face entered the drawing room, respectively performing a chest-touching salute, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Highness the Crown Prince, may God bless you.¡±

    ¡°I am honoured to meet you, Your Highness the Crown Prince,¡± said the middle-aged man.

    Dupont, looking somewhat embarrassed, gestured towards the man beside him and introduced him to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, this is Mr. William Murdoch. He is an excellent steam engine technician, well, that¡¯s what he claims¡­¡±

 Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 123 Genius Inventor

    Chapter 131: Chapter 123 Genius Inventor

    William Murdoch? Joseph seemed to have heard this name before, but he couldn¡¯t recall who it was at the moment, figuring it must be some capable British technician.

    Since the man had come all the way to France, Joseph felt obliged to extend his welcome, ¡°I am very welcoming to you, Mr. Murdoch. I am very much looking forward to your showcasing your skills in France¡¯s steam engine project.¡±

    Seeing that Dupont had only brought Murdoch with him, Joseph sensed that things might not go smoothly.

    He asked the two men to sit down and looked anxiously at Dupont, ¡°What does Mr. Watt say?¡±

    Embarrassment crept over the latter¡¯s face as he began with some difficulty, ¡°Your Highness, I am sorry, I failed to fulfill your important trust. Mr. Watt has rejected my invitation.¡±

    Although Joseph was mentally prepared, he still frowned upon hearing this, ¡°Is he dissatisfied with our conditions?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness, in fact, he didn¡¯t care about the conditions¡­¡±

    After Dupont briefly explained Watt¡¯s situation, Joseph sighed, ¡°Mr. Dupont, you have done your best, there is no need for self-reproach. I will think of other ways.¡±

    Joseph appeared very nonchalant, but in fact, he began to worry.

    He knew very well that to establish a steam engine industry chain in the shortest time, Watt was absolutely crucial!

    Joseph did not hold the arrogance to think that he could handle the entire industry chain on his own. Although his mind was filled with numerous advanced principles of steam engine technology, it was still a long way from those principles becoming tangible, functional machines¡ªafter all, he had never actually constructed one by hand.

    Not to mention the difficulty of translating principles into real machines, even if he had the blueprints for a new type of steam engine, he simply couldn¡¯t build it.

    From the choice of material for the boiler to the specific casting processes. From how to polish the piston walls to the proportion of tolerances reserved. From the cross-sectional shape of the crank to the viscosity of the lubricating oil at the joints¡­

    To make a steam engine, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of these craft details to consider, and if any one of them is not up to standard, the result is a machine that either constantly malfunctions or delivers low power.

    If it were up to Joseph to lead people in tackling the technology, it would probably take three to five years to solve, but France could not wait that long, and he couldn¡¯t possibly devote all his energy to the steam engine.

    Watt, however, possessed the technology and experience needed to make a steam engine at that time. He was familiar with every part of a steam engine, knew how they should be manufactured, as well as which tools and materials would be needed for these parts.

    With him, it was possible to quickly establish a foundational production line for steam engines in France.

    However, Watt seemed destined not to be involved with France, so all technological craftsmanship would only be figured out slowly by France¡¯s own technicians.

    No one knew how long this process would take¡­

    Joseph shook his head inwardly, pondering which French technicians were worth cultivating, when he saw Murdoch carefully shifting forward in his seat, nervously saying, ¡°That, Crown Prince, Mr. Dupont told me that you intend to establish a factory to produce steam engines?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is the case.¡±

    ¡°Well, I think perhaps I can be of help.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Are you well-acquainted with making steam engines?¡±

    Murdoch puffed out his chest, radiating confidence, ¡°Your Highness, if you think Mr. Watt is capable, then I most certainly am. Let¡¯s put it this way, I can do pretty much everything he can. Plus, I have my own patents.¡±

    Joseph looked at the middle-aged man before him with some surprise, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Mr. Dupont hurriedly interjected, ¡°Your Highness, I have verified it, Mr. Murdoch does indeed have a patent for an oscillating steam engine and a steam gun in England.¡±

    It was because of these two patents that Dupont decided to bring him to meet the Crown Prince.

    ¡°Your Highness, perhaps you have heard about the ¡®planetary gear mechanism¡¯ of the steam engine.¡± Murdoch¡¯s tone carried a note of grievance, ¡°In fact, I invented this technology. It is only because I worked at Mr. Watt¡¯s company that, according to the initial work agreement, this patent was registered under his name.¡±

    Planetary gear? Joseph narrowed his eyes at the mention, seeming to recall something.

    Thinking Murdoch didn¡¯t believe him, Murdoch¡¯s voice rose a few notches, ¡°Your Highness, if you wish, I can describe in detail the conceptual process of this technology.

    ¡°Oh, and by the way, I¡¯ve also invented a new high-pressure steam engine technology¡­¡±

    He continued, then sounded deflated, ¡°But Mr. Watt was afraid that the high-powered high-pressure steam engine would affect the sales of the company¡¯s existing products, so he wouldn¡¯t allow me to publish it, and thus I was unable to apply for a patent.¡±

    Joseph repeated to himself ¡®planetary gear¡¯ and ¡®high-pressure steam engine,¡¯ suddenly recalling something and spontaneously exclaimed, ¡°Mr. Murdoch, are you also the one who invented a gas lamp?¡±

    ¡°Gas lamp?¡± Murdoch looked very surprised, ¡°I do have a scheme for producing gas from coal, but it¡¯s not yet perfected¡­ Do you know Mr. Cumnock? I¡¯ve only mentioned this matter to him.¡±

    Of course, Joseph did not know any Mr. Cumnock, but he was already certain of Murdoch¡¯s identity¡ªthe renowned Scottish inventor, holding multiple patents regarding steam engines, especially the high-pressure steam engine, yet later generations would remember him only for inventing the gas lamp.

    More than a decade later, it would light up the entire London, becoming a symbol of British civilisation¡ªthe gas street lamp!

    Seeing the Crown Prince¡¯s apparent interest in him, Murdoch hurriedly continued, ¡°Your Highness, you might not believe it, but many of Mr. Watt¡¯s patents have contributions from me, and some of them were entirely my inventions.

 Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 123 Genius Inventor_2

    Chapter 132: Chapter 123 Genius Inventor_2

    ¡°I¡¯m very familiar with steam engine technology. In fact, I¡¯ve always wanted to open a steam engine factory, but I lacked the funds. Until I heard from Mr. Dupont that you planned to invest in the steam engine industry, so I immediately came over,¡± he said.

    ¡°Your Highness, if you let me help you build a factory, I swear, I will definitely do no worse than Mr. Watt!¡±

    Murdock had worked in Watt¡¯s company for over a decade, losing many patents but receiving low compensation, brimming with resentment, yet for the sake of survival, he had to compromise.

    It wasn¡¯t until over a year later when he invented coal gas technology by dry distillation and earned money from the patent for gas lighting that he finally broke free from Watt.

    But Joseph¡¯s steam engine development plan gave him another option!

    Joseph had not expected that missing out on Watt, he would scoop up Murdoch.

    This expert¡¯s skills were undoubtedly no less than Watt¡¯s, and he could also help him light up the technology tree for gas lighting. Additionally, he was much younger than Watt and brimming with energy.

    He immediately stood up, nodded with a smile to Murdoch, ¡°Congratulations, Mr. Murdoch, you are now the general manager of the Royal Mechanical Company of France. I wish us a pleasant cooperation.¡±

    Murdoch was startled, then overwhelmed with joy. He¡¯d thought he would need to exert some effort to persuade the Crown Prince of France, but his wish was granted smoothly, and he was directly appointed as the general manager!

    He touched his chest excitedly and bowed deeply, ¡°Thank you for your trust, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I will definitely not disappoint you!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m also looking forward to your stellar performance.¡±

    Then Murdoch, somewhat anxiously rubbing his hands, said, ¡°Your Highness, about the patents for the technologies I invent¡­¡±

    On his way here, he had heard that France had passed ¡°patent law,¡± and the infringement of his patents had always been a sore spot for him.

    ¡°The patents should indeed belong to you,¡± Joseph immediately nodded, ¡°However, you must grant the company exclusive rights to use them.¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem, Your Highness,¡± Murdoch continued, ¡°also, as you know, I will contribute all of my skills to the company, and perhaps¡­ I could hold 10% of the company¡¯s shares, I would be extremely thankful for that.¡±

    Joseph immediately shook his head, ¡°How could that be possible?¡±

    Murdoch¡¯s face turned pale with apprehension. A 10% share from an investment of 1 million livres was indeed too much.

    He was about to suggest ¡°How about 5%?¡± when he heard the Crown Prince say, ¡°Given your value, you should at least get 20% of the shares. However, these would be stock options.¡±

    ¡°20%?!¡± Murdoch was startled, pausing for a moment before asking, ¡°Stock options?¡±

    ¡°That means you¡¯ll receive 4% of the shares annually, for five years. If you resign during this time, the shares you¡¯ve received up to that point will be voided,¡± Joseph said. After all, as Murdoch was British, Joseph needed to use some modern tricks to keep him tied to France. After five years, France would surely have its own mature steam engine development team, and at that point, whether Murdoch stays or leaves wouldn¡¯t significantly impact the team.

    ¡°Your Highness, I really don¡¯t know how to thank you enough!¡± Murdoch was ecstatic.

    Only five years, and yet he had worked more than a decade for Watt without receiving a single share. Compared to the Crown Prince of France, he was extremely generous!

    Murdock silently swore in his heart: He would build the best steam engines to repay the Crown Prince.

    As lunchtime was approaching, Joseph invited Dupont and Murdoch to have lunch together.

    On their way to the dining room, Murdoch was already eagerly explaining his plans to the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, choosing Nancy for the factory is very wise. There are many mines there that will buy our products.¡±

    ¡°Once the equipment and manpower are ready, we will start producing 25-horsepower high-pressure steam engines. The efficiency of the water pumping will definitely make the mine owners open their wallets right away!¡±

    You see, the average power of the steam engines from Watt¡¯s company was around 15 to 20 horsepower, which showcases the superiority of high-pressure technology.

    But Joseph shook his head, ¡°No, the first thing we need to produce are high-precision steam engines to drive boring machines, thread lathes, milling machines, and the like. Our main goal is to improve the efficiency and precision of these machining tools, power is not the most important.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Murdoch reminded, ¡°Your Highness, the devices you mentioned cannot make money, and the initial investment¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about the financial aspect, I will ensure there is ample backing.¡±

    He was pursuing steam engine development initially to foster France¡¯s industrialization, and various machine tools are the ¡°mother machines¡± of industry. At that time, Europe already had these machining devices, but they were mostly driven by human or water power, which led to low power and poor accuracy. If they were powered by steam engines, the processing speed and precision would be substantially improved.

    For example, automatic boring and milling machines, such equipment could be widely applied in the arsenal he planned¡ªsurpassing manual production of weapons and equipment in both precision and production efficiency by leaps and bounds, while significantly reducing costs. Most importantly, it would be relatively easy to achieve the standardization of components.

    Moreover, with automatic machining equipment, they could, in turn, improve the production speed and quality of steam engines, creating a positive feedback loop. By that point, producing things like pumping engines and steam looms would naturally follow.

    ¡­

    Southern Suburbs of Paris.

    More than 400 meters north of the Paris Police Academy Training Ground, a black-painted four-pound cannon lay hidden in a thicket.

    A French National Guard officer in civilian clothes looked impatiently to the south, occasionally glancing at his pocket watch.

    After more than ten minutes, several booms of cannon fire came from the direction of the training ground. The officer immediately perked up and shouted to the soldiers sitting around: ¡°Get up, you lazy devils!¡±

    Six or seven gunners, also in civilian clothing, quickly huddled together, some adjusting the cannon¡¯s direction, others fixing its wheels, while the rest stood by with gunpowder and cannonballs.

    The officer used his telescope to look toward a farm northward, then glanced at the shooting parameters he had already calculated in his notebook, manually raised the muzzle, and carefully measured the angle with a protractor.

    ¡°Good, load the gun,¡± he gestured to a soldier nearby.

    The soldier hurriedly poured gunpowder into the muzzle. Another stepped up to ram it down firmly. A third soldier inserted the cannonball, and the one with the ramrod pushed the ball to the bottom of the bore.

    More cannon fire sounded from the police training ground. The officer began timing with his watch, quickly estimating that the police¡¯s training involved firing a round about every three minutes.

    He signaled to his fuse man.

    The young man with the linstock hurried over, glanced towards the farm, then back at the officer, his expression struggling as he said, ¡°Sir, it appears there¡¯s only one family of farmers over there, are we really going to fire at them?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± the officer glared at him, ¡°You just need to follow orders.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡±

    As exactly three minutes passed since the last sound of cannon fire, the officer promptly commanded the fuse man: ¡°Fire!¡±

    The soldier, conditioned to obey orders unconditionally, quickly pressed the linstock to the touch hole. The cannon roared furiously. Thick smoke instantly enveloped the surroundings.

    A four-pound iron ball whistled into the distance, slicing into the farmhouse, throwing wood splinters and straw high into the air. The humble farmhouse immediately collapsed on one side.

    Almost simultaneously, a loud explosion came from the direction of the police training ground.

    The French National Guard officer confirmed the hit on the farmhouse with his telescope, a cold smile curling at his lips, then turned and ordered his men to hitch the cannon to the horse and quickly retreat to the northwest.

    Meanwhile, another group of soldiers who had been waiting there fumbled to disassemble the cannon barrel and load it onto a carriage, which promptly fled toward Paris City, while the gun carriage was hidden in the adjacent dense forest.

    In the Paris Police Academy Training Ground, Bertier was discussing the new tactic of ¡°concentrated cannon fire¡± with Dibowa¡ªalthough his transfer to the French National Guard¡¯s Engineer Battalion had been confirmed, the official orders had not yet arrived, and during this time, he was nearly always at the training ground. Indeed, as the Crown Prince had said, there were many new tactics there that fascinated him.

    After another round of cannon firing training, Dibowa frowned and turned to an assistant: ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this afternoon¡¯s training is with three cannons.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir, two four-pounders and one eight-pounder,¡± replied the assistant.

    ¡°But just now, there were four cannon blasts.¡±

    Bertier interjected, ¡°Maybe it was an echo.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t quite sound like it,¡± said Dibowa, who had a background as an artilleryman and was very sensitive to the sound of cannons.

    He immediately waved to the guards at the training ground: ¡°You men, come with me to check it out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    When Dibowa arrived at the location where the French National Guard had fired their cannon with the police officers, they found nothing but smelled the faint odor of gunpowder in the air.

 Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 124 Crisis PR

    Chapter 133: Chapter 124 Crisis PR

    Dibowa crinkled his nose, sensing an ominous premonition, and quickly turned to instruct the police officer, ¡°Antony, spread out and search! Foustan, go back and call for more people, hurry!¡±

    About half an hour later, a large group of police officers had surrounded the area, and Antony rushed back to report to Dibowa, ¡°Chief, a farmhouse to the north was hit by artillery fire. An old man and his wife died, and the house and animal shed were destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Artillery fire?¡± Dibowa¡¯s brow furrowed deeply.

    After a while, the other searchers also returned one by one, but nothing of value was found¡ªby then, the sky had already darkened, making it difficult to discern objects more than ten paces away. Moreover, the soldiers of France had been well-prepared, resulting in the police returning without success.

    The next morning.

    In a small room on the second floor of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Murdock was excited yet anxious as he looked at the notes and diagrams in front of him, the bloodshot in his eyes indicating that he hadn¡¯t slept all night.

    The information the Crown Prince had shared was too astonishing, too tempting, leaving him not a shred of desire to sleep.

    He picked up a complex schematic diagram, shook his head, and sighed, thinking to himself: It¡¯s a good thing the Crown Prince of France didn¡¯t dabble in steam engines, otherwise, both I and Watt would probably be out of work.

    These ideas were simply inconceivable, exquisitely brilliant. It was hard to believe that they had come from the mind of a fourteen-year-old boy!

    He had spent most of yesterday and all night understanding the principles of the new throttle valve, and the new safety valve designs the Crown Prince had shared with him, and had a rough idea of their processing design.

    However, there were still many things he hadn¡¯t figured out, the most ¡°terrifying¡± of which was the principle of the ¡°triple-expansion steam engine.¡± The thermal efficiency was frighteningly high, but at the same time, frightfully complex.

    What was worse, the Crown Prince had only given him the principle and the concept; the specific mechanical design was up to him to complete.

    He now dared not even think about the words ¡°triple-expansion¡±; otherwise his brain would immediately throb in pain, clearly already overburdened¡­

    After a long time, Murdock finally chose to give up, organized the materials, and headed towards the Crown Prince¡¯s office.

    ¡°Actually, Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to hurry,¡± Joseph said with a smile, comforting the haggard inventor, ¡°In the short term, you just need to build the existing steam engines. These new technologies can be figured out slowly. Even if it takes five years, eight years, or even ten years to bring them to fruition, it¡¯s completely fine.¡±

    Just kidding, if Murdock really managed to realize all those technologies he had talked about yesterday, the industry of France would take off right on the spot!

    However, there are objective laws of development; without the accumulation of lower-tier technologies, higher-tier technologies will always be castles in the air.

    Like the triple-expansion steam engine, which demands extremely high precision and quality in both machining and materials, even if Murdock had a sudden burst of inspiration and completed the detailed designs, and then physically crafted them, they would inevitably end up exploding the boilers during operation¡ª because the materials and processing levels were far from meeting the requirements.

    The reason Joseph revealed these advanced technologies to Murdock was firstly to give him a conceptual direction in technology, and secondly to attract him to work more steadfastly in France.

    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness,¡± Murdock appeared somewhat deflated, not sure if it was due to exhaustion or a sense of defeat¡ªhe had always thought that although he was a bit inept in handling interpersonal relationships, he was absolutely a genius in the field of steam engines, never expecting that he still couldn¡¯t make the engine even after someone had spelled out the principles and design concepts for him.

    He sighed and said, ¡°Your Highness, actually, I would like to recommend someone to assist me in researching these technologies you¡¯ve proposed.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Who might that be?¡±

    ¡°My neighbor and former colleague, Mr. John Sandler, a very talented technician,¡± Murdock said, ¡°You might not have heard of him because his invention, the ¡®boiler pressure gauge,¡¯ was deemed significant proprietary knowledge by Mr. Watt and has therefore never been publicized.

    ¡°And Mr. Sandler¡¯s current living situation is not very good. I believe, if you offered a suitable salary, I could convince him to come to France with just one letter.¡±

    Joseph felt somewhat embarrassed; at this rate, he was bound to unintentionally undermine Watt¡¯s corner.

    However, all this was because Mr. Watt often ¡°withheld¡± technical compensation from his employees, giving Joseph the opportunity to take advantage¡ªwhy not take it?

    ¡°Thank you for your selfless recommendation,¡± Joseph first sincerely thanked him, then mentioned a figure, ¡°120 livres. What do you think, would this be an appropriate monthly salary for Mr. Sandler?¡±

    Murdock really wanted to say ¡°inappropriate¡± because it was too high. In truth, just offering half of that salary would be enough to make Sandler set aside everything and board a ship bound for France.

    Honestly, from a personal standpoint, he was quite reluctant to have Sandler come, as it would bring competitive pressure to him. However, after reading through the technical data provided by the Crown Prince, he knew that he needed to find an assistant, or else based on his own efforts, it would probably take more than a decade to fully grasp those technologies.

    Murdock placed his hand on his chest and bowed, ¡°Your Highness, you remain as generous as ever. I will write to Mr. Sandler immediately.¡±

    As he spoke, another matter came to his mind: ¡°Also, Your Highness, I¡¯ve seen that railway infrastructure is being constructed in the center of Paris.¡±

    England had rail transportation decades ago, but it was only used for mining transportation and had never appeared in cities before.

 Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 124 Crisis PR_2

    Chapter 134: Chapter 124 Crisis PR_2

    ¡°`

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Paris is about to hold Fashion Week, and we will need railcars to transport the guests.¡±

    ¡°What a great concept!¡± Murdock praised before continuing, ¡°However, if I may speak frankly, your track construction crew might not be quite professional. They had the good idea of using broken stones for the foundation, but when it comes to the securing of the sleepers or the precision of the rail installation, it¡¯s rather¡­ well, you understand.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that he was the one who had told them to use broken stones, and indeed, their technical skills were quite average.

    He quickly asked, ¡°Do you have any suggestions regarding the construction?¡±

    Murdock waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m not particularly skilled in laying tracks. But I do know some experts in the field. The mining areas of Birmingham have laid many tracks, and with the recent scarcity of new coal mines, their income has been very poor.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Mr. Murdock, you must have experience as a headhunter! In just over ten minutes, you¡¯ve found me so many talents!¡±

    The importance of track-laying technicians was self-evident¡ªthe railroad was a necessary technology to advance the train system.

    Without hesitation, he nodded, ¡°Then please extend them an invitation. France will have plenty of track laying work in the coming years. We will certainly make their compensation satisfactory.¡±

    No sooner had he spoken than he saw Eman quickly enter and whisper in his ear, ¡°Your Highness, Baron Frient has arrived, and it seems to be urgent.¡±

    Murdock tactfully excused himself. The Dean of the Police Academy, Frient, entered the office, closed the door behind him, bowed swiftly to Joseph, and said anxiously, ¡°Your Highness, something has happened¡­¡±

    ¡°A farmhouse was hit by a cannonball and someone died?¡± Joseph frowned, ¡°Was it caused by our training?¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Frient said with his head lowered, ¡°As per your instructions, the charge for the cannons during training was halved. That farmhouse is 1,800 paces from the training grounds, and even if the gunner aimed poorly, the cannonball could not possibly fly that far.¡±

    ¡°Do you know who did it?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet. Major Dibowa found gunpowder residue and signs of scorched weeds on the north side of the training grounds. It¡¯s possible that someone fired at the farmhouse from there. But they didn¡¯t catch anyone suspicious.¡±

    Frient took a deep breath, ¡°Your Highness, the most troublesome part is, the farmer is adamant it was the training grounds¡¯ cannon that hit his house.

    ¡°Somehow the news got out, and now there¡¯s a bunch of reporters interviewing that family, with protesters blocking the entrance to the training grounds¡­¡±

    Joseph sensed that this was no simple matter, so he gestured to Eman, ¡°Please prepare the carriage, I need to go to the training grounds. Oh, and send someone to inform Mr. Fouche, ask him to go there too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Shortly after, on the carriage to the training grounds, Joseph said to Frient, ¡°Is there, theoretically, any chance that the training grounds¡¯ cannon could have hit the farmhouse?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, if they were fully charged with gunpowder, and with a tailwind, a four-pounder could barely reach 1,800 paces.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°It seems someone wants to frame us, and he must be very familiar with cannons.¡±

    He looked at Frient, ¡°Who around Paris is equipped with four-pounder cannons?¡±

    ¡°The closest would be the French Guards and the Imperial Guard. Oh, the Mounted Police have some cannons too. A bit further away, there are units like the Lettler Regiment.¡±

    Joseph squinted his eyes. It would be difficult for the Imperial Guard to move cannons out of Versailles without being noticed by everyone. It also seemed implausible for units like the Lettler Regiment to transport cannons from nearly a hundred kilometers away to Paris.

    So it left the French Guards and the Mounted Police as the most likely suspects. But who was it?

    A few hours later, the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage arrived at the Police Academy¡¯s training grounds outside Paris.

    Before Joseph even got out, he saw dozens of people protesting outside the training ground, chanting slogans like ¡°Police Academy endangers the lives of farmers¡± and ¡°Stop training immediately.¡±

    With a troubled look, Frient said, ¡°Your Highness, today¡¯s papers have already reported the incident. There are people in Paris who say it was us who hit the farmhouse. These protesters came first thing in the morning.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Joseph instructed Frient, ¡°For now, don¡¯t worry about who did it, start with crisis management.¡±

    ¡°`

    ¡°Crisis public relations?¡±

    ¡°You must immediately accompany Viscount Besancon and, on behalf of the Police Department, visit that farmer¡¯s family. Promise to help them repair their house and give them 4,000 livres. But remember, in front of the reporters, only mention it as assistance to the family. You must never admit that it was an accident caused by our training, as the detailed investigation is still ongoing.¡±

    ¡°Next, you¡¯re to take police officers with you every day to repair the family¡¯s house, deliver three meals to them, and even help them feed the livestock. At the same time, issue a public statement condemning the attacker of the farmers, and express sympathy for the victims¡¯ plight in a heartfelt manner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the press continue to cover this and gradually guide public opinion.¡±

    Joseph then looked at the protesting crowd: ¡°As for these people, try to appease them for now by promising to suspend the cannon training. However, be ready with shields, guarding against agitators causing trouble, but remember not to attack them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I¡¯ll get right on it.¡±

    Joseph did not enter the training field but first looked at the victims¡¯ plight from a distance before heading to the location identified by Dibowa as the possible site where the crime was committed.

    Dibowa had the scene well preserved. Pointing to the marks on the ground, he said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, judging by the depth of these wheel tracks, they should be from the cannon¡¯s carriage.¡±

    ¡°And this mound of dirt here, it¡¯s from where the cannon¡¯s base was anchored. Judging by the footprints, there should be seven men and two horses involved, just enough to operate a four-pound cannon.¡±

    ¡°My guess is that these people fired the cannon at the farmhouse at the same time we were training our shooting.¡±

    While Joseph was examining the nearby area, he saw Fouche arriving with the Police Affairs Department team.

    Fouche had already been briefed about the general situation on his way over and immediately began a detailed investigation around the area. After that, he went to the victims¡¯ location and returned with a cannonball.

    ¡°Your Highness, there are only wheel tracks leading to the adjacent forest, and it seems that some of the criminals may have escaped to Paris.¡± Fouche spoke with a grave expression, ¡°Based on these clues alone, it¡¯s very difficult to ascertain their identities.¡±

    Joseph looked at the cannonball in his hands and shook his head: ¡°Wherever there is contact, traces will be left. For instance, this cannonball cannot be fired from every four-pound cannon.¡±

    Because of the limited processing levels of cannons at the time, it was difficult to make the calibers of the cannons exactly uniform, so the cannonballs had to be custom-made.

    ¡°And these wheel and footprints, they all contain useful information. I hope you can utilize them as soon as possible to determine who is trying to frame the police academy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, considering the military units nearby that possess four-pound cannons, the probability is highest with the Imperial Guard and the Mounted Police.¡±

    Fouche, quietly repeating ¡°Wherever there is contact, traces will be left,¡± slowly nodded and saluted to Joseph with his hat: ¡°Your Highness, I will find out who is responsible as soon as possible.¡±

    The next day, a messenger from the Minister of the Interior hurried to the Industrial Planning Bureau and handed a letter from Mono to the Crown Prince.

    Joseph opened the envelope and saw that Mono had written that there were already numerous nobles who had complained to him about the police department or the police academy because of the farmhouse being shelled, demanding that he close the police academy training grounds.

    Because the Police Department was still officially under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior, all complaints went to the Minister of the Interior.

    And Mono had no choice but to relay the issue to the Crown Prince, who actually controlled the police system.

    ¡°That was quick,¡± Joseph tossed the letter aside, a chill flashing in his eyes. ¡°Just don¡¯t let me catch you!¡±

    ¡­

    Police Affairs Department headquarters.

    An intelligence officer was reporting the recent investigation results to Fouche: ¡°The Mounted Police have a total of three cannons. As we expected, these guys only know how to bully farmers, and it¡¯s likely been a long time since they last used a cannon. The hooks and axles are all covered with rust.¡±

    The Mounted Police were similar to a rural patrol team mixed with tax inspectors and were not part of the police system.

    ¡°It seems we have to focus on the Imperial Guard,¡± said Fouche as he looked towards Prosper. ¡°Have you found anything over there?¡±

 Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 125: I have accepted this great gift from the French Guard!

    Chapter 135: Chapter 125: I have accepted this great gift from the French Guard!

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing yet,¡± said Prosper with a troubled expression, ¡°As you know, we haven¡¯t really been in contact with the military before. Just yesterday, my people managed to establish a connection with an officer of the French Guards¡­¡±

    Fouche spoke coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you five more days. If you can¡¯t find anything of value, the position of the action team leader can be replaced.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir! I will do my utmost,¡± Prosper could only accept the command with a bitter face.

    Seeing his expression, Fouche knew the difficulty of this mission was extreme¡ªthe army had its own intelligence system, even the secret police hardly dared to stretch their tentacles into military affairs, let alone the Police Affairs Department that had been established for only a few months.

    ¡°Remember, where there¡¯s contact, there must be a trace!¡± he encouraged his subordinate, ¡°As long as you pay attention to all the details, I believe, you will find what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡­

    In the office of the Commander of the French Guards.

    ¡°Are you saying,¡± Besanval stared directly at his subordinate, trying to suppress his anger, ¡°that the shelling of the farm in the southern suburbs was your doing?¡±

    The Major in front of him nodded with a smug expression, ¡°Yes, General. Rest assured, they did a clean job. That very night, I sent someone to tell that farming household that it was the police training range that hit them and then notified all the newspapers in Paris¡­¡±

    ¡°Theodore, you idiot!¡± Besanval finally exploded, slamming the table and yelling, ¡°Who told you to take the initiative?!¡±

    Yesterday he had heard about the incident at the suburban farm and had thought it was a training mishap at the police school; in the joy of it, he had even contacted several influential nobles to pressurize the Minister of the Interior.

    It turned out to be bloody done by his own subordinates.

    ¡°There are only so many troops around Paris,¡± Besanval ground his teeth, ¡°Others will soon suspect us!¡±

    ¡°Listen! During this period, you and your people are not to leave the barracks, nor are you allowed to have any contact with outsiders.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Lord, what stupid things have you done!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Theodore shrank back, trembling, and retreated.

    Besanval rubbed his swollen and aching palm, shaking his head irritably.

    Although Theodore¡¯s approach was crude, it had already been dark, and surely no one saw that it was the French Guards who did it. As long as he stayed in the barracks, there should be no issues.

    He glanced at the newspaper beside him; the large headline read, ¡°Suspected police training field¡¯s cannonball hits farmhouse, resulting in two deaths,¡± yet a cold smile appeared on his face.

    As long as the matter wasn¡¯t leaked, maybe they could indeed take this opportunity to thoroughly deal with the Police Headquarters.

    ¡­

    At the entrance of the White Narcissus Technical Institute, two middle-aged men who were drunk as lords clung to each other¡¯s shoulders, heading toward a carriage by the road.

    ¡°Valentin, my good friend,¡± the small-eyed man with a French Guards¡¯ standard shirt underneath and a black overcoat on top beamed with a smile, slapping the other man, ¡°Let¡¯s go hunting some time; winter rabbits are so fat¡­¡±

    The tall man with a square face, however, waved his hand away, ¡°What¡¯s the fun in hunting? You can only use those tiny shotguns.¡±

    His tongue seemed a bit thick, ¡°Cannons! Only cannons are a man¡¯s true love! Tiru, do you know, if it wasn¡¯t for my leg, perhaps my rank would not be lower than yours?¡±

    Tiru nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, your ancestors, your father, they all made their mark in battle. You have an excellent heritage, you would definitely make a great officer.¡±

    Valentin took a few limping steps out, looked back at the technical institute with a sigh, ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m doomed to waste my life in places like this. I envy you, able to wear a uniform, command cannons, crushing all the enemies on the battlefield!¡±

    ¡°And here I am, from a military family, yet I¡¯ve never even touched a real cannon.¡±

    Tiru laughed, ¡°Cannons? What¡¯s so interesting about them? They¡¯re cold and hard¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand your good fortune. To me, cannons are more adorable than the girls of White Narcissus.¡±

    It suddenly occurred to Tiru that this wealthy Valentin Menard, Vicomte, had taken a liking to him a few days ago at the bar. Over the past week, he had been invited to drink and visit brothels every day, spending a lot of money. Tiru felt a little guilty about it.

    He hadn¡¯t realized that the Vicomte was so fond of cannons; perhaps this was his chance to repay him a favor.

    Tiru immediately pulled Menard onto the carriage, lowering his voice with the aid of alcohol, ¡°You¡¯ve taken me to White Narcissus so many times, so let me treat you to some fun with cannons.¡±

    Menard responded with delight, ¡°Really? Where are there cannons?¡±

    ¡°Of course, in the barracks, hehe.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not a soldier, how could I enter the barracks?¡±

    Tiru patted his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take you. The cannons will be at your disposal, and if there¡¯s a chance, I might even let you fire a few shots.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Lord! I don¡¯t know how to thank you, dear Tiru!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re friends, why say such things?¡±

    At twilight, Menard dressed in a French Guards¡¯ uniform, limping behind Tiru, entered the French Guards¡¯ barracks.

    The sentries at the gate glimpsed Tiru¡¯s rank and asked no further questions.

    Outside the storage room where the French Guards kept their cannons, Tiru whispered a few words to the guard on duty and then signalled for Menard to go in.

    ¡°Oh, Lord! Real cannons!¡± As Menard saw the cannons, he immediately became enthusiastic, stroking each cannon as if they were beloved girls.

 Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 125 The French Guards Great Gift, I Accept It!_2

    Chapter 136: Chapter 125 The French Guard¡¯s Great Gift, I Accept It!_2

    Tiru saw his obsessed expression and couldn¡¯t help but laugh and shake his head, then he sat down alone in a corner, fetched a bottle of liquor, and began to drink.

    Menard saw that no one was watching nearby, the drunken look on his face disappeared instantly, and he deftly took out a wooden ball from his coat pocket, slightly larger than a fist¡ªthis was an exact replica of the cannonball that had hit the farmhouse, made by the craftsmen, from the size to the indentations on it, nothing was amiss.

    Menard placed the wooden ball one by one on the muzzle of the six four-pound cannons here, and the sizes of the muzzles of three cannons corresponded roughly to the size of the cannonball.

    He then fished out a long strip of paper from his pocket, which had two parallel lines drawn on it with some vertical marks and irregular circles.

    He took the strip of paper, compared it with the wheels of those three cannons, and quickly ruled out one of them using the width of the wheels¡ªthe strip was actually a rubbing of the wheel tracks from the bombardment site on the north side of the police academy¡¯s training ground. The two parallel lines represented the width of the wheels, the vertical marks were the joints where the wheel was riveted, and the irregular circles were signs of wear or damage on the wheels.

    Menard meticulously compared the remaining two cannons and suddenly, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he murmured to himself, ¡°As expected, where there¡¯s contact, traces are left. And this trace, you¡¯re the one who left it!¡±

    The cannon in front of him matched the scene¡¯s wheel track perfectly, from the width of the wheels, to the position of the riveting, down to the small notch on the wheel!

    Menard quickly took out a pen and jotted down the number at the tail of the cannon.

    ¡­

    Joseph was browsing through several newspapers in front of him, nodding slightly.

    The front page of ¡°Paris Commercial News¡± read ¡°Warmth from Police Headquarters, the Axel family feels deeply touched,¡± followed by an engraving of Besanval holding Axel¡¯s young son and feeding him.

    Axel was the farmer whose house had been struck by the cannonball that day. He had taken his two children to the fields for spring plowing, which had fortuitously spared them from disaster.

    The ¡°Messenger of France¡± continued to cover the current living conditions of the Axel family, with the headline ¡°Little Benoit Smiles for the First Time, House Completely Repaired by Police Headquarters.¡± The accompanying engraving depicted Axel¡¯s house.

    ¡°Voice of the City newspaper¡± conducted a deeper investigation, the front-page headline read ¡°Culprit May Be Another, Experts Say Four-Pound Cannon¡¯s Range Limited.¡± The content analyzed the slim possibility of the cannons at the police academy training ground hitting a farmhouse 1,800 paces away and showcased the location of the cannon firing discovered by Dibowa.

    With the weapon of public opinion in hand, Joseph¡¯s crisis management was remarkably successful¡ªParisian public sentiment had now shifted to ¡°touching care from the Police Headquarters for the farmers¡± and ¡°Officials from Police Headquarters without an ounce of arrogance, extremely close to the common people.¡±

    Even those who insisted the police academy had mistakenly hit the farmhouse mostly held the view that ¡°the Police Headquarters daring to take responsibility, courageous in correcting their fault.¡±

    The newspapers had already reported that the Axel family had received aid of 4,000 livres, which, to a farming family, was certainly a considerable sum. There were even neighboring farmers who enviously complained, wishing it had been their house hit by the cannon.

    Moreover, Axel had repeatedly told reporters that he had initially believed the rumors and was certain it wasn¡¯t the police academy that had hit his house. And even if it was a misfire from the police academy¡¯s training ground, his family had long forgiven the academy¡ªthe Parisian police were like angels to them.

    Those who had protested outside the police academy¡¯s training ground had dispersed a week ago.

    After this incident of ¡°Director of Police Services personally visits the farmer affected by bombardment,¡± the number of young people signing up at the police academy had even increased from before.

    Joseph, who was reading an article about the matter in ¡°News and Pictures,¡± heard a knock on the door as Eman said, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Fouche has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Please let him in.¡±

    Fouche entered the office, first made a chest salute, and then immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, we can now be fairly certain, it was the doing of the French Guards.¡±

    As he spoke, he placed a report in front of Joseph and continued, ¡°This is a comparison of cannon details made by the Police Affairs Department. The seven artillerymen responsible for this cannon have also been investigated; six of them left the French Guard¡¯s station on the afternoon of the day in question and returned the same evening, and it is certain they did not go to Paris during that time.¡±

    The Police Affairs Department had deployed many informants throughout Paris, so he was very confident in his conclusion.

    Even though the management of the old French military was relatively lax, with each soldier having nearly 8 hours of free time every day, so many people leaving the camp at the same time and not going to Paris City definitely indicated a problem.

    Joseph looked at the report and asked, ¡°Is there any very concrete evidence?¡±

    Fouche shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, we are currently using conjecture to identify the murderer, but none of it is enough to accuse them.¡±

    Seeing the Crown Prince frown, Fouche immediately stepped forward two paces, his expression cold but his eyes dancing with excitement, ¡°Your Highness, would you like me to arrest those people? I have quite a few ways to make them confess.¡±

    Joseph glanced at him, ¡°Where are those people now?¡±

    ¡°In the camp of the French Guards.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not possible. Abducting soldiers from the military camp, if anything goes wrong, the consequences would be very serious.¡±

    Joseph looked at the report again and remembered the incident not long ago when Besanval wanted to inspect the police academy training ground and was driven back by the police officers at gunpoint, and he couldn¡¯t help sneering. It seems it was because of this matter.

    He had not expected that to spite the police academy, Besanval would recklessly take human lives. If it hadn¡¯t been for Axel¡¯s good luck in not being home, it might have been a tragedy for a family of six.

    If Besanval knew what Joseph was thinking, he would definitely cry injustice. He was a man with brains, originally planning to utilize the power of the Nobility Group to deal with Paris Police Headquarters, yet he didn¡¯t anticipate having a rash man like Theodore under his command.

    Joseph tossed the report on the table and took a deep breath. Alright then, you want to play dirty with me, huh? Well, I will not be polite!

    In the past, he had always avoided messing with the military because his political foundation was not stable, and he did not want to alert the Military Nobility. But now that you¡¯ve provoked me, I¡¯ll slap you back without hesitation, and the Military Nobility certainly won¡¯t be able to say anything.

    If that¡¯s the case, then I will gladly accept this gift from the French Guards!

    Joseph lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered that Besanval had used the excuse of expecting important figures visiting and needing to search the training ground.

    And the important figure coming to Paris soon should be the Princess of the Two Sicilies.

    He looked at Fouche and asked, ¡°Do you know who is responsible for escorting foreign royalty when they travel to Paris?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, normally, the escort is handed over between the local troops along the way. Once close to Paris, the French Guards take charge. When entering Paris City, the French Guards and the Imperial Guard escort them together until they arrive at the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    Joseph nodded slightly. This was indeed a good opportunity, and he quickly outlined a plan in his mind.

    ¡°Count Eman, please prepare the carriage. I want to make a trip to the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Before long, the Crown Prince¡¯s convoy set out from the Industrial Planning Bureau.

    In the carriage, Joseph was explaining the arrangements to Fouche when they heard a newsboy shouting from the side of the road, ¡°Get your newspapers! 2 livres a copy. ¡®Blood Blade¡¯ gang spotted around Paris, already seven or eight people have fallen victim!¡±

    Joseph hurriedly ordered the carriage to stop, about to send someone to buy the newspaper, when Fouche immediately reported, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s just a road-robbing gang. They don¡¯t even dare to enter Paris City, only committing crimes in the countryside. It¡¯s just that they have killed quite a few people, which is why they have drawn attention.¡±

    ¡°A road-robbing gang?¡± Joseph¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but turn up in a smile, ¡°Add this gang into the mix, and it¡¯s all the more perfect!¡±

    Once the convoy stopped at the Palace of Versailles, Joseph immediately rushed to the Petit Trianon Palace.

    Queen Mary, who hadn¡¯t seen her son for more than half a month, immediately embraced him joyfully, ¡°My dear Joseph, I thought you had forgotten me.¡±

    Joseph chatted with her about some domestic matters, then suddenly said, ¡°Mother, I want to personally welcome Princess Maria Amalia on the outskirts of Paris.¡±

 Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 126 You can absolutely trust my loyalty

    Chapter 137: Chapter 126 You can absolutely trust my loyalty

    Queen Mary was momentarily stunned upon hearing the words, her heart starting to race. Could it be that her son was so enthusiastic because he was harboring thoughts about the princess of the Two Sicilies?

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right,¡± she recalled, ¡°Maria is a very intelligent girl, skilled in astronomy and mathematics. Perhaps it¡¯s these qualities that have attracted Joseph.¡±

    With some reluctance, she nodded: ¡°That would be nice, dear, to show the Princess of the Two Sicilies our warmth and courtesy.¡±

    She then quickly added, ¡°By the way, Clementine will also be arriving in Paris soon. Are you planning to go¡­?¡±

    Joseph immediately smiled and bowed: ¡°Of course, Mother, how could I not welcome a cousin who has come from afar?¡±

    He certainly didn¡¯t mind welcoming more princesses, and it also served to cover up his intent to set a trap for Besanval while greeting Maria.

    The Queen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her son was only being courteous, not more interested in the princess from the Two Sicilies. Clementine, you must work hard and try to capture the Crown Prince¡¯s heart!

    After Joseph had spoken to the Queen, he immediately went to find the chief steward to discuss the ceremony and arrangements for welcoming the princess from the Two Sicilies in detail.

    ¡°Hmm, I think we should hang ribbons all along the roadsides here,¡± Joseph pointed to the map, ¡°or the bare trees in winter would look too monotonous. And these farmhouses, the princess could see them from afar in the carriage, they need to be well decorated.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will make a note of all your instructions,¡± the chief steward busily wrote down these requests.

    He knew the princess wasn¡¯t coming merely for ¡°tourism,¡± but possibly to become the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, so it was no surprise His Highness wanted to make a grand impression.

    After discussing the welcoming ceremony with the chief steward, Joseph didn¡¯t return to Paris but instead went to the Crown Prince¡¯s chamber which he hadn¡¯t used for a long time.

    He walked slowly in front of a row of massive arched floor-to-ceiling windows, his gaze sweeping over the rainbow halos reflected on the glass, suddenly turning to Viscount Kesode beside him, ¡°Viscount Kesode, how long have you been the captain of my guard, seven or eight years now?¡±

    Kesode stepped forward, a bit surprised, and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, a full eight years. I was fortunate to become your guard when you were four, and two years later, Her Majesty the Queen promoted me to captain.¡±

    Joseph turned around: ¡°So, in this world, besides the King and Queen, you are the one I can trust the most.¡±

    Kesode hurriedly lifted his hat and bowed, ¡°By the Almighty, you can surely trust my loyalty, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph nodded, then looked at him seriously, ¡°Jacques, my friend, I am about to face a challenge that will have a huge impact on me. I need your help very much.¡±

    Viscount Kesode stood up straight, his tone resolute, ¡°Your Highness, I will do anything for you, including giving my life!¡±

    ¡­

    On the eastern outskirts of Paris.

    Beside the road leading to a nearby town was a small hill, about ten meters tall, scattered with sparse shrubs.

    At the moment, several men wearing greasy coarse jackets and equally dirty felt hats, with various weapons at their waists or on their backs, were lounging on the ground, chatting sporadically.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be dark in less than an hour,¡± complained a balding middle-aged man playing with an axe, looking up at the sky unhappily, ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to wait in vain again today.¡±

    ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t come today, he will definitely come tomorrow,¡± said a red-haired man rubbing his neck while peering down the hill, ¡°That¡¯s tens of thousands of livres. Even waiting a few more days would be totally worth it!¡±

    The stern-looking man sitting on the edge suddenly spoke, ¡°Colette, if we don¡¯t wait for that man within three days, I will smash your ass with the butt of my gun.¡±

    The redhead shivered and hastily said with a smile, ¡°Boss, the news has spread all over the town; Baron Geddon has sold his house and all his land, preparing to marry that widow in Paris.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I saw Geddon¡¯s servants piling up boxes of luggage on the carriage outside his manor.¡±

    The burly man next to him, whose prosthetic hand resembled that of Captain Hook, immediately nodded, ¡°That guy also posted a notice in town recruiting bodyguards. It¡¯s obvious he¡¯s going to leave in a few days.¡±

    Before he could finish his words, urgent whispers came from the top of the hill, ¡°Quick! Here he comes!¡±

    The men, who were idling moments ago, sprang to their feet. The stern man signaled to his subordinates, ¡°As we planned, move!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±

    They split up and surrounded the road underneath the hill, while the man on top who weighed nearly two hundred pounds yanked on the rope in his hand.

    Dozens of logs that had been prepared earlier rolled down with a rumble, blocking the road that was over ten meters wide.

    The carriage, which had been traveling leisurely, came to a sudden halt. Both coachmen, startled, leaped from their seats and ran towards the distant woods.

    The stern man fired another shot towards the carriage and, along with his men, surrounded the two carriages, shouting triumphantly, ¡°Baron Geddon, we¡¯re just some poor folks, hoping you¡¯ll leave us some silver coins. Otherwise, we¡¯ll just have to give you a few cuts and take the money ourselves.¡±

    He was about to open the carriage door, but suddenly heard a gunshot from behind.

    He felt like he had been hit in the back with a hammer, his body crashing hard against the carriage, then saw the carriage turn red with his blood.

    The other bandits were taken aback, turning around in panic, only to be met with two pistols pointed at Captain Hook and the bald man¡¯s backs from inside the carriage, while several armed men emerged from the bushes on both sides of the road.

 Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 126 You can absolutely trust my loyalty_2

    Chapter 138: Chapter 126 You can absolutely trust my loyalty_2

    From atop the mound came the pleas for mercy from a fat man. Several bandits turned their heads and saw a man, not very tall and looking like an ordinary farmer, brandishing a pistol as he pushed the fat man down.

    Before long, except for the dead leader, the other four bandits had their weapons taken and were being held at gunpoint, squatting fearfully on the empty space beside the road.

    A carriage approached from a distance and stopped by the group, and Fouche stepped out from it. To capture this gang alive, he had personally come to this small town, crafting the tale about Baron Geddon, and finally, the ¡°fish¡± had taken the bait.

    Playing with a pistol in his hand, Fouche¡¯s dead fish eyes swept over the bandits as he snorted from his nose, ¡°Hmm, the Blood Blade Bandits, is it?¡±

    The fat man who had been on lookout earlier started crying out of fear, ¡°Let, let me go, I can tell you where our boss hides the money¡­¡±

    The bald man glared at him and said firmly, ¡°Yes! We are the Blood Blade Gang, and it¡¯s our bad luck to be caught by the military.¡±

    At that time in France, everyone took it for granted that only the military could deal with a ferocious gang like the Blood Blade Gang; the police were simply not up to the challenge.

    Prosper, who was holding a gun, shook his head with a cold laugh, ¡°Who said we are the military?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re from the Leckie Gang,¡± Fouche continued, ¡°We¡¯ve got a big deal coming up, so we need some extra hands.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the Blood Blade Gang members all breathed a sigh of relief, realizing they wouldn¡¯t be sent to the gallows, and they all looked up at Fouche, ¡°I¡¯m willing to join your crew.¡±

    ¡°I want to join, too.¡±

    ¡°And me¡­¡±

    But Fouche snorted coldly, ¡°However, I only need two people. We¡¯ll have to see who¡¯s more capable.¡±

    With that, he threw two daggers onto the ground, his eyes filled with excitement and madness.

    The bald man and the redhead reacted fastest, immediately pouncing to grab the daggers from the ground and without hesitation, they plunged them into the other two accomplices.

    ¡­

    Southern Suburbs of Paris.

    The trees lining the road leading to the city were decorated with ribbons, looking like beautiful corals growing there.

    In the distance, sparse farmhouses had been painted in pretty white and gold, resembling treasure chests nestled among the corals.

    And on both sides of the forty-meter-wide road between the corals and treasure chests, every five or six meters stood a French Imperial Guard soldier with a rifle. The guard stretched from the suburbs to the Paris City area.

    For two days now, the area had been under martial law, and General Besanval, never weary, had personally led officers to check and recheck this four-league stretch of road¡ªtomorrow, the princess from the Two Sicilies was due to arrive, and according to the Palace of Versailles¡¯ arrangement, the Crown Prince was also coming here to greet the princess, so there could not be the slightest slip-up.

    Just then, a group of artisans carrying paint and brushes, led by French Imperial Guard soldiers, were heading towards a farmhouse on the east side.

    General Besanval casually asked the officer beside him, ¡°Who are those people?¡±

    The latter replied promptly, ¡°General, they are court painters from the Palace of Versailles. Their credentials have been strictly checked. No problem. They always claim here and there isn¡¯t perfect yet, constantly decorating. In my opinion, they just want to snag a bit more funding.¡±

    General Besanval nodded, his face stern, ¡°We can¡¯t let our guard down. We need to keep a close eye on everyone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    As they spoke, they saw several officers accompanied by twenty or thirty soldiers in uniforms that were obviously more imposing and crisp than the Imperial Guard¡¯s, coming towards them.

    ¡°Imperial Guard?¡±

    General Besanval frowned, but as the group came closer and he could see their faces clearly, he quickly put on a smile, raised his hat in greeting, ¡°Viscount Kesode, what brings you here?¡±

    Sitting on his horse, Kesode also raised his hat in response, ¡°Pleased to see you, General Besanval. You know, I can¡¯t afford any mistakes tomorrow, so I had to familiarize myself with the surroundings in advance.¡±

    ¡°Who says otherwise?¡± laughed Besanval, ¡°Look, I¡¯ve been around here a dozen times today.¡±

    Kesode looked towards the wasteland on both sides of the road, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go and have a look over there. You continue with your work. After the princess¡¯s welcome is done, I¡¯ll treat you to a drink.¡±

    ¡°Ha, I look forward to your invitation.¡±

    The two passed by each other, with Kesode seeming very earnest as he had his men carefully check both sides of the road several times.

    An officer beside Besanval glanced disdainfully at Kesode¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Humph, all show. This place is full of our people, what¡¯s there to see?¡±

    Besanval waved his hand dismissively, ¡°The Crown Prince is coming here, so it¡¯s normal for his guard to do some routine checks.¡±

    Meanwhile, Kesode¡¯s troops passed by a thicket as seven or eight court painters approached from the opposite direction.

    Upon seeing the lead painter¡¯s appearance, Kesode hastily reigned in his horse and signaled to the men behind him. A tall, high-nosed soldier nodded back at him, and, along with two others, slipped into the thicket.

    Kesode¡¯s troops halted in place, tightly shielding the actions of the three men.

    The high-nosed soldier and his two subordinates swiftly stripped off their military uniforms, revealing the painters¡¯ clothing they had already put on underneath, complete with splotches of paint.

    The three stuffed their military gear into empty paint cans and handed their weapons to the soldiers behind Kesode. Then they picked up the paint cans and, as if nothing was amiss, followed the painters away into the distance.

    On Kesode¡¯s end, as if nothing had happened, they circled the vicinity a few times before returning the way they had come.

    None of the officers or soldiers of the French Imperial Guard noticed that three men had disappeared from the group of more than twenty belonging to the Crown Prince¡¯s Imperial Guard.

    The painters headed cheerfully toward a farmhouse not too far away.

    Among the group, a red-haired man nervously looked around and asked the high-nosed ¡°painter¡± beside him in a low voice, ¡°Boss, why are there so many soldiers? What exactly are we going to do? Won¡¯t it be very dangerous?¡±

    The high-nosed man smiled relaxedly, ¡°You¡¯re new, so you don¡¯t know the strength of our Leckie Gang. Let me tell you, half of these soldiers around us are our guys.¡±

    As he spoke, he waved at a soldier in the distance. That soldier also waved back nonchalantly and responded with a smile. These craftsmen were from the Palace of Versailles, after all¡ªwho knows which high-ranking individual they might work for¡ªso the lower-ranking soldiers preferred to not offend them if possible, treating them quite courteously.

    ¡°It¡¯s really one of our own.¡± The unaware middle-aged ¡°painter¡± beside him exclaimed in surprise.

    If you removed his felt hat, you would discover that he was actually bald.

    Indeed, this man and the red-haired man were surviving members of the Blood Blade Gang. The high-nosed man leading them was none other than Kesode¡¯s confidant, named Audric.

    The matter was so important that Joseph had not even involved Fouche. After the latter had caught the Blood Blade Gang members, he handed them over to Kesode, and from there on, Kesode was in charge of everything.

    The red-haired man was still not completely reassured, ¡°Boss, what are we actually going to do this time?¡±

    Audric recited from the ¡°script¡±, ¡°Robbery. Tomorrow, a nobleman will pass by here with several carriages of gold, which is the money of the discount bank. They have some connections with the military, so they asked these soldiers to act as bodyguards.¡±

    ¡°But what he doesn¡¯t know is that our boss has powerful backers, who have already planted our people inside the army.¡±

    ¡°You all saw just now, no one came to question us.¡±

    He continued to encourage the two thugs, ¡°And our only job is to keep watch from a distance. Once we get the gold, we¡¯ll just hide in those woods behind us. There¡¯s no risk, and afterward, you¡¯ll get at least seven or eight thousand livres.¡±

    As they spoke, the painters had already reached the farmhouse. The homeowner had long been ¡°invited¡± elsewhere by the French Imperial Guard, leaving only one soldier to keep watch.

    After greeting the guard, the painters dispersed and busied themselves.

    Meanwhile, Audric, along with his two ¡°underlings¡±, casually slipped into the attic and hid in a wooden cabinet.

 Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 128 Oscar-Winning Acting (Seeking Comments)

    Chapter 141: Chapter 128 Oscar-Winning Acting (Seeking Comments)

    ¡°Ah, Holy Mary! Why has such a terrible thing happened¡­¡±

    The Sicilian princess covered her mouth in shock, wanting to look out the window but too afraid to even lift her head, huddling in the corner of her seat, incessantly crying, ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince was attacked because he came to pick me up; it¡¯s all my fault¡­ Wuu¡­ It¡¯s all because of me¡­¡±

    Next to her, Ambassador Timothy warily glanced outside, swiftly drew the curtains, and then handed a handkerchief to the princess, admonishing her in a somewhat agitated, low voice, ¡°Your Highness, please stay calm, this has nothing to do with you.¡±

    Having a handkerchief to wipe away her tears made Maria cry even more fiercely, ¡°What will I do if His Highness the Crown Prince has an accident?¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen,¡± Timothy said hurriedly, trying to reassure her, ¡°Listening to those gunshots, they should¡¯ve been fired from a long distance. Even if the Crown Prince was hit, it shouldn¡¯t be fatal.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Maria recalled the physics she had studied, nodded slightly, her crying gradually turning into sobs, ¡°May God protect the Crown Prince¡­¡±

    But then another thought popped into her head¡ªhaving just arrived in Paris, and the Crown Prince was attacked, could this leave a bad impression on him? Would Queen Mary blame her for this incident? Perhaps she would be sent back to Sicily immediately¡­

    Thinking of this, she started sobbing again.

    At that moment, centered around Joseph¡¯s carriage, a crowd of two to three hundred people had gathered. The shouts of people, the neighing of horses, coupled with the occasional gunfire, had turned the scene into utter chaos.

    Since the imperial physicians hadn¡¯t come along¡ªno one had anticipated the need for a doctor in receiving a ¡°marriage prospect¡±¡ªa military doctor from the French Royal Guard had been brought over by a cavalry officer.

    That officer dismounted the doctor from his horse, pointed toward the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage, and urgently shouted, ¡°That¡¯s the one, quickly!¡±

    The military doctor hastened onto the carriage and asked Eman, ¡°Where is the injury?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the latter replied, looking completely panicked.

    The military doctor prayed inwardly, hoping desperately not to have the Crown Prince die on his watch¡­

    Outside the carriage, Besanval rode up as well, observing the chaotic scene around him. He wanted to turn the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage around to avoid danger but was also worried that it would delay his medical treatment, leaving him at a loss as to what to do.

    Not far away, in a farmhouse, a French Royal Guard lieutenant was the first to rush to the attic, only to find two dead bodies lying on the floor.

    He immediately ordered his men to search the area.

    Soon, the soldiers reported back that no others were found.

    The lieutenant confirmed it himself and then reported the situation to Adrien waiting outside. Afterward, Adrien sent the orderly officer to signal that the attackers had been killed.

    With the rise of a uniquely rhythmic bugle sound, the troops of the French Royal Guard gradually ceased their aimless shooting and began to form ranks under the command of their officers.

    Upon hearing that the assailant had been captured, Besanval hurriedly ordered the Crown Prince¡¯s and the princess¡¯s carriages to return to the Palace of Versailles immediately.

    He personally led over two hundred cavalrymen, with a grave expression, escorting them all the way.

    ¡­

    In the Palace of Versailles, Queen Mary, in full regalia, hummed a tune while admiring her new wig in the mirror, when Countess Debreninac burst in with a pallid face, rushing forward.

    Queen Mary was about to ask why her lady-in-waiting was acting so rudely today when the latter urgently reported, ¡°Your Majesty, the Crown Prince¡¯s convoy was ambushed on the way! It¡¯s said¡­ His Highness is injured!¡±

    Queen Mary¡¯s eyes widened, she froze for a second, then suddenly swayed and fainted.

    After a while, the Queen was eventually awakened by the offensive smell of smelling salts from the Imperial Physician¡¯s hand.

    She pushed the physician¡¯s hand away forcefully and looked through her attendants for the Countess Debreninac, ¡°Where¡¯s Joseph? How is he?¡±

    The lady-in-waiting hastened to support her and spoke softly, ¡°Your Majesty, the latest news that has come back is that the Prince is not in any life-threatening danger. The Royal Guard¡¯s military doctor has already treated his wounds. He should arrive at the Palace of Versailles in about two more hours.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? No life-threatening danger?¡± Queen Mary didn¡¯t care about the wig askew on her head, clutching the hand of her lady-in-waiting tightly, her eyes not blinking as she stared at her.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Thank God! Amen!¡± The Queen made the sign of the cross over her chest, took a few deep breaths, and then struggled to her feet, supported by others, her steps unsteady as she walked toward the Versailles Palace Square. Meanwhile, she ordered loudly, ¡°Quick, have Doctor Grusais go to Paris to treat the Crown Prince on the way¡­¡±

    Next to her, Countess Debreninac said, ¡°Your Majesty, the doctors left long ago.¡±

    ¡°Good, very good¡­¡±

    Two hours later, a large troop of cavalrymen escorted the two carriages into the Palace of Versailles.

    The nobility, who had been waiting there to welcome the Sicilian princess, were now all concerned about the condition of the Crown Prince. Many young ladies were so worried about the incident involving His Highness that they couldn¡¯t stop wiping their tears.

    Queen Mary, her wig removed, shook off Countess Debreninac¡¯s helping hand and rushed towards the carriage. Louis XVI followed her closely, his expression somber.

    The cavalry immediately cleared a path. Through the gaps among the soldiers, the Queen saw the bullet holes in the carriage door, causing her heart to tighten instantly.

    As she opened the carriage door, she suddenly felt dizzy¡ªinside, everything was in disarray, splinters were everywhere, along with traces of blood. Her son was leaning against the seat, covered in blood, especially his right arm. Although it had been crudely bandaged, the entire arm was almost soaked with blood.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t know that most of it was chicken blood.

 Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 128 Oscar-Winning Acting (Seeking Comments)_2

    Chapter 142: Chapter 128 Oscar-Winning Acting (Seeking Comments)_2

    ¡°`

    ¡°Jo¡­¡± As her trembling lips began to speak, tears immediately streamed down her face.

    Behind her, Louis XVI stared at his son, with his eyes also reddened.

    Doctor Grusais was the first to get out of the carriage, bowed to the Queen and the King, and then comforted them, ¡°Your Majesties, please do not worry. His Highness is only injured and is not in life-threatening danger. He appears to be frightened now and needs to rest as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Rest? Oh, yes, of course,¡± the Queen nodded subconsciously and instructed Countess Debreninac, ¡°Quickly, take the Crown Prince back to rest.¡±

    Joseph was ¡°weakly¡± helped out of the carriage and then laid back onto the stretcher to be taken to his own bedroom.

    The King, the Queen, and a group of nobles immediately followed.

    Joseph lay in bed, feigning extreme weakness, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping. The Queen sat by the bed, her head lowered as she stroked her son¡¯s arm where it was wrapped with thick bandages¡ªthe military doctors had applied nearly a dozen layers at Joseph¡¯s repeated request.

    She wiped away her tears, regulated her breathing, turned her head to look at the crowd around her, and her voice was filled with chill, ¡°Who can explain to me why things have turned out this way?¡±

    Kesode immediately looked towards General Besanval, who stood at the bedroom door with a pale face. Led by him, the others also turned their gazes to the commander of the French Guards.

    Under the scrutiny of everyone, Besanval moved to the middle of the room with difficulty, saluted the King and Queen, and stammered, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s¡­ someone fired shots en route¡­¡±

    Queen Mary glanced at him, ¡°How did the attacker get close?¡±

    ¡°This, I¡¯m not clear about¡­¡±

    ¡°Not clear?!¡± The Queen frowned deeply, ¡°How many of the French Guards were in charge of surveillance?¡±

    ¡°Three thousand, Your Majesty.¡±

    Queen Mary stood up abruptly, glaring at Besanval with eyes full of fury, and shouted, ¡°Three thousand men! What the hell were you all doing that no one noticed the attack?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was¡­¡± Besanval¡¯s head hung so low it was almost between his knees as he muttered, ¡°My negligence¡­¡±

    Louis XVI stood up, gently patting his wife¡¯s shoulder.

    Queen Mary glared fiercely at Besanval once more, then, disregarding him, turned again to the doctor to confirm her son¡¯s condition repeatedly before turning to the officials gathered for a visit, ¡°Count Robel, Baron Weymorel, I want you two to start an investigation immediately. I need to know what exactly happened today!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    The head of the Secret Police and the second-in-command of the Queen¡¯s Imperial Guard both bowed and accepted the order.

    In the time that followed, Louis XVI and Queen Mary stayed beside the Crown Prince¡¯s bed, not even taking lunch.

    It was only at twilight that Joseph finally ¡°slowly came to.¡±

    The Queen immediately grasped her son¡¯s left hand and whispered gently, ¡°My dear heart, you¡¯re finally awake! How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°God be praised!¡± Louis XVI also watched his son with intense concern.

    In a timely manner, Joseph showed the panic and helplessness fitting for a boy of fourteen, looking pitifully at his parents and frowning, ¡°I feel very weak, and the wound is so painful¡­¡±

    The Queen was nearly moved to tears again, hurriedly comforting him with a soft voice, ¡°The Lord will protect you, my dear! You will be alright.¡±

    Louis XVI then turned a searching gaze to the doctor standing by.

    The doctor, somewhat helplessly, approached and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Crown Prince¡¯s wound has been meticulously treated, now all he can do is rest quietly. As for the pain, perhaps His Highness could take some Dover Powder.¡±

    At the mention of Dover Powder, Joseph¡¯s eyelid twitched¡ªthe ¡°Dover Powder¡± was a commonly used painkiller made from opium, not exactly a trifling matter.

    ¡°`

    He hurriedly changed the subject, looking terrified as he said to Queen Mary, ¡°Mother, that bullet flew right between Count Eman and me. If it had been half a foot off, it would have hit my heart¡­¡±

    Queen Mary and Louis XVI were both deeply shaken when they heard this and repeatedly comforted their son.

    Count Eman added ¡°insult to injury¡± by saying, ¡°Your Majesty, although the bullet did not hit His Highness, the splinters from the carriage were also very dangerous. Look, the wound on His Highness is from the splinter that was ejected.¡±

    ¡°Luckily we had God¡¯s protection, otherwise if a piece of wood had pierced His Highness¡¯s eye or something, the consequences would have been too dreadful to imagine!¡±

    Joseph and his servant exchanged an imperceptible glance, silently applauding each other¡¯s performances.

    It wasn¡¯t until late at night that Queen Mary and Louis XVI left the Crown Prince¡¯s sleeping quarters, still not having recovered from the shock.

    The next morning at ten o¡¯clock, all the Cabinet Ministers were summoned to the conference hall. Before the Queen lay several sketches. Count Robel was at her side, narrating the investigation findings related to yesterday¡¯s assassination attempt.

    ¡°This is a British-made 1742 flintlock gun bullet,¡± Robel pointed to a sketch of the carriage interior, ¡°fired through the door and finally stopped by a post on the other side of the carriage. Judging by the penetrating power, it must have been shot from quite a distance away.¡±

    Anyone investigating would certainly arrive at the same conclusion.

    Because the marks on the carriage were indeed made by a 1742 flintlock gun, fired by Kesode¡¯s own hand, who carefully adjusted the amount of gunpowder to ensure the power was just right.

    Afterward, he used wax to seal the door and carriage¡¯s damaged areas and painted over them. From the outside, it was very difficult to notice. When the ¡°assailant¡¯s¡± gunfire was heard, Joseph removed the wax, replacing it with previously collected bullets and wood splinters, recreating the scene of the shooting.

    ¡°What was the identity of the perpetrator?¡± Brian asked, frowning.

    ¡°They were two gang members,¡± Robel gestured to a sketch of the perpetrators¡¯ bodies, ¡°called the Blood Blade Gang. They have committed multiple crimes recently, robbing people on the road and have killed seven or eight people.¡±

    Baron Weymorel, captain of the Queen¡¯s guard, added from the side, ¡°Your Majesty, we have thoroughly compared the bulletins and brought in police from Moretrowan Town for identification, leaving no doubt they were members of the gang.¡±

    Justice Minister Baron Breti was puzzled, ¡°How did they get close to the convoy?¡±

    Robel pointed to a map and explained, ¡°They must have slipped through the farmland from the east, then took advantage of a lapse in the Imperial Guard¡¯s vigilance to sneak into a farmhouse.¡±

    He and Weymorel were previously perplexed; the farmhouse was more than three hundred paces from the fields, and at the time, at least ten Imperial Guard soldiers should have had sight of the place.

    After much discussion, they could only attribute it to General Besanval¡¯s negligence, such as gaps in the patrol arrangement or lack of discipline among the soldiers, perhaps even sleeping on duty.

    No one would have guessed that the attackers were brought to the scene by the biggest victim himself.

    Robel continued reporting the investigation findings, ¡°Then those two killed the soldiers guarding the farmhouse and hid in the attic. When the convoy passed by, they shot at the Crown Prince with their gun.¡±

    ¡°Upon hearing the gunshot, the Imperial Guard fired at the attic, killing the assailants on the spot,¡± Weymorel added.

    After a moment of contemplation, the Justice Minister wondered, ¡°Why did those two guys want to assassinate the Crown Prince?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, obviously someone paid them a lot of money to do it,¡± Mono snorted coldly, ¡°There are too many plotters who want to ruin the future of France.¡±

    Brian pondered, ¡°Or perhaps, they intended to assassinate Princess Maria, but due to the great distance, the bullet went off course.¡±

    If it was as he suggested, the assassins¡¯ objective would be to provoke a war between two countries. Regardless, the consequences of this attack were extremely serious.

    Queen Mary closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke, ¡°It seems the course of events is quite clear now. Count Robel, please continue your investigation into the mastermind behind this.¡±

    She then looked at Breti, ¡°Now, I want to know, what punishment will the Imperial Guard, especially General Besanval, who was responsible for protecting the Crown Prince¡¯s convoy, face?¡±

    After pondering, Breti carefully responded, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe General Besanval has been grossly negligent in his duties and should be dismissed and exiled.¡±

 Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 129: The Great Purge Begins (Seeking Double Monthly Passes)

    Chapter 143: Chapter 129: The Great Purge Begins (Seeking Double Monthly Passes)

    Queen Mary stared at the sketch in front of her, her face taut with extreme dissatisfaction, ¡°Is the punishment that light?¡±

    Justice Minister Breti nodded somewhat helplessly, ¡°Your Majesty, according to the relevant decrees, this is the heaviest punishment for General Besanval. Unless there is evidence to prove that he deliberately allowed the bandits to get close to Your Highness.¡±

    That¡¯s how the laws of France were at the time, very lenient towards the nobility. More than a decade ago, Countess Jeanne de la Motte, claiming to be Queen Mary¡¯s maid, found another woman to impersonate the Queen and tricked the Archbishop of Rouen into buying a necklace worth 2 million livres for the ¡°Queen.¡± Jeanne then handed the necklace to Count de la Motte, who sold it in England.

    It was only when the jewelers complained to the Queen about the installment payments not being received that the matter was revealed. The Archbishop of Rouen publicly presented ¡°the Queen¡¯s¡± personal letters to clear his name, putting the Queen at the center of everyone¡¯s gossip.

    Even for such a serious case, Rouen and Count de la Motte were astonishingly released without charge, while Jeanne, because of her nobility, was only sentenced to imprisonment in the Bastille. And the next year she escaped from prison¡ªsome suspected with the assistance of the Duke of Orleans.

    So, considering General Besanval¡¯s situation, exile was truly the limit.

    Queen Mary looked towards Brian, Mono, and others who were nodding in agreement. With no other choice, she pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°Very well, then let it be exile.

    ¡°However, the place of exile¡­ I remember we have a small island in East Africa, what¡¯s it called?¡±

    Kesode, who had been summoned as an eyewitness, immediately answered, ¡°It is Seychelles, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Right, Seychelles,¡± the Queen nodded bitterly, turning to Breti, ¡°Then that¡¯s where Besanval shall be exiled.¡±

    Seychelles was a good ten thousand nautical miles from Paris. Moreover, with the 18th-century sailing technology, it was not even guaranteed that everyone could survive the voyage from France to there.

    Although Besanval had not yet been sent for trial, since the Queen had decided on Seychelles, there was pretty much no escape for him.

    In the council hall, including the military ministers, no one dared to speak for Besanval. Aside from the King and Queen¡¯s rage, the attack the day before was too severe. Add to that a foreign princess had witnessed everything, making it a complete embarrassment.

    Baron Breti glanced at the Queen¡¯s expression and continued, ¡°Your Majesty, regarding the other members of the French Guards¡­ they are all significantly responsible for failing to stop the attackers.

    ¡°Since it is still unclear how those two bandits approached the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage, all the officers and soldiers of the French Guards need to be isolated for investigation. Suspects will then be handed over to the military court for prosecution and trial.¡±

    ¡°Investigation¡­¡± The Queen, weary, waved her hand, ¡°Baron Breti, please, along with Wemorel, assist the Gendarmerie in investigating the officers and soldiers of the French Guards.

    ¡°Until they are proven innocent, all officers are to be suspended from duty, and no one is to leave the barracks.

    ¡°Report the results of the investigation to me at all times.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Minister of War Saint Priest heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this¡ªBesanval was certainly finished, but as long as the Gendarmerie and the military court were in charge of the matter, the other officers of the French Guards should be safe.

    After all, they belonged to the same military system; go through the motions, then declare they were not involved in the incident.

    As France¡¯s elite troops stationed in Paris, the officers of the French Guards were mostly quite influential. In the Military Nobility Group, everyone¡¯s interests were entangled. These people had a very wide network of connections.

    Setting aside everything else, the commander of a cavalry battalion of the French Guards was the cousin-in-law of Saint Priest. If Queen Mary had directly assigned Royal Family members to inspect the matter, it would have been very troublesome for him.

    Just when he thought things had come to an end, he saw Kesode bowing to Queen Mary and saying, ¡°Your Majesty, given the performance exhibited by the French Guards, they are no longer suitable to continue guarding Paris. Perhaps, it is time to replace them with a more reliable regiment to ensure its security.¡±

    Queen Mary nodded in agreement and turned to the other ministers, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Saint Priest kept his head down and said nothing.

    Minister of the Interior Mono squeezed out an ¡°honest¡± smile and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the entire French Guards are currently under examination and unable to fulfill their duty of protecting Paris. It¡¯s indeed necessary to deploy other regiments to ensure the defense of Paris.¡±

    The previous evening, Joseph had sent someone to inform him to coordinate with Kesode.

    Brian also nodded and said, ¡°Your Majesty, there is currently no conflict at the Southern Netherlands border. Elite regiments like the Flander Regiment are somewhat wasted there; it would be perfect to redeploy them to assist in the defense of Paris.¡±

    Baron Breti¡¯s eyes lit up at the words, and he voiced his agreement loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, I also think the Flander Regiment is highly suitable.¡±

    The commander of the Flander Regiment, like him, was one of the very few among the nobility who were staunch supporters of the King. Having them in Paris would greatly benefit the strengthening of his political power.

    The Minister dealing with the ceremonial conclusion of England-France trade negotiations was in Birmingham. The Foreign Minister was on his way back from Russia, having only reached Austria.

    Therefore, at that moment, there was no one in the council chamber to object. Seeing this, Queen Mary decided on the spot, ¡°Then summon the Flander Regiment to Paris. The garrison of the French Guards will be changed to Moretrowan Town.¡±

    She remembered the town that served as the lair of the Blood Blade Bandits very well; it was just the place to send the French Guards to.

    ¡­

    An hour later, in the gardens of Versailles Palace Square, Duke of Orleans was smiling broadly at Marquis Saint Priest, saying,

    ¡°So at the moment, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to be in touch with the gendarmerie. I must ask you to convey the message. Who could have predicted an attack by bandits? Even Louis XV had faced an assassination attempt right before him; we cannot allow innocent officers to be implicated.¡±

    The French Guards were his stronghold after years of management, especially those officers to whom he had invested over a million livres; he naturally couldn¡¯t just watch them be dismissed or exiled.

    Minister of War confidently nodded, ¡°Rest assured, with this amount of ¡®campaign funds,¡¯ the gendarmes will definitely turn a blind eye. Even if someone were to be prosecuted, I will handle it at the military tribunal.¡±

    Just now, the Duke of Orleans had promised him a full 250,000 livres; he estimated he could pocket at least half of it since the officers of the French Guards would also bribe the gendarmes, sparing him the need to step in entirely.

    Duke of Orleans, who had missed the earlier meeting, now breathed a sigh of relief and, bowing slightly, indicated, ¡°Then that shall be your task.¡±

    ¡­

    Inside the Crown Prince¡¯s chambers, dozens of noble young ladies looked on worriedly at the Crown Prince who had been ¡°severely¡± injured, wishing it had been them who took the attack, and in their hearts, they cursed the incompetent French Guards thousands and thousands of times.

 Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 132 New Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Bertier

    Chapter 146: Chapter 132 New Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Bertier

    Major Bertier took a deep breath and walked into the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom through the guards, immediately bowing to Joseph with a hand on his chest:

    ¡°Your Highness, how are you feeling?¡±

    Joseph sat up in bed, smiled, and nodded:

    ¡°I am much better, Captain. I¡¯m glad you could come to see me.¡±

    He then had Eman excuse the spectating nobles from the room on the pretense of needing rest.

    ¡°Captain?¡± Major Bertier was taken aback, thinking the Crown Prince had misspoken, and hurriedly reminded him in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, I am only a company commander¡­¡±

    Joseph, as if he hadn¡¯t heard, gestured to the chair beside his bed, ¡°Please, take a seat.

    ¡°Oh, right, do you remember the military reform measures I discussed with you before?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Major Bertier nodded.

    Although the Crown Prince had only mentioned it briefly during an exercise at the police academy, Bertier had since visited the academy often and Dibowa had thoroughly introduced him to the prince¡¯s military reform plan.

    ¡°I am particularly impressed with the ¡®Conscription Regulations¡¯, ¡®Promotion System,¡¯ and the ¡®Establishment of the General Staff¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Oh? It seems you already have a considerable understanding of the reform content.¡± Joseph nodded appreciatively, ¡°So, what do you think of my military reform plan?¡±

    Relieved that the Crown Prince had not brought up the matter of the French Guard, Major Bertier immediately expressed what he¡¯d been wanting to say since discussing it with Dibowa:

    ¡°Your Highness, although France has what appears to be a very strong army, it is, if I may be so bold¡­ more like a decaying tree from the inside. The loss in the Seven Years¡¯ War is a testament to that.

    ¡°Our generals seem to have realized this and have made some changes, but in my opinion, it¡¯s still far from enough.

    ¡°I took part in the American Revolutionary War. Our troops held no advantage even when facing the British Army.

    ¡°And your reform proposal almost corrects all the shortcomings of the current army and introduces many innovations, which is exactly what France needs right now!¡±

    Joseph immediately responded:

    ¡°Then, do you think it¡¯s possible to implement the reforms now?¡±

    Major Bertier immediately frowned, and after a moment, shook his head and said:

    ¡°It would be very difficult to carry out. Just adjusting the promotion system would meet with opposition from almost all officers.¡±

    Currently, the officer class in France is firmly controlled by the nobility. Firstly, it is extremely difficult for commoners to enter military academies, and even if they can, most specialize in engineering or technical fields, almost never touching upon combat command.

    Upon graduating from military academies and entering the army, it is impossible for commoners, no matter how capable they are, to rise above the rank of junior officer.

    In fact, not just commoners, but even lesser nobility are unlikely to become majors. Apart from suppression and exclusion by the hereditary military nobility, the costs of promotion are not something lesser nobles can afford.

    Yes, in contemporary France, military officer promotions require a large payment. The higher the position, the higher the fee. Even some not so wealthy major nobles get stuck in the same position for over a decade upon reaching the rank of colonel because they can¡¯t afford the promotion.

    Furthermore, like the bureaucratic system, military officer positions in the French Army can also be bought with money. And these purchased officers hold the same command authority as officers who graduate through regular military channels!

    Such ¡°commissioned officers through financial contributions¡± account for a full third of the French Army.

    This meant that if a full-scale war broke out, at least a third of the French soldiers would be fighting the enemy under the command of complete amateurs. The outcome is not difficult to imagine.

    An important aspect of the military reforms proposed by Joseph was the merit-based promotion system, where rank would be determined by ability and military achievements, regardless of background. Additionally, no fees would be required for promotions, and the sale of military positions would be strictly prohibited.

    Undoubtedly, this would elevate more talented individuals to the higher echelons of the French Army, but it would also break the military nobility¡¯s monopoly on officer positions, leading them to fiercely resist the reforms.

    ¡°Yes, what you say is quite correct,¡± said Joseph somberly, ¡°Not just the promotion system, but changes to weapon procurement, recruitment, and the system of military honors will all encounter opposition from those people.¡±

    Bertier¡¯s expression became somewhat despondent.

    Although he was of minor nobility, he was a victim of the existing military system¡ª he had nearly gone into debt to attain his current rank of Major. And this time, in order to join the French Guards, he had nearly drained his finances and still fell far short. If not for the Crown Prince¡¯s generous assistance, he would have shamefully returned to Soissons by now.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Thus, military reform will be an exceedingly long process¡­¡± he said in a low voice.

    ¡°That may not be the case,¡± Joseph suddenly smiled, ¡°For instance, right now, there is an opportunity that could allow my reforms to take the first step immediately.¡±

    He looked at Bertier, ¡°Of course, this would also require your assistance.¡±

    The latter immediately stood and bowed, ¡°Your Highness, I am at your command.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Major Bertier. Oh, first of all, you are to be promoted to the position of infantry regiment commander.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Baron Breti says you have a way to calm things down?¡± the Minister of War, Saint Priest, eyed the middle-aged man before him with skepticism.

    If there were any other option, he certainly wouldn¡¯t believe that a mid-ranking officer could solve the current troubles.

    What he hadn¡¯t anticipated was that the inspection of the French Guards would evolve into its current state.

    People like Theodore, who were responsible for the massacre at the Axel Farmhouse, had already been handed over to the military court, but this did little to diminish the public¡¯s dissatisfaction with the French Guards, especially after the news of the Crown Prince¡¯s attack spread, angering the Paris populace even more.

    The Crown Prince, who spearheaded police reform and improved the security in Paris, had a very high reputation among the citizens, which caused more and more people to protest outside the French Guards¡¯ barracks. The residents of the Saint Antoine District in particular continuously threw dirt at the camp and shouted curses, nearly on the verge of storming inside.

    Meanwhile, a large number of noblewomen blocked his office, demanding a rigorous investigation into the officers responsible for the attack on the Crown Prince, making it so he hadn¡¯t dared show his face in his office for a long time.

    At the same time, the military was constantly pressuring him to protect the officers of the French Guards¡­

    When he was at his wit¡¯s end, the Justice Minister told him that a mid-level officer named Bertier might be able to resolve the predicament. Desperate, he decided to meet with the man.

    Bertier, seated opposite, appeared somewhat constrained:

    ¡°General, do you know why people have continuously reported the officers of the French Guards, even bringing up the affair at the Axel Farmhouse?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Do you have some inside information?¡±

    Bertier immediately replied according to Joseph¡¯s ¡®script¡¯:

    ¡°Yes, General. To my knowledge, it¡¯s because Her Majesty the Queen is extremely furious about the Crown Prince¡¯s injury, and wants to vent her anger by punishing the officers of the Guards.¡±

 Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 134 Go, Pika... uh, Mr. Mara! (Seeking double monthly passes)

    Chapter 148: Chapter 134 Go, Pika¡­ uh, Mr. Mara! (Seeking double monthly passes)

    Joseph immediately thought of the bankers who had been pouring large sums of French funds into England and couldn¡¯t help but grind his teeth in hatred. If he could dig up dirt on these fellows, it would not only please people immensely, but it would also effectively regulate the financial industry.

    However, Joseph immediately felt a sense of deflation, as there were still too many targets in the banking industry, and these people were not government officials, which would likely raise objections from Mara, the ¡°Friend of the People,¡± should the Justice Investigation Department look into them.

    If only there was a representative figure in the banking industry who was also an official¡­

    At that moment, an idea suddenly struck him¡ªthere was indeed such a person!

    Though he was no longer an official, he had served as the Finance Minister for a considerable time and had close ties with the banking industry. In fact, he was precisely a banker himself.

    The period when Necker was in charge of France¡¯s finances was exactly when France started down the irreversible path of sustaining its budget by relying on high-interest loans. His successors as Finance Ministers also wanted to break free from the vicious cycle of taking out new loans to pay old debts but were forced to continue borrowing due to the high-interest pressure.

    A chill flashed in Joseph¡¯s eyes. Based on Necker¡¯s various maneuvers, it would be a real surprise if there were no problems.

    Sending the Justice Investigation Department to investigate him now would not only divert Mara¡¯s attention, but if they actually found something, it might lead to a chain of unscrupulous banking tycoons.

    The next morning, Joseph sent Eman to the office of the Finance Minister to retrieve all the financial records from when Necker was in charge of the national treasury (he was a Swiss and couldn¡¯t directly hold the title of Finance Minister, but his authority was not diminished), which filled four entire hand carts.

    Joseph instructed Kesode to have the guards escort these documents to the office of the Justice Investigation Department.

    Sure enough, without a word from Joseph, Mara came to him by himself the next afternoon.

    Joseph used his old method on him.

    He started by harshly condemning how Necker colluded with banking industry magnates to maliciously increase financial expenditures, then taking out massive loans from banks, and in turn, funneling exorbitant interest to them. Afterward, he described the severe harm the national financial crisis had caused the French people.

    Finally, he pointed the ¡°piranhas¡± in the right direction¡ªgo forth, for the French people, and tear Necker apart!

    However, this time Mara seemed extremely hesitant, ¡°Your Highness, please forgive my frankness, but Mr. Necker has a very good reputation. During his tenure managing the nation¡¯s finances, the revenue and expenses were almost balanced. You wouldn¡¯t be trying to smear him because he publicized the Royal Family¡¯s extravagant waste, would you?¡±

    Joseph smiled. Necker indeed knew how to package himself¡ªhistorically, during the convening of the Estates-General, all three estates had a favorable view of him, and even Louis XVI saw him as a savior.

    But as someone well-acquainted with history, Joseph was quite clear about the misdeeds this individual had committed.

    ¡°Mr. Mara, a villain won¡¯t have the words ¡®bad person¡¯ written on his face. The Justice Investigation Department is there to see through surface disguises and uncover the real darkness within.¡±

    Joseph leaned forward, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Do you know where the first loan that Necker secured for the government after becoming head of the national treasury came from?¡±

    Mara, who had clearly browsed through those financial records, flipped open his notebook and glanced at it, ¡°A Swiss Bank¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°Do you know that this bank was owned by Necker and his friends?¡±

    Mara was taken aback, then shook his head.

    Joseph said coldly, ¡°Which means, the first thing Mr. Necker did upon taking office was to secure a significant deal for his own bank, and the interest rate was quite high to boot.

    ¡°There is more you don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°For instance, Mr. Necker collaborated with his friends in the English banking industry when he was young, using a substantial amount of funds to speculate on the grain trade between France and England, which caused the price of grain to skyrocket at that time.¡±

    ¡°Also, for example, in order to secure the position of Treasurer-General, Mr. Necker spent hundreds of thousands of livres and added his own bank equity, bribing numerous high-ranking officials¡­¡±

    No longer able to contain himself, Mara stood up and said, ¡°Your Highness, I will investigate all of this, but it may just prove that you are biased against Mr. Necker.¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded, ¡°I look forward to you bringing greater justice to the people of France.¡±

    After bowing respectfully, Mara was about to leave when Joseph added, ¡°Oh, by the way, Mr. Mara, did you just say that the financial revenue and expenditure during Necker¡¯s term seemed to be stable?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, that is a fact.¡±

    ¡°The fact is, the so-called balance of revenue and expenditure is based on excessive borrowing. The interest on the loans is not obvious in the short term, making it seem as if the financial situation is alright, but the interest rolls up more and more. The harm will only become apparent after more than a decade. In other words, a significant portion of the current fiscal deficit comes from the loans of that period.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your advice, Your Highness,¡± Mara said again, bowing before turning and leaving somewhat agitatedly.

    Having diverted Mara¡¯s attention away from the French Guards, Joseph then summoned Baron Breti and hinted at him that he could be more lenient in his review of the French Guards officers.

    Breti was initially appointed as Justice Minister through the support of the Crown Prince and Archbishop Brienne, plus auditing the officers which was a thankless task that could easily make enemies, so he immediately agreed.

    ¡­

    At the French Guards barracks, the number of letters reporting officers suddenly decreased, and the inspection process of the Gendarmerie sped up considerably.

    Marquis Saint Priest, upon hearing the news, was quite surprised that Bertier really had such influence and thus he streamlined all the procedures, almost immediately signing the commission to promote Bertier to Lieutenant Colonel and appoint him as the commander of the third infantry regiment of the French Guards.

    However, just after noon, Bertier came to him, indicating he had run into a little problem.

    ¡°So, what does your close friend demand now?¡± Saint Priest asked with a frown.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s like this, he has a younger brother, who recently graduated from the military academy and is currently just a junior lieutenant,¡± Bertier recounted the Crown Prince¡¯s request, ¡°He hopes his brother could serve as a battalion commander or something similar in the French Guards.¡±

    Marquis Saint Priest let out a long sigh, once having given away the cow, could he really begrudge giving a piece of the harness?

    He nodded immediately and said, ¡°Let it be as he says. Tell him to quickly go to¡­¡±

    ¡°He studied Cavalry Command, so he hopes it will be a Cavalry Camp.¡±

    ¡°All right, all right! Whether it¡¯s Cavalry or something else, just do it,¡± Saint Priest rubbed his forehead hard, already numb to it all and just wishing for this nightmare to end soon.

    Bertier acted quickly; after being promoted as regiment commander, he immediately went to the French Guards¡¯ barracks with Dibowa and Audric, a cousin of Kesode, to start selecting his troops.

 Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 135: With the Army in Hand, the World is Mine! (Happy New Year)

    Chapter 149: Chapter 135: With the Army in Hand, the World is Mine! (Happy New Year)

    The selection of regular soldiers was relatively easy, prioritizing those with good records while eliminating those with a history of violating military discipline or having committed crimes. A selection of over 1,700 soldiers, combining an infantry regiment and a cavalry camp, was completed in a matter of days.

    Screening officers was a more troublesome matter.

    Following the orders of the Crown Prince, Colonel Bertier eliminated all the senior officers, leaving only captains at the highest rank.

    There was no need to worry about a lack of intermediate and senior officers because among the captains, many had the capability to serve in higher positions but were held back simply due to their humble origins or lack of money.

    Promoting some of these outstanding individuals was far more effective than relying on the inherited officers for combat capabilities.

    Among the remaining officers, those of high noble birth were also dismissed, and a further selection was made to remove those of low character, with the entire screening process lasting over ten days before completion.

    Upon receiving the report that Bertier¡¯s troop organization had been completed, Joseph ¡°miraculously¡± got out of his sickbed and removed the bandages from his arm¡ªhe had actually recovered from his wounds a while ago, leaving only a fine scar.

    The next day, he came to Paris to attend the public trial of Theodore, the mastermind behind the shelling of the farmhouses, along with several of his subordinates.

    The so-called trial was just a formality, carried out to quell public outrage; the verdict had in fact been decided several days earlier.

    Theodore and Komu, who had given the order to fire on the scene, were sentenced to beheading, while the others received various punishments such as imprisonment or forced labor.

    When the judge of the military court announced the verdict, a thunderous cheer erupted from the plaza in front of Paris City Hall.

    Many people shouted, ¡°Vengeance for the Axels,¡± and a rain of stones was hurled at Theodore. Had it not been for the Gendarmes shielding with their shields, the culprits would have met their end right there without need for an execution ground.

    Subsequently, Joseph ascended and proclaimed amid the cheers of the crowd:

    ¡°The injuries I sustained in the attack have healed. After inspecting, the ¡®pests¡¯ within the France Guard have been thoroughly purged, and the rest of the officers and soldiers are innocent. I hope everyone will refrain from disturbing them further.¡±

    Immediately, the people began to shout again:

    ¡°Thank God, the Crown Prince is unharmed.¡±

    ¡°Praise the Crown Prince¡¯s mercy.¡±

    ¡°May God grant the Crown Prince good health.¡±

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    At the same time, newspapers under Joseph¡¯s control also began to collaborate, placing all the blame on Besanval, Theodore, and others, promoting the idea that none of the other members of the France Guard were responsible.

    However, it was tough on the few officers who were initially reported, as their crimes of corruption or assaulting soldiers were confirmed, and they became the sacrifices to appease the public rage.

    Less than a week later, the investigation of the France Guard came to an end. The once buzzing public opinion quickly forgot about the matter.

    The officers and soldiers of the France Guard, having narrowly escaped disaster, were overjoyed and wanted to celebrate, but they were suddenly reminded that the responsibility of guarding Paris had been handed over to two regiments dispatched from the Flander Regiment¡ªnow renamed the Paris Legion.

    They, meanwhile, had been stripped of the title of France Guard and renamed the Merit Corps, relegated to a remote small town¡­

    However, a portion of them soon saw a ray of hope¡ªtheir new Lieutenant Colonel Bertier, along with Audric¡¯s cavalry camp, took them from their station in the Merit Corps and headed to the familiar Mars Field in the Southern Suburbs of Paris.

    These more than 2,200 individuals were essentially the elite of the former France Guard.

    And the newly appointed Commander of the Merit Corps, the Marquis of Merit, looked at the remaining 1500-plus officers and soldiers with great helplessness.

    Given the current situation, which capable officer or one with connections would want to take over the mess that was the French Guard? The Marquis was the unfortunate scapegoat who had been sent to clean up the mess.

    Before he had taken up his post, he had heard of the tremendous influence of Colonel Bertier, who had resolved the crisis facing the French Guard. As such, the Marquis dared not utter any word against the actions of Bertier and Audric, acting as if they were not his subordinates at all.

    On the Mars Field, the more than two thousand officers and soldiers brought by Bertier stood in neat formation, watching the viewing platform with anxious hearts, uncertain of what instructions their new Commander would give.

    However, the first to ascend the viewing platform was a young man dressed in blue and white military uniform, followed by their Commander and a few officers surrounding the youth.

    Joseph watched the soldiers below, his heart full of excitement and relief.

    Having been in this world for so long, he finally had an army that would obey his commands completely!

    Although the numbers were not vast and even the officers were not complete, this was a starting point of special significance¡ªthe integration of royal and military power. From this point on, he truly possessed the capacity and means to alter the future of France!

    No, perhaps all of Europe would be utterly changed from this moment!

    Below the platform, a bugle call sounded, and an officer called out loudly, ¡°Present arms!¡±

    The signaler immediately waved his flags rapidly, executing a few gestures. Two thousand soldiers simultaneously lifted their rifles in salute.

    Joseph tipped his hat in acknowledgement, nodding inwardly at the level of training of these soldiers, after all, the elite forces tasked with guarding Paris.

    The officers below shouted again, ¡°Attention!¡±

    It was then that Joseph spoke out loud, ¡°I believe everyone here recognizes me. Today, I represent the Royal Family to visit His Majesty¡¯s most loyal troops.¡±

    The signaler immediately waved his flags to pass on the command, and the soldiers on the field responded in unison, ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°From now on, you will serve as a model for all French soldiers, becoming a new type of military unlike any before!¡±

    The officers and soldiers below were extremely surprised. They had thought that after the incident involving the attack on the Crown Prince, their military careers had no hope left. But unexpectedly, the Crown Prince had suddenly come to visit them and even said they should become a model for French soldiers?

    However, once the Crown Prince had only mentioned the entirely new promotion and pay systems, everyone was unable to keep calm, momentarily forgetting their discipline, and began whispering to each other.

    ¡°One can be promoted to be a mid-level officer without being nobility?¡±

    ¡°The Prince said, ¡®capable of being promoted to any position,¡¯ which means including high-ranking officers.¡±

    ¡°Advancement is based solely on ability and military merit! Thank God, we all have a chance to become officers now!¡±

    ¡°Promotions won¡¯t require any fees, that is the most crucial point!¡±

    ¡°Did you hear? The Prince said, from now on, the pay will not go through the officers but will be distributed directly into our hands by a paymaster.¡±

    ¡°Heard it! The paymaster is appointed directly by the Minister of War, so we don¡¯t have to worry about our pay being withheld anymore!¡±

    ¡°The Prince also said he would increase the pay. Oh, thank God, thank the Crown Prince!¡±

    Joseph did not make the officers maintain order, knowing that just these two reforms were enough to win him the absolute support of the more than two thousand officers and soldiers.

 Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 136: Crown Princes Guard Corps

    Chapter 150: Chapter 136: Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps

    The over two thousand soldiers and officers on the Mars Field were all a bit dizzy.

    A few days ago, they thought they were the most unlucky people in the world, inexplicably wrapped up in the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince, then subjected to scrutiny, and even believed they might be exiled.

    But now, they felt like the luckiest people in the world, having mysteriously joined a new legion and been inspected by the Crown Prince himself. The Crown Prince had also announced a host of new regulations, giving them a future filled with hope.

    If they weren¡¯t standing in formation right now, they would really want someone next to them to kick them, to verify that this was not just a dream.

    After a good while, Joseph signaled for the soldiers to be quiet, and then continued to announce several rules concerning military achievements, consolation payments, retirement pensions, and even preferential treatment for the families of soldiers.

    With the experience from before, the soldiers and officers were extremely excited, but they forcibly suppressed their emotions and maintained discipline at the scene.

    Having finished talking about the military reform projects that directly affected the interests of the soldiers, Joseph took two small booklets from Bertier standing beside him, held them up, and waved them: ¡°Other military discipline codes or systems will be distributed to each of you by your unit commanders later, so I will not repeat them here.¡±

    He put away the booklets, looked around at all the soldiers in the field, and said loudly, ¡°No matter what your background was or what the number of your current unit is, within the legion, you can all call yourselves the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps from now on!¡±

    ¡°Of course, you must also prove with your actions that you are worthy of this title.

    ¡°The training you¡¯ll undergo from now on will be even stricter, and the demands on you will be higher, but all this will bring you more honor. Anyone who feels they can¡¯t accept this can apply to leave later and go back to the¡ªoh, what¡¯s it called now?¡±

    Bertier hurriedly said softly on the side, ¡°It¡¯s the Merit Corps, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You can return to the Merit Corps at any time.¡±

    All the officers and soldiers present automatically disregarded this option.

    Are you kidding, to give up a clear path to promotion, a salary that wouldn¡¯t be embezzled by officers, and a high consolation payment, to go back to the already rotten Merit Corps?

    ¡°Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps¡±¡ªjust the name sounded imposing; perhaps they would be directly promoted to the Royal Guard.

    If anyone couldn¡¯t make that choice, they must be fooling themselves.

    Is it just more training, stricter demands? That¡¯s nothing! Who hasn¡¯t suffered before becoming a soldier, whether as a farmer or a craftsman, and weren¡¯t those times more strenuous than now?

    Little did they know, the Crown Prince loudly said, ¡°The first challenge you will face is to prove that you are at least better than the police, better at fighting. Oh, no, not the police, but the as-yet-ungraduated students of the Paris Police Academy.¡±

    The officers and soldiers on the field all laughed inside. They were, after all, once the elite forces of France, daring to compete with the King¡¯s Guard.

    And the police? What were they but ruffians and hooligans hired by the government, who had maybe undergone one police reform¡ªcould they even reach the heavens? If they couldn¡¯t even beat those guys, wouldn¡¯t that be a joke?

    However, they would soon find out just how ridiculously wrong they were.

    Finally, Joseph signaled to two officers nearby: ¡°These are your paymasters. From now on, every month, they will bring people to deliver your salaries directly to you. If you have any problems with your salary, you can even write directly to me with complaints.

    ¡°Now, the paymasters will conduct your first pay distribution.¡±

    And so, amid the pleasant process of disbursing pay, the first inspection of the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps came to an end.

    The soldiers, counting the silver coins in their hands, all had faces blooming with joy.

    The lowest tier of troop payroll had been raised from 13 livres to 15 livres, and sergeants had been bumped up from 17 livres to 20 livres.

    Although the salary may not seem high, the soldiers were provided with food, lodging, and uniforms, meaning all of this money could be sent home and was more than enough to support a family of four or five.

    After leaving the Mars Field, Joseph immediately headed to the Paris Police Academy.

    Not even half a league out, he saw a military camp under construction, which would be the new grounds for his Guard Corps.

    From the beginning, he had no intention of sending the corps back to Moretrowan Town. Half a month earlier, he had purchased a plot of land here and began constructing the campsite. As for the issue of being away from the garrison, he had Colonel Bertier apply to the Minister of War for ¡°extended training leave,¡± and, after coordinating with the current Paris Legion stationed in Paris, no one else interfered.

    On the training ground of the Paris Police Academy, Joseph, the academy¡¯s principal, mobilized the cadets for the ¡°joint exercise¡± scheduled a few days later.

    After the mobilization speech, he visited the office of the Provost Marshal to inquire about recent recruitment.

    ¡°There are currently more than 1,300 cadets in the academy?¡± Joseph asked Frient with a hint of surprise.

    The latter nodded respectfully, ¡°Your Highness, due to the Police Headquarters¡¯ assistance to Axel and his spouse, the number of people signing up for the academy has surged recently. If not for the lack of school buildings, we would possibly already exceed 1,500.¡±

    Joseph fell silent, as he had originally intended to instruct the academy to increase recruitment. It seemed that this was no longer necessary.

    He then instructed Frient, ¡°From now on, cadets may choose to become ¡®combat police¡¯ after graduation, or join the army. As for the army¡¯s systems and benefits, Colonel Bertier will have someone deliver the details to you.

    ¡°As for those who qualify in the Elite Class examination, they can take up direct commissions as officers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Frient had already heard from the Crown Prince about the establishment of a combat police force.

    It was essentially a team dressed in police uniforms, equipped with infantry weapons, and even provided with some cavalry. Their declared purpose was to combat vicious gangs, such as the Blood Blade Gang¡ªthose who dared to attack the Royal Family.

    Two days later, the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps welcomed over five hundred cadets from the Paris Police Academy to the Mars Field.

    The two forces were to conduct a joint exercise, which was essentially a contest of military skills.

    As soon as the cadets entered the field, they startled the guardsmen of the Guard Corps¡ªtheir uniforms were crisp, their formations neat, and their presence impressive. Were these really a group of not-yet-graduated police cadets?!

    What the guardsmen found most difficult to accept was that the cadets were armed with the latest model of Charleville 1776 flintlock guns!

    It should be noted that even France¡¯s King¡¯s Guard had only started to replace their weapons with this model three years ago, and to this day, a third of its soldiers were still using the old model from the Seven Years¡¯ War¡ªthe 1763 flintlock gun.

    And at the very back of the cadets¡¯ ranks, there were actually over 30 cavalrymen¡­ oh, they should be more accurately called mounted policemen.

 Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 138: Cutting Costs and Increasing Revenue

    Chapter 152: Chapter 138: Cutting Costs and Increasing Revenue

    General MacArthur, a renowned five-star critic from the United States, once said, ¡°The sky is high, the earth is wide, but Daddy is the biggest.¡± A summons from Daddy must certainly be the highest priority.

    Joseph, feeling helpless, looked towards the carriage and gestured to Eman, ¡°Let¡¯s head to the Palace of Versailles first, and then look at them in detail on the carriage.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Before long, several carriages drove out from the Industrial Planning Bureau.

    Inside the carriage, Joseph opened the envelopes one by one.

    The letters were from the three ¡°white gloves¡± who had been tasked with purchasing grain overseas for him; for secrecy, they used coded language.

    Joseph then took the codebook from Eman and began to read with effort.

    In the letters, the ¡°white gloves¡± first reported on the situation of the grain procurement, which was generally optimistic. The first two batches totaled nearly 70,000 setiers of grain from places like England, North Africa, Eastern Europe, 10,000 setiers of corn, and over 30,000 setiers of potatoes.

    A setier was a commonly used unit of measure at the time, with one setier being 4.43 bushels. As for how much grain that represented¡­ well, that varied.

    Because a bushel is a volume unit. In practice, it was filled with grain in a large barrel, and when full, it constituted one bushel. For example, when filled with grain it would be about 45-50 French pounds, and for potatoes, between 55-60 French pounds.

    In other words, in this period, the three ¡°white gloves¡± had already purchased nearly twenty million pounds of grain from around the world.

    Moreover, according to them, in line with Joseph¡¯s instructions, every time they arrived in a new place, they would spend money to find someone influential locally, and place an announcement in the newspapers claiming that the year was expected to be bountiful, with grain supply possibly outstripping demand. After all, it was still early before the autumn harvest, so the statement could be freely made.

    Subsequently, the local price of grain would begin to slide, and that¡¯s when the ¡°white gloves¡± would move in to make their purchases, leaving immediately once the prices started to rise even a little bit. So, they had acquired these tens of millions of pounds of grain at basically standard prices.

    Joseph did some quick calculations in his head and figured that at this rate of procurement, by July, before the hail came, about five hundred million pounds of grain should be purchasable.

    Of course, relying on this grain alone would not be enough to overcome the great famine, but now a third of the French provinces had planted potatoes, and the grain yield was expected to rise significantly and not be completely wiped out by the hail.

    With efforts from both sides, getting through this winter safely should not be a problem. As for next year¡­ that would have to be dealt with one step at a time.

    Of course, another issue was that the French Government needed to have the funds to pay for these five hundred million pounds of grain.

    Sure enough, in the latter half of the letters, the ¡°white gloves¡± mentioned that the first two allocations of funds were nearly exhausted and asked His Highness to allocate the subsequent funds as soon as possible.

    In addition, they also inquired about where the grain piled up in Le Havre was to be transported within the country.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but rub his temples, as transportation was also an extremely troublesome issue. Of course, in the end, it was still a matter of money.

    You see, the transportation capabilities of this era were quite poor, and even using the cheapest river transport, the cost would double the price of the grain.

    He had seen in a report from Valerna before that of the five million livres used to purchase potatoes in the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, nearly half had been spent on transportation costs.

    And this was the result of the Governor¡¯s orders to cooperate fully along the way; otherwise, the expenses would be even higher.

    Speaking of river transport, Joseph suddenly remembered that this year¡¯s drought would lead to some waterways drying up. They would then be forced to transport grain by land, increasing costs several-fold.

    Historically, during the Feuillants¡¯ time in power, they used many means to requisition grain from other provinces to alleviate the food shortage in Paris, only to fail to get the grain to Paris in time because of the exorbitant cost of land transport.

    And the fact that the people of Paris could not eat bread was one of the major reasons for the Feuillants¡¯ eventual resignation.

    Therefore, while river transport was still running normally, it was imperative to transport the grain from Le Havre to various places as soon as possible.

    That was yet another substantial sum of money.

    Joseph calculated that Paris Fashion Week was about to open, and it should be able to make some money, but the gap was still large.

    The income from Paris Angel Company now had a large portion subsidizing the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps, leaving only a little over two hundred thousand livres each month.

    The paper mill was still under construction and would not generate profits for at least three more months.

    The winemaking industry itself didn¡¯t collect much in patent fees, and it was not yet the season for mass production.

    As for the industrial park in Nancy, it goes without saying that it still needed constant investment. Profits were not even worth considering.

    Joseph looked out the car window at the streets speeding by and sighed inwardly; money was truly easier spent than earned.

    It seemed that he needed to further intensify efforts to increase income and reduce expenditure.

    As for generating income, he had always been working on it. The remaining were projects that required large investments and had long cycles; they were not likely to yield profits in the short term.

    Another option, which was what the current European powers were engaged in, was colonial expansion.

    Since the Age of Discovery, colonies had been the major source of funds for countries. At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, they provided a massive amount of resources and also served as markets for product dumping.

    Therefore, colonization was absolutely the necessary path for a country to become wealthy and powerful.

    The current fiscal difficulties of France were largely due to the loss of vast colonies to the British after the defeat in the Seven Years¡¯ War, leading to a drastic plummet in overseas earnings.

    Joseph naturally began to ponder suitable locations for colonial development.

    First, the Far East was definitely beyond their power to meddle in. Historically, it wasn¡¯t until nearly a hundred years later, after France had completed the industrial revolution, that it re-engaged in the Far East.

    As for the Americas, they were almost entirely within the spheres of influence of England and Spain. Although rich, the distance was too great, making it difficult to project power. For the moment, it would be good enough if France could maintain its current colonies in the Caribbean Sea.

    After considering all options, he found the choice historically made by the French to be the most sensible: North Africa.

    Close to France, it boasted vast areas of fertile land, particularly Egypt, a world-class strategic location. If they could seize Egypt and threaten the British by developing the Suez Canal, France could gain a significant strategic advantage.

    However¡­ Joseph immediately furrowed his brows, as England regarded France as a mortal enemy and closely monitored every French move.

    If France showed any sign of gaining a foothold in North Africa, the British would definitely interfere. Historically, as soon as Napoleon landed in Egypt, his maritime supply lines were cut off by the British.

    Thus, the most important thing about getting a hold of North Africa was how to deceive the British¡­

    He thought hard for a long time but could not grasp the key. So, he had to temporarily let it go.

    Since it was not easy to increase income in the short term, Joseph turned his thoughts to how to cut costs.

    He reflected on the current major expenditure items of the French Government and was startled to find that the largest expenditure was actually the interest on the debt.

    The interest payments exceeded two hundred million livres every year!

    If he had that money, neither famine nor industrial development would be an issue.

    However, the loan agreements were clear, and as time went on, the interest would only accumulate.

    Joseph knew that in just two years, the French Government would need to pay over four hundred million livres in interest¡­

    Note 1: The Suez Canal had not been developed in 1788. Trade from Asia to Europe had to go around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, a journey of over ten thousand nautical miles. However, taking the Suez Canal reduced the distance to only five thousand nautical miles. So whoever controlled the Suez Canal could control Europe¡¯s trade!

 Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 139: The Ultimate Weapon (Request for Double Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 153: Chapter 139: The Ultimate Weapon (Request for Double Monthly Votes)

    The current situation in France is such that it should thank Providence simply for being able to pay the interest on its debts, as for repaying the principal? Ha, one doesn¡¯t even dare to dream of it in one¡¯s sleep.

    Joseph¡¯s face tightened as he shook his head, thinking to himself that it would be great if all those banks that lent to the government could just go bankrupt¡­

    Besides debt interest, another major ¡°bleeding point¡± of France¡¯s finances is taxation.

    The French Government now entrusts most of its tax collection to ¡°Tax Farmers.¡± Every year, Tax Farmers pay a lump sum to the government, after which they are free to collect taxes.

    Estimates by later historians suggest that the actual amount of taxes collected by Tax Farmers each year exceeds the fee they pay to the government by more than one-eighth.

    Based on last year¡¯s tax revenue in France which totaled 500 million livres, one-eighth amounts to forty million. This money goes straight into the pockets of the Tax Farmers.

    In fact, the profits of Tax Farmers may well exceed this figure, as some statistics show that nearly 20% of tax revenues are pocketed by them.

    That is to say, if the Tax Farmers¡¯ system were abolished, the French Government could increase its annual income by at least forty million livres!

    Of course, attempting tax reform is extremely difficult.

    One very important reason for this is that the Tax Farmers are also creditors of the French Government. They pay the entire annual tax fee to the government at the beginning of the year and only then collect the taxes.

    If the Tax Farmers¡¯ system were suddenly abolished, it would mean the French Government would have no tax revenue for a year!

    Joseph suddenly realized that whether increasing revenue or decreasing expenditure, neither was an easy matter¡­

    As he pondered, the Versailles Palace Square came into view.

    Joseph stepped down from his carriage when a court official, who had come to deliver a message from Louis XVI, quickly approached from the car ahead, a wide smile on his face, ¡°Your Highness, the King said he¡¯s waiting for you at the Royal Workshop.¡±

    Joseph nodded his thanks to the man and headed towards the King¡¯s lock-making workshop.

    Just as he rounded the column in front of the staircase, he encountered a man with a look of distress on his face coming towards him¡ªit was Nico Herve, the Minister of the Interior.

    Upon raising his head and seeing the Crown Prince, Nico Herve promptly bowed, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a while, Your Highness. May the Lord bless you.¡±

    Joseph smiled back at him, ready to ask about the signing of the ¡°Eden Treaty,¡± when Nico Herve seemed rather listlessly to make his excuses and left.

    Joseph, somewhat surprised, looked at Eman, ¡°He seems to be troubled by something?¡±

    Eman caught up with Nico Herve¡¯s attendant and asked in a low voice before returning to relay to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, it seems that Earl Nico Herve wasn¡¯t in the best of spirits during the negotiations with the British. Archbishop Brienne reprimanded him for it, so he¡¯s feeling a bit down.¡±

    Joseph nodded, understanding that Nico Herve really didn¡¯t appear to have much diplomatic talent, but it wasn¡¯t too worrying as the content of the Anglo-French trade negotiations had already been agreed upon by himself and the British Ambassador Hartley, so it was unlikely to affect the treaty signing.

    By the time Joseph arrived at the entrance of the Royal Workshop, the door was opened from the inside, and out shuffled a middle-aged man dressed as a Priest, with a round pancake face and thick lips, sighing heavily.

    The Priest, upon seeing Joseph, paused briefly before putting on a radiant smile, and enthusiastically greeted and bowed to the Crown Prince.

    Seeing the Crown Prince looking puzzled, Eman quietly informed him at his side, ¡°Your Highness, this is Principal Talleyrand of the Saint-Denis Monastery.¡±

    Talleyrand? Joseph blinked, recalling the shrewd political survivor who had managed to thrive through several major eras including those of Louis XVI, the National Assembly, Napoleon, and Louis XVIII?

    Talleyrand once served as the Archbishop of Autun before successively becoming Napoleon¡¯s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Louis XVIII¡¯s Prime Minister.

    It¡¯s hard to say in other respects, but in diplomacy, he was definitely a first-class master.

    Joseph nodded and smiled at Talleyrand. Before he could exchange a few words, he heard Louis XVI¡¯s voice coming from the workshop, ¡°Joseph, is that you? Oh, dear, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long, come in quickly.¡±

    Talleyrand gracefully bowed and excused himself. Joseph stepped into the workshop and bowed to Louis XVI, placing his hand on his chest.

    The King didn¡¯t wait for him to finish his ritualistic words and came over excitedly, grabbing him and almost dragging him to the workbench. Pointing at something covered with blue cloth on the table, he asked mysteriously, ¡°Guess what this is?¡±

    Joseph guessed that it might be the finished caplock gun, but he still exaggeratedly said, ¡°Is it¡­ a pile of jewelry?¡±

    Louis XVI shook his head proudly, ¡°No, this is something far more precious than jewelry.¡±

    As he spoke, he yanked off the blue cloth, ¡°It¡¯s the world¡¯s best gun, developed by me and my dearest son!¡±

    Then, two caplock guns that had been meticulously polished and were as beautiful as works of art appeared before Joseph.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to give it a try?¡± Louis XVI gestured towards the guns.

    Joseph nodded, reached out and picked up one of them, examining it closely.

    The positions of the barrel, trigger, and stock were basically the same as the Charleville 1776 flintlock gun, probably using mature parts.

    The biggest changes were in the lock and the priming chamber.

    The lock had been altered from the beak-shaped flintlock to a hammer shape. The priming chamber was completely removed, replaced with a date stone-sized cylindrical prominence.

    Joseph pulled the lock hard. Immediately, Louis XVI took a brass ¡°green bean¡± from a wooden box beside him and handed it to Joseph.

    Looking at the percussion cap in his hand and then at the wooden box, which still held dozens of caps scattered inside, Joseph thought to himself: The lack of safety precautions is appalling. Lucky there wasn¡¯t a fire, that would have been quite the spectacle¡­

    He inserted the cap onto the nipple. Louis XVI hurriedly pointed to an empty space in the corner, indicating it was for test firing. It seemed he had already tried many times there.

    Joseph pointed the gun at an empty space and pulled the trigger, producing a ¡°puff¡± sound. The gun wasn¡¯t loaded with gunpowder, only a little smoke from the burning fulminate mercury billowed from the barrel.

    From the force and stability of the lock, Joseph could clearly tell that there was absolutely no problem with this gun.

    The finest craftsmen of France would indeed not disappoint; he now had another powerful weapon in his own hands!

    ¡°Craftsman Louis XVI,¡± however, seemed not quite satisfied with his performance, muttering, ¡°I had thought it would be ready a month ago, but the airtightness issue turned out to be very complex.¡±

    He gestured towards the Palace of Versailles waterwheel system outside the window, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the British boring machine you recommended, oh, and your invention of the ¡®spiral micrometer¡¯ that was a great help, maybe this gun would still have leakages now.¡±

    ¡°You are truly the greatest master in this world!¡± Joseph lifted the gun in his hand and praised, ¡°Without you, this gun probably wouldn¡¯t have appeared until decades later.¡±

    Louis XVI squinted with pleasure, then said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the woods east of the square to test fire. I often go there to try out guns.¡±

    Joseph, however, smiled and shook his head, ¡°Testing guns in the woods lacks atmosphere. Let¡¯s go to the shooting range and fire a few shots there!¡±

 Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 140 Everywhere You Look Theres a Business Opportunity

    Chapter 154: Chapter 140 Everywhere You Look There¡¯s a Business Opportunity

    The father and son shared a knowing smile and promptly set out.

    Upon leaving the workshop, Joseph headed towards the Marble Courtyard, only to see Louis XVI turn towards the tea room.

    He quickly followed and asked in surprise, ¡°Father, aren¡¯t we going to the shooting range?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Louis XVI nodded. ¡°While they prepare the carriage, we can have a cup of tea, some pastries, and change our clothes in the meantime.¡±

    It then occurred to Joseph about Louis XVI¡¯s super luxury carriage weighing 1.5 tons; with all his travel necessities, it would take no less than 40 minutes to prepare.

    He eagerly caught up to Louis XVI, ¡°Dear father, you¡¯re going as a master gunsmith to inspect your work, there¡¯s no need for such ceremony. Why not take my carriage instead?¡±

    Louis XVI blinked, hmm, a master gunsmith, huh? That does sound interesting, very stylish.

    He heeded the advice and after a quick change of clothes, he left the Palace of Versailles and climbed into his son¡¯s grey-black carriage.

    The King¡¯s Guard saw their majesty¡¯s carriage take off, exchanged perplexed glances, and hastily mounted their horses to follow in a fluster.

    Shortly after leaving, Louis XVI started to grumble, ¡°Joseph, this carriage is too bumpy¡­ Had I known, I would have waited for mine to be ready.¡±

    Joseph asked in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t your carriage bumpy?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, my carriage has over ten sets of springs installed under the chassis.¡± Louis XVI, the ¡°tech geek¡±, proceeded to outline the construction of his carriage.

    ¡°Spring suspension?!¡± Joseph exclaimed in amazement. He had been mulling over inventing such a thing, and now someone else had already made it. ¡°Who made your carriage?¡±

    ¡°The same workshop that manufactures carriages for the court.¡±

    After inquiring in detail, Joseph learned that carriages with spring suspension had been around for decades.

    However, these springs had to be manually coiled, resulting in low production and inconsistent quality. The springs used in carriages sold for 30 livres each, and they often broke, needing replacement every two or three months.

    This meant that a carriage with spring suspension easily cost a thousand livres or more. The King¡¯s custom model was even more expensive.

    Of course, other than the cost, the fragility and maintenance issues also deterred people from using such carriages.

    The price was so high? A smile crept across Joseph¡¯s lips; truly, opportunities abound for the observant.

    If leaf springs could simply solve the problem, why bother with coil springs? It seemed he could develop a new business in carriage making.

    If only he¡¯d known how valuable this was, he could have developed it sooner and saved his backside a few months of discomfort.

    Southern Suburbs of Paris.

    Inside the police training school, all the instructors and students were swept up in excitement and agitation, for the King had made a surprise visit.

    Accompanied by the senior staff of the police school, Louis XVI nodded and smiled kindly at the students, then turned to Joseph and whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve built such a large military school!¡±

    Joseph quickly corrected with a smile, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a police school, for training policemen.¡±

    Louis XVI gestured towards the neatly formed Bertier Regiment in the distance, ¡°Aren¡¯t those soldiers?¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t hide it from his father, ¡°Actually, I have trained an army to test some ideas for military reforms. They sometimes come here to train.¡±

    ¡°Military reforms?¡± Louis XVI said with a smile, ¡°Like what the Marquis of Louvois did?¡±

    Marquis of Louvois was Louis XIV¡¯s Minister of War and had led the military reforms of the time, which significantly enhanced the combat effectiveness of the French Army. One could say that the Sun King¡¯s fame was built upon the armies organized by Louvois.

    However, Louis XVI didn¡¯t truly believe that the fourteen-year-old Crown Prince could come up with any substantial military reform.

    All Joseph could do was vaguely respond, ¡°Ah, somewhat similar, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°I am truly proud of you, my son!¡±

    As Louis XVI was speaking, he caught sight of the target range not far away and his eyes lit up, with his pace quickening.

    When he arrived behind a row of earthen walls hundreds of meters wide, instructors had already set up more than a dozen human-shaped wooden boards 40 paces away.

    1.5 paces are about 1 meter. So 40 paces would be about 26 meters.

    The instructor, knowing that it was the King himself shooting, naturally set the targets a little closer, so as to avoid embarrassment should His Majesty keep missing.

    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eye, Louis XVI eagerly took the Caplock Gun and cartridge bag from his attendant¡¯s hand, immediately pouring in the gunpowder, ramming it down, then adding a lead ball, ramming it down again, and finally pulling back the firing mechanism and affixing a percussion cap onto the touchhole.

    The entire sequence of actions was extremely smooth, showing that he had performed the loading and firing process too many times recently while designing this gun.

    With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the bullet shot forth, grazing the shoulder of a wooden target.

    The instructors and followers around instantly burst into praise, while people like Frient and Dibowa were focusing on the odd firearm instead.

    Joseph, noticing their hesitant expressions, smiled at Dibowa and said, ¡°Major Dibowa, would you like to compare shooting speeds with His Majesty?¡±

    Having served for over ten years, Dibowa was one of the fastest marksmen at the police school.

    Seeing that Louis XVI was also eager to try, Dibowa respectfully bowed his chest and nodded, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±

    He picked up a Charleville 1776 Flintlock Gun and hung his cartridge bag around his waist.

    Joseph then loudly declared, ¡°Begin!¡±

    The two competitors immediately sprang into action, with Dibowa¡¯s movements clearly faster, pouring in gunpowder, drawing the ramrod to ram down, and loading the bullet. Meanwhile, Louis XVI had just managed to pour in the gunpowder.

    Dibowa was leading all the way, tilting his powder flask to pour into the pan when Louis XVI had just finished ramming down the bullet.

    However, as Dibowa pulled back the firing mechanism and raised the gun to aim, he heard the ¡°click¡± of the King¡¯s firing mechanism next to him.

    He was startled, realizing that the King was less than two seconds behind him!

    He had been practicing loading and shooting regularly since military academy, a routine he had performed for over a decade, to the point where he could do it blindfolded. And yet, the King, who usually only used a gun for hunting and even had servants to load it, was now only a little bit slower than him!

    The two guns fired one after the other, separated by two seconds, causing everyone present, except for the King and his son, to stare in amazement.

    Dibowa gave Louis XVI a chest bow and, while focusing on the gun in the latter¡¯s hand, said, ¡°Your Majesty, I beg your pardon, but may I have the honor of examining your firearm?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Louis XVI passed the gun over, thoughtfully including a percussion cap and said, ¡°You¡¯ll need this to fire.¡±

    Only then did Joseph pick up another Caplock Gun and began to explain to Dibowa how to operate it.

    When Dibowa learned that the gun eliminated the step of pouring the priming powder and required three fewer actions than operating the flintlock, his breathing became rushed with excitement, ¡°Your Majesty, may I please fire it once to try?¡±

 Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 141: Auguste 1788 Model Caplock Gun

    Chapter 155: Chapter 141: Auguste 1788 Model Caplock Gun

    Afterward, the collective trial firing of the percussion cap guns by the police school instructors began.

    After trying out the new guns, everyone appeared incredibly excited. They knew what it meant to have the shooting speed increased by three to four seconds.

    Joseph himself also fired a few shots and just felt a huge recoil; the butt of the gun made his shoulder sore. Moreover, in terms of loading speed, even Louis XVI was streets ahead of him.

    Well, as for the Crown Prince, his strength lay in his intellect; firing guns was a task best left to Kesode.

    Soon, Principal Frient discovered another advantage of the percussion cap gun, ¡°I feel that this gun has greater firepower than the 1776 model.¡±

    Joseph nodded inwardly, as no leaking from the ignition chamber meant more of the explosive force of the gunpowder was acting on the bullet, definitely increasing the firepower.

    An instructor standing by nodded, ¡°I feel it too. Moreover, this gun doesn¡¯t spray gunpowder smoke in your face when firing, so it won¡¯t sting your eyes.¡±

    Of course, this was also due to the elimination of the ignition chamber. The ignition chamber was close to the shooter¡¯s face, and the leaked gas from there would seriously interfere with the sight, which was not a problem with the percussion cap gun.

    The excitement continued with shots and discussions until they had used up the seventy to eighty percussion caps they brought, and only then did they stop, reluctantly.

    The fact proved that Louis XVI¡¯s craftsmanship was extremely superb; each gun was fired nearly 40 times in succession without any issue.

    Only the King stood aside with a look of wistful grievance. He had come here to try shooting, but in the end, he had only fired two shots. And due to his social anxiety, he found it hard to ask these strangers for a gun¡­

    The empty guns were collected by Louis XVI¡¯s attendants. Frient looked towards Joseph and asked, ¡°Your Highness, are these two new guns made in Charleville? What are they called?¡±

    Charleville city was the largest firearm manufacturing site in France; most of the new guns were developed there previously.

    Joseph, however, turned to Louis XVI and bowed, ¡°No, these guns were personally crafted by His Majesty the King.¡±

    Louis XVI smiled shyly but happily. He wanted to add that the gun was designed by the Crown Prince, but his social anxiety made him stammer, and he couldn¡¯t explain clearly for a long time.

    ¡°As for the name of the gun,¡± Joseph pondered for a moment, ¡°I suggest calling it the ¡®Auguste 1788 model¡¯ percussion cap rifle.¡±

    Everyone shouted the new name of the gun, and there was another round of cheering, ¡°Auguste 1788 model! The best gun in all of Europe!¡±

    ¡°This is the new era of firearms, the Auguste 1788 model!¡±

    ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s full name was Louis Auguste.

    Joseph was very clear that currently, the greatest prestige of the Royal Family still rested with his father. Raising his father¡¯s prestige meant increasing the prestige of the entire Royal Family. As for himself, he was still operating behind the scenes, and it was more impactful to bestow the honor on his father.

    Louis XVI was taken aback at first, but when he heard the surrounding shouts and praises, his heart blossomed with joy, and he immediately began to imagine the majestic sight of guns bearing his name sweeping through enemies across Europe. The regret of not having fired more shots earlier had long since vanished.

    He did feel as though he had stolen the Crown Prince¡¯s credit, but since his son had so enthusiastically given him the right to name it, he surely couldn¡¯t disappoint his son¡¯s kind intentions.

    Afterward, Louis XVI, surrounded by a crowd, toured the police school training ground, watched the police officers¡¯ drill exercises, and then embarked on the return journey, feeling completely satisfied.

    In the carriage, Louis XVI reflected on this brief outing¡ªthere was none of the usual pageantry of a convoy, only heartfelt commendations from the people. This filled him with sheer exhilaration and joy.

    Joseph smiled from across the room. ¡°Father, I plan to build a gunsmithing factory near Paris to produce the new percussion cap guns. When the time comes, I¡¯ll need you to guide the craftsmen in the manufacturing process.¡±

    ¡°A new gunsmithing factory?¡± Louis XVI was somewhat surprised. ¡°Won¡¯t you produce them in Charleville?¡±

    Joseph replied subconsciously, ¡°These guns are an important means of controlling the military, of course¡­¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s eyes sparkled with clarity. ¡°Control the military? But the military is very loyal to me.¡±

    Joseph silently rubbed his forehead, not knowing how to explain to his father¡ªif you really had control over the military, you wouldn¡¯t have failed to move a single troop into Paris during the crisis.

    He had to redirect. ¡°Loyal to you, ah, yes, of course.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that the percussive cap guns are complex to fabricate. Currently, you have a comprehensive grasp of the entire process. We can¡¯t expect you to go to Charleville and teach the other craftsmen, right? So it¡¯s best to produce them directly near Paris.

    ¡°Besides, there are other new types of weapons in the future that will require your expertise in research and manufacturing. Having the factory right next to the Palace of Versailles will also be more convenient.¡±

    Louis XVI was immediately convinced and nodded slightly. ¡°Building a new factory will cost quite a bit of money. Hmm, I can provide 500,000 livres now, is that enough?¡±

    Joseph was moved¡ªit¡¯s not every day you find a good employee¡­ ah, no, a good father who funds research and development.

    He quickly replied, ¡°That should be enough, and if it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll contribute some more. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to send someone to the gun factories in Charleville, Saint-etienne and others to recruit skilled craftsmen so we can start manufacturing the new guns as soon as possible.¡±

    Joseph had calculated that with the King¡¯s personal summons and the chance to live in the prosperous Paris, those craftsmen would surely find the offer irresistible.

    This way, his armament factory could be up and running in no time.

    Once the percussion cap guns were made, the combat power of his Guard Corps would instantly become the best in all of Europe!

    He then remembered that a real strong army can¡¯t stay on the training grounds forever; it¡¯s the smoke of the battlefield that would rapidly foster their growth.

    When it comes to places, North Africa was a good training ground¡ªits armies weren¡¯t as strong as those in Europe, nor as weak as the natives in America.

    But how to circumvent those British and intervene in North Africa?

    ¡­

    A few hours later, the carriage entered the Versailles Palace Square. It was Joseph¡¯s carriage; he needed to drop off Louis XVI first, and besides, he wanted to talk to Brian about grains and the North Africa matter.

    As soon as father and son alighted from the carriage, Joseph caught sight of a figure dressed as a priest respectfully waiting outside the gate while Louis XVI frowned slightly, pretended not to see, and hurried past.

    Seeing the priest¡¯s despondent look, Joseph asked Louis XVI in a low voice, ¡°Father, is Principal Talleyrand here to discuss something?¡±

    Louis XVI sighed. ¡°It¡¯s about his promotion to Archbishop.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s qualified and the Church agrees. It¡¯s just that your mother is unhappy that he once spoke ill of her in private, so she¡¯s holding back on signing off his promotion. He always comes to plead with me.¡±

    Joseph nodded silently to himself; Talleyrand was definitely talented, and this was a good opportunity to bring him into his service.

 Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 142: Letter from Catherine II

    Chapter 156: Chapter 142: Letter from Catherine II

    Joseph glanced again in the direction of Talleyrand and said to Louis XVI, ¡°Father, if he comes to bother you again, just send him to me. I have a way to persuade him.¡±

    Louis XVI, relieved at the thought of ridding himself of the persistent priest, readily agreed, ¡°Then I must thank you, Joseph.¡±

    As he spoke, he found himself thinking back on the glory and praise the caplock gun had brought him today, and he couldn¡¯t help but look at his son wistfully, ¡°Joseph, if you have any other ideas for new weapons, you must tell me right away.¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded, thinking to himself that he definitely couldn¡¯t let you sit idle. Every day you¡¯re idle is a huge loss to the modernization of France¡¯s armaments.

    ¡°For now, instruct the craftsmen on how to make caplock guns. I do have a concept for rifled guns, but it¡¯s not yet mature. Once I have it figured out, I will surely tell you.¡±

    The principle and structure of the rifled gun, of course, were already in existence, but Joseph feared his father¡¯s focus on this would affect the construction progress of the armory, so he had no choice but to withhold it for now.

    ¡°Rifled guns?¡± Louis XVI was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Haven¡¯t people already made those?¡±

    Joseph laughed and gestured dismissively, deliberately lowering his voice, ¡°The current rifled guns are very difficult to load. The bullet has to be hammered into the barrel, and it can even get stuck halfway down. My design for rifled guns allows for very easy loading, almost as smooth as smoothbore guns.¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, ¡°Good Lord, what kind of brain have You bestowed upon my Joseph?!¡±

    He clutched his son¡¯s arm tightly, excited, ¡°Then you must hurry! Soon, we¡¯ll have another gun that will shock all of Europe!¡±

    ¡°Of course, dear father.¡±

    After talking about the glorious moment at today¡¯s training ground for a while longer, Joseph bid farewell to the king, who was beaming with pride, and went straight to the Finance Minister¡¯s office.

    Brian hurried out to meet him, smiling warmly, ¡°Your Royal Highness, Crown Prince, it¡¯s wonderful to see that your injury has healed! Thank God for His protection!¡±

    He did indeed care deeply for Joseph¡¯s well-being, having visited almost daily for fear that the Crown Prince might suffer an unforeseen event.

    Joseph quickly made the sign of the cross over his chest, ¡°Thank God. And thank you, Archbishop Brian.¡±

    As they sat down, Joseph remembered the encounter with the Minister of Civil Registration from the day before and asked, ¡°Archbishop Brian, I hear that Earl Nico Herve¡¯s trip to England wasn¡¯t so smooth?¡±

    Brian sighed and nodded, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s indeed not very good at those kinds of situations, reacting slowly to various diplomatic maneuvers and often misspeaking¡­ Oh, he even got the King of England¡¯s lineage wrong in public.¡±

    He paused, then looked at Joseph and continued, ¡°Moreover, after the huge embarrassment we dealt Vilran, he came as if nothing had happened to report to me about going to Russia. Not to mention resigning.¡±

    Joseph frowned upon hearing this. He had previously agreed with Brian to send Foreign Minister Vilran off to Russia and miss the Anglo-French trade negotiations, fully expecting him to resign in anger. Yet he hadn¡¯t anticipated Vilran¡¯s remarkable self-control.

    In fact, Vilran had thought of resigning even before reaching Russia, but the Duke of Orleans repeatedly requested that he stay. With no choice but to save face, he continued to linger in the Cabinet.

    Because he was the Duke of Orleans¡¯ only political ally left in the Cabinet. Losing him was something the Duke of Orleans could not accept.

    Brian said with some difficulty, ¡°Your Highness, if Vilran does not leave, then about Earl Nico Herve¡­¡±

    Joseph knew that according to the agreement made during the dismissal of Brian, Nico Herve was supposed to become the Foreign Minister.

    He shook his head slightly, ¡°Earl Nico Herve isn¡¯t suited for diplomacy either.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I will think of a way to compensate him.¡±

    ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±

    ¡°The Count of Nicoae is still better skilled with registry work. We can have him start planning the identity card system.¡±

    ¡°Identity card?¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s about issuing a card to every citizen of France. It will have a unique number to distinguish each individual¡¯s identity.¡±

    ¡°Why issue these¡­¡± Brian, after all, was capable of holding the position of Chief Minister, and had hardly spoken half a sentence before realizing the key point, ¡°It can be used to levy the Poll Tax.¡±

    ¡°There are many other benefits,¡± Joseph said. ¡°For example, it can be used for screening spies, wanted criminals. It can prevent welfare fraud. It facilitates identity recognition, and prevents fraud and so forth.¡±

    Of course, Joseph¡¯s main reason for promoting the identity card was for taxation and trade convenience. In the future, it could also be used in the colonies to strengthen the sense of national identity.

    Brian nodded, ¡°The Count of Nicoae has always wanted to do something noticeable. And this will involve every single person in the country. He should be satisfied.¡±

    Joseph added, ¡°We could even include the signature of the Minister of Registry on the identity card to confirm its validity.¡±

    ¡°That would be perfect.¡±

    Joseph then thought of Vilran and frowned involuntarily, ¡°We must continue to marginalize Vilran; we need to replace the Foreign Minister with our person.¡±

    Brian immediately nodded in gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    From his perspective, it was because of the impeachment that Vilran had offended him, which was why the Crown Prince was so intolerant of him.

    In fact, Joseph was more concerned with consolidating the political landscape and maximizing the weakening of the Duke of Orleans¡¯ power to pave the way for future reforms of the Old Nobility.

    Speaking of Vilran, Brian remembered his report from a few days ago and hurriedly said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, Vilran did bring back some news from his mission to Russia.¡±

    He stood up, took several papers from the drawer, and handed them to Joseph, ¡°The Empress of Russia is very concerned about our interest in the Russo-Turkish war. She repeatedly told Vilran that it was the Ottomans who initiated the war, attempting to invade Russian territory in Crimea and Georgia, and attack the Russian fleet. They had no choice but to counterattack.

    ¡°Oh, this is a copy of a letter from Empress Catherine to the King.¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116661¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116661/705fad0a1bd5980f47e6e1b74c63608ezvnbsrH75v7ifp6.jpg¡±>

    Joseph didn¡¯t care who was right or wrong between Russia and the Ottomans. The important thing was that the situation there could be exploited by France.

    He looked at Catherine¡¯s letter and saw the Empress very politely say some words regarding the amity between Russia and France, then urged France to support her by declaring war on the Ottomans. She even suggested that it could be presented as a new Crusade led by France.

    Brian added from the side, ¡°According to Vilran, the Empress of Russia also hinted at the possibility of a marital alliance between Russia and France.¡±

    Joseph smiled. A marriage alliance with Russia, for the time being, brought no substantial benefit to France.

    However, when he read the line ¡°support Russia¡¯s campaign against the Ottomans,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes¡ªconsidering that North Africa, from west to east, including Algiers, Tunisia, Egypt, etc., although de facto independent countries, were still nominally provinces of the Ottoman Empire.

    If France allied with Russia against the Ottomans, wouldn¡¯t there be a pretext to intervene in North Africa as part of the effort to strike at the Ottomans?

 Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 143 Foreign Policy (Double Monthly Pass Needed)

    Chapter 157: Chapter 143 Foreign Policy (Double Monthly Pass Needed)

    Furthermore, with Russia¡¯s concern, if the British interfere with France¡¯s actions in North Africa, Russia would be the first to issue a protest against England.

    Joseph returned the letter to Brian, ¡°What do you make of this?¡±

    The latter pondered, ¡°Allying with Russia may not be of much benefit to us in the short term, but in the future, it could be used to constrain countries like Austria and Prussia, and even have a certain influence on the British.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that Brian¡¯s political vision was indeed not bad.

    And he knew that the result of this Russo-Turkish War would be a complete victory for Russia, forcing the Ottomans to sign the Treaty of Jassy. From then on, the entire north coast of the Black Sea would belong to Russia.

    Historically, the first to come out in support of Russia was Austria, gaining huge political and strategic benefits as a result,

    But this time, Joseph could not let these advantages fall into someone else¡¯s hands again.

    He immediately nodded, ¡°I agree with your view. Therefore, at the next Cabinet meeting, you can propose an initiative to ally with Russia and take a tough stance against the Ottoman Empire. In fact, declaring war on the Ottomans could also be one of the options.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness, I will begin preparations,¡± Brian acknowledged.

    After a series of previous events, Brian had essentially become compliant to Joseph¡¯s advice.

    Having discussed international affairs, Brian naturally brought up domestic matters, speaking with admiration, ¡°Your Highness, I have seen the report on potato cultivation in all the provinces. I really don¡¯t know how you persuaded those people to plant so many potatoes. This should make this year¡¯s food supply quite ample.¡±

    Joseph sighed silently: Being barely enough to eat would be good, where would there be a surplus¡­

    He quickly instructed, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, although the potatoes are planted, we must still pay attention to irrigation to combat drought. If possible, I suggest that each parish be equipped with some steam pumping machines. One machine alone can irrigate dozens of acres of land.¡±

    In France, ¡°parishes¡± were actually administrative units of villages and towns.

    Joseph¡¯s suggestion was not without aim. France did not have many large coal mines, but there were many small coal mines scattered across the country. With an appropriate mining policy, it was easy to meet the coal needs of village and town inhabitants.

    On this basis, it would also promote the sale of steam engines and form a virtuous cycle.

    ¡°This¡­¡± Brienne pondered, ¡°The parishes around Paris might manage, but those in more remote areas probably can¡¯t afford this expense.¡±

    Joseph remembered the situation of the farmer Geiszler¡¯s family and nodded slightly, ¡°We could establish some small parish banks, specifically for lending to farmers. However, we need to restrict the interest rates for these banks to prevent them from becoming tools for exploiting farmers.¡±

    Brian immediately agreed, ¡°Your suggestion is excellent. I will formulate a policy right afterwards.¡±

    Joseph then thought of the food transportation issue and continued to give instructions, ¡°Also, we must consider that during the dry season food will not be transportable.

    ¡°Therefore, I suggest that each major city should establish strategic grain reserves, appoint officials to manage them, and set up regular storage, retrieval, and inspection mechanisms. Right, especially for Paris, we should build two more.¡±

    France had always been a major grain-producing country in Europe and previously had no concept of establishing grain reserves.

    With some confusion, Brian asked, ¡°Your Highness, there isn¡¯t much grain right now, building grain reserves would leave them empty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already thinking of ways for the grain. You just need to issue the decrees to the governors of the provinces as soon as possible,¡± Joseph responded.

    Although Brian felt that with the substantial amount of potatoes, this year¡¯s food crisis should be safely overcome and did not understand why the Crown Prince was still so cautious,

    out of absolute trust in Joseph, he still agreed without hesitation.

    ¡­

    Joseph emerged from his meeting with Brian as dinner time approached and had no choice but to stay overnight at the Palace of Versailles.

    After dining with Queen Mary, he returned to the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom to find Principal Talleyrand already waiting for him there, respectfully.

    This was indeed a very active man, smart too; no wonder he had survived several reigns unscathed. Joseph appraised him internally and nodded to the bowing Talleyrand, ¡°Please take a seat, Principal Talleyrand. What brings you to me so late in the day?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, King Louis XVI said that you are the only one who can save me.¡±

    Talleyrand proceeded to tell him about the obstacles he faced in his promotion to Archbishop. Between the lines, he painted himself as unfairly treated, as pitiable as a homeless kitten in a snowstorm, not uttering a single negative word about Queen Mary.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but admire his eloquence; no wonder he was the strongest diplomat during Napoleon¡¯s era, truly skilled.

    Joseph, however, decided not to beat around the bush and asked directly, ¡°What did you do to displease Her Majesty the Queen?¡±

    Talleyrand paused briefly, then sighed, ¡°Your Highness, you are aware that there have been some rumors about the Queen. I was foolish enough to believe some of them and discussed them with others¡­ The Queen came to know of this.¡±

    Joseph inwardly thought: it doesn¡¯t seem too serious. When it comes to cheering up the Queen, he was quite confident. If he spoke a few words on behalf of Talleyrand, that should be enough to resolve the issue.

    So, he looked at Talleyrand and said, ¡°I can help you with this matter.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡± The other man was so moved he almost cried, ¡°Your Highness, you truly are an angel sent by the Lord to save us all!¡±

    Joseph quickly raised a hand to stop his flattery, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Principal Talleyrand.

    ¡°However, you should indeed thank His Majesty who has been worried and working hard on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. His Majesty is always so concerned about me.¡± Talleyrand looked at Joseph with a probing gaze, ¡°That¡­ could you give me some advice on how to thank His Majesty?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°I hear that His Majesty intends to build a firearms factory soon.¡±

    Talleyrand seemed thoughtful and nodded at the information.

    ¡­

    The following day, Joseph personally ordered the royal confectioner to make a dozen exquisite desserts and took them to Petit Trianon Palace.

    Queen Mary looked at the array of cakes, puddings, and pastries on the table, her eyes twinkling like stars.

    Joseph picked up a piece of puff pastry cake, fed it to the Queen, and while she was in high spirits, he quickly spoke of Talleyrand¡¯s issue.

    Queen Mary, hugging her smart and amiable son, was in no mood to care about Talleyrand. After hearing a few good words from Joseph about Talleyrand, especially his desire to do something for the country, she graciously promised her son she wouldn¡¯t hold Talleyrand¡¯s past mistakes against him any longer.

    All went smoothly.

    Joseph then sent for Talleyrand. After the Priest apologized to the Queen with his exceptional oratory and acting skills, she forgave him. Talleyrand took a deep breath of relief and left.

    Upon leaving the Queen, Joseph saw Talleyrand waiting for him at the entrance of Petit Trianon Palace.

    The Priest approached, overflowing with gratitude. He had sought King Louis XVI for over a year without resolving the problem but was amazed that the Crown Prince had managed it with just a table of desserts.

    Without Joseph¡¯s intervention, it wouldn¡¯t have been until the end of the year, after Talleyrand¡¯s father¡¯s death, that he would have been promoted to Archbishop under the Queen¡¯s pity.

    Joseph asked casually, ¡°By the way, Principal Talleyrand, how much do you know about the situation in North Africa?¡±

 Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 144: Ill Eat You, Barbary Pirates!

    Chapter 158: Chapter 144: I¡¯ll Eat You, Barbary Pirates!

    ¡°North Africa?¡± Talleyrand seemed slightly taken aback by the Crown Prince¡¯s sudden mention of the topic, pausing for a moment, ¡°I do know a bit about the situation. Your Highness, what would you like to hear?¡±

    ¡°Anything, the more detailed the better.¡±

    Limping, Talleyrand followed alongside Joseph, musing, ¡°North Africa, broadly speaking, is located on the southern coast of the Mediterranean. From west to east, there are several countries, including Morocco, Algiers, Tunisia, Tripoli, Egypt.

    ¡°Ah, how should I put this? Aside from Morocco, the others might not really be considered countries. Depending on the needs of different situations, they can change at any time between Ottoman provinces and states¡­¡±

    He suddenly realized that the Crown Prince probably didn¡¯t want him to talk about these basic geographical concepts, and hurriedly shifted to discussing the political system, ¡°Currently, Morocco is under the rule of the Alawites Dynasty. However, in recent decades, rebellions have frequently erupted there, and the court struggles are very intense, their Sultan often having just taken the throne for a few years, would meet an untimely death. In short, Morocco is now very weak and relies on dispatching Pirates to plunder merchant ships in the Mediterranean to maintain its finances¡­¡±

    Talleyrand quickly glanced at the Crown Prince, saw that he was very interested, and then continued, ¡°To the east of Morocco is Algiers¡ªan establishment built by Pirates, oh, they could also be called the Ottoman Navy, it¡¯s all about the same¡ªtwo hundred years ago.

    ¡°Those Pirates took control of the Berbers, who originally lived in Algiers, but faced immense pressure from the Spanish Navy and thus voluntarily became an Ottoman province, seeking Ottoman support.

    ¡°Later on, the Ottoman sent an elite Imperial Guard there. After a hundred years, the Ottoman had lost control of the distant Algiers. The stationed Imperial Guard became the rulers. At present, Algiers¡¯ Imperial Guard, Pirates, and the locals have formed a Congress, which elects the Governor of Algiers.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, their navy, or what we consider Pirates, holds great power in Algiers. There have been several Governors who were originally Pirates.¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re providing great detail, please continue.¡±

    ¡°Oh, certainly, Your Highness. Adjacent to the east side of Algiers is Tunisia, an area that is not large but very rich. Almost the entire country is good farmland, abundantly productive.

    ¡°However, Tunisia ended its nearly half a century of repeated coups just twenty years ago. Now their Pasha, oh, similar to a Governor, is Hammuda Bey.

    ¡°Due to the previous wars, Tunisia no longer has the prosperity of the past, and additionally, as Algiers participated in the earlier coup in Tunisia, the relationship between the two is extremely poor. Algiers often even raids Tunisia¡¯s border.

    ¡°However, our textiles, glass, wines, and other goods are very popular in Tunisia. It is our largest market in North Africa.

    ¡°Of course, Tunisia is also one of the old strongholds of the Barbary Pirates. Our merchant ships are looted from time to time. The Navy needs to go there for clean-up operations frequently.

    ¡°Actually, we¡¯re relatively lucky. After all, a powerful fleet is stationed at Toulon. Merchant ships from Denmark, Sardinia, and the Americans are robbed even more. Oh, did you know, to avoid Pirate raids, the Americans have to pay the Pirates millions of livres in tribute every year?¡±

    Joseph furrowed his brow, ¡°Why do I always hear you mention Pirates?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, Your Highness.¡± Talleyrand nodded, ¡°The Mediterranean has always been a paradise for Barbary Pirates.

    ¡°They were originally a part of the Ottoman Navy, responsible for attacking the merchant ships of Catholic countries. However, as the Ottoman Empire weakened, it gradually lost control of the navy, which then turned to piracy. They established bases throughout North Africa and even ruled as Governors¡ªlike in Algiers.¡±

    ¡°The Barbary pirates had received formal naval training, so they were far more formidable than ordinary pirates. They roamed the Mediterranean, attacking all merchant ships, unless those ships¡¯ countries had already paid them tribute. Each year, European countries had to spend a significant amount of money to ransom hostages captured by the pirates.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the Barbary pirates would raid the northern Mediterranean coasts of Europe, enslaving the inhabitants and selling them into slavery in North Africa, the Ottoman Empire, or Arab regions.¡±

    ¡°The Spanish Navy had repeatedly struck against the Barbary pirates for over a century, but the pirates were firmly rooted in the states of North Africa¡ªTripoli being one of their bases¡ªmaking them impossible to eradicate.¡±

    As Principal Talleyrand repeatedly mentioned the ¡°Barbary pirates,¡± Joseph suddenly remembered that in a little over a decade, the famous Barbary Wars would break out¡ªthe Americans, fed up with being plundered by Barbary pirates, would deploy nearly their entire naval force to the Mediterranean to fight against the pirates.

    However, it wouldn¡¯t be until several decades later, with the help of France, that the Barbary pirates were completely subdued. And during that time, the United States once spent 20% of their national fiscal income on ransom payments to the pirates!

    Suddenly, Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up and he excitedly patted Talleyrand on the shoulder, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Principal Talleyrand! I think it¡¯s time we resolved to eliminate this Mediterranean menace.¡±

    Previously, he had been fixated on following the historical route that Napoleon took in the North African campaign, starting from Egypt. But at the moment, France was not powerful enough to reach for Egypt, and the Ottoman Empire was still strong and would surely reinforce Egypt¡ªEgypt was nominally an Ottoman province.

    But the Barbary pirates had given Joseph a new train of thought.

    He could start with the Barbary pirates, striking at the pirate strongholds in North Africa, and then turn their territories into war spoils.

    Moreover, eradicating the pirates was a popular cause, especially with the Americans, who had been severely affected and would surely offer robust support. The Spaniards were likely to contribute as well.

    With that in mind, if the British wished to interfere, firstly, they would have no excuse. They couldn¡¯t very well say, ¡°I oppose the eradication of the Barbary pirates,¡± could they? Secondly, they would alienate the United States and Spain. Taking into account the factor of a Franco-Russian alliance against the Ottoman Empire, Russia would also definitely support French actions in the Mediterranean.

    If Britain were to stubbornly go it alone, perhaps France could even form an ¡°Anti-English Alliance¡± of sorts. That would be a significant gain.

    Thus, France¡¯s North African strategy began to take shape along the rural paths outside the Petit Trianon Palace.

    However, Talleyrand expressed his doubts, ¡°Your Highness, the Barbary pirates have a vast influence. Eradicating them requires a substantial investment of funds. With France¡¯s current fiscal condition, I fear¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled and shook his head, ¡°No, Principal Talleyrand, this campaign against the pirates will only make money, without requiring too much funding.¡±

    He stopped walking and looked at Talleyrand, ¡°Perhaps you would like to take on a diplomatic position.¡±

 Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 145 The Bus Carriage and the New Shock Absorption System

    Chapter 159: Chapter 145 The Bus Carriage and the New Shock Absorption System

    Talleyrand immediately showed a look of surprise, ¡°I will follow Your Highness¡¯s orders in all respects.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°I hope you can serve as a diplomatic advisor and go on a mission to the United States.¡±

    ¡°Good, good, I am willing to go! Thank you, Your Highness!¡± Talleyrand hadn¡¯t expected that today, in addition to gaining the Queen¡¯s forgiveness, he would also receive this unexpected reward.

    At this time in France, after the dissolution of the ¡°Society of Jesus,¡± the Church had been completely transformed into the ¡°Ministry of Education¡± and ¡°Civil Administration,¡± in addition to some relief work. Although it possessed significant wealth, it no longer had any real power.

    Therefore, the priests were all sharpening their heads to get a job in the government, which was considered truly making one¡¯s mark. Among them, Archbishop Brienne was a standout.

    And the fact that Joseph could offer Talleyrand a position with real power was a great promotion indeed.

    Of course, Joseph also valued his diplomatic talents and just happened to need someone in diplomacy to replace Vilran after his downfall.

    He gestured for Talleyrand to continue walking, ¡°I need you to make a trip to the United States as soon as possible to join them in fighting against the Barbary pirates.

    ¡°Of course, this will require them to pay a certain fee.¡±

    Talleyrand instantly understood why the Crown Prince had said earlier that ¡°fighting pirates would only make money.¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°They are now paying over a million livres annually in tribute to the pirates. ¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Talleyrand hurriedly said, ¡°about 220,000 US dollars.¡±

    At that time, the US dollar was pegged to gold coins, with 1 US dollar being worth about 5 livres.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Add to that the ransom for the crew of their merchant ships that have been kidnapped.¡±

    Talleyrand said, ¡°It is said that last year they paid over 130,000 US dollars to ransom captured sailors.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a total of over 1.7 million livres,¡± Joseph smacked his lips, ¡°let them pay one-third, 600,000 livres annually, as the fee for the French Navy¡¯s assistance in combating the pirates.¡±

    Talleyrand¡¯s eyes twitched; wasn¡¯t the Crown Prince going to eradicate the pirates? How had it suddenly turned into assisting the Americans?

    But he immediately displayed the quality of a diplomat, nodding seriously, ¡°This amount is very reasonable, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore¡­

    Joseph truly wanted to recover the tens of millions of livres loaned to the Americans during Louis XVI¡¯s support of the American War for Independence, but that debt had an agreement, and the payment deadline was far from due. The Americans, with French loans and materials, as well as support from the French military, had driven off the British. However, after their independence, they turned around and flirted with the British, greatly undermining France¡¯s strategy to weaken England.

    Remembering his father¡¯s extravagant generosity, Joseph felt a sense of frustration.

    He pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Let the Americans return the tens of thousands of flintlock guns they were given that year. That batch of goods did not have an agreement, and we have the right to demand it back. Right, they must also bring the matching gunpowder and lead bullets.¡±

    The firearms supplied to the Americans at that time were the latest model, the Charleville 1763 type. This batch of guns also had some value.

    Talleyrand¡¯s eyes twitched again; the Crown Prince should have gone into the lending business¡ªhe certainly could have made a fortune.

    Joseph continued to instruct, ¡°Let the Americans directly transport this batch of guns to Russia. They are to bear the shipping costs.¡±

    ¡°Ah? To Russia?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You will also go to Russia with the guns. I will send another senior diplomat to present a note to their Empress, indicating that we can join forces against the Ottoman Empire. You will then assist with the diplomatic work, striving for Russia¡¯s support for our actions in the Mediterranean area.

    ¡°Oh, those guns are to demonstrate our sincerity in supporting Russia¡¯s war against the Ottoman Empire. Of course, the Empress could express her gratitude with a few million pounds of potatoes. Russia will cover the shipping costs.¡±

    The Russo-Turkish War? The Mediterranean? Potatoes? Even with Talleyrand¡¯s exceptional intelligence, it took him a few seconds to clarify the connections between these elements, and he looked at the Crown Prince with eyes filled with shock.

    This series of maneuvers tied together unrelated global events to serve as aid without spending a single ¡°Gold Coin¡±, thereby pleasing the Russians.

    What he found even more unbelievable was that, judging by the tone of the Crown Prince, all these matters of state would be carried out according to his wishes.

    The Crown Prince had such great influence in the Cabinet?!

    He hastened to bow and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I understand what to do.¡±

    Joseph smiled again and said, ¡°If you can prove your abilities during this diplomatic mission, I¡¯ll consider promoting you to a more suitable position.¡±

    Talleyrand was so moved that he scrambled to find all the words he could to assure he would remain loyal to His Highness and do his utmost to fulfill His Highness¡¯s commands.

    ¡­

    In a carriage-making workshop in Paris, Joseph pointed at a carriage, turned upside-down and still in production, and told the craftsmen beside him, ¡°Just leave one spring here; remove the others.¡±

    A middle-aged craftsman immediately responded nervously in a low voice, ¡°Your, Your Highness, a luxury carriage must have good shock absorption. If we use only two springs¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°No problem, we¡¯ll switch to leaf springs.¡±

    The middle-aged craftsman said with a worried frown, ¡°Your Highness, leaf springs are for common carriages. They have poor shock absorption.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about those leaf springs?¡± Joseph gestured towards a black carriage nearby being fitted with two palm-wide, almost two-meter-long steel bars under the carriage for shock absorption.

    The craftsmen all nodded in agreement.

    Joseph took up a pen and paper, sketching and explaining, ¡°Those leaf springs are too primitive.

    ¡°Like this, stack four steel bars of different lengths, fix them together, and then place the axle on top of the middle of the steel bars.

    ¡°Add a set of such steel bars to each wheel. Oh, use medium-carbon steel¡­ ah, one with moderate hardness and toughness. You¡¯ll have to try a few varieties before deciding which to use.¡±

    The youngest craftsman showed an expression of sudden realization: ¡°Right! If one steel bar isn¡¯t enough, use four. If two sets aren¡¯t enough, use four sets. That way, we can achieve a much better shock absorption effect!¡±

    The aforementioned middle-aged craftsman added, ¡°We always used leaf springs to support the carriage but never thought to apply them directly to the wheels. This way, when the road surface is uneven on both sides, the wheels can lift to different heights, reducing the tilt of the carriage.¡±

    Seeing that the craftsmen seemed to grasp the principle, Joseph then instructed, ¡°Please expedite the production of the entire leaf spring system. By next week, before Paris Fashion Week, we must use these leaf springs for shock absorption on public carriages.¡±

    The carriages were basically built; switching from coil springs to leaf springs should be feasible within a little over a week¡¯s time.

    Joseph added, ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t delay the public carriages, you¡¯ll earn two extra months¡¯ wages.¡±

    The craftsmen became excited at once, each of them patting their chests to guarantee the carriages would be manufactured on time.

    After Joseph thought of this business opportunity with the carriages a few days ago, he immediately spent over a hundred thousand livres to acquire a famous carriage company in Paris.

    The funds came from those allocated for building a firearms factory¡ªTalleyrand, to thank King Louis XVI for supporting his promotion to Archbishop, had donated 200 thousand livres to the King for the factory. Thus, the funds initially provided by Louis XVI were ¡°diverted¡± by Joseph.

 Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 146 Preparing for War

    Chapter 160: Chapter 146 Preparing for War

    Leaf springs were a well-established technology, and Joseph had simply tasked the craftsmen with adapting it for a new application, so the technical discussions with the craftsmen were concluded rather quickly.

    Upon leaving the carriage workshop, Joseph entrusted his newly appointed workshop manager, ¡°Mr. Raspina, your most important task now is to recruit skilled craftsmen as quickly as possible¡ªeven if it means spending more to poach them from other workshops.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will make sure it is done,¡± responded the manager from Parma, nodding with respectful haste.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Once the new leaf spring suspension prototypes are complete, our workshop will only manufacture the chassis while the carriage bodies will be custom-ordered from other carriage workshops, using only the most luxurious materials and accessories.¡±

    Raspina cautiously said, ¡°Your Highness, this will make the costs very high¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the costs; we will have plenty of profit margins.¡±

    Joseph smiled and added, ¡°Remember, all carriages must bear the engraving ¡®Royal Certified¡¯ on the body and ¡®Royal Carriage standard chassis¡¯ on the rear. The word ¡®chassis¡¯ should be engraved smaller.¡±

    Getting a ¡°Royal Certification¡± was simple for Joseph; a word with his mother would do the trick. As for ¡°standard with the Royal Carriage,¡± it required offering one of his own produced carriages to his father, so he could take it for a few spins. Of course, it could only be the same in terms of the chassis. The court officials would certainly raise objections if the carriage bodies were identical too.

    ¡°Next, we need to increase our advertising efforts. I¡¯ll have a word with the Paris Commercial News for the best spot. Paris Fashion Week is coming up, and you must seize this opportunity to make our carriages the latest trend among the nobility.¡±

    Joseph was quite confident about the sales prospects of his carriages.

    His design, which faithfully copied the shock-absorbing structure of a modern small truck, would match the current spring suspension in terms of comfort, but at only a tenth of the cost. This allowed for a larger budget to be spent on enhancing the luxury of the coach, and even then, the overall cost of the carriage was much lower than those using spring suspension. This meant that the selling price could be reduced accordingly.

    Currently, spring suspension carriages were a rarity, only affordable by the very wealthy¡ªa definitive symbol of ultra-luxury, akin to later epoch¡¯s Maybach and Porsche.

    Joseph planned to set the price of his new carriages at around 60% of the spring suspension models, roughly equating to the cost of a Mercedes or BMW in later times. Those nobles who couldn¡¯t afford ¡°ultra-luxury¡± were bound to eagerly embrace a ¡°Royal Certified¡± carriage that appeared even more luxurious than the ultra-luxury models and matched them in comfort.

    The only thing that worried Joseph was the workshop¡¯s production capacity.

    If demand truly exceeded supply, he considered opening the patent to other workshops for a fee. Unlike the brewing technology patent, where he charged only 3% royalties¡ªa decision meant to persuade plantation owners to grow potatoes¡ªcarriage production was purely a commercial operation. The patent fees would have to be at least 30%.

    ¡­

    The next day, in the eastern hall of Palace of Versailles where the Cabinet was conducting its meeting in the usual orderly fashion.

    ¡°Is this sufficient?¡± Queen Mary asked as she returned the document appointing Talleyrand as a senior foreign advisor to Brienne, with her signature already on it.

    Brienne promptly nodded with reverence, ¡°Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

    The ministers present didn¡¯t pay much attention to a Cleric Lang, and since the position of foreign advisor wasn¡¯t considered crucial, they passed the appointment almost immediately after Brienne made the proposal.

    Archbishop Brienne tucked away the appointment document and signaled his assistant to distribute copies of the letter from Catherine II to those seated.

    Although this is a letter, the content is actually a diplomatic document, and there is nothing that needs to be kept confidential.

    ¡°The origin of the Russo-Turkish War,¡± said Brian, ¡°was last year when the Ottoman Empire demanded the return of Crimea from Russia and attacked Russian escort ships.

    ¡°As for the current state of the war, the Ottoman forces have attacked Kinburn Port several times, but have been repelled by the Russian Army each time. Especially at the end of last year, when the main force of the Ottomans was almost completely annihilated by Suvorov¡¯s Corps, halting their offensive. On the Russian side, they are gathering troops and warships.¡±

    Vilran, the Foreign Minister who had just returned from Russia, added, ¡°According to what I heard in Saint Petersburg, the Empress of Russia is very determined this time and plans to take Ochakov in one fell swoop.¡±

    Ochakov is a strategic stronghold between Russia and the Ottoman Empire; whoever wishes to attack the other must pass through here. It also serves as an important military port overlooking the Black Sea.

    Brian continued, ¡°At present, it seems very likely that Austria will support Russia and send troops to attack the Ottoman Empire. While Sweden is gathering forces and appears to be preparing to support the Ottomans from the north and strike at Russia.¡±

    Queen Mary slightly furrowed her brow as if speaking to herself, ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Brian hurriedly analyzed for her, ¡°although Hamid I has reformed the military and made full preparations, looking at the previous battles, Russia still holds the advantage. Moreover, Saint Petersburg is very eager for us to join the war against the Ottomans, for which they should be willing to offer some benefits.¡±

    Hamid I is the current Ottoman Sultan.

    Brian exchanged a glance with Joseph and continued, ¡°If we involve ourselves in the Russo-Turkish conflict, now would be a good time.¡±

    The Queen was somewhat puzzled, ¡°But our troops would have to cross Austria and march four thousand miles to reach Crimea.¡±

    Joseph interjected, ¡°Your Majesty, we don¡¯t need to go to Crimea. If Sweden can support its ally from Russia¡¯s north, we can also make a move on the western side of the Ottoman Empire.¡±

    ¡°The Crown Prince is absolutely right,¡± said Brian. ¡°Merely by showing our strength in the Mediterranean, we can greatly constrain the Ottomans¡¯ deployments.¡±

    Upon hearing that there was action to be taken in the Mediterranean, the Navy Minister immediately became interested, ¡°I agree with Archbishop Brienne¡¯s view. If we just take a cruise around the Gulf of Sidra and receive Russia¡¯s gratitude for it, that would be very cost-effective strategically.¡±

    Joseph sighed internally, What are you thinking? Where do we have the military budget right now to flaunt our might around the Ottoman Empire? Wouldn¡¯t it be more lucrative to take advantage of the situation near the Barbary Coast?

    The Gulf of Sidra, located in the southeast Mediterranean near the southern coast of the Ottoman Empire, indeed presents a significant threat to the Ottomans but is also far from France. Currently, France cannot truly go and attack the Ottoman homeland, or else it would be helping Russia out of a predicament.

    Meanwhile, the Barbary Coast lies in the central western part of the Mediterranean, near the southern coast of France, and connects to North Africa to the south. This is where France¡¯s interests truly lie.

    He hurriedly said, ¡°Marquis Castries, our target for this operation should be the Ottoman naval forces in the western Mediterranean.¡±

    ¡°The Ottoman Navy in the western Mediterranean¡­¡± It took the Navy Minister a full two seconds to catch on, ¡°You mean the Barbary pirates?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°Including their naval bases.¡±

 Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 148: Eden Amusement Park (Seeking Double Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 162: Chapter 148: Eden Amusement Park (Seeking Double Monthly Tickets)

    Northwest side of the Palace of Versailles.

    In the music room of the Petit Trianon Palace, Queen Mary signaled the musicians to pause and turned her head to look at a court official standing by, frowning as she asked,

    ¡°Are you sure you heard correctly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was having a carriage prepared at that time. By now, he and Princess Maria should have already left the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    Queen Mary became somewhat anxious¡ªthis official was in charge of looking after the princesses of the Two Sicilies. He had just reported that the Crown Prince intended to take Princess Maria to Paris for leisure.

    If Clementine doesn¡¯t arrive in Paris soon, my son¡¯s heart may well be captured by that Italian girl!

    The Queen sighed, ¡°My poor niece, your luck is really too bad.¡± Originally, Clementine had left very early with plans to first take a ship to Marseille and then proceed to Paris.

    But just after she had embarked, a storm broke out in the Tyrrhenian Sea¡ªaround January each year, the Mediterranean weather often isn¡¯t so calm.

    For safety, her escort decided to take a land route, heading north through Echitar over the Alps, and then into France. Although it was a significant detour, if everything went smoothly en route, she would still arrive in Paris before the princesses of the Two Sicilies.

    Poor Clementine hadn¡¯t even left Tuscany when news came of a serf uprising in the southwest of Austria due to Emperor Joseph II¡¯s reforms on serfdom¡ªyes, those foolish souls actually opposed the reforms that granted them freedom!

    Afterwards, poor Clementine had no choice but to wait for the storm in the Tyrrhenian Sea to subside before setting off. Now, after continuous travel, she had just reached the vicinity of Navarre, still three to four days away from Paris.

    Queen Mary wrote a letter urging her niece to hasten her pace and handed it to a messenger to send out, praying in her heart that her son must not fall in love with Princess Maria¡­

    On the Champs-Elysees in Paris, at the Paris Angel Exclusive Store, the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard stood shoulder to shoulder in two rows, separating the Crown Prince and the princess from the other nosy customers.

    Indeed, this was the first place Princess Maria wanted to visit. It seems all women can¡¯t resist the temptation to make themselves more beautiful.

    The princess, having applied exquisite makeup and dressed in a light purple puff dress, was stunningly beautiful.

    She surveyed the luxuriously packaged cosmetics, silently noting their functions, her eyes sparkling with delight, yet she modestly picked only a few products, directing the staff to hand them to her maid.

    Joseph, remembering his plan that led to an assault causing undue harm to Princess Maria, had been planning to make it up to her. When he saw her interest in the cosmetics, he immediately ordered the staff to bring a Gold Card and gave it to Princess Maria.

    She held the golden card worth a thousand livres, her heart bubbling with happiness¡ªCrown Prince¡¯s heart must indeed have a place for me, giving such a valuable gift on our first ¡°date¡±! God, I am truly grateful!

    Afterwards, Joseph helped her choose a whole lot of cosmetics, including the youthful version of ¡°Noblewoman¡¯s Joy¡±¡ª¡±Young Miss¡¯s Health¡± liquid supplement, a whole big package, and instructed the staff to deliver it directly to Maria¡¯s room at the Palace of Versailles.

    Stepping out of the store, Maria looked at Joseph with eyes brimming with smiles and asked softly, ¡°Crown Prince, where shall we go next?¡±

    Joseph recalled his original plan to check the preparations for Fashion Week and thought it would be perfect to give the princess a preview experience; perhaps she would even have some valuable feedback for improvements.

    ¡°Let¡¯s visit the Tuileries Palace. You may have heard that Paris Fashion Week is about to be held there. The venue is now almost fully set up.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll take your advice.¡±

    As the carriage left the Paris Angel Exclusive Store, Joseph had not expected that journalists were already writing articles about the ¡°Crown Prince¡¯s visit to the store with the two Sicilian princesses, presenting Gold Cards as a token of his sentiments.¡±

    Outside the Tuileries Palace.

    Princess Maria¡¯s gaze passed over a large area of villas currently under construction and immediately landed on the tall circular structure to the north side of the Tuileries Garden. She pointed curiously and asked, ¡°Your Highness, what is that used for?¡±

    Joseph followed her pointing finger and glanced at it, replying, ¡°Oh, that is called a Ferris wheel; it¡¯s an amusement park ride. You can sit on it and be taken up high to get a panoramic view of Paris.

    ¡°By the way, around the Ferris wheel is an amusement park with many fun things to do. If you¡¯re willing, please allow me to take you for a visit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted, thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the world¡¯s first dedicated amusement park¡ªthe ¡°Eden Amusement Park.¡±

    Through the white fences, one could see steam engine-powered carousels, Ferris wheels, pirate ships, houses of horrors, coffee cups, and other rides inside, along with some traditional amusement projects like slides and swings on the side.

    Of course, limited by technological factors, most of the facilities were nowhere near as large as those in later amusement parks. For example, the Ferris wheel was just over ten meters high. Its main structure was modified from a water wheel, which was nothing compared to the hundred-meter-tall behemoths of later times, but for the people of the eighteenth century, this was already a very novel and shocking thing.

    As Maria stepped through the entrance of the amusement park, she excitedly looked around, not much different from the little girls of later times visiting amusement parks.

    However, what first caught her attention was the carousel, which looked full of fairy tale colors. She turned her head and asked Joseph carefully, ¡°Your Highness, may I play on this?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can give it a try,¡± Joseph said with a smile and nodded, then signaled the amusement park¡¯s operator to start the ride.

    The carousel was powered by a 12-horsepower steam engine. Naturally, the steam engine was a product of the Watt Company. France¡¯s own steam engine manufacturing plant was still in the planning stages.

    After waiting for more than twenty minutes, white smoke started to billow out of a small cabin next to the carousel, where the steam engine that powered it was located.

    Subsequently, the huge wooden base began to turn slowly. Under the action of the levers, the lifelike carved wooden horses, deer, elephants, and other animals began to bob up and down and rotate with the disc.

    Maria stepped back two steps, slightly overwhelmed. Joseph chuckled, took her hand, and leaped onto the wooden platform, gesturing around, ¡°Which one would you like to ride?¡±

    Maria pointed carefully to a white carved wooden swan, ¡°May I ride this one?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Let me help you up.¡±

    Joseph, the gentleman, helped the young girl onto the seat on the swan¡¯s back. The princess sat sideways, nervously, her hands tightly clutching the wooden pole, beginning to rise and fall to the music playing beside her.

    Although the carousel moved slowly like a snail because of the steam engine¡¯s low horsepower and the crude connections of the mechanical device, the princess, who had never experienced anything like this, still giggled excitedly non-stop. She felt as if she was soaring through the air on a swan in the world of fairy tales.

 Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 149 Im Going to Kiss You Now... Ahâ€”

    Chapter 163: Chapter 149 I¡¯m Going to Kiss You Now¡­ Ah¡ª

    After nearly half an hour of fun, Princess Maria finally left the carousel reluctantly, her delight as if she had truly entered the Garden of Eden.

    Such fascinating machinery, making one feel as if transported into a fairytale realm¡ªthe inventor was surely a genius among geniuses! With this thought, she was already running towards the next amusement.

    Sitting side by side with the Crown Prince in a ¡°Joyful Drifting¡± boat, holding a small umbrella, they bobbed along the currents, enjoying the warm afternoon sun¡­

    Aboard the pirate ship, she clung tightly to the Crown Prince¡¯s arm, screaming with eyes closed¡­

    It was a real ship, towed from the Seine River, powered by a steam engine driving wooden wheels to repeatedly lift it into the air. Well, it only went as high as an adult¡¯s chest, but to Princess Maria, it felt as though she was being tossed by a giant, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest with excitement.

    However, what she hadn¡¯t expected was that something even more thrilling awaited her.

    The place was called the House of Horrors.

    More than ten minutes later, Princess Maria, scared by a red-faced devil with goat hooves, horns atop its head, and a steel trident, plunged straight into Joseph¡¯s arms, hugging him tightly while crying and praying aloud, ¡°God bless! Wuuu¡­ Banish all evil spirits¡­ Wuuuwuuu¡­¡±

    Joseph had no choice but to have the workers who were in charge of scaring people withdraw and carried the princess, who was clinging to him, out of the House of Horrors. It took a while before she finally believed what she had seen was not the Devil and gradually stopped her sobs.

    Just then, Maria¡¯s teary eyes suddenly caught sight of a sign not far away: The Ferris wheel exists for one to cross the sky with their beloved. As the Ferris wheel rises higher, we get closer to God. When the Ferris wheel reaches its peak, if you kiss the person you like, God will bless you, and you will be together forever.

    She hesitated for only half a second before she jumped up from the resting chair, pointing at the Ferris wheel, her face blushing as she whispered to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, would you be willing to join me on this?¡±

    Joseph had long forgotten about the promotional gimmick he concocted for the Ferris wheel and immediately nodded without hesitation, ¡°It would be an honor to ride with you, Princess.¡±

    Maria¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the Crown Prince¡¯s acceptance to join her on the ride ¡°to cross the sky with the one you love,¡± suggesting his feelings for her¡­

    The young girl¡¯s face turned even redder, and she dared not continue that thought.

    As the piston of the steam engine driving the Ferris wheel started its reciprocating movement, the Ferris wheel slowly began to turn, making a slight ¡°creak¡± sound.

    Joseph knew that Freselle had done numerous tests beforehand and the safety should be assured, but the creaking noise at the wooden joints still filled him with a sense of insecurity.

    In the cramped Ferris wheel cabin, Maria sat with her head down, opposite the Crown Prince, feeling themselves gradually lifting into the air.

    She couldn¡¯t help but start fantasizing.

    When we approach the highest point, what should I say to the Crown Prince while looking at him passionately?

    ¡°Your eyes are really captivating¡±?

    No, no, better still, ¡°You are the most charming person I have ever met,¡± or ¡°Thank God for letting me meet you.¡±

    Yes! That¡¯s what I¡¯ll say.

    Then, he might take my hand and in that case, I should close my eyes and wait quietly.

    If he doesn¡¯t make a move, then I¡¯ll lean in close to him, very close¡ªhe surely won¡¯t shy away¡­ No, he definitely won¡¯t! Then I will¡­ I¡¯ll muster up the courage to gently kiss his soft lips¡­

    Thinking about this, Maria felt her entire body heating up as if with a high fever, flushed and burning hot.

    Will he hold me?

    Will he take the opportunity to propose to me?

    Or will he kiss me back more passionately¡­

    Ah, what should I do? What should I do?

    She only felt an immense sense of happiness surging over the top of her head, making her dizzy.

    Hm? Why am I so dizzy?!

    Maria suddenly felt so dizzy that she was gasping for air¡ªcould it be that before leaving the Palace of Versailles, Alisa laced her corset too tightly?

    Frantically lifting her head, she attempted to take a deep breath, but her eyes suddenly caught sight of the ground far below, where people were the size of apples and the treetops looked like clumps of grass¡­

    Her pupils instantly shrank to their smallest, and a tremendous sense of terror overwhelmed her, followed by her heart racing madly as her body uncontrollably started trembling violently.

    We are at the highest point of the Ferris wheel! I want to kiss him¡­

    As the last thought flashed through Maria¡¯s mind, her graceful neck tilted, and she fainted onto the seat.

    ¡°Eh?! Princess!¡±

    Joseph was startled and hurriedly held her steady. The gondola of the Ferris wheel had an open top half to reduce weight, thankfully there were safety ropes tied around her, otherwise she might have already fallen off.

    Maria had planned everything perfectly and was almost successful, yet she hadn¡¯t anticipated her fear of heights¡­

    After an indeterminate amount of time, in a room in the Tuileries Palace that had been converted into a luxury hotel, the princess from Sicily slowly came to with the noxious stench of smelling salts.

    She heard a woman in a white robe say, ¡°Your Highness, the princess must have been severely shocked and fainted. But she should be all right now, just rest and she will recover quickly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for rushing over, Doctor Perna.¡±

    Maria pieced together her memories and realized she had fainted at the critical moment of her confession. Feeling both embarrassed and aggravated, if she hadn¡¯t been completely limp, she would have liked to slap herself hard¡­

    As she looked up, she saw the Crown Prince at her bedside, his face full of anxious concern, and warmth filled her heart again, His Highness being so worried for me means that he must feel something for me¡­

    Joseph also wiped off a bead of sweat¡ªwho would have thought the princess suffered from acrophobia? Thankfully, she was fine. If the young lady had been scared into any harm, that could have become a diplomatic issue¡­

    Doctor Perna quietly packed her medical kit, feeling a twinge of sadness¡ªshe had felt a little bit of excitement when His Highness had called for her, not expecting that it would be to tend to his princess¡­

    Meanwhile, on a road a hundred kilometers away from Paris, a convoy of carriages was racing at high speed.

    In a carriage at the center, a girl just over ten years old, dressed in a pink long dress, with two colorful feathers inserted into her bun, and a pair of radiant blue eyes and baby-fat cheeks, was folding Queen Mary¡¯s letter neatly and slipping it back into an envelope.

    She looked up at the middle-aged man sitting opposite her and puffed up her cheeks, saying, ¡°Count Farnano, my dear aunt is urging us to hurry to Paris.¡±

    The middle-aged man nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve heard, the princess from Sicily seems to be quite favored by the Crown Prince.¡±

    Yet the girl lifted her little nose with confidence and said, ¡°Aunt is just too worrisome. Although I am not the luckiest, I possess exceptional charm, and I will definitely be the one to win His Highness¡¯ heart in the end!¡±

 Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 150: The Little Loli and Her Monsieur Mustache

    Chapter 164: Chapter 150: The Little Loli and Her Monsieur Mustache

    The sun shines brightly, blue skies and white clouds, the weather is so good that it lifts everyone¡¯s spirits.

    On the outskirts of Paris. It¡¯s King¡¯s Avenue again, the same one the Two Sicilies princesses arrived on, and once again it¡¯s welcoming esteemed guests.

    This time, the decorations on both sides of the road have barely changed, but the soldiers on guard duty have all new faces, and there are many more than last time.

    Due to the influence of the ¡°bandit attack on the Crown Prince¡± incident half a month ago, Queen Mary has even summoned the King¡¯s Swiss Guard to escort her arriving niece.

    For a time, the white-clad Paris Legion and the red-clad Swiss Guard take turns standing on both sides of the road, alternating red and white to form another scenic view.

    Inside the carriage, Clementine bats her large eyes that somewhat resemble Joseph¡¯s, her gaze sweeping over the dense ranks of guards, her head held high with pride, as she says to the Ambassador of Tuscany in Italian, with a smile, ¡°Count Farnano, did you see? His Highness the Crown Prince personally brought almost the entire army of Paris to greet me!

    ¡°Hmm, he must have heard about my cuteness from many people, haha.¡±

    The square-faced middle-aged man frowns slightly and shakes his head, thinking to himself that you¡¯ve heard about the attack on the Crown Prince of France not long ago, the enhanced security is probably not for you¡­

    Suddenly, a high-pitched trumpeting sounds from ahead.

    The Grand Duchess of Tuscany quickly puts away her joking demeanor, fumbles to tidy up her dress, places the feathered hat on her head, and then begins to quietly rehearse the words she is about to say.

    The carriage stops, and Ambassador Farnano bows to open the door. Clementine, with her most dignified appearance, steps down from the wooden platform.

    However, when she reaches the second step, her foot suddenly slips, and she loses her balance, tumbling down with a shriek.

    Fortunately, a guard nearby is quick to react, lunging forward to catch her, just barely preventing an embarrassing face-plant in the dirt, although that lovely feathered hat has already flown more than ten steps away.

    Clementine¡¯s face turns slightly red. She looks up to see the handsome Crown Prince looking at her, quickly frees herself from the guard¡¯s hand, picks up her skirt and approaches, kneeling to perform a curtsy, and says in not-so-fluent French, ¡°I am honored to meet you, respected Crown Prince!

    ¡°That is, cough, I just saw everyone looking so serious, I pretended to slip to make everyone laugh, hehe¡­¡±

    Joseph looks at the little girl in front of him speaking with a strange accent and can¡¯t help but feel a mix of amusement and sympathy. He quickly follows suit with his own bow and responds, ¡°I¡¯m also very glad to meet you. You are quite the comedian, haha.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, as a token of my gratitude for coming to meet me, I have a special ¡®farewell¡¯ gift for you,¡± says the little girl, as she takes a small wooden case from behind her.

    ¡°¡®Farewell¡¯ gift?¡± Joseph asks with confusion, ¡°Do you mean ¡®gift¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, gift,¡± Clementine scratches her head and laughs, ¡°My French isn¡¯t so fluent, please don¡¯t mind it. Here, this is for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Joseph takes the wooden box and opens it, to see inside is a somewhat yellowed paper folding fan, ¡°This is¡­ a folding fan? For me?¡±

    With a look of profundity, the little girl waves her hand and says, ¡°No, dear cousin, this is an antique. I heard you¡¯re very interested in ¡®studying¡¯ Eastern culture, so I specifically bought this for you. Oh, it¡¯s said to have been used by a very famous scholar from the Far East called ¡®Confucius¡¯!¡±

    ¡°Confucius? A folding fan?!¡± Joseph touches his forehead in resignation, a paper folding fan from the Spring and Autumn period¡­ That would be like a Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain plate marked ¡°Microwave safe,¡± or if the four sheep on the Bronze Square Vessel of the Four Sheep were Happy Sheep, Beauty Sheep, Lazy Sheep, and Fiery Sheep¡­

    Although he knew it wasn¡¯t quite polite, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°May I ask how much you spent on this antique?¡±

    ¡°Not expensive at all, 120 ducats,¡± the little Lolita said gleefully, ¡°as long as you like it, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    120 ducats was nearly 800 livres. Oh my! To spend so much money on a counterfeit¡­ Joseph hesitated about whether to remind her or not, but considering the girl¡¯s good intentions, he decided it was best not to embarrass her.

    He accepted Clementine¡¯s gift, exchanged a few pleasantries with her, and was about to invite her back into the carriage to return to the Palace of Versailles when he saw her already bouncing over to Kesode, with a bright and cheerful smile: ¡°This is a ¡®farewell¡¯ gift for you, I hope you like it.¡±

    After that, she gave Eman a gift, then gifts to the head steward accompanying them, to the officers of the Paris Legion¡­

    Joseph facepalmed again. This little niece of his, wasn¡¯t she a bit too social?

    Clementine was merrily handing out presents when suddenly a dark cloud covered the sun, and the weather, which had been clear until then, turned into a light rain.

    Joseph hurriedly took this chance to get his sociable cousin into the carriage. The convoy then set off again.

    However, before they could get to the Paris City area, Clementine¡¯s carriage axle suddenly broke. Watching the raindrops leap off the ground, Joseph quickly had Eman invite his cousin into his own carriage.

    The little Lolita dabbed the rainwater off her arms and face with a handkerchief, laughing merrily, ¡°The carriage just broke down out of the blue. But no worries, I often encounter such unlucky situations, haha. One must always stay optimistic.¡±

    As she spoke, she pulled out a handful of candies from her person, as if by magic, and placed them on the wooden table in front of her, tilting her head towards Joseph, ¡°Cousin, I¡¯d like you to have some candy. This vanilla mint candy is a specialty of my ¡®tan¡¯ point teacher, you can¡¯t get it anywhere else.¡±

    ¡­

    Fortunately, the rest of the journey went smoothly, and by the time the carriages had arrived at the Palace of Versailles, the rain had also gradually stopped.

    Queen Mary, with a face full of warm and affectionate smiles, and Louis XVI were waiting outside on the marble square at the main entrance.

    The little Lolita got out of the carriage, bouncing up to the King and Queen and curtsying, then dove straight into her aunt¡¯s embrace, quietly slipping her a handful of vanilla mint candies: ¡°These were made by Monsieur Reynaud himself.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you so much, my sweetheart! This is indeed the taste of home.¡±

    When Clementine made her rounds of curtsies and came to Princess Therese, seeing the blue-gray Chartreux cat in her arms, she was immediately excited: ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so beautiful and cute! May I pet it?¡±

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so well-behaved. Oh, and I have a cat too. I love it so, so much, it¡¯s called ¡®Monsieur Mustache¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you must want to see Monsieur Mustache as well. I¡¯ll go get him, teehee!¡±

    Therese watched, somewhat befuddled, as the little girl turned and ran to the servant¡¯s carriage, then came back holding a black and white long-haired cat.

    ¡°Look, isn¡¯t it adorable too?¡±

    Joseph barely kept from laughing when he saw Clementine¡¯s cat¡ªits head was essentially pure white, except for a small tuft of black fur at the ¡°philtrum,¡± making it look like a certain failed art student.

    No wonder it was called Monsieur Mustache.

    Unnoticed by everyone, Monsieur Mustache¡¯s eyes were fixated on Therese¡¯s Chartreux cat, suddenly stretching out a paw to air swipe and meowing continuously as if in flattery. Therese¡¯s cat responded by seductively twisting its body and returning the gaze.

 Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 151 The Issue of Continuing the Family Line

    Chapter 165: Chapter 151 The Issue of Continuing the Family Line

    At the welcome ball that evening, Clementine also displayed her sociable nature to the fullest, joking and playing tricks with the nobles of the Palace of Versailles. She quickly became the center of attention.

    Queen Mary watched her niece with satisfaction, nodding frequently, thinking how wonderful it would be if this girl were her daughter-in-law.

    As for the young noblewomen of Versailles who dared to approach the Crown Prince, they were soon chased away by his little cousin¡¯s ¡°fierce¡± gaze, allowing Joseph to enjoy a rare moment of relaxation at the ball.

    As night fell, Joseph and Louis XVI walked side by side away from the ballroom.

    The father and son talked for a while about training craftsmen to make caplock guns. Suddenly, the King gestured for the attendants to step back, then pulled his son closer, whispering, ¡°Archduchess Clementine seems very healthy and lively, but Princess Maria seems even smarter. To be honest, both are quite nice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are quite nice,¡± Joseph replied.

    ¡°What do you think then?¡± the King asked.

    Joseph looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Think about what? What exactly?¡±¡±

    Louis XVI revealed a knowing smile, patted his son on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Tell me the truth, which one of them do you actually like? Ah, don¡¯t worry about what your mother thinks. It¡¯s most important to marry the person you love.¡±

    ¡°Marry?!¡± Joseph suddenly had an epiphany. Oh no! Were these two girls here to get married?!

    He couldn¡¯t really blame himself for being slow to realize it; in his subconscious, he never associated such young girls with potential fianc¨¦es, thereby overlooking such an obvious issue.

    Joseph was rendered speechless for a moment¡ªMaria was tolerable, although young, she at least had some¡­ cough, womanly features.

    Whereas, Clementine was obviously still undeveloped, just a little brat! That¡¯d be criminal!

    Not to mention she was his own cousin. Hadn¡¯t he heard about the dangers of marrying a relative? He certainly didn¡¯t want to have a bunch of children with intellectual disabilities¡­

    After a moment of thought, Joseph said softly, ¡°Dear father, what if I don¡¯t like either of them?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Louis XVI frowned, ¡°My dear Joseph, as far as I know, you only have that female doctor by your side, and you shouldn¡¯t have, ah, been with her, correct?¡±

    ¡°You must tell me the truth. Are you¨C¡± he glanced at his son¡¯s crotch, a look of concern on his face, ¡°very tight there and even feeling some pain? If so, believe me, a simple operation by a doctor can fix that. Don¡¯t be like me in the past, waiting for a long time¡­¡±

    Joseph paused, finally realizing his father was probably referring to a condition of being too long¡ªsomething that had caused him trouble in his marriage. Was he extrapolating from his own experience to suspect his son had the same issue?

    Joseph quickly waved his hands, ¡°No, no, thank you for your concern, but I am perfectly fine.¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s expression became more serious, ¡°Joseph, if you prefer¡­ men, you still must fulfill the duty of a Crown Prince¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get any wrong ideas!¡± Joseph was nearly exasperated. I mean, I¡¯m only 14 years old, isn¡¯t it quite normal not to have a lover? Why is my father making so many assumptions?

    Oh, right. He frowned to himself. In this age, nobles did indeed start pursuing romantic dalliances at 14¡­ Did he need to find a lover to prove there was nothing wrong with his body or orientation?

    He had no choice but to earnestly say to the King, ¡°Father, I truly just haven¡¯t met the right person. You don¡¯t have to worry. As for the two princesses¡­ I am currently devoted to making France stronger. Let¡¯s talk about the other matters in a few more years.¡±

    Louis XVI responded with gravity, ¡°Child, I know you have grand ambitions and will surely be an exceptional king in the future, but you can pay attention to your duties towards women as well¡­¡±

    The father and son continued talking as they walked, and before they knew it, the night had grown deeper.

    Just as Joseph was thinking about how to escape his father¡¯s earnest discussion about the duty of procreation, a white shadow ¡°whooshed¡± past his side and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

    ¡°Be careful!¡± the Swiss Guard responsible for protection immediately formed a circle, shielding the King and the Crown Prince in the middle.

    Then, a petite figure rushed over with people in tow, speaking in broken French, ¡°Have you seen Monsieur Mustache?¡±

    ¡°Clementine?¡± Joseph was rather surprised, ¡°Monsieur Mustache¡­ What happened to your cat?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gone missing!¡± The little girl was so anxious that her face turned bright red, ¡°It¡¯s usually very obedient, but today, for some reason, it was desperate to get out and I couldn¡¯t stop it¡­¡±

    Remembering the white shadow he had just seen, Joseph quickly pointed toward the corridor behind him, ¡°It must have run that way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, cousin.¡± Clementine called to the two maids behind her, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry after it!¡±

    Joseph hastened to hold her back, ¡°You¡¯ve never been to the Palace of Versailles before; it¡¯s very easy to get lost running around like this.¡±

    ¡°What should I do?¡± The little girl was nearly in tears.

    Joseph gestured to Kesode, ¡°Could you please have someone look for the cat?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Elsewhere, Louis XVI also ordered the Swiss Guard to search for the cat. In no time, dozens of guards put down their rifles and swords, lightly armed themselves, and turned into cat hunters.

    Joseph, too, wanting to take the chance to break away from his father¡¯s incessant talk of lineage, beckoned Clementine to join him on the cat-searching journey.

    Before long, the Palace of Versailles began to erupt in chaos.

    As the guard knocked on each door, often there would be a pair of hurriedly clothed, panic-stricken men and women inside. Hmm, not the married kind, of course.

    Of course, this was a very normal occurrence in France at the time; if you weren¡¯t entertaining several lovers, it only meant you lacked charm.

    On Joseph¡¯s side, Clementine was even more efficient, knocking on doors, apologizing pitifully before searching for the cat inside. Having become somewhat acquainted with most of the nobility at the evening¡¯s ball and having a sweet tongue, not a single person became angry with her for disturbing their intimate moments.

    That was until she knocked on the door of a room on the second floor of the south wing. An annoyed male voice shouted from inside, ¡°Can¡¯t you see the time? What do you want?!¡±

    Joseph blinked; that voice seemed familiar. Could it be¡­ the Interior Minister Mono?

    The little girl pleaded in a cute, coquettish voice, ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry to disturb you. But my beloved cat has gone missing, and I hope I might search for it here. May God bless you, kind gentleman.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no cat here!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very good at hiding. It could have squeezed through the vent on your door. Please! just a quick look, just a minute.¡±

    There was silence inside the room.

    The little girl was very patient, pleading earnestly and knocking on the door from time to time.

    Finally, the people inside couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. It sounded like a man and woman were having a low-voiced argument. Then, the door opened and a disheveled noblewoman, hastily draped in clothes, hurried out with her head down and disappeared around the corner of the staircase.

    Joseph was immediately stunned; wasn¡¯t that Marquis Saint Priest¡¯s wife?

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Clementine, completely unaware of the turmoil she had caused, cheerfully dashed into the room, directing her maids to search for the cat.

    While Joseph exchanged understanding smiles with Mono, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

 Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 152 Scheduled meeting with the French Minister of Industry

    Chapter 166: Chapter 152 Scheduled meeting with the French Minister of Industry

    Mono rose, anxious, and sidled up to Joseph, whispering:

    ¡°Ah, Your Highness, you are my best friend! You mustn¡¯t let this matter slip out¡­¡±

    Nowadays, taking a lover was hardly a matter of note; some ¡°enlightened¡± noble couples even introduced lovers to each other.

    But Count Mono, in this regard, was keen on seeking thrills¡ªhis mistresses were always of exceedingly high difficulty.

    For instance, Countess Mesayer. She was her husband¡¯s beloved, and the nobleman who once tried to pursue her ended up with his arm broken by Mesayer.

    Or like the Countess of Saint Priest who had just run out earlier, whose husband had a very strong possessive desire and forbade any man from approaching her. Her first lover was framed by Saint Priest and sent to toil in the Caribbean Sea.

    However, these two ladies had both fallen to the audacious Mono.

    Of course, Mono was also afraid of their husbands¡¯ wrath. With his status, he wasn¡¯t worried about them being underhanded, but he dreaded being challenged to a duel to the face¡ªwith his 170-pound, bulky frame, dueling with swords was practically akin to being a stationary target.

    So today¡¯s affair was a bit problematic.

    Having heard about the Minister of War¡¯s anecdotes of dealing with his wife¡¯s lovers, Joseph immediately realized he¡¯d struck ¡°gold¡± upon seeing Mono¡¯s expression.

    He nodded earnestly at once, ¡°Rest assured, my finest trait is keeping secrets.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so grateful to you¡­¡±

    Before Mono could finish, he saw the Crown Prince signaling to Clementine, who was busy looking for the cat in the adjacent compartment, and in a lowered voice said, ¡°However, my cousin, as you know, loves to chat with others.¡±

    The Minister of the Interior was instantly panicked, and wanted to plead with her for secrecy but then hesitated¡ªhow was he to discuss such a matter with a young girl? Besides, she might not even take his request seriously.

    He then turned to look pitifully at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, please help me one more time! You are her brother. She will surely listen to you.¡±

    As they were speaking, Clementine¡¯s soft voice came from the side: ¡°Cousin, Monsieur Mustache is not here! Let¡¯s move to the next room quickly.¡±

    Joseph patted Mono¡¯s shoulder, solemnly saying, ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try, but it¡¯s not guaranteed. Wait for my news.¡±

    After speaking, he turned and left in front of Mono¡¯s anxious gaze.

    The search for the cat continued for over an hour, disturbing nearly half of the nobility in the Palace of Versailles, until they finally spotted Monsieur Mustache in Princess Therese¡¯s drawing room.

    At that moment, he was triumphantly perched on the back of the princess¡¯s Chartreux, intending to commit the feline deed of a lifetime.

    But Clementine let out a cheer, affectionately called out ¡°Dear Monsieur Mustache¡±, and went up to promptly scoop him up without any explanation, indifferent to his angry and desperate struggles, turned to thank everyone, and apologized to Therese.

    Then, she got scratched by Monsieur Mustache for the first time in her life¡­

    The next morning at 10 o¡¯clock, Joseph rose from bed yawning, extremely reluctant.

    He had been up until past 3 a.m., following the little girl¡¯s whims.

    Of course, it was not without gains. As he was pondering what he could ¡°knock out¡± of Mono, he saw Eman coming towards him with a quick pace, bowing:

    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Your Highness. Count Mirabeau has been waiting for a while now.¡±

    ¡°Good, I¡¯m aware. Thank you,¡± Joseph quickly got dressed, washed up briskly, and went to the drawing room.

    ¡°Delighted to see you, Your Royal Highness,¡± Mirabeau greeted with joy on his face, placing his hand over his chest in a bow, ¡°I bring you a few pieces of good news.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What sort of good news?¡± Joseph motioned with a smile, ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±

    Mirabeau took a seat and said:

    ¡°First of all, our paper mill has completed its trial run and has officially started production.

    ¡°The first batch of paper produced three days ago weighed twenty thousand pounds and of very good quality, it was snapped up immediately! Now, pre-orders are queued up for five months in advance. Starting from next month, we can expect a monthly profit of one hundred thousand livres!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done your job well,¡± Joseph nodded with a smile. He hadn¡¯t been much involved in the paper mill, which was managed by Mirabeau and others, but was glad to hear it was going smoothly.

    However, he wasn¡¯t surprised by the brisk sales¡ªthe paper was selling for two-thirds the price of similar quality paper, so the rush was inevitable. As for the profits, they would undoubtedly continue to rise as production capacity increased.

    Mirabeau rubbed his hands together:

    ¡°I only did what was required, but credit goes to your new technology. Oh, by the way, the paper mill in Lyon has also started construction and will begin production in three to four months.¡±

    He continued, excitedly discussing the factory construction and recruitment of artisans, then broached another piece of good news:

    ¡°Your Highness, the core area of the industrial development zone in Nancy has been essentially completed. Currently, there are seventeen or eighteen workshops, bustling with people. You must really take a look. Oh, there¡¯s also your ¡®French United Steam Engine Company¡¯. Its factory area is the largest in the whole development zone.¡±

    The core area of an industrial development zone was essentially about finding an area close to a water source, leveling the land, broadening the roads, adding a surrounding wall and, voila, it was done. As for banks, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, those could be built over time; they weren¡¯t essential for the workshops to start moving in.

    ¡°Nancy¡¯s tiers ¨¦tat has also approved the tax reduction scheme for the development zone,¡± Mirabeau continued eagerly, ¡°Of course, they were bound to agree. The development zone will soon bring prosperity to Nancy.¡±

    Joseph knew that the tiers ¨¦tat he was talking about was entirely different from the one during the Great Enqu¨ºte. The current local tiers ¨¦tat was an administrative auxiliary body that amalgamated various opinions and needed the King¡¯s permission to convene, though its resolutions could still be vetoed by the government.[note 1]

 Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 152 Scheduled meeting with the French Minister of Industry_2

    Chapter 167: Chapter 152 Scheduled meeting with the French Minister of Industry_2

    However, when it comes to taxation, with the participation of the Estates-General, the implementation efficiency would be greatly improved.

    Mirabeau looked at Joseph and tested the waters,

    ¡°Your Highness, you know that the development of industry heavily depends on the market. Yet, the tariffs throughout France severely fragment the market. Perhaps, we could try to push for the abolition of tariffs to foster a unified domestic market?¡±

    Joseph nodded,

    ¡°You are correct. However, there are many obstacles to abolishing local tariffs, especially since our finances can hardly provide support¡­ I¡¯ll think of a solution.¡±

    At present, there were tariffs between the various regions of France. Products from other provinces had to pay tariffs to enter the local market. This did not have much of an impact in the agricultural era, but in the industrial era, which valued product sales and capital recovery, it became a significant barrier.

    England gained a considerable advantage in industrial competition because it was the first to abolish domestic tariffs and take advantage of a unified market.

    However, despite the fact that the abolition of local tariffs is indeed beneficial for the country, it is difficult to implement.

    One of the most basic problems is that the finances of the provinces rely greatly on tariffs, and a sudden abolition would require the nation to subsidize the financial gap, otherwise the provincial governments wouldn¡¯t even have the money to operate.

    But with France¡¯s current financial situation, let alone providing subsidies for the provinces, it¡¯s already a blessing from God that it hasn¡¯t collapsed.

    This is also one of the reasons why Joseph is eager to expand overseas colonies ¡ª using the colonial markets to fill the gaps in the domestic market, and then using the earned money to gradually resolve the local tariff issues.

    Mirabeau knew the local tariffs were not that simple; he was merely giving the Crown Prince a reminder.

    Afterward, he delivered the last piece of good news ¡ª the potatoes purchased from Austria, the Southern Netherlands, and other places had arrived in provinces like Alsace and Lorraine in batches, and the previously exported grains from those areas had been largely replenished.

    With this, Joseph¡¯s potato promotion plan could be considered successfully concluded. Although the sowing area this year was very limited, it opened the door to potato cultivation in France. It could be foreseen that in the coming years, as they taste the high yield of potatoes, more and more people would be willing to plant them.

    However, this would subsequently lead to the problem of soil fertility loss ¡ª potatoes are a crop that requires a lot of nutrients. This is the next issue that needs to be addressed in Joseph¡¯s agricultural reform process.

    After Mirabeau left, Joseph, watching his retreating figure, suddenly thought of getting something from Mono.

    At the moment, Mirabeau and others are needed to contribute to France¡¯s industrialization process. If he could offer him a suitable government position, it would greatly improve his efficiency, thereby speeding up the pace of industrialization.

    In addition, this would also bring the Capitalist Nobility to his side, strengthening his political influence.

    From the perspective of historical trends, the Capitalist Nobility, representing the bourgeoisie, is the political core of the future, and the Old Nobility will eventually be overwhelmed by the tide of industrialization. It¡¯s time for him to make arrangements early on.

    Thinking this, Joseph slightly furrowed his brows. To bring Mirabeau, a representative of the capitalist elite, into the Cabinet controlled by the Land Aristocracy would inevitably face considerable resistance.

    All of this required careful planning on his part.

    That night, at the gambling party organized by Queen Mary, Joseph, taking Mono aside to a corner of the hall, glanced at Clementine, who was betting at the dice table, and whispered, ¡°I promised her a plethora of conditions, and finally convinced her. You can rest assured, she swears she won¡¯t mention to anyone about last night¡­¡±

    In fact, last night Joseph asked Clementine if she had seen anyone coming out of Mono¡¯s room, the young girl claimed she only paid attention to the cat and didn¡¯t see anyone. As for her maid, since she had never been to the Palace of Versailles, she did not recognize Madame Saint Priest.

    Mono hurriedly stopped the Crown Prince from continuing, checking that no one noticed them, then sincerely bowed to thank him, ¡°You truly saved my life, I don¡¯t know how to thank you enough.¡±

    Joseph feigned a sigh, ¡°You see, I have been busy recently researching how to better promote industrial development. Now I¡¯ve agreed to accompany her for half a month, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to achieve anything.¡±

    Mono offered an apologetic smile, ¡°I am truly bothering you.¡±

    ¡°If the Industrial Planning Bureau could add more people, I would have more energy to spare for my cousin,¡± Joseph feigned difficulty, ¡°but as you know, the bureau is just a small department with limited staff.¡±

    Mono seemed to catch on to something, prompting, ¡°Then how can we increase manpower?¡±

    ¡°Unless the bureau¡¯s level can be upgraded, the number of subordinate officials can only remain the same.¡±

    Mono immediately understood that the Crown Prince was asking for a ¡°reward.¡±

    ¡°What do you think would be an appropriate level for the Industrial Planning Bureau to be upgraded to?¡±

    Joseph appeared to speak offhandedly, ¡°If it could become the Ministry of Industry, then I could hold a position like Minister of Industry or something¡­¡±

    Mono inwardly sighed. The Crown Prince still had his leverage from last night, and he had to offer this reward. Fortunately, the artisan sector wasn¡¯t making much money, there were many associated issues, and since the Crown Prince had already been managing it, it would not be too problematic to completely detach it from the internal administration system.

    After thinking it over, Mono added, ¡°Your Highness, I highly agree with your proposal. But for such a significant change as introducing a Minister of Industry, I alone don¡¯t have the final say.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°You just need to propose the motion at the Cabinet meeting, and I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±

    After the serious conversation, Joseph, looking relaxed, took Mono to play cards, only to be suddenly startled by the exasperated shouting from the dice table, where Clementine was yelling, ¡°I¡¯ve lost twelve games in a row! Are you cheating?!¡±

    The servant in charge of rolling the dice panicked and quickly bowed his head in defence, ¡°Absolutely no cheating, please don¡¯t be angry¡­¡±

    The little girl quickly suppressed her anger, stepped forward to take the man¡¯s arm, and cheerily stuffed a piece of candy into his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I was just blowing off steam. Here, have some candy, it¡¯s really sweet!¡±

    Joseph watched with interest as the croupier¡¯s worry turned to joy, thanking the girl repeatedly, before continuing to oversee the gambling.

    Clementine boldly bet 2 livres on high.

    The dice cup was opened, revealing a 1, 3, 1¡ªlow.

    The little girl, undeterred by her losses, bet 1 livre on low.

    The dice cup was opened again, showing 5, 5, 6¡ªhigh.

    ¡°I refuse to believe I can¡¯t win!¡± Clementine¡¯s face flushed with resolve as she continued to place bets.

    What rotten luck this little miss had! Joseph shook his head, amused, and as he was about to walk away, a thought struck him.

    Since she¡¯s on such a losing streak, maybe she can serve as a contrarian indicator!

    Joseph immediately stepped forward. Seeing Clementine bet on low, he promptly took out 5 silver coins and bet on high.

    The result was 4, 6, 5¡ªhigh.

    Amazingly accurate! Joseph looked at the little girl in surprise and collected 10 livres from the table.

    Seeing her cousin come over and win, Clementine grew even more indignant and stubbornly bet another 2 livres on low.

    Joseph promptly bet the 10 livres he just won on high.

    The outcome was 6, 4, 3¡ªhigh.

    A light flashed before Joseph¡¯s eyes, realizing that he had discovered a treasure in the girl!

    After considering, he still approached the little girl and advised, ¡°You¡¯re still young, just have fun, don¡¯t bet too much.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for caring, cousin, but I will surely win!¡± the little girl retorted, rolling up her sleeves and moving on to the next table.

    Joseph shook his head helplessly and followed Clementine. She bet high, he bet low.

    At the baccarat table, she bet on the bank, and he bet on the player.

    At the roulette table, she bet on odd, and he bet on even.

    ¡­

    By the end of the evening, Joseph had won more than he lost, all thanks to the ¡°Reverse Clementine Strategy.¡± By the time the little girl had run out of steam and stopped playing, he had won over a hundred gold ¨¦cus and a large pile of silver coins.

    By Queen Mary¡¯s card table, a financially devastated Clementine clung to her aunt¡¯s hand and cooed, ¡°Take me to Paris tomorrow, will you? I¡¯ve lost all night long, you need to comfort my wounded heart.¡±

    Unable to resist her niece¡¯s pestering, the Queen laughed and summoned her son, instructing, ¡°Jospeh, do nothing else tomorrow but take Clementine to have a good day out in Paris.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± said Joseph, nodding reluctantly, thinking of it as the ¡°fee¡± for the evening¡¯s services provided by the little girl.

    The little girl was overjoyed and immediately clung to his arm, pouting, ¡°Cousin, I heard people say there¡¯s an ¡®Eden Amusement Park¡¯ built in the Tuileries Palace Garden, full of new and exciting things, will you take me there to play?¡±

    Joseph gave a start and asked cautiously, ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of heights, are you?¡±

    [Note 1]: At this time in France, the local Estates-General varied greatly by region. For instance, a few regions like Brittany and Burgundy had Estates-General with some authority, determining some local governance policies, yet all were still under royal control. The Estates-General in most other regions were merely for show.

 Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 153 Paris Fashion Week

    Chapter 168: Chapter 153 Paris Fashion Week

    March 11th, 5 p.m.

    At the newly decorated Tuileries Palace, adorned with countless ribbons, oil paintings, and billboards, the whole of Europe is now watching as Paris Fashion Week is about to unfold.

    The Tuileries Palace is a castle-like structure, its lofty halls surrounding a vast central square. Its initial design served as a last bastion for the King in times of emergency, the very square where troops were marshaled.

    Now, however, this parade ground was filled with international visitors who had come for Fashion Week, with thousands in attendance.

    Additionally, a considerable number of guests who were reluctant to purchase expensive seats stood in the gaps between the square and the buildings, craning their necks curiously towards the giant T-stage to the east. Of course, even standing-room tickets cost 6 livres.

    Thanks to Joseph¡¯s widespread international advertising campaign, slogans like ¡°Paris Fashion Week, just for those who truly understand fashion,¡± ¡°Hand in hand with your loved one, experience the most romantic Paris,¡± and ¡°Does your yearning breeze still blow to Paris Fashion Week?¡± had already bombarded the ears of the nobility from every country.

    Under such grandiose publicity, Paris Fashion Week remarkably became the focal point of heated discussion in Europe¡¯s nobility circles. Unless one genuinely could not afford the trip to Paris, no one wanted to miss this event¡ªit would be too embarrassing to face those who had experienced it.

    Consequently, at least hundreds of thousands of visitors had come to attend Paris Fashion Week!

    Although the tickets for the opening ceremony were pricey, they were sold out a month in advance. Nobles who later wished to secure a seat had to pay four to five times the price, suffering the extortion of scalpers.

    At that moment, on the luxury seats located on the eastern side of the Tuileries Palace square¡ªthose ¡°gold¡± seats near the T-stage, which officially cost 80 livres each¡ªa middle-aged English gentleman dressed in a black velvet coat, with sagging eye bags and ears that stuck out, was gaping at the resplendent Tuileries Palace, unable to contain his exclamations:

    ¡°When I first read in the newspaper about ¡®experiencing your royal life at the Tuileries Palace,¡¯ I thought it was just French bluster, but they¡¯ve actually done quite a good job here.¡±

    Next to him, a young man who had been holding a notebook and pen the whole time nodded and smiled:

    ¡°Mr. Walsh, in fact, the Tuileries Palace was once a royal residence of the French people.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Alvin,¡± Mr. Walsh responded with surprise and appreciation, ¡°No wonder it¡¯s so luxurious! It seems my money was well spent.¡±

    His wife laughed and said:

    ¡°Dear, I remember you saying on the ship coming here that the French are only good at fancy foods and clothes and such.¡±

    ¡°Well, I must admit, their palaces are not too shabby either.¡±

    Just then, melodious music rose in the air, and Chancellor Barongden, dressed in the opulent attire of the Court of Versailles, took the stage to deliver a very lengthy and lyrical opening speech.

    Following him, Queen Mary, dressed in a dazzling white ensemble with her hair coiffed a full foot and a half high, made her entrance, flanked by attendants and maids. Brilliant fireworks burst forth in the sky.

    The French guards and officials around immediately bowed in homage, while the tourists, caught by surprise at the presence of the Queen of France¡ªa personification of European fashion and luxury¡ªhurriedly rose to their feet, courteously nodding in respect.

    The atmosphere at the venue instantly peaked.

    Queen Mary smiled and gestured to the crowd, and then began her speech, following the script her son had written:

    ¡°Welcome to Paris, the city of fashion and romance, to partake in the largest fashion festival in all of Europe¡­¡±

    Walsh did not understand French and was only hoping that the ¡°five daily fashion shows, with a hundred beauties passionately presenting¡± mentioned in the newspaper would start soon.

    Luckily, Queen Mary did not keep him waiting too long. After concluding with ¡°Please enjoy this lovely week,¡± she turned and returned to her room on the third floor of the Tuileries Palace, facing the T-stage.

    Next, a famous singer presented a song, and then the highlight of Fashion Week officially began.

    To the sound of lively background music, three tall and beautiful models, dressed in the latest seasonal luxurious long dresses, sashayed out from the end of the T-stage.

    At that moment, every spectator was stunned.

    This was completely different from any fashion presentation they had seen before!

    It wasn¡¯t just about flaunting clothing on racks or gaining attention through allure¡ªthese models exuded an elegant and noble demeanor with every motion they made, their expressions cool and natural, as if they were three confident young noblewomen casually passing by.

    The fashion they wore also became a reflection of their temperaments, full of individuality.

    At the same time, on two display panels over four meters high on either side of the T-stage, there appeared information about the designers of the dresses worn by the models, their design concepts, features, and prices.

    Fashion Week staff meandered politely among the guests, reminding them that should they take a fancy to any of the fashions being showcased, they could place an order at any time.

    This form of fashion show and sales that would become commonplace in later times was the most creative and trendy model in the 18th century.

    Mrs. Walsh¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to a light green long dress worn by the model on the left, and she glanced at the price on the display panel¡ª220 livres.

    She lowered her head to covertly calculate the price in British Pounds, ensuring her husband would have no objections, and when she looked up again with a charming smile, she took Mr. Walsh¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Dear, what do you think of that green dress?¡±

 Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 153 Paris Fashion Week_2

    Chapter 169: Chapter 153 Paris Fashion Week_2

    Walsh was busy looking at the plump ¡°Big White Rabbit,¡± glanced at the price tag, and nodded absentmindedly, ¡°If you like it, buy it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, dear!¡± his wife immediately summoned a staff member.

    However, she soon regretted it, because the model that came out afterward was wearing a purple puff skirt that captivated her heart even more than the green dress she had just seen.

    The following fashions were one more trendy and beautiful than the next, Mrs. Walsh was already dazzled, with the sole thought of ¡°buying everything¡± in her mind.

    An hour later, the first fashion show ended.

    Mrs. Walsh, after desperately restraining herself over and over, only purchased three outfits. She also bought a dark blue suit for her husband.

    Mr. Walsh, having feasted his eyes on slender waists and ¡°Big White Rabbits,¡± only realized when paying that he needed to fork out nearly 40 British pounds!

    This was in gold pounds, with 1 pound equating to approximately 25 livres.

    Yet, this British wool merchant still paid the bill with a light heart.

    Who knows how many customers from various countries were in a similar situation. Only after the 23 staff members responsible for pre-sales worked until 4 a.m., their hands beginning to cramp, did they finally manage to sort all the orders.

    The British journalist Alvin, who came with Mr. Walsh, immediately rushed back to his reserved room, compiled over ten pages of fashion week articles, and sent them back to England overnight.

    That night, the Walsh couple dined at the ¡°Royal Restaurant¡± on the first floor of the Tuileries Palace, tasting authentic French court cuisine¡ªbeetroot-baked snails, Crown Prince oysters, pan-fried goose liver with cherry jam, red wine truffle roasted pigeon¡­

    A table full of delicacies had the couple from the culinary desert eating in rapture, dripping in grease, eventually having to support themselves against the wall as they left the restaurant.

    Although they had to queue for over 40 minutes for this meal and spent 1 pound and 12 shillings, they felt it was completely worth it.

    After returning to the Tuileries Palace, Mr. and Mrs. Walsh had intended to have a few drinks, but on the way, they saw a brightly lit hall filled with various curious machines, brimming with laughter and cheer. They were immediately drawn to it.

    The interpreter and guide accompanying them pointed to the hall and told them, ¡°This is an amusement arcade, there are many interesting games to play inside.¡±

    Curious, Mr. Walsh entered and immediately saw a young man, who seemed to be of Spanish descent, pull hard on a lever in front of a machine that was taller than a man. The machine¡¯s drums began to spin rapidly.

    The Spaniard watched the drums intently, murmuring, ¡°Stop! Stop!¡±

    Suddenly, the front drum stopped, displaying a yellow iris emblem of the French Royal Family.

    Then, the middle drum stopped, also showing an iris.

    The Spaniard¡¯s breathing became rapid.

    Soon, the last drum began to slow down, shifting slowly from a sword to an apple, and finally settling on an iris.

    The young Spaniard cheered wildly, leaping up and punching the air in excitement.

    The machine emitted a series of ¡°ding-dong¡± chimes, and the Spaniard bent down to collect a wooden box from the bottom part of the machine. Inside were full of silver coins, at least seventy or eighty.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Mr. Walsh asked the guide in surprise, turning his head.

    The latter gestured towards the machine, ¡°Mr. Walsh, this thing is called ¡®Slot Machine¡¯. You put in one livre to pull that lever once. The drums inside will spin, and if they stop on three identical patterns, you can win several times, or even dozens of times the amount in silver coins in return.¡±

    ¡°The young gentleman just now won the highest return multiple¡ªa hundred times.¡±

    Walsh was immediately intrigued and looked around, but found that the dozens of machines in the hall were all occupied.

    Eventually, for the price of 10 livres, he got hold of a slot machine from a middle-aged man and, unable to wait, he dropped a livre into the coin slot and pulled the handle with force.

    After the drums whirred to a stop, they landed on a cat, a shield, and an ¡°X.¡±

    Clearly, he didn¡¯t win anything.

    He pursed his lips, inserted another coin, and still came up empty.

    It wasn¡¯t until his 15th pull that finally, three apples appeared on the reel, and the crisp sound of silver coins clashing emanated from below the machine.

    Walsh took out the wooden box, excitedly picked up the five silver coins inside, looking even happier than if he had won five British Pounds.

    An hour later, Mrs. Walsh, yawning, returned alone to the reserved room on the second floor.

    Mr. Walsh, seeing that the machine next to him which shot out marbles was unoccupied, curiously moved over to it.

    He inserted a coin, pulled the lever, and the marble bounced around inside the machine before landing in a hole marked x3. Three silver coins dropped out from the bottom of the machine.

    Walsh was overjoyed and immediately ¡°transferred his affections¡±, starting to focus on playing the pinball machine.

    The entertainment machines in this hall were specially prepared by Joseph for celebrations like fashion week.

    The internal structure of these machines was not complicated at all: springs and flywheels, along with some gears, were enough. Craftsmen from over ten clock shops in Paris had spent months manufacturing them, and they were much simpler than clocks.

    Even though they were very simple gaming machines, people of this era had never seen anything like them. One after another, they became seemingly enchanted, repeatedly pulling the handles or levers, unable to stop.

    And in the Tuileries Palace, there were more than 70 such machines. Each one voraciously swallowing the visitors¡¯ silver coins.

    When it was past 3 a.m., Mrs. Walsh woke up with a start, realizing her husband still hadn¡¯t returned to the room, she hurriedly got dressed and rushed to the amusement hall, only to see Mr. Walsh with bloodshot eyes but an excited spirit, still incessantly pulling the lever¡­

    The next day.

    There were no fashion shows in the morning or at noon.

    So, after breakfast, Mrs. Walsh dragged her husband, who had dark circles under his eyes covering half his face, to the Eden Amusement Park, which everyone was raving about as ¡°extremely fun¡± and ¡°a place you would regret not visiting for the rest of your life¡±.

    At the park¡¯s entrance, which seemed as if it had been brought from a fairytale world, several workers dressed up as ¡°giant rats¡± with fluffy black round ears, big eyes, and pointy noses were greeting the visitors everywhere.

    Well, these adorable mascots were actually Mickey Mouse of later times.

    But in the 18th century, there was no Disney to trouble Joseph, so he had unhesitatingly copied them over.

    A large number of visitors were attracted by the adorably cute appearance of Mickey Mouse, either following them or cautiously touching their heads, while exclaiming ¡°wow¡± in amazement from time to time.

    And Mickey was very enthusiastically pointing out the location of the ticket window for everyone.

    The ticket price was not cheap at all ¡ª for unlimited access to all the amusement facilities, plus free tea and snacks, it was 30 livres per person. To choose four steam-powered entertainment facilities, it was 18 livres per person, without drinks and desserts.

    Mr. Walsh generously took out 2 British Pounds and 10 shillings and handed it to the ticket seller ¡ª for unlimited play ¡ª and then entered the amusement park with his wife.

    His wife, who was past thirty, immediately turned into a girl in her teens, frolicking and laughing between the carousel and the tea cup rides.

    Once Mrs. Walsh had her fill of fun, she then pulled her husband along to go to the main store of the Paris Angel Exclusive Store ¡ª although England also had a franchise store, it was said that a new product called ¡°Eye Cream¡± had hit the market in the Paris main store, and there was a recent discount, so how could she not go on a shopping spree?

    They were originally going to call for a carriage, but just then a public stagecoach arrived at the station. Following the guide¡¯s recommendation, they curiously boarded the large stagecoach that could accommodate 25 people.

    Two horses pulled the stagecoach along the newly laid wooden track. The wheels encountered very little resistance, making the speed of travel quick. And because the carriage was equipped with a new type of leaf spring suspension system, and the wooden track itself was very smooth, there was virtually no sensation of bumpiness inside the carriage.

    Mrs. Walsh felt as comfortable as if she were boating on a creek.

    She looked around in delight: ¡°This carriage is really nice.¡±

    The guide immediately responded at the right moment: ¡°You have a good eye! This is made using the technology of Royal Carriages. Similar carriages are now the first choice among Paris¡¯s upper crust.¡±

    Mrs. Walsh quickly asked in a low voice. ¡°How much does such a carriage cost, the kind that seats four people?¡±

    ¡°Probably less than 600 livres.¡±

    Mrs. Walsh immediately looked at her husband with pleading eyes. He nodded generously: ¡°Let¡¯s go check out the carriages tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 154 Crown Prince and Illegitimate Son

    Chapter 170: Chapter 154 Crown Prince and Illegitimate Son

    Mrs. Walsh left her room number at the Tuileries Palace with the clerk of the Paris Angel¡¯s store. The latter immediately respectfully indicated that they might be able to deliver her purchased goods there tomorrow morning.

    There was no helping it, even though she had bought a whole 300 livres worth of cosmetics, Fashion Week had brought in too many customers, and the store¡¯s delivery staff were busy working 18 hours a day and still could not keep up. This was already the expedited result for her as a Gold Card member.

    Afterward, the Walsh couple went to the carriage shop and ordered the latest model of the ¡°Royal Same Type¡± carriage, spending 800 livres¡ª600 for the carriage, and 200 for the shipping to the British port.

    Then, they rushed to the Royal Museum at the Louvre.

    In the carriage, Mrs. Walsh looked at the clean and tidy streets of Paris, narrowed her eyes, took a deep breath, and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°This is far cleaner than London; even the air smells sweet.¡±

    Mr. Walsh nodded in deep agreement, ¡°Yes, not a bit of excrement on the streets. Sometimes I have to compliment the French for their cultivation in this respect.¡±

    Mrs. Walsh soon spotted a square and novel little building and inquired about it with the guide.

    The latter introduced it somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Ah, madam, that¡¯s a public toilet, a place for passersby to relieve themselves.¡±

    Mrs. Walsh immediately felt embarrassed for her lack of worldly experience and muttered softly, ¡°No wonder the streets are so clean; when can England learn from them.¡±

    She secretly swore to herself that she must learn some French upon returning, else she wouldn¡¯t even recognize the toilets.

    Mr. Walsh leaned back in his seat and yawned, ¡°Ah¡ªI don¡¯t even want to return to London. Compared to here, London is just like a rubbish heap¡­¡±

    The guide¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise and he immediately pointed toward the direction of the Tuileries Palace¡¯s garden, smiling, ¡°Mr. Walsh, perhaps you could buy a villa in the ¡®Royal Garden,¡¯ then you could often stay in Paris. Hmm, especially during London¡¯s rainy season, taking a vacation in Paris would certainly be a fine choice.¡±

    The Tuileries Palace¡¯s garden, referred to as a garden, is actually a several million square meter open space next to the palace, a place where Parisians often go for a stroll after dinner.

    Walsh blinked and asked, ¡°You mean that large construction of houses on the east side of the Tuileries Palace?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Mr. Walsh. It will be completed in another three or four months.¡± The reason the guide was so attentive was that he would receive a commission of 500 livres for every villa sold through his introduction, including the carriage that Walsh had bought, from which he also received a commission of 30 livres.

    Walsh was greatly tempted because the villas were very close to the Tuileries Palace, and by opening the windows one could clearly see the facial details of the sculptures outside the palace.

    He then asked, ¡°Do you know the selling price of those villas?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the ones adjacent to the Tuileries Palace are about 50,000 livres, which is 2,000 British Pounds. The ones next to the public carriage tracks are around 1,900 British Pounds. Further out, there are some for 1,500 British Pounds.¡±

    Walsh immediately gasped, although he was well-off, he could not bear to spend 2,000 pounds on a house in France. A villa of the same grade would never exceed 1,000 pounds in London.

    Seeing his expression, the guide immediately said, ¡°These villas are definitely worth the money, sir. Not only are they next to the Old Palace. Look, over there they¡¯re building an elite school; only children living in the ¡®Royal Garden¡¯ can attend, and it¡¯s said that members of the French Academy of Sciences will teach there.

    ¡°And over there, that¡¯s the largest hospital in Paris¡­

    ¡°That one is a shopping mall¡­

    ¡°And to the south, there¡¯s a croquet field¡­¡±

    In the end, Walsh did not go to look at those 50,000 livres villas¡ªhe was afraid he really couldn¡¯t resist buying one, which would make his financial situation a bit tight.

    By the time he and his wife had toured Paris and returned to the Tuileries Palace, the afternoon fashion show had already begun.

    However, this time Mrs. Walsh enjoyed the fashion show by herself. Her husband went straight to the gaming hall after coming back, excitedly ¡°battling¡± in front of the Slot Machine.

    Mrs. Walsh turned to look at the empty chair on her left and muttered with some surprise, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Mr. Alvin come?¡±

    Her British journalist friend was at a theater at that time, watching Hurter Xiao search for the ¡°magic fire seed¡± in the lava with a tense expression.

    Indeed, he didn¡¯t have the money for the amusement park, nor did he have the money to shop around. The newspaper sent him to cover Fashion Week but wouldn¡¯t provide too much funding.

    But he could afford the theatre ticket, so he decided to spend his time watching plays, not expecting to get hooked from the first viewing.

    The play ¡°Breaking Through the Caelum¡± was simply too captivating! The plot was thrilling, stirring up excitement.

    Right when the theater was running a ten-performance marathon, he bought a season pass and had been watching in the theater for a whole day, completely forgetting to cover the Fashion Week events.

    Not until the actors performing in shifts were all exhausted and the theater had to close did he finally remember that his work was not done yet.

    On his way back to the fashion show venue, he secretly decided that he must translate the fascinating drama he had just seen into English to be performed in London!

    In the gaming hall of the Tuileries Palace, Mr. Walsh failed to win after ten rounds, rubbed his hands dejectedly, and was about to insert another silver coin when he heard wild shouts from behind: ¡°Incredible, haha! See that?!¡±

    He frowned, turned his head, and saw a young man with a Russian appearance behind him, monopolizing four Slot Machines in his extravagant red coat. And at that moment, one of the Slot Machines shockingly displayed three Knight symbols!

 Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 154 Crown Prince and the Illegitimate Child_2

    Chapter 171: Chapter 154 Crown Prince and the Illegitimate Child_2

    Walsh knew that was a jackpot returning 30 times the bet!

    His heart twitched with envy.

    Meanwhile, the Russian in red casually pocketed the silver coins spit out by the machine and excitedly continued to feed money into the slots of all four machines, then pulled the levers in rapid succession, his eyes darting back and forth over the spinning drums.

    However, this time when the drums came to a halt, not a single machine awarded a prize. Undeterred, the Russian fixed his bloodshot eyes on the machines, continued to insert coins, and pulled the levers.

    His luck spiked again as two of the machines displayed matching sets of symbols, and the clatter of falling silver coins further exhilarated him.

    Just then, Viscount Freselle, Chair of the Fashion Week Committee, approached him with a few others, and said amiably, ¡°Count Bobrinskoy, you have been playing for a whole day and night without eating anything. For the sake of your health, I suggest you take a rest¡­¡±

    ¡°Get out of my way! Don¡¯t block me!¡±

    The moment the young man finished speaking, several burly men who looked like bodyguards came over and pushed Viscount Freselle and his company backward with their bodies.

    Viscount Freselle, left with no choice, quietly instructed the security inspector who had come with him, then walked away.

    He then stationed several policemen around Count Bobrinskoy, ready to call a doctor for him should he faint or show signs of discomfort.

    ¡­

    Joseph walked out of the south gate of Tuileries Palace, somewhat fatigued.

    Queen Mary had agreed to be the ambassador for Fashion Week, requiring her to give a speech every two days, and naturally, he had to accompany her.

    Fortunately, now that a four-league long east-west wooden railway had been built in Paris City, it took just over twenty minutes to reach the Tuileries Palace after entering the city, saving the Queen a lot of time.

    According to the plan, the railway would extend further westward, providing a direct connection between Paris and the Palace of Versailles.

    Soon, one could travel from the Palace of Versailles to Paris City via coach in just over an hour, saving nearly 70% of the previous travel time.

    This wooden railway, although expensive to build at 50 thousand livres per league¡ªwhich is 4 kilometers¡ªwas the result after Murdock brought in British track workers to use new techniques to reduce costs; had French craftsmen been employed, it would have cost an additional 10 thousand.

    However, just the convenience of the wooden railway for the nobles from Versailles to travel to Paris could increase Paris¡¯s annual commercial income by at least a million livres¡ªthe shorter travel time meant the nobility had more time for shopping and entertainment. Moreover, people who previously avoided going to Paris due to the distance or a rough journey would also increase their visits and spending in the city because of the railway.

    Joseph stretched his arms and caught sight of the life-sized painting of ¡°The Chosen Son¡± hanging at the front of the hall out of the corner of his eye¡ªQueen Mary was extremely pleased with this painting, and thinking of the many foreign dignitaries who would come for Fashion Week, had a copy hung here to ¡°show off¡± her son.

    Joseph shook his head in embarrassment and wondered whether he should have Fouche arrange for someone to steal the painting in the middle of the night when he saw Viscount Freselle coming towards him with a worried expression.

    The man nearly bumped into the Crown Prince before realizing, promptly halting and bowing deeply.

    Joseph smiled and asked, ¡°Viscount Freselle, are you in some trouble?¡±

    Freselle hesitated a moment and then said, ¡°Your Highness, Count Bobrinskoy of Russia has been at the amusement hall for a day and a night, and hasn¡¯t eaten a meal in that time. I have tried to persuade him several times to no avail. You know, with his status, should anything happen, it might¡­¡±

    ¡°Count Bobrinskoy?¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly. Eman promptly leaned in and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s the Empress of Russia¡¯s illegitimate son. He has been loitering in Paris for several years now, and many nobles know him.¡±

    Joseph nodded in realization, ¡°Is it Alexei?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, that¡¯s his name.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed, realizing that Catherine¡¯s younger son, the future brother of Tsar Paul I, had also come to attend Fashion Week.

    He suddenly remembered from watching the Russian series ¡°Empress Catherine¡± that Alexei had been traveling around the world since he was young to avoid threatening his brother¡¯s position as heir[1]. However, because of his reckless behavior, Catherine could hardly tolerate his foolish actions, and it seemed she would soon recall him to Russia and then banish him to a remote town for reflection.

    France is currently seeking an alliance with Russia in order to launch a strategy in North Africa. This Alexei is greatly favored by Catherine II, and this could be an opportunity to have a chat with him, which might yield unexpected results.

    He gestured to Freselle, ¡°Please lead the way, I¡¯ll go and persuade him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you so much, Your Highness.¡±

    In the gaming hall, Alexei was still excitedly inserting coins and pulling levers when he saw a young man with an extraordinary air appear before him, smiling at him.

    His gaze changed for a moment, but then he turned his attention back to the slot machine, muttering under his breath, ¡°What do you want? Please step aside.¡±

    Joseph saw him insert a silver coin and forcefully pulled the handle for him, laughing, ¡°I remember as a child, because I was not in the best of health, I spent some time recuperating at Meudon Castle.

    ¡°You know, there were no tutors or ceremonial officers there, I could ride horses and climb trees whenever I wanted, it was full of freedom and relaxation.¡±

    ¡°Later, whenever I was tormented by various courses to the point of irritation, I would feign illness and go there to ¡®recuperate¡¯ for a few months.¡±

    ¡°Until one time, I wanted my ¡®happy holiday¡¯ to last a little longer, so I pretended to have a serious illness, the kind that looked as if I were about to die. I was fully convinced that this time I could stay at Meudon Castle for an entire year.¡±

    ¡°But guess what happened?¡±

    ¡°My mother was terribly worried, called all the court imperial physicians to diagnose me, bled me several times¡ªoh, and there were enemas too¡ªthoroughly torturing me in the process.¡±

    ¡°In the end, I had to end my own illness. Afterwards, my mother told me that to keep a close eye on my health, I would have to stay in the Palace of Versailles from now on and could never go to Meudon Castle again.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I was too foolish at that time, haha.¡±

    Alexei paused for a moment, and then understood the meaning of the Crown Prince¡ªhe immediately remembered the painting of the ¡°Child of Divine Favor¡± he saw upon seeing Joseph. In order to avoid the political struggles of Saint Petersburg and to make his brother Paul¡¯s succession smoother, he deliberately acted the part of a prodigal, playing around the world.

    But as the Crown Prince had just said, if he overdid his act, it would surely worry his mother and she would keep him close for discipline.

    He took a step back, put away his playful expression, and with a hand on his chest, bowed gracefully, speaking in perfect French, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Crown Prince. I presume you already know my identity. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Earl Bobrinsky.¡± Joseph smiled back, ¡°I believe you need a dinner now, and plenty of sleep. If you disagree, I might have to temporarily close this amusement hall.¡±

    A moment later, as the two were on their way to the restaurant, Joseph continued the small talk, ¡°I¡¯ve heard some rumors about you.¡±

    Alexei, a bit groggy from staying up late, smiled and said, ¡°It seems I¡¯m quite famous, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°What I mean is, based on your current actions, the Empress may soon order you to return to Russia.¡±

    Alexei shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    In truth, he had already heard the news from Saint Petersburg¡ªhis mother had asked the Russian ambassador about his situation several times, indicating her intent to call him back.

    But what could he do? His brother¡¯s position as the Crown Prince had always been quite precarious. He dearly loved his brother and didn¡¯t want to add any pressure on him. Thus, acting the part of a debauchee was the only thing he could do to help his brother.

    He mumbled, ¡°In the end, this is all I can do.¡±

    Kesode checked the restaurant¡¯s private box with the guards and nodded at Joseph.

    The latter led Alexei in to sit down, looking at the illegitimate child, ¡°What would you like to eat?

    ¡°Actually, there is a lot you can do. I mean, things unrelated to politics. And doing so might actually keep you farther away from Saint Petersburg.¡±

    [Note 1] Before Paul I, the Russian Tsar¡¯s succession was different from most European countries, as it was designated by the previous Tsar. Therefore, although Alexei was an illegitimate child, if he was greatly favored by Catherine II or had significant political prestige, he had the potential to replace Paul as Crown Prince.

 Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 155: Two Prince Trading Companies

    Chapter 172: Chapter 155: Two Prince Trading Companies

    ¡°`

    ¡°Hmm, grilled lamb chops, beet truffle thick soup, roasted bread.¡±

    Alexei casually ordered a few dishes from the waiter beside him, then turned to Joseph and said, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious, what do you mean by ¡®business unrelated to politics¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Bring me a cup of black tea, no milk, spices, or sugar.¡±

    Having dismissed the waiter, Joseph smiled and said, ¡°For instance, engaging in some business. If you had your own trade in Paris, then the Empress would not recall you back to Russia for fear of your conduct¡ªoh, please excuse my choice of words.¡±

    Business? Alexei blinked, sensing some logic in the proposal. No one would associate a busy merchant with a position in the line of succession to Saint Petersburg. It was indeed a good way to stay away from politics and to some extent shed the image of a wastrel.

    In fact, that was exactly what Alexei¡¯s descendants did. To stay away from politics, they started doing business and eventually established Russia¡¯s largest sugar company.

    However, Alexei immediately shook his head, ¡°Thank you for your suggestion, Your Highness. But I know nothing about business, and every year the Empress has to subsidize me with tens of thousands of rubles. I don¡¯t want to lose even more of her money.¡±

    ¡°No, I believe you will make money,¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°and significant amounts at that.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, if I may be so bold, this seems rather unlikely. I know my capabilities.¡±

    Joseph, sniffing the aroma from the teacup the waiter brought, glanced at the illegitimate child and said, ¡°Actually, it is not as difficult as you think. All you need is a good partner.¡±

    ¡°A partner?¡±

    Joseph gestured with a small spoon towards himself: ¡°For instance, me.¡±

    Alexei exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You mean, go into business with you?¡±

    Joseph nodded: ¡°We could jointly invest in and establish a trade company, focused on trade between France and Russia.¡±

    His suggestion was not impulsive; he had long harbored such a plan.

    In fact, France and Russia had already signed a trade agreement the year before last, but on one hand due to France¡¯s tight finances, and on the other because there were not many products of mutual interest between the two countries¡ªother than wine and Enlightenment ideas, France had little else to offer Russia. Likewise, Russia¡¯s main exports such as flax, oil, and timber did not see high demand in France.

    This led to lukewarm trade between the two parties.

    Yet, both countries were eager to substantially increase their trade volume with each other.

    For Russia, there was an ongoing concern about being too reliant on trade with England and a desire to change the trade structure. For example, by increasing France¡¯s share in trade to reduce the risk of being manipulated by the British.

    As for France, increasing trade volume with a large country like Russia would certainly greatly improve its financial situation.

    But desire is just desire. Historically, until Napoleon came to power and Russia joined the Anti-French Alliance, trade between the two countries had not significantly improved.

    This was the situation that Joseph wanted to change, and he had the means to do so.

    Historically, France¡¯s demand for Russian goods wasn¡¯t high because France¡¯s textile industry was crushed by England. But now, under Joseph¡¯s guidance, France¡¯s textile industry would challenge England¡¯s dominance, and thus would need a large amount of textile raw materials, flax among them. As for cotton, wool, and the like, those would need to be sourced from North America and Australia later on.

    At the same time, since England¡¯s flax supply was highly dependent on Russia¡ªabout eighty percent of its consumption¡ªshould France consume a large quantity of Russian flax, it would inevitably cause a flax shortage in England, subsequently leading to higher prices for British flax textiles.

    It was a classic win-win situation.

    On the other hand, France¡¯s industry would enter a period of explosive growth and would urgently need markets to sell its products. Russia, with a population of over thirty million, was an enormous market that definitely needed the participation of French products.

    Originally, Joseph had planned to wait for Talleyrand to make contact with the Russians and then push forward with the trade issue.

    But upon meeting Alexei today, he felt this might be an even more suitable opportunity.

    ¡°You need not worry about management; we can hire professionals to run the company,¡± Joseph said, ¡°I¡¯ll provide some merchant ships as my share. These ships will fly the Russian flag, enjoy your ¡®armed neutrality¡¯ policy, and avoid British interference.¡±

    ¡°And you could have someone in Russia buy up flax, grease, perhaps even iron, as your share.¡±

    ¡°After these goods arrive in Marseille, they¡¯ll be loaded with French wine, textiles, and in the future possibly paper and machinery as well, and sent back to Crimea.¡±

    The so-called ¡°armed neutrality declaration¡± referred to the Russian trade policy announced by Catherine II in 1780, the main content of which was ¡°As a neutral country, Russian ships can freely navigate between ports and along the coasts of warring nations, unless they carry wartime contraband, in which case the belligerent nations must not impose restrictions.¡±

    This policy had been recognized by England. Thus, Alexei¡¯s ¡°Russian ships¡± transporting the cargo could ensure normal trade regardless of any tensions between England and France.

    Besides, Joseph had another card up his sleeve.

    He had previously reviewed the Anglo-Russian trade agreement, which allowed Russian merchant ships to transport goods from the East to Europe unobstructed by the British fleet. The British had reckoned that Russia had little presence in the East and had readily agreed, a point Joseph planned to exploit through his trade company with the illegitimate child in the future.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 155: Two Prince Trading Companies_2

    Chapter 173: Chapter 155: Two Prince Trading Companies_2

    Alexei pondered for a moment, then hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, I must admit, your proposal is very sound.¡±

    ¡°However, there are already quite a few people engaged in such trade between France and Russia, and I don¡¯t think we can be more competitive than them.¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded; Alexei was indeed a smart man, not the frivolous young man he appeared to be. It seemed that partnering with him would not be disappointing.

    ¡°First of all, the current volume of Franco-Russian trade is far from sufficient.¡±

    ¡°If I remember correctly, there are over three hundred merchant ships sailing from England to Riga every year. Yet only a tenth of that number sail from Lyon to the Black Sea.¡±

    ¡°I tell you, France is going to start industrial reforms, and the demand for Russian goods will increase substantially, especially for flax. In that case, the existing merchant ships will be far from adequate.¡±

    Alexei nodded slightly, realizing the Crown Prince of France had insider information. With this in mind, the business indeed seemed viable.

    Joseph leaned forward, lowering his voice, ¡°Furthermore, I can offer you tariff advantages. I guarantee they will not be insignificant.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Joseph had ample confidence to secure those tariff advantages in the Cabinet. He didn¡¯t even need to lower the tariffs; merely turning a blind eye to his trading firm would suffice.

    Doing so would not only draw in the Russians but also reduce the cost of raw materials for the French textile industry, increasing its competitiveness.

    At the same time, it would reduce trade ties between England and Russia, raising the cost of linen products for the British.

    He continued, ¡°Additionally, you can use your connections in Russia to secure cheaper commodities like flax and oils. By reducing costs at both ends, how could there not be a profit?¡±

    Alexei was elated; if he could export to France with low tariffs, it would greatly reduce Russia¡¯s trade dependency on England. This had been a great task that the Empress had wanted to achieve for more than a decade without success! If he could credit his brother with this achievement, it would surely change the way his mother viewed his brother!

    He clasped his hands together excitedly, ¡°Your Highness, I find your proposal very feasible. I will do my best to lower the cost of goods.¡±

    Joseph smiled and bowed, ¡°I am delighted to cooperate with you, Earl Bobrinsky.¡±

    The dishes Alexei ordered at the dinner table had long gone cold, yet he hadn¡¯t thought about eating them.

    Joseph had a fresh hot dish brought up, signaling to the illegitimate son, ¡°I think you should enjoy your dinner now.¡±

    After Alexei had finished eating, the two discussed some details of the trading company, effectively finalizing their partnership.

    The reason Joseph bypassed the Russian government to establish a trading company was primarily to avoid lengthy trade negotiations. Negotiating efficiency in this era was very low, especially given the distance between France and Russia. If the negotiating representatives had differing opinions, consulting their respective governments could easily take more than two months.

    So, he adopted this private approach to kick-start trade between the two countries. Once the trade volume grew and both sides developed market dependency, negotiating a trade agreement would be much easier.

    Besides, this also indirectly allowed him to control some raw material imports, making the Capitalists somewhat more obedient.

    Late at night, after ten o¡¯clock, Alexei took his leave from Joseph but stood there gazing at his departing figure, a sense of unreality welling up in his heart.

    What kind of a young man was this, who suddenly appeared before him, solved his dilemma with a trading company, and also presented Russia with a great gift?

    He had not quite believed those rumors about the Crown Prince of France, such as overseeing police reforms that greatly improved security in Paris or planning the grand fashion week. He assumed officials handled everything and merely attributed their achievements to the Crown Prince.

    But after meeting him tonight, Alexei was convinced that the rumors about the Crown Prince were true and that his eloquence and wisdom were even more remarkable than the tales suggested.

    Alexei suddenly felt regret. If his brother Paul had this wisdom, he wouldn¡¯t have had to spend so many years away from home, numbing himself with alcohol and women, presenting himself as a useless dandy.

    ¡­

    While Joseph and Alexei discussed the trading company, an auction was taking place in the grand hall of the fashion week.

    The attendees were dignitaries from various countries, and many members of the Royal Family. Queen Mary, who had given a brief speech for fashion week, was also dragged by her niece to sit in the balcony on the second floor.

    The auction items were mainly expensive dresses and luxury goods.

    None of these could catch the Queen¡¯s eye; her mind was filled with the conversation she had with Louis XVI at noon.

    It was after lunch when she casually mentioned her son¡¯s fianc¨¦e to her husband.

    She had fully expected that her niece had won over the Crown Prince, but the King told her that after speaking with his son, neither Clementine nor Maria would satisfy him as a fianc¨¦e.

    She looked at her lively and charming niece with some distress. Oh, God, how could Joseph not like her?

    For a moment, she truly wanted to be like other kings and queens and simply inform her son that Clementine was to be his future bride. But she could not bear to see her son look disheartened or unhappy.

 Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 155: Two Prince Trading Companies_3

    Chapter 174: Chapter 155: Two Prince Trading Companies_3

    ¡°Perhaps I should wait a little longer¡­¡± the Queen sighed to herself, ¡°The Crown Prince and Clementine are still young; maybe if they spend more time together, he¡¯ll fall in love with his pretty and adorable cousin.¡±

    Just then, the auctioneer below announced in a melodious voice, ¡°The next item up for auction is the exquisite ¡®Star¡¯s Wish¡¯ necklace. It was designed by a master designer¡­¡±

    As the Queen was lost in thought, she saw Clementine suddenly stand up beside her, her blue eyes wide open and unblinking as she stared at the auction item, murmuring excitedly to herself, ¡°It¡¯s the one he wore, no mistake, that¡¯s the one!¡±

    The Queen smiled and shook her head. Little girls often couldn¡¯t resist the allure of beautiful jewelry; she herself had been just as excited when she saw jewelry she liked in her younger days.

    However, she failed to notice that the necklace being auctioned was nearly identical to the one the Crown Prince wore in the portrait ¡°Child of Divine Favor¡±!

    As God is my witness, that necklace was definitely not Joseph¡¯s, and he had never even seen that necklace before.

    It was all because Lady Lebrun, who had painted the portrait, accepted sponsorship from a jeweler who insisted on including his necklace in the painting. But honestly, this dazzling necklace, with its design of a galaxy fashioned out of numerous diamonds, indeed complemented Joseph¡¯s image perfectly.

    After the auctioneer announced the reserve price of eighty thousand livres, Clementine indicated to her maid without hesitation, and the maid immediately raised her right hand.

    Before the auctioneer had time to acknowledge the bid, a woman¡¯s voice came from a private box on the east side, ¡°Ninety thousand.¡±

    Clementine immediately puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. Someone dared to compete with her for her cousin¡¯s necklace, and had even raised the bid by ten thousand livres in one go!

    She signaled to the maid once more, and the maid raised her hand.

    The auctioneer immediately gestured towards her, ¡°The guest over here has bid ninety-one thousand livres.¡±

    It was the same voice again, ¡°One hundred thousand.¡±

    The little girl on this side countered with an even higher bid.

    And the woman in the east side private box calmly raised the bid to a round number, ¡°One hundred and ten thousand.¡±

    Clementine became anxious, put her hands on her hips, and shouted indignantly, ¡°One hundred and twenty thousand!¡±

    Humph, thought she wouldn¡¯t raise by ten thousand?

    The woman on the east side then confidently bid, ¡°One hundred and forty thousand.¡±

    ¡°You! You raised it again?¡± The little girl continued to shout, ¡°One hundred and sixty thousand!¡±

    ¡°One hundred and eighty thousand.¡±

    ¡°Two hundred thousand!¡± Clementine huffed, after stating her bid, she then turned to the maid and said, ¡°Who is that person? Why are they crossing me like this?¡±

    The maid leaned over the balcony railing of the second-floor box, her body half extended out, and finally through the gap in the curtain of the east side box, she saw a woman in a red dress, with long brown hair, and a pair of gentle brown eyes.

    She immediately drew back, her hand covering her mouth in shock, and whispered in Clementine¡¯s ear, ¡°Miss, it seems to be the Princess of the Two Sicilies.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Clementine bit her lip; if it was her, then she couldn¡¯t lose!

    ¡°Two hundred and fifty thousand!¡±

    [Note 1]: Riga is a port in Sweden, and also a transit station for British-Russian trade. Riga¡¯s officials collected commissions on the trades between Britain and Russia.

    [Note 2]: Since Russia gained control of Crimea, French-Russian trade had been able to pass through the Mediterranean, via the Ottoman-controlled Dardanelles Strait, to the Black Sea, and dock in Crimea to offload goods.

    [Note 3]: Because Empress Catherine II really disliked her husband Peter III, who was extremely fond of Prussia (she had overthrown her husband in a coup to ascend to the throne), and she also did not favor her son Paul who resembled her husband. Throughout her reign, she had expressed her wish to depose Paul from his position as Crown Prince multiple times, preferring to pass the throne directly to her grandson. There were also ministers who supported the idea of replacing Paul with the illegitimate child Alexei as the Crown Prince. In any case, right up until the second before Catherine II¡¯s death, Paul remained anxious about his position as heir.

 Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 156 Loss and Victory

    Chapter 175: Chapter 156 Loss and Victory

    ¡°`

    In another private box on the second floor of the auction hall, Princess Maria recognized her cousin Clementine¡¯s voice as soon as she bid for the first time¡ªthe incessant chatter resonated throughout the Palace of Versailles daily, making it hard to forget.

    Maria had not expected her to compete with her for the necklace, but then she felt relieved¡ªhadn¡¯t she come to Paris to compete with her for him?

    When Maria looked again at the ¡°Star¡¯s Wish¡± that the Crown Prince had worn, she suddenly felt that this might be a prelude to a contest between them.

    Whoever got the necklace would win him over!

    With that thought flashing through her mind, a determined look appeared in her eyes, and she turned to her maid and whispered softly,

    ¡°300,000 livres.¡±

    The maid immediately nodded and called out the bid to the auctioneer.

    Although some young noblewomen from Versailles recognized ¡°Star¡¯s Wish¡± from the portrait of the Crown Prince and eagerly wanted to bid, the price had already been raised to an astonishing level before they could react, and they quickly gave up.

    Of course, this did not include Clementine.

    ¡°350,000!¡± she shouted, her eyes wide as she also raised the bid by fifty thousand.

    ¡°400,000,¡± Maria¡¯s maid replied almost without hesitation.

    ¡°500,000!¡±

    ¡°550,000.¡±

    Clementine wanted to continue bidding but suddenly froze¡ªshe realized she had run out of money.

    After all, she was still a child of ten, temporarily possessing only her annual annuity and the 200,000 her father had given her for the trip to Paris, totaling 560,000 in ¡°total assets.¡±

    She no longer had enough to raise another 50,000.

    ¡°560,000 livres!¡± she gritted her teeth and called out her maximum bid.

    When Maria heard her raise by only 10,000, a wave of relief washed over her, and she signaled to her maid, ¡°600,000.¡±

    She was already fifteen years old, possessing her own estate and a fishing ground, much wealthier than the little girl.

    In this battle for the necklace, she believed she would win.

    Indeed, after her maid called out ¡°600,000,¡± the auction hall fell silent.

    Clementine was so anxious she could only stomp her feet in frustration, unable to do anything but listen to the auctioneer loudly announce, ¡°600,000 livres, for the first time.¡±

    She bit her lip hard, tears welling up in her eyes. For some reason, she had the vague feeling that if she lost ¡°Star¡¯s Wish,¡± she would lose the Crown Prince.

    ¡°Oh, darling, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Queen Mary noticed her niece¡¯s shoulders seemed to tremble slightly and quickly asked with concern, then she saw the little girl¡¯s eyes reddening.

    ¡°Do you really want that necklace?¡± she asked, pointing toward the ¡°Star¡¯s Wish¡± resting on brocade in the auction hall, but then she hesitated, the necklace seemed familiar¡­

    That¡¯s right, wasn¡¯t this the necklace from the painting?

    The Queen immediately understood why her niece was so persistently bidding.

    Clementine looked up at her aunt with a pitiful expression and nodded vigorously.

    ¡°600,000 livres, for the second time.¡±

    Queen Mary smiled softly and said in a gentle voice, ¡°Dear, just bid what you like, no matter how much it costs, I will pay for you.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°`

    The little girl was overjoyed, and seeing Queen Mary nod, she hastily wiped away her tears and interrupted the auctioneer, shouting, ¡°Wait! 650,000!!¡±

    With the support of Queen Mary, Clementine effortlessly secured the final victory.

    When the manager of the auction house respectfully brought ¡°Star¡¯s Wish¡± to the box, the little girl immediately grabbed the necklace and pressed it against her chest, caressing it gently while she squinted her eyes to savor the cold touch. Then she turned to Queen Mary, curtsied, and smiled sweetly:

    ¡°Thank you so much, my dearest aunt! I just love you so much!¡±

    However, just as she excitedly lifted the necklace to show it to the queen, it caught on a gemstone on her dress.

    The gem¡¯s edge snapped the string of the necklace, and in an instant, dozens of sparkling diamonds scattered across the floor.

    Clementine instinctively reached out to grab the diamonds in mid-air, but caught nothing[Note 1].

    After being stunned for three seconds, she burst into tears, wailing, ¡°Why? Why am I always so unlucky?!¡±

    Several maids hurriedly got down on the floor, carefully searching for the diamonds.

    Queen Mary was also startled, but she quickly regained her composure, gently embracing her niece and soothing her back with a soft voice.

    No one knows how long it lasted, but Clementine silently followed Queen Mary out from the east wing of the Tuileries Palace. Although the auction house reassured her that the necklace could be restored to its original state, she just couldn¡¯t feel happy about it.

    In a corner of a corridor of the east wing, Princess Maria bit her lip hard, feeling completely drained of strength.

    She had clearly seen that Clementine left with Queen Mary. It was now very clear why the latter, after being unable to bid higher, ultimately won the necklace.

    Her heart felt so empty; it was obvious the Grand Duchess of Tuscany was the Queen of France¡¯s choice, not herself.

    If that was the case, even if the Crown Prince liked her more, he would still have to marry that girl in the end.

    It turned out that she had lost right from the start.

    She lifted her head to take a deep breath and said to her maid by her side:

    ¡°Alisa, let¡¯s go home¡­¡±

    The next day, the carriage of the Princess of the Two Sicilies drove along the King¡¯s Avenue in the Southern Suburbs of Paris, lonely against the morning sun.

    Not long ago, the Crown Prince and thousands of his soldiers greeted her on this very road, and now only she was returning alone. The Crown Prince was supposed to come and see her off, but she had refused¡ªif she were to cry in front of him, it would be far from elegant.

    The sunlight stretched the shadow of the carriage very long, like a hand desperately reaching toward Paris but never grasping anything.

    Inside the carriage, Maria hesitated for a long time before ultimately placing the letter she held back on the table.

    On the corner of the envelope not held down, one could see her neat and tidy handwriting: ¡°Dear Your Highness, the days I spent in Paris were the happiest of my life. I continuously pray to God to let my life forever stop at that moment when we danced together on the carousel! Although it¡¯s just wishful thinking, I still have this precious memory. When I return to the Two Sicilies, I will pray day and night for your wellbeing and bless you and the Grand Duchess of Tuscany¡­¡±

    She had written the letter in tears the previous night, intending to have her maid deliver it to Joseph that morning, but at the last minute, she gave up.

    Perhaps, these girlish thoughts were meant to be forever buried in her heart, rather than causing him any trouble because of her.

    ¡­

    In an office on the second floor of the Tuileries Palace, Joseph was browsing through the financial reports for fashion week sent by Freselle.

    The report was somewhat thick. After flipping through a few pages and not finding the total sum, he looked up at the chairman of the fashion week organizing committee sitting beside him.

    Viscount Freselle, as if anticipating, hurriedly said, ¡°Ah, Your Highness, the total income for these few days is 4.62 million livres, and the expenses are 310,000 livres.¡±

    [Note 1]: Reading Comprehension (10 points).

    After Clementine spent a fortune to buy the ¡°Star¡¯s Wish¡± necklace, the necklace inexplicably broke, and dozens of diamonds fell to the ground. What are the author¡¯s thoughts and feelings expressed in this passage?

 Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 157: Settlement of Profits

    Chapter 176: Chapter 157: Settlement of Profits

    Freselle added, ¡°This is only the income of the organizing committee. The city hall should have several hundred thousand livres in income as well, but the exact amount has to be tallied by them.¡±

    The income from the Tuileries Palace and the amusement park went to the Fashion Week organizing committee, whereas the money earned from additional ventures like public carriages, museums, and theaters belonged to the city hall.

    Joseph nodded calmly, but inside he was quite excited as the number surpassed his expectations by nearly a million livres. And this was only the sixth day of Fashion Week; there were still two days to go, and he was certain that total profits would definitely exceed five million livres¡ªAs for why there were eight days of Fashion Week? Ha, there were actually more than half a month¡¯s worth of various activities to follow. Such as the fashion art exhibition, charity week, gourmet week, etc., which would last until the end of March.

    However, he wasn¡¯t too surprised by this income figure. After all, an event offering an all-in-one service of dining, entertainment, and fashion, a powerful attraction in itself, was bound to draw the pursuit of Europe¡¯s elite. It was an unprecedented event in the whole world.

    This was achieved even with the limited transportation and information channels; for instance, hardly anyone came from the Americas, and even guests from Eastern Europe weren¡¯t many. If it had been the railway era, the revenue from Fashion Week could have doubled.

    Besides, Joseph had several other significant earnings that weren¡¯t accounted for.

    First was the real estate project.

    The empty ground of the Tuileries Palace gardens was developed into the ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± neighborhood, with a total of 75 villas in the first phase, priced at an average of 48,000 livres each. Half of them had already been sold, which amounted to an income of over 1.8 million livres. And every day, people were continuously coming to inquire and view the properties.

    You must understand, these houses weren¡¯t even finished yet; people couldn¡¯t see the completed product. Otherwise, they might have been sold out much earlier.

    Joseph was not in a hurry¡ªat the rate of real estate strategies from the future, sporadically raising the price, along with news of ¡°some duke¡± moving in, by the time the houses were finished, he estimated the average price would at least reach 60,000 livres.

    Moreover, after the completion of the first phase, facilities such as hospitals and schools would also be built, making the second phase almost pure profit.

    Compared to the immense sum that could be made from real estate, the cosmetics from the ¡°Paris Angel¡± company, as well as the carriage sales from the ¡°Gemstone Jay¡± carriage partner, seemed unimpressive.

    The cosmetics sold for over 800,000 livres in six days, while the carriage dealership, being a new startup and thus facing serious supply shortages, had earned barely 120,000 livres.

    Joseph roughly estimated that by the end of the month, when Fashion Week activities concluded, the organizing committee should be able to earn about 7 million livres. Of this, the French Government and the Royal Family would take the lion¡¯s share, and the Paris Chamber of Commerce, having invested some money, would also receive 3% of the profits.

    However, for Joseph, most of this money was his¡ªthe French Government owed him a loan of 6 million livres, and he had put several million more into buying grain. Brothers should settle their accounts clearly; this money, the French Government had to repay to His Highness the Crown Prince, so it would be deducted from the Fashion Week¡¯s income.

    As for the Royal Family¡¯s portion, it went directly into his pocket. Initially, the Queen had offered the Tuileries Palace for her son to use free of charge. Of course, he would have to give something to the Queen afterward; when there¡¯s money to be made, everyone profits, and it paves the way for an even better future.

    And the income from the ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± was all Joseph¡¯s. Because he was the sole developer. He spent 50,000 livres buying the plot of land at the Tuileries Park¡ªat that time, it was all vacant land, which had now turned into the most top-tier luxury housing area in Paris.

    All in all, he had toiled to organize one Fashion Week, and his net income was roughly around 10 million livres.

    With this sum of money, he would be able to buy more grain from overseas to cope with the impending famine.

    Joseph continued flipping through the detailed income report of Fashion Week.

    Among all projects, the highest revenue naturally came from the sales commission on fashion, hats, and jewelry, including the rental fees for shop spaces, totaling 1.47 million livres. Calculating with a commission of 15%-25%, Fashion Week had so far sold over 6 million livres worth of clothing and jewelry!

    Yet the project that ranked second in terms of earnings came as a surprise to Joseph¡ªit turned out to be the inconspicuous amusement hall.

    In the Tuileries Palace, there were 75 machines inside and 30 outside, accruing over 800,000 livres in these six days!

    On average, each machine earned 1,200 livres a day!!

    Joseph suddenly felt, why bother with the strenuous efforts of industry and commerce when this contraption could make money even more quickly?

    However, he also understood that these gaming machines could pull in so much money for two reasons, one was their novelty, everyone was drawn to the new experience; the other was because those attending Fashion Week were the extremely wealthy, who, when taken by the thrill of play, hardly cared about how much money they put into it.

    If, with time, the novelty wore off, and considering economic factors, it was definitely not possible to maintain such exaggerated earnings.

    Moreover, Joseph didn¡¯t want the French to get into financial troubles due to an addiction to these gaming machines. In the future, having just a dozen or so at the Palace of Versailles would suffice, the rest could be sent to the colonies.

    The subsequent income items were: accommodation, Eden Amusement Park, specialized services, dining¡­

    Joseph then inquired with Freselle about some Fashion Week operations, but soon heard the melodious sound of music outside and had to end the revenue report¡ªthe fashion show was starting in just over ten minutes, and Freselle needed to see to it.

    Joseph gazed out the window at the bustling scene of Fashion Week and was already scheming how to maximize the benefits of this grand event.

    In fact, he cared more about the indirect gains of Fashion Week than the direct economic income.

    For instance, the vast contribution it made to enhancing the image of France.

    Once the guests of Fashion Week returned home, they would inevitably tell everyone about the grandness of the event and the prosperity of Paris.

    This would attract additional investment to France, as well as various talents longing for its comfortable environment.

    Once Fashion Week¡¯s influence stabilized, a ¡°European Expo¡± could be launched on this basis, along with various award events, to further elevate France¡¯s international standing and attract even more investment and talent.

    Additionally, the total price of the various garments sold during this Fashion Week exceeded 4 million livres, with a large part coming from Lyon.

    Previously, due to the lack of competitiveness in the French textile industry and the lowering of tariffs by the Eden Treaty, Lyon¡¯s textile industry had almost collapsed to the brink.

    In history, the mass unemployment of Lyon¡¯s textile workers was one of the catalysts for the outbreak of the Reign of Terror.

    However, the promotion from this Fashion Week would lead to a surge in sales of French clothing¡ªthough our French textile technology might not measure up to yours, England, if our clothes sell well, it can greatly offset the high cost of materials.

    Of course, currently, the majority of families buy fabric to make their own clothes, with the ready-made garment market still very small and mainly focused on the lowest end.

    Nevertheless, Joseph was confident of significantly increasing the sales volume of ready-made garments through some promotional methods.

    This way, the French textile industry could be safely sustained until it could compete with the British in terms of strength.

 Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 159: The Irresponsible Director of the Royal Gunpowder Bureau

    Chapter 179: Chapter 159: The Irresponsible Director of the Royal Gunpowder Bureau

    Thinking about the unification of measurement standards, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Speaking of which, the French Academy of Sciences, under the proposal of several academic heavyweights, had long been ready to set up a ¡°Standards Committee¡± to work on the unification of measurement standards¡ªit could be said that France¡¯s scientific community was extremely forward-looking, as this was the first such initiative in Europe.

    However, influenced by the terrifying efficiency of the current bureaucratic system, it took several years for the Academy to even finish discussing the funding application, and so the Standards Committee fell by the wayside.

    Historically, it wasn¡¯t until after the Great Revolution that the initiative was finally implemented with the support of the National Convention.

    The efforts of France¡¯s Standards Committee also drove the establishment of the international metric system, paving the way for France¡¯s industrialization.

    But at the moment, the ¡°Standards Committee¡± was still just a concept. Joseph knew he had to intervene, otherwise ten or eight years might pass before he saw standardized units of measurement.

    Oh, the damned bureaucratic system of France¡­ Joseph shook his head silently. Once he freed up his hands, he would have to overhaul the administrative system as soon as possible!

    It wasn¡¯t until dinnertime that Joseph finally managed to explain the concept of ¡°standardized production¡± to the two armory managers in basic terms.

    Standardized production would appear to be common sense in later times, with even small rural workshops following these standards during production, but at the end of the 18th century, it was an exceedingly advanced concept, and for the two managers it was indeed not easy to grasp.

    Considering that Joseph also interspersed some enterprise management skills, it increased the pressure on their learning process.

    Exhausted, Joseph drank a large glass of water to ease the discomfort in his throat caused by overuse, and felt a headache coming on thinking about having to continue the next day.

    Considering the current progress, it would take at least half a month to complete the teaching of knowledge about standardized production.

    He had gone to such lengths, but had only trained Gaman and Martinier, which made him question if the cost-effectiveness ratio was too low.

    If he was going to teach anyway, why not educate several people at once?

    He immediately thought that he could directly start a course on ¡°Industrial Enterprise Management,¡± which would certainly be more efficient than teaching individuals one by one.

    So who should he find to be the first batch of instructors?

    When Joseph thought of enterprise management, Venio immediately came to mind¡ªVenio had just completed the potato promotion and stayed in Paris to enjoy Fashion Week, conveniently not yet returned to Bordeaux.

    Since Venio was an entrepreneur himself, managed a plantation, and was good at giving presentations, coupled with his high work enthusiasm, he was very suitable for spreading advanced industrial management concepts.

    Even some of his friends from the Girondin Party were quite suitable for this task.

    Initially, they could go to the industrial development zone to teach high-level managers at the factories, and later on, open a course at the University of Paris to train professional managers.

    This was much more scientific than the traditional familial-style management.

    Perhaps France would not be able to surpass England in industrial technological capabilities and production capacity in the short term, but in management, they could absolutely achieve an advance breakthrough!

    And optimizing the management model often had a greater impact on production efficiency than new technologies.

    With this in mind, Joseph called Eman over and ordered, ¡°Please send someone to find Mr. Venio tomorrow, the one who helped me promote potatoes in Bordeaux.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I have a very strong impression of Mr. Venio.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and his friend too, I think his name is Jean Sone, have him come as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Just as Joseph was about to finish teaching and return to the Palace of Versailles for dinner, he suddenly caught sight of the armory manager recording the requirements just discussed regarding quality inspection: all firearms must undergo at least five live firings before leaving the factory.

    He immediately thought of the production progress of the copper caps that paired with the caplock guns, so he turned to Martinier and asked, ¡°Mr. Martinier, do you know the production status of the copper caps?¡±

    The latter said in a hurry, ¡°Your Highness, I asked the Royal Gunpowder Bureau the day before yesterday. They said it would take about three or four months before they could prototype the first batch of fulminate mercury and then deliver the copper caps.¡±

    The Royal Gunpowder Bureau was the French department in charge of the development and production of gunpowder. Naturally, the production of an explosive like fulminate mercury was their responsibility.

    ¡°Three or four months? That slow?¡± Joseph frowned upon hearing this.

    Martinier replied, ¡°They seem to have said that they¡¯ve attempted to prototype it several times, but have failed each time.¡±

    ¡°All right, I understand,¡± Joseph sighed helplessly. Fulminate mercury was a technique the British had mastered ten years ago, and he had already introduced the method of synthesizing it to the Royal Gunpowder Bureau, yet they were still failing?

    The next day at noon.

    In the receiving room of the Crown Prince at the Palace of Versailles, the assistant to the Director of the Royal Gunpowder Bureau and the production manager were standing anxiously in front of Joseph, constantly explaining with troubled expressions.

    ¡°Your Highness, you indeed told us the synthetic method, but¡­ the precise ratios of ingredients, processes, and so on, still need to be explored cautiously.¡±

    The gaunt production manager nodded repeatedly, ¡°Indeed, Your Highness. As you know, experiments with such volatile explosives have to be extremely careful. We also found that the process of prototyping generates toxic gases, thankfully no one was injured.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat helpless. He knew that fulminate mercury was made by reacting mercury with nitric acid, involving crystallization and cooling, but he had never actually made it himself¡ªin his previous life, making explosives could lead to a minimum of three years imprisonment, no ceiling.

    It was just that he hadn¡¯t expected that, even with the entire Gunpowder Bureau¡¯s research and development power, there would still be no progress after a month.

    If it were anything else, they could just buy the technology directly from the British, but something military-related like fulminate mercury wouldn¡¯t be for sale.

    Joseph looked at the Gunpowder Bureau executives with a stern face, ¡°Even so, shouldn¡¯t it take less than three or four months to complete the prototyping?¡±

    The assistant director carefully said, ¡°Your Highness, if our director were here, it would probably take at most one month.

    ¡°You know, he used to oversee the experiments for these kinds of new explosives. It¡¯s just that he took long leave at the beginning of the year, so¡­¡±

    He took leave at the beginning of the year? Joseph frowned, it was almost April now! Did this director not want to work anymore?

    He said coldly, ¡°Who is your director? Have him come to see me immediately!¡±

    The production manager whispered, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Lavoisier¡­¡±

    ¡°Just a moment, I¡¯ll go find him right now.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Joseph heard the name and hurriedly raised his hand to stop him, ¡°You mean Mr. Lavoisier? The one who discovered oxygen?¡±

    The two executives looked at each other and nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, our director did indeed discover oxygen.¡±

    ¡°He also wrote major works like ¡®An Elementary Treatise on Chemistry¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 160 Father of Chemistry

    Chapter 180: Chapter 160 Father of Chemistry

    Joseph was more than familiar with the name Lavoisier; it was a name that thundered in his ears.

    The greatest chemist of 18th century France, hailed as the ¡°Father of Modern Chemistry,¡± the ¡°Newton of Chemistry.¡±

    He was the founder of modern chemistry. He demonstrated the law of conservation of mass. He defined the concept of ¡°elements.¡± He invented the modern chemical list, the precursor to the periodic table. He established the Oxygen Theory of Combustion, putting an end to the ¡°phlogiston theory.¡±

    In short, he was a titan of chemistry, a warrior amongst titans.

    Joseph suddenly understood why the Royal Gunpowder Bureau could hardly function without its Director¡ªit was common for any department to become dependent on a technical genius like Lavoisier. Most likely, all the research and development work at the Gunpowder Agency had revolved around Lavoisier. With him on leave, the others had lost their pillar of support.

    The Assistant to the Director of the Gunpowder Bureau cautiously looked at the Crown Prince:

    ¡°Your Highness, shall I go and summon the Director for you?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Joseph stood up.

    Whether out of respect for a scholar whose name would live on in history, or out of reverence for a current academic heavyweight, he felt he should personally pay a visit to Mr. Lavoisier.

    He turned to the Assistant Director, ¡°Please tell me Mr. Lavoisier¡¯s address.¡±

    Less than two leagues from the Palace of Versailles, one could see the crowd switching to the horse-drawn railway carriages¡ªthe speed of the British track-laying engineers was quite impressive. The wooden tracks had now spread to the western suburbs of Paris, and within a month at most, one would be able to take a railway carriage directly from the Palace of Versailles to Paris.

    The nobles in line to change carriages made way for the Crown Prince one after another. Joseph did not decline and directly boarded a four-person railway carriage.

    The carriage sped along the wooden tracks, exceptionally fast, more than twice as fast as a regular carriage. Moreover, due to the tracks¡¯ low resistance, it was clear that the horses pulling the carriages were very relaxed, almost in an unloaded, leisurely trot.

    In the past, on the road from Versailles to Paris, the horses would have to slow down to rest at least once or twice. But this time, not only did the horses not rest, they even occasionally sprinted down the slopes, prompting the coachmen to continuously issue ¡°woahs¡± to restrain the horses.

    Joseph watched the trees swiftly recede outside the window and estimated that the speed of the carriage was approaching that of a small electric scooter of later eras.

    He silently calculated that a wooden railway should first be built to encircle Paris, followed by another one that would cross Paris City from north to south. The east-west wooden track had already been completed before the fashion week.

    When completed, Paris¡¯s overall traffic efficiency would be unrivaled in Europe, resulting in a significant increase in the city¡¯s overall efficiency.

    As for the construction cost, with the demonstration effect of the current wooden track, it would be entirely possible to raise funds from the public, repaying them with the operating rights of the rail transport, similar to the highway models of later times.

    Once Paris¡¯s railway transport had made a name for itself, it would be time to try constructing railway lines from Paris to industrial areas like Lyon to boost product sales.

    It should be noted that these wooden tracks, while only for horse carriages for now, would not be wasted in the future, as the foundation and sleepers below would be compatible with iron rails.

    Once France¡¯s steel production increased and the steam locomotive was invented, the wooden tracks could be removed and replaced with iron rails, allowing train traffic in a very short time.

    In just over an hour, the carriage had arrived on the west side of the Saint-Germain District in Paris. Joseph disembarked and walked a short distance before seeing a gray-white villa not far away.

    Eman looked around at the street signs and said to him, ¡°Your Highness, this should be the place.¡±

    Joseph looked at the exquisitely designed villa, as well as the three or four hundred square meters of flower gardens and children¡¯s play areas within the villa¡¯s walls, and he was reminded of another of Lavoisier¡¯s identities¡ªa Tax Farmer.

    If he remembered correctly, Lavoisier had contracted for 500,000 livres¡¯ worth of salt and tobacco taxes, with an annual income of 80 to 100 thousand, making him a very wealthy family.

    However, it was also this identity that cost him his life during the Reign of Terror. Lagrange once lamented this profoundly:

    ¡°They could chop off his head in the blink of an eye, but a mind like his wouldn¡¯t grow back in a hundred years!¡±

    Joseph sighed inwardly, resolved that as long as he was there, he would never allow a scientific gem like Lavoisier to come to harm.

    Lavoisier could never have expected a sudden visit from the Crown Prince, hurrying out to greet him with a mixture of surprise and nervousness, along with his entire family and servants.

    ¡°Ah, I am truly honored, Your Highness!¡± Lavoisier bowed respectfully at the doorway, ¡°I never expected Your Highness to grace us with your presence.¡±

    Joseph smiled, nodded in acknowledgment, and, taking the chemist by the arm, they walked towards the house. He asked with concern,

    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve taken a long leave; are you feeling unwell?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Highness,¡± Lavoisier said with a smile, shaking his head, ¡°I am quite well, as you see, very robust indeed!

    ¡°I simply needed to concentrate on completing my current paper and thus had to temporarily step away from my work at the Royal Gunpowder Bureau.¡±

    Joseph asked with curiosity, ¡°Oh? What significant work are you writing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have named it ¡®Elements of Chemistry,''¡± Lavoisier replied, a proud look on his face, ¡°It is the summation of all my ideas concerning chemistry. I believe it will indeed usher in a renaissance for the field of chemistry!¡±

    Joseph was deeply moved, no wonder Lavoisier had taken such an extended leave; the foundational work of modern chemistry was about to be unveiled.

    ¡®Elements of Chemistry¡¯ is later regarded as one of the ¡°three great classics¡± of world natural science, alongside Newton¡¯s ¡®Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy¡¯, and Darwin¡¯s ¡®On the Origin of Species¡¯.

    Joseph was ushered by Lavoisier onto a sofa, upon which the mistress of the house had adjusted the cushions three times, and he sat down before saying to Lavoisier,

    ¡°Please take a seat as well.¡±

    Remembering the main purpose of his visit, he hesitated, ¡°Mr. Lavoisier, although it might affect your research, there is something that only you can help with at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Your Highness, please feel free to command me; it is my honor,¡± Lavoisier replied.

    ¡°I need the Gunpowder Agency to expedite the production of Fulminate Mercury, but they indicated that without your direction, they might need four months to produce the finished product.¡±

    Lavoisier nodded slightly,

    ¡°You are referring to the type of explosive that is easily detonated upon impact? I have read about it in British papers; it should be made of mercury and nitric acid. I estimate that it should use a crystallization method to obtain a purer final product, and a catalyst may be needed as well.¡±

    Joseph mentally gave him a thumbs-up; as expected of a top academic, Lavoisier had nearly perfected the preparation process just from reading public papers.

    Lavoisier continued,

    ¡°Clovis and the others might not be so adept at such delicate experimental procedures. Your Highness, I can help you with the preparation of Fulminate Mercury, but I can only spend two days a week at the Gunpowder Agency.¡±

    Joseph felt that two days were better than none, and he could not afford to delay the publication of ¡®Elements of Chemistry¡¯.

    He asked, ¡°How long do you estimate the experiment will take?¡±

    ¡°About a month,¡± Lavoisier said, looking gently at his wife beside him, ¡°If Marianne is willing to help.¡±

    [Note 1] The name of Mrs. Lavoisier should be ¡°Marie Anne,¡± to simplify the reading, the hyphen has been omitted in the text.

 Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 161: The Progress of Chemistry

    Chapter 181: Chapter 161: The Progress of Chemistry

    Madame Lavoisier immediately smiled and nodded, ¡°Your Highness, I would be more than willing to lend a hand, if you need it.¡±

    Joseph hadn¡¯t expected Lavoisier to hold his wife in such high regard, and although he was somewhat surprised, he still expressed his gratitude, ¡°It would be truly wonderful to have your help.¡±

    Lavoisier continued, ¡°Your Highness, although Marianne has never attended university, you can absolutely trust her experimental operation skills. In fact, she has been managing my laboratory for these past years.

    ¡°I would set the experimental plans weekly, but when it comes to the actual experimental operations, her efficiency is even higher than mine.¡±

    It was only after Lavoisier¡¯s explanation that Joseph realized that Lavoisier¡¯s wife had been learning chemistry experiments by his side since they were married, becoming his de facto assistant. One could say that in Lavoisier¡¯s experimental achievements, her contribution was indelible.

    Joseph once again thanked Mr. and Mrs. Lavoisier, then started to engage in casual conversation with them.

    While they were talking, Joseph suddenly caught sight of a strange painting on the Lavoisier¡¯s wall, with a yellow background, neatly filled with odd symbols¡ªtwo triangles stacked together, circles with ¡°tridents,¡± glowing ¡°suns,¡± and so on¡ªresembling the recipe for a wizard¡¯s potion.

    Following his gaze, Lavoisier revealed a proud smile, ¡°Your Highness, that is the periodic table I created. I have discovered 33 elements, and countless dazzling objects in this world are composed of these tiny things!

    ¡°Look, that one is hydrogen, that one is oxygen, and this is gold¡­¡±

    Seeing Joseph¡¯s bewildered expression, he quickly explained, ¡°Oh, what we call elements are, in chemical terms, substances that cannot be decomposed any further by any method.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thank you for explaining,¡± Joseph finally caught on.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t understand what elements were, but he was astonished that Lavoisier and his contemporaries, the chemists, could perform a great deal of effective research with these ¡°wizard¡¯s spells¡±-like elemental symbols.

    He suddenly felt that perhaps he could help improve Lavoisier¡¯s research efficiency, which might allow him to devote more time to the trial production of fulminate mercury.

    After pondering for a moment, he pointed to the element table on the wall and asked, ¡°Mr. Lavoisier, do these symbols have any special meaning?¡±

    Lavoisier paused for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°Nothing special, Your Highness. In fact, most of them are drawn following traditional customs.¡±

    What he referred to as ¡°traditional customs¡± was actually alchemy. In the early stages of research into chemical elements, even many concepts originated from alchemy, such as the ¡°phlogiston¡± which Lavoisier had debunked, and the ¡°Air Element,¡± among others. Thus, directly using alchemical symbols for elements was quite fitting.

    Joseph pondered and said, ¡°If there¡¯s no special meaning, why draw them so complicatedly?

    ¡°What if we were to represent elements directly with Latin letters? That might be much more convenient. Ah, do you have paper and pencil here?¡±

    Lavoisier quickly gestured towards the study, ¡°Over there, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph followed him to the upstairs study, picked up a pen, and wrote down a ¡°C¡± and an ¡°O¡± on paper, ¡°For example, these represent carbon and oxygen respectively.

    ¡°Then, carbon dioxide¡­¡±

    He recalled the 18th-century chemistry knowledge he had learned, where today¡¯s carbon dioxide seemed to be called carbonic acid, so he corrected himself, ¡°Then carbonic acid could be written like this.¡±

    He promptly wrote down ¡°CO2¡± and added some symbols between the letters, resulting in ¡°C+2O= CO2.¡±

    Lavoisier¡¯s eyes widened at the sight, ¡°Your method of writing reaction processes¡­ is indeed very clear and concise!¡±

    He glanced at the ¡°wizard¡¯s spells¡± he had written on the manuscript nearby, unable to hide his excitement, ¡°I dare say, if we were to teach students using your method, the time they spend in each class would be cut in half!¡±

    Joseph added, ¡°We could use the first letter of the Latin word for each element as the symbol for that element, and if there are duplicates, we could use the first two letters. This not only simplifies the writing but also makes it easier to remember.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Your suggestion is incredibly innovative!¡±

    Lavoisier pulled out a sheet of paper and swiftly wrote out 33 letters in less than 20 seconds, immediately appearing even more excited, ¡°Your Highness, you are a genius¡­ oh, no, your mind must have been kissed by God Himself!

    ¡°If we were to follow the old method, I wouldn¡¯t have finished even half of these in such a short time, and it wouldn¡¯t have been as clear as using letters, especially for representing reaction processes. This would definitely greatly increase the efficiency of chemical research! Your Highness, may I use this method in my ¡®Elements of Chemistry¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Joseph had suggested the alphabetical element symbols so that the ¡®Elements of Chemistry¡¯ could be completed more quickly.

    Seeing Lavoisier already engrossed in organizing the new symbols, he prepared to take his leave but caught a glimpse of a document on the corner of the desk¡ª¡¯Recommendations on the Standard of Length¡¯.¡±

    He casually picked up the three-page document and found it was something Lavoisier had co-authored with mathematician Monge for the French Academy of Sciences. It proposed using the ¡°meter¡± as the standard unit of length and urged the academy to establish a ¡°Standards Committee¡± as soon as possible.

    Joseph then remembered that Lavoisier was indeed a key member of the future ¡°Standards Committee.¡±

    He himself wanted to promote the unification of measurement standards in France, and the most suitable person to lead the endeavor was right before his eyes!

    Lavoisier, seeing the Crown Prince looking at his ¡®Recommendation,¡¯ explained, ¡°Your Highness, the use of measurement units in the academic community is very chaotic right now. This causes a great deal of negative impact on everyone¡¯s research. For instance, scholars in Paris and Marseille who wish to discuss a problem have to waste half an hour just to agree on which unit of measurement to use.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You are absolutely right! And it¡¯s not just the academic community, in practical production, not having a unified measurement standard also causes a lot of problems.¡±

    He put the document back on the desk, looking at Lavoisier, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the preparations for the Academy¡¯s ¡®Standards Committee¡¯ are very slow. If necessary, perhaps I could help push the matter forward.

    ¡°For instance, I could take care of the funding issues, with the Royal Family establishing the committee.¡±

    ¡°That would be excellent!¡± Lavoisier rejoiced. He had long been fed up with the dilly-dallying of the Academy of Sciences, and the Crown Prince¡¯s reputation for being young and efficient was well-known throughout Paris. If the Crown Prince were to preside over the matter, France would certainly have its own standard unit of length very soon.

    ¡°You have brought a light of hope to the academic community of France!¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°Moreover, I hope that this is not just about setting a unit of length; we should take this opportunity to also unify the units for mass, temperature, heat quantity, and so on.¡±

 Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 162 Frances Biggest Embezzler

    Chapter 182: Chapter 162 France¡¯s Biggest Embezzler

    Lavoisier suddenly became even more excited¡ªthe Crown Prince was thinking of integrating the entire academic world of France.

    No, if this system of standard units were established, it might even integrate the academic communities of Europe!

    Joseph, however, still seemed unsatisfied, ¡°After the unification of measurement units, the Standards Committee will still have a lot of work to do.

    ¡°For instance, establishing national industrial standards¡ªsuch as the hardness and strength of steel, the purity of liquids, the specifications for bolt interfaces, the wheel gauge of carriages, and so on, letting every aspect of industrial production have rules to follow.

    ¡°Even the tools used by craftsmen in various trades could be standardized. Craftsmen across the country could quickly get the right tools¡­¡±

    As he continued to speak, Lavoisier¡¯s eyes grew wider and wider. He could feel that with each sentence the Crown Prince uttered, the foundation of France¡¯s academia and industry was becoming more and more solid!

    He suddenly interrupted Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I think I should call Mr. Lagrange, Mr. Monge, and the others here to listen to your grand plan.

    ¡°Perhaps, today, right here, we can officially establish the ¡®French Standards Committee¡¯!¡±

    ¡­

    By nightfall, France¡¯s top scientists yawned as they left Lavoisier¡¯s home.

    When they reached the door, they stopped, turned around, and bowed to say farewell to the Crown Prince.

    Joseph himself was rather tired, but he still warmly greeted everyone, ¡°I ask you all to come to the Palace of Versailles tomorrow, and we shall continue to discuss the matters of the ¡®Standards Committee¡¯.¡±

    Lagrange, Monge, Condorcet, and others hurriedly bowed in agreement before departing, each of them reflecting in their hearts that, while they had always felt the Academy of Sciences moved too slowly, the Crown Prince¡¯s push for this initiative was a tad too hurried¡­

    It would have been better if the two could average out.

    Joseph, having bid farewell to Lavoisier, was about to get into his carriage when he suddenly remembered something and said to the chemist, ¡°Mr. Lavoisier, I have some advice for you.

    ¡°Although the tax farmer business yields considerable profits, it also comes with many minor issues that can take up a lot of your research time. Moreover, the government might be planning to abolish the tax farming system, so you might consider giving up this business early.¡±

    He mentioned this to Lavoisier because the tax reform might very likely destroy the interests of the tax farmer class, and Lavoisier would inevitably also suffer losses.

    ¡°Ah? This¡­¡± Lavoisier appeared troubled, although the Crown Prince had spoken, he still was reluctant to give up the annual income of nearly eighty thousand livres.

    Joseph continued, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about the income. Once the production of fulminate mercury begins, I also plan to invest in some chemical industry projects. Then, you could take a share in the industry with your expertise. I can assure you that you will earn much more than you do from tax farming.¡±

    Refining coal tar, producing fertilizers, synthesizing chemical dyes, and so on, these were all chemical industries that had a profound impact on the Industrial Revolution and could bring in tremendous profits. Now that Joseph had the card of Lavoisier and his wife, he naturally would not miss out on these industries.

    Lavoisier¡¯s eyes lit up, to be honest, compared to the tax farming business, which dealt with the common folks all day, he preferred to devote himself to chemical projects.

    He immediately bowed sincerely and thanked him, ¡°I am grateful for your generosity, Your Highness. May God bless you!¡±

    ¡­

    After the conclusion of Paris Charity Week, the Paris Fashion Week series of events, which had lasted for the better part of a month, officially came to an end.

    The Parisians felt as if they had just lived through a long festival, busy and tense, but everyone had gained substantial benefits from this grand event.

    Just by renting out rooms to visiting tourists, a large number of Paris households earned more than their usual monthly income.

    What went unnoticed, however, was that beneath the foreign tourists¡¯ praise of Paris and Fashion Week, their self-confidence and pride were greatly boosted.

    Meanwhile, in the Port of Marseille, two ordinary merchant ships and one armed merchant ship, escorted by the Royal Navy¡¯s Escort Ship ¡°Twin Wings,¡± slowly set sail for the Mediterranean.

    The merchant ships flew the Russian flag, with ¡°Gemini Trading Company¡± painted on their hulls. However, aside from a few Russian advisors, the crew, from the captain to the sailors, were either French or Italian.

    The cargo holds were primarily filled with wine and brandy, along with some mid-range garments, and other goods like cosmetics and paper.

    Their destination was Cremea in the Black Sea. By the time they arrived there, the people of Count Poplinsky had already prepared a large quantity of flax and iron, ready to be loaded onto the ships.

    Although small in scale, this caravan¡¯s voyage was filled with symbolic meaning¡ªthe beginning of a new chapter in Russo-French trade.

    ¡­

    Mala, wearing a grey short coat and an old felt hat, glanced at the door number and knocked on the door.

    The door cracked open, and a pair of brown eyes peeped out, followed by a snicker from the owner, ¡°Ha, who do I think it is. If it isn¡¯t the government¡¯s lapdog. You¡¯re not welcome here!¡±

    Mala blocked the door and said with a serious tone, ¡°No matter what you think, I swear, I am forever the friend of the people.¡±

    The homeowner¡¯s tone was full of sarcasm, ¡°Oh, indeed, after all, the Secret Police can sort of be counted as the people. You can declare your noble friendship with the government¡¯s salary.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it many times,¡± Mala said somewhat indignantly, ¡°the place I work at is called the Justice Investigation Department, not the Secret Police! I¡¯m conducting investigations, but I¡¯m investigating corrupt officials. I¡¯ve never done anything harmful to the people!¡±

    The person inside seemed to relax a bit, ¡°Alright, Mr. Justice, in any case, you should still leave.¡±

    But Mala, without another word, forcefully opened the door and stepped inside, saying to the dumbfounded middle-aged man, ¡°Do you know? If you send me away now, that would really harm the interests of countless Parisians.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Don¡¯t slander me. I¡¯ve never done such a thing.¡±

    Mala closed the door behind him and skillfully pulled the man into the room, ¡°You think I want to work for the government? Of course not!

    ¡°But if I can use the government¡¯s power to help more ordinary people, then I must do so. Plus, the Crown Prince is completely different from those bloodsucking nobility¡­¡±

    He waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s get to the point. Do you know how much money the guy I¡¯m currently investigating has embezzled?¡±

    The middle-aged man with brown eyes spread his hands, ¡°500,000 livres? Or 800,000?¡±

    Seeing Mala shake his head, he snorted lightly, ¡°Could it be a million?¡±

    ¡°No, you guessed wrong,¡± Mala slowly said, ¡°the amount he embezzled might exceed 10 million livres¡­¡±

 Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 163 "Lightning Shaman" Franklin

    Chapter 183: Chapter 163 ¡°Lightning Shaman¡± Franklin

    ¡°10 million!¡± The middle-aged man with brown eyes seemed paralyzed, as if his brain¡¯s storage unit could not accommodate such a large number.

    After a moment, he burst into laughter, ¡°Haha, I know, it must be the King you¡¯re talking about, right?¡±

    Mara immediately shook his head, ¡°No, Valois, you¡¯ve guessed wrong.¡±

    Ever since he¡¯d had access to the government¡¯s financial data, he¡¯d known that even if the King wanted to, he definitely couldn¡¯t embezzle tens of millions. In fact, most of the time, it was the King who was subsidizing the treasury.

    ¡°It¡¯s Necker.¡± Mara said gravely, ¡°Jacques Necker.¡±

    Valois was stunned for a moment, then let out an even bigger laugh, ¡°Mr. Necker? Haha, you¡¯re saying Mr. Necker embezzled?

    ¡°Don¡¯t joke around, Mara! He was the Finance Minister who cared most about the poor! He hardly raised taxes at all during his term.¡±

    Throughout his many years in France, Necker had invested considerable effort and resources to craft his image as a friend of the poor, helping them confront the monarchy. His efforts in this regard were exceedingly successful.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t raise taxes,¡± Mara nodded, ¡°but that might just be because the taxes couldn¡¯t go directly into his pocket.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for Valois to retort and quickly continued, ¡°Not long after he took office, under the pretext of ¡®filling the financial gap,¡¯ he signed a loan contract for 5 million livres with a Swiss bank at an interest rate of 23%.

    ¡°And at the same time, there were multiple banks that could offer loans at far lower rates. I even saw documents showing that, in the same month, the Brittany city hall secured a loan from a bank at an interest rate of 19%.

    ¡°Necker¡¯s justification was that ¡®that Swiss bank¡¯s credibility was more reliable¡¯. Ha, the bank hands over its gold coins to the government, and yet we¡¯re supposed to worry about the bank¡¯s credibility?¡±

    Mara looked out at the cleaner handling the Fashion Week posters by the window: ¡°While you were enjoying the glitz of Fashion Week, I took a trip to Switzerland and found out that the bank that provided the 5 million loan was owned by Necker¡¯s friend. Oh, and they had partnered before to traffic grain from England.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s just the first of the questionable loans I¡¯ve investigated.

    ¡°In the over seven years that he served as the head of the treasury, the French Government borrowed more than a billion livres from major banks or grand nobles. I suspect most of those loans have issues.¡±

    Valois frowned and said, ¡°Are you suggesting that Mr. Necker is profiting from these unreasonable loans from banks?¡±

    ¡°It might be just like that. He only needs to benefit 1% from these loans to exceed 10 million livres!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible!¡± Valois shook his head, murmuring, ¡°Mr. Necker wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Mara was prepared and pulled several papers out of his coat pocket, spreading them on the table, ¡°This is the copy of the documents related to that 5 million loan I took, take a look for yourself. If you still don¡¯t believe it, I can take you to see the originals.¡±

    Valois took the documents with two fingers, tilted his head to read for a while, then recoiled as if bitten by a snake, his voice subdued, ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±

    ¡°You were once the most formidable journalist in finance and trade, and you have many friends in the financial system. Perhaps you can provide me with some information about Necker.¡±

    With tight lips, Valois pondered for a few seconds, then shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to disappoint you. Those years, I only focused on the positive news about Necker, I don¡¯t really have anything of value for you.¡±

    ¡°Anything will do.¡±

    ¡°Really, there¡¯s nothing¡­¡±

    As Valois was speaking, he suddenly stopped and looked towards Mara, ¡°Wait a minute, there¡¯s someone who might have what you¡¯re looking for!¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Carolina, the former Finance Minister,¡± Valois said, ¡°He had a significant conflict with Necker. It¡¯s said his dismissal even involved Necker.

    ¡°He once publicly remarked in response to Necker¡¯s attack on his tax policy, ¡®Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to.¡¯ You know, often your enemy is the one who understands you best.¡±

    ¡°Carolina.¡± Mara nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Where is he now?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten? He was exiled to Lorraine,¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Mala said, patting the middle-aged journalist heartily before picking up his hat and turning to leave the room.

    ¡­

    In the office of the Royal Armory located southeast of the Palace of Versailles, where Joseph had just finished a ¡°production management¡± class, he rubbed his temples wearily and looked at the several documents in front of him.

    The middle-aged man with the pointed chin next to him pointed at the papers and said, ¡°Your Highness, this is the routine work report. This is the special investigation report concerning Fashion Week. This is the special investigation report from the Police Affairs Department. And this is Mr. Mala¡¯s application for additional personnel¡­¡±

    Joseph flipped through and signed the documents one by one, saying casually, ¡°Thank you for your report, Mr. Kross. Oh, by the way, why didn¡¯t Mr. Mala come today?¡±

    It was usually Mala who did this job of submitting documents; it had never been anyone else, as the Jacobins that came later all had a certain disdain for the Royal Family.

    Kross said, ¡°Mr. Mala had urgent matters and left for Lorraine last night.¡±

    ¡°Lorraine?¡± Joseph put down his pen, ¡°Did he say what the matter was?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be related to the official he is currently investigating.¡±

    Necker? Joseph frowned; this was a significant development, yet Mala hadn¡¯t mentioned a word to him.

    ¡°How many people did he take with him?¡±

    ¡°As you know, Your Highness, the Justice Investigation Department is short-handed, so it¡¯s only him and Mr. Evans,¡±

    Joseph felt something was amiss¡ªMala was underestimating the ruthlessness of those capitalists. Perhaps it was because Necker had always managed to disguise himself too well, making people subconsciously think he was a gentle and genteel good man, thus lowering their guard.

    He quickly turned to Count Eman, who was standing nearby, and said, ¡°Count Eman, please immediately notify Fouche to have someone locate Mr. Mala and protect him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    United States, Philadelphia.

    On the west bank of the Delaware River.

    As Thomas Jefferson watched the French envoy limp down from the carriage outside Benjamin Franklin¡¯s mansion, he couldn¡¯t help frowning slightly. That the French sent such an obscure and somewhat disabled envoy seemed a slight to the United States.

    However, as the diplomat of a small country, he knew well what he must do. He immediately suppressed the displeasure in his heart, greeted the envoy with a smile, and bowed, ¡°Welcome to Philadelphia, your reverence, Archbishop Talleyrand.¡±

    Having served as ambassador to France for a considerable time, he spoke French very fluently.

    The elderly man in the wheelchair beside him appeared to be too old, barely managing to lift his hand and wave, ¡°Envoy, welcome. When I was in Paris¡­¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115883¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115883/4eca55d9b8c96cf73784261f5f34826drX8H2X5yf25nD05.jpg¡±>

    Talleyrand merely nodded at Jefferson, then turned to the old man in the wheelchair with a smile:

    ¡°You look in good spirits, Mr. Franklin, may the Lord bless you. Oh, I often heard about you in Paris. You were a notable figure at that time; a good friend of mine even keeps your portrait in their home.¡±

    He was well aware that this octogenarian was the person who could currently wield the most influence on American policy¡ªif it weren¡¯t for his tireless efforts last year, the American Constitutional Convention might not have even proceeded smoothly.

    Before long, inside the brick-red three-story mansion on the east side of Franklin Manor, Jefferson looked towards Talleyrand with a surge of elation, ¡°Are you saying that the French Government intends to eliminate the Barbary pirates?¡±

    Talleyrand straightened his back, exuding great confidence: ¡°Indeed, His Majesty the King deeply sympathizes with the plight of America in the Mediterranean. To lessen the carnage suffered by your merchant ships, he has decided to completely eradicate those evildoers, despite opposition from several Cabinet Ministers!¡±

 Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 164: The Great Bluffer vs The Old Fox

    Chapter 184: Chapter 164: The Great Bluffer vs The Old Fox

    ¡°This is fantastic! Those damned pirates are finally going to be¡­¡±

    Jefferson, who was in charge of the United States¡¯s foreign affairs, had barely begun to express his excitement when he was interrupted by Franklin¡¯s feeble chuckle, ¡°Heh heh, Mr. Envoy, I presume there¡¯s something you¡¯ve omitted to mention? Surely the French Navy wouldn¡¯t mobilize to such an extent just for our modest few merchant ships.¡±

    Franklin was indeed an old fox¡ªduring the American War of Independence, he had darted between England and France, using the threat of France to pressure England and the lure of England to entice France. Especially since he had conned Louis XVI into granting tens of millions of livres in loans, as well as a great quantity of military supplies and tens of thousands of French soldiers, which sustained the independence movement of the thirteen United States.

    He was not so easily fooled as the young Jefferson.

    Talleyrand nodded with a smile,

    ¡°Of course, His Majesty, too, is motivated by free trade in the Mediterranean, seeking to benefit all coastal nations. However, for the United States, which has scarce naval power, this is an urgent necessity.¡±

    Franklin glanced at Jefferson, who quickly laughed and said,

    ¡°Of course! Mr. Envoy, I am deeply grateful for this!¡±

    ¡°Ah, his majesty is always so benevolent, and constantly concerned for friends as distant as those in America.¡± Talleyrand then proceeded to describe how opulently the French Royal Navy would wipe out the Barbary pirates.

    ¡°You know, the heart of world civilization still lies in the European continent. For the United States to survive and thrive, mere reliance on the desolate and lonely Americas is certainly insufficient. Oh, please forgive my frankness, but it is indeed a fact.

    ¡°Just imagine, without pirate disruptions, how many merchant ships the United States would save each year, not to mention the tributes and ransoms paid to the pirates.

    ¡°And in the long run, the growth in trade volume with Mediterranean coastal nations will bring even more prosperity to the United States.¡±

    Franklin merely nodded noncommittally, for he knew the cripple had yet to get to the crux of the matter.

    As expected, Talleyrand sighed before speaking,

    ¡°The naval department has already put forward a plan to exterminate the pirates; there¡¯s just a minor issue left.¡±

    Jefferson asked subconsciously, ¡°What issue?¡±

    ¡°As you are aware, our government¡¯s fiscal situation isn¡¯t exactly rosy, and such large-scale military mobilization inevitably requires substantial funding. Therefore, as a benefactor of this anti-pirate campaign, perhaps the United States could undertake some of the expenses.¡±

    Finally, Franklin opened up,

    ¡°It makes sense what you say, so concerning the expenses, how much do you reckon the United States would need to contribute?¡±

    Talleyrand replied with a beaming smile,

    ¡°The United States loses up to three or four hundred thousand US Dollars annually due to Barbary pirates. And now, by providing only two hundred thousand US Dollars in funds to the Royal Navy, you could rid yourselves of this nuisance.¡±

    Two hundred thousand US Dollars is one million livres.

    Talleyrand, who had spent years among the elite of Versailles, was well-versed in the art of deal-making, always leaving room for negotiation from the outset.

    ¡°That much?¡± Franklin frowned in contemplation, ¡°You might not be aware that the current income of the various states isn¡¯t too great, and we have just experienced Shays¡¯ Rebellion last year; it may be difficult to come up with such a significant sum.¡±

    As he spoke, he gave Jefferson a knowing look.

    ¡°Oh, indeed, state congresses are unlikely to approve such a large amount of money,¡± Jefferson quickly agreed, ¡°If it were about fifty or sixty thousand US Dollars a year, I think they would seriously consider it.¡±

    Talleyrand thought scornfully to himself: These North American bumpkins are really poor and stingy, and always calculating.

    He continued with a smile and a shake of his head,

    ¡°Oh, you might be misunderstanding; this is not a long-term expenditure. The operation will conclude within a few years. Afterwards, you won¡¯t need to pay any more funds.

    ¡°We¡¯re not only targeting the pirate ships on the sea this time¡ªyes, we have done this for hundreds of years, yet the pirates still rage on. So this time, we are to solve the problem at its root¡ªwe¡¯ll dispatch troops to completely eliminate the pirates¡¯ land bases!¡±

    ¡°`

    He made a gesture of opening his arms with his palms facing up and closed his eyes, as if he was greatly enjoying himself:

    ¡°From now on, the Barbary pirates will become history, and the Mediterranean will turn into a paradise for maritime trade.¡±

    Franklin¡¯s cloudy old eyes suddenly brightened:

    ¡°Are you saying that the French army will land in North Africa?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not quite accurate,¡± Talleyrand immediately corrected. ¡°We will only operate near the strongholds of the Barbary pirates. We even hope that the North African countries will participate in eradicating the pirates.¡±

    Franklin had not expected the French Government to undertake such a significant action and was already somewhat moved. If the Barbary pirates could indeed be completely wiped out within a few years, the United States would be able to reduce a great deal of loss.

    Compared to that, paying a fee of 200,000 US dollars a few times was also acceptable.

    However, the old fox still put on a troubled expression:

    ¡°God bear witness, we are more than willing to support His Majesty the French King¡¯s action and bear some of the expenses, but 200,000 dollars a year is indeed too much.¡±

    Talleyrand smiled amiably and said:

    ¡°Mr. Franklin, let me be frank with you, His Majesty has given me a discretionary range of 20,000 dollars. Honestly, I think every day about returning to Paris as soon as possible, so I won¡¯t waste your time. 180,000 dollars a year, and you get eternal peace on your shipping routes, and I get the bustling Paris.¡±

    ¡°Ah, just a little less, please! You know, the United States has only just gained independence, and after going through war¡­¡±

    ¡°You are making things very difficult for me. You should know that French soldiers are fighting the pirates with their blood and lives for your sake!¡±

    Afterward, both sides haggled over the ¡°price¡± for a while, and finally, Franklin reluctantly agreed to submit a fee of 175,000 dollars a year to the Federal Congress.

    175,000 dollars is approximately 875,000 livres. This was already substantially higher than the 600,000 livres base price Joseph had given Talleyrand but still far less than the amount of loss Americans suffered due to Barbary pirates.

    Having settled the main issue, Talleyrand smiled and said:

    ¡°Actually, I have another sincere suggestion.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to the envoy¡¯s advice.¡±

    ¡°The United States needs to equip two warships, oh, small escort ships will suffice, to fight pirates alongside the Royal Navy.¡±

    Franklin¡¯s first instinct was to shake his head¡ªthe United States, in an effort to save on military expenses, had only disbanded its navy a few years ago and was really not keen on maintaining warships.

    Talleyrand immediately enticed him by saying:

    ¡°You must understand, even if the Barbary pirates are eradicated, there will still be some small-time pirates, like flies, that occasionally stem from decay. You could use this opportunity to familiarize yourself with the Mediterranean environment and eventually escort your own merchant ships.

    ¡°Two escort ships don¡¯t require too much money. In the future, you could also escort for small countries like Denmark and Tuscany and charge a fee, perhaps even make some money.¡±

    ¡°Your suggestion is very sensible,¡± Franklin nodded, ¡°Well, Mr. Envoy, I will also present your suggestion to Congress. As for the final decision, it will depend on Congress¡¯s vote.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± said Talleyrand, ¡°I remember the Royal Navy has just put several escort ships into service recently; if necessary, I can help you with that. The price will certainly be much cheaper than building new ones.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡±

    [Note 1] Shays¡¯ Rebellion: After the American Revolutionary War, most of the Continental Army was dismissed, but there was no money to pay the pensions to the retired American soldiers. Meanwhile, the government implemented a land sale policy biased towards large capital and levied extremely high tax rates, resulting in dire living conditions for many veterans.

    In the fall of 1786, Shays, a former captain, together with Luke Day, led retired soldiers of the American Army to rebel in Concord, at one point rallying up to 15,000 people.

    In early 1787, the American Congress pretended to negotiate but mobilized a large force to surround Shays, eventually suppressing the rebel army.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 165 Mala Will Die

    Chapter 185: Chapter 165 Mala Will Die

    Jefferson was quite efficient at his work.

    Early the next day, the proposal to join forces with France to eradicate the Barbary pirates had already been submitted by him to the United States Federal Congress.

    There was also mention of purchasing two escort ships tacked on at the end, but it was mentioned briefly, as if he did not intend for Congress to pass that part of the proposal.

    Two days later, at the French Embassy in the United States.

    The ambassador to the United States, Victor Dupont¡ªthe eldest son of the president of the French Chamber of Commerce¡ªhurried into an office on the second floor of the embassy and, with a tip of his hat, greeted the special envoy reading by the window:

    ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand, I¡¯ve just heard from the United States Congress¡­

    He took a couple of sips from a cup of water brought by a servant and continued, ¡°The majority of the American congress members are in favor of contributing money to fight the pirates, but they want to reduce the amount to 150,000 US dollars. As for purchasing warships, they seem to lack enthusiasm. The final vote might have to wait until next week.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the update, Mr. Dupont.¡±

    Talleyrand closed his book indifferently, thinking to himself: Just as the Crown Prince predicted, getting these poor and miserly Americans to pay up wouldn¡¯t be easy. It seems necessary to approach that member of the ¡°American founding faction¡±¡ªwhat¡¯s his name again?

    He took out his notebook from his pocket, where the Crown Prince¡¯s instructions were detailedly noted down.

    ¡°Hamilton.¡± He found the name, looked up at Dupont, and asked, ¡°Would you be so kind as to arrange a meeting with Mr. Alexander Hamilton for me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Archbishop Talleyrand.¡±

    That very afternoon, in a private villa in Philadelphia, Talleyrand was able to meet with the ¡°founding faction¡± leader Hamilton, as the Crown Prince had referred to him.

    Yes, the United States had gained independence in 1783, and five years had passed, yet the United States still had not truly formed a nation. The so-called Federal Congress was merely a symbolic leadership body, with specific affairs decided separately by the assemblies of the thirteen states, essentially in a state of anarchy.

    And the congressmen from the thirteen states were divided into two factions¡ªthe nationalists and the status quo faction. Although the United States had drafted a Constitution the previous year, setting a general direction for nation-building, the latter was still fiercely obstructing this process.

    After some perfunctory small talk, Talleyrand suddenly sighed and said earnestly, ¡°Mr. Hamilton, to be honest, I truly feel sorry for the United States.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why would you say that?¡±

    ¡°The people of the thirteen states have paid a tremendous price to win this great independence, yet to this day the United States is still fragmented, without even a central government to lead the nation.¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115891¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115891/8e979cd34df7384e20490a90d13d39a10GrQJim19x291G4.jpg¡±>

    Hamilton was stunned momentarily, then nodded in deep agreement. ¡°You are absolutely right!¡±

    ¡°Those congressmen only consider their immediate interests, yet they slander those who wish to establish a united America as seeking ¡®centralization¡¯ and ¡®dictatorship¡¯! Look at the Federal Congress now¡ªit doesn¡¯t even have the power to collect a bit of tax.¡±

    Talleyrand agreed, ¡°The loose and weak thirteen states have no deterrent force, and that¡¯s why even Mediterranean pirates dare to bully you.¡±

    ¡°At this rate, it won¡¯t be long before the Native Americans, Canadians, or Caribbean pirates will turn their sights on you.¡±

    Hamilton clenched his fist tightly. ¡°And those people in the Federal Congress keep preaching about the ¡®perils of centralization¡¯¡­ I think they¡¯re just scared of their power in the state legislatures being diminished.¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Shays¡¯ Rebellion that frightened them, the United States would still be under a confederate system now!¡±

    ¡°Look at the world; all strong nations have a strong government. Even better is to have a strong leader, similar to¡­¡±

    The words ¡°His Majesty the King of France¡± were on the tip of his tongue, but it was indeed hard for him to spit out such a clumsy lie, so after a brief pause, he changed tack:

    ¡°Just like England, France, and Austria. If we had a king right now in the United States, it wouldn¡¯t be long before we could escape our current impoverished and backward state!¡±

    Talleyrand spread his hands, ¡°Regrettably, the United States Federal Congress needs to strengthen its appeal to potentially give rise to your government.¡±

    He looked at Hamilton, who had an indignant expression on his face, and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes; ¡°Unity only comes internally when facing a powerful enemy.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, there is currently an opportunity that could enhance the prestige of the Federal Congress, but sadly, your congress members don¡¯t care about it at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡±

    ¡°Buying warships to join the French Navy in fighting the Barbary pirates!¡±

    Seeing Hamilton¡¯s puzzled look, Talleyrand immediately continued, ¡°The warships to be purchased would belong to the Federal Congress.¡±

    ¡°Imagine for a moment, after the pirates are eradicated, whether the headlines in the American newspapers would read ¡®The French helped us deal with the pirates¡¯ or ¡®Our warships went to the Mediterranean to exterminate the pirates¡¯. Which one would better lift the American people¡¯s confidence in the Federal Congress?¡±

    Hamilton¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this. Exactly! A victorious battle abroad is undoubtedly the best means to strengthen national cohesion, even if the opponents are just pirates.

    And those foolish and shortsighted congressmen were even thinking about rejecting the proposal to buy the warships these past few days!

    No! The warships must be bought; this is a prime opportunity to prompt the establishment of the United States government, and it would be best to buy several so that American warships can sink a pirate ship.

    Thinking about buying the ships, his heart suddenly sank, ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand, to be frank with you, I fear the Federal Congress might really be unable to allocate tens of thousands of dollars for two escort ships.¡±

    When merchant ships were hijacked by pirates, the states would pool money to ransom the crew, yet they were unwilling to contribute an extra cent to the Federal Congress in peacetime.

 Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 165 Mala Will Die_2

    Chapter 186: Chapter 165 Mala Will Die_2

    ¡°This¡­¡± Archbishop Talleyrand pretended to ponder for a moment, ¡°perhaps I could find a way to help you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Are you saying you could provide a loan?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Talleyrand leaned back in his chair, ¡°I can try to persuade the French Government to accept your cotton in exchange for warships.

    ¡°However, as you know, if the funding to fight the pirates is not handled well, I might not find it too easy to speak on your behalf.¡±

    Upon hearing that warships could be obtained without spending money, Hamilton immediately responded without hesitation, ¡°Please rest assured, I will contact all the ¡®Federalists¡¯ to ensure the bill is passed as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°That would be best.¡±

    As Talleyrand spoke, he put on a mysterious expression: ¡°If I could secure a lower cotton import tariff for the United States, would you be interested?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Hamilton nodded immediately. Cotton was a significant export for the United States, and increasing exports to France would bring substantial profits.

    Talleyrand smiled: ¡°However, this matter is not so simple, you see, I have quite a few personal connections to manage¡­¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to trouble you, how much ¡®expense¡¯ would you need?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, about 4000 US Dollars,¡± Talleyrand said with a radiant smile.

    In fact, whether it was paying for ships with cotton or increasing American cotton imports, it was part of Joseph¡¯s established policy¡ªto promote the development of the textile industry, a sufficient supply of raw materials was essential. Yet, now it had become a card in Talleyrand¡¯s hand.

    Hamilton agreed without any reservations: ¡°As you have suggested, Archbishop Talleyrand. I will immediately apply for special funding.¡±

    With Hamilton, and the ¡®Federalists,¡¯ or as Joseph called them, the ¡®Founders¡¯, actively lobbying, all the bills regarding fighting pirates were passed three days later.

    Even with the insistence of Hamilton and others, the Federal Congress eventually decided to exchange cotton for three escort ships.

    After Talleyrand signed a series of agreements with Jefferson and received his 4000 dollar fee, he was content to board the ship bound for Russia.

    In the ship¡¯s hold, there were also 15000 Charleville 1763 flintlock guns.

    The Americans had quickly provided the guns. After all, following their independence, they had disbanded tens of thousands of militiamen, and a large number of firearms lay unused in warehouses, so using them to return a favor to the French was no issue.

    The Lorraine Province of France.

    Toul City.

    ¡°Ha, this is what they call exile?¡±

    Mala looked disdainfully at the vast estate and the small castle-like cream-colored villa, scoffing, ¡°If only all the poor in France could be ¡®exiled¡¯ like this.¡±

    He had always disliked dealing with bureaucrats, but for the sake of the French people, he resolutely went forward and rang the bronze bell at the gate of the fence.

    Soon, from inside the cream-colored villa, a well-groomed nobleman in his fifties smiled at Mala and said, ¡°It¡¯s cold. Would you like some hot cocoa to warm up?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been away from Paris for too long, I haven¡¯t even heard of the Justice Investigation Department, please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°May I know the reason for your visit all the way here?¡±

    Mala glanced at the cup in front of him but did not touch it, preferring the pure bitterness of coffee that could jolt the brain, over the sticky sweetness of cocoa.

    ¡°Viscount Carolina, could you tell me some clues about Mr. Jacques Necker¡¯s embezzlement?¡±

    Carolina was visibly taken aback, then buried his head in enjoying his hot cocoa, calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what you mean, but Mr. Necker should be an upright man ¡­¡±

    ¡°You need not hide it.¡± Mala pulled out a stack of papers and placed them beside the teacup tray, ¡°These are copies of documents from his time as director.

    ¡°Many loans here are unusual. Specifically, the first loan he took out after taking office had a clearly excessive interest rate, and the bank that granted it had a special connection with him.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s this and this¡­¡±

    Carolina glanced at the documents and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve been away from politics for too long, I don¡¯t quite understand these things anymore.

    ¡°If you think there¡¯s a problem here, then continue your investigation, why come to tell me?¡±

    As he spoke, he looked towards the door at the servant with a strong face and some Germanic features, ¡°Fred, is there something?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Marvin asked me to ask you, what shall we prepare for dinner?¡±

    Carolina waved his hand, ¡°Just the usual.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    Once the servant had closed the door and left, Mala turned to Carolina again, ¡°Although I suspect there are signs of embezzlement in these loans, it is very difficult to find evidence. You know, after all, these are things that happened over a decade ago. Like this loan of five million livres, although the interest is high, he can find plenty of excuses to make it seem reasonable.¡±

    ¡°If you knew something and told me, I could send this embezzler to prison immediately!¡±

    ¡°You?¡± Carolina looked him over again with a faint smile, ¡°Ah, I recall now, you are that famous journalist who often criticizes the government¡¯s policies.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡±

    ¡°Then you should know about Mr. Necker¡¯s character. Besides, I truly know nothing.¡±

    Evans, Mala¡¯s assistant, got a bit anxious and loudly said, ¡°I know you don¡¯t get along with Necker, so why not help us bring him to justice?¡±

    Carolina shook his head calmly, ¡°You must have heard some rumors. In fact, my relationship with Mr. Necker is harmonious.¡±

    Half an hour later, having obtained no useful information, Mala grabbed his hat, ready to rise and take his leave.

    Carolina gestured toward the cocoa on the table, ¡°Gentlemen, this is excellent cocoa beans, don¡¯t waste it.¡±

    Mala picked up the cup and drank it down in a huff, only to find the taste different from what he had imagined ¡ª rich and sweet, obviously with a lot of sugar added.

    He normally couldn¡¯t afford such a sweetened drink.

    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡± He nodded, and with his assistant, left Carolina¡¯s villa.

    On the country road outside, Evans looked back at the off-white building, disheartened, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve come in vain.¡±

    Mala frowned and shook his head, ¡°Valois¡¯ intel shouldn¡¯t be wrong. But why won¡¯t Carolina tell us anything?¡±

    ¡°These shameless bureaucrats are all in cahoots. He must have taken Necker¡¯s bribe and is trying to cover for him!¡±

    ¡°But Valois said their feud was deep¡­ maybe, Carolina just doesn¡¯t trust us. We¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡±

    ¡­

    Twilight.

    Next to the orchard of the Carolina Family Estate, Fred, the servant who looked like a German, stood next to a cart of coal and spoke in a low voice, ¡°That person also took out Mr. Necker¡¯s loan documents from back then, saying they had issues. Apparently, there was one loan of five million livres, with a very high interest rate.¡±

    ¡°Mala?¡± The ¡°coal shipper¡± on the cart mused, ¡°That name sounds familiar, isn¡¯t he someone from the newly established Justice Investigation Department?¡±

    Lorraine Province of France is rich in coal, and people use it for heating. But coal mines struggle to transport coal to various locations, giving rise to the profession of coal shippers, who can be seen everywhere.

    Fred immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, Carolina also mentioned that department.¡±

    The ¡°coal shipper¡± narrowed his eyes, ¡°Did they trace something back to Mr. Necker? What did Carolina tell them?¡±

    ¡°I was sent away, I didn¡¯t hear what they said afterward. But they talked for over half an hour.¡±

    The ¡°coal shipper¡± suddenly showed a cold gleam in his eyes, ¡°Which means those two may well know something¡­¡±

    ¡°Where are they now?¡±

    ¡°Ferlick followed them to Old Vances¡¯s inn.¡±

    The ¡°coal shipper¡± waved his hand, ¡°Alright, you go back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Erice.¡±

    When Erice returned to a dilapidated dwelling in the Toul Urban District with the coal cart, he spoke sternly to the two burly men dozing off in bed, ¡°Get up, we have work to do.¡±

    The two men, who had been sleeping like logs, suddenly sprang up, nimbly put on their boots, and pulled out daggers, pistols, and other items from the gap beside the bed, stuffing them into their clothes in a flash.

    [Note 1] A confederation and a federation are different. A confederation is a formal union of states, with each state retaining its sovereignty and independence. A federation, on the other hand, shares political power with states and has a higher status than states, allowing for the unified allocation of resources among the thirteen states.

 Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 166: The Encounter with Fate

    Chapter 187: Chapter 166: The Encounter with Fate

    An old coal transport horse cart stopped in front of an old inn on the eastern outskirts of Toul City.

    Erice held the horse¡¯s reins, turned, and knocked on the carriage, whispering through the small window, ¡°We¡¯re here. Check your ¡®tools.¡¯

    After getting off the cart, Erice spent 2 sovs to enquire about Mara¡¯s room number from the inn employee. He then turned to instruct his two subordinates:

    ¡°Room number 32 on the first floor. Teemo will draw their attention at the door later. Ehrendorf and I will enter through the window. Try not to make a big commotion. There¡¯s no need for me to say more, right?¡±

    The two strong men nodded silently, one of them turning to leave.

    In room 32, Mara was organizing clues related to Necker when he heard a knock at the door: ¡°Sir, your beer has arrived.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong room, we didn¡¯t order any drinks.¡±

    The knocking persisted: ¡°But the payment has already been made¡­¡±

    Assistant Evans rose in confusion, wanting to open the door, when Mara suddenly blocked him, frowning towards the window.

    The next moment, with the sound of shattering glass, a hand reached through the broken pane to fiddle with the latch.

    Mara¡¯s pupils shrank, but his mind was exceedingly calm¡ªhaving worked against the Royal Family in journalism for many years, he was accustomed to high-stress situations¡ªhe immediately blew out the candle, grabbed a luggage bag next to him containing a loaded pistol.

    Evans, however, backed away in panic. Suddenly recalling the ¡°inn employee¡± standing outside, he sought the latter¡¯s help¡ªEvans was just a novice who had started working a few years ago and could not anticipate the brutality of the assassin. Thus, he turned around, shouting as he opened the door: ¡°Someone is trying to break in¡­¡±

    Mara inwardly cursed ¡°not good,¡± but before he could stop him, Evans was already lying on the floor, a blade protruding from his chest.

    In the blink of an eye, with the dim light from the hallway, Mara lifted the luggage bag, aiming at the figure in the doorway, and forcefully squeezed the trigger.

    ¡°Bang!¡± A loud noise rang out, and the silhouette at the door toppled backward. Mara hurriedly dropped the luggage bag and rushed outside.

    Meanwhile, the window behind him was pushed open. The first person to jump in saw Mara¡¯s retreating back and immediately threw a dagger at him without hesitation.

    Just as Mara turned his head to see the exit at the end of the corridor, he felt a numbness in his left hip. Reaching down, he discovered a dagger planted there.

    He had medical training and knew he shouldn¡¯t remove the dagger. He pressed firmly on both sides of the blade and limped towards the exit.

    It was late, and in the inn¡¯s lobby, only the drunken innkeeper dozed off on the counter. Seeing two shadows chasing from behind, Mara turned and fled outside the inn.

    In a small town like Toul, the streets were deserted at night. Mara ran towards the town center in pain, but the faster he moved, the more blood poured from his wound.

    The footsteps behind him, however, meant he dared not slow down or call for help¡ªshouting would only give the assassin his location and serve no other purpose.

    Soon, he felt dizzy and the world began to brighten before his eyes.

    Just when he felt despair, he saw a silhouette in front of a small house¡¯s window, apparently watching him.

    He waved towards it vigorously and suddenly his left leg gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

    The person from the house quickly ran out, a woman in her twenties. She helped Mara up, but before she could ask, he weakly said, ¡°Quick! Hide me, someone is trying to kill me¡­¡±

    The woman was somewhat flustered, but upon hearing Mara claim he was a policeman from Paris, she mustered her courage and dragged him behind the fence outside the house.

    She had just closed the fence gate when two men carrying pistols arrived.

    The taller and more robust man looked around, about to continue the pursuit along the road, but was stopped by the shorter one.

    The latter crouched down, running his hands over the ground, and soon touched something sticky.

    He smelled the substance on his fingers and looked around alertly, saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s blood. He¡¯s nearby.¡±

    The taller man nodded, searching through the roadside trees one by one, his gaze quickly settling on the small house.

    Mara heard the sound of boots getting closer, his heart pounding so hard he dared not even breathe heavily.

    Suddenly, footsteps stopped just outside the fence. Mara was quietly relieved when abruptly, two hands appeared atop the fence, followed by a figure leaping onto the top, coldly surveying the prey huddled in the corner.

    ¡°Good evening, ¡®Mister Nosy¡¯! Now where will you run?¡±

    ¡°Run!¡± Mara shouted in despair, forcefully pushing away the woman who had helped him, then closed his eyes, awaiting death.

    Then the sound of a ¡°bang¡± from a gunshot.

    Mara jerked, expecting pain, but felt nothing.

    ¡°Had the assassin missed?¡±

    He shakily opened his eyes a crack, only to see the black figure on the fence topple straight down.

    Then, seven or eight figures rushed in through the entrance of the fence. Someone, using the light from a torch, saw Mara and immediately shouted, ¡°Here he is, it¡¯s Mr. Mara!¡±

    Prosper from the Police Affairs Department hurried over, crouching down and saying, ¡°Crown Prince anticipated you might be in danger, so he had us follow. We had just arrived near the inn when we heard gunshots, thankfully¡­ Are you hurt? Quick, we need to find a doctor!¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Second floor office of the Industrial Planning Bureau.

    Fouche placed a report in front of Joseph, saying gravely, ¡°Your Highness, the night Mr. Mara arrived in Toul, he faced an assassination attempt. His assistant Mr. Evans was killed instantly. Mr. Mara was fortunate to receive the aid of a lady named Charlotte Corday, which allowed him to escape. However, he sustained some injuries on his leg.¡±

 Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 166: The Encounter with Fate_2

    Chapter 188: Chapter 166: The Encounter with Fate_2

    Joseph furrowed his brows as he flipped through the pages, ¡°He had gone to see Carolina, asked about Necker, and then someone wanted to kill him. Has the assassin been caught?¡±

    ¡°Two of the assassins are dead, and one escaped under the cover of night,¡± Fouche said. ¡°According to Prosper¡¯s investigation, those two were gang members from Toul.¡±

    He hesitated slightly, ¡°Your Highness, could it be that Carolina wanted to stop Mr. Mara¡¯s investigation into Necker and had someone assassinate him?¡±

    Joseph shook his head, lifting Mara¡¯s report, ¡°Mr. Mara is very certain that Carolina has a feud with Necker, and he would not do such a thing to protect him.¡±

    ¡°Besides, Carolina is a very shrewd man. Even if he wanted to assassinate someone, he wouldn¡¯t do it on the very night after seeing them.¡±

    Carolina had managed to become the Finance Minister while also serving as Chief Minister, definitely not a man of mediocrity. In fact, the tax reform bill in France was his creation, with later Finance Minister Brian merely copying his tax reform plan. However, Carolina was eventually overthrown by the Great Noble Group, the tax reform failed, and he was exiled.

    Immediately, Fouche said, ¡°Then, perhaps it was Necker¡¯s men who were behind this?¡±

    Joseph nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s a possibility. If so, it further proves that Mr. Mara is on the right track.¡±

    He then looked back at the report, ¡°Still, if they had a feud, why wouldn¡¯t Carolina divulge the evidence of Necker¡¯s crimes to Mr. Mara?¡±

    Mara clearly wrote in his report that he had reliable information which suggested Carolina might possess damning evidence against Necker.

    Fouche said, ¡°Your Highness, maybe Carolina simply doesn¡¯t trust Mr. Mara¡­¡±

    Joseph tapped the table with his finger, slightly shaking his head, ¡°Something about this doesn¡¯t add up.¡±

    ¡°Even without Mr. Mara, if Carolina had a feud with Necker and he had evidence of Necker¡¯s crimes, why didn¡¯t he expose him directly? For instance, by reporting to His Majesty the King.¡±

    Lowering his head in thought, Fouche said, ¡°If the two are not colluding, then it¡¯s possible that Viscount Carolina is under threat. Just like what Mr. Mara encountered.¡±

    Joseph did not agree with him, Carolina had once been the Chief Minister, and even after being exiled, he still was a powerful noble with the resources to hire dozens of bodyguards easily.

    Moreover, he was a staunch Royalist, highly trusted by Queen Mary. With his political influence, Necker would not dare to harm him lightly.

    Joseph pondered, then slowly said, ¡°There might be other possibilities aside from Carolina being threatened.

    ¡°For example, he could be holding out for a better offer. He thinks the information he has on Necker is very valuable and is waiting for someone who needs it to pay a high price before he would reveal anything.

    ¡°Or, it could be that Necker also has something on him. If he exposes Necker, he may be bitten back.¡±

    Joseph looked out the window in some annoyance. It seemed that Carolina indeed possessed crucial evidence, but how could one get him to talk?

    Suddenly, he recalled the exhaustive method often used in proving theorems.

    If the reasons that restricted Carolina from revealing Necker¡¯s incriminating evidence did not exceed the range of the speculation just discussed, then he just had to resolve these issues, and Carolina would surely comply!

    First, he largely dismissed the possibility that Carolina was under threat to his life. If there were any, it would be the easiest to resolve, just provide him with a hundred palace guards to stay with him at all times, and what would he have to fear?

    Next, if Carolina was holding out for a better offer, then he would have to come up with a tempting enough price.

    Having served as Finance Minister, he was unlikely to be in dire need of money, and Joseph really didn¡¯t want to use pure livres as a bargaining chip.

    For a person like Carolina, apart from money, it¡¯s power.

    As Joseph thought this, he suddenly had a brilliant idea. Carolina had been exiled to Lorraine, effectively ending his political career. If Joseph could get him back to Paris, it would be like granting him a second life¡ªa political life.

    He believed that Carolina would certainly be unable to refuse such an offer.

    The issue was, Brienne only secured his position as Chief Minister after Carolina had left. If Carolina were brought back, he would definitely have objections.

    How to persuade him¡­

    Once Fouche had finished reporting the situation in Toul, he took his leave.

    Joseph then set out for the Palace of Versailles, prepared to speak with Brienne first.

    In the carriage, he continued pondering the situation that Necker also had dirt on Carolina.

    This was the most difficult issue to deal with.

    Only if Carolina faced a do-or-die situation, might he possibly give up Necker.

    However, one thing Joseph could be sure of was that, historically, Carolina was extremely loyal to the Royal Family.

    After Louis XVI was executed, he stood up to lead the Royalist Party in the grand endeavor of restoring the monarchy, almost bankrupting himself in the process.

    In the current need to consolidate royal authority, it was imperative to lend support to such a person.

    Joseph, flipping through the documents sent by Mara subconsciously, suddenly revealed a smile. Perhaps, the assassination attempt on Mara could be put to good use.

    An hour and a half later, the carriage, gliding along the wooden track, stopped on the east side of the Palace of Versailles. Only a few hundred meters remained, and the wooden track would directly connect Versailles and Paris.

    It was already 5 p.m. as Joseph made his way directly to Archbishop Brienne¡¯s residence.

    The Archbishop hurried out to greet him, smiling as he paid his respects, ¡°Your Highness, if there¡¯s anything you need, someone could have fetched me to you.¡±

    Joseph exchanged pleasantries with him for a while before promptly getting to the matter at hand, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, I have a very important matter that requires your assistance.¡±

    ¡°I am always at the ready to serve Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°What do you think if I need Viscount Carolina to return to Paris?¡±

    Archbishop Brienne was momentarily taken aback and laughed dryly, ¡°Your Highness, have I made a blunder somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, please don¡¯t misunderstand, your work has always been excellent. The King and I absolutely trust you,¡± Joseph rushed to say, ¡°The return of Carolina is purely for ¡®business.¡¯ I promise, it won¡¯t threaten your position at all.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®business¡¯ you speak of is?¡±

    Joseph deliberately lowered his voice, ¡°For example, it could help you acquire revenues of tens or even hundreds of millions of livres.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne immediately widened his eyes, ¡°Carolina is willing to contribute so much in political donations?!¡±

    ¡°Ah, no¡­ His return is just part of the approach,¡± Joseph said, ¡°The specifics, you will learn in time.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne hesitated for a moment, then sighed softly, ¡°Your Highness, I can accept it as long as Viscount Carolina doesn¡¯t enter the Cabinet.¡±

    He was probably the person in all of France who understood just how formidable the young Crown Prince¡¯s energy was.

    His position as Finance Minister was maintained by the astounding measures taken by the Crown Prince; otherwise, he¡¯d already be fishing in Corsica, an even grimmer fate than Carolina¡¯s.

    If the Crown Prince insisted on Carolina¡¯s return, he simply couldn¡¯t resist. And the fact that the Crown Prince came to consult with him and promised it wouldn¡¯t affect his status was an indication of a close relationship.

    Now was the time to demonstrate his loyalty and trust. He still possessed that much political wisdom.

    Moreover, it would solve his most vexing financial problems. Why not?

    Joseph didn¡¯t expect Archbishop Brienne to agree so readily, and he sincerely thanked him. He then promptly took him to see the Queen¡ªsince the matter of Carolina¡¯s attempted assassination had been revealed, all involved would be alarmed, so it was crucial to act quickly. Delay could lead to unforeseen changes, and they couldn¡¯t wait for a slow discussion in a Cabinet meeting.

    In the Petit Trianon Palace, Queen Mary looked at Archbishop Brienne in astonishment, ¡°You mean, pardon Viscount Carolina?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Archbishop Brienne said with a sincere expression, ¡°Viscount Carolina was dismissed and exiled back in the day for failing to push the tax legislation effectively.¡±

    He leaned in a little, ¡°As you know, this was actually about making a gesture towards the Assembly of Notables.¡±

    ¡°Now, since the tax legislation has been executed for several months and the High Court has been reorganized, your majesty no longer needs to cater to those people from the Assembly of Notables.¡±

    After all, Archbishop Brienne was an old hand in politics. He directly portrayed pardoning Carolina as a way for the Queen to reclaim the face she had lost back then.

 Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 168: Shocking Case (Soliciting Monthly Passes)

    Chapter 190: Chapter 168: Shocking Case (Soliciting Monthly Passes)

    Joseph¡¯s forehead creased with lines of vexation as he tried to explain, ¡°You see, I have urgent matters to tend to in Lorraine, and I really can¡¯t spare the time to take you to see the coal mines.¡±

    Clementine shook his hand as she pleaded, pouting, ¡°Please, take me with you¡ª¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    The little girl suddenly stepped back, pointing to her delicate, tender neck, and said with a grievance, ¡°I listened to you and gave up ¡®Star¡¯s Wish¡¯. That was my absolute favorite necklace! Don¡¯t you think you should compensate me a little for that? Please¡ª¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh to the heavens.

    A few days ago, when he saw ¡®Star¡¯s Wish¡¯ around the young girl¡¯s neck and asked about it out of curiosity, he found out that his frivolous mother had spent nearly 700,000 livres on it, adding to his cousin¡¯s 560,000 livres for a necklace that turned out to be a total scam.

    He immediately told the young girl that he had never worn the necklace and advised her to return it posthaste.

    Clementine was quite savvy; realizing she had been duped, she found the jeweler and managed to return the necklace by a combination of wheedling and stubbornness, finally compensating the jeweler with 20,000 livres.

    In truth, the jeweler didn¡¯t lose out¡ªthe tale of how two princesses vied for ¡®Star¡¯s Wish¡¯, eventually auctioning it off for over a million livres, was well known to all, granting the item fame and making it easy to sell at a high price in the future.

    In the end, Joseph could not withstand Clementine¡¯s incessant coaxing and relented, agreeing to take her along to Lorraine, reasoning that it was a way to thank her for saving the Queen the huge sum of 700,000 livres.

    The following afternoon,

    Clementine looked back at the three carriages she had packed the night before¡ªwith all her cosmetics, clothes, kitchenware, toys, and cat food¡ªand, feeling reluctant, she asked the Crown Prince once more, ¡°Cousin, are you sure I can¡¯t bring them?¡±

    Joseph massaged his forehead, ¡°You have to choose, either we bring the carriages, or I bring you.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The young girl immediately signaled to her maid with a knowing glance, directing her to move about a dozen suitcases onto Joseph¡¯s luggage cart.

    The caravan set off, heading in a northeast direction.

    Soon, Joseph realized that bringing Clementine along might have been a good decision after all.

    The young girl¡¯s constant antics and playful banter dispelled the monotony and dullness of the journey. Despite her tender age, she was surprisingly familiar with the noble families of Europe, and she ended up teaching Joseph much about this topic. It seemed she had been studying these matters from a young age.

    Well, aside from the occasional resentful glances cast from the carriage following behind, sending chills down Joseph¡¯s spine, everything was quite pleasant.

    Those were looks of jealousy from Perna.

    She had hoped for a ¡°touristic¡± outing with His Highness the Crown Prince like their previous trip to Bordeaux, and had come along as his personal physician. However, she hadn¡¯t anticipated the presence of a young girl ¡°stealing the business,¡± preventing her from even sharing a carriage with the Crown Prince¡­

    Along the way, Joseph could already see signs of drought everywhere.

    Some streams had dried up, leaving many fields showing patches of withered yellow.

    Farmers were busy transporting water to their fields by cart, or carrying it by hand, to mitigate the effects of the drought.

    However, France¡¯s primary approach to farming was still crude; relying on abundant land and sparse population, they practiced extensive cultivation with low yields, making the amount of land needing irrigation unbearable at times like these.

    Joseph was aware that the critical moment was drawing ever nearer.

    Fortunately, most of the grain reserves in various regions had been completed before the dry spell, and large quantities of grain bought from overseas were transported to major cities via water routes.

    Especially in Paris, where two huge grain reserves had been established¡ªthe stockpiled grain in them alone was enough to feed the Parisians for four to five months.

    Joseph silently hoped in his heart: May we endure through that perilous moment next year, so that I may have the opportunity to rebuild the glorious France.

    Four days later.

    Joseph¡¯s convoy had stopped at Carolina¡¯s estate. It wasn¡¯t until the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard dispersed to stand watch that Carolina realized a VIP had arrived, and he hurriedly led his relatives and servants out to greet them from that off-white villa.

    After the standard pleasantries, Joseph followed Carolina inside the house and immediately motioned, ¡°I need to speak with you alone.¡±

    ¡°Please follow me.¡±

    Carolina led him to a modest study, closed the door behind them, and then respectfully said, ¡°Your Highness, please take a seat.¡±

    ¡°You may sit as well,¡± Joseph forwent all formalities and got straight to the point, ¡°I need information on Necker, the kind that could put him in prison.

    ¡°You are a very trusted old servant of the royal family, and I hope you can trust me too.¡±

    Carolina put on a troubled expression, ¡°Crown Prince, you must have heard some rumors. I really don¡¯t have¡­¡±

    Not wanting to watch him play dumb, Joseph interrupted him, ¡°You can name your price. What will it take for you to give me what I want?¡±

    ¡°This¡­ You¡¯ve got the wrong idea¡­¡±

    Seeing him still looking constipated, Joseph directly showed his hand, ¡°What if I could help you return to Paris, would that earn your trust?¡±

    A look of surprise immediately sparkled in Carolina¡¯s eyes; he had grown tired of Toul, this dreadful place, and had thought he¡¯d rot here for the rest of his life. Now, unexpectedly, hope had resurfaced.

    He nearly nodded reflexively, but before he could utter a word, he stiffened.

    ¡°I¡­ Your Highness, I indeed wish to return, but I don¡¯t have the things you mentioned¡­¡±

    Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly. If such a considerable benefit did not tempt him, then there must be another possibility.

    Carolina had something to hide; that¡¯s why he dared not expose Necker!

    Joseph¡¯s voice cooled, ¡°Viscount Carolina, you¡¯ve heard about the murder of Mr. Evans from the Justice Investigation Department a few days ago, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I have.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, Evans and Mala only visited here that day, asking the same question as I am, right?¡±

    Carolina shuddered, realizing that the Crown Prince¡¯s visit right after that man¡¯s death was no coincidence!

    He nodded, ¡°Indeed, that was the case.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, which makes you the prime suspect in the murder case.¡± Joseph looked at Carolina sidelong, his voice icy, ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you, this is a serious matter. The Justice Investigation Department has mobilized its full force and will arrive two days after me to launch a comprehensive investigation into you.

    ¡°Oh, and the Secret Police. They will be involved in the investigation as well.¡±

    Carolina was shocked, ¡°Why would the Secret Police be involved?!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself, of course, it was because I tipped off Robel to put some pressure on you.

    ¡°Because the deceased Evans was a very important investigator. The cases he handled involved significant ramifications, and he had some crucial clues in his hands. His death has nearly halted the investigation.¡±

    Carolina wiped a bead of cold sweat silently. He instantly realized Evans must have been investigating Necker, so the Crown Prince¡¯s description of the case as ¡®greatly involved¡¯ was quite reasonable¡ªafter all, the matters concerning Necker certainly entangled many people.

 Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 169 Settling Dust (Extra update for the boss-like helmsman)

    Chapter 191: Chapter 169 Settling Dust (Extra update for the boss-like helmsman)

    Joseph glanced at Carolina¡¯s expression, then added ¡°fuel to the fire¡±:

    ¡°This time, the Justice Investigation Department and the Secret Police have combined forces, with over 60 people responsible for this case. They¡¯re expected to conduct a thorough investigation of all individuals and matters related to the case.

    Viscount Carolina, during this process, it¡¯s hard to guarantee that they won¡¯t dig up some matters that you¡¯d prefer to keep secret.¡±

    Carolina could no longer maintain his composure and pleaded:

    ¡°Your Highness, I swear to God, I have nothing to do with the death of that investigator!

    ¡°You see, could you possibly spare me the disturbance of those people in my already miserable exiled life¡­¡±

    Joseph stared at him and said:

    Viscount Carolina, I do want to help you, but the prerequisite is that we build mutual trust.

    ¡°As long as you are honest with me, I can assure you that, no matter what it is, I can keep you safe.¡±

    Carolina, trembling, took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. He was convinced that the young Crown Prince in front of him must have been sent by Her Majesty the Queen, which meant he represented her will. And it was evident that the Queen had already gotten hold of many things about him.

    However, he also knew that his problems were too significant, and he wasn¡¯t sure if the Queen would indeed forgive him after everything was out.

    Seeing his indecision, Joseph stood up, pretending to leave:

    ¡°If you choose not to trust me, then you will have to face the Secret Police and investigators by yourself. I¡¯m returning to Paris.¡±

    Carolina panicked, rushed forward in a few steps, and grabbed his arm tightly, then realizing his impudence, quickly withdrew his hand, head hanging down and breathing rapidly:

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Your Highness, truly sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend¡­

    ¡°That is, uh, can you really help me? I mean, if I¡¯ve done something wrong, can you plead for Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s forgiveness?¡±

    ¡°That depends on your performance,¡± Joseph said as he settled back into his chair, adopting a more amicable expression, ¡°As I¡¯ve said, the Royal Family has great trust and regard for you.¡±

    As he spoke, he placed the pardon on the table:

    ¡°You see, Her Majesty the Queen had already decided to pardon you when I left the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    Carolina, surprised, picked up the pardon and opened it, his eyes immediately reddening with emotion, realizing that Her Majesty the Queen still had him in her thoughts; she had pardoned him so soon after the tax legislation fiasco!

    He then remembered what the Crown Prince had just said, perhaps Her Majesty the Queen already knew of his deeds and had sent His Highness to give him an opportunity?

    Joseph timely added:

    ¡°Viscount Carolina, our common enemy now is Necker. As for you, you have always been a loyal subject of His Majesty the King.¡±

    Carolina looked cautiously at the Crown Prince and murmured:

    ¡°Your Highness, if I tell you about Necker¡¯s matters, what kind of punishment will I face afterward?¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Why not start by talking about your own affairs first.¡±

    Carolina¡¯s complexion turned somewhat pale, but thinking that the Queen might already know, and even if she didn¡¯t, the Secret Police would uncover issues upon investigating him, he finally clenched his teeth and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, the truth is, when I¡­ was serving as the Finance Minister¡­ I made some money for myself¡­¡±

    Seeing Joseph nod calmly, he became even more convinced that his misdeeds had been exposed, and he began to speak more frankly:

    ¡°Four years ago, I conspired with the Duke of Poitou on the project to expand the Languedoc Royal Canal¡­¡±

    He rambled on about the dirty deeds he had done, and Joseph, somewhat impatiently, interjected:

    ¡°Viscount Carolina, just give me a number.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡°I mean, how much money have you made from all this?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ roughly¡­¡± Viscount Carolina hesitated for a moment, lowered his head, and whispered, ¡°Around 5 million livres.¡±

    Wow¡ª

    What a piece of work! At this moment, all Joseph wanted to do was exclaim, what a piece of work!

    This guy served as Finance Minister for just over four years and made 5 million?!

    No wonder he¡¯s scared like this¡ªwith some small provinces having a fiscal income of about the same for a whole year. If this were taken to trial, even if he wasn¡¯t executed, he would at least spend a lifetime in a labor camp.

    Who would have thought that in trying to deal with Necker, he¡¯d first snare such a big fish here.

    If Necker were on the same level as Carolina, just the two of them could subsidize France¡¯s finances by over 10 million.

    This damn thing was even more profitable than organizing a fashion week! Joseph was irked to the point of itching teeth.

    He struggled to suppress the anger in his heart, as he still needed Carolina to perform meritorious service after confessing his crimes. So, he took a deep breath and spoke in as calm a tone as he could:

    ¡°Since you¡¯re being so honest, I, on behalf of the Royal Family, promise you that as long as you return the money you shouldn¡¯t have taken, this incident will be as if it never happened.

    ¡°Moreover, if you help me deal with Necker, you might even receive some rewards.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Carolina had thought the Crown Prince would at least discipline him, but to his surprise, the Prince was letting it slide. He became so excited he almost knelt down to kiss Joseph¡¯s boots. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, thank you Her Majesty the Queen! You are indeed too kind! May God be with you both!¡±

    With his own affairs settled, he felt a sudden relief in his heart, and a sly smile flashed across his face¡ªNecker, for all these years you have been against me, setting traps behind my back! Now I am going to send you to hell!

    He turned around, moved the table, and pressed a piece of the floor in the corner, which made a slight ¡°click¡± sound.

    Then, he grabbed a chair and removed a stack of documents from a small hole that had appeared in the ceiling.

    ¡°Your Highness, these are the evidence of Necker¡¯s corruption and crimes that I discovered while I was Finance Minister,¡± Carolina respectfully handed over the documents to Joseph. ¡°He also knew some things about me at that time, so I dared not expose him. But now, I implore you to bring him to justice!¡±

    Joseph flicked through the files he took, with the first documents being carbon copies of some receipts. The descriptions indicated that they were about Necker¡¯s supplementary appropriations to the south for the construction of an irrigation system, where the money eventually ended up in the hands of several local nobles, and Necker received a kickback of 350,000 livres.

    The following document showed that Necker had borrowed 3 million livres from a certain bank, a sum that never entered the treasury, yet France had to pay 20% interest annually. Only when Necker was removed from office five years later was this money accounted for in the treasury. And one-third of the annual interest went into Necker¡¯s pockets.

    The third document¡­

    As Joseph looked through the pages, his face turned ashen. He slammed the documents on the table and looked at Carolina:

    ¡°How much did he embezzle in total in these documents?¡±

    A gleam of pride flashed in Carolina¡¯s eyes:

    ¡°Your Highness, a total of 7.22 million livres.¡±

    Joseph took a silent, cold breath; this man was even greedier than Carolina!

    Who knew, Carolina continued:

    ¡°Your Highness, these are just the crimes I have evidence for. From what I know, what he has embezzled is far beyond this amount, especially his dealings with the banking industry. They were done very secretly, and I could only guess some traces.¡±

    Joseph took a deep breath: ¡°How much more could there be?¡±

    ¡°It could likely exceed 10 million livres.¡±

 Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 170: Chasing the "Big Fish" (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 192: Chapter 170: Chasing the ¡°Big Fish¡± (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    For some reason, when Joseph heard the figure ¡°ten million livres,¡± he felt no anger in his heart, but instead a bizarre sense of ¡°comfort¡± surged to the top of his head.

    He leaned in towards Carolina, quite expectantly asking,

    ¡°Is that the amount Necker pocketed himself, or the total sum of the problematic funds?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the profit Necker made from these transactions, Your Highness. Of the financial loans that passed through his hands at the time, more than half might have been abnormal.¡±

    Joseph suddenly felt as though the whole world lit up, and he even heard the joyful singing of little angels by his ear.

    You see, during Necker¡¯s tenure as head of the treasury, France¡¯s borrowing from banks had increased by nearly one billion livres.

    If what Carolina said was true, even by the most conservative estimate, that would mean there could be illegal operations involving as much as five hundred million livres worth of loans.

    Joseph¡¯s heart raced¡ªjust by getting hold of this illegal evidence, he could call for a re-examination of these five hundred million livres worth of loans!

    Usually, during the re-evaluation of a loan, interest payments are suspended!!

    There was even the possibility of renegotiating the loan agreements!!!

    And furthermore, for those loans that were extremely problematic, he could directly¡­

    Joseph pinched his thigh hard, stopping himself from continuing the thought, for the prospects were too beautiful, easily leading one to indulge.

    He stared intently at Carolina, his gaze seeming to burn:

    ¡°How confident are you that there¡¯s something wrong with those loans?¡±

    Feeling unnerved under his gaze, Carolina said subconsciously,

    ¡°Based on my many years of gree¡­uh, my many years of financial experience, there¡¯s over a 90% chance that there¡¯s a problem, it¡¯s just that there¡¯s no evidence¡­¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Joseph excitedly stood up, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder,¡±You¡¯ve made an exceptional contribution this time.¡±

    Immediately after, Joseph commanded him,¡±From now on, you will be under my guard¡¯s protection all day, with no contact with any outsiders allowed.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Carolina exclaimed in shock,¡±Are you, are you placing me under house arrest?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, this is only temporary. Once the matter with Necker is resolved, I will personally welcome you in Paris.¡±

    With that, Joseph picked up the paper and pen from the nearby table, quickly wrote a short letter, sealed it with wax, stamped his private seal, and then turned to leave.

    He handed the letter to Captain Kesode of the guards, instructing,

    ¡°Please dispatch someone to return to Paris with utmost speed, and have the Police Headquarters immediately arrest Necker. That would be the former Finance Minister, Jacques Necker. Before my return, no one is allowed to come near Necker or his family.

    ¡°Deliver this letter to Archbishop Brienne, and he will coordinate the matter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    After arranging all this, Joseph felt incredibly reassured. Seeing that it was still early, he stretched lazily and smiled at Eman, suggesting,

    ¡°It¡¯s rare for us to come to Lorraine; let¡¯s go have a look at Nancy.¡±

    ¡­

    To the northwest of Toul City, not far from the star-shaped fortress built by Marshal Voban, just two leagues away, stood the open-air coal mine at D¨¦tuil.

    Clementine stood with a taut face at the edge of the enormous mine pit, staring blankly at the coal workers swinging their picks below.

    Just this morning, the Crown Prince had ordered his guard to escort her here for a visit, and before she left, he had considerately briefed her on Toul¡¯s largest coal mine, wishing her a pleasant time.

    With no trees for shelter nearby, the mine pit constant breezes kicked up a haze of fine coal dust that danced in the air.

    The little girl irritably brushed away the handkerchief with which her maid Rosalia was trying to wipe her face, lamenting,

    ¡°Stop wiping. There¡¯s coal dust everywhere; it¡¯s impossible to get it all off¡­¡±

    The maid cautiously said, ¡°Miss, shall we go back?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± the little girl puffed out her cheeks,¡±what if my cousin asks what I saw, and I can¡¯t say anything?¡±

    ¡°Then, shall I accompany you for a walk around?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± The little girl nodded. Surrounded by guards, she followed the spiral-shaped downward slope made of compacted coal dust, making her way to the bottom of the mine.

    Several miners carrying full baskets of coal approached her. When they saw Clementine¡¯s luxurious gown, as well as the imposing guards front and back, they were so frightened that they hurriedly stepped aside and bowed their heads to let them pass.

    Assisted by her maid, the little girl walked past the miners when suddenly, she felt the ground beneath her feet give way.

    One of the miners caught a glimpse of something amiss on the ground and cried out, ¡°Look out!¡± Dropping his basket, he lunged forward to push her and the maid out of the way.

    Immediately after, the spot where Clementine had just stood cracked open, with the coal dust ground collapsing ¡°whoosh¡± downward.

    ¡°Run!¡± A guard behind Clementine acted swiftly, scooping her up and bolting forward.

    Seconds later, a large section was missing in the middle of the spiral slope; Clementine and the miners stood on one side of the gap, and the other guards on the opposite side, all staring at each other with hearts still racing.

    ¡°Wah¡ª¡± It was only then that the little girl remembered to be frightened and burst into tears.

    Soon after, at the top of the mine pit, the mine owner came rushing over in a fluster, apologizing to Clementine with a crying tone:

    ¡°Esteemed miss, I am so deeply sorry! As God is my witness, this place hasn¡¯t collapsed for over ten years, I don¡¯t know why¡­ oh, my Lord! Are you hurt? This¡­ what shall we do¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± The little girl choked back sobs as she glanced at the small wound on her leg. The blood had mostly stopped.

    She turned to look at the miners a short distance away, with more or less cuts and scrapes on their bodies, combined with their ragged clothes and coal-streaked faces, they appeared very miserable.

 Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 170: Chasing the "Big Fish" (Seeking Monthly Votes)_2

    Chapter 193: Chapter 170: Chasing the ¡°Big Fish¡± (Seeking Monthly Votes)_2

    Clementine limped over, feeling that it was her own bad luck that had involved others, and with a sense of guilt, took out a handful of candies to share with the injured miners:

    ¡°Are you all right? Please have some candy, it won¡¯t hurt after you eat it.¡±

    The miners were flattered and scrambled to their feet, taking the candy but bowing their heads, not knowing how to properly express their gratitude.

    After a long while, a brave worker stammered:

    ¡°May, may God bless you, kind Miss.¡±

    At the moment, candy was a very expensive item. These people had hardly ever tasted candy in their lives, not to mention such high-grade sweets. Some were already calculating in their hearts to save the candy for their children as Christmas gifts, certain it would leave them with unforgettable sweet memories for life.

    The maid Rosalia followed her young mistress, handing out a few silver coins to each of the injured miners.

    The mine owner breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Clementine¡¯s retreating figure¡ªhe had thought he would definitely have to pay a hefty sum, but she hadn¡¯t blamed him at all.

    He then turned to look at the silver coins in the miners¡¯ hands and suddenly barked with a dark face:

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you good-for-nothings! You almost made me offend that noble young lady. Give me that money right now!¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    In the Louvre District, surrounded by a spacious garden, a three-story villa with exquisite stone carvings and a multitude of floor-to-ceiling windows arranged in an artistic shape.

    A man dressed in a blue-gray coat, with a drooping nose and a large chin, suppressed his anger, pointing a finger at Erice:

    ¡°You fool, I just asked you to keep an eye on Carolina. Why did you have to kill those two policemen? And one of them even got away!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, Mr. Necker!¡± Erice glanced nervously at him, bowing his head, ¡°Fred said that the policeman named Mala took out evidence of issues with your loan operations and demanded more evidence from Carolina.¡±

    ¡°You instructed us not to let any news about you leak from Toul. I had¡­ I had no choice but to take out those two officers.¡±

    In the eyes of the public, the Justice Investigation Department belonged to the Police Headquarters, so Mala and his colleagues were certainly policemen.

    Necker was taken aback and urgently asked, ¡°Did Carolina say anything to those two men?¡±

    ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure. Later on, Fred was sent away by Carolina.¡±

    Necker frowned deeply, muttering softly for a moment, then suddenly glared at his subordinate and scolded:

    ¡°Fool! What you should be doing now is finishing off that policeman, not running to Paris to spout nonsense to me!¡±

    ¡°Listen to me,¡± Erice hurriedly said, ¡°Many people are now protecting that policeman, making it quite difficult to make a move. Plus, a few days later, many more people arrived at Carolina¡¯s place¡­¡±

    Necker grew anxious: ¡°Who are these people?¡±

    ¡°Fred says those people are on very high alert, forbidding anyone to approach. Oh, there must have been over a hundred guards, and I think there was the Royal Family¡¯s iris emblem on their uniforms.¡±

    ¡°The Royal Family?¡±

    Erice nodded and continued: ¡°Fred seems to have also seen a young man, around fourteen or fifteen years old, of significant stature¡­¡±

    Necker¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank to pinpoints. There was only one fourteen or fifteen-year-old who could be accompanied by hundreds of Royal Guards in all of France¡ªthe current Crown Prince!

    He paced anxiously around the room, sorting through the entire situation in his mind.

    First, the police had approached Carolina, mentioning problems with his loans. Then, Erice had killed a policeman, and the other was immediately heavily protected. Afterwards, the Royal Family had somehow gotten involved¡­

    If connected, it was very likely that the Royal Family knew about his dealings with the bank.

    This situation could be severe!

    Necker immediately took a bag of gold coins from the safe and handed it to Erice, sternly ordering:

    ¡°Return to Toul with your men, find a place to hide!¡±

    Erice, feeling the weight of the bag of coins, exclaimed happily:

    ¡°Very well, Mr. Necker. But my men died that day, so I¡¯ll just go into hiding.¡±

    Afterward, he bowed respectfully and left briskly.

    It¡¯s just you left now, huh? Necker thought coldly, pulling the bell to summon his butler, and with a grim face, gestured a cutting motion towards the retreating figure of Erice.

    The butler nodded and left, returning a few minutes later:

    ¡°Mr. Necker, it has been taken care of.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Necker then instructed, ¡°Have the lady and the children get ready. We might be in trouble, we need to make a trip to the ¡®country estate¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Mr. Necker.¡±

    The butler left, and Necker called over one of his confidants and whispered some instructions.

    Before twilight, the confidant returned and told Necker:

    ¡°Mr. Necker, just as you suspected, a significant number of secret police were dispatched to Toul a few days ago. Additionally, I¡¯ve learned from the Palace of Versailles that the King had signed a document pardoning Carolina.¡±

    Necker, having been the Finance Minister for many years and very wealthy, had access to a broad network of information among the French nobility.

    ¡°Secret police? A pardon for Carolina?¡±

    Necker was now completely certain that the Royal Family was after him. Although it wasn¡¯t certain that Carolina would cooperate with the Royal Family, he couldn¡¯t take the risk.

    After all, his own affairs were much too significant¡­

    He quickly made a decision, retrieved the suitcase he had prepared earlier, and then called for the butler:

    ¡°We leave immediately for the ¡®country estate¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Necker.¡±

    Soon, several inconspicuous carriages left the Necker residence. Fouche¡¯s planted men immediately followed by carriage¡ªhow could Joseph not have someone keeping an eye on Necker?

    Meanwhile, in an ordinary house several hundred meters away from the Necker residence, the floorboards were lifted from inside. Necker¡¯s family, together with the butler, crawled out one after another, for a tunnel leading directly to his villa had long been dug there.

    Necker and the others got into the carriage waiting outside and rode into the night.

    Just an hour later, nearly a hundred policemen led by Besancon surrounded Necker¡¯s villa. There was also a large number of secret police and Police Affairs Department personnel assisting in the arrest.

    However, they only found over thirty servants; there was no sign of the Necker family, including an undercover operative from the Police Affairs Department who was stationed there, who only then realized that Necker had vanished.

    ¡­

    A ball was taking place at the home of the Count of Isaac, President of the Banking Guild of France.

    A trim middle-aged man quickly entered the hall and found the Count of Isaac, whispering a few words into his ear.

    The latter¡¯s face changed dramatically and he turned to ask:

    ¡°Is the news reliable?¡±

    The middle-aged man nodded, ¡°All the newspapers are already writing the news about Necker¡¯s house being surrounded by a large number of police. However, I got word from the secret police that they haven¡¯t found Necker.¡±

    Isaac immediately found several people in the crowd of the ball and took them upstairs with him.

    ¡°Are you saying that Necker might be targeted by the police?¡±

    Isaac shook his head:

    ¡°If it were just the police, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to make Necker flee. It¡¯s very likely that the Royal Family has taken action.¡±

    Another man with reddish skin and a gaunt look frowned and said:

    ¡°Why did the Royal Family act so quickly this time? Not a breath of this leaked out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still unclear,¡± Isaac said gravely, ¡°but I believe you all know how ¡®dangerous¡¯ Necker is.¡±

    He looked around at the few people in the room: ¡°After all, nearly all of us have had dealings with him.¡±

    A fat man with thick makeup and dark circles under his eyes complained through clenched teeth:

    ¡°Before, I kept saying to kick that guy out to England, but you still wanted to bring him into the Palace of Versailles as the Finance Minister! Now look, we¡¯re all implicated because of him!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Count Capefield.¡± The gaunt old man raised his hand with a pacifying gesture, ¡°What¡¯s the use of talking about this now? The most important thing at the moment is to make sure the Royal Family doesn¡¯t find Necker first.¡±

    ¡°The Marquis of Ludo is right,¡± Isaac nodded, ¡°We know Necker better than the Royal Family does, and we will surely find him faster. Then we¡¯ll need to find a way to send him to England, or else¡­¡±

    His eyes narrowed slightly and he drew his finger across his throat.

 Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 171: Rapidly Entering the Industrial Age

    Chapter 194: Chapter 171: Rapidly Entering the Industrial Age

    Joseph first visited Mala to inquire about his injuries, then he headed for Nancy.

    Toul is less than 5 miles away from Nancy, so just after noon, his convoy had already arrived at the newly established Nancy Industrial Development Zone.

    The development zone is located by the Morte River, encircled by a formidable grey stone wall that seems to stretch endlessly, covering an area of about five to six hundred acres.

    Still a distance away from the development zone, Joseph could already see smoke rising into the sky from the zone¡ªcoal mines were ubiquitous here, so coal was commonly used as fuel in production. After the introduction of steam engines, the consumption of coal had greatly increased.

    The officials of the industrial development zone, upon learning of the Crown Prince¡¯s arrival, hurriedly put aside their work and convened at the western gate to welcome him.

    The principal person in charge of the development zone was named Alexander Ramo, who was not a local official of Nancy but was recommended by Mirabeau to manage the development zone. He also ran a fairly large ironworks.

    Joseph, as the initiator and planner of the development zone, enjoyed immense prestige and was surrounded by hundreds of officials and workshop owners. The air was filled with respectful and enthusiastic greetings and praise.

    Unable to decline their warm reception, Joseph made an impromptu motivational speech, only then managing to ¡°escape.¡±

    Ramo and about a dozen main administrators of the development zone began to take him on a tour of the park. The others, unwilling to leave, followed behind, curious and peeking from a distance of about fifty to sixty meters.

    ¡°Your Highness, that over there is the ironworks. The workshops of the Gregoire brothers and Viscount Olivier are both very large,¡± Ramo pointed towards the large buildings enveloped in black smoke by the river, recalling various figures very clearly, ¡°The two workshops have a total of 7 furnaces and 9 forging shops. They can produce over 50,000 pounds of iron ingots daily.

    ¡°Especially the workshop of the Gregoire brothers, which uses the latest model of reverberatory furnace, resulting in very high-quality iron ingots.¡±

    Joseph offered some words of encouragement to the two ironworks, but in reality, he was not entirely satisfied.

    50,000 pounds might sound like a lot, but it¡¯s actually only around 25 tons daily, or 7,000 tons annually.

    You should know, this is nearly ninety percent of Nancy¡¯s steel production.

    At present, the entire France produces just around 120,000 tons of iron a year, which is far from enough for the Industrial Revolution.

    Moreover, Joseph himself was not too familiar with steelmaking processes and could only think of a few theories like ¡°using coke¡± or ¡°blast furnace steelmaking.¡± To increase production in the short term, it seemed the only solution would be to expand the scale.

    In fact, for a substantial increase in steel production, the key was demand.

    If it were possible to lay a large number of train tracks nationwide, the intense demand would motivate capital investment into the steel industry, and thus foster new technologies.

    The prerequisite for building railroads was trains. The prerequisite for trains was a highly efficient and mature steam engine.

    Joseph murmured in his mind, this depended on Murdock¡¯s progress¡­

    Ramo led him through the cluster of buildings along the riverbank, introducing various glass workshops, ironware workshops, and coal crushing sites along the way.

    Until a light grey two-story building came into view not far away, Ramo said with some excitement, ¡°Your Highness, that is Mr. Jean Sone¡¯s newly established ¡®Production Management Consulting Firm¡¯.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®industrialization¡¯ and ¡®production standardization¡¯ you requested are currently being promoted by them.¡±

    Joseph nodded, this consulting firm was indeed established under his orders for Jean Sone. After accepting his production standardization training, Sone had rushed to Nancy to teach the new management concepts.

    The transition from workshops to factories is a significant task for the industrial development zone and will serve as a model for all of France.

    Although there is only one character difference between ¡°¹¤·»¡± (workshop) and ¡°¹¤³§¡± (factory), the implication is that of an entire Industrial Revolution!

    The so-called ¡°workshop¡± simply gathers craftsmen in a large courtyard. Except for the larger scale, it is not much different from the primitive small workshop, where management mostly relies on the owner¡¯s whip.

    A ¡°factory,¡± on the other hand, is a product of the Industrial Revolution. It starts with a complete management system, ranging from the most basic issues of tardiness and leaving early to further responsibilities of shift and team leaders, and up to standardized production that significantly enhances efficiency.

    Moreover, the employment methods are quite different¡ªfactories operate under a fully capitalist employment system, where workers establish labor contracts with the factory and have the freedom of bi-directional choice. Workshops, usually follow a craftsman plus apprentice model. The apprentices are personally dependent on their masters and are supervised and solidified in this dependency by industry guilds.

    For example, in contemporary France, if you want to enter a certain trade, it¡¯s not enough to simply have the skills. First, you have to find a master to sponsor your entry into the guild, beginning a 5 to 7 years apprenticeship where the master can exploit you at will. After graduating to a journeyman, you can nominally work independently, but you still rely heavily on your master in many aspects. It takes another 3 to 5 years to obtain guild registration and become a true craftsman, and then you start exploiting apprentices¡­

    This model poses a serious drag on industrial development. Many times, a factory could train someone in a matter of months to do a job that, because of guild rules, might otherwise take several years or even longer.

    The last point is that factories must pursue and adapt to new technologies more aggressively.

    Striving for automation using machines to gain higher profits is the characteristic of factories.

    The transformation from a workshop to a factory, if following the normal course of history, would require a baptism of ten years or more of the Industrial Revolution to gradually complete.

    Under the guidance of Joseph, the industrial development zone will directly adopt the most efficient model and sprint into the industrial era.

    Once industrialization matures, the major weapon of industrial production¡ªthe assembly line¡ªwill be unveiled.

    At that time, France¡¯s factories will slaughter all their European competitors!

    Ramo interjected, ¡°Your Highness, although guilds have been completely banned in the development zone, craftsmen are accustomed to the master-apprentice model and will take some time to fully transition.

    ¡°As for standardized production¡­ it is still being promoted, and not a single workshop has been able to implement it yet.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s quite normal. As for you guys, don¡¯t be impatient, and everything should be predicated on not affecting the workshop¡¯s production,¡± Joseph knew that such a significant management model enhancement could not be achieved overnight.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Ramo then took Joseph through the development zone¡¯s dormitory areas, schools, hospitals, and other regions.

    These facilities are of great help to the resident factories. The dormitories alone can significantly reduce the costs for workshops, enabling them even to hire vagrants. The hospital greatly improves the workers¡¯ attendance rate.

    After walking for a while, Ramo gestured towards a large cluster of buildings from which white smoke was continuously billowing, ¡°Your Highness, that is the French United Steam Engine Company.¡±

 Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 172: Citywide Manhunt

    Chapter 195: Chapter 172: Citywide Manhunt

    Murdock stared intently at the dark machine rumbling in front of him.

    Not until Sandler¡¯s voice overpowered the roar of the machine could one hear, ¡°Pressure normal! Throttle valve normal!¡±

    Murdock immediately showed ecstatic joy, shouted ¡°Release the steam,¡± and then embraced each assistant one by one to celebrate.

    A factory supervisor jogged into the test shed and called out to Murdock, ¡°Mr. Murdock, the Crown Prince has arrived!¡±

    ¡°Ah? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±

    ¡°You said that during the test, unless God Himself came, nothing should disturb you¡­¡±

    ¡°From now on, exclude both the Crown Prince and God!¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright¡­¡±

    Once Murdock and others had performed their formalities, Joseph asked with a smile, ¡°Just now, I seemed to have heard your cheers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Murdock pointed to the huge black lump in the test shed, excitedly saying, ¡°We¡¯ve succeeded! It was completely manufactured by our own technicians, and its power output, coal consumption are entirely in line with Watt Company¡¯s products.¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely the best steam engine technician in Europe!¡± Joseph immediately praised, ¡°In just over two months, you¡¯ve built the most cutting-edge steam engine in the world. Congratulations to you and your technicians!¡±

    In fact, this steam engine was just a replica of a British product, and it even used many parts that were easily available in the market.

    However, it performed a cut above the best steam engine France could previously produce, and it was accomplished by Murdock and his team while they were busy setting up the factory.

    Murdock and the others, filled with enthusiasm, started the new steam engine again to give Joseph a demonstration.

    ¡°Your Highness, with the successful experience of this steam engine, we can now start manufacturing new high-pressure steam engines,¡± Sandler yelled out.

    Murdock echoed loudly from the side, ¡°Right! We will surpass Watt Company¡¯s products in one fell swoop!¡±

    Joseph pondered for a moment but then shook his head, ¡°For now, a 15-horsepower steam engine can meet most needs; our goal should be how to sell more machines. After increasing the product¡¯s market presence, we can consider technological upgrades.¡±

    Murdock was briefly stunned, then quickly smiled and nodded, ¡°The Highness is right, of course, recouping costs is most important.¡±

    Joseph shook his head again, ¡°It¡¯s not just about making money. It¡¯s more about nurturing the market, allowing people to become familiar with steam engines as soon as possible, and more willing to accept them. High-performance but expensive products will always be chosen by only a small number of users. Cheap and functional products are the main sales force.¡±

    Murdock and Sandler both silently nodded in agreement.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Your next main goal is to improve the reliability of the steam engine, and then make its appearance more compact and neat as much as possible, making it easier to transport and install.

    ¡°Another thing is to provide various kits, such as those that can be directly modified to match current waterwheels, automatic looms, etc.¡±

    He then looked towards the black machine not far away and asked, ¡°Mr. Murdock, how much does this steam engine cost to build?¡±

    ¡°It cost about 13,800 livres, Your Highness.¡±

    At this, Joseph¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but twitch¡ªtrue to its reputation as the pinnacle technology of the age, the price was indeed steep.

    ¡°After mass production, what can we reduce the cost to?¡±

    ¡°Estimated to be around 11,000 livres.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s set the selling price at 13,000 livres per unit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s a bit too low, Your Highness!¡± Murdock immediately objected, ¡°You see, the Watt Company sells a similar steam engine for 17,000 livres.¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°How many can he sell in a year?¡±

    ¡°Usually between 20 and 30 units.¡±

    ¡°What do you think of the price if we could sell 80 units per year, or even more?¡±

    Murdock¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Your Highness, with all due respect, I fear that sales figure may not be achievable¡­¡±

    Joseph patted his shoulder and smiled, ¡°What if the wealthy parishes in France were willing to pool money to buy a steam engine for irrigation, or the mining areas to buy some for pumping water, and Lyon¡¯s textile workshops to drive automatic looms? Do you think we could sell 80 units then?¡±

    Murdock hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, those parishes have never bought steam engines before. As for the textile industry, as you know, France has not yet produced an automatic loom¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to worry about these things, the government will soon issue documents to the provinces, offering low-interest loans to parishes for purchasing irrigation equipment. And as for the automatic looms, I will have someone bring in the British goods and immediately begin copying them.

    ¡°If we still can¡¯t reach the sales target, we could consider leasing, letting people use the steam engines first and gradually recouping the costs.¡±

    The Watt steam engine didn¡¯t really take off until the early 19th century, largely because of his company¡¯s promotional efforts.

    But Joseph had started by using administrative measures to open up the market for France¡¯s steam engine companies!

    With close technological capabilities, high sales volume would inevitably lead to more technical feedback and promote technological iteration.

    Government action vs company action, Joseph believed, would mean that in not too many years, France¡¯s steam engines would begin to sell back to England.

    ¡­

    Less than a day after Joseph¡¯s carriage left Nancy, he encountered couriers from Paris on the way.

    Moreover, there were two batches, sent by Fouche and Brian respectively.

    The content of the two letters was essentially the same: Necker had fled. Although an arrest warrant had not yet been formally issued¡ªCarolina¡¯s evidence was still en route¡ªthe Secret Police, Paris Police, and Police Affairs Department had already set out in full force to capture Necker.

    Joseph immediately frowned, not expecting him to escape given such stringent arrangements.

    After pondering for a moment, he wrote a letter to Brian, instructing him to order the governors of the border provinces to closely monitor the exit channels, especially those heading to England and Prussia.

    Several days later, when Joseph returned to Paris, he saw Fouche already waiting by the roadside.

    Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Fouche almost bowed his head to the ground, desperately blaming himself.

    Joseph waved his hand to interrupt him, motioning for him to get in the carriage, ¡°That tunnel must have been dug before you sent people to infiltrate his house. It seems he was prepared to flee at any moment, so it¡¯s not entirely your fault.¡±

    Fouche breathed a sigh of relief internally, ¡°Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph asked, ¡°Have you found any clues to Necker¡¯s whereabouts?¡±

    ¡°Not yet¡­¡± Fouche said, looking dejected, but quickly added, ¡°However, I¡¯ve set up checkpoints on all roads entering and exiting Paris, spotters in waste areas and bushes, and people watching over every farmhouse within a radius of a mile. I believe Necker is still inside Paris.¡±

    Joseph furrowed his brow in thought, ¡°Or perhaps, we could have the Secret Police conduct a house-to-house search?¡±

    Necker was worth hundreds of millions and certainly warranted such extensive efforts.

    Fouche then remembered something else and hastily spoke, ¡°Right, Your Highness, besides the Police Affairs Department and the Secret Police, it seems there are others looking for Necker. There are even rumors in the underworld that this group has offered a reward of 50,000 livres for information on Necker¡¯s whereabouts.¡±

 Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 173: Desperate Situation

    Chapter 196: Chapter 173: Desperate Situation

    ¡°`

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph looked at Fouche and asked, ¡°Do you know who is looking for Necker?¡±

    ¡°This, we can¡¯t be sure yet. However, our informant at the Klassen Bank reported that the bank has recalled all of its commercial spies, probably for some other important task. And there is news from the Paris Bank that they are hiring a large number of private detectives,¡± Fouche replied.

    ¡°It is indeed the people from the banking industry,¡± Joseph nodded slightly. It seemed that Carolina was right; Necker must have involved in a lot of unsavory dealings with the major banks, and these people wanted to find him before the government did.

    He tapped the armrest of his chair thoughtfully, finding it strange that Necker, as a spokesperson for major banks and a senior member of the Banking Guild, should have sought help from the industry immediately after the incident, yet he chose to hide at the first opportunity.

    Thus, there was only one possibility¡ªNecker did not trust the people of the Banking Guild.

    This was not surprising, as Necker was Swiss and didn¡¯t have deep roots in France. Now that an incident had occurred, he couldn¡¯t be sure that the French bankers wouldn¡¯t silence him to prevent the leak of information.

    Thinking this, Joseph became even more convinced of the need to mobilize the Secret Police to search house by house, and he was willing to call in the army if necessary¡ªhe had to find Necker before the Banking Guild did!

    Joseph further urged Fouche to step up the search, then he hurried off to the Palace of Versailles, planning to discuss with Brian and Robel of the Secret Police about launching a citywide manhunt in Paris.

    In the carriage, Clementine, noticing the Crown Prince¡¯s serious expression and furrowed brow, asked tentatively, ¡°Cousin, are you troubled by something? Talk to me; things often seem less troubling when you talk about them.¡±

    Joseph sighed and asked casually, ¡°Clementine, how would you go about looking for someone who has gone missing?¡±

    The young girl pondered for a moment and earnestly replied, ¡°Well, I would first go and ask his friends or servants where he might have gone, and then¡­¡±

    At this, Joseph suddenly stopped, realizing that he had overlooked something important¡ªthe people from the Banking Guild were far more familiar with Necker than he was!

    Even Necker¡¯s subordinates could be recommended by some major bank.

    With these people close to Necker providing leads, no matter how many people he used, it would be hard to ensure an advantage¡­

    What to do?

    Clementine kept talking to herself, but noticed that her cousin¡¯s brow was furrowing even more. She quickly reassured him, ¡°Did one of your friends disappear? You don¡¯t need to worry so much. Maybe he¡¯s just got something to do and he¡¯ll come back by himself after a while.¡±

    Joseph managed a slight smile at her and said, ¡°Thank you for your consolation, but that person will not appear on his own¡­¡±

    Wait a minute!

    He was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly felt like he had grasped something.

    If he couldn¡¯t find Necker faster than the Banking Guild, why not make Necker show himself?

    Just as ancient strategists would leave one side of an encirclement open, the enemy would surely flee in that unprotected direction.

    If he could block all other ways out for Necker, then Necker would have no choice but to take the path he had left open for him!

    Joseph refined this idea, and a strategy for leaving an open route began to take shape in his mind.

    He sincerely thanked Clementine, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely an expert at finding people; I¡¯m truly grateful for your help!¡±

    The young girl, blushing with pride, popped a piece of vanilla mint candy into her mouth as a reward and then offered a piece to her cousin as well.

    The carriage stopped in the marble square of the Palace of Versailles, and Joseph alighted and made a beeline for the Finance Minister¡¯s office.

    In this ¡°leave one side open¡± plan, the key was the ¡°open side,¡± and the difficulty lay in requiring Queen Mary¡¯s cooperation.

    Soon, Minister of the Interior Mono and Justice Minister Breti, among several other Cabinet Ministers, all gathered in Brian¡¯s office, looking at Joseph in surprise.

    ¡°Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I don¡¯t quite understand. Shouldn¡¯t we be focusing all our efforts on arresting Necker?¡±

    ¡°But why have you ordered the recall of the arrest warrant and even asked Queen Mary to announce his pardon?¡±

    As Joseph¡¯s political allies in the Cabinet, they had naturally heard about the embezzlement charges that Carolina had exposed against Necker.

    Joseph looked around at them and said, ¡°When a person faces a situation of certain death, if he sees a chance to live, he will undoubtedly take that route. I want the Royal Family to become Necker¡¯s only way out.¡±

    Breti immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, with such serious charges of embezzlement against Necker, he should be strictly tried. Pardoning him might not be appropriate.¡±

    Joseph replied, ¡°Necker himself is not important. What I want is the information he has!

    ¡°As for the pardon, heh, although the King has pardoned him, if someone else wants to punish him, we can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±

    Brian looked at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, what exactly does Necker know?¡±

    ¡°It could involve several billion livres of government debt!¡±

    There was a moment of silence in the room.

    In the afternoon, several Cabinet Ministers, leading a group of renowned nobles, went to Petit Trianon Palace, to persuade Queen Mary to announce the cancellation of Necker¡¯s trial and promise that he would not be sentenced to death, nor would there be lengthy imprisonment.

    Queen Mary had previously seen the report about Necker¡¯s embezzlement submitted by Brian. Although she was puzzled by the actions of the ministers and nobles, she couldn¡¯t resist their importuning due to her soft-heartedness.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 173: Desperate Situation_2

    Chapter 197: Chapter 173: Desperate Situation_2

    After everyone¡¯s persuasion with phrases such as ¡°displaying the Royal Family¡¯s clemency and benevolence,¡± ¡°showing His Majesty¡¯s concern for his ministers,¡± ¡°prioritizing the recovery of embezzled funds,¡± and ¡°giving the former minister a chance to turn over a new leaf,¡± Queen Mary felt that it seemed quite reasonable and thus hazily agreed to it.

    Early the next morning, Queen Mary publicly announced in front of a large assembly of nobles and journalists that Necker would be dealt with leniently, and displayed the document signed by the King.

    At the same time, several pamphlets began to circulate wildly in Paris.

    The bulk of the pamphlets¡¯ content were the usual noble erotic stories, but inserted among them was a piece of news: someone was offering 150,000 livres for the head of Jacques Necker. Even just for providing information, one could get 100,000.

    Subsequently, the criminal underworld of Paris received an even more astonishing offer: 180,000 for the death of Necker, 120,000 for information.

    On that day, the front pages of all the major newspapers in Paris had at the top half ¡°Necker possibly implicated in corruption, the Royal Family decides to spare him from severe punishment,¡± while the bottom half stated, ¡°Unknown forces offer a sky-high bounty for the death of Necker.¡±

    The Secret Police and the Police Affairs Department both received new orders to redirect a large number of the forces searching for Necker to the outskirts of Paris, sealing the city tightly to prevent Necker from escaping.

    The next day, the mysterious power raised the bounty on Necker to 200,000.

    And the newspapers and pamphlets, having obtained information from various channels, began to seriously analyze who wanted Necker dead.

    Of course, under Joseph¡¯s deliberate guidance, all articles unanimously pointed to the Banking Guild.

    ¡­

    In an inconspicuous house on the north side of Paris, Necker¡¯s butler Elonc carefully observed the street through the gap in the curtains to ensure there were no suspicious individuals before he brought a tray of food to the bedroom.

    He closed the door, then sequentially pulled on the bedhead and the dressing table, and a faint ¡°click¡± sound came from behind the wardrobe.

    Elonc lifted the floor behind the wardrobe, bending down to enter the square opening that was revealed.

    In the dimly lit second basement, Necker, looking haggard, took the tray and first distributed the food to his wife and two children, skipping lunch himself to grab the newspaper from the tray.

    It was the ¡°Paris News.¡± He skimmed through the front page of the article and felt a tightness in his chest.

    Although it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated, the article insinuated, between the lines, that the banking tycoons were behind the 200,000 livres bounty on his life, and their credit was absolutely reliable; even if the killer died, the bounty would be delivered to his family.

    ¡°These bastards possessed by the devil!¡±

    Suppressing his voice, Necker slammed the newspaper to the ground.

    ¡°Paris News¡± was the newspaper of the Duke of Orleans, who was one of the major players behind the Banking Guild.

    If even his newspaper was speaking this way, it meant that there was an absolute intention to see him dead, without leaving any room for escape.

    These men, for whom he had made so much money, were ready to cast him aside without hesitation at the first sign of trouble!

    He was unaware that in the past two days, the ¡°Paris News¡± had been blocked from getting published by the news bureau for various reasons and could not actually be distributed.

    And the ¡°Paris News¡± that now appeared on the market had been fabricated by Joseph¡¯s ¡°Paris Commercial News¡± publishing house and then sold by newsboys.

    As for copyright infringement¡ªha, let the ¡°Paris News¡± sue in court after Necker¡¯s affair was over, at most they¡¯d compensate you tenfold for the loss; did they really think they could shut down the Crown Prince¡¯s newspaper?

    Necker then picked up a few pamphlets brought by the butler and was alarmed to see that the bounty had risen again, reaching the terrifying amount of 300,000 livres.

    He knew all too well what this number meant.

    Not to mention making the entire Parisian underworld go crazy, even an ordinary citizen would turn into the coldest-blooded murderer upon seeing this sum!

    It also meant that no one he saw could be trusted anymore. Those who had made arrangements to help him escape could not be contacted again; 300,000 livres could lead them to betray him at any moment.

    After all, though he claimed to have a fortune of ten million, most of it was anonymously deposited in various banks, a large part of which was in foreign banks. He only had 2,000 gold coins in his possession¡ªit was simply not possible for him to carry much cash with him because of its weight.

    Therefore, he was absolutely incapable of bribing those greedy scoundrels seeking the reward.

    Moreover, even if he could come up with a large sum of money, he wouldn¡¯t dare take the gamble¡ªwho knew whether they would take his money and then turn around and decapitate him for 300,000 livres.

    After all, it was 300,000!

    What were credit and morals but a joke in the face of such a vast fortune.

    Madame Necker looked at the newspaper in her husband¡¯s hands and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Dear, are we still leaving tomorrow?¡±

    Necker suddenly grabbed her arm and snapped, ¡°Leave! All you think about is leaving! Do you want to get us killed?!¡±

    He pointed toward the basement entrance, ¡°I swear, before I even get on the carriage, that coachman would stab me twice from behind! It¡¯s all over¡­ everything is over¡­¡±

    He slumped onto the bed, but his eyes inadvertently swept over the newspaper that was spread open, where he saw a piece of news he had read the day before¡ªQueen Mary had publicly declared that his life would be spared and he wouldn¡¯t even be sentenced to more than five years of imprisonment.

    The newspaper also speculated that as long as Necker returned the embezzled funds and paid some fines, he would most likely be exiled in the end.

    A fierce struggle began in his heart, and, after a long while, he suddenly stood up from the bed, his eyes filled with hatred.

    If the Banking Guild wants me dead, then they can¡¯t blame me for cooperating with the French Royal Family!

    That evening, the butler Elonc quietly vanished into the night¡­

    About an hour later, hundreds of Police Affairs Department and Secret Police personnel surrounded the cottage where Necker was hiding.

    Fouche led the charge personally, only to find that the secret basement was completely empty.

    As he was becoming increasingly anxious, several of his subordinates ran in and reported that Necker had been captured.

    ¡°Where did you catch him?¡± Fouche glanced at the empty basement, asking doubtfully.

    ¡°He crawled out from the sewer on the side of the street by himself.¡±

    Fouche had no idea that the 300,000 livres reward meant that Necker couldn¡¯t even trust his most loyal butler, fearing he might bring an assassin back, so he left the house earlier and went into hiding.

    Fouche finally completed his mission and immediately escorted Necker to the Bastille.

    ¡­

    Royal Palace.

    The bigwigs of the Banking Guild were anxiously looking at the Duke of Orleans.

    Originally their people had gotten wind of some of Necker¡¯s whereabouts, but the sudden emergence of the hefty reward threw all of their plans into disarray.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected the Royal Family to pardon him,¡± the Duke of Orleans also frowned, ¡°With this 300,000 livres reward, Necker might very well surrender to the Royal Family.¡±

    Count Capefield said, ¡°We need to let Necker know as soon as possible that we are not behind the reward!¡±

    The Count of Isaac looked at him contemptuously, ¡°If we could find him, would we need to go to all this trouble?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans shook his head, ¡°Nowadays the publications are controlled, even my newspaper was forged, it¡¯s difficult to get the message to him.¡±

    At that moment, the Duke of Orleans¡¯ butler hustled in, whispering a few words into his ear.

    ¡°What? That fool got caught!¡± the Duke of Orleans exclaimed, looking at the butler, ¡°Is the news reliable?¡±

    ¡°It comes from our people in the Secret Police, he¡¯s currently on the way to the Bastille.¡±

    Everyone in the room immediately fell into a panic.

    The Duke of Orleans stared at them and shouted, ¡°Calm down, everyone! Before, we couldn¡¯t find Necker, and only the Royal Family could spread rumors, but now that he has appeared, maybe it¡¯s a good thing.¡±

    After pondering for a moment, he said to the butler, ¡°Go find Colonel Lavier immediately, and see that he gets to Necker, tell him¡­¡±

    Two hours later.

    Necker was finally locked up in a Bastille cell, exactly as he had wished.

    Contrary to what people imagined, the cell was a suite complete with a toilet and dining area, very clean and tidy, even furnished with a sofa and a padded big bed.

    Fearing another mishap, Fouche personally brought along more than a dozen subordinates, who watched Necker and his family at all times, not exempting even the use of the bathroom.

    At this moment, a tall officer approached with guards, exchanged pleasantries with Fouche, and gestured toward Necker, ¡°As you know, every prisoner who comes here must undergo a routine check, I have to go through the motions.¡±

 Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 174: Your Enemy Always Understands You Best

    Chapter 198: Chapter 174: Your Enemy Always Understands You Best

    ¡°Oh, of course, please go ahead,¡± Fouche said, stepping aside to let the officer through.

    After all, he was merely a low-ranking policeman. The fact that he could guard Necker here all depended on the permission issued by Count Robel of the Secret Police.

    The tall officer nodded and smiled at him and then approached the prisoner to take a careful look at this man with messy hair and a shaggy beard to confirm he was indeed Necker before pretending to search him.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already searched him, you can rest assured. No dangerous items or valuables,¡± Fouche assured him from the side.

    The officer moved to Necker¡¯s side as if he was checking his trouser pockets but leaned in close to his ear and whispered rapidly, ¡°As long as you say nothing, you will be rescued within three days and then taken to England.¡±

    Necker was startled and turned his head to look at the officer, who had already put on his gloves and was walking toward the door: ¡°No problems here, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±

    Fouche waited for him to leave, immediately closed the door securely, and signaled to his subordinates: ¡°Come on, make it quick!¡±

    The interrogation of Necker had already begun that very evening.

    The two Chief Examiners were Police Commissioners from the Secret Police, with Fouche and his colleagues listening in¡ªsuch a case that agitated the Queen would undoubtedly have to be officially handled by the ¡°claws¡± of the Secret Police.

    However, the interrogation continued till dawn, and yet Necker barely spoke a word.

    Even when faced with irrefutable evidence, he only looked at the Chief Examiner who was raging and neither admitted nor denied anything, as if he was not the person involved at all.

    The two Chief Examiners, exhausted, decided to take a break for a while.

    Fouche ordered Prosper to keep a close watch on Necker, forbidding even the Secret Police from leaving without permission, and then returned to the cell on the third floor of the Bastille with an assistant.

    The officer from the Police Affairs Department guarding the cell saluted him, ¡°Everything is normal, sir.¡±

    Fouche nodded and glanced through the small window in the door, then pulled over a chair and dozed off next to the door.

    It wasn¡¯t until noon that the clinking of dishes and cutlery woke him up.

    He squinted and saw an officer and two soldiers approaching with food in their hands.

    Fouche¡¯s subordinate immediately stepped up, exchanged a few words with the officer, who then smiled, took some spare utensils, and tasted each dish.

    Once the officer from the Police Affairs Department gave the all-clear, the door was opened and they motioned inside: ¡°Please come in.¡±

    The officer entered, and in front of several guards, placed the lavish food on the table. However, no one noticed that as he lifted the dish of creamed pea soup, his thumbnail dipped into it.

    After the food was served, the officer gestured to Necker, who was sitting rigidly on the couch, and to the woman and child huddled in the corner of the room: ¡°Your meal is served.¡±

    Almost an hour later, a disturbance erupted in the cell with loud voices and a woman¡¯s scream.

    Fouche, who was still catching up on sleep, abruptly opened his eyes, sprang from his chair, and rushed into the room.

    There he saw Necker lying on the couch in pain, his body spasming occasionally, with dark blood trickling down his stubbled face onto the floor.

    Fouche touched Necker¡¯s neck to feel his pulse and turned to his subordinates asking, ¡°Has he been poisoned?¡±

    The officer from the Police Affairs Department pointed at the food on the table: ¡°It appears so, sir. He started having stomach pains soon after he ate, and then this happened.¡±

    ¡°The hand is quick,¡± Fouche said with a cold smile, instructing those around him, ¡°Arrest the ones who just brought the food.

    ¡°Oran, find some animals to test this food.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡­

    Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans pushed open the door to a large hall on the second floor, smiling and greeting the banking magnates who had been discussing strategies, ¡°Don¡¯t look so glum, gentlemen, the situation isn¡¯t that dire.

    ¡°I suggest we all enjoy a delicious dinner first, perhaps by The situation will have resolved itself by then.¡±

    ¡°Necker has had dealings with you too, so how can you be so carefree?¡± asked the owner of Belanger Bank, looking at him, ¡°What exactly is your plan?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± the Duke of Orleans gestured towards the hallway, ¡°The dining room is this way.¡±

    Count of Isaac, catching something in his demeanor, said in surprise, ¡°You¡¯ve really solved it?¡±

    Seeing the Duke¡¯s silent smile, the others were instantly overjoyed: ¡°Oh, God, you have saved us all!¡±

    ¡°Wonderful, looks like there¡¯s no trouble after all¡­¡±

    ¡°I swear, you are the finest, greatest of the Cape![note 1]¡±

    As the banking tycoons heaped empty flattery, they bowed to the Duke of Orleans, each secretly relieved that choosing him as their patron had been such a wise decision!

    Just then, the butler Donnadieu hurried over, presenting a small, seal-waxed scroll respectfully to the Duke of Orleans.

    The latter lifted the scroll smugly to show everyone in the room, then broke the seal and slowly unfurled it.

    However, upon seeing the two lines of text, his expression darkened instantly. He turned and demanded of the butler, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ravier say it was done?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what he reported at noon,¡± the butler answered tremulously.

    The Duke of Orleans tore the note into dozens of pieces with a vicious motion, dropping them on the floor: ¡°How can this be possible?¡±

    The note was from his mole within the Secret Police. It contained only two sentences: Necker would be interrogated in the afternoon, he had not implicated any other banks.

    But Ravier had told him Necker had been poisoned at lunch!

 Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 174: Your Enemy Always Understands You Best_2

    Chapter 199: Chapter 174: Your Enemy Always Understands You Best_2

    The Duke of Orleans suddenly remembered something and hurriedly grabbed the steward, ¡°Has Ravier been found?¡±

    The steward was somewhat confused and quickly bowed, ¡°I will send someone to inquire immediately.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans closed the door to the hall with the back of his hand and paced back and forth, cursing under his breath, ¡°That fool Ravier, why didn¡¯t he prepare more!¡±

    He suddenly stopped, realizing that no matter how Necker had eluded the poisoning, he most likely would no longer believe the lie of being ¡°saved to go to England.¡±

    That is to say, the dealings between Necker and the banks were very likely to become known to the Royal Family.

    He pulled over a chair and sat down tiredly, feeling agitated and at a loss¡ªwhat to do next?

    He had already lost control of public opinion and the High Court, and his infiltration into the army was abandoned due to a baffling assassination attempt. If he lost control over finances now, then the Orleans family¡¯s century-long challenge for the throne would certainly come to an end in his generation!

    No, there must be a way. The Duke of Orleans wiped the sweat from the palm of his hand on his coat, What other powers can I still call upon¡­

    Count Capefield, who was beside him, saw the atmosphere suddenly turn somber and couldn¡¯t help but ask cautiously, ¡°So, are we still going to have lunch now?¡±

    ¡­

    The Bastille.

    In a cell on the third floor, Necker, who had changed into a white coat, cleanly shaved his beard, and was wearing a wig, stared wide-eyed at another ¡°himself¡± lying on the ground, his heart filled with dread.

    If the police had not taken him to the small building across from the Bastille for interrogation, the person vomiting filthy blood and turning into a corpse would have been him.

    Yes, last night Fouch¨¦ had placed a death-row inmate here to impersonate Necker, and thanks to Necker¡¯s previously unkempt hair and beard, it was difficult to see any difference at first glance.

    Joseph had long known that the Bastille was as penetrable as a sieve. Jeanne, who had concocted the ¡°Affair of the Necklace,¡± had been able to escape from here, let alone such an important target as Necker. So, he ordered Fouch¨¦ to create a fake target to draw fire, while the real Necker was kept in a civilian house by the roadside, which was surprisingly safe.

    Necker suddenly thought of something and turned to Fouch¨¦ in a hurry, ¡°What about Susan and the children?!¡±

    Susan was the name of his wife. To lure the assassin into a trap, these police had used his wife and children to cooperate with the imposter.

    Fouch¨¦ gestured toward the inner room, ¡°They¡¯re fine. Their food was personally delivered by my people.¡±

    Necker breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the body on the ground, and suddenly said coldly, ¡°This was just your ruse to plot against me, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    The door was pushed open, and Prosper walked in, tipping his hat to Fouch¨¦ in greeting, ¡°Chief, the one who brought the food was named Carla, a lieutenant.¡±

    ¡°Did you catch him?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±

    Fouch¨¦ kicked the sofa in frustration, ¡°Damn it! How did he die? Who killed him?!¡±

    ¡°He was poisoned,¡± said Prosper, ¡°He¡¯s still hanging on to life, but he can¡¯t speak anymore.¡±

    Fouch¨¦ glanced towards Necker, his tone full of sarcasm, ¡°Would you like to see how we poison an officer to plot against you?

    ¡°His Majesty the King has already pardoned you. Who do you think most wants you dead now?¡±

    Necker¡¯s head drooped despondently, his last sliver of hope utterly extinguished.

    Before long, Joseph also hurried to the Bastille upon hearing the news.

    After listening to Fouch¨¦ briefly describe the events since yesterday, he first asked, ¡°Is the assassin still alive?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Your Highness, he breathed his last two hours ago.¡±

    ¡°So soon?¡± Joseph frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you perform gastric lavage on him?¡±

    ¡°Er, what¡¯s gastric lavage?¡±

    Joseph shook his head and sighed. It seemed that gastric lavage hadn¡¯t been invented in this era. If they could have performed it on the poison victim immediately, he might have survived the night, and perhaps they would have been able to extract information about the mastermind behind the scenes.

    ¡°How much did Necker confess?¡±

    Fouche bowed his head, ¡°He has been silent. He says he will only reveal more if we agree to exile him.¡±

    Joseph sneered, ¡°Still trying to bargain? Once that person arrives, he will confess everything obediently.¡±

    ¡°Alright, go attend to your duties, but keep a close watch on Mr. Necker.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    After Fouche and the others left, Joseph then turned his gaze to Bernard-Ren¨¦ Jourdan de Launay, the commander of the Bastille¡¯s garrison, who had a pained expression on his face as he stood by.

    ¡°Marquis of Launay, do you realize how important Necker is? Do you understand the impact his death would have caused?

    ¡°That, Your Highness, I am truly sorry. It was negligence on the part of my officers,¡± Launay wiped the cold sweat from his brow, relieved that the Royal Family had been alerted so quickly and that Necker was not dead, otherwise, his position would have been difficult to keep.

    Joseph gave him a cold look, ¡°Negligence by your ¡®subordinates¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no,¡± Launay bowed repeatedly, ¡°It was my negligence!¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Hmm, I will report this truthfully to Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Launay immediately panicked, ¡°Please don¡¯t do so, Your Highness! Give me another chance, please¡­¡±

    Joseph stopped walking and looked at him, ¡°From now on, change the guards at the gates of the Bastille, the cooks, the cleaners¡ªeveryone to my people. Your officers and soldiers are to stay at least a hundred steps away from Necker¡¯s cell.¡±

    ¡°Good, good, I will follow your orders!¡±

    ¡°Furthermore, you have half a month to find the mastermind behind the murder plot against Necker.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I will definitely find that person!¡±

    Joseph knew that the mastermind behind this was almost certainly someone from the Banking Guild, but there was no way Launay could find them.

    Nevertheless, the Bastille had become a sore point in the hearts of the French people, frequently used to smear the Royal Family. He took this opportunity to gain leverage, which would make dealing with the Bastille much easier later on.

    Night fell.

    In the interrogation room on the second floor of the Bastille, Necker was gnashing his teeth, only repeating ¡°I need a promise from the Royal Family,¡± ¡°Only exile is acceptable,¡± and such.

    Suddenly, the door to the interrogation room was pushed open, and a familiar face appeared before him.

    Necker was taken aback, blurting out, ¡°Carolina? What are you doing here?!¡±

    Carolina, donned in a simple black coat, casually bowed to him and smiled warmly, ¡°Good evening, Mr. Necker. How long has it been since we last met? Ah, since my exile two years ago, right?¡±

    ¡°You, why have you come?¡± Necker repeated mechanically.

    Carolina nodded to Fouche and the others before taking his seat at the Chief Examiner¡¯s position, expertly flipping through the interrogation records and case files.

    After a moment, he raised his head to look at Necker and smiled again, ¡°The Crown Prince has sent me to be your Chief Examiner. Mr. Necker, my old friend, are you surprised?¡±

    ¡°Why you¡­¡±

    ¡°Heh, we¡¯ve fought in the open and in the shadows for so many years, I am probably the person most familiar with those things you¡¯ve done in this world.¡± Carolina browsed the dossier, ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time, let¡¯s start with this loan agreement you have with Belanger Bank.¡±

    ¡°No, I need a promise for exile!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, let me guess, you probably signed two contracts for this loan of four million livres with Belanger Bank.¡± Carolina completely ignored him, feeling a surge of vengeful pleasure as his mind swiftly pinpointed all suspicious details and deduced them with his years of experience in embezzlement, ¡°Look here, at the government¡¯s interest expenditure, you may have balanced the accounts, but the direction of the funds here has left a trail¡­¡±

    Necker listened to him drone on for over an hour, his expression shifting from anger to shock¡ªCarolina¡¯s words matched the reality more and more until they were almost identical. And this was something only he and the directors of Belanger Bank knew!

    ¡°Hmm, it seems you¡¯re agreeing.¡± Carolina nodded in satisfaction and asked the clerk, ¡°Did you get all that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Viscount Carolina.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Tomorrow have the Royal Police make arrests and check the accounts according to this; I¡¯m sure there will be discoveries to be made.¡±

    Necker¡¯s cold sweat immediately began to stream down his back¡­

 Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 176: French Industrial Development Fund

    Chapter 202: Chapter 176: French Industrial Development Fund

    ¡°Oh? They sure know how to exploit the government¡¯s weaknesses,¡± a cold light flashed in Joseph¡¯s eyes.

    After serving as the assistant to the Finance Minister, he had gained a clear understanding of France¡¯s financial situation. A significant portion of the money borrowed by the government came from wealthy nobles, accounting for more than twenty percent. If one also considered the money nobles deposited in banks and the state bonds they purchased, they were arguably the largest group of creditors to the government¡¯s debts.

    That is to say, if the nobles were to stop providing funds to the government, the national finances would quickly become unsustainable. Historically, these characters had instigated the ¡°Anti-Tax Alliance,¡± using tax resistance to blackmail the Royal Family, and ultimately they succeeded.

    No wonder Brian came hurrying to Paris to find himself; he truly feared the nobles would come to blows with the government.

    Brian said with an anxious look, ¡°Your Highness, shall we postpone the trial of Necker and have him pay a fine first¡­¡±

    Joseph frowned, ¡°What, are you scared by those nobles?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Although Brian was saying ¡°it¡¯s not that,¡± his expression was filled with tension, ¡°But you know, if they really did that, even if only a small half of them did, the finances would¡­¡±

    Brian wanted to say more, but Joseph gestured towards his carriage, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Palace of Versailles and discuss it on the way.¡±

    The carriage started slowly, and inside, Joseph asked, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, have there been similar commotions caused by bank bankruptcies before?¡±

    Brian shook his head in recollection, ¡°Your Highness, it was usually just one bank with problems, and since it wasn¡¯t related to any case, the bankruptcy process wasn¡¯t so swift, giving people time to manage their investments in the bank.¡±

    ¡°But this time Belanger Bank collapsed too quickly, and with over a dozen more banks facing bankruptcy soon after, everyone is terrified.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°So, the reason the nobles are reacting so furiously is because Belanger Bank did not settle its debts, nor did it announce a plan to offset debts with credits, abandoning all their investors?¡±

    ¡°Precisely, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then continued, ¡°So, if someone were to acquire Belanger Bank now and promise the nobles to acknowledge and repay their investments, they¡¯d immediately be satisfied and disperse?¡±

    Brian said with a pained expression, ¡°But as it stands, nobody is willing to buy it, because no one knows how much the bank will have to pay in fines¡­¡±

    He paused as if realizing something, ¡°You mean, to waive its fines?¡±

    Joseph immediately shook his head; if those involved banks weren¡¯t penalized, wouldn¡¯t that mean allowing them to sheer millions or even hundreds of millions of livres off the government for nothing!

    The current problems all focused on how to pay the nobles¡¯ investments.

    He reviewed all the banking and financial operations from future knowledge, yet found no ready-made solution. Brian was even more clueless, only able to look at him with a frown.

    As trees and buildings whipped past the window, Joseph thought about the various ways these great nobles had previously hampered him and damaged the country, and he felt a surge of anger.

    He punched his fist onto the seat, grinding his teeth, ¡°Just confiscate all those bastards¡¯ money!¡±

    He exhaled, knowing it was just a temperamental outburst¡­

    Wait¡­ a new thought occurred to him. Although he couldn¡¯t confiscate the nobles¡¯ money, he could delay payment to them!

    If it could wait five or seven years for France¡¯s financial issues to alleviate, the country would be fully capable of paying off these debts.

    Therefore, some tactics would be required to make the nobles ¡°voluntarily¡± leave their money behind.

    When it came to tactics, he immediately thought of ¡°debt-to-equity swap,¡± but felt it wasn¡¯t quite right; the shareholding system of that era was far from perfect, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle such a large amount.

    Then he considered a variation, something like a ¡°debts-to-funds swap¡±¡­

    As the carriage left Paris City, Joseph looked up at Brian with a smile, ¡°If no one acquires it, then my Bank of France Reserve will make the purchase.¡±

    ¡°Your bank?¡± Brian exclaimed in shock, ¡°Your Highness, if you want to acquire Belanger Bank, not only will you need the acquisition costs, but you will also need to prepare a large sum to pay the investments the nobles might reclaim.¡±

    ¡°And even if you manage to gather the funds to acquire Belanger Bank, there are still over a dozen more banks that are going to fail. You can¡¯t possibly acquire all of them, can you?¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Why not? I indeed plan to acquire all of them.¡±

    ¡°But where would you get such a vast amount of money?¡±

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°There won¡¯t be a need for much money.¡±

    ¡°The banks¡¯ credits minus their debts generally result in an asset balance of several million to tens of millions of livres. And because of these cases, the government can impose fines equal to the value of these assets.¡±

    ¡°Then the government can use the amount fined to invest in the Bank of France Reserve, allowing the bank to complete the acquisition at zero cost.¡±

    The so-called bank¡¯s credits were the loans lent out, most of which were to the government. The debts were the deposits from the public and the investments from the nobles. After offsetting the two, plus the bank¡¯s cash, tangible assets, and so on, one has the bank¡¯s net assets.

    Brian patiently explained, ¡°Your Highness, that is true in the ledger accounts. But once you¡¯ve acquired those banks, if the nobles want to reclaim their investments, you will need to pay them. Meanwhile, the assets, which are loans to the government, cannot be recovered immediately.¡±

    Joseph calmly said, ¡°As long as the nobles don¡¯t reclaim their investments, that will do.¡±

 Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 176 French Industrial Development Fund_2

    Chapter 203: Chapter 176 French Industrial Development Fund_2

    Brian sighed, ¡°Your Highness, but what if they don¡¯t cooperate with you? Especially after this recent turmoil, they¡¯ll surely feel that keeping their money in the bank is not safe enough¡­¡±

    Joseph laughed and waved his hand, ¡°Then it¡¯s not up to them.¡±

    Two hours later, the carriage stopped in the Marble Courtyard.

    As soon as Joseph got out of the carriage, he heard someone outside the Palace of Versailles shouting loudly, ¡°For the financial stability of France, the interrogation of Necker must be stopped!¡±

    ¡°Please, Your Majesty, grant us your mercy and leniency!¡±

    ¡°If banks keep going bankrupt, I¡¯ll never dare to buy government bonds again¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, and government loans too! We¡¯ve got to hold tight to our own purses!¡±

    Joseph looked at those excited nobles, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, and signaled to Brian beside him, ¡°Archbishop Brian, the door is about to be blocked by them, let us go to the Petit Trianon Palace first.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Your Highness.¡±

    No sooner had they walked a short distance when they saw a plump figure, with wavy hair bouncing, trotting towards them.

    ¡°Count Mono?¡± Brian halted.

    The Minister of the Interior bowed to Joseph and Brian in turn, then hesitated and said, ¡°Your Highness, where are you going? I have some suggestions I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°We¡¯re going to see Queen Mary. You can join us. Oh, what is it you want to discuss?¡±

    Mono hurried to catch up, with an apologetic smile, ¡°Your Highness, regarding Necker¡¯s case, perhaps it might be better to postpone it for a while.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why?¡±

    ¡°Look, many nobles will suffer huge losses because of this. You have to be their advocate, right? This is definitely a good opportunity to enhance the prestige of the Royal Family.¡±

    Joseph glanced at him but said nothing.

    Mono rambled on for a while, realizing he couldn¡¯t bluff his way through, and could only wring his plump hands and laugh dryly:

    ¡°Your Highness, actually, I also have some investments in Klassen Bank.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already requested to withdraw the money, but as you know, the bank needs 20 days to raise the funds. If we could continue with Necker¡¯s case after 20 days¡­¡±

    ¡°How much did you invest?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it was over 700,000 livres.¡±

    Joseph rubbed his forehead and said coldly, ¡°You know how much of an impact Necker¡¯s affair has. At this time, is it your choice to support me or your 700,000?¡±

    Mono¡¯s forehead beaded with sweat as he said with difficulty, ¡°Of, of course I support you. You know I always follow your orders. But the bank¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Joseph gestured towards the Petit Trianon Palace, ¡°Come with me later to persuade Queen Mary.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Persuade Her Majesty about what?¡±

    ¡°To step forward and establish the ¡®French Industrial Development Fund¡¯.¡±

    One hour later.

    Queen Mary looked at the three men before her, finally turning to Brian and said, ¡°Are you sure this ¡®Industrial Development Fund¡¯ will keep those people outside from bothering me?¡±

    Brian hurriedly responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I guarantee it.¡±

    Joseph added, ¡°It will also significantly reduce the national debt.¡±

    The opinions of two Cabinet Ministers, highly trusted by the two Queens, convinced her, and she finally nodded, ¡°Then fine, do it as you say. After all, it doesn¡¯t require any government money.¡±

    She furrowed her brows slightly, ¡°However, what Archbishop Brian just said about those ¡®funds,¡¯ ¡®bonds,¡¯ and the like is a bit complicated, I¡¯m not certain if I can remember it all by morning.¡±

    Joseph immediately interjected, ¡°I can assist you with that.¡±

    The Queen immediately smiled and touched his head, ¡°Dear, your mind is always so sharp, I¡¯m simply green with envy. You shall explain it tomorrow then.¡±

    When the three of them came out from the Petit Trianon Palace, Joseph gestured to Brian, ¡°Archbishop Brian, then please trouble you to announce to the nobles as discussed earlier.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness.¡±

    Brian left, and Joseph turned to Mono, ¡°To be honest, I never expected you would disrupt my arrangement for a bit of money.¡±

    Mono was startled and hurriedly said, ¡°Your Highness, please forgive me, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡°Rest assured, your money will not be less, and it will even become more. Especially your shares in the Bank of France Reserve, the future profits will be enough for you to live in luxury for a lifetime.¡±

    He left the Minister of the Interior with a bewildered face and hurried towards Louis XVI¡¯s workshop.

    The King was much easier to talk to than Queen Mary. Joseph took just over ten minutes to persuade him to attend the ¡°Industrial Development Fund¡± briefing tomorrow.

    In fact, during those ten minutes, more than half of the time was spent helping Sixteen overcome the fear he would face when confronting dozens or hundreds of people.

    ¡­

    North Africa.

    In a fortress-like prison to the east of the Mitidja area of Algiers.

    Charles listlessly piled the dust on the ground into a small castle, occasionally turning his head to look at the tiny air vent behind him.

    The sunlight seeping in through it let him know that he had been locked up in this damned place for a full eight months.

    The shipmates who had been captured with him had already been ransomed one by one or had turned into corpses.

    Only he had not been able to return.

    Not because no one cared about him, quite the contrary, because, as the first mate of the ¡°Golden Wheat,¡± he had become the most valuable person on the ship after the captain had died in the pirate attack that day.

    To be honest, he didn¡¯t like his ¡°noble¡± price at all, because it meant the Congress couldn¡¯t come up with enough money to ransom him.

    The sound of dragging footsteps came from the end of the gloomy corridor. Charles hurriedly lay on the ground and peered through a crack in the wall towards the neighboring cell. It was empty.

    He became somewhat anxious, kicked the bars of the cell fiercely, and then lowered his voice to call out, ¡°Ali! Ali, the guard is coming, did you hear me?¡±

    As the legs of the owner of the dragging footsteps appeared from the shadows, a corner of the bed in the neighboring cell was pushed open, and a stalwart middle-aged man with a beard poked his head out.

    The man moved swiftly, ¡°hissed¡± through a hole beneath the bed in one second, covered the hole with debris, and posed as if seated on the bed.

    The guard happened to walk up to Ali¡¯s cell door, glanced indifferently inside, and shoved a piece of dry bread and a bowl of yellow-green soup, the ingredients of which were unknown, through the small opening under the cell door.

    He then delivered the same lunch to Charles and lazily walked on to the next cell.

    Charles lay on the ground looking towards the neighboring cell, saw the bearded man eagerly eating the dry bread, and finally breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Hey! Can you be a little more alert? I thought I would never be able to talk to you again.¡±

    Ali, speaking English with a strange accent, laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I always know the position of the guards. I was just trying to work a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯ll have to find someone else to chat with in the future.¡±

    ¡°Find someone else?¡± Charles sat up in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you going to be hanged?¡±

    ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying?¡± Ali grumbled while chewing the bread, lowering his voice, ¡°In three days or less, I¡¯ll be able to escape.¡±

    ¡°Someone is willing to pay the ransom for you?¡± Charles felt somewhat sad, ¡°But congratulations to you. Although besides you, there¡¯s no one else here who speaks English to talk to me. I¡¯ll miss you.¡±

    Ali grimaced, ¡°No one is paying for me. But my tunnel is about to break through.¡±

    ¡°A tunnel? Haha,¡± Charles laughed, ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s possible to escape from this hellish place by digging a tunnel?

    ¡°This is the most well-guarded prison in Algiers!¡±

    He once again lay down to get closer to the crack in the wall, ¡°Do you know? Even the Pasha of Tunisia was locked up here. Oh, they say in some cell upstairs. Do you think just because you¡¯ve been digging for two months, you can escape from here? Haha.¡±

    Ali muttered disdainfully, ¡°Obviously you¡¯ve never lived in Mitidja.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m American, it¡¯s my first time here,¡± Charles shrugged, ¡°Invited by the warm and hospitable pirate gentlemen.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know, the Pasha of Tunisia escaped more than a decade ago. The guards in this prison are fools, it¡¯s easy to slip away.¡±

    ¡°What? He escaped?¡± Charles¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Everyone in Mitidja knows about it,¡± Ali gestured upwards, ¡°The one locked there is a fake, to fool the Guard during inspections.¡±

 Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 177: The Banking Industrys Major Earthquake

    Chapter 204: Chapter 177: The Banking Industry¡¯s Major Earthquake

    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s quite the amusing joke,¡± Charles laughed even louder.

    He had been running the Mediterranean route for over ten years and had some understanding of the situation in the North African countries. The Tunisian Pasha imprisoned here was named Eunice, but he wasn¡¯t actually a true Pasha.

    ¡°Pasha¡± referred to the Governor of Tunisia, appointed by the Ottoman Empire, who was in practice the King of Tunisia. Eunice had led a rebellion as a prince and proclaimed himself Pasha. His efforts, however, were crushed by his father. He then fled to Algiers and was imprisoned.

    How could such an important figure have escaped so easily?

    Ali took a sip of his soup and began today¡¯s story. This was a daily ritual between him and Charles, where they would share their experiences to pass the time¡ªdigging tunnels was impossible in the afternoon when the guards would make their rounds.

    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t mention this to anyone, but since you¡¯re an American, there¡¯s no harm in speaking of it.¡±

    After finishing his food, Ali wiped his mouth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think of Lord Eunice as a mere prisoner. Back in Tunisia, he had many followers, including several generals. And when he came to Algiers, he brought with him a large fortune.¡±

    ¡°He was locked up here by the Guard, but it took less than a year for someone to help him escape.¡±

    ¡°Now he lives on the West Coast, wealthy and powerful, and even owns a beautiful castle. Many there rely on him for their livelihood.¡±

    Charles scoffed, ¡°These legends always sound so mythical, like the Ghost Pirates of the Caribbean.¡±

    Ali immediately responded, ¡°This is no legend, my friend. You know what I do. My boss has met Lord Eunice and even dined with him.¡±

    Charles knew that Ali was a smuggler with extensive operations, handling one-seventh of the smuggled goods from England to Algiers each year. That was also the reason he wasn¡¯t hanged immediately after being caught¡ªhis boss might be willing to pay a ransom for his release.

    Ali continued to speak of Eunice, indicating that smuggling operations on the Algiers West Coast couldn¡¯t proceed without Eunice¡¯s approval.

    Sometimes he even took a cut from the Algiers Navy¡¯s deals.

    Charles spat on the floor with annoyance¡ªhe had been captured by the ¡°Navy¡± of Algiers.

    The ¡°story salon¡± only came to an end when darkness fell and Ali resumed his digging.

    Two days later, when the guard came to deliver food, they discovered that Ali had escaped.

    Charles, watching the soldiers cursing around the hole in the opposite cell, was greatly shocked and filled with regret¡ªif he had believed Ali and dug a tunnel to the adjacent cell, he could have escaped with him!

    He sighed heavily, looking at the ceiling, recalling Ali¡¯s often-repeated words, ¡°My friend, once we¡¯re out of here, I¡¯ll treat you to the finest fermented grape juice and the most beautiful girls. Oh, remember my address¡­¡±

    That afternoon, a piece of news began circulating among the nobles at the Palace of Versailles¡ªthe Queen has decided to establish the ¡°French Industrial Development Fund.¡±

    No one was quite clear on what a ¡°fund¡± was, but it was generally understood that the government would amass a large sum of money to invest in France¡¯s industry, and anyone could contribute to the fund, sharing in the profits if the investments were successful.

    It sounded a bit like buying into a company, but it seemed far less risky. However, as the fund¡¯s total amount was rumored to be up to hundreds of millions of livres, it immediately became a topic of interest.

    The next morning, the ¡°Necker Case Alliance¡± gathered in front of the main gate of the Palace of Versailles and began loudly protesting.

    Their numbers had grown since the previous day, now totaling over four hundred.

    In reality, thousands of nobles had investments in banks implicated in the Necker case, but many were afraid to make a fuss.

    However, once the headstrong few hundred opened the way, the rest were bound to follow suit.

    Viscount Protodem stood on the steps in front of the main gate, shouted some slogans, then gestured dramatically, ¡°Follow me as we plead with the Queen!¡±

    Although it was called pleading, it was actually a threat of ¡°not lending money to the government¡± to force the Royal Family¡¯s hand.

    Just as the crowd was about to turn towards the Petit Trianon Palace, two platoons of palace guards in red uniforms ran over and, following the officer¡¯s commands, took positions around them.

    The nobles were slightly startled, thinking the Royal Family intended to use the guards to disperse them, but those who lived at Versailles were accustomed to such spectacles and showed no fear. Instead, they prepared to confront the soldiers with even louder protests.

    It was then that Archbishop Brienne emerged from the main gate of the Palace of Versailles, accompanied by the Crown Prince and a group of officials from the finance department.

    The nobles from the ¡°Necker Case Alliance¡± paused briefly, then redirected their focus onto the Finance Minister, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, please advise the Queen to halt the interrogation of Necker!¡±

    ¡°Using Necker to accuse those banks must be a Cabinet conspiracy!¡±

    ¡°Archbishop Brienne, please give serious consideration to our financial issues and put an end to the Necker case.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, otherwise we shall no longer purchase any government bonds!¡±

    With a smile, Brienne raised his hand for silence, then proclaimed loudly, ¡°Necker¡¯s tenure was marked by serious embezzlement, and the interrogation of him cannot be stopped.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the implicated banks will indeed face severe punishment,¡± Joseph added from the side. He appeared there as the assistant to the Finance Minister, primarily responsible for supporting the argument.

 Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 177: The Major Earthquake in the Banking Sector_2

    Chapter 205: Chapter 177: The Major Earthquake in the Banking Sector_2

    The nobles below instantly became agitated, ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡±

    ¡°What will we do if those banks go bankrupt?¡±

    ¡°We shall petition Her Majesty the Queen!¡±

    ¡°I have some good news for everyone,¡± Brian¡¯s voice calmed the crowd, ¡°The Bank of France Reserve will acquire Belanger Bank, taking over the previous debts of the bank.¡±

    The bulk of the bank¡¯s debt was the nobles¡¯ investments.

    The nobles of the ¡°Necker Alliance¡± burst into cheers, ¡°Acquisition? That¡¯s excellent!¡±

    ¡°Long live His Majesty the King! Long live the Bank of France Reserve!¡±

    ¡°We are saved at last!¡±

    However, some quick-witted nobles immediately spotted the problem and asked loudly, ¡°Archbishop Brian, does the Bank of France Reserve have sufficient funds?¡±

    ¡°Yes! There may be more banks with issues in the future, is the Bank of France Reserve going to acquire them too?¡±

    Brian nodded, ¡°Yes. The government will take a share in the Bank of France Reserve. With the bank¡¯s existing assets, there should be tens of millions of funds.¡±

    Before the nobles could raise any objections, Joseph stepped forward and said, ¡°Indeed, these funds are far from enough to cover your investments in the banks, but illegal banks must also be punished!

    ¡°So, the benevolent Queen has decided to set up the French Industrial Development Fund to protect everyone¡¯s money from loss.¡±

    He then explained the purpose of the fund, concluding with:

    ¡°All investment certificates from banks acquired by the Bank of France Reserve can be invested in the industrial development fund.¡±

    His words immediately triggered painful memories of the ¡°Mississippi Company fraud¡± among the crowd¡ªwhere John Law had once had people exchange government bonds for shares in the Mississippi Company, ending in massive losses.

    An intense wave of protest erupted from the nobles. Joseph waited for them to quiet down before brandishing a document, ¡°The industrial development fund is guaranteed by the Bank of France Reserve and the finances of France.

    ¡°Firstly, the accounts of the fund will be completely transparent, and any customer investing over 500,000 livres can inspect the accounts at any time.

    ¡°The fund will announce its budget at the beginning of each year. It will also publish a financial statement every six months, detailing earnings.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore, we will require all companies receiving investment to likewise disclose their operations and accept financial audits from the fund.¡±

    ¡°Lastly, all affairs of the fund will be decided by the fund committee, without government interference.¡±

    Transparency and open accounting, commonplace in later times, were highly progressive in the 18th century. Even the most transparently managed companies like the British East India Company were far from this level of openness.

    Upon hearing this, the nobles below began to whisper among themselves, and the ¡°plants¡± arranged by Joseph in advance also began to chime in:

    ¡°If we can check the accounts at any time, that seems very secure.¡±

    ¡°Mainly, with the guarantee of the Bank of France Reserve and government finances, I think there¡¯s no problem.¡±

    ¡°Plus, it¡¯s an investment in domestic industries, unlike the distant American ¡®gold mines,¡¯ where we can see the operational conditions all the time.¡±

    Their comments influenced more people, and before long, the nobles began nodding in agreement.

    Viscount Protodem and his ilk, seeing the tide turn against them, loudly said, ¡°What fund? Who knows how it will be managed in the future? It¡¯s safest to halt Necker¡¯s trial!¡±

    Joseph sneered, ¡°Archbishop Brian has just said, the case must be thoroughly investigated!¡±

    ¡°Then we can only consider not lending money to the government anymore¡­¡±

    No sooner had Viscount Protodem finished his sentence than Joseph¡¯s ¡°plants¡± began to murmur to those around them, ¡°I think, it¡¯s impossible for everyone to stop lending money to the government.¡±

    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t we succeed that time we refused to pay taxes?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, that was about giving money away. If you say no, of course everyone would agree. But this is about lending money to the government, where you can earn interest.¡±

    ¡°I guess in the end, everyone will say they won¡¯t lend, but in private, it¡¯ll be the same as ever.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they deceived us by not lending money to the government, and after the interest on government bonds went up, they invested in secret,¡±

    ¡°Now, lending to the government seems the safest option. Look at what happened when investments were made in banks; such a huge trouble it caused.¡±

    In just over ten minutes, the nobles became unwilling to bring up the matter of ¡°refusing to lend money to the government¡±¡ªpreviously mentioned as a means of blackmailing the Royal Family. But now, with the solution provided by the French Industrial Development Fund, who would want to quarrel with interest rates?

    At that moment, a messenger reined in his horse not far away and hurried over, delivering a letter to Brian.

    After quickly skimming through the letter, the latter loudly announced, ¡°Just now, it was confirmed that Necker had three illegal transactions with Klassen Bank. Eleven bank managers were arrested, and an exhaustive inspection of the bank¡¯s accounts is underway.¡±

    The nobles present immediately panicked, especially those with investments in Klassen Bank, breaking out in profuse sweat.

    Based on the situation with Belanger Bank previously, a bank under scrutiny would likely go bankrupt soon. Their money was going to be lost!

    In reality, if these banks operated normally, even when illegal issues surfaced, they could finance the payment of fines and recover after a few years.

    However, the Duke of Orleans, in an attempt to force the French finances into a corner, caused Belanger Bank to go bankrupt at breakneck speed, terrifying the investing nobility. This led other nobles to withdraw their money from various banks, severely tightening the banks¡¯ capital.

    Now, with the Necker case on their hands, the banks had no ability to manage their funds, leaving bankruptcy as the only option.

    Of course, the timing of announcing Klassen Bank¡¯s troubles was also prearranged by Joseph.

    The nobles on the scene couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, especially those who invested in Klassen Bank, shouting loudly, ¡°I¡¯m willing to transfer the money in the bank to invest in the Industrial Development Fund!¡±

    ¡°I am also investing, please give me a copy of the agreement!¡±

    ¡°I want one too!¡±

    ¡°And me¡­¡±

    Joseph stepped forward at just the right moment, signaling for everyone to be quiet, ¡°I must clarify one point in advance: if you are transferring bank investments to the Industrial Development Fund, you must wait five years before you can withdraw all of the principal.¡±

    This was the key to the ¡°bond-to-fund¡± model¡ªto buffer the panic and prevent a run on the banks by the investing nobility. Actually, if the fund were profitable, they likely wouldn¡¯t withdraw their funds after five years. Who wouldn¡¯t want to make money?

    Upon hearing ¡°not until after five years,¡± people hesitated again.

    Brian, following the script, delivered the final hit, ¡°To ensure the safety of everyone¡¯s investments, the French Industrial Development Fund guarantees a full refund of the investment if there is a loss for six consecutive months. If the fund¡¯s capital is insufficient, the French Treasury will take over and pay the debts!¡±

    The eyes of the nobles present immediately lit up again.

    If the fund makes money, just sit back and enjoy the profits. If it loses money, the government guarantee ensures the return of the investment.

    What¡¯s there to worry about?

    Even with potential risks, they couldn¡¯t be bothered with that now; transferring their money to the Industrial Development Fund was far better than it going up in smoke with a bank¡¯s bankruptcy.

    Brian¡¯s officers immediately signaled to the crowd that they could visit the Finance Minister¡¯s office to collect the ¡°bond-to-fund¡± agreement.

    Almost instantly, the crowd in front of the Palace of Versailles disappeared without a trace. Viscount Protodem, seeing that he couldn¡¯t stop the crowd, frowned and hesitated for a few seconds before quietly making his way upstairs.

    Around midday, the King and Queen personally held a ceremony to establish the ¡°French Industrial Development Fund,¡± once again endorsing the fund in their royal capacity.

    As the news spread, nobles involved in bank investments rushed to the Finance Minister¡¯s office, and soon the doors of the office were overwhelmed and broken by the crowd.

    A day later, under tremendous pressure from Carolina, Necker finally collapsed¡ªhis shady dealings with the banks were accurately reconstructed by them, resulting in the downfall of two banks already.

    After receiving a promise of leniency for his confession, Necker spilled all the beans about his illegal transactions with the banks.

    Carolina also breathed a sigh of relief.

    He had placed the cases with more evidence and was confident of their outcome in the front, which is why he could process them so quickly.

    If Necker kept mum, the following investigations would have slowed down significantly, with nearly half of the transactions being ones he wasn¡¯t confident he could resolve.

    But Necker surrendered. A major earthquake in the French banking industry was coming!

 Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 178 The Central Bank of France

    chapter 206: chapter 178 the central bank of france

    bastille, in the interrogation room on the third floor.

    viscount carolina was satisfyingly arranging necker¡¯s confession, glancing at him with the corner of his eye, ¡°mr. necker, thank you for cooperating with my work. now, my task is finished. what remains is between you and the representatives of the royal family.¡±

    as he was speaking, the door opened, and several secret police officers escorted in a nobleman wearing silver-rimmed glasses and a resplendent blue long coat.

    ¡°look, count herman is here.¡±

    viscount carolina rose and exchanged pleasantries with count herman, yielding the seat of the chief examiner. however, the latter did not sit down but instead took a document from his assistant and placed it in front of necker.

    ¡°mr. necker, according to the interrogation commission¡¯s report, the total amount of your embezzlement is 8,927,000 livres.¡±

    he looked toward viscount carolina, who immediately nodded to confirm the accuracy of the amount.

    count herman continued, ¡°her majesty the queen, in accordance with her previous promise, has decided to punish you leniently, so the penalty is only 2 million livres. the total is¡­¡±

    ¡°11,927,000 livres.¡± viscount carolina answered smilingly.

    ¡°oh, yes. thank you, viscount carolina.¡±

    count herman then turned to necker: ¡°so, all you need to do is return the ill-gotten money and pay the fine, and you can leave here.¡±

    ¡°the queen has also graciously permitted you to choose whether to go to lorraine or foix.¡±

    he patted the document on the table: ¡°look, this is the pardon issued by her majesty.¡±

    for necker¡¯s case, being exiled to mainland france was definitely a special pardon.

    necker had long since lost any thought of resistance, took the pen and paper, and wrote down an address and a series of numbers.

    he handed the paper to count herman, resigning to his fate, ¡°go here, there¡¯s a safe, inside which are bank drafts and the method of withdrawal. this is the code.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s enough for 12 million livres, but it should be over 10 million¡­ that¡¯s really all there is.¡±

    the representative of the royal family took the paper and nodded, ¡°thank you for your cooperation. so, you¡¯ll have to stay here for a while, until these funds are fully transferred. additionally, i must inform you, the shortfall will have to be covered by your houses and estates.¡±

    ¡°do whatever you want¡­¡±

    count herman left, and viscount carolina, somewhat dissatisfied, curled his lip; he hadn¡¯t expected necker to end up only in exile ¨C he¡¯d thought the man would have to stay in jail for years.

    but what he didn¡¯t know was that joseph had no intention of simply letting necker off the hook.

    necker¡¯s predecessor as finance minister was jacques duergo, a highly capable economist. during his tenure, he laid the foundations for france¡¯s capitalist economy with a series of financial reforms, heralding the ¡°golden age¡± of the 18th century for france.

    once necker succeeded him, he quickly halted duergo¡¯s reform policies and instead maintained the finances through heavy borrowing, eventually leading france into a debt abyss.

    for such a ¡°termite¡± like necker, how could joseph let him get away with a simple exile? the french tradition of leniency towards the upper class would not stand with him!

    of course, everything had to wait until necker had coughed up all the money, and it was essential not to tarnish the royal family with the stain of going back on their word.

    ¡­

    royal palace.

    duke of orleans looked at the newspaper in his hands with an ashen face¡ªtoday, nearly all of paris¡¯s newspapers published the french industrial development fund¡¯s notice of disclosure.

    apart from some basic information about the fund, the disclosure mainly announced the composition of the sole management body¡ªthe management committee of the fund.

    the committee had ten seats, six of which were elected by the clients with the highest investment amounts, one seat held or appointed by the finance minister, one appointed by the bank of france reserve, and the last two were appointed by the royal family.

    all matters related to the fund were decided by the committee, and neither the royal family nor the government had the right to intervene. of course, what he didn¡¯t know was that joseph had left a ¡°backdoor¡± open¡ª the french government was the client with the highest investment amount, followed by him, the crown prince, and then the royal family. hence, out of those six seats, at least four could be secured. adding the two seats inherent to the royal family and one from the bank of france reserve, he could ensure absolute control over the fund.

    duke of orleans irritably tossed the newspaper aside.

    he had anticipated that the malicious bankruptcy of the banks would cause panic among the nobility, and also predicted that the french government would be unable to pay back the nobles¡¯ investments. he just had to wait for the nobles to unite and pressure the palace, forcing the royal family to capitulate, thus interrupting the necker case.

    but what he could never have expected was that the government would come up with an ¡°industrial development fund¡±! merely with a concept, they had ¡°sucked¡± in all the money the nobles had invested in the banking sector, thus quickly calming the nobles¡¯ panic.

    when he first heard about the fund, he was ready to use the history of the ¡°mississippi company¡± to lead the nobles to think of it as a ¡°scam.¡±

    however, as soon as he saw this ¡°fund disclosure¡± information, he immediately knew this approach would not work.

    the management and operation of the ¡°industrial development fund¡± were too transparent, managed by a committee model, where investors could check accounts at any time, investors could form an independent audit committee, and any losses were immediately reimbursed¡­

    there was no room left for any ¡°darkness¡± to seep through. inevitably, since funds had developed over many years in later times, the obvious loopholes had been closed, and joseph only needed to copy them.

    duke of orleans was well aware that if he could not leverage the power of the nobility, banks involved in the necker case would be burst one by one. and if he couldn¡¯t preserve these large banks, his influence in the banking guild would plummet greatly.

 Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 178: The Bank of France_2

    chapter 207: chapter 178: the bank of france_2

    the situation was even more embarrassing for him, as he himself had tens of millions of livres invested and was stuck in several banks that had run into trouble.

    he couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh. did he have to turn to the industrial development fund as well?

    the door opened, and the butler donadian walked in and bowed, ¡°master, all the guests have arrived.¡±

    the duke of orleans nodded, rose from his seat with extreme fatigue, and walked toward the grand hall on the second floor.

    the two-story-high doors were pushed open by guards, but the scene behind them sent a chill through his heart¡ªapart from about ten people from the banking guild, there were only seven or eight nobles, sparsely standing in the vast hall.

    just a few days ago when he had convened the nobility to counteract necker¡¯s policies with ¡°not borrowing money from the government,¡± the hall had been bustling with people, hardly any space to stand.

    the morale of the people had dissipated¡­

    as the ¡°pillar¡± arrived, those in the hall quickly gathered around to pay their respects.

    the duke of orleans was about to say something to boost their spirits when the marquis of ludo, looking anxious, spoke up, ¡°your grace, i heard from a friend that necker¡¯s interrogation is over, and he must have told them everything.¡±

    he glanced behind him and asked, ¡°what are we to do?¡±

    of course, the duke of orleans already knew about it. if there had been a solution, he would have used it already. why would he wait until now?

    seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, the marquis of ludo asked carefully, ¡°your grace, do you think we should discuss terms with the royal family?¡±

    the duke of orleans, feeling helpless, looked up at the crystal chandelier. just then, someone came in and whispered something to the butler, who immediately reported to him, ¡°master, we¡¯ve just received news that a large number of police are heading to the city trade bank.¡±

    the owner of the city trade bank, de lachaussee-poulet, immediately turned pale and without even excusing himself, he turned and ran out.

    ¡­

    in the streets and alleys of paris, people were talking about the recent succession of bank bankruptcies.

    ¡°today, the city trade bank was also seized; i wonder if it will go bankrupt.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s as certain as the sun not falling from the sky. the bank managers have been arrested; i even saw the police stuffing them into a carriage at noon.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s said that there are many more banks involved. who knows when it will all end¡­¡±

    ¡°oh god, my 60 livres in the bank, just gone like that!¡±

    ¡°what? don¡¯t you read the newspapers?¡±

    ¡°read the newspapers?¡±

    ¡°the paper says the bankrupt banks have been acquired by the bank of france reserve. previous deposits can be withdrawn there.¡±

    ¡°really?! you¡¯re not joking, right?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s in the papers; just submit an application, and you can withdraw the funds in no more than half a month. or you can also convert it to a deposit with the bank of france reserve.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s great, thank you! i¡¯ll go apply right away!¡±

    ¡­

    at the palace of versailles.

    joseph was reviewing the latest acquisition report.

    in recent times, the bank of france reserve had completed the acquisition of four bankrupt banks and was currently tallying accounts and receiving various assets.

    just the branches of the bank of france reserve in paris had increased to more than a dozen overnight, although most of them hadn¡¯t even had time to change their signs.

    joseph frowned as he read the report, which mentioned the problem of staff shortages¡ªmainly a severe lack of management.

    the management of the banks involved in necker¡¯s case were mostly arrested, and the bank of france reserve couldn¡¯t possibly provide that many managers at such short notice.

    he had intentionally slowed down the pace of blowing up the banks involved; if all thirteen banks were to be demolished at once, it¡¯s feared that a good half of france¡¯s financial market would fall into chaos due to management problems.

    ¡°the foundation is still not solid enough,¡± joseph shook his head in private, realizing that it would take at least half a year to fully absorb these financial assets.

    however, time wasn¡¯t an issue. for these bankrupt banks, nobody was willing, nor dared, to compete with the bank of france reserve.

    the bank of france reserve didn¡¯t have much money, but the shareholder lineup was intimidating enough to deter any competitors¡ªthe king and the queen each owned 5%, the prince of conde 4%, the count of artuwa 4%. the finance minister, the minister of the interior, and the head of the secret police also owned shares. of course, the largest shareholder was still the crown prince of france.

    however, to establish the french industrial development fund, the french treasury had now become a major shareholder of the bank of france reserve.

    after joseph himself made a substantial additional investment, other shareholders¡¯ stakes were diluted somewhat. the current shareholding structure was as follows: the french government held 40%, the crown prince 41%, the king and queen 4% each, conde and artuwa 3% each, mono 2%, and brian and robel each held 1.5%.

    following the acquisition of four major banks, the nominal assets of the bank of france reserve had reached an astonishing 190 million livres!

    however, the bulk of that was loans to the government. the bank¡¯s debts were transferred to the industrial development fund through an investment agreement with the nobility. in other words, the bank of france reserve now owed the industrial development fund hundreds of millions of livres.

    fortunately, the agreement stipulated that withdrawals could not be made within five years, otherwise the development fund would almost immediately collapse.

    in the future, france¡¯s finances would invest in various industrial industries in the name of the development fund, and all this money would be considered as repayment for the loans from the bank of france reserve.

    the bank of france reserve would then transfer these investments to the development fund, and once the investments yielded returns, the development fund would also profit.

    in this way, the expenditures of the french finances would no longer all flow into the pockets of bank capital, but would be used to support industrial development. the profits from the industrial industries would in turn support the finances, creating a truly virtuous cycle.

    of course, this was just joseph¡¯s theoretical design; actual operation would surely encounter many problems, but these were the unavoidable tuition fees of industrial development.

    at least, after the bank of france reserve took over the loans from the bankrupt banks, it would renegotiate the loan agreements with the french government, significantly reducing the interest rates.

    as for how much the interest rate should be reduced, joseph planned to wait until all the acquisitions were complete before having brian calculate the total amount of loans the bank of france reserve would acquire, then deduce how high an interest rate would allow the french finances to maintain a balance.

    then, the new agreement would be signed according to this interest rate.

    no matter what, it would absolutely be much lower than the current staggering interest rate of over 15% on loans from the french finances.

    after completing the acquisition of the thirteen banks involved, joseph¡¯s next plan was to gradually take control of the french financial industry using the massive scale of the bank of france reserve¡ªalthough it didn¡¯t have actual cash, the nominal loan amount was astronomical¡ªand then step by step, transform the bank of france reserve into france¡¯s ¡°central bank.¡±

    this process was bound to encounter some administrative issues, as well as resistance from the existing banking capital, but if it could be accomplished smoothly, then the french royal family, or rather, the crown prince of france, would firmly grasp the financial lifeline of france!

    joseph signed the operational plan submitted by the manager of the bank of france reserve, contemplating when would be an appropriate time to detonate the next bank when eman gently knocked on the door, saying, ¡°your highness, archbishop brian has arrived, and he¡¯s brought three bankers with him.¡±

    ¡°oh? bankers?¡± joseph was somewhat surprised but still got up and said, ¡°please show them to the sitting room.¡±

    shortly after, in the spacious sitting room, brian and others successively paid respectful homage to the crown prince, and then brian gestured toward the people behind him: ¡°your highness, please allow me to introduce them. this is the marquis of ludo, this is count capefield, and this is mr. bouvarandere.¡±

    joseph narrowed his eyes; he had been frequently reviewing the necker case files lately and was very familiar with the banks involved. these three men were the owners of three of those banks. at the same time, they had another identity, that of the leaders of the bank of france guild.

    he invited them to sit down and asked with a smile, ¡°may i know why you gentlemen are here to see me?¡±

    upon hearing this, the marquis of ludo and the others were so agitated they were near tears.

    the duke of orleans couldn¡¯t save them, so they decided to compromise with the government, or rather, beg for mercy.

    however, they couldn¡¯t even find a place to beg. first, they went to the secret police, who told them they were just cooperating with the arrests. then they went to the police headquarters, and through it found a mysterious department called the police affairs department, only to be advised that they were just following orders.

    afterward, the marquis of ludo and his associates turned to the high court, the internal administration system, but both were clueless. finally, they found the financial system, and after paying a considerable amount of ¡°benefits,¡± they learned that the real mastermind behind the necker case was the current crown prince.

    then, after spending more money, they finally managed to see the crown prince with the help of brian.

    the marquis of ludo spoke very nervously, ¡°your esteemed highness, the crown prince, the things we did with necker before were grievous mistakes, oh no, severe crimes! we have come to deeply realize our errors.

    ¡°we dare not seek your forgiveness, only to atone for our previous misdeeds.

    ¡°your merciful highness, from now on, we are your most humble servants. just nod, and whatever you command us to do, we will agree without hesitation!¡±

 Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 179 Malas Self-Doubt

    chapter 208: chapter 179 mala¡¯s self-doubt

    joseph was pondering how best to deal with these individuals when he heard earl capefield chuckle:

    ¡°your highness, besides us, there are banks such as the trade credit bank and ravel bank who also wish to gain your forgiveness¡­¡±

    the marquis of ludo glared at him harshly to prevent him from continuing, thinking to himself that he should not have brought this fool along. if it were not for the capefield family¡¯s great influence in the banking guild, with this fool¡¯s brains, the family¡¯s properties might have gone bankrupt ten times over!

    ¡°oh?¡± joseph, however, looked towards capefield, ¡°how many banks do you represent this time?¡±

    the latter hurriedly pointed outside the window: ¡°seven, your highness. they are all waiting outside the palace of versailles.¡±

    seven banks? all were influential major banks involved in the necker case. joseph glanced at the few men, suddenly realizing that this might be an opportunity to prematurely start the ¡°central bank¡± of france.

    moreover, it was difficult for the bank of france reserve to absorb so many banks now, so letting them give up some interests and accept regulation was not unacceptable. if this could expedite the establishment of the ¡°central bank,¡± that would be a great gain.

    joseph immediately smiled, not following the rhythm of the people in front of him but directly saying:

    ¡°do you wish to preserve your banks?¡±

    the marquis of ludo and the others were clearly stunned, then hesitantly nodded their heads ¡°bashfully¡±:

    ¡°if you could bestow your grace¡­¡±

    joseph smiled lightly: ¡°can you represent the four banks outside?¡±

    the marquis of ludo nodded again and again: ¡°yes, your highness. they have entrusted me with full authority.¡±

    ¡°very well,¡± joseph nodded, ¡°i have several conditions.¡±

    the marquis of ludo and the others immediately perked up their ears.

    ¡°first, you will reduce the loans to the government by 10%, and the loan agreements will be renegotiated, with interest rates not to exceed 3%.¡±

    the three banking tycoons looked at each other, their faces full of agony.

    the reduction of loan amounts might seem to be only ten percent, but each one of them had lent tens of millions of livres to the french government; this amounted to millions of livres in total losses for them.

    moreover, a 3% interest rate at this time was almost like a no-interest loan. you have to know that even the government bonds sold to the public came with interest rates between 9% and 12%.

    however, necker¡¯s confession was now in the bastille, and if they didn¡¯t agree, the previously bankrupted four banks would serve as an example.

    after struggling for two seconds, all of them gritted their teeth and nodded: ¡°we will follow your highness¡¯s command.¡±

    ¡°hmm,¡± joseph continued, ¡°second, the bank of france reserve will obtain 30% of the shares of your banks. you have illegally earned money from the national treasury for more than a decade; consider these shares as a fine.

    ¡°and i can promise that these shares will not be sold without the consent of the bank¡¯s board of directors.¡±

    this time, the marquis of ludo and the others agreed without much hesitation.

    they already intended to use the shares as a bargaining chip to gain leniency from the crown prince. although the crown prince asked for a bit more than they had prepared, they received a promise that the shares would not be sold.

    that meant the bank of france reserve would only share in the dividends, and their banks would not suffer due to the shares being dumped. they found this condition entirely acceptable.

    joseph was quite satisfied with their attitude, and with added emphasis, said: ¡°third, and this is the most crucial one.

    ¡°your banks must support the currency policy announced by the bank of france reserve.

    ¡°at the same time, you will use the influence of the banking guild to get more banks to support the bank of france reserve.¡±

    the marquis of ludo¡¯s expression changed, and he cautiously asked: ¡°your highness, when you mention currency policy, what are you referring to?¡±

    joseph responded: ¡°in the future, the bank of france reserve will issue national banknotes like the bank of england. your banks will accept these notes for payment and exchange.¡±

    these so-called banknotes are essentially ¡°certificates that can be redeemed for gold and silver coins¡± issued by the banks. anyone with these notes could exchange them for money at the corresponding bank.

    if a bank is robust and trusted by all, people would, for convenience, accept these banknotes for payments among each other rather than actually exchanging them for gold and silver coins.

    they thus become the de facto circulating currency.

    in fact, the british pounds that are currently in circulation in england are strictly speaking, only the banknotes of the bank of england. but the bank of england has grown so significant, overshadowing all other banks and obtained the ¡°sole legal banknote¡± authorization from the british government, and gradually evolved into england¡¯s central bank.

    at present, the bank of france reserve does not have the same overwhelming capital advantage as the bank of england, so joseph could only use administrative measures to promote banknotes from the bank of france reserve.

    however, this process would certainly not be smooth, given the limited capital of the bank of france reserve, and the general public would most likely distrust its banknotes. this distrust was the biggest obstacle for the bank of france reserve to become the central bank of france.

    previously, joseph planned to take three to five years to gradually cultivate the market¡¯s trust in the banknotes of the bank of france reserve. but with the endorsement of the banking guild and the acceptance of the banknotes by these seven major banks, this process could possibly be shortened to a few months.

    at the same time, the bank of france reserve and these seven banks, because they have banknotes ¨C that is, paper money as a medium of circulation ¨C will crush other banks in terms of circulation efficiency and convenience.

    before long, other banks, in order to maintain their competitiveness, would also have to accept the banknotes from the bank of france reserve.

    when the vast majority of the nation¡¯s banks have accepted the banknotes from the bank of france reserve, it will be possible to enact a decree ¨C designating these notes as the sole legal paper currency of france.

 Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 179 Malas Self-Doubt_2

    chapter 209: chapter 179 mala¡¯s self-doubt_2

    next, they used the advantage of issuing banknotes to regulate other banks.

    ¡°who dares to disobey? we¡¯ll tighten your cash flow tomorrow and see how many days you can last!¡±

    the marquis of ludo and his companions exchanged glances once again¡ªaccepting the banknotes of other banks meant that others could give their printed paper to customers, who then could bring these papers to their own bank to exchange for silver coins.

    although their own bank could also bring the received banknotes to the bank of france reserve to exchange for silver coins, there would be a couple of days¡¯ delay in this process, during which their hands would accumulate tens of millions of banknotes, essentially becoming a factual reservoir of paper currency.

    not to mention, interbank settlements could hardly occur every few days; at best, they would take place once a month. all the banknotes for that month would be pressing down on their own bank.

    mr. bouvarandere said with a stiff upper lip:

    ¡°your highness, just in case, i mean just in case, the bank of france reserve¡¯s banknotes depreciate, then wouldn¡¯t we¡­¡±

    joseph had anticipated their concerns and immediately said:

    ¡°the cabinet will soon issue a decree stipulating the exchange rate between the bank of france reserve banknotes and precious metals, and maintain it unchanged. of course, if you are not at ease, the bank of france reserve can also sign an agreement with you to compensate for your losses if the banknotes depreciate significantly in a short time.¡±

    he could make such a promise because he had enough confidence. after all, the currency system of that age was based on gold and silver, which meant the value of paper money was very stable, unless there was a major economic crisis.

    moreover, even if a crisis did happen, causing severe devaluation of the french banknotes, it didn¡¯t matter. the banks would be compensated according to the agreement. only that this time, banknotes, already accepted by everyone, would be used for compensation. anyway, there was already an economic crisis; just state your compensation amount, and i¡¯ll keep the printing press running 24 hours a day to print it for you.¡±

    in the end, the marquis of ludo and the other participants had no choice but to accept joseph¡¯s terms¡ªthey couldn¡¯t arm wrestle the thigh, after all, at most they would just settle the accounts more diligently each month, and consider that month¡¯s bank flows a gift to the bank of france reserve.

    joseph stood up, smiled at the three men in front of him, and raised his arms, saying, ¡°congratulations to you, oh, and also to those four banks waiting outside.

    ¡°from now on, you will no longer be implicated by the necker case. you are safe.¡±

    he then gestured towards archbishop brienne and said, ¡°after this, archbishop brienne, representing the bank of france reserve and the french government, will sign an agreement with you all.¡±

    the three banking magnates hurriedly bowed to express their thousands of thanks for the crown prince¡¯s leniency. though they were extremely dismayed in their hearts, not knowing how much money they had lost, they were also relieved that, after all, their banks were saved.

    after the marquis of ludo and others took their leave, joseph suddenly remembered a question: there were four banks that had gone bankrupt and been acquired before, and today seven more banks had ¡°surrendered.¡± including those involved in the necker case, there were thirteen banks in total¡ªwhat about the remaining two?

    at 4 p.m., fouche hurried to the palace of versailles to answer his question.

    ¡°your highness, perni, his wife, and two sons were captured by the police affairs department on their way to rouen this morning. what should we do¡­¡±

    ¡°seize the bank immediately,¡±

    joseph sighed. these people were too impetuous. if they had fled half a day later, they could have taken a ¡°free ride¡± with marquis of ludo.

    but since they fled now, they could only face harsh treatment. he hoped that after taking over the perni family bank, the bank of france reserve wouldn¡¯t run into a severe staff shortage.

    fouche nodded and continued:

    ¡°your highness, the two largest shareholders of denaro bank happened to return to switzerland right when the case broke out. it seems they heard the news from paris and have not been seen since.¡±

    although denaro bank¡¯s main business was in france, it was a swiss bank with headquarters in the canton of schwyz in switzerland.

    in other words, it was likely that the bank¡¯s profits had already been sent to switzerland, so even if its assets in france were seized, there probably wouldn¡¯t be much money to take.

    joseph frowned and said, ¡°it seems we¡¯ll have to use diplomatic means.¡±

    ¡­

    three days later, a solemn yet low-key recognition ceremony was held in hague hall of the palace of versailles.

    it was solemn because her majesty queen mary presided over it in person.

    aside from the officers from the justice investigation department who were being commended, the main attendees were senior members of the police system, as well as the crown prince and baron breti, the justice minister, totaling less than 30 people, which could hardly be considered lively.

    after a melodious round of music, queen mary, dressed in a light purple elegant gown, ascended the platform on the west side of the hall, smiling at mala and the others, she loudly said:

    ¡°gentlemen of the justice investigation department, with your excellent work and your courageous spirit, you have saved france from enormous losses and have also brought corrupt individuals, who have evaded justice for years, to trial!

    ¡°here, on behalf of the royal family, i extend to you our highest respects!¡±

    this time, mala, with his assistant, uncovered the astonishing corruption case of necker, and through a series of maneuvers by joseph, made over a hundred million livres for france¡¯s finances, significantly advancing the establishment of the central bank of france; the merit of such achievements was indeed immense.

    in previous operations, evans of the investigation department was killed, and mala was also injured by a knife, so joseph decided to properly commend them.

    court officials came forward with wreaths. queen mary personally placed one on mala, who was still using crutches. director of police services nethanson awarded the others their flowers.

    then, amidst the applause of everyone present, the queen announced that due to the exceptional contributions of the justice investigation department, the decision was made to elevate it to the bureau of fair investigation, to be directly managed by the cabinet.

    at this point, the french ¡°anti-corruption bureau¡± finally shed the ¡°mask¡± of the police system and formally stepped forward with an official identity.

    the bureau¡¯s directorship would still be held by the crown prince. mala became the head of operations. demulan took charge of the archives. the bureau had four departments under it, with the largest, the operations department, planning to expand to seven teams, totaling more than 200 people.

    in reality, this number was hardly significant in the enormity of france¡¯s bureaucratic system, but it was the most advanced institution for administrative inspection in all of europe. while other countries still relied on royal authority to monitor officials, france had already taken the lead in establishing an independent departmental oversight.

    this was also why officials were reluctant to attend the commendation ceremony¡ªnobody could guarantee their hands were completely clean. necker had once been powerful enough to rival france in wealth, and yet he fell from grace overnight, didn¡¯t he? if one caught the attention of the investigation officers, it could mean ruin.

    next, queen mary publicly awarded mala with a 500-livre bonus. other department members who were involved in necker¡¯s case also received a reward of one month¡¯s salary. as for evans, who sacrificed his life, his compensation was a considerable 4000 livres, and the royal family sponsored all his son¡¯s schooling expenses.

    after the award ceremony concluded, the queen invited all present to join the banquet.

    leaving hague hall, baron breti was the first to congratulate mala:

    ¡°you really are an outstanding investigator, solving cases that have been unsolved for so many years.¡±

    mala looked at the baron¡¯s luxurious outfit and couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. before he could decide how to respond, besancon approached with a smile and said:

    ¡°her majesty the queen has high praise for you. i believe it won¡¯t be long before you¡¯ll be granted a noble title.¡±

    frient and fouche followed suit with their flattering remarks.

    mala glanced around at the people beside him, but his expression grew increasingly troubled.

    noble title?

    he chuckled to himself, wondering if he was really going to become one of these filthy nobles.

    he looked up again at the artistic and exquisite sculptures on the roof of the palace of versailles.

    why am i here?

    what am i doing?

    it is ironic that what i¡¯ve done garners the praise of the nobility!

    have i betrayed the people of france?!

    suddenly he stopped, claiming his wound was too painful to attend the dinner, and, leaning on his crutch, he turned and headed towards the exit of the palace of versailles.

 Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 180 "Beguiling the Jacobins

    Chapter 210: Chapter 180 ¡°Beguiling the Jacobins

    The next day.

    Paris, second floor of the Industrial Planning Bureau.

    ¡°So, you suddenly left last night just because you wanted to resign?¡± Joseph looked at the three people in front of him, and then smiled, ¡°Now that I know your wound is not serious, I am relieved.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.¡± Mala leaned on his cane and bowed slightly, ¡°And thank you for your trust. However, we have still decided to leave the Investigation Bureau.¡±

    Joseph paused for a moment and asked, ¡°Can you tell me the reason?¡±

    Danton hastily said, ¡°We don¡¯t want to be associated with those filthy nobles!¡±

    Demulan followed up, ¡°Also, we don¡¯t want to work for the Royal Family anymore.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly when he heard this, as most people resign because they cannot get promoted or receive a raise, yet these few decided to quit just after receiving a promotion.

    Well, this is indeed very Jacobin¡­

    ¡°I am curious, what is it you want?¡± he asked.

    Mala replied emphatically, ¡°We want to be forever loyal to the people of France!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that it would be best to completely deal with these radicals this time, else they might keep resigning every now and then, which wouldn¡¯t do.

    Moreover, they were opinion leaders of the entire Liberal faction. If he could manage them, it would greatly reduce the hostility of the radical Liberals towards the Royal Family.

    He recalled the ¡°sophistries¡± he had read in forums from his previous life, thinking: These should suffice to deal with 18th-century theories, right?

    ¡°Loyal to the people,¡± he nodded slowly, ¡°which means making life better for the people, right?¡±

    Mala thought about it and, finding that the logic seemed correct, replied, ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°So for that goal, you want to resign?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Have you ever considered, after you leave, who will oversee corrupt officials like Necker? Another group of corrupt officials? Do you think this will make life better for the people of France?¡±

    Mala and the others were taken aback.

    Joseph immediately targeted the ¡°core¡± of their ideology: ¡°I think, gentlemen, your animosity toward the Royal Family is unjustified.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Danton, the youngest and most bold, immediately retorted, ¡°It is because the Royal Family indulges in luxury, disregards the people¡¯s suffering, and constantly protects the interests of the nobles, that the people are oppressed!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Joseph asked calmly, ¡°Without the Royal Family, will the people definitely be better off?¡±

    Influenced deeply by Rousseau, Mala and the others almost instinctively recited Rousseau¡¯s words: ¡°Natural rights, everyone is born free, and no one can restrict another¡¯s freedom, not even the king¡­¡±

    Joseph interrupted him: ¡°May I ask, Mr. Mara, if people are born free, can the rules set by predecessors bind their descendants?¡±

    Mala was about to say ¡°No,¡± but he suddenly froze. That¡¯s not right, he thought. If they cannot, does it mean that someone who has never participated in the decision-making of social rules can do whatever they please?

    And if ¡®they can,¡¯ doesn¡¯t it mean the descendants are not free?

    Joseph smiled, ¡°You see, the idea that people are born free is fundamentally flawed. Each of us, including the king, is in fact not free.¡±

    Danton offered help from the side:

    ¡°Rousseau said, we need to establish a reasonable social contract, and then everyone should abide by this contract!¡±

    Joseph immediately asked, ¡°What do you mean by a ¡®reasonable contract¡¯?¡±

    This question remained unanswered by any great thinkers until the 19th century. No, even in the 21st century, people were merely trying. Mala and the others, with only the most superficial theoretical foundations of Rousseau, were inevitably bewildered.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±

    Demulan hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Congress. The, the people delegate power to Congress, and Congress makes the rules!¡±

    ¡°Congress?¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°Once Congress receives power, will it definitely consider the people¡¯s welfare?¡±

    ¡°How, how could there be any doubt about that?¡±

    ¡°No, they will only think about themselves.¡± Joseph shook his head, ¡°Look at the United States, what kind of land purchase policies has their Congress devised? You must buy at least 60 acres, and they won¡¯t sell less. The poor? Sorry, they can¡¯t buy land.

    ¡°Or look at our neighbors, Switzerland. The cantonal parliaments¡¯ rules serve only warlords and businessmen, making it easier to control cities and pocket the last penny from the people¡¯s purse.¡±

    ¡°I dare say if such things happened in France, people would have already gathered outside the Palace of Versailles to protest. The King would be cursed thousands of times and eventually forced to amend these policies.¡±

    ¡°No, these are just isolated incidents¡­¡±

    ¡°Really? Take the American Congress, for instance. Their legislators design oppressive policies, then go home to enjoy life after a couple of years, leaving the problem to the next Congress. Of course, the next batch of legislators do the same, they have no concerns, because Congress is just a tool for them. Only the King truly cares about this country, because he has no ¡®next term¡¯.¡±

    Mala and the others were hesitant, shaking their heads: ¡°No, something you said must be wrong!¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°Human society has always been oppressive in structure, a fundamental and universal reality. The King is just a symbol and archetype of this phenomenon, and so is Congress, and any high authority.

    ¡°Our inherited past might be narrow and outdated, needing relentless revision and improvement. But the past has also brought us tremendous benefits. Every word we speak, every thought we have is a gift from those before us, and the foundation on which we live, such as technology, wealth, and opportunities, is also brought by precursors. So, it¡¯s unreasonable to view the social structure as purely oppressive. It¡¯s not about negating everything from the past whenever we encounter a problem.¡±

 Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 180 "Bamboozling" the Jacobins_2

    Chapter 211: Chapter 180 ¡°Bamboozling¡± the Jacobins_2

    ¡°`

    ¡°The Royal Family and the people are not enemies. They can join hands and move forward together for the common goal of France,¡±

    ¡°Yes, France does have many problems, such as the unreasonable privileges of the nobility and the exploitation of the poor by the rich. We need to solve these issues, but the problems were not brought by the King.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that everything will be better without the King? No, it will only get worse. The nobles and the wealthy will assume new identities and continue their indulgence and oppression.¡±

    ¡°You were, after all, working for the Royal Family before, but look, the people of Paris are cheering for you. Isn¡¯t this more helpful to them than saying ¡®I am loyal to the people¡¯ a thousand times?¡±

    Joseph paused for a moment before finally saying, ¡°To be honest, I have always been implementing His Majesty the King¡¯s reform measures.¡±

    ¡°For instance, the Official Investigation Bureau is part of it. As you all have seen, during this period, there have also been reforms in police services, taxation, finance, and more. There will be even more initiatives in the future until all of France¡¯s problems disappear.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you join me in completing this great process?¡±

    The room fell silent for a long time until Mala suddenly withdrew the resignation application on the table, took half a step back, and bowed with a complex expression, ¡°Your Highness, I hope to see a better and more just France.¡±

    ¡­

    With May arrival, the weather became increasingly hot and dry, as if it were the peak of July or August.

    The last rainfall was three months ago. Large tracts of vegetation had been withered yellow by the scorching sun, and the ground was riddled with large cracks, like thirsty mouths waiting for rain to fall from the sky once more.

    However, in the vineyards of Lacheze Parish to the east of Bordeaux, there was a vibrant green scene.

    Even though the same fiery sun hung in the sky, the grapevine-covered trenches had streams of water trickling through them.

    Three hundred paces to the west side of the vineyard, an antique-bronze Steam Engine made rhythmic ¡°clack¡± sounds as it continuously pumped water from a tributary of the Garonne River into the irrigation canal.

    The water then flowed through the channels that had been dug, spreading over the entire three and a half acres of vineyard, saving the grapes from drought¡¯s slaughter.

    This highly commendable pumping machine was a mass-produced 15-horsepower Steam Engine made by the French United Steam Engine Company.

    Likewise, in the fields to the south of the parish, another Steam Engine of the same model was working hard to ensure that the village crops could survive this dry summer.

    Next to the Steam Engine, there was a grass shed where two shirtless farmers were sitting, squinting and enjoying the shade.

    Before long, a middle-aged man in a gray coat arrived with a group of carpenters. From a distance, he shouted: ¡°Andre, Auror, are you slacking off again?!¡±

    The two farmers quickly put on their shirts and jumped up, ¡°No, no, Mr. Dietrich, we¡¯ve been keeping an eye on it¡­¡±

    Dietrich glanced at the Steam Engine nearby and said loudly, ¡°Do you know how expensive this thing is? A full 13,000 livres! Without it, the crops of our entire parish would wither under the sun.

    ¡°If it gets damaged because of a lack of water or coal, I swear, I¡¯ll hang you from the parish bell tower!¡±

    ¡°You, don¡¯t be angry, we promise we won¡¯t doze off again.¡± Andre said, picking up a shovel and filling it with coal as Auror immediately opened the boiler lid of the Steam Engine to add the coal.

    ¡°See, now it¡¯s working fine,¡± Auror said, glancing at the boiler¡¯s water level and smiling apologetically at the parish Governor.

    Dietrich gave them a fierce look, pondering that he should appoint another supervisor.

    A month ago, seeing the parched fields of the village, he had almost despaired.

    Though the villagers were driving carts back and forth to water the crops, that little water was hardly effective. If it didn¡¯t rain within five days, all the planted potatoes would die and then the wheat¡­

    It was then that the ordered pumps were delivered. They were purchased with a loan from the newly established Agricultural Bank of the parish.

    ¡°`

    Several technicians from Nancy took two days to install the water pump; then they added coal and ignited it.

    Then the water from the Garonne River was continuously pumped up, far more than what 100 horses could carry, and within a few days, all the crops in the village were saved.

    The parish Stadtholder Dietrich wiped the sweat from his brow and called to Andre and Auror to help the carpenter unload the wood from the carriage.

    Looking at the wooden planks taller than a person, Andre grinned and asked, ¡°Mr. Dietrich, are you seeing us so tired that you¡¯re making us a wooden hut to rest in?¡±

    Dietrich kicked him in the butt and angrily said, ¡°You lazybones, always thinking about resting!

    ¡°This is to make a protective shed for the water pump.¡±

    ¡°A protective shed? What¡¯s it for?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Dietrich, while directing the carpenters to dismantle the thatched shed on the steam engine, said offhandedly, ¡°It¡¯s the Governor¡¯s orders. All steam engines, water wheels, windmills and the like must be covered with wooden sheds, and they have to be sturdy.¡±

    He shaded his eyes from the sun and looked toward the vast wheat fields: ¡°God bless us, may we get through this drought successfully.¡±

    ¡­

    In the southeast of Paris, a man with a fierce face walked out of the Celebrity Technical Institute, he casually waved his hand to the thin, young man behind him and said in a coarse voice, ¡°Take Viscount Dominic back, and when he¡¯s sober, please tell him that after this deal is done, I¡¯ll invite him to play again.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Imano. Thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    Once that young man turned to leave, the drunkenness in Imano¡¯s eyes instantly vanished; he quickly walked to the other side of the institute to his own carriage and said in a low voice to the coachman, ¡°Quick, to the Marquis¡¯s house.¡±

    As the carriage raced, Imano¡¯s heart was filled with excitement. Just now, he had heard a piece of news from the drunken Viscount Dominic that could make him rich overnight¡ªregarding the man his boss hated to the core.

    However, he failed to notice a carriage trailing far behind him until he entered the villa of the Marquis of Ludo, only then did it turn and leave. Inside that carriage was Viscount Dominic, who had been heavily intoxicated just half an hour before. He had another identity, that of a captain for the Squad Four of the Police Affairs Department.

    Marquis of Ludo locked the door of his study before turning to face Imano and whispering, ¡°Is the information accurate?!¡±

    The latter nodded repeatedly, ¡°The brother-in-law of Viscount Dominic is an officer at the Bastille; he spoke out while drunk.¡±

    A chill passed through the Marquis of Ludo¡¯s eyes as he repeated, ¡°Leaving Paris at ten o¡¯clock in the evening, four days from now, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord Marquis.¡±

    ¡°Very well, you have done a great job!¡±

    After Imano left, the Marquis of Ludo immediately instructed the butler to invite several tycoons from the Banking Guild to his home.

    Still in his study, the Marquis of Ludo said through gritted teeth, ¡°Necker will secretly leave Paris in four days. There might be Secret Police escorting him, but this could be our only chance to deal with him!¡±

    The moment the words left his mouth, Earl Capefield¡¯s eyes showed a murderous glint; he clenched his fists and said, ¡°No matter the cost, I want him dead!¡±

    As they were discussing how to proceed, Ludo¡¯s butler knocked on the door from outside, saying, ¡°My lord, the Crown Prince has sent someone, requesting your presence at the Industrial Planning Bureau.¡±

    Ludo¡¯s heart tightened¡ªhad the fact that he knew Necker¡¯s whereabouts been leaked?

    He braced himself and went out, and before long, he met with the Crown Prince at the Industrial Planning Bureau.

    After Joseph waited for him to pay his respects, he smiled, motioned for him to sit down, and then took out a document asking, ¡°I see from your bank records that you previously invested two million livres in the British automatic loom industry?¡±

 Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 181 Industrial Spy

    Chapter 212: Chapter 181 Industrial Spy

    Now, the Bank of France Reserve had become the major shareholder of the seven banks, including that of Marquis Ludo, and could inspect their accounts at any time.

    Joseph recalled that a few months prior, a teenage girl had mentioned to him that several French banks had heavily invested in the British textile industry. He thus conveniently checked and, indeed, found that these seven banks were all on the list.

    Upon hearing this, Marquis Ludo ¡°swooshed¡± up from his chair.

    He had been so frazzled by Necker¡¯s case that he had completely pushed the investments in England to the back of his mind!

    Even the vagrants in Paris knew that France and England were at odds, with the British having seized France¡¯s colonies in India and North America. Currently, he was using French money to invest in England, which, if taken seriously, could almost be seen as treason.

    Marquis Ludo wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and, staring at the tips of his shoes, said anxiously to the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, this, this is a mistake. I will immediately withdraw all the investments from England.

    ¡°Oh, and then pour them all into the industrial development fund!¡±

    Joseph flipped through the documents in his hands and gestured for him to sit down, ¡°Hm, a fixed annual interest of 15%, plus a share of the profits, will certainly yield more than 20%.¡±

    Marquis Ludo turned deathly pale with fright and was about to plead further when he heard the Crown Prince add, ¡°No need to rush to retract such a good investment just yet, but it must be put to good use.¡±

    Marquis Ludo asked cautiously, ¡°What do you mean by¡­¡±

    Joseph gestured again for him to sit down, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so nervous.

    ¡°You and Count Capefield, among others, have invested more than 20 million livres in the British automatic loom industry, making you definitively the major shareholders.

    ¡°For such a substantial investment, it should only be reasonable for a shareholder to pay a visit to England to check on the operation, right?¡±

    Marquis Ludo tremulously perched on the edge of his seat, nodding, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite reasonable indeed.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°I need you to go to England as a shareholder and bring me back a few of the latest automatic looms, along with some technicians familiar with the looms¡¯ structures, and also workers who know how to operate these machines.¡±

    Marquis Ludo¡¯s mouth fell open in shock, and after a long moment, he finally managed to stammer, ¡°Are you, are you asking me to become an industrial spy?¡±

    Joseph waved his hand dismissively, ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be the proper way to put it. France has poured significant sums into England; it only makes sense to verify if the technology we¡¯ve invested in is truly as advanced as claimed, right?

    ¡°Oh, I will send someone from the Police Affairs Department to accompany you. You only need to use your status as a shareholder to get a clear picture of the British factories¡¯ situation, and they will take care of the specifics.¡±

    Marquis Ludo, who had spent his lifetime counting money in his bank, was hesitant and struggling with the idea, but then he saw the Crown Prince¡¯s gaze turn icy.

    Being caught messing with the British looms might land one in prison, at worst for a few years, and perhaps he could even bail himself out. However, if he did not go, he would enter the Bastille right now.

    Marquis Ludo swallowed hard, resignedly nodding, ¡°Alright, very well, Your Highness. I will head to England at once and make sure to bring back everything you desire!¡±

    By the time he returned home with a heavy heart, the Count of Capefield and others had eagerly gathered around, asking what the matter was for the Crown Prince to seek him out.

    Since Marquis Ludo was about to engage in industrial espionage, he naturally did not wish for too many to be privy to this, and so he brushed it off as a banking accounts issue.

    The other banking magnates did not suspect a thing, instead pulling out their plan to solve Necker¡¯s problem, asking him to review it with them.

    But Marquis Ludo¡¯s mind was completely preoccupied with the British looms, and he merely nodded distractedly.

    ¡­

    Four days later, three inconspicuous carriages left the Bastille, drove a wide circle around Paris, and finally left the city under the cover of twilight from the eastern side.

    And behind them, always at a distance, a man dressed as a postman followed on horseback, occasionally leaving a trail marker.

    The three carriages eventually turned northeast, inside sat the Necker family.

    He finally decided to take refuge in Lorraine, after all, it was closer to Switzerland, and his friends there might be able to take care of him.

    The hot wind outside the carriage window blew on his face, making him feel unbearably irritable. His many years of hard work had come down to this, fleeing Paris like a rat in the dead of night.

    It¡¯s all Carolina¡¯s damn fault! He clenched his teeth, vowing vehemently in his heart, ¡°I swear, I will make you suffer even more than me!¡±

    The following twilight, the convoy arrived in Sommedieue. The Police Affairs Department agent Lange, in charge of the escort, checked the time and saw they wouldn¡¯t make it to the next town, so he ordered his men to rest at the coaching inn at the town hall.

    Once they settled Necker, Lange began playing cards with his subordinates in the outer room of the house.

    Before long, a Police Affairs Department agent entered the room and whispered a few words in his ear.

    Lange nodded, grabbed a bottle of wine from beside him, and began drinking with several men. Meanwhile, the agents responsible for guarding the back of the house also started to drink.

    After nightfall, an old carriage stopped on the road opposite the Sommedieue town hall, from which several men dressed as merchants alighted.

    The former ¡°postman¡± immediately bowed his head and came over, whispering, ¡°Good opportunity, those secret police are all drinking.¡±

    The ¡°merchants¡± nodded, signaling to their fellows to grab their weapons from the carriage and climb over the town hall¡¯s eastern wall.

    The street lamps had already been extinguished by the ¡°postman¡±, and the three ¡°merchants¡± easily picked the main door lock and crept into the town hall.

    These were experienced assassins, who silently found Necker¡¯s room and then saw the secret police, drunk and staggering.

    The leader¡¯s face lit up with pleasure, lit a torch swiftly, and bypassed the guards, giving a signal to his comrades with his eyes.

    The men drew their swords and gently opened the inner room door before rushing in and stabbing wildly at the bed where Necker was, over ten times, before stopping.

    The leading assassin brought the torch close to the bed to confirm it was Necker, then immediately signaled to his men to retreat.

    They hadn¡¯t expected that this mission, worth thirty thousand livres, would be completed so easily. Already thinking about how to enjoy this fortune, they stepped out of the town hall door.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Suddenly, the lead man halted, his years of experience as an assassin alerting him to a hint of danger. Before they could react, dozens of torches suddenly flared to life around them.

    Under the glow of the firelight, nothing but the dark muzzles of flintlock guns were visible.

    ¡­

    Marquis of Ludo had not expected his operation to go so smoothly.

    He arrived in England just two days ago and was enthusiastically led by a textile factory manager to visit the entire automatic loom industry.

    Afterward, he spent a large sum of money to bribe two technicians responsible for maintaining the looms.

    After preparations were made, a Police Affairs Department agent named Prosper led a team to steal an automatic loom overnight¡ªfixed to a waterwheel and impossible to dismantle intact without professional technicians¡ªand transported it through England¡¯s inland waterways to the Dover port, where a ship was already waiting.

 Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 182 Scapegoat

    Chapter 213: Chapter 182 Scapegoat

    ¡°`

    Two British technicians resigned one after another within half a month, and arrived in France by boat with the Marquis of Ludo, along with six textile workers and their families.

    Subsequently, both the looms and the technicians were sent to the Palace of Versailles. There, the ¡°Honorary Lifetime Chairman of the French Engineering and Technical Association,¡± and His Majesty King Louis XVI of France would personally undertake the task of disassembling and reproducing the machine.

    Initially, Joseph had intended for Murdock to handle the reproduction, but considering that he was working on the development of the high-pressure steam engine, and the Royal Workshop at Versailles had more precision machining equipment, it was ultimately decided that the important task would be entrusted to the King.

    At first, Louis XVI was somewhat reluctant when he learned that the new research task was not the new rifled gun as had been agreed upon, but after Joseph introduced him to the enormous profits of the British textile industry and the significance of this automatic loom for the textile sector, His Majesty rolled up his sleeves and devoted himself to the cause of France¡¯s industrial development with unwavering dedication.

    However, the shortage of research talent also gave Joseph a sense of crisis.

    In all of France, only the King¡¯s small team and the highly paid British possessed the capabilities for engineering research, while so many mathematicians and physicists in France were unable to contribute, which was quite unreasonable.

    When returning to Paris, as Joseph gazed out of the carriage window, he pondered whether he should truly establish the French Engineering and Technical Association and perhaps instigate an award like the ¡°Royal Award for Scientific Progress,¡± to stimulate the speed of engineering research.

    ¡­

    When the Marquis of Ludo returned home, he immediately learned of the news about Necker¡¯s assassination.

    Before he could take any pleasure in the news, he saw the bold headline on the newspaper handed to him by the butler: ¡°Murderer of Necker Captured on the Spot During Assassination Attempt, Undergoing Interrogation.¡±

    Immediately, the Marquis of Ludo felt his world spin and he slowly slumped onto the sofa, muttering through clenched teeth, ¡°Bouvarandere, that idiot¡­ always boasting about his influence in the underworld, and yet the assassin he hired was such trash!¡±

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t really fair to blame Bouvarandere. The assassins he found were definitely top-notch, but the Police Affairs Department had arranged for more than 80 people to follow Necker from a distance and controlled the area within half a league. Unless the assassins could fly, escaping was impossible.

    Joseph knew that the banking magnates implicated by the Necker case and who had suffered great losses would hate Necker to the bone, so he deliberately leaked the latter¡¯s whereabouts and had the accompanying Police Affairs Department cooperate.

    The Royal Family might have pardoned Necker, but if the Banking Guild wanted to kill him, what was it to the Royal Family?

    Moreover, the assassin was captured at the scene, with weapons and evidence in abundance and the motive crystal clear, making it impossible for anyone to concoct a conspiracy theory.

    Of course, if the Marquis of Ludo and others were indeed deeply cunning and uninvolved in the act, Joseph was in no hurry. After all, Count Capefield was clearly a man with more temper than brains; stir him up with spy-spun rumors a few times and he won¡¯t be able to hold back, Joseph believed.

    The Marquis of Ludo stared at the newspaper in his hand, then abruptly stood up and instructed the butler to prepare the carriage and rush to Count Capefield¡¯s residence.

    Two hours later, a meeting of banking tycoons converged, all wearing faces of concern. They had actually known about the assassin¡¯s capture for a few days, but with the ¡°brain trust,¡± the Marquis of Ludo, not in France, they had no choice but to wait.

    The Marquis of Ludo surveyed the five men before him and spoke gravely, ¡°Although Necker has been exiled, he is still the former Finance Minister, so this matter is going to be quite severe!¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°`

    The Marquis of Ludo¡¯s eyes sparkled with a murderous glint, ¡°The assassin was hired by Bouvarandere, so he can only be troubled to bear all the blame now!¡±

    Everyone was startled and only then did they notice that Bouvarandere had not come today.

    After a moment, everyone could only sigh helplessly, tacitly agreeing to the Marquis of Ludo¡¯s plan.

    ¡­

    Switzerland.

    By the Murg River, the City of Frauenfeld.

    Count Saigul played idly with the cup in front of him but showed no interest in the tea inside¡ª the quality of the leaves was such that even his servants at home would not drink it.

    ¡°These dragging Swiss¡­¡± He pulled out his watch and glanced at it, deciding to urge the Swiss Federal Assembly once more.

    He had been in this godforsaken mountainous place for a week now, and although the Swiss had been very respectful to him as a diplomat from a major country, they had yet to give him a satisfying reply.

    Seeing that he was about to leave, his assistant hurried to keep up, ¡°Lord Earl, are you going to the Congress Hall again?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Count Saigul replied, donning his hat and frowning, ¡°I do not want to stay here another day; there¡¯s no decent tea, not even a drinkable coffee¡­ ¡±

    The assistant helped him open the door, ¡°What can we do? Their Federal Assembly can¡¯t handle anything, just keep on asking the cantonal congresses. Or perhaps, we should visit the canton of Schwyz.¡±

    Count Saigul gave him a look, ¡°I represent His Majesty the King of France, how can I stoop to negotiate with a mere cantonal congress?¡±

    Several Swiss servants busied themselves calling a carriage, preparing the steps for Count Saigul who climbed in grumbling, ¡°This poor and pitiable country, without even a capital. Can you imagine that? No capital!

    ¡°God, why did I take on this arduous task? That Denaro Bank had better produce the seven million livres, or there will be trouble¡­¡±

    Yes, he was in Switzerland to demand the extradition of the fugitive shareholders of Denaro Bank and to urge the bank to return the involved funds and fines.

    The carriage rumbled over the rugged mountain road, occasionally requiring the two Swiss servants ¡°hanging¡± on the back of the carriage to jump down and help push it in order to ascend the steep hills successfully.

    When Count Saigul arrived at the gray-yellow two-story building of the Swiss Parliament, a square-faced, short-statured middle-aged man was walking out to meet him. He hurriedly lifted his hat in greeting, ¡°Oh, the honorable Count Saigul, I was just on my way to find you. There is finally news from the canton of Schwyz.¡±

    Count Saigul recognized the man as Fuller, a member of the Swiss Federal Assembly and immediately responded with some joy, ¡°Have the two fugitives been caught? What about the ill-gotten funds?¡±

    Fuller invited him into the Parliament Building, apologizing with a smile, ¡°They have not been caught yet, but the Schwyz cantonal congress has already sealed Denaro Bank. However, there is less than four million livres on the bank¡¯s books, and more than half of that is loans; it may take some time to recover it¡­¡±

    Count Saigul¡¯s face immediately darkened as he stood up straight, fixing Fuller with an intense gaze, ¡°On behalf of His Majesty the King, I formally notify you that Switzerland must pay all ill-gotten funds and fines to the Bank of France Reserve within three months.¡±

 Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 184 The Dawn of Frances Finance

    Chapter 215: Chapter 184 The Dawn of France¡¯s Finance

    The Combined Fleet, upon seeing the pirate ship trying to escape, wasn¡¯t too surprised and maintained its course, squeezing the pirates¡¯ space smaller and smaller.

    The dozens of oars on the pirate ship were rowed so vigorously they almost took flight, quickly on the verge of escaping through the encirclement from the east and west sides, when all of a sudden, a tall warship appeared from the south, bearing the blue field and fleur-de-lis flag on its mainmast.

    It was the 42-gun cruising frigate ¡°Cleder.¡±

    Even though in the gentle winds of the Mediterranean, the oar-sail ship had a certain speed advantage, the formation of the Combined Fleet was impeccable; ¡°Cleder¡± just needed to calmly wait there, and the warships from the other two directions would soon close in.

    In the end, the cornered pirate ship exchanged fire with ¡°Cleder.¡± The outcome was inevitable¡ªthe third broadside from ¡°Cleder¡± broke the pirate ship¡¯s mast and a 28-pound cannonball blew away the entire bow of the ship, which only had 12 cannons.

    A slightly larger pirate ship tried to break free from the entanglement but had seven of its oars on the port side severed by a cannonball from ¡°Cleder.¡±

    The oarsmen on the pirate ship were too slow to react, still rowing with all their might. Due to the imbalance in thrust on either side, the ship immediately made a sharp 60-degree turn to the left.

    By the time the pirate ship managed to adjust its direction, two escort ships of the Combined Fleet had already caught up from behind.

    The Dutch ¡°Walrus¡± escort ship was the first to fire. When Charles¡¯s ¡°Constellation¡± caught up, ready to unleash a barrage of fire, he suddenly saw a huge burst of flames erupt from the aft of the pirate ship¡ªit was clear that the ammunition store had been hit.

    And just like that, the battle ended¡­

    Charles came up to the deck, with a gust of heat mixed with the scent of burning wafting into his face, he watched the screaming pirates jumping into the sea, floundering like fish scooped up in a net, creating splashes of water.

    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene when the pirates had boarded the ¡°Golden Wheat.¡± Suddenly, a rage surged up in his chest; he snatched the gun from the sailor next to him, saw it was already loaded, and immediately took aim at the pirates below and fired a shot.

    Soon, the horns signifying victory sounded from several warships.

    As Charles was cursing at the burning pirate ship, he heard Captain White¡¯s voice from behind, ¡°Lad, you made your mark this time!¡±

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    One of the things Queen Mary used to hate the most was holding cabinet meetings because they often brought bad news, especially about the nation¡¯s debt, which seemed like a hole that could never be filled.

    But today, she had been looking forward to the cabinet meeting ever since breakfast.

    Because she had seen Brian¡¯s report yesterday, and through a series of operations via the industrial development fund, the country¡¯s debt problem had unexpectedly seen significant easing.

    This was a stubborn problem that had plagued France for over a hundred years since the time of Louis XV, and now, under her diligent governance, she finally saw hope for a solution!

    She first went to the Royal Workshop, made the sleep-deprived Louis XVI¡ªwho was tinkering with a loom¡ªchange his clothes, and then dragged him to the meeting hall.

    The cabinet ministers had already arrived, evidently also aware of the good news, each of them looking spirited, except for the Duke of Orleans, wearing a black coat, sitting there lost in thought.

    After everyone had paid their respects to the king and queen and sat down at the queen¡¯s gesture, Brian excitedly announced in a loud voice, ¡°Today, I have a great piece of good news to tell everyone.

    ¡°With the blessing of the Almighty and the meticulous governance of our great king and queen, France¡¯s debt has significantly decreased in the past month!¡±

    As he spoke, he took out a document and began to read: ¡°As of three days ago, the national debt had decreased by 130 million livres, and now only 2.11 billion livres remain.¡±

    He paused, looking around at everyone present, his voice filled with excitement, ¡°Especially notable is that the interest on the debt has been reduced from 180 million livres per year to less than 100 million livres.¡±

    ¡°At this rate, France¡¯s finances will soon balance income and expenditure!¡±

    The current annual revenue of France is 510 million livres, with nearly 430 million livres going towards debt interest. This means that with just an additional 20 million or so in revenue, we will achieve a balanced budget for the first time!

    Everyone immediately stood up and bowed towards Louis XVI: ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    ¡°Long live Queen Mary!¡±

    Though the Duke of Orleans was saying the same, his heart was bleeding.

    How could he not be clear on how the national debt was reduced? It was all the money from the thirteen banks!

    After the turmoil, several of the banks tied to his lineage had suffered substantial losses. At the same time, with the Marquis of Ludo and others aligning with the Royal Family, his influence in the Banking Guild had plummeted dramatically.

    He suddenly felt a tightness in his chest; having lost control over the national finances, he had now completely lost any possibility of defeating the Royal Family.

    While others continued to lavish praise on the King and Queen, he sank into his chair, drained of strength.

    It seemed the centuries-old aspirations of the Orleans family were utterly hopeless in his generation. He lamented internally and resolved to only focus on training Philippe, hoping for his growth¡­

    The matter of finance took a full ¡°discussion¡± of nearly an hour before everyone reluctantly moved on to the next item on the agenda.

    Brian took out a document and signaled to the ministers: ¡°His Majesty has signed a decree to establish the role of Minister of Industry within the Cabinet, primarily responsible for the supervision, management, and investment of the country¡¯s industrial affairs.¡±

    He gestured towards the golden doors of the conference hall, and two guards promptly opened the doors. Mirabeau, wearing a dark blue coat, meticulously made up, and perfumed, strode energetically through them.

    Brian continued, ¡°On the recommendation of Crown Prince His Highness, Count Mirabeau will serve as Minister of Industry.¡±

    He was somewhat resistant to this appointment¡ªthe nouveau riche Mirabeau, with little family background, somehow managed to get connected with the Crown Prince and had now made his way into the Cabinet in one fell swoop.

    However, the Crown Prince also mentioned that Mirabeau was very knowledgeable about developing industrial enterprises and would greatly promote France¡¯s industrial development.

    At present, the biggest potential for financial growth in France lies in industry. If Mirabeau can advance French industry to the level of England, no, even just half of England¡¯s level, it would increase the annual revenue by tens of millions of livres, thus allowing France to truly achieve a balanced budget.

    As the Finance Minister, his name would certainly be etched in history, and his reputation could even surpass that of Cardinal Richelieu, becoming the most able minister in France.

    Thus, Brian accepted Joseph¡¯s proposal, allowing a rising noble to become the first Minister of Industry.

    After a simple routine appointment ceremony, Mirabeau took a seat at the end of the conference table.

    At this moment, a court official entered the conference hall softly and handed a report to the Navy Minister, the Marquis of Castries.

    The latter quickly read through the report, immediately turned to the King with a smile, bowed, and said, ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s more good news! A week ago, our fleet sunk a Barbary pirate ship and captured another.¡±

 Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 185 The Terrifying "Ice Hammer

    Chapter 216: Chapter 185 The Terrifying ¡°Ice Hammer

    The ministers, upon hearing this, immediately showered the King, the Queen, and now the Crown Prince with compliments once more.

    They all remembered that it was the Crown Prince himself who had proposed this cost-free plan to tackle piracy, and now it indeed began to show initial signs of success.

    Joseph, intrigued, took the report from the Marquis of Castries and started to read it, quickly discovering that it was an American named Charles who had obtained intelligence on the pirates from Algiers, enabling the successful ambush.

    When he saw Charles mention that his information might have come from a former Tunisian Pasha named Eunice, he couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes.

    A former ¡°Crown Prince¡± of Tunisia, still influential there? If this were true, perhaps his North African plan needed some adjustments.

    Previously, he had planned to follow historical trajectories, starting with an attack on the pirate strongholds on the northern coast of Algiers, followed by purging pirates across all of Algiers. The other identity of the Barbary pirates was the navy of the North African states, deeply intertwined with their power elites. Eradicating the pirates would, in effect, turn the whole nation inside out.

    But now, it seemed Tunisia might provide a better foothold!

    After the Cabinet meeting concluded, Joseph immediately sought out the Marquis of Castries and ordered him to send a message to the Combined Fleet, calling for this man named Charles to come to Paris.

    The Navy Minister was somewhat surprised but agreed at once.

    Afterward, Joseph called for Fouche to expedite the construction of the intelligence network in Algiers and Tunisia.

    ¡­

    In the central Pacific Ocean, two medium-sized sailing ships emblazoned with ¡°Gemini Trading Company¡± were seemingly drifting aimlessly on the sea.

    The ships had offloaded their cargo in the Far East and had purchased nothing, so they were exceptionally light and thus extremely fast.

    After sailing straight west for a week, the ships turned south for more than ten nautical miles before again turning eastward, sails full.

    If one examined their sailing records for the past month, it would appear they were loitering in the nearby waters, seemingly in search of something.

    Aboard the armed merchant ship ¡°Temper¡±, Captain Fraute marked a few points on the nautical chart and, frowning, said to his first mate, ¡°If we still can¡¯t find it a hundred nautical miles further south, we¡¯ll have to head to Batavia for supplies, then return to Europe.¡±

    Just then, the excited shout of a lookout came through the speaking tube: ¡°Land! Land ho! 25 nautical miles to the east-southeast!¡±

    Fraute hurriedly examined the chart and confirmed that the lookout¡¯s mentioned position had no known islands, then excitedly grabbed a telescope and rushed to the foredeck.

    Indeed, before long, a dark grey island with mottled green patches appeared in his telescope.

    His heart surged with excitement¡ªthe Crown Prince was right, there really was an island here!

    In the following days, Fraute led the crew to find a suitable sheltered harbor and set up an advance base on the island, flying the iris flag representing the King of France.

    Five days later, they encountered the first group of the island¡¯s indigenous people. After a difficult session of communicating through gestures, they hired nearly a hundred natives with trinkets like small knives and iron pots, starting to extract the brittle rocks that were abundant on the island.

    The captain of the ¡°Harmonium¡± watched as the crew and natives loaded the rocks into the hold and asked Fraute, ¡°Are you sure these are the stones the Crown Prince was asking for?¡±

    The latter nodded: ¡°This is the only island in these waters; it can¡¯t be wrong.¡±

    ¡°Alright then. But at least we¡¯ve discovered new territory; there should be a good bonus in it, right?¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Fraute looked towards the distant sea, ¡°but the location of the island was pointed out by the Crown Prince. We just came to confirm it. Oh, he even knew the name of the island, what was it again?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s ¡®Nauru¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Nauru. What a strange name.¡±

    As more of the native inhabitants of Nauru rushed over to mine stones, it took just over ten days for them to fill the cargo holds of the two armed merchant ships, each nearly 500 tons displacement.

    Fraute left more than a dozen sailors to guard the station and ordered the two ships to set sail back to Europe.

    ¡­

    The hot month of July arrived.

    In a small village in France, 30 miles north of Berry.

    Geiszler leaned against the rooftop, taking a wooden plank from his wife standing below and moved laboriously to cover the last hole, measured it, and hammered in the nails with force.

    The entire roof was a crisscross of ¡°patches,¡± and just buying these planks had cost Geiszler a full 1 livre and 7 sous.

    Geiszler looked towards the chicken coop not far away, which had collapsed by more than half, which made him involuntarily think back to the terrifying disaster three days ago.

    The weather was clear at the time, and he was ¡°attending¡± to the new water pump with Blanche from the village when he suddenly felt his shoulder being struck violently by something, making him wince in pain. Looking over, he found a large bruise forming on his shoulder.

    Believing it was the work of some mischievous village child, he looked around angrily but saw no child. Instead, he heard Blanche scream in agony and saw him collapse to the ground while holding his head.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Geiszler rushed to help him up and was shocked to see a gash on his forehead, and beside him, in the dirt, lay a fist-sized ¡°glass ball¡± with bloodstains on it.

    Geiszler picked up the ¡°glass ball,¡± and immediately a chill shot into his palm. It was then he realized that it was actually a ball of ice!

    Soon after, thudding sounds of heavy objects striking the ground began to resound nearby.

    The half-raised Blanche suddenly pointed to the sky and shouted in horror, ¡°The sky! Take cover! These things are falling from the sky!¡±

    Luckily, a wooden shed had already been built over the water pump, and the two men hurriedly crawled inside.

    Soon, the individual ¡°thuds¡± around them merged into a continuous barrage, and the wooden shed over their heads made a frightening ¡°bang bang¡± noise as if a devil outside wanted to smash them to death with a hammer.

    The terrifying ¡°hammer¡± pounded for nearly 40 minutes before gradually stopping. Geiszler saw that even the thick planks on top of the shed had several cracks smashed into them.

    He suddenly remembered something, pushed open the shed door, and stood frozen in place.

    The once lush wheat fields had turned into flat ground, the nearly mature wheat smashed into mush by countless fist-sized hailstones, mixing with the ice, mud, and water into one mass.

    Nearly half of the trees in the distance hung with broken branches and leaves, as if they had been ravaged by a mad giant, and on the ground, one could even see the flattened corpses of wild animals lying in pools of blood.

    ¡°No, no, oh God, have mercy¡­¡± Geiszler murmured tremblingly, ignoring the ice balls on the ground and stumbling back to his own home.

    ¡°Annette! Are you all alright?!¡±

    The next moment, he saw his wife, her face covered in blood, holding the two children and walking out of the house with a look of terror.

 Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 186 Panic and Countermeasures

    Chapter 217: Chapter 186 Panic and Countermeasures

    ¡°My dear, are all the nails hammered in?¡±

    The voice of his wife startled Geiszler from his reverie, and he hurriedly called out from under the eaves, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all done; you can start laying the straw now.¡±

    His gaze fleetingly caught the scar on her forehead, a remnant from the hailstorm, when fragmented wood from the broken roof had gashed her. Fortunately, the wound wasn¡¯t deep, and she and the children had taken refuge under a dining table, narrowly escaping disaster.

    Lady Geiszler tied up a large bundle of thatch with a rope, watching as her husband dragged it up onto the roof and spread it out bit by bit.

    By noon, the roof of the Geiszler home was more or less restored to its former state.

    Geiszler, wiping the sweat from his forehead, entered the house and saw his wife come out from the inner room, placing on the table a plate that was missing a large chip¡ªtheir most intact plate¡ªand summoned him with a smile, ¡°Tired, aren¡¯t you? Have something to eat.¡±

    Geiszler ate a few spoonfuls of the vegetable soup soaked bread, then pushed the plate aside, ¡°Ah, save this for tonight. I¡¯ll go back to the field to see if there is anything else we can salvage.¡±

    There was still more than half a month until the wheat ripened, but many of the grains had already formed, turning green. Although they were mixed in the mud after the hailstorm, they could still recover some.

    He was determined to gather every grain of food! After this crop failure, his family¡¯s stored grain would only last for three months, and as a tenant farmer, he still hadn¡¯t paid the rent to Viscount Colbert.

    Geiszler sighed silently, pondering how much money he would need to borrow to buy enough seeds for the emergency planting for the next half year, and to sustain his family until the autumn harvest.

    Suddenly, he made the sign of the cross on his chest and silently thanked the merciful Crown Prince, praying, ¡°May God bless you and grant you many years of life!¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the Crown Prince clearing his previous debts, this crop failure would likely have bankrupted his family¡­

    Stepping out of the house, he had only taken a few strides when he heard the sound of a child crying from the neighbors¡¯, the Geoffreys. Among the sobs, he could faintly hear the child crying for food.

    Lady Geiszler also heard and came out, exchanging a glance with her husband before suggesting, ¡°There¡¯s still some of the green grain we cooked last night left, should we¡­?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Geiszler nodded.

    Geoffrey had contracted lung disease at the beginning of the year and could only lie in bed all day long. His family was destitute. After this disaster, their bankruptcy was inevitable.

    Geiszler took the broken bowl his wife handed to him. Seeing a piece of black bread atop the boiled grains, he said nothing more and headed towards his neighbor¡¯s house.

    Mrs. Geoffrey took the food with trembling hands, thanking him profusely, while three gaunt children quickly gathered around, eagerly stuffing the food into their mouths.

    Geiszler paused for a moment before managing to ask, ¡°Is there anything else we can do to help you?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s all¡­¡± Mrs. Geoffrey returned the empty bowl to Geiszler, her head lowered, her words trailing off with hesitation, ¡°The food you gave is already a great help.¡±

    She knew the neighbors, though managing, certainly didn¡¯t have the means to help them daily.

    Under her table was a nearly empty bag of broken wheat. Even if rationed, it would last at most half a month. As for livestock, they had all been slaughtered and eaten last year. This meant that in half a month, her only option would be to take her family to the city to beg.

    Given her family¡¯s situation, not even usurers would lend to them.

    Geiszler sighed, about to turn and leave when Father Marmont from the parish hurried in, anxiously telling Mrs. Geoffrey, ¡°God bless, you can apply for a ¡®bread loan¡¯ now!¡±

    The woman, taken aback, quickly made the sign of the cross and asked, ¡°Respected Priest, what is a ¡®bread loan¡¯?¡±

    ¡°His Majesty the King wants to help families like yours, so the parish bank will lend you money,¡± Father Marmont explained. ¡°Go to the church first, fill out an application there, and starting from next month, you can receive a loan of four livres a month, or the equivalent in grain. The interest rate is only six percent.¡±

    ¡°You better hurry, I still need to inform the Jullien family.¡±

    He turned and took a few steps, then quickly turned back to add, ¡°Oh, and your seeds for emergency planting aren¡¯t settled yet, right?¡±

    ¡°Remember to also apply for government relief seeds. But it¡¯s only potatoes.¡±

    ¡°Actually, those aren¡¯t bad at all, certainly better than starving, right? Plus, there¡¯s no interest. You just need to repay the same amount at the end of the year.¡±

    After Father Marmont and Geiszler left, Mrs. Geoffrey¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened. She knew that even though it was only four livres per month, it would be just enough to keep her family alive!

    Taking a deep breath, she turned and asked her three children to kneel with her. With a trembling voice, she prayed, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty the King, for your kindness! Thank God! We are saved¡­¡±

    She stood up under the bewildered gaze of her children, turned away, wiped the tears from her eyes, and hurried towards the parish church at the fastest pace she could manage.

    Similar to the Geoffreys¡¯ situation, scenarios like this were playing out in rural communities across France.

    Thanks to Joseph¡¯s preparations several months in advance, although the terrible natural disaster struck as expected, France did not experience the Purgatory-like conditions of history.

    If families like the Geoffreys went bankrupt, they would have flooded into the cities to beg; many of these people would become key players in the forthcoming Revolution. Families like these numbered a million across All of France!

    At the same time, the cities, with millions more mouths to feed, would see bread prices skyrocket immediately, making it unaffordable for city dwellers too. Historically, after the hailstorms, the price of bread in Paris quickly doubled, becoming a direct catalyst for the Revolution.

 Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 186 Panic and Countermeasures_2

    Chapter 218: Chapter 186 Panic and Countermeasures_2

    At present, with the advent of the Steam Engine sent to the countryside, lands that would have produced no crops due to drought managed to yield some harvest. Although it was only green wheat and amounted to only about thirty percent of a normal harvest, it was indeed better than nothing.

    Furthermore, in the provinces that had extensively planted potatoes, the impact of hail was very limited. Especially in the south, where potatoes were nearly ripe, after the hail, the farmers only needed to dig out the potatoes from the ground to ensure their food supply for the latter half of the year.

    At the same time, the ¡°Parish Small Bank¡± that Joseph had set up earlier to help the rural areas purchase Steam Engines played an unexpected role this time.

    Because he now had the powerful tool that was the Bank of France Reserve at his disposal.

    After the disaster struck, Joseph and the Cabinet decided that the Bank of France Reserve would directly provide loans to the parish banks, which would then divide and lend to impoverished farmers, ensuring that the disaster-stricken farmers wouldn¡¯t starve to death.

    Such large-scale government funding for disaster relief was unheard of in the eighteenth century. In fact, disaster relief wouldn¡¯t cost much ¡ª nearly four million livres a month, totaling between twelve and fourteen million by harvest time. The payoff was the stability of the entire lower class of France.

    For a country, chaos is always a severe drain.

    It¡¯s not just about spending money; it also drains the nation¡¯s foundation and prospects for development, diminishing people¡¯s confidence in the country. These are things you can¡¯t buy back with any amount of money.

    Historically, after the chaos of the French Revolution, it took the country a good ten years to gradually get back on track and start developing again. That was only because of the arrival of Napoleon, a man capable of turning the tide; otherwise, it might have taken another ten years.

    As for the twelve million for disaster relief, Joseph had his own additional plan: it could be used to accelerate the circulation of banknotes.

    Beginning next month, the Bank of France Reserve will officially issue banknotes, and the loans that the parish banks receive from the Bank of France Reserve will be disbursed entirely in banknotes.

    Of course, to ensure stability in the countryside, for the first two months, the Bank of France Reserve will also transport an equivalent amount of silver coins to each parish, allowing farmers to exchange banknotes at any time.

    Once everyone is accustomed to banknotes and has developed a certain level of trust in them, they will gradually reduce the amount of silver coins distributed.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, the initial issuance of banknotes would be fifty million livres, with an over-issuance of 5%. In other words, the Bank of France Reserve actually prepared forty-seven and a half million livres in silver coins.

    This small degree of over-issuance would not affect the national finances in any way. In fact, a moderate inflation is actually beneficial to economic development.

    Therefore, the funds needed for disaster relief would only require the issuance of two hundred million livres in banknotes, which could basically be covered by the over-issued portion.

    However, Joseph was well aware of the importance of maintaining stable currency values, especially during the initial introduction of banknotes. Reckless over-issuance could not be afforded; otherwise, it would backfire. The reason British Pound banknotes had remained strong and gradually accepted by other European countries was precisely because of their stable value.

    In this transition period from gold and silver coins to banknotes, the gold standard was the most suitable monetary policy, which also meant that excessive issuance of banknotes could not happen.

    ¡­

    In a large city like Paris, people were completely unaware of the farmers¡¯ despair. The impact of drought and hail on them mostly manifested in the price of bread, besides repairing damaged buildings and public facilities.

    When reports of failed crops from all over the country gradually reached Paris, even though there were no actual signs of food shortage, the price of bread immediately began to rise under the influence of public panic.

    The price of bread in Paris was always an issue of utmost concern for the French Cabinet, without exception. Every time Parisians had complaints about the price of bread, it signaled that a riot was on the verge of breaking out!

    Palace of Versailles.

    ¡°So, many nobles have protested against these regulations?¡±

    Joseph flipped through the ¡°Millers¡¯ Duties Act¡± in his hand and looked at Brian in front of him.

    The Finance Minister nodded somewhat helplessly, ¡°You know, the mill tax is a significant source of income for those people. Although the act only stipulated certain scenarios, they are still very resistant.¡±

    This was the bill that Joseph had submitted last month, yet it had still not been approved.

    Its main content was: millers are obligated to maintain the normal operation of their mills meticulously. If a mill can¡¯t be used for two consecutive months, the local parish would have the right to build a public mill.

    At present, in most European countries, the right to mill flour was still held by the Feudal Lords. Even if farmers had wheat, they had to pay a tax and go to the Feudal Lord¡¯s mill to have it ground into flour.

    Joseph thought for a moment, then changed one word in the document, turning it into ¡°Mill Owner Rights Act.¡±

    ¡°This way, we first describe the traditional mill rights in detail, and the duty part only needs to take up half a page at the end. No one should object to this.¡±

    Currently, the rights of mill owners are inherited according to medieval customs, and there really are no specific written laws, but the power of custom is as solid as a rock, implemented everywhere, and even courts would make judgments based on it.

    So, Joseph directly wrote them into the legislation, seemingly endorsing the nobles, but in reality, they didn¡¯t gain any benefits. And the duties that followed were indeed added in earnest.

    Brian immediately showed a smile, ¡°Your Highness, I think they will surely look forward to the bill¡¯s swift passage.¡±

    While they were talking, a finance official knocked and entered, hurriedly saluted them, and then rushed to say:

    ¡°Your Highness, Archbishop, we¡¯ve just received news from Paris, bread has risen to 4 livres 8 sous 7 deniers per loaf.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Brian¡¯s expression immediately turned serious, ¡°It¡¯s gone up by 7 deniers in just two days?¡±

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°Those scoundrels!¡± Brian stood up, ¡°Immediately have someone inspect all the bakeries, arrest anyone who dares to hoard or secretly raise prices on the spot!¡±

    Presently, the bread price control law in Paris was just this stringent¡ªanyone who dared to raise the price, even by 1 denier, would be immediately arrested.

    Joseph expressed some doubt, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, with the government emphasizing price controls every day since the hailstorm, and even the police helping to monitor, why would anyone dare to raise prices?¡±

    ¡°You may not know,¡± Brian sighed, ¡°those bakery owners, they comply with the stipulated price publicly, but secretly they employ various methods to effectively raise prices.

    ¡°For example, they only sell 40 pounds of bread at the regular price each day and then announce they¡¯ve sold out. Whoever wants to buy bread has to go to the back kitchen of the shop and pay a ¡®query fee¡¯ to make a purchase.

    ¡°Or they engage in tie-in sales¡ªsmear a bean-sized dollop of jam on the bread and claim it¡¯s jam bread, increasing the price by a few deniers.¡±

    Joseph raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°In that case, sending even more people to inspect won¡¯t do much good.

    ¡°I think, while the price increase isn¡¯t too significant yet, we should use the reserve grains to stabilize the price.¡±

    Brian shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, there is still plenty of grain in the market for now, it¡¯s not necessary to do this yet.

    ¡°You know, those merchants, once they learn that there is a grain shortage, will hoard food like mad, waiting to sell at high prices. Thus, most of the grain we put into the market now will be bought up by them.¡±

    Joseph smiled with confidence:

    ¡°Archbishop Brienne, how could you forget that we now have this ¡®weapon¡¯ called identity cards?¡±

    ¡°Identity cards?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You first set up ¡®ticket distribution points¡¯ around Paris. Anyone can collect a food ration ticket every day with their identity card.

    ¡°And the reserve grain depots will sell grain at fixed prices, but purchases must be made with food tickets. Each ticket can buy enough grain for two pounds of bread a day and cannot be used the next day.

    ¡°Those grain merchants themselves only have one identity card, so they simply cannot buy up large quantities of reserve grain.¡±

    Brian, who was still not accustomed to the concept of identity cards, found his eyes lighting up when the Crown Prince explained, ¡°No wonder you had given each identity card a different number, it can also be used this way!¡±

    He hurriedly called several of his subordinates, repeated Joseph¡¯s method to them, and had them go and carry it out immediately.

    Joseph thought for a moment and then said:

    ¡°The current rise in bread prices is mostly due to panic. So, we need to divert the public¡¯s attention as much as possible, to make them pay less attention to the food issue.¡±

 Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 187: Louis XVIs "Themed Birthday Celebration

    Chapter 219: Chapter 187: Louis XVI¡¯s ¡°Themed Birthday Celebration

    ¡°Diverting public attention?¡± Brian nodded, he was very familiar with this, ¡°Do you mean to say, find some noble scandals and publicize them extensively?¡±

    Joseph was slightly startled; to be honest, this was slightly different from his initial concept, but it indeed was a very effective means.

    ¡°In addition to that, we could also have the newspapers report about the Swiss owing money.¡±

    Indeed, the embezzled funds that the Swiss Denaro Bank failed to return were the money Switzerland owed to France, which was logically very sound.

    Joseph knew that France was currently at the beginning of national awakening, and people cared deeply about matters involving national interest. As long as the copy was up to standard, it would certainly draw everyone¡¯s attention.

    In fact, the Swiss Cantonal Parliament and the Federal Congress had already advanced nearly 3 million livres, more bank loans were being forcefully recalled, and diplomats had been sent to France to coordinate this matter. However, due to the domestic situation in France, they had to ¡°inconvenience¡± the Swiss.

    Brian nodded thoughtfully, admitting that this matter indeed could draw more attention from the citizens than noble scandals.

    Joseph continued, ¡°And those Barbary pirates we captured, bring them all to Paris for a public trial. Find a few French-speaking American sailors to add an emotional touch.

    ¡°Have someone write the pirate capturing process into a script, and perform it right there after each day¡¯s public trial.¡±

    When it came to heating up topics and creating news, Joseph, shaped by the 21st-century influence, was absolutely a master in this era.

    ¡°We could also add some visual stimulation. Hasn¡¯t Bouvarandere¡¯s trial concluded? Carry out the hanging as soon as possible and display his body from the street lamp as a public warning.¡±

    Bouvarandere was the banker charged with the murder of Necker.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Brian wanted to say that the judicial process wasn¡¯t complete yet and the execution shouldn¡¯t be so hasty. However, he then thought about the fact that the banker was not a noble and even had gang connections, a nod with the High Court would do, so he didn¡¯t say anything more.

    With these events, the focus on the unpaid debts would surely significantly decrease, and coupled with the availability of affordable bread, the panic over food should quickly come under effective control.

    Brian¡¯s assistant entered with the Queen¡¯s maid. The Countess of Debreninac paid her respects to the two men in the room and said, ¡°Archbishop Brian, Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence.¡±

    Brian hurried off with the maid, and Joseph returned to his study to write the arrangements for ¡°heating up the topics¡± into a document, one by one.

    Unexpectedly, after just half an hour, Brian returned somewhat anxiously, his brows furrowed in distress, ¡°Crown Prince, you must help me persuade Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What has happened?¡±

    Brian sighed, ¡°As you know, next month is His Majesty the King¡¯s birthday. Her Majesty the Queen summoned me just now to discuss the birthday celebration.

    ¡°However, given the severe shortfall the country is facing, with demands for money everywhere, I suggested to Her Majesty that we shouldn¡¯t host a large celebration, but she clearly wasn¡¯t too pleased¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Joseph suddenly looked at him, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s almost His Majesty the King¡¯s birthday.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Her Majesty the Queen loves you the most, if you persuade her, she should listen.¡±

    Joseph thought for a moment, then smiled and shook his head, ¡°No, Archbishop Brian, we should celebrate this birthday.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Not only should we celebrate, but we must also do it splendidly!¡± said Joseph, pulling up Brian and heading towards the Petit Trianon Palace.

    Before long, Queen Mary joyfully stroked her son¡¯s hair and cast a glance at the frowning Brian standing to one side, happily saying, ¡°I just knew that Joseph would agree to throw a grand birthday celebration for his beloved father.¡±

    Following her cue, Joseph first offered his blessings to Louis XVI, then said, ¡°However, as you know, the Parisians are currently concerned about the food issue. If we directly organize a birthday celebration at this point, it could easily provoke dissatisfaction among the people.¡±

    ¡°Additionally, finances are an issue.¡±

    Brian hadn¡¯t expected such a twist and hurriedly nodded in agreement.

    Meanwhile, the Queen began to frown, ¡°So, what are you suggesting?¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°We need to set a theme for His Majesty¡¯s birthday celebration.¡±

    ¡°A theme?¡±

    ¡°The Parisians will hear this news: The great His Majesty the King will hold a relief-themed birthday celebration,¡± Joseph explained. ¡°The scale of the celebration must be large, impacting as many people as possible. We should start warming up half a month in advance with some free programs, distributing food for free every day in the name of His Majesty the King.

    ¡°During the days of the birthday, hold a relief charity sale every day, calling on the nobility to donate. All Parisians can come to Versailles Palace Square to partake in the festivities, and we can even have things like lucky draws.

    ¡°I guarantee that for nearly a month before and after, the streets of Paris will be filled with laughter, and no one will remember the poor harvest.¡±

    With a grim face, Brian said, ¡°Your Highness, this is going to cost a lot of money.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need much money,¡± Joseph replied. ¡°The most expensive parts of such a celebration are hiring theater troupes, circuses to perform, having large-scale banquets, and decorating the Palace of Versailles, and all of these can be saved.¡±

    Queen Mary¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Without these, how can it be considered a birthday celebration?¡±

    Joseph had already thought of a plan on his way here and immediately smiled, ¡°For the celebration¡¯s program, we can organize two competitions.

    ¡°Ladies can take part in a singing and dancing competition. We only need the court orchestra to accompany them, and the ladies of Versailles who are skilled at singing and dancing will naturally take the stage to show their talents. Her Majesty the Queen will lead a few ladies from the Royal Family as judges, scoring on the spot and having a music master provide comments. The top performers will be selected, and Her Majesty the Queen will personally award them. I believe they will be eager to sign up.

    ¡°For the gentlemen, we can hold a swordsmanship competition. It will be judged by His Majesty the King, who will also award the winners.

    ¡°Of course, we can invite the circus, just to perform during breaks in the competition, which won¡¯t cost too much.¡±

    Queen Mary imagined the scene of noble ladies gathering together, each showing off their singing, and felt somewhat eager to try. She nodded her head quite approvingly on the spot.

    Joseph continued, ¡°His Majesty the King should tour around Paris on his birthday to accept congratulations from the citizens. So, the banquet only needs to be the dinner on that night, which is the only place where money needs to be spent.¡±

    In past celebrations of the King¡¯s birthday, there were banquets throughout the whole day, which was the major expense. But by only holding a dinner reception, the costs would not be as much.

    ¡°As for the decorations for the celebration, the Palace of Versailles is already the most exquisite and luxurious place in all of Europe. It¡¯ll be enough just to clean it thoroughly and place fresh flowers around.

    ¡°The heart of the celebration lies in the people. As long as there are many people and everyone is enjoying themselves, then it is a successful celebration.¡±

    Thinking quietly about the celebration plan proposed by the Crown Prince, Brian estimated that it would cost at most 300,000 livres, and it wouldn¡¯t provoke discontent from the Parisians towards the Royal Family. Hence, he immediately expressed his agreement, ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, I think the form of celebration proposed by His Highness is perfect.¡±

 Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 189: Declaring War on the Catastrophe (Please Subscribe)

    Chapter 221: Chapter 189: Declaring War on the Catastrophe (Please Subscribe)

    Afterward, Charles hurried to the Palace of Versailles, where he was received by the assistant to the French Naval Minister and was given a small commendation ceremony, along with a reward of 500 livres.

    Charles indeed deserved such recognition¡ªwithout the pirate intelligence he had purchased from the smugglers, the Combined Fleet might still be blindly searching the vast Mediterranean.

    However, after the ceremony, a French official informed him that there had been a change of plan regarding his scheduled testimony at the public trial of the pirates; he now needed to return immediately to Algiers to help the French ¡°diplomats¡± make contact with Pasha Eunice.

    ¡­

    Bourges, in the north-central part of France, is an extremely impoverished area, and Labourn Parish is one of its poorest villages.

    Sharecropper Alberic sat on a wooden barrel, inhaling the dry, hot air, his face showing a look of utter despair in front of the cracked earth.

    He simply did not have the strength to carry water any longer.

    As the weather grew hotter, the small river that once flowed by the village had dried up. He now had to walk two miles to fetch water from the neighboring village to irrigate his fields.

    Indeed, there were too few communal horses in the village, and it was more than ten days before it was his turn to use one.

    And the small amount of water he could carry by hand was woefully inadequate for the thirty acres he had planted.

    After a hail disaster, he had applied for government relief in the form of potato seeds, only to find that it never rained afterward.

    He had so far only planted two acres of potatoes, the maximum area he and his son could water by hand, for planting any more would mean the potatoes dying from dehydration.

    Alberic was now considering whether he should eat the potatoes meant for seeds¡ªalthough it was a serious violation of the rules, the priest had said they could only keep for half a month at most, and it would be a shame to let them all rot.

    Just then, a young tenant farmer from the village passed by, ringing a bell and shouting:

    ¡°All men, gather at the church!¡±

    Alberic hurriedly waved to the man and asked loudly:

    ¡°Didier, are we going to work for the baron?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s to help,¡± Didier said, ¡°Help Yanar Parish move stones.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Move stones?¡±

    Didier nodded impatiently: ¡°Yes, the government brought them specially, saying it¡¯s some kind of fertilizer. Supposed to make the crops grow better. But it looks like just stones to me.¡±

    Alberic quickly called his son and they both headed for the church.

    About forty or fifty people had already gathered near the church, buzzing with speculation:

    ¡°Why go to Yanar Village to work?¡±

    ¡°I heard Mr. Audreyan say the government has passed a ¡®water pump rental act,¡¯ and they¡¯ve obtained a water pump!¡±

    ¡°But what does that have to do with us?¡±

    While Yanar Parish was a parish in relatively better condition, barely able to afford to rent a water pump, Labourn Parish was destitute, unable to pay the monthly rental fee of 200 livres, to say nothing of the parish bank.

    Immediately, a villager said: ¡°Mr. Audreyan stated that according to the rental act, Yanar Village must lend us the water pump for eleven days each month, and in return, we need to work for them.¡±

    ¡°A water pump?!¡± Alberic exclaimed excitedly, ¡°I heard that thing can water dozens of acres in one day, we¡¯re saved!¡±

    Before long, the parish Stadtholder, Mr. Audreyan, arrived at the church, counted the people, and then instructed:

    ¡°Today and tomorrow we move fertilizer for Yanar Parish. The day after tomorrow, we move our own.

    ¡°After that, we¡¯ll also help them with repairing the canals.¡±

    As he spoke, joy appeared on his face: ¡°However, they will deliver the water pump to us tomorrow evening!¡±

    The tenant farmers immediately erupted into cheers¡ªwith water, there was hope for survival. Ignoring the blazing sun overhead, they followed Mr. Audreyan toward the adjacent village¡­

    Two days later, Alberic¡¯s family also received some of the light grey stones marked with black spots. According to the priest, it was a very precious fertilizer that only needed to be crushed into fine bits, soaked in water, and then applied to the land to significantly improve crop yield.

    All of the fertilizer was obtained on credit after the parish signed an agreement with a company called Gemini Trading Company. It turned out that one acre required an investment of five to seven sols, to be paid after the fall harvest. However, the company guaranteed that if the increased crop yield did not exceed the cost of the fertilizer, they would not charge a penny.

    Yes, these stones were the phosphate rock that Joseph had ordered to be transported back from Nauru, essentially mineralized bird droppings.

    This stuff was definitely the best fertilizer one could get in this era!

    You see, Nauru in later years made a fortune selling ¡°bird droppings stones,¡± and became one of the richest countries for a brief period. The citizens each had a luxury car, bought property in Australia at will, and flew overseas for cold treatments.

    Of course, after the mines were depleted, they fell back into poverty overnight, but that¡¯s another story.

    Limited by transport capacity, only two shipments of phosphate rock, totaling over six hundred tons, had been brought back, temporarily supplied to the more troubled regions of France. However, a second fleet of seventeen ships had already reached the Pacific Ocean. When they returned, they would greatly improve France¡¯s agricultural output.

    For now, though, Britain was still the world¡¯s leading naval power, so France could not yet publicize this matter and had to quietly transport the ¡°stones¡± back home. If news ever leaked, it might be forcibly seized by the British.

    Therefore, Joseph had also prepared an alternative plan: to promote the method of composting.

    The so-called ¡°composting¡± involved using microorganisms to process organic matter, such as leaves, straw, food scraps, and even feces, decomposing it into humus, which is a form of fertilizer plants can absorb.

 Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 189: Declaring War on the Catastrophe (Please Subscribe)_2

    Chapter 222: Chapter 189: Declaring War on the Catastrophe (Please Subscribe)_2

    Before the widespread use of chemical fertilizers, this could be considered the best method for humans to produce fertilizer, capable of maintaining soil fertility for years without the need for fallowing.

    Although Europe had simple composting as early as the 17th century, it was all done by experience, mixing organics haphazardly and letting it sit for a while, resulting in rather mediocre fertility. It wasn¡¯t until the mid-19th century, with scientific composting theories, that fertility gradually improved.

    Joseph had learned about the basic principles of composting from documentaries in later generations, which is nothing more than a layer of organic matter plus a layer of soil, controlling moisture, and isolating air. Then turning the pile once a month, three months for maturation.

    However, theory is one thing, how to operate specifically, and the proportions of organic matter and moisture, needed to be pondered by professionals.

    Joseph entrusted this task to the Church.

    Indeed, compared to inefficient bureaucrats, the Church was quite attentive in matters of public welfare. Having dozens of priests from different churches each work on composting with various ratios to observe the effects would determine the most suitable composting method. Then, it could be promoted nationwide.

    The night deepened.

    Alberic and two villagers followed the cart back to the village and then, lighting torches, unloaded the coal next to the pump.

    The coal was transported from a small coal mine more than ten miles away. Such small coal mines were now everywhere. Recently, the government had issued the ¡°Coal Mining Promotion Act,¡± encouraging the exploitation of coal mines and providing subsidies for mines that sold a certain volume of coal.

    Since then, investors operating small coal mines with a few dozen people had sprung up like mushrooms after rain and coal prices had continued to drop. Now, if the villagers carried the coal themselves, the village could fully afford the small amount of coal consumed by the pump.

    Watching the water flow illuminated by torches continuously pouring into the fields through the canals, although Alberic and the others were exhausted and sore, their faces were filled with smiles.

    Obviously, the monthly eleven days of irrigation couldn¡¯t cover all the cultivated land in the village, but it could at least preserve over sixty percent of the crops. Coupled with that supposedly magical stone fertilizer, they should be able to harvest enough grain to sustain the family through the autumn.

    Labourn Parish was lucky. Limited by the production of steam engines in France, there were still many areas in urgent need of irrigation that, although they had submitted applications in accordance with the pump rental law, could only anxiously wait for the life-saving pumps.

    ¡­

    In the eastern part of Tunisia, the City of Sfax.

    A man in his thirties, with sunken eyes and a fine high nose, dismounted from a carriage and quickly entered a sugar shop on the street corner which clearly had a French style.

    There were many French merchants in Tunisia, especially those high-end shops selling silk, sugar, and tea; many of them were owned by the French.

    The shop owner glanced at him, then nonchalantly opened a door on the counter, allowing him to enter the back room.

    Prosper from the Paris Police Department was seated inside, dressed in the typical Tunisian long robe in grey-white and wearing a golden bucket-shaped hat, idly playing with dates on a plate out of sheer boredom.

    The man with North African features entered the room, and Prosper quickly tipped his hat to him, greeting in French,

    ¡°Fabien¡­ ah, sorry, I should say Mr. Isaac, how¡¯s the situation?¡±

    Isaac first took several large gulps of water from the table before excitedly saying,

    ¡°I met that officer named Imanzad. He indeed knows Eunice, or rather, he admires him greatly.

    ¡°The most fortunate thing is, this Imanzad is about to retire and only holds a nominal position in the Tunisian Army.¡±

    ¡°How is that fortunate?¡± Prosper started to say but then stopped short, his eyes suddenly lighting up, ¡°Are you saying he has ample time to make a trip to Algiers?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Isaac nodded, ¡°Except he doesn¡¯t seem to trust me enough yet, so he was reluctant to make any promises. Next, it¡¯s time for our consul to take action.¡±

    Prosper did not expect things to go so smoothly; they had been in Tunisia for merely ten days and had already made contact with one of Eunice¡¯s former subordinates.

    Of course, this was also thanks to Isaac, a member of the Police Department with North African ancestry¡ªpreviously, his heritage often subjected him to discrimination. But here, his command of Arabic and familiarity with North African customs were considerable assets that helped him excel.

    Prosper also gulped down several mouthfuls of water¡ªwithout drinking enough before going out in this accursed place, dehydration would soon become unbearable¡ªand pulled Isaac to head for the door,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go find Consul Joan right now.¡±

    Three days later, after several meetings between the French consul and Imanzad, the latter finally boarded a smuggling ship that had been waiting in the harbor with the agents of the Police Affairs Department.

    They were to head directly to Dahra in Algiers to meet Eunice, who had left Tunisia more than thirty years ago.

    ¡­

    Versailles Palace Square.

    The place was crowded, and the square had likely gathered tens of thousands of people. They had all come from Paris to attend His Majesty the King¡¯s birthday celebration.

    A month ago, the newspapers had said that around three days before and after the King¡¯s birthday, grand song and dance competitions and swordsmanship contests would be held. Of course, the most attractive event was the distribution of free food every afternoon at 5 o¡¯clock.

    Of course, many people had come for the lottery advertised in the newspapers as well, with a jackpot of up to 3,000 livres¡ªjust for the price of one sou, one could buy a ticket.

    On the King¡¯s birthday, His Majesty himself would announce the winning numbers and present the substantial prize money in public.

    The Parisians were very interested in these kinds of get-rich-quick schemes. Most people with some spare money had bought a lottery ticket. Some, to increase their chances of winning, bought several or even dozens of tickets.

    Although the festival had not yet begun, there were already numerous vendors selling snacks or small toys, and street troupes were performing in the open. Everywhere there was a festive and merry atmosphere. People had long thrown the hailstorm that had destroyed 65% of France¡¯s agricultural harvest out of their minds.

    In the hall on the first floor of the Versailles Palace, a slightly overweight official seated behind a wooden table glanced at his watch, stood up, and prepared to remove the wooden sign that read ¡°Swordsmanship Competition Enrollment.¡±

    Just then, a young man, rather slender and with his hat brim pulled down low, approached and politely stopped him, speaking in a strange voice,

    ¡°Please wait, I would like to sign up.¡±

    ¡°Oh, very well, you¡¯ve come just in time,¡± the official had to sit back down in his chair and, taking up his pen, said, ¡°You cannot sign up for someone else. Please tell me your name.¡±

    ¡°Jean-Francois Henri de Freze.¡±

    The official quickly wrote down the name, stamped it, and then handed the slip of paper to him:

    ¡°Please keep your enrollment receipt safe, Viscount Freze.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the latter took the paper slip and turned to leave.

    The official suddenly remembered something and called out to him:

    ¡°Wait! Did you say you are Viscount Freze?¡±

    The young man did not answer, simply quickened his pace with his head down.

    ¡°Stop him!¡± the official in charge of enrollment shouted.

    Three guards immediately surrounded the ¡°Viscount Freze.¡±

    The enrollment official walked over, looking at the registrant with a suspicious eye, and said:

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, could you please take off your hat?¡±

    ¡°Viscount Freze,¡± with no other choice, took off his tricorn hat and showed him an apologetic smile.

    She was clearly a beautiful lady with charming eyes and a sweet smile.

    ¡°As I suspected! You are Miss Soleil, sister of Viscount Freze, aren¡¯t you? You really shouldn¡¯t be doing this,¡± the enrollment official said, reaching out his hand, ¡°This is a competition for gentlemen, fighting and killing is not suitable for a lady as beautiful as you. Now, please give me back your enrollment receipt.¡±

    ¡°But then, to whom shall the championship go, if not for my participation?¡± Soleil smiled slightly, and suddenly, with a powerful tug at the guard on her left, she hooked her boot around his ankle. Taking advantage of his loss of balance, she quickly slipped past him from the left side.

    The guard ended up blocking the view of the opposite guard. The last guard hurriedly gave chase, but after circling the stairs twice, he had already lost sight of Soleil.

    Meanwhile, in the center of the Marble Courtyard, the noble ladies¡¯ competition was already in full swing on a wooden stage.

    About five or six hundred nobles formed a fan shape around the stage, with Queen Mary at their center.

    A row of soldiers stood behind them, keeping the thousands of commoners who were watching from the outer circle at a distance. The people of Paris had rarely had such an opportunity to witness noblewomen demonstrating their singing talent.

    Suddenly, the nobles let out cries of excitement: ¡°Madame Garlan! It¡¯s Madame Garlan!¡±

 Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 190 The Rose of Versailles

    Chapter 223: Chapter 190 The Rose of Versailles

    On the second floor of the Palace of Versailles, Joseph was planning the tasks for the next few days¡ªthis time, numerous royal families and political figures from various countries came to celebrate Louis XVI¡¯s birthday, which was essentially a major European political and diplomatic gathering. Thus, he must seize the opportunity to finagle and maneuver, seeking favorable international political situations for France.

    He had just welcomed the Spanish Crown Prince Carlos Antonio earlier that morning, who would later become Charles IV. According to the schedule, the Russian Crown Prince, the Crown Prince of Sardinia, and the Prince of Poland would also arrive consecutively tomorrow.

    Nearly every European country had sent members of their Royal Family or special envoys. Naturally, those with good relations with France were there to offer congratulations, while those with poorer relations were keen to see whether they could exploit any opportunities arising from the aftermath of the great disaster that had befallen France.

    As Joseph was deep in thought, he kept hearing cheers for ¡°Madame Garlan¡± coming from the Marble Courtyard.

    He looked towards Eman with a hint of confusion:

    ¡°May I ask why this Madame Garlan is so popular?¡±

    The close attendant was just as puzzled, but a maid nearby came over and whispered a few words in his ear.

    Eman, suddenly enlightened, explained to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s a song and dance competition going on outside, and Madame Garlan is widely recognized as the most likely to win the championship. Ariel says she used to study with Mr. Haydn.¡±

    ¡°Haydn?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Franz Joseph Haydn, sir.¡±

    After asking more about him, Joseph learned that this man was indeed a very famous music master, especially known for two remarkably talented students¡ªMozart and Beethoven.

    If Madame Garlan was Mozart¡¯s junior, then winning the championship was almost a sure thing.

    With that in mind, Joseph quickly asked Eman to inquire with the manager of the internal court about the status of the external betting for the song and dance competition¡ªthe King¡¯s Birthday Preparatory Committee had set up ¡°prize quizzes¡± for both contests, where anyone could bet on the winners, with a correct guess yielding a double return.

    Soon enough, Eman returned and reported:

    ¡°Your Highness, it seems that more than half of the people have bet on Madame Garlan to win the championship.¡±

    This was trouble! They shouldn¡¯t have offered fixed odds! No wonder those nobles were so excited. Joseph couldn¡¯t help but rub his forehead¡ªhe had been too careless. It seemed likely that he would lose money on the song and dance competition. He could only hope to make some gain from the fencing competition, otherwise, he might not even cover the costs of the birthday celebration.

    Just then, a dainty figure in a puff-skirted dress of lavender, her hair combed into a birdlike style, knocked and entered the room, greeting Joseph with a curtsy and a cheerful smile:

    ¡°Cousin, the swordsmanship competition has started. Would you take me to see the fencing?¡±

    Joseph replied with a smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to watch the song and dance? I hear that Madame Garlan is very talented.¡±

    Clementine pouted and said in a whiny voice:

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of seeing song and dance every day in the court. Fencing is so much more interesting, I want to watch fencing.¡±

    The little girl usually followed Queen Mary around, but today, since the Queen was a judge for the contest, she had come to pester her cousin instead.

    Joseph, overwhelmed by her insistence, finally gave in to her wishes.

    No sooner had the two stepped out the main entrance of the Palace of Versailles than they saw Spanish Crown Prince Antonio, who bore a resemblance to Louis XVI, approaching.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116621¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116621/9daf9fe4683d1adf2359e398437d2316z8I4N6oX6VAXarA.jpg¡±>

    Although Antonio was nearly forty, his expression carried the innocence and forthrightness of someone much younger.

    He too noticed Joseph and, stopping in his tracks, performed a standard chest-grip salute, somewhat sheepishly:

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness, the Crown Prince.¡±

    The slightly round-faced, yellow-toothed noblewoman beside him also gathered her skirt and curtsied.

    Joseph hurriedly returned their greetings. His gaze swept over the woman¡¯s face, and he immediately recalled some accounts concerning the wife of the Spanish Crown Prince.

    Maria Luisa, promiscuous by nature, had provided her husband with countless green hats of environmental friendliness.

    This included servants, guards, Spanish officials, and even the French ambassador to Spain who had at one time been her lovers.

    The most notorious among them was Manuel de Godoy, who rose from a guard to the Chief Minister of Spain, ultimately secured in his position by her favor.

    Once Antonio assumed the throne, his preference for hunting and machinery meant that Spain¡¯s government was firmly in the grip of Maria Luisa and her paramour Godoy. Their inept rule filled with disastrous decrees pushed Spain to the brink.

    Ultimately, they efficiently depleted Spain¡¯s national and military strength, leading directly to Napoleon¡¯s dethronement of the Spanish Bourbon monarchy.

    Looking past Luisa, Joseph indeed spotted a ruddy-faced guard obediently following with his head bowed¡ªalmost certainly Godoy.

    In reality, during these days, commoners were only allowed on Versailles Palace Square to partake in the celebrations, and the area near the Palace of Versailles had no need for guards. Therefore, it was highly likely that this man was indeed Godoy.

    Clementine, always the social butterfly, stepped forward to greet the Spanish Crown Prince and his wife formally before warmly inviting:

    ¡°Your Highness, my cousin and I are going to watch the fencing. Why don¡¯t you both join us? It will surely be interesting!¡±

    Antonio hesitated, looking towards his wife, who nodded slightly, after which he said to Joseph:

    ¡°Thank you for the invitation, we will join you to watch the swordsmanship competition.¡±

    Luisa by his side offered an apologetic smile:

    ¡°Your Highness, I would rather watch the song and dance. Please, you go with the Crown Prince.¡±

    Joseph nodded without betraying any emotion, ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Joseph parted ways with Luisa along with the others, which actually aligned with his hopes.

 Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 190 The Rose of Versailles_2

    Chapter 224: Chapter 190 The Rose of Versailles_2

    The reigning King of Spain, Charles III, was indeed a capable monarch, but his physical condition had become extremely dire. Joseph could not recall the exact year of his death, but it must be drawing near.

    After that, it would be Antonio beside him who would ascend to the throne as the King of Spain¡ªCharles IV.

    Owing to the Bourbon bloodline shared by Spain and France, along with numerous colonial and economical conflicts with England in the Americas, France and Spain could be deemed natural allies.

    Especially since Spain still possessed remnants of its former empire¡¯s splendor, not only did it have vast colonies and substantial revenues from gold and silver in the Americas, but it also maintained a fleet of considerable strength¡ªabout a third of the British Navy¡¯s power.

    For France to develop, it would eventually have to break free from the British maritime blockade, and allying with the Spanish fleet was the best strategy. In history, France did just that, and the combined Franco-Spanish fleet¡¯s combat power even managed to match that of the British for a time. Sadly, they encountered the British genius Commander Nelson and, coupled with bad luck, were ultimately defeated by the British Army at the Battle of Trafalgar.

    And in this life, Joseph absolutely could not let such a tragedy recur.

    So, the first step would be to rid Spain of the scourge that was Godoy, to prevent Spain from taking detours and instead continue to strengthen its power, thereby providing France with more aid.

    Joseph glanced back and said to Antonio:

    ¡°That guard of yours looks quite spirited.¡±

    The latter seemed a bit socially anxious and replied softly:

    ¡°Oh, no, Your Highness, he¡¯s Louisa¡¯s guard. His name is Godoy.¡±

    It was indeed that man. Joseph nodded and inquired, ¡°Is he just a ¡®regular¡¯ guard?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s pretty regular, I think.¡±

    After that, there was a brief silence.

    Joseph shook his head inwardly, thinking that communicating with a socially anxious person was really challenging¡­ He needed to find a way to get closer to him, otherwise it would be difficult to help him even if he wanted to.

    After walking for a while, Joseph and company arrived at an open space between the Palace of Versailles and the Petit Trianon Palace.

    This was the site of the swordsmanship competition.

    This place was much larger than the venue for the singing and dancing competition. Even around the stage, temporary wooden stands had been constructed in three tiers, boasting seven to eight hundred seats.

    By this time, the spectator stands were full, and a large crowd of commoners were watching from the outer ring. Fortunately, the stage was very high, and the action on it could be seen even over the top of the stands.

    The two Crown Princes and a Princess naturally had the best seats.

    The three sat down in a temporary partition on the west side of the third layer, and two robust young noblemen stepped onto the stage, each taking up a foil sheathed in wood at the tip. They politely clashed their blades together and, at the referee¡¯s signal, began their bout.

    Both contestants were clearly well-trained, moving with agile footwork and handling their swords with ease, their techniques refined. For a time, the stage was a flurry of gleaming blades and leaping figures, making for an incredibly dazzling display.

    Joseph watched with great interest, wanting to strike up a conversation with Antonio about sword fighting, but when he turned, he saw him staring wide-eyed at the four-person-high scoreboard, his eyes shining.

    A noble on the field made a misstep and got hit by his opponent. Below that scoreboard, someone pulled with force, the flywheel turned, causing the large wooden pieces on the scoreboard to flip back, revealing the digit 1 underneath¡ª1:0.

    Antonio exclaimed with joy, ¡°It¡¯s automatic, just as I thought!¡± Turning to Joseph, he said, ¡°May I ask who designed this? It¡¯s ingenious, using a flywheel for energy storage to automatically change the score! Otherwise, that person would have to climb that tall wooden frame.¡±

    Joseph touched his nose and smiled, ¡°It is His Majesty the King¡¯s masterpiece.¡±

    ¡°He is truly remarkable.¡± Antonio said, ¡°I must pay a visit to His Majesty.¡±

    Joseph suddenly remembered that the Crown Prince had a fondness for machinery, which he shared with his own father.

    Having found a point of connection, the rest was easy. Joseph began talking about various mechanical subjects, from machine tools to the Steam Engine, from carriage suspension systems to automatic traction vehicles¡ªthe earliest form of trains.

    After nearly an hour of conversation, the Spanish Crown Prince¡¯s eyes were wide with admiration, hands and feet animated, bubbling with excitement, lamenting that he hadn¡¯t met Joseph sooner.

    Indeed, the Crown Prince of France was the kindred spirit he had been seeking all his life!

    Once the two had warmed up to each other, Joseph ventured to ask:

    ¡°Antonio, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something off about that Godoy?¡±

    ¡°He has a problem? Oh, it seems like there¡¯s something odd with his left eye.¡± The Spanish Crown Prince was no longer as socially anxious, waving his hand and saying, ¡°Why bring him up? Let¡¯s continue talking about that crankshaft motion you mentioned just now. How does that work?¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and shake his head; it seemed this old fellow truly hadn¡¯t noticed the color atop his own head.

    He had to find a way to remind him, or once Godoy began to assert his power, it would not be so easy to overthrow him.

    Joseph squinted slightly, it seemed he needed to first create some opportunities for the adulterous couple.

    As he was pondering, the two contestants on the platform had finished their match and left. The court official in charge signaled the servants to clean up the ¡°battlefield,¡± and then announced loudly:

    ¡°Next, the warriors numbered 631 and 112 will compete. Welcome them to the stage!¡±

    For fairness, all matches were decided by random draw. And before the drawing, no one knew whom the numbers represented.

    Two figures were about to ascend the winding stairs when an official ran over and whispered something to the referee, who immediately stood up and announced:

    ¡°Number 631, you cannot participate in the match! Please leave this place.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Soleil¡¯s voice of dissatisfaction came from beside the platform, her hand raised with the registration voucher, as she said with wide eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve registered, I can compete!¡±

    ¡°But you are a lady,¡± the referee, seeing the audience start to laugh, became even stricter, ¡°This is against the rules!¡±

    ¡°I believe that whoever has the superior swordsmanship should stand on the platform,¡± Soleil waved the Swift Sword in her hand, looking at her opponent, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    She then looked towards the audience and shouted, ¡°They shouldn¡¯t drive away a champion!¡±

    The young nobleman was somewhat embarrassed, forced to divert his face to the side, silent.

    The referee was a prestigious Duke, and by now he had grown quite angry, turning toward a servant and saying, ¡°Take her away!¡±

    ¡°Yes, milord!¡±

    Seeing this, Joseph frowned, remembering he had managed to acquire the British¡¯s automatic loom, thanks in part to the merit of this chuunibyou young lady beside the platform.

    So he stood up and signaled to the referee, ¡°Duke de Saint-Simon, perhaps we can overlook her gender.

    ¡°A sharp blade does not care if the one holding it is male or female, as long as the person can make it strike true, they are a fine swordsman.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Royal Highness!¡± Soleil, adopting a man¡¯s posture, touched her chest with the hilt of her sword and raised her hat to give Joseph a salute.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°Let her compete. I have seen her skills, she is very agile.¡±

    Duke de Saint-Simon, not wanting to snub the Crown Prince¡¯s face, hesitated for a moment and finally sat back down in his chair, pretending to have seen nothing.

    Soleil leapt onto the platform in a few strides, bowing to Joseph, ¡°Thank you again. However, you did make the right decision, Your Highness; you¡¯ve preserved the champion of the competition.¡±

    She whispered softly, ¡°You can bet on me to win, I assure you, you¡¯ll get a prize.¡±

    Joseph, seeing her confident gaze, immediately thought of an old anime¡ª¡±Rose of Versailles.¡± Could this chuunibyou beauty really boast swordsmanship that rivaled Oscar¡¯s, the best in France?

    He signaled to the court official taking bets nearby. When the latter approached respectfully, he gestured a five with his hand.

    Soleil, seeing this, turned and stepped onto the platform with satisfaction.

    At this point, the official handling the bets hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, do you wish to bet 500 livres on Miss Soleil to win?¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Joseph immediately shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s 5 livres.¡±

    ¡°I am terribly sorry, Your Highness, the minimum is 10 livres.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Joseph scratched his cheek, ¡°then let it be 10 livres.¡±

    Soleil, climbing the curving staircase to the platform, looked towards where Joseph was sitting and muttered to herself:

    ¡°Your Highness, betting just 500 livres is a bit meager. But rest assured, I will secure that prize of 1000 livres for you.¡±

 Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 191 European Continent Upheaval

    Chapter 225: Chapter 191 European Continent Upheaval

    In the center of the arena, Soleil touched swords with her opponent as a salute, then she stepped back three paces, turned sideways, her left hand behind her, and assumed the standard starting position.

    The audience below immediately began to whisper to each other:

    ¡°Look! This lady seems to really know how to use a sword.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? She¡¯s the sister of Viscount Frey, trained under the Marquis of Villafuerte, and her swordsmanship is very impressive.¡±

    ¡°The Marquis of Villafuerte? That famous Spanish swordsmanship master?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s him.¡±

    ¡°Ah ha, it looks like we are in for a good show today!¡±

    The bell from the referee rang out. Soleil¡¯s gaze instantly sharpened. Her Swift Sword feinted toward her opponent¡¯s left chest, her footwork was extremely agile, and almost at the same time, she had pivoted to the right at an angle, pressing down with the tip of her sword, aiming straight for the young man¡¯s abdomen.

    The tall noble young man was no novice either. Although she had taken the initiative, his defensive stance didn¡¯t break at all, fiercely pushing his sword to the side.

    Soleil didn¡¯t wait for the swords to clash; she retracted her sword and moved back half-step to the side, then, looking up, she saw an opening in her opponent¡¯s upper body and stabbed at his face again.

    The young man felt he couldn¡¯t dodge it and had no choice but to swing his sword horizontally with force in an attempt to push Soleil back.

    She, like a butterfly dancing through the flowers, gracefully drew back, dodging beneath the sword light, and once more thrust straight for the opponent¡¯s thigh.

    What followed were the young man¡¯s two clumsy blocks and counterattacks, both easily avoided by Soleil, who then responded with tricky straight thrusts.

    The audience erupted in applause and cheers.

    However, after only five or six exchanges, Soleil felt her left heel hit against something.

    She immediately realized she had reached the edge of the platform, and her heart tightened. She was accustomed to relying on speed to hop and dodge, looking for opportunities to counterattack, but had neglected the size of the platform.

    Her opponent took advantage of her momentary distraction and swung his sword down without hesitation ¡ª hundreds of nobles were watching, even the Crown Prince, and he was not about to show any leniency towards a lady. He intended to show off his swordsmanship before the King the day after tomorrow.

    Soleil, with her back against the wooden rail of the arena, could not dodge, and had no choice but to raise her sword to block.

    A ¡°clang¡± rang out, and she immediately felt a numbness in her wrist. Strength was never her forte.

    Her opponent seized the opportunity to chop down from another direction, and she had no choice but to block again.

    The gap in strength between them was too great; this time, her sword was even knocked sideways. The young man then lifted his wrist, and the sword¡¯s tip, wrapped in a wooden cover, was pressed against her abdomen.

    Lost¡­

    She had come for the crown, and yet, she had lost her first match!

    Soleil felt a void in her mind until the referee came to urge her, and she walked off the platform in a daze.

    She remembered how smugly she had told the Crown Prince to bet on her victory, even assuring him of a cash prize, and now felt so ashamed she wished she could bury herself in a hole.

    Before her flashed the image of the Crown Prince extending five fingers when he made the bet, causing a tremor in her heart. With the Royal Family¡¯s ways, he must have bet at least 500 livres!

    Or even 5,000 livres¡­

    Yes! It must be 5,000 livres!

    It was over, all over! Soleil almost burst into tears, the Crown Prince had helped her get a chance to fight, but she had caused him to lose so much money. What was she to do? Would the Crown Prince hate her? Yes! He definitely would hate her!

    Laughter from the audience reached her ears. Indeed, they were not mocking; the majority found this incident quite amusing.

    To Soleil, however, the laughter rang like that of a little cat caught stealing food; she bowed her head and hugged herself tightly, chanting silently, ¡°They can¡¯t see me, they can¡¯t see me, they can¡¯t see me!¡± as she ran past the stands, disappearing into the crowd.

    No! This won¡¯t do!

    She shook her head continually as she walked; that was 5,000 livres! She couldn¡¯t act as if nothing had happened!

    Right! She resolved, although she couldn¡¯t pay that much now, she would definitely repay the Crown Prince in full one day!

    Up in the stands, Clementine was still carelessly waving candy, looking somewhat disappointed:

    ¡°Cousin, I had planned to give that lady candy after she won, but she left so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, but it¡¯s alright, you only bet 10 livres on her.¡±

    Joseph said with a smile, ¡°Perhaps this isn¡¯t her preferred environment.¡±

    ¡°Then where is she good at sword fighting?¡± Clementine asked, tilting her head.

    Joseph smiled and didn¡¯t say a word, thinking that she would do just fine at the Royal Palace, where hundreds of soldiers couldn¡¯t stop her.

    When the afternoon¡¯s swordsmanship competition ended, Joseph, the Spanish Crown Prince, and the little girl left the stands talking and laughing. Eman quickly approached Joseph and whispered:

    ¡°Your Highness, Archbishop Talleyrand is back, waiting for you in the reception room.¡±

    Joseph nodded slightly. He knew that Talleyrand had returned from his tour around America and the European Continent and surely had quite a bit to report.

    Thus, he excused himself from Antonio and handed Clementine over to her maid, then headed toward his private chambers.

    On the way, he also remembered Antonio¡¯s environmental-friendly hat, which needed early arrangements.

    After pondering for a moment, he turned his head and gave Eman some instructions. The latter promptly went on his way.

    Joseph returned to his reception room. Archbishop Talleyrand hurried to greet him, bowing solemnly:

    ¡°May God bless you, Your Highness. I have missed you ever since I left Paris. See, I came to you immediately after getting off the carriage.¡±

 Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 191 European Continent Upheaval_2

    Chapter 226: Chapter 191 European Continent Upheaval_2

    His words seemed to be a mere courtesy, but in fact, they were a declaration of loyalty to Joseph¡ªI didn¡¯t visit the Chief Minister or report to the Foreign Minister directly in charge after returning to the Palace of Versailles. Instead, I came to see Your Highness, the Crown Prince, first.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve missed you too, Archbishop Talleyrand. Please have a seat,¡± Joseph replied with a smile, gesturing to the sofa. ¡°Your departure from Paris covered more than 7,000 nautical miles, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    Talleyrand nodded, ¡°Indeed, more than 7,800 nautical miles, Your Highness, crossing the Atlantic Ocean twice.¡±

    ¡°That must have been quite taxing on you,¡± Joseph said, signaling a maid to bring Talleyrand coffee and pastries. ¡°Actually, you could have come back with the convoy of Crown Prince Paul.¡±

    Talleyrand nodded his thanks to the maid and then looked at Joseph with a smile,

    ¡°Your Highness, I took a ship back, setting out several days after the Russian Crown Prince. You see, I still managed to arrive first. Moreover, I believe it¡¯s better to report some matters to you in advance.¡±

    Joseph leaned forward a bit, ¡°Please go on.¡±

    ¡°The situation in the United States is exactly as you predicted; their ¡®Federalist Party¡¯ strongly supports the purchase of warships and the joint fight against pirates,¡± Talleyrand began. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for their lack of funds, Mr. Hamilton would even like to buy a small fleet.¡±

    Joseph remarked, ¡°We just want to sell some old ships, not to strengthen the American navy.¡±

    Talleyrand immediately agreed, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I also sense their unusual interest in the Caribbean Sea.¡±

    ¡°Your insight is very keen,¡± Joseph knew, as soon as the Americans had a bit of money, they immediately assembled a sizable fleet and engaged in fierce battles with France in the Caribbean Sea.

    In the end, France lost a significant amount of interests in the Caribbean Sea. Combined with the land reforms, France¡¯s earnings from its American colonies were almost wiped out.

    ¡°As for the Americans, we need to not only make use of them but also try our best to limit them, especially guarding against their westward expansion. They have a devilish greed for North American land,¡± Joseph earnestly said.

    Talleyrand replied somewhat nonchalantly, ¡°Your Highness, the Americans are all stingy and lack courage. I believe they would hardly dare to challenge the interests of Spain.¡±

    Spain currently held the territories to the west of the United States.

    Joseph did not bother explaining that historically, it took the United States just over a decade to nibble away the vast majority of Louisiana.

    Talleyrand continued, ¡°As for trade, Mr. Hamilton assured me privately that given the same prices, we would get their cotton before the British.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Joseph nodded in satisfaction. North America was currently the world¡¯s largest cotton exporter, and with the supply of American cotton, France would have a stronger position in the textile industry competition against England.

    The matter regarding the United States was relatively simple, and Talleyrand quickly finished his report, moving on to the diplomatic experience in Russia.

    ¡°Your Highness, upon my arrival in Saint Petersburg, I was quickly granted an audience with their Tsar. Over the next ten days or so, she summoned me two more times, which shows how much she values Russian-French relations.¡±

    Joseph wasn¡¯t surprised at all, as Russia and France had many common interests and a broad prospect for cooperation. As one of the most prominent rulers in Russian history, Catherine II naturally understood this.

    Talleyrand spoke, ¡°The Tsar of Russia expressed her gratitude for the guns and uniforms you sent her. Particularly those uniforms, which have almost become the exclusive gear for the officers.¡±

    At this time, Russia¡¯s manufacturing quality in Europe was subpar. Although they could also produce flintlock guns, they were quite inferior to the top-notch French goods.

    Even the used guns Talleyrand brought back from the United States were highly coveted by Russian soldiers. Catherine had directly issued those 15,000 Charleville muskets to the troops on the front lines of the Russian-Ottoman war.

    As for the uniforms, they were specially made in Lyon by Joseph, as he sought to penetrate the Russian clothing market, totaling 1,800 sets.

    In that era, military uniforms did not have a standardized design, and Russia¡¯s military attire was especially chaotic; as long as the colors were roughly the same, it was acceptable.

    Therefore, the style of these military uniforms, designed by French designers, appeared much more ¡°trendy¡± compared to the existing Russian military attire. They were immediately in high demand among Russian military officers upon arrival.

    Though the uniforms were not cheap, costing over 60 livres each, the deal was extremely worthwhile for Joseph¡ªFrance only expended a few guns and uniforms but gained political support for the Russian-Ottoman war. Knowing that these Russian soldiers fought and won battles with French guns and wearing French uniforms, some of the glory would also be attributed to France.

    Indeed, Austria had sent tens of thousands of troops to fight against the Ottomans, and Russia¡¯s gratitude towards them was hardly any more than what they felt for France.

    Moreover, once those military uniforms given to Russia became popular among Russian officers, there would definitely be a large number of nobles wanting to purchase them.

    In fact, two batches of the same model of military uniforms had already been shipped to Russia, each selling for over 100 livres.

    Talleyrand said with a smile,

    ¡°The Tsar of Russia has expressed support and gratitude for our action in North Africa tying down the Ottoman Navy and even hopes that we can extend our attacks to the region of Alexandria Bay.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly. Alexandria Bay was near Egypt, implying that Russia recognized that from Algiers all the way to Egypt was within France¡¯s sphere of influence!

    This meant that among all the great powers in Europe, only England had not yet acknowledged France¡¯s stance on North Africa. Of course, Prussia probably did not recognize it either, but considering Prussia¡¯s pitiful navy, their attitude towards North Africa did not matter at all.

    Talleyrand continued, ¡°At the same time, the Tsar of Russia also hopes we could support some of their demands on Poland.

    ¡°Although Russia is currently tied down on the Ottoman front, it seems to be hinting that once they are done with the southern front, they would be ready to expand towards Poland once again.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh. No wonder Catherine II was so generous in supporting France¡¯s acquisition of North Africa; there were more conditions behind it.

    The coveting of Poland by Russia was a well-known fact, and historically, Catherine II did indeed collude with Prussia and Austria to partition poor Poland completely on three occasions.

    However, due to the partition of Poland, Russia had also taken on the heavy burden of being accused of disrupting the European order and naturally hoped for more great powers to back them.

    Especially now, as Austria¡¯s attitude towards the partition of Poland was still very passive, making France¡¯s stance even more necessary.

    Talleyrand said, ¡°Your Highness, perhaps we can leverage Poland to obtain more benefits from Russia.¡±

    Yet Joseph shook his head, ¡°Although Poland may not have much of our interest, we should try our best to ensure it is not consumed by Russia, at least not too easily.¡±

    Talleyrand paused, looking perplexed, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because Prussia and Austria must not become too close.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t quite understand, Your Highness.¡±

    Talleyrand was the key minister of foreign affairs chosen by Joseph, so it was good to clarify some aspects of political strategy with him in advance.

    So, Joseph patiently explained,

    ¡°On the European continent, France¡¯s most direct adversary is Prussia. This is not only because Prussia has always coveted the Rhine River basin, but also because they are England¡¯s spokesperson on the European Continent. Draining Prussia is essentially the same as exhausting England.¡±

    Talleyrand nodded thoughtfully. England was France¡¯s eternal rival and the biggest obstacle to France¡¯s ambition to become the hegemon of Europe. After centuries of intermittent warfare, strategically containing England was France¡¯s ¡°absolute correctness.¡± Of course, the reverse was also true; England was also trying by all means to contain France.

    Still, he was unclear on how this related to Poland.

    Joseph continued,

    ¡°And to confront the Anglo-Prussian alliance, we should try our best to align with Austria. Fortunately, Prussia and Austria also have many contradictions, such as Silesia.¡±

    Silesia was a rich piece of land in the northwestern part of Austria. Over fifty years ago, upon the death of Emperor Charlie VI of Holy Rome, his daughter Maria Theresa ¡ª who was Louis XVI¡¯s mother-in-law and Joseph¡¯s maternal grandmother ¡ª succeeded the throne. At that time, Prussia used the pretext that women had no right to succession to start the Silesian Wars.

    Austria, defeated by Prussia and pressured by England, eventually ceded the Silesian region to Prussia.

    Since then, Silesia had become a thorn in the Austrians¡¯ side.

 Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 192 European Continent Upheaval_2

    Chapter 227: Chapter 192 European Continent Upheaval_2

    Talleyrand nodded:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, regaining Silesia is a common desire of Austria, shared by everyone from nobles to commoners.¡±

    Joseph continued:

    ¡°Then there¡¯s Bavaria. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Prussians¡¯ interference, Austria may well have acquired this land already.¡±

    ¡°In fact, both Prussia and Austria aim to become the true masters of Greater Germany and have therefore always kept a close watch on each other.¡±

    ¡°If Austria could gain our support and there were no other factors to interfere, they would be all too happy to knock Prussia down hard, even if it meant committing all their national resources.¡±

    ¡°Because once successful, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire would truly possess the empire.¡±

    Indeed, during the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire was the true hegemon of Europe¡ªfrom the Netherlands to the east of France, from Italy to Hungary, including Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the western part of Poland, all were territories of the empire.

    However, under the influence of the papacy, the empire began to implement the Electoral College system. In the 14th century, Emperor Charlie IV issued the ¡°Golden Bull,¡± which formalized and solidified this pattern, turning the Emperor of Sanctum into a ¡°representative¡± elected by the prince-electors, leading to the progressive weakening of imperial power, as the independence of the states within the empire grew stronger.

    By the 18th century, the empire had split into two behemoths, Prussia and Austria, as well as a multitude of smaller states like Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Saxon, Hesse, Hanover, and so on. And from over a century ago, the Habsburg family monopolized the imperial throne of Holy Rome, with the current Archduke of Austria serving as the emperor.

    At the same time, relying on the linguistic and ethnic similarities between the states of the Greater German region and itself, Prussia also aspired to unify Germany. In fact, almost half a century later, Bismarck more or less realized this long-standing wish.

    But at present, Austria, holding the title of Emperor, clearly has a better chance of reviving the glory of Holy Rome.

    And the two have thus been at loggerheads over the empire¡¯s ¡°inheritance,¡± with ceaseless wars, but they are roughly equal in terms of strength.

    Joseph returned to the previous topic:

    ¡°As for Poland, it¡¯s an unexpected factor. If the Tsar of Russia swallows up Poland and Poland clearly has no power to resist, then Prussia and Austria will have no choice but to turn their attention eastward.[Note 1]¡±

    ¡°Because neither can afford to watch the Tsar of Russia gobble up such a large benefit in Poland alone[Note 2]. They only have two choices: either join forces to support Poland against Russia, or join Russia¡¯s partitionist actions and tear off a piece of Poland for themselves.¡±

    ¡°In either case, Prussia and Austria would find a substantial common interest, and might even form an alliance because of it, which would greatly reduce their willingness to wage war against each other. In the worst-case scenario, the alliance they form might seek other targets, like France.¡±

    ¡°Keep in mind, the British would certainly delight in seeing this situation arise and would actively facilitate it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Talleyrand¡¯s expression grew solemn. He had to admit, the Crown Prince saw things deeply and far into the future.

    Joseph continued:

    ¡°So, we must erect a ¡®barrier¡¯ between Prussia, Austria, and Russia, and that is Poland.¡±

    ¡°As long as Poland stands firm, Prussia and Austria will inevitably have to turn their gaze back to the German region. And competition for the German region would lead them to irreconcilable contradictions!¡±

    In truth, Joseph had further plans he hadn¡¯t mentioned, which included helping Austria realize its ¡°Sanctum dream¡± and even spreading the message of the great and prosperous, invincible Holy Roman Empire across the world. At the same time, France could benefit continuously from Austria¡¯s wars to unify Holy Rome, and ideally, acquire territories on the west bank of the Rhine River, turning the Rhine into France¡¯s natural barrier.

    At that time, the most eye-catching behemoth in Europe would be the Holy Roman Empire under Austrian rule. And given the British penchant for meddling, they would not ignore the dominion of the European Continent.

    Afterward, whether Britain stirred up an ¡°Anti-Roman Alliance¡± to besiege Holy Rome, or rallied the now battered Prussia, while inciting the annexed German states to revolt, France could watch the tigers fight from the mountain and seize opportunities to benefit.

    For a powerful country, the best strategic pattern is to develop silently while others fight bitterly. By the time other nations are heavily scarred, one is already an uncrowned king without having to lift a finger.

    Historically, Napoleon did the opposite of this principle. Despite his great military prowess, leading his troops across almost the entire European Continent, he ultimately exhausted the nation¡¯s resources and was dragged to his demise by the British and their allies.

    Joseph knew well the direction of later history. To repeat such mistakes would be insane.

    In gaming, everyone knows that quietly farming under the tower is the key to success. Look at the United States in later times¡ªit strongly observed World War I and World War II from the sidelines until the powers were all scrambled, then leisurely joined the fray, easily reaping the benefits, and ultimately emerged as the world¡¯s hegemon.

    Talleyrand pondered:

    ¡°Your Highness, should we then reject the Tsar of Russia¡¯s intentions towards Poland?¡±

    Joseph immediately shook his head:

    ¡°We must maintain good relations with Russia as much as possible so we can maximally weaken the British-Russian trade system, and we also need Russia¡¯s exported raw materials.¡±

    Talleyrand became a little confused:

    ¡°But you just said¡­¡±

    Joseph flashed a slight smile:

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    Chapter 228: Chapter 192 European Continent Upheaval_2_2

    ¡°France cannot stop their encroachment on Poland, unless it forms an alliance with the country,¡± Joseph mused. ¡°On the surface, we can certainly go along with Russia¡¯s position, but in secret, we need to find ways to enhance Poland¡¯s resistance. However, this requires that we do not show our hand and need a ¡®white glove¡¯ to act on our behalf.¡±

    ¡°White glove?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that refers to a nation that could handle Polish affairs for us, like the United States, or even the Ottoman Empire could be considered.¡±

    Talleyrand nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this. Both America and Russia were raw material exporting countries and were very far apart, without much mutual concern. The Ottoman Empire, on the other hand, was the sworn enemy of Russia and had always cooperated with Poland.

    Joseph sighed lightly and said,

    ¡°Of course, what¡¯s most important is Poland itself. Given the current state of affairs within their country, I fear they might not be able to resist Russia for even a month.¡±

    He remembered that the second partition of Poland by Russia, Austria, and Prussia should occur in five years. Russia had just concluded a ceasefire with the Ottoman Empire and instantly set upon Poland.

    To have Poland ¡®propped up¡¯ in a mere five years was indeed not an easy task.

    After discussing the European mainland¡¯s strategic planning, Talleyrand continued to report on his trip to Russia:

    ¡°The Tsar of Russia is very enthusiastic about Russo-French trade and hopes that we can make better use of the ¡®Russo-French Trade Agreement¡¯ to increase the trade volume between both sides.

    ¡°Oh, and by the way, she also expressed great support for your Gemini Trading Company, promising to give Count Bobrinski the monopoly rights to Russian Far East fur exports, as a gift to the company.¡±

    Joseph chuckled inwardly. Catherine was indeed a sly old fox, presenting it as a gift to the Gemini Trading Company, when it was actually for her own illegitimate son, and thus obliging France to owe her a favor.

    However, the volume of fur exports from the Far East was also astounding, and the profits the company would derive from it each year would undoubtedly be substantial.

    Talleyrand continued, ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s another matter. During our last meeting, the Tsar of Russia repeatedly expressed her admiration for you and hinted at the possibility of a marriage alliance between our two countries.¡±

    Joseph rubbed his temples, feeling tired at the thought; as the Crown Prince, almost all of Europe was concerned with his marital affairs¡­

    A Franco-Russian marriage would involve many issues, and he hadn¡¯t carefully considered it yet; he¡¯d rather not respond at the moment. After all, he was still young, and by current European tradition, one would typically only consider marriage at the age of sixteen, giving him two more years to contemplate the matter.

    After chatting with Talleyrand for a while, he let him go rest.

    Talleyrand left the parlor and was inwardly astounded by what the Crown Prince had said; the young man, then in Paris, had already planned out Europe¡¯s future for the next decade. How had he managed it? Perhaps, in a few decades, France would have a great king of historic renown, leading the nation to unprecedented glory!

    At 9:50 pm, Joseph saw the Spanish Crown Prince and his future Crown Princess again at the grand banquet hosted by the King.

    Joseph turned his head and threw an inquiring glance at Eman, who quickly whispered:

    ¡°Your Highness, everything has been arranged. Mr. Fouche has also sent people to help.¡±

    Joseph nodded, assured by the steward¡¯s reliable work. He then smiled and walked over to Antonio.

    After exchanging greetings, he sat down to the left of the Spanish Crown Prince, and the master of the royal household adeptly ordered the seats to be rearranged.

    Joseph continued the conversation from a mechanical perspective, quickly bringing up the topic of a new boring machine:

    ¡°You know, the British have done a lot of research in this area. Their machines can bore holes with an error margin of less than the thickness of two sheets of paper. His Majesty himself made adjustments, and now that boring machine can be said to be the most precise in all of Europe.¡±

    Antonio¡¯s eyes lit up:

    ¡°Oh, dear Joseph, you must let me see this unrivaled machine!¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Joseph, whose goal was to ¡°distract¡± him, creating ¡°opportunities¡± for certain individuals, ¡°after the banquet, I will take you to the Royal Workshop where there are many interesting things.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough!¡±

    The sound of trumpets rang out from the east side of the hall, and the Ceremonial Officer followed by tapping his staff on the ground. Nobles responsible for serving dishes placed two large soups and two small ones on the table.

    As per court etiquette, it was now inappropriate to converse freely; everyone began to focus on their meals quietly.

    Joseph was pondering over the plan for the upcoming operation when, out of the corner of his eye, he spied Antonio, who was enthusiastically spinning soup with partridge right beside him. A light sigh escaped Joseph; he truly had been worrying over this relative of his.

    An hour later, the banquet concluded, and the Spanish Crown Prince couldn¡¯t wait to drag Joseph off on a tour of the Royal Workshop.

    However, the Crown Princess expressed no interest in those things and wished to attend a gambling party instead.

    Without a second thought, Antonio happily bid her farewell. At present, that was the custom among European nobility¡ªeach did as they pleased, without meddling in the other¡¯s business.

    Crown Princess Louisa, along with Godoy, headed towards the gaming hall, spotting on the way lovers lurking in every corner and behind the columns, which made her itch with curiosity.

    Surely, French people are daring! She thought to herself with a flushed face as she stepped into the gaming hall.

    Amidst the soft music, Louisa found a card table and sat down, inhaling the refined scent of incense, and started playing cards.

    Somehow, after only playing for half an hour, she felt a warmth spread through her body, and involuntary images of the passionate scenes she witnessed earlier in the corridor flooded her mind, leaving her parched and restless.

    ¡°The fireplace here is too intense!¡± she muttered under her breath, tossing down her cards and intending to step out for some fresh air when she happened to catch sight of her lover.

    His face seemed especially handsome and captivating today.

    Louisa stepped outside the hall and, with seductive eyes, softly asked Godoy, ¡°Well, is everything arranged?¡±

    He nodded with a smile, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ve had Juan and Negro following and making sure everything is perfect.¡±

    Pleased by the news, Louisa asked further, ¡°Is there a suitable place?¡±

    ¡°Plenty. The French like to immediately indulge when the mood strikes¡­ ahem, so there are many resting rooms set up, with no servants close by.¡±

    Just as Louisa was about to ask him to lead the way, she suddenly remembered the bedroom the Palace of Versailles had arranged for Antonio, with its soft drapes and spacious comforts, and she couldn¡¯t help but smirk with satisfaction.

    ¡°No need, follow me.¡±

    Inside the Royal Workshop, as Louis XVI was still entertaining, this place had become Antonio¡¯s personal playground.

    He was like a child in a treasure trove, touching this and looking at that, utterly absorbed in his own world.

    Soon, a rather ordinary-looking servant brought in some wine and beverages, and muttered something swiftly to Eman at the door.

    Taking advantage of the moment the Spanish Crown Prince was engrossed with a rotating clock, Eman whispered a report to Joseph.

    ¡°Oh? Enjoying themselves so much?¡± Joseph revealed a knowing smile.

    He hadn¡¯t wasted effort in arranging so many ¡°entertainments¡± for the Spanish Crown Princess; she was indeed unable to resist.

    Yes, all those ¡°emotional plays¡± Louisa had seen today were orchestrated by Eman, including the special substance added to her incense¡ªhow could she, with her libertine nature, possibly refrain?

    However, Joseph had not anticipated the woman would be bold enough to get intimate with Godoy in her and Antonio¡¯s room.

    Of course, she was also very cautious, sending two men to keep an eye on Antonio. Should he show any sign of returning, they were to notify her immediately.

    But this was Joseph¡¯s territory, and to the agents of the Police Affairs Department, their schemes were like child¡¯s play. Soon after the two had set out, they were already being followed by special agents.

    [Note 1] At the end of the 18th century, the main countries on the north side of the European Continent were positioned as follows: on the westernmost side were the Netherlands and Belgium (Southern Netherlands). East of these two countries were Hanover and Prussia. Southwest of Prussia was a cluster of Holy Rome city-states. South of Prussia was Austria. To the east of Germany and Austria were Poland and further east, Russia.

    [Note 2] At the time, the area of Poland was comparable to that of Austria and far exceeded Prussia, making it an irresistible ¡°piece of fat meat.¡±

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    Chapter 229: Chapter 193 European Continent Upheaval_3

    The Spanish Crown Prince was enthusiastically fiddling with Louis XVI¡¯s gear machine, and turned to call out to Joseph:

    ¡°You see, the angle of this blade edge is designed so ingeniously¡­¡±

    But he saw the latter prostrating on the workbench beside him, not responding.

    Antony walked over and shook Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, have you fallen asleep?¡±

    Joseph half-squinted his eyes, lifted his head, and started rubbing his temples vigorously, saying, ¡°Oh, I shouldn¡¯t have drunk so much wine at the banquet just now¡­ The wine from Bordeaux this year is unexpectedly delicious, but now I have a bit of a headache¡­¡±

    In fact, he hadn¡¯t drunk too much, it was merely part of the ¡°script¡± he had to follow.

    Antony nodded, ¡°Yes, today¡¯s wine is indeed very mellow. I also drank quite a bit. Shall I take you back to rest?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, thank you so much¡­¡±

    Seeing this, Eman discreetly made a gesture to the servant standing by the door, and then quickly came over to help his master, the Crown Prince, stand up.

    The servant then slipped out of the room and signaled the agents from the Police Affairs Department, who had been on standby for a while, to ¡°take action.¡±

    Soon, both men who had been sent by Godoy to watch the Spanish Crown Prince ran into some ¡°trouble.¡±

    One was fancied by two ¡°stormy¡± noblewomen and got into a fight over jealousy. The winner, giggling, dragged him into a nearby resting room; the other accidentally bumped into a maid carrying a tea tray, smashing a set of priceless Eastern porcelain. The insistent maid dragged him off to meet the steward of the inner court.

    Meanwhile, ¡°drunken¡± Joseph, with his right hand on the Spanish Crown Prince¡¯s shoulder, staggered out of the Royal Workshop.

    He glanced out of the corner of his eye as Eman nodded to him, and immediately pointed toward Antony¡¯s residence, dragging out his words:

    ¡°Oh! My dear friend, I want to continue discussing the improvement plan for the gear machine with you¡­ Let¡¯s go to your place¡­ and talk all night¡­¡±

    Antony assumed he was drunk and didn¡¯t want to refuse, so he had to let him walk towards his own room.

    Outside the Spanish Crown Prince¡¯s room, a sturdy noblewoman seemed to have mistaken someone for another and unceremoniously whisked away the watching Louisa¡¯s maid. The latter didn¡¯t even have time to cry out before she disappeared around the corridor corner.

    A moment later, Joseph and Antony arrived outside the room, and the latter gestured to his attendant:

    ¡°Quick, open the door.¡±

    Just as the attendant was about to take out the keys, Eman courteously took them over, saying with a smile:

    ¡°Let me do it.¡±

    Eman turned the lock gently, pushed the door open softly, and then stood aside.

    Joseph led Antony into the room, and saw that the living room was dimly lit, the guard room appeared empty [Note 1], but there was a faint candlelight coming from the direction of the main bedroom.

    Joseph timely withdrew his arm from Antony¡¯s shoulder, and the latter, somewhat puzzled, subconsciously walked a few steps inside, only to hear sounds he should not have heard¡ª

    A woman¡¯s voice melodious and high-pitched, continuously calling out ¡°Godoy,¡± or slurring ¡°you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was more subdued, mostly breathy exclamations of ¡°hey,¡± or ¡°ha.¡±

    Antony froze on the spot.

    He was all too familiar with these two voices¡ªthey were clearly his Crown Princess and her guard Godoy!

    What were they doing?!

    Antony really wanted to deceive himself by saying they were doing nothing, but the answer was self-evident!

    He felt a surge of rage boiling from his feet to his head, his hands clenched into fists, the veins on his forehead bulging, his teeth gritted, and he stepped forward vigorously.

    However, he unexpectedly halted.

    Then, he lowered his head, trembling as he retreated back to the doorway, paused for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and turned to walk out.

    Joseph was completely dumbfounded.

    No, come on, man, you¡¯re supposed to burst in, right? I¡¯ve got the guard ready, just waiting for your signal to drag the adulterer out to be ¡°dunked in a pig¡¯s cage¡± or something.

    How could you slip away at the crucial moment?!

    I can¡¯t rush in to catch the adulterer on your behalf, can I? How can I take action if you, the principal, are not there?

    He too was taken aback for a few seconds before following Antony out of the room, quickly catching up to him and grabbing his arm:

    ¡°Why did you leave? Was there something ¡®special¡¯ inside the room?¡±

    Antony just lowered his head in silence, walking determinedly forward. Joseph decided to speak more straightforwardly:

    ¡°Was that the Crown Princess in the room? Aren¡¯t you going to check?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until they got back to the Royal Workshop that Antony seemed to have rediscovered his soul, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at Joseph, his lips trembling:

    ¡°She¡­ she betrayed me¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded:

    ¡°Then you should have barged in and punished her harshly.¡±

    Antony¡¯s eyes grew even redder, his helplessness like that of a 40-year-old child, and after a long while he said softly, ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t dare¡­¡±

    Joseph instantly felt puzzled, and it took a while to communicate with him before finally understanding that his Spanish relative was incredibly ¡°tame,¡± to quite an extreme extent.

    He was immediately frustrated, having never seen such a cowardly man.

    ¡°You can endure this as well?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Antony said, looking down, ¡°perhaps, you can help me?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Joseph found himself at a loss for words.

    Elsewhere, seeing that the two Crown Princes had not returned for quite a while, Eman reluctantly locked the door again, gently. Inside the room, the couple remained oblivious to the fact that anyone had come by.

    ¡­

    The next morning, Joseph, following the predetermined schedule, welcomed Russia¡¯s Crown Prince Paul Petrovich, the future Tsar¡ªPaul I¡ªin the Versailles Palace Square.

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    Chapter 230: Chapter 193 European Continent Upheaval_3_2

    ¡°`

    Crown Prince Paul seemed incredibly pleased that the Crown Prince of France had come so far to meet him. After getting out of the carriage, he briskly walked up to Joseph and performed a bow, then spoke in fluent French:

    ¡°It is an honor to meet you, respected Crown Prince! Thank you for coming to greet me. Back in Saint Petersburg, I often hear people talking about you, describing you as a legendary ¡®God-favored son¡¯, devout and full of wisdom¡­¡±

    His words of praise flowed endlessly, making Joseph somewhat embarassed. He quickly bowed in response and suddenly noticed a little girl about six or seven years old standing next to Paul. She wore a blue and white chiffon gown, had very fair skin, and large, expressive eyes.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115894¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115894/9e7db414480804c844eeb31c0ac09637oN63B953Ij7J3KZ.jpg¡±>

    Joseph quickly changed the subject, ¡°And who might this be?¡±

    Stepping forward, the little girl picked up her skirt, tilted her head slightly, and curtsied gracefully, speaking in a crisp voice:

    ¡°May God bless you, respected Crown Prince. My name is Alexandra Pavlovna.¡± Her French was also impeccably standard.

    Paul, with a smile, said to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, this is my eldest daughter. I plan to take this opportunity of celebrating His Majesty the King¡¯s birthday to show her the center of the bustling European Continent¡ªParis.¡±

    ¡°Welcome to you,¡± Joseph smiled at the little girl and recommended, ¡°There¡¯s an Eden Amusement Park in Paris that¡¯s a lot of fun; you must not miss it.¡±

    A hard-to-hide longing flashed in Alexandra¡¯s eyes, but she immediately curtsied again as a proper young lady would:

    ¡°Thank you for the suggestion, I am also looking forward to visiting there.¡±

    Subsequently, Joseph walked with Paul toward the Palace of Versailles. The latter, though much older than Joseph, displayed somewhat of a humble attitude:

    ¡°Your Highness, thank you for taking care of Alexei. It was you who helped him find his purpose. Please believe that from now on, you will always have two most sincere friends in Russia¡ªAlexei and myself.¡±

    Alexandra followed behind the two men like a little adult, chest puffed out and head raised high, and every step she took adhered to the most standard court etiquette, obviously the result of very strict training.

    Only the occasional curious glance around with her large eyes betrayed the childlike innocence within her soul.

    After settling her luggage and freshening up a bit, she followed her father to meet the King and Queen of France, and later watched a swordsmanship competition together with the Crown Prince.

    The two Crown Princes seemed to be chatting about something, while Alexandra sat properly in her chair, watching noblemen duel amidst the flash of swords and blades.

    Truth be told, she had no interest in such things, but before leaving Saint Petersburg, the Empress Dowager had admonished her to always follow court etiquette, so she did not utter a single complaint.

    Moreover, she had to complete another task entrusted to her by the Empress Dowager¡ªto closely observe the Crown Prince of France.

    However, as she covertly glanced at the Crown Prince, a girl about ten years old, wearing a puffy dress, bounced over.

    Maria Clementina curtsied to Joseph first and then with a beaming smile, curtsied to Paul:

    ¡°You must be the Crown Prince of Russia, right? It¡¯s an honor to meet you. You seem like a very kind and amiable person. Oh, my name is Maria Clementina.¡±

    Crown Prince Paul hurriedly returned her bow, and after exchanging a few polite words, the little princess quickly joined the even younger princess.

    ¡°Your name is Alexandra, what an impressive name! Hehe, let me treat you to some candy.¡±

    The smaller princess accepted the vanilla mint candy with restraint, thanking her politely:

    ¡°Thank you very much, but I haven¡¯t brought anything to give you in return.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. I have plenty more,¡± Clementine said with a laugh, ¡°By the way, you¡¯re Russian, right? Your French is really good. How long ¡®fall¡¯ do you study French every day?¡±

    Alexandra immediately corrected her: ¡°Do you mean ¡®how often¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, ¡®how often¡¯, haha.¡±

    ¡°Two hours a day.¡±

    As the two of them were conversing, the swordsmanship competition took a break, and a circus troupe came to the middle of the field to start the entertainment performance.

    The little girls¡¯ attention was immediately captured.

    Soon, a magician in a red robe took the stage and with a wave of his hand produced more than a dozen pigeons and a small black bear.

    Clementine cheered loudly, excited:

    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing! How did he do that?¡±

    Alexandra replied indifferently:

    ¡°`

    ¡°The dove had been hidden in his sleeve beforehand, while the bear was under the floor, concealed by his robe. Well, generally speaking, his coat also hid rabbits, dogs, and the like.¡±

    No sooner had she finished speaking than a pair of hunting hounds appeared in the magician¡¯s hands.

    Clementine immediately pouted in discontent:

    ¡°How could you reveal the magician¡¯s techniques? What¡¯s the fun in watching now?¡±

    Alexandra replied calmly, ¡°It was you who asked me ¡®how did he do that?''¡±

    ¡°That was just an exclamation!¡±

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t blame me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°You did¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Did!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    The two little ones, who had just been getting along famously, were now at odds over the matter of the magician¡¯s trick, each turning their head stubbornly to the side.

    Paul watched his daughter and the Princess of Tuscany squabble with a smile, then turned to Joseph and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, I hope you can understand that there is a large Russian population in Nesvizh and Slutsk, as well as Eastern Orthodox churches.¡±

    ¡°And they are often subjected to unfair treatment, especially now within the Polish Sejm, where anti-Russian sentiment is particularly severe.¡±

    What he referred to as the ¡°Sejm¡± was similar to the Polish House of Representatives. At present, the Sejm, dominated by members advocating for resistance against Russia and self-strengthening, was conducting a series of reforms to eliminate national maladies.

    Paul continued, ¡°Based on this, we can only take some diplomatic measures against Poland.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself: Russian groups stirring trouble in Poland, swaggering about, and now here they are being portrayed as ostracized.

    But that¡¯s how international politics works. No one has many honest words to say, and in the end, it all comes down to fists and brains. Well, it could also come down to the lower half of the body, but that would only be considered a ¡°wicked path.¡±

    He immediately put on a sincere smile, leaned in close to Paul¡¯s ear, and said:

    ¡°Please believe that I fully understand Russia¡¯s actions in Poland, just as you understand our actions in North Africa. Moreover, I think the best way to protect the Russians in Poland from harm is to place them directly under the ¡®protection¡¯ of His Majesty the Tsar.¡±

    After all, the annexation of Poland was a settled national policy of Catherine II, who had invested a great deal in preparations. Even if France were to oppose it, it was unlikely to make her back down. So, in the presence of the Russian Crown Prince, it was better to go with the flow and give her a favor, then ask for some in return.

    Paul looked at Joseph with some surprise: ¡°Is this a personal stance, or¡­?¡±

    ¡°The King of France shares this view as well.¡±

    Paul was delighted, ¡°I have always believed that France and Russia are the maintainers of the European order! Our friendship has always been indestructible!¡±

    Joseph sighed inwardly. Napoleon had probably been just as amiable with your son, and look how that turned out.

    Yet, he nodded very earnestly:

    ¡°You are absolutely right!¡±

    Then he tried to steer the conversation in the direction he wanted:

    ¡°Your Highness, but rather than Poland, it is the Ottoman Empire that we should really be wary of at the moment! I hope that Russia can act as ¡®God¡¯s spear¡¯ to thoroughly pierce through the Ottomans. And our nation will also provide full support in the Mediterranean.¡±

    If Russia and the Ottoman Empire could be induced to exhaust each other for a few more years, Poland might accumulate enough strength to withstand a Russian invasion.

    Paul was also slightly amused in his heart. Didn¡¯t France have a treaty with the Ottoman Empire? Why was the Crown Prince talking as if they were archenemies?

    [Note 1] In the large suites of the Palace of Versailles, there is generally a small room similar to a porch after the entrance, where the guards are stationed, called the guardroom. It is only after passing through here that one can enter the living quarters.

    [Note 2] In the 16th century, after his defeat in the war against the Habsburg Emperor Charles V, King Francis I of France concluded an alliance with the Ottomans, who were the archenemy of the Habsburgs, which was known as the ¡°Sacrilegious Alliance.¡± But these events were already two centuries old. The current relationship between France and the Ottoman Empire was no longer one of an alliance.

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    Chapter 231: Chapter 194 European Continent Upheaval_4

    Joseph, however, seemed to have more to say, waving his hand emphatically, ¡°Regrettably, the northern shore of the Black Sea still harbors Ottoman fortresses. Only by swiftly leveling them can we ensure the stability of ports vital for Black Sea trade.¡±

    ¡°Afterward, Russia should press forward into the south bank of the Danube River, seizing control of the river¡¯s estuary from the hands of the Ottoman Empire!¡±

    ¡°And on the east coast of the Black Sea, Georgia¡ªa small country under Russian protection¡ªis still occupied by the Ottomans at the Black Sea outlet and faces the suppression of the Persians, urgently awaiting Russia¡¯s rescue,¡± he added seriously.

    Looking earnestly at Paul, he continued, ¡°If necessary, France stands ready to provide support at any time!¡±

    Crown Prince Paul was stunned; the French Crown Prince seemed even more aggressive than his own mother. Except for the southern coast of the Black Sea¡ªOttoman territory¡ªhe had designated almost everything for Russia. Had there been outsiders present, they might have mistaken him for the Russian heir.

    In fact, Joseph was merely reiterating the historical Russo-Turkish Wars. These places represented coveted interests for Russia, an aspiration no Russian could resist.

    Sure enough, Paul nodded in excitement, ¡°This is also His Majesty the King¡¯s¡­¡±

    Joseph quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty the King¡¯s intention; please be sure to convey this to Her Majesty the Empress.¡±

    As the French Crown Prince, his words carried ample diplomatic weight.

    Russians are straightforward, valuing directness both in gratitude and revenge.

    Paul, too, responded immediately with a reciprocating gesture, ¡°I assure you, we will also support France¡¯s actions in North Africa whenever necessary!¡±

    After parting with the Russian heir, Joseph returned to his private quarters only to find the servants at a loss, surrounding the Spanish Crown Prince¡ªwho was clearly drunk, his hair a mess, and his demeanor utterly dejected.

    Upon seeing the French Crown Prince return, Antonio promptly stood up with his glass, eyes reddening again.

    Joseph could only shake his head, drinking a few glasses with him and quietly patting his back in comfort.

    Soon, Antonio collapsed into drunkenness. Joseph instructed the servants to carry him to bed and as he turned around, he saw Fouch¨¦ approaching quickly, saluting, ¡°Your Highness, should we continue to monitor the second floor of the south wing?¡±

    He was referring to the surveillance of the Spanish Crown Princess.

    ¡°No need,¡± Joseph shook his head. Antonio had proven himself ineffective, and there was little Joseph could do about it.

    He glanced at Antonio and offhandedly said to Fouch¨¦, ¡°Is there a way to give him the courage to deal with that unfaithful woman?¡±

    Fouch¨¦ paused, then whispered, ¡°Your Highness, dealing with that woman might be troublesome, but dealing with her lover should not be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph inquired, ¡°And how do you intend to do that?¡±

    With an excited and cold smile, Fouch¨¦ replied, ¡°Destroying him should be easy, and it shouldn¡¯t cause too much trouble.¡±

    Joseph frowned; he disliked resorting to such ¡°dirty¡± tactics, to the point that he instinctively overlooked this option.

    However, he then remembered Antonio¡¯s pained expression and narrowed his eyes. Godoy was just a minor guard with no significant background; perhaps a straightforward approach might be most effective.

    He looked at Fouch¨¦, ¡°Can you ensure it is foolproof?¡±

    ¡°Rest assured, it will appear to be an accident; no one will suspect,¡± Fouch¨¦ reassured him.

    ¡°Tomorrow is His Majesty the King¡¯s birthday; don¡¯t cause too much commotion,¡± Joseph cautioned.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I understand,¡± Fouch¨¦ responded.

    At lunchtime, a tall and handsome man in his thirties encountered Joseph in the corridor and immediately stepped forward to greet him.

    Eman quickly informed him in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, this is Prince Poniatowski of Poland.¡±

    Joseph nodded slightly but deliberately turned his face away, ignoring the Polish prince and leaving him in awkward observance as he proudly walked away.

    With eyes everywhere in the Palace of Versailles, and having chosen to align closely with Russia, Joseph needed to keep a distance from Poland.

    Prince Poniatowski wasn¡¯t too upset; after all, Poland was in decline, riddled with deep-seated problems, especially since it had just lost a vast territory to Russia, Prussia, and Austria a decade earlier. It was quite normal for a great power like France to look down on them.

    But just as he turned the corner of the staircase, a strange young man suddenly greeted him and handed him a note.

    Prince Poniatowski gripped the note in surprise, only unfolding it when he was alone. It was from the French Crown Prince, inviting him to meet at a certain place outside the Palace of Versailles at two o¡¯clock that afternoon.

    The midsummer afternoon was intensely hot, particularly as it had been a while since France saw any rain.

    Wiping sweat from his brow, Prince Poniatowski was about to check the time again when he saw two ¡°gemstone¡± carriages¡ªthe latest French fashion¡ªstop beside him.

    Moments later, inside the carriage, Joseph eyed the rather valiant-looking Polish prince and smiled, ¡°I apologize for meeting you like this. However, please believe that our ensuing conversation is of utmost importance to you and to Poland.¡±

    Joseph was well aware that the current King of Poland, Stanis?aw August Poniatowski, was unreliable. Back then, his rise to the throne of Poland was due to his affair with Catherine, supported by the Empress herself[Note 1].

    Perhaps due to Catherine¡¯s overwhelming dominance in his previous life experiences, even after becoming King, he remained in great fear of her.

 Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 194 European Continent Upheaval_4_2

    Chapter 232: Chapter 194 European Continent Upheaval_4_2

    This also led to the surrender of the entire Polish army during the second partition of Poland under Stanis?aw August Poniatowski, despite the main force of the Polish military still being intact, as he firmly believed they could absolutely not defeat Russia.

    Across the whole of Poland, nobles mostly concerned themselves with their own political interests, forming cliques, allying with Prussia, or colluding with Russia, with hardly anyone caring about the life or death of Poland.

    Only his nephew, the King of Poland, Prince Poniatowski, and the renowned general Tadeusz Kosciuszko, persisted in organizing and preparing the military, even managing to push back the Russian Army in the war of the second partition years later, proving themselves worthy of cultivation.

    Especially since Kosciuszko had not yet made his mark, and the entire task of cultivating the military of Poland was the responsibility of Poniatowski, who, as a Prince, also wielded significant influence over the political situation in Poland.

    This time, as he came to France, Joseph naturally wanted to seize this opportunity to introduce him to some methods that could ¡°invigorate¡± Poland.

    As for how much he would implement after hearing them, that would depend on Poland¡¯s luck.

    Prince Poniatowski looked at the young French Crown Prince for a few seconds, then nodded solemnly, ¡°I believe in you, Your Highness. Please, go ahead.¡±

    Joseph exhaled lightly, ¡°First, you must understand that the situation Poland faces is extremely dangerous, and it may face the danger of national extinction in perhaps five years or so.¡±

    According to the historical trajectory, the second partition of Poland would occur five years later.

    Prince Poniatowski was stunned, he shook his head slightly, ¡°Your Highness, aren¡¯t you being a bit alarmist?

    ¡°Even though Poland faces many threats, we are still a large country, and we have an alliance with Prussia. Once there is a threat, Prussia will send troops to assist us.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat speechless; the Poles were really naive. Prussia was the most eager country when it came to your partition, even more so than Russia!

    It¡¯s just that Prussia thought it might not be able to deal with Poland alone, so they continuously encouraged Russia behind the scenes to take action, while on the surface pretending to ally with Poland.

    Historically, as soon as the Russian Army mobilized, Prussia immediately broke the treaty and attacked Poland from both sides.

    Joseph immediately said with a grave tone, ¡°If you want to preserve Poland, you must remember, never trust Prussia!¡±

    The Prince of Poland asked in surprise, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Joseph really wanted to tell him he had read history, but could only say, ¡°France¡¯s intelligence system has obtained absolutely reliable information that obtaining the northwestern part of Poland is Prussia¡¯s primary strategic objective.¡±

    ¡°How could this be possible?!¡±

    ¡°You can verify it through your own intelligence means.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t expect him to believe it immediately, but as long as the Poles were cautioned, he believed they would eventually notice something.

    Prince Poniatowski nodded and asked, ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±

    ¡°First, I do not wish for Prussia¡¯s plan to succeed.¡±

    Prince Poniatowski naturally had no reason to doubt this¡ªPrussia was very close to Britain, and France was their mortal enemy. France certainly did not want Prussia to become more powerful.

    Joseph continued earnestly, ¡°Of course, more importantly, it¡¯s because I have great sympathy for Poland, and I do not wish more suffering to fall on the Polish people.¡±

    Prince Poniatowski automatically disregarded this point; ¡°sympathy¡± and ¡°good will¡± were meaningless decorations in international politics.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your warning, Crown Prince.¡±¡®

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Joseph went on, ¡°Moreover, the constitution that Poland is trying to establish probably needs to be accelerated.¡±

    ¡°Ah? The constitution?¡± Prince Poniatowski was surprised that the French would speak of Polish domestic affairs.

    ¡°Forgive my bluntness, but the constitution you are attempting to create is too extensive, leading to too many subjects needing discussion, and the progress is slow.¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°The biggest problem in Poland right now is the ¡®liberum veto¡¯, and you must not entangle the process of abolishing it with the new constitution. In my estimation, your Sejm will not be able to complete the entire constitution in three or four years.¡±

    The so-called ¡°liberum veto¡± referred to the ability of any member of the Polish Sejm to veto a resolution by themselves.

    This resulted in foreign countries, such as Russia, Prussia, and others, being able to prevent Poland from passing any legislation they found displeasing by simply bribing a few members of the parliament.

    At the same time, members, considering their own interests, would veto many bills that were beneficial for the nation¡¯s development. The end result was that Poland could hardly implement any beneficial policies over hundreds of years, and the state of the nation kept deteriorating.

    And as the Polish Sejm was preparing to abolish the liberum veto in the new constitution, Poland would remain stagnant until then.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Enact a law separately, to abolish the ¡®liberum veto¡¯.¡± Joseph added, ¡°Poland is truly in imminent danger. We must act quickly!¡±

    He did not know if Prince Poniatowski was taking his words to heart and continued, ¡°The Polish land forces also need to be expanded as soon as possible. To achieve basic national defense security, an army of 100,000 is necessary. Yet currently, you have only 10,000.¡±

    Prince Poniatowski was somewhat surprised. According to repeated studies by the Polish military, they also believed it necessary to expand the army to 100,000, coinciding with the suggestions of the Crown Prince of France.

    Actually, Joseph had simply informed him ahead of time about Poland¡¯s constitutional demand to expand the army to 100,000 four years later. However, at that time, there was only one year left before the second partition of Poland, and ultimately, Poland only managed to expand its army to 37,000, still very far from the ¡°lifeline¡±.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Moreover, have your Sejm not be hasty in abolishing serfdom.¡±

    ¡°I know that abolishing serfdom can greatly enhance the strength of Poland, but all reforms have a ¡®painful period,¡¯ after which comes great development. And Poland cannot afford the pain at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can improve the plight of serfs as a first step, but the prerequisite must be to unite as much strength as possible to resist foreign enemies.¡±

    Historically, Poland, due to radical reforms in serfdom, alienated many of the Old Nobility Forces. These nobles slackened in their duties during Poland¡¯s invasions, greatly weakening the resistance against foreign enemies.

    Prince Poniatowski found it amusing; the current reform tendencies in Poland were freedom, equality, and constitutional government, and weren¡¯t these ideas all transmitted from France? There were people like Rousseau and Montesquieu.

    And yet, the French Crown Prince suggested that Poland temporarily retain serfdom¡­

    In the carriage on the road, Joseph conveyed to Prince Poniatowski that France would provide certain assistance to Poland through the United States, hoping they could complete their war preparations as soon as possible.

    After saying nearly everything that needed to be said, Prince Poniatowski returned to his own carriage and took another road to return to the Palace of Versailles.

    ¡­

    On the day of Louis XVI¡¯s birthday.

    All of Paris entered celebration mode. Several government-sponsored locations distributing free food became gathering places for the citizens.

    Every three hours, there would be free performances by government-sponsored theatre troupes.

    During the intermissions, people took out their instruments and played and sang on their own, endeavoring to praise His Majesty¡¯s sagacity, valor, and kind benevolence; it was entirely a scene of peace and prosperity.

    And yet no one remembered that France was facing its most severe food shortage in centuries.

    Meanwhile, all sorts of celebration activities at the Palace of Versailles had also reached their climax.

    The singing and swordsmanship competitions both had their top eight contestants, and professionals were there to comment on each competitor¡¯s strengths, occasionally eliciting loud cheers from the audience.

    However, in an unassuming small room on the second floor of the Palace of Versailles, Fouche was staring at his subordinate and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you certain there are no exceptions?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. Godoy has been coming to the Palace of Versailles for four days, and every night at 9 o¡¯clock, he has attended Madame Garlan¡¯s music salon punctually.¡±

    Fouche nodded to himself; he had long discovered that Godoy had initially gained the favor of the Spanish Crown Princess through his skill in playing the guitar and singing. Music was his ¡°bread and butter¡±.

    [Note 1] At this time, Poland practiced a system where the nobility elected the King. Moreover, the Polish political situation was in chaos. Catherine, by means of bribes to the Polish nobility, forcefully secured Stanis?aw as the King of Poland.

 Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 195 Fouches Strategy

    Chapter 233: Chapter 195 Fouche¡¯s Strategy

    The Intelligence Team of the Police Affairs Department was specifically responsible for collecting, processing intelligence, and formulating action plans based on this information before handing them over to the Action Team for execution.

    This highly specialized and detailed division of labor had never appeared in the intelligence departments of other countries in the 18th century.

    Three hours later, the Intelligence Team produced two plans. Fouche, after listening to their descriptions, quickly selected the second plan and ordered its immediate execution.

    The members of the Police Affairs Department¡¯s Action Team immediately sprang into action.

    A few rushed to Paris to make preparations. Thanks to the swift rail transport, they returned to the Palace of Versailles before nightfall.

    At 7 p.m., three Action Team members, disguised as musicians, took several ¡°tools¡± from their hands and headed straight to Madame Garlan¡¯s music hall located on the second floor of the west wing. They all held credentials that couldn¡¯t be more authentic, so there were no obstacles along the way.

    In the Marble Courtyard, dazzling fireworks soared into the sky, and music sounded in unison.

    In the crowd, a beaming Madame Garlan bowed slightly. Queen Mary smiled as she placed the feather headdress, symbolizing the champion, on Madame Garlan¡¯s hair bun.

    Just half an hour before, she had won the singing and dancing competition without surprise with a selection from ¡°The Magic Flute,¡± a recent composition by her brother Mozart.

    The surrounding nobility and commoners immediately erupted into a roar of cheers, continuously shouting her name. More than half of them had bet on Madame Garlan¡¯s victory, and with their pockets now full, how could they not be happy?

    Meanwhile, the three ¡°musicians¡± had pried open the door to Madame Garlan¡¯s music hall, slipped inside, shut the door, and quickly stepped out onto the spacious balcony.

    They first carefully observed the situation below; by then it was dark, and most people were gathered in the Marble Courtyard, paying no attention to this area. The three immediately worked together to remove three thick wooden rails from the balcony and then replaced them with identical wooden slats from the bags they had carried as instruments¡­

    Tonight, as the champion of the singing and dancing competition, Madame Garlan was to perform at the King¡¯s birthday ball, so her music salon was closed for the day.

    The spacious and luxurious Hall of Mirrors was brightly lit; Louis XVI¡¯s birthday party had officially begun!

    Royals and statesmen from various countries gathered together, looking respectfully at the center of the great hall where the King and Queen of France were dancing the opening dance.

    At the end of the dance, Louis XVI, with flushed face, nodded to the guests before quickly retreating to the second-floor balcony of the hall, looking utterly exhausted.

    The chief steward of the inner court then gave a lengthy birthday speech. Next, Madame Garlan sang a classical song, ¡°King Louis,¡± dedicated to Louis XVI:

    ¡°Our King Louis, mustering the troops,

    ¡°Noble horsemen, all take the stage.

    ¡°Our King Louis, commands ring clear,

    ¡°Who will follow me, to battle afar?

    ¡°Devout souls, rise to the charge¡­¡±

    Below, Joseph quietly glanced at the financial statement that Eman had just brought from the inner court.

    As he expected, the singing and dancing competition had lost several thousand livres due to Madame Garlan¡¯s ¡°bug.¡± Fortunately, there was an upset in the swordsmanship competition where Baron Wemorel, the second captain of the Queen¡¯s guard, had defeated two favorites to win the title, earning over a hundred thousand in bets.

    Along with the income from the ¡°Welfare Lottery¡± that brought in several hundred thousand, they had barely covered the cost of the birthday celebration, which amounted to 260,000 livres.

    As the ball went on, more people offered music and dances, and even Godoy joined a few court musicians to perform a piece.

    Luckily, the ladies of Versailles had gradually learned that the French Crown Prince did not like to dance, and rumors of the Queen¡¯s chosen ¡°Crown Princess¡± fiercely guarding Joseph¡¯s side meant that no one bothered him.

    Joseph then spotted his diplomatic target for the evening in the crowd, a man in his forties who looked quite sharp and capable¡ªthe Speaker of the Dutch Provincial States-General, and a core leader of the Patriot Party, Johan de Witt van Campelen.

    Of course, he had another identity today, that of a special envoy for Stadtholder William V of the Netherlands. It was not an appointment made by William V himself, but the Provincial States-General had feared that the Stadtholder might compromise with the French, so they designated him as the special envoy to celebrate the French King¡¯s birthday.

    To the French Crown Prince, the Dutch Speaker was very courteous. After all, France had always been the financial backer behind the Dutch Patriot Party, and at the end of last year, without the help of ¡°French volunteers,¡± the Prussian Army might have already entered Rotterdam.

    However, due to the Dutch¡¯s disastrous defeat in the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War five years earlier and the resulting alliance-style treaty that had to be signed with England, the Patriot Party, though repelled by England, did not dare to defy it and could not get too close to France.

    ¡°Ah! You look truly distinguished and radiant today, Your Highness, the esteemed Crown Prince!¡± Campelen said with reverence, while offering flattery.

    Joseph took two glasses of wine from a servant¡¯s tray, handed one to him, and smiled, gesturing towards a corner where no one was:

    ¡°I have always wanted to meet you, Your Excellency the Speaker. Do you mind having a chat with me for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness, it would be my honor,¡± he replied.

    Once in a secluded spot, Joseph first raised his glass in a toast:

    ¡°Speaker, first of all, I must congratulate the success our two countries have achieved in fighting the Barbary pirates.¡±

    Campelean eagerly nodded in agreement:

    ¡°Here¡¯s to a more navigable Mediterranean Sea.¡±

    In fact, the Netherlands had only reluctantly contributed one small Escort Ship and some funding due to pressure from France.

 Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 195 Fouches Strategy_2

    Chapter 234: Chapter 195 Fouche¡¯s Strategy_2

    Joseph exchanged a few more pleasantries before asking,

    ¡°The two most important companies in your country, namely the Dutch East India Company and the West India Company, don¡¯t seem to be doing very well lately, are they?¡±

    Campelem furrowed his brow and had to nod,

    ¡°Your Highness, the situation is indeed as you say. There have been frequent wars in recent years, which have greatly diminished the wealth of the provinces of the Netherlands, and subsequently lessened the demand for overseas goods. This has often led to deficits for both trade companies.¡±

    ¡°Then may I ask if your Congress has any plans to improve the companies¡¯ situation?¡±

    Campelem replied with a pained expression,

    ¡°Your Highness, that is rather difficult¡­ after all, the volume of trade is what it is.¡±

    Joseph said bluntly,

    ¡°The fundamental reason is that the British have monopolized many trade routes and continue to hit your colonies.¡±

    ¡°This¡­ indeed plays a part.¡±

    Joseph exaggeratedly sighed,

    ¡°The glory of yesteryears, when the Dutch dominated the world¡¯s oceans as the carriage men of the sea!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Campelem could only bow his head in silence.

    Observing his expression, Joseph smiled and said,

    ¡°Your Excellency, the Speaker, perhaps we can join forces.¡±

    ¡°Join forces?¡± Campelem immediately thought of something and shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, unfortunately, the Dutch likely don¡¯t have the strength to confront the British.¡±

    He did not dare to ally the Netherlands with either England or France¡ª God as his witness, he could not provoke either of these great powers!

    ¡°No, you may have misunderstood me. I¡¯m talking about joining forces in trade, purely in trade.¡±

    ¡°Does what you¡¯re suggesting have to do with the two trading companies?¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile,

    ¡°Exactly. In fact, the French East India Company is also facing difficulty now. I suggest that we merge the three trading companies of both nations to expand the business scope, which might just restore some of our former glory.¡±

    Joseph was well aware of the immense potential the Dutch had in developing a navy; during the first three Anglo-Dutch wars, the Dutch fleet fought impressively and caused significant trouble for the British.

    However, due to the weakened state of the Netherlands and a collapse in their ambition, they had lost their desire for maritime dominance.

    Indeed, the Dutch had a natural talent for commerce. If they could seize a developmental opportunity, they might truly revive the glory days of being the carriage men of the sea.

    Most importantly, even if the Dutch truly became the maritime overlords, the British would be the ones to suffer the most in terms of interest. As for France, in the worst case, they could use their army to threaten the Netherlands, which was close at hand, and prevent them from causing too much harm to France¡¯s maritime interests.

    Cardinal Richelieu, France¡¯s foremost statesman of the time, once said that if France wanted to accomplish dominion, it was essential to support a strong Netherlands to counter England.

    Regrettably, Louis XIV, seeking quick success, did not heed his advice and invaded the Netherlands for a trivial gain, leading to the gradual decline of one of England¡¯s strongest competitors.

    Now, Joseph intended to do his best to prop up the Netherlands again, even pushing them forward a step.

    For instance, using the almost defunct French East India Company as bait to tie French and Dutch interests together, thus aiding the Netherlands to expand their trade reach and restore their national strength.

    As a nation that relied on the sea for its livelihood, the Netherlands would undoubtedly need to establish a strong fleet if they gained any significant power.

    And due to competitive interests in overseas trade, the Dutch fleet was naturally an enemy of the British Navy.

    A glint seemed to pass through Campelem¡¯s eyes but was quickly replaced by a frown as he said,

    ¡°Your Highness, forgive my frankness, but given the trade situation of both France and the Netherlands, even if we join forces, the profits would be very limited. After all, the most profitable overseas colonies are occupied by the British, and the rest are in the hands of the Spanish.¡±

    Joseph smiled faintly,

    ¡°You can rest assured on this account. France will bring some trade concessions from its richly resourced colonies to invest in the new trading company,¡±

    As of now, places like New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have not yet been developed by any European nation. The former is a supermassive source of wool¡ªat a time when the textile industry reigns supreme, wool is practically a strategic resource; while the latter possesses an abundance of minerals, which can also yield significant profits.

    Not to mention, these two places alone are enough to sustain a French-Dutch ¡°India Company.¡±

    Even now, as England has only just landed on the eastern coast of Australia, France and the Netherlands could very well develop simultaneously in the north of Australia.

    Add to that the Dutch trade in Guyana and such places, and with proper management, it could bring both nations an enormous amount of profit.

    Of course, these interests will also be coveted by the British. However, by then, it will have become about cutting off the Dutch¡¯s sources of wealth. The Netherlands will definitely have to fight to the bitter end with England.

    Campelen exclaimed in surprise:

    ¡°Which colonies are you referring to when you speak of these?¡±

    After the Seven Years¡¯ War, France¡¯s overseas colonies could be counted on one¡¯s fingers, and they still had some to contribute as investment capital?

    ¡°As for that, you will be informed after the joint French-Dutch East India Company is established,¡± Joseph said, ¡°But I assure you, the output from these places is absolutely abundant, possibly even surpassing the current income of the Netherlands in the Far East.

    ¡°Moreover, I must remind you that if the Patriot Party cannot provide the Dutch people with the lifestyle they desire, people might begin to long for their Stadtholder once again.¡±

    Seeing that Campelen was still hesitant, he threw out another huge lure:

    ¡°If our two countries have a significant trade cooperation, then our side can promise to sign a non-aggression pact with the Netherlands.¡±

    Campelen¡¯s eyes lit up completely.

    It is known that the British at sea and the French on land have always been the Netherlands¡¯ two greatest threats.

    The invasion of the Netherlands by France during the reign of Louis XIV has always been an inescapable nightmare for the Dutch, and this is an important reason why the Netherlands has been reluctant to fully tilt towards France.

    But if France could promise to guarantee the safety of the Netherlands, that would be of tremendous strategic benefit to the Netherlands.

    He finally nodded vigorously:

    ¡°I will convey your generous offer to the provincial congress and the two companies and do my utmost to facilitate the matter.¡±

    After all, both the East and West India Companies were independently operated joint-stock companies, and the Dutch Parliament had no power to control them; they could only give advice.

    Joseph nodded with a smile, then looked towards the crowd at the ball:

    ¡°Perhaps, we can also include Austria in our cooperation. You know, how lucrative their Ostend Company was in the past, only to be dissolved under pressure from the British. They probably also eagerly wish to rebuild their own East India Company.¡±

    The Ostend Company he referred to was the Austrian overseas trade company based in the Southern Netherlands. Although it existed for only 10 years, it was the only time Austria realized its dream of overseas trade.

    Most importantly, they all suffered at the hands of the British.

    Campelen was stunned by this bold idea for a couple of seconds before he said:

    ¡°Your Highness, according to the agreement between England and Austria at the time, the Ostend Company cannot be reestablished.¡±

    Joseph shrugged and said with a smile:

    ¡°Who¡¯s talking about an Ostend Company? The Archduke of Austria could put in some money to invest in the joint French-Dutch East India Company and grant it some trade concessions; that wouldn¡¯t violate the agreement, would it?¡±

    Campelen immediately laughed as well. The thought process of the Crown Prince of France was simply too flexible¡ªa joint trade company with shared Franco-Dutch-Austrian stakes would have great potential in the future!

    Joseph, however, felt a hint of regret, as the Archduke of Austria, Joseph II, who was also his own uncle, couldn¡¯t attend this birthday celebration due to health reasons. And the special envoy he sent was merely a formality and held no real authority. Otherwise, it would not be just about the joint East India Company; Joseph had matters regarding Silesia, and even the unification of Germany, that he really wanted to discuss with his uncle.

    The celebration lasted all night. After the charity auction for disaster relief, as dawn began to break, the reveling crowd gradually dispersed¡­

    According to the initial plan, all the birthday presents given to Louis XVI from both domestic and foreign sources were auctioned off, and the proceeds were entirely used for disaster relief.

    At the auction, many nobles also donated additional jewelry and expensive clothing for bidding.

    In the end, they raised a total of more than two million livres, and in full view of all Parisians, it was announced how much grain this money would buy and where it would be delivered.

 Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 196 Js Knell

    Chapter 235: Chapter 196 J¡¯s Knell

    Although Louis XVI¡¯s birthday had passed, the Palace of Versailles Square remained in a temporary state of relaxed dress code, hence there were still many Parisians coming here to sing, dance, play, or watch free theater performances.

    Small vendors also gathered here, hoping to make the most of the last opportunity to sell a few more items.

    People chatted about their experiences over the past few days, and the lively laughter and chatter maintained the warmth of the celebration.

    Aristocrats and politicians from various countries were finally free from the cumbersome ceremonial activities of the previous days and now had the leisure to truly enjoy themselves in Paris. Places like the Eden Amusement Park once again saw a surge of visitors.

    At 8:40 p.m., Madame Garlan arrived at her music salon with a face full of relaxed joy, ready to start today¡¯s music salon.

    Leveraging the influence of the King¡¯s birthday, she had become a sought-after music virtuoso within the Palace of Versailles. Her salon was now a musical ¡°holy site¡± coveted by aristocrats and celebrities; without some measure of skill, one simply couldn¡¯t enter the doors of this music room.

    Though Godoy was of low status, he had the advantage of being an early participant in the salon and possessed a solid foundation in music. Additionally, with the hundreds of livres Louisa spent to make arrangements for him, he managed to secure his spot in the salon.

    A few servants responsible for arranging the musical instruments exchanged discreet nods after seeing the Spanish Crown Princess enter the hall with her guard, then turned to double-check the balcony¡¯s position and slightly adjusted the height of the guitarist¡¯s chair.

    Godoy, following behind Louisa, respectfully bowed to Madame Garlan, exchanged a few pleasantries, and was then led by a footman to his seat, the position for performers. Louisa, on the other hand, was escorted to the VIP seats opposite and above.

    Since there were too many aristocrats attending the music salon, Madame Garlan often borrowed servants from elsewhere to help, so she didn¡¯t pay much attention to a few unfamiliar faces.

    At 9 p.m., the salon officially began.

    Madame Garlan, as the hostess, broke from convention by delivering a lengthy lecture on music theory right after welcoming the guests, winning waves of admiration from the audience.

    Following that, a few music masters from the Palace of Versailles shared some thoughts on music theory before moving into the routine performance segment.

    The soothing sound of music began, it was Francois Couperin¡¯s ¡°Les Bergeries,¡± but after Madame Garlan¡¯s rearrangement, the style appeared lighter and more lively.

    The performers blended themselves into their instruments while the audience, enraptured, closed their eyes and savored the moment.

    Just as the music was reaching its climax, a cello placed on a chair, unattended, seemed to lose its balance and suddenly toppled to the side.

    And Godoy happened to be right beneath the peg of the cello.

    The cello, a colossus among instruments, standing over a person tall and weighing nearly 180 pounds. Startled by the fall, Godoy hastily moved backward to avoid being struck. Unbeknownst to him, his chair¡¯s leg seemed to have caught on something, and instead of moving back, it tilted over under his push.

    Godoy immediately fell backward.

    His position was already at the edge of the balcony, and as his body heavily hit the railing, a ¡°crack¡± sound was heard; the wooden balustrade, thick as the arm of a grown man, shattered into several pieces as if made of paper under his impact.

    Louisa was watching her lover play with a captivated look when she caught sight of the cello collapsing, only to then see Godoy breaking the balcony railing and falling down.

    From below, a muffled ¡°crash¡± could be faintly heard.

    The sudden accident left everyone frozen on the spot until Louisa let out a shrill scream, ¡°Godoy¡ª¡±

    The musicians nearest rushed to their feet, cautiously peering over the broken balcony edge, only to see in the dim light of the night the guitarist lying motionless on the ground, next to a footman retreating in shock.

    Louisa, too, hurried to the balcony, unable to see the situation clearly, then, with a face pale as death, turned in the support of her maid and rushed downstairs. The aristocrats participating in the salon immediately followed to check on what had happened.

    Just then, a pair of guards, who happened to be passing by downstairs, saw someone had fallen and quickly knelt next to Godoy, urgently calling out, ¡°Sir! Sir, how are you?¡±

    Seeing that Godoy had apparently passed out, one of them looked up at the people on the second-floor balcony, barely distinguishable in the dark night. He instantly took out a small knife and quickly slashed it across Godoy¡¯s face.

    The other, having noticed the golden crucifix pendant Godoy was wearing, pulled it out, carelessly smeared some blood on it, and placed it neatly on his chest.

    By the time Louisa ran downstairs, frenzied, with the help of a torch carried by a servant, she saw Godoy lying on the ground, surrounded by numerous shards of glass, as if a wineglass had been smashed.

    The two guards were trying to revive him with anxious faces while another servant stood trembling nearby.

    Louisa carefully approached and saw more clearly this time that there were two wounds on Godoy¡¯s face, likely caused by shattered glass, one of which extended from the corner of his eye to his mouth, revealing pale yellow fat, a sight that was horrifying to behold.

    His crucifix pendant lay on his chest, and against the white of his shirt, one could clearly see that the figure of Jesus on the pendant was drenched in blood, as if foretelling something.

    A nobleman who had rushed over from the salon, upon seeing this, hastily made the sign of the cross while murmuring:

 Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 196 Js Knell_2

    Chapter 236: Chapter 196 J¡¯s Knell_2

    ¡°God bless! God bless!¡±

    The voice reached Louisa¡¯s ears, but struck her like lightning; a thought suddenly burst from her heart: This is punishment, God¡¯s punishment for my unfaithfulness!

    She hastily made the sign of the cross and trembled as she said:

    ¡°Lord, please forgive my sins, I was wrong, forgive me¡­¡±

    ¡°He is still alive!¡± A nobleman stepped forward to check Godoy¡¯s pulse, then turned back and called out loudly.

    More than ten minutes later, the Court Physician arrived, instructed the servants to carefully lift Godoy onto a stretcher, and moved him back inside to administer aid.

    Approaching midnight, the Palace of Versailles majordomo arrived at the Spanish Crown Prince¡¯s residence, knocked and entered, only to find the Crown Prince was not there, so he could only bow to Louisa and say:

    ¡°Your Highness, the physician says your guard should no longer be in danger of losing his life, but he has broken his right arm, and there are some additional lacerations.¡±

    But Louisa did not look at him, only muttering something under her breath with a tense expression.

    The majordomo continued:

    ¡°It¡¯s very regrettable that this accident occurred. I have already had a thorough investigation conducted. The balustrade of the music hall¡¯s balcony had been hollowed out by termites. Due to the hidden position of the holes, they went unnoticed¡­ You know, the Palace of Versailles is very old, and those little insects are always destroying the wood.

    ¡°Mr. Godoy collided with the termite-damaged wooden railing and unfortunately fell. At that time, there happened to be a male servant below who was carrying wine to the fountain, and Mr. Godoy landed on his tray, so¡­¡±

    ¡°That is, would you like to see him?¡±

    Seeing no reaction from Louisa, he could only sigh, bow, and leave the room: ¡°Please do not worry too much, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    The Spanish Crown Prince did not find out about Godoy¡¯s fall from the balcony until the next morning, as he had drunk too much the night before.

    He had been lying listlessly on the couch with a vacant stare, but upon hearing the last word from the Court Official, he suddenly sprang to life as if retrieving his soul, grabbed the official by the shoulders, and said excitedly:

    ¡°Are you speaking of the Duchess Consort¡¯s guard Godoy? He broke his arm? His face is scratched?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, Your Highness, please don¡¯t be too saddened.¡±

    ¡°Saddened?¡± Antonio felt as if the discomfort of his hangover vanished in an instant, and he felt as light as if he could soar, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, I will definitely not be sad! Ha ha!¡±

    The Court Official looked at him worriedly, hesitating whether to call a physician, when Joseph showed up in time, signaling him to leave first.

    Antonio grabbed hold of Joseph, beaming like a delighted child weighing a hundred and fifty pounds:

    ¡°My dear Joseph, did you know, the Palace of Versailles must be a place blessed by God! My wish actually came true!

    ¡°I love this place so much, I love France so much!¡±

    Joseph made the sign of the cross at his chest:

    ¡°May God bless you, my friend.¡±

    Antonio picked up a half glass of wine lying nearby, poured it into his mouth, and pulled Joseph towards the door:

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see that damned bastard! Oh, right, where is he now?¡±

    Joseph turned to Eman and said: ¡°Please take His Highness to Mr. Godoy¡¯s place.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    As Antonio walked along the corridor, he shouted ecstatically:

    ¡°I love the Palace of Versailles! I love this place! I¡¯m going to stay here for a while!¡±

    Once he had calmed down a little, Joseph approached and whispered:

    ¡°My dear Crown Prince, you should return to Madrid as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Why?¡± Antonio asked with a wide smile.

    ¡°While Godoy is still injured, set out immediately and leave him in France,¡± Joseph said, ¡°and after you return to Madrid, report the recent events to His Majesty the King.¡±

    Joseph knew that even though he had helped Spain to remove one member of the ¡°disastrous duo,¡± the other, Louisa, would be difficult to subdue with Antonio alone.

    For now, he could only rely on Charles III to be still in charge and find a way to suppress Louisa. He believed that this most capable King of Spain in nearly a century would find a way to deal with this woman.

    Antonio, whose mood had greatly improved and who had become astute, nodded immediately upon hearing this:

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right; I¡¯ll return at once!¡±

    He glanced at Godoy, who was groaning in bed, and finally left with great satisfaction.

    After seeing Godoy¡¯s frightening wound on his face last night, Louisa had no desire to look at him one more time. She had also personally verified that the whole incident was indeed accidental¡ªthe broken railing, as well as the area around where Godoy fell, all had been hollowed out by termites, ready to break at the slightest touch, and last night certainly no one had touched him before he fell.

    All she wanted now was to leave the Palace of Versailles as quickly as possible, so she agreed without a second thought when Antonio suggested returning to their country.

    By noon that day, the Spanish Crown Prince¡¯s carriage was already prepared to leave.

    Before departing, Antonio embraced Joseph tightly, saying sincerely:

    ¡°I really wish I could continue to discuss mechanics with you in the Royal Workshop, Joseph; you will always be my best friend!¡±

    Indeed, in his heart, if it weren¡¯t for his kin Joseph, he might not have discovered his wife¡¯s lasciviousness and vulgarity. He was filled with gratitude towards Joseph at this moment.

    ¡°Yes, we are the best of friends!¡± Joseph nodded and gave him a firm pat.

    Antonio then whispered in his ear:

    ¡°Dear Joseph, I¡¯ve left someone in Paris. Please send that fellow Godoy there when it¡¯s convenient for you.¡±

    Though he feared his wife and was engrossed in mechanics, he was still a crown prince with significant power. Once he calmed down, how could he let go of a ¡°mistress¡± who had fallen out of favor?

    Joseph pretended to be somewhat shocked, ¡°Are you sure? This might be¡­¡±

    ¡°Please do me this favor!¡±

    Only then did Joseph reluctantly respond, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try my best¡­¡±

    After the Spanish Crown Prince departed, Joseph immediately wrote a letter to Charles III, detailing how Antonio was cuckolded in his own bedroom and also assured he would keep the secret.

    He handed the letter to a messenger, instructing him to deliver it to the King of Spain one day after Antonio¡¯s arrival in Madrid.

    This way, a family scandal turned into a national disgrace, and Charles III was sure to be incensed.

    ¡­

    The celebration for Louis XVI¡¯s birthday lasted until September before the fervor completely subsided.

    Joseph, in a brand-new white tailored military uniform, rode a carriage to the Paris Police Academy to attend the entrance ceremony for the second-term students.

    Today was not only the entrance ceremony for the second-term students but also the commencement of internships for the first-term students.

    Yes, although the first-term students of the Police Academy had been enrolled for a total of only ten months, Joseph decided, based on their training, to engage them in a military operation in North Africa.

    These students trained extremely hard and their military qualities were not weak; mixing them with the 3,000 men from Bertier¡¯s Crown Prince¡¯s Guard, they should be able to match the North African troops.

    Only through the smoke and blood of the battlefield can one become a truly strong army!

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, the first-term students of the Police Academy, 1,000 from the ¡°Combat Police¡± class, plus 400 from the ¡°Elite Class¡± and the 3,000 from Bertier¡¯s two regiments, were mixed together, making a force of nearly 4,400 men in about three regiments, to be transported to North Africa by the French Navy for combat.

    This force was absolutely obedient to him, and they could be mobilized without any hindrance.

    If the situation in North Africa was intense, he would then consider deploying the Mulan Regiment of Duke Vilar¡ªthe troops trained by Andre¡ªa total of three regiments.

    Although the combat effectiveness of this force could not match the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard composed of the Franche Garde, its loyalty was guaranteed and mobilization should not pose too much of a problem.

    If the Mulan Regiment¡¯s performance in combat proved satisfactory, Joseph would consider equipping them with better weapons and even evolving them into his own direct troops.

    As for the possibility of a 9,000-man-strong force, coordinated with Joseph¡¯s strategic planning, not managing to prevail in North Africa, it should be minuscule.

 Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 197: The Dawu Brothers Encounter During the Exercise

    Chapter 237: Chapter 197: The Dawu Brothers¡¯ Encounter During the Exercise

    In Joseph¡¯s North Africa strategy, he never planned on using the French Army to force his way through from start to finish.

    Not only would that approach heavily deplete the troops and cost a significant amount, it would also easily provoke fierce resistance from local forces in North Africa.

    Countless examples from later generations show that defeating the enemy¡¯s main force is often not the difficult part; the real headache starts when cleaning up scattered local militias. For instance, a future world superpower managed to defeat Atta in just over ten days, but then spent 2 trillion US dollars over more than a decade fighting guerrilla groups, and still lost in the end.

    Therefore, the best method was still to mobilize the local forces in North Africa to work for oneself, and have a small contingent of elite French forces act as a counterbalance to influence the final victory or defeat.

    The diplomats of France and the Police Affairs Department had already been working towards this goal in Algiers for quite some time.

    ¡­

    Joseph¡¯s carriage was half a mile away from the Paris Police Academy¡¯s training field when he heard the distant sound of bugles.

    A troop of police academy students, dressed in smart military uniforms, came running in two columns. Every two meters, the last man in line would stop. Soon, from the entrance of the training field to beside Joseph¡¯s carriage, two straight walls of people were formed.

    With a loud command from an officer, both columns of police academy students turned around, lowering their rifles with the butts nearly touching the ground, creating a resounding ¡°clack.¡±

    The carriage passed between the two rows of students. Joseph nodded in satisfaction at the police academy students on both sides. Just from the welcoming formation, one could see the training quality of these students. Over hundreds of meters, the formation was straight, and the movements were uniform; this by today¡¯s European standards was definitely considered an elite force.

    Several neat squadrons had already been arranged on the training field.

    Nearly a thousand senior students from the first enrollment were lined up at the front. Behind them were the second batch of new students, more numerous but less organized. Joseph had already seen Frient¡¯s report; the second enrollment of the police academy had recruited as many as 3,000 students.

    This was possible because the police academy provided food and lodging, and it was fully open to civilians, with scholarships available for those with excellent grades. Many children from civilian families living far from Paris, upon learning of the favorable conditions at the police academy, would even travel half a month¡¯s journey to register.

    Of course, what was most important was that Joseph now had some money to spend, able to afford so many students¡ªthe cost of their brand-new full military uniforms alone exceeded 120 livres. And to think, the French treasury hadn¡¯t allocated a single denier to the Paris Police Academy.

    Behind the second batch of students, there were over a thousand soldiers dressed in somewhat older uniforms and of an older average age. They were Bertier¡¯s Corps, who had come to attend the ceremony.

    Joseph stepped out of the carriage, surrounded by important figures like Frient and Bertier, and made his way to the center of the reviewing stand, raising his hand in acknowledgment to the students and soldiers on the field.

    Immediately, the thousands on the training field stood to attention with chests out, raising their hats in salute, and a thunderous shout erupted: ¡°Long live the King! Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    Joseph smiled and returned the salute with his hat before delivering a customary speech as the school principal. Such speeches would be made here at least once each year from now on.

    Afterward, each squadron of students and soldiers marched past the reviewing stand in turn, inspected by the Crown Prince.

    Behind Joseph, the newly appointed Minister of Industry, Mirabeau, who had been invited to observe, was profoundly shocked as he watched the proud and well-trained squadrons before him.

    For the past few days, he had been perplexed as to why the Crown Prince wanted him to attend the police academy¡¯s new student induction ceremony. Only now did he finally understand that the Crown Prince was showcasing his own power¡ªthese were no mere police academy students; this was the Crown Prince¡¯s own army!

    Initially, he had only thought the young Crown Prince was highly knowledgeable about industrial development and could bring prosperity and hope to France¡¯s industrial sector.

    Now, he realized that the Crown Prince was indeed a genius monarch¡ªadvancing industrial development while guarding against potential famine, having integrated a large number of banks recently, and now, he had formed a powerful army here.

    What was most important was that the Crown Prince had managed to do all this without anyone realizing it!

    Mirabeau inwardly sighed: perhaps in a few years, France would welcome a king as great as the Sun King. No, even more dazzling!

    The resonant shouts of the squadrons interrupted Mirabeau¡¯s thoughts. He looked towards the training field, only to notice that the soldiers were carrying rifles that were very peculiar, none of which were any model produced by Charleville¡ªhe was passionate about hunting and had done considerable research on common firearms.

    So, he leaned in and quietly asked the Director of Police Services beside him, ¡°Viscount Besancon, do you know what kind of guns they¡¯re using? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen them before.¡±

    The other immediately replied, ¡°Those are the Auguste Model 1788 Caplock Guns. The Royal Armory, which was personally overseen by His Majesty, recently started manufacturing them.¡±

    The Royal Armory next to the Palace of Versailles and the armory in Saint-Etienne were both on the right track, showing initial success with standardized production. If operating at full capacity, the two factories could manufacture over 2,000 caplock guns per month.

    This was even with Joseph instructing the Saint-Etienne location to divert much of its effort into researching cannon casting, otherwise, production numbers could be even higher.

    Meanwhile, under the leadership of Lavoisier, the Royal Gunpowder Bureau had already mastered the preparation of fulminate mercury, easily producing 30,000 copper caps per month.

    With the production capacity of these two institutions, the Paris Police Academy and Bertier¡¯s Corps had already been fully equipped with new caplock guns, and routine shooting training was conducted with these as the standard.

 Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 197: The Dawu Siblings Encounter During the Exercise_2

    Chapter 238: Chapter 197: The Dawu Siblings¡¯ Encounter During the Exercise_2

    After all the ceremonies had concluded, Joseph announced that the first batch of students from the police academy would immediately begin their live exercises.

    The first batch of students had clearly not been informed in advance and all appeared very surprised upon hearing the news.

    However, the instructors¡¯ commands quickly made them realize that the live drills had already started.

    This was a special arrangement by Joseph, with the purpose of testing the real mobilization capacity and response speed of the troops.

    The urging voices of the instructors resounded everywhere: ¡°Hurry! Move faster!¡±

    ¡°This is war, start running!¡±

    ¡°The last squad to assemble will run five laps as punishment!¡±

    The students didn¡¯t panic, but instead dispersed in an orderly fashion under the command of their own squad leaders, quickly running back to their barracks.

    Meanwhile, the cavalry and artillery rushed toward the stables¡­

    Mirabeau had not expected that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would invite him to have lunch in the military camp.

    He sat amongst hundreds of police officers, looking at the simple tableware in front of him and feeling quite awkward, but when he turned his head, he found that the Crown Prince, the Director of Police Services, and others had already started eating heartily.

    Having no choice, he joined in, and then noticed that, although the food looked coarse, it tasted decent, and there was meat, vegetables, and bread¡ªeverything that was needed, almost no different from the officers¡¯ meals he had when serving in the cavalry.

    When lunch ended, all the students stood up simultaneously, watching as the Crown Prince left the dining hall. Seeing the burning adoration and trust in their eyes, Mirabeau suddenly understood the important significance of this meal.

    After rejoining the Crown Prince¡¯s party and returning to the training field, Mirabeau was surprised to find that the majority of the infantry had already completed their departure preparations, and not far away, the artillerymen were rushing horses, dragging several cannons in this direction.

    He checked his watch, only half an hour had passed since the officers had given the order to assemble!

    The only word that came to his mind was ¡°elite!¡±

    Another half hour later, over a thousand fully armed police academy students were formed up in neat columns, leaving the training ground in a grand procession.

    Of course, this was the speed that could be achieved without considering logistics preparation¡ªit would take at least several days to gather all the logistical support.

    The army of the first batch of students marched southward, maintaining a rapid pace, and finally arrived at Tutsi Town on the afternoon of the sixth day.

    After resting there for a day, they finally met their training opponents for this internship¡ªthe third infantry of the Mulan Regiment, led by Andre, who had just hurried over from Mulan.

    After the two armies joined forces, Andre first met with the commanders of the police academy students to discuss the upcoming training matters, then had dinner together.

    Once all official business was finished, Andre, who couldn¡¯t wait any longer, came to the police academy students¡¯ camp, led by a police academy instructor, finally meeting the young lieutenant who was not yet twenty years old.

    The young man and Andre first saluted each other by tipping their hats, then warmly embraced one another.

    Andre pulled the lieutenant back at a distance, looked at him up and down with a smile, and said, ¡°Dear Nicolas, you¡¯ve finally become a true officer!¡±

    The young man named Nicolas replied with vibrant spirits, ¡°Perhaps it won¡¯t be long before I can become a great Corps Commander like you, my dear brother.¡±

    ¡°Haha, that day will come. But for now, you¡¯ve just graduated, focus on gaining experience, don¡¯t think about anything else,¡± said Andre, patting his brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Actually, I think that in the future, the most accomplished among us Dawus will definitely be you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been smarter than me since we were young, and serving under the Crown Prince, you will certainly climb the ranks much faster than I did.¡±

    The brothers hadn¡¯t seen each other for more than two years and immediately started to chat and laugh as they walked toward the edge of the camp.

    ¡°Wow, your military uniforms are truly magnificent; just look at those sharply tailored edges!¡±

    Nicolas nodded, ¡°It¡¯s said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had them designed by a famous Parisian designer. Oh, you haven¡¯t seen the winter gear yet. It¡¯s really impressive, all made of wool and reportedly costs 70 livres apiece.¡±

    Andre glanced down at his own old uniform, nearly letting envy spill from the corners of his mouth before hastily changing the subject, ¡°By the way, when did you leave, and how did you arrive a day earlier than us?¡±

    ¡°We left Paris last Wednesday. Brother, it was a fast-paced march all the way, and I was utterly exhausted. You know, we¡¯ve never marched this quickly at the academy.¡±

    Andre¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Are you saying you only marched for 6 days? From Paris to Tutsi Town is nearly 40 leagues!¡±

    Forty leagues is 160 kilometers, which means the police academy students marched over 26 kilometers per day. This was definitely a remarkable pace in the 18th century.

    Keep in mind, the Mulan Regiment also set out last Wednesday, covering less than 30 leagues, yet it took them one day longer than the police academy students.

    This was the result of the rigorous physical training at the Paris Police Academy. In fact, if not for maintaining formation, those academy students could have easily marched an extra ten or so kilometers each day with their endurance.

    Nicolas nodded, ¡°The cadets at the academy have excellent stamina. I heard they often do exercises that include running one league with backpacks. I tried it a few days ago and could barely keep up with some of the slower ones.¡±

    Nicolas attended the Paris Military Academy and, although he worked extremely hard and was quite fit during his time there, he had not undergone systematic cross-country running training and almost couldn¡¯t keep up with the police academy students.

    Hearing this, Andre frowned, ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, then my corps might have a very tough time in this exercise.¡±

    But he immediately smiled again, ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯ve brought one of Mulan¡¯s finest regiments. Even if we can¡¯t out-march you, in things like formations and shooting, we¡¯ll certainly win back some ground.¡±

    ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± Nicolas replied with an odd look, ¡°Do you know how the police academy trains in shooting?¡±

    ¡°How do they train?¡±

    ¡°Previously with flintlock guns, it was 10 shots every 3 days. After switching to caplock guns, the Director of Academic Affairs said to get familiar with the new guns faster, we increased it to 5 shots a day.¡±

    ¡°Five shots a day?!¡± Andre gasped, his own regiment only fired that many every half a month.

    He suddenly noticed a term his brother had just mentioned, ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®caplock gun¡¯ that you mentioned?¡±

    Nicolas pointed to a police academy student on patrol not far away with a firearm on his back, ¡°Look, that one. I have one too, but I left it over there. It¡¯s said to be a new gun designed by His Majesty the King, others say by the Crown Prince. When firing, you don¡¯t have to pour in priming powder, just insert a copper cap. Oh, like this¡­¡±

    He said as he took a percussion cap out of his belt pouch and handed it to his brother, ¡°This gun can be loaded three to four seconds faster than a Charleville, and it also has a slightly longer range.¡±

    Andre¡¯s face darkened, as he began to consider how he would explain to his wife, the Duchess of Vilar, if his seasoned soldiers were to be defeated by police academy students with less than a year of training.

    The next morning, with the sound of a cannon, the joint exercise between the Mulan Regiment and the first batch of Paris Police Academy students officially began.

    According to the rules, whichever side reached the Paris Mars Field first could ¡°occupy¡± the high ground there, taking up a more advantageous defensive position. The later arrivals had no choice but to launch an assault.

    Just two hours later, Andre received a report from his scouts saying that the ¡°enemy¡± had already entered march mode.

    He was surprised and looked through his binoculars, indeed noting that the police academy students had already set off in neat formation.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± he turned to his staff officer, ¡°Did they prepare in advance?¡±

    The latter also lifted his binoculars in haste, ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Commandant. I had people supervising their side, they definitely would not¡­ wait, are they not taking any supply wagons?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Andre scrutinized further and saw that his staff officer was correct.

    He immediately showed a smile, ¡°These inexperienced youngsters will soon have to stop and wait for their supply trains.¡±

 Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 198: Napoleons Foraging Officer

    Chapter 239: Chapter 198: Napoleon¡¯s Foraging Officer

    Actually, Andre had seriously underestimated the ¡°rashness¡± of these young people.

    Out of the more than 1,200 police academy cadets¡¯ 30 large wagons, 22 were for servicing the artillery, including dragging cannons and transporting ammunition.

    As for logistics and baggage, they had cut down on almost everything that could be spared!

    Each soldier¡¯s backpack contained 11 pounds of dry bread, 3.5 pounds of semi-dried meat, and 4 pounds of oats for the horses, along with two bags of wine. That was all the provisions they carried.

    It was only close to noon that the Mulan Regiment finally finished preparations to transition from encampment to marching, and the large force began to move slowly.

    This was after Andre, having heard his younger brother¡¯s ¡°intelligence¡± the day before, had preemptively ordered the officers to leave all the bulky luggage like wardrobes and dining tables behind.

    In fact, for an old-style army, their speed was already considered very fast.

    But everything is relative.

    At this point, the police academy cadets had already covered nearly 10 kilometers.

    By 6 p.m., Murat¡¯s Army began to set up camp and prepare dinner.

    An hour later, the cadets stopped by a small stream 16 kilometers away, set up sentries, and, after building campfires, heated up the dry food they had carried with them.

    At 8:15 p.m., the cadets gathered around the campfires, spread blankets on the grass, and under the stars, they fell into a deep sleep.

    The next morning at dawn, they ate a simple breakfast and almost immediately set off again.

    Meanwhile, Murat¡¯s Army was still frantically packing up tents and loading wagons. Occasionally, there were officers quietly complaining for having slept poorly without their mattresses.

    Andre could no longer see the trace of his opponents, but from the marks on the ground, it was clear the police academy cadets had long passed by this location.

    After 3 p.m., two scouts with dark circles under their eyes ped back to the Mulan Regiment¨C¨CAndre¡¯s curiosity about how the cadets were solving their provisions problem had caused him to urgently send out scouts the night before to investigate.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying they carried more than 15 pounds of food?¡± Andre looked surprised at the scouts, ¡°With weapons, ammunition, and bedding, doesn¡¯t that make for nearly 35 pounds of weight?¡±

    ¡°It seems so, sir.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re like monsters¡­¡± Andre smacked his lips, carrying so much luggage and still able to move so fast?!

    He then immediately thought of another question, ¡°Wait, even if the soldiers carried dry food, what about their horses?¡±

    Normally, people think that an army¡¯s provisions mainly consist of food for humans, but in reality, the bulk of logistic and baggage supplies are fodder for the horses.

    Warhorses consume a great deal of energy during warfare and cannot graze like farm horses, which would require them to eat continuously for several hours to get enough nutrition from grass, a luxury of time the army cannot afford.

    Moreover, it¡¯s very difficult to guarantee grass availability along the march.

    Therefore, the army¡¯s warhorses mainly rely on logistics transport of hay and concentrated fodder like oats for sustenance. This consumption far exceeds the quantity of food humans need.

    Human soldiers can barely get by carrying about a dozen pounds of dry food; surely you cannot expect horses to carry hundreds of pounds of fodder, right?

    The two scouts looked at each other and answered, ¡°Sir, they did bring some concentrated fodder, but mainly they feed the horses at nearby farms.¡±

    ¡°They even obtained half of the firewood from local farmers. Oh, and they also replenished some wine.¡±

    Andre¡¯s eyes widened as he exclaimed loudly, ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡±

    He immediately summoned the orderly officer and sent him to catch up to the police academy cadets, to present his strongest protest on his behalf.

    Another day later, the orderly officer returned, bringing with him an instructor from the police academy.

    After meeting Andre, the instructor politely explained, ¡°Respected Lieutenant Colonel, we operated strictly in accordance with the standard supply regulations, it wasn¡¯t cheating at all.¡±

    Andre almost laughed with anger, ¡°Are you saying that pillaging from the local farmers is a standard supply regulation?¡±

    ¡°No, you might be mistaken,¡± the instructor said hastily, ¡°Our foraging officers paid for it, even above the market price.¡±

    What he didn¡¯t mention was that if it weren¡¯t for a widespread shortage of grain, the supply regulations would require soldiers to requisition food locally.

    Andre waved his hand dismissively, ¡°That¡¯s cheating! If a war broke out, would your troops also move without supply wagons, relying entirely on purchasing from local farmers?¡±

    The instructor nodded earnestly, ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. However, we also hunt game sometimes as a supplement¡­¡±

    ¡°Ridiculous! How can such provisions be reliable? What if there are no local farmers nearby?¡±

    ¡°Such a situation is unlikely, sir. Across the whole of Europe, where can you not find a village to requisition provisions? Besides, soldiers always carry emergency rations.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Andre was stunned.

    Indeed, even in barren places like Switzerland or the southern part of Hungary, finding a village to sustain an army of several tens of thousands was not difficult.

    This way, one could discard a large number of bulky and attack-prone logistic vehicles, rendering the army nimble and swift. No wonder the police academy¡¯s deployment and marching speed were so fast!

    In fact, this was the local requisitioning logistics mode Joseph had copied from Napoleon.

    Napoleon was able to conquer Europe with great success, and half of his success could be attributed to this unique logistics system.

    As is well known, war, especially between major powers, hinges on logistics as one of the key factors determining victory or defeat. There¡¯s even an extreme saying that war is a contest of logistics.

    Napoleon innovatively abandoned the large quantity of supply wagons favored by the European Nobility Army, prohibited officers from carrying bulky luxury items [Note 1], and even discarded tents, which were time-consuming and inconvenient to carry. Food and drink depended entirely on the villages along the way, and in the event of heavy rain or snow, soldiers could also use the houses in the villages for shelter.

 Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 198: Napoleons Foraging Officer_2

    Chapter 240: Chapter 198: Napoleon¡¯s Foraging Officer_2

    Compensation for used supplies could be made to the farmers at market prices. This method, even including the payment, would often cost much less than transporting supplies thousands of miles, while the compensation for the farmers would be much greater.

    As for waging war abroad, the army¡¯s expenses might be even less.

    Of course, this model sounds simple, but implementing it still requires a whole set of scientific operational modes.

    For example, procurement officers need to have considerable professional knowledge, knowing where to find supplies and how to communicate with the farmers.

    Ahead of the army¡¯s advance, people should be sent to notify the villages they would pass through to prepare supplies. This requires a very scientific calculation of the consumption of supplies.

    How the collected supplies are to be quickly distributed to the units must also be considered.

    And how to reallocate food via local administration in the villages that had their food requisitioned, to prevent situations where the farmers themselves don¡¯t have enough to eat.

    Joseph only knew the basic principles from documentaries he had watched in his previous life; the specific rules for supply still needed officers to continuously perfect them through practice.

    However, this logistical mechanism also had significant limitations. For example, Napoleon suffered greatly in Russia, which was barren and hostile, because he relied on local replenishment. Nevertheless, Joseph, as someone from a later era, naturally would also take proactive measures to avoid similar situations.

    Andre had no choice but to let the police academy instructors go and gathered his officers, starting to contemplate if he should also adopt this local procurement logistics model for his own army.

    This was one of the reasons Joseph had the Mulan Regiment come and conduct exercises with the police academy students. As a military force he could trust, he also hoped Andre could learn some advanced concepts from the police academy students to improve his troops¡¯ combat effectiveness.

    Five days after leaving Tutsi Town, the police academy regiment arrived in Paris, swiftly ¡°occupying¡± the high ground predetermined for the exercise, and then conducted detailed topographical mapping of the nearby terrain.

    On the other hand, it took Andre a full four more days to pantingly catch up. The sight that greeted him was a defense position that had been firmly established by the ¡°enemy¡± forces.

    Still, Andre was an experienced veteran of battles and, facing an extremely disadvantaged situation, remained calm, gathering his officers to discuss tactics against the enemy.

    At dawn the next day, the Murat¡¯s Corps assembled in front of the police academy¡¯s positions, forming three lines of infantry.

    Bertier, watching from afar, put away his telescope and sighed somewhat regretfully to Dibowa beside him, ¡°The students missed the best opportunity to attack.¡±

    The latter nodded, ¡°Yes, Murat¡¯s Army had just made a forced march yesterday afternoon; they were at their most exhausted. If an assault had been launched then, they very well might have secured victory in one fell swoop.¡±

    Bertier said, ¡°They still can¡¯t bear to give up the favorable terrain they hold. Although these young people are full of energy, they still lack real combat experience.¡±

    Soon, Andre ordered the frontline infantry to launch a strong assault. At the same time, three six-pound cannons from Murat¡¯s Corps roared from a slightly higher hill on the west side, covering the infantry¡¯s charge.

    However, the police academy was well-prepared, and their artillery immediately returned fire. Because the police academy¡¯s cannons were positioned higher and included an eight-pound cannon, their range was greater, quickly suppressing the opposing artillery.

    The distance between the two sides¡¯ infantry closed to within 100 paces, and the police academy¡¯s formation fired first in volleys¡ªthey held the high ground and their caplock guns had longer range, so taking the first shot was not a problem.

    Both sides¡¯ soldiers used rounds made of pine, which disintegrated upon the impact of the gunpowder and did not cause any harm, but the piercing explosive sounds and the smoke-filled sky still sent all the soldiers¡¯ adrenaline soaring as if they were on a real battlefield.

    After advancing further, Murat¡¯s Corps also began to return fire. The gunshots became more intense, and person after person was judged ¡°killed in action¡± and left the battlefield.

    What surprised Andre greatly was that the young police academy students¡¯ shooting skills were no worse than his veterans¡¯ and, with the aid of the caplock gun, their firing rate was consistently two beats faster than his side.

    As Murat¡¯s Corps continued to lose men, the frontline commanding officers finally could not hold out and issued the order to retreat.

    In the police academy¡¯s positions, a blue flag bearing the Crown Prince¡¯s emblem immediately rose. Then the drummers and flag bearers of each company stepped forward three paces, and the urgent sound of the attack drums started up.

    The military academy students¡¯ infantry immediately advanced.

    The collapsing Mulan Army¡¯s speed of disintegration quickened. Before long, their second defensive line was exposed to the adversary.

    The academy students promptly changed formation ¡ª the first line of infantry transformed into columns, and the second line took on the task of frontal firing.

    As several squads of infantry charged within twenty paces of the Mulan Army, the latter could no longer hold and began to flee in disorder.

    The drumbeat on the academy side quickened as well, and the second line of infantry, raising a battle cry, fixed bayonets and charged at the enemy.

    The Mulan Army¡¯s last line of infantry had started retreating early and had already withdrawn to the flat lands below the high ground. Mere minutes later, as many as seven companies of the academy students reached them.

    Curiously, the Mulan Army did not seem panicked but, led by their officers, routed the soldiers to both sides, while the last line of infantry delivered fierce fire.

    Meanwhile, three cannons appeared on the flank of the Mulan Army, beginning to bombard the approaching academy students.

    Clearly, these cannons had only feigned the inability to withstand the enemy¡¯s firepower and had stealthily moved to this position.

    Andre smiled and gave a knowing glance to the orderly officer.

    The latter immediately ran to the flag bearer and loudly conveyed the orders.

    Minutes later, a squadron of Mulan Army cavalry emerged from behind the mounds on the eastern side of the battlefield, cutting directly into the academy students¡¯ infantry line that had pursued too deeply.

    The Mulan Army¡¯s first two collapsed lines of infantry quickly reorganized and closed in from both sides.

    It was then that the academy instructors realized it was a trap to lure the enemy in deep. Seeing a large group of infantry about to be encircled, they immediately committed the reserves and cavalry to the battlefield, preparing to use hand-to-hand combat to rescue the infantry.

    Once the melee broke out, the exercise judges found it very difficult to carry out effective casualty assessments.

    In the end, Colonel Bertier, concerned about the risk of accidents during close-combat, halted the skirmish between the two sides after half an hour.

    By then, Murat¡¯s Corps had ¡°lost¡± over 200 men. Although the academy students had been outmaneuvered, their prior shooting engagement had been to their advantage, and with their bravery in close combat not yielding an inch to the enemy, their ¡°casualties¡± were actually slightly fewer.

    After a day¡¯s rest, Bertier¡¯s Corps also arrived to join in the exercises. The practical drills, now with three parties, proceeded vigorously and would continue until the end of the month.

    ¡­

    In the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau.

    Joseph looked at the practical exercise report sent by Bertier and others, and nodded with a smile, ¡°The cadets¡¯ military accomplishments are indeed commendable, but they still need more combat experience.¡±

    He then turned to Frient and said, ¡°For the students who have performed outstandingly in the exercises, you can allow them to graduate early and join Bertier¡¯s Army, taking on the role of junior officers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Colonel Bertier and I also believe that some of them are in no way inferior to the officers of the nobility,¡± the other replied.

    As they were speaking, Eman knocked and entered, bowing to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, we just received news from Marseille. The King of Spain has sent you three ships¡¯ worth of grain. They docked at the port ten days ago.¡±

    [Note 1] In reality, in Napoleon¡¯s army, the personal belongings of officers were always the bane of the supply camp, and the problem was never fully resolved. Even Napoleon himself would bring a bathtub to the battlefield. However, compared to other traditional armies, Napoleon¡¯s officers were quite restrained.

    [Note 2] Napoleon anticipated the difficulties of supply in Russia and had prepared much more logistics support than before. Nonetheless, he partially hoped for supplies from Russia itself. Unfortunately, the food and fodder gathered by the French Army in Russia were very limited, worsening the French Army¡¯s situation.

 Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 199 Development of Industry and Finance

    Chapter 241: Chapter 199 Development of Industry and Finance

    Thereafter, Eman presented the report sent by the officials from Marseille.

    Joseph unfolded the report and after reading just a few lines, his eyebrows involuntarily raised.

    The report said that the King of Spain had sent a total of 1.8 million livres¡¯ worth of grain, and its quality was quite good.

    You should know that although the drought had a smaller impact on Spain, it still had an effect. That Charles III squeezed out such a large quantity of grain to give as a gift showed tremendous sincerity!

    Two days later, a special envoy of Charles III arrived in Paris, first visiting Louis XVI and the Queen, and then hurriedly sought out Joseph.

    After the exchange of routine formalities, the envoy requested Joseph to send the others away before taking out a personal letter from Charles III, which he handed over with great respect.

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, His Majesty the King sincerely thanks you on his behalf,¡± said the envoy, his expression somewhat awkward. ¡°You have helped the Royal Family maintain the purity of its bloodline, and¡­ ah, you have kept the secret for His Highness Antonio.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty the King learned of the hail disaster that France had recently suffered, so he sent some grain to express his condolences.¡±

    Joseph nodded to himself, thinking that Charles III was indeed one of Spain¡¯s enlightened monarchs, handling interpersonal courtesies quite perfectly. It was a pity that the old gentleman was already a fading light, unable to hold on much longer; otherwise, Spain could have offered France even more support.

    The envoy continued, ¡°As for the Crown Princess, His Majesty the King has already sent people to keep an eye on her, please be at ease.¡±

    As Joseph had predicted, upon learning that Louisa had engaged in an affair with his son and the Crown Prince of France right before their eyes, Charles III immediately exploded with fury. He ordered the Crown Princess to not step outside the palace and arranged for a lady-in-waiting to follow her 24/7.

    If it were not for the fact that Spain was a devout Catholic nation and divorce was not taken lightly, the old gentleman would have definitely had his son divorce her.

    Although the Spanish nobility did not know what exactly had transpired with Louisa, it was obvious that the King held her in disregard, and as a result, they all began to distance themselves from her, especially important high-ranking officials.

    Originally, since Charles III¡¯s health was failing, many state affairs had already been handed over to Antonio to handle. However, the latter, immersed in machinery and hunting, had delegated these tasks to Louisa.

    Now, Spanish officials would rather bring their documents to Antonio¡¯s workshop and force him to deal with them than allow Louisa to be involved once more.

    Of course, given Antonio¡¯s ¡°ear-pulling¡± character, once Charles III passed away and met with the Creator, the restrictions imposed on Louisa would gradually diminish, but this incident had severely reduced her political standing and the chances of her solely wielding Spain¡¯s power in the future had likely diminished significantly.

    ¡­

    A ¡°gemstone¡±-shaped carriage with a brand-new design sped past Mirabeau, kicking up dust that covered his face.

    Mirabeau frowned as he took the handkerchief handed to him by a servant, wiping off the dust from his face and body, and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. There were already many tram services in Paris, with five intersecting lines that could reach every corner of the city, but many nobles, feeling it beneath their dignity to share a carriage with commoners, still chose to travel by horse-drawn carriage instead.

    In reality, these tram cars, even when carrying more than twenty people, were faster than the average carriage.

    Capitalist Nobility like him¡ªthe term proposed by the Crown Prince was now widely accepted¡ªdismissed such attitudes with contempt.

    He grumbled to himself: Nobility is derived from their wealth, capabilities, and efforts, not from whom they share a carriage with. All citizens should be equal; an incompetent or morally deficient noble is no match for those intelligent and industrious commoners. On what basis do they believe themselves to be inherently superior?

    Although many of Rousseau¡¯s views were nonsensical, he was quite correct on the subject of equality. Those people should really read his book¡­

    Mirabeau shook his head again at the thought and dismissed it; Rousseau¡¯s ideas were too dangerous, and most nobles, unlike himself, did not possess discernment¡ªno telling what adverse effect it might have on them after reading it.

    The ringing of a bell sounded, and Mirabeau collected his thoughts, straightened his collar, and stepped onto the tram that looked like an oversized cigar.

    The commoners on the tram, recognizing his attire, conscientiously stood up to offer him a seat and maintained a certain distance.

    Mirabeau, without being courteous, sat in the most satisfactory seat and took the ¡°Paris Commercial News¡± from his servant.

    Just as the carriage had not gone far, Mirabeau smelled a foul stench through the window.

    He frowned and looked out, only to see several blackened, highly decomposed corpses hanging from the street lamp on the roadside¡ªthe suffocating smell was emanating from there.

    Without needing to ask, he knew these were the bodies of Barbary pirates who had been hanged recently, as well as Bouvarandere, who had murdered Necker.

    Mirabeau signaled his servant to close the window, shook his head, and muttered softly, ¡°Although he deserved to die, hanging a former banker alongside pirates is still somewhat inappropriate¡­¡±

    He then buried his head in his newspaper; the headline of the front-page news made his eyelids twitch¡ª¡±Marquis of Ludo, Second Chairman of the Banking Guild, Assassinated, Gravely Wounded, Assailant Captured on the Spot.¡±

    He read the news detail eagerly, turning out that someone named Elonc had sneaked into Marquis of Ludo¡¯s villa in the middle of the night and shot the Marquis in the thigh with a pistol.

 Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 199: The Development of Industry and Finance_2

    Chapter 242: Chapter 199: The Development of Industry and Finance_2

    Elonc Mirabeau, as a capitalist, naturally had frequent dealings with banks, and knew this man was Necker¡¯s steward, whose death was likely linked to the Marquis of Ludo.

    Mirabeau heaved a sigh and thought wistfully, ¡°This steward is truly a loyal servant who values deep relationships¡­¡±

    Before long, the carriage stopped outside the University of Paris.

    Mirabeau and his servants and guards alighted, to be greeted by a large group of the school¡¯s senior officials, who bowed and greeted him attentively.

    Now a Minister of Industry, he was a senior official who could speak before the King; naturally, the school authorities did not dare to neglect him.

    Like stars circling the moon, the group escorted Mirabeau to the main building engraved with the word ¡°Sorbonne,¡± where colourful ribbons were everywhere, bands played in unison, and the wooden sign at the entrance bore gold-embossed letters ¡ª The French Standards Committee Measurement Standards Release Conference.

    The journalists lingering outside recognized Mirabeau. Dozens of them suddenly gathered around, bombarding him with loud questions.

    With the guards¡¯ escort, Mirabeau made his way through the crowd of journalists and headed to the first floor¡¯s hall with the school officials, where many old friends awaited.

    The venue was an assembly of stars, with nearly all of France¡¯s famous academics present if they could attend. There were even a large number of foreign scholars present.

    With Mirabeau at the forefront, all government officials related to the industrial sector had also arrived, along with people from Paris City Hall, packing the large hall so tightly there was barely room to move.

    It took Mirabeau over ten minutes to exchange greetings with everyone before he finally managed to take his seat at the front and heave a sigh of relief.

    He glanced at his watch; there was still a little time before the conference would start. He started a conversation with the thin-faced, bushy-browed, long-nosed middle-aged man beside him, ¡°Dear Sylvain, how¡¯s the situation in Nancy?¡±

    The middle-aged man showed a weary smile, ¡°Look, assigning me such a high position has really put me in a tough spot. I¡¯ve been busy for over two months, and only one-third of the track to the mining area in Nancy is finished. I¡¯m utterly exhausted.

    ¡°The good news is that a large coal mine has been discovered on the western side of the mine, and the coal seam is quite shallow. Now, the daily coal production is tens of thousands of pounds, and it is still expanding.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done very well, indeed,¡± praised Mirabeau, ¡°That area is rather remote and funds are tight; laying the tracks is certainly no easy task.¡±

    This scholar named Jean Sylvain Bailly was the current assistant to the Minister of Industry of France. At the time Mirabeau recommended him, he worried there would be resistance, but the Crown Prince seemed to appreciate him and agreed immediately.

    Joseph certainly remembered Bailly, a Feuillants party heavyweight with decent administrative skills, and as a scientist, was quite suitable for the industrial position.

    Bailly continued, ¡°I¡¯ll try to speed up. Perhaps you could allocate more British technicians to me. I must admit, they lay the tracks remarkably fast.

    ¡°Once this railroad is finished, the output of the United Steam Engine Company will soar. That British engineer is always complaining to me about the lack of pig iron, while the mine area is full of iron ore.¡±

    Mirabeau nodded; France was suffering from a severe drought, and pumping machines, that is, steam engines, were crucial for ensuring agricultural output. The Crown Prince had repeatedly instructed that production must be increased as quickly as possible.

    He contemplated, ¡°Some crude iron has been shipped by Russian merchant ships recently. I¡¯ll see about getting some for the steam engine factories.¡±

    The quality of Russian iron ore was somewhat superior to France¡¯s, but the transportation costs were also higher. To resolve the iron shortage, it would be necessary to expedite the exploration of iron mines in France and enhance smelting techniques.

    Mirabeau added, ¡°Once the track construction in Nancy is finished, you¡¯ll need to head to Saint-Etienne.¡±

    Bailly looked surprised, ¡°You mean the new industrial development area there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has already asked me to prepare the planning proposal.¡±

    ¡°But that would require a substantial investment, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Mirabeau smiled slightly, ¡°Do you know about the Bank of France Reserve issuing banknotes?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. Half of the salary I received last month was in banknotes,¡± Bailly¡¯s tone was clearly disgruntled. There is currently only one branch of the Bank of France Reserve in the entire Lorraine Province, a bit far from Nancy, and he had wasted quite a bit of coach fare to exchange the banknotes for silver coins.

    And that is for those in the provinces. If you were an official in Paris, your salary would be entirely in banknotes.

    Mirabeau lowered his voice, ¡°As far as I know, the Cabinet will soon pass the ¡®Banking Industry Management Bill.¡¯

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Essentially, it means all banks will be under governmental supervision. For example, banks will have to undergo fiscal inspection by the government, accept banknotes from the Bank of France Reserve, and moreover, hand over 10% of their deposits as a reserve fund.¡±

    Upon hearing that banknotes could be exchanged at any bank, Bailly¡¯s expression instantly brightened, but then he asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®reserve fund¡¯?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s meant to prevent the bank from accidentally going bankrupt and being unable to pay back depositors. Therefore, 10% of the funds must be given to the government for safekeeping. If anything goes wrong with the bank, the government can return this money to depositors. It¡¯s said that this 10% is just the start; later on, the proportion may be increased.¡±

    Reserve requirements are a common financial regulatory tool in later eras, but they first appeared in the mid-19th century. This is also one of the major powers of central banks in various countries.

    After these past few months, the Bank of France Reserve had completed the absorption and reorganization of the banks it had merged with. Thus, implementing the ¡°Banking Industry Management Bill¡± and completing the transformation of the Bank of France Reserve into a central bank was immediately put on the agenda.

    What Mirabeau didn¡¯t know was that the ¡°Banking Industry Management Bill¡± would also stipulate that the banknotes issued by the Bank of France Reserve would become the sole legal tender of France, with their value directly linked to gold and silver. The current practice of paying officials with paper currency was to get everyone accustomed to it ahead of time.

    With a central bank in place, along with the enactment of the banking law, any bank that wanted to collude with officials to profit or threaten the French government with loans would have to think twice.

    As for any banks that might object?

    There just weren¡¯t any.

    Almost half of the big shots in the Banking Guild were under Joseph¡¯s control. The influential banks in Paris had mostly signed agreements to accept paper currency, coupled with the government¡¯s focus on financial issues, and the current influence of the Bank of France Reserve, non-compliant banks were destined to be only knocked about.

    Mirabeau¡¯s voice dropped even lower: ¡°The Crown Prince hinted to me that the reserve funds collected by the Bank of France Reserve would be channeled into the Industrial Development Fund.¡±

    Bailly immediately understood and smiled with comprehension. The Industrial Development Fund was intended to support French industry; as long as the fund had money, it would naturally be invested in the development zones.

    As they were speaking, Venio from the row behind came over, bowed to them, and then asked Mirabeau, ¡°Count Mirabeau, excuse my boldness, but I heard that the Cabinet is going to issue a ¡®Guild Restructuring Bill,¡¯ is that true?¡±

    Now serving as a Commissioner for Industrial Technical Management, subordinate to the Minister of Industry, Mirabeau didn¡¯t hide it from him: ¡°Indeed there is such a bill, and it is to be implemented soon.¡±

    ¡°According to the Crown Prince¡¯s wishes, all existing guilds will be abolished. The government will organize personnel uniformly, assess the technical abilities of craftsmen, and issue certificates.¡±

    Enthused, Venio said that his job was to promote the transformation of old workshops into factories, but the current guild system caused him great impediments. In some places, guilds even threatened workshops en masse, forbidding any improvements in management.

    Mirabeau continued, ¡°But as you know, guilds have a substantial influence, so abolishing them will have to be carried out gradually. The first step might be to turn the current guild leaders into government employees and then abolish the apprenticeship system. To completely remove the guilds¡¯ influence on factory production will take at least a year or two, or even longer.¡±

    At that moment, academics such as Lavoisier, Lagrange, Monge, Condorcet, and others arrived at the front of the hall.

    The Chancellor of the University of Paris presided over the meeting in person, made some routine pleasantries and exchanges, and then announced loudly, ¡°The French standards of measure will be officially published today!¡±

 Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 200 Chasing Deer in North Africa

    Chapter 243: Chapter 200 Chasing Deer in North Africa

    On the eastern edge of the hall, the English journalist Alvin saw Lavoisier approach the front desk and nudged the lethargic young man beside him, whispering:

    ¡°Clark, the big shot is here. Take meticulous notes for me, and don¡¯t miss a single word!¡±

    Yes, this was the same Alvin who came to Paris to cover Fashion Week. After returning to his country, he sold all his property, took a risk and bought the rights to the Paris Commercial News, translating ¡°Battle Through the Heavens¡± and ¡°Madam, Please Stop Your Steps¡± into English for sale. In just a few months, he made a fortune and then bought a small newspaper, becoming its owner.

    This time, he came to discuss the purchase of other novel distribution rights with the Paris Commercial News, but happened to catch the grand event of France announcing its measurement standards, so he brought his reporters over to interview.

    ¡°Oh, yes, boss!¡±

    Clark jolted to attention, stood up straight, and assumed a serious note-taking posture. Then he saw the Frenchman named Lavoisier raise his hands high, passionately exclaiming, ¡°First, let us thank His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! It was he who fervently promoted the standardization of France¡¯s measurement system¡­¡±

    Clark casually scribbled down these words in his notebook but felt disdainful inside; these people really knew how to brown-nose the Royal Family.

    He looked around the grandly decorated hall, mumbling in English under his breath:

    ¡°The French really are extravagant, making such a big fuss over just announcing a few units of measure.¡±

    Alvin glared at him and said in a low voice:

    ¡°Put away your pitiful ignorance. This is about more than just a few units of measurement; it¡¯s a great enterprise of scientific civilization!¡±

    Onstage, Lavoisier had an assistant push forward a glass case holding a copper rod and excitedly announced:

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please observe, this is the physical prototype of the length unit ¡®meter.¡¯ Its definition is ¡®one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along the meridian that passes through Paris¡¯¡­¡±

    Clark wrote down diligently, still grumbling to himself:

    ¡°Oh yes, with this, the French lords will find it much more convenient to collect taxes. No more converting between different units.¡±

    After Lavoisier finished speaking, amid the thunderous applause from below, Alvin patiently explained to his subordinate:

    ¡°Do you know why they made the definition of a unit so complicated?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Clark scratched his head, ¡°to show off how powerful they are?¡±

    Alvin cut him off:

    ¡°Such definition allows for exactly the same results to be obtained anywhere in the world. Which means, whether it¡¯s the British, the French, or the North Americans, even separated by tens of thousands of miles, they can use the same units for measuring and calculations.

    ¡°Do you understand what this means? It means the entire world¡¯s scientific theories can be described in the same ¡®technical language,¡¯ and from here on, humanity¡¯s science and technology will move towards perfection and unity!¡±

    As an idealist, Alvin focused on matters such as ¡°world science,¡± but in fact, the significance of standard measurement for the development of national industry and commerce was even more crucial.

    For example, baskets made in the north of France couldn¡¯t be sold in the south because the southerners wanted to fill them with three ¡®muids¡¯ of grain, but the northern baskets could only hold a precise ¡®ounce¡¯ amount.

    At this time in France, there were over 800 commonly used measures, and if counting the lesser-used ones, there were tens of thousands more. This led to additional restrictions on the circulation of goods between regions.

    Even worse was in industrial production. Not to mention between two cities; even workshops separated by a single street could not interchange their screws. How could they talk about building an industrial chain?

    A unified system of measurement was the foundation for unblocking the arteries of commerce and industry.

    Clark¡¯s eyes widened as his boss¡¯s words enlightened him on why the French made such a big deal out of this standardized measurement.

    Suddenly, Lavoisier had someone bring over a pure platinum weight covered by a glass case and loudly proclaimed it as the physical prototype of the mass unit ¡®kilogram¡¯¡­

    A week later, almost all European newspapers were reporting on the measurement standards established by the French Standards Commission. The academic communities of all countries were greatly shaken. Whether to support the French units of measure or to create their own set, the governments were in heated dispute.

    What the European countries didn¡¯t notice at that time was, beginning with the Paris Fashion Week at the start of the year, to Louis XVI¡¯s birthday celebration, to this announcement of measure standards, France had consistently dominated the core of international news topics.

    ¡­

    Barbary Coast.

    Two British armed merchant ships, escorted by two escort ships, were sailing half-mast towards Mitidja in Algiers.

    From the forecastle of the escort ship ¡®Robinson,¡¯ the Duke of Leeds peered through his telescope at the sunlit, gray-yellow coastline in the distance.

    There stood a fortress. At the moment, it teemed with busy figures moving incessantly about.

    He knew that British engineers were directing the workmen to reinforce the artillery battery.

    As they drew closer, the Duke of Leeds could clearly see that the artillery battery was almost complete. A British 24-pound cannon was being hauled up to the fortress by hundreds of Algiers slaves tied to thick cables.

    ¡°Heh, I¡¯d love to see the French¡¯s astonished faces when they suddenly get bombarded by these heavy guns.¡±

    He chuckled, retracting his telescope, and said to Stuart, the new British consul in Algiers, standing beside him:

    ¡°The French took the guise of fighting Pirates to set foot in North Africa, a shrewd move indeed. Russia has even sent us multiple inquiries, stating that France¡¯s actions also help safeguard Russian maritime trade.¡±

 Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 200 Chasing Deer in North Africa_2

    Chapter 244: Chapter 200 Chasing Deer in North Africa_2

    Stuart nodded with a smile:

    ¡°Indeed, Your Grace, the French simply forget our close trade relations with the Ottoman Empire. These Frenchmen might do well in fashions and jewelry, but when it comes to strategy, they are still somewhat lacking,¡±

    The ship slowed to a halt, and the Duke of Leeds, guided by the captain, made his way to the deck, his mind inevitably drifting back to the meeting three months ago at 10 Downing Street.

    It was also a clear day like today¡­

    ¡°Mr. Fox finally kept his silence,¡± said the 29-year-old Prime Minister William Pitt, delightedly motioning towards the sofa, ¡°Please have a seat, Duke of Leeds, General Jervis.¡±

    Congress had just approved the special funding he put forward for the situation in North Africa, putting him in a great mood.

    He gestured for a servant to bring tea and pastries and then pointed to his not-so-spacious office and complained to the two men:

    ¡°Getting Congress to allocate funds is no easy feat, is it? Look at this place, to this day there¡¯s not even a decent meeting room. We can only discuss matters in this cramped space.¡±

    General Jervis took his seat and immediately asked:

    ¡°Mr. Pitt, the report you submitted to Congress this morning, ah, about the rise in grain prices, does it really have to do with the French? I haven¡¯t heard a thing.¡±

    Pitt smiled:

    ¡°To be precise, it is very likely. Those people are quite cunning and have not left much in the way of clues.

    ¡°It was an accident that I saw a report from the Dublin Intelligence Department, stating that at the beginning of the year, some Irish had helped two grain merchants purchase a large amount of grain, worth several hundred thousand British Pounds.¡±

    The Dublin Intelligence Department he mentioned was specifically responsible for dealing with the Irish Revolutionary Forces, one of the British Government¡¯s most capable intelligence departments.

    At this time, the British Empire was nothing like the world intelligence godfather of later times, with MI6, Scotland Yard, and the likes, yet to emerge. The British, having adopted liberal ideas earlier, were very resistant to government intelligence agencies, leading to a rather average intelligence capability among powerful nations.

    Pitt continued: ¡°You know, those Irish have always been unclear with the French, so I had some suspicions and commissioned Lloyd¡¯s of London to continue the investigation[Note 1].

    ¡°They did indeed find something, such as British grain merchants saying that the people who bought those grains often conversed in French in private and had paid them in livres. In addition, there was a serious shortfall in France, which had a great need for grain.

    ¡°In short, the investigation suggested that the fluctuations in our grain market were very likely caused by the French.¡±

    This year England also faced a severe drought, drastically reducing grain yields. However, England had been a grain exporting country for the past few decades. With a significant supply of grain stockpiled domestically and an efficient river transport system, famine was not imminent.

    By the time Pitt thought to reallocate grain to the disaster areas, he was shocked to find that since the beginning of the year, there had been large-scale grain purchases, even buying up the reserves of many cities!

    As the news spread, grain prices on the British market soared, and although the government strictly regulated grain prices, they couldn¡¯t control the prices in private transactions¡ªas had happened before with the Paris bakers.

    With some areas of Britain about to experience unrest due to a lack of food, Pitt regrettably had to stabilize grain prices through government subsidies. Although eventually, he managed to avert outright riots, this action resulted in a loss of five to six hundred thousand British Pounds.

    At the current exchange rate, that was a staggering 14 million livres!

    The opposition party, including Fox and others, seized upon this to furiously attack Pitt, causing him to lose face.

    On hearing this, the Duke of Leeds laughed:

    ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, it¡¯s as if the French knew they were going to face a shortfall this year. Regardless, it doesn¡¯t matter now; we can use this to garner Congress¡¯s support for your special funding bill.¡±

    Pitt gave him an approving look:

    ¡°Indeed. As soon as Congress learned that the French caused the grain price fluctuation, there were immediately no more objections to the funding,¡±

    The Duke of Leeds nodded: ¡°Those fellows in Congress have no idea about the seriousness of France¡¯s grand campaign to ¡®exterminate the pirates¡¯!

    ¡°Once they take control of North Africa, that will greatly compensate for the loss of their colonies in the Americas.

    ¡°You know, for those colonies, we lost so many soldiers and so much money during the Seven Years¡¯ War. Yet, for the sake of a little funding, Fox and his ilk are willing to let France have its way with North Africa.¡±

    Peter said, ¡°Fortunately, we now have the allocation, with 500,000 British Pounds, which is not a small sum.¡±

    ¡°Regrettably, we have to consider the attitude of the Russians,¡± General Jervis frowned and shook his head, ¡°so we cannot send troops directly to North Africa.¡±

    ¡°Send troops?¡± the Duke of Leeds gave him a very covert glance, ¡°No, that¡¯s not within our sphere of influence, too close to Spain and France. Supporting the local forces is already the best choice.¡±

    Peter nodded, looking at Jervis:

    ¡°Your Excellency, in your professional opinion, what is the real target for the French people?¡±

    Although the British had learned about France¡¯s North Africa strategy from their intelligence system in France and the Duke of Orleans, they could only infer the specific details on their own.

    General Jervis, chairman of the Naval Committee, thought for a while and said, ¡°I believe it should be Algiers.¡±

    ¡°Can you explain your reasons?¡±

    Jervis nodded: ¡°Firstly, Morocco is far from France and is within the sphere of influence of Spain, so it is unlikely that the French will go there.¡±

    ¡°And the Bey of Tunisia has had a stable power after more than twenty years of rule. Given that Tunisia is very wealthy, France would find it difficult to achieve a quick victory if they rashly conflicted with it.¡±

    ¡°Tripoli is similar. Its Pasha holds real power, and although it isn¡¯t as wealthy as Tunisia, its military strength, especially the navy, is quite formidable.¡±

    ¡°So, whether Tunisia or Tripoli, as long as they can hold off the French for a few months, the Ottoman Empire would most likely step in to provide support.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the French people also know that we will not ignore their expansion. When that time comes, they can only retreat in disappointment back to the northern coast of the Mediterranean.¡±

    Peter pondered and nodded:

    ¡°It seems Algiers is indeed the best target.¡±

    Jervis, rubbing his forehead, said, ¡°The Imperial Guard and navy of Algiers are at odds, and local powers are not to be underestimated either. The infighting among the three parties is very chaotic.¡±

    ¡°If the French win one or two battles there, the locals are likely to tilt towards them.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve heard that the fleets of France and the United States have just sunk two ships of the Algiers Navy.¡±

    Peter then looked at the two senior ministers in front of him:

    ¡°So, what strategy do both of you think we should adopt in response?¡±

    The Duke of Leeds took a sip of his tea cup and said:

    ¡°It will be very difficult for us to intervene in North Africa rashly, after all, it is not our traditional sphere of influence.¡±

    ¡°So, first, we need to establish connections with the forces there.¡±

    Peter nodded and said:

    ¡°You are the Foreign Minister. You¡¯ll have to exert some effort in this aspect.¡±

    ¡°The Ottoman will be key,¡± said Leeds, ¡°we have a good trade relationship with the Ottoman, and we can use that to influence them. And although the Ottoman no longer have much control over North Africa, they most definitely do not wish for the French to become the master there.¡±

    ¡°Thus, we can support Algiers through the Ottoman. We might even give a position like an advisor to our people through the Ottoman.¡±

    Jervis added, ¡°If we want to prevent the local forces in Algiers from tilting towards the French, it¡¯s best to keep the French fleet off the Mediterranean.¡±

    ¡°You mean?¡±

    ¡°Send people to help Algiers fortify their coastal defense fortresses.¡±

    [Note 1] Lloyd¡¯s of London was the largest insurance service company in England at the time. To investigate the policyholders¡¯ situation and whether there was suspicion of insurance fraud, they employed a large number of intelligence personnel, causing the company¡¯s domestic intelligence capabilities to exceed those of the British Government at one point.

 Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 201 Target, Tunisia!

    Chapter 245: Chapter 201 Target, Tunisia!

    Admiral Jervis continued:

    ¡°Furthermore, Algiers will need an army to deal with the situation if the French people forcefully land and succeed.¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, their Imperial Guard only indulges in drinking and seeking the company of courtesans, their combat strength won¡¯t be too strong.¡±

    ¡°We can recruit Albanian mercenaries,¡± said the Duke of Leeds, smelling the aroma of the tea, and spoke with an easy demeanor, ¡°Those people are very fierce, and they also speak Arab. Most importantly, they are cheap.¡±

    Peter nodded slightly and looked at Jervis again, ¡°How many mercenaries do you estimate we need to defend Algiers?¡±

    ¡°At least 10,000, but it would be better to have 15,000.¡±

    ¡°Duke, please be careful,¡± Consul Stuart¡¯s voice interrupted the Duke of Leeds¡¯ reverie. The latter quickly focused and walked over the gangplank, stepping onto the port of Mitidja.

    After another two hours by carriage, Duke of Leeds and his party were finally able to have a secret meeting with the current Dey of Algiers, Mansur ¨C there were many French spies here, so they had to act covertly.

    Mansur seemed very enthusiastic towards the British. After all, they were there to bring benefits; who wouldn¡¯t welcome that?

    Last time, the Duke of Leeds had brought him almost free-of-charge cannons and dozens of engineers. This time he brought contracts for mercenaries.

    Initially, Mansur was very averse to letting thousands of Albanian mercenaries enter Algiers, especially since he was expected to bear one-third of the cost.

    However, he quickly saw the decree from the Ottoman Sultan Hamid I brought by ¡°Sultan¡¯s Advisor¡± Mr. Stuart, urging him to strengthen his military and use the mercenaries to resist potential foreign invasions.

    Actually, the decree from Hamid I was more of a guarantee than an order ¨C the main content was to assure that these mercenaries would heed the orders of the Algiers government, and they would withdraw immediately once the threat had dissipated.

    The next day in the Algiers Council, the attendees engaged in heated discussion.

    The Pirates, that is, the naval forces, as well as the local Berbers were rather in favor of accepting the mercenaries. After all, the intelligence brought by the British indicated that France was likely to attack the base of the Algiers Navy.

    On the other hand, the Imperial Guard was worried about the mercenaries posing a threat to their own power and strongly opposed their entry into Algiers.

    In the end, with Mansur¡¯s promise to allocate sixty percent of the British aid to the Imperial Guard and the firm insistence of the Navy, the Imperial Guard reluctantly agreed to allow the mercenaries to come and be stationed there.

    Upon receiving the news, the Duke of Leeds was overjoyed and left Tor to handle the matters in Algiers while he himself, satisfied, embarked on the British warship heading back to England.

    He had been traveling around the Mediterranean for more than two months, spending just over 400,000 British Pounds, yet had successfully thwarted the French in their attempt to expand into North Africa. This was undoubtedly a huge strategic success! Keep in mind, England had previously waged a war and spent nearly ten million British Pounds to achieve similar strategic goals.

    The world was now entering the Industrial Age, and only a great number of colonies could bring markets and raw materials to support the nation¡¯s development. Over the past years, more than half of the Empire¡¯s income came from colonies in the Far East and America.

    And France, lacking in colonies? Ha, it will never have the strength to compete with the Empire!

    ¡­

    France, Paris.

    In an office on the second floor of the Tuileries Palace, Joseph was carefully examining the reports on the strategic grain reserves from various places ¨C due to the rapid expansion in industry, and after the Minister of Industry took office, the number of officials in the industrial system had increased significantly, and the original Industrial Planning Bureau was clearly no longer sufficient. Thus, Joseph simply allocated a small area in the Tuileries Palace for the new Planning Bureau office. After all, there were many guest rooms here, which were never fully occupied anyway.

    The data in the report made Joseph frown slightly ¨C the grain reserves for July and August had only a slight decrease, but from September, the reserves dropped by tens of millions of pounds.

    This accounted for 17% of the total reserves!

    He knew that this was because there had been some grain reserves among the people, but with the hailstorms causing complete crop failures, many people¡¯s reserves were exhausted, and they had to rely on the government¡¯s reserves to get by.

    Luckily, he had started buying grain from abroad since the beginning of the year; otherwise, France might have already been in chaos by now. Historically, it was from this time that the French Government was unable to deal with riots happening everywhere, and had to announce the convening of the Estates-General the following year, thus ushering in the prelude of the Great Revolution.

    Joseph sighed softly at this thought. Although the situation was barely stable for now, vigilance must not be relaxed.

    First, because of the severe drought, this year¡¯s second-half crop yield would definitely be much lower than usual. According to the Church¡¯s estimates, it might only be 70% of the previous years¡¯, or even lower.

    Keep in mind, France was still an agricultural country ¨C a reduction in grain harvest by thirty percent was basically the equivalent of losing thirty percent of the nation¡¯s vitality!

    Moreover, after the large-scale grain purchases from abroad last year and droughts in other countries as well, the international grain prices had already risen by 60% compared to last year and were still rising.

    Countries like England, Prussia, and the German states had already issued decrees strictly restricting grain exports; now, even if you had the money, you couldn¡¯t buy it.

    What¡¯s more, France didn¡¯t have much money at this time¡­

    Joseph had just looked over the financial system report, and his previous maneuvers had indeed greatly eased France¡¯s debt crisis; at least it wouldn¡¯t collapse on a whim like before, but the fact was the current state was still a deficit.

 Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 201 Target, Tunisia!_2

    Chapter 246: Chapter 201 Target, Tunisia!_2

    Annual expenditures exceeded income by 20.7 million livres.

    Compared to last year¡¯s deficit of 130 million, this indeed represented a significant reduction, yet it was still an extremely terrifying figure!

    Especially since next year there was the prospect of exhausting food reserves, necessitating the expenditure of a great deal of money to purchase food. Should anything go awry, the recently improved financial situation could quickly deteriorate.

    Historically, France nearly doubled its national debt from 1787 to 1789 over the course of three years in order to deal with famine and riots!

    And Joseph knew that the drought would continue until the second half of next year before any relief could be expected, so he could not afford to take it lightly before then.

    To deal with the food crisis, one first needed money in hand.

    Whether it was to purchase food or, in a last-resort scenario, to seize it, substantial capital was required for support.

    Currently, France¡¯s primary sources of revenue were twofold:

    One was its recently revived industry. Although papermaking, brewing, and carriage manufacturing were developing quite well, contributing more than eight million livres to France¡¯s revenue, they still represented but a drop in the bucket in terms of sustaining the national finances.

    As for other fields, they only earned marginal sums. Particularly in pillar industries such as steam engines, textiles, and steel, more money had to be invested, and there was still some distance to reach profitability.

    The other source of increased income was North Africa.

    Tunisia was itself a very wealthy trade hub with several important trading ports. Furthermore, almost the entire region of Tunisia comprised fertile land suitable for cultivation, which, if developed on a large scale, could resolve France¡¯s food crisis to a great extent.

    In extreme cases, it was even possible to send famished people there to cultivate the land and provide for themselves by growing their own food.

    One could say that in Joseph¡¯s strategic plan, Tunisia was the key to ensuring France¡¯s stability.

    Just at that moment, Eman gently knocked on the door, saying:

    ¡°Your Highness, Baron Joann is here, along with that person.¡±

    Joseph was instantly invigorated and instructed:

    ¡°Please, let them in.¡±

    Ever since he had received a report about North Africa from the Intelligence Department a few days ago, he had been waiting for this person. Today they had finally arrived.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Soon, the tall, tanned, and slender Baron Joann entered the office with two people in tow.

    Seeing the Crown Prince looking their way, he hurriedly touched his chest and bowed:

    ¡°I am honored to meet you, Your Royal Highness! I am Berna Arnault de Joann, the consul stationed in Tunisia.¡±

    The woman beside him, who wore a broad-brimmed hat with a veil and was dressed in a modern, form-fitting gown, appeared quite surprised by Joseph¡¯s youth. She inquired softly and somewhat impolitely to Joann, who, after giving her an affirmative response, then removed her hat and curtsied to Joseph, speaking rapidly in Arabic.

    Joann quickly motioned to the woman and translated for the Crown Prince:

    ¡°Ah, Your Highness, this is Ms. Aisha Rabiya, the eldest daughter of Pasha Eunice. Many of Mr. Eunice¡¯s businesses are managed by her, and on this occasion, she is also acting as the full representative of Pasha Eunice.

    ¡°She just now expressed admiration for Your Highness¡¯s demeanor and reputation, and she extends her most sincere greetings and wishes for your long and prosperous life.¡±

    Joseph smiled and returned the courtesy to Rabiya, who had an exotic countenance: ¡°Welcome to Paris, having traveled from afar.¡± He then gestured to the sofas laid with fine wool carpets, ¡°Please take a seat, and let¡¯s talk.¡±

    Rabiya gestured towards the door, rattling off something in her language, which Isaac promptly translated for Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, she says she has brought some gifts on behalf of her father, hoping you will like them.¡±

    He lowered his voice slightly:

    ¡°Ah, some of them are just outside, mainly jewelry. Others have been left at the Port of Marseille¡ªslaves, about fifty or sixty persons¡­ all purchased by her, mainly Frenchmen and a few Italians.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly; he knew these were the so-called ¡°white slaves¡±¡ªEuropeans who had been captured by Barbary pirates and sold into slavery in North Africa. It seemed Eunice intended to curry favor by returning French citizens to their homeland.

    He turned to Rabiya and said with a slight smile:

    ¡°Convey my thanks to Mr. Eunice. This will mark the beginning of our good cooperation.¡±

    Rabiya promptly bowed in response:

    ¡°My father and I are both greatly honored, Your Highness.¡±

    Baron Joann was busy providing synchronous translation.

    Joseph nodded at Joann and then addressed Rabiya:

    ¡°I believe Baron Joann has already conveyed my thoughts to Mr. Eunice. So, what is his response?¡±

    There was a sudden flash of ferocity in Rabiya¡¯s eyes as she exclaimed:

    ¡°Respected Your Highness, my father greatly appreciates your proposal!

    ¡°Those despicable men, Muhammad and Ali, have stolen Tunisia for over twenty years; it is time to return it to its rightful owner.

    ¡°If you can help my father return to Ksar Hellal Palace, he will surely express his gratitude to you to the fullest extent possible!¡±

    She was referring to Ksar Hellal Palace, the royal residence of the Hafsid dynasty in Tunisia and subsequently the dwelling of successive Beys.

    Joseph nodded at her words with satisfaction.

    He had anticipated that a hawkish figure like Eunice, who once held military power in Tunisia and had even turned against his own father, would not be content to live out his days in solitude in Algiers.

    Therefore, he had instructed the Police Affairs Department to coordinate with the Tunisian consulate to make contact with Eunice. Shortly afterward, the department sent back a report stating that Eunice was very interested in reclaiming the Bey¡¯s throne and that he had numerous supporters in Tunisia.

 Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 201 Target, Tunisia!_3

    Chapter 247: Chapter 201 Target, Tunisia!_3

    However, Eunice clearly did not trust Joan and those agents, insisting on a promise from the French Royal Family, which is why today¡¯s meeting came about.

    Joseph laughed, ¡°Pasha Eunice is of the purest Bey lineage; it¡¯s only right that he resumes control of Tunisia.¡±

    ¡°Then, you might as well start by telling me, how can I assist him?¡±

    Labia seemed rather impatient:

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. First, my father is under house arrest by the Algiers Guard. You will need to help him leave Algiers.¡±

    Joan immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, about this matter, Mr. Pel from Prussia has already prepared a plan. His men will manage to stall the Algiers Guard.¡±

    ¡°From Pasha Eunice¡¯s residence to the coast, it¡¯s about an hour and a half by carriage, even faster on horseback. However, naval support is needed. Otherwise, we will be intercepted by the Algiers Navy¡­ cough, Pirates.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. The Combined Fleet can go there for support.¡±

    Labia¡¯s face lit up with joy, and she continued:

    ¡°My father has already sent people back to Tunisia to connect with his followers. With my father¡¯s prestige, a large army should soon be rallied.¡±

    ¡°However, the main force of the Tunisian Guard will likely still obey Hamoud Ali. As you know, the Guard is very well-equipped, and this will pose a difficult fight for us.¡±

    Hamoud Ali is the current Bey of Tunisia.

    Joseph understood her implication; Eunice¡¯s old faction seemed to have been marginalized, likely just some odd-job troops, and it would be difficult to triumph against the main force of the Tunisian Guard.

    He generously waved his hand, ¡°I can supply you with 5,000 Charleville Flintlock Guns, as well as 10 cannons.¡±

    The so-called well-equipped Tunisian Guard is only in relation to the standards of North Africa; the army is even equipped with many 17th-century Matchlock Guns. One should know that even the Ottoman Imperial Guard, which they envy and admire, does not have equipment that matches even the least of the European forces, such as the Russian Army.

    Therefore, providing some weapons commonly used by the French Army could have a dimensional impact on the North African military forces.

    Labia did not expect the young Crown Prince to be so generous. She excitedly rose and gave a bow:

    ¡°You are truly magnanimous, Your Highness! With these weapons, my father will surely sweep away those traitors!¡±

    It also cemented her confidence in the sincere intentions of the French people¡ªthey had been given real guns and cannons, what more could be doubted?

    ¡°Then, may I ask, how might we repay you?¡±

    In his heart, Joseph thought, of course, it would involve fully embracing French land purchases in Tunisia, establishing factories, setting tax rates in consultation with France, and aligning politically and culturally with France, among other things.

    The farmland of Tunisia is abundant, and its grain output is very important for alleviating the food crisis in France.

    And setting up factories in Tunisia to produce goods which could be readily sold to nearby Algiers, Tripoli, Greece, and even reach the Ottoman Empire without much distance.

    This meant transport costs would be significantly lower than those of goods from England, and even though England may hold industrial advantages, the final price would still be higher than that of French goods.

    This would equate to giving France access to a vast market ranging from North Africa to the Balkan Peninsula, and even to Central Asia!

    However, he did not intend to discuss these matters with the woman before him, because it was not necessary.

    He simply smiled and answered:

    ¡°I hope the Tunisian Navy declares a ban on plundering merchant ships. Trade must fully lean towards France. Additionally, Bizerte Port should be handed over to French management.¡±

 Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 202 - Cooperation and Exploitation

    Chapter 248: Chapter 202 ¨C Cooperation and Exploitation

    ¡°Your Highness, I can promise on behalf of my father regarding the first two points you mentioned,¡±

    Labia said, showing a troubled expression: ¡°However, matters concerning Bizerte Port exceed the authority my father has granted me.¡±

    Without waiting for Joseph to say anything, she quickly added: ¡°But if you could provide some financial support, I am confident that I could persuade my father.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, your funding would also help us defeat Hamouda Ali more swiftly, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded:

    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll provide an additional two million livres of military funding to Pasha Eunice. However, since this is for military purposes, the payment will be made after I¡¯ve seen his army.¡±

    Two million?! Greed and surprise flashed in Labia¡¯s eyes.

    Although she had some objections about the timing of the payment, thinking that the Crown Prince of France might be doubting her father¡¯s influence, she accepted it.

    She immediately exclaimed aloud:

    ¡°You shall soon see the mighty army that will satisfy you!¡±

    After that, Joseph negotiated some ¡°cooperative¡± details with her and then had Joan take her to the adjoining guest room to rest, with plans for her to return to Algiers early the next morning.

    Once Joan had settled Labia, she immediately returned to Joseph¡¯s office, greeting him anxiously:

    ¡°Your Highness, I do not wish to question your decision, but my duty requires me to offer you the advice I think is necessary. I¡¯ve had previous contact with Eunice. He is undoubtedly a person of great ambition and extremely cunning.

    ¡°You have provided him with substantial support, including weapons and millions in funds, but it is very difficult to ensure that he will keep his promises or refrain from colluding with other powers.

    ¡°Perhaps, you should send some troops to watch over him, to ensure that we get the benefits we deserve.¡±

    Joseph looked at her with an appreciative gaze:

    ¡°Thank you very much for your advice, and clearly your concerns are valid. However, I have never truly trusted that Eunice.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    Joseph smiled and gestured for her to sit down:

    ¡°You see, Mr. Eunice once raised an army to betray his own father and, after being defeated, fled to Algiers. If he can betray even his father, what about others?¡±

    Joan nodded repeatedly.

    Joseph continued: ¡°Moreover, do you know of Eunice¡¯s other identity?¡±

    ¡°You mean the largest smuggler in Algiers?¡±

    Joseph shook his head: ¡°Smuggling is just his overt cover; he is actually a major shareholder behind the Algiers Pirates.¡±

    Previously, the incident of the American Charles obtaining pirate intelligence from Eunice¡¯s smugglers had made Joseph suspicious of Eunice.

    A mere smuggler, yet he knew the pirate¡¯s sailing routes inside out, which obviously wasn¡¯t right.

    Therefore, Joseph had the Police Affairs Department investigate Eunice further and discovered that he was involved in the pirate business himself.

    This was also why he had some degree of freedom in Algiers¡ªby taking shares in the pirate forces, influencing the Algiers Council, and eventually obtaining the privilege to live in the Dahra Region. Of course, for Eunice, this was just collaboration with the Algiers Navy.

    Joan expressed her surprise: ¡°He is a pirate?!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Eunice¡¯s fleet usually smuggles goods from Britain back to Tunisia, but if they encounter a suitable target along the way, the smuggler¡¯s ship immediately turns into a pirate ship. In fact, it¡¯s not difficult to find out about these things in Dahra.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that Labia lady just now is a fearsome pirate leader. She has sold ¡®white slaves¡¯ many times in Algiers. I even suspect that the ¡®white slaves¡¯ she brought as gifts are those she herself plundered from the coasts of Europe.¡±

    Joan suddenly remembered something and asked:

    ¡°But, Your Highness, I heard that the American obtained pirate intelligence from one of Eunice¡¯s men. If Eunice has shares in the pirates, then why would he¡­¡±

    ¡°Pirate factions competing for power,¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°Eunice belongs to the outside factions and has always been at odds with the local Algiers faction. He is using the Combined Fleet to strike at his rivals.¡±

    Joan nodded silently. Knowing Eunice, she was sure he would be capable of such a thing.

    Joseph looked at her with a smile:

    ¡°Look, how can I trust a man who can sell out even his own partners at any moment?¡±

    Joan asked in confusion:

    ¡°Then why would you support his return to Tunisia?¡±

    She looked up to see the Crown Prince smiling without saying a word, realizing her impertinence, and quickly bowed, saying:

    ¡°Oh, I am very sorry, Your Highness, this was not for me to ask.¡±

    ¡­

    Tunisia.

    Ksar Hellal Palace.

    A twenty-something woman with a shapely figure and distinctly Greek features is trying on French fashions in front of a mirror¡ªnaturally tailored to Arab styles.

    She is Hafsa, the most favored concubine of Bey Hamouda Ali of Tunisia.

    ¡°Inam, is this color too dark?¡± she asked her maid, turning her head, ¡°I remember I also ordered a lighter one.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, esteemed madam,¡± before the maid could answer, a woman assistant from the tailor¡¯s shop nearby eagerly approached, ¡°Is this the one you mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Yes, help me put it on,¡±

    As maid Inam took the dress and turned away, the woman assistant slipped a piece of paper into Hafsa¡¯s hand.

    The latter frowned slightly, glanced at her maids to see them busy unfolding the intricate gown, and hurriedly unfolded the note.

 Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 202 - Cooperation and Exploitation_2

    Chapter 249: Chapter 202 ¨C Cooperation and Exploitation_2

    When she saw the special crossed arc mark on the note, she quickly crumpled it into a tiny ball, stuffed it into her mouth, and swallowed it. Then she quietly asked her female assistant:

    ¡°Who gave this to you?¡±

    The assistant replied in a low voice:

    ¡°It was your fashion designer. He is just outside the hall.¡±

    Hafsa nodded, tried on the new dress casually, and hurried out to the hall, where she saw a young man bowing respectfully to her.

    ¡°Mr. Zaganos, right? I am very satisfied with your dress.¡± Hafsa put on an air of arrogance and deliberately walked away from the guards, ¡°I would like to order a few more dresses for formal occasions from you.¡±

    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s my honor!¡± Zaganos promptly bowed his head and followed. If Joan were here, she would have recognized him at a glance as Isaac, the agent from the Police Affairs Department.

    Hafsa asked in a low voice:

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Isaac looked back at the guard, spoke in an inaudible whisper, ¡°There will be a rebellion soon.¡±

    ¡°What? Does it involve him?!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he is safe,¡± Isaac said, ¡°However, he asked me to tell you to find an appropriate time to inform the Bey about this.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Why?¡±

    ¡°You will know the details later. Right now, you just need to remember to inform the Bey of the rebellion within seven days. Also, there are some clues that you can use¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, the styles will definitely be close to the latest trends.¡± As Isaac passed by several guards, he spoke loudly, bluffing his way through, then whispered urgently, ¡°Madam, the crucial part comes after this. Once the war begins, you must convince the Bey as soon as possible to¡­¡±

    Hafsa kept her composure, but her heart was in turmoil as she committed every word of ¡°Mr. Zaganos¡± to memory.

    After he finished speaking, she quickly interjected, ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll take care of it. He should be extra careful himself.¡±

    ¡°Very well, madam.¡±

    ¡­

    Algiers.

    On the northwest coast of Dahra.

    The sky was overcast. At a three-story palace with high columns and onion-shaped domes painted entirely white, a team of Imperial Guards wearing orange robes arrived at the archway door framed with gold trim. The leading officer politely knocked:

    ¡°Lord Eunice, do you have any orders?¡±

    It was labeled as asking for orders, but it was actually a routine check. Such checks were conducted three times a day: morning, afternoon, and evening.

    Although Eunice was closely associated with the Algiers Navy, he was also the ¡°cash cow¡± of the Algiers Guard.

    More than twenty years ago, Muhammad Ibn Hussein and his brother Hamoud Ali borrowed the forces of the Algiers Guard to return to Tunisia, seizing the position of Bey.

    As per the agreed ¡°borrowing fee,¡± Tunisia would pay an annual tribute of 50,000 riyals to the Algiers Guard thereafter.

    Eunice, as the bargaining chip to assert pressure on the Bey of Tunisia to pay on time, was ¡°protected¡± by the Algiers Guard.

    However, Eunice was also quite influential, managing to establish connections with the Navy, forcing the Guard to allow him to live freely in Dahra but absolutely forbidding him to leave.

    There was no response from inside the house, so the officer increased his volume:

    ¡°Lord Eunice, are you asleep?¡±

    After asking three times with no answer, the officer exchanged a look with another officer and instructed the soldiers to break open the gilded door.

    Inside, the house was empty.

    The officer was alarmed, immediately blew his whistle, and in no time, fifty or sixty guards of the Imperial Guard rushed over from various directions.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone! Search quickly!¡±

    In less than ten minutes, the soldiers had relayed back: not only was Eunice himself gone, but his son, two daughters, and personal servants had all vanished from the palace.

    The bodies of four Imperial Guards responsible for patrolling were also found.

    The officer turned pale with fright and personally leaped onto the horse¡¯s back to report to his superior.

    Soon, more Imperial Guards arrived, blockading all nearby roads, while Cavalry chased towards the harbor¡ªif Eunice did not leave port, there would still be hope.

    In the night, more than twenty horses desperately raced towards Dahra harbor. Given the low responsiveness of the Algiers Guard, only so many Cavalry could be mobilized in a short time, and at that moment, more officers and soldiers were still at home, not even fully dressed.

    Twenty minutes later, the Cavalry finally saw flickering torchlights from afar.

    The leading officer spurred his horse forcefully and then drew his saber, shouting loudly, ¡°Prepare to intercept! And remember, except for Eunice, anyone who dares resist, kill on sight!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Just as they were closing in on seven or eight horses ahead, suddenly, a row of dense flashes popped out of the dark night, followed by a series of thunderous ¡°booms.¡±

    Three members of the Algiers Guard fell off their horses in response, while the others reined in their mounts in terror, dodging to either side:

    ¡°It¡¯s muskets. There¡¯s an ambush, be careful!¡±

    ¡°What do we do? They seem to have quite a few people¡­¡±

    ¡°Eunice has gotten away!¡±

    ¡°I know! Secherie, go back for reinforcements! Piri, sneak over and scope out the situation!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ yes, sir!¡±

    On the other side, Prusper from the Police Affairs Department, after firing once, immediately called his men to mount up and rode in the dark towards the harbor.

    They were only 14 men¡ªthat was almost the entire police force of the Police Affairs Department in Algiers.

    They had no idea how many pursuers there would be and could only hope that firing their two guns per person at the same time in the dark would intimidate the enemy.

    By the time the Algiers Guard realized those in ambush had already left, it was already a matter of fifteen minutes later.

    And by this time, Eunice had already reached the harbor.

    The pursuers from Algiers quickly divided their forces, with some heading straight for the harbor¡¯s cannon batteries and others going to inform the Navy to dispatch ships to intercept.

    Before long, an oar-and-sail ship of the Navy spotted a small boat moving. At this time of night, it was unusual for anyone to be at sea.

    They immediately sounded the alarm, yet the small boat quickened its speed, heading towards the open sea.

    On the oar-and-sail ship, an officer of the Algiers Navy ordered the cannons to be loaded and issued a final warning to the small boat. Meanwhile, at no great distance, a cannon battery that had received the signal also readied itself to destroy the small boat at any moment.

    Just then, within the veil of night, a colossal form suddenly loomed, sprawling across the sea¡¯s surface like a prehistoric beast.

    The oar-and-sail ship of the people of Algiers hadn¡¯t reacted yet when the massive shadow spouted strings of fire, followed by several columns of water, meters high, erupting in front of the oar-and-sail ship, violently shaking it with the waves it cast up.

    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a warship!¡± exclaimed the commander of the oar-and-sail ship before hastily ordering his subordinates, ¡°Retreat! Retreat immediately!¡±

    He was clearly aware that the cannonballs were at least 24 pounds. If they had been struck by one just now, their light patrol ship might have been torn in two on the spot.

    The sea¡¯s ¡°giant beast¡± was none other than the ¡°Avant¡± of the French Navy, a fourth-rate ship of the line!

    Seeing the oar-and-sail ship rapidly retreating, the ¡°Avant¡± also made a slight turn, allowing its port side to face the shore¡¯s cannon batteries, quickly breaking out into a salvo.

    In fact, the ship¡¯s cannons would struggle to inflict substantial damage on a cannon battery, especially since the British had recently helped reinforce Algiers¡¯ cannon batteries and added many large-caliber heavy cannons. In a barrage contest, not to mention a fourth-rate ship, even a first-rate ship would be no match for these cannon batteries.

    However, the tremors caused by hits on the cannon battery and the dazzling cannon fire and terrible booming sounds in the night frightened the Algiers gunners so much that they couldn¡¯t aim properly and hastily ignited the gunpowder.

    The British cannons¡¯ shots mostly fell about half a mile away from the ¡°Avant.¡± Meanwhile, the small boat carrying Eunice had already reached the side of a French Escort Ship.

    Several ropes were thrown down from the Escort Ship. Eunice immediately leaped, grabbed a knot, and climbed aboard.

    The French sailors pulled Eunice¡¯s family and the people from the Police Affairs Department onto the ship and immediately set sail for the open sea.

    Behind them, the Algiers Navy finally reacted, with seven or eight warships¡¯ oarsmen rowing furiously, while the sails were also slowly hoisted.

    However, the ¡°Avant¡¯s¡± cannon fire soon had them scattering to escape¡ªthese light warships, with at most 18 cannons, stood no chance against the 60-cannon ¡°Avant.¡± Not even the Escort Ship assigned for shallow waters pickups could compete.

    The two French naval ships sailed straight north and, upon reaching the high seas, immediately implemented light discipline, leaving their silhouettes to vanish into the dark ocean.

 Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 203: Driving Away Wolves to Swallow Tigers

    Chapter 250: Chapter 203: Driving Away Wolves to Swallow Tigers

    Russia.

    Saint Petersburg.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116574¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116574/3e8c4fdfc0e1e63dcd4890677a0bd4abNQ0E60tENJo8s2d.jpg¡±>

    Crown Prince Paul Petrovich stepped out from Catherine¡¯s bedchamber, looking back reluctantly twice before finally striding towards the other end of the corridor.

    He didn¡¯t want closeness with his mother, on the contrary, he was filled with disgust towards Catherine, just as his mother was with him.

    He was loath to leave his little angel, Alexandra.

    Catherine never cared for his feelings. Ever since she noticed the growing resemblance between her and Alexandra, she had kept the little one by her side.

    Paul could barely see his daughter once a month.

    Before, he had taken his little angel to attend the King of France¡¯s birthday, and he had finally spent a good two months with his daughter. But now, returning to Saint Petersburg, they were to be separated again.

    As he walked up the staircase with a heavy heart, suddenly a figure darted out, firmly embracing his shoulders, and a familiar voice came:

    ¡°When did you get back? My dear brother, how were the ladies of Paris? Did they make you want to stay forever?¡±

    Paul immediately broke into a smile and forcefully pushed his brother away, then pretended to scold:

    ¡°I don¡¯t have as much money as you to spend on women, especially Frenchwomen¡ªthey¡¯re even more beyond my reach.¡±

    ¡°Ha-ha, otherwise, what would we use the money for?¡± Alexei came close again, ¡°Are you going to drill the troops today? How about we go fishing instead? I¡¯ve got all the gear and liquor ready.¡±

    Paul continued walking with his chest puffed out and head held high:

    ¡°Spare me, I don¡¯t want to end up drunk as a lord and swept away by the river.¡±

    He was referring to a winter a few years ago, when Alexei, while fishing, had insisted on betting who could finish a whole bottle of vodka first. In the end, Alexei fell into the icy river drunk. If it hadn¡¯t been for the guards¡¯ desperate rescue, he might have been swept away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m setting out to sea tomorrow, I won¡¯t drink too much.¡±

    Paul looked at his brother, who had obviously matured a lot, and slapped him hard on the back:

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! To fish!¡±

    Inside the Winter Palace, Catherine looked at her granddaughter with tenderness, devoid of the stern demeanor of a ruler, and softly said:

    ¡°Little one, did you enjoy Paris?¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116572¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116572/8718ef5d3610ddc99e00ae9937a774fbWHlCyKPzrAm46vS.jpg¡±>

    Alexandra sat upright and showed a happy smile upon hearing this:

    ¡°Yes, it was very interesting. Everyone wore beautiful clothes, and I even rode on a carousel. Do you know? Those wooden horses can really run!¡±

    ¡°Good, good.¡± Catherine nodded with a smile and then asked, ¡°Did you manage to accomplish the task I gave you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandma.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me, what kind of person is the Crown Prince of France?¡±

    The little girl tilted her head and thought for a moment, then replied:

    ¡°Hmm, he has a pair of very pretty blue eyes and is handsome, especially when wearing that dark blue long coat. But he seems to be very busy; I only saw him two or three times. Oh, and he is very popular. In the Palace of Versailles, you can hear people mentioning his name everywhere. It seems he did some very impressive things¡­ but I didn¡¯t quite understand them, something about establishing a bank¡­¡±

    Catherine stroked the little girl¡¯s hair, listening to her sporadic storytelling for quite a while before suddenly asking:

    ¡°So, you have a good impression of him?¡±

    Alexandra nodded earnestly.

    Catherine also nodded and continued:

    ¡°Darling, would you like to live in Paris? I mean for a very long time.¡±

    Thinking of playing on the carousel every day, the little girl¡¯s eyes lit up with joy:

    ¡°Really? That would be wonderful!¡± she exclaimed, then seemed to remember something, looked down at the Tsar, ¡°Will you come too? I would miss you a lot if you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡­

    North Africa.

    Port of Sfax in southeastern Tunisia.

    In a tall beige building, Eunice, dressed in a long red robe with a white turban adorned with a dark grey feather and a curved sword at his waist and European-style tight trousers on his legs, stood energetic, pointing to a sandbox in front of him, talking to his subordinates about something.

    Whatever the topic, it elicited a burst of laughter from the group. Eunice¡¯s gaze went through the arched window, glancing at the pier in the distance where a crowd of laborers was unloading cargo from a large ship.

    He knew that the ship was carrying flintlock guns newly imported from France, as well as accompanying gunpowder and lead bullets.

    The guards standing outside had already shouldered their Charleville muskets, looking formidable.

    A sedan chair stopped below, and a man in his fifties stepped out, adorned with a sumptuous waist sword, he signaled to the guards, then hurriedly climbed the stairs and with excitement saluted Eunice, exclaiming:

    ¡°Pasha, I¡¯ve persuaded that old De Olle; he¡¯s brought 600 soldiers to join you!¡±

    No sooner had he spoken than a middle-aged man beside him with a goatee frowned and objected:

    ¡°Imanzade, De Olle¡¯s men are not the Imperial Guard; why would you allow them to join us?¡±

    Eunice raised his hand to stop him, turning to Imanzade with a nod and a smile:

    ¡°As long as they are loyal to me, I can bestow them with high positions and generous rewards, regardless of their origin.¡±

    Overjoyed, Imanzade saluted again, adding:

    ¡°Thank you, Pasha! I am confident I can persuade a few more forces in the Kaf district; they can provide at least 4,000 troops.¡±

    Eunice spread his arms graciously: ¡°Go ahead, I will remember your contribution.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my most venerated Pasha.¡±

    After Imanzade left, the middle-aged man with the goatee immediately saluted Eunice respectfully:

 Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 203: Driving Away Wolves to Swallow Tigers_2

    Chapter 251: Chapter 203: Driving Away Wolves to Swallow Tigers_2

    ¡°Pasha, are you really going to disregard the traditions of the Imperial Guard?¡±

    Eunice said with a smile, ¡°Nizamuddin, the glorious traditions of the Imperial Guard are not what they used to be. We must use every person we can.¡±

    ¡°If Imanzade can really bring back 4,000 men from Kaf, I will have an army of 12,000.¡±

    He pointed to the carts constantly transporting munitions: ¡°With these fine weapons, it won¡¯t take long to defeat that guy Ali. Once I become Bey, I will naturally restore the glory of the Imperial Guard.¡±

    Currently, the entire population of Tunisia doesn¡¯t exceed two million. Ali can muster an army of about 25,000 men, and a large part of it has already defected to Eunice.

    Moreover, due to the severe corruption within the Imperial Guard, their combat strength has greatly declined, and some local forces are more capable fighters.

    Thanks to former subordinates like Imanzade who had long been networking throughout Tunisia, Eunice had gathered an army of several thousand men within just three or four days of his return to Sfax.

    Eunice turned his head to look at the sand table; following the combat deployment he had previously discussed with his subordinates, as soon as he gathered enough logistical supplies, he could march north and take the Kairouan Fortress, presenting a front against Hamoud Ali.

    He was well aware that Ali was competent in civil affairs but no match for himself in war.

    In no more than a year or two, he could surround Tunis City with his troops and thereby unify Tunisia!

    ¡­

    Tunis City, Ksar Hellal Palace.

    Hafsa¡¯s slender fingers gently caressed the strings of the harp, the melodious sound drifting through every corner of the palace.

    Half-leaning on a cushion, a middle-aged man with slightly narrowed eyes, wearing only a light undershirt, was Hamoud Ali, the current ruler of Tunisia.

    He held a chess piece in his hand, looking somewhat impatiently at the official standing with bowed head beside him, and said:

    ¡°Speak more slowly, what¡¯s happened to Sfax?¡±

    The official hastily replied, ¡°Great Bey, news has just come from there that local forces have blocked the borders and are not allowing people to leave Sfax.¡±

    Hamoud Ali tossed the chess piece to a servant beside him and frowned, ¡°Is it another tariff dispute with the neighboring province?¡±

    Various powers in Tunisia were mixed, and local tribes often prevented people from other areas from entering or exiting their territory because of tax or commercial issues.

    ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure of,¡± the official said, ¡°The Imperial Guard sent to investigate the situation has not returned.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Those scoundrels, thinking of rebelling?¡± Hamoud Ali waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Send more men with my decree, tell them to cause less trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Great Bey!¡±

    As the official who brought the news left, the sound of the harp in the palace suddenly stopped.

    Hamoud Ali turned to his favorite concubine and said softly:

    ¡°Hafsa, why have you stopped playing?¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116766¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116766/d08c845024ef197f9c229e140c712ab6uEwkN52hqz45L0b.jpg¡±>

    The young woman in a dark green long dress stood up and came to his side, her face worried as she said:

    ¡°Pasha, I feel I must tell you something.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Ali said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s so serious?¡±

    Hafsa signaled for the servants around them to clear away, and then she said:

    ¡°At the gathering I hosted the day before yesterday, I overheard wives of Imperial Guard officers like Rum, Ishakpa, and others saying that their husbands were going south to meet a ¡®major figure¡¯.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember, a few days ago, Lord Halil reported to you that someone in the southern provinces was buying up large quantities of grain and oats?¡±

    Ali nodded, ¡°There was such a matter.¡±

    Hafsa said with a grave expression:

    ¡°Pasha, I think it¡¯s very likely that a rebellion is brewing in the southern provinces! Perhaps even in¡­ Sfax.¡±

    ¡°Rebellion?¡± Ali laughed and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Hafsa continued, ¡°Do you remember the rebellion in the Gafsa region seven years ago? I remember that the Berber tribes there also began by hoarding food and then prohibited locals from coming and going.¡±

    Ali¡¯s smile suddenly froze, and he became serious.

    Hafsa continued:

    ¡°Pasha, isn¡¯t it true that Rum and Ishakpa were also involved in a rebellion before, and it was your brother who pardoned them?¡±

    Ali¡¯s face darkened. He was very much aware that these two men had been under Eunice¡¯s command, and the rebellion Hafsa was referring to was the incident over twenty years ago when Eunice led his troops to besiege his father Ibn Hussein.

    Later, after his father was defeated and killed in battle, Eunice turned to attack his own father, Karamanli Ali, which gave himself and his brother the opportunity to retake Tunisia.

    Now, the former subordinates of Eunice had suddenly left Tunis City, heading South, and a series of unusual events had occurred in the South¡­

    His gaze hardened; perhaps, as Hafsa speculated, someone was plotting a rebellion!

    Given the speed of information dissemination at the time, the news of Eunice¡¯s escape from Algiers had not yet reached Tunis City. In fact, the Algiers Council was still debating whether to inform the Bey of Tunisia about the matter.

    After a moment of thought, Hamoud Ali ordered someone to summon the Aga of the Imperial Guard, who was also the Commander Koja, and asked him to prepare the troops to head to Sfax to investigate whether there was a rebellion. He also ordered the Imperial Guard to strictly investigate military officers such as Rum and Ishakpa.

    Soon, those investigating Rum and Ishakpa returned to report that they had left Tunis City yesterday, taking their sons with them.

    Koja acted quickly; the next day, he led two thousand elite Imperial Guard soldiers southward and also ordered his deputy to summon more troops to join them.

    He was in luck, for three days after leaving Tunis City, his army encountered a troop moving from Kaf to Sfax.

    The latter seemed very uneasy and launched an abrupt attack on the Imperial Guard without even waiting for Koja¡¯s interrogation.

    Koja¡¯s forces were prepared and immediately annihilated the Berber armed group of over eight hundred men.

    According to these men¡¯s confession, it was an officer named Imanzade who had enticed them to go to Sfax to join ¡°the true Bey,¡± the honorable Eunice.

    When the news reached back to Tunis City, Hamoud Ali was shocked and immediately ordered a full mobilization of the Imperial Guard. Within a week, tens of thousands of troops had converged at the border of Kairouan and Sfax.

    ¡­

    ¡°Pasha, the French people have sent a reply,¡± a military officer with a solemn face ran into Eunice¡¯s tent, bowed his head in salute, ¡°They said they encountered a storm in the Western Mediterranean, and the remaining weapons can only be delivered in 10 days at the earliest.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªAlmighty God, why must You punish me like this?¡±

    Eunice spread his hands wide, looking up at the sky with a long sigh.

    Ever since the first batch of two thousand flintlock guns and three cannons had arrived at the Port of Sfax, no other weapons had been delivered.

    The men he gathered only had very rudimentary weapons, after all, the most sophisticated equipment in Tunisia was in the hands of the Imperial Guard.

    What was worse, Imanzade had reported earlier that the major tribes from Kaf had decided to support him, but for some unknown reason, Hamoud Ali had suddenly sent troops southward, intercepting the tribal forces midway.

    Now, he had only less than seven thousand men under his command, while Koja had already led tens of thousands of Imperial Guards to garrison the Kairouan Fortress, and the strategy to launch a surprise attack on Kairouan was evidently doomed.

    Eunice turned to look at the sand table and suddenly clenched his fist, grunting fiercely:

    ¡°Rum, you immediately take fifteen hundred men to Chukri Valley.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Rum obviously hadn¡¯t understood, ¡°Pasha, but there¡¯s already an outpost of Koja there.¡±

    ¡°Did you not hear my order?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Pasha!¡±

    Eunice then pointed to the man with the goatee:

    ¡°Nizamuddin, you are to arrange the cannons in the dense forest on the eastern side of the valley.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡± Nizamuddin asked carefully again, ¡°Pasha, who will cover me?¡±

    Cannons were indeed the kings of the battlefield, but in the era of muzzle-loading, due to the limited range and slow movement of the cannons, they could easily be overrun by cavalry without infantry cover and left with no ability to defend themselves.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk too much.¡±

    Eunice raised his voice, turned around to point at the middle of the sand table, and spoke through gritted teeth: ¡°Ishakpa will lead the cavalry following me.

    ¡°The people of Labia will be positioned west of the valley¡­

    ¡°Before dawn tomorrow, we must break through Koja¡¯s defensive line! Take advantage of the limited forces in the Kairouan Fortress, bypass the fortress, and seize Sousse!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Pasha!¡± Inside the tent, everyone echoed in unison, their faces grim.

 Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 204 Another Option

    Chapter 252: Chapter 204 Another Option

    France.

    Provence, to the southeast.

    A troop of well-arranged, well-equipped legionnaires marched into the Port of Toulon.

    If one looked closely, one could notice slight differences in the crisp white uniforms worn by the soldiers¡ªsome had the collar embroidered with the patterns of the iris and dolphin, the exclusive insignia of the Crown Prince of France; others had the emblem of the Paris Police Academy on their collars.

    Yes, this was precisely the ¡°Crown Prince¡¯s Own Guard Corps¡± preparing to set sail for Tunisia. They had left Paris and headed south half a month ago.

    At the time, Joseph had even skipped the grand ceremony of the announcement of the metric standards in order to see them off. Although it was somewhat regrettable, evidently, the North African strategy was the most pressing issue at hand. He personally gave the troops a pep talk before the battle and accompanied them for more than 20 kilometers, greatly boosting their morale.

    Outside the Port of Toulon, a captain leading the group looked at his soldiers, who were slightly weary from the sun, and waved his hand, calling out loudly:

    ¡°Where is the lead singer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir! Right here!¡± A young soldier, not very tall and carrying an accordion, quickly stepped forward and saluted the officer with his cap.

    Patting him on the shoulder, the captain gestured towards the front of the line:

    ¡°Have them sing a song.¡±

    ¡°Can we sing ¡®Glory and Victory¡¯, sir?¡±

    ¡°Good, that one. It¡¯s also my favorite,¡± the captain replied.

    The lead singer ran to the front of the column and played a few high notes on the accordion to catch the soldiers¡¯ attention, then signaled to the drummer and shouted:

    ¡°Sing with me¡ª¡±

    ¡°On the battlefield, before the dawn, the bugle sounds,

    ¡°Warriors line up in tight ranks.

    ¡°Resolution and belief written on their faces,

    ¡°Glory and victory are our faith.

    ¡°Our loyalty shall never waver,

    ¡°To the King, we present our victories!

    ¡°With blood and fire, we earn supreme honor¡­¡±

    The song, solemn and powerful, inspired the soldiers, who soon revitalized as they sang along.

    Although, the tune was unmistakably that of the ¡°La Marseillaise,¡± which would eventually become very familiar to almost every French person. Joseph had brought it to his regiment ahead of time, and, as expected, it was well-received by the soldiers. Consequently, Joseph simply made it their marching song.

    Of course, Lady Garlan had refined the tune, and the lyrics were rewritten by the great literary figure Bomasha¡ªcompletely transformed into a style of loyalty to the King and seeking honor and commendation on the battlefield.

    At the docks, a large number of naval supply ships and escort warships had already been anchored, rocking gently with the waves.

    The navy had taken the 800,000 livres that Joseph had ¡°smooth-talked¡± from the Americans, and for this operation against the pirates, they only sent three warships, with most of the supplies provided by the Dutch¡ªthe navy had spent very little. Perhaps feeling a bit ¡°guilty¡± about their compensation, the navy was very responsive to the needs of the North African campaign.

    As more than 4,000 officers and men, along with horses, cannons, and other military supplies boarded the ships, at two-thirty in the afternoon, ten transport ships raised anchor and set sail, heading straight towards Tunisia.

    ¡­

    Tunisia, in the south-central region.

    The Chukri Valley, between Kairouan and Sfax.

    Under the thick olive trees, a Tunisian Guard officer dressed in an orange robe raised his hand and slapped a mosquito as big as a green bean that was desperately sucking blood from his face.

    Wiping the blood from his palm, he frowned and snapped at a soldier fanning nearby:

    ¡°Put some effort into it, you lazy thing!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, sir,¡± the soldier mumbled, increasing the vigor of his fanning.

    The officer glanced down the valley but saw only green grass and trees, seemingly tranquil.

    Turning to another officer with small eyes, he said:

    ¡°How much longer do we have to stay in this damned place? I¡¯m about to be drained dry by mosquitoes!¡±

    The small-eyed officer, fiddling with his boots and not looking up, replied:

    ¡°Be patient, Gedik, this is a direct order from Ksar Hellal Palace to Master Koja.¡±

    Gedik glanced at the woods where they were hiding and grumbled:

    ¡°The Bey sitting in the palace has no idea what the frontline is like.¡±

    The small-eyed officer waved him off:

    ¡°I heard Master Koja say it was Lady Hafsa¡¯s idea.¡±

    ¡°Her?¡± Gedik snorted, ¡°A woman meddling in matters of war, utterly without manners!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said that she was the first to detect this rebellion. So now that she¡¯s suggested Eunice will come for a sneak attack, the Bey followed her advice and ordered Master Koja to take precautions in advance.¡±

    ¡°Lord, how can they trust the word of a woman?¡± Gedik exclaimed.

    Before he could finish his statement, he saw two scouts running frantically towards them, waving their hands:

    ¡°Enemy sighting! Our outpost has been attacked; there are at least a thousand enemy troops!¡±

    Gedik and his colleague exchanged a look of disbelief and stood up abruptly:

    ¡°How on earth did that woman guess this?!¡±

    Of course, Lady Hafsa hadn¡¯t guessed. Joseph had informed her early on that Eunice was likely to make a desperate sneak attack on Chukri Valley.

    This was because he had allowed Hafsa to leak Eunice¡¯s movements to Hamoud Ali in advance, giving him ample time to arrange his troops to respond to the rebellion.

    Meanwhile, Joseph also knew that Eunice had only a small number of weapons and that his military funds would soon run out. He provided Eunice with just 2,000 flintlock guns, and not a single livre of the so-called 2 million livres of military funding had been given. It had been difficult enough for Eunice to rally people with just his own savings; he had no idea where to find the salaries or supplies for the troops that followed.

 Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 204 Another Option_2

    Chapter 253: Chapter 204 Another Option_2

    In such a situation, Eunice had no choice but to risk it all. Seizing the opportunity before the Kairouan Fortress was fully prepared, he preemptively attacked the defenders outlying the fortress, in an attempt to bypass it and directly seize the affluent city of Sousse, where he could obtain supplies.

    Of course, if Eunice was not planning to do so, Joseph¡¯s French military advisors staying by his side would also suggest a raid.

    Joseph¡¯s Tunisian strategy from the beginning was to set a wolf to kill a tiger, letting Eunice and Hamoud Ali fight among themselves, depleting the living force of the Tunisian Guard. What he held in reserve was his true objective.

    To accomplish this plan, he initially intended to send spies to infiltrate the Ksar Hellal Palace, posing as military experts to offer Ali ¡°advice.¡±

    However, while the spies from the Police Affairs Department were carrying out their mission, an unexpected acquaintance was made with a French-descended merchant supplying high-end clothing to the palace, and through this person¡¯s introduction, another very important person was met¡ªthe son of the former Bey Mohammed Ibn Hussein, and Hamoud Ali¡¯s nephew, Haji.

    After Joseph established contact with Haji through his people at the Police Affairs Department, the two sides quickly confirmed their intention to cooperate, and Haji then recommended a person more suitable to influence Hamoud Ali¡ªhis favored concubine, Hafsa.

    Afterward, it was Hafsa who pretended to deduce that a rebellion might arise in the south. After Ali deployed his troops, she ¡°predicted¡± that the rebels would likely make a raid on Koja.

    Joseph¡¯s purpose, of course, was not to allow Ali to quickly quell the rebellion but to inflict a heavy blow on Eunice, making it seem like he was on the brink of collapse.

    This would set the stage for the next phase of the plan.

    As for Eunice¡¯s side, Joseph was not worried at all that he would be annihilated. As long as the warships anchored off the coast of Sfax delivered the remaining weapons and some silver coins to him, he could immediately revive on the spot and fight the Tunisian Guard for another three hundred rounds.

    On the slopes on either side of Chukri Valley, the Tunisian Guard officer Gedik hastily sent the orderly officer to send a message, ordering the soldiers to prepare for battle.

    The terrain of Tunisia is flat, and the entire country is almost entirely plains. What are called valleys are really only three to four hundred meters high at best, yet they are also an important strategic pass to enter Kairouan.

    Rum, one of Eunice¡¯s officers, displayed a relaxed expression, signaling his men to speed up their advance.

    Just now, he had nearly crushed the Koja outpost without breaking a sweat, which filled him with great satisfaction: the present-day Imperial Guard was far from what it was twenty years ago. Back then, when he followed Pasha Eunice during the siege against Bey Hussein, his men were so valiant and adept at fighting. But the guards he encountered just now had obviously grown complacent in Tunis City, each one corpulent and slow, hardly able to run. It seemed this battle would be easily won.

    As soon as he crossed the valley and saw the boundless plain before him, he immediately ordered a message to be sent to Pasha Eunice.

    Soon, Eunice personally led the main force through the valley. And at that moment, Nizamuddin, whom he had sent to set up cannons on the high ground to the east of the valley, suddenly engaged in fierce combat with the enemy forces.

    Gedik was also taken aback. He saw Eunice¡¯s vanguard troops passing by, preparing to launch a surprise attack on the enemy¡¯s main force when suddenly a small detachment of enemy artillerymen climbed up the slope.

    Left with no choice, he was forced to initiate the attack ahead of time.

    Eunice, an experienced commander, instantly realized something was amiss. He hurriedly ordered the main force to retreat from the valley while sending his daughter Labia with troops to search both sides of the valley.

    Before his arrangements were complete, Gedik had already led nearly 6,000 members of the Tunisian Guard charging down from both sides of the valley.

    Both forces immediately clashed, but Eunice¡¯s side, caught off guard, was thrown into disarray, and the few hundred men who first entered the valley were slaughtered within half an hour.

    At the same time, on the other side of the valley, the previously triumphant Rum¡¯s Force was surrounded and attacked by the main force of the Tunisian Guard led by Koja himself.

    They numbered only 1,500, with the narrow valley at their back. The battle lasted only a little over 40 minutes, and Rum was pierced through the chest by a stray bullet. His men promptly surrendered.

    Koja quickly assessed the size of the enemy forces and realized they were not Eunice¡¯s main force. He immediately ordered a crossing through the valley to seek out the enemy¡¯s main forces.

    Eunice, with a face ashen with rage, watched through his binoculars as his men scattered in panic from the valley, scurrying about like mice chased by a cat. He immediately ground his teeth and ordered the others to retreat first, while he stayed with the core 3,000 soldiers near the exit of the valley.

    Half of these men were former members of the Imperial Guard, and though they were not young anymore, their combat experience should not be underestimated. Besides, the weapons they were equipped with were the good rifles sent from France!

    Gedik, in the midst of pursuing the defeated army and killing with high spirits, suddenly spotted a neatly arranged enemy square formation not far away.

    At this moment, his morale was soaring, and almost without a second thought, he ordered an all-out frontal assault, while his cavalry continued to chase down the fleeing enemy.

    The dull sound of bugles rose as his two musketeer battalions formed up to advance towards the enemy forces of Eunice, with a battalion of scimitar-wielding troops swiftly moving to flank on both sides.

    However, when the two sides were still over a hundred paces apart, Eunice¡¯s forces burst into heavy gunfire.

    Gedik was about to mock his opponents for being impatient¡ªthe muskets wouldn¡¯t be lethal at this range¡ªwhen he was stunned to hear screams within his own ranks and even saw cowardly soldiers, frightened by the sight of their companions being shot and rolling in pools of blood, began to shrink back.

    After being taken aback for a moment, Gedik hurriedly ordered to fire back, but at this distance, his side¡¯s guns indeed had little killing power.

    The poorly trained Tunisian Guard fired a disorderly volley, and in response, Eunice¡¯s troops stepped forward a few paces further, reloaded and fired in unison.

    The deafening gunfire went off, and around thirty to forty men on Gedik¡¯s side fell. Even though officers loudly ordered no retreat, they could not stop some soldiers from pulling back.

    For a moment, Gedik¡¯s musketeer units were a mix of those holding their ground and others falling back, with the lines now a complete mess.

    Through the smoke, Gedik could only clench his teeth and order the scimitar battalions to accelerate their attack while directing the musketeers to fall back and re-form.

    But Eunice gave him no chance, ordering his own musketeer troops to keep advancing, while the fierce Labia, with hundreds of scimitar-wielding soldiers, confronted the opposing scimitar troops.

    Close-quarters combat is never like the movies where both sides display martial arts, engaged in a stalemate, ending with bodies strewn all over the ground.

    In reality, the outcome of hand-to-hand combat is all about momentum.

    If one side loses momentum, they¡¯re almost instantly overrun by the other. Therefore, the melee lasted less than a minute before Gedik¡¯s scimitar troops were scared off by the terrifying aura of the female pirate and began to flee.

    Once a large army begins to rout, not even gods can restrain them.

    Labia immediately roared, leading her troops in pursuit of the fleeing enemy, while Eunice¡¯s French-style musketeers, after several volleys, almost had their enemies at point-blank range.

    Gedik didn¡¯t even have time to deploy his reserves before his main force was broken by an enemy that was only half its size, screaming and scattering in all directions.

    Having routed the enemy, Eunice did not dare linger too long, ordering his men to cover the previously scattered troops and to swiftly retreat to the south of Sfax.

    Several hours later, when Koja led the main force of the Guard to the other side of the valley, he only saw a disheveled Gedik and soldiers who were dispiritedly carrying bodies, while Eunice¡¯s main force had long since vanished without a trace.

    Observing the sky, he did not dare to pursue any further, ordering to set up camp on the spot, arranging defenses, and at the same time had the battle report sent back to Tunis City.

    On the other hand, Eunice kept running until twilight before finally stopping. Only at dawn the next day did he manage to approximate the losses: nearly two thousand dead or missing, including the total annihilation of Nizamuddin and Rum¡¯s Force, with hundreds more injured.

    At this point, the troops he had left capable of fighting numbered less than five thousand.

    Inside the military tent, several officers looked at Eunice with gloomy expressions, as some had already suggested continuing to the south, into the barren Ghadames region.

    Just then, the accompanying French adviser let out an ill-timed smile:

    ¡°Gentlemen, do not lose heart. Please trust me, the Crown Prince¡¯s reinforcements should be arriving very soon!¡±

 Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 205 The First Battle of the Guard Corps

    Chapter 254: Chapter 205 The First Battle of the Guard Corps

    Tunis City.

    Inside the Ksar Hellal Palace, Bey Hamouda Ali listened to the battle reports from the front lines, his brows lifted in delight.

    At first, when he learned that Eunice had truly returned to Tunisia, he was genuinely frightened for a while, but fortunately, his beloved Hafsa was exceptionally clever, predicting that Eunice would take the risk of launching a surprise attack on Kairouan.

    Under his orders, Koja prepared in advance and indeed achieved a great victory, capturing and killing thousands of rebels.

    Several officials in the great hall immediately offered up flattery:

    ¡°With the great Bey cleaning up these rebels, isn¡¯t it just a piece of cake?¡±

    ¡°The Lord blesses the Bey, making his armies invincible in battle!¡±

    ¡°After eliminating Eunice, the people of Algiers won¡¯t be able to extort our annual tributes anymore!¡±

    After Ali returned to the harem in high spirits, eager to tell Hafsa about the great victory.

    Contrary to his expectations, upon hearing the news, Hafsa appeared rather worried:

    ¡°Bey, a buffalo becomes ten times more ferocious when bitten by a lion, and it might even turn to gore the lion. Although you have defeated Eunice once, you absolutely mustn¡¯t take him lightly. I feel that now, more than ever, we need to increase our troops and strive to eliminate the rebels as quickly as possible.¡±

    Though Ali admired her for correctly guessing the situation of the rebels twice before, this time he was somewhat dismissive. According to the latest battle report sent back by Koja, Eunice should only have a little over 4,000 men left, and having suffered an immediate defeat after the rebellion, he shouldn¡¯t be able to stir up any trouble.

    He responded casually to his consort¡¯s words, then continued with the music and dance.

    However, Hafsa, as if possessed by the spirit of a prophet, was proven right in just five days when bad news came from the front lines.

    Koja assembled an army of 13,000 men to besiege Eunice, but unexpectedly suffered heavily under the devastating fire of Eunice¡¯s cannons.

    The battle report stated that those cannons had an extremely long range and formidable power; after more than ten volleys, Koja¡¯s vanguard suffered heavy casualties.

    Moreover, Eunice had somehow acquired a large number of highly superior muskets, with incredibly fierce firepower. Under the cover of the cannons, it only took a few hours to shatter Koja¡¯s encirclement, and they chased him all the way out of Chukri Valley.

    After this battle, Koja¡¯s Guard no longer dared to confront Eunice. Currently, Koja could only use Kairouan Fortress to stand off against Eunice.

    When Hamoud Ali looked towards Hafsa this time, all he felt was admiration, and he immediately followed her advice, dispatching 3,000 garrison troops from Tunis City to Kairouan, and allocating 20,000 riyals to Koja for military expenses.

    At the front of Kairouan Fortress, Eunice, who had just won a battle, also had a grave expression on his face.

    A week ago, just as the French advisor had said, a French transport ship arrived at the Port of Sfax, bringing along 2,000 Chaleville flintlock guns, 4 six-pound cannons, and 15,000 ducat gold coins.

    He quickly reorganized his army with these weapons and money, then cleanly shattered Koja¡¯s siege, driving Koja into the Kairouan Fortress.

    However, faced with the strong fortress and the tens of thousands of Tunisian Guards, he too was vexed.

    If he had more gunpowder and cannonballs, he would have been fully confident in taking down the fortress or, at the very least, forcing the defenders not to show their heads so he could bypass the place and march straight to Sousse.

    But now he was left with only four carts of ammunition, not nearly enough to bombard the fortress, and he had no idea when the French would deliver the next supply.

    Several days later, Hamoud Ali¡¯s reinforcements arrived at Kairouan before Eunice. Koja immediately led his troops in another fierce attack on Eunice¡¯s army¡­

    While Koja and Eunice were engaged in a tug-of-war, more than ten transport ships carrying the French Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps, escorted by the Combined Fleet to strike against pirates, appeared outside the Bizerte Port of Tunisia.

    This was the northernmost port of Tunisia and an important stronghold of the Barbary pirates, or rather, the base of the Tunisian Navy.

    A small boat was lowered from the flagship ¡°Advance¡± of the Combined Fleet, carrying an official in charge of negotiations, who boarded the Bizerte Port.

    He submitted a list containing hundreds of names to the local authorities of Bizerte, demanding that these pirates be handed over to the Combined Fleet within 24 hours. Furthermore, their pirate ships used for plundering also had to be taken away by the Combined Fleet.

    After 24 hours, the Combined Fleet would take matters into their own hands and capture any pirates who had not yet surrendered.

    The list was provided by Haji, the nephew of Hamouda Ali; every person listed had committed murders and plundered Europeans¡ªa matter of military achievements for the Tunisian Navy, which their inner circles could easily track.

    Unsurprisingly, the demands of the Combined Fleet were refused.

    The pirates listed were mostly military officers from Bizerte, and many of them carried significant clout throughout Tunisia. How could they possibly be willing to ¡°surrender themselves¡±?

    On the gun decks of the Bizerte Port, a Tunisian Navy officer looked towards the barely visible warships of the Combined Fleet in the distance and said nervously:

    ¡°Why are the people from Catholic countries making such a grandiose fuss this time? What do they really want?¡±

    Another agreed, ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s not even the slightest hint of negotiation.¡±

    According to their past experiences, even if they accidentally harmed French or Spanish merchant ships, settling the matter with some compensation was usually enough.

    They had never faced a situation like today¡¯s, with warships bearing down and an ultimatum demanding immediate surrender of people.

    The officer stroked his mustache and said:

    ¡°I think the Americans must have had a hand in this. A few months back Pargale captured two of their ships and killed over a dozen people.¡±

 Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 205 The First Battle of the Guard Corps_2

    Chapter 255: Chapter 205 The First Battle of the Guard Corps_2

    ¡°`

    ¡°It seems they¡¯re serious this time,¡± an officer said anxiously, holding a telescope, ¡°I have spotted a 60-gun ship of the line.¡±

    Yet the man with the eight-character mustache scoffed with disdain:

    ¡°Hmph, what¡¯s there to fear? Even if it¡¯s a first-rate ship, at most, they¡¯ll just cruise outside the harbor. We have fortifications after all,¡± he said.

    Another officer nodded:

    ¡°Exactly, if the commerce at the port stops, they too will suffer a great loss. I suspect it will all end with them paying compensation¡ªjust a bit more, at worst,¡± he said.

    However, no matter what the pirates thought, the atmosphere in Bizerte Port still hinted at an impending storm. The merchant ships, especially those from Europe, did not hesitate to weigh anchor and leave this place of trouble.

    On the ¡°Advance,¡± in the officer¡¯s cabin, Bertier looked towards the officer responsible for negotiations and said calmly:

    ¡°As expected, it seems that we will have to apprehend those pirates ourselves.¡±

    Major General Sisneros, the commander of the Combined Fleet, heaved a slight sigh and said:

    ¡°Lieutenant Colonel, while I still have reservations about attacking the port, I will still try my best to provide fire support for your troops.¡±

    He had received orders from the Navy to ¡°strike at the Barbary pirates with full force,¡± but no one had mentioned attacking a well-defended port before this.

    He had thought that with the funding received, patrolling the Mediterranean for a while and capturing some pirates to appease the Americans would suffice.

    But after rendezvousing with Bertier, the latter produced an order from the Navy Minister, informing him that this time the target was to seize the pirate stronghold of Bizerte Port.

    Naturally, Joseph had obtained this order from the Marquis of Castries. For the latter, combating piracy was a task endorsed by the Queen in a Cabinet meeting, and the assault on the port was an operation by Bertier¡¯s Corps, unrelated to him. The Navy¡¯s role was merely to transport troops and to bombard from the periphery. Selling a favor to the Crown Prince in this affair, why not?

    Major General Sisneros continued:

    ¡°As you know, we cannot get too close to the batteries¡­ So, your corps might have to face those heavy cannons atop them on their own,¡± he said.

    ¡°Rest assured, General,¡± Bertier nodded, ¡°I have confidence in my men.¡±

    The landing tactics had been laid out in advance. Bertier spoke for a while longer with a few naval officers and then stood up to return to the transport ship. Tomorrow, he would lead the soldiers of his corps in an assault on the pirates¡¯ lair from there.

    The next morning, ten transport ships lined up outside Bizerte Port. Soldiers from the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard stood in formation on the deck, quietly watching as the sailors launched the landing boats into the water, one after the other.

    On the transport ship ¡°Stallion,¡± Bertier walked past the crowd, nodding seriously at each soldier. Then, he moved to the front of the line and pointed forcefully towards the coastline not far away and shouted:

    ¡°There lies the place where we shall earn supreme honor!

    ¡°Soldiers, I will stand with you, with invincible courage and conviction, to shatter those cowardly pirates and let them receive God¡¯s punishment!

    ¡°Now, let the whole world witness the fearlessness and bravery of the French warriors! Go, win your victory, simply by charging forward and crushing everything!¡±

    He took a deep breath, raised his arm, and cried out:

    ¡°For the King! For the Crown Prince! For honor!¡±

    Immediately, a thunderous roar erupted from the soldiers:

    ¡°For the King! For the Crown Prince! For honor!¡±

    Their voices reached the other transport ships, where the soldiers also began to chant:

    ¡°For the King! For the Crown Prince¡­¡±

    At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard¡¯s debut began.

    The soldiers skillfully slid down the ropes into the small boats¡ªan action they had practiced hundreds of times before¡ªand then they grabbed the oars and rowed vigorously.

    ¡°`

    Dozens of small boats charged toward the shore like arrows released from their bows.

    On the batteries of the port, lookouts quickly spotted the activity on the sea and hurriedly reported to the officers.

    More than ten Tunisian officers gathered together, discussing tensely¡ªthey hadn¡¯t expected at all that the fleet outside the harbor really intended to land and commence battle.

    ¡°What do we do now? Do we open fire on them?¡±

    ¡°Where is Ayas Pasha? Without his orders, opening fire on the French people rashly, who knows what consequences it would bring!¡±

    Ayas was the highest-ranking officer in charge of the port¡¯s defense.

    ¡°He seems to be at his¡­¡± The officer almost let slip ¡°those female slaves,¡± but hastily corrected himself, ¡°I have already sent someone to report to him.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that Ayas was negligent in his vigilance, he was somewhat nervous after receiving the ultimatum yesterday, but the traditional style of the Ottoman officers [Note 1], still had him return to his villa in the town to spend the night, several miles away from here.

    The Tunisian officers¡¯ laxity reduced casualties among the Guard Corps. In what was supposed to be a very dangerous beaching process, the port¡¯s batteries didn¡¯t fire a single shot, and the first wave of landing boats had already rushed onto the beachhead.

    Hundreds of paces away, one could see the pirates setting up obstacles, which were stakes sharpened at one end and inserted into the ground at the other, with four to five rows in front and back, taking up almost the entire beach.

    Behind the obstacles, there were hundreds of Tunisian Navy soldiers, each holding various types of muskets, looking nervously toward the coastline.

    Dawu, as part of the first wave of the assault force, leaped from the small boat, turned back to the soldiers in his company and waved them on, shouting loudly:

    ¡°Quick! Disembark, form up! What are you dawdling for, forgotten how to run?¡±

    As his standard-bearer planted the flag onto the beachhead, dozens of soldiers from several nearby small boats rapidly gathered towards him. The Guard Corps¡¯ rigorous training shone through at this moment, and within just about ten minutes, they had arranged themselves into neat rows of three columns, beginning to load their ammunition.

    A few soldiers carried a knee-high cannon to the left side of the line. The men behind them pried open wooden crates full of cannonballs and positioned them in front of the cannon.

    It was not until then that Ayas¡¯s command finally reached the battery. The Tunisian soldiers, receiving the ¡°permission to fire on the enemy¡± order, hurriedly adjusted the angles of their cannons, aiming at the landing forces on the beachhead.

    However, before they could fire, the ¡°Forward¡± from the distant sea initiated the attack first.

    32-pound and 24-pound heavy cannons spewed flames and thick smoke in succession, and amid the tremendous roar, pitch-black iron balls whistled down onto the western side of the port¡¯s batteries.

    The training level of the French Navy might not have matched that of the British, but in Europe, they were still top-tier.

    At almost extreme range, three out of twenty cannonballs hit the walls of the battery directly. The fierce impact shattered large chunks of stone, splashing into the Mediterranean Sea.

    The battery shook violently with the bombardment, and the pirates on it immediately panicked. Two hurried to light their cannons, while many more cowered in the corners, holding their heads.

    One of the cannonballs shot from the battery fell directly into the sea, while another landed more than two hundred paces away from the Guard Corps, kicking up a cloud of sand.

    On the side of the Combined Fleet, more warships joined the bombardment of the battery, and the sound of cannon fire became even denser immediately.

    Their efforts drew the attention of most of the pirates. More than seventy percent of the cannons on the battery turned towards the sea, trying to drive away the fleet.

    On the side of the Guard Corps, the first group of landers, 8 companies, which is about 800 soldiers, had all finished forming up.

    On the officer¡¯s ¡°begin the attack¡± command, the gunners loaded gunpowder and cannonballs into the Mortar Cannon, that knee-high small cannon, and then lit the fuse.

    With a burst of booming, 5 cannonballs spewing sparks drew several arcs, flying towards the pirate ranks opposite.

    Don¡¯t be fooled by the small size of these cannons; because of their large caliber and the parabolic trajectory they fired in, their range was quite formidable.

    The cannonballs landed one after another, three to four hundred paces away, and as the fuses burned out, they exploded one by one with a thunderous boom.

    [Note 1] Most of Tunisian officers come from the Ottoman conquerors over a hundred years ago. In order to retain the purity of their lineage, they strive not to intermarry with the local people of North Africa, always preserving the Ottoman way of life and military customs.

 Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 206: Like Wolves and Tigers

    Chapter 256: Chapter 206: Like Wolves and Tigers

    The first shot from the cannons usually serves as a ranging shot, especially for the high-trajectory mortar cannons. Adjusting the angle of the cannon barrel based on where the ranging shot lands is a necessary step.

    However, one of the cannonballs happened to land right inside the pirates¡¯ defensive position.

    The explosive power of black gunpowder isn¡¯t particularly great, only knocking down the two pirates who were closest. But flying shrapnel embedded itself in the chests and abdomens of both men, splattering blood all over the pirates nearby.

    Before the pirates could react, the Guard Corps had already issued another round of artillery fire.

    Based on the errors from the last round, the gunners made adjustments. This time, more than half of the cannonballs fell accurately into the midst of the pirates, immediately resulting in more sprays of blood.

    After several rounds of bombardment, a Major also landed on the beach in a small boat.

    He frowned as he looked at the harbor fortifications ahead that were continuously firing, thankful that the pirates¡¯ gunners were not very skilled and had yet to hit the Guard Corps directly, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they got lucky.

    The Major immediately pointed at the several hundred pirates defending the beachhead and said to the orderly officer,

    ¡°Launch the assault immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±

    As the command flags went up and down, the drummers of the Guard Corps came to the front of the formation, aligned with the commanders of the units, and began to beat their drums, stepping forward.

    The soldiers behind followed in step, entirely ignoring the disorderly musket fire from the pirates.

    By the time the first batch of seven companies landed on the beach reached within 70 paces of the pirates, not a single one had been shot.

    ¡°Halt¡ª¡±

    The officers, following the command flags, consecutively shouted orders:

    ¡°Present arms!¡±

    ¡°Aim!¡±

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    A volley of gunshots immediately erupted from the line of the Guard Corps. On the pirates¡¯ side, a wave of screams followed, as more than ten men collapsed on the beach.

    The pirates, already in disarray from the bombardment, were now even more chaotic. The sporadic gunfire that once rose and fell had turned into a scant, scattered sound.

    The Guard Corps¡¯ second rank stepped forward three paces and, at the commander¡¯s order, fired another volley.

    In this way, alternating fire and advancing, they quickly closed the distance with the pirates to less than 40 paces.

    The Guard Corps outnumbered the pirates to begin with, and used percussion cap guns, which had a faster reload speed and greater firepower; their training levels were also far above those of the pirates. Thus, in the continuous exchange of fire, the pirates suffered over a hundred deaths, and those remaining began to flee the field in panic.

    In contrast, only four or five unlucky soldiers from the Guard were hit.

    Finally, the psychological defenses of the pirates collapsed completely under the overwhelming and oppressive momentum of the adversary¡¯s neatly ordered, solemn ranks.

    After one more synchronized volley from hundreds of Auguste-style caplock guns, four or five hundred pirates, with white head scarves and wearing variously colored long robes, yelled, ¡°It¡¯s over! It¡¯s all over! Run for it!¡± They tossed their weapons aside and turned to flee towards the town behind the harbor.

    On the Guard¡¯s side, they rapidly dismantled the spiked barricades. Meanwhile, more soldiers arrived on the beach in speedboats, and three four-pounder cannons were also brought ashore.

    After a brief formation, the two infantry battalions and an artillery company quickly bypassed the slope behind the port¡¯s coastal battery and encircled it from a distance.

    By then, the pirates around the battery had long fled. Bertier had already landed on the shore, looking relaxed as he observed the coastal battery situated on the high ground, contemplating how to attack with the least loss¡ªwithout the cover of infantry, the battery was not particularly frightening. Using skirmishers for the assault, accompanied by cannons for distraction, they could take it easily.

    Just then, several enthusiastic young military academy officers came running over, saluting with some excitement:

    ¡°Commander, please let us take the coastal battery!¡±

    ¡°We will not let you down!¡±

    Bertier looked through his telescope at the pirates on the battery firing chaotically, and nodded:

    ¡°Alright, go and earn your glory, lads!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± The two young officers exchanged excited glances and swiftly returned to their respective companies, and soon the sound of the military drums rose, with the soldiers quickly forming into more than ten assault columns.

    At the same time, three cannons began providing covering fire.

    Not far away, Davout, upon hearing that the military academy officers were about to launch an assault, felt his competitive spirit stirred and also applied to Bertier to participate in the takeover of the coastal battery.

    If Joseph had seen this scene, he would have exclaimed that it was a terrible waste¡ªthis was Marshal Davout, one of the three great warriors under Napoleon, and he was about to take on such a dangerously risky task of attacking the battery!

    However, every famous general has had their youthful moments; without being tempered in the hail of bullets, how could one acquire rich battlefield experience? Even a young Davout was no exception.

    This was also one of the key reasons Joseph had sent them to North Africa.

    In fact, the intensity of the North African campaign was much lower compared to Europe, and it was indeed the safest place to accumulate combat experience.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Bertier consented to the request of the freshly graduated officer, instructing him and another company to provide backup for the military academy students. If the students failed to penetrate the coastal battery, they would initiate the second wave of attacks.

    Davout returned to his company at top speed, leading his soldiers to join forces with the military academy students responsible for the assault, and arranged themselves in a skirmish line following behind to their side.

    Soon, the columns led by the two companies of military academy students charged up the slope, heading straight for the pirates¡¯ coastal battery at the top of the incline.

    The pirates also noticed the movement of the Guard Corps and hastily assembled more than 150 men to pour out of the coastal battery, forming a line on the slope in a rushed and disorganized manner. This was all the force the battery had left.

    Unlike what is often portrayed in films and television, if the defenders keep coiled up within the battery, the attackers could quickly enter the cannons¡¯ blind spot and eventually dismantle the battery¡¯s firing points bit by bit.

    The most sensible defensive tactic was to use the infantry to hold the enemy while taking advantage of the battery¡¯s firepower to inflict casualties, ultimately repulsing the enemy.

    However, the pirates had barely managed to form their messy lines when two hundred military academy students had already charged to within seventy or eighty steps of them. Although the cannons on the battery had been firing nonstop, the pirates¡¯ poor aiming meant that very few shots had actually hit their targets.

    The pirates at the base of the battery had only managed two volleys when they heard the military academy students shout, ¡°In the name of the Crown Prince,¡± charging with bayonets fixed to their caplock guns.

    Davout then ordered his soldiers to fire a round of covering volleys.

    The Tunisian Navy might handle bullying sailors on merchant ships, but faced with such an overwhelming and fearsome elite force, they couldn¡¯t muster even a sliver of resistance.

    Their defensive line collapsed in an instant. The pirates howled as they fled back into the coastal battery, but many didn¡¯t even have time to run and simply dropped their weapons and knelt to surrender.

    Such coastal batteries are generally built on very high ground, but the structure itself is not very tall, usually only about the height of a two-story building.

    Davout watched, eyes wide, as the military academy students climbed the battery like hungry wolves, occasionally throwing down a few pirates¡¯ bodies, envying them so much that his eyes turned red with yearning¡ªfor that was the supreme honor of being the first to breach the enemy stronghold, and it had eluded him¡­

 Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 207 Chasing Pirates

    Chapter 257: Chapter 207 Chasing Pirates

    On the sea, the Combined Fleet had daringly completed its mission of firepower distraction. To avoid unnecessary casualties, Commander Major General Sisneros ordered a retreat beyond the effective range of the port¡¯s cannons.

    Just as several warships had adjusted their sails, he suddenly heard silence from the direction of the batteries.

    Sisneros, somewhat perplexed, went to the bow deck of the ¡°Advance¡± and pulled out his telescope. He immediately saw a flag with a blue and purple base and an Iris fluttering atop the battery.

    ¡°These guys are too fast, aren¡¯t they?¡± he exclaimed in surprise to his adjutant, ¡°Have they been landing for an hour?¡±

    The adjutant checked his watch and shook his head:

    ¡°Not yet, Your Excellency. Only 48 minutes have passed.¡±

    A twitch appeared at the corner of Sisneros¡¯s eye. Just marching from the shore to that battery would probably take over half an hour. Had Bertier led his soldiers on a run directly into the pirate¡¯s battery?!

    He had thought that this corps, established only half a year ago and accompanied by a group of policemen, would have done well to capture the battery before dark. Yet, the battle was over before noon?!

    This was probably not simply a novice troop¡­

    If someone told him at that moment that it was the policemen who had taken the battery, he might have doubted life even more.

    At the Guard Corps, medical officers directed the removal of the injured to tents while Bertier, looking at the combat statistics report just delivered by his adjutant, walked toward the battery on the slope.

    Eight police academy students were killed and ten were injured. Three from Bertier¡¯s Corps were killed and five were injured. This was because it was the first time the police academy students were on the battlefield, too excited, and charged too fast, which led to higher casualties. Otherwise, the number could have been lowered.

    In terms of combat results, 282 pirates were captured alive and about 90 were killed. The battery at Bizerte Port was taken. The materials, such as cannons and muskets, had not yet been counted.

    Due to the port¡¯s characteristics, after capturing the coastal fortress, the dock and town behind it hardly put up any resistance.

    In other words, one of the two main Barbary pirate bases in Tunisia, Bizerte Port, had been captured.

    He ordered his adjutant to do everything possible to treat the injured. The troops that had been responsible for the initial landing were to rest on the spot, while the two newly landed battalions were to enter the town to hunt down the pirates.

    By nightfall, the Guard Corps had completely controlled the entire Bizerte Port, capturing more than 40 pirates listed on the roster, while many more had already fled the port.

    Looking at the still somewhat bright sky, the corps adjutant said to Bertier:

    ¡°Commander, should we send the Cavalry to chase those who fled? They probably haven¡¯t gone too far.¡±

    But Bertier shook his head, ¡°Send the order for the entire army to rest and resupply in Bizerte for a day and a half, stocking up on some food and wine.¡±

    ¡°Ah? To rest that long?¡±

    The adjutant was puzzled, ¡°Sir, in doing so, the pirates will likely have the chance to escape far.¡±

    ¡°No matter, we will give them time to run,¡± Bertier replied with a smile, recalling Joseph¡¯s plan, ¡°We will set off southward after noon the day after tomorrow.¡±

    To the north of Bizerte lays the sea; to the south, only Kairouan and Tunis City are options. Now, with the fierce battle going on at Kairouan Fortress, these pirates would have only Tunis City to run to, and that was Joseph¡¯s true target.

    ¡­

    Two days later.

    Tunis City.

    Inside the Ksar Hellal Palace, dozens of navy officers appeared disheveled, groveling on the ground, pleading with sobs:

    ¡°Great Bey, those Europeans attacked the port so suddenly, we cannot just let it go!¡±

    ¡°They even brazenly threatened to kill us! This is a direct insult to you!¡±

    ¡°Great Bey, you must protect us! Over the years, the navy has contributed a large amount of taxes for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Please rally the troops and chop off the heads of those infidels!¡±

    Hamoud Ali furrowed his brows in frustration, besieged by one problem after another of late.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Eunice¡¯s sudden rebellion, which had led him to muster the Imperial Guard from all over Tunisia to suppress the revolt, leaving fewer than 500 soldiers to man the port, the Europeans would not have breached Bizerte Port so easily.

    He waved his hand, silencing the naval officers who had just escaped from Bizerte, and turned to gesture the middle-aged official beside him to follow into the inner hall, frowning as he asked:

    ¡°Sinanidine, with the European army hastening our way, what do you think we should do about this?¡±

    The middle-aged official was Tunisia¡¯s Qadi, akin to a Chancellor. He pondered for a moment, then bowed his head and said:

    ¡°Great Bey, the Europeans have come to eradicate the pirates¡­ because our navy has plundered their merchant ships and demanded high ransoms.¡±

    ¡°So, what are you suggesting?¡±

    Sinanidine said in a low voice:

    ¡°Bey, technically, the navy is not under your control; if sacrificing them could avoid European censure, it might be worth considering.¡±

    Qadi Hamoud Ali nodded thoughtfully at his words:

    ¡°You make a good point. Have the Imperial Guard detain those outside. Go tell the Europeans that they can be handed over to¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Hafsa, who had been quietly playing the harp, suddenly stood up and hurried over, bowing to him urgently:

    ¡°Bey, you must not give up the navy, Lord Qadi!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear your reasoning.¡± Ali turned to look at her.

    ¡°You are the protector of all of Tunisia; if you cannot defend the navy now, it will cause all of Tunisia to doubt you.¡±

    Sinanidine interjected hastily: ¡°But the Europeans¡­¡±

    ¡°You need not worry,¡± Hafsa stated dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ve heard they¡¯ve only brought two to three thousand men, and we have the Imperial Guard and the sailors of the navy; there¡¯s no need to fear them!¡±

    Before Sinanidine could object, she immediately added:

    ¡°Moreover, your great army is engaged in battle with the rebels. If you show any sign of weakness now, it could sway those who are still watching to join Eunice!¡±

    Hamoud Ali immediately looked uncertain upon hearing this.

    Since Eunice¡¯s rebellion began, Hafsa¡¯s judgment on the situation had been remarkably accurate, displaying her exceptional strategic insight.

    And, indeed, as she had pointed out, he needed to demonstrate a strong front to subdue the various forces within Tunisia.

    As for the Europeans, the navy had plundered their merchant ships, but as long as he compensated them with enough money, that should quell their anger.

    Pondering this, he looked towards Sinanidine: ¡°Qadi, take three million riyals and negotiate with the Europeans, you must save the navy.

    ¡°Also, summon the Imperial Guard to bolster the defenses of Tunis City.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Sinanidine wanted to persuade further, yet seeing his resolute attitude, he could only accept the order respectfully and depart.

    A subtle, undetectable glint flickered in Hafsa¡¯s eyes. Although she didn¡¯t know why Haji had instructed her to convince Ali to protect the navy, she had evidently succeeded.

    ¡­

    Bizerte Port was only 70 kilometers from Tunis City. After a three-day march, Bertier¡¯s Corps had already reached the outskirts of Tunis City.

    In coordination with their movement, the Combined Fleet also headed south to the Port of Tunis, leaving only one Escort Ship and a few small boats to blockade Bizerte Port¡ªafter taking the port¡¯s battery, a small number of warships could complete the blockade task.

 Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 208: Titled "Savior of Sorrows

    Chapter 258: Chapter 208: Titled ¡°Savior of Sorrows

    Bertier did not personally meet Sinanidine, who had come as an emissary, but sent someone to Ksar Hellal Palace with a list of pirates, demanding that Hamoud Ali immediately hand over the individuals.

    Under Hafsa¡¯s advice, Ali decided to take a tough stance and uncompromisingly drove the French emissary out of Tunis City.

    At the same time, a large-scale mobilization began within Tunis City.

    Because many troops had been previously dispatched to Kairouan to deal with Eunice, there were less than a thousand guards left in Tunis City. However, Sinanidine demonstrated commendable personal ability, mobilizing over 7,000 noble guards within just two days.

    To those unfamiliar with the situation in Tunisia, this might sound somewhat awkward. That is because the term ¡°Guard¡± in Tunisia does not refer to the name of an army, but is closer to a class.

    Over a hundred years ago, during the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, elite Ottoman Imperial Guards invaded North Africa, including Tunisia, Algiers, and Tripoli, and effortlessly defeated the locals, turning these places into provinces of the Ottoman Empire.

    Afterward, as the Ottoman Empire declined, the Ottoman Imperial Guards stationed in North Africa began to control these areas and gradually broke away from Ottoman rule, becoming separate ruling entities.

    The Ottoman Sultan, having no solution, simply granted them the title of ¡°Pasha,¡± similar to a governor, acknowledging their rule over various parts of North Africa.

    To prevent being assimilated by the locals, these Ottoman Imperial Guards strictly practiced intermarriage within their group, maintained Ottoman attire, customs, and other traditions, forming a unique class.

    Over the years, the Ottoman Imperial Guards became extremely wealthy by exploiting the local North Africans. The new generation of Guards, living comfortably from a young age, no longer possessed the valor of their ancestors.

    Meanwhile, fragmentation began to appear within the Guards. The lower ranks continued to undertake military duties, while those with power and influence could hire others to serve in their place, eventually developing into a system where one could be exempted from military service by paying a fee.

    Thus, the Tunisian Guard was no longer an army, but had become synonymous with the nobility.

    At present, the Tunisian Guard class numbers nearly ninety thousand people, but the actual combat forces are less than twenty thousand.

    However, nominally all members of the Guard were still soldiers, so when the Bey of Tunisia issued a mobilization order, a large number of noble guards were called up and formed into an army.

    Yet most of these individuals had hardly ever handled guns, and their military training was almost non-existent, so one could imagine their combat effectiveness.

    The next day at noon, an emissary from the Guard Corps arrived outside Tunis City, enumerated the crimes of the pirates, and vehemently denounced Hamoud Ali for collusion and sheltering pirates.

    Subsequently, Bertier ordered an attack.

    Tunis City, closely adjacent to the Port of Tunis, is a coastal city, so its defenses were primarily built against threats from the sea, with walls on only three sides¡ªthe side facing inland had almost no defense.

    However, the Guard Corps happened to be attacking from land.

    This time, unlike the landing operation needed in Bizerte, the entire corps could fully deploy. Cannons, war horses, and other equipment were all in place. It was a battle that could fully showcase the entire strength of the Guard Corps!

    Bertier could become Napoleon¡¯s chief of staff because he had an exceptional talent for troop deployment.

    He had already surveyed the nearby terrain the night before and had drawn up a detailed combat plan.

    At this moment, he stood on a mound opposite Tunis City, peering through his telescope at the dense Tunisian forces, and although he was somewhat nervous, he still ordered the artillery to begin the attack strictly according to the planned time.

    The rolling sounds of gunfire immediately entered Tunis City, and together with the news from the previous day that the European fleet had blockaded the Port of Tunis, the city was thrown into utter chaos.

    At the side gate of Ksar Hellal Palace, the guards were taken aback to see their lord¡¯s nephew, Haji, approaching with more than a dozen entourage.

    The leading guard hurriedly came forward with a salute and asked, ¡°Pasha, do you need something?¡±

    ¡°I have urgent business with the Bey,¡± Haji gestured to a person dressed as a tailor behind him, ¡°and on the way, make him a new robe.¡±

    ¡°Make a robe? Now?¡± The guard listened to the distant gunfire, a look of great confusion on his face.

    Just then, those ¡°tailors¡± suddenly surged into the palace gate, subduing the guards with their pistols. Beside the sculptures at Ksar Hellal Palace, roughly forty to fifty men armed with guns and scimitars rushed out, surrounding Haji as they continued toward the inner palace.

    Since there was conflict with the Europeans, many of the guards from Ksar Hellal Palace had been reassigned. At this time, only a few dozen guards were present, scattered throughout the palace grounds on patrol.

    Prosper personally led over a dozen special agents from the Police Affairs Department in formation at the front of the group. Whenever they saw a guard rushing over, they would immediately issue a command to stop and greet them with volley fire, then reload and continue advancing.

    With this orderly progress, they barely took more than ten minutes to escort Haji to the rear halls of Ksar Hellal Palace.

    In the end, in a bedroom on the second floor, Haji saw Hamoud Ali, dressed in casual attire, and Hafsa standing by his side.

    His eyes immediately filled with endless chill.

    Prosper instructed his men to carefully search the room, ensuring no guards were present, before withdrawing with the special agents, leaving only Haji¡¯s people in the room.

 Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 208: Dubbed "Savior of Sorrows"_2

    Chapter 259: Chapter 208: Dubbed ¡°Savior of Sorrows¡±_2

    Haji¡¯s guard immediately stepped forward and surrounded Ali, who shouted with feigned bravado, ¡°Haji, what are you doing?!¡±

    Haji did not respond but simply drew the curved saber from the guard¡¯s waist and strode towards him.

    Ali began to panic, staggering back, his voice trembling, ¡°You, why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°Seventeen years ago, you took advantage of my youth and forged my father¡¯s will, stealing my position as Bey. I could bear that!¡± Haji looked at Hafsa beside him, his voice filled with emotion, ¡°Three years ago, you even tried to take my Hafsa! I knelt and pleaded with you, yet you had me thrown out.¡±

    Haji took a few steps forward, grabbed Hafsa with one hand, and raised the curved saber with the other, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? Without her, my life is nothing!¡±

    ¡°Ah, you can take her, I¡­ I¡­¡±

    A flash of cold light interrupted Ali, as the curved saber plunged into his left side below the ribs, the tip piercing through his back.

    Haji, clenching his teeth, said emphatically, ¡°I don¡¯t need your consent! I swore three years ago that I would take her back myself!¡±

    As he spoke, he violently pulled out the saber, and Ali¡¯s crimson blood sprayed over both him and the woman.

    ¡°I did it! Look, I really did it!¡± Haji threw the saber aside, turned around, and hugged Hafsa tightly, burying his head in the nape of her neck, ¡°We can finally be together!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Hafsa nodded vigorously, ¡°I saw it! From now on, we will never be separated again!¡±

    The two embraced tightly, both with eyes brimming with tears.

    After a while, Isaac¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Haji Pasha, although I should not disturb you, time is pressing. Are you finished on your side?¡±

    Haji quickly wiped away his tears, took a deep breath, and called out loudly, ¡°Yes, Mr. Isaac, you may come in now.¡±

    Then, with Hafsa taking the lead, the guards in the palace were informed that Hamoud Ali had just been assassinated by traitors in the navy, and that he had left a will before his death appointing his nephew, Haji, as the new Bey.

    Outside Tunis City, the left wing of the Guard Corps had breached the defensive line of the Tunisian Guard, quickly triggering the collapse of the Tunisian Army.

    In fact, the Tunisian Guard was already in disarray after over ten rounds of bombardment by the artillery battalion of the Guard Corps. By this time, the latter¡¯s only two cannons had still not reached their position.

    Afterward, the Guard Corps made a feint attack on the right wing, which allowed the left wing to easily achieve the breakthrough.

    The Tunisian Army, outnumbered by double, was completely powerless, constantly fleeing and being hit.

    Just as Bertier was about to order the left wing to turn and encircle, the palace steward of the Ksar Hellal Palace came rushing from Tunis City and conveyed the new Bey¡¯s order to the Tunisian Guard: ¡°Stop resisting immediately, and let the French Army into the city.¡±

    The Tunisian officers, upon receiving the order, all heaved a sigh of relief¡ªthe army they were facing was terrifyingly efficient, with disciplined formations, fierce firepower, and proficient tactics. They had been afraid of being shot at any moment; at least now their lives were spared.

    Bertier left some men to guard the prisoners, and he himself led three battalions of soldiers to Ksar Hellal Palace to provide support to Haji.

    It should be noted, Hamoud Ali was dead, but there were certainly many among the high-ranking Tunisian officials who were loyal to him. And Haji, having been oppressed by Ali for years, had virtually no political power and would have difficulty maintaining control over these people.

    The dozen or so men from the Police Affairs Department were hardly enough to ensure Haji¡¯s safety.

    As the Guard Corps quickly controlled all the strategic points of Tunis City, officials began to make their way, either willingly or by coercion, to Ksar Hellal Palace to pay respects to the new Bey¡ªHaji.

    As for the death of Hamoud Ali, no one really cared¡ªthe officials knew he too had come to power through a conspiracy. Whether he died at the hands of the Tunisian Navy or not, whatever Haji said would be accepted as truth.

    One of the first things Haji did after taking office was to announce the disbandment of the Tunisian Navy that participated in the assassination of the previous Bey, handing over the naval officers who had engaged in piracy to France for prosecution as Pirates.

    After that, he ordered the Guard in Kairouan to continue purging the Eunice rebels and not to leave the fortress without authorization.

    On Bertier¡¯s side, he immediately began organizing the police force of Tunis City, with its members entirely composed of the local Berber population. There were many instructors from the Paris Police Academy in the corps, and they were given responsibility for the training, while also ¡°temporarily¡± holding all mid-level and senior police duties in Tunis.

    The Guard of Tunis City had been completely disarmed, and for the time being, the security of the city was temporarily managed by the Berber policemen under the guidance of the Guard Corps.

    Meanwhile, Tunisian officials were ordered to start tallying the number of white slaves and Europeans living in Tunisia.

    ¡­

    France, Paris.

    The front pages of nearly all the newspapers these past days were filled with news from North Africa.

    His Majesty the King sent out an expeditionary force which, with the support of the naval fleet, had annihilated the Barbary pirates entrenched in Tunisia within a few months. The expeditionary force rescued more than 33,000 European citizens kidnapped by the pirates and protected over a hundred thousand Christians in Tunisia from the threat of piracy.

    In the streets of Paris, people excitedly discussed the events in Tunisia: ¡°A distant cousin of mine disappeared suddenly five years ago. It was not until he was recently rescued by the expeditionary force that we discovered he had been taken by the pirates!¡±

 Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 208: Named "Savior of Sorrows"_3

    Chapter 260: Chapter 208: Named ¡°Savior of Sorrows¡±_3

    ¡°These accursed pirates! Thank goodness His Majesty¡¯s grand army has wiped them out!¡±

    ¡°I heard that this time around nearly a thousand pirates were captured, and a large number of pirate ships were seized, which is just fantastic!¡±

    ¡°Long live the King! He truly is the greatest king!¡±

    ¡°Ah, have you seen what¡¯s reported in the newspaper? The Pope has proclaimed His Majesty as ¡®Savior of Sorrows¡¯, thanking him for the blessings he brought to countless Catholics!¡±

    Of course, this title was the result of Joseph¡¯s people communicating with Pope Pius VI. The Pope also wanted to use this opportunity to enhance the prestige of the Holy See and to please France, so why not?

    In the circles of wealthy nobles and factory owners, what concerned them was the news that ¡°after sincere exchanges between His Majesty¡¯s diplomats and the new Bey of Tunisia, a series of agreements have been signed.¡±

    In a salon of the Louvre District, a group of nobles were heatedly discussing: ¡°I hear now we can buy land in Tunisia?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw it as well; it was reported in the Paris Commercial News, and the land prices are very cheap.¡±

    ¡°I have a relative who trades with North Africa. He told me that the land in Tunisia is incredibly fertile, allowing for three wheat harvests a year!¡±

    ¡°These past few years, France has constantly been troubled by droughts and hailstorms; perhaps buying some land in Tunisia wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice.¡±

    ¡°All you think about is farming? Right now, Tunisia has almost reduced the customs duties for French goods to zero. You could make a fortune by just shipping over a bit of wine or clothing!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Viscount Hoien is gathering funds to buy two ships for trade with North Africa. Anyone interested in investing?¡±

    At the Palace of Versailles, Mirabeau and a few industrial system officials walked out of the office, looking somewhat exhausted. They had just finished discussing how to make use of the agreement that allowed the French to build factories in Tunisia to expand their industrial scale; now they were off to attend the ball hosted by Queen Mary to celebrate the successful eradication of the pirates.

    The Hall of Mirrors was filled with lively music and crowded with nobles who had come to join the ball. These celebratory balls were very popular because the King and Queen were bound to be in very good spirits, often bestowing generous amounts of Gold Coins on the attendees.

    Queen Mary, with an exaggerated hairstyle towering on her head, took Louis XVI¡¯s arm and gracefully proceeded to the front wooden steps of the Hall of Mirrors.

    The ladies were all discussing the Queen¡¯s trendy hairstyle. It was a huge ship, taking up almost her entire head, and its height even surpassed her face.

    ¡°Oh, Her Majesty always sets the trend! That hairstyle is simply beautiful!¡±

    ¡°Oh God, that¡¯s a warship!¡±

    ¡°Madame Xisneros, do you recognize what ship that is?¡±

    As the wife of a naval officer, Madame Xisneros had some knowledge on the topic and immediately answered: ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that should be the flagship of the Combined Fleet, the Avant-Garde.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said that the King himself crafted that headpiece.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that is so romantic! If a man made such a ship for me, I¡¯d marry him on the spot!¡±

    The Queen¡¯s lady-in-waiting clapped her hands to signal everyone to be quiet, then curtsied and stepped back two paces.

    Queen Mary, smiling, raised her hands and then, full of admiration, looked towards her husband beside her and loudly said, ¡°Let us pay our highest respects to the great ¡®Savior of Sorrows¡¯!¡±

    The nobles immediately erupted with praise: ¡°Long live the Savior of Sorrows!¡±

    ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    Louis XVI, finding himself the center of attention, felt somewhat uneasy and rubbed his forehead, thinking that he hadn¡¯t really done much at all; why was the Pope being so generous?

 Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 209 North Africa Development Plan

    Chapter 261: Chapter 209 North Africa Development Plan

    As the nobility in the Hall of Mirrors finished their curtsies, the murmurs of admiration gradually faded, Queen Mary turned to Joseph, her expression filled with indulgence and pride:

    ¡°And my excellent son, your Crown Prince! As everyone knows, the plan to strike against the Barbary pirates in North Africa was first proposed by him, and he provided many key suggestions for its concrete implementation. In the end, we have welcomed this great victory!¡±

    Yes, indeed, bringing up her husband first was just to save King¡¯s face; the one she really wanted to praise from the beginning was her darling son.

    Remembering her son¡¯s various excellent performances, she couldn¡¯t help but smile¡ªfirst, her son said that he would join forces with the United States to fight the pirates, thus saving France a substantial amount of money, and he also earned the gratitude of both America and Russia.

    Later, her son suggested last month to deploy the newly formed Bertier¡¯s Corps to North Africa for support. She had thought they were going there to assist the navy, only to find out that this small corps of 3000 men had directly stormed the pirates¡¯ stronghold, and along the way helped the young king of Tunisia reclaim his throne, winning immense benefits for France in Tunisia.

    Indeed, the Queen was only aware of the 3000 troops from Bertier¡¯s Corps sent to North Africa. As for the more than 1100 police academy students, they were sent on an overseas vacation funded by the Crown Prince, and they had not reported back to her at all.

    The nobility in the Hall of Mirrors immediately bowed to Joseph again, showering him with endless praise:

    ¡°The Crown Prince will bring a bright future to France!¡±

    ¡°Praise be to the Son of Providence!¡±

    ¡°France¡¯s most outstanding Crown Prince¡­¡±

    ¡°His Highness is the embodiment of talent and wisdom¡­¡±

    Joseph, though he had become somewhat immune to such flattery through almost a year of ¡°training,¡± still felt chills running down his spine at this moment.

    On the other hand, Louis XVI was patting his son on the shoulder with utmost pride, looking even happier than when he himself was being praised by everyone earlier.

    And as for the Queen, she had only one thought repeating in her heart: with such exceptional judgment and talent, my son truly lives up to my bloodline¡­

    The young noblewomen in the great hall looked at Joseph with eyes full of admiration and infatuation¡ªthe Crown Prince was indeed the most outstanding, the most handsome and appealing, the most perfect dream lover!

    And compared to last year, His Highness had even more of something.

    Indeed, he seemed to have grown a bit taller, more robust, and even his Adam¡¯s apple stood out more prominently! Obviously¡­

    As the girls thought of this, their cheeks turned crimson, the Crown Prince was clearly ¡°ripe.¡±

    So, what method should they use to be the first to entice him into their beds? After all, he didn¡¯t yet have an official mistress!

    They had already automatically ignored Clementine, who was trying to look ferocious next to the Crown Prince. After observing for a few months, everyone realized that the little princess from Tuscany only seemed fierce but was actually quite amiable, and most importantly, not very cunning.

    Therefore, the girls¡¯ minds became more active again¡ªafter all, at the Palace of Versailles, the position of the Crown Princess was the Crown Princess, and that of a mistress was a mistress. Everybody could negotiate and come to a pleasant agreement¡­

    As everyone¡¯s praises died down, Louis XVI, joining hands with Queen Mary, came to the center of the great hall and began the opening dance to the tune of Handel¡¯s ¡°Water Music.¡±

    A young nobleman in a brown coat, standing at the back of the many nobles, gazed at the grand celebration with some confusion and muttered to himself:

    ¡°Just because they caught more pirates than usual, is it necessary to hold such an extravagant ceremony? It wasn¡¯t like this when pirates were caught in the past¡­¡±

    A middle-aged nobleman nearby heard him and quickly corrected him:

    ¡°This celebration is not just for the eradication of pirates. Look, France hardly spent a franc, sent just 3000 soldiers, yet obtained enormous benefits in North Africa.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± his portly companion nodded, ¡°According to the reports sent back, we will be able to buy land in Tunisia, set up factories. Moreover, France now has most-favored-nation status in Tunisian tariffs[Note 1].¡±

    He said with a laugh: ¡°You could say that apart from not having official appointment authority, it¡¯s almost like a French colony.¡±

    The nobleman with the brown coat¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°I see now! That really calls for a celebration. It has been quite some time since France gained overseas benefits, due to British interference, since the Seven Years¡¯ War!¡±

    The fat nobleman continued: ¡°Moreover, Tunisia is a great place, fertile land, abundant in iron and olives, quite a wealthy region indeed.¡±

    ¡°It seems that, in a few years, it will bring great profits to France. Our Finance Minister will certainly be very happy.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Truly, God blesses our King, God blesses France!¡±

    ¡°God bless our King!¡±

    Unlike the majority in the great hall, a small group of nobles with a military background near the orchestra appeared less joyful.

    A military officer spoke under his breath: ¡°Does anyone know the background of this Bertier¡¯s Corps?¡±

    His companion also lowered his voice: ¡°It seems that Bertier was previously under General Custine, then was recommended by Breti and took up a position in Paris. After the issue with the French Guards, he took over some of their men, forming this corps.¡±

    ¡°It appears he must be quite wealthy, otherwise how could he have climbed the ranks so fast¡­¡±

    An officer around fifty, with deeply-lined eyes, interrupted him bitterly: ¡°I don¡¯t care about his background; I just want to know, how dare he lead troops to North Africa without notifying us?! I heard that even Marquis Saint Priest wasn¡¯t aware of his deployment!¡±

 Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 209 North Africa Development Plan_2

    Chapter 262: Chapter 209 North Africa Development Plan_2

    ¡°`

    These military nobles had long since formed a ¡°community of interest,¡± monopolizing the army¡¯s resources and ensuring that any substantial military maneuver had to pass through their consultation to proceed.

    Otherwise, the troops wouldn¡¯t budge, or the involved officers would be ostracized, or you could find a 1 million livres campaign costing 5 million and still failing.

    ¡°It was the Royal Family who directly ordered the movement,¡± another officer said, ¡°without going through the Minister of War.¡±

    ¡°How could this be allowed?!¡± the general with crow¡¯s feet at the corners of his eyes said somewhat agitatedly, ¡°We must never set this precedent! I mean, allowing the Royal Family to use force at their whim¡­¡±

    Surrounding people hurriedly signaled him to be quiet, fortunately, the music was loud enough that no other nobles heard.

    Even without considering political factors, if it were their people sent to fight in North Africa, they would at least get a cut of a hundred million livres.

    But since Bertier had gone without them, that money had gone down the drain.

    The other generals nodded in agreement: ¡°The Royal Family is trying to bypass us.¡±

    ¡°We must prevent the Royal Family from controlling the army!¡±

    However, a slightly younger officer gestured dismissively: ¡°General Astou, you really needn¡¯t be so worried.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a small corps of 3,000 men, they can¡¯t do much.¡±

    ¡°Like this time, if it weren¡¯t for their good luck in happening upon a Tunisian coup, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter Tunis City with their meager forces.¡±

    ¡°In future, when facing a real large-scale campaign, the Royal Family will still have to come to us. Then, we can certainly negotiate terms with the Royal Family concerning the affiliation of Bertier¡¯s Corps.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t that solve everything?¡±

    After the King and Queen¡¯s opening dance, Joseph followed the tradition and danced the second segment. His partner, of course, was Clementine.

    It was still the simplest sarabande dance, and the two people with the obvious height difference thus held their heads high, posing in various shapes while politely circling each other.

    It was undoubtedly the most awkward dance of the evening.

    Once the dance was over, Joseph immediately escaped to a quiet corner. Soon, Mirabeau, who likewise wasn¡¯t very fond of dancing, joined him and started discussing the investment plans for Tunisia.

    Technically, this task should have been managed by the Minister of the Interior, but Joseph knew Mono¡¯s capabilities, so he had Mirabeau lead the planning and would later present it directly for Cabinet approval.

    However, as Joseph heard Mirabeau speaking of ¡°three to four years¡± and ¡°plans to have 50,000 people moving to Tunisia,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    According to his vision, it would be best if, by next year, Tunisia could yield a large amount of grain to alleviate France¡¯s food shortage. If there could also be some industrial and trade revenue scale, so much the better.

    But if it would take three to four years just to move 50,000 people, that would be almost ineffective.

    ¡°Can we accelerate the speed and scale of this immigration?¡± he asked Mirabeau.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is the fastest plan we have come up with after research,¡± Mirabeau said, troubled, ¡°As you know, although land is cheap in Tunisia, buying large parcels costs a considerable amount. And with the long journey to an unfamiliar land, travel and settling costs are significant. With no returns for the first half-year, people without a certain level of wealth simply cannot afford to go there.

    ¡°And few wealthy individuals are willing to leave France, given that North Africa¡¯s environment is not that comfortable. Only after the first group makes money and word gets back home, would more capable people be willing to take the risk, but it would certainly take time to reach scale.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph fell silent.

    It seemed he had oversimplified things.

    The real world was nothing like a game; you couldn¡¯t just swipe a mouse and have hundreds of thousands of people instantly follow orders.

    Getting each living person to take their savings and take a chance on an unfamiliar land was something the vast majority were unwilling to do.

    Could it be that the achievements in North Africa simply couldn¡¯t be turned into profits in a short time?

    He searched his mind for all cases of immigration, when suddenly his face lit up. The scale of the American migration, a century later, wasn¡¯t that the perfect example? He could completely follow their Western expansion plan and implement a North African expansion plan.

    ¡°`

    Joseph organized his thoughts before saying to Mirabeau, ¡°Perhaps, we can look at the problem from a different angle.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Since the rich are unwilling to endure the hardships in North Africa, let the poor go instead!¡±

    Mirabeau was taken aback and shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, this is hardly feasible¡­ The poor can¡¯t even afford the necessary travel expenses.¡±

    ¡°The government will provide loans to support them.¡± Joseph suggested, following the Americans¡¯ approach and considering the current situation in France, ¡°Travel expenses, money for seeds, money for agricultural tools, and even the living expenses for the first half of the year, all of it could be loaned to French farmers by the banks. Do you think 300 livres per person would be enough?¡±

    ¡°That should be more than necessary, Your Highness, a little over 200 livres would suffice. If we organize a fleet to transport them in large scale, it could cost even less.¡±

    ¡°Very good.¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°As for the land, the banks will fund the purchase from the Tunisians and give it directly to the farmers to cultivate. After 10 years of cultivation, the land would belong to them. In the meantime, they only need to pay a portion of the grain yield to the government each year.¡±

    ¡°The land in Tunisia is fertile; they should be able to pay back the loans quickly with their harvests.¡±

    Mirabeau exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Your Highness, this would mean the government would have to spend a lot of money¡­ probably tens of millions of livres.¡±

    ¡°It would be worth it!¡±

    Joseph knew that the drought in the next couple of years would lead to a massive reduction in crops. By the middle of next year at the latest, an unavoidable famine would occur. By then, the government would still need to spend a lot of money to buy food for disaster relief.

    It would be better to invest some of the money in Tunisia now, as the increased grain yield could also be used to deal with the famine. Plus, it would be a stable source of food ¡ª with plenty of sunshine and rainfall there, it was possible to harvest three times a year with minimal effort.

    ¡°Before long, the rich produce of Tunisia should recoup the initial investment.¡±

    Mirabeau pondered and slowly nodded, indeed as the Crown Prince had said. If the number of French people in Tunisia increased, the development of the abundant iron goods, olives, livestock could commence due to the market demand. This could eventually extend to the whole of North Africa.

    He suddenly thought of a problem, ¡°Your Highness, such a big investment, I fear our finances might not be able to support it¡­¡±

    ¡°Leave that to me.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help sighing lightly, considering setting up a Tunis Development Fund first to attract private investment, but he was unsure about the domestic capital interest in North Africa.

    If it really came down to it, they could issue a batch of high-interest bonds. Thankfully, France¡¯s debt had been somewhat relieved; looking at the current financial situation, it should still be just about manageable.

    But that meant the recently lowered interest rates for national debt would rise again.

    Ah, money, why is it so hard to earn?

    ¡­

    England.

    London.

    The parliamentary hall of St. James¡¯s Palace.

    ¡°Clearly, the French have pulled the wool over our eyes,¡± a bespectacled member of Parliament glanced towards the Foreign Minister, Duke of Leeds, his tone laced with irony, ¡°We spent 400,000 British Pounds to fortify the coastal defenses of the utterly unrelated North African ¡®neighbor,¡¯ Algiers, oh, and a few dozen cannons too.¡±

    ¡°And now we can only watch as France reaps benefits in Tunisia almost equivalent to those of a colony.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds clenched his fist under the table, these Whig Party fellows were enjoying themselves in their mansions in London while he was being blasted by the Mediterranean sea breeze, dining on salt meat and sour wine.

    Now they had the audacity to blame him!

    His eyelid twitched, but he adopted a smiling demeanor, ¡°Mr. James, I believe you¡¯re mistaken, it was 360,000 British Pounds, I didn¡¯t spend the entire budget.¡±

    [Note 1] Most favored nation status means that if Country A enjoys most favored nation treatment from Country B, then any trade preferences and exemptions given to any other country by B must also be given to A. Simply put, this means that the import tariffs B charges A will be lower than those charged to anyone else.

 Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 210: The Traditional Performing Arts of the Great Ying Empire

    Chapter 263: Chapter 210: The Traditional Performing Arts of the Great Ying Empire

    ¡°Ha, thank you for saving Great Britain up to 40,000 British Pounds in expenditures!¡±

    As the opposition party¡¯s ¡°strongest firepower,¡± Charles James Fox snorted, stood up, and sarcastically said, ¡°But this little ¡®contribution¡¯ can hardly make up for the huge losses we have suffered in North Africa due to the strategic errors of you and the Prime Minister.¡±

    Speaking, he gestured to the hundreds of members of Congress behind him: ¡°I think the Tory Party must give Congress an explanation for this!¡±

    The Tory Party was currently the ruling party of England.

    However, they did not have much of an advantage over the Whig Party in terms of support, largely because King George III had a special preference for young William Pitt and used the influence of the Royal Family to strongly promote him to the position of Prime Minister.

    The Whig Party had always been unhappy with this, so since young William Pitt took office, they seized every opportunity to attack the Tory Party.

    The Duke of Leeds took a deep breath and told himself that what was expected had come at last, and luckily, he had discussed countermeasures with the Prime Minister yesterday. Now it was time for his performance.

    He glanced subtly at the head of the Intelligence Department next to him and then raised his hand to interrupt Fox:

    ¡°Respected Member Fox, before you rush to accuse me, please clarify the actual situation first.¡±

    ¡°The actual situation?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The Duke of Leeds confidently nodded, ¡°The current situation in North Africa is completely under the control of the Prime Minister and myself. We have long received reports and are aware of the French movements in Tunisia. Right, Mr. Butler?¡±

    The head of intelligence immediately stood up:

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We discovered the French¡¯s actions months ago.¡±

    The members of Congress, upon hearing this, began to murmur amongst themselves.

    Of course, in reality, the Duke of Leeds knew nothing of France¡¯s Tunisian strategy and had only learned of the dramatic changes there from recent French newspapers. However, as politicians, lying was a basic skill.

    ¡°Control?¡± Fox sneered disdainfully, ¡°Do you mean watching the French gain enormous benefits in Tunisia?¡±

    The Duke of Leeds immediately responded loudly:

    ¡°No, why would you think the French are profiting? On the contrary, the current situation in Tunisia is the opportunity I have been waiting for!¡±

    Fox gave him a dismissive look:

    ¡°Did you drink before you came here? Look at the nonsense you¡¯re spouting!¡±

    Unperturbed, the Duke of Leeds raised his fists and spoke passionately: ¡°Right now, we have the opportunity to repay the French in North Africa for all that they¡¯ve done to us in North America!

    ¡°No one knows the serious dangers of colonial uprisings better than we do. Tunisia is like a dangerous swamp crawling with countless crocodiles, and the French are like inexperienced hunters who have stepped into it.

    ¡°They only have a force of 3,000 men there. We just need to startle those beasts, and we could take their lives!¡±

    A member of Congress named James asked subconsciously, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    The Duke of Leeds spread his hands: ¡°The details of the operation cannot be disclosed for the time being. You may apply to the Prime Minister for permission to learn about them.¡±

    This was a common practice. The British could get insider information from French Cabinet meetings attended by only a few ministers, and France could easily gather intelligence from among the hundreds of British members of Congress. So precise plans were not spoken of during Congressional inquiries.

    Fox shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the contents of the plan. I just want to know how much time your grand Tunisian plan will require and what kind of result it will produce.¡±

    ¡°One year, no, even just a few months, and the French will be rolling out of Tunisia,¡± the Duke of Leeds declared confidently, ¡°Or alternatively, the French Government would have to invest huge funds there, eventually completely dragging down their finances.¡±

    The British members of Congress all roughly understood¡ªthe management of colonies was costly, especially when mired in security wars, yielding no profit while continuously draining money. When the Americans revolted for independence, Britain was in such a predicament, and now, it was time for the French to taste something similar.

    The Whigs finally paused their attacks, with Fox ending with a threat:

    ¡°I look forward to your success. But if the Tunisian issue is still unresolved, I think you should take responsibility and resign.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds smiled easily, ¡°Of course, but that will depend on Mr. Hollis¡¯ performance.¡±

    George Hollis was the British Consul in Tunisia and also a member of the Whig Party.

    Without waiting for Fox to say anything more, the Duke of Leeds immediately added, ¡°Oh, and to better deal with the French in Tunisia, we will need some funding. Perhaps about 300,000 British Pounds¡­¡±

    ¡­

    To the southwest of Tunisia, Gafsa.

    ¡°These damned bastards!¡± Hollis, wrapped in a white turban, wearing a pale yellow Arab-style robe, cursed under the scorching sun, ¡°You fight for power in London, yet you¡¯ve gambled my future away!¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency, the Consul, what did you say?¡± The tall middle-aged Englishman dressed similarly, sitting opposite in the open carriage, leaned forward and asked.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I meant, fortunately, the Tunisians are very wary of Europeans, so we should not have a hard time convincing them to oppose the French,¡± Hollis replied.

    ¡°True indeed,¡± the tall middle-aged man nodded, ¡°Besides, their Imperial Guard was just beaten up by the French; they are bound to be resentful.¡±

    ¡°And the new Bey of Tunisia, who clearly lacks ruling power. This should all be good news for us.¡±

    The two engaged in casual conversation, jostling along the rugged path for another half hour until the carriage finally stopped in front of a domed mansion to the south of a town.

 Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 210: The Traditional Performing Arts of the Great Ying Empire_2

    Chapter 264: Chapter 210: The Traditional Performing Arts of the Great Ying Empire_2

    The Berber servant who came to greet them, upon receiving the silver coins from Hollis, immediately led them courteously into the villa.

    Afterward, Hollis met with the highest Commander of the Tunisian Guard in this area, who was akin to the mayor¡ªUquz.

    Sitting on an exquisite wool carpet in the living room, Hollis exchanged pleasantries with Uquz in fluent Arabic before diving straight into the heart of the matter: ¡°Pasha, the French disarmed nearly ten thousand courageous warriors of the Tunisian Guard outside of Tunis City, this is a complete humiliation to the entire Tunisian Guard! We absolutely cannot tolerate this indignity!¡±

    Uquz nodded indifferently, humoring him out of respect for the several thousand silver coins he had brought, ¡°The navy provoked them, yet they targeted the Imperial Guard, this is truly outrageous!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s why we must take our revenge on those French people fiercely!¡±

    However, Uquz immediately shook his head: ¡°How could my few men possibly defeat them?¡±

    Hollis hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to confront them directly. Just attack French merchant caravans every now and then and burn down French factories, houses, and the like under cover of darkness.

    ¡°If the French send troops, just claim complete ignorance and pretend to agree to help capture the bandits. They will soon leave. They have only 3000 men in Tunisia and can¡¯t handle these troubles.¡±

    He directly copied all the attack methods the British had experienced in America.

    Still appearing uninterested, Uquz said, ¡°But there is still a great risk¡­¡±

    Seeing this, Hollis had no choice but to pull out his trump card: ¡°To support the vengeance of the Guard, I can offer you 2000 riyals of funding.¡±

    A riyal is a gold coin slightly smaller than a British Pound, and 2000 riyals are worth about 44,000 livres.

    Hollis saw that the imperial officer seemed somewhat moved and signaled to the Englishman who had come with him: ¡°This is Mr. Robert. He will come to assess your rebellion regularly, leaving you with monthly expenses from 500 to 1000 riyals.¡±

    Uquz immediately showed a smile, clenching his fist and saying: ¡°I¡¯ve long had an eye on those French people! Rest assured, I will certainly make them pay!¡±

    After leaving the Guard officer, Hollis immediately rushed to the villages outside the city, where he visited a large tribe of the Berbers.

    ¡°Respected Clan Leader, you cannot let the French deceive you.¡± Hollis said earnestly, ¡°They say they¡¯re buying land, but they definitely won¡¯t pay.

    ¡°Moreover, the French have a kind of sorcery that allows their cultivated land to take away the ¡®vitality¡¯ of nearby lands. If they plant here, in a few years, your neighboring lands will yield nothing!¡±

    The Clan Leader with light brown skin frowned: ¡°Are you speaking the truth?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Hollis said, ¡°For the future of your tribe, you must find every way possible to drive out those French settlers!

    ¡°I know it might bring you trouble, but a kindly Pasha is willing to offer you 200 riyals to compensate for the losses due to conflicts with the French.¡±

    ¡°But I heard that the Bey has already ordered cooperation with the French¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, the Bey¡¯s Imperial Guard has already been crushed, there¡¯s no need to fear them.¡±

    Before long, the British Consul left the Berber tribe and continued to his next ¡°stirring¡± duty in the next city.

    ¡­

    Tunis City.

    The French Consul in Tunisia, Baron Joann, straightened his hat and stepped into Ksar Hellal Palace.

    Upon seeing him, the current Bey Haji greeted him cheerfully: ¡°Mr. Joann, your prediction has come true! The Eunice rebels were utterly defeated a few days ago, Koja has already led the troops to chase the remaining hundred or so fugitives into the desert to the south.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, Bey.¡± Joann was not at all surprised by this.

    After cutting off Eunice¡¯s ammunition and funding supplies, the rebels¡¯ disadvantages in numbers and terrain became evident, and Koja wore them down within a month.

    On the side, Hafsa was beaming with happiness as she directed the maids to set out fruit drinks. She had officially married Haji a few days prior, and the two were finally united.

    Haji had finished delivering the good news and began to ask Baron Joann some questions about taxation and the appointment and dismissal of officials. Mediocre in his personal abilities and completely lacking a political base, he had only thirty or so servants and now relied entirely on the French military to make an impression, even entrusting the policing of his palace to recruits from the Paris Police Academy. Therefore, for any matter, big or small, he would consult with Joann.

    It was not until dusk fell that Baron Joann left the Ksar Hellal Palace, only to immediately see Ameti, the newly appointed immigration officer, approaching with an anxious expression.

    ¡°Do you have any issues?¡±

    Ameti tipped his hat briefly as a gesture and said in haste, ¡°Baron Joann, a newly built workshop southeast of Bizerte was set aflame, and three people have died.¡±

    Joann immediately frowned. Tunisia had recently seen dozens of incidents where French people were attacked. These were the more serious cases; sporadic attacks that hadn¡¯t been recorded were likely even more numerous.

    ¡°Have you found out who did it?¡±

    ¡°Not yet¡­ You know, we are severely understaffed¡­ Also, I¡¯ve heard rumors that the Imperial Guards are planning to take revenge on us.¡±

    As the two talked, they walked towards the residence across the street. Upon arriving at the entrance, Ameti¡¯s assistant rushed over and handed him a letter without even remembering to salute: ¡°Sir, it seems a merchant convoy was plundered in Sousse; seven French and three Sardinian people were killed¡­¡±

    Joann¡¯s expression turned grave: ¡°It seems we must report back to the homeland.¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    In the corridors of the Palace of Versailles, Joseph listened with a gloomy face as Joann next to him reported the situation in Tunisia¡ªfor things had gotten somewhat out of control, and the latter had returned to Paris the day before.

    ¡°The Tunisian Guard is threatening to attack all French people?¡± Joseph frowned and looked at Joann, ¡°Have they begun to assemble an army?¡±

    ¡°They have not.¡±

    ¡°Who is calling them together?¡±

    ¡°There seems to be no clear leader.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph was somewhat surprised, ¡°With no one to rally them, why would the Tunisian Guard take such unified action? I heard you just now say the attacks are happening frequently all over Tunisia.¡±

    Joann said with a pained look, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s not just the Imperial Guard, there also seem to be Berber tribes attacking French farmers who have gone there to cultivate the land.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the newly appointed Bey issue a decree forbidding the attacks on French people?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ Your Highness, in truth, his edicts only carry weight within Tunis City, and that¡¯s only because Colonel Bertier¡¯s legion is stationed there.¡±

    ¡°This situation is quite troublesome,¡± Joseph shook his head privately. It sounded as if they were about to be embroiled in a full-scale security conflict.

    But no, he thought rapidly, if the ruler of Tunisia had no appeal and the region was far from a national awakening, it was virtually impossible for there to be spontaneous resistance to foreign powers.

    Therefore, it was very likely that someone was instigating this behind the scenes.

    Who could it be? An influential officer in the Tunisian Guard? Someone from the Ottoman Empire? A British person? An individual from Algiers?

    He rubbed his forehead. Regardless of the instigator, they had to find a way to stabilize the situation in Tunisia.

    After asking Joann some detailed questions about Tunisia, the two had already arrived at the golden doors of the conference hall.

    The guards on either side were busy opening the doors for him, then stood at attention to either side.

    Inside the conference hall, several Cabinet Ministers had clearly already been informed of the situation in North Africa and were discussing it in low voices.

    Soon, Queen Mary also arrived, and after everyone rose to salute, the Cabinet meeting centered on the Tunisian issue officially began.

    Mirabeau, responsible for Tunisian immigration affairs, was the first to rise and speak, ¡°Clearly, the news from Tunisia has spread domestically. In the last week, almost no one has applied to go to Tunisia, and even some people who have reached Marseille waiting to embark have begun to return home¡­¡±

 Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 212: Layout Wiring, Cast the Net

    Chapter 267: Chapter 212: Layout Wiring, Cast the Net

    ¡°`

    Ottoman Empire.

    Constantinople.

    Said walked past the guards who were bowing their heads in salute on both sides with a gloomy expression, then turned to glance back at the Topkapi Palace, feeling increasingly desolate.

    Just now, the Sultan had appointed him as a special envoy to ¡°inspect¡± Tunisia.

    A few years ago, this would have been a coveted position that many envied¡ªtypically, fringe provinces like Tunisia would treat the Sultan¡¯s envoy well and give him a substantial amount of ¡°travel expenses¡± upon departure.

    However, this mission was doomed to be devoid of such benefits.

    The empire was facing a critical situation in Ochakov. That Potemkin from Russia had a large army pressing hard, and the important fortress on the northern shore of the Black Sea could fall at any time.

    Moreover, with the previous crushing defeat at the Battle of Fidonisi Island, the empire was now facing an extremely grim situation, with its finances, military, and other aspects stretched to the breaking point.

    And at such a crucial time, a coup had erupted in Tunisia.

    The Pasha appointed by the empire, Hamoud Ali, was killed, and his nephew Haji declared himself the successor, yet he had not followed the usual protocol of seeking investiture from the empire to be Pasha, which had undermined the empire¡¯s dignity.

    It was against this backdrop that the Sultan had chosen him to go to Tunisia.

    Said sighed; there wasn¡¯t even a budget for this mission, and he had to dig into his own pockets.

    Moreover, according to the empire¡¯s usual practice, if he couldn¡¯t get Haji to apologize to the Sultan and request to be recognized as Pasha, he would most likely be executed for ¡°incompetence and insulting the imperial dignity¡±¡­

    He got into his palanquin with the assistance of his servant, mentally calculating his family fortune. He could probably take out 30,000 sultanis, wondering if this small favor would be enough to ¡°persuade¡± Haji.

    Ha! What an irony, the Sultan¡¯s envoy now had to bribe a Pasha of a border province¡­

    United States.

    Philadelphia.

    Outside Independence Hall, about two or three thousand citizens were excitedly shouting slogans and waving vigorously towards Congress Hall.

    Hamilton stood in front of the second-floor window, watching the scene outside with satisfaction, feeling that the more than 200,000 US dollars spent before were well worth it.

    The news from the Mediterranean yesterday was that, with the help of France and the Netherlands, the US fleet had eradicated the Barbary pirates of Tunisia, significantly improving the safety of the Mediterranean sea lanes in the future.

    And he, as the congressman who had strongly advocated for the special funding to fight the pirates, had gained a wealth of political prestige.

    Madison, also a member of the ¡°Federalist Party,¡± approached and, gesturing towards the window, laughed:

    ¡°Mr. Hamilton, you are now a legendary hero in Philadelphia! Ah, ¡®Pirate Judge,¡¯ just listen to the nickname everyone is giving you.¡±

    He lowered his voice a little, ¡°Looking at this momentum, you might even have a shot at the presidential seat.¡±

    ¡°Ha, you jest. My reputation is still far from enough,¡± Hamilton said with a laugh, waving his hand. Yet the title of ¡°Pirate Judge¡± did stir something within him.

    The navy had reported that the French had captured thousands of pirates and offered to sell them to the US at a price of 2000 US dollars each.

    That money could buy five sturdy male slaves. But the fleet commander at that time thought it was too expensive and didn¡¯t buy any.

    Hamilton shook his head privately; that fool definitely should have bought a hundred or so pirates, conduct a public trial, and then hang them in front of everyone. That way, his title of ¡°Pirate Judge¡± would indeed suit him!

    Those fervent and proud citizens outside, perhaps, could give him a pleasant surprise in next year¡¯s presidential elections¡­

    With this thought, he turned to Madison:

    ¡°I will submit an appropriation request to purchase the Barbary pirates in Congress, please support me.¡±

    Netherlands, Amsterdam.

    Sir Joseph York, the British ambassador to the Netherlands, walked out of the Congress building with a stern face.

    At the recently concluded provincial union Congress, the Dutch did not condemn France¡¯s actions in North Africa as Britain had hoped.

    Instead, they issued a statement saying that free trade in the Mediterranean had been better protected recently, which included Dutch contributions.

    York cursed under his breath; everyone knew that the Dutch ship was just assisting the French, which was clearly a form of support for France!

    Although the Dutch were intimidated by Britain, they were deeply resentful of British high-handedness. Therefore, they were very willing to seize such minor incidents to annoy Britain.

    Then York suddenly remembered a rumor he had heard a couple of days before¡ªthe Dutch East and West India Companies were going to merge and accept French investment to establish the ¡°United East India Company.¡±

    This matter had to be ascertained as soon as possible, and if true, it must be thwarted at all costs to prevent the Netherlands from continuing to lean toward France.

    The Low Countries were a strategic ¡°bridgehead¡± for the British Empire, absolutely not to be lost!

    ¡­

    On board the ¡°Avant-garde,¡± Joseph read through the ¡°Origin Analysis of Tunisia¡± with a smile on his face.

    Mr. Saint Pierre¡¯s writing was undoubtedly excellent; he interwove history, various legends, and even myths skillfully into one narrative, making the story very vivid¡­

    No, it was a record of Tunisia¡¯s colorful history.

    He handed the manuscript to Isaac, the ¡°North Africa expert,¡± asking him to review it and, if there were no issues, to translate it into Arabic and Berber as soon as possible, and then print it in large quantities.

    To increase efficiency, he even brought a printing press and craftsmen on board.

    Another day passed, and the fleet arrived at the Port of Tunis.

    Bertier and a group of officers had already arrived at the dock to welcome them. However, as Joseph had requested that his identity not be disclosed, there were almost no soldiers there.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 212 Wiring, Spreading the Net_2

    Chapter 268: Chapter 212 Wiring, Spreading the Net_2

    The landing craft moored and steadied, Bertier and the others saw an exaggeratedly long gangplank extending from the ship, and shortly afterward, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince appeared before their eyes.

    After a simple welcoming ceremony, Joseph walked straight along the more-than-30-meter gangplank to the carriage that had been unloaded from the ship.

    Bertier, eyeing the strange carriage with a sealed bottom and pointed ends, pulled Kesode aside with a puzzled look and asked:

    ¡°What is this¡­ for the Prince?¡±

    The latter spread his hands helplessly and whispered:

    ¡°His Royal Highness promised the Queen that he would stay on the ship at all times. So, that is a ship. A ship mounted on a carriage.¡±

    Bertier: ¡°¡­¡±

    Half an hour later, the procession arrived at the outskirts of Tunis City, where Joseph immediately saw a vast array of tents¡ªthousands of them¡ªarranged on open ground beside the main road.

    Judging by the flags around the camp and the attire of the patrolling soldiers, it seemed to be the Tunisian Guard.

    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±

    Bertier, seated across from the ¡°ship¡±, quickly explained:

    ¡°Your Highness, these are Koja¡¯s Imperial Guard, more than twelve thousand strong. After the end of their conflict with Eunice, they have returned to Tunis City. I was worried they might cause trouble, so I had them stationed outside the city.¡±

    It was well known that the French legion had breached the defenses of a hastily assembled 7000-strong Imperial Guard in just over an hour, so Koja did not dare to engage the French Army lightly and had obediently remained outside the city.

    Bertier continued: ¡°However, these Tunisian soldiers are accustomed to living in comfort and have been clamoring to return to their homes in the city. Ah, they usually train only once every three days and spend the rest of their time away from the military camp.¡±

    Joseph immediately caught on to something and asked, ¡°So, the most combat-effective units of the Tunisian Guard are mostly here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly and said, ¡°Then let them go into the city and return home.¡±

    Bertier hastily said, ¡°Your Highness, last week Mr. Prosper and his men, disguised within the French merchant convoy, successfully repelled an attack on the convoy and captured several bandits.

    ¡°It turned out that these men were from the Tunisian Guard in the north of Kaf.

    ¡°Many pieces of evidence suggest the previous attacks on the French people were indeed the work of the Tunisian Guard.

    ¡°If we let thousands of Imperial Guards into Tunis City, they may very well¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± said Joseph. ¡°To prevent another assassination attempt on the Bey, they must deposit their weapons in the armory before entering the city.

    ¡°Additionally, we¡¯ll increase the number of Berber police and strengthen patrols; there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Only then did Bertier nod hesitantly:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    The next morning, Joan, accompanied by two men, one tall and one short, came to Joseph¡¯s temporary residence south of Tunis City.

    The taller middle-aged man had a typical Arab face, yet his attire was quite European in style. The shorter, plump man was clearly French but wore a turban and an open long robe.

    The three were led in by Eman, and upon entering, they immediately saw the wooden planks on the floor arranged in the shape of a ship.

    Joan, no longer surprised by this, came forward and bowed, pressing his hand to his chest:

    ¡°Sir, Mr. Agadon and Mr. Morel have arrived.¡±

    He then addressed the two men beside him:

    ¡°This is Mr. Joseph.¡±

    After the introductions, Joseph, following the local customs, invited the two men to sit on the rug, ordered the servants to bring drinks and pastries, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then got straight to the point:

    ¡°I hope to utilize your channels to help me transport some special items to various locations in Tunisia.¡±

    Agadon was the French-Tunisian Chamber of Commerce¡¯s top member and French descendent clothing merchant who had previously assisted the Police Affairs Department in entering Ksar Hellal Palace. He had extensive connections and resources in Tunisia.

    And the Mr. Morel beside him was his local partner, a native of Arab descent.

    Agadon had only heard from Joan that this young man before him held a prestigious status and possessed extremely high authority over affairs in Tunisia.

    Thus, he asked very politely:

    ¡°May I know what you would like me to transport?¡±

    ¡°Weapons, ammunition,¡± Joseph stated without any hesitation, ¡°and some silver coins.¡±

    Agadon and Morel exchanged a glance, their expressions immediately tensed:

    ¡°Sir, you must be aware, things have been very chaotic around Tunisia lately, and these items might get hijacked¡­¡±

    ¡°I will send men to protect you. The number won¡¯t be large, but as long as it¡¯s not a sizable Imperial Guard, it should be sufficient to handle it. Oh, and you can rest assured about the payment, it will definitely satisfy you.¡±

    Seeing the hesitation in the other party, Joseph brought out a greater temptation:

    ¡°By the way, this matter is of interest to the Royal Family. If you handle it well, I can guarantee you a place in Parisian high society.¡±

    Agadon¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. To these French-descended businessmen striving in this ¡°Barbaric land,¡± no matter how much money they made, Parisian nobility would only scornfully label them nouveaux riches.

    And their greatest dream was to become true French upper-class gentlemen. Who would want to muddle through life in a godforsaken place like North Africa?

    He nodded vigorously at once: ¡°Please rest assured, no matter the quantity of weapons¡­ Uh, I mean goods, I guarantee they will be delivered on time to the place you desire!¡±

    ¡°You can avoid the Imperial Guard¡¯s inspections?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the very basic, sir. I am perfectly clear on how to bribe those greedy fellows. Moreover, I can mobilize the power of the Chamber of Commerce; even if there¡¯s an inspection, just a little money should sort it out.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, Mr. Agadon! Allow me to express my heartfelt thanks on behalf of His Majesty the King.¡±

    ¡­

    On the outskirts of Tunis City.

    In a typical Arab-style two-story building, several well-dressed individuals were excitedly passing around two pamphlets.

    The title on the cover of the pamphlets read ¡ª ¡°An Analysis of the Origins of Tunisia.¡±

    A middle-aged man with a beard pointed vigorously at a page, saying excitedly:

    ¡°Ceilabi Xilada is absolutely right! We are Roman Descendants, with a glorious history and noble bloodlines!¡±

    The term ¡°Ceilabi¡± is a title of respect for a very well-known scholar. The Xilada he mentioned is indeed a scholar with a great influence in Tunisia.

    Another immediately added:

    ¡°These historical evidences demonstrate that we share common ancestry with countries like France and Spain, and we can completely integrate into the advanced civilization of Europe!¡±

    ¡°Look, Ceilabi mentions that many people in France consider us as their long-lost kin!¡±

    The bearded man flipped through a few pages and said in a grave tone:

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of those accursed Ottoman People, severing our ties with the Roman motherland and leading Tunisia to ruin and decline!¡±

    Joseph had truly not anticipated that there would be so many in Tunisia who were ¡°pro-French¡±.

    However, this was not surprising since there were many French people doing business in Tunisia, showcasing enviable fashion, wealth, confidence, and the strength of France itself in front of the locals. In an era where national and ethnic consciousness was extremely weak, it was easy for Tunisians to embrace pro-French sentiments.

    Initially, Joseph had simply planned to identify as many common ancestors as possible between France and Tunisia, with little expectation that many Tunisians would believe it.

    Even if he could influence 10% of the population, it would make his plans go much more smoothly.

    Yet, his historical proof of common origins gained huge popularity among many Tunisians, especially the intellectual class. No one cared about the reliability of the evidence in the text and immediately accepted the conclusion.[Note 1]

    Just like in the future, if an American scholar were to ¡°prove¡± that Filipinos and Americans share common ancestry, the latter would happily agree as well.

    [Note 1]: At this time, the main population of North Africa was Berbers, Arab descendants, and Ottoman descendants, with the latter two being standard Caucasians, not differing much in appearance from Europeans. Even among Berbers, who had slightly browner skin, their long history of interbreeding with Caucasians meant they looked like sun-tanned Caucasians.

 Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 213: Gun in Hand, Follow Me!

    Chapter 269: Chapter 213: Gun in Hand, Follow Me!

    As the scholar gathering was nearing its end, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a middle-aged man with a profound gaze and an aura of erudition, led by a servant, entered the room.

    Everyone turned to look and immediately let out excited and surprised exclamations:

    ¡°Xilada Ceilabi! How did you come here?¡±

    ¡°Ceilabi, we were just admiring your masterwork.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve written so well! There are some parts we didn¡¯t quite grasp, so please help us understand.¡±

    ¡°Please have a seat here¡­¡±

    The scholar named Xilada engaged with them somewhat wearily. He sat down on the carpet, smiling, and began discussing with a few people in the room about the relationship between the Tunisians and Rome.

    This was the third such gathering he had hurried to that day. For him, this should have been a mere transaction¡ªhe had taken a considerable sum of money to publish ¡°Tunisian Origins Analysis¡± under his own name.

    The fee was quite steep, amounting to 1000 riyals. It¡¯s worth noting that the booklet had not been approved by the religious authorities, and it was particularly critical of the Imperial Guard. He had taken a big risk.

    However, after repeated studies of the booklet, he found himself more and more in agreement with its contents and began to actively promote it all around Tunisia.

    ¡°Our origins from the mighty Eastern Roman Empire are beyond doubt,¡± Xilada quickly became the center of discussion, voicing the perspectives from the booklet, ¡°What now stands between us and civilization, prosperity, are those Ottomans!

    ¡°They slaughtered our ancestors and brutally oppressed us Roman descendants for over a hundred years!¡±

    The Ottomans he spoke of were the Tunisian Guard. In fact, in terms of the animosity toward the Guard, people in the room already agreed without his incitement. Over a hundred years before, when the Ottoman Imperial Guard invaded Tunisia, their coming was naturally accompanied by great plunder and slaughter.

    Someone cautiously inquired:

    ¡°But, Ceilabi, our Roman compatriots, the French people¡­ they are Christians. What if they force us to convert¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that won¡¯t happen.¡± Xilada assured confidently, ¡°I have been in contact with high-ranking French officials. They are all good people, very civilized and tolerant. They want to help us achieve self-government, and they guarantee not to force us to make any changes¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really fantastic!¡±

    Meanwhile, as the ¡°Francophiles¡± were excitedly discussing, Joseph was traveling in his horse-drawn carriage towards the north of Sousse.

    In the carriage, the consul stationed in Tunisia, Joan, reported the status of the ¡°identity propaganda¡± to him, then added with some concern:

    ¡°Your Highness, we have been busy for so long, but it seems no Tunisians dare to resist the Guard. I mean, French people are still being attacked by the Guard frequently. Should we not deploy troops to intimidate them first?¡±

    According to the Crown Prince¡¯s plan, the first step was to make the indigenous Tunisians feel supported by their ¡°Roman compatriots,¡± then remind them of their hatred for the Guard, and finally, encourage them to ¡°rise up¡± against the Guard.

    Joseph shook his head:

    ¡°We absolutely cannot get embroiled in a public order war; it would drag us down. It¡¯s normal that common people would be afraid of the Guard after they¡¯ve ruled Tunisia for so long. Thus, we need to provide them some ¡®incentive.¡¯

    ¡°Incentive?¡±

    ¡°People might not challenge the powerful for the sake of revenge, but they might risk it for Gold Coins.¡± Joseph smiled as he looked toward the distant Mosque, ¡°That¡¯s the reason I went to see Elder Aly.¡±

    Elder Aly was a highly influential religious leader within the Tunisian religious community, with many devoted followers. Most importantly, he was not an Ottoman, but a native Tunisian.

    An hour and a half later, at a villa outside the Mosque, Joseph pleaded earnestly:

    ¡°This will be greatly beneficial for you and your faction¡ªright now, the religious sector is dominated by the Ottomans. Expelling them, you would undoubtedly become the top religious leader in Tunisia.¡±

    The kind and benevolent-looking elder still hesitated and declined, and after politely saying goodbye, he returned to the grand Mosque with his entourage.

    Although he was somewhat moved by the idea of calling on the Tunisian natives to drive out the Ottomans, he ultimately felt the risk was too high and did not agree to the young Frenchman¡¯s suggestion.

    Watching Elder Aly¡¯s retreating figure, Joan said in a low voice:

    ¡°Your Highness, should we try threatening him?¡±

    Joseph immediately shook his head, ¡°No need. Let¡¯s try again tomorrow.¡±

    Although Joan felt that no matter how many times they tried, it would be useless with the old man¡¯s attitude, he said no more, since the Crown Prince had spoken.

    The next day, Joseph brought a few more people and met with Elder Aly again. The topic was still the same as the day before¡ªcalling on the followers to launch attacks on the Tunisian Guard. In this process, all the wealth ¡°recovered¡± from the Guard, except for land, would belong to the attackers.

    As rulers of Tunisia, the Guard held the vast majority of Tunisia¡¯s wealth. Simply raiding a high-ranking Guard official could feed several large Berber tribes for years! With such significant incentives, coupled with the call of a religious leader, it would be no surprise that the Tunisian natives would risk their lives against the Guard.

    Of course, although the current Tunisian Guard, mostly bloated and weak in combat, still controlled most of the weapons in Tunisia. If the natives wanted to challenge them, they could only seek weapons and funding from their ¡°Roman compatriots,¡± thus creating a closer emotional and financial ¡°bind.¡±

 Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 213: Gun in Hand, Follow Me!_2

    Chapter 270: Chapter 213: Gun in Hand, Follow Me!_2

    This was Joseph¡¯s ¡°sacrifice¡± plan.

    However, Elder Aly, ever cautious and prudent, once again rejected his proposal, politely hinting that the young dignitary should not come again. As a Berber who had managed to stand firm in the religious circles of Tunis controlled by the Ottoman People, he relied on this cautious approach of not sticking his neck out and not taking risks.

    Joan watched the old man leave, looking disheartened towards the Crown Prince, about to ask what to do next when he saw His Highness turn to the two ¡°guards¡± behind him:

    ¡°How about it? Are you confident?¡±

    The two men simply nodded, then immediately returned to the carriage, took out charcoal and a sketchpad, and began to sketch.

    More than ten minutes later, Joan saw a lifelike representation of Elder Aly on their drawing paper.

    ¡°Your Highness, what are you planning to do?!¡± he asked the Crown Prince in surprise.

    ¡°Since Elder Aly doesn¡¯t agree, we¡¯ll just have to agree on his behalf,¡± Joseph said with a sly smile, then ordered the carriages to proceed to a prepared house several streets away.

    The two painters entered the house and immediately set up their easels, wielding their full array of oil painting tools to continue their work.

    Joseph watched the two men busily at work and couldn¡¯t help but sigh:

    ¡°Her Majesty the Queen was truly prescient in instructing me to bring all the exclusive painters!¡±

    A few days later, an oil painting of Elder Aly calling solemnly for his followers to drive out the Imperial Guard bandits spread like wildfire throughout Tunis.

    Above the painting was an oval frame with sharp angles, which read: Drive out the Ottoman People and reclaim the wealth from them; everything but the land belongs to those who heed the call.

    The sharp point of the angle pointed directly to Elder Aly¡¯s mouth, making it clear these were his words.

    Each province had a large number of oil paintings circulating, and those printed with lithography, while less colorful, numbered in the tens of thousands.

    In less than ten days, the whole of Tunis knew that Elder Aly had ¡°declared war¡± on the Ottoman People.

    This method, Joseph had been inspired by the previous ¡°The Last Supper.¡±

    If the French people, much more educated than the Tunisians, were firm believers in the truth of what was depicted in oil paintings, then the Tunisians would undoubtedly be even more so.

    Luckily, since the 18th century, due to European influence, the entire religious world of the Ottoman Empire and North Africa no longer shunned portraits, which allowed his plan to go smoothly.

    As for whether Elder Aly would deny it?

    Not to mention that his home was currently under martial law by the Police Affairs Department, preventing ordinary people from seeing him easily, even if he could get the message out, whether people would believe a word of mouth or an oil painting that looked as real as if the person was standing right in front of them was self-evident.

    Unless Elder Aly could teleport to Tunis City and declare in public, ¡°That painting is not true,¡± the ¡°declaration of war¡± would be set in stone.

    ¡­

    Soon, the whole of Tunis started to become restless under the call of the religious leader.

    In the southern part of Bizerte, Andalusian.

    More than a dozen members of the ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± organization, around their forties or fifties, were gathered in a dimly lit hut. On the north wall hung an oil painting of Elder Aly, surrounded by a circle of religious paraphernalia.

    They were a resistance group comprised of Berbers formed to fight against the Imperial Guard. Having a history of over a hundred years, however, after such a long period, they had lost all hope of expelling the Ottoman People, and the younger generation simply did not want to join, leaving the organization on the brink of dissolution.

    It was at this time that the religious leader¡¯s ¡°declaration of war¡± came.

    This oil painting helped them recruit more than 60 members within three days, all young and strong men in their twenties and thirties, a cause for ecstatic joy.

    Zemir, the leader of ¡°Sword of Vengeance,¡± finished the prayers with the high ranks of the organization and immediately looked towards the nearest big-bearded man:

    ¡°What does the Fawaz Tribe say?¡±

    ¡°Chief Hasani agrees to join us in attacking the town¡¯s Imperial Guard. They take six-tenths of the loot,¡± the big-bearded man replied.

    Zemir nodded. The Fawaz Tribe had many more people, at least capable of fielding over 400 warriors, while his own side only had about 150 men, so it was acceptable for the other side to take the larger share. Ah, no, ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± was not after those Gold Coins, they were purely to avenge the evil Imperial Guards!

    But the big-bearded man continued:

    ¡°`

    ¡°But Chief Hasani said they only have a few scimitars, and the rest are machetes, worrying they won¡¯t stand a chance against the Imperial Guard,¡±

    he said referring to machetes as a type of farm tool used for slaughtering livestock and chopping through brush.

    Although there are only about 200 Imperial Guards in the Andalusian towns, they possess dozens of guns. If it really comes to a fight, it¡¯s hard to say who would win or lose.

    Zemir couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± had been assassinating and kidnapping Imperial Guards for years, but they only managed to gather less than 12 matchlock guns, all old models that were practically useless in aiding their allies.

    Another high-ranking member of the organization clenched his fists, grinding his teeth:

    ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? I can lead the warriors to drown those evil enemies in a sea of blood!¡±

    Zemir shook his head decidedly, just as a man with a big beard said:

    ¡°I heard that a Bey from Tunis City is willing to offer help to the warriors fighting to expel the Ottoman People.¡±

    He leaned forward, his voice lowering:

    ¡°It¡¯s said that he has many guns, even cannons. Perhaps we could go see him.¡±

    Everyone in the room instantly brightened up.

    ¡­

    Bizerte Port.

    Zemir eyed the unremarkable building across the street from a distance, then cautiously led his men inside after instructing his subordinates to reconfirm there were no ambushes surrounding them.

    This was the residence of the Bey who could provide them with weapons, information he had obtained from a French merchant.

    The agent from the Police Affairs Department, disguised as Zaganos Bey, named Isaac, received them.

    In less than an hour, Zemir emerged from the old house beaming with joy. Just now, Zaganos Bey had only asked them to agree to the concept of ¡°Roman origins¡±¡ªhe had previously read the pamphlet and had no objections to acknowledging their identity as Roman Descendants¡ªafter which Zaganos Bey promised to hand over a full 100 flintlock guns to him!

    Moreover, these weapons would be directly transported to Andalusian.

    He felt dizzy, pinching his arm three times to be sure he wasn¡¯t dreaming. With these weapons, he was confident of sweeping through the Imperial Guards in the town!

    And then to plunder all the luxurious mansions of the Ottoman People one by one!

    After Zemir and his men left, Isaac immediately instructed his subordinates to head to Andalusian to confirm the true identities of these individuals.

    ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± was a well-known anti-Imperial Guard organization in Tunisia, so Isaac allocated more weapons to them, hoping they would live up to the expectations. The guns, of course, were those previously seized from pirates and the Imperial Guard, thousands in number, and he didn¡¯t mind giving them away at all.

    Meanwhile, Zemir returned to his base and quickly made contact with Zaganos Bey¡¯s men, and five days later they unloaded the shipment of guns from a group of ¡°Olive Merchants''¡± carts.

    However, to his surprise, the Fawaz Tribe, although equipped with weapons, suddenly got cold feet, stating they needed to properly prepare for a while longer before attacking the Imperial Guard.

    Similar situations unfolded across Tunisia.

    The natives eyed the Imperial Guard with hostility, and large quantities of weapons were distributed to them through Agadon and the Chamber of Commerce. But because everyone harbored a deep fear of the Imperial Guard, no one dared to make the first move.

    In Tunis City.

    Joseph listened to Isaac¡¯s report with a frown, and couldn¡¯t help but think of the plot in ¡°Let the Bullets Fly¡±¡ªZhang Mazi raised his arm and shouted ¡°With the gun, follow me,¡± but the people of Goose Town only dared to peek out from their homes, too afraid to challenge Huang Silang¡¯s fortress, even with guns in their hands.

    He truly didn¡¯t expect the Tunisians to be this timid.

    He got up irritably and paced back and forth in the room several times, reflecting on how even the religious leaders called to action couldn¡¯t stir their courage.

    Did they really need their savior to appear before they dared to make a move?

    Hmm? Wait a minute!

    Joseph suddenly had an epiphany at that point, Right, that¡¯s exactly what to do!

    ¡°`

 Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 214: Change the Sky and the Earth

    Chapter 271: Chapter 214: Change the Sky and the Earth

    The plan set, Joseph immediately had Eman summon all the Crown Prince¡¯s exclusive attendants.

    Before long, looking at the painters, sculptors, pharmacists, acrobats, and other attendants standing in two rows before him, Joseph once again marveled, how wise his mother was to have him bring them all to Tunisia!

    Without these people, his plan would indeed be a bit difficult to implement¡ªeven if one could find such masterful experts in Tunisia, keeping things confidential would be a big issue.

    As for how to operate specifically, he didn¡¯t rack his brains much. There were already mature plans from predecessors; he just had to copy directly.

    First, he gave some simple instructions to the pharmacist and the ventriloquist, then arranged for the Police Affairs Department and the French-descended merchant Agadon to coordinate with them, before turning his attention to Mr. Brigette, the dedicated sculptor, who bore the brunt of this mission.

    ¡°It¡¯s just over ten days until the traditional Islamic festival of Ashura,¡± Joseph said to the sculptor. ¡°I need you to help me create a stone sculpture before then.

    ¡°Oh, considering transportation will take time, you actually only have about 8 days.¡±

    Mr. Brigette bowed earnestly and asked:

    ¡°Your Highness, may I know what kind of artwork you require?¡±

    ¡°A stone figure dressed in common Arab attire,¡± Joseph pointed to the ceiling, ¡°at least this tall, but of course, the taller the better.¡±

    Mr. Brigette was taken aback; this luxurious hall was nearly 4 meters high!

    He immediately displayed a look of difficulty. ¡°Your Highness, if I may speak frankly, it would be quite difficult to complete such a large sculpture in 8 days.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be too exquisite. Just refine the facial features a bit, and as for other parts, as long as it resembles a person, that¡¯ll be enough.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s still quite unlikely¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled faintly and played his trump card:

    ¡°If you finish a day early, you¡¯ll receive a bonus of 1000 livres. Two days early, 2000 livres. Three days early, 4000 livres. And so on, with the reward doubling for each additional day early.¡±

    Filled with the clinking sound of silver coins, Mr. Brigette promptly nodded without hesitation:

    ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness, you will definitely see the stone figure you want within 8 days!¡±

    He paused then cautiously added, ¡°Your Highness, if you could allow me to borrow some engineers, that would make meeting the deadline even more certain.¡±

    ¡°No problem. You can go and choose some from the legion later.¡±

    Joseph further instructed him on some detailed requirements, then cautioned:

    ¡°Oh, and by the way, make sure the stone figure is one-eyed, please do not forget that.¡±

    Eager to waste no time, Mr. Brigette left the Crown Prince¡¯s presence and immediately went to Bertier to request a few sappers responsible for blasting, then headed straight for the vicinity of the Oued Medjerda¡ªthat was the Crown Prince¡¯s instruction for ease of transportation.

    He quickly chose a large block of limestone, had the sappers drill holes in it, install gunpowder, and blast it.

    Each of these sappers received 30 livres from the sculptor as a hardship fee; hence, they all brought out their best skills. They spent the better part of a day with very precise explosions to create a human outline from that massive stone¡­

    Days later, a prophecy from Elder Aly began to spread throughout Tunisia: a divine oracle would soon descend on Tunisia, conveying the message through water or woods to the people¡­

    Initially, people didn¡¯t pay much attention to it until one day, a resident of Mejazba found a stone with white marks that vaguely resembled writing in a fish¡¯s belly he had bought.

    The letters were not carved, appearing very miraculous.

    He immediately took the fish and stone to the local mosque, asking the clergy to decipher it.

    Soon enough, the whole town was abuzz because the Imam recognized the inscription, which read ¡°The descendants of Rome shall drive out the Ottoman Imperial Guard¡±!

    In the days that followed, people along cities on the banks of the Oued Medjerda kept finding mysterious stoned with the same writing in fish bellies.

    There was even a fisherman who scooped out an ¡°Oracle Stone¡± right from the belly of a freshly caught fish, so astonished that he immediately knelt and prayed on the boat.

    And in places further from the Oued Medjerda, such as the northeastern mountains, some people vaguely heard fox-like cries at night that sounded very much like ¡°Drive out the Ottomans.¡±

    Clearly, Elder Aly¡¯s prophecy had come true! Tunisia was boiling with excitement once more. People started to gather openly, discussing how to drive out the Imperial Guard.

    This was a divine oracle!

    With the Lord backing them, what was there to fear from the fearsome Imperial Guard?

    Of course, all of the oracles were actually the handiwork of the Crown Prince¡¯s exclusive attendants.

    They wrote on the stones with strong acid and then stuffed them into the bellies of live fish. To be efficient, they directly took them to sell at the market; to make them more believable, they managed to place them into fishermen¡¯s nets.

    Mass-produced ¡°Oracle Stones,¡± ensuring that almost every large town got a piece.

    The ventriloquist had it hard, though, traveling to several places each day to mimic the cry of foxes, only able to work at night, and lost no less than six or seven pounds after half a month of exhaustion.

    However, the final catalyst for the natives of Tunisia to erupt was the astounding divine oracle that appeared on the day of Ashura.

    Ashura is the day of repentance for Adam and Eve recorded in the scriptures, for their transgression of eating the forbidden fruit¡ªyes, the records of these two human progenitors are the same in Islam and Christianity.

    On that day, tens of thousands gathered in Utica City to celebrate the festival, when the oar of a huge ferry boat that had come here struck something in the center of the river.

 Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 214: Change the Sky and the Earth_2

    Chapter 272: Chapter 214: Change the Sky and the Earth_2

    ¡°`

    The captain felt very puzzled, so he ordered his sailors to dive into the Oued Medjerda to take a look, and to their surprise, they discovered a huge stone man!

    Of course, this captain had been arranged in advance by the Police Affairs Department.

    Consequently, Utica City organized a large number of boats and hands, using ropes to tie up the stone man and dragged it ashore from the river.

    Upon seeing the one-eyed Stone Giant, people immediately recalled the strange prophecy left by a mysterious ascetic: ¡°Stone Giant with one eye, purify the corrupt Ottoman.¡±

    The prophecy came true, and the oracle appeared once more!

    The clergy of Utica immediately declared that a mosque would be built on top of the stone statue, to facilitate worship. Outside the city of Utica, nearly ten thousand people lay prostrate long around the cyclopean Stone Giant, loudly praising the Lord¡¯s might and swearing in unison to follow the content of the oracle.

    Mr. Brigette spent 5 days to complete this enormous work, earning a reward of 4000 livres, and, at the same time, sent the Tunisian Guard on their last journey.

    ¡­

    As the astonishing oracle event spread from Utica across Tunisia, people finally overcame the fear in their hearts and launched the first attack on the Guard.

    Zemir led the ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± members, along with the warriors from the Fawaz Tribe, comprising nearly 600 in total, and stormed into the Andalusian Town¡ªa town with hardly any substantial defenses¡ªswiftly driving 200 members of the Guard into the town¡¯s mosque.

    Zemir and his warriors first knelt before the brought ¡°Oracle Stone,¡± then, rising, they drew their scimitars and pointed towards the enemy¡¯s final stronghold, shouting loudly:

    ¡°No more oppression by the Ottoman, follow the oracle! Warriors, attack!¡±

    This force of 600 was quite well equipped, possessing 100 flintlock guns and nearly every one of them carried a scimitar and a spear. They immediately charged toward the Guard inside the mosque, shouting as they went.

    On the Guard¡¯s side, though frightened by this show of force, they were after all composed of regular troops, and under the officers¡¯ orders, the soldiers took up their muskets and began firing outside.

    With the disordered gunfire, several of the ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± members at the forefront were hit and fell to the ground. Those behind, seeing the ripped bodies and the dark blood spilled on the ground, hesitated in their steps.

    The Guard officer, seeing this, shouted fiercely:

    ¡°You wretched lot dare to rebel? You and your families will all be hanged outside the city! No one will escape!¡±

    The force led by Zemir, hearing this familiar terrorizing shout, lost most of their courage in an instant and hastily retreated beyond the range of the Guard.

    Zemir was so frustrated, he personally led a charge once more; however, after a few were shot, the charging troops immediately pulled back.

    Left with no other choice, Zemir ordered to exchange fire with the Guard. So, both sides fired shots at each other until nightfall, with around a dozen casualties in total.

    The Police Affairs Department agent Isaac, who was watching the battle from a distance, just wanted to curse loudly. Even a few hundred sheep armed with flintlocks might be braver than these people.

    He knew well that this was the Tunisian¡¯s first attempt to attack the Guard, and that all the Tunisian natives were watching; victory needed to be achieved quickly, otherwise the barely raised morale of the natives would soon dissipate.

    The situation would be even worse if reinforcements from other Guards arrived.

    With that thought, he immediately rushed back to Tunis City by night.

    The next day, the battle at Andalusian Town continued, with the Guard even attempting a breakout¡ªbut fortunately, Zemir led his brave men to block them, otherwise the effort might have failed.

    As dusk approached and Zemir was in a state of vexation, a thunderous boom suddenly erupted from around the corner of a distant road. Soon after, bricks and stones flew around the spot where the Guard had taken shelter, and a hole large enough for half a man appeared in the rear wall.

    Then, a second loud noise followed¡­

    Isaac, with no other choice left, had to ask the cadet artillerymen to ¡°cheat.¡± They used a four-pound cannon to blast an opening for Zemir.

    Zemir, quick to grasp the situation, guessed someone had helped with artillery, but stood up and shouted:

    ¡°Divine punishment! This is the divine punishment sent by the Lord! The Guard is finished!¡±

    ¡°`

    Hearing ¡°divine punishment,¡± the indigenous Tunisians were instantly emboldened¡ªsince the gods were on their side, what was there to fear? They howled immediately and followed Zemir in a fierce charge.

    The dim twilight made it hard for them to see how many of their comrades had been shot; fueled by sheer momentum, they surged through the gap in the mosque and, with the advantage of numbers, slashed wildly at the Guards inside.

    They had been oppressed by the Ottoman people for too long; their pent-up rage was unleashed, utterly beyond control.

    It wasn¡¯t until Zemir had exhausted his strength and sheathed his scimitar that he turned around to discover there were hardly any standing Guards left.

    By daybreak the next day, Zemir had led his men to loot the homes of all the Guards in the town, collecting a hefty sum of 30,000 livres on the same day.

    The news of the great victory in the Andalusian town quickly spread throughout Tunisia. The natives realized that the seemingly invincible Guards were not unbeatable after all.

    The Oracle had spoken the truth; the degenerate Ottoman people were destined to be cleansed!

    More importantly, it was said that the Rebel Army in the Andalusian town had extracted fifty to sixty thousand livres from the Guards in just three days!

    All were immediately dominated by greed.

    The natives, no longer timid and dreaming of sudden wealth, began attacking the Guards more and more frequently, and soon a sweeping movement took hold.

    Meanwhile, not a single attack on the French people occurred in Tunisia¡ªthe Guards were too busy being plundered by the natives to remember their dealings with the British.

    As for the natives, they now all claimed to be ¡°Roman Descendants,¡± and naturally they wouldn¡¯t trouble their French brothers who shared the same ancestry. Besides, they were counting on their French brothers to supply them with weapons and equipment for their pillaging.

    Then there was Zemir, who after clearing out all the Guards in the Andalusian town, began leading his troops to support nearby natives.

    They, being the victorious army with high morale and now some experience, quickly helped five or six towns overcome the Guards¡¯ defenses.

    Within just half a month, Zemir had gathered a force of nearly 4,000 native warriors.

    He had cherry-picked brave and skilled fighters; the cowards had been sent back home.

    Then, under the guidance of a military advisor brought by Isaac, this strongest native army successfully repelled the Guards dispatched from Tunis City to suppress them and also captured Sousse, the second-largest city in Tunisia, creating immense resonance.

    Half a month later, Zemir¡¯s army of 5,000 had reached Tunis City.

    Other native rebel forces also converged from various directions, accumulating an army of about 20,000 individuals.

    The natives elected Zaganos Bey, supported by Isaac and who had backed all the rebel forces, as their leader, with Zemir as the General, commanding all the native armies to surround Tunis City.

    And a week earlier, Joseph had ordered the Guard Corps to retreat to Bizerte, while Murat¡¯s Corps took control of Kairouan Fortress, not getting involved in the looming storm.

    ¡­

    When the Ottoman Sultan¡¯s envoy Said arrived in Tunisia, he saw nothing but smoke of war everywhere, with large numbers of the Tunisian Guard killed or expelled, and he even narrowly escaped being robbed by a group of fleeing Guards.

    After learning the situation in Tunisia, he, being a pure-blooded Ottoman, dared not stay long and fled back to his ship as quickly as possible.

    Luckily, the Tunisian Navy had been annihilated by the Europeans, so he did not have to worry about natives capturing him at sea.

    However, this meant that his mission from the Sultan, to persuade the Bey of Tunisia to request the Pasha title from the Ottoman, was now impossible to complete.

    And failing to complete the mission could likely lead to execution by the Sultan.

    Reluctant to return to the Ottoman Empire, Said agonized for a long time before realizing that he must find a way to fulfill his task.

    To complete the task, he first needed to help stabilize the situation for the Tunisian Guard.

    He immediately turned his attention to Algiers, which still wielded influence over the Ottoman Empire. The Guards there were also a branch of the Ottoman Imperial Guard, and they had a tradition of meddling in Tunisian politics. He needed to persuade them to send troops; only then would there be hope for saving his own life.

 Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 215 Siege

    Chapter 273: Chapter 215 Siege

    After besieging Tunis City from the north, west, and south, the Tunisian Rebel Forces had surrounded it for three days.

    Gazing at the majestic Tunis City, Zemir, his expression stern, raised his hand and pointed at the Guard formation below, ¡°Signal the attack, begin the final assault!¡±

    The extended sound of bugles drifted across the miles surrounding the area, as more than ten Rebel Army formations quietly advanced forward under the command of their respective officers.

    Koja, who was in charge of commanding the Imperial Guard to defend the city, stood in the highlands to the west of the city with a telescope in his hand, frowning and murmuring to himself:

    ¡°That damned fire¡­ Is the great Guard really going to end here?¡±

    If it were a normal skirmish, even if the rebels were twice the number of his own men, he would be confident in crushing them.

    However, more than half a month ago, the munitions warehouse in Tunis City accidentally caught fire, which may have been set by the Berbers within the city.

    In any case, more than 70% of the weapons in the warehouse were burned.

    Previously, those Imperial Guard soldiers insisted on returning to live inside Tunis City and, because of the incident with the assassination attempt on the Bey, were not allowed to bring weapons into the city and had to store them in the warehouse.

    After the fire, half of the soldiers faced a lack of weaponry and equipment.

    It was at that time rebels from various places gradually obtained victories and began converging towards Tunis City.

    The pampered high-ranking officers of the Guard inside the city, learning that the army lacked weapons, rolled up their valuables and fled towards Tripoli or Egypt, which also affected his soldiers.

    ¡°Less than a week, and over a thousand deserters. These cowardly wretches!¡±

    Koja shook his head and sighed, ¡°With over a hundred years of accumulation for the Guard, if we were firm and courageous in clearing out the rebels, how could we have ended up being surrounded in the city like this?¡±

    ¡°Pasha?¡± His adjutant, noticing him in a daze, hurriedly whispered to remind him, ¡°The enemy is getting close.¡±

    Koja nodded and with a casual wave of his hand, ordered, ¡°Fire the cannons.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Pasha.¡±

    In front of the Tunisian Guard¡¯s defense line, around ten cannons roared as their shells, emitting shrill whistles, tore through the indigenous army¡¯s crowds.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    Amidst the screams, several bodies shattered by the cannonballs were blasted into chunks of flesh and sprays of blood, immediately causing additional chaos within the already disorderly ranks of the indigenous army.

    Those native army officers, who were farmers and peddlers just a short while ago, desperately repressed their own fears, waving their sabers and shouting at their subordinates to maintain order: ¡°Keep the formation!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, and certainly don¡¯t retreat!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t freeze, keep moving forward!¡±

    With their efforts, the advancing columns barely managed to keep pushing forward. However, the cannons of the Guard rang out again.

    In fact, these solid cannonballs couldn¡¯t cause too much casualties. Even if they hit the military formation at the best angle, they could kill at most about ten people. In most cases, they would take one or two lives, or even miss entirely.

    But the deafening sound of the cannons, along with the fear of being shattered by an unseen shell at any moment, were a severe test of the soldiers¡¯ willpower.

    These native soldiers, who had received no formal training, completely lacked this capability.

    After enduring four or five rounds of cannon fire, the majority of soldiers began uncontrollably turning and fleeing¡ªespecially those covered in blood and brain matter, who ran faster than anyone else.

    The officers in charge of managing them, after a bout of yelling and cursing, found they couldn¡¯t control them at all and also started running back.

    There were a few soldiers who, in a burst of fervor, charged towards enemy positions ready to fight to the death while shouting the Prophet and the Lord¡¯s noble names, only to be met with volleys of fire from the Imperial Guard.

    Two days later.

    Zemir listened with a gloomy expression as an officer reported the casualties to him, murmuring under his breath, ¡°Over twenty thousand soldiers, a dozen assaults, and not even once could we get within fifty steps of the enemy¡­¡±

    He had originally thought that, like the previous battles, they would quickly storm into Tunis City. Yet, in these two days, despite losing more than four hundred men, they hadn¡¯t even touched the first line of defense of the Guard.

    ¡°The cannons! It¡¯s all because of those damned cannons!¡± he suddenly burst out, furiously clenching his teeth, ¡°If we had cannons, we would surely crush those devils!¡±

    An officer next to him moved a couple of steps closer and whispered, ¡°General, perhaps we could try asking Pasha Isaac.¡±

    After becoming the leader of the Rebel Army, the generous ¡°Zaganos Bey¡± had reverted to his original name and became Pasha Isaac.

    At twilight, the dimming light caused both sides to temporarily cease hostilities, and the soldiers returned to camp to prepare dinner.

    Zemir, accompanied by several main officers, went to the residence of the Rebel Army leader, Pasha Isaac.

    ¡°Cannons?¡± Isaac frowned and shook his head, ¡°Such things are not easy to come by.¡±

    Zemir pleaded anxiously, ¡°Pasha, the enemy¡¯s cannons pose a great threat to us. If we do not have equivalent weapons, I fear it will be difficult to achieve victory. Please, you must think of a way¡­¡±

    ¡°Currently, only the French in all of Tunisia have cannons,¡± Isaac pondered and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just, this is a grudge between us Tunisians and the Ottoman Imperial Guard, and it doesn¡¯t really involve them. They might not be willing to help.¡±

    Zemir immediately responded, ¡°How can this not involve them? We are all Roman Compatriots of the same faith. I believe they will not stand by and do nothing!¡±

    The officers beside him nodded and echoed in agreement.

    Isaac appeared to be persuaded by them, and with reluctance said, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go try our ¡®Roman Compatriots¡¯.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, it would be best if we could ask Elder Aly to join us. His exceptional prestige should be of help.¡±

 Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 215 Siege_2

    Chapter 274: Chapter 215 Siege_2

    ¡°Alright, I will personally beg him!¡±

    The following day, a Tunisian native ¡°delegation¡± of over ten people arrived at the location of the Guard Corps, where Bertier warmly received them.

    Elder Aly was now the religious leader of the Tunisian natives and had gained immense prestige and status during this uprising. Regardless of whether he was initially willing, he was now firmly tied to the interests of the Rebel Army and had long since stopped pursuing the matter of someone using his name to issue prophecies.

    On the contrary, he was now actively advocating for the interests of the Rebel Army.

    After he represented the Rebel Army and explained the difficulties they faced and requested ¡°compatriots¡± to help, Bertier also sincerely said to him, ¡°Rest assured, we will definitely do our best to help with the suffering of our compatriots.

    ¡°Not just with cannons, I can also send officers to help you command the battle. I believe their experience will certainly be very useful.¡±

    This was also a part of Joseph¡¯s plan. It was to make the Tunisian natives understand that the Imperial Guard was not defeated by their own strength. Without the ¡°Roman Compatriots¡± assistance, they would not have been able to achieve victory.

    Upon hearing this, Zemir was immediately moved to tears and was the first to excitedly bow deeply: ¡°We will never forget your kindness! We won¡¯t forget the assistance of our French compatriots!¡±

    The accompanying officers and several of the most prestigious native clan leaders also followed in saluting Bertier, repeating their sincere thanks over and over again.

    Outside Tunis City.

    Two artillery platoons of the Guard Corps had already mounted six eight-pound cannons in the preset position, with ammunition boxes neatly arranged in rows not far behind.

    ¡°Load the cannon!¡±

    ¡°Aim!¡±

    Under the command of each cannon¡¯s chief, the artillerymen completed their firing preparations skillfully.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    After a roar, six cannonballs flew straight towards the Imperial Guard¡¯s artillery position.

    With the inclusion of the Guard Corps¡¯ cannons, the situation on the battlefield immediately took a drastic turn.

    Although they had fewer cannons than the enemy, the level of their artillerymen was streets ahead of the Ottoman People.

    After a few rounds of simple ranging shots, a cannonball accurately hit an enemy cannon more than 700 paces away.

    The huge impact force of the cannonball flipped the barrel off its carriage, crushing several Tunisian gunners behind it, and finally landing on rocks more than 20 meters away. The cannon was now deformed and rendered useless.

    As cannonballs continued to fall near the Imperial Guard¡¯s artillery position, the Ottoman Artillerymen were so frightened that they scattered and fled without even bothering to drag their cannons away.

    ¡°Thank God!¡± Upon seeing this through his binoculars, Zemir was overjoyed and turned to an officer beside him, ¡°Signal the order, prepare for a full frontal assault by all troops!¡±

    ¡°It may not be appropriate for you to attack in such a hurry,¡± the accompanying French officer immediately stopped him.

    ¡°Ah? What do you suggest?¡±

    The French officer didn¡¯t explain much to Zemir but directly bypassed him, having his orderly officer issue a series of commands consecutively.

    Flag signalers continuously waved flags, and the French mid-level officers began rapidly mobilizing the Rebel Army units.

    On the western front, a thin line of infantry columns slowly advanced towards the Imperial Guard¡¯s position¡ªwith the threat of the enemy¡¯s cannons gone, their steps became much steadier.

    At the same time, dozens of Rebel Army columns appeared on the south side of the Imperial Guard¡¯s defensive line, quickly moving towards their flank. The French artillerymen also turned their cannons and began assisting bombardment on the Imperial Guard¡¯s flank.

    ¡°What are they trying to do?¡± Koja put away his binoculars, surprised in his heart. The rebels hadn¡¯t fired for several days, so how come they suddenly started fighting with strategy?

    He swiftly analyzed the situation, feeling that the enemy force in front was just a diversion and that the main attack direction was his own left flank.

    So, he immediately turned to his adjutant and said, ¡°Signal the order, move Orhan¡¯s men to the left flank to strengthen the defense.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Pasha!¡±

    Orhan¡¯s thousand men, previously positioned in the front formation, received orders and hastily formed ranks, moving to the left flank.

    At that moment, a rebel army of four to five thousand men appeared on the Imperial Guard¡¯s right wing, forming an infantry line of six rows front to back, slowly pressing towards them.

    Koja was instantly alarmed and muttered, frowning, ¡°These cunning fellows, it seems this is their main force!¡±

    He immediately detached more than five hundred men from the front and also sent half of the reserve corps to the right wing. He moved the command post to the north side as well to facilitate command at any moment.

    However, the rebel infantry on both wings never advanced within firing range. Instead, a cavalry unit of more than three hundred men suddenly emerged, seizing upon the chaos in the Imperial Guard¡¯s front troops caused by frequent maneuvers, and swiftly galloped towards their several artillery positions.

    These horsemen, composed of nomads, although ignorant of formation and slashing techniques, were still quite adept in horsemanship.

    They approached the Imperial Guard¡¯s cannons at great speed and dismounted.

    The leading officer, following the orders received earlier, commanded loudly to his men:

    ¡°Mehmet, take your men and destroy the cannons! Everyone else, be on guard around, and watch out for enemy infantry!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    More than forty soldiers immediately brandished their scimitars and formed a defensive line around, remaining alert. Around ten others surrounded the cannons, inserting previously prepared spikes into the touch holes and hammered them down forcefully.

    These iron spikes were extremely difficult to remove, and a cannon with a blocked touch hole was immediately rendered useless.

    After completing these tasks, they leaped back into their saddles and returned to their own camp like the wind.

    Dozens of minutes later, the rebel army on all three sides withdrew successively without engaging in battle with the Imperial Guard. It was only then that Koja finally received a report from his subordinates and learned that his cannons had been destroyed by the rebel troops.

    Zemir was dumbfounded by the command of the French officer¡ªit was almost without direct combat, the casualties were negligible, and it took just over half an hour to eliminate all of the Imperial Guard¡¯s cannons!

    It was almost on par with the warlord Saladin[1]!

    If he had known there were such capable compatriots, why would he need to command blindly himself? Perhaps the Imperial Guard robbers would have been driven out of Tunisia years ago!

    If the French officer knew his thoughts, he probably would feel somewhat chagrined. These were just common tactics he had often seen in training at the Paris Police Academy, just arranged according to the battlefield situation, yet now he was being ¡°promoted¡± to a ¡°warlord¡±¡­

    Having lost their cannons, the Imperial Guard became extremely passive.

    The rebels kept bombarding them with cannons, causing casualties that were not significant but the blow to their morale was extremely severe. After all, anyone facing a situation where they could only be hit without being able to fight back would find it hard to keep from collapsing.

    Finally, after being tormented by cannons for five days, Koja, before morale completely dissipated, gathered all his troops and launched a desperate breakout battle against the rebels.

    On the other side, the rebel army had long since formed an extremely dense defensive formation under the orders of the French commander.

    These native soldiers, though not of high military quality, were still capable of firing their guns while standing in place.

    Taking advantage of their great numerical superiority and with artillery support from behind, they faced the enemy¡¯s frantic counterattack and heroically pushed them back with concentrated fire.

    In the rear of the position, the French officer looked through his binoculars at the scene and let out a long sigh of relief.

    He had also prepared a reserve force of more than 3,000 men behind, just in case these new recruits were breached by the enemy.

    ¡°It looks like, they can still be trusted,¡± the officer said with a smile, turning to the orderly officer beside him, ¡°or perhaps, the enemy¡¯s attack was too slow.¡±

    Upon hearing the officer¡¯s words translated to him, Zemir approached respectfully and said, ¡°No, respected Pasha, I believe, it¡¯s all thanks to your superb command!¡±

    [1]Saladin: Saladin bin Ayyub (1137¨C1193), a Kurd, was a distinguished military and political leader of the medieval period and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. He became famous in the Christian and Muslim worlds for his military prowess and leadership in the Islamic resistance to the Crusades. In the West, he is celebrated as a monarch with the ¡°gentlemanly qualities of a knight¡±; while in Egypt and the Arab world, he is honored as a ¡°national hero.¡±

 Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 216 Provincial Governments and Colonies

    Chapter 275: Chapter 216 Provincial Governments and Colonies

    The Tunisian Guard left a trail of corpses as they retreated. The Rebel Army immediately launched a counterattack under the command of a French officer.

    Seeing this, Zemir drew his curved sword and charged onto the battlefield, leading his soldiers in pursuit of the fleeing Ottoman People, shouting orders.

    Although the tens of thousands of Rebel Army soldiers surged forward in disarray, with no semblance of formation or order, the Imperial Guard had completely lost their will to fight at this point, merely trying to flee headlong, which meant the battle quickly turned into a one-sided massacre.

    More than two hours later, nearly all of the Tunisian Guards had been driven to a small area to the north of the city. Koja saw that the situation was hopeless and had no choice but to order his men to lay down their weapons and surrender.

    The Rebel soldiers, bloodthirsty from their fighting, showed no mercy to the Imperial Guard officers shouting ¡°surrender,¡± until Zemir personally intervened to stop the carnage.

    By this time, of the tens of thousands of Imperial Guard, only about 7,000 remained, including Koja and other senior officers who were hacked to death.

    Zemir left some soldiers to guard the prisoners and led the main force to storm into Tunis City.

    The flourishing capital of Tunisia was quickly taken by the Rebel Army. The Imperial Guard inside the city had long fled. The native inhabitants ran out into the streets, loudly cheering and celebrating the Rebel Army.

    Soon, thousands of Rebel soldiers had Ksar Hellal Palace completely surrounded. Zemir, with his officers and the high-ranking members of the native tribes, marched straight into the palace.

    Under the protection of the Police Affairs Department operatives from Prusper, a trembling Haji came to the palace entrance. Before he could say anything, the rowdy shouts of the Rebel soldiers erupted around him:

    ¡°Execute him!¡±

    ¡°Kill that Ottoman!¡±

    ¡°Kill him, he¡¯s part of the Imperial Guard too!¡±

    ¡°Decapitate¡­¡±

    Haji turned ashen with fear. He never expected that he would face the prospect of death before he had even settled into the role of Bey.

    Zemir and the high-ranking natives exchanged silent glances, each giving a slight nod.

    He drew his curved sword, adjusted his headscarf, and walked toward Haji:

    ¡°You Ottoman dog, your blood must pay for the sins you¡¯ve committed!¡±

    Haji watched the blood-stained blade with terror, staggering backward, but Zemir closed the distance in a few steps, lifting his sword high.

    At the critical moment, a loud call came from the back of the crowd:

    ¡°Spare him under the sword!¡±

    Zemir and others turned to see the French consul in Tunisia, Joan, accompanied by Elder Aly, scholars including Xilada, and several French officers, pushing their way through the native soldiers.

    Zemir and the tribal leaders quickly bowed respectfully to the group of more than ten, and then heard Joan speaking fluent Arabic:

    ¡°Honorable General Zemir, I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°Ah? What are you saying?¡±

    Joan bowed to Haji:

    ¡°The Bey is the Bey, he is neither part of the Imperial Guard nor an Ottoman.¡±

    The natives looked at each other, puzzled. They remembered the first Bey Hussein had been an officer of the Ottoman Imperial Guard who had ousted the previous leader of the Guard and then seized control over Tunisia, didn¡¯t they?

    How could he not be one now?

    Joan immediately explained, following the orders of the Crown Prince:

    ¡°The Bey is the ruler of Tunisia; he belongs only to Tunisia, not to the Ottoman Empire. Strictly speaking, it was the Imperial Guard who betrayed him by secretly conspiring with the Ottomans and persecuting the Roman Descendants of Tunisia!¡±

    He gestured to Haji again:

    ¡°Haji Bey¡¯s grandmother was Genoese, and his mother was a Toucouleur. Even if there is some Ottoman blood in him, it is very diluted by now.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Haji wiped his brow secretly, relieved that his grandfather and father had not strictly followed the tradition of the Guard for the sake of lust; otherwise, he would have certainly been doomed today.

    Joan looked at Haji again, loudly saying:

    ¡°Is that not so, esteemed Bey?¡±

    Haji snapped to attention, seizing this last chance to save his life, nodding vigorously:

    ¡°Yes, yes! I am forever a Tunisian, a¡­ oh, a proud Roman Descendant! I have nothing to do with those damned Ottomans!¡±

    A clan leader frowned and voiced an objection:

    ¡°But the Bey is also a Pasha, conferred by the Ottomans.¡±

    Joan immediately waved his hand:

    ¡°That was under the threat of the Ottomans. Moreover, Haji Bey has never accepted the conferment.¡±

    Haji kept nodding:

    ¡°Yes, yes! I will never be a Pasha for the Ottomans!¡±

    Zemir and the clan leaders exchanged puzzled looks again. Seeing this, Joan covertly signaled Elder Aly.

    The latter stepped forward and spoke in a melodious tone:

    ¡°Gentlemen, the Bey was a ruler recognized and served by all tribes. He is not an Ottoman, nor should he be subjected to your betrayal.¡±

    Isaac stepped forward from behind Zemir, bowing respectfully to Haji:

    ¡°I will always be loyal to you, great Bey.¡±

    Seeing the Rebel leader set a precedent, the clan leaders hurriedly followed suit in pledging their loyalty to Haji, quickly followed by the officers.

    Finally, including Zemir, the thousands of natives present bowed to Haji. The latter finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Joan and the others who had saved his life with immense gratitude.

    Southern Bizerte.

    In a villa guarded by the Swiss Guards in their red uniforms, Joseph yawned and moved the ¡°knight¡± on his hand, taking a black ¡°pawn¡± off the chessboard.

    Having promised the queen to ¡°stay on the ship,¡± he couldn¡¯t go anywhere and had to spend his time in the ¡°wooden ship¡± of this house, playing chess to pass time.

 Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 216: Provinces and Colonies_2

    Chapter 276: Chapter 216: Provinces and Colonies_2

    Bertier, sitting opposite, pushed his ¡°rook¡± forward three squares, hesitated, and then voiced the doubt in his heart:

    ¡°Your Highness, why do you care so much about the Bey of Tunisia? I mean, it might not be a bad choice to let the rioters vent their anger on him.¡±

    Joseph moved his ¡°queen,¡± saving his ¡°knight¡±:

    ¡°Haji has worked with us after all, even if it was for revenge and to reclaim his beloved. Morally speaking, we should not just ignore him like this. Besides, although he doesn¡¯t wield much actual power, he is still a symbolic figure in Tunisia. Various decrees are issued in his name from the Ksar Hellal Palace, and they are executed more swiftly. If he were to die, who knows how long it would take for the locals in Tunisia to balance the interests of all parties and produce a government.¡±

    What he didn¡¯t say was that as Haji had little capability, he was easier to manage. If a Tunisian native with exceptional methods and strategies came to power, it would indeed be troublesome.

    Bertier, holding a chess piece, nodded continuously:

    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s concerns are indeed very necessary. I thought too simplistically.¡±

    Joseph smiled and said:

    ¡°Additionally, having a Bey prevents the possibility of a military dictatorship from arising, and it facilitates the future merger of Tunisia with France.¡±

    Bertier was somewhat surprised:

    ¡°You mean, Tunisia will not be a colony of France, but¡­ a province?¡±

    ¡°I do have this intention. That¡¯s why from the beginning, I¡¯ve been promoting identification with France here.¡±

    ¡°But, Your Highness,¡± Bertier hesitated, ¡°wouldn¡¯t that cost be too high?¡±

    People of later generations often think of colonies as places full of bloody oppression, with exorbitant taxes reaching the sky and everywhere people cannot make ends meet.

    In reality, for the most part, colonies are only subject to some trade restrictions, such as being prohibited from buying certain goods or forbidden to sell to certain parties. The tax rates aren¡¯t too high, for example, the various taxes in the United States before independence were even lower than in the mother country England.

    The biggest difference between a colony and a non-colony lies in the investment¡ªa colony¡¯s taxes, no matter how low, end up being spent on the mother country. The colonies do not receive any construction funds, and there are no funds for disaster relief when trouble arises, inevitably leading to local resentment.

    At the same time, if problems arise in a colony, the mother country can easily abandon it without any psychological burden.

    Therefore, the investment in building a province is actually much higher than that in a colony.

    Joseph looked at the chessboard, somewhat reluctantly using his ¡°rook¡± to take the opposing ¡°knight¡± and ¡°pawn¡± and nodded:

    ¡°You are right. This means we will need to invest a considerable amount of capital into Tunisia, especially in the early stages.¡± He shifted his tone, ¡°However, it¡¯s also worth it. Tunisia is rich in natural resources and has fertile land; at the same time, it possesses excellently located harbors. If developed, we can quickly recoup our initial investment. Moreover, in the future, it may become an important economic pillar for France!¡±

    He was very aware of the significance of North Africa for France in later times. Even without proper development, North Africa had once been the foundation for France¡¯s status as a great world power.

    In the 20th century, the last respectable president of France, Chirac, once said, ¡°Without Africa, France would descend into a third-rate country.¡±

    At present, for France to compete with England, simply plundering resources from North Africa was completely unfeasible, as this region was nowhere as vast as England¡¯s colonies in the Americas and India.

    Since it couldn¡¯t win in terms of quantity, it had to compete in quality.

    To develop Tunisia into a core area for France, achieving a level of productivity close to that of European territories. Such a region¡¯s contribution to national power would be incomparable to that of the Americas or the Far East.

    Joseph looked at Bertier and continued:

    ¡°Do you know, compared to England, North Africa has an unparalleled advantage for our Spanish colonies¡ªthat is, it¡¯s very close to us? Marseille and Bizerte Port are separated by only a relatively narrow Mediterranean. Starting from Corsica, even the slower ships take only three days to reach Tunisia, which is even shorter than the journey from Lyon to Paris.¡±

    ¡°The British are destined to lose America because orders sent from London take more than forty days to reach Philadelphia. Similarly, by the time the British learn of any trouble over there, it would be a month and a half later.¡±

    ¡°Mark my words, India will also break from England in the future, because it¡¯s also a very distant place.¡±

    ¡°But Tunisia is different. As long as we firmly establish ourselves here, nobody can separate it from France¡¯s embrace.¡±

    In his mind, he added: unless there is an awakening of national consciousness here, leading to internal demands for independence. Therefore, while the storm of national awakening has not yet spread through Europe, it is imperative to quickly cultivate a sense of identity between France and Tunisia¡ªthen it will indeed be solid as a rock.

    Of course, apart from identifying with the notion of ¡°common ancestry,¡± encouraging more French people to relocate to Tunisia is the most reliable approach.

    After all, Tunisia currently has a population of less than 1.8 million, of which several hundred thousand are of European descent. With the right immigration policies, it wouldn¡¯t take many years for the region to become physically synonymous with common ancestry.

    Bertier had previously only known the Crown Prince for his exceptional military and strategic insight and his dazzling political acumen. He had not expected him to have such a profound understanding of international dynamics as well. The words ¡°blessed by the gods¡± came once again to mind.

    Aside from that reason, he found himself at a loss to explain how a young Crown Prince could possess so many advanced perspectives and strategies.

    His thoughts were turbulent, but his hands didn¡¯t stop moving as he pushed the ¡°pawn¡± forward several squares and softly said:

    ¡°Your Highness, General.¡±

    Joseph inspected the chessboard and said with a helpless smile:

    ¡°It seems like a checkmate. Your chess skills are really amazing.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind,¡± Bertier replied as he tidied up the chess pieces, and casually mentioned, ¡°Speaking of chess, a Hungarian named Kemperlen invented a machine called ¡®The Turk.¡¯ It¡¯s a machine that plays chess. I played against it once and was beaten after only 14 moves.¡±

    That amazing? Joseph¡¯s first thought was ¡°AlphaGo,¡± but he immediately dismissed the idea¡ªhow could there be artificial intelligence in an era when even the steam engine wasn¡¯t perfected?

    He then remembered seeing something about it on a forum. It was eventually exposed as a hoax¡ªsomeone was hiding inside the machine, controlling the chess pieces with magnets.

    So he gave the Chief of Staff a knowing wink:

    ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Bertier, I can tell you a secret to easily defeat that ¡®Turk.''¡±

    As they were speaking, Doctor Perna knocked on the door and entered, greeting each of them before nervously fidgeting with the hem of her dress:

    ¡°Your Highness, Commander, I¡¯ve heard that many soldiers in the legion have recently come down with dysentery. Perhaps, I can be of assistance.¡±

    In this era, female doctors were not at all accepted. Perna was only able to serve beside the open-minded Joseph. Having been unable to help with anything in Tunisia and having been taken care of by His Highness due to seasickness on the way there, she now wanted to do something to prove her worth.

    Joseph nodded: ¡°On behalf of the soldiers, I thank you, Doctor Perna. However, you will need to dress as a man first.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank you, Your Highness!¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans, basking in the sunlight by the window, was leisurely reading the latest issue of the ¡°Paris News.¡± The paper reported some events in Tunisia, although the specifics were unclear, it was said that the region had fallen into chaos, and fires of war were spreading everywhere.

    Obviously, the inexperienced Crown Prince had messed things up!

    He hummed a dance tune happily and glanced up to see his son passing in front of the window.

    He felt something amiss with Philippe and quickly rubbed his eyes before calling his son over for a closer look.

    Under the bright sunlight, there were large red bumps on his neck, and his left eye was also severely inflamed.

    The Duke of Orleans immediately furrowed his brows and asked with concern:

    ¡°Philippe, are you ill?¡±

    The Duke of Chartres replied with an unconcerned smile:

    ¡°Nothing serious, just the disease of the god of love, dear father.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the Duke of Orleans was struck as if by lightning, freezing in place¡ªthe so-called ¡°disease of the god of love¡± was a euphemism the nobility used for syphilis.

 Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 217: Battle Meeting

    Chapter 277: Chapter 217: Battle Meeting

    In a tightly shut room on the second floor of the Royal Palace, Lady Sangbellon shrank in fear.

    Just over ten minutes ago she had been basking in the excitement of receiving an invitation from the Duke of Orleans, but now she was quivering anxiously, muttering, ¡°Your Grace, I didn¡¯t¡­ It was the Duke of Chartres who came to me on his own initiative¡­ And truly, I didn¡¯t know I had contracted that kind of disease.¡±

    Her skin was smooth, showing no discomfort, indeed she had yet to enter the second stage of syphilis¡ªmany people with robust constitutions don¡¯t develop noticeable symptoms until two years after becoming infected.

    The Duke of Chartres tried to comfort his own father, ¡°Father, there¡¯s no shame in the disease of love, even the great Francis I had it¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    The Duke of Orleans interrupted him with a roar and then glared fiercely at Lady Sangbellon, ¡°Tell me exactly what happened.¡±

    ¡°It was¡­ it was your command to hook¡­ to find Crown Prince on that day, you know, I failed, he ignored me. Then, the Duke of Chartres suddenly burst in¡­¡±

    Half an hour later, the Duke of Orleans, angry, was pounding on the desk with his fist, and shards of teacups and incense burners littered the floor of the study.

    ¡°It¡¯s all that damn Louis Joseph!¡± His eyes were bloodshot as he muttered through gritted teeth, ¡°He must have learned of Sangbellon¡¯s wife¡¯s illness in advance and intentionally lured Philippe into that room!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it must be so!¡±

    From that day on, the legitimate heir of the Duke of Orleans had at most twenty years left to live, or even just ten.

    Syphilis, in this era, was a terrifying, incurable disease.

    He grabbed the pen holder and threw it fiercely to the ground, uttering a beast-like growl, ¡°I swear, I will not let you off, I will tear you all to pieces! To shreds! Even if I have to stake everything I have!¡±

    ¡­

    North Africa.

    Algiers, Mitidja.

    The British consul in Tunisia, Hollis, dejectedly signed the handover documents and then bowed dismissively to the consul in Algiers, Stuart, ¡°The North African affairs are now yours, farewell Sir Stuart.¡±

    The shocking news of the upheaval in Tunisia had reached London, and thereafter a special envoy of the Duke of Leeds, the Foreign Minister, rushed to Algiers and announced that Stuart would take over all Tunisian affairs.

    Hollis could only lament his poor luck¡ªhe had done everything he could, who would have guessed the natives would suddenly revolt, showing extreme fondness for the French.

    At twilight, Hollis was alone in the hotel, packing his bags, ready to board the ship back to England the next morning.

    ¡°Retiring like this isn¡¯t too bad,¡± he shook his head and laughed self-deprecatingly, ¡°I can enjoy fishing back in my Worcester hometown for the rest of my life.¡±

    The sound of the door being pushed open came from behind. Thinking it was the servant, he turned his head and said, ¡°Jamie, how many times have I told you, don¡¯t always ask me about the carriage¡­¡±

    He suddenly froze. The person coming in wasn¡¯t Jamie, but a tall man in black.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Hollis, your handling of affairs has been quite terrible,¡± the man in black said in a low voice after closing the door.

    Hollis was startled, ¡°What, what are you doing?¡±

    The man in black, massaging his wrist, approached slowly, ¡°Your own incitement of the Tunisian nobles to attack the French will cause much trouble for the government.¡±

    ¡°No, that was under the instructions of the Duke of Leeds¡­¡± Hollis trailed off, then froze, ¡°Did he send you?¡±

    The man in black didn¡¯t respond, only swiftly restrained him and looped a cord around his neck.

    The next morning, the innkeeper, after repeatedly reminding the Englishman it was time to board the ship and receiving no response, reluctantly opened the door, only to find the man hanging from the window frame.

    ¡­

    Stuart was utterly unaware that his former colleague had already passed on to the heavens. He had to fulfill his task of preventing France from gaining a foothold in Tunisia as much as possible.

    He was preparing to visit the Dey of Algiers¡ªthe ruler here¡ªwhen an envoy of the Ottoman Sultan, Mr. Said, made his way to the consulate before him.

    In the reception room, the large middle-aged man with a standard Ottoman-era mustache and garb nodded at Stuart, ¡°Respected Consul, I presume you are already aware of the terrible rebellion in Tunisia.¡±

    Stuart immediately thought of something, hurriedly asked the servant to bring coffee, and invited the Ottoman man to sit, ¡°Indeed, alas, it was a tragedy. I heard the Tunisians are publicly advocating to break away from the Ottoman Empire.¡±

    Said nodded, ¡°I believe our two nations have a common interest concerning the situation in Tunisia.

    ¡°Clearly, should France acquire Tunisian ports, Britain¡¯s trade in the Mediterranean would be immediately disadvantaged.¡±

    Stuart stirred his coffee with a silver spoon, calmly inquiring, ¡°And what is your opinion?

    ¡°We could jointly suggest that Algiers send troops to suppress the rebellion in Tunisia, perhaps restoring order.¡±

    Said leaned in, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Britain has hired a force of Albanian mercenaries to assist Algiers against the French.

    ¡°If the Algiers Guard also dispatches a troop, they could quickly defeat the French forces in Tunisia. There should only be about 3,000 Frenchmen there.¡±

    Stuart remained composed, ¡°Firstly, your intelligence is outdated. Tunisia has 6,000 French soldiers.

    ¡°Secondly, what can you and your Empire offer for this suppression effort?¡±

    Said immediately revealed a smile,

    ¡°I can request on behalf of the Sultan that Dey of Algiers deploy troops. As you know, this would greatly diminish the opposition from the members of the Algiers Council.¡±

 Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 217: Battle Meeting_2

    Chapter 278: Chapter 217: Battle Meeting_2

    Algiers, unlike Tunis where the Imperial Guard has centralized power, is home to three political forces: the natives, the navy, and the Imperial Guard. They all seek the support of the Ottoman Empire, so they are quite attentive to the Sultan¡¯s stance.

    Said continued, ¡°Once Tunis¡¯ order is restored, I believe the great Sultan will surely consider granting the British the monopoly on trade there.¡±

    The British consul¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, ¡°In fact, I¡¯m very interested in your proposal.¡±

    Said rotated his wrist in an arc, his face showing difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s just that, I¡¯m afraid this uprising suppression might still require some funds¡­¡±

    Stuart immediately said:

    ¡°I can offer some assistance in this regard. 300,000 British Pounds, enough to finish this war.¡±

    Said was overjoyed and bowed slightly, ¡°I believe our two countries can become the guardians of order in Tunisia.¡±

    The two then detailed their collusion and afterward proceeded together to the residence of the Dey of Algiers.

    Three days later, the ¡°Divan¡± of Algiers, which is the Congress, held a plenary session.

    The Algiers Guard was very sympathetic to the plight of their ¡°compatriots¡± in Tunis who suffered in the native uprising, so they immediately clamored to send troops to Tunisia to crush the rebellion and save the Imperial Guard.

    In fact, ever since Hussein led the Imperial Guard to take control of Tunisia, they have actively participated in every political change in Tunisia, enjoying tremendous benefits from it.

    The navy immediately expressed agreement.

    Previously, after the Combined Fleet had sunk their ships and captured the sailors, they had been plotting revenge.

    Now, with France obtaining ports in Tunisia, the threat to them had become much more severe, so they naturally wanted to attack Tunisia as soon as possible.

    Only the native forces of Algiers were reluctant to get involved in this war.

    However, they were already the weakest in the ¡°Divan,¡± and after receiving guidance from the special emissary of the Ottoman Sultan, as well as the promise of several hundred thousand British Pounds for military support from England, they also fell silent.

    Eventually, Dey Sukhray Ali Tuwus of Algiers, after obtaining command over the Albanian mercenaries and tacit approval from the British for pillaging Tunisia, declared that 11,000 troops from the Imperial Guard would be dispatched, along with 12,000 mercenaries, to suppress the uprising in Tunisia and restore the Imperial Guard¡¯s rule there.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Palace of Versailles, Petit Trianon Palace.

    Queen Mary asked her maid anxiously, ¡°Has Baron Weymorel set off?¡±

    Countess Debreninac bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. He left before dawn, and he should already be close to Provins by now.¡±

    ¡°Good, that¡¯s good.¡±

    The Queen caressed her chest, but her heart was still racing.

    Last week, good news came from Tunisia, stating that the Crown Prince had ousted the Tunisian Guard hostile to France, and Tunisia had once again become a paradise for France.

    Overjoyed, she had even agreed to her son¡¯s request to land in Tunisia to see its unique scenery.

    However, last night another warning arrived from Algiers, stating that the ¡°Divan¡± of Algiers had decided to dispatch an army of 23,000 to intervene in the Tunisian situation.

    Sick with worry about her precious son potentially being caught in the crossfire, she wrote a personal letter overnight and dispatched the commander of the Imperial Guard to rush to Tunisia and bring back the Crown Prince.

    The door opened, and the Minister of War, the Navy Minister, and Chief Minister Brian entered in quick succession.

    The Queen didn¡¯t wait for the men to perform their bows but immediately said anxiously, ¡°Have you heard about the situation in Tunisia? I need to ensure the Crown Prince¡¯s safety now!¡±

    As she spoke, she also murmured softly, ¡°I should never have let him go there. Oh God, the place is full of savages¡­¡±

    Marquis Saint Priest and the Navy Minister exchanged a glance, stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, if the troops in Tunisia immediately cover His Highness¡¯s retreat, there should be no danger.

    ¡°However, most of the 6,000 men sent there are newly formed corps. In case, I mean just in case, they are slow to act and get blocked by Algiers¡¯ forces in Tunisia, I fear¡­¡±

    Queen Mary said anxiously, ¡°What should be done? Oh, you must dispatch troops to Tunisia to support the Crown Prince immediately!¡±

    ¡°Your wish is my command,¡± Marquis Saint Priest bowed and then tentatively asked, ¡°Your Majesty, what about the funding?¡±

    ¡°No matter the cost, let Archbishop Brienne allocate the funds to you. I want you to deploy the troops immediately!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    ¡­

    Tunisia.

    Joseph sat in a tent on the beach, eating freshly grilled seafood, while discussing the document in hand with Joan, ¡°Do you know how many white slaves the natives of Tunisia have?¡±

    ¡°The exact figures have not been compiled yet, Your Highness. However, the wealth of Tunisia is concentrated in the hands of the Guard, and it¡¯s rare for the Berbers and Arab descendants to afford white slaves. I estimate there are at most a few hundred,¡± Joan replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°then have the Tunisian government pay to redeem them. As for the white slaves previously owned by the Guard, they will be granted freedom directly.¡±

    According to earlier estimates, there were tens of thousands of white slaves in Tunisia, which meant Europeans who had been kidnapped by pirates. Most of these people were Christians who, after many years away from home, were unlikely to return to Europe, naturally becoming a strong immigrant backbone for France in Tunisia.

    Joan promptly noted down on the last page of the ¡°White Slave Survival Bill¡±, ¡°This may cost hundreds of thousands of livres, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s worth it,¡± Joseph then asked, ¡°By the way, how is the preparation for the official examination going?¡±

    ¡°It is being systematically prepared. Mr. Xilada said that the examination could start at the beginning of next month at the latest.¡±

    Joseph nodded. The bureaucratic system of the Tunisian Guard had been completely destroyed, and Tunisia needed a new regime.

    Joseph saw this as an opportunity to test a model of bureaucratic examination and recruitment. It was somewhat akin to the civil service examination of later generations.

    Of course, in addition to subjects like humanities, management, and science, there were nearly half the questions on general knowledge about France and content related to ¡°Roman identity.¡±

    The syllabus for the examination had been announced, and now it was time for ¡°to strive for virtue and knowledge to serve.¡±

    Once there was enough experience with the civil service exam here, it would become an important reference for his implementation of bureaucratic reform in France.

    While Joseph and Joan were speaking, Isaac arrived in a hurry with a special agent from the Police Affairs Department.

    Several soldiers of the Swiss Guard immediately intercepted them and began a thorough search.

    Joseph waved to the Swiss men with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary, let them through.¡±

    Coming forward, Isaac bowed and said urgently, ¡°Your Highness, this is Weili, who has just arrived from Algiers. He has brought intelligence that Daye Tuwus of Algiers has amassed an army of 23,000, preparing to invade Bizerte from Annaba.¡±

    ¡°Oh?!¡± Joseph abruptly stood up, frowning as he asked, ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    ¡°About six days ago, Your Highness.¡±

    Considering the communication speed of the era, for intelligence from Mitidja to arrive in Tunis City in less than a week was exceptionally efficient.

    ¡°Inform the senior officers of the Guard Corps and Murat¡¯s Corps to immediately convene a war council. Oh, and have them bring along a few officers from the Tunisian Guard as well.¡±

    As Joseph was about to leave, Isaac added, ¡°Your Highness, speaking of the Tunisian Guard, the confessions obtained from the imprisoned Guard officers these past few days indicate that the British were the ones stirring them up to attack the French. The British also provided substantial funds as payment for the assault.¡±

    Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly; he had long suspected that the agitators were to blame, and now it had been confirmed.

    He instructed Isaac, ¡°Write a detailed report on this matter and have it sent back to the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Two hours later, in a villa not far from Ksar Hellal Palace, Bertier, Andre, and over a dozen other officers stood erect beside the wide conference table, taking off their hats to salute the Crown Prince with due respect.

    Joseph returned the salute and then turned to look at the conference table, which was clearly newly made ¡ª Tunisians did not use such tables ¡ª and asked Eman, ¡°Would you mind removing this table and replacing it with one that can accommodate a sand table?¡±

 Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 218: Swift Resolution

    Chapter 279: Chapter 218: Swift Resolution

    The officers looked at the luxurious conference table being moved away with perplexity, replaced by an ordinary small wooden table.

    Joseph pointed to the room they were in, with its pillars and ceiling adorned with complex geometric patterns and tapestries hanging on the walls, and said to the crowd:

    ¡°I hope that from now on, our combat meetings will all be held in the army¡¯s tents. Please remember, our task is to fight wars, and to win wars. Thus, every action we take and everything around us must be related to combat. Pleasure and display can wait until after the war is won, and we talk about it back in Paris.¡±

    At present, the officers throughout the European army were full of aristocratic airs, such as hosting wine parties and banquets amidst the smoke of the battlefield, and there were even those who commanded battles with mistresses in tow.

    The Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps had been quite restrained in this aspect, but still retained some of the old habits. Joseph had to remind them in daily minutiae to eradicate this bad practice completely.

    This was not just about focusing an officer¡¯s mind more on combat, but also about eliminating as much as possible the barrier between soldiers and officers, so that they fully trust and admire their officers.

    The officers from the Paris Police Academy were not at all surprised by the Crown Prince¡¯s demands¡ªthey were used to training like this.

    The ones least accustomed, of course, were from Murat¡¯s Corps, but they still followed Bertier and the Police Academy officers, bowing and responding loudly, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Subsequently, over ten high-ranking officers brought over ordinary wooden chairs and sat around the sand table in the middle of the room.

    The sand table was personally supervised by the top European cartographer Bertier, very detailed and precise.

    Joseph nodded to Bertier and took the seat furthest to the side¡ªhe was well aware of his own level, having cram-studied military courses at the Paris Police Academy for less than a year. When it came to specific command in combat, he still had to rely on real experts like Bertier¡ªthe main significance of his being here was to boost morale and to maintain unity among officers of different backgrounds.

    Bertier took to the front, reiterated the situation in Algiers, and then said:

    ¡°According to intelligence, it¡¯s clear that the British and Ottomans are behind this incident. So their goal is not merely to restore the rule of the Imperial Guard, but also to take advantage of our unstable foothold in Tunisia to drive us out from here.¡± He looked around at the officers with a serious expression, ¡°Looking at the overall situation, it is very unfavorable to us. First of all, the People of Algiers began preparing for war at least six days ago, and in this regard, we are significantly behind them.

    ¡°Furthermore, their combat forces have 23,000 men, while we only have over 7,000 soldiers here. Even if we include Zemir¡¯s native corps, at most we can muster 12,000 men. We are still at a disadvantage in terms of manpower. And, as I believe everyone is aware, the combat effectiveness of native soldiers is not to be relied upon.¡±

    All the officers nodded slightly upon hearing this. After the Rebel Army took Tunis City, many troops disbanded on the spot, especially the native tribal soldiers. They were, after all, just peasants who followed along to loot the Imperial Guard¡¯s wealth, but once the fighting was over, they had to return home to tend their fields. Currently, only about 15,500 remained, and many of these were needed to maintain law and order throughout various locations in Tunis.

    ¡°As for the combat capabilities of the enemy forces,¡± Bertier continued, ¡°Albanian mercenaries are a core force highly regarded within the Ottoman army. Although those who came to Algiers might not compare with the Ottoman elite forces, and are mixed with some Bosnians, they are clearly not to be underestimated.¡±

    He gestured towards the guards at the door: ¡°Regarding the strength of the Algiers Guard, these men from the Tunisian Guard probably know it best. Please bring them in.¡±

    The soldiers immediately escorted three Tunisian Guard officers into the meeting room.

    Bertier looked at them and asked, ¡°In your view, how does the combat effectiveness of the Algiers Guard compare with yours?¡±

    An older Guard officer looked around nervously before cautiously answering, ¡°Pasha, they are far stronger than us. They often recruit soldiers from Anatolia[Note 1] and maintain drills five days a week.¡±

    Another Guard officer added, ¡°Some of their weapons are even better than those of the Sultan¡¯s army.¡±

    The French officers seemed to grow more somber upon hearing this, it was clear that their opponent would not be as easy to defeat as the Tunisian Guard had been.

    Joseph, however, was not surprised¡ªAlgiers was a much larger country than Tunisia and was contested by three different powers. If their Guard had not been progressive, they would have long been devoured by the other two forces.

    ¡°So, this could very well be a tough battle.¡±

    Murat¡¯s Corps Commander Andre motioned for the three Guard officers to be taken away, then pointed to the Oued Medjerda river on the map, northwest of Tunis City:

    ¡°In the face of inferior troop strength, it¡¯s best that we rely on river defenses. The enemy¡¯s target is definitely Tunis City, and as long as we hold this line, they can never claim victory.¡±

    The Oued Medjerda river runs from northeast to southwest across the entirety of Tunisia. To the south lies the highest peak of the Atlas Mountains, Tunis Mountain. To take Tunis City, crossing this river is a necessity.

    Setting up a defense along this river is indeed the most prudent strategy.

    No sooner had Andre finished speaking than several officers nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter 218: Swift Resolution_2

    Chapter 280: Chapter 218: Swift Resolution_2

    Bertier frowned slightly, ¡°But both Bizerte and Kairouan, on the north side, are on the northern shore of the Oued Medjerda. If we arrange our defenses along this river, we will essentially be handing these places over to the enemy.¡±

    The officers immediately turned their heads to look at him: ¡°What is your suggestion, then?¡±

    Bertier tapped the western side of Bizerte with his finger: ¡°To enter Tunis from Annaba, one must pass through here¡ªFerrieres, between Lake Ichkeul and Lake Bizerte. Here, we can ambush the People of Algiers!¡±

    Andre frowned, ¡°But, Lieutenant Colonel, that¡¯s a plain. If we choose this place, we will have to face an enemy many times our own number head-on.¡±

    In his words, he had already automatically ignored Zemir¡¯s indigenous forces.

    An officer from the police academy immediately said, ¡°But it¡¯s the only way to save Bizerte.¡±

    The officer next to him nodded in agreement: ¡°Losing Bizerte will encourage the remnants of the Tunisian Guard and bring us more trouble.¡±

    Someone who opposed raised their voice: ¡°Have you considered that, by deciding the battle on the plain, we will have no chance to retreat if the situation turns against us?¡±

    The officer from the police academy was unyielding:

    ¡°The enemy sweeping through Bizerte will cause severe damage there. If we can¡¯t demonstrate our ability to protect Tunis, the prestige we¡¯ve just established among the locals will be completely destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we should ask Paris to allocate more troops.¡±

    ¡°That could take one or two months, or even longer. Who knows what changes will occur in the battle situation during that time.¡±

    ¡°And the finances may not allow for further large-scale troop deployments either.¡±

    ¡°So defending along the Oued Medjerda is still the most feasible option.¡±

    ¡°I think we can definitely give Ferrieres a try!¡±

    The two sides holding different opinions argued more and more fiercely. For a time, no one could persuade the other.

    Just at this moment, Joseph suddenly stood up, interrupting the incessantly arguing sides: ¡°I want to know where our logistical support is coming from?¡±

    Bertier immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, it is mainly orchestrated by Mister Agadon and the chamber of commerce, and a small part is carried by our fleet from Corsica.¡±

    ¡°And the transportation to the front lines?¡±

    ¡°We can leave that to the local forces. We¡¯ll send a battalion to oversee.¡±

    Joseph immediately frowned: ¡°Gentlemen, forgive my bluntness, but we probably only have one choice, and that is a quick resolution.

    ¡°Right now, Tunis doesn¡¯t even have an effective government in operation. The collection of food and supplies may encounter problems at any time. Moreover, the Imperial Guard will do everything in their power to disrupt our logistical transportation.

    ¡°As soon as we get stuck in a stalemate, logistics will be the death of us!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bertier¡¯s face lit up with joy: ¡°Your Highness¡¯s concern is absolutely necessary. Then, we shall confirm our position in Ferrieres.¡±

    Joseph, however, fell into contemplation: ¡°If I am not mistaken, the People of Algiers will also be ready to fight us there.¡±

    ¡°That is very likely, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Then the numerical disadvantage would cause us significant losses.¡± Joseph shook his head slightly. The Guard Corps was his painstakingly built foundation, and he couldn¡¯t afford to squander it in North Africa.

    Andre hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, it seems that you agree with my opinion?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Joseph waved his hand, then stared at the intersection of Algiers and Tunis on the map for a while, suddenly revealing a smile, ¡°We need to surprise the enemy. For instance, by resolving them in Annaba!¡±

    Annaba was the easternmost province of Algiers. The officers in the conference room looked at each other in surprise.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Petit Trianon Palace.

    Queen Mary nearly forgot her decorum, her hands clenched into fists as she said loudly to Brian in front of her, ¡°Does this mean that the troops heading to North Africa haven¡¯t set off yet?¡±

    ¡°That, I¡¯m afraid, is the case, Your Majesty,¡± Brian said with his head lowered, ¡°You know the current financial situation. The 4 million livres needed by Marquis de Saint-Veran can¡¯t be disbursed immediately¡­¡±

    He hurriedly added, ¡°The funds are ready, but due to the large sum, the Bank of France Reserve wants to pay with banknotes, and the military insists on silver coins. The exchange will take some time.¡±

    The Queen took a deep breath, obviously suppressing her anger, ¡°It has been 5 days, and he still hasn¡¯t left the camp. The People of Algiers could harm Joseph at any moment!¡±

    Brian carefully said, ¡°Your Majesty, a large-scale troop mobilization requires considerable preparation time. The People of Algiers are likely the same; they probably haven¡¯t left the country either.¡±

    Queen Mary practically spat the words through her teeth, ¡°Go tell Marquis Saint Priest that Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s army must arrive in Tunisia before the People of Algiers. I will sincerely thank him for his hard work.¡±

    ¡­

    Algiers.

    East of Annaba.

    A fully-equipped Ottoman army of over ten thousand was advancing slowly.

    In the middle of the column, Commander Caheller of the interfering army of Algiers looked at the intelligence report that he had just received, a smug smile on his face, and tossed the piece of paper to an Aide-de-camp beside him, his deputy:

    ¡°The British have clearly overestimated the French Army. They were still resupplying in Tunis City 4 days ago and are estimated to set off only in the next few days.¡±

    This was sent by the remnants of the Tunisian Guard within Tunisia. The content was very reliable.

    The latter looked over the intel and turned to say:

    ¡°General, judging by their deployment, they are likely positioning their defenses around the Oued Medjerda river area.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s difficult to attack there?¡± Caheller snorted, ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter how long we fight since the British are paying. Bizerte is very wealthy. In the meantime, we can transport all its riches back to Mitidja.¡±

    However, the tall military officer on the other side said solemnly:

    ¡°General, based on the scouting from the day before yesterday, it seems the Tunisians are preparing to cross the Oued Medjerda river from the north of Kairouan. This might be a preparation to engage with our forces near Bizerte.¡±

    The attendant scoffed dismissively, ¡°That rabble of despicable mobs doesn¡¯t know how to fight. On the plains of Bizerte, we can easily tear them to shreds. Those Tunisian Guards are useless, to be defeated by such riffraff.¡±

    But Caheller instructed:

    ¡°We also need to be cautious of Tunisian ambushes. Pass the order, double our scouts, and find the main force of the Tunisian rebels as quickly as possible.¡±

    The tall officer looked back with some puzzlement:

    ¡°General, I¡¯m curious why those rebels don¡¯t join forces with the French? It clearly weakens them both, making them unable to confront us head-on.¡±

    Caheller corrected, ¡°Even combined, they don¡¯t have the capability to confront us. Those rebels were still farming a few months ago; they probably can¡¯t even form ranks properly. I suspect the French don¡¯t want to expend too much fighting us, so they choose to defend along the river.¡±

    The tall officer again said, ¡°Are the French waiting for reinforcements?¡±

    ¡°The British say that the financial situation in France doesn¡¯t allow them to reinforce on a large scale. Moreover, they¡¯ve promised that if France sends reinforcements, they will provide us with even more support.¡±

    As Caheller was speaking, a scout came riding quickly, reining in his horse at a distance, and called out:

    ¡°Report, General, the Albanians have sent a message that their scouts discovered Tunisian traces near Naivesey. Awaiting your orders!¡±

    Naivesey was almost at the easternmost point of Annaba, nearly leaving the territory of Algiers. The Albanian mercenaries, serving as the advance party, had already reached there.

    Caheller narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then decided:

    ¡°It must be the tribal militiamen of Bizerte coming to scout our movements. Tell Semiz to strengthen the reconnaissance and continue advancing.¡±

    Semiz was the Guard officer in charge of commanding the Albanian mercenaries.

    [Note 1] Anatolia generally refers to the territory of the Ottoman Empire south of the Black Sea, which is part of Asia Minor. It can be considered the most ¡°authentic¡± Turkish ethnicity.

 Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 219: The Crown Princes First Battle

    Chapter 281: Chapter 219: The Crown Prince¡¯s First Battle

    Naivesey Mountain Area.

    Semiz said to the orderly officer beside him, ¡°General Caheller has requested that we double the number of reconnaissance soldiers. Eliminate all the Tunisian scum nearby.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±

    Just as the orderly officer departed, a courier galloped along the endless line of Albanian mercenaries and handed intelligence to Semiz¡¯s Aide-de-camp.

    After reading it, the Aide-de-camp bowed slightly to Semiz and signaled, ¡°Commander, the Bey of Tunisia issued a statement a few days ago opposing our interference in Tunisia¡¯s affairs, and he is very angry with our suppression operation. Moreover, he also mentioned a request for help from ¡®French brothers¡¯ to thwart our forces.¡±

    ¡°Ignore it.¡± Semiz smirked with disdain, ¡°The Tunisian scum have become brothers with Europeans? They are a disgrace to the Islamic world!¡±

    The Aide-de-camp tucked the intelligence away, ¡°Pasha, the Tunisians have been doing business with Europeans for years, and there are a lot of French people within the country. It¡¯s no surprise they might be influenced.¡±

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ve heard that those Tunisian scum have actually started calling themselves ¡®Roman Descendants.¡¯ How ludicrous.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even better. It¡¯ll excite me even more when I¡¯m killing them.¡± Semiz snapped his riding crop forward, ¡°Issue the order, accelerate the marching speed. I want those scum to regret their rebellious actions!¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Look! That¡¯s His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince!¡±

    Within the ranks of the military cadets dressed in white uniforms, wearing black tricorn hats, and carrying the latest model Auguste-style Caplock Gun, someone pointed and shouted not far off.

    Suddenly, the orderly march was thrown into chaos as soldiers looked afar, following the excitement and shouting, ¡°It¡¯s really His Highness! He¡¯s come to fight alongside us!¡±

    ¡°I see him too! Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Long live the Principal!¡±

    ¡°His Highness will lead us to victory!¡±

    ¡°Look, His Highness is marching on foot just like us!¡±

    It took the officers running back and forth shouting commands for the ranks to realign and continue advancing.

    Upon hearing this, Joseph waved to the soldiers, immediately sparking another round of tremendous cheers.

    He glanced back at the troops stretching up the hillside, feeling a surge of pride. This was his Guard Corps, and he was going to fight alongside them on the battlefield for the first time.

    Perhaps, he would lead them across all of Europe in the future, leaving a glorious chapter in history.

    ¡°Your Highness, you really don¡¯t need to engage in battle with the troops,¡± Bertier whispered to Joseph, glancing at the excited soldiers, ¡°The enemy outnumbers us threefold. It¡¯s far too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°You see, your presence has greatly boosted morale. Even if you were to stay in a safe place now, the soldiers would still feel your presence with them,¡± he said.

    He looked northward and added cautiously, ¡°In fact, if you agree, we could now head towards the coast and arrive at naval warships in less than three days.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Warships?¡± Joseph was surprised, ¡°Aren¡¯t the nearest warships supposed to be at Bizerte Port? Why would they appear here?¡±

    Bertier bowed his head, ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Andre and I both think that you shouldn¡¯t take risks by joining the battle, so we contacted the Combined Fleet, and they sent ships to follow us¡­¡±

    Joseph chuckled and shook his head wryly, ¡°I appreciate your concern, Colonel Bertier, but really, there¡¯s no need.¡±

    He gestured toward the advancing white formation, ¡°This is my legion. I¡¯ll often lead them in battle in the future. It¡¯s just a beginning now.¡±

    Joseph knew well that in this era where wars determined the right to survival, one had to be adept at warfare ¡ª only kings who could wield armies could bring prosperity and strength to their country.

    At the moment, although he couldn¡¯t command a battle, he needed to be with the troops to let them know their Crown Prince wasn¡¯t just enjoying himself in the Palace of Versailles, but was sharing life and death with them. Such troops would become his personal army, his support.

    Furthermore, while he didn¡¯t know how to fight, he had plenty of modern ideas and military cases to refer to and could make beneficial suggestions for operational planning.

    For instance, the tactic of preemptive attack he proposed could greatly reduce troop losses and win the strategic initiative. He would set the general direction, and the specifics of combat could be left to military geniuses like Bertier. He could also follow them and learn how to fight.

    After Bertier advised him for a while longer and saw that the Crown Prince remained unmoved, he had to give up.

    He made one last effort, ¡°Your Highness, at the very least, please return to the carriage.¡±

    Joseph looked toward the particular geography of the Atlas Mountains ¡ª the gentle hillocks were scattered with yellowish hard soil, and there were hardly any plants taller than 20 centimeters. The sparse weeds were sparsely dotting the ground, making it look incredibly vast and desolate.

    In the army, there weren¡¯t any ¡°gemstone¡±-type carriages with high-end shock absorption. Riding a carriage on this kind of terrain would be a torture.

    He had tried riding a horse, but due to the lack of training, he had chafed large blisters on his inner thighs after only a day and was forced to proceed on foot.

    Yet unexpectedly, this greatly boosted morale, making it a fortuitous misstep.

    As dusk fell, the drumming in the Guard Corps¡¯ formation changed beat and eventually came to a stop along with the bugle calls.

    Officers from each company began directing soldiers to the designated resting places ¡ª the scouts had already explored ahead on horseback, marking suitable areas for overnight stay.

 Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 219 The First Battle of the Crown Prince_2

    Chapter 282: Chapter 219 The First Battle of the Crown Prince_2

    The soldiers had a simple dinner and then relaxed for half an hour with songs and wine¡ªa necessary military supply, of which each person¡¯s ration was not enough to get them drunk¡ªbefore spreading their blankets on the ground and lying down to sleep in the open air.

    There was about half a meter of space between each person, creating a neat array of small squares that formed a unique ¡°carpet¡± over the Atlas Mountains.

    Inside the officers¡¯ tents, Joseph sipped his vegetable beef soup while watching Bertier and the others gathered around a map discussing battle deployments.

    ¡°Since the day before yesterday, we¡¯ve been encountering more and more Algerian scouts. It seems they can¡¯t be far from here,¡± said the Cavalry Camp Commander.

    Bertier pointed to the west side of Naivesey, ¡°We should be able to reach here by tomorrow. Be ready for a skirmish at any time.¡±

    Next to him, a Major laughed, ¡°The People of Algiers must think we are still in Tunis City. Little do they know we¡¯ve already rushed right under their noses.¡±

    Bertier nodded with a smile, ¡°His Highness¡¯s tactics will surely catch the enemy off guard. I¡¯m very much looking forward to the shocked expressions on their faces when they encounter our forces.¡±

    Indeed, Joseph¡¯s plan was to attack as the best form of defense. Utilizing the Guard Corps¡¯ ability to march rapidly, they had covered 110 kilometers in three and a half days, straight from Tunis City to the border between Algiers and Tunisia.

    After that, they would choose their own battlefield to take the advancing Algiers Army by surprise.

    The Algiers Army, having left a week earlier than the Guard Corps, had only just arrived east of Annaba, covering a little over 170 kilometers.

    Bertier suddenly remembered something and turned to ask one of the staff officers, ¡°Where is Murat¡¯s Corps now?¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± the staff officer pointed to the west side of Bizerte on the map, ¡°It¡¯s a day¡¯s march from us.¡±

    Bertier frowned, then looked at Joseph, ¡°The Algiers Army is very close to us and may discover us at any moment. Perhaps Colonel Andre¡¯s infantry won¡¯t be able to join the first battle.¡±

    Murat¡¯s Corps was considered quite excellent among the old-style French Army, but it fell far behind the Guard Corps in terms of marching speed. Therefore, only a little more than 400 of their cavalry had managed to keep up with the Guard Corps, while the infantry lagged far behind.

    Joseph did not express much, as after all, as a novice officer he had little say when it really came to fighting.

    ¡°This is within your prerogative, respected Commander Sir.¡±

    Although Bertier¡¯s command skills might not match up with those of ¡°first-rate players¡± like Lannes, Sault, and Massena, he would still be considered mid-tier among Napoleon¡¯s marshals, and he should have no difficulty dealing with the Algiers Guards.

    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Your Highness.¡±

    Bertier bowed to Joseph, then looked at the map, ¡°The terrain slopes upward towards the northwest from Naivesey, and I believe nearby would be the most advantageous place to have a decisive battle.¡±

    Joseph looked at the contour lines on the map¡ªthe Tunis Mountains were on the south side of Annaba, meaning that from Algiers to Tunisia it was mostly a high ground overlooking the area, except for a small section from Naivesey to Bizerte, which encountered some intermittent hills and thus had slightly lower terrain.

    The Guard officer, Ledleon, who was also nearby, nodded in agreement, ¡°The terrain here is indeed favorable. It¡¯s just that our scouts haven¡¯t located the main forces of the People of Algiers¡­¡±

    As he was speaking, they heard the urgent sound of galloping, and then a reconnaissance cavalryman stepped quickly into the tent, exclaiming, ¡°Your Highness, Lieutenant Colonel, we have spotted a large enemy force, numbering over 10,000 men. Judging from their clothing and weapons, it seems to be Albanian mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°How are there only a little over ten thousand?¡± Bertier asked perplexed.

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet, Lieutenant Colonel. But the number shouldn¡¯t be too far off,¡± replied the cavalryman.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that the Albanian mercenaries, eager to reach Tunisia ahead of the rest to plunder, relied on their slightly faster marching speed and left the Algiers Guards behind by over ten kilometers.

    And Semiz, considering his troops were still within Algiers territory, just let them go.

    Bertier inquired about the specific location of the enemy forces from the reconnaissance soldier, quickly measured the distance on the map, and then turned to the tent¡¯s senior officers, saying, ¡°They¡¯re just over 20 kilometers away from us, it looks like we might encounter them as soon as tomorrow noon.

    ¡°If the enemy forces are disjointed, indeed, it¡¯s a rare opportunity for us!¡±

    ¡­

    In the desert of the Atlas Mountains, five cavalrymen dressed in Ottoman-style light yellow robes with baggy breeches and upturned boots were racing westward along the northern hillside.

    Suddenly, the leading cavalry raised a hand and gestured, whispering in French, ¡°Enemy sighted!¡±

    The other four immediately looked into the distance and indeed spotted three or four Algerian scout cavalrymen.

    The opposition, apparently also having seen them and with disdain for the ¡°lowly Tunisians,¡± let out a howl, drew their scimitars, and charged in a line.

    The ¡°lowly Tunisians¡± reacted quickly, pivoting uniformly to the right front while taking short-barreled carbines from their saddle racks.

    As the distance between them rapidly closed, the ¡°lowly Tunisians¡± chose the nearest moment to aim and fire a volley at the opposition.

    One of the Algerian cavalrymen immediately flew sideways out of the saddle, but his foot got caught in the stirrup and was dragged several hundred meters by his warhorse.

    The ¡°lowly Tunisians¡± skillfully reholstered their guns and drew their sabers, making an arc under the leadership of their commander and turning their horses to rush towards the rear of the Algerians.

    The latter were taken aback and hastily pulled on the left reins, trying to chase after the enemy.

    It was at this moment that the ¡°lowly Tunisians¡± suddenly made a sharp turn to the right, and both sides were now in an ¡°eight¡±-shaped charging pattern.

    The Algerians were visibly panicked; in the moment their warhorses ran abreast, two of them were struck down by the ¡°lowly Tunisians,¡± leaving one in terror, who turned his horse and fled.

    Cavalry combat hinges on courage; the one who flees first essentially becomes fish on a chopping board¡ªothers vigorously chopping forward effortlessly, while trying to twist and strike behind is nigh on impossible.

    The ¡°lowly Tunisians¡± pursued closely and after running four to five hundred meters, they brought him down from his horse with a single slash.

    The five victorious cavalrymen wore expressions of excitement, turning back to clear the battlefield: ¡°They actually charged at us, we are truly thankful for that!¡±

    ¡°Sergeant Obin, are these four fellows enough for us to be promoted?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, Blanche just took down two, definitely enough for a promotion to sergeant. As for you, seems like you didn¡¯t snag any, so don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    ¡°Damn! Let¡¯s keep moving forward; we should encounter more of the enemy¡¯s scouts.¡±

    The five cavalrymen, dressed as Tunisians from the Guard Corps, quickly mounted and continued along the edge of the predetermined battlefield to clear out the enemy¡¯s scout cavalry.

    Similar scenarios were unfolding nearby, with Bertier dispatching half of his cavalry dressed in Tunisian attire to eliminate the enemy¡¯s scouts. With 400 of Murat¡¯s cavalry at his disposal, he was not at all concerned about the cavalry¡¯s stamina.

    It was so, that the Albanian mercenaries, although sensing something amiss, still believed they were merely being harassed by Tunisian tribal forces.

    It wasn¡¯t until they were less than 5 kilometers away from the Guard Corps that Semiz truly realized they were facing a large army of several thousand¡ªon the bare plains of the Atlas Mountains, with no obstructions, this distance was close enough to directly spot the large enemy force with telescopes.

    The Albanian mercenaries were previously on the march when Semiz, in a flurry, ordered the switch to combat formation. With officers relaying the command, the Albanians were immediately in uproar with shouting and horse neighing.

    Contrary to the scenes depicted in movies and television, real battles were never a matter of an officer giving an order and soldiers immediately lining up neatly like machines, menacingly drawing their weapons for combat.

    With 18th-century communication capabilities, simply conveying the ¡°switch to combat formation¡± command to each soldier took more than 20 minutes for the 13,000 mercenaries.

    When it came time to line up, it was even more chaotic. You blocked my way, I took his spot, some soldiers even couldn¡¯t find their own officers.

    Meanwhile, the Guard Corps was already ready, with infantry halting about 2 kilometers from the enemy, the front line stopping, and the rear keeping file and spreading to both sides.

    Within just over ten minutes, they formed an array of over 30 rows at the front, each row nearly a hundred columns wide.

    Then, the sound of drums rose in unison as dozens of drummers advanced with big steps, followed quickly by the infantry battalions.

    After another ten or so minutes, just when the Albanian mercenaries¡¯ marching column had barely managed to gather together, the Guard Corps was already within 500 meters of them.

    On the hillside to the side and rear, Bertier put down his binoculars and signaled to the orderly officer, ¡°Give the order, let the infantry spread out into combat formation. Artillery, begin firing.¡±

 Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 220 The Fierce Crown Princes Guard Corps

    Chapter 283: Chapter 220 The Fierce Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps

    Surrounded by a large number of red-clad Swiss Guards, the French Army¡¯s battlefield command post.

    Joseph silently noted down a series of commands from Bertier, perhaps before long, he himself would have to give similar orders.

    Seeing the orderly officer hasten away, Joseph picked up his previous battlefield notes, compared them, confirmed the positions of the artillery, and lifted his binoculars to look over.

    Through the lens of the binoculars, there appeared two breastworks about ten meters wide on a small hill a kilometer away. At this moment, five 8-pound cannons lay silently behind them, the gun crews apparently not yet ordered to action.

    According to the ¡°Grand Battery¡± tactics brought by Joseph, all of the heavy artillery brought by the Guard Corps were now concentrated at this artillery position.

    At this time, European armies commonly integrated cannons into infantry battalions for use. The gun carriages were positioned near the infantry emplacements. During combat, a cannon would be placed every few hundred meters. Although this allowed the infliction of casualties over a wider area, it nonetheless only served as a support for the infantry.

    Napoleon¡¯s ¡°Grand Battery¡± tactic, however, was to concentrate all cannons together, under the command of the Corps Commander, to bombard a single target with maximum firepower in order to quickly crush it.

    Better to break one of his fingers than to wound his ten. Once the enemy position subjected to the focused bombardment collapsed, it would become the breach through which the French could tear open their lines. The effect was far better than the slow attrition of the enemy¡¯s front.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115949¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115949/c4fc101ec65480ca50f893e6d8ea57ba0Ifc3G2S1TefmE1.jpg¡±>

    About half a minute later, Joseph finally saw the captain of the artillery company receive the command, flagging the signal flags for ready to fire.

    The target location had already been determined. Each cannon¡¯s gun captain loudly urged the soldiers, and soon one after another, they had completed their preparations for firing, standing erect beside the cannon waiting for the order.

    The battery captain turned his head and said something, the flagman immediately flying the flag signal for free-fire. Several cannons immediately spewed forth raging flames, the barrels recoiling sharply. The artillery position was instantly enshrouded in thick smoke.

    After a few seconds, the thunderous sound of the cannon fire finally reached Joseph¡¯s ears from afar.

    As he adjusted his binoculars, he saw on the opposite side, at a lower position, the Albanian mercenaries¡¯ formation northward seemed like a wheat field trampled by wild buffalo, suddenly flattening a small section, faint bloodstains visible on the ground.

    That was a scene from two or three kilometers away, and a ¡°small section¡± in a military formation often meant as many as twenty to thirty people.

    Mainly, the mercenaries, who were busy forming ranks, stood too densely, and the Guard¡¯s artillery was fortunate, as their initial ranging shot had hit the target directly, causing significant casualties.

    Bertier, standing by his side, had obviously seen this effect as well and murmured softly, ¡°Nice shooting.¡±

    Less than a minute later, five cannons roared again.

    This was far from the scene of simultaneous fire from countless cannons often depicted in movies and dramas. The Guard Corps, which contained more than 4,000 men, only brought six cannons, one of which was a four-pounder from the reserve.

    Given the logistical capability for field operations at the time, this was the highest proportion of cannons that could be carried by a unit while ensuring firepower. In fact, the most important factor affecting artillery firepower was the amount of ammunition.

    As long as continuous output from the cannons could be maintained, the damage inflicted by five 8-pound cannons would already be quite terrifying. And even if more cannons were brought, if the ammunition was swiftly exhausted, then the cannons would be nothing more than iron lumps. With the carrying capacity for one additional cannon, it would still be better to bring an extra hundred or so rounds of ammunition.

    The 8-pound iron balls whistled through the air and plowed into the Albanian troops, carving out several long gashes of blood.

    The mercenaries still forming ranks nearby immediately fell into chaos¡ªno matter how the officers shouted and cursed, the soldiers either just ran around in all directions or stood frozen in place with fear. The left wing of the whole Albanian Army was suddenly missing a chunk.

    Suddenly, Joseph heard the sound of bagpipes, organs, and violins that had been playing continuously near his ear fade a little¡ªsuch was the field of battle in this era. From the start of the fight, music from around the battlefield had never stopped, like being in a grand yet somewhat rudimentary concert.

    Suddenly, the drum sounds became clearer, and the fast-moving columns of infantry came to an abrupt halt in their tracks, spreading out to both sides.

    From each company, two officers stepped out to pull a rope twenty to thirty meters long as straight as possible. The soldiers then aligned themselves behind this rope. Instantly, the entire line straightened out.

    A few minutes later, a three-rank deep infantry line spanning seven to eight hundred meters appeared in front of the Albanian mercenaries¡¯ position. From Joseph¡¯s perspective, it looked as if a giant had scored a white slash across the pale yellow wasteland.

    At the same time, two infantry companies appeared on the north side, taking up skirmish formation and closely watching the gap blasted open by the artillery in the enemy¡¯s line, beginning to slowly advance.

    The Albanian commander, Semiz, watching through his binoculars the impeccably dressed white uniforms, tight breeches, and three-cornered hats, was already covered in cold sweat, murmuring incessantly, ¡°The French, how could this be? This is impossible¡­¡±

    According to intelligence he had received, the French Army was still in Tunis City three days ago. This intel had been repeatedly confirmed by Albanian spies and remnants of the Tunisian Guard; there could be no mistake.

    But where had these French soldiers come from before him?

    It couldn¡¯t possibly be that they had marched from Tunis City to Annaba in just three days, could it?!

    In his understanding, that was indeed impossible, but for the Guard, which trained daily in weighted cross-country, it was still far from the limit.

 Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 220 The Fierce Crown Princes Guard Corps_2

    Chapter 284: Chapter 220 The Fierce Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps_2

    Another round of cannon fire from the distance made Semiz shudder; he saw that the French Army¡¯s line formations were already fully deployed, while his own side was still in disarray, assembling their ranks. His heart immediately tightened.

    The Guard Corps were inherently superior in military discipline compared to the Albanians, and they had been prepared for the assault since dawn, so their speed in forming up was naturally much faster than the mercenaries who were still on the march. In the era of flintlock guns, whoever finished forming up first essentially held an absolute advantage.

    At that moment, the scouts that Semiz had sent out finally returned¡ªhe was a seasoned veteran on the battlefield, capable of executing basic maneuvers like dispatching cavalry to scout at the first encounter with the enemy.

    The leading cavalryman, still at a distance, reported loudly to him, ¡°Pasha, the enemy numbers around 4,000, with possibly a few hundred more in reserve.¡±

    Semiz¡¯s mind steadied somewhat; although the enemy had seized the advantage with their surprise attack, he still held an absolute numerical superiority.

    In other words, as long as he could stabilize his ranks and drag the battle into a frontal confrontation, victory would still be his!

    His thoughts raced, and he turned to look at his own side¡¯s most chaotic left flank, yelling at his aide-de-camp, ¡°Tell Nishani to lead the cavalry to attack the enemy¡¯s right flank. At least hold the enemy for half an hour!¡±

    The French Army¡¯s right flank was the Albanian Army¡¯s left flank.

    The aide-de-camp hesitated, ¡°Pasha, all the cavalry?¡±

    Semiz gritted his teeth and nodded, ¡°Yes! All the cavalry!¡±

    He was well aware that he could not afford to hesitate about using the cavalry at this time.

    Although the cavalry were still in disarray, not having completely formed up, a harassing fight would allow each cavalry squadron to attack at will, and should be able to hold the enemy off for a significant amount of time before all 1,600 cavalrymen were expended.

    After that, he could use his numerical advantage to engage the French in positional warfare. Even if he couldn¡¯t win, General Caheller¡¯s large force would arrive the next day, and with numbers several times greater, they would surely be able to quickly overwhelm the French Army!

    As another barrage from the Guard Corps¡¯ artillery thoroughly scattered the Albanians¡¯ left flank, trumpet calls rang out within their ranks and more than a dozen orderly officers ran back and forth, rallying the cavalry.

    And 300 meters behind the breach in the Albanian Army, a reserve unit began forming up, ready to fill the gap in an orderly column.

    As the drummers of the Guard Corps started to beat a rhythmic cadence and the ¡°bands¡± resumed playing, preparing to launch a frontal assault, a large number of bow-carrying cavalry surged out of the Albanians¡¯ left flank, like a tide.

    Joseph, upon hearing a hint from a staff officer beside him, quickly used his telescope to look in that direction, his brow furrowed. How could the Albanians respond so quickly? Cavalry formation was much more difficult than infantry; how could they immediately launch a cavalry attack?

    But he quickly noticed something amiss and said to Bertier beside him, ¡°Are they on a suicide mission?¡±

    Cavalry without formation were no different from wild horses running on the plains. In their high-speed movement, they could not attend to other units, and would easily become scattered or form a long, thin line. If the enemy¡¯s cavalry attacked in formation, it would be a simple matter of reaping military achievements.

    ¡°Your Highness, they are probably trying to buy time,¡± said Bertier, ¡°We do not have as many cavalry as they do; it will take a significant amount of time to completely wipe them out. In the meantime, they will send a portion of their cavalry to attack our infantry line.¡±

    In the age of flintlock guns, the greatest strength of an infantry line was the frontal attack, and a thin line would leave the flanks very vulnerable.

    Thus, typically, both sides would use cavalry to protect the flanks of their infantry.

    Joseph nodded, waiting quietly for Bertier¡¯s response.

    After a moment of thought, Bertier gave his orders to an orderly officer, ¡°Have the cavalry immediately support the right flank. Recall the skirmishers to assist the infantry on the right, and switch to a hollow square defense. Also, hand over the reserve¡¯s artillery to them.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The hollow square was another advanced tactic that Joseph had brought to the Guard Corps. Of course, the hollow square had already appeared in the early 18th century, but it was only used as an emergency measure when the infantry was cut off and surrounded by cavalry, preparing to fight desperately to the end.

    Joseph knew how Napoleon had used them against the Mamluk Cavalry.

    The infantry took the initiative to form multiple supporting squares, staggered over a wide area to slow down the Cavalry¡¯s charge speed, and constantly wore them down, thus becoming an offensive formation.

    The command was relayed to the right wing of the infantry line within a minute; 2 rifle companies and 8 infantry companies began to move. At the same time, an officer from the right wing sent a messenger to report that they would face a cavalry raid from the enemy.

    When the Albanian Cavalry forefront chaotically surged towards the French Army¡¯s right wing, more than 500 cavalrymen from the Guard Corps and Murat¡¯s Corps had completed their lineup, sweeping across the scattered Albanian Cavalry in five rows of formation.

    The latter barely managed a charge with just over a hundred men, and were almost immediately dispersed; most were cut down from their horses by sabers, while a few were shot by riflemen providing flanking coverage to the infantry.

    The French cavalry didn¡¯t linger; they drew an arch in the distance, turned around, and reformed their ranks.

    Meanwhile, the two rifle companies had already taken position at the side of the infantry line, forming a T-shape.

    Soon, more Albanian Cavalry galloped in. A barrage of musket fire erupted from the French skirmish lines, taking down twenty to thirty of the foremost riders¡ªamong these skirmishers were many Joseph was preparing to shape into riflemen, or marksmen, with excellent shooting skills. Had the enemy charge not been so disordered, their losses would have been even greater.

    The Albanians were somewhat dazed by their defeat¡ªfacing infantry that seemed utterly fearless, standing stiffly and aiming their shots. For a moment, the cavalrymen behind reined in their horses, preparing to sweep around the side.

    Not far away, the French Cavalry swiftly completed their reformation and charged with a howl into the enemy¡¯s cavalier ranks from an oblique angle.

    Chaos ensued among the Cavalry, who stood no chance against the neatly lined-up cavalry, especially when struck on the flanks. The Albanian Cavalry immediately broke and were slaughtered by the French.

    In no more than ten minutes, the Albanian Cavalry had lost nearly 400 men. A multitude of masterless horses stood idle on the battlefield, inadvertently serving as a barricade for the French infantry.

    A French skirmisher company captain named Lefevre, looking out at the enemy corpses strewn about and then at his soldiers who were virtually unharmed, licked his dry lips and shouted to the orderly beside him, ¡°I think we can hold off the enemy cavalry without needing a hollow square.¡±

    The orderly, taken aback, quickly signaled his statement with flag signals.

    Lefevre hastily objected, ¡°I was just saying, I didn¡¯t mean for you to¡­ ¡±

    However, Bertier, watching from a distance through his binoculars, saw the flag signals and smiled, nodding: ¡°He¡¯s got a sense of adventure. All right, do as he suggests.¡±

    He turned to his staff and said, ¡°Keep 4 companies for defense on the right flank, bring two more from the reserve. The rest of the infantry continue the frontal assault in line formation!¡±

    Joseph saw the Guard Corps move like a slow-reacting giant; ¡°brain¡± commands took a minute to reach the limbs, and the right hand, which had just opened in preparation for defense, clenched back into a fist.

    A four-pound cannon from the reserves was also dragged to the right flank. The cannon master, following the drill manual, ordered the gunners to stuff grapeshot into the barrel.

    Minutes later, rhythmic drumming again rose from the Guard Corps¡¯ infantry line. The drummers, stepping forward first, led the entire infantry line toward the Albanian positions.

    The fierce battle on the right flank continued. Albanian Cavalry repeatedly charged the French infantry of only five to six hundred men but were met with recurring sniper fire from muskets and four-pound cannons.

    This was actually a contest of willpower.

    If these cavalrymen, undaunted by death, could withstand two to three volleys, break into the infantry ranks, it would result in a one-sided massacre. Even if French Cavalry came to their aid, because of the surrounding infantry, their formation advantage would be greatly reduced.

    Then it would be very likely that they would breach the French Army¡¯s right flank defenses.

    However, it was the French infantry who showed no fear of death. They watched the enemy cavalry approach within thirty meters, and still, they managed to aim and fire their shots, shattering the morale of the Albanians who were nearly within arm¡¯s reach.

 Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 221: Winning with Fewer Numbers

    Chapter 285: Chapter 221: Winning with Fewer Numbers

    The Albanian Army Commander Semiz saw the French infantry line begin to move, and then glanced at his own disorganized infantry mass, his face instantly turning ashen.

    What were the cavalry doing?! In annoyance, he raised his telescope and looked toward the north side of the battlefield, only to see hundreds of Albanian Cavalry charging toward the thin ranks of the French infantry.

    The French stood their ground like a rock and unleashed a volley. The leading two or three dozen cavalrymen immediately tumbled to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

    Then there was a faint sound of a cannon firing. Semiz couldn¡¯t locate where the cannon was, but he saw something that appeared to be an arm with a shoulder attached to it flying into the air amidst a spray of fresh blood.

    Since the Albanian Cavalry had not formed ranks, the charge was stretched out over more than two hundred meters, with those further from the French seemingly frozen by the cannon¡¯s roar and their comrades¡¯ screams, promptly turning their horses to flee to the sides.

    Semiz saw some dead horses, driven by inertia, crash into the defensive lines of the French flank, causing some disarray. A few riders who couldn¡¯t control their mounts also charged in, but were immediately impaled by French infantry bayonets.

    No more cavalry followed, and the French ranks quickly closed again.

    Semiz cursed under his breath, ¡°These cowardly Albanians! If they had charged 50 more steps, the French main force would have had to fall back to support the right flank!¡±

    However, morale is influenced by many factors, and once it collapses, unless one can exit the battlefield for regrouping, it is extremely difficult to recover.

    Immediately after, the French Cavalry completed their formation and came thundering down the gentle slope from the north.

    Seeing this, the Albanian Cavalry fled even more quickly. That four-pounder cannon switched to solid shot and kept firing at their retreating forms, blasting up cloud after cloud of bloody mist.

    On the main battlefield, the line of the Guard Corps infantry continued its steady advance, maintaining an almost perfectly straight line nearly a kilometer long, radiating an unstoppable and awe-inspiring pressure.

    By this time, the Albanian left flank, after dozens of rounds of furious bombardment by the French artillery, was nothing but shredded flesh and spilled blood, already ruptured with a vast gap.

    A company of skirmishers from the Guard Corps broke from the ranks, checked their weapons according to the manual, and then three drummers struck up the drums, marching forward with heads held high.

    Hundreds of soldiers immediately followed in sparse formation.

    On the right flank, Lefevre led a volley with his men aimed at the enemy cavalry¡¯s rear and, realizing the enemy had fled too far to be pursued, turned his head to see that a general attack had already begun in front of him.

    He immediately ordered his troops to form up and, after requesting instructions from his own captain, led his skirmisher company into the battle at the front.

    The soldiers on the Albanian side watched the approaching French with horror and gave up trying to form ranks, beginning to fire their weapons in a panicked attempt to shoot the enemy across from them.

    However, with the accuracy of flintlock guns, unless firing in a concentrated volley, hitting the target was a matter of faith.

    The line of the Guard Corps infantry kept advancing until they were about 70 steps from the enemy, then halted on the officer¡¯s command and quickly reorganized their formation.

    Then the company commanders crisply issued orders: ¡°Ready!¡±

    ¡°Aim!¡±

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    A perfectly synchronized flash of gunfire erupted from the infantry line, and nearly a thousand bullets tore into the Albanian mercenaries¡¯ ranks.

    ¡°Reload! Second rank, step forward three paces!¡±

    ¡°Ready!¡±

    ¡°Aim¡­¡±

    The long line of the Guard Corps functioned like a well-oiled machine; one rank of soldiers stepped forward three paces, fired a volley, then reloaded on the spot.

    The rank behind stepped forward and repeated the process, then reloaded.

    And so on¡­

    In this way, under the intense pressure of concentrated fire, the infantry line swiftly closed the distance to less than 50 steps from the mercenaries.

    The dreadful power of the caplock gun was fully displayed ¡ª each volley from the infantry line claimed nearly a hundred mercenaries.

    The enormous casualties caused continuous desertions in the front ranks of the Albanian Army, and the already unformed lines became even more pockmarked.

    The most stubborn hundred-man units still resisted on the spot, while the majority of the soldiers, under the pressure of gunfire, began to retreat backward, and some had already run to the rear, wrestling with the enforcers.

    The whole formation had completely turned into a tattered rag strewn across the Atlas Mountains.

    At the gap in the Albanian left flank, a company of French skirmishers spread out over forty meters wide, crept forward with bended knees, and occasionally stopped to take potshots.

    Just as they had advanced thirty to forty paces, laughter boomed from behind: ¡°Anatole, you¡¯re too by-the-book. There¡¯s hardly any enemy opposite us; we should cut through at the fastest speed!¡±

    Captain Anatole turned and saw Lefevre¡¯s skirmishers form into five columns and quickly passed by him, hurtling toward the Albanian positions.

    ¡°You guys¡­ we are skirmishers¡­¡±

    Lefevre left him with, ¡°The only creed of a skirmisher is to be flexible. See you!¡±

    Watching as Lefevre¡¯s men reached the breaches first, Anatole straightened up and shouted to his own company, ¡°Close into columns! Advance swiftly!¡±

    Lefevre¡¯s company almost bumped noses with the Albanians before he ordered them to deploy on the spot. In the process, more than ten ferocious mercenaries wielding spears charged at them, several of whom were shot down by a lieutenant in charge of cover, who then pushed back the rest with bayonets.

 Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 221 Overcoming the Odds with a Small Force_2

    Chapter 286: Chapter 221 Overcoming the Odds with a Small Force_2

    Two minutes later, Lefevre¡¯s company had formed a line, though not a very neat one.

    ¡°Aim!¡±

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    Following Lefevre¡¯s loud command, more than 30 caplock guns fired a volley.

    Seven or eight Albanian mercenaries, being close in distance, suddenly fell backward as if struck by an invisible fist, groaning. The others scrambled to turn and flee.

    Lefevre directed his company to advance several dozen meters deeper into the enemy¡¯s position, then ordered the line to turn southward, towards the edge of the left flank of the Albanian positions, beginning to fire and compress inward.

    At this time, Anatole¡¯s company also caught up, deploying into line formation and joining the battle behind and to the side of Lefevre¡¯s men.

    The Albanian Army, already reeling in the main battlefield, now faced added disaster, as nearly ten thousand mercenaries were being soundly defeated by three thousand members of the Guard Corps, continuously shrinking back towards the southwest.

    This was due to not only the latter¡¯s more reasonable tactical deployment but also the vast difference in soldier quality and armament.

    The artillery of the Guard Corps also began to shell the center of the Albanian positions under Bertier¡¯s command. With nearly ten thousand men sprawled across the empty wasteland, aiming was hardly necessary to ensure a kill with each cannon shot.

    Soon, Semiz saw his left flank collapse completely; the French Army had formed a two-pronged attack, squeezing a large number of soldiers into the center of the battlefield, which was exactly where the French cannons were violently bombarding.

    His face ashen, Semiz said to his aide-de-camp, ¡°Send Fatese to hold the line. Order a full retreat!¡±

    Fatese¡¯s unit was the main reserve force of the Albanian Army, numbering around 1,200 men. They had been waiting behind the main battlefield but had already formed up by then and began to move forward in an orderly fashion.

    However, Bertier had no intention of giving them the chance to leave in peace.

    Seeing the enemy¡¯s disarray through his binoculars, he said to the orderly officer, ¡°Call the cavalry back, prepare to pursue the fleeing enemy.

    ¡°Order the infantry lines to start a bayonet charge.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±

    Joseph, observing the battle through his telescope, nodded in approval at the two companies that had cut into the enemy¡¯s left flank, ¡°Who commands the units to the north?¡±

    Bertier replied, ¡°Your Highness, the gunsmoke is too thick to make out the flags.¡±

    Joseph considered the situation on the battlefield and offered his opinion, ¡°The enemy seems to be retreating. Perhaps those two companies could push deeper behind the enemy lines to cut off their retreat.¡±

    Bertier hesitated, considering that there were only two companies, a mere two hundred men or so.

    ¡°Your Highness, circumventing to the rear could very well lead to a clash with the enemy¡¯s reserves, and they are too few in number.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°I was just speaking off the top of my head, don¡¯t let me interfere with your judgement.¡±

    On the main battlefield, the infantry lines of the Guard Corps fired one last volley when they were within thirty paces of the enemy before fixing bayonets onto their muskets.

    As the beat of the drums became unprecedentedly rapid, the officers at the front waved their swords towards the enemy, shouting loudly, ¡°Charge! For His Majesty the King!¡±

    ¡°For His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    The white lines of infantry immediately surged toward the Albanian mercenaries like a tumultuous wave. The mercenaries were already in disarray, lacking the courage to fight back¡ªand even if they had the courage, their loose and uneven formation wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    The mercenaries at the front were quickly taken down by bayonets, cries of agony rising and falling. Those who were already retreating became even more terrified and went from a slow retreat to turning around and running wildly.

    On Lefevre¡¯s side, his company, which had been advancing with orderly shots, suddenly found the enemy giving up resistance and starting to flee quickly to the west.

    He was momentarily stunned, then turned to the company commander not far away and said, ¡°Anatole, it looks like the enemy is running!¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s chase them down!¡±

    Lefevre looked west and shook his head, ¡°We are the deepest into enemy territory, now we should try to cut off their retreat route.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    Lefevre smiled and turned to the orderly officer, ¡°Order the whole company to gather immediately into columns, do not entangle with the enemy. We¡¯ll move west at top speed!¡±

    On the side of the Albanian Army, the reserves led by Fatese formed a neat line, allowing several ¡°Orcs,¡± that is, battalion soldiers, to pass before they saw the white-uniformed Guard Corps charging with bayonets drawn.

    ¡°Aim! Fire!¡±

    Fatese didn¡¯t care that there were still many of his own men in front, and he hastily gave the order to fire.

    A series of blasts rang out, thick gunsmoke billowed into the air, and dozens of Albanian mercenaries and Guard Corps soldiers fell to the ground.

    The charge of the Guard Corps was momentarily slowed.

    The frontline battalion commanders, upon seeing the Albanians somehow organizing a structured resistance, frowned slightly.

    Just as he was about to regroup his troops for a volley fire exchange with the enemy, shouts came from the south side, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! They can only fire twice at most! In the name of the Crown Prince, follow me!¡±

    The battalion commander stood up in his stirrups, peered through the smoke, and saw a company charging at the Albanians¡¯ defense line like wild oxen without slowing down.

    ¡°Dawu?¡± He saw the company¡¯s flag and immediately gripped his crop tightly, ¡°That reckless fellow! If the enemy¡­¡±

    Before he could finish his thought, he heard a responding shout from the right flank, ¡°Let them see the might of the cadets! Charge with me!¡±

    The battalion commander turned his head and saw that four or five companies were following Dawu, rushing toward the enemy lines with bayonets ready.

    He hurriedly waved vigorously at the orderly officer, ¡°Signal them, cover fire for their charge!¡±

    The Albanian mercenaries, worthy of being one of the Ottoman Empire¡¯s most combat-effective corps, were shocked by the overwhelming momentum of the Guard Corps, but they still gritted their teeth, reloaded, and raised their guns again.

    Fatese shouted desperately, ¡°Fire! Shoot quickly!¡±

    A flurry of flashes passed in an instant.

    As he ran, Dawu heard something with a ¡°whoosh¡± sound fly past his ear. On instinct, he turned his head only to see that half of his sergeant¡¯s face was missing, his body spun in place from the impact of the bullet and fell into a clump of weeds.

    The mercenaries¡¯ fire caused more than thirty casualties. This wasn¡¯t much for the thousands-strong Guard Corps, but it had a substantial psychological impact on the soldiers.

    Dawu, with bloodshot eyes and undiminished speed in his step, shouted, ¡°They won¡¯t have time to reload, advance! Avenge our brothers!¡±

    In reality, they were still more than fifty paces from the enemy, who might have managed another volley. But Dawu knew that if they retreated now, they would sustain even greater losses.

    They had to take the initiative!

    The soldiers who had been fearful heard Dawu¡¯s words and immediately followed his footsteps. The nearby police academy students, upon seeing their fallen comrades, charged even more fiercely than before.

    The Albanian reserve troops began to fumble with their reloading, but when they saw the white uniforms of the enemy just twenty paces away, they could no longer keep their composure.

    Some prepared to resist with bayonets, and others turned to call for the pikemen¡ªyes, the Ottoman forces still had this close-combat unit in their ranks. Yet many more were trembling as they retreated.

    Fatese personally killed two deserters, but he was completely unable to curb the tide of the rout.

    Before Dawu¡¯s bayonet could touch an enemy, the rear-guard of the Albanian Army had already thrown down their weapons and were fleeing in panic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!¡± the young Dawu waved energetically to those behind him, while he himself targeted Fatese on horseback, drawing his pistol and firing at him.

    After dispersing the Albanian Cavalry, the Guard Corps¡¯ cavalry made minor adjustments¡ªmainly to allow the horses to recover their strength¡ªand then the troops set off in pursuit of the fleeing enemy soldiers.

    In a pursuit battle, the cavalry were always the main force.

    With these few hundred cavalry joining the chase, the Albanian mercenaries were quickly overtaken in large numbers, and many knelt and surrendered.

    The largest group of fleeing mercenaries, numbering three battalions¡¯ worth, had retreated nearly a mile and could barely hear the shouts of their pursuers.

    Just as they were about to breathe a sigh of relief, they suddenly saw a white ¡°line¡± on the hill ahead.

    That was Lefevre and Anatole¡¯s two companies, who had set up in a line formation there.

 Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 222: The Worlds Earliest Battlefield Hospital

    Chapter 287: Chapter 222: The World¡¯s Earliest Battlefield Hospital

    Before the thin and elongated line of infantry, Lieutenant Lefebvre wiped the sweat from his palms on the hem of his uniform as he watched the swarms of Albanian mercenaries in their earthy yellow short robes slowly approach like ants in the distance, his nerves on edge.

    The second platoon commander whispered beside him, ¡°Lieutenant, there appear to be three to four thousand of them¡­¡±

    ¡°I see them,¡± Lefebvre replied with a calm face, already beginning to regret his actions. He had indeed managed to get behind the enemy lines, but his side only had 220 men.

    Behind him, there was a gap of 1.5 meters between each infantryman, where normally it should only be 0.5 to 0.7 meters. There were only two ranks in front and behind. If the enemy launched a fierce attack, it would easily break through their line.

    ¡°Steady!¡± he glanced behind him and called out loudly to boost morale, ¡°Grip your rifles. The enemy is nothing to be scared of!¡± In truth, his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

    Soon, the earthy yellow ¡°ant swarm¡± reached close proximity to the infantry line.

    As Lefebvre shouted ¡°Fire,¡± the first rank of soldiers deployed their weapons, and bursts of flame and smoke erupted together.

    Because the distance was somewhat great, only seven or eight Albanian mercenaries were felled by gunfire. However, the Albanians reacted as if stung by scorpions, instantly parting to the sides as if the slender French line of defense was a solid stone wall.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    When the second rank of French soldiers fired, the thousands of mercenaries who had originally surged forth began to panic, turning their heads in retreat.

    Their morale had been utterly shattered. Like startled birds at the sound of gunfire, they had a knee-jerk reaction without even raising their heads to see the number of their foes.

    Surprise flickered in Lefebvre¡¯s eyes as he called out louder, ¡°Reload!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    As the soldiers of the Guard Corps continued to fire, the Albanian forces grew even more chaotic, leading to a considerable amount of trampling. A few thousand men were held back for nearly 20 minutes by just 200 soldiers; only a portion of the mercenaries managed to escape from the two flanks of the infantry line¡ªLefebvre had too few men, and the line¡¯s width was only enough to block one quarter of the flat road.

    Finally, the first echelon of the police academy cadets appeared behind the Albanian army, who promptly shifted from sporadic fleeing to throwing down their weapons and begging for mercy on their knees.

    Four hours later.

    Joseph, Bertier, and other officers walked through the epicenter of the former battlefield, watching the soldiers carefully carry away the wounded or loudly berate groups of Albanian mercenary prisoners passing by.

    The battle had proceeded much more smoothly than Joseph had anticipated¡ªthe Guard Corps and the police academy students had all displayed high morale and excellent combat skills. Of course, a major reason was that the enemy¡¯s forces were disjointed. Otherwise, Bertier could only have waited for Murat¡¯s Corps to arrive and engage in a direct, forceful battle with the more than 20,000-strong army from Algiers.

    Every now and then, soldiers saw them and ¡°snap¡± stood to attention to salute, while Joseph frequently nodded in acknowledgment to the troops.

    Bertier received a note from the staff officer, scanned it briefly, and turned to smile at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, we just received a message that we¡¯ve captured over 3,000 more enemy troops on the western side. Among them seem to be several high-ranking officers.¡±

    ¡°Oh? They actually caught up?¡±

    Joseph was somewhat surprised. After the enemy routed, some fled north, while others retreated to the west. Bertier had ordered the cavalry to pursue north, thinking that the enemies on the west might escape.

    ¡°Two volunteer companies swiftly cut off to the west side of the enemy lines and blocked their retreat,¡± Bertier remarked.

    The staff officer by the side promptly outlined the course of the blocking battle on the west.

    ¡°Francois Lefebvre?¡± Joseph thought the name sounded familiar. He suddenly slapped his forehead¡ªwasn¡¯t that the Duke of Danzig?

    One of Napoleon¡¯s marshals, he had participated in major battles like those of Fleurus and Jena and had accompanied Napoleon on the Russian campaign, with distinguished service.

    Joseph instantly remembered that Lefebvre came from a commoner background, having served in the French Guards. It seemed that during the last recruitment, Bertier had him join his ranks.

    No wonder he fought so fiercely, holding back more than three thousand Albanian mercenaries with just two companies. Had he inadvertently stumbled upon a treasure?

    He looked at Bertier, ¡°Lieutenant Colonel, what do you intend to award Lieutenant Lefebvre for his actions?¡±

    The latter pondered, ¡°He fought bravely and possesses commendable command ability; he has performed exceptionally well during previous drills.

    ¡°Your Highness, he can receive the Medal for Bravery and be promoted to captain.¡±

    According to the system of war merits set up by Joseph, the awards were ranked as follows: the Golden Irish Medal, the Medal for Bravery, and the Medal for Bravery for lower accomplishments. These required specific acts of valor, such as the Golden Irish, which required a major role in a particular battle, influencing the outcome. The Medal for Bravery was awarded for significant influence on the results of the battle, and even the Medal for Bravery required significant contributions to parts of a battle.

    This system was far ahead of its time!

    In the armies of Europe at the time, even if there were medals, they would only be awarded to noble lords. But in the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard, even if you came from a beggar¡¯s background, even if you were just a menial soldier, as long as you contributed to the war, you would receive the corresponding military honors.

    At the same time, each level of honor came with specific rewards and privileges. Acts of valor were immediately rewarded: money was given, promotions were made, even families could benefit.

    Under such a merit system, which soldier wouldn¡¯t fight actively? How could morale not be high?

 Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 222: The Earliest Field Hospital in the World_2

    Chapter 288: Chapter 222: The Earliest Field Hospital in the World_2

    Joseph pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I think Lefevre can be exceptionally promoted to major. The Guard Corps is now short of talent, and we need to give more opportunities to officers with potential.¡±

    What he said was also the truth. Because the Guard Corps initially restricted its recruitment to commoners and lesser nobles, there was a notable shortage of mid-to-high ranking officers¡ªduring this era in France, only the wealthier nobility could afford the military academy education which led to high-ranking officer positions. Without money or connections, even if one entered the military academy, they could only study less popular courses like surveying or engineering, where promotion would be extremely slow.

    For this reason, in the Guard Corps, many lieutenants had to serve as company commanders, simply due to a severe shortage of captains.

    Most importantly, Joseph was certain that Lefevre was absolutely capable of fulfilling the position of a major. He was a marshal personally tested through a series of wars by Napoleon himself!

    Bertier immediately nodded with a smile, ¡°I shall follow Your Highness¡¯s orders.¡±

    In the Guard Corps, the Crown Prince¡¯s orders held absolute authority, without question. Of course, Joseph would never presumptuously give commands, as this was the foundation of his position and livelihood.

    A staff officer by the side said with a smile, ¡°Now Captain Dawu¡¯s brilliance might be overshadowed.¡±

    Bertier also revealed a smile, ¡°He is still young. Having someone outperform him might inspire him to grow even faster.¡±

    The future Marshal Dawu had just turned 18 years old, less than half a year out of the military academy. He first distinguished himself in maneuvers, was promoted to lieutenant and became an infantry company commander. Today in battle, he bravely took the lead, charging at the forefront against the enemy¡¯s concentrated fire, spearheading the bayonet charge that scattered the enemy¡¯s formation, and was promoted to captain.

    Joseph sighed internally, those marshals under Napoleon were indeed formidable, providing them with the slightest opportunity was all it took for them to shine.

    In the afternoon, the Guard Corps had mostly finished clearing the battlefield, and Joseph personally presided over the funeral rites for the fallen soldiers. Of course, the specific religious procedures were conducted by the accompanying priest.

    The Guard Corps and the cadets sacrificed a total of 89 men and had 70 seriously wounded.

    Although this number of casualties was not large, it was certainly possible to reduce it even further, given the one-sided nature of today¡¯s battle.

    Of course, this was their first time in actual combat. Joseph believed that as their combat experience accumulated, they would perform better and better in the future.

    Watching the careful handling of the bodies and the Crown Prince paying his respects to each, a new sentiment arose in the hearts of the soldiers of the Guard Corps.

    Previously, their feelings towards the Crown Prince were more gratitude and reliance, but after his joining them on the battlefield and fighting shoulder to shoulder, they now held love and reverence.

    At 5 p.m. the next day, the Guard Corps, which had been resting in place, finally awaited the belated arrival of Murat¡¯s Corps.

    They were half a day later than the scheduled time.

    In the officers¡¯ tent, Andre apologized to Joseph with a look of self-reproach, ¡°Your Highness, I am truly sorry for being late.¡±

    Joseph gestured for him to sit down and asked, ¡°Did you encounter some trouble?¡±

    Andre nodded awkwardly, ¡°Your Highness, after leaving Tunis City, our wine supplies were not brought in. Dysentery broke out on a large scale the next day.¡±

    He glanced outside the tent, ¡°In fact, only about 2,600 members of Murat¡¯s Corps arrived. The rest remained on the road due to serious illness.¡±

    Murat¡¯s Corps, which came to Tunisia, numbered 3,000 men; thus, within four to five days, they had decreased by 13% due to dysentery!

    Joseph frowned slightly; he knew that most of the population in Tunisia practiced Islam and did not usually consume alcohol, making wine hard to procure. This also confirmed his suspicions about the logistical support capabilities provided by the Tunisians.

    Wine was an important military commodity at the time, one of the main reasons being that it killed most harmful bacteria during fermentation, making it the safest way for troops to replenish fluids.

    After leaving Tunis City, without wine, Murat¡¯s Corps had to drink water at random in the wild. This was likely the cause of their widespread outbreak of dysentery.

    Joseph consoled Andre for a while and instructed him to settle his troops first, as they might engage in battle tomorrow¡ªaccording to the confessions of the captured Albanian mercenaries, the main force of the Algiers Guard was following them, just a dozen kilometers away, about a day¡¯s journey.

    After Andre had left, Joseph suddenly thought of an issue and looked towards Bertier, ¡°The wine supply for the Guard Corps hasn¡¯t been disrupted, has it?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness, just like Murat¡¯s Corps, after leaving Tunis City, we ran out of wine,¡±

    ¡°Oh? Then why hasn¡¯t the Guard Corps had an outbreak of dysentery?¡±

    A staff officer beside them hurriedly replied with admiration, ¡°Your Highness, this is all thanks to Doctor Pernelle. Previously, the corps suffered severe dysentery, but after he insisted on the soldiers drinking boiled water, things started to improve. He even saved this campaign.¡±

    Joseph blinked and asked, ¡°Pernelle?¡±

    Bertier quietly said, ¡°That¡¯s Doctor Perna¡¯s male name.¡±

    ¡°Her?¡±

    A short while later, Perna, clad in white military attire with her long hair bundled up under a tricorne, entered the officers¡¯ tent and paid her respects to Joseph and the others with a standard male salute.

    Joseph lifted his hat slightly and curiously asked her, ¡°How did you come up with the idea of having the Guard Corps drink hot water?¡±

    Perna seriously responded, ¡°Your Highness, it was you who taught me that.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°You once told my father that illness is caused by germs entering the human body. Later, in Bordeaux, you said to Mr. Venio that germs would die if left in hot water for half an hour.¡±

    The young female doctor took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Previously, when some soldiers in the corps were afflicted with dysentery, I remembered this during their treatment, so I had them boil the water for half an hour before drinking it. Many gradually recovered their health, while those who disobeyed continued to suffer for over a month.¡±

    ¡°Therefore, I was convinced your method was effective and insisted that all soldiers drink hot water.¡±

    Joseph, while appreciating the doctor¡¯s ability to extrapolate from his advice, couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly¡ªyou only needed to boil the water, not continue to heat it for half an hour.

    However, he had to admit that she had done a great service. If 13% of the Guard Corps soldiers had contracted dysentery, the battle against the Albanian mercenaries would have been much tougher.

    At the same time, Joseph felt some self-reproach; he should have disseminated such basic knowledge throughout the army in advance. Alas, it is often hardest to see what is right under one¡¯s nose.

    He nodded to Perna in acknowledgment, ¡°You¡¯ve done very well, I think you even deserve a medal for this.¡±

    Perna quickly waved her hands in refusal, ¡°I merely did what a doctor should do, Your Highness, you don¡¯t need to reward me like this. In fact, I am already very happy to be able to treat the soldiers in the corps.¡±

    Only then did Joseph remember that Perna was usually scorned by patients when treating them, with some even believing that a female doctor would bring bad luck.

    The soldiers of the Guard Corps had not failed to notice her disguise, but since there were few army doctors to begin with and even fewer who could cure their diseases, they all pretended not to know. And just this was enough to make her exceedingly happy.

    Suddenly, Joseph had an idea, ¡°Doctor Perna, I would like to ask for your help in setting up a field hospital for the Guard Corps.¡±

    One must know that in this era, the vast majority of soldiers didn¡¯t die on the battlefield but rather due to the poor medical conditions after being wounded.

    Though antibiotics had not yet been developed, having a clean and tidy medical environment and frequent sterilization of medical instruments could at least halve the chance of infection for the wounded soldiers.

    And Perna, skilled in medicine, diligent, and eager to learn, was the best person for the job.

    Moreover, she could then fully devote herself to her beloved medical career without having to be overly concerned about her gender.

    ¡°A field hospital?¡± Perna was completely unfamiliar with this new term.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Joseph nodded enthusiastically, ¡°And the nursing profession, you can start that up as well.¡±

 Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 223: Angel in White

    Chapter 289: Chapter 223: Angel in White

    Today, Joseph witnessed firsthand the appalling medical and rescue conditions of the Guard Corps ¨C the medics were actually washing the bandages with river water; the scalpel was scraped on the trousers before being used on a wound; and with hands stained with the blood of Patient A, they would proceed to treat Patient B¡¯s injuries ¨C it was then that he thought of establishing something like a field hospital.

    He looked at the female doctor¡¯s questioning, light green eyes and grabbed a chair nearby for her to sit down, ¡°First of all, as you already know, many diseases, including wound infections, are caused by bacteria.¡±

    He spread his hands and gestured towards the air, ¡°Bacteria are everywhere in our surroundings, in bedding, clothes, hands, bandages, and more. Normally, skin acts as a barrier to bacteria, preventing them from entering the body, but once an injury occurs, the barrier disappears.

    ¡°At that moment, if a wounded person is allowed to lie on the ground, their wound may rub against the ground or clothes, leading to a large number of bacteria entering the wound. Even the bandages used to dress their wounds will bring a lot of bacteria.¡±

    ¡°Next, as you usually see, the wound becomes ulcerated and the patient develops a fever. Eventually, except for a few individuals with very strong constitutions, most will die.¡±

    Captured by the call of her medical duties, Perna grabbed the paper and pen from the adjutant¡¯s hand, ignoring his astonished look, and quickly bent her head to jot down notes, ¡°Bacteria¡­ wounds¡­ Right, Your Highness, how should we avoid this situation then?¡±

    ¡°We should try to prevent the wounded from being contaminated with bacteria as much as possible,¡± Joseph reassured the adjutant with a gesture and continued to advise Perna, ¡°For instance, use strong alcohol to clean the wounds. Oh, alcohol with a 75% concentration works best. Alcohol is very efficient at killing bacteria.¡±

    Perna nodded subconsciously, ¡°75%¡­ That requires repeated distillation to achieve.¡±

    ¡°The cost might be relatively high, but the amount needed isn¡¯t much, and it¡¯s definitely worth it,¡± Joseph continued, ¡°Also, everything used in the medical process must be disinfected, including the doctor¡¯s hands, as well as the operating table, scalpel, bandages, etc.

    ¡°Doctors must wash their hands repeatedly before performing surgery, using water that has been boiled and then cooled. Everything else must be steamed and boiled to kill the bacteria on them.¡±

    ¡°After such treatment, wound ulceration should significantly decrease.¡±

    ¡°And to achieve all this, we need specialized equipment and to prevent people who have not been disinfected from getting close.¡±

    ¡°Hence, we need a hospital. Here, things can be disinfected at any time, and various medications and medical equipment can be provided. Doctors would concentrate here to perform surgeries on the wounded, and unrelated persons would not be allowed to enter at will.¡±

    ¡°Usually, the contents of the field hospital are loaded onto wagons and move with the troops. After a battle occurs, tents are immediately erected in the camp, and hospital tools are brought in and disinfected. After that, treatment of the injured can begin.¡±

    Perna¡¯s eyes lit up as she listened. She imagined herself busy in such a hospital, where the wounded, one by one, avoided death through her treatment and smiled gratefully at her¡­

    ¡°Your Highness, I will build this field hospital as quickly as possible!¡±

    She held the paper and pen firmly, declaring very seriously and in a loud voice.

    ¡°That will be tough work for you,¡± Joseph went on to explain some more about disinfection and then said, ¡°You also need to compile these procedures into a manual to teach the other military doctors. As for the necessary expenses, give me an estimate and I will allocate it to you immediately.¡±

    Perna, who was trained under Doctor Lamark and possessed superb medical skills, was highly respected by the medics of the Guard Corps.

    Perna nodded and then asked, ¡°Your Highness, did you also mention ¡®nurses¡¯ earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s an important profession,¡± Joseph thought for a moment and explained, ¡°Actually, many medical operations that are not complicated, such as stopping bleeding, bandaging wounds, administering medication, disinfecting, and transporting the injured, can in fact be mastered after simple training.

    ¡°It would be a waste of their significant energy for doctors to perform these menial tasks.¡±

    ¡°Therefore, we need a profession akin to ¡®doctor¡¯s assistant,¡¯ which I call nurses.¡±

    He silently apologized to Nightingale in his heart and continued, ¡°This way, doctors can concentrate on complex surgeries or analyzing medical conditions.¡±

    ¡°Of course, even if nurse training is simple, someone still has to do it.¡±

    Perna immediately volunteered, ¡°Leave it to me, Your Highness. I guarantee to train nurses that will satisfy you!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m counting on you,¡± Joseph stood up, placed a hand on his chest, and bowed to her, ¡°Our angel in white.¡±

    If Perna truly could establish a sanitary system for the Guard Corps, it would certainly be a contribution worthy of the Golden Irish Medal.

    Consider, after all, that just the modern nursing system established by Nightingale over half a century later reduced the death rate of British Army wounded in the Crimean War to less than one tenth!

    And the wounded who recovered and returned to their units could basically be considered veterans.

    This was no small improvement to the military¡¯s combat effectiveness.

    Perna only heard the words ¡°angel in white¡± and felt her cheeks flush with color.

    Ah, His Highness praised me as an angel!

    A holy angel!!

    Could His Highness be hinting at something¡­

    She didn¡¯t dare let her thoughts wander any further, blushing, she emerged from the officer¡¯s tent in a daze, taking deep breaths for a long while before calming down.

    After thinking it over, she didn¡¯t rush to sort out the field hospital but instead gathered the medics and had them set up a row of pots, boiling all the bandages and the sheets from the stretchers.

 Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 223: Angel in White_2

    Chapter 290: Chapter 223: Angel in White_2

    ¡°`

    Then, she procured some spirits¡ªthere were always officers who privately kept some of this stuff¡ªthough certainly not 75% concentration, it should still have some antisepsis effect. Indeed, the method of cleaning wounds with alcohol dates back hundreds of years, but no one has ever been able to explain the principle behind it.

    Subsequently, the wounded of the Guard Corps became the first in the world to enjoy sterile medical care. Well, to round it off, it almost counted as sterile¡­

    Perna could never have imagined that what the Crown Prince had asked her to do that day would turn her into a legend in the history of medicine.

    ¡­

    The next day.

    At the crack of dawn, the reconnaissance Cavalry of the Guard Corps galloped like the wind to the Commander¡¯s tent and announced loudly, ¡°Report! The Algiers Imperial Guard has arrived 10 kilometers west. Preliminary estimates put their numbers at about 13,000.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph immediately rolled up from the ground and quickly donned his coat¡ªall officers slept on the ground just like the soldiers. Only senior officers had tents, after all, military deployments, maps, and documents needed some cover against the elements.

    Bertier¡¯s aide opened the tent to let in the scout, who immediately pointed out several positions on the spread-out map: ¡°The main force is here. These two spots have covering forces of over a thousand men each. Cavalry on the rear flank.¡±

    Soon, the senior officers gathered inside the tent, listening to Bertier¡¯s analysis of the situation: ¡°Clearly, the enemy has also learned of our location.¡±

    Although Lefevre had completed a splendid intercept battle, the numbers of the Guard Corps were fewer after all, and some thousands of Albanian mercenaries escaped.

    These men would definitely report yesterday¡¯s battle situation to the Algiers Imperial Guard. The latter immediately sent out a large number of troops for reconnaissance.

    Andre nodded, ¡°The People of Algiers will surely choose high ground to deploy their formations; we will have a direct confrontation ahead.¡±

    Police officer Ledleon chuckled, ¡°Today, we have Murat¡¯s Corps on our side, so if a battle does erupt, it should be easier than yesterday.¡±

    However, Bertier¡¯s expression was serious: ¡°You cannot afford such complacency, Major. The Albanian mercenaries weren¡¯t aware of our army¡¯s proximity yesterday, which is why we managed to execute a surprise attack. Today¡¯s enemy will be fully prepared.¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± Ledleon nodded and looked towards the sandbox, ¡°Let¡¯s adjust our deployment according to the enemy¡¯s movements as soon as possible.¡±

    Andre said loudly, ¡°If it¡¯s a head-on clash they want, we¡¯re ready for it!¡±

    As all officers were surrounding the sandbox, Lefevre, who was standing in a corner, suddenly coughed and said, ¡°Perhaps we don¡¯t have to clash head-on.¡±

    He had recently been promoted to Major and had just gained the privilege to attend high-level military meetings, but his epaulette still bore the red square of a Lieutenant¡ªhe hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to get the new epaulettes last night.

    Everyone turned to look at him, ¡°Do you have a suggestion?¡±

    ¡°The People of Algiers will soon be deployed in the west; I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no opportunity for a surprise attack.¡±

    Lefevre approached the map nervously and pointed northwest: ¡°We can pretend to besiege Annaba City or make it appear as if we are going to attack Constantine to the south. The Algiers Imperial Guard cannot afford to ignore this.¡±

    Constantine is an ancient city, the southeastern gateway to Algiers, unrelated to Constantinople.

    Joseph¡¯s eyes brightened at the words: ¡°Encircle to strike help? Good strategy!¡±

    He thought to himself: It wasn¡¯t in vain that I promoted you to Major against the norms, you really have some tricks up your sleeve.

    But Bertier slightly frowned: ¡°Your Highness, if we head north or south, that would open up the way to Tunisia. If the People of Algiers attack Tunisia¡­¡±

    Joseph laughed, ¡°We need to display an attitude that we are French people; what do I care if you attack Tunisia?¡±

    Andre pondered and said, ¡°I also think it¡¯s worth trying. If the enemy comes to save Annaba City, we can turn and strike them hard.¡±

    ¡°`

    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t fall for it, the worst that will happen is we¡¯ll just go back to a head-on confrontation.¡±

    Eventually, Bertier also agreed to the ¡°encirclement and rescue¡± strategy. The officers discussed the specifics of the deployment and immediately left the military tent, each leading their troops to their positions.

    Half an hour later, the Guard Corps was already assembled and began to advance northward. As for breakfast, a few bites of dried meat and bread on the march were enough to suffice.

    Murat¡¯s Corps also followed closely behind¡ªthey didn¡¯t even take off their coats to sleep the previous night in order to improve their response speed.

    The Algiers Imperial Guard commander, General Caheller, quickly received news from the scouts, which immediately caused his brows to furrow.

    According to the Albanian mercenaries who had retreated the day before, the French were extremely powerful in combat and had to be engaged with caution.

    He had already ordered his troops to deploy early, preparing to use their numerical advantage to fight a frontal battle with the French Army in the open field, but to his surprise, the enemy turned north instead.

    An aide-de-camp said, ¡°General, the French might be going to plunder Annaba City.¡±

    Caheller remained silent.

    He could have acted as if he had not seen anything and headed directly east to Bizerte. However, if Annaba City was truly looted by the French Army, the Dey would certainly blame him for the loss.

    After much hesitation, he finally gave the order: ¡°The entire army turn north, to save Annaba City.¡±

    The Algiers Army finally caught sight of the French Army at noon on the third day, spotting the rear guard of Murat¡¯s Corps.

    Upon learning that the French forces numbered only about three thousand, General Caheller immediately ordered an attack¡ªthis was more or less consistent with the enemy strength reported by the Albanian survivors, and he could definitely use his superior numbers to launch a strong assault.

    As expected, when his massive forces and the infantry lines formed by Murat¡¯s Corps engaged, the Guard Corps¡¯ cannons roared from the rear side of the Algiers Army.

    Then, two regiments of the Guard Corps appeared on the barren plains to the south.

    The Algiers Guard was instantly thrown into a panic. General Caheller personally led the reserves and some artillery to turn around while concentrating all his forces to assault the Murat¡¯s Corps to the north, aiming to hold back the French forces behind him, quickly open a passage to the north, and avoid being caught in a pincer attack.

    On the hill to the north, Andre himself came to the front of the infantry lines to direct the soldiers in combat. On their flanks, an additional regiment of Guard Corps infantry assisted in the battle.

    Soon, the Algiers Guard charged forward like madmen¡ªthe order Caheller gave them was to resolve the French forces to the north within half an hour.

    Behind a not-so-wide trench, the soldiers of Murat¡¯s Corps began to fire volleys in an orderly manner, loading, and firing again¡­

    Although their combat effectiveness was not as good as that of the Guard Corps, after Andre¡¯s serious training over the past year, they were definitely considered very good in the context of a traditional army, with quick loading and stable shooting. Over 2,000 Charleville 1763 muskets poured out a formidable firepower.

    The People of Algiers¡¯ first charge stalled over sixty paces away from Murat¡¯s Corps, unable to withstand the casualties, and retreated dejectedly. In fact, they left behind only about a hundred bodies, but this was already the limit of their morale.

    The Algiers officer commanding the frontal assault, after beheading several soldiers who led the retreat, was about to regroup for another charge when he faintly heard a noise of chaotic shouting and gunfire coming from behind.

    He hastily picked up his telescope to look south and saw that the more than 3,500 men personally directed by General Caheller had been broken and were chaotically fleeing in his direction. Behind them was a line of white infantry.

    His heart lurched. It had been only a little over ten minutes since Caheller organized the defense, and just as his own side had launched an attack, the French had breached the defenses!

    When he looked at his men who had not yet finished regrouping, he suddenly stripped off his military uniform, waved to his attendants to flee toward the mountains to the west.

    Andre waited for a while but didn¡¯t see a second attack from the People of Algiers. Instead, the sound of cannons from the south seemed to be getting closer.

    He sent out cavalry for another confirmation and decisively ordered the infantry lines to advance forward.

 Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 224: The New Province of France

    Chapter 291: Chapter 224: The New Province of France

    Tunis City.

    A squad of Berbers, dressed in white robes lined with a dark grey studded waistcoat and their heads wrapped in white turbans, slowly walked between the beige, square houses on both sides of the street, escorting hundreds of captives from the Algiers Guard, their scimitars in hand.

    A large crowd of Tunisians followed behind, loudly cursing the Algerian invaders, occasionally throwing various kinds of trash at the heads of the captives.

    The ambush at Annaba was a great success. Caught between two French forces, the Algiers Guard surrendered in less than an hour.

    Joseph had carefully selected some of the captives to hand over to the locals, to be ¡°exhibited¡± in major cities like Tunis, Sousse, and others.

    The official propaganda was that ¡°Tunisia¡¯s closest French friends, with the help of the Rebel Army, had struck a painful blow to the Algerian invaders.¡±

    Indeed, Zemir led the rebel forces in supplying logistics to the Guard Corps and Murat¡¯s Corps, even exerting some effort in escorting the captives¡ªit was indeed help.

    Ever since Hussein became Bey of Tunisia, Algiers had frequently sent troops to meddle in Tunisian internal affairs, and atrocities such as killing and looting along the way were commonplace. Coupled with the heavy tributes Tunisia had to pay Algiers, this increased the burden on the lower classes of Tunisian society, resulting in a deep-seated hatred towards Algiers.

    When Algiers announced they would send troops to suppress the Tunisian Rebel Forces, claiming to support their Ottoman kin in restoring rule, the Tunisian public was even more outraged.

    What they didn¡¯t expect was that before the Algerian army even entered Tunisian territory, their French brothers had already dealt with them and captured many prisoners.

    When the news spread, all of Tunisia was shaken!

    Having just overthrown the oppression of the Guard and now defeating foreign invaders, people were bursting with pride and self-esteem, celebrating victory in every household.

    And both victories were inseparable from the help of their beloved ¡°French brothers.¡±

    Joseph seized this opportunity, having Elder Aly assist with the propaganda. At this point, in the mouths of the Tunisian people, the French Army had indeed become Tunisia¡¯s closest kin and protectors.

    More than 200 captives from the Algiers Guard, after being ¡°exhibited¡± for a week, finally arrived at the square in front of the Great Mosque at the center of the city.

    The newly appointed Tunis City Chief Justice, a mere month into his post, along with several officials from the judicial system, nonchalantly sat behind a wooden table, motioned for the captives to kneel in order, and then began to consult a ¡°work guide¡± to learn onsite how to deal with the current situation.

    Yes, after two nationwide ¡°civil service¡± exams, Tunisia¡¯s administrative and judicial systems had been established following the French model¡ªfrom the management structure to the habit of using tables and chairs, nearly everything was copied.

    Joan brought with her more than a hundred French administrative officials to guide these inexperienced native Tunisians in managing their country, hand in hand.

    Fortunately, the rural tribes of Tunisia had their own traditional management models and didn¡¯t require much interference; only the commercially developed big cities truly needed officials. Thus, at least the administrative management of central and northern Tunisia had barely started after a month.

    Joan had ¡°policy manuals¡± drafted for officials of various positions, and it was one of these manuals that the chief justice was currently browsing through.

    It took the judge a full 20 minutes to figure out what to do first. The nearly thousand Tunisians around him patiently endured the blazing sun for those 20 minutes.

    Finally, the judge began to awkwardly proceed with the trial.

    An hour later, no one understood exactly what he had done, but all heard his verdict¡ª¡±All invaders are sentenced to be hanged!¡±

    In this era, the concept of human rights was non-existent, especially in North Africa, where in the face of public anger, ideas like defense and appeal didn¡¯t even bear thinking about.

    Instantly, the plaza erupted in cheer. People wildly chanted the judge¡¯s name, praising the French brothers, extolling the grand victory, and then then gathered around the captives and escorted them to the execution grounds.

    The next morning, while Haji Bey was having breakfast, he heard a series of shouts coming from outside Ksar Hellal Palace.

    He turned to his new bride with confusion:

    ¡°Are there more Algerian captives to be judged today?¡±

    Hafsa shook her head:

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like it. And escorting captives shouldn¡¯t take them past Ksar Hellal Palace¡­¡±

    While they spoke, a servant hurried in, bowing at the entrance toward Haji:

    ¡°Great Bey, there are thousands of people petitioning outside the palace.¡±

    ¡°Petitioning?¡± Haji asked anxiously, ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°This, I am not sure,¡± the servant said with his head lowered, ¡°but it seems that the leader is the domestic official Xilada Pasha.¡±

    Xilada was the scholar who had previously ¡°composed¡± the ¡°Analysis on the Origin of Tunisia.¡± In the recent ¡°civil service examinations,¡± he successfully secured a position as a domestic official in Tunis City.

    At the moment, Tunisia¡¯s national revenue, finance, and personnel matters were still under ¡°military control,¡± and officials for this level had yet to be selected; hence the mayor of the capital was essentially the highest-ranking official in Tunisia.

    Haji approached the gates of Ksar Hellal Palace with trepidation until he saw the agents from the Police Affairs Department acting as his ¡°guard.¡± It was the French brothers who had stopped the rebel forces wanting to kill him last time and had saved his position as Bey.

    The French guard opened the palace gates, and Haji immediately heard the deafening shouts of the crowd:

 Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 224: The New Province of France_2

    Chapter 292: Chapter 224: The New Province of France_2

    ¡°The glorious province of Tunis¡­¡±

    ¡°To become a province of France¡­¡±

    ¡°To return to the embrace of our Roman kin¡­¡±

    ¡°We want to be with our kin¡­¡±

    Xilada saw Bey appear and hurriedly gestured for the petitioning crowd to quiet down, then respectfully approached Haji, saluted, and presented him with a large piece of sheepskin paper.

    ¡°What, what is this?¡± Haji dared not reach out¡ª the scene from last time when the Rebel Army stormed into the Ksar Hellal Palace and nearly captured him had left a huge psychological shadow over him.

    ¡°It is a petition, Your Excellency Bey.¡±

    Xilada helped him unfold the sheepskin paper, and at the top, written in Arabic, was ¡°Tunis Petition to Join the Kingdom of France.¡±

    Below were densely packed handprints of the petitioners, seemingly numbering in the thousands.

    ¡°Join France?¡± Haji asked, trembling, ¡°How to join?¡±

    An official next to Xilada, who was also a scholar and had previously discussed ¡°origin analysis¡± with him, stepped forward and said loudly:

    ¡°Tunis used to be a province of the Ottoman Empire, and now that we have separated from the Ottomans, we can become a great province of France!¡±

    Another person chimed in: ¡°Yes! To be forever together with our Roman brothers!¡±

    ¡°Powerful France is the only one that can bring prosperity and strength to Tunis!¡±

    The petitioning crowd immediately started chanting:

    ¡°Province of Tunis!¡±

    ¡°Join France!¡±

    Haji stepped back in fright, and Hafsa behind him shouted:

    ¡°If Tunis becomes a province, what will happen to the Bey?¡±

    Xilada immediately said, ¡°Regarding this matter, I¡¯ve already had Joan, the consul, inquire with the French Crown Prince.

    ¡°His Royal Highness has expressed that he will petition for you to be granted the title of ¡®Duke of Tunis,¡¯ retain the Ksar Hellal Palace, and receive a substantial annual pension. Just like those noble dukes of France.¡±

    The excited scholar next to him added, ¡°Compared to the declining position of a Pasha in the Ottoman Empire, becoming a Duke in the great France will be more glorious for you!¡±

    These Tunisian literati had always been the most proficient in French matters, and they acquired a large number of positions during the recent ¡°public civil service exam¡± with their cultural knowledge.

    Therefore, whether due to their proficiency in French matters or for the stability of their positions, they were all extremely eager for Tunis to become a province of France.

    After the Tunisian Rebel Forces entered Tunis City, Joan merely gave Xilada a slight hint, and the latter immediately led the literati class to fully promote the opinion of ¡°becoming a French province.¡±

    And the lower classes of Tunis were also very pleased with this development.

    During the overthrow of the Imperial Guard¡¯s rule, they looted a great amount of wealth from the Imperial Guard¡¯s homes. And now with Algiers sending twenty thousand troops to Tunis to ¡°quell the rebellion¡± and restore the Imperial Guard¡¯s rule, this was something they could not accept¡ªhow could they spit out the meat that was already in their mouths?

    Therefore, they urgently needed powerful France to protect the wealth they had obtained. Whether they became a province of whom made no difference to them. Their dear ¡°Roman brothers¡± seemed much more amiable than the Ottoman Empire.

    As for the Tunisian military, they needed someone to endorse their previous actions of exterminating the Imperial Guard. Moreover, the highest leader of the Rebel Army was Isaac from the Police Affairs Department, who naturally supported joining France with all his might.

    Regarding the religious aspect, since the Ottoman Empire had always practiced a policy of religious coexistence, Christianity and Islam had always coexisted peacefully within its realms. Even Haji¡¯s grandfather, Hussein, before becoming Bey, had been a Catholic.

    Tunisians, influenced by this concept for over a century, naturally had no objections to joining a Catholic country.

    Haji carefully took the petition, turning to look back at Hafsa.

    She glanced at the vast crowd of petitioners and whispered:

    ¡°If you stand to gain nothing but benefits from the conditions offered by the French Crown Prince, and with the title of Duke of France, you will no longer need to fear the mob daring to harm you.¡±

    Haji nodded and turned to Xilada, saying:

    ¡°Please draft a request on my behalf, asking His Majesty the Great King of France to accept Tunisia becoming a province of France.¡±

    ¡­

    While the throngs of petitioners surrounded Ksar Hellal Palace, thousands of soldiers from the Guard Corps were standing in formation at the garrison in Bizerte, participating in the award ceremony for the heroes who had distinguished themselves in the battle of Annaba.

    Amid the solemn and inspiring strains of ¡°Glory and Victory,¡± dressed in his white military uniform and with a sword at his side, Joseph strode onto the wooden platform at the head of the column. He scanned the neatly arranged several dozen squares of troops before him and said loudly,

    ¡°Today, we witness those who have, with supreme courage, wisdom and belief, written a legend worthy of respect and obtained the highest glory! They will receive medals commensurate with their honor! Let us salute them!¡±

    With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the soldiers raised their rifles in a tidy salute to the dozen or so people on the stage waiting to be decorated.

    Afterward, Joseph took the medals from the staff officer and first conferred them on soldiers who had fallen in battle, represented by others.

    Then he came to Lefevre, who had been awarded the Silver Iris Medal, and pinned the finely crafted Silver Iris to his chest, then solemnly saluted him with his hat.

    At this, a wave-like cheer burst forth from the soldiers present.

    You have to understand that Lefevre was of common birth. In other regiments of France, someone like him could at most become a second lieutenant, and even that would require a considerable sum of money for influence.

    But now, he had not only received the Silver Iris Medal but had also swiftly risen to the rank of Major, able to command a battalion of soldiers.

    This was all earned by his valor in battle.

    Origin mattered no more!

    Almost every soldier¡¯s heart was filled with hope because they knew that if they fought bravely on the battlefield, they could earn the same distinction and perhaps even become a General one day!

    And this hope alone was enough to crush the morale of all the armies in Europe at that time.

    Joseph then approached Dawu and pinned the Bronze Iris to his chest, saluting him with his hat as well.

    He looked at Marshal Dawu, standing at attention in response to him, and glanced at Bertier and Lefevre beside him, thinking to himself with a silent sigh: Napoleon, I¡¯ve found three of your marshals, but where on earth have you gone?

    In fact, a few months ago Joseph had started asking the Minister of War to look for a soldier named Napoleon Bonaparte for him.

    According to his memory, Napoleon should have already graduated from the Artillery School and been serving in a regiment by now.

    However, the Marquis de Saint Priest told him there was no active soldier by that name.

    Initially, Joseph wasn¡¯t surprised, since in that era information was extremely limited and armies were the private property of nobles¨Cit was like trying to inspect someone else¡¯s bank statement¨Csecrecy was to be expected.

    Therefore, he asked Fouche to take charge of the matter, but to this day, Napoleon¡¯s whereabouts remained elusive.

    He shook his head slightly, telling himself not to rush, for Napoleon was still only a 19-year-old young man, and as long as they kept searching, they were sure to find him sooner or later!

    ¡­

    The Palace of Versailles.

    Queen Mary, having skimmed the report on the situation in Tunisia, was overwhelmed with joy, giving the head of the royal household who delivered the news an embrace: ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Joseph is safe and sound!¡±

    She stepped back and made the sign of the cross in front of her chest: ¡°Thank you, Almighty God, for your protection over Joseph!¡±

    She read the report carefully again, excitedly pacing back and forth in the room, and finally stopped in front of her lady-in-waiting, saying, ¡°Please help me arrange a welcoming ceremony, my Joseph will be back soon!

    ¡°By the way, does His Majesty the King know this wonderful news?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, a copy of the same document has also been sent to the King,¡± replied the attendant.

    ¡°Good, good! Then, go get two strawberry cakes, covered with cocoa sauce. I want to celebrate properly!¡±

    At the same time, the Marquis de Saint-Veran, who had just led his troops to the Port of Toulon, received the news from Tunisia but seemed somewhat deflated.

    He had not expected the 6,000 troops to solve the problem of the Algiers army. Now that the Crown Prince was safe, there was no longer an opportunity for him to secure additional funds.

    He suddenly regretted his recent hesitation; had he known this outcome, he would not have dallied over the funding. Perhaps the credit for defeating the Algerians and protecting the Crown Prince could have been his.

 Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 225 A Tale of Mixed Fortunes

    Chapter 293: Chapter 225 A Tale of Mixed Fortunes

    December 10, 1788.

    The whole of Paris shivered under the biting cold wind, especially as news of insufficient grain supply from other provinces arrived from time to time, making this winter seem exceptionally cold.

    Only the news of victory in North Africa brought some good spirits to people during this difficult winter.

    At the eve of national awakening, the French people could now empathize with the achievements and glory of their country, and the topic heatedly filled the streets and alleys.

    When the Guard Corps returned to their Paris quarters, the area outside the barracks was already surrounded by people, greeting them with cheers and warm smiles.

    Meanwhile, the Palace of Versailles was also hosting a grand victory celebration.

    Joseph, somewhat exhausted, stepped down from the rail carriage and was immediately greeted by a tsunami of cheers; looking up, he saw thousands of nobles thronging the sides of the road in the Versailles Palace Square, all the way to the palace gates.

    Summoning his energy, he waved to the crowd, again sparking fervent cheering.

    To be honest, he had traveled for more than half a month from Tunisia to Paris, and at this moment, what he desired most was to sleep soundly on a soft bed for an entire day.

    However, Joseph also knew that one often cannot control one¡¯s own circumstances, and he still needed to face the necessary ceremonies.

    He glanced back at the carriage; Bertier, Joan, and a few agents from the Police Affairs Department, along with the representative from Tunisia, Xilada, got down from the carriage one after another.

    The group was clearly unaccustomed to such a grand scene, standing in place for several seconds before being prodded awake by the Ceremonial Officer¡¯s whisper and quickly stepped forward to follow behind the Crown Prince.

    The party, escorting Joseph, walked through the dense crowd, accompanied by the sound of the court orchestra playing nearby, followed by the booming salute of the cannons.

    The young noblewomen of Versailles Palace were more passionate and infatuated with the Crown Prince than ever before. His recent experiences in distant North Africa had darkened his complexion slightly, giving him a more masculine air, along with an added sense of mystery that nearly made the young maidens swoon.

    And the high-ranking nobles, at this time, looked upon Joseph with a gaze that was evidently different from before.

    Before the Crown Prince went to Tunisia, the place was a mess, with attacks on the French left, right, and center, and the Cabinet was even prepared to drop this hot potato. However, after the Crown Prince¡¯s arrival, the situation in Tunisia quickly stabilized. By the time he returned to Paris, he even brought back a new province for France!

    No one would think this was a mere coincidence.

    Clearly, the young Crown Prince possessed talents and capabilities far beyond his years.

    Of course, all this might also have been directed by Queen Mary herself, but that the Crown Prince managed to implement it without fault was equally remarkable.

    Regardless of whether it was Queen Mary or the Crown Prince¡¯s maneuver in Tunisia, the prestige of the Royal Family was notably elevated. At least, no one regarded the royal house as a laughing matter anymore; on the contrary, those who praised and respected the Royal Family were becoming increasingly numerous.

    Moreover, nobles who frequented the Royal Palace were undergoing intense inner struggle at this moment.

    They had watched the Duke of Orleans falter step by step, losing the High Court, media control, and the reins of banking.

    So should they continue to align with the Duke of Orleans, or should they make overtures to the Royal Family early, to secure a retreat for themselves¡­

    On the steps in front of the main entrance to the Palace of Versailles, Queen Mary looked eagerly at her son approaching, but suppressed the impulse to rush forward and embrace him due to the presence of the Tunisian envoys, merely exchanging customary greetings with him.

    Xilada stepped forward from behind, respectfully bowed to the King and Queen, and then presented the application signed by Haji Bey to join France to Louis XVI.

    The addition of Tunisia as a French province was a matter settled ten days ago; this was just a formality now.

    Louis XVI took a deep breath, mustering all his strength before resoundingly proclaiming, ¡°I accept the loyalty of Tunisia, and in the name of the King of France, I will forever protect Tunisia, granting you peace and prosperity.¡±

    The crowd at Versailles Palace Square erupted into thunderous cheers: ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    ¡°May our King¡¯s glory shine upon Tunisia forever.¡±

    ¡°Praise the Lord! Praise our King!¡±

    However, these ever-rising waves of cheers made the socially anxious Louis XVI extremely nervous, until the Ceremonial Officer came close to remind him, and then he raised his hand to signal for silence before inviting the Tunisian delegates and others into the Palace of Versailles.

    Afterward, Queen Mary presided over the ceremony of France¡¯s acceptance of the four provinces of North Africa in the Hall of Mirrors.

    This was a suggestion made by Joseph to the Queen on his way back to Paris, splitting Tunisia into four provinces ¨C the Province of Bizerte, Sousse Province, Kairouan Province, and Sfax Province.

    Tunis City was incorporated into Sousse Province. The more barren areas to the south were part of Sfax Province, and from then on, the name Tunisia would only appear as a geographic concept.

    Joseph also broke his heart over this arrangement for the future long-term stability and order of Tunisia.

    Dividing Tunisia into four provinces could, first of all, dilute the sense of a unified Tunisia, to prevent someone from promoting separatism in the future.

    Secondly, the four Governors could check and balance each other, overseeing each other¡¯s actions, preventing the emergence of independent vassals overseas. After all, the lesson of the Ottoman Empire was still there; as soon as Imperial power weakened, the Imperial Guard immediately began to rule the roost in Tunisia.

 Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 225 Several Happy and Several Sad_2

    Chapter 294: Chapter 225 Several Happy and Several Sad_2

    Finally, in this era, communication and management capabilities were very limited, and it was difficult for a governor to effectively manage the entire territory. It is important to realize that Tunisia covers 160,000 square kilometers, more than a quarter of France¡¯s total area! However, although Tunisia is vast in size, its population is relatively small, so appointing four governors was basically enough to manage it.

    The ceremony of receiving the new province was over, and next was the ceremony where the King and Queen awarded those who had distinguished themselves in North Africa.

    Joseph stood somewhat awkwardly in the first place, with Bertier, Joan, Isaac, and others to his right.

    Queen Mary placed a garland on her son¡¯s head, looked him up and down, and finally couldn¡¯t help but pull him into her arms, saying with concern in a low voice, ¡°My dear, I¡¯m so proud of you! Tell me, have you been injured? Are you sick? Did you get used to the food in Africa¡­¡±

    Joseph patted the Queen¡¯s back, nodding repeatedly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine with me. After all, I am a grown man, and I¡¯ll be traveling around the world more often, so you don¡¯t always have to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Good, good¡­¡± Queen Mary¡¯s eyes were a bit wet, but the corners of her mouth curled upward, ¡°My Joseph will surely soar through the expansive skies like a mighty eagle. And I, will always be here waiting for you to come home.¡±

    Louis XVI also came over and said softly, ¡°Mmm, me too.¡±

    The Court Ceremonial Officer glanced at his watch and coughed helplessly.

    Queen Mary quickly let go of her son, forcefully held back her tears, and took the garland from the Ceremonial Officer, walking towards Bertier: ¡°Your exceptional performance in North Africa has astonished everyone, please accept our respect, Lieutenant Colonel.¡±

    At that moment, Joseph appropriately turned his head and whispered, ¡°Mother, it should be Major General now.¡±

    The Queen nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, I¡¯ve heard about that battle, and your contributions are enough to earn you a promotion to Major General.¡±

    A smile flashed across Joseph¡¯s face. According to tradition, Bertier was supposed to be promoted to Colonel this time, but an exceptional promotion to Major General wasn¡¯t out of the question. It was a good opportunity to secure his military rank while the Queen was pleased, which would greatly benefit the Guard Corps¡¯ future development.

    After all, as a Major General, he could command an entire local garrison, which would make it much more convenient to increase the numbers of the Guard Corps or recruit officers in the future.

    After the Queen had placed garlands on the last person and made a brief speech, it was time for lunch.

    Queen Mary walked towards the dining room, arm in arm with Joseph, showering him with care and concern along the way, which made Clementine, who was eager to hear stories of the North African campaign from her cousin, scratch her head in frustration, as she couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to interject.

    The Imperial Chef had specially prepared a North African-style ¡°Tajine Pot¡± as the first course for the banquet. In fact, he had struggled for a long time over whether this North African dish should be considered a soup or an appetizer, ultimately deciding to categorize it as an appetizer because the soup portion was somewhat small.

    Joseph, having eaten Tajine Pot every other day while in Tunisia, was very familiar with it.

    This was a dish stewed in a clay pot, using a plethora of spices and sauces, with additions such as beef, fish, tomatoes, and various vegetables¡ªsomewhat akin to the Eastern hot pot, and quite delicious nonetheless.

    When the French chef¡¯s Tajine Pot was served, and the servants lifted the pointed lid on the clay pot, a rich aroma immediately greeted everyone.

    Joseph speared a piece of fish with his fork and put it into his mouth, where the saucy flavor enveloped the fish, releasing its seafood sweetness upon his palate, and he swallowed it after just a few chews.

    It was much tastier than what the Tunisians made.

    The French chefs truly lived up to their reputation!

    An idea suddenly popped into Joseph¡¯s head: he could promote this dish in France to facilitate the French people¡¯s acceptance of the Tunisians.

    However, when he looked up, he realized that aside from himself, everyone else was staring at the Tajine Pot without moving.

    Could it be that this dish didn¡¯t suit the French palate?

    As Joseph pondered, he saw the Court Ceremonial Officer whispering something to the Queen, who then awkwardly picked up a fork and reached into the clay pot.

    The nobles below imitated the Queen and began to eat as well.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but facepalm, having forgotten that at the Palace of Versailles, there were strict etiquette rules about what utensils to use and in what order, and which part of the meal to eat first.

    So, faced with a North African dish they had never eaten before, everyone was at a loss about where to begin¡­

    After the banquet, the celebration continued with a dance party¡ªa Tunis-themed ball.

    The nobles, dressed in North African-style attire, played exotic music and began to dance gracefully.

    Joseph, following tradition, stood in a corner, watching those who had integrated into Tunisian fashion, quietly estimating how much the Parisian fashion designers had earned this time.

    While some reveled in joy, others were fraught with worry. As everyone merrily celebrated, the military nobility appeared deeply troubled.

    ¡°Who said last time that Bertier¡¯s troops couldn¡¯t even enter Tunis City?¡± a middle-aged officer complained in a low voice, ¡°In the end, not only did he stabilize the situation in Tunisia, but he even defeated the People of Algiers!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect those People of Algiers to be so useless. If we had known it would be like this, we should¡¯ve gone to Tunisia ourselves!¡±

    General Astou frowned, ¡°Now Bertier¡¯s prestige has greatly increased. You know, he is one of the Royal Family¡¯s men, and at this rate, the Royal Family¡¯s influence in the army will grow stronger and stronger!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, didn¡¯t Murat¡¯s Corps throw in their lot with the Royal Family?¡± the middle-aged officer said, ¡°It was the Queen¡¯s direct order, without involving the Minister of War, that Duke Vilar¡¯s troops went to North Africa!¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran, who had just returned to Paris yesterday, immediately added with resentment, ¡°We cannot allow this trend to continue! The moment the Royal Family no longer relies on our military, they will discard us like a worn-out boot!¡±

    Someone muttered softly, ¡°But what can we do? We simply have no means to control that Bertier.¡±

    Another voiced even more quietly, ¡°Actually, collaborating with the Royal Family isn¡¯t entirely off the table¡­¡±

    The other officers immediately glared fiercely at the speaker. This unspoken matter was theirs alone; monopolizing the military meant they could squander France¡¯s military funds at will.

    If the military command were given to the Royal Family, then the annual embezzlements of tens or even hundreds of thousands of livres, kickbacks from equipment purchases, and the extra funds for campaigning would all vanish.

    More importantly, their descendants might not be able to inherit their high military ranks.

    Their families might no longer carry prestigious names.

    This was utterly unacceptable!

    General Astou sternly stated, ¡°We must unite. That Bertier is not invincible.

    ¡°Have you forgotten? His troops were originally a part of the French Guard, and another part now has become the Merit Corps. We could work on reinstating the old structure of the French Guard, merge these two corps back into the French Guard, and establish a High Commander for the Guard.

    ¡°This way, if the Royal Family wants to dispatch Bertier¡¯s Corps, they would have to issue orders through his superior High Commander.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very feasible!¡± Marquis de Saint-Veran immediately agreed, ¡°As for Murat¡¯s Corps, I remember they were previously commanded by Major General Vilar, only for Duchess Marie Emilie to suddenly take it back.¡±

    The Major General Vilar he mentioned was Duchess Marie Emilie¡¯s uncle.

    ¡°We need to use our influence to support Major General Villar. His niece, who is only sixteen or seventeen, is not a concern.¡±

    ¡°We also have to create a situation where Bertier faces an enemy he can¡¯t handle, making the Royal Family compromise with us.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, but something like the situation with Algiers definitely won¡¯t work¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Constantinople.

    While Tunisia¡¯s decision to break away from the Ottoman Empire did not cause substantial damage to the Empire, it nevertheless caused an uproar in the Ottoman Empire.

    This news became the final straw that broke the confidence of the Empire¡¯s public, especially under the extremely unfavorable circumstances of the war with the Russians.

    Pedestrians whispered about the defeats on both the northern and southern fronts, with a sense of pessimism quickly spreading everywhere.

 Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 226: The Wind Rises in the European Continent

    Chapter 295: Chapter 226: The Wind Rises in the European Continent

    Topkapi Palace.

    Sultan Hamid I, seated on his spacious square chair, saw Yusuf stride through the door and tried to lean on the cushion to sit up straighter, but the weakness in his muscles made him abandon the attempt.

    His 43 years of confinement had left him in very poor health, and now at the age of 64, he already showed signs that his life was burning out.

    He raised his hand to the Grand Vizier, who was bowing before him, and asked in a clearly breathless voice, ¡°Is there news from the Maghreb?¡±

    ¡°Maghreb¡± means ¡°land of the setting sun¡± in Arabic, a term used by the Arabs who first reached North Africa to refer to the central and western regions of North Africa.

    The Grand Vizier Yusuf nodded with a worried look, ¡°Your Majesty, the Algiers Guard did indeed march on Said¡¯s instigation¡­ he even used your name.¡±

    Hamid I sighed, ¡°Where is the man?¡±

    ¡°His servant returned to Constantinople last night, saying he had jumped into the Mediterranean half a month ago.¡±

    ¡°He preserved the dignity of an imperial envoy.¡±

    Yusuf bowed his head and said, ¡°Your Majesty, regarding the incorporation of Tunisia into France, what do you think of¡­ ¡±

    Hamid I stared at the patterns on the carpet, waving his hand again, ¡°Send someone to France to express the Empire¡¯s position. But let¡¯s not be too harsh in our words. We need to focus our efforts on the Russians.¡±

    Just a few days ago, the Russian Army¡¯s commander Potemkin launched an attack on the fortress of Ochakov with six divisions, and within a few hours, occupied this key position at the northwest of the Black Sea.

    In that battle, Potemkin wiped out and captured more than 13,000 Ottoman troops, with his forces pointing directly at the Danube River.

    ¡°Speaking of Russia,¡± Hamid I glanced at Yusuf, ¡°how do you plan to respond?¡±

    Although the Grand Vizier was not directly responsible for military affairs, as the ¡°Chancellor¡± of the Ottoman Empire, he was very clear about the deployment of forces.

    ¡°The situation is not very optimistic¡­¡± Yusuf hesitated for a moment before adding, ¡°Austria and Russia are both reinforcing their troops. The generals believe that we must stop a Russian-Austrian rendezvous at all costs.

    ¡°The preliminary plan is to gather 150,000 troops to reach the Danube River area by next summer, successively capture Binjela and Arzhu, sever the Russian-Austrian connection, and then retake Ochakov.¡±

    ¡°150,000 men,¡± Hamid I nodded, ¡°how confident are you that we can defeat the Russians?¡±

    ¡°Well, we have the advantage in terms of military strength, so we should be able to win.¡±

    The Sultan gestured to Yusuf to come closer and leaned forward, whispering, ¡°If we still can¡¯t win this time, try to make peace with Russia. Give up the north shore of the Black Sea for peace¡­¡±

    Joseph could not have imagined that his actions in North Africa would accelerate the disintegration of Ottoman morale. The Ottoman Empire, which was originally determined to fight to the last soldier and was only set to give up the north shore of the Black Sea after three years due to exhaustion, had already lost its will to fight to the death against Russia.

    ¡­

    London.

    10 Downing Street.

    The young Prime Minister of England, William Pitt Junior, pushed the resignation letter back across the table and looked up at the Duke of Leeds, ¡°You needn¡¯t do this. North Africa was never within our sphere of influence, and this time luck happened to be on the French¡¯s side. Your strategy was actually not flawed. I¡¯m confident I can preserve your position in Congress.¡±

    ¡°Hollis acted on my instructions, and now he¡¯s dead,¡± the Duke of Leeds shook his head calmly, ¡°Someone must be held accountable for this, and that person cannot be you.¡±

    William Pitt Junior fell silent.

    Hollis was a Whig, the opposition party to his own. Now, to quell the diplomatic disaster of ¡°instigating Tunisia to attack the French people,¡± he had ¡°committed suicide.¡±

    At the same time, the Duke of Leeds had spent nearly 700,000 British Pounds, a huge sum, and yet failed to prevent France from obtaining Tunisia, marking a significant defeat.

    The Whig Party would definitely seize on this series of events to cause trouble in Congress. His position as Prime Minister was already unstable, and if this scandal escalated, it could lead to impeachment by Congress.

    He slowly lifted his fingers off the resignation letter, sighed, and asked, ¡°So, who do you think should take over as Foreign Minister?¡±

    ¡°The Marquess of Wellesley.¡± The Duke of Leeds was clearly prepared, ¡°He is as young and gifted as you, full of strategy and decisiveness. Although his political experience is shallow, I will use my influence to fully support him.¡±

    William Pitt Junior nodded silently. The Marquess of Wellesley was a trusted ally, indeed competent, and he had always been keen on promoting him.

    He paused, then looked again at the Duke of Leeds, ¡°Then, what do you think our next steps should be to counter the advantage the French have gained in North Africa?¡±

    But the Duke of Leeds immediately shook his head, ¡°Prime Minister, France is too close to Tunisia, and now they have already established a stronghold. If we continue to clash with them there, we will suffer greatly.¡±

    ¡°You mean to say we should just accept defeat?¡±

    ¡°No! Quite the opposite, we must do all we can to bring France to its knees and press them firmly into the mud. That is the only path to the prosperity of England!¡±

    The Duke of Leeds showed a sly fox-like smile, ¡°North Africa is just a piece of fat, not worth too much fuss. The Low Countries are the real throat to aim for! By putting our efforts there, we can strike a painful blow to France.¡±

    The so-called Low Countries are the northwest coastal nations of Europe, namely the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

    The Duke of Leeds then detailed his strategy for the Low Countries to the Prime Minister, and added, ¡°Moreover, the ambitions of Russia and Prussia are excellent weapons too, and you must find ways to utilize their power.¡±

 Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 226 Wind Rises in the European Continent_2

    Chapter 296: Chapter 226 Wind Rises in the European Continent_2

    William Pitt the Younger nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Prussia has always been closely related to us. However, Russia seems to have grown quite close to France recently.¡±

    ¡°Interests,¡± said the Duke of Leeds, raising his index finger and wagging it, ¡°Russia¡¯s current greatest interest lies in Poland. If you merely figure out a way to feed Poland to Russia, then this great bear would be willing to destroy everything.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds spoke as if he were discussing his ¡°political will¡±: ¡°As for Austria, don¡¯t be misled by the fact that they married a woman off to the King of France, but in reality, the conflict between Austria and France is the most severe on the entire European continent!

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, they have been arch-enemies for centuries.¡±

    William Pitt the Younger nodded, ¡°You are absolutely right, they have serious conflicts of interest in both the Rhine region and Italy.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds gave him an approving look, ¡°It¡¯s just that the rise of the Prussians was too rapid, catching Austria¡¯s attention. If you can broker some sort of understanding between Prussia and Austria, then Austria would immediately expand west and south, thus colliding fiercely with France!¡±

    ¡­

    Austria, Vienna.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    The Holy Roman Emperor and also the Archduke of Austria, Joseph II, after hearing the diplomat¡¯s report on the situation in Tunisia, couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°My dear sister has timed this perfectly.¡±

    He looked towards an elder with a long face and a large nose beside him, ¡°The strong pressure from the Russians and us has made the Ottoman People unable to attend to other matters, and my sister has taken the opportunity to pluck the fruit that is Tunisia. The Ottoman Sultan could only watch helplessly.¡±

    The elder, with a serious demeanor, nodded and said, ¡°Her Royal Highness¡¯s political skills are getting more and more sophisticated. This time even the British have nothing to say, after all, it would offend Russia, and even include offending us.¡±

    The ¡°Her Royal Highness¡± he mentioned was Joseph II¡¯s sister, the current Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. He was an old minister from the era of Maria Theresa, who had held the future Queen Mary as a child, and his form of address naturally carried a sense of affection.

    Joseph II, clearly in a good mood, rarely gestured for a servant to pour him a glass of wine, and shared one with the elder, ¡°Does this mean that France¡¯s strategic direction has now turned towards the southern coast of the Mediterranean?¡±

    ¡°We cannot exclude this possibility, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Then we should seize this opportune moment to congratulate my dear sister and discuss matters concerning Italy with her. Prince Litanberg, since you have good relations with the political circles of France, perhaps you would be willing to visit the Palace of Versailles for me?¡±

    The elder was none other than the Austrian Minister of State, or what is equivalent to a Chancellor, Kaunitz-Litanberg. He was the outstanding politician who had ended the century-long hostility between France and Austria, oversaw the marriage of Queen Mary to Louis XVI, and ultimately facilitated the ¡°Triple Petticoat¡± alliance between Austria, France, and Russia.

    Although Joseph II had taken back a substantial amount of power from him after he became the sole ruler, he remained the most influential minister in Austria.

    Kaunitz immediately stood up, saying very seriously, ¡°Your Majesty, pardon my frankness, but Austria¡¯s national policy should be firmly directed at the German region and always keep a close watch on Prussia.

    ¡°Now, to divert our attention to Italy would only give the Prussians a chance to expand their influence in Germany.¡±

    ¡°No, this will not take up too much of our effort,¡± Joseph II, stubborn and self-willed, found it hard to accept differing opinions, ¡°What you have to do is discuss the division of influence in Italy with France, not to monopolize it.

    ¡°Oh, right, including their proposal to establish the ¡®United East India Company¡¯ with the Dutch, I¡¯m very interested. You can discuss the matter of becoming a shareholder as well.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I would be glad to make a trip to France,¡± Kaunitz bowed slightly, yet his tone was firm, ¡°but I still wish to remind you that Prussia is our true worry at heart.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Prussia, you are correct. So, when do you plan to leave?¡±

    ¡°I can leave tomorrow, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I look forward to your return with good news.¡±

    ¡­

    Saint Petersburg.

    Winter Palace.

    Count Alexei Bobrinski bowed to his mother with some nervousness. For some reason, every time he saw her, he felt a bit tense, although she was smiling kindly at him.

    Catherine II gestured for him to sit beside her and smiled, ¡°Alyosha, I must admit that your recent contact with the Crown Prince of France was very timely.¡±

    Russians like to use diminutive nicknames when addressing someone they are close to. Alyosha is the nickname for Alexei.

    ¡°Especially the ¡®Gemini Trading Company¡¯ that you established. Now that France has obtained ports in North Africa, your trading costs in the Mediterranean will be significantly reduced compared to before. Perhaps your company might even acquire some exclusive trading privileges in Tunisia.¡±

    Alexei nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, His Highness Joseph has written to me, expressing his intention to double the company¡¯s trade volume.¡±

    ¡°That much?¡±

    ¡°They not only acquired the Tunisian colony but also eliminated the Tunisian pirates. A good portion of the nearly one hundred captured pirate ships will become the company¡¯s assets, even coming with many skilled sailors.¡±

    In reality, Joseph had captured nearly 160 ships in the Port of Tunis, although only half of them were suited for long voyages. As for the sailors, many Tunisians had previously served in the navy, and after exterminating the Tunisian pirate hierarchy, these Berbers could be well trusted after a thorough vetting process.

    This directly increased the tonnage capacity of the Gemini Trading Company¡¯s fleet by 150%. That¡¯s why Joseph dared to state the goal of doubling the trade volume.

    And for every increase in Franco-Russian trade, there would be one less in Anglo-Russian trade. This was greatly beneficial to weakening the close trade relations between England and Russia.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s truly wonderful,¡± Catherine II gestured towards the west, ¡°I think you should personally congratulate your Crown Prince friend face to face.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, you could also suggest to him that, taking advantage of their great victory, they should directly seize Algiers. I remember, those foolish people of Algiers even launched an attack on them.¡±

    She was very pleased to see France continuing to reap the Ottoman provinces in North Africa. Although the Ottomans didn¡¯t have much real control over those regions, the loss of overseas territories dealt a severe psychological blow to them.

    This would make Russia¡¯s war against the Ottomans much easier.

    And who knows, France¡¯s progress might be smooth enough that they could even directly attack the Ottoman homeland from the south.

    After all, dealing with an empire as vast as the Ottomans wasn¡¯t a matter of ending a war in three or five years. In the prolonged conflict, it was not impossible for France to reach the Ottomans¡¯ southern shores.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Actually, I was also thinking of visiting Paris soon,¡± Alexei said, his focus might be on managing the Gemini Trading Company, but the glamorous life of Paris was always alluring to him.

    As if remembering something important, Catherine II added, ¡°By the way, take Sasha with you. She has always been mentioning how she wants to play in Paris. Just make sure to keep an eye on her studies during the trip.¡±

    Sasha is the nickname for Alexandra.

    If this had been in the past, Catherine would not have trusted her beloved granddaughter to her spendthrift younger son. However, over the past year, Alexei had evidently matured and become more dependable, so there should be no issues with him looking after Sasha.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    In the Palace of Versailles, the celebrations for the North Africa campaign continued for three days before finally coming to an end.

    Joan, Xilada, Isaac, and others immediately returned to Tunisia, as there was a multitude of matters waiting for them to attend to.

    In King Louis XVI¡¯s drawing room, laughter and cheerful voices could be heard.

    Queen Mary held a ceramic pot painted with beautiful colorful geometric patterns, admiring it from every angle.

    This was a ¡°souvenir¡± brought back from North Africa by Joseph for her, a rare masterpiece created by a Tunisian pottery master hundreds of years ago.

    Beside her, Louis XVI was fiddling with the hunting bag made of camel and crocodile leather that his son had gifted him.

    The leathercraft of Tunisia was highly skilled, and works of top artisans were hard to come by in Europe.

    But the happiest of all was Charles, Joseph¡¯s young brother, who was at the moment blissfully playing with a multicolored parrot.

 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 227: Busy with Countless Affairs (Vote for Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 297: Chapter 227: Busy with Countless Affairs (Vote for Monthly Pass)

    Clementine also received a gift from her cousin. It was a large jar of Tunisian-style candies, made by binding cashews, Moroccan nuts, and crushed dates with honey and sugar to form short sticks, with an exceptionally sweet and delicious taste.

    She was utterly unable to resist the temptation of the candies, and as soon as she smelled their sweet aroma, her eyes lit up, and she forgot all about being reserved, reaching into the jar to pinch off a piece of candy and popping it into her mouth.

    ¡°Mmm¡ª¡±

    The crispness of the nuts mixed with the sweetness of the honey made the little girl so happy that she squinted her eyes in delight.

    ¡°Thank you so much for the gift, my dearest cousin!¡± She wanted to curtsy to Joseph again, but found her fingers were sticky with sugar and she couldn¡¯t pick up her skirt, so after a moment¡¯s thought, she simply grabbed a piece of candy and stuffed it into her cousin¡¯s mouth.

    Joseph was taken aback, wanting to say, ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t washed your hands,¡± but it was already too late. All he could do was silently tell himself, ¡°It¡¯s not clean, but eating it won¡¯t make me sick,¡± as he chewed reluctantly.

    ¡°Dear cousin!¡± At the side, the parrot perched on Charles¡¯ arm imitated Clementine with a comical voice.

    ¡°Wow! It, it can talk!¡± Charles, nearly 4 years old, immediately widened his eyes and exclaimed in amazement.

    Louis XVI and Queen Mary were also drawn by the talking parrot and put down what they were holding to gather around.

    ¡°What else can you say?¡± Charles pouted and looked at the parrot, ¡°Sweetie pie!¡±

    ¡°????????????????!¡± The parrot said an Arabic phrase, and even bowed its head toward Louis XVI.

    Everyone looked at each other and burst into cheerful laughter.

    ¡°It knows quite a few languages.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really amusing!¡±

    ¡°Joseph, do you know what it¡¯s saying?¡± Queen Mary asked her son.

    Joseph spread his hands:

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either. But whatever you want it to say, teach it a few times and it will learn. Cape Parrots are very intelligent.¡±

    ¡°Cape Parrot! I love Mr. Cape Parrot!¡± Charles hugged the colorful parrot, as big as a pigeon, and joyfully spun around the room several times.

    Clementine shook her head to correct him from the side:

    ¡°Cape Parrot is its species. You should give it a name.¡±

    ¡°Is that so, then what should I name it¡­¡±

    Charles bowed his head in deep thought, then suddenly caught a glint of something under the table eyeing this way. With a start, he grabbed the cashmere tricorn hat his father had casually placed on the table corner and thrust it forward with all his might.

    The next moment, a black and white blur flashed over and bumped right into the hat, letting out a disgruntled ¡°meow.¡±

    ¡°Monsieur Mustache?¡± Clementine was immediately startled and hastily looked for her maid, ¡°Rosalia, why is the cat¡­¡±

    What she¡¯d forgotten was that recently Princess Therese had gone to visit Spain, and Monsieur Mustache¡¯s ¡°girlfriend¡± had gone with her, so he took the opportunity to slip out for a walk while the maid wasn¡¯t watching.

    And here he had discovered a plump ¡°pigeon pastry.¡±

    The cat¡¯s long-anticipated strike was blocked by Charles, who cast a greedy glance at the parrot and, with his body again drawn taut, leaped with a ¡°meow.¡±

    From a young age, Charles had been educated by Queen Mary about the ¡°spirit of the knight,¡± and though he was somewhat afraid, he still summoned up all his courage, lifting his little leg to kick at Monsieur Mustache.

    ¡°Ow.¡± The cat didn¡¯t seem to know if it was hit, but terrified, it let out a scream and sought comfort in Clementine¡¯s arms.

    The little girl soothed the cat, protesting to Charles:

    ¡°Your Highness, you almost kicked Monsieur Mustache.¡±

    Charles, clinging to the parrot, retaliated:

    ¡°That bad cat, it wanted to eat Mr. Parrot!¡±

    ¡°I apologize on its behalf, but you already ¡®snagged¡¯ it with your hat, there was no need for an extra kick!¡±

    ¡°I thought it necessary!¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary!¡±

    ¡°It started it first!¡±

    With her hands on her hips, the little girl said indignantly:

    ¡°There is no doubt, your behavior just now was very rude!¡±

    The little boy could not win the argument, and suddenly noticing the Moroccan nuts on her candy, he recalled the atlas he had studied before. An idea struck him, and pointing at the nuts, he asked:

    ¡°Do you know how those are harvested?¡±

    ¡°Ah? Harvested?¡±

    Charles said with a smirk, ¡°The locals will drive sheep up the trees to eat the green fruits, and the nuts in their droppings are these!¡±

    ¡°Gross!¡± Joseph turned pale, feeling nauseous.

    Clementine looked at the delicious candy and then at Charles, suddenly bursting into tears and crying:

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, you¡¯re making it up¡­¡±

    The servants and maids quickly gathered around, embracing Charles and consoling the little girl, creating a mess of the scene.

    Louis XVI looked helplessly toward the royal biologist standing at the doorway.

    The latter hurried over, bowed to everyone, and explained:

    ¡°It¡¯s true that there is such a method of harvesting as His Highness described, but the edible part is the kernel inside the nut, separated by the shell, and it definitely won¡¯t be coated with sheep droppings. Moreover, such high-end candies are likely to be harvested by hand.¡±

    Joseph finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the little girl¡¯s crying gradually subsided.

    Queen Mary, after soothing her younger son, diverted the little girl¡¯s attention by stroking her head:

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Clementine, haven¡¯t you always wanted to hear your cousin¡¯s adventure stories in North Africa?¡±

    She looked towards Joseph, ¡°Dear, why don¡¯t you tell them the story.¡±

    Immediately upon hearing this, the two children stopped fussing and turned their attention.

    Joseph instinctively wanted to decline, but then he thought that he shouldn¡¯t always be treated like a child by the Queen.

    With the development of France, he would definitely be undertaking larger and deeper reforms, as well as dealing with more diplomatic affairs in the future. He needed to obtain greater authority to avoid being hampered in these endeavors.

 Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 227: Busy with Countless Affairs (Vote for Monthly Pass)_2

    Chapter 298: Chapter 227: Busy with Countless Affairs (Vote for Monthly Pass)_2

    Now was an opportunity to show the Queen his capabilities.

    So, he nodded, gestured for everyone to sit by the sofa, gathered his thoughts, and began:

    ¡°A few months ago, an attack against the French occurred in Tunisia, and I suspected that foreign powers were behind it. So I decided to go there and see¡­¡±

    He then went on to explain how he promoted ¡°Roman identity,¡± how he presented the Tunisian Guard as a ¡°gift package¡± to the locals to gain their support, and how he made the local Rebel Army dependent on their arms and equipment.

    However, to avoid offending Louis XVI and Queen Mary, both devout Catholics, he omitted his trickery like the ¡°stone figure with one eye¡± and simply said he found Elder Aly to ¡°cooperate¡± with, which ultimately led to the expulsion of the Tunisian Guard who had attacked the French.

    Queen Mary listened with wide eyes, continuously praising:

    ¡°You crumbled those who harbored ill will against France with almost no use of military force. My dear, how did you come up with such a brilliant idea?¡±

    This time, Brian hadn¡¯t accompanied Joseph to Tunisia, so she would no longer mistake her son for just an attendant.

    Her heart swelled with excitement, and she made the sign of the cross on her chest, silently praying: My son has truly grown up, and he is exceptionally capable, with formidable strategy. Thanks be to God, thanks be to Holy Mary!

    Joseph then recounted how the Algiers Army intervened in Tunisia, his decision to strike first, and how he moved swiftly to Annaba to ambush the Algiers Army.

    Although Queen Mary had read the relevant reports before, they were nowhere as detailed as Joseph¡¯s narration.

    When she heard that her son had fought alongside 6,000 French soldiers against more than 20,000 People of Algiers, she became so anxious her palms started sweating, and she murmured continuously:

    ¡°That¡¯s too risky, you shouldn¡¯t have joined the army¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until Joseph mentioned encircling and defeating Caheller south of Annaba that the ¡°audience¡± around him breathed a sigh of relief.

    Clementine was the first to start clapping:

    ¡°Cousin, you are truly amazing!¡±

    The King and Queen exchanged glances and joined the applause, their faces filled with pride.

    Little Charles, full of admiration, shouted loudly:

    ¡°Brother, take me with you to fight the heathens next time!¡±

    Joseph affectionately ruffled his hair and laughed:

    ¡°Then you must study hard and practice horse riding. When you¡¯ve grown up, we¡¯ll command the troops together.¡±

    Queen Mary quickly waved her hands:

    ¡°It¡¯s too early for horse riding¡­ absolutely not¡­¡±

    After Joseph finished sharing his North African experience, Louis XVI¡¯s valet came to remind them that it was dinnertime, and the Royal Family¡¯s bonding time was drawing to an end.

    Queen Mary looked at the silhouette of her eldest son walking shoulder to shoulder with her husband, revealing a smile of relief¡ªher painstaking efforts had not been in vain, finally raising such an outstanding heir.

    But the thought of Joseph having been on the war-torn North African battlefield made her heart tense. If not for Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s troops¡¯ dallying, how could her son have faced such peril?!

    Thankfully, her son had performed excellently; otherwise, he might have been injured by the Algiers Army¡­

    She dared not think further, a vengeful cold light flashing in her eyes, like a lioness protecting her cub, she growled lowly:

    ¡°Moncalm, you must pay the price for your actions!¡±

    She immediately remembered the Minister of War who had recommended Marquis de Saint-Veran to her, and she promptly grew to detest him as well.

    ¡­

    The next morning, Joseph, having extricated himself from trivial matters, rushed directly to the Industrial Planning Bureau at the Tuileries Palace.

    Upon entering the office, he immediately saw the thick stack of documents on his desk and couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply. It seemed that his few months in North Africa had led to quite a build-up of work.

    Sitting down in his chair, Joseph asked Eman to make him a cup of coffee without any additives and then reached out to flip through the documents.

    As usual, the topmost one was a report on the grain issue.

    Just as he had predicted, despite the adoption of steam engine irrigation and the use of phosphate fertilizers imported from Nauru, crop yields this year still fell by a full 27% due to the onslaught of drought and harsh winter.

    Even more troubling was that after entering winter, the consumption rate of strategic grain reserves had greatly increased, leaving only about 18% of the stock from the beginning of the year.

    Moreover, because other countries also experienced grain shortfalls, international grain prices had soared, making it increasingly difficult to fill the deficit with imported grain.

    The documents in Joseph¡¯s hands showed that during his time in Tunisia, more than ten locations in France had experienced grain shortages. Fortunately, these were mostly addressed by urgently reallocating reserve grains. However, at the current rate of consumption, the reserves could last at most until March of next year.

    The early wheat in Tunisia could mature by the end of April at the earliest, leaving a gap of over a month in between that needed to be bridged. On one hand, immigration to Tunisia needed to be accelerated, and on the other, new sources of grain had to be found.

    The situation looked extremely thorny, but when compared to the same period in history, it was already significantly better.

    One must remember that by the end of 1788, France had already plunged into widespread famine, and, additionally, due to the ¡°Eden Treaty¡±, it suffered mass unemployment and a complete financial breakdown. Louis XVI, with no solutions left, agreed to convene the Estates-General the following year.

    After that, the famine worsened in 1789, with frequent occurrences of people starving to death across various locations. The Estates-General failed to resolve any issues, only bringing about a massive upheaval that swept across all of France like a flood.

    Joseph rubbed his temples. Thanks to his efforts over the past year, the grain dilemma was for the time being within controllable bounds, and the Estates-General had not occurred.

    Most importantly, Paris had never experienced a grain shortage. If all went as expected, the great revolution should be avoided.

    He took a sip of his coffee and continued to the next document, which mainly reported on the grain situation in various European countries in the second half of the year.

    After roughly reviewing it, he couldn¡¯t help but frown secretly. In summary, the situation in the entirety of Europe was quite bad.

    Affected by droughts, traditional grain-exporting countries such as Britain, Russia, and Prussia were all struggling, and other countries were generally experiencing famine.

    The most direct data was the number of civil disturbances¡ªmost of which were triggered by famines.

    Austria had over a hundred riots within a year. Russia, perennially the champion of European unrest, doesn¡¯t even need mentioning. Prussia and Britain also experienced sixty to seventy riots. Yes, even the mighty Britain was not exempt, though their situation was somewhat special because they were heavily engaged in the enclosure movement.

    The states of Italy fared slightly better as they had well-developed trade and a smaller population. Even so, places like Sardinia and the Two Sicilies had over thirty riots each.

    In comparison, France had only experienced over ten riots in the year, which was practically exemplary for Europe¡ªriots were inevitable in this feudal era, as just one foolish noble acting recklessly within their domain could incite peasant uprisings.

    Joseph was well aware that grain problems in European countries could very likely lead to war¡ªgoing to war could redirect domestic conflicts outward and was a time-honored method for states of this era to solve internal issues through pillaging money and grain.

    This required him to quickly deal with the disobedient military nobility at home and unify military power to effectively defend against foreign enemies.

    The excellent performance of the Guard Corps in Tunisia also gave him the confidence to tackle the military nobility. However, the operation still needed to be handled with the utmost caution. Matters of the state related to sacrifices and the military. These guys wielded armies, and if not managed properly, could lead to a military coup.

    Joseph put away the report on the riots in various countries and continued to the next document.

    This was a report from Talleyrand on the results of France¡¯s formal protest to the British Government over ¡°Britain¡¯s instigation of the Tunisian Guard¡¯s attack on French people.¡±

 Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 228: Acts of Chivalry

    Chapter 299: Chapter 228: Acts of Chivalry

    Joseph saw at the end of the report, ¡°British Consul in Tunisia, Hollis, committed suicide due to personal reasons,¡± and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with a smile.

    ¡°This truly is an old tradition of England, utterly ruthless to their own.¡±

    Although France held a large number of Tunisian Guard prisoners that could testify, the British Government resolutely insisted that these were false accusations, and since Hollis, the only person involved, had died, there was no proof to dispute their claim.

    Joseph was indifferent to this; after all, France wasn¡¯t likely to declare war on England at the moment, and he himself had made a fortune in Tunisia, so he let this minor interlude slide.

    He continued to read through the documents, which covered topics ranging from the promotion of scientific composting methods to the construction progress of the industrial development zone in Saint-Etienne. From the mileage of newly laid wooden rail tracks to the development progress of the high-pressure steam engine. From the Royal Armory¡¯s trials of percussion cap-fired cannons to the influx of cheap Russian flax and American cotton into France, making the textile industry in Lyon begin to turn a profit¡­

    A myriad of matters kept him busy until the sun set in the west.

    Overall, the industry, agriculture, science, technology, and military of France had all entered the right track and were progressing into a period of development. Despite feeling exhausted from a day¡¯s work, Joseph felt quite pleased.

    He glanced at the last few documents, intending to finish them all before going to dinner.

    Next up was an application submitted by the Paris Police Academy.

    Due to the good treatment of the students at the Police Academy and the enticing prospects after graduation, a large number of commoners¡¯ children came to enroll, some even traveling from distant places like Gascony, Lyon, and Brittany to Paris.

    Even though Frient had set the admission standards extremely high, the academy still gradually admitted over 800 more students, and now the number of students from two terms combined was already close to 5,000.

    This far exceeded the original design capacity of the academy, resulting in many students having to share a bed between two people.

    Therefore, Frient submitted an application to select a new site for expansion or to open a branch school.

    Joseph smiled slightly, wrote down an address at the bottom of the application, and requested that Frient continue enrolling students. He then set the document aside to be sent back to the academy by the staff the next day.

    That was the address of a manor gifted to Joseph by Louis XVI and Queen Mary as a birthday present.

    Joseph¡¯s birthday was at the end of October, and at that time, he was in Tunisia, so he hadn¡¯t really celebrated it, but his parents still sent him a gift.

    The manor was of little use to him, located just in the suburbs of Paris, and was perfectly suited to be allocated to the Police Academy.

    The buildings in the manor were already constructed, and the land had long been leveled. With a little preparation from the students, they could start classes there.

    Once the current 5,000 students graduated and combined with the Guard Corps, Joseph would have at his disposal 8,000 elite soldiers. If the Mulan Regiment were also considered, the total would reach 12,000.

    At present, the total number of military forces in All of France hovered between 110,000 to 120,000, and the quality of soldiers was far lower than Joseph¡¯s direct force. It could be said that by then, unless All of France¡¯s military forces rebelled at once, Joseph was confident he could ensure the absolute safety of the Royal Family.

    Around 7 o¡¯clock in the evening, Joseph yawned and picked up the last document on the desk.

    Somewhat unexpectedly, it was submitted by Denico, the manager of the ¡°Paris Commercial News.¡±

    He skimmed through it. The content consisted of complaints about the recent problems with the auditing standards of the Bureau of News and Publishing.

    About a half month ago, news about the ¡°Viscount Anboer arson case¡± from the newspaper had failed to pass the audit more than ten times, resulting in the case not being reported. After consulting with other newspapers, Denico discovered that their news about this matter had also been ¡°killed.¡±

    Denico believed that the case did not implicate the Royal Family, had no adverse effects, and had been tried in the High Court already. Therefore, the Bureau of News and Publishing shouldn¡¯t have prohibited it, so he took advantage of ¡°Paris News¡± and the Crown Prince¡¯s relationship and directly lodged a complaint to Joseph.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help frowning; Mono was currently in charge of the Bureau of News and Publishing, and it seemed that the man had likely taken bribes again, helping the accused silence the media.

    ¡°This habitual embezzler¡­¡± Joseph shook his head, wrote a letter of reprimand to Mono, and chastised him to be more restrained or face an investigation by the Justice Investigation Department sooner or later.

    Rubbing his sore shoulders, he got up and headed to the dining room, but as soon he left the office, he heard Eman¡¯s voice from the stairwell, ¡°Miss Frey, if you wish to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, please submit a reservation request first. If you are approved, someone will notify you¡­¡±

    Frey? Joseph conjured up the image of that chuunibyou girl in his mind. Wasn¡¯t that her surname? What was she doing here?

    Curious, he peered down the staircase and called out, ¡°Eman, please send her up.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright, Your Highness.¡±

    Soleil, still in that navy blue floor-length gown, quickly climbed the stairs with long strides and curtsied to Joseph with slight anxiety, ¡°Greetings to you, Your Highness, and thank you for agreeing to see me.¡±

    Joseph bowed slightly in return and ushered her into his office, ¡°It seems you have an urgent matter to discuss?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Soleil looked somewhat uncomfortable, given she hadn¡¯t yet compensated for the incident that caused the Crown Prince to ¡°lose 5,000 livres¡± last time, and yet she had come to ask for his help again.

    But she quickly bucked up internally: This was for fairness and justice; the Crown Prince would surely understand!

 Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 228: Acts of Chivalry_2

    Chapter 300: Chapter 228: Acts of Chivalry_2

    So she took a deep breath and looked at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, please save those two heroes. I know it¡¯s abrupt of me to ask, but I really don¡¯t know who else to turn to.¡±

    ¡°Heroes? Who are you talking about?¡± Joseph was completely puzzled.

    ¡°The Maletude brothers.¡±

    Joseph: ¡°?¡±

    Soleil¡¯s large eyes flickered, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard about the arson case at Viscount Anboer¡¯s house? Oh right, the newspapers suppressed that news. Those despicable bureaucrats¡­¡±

    She suddenly realized that ¡°those despicable bureaucrats¡± were appointed by the Royal Family and quickly changed the subject, ¡°The thing is, Your Highness, there was a poor girl named Celine who had been harassed by the shameless Viscount Anboer for a long time.

    ¡°Her father was just a coppersmith and didn¡¯t dare to fight back. So, I helped her in secret a few times.

    ¡°Who knew, last month that despicable noble actually kidnapped her to his villa! I was planning to sneak into that mansion at night to find her but then, out of nowhere, the Maletude brothers appeared.

    ¡°They bravely set fire to various parts of Viscount Anboer¡¯s house, and while everyone inside was busy trying to put out the fires, they rescued Celine. Sure enough, she was reunited with her family the next day.¡±

    Joseph was surprised, ¡°Set fire to rescue someone?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. They were only two people, and if they wanted to rescue someone, it was a good method.¡±

    Soleil nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then added urgently, ¡°But they were arrested two days later, and the High Court quickly sentenced them to beheading.

    ¡°Your Highness, they are brave men who helped the poor and should not die like this. I beseech you to help them!¡±

    Joseph immediately remembered the news blockade about the arson case at Viscount Anboer¡¯s house, and his eyes narrowed slightly. He thought, could it be that Mono was doing a good deed this time, keeping the Maletude brothers from becoming a media focus by not letting the news be reported?

    Perhaps the letter scolding him need not be sent.

    He asked the young girl, ¡°How many people were killed or injured in the arson case?¡±

    ¡°Viscount Anboer and his three lackeys died, and more than ten people were injured. But they got what they deserved!¡±

    Soleil stepped forward and knelt on one knee, ¡°Your Highness, the Maletude brothers are locked up in the Bastille, and I¡¯ve heard they are to be executed next week. Please find a way to pardon them!¡±

    Joseph pulled her up to her feet, frowning, ¡°This is last month¡¯s case, how can the execution be so soon?¡±

    According to the current legal process, even if the evidence were conclusive, it generally takes at least three to five months from sentencing to execution. And the case had happened only half a month ago.

    Soleil said urgently, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I tried to rescue them twice, but failed both times¡­¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eye twitched, ¡°Rescue? You mean, you tried to break into the Bastille?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Soleil seemed to think nothing amiss, ¡°I saw them twice, but, the locks on the cells simply can¡¯t be picked.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°That¡¯s not surprising, because those locks were personally crafted by my father.¡±

    Ever since the ¡°Diamond Necklace Affair¡± took place the year before last, where the main culprit Jeanne escaped from the Bastille, the enthusiastic Louis XVI had crafted a batch of new locks for the Bastille using his own invention of the double row pin technology, which was exceptionally resistant to picking.

    He signaled to Soleil, ¡°Please go back for now, I will look into this matter.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much! Your Highness.¡±

    After sending the young girl away, Joseph ate a simple dinner and immediately sent someone to the Palace of Versailles overnight to inquire about the arson case with the Justice Minister.

    The next day, Baron Breti personally came to Joseph¡¯s office to report on the case.

    ¡°Your Highness, those brothers come from a minor noble family; they did not have a reputation for acting heroically on an ordinary day.¡± the Justice Minister said, ¡°After their arrest this time, they quickly confessed to the arson without any reservation.

    ¡°I guess, perhaps the High Court thought their actions were abhorrent, and Viscount Anboer was quite influential, so they decided to execute them ahead of schedule,¡±

    Joseph frowned and shook his head, feeling that there was something wrong here.

    Remembering he still had to visit the Paris Police Academy today, he took the Justice Minister with him in the carriage and took a detour to the High Court first.

    In the office of the President of the High Court, Dibor nervously bowed his head and cautiously said, ¡°This really doesn¡¯t follow procedure, Your Highness. However, the evidence against those two arsonists is irrefutable, and they would have ended up on the guillotine sooner or later. I will review this case thoroughly and then submit a formal report to you.¡±

    Joseph looked at him askance and smiled, ¡°I need to know the inside story of this case, Your Excellency.¡±

    Dibor gave a dry laugh, ¡°What¡­ what inside story could there be?¡±

    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll hand this case over to Danton to deal with. Or perhaps even the Royal Supreme Court could intervene.¡±

    Dibor broke out in a cold sweat, urgently gesturing to an official at the door, ¡°Have Judge Croix come here.¡±

    Judge Croix was directly responsible for the arson case. When he saw that the Crown Prince had come in person and heard that the case might be brought before the Supreme Judicial Court, he immediately spilled everything about the inside story.

    A moment later, Joseph frowned at Croix, ¡°Are you saying that it was Mono who had you rush the judgment and execute those two brothers immediately?¡±

    ¡°I swear, Your Highness, I received 30,000 livres from Count Mono, but he is a Cabinet Minister, it was he who forced me to do this, I really don¡¯t dare to offend him!¡±

    Joseph was increasingly astonished; Mono was using his news review authority to block the news of the arson case, while also bribing judges to execute the culprits quickly.

    What exactly was this man up to?

    He left Dibor with an order, ¡°Take Judge Croix into custody for an investigation immediately, and let none of this get out.¡± Then he left the High Court.

    Afterward, Joseph summoned Fouche and asked him to quickly investigate the arson case, focusing on Mono.

    The efficiency of the Police Affairs Department was extremely high, and just three days later, Fouche placed the investigation results on the Crown Prince¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Your suspicions are spot on, Your Highness,¡± the intelligence chief reported, ¡°that woman named Celine and her family said they were going to Tunisia to open up land seven days ago, but in fact, as soon as they left Paris, they were killed. Some farmers nearby reported the incident.¡±

    ¡°Was it Mono¡¯s doing?¡±

    ¡°Although there is no direct evidence, it should be someone he sent,¡± Fouche nodded, ¡°In fact, we found out that Count Mono¡¯s illegitimate son, that kid named Antony who got the inheritance rights half a year ago, has been competing with Viscount Anboer for that woman, oh, that Celine.¡±

    ¡°This matter is easy to find out, many people in the nobility circle know about it, both of them had their eyes on that woman. They say Antony even raped her several times before.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°Just give me the conclusion.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Your Highness. The Maletude Brothers were very close to Count Mono¡¯s son. It seems that Viscount Anboer and Antony fought over the woman unsuccessfully, leading to her kidnapping.

    ¡°Antony, unable to contain his anger, sent his men to ¡®punish¡¯ Viscount Anboer, and those two fools, for some reason, chose to set fire. Oh, maybe they couldn¡¯t find any other way to deal with Anboer.¡±

    ¡°So, after the Maletude Brothers were arrested, Mono feared that journalists would uncover the truth, so he locked down the news related to it. Afterwards, he bribed the judges to threaten the two brothers not to implicate his son, and to execute them as quickly as possible. After that, it would turn into a case with no witnesses.¡±

    ¡°The scoundrel!¡± Joseph slammed his hand on the table and said sternly, ¡°Have someone keep an eye on the Monroe Family to prevent that scoundrel from fleeing, but don¡¯t take any other action for now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Fouche bowed and withdrew.

    Joseph looked at the investigation report before him and couldn¡¯t help frowning in thought. Mono¡¯s case must be dealt with severely, but the man was after all the Minister of the Interior, the third-highest official in the Cabinet; dealing with him directly would have too great an impact, so how should he proceed without causing a serious political earthquake?

    However, the development of the situation was beyond his expectations.

    The next day, nearly all the major newspapers¡¯ front-page headlines were the news, ¡°The son of the Minister of the Interior is suspected of being involved in the arson case of Viscount Anboer¡¯s house, has been summoned.¡±

    All of Paris was shaken.

 Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 229 Traitor

    Chapter 301: Chapter 229 Traitor

    For a time, people in every street and alley were filled with righteous indignation, ¡°Have you heard? A coppersmith¡¯s daughter in the Marais District was targeted by two nobles, not only was she violated by them, but the coppersmith¡¯s whole family was killed!¡±

    ¡°It is said that one of them is the son of the Minister of the Interior. That guy, not wanting to share the girl with another noble, actually sent someone to burn him to death.¡±

    ¡°How cruel and ruthless. But why did he have to kill that poor girl¡¯s family as well?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? Killing a noble is a grave crime! If the girl spoke out that the two had fought over her, the police would surely suspect him, and that¡¯s called destroying evidence.¡±

    ¡°These damn nobles, they don¡¯t care about human life at all!¡±

    ¡°They all deserve to go to hell!¡±

    ¡­

    Joseph looked at the newspaper report about the fire set by the Minister of the Interior¡¯s son, frowning deeply. This time it involved Mono himself, so the man didn¡¯t dare to blatantly pressure the press to avoid publishing the news.

    How had the news leaked? He immediately summoned Fouche.

    Before long, the Police Affairs Department submitted a preliminary investigation result¡ªit was someone who had directly reported to Police Headquarters and various major newspapers about the backstory and consequences of Mono¡¯s son¡¯s order to set the fire.

    Under the relentless questioning of a large number of journalists, Police Headquarters had no choice but to summon Antony Mono. Although he was released shortly afterwards due to insufficient evidence, with the help of the reporters, he had become the target of public criticism.

    But who exactly had leaked the news remained unknown.

    Joseph contemplated the report, was it a relative of Viscount Anboer? Or someone who was secretly investigating the matter?

    Just then, Eman walked in quickly, bowing respectfully, and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, Count Mono would like to see you.¡±

    Joseph frowned. Mono coming at this time could only be for one thing, but the nature of the matter was so bad, he wouldn¡¯t possibly help him get off the hook.

    He shook his head, ¡°Tell him to go back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    Royal Palace.

    The butler entered the Duke of Orleans¡¯ study brimming with excitement, turned back to carefully close the door, then bowed and said, ¡°My lord, just as you expected, the Minister of the Interior sought an audience with the Queen, the Crown Prince, and the Chief Minister one after another, but it seems he couldn¡¯t meet any of them.¡±

    ¡°As expected.¡± The Duke of Orleans said, pleased with himself, ¡°This matter has blown up so much, even the Queen can¡¯t protect him now.¡±

    He then looked at the butler, ¡°By the way, those two guys from the Maletude family haven¡¯t said anything, have they?¡±

    The butler bowed, ¡°Our people in the Bastille are watching them, they wouldn¡¯t dare to talk nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± A smile appeared on the Duke of Orleans¡¯ face, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that fool Mono killing the coppersmith¡¯s family, things might not have gone so smoothly.¡±

    Yes, the so-called ¡°Viscount Anboer arson case¡± was all orchestrated by him.

    After learning that his heir had contracted syphilis, he went mad with the desire to take revenge on Joseph and the Royal Family.

    It just so happened that months before, he learned that Mono¡¯s son and Viscount Anboer had both set their sights on a commoner girl.

    In his mind, Mono was an important political force of the Royal Family, and if he could use him well, perhaps he could find a vulnerability in the Royal Family.

    So, he began to look among those around Antony, eventually selecting Antony¡¯s ¡°lackeys¡±¡ªthe fallen nobles, the Maletude Brothers.

    After gaining control over these two brothers through some means, the Duke of Orleans then instructed them to exacerbate the conflict between Antony and Viscount Anboer.

    Antony, who had been an illegitimate child for over a decade, suddenly became the heir to the Mono title six months ago, his change in status made him quite arrogant.

    About half a month ago, after drinking, he went to the home of a girl named Celine, intending to ¡®have some fun¡¯ with her, only to find out she had been taken away by Viscount Anboer to his villa to be toyed with.

    With the Maletude Brothers inciting and under the influence of alcohol, he became enraged and ordered the Maletude Brothers to take Celine back.

    These brothers immediately reported the matter to the Duke of Orleans, as they had been previously commanded.

    The Duke of Orleans realized this was a good opportunity to drag Mono into the mud, so he sent men to burn down Viscount Anboer¡¯s house with them.

    The subsequent events unfolded mostly according to his design.

    The Maletude Brothers took Celine back to Antony¡¯s residence, and gleefully told him they had burned the meddlesome Anboer to death.

    Antony was immediately sobered with fear, scurrying back home, and told his father everything.

    Mono was shocked and initially wanted the Maletude Brothers to flee, but to his surprise, these fools got themselves caught by the police¡ªnaturally, they did it on purpose.

    Then, he went to the prison and saw the Maletude Brothers, who both adamantly claimed that it was Antony who instructed them to set the fire. Antony was so drunk that day, he only knew he had told them to take back the girl, and remembered nothing else.

    Mono, with no other choice, promised the Maletude Brothers great rewards to take the blame for him. Then, he bribed the High Court judge to execute them as soon as possible.

    And this was exactly the outcome the Duke of Orleans had wanted.

    Only, Mono exceeded his expectations by acting even more ¡®impressively¡¯, killing Celine¡¯s family due to a guilty conscience.

    ¡­

    Nightfall.

    A black carriage quietly entered the villa of the Minister of the Interior.

    Mono looked suspiciously at the visitor removing his hood, revealing the face of the Duke of Orleans, and immediately frowned, saying in a low voice, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 229 Traitor_2

    Chapter 302: Chapter 229 Traitor_2

    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve run into some trouble lately,¡± the Duke of Orleans said, ¡°Won¡¯t you invite me in to sit down?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need; this has nothing to do with you¡­¡± Mono hadn¡¯t forgotten that the man before him was his political rival.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m afraid your son will soon be arrested by the royal guard,¡± the Duke of Orleans smiled, ¡°And you, you¡¯ll likely be implicated and dismissed from your position.¡±

    Mono¡¯s face turned ashen as he said, ¡°I will seek Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s pardon¡­¡±

    The Duke of Orleans immediately interrupted him, ¡°I heard from my friends at the High Court that the Crown Prince visited the High Court the day before yesterday, and had Judge Croix taken into custody for examination.¡±

    ¡°And yesterday, the case involving your son became the talk of the town. Don¡¯t you think there is a coincidence here?¡±

    Of course, all the coincidences were orchestrated by him. After learning that the Crown Prince had visited the High Court, he immediately dispatched people to the Police Headquarters and the newspapers to leak the details of the arson case.

    Mono suddenly froze, then remembered that the Royal Family and Brian had both been unwilling to see him these past two days. Could this really be the Crown Prince¡¯s arrangement?

    He also recalled the last incident involving the bankruptcy of a bank when the Crown Prince seemed to be very dissatisfied with him. Afterwards, there were several attempts to weaken the authority of the domestic political system, right up to the recent matter of immigration to Tunisia, which bypassed him completely and was handed over to Mirabeau.

    Now, his son¡¯s trouble had erupted.

    He stood there, soullessly staring, muttering to himself, ¡°It really is him¡­¡±

    The Duke of Orleans leaned in close to his ear at just the right moment and whispered, ¡°There is only one person who can help you now, and that is me.¡±

    Mono, startled, quickly dismissed all his servants, led the Duke to his study, closed the door, and immediately asked anxiously, ¡°Do you have a way to save Antony?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s simple, I¡¯ll help you kill the two arsonists. With no witnesses left, I¡¯ll then find a way in the High Court, and your son won¡¯t be implicated in this case anymore.¡±

    Mono¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°But they are locked up in the Bastille¡­¡±

    Ever since the last incident when Necker was poisoned by a jailer in the Bastille, Joseph had taken that as leverage, ordering the Commander of the Bastille, Marquis of Launay, to strictly reform the prison management. Now, it was not just difficult to kill prisoners there, but even to get any inside information was extremely challenging.

    The Duke of Orleans said indifferently, ¡°Please trust, I have the capacity.¡±

    Hope flickered in Mono¡¯s eyes as he stared intently at the Duke of Orleans, hesitated, and said, ¡°But why would you want to help me?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans held up a finger, ¡°One million livres.¡±

    Mono was taken aback; he had embezzled money for many years and indeed had that much, but it would definitely be a major blow.

    However, his son¡¯s life and his own future were more important. He nodded immediately, ¡°Fine, within a month, I will have this money delivered to the Royal Palace, the rest is up to you¡­¡±

    But the Duke of Orleans just laughed and shook his head, ¡°Oh, dear Francois, you misunderstood.¡±

    ¡°I meant that I will take care of this case for you, and then give you an additional one million livres.¡±

    Mono stepped back in some fright upon hearing this; as an old political fox, he immediately realized the Duke¡¯s intentions.

    Still, he bit the bullet and asked, ¡°Then, what do you need me to do?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans¡¯s eyes flashed with ruthlessness, ¡°It¡¯s simple, join me in seizing the Royal Family¡¯s scepter!¡±

    He was not afraid that Mono would spread this conversation; considering that the latter was already in a precarious position and would not cut off his own means of survival, even if Mono did speak out, it wouldn¡¯t matter, he would simply deny it.

    In fact, many ambitious nobles in the Palace of Versailles knew what the Orleans line was planning and even considered him a political force to balance the power of the Royal Family.

    Mono, subconsciously wiping the cold sweat from his brow, just bowed his head in silence.

    The Duke of Orleans didn¡¯t rush him, just watching quietly.

    After several long minutes, after weighing, comparing, and calculating over and over again, Mono finally raised his head, ¡°How sure are you?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans appeared very candid, ¡°You should know how severe the food shortage is in the country right now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it can still be maintained for the time being.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s a large amount of ¡®strategic food reserves¡¯.¡± the Duke of Orleans said coldly. ¡°If we manage to make these supplies disappear, then the whole of France will soon fall into chaos.¡±

    Mono¡¯s back was drenched in cold sweat; he swallowed hard and asked, ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°I will invest a large sum of money to take advantage of the chaos and create a brand-new political landscape. You know, there are many people who aren¡¯t content with obscurity; they just lack an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°For instance, those officers. They have been very dissatisfied with the Royal Family¡¯s actions lately.¡±

    Mono fell into deep thought, then suddenly his face lit up with a brilliant smile. ¡°Besides the military, there are also those great nobles.¡±

    ¡°Please share your insight.¡±

    ¡°Do you recall the ¡®Mill Duties Act¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°This winter is extremely cold, and more than half of the country¡¯s rivers have frozen,¡± Mono spoke rapidly. ¡°As a result, many mills can¡¯t operate. I¡¯ve received reports this month that over 60 mill owners have been stripped of their mill tax rights by the act. As we enter the depths of winter, that number will only increase rapidly.¡±

    In this era, mills were mostly powered by waterwheels, and once the river froze, the mills could not operate.

    In previous years, the rivers in various parts of France would hardly freeze continuously for two months. However, under this year¡¯s extreme weather, many French rivers will be frozen until March of next year!

    The inoperability of the mills was also one of the important reasons for the great famine of 1788¡ªthe proud French insisted on grinding wheat into flour and making bread out of it. Especially in the big cities, the lack of bread caused many to starve to death.

    The intention behind Joseph¡¯s act was to encourage the great nobles to purchase Steam Engines to modernize their mills, but those stingy and short-sighted nobles still acted according to past experiences. Even when parish banks offered loans, they were unwilling to spend money on installing Steam Engines.

    In the end, this led to many losing their mill taxes because their mills had been unusable for over two months.

    Mono said with a smile, ¡°I think the nobles who lost their mill tax would certainly hope for a force that could make the Royal Family bow.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans nodded joyfully. ¡°You have a keen insight.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s more,¡± Mono continued. ¡°The Crown Prince has been too hasty in implementing Tunisia¡¯s immigration policy, and he¡¯s offered very favorable immigration terms.¡±

    ¡°A large amount of cheap, fertile Tunisian land, oh, one might even say land for free, as long as you farm it for ten years, you¡¯ll become a landlord.¡±

    ¡°This has led many who originally planned to buy farmland to turn to Tunisia instead, which in turn caused the land prices in France to fall. Although not by a huge margin, but as you know, those nobles who hold hundreds or even more acres of land will suffer significant losses.¡±

    Any small fluctuation in price, when multiplied by a large base, will inevitably yield a staggering sum.

    Seeing the look of approval on the face of the Duke of Orleans, Mono quickly added, ¡°There are many more who are dissatisfied with the Royal policies, and I¡¯m very familiar with this aspect.¡±

    He suddenly placed his hand over his chest, bowed respectfully and said, ¡°If you could grant me a modest position of Chief Minister in your new Cabinet, then you shall have my loyalty, respected Regent.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans nodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course, no one is better suited for the position than you.¡±

    Mono¡¯s joy was boundless, and he bowed again, ¡°Your great cause is sure to succeed!¡±

    His only son was on the verge of incarceration and might even face execution, which could also bring an end to his political life. This was something he, accustomed to exercising power, absolutely could not accept.

    Now his only choice was to join the camp of the Duke of Orleans to protect both his son¡¯s and his own position.

    Furthermore, according to the Duke of Orleans, there was a very high chance of success.

    Because, after hearing the Duke of Orleans outline the plan, Mono immediately thought of a brilliant idea that could greatly increase the latter¡¯s chances of success.

    He had originally planned to use this strategy in exchange for the position of Chief Minister, yet unexpectedly, after merely showing a bit of his capability, the future Regent had already granted his wish.

    [Note 1] At the end of the 18th century, the police forces in various European countries were unreliable, and it was the army that was the main force maintaining public order, especially in cases involving great nobles. The Royal Family typically dispatched the guards to make arrests¡ªfor a regular army wouldn¡¯t dare to apprehend them.

 Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 230 United as One

    Chapter 303: Chapter 230 United as One

    An hour later, a pitch-dark carriage emerged from the back gate of Mono¡¯s villa, now laden with a large stack of fabrics on the roof.

    The carriage made a few more rounds in the city before returning to the Royal Palace after 10 PM.

    Covered head to toe in a black hood like a servant, the Duke of Orleans unloaded the fabrics from the carriage and carried them into the warehouse, his head bowed. Only when there was no one around except his personal guard did he carefully make his way back to his bedroom.

    In his study, he recalled the complete set of strategies that Mono had told him earlier. He first took out pen and paper and wrote a secret letter to the Paris Municipal Commissioner Levebelle, as well as the Governor of Montpellier, Palmentier, sealing each one with his private seal and wax.

    Then, he pulled out another piece of paper and, deep in thought, began writing down a list of names: the Duke of Seville, Count Seyrelier, the Duke of Durelph, the Duke of Mushi¡­

    Those familiar with the circles of the nobility would immediately realize that all these men were the heavyweights from the ¡°has-been¡± political power of the Assembly of Notables.

    Although they had been defeated in the last incident involving the Royal Family¡¯s tax reform, as top-tier nobility, they still possessed a force that could not be overlooked.

    Moreover, the people on this list shared another trait, which was what Mono had mentioned: they were among those most affected by the ¡°Millers¡¯ Rights Act¡± and the immigration to Tunisia that had caused a decline in land prices.

    Having finished writing the list, the Duke of Orleans checked the names repeatedly before handing both the list and the secret letters to the butler Donnadieu, giving him careful instructions.

    ¡­

    Two days later, southwest Paris.

    In a sprawling greyhound racing track adjacent to the south bank of the Seine River, the competition was in full swing. With dogs barking resonantly, dust filling the air, over a dozen sleek greyhounds raced like the wind towards the finish line.

    The stands all around were filled with prominent nobles¡ªattendance here was not open to just anyone with an invitation.

    And in the VIP room in the center of the second floor of the western stands, more than twenty people were crowded together, all looking coolly at the race, appearing quite uninterested.

    After a while, a gaunt man wearing a gemstone-blue coat with a cold gaze entered the VIP room, opening its door and striding in.

    As the people in the room turned to see him, they immediately rose to greet him:

    ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived, Your Grace, the Duke of Orleans.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Philippe, my old friend, what¡¯s the urgent matter that you have called us here for?¡±

    ¡°Your Grace, why not just go directly to the Royal Palace? This noisy place gives me a headache¡­¡±

    The Duke of Orleans handed his hat to a slightly younger nobleman beside him, smiling and nodding to the others in greeting:

    ¡°The Royal Palace is watched too closely and is no longer suitable for meetings. Here, however, we can speak freely.¡±

    He had many informants among his subordinates. Political defeats over the past year had made him suspicious, so he had his residence thoroughly checked and indeed discovered that the Royal Palace was under intense surveillance.

    Naturally, these were the agents from Joseph¡¯s Police Affairs Department. How could they not keep a close eye on a menace like the Duke of Orleans?

    However, as an experienced conspirator, the Duke of Orleans had his own countermeasures. For example, in today¡¯s dog racing track, nearly a hundred nobles with status had attended, but only a few were his intended meeting targets. Agents from the Police Affairs Department who lacked invitations could not infiltrate the event.

    Thus, no one could know whom he had actually met. To all appearances, he merely came to bet on the dogs.

    The Duke of Orleans took the chair in the centre, but instead of discussing any ¡°serious business,¡± he casually addressed Count Seyrelier: ¡°Bruzzar, it¡¯s quite unfortunate to hear you¡¯ve recently lost the taxes from seven or eight mills.¡±

    The other man, caught off guard and not understanding the purpose of the remark, was visibly angered: ¡°It¡¯s that damned law! The mill tax is our traditional right, established over a thousand years, and no one has the right to take it away!¡±

    ¡°Oh, but His Majesty the King did just that.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans remarked sarcastically before turning to an older man beside him: ¡°Duke of Durelph, the land value has been weak lately; you must have lost a considerable amount, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Roughly five or six hundred thousand livres.¡±

    This Duke of Durelph, owning thousands of acres of land, was greatly affected by the decline in land prices.

    The plight of these two men stirred a sense of commiseration in everyone in the VIP room, prompting a chorus of complaints about their own losses.

    The Duke of Orleans then raised his hand to call for silence, his expression turning serious as he spoke in a low voice: ¡°Haven¡¯t you all noticed? The Royal Family is abandoning us!

    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget the tax bill from the beginning of the year, eh? Our authority over the High Court was ruthlessly stripped away, and now we have to pay tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands more in land taxes each year.

    ¡°Paying the same taxes as those commoners¡ªit¡¯s a humiliation from the Royal Family to us!¡±

    The surrounding nobility immediately nodded in agreement, ¡°It is a betrayal of tradition and honor!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, the Royal Family has gone too far!¡±

    ¡°See, they will surely impose even more taxes on us in the future.¡±

    Pleased with the reaction, the Duke of Orleans continued: ¡°We should all see it now, those involved in textiles and paper-making, those upstarts, are the new favorites of the Royal Family! We, on the other hand, will be discarded like old boots in the trash heap.

    ¡°Those new factories will draw the farmers into the cities, and one day, your tenants will all run away, leaving your lands untended, and you will not be able to collect even a penny in dues!¡±

 Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 230 United as One_2

    Chapter 304: Chapter 230 United as One_2

    ¡°¡°

    The highly respected Duke of Mushi in the Assembly of Notables finally spoke up, ¡°Duke of Orleans, you have said so much, do you have any plans?¡±

    Seeing that everyone was looking at him with eager anticipation, the Duke of Orleans clenched his fist resolutely and said, ¡°We must put some pressure on the Royal Family to make His Majesty understand that he must respect the traditional system and must respect the nobles!¡±

    He lowered his voice, ¡°There¡¯s a good opportunity right now to teach the Royal Family a lesson. I hope you all can unite, to fight for our own rights!

    ¡°You know, since the onset of winter, there has been a severe food shortage across the country, we can just do this, and then do that¡­¡±

    When he finished speaking, the people in the reception room looked at each other in consternation. A nobleman, somewhat hesitant, said, ¡°Is this feasible? I mean, with the tax legislation that time, we¡­¡±

    ¡°Rest assured,¡± the Duke of Orleans said, ¡°there are other forces who will cooperate with us this time, and you¡¯ll see it very soon. Moreover, you don¡¯t need to invest anything, just return to your estates. Even if it doesn¡¯t work out in the end, there will be no losses.¡±

    The Duke of Durelph was the first to stand up, paying his respects to the Duke of Orleans: ¡°I will firmly stand by your side.¡±

    Then a few more people expressed their agreement until the Duke of Mushi slowly nodded his head, ¡°To uphold our tradition and honor, it is necessary.¡±

    The other great nobles immediately responded in tandem, ¡°Yes! For tradition and honor.¡±

    ¡°We must make the Royal Family understand some things!¡±

    ¡°Duke of Orleans, I will follow your lead¡­¡±

    The reception room was instantly united in resolve.

    ¡­

    At the Petit Trianon Palace, Queen Mary handed a denunciation letter to Chief Minister Brian with a furious face, ¡°Look at this, Marquis de Saint-Veran is eroding the foundations of the nation!¡±

    Startled, Brian opened the letter to see that it was an accusation of Marquis de Saint-Veran embezzling money by overinflating the number of soldiers on record, and the soldiers, due to poor provisions, could hardly maintain normal training, along with him purchasing old weapons and passing them off as new, skimming a huge difference from the top.

    The signature at the end was that of Garon Guiscard de Revell, the Paris Municipal Commissioner.

    Brian hesitantly said, ¡°Your Majesty, there might be some misunderstanding here, should we send someone to investigate further?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering why his actions were so slow when he sent troops to North Africa; it turns out that his troops are short of both men and proper training!¡± Queen Mary, eager to find a reason to deal with the Marquis de Saint-Veran, was not willing to let it go, ¡°How can such an incompetent officer command an army of tens of thousands?

    ¡°I think he must be severely punished to remember his duties!¡±

    Brian, knowing that Marquis de Saint-Veran came from a highly influential military family in the south, knew it was not appropriate to act rashly against him and advised in haste, ¡°Your Majesty, after all, this is only one side of the story from Viscount Levebelle¡­¡±

    He had only got that far when the queen¡¯s maid knocked and entered, handing her a letter sealed with wax, ¡°Your Majesty, just received from Montpellier.¡±

    Queen Mary frowned as she broke the seal and glanced at the letter, then a cold smirk formed at the corner of her mouth as she shoved the letter at Brian, ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    In a flurry, the latter turned the letter upright, only to find it was an expos¨¦ from the Governor of Montpellier revealing a series of corrupt practices by the Marquis de Saint-Veran. It was likely more detailed since Montpellier was stationed by the Saint-Veran Legion.

    ¡°This, well, Your Majesty¡­¡±

    Queen Mary, with a stern face, interrupted him with a wave, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, please draft an order immediately, reprimanding Marquis de Saint-Veran for embezzlement, disregarding military discipline, and neglecting his duty. Command him to reorganize his legion with the actual number of soldiers, return the embezzled money, and deduct half a year¡¯s annuity from him!¡±

    At that time, a major part of the funding for France¡¯s old-style military came directly from the military commanders embezzling the Military Service Tax of their garrisons. The court also gave high-ranking officers a large annuity to help support their troops.

    However, the phenomenon of ghost soldiers in the French Army was extremely severe, with some units having more than a third of non-existent soldiers on the roster, let alone the annuity, most of the Military Service Tax also went into the pockets of the military nobility. As for the soldiers¡¯ pay, they received it directly from the officers, almost forming a personal dependency on the officers.

    ¡°¡°

    Now that Queen Mary desires to reduce the size of Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s legion, the amount allocated to him from the Military Service Tax will be greatly diminished. Together with the penalized pension, it¡¯s practically like cutting into his flesh with a knife.

    Brian wanted to advise further, but Queen Mary was infuriated, utterly unmoved. Just past noon, an order signed by Louis XVI had already been dispatched to the province of Montpellier.

    The Queen, resolved to go all the way, issued another order directly, scolding the Minister of War, Marquis de Saint Priest, for his severe misjudgment in personnel appointments. She demanded that he deeply reflect and personally oversee the enforcement of Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s punishment.

    Brian knew well that the military nobility had always been a united front, with embezzlement and corruption being almost an open secret, yet from the King to the civil servants, no one dared to interfere.

    Yet with the issuing of these two orders today, the Queen had effectively stirred up a hornet¡¯s nest.

    He paced anxiously back and forth in his office, but couldn¡¯t come up with a plan for a good while. In the end, he had no choice but to instruct his servants to prepare a carriage, and he went to the Tuileries Palace to consult the Crown Prince.

    ¡­

    City of Nice.

    Two officials responsible for the grain reserves watched the departing caravan of wagons, whispering complaints: ¡°What are those bigwigs at the Palace of Versailles thinking, mobilizing such a huge transport capacity to move grain to Montpellier, and then to bring in grain from Grenoble to replenish us.¡±

    ¡°Ha, who knows? As long as we account for the quantities correctly, that¡¯s what matters.¡±

    The transport team was operating with documents signed by the Minister of the Interior himself. Could there be any issue?

    ¡°Don¡¯t let there be any delays from Grenoble¡¯s side. Our inventory is down to less than thirty thousand pounds. If they¡¯re even just a few days late, there¡¯ll be no bread for sale in the city.¡±

    Meanwhile, the grain reserves of Grenoble had also dispatched a large quantity of grain, but their destination remained Montpellier. The documents on their side indicated that grain from Nice was expected to replenish their supply in a few days.

    Indeed, over the past half-month, grain stores across the entire southern region of France had received orders from the Department of the Interior to undertake large-scale grain reallocation.

    However, no one felt anything was amiss, as shortages had been frequent over the past six months, with many emergency grain distributions occurring. Although the quantities moved this time were substantial, based on past experience, it was expected that other areas would soon replenish the stocks, so there was no need for concern.

    ¡­

    East-Central France.

    On the King¡¯s Avenue in the south of Auvergne, Marquis de Saint-Veran sat in his speeding carriage, gazing towards Paris hundreds of miles away, a fierce smile on his face.

    ¡°Austrian wench, all the humiliation will be returned to you a hundredfold! I will let you know that without the military, the Royal Family is but a shivering mouse in the cold wind!¡±

    He looked at the letter in his hand for the tenth time. It was from his nephew, who was also a major general in the Moncalm Legion, reporting that the legion was fully prepared and could be deployed for combat at any moment. Also, it mentioned the emerging grain shortages in multiple locations around Montpellier.

    Marquis de Saint-Veran, indulging in thoughts of revenge, couldn¡¯t help but recall a secret meeting held more than ten days ago at the private hunting ground of the Duke of Orleans.

    At that time, he was still tormented by rage and humiliation, causing his shooting performance to be abysmally poor.

    ¡°Damn that Austrian wench! She is utterly humiliating me!¡± he bellowed through clenched teeth after missing a stag.

    Marquis de Saint Priest, standing by his side and also Minister of War, had a dark expression on his face: ¡°It¡¯s not just you. She wants to humiliate the entire military.¡±

    A somewhat portly officer, upon hearing this, frowned and said, ¡°But why would she want to do that? Offending the military is of no benefit to the Royal Family.¡±

    Duke of Orleans moved his horse forward two steps, gazed into the distance at the prey, and declared loudly, ¡°Because she simply doesn¡¯t care about you.¡±

 Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 231 Famine

    Chapter 305: Chapter 231 Famine

    The officers frowned and turned to look at the Duke of Orleans.

    However, the latter smiled and said, ¡°The legion controlled by the Royal Family is expanding rapidly. As far as I know, after their return to Paris, they recruited nearly a thousand new soldiers in a short period of time.

    ¡°Now, including Mulan¡¯s corps that has pledged allegiance to the Royal Family and the Swiss mercenaries, the Royal Family has over ten thousand soldiers at their disposal,¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten the Flander Regiment; oh, now it¡¯s called the Paris Legion,¡± Mono chimed in, ¡°They¡¯ve always been cozying up to the Royal Family.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the reminder. So, that makes 13,000 men,¡± the Duke of Orleans glanced at the Marquis of Saint Priest, ¡°Following this trend, it won¡¯t be long before the Royal Family has a formidable army, and you all will become worthless.¡±

    General Astou snorted disdainfully, ¡°Just over 10,000 men, not even enough to maintain order in France.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans smiled and asked, ¡°Do you know what kind of weapons and equipment Bertier¡¯s Corps has?¡±

    As he spoke, he took out an Auguste-style caplock gun along with a small bag of percussion caps and threw them to General Astou. These weapons, which were beginning to be mass-produced, were not difficult to obtain in one or two pieces from the arsenal if one was willing to spend the money.

    After a group of military heavyweights understood the usage of the caplock guns and took turns firing them, expressions of grave concern appeared on their faces.

    ¡°You experts can certainly see how much this kind of gun can enhance the combat effectiveness of an army.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans did not wait for the officers to object and immediately continued, ¡°In fact, the most dangerous element lies in the new promotion mechanism that the Royal Family is implementing in the army.¡±

    ¡°Promotion mechanism?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± the Duke of Orleans said with an exaggerated expression, ¡°In the Royal Army, commoners can be promoted to officers based on their military merits, with no limitations, and they can even become generals! Moreover, promotion does not require a ¡®promotion fee¡¯, and they receive a substantial bonus.¡±

    The officers¡¯ expressions instantly turned cold upon hearing this.

    This system was like desecrating their ancestors¡¯ graves!

    They had always monopolized military officer positions through lineage and status. If now even commoners could become generals, their descendants might very well lose control over the army in the future.

    What would follow was a substantial loss of income.

    Mono muttered timely, ¡°Oh, maybe in the future everyone will be taking orders from some lowborn, fighting bloody battles with the enemy. Meanwhile, he¡¯s mocking you from the command post¡­¡±

    ¡°This cannot be allowed!¡± General Astou roared, ¡°The Royal Family is desecrating the traditions of the military!¡±

    The other officers also began to curse, but the Marquis of Saint Priest watched the Duke of Orleans with a grave expression, ¡°Your Grace, we¡¯ve actually been wanting to show the Royal Family the military¡¯s stance for quite some time. However, we need an opportunity, such as an enemy the Royal Family cannot handle.¡±

    ¡°That opportunity is about to arise,¡± the Duke of Orleans declared loudly, ¡°Soon the Royal Family will be in a huge predicament.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why are you so certain?¡±

    Mono interjected from the side, ¡°Because a massive famine is about to happen, and there will soon be mobs causing trouble everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Mobs?¡± the Minister of War shook his head, ¡°Those riffraff pose no threat at all.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans smiled, ¡°If we give them a little ¡®push¡¯, the situation will be entirely different.¡±

    He briefly outlined his plan, concluding, ¡°This time we also have the support of the Assembly of Notables. Yes, the recent actions of the Royal Family have gone too far, and everyone wants to correct the King¡¯s mistakes.¡±

    The eyes of the dozen or so officers present lit up.

    ¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m so stupid, really!¡±

    A common carriage was heading towards the Saint-Germain District in the face of the setting sun. Inside, Soleil clenched her hands together and berated herself, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I thought those two guys were heroes coming to save Celine, and I rashly asked for the Crown Prince¡¯s help to get them off the hook!¡±

    She shook her slightly curly black hair vigorously, ¡°The Crown Prince must think I¡¯m in cahoots with those two now¡­¡±

    The handsome young man sitting opposite her tried to comfort her, ¡°Tulip, you need not blame yourself too much, anyone can be blinded. Besides, we¡¯ll be able to make up for this mistake soon.¡±

    The muscular man beside him snorted, ¡°Hmph, asking the bastards of the Royal Family for help was the wrong decision in the first place. Why worry about their misunderstanding¡­¡±

    Soleil immediately glared at him, ¡°How can you talk about the Crown Prince like that! You have no idea; the Crown Prince and the rest of the Royal Family are completely different, he is kind and has a strong sense of justice!¡±

    The muscular man shrugged and turned his head away, ¡°Fine, have it your way¡­¡±

    The handsome young man opened the curtain and glanced outside, ¡°Let¡¯s all review the operation plan, we¡¯re approaching the Bastille.¡±

    The carriage fell into silence.

    A few minutes later, two carriages stopped one after the other on the street corner opposite the Bastille. Soleil and five young men alighted, gazing at the formidable fortress.

    ¡°This is probably the most dangerous mission I¡¯ve undertaken in years,¡± a wiry redhead said softly.

    ¡°For the sake of fairness and justice, no danger is too great!¡± the handsome young man immediately replied.

    Soleil nodded, ¡°Twilight is right! The Brotherhood is always with justice!¡±

    These few individuals were members of The Brotherhood, which Soleil belonged to[Note 1]. This Brotherhood had nearly twenty members, all of whom were nobles¡¯ sons that enjoyed playing heroes in Paris, and although they were quite melodramatic, they indeed helped many of the poor.

 Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 231 Famine_2

    Chapter 306: Chapter 231 Famine_2

    A young man carrying a bow and arrows looked at the sky and said to Soleil, ¡°It¡¯s about time, now it¡¯s all on you.¡±

    The girl nodded, lifted her veil, and strode towards the Bastille with long steps.

    She moved with extraordinary agility and speed, using the cover of twilight to quickly reach the wall of the Bastille. With simple tools, she climbed like a gecko to a lookout window more than ten meters high that was out of sight of the patrolling guards.

    She easily opened the window¡ªit was clearly not her first time doing this¡ªand then flipped inside, lowering a rope from her waist down the window.

    Soon after, three Brotherhood companions climbed up the rope into a ready room inside the Bastille.

    Soleil urged in a low voice, ¡°We have only three minutes until the routine check, change clothes quickly!¡±

    The group quickly put on the military uniforms they had brought and followed Soleil down the corridor into a storeroom. Then, they climbed out of a window into another room on the third floor, took advantage of the shift change of the guards to get to the officers¡¯ lounge, and once more climbed through a window¡­

    In the heavily guarded Bastille, Soleil had managed to carve out a path with her innate talent.

    About ten or so minutes later, despite the many dangers along the way, the three people safely reached the cell on the west side of the third floor where the Maletude Brothers were imprisoned.

    Soleil, who was hiding behind the protrusion of a pillar at the end of the corridor, peeked at the two guards in front of the cell door and withdrew, saying to the red-haired man beside her, ¡°Hunter, you need to lure those two guards away.¡±

    The latter also glanced at the cell and swallowed, ¡°It looks very dangerous.¡±

    Nonetheless, he covered his face and muttered ¡°for justice¡± before running towards the two guards. It wasn¡¯t that he was fearless in the face of death, but because his father was a very prestigious Earl, and even if he were captured, a sum of money would set him free.

    Upon seeing a strange figure, the guards immediately drew their swords and chased after him, shouting, ¡°Alarm! There¡¯s an intruder!¡±

    Soleil immediately went up to the unguarded cell door. This time she didn¡¯t try to pick the lock but signaled to the most robust companion, ¡°Leishi, it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    The man nodded, took an iron spike from his waist, and swung it high, striking the lock on the door.

    There was a heavy ¡°thud¡±. His strength was immense, and a crack appeared on the cast-iron lock, which looked like it would break with another strike.

    A small window on the cell door was lifted, and a man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks looked out, saying, ¡°Brother, they are smashing the door; they don¡¯t seem like guards.¡±

    ¡°Move aside.¡± The face behind the small window changed, and with suspicion, said, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The ¡°Hunter¡± immediately deepened his voice, ¡°The boss sent us to get you out.¡±

    This was the plan that Soleil and her companions contrived to make amends.

    Upon learning that Mono¡¯s son could not be convicted due to insufficient evidence, they decided to pretend to break into the jail, to gain the trust of the Maletude Brothers and coax useful evidence from them. Of course, if they couldn¡¯t fool the two, kidnapping and interrogating them was also an option.

    However, the people in the cell were surprised, ¡°Did the Duke change the plan?¡±

    ¡°The Duke?¡± Soleil, who was closest, couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. Shouldn¡¯t the leader of the Maletude Brothers be Mono¡¯s son? How had it become the Duke?

    Before she had time to think, a rapid succession of footsteps suddenly came from the stairs on the west side.

    She was about to urge Leishi to hurry up when the door of a distant cell suddenly burst open, and seven or eight fully armed guards rushed out, obviously having been lying in ambush there.

    Soleil and the others were shocked and quickly drew their weapons, engaging in fierce combat with the guards.

    All of them came from reputable noble families and had practiced swordsmanship since childhood, managing to push back the guards, who were twice as many, again and again.

    Just as the trio reached the end of the corridor, preparing to escape through the window as they had come, they heard a series of gun mechanisms being cocked, ¡°click-clack,¡± from behind.

    Soleil slowly turned her head, and what met her eyes were more than thirty dark gun barrels.

    A man with dead fish eyes parted the guards and stepped forward, sneering, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time. Take them all!¡±

    Three hours later.

    In the interrogation room of Bastille, Fouche frowned as he tossed aside the confession in his hand and glanced at the beautiful young woman opposite him, ¡°Soleil? From the Freys Family?¡±

    Soleil nodded nervously.

    Fouche sighed, ¡°So, you were trying to break the prisoners out?¡±

    ¡°No, sir, we just wanted to fake their confessions¡­¡±

    Fouche suddenly exploded in anger, pounding the table and shouting, ¡°Do you know how long I have worked to catch those behind them? You¡¯ve ruined everything!¡±

    His expertise told him that the young nobles he had just interrogated were not lying.

    He waved his hand irritably at the guards and turned to leave, ¡°Lock them up for now.¡±

    As Soleil was dragged up by two guards, she suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said to Fouche, ¡°Wait, sir, I heard those two guys say that their boss seems to be a duke.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Fouche immediately turned back.

    ¡­

    Royal Palace.

    The Duke of Orleans looked grim as he turned to his butler, ¡°Someone is trying to break the Maletude Brothers out? Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s still unclear,¡± the butler replied, bowing his head, ¡°We only got word from Bastille that there were four people involved. Oh, and they overheard the word ¡®Duke¡¯ mentioned during the interrogation.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans¡¯s eyes narrowed momentarily, and after a moment of contemplation, he suddenly stood up, ¡°Quick, start the operation everywhere immediately.¡±

    The butler was taken aback and cautiously reminded him, ¡°Master, the provinces to the northwest haven¡¯t been set up yet¡­¡±

    ¡°They might have already sensed something. We can¡¯t delay any longer.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans paced anxiously back and forth, then ordered, ¡°Prepare to leave Paris. Go inform Mono to leave quickly as well.

    ¡°Oh, and for the military funds, use drafts from the Paris Discount Bank, there¡¯s no time to go through England.¡±

    As the Bank of France Reserve began to firmly establish its position as the ¡°central bank,¡± it started to exercise necessary oversight over the major banks in France. The huge amount he promised to the military was bound to attract attention.

    He had initially planned to make a transfer through a bank in England, but the situation had changed and it probably wouldn¡¯t be timely now.

    ¡­

    Province of Provence.

    Nice.

    A few ragged craftsmen, fighting against the biting cold, arrived at the nearest strategic grain reserve, only to find nearly a thousand people already there¡ªthey had all been told by government ration points that the reserve hadn¡¯t delivered grain, so they had come all this way to inquire about it.

    The officials of the grain store had no choice but to repeat over and over again, ¡°Our grain was sent to Montpellier, and there really is no grain in the warehouse right now. However, in a few more days, the grain from Grenoble will arrive¡­¡±

    A tall man with scars on his face immediately interrupted loudly, ¡°That¡¯s what you said five days ago, where¡¯s the grain now?¡±

    The person next to him chimed in immediately, ¡°The government has always said there is enough grain, telling everyone not to worry. It seems we have all been deceived!¡±

    An emaciated old man in a thin flax jacket, leading a child of about ten, squeezed his way to the front of the grain store officials, bowed his head and clutched his chest, ¡°Sir, bread in the city is sold for 22 sous a pound, we truly cannot afford it¡­ Please have mercy, dispatch some grain.¡±

    Normally, bread in Nice would not exceed 10 sous per pound. For the citizens who are struggling to survive on every last sou of their wages, this means more than half a month without money to buy food.

    [Note 1] The Brotherhood was originally a type of guild organization and gradually evolved into an association. It is generally composed of members with the same interests or beliefs, or even established for social purposes. Members support and help each other and also elect officials for internal management. It was very common in the 18th century.

 Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 232 Abyss

    Chapter 307: Chapter 232 Abyss

    A gaunt old man, wearing a thin flaxen coat, was holding the hand of a sallow and emaciated child about ten years old, as they struggled to make their way to the grain warehouse official. With a bowed head and hand over his chest, he pleaded:

    ¡°Sir, kind sir! Bread in the city has soared to 22 sous a pound, we truly cannot afford it¡­ Please, show some mercy and distribute some grain. Otherwise, we really won¡¯t survive!¡±

    Normally, bread in Nice wouldn¡¯t exceed 10 sous per pound. This meant that for citizens who were barely scraping by on every single sous they earned, more than half a month would pass without enough money to buy food.

    Immediately, a chorus of pleading voices arose around them:

    ¡°Please, distribute bread at fair prices! His Majesty the King promised in the proclamation¡­¡±

    ¡°My child has only had one meal in the past two days, I beg you!¡±

    ¡°Sir, many bakeries in town have run out of flour, everyone is relying on the reserve grain¡­¡±

    ¡°For the love of God, have mercy on us¡­¡±

    The grain warehouse official could only respond with helpless, perfunctory remarks.

    In the crowd, a man with three moles on his face sneered at the sight and nodded to the twenty or so men beside him. The man with the scar on his face immediately charged toward the grain warehouse guards, shouting:

    ¡°We won¡¯t die of hunger, let¡¯s take the grain for ourselves!¡±

    His accomplices immediately joined in the chant:

    ¡°We have the right to bread!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, taking some food for our families and children, God will forgive us!¡±

    ¡°Everybody, act now!¡±

    However, the starving people outside the warehouse held back in fear, hesitant to move forward.

    Scarface had already boldly smashed open the gates of the grain warehouse, and a guard, pointing his gun at him, commanded:

    ¡°Back off!¡±

    Someone next to him then waved to the crowd and shouted:

    ¡°Look! These cruel guards are going to shoot!¡±

    Scarface took advantage of the guard¡¯s momentary distraction to snatch his gun. The other guards, caught off guard by the turn of events, hesitated for just a moment and were quickly surrounded by Scarface¡¯s twenty or so accomplices.

    Seeing Scarface breaking into the warehouse, some bolder starving people immediately followed suit, rushing inside, which triggered even more people to follow.

    In just over ten minutes, nearly a thousand starving citizens had surged into the warehouse like a tide. The officials responsible, seeing the guards beaten to a pulp, immediately hid in their office, daring not to come out.

    Soon, the hungry people in the warehouse began scooping up wheat into bags. Those without bags, not caring about the cold, took off their outer coats to carry the grain.

    An hour later, the warehouse¡¯s over twenty thousand pounds of wheat had vanished without a trace.

    Most of the starving citizens left behind ¡°payment¡± for the wheat they took, at the rate of 2 sous and 6 deniers per pound, which was the ¡°people¡¯s tax¡± price.

    The so-called ¡°people¡¯s tax¡± is a ¡°tradition¡± in France. People believe that as long as they pay what they consider a fair price, the act can only be regarded as trade and not robbery.

    After the starving citizens had dispersed, the grain warehouse¡¯s chief official emerged to gaze at the empty storeroom, feeling as if he had been plunged into an icy cavern.

    This place was originally meant to supply the City of Nice with a week¡¯s worth of grain, but now there was nothing left. This implied that soon, all the grain shops and bakeries in the city would have to close¡­

    The next day, in a wooden house in the suburbs of Nice, the man with three moles on his face counted out more than eighty silver coins for Scarface.

    The latter immediately bowed and scraped, showering him with flattery before dividing the money among his underlings. He was the leader of ¡°Howell¡±, the largest gang in Nice.

    And ¡°Three Moles¡± was a spy nurtured by the Duke of Orleans. Following the Duke¡¯s orders, he had come to Nice a month earlier and, promising 4 livres per person per day¡ªa sky-high price¡ªhad recruited Howell¡¯s men to stir up the riot with him.

    After long planning, their actions the previous day had been a great success.

    Having paid off the ¡°wages¡±, ¡°Three Moles¡± immediately led the gang members to wait at the reserve grain warehouse.

    As expected, soon citizens who had heard about the previous day¡¯s grain theft came to try their luck, only to find without exception that the warehouse had been emptied.

    At that moment, Scarface¡¯s men would step forward and tell them that everyone planned to ¡°collect¡± grain from the grain shops and bakeries that afternoon.

    By three in the afternoon, the City of Nice was teetering on the brink of chaos.

    The moment Scarface led the charge into the city¡¯s largest bakery, the entire city descended into madness¡ªthose who had been hungry for a long time and those filled with anxiety over the grain supply began to break into the grain stores and bakeries, grabbing as much food as they could get their hands on.

    At first, people still left behind ¡°people¡¯s tax¡±, but by the latter half of the day, it had turned into pure looting.

    By twilight, the city¡¯s regular bread supply had completely collapsed.

    Those who had failed to seize any food were doomed to find not even a crumb of bread for sale the next morning. And such people were in the majority among the citizens.

    The next day, at the shattered doorway of ¡°Markman¡± bakery, despondent citizens crowded¡ªboth the shopkeeper and the bakers had fled, and there was nothing left inside. People knew this, but still lingered out of habit.

    As they wallowed in despair, Scarface and his thousand followers walked past the street corner, cries rising from the midst of the crowd:

    ¡°Viscount Sleet¡¯s house has a lot of grain, let¡¯s go ask him for some food.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to starve, come quickly!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no more grain in the city, don¡¯t hesitate!¡±

    The people outside the bakery hesitated only briefly before joining the throng headed for Viscount Sleet¡¯s house.

    Although some felt that Viscount Sleet¡¯s family were reasonably decent people, in such times the public behaved like a frightened flock of sheep¡ªblindly following the leader and completely losing the ability to think for themselves.

 Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Chapter 232 Abyss_2

    Chapter 308: Chapter 232 Abyss_2

    By noon, Viscount Sleet¡¯s villa had been robbed clean. Scarface, following the ¡°employer¡¯s¡± request, led the starving masses mightily towards Baron Abella¡¯s house.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, in the center of Montpellier, a spy sent by the Duke of Orleans was also leading dozens of gang members, robbing food with a large group of citizens.

    As the leading gang member was rallying the starving people to raid a noble¡¯s house to the south of the city, a famished citizen loudly suggested:

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to Count Seyrelier¡¯s house? His estate is so large, it must have plenty of food¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, someone secretly kicked him, and two gang members squeezed him to the ground as if by accident.

    Count Seyrelier was an ally of the Duke of Orleans, and it was crucial to keep the flames from reaching his doorstep. In fact, the Moncalm Legion commanded by Marquis de Saint-Veran was currently stationed at his estate, numbering over 17,000 men. Even if the starving masses went there, they would surely be kept out.

    The brief incident was quickly over, and the crowd began to surge towards the south of the city, shouting.

    In just a few days¡¯ time, hungry mobs had swept through more than half of Montpellier, while Marquis de Saint-Veran, responsible for the city¡¯s security, merely watched coldly from the sidelines, allowing the riots to spread¡­

    Strategic reserves of grain had been maliciously mishandled, leading to the depletion of reserve granaries in the central and southern provinces of France.

    After Nice and Montpellier, the phenomenon of food shortages began to appear in other regions gradually, and spies dispatched by the Duke of Orleans started to stir as well.

    However, limited by the poor information transmission capabilities of the era, the news had not yet reached the Palace of Versailles.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Soleil slipped into the second-floor western corridor of the Royal Palace from behind two guards who were bending down to light their cigarettes at that instant.

    She backed against a statue, took a deep breath, and looked towards the door of the archive room not far away, silently rejoicing in her heart, Finally, I¡¯ve made it inside!

    After the ¡°jailbreak¡± day, she and her companions from The Brotherhood divided the work, each responsible for investigating a suspect Duke. She had set her sights on the Duke of Orleans.

    She had heard that the Duke of Orleans had recently gone on a trip to the south and thought it was a golden opportunity, that it should be very easy to find some useful evidence. Who could have expected that the security at the Royal Palace was exceptionally strict, even surpassing the Bastille!

    She had come a few times, only able to circle the perimeter, and it was only today that she finally took advantage of a moment when the guards were lax to reach the archive room.

    After a patrol of guards passed, she silently approached the door of the archive room. Taking out an earpiece, she placed it against the door to listen for a moment, ensuring there was no movement inside. Then, skillfully, she picked the lock with a wire.

    While muttering to herself, ¡°This lock is much easier to pick than the Bastille¡¯s,¡± she carefully pushed the door open, then turned back and gently closed it.

    However, when she cast her eyes upon the rows of bookshelves, she stood frozen in place¡ªthere was nothing on them!

    And before, these shelves had been packed with files neatly arranged by time and type.

    She cautiously drew out the Swift Sword and circled the room, ensuring no one was lying in wait, before she breathed a sigh of relief.

    Perplexed, Soleil left the archive room. It took her immense effort to slip into the Duke of Orleans¡¯s study, only to find that although the furnishings were as usual, not a single paper remained, even the safe¡¯s door stood open, completely empty inside.

    Afterward, she searched the Duke of Orleans¡¯s bedroom, conference room, and other places, likewise finding no documents or archives of any kind.

    She was greatly astonished. The Duke of Orleans went traveling without his guards but took all his documents with him?

    Suddenly, her pupils constricted, and a thought flashed through her mind: The Duke of Orleans has fled in fear of the crimes! The Duke mentioned by the Maletude Brothers might well be him!

    The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that her conjecture was correct, so she immediately slipped out of the Royal Palace and hurried to the Crown Prince¡¯s office overnight.

    On the second floor of the Tuileries Palace, Eman sleepily glanced at the clock on the desk¡ªit was 10 past midnight.

    He intended to send away this girl who had no sense of time, telling her to come back the next day, but then he suddenly remembered the last time His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had directly summoned her to his office.

    His eyes flicked to Soleil¡¯s shapely waist and her straight, slender legs clothed in a black night suit. He suddenly understood something; no wonder she came so late¡ªit must be their appointed time.

    Joseph was woken from his sleep, looking at Eman with dissatisfaction, frowned, and said:

    ¡°Soleil? What time is it now?¡±

    But since he was already awake, he waved her over with bleary eyes:

    ¡°Since she says it¡¯s an urgent matter¡­ sigh, ask her to go to the drawing room.¡±

    A moment later, Joseph, wearing a robe, gestured for Soleil to sit down opposite him on the sofa and yawned:

    ¡°You have come so late, what urgent matter brings you here?¡±

    Soleil nodded vigorously, saying earnestly:

    ¡°Your Highness, I have found the mastermind behind the Maletude Brothers!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph instantly became alert, ¡°Please, tell me in detail.¡±

    Soleil immediately recounted how The Brotherhood had gone to the Bastille to extract confessions and how the Maletude Brothers had let slip that their boss was a Duke.

    ¡°A Duke?¡± Joseph was now fully awake, he pointed at Soleil, and said sternly, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, daring to storm a prison. Aren¡¯t you afraid I might lock you up as well?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all in the name of justice¡­¡± Soleil puffed out her chest, then stealthily glanced at Joseph¡¯s stern face, swallowed, and said quietly, ¡°Your Highness, you wouldn¡¯t really have me arrested, would you?¡±

    Joseph waved a hand: ¡°Continue with your findings.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Soleil hurriedly continued, ¡°I searched the Duke of Orleans¡¯s residence and discovered that all the files in the Royal Palace were missing¡­¡±

    By the time she finished, Joseph¡¯s expression was grave.

    At this time of the year, the nobles indeed liked to travel south to escape the cold; no one would pay attention if the Duke of Orleans said he was going. But taking all the important documents with him was certainly not as simple as traveling.

    However, he would not believe that the Duke of Orleans was ¡®fleeing from crime¡¯¡ªit was just the death of a minor noble, and not by his own hands; with his status, he would not care at all.

    There must be something significant happening!

    Soon, Fouche was dragged out of his bed and rushed with the Crown Prince to the Bastille for an overnight interrogation of the Maletude Brothers.

    The experienced interrogators at the Police Affairs Department didn¡¯t have much trouble getting a confession out of the two brothers after getting the important lead about the Duke of Orleans.

    Joseph frowned as he listened to Fouche¡¯s report, his brows furrowing:

    ¡°But why would the Duke of Orleans go to such lengths to scheme against Mono?¡±

    He looked at the flickering candlelight on the wall, musing:

    ¡°If the Duke of Orleans is plotting something, and Mono is an essential part of it, then it all makes sense¡­¡±

    He suddenly turned to Fouche and said:

    ¡°Quick! Send someone to the Monroe Family!¡±

    However, by the time the Police Affairs Department arrived at Mono¡¯s residence in the Palace of Versailles, there was already no trace of him.

    According to Mono¡¯s servants, he had taken his son to the south for some ¡®sunbathing¡¯ on the very day Soleil stormed the prison.

    ¡°Another one traveling South?¡± Joseph instructed Fouche with a cold face, ¡°Check immediately who else has gone for a trip recently.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Joseph, analyzing what the Duke of Orleans could be planning but not coming to a conclusion, decided to work from the only breakthrough he had.

    He summoned all the main officials of the internal administration to wake up and compile all orders recently issued by Mono.

    Fortunately, the nobility mostly resided in the Palace of Versailles, and since these officials were primarily nobles, it was quite simple to gather them.

    As the first rays of dawn light entered the Palace of Versailles, a thick stack of documents had been organized and was placed before Joseph.

    ¡°Focus on the main points,¡± Joseph said to the assistant Minister of the Interior with panda eyes.

    The latter hesitated: ¡°Your Highness, Count Mono hasn¡¯t done much of importance in the past two months, except¡­ he seems to have taken a keen interest in the movement of grain.¡±

    The transportation and allocation of grain are indeed part of the work of the internal administration, but these are usually handled by lower officials. It was somewhat strange for the Minister of the Interior to personally interfere with such trivial matters.

    Joseph narrowed his eyes and asked him to bring out all the allocation documents issued by Mono.

    But when Joseph saw the dozens of chaotic, mixed-up transportation orders, rage instantly surged to his head.

    The damned Orleans, he was pushing all of France into the abyss!

 Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter 233: The Crown Princes First Regency

    Chapter 309: Chapter 233: The Crown Prince¡¯s First Regency

    A court official hurriedly knocked on the door and entered, bowing to Joseph and Mirabeau, ¡°Your Highness, Lord Count, Her Majesty the Queen requests your immediate presence in the East Hall meeting room.¡±

    ¡°What has happened?¡± Mirabeau had an ominous feeling.

    ¡°It seems that riots have broken out in many places¡­¡±

    When Joseph and Mirabeau arrived in the meeting hall, they saw that the Queen and several ministers were already seated at the conference table, and even the normally reclusive Louis XVI was present; everyone wore a solemn expression.

    Without waiting for the two to bow, the Queen gestured for them to sit down, and then said to Brian, ¡°Archbishop, please begin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Brian turned his head, his face grave, ¡°As everyone is probably aware, riots triggered by food shortages in the southern provinces have become very serious.

    From Paris south to Murat, riots have nearly broken out everywhere. The scale of the unrest in Montpellier, Foix, Brittany, and other places has even reached tens of thousands of people.¡±

    If Soleil hadn¡¯t ¡°raided¡± the Bastille at night, startling the Duke of Orleans into premature action, even the northwestern provinces would not have been spared from trouble.

    Brian paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Previously, General Namu Ai has submitted a report on behalf of the army, stating that the suddenness of the riots requires at least two months for the military to gather and begin quelling them.¡±

    Allowing the riots to continue for two months would completely devastate the local areas.

    ¡°They¡¯re deliberately stalling!¡± Baron Breti immediately exclaimed in anger, ¡°When I was in service, I could complete battle preparations in at most a week!¡±

    ¡°Now it seems, it is very possibly as you say.¡± Brian nodded, holding out a document, ¡°Just now, the Duke of Mushi made some suggestions to Her Majesty. They include the following demands:

    ¡°Abolish the Royal Supreme Court, reinstate the tradition of the Assembly of Notables electing the Lord Chancellor.

    ¡°Repeal the decree requiring the nobility to pay land tax and other taxes.

    ¡°Abolish the ¡®Millers¡¯ Rights Act,¡¯ dismantle the mills built by each parish¡­¡±

    The Queen¡¯s clasped hands had become bloodless at the joints from clutching too tightly, and she could not help but berate, ¡°They are outright extorting in the face of the rebellion! Extorting His Majesty and the whole of France!¡±

    Joseph took the document lying in front of Brian and saw that it also stated: dissolve the Press Bureau, with the High Court responsible for reviewing the news.

    Place Bertier¡¯s Corps under the command of General Merit, merge Murat¡¯s Corps with the Moncalm Legion.

    From now on, when the Royal Family calls upon the army, it must have the signature of the Minister of War¡¯s consent, otherwise, the army has the right to refuse execution¡­

    There were six or seven more demands in succession, in short, they were making outrageous demands, blatantly trying to divide the Royal Family¡¯s authority. If all were accepted, Joseph¡¯s year of reform efforts would be completely undone, and the nobility would climb back on top of the Royal Family¡¯s head.

    Once the Queen had finished her outburst, Brian continued, ¡°Over 20 generals have signed the Duke of Mushi¡¯s proposal in support.¡±

    ¡°The Duke of Mushi says that if His Majesty can satisfy these demands, it will greatly increase the efficiency of the military,¡± Brian added.

    After a good while, Queen Mary wearily looked at everyone, ¡°Does anyone have any suggestions?¡±

    The Minister of Civil Registry, Nico Herve, cautiously said, ¡°Your Majesty, many places have been rioting for nearly ten days, even Lyon, Treves, and other places have begun to see unrest.¡±

    These locations are already in the central-northern part of France, very close to strategic locations such as Murat and Lyon.

    Nico continued, ¡°This will cause very serious damage to the country, and the riots may ultimately escalate into¡­ rebellion.

    ¡°Many of the Duke of Mushi¡¯s suggestions are just a restoration of former practices, Your Majesty might agree to some of them, ending the chaos in the south as soon as possible is of utmost importance.¡±

    Joseph slightly frowned, not considering the Duke of Mushi¡¯s demands at all, and silently calculated the military forces he could mobilize at the moment.

    If all the police academy students were assembled, two groups would amount to about 6,500 individuals, and with Bertier¡¯s Corps and Murat¡¯s Corps, this made 14,000 men.

    The 3,000 men of the Paris Legion could also be counted. In the most extreme cases, even the Paris Police could be mobilized, adding another 3,000 men¡ªwith the training and morale of the Paris Police, they would at least be in the upper-middle tier of the old-fashioned French Army.

    Additionally, the public order in Paris could be temporarily handed over to the King¡¯s Swiss Mercenary Regiment. After the police reform, Parisian gang members were virtually wiped out due to repeated clean-up by the police, so there wasn¡¯t severe pressure on public security.

    This meant that he could pull together an army of 20,000 men, and a force that was both well-equipped and formidable in combat strength.

    The Duke of Orleans had previously conducted a very thorough intelligence survey on the Royal Family and had concluded that the Royal Family could mobilize a maximum force of 13,000 men.

    However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that Joseph¡¯s strongest fighting force was ¡°hidden¡± within the police academy.

    This was a misconception borne out of inertia, constantly feeling that police were just thugs and ruffians working for the government, believing that even with some training at the police school, they wouldn¡¯t have much combat power.

    Yet, the Paris Police Academy, from recruitment to training to equipment, had already outclassed most regular military schools and not to mention Joseph had also integrated advanced systems into this force, allowing police academy students to fight two ordinary French Army soldiers.

    Joseph tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair, but his mind was slightly shaking his head¡ªcurrently, with riots rampant in the western and southern provinces of France, relying solely on these 20,000 men would not be sufficient to handle the situation.

    Moreover, unless absolutely necessary, it would be best not to conscript the Paris Police, as it would certainly impact the stability of Paris. So under normal circumstances, only 17,000 men would be available.

 Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 233: The Crown Princes First Regency_2

    Chapter 310: Chapter 233: The Crown Prince¡¯s First Regency_2

    Meanwhile, he also had to guard against the military nobility stabbing him in the back.

    It was highly unlikely that these fellows would openly rebel, but they could certainly disguise themselves as rioters and launch surprise attacks on his troops.

    In that case, he would be unable to disperse his troops to quell the disturbances across the regions¡ªsmall detachments were all too easily ambushed.

    In the conference hall, the various Cabinet Ministers had apparently already reached some degree of consensus on accepting the extortion from the military and the Assembly of Notables¡ªthey really could not come up with any other plan.

    Queen Mary and Louis XVI listened with somber expressions to the ministers discussing, seemingly resigned to this outcome.

    ¡°We absolutely cannot accept the cancellation of land tax and the abolition of the press bureau!¡± Mirabeau exclaimed loudly.

    ¡°I believe everything else is negotiable, but the Supreme Judicial Court must be preserved,¡± Brian, still dwelling on the last tax reform, was acutely aware of the importance of controlling the High Court.

    As part of the Duke of Orleans¡¯ faction, the Foreign Minister Villeneuve was actively advocating for total acceptance, so as to ¡°allow the troops to quell the unrest as soon as possible.¡±

    By three in the afternoon, everyone was famished and no consensus had been reached. They had no choice but to adjourn temporarily for lunch.

    While waiting for the chef to serve the meal, Brian approached Joseph and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, I have already allocated funds to purchase grains from Spain and Sardinia. As long as we hold out for a month, this grain should relieve the situation in seven or eight provinces¡­¡±

    It¡¯s far from enough, Joseph shook his head slightly but suddenly grasped something from his words.

    He had been trapped in a fixed way of thinking, only considering how to deploy troops to suppress the riots, forgetting that the root cause was food!

    The provinces experiencing riots weren¡¯t without grain, rather their reserves had been reallocated.

    If he could produce a batch of grain now, not too much, just enough for each province to last half a month, or even ten days, to stabilize the starving population. As long as order was restored and the reserve grain returned to its original place, the chaos would collapse without a fight.

    He fell into deep thought; enough grain for the western and southern provinces of France to last half a month, and it needed to be rapidly distributed to the hands of the disaster victims¡­

    He would have to ask God for help!

    At that thought, Joseph was suddenly taken aback. Ask God for help?

    Yes, indeed!

    How had he forgotten that it was indeed possible to ask God for help?

    Didn¡¯t France have a group of God¡¯s ¡°spokespersons,¡± who owned their own farmland, properties, and were most keen on hoarding grain?

    That was the Catholic Church!

    After all, following the Great Commandment, the National Convention seized the Church¡¯s assets, and the grains found in the cellars had stunned the legislators and helped alleviate the famine in the spring of 1792.

    Owing to the Church¡¯s transcendental nature at this time, no one thought to lay hands on the Church¡¯s resources. Of course, apart from the Archbishops, not many people knew how much grain the Church had stored.

    And Joseph, as a newcomer, not only knew exactly how much grain the church-mouse-like Church had hoarded, but he also had no qualms about fleecing the Church.

    Once the thought process opened up, Joseph felt as if the skies had cleared.

    The Church had assets all over France, meaning there were cellars full of grain everywhere. The disaster victims would hardly have to travel far to receive relief food.

    And the Church¡¯s grain storage was definitely enough for the southern provinces to last half a month, no, even one or two months would be manageable. Because the supposed shortage of grain was just not enough for everyone to eat, leading to skyrocketing grain prices. As long as there was grain to cover the shortfall, it would be sufficient.

    This train of thought led him to many ideas, and the great turmoil created by the Duke of Orleans and the military might even present a good opportunity.

    If managed properly, it could even once and for all resolve the chronic problem of the military nobility!

    Joseph pondered carefully, quickly formulating a comprehensive plan in his mind.

    After lunch, the Cabinet Ministers resumed their heated debate on how to compromise.

    Just then, Joseph suddenly stood up, signaling for silence, and then bowed respectfully to the Queen and Louis XVI: ¡°Your Majesty, I believe we should not make the slightest concession to those who dare to threaten you, to threaten France!¡±

    Queen Mary¡¯s previously dejected eyes suddenly gleamed. She knew that without sufficient troops, there was no way to solve the current crisis, but she was comforted that her son had such courage.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Please grant me full authority to handle this matter, I am confident that I can end the unrest in the provinces.¡±

    Queen Mary smiled and shook her head, ¡°Joseph, my dear, I know you want to do your part for France, but this time¡­¡±

    However, Joseph looked towards Archbishop Brian.

    The latter, seeing his gaze, immediately rose to his feet and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that the Crown Prince is the only one who can resolve the current predicament.¡±

    He chose his words carefully, ¡°In fact, he possesses outstanding abilities beyond your imagination.¡±

    As Joseph¡¯s gaze swept over the other Cabinet Ministers, Mirabeau and Baron Breti also stood up in succession, ¡°Your Majesty, I too believe you can trust the Crown Prince implicitly.¡±

    ¡°I share the same view.¡±

    The Navy Minister, looking back and forth, also stood up to show his support.

    In the council chamber, with the exception of the Foreign Minister and three others who did not attend, everyone chose to stand with Joseph.

    Queen Mary was surprised that her son had such a rallying force and had not yet recovered when she heard Louis XVI suddenly speak up, ¡°Perhaps, we could let Joseph have a try.¡±

    He murmured in a very low voice, ¡°He even managed to design the caplock gun.¡±

    As Queen Mary hesitated, she suddenly remembered the astonishing tactics her son had shown in North Africa, perhaps he really did have a way to deal with this crisis¡­ Finally, she slowly nodded and looked at Joseph, ¡°Then, let the Crown Prince be in charge of handling the insurrections in the provinces.¡±

    ¡°During this period, he may issue decrees on behalf of the King and myself.¡±

    ¡°Please cooperate with him to the best of your ability.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your trust,¡± Joseph said.

    Joseph bowed to Louis XVI and the Queen, and then without hesitation pointed at Villeneuve, ¡°As of now, you are dismissed.¡±

    Villeneuve almost fell off his chair, how could the topic of the insurrection suddenly turn on him?

    ¡°Your Highness, you have no right to do this!¡±

    ¡°No, I do,¡± Joseph said calmly, ¡°You would severely hinder the process of quelling the riots. Therefore, you must leave the Cabinet.¡±

    ¡°You are framing me!¡±

    Joseph turned to Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, I am certain this is absolutely necessary. After the matter is resolved, I will surely provide you with a satisfactory explanation.¡±

    Villeneuve and the Duke of Orleans were so deeply involved, and the Duke of Orleans was one of the masterminds behind this event, so it was absolutely necessary not to keep this traitor.

    Queen Mary was somewhat troubled but, seeing that no one opposed, she looked at Villeneuve, ¡°Count of Villeneuve, please take a temporary leave. If it later proves that you are innocent, I will restore you to your position.¡±

    Villeneuve was stunned for a few seconds, gave the Queen a perfunctory nod, and left angrily.

    Finally, he had gotten rid of the fellow who was always a thorn in his side!

    Joseph felt a rush of relief throughout his body; the taste of power was truly addictive!

    Afterward, he instructed Archbishop Brian to continue issuing orders to the military units across the country on behalf of the King, ordering them to disperse the rioters immediately and maintain order.

    The orders clearly stated that small-scale garrisons were allowed to act autonomously without reporting to superiors while suppressing uprisings. Attached was a decree stating that civilian military officers who distinguished themselves in suppressing the riots could be promoted to Lieutenant or higher ranks.

    Whether anyone executed the orders was a matter for the army, but he had to try.

    As for matters such as purchasing food and carrying out propaganda to stabilize public sentiment, Joseph only gave brief instructions before announcing the end of the Cabinet meeting.

    The most important work lay ahead.

    Half an hour later.

    A ¡°gemstone¡± carriage headed towards Paris. Inside the carriage, Joseph looked at Talleyrand sitting opposite him and smiled, ¡°Archbishop, the position of Foreign Minister seems to be vacant now. Would you be interested?¡±

    The lame man¡¯s face flickered with delight and he hurriedly pressed his chest, ¡°I am grateful for Your Highness¡¯s trust, I will certainly not disappoint you.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Before that, I need your help with a small favor.¡±

 Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 234: Indulgence Pro+

    Chapter 311: Chapter 234: Indulgence Pro+

    After hearing the Crown Prince¡¯s question, Talleyrand immediately took on a constipated expression, ¡°Your Highness, I do know a few things, but this kind of matter¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Rest assured, I have no ill intentions, I merely wish to send out some gifts.¡±

    Talleyrand struggled inwardly for a while, but in the end, the temptation of the Foreign Minister took over, and he picked up a pen and paper and began to write thoughtfully.

    After a moment, he handed a paper with more than a dozen names to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, these are all that I know. You must never say that it was I who told you. As for the kind of gathering you mentioned¡­¡±

    His expression was somewhat unnatural, ¡°It usually takes place on the second Sunday of every month. The meeting point in Paris is in an estate in Montmartre. The bishops of Valois and Reims often go there.¡±

    ¡°The second Sunday of every month?¡± Joseph recalled the calendar, ¡°Isn¡¯t that tomorrow?

    ¡°Hmm, lucky, I was actually planning to send someone to invite the bishops from the nearby provinces, this will save time.¡±

    He seemed to remember something and looked at Talleyrand with a taunting smile, ¡°You seem to be quite knowledgeable about these matters.¡±

    ¡°Ah? I¡¯m not, I haven¡¯t, don¡¯t¡­¡± Talleyrand almost let out a triple denial before quickly regaining his composure, ¡°Cough, Your Highness, I¡¯ve only heard some rumors. You know, I have a rather good memory.¡±

    Joseph nodded and moved on, thinking, ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no time to go to the police academy. Let¡¯s go, directly to Montmartre. Oh, and we need to purchase some gifts.¡±

    According to his original plan, he had intended to first attend a preparedness mobilization meeting at the police academy.

    This time, the matter involved those guys from the military, so it was necessary to have the troops ready in case of the unexpected. Additionally, if there were any isolated riots that had not been quelled, the military would also be relied upon to suppress the disturbances.

    The next evening, after six o¡¯clock, in the ¡°White Maple Forest¡± estate of Montmartre Town at the outskirts of Paris in the ?le-de-France, over twenty middle and high-ranking clergy gathered. Included among them were significant figures such as Archbishop Beaumont of the ?le-de-France and Archbishop Dafuer of the Valois District.

    Next to each of them stood a young ¡°servant¡±, each one fair of face.

    The soothing music played in the background as the priests warmly greeted each other.

    A round-faced bishop was chatting with a colleague from the Nemours District about recent amusing stories when he suddenly noticed the gemstone cufflinks on the young man¡¯s sleeves, leaning on his companion.

    He pulled up his own ¡°servant¡¯s¡± arm in surprise, finding identical cufflinks there.

    The priest from across the way asked curiously, ¡°Does Axil have one too?¡±

    The round-faced bishop nodded, ¡°Someone sent it to him yesterday. And yours?¡±

    ¡°It was given by a person without a name to Okose.¡±

    The two of them did not make much of it; after all, with their status, many people approached them trying to curry favor and often sent gifts. When they couldn¡¯t reach the clergy directly, they would ingratiate themselves with their ¡°servants.¡±

    As more clergy interacted with each other, they surprisingly discovered that almost all the ¡°servants¡± of the clergy present had such a cufflink.

    The clergy gradually stopped teasing their ¡°servants¡± and put down their wine glasses, starting to discuss who might have sent them and for what purpose. Even those bishops who had taken their comely ¡°male servants¡± to the second-floor rooms stopped their ¡°backdoor¡± entertainment projects upon hearing the news and hastily dressed and came downstairs.

    The clergy of Catholicism were strictly celibate, but the middle and high-ranking clergy always found ways to ¡°relax¡± a bit. Most of them had secret mistresses, but having a male ¡°pet¡± was a more fashionable choice.

    Although such matters were semi-open secrets within the Church circles, if they became public, they would still cause extreme damage to their reputations. Especially a gathering like today¡¯s ¡°care of male servants¡± must not be known to outsiders.

    And the person who sent the cufflinks clearly knew the identity of each of their ¡°male servants¡±!

    The bishops suddenly lost the heart to continue and left the ¡°White Maple Forest¡± estate quietly.

    No sooner had Archbishop Beaumont¡¯s carriage left the neatly trimmed woods of the estate than he saw a well-dressed, blond young man signaling to him from the roadside.

    He hastily ordered the carriage to stop, for he recognized the man as a close attendant of the Crown Prince.

    Eman approached the Archbishop with courtesy and greeted him with a smile, ¡°Respected Archbishop, the Crown Prince wishes to invite you for a drink.¡±

    Beaumont of course would not refuse. When he followed Eman into the villa in the center of Montmartre Town, he was immediately surprised to find that the Archbishops of Nemours, Reims, and five others were also in the house¡ªall of whom were ¡°party pals¡± from the earlier gathering.

    Talleyrand, who was feeling guilty like a thief, didn¡¯t dare come here, after all, he was the one who leaked the information about the gathering.

    Beaumont realized something was amiss, but still made a show of bowing politely to the Crown Prince.

    Joseph beckoned the Archbishops to sit down, playing with a cufflink in his hand, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°Cough, I presume you¡¯ve all heard about the uprisings happening in over a dozen provinces to the South, right?¡±

    Beaumont and others, looking at the cufflink that matched their own ¡°male servant¡¯s¡±, nodded uneasily, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, we have heard.¡±

    ¡°May God quell the ferocity in the hearts of those rioters.¡±

    ¡°May God forgive them¡­¡±

    Joseph gestured to Eman to pour wine for the Archbishops, ¡°As we all know, the cause of the riots is a shortage of food.¡±

    ¡°And as you all are the spokesmen of God, representing His benevolence, I hope¡­¡±

    Archbishop Beaumont immediately caught on and interrupted, eagerly saying, ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to donate 10,000 livres for disaster relief!¡±

 Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 234: Indulgence Pro+2

    Chapter 312: Chapter 234: Indulgence Pro+2

    ¡°`

    Archbishop of Valois Dafuer nodded in agreement, ¡°I¡¯ll donate 10,000 livres as well.¡±

    However, Joseph just smiled and shook his head; what he had his eye on was the Church¡¯s ¡°bottom of the chest¡± item. Who would be satisfied with just ten thousand here and there?

    ¡°Thank you for your generosity,¡± he dropped the subtlety, ¡°but I¡¯m asking the Church to release the stored grains to the disaster victims.¡±

    A few archbishops exchanged glances and chuckled dryly, ¡°Your Highness, the Church¡¯s bit of grain won¡¯t make any difference.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that might even be less than the food you can buy with 10,000 livres.¡±

    Joseph smiled calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be modest. I know your cellars have at least enough grain to feed the disaster victims for half a month.¡±

    The archbishops¡¯ eyes were filled with shock, ¡°You, where did you hear that from?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s absolutely no such thing¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, if you don¡¯t believe us, you can go ask Archbishop Brienne¡­¡±

    Joseph knew that most of the Church¡¯s stored grains were surreptitiously skimmed from the tithe or the yields of Church land¡ªalthough these incomes belong to the Church, they get recorded in public accounts, which are used for expenses on education, charity, religious events, and more.

    As for the grain in the Church cellars, they were ¡°accumulated¡± by the skills of the mid to high-ranking clergy and belonged to their personal wealth. Thus, these individuals were very reluctant to have others¡ªespecially the Royal Family¡ªknow about the contents of their cellars.

    In fact, very few people were aware of this part of the Church¡¯s private property, and due to careful management practices, it was not easy to detect, until it was forcefully dug out during the Great Famine.

    Joseph raised his hand in a pacifying gesture, still with a smile on his face, ¡°In the name of His Majesty the King, I assure you that no one will investigate the origins of this grain.¡±

    As he spoke, he glanced at his cufflinks, ¡°Of course, I also hope that you won¡¯t be too reluctant to part with the grain. I am quite informed about the amount of grain and wine in the Church¡¯s cellars.¡±

    Of course, this was a bluff to intimidate the archbishops; he only knew that the ¡°hoarders¡± had stored a lot of grain.

    However, upon hearing that the Crown Prince also knew about the wine in their cellars, people like Beaumont were convinced by eighty percent.

    After another round of exchanges, Beaumont, as their representative, stated, ¡°Your Highness, if you truly need the grain, we are willing to sell it to you at the market price.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph silently breathed a sigh of relief; he had already attained his minimum requirement. At least the problem of insurrection could be addressed with money.

    But this was not his ultimate goal.

    The grain supply for the entire western and southern provinces of France was not a small number. Moreover, how much grain the Church would release depended entirely on their word, and he could easily be at a disadvantage.

    He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°I hope, the Church will donate this grain.¡±

    ¡°This, how can this be¡­¡± The archbishops were immediately alarmed, for the Crown Prince was practically asking for outright confiscation!

    Joseph signaled for them to calm down, ¡°If the Church donates enough grain for one month¡¯s use in the rioting provinces, I will allow the Church to resume selling ¡®indulgences¡¯.¡±

    Catholic doctrine holds that all mankind bears original sin. Since the Middle Ages, the papacy invented indulgences to tell the faithful that, by purchasing these, they could reduce their time suffering in Purgatory.

    This invention made the papacy rich, but it also attracted deep animosity from the secular layers of society and, under pressure, the papacy announced the cessation of indulgence sales in the 16th century.

    Dafuer¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, ¡°Are you serious?!¡±

    If the Royal Family allowed the Church to sell indulgences, the little money they made from hoarding grain would be insignificant in comparison.

    ¡°`

    Beaumont and the rest showed signs of hesitation. ¡°Your Highness, even if the Royal Family agrees, I¡¯m afraid the voices of opposition will be great¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, which is why we need innovation.¡±

    ¡°The old spiel of ¡®buying this will keep you from going to hell¡¯ is, cough, no longer persuasive to people.¡±

    The Archbishops looked at each other, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Firstly, we need to change the name. For example, ¡®Blessing Card¡¯, ¡®Longevity Prayer Coupon¡¯, ¡®True Love Charm¡¯ and the like.¡±

    ¡°Their functions must also keep up with the times. As the names of these coupons suggest, some can be used to increase a lover¡¯s affection, some to pray for blessings for one¡¯s parents.¡±

    ¡°You must understand that something like getting into heaven is too far off and ethereal. Parents, lovers are right before our eyes, filled with many hopes and helplessness. If you can immediately ¡®solve¡¯ the problems at hand, people will be willing to spend money.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we also need to be cautious with pricing. Those old Indulgences were sold for too much. If someone buys a coupon from you and can¡¯t afford to eat meat for two years, there will certainly be dissatisfaction. If you sell a coupon for 4 livres, it¡¯s as if they¡¯re just buying two newspapers, even if the effect is ¡­ cough, with the blessing of God, it¡¯s certain to be effective.¡±

    ¡°In short, the concept of small profits but quick turnover must be embraced; we can¡¯t kill the business in one go¡­¡±

    As he continued to outline his plan, the eyes of several Archbishops gradually lit up. They could already envision young couples coming to the Church, spending a small amount of 4 livres on a ¡®True Love Charm¡¯ to have God bear witness to their love and bestow His blessing.

    Archbishop Nemours hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, are you sure this will work?¡±

    Joseph thought to himself, if you¡¯re clinging to God as your big IP, relying on the tithe for living expenses day after day, that would be ridiculed to death in the twenty-first century. Do you have any idea how much money places like Shaolin Temple and Wudang Mountains have made by just a little bit of marketing?

    He smiled slightly, ¡°I can assure you, if we do as I say, Paris will sell at least 500,000 livres worth of various coupons each year, and that¡¯s a conservative estimate.¡±

    ¡°500,000! Are you serious?!¡±

    ¡°Of course, we will still need some promotion and hype,¡± Joseph continued, ¡°For example, the ¡®True Love Charm¡¯ must be associated with Saint Valentine¡¯s Day. Hmm, that name is too much of a mouthful, let¡¯s just call it Valentine¡¯s Day.¡±

    By the end of the 18th century, February 14 already existed as a holiday, but it was nowhere near as popular as it would become later.

    ¡°First, we need to strengthen the desire to celebrate Valentine¡¯s Day. For instance, promote the idea that ¡®not celebrating means you don¡¯t love them¡¯, ¡®buying the first True Love Charm of the year guarantees a perfect romance¡¯. Then create legends that ¡®only True Love Charms blessed by the Church can keep a couple¡¯s love forever pure¡¯.¡±

    Joseph offered an overview of the business practices from later years, ¡°Then we spend money on celebrations, balls, matchmaking events on that day. The rest is just waiting for the men and women to flock to the Church¡¯s doors.¡±

    ¡°As for the specific marketing techniques, I suggest the Church establish a ¡®Church Cultural Development Company¡¯ with me, dedicated to packaging, planning, and promotion. As for the specific investments and share distribution, we can discuss that in detail later.¡±

    ¡°Oh, similar to the True Love Charm. The Longevity Prayer Coupon should correspond with Father¡¯s Day, Mother¡¯s Day, which have not yet been established. The Church should discuss and decide on suitable dates for these holidays.¡±

    ¡°The Prosperity Coupon corresponds with a Commerce Festival, the Blessing Card with Easter, that¡¯s roughly the idea¡­ Once the company is established, there will be a full set of plans.¡±

    None of the Archbishops could have imagined that Indulgences could be turned into so many new products, let alone end up with establishing a company¡­

    However, after careful consideration, they felt that the Crown Prince¡¯s method was indeed very feasible.

    Joseph wasn¡¯t worried that after hearing his plan they would go behind his back and do it on their own. These business tricks might sound simple, but they¡¯re not something people without first-hand experience can manage.

    After a brief discussion among the Archbishops, it was Archbishop Beaumont who eventually spoke as their spokesperson, ¡°Your Highness, the grain for this disaster relief, let¡¯s consider it as our investment in whatever development company the Church is going to form.¡±

    According to their estimates, if things went as the Crown Prince had suggested, the grain invested this time would be recouped in at most two years. Afterwards, it would be pure profit.

    Moreover, there was no longer any worry that the special meeting held that day would be exposed.

 Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 235: Opportunities in Crisis

    Chapter 313: Chapter 235: Opportunities in Crisis

    Joseph emerged from the ¡°White Maple Forest¡± estate with ample confidence.

    In the ?le-de-France, including Valois and three other districts, the Archbishops had reached an agreement with him on ¡°shares for grain¡± dealings. Coupled with Talleyrand of the Autun district and Brian of the Toulouse district, nearly half of the most influential high-level clergy of the French Church would be involved in this affair.

    The rest was up to them to negotiate the benefits with the Archbishops of the southern dioceses.

    From the information Archbishop Beaumont had just imparted, the Church¡¯s ¡°private grain¡± stockpile was quite substantial, enough to fill in the gaps in France¡¯s grain shortage to a certain extent.

    However, this meant that during the historic freeze disaster of 1792, one couldn¡¯t count on the Church¡¯s cellars. But Joseph believed that with the continuous development of Tunisia, the increased grain production in two years should be sufficient to cope with the brief spring famine.

    After all, Tunisia alone has a third of the current arable land area of France but only needs to support a population of 1.8 million.

    Moreover, to ensure Beaumont and the others would deliver their highest efficiency, Joseph dangled before them the ¡°Papal Throne¡± carrot.

    Although the Papacy was currently dominated by Italians, in the 14th century, the Papal See was located in Avignon, France!

    It wasn¡¯t until nearly a century later that Pope Gregory XI relocated it back to Rome.

    In southeastern France, Avignon, a territory belonging to the Papal States, is still preserved to this day.

    Although the French Catholic Church is currently independent, it¡¯s impossible that the high-ranking clergy have no aspirations for the Papacy.

    Thus, at the ¡°White Maple Forest,¡± Joseph hinted to several Archbishops his ¡°grandiose blueprint¡± for relocating the Holy See back to Avignon.

    If the Papacy were to return to France, the Pope would undoubtedly emerge from among these Archbishops and Brian.

    Beaumont and the others were thrilled. This was coming directly from the Crown Prince¡¯s mouth, which could very possibly represent the will of the Royal Family¡ªThe French Royal Family had harbored ambitions to command Catholicism.

    Of course, Joseph didn¡¯t have this strategic plan for the time being; it was purely a pie in the sky.

    However, should the day come when the troops approached Rome, he wouldn¡¯t mind using the political resources of the Holy See¡ªholding the Pope to influence the faithful. If France were to fight anyone, it would be as if a Crusade, which would be thrilling beyond measure.

    He would never operate like Napoleon historically did, turning against the entire Holy See over a small sum from the Papal States, thus losing tremendous political benefits.

    The several Archbishops privately resolved that they must perform well in the matter of grain release to gain favor in the future race for the Papacy.

    Before Joseph left for Montmartre Town, he had already made a rough plan for what would follow, and upon returning to Paris, he immediately headed to the headquarters of the Police Affairs Department.

    After hearing Joseph¡¯s schemes, Fouch¨¦¡¯s face lit up with a crazy and excited expression:

    ¡°Your Highness, I simply cannot express how much I admire you, finding opportunities even in situations like these!¡±

    The mere thought of the grand scenes planned by the Crown Prince made his blood surge.

    Joseph interrupted his sycophancy and also painted him a picture:

    ¡°The Police Affairs Department did very well in North Africa last time. If you can successfully complete this mission as well, I think it might be time to upgrade to a Department of Police Affairs. Oh, ¡®National Intelligence Department¡¯ seems to be an even more appropriate name.¡±

    Well, dangling a carrot in front, the subordinates will work with even more zeal.

    Fouch¨¦ and the others, hearing this, shone bright with eagerness¡ªdirect promotion to the Intelligence Department meant that the head of the department might enter the Cabinet as the Minister of Intelligence, with all levels of management rising with the tide.

    The Police Affairs Department personnel were all eager to get started, wishing they could immediately fly to the southern provinces.

    Having dealt with all these matters, Joseph hurriedly headed straight for the Paris Police Academy.

    All other schemes relied on the army as the foundation for success.

    Bertier¡¯s Corps and Murat¡¯s Corps had already received orders and were assembling at the new academy grounds of the Police Academy.

    The new grounds were the estate that Louis XVI and the Queen had gifted to Joseph, spanning over ten hectares. Without agriculture, it could easily accommodate thirty to fifty thousand soldiers.

    The pre-war mobilization wasn¡¯t novel, merely Joseph making a speech, telling the soldiers they would be taking on a historic turning point for France and would achieve supreme glory, followed by the routine parade of formations and squares.

    The more practical actions involved equipping Murat¡¯s Corps with Auguste-style Caplock Guns. Murat¡¯s Corps¡¯ performance in Tunisia was deemed satisfactory, but most importantly, they demonstrated their absolute loyalty to the Crown Prince, earning them the latest weaponry and equipment.

    Joseph extravagantly ordered Andre to have every soldier practice shooting 20 rounds each day until the troops were dispatched.

    In reality, the Caplock Gun wasn¡¯t much different from the Flintlock Gun, just eliminating a few steps in loading and firing, easy to master with a bit of practice. Not to mention the proficiency fed by hundreds of bullets.

    You see, many of the old soldiers in France¡¯s traditional army didn¡¯t even have the experience of firing 100 shots.

    Moreover, the Guard Corps were now equipped with 12-pounder cannons. After the Tunisian campaign, Joseph realized that the previously heaviest 8-pounder guns lacked oppressive power, so he decided to upgrade the entire army to 12-pounders and 6-pounders according to Napoleon¡¯s later arrangements¡ªthe former for fire suppression, the latter for mobility in the battlefield.

 Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 235 Opportunity in Crisis_2

    Chapter 314: Chapter 235 Opportunity in Crisis_2

    Anyway, the mounted artillery hasn¡¯t been established yet, so the bulkiness of the 12-pound cannon isn¡¯t really a big problem, just add a few more horses to pull it.

    After arranging the hardware side of things, Joseph gathered officers like Bertier, Frient, and others, and issued a series of commands regarding improving the soldiers¡¯ morale.

    When Joseph finished speaking, Bertier said with a pained expression,

    ¡°Your Highness, this ¡®Military Affairs Department¡¯ you mentioned is involved in a lot of matters. It probably won¡¯t be able to start operating in a short time.¡±

    Andre also nodded in agreement,

    ¡°Your Highness, just in terms of manpower, we¡¯re fundamentally unable to solve it at the moment. According to your requirements, we need at least more than 200 people to barely complete the work within Paris. As for the soldiers¡¯ families in the provinces, that would require even more manpower¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled and nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. The manpower needed can be directly transferred from the French H?tel des Invalides. We only need to send some civil officials to give orders. Oh, and try to let the French H?tel des Invalides bear the cost as well.¡±

    Today¡¯s French H?tel des Invalides is no longer the department that took care of wounded soldiers during the Sun King¡¯s era but has become a pure retirement home for retired officers; ordinary soldiers can¡¯t benefit from it at all.

    Keeping such a department, aside from providing weapons to the rioting citizens during insurrections, really isn¡¯t much use. It¡¯s better to just hollow it out while the military high command is away from Paris.

    Upon hearing this, Bertier and others exchanged glances and all revealed knowing smiles.

    Then, Joseph went among the soldiers of the Guard Corps, making a point to encourage each one of them face to face, until he returned to the Palace of Versailles the next day at noon, dragging his tired body.

    All the preparations had been made. It was time to begin the harvest!

    ¡­

    In the Saint-Antoine District of Paris, Oray Street.

    A melodious call of the bugle accompanied by the brisk beat of drumming came from the south side of the street, making residents on both sides look curiously in that direction.

    Soon, they saw a procession of about 20 people, dressed in imposing ceremonial military uniforms, marching in two neat columns, heading their way with synchronized steps.

    An old fishmonger frowned and said in a low voice to the middle-aged man beside him,

    ¡°What¡¯s happened? Sending so many soldiers to make an arrest!¡±

    The middle-aged man shook his head,

    ¡°Why make such a big fuss to arrest someone? Are they afraid the person they want to catch will escape?¡±

    A young journalist behind them craned his neck to look and explained to the two men, ¡°That¡¯s the newly established Military Affairs Department. I heard it serves Bertier¡¯s Corps and the ¡®Combat Police¡¯ troops.¡±

    The fishmonger said with confusion,

    ¡°There don¡¯t seem to be any high-ranking officers around here.¡±

    Based on his habitual thinking, a department that was ¡°serving the troops¡± was basically the same as serving the officers.

    The procession of the Military Affairs Department stopped in front of an unremarkable civilian house, turned their formation to face sideways, and stood on both sides of the entrance.

    A few soldiers stepped out from the ranks, double-checked the address, then began to hang red and blue ribbons on the door and placed baskets of flowers in front of the ribboned doorway.

    As the leading officer gave the order, two soldiers unfurled a banner about half a meter wide that read: The Glory of France! Congratulations to Corporal Adrian on receiving the Medal of Courage!

    Below it was a row of smaller letters: The honor of bravery shall be known. One person¡¯s deed brings glory to the whole family.

    According to the Guard Corps¡¯ award rankings, the Medal of Courage is a ¡°fourth-class merit¡± below the Medal for Bravery. A total of 23 people received the Medal of Courage in the battle of Tunisia.

    The citizens immediately surrounded the Adrian family¡¯s home, tightly packed, while staring at the banner and starting to discuss,

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Adrian go to the police academy? How did he receive a medal?¡±

    ¡°I heard he went to North Africa, seems like he earned his honors there.¡±

    ¡°Such a grand spectacle, Adrian has really made a name for himself!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just a corporal. Why is the military making such a ceremonious visit to his home to offer congratulations?¡±

    The officer from the Military Affairs Department was about to knock on the door when Adrian¡¯s parents and sister came out, looking surprised.

    Mr. Adrian, the elder, anxiously looked around and approached the officer to bow and whisper,

    ¡°Sir, what¡¯s happening¡­?¡±

    The officer hastily propped him up, saluted him with his hat, and spoke aloud:

    ¡°Good morning! You must be Mr. Adrian, right? Your son displayed bravery in the fight to stop the People of Algiers from invading Tunisia, earning him the Medal of Courage. I am here on behalf of the Paris Police Academy to deliver the good news.¡±

    The Adrian family was stunned, unable to react for quite some time.

    The officer stepped forward, handing Mr. Adrian a ¡°Medal Award Certificate¡± and 200 livres in silver coins, enthusiastically saying:

    ¡°This is the certificate and monetary award for Sergeant Adrian. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has asked me to thank your family for your support, as you have also contributed to France¡¯s great victory. Oh, please sign here so that I can report back.¡±

    The Adrians felt as if they were dreaming, as if their son had done something remarkable.

    Not only had an officer come to congratulate them, but there was also a bonus of 200 livres!

    Old man Adrian finally snapped out of it and called for his wife to quickly prepare some food and water to entertain the soldiers who had come to celebrate, and then turned to invite the Military Affairs Department representative into the house.

    However, the latter first stood at the doorway, announcing to the onlookers the story of Adrian¡¯s valorous deeds. The manuscript was clearly well-prepared, making the audience incredibly tense, as if they had witnessed the harrowing moment when Adrian desperately blocked the breach breached by the Algiers Cavalry, maintaining the integrity of the French Army¡¯s formation.

    Then, the officer listed the various privileges enjoyed by the families of the decorated soldiers, including priority treatment by the police in case of accidents; family members obtaining employment related to the military; and the ability to seek direct assistance from the Military Affairs Department with any issues.

    In short, the Adrian household would now enjoy considerable prestige on this street.

    The onlookers were all envious, loudly discussing:

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that attending the Police Academy could lead to success!¡±

    ¡°My God! That¡¯s a bonus of 200 livres!¡±

    ¡°Did you hear that? His family can go directly to this officer to resolve any troubles.¡±

    ¡°Sigh, my own youngest wanted to attend the Police Academy; I didn¡¯t let him, and now I regret it deeply!¡±

    Even the young man who had previously rejected the love declaration from Adrian¡¯s sister shamelessly edged closer to the girl¡­

    For a time, the entire city of Paris was bustling with the busy figures from the Military Affairs Department. The soldiers of the Guard Corps who had shown valor quickly became the focus of public attention¡ªwith the Paris Commercial News leading the way, newspapers spent a lot of space to feature their heroic deeds. Even the news of uprisings in the southern provinces was overshadowed by their stories.

    The families and friends of the valorous soldiers soon wrote to inform them of the honors, encouraging them to fight bravely and seek to earn medals again.

    Raising the prestige of the Guard Corps and strengthening their sense of honor and belonging had been on Joseph¡¯s mind for some time.

    Previously, to avoid overly provoking the Military Nobility, such maneuvers could only be conducted within the military.

    Now that the Military Nobility had made it clear they would oppose the Royal Family, there was no need for subtlety.

    The soldiers from the old-fashioned armies were merely menial servants, lowly peons, whereas those in the Guard Corps were esteemed military personnel, the glory of France.

    If it came to a clash between the two sides, the Guard Corps would crush the opposition in terms of morale alone, without even considering the difference in combat effectiveness!

    However, Joseph¡¯s move had made for a tough time for the Paris Police Academy and Bertier¡¯s Corps, as they had to deal with citizens coming in droves to enlist or apply for the Police Academy throughout the day¡­

    Joseph arrived at the Palace of Versailles and within five minutes, Brian appeared, looking worried.

    The Archbishop hurriedly made a bow, waving the document in his hand:

    ¡°Your Highness, you have returned at last! The riots are spreading further and further, the Queen has already inquired several times about your countermeasures¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled, inviting him to sit down, speaking calmly:

    ¡°I was just about to look for you. Archbishop, could you trouble yourself to issue a royal decree in the name of the King, directing all military officers of the southern provinces to present themselves at the Palace of Versailles immediately. Those who fail to arrive within a week will be punished for treason!¡±

    Brian stood up in shock:

    ¡°Your Highness, how can we do this? If all the officers are summoned to Paris, who will command the army to suppress the riots?¡±

    Joseph smiled:

    ¡°Rest assured, the Church will help me deal with the riots.¡±

 Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 236: Turning Point (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 315: Chapter 236: Turning Point (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Brian asked in confusion:

    ¡°You¡¯re referring to the Church?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you.¡± Joseph patted his forehead, ¡°You see, I still need your help in this matter.¡±

    When Brian heard that archbishops like Beaumont and Dafuer had agreed to use their ¡°private grain¡± to fill the food shortages in the southern provinces, he was overjoyed:

    ¡°How did you convince them?¡±

    In truth, what he wanted to ask was how Joseph knew the priests had hoarded such large amounts of grain?

    When he was still in Toulouse, he had also had his subordinate priests do similar things, but after becoming Chief Minister, he disdained such meager profits.

    ¡°By establishing the Church Culture Development Company and selling new types of ¡®Indulgences¡¯.¡± Joseph gave a brief explanation, then instructed, ¡°For now, go draft the orders to recall the officers, we¡¯ll discuss the details later.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness.¡±

    Although Brian felt that the military should be used to maintain order, out of absolute trust in the Crown Prince, he nodded and prepared to execute the orders immediately.

    However, he had only taken a few steps before turning back and saying with a slight frown:

    ¡°Your Highness, the latter part of this order¡­ regarding whether to charge them with the crime of rebellion, perhaps it would be more proper for the High Court to decide.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat surprised. It wasn¡¯t a society ruled by law now, so why be so particular about procedural justice?

    Brian caught his expression and carefully suggested:

    ¡°Your Highness, if we directly charge the officers with treason in the name of His Majesty the King, it might cause the nobility to be gripped with fear. It could even lead many neutral nobles to sympathize with those ambitious men.¡±

    Joseph understood immediately¡ªhe had indeed been too hasty. Those officers were stationed in the provinces as part of their duty, and could produce a myriad of reasons to refuse coming to Paris. If they were thus charged with rebellion, it would give other nobles a sense that the Royal Family was acting arbitrarily, causing them to see themselves in a similar situation, wondering if they too would be charged with a serious crime if they ever slightly opposed the will of the Royal Family.

    This was indeed a touch on the bottom line of the noble class.

    With these thoughts, Joseph nodded:

    ¡°You are right. Then let¡¯s just order the officers to Paris sternly, warning them to bear the consequences of noncompliance.¡±

    He then muttered to himself in a low voice:

    ¡°It seems, I must find a way to make them actually rebel at least once¡­¡±

    After Brian left, Joseph took out a list he had sifted through on the way and wrote personal letters to the senior officers on it, then had the Queen sign them before sending them out.

    Next, he summoned representatives of the Capitalist Nobility like Mirabeau and Bailly, handed them a document he had prepared earlier, and gave them detailed instructions.

    After completing these tasks, the sky had completely darkened. But Joseph, ignoring his fatigue, took his dinner onto the carriage and hurried to the camp of the Paris Legion.

    In the rushing carriage, he gazed out at the starlight, chewing on salted beef, and sighed inwardly: How truly he toiled for the sake of France¡­

    Montpellier.

    Marquis de Saint-Veran lightly shook the reins in the hunting ground of Count Seyrelier¡¯s estate, looking at the extensive tents of the Moncalm Legion in the distance, and said to the Duke of Orleans beside him:

    ¡°Do you think the Royal Family will agree to those terms?¡±

    The other also urged his horse to walk slowly, casually saying:

    ¡°With such extensive unrest, the Royal Family faces tremendous financial and public opinion pressure, which would also severely damage the Royal Family¡¯s prestige. The daughter-in-law from Austria will have no choice, she will surely agree, at least partially.¡±

    ¡°Which terms might we allow her to remove?¡±

    ¡°Any of them.¡± The Duke of Orleans shrugged indifferently, ¡°As long as she makes concessions, you and the other generals will deploy your troops to suppress the unrest.¡±

    The exaggerated conditions he had proposed to the Queen were made on a whim, not expecting the Royal Family to accept them anyway.

    It was merely a smokescreen for his real goal, which was to find a suitable pretext to get the army moving all at once!

    The combat ability of those rioters was negligible, and they had all been incited by his own agents, so suppressing them would be as easy as flipping one¡¯s hand.

    Once the armies across the regions were mobilized, it wouldn¡¯t be so simple for them to return to their barracks.

    With the military carrying the great prestige of quelling the unrest, they could use the excuse of ongoing riots to converge their forces to the north, creating a semi-encirclement of Paris¡ªif the preparations in the northwestern provinces were completed, it would be nearly a complete encirclement.

    With the paltry military strength in the Royal Family¡¯s hands, they were bound to panic. Then the Assembly of Notables would seize the opportunity to pressure the Royal Family again on behalf of the nobles.

    By then, the conditions put forward would be far more complex than the previous ones.

    According to the plans of the Duke of Orleans, at the very least, he should become the Regent. To achieve this, he had allied himself with the powerful Marquis of Lucenay through marriage; soon, the Marquis¡¯s daughter would marry Philippe.

    And the monarchical power would return to the state prior to Louis XIV, that is, the highly autonomous form of noble lords.

    Afterward, as the Regent with great authority, wouldn¡¯t he be able to manipulate the Royal Family as he pleased!

    As the Duke of Orleans considered how to torment Louis XVI and his family, he said to Marquis de Saint-Veran with ease:

    ¡°Everything is ready from Brittany to Provence, with a total of 80,000 troops among the various legions. Generals like Moncalm in the north will also respond to us simultaneously.¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran looked at him and said:

    ¡°Duke, such a large-scale troop movement, regarding logistics¡­¡±

    The Duke of Orleans dismissively said:

    ¡°I will provide funds for all the legions. Furthermore, both the Duke of Durelph and the Duke of Mushi will mobilize resources to supply the army.¡±

 Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 236: Turning Point (Requesting Monthly Votes)_2

    Chapter 316: Chapter 236: Turning Point (Requesting Monthly Votes)_2

    Financial support was also a crucial factor for the Duke of Orleans to become the core of the military faction. Even before this incident, he had already distributed tens of millions of livres among more than twenty high-ranking military officers.

    In order to topple the Royal Family, he was prepared to put forth his entire fortune of over fifty million livres. In the area of military expenses alone, he was confident he could defeat the Royal Family.

    In actuality, this was only his cash and credit. If fixed assets were included, the figure would be astronomically higher. It must be noted that the annual pension he received from the Royal Family alone amounted to three million livres. The lineage of the Duke of Orleans also possessed vast industries, and to say he was wealthy enough to rival a country was no exaggeration.

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent.¡± The Marquis de Saint-Veran said with a pleased expression, ¡°Tell me, when will the Queen¡¯s messenger arrive?¡±

    ¡°Should be soon¡­¡±

    As the Duke of Orleans was speaking, a servant of Count Seyrelier came galloping up and greeted them:

    ¡°My lord Duke, General, the people from the Palace of Versailles have arrived.¡±

    The Duke of Orleans and the Marquis de Saint-Veran exchanged a smile:

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡±

    When the two returned to the villa of Count Seyrelier, they failed to notice the Count¡¯s rather peculiar expression.

    Nonchalantly, the Duke of Orleans sat down on a chair and said to the court official who had come to deliver a message:

    ¡°Go on then, which conditions has Her Majesty the Queen agreed to?¡±

    Before the official could speak, Count Seyrelier handed over a royal order sealed with the King¡¯s great seal to him.

    The Duke of Orleans glanced over the document and was so shocked that he stood up immediately.

    Marquis de Saint-Veran leaned over in surprise and saw that the letter contained only a few simple sentences, its main content was a demand for all officers above the rank of Major to report to the Palace of Versailles immediately.

    He looked at the orderly officer, still thinking in terms of previous assumptions:

    ¡°The Queen hasn¡¯t ordered troops to suppress the unrest?¡±

    The latter nodded and gestured to the document:

    ¡°That¡¯s all there is, my lord Marquis.¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran seemed a bit anxious:

    ¡°Are there any conditions that the Queen cannot accept? We can discuss them further¡­¡±

    The orderly officer continued impassively:

    ¡°There are no other instructions from Her Majesty, my lord Marquis. Please sign here to acknowledge you have received the order.¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran and the other two looked at each other, at a loss for how to proceed.

    They had anticipated a range of possible reactions from the Queen, but they had not expected her to ignore the rebellion entirely.

    It was as if they had gathered all their strength, ready to deal a fatal blow to their opponent, only to suddenly find that they were facing nothing but thin air, with nowhere to direct their power.

    ¡°But what about the unrest?¡± Marquis de Saint-Veran asked, grabbing hold of the officer, ¡°My troops are ready, just waiting for¡­¡±

    ¡°You may inquire about this personally at the Palace of Versailles.¡± The officer responded politely, bowing, ¡°I have received no further directives.¡±

    Suddenly, the Duke of Orleans stepped forward:

    ¡°What about other provinces? Are they also abandoning the unrest to its fate?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, that seems to be the case, my lord Duke. Other regions in the south, with the exception of Bordeaux and Lyon, are likely to have received the same orders.¡±

    Bordeaux, being the largest potato growing region in France, had not really suffered from food shortages, so no unrest had occurred.

    As for Lyon, as soon as a shortage of food supplies appeared, the textile guild took the lead, organizing the major factories to gather their foremen and security, forming a temporary patrol squad that was able to disperse the crowds of rioters quickly.

    This was largely because, following Paris Fashion Week, the textile factories in Lyon were doing quite well profit-wise, and the industry guild allocated a substantial amount of money for awards for the patrol squads, thus ensuring that the factories did not stop production due to the unrest.

    After the orderly officer left, Marquis de Saint-Veran turned to the Duke of Orleans with an embarrassed look:

    ¡°What shall we do, my lord Duke? Shall we head to Paris¡­¡±

    ¡°We must not go!¡± The other said, his face ashen, ¡°I refuse to believe that the Austrian woman would really ignore the unrest. You just wait here, she is bound to compromise!¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran hesitated:

    ¡°But what if she doesn¡¯t compromise?¡±

    The Duke of Orleans gritted his teeth:

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll lead the troops directly¡­¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran immediately shook his head resolutely:

    ¡°No, no, to mobilize troops without orders is to rebel!¡±

    While he dared to amass troops and confront the palace amidst the chaos, he still did not have the courage for a blatant uprising¡ªan unrighteous revolt, at best, could only force the Royal Family to flee abroad, followed by intervention from other major nations, culminating in the return of the Royal Family, and the execution of the rebels.

    He knew the Duke of Orleans aspired to usurp the throne, but he did not wish to be a stepping stone beneath the king¡¯s seat.

    But he also knew that because he had threatened the Royal Family, if he went to Paris, his political career would be over immediately.

    After much deliberation, he finally made up his mind:

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to wait and see,¡± he concluded.

    The Duke of Orleans returned to his room with a gloomy expression and wrote letters to each of the more than twenty military high-ranking officials, instructing them to hold on until the Royal Family made the first concession.

    ¡­

    Two days later.

    The starving people of Montpellier swept through the city like locusts, taking away all the food in sight.

    The villa of Baron Laurent was in complete disarray.

    In the maid¡¯s resting room, a dirty old man found a small piece of bread in a corner cupboard and delightedly showed it to a seven or eight-year-old boy:

    ¡°Alexis, look what I¡¯ve found¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, a woman suddenly appeared, snatched the bread from his hand, and stuffed it into her mouth.

    The old man pointed at the woman with anger and shock:

    ¡°You, you shameless wretch, that was food for the child¡­¡±

    Before he had finished speaking, another child about five or six years old walked in, holding an infant, weakly saying to the woman:

    ¡°Mommy, sister she¡­¡±

    The woman hurriedly took the infant, fed her the chewed-up bread, and anxiously murmured:

    ¡°Swallow it, Ariane, swallow it quick!¡±

    She had long since run out of milk due to hunger and had to feed her dying daughter this way.

    The infant¡¯s cheeks bulged as if she had swallowed the food.

    The woman nodded excitedly, ready to bite more bread to feed the child, but suddenly the bread was light in her hand, and when she turned around, she saw that the old man had taken it.

    ¡°Give it back to me, please!¡± she pleaded with a hoarse sob, but no tears would come, ¡°Ariane can¡¯t hold on much longer¡­¡±

    But the old man was unmoved, handing the bread to his grandson:

    ¡°Sorry, Alexis is also starving.¡±

    The woman handed the baby to her older daughter and gathered her last bit of strength to grab the food from the child¡¯s hand, while the old man desperately clutched her waist:

    ¡°Alexis, eat it quick!¡±

    ¡°Please, just leave a small piece for Ariane!¡±

    As the two weakly wrestled, they suddenly heard someone outside shouting:

    ¡°Quick, go to the Church! The Church is distributing food!¡±

    ¡°There seems to be some at Adge Parish too!¡±

    Both were startled, then let go at the same time. Seeing that the bread was eaten, the woman quickly took her older daughter and hurried in the direction of the Church.

    The old man followed her in a few steps, took the infant from the older child, and gestured to the woman:

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold her; we can move faster that way.¡±

    Following the rioting crowd, they arrived at the southern Church and indeed saw priests distributing black bread, as the famished almost toppled the church¡¯s fences.

    After half an hour in line, the woman and the old man each received one and a half pounds of bread and immediately started devouring it with the children.

    A moment later, as the woman watched her little daughter satisfied with bread, her mouth constantly moving, she silently bowed in thanks to the priest.

    The priest made the sign of the cross on his chest and said to the crowd continually bowing in gratitude:

    ¡°You should thank the merciful Lord, not me.¡±

    Another priest beside him added:

    ¡°And His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen, and the Crown Prince! The food was provided by them and the Church together.¡±

    The crowd immediately started to make the sign of the cross and then began to chant, ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    Once the people were no longer hungry and had been promised by the priests that ¡°there would be more food distributed tomorrow,¡± they wearily went back home.

    Meanwhile, several dozen gang members who had been paid to incite the riot were still shouting not far away:

    ¡°Who¡¯ll come with me to Viscount Rolle¡¯s house, he must have food!¡±

    The crowd merely looked at them indifferently, with virtually no one responding.

 Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 237: Covert Strike

    Chapter 317: Chapter 237: Covert Strike

    The gang members glared viciously at the distant Church and bellowed at the crowd, ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by those priests. Their food distribution will only last until tomorrow or the day after. If you don¡¯t want to starve, you need to rely on us!¡±

    According to their boss, the spy of the Duke of Orleans, they had to incite a riot of at least 500 people today to get paid.

    Yet now, only around a hundred people had gathered¡ªtheir unscrupulous kind could be found anywhere, and even with food available, they wanted to muddle in the nobles¡¯ homes to loot. They¡¯d stolen quite a loot these past days.

    By five in the afternoon, the riot group still hadn¡¯t reached 200 people. The leading gang leader cursed under his breath and dispersed the crowd, taking his underlings back to their dwelling.

    Seeing this, the cobbler across the street immediately stood up and whispered, ¡°Officer, they¡¯ve left.¡±

    ¡°Sit down first.¡± Prosper, pretending to be a customer, calmly put on his boots and waited another moment before signaling to the dozen or so ¡°citizens¡± standing or leaning around, ¡°Keep close to your targets.¡±

    These people subtly nodded and followed from a distance behind certain individuals in the riot group.

    Prosper personally followed the gang members with two others.

    According to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s instruction, this riot had erupted quickly and spread extremely fast, surely someone was instigating it behind the scenes.

    The core task of the Police Affairs Department was to find out the instigator behind the riots. People from the department were already in place in the southern provinces, and Prosper personally took charge of Montpellier where the situation was the most severe.

    The gang members entered a two-story building on the west side of the city. Prosper circled the house once, seeing guards at both the front and back doors, and was almost certain in his heart.

    At two in the morning, the leader of the ¡°Carcass¡± gang, Seba, was awakened from his sleep with a gun to his head.

    ¡°Who, who are you?¡± he asked, looking at Prosper and bellowing apprehensively, ¡°You¡¯ll regret messing with the Carcass gang!¡±

    ¡°Nightfire Gang.¡± Prosper uttered the three words. These people were of great use, so he still needed to put on a bit of a show.

    ¡°The gang from Adege Town?¡± Seba stiffened his neck, ¡°This isn¡¯t your turf!¡±

    Prosper smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve made a good sum recently. To be honest, I¡¯m interested in doing business.¡±

    Although highly reluctant, Seba eventually gave away the address of that ¡°important person¡± under the threat of the handgun¡ªit was something his underlings had discovered by secretly following the ¡°important person.¡±

    Prosper left and returned before dawn, announcing to the Carcass gang, ¡°The business now belongs to the Nightfire Gang. The important person will only contact me. And for you, each person gets two livres a day, take it or leave it?¡±

    In reality, he had just led the Police Affairs Department, in cooperation with the Secret Police, to the hotel mentioned by Seba, where they had apprehended two individuals and found over a thousand livres and some riot plans in that room.

    Although these two individuals had not yet confessed, it was almost certain that they were the ones manipulating the riots in Montpellier.

    Seba was dissatisfied with the ¡°salary¡± being halved, but it was still a decent income.

    So after the Nightfire Gang promised not to encroach on the Carcass gang¡¯s territory, he reluctantly agreed.

    Prosper immediately ordered him to gather all his gang members to prepare for a big job.

    At the same time, similar scenes unfolded in the provinces across southern France.

    The Church¡¯s efficiency was excellent, certainly surpassing France¡¯s bureaucratic system. The priests carried bags of grain out from the cellars, and the shortage of food was quickly alleviated, with the hungry masses dispersing.

    And the Police Affairs Department struck out everywhere in response.

    The Duke of Orleans¡¯ privately nurtured spies were no match for the national intelligence agency after all, and most of the insurgents ended up under the control of the Police Affairs Department.

    ¡­

    Northeast France.

    Strasbourg.

    Marshal Francois, who was also the Duke of Broglie, leaned back in his chair, looking out the window at the proud cypress trees under the bright sun, and said in the rigid tone characteristic of a soldier, ¡°So, the insurrection in the south has been quelled then?¡±

    His son, Charles Louis Victor, hesitated before answering, ¡°That¡¯s about right, Father. There are still riots in places like Foix and Bayonne. You know, even in good years, those areas tend to have problems.¡±

    In the southern border provinces of France, separatist forces had always been active. In other regions, rugged and remote, people would still greedily rob wealthy households even when food shortages vanished.

    Marshal Francois nodded slowly, ¡°Has anyone carried out that order from the Royal Family?¡±

    Louis Victor knew he was referring to the order to recall the officers, ¡°As far as I know, no one has, Father. It¡¯s obvious, leaving their posts would mean losing everything.¡±

    The marshal sighed, yet with some relief; fortunately, he was too old, and his son was of no use ¨C that¡¯s why they hadn¡¯t got involved with the affairs of the Marquis of Lucenay and others.

    Although he was a stakeholder and had returned to his post to express support for the military faction, at least he hadn¡¯t threatened the Royal Family, so there was still room for maneuver.

    Staring at the halo produced by the sunshine, he shook his head slightly after a long while, ¡°If it drags on like this, the Marquis of Lucenay and the others will be stuck in a quagmire. Is the outcome already destined?¡±

    Finally, decades of political experience helped him make a decision. He looked up at his son and said, ¡°Victor, get ready, we¡¯re going to Paris.¡±

    The latter was immediately shocked, ¡°Do you mean to betray¡­?¡±

    The marshal over seventy years old shook his head, ¡°I am only loyal to His Majesty the King, and there is no betrayal. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to write to the Palace of Versailles, reporting our decision.¡±

    ¡­

    January 24, 1789.

    South-central France, Foix Province.

    This area was already close to the Provence-Alpes-Cote d¡¯Azur region, less than 100 kilometers to the south, and one would arrive in Montpellier.

    Joseph, dressed in a brand-new Cavalry uniform, galloped past amid the cheers of the soldiers by the road, occasionally smiling and waving back.

    After the action in Tunisia, his riding skills had improved significantly, and his legs had developed calluses, which made marching much easier for him¡ªriding a horse was tiring, but it was still much more comfortable than walking.

    As for carriages, he had chosen remote backroads all the way to conceal the army¡¯s movements, which made riding in carriages akin to torture for the buttocks.

    Thanks to over a third of the wooden trackway from Paris to Lyon being laid, the advance speed of the Guard Corps at the beginning was extremely fast, reaching 38 kilometers per day.

    However, once the wooden trackway ended, the speed dropped back to less than 30 kilometers per day, but this was still very fast.

    The most pitiful were Murat¡¯s Corps. Although they had trained with the Guard in Tunisia for a while, they still couldn¡¯t keep up with the marching pace.

    Andre had to constantly keep the formation in check to avoid falling behind¡ªthis was the biggest obstacle to increasing marching speed¡ªand nearly lost his voice from shouting every day.

 Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 238: Filling in the Last Shortcoming

    Chapter 318: Chapter 238: Filling in the Last Shortcoming

    ¡°`

    Joseph was admiring the undulating Alps in the distance¡ªadmiring the scenery was almost his greatest pleasure during the march¡ªwhen he suddenly noticed a cannon stuck in the front, and immediately spurred his horse to rush over.

    The soldiers struggling to drag the cannon noticed a slightly shorter figure approaching, turned their heads to look, and immediately became excited: ¡°It¡¯s the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°The Crown Prince is here to help us with the cannon!¡±

    ¡°Be careful on that side, don¡¯t let the Prince get hurt¡­¡±

    ¡°Everyone put in more effort, let the Prince see our strength!¡±

    The number of soldiers dragging the cannon did not increase, but the previously immovable cannon suddenly lurched forward, breaking free from the melting ice pit almost in an instant¡ªit weighed nearly one and a half tons, a 12-pounder.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness!¡± the soldiers cheered again, all smiles as they lifted their hats to salute the Crown Prince.

    Joseph nodded in response, and then dusted off the mud from his hands before remounting his horse.

    In truth, how much strength could his small frame, not even 15 years old, contribute? Yet every soldier would remember the moment the Crown Prince helped them with the cannon, which would in turn be converted into high morale on the battlefield.

    However, Joseph¡¯s participation in this military campaign wasn¡¯t merely about providing a ¡°morale buff.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for his personal presence, the officers really might not have dared to fully commit to the task he was meant to perform.

    Continuing on for a while, the sky gradually darkened, and the Guard Corps began to set up camp for dinner.

    Perna, leading the newly created Nurses¡¯ Corps, drove several horse-drawn carts past the camp.

    The nurses shouted in clear voices as they passed by: ¡°You must drink hot water!¡±

    ¡°Anyone who drinks carelessly won¡¯t be allowed to listen to Lorena sing later.¡±

    ¡°This way, who hasn¡¯t received water yet?¡±

    Meanwhile, they skillfully scooped hot water from barrels on the carts and distributed it to the soldiers, who were joking and whistling.

    Joseph also took a cup of water from Perna¡¯s hand, hmm, today it was hot tea. The army nurse had already taken over the job of the Crown Prince¡¯s personal physician and now was taking over Eman¡¯s job as well.

    Just as Joseph was about to enjoy the tea, he saw a messenger riding fast from the north.

    Eman took the letter from the messenger and handed it to Joseph: ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s from the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    Seeing Archbishop Brienne¡¯s private seal on the envelope, Joseph took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Read it out loud.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Eman opened the envelope and quickly scanned the letter, ¡°Your Highness, Archbishop Brienne says he continues to hold meetings daily as per your request, discussing ¡®how to reconcile with the military¡¯ as soon as possible.¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile.

    He was well aware that the Palace of Versailles had many eyes and ears of the Military Nobility; this was to make them think that the Royal Family did not dare offend the entire military and was currently studying how to step down gracefully.

    What worried him the most was if the military suddenly capitulated and collectively came to Versailles to admit their faults, it would then be difficult to take decisive action.

    Eman continued: ¡°Additionally, Archbishop Brienne mentioned that the Duke of Broglie has already set out for Versailles and has written to express his eternal loyalty to the King. General Rossignol has also sent someone to Paris, saying he will follow soon.¡±

    This came somewhat as a surprise to Joseph.

    He had previously singled out several influential military nobles who had not directly participated in this conspiracy and written to them in the name of the Royal Family, stating that if they obeyed the King¡¯s orders, they would continue to have His Majesty¡¯s trust and hinted at the possibility of important positions.

    He expected that if the military faced suppression, these individuals would likely choose to switch sides again.

    After all, he had only twenty thousand troops at his command, and there was a severe shortage of officers; he needed to draw from France¡¯s old army at least some people who could be incorporated into his forces.

    But he had thought that it would take his most important move to make before anyone would ¡°defect.¡± He had not expected these generals to be so keen in their senses to make the ¡°best choice¡± directly.

    ¡°`

    Particularly, the Duke of Broglie, although quite aged and in command of not many troops, was a marshal from the time of Louis XV and had immense seniority and influence in the military.

    After this affair was concluded, it would be very appropriate for him to take charge of reorganizing the old army.

    Joseph pondered for a moment, then returned to his tent and wrote a letter to Brian, instructing him not to disclose the Duke of Broglie¡¯s shift of allegiance to the Royal Family just yet, as well as the promise of offering the old man the position of Minister of War.

    According to Joseph¡¯s military reform plans, a general staff would soon be established, responsible for the specific mobilization and command of the troops. The role of the Minister of War would become increasingly insignificant, proving perfect to serve as a bargaining chip.

    The next morning, as martial music played, the Guard Corps set off once again.

    Joseph looked south and asked General Bertier, who was beside him, ¡°General, how far are we from Montpellier?¡±

    The latter immediately responded, ¡°96 kilometers, Your Highness.¡±

    He added, ¡°We will encounter the Moncalm Legion in three days.¡±

    Joseph nodded, took a deep breath, and thought to himself that in three days, the Royal Family¡¯s last weakness would be mended. By then, nothing would stop him from leading France to soar!

    ¡­

    In the west of France, Moncontour.

    General Xer, commander of the Paris Legion, looked indifferently at the bloodstained streets, as soldiers continuously escorted the leading instigators of the rebellion past him.

    A legion staff officer rode up quickly and announced loudly, ¡°General, the rioters on Long Stone Street have also been dispersed, and there are no more insurgents in the city. A total of 122 people have been arrested so far.¡±

    General Xer nodded indifferently. Brittany, this backwater haven, always produced such troublemakers. Even after the Church began distributing food, the rioters continued to cause trouble, even robbing the Church.

    His legion had been tempered on the Flanders border and dealing with these mobs was a breeze.

    He looked at the staff officer and asked, ¡°Where is the next site of trouble?¡±

    ¡°Angers, on the western side of Anjou, General.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a distance. Issue the orders, we¡¯ll rest for half a day, and set out early tomorrow morning.¡±

    The task of the Paris Legion was to clear out scattered stubborn insurgents, with the furthest point being Bayonne in the south. He needed to make haste.

    While the Paris Legion was cleaning up the battlefield, a small-scale battle was also taking place near Valence, to the northeast of Montpellier.

    In the town of Amiens to the north of the city, insurgents had not dispersed, and hundreds surrounded the manor of a noble, trying to break in.

    Next to the clock tower on their flank, a sergeant handed the telescope back to the officer beside him and frowned, saying, ¡°Lieutenant Bonaparte, we only have fifty men, but they have three to four hundred.¡±

    However, that lieutenant¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. Pointing at the insurgents, he said to the surrounding soldiers, ¡°What do you see?¡±

    No one spoke out.

    Lieutenant Bonaparte raised his voice: ¡°That¡¯s our chance to achieve valor!¡±

    ¡°The enemy is weak and vulnerable, while you are well-trained warriors.

    ¡°Just follow me closely, and we can break them in an instant!

    ¡°Now, follow me!¡±

    He drew his sword and strode towards the insurgents, seemingly without the slightest concern of whether the soldiers would follow him or not.

 Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 240: The Advancing "Rioters

    Chapter 320: Chapter 240: The Advancing ¡°Rioters

    ¡°`

    ¡°We¡¯re half a league away.¡± At the very front of the group of ¡°farmers,¡± Blanche, wearing a worn felt hat, put away his spyglass and said to the tanned middle-aged man beside him, ¡°This mission¡¯s damn dangerous. God help us, let¡¯s hope those guys won¡¯t open fire on us directly.¡±

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t. Rioters have been here before, and they barely used their guns.¡± The middle-aged man spoke with a thick southern accent, ¡°After this mission, you¡¯ll likely be the second in command of the action team.¡±

    Hearing this, the look of complaint on Blanche¡¯s face disappeared instantly. Indeed, the mission was risky, but the reward was ample¡ªpromotion by two ranks.

    Moreover, according to what he had heard, the Police Affairs Department was soon to be upgraded to the ¡°Intelligence Department.¡± That would mean the second in command of the action team would be equivalent to Assistant Director of Police Services!

    He flashed a smile and said politely to the middle-aged man, ¡°You should be up for a promotion after this as well, right?¡±

    But the latter just waved his hand in disappointment, ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware of the situation with the Royal Police? Promotion is only for those who can bribe their superiors¡­¡±

    The two of them whispered to each other and soon could make out the long stone fence of the manor.

    Blanche reminded his men of the original plan: agents without weapons in the front, those with guns in the back, before taking the lead toward the manor¡¯s gates.

    The soldiers of the Moncalm Legion guarding the manor quickly spotted the group of over three hundred ¡°rioters¡± and shouted loudly to halt them, ¡°Stop right there! This is Count Seyrelier¡¯s territory, get lost immediately!¡±

    The ¡°farmers¡± on Blanche¡¯s side started to clamor in southern accents, ¡°We¡¯re about to starve, give us some food!¡±

    ¡°Do us a favor, good sir¡­¡±

    ¡°Let us in, and we¡¯ll just take some food¡­¡±

    The soldiers at the gate looked at each other and raised their guns.

    ¡°Let¡¯s charge!¡± Blanche shouted and pulled out a sling from his coat pocket, twirled it around several times, then flicked his wrist, and a stone flew towards the soldiers.

    Other ¡°rioters¡± followed suit, and soon the ¡°whooshing¡± of slings spun through the air, and stones rained down on the soldiers like droplets.

    Such slings could easily hurl stones seventy or eighty meters¡ªa perfect weapon for riots, and the soldiers were forced back with cries of pain.

    As the warning bells rang, it wasn¡¯t long before a battalion of soldiers emerged, closing in on the ¡°rioters¡± and shooting wildly to disperse them.

    The rioters immediately shouted, ¡°These soldiers are trying to kill us!¡±

    ¡°Damn it, they even want to deprive us of our right to eat!¡±

    ¡°So what about guns? We¡¯ve got them too!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight it out with them!¡±

    The ¡°rioters¡± in the back suddenly pulled out guns hidden behind them and fired through the gaps in the crowd at the soldiers outside the manor.

    The soldiers clearly didn¡¯t expect them to have real guns, and after a brief moment of shock, they retaliated with even fiercer gunfire.

    As the firefight started on the west side of the manor, several figures stealthily climbed into the manor from the northwest corner, setting fires among the flax fields¡­

    Inside the opulent castle-style building at the center of the manor, Marquis de Saint-Veran was carefully choosing his words, ¡°Esteemed Duke, this misunderstanding caused by the rioters¡­ has made His Majesty the King suspicious of his own army, and now only you can help me clarify the situation to His Majesty¡­¡±

    The Clerk hastily noted it down and presented the paper to him, ¡°Please review it, my lord Marquis.¡±

    Marquis de Saint-Veran glanced at it indifferently, signed his name at the end of the letter, and mused over how much money it would take to persuade the Duke to advocate on his behalf.

    ¡°`

    200,000 livres? Forget it¡­ better make it 300,000 to be safe.

    In his efforts to end his current embarrassing predicament with dignity, he had already spent over 1.2 million livres at the Palace of Versailles currying favor. Not to mention the ¡°funds¡± provided by the Duke of Orleans, he had also dug into his own coffers for an additional 200,000 plus.

    Just as Marquis de Saint-Veran was sealing the envelope with his private seal, he suddenly heard the distant sound of gunfire.

    As an officer, he was all too familiar with this¡ªit was the gunfire from Charleville.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he frowned and looked at his attendant.

    The latter hurried out to inquire about the situation and returned after a short while, reporting to the Marquis, ¡°My lord, a mob is trying to break into the estate, and it seems they have guns. We¡¯ve lost three men.¡±

    ¡°Guns? Could it be that the Police Headquarters has been raided?¡± Marquis de Saint-Veran looked outside the window and said angrily, ¡°These lawless scoundrels! Tell Major Brouin to disperse them immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    The orderly officer was about to leave when Marquis de Saint-Veran suddenly thought of something.

    The Royal Family had charged him with quelling the unrest, hadn¡¯t they? These rioters showing up on his doorstep could be an opportunity to curry favor with the Royal Family.

    Just then, an officer rushed in, knocking on the door urgently and said to Marquis de Saint-Veran, ¡°General, the rioters have set fire to the flax fields of the estate!¡±

    The latter hurried to another window and indeed saw billowing smoke swirling in the distance.

    ¡°Those bastards!¡± The Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s teeth ground with a ¡®grit¡¯.

    Count Seyrelier was an influential noble, and with his great army stationed here, being unable to protect his estate was a sheer humiliation to himself!

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran immediately roared, ¡°Order Major Brouin to take the troops of two legions and round up all these rioters! Any who dare resist, shoot them on sight!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    Half an hour later, Major Brouin led over 3,000 soldiers, marching majestically towards the ¡°rioters¡±. On the left flank of the column, there was even a cavalry troop.

    Blanche, upon hearing the sound of horse hooves, sensed something was wrong. He picked up his binoculars for a glance and was instantly drenched in cold sweat, shouting to his subordinates, ¡°Run! Run fast! Throw down the guns.¡±

    According to the ¡°script¡± given to him by his superiors, he was supposed to repeatedly provoke the Moncalm Legion and, after outraging them, they would send some soldiers to attack him.

    Why was it that a few thousand troops came at them all at once?

    Several hundred ¡°rioters¡± ran for their lives towards the woodland to the east, with a massive army hot on their heels.

    After a wild sprint, the ¡°rioters¡± saw that they were only two to three hundred meters away from the planned woodland, but the cavalry of the Moncalm Legion had already caught up to them.

    The slowest dozen or so were instantly chopped down by sabers, emitting a series of agonized cries.

    Blanche, struggling to refrain from looking back, finally dove into the small woodland during a gap when the horsemen turned to regroup.

    Major Brouin frowned towards the woodland and ordered three infantry platoons to go in and recapture them, while the rest of the troops surrounded the woodland from both sides.

    His orders were quickly carried out.

    However, just as the soldiers of those three platoons nonchalantly stepped into the woodland for just over ten seconds, a barrage of gunshot suddenly erupted from within, and clouds of gun smoke rose from the bare trees.

 Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 241 Oops, Ive Become a Rebel! (Extra for leader Hansuan)

    Chapter 321: Chapter 241 Oops, I¡¯ve Become a Rebel! (Extra for leader Hansuan)

    On a small hill in the distance, Joseph¡¯s speech was still ongoing:

    ¡°The riots continue, wreaking immense havoc on the southern provinces. Yet our brave Marquis de Saint-Veran, with nearly twenty thousand troops at his command, has consistently refused to deploy them to quell the unrest, watching idly as those of status and education are plundered by the rioters.¡±

    He paused to allow the journalists to record his words before continuing loudly:

    ¡°Some even suspect that the Marquis de Saint-Veran is the hidden mastermind behind the riots. Of course, I do not believe that.

    ¡°Fortunately, His Majesty the King has never forgotten his subjects! His Majesty directed me to lead all available troops in Paris, including the police, to Montpellier to suppress the riots¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he suddenly heard a smattering of gunfire in the distance, and his heart skipped a beat.

    It had begun!

    Two cavalrymen raced over, shouting from a distance:

    ¡°Your Highness, Moncalm Legion has suddenly launched an attack on us. They may well be attempting to rebel!¡±

    The hundreds of journalists and nobles around him were shocked into paralysis, uncertain of what to do.

    With great theatricality, Joseph widened his eyes in shock and exclaimed:

    ¡°How is that possible?!¡±

    From below, a ¡°plant¡± in the crowd spoke up with a trembling voice:

    ¡°Could it be that Marquis de Saint-Veran has been indulging the riots, waiting for Your Highness to come and suppress them, only to then spring an ambush?¡±

    Joseph immediately followed his lead:

    ¡°It seems he has indeed instigated a rebellion¡­¡±

    Eman handed a telescope to Joseph. After taking a glance down the hill, Joseph frowned and said:

    ¡°They are attacking General Bertier!¡±

    Soldiers promptly brought over several boxes of telescopes and thoughtfully distributed them to the journalists.

    As the journalists extended their telescopes, the scene in the distance came sharply into view¡ªa dense mass of troops was firing ferociously and steadily closing in on Bertier¡¯s Army¡¯s encampment behind the small grove, with the banner of the Moncalm Legion fluttering amidst them.

    From Major Brouin¡¯s position, one could only see the small grove in front of them, but from the high ground on the side, one could see the encampment beyond the trees.

    After hearing that ¡°Moncalm Legion is attacking Bertier¡¯s Army,¡± the journalists had preconceived notions that the attack was indeed directed at the area beyond the grove.

    Joseph mounted his horse with impressive poise and turned to the journalists, solemnly saying:

    ¡°I must be with my army! Should I meet with misfortune, please ensure that the events unfolding here are made known to the world.¡±

    After speaking, he rode off with his guard in a cloud of dust.

    The soldiers then collected all the ¡°military supplies¡± telescopes.

    For the journalists, the distant battlefield had instantly become shrouded in mist.

    Major Brouin was lazily watching as his troops systematically took control of the grove where the rioters were hiding, waiting only to drag out the people or bodies within, when suddenly he heard a thunderous explosion from behind and to the side.

    He furrowed his brow, his first thought being: I didn¡¯t bring any cannons, did I?

    But when he looked up, his pupils abruptly narrowed¡ªseveral bloody gaps had appeared in his infantry formation, and the soldiers who had been caught off guard stood in terror, apparently still unclear about what had just happened.

    ¡°`

    ¡°This is the enemy¡¯s cannon!¡± Major Brouin was instantly jolted, ¡°No, these aren¡¯t the rioters!¡±

    He quickly turned his head to the orderly officer and yelled:

    ¡°Order the whole army to stop advancing. Concentrate from the flanks to the center! Cavalry, scout to the southeast!¡±

    Before the latter could move, the distant cannons roared again.

    This time, the soldiers of Moncalm Legion finally realized what was happening, screaming as they scattered to evade the cannon fire. Meanwhile, the officers of the various units drew their swords, loudly scolding in an attempt to maintain formation.

    Atop a northern hillock, an officer from the Police Affairs Department was explaining to reporters: ¡°Listen, the rebels even brought cannons! What in damnation do these bastards want?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, God bless, I only hope that His Highness comes through unharmed¡­¡±

    After the third volley from the cannons, Moncalm Legion had completely descended into chaos.

    It was a coordinated salvo from three 12-pound cannons and six 6-pound cannons, with pre-aimed targets, hardly missing a shot.

    What followed held little suspense.

    Major Brouin hesitated whether to call for reinforcements or to retreat directly. Soon, an infantry regiment from both flanks came closing in straight lines, while a large number of cavalry swiftly maneuvered behind him.

    Meanwhile, those damned cannons continued to boom relentlessly.

    At that moment, Major Brouin finally realized that he had been lured into an ambush¡­

    He hesitated for only two seconds before he turned his horse around, abandoning his troops, and escaped with only a few dozen guards back to Earl Seyrelier¡¯s estate.

    On a distant hillside, the thoroughly frightened reporters waited until the cannon fire ceased, and after more than an hour, they finally welcomed the arrival of the bodyguard sent by Crown Prince to fetch them.

    The area near the small grove, where the fierce battle had just taken place, was nearly cleaned up.

    Joseph was bitterly leading the reporters to view the bodies of Bertier¡¯s Army soldiers who had been killed by the rebels.

    The bodies were neatly laid out, amounting to a hundred or two.

    The Crown Prince loudly denounced the treacherous acts of Marquis de Saint-Veran, briefly outlined how General Bertier had valiantly repelled the rebels, and then swore to take revenge for his soldiers.

    Of course, the bodies on the ground belonged to Moncalm Legion. However, their uniforms were similar in color and style to those of the Guard Corps, so the reporters couldn¡¯t clearly distinguish which side they were from.

    The still shaken reporters immediately busied themselves, writing their news reports as quickly as possible, getting their assistants or servants to send them back to their newspapers.

    Before long, the rumble of cannons sounded again from the direction of Earl Seyrelier¡¯s Estate to the east.

    The reporters all stood up and looked over there.

    An officer hurriedly led people to escort them to a safer area to the north, all the while anxiously describing the situation: ¡°Listen, the rebels have started attacking His Highness¡¯s legion again. This will surely be a very tough battle¡­¡±

    The actual fighting process was not tough at all.

    The cannon fire was the Guard Corps launching an attack on Moncalm Legion.

    Marquis de Saint-Veran, upon learning that Major Brouin had fallen into an ambush, frantically ordered his troops to assemble and prepare for battle.

    However, he had no prior notice of the Guard Corps¡¯ approach, and his forces were leisurely resting in the manor. Not even perimeter scouts had been set up. By the time Bertier had nearly surrounded the estate, almost half of Moncalm Legion¡¯s soldiers had yet to form up.

    Then came a barrage of cannon fire. After two middle-ranking officers of Moncalm Legion voluntarily led their units to surrender, Dawu¡¯s troops were the first to breach the estate through the gap and, with virtually no delay, made their way to the center of the estate, where they engaged in fire with Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s guards.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 242: You Are What I Say You Are, Even If Youre Not

    Chapter 322: Chapter 242: You Are What I Say You Are, Even If You¡¯re Not

    The sounds of gunfire and the frantic cries of servants continuously clawed at Marquis de Saint-V¨¦ran¡¯s nerves.

    Servants were helping him into his military uniform, while he bellowed at the dust-covered Major Brouin, ¡°You said it¡¯s Bertier¡¯s Army?¡±

    The latter shouted back hoarsely, ¡°Their banners¡­ and the Paris Police Academy¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that he was confident, but rather that if he didn¡¯t shout, his voice would be drowned out by the gunfire.

    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Marquis de Saint-V¨¦ran glared at him darkly, snatched a telescope from his attendant, and cursed as he headed for the roof, ¡°So who is attacking me right now? Bertier¡¯s three corps, or some ridiculous police force?¡±

    Upon stepping onto the roof, he immediately saw black smoke billowing everywhere around the estate, and the distinct sounds of gunfire and bugle calls clearly indicated an intense battle underway.

    ¡°Who in the world is it?¡± The Marquis de Saint-V¨¦ran extended the telescope and saw a line of infantry stretching four or five hundred meters wide advancing relentlessly toward them.

    The soldiers were in a neat formation, their shooting during the advance was extremely proficient, and their pace steady; it seemed the shooting from his own side hardly affected them.

    Meanwhile, several platoons of scattered troops on either side of the formation were utilizing the terrain to advance in detours, quickly reaching some of the outbuildings on the estate¡¯s perimeter.

    The corner of his eye twitched involuntarily.

    His own soldiers, positioned in the buildings, were clearly outmatched in the exchange of fire. Two very important buildings to the south had already fallen.

    Soon, the scattered troops hoisted their flags on the rooftops and started shooting down at the defensive lines from a high position.

    When those flags unfurled in the wind, Marquis de Saint-V¨¦ran¡¯s expression turned ghostly white¡ªhe indeed recognized the Paris Police Academy¡¯s banners! Major Brouin had not lied.

    After that, through the spreading gunsmoke, he also saw the banners of Bertier¡¯s Corps.

    It dawned on him that the only force capable of mobilizing both these groups was the Royal Family. So, was it the Royal troops attacking him?

    Bertier¡¯s three corps and reserve police to attack the elite Moncalm Legion?!

    He tried to dispel the sense of absurdity in his mind, and then frowned deeply, the Royal Family¡¯s actions amounted to sparking an all-out civil war¡ªthe military would not stand idly by over today¡¯s events!

    Had Austria¡¯s stag gone mad?

    While his mind was filled with turmoil, a dull thud came from below the villa, and the whole building shook violently, causing him to stumble repeatedly.

    The attendant hurried forward to steady him, urgently saying, ¡°General, the house was hit by a cannon. Please leave here quickly!¡±

    Upon realizing what had happened, Marquis de Saint-V¨¦ran¡¯s pupils contracted sharply. The estate was vast, stretching over 4 kilometers in both length and width; cannons from the perimeter could not possibly hit here.

    For a cannonball to strike this house, it meant the enemy had advanced within six or seven hundred steps!

    He pushed the attendant aside and peered down from the villa, indeed seeing over a hundred enemy troops exchanging fire with his Imperial Guard.

    The rooftop door was pushed open. A staff officer from the legion stumbled in, yelling, ¡°General, Colonel Bernie has surrendered to the enemy. The western defense line has fallen ¡­¡±

    ¡°I saw it,¡± Marquis de Saint-V¨¦ran cut him off with a dark expression. With no reserve forces in hand, how could he plug the gap in the defense line?

    He saw more of the reserve police flood in from the west, and his own guard was being pressed by intense fire to the flowerbeds in front of the villa.

    After a moment, he let out a long sigh and turned to his staff, ¡°Pass the order, all troops are to cease resistance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    40 minutes later.

    In the hunting rest lounge on the east side of the manor, the Marquis de Saint-Veran eyed the young man in cavalry uniform before him and said icily, ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince, I need you to explain this attack!¡±

    He was not at all concerned about his own safety. In fact, he believed that the Royal Family was the one in serious trouble¡ªnot he.

    ¡°Ah? Explain?¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°The Moncalm Legion has mutinied, and my soldiers bravely quelled the uprising.¡±

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran glared at him angrily, ¡°What rebellion? You are framing us!¡±

    Joseph interrupted him, ¡°No, this is what hundreds of reporters witnessed, and I believe it will be reported tonight.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, do you not realize that you are inciting a civil war!¡± the Marquis de Saint-Veran still held his head high, ¡°The King persecuting his own army, do you think the other generals will stand by and do nothing?¡±

    ¡°Merely suppressing a rebellion, they will have no objections to that.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re fooling with such tricks?!¡±

    Joseph waved his hand, ¡°Whether you have rebelled or not does not depend on what actually happened, but rather on whether the military¡¯s top brass accepts the conclusion that you have rebelled.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure the shrewd generals can guess what happened here, but they will only choose to believe that you have rebelled.

    ¡°Because doing so will distance themselves from your situation.¡±

    ¡°Without provincial unrest to back you up and lacking a justifiable excuse, the military won¡¯t openly be enemies with the Royal Family,¡± Joseph gestured towards the battlefield outside the window, ¡°Your grand army didn¡¯t even last two hours, which has further made them aware of the Royal Family¡¯s combat capabilities.

    ¡°Now you are the rebels, and they are not. The Royal Family wants to punish the rebels, and they are safe.¡±

    ¡°Do you think, under these circumstances, will they bring you back into the ¡®non-rebel¡¯ faction, causing them to stand with you on the same front?¡±

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s face instantly turned ashen.

    He knew that the Crown Prince was right; other military bigwigs simply had to acknowledge the rebellion to avoid risking conflict with the Royal Family.

    As for the truth? No one cared about the truth.

    Especially when the newspapers had swayed the public opinion, they would simply go with the flow¡­

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran swallowed hard and nervously looked towards Joseph, ¡°What do you want from me?¡±

    Joseph stepped forward to brush off the dust from the shelling that had fallen on his clothes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if you cooperate with me, reveal your conspiracies and testify against some people, then you can be exiled to the Besancon region, you might even retain some of your wealth.

    ¡°Or you choose to keep secrets for some people, and then your entire family is exiled to Seychelles.¡±

    He knew that according to French tradition, even if the Marquis de Saint-Veran had rebelled, at most he would be sentenced to exile. After all, the Prince of Conde, the ¡°Great Conde,¡± twice allied with Spain in rebellion which even made Louis XIV wary of returning to Paris, yet in the end, his fate was merely exile, ultimately even returning to France after a few years.

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran nodded almost without hesitation, ¡°Your Highness, please allow me to pledge my loyalty to His Majesty the King once more! Oh, all of this was the doing of the Duke of Orleans! Just two months ago, he told us there would be a famine¡­¡±

 Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter 243: Best Strategy (Vote for Monthly Ticket)

    Chapter 323: Chapter 243: Best Strategy (Vote for Monthly Ticket)

    Joseph raised his hand and said:

    ¡°¡®You¡¯ refers to whom?¡±

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran hesitated for a moment, but the fear of being exiled to Seychelles immediately overwhelmed everything:

    ¡°Yes, uh¡­ the Marquis of Lucenay, General Astou, General Morneau¡­¡±

    Joseph turned his head to signal his clerk to take note.

    Actually he knew that it was basically the same twenty-something people who had signed their names to force the Royal Family¡¯s hand, but he still needed the traitors to say it themselves.

    Subsequently, the Marquis de Saint-Veran elaborated on the military nobility¡¯s plan to blackmail the Royal Family, of course, with his wording altered to ¡°hoping that the Royal Family would pay more attention to the military.¡±

    ¡°Additionally, the Duke of Mushi, the Duke of Seville, and the Count Seyrelier were also involved in this matter.¡± Since he had chosen to confess, he might as well drag more people down with him, perhaps hoping to create an environment where everyone is guilty, ¡°mainly, they stirred up public opinion at the Palace of Versailles and used their political influence to rope in more aristocrats to pressure¡­¡± when they refused to send troops to suppress the riots and made demands to His Majesty,¡± he added.

    Joseph sneered and nodded, it seemed the members of the Assembly of Notables were still harboring ill intentions. But this was also good, as they were delivering themselves into his hands, which would make dealing with the aftermath much easier.

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran was rambling on about their actions when suddenly, with a look of schadenfreude and a touch of trying to claim credit, he said:

    ¡°Your Highness, you must want to know the Duke of Orleans¡¯ movements, right? Indeed, he is the ringleader, you must arrest him immediately!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph immediately raised an eyebrow, ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He went to Auvergne two days ago to meet with the Marquis of Lucenay,¡± the Marquis de Saint-Veran said, ¡°The Marquis is planning some sort of ¡®Alliance Front,¡¯ aiming to unite as many aristocrats as possible to get the Royal Family to overlook the recent riots. Most likely it¡¯s to discuss this matter. Oh, and they¡¯ve also arranged a marriage alliance¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately felt relieved. Luckily the Duke of Orleans wasn¡¯t here, otherwise with the Marquis de Saint-Veran pointing fingers at him like this, he would have had no choice but to arrest him.

    That would have meant proceeding with the normal process: trial, appeals for mercy, negotiations, and at most, sentencing to exile.

    And as a top-ranking noble under the Royal Family, rich and influential, in exile he would still have the capacity to cause trouble.

    Therefore, Joseph had only one plan for dealing with him, and that was to cut him off directly.

    Not only would it rid France of a scourge, but seizing his assets afterwards could significantly subsidize the finances.

    However, as previously mentioned, the man¡¯s influence was too great, so how to execute him was certainly a complex matter.

    After the Guard Corps escorted the Marquis de Saint-Veran away, Joseph ordered Bertier to have the entire army rest in place for one day, and then march towards Auvergne.

    He wasn¡¯t going to look for the Duke of Orleans; rather, he was moving the troops in front of the Marquis of Lucenay¡¯s face to facilitate communication with him.

    With this surprise attack, he had taken care of the most troublesome Marquis de Saint-Veran, pushing the situation in a favorable direction by a large margin. But what followed was the question of how to appease the military.

    That¡¯s right, appease.

    Joseph didn¡¯t think that he could command the Guard Corps to sweep through the land, beating every military noble with treacherous intentions and then, like with the Marquis de Saint-Veran, send them off to some remote border province where rabbits don¡¯t even poop.

    Acting in such a manner would only lead to France falling into the chaos of a civil war and squandering a massive amount of war funds. If one were to suffer another defeat by carelessness, then it would indeed be an irreversible disaster.

    Even if one were to step back and assume that the old army had been completely dealt with, one currently did not have enough troops to fill the garrisons left empty across the land.

    It should be known that, at present, the local security of France was maintained by the military. Unless all provinces could undergo police reforms like those implemented in Paris, without the army to maintain order, bandits would immediately rise up everywhere, causing untold suffering to the living.

    Therefore, the best strategy was to use the victory over the Moncalm Legion¡¯s rebellion to the greatest extent, to incorporate the existing army for one¡¯s own use.

    Now, those military nobles who had learned of the Royal Family¡¯s significant victory were surely trembling with fear, and this was the optimal time to set rules for them.

    After sorting out the issue with the military, one could then start implementing one¡¯s grand plan!

    Joseph looked at the list of names on Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s written confession, a cold sneer flashed in his eyes. These fellows had thrown most of France into chaos; they could not be allowed to cause such trouble without consequences.

    Sometimes, chaos, if well utilized, can be a more powerful weapon than order itself!

    Of course, the premise is being able to control it¡ªyou create chaos when it¡¯s needed and can immediately bring things under control when it¡¯s time to do so.

    Early the next day, Joseph handed over the task of guarding and reorganizing the Moncalm Legion to Murat¡¯s Corps¡ªwith the latter showing signs of being unable to continue marching after their intensive military march¡ªand then ordered the entire Guard Corps to break camp and march northwest.

    The corps transported a large amount of food and wine from Count Seyrelier¡¯s warehouses, with the help of the manor¡¯s servants, who happily loaded them onto the wagons, singing ¡°Glory and Victory¡± at the top of their lungs as they set forth on their journey.

    Three days later, Joseph galloped to a highland; without the need for a telescope, he could already see the dense towns of Auvergne.

    He did not take the situation lightly, still having Bertier arrange for the reconnaissance cavalry to scout more than ten kilometers ahead, always remaining vigilant. Although the likelihood of Marquis of Lucenay acting desperately was very slim, it was better to be safe than sorry.

    However, when they were still seven or eight kilometers from the city district, Joseph unexpectedly saw several dozen wagons parked on both sides of the road, along with over a hundred servants gathered around the wagons.

    These people, holding wreaths, food, and drinks, immediately formed neat rows upon seeing the distant figures of the Guard Corps.

    Thereafter, Marquis of Lucenay came forward with a smile plastered all over his face.

    In Joseph¡¯s carriage, the elderly Marquis prattled on eloquently, extravagantly praising the Crown Prince¡¯s military achievement in crushing the Moncalm Legion¡¯s rebellion, and then vilifying Marquis de Saint-Veran, spouting insults as if there were no tomorrow. Finally, he beat his chest and lamented how he had failed to recognize the treasonous intentions of the latter sooner, else he would have personally led troops to quell the rebellion.

    In reality, the Marquis of Lucenay was extremely anxious at that moment¡ªthe Moncalm Legion had been strengthened especially by the queen when they were sent to North Africa to rescue the Crown Prince, boasting a force of 25,000, with the actual number of troops exceeding 17,000. Here, he had only more than 7,000 men, whose combat strength was far inferior to that of the Moncalm Legion.

    According to the news from Montpellier, the Crown Prince¡¯s police force had completely overpowered Marquis de Saint-Veran, to the point where cannons almost razed Count Seyrelier¡¯s manor to the ground.

    Seeing that the Crown Prince only responded with a smile, the Marquis of Lucenay finally breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously inquired:

    ¡°Your Highness, do you have any important affairs in Auvergne this time?¡±

    Joseph had not expected the man¡¯s attitude to change so swiftly; thus, some of the words he had prepared were no longer necessary.

    After thinking briefly, he said straightforwardly:

    ¡°I have come to quell the rebellion in Auvergne.¡±

 Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 244: Incorporation (Extra for 1000 monthly votes)

    Chapter 324: Chapter 244: Incorporation (Extra for 1000 monthly votes)

    Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Lucenay¡¯s demeanor faltered instantly. They had just recently blackmailed the Royal Family with the threat of ¡°refusing to quell the unrest¡±.

    However, Joseph took a sharp turn in his approach:

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you intend to create an ¡®Alliance Front¡¯?¡±

    The Marquis of Lucenay immediately broke into a cold sweat, realizing Marquis de Saint-Veran must have confessed everything. He quickly waved his hands and denied:

    ¡°No, no, that was just¡­¡±

    Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him:

    ¡°His Majesty is very displeased with your neglect of duty and allowing the rebellion in Auvergne to go unchecked. Moreover, your private collusion with other officers to influence the Royal Family¡¯s decisions is a very serious mistake.¡±

    Although the Marquis of Lucenay was startled, he soon keenly noticed the difference in the Crown Prince¡¯s words¡ªHis Majesty had only characterized his actions as ¡°neglect of duty¡± and ¡°serious mistake.¡± That meant there was still room for negotiation!

    He clenched his teeth inwardly and displayed an extremely sincere attitude:

    ¡°I am willing to accept any punishment for the mistakes I have committed.¡±

    Joseph nodded: ¡°First, you must personally go to the Palace of Versailles and admit your wrongdoing to His Majesty the King.¡±

    Seeing the Marquis of Lucenay¡¯s face turn pale, he added: ¡°Rest assured, you will not be stripped of your position.¡±

    The latter was overjoyed, as this was already his bottom line. Thus, he nodded repeatedly in a hurry:

    ¡°I will comply with Your Highness¡¯s command, and I will seek an audience with His Majesty as soon as possible to offer my sincere repentance!¡±

    Joseph continued: ¡°Secondly, the Auvergne Corps must accept a new system of officer selection and promotion¡ªsimply put, it will offer commoners the opportunity to become officers. Also, promotions will no longer require payment.¡±

    The Marquis of Lucenay, however, discerned the underlying implications, and cautiously asked:

    ¡°Your Highness, does this mean I will still command the Auvergne Corps?¡±

    ¡°Yes, as long as you strictly implement the new officer system and accept direction from the General Staff, you will remain the commander of the corps.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s plan for the military was very clear; he could not rely on the old forces in battle. He would simply transfer some talents to the Guard Corps. The original units could be left intact. After this chastisement, he reckoned they would not dare to cause significant trouble anymore.

    As long as they accepted commoners as officers, in a few years, capable commoners and minor nobility would become the backbone of the military. Of course, the promotion of officers would still require strict supervision and verification by the General Staff.

    Also, by retaining the positions of the Military Nobility, the resistance to their opposition could be minimized.

    Once the Royal Family had full control of the military, they could handle them with ease.

    The old Marquis was overjoyed and immediately exclaimed loudly: ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness. Military discipline and system always run in my blood!¡± He then carefully asked, ¡°Your Highness, what is this ¡®General Staff¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a new department that will be established to assist His Majesty the King in formulating battle plans and coordinating troops,¡± Joseph continued. ¡°Furthermore, your corps must undergo an organizational audit to eliminate all ghost positions and be downsized according to the actual number of soldiers.

    ¡°From now on, pay will be issued directly by the General Staff, including your own pay. Weapons and equipment will also be procured and distributed by the General Staff. This way, you need not worry about the expenditures of your troops. Of course, you will also have no need to intercept Military Service Taxes or other funds.¡±

    The Marquis of Lucenay inwardly sighed, realizing this was tantamount to the confiscation of his financial authority. But considering he at least retained his commander¡¯s position and could seek other ways to make money in the future, he acquiesced with a pinch of the nose:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I understand.¡±

    What Joseph did not tell him was that the Gendarmerie would also be re-established, with positions directly being filled by commoners or minor nobility, making it much harder for officers to embezzle in the future.

    Since the whole exchange had gone smoothly, Joseph did not linger any longer and, after declining the Marquis of Lucenay¡¯s invitation to a banquet, he immediately headed to the next corps¡¯ garrison.

    In the following period of time, he planned to deal with all the main forces stationed in the west and south just as he had with the Marquis of Lucenay.

    As the Marquis of Lucenay disembarked from the carriage, bowing to send off the Crown Prince, he suddenly heard the latter say:

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Marquis, I have heard that your granddaughter is engaged to the Duke of Chartres?¡±

    The Duke of Chartres was the son of the Duke of Orleans.

    The Marquis of Lucenay¡¯s mind raced, immediately realizing that it was the Duke of Orleans who was the ¡°initiator¡± of the blackmail against the Royal Family, and without hesitation, he said:

    ¡°Your Highness, that is merely a rumor, nothing of the sort! In fact, my second granddaughter has decided to join a Monastery.¡±

    Joseph inwardly gave the old man credit for his decisive action¡ªpreferring his granddaughter become a ¡°nun¡± rather than have any ties with the Duke of Orleans.

    The Guard Corps scarcely paused before continuing their march westward.

    What Joseph did not anticipate, however, was that he would encounter several ¡°listed¡± Generals on his way, just three days after leaving Auvergne.

 Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 245 The Storm is Coming

    Chapter 325: Chapter 245 The Storm is Coming

    The Military Nobility were well aware that if they failed to suppress the Royal Family through the uprising, they would inevitably face backlash.

    Previously, they had hoped to negotiate with the Royal Family, leveraging the fact that the Royal Family was heavily reliant on them, given their lack of soldiers.

    However, this time the Crown Prince had led the troops with the force of thunder to crush Marquis de Saint-Veran, who barely held out for a little over an hour¨Cwell, by the time the news reached them, it had ¡°shrunk¡± to a little over an hour.

    Having an elite force so powerful meant that their value in the eyes of the Royal Family had plummeted.

    They had been extremely anxious for days, until they learned from Marquis of Lucenay that the punishments from the Royal Family were not too severe, and only then did they breathe a sigh of relief.

    In that case, there was no point in waiting for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to bring tens of thousands of troops to their doorsteps for a ¡°knock on each one.¡± It was better to take the initiative and admit their mistakes to the Crown Prince, which would at least show their sincere attitude.

    Joseph was happy to have them come forward. Although this meant missing the chance to showcase the might of the Guard Corps in the southern provinces, it saved him a lot of time for his subsequent plans.

    After dealing with these few, Joseph then decided to station himself in Reyon.

    In the following days, all the officers involved in the palace coercion incident rushed to ¡°report¡± one after another, as if they feared the Royal Family would change their minds if they arrived too late.

    And they all received the same treatment as the Marquis of Lucenay had hoped for.

    With this, Joseph had essentially completed his control over the main armies of more than ten provinces in the west and south¨Caccording to the organization, there should be a total of 110,000 soldiers, but in reality, there were just over 80,000.

    Although it was certain that these armies couldn¡¯t be directed with absolute precision, at least there would not be any non-compliance with orders.

    With the earliest clear-sighted ¡°defectors¡± like Duke of Broglie and other northern officers, the deep-seated issue of the Military Nobility monopolizing the army was finally addressed.

    The most significant import of this was that it had won time and a lenient environment for Joseph¡¯s military reforms.

    When the reforms were complete, France would possess a strong, modernized army, while the old feudal forces could be tossed into the trash heap.

    Joseph left the Guard Corps in Reyon to deter the newly subdued troops. Until the official delegation of the Military Nobility arrived at the Palace of Versailles to submit to the King, it was still necessary to guard against them harboring other schemes.

    Meanwhile, Joseph traveled north by carriage overnight, returning to the Palace of Versailles. Soon, that would become his main battlefield.

    Before he set off, a series of secret orders were already sent to the Police Affairs Department and people like Mirabeau.

    A few days later, in the southern provinces, the long-prepared special agents of the Police Affairs Department received their instructions and immediately sprang into action.

    And simultaneously, many of the rising nobility assigned by people like Mirabeau also took to the streets in coordination with them.

    A massive storm, personally instigated by Joseph, was about to sweep across France.

    ¡­

    The Palace of Versailles.

    The northern hall, Hague Hall.

    After Marquis of Lucenay bowed and retreated from the hall, Joseph whispered a few words with Louis XVI and Queen Mary and then, yawning, left the hall through a side door.

    Having sat in a carriage for four days straight, on top of the previous rushing about with troops, he was truly too exhausted to carry on. He might as well avoid these ceremonial occasions when he could.

    Outside the hall, the dense crowd of nobility watching his departure had a newfound hint of fear in their eyes.

    People whispered among themselves, ¡°Have you heard? The Moncalm Legion staged a rebellion, but was crushed by the Crown Prince with the Paris Police!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m afraid your information might not be very accurate. The main force was Bertier¡¯s Corps, the police were just assistants¡­¡±

    ¡°Ha, but the police were the first to break through the rebels¡¯ defense lines!¡±

    ¡°Well, either way, the Crown Prince defeated the rebels in just half an hour and captured the Marquis de Saint-Veran.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, why did the Marquis de Saint-Veran suddenly rebel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely clear, but it seems to be related to the uprising in the south. It¡¯s said that he was supporting the uprising.¡±

    ¡°Good Lord!¡± The person made the sign of the cross on their chest, ¡°It¡¯s simply terrible! A nobleman of his stature involved with the uprising¡­¡±

    Indeed, in the minds of most people in Paris and the northern provinces, the southern uprising was not over. But the Crown Prince had already cut off the hidden hand behind the uprising, namely the Marquis de Saint-Veran.

    ¡°Thump¡ª¡±

    The Ceremonial Officer banged the end of his staff heavily on the ground and proclaimed loudly, ¡°General Morneau is granted an audience.¡±

    After that came a deep-sounding horn call.

    General Morneau straightened his collar and followed court officials through a double line of guards and then passed through two large doors to enter the Hague Hall.

    He strode to the middle of the grand hall to discover that only the King and Queen Mary were sitting across from him; the Crown Prince was not there, which somewhat relieved the pressure he felt.

    He knelt on one knee and exclaimed loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, I offer my deepest apologies for my recklessness and haste, and I beseech you, with your supreme benevolence, to forgive my mistakes. I swear before God that I will forever remain loyal to you, serving as Your most humble servant¡­¡±

    After he rattled on for a while, Queen Mary raised her hand to signal him to rise: ¡°You still hold the trust of His Majesty the King and mine, General.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your leniency¡­¡±

    General Morneau gave another heartfelt statement, then bowed his head and exited the hall.

    Subsequently, the Ceremonial Officer called the next military officer for an audience. At that moment, seventy to eighty mid-to-high-ranking officers were still waiting outside the hall, all ready to confess their mistakes and pledge loyalty to the King.

    Queen Mary, peering through the door panels at the officers outside the hall, whispered to her husband, ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that Joseph, with just a band of police officers, could make these proud generals so submissive.¡±

    ¡°He is a child of divine favor,¡± Louis XVI made the sign of the cross over his chest, his expression proud, ¡°I¡¯ve always known he will be one of the greatest kings!¡±

    Queen Mary¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, ¡°Speaking of which, he¡¯s been following the troops into battle lately¡­ Isn¡¯t that too dangerous?¡±

    Louis XVI smiled, ¡°No, the battlefield is the best stage for a boy.¡±

    He suddenly leaned into the Queen¡¯s ear, speaking in a bragging whisper, ¡°Do you know, the gun Joseph used to defeat the rebels was one we made together¡­¡±

    The officers¡¯ audience ceremony lasted an entire day.

    Those military high-rankers apologized to the King one by one in front of numerous nobles of the Palace of Versailles. This process greatly enhanced the image of the Royal Family, and further strengthened the authority of the monarchy.

    At the evening banquet, nearly everyone¡¯s discussions revolved around the rebellion and the uprising in the south.

    Mirabeau leaned towards several young nobles sitting beside him and said in a grave whisper, ¡°We must deeply reflect on this rebellion. Who is it, or which unreasonable system, that drives people into the desperation of starvation?¡±

 Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 250: The Boomerang of the Assembly of Notables

    Chapter 330: Chapter 250: The Boomerang of the Assembly of Notables

    ¡°What are you spouting?¡± The steward of the Duke of Durelph¡¯s estate looked at Scarface with haughty eyes, ¡°The Duke has never known anything about the reserve grains!

    ¡°This is the Duke¡¯s territory, you¡¯d better leave quickly, or wait for the troops to come and arrest you all!¡±

    Immediately, a spy from the Police Affairs Department turned his head to the crowd and shouted:

    ¡°Did you hear that? They¡¯re guilty and now they threaten to have the troops take us!¡±

    An incensed roar erupted from the crowd of over a thousand demonstrators:

    ¡°Beat up this noble¡¯s lackey!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste words with him, let¡¯s go in and retrieve our grains!¡±

    ¡°Everybody rush in!¡±

    The steward was startled by the ferocity of the crowd; he only had ten guns, and should the rioters surge forward, the manor¡¯s guards would stand no chance of resisting.

    He hid his trembling hands behind his back and said with fierce bravado:

    ¡°You dare to threaten a noble, that¡¯s a serious crime!¡±

    A gang member, mixed within the crowd, threw a clod of earth at the steward:

    ¡°It¡¯s the grain thieves who are the criminals!¡±

    Taking the hint, a hail of stones and trash immediately followed, nearly submerging the few guards at the steward¡¯s manor entrance.

    The steward retreated inside the main gate, and instructed the guards in terror:

    ¡°Take up your guns, and if anyone else takes a step closer, shoot them dead!¡±

    The Police Affairs Department spy, responsible for the Nice region, signaled people to stop the attack and looked at the steward with a friendly smile:

    ¡°You see, everyone is saying that the Duke has taken the reserve grains. If you let us inspect the manor, perhaps we could prove the Duke¡¯s innocence.¡±

    Scarface and his henchmen also began shouting:

    ¡°Right! Inspect the manor!¡±

    ¡°Prove your innocence!¡±

    According to ¡°the boss¡¯s¡± rule, just entering the estate would reward them with 20 livres.

    Seeing that the rioters were eager to scale the wall, the steward hesitated for a moment and finally nodded helplessly:

    ¡°Go ahead and look then, I¡¯ve already told you there¡¯s no reserve grain here. But only three people can come in at most.¡±

    Scarface immediately shouted loudly:

    ¡°No way! You can¡¯t thoroughly check such a large manor with just three people, we need at least twenty!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, only three people could be bribed!¡±

    ¡°We need thirty people. I want to go check!¡±

    Finally, under the crowd¡¯s threats, the steward allowed Scarface and twenty others, including the Police Affairs Department spy, into the estate.

    The Police Affairs Department spy made a show of inspecting several cellars before quickly discovering a trash-burning furnace and signaled to Scarface with his eyes.

    The latter immediately followed the ¡°script¡± and ran over to the furnace, picking up a piece of torn cloth from the weeds behind it, and exclaimed:

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a grain sack from the reserve granary?¡±

    The people who had entered the estate gathered around and, upon seeing the half-burnt sack, couldn¡¯t contain themselves anymore:

    ¡°It¡¯s them, they stole the reserve grains!¡±

    ¡°This is the evidence!¡±

    ¡°Those damn people, they still deny it!¡±

    In the face of the steward¡¯s astonished gaze, Scarface dashed back to the entrance of the manor and tossed the ¡°evidence¡± to the demonstrators:

    ¡°Look what we found?!¡±

    Of course, this thing had been placed in the manor by the Police Affairs Department spy the night before. There were two more pieces of ¡°evidence¡± like this.

    Scarface waved to the crowd energetically:

    ¡°What are we waiting for? Take back our grains!¡±

    His underling immediately took the familiar path forward and shoved those guards aside¡ªthis trick was still the one originally taught to them by the Duke of Orleans¡¯ spies.

    The angry protesters¡¯ eyes instantly reddened with blood, and they surged into the manor, screaming.

    People inside the manor were terrified and shivering, huddled in corners, utterly afraid to intervene.

    Scarface led the crowd to a cellar, smashed the door open with a few strikes, and gestured inside:

    ¡°Our grain is right here!¡±

    Similar scenes unfolded throughout the estate. The throng, numbering in the thousands, quickly unearthed tens of thousands of bushels of grain from the manor¡¯s cellars and storerooms, naturally assuming these were the stolen reserves.

    Later, more evidence was discovered, such as torn halves of grain reserve withdrawal slips, which further confirmed the Duke of Durelph¡¯s grain theft.

    The old man, looking at the mountainous grain before him, covered his face, crying out loud:

    ¡°If only we had this food, my wife wouldn¡¯t have starved to death¡­¡±

    Others were immediately reminded of their painful memories and began to loudly curse the Duke of Durelph.

    Scarface continued his mission, pointing towards the luxurious villa in the middle of the estate:

    ¡°Everything there was bought with the money from selling reserve grain; we have the right to take them!¡±

    Someone immediately echoed loudly:

    ¡°Right! My sister¡¯s death deserves compensation!¡±

    ¡°And my father!¡±

    ¡°And my twin sons!¡±

    The dense crowd stormed into the villa, and almost instantly, everything of value and even items of no value were swept clean¡ªthe doors, windows, and even the roof were dismantled. Whatever could be carried was taken away, and what couldn¡¯t be carried was smashed.

    It wasn¡¯t until near twilight that the vengeful people finally began to leave the manor one by one.

    The troops stationed in Nice, despite having received more than a dozen pleas for help from the manor, did not deploy a single soldier. All their officers at or above the rank of captain were at the Palace of Versailles seeing the King and hadn¡¯t returned, and no junior officer dared to independently mobilize hundreds of soldiers. Moreover, even the soldiers had heard of the Duke of Durelph stealing the reserve grain, and many of them had relatives who died in the previous famine. If not for military discipline, even they would have wished to join in demolishing the manor.

    The next day, the angry mob came to the Duke of Durelph¡¯s manor once again, just to hear a man with a scarred face loudly saying:

    ¡°The Duke of Durelph has another villa in Villerfa town, we cannot let him off so easily!¡±

    The people immediately responded with a roar:

    ¡°Yes! To Villerfa town!¡±

    ¡°To avenge our loved ones!¡±

    ¡°The devil must pay the price!¡±

    Even more protesters than yesterday thus marched mightily towards Villerfa town¡­

    Hatred-driven riots swept across the entire western and southern parts of France, with incidents similar to what happened in Nice seen everywhere.

    In Montauban, the three villas of Duke of Mushi were consumed by fire, set ablaze by the furious citizens¡­

    In Ouche, after smashing the Duke of Brisac¡¯s villa, the people shaved the heads of everyone inside, man or woman, to vent their anger¡­

    The most tragic were the nobles like Earl Dimonzo, Duke of Novaye, and others who happened to return to their homes in the south to escape the cold. They were directly caught by the mob and beaten to death in their homes. Some even had their entire families eradicated by the enraged crowd¡­

    These noblemen of the Assembly of Notables had probably never imagined, not in their wildest dreams, that the starved people, whom they had meticulously conspired to create, would one day turn into ¡°monsters¡± that would turn back and consume them all!

    ¡­

    Brittany, northern province.

    Amor.

    Fouche¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement and madness as he stared out the carriage window at the bare tree trunks, murmuring incessantly under his breath:

    ¡°You¡¯d better not run away¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right here, waiting for me¡­¡±

    Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of a small house on the northern outskirts of Amor.

    The welcoming officer from the Police Affairs Department eagerly opened the carriage door, only to hear Fouche¡¯s impatient voice:

    ¡°Is he still there?¡±

    The officer quickly leaned in, lowering his voice to reply:

    ¡°Yes, Chief. The Duke of Orleans has been in that estate for the past few days¡­¡±

 Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 251: The Breath of Death

    Chapter 331: Chapter 251: The Breath of Death

    ¡°Thank God!¡±

    Fouche leapt from the carriage, his mind flashing back to the Crown Prince¡¯s last words to him before he left Paris, ¡°Go forth with abandon, this may well be the most glorious moment of your intelligence career.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the most glorious moment!¡± he licked his lips like a beast about to taste its prey.

    He strode toward the cabin and asked the Police Affairs Department officer beside him,

    ¡°Can we begin tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commissioner.¡± The latter immediately nodded, ¡°The speeches started two days ago. People have already reached the peak of their anger.¡±

    Fouche suddenly recalled Necker¡¯s tunnel and frowned,

    ¡°Have you confirmed whether there are secret passages around?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to confirm, Commissioner. But the Earl of Thierry rarely stays there, so he probably hasn¡¯t made many arrangements. Besides, we have also deployed men in the surrounding buildings.¡±

    The officer paused, then looked at Fouche, ¡°Commissioner, there is another thorny issue.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The Duke of Orleans¡¯s guard numbers over a hundred men, and they are well-trained. If a conflict really breaks out, even a thousand rioters might not stand a chance against them.¡±

    Fouche frowned, ¡°What about our men?¡±

    ¡°The Police Affairs Department has gathered over sixty people. You know, our men are not good at head-on combat. The secret police are even less reliable.¡±

    Fouche arrived in the hall on the first floor, where the busy personnel of the Police Affairs Department promptly stood at attention to salute him.

    Fouche casually lifted his hat and went straight to the map of the Armor District, gazing intently for a long while, yet still slightly shaking his head.

    ¡°No, there must be a way¡­¡±

    He paced anxiously back and forth inside the cabin, his gaze catching the distant lighthouse¡¯s gleaming light.

    Suddenly, he stopped walking, an excited smile curling at the edge of his mouth,

    ¡°Right, this is Brittany! There are ships and shipyards everywhere; that thing must be around.¡±

    He immediately summoned the officer in charge of the operation and whispered a few orders.

    The latter showed a shocked expression, hesitated, and said,

    ¡°It should be possible to get it, but¡­ our people might not be very skilled at using that thing.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± Fouche smiled, ¡°This is Brittany. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to find a few experienced sailors or veterans among the citizens.¡±

    The following afternoon.

    The familiar process started once more, with speakers gathering citizens in the city, and people in the crowd explaining the contents of pamphlets to everyone.

    ¡°When that man told the Earl of Thierry that this might lead to a surge in the price of bread, do you know what he said?¡± The young speaker gestured, ¡°He said, ¡®If they have no money, they should eat straw¡¯!¡±

    ¡°This devil!¡± Anger erupted from the crowd, ¡°He¡¯s the one who should be eating grass!¡±

    ¡°This man is a murderer!¡±

    ¡°Kill him!¡±

    The people of Brittany are notoriously fierce and unyielding. Two to three hundred years ago, piracy had been the mainstay here.

    Members of the prearranged ¡°Iron Helmets¡± group took advantage of the situation to lead the crowd toward the Earl of Thierry¡¯s manor. He was the ¡°Eight of Spears¡± ranked at number 30 on Joseph¡¯s ¡°deck of cards¡±[Note 1].

    Then, unsurprisingly, over thirteen hundred citizens looking to settle accounts with the Earl of Thierry were blocked outside the manor. They faced two rows of guards, numbering over sixty, with shiny new Charleville 1776 model flintlock guns pointed at them.

    For a moment, nobody dared to approach¡ªthe aura emanating from the guards was exceptionally formidable; one look could make one¡¯s skin crawl¡ªbut they also did not intend to retreat. The citizens simply surrounded the manor¡¯s gate from a distance, continuously hurling curses.

    As the stalemate continued, a group of women arrived, driving two carts.

    They uncovered the straw on the carts, revealing the dark metal cylinders underneath and boasted,

    ¡°The ¡®Buckskin Boot¡¯ was just about to have these installed. We dragged it here from the shipyard!¡±

    A cheer burst from the crowd, and more than a dozen burly men laboriously moved the wooden frames and metal cylinders off the carts, as others skillfully assembled them.

    A six-pound cannon, commonly used on armed merchant ships, suddenly appeared before everyone.

    ¡°Who can use this thing?¡±

    Before the special agent from the Police Affairs Department even finished speaking, several people pushed their way through:

    ¡°Let me handle it, I¡¯ve dealt with this old friend for twenty years on ships.¡±

    ¡°I can use it too, I served in the artillery.¡±

    ¡°And me¡­¡±

    Several people clumsily completed the loading process. The middle-aged sailor used a hammer to knock the wedge-shaped wooden pin on the gun carriage to adjust its height, then extended his thumb and aimed in the direction of the manor:

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good.¡±

    The crowd of onlookers immediately scattered to both sides. Only then did the guards at the door notice the very conspicuous black object one hundred fifty paces away.

    ¡°It¡¯s a cannon!¡±

    The captain of the Duke of Orleans¡¯s guard screamed in terror.

    However, before the guards could react, a young sailor far away pressed the linstock against the touchhole.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± a loud boom ensued, flames shot in all directions, and smoke from the gunpowder rose.

    A six-pound iron ball whistled past the column of guards, instantly shredding three men with its tremendous impact. Nearby, two others were knocked unconscious by the flying limbs of their comrades.

    The cannonball continued its relentless trajectory, striking the manor¡¯s gatepost head-on and collapsing a large portion of the gate in an instant. The scattered debris then killed two more guards and wounded another in the leg.

    Over a distance of one hundred fifty paces, this naval cannon hardly needed to be aimed, as its straight trajectory ensured a very high hit rate.

    The remaining guards were horrified and scrambled to spread out in an attempt to evade.

    In less than a minute, another thunderous roar followed.

    This time, the cannonball didn¡¯t directly hit the guards but instead went through a stone fence, bounced after hitting the ground, and continued forward, finally slamming hard against the villa¡¯s wall.

    The Count of Th¨¦ole¡¯s manor wasn¡¯t large; there were only about 300 meters from the gate to the villa, so the cannonball still retained considerable force when it hit, shattering a corner of the outer wall to pieces.

    On the second floor of the villa, the Duke of Orleans was discussing with the Count of Th¨¦ole and another noble whether they could exploit the conflict about ¡°the abolition of privileges¡± at the Palace of Versailles to gain political benefits.

    The three men suddenly heard a distant roar and immediately stood up, astonished.

    As the captain of the guard rushed into the room and told them that the mob was bombarding them with a cannon, the villa shook violently once more, followed by the excited shouts of the rioters.

    With the third shot fired, the Duke of Orleans¡¯s guard could no longer hold on and turned to run into the villa¡ªone could not expect even the most elite forces to have the courage to face a cannon at such close range, especially with more than a thousand rioters surrounding the cannon.

    The furious citizens immediately followed with a shout, catching up to the slower guards, taking them down, and unleashing a barrage of blows.

    It wasn¡¯t until the crowd neared the villa and was halted by the threat of bullets flying from the windows that their advance stopped.

    ¡°These bastards wanted to starve us to death before, now they want to kill us!¡± someone roared angrily.

    ¡°Break in, I want revenge for my child!¡±

    ¡°But they have guns¡­¡±

    ¡°Drag the cannon over, let them taste its power!¡±

    The Duke of Orleans watched in shock as rioters besieged the villa. He stood at the window and shouted:

    ¡°I am Louis Philippe II, your Duke of Orleans¡­¡±

    However, the roaring anger of the rioting citizens easily drowned out his voice, and no one paid any attention to the man in the blue frock coat speaking at the window.

    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± the captain of the guard hurriedly dragged him back into the living room.

    Soon, the cannon arrived less than two hundred paces in front of the villa, the citizens skillfully stuffing gunpowder and projectiles into the muzzle.

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±

    The black iron ball, carrying the breath of death, flew straight towards the second floor of the villa.

    [Note 1]In the culture of French playing cards, the suit of ¡°Spades¡± is known as ¡°Pikes¡±.

 Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 252 Eliminate the Traitor of the State

    Chapter 332: Chapter 252 Eliminate the Traitor of the State

    The French doors on the west side of the second floor of the villa, along with the frames, had vanished without a trace. Half of the wall just behind the windows had collapsed, revealing jagged red bricks, while the corridor on the other side of the wall was filled with brick dust and bloodstains. A hole had been punctured in the roof as well; how the cannonballs managed to turn up there was anyone¡¯s guess.

    Cheers like a tidal wave came from outside; the makeshift gunners felt as though they had punched Count Tirolle themselves, the thrill of vengeance rushing to their heads.

    Several gunners were preparing to reload when they suddenly noticed the guards, who had been laying at various windows taking aim, beginning to panic. Most of them withdrew back inside the villa.

    ¡°Look, those guys are scared!¡± someone immediately shouted pointing at the villa.

    ¡°They know the crimes they¡¯ve committed, and now they¡¯re feeling guilty.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s all rush in there, and avenge our families!¡±

    Shouting, people surged toward the villa from all directions. Sparse gunfire came from the doors and windows but did little to stop the tide of people.

    Fouche, observing the situation from nearby, frowned upon seeing this. The resistance inside the villa had stopped too abruptly.

    He immediately realized something and turned to an officer beside him, barking, ¡°They might be trying to escape! Go¡ªno, I¡¯ll go myself! You keep a close watch on the nearby buildings!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Dressed as an ordinary merchant, Fouche took five subordinates and joined the riotous crowd rushing into the villa.

    The entire villa was already in utter chaos, everyone frantically looting valuables and wantonly destroying everything in sight.

    Hysterical shouts and laughter, along with faint cries, set the main melody, with the accompaniment of wood and porcelain shattering; hundreds of people were creating a symphony of madness and destruction here.

    Soon someone set the kitchen on the south side of the first floor of the villa ablaze, and a light breeze swiftly spread thick smoke throughout the house.

    Fouche looked around and quickly moved to the staircase.

    Everywhere were rioters and guards locked in desperate combat, and occasionally someone would tumble down the stairs. Fouche skillfully avoided these people and ran up to the second floor.

    Before him lay an even more chaotic battlefield. The thick smoke had already drifted up, but people ignored it completely, coughing as they lunged at the guards. Gunshots were heard intermittently, but any guard who fired was quickly overwhelmed by more people.

    Fouche proceeded along the corridor to the villa¡¯s central atrium and saw seven or eight guards gathered outside a room, nervously pointing their guns in all directions.

    A few bodies of the rioters lay nearby, and a large portion of the west wall had collapsed, with heaps of broken bricks beside it.

    He immediately realized that this was the room that had been struck by the cannon.

    With so many guards gathered here, there had to be an important figure inside the room!

    As he pondered how to blend in, smoke slowly drifted over. An officer from the guards ran from the other end of the corridor, shouting at the guards at the door, ¡°The fire has reached the drinking room next door; you, you, and you, come with me and put it out!

    ¡°Just hold on a little longer, Auror will be here soon with reinforcements from the Count of Castel family!¡±

    The officer left with a few guards. Those at the door tried to wave away the smoke but were soon streaming with tears.

    Fouche took a deep breath, signalled to his subordinates, and while the guards were struggling with the smoke, he bent down and squeezed through the hole in the wall.

    The smoke inside the room wasn¡¯t too thick. An officer who heard the noise immediately turned around. With a fierce smile, Fouche drew the pistol from his waist, pulled the trigger, and blew the officer away.

    Fouche immediately saw someone lying sideways on the armchair in the middle of the room.

    The person¡¯s face was pale, the wig askew, startled by the gunshot, struggling to lift their head to look this way.

    The face covered in dust belonged to none other than the Duke of Orleans.

    Fouche put away his pistol, took a few steps forward, and then noticed that the person in the chair had lost his entire left arm below the elbow, the stump tightly bound with a bandage. A shard of glass, over an inch wide, was still embedded in his right back. Although thick bandages wrapped around the glass, blood continued to drip from the end of it.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    As soon as the Duke of Orleans opened his mouth, pain twisted his features, followed by a bout of coughing that left his mouth covered in blood spatter. His lungs had clearly been severely damaged.

    The sounds of the guards and agents from the Police Affairs Department fighting came from outside the door, but it quickly subsided.

    Standing before the Duke of Orleans, Fouche stared at him as though admiring a painting he was very pleased with and spoke in a calm tone, ¡°Your Grace, good morning. I regret to inform you that you have been convicted of grave treason and conspiracy against the Royal Family. His Highness, the Crown Prince, has tasked me with pronouncing your death sentence.¡±

    As the words ¡°Crown Prince¡± reached the Duke of Orleans¡¯ ears, his eyes bulged, veins on his forehead throbbing, struggling to speak but spasming with pain. Cascades of cold sweat washed away the powder on his face, revealing streaked grooves.

    ¡°Yes, His Highness is well aware of all those things you¡¯ve done behind the scenes,¡± Fouche continued as if anticipating his response, nodding, ¡°And then, he took care of those¡­well, how shall I put it, little tricks of yours?

    ¡°Oh, right, there is something His Highness wanted me to pass on to you.¡±

    Fouche drew a small silver box from his coat, opened it, and took out the contents to unfold.

    It was a crown folded out of paper. The Duke of Orleans stared intently at the paper ring in Fouche¡¯s hand, dyed gold and drawn with gemstones, his eyes bloodshot. He wanted to roar, wanted to tear the paper ring to shreds, yet found himself like a frozen worm, utterly immobile.

    Fouche placed the meticulously crafted ¡°crown¡± on the Duke of Orleans¡¯ head, then drew a dagger, smiling faintly, ¡°His Highness said that he understands very well your long-standing dream to ascend the throne. However, this is all you are suited to wear.¡±

    As he spoke, he lifted the dagger, only to find that the man¡¯s body had suddenly slumped down in the chair.

    Fouche frowned, reached to check the Duke of Orleans¡¯ carotid artery, then sighed in annoyance and sheathed the dagger.

    Shortly after, more than a dozen agents of the Police Affairs Department left Count of Castel¡¯s villa from different directions, each carrying items such as plates and candlesticks, indistinguishable from ordinary rioters.

    The agents on the outer perimeter also withdrew one after another, like inconspicuous drops of water among the thousands of rioters.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    Mirabeau, bowing to Queen Mary, indicated, ¡°Your Majesty, you see, those who opposed the bill have clearly been persuaded. This is a reform welcomed by all, where the nobles, in their noble character, have forsaken some minor rights to bring great hope to countless peasants.¡±

    He glanced out the window at the petitioning nobles as he spoke.

    Those were the new Nobility who supported the ¡°abolition of noble privilege,¡± while the ranks of the Old Nobility had quieted down.

    The core members of the Old Nobility had long lost interest in government affairs¡ªtheir number included nine people killed in their homelands by rioters. The rest had their estates completely devastated, not just manors wrecked or burnt but, most importantly, all their assets, land deeds, bonds, and even the certificates of noble lineage had disappeared.

    In that era, nobles without wealth befitting their status had no distinguished standing, and their political influence would dissipate with it.

 Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 253 Cleanup

    Chapter 333: Chapter 253 Cleanup

    At present, the bigwigs of the Assembly of Notables are all so anxious that their eyes are bloodshot, desperately urging the military to quell the local uprisings as quickly as possible, with no time to care about any ¡°privilege abolition proposal.¡±

    Without these great nobles taking the lead, other nobles who want to preserve their privileges can hardly make a fuss against the abolitionist faction, which includes a large number of noblemen in robes.

    In recent times, even the streets of Paris have seen citizen gatherings supporting the abolition of privileges. Of course, this was also arranged by Joseph.

    Queen Mary glanced at the document in her hand and furrowed her brow with a sigh, ¡°The unrest has been getting worse and worse, Earl Dimonzo and others have even been killed by mobs, I simply have no mood to discuss these proposals right now.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, quelling the unrest and these proposals are not contradictory,¡± Talleyrand said, bowing respectfully, ¡°Moreover, the content of these proposals can pacify the poorest people and will be very helpful in stopping the unrest.¡±

    His expression was filled with reverence, ¡°Your Majesty, abolishing noble privileges could greatly reduce the burdens of the peasants, improving their lives. This will make tens of millions of peasants in France grateful for Your kind-heartedness and they will always remember Your beneficence.¡±

    His words slightly moved Queen Mary.

    Before, someone had maliciously tarnished her reputation, spreading rumors that she was ¡°extravagantly wasteful,¡± ¡°if they have no bread, then let them eat cake,¡± which plummeted her prestige into an abyss.

    Now that the proposal had the support of the majority of the nobility, if she could be the one to sign it, it would certainly greatly enhance her image among the people.

    And indeed, it would be helpful in quelling the unrest.

    She then nodded, ¡°Very well, we shall discuss this matter thoroughly at tomorrow¡¯s Cabinet meeting.¡±

    ¡­

    On the second basement level of the Police Affairs Department detention rooms.

    Dressed in a red hunting outfit, Joseph pushed a cup of red tea with three heaped teaspoons of sugar towards Mono, sighing lightly, ¡°The Maletude Brothers have admitted that it was the Duke of Orleans who instructed them to frame your son.¡±

    Mono¡¯s pupils shrank instantly, almost knocking over the steaming cup of tea.

    He had been caught in Brittany. Actually, if he hadn¡¯t been so reluctant to part with his money, wishing to sneakily draw a large check from the Bank of England during the unrest, he would not have been caught by the Police Affairs Department.

    Nowadays, in major banks, there are always supervisors dispatched by the Bank of France Reserve who confirm the legality of large transactions. When Mono, who was at the top of the watch list, applied for a check of several hundred thousand livres, he was taken away by the Police Affairs Department the very next day.

    ¡°I¡­ Your Highness¡­¡± the former Minister of the Interior could only utter two words after a long pause.

    Joseph raised his hand to stop him, speaking indifferently, ¡°Your biggest mistake was trusting the Duke of Orleans.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You stood by me when I needed help the most, only to later stand on the opposite side for the sake of some benefits.

    ¡°However, I am someone who remembers old favors, and have never forgotten your kindness.

    ¡°You must have noticed that there has been no news in the papers about you maliciously manipulating the reserves, causing food shortages. I had them suppress the news.¡±

    Hope sparked in Mono¡¯s eyes, and he said with a choke in his voice, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s all my fault! Your great kindness, I truly¡­¡±

    Joseph interrupted him again, ¡°But you did indeed kill that innocent coppersmith and his family in the Marais District, and brought a great disaster to the entire nation.

    ¡°Now I give you one last chance. Either, you¡¯ll be sentenced to exile in Nice or Dauphine¡­¡±

    Mono turned deathly pale, his eyes bulging as he shook his head repeatedly, ¡°No, please don¡¯t do this¡­¡±

    He was the mastermind behind the food disaster. If he were to be exiled to the most affected areas in the south, should the news leak, the furious citizens would kill him on sight.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Or, as someone who has been misled, you could testify that the Duke of Orleans is the true instigator of all this trouble. Then you could be exiled to Nancy. However, solid evidence is required.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± Mono¡¯s face was almost as pale as a corpse¡¯s. Accusing the most powerful duke beneath the Royal Family was practically the same as signing his own death warrant.

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll discuss this matter after the Duke of Orleans has left this world.¡±

    Mono suddenly jumped out of his chair in shock and gasped, ¡°No, no¡­ Are you saying, that he, he¡¯s dead?¡±

    This was also the reason Joseph had kept him around.

    As long as the Duke of Orleans was alive, with his immense influence in France and wealth to rival a nation¡¯s, even conclusive evidence would at most result in a heavy fine and reprimand for him; banishment would be out of the question.

    But if he were dead, then being saddled with crimes like creating a famine and inciting riots, there would be no one who dared, nor willing, to stand up for him.

    The Marquis de Saint-Veran didn¡¯t know much about the insider details of the food crisis, whereas Mono knew it inside and out.

    The former Minister of the Interior, looking at the silent smiling young man before him, shuddered involuntarily and after a long while lowered his head and muttered, ¡°Yes, yes, Your Highness. I have his letters, I¡¯ll listen to you. Accuse, yes, accuse him¡­¡±

    At the Cabinet meeting the following day, with unanimous approval from all the ministers, Queen Mary signed the decree ¡°Abolishment of Noble Privileges.¡±

    With this, the feudal lord privileges that severely hindered the industrial and capital development of France officially became history, heralding a dawn for the French industrial revolution.

    At the same time, the Baron Breti, Minister of Justice, dropped a bombshell that shocked all of France¡ªthe long ¡°missing¡± Minister of the Interior Mono surrendered to the High Court and disclosed that the Duke of Orleans was the mastermind behind the food crisis in the south!

    Suddenly, the ¡°Abolishment of Noble Privileges¡± decree was of no concern to anyone; from the Palace of Versailles to the streets of Paris, everyone was buzzing with the scandal.

    However, just as Joseph had anticipated, by the afternoon a large number of nobles had gathered at the Petit Trianon Palace, pleading with Queen Mary on behalf of the Duke of Orleans.

    It wasn¡¯t until three days later that news arrived from Amor, reporting that the Duke of Orleans had been killed by an irate mob using a stolen cannon.

    The Palace of Versailles was rocked once again.

    But this time, the people only demanded a fierce suppression of the riots and severe punishment for the murderers, and no one mentioned pardoning the Duke of Orleans any longer.

    Joseph, standing by the window watching the indignant nobles demanding the military to quell the unrest, simply smiled and shook his head.

    Forty-eight of the nobles on his poker deck had already suffered the wrath of the angry populace.

    The remaining four either had strong defenses on their estates with too few local residents to take them down, or there had been errors by agents from the Police Affairs Department, forcing plans to be interrupted.

    According to the plan set beforehand, the southern provinces should already be in the aftermath stage by now. If everything went as expected, the rioting populace would soon return home, and order would be restored in each province.

    The Paris Police Headquarters had already dispatched a large number of officers half a month ago to the rioting provinces to ¡°guide¡± the work of local police.

    This was only the first step in post-conflict management.

 Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 254: The Contribution of the Duke of Orleans

    Chapter 334: Chapter 254: The Contribution of the Duke of Orleans

    Petit Trianon Palace.

    Queen Mary sighed with a distressed look,

    ¡°This is simply a disaster. Even the Duke of Orleans, a person of such esteemed status, has been killed by those mobs¡­¡±

    Joseph pushed the strawberry cake towards her,

    ¡°In fact, he committed treason.¡±

    The queen gestured to the musicians sitting by the door,

    ¡°Mozart¡¯s new piece, ¡®Sonata in A minor¡¯, thank you.¡±

    She looked at the cake and shook her head,

    ¡°But he should have been judged by the rightful authority, not to suffer an untimely death.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself, if you were the Chief Examiner, he would probably still be plaguing France for another 20 years¡­

    The sad melody coming from the piano made him frown. He gestured with his eyes to Clementine, who was heartlessly twirling her cake.

    The little girl quickly wiped the cake crumbs from her mouth and took the queen¡¯s arm,

    ¡°Dear aunt, don¡¯t be too sad, God will surely punish those cruel rioters¡­ And, would you like some pudding? With a double portion of sugar, pudding always makes all troubles disappear.¡±

    Joseph held his forehead, his gaze repeatedly flicking towards the piano.

    Clementine then realized what was happening and muttered something softly to the musicians.

    The piano stopped for a moment, then shifted to Handel¡¯s cheerful ¡®Water Music¡¯.

    The background music finally suited the occasion. Joseph turned to Queen Mary and said,

    ¡°Mother, this illustrates exactly why using the military for public order control is inappropriate.

    ¡°Look, the mobilization of the military is inherently slow; they are usually stationed in barracks and take a long time to arrive when something happens in the city.

    ¡°Moreover, their overwhelming firepower is of no use in maintaining public order and could even cause innocent casualties.

    ¡°This time, even with citizen protests occurring in Paris, no chaos ensued precisely because of the police reform. The patrolling policemen quickly brought the situation under control.¡±

    Queen Mary looked at her son, ¡°So, you believe that police reform should be carried out elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am quite certain that spreading the new police system will quickly quell riots.¡±

    The financial requirements for nationwide police reform were enormous. Tens of millions of livres needed to be invested in the first year alone, so the queen had always been cautious. However, the recent riots caused her to waver.

    ¡°But it will require a lot of money¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled,

    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed this with Archbishop Brienne, and the financial pressures are not significant. For instance, we can utilize banking investments, loans, or issue special bonds¡­¡±

    Of course, this was just a pretext to bluff his mother. In reality, his eyes were set on the tens of millions of livres owned by the Duke of Orleans.

    He knew that many nobles, including the queen, believed that the Duke of Chartres should inherit this wealth.

    However, with himself holding sway over the High Court, and with the Duke of Orleans charged with treason, if he couldn¡¯t confiscate the duke¡¯s assets, he might as well bash his head against a block of tofu.

    With that vast sum of money, not only would police reform be possible, but also funding for local tariff reforms.

    Come to think of it, this could be considered the only contribution the Duke of Orleans ever made to France in his lifetime.

    Queen Mary hesitated for a long time, but finally nodded,

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do as you say and carry out police reforms nationwide.¡±

    She also knew that police reform was her son¡¯s initiative. If it could indeed help control the riots, it would greatly enhance the Crown Prince¡¯s prestige.

    Joseph¡¯s heart leaped with joy. He immediately scooped up a spoonful of strawberry pudding with double the sugar and fed it to his mother. Then he took out the royal decree he had prepared earlier, had her sign it, and dashed out of the Petit Trianon Palace like a shot.

    ¡°Cousin¡­¡±

    Clementine had intended to say goodbye to Joseph, but when she turned around, he was already out of sight. She pouted in disappointment and reluctantly turned to Queen Mary:

    ¡°Dear aunt, you know, my uncle, His Majesty, is not in good health. My father wishes for me to return to Vienna with him to visit the Emperor, so in the next few days, I will be leaving Paris.¡±

    The uncle she referred to was the current Archduke of Austria, Emperor Joseph II.

    Queen Mary¡¯s face changed slightly. Emperor Joseph II had no offspring, which indicated that he was recalling his brother, Clementine¡¯s father Leopold II, to succeed the throne.

    Although she knew her brother had long been ill, she hadn¡¯t realized it was so serious. She quickly asked:

    ¡°How is your uncle doing?¡±

    ¡°Father mentioned that the Emperor only deals with half an hour of state affairs each day¡­¡±

    Queen Mary looked down somberly. Recently there had been too many distressing events, making her feel as though she had aged several years all at once.

    Soon, the sonata in A minor filled the room again.

    ¡­

    Joseph had obtained the decree for national police reform and felt a great sense of relief.

    Although he was confident he could persuade his mother, and had even preemptively released the personnel responsible for implementing the reforms, without an official decree, many things would not proceed smoothly.

    He was well aware that public unrest was a ferocious beast.

    He had unleashed this beast to devour the rotten flesh of France, but if he couldn¡¯t make it disappear immediately, it would continue to consume the life of France.

    Thus, the ¡°Little Revolution¡± he had initiated against the feudal privileged class was only just past the halfway mark.

    It was only because he now essentially controlled the domestic departments of domestic affairs, public opinion, justice, finance, and the military that he dared to risk this drastic measure. But even so, a slight misstep could lead to a massive crisis.

    Before long, he was on his way to Paris in a carriage, to personally urge the High Court to register the decree for police reform.

    Looking out the window at the Palace of Versailles, he suddenly shook his head with a wry smile. Since his arrival in this world, he had been desperately trying to avoid a grand revolution, only to end up creating a minor one with his own hands.

    ¡­

    In the south of France.

    Nice.

    In front of the doors of Police Headquarters, an officer who had just arrived from Paris looked at the hundred or so sloppily standing members of the civil patrol team, recalled the way the Crown Prince had addressed him, and tried to imitate him:

    ¡°Gentlemen, good morning! I¡¯m not one for idle talk, so only three things¡­

    ¡°First, from now on, Nice¡¯s civil patrols will be incorporated into the Police Department and become official police officers!

    ¡°Second¡­¡±

    He found himself drifting back to the Saint Antoine District, to the morning that changed his life.

    He suddenly raised his voice:

    ¡°Believe me, this will be the opportunity that changes your destiny!¡±

    That was not something the Crown Prince had said back then.

    Given only one day to train in the use of riot forks, these new police officers donned their crisp uniforms and followed two officers onto the streets of Nice.

    Of course, the old police force also followed closely behind them.

    The officers from Paris had said that if they performed well enough, they would not have to join the ¡°Daily Affairs Squad.¡±

    (Since there will be a double monthly ticket event at the end of this month, you, the magnate, can save up your monthly tickets and then double them for this book at the end of the month! The author hereby thanks you in advance!)

 Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 255: Everyone Stop the Chaos, Lets Sing and Dance!

    Chapter 335: Chapter 255: Everyone Stop the Chaos, Let¡¯s Sing and Dance!

    Early in the morning, the people of Nice had gathered in a plaza to the south of the city, ready to kick off the ¡°Eighteenth Century Zero Expense Purchase¡± event just like before.

    However, some soon noticed posters everywhere¡ªactually, posted at almost everyone¡¯s doorsteps too, but the literacy rate here was far behind Paris, so many hadn¡¯t bothered to read them.

    Some enthusiastic top students from the Church school began to read out loud for everyone:

    ¡°Her Majesty the Queen has decided, to provide every dreamer and talented individual in France with the opportunity to realize their dreams. Whether you are a craftsman, a laundry worker, a maid, or a farmer, as long as you have a beautiful singing voice or exquisite dance moves, you can sign up for the ¡®Star of France¡¯ talent competition.

    ¡°Competition content: Singing, dancing, musical performance.

    ¡°Location: Leix Plaza to the south of Nice, municipal hall plaza to the north of the city, suburban Jupesai Town¡­¡±

    ¡°Competition format: Judges will score performances professionally¡­¡±

    ¡°No registration fee required, and you¡¯ll get free food and drinks if you make it through the preliminaries. Advancing each round will bring corresponding prize money¡­¡±

    ¡°The City of Nice grand champion prize is 3,000 livres, and the Royal Family will sponsor the winner to travel to the Palace of Versailles for the final competition. The grand final champion will win a prize of 30,000 livres and get the chance to join the court orchestra.¡±

    For a while, people almost forgot what they had come for as they discussed the competition with its ridiculously generous prizes:

    ¡°So anyone who can sing can participate? My daughter was born with a great voice!¡±

    ¡°My brother¡¯s dance is the best in town, recognized by everyone. He could land those 3,000 livres!¡±

    ¡°My cousin studied at a music conservatory for two and a half years! You amateurs can¡¯t compare with her.¡±

    ¡°Is the registration at the city hall? I¡¯ve got to check it out¡­¡±

    Singing and dancing are activities with very low barriers to entry; practically anyone can give it a try, and overly confident people are everywhere. Even if not confident, a household might still have one or two relatives who can dance or sing.

    Such a great opportunity to get rich quick was not to be missed, and almost half of the crowd hurried off to register themselves or their friends and family.

    What people fear most is the absence of hope.

    And once given hope, they immediately reach out for it subconsciously.

    Then, the middle-aged speaker in a black jacket appeared as before.

    His speech was as incendiary as ever, but the content had taken a 180-degree turn:

    ¡°Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, those who committed evil have now been punished, and it was by your own hands!¡±

    ¡°Now, let us begin a new chapter of life, the hatred is over, but life continues¡­¡±

    People exchanged glances, feeling that he made a lot of sense. Several estates belonging to the Duke of Durelph, the noble who had smuggled stored grain, were burnt down by them, and the entire noble family was too afraid to return to Nice. Other nobles seemed uninvolved and suddenly, the crowd seemed to lose its direction.

    People looked around for the gentleman with a scar on his face who had previously led them but found no trace of him.

    Even the usual most active individuals seemed to have disappeared.

    Had they gone to sign up for the ¡°Star of France¡±? Or did they feel that they had had their revenge and no longer wished to resort to violence?

    The majority of the public are a disorganized crowd that requires someone to take the lead; left to their own devices, they struggle to organize ¡°activities¡± themselves.

    As the speech continued, someone started handing out pamphlets to the crowd.

    Some literate people skimmed through a few lines, their eyes lighting up, and they couldn¡¯t help reading out loud:

    ¡°¡®Alchemy, level three!¡¯ Staring at the dazzling words on the Magic Stone Stele, the young man¡¯s face was expressionless, with a hint of self-mockery at the corner of his lips¡­¡±

    A few people nearby were immediately attracted and urged:

    ¡°Why has that genius young man fallen to such a state? Please continue reading!¡±

    The story was so captivating that nearly anyone who started reading it found it impossible to stop after just one section.

    Soon, another group of people arrived under the shade of the trees with pamphlets in hand and addictively read on.

    By the time people reached one-third of the way through their pamphlets, they suddenly discovered an announcement inserted within¡ªbetween noon and 5 p.m. every day, the Church was selling discounted bread at 30% of the usual price at five locations in the City of Nice, with a limit of four pounds per person. The sale would continue until sold out. The addresses were as follows¡­

    Word spread quickly, and people could no longer stand still.

    For the vast majority, bread was the core of their lives!

    Discounted bread meant their core could double!

    In almost an instant, there were fewer than a hundred people left in the square.

    Most of those who were fixated on ¡°zero-cost shopping¡± were minor nobles looking for a quick fortune and some were beggars so impoverished they could not even afford the discounted bread.

    As they murmured lowly about which family they could rob under the earnest persuasion of the speaker in front, a squad of police in brand-new grey uniforms, wielding Y-shaped wooden forks, marched past.

    The leading officer called out loudly to the people in the square:

    ¡°Go home immediately! The City of Nice Police Headquarters is carrying out a riot prevention task!¡±

    Over twenty more people were intimidated by his authority and left in silence.

    Within the remaining crowd, a young noble provocatively shouted:

    ¡°Officer, even His Majesty the King can¡¯t forbid us from taking a walk in the square, can he?¡±

    The officer glanced at them and waved to a middle-aged policeman beside him:

    ¡°Paul, take your men and follow them. If you spot any irregularities, blow the whistle immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Paul, along with eight policemen, approached the group of sixty or seventy people and watched them with an icy stare.

    Riots thrive on that kind of irrational, frenzied momentum.

    With such a group of law enforcers nearby, constantly reminding you to stay rational, nobody was in the mood to start a riot.

    Finally, the crowd in the square dispersed. A few policemen remained on patrol, while the rest followed the officer from Paris towards the north end of the city.

    Meanwhile, in a village parish of Provence, the Church¡¯s priest approached a group of farmers who were furiously preparing to travel to the nearest city to join the rioting. He raised his hand to make the sign of the cross and then took out a document, speaking in a gentle voice:

    ¡°Everyone, listen to me, this is a decree just issued by His Majesty the King.¡±

    ¡°Are they going to raise the taxes again?¡± someone shouted loudly.

    The priest waved his hand:

    ¡°No, Anouk, it¡¯s a decree to abolish feudal privileges.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The farmers were suddenly stunned, exchanging puzzled looks.

    ¡°Let me read it to you,¡± skipped the priest over the preamble, ¡°Effective immediately, the right of the lord to use the serfs of the estate for personal labor is abolished¡­

    ¡°The right of the lord to designate hunting regions is abolished¡­

    ¡°The right of the lord to unilaterally change the terms of tenant contracts is abolished¡­

    ¡°Abolished¡­¡±

    The farmers¡¯ eyes grew wider and wider as they listened, this was simply unbelievable!

    If all this were true, their lives would undoubtedly become much easier!

 Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 256: The Scapegoat

    Chapter 336: Chapter 256: The Scapegoat

    Yes, the farmers¡¯ lives would become better.

    That was Joseph¡¯s goal.

    Whether it was a minor riot or a major revolt, they all stemmed from people¡¯s dissatisfaction with their lives.

    Improve the quality of life for the common folk, and they won¡¯t care whether you¡¯re the King or the National Assembly, they would be too busy supporting you. Whoever dared to disrupt the nation, they would be the first to disagree.

    Indeed, after those farmers repeatedly confirmed with the priest that this was indeed a decree issued by the King, they immediately began to shout ¡°Long live the King¡± and dispersed to their homes to report the great news to their families.

    In the afternoon, the local Stadtholder gathered the villagers in front of the small church and announced the forthcoming ¡°Star of France¡± contest.

    More than ten people registered on the spot.

    Three days later.

    The chaotic situation in the southern provinces had been initially controlled.

    Especially after it was published in the newspapers that a laundrymaid from Mulan won the ¡°Star of France¡± competition, earning a prize of 3,000 livres, and was hired by Duchess Vilar as her personal musician, all attention turned to the contest.

    Ah, to increase the popularity of the ¡°Star of France¡±, Mulan had proceeded with the preliminaries ahead of time, swiftly completing the competition in less than a week. Duchess Vilar also made an appearance as a favor requested by the Crown Prince.

    Suddenly, all over France, people were seen practicing dance or warming up their voices on the streets, everyone hoping to be as lucky as the laundrymaid.

    Subsequently, preliminaries in various places commenced, and to accommodate working individuals, the competition would continue until 9 o¡¯clock every night, so they could participate after work.

    The city halls and squares were brightly lit everywhere, and just organizing this event cost a city nearly ten thousand livres, not to mention the prize money for the winners.

    But all of it was worth it.

    Even if the citizens themselves weren¡¯t competing, they followed the participation of relatives and friends. People gathered in front of city halls every day to enjoy performances, cheer for the winners, or to listen to the touching stories of the contestants until dark before reluctantly returning home.

    The riots seemed like a thing of the distant past.

    With the funds for police reform in place¡ªthis money was borrowed from banks initially, demonstrating impressive efficiency for the time¡ªthe new police officers received their first month¡¯s salary, clearly more motivated than ever.

    The riots from more than ten days ago were being re-investigated. Not targeting those who had ¡°protested¡± at the homes of the great nobles, but rather those who had muddied the waters, stealing and robbing from ordinary people.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    In the south gallery, several nobles wearing worried expressions were whispering, ¡°¡­ and then, the Duke was brutally murdered by that mob. They found his body in a muddy pit outside the manor¡­¡±

    The others shook their heads in sorrow: ¡°I heard they even took his clothes, not leaving him the last shred of dignity!¡±

    ¡°These shameless, cursed scoundrels!¡±

    ¡°Heavenly Father, is France about to descend into chaos?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waking up from nightmares every day, where those rioters tie me to a stake and roast me¡­ God, I am thinking of selling off the assets back home, otherwise one day the rioters will seize them¡­¡±

    ¡°I have considered the same, perhaps it would be safer to take some money and go abroad.¡±

    ¡°Hush¡­¡±

    A noble caught sight of the Crown Prince approaching and quickly signaled to those beside him.

    They immediately stepped to the side of the corridor, bowing respectfully to the Crown Prince.

    Joseph faintly heard their discussion, and though he had nodded and walked past, he paused to think, then turned back and smiled at the men, ¡°Gentlemen, the riot has passed. Believe me, it was merely chaos brought about by a drought and severe cold that comes once in a century.

    ¡°A new police force has begun forming in the provinces. They are as outstanding as the Paris Police and will excellently uphold local public order. Such riots will not occur again.

    ¡°Oh, and those who incited the riots and murdered nobles have been arrested as well and will soon be publicly tried.¡±

    The nobles exchanged looks, their faces alight with excitement, ¡°Your Highness, is this true?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. I believe you will soon see the news in the newspapers. If you are interested, you can go to Paris to witness the trial of the rioters.¡±

    Joseph knew that to entirely end the riots, it wasn¡¯t enough just to disperse the troublemaking crowds; it was also necessary to restore order in people¡¯s hearts.

    Besides those significant nobles who plagued the country, the vast majority of nobility needed to be won over¡ªeven the Old Nobility, as long as they accepted reform and integrated into the nation¡¯s development, could indeed become the backbone of France.

    After all, they still controlled most of France¡¯s wealth, and among them were many educated and capable individuals; France could not do without them.

    Even as a counterbalance to the Capitalist Nobility, the Royal Family could not do without them.

    The art of monarchical rule lies primarily in finding balance among various powers.

    Therefore, after dealing with the troublemakers from the Assembly of Notables, it was crucial to reassure the other law-abiding nobles, to prevent the country from descending into turmoil.

    And how could the nobles feel at ease if the rioters were not severely punished?

    So it was not only necessary to enforce strict punishment, but it was also crucial to have enough rioters to serve as a warning to others!

    Of course, Joseph would never go after the common people who were involved in the riots. The scapegoats had been prepped in advance.

    Those were the gang members initially stirred up by the Duke of Orleans to incite the riots.

    They were later ¡°taken over¡± by the Police Affairs Department and reused; now, they were en route to Paris.

    These guys were still waiting for their wages, so the Police Affairs Department easily captured all of them. It was kind of a nationwide public order rectification action.

    One week later.

    A two-thousand-man column composed of police cadets from the Paris Police Academy and soldiers from Bertier¡¯s Corps marched neatly into Paris City.

    Following them were over a hundred gang members extradited from various southern provinces. In reality, nearly 400 gang members had been arrested, but to avoid chaos, the rest were directly imprisoned at Paris Police Headquarters.

    At the very front of the procession, there were dozens of soldiers wearing yellow sashes and different levels of medals on their chests.

    Behind them were drummers and flag bearers. Two tall flag bearers carried banners proclaiming the ¡°Successful Suppression of the Southern Riots,¡± leading the soldiers with pride as they marched through the center of the street.

    Nearly all Parisians had gathered on either side of the road, loudly shouting slogans like ¡°Long live the King¡± and ¡°Praise the brave.¡±

    The triumphant procession made its way through half the city, eventually heading toward the Palace of Versailles.

 Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 257 The Incorruptible

    Chapter 337: Chapter 257 The Incorruptible

    ¡°`

    Second floor of the Palace of Versailles.

    The thunderous cries from the square penetrated the Minister of Industry¡¯s office, ¡°It¡¯s these scoundrels who killed Count Dimonzo, please put them on trial immediately!¡±

    ¡°No need for a trial, just hang them!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Hang these bastards!¡±

    ¡°Thanks to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, it was his police who caught these murderers¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank the Prince for bringing peace and order to France.¡±

    ¡°Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!¡±

    These were the nobles surrounding the Guard Corps as they escorted the rebellious insurgents in the square. At that moment, they completely forgot their breeding and status, shouting crazily like pantless rouges in the street, venting their fear and anger.

    Joseph glanced at the window and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly; he had schemed to suppress the Old Nobility, and now they were singing praises to him as the hero who quelled the riots.

    However, this was good too, at least no one would interfere with the police reforms anymore.

    He signaled to Eman to close the window, then turned to Mirabeau, ¡°Then please submit this proposal to Her Majesty the Queen as soon as possible, so it can be discussed at the Cabinet meeting the day after tomorrow.

    ¡°Now that the attention of the nobility is focused on the trial of the rioters, the proposal should not encounter too much resistance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Mirabeau said, carefully gathering up the freshly organized ¡°Grain Production Proposal¡± documents from the table.

    Joseph continued, ¡°The position of Minister of the Interior is now vacant. Due to the heavy responsibilities of the Minister of the Interior, I plan to divide it into three ministers: Agriculture, Police, and Commerce.¡±

    He looked at Venio, ¡°I will nominate you to be the Minister of Agriculture during the Cabinet meeting. However, due to your limited political experience, His Majesty may only appoint you as Acting Minister of Agriculture.¡±

    ¡°Ah, me?!¡± Venio was startled, quickly rising and placing his hand over his chest with excitement, ¡°Thank you! Thank you for your trust, Your Highness! I swear I will do my utmost to ensure the thriving development of the nation¡¯s agriculture!¡±

    He was previously a plantation owner, and among Joseph¡¯s associates, he was the most familiar with agriculture.

    And he himself had never imagined that a chance encounter with the Crown Prince in Bordeaux would catapult him straight up to becoming a Cabinet Minister.

    Joseph reiterated, ¡°You must cooperate closely with the Church in agricultural matters, as in the rural areas, only the Church can truly influence the peasants.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will keep your instructions in mind.¡±

    Joseph nodded at him and then turned to Bailly, ¡°And I hope you¡¯ll accept the position of Minister of Commerce; I hope you won¡¯t decline.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Bailly appeared much more composed than Venio, bowing slightly, ¡°I will always follow your commands and certainly will not let you down.¡±

    The reason Joseph ¡°chopped up¡± the Minister of the Interior role was indeed due to its broad scope of responsibilities, which was too much for one person to manage effectively, but he also wanted to bring more of the new nobility into the Cabinet.

    In the current Cabinet, aside from the Finance Minister, the Minister of Civil Registry, and the Justice Minister, nearly all were new nobility¡ªincluding Archbishop Talleyrand, who was actually part of the enlightened thought camp.

    With this arrangement, the various policies he needed to advance the Industrial Revolution in France could be passed very smoothly.

    The future contest in Europe would be a test of industrial strength!

    ¡­

    The public trial of the insurgents launched extremely quickly.

    ¡°`

    Of course, this was also because Joseph had instructed the Police Affairs Department to attach extensive investigatory results on these gang members, as well as the records procured from the local Police Headquarters, when they were being escorted.

    Even the witnesses were brought to Paris.

    The public trial took place in the square in front of the town hall. Due to the large number of people involved in the case, the High Court was almost fully mobilized, with six temporary courts presiding over cases simultaneously.

    The number of ordinary citizens who came to watch wasn¡¯t high, but over a thousand nobles from the Palace of Versailles arrived¡ªit seemed they wanted to personally ensure that the mob who had brought them such terror had indeed been sentenced to death.

    What the watching nobles did not expect was that these ruffians nearly unanimously confessed that they were incited to riot by someone who paid them a high price.

    Afterward, the spies that the Duke of Orleans had sent to the provinces were brought forward to face identification by the gang members¡ªin the early action of the Police Affairs Department, quite a few such spies were caught.

    Without exception, the rioters confirmed they were instigated by these individuals. The presiding judge announced in court that these behind-the-scenes culprits would be tried in a separate case.

    As for the agents from the Police Affairs Department who later gained control over the gang members, they were treated as subordinates of the former ¡°boss¡± due to their habitual way of thinking.

    Therefore, during the trial, although some rioters mentioned that the masterminds behind them had some ¡°agents,¡± since these individuals had not been captured, the judges didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

    The pace of the trials was fast; every half hour or so, a gang member was sentenced to hang.

    Their crimes were far more than just the offense of rioting; murder, kidnapping, robbery, and the like¡ªalmost every one of them had a multitude of charges.

    As a result, some citizens who had initially thought they were rioting because they were starving, and who had felt a bit of sympathy for them, now joined in the chorus of cursing them as well.

    Therefore, each time a judge sentenced a rioter, there would be a burst of enthusiastic cheers from the crowd¡ªboth the nobles and the citizens were in unprecedented agreement on hanging these scoundrels.

    When Joseph arrived at the square in front of the town hall, the trials of fifty or sixty rioters had already been carried out.

    He was merely passing by on his way to the Paris Police Academy and wanted to see the reaction of the nobles.

    After he heard the unending shouts of ¡°Long live the judge,¡± ¡°Well sentenced, they deserve to be hanged,¡± he nodded silently and prepared to leave.

    Just as Joseph was ordering Eman to head to the Paris Police Academy, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from ten or more meters away.

    He turned his head and saw that a few nobles from the Palace of Versailles had dragged a young man who was speaking from atop a stump and started punching him.

    The young man did not show any weakness, fighting back four against one, he managed to give as good as he got.

    The nearby police quickly blew their whistles and rushed over, using their batons to separate the two parties: ¡°What are you doing!¡±

    The nobles angrily pointed at the young man and shouted, ¡°This outsider dares to say that those rioters shouldn¡¯t be sentenced to death!¡±

    ¡°This bastard, he must be an accomplice of the rioters!¡±

    ¡°Arrest him quickly!¡±

    The police asked them to be quiet, and then turned to the young man, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Where are you from?¡±

    The young man, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth and speaking with a bit of a northern accent, said, ¡°I am Robespierre, Maximilien Fran?ois Marie Isidore de Robespierre. I am a lawyer from Arras.¡±

    Before the police could say anything, Joseph stopped in his tracks not far away and turned his gaze toward the young man.

    Robespierre? The lawyer from Arras?

    Had he unexpectedly encountered here today the Jacobin ¡°Tyrant¡± and ¡°Murderous Demon,¡± who was also known as ¡°The Incorruptible,¡± Mr. Robespierre?

 Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 258: Teacher Luo vs. Teacher Luo

    Chapter 338: Chapter 258: Teacher Luo vs. Teacher Luo

    The police officer, upon hearing the name Robespierre and its inclusion of ¡°de,¡± aware that he belonged to the petty nobility, spoke with a hint more courtesy, ¡°May I ask, have you applied for a permit to speak here?¡±

    According to current regulations, one needs to apply in advance for public speaking in public places.

    Of course, normally, no one cared about this rule, but if caught red-handed by the police, it had to be strictly enforced.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Robespierre suddenly looked utterly embarrassed.

    Just as the few nobles he had been fighting with showed gloating expressions, a young man wearing a blue-gray coat with his hair standing on end hurried over and said to Robespierre, ¡°Ma, Maxim, I, I finally fou, found you.¡±

    He then turned to the policeman beside him:¡±Sir, what¡¯s, what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    The policeman, noticing the silver scales badge on his collar, the emblem of the Bureau of Fair Investigation, grew involuntarily nervous, ¡°There¡¯s no big issue, just that this gentleman has violated the public speaking restriction.¡±

    Not because he was corrupt and took bribes, but because the reputation of the Official Investigation Bureau had already spread throughout Paris; even his superiors had been called in for questioning. There wasn¡¯t a public servant in Paris who would not feel anxious upon encountering them.

    ¡°Oh, look, he, he¡¯s my classmate, from, from out of town.¡± The young man smiled and patted the policeman¡¯s arm, ¡°Could you, could you give him a chance, I, I assure you he won¡¯t, won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    The policeman hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded, ¡°All right, but you¡¯d better keep a close eye on him.¡±

    The nobles beside them wanted to say something more, but the young investigator was already hurrying Robespierre towards the outskirts of the square.

    However, they hadn¡¯t gone far when a tall blonde man stopped them and bowed politely, ¡°Mr. Demulan, and the orator here, the Crown Prince wishes to have a few words with you.¡±

    Robespierre was startled and whispered to his old classmate, ¡°Is Paris so strict on speech that even the Crown Prince is alarmed¡­¡±

    ¡°It should, shouldn¡¯t be because of that.¡±

    Demulan then turned to address Eman: ¡°It¡¯s an, an honor.¡±

    Moments later, aboard a light-grey ¡°gemstone¡±-shaped carriage, Joseph looked with interest at the later world-famous ¡°The Incorruptible,¡± in his twenties, not yet thirty, with a slightly plump face, large nostrils, and tousled blonde hair due to the fight¡ªan appearance that would never stand out in a crowd.

    Seeing his expression, Demulan hesitated, ¡°Your, Your Highness, do you, do you know Maxi?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t,¡± Joseph said, withdrawing his gaze and asking casually, ¡°You¡¯re classmates?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes we are. He, he¡¯s Maxi, Maxi¡­¡±

    Robespierre couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and continued for him, ¡°Your esteemed Highness, I am Maximilien Fran?ois Marie Isidore de Robespierre; it¡¯s an honor to speak with you. Demulan and I both study law at the University of Paris.¡±

    ¡°I, too, am honored to meet you,¡± Joseph nodded with a smile, thinking to himself that the Jacobin squadron was finally coming together.

    He turned to look at the bruises on Robespierre¡¯s face, ¡°What prompted the altercation with those gentlemen earlier?¡±

    The latter responded indignantly, ¡°They opposed my views, could not win the debate, and thus rudely resorted to violence.¡±

    ¡°What were you speaking about?¡±

    Robespierre looked toward the public tribunal that had already dispersed in the distance, ¡°You see, they¡¯re going to execute hundreds of citizens¡­ I was calling for the abolition of the death penalty!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph instantly felt a surge of frustration. How many had Your Excellency executed back then? At least tens of thousands, right? And now you¡¯re talking to me about abolishing the death penalty?!

    History really is quite magical¡­

    He steadied his mind and cleared his throat with a light cough, ¡°Ahem, in fact, they were all serious criminals, mostly with histories of murder.¡±

    Robespierre straightened up, saying earnestly, ¡°Your Highness, every person¡¯s life should be respected, even if they have committed crimes, others shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Joseph immediately recalled the famous saying of Mr. Zhang San, a juridical authority and professor at the law university, and the inventor of ¡°Teacher Luo¡± from his past life, and responded with a smile, ¡°Respect, yes, that¡¯s correct.

    ¡°However, only beasts kill without being held accountable. You see, if we don¡¯t make them pay with their lives, aren¡¯t we treating them as beasts? In order to respect the human value of the criminals, the death penalty is necessary.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Robespierre was somewhat confused and quickly changed the subject, ¡°Your Highness, the death penalty is a barbaric punishment. Abolishing it is a symbol of the progress of civilization!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that your line of reasoning is far behind those abolitionists on the forums of the future.

    ¡°No, this is precisely a manifestation of civilization. Have you considered that, according to the wishes of the families of the victims killed by them, they would surely want them nailed to a cross, whipped for three hours every day, listen to their wailing for several days, until they are tortured to death.

    ¡°The judge sentences them to die quickly and without pain, which is exactly based on civilized considerations.¡±

    As he spoke, he pointed upwards, ¡°In fact, even God executes those who are guilty. Everyone knows that the Lord is the most civilized.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Robespierre struggled to keep up, ¡°The Lord also asks us to love and forgive. We should treat those who have sinned in the same way.¡±

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°But you are not the victim, so why can you forgive the murderers on their behalf? Perhaps you might wake the dead and ask for their opinion.¡±

    The abolitionists became somewhat anxious, ¡°Your Highness, if someone is executed directly and it turns out to be a miscarriage of justice, that can never be undone!¡±

    ¡°Every year, the mortality rate of sailors on long-distance sea voyages exceeds 20%. Should we sink all the ships because of that?¡± Joseph chuckled, ¡°No, we should continually improve our ships and navigation skills. In fact, I am indeed already working on police reforms, across the whole of France, specifically to avoid wrongful cases as much as possible.¡±

    Robespierre opened his mouth but ultimately had nothing to say.

    Seeing him somewhat embarrassed, Joseph tactfully changed the subject, ¡°By the way, Mr. Robespierre, did you come here for a particular reason?¡±

    He was still pondering how to get this man into the Official Investigation Bureau, to complete the Jacobins team.

    Robespierre quickly responded, ¡°Your Highness, the Duke of Chartres has asked me to represent him in a lawsuit.¡±

    Demulan immediately chimed in, ¡°Is it, is it the inheritance case?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat taken aback by their nonchalance in discussing the lawsuit of the Duke of Orleans¡¯s son in his presence, but he quickly realized that these two were probably completely unaware of the political intrigues of the Palace of Versailles.

    The Duke of Orleans was quite good at self-promotion, especially among the Liberals, where he had quite a favorable reputation. Later on, during the Terror, the Liberals even considered him one of their leaders.

    No wonder Robespierre was willing to travel such distances to help his son with the lawsuit.

 Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Chapter 259: Royal Guards Corps

    Chapter 339: Chapter 259: Royal Guards Corps

    Joseph remembered that historically, the Duke of Orleans was sent to the guillotine by the Jacobins.

    Unexpectedly, the big shot of the Jacobins was now helping his son fight a legal case, which always seemed somewhat discordant.

    Demulan once again marveled, ¡°You, you are truly renowned in the legal world, such, such a big case, and they, they seek you out for defense.¡±

    In those years, Robespierre¡¯s defense success rate was extremely high, especially a few years ago when he successfully defended Mr. Viesel, who faced a lawsuit for installing a lightning rod. He overturned a series of prior judgments, which made him famous throughout France. Historically, this also led to his election as a representative of the Estates-General.

    Robespierre smiled and said, ¡°I am just one of the lawyers for the Duke of Chartres.¡±

    Joseph thought for a moment, then abruptly interjected, ¡°Mr. Robespierre, do you believe the Duke of Chartres should inherit the Duke of Orleans¡¯s estate?

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Robespierre nodded, ¡°The Duke of Orleans died in a riot, his legitimate heir should rightfully inherit the estate.¡±

    ¡°Have you not heard of any instances where he committed treason?¡±

    Robespierre gravely said, ¡°Your Highness, as you know, there are often such political conspiracy theories around the Palace of Versailles. I believe that the Duke of Orleans would not¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled and gestured to Eman, ¡°Please return to the High Court.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness.¡±

    An hour later, in the archives of the High Court, Robespierre was leafing through the thick stack of evidence, his complexion turning deathly pale, his teeth grinding with a gritting sound.

    As a seasoned lawyer, he could readily ascertain that these pieces of evidence were unlikely to be fabricated. The Crown Prince had mentioned that there were plenty more pieces of evidence in the evidence room, but he felt there was no need to look any further.

    Without mentioning the Duke of Orleans¡¯s collusion with the British, causing the Bank of France to heavily invest in British industries, or stirring up the nobility to refuse loans to the government, it was the last charge alone, orchestrating the Maletude Brothers to commit murder, thus compelling the Minister of the Interior to maliciously reallocate reserves, leading to riots in half of France due to food shortages, that should send him to hell!

    Robespierre felt dizzy, as if he had been fooled by a conspirator for so many years! To end up trying to secure an inheritance for his son¡­

    When he emerged from the High Court with a look of utter dejection and saw the Crown Prince still waiting for him, he immediately said in a deep voice, ¡°Your Highness, I know what I must do now!¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Joseph said, ¡°You should join the Official Investigation Bureau and root out people like the Duke of Orleans as soon as possible.¡±

    Demulan nodded incessantly on the side, ¡°I, I also hope you can join, join the investigation bureau.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your trust. I will seriously consider it,¡± Robespierre replied, somewhat absent-mindedly giving a bow before excusing himself.

    Joseph suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, ¡°By the way, have you seen any of the documents from the Duke of Chartres¡¯s side?¡±

    Since it was a case about an inheritance dispute, the lawyers needed to be aware of the estates involved.

    Robespierre nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I have seen them.¡±

    ¡°Then could you tell me, roughly how much is the total value of the estates involved?¡±

    Robespierre hesitated for two seconds, then spoke in a low voice, ¡°Not including villas, estates, and the like, around 60 million livres.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes shone with excitement at the prospect of newfound wealth.

    After deducting the cost of police reform, there would still be 50 million leftover. Coupled with fixed assets, well, this guy¡¯s property is indeed substantial, providing the start-up funds for tax reform and industrial development as well.

    Robespierre added, ¡°Your Highness, I will never let such individuals who persecute the poor get their way.¡±

    Having said that, he took his leave.

    Demourant, noticing his friend¡¯s discomposure, quickly bade farewell to Joseph and hurried after Robespierre.

    Joseph then got back into his carriage and headed for the Paris Police Academy.

    An hour and a half later, the carriage stopped in front of the academy¡¯s office building. This time, Joseph did not disturb the trainees who were practicing and instead attended a tactical command class before summoning officers like Bertier and Frient for a meeting.

    ¡°I believe you all might have heard by now,¡± Joseph looked at the officers on either side of the long table. ¡°According to the military reform plan, we are going to establish a General Staff.

    ¡°Once the General Staff officially starts operating, it will replace the Minister of War in the overall planning and deployment of wars. The Minister of War will only be responsible for the final signature and approval.¡±

    The officers were somewhat surprised by this news; they had previously assumed that the General Staff would be like staff officers in a corps, simply assisting the Minister of War in decision-making, not realizing it would actually be a command department.

    Joseph continued, ¡°General Bertier has already compiled the duties and requirements of the General Staff into a booklet, which he will now explain in detail to everyone. Afterward, please study carefully the new combat model under the deployment of the General Staff.¡±

    Of course, while it¡¯s said to be compiled by Bertier, the main framework was provided by Joseph. Bertier, historically credited with the concept of the General Staff, brought this department into existence six years early with Joseph¡¯s help, and much more refined than it would have been.

    Bertier bowed to Joseph, then signaled the orderly to distribute ¡°The Functions and Requirements of the General Staff¡± to everyone: ¡°The General Staff is primarily responsible for researching all aspects of war, formulating troop maneuver and combat plans.

    ¡°This also includes plans for mobilization and implementation of campaigns.

    ¡°As required by the Crown Prince, logistics support, map planning, daily training, and exercises will also be the responsibility of the General Staff.¡±

    You must understand, in this era, the outcome of wars heavily depended on the personal experience and even the intuition of the commanders, leading to great uncertainty.

    Even commanders like Frederick II, hailed as military geniuses, had their moments of confusion and oversight. A single mistake by a commander could result in extensive soldier casualties or even lead to the outright failure of a campaign.

    The staff system was designed to use professional technical means by numerous staff officers to collectively formulate combat plans, aiming to prevent commander errors to the greatest extent, representing an advanced combat command system beyond the era.

    This system, starting with Bertier, fully demonstrated its power during the Franco-Prussian War. It can be said that Moltke, the Chief of the General Staff, was the greatest contributor to Prussia¡¯s victory over France at that time.

    After Bertier finished his introduction, Joseph signaled to everyone, ¡°The Cabinet meeting will soon pass the proposal to establish the General Staff.

    ¡°General Bertier will temporarily act as the Deputy Chief of Staff.¡±

    Historically, Bertier was Napoleon¡¯s Chief of Staff, more adept at this role than commanding troops.

    However, his current rank was only that of a brigadier general, so he could only temporarily fill the position of ¡°Deputy Chief of the General Staff.¡± But as there was no Chief of Staff at the moment, he was essentially in charge of the General Staff.

    Joseph added, ¡°Furthermore, Her Majesty the Queen has agreed that Bertier¡¯s Corps will officially be named the ¡®Royal Guard First Legion¡¯ and the Police Academy students the ¡®Royal Guard Second Legion¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 260: The Marquess of Wellesleys Journey to Morocco

    Chapter 340: Chapter 260: The Marquess of Wellesley¡¯s Journey to Morocco

    The officers in the room, upon hearing this, all showed expressions of delighted surprise.

    Most of them had not understood the importance of the previously mentioned general staff matters, even considering it a means for the Crown Prince to seize military power, so there were no great waves in their hearts.

    However, the glory and significance of the corps being officially granted a royal title was something every one of them was very clear about.

    Although they had privately claimed to be the Crown Prince¡¯s Guard Corps, after all, that was only a private grant from His Royal Highness, but now, this was an authentic royal title signed off by His Majesty the King!

    This meant recognition from the Palace of Versailles for Bertier¡¯s Corps and the graduates of the Paris Police Academy, it meant that from now on they would be the ¡°top stream¡± in the military world!

    Thinking of how other ordinary units would look upon them with respect, and drool with envy at the sight of the royal crest on their uniforms, the officers felt an incomparable sense of satisfaction!

    At the same time, everyone knew that with the formal status as a Royal Legion, their treatment in all aspects would rise with the tide. Of course, these were just minor side benefits¡­

    All the officers ¡°whooshed¡± to their feet, came to attention, and proudly proclaimed aloud, ¡°Long live His Majesty the King!¡±

    Lefevre took the lead and said, ¡°Thank you, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince! The corps¡¯ loyalty will always belong to you!¡±

    The rest of the corps immediately followed, in unison, ¡°Thank you, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince! The corps¡¯ loyalty will always belong to you!¡±

    Indeed, they were well aware that without His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, they might still be idling away in some unit, unable to see a day of prominence, not to mention any royal titles.

    All that they had now was brought to them by His Royal Highness, how could they not be grateful?

    Joseph responded with a nod and a smile, gestured for everyone to sit down, offered some words of encouragement, and then announced the end of the meeting.

    After the other officers had left, Bertier approached Joseph with a guilty look and said, ¡°Your Highness, the task you previously assigned of recruiting noble officers hasn¡¯t been going smoothly¡­ There are rumors that the officers have formed a ¡®coalition¡¯ in private to resist the Guard Corps.¡±

    Joseph knew that although the hereditary noble officers were mostly incompetent, it wasn¡¯t right to dismiss them entirely. Among Napoleon¡¯s marshals, there were quite a few officers of Old Nobility origins with considerable capabilities.

    Moreover, the Guard Corps was currently lacking mid-level officers.

    Previously, when the corps was small, this issue wasn¡¯t apparent, but now that he was ready to rapidly expand the modern army, there was a severe shortage of mid-level officers¡ªjunior officers could be trained by the Paris Police Academy, but mid-level ones needed combat experience.

    This would require a considerable amount of time. With the Guard Corps being recently established, there weren¡¯t enough mid-level officers honed.

    Now, if they could absorb some open-minded officers from the Old Nobility and provide a bit of training, it would be helpful in quickly forming combat capabilities.

    Additionally, Joseph wasn¡¯t so conceited as to believe that he could fulfill the French Army¡¯s need for officers solely through the Paris Police Academy, ignoring the many military academies in France.

    Therefore, integrating the existing military academies was also very important.

    And the military academies were basically dominated by Old Nobility officers. Even if some military academies that were not very effective were closed, they still needed the support of a large number of hereditary officers to ensure sufficient teaching resources.

    Joseph frowned slightly, hearing what Bertier had just said, realizing that the resistance from the Old Nobility officers was quite significant.

    He could understand though, after all, his officer system reform had smashed their ¡°iron rice bowls.¡± Even though they no longer dared to oppose him openly because of the last incident of passive suppression of rebellion, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about their private attempts at resistance.

    Joseph had thought that by improving the conditions, he would be able to win over a number of officers from the Old Nobility, but he hadn¡¯t expected their surprising ¡°unity.¡±

    Bertier spoke with some hesitation, ¡°Your Highness, do you think, perhaps we could raise the pay for recruiting officers again¡­?¡±

    Joseph immediately shook his head, ¡°No.¡±

    Raising the treatment of these hereditary officers too high would certainly also lead to dissatisfaction among the commoners and lesser noble officers.

    How to integrate these people? Joseph couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep contemplation¡­

    North Africa.

    The royal city of Morocco, Meknes.

    The British Foreign Minister, Marquess of Wellesley, looked back at the tall city walls and the robust black guards standing on both sides of the city gates, then turned to the British consul in Morocco beside him and said, ¡°This is truly a magnificent city, don¡¯t you think so, Baron Green?¡±

    The short middle-aged man nodded, ¡°Yes, My Lord, it is certainly the largest and most prosperous city among the states of the Maghreb.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why only it has the strength to curb the impetuous adventurers from the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    As the Marquess of Wellesley spoke, he and Baron Green got back into their carriage and headed towards the palace.

    The Foreign Minister glanced at the black knights escorting them on all sides and murmured with a frown, ¡°Their Sultan has quite unique tastes, I must say¡ªthey surely have soldiers who look more pleasant to the eye.¡±

    Baron Green explained to him, ¡°It was their Sultan Ismail who, 100 years ago, with an army of 20,000 black slave soldiers called the ¡®Army of Jihadists,¡¯ defeated the coastal dissenters and established the Alawites Dynasty. Since then, their Imperial Guard has been entirely made up of black soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± shrugged the Marquess of Wellesley, ¡°be they black slaves or Arabs, they¡¯ve proven useful on the battlefield after all. Oh, I recall our Colonel Hyde Parker was once defeated by them.¡±

    He was referring to the Seven Years¡¯ War when the British naval Colonel Hyde Parker gratuitously insulted the Moroccan Sultan, only to be captured by the Moroccan navy, which was a contingent of the Barbary pirates. It cost the British 200,000 silver coins to ransom him back.

    And it was since that time that the British were less inclined to provoke the strongest country along the northwest coast of Africa.

    ¡°Do you think Tuoos will accept your proposal?¡± Baron Green finally found a chance to interrupt the small talk and get down to business, ¡°I mean, the land west of Valsainess is quite extensive.¡±

    The Tuoos he referred to was the Dey of Algiers, and their principal purpose for coming to Morocco was to ¡°facilitate¡± an alliance between Algiers and Morocco.

    ¡°He has no other choice.¡± The Marquess of Wellesley said with an easy manner, ¡°Their Congress will make him accept it.¡±

    Baron Green quietly corrected, ¡°It¡¯s called the ¡®Divan,¡¯ and it is quite different from the usual sense of Congress.¡±

    As they spoke, the carriage had come to a stop.

    At last, the ones to greet them were no longer the black guards whom the Marquess of Wellesley did not quite favor, but rather a court official with light brown skin¡ªa Berber.

    The court official bowed respectfully to the two men, ¡°Honored guests, the great Sultan is awaiting you.¡±

 Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 261 The Tunisian Conspiracy

    Chapter 341: Chapter 261 The Tunisian Conspiracy

    ¡°The attitude of the Dey is that the land to the west of Tremseh Fortress can be exchanged and given to the great Sultan,¡± the envoy Lum Zaganoth from Tiuus said with as firm a tone as possible, ¡°but Valsainess must absolutely not be accepted.¡±

    What he referred to as Tremseh Fortress was already the border between Morocco and Algiers, which was hundreds of kilometers less than what the British had proposed at Valsainess.

    The Sultan of Morocco simply smiled faintly, gesturing for his guests to drink tea, without making any statement on the matter.

    He knew that the British needed him, so he could let them do all these ¡°heavy liftings.¡±

    Indeed, after listening to the translation, the Marquess of Wellesley immediately shook his head, ¡°Mr. Envoy, I must remind you that just a few months ago, your country fought a not insignificant war with the French and you were utterly defeated.

    ¡°Moreover, according to the information I have received, the Crown Prince of France also took part in that battle.

    ¡°This means that although the French are currently inactive ¡ª because they are experiencing a massive uprising in their own country ¡ª I can assure you that as soon as their unrest is quelled, they will immediately remember the provocation from Algiers.¡±

    An interpreter by his side immediately repeated it in Arabic.

    Zaganoth struggled to suppress the anger in his chest, thinking to himself that if it weren¡¯t for your British stirring things up, Algiers wouldn¡¯t have lost tens of thousands of elites at Annaba!

    However, he also knew very clearly that Algiers was extremely empty now, and if the French really came to settle the score, they would have no power to resist.

    So, when the British suggested last month that Algiers should exchange the land bordering Morocco for Moroccan support, the Divan quickly agreed to the proposal.

    His visit here was merely to bargain as much as possible, so he must not say anything to offend the British.

    ¡°We can offer another 100,000 riyals¡­¡±

    100,000 riyals amounted to 2.2 million livres, which was almost all of Algiers¡¯ savings.

    The Marquess of Wellesley, however, immediately interrupted him, ¡°To the west of Valsainess, that is the basic condition we can discuss. If you refuse, Consul Green and I can only regretfully leave.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±

    The envoy from Algiers tried to argue further but eventually dropped his head in defeat, ¡°Then, the Dey hopes that Britain can provide the equipment for at least twenty thousand soldiers to help us withstand the French.¡±

    ¡°I will strive to gain support for this from Congress.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley smiled towards Ibn Abdullah, ¡°Respected Sultan, about reinforcing Algiers¡­¡±

    But Abdullah was merely stroking his teacup, ¡°My lord Marquess, regarding the tariffs on Moroccan imports of British textiles and ironware, I have always felt that we should renegotiate.¡±

    A flicker of annoyance passed through the corner of Wellesley¡¯s eye; the great Britain was actually being bamboozled by a small North African country.

    However, for the sake of his North African strategic plan, he forced his emotions down and nodded stiffly, ¡°I will have our trade representative discuss this matter in detail with you¡­¡±

    A few hours later, with the ¡°help¡± of the British, Algiers agreed to cede two provinces to Morocco and ensure a higher political status for the Algiers Navy in the Divan.

    Morocco would send troops and provide a large amount of materials to support Algiers in resisting France, and, when the time was right, they would work together to restore the rule of the Imperial Guard in Tunisia.

    The next day, Marquess Wellesley left Meknes City; hardly had he boarded a British warship when a courier approached him with a salute, ¡°My lord, this is from Mr. Lambert in Tripoli.¡±

    Marquess Wellesley took the letter and opened it, then took out a code book to compare. Suddenly, he turned excitedly to the captain beside him and gestured, ¡°Please take me to Colonel Acton at once. Ah, our luck has been on the rise ever since the riots in France.¡±

    The letter mentioned that an Ottoman officer named Ali Benjiur in Tripoli had been seen meeting frequently with those opposed to its Pasha, which appeared to be indicative of a coup in the making.

    The letter also mentioned Benjiur and his associates seemed to be not yet sufficiently prepared, but were very much worth watching.

    Marquess Wellesley briskly walked into the officers¡¯ quarters on the second level and said to the fleet commander, Colonel Acton, ¡°Please set sail at once; we¡¯re headed for Tripoli.¡±

    Located to the east of Tunisia, Tripoli was a small country with a population of just five to six hundred thousand. It had been following a policy of subordination to the Ottoman Empire while being politically and economically close to France.

    If its political orientation could be changed through a coup, then, together with our Morocco-Algiers strategy, it would form a pincer move against Tunisia from the east and the west.

    And since that Ali Benjiur was an Ottoman officer, it was highly likely that the Ottoman Empire could be dragged into these murky waters. Even if the French couldn¡¯t be driven out of Tunisia, the trade pattern in the Mediterranean could be greatly changed!

    Soon, the British fleet set sail for the Strait of Gibraltar. After entering the Mediterranean through there, it would take about ten days to reach Tripoli.

    Marquess Wellesley looked toward the distant horizon and smiled to himself, murmuring, ¡°While applying pressure on both flanks, why not do something in Tunisia as well?

    ¡°For instance, that ¡®Common Roman Origin¡¯ lie concocted by the French, perhaps we should clarify that for the Tunisians.¡±

    ¡­

    Paris High Court.

    The Duke of Chartres requested the lifting of all seals on the Duke of Orleans¡¯ property and commenced the legal proceedings for the full inheritance of his estate.

    Unlike previous trials of riot participants, this case involving France¡¯s top nobility allowed only a very few of high status to attend, with no journalists permitted inside.

    After a series of routine proceedings, Prosecutor Danton stood aside, watching the Duke of Chartres¡¯ legal team with a cold eye.

    A lawyer in his fifties, his face full of flesh, stepped up to the small podium first.

    He tediously detailed the esteemed status of the Duke of Orleans and his son once more and then cited the relevant aristocratic inheritance laws, speaking for over half an hour, eventually requesting the court to transfer the rightful property owed to the Duke of Chartres to his name.

    ¡°The prosecutor may now present,¡± Dibor looked to Danton. As directed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, as President of the High Court, he was to personally oversee this trial.

    Danton leapt onto the platform and declared loudly, ¡°Concerning the Duke of Chartres¡¯ rights to inheritance, I have no objections. However, I must remind you, judges, that the Duke of Orleans was recently convicted of treason.¡±

    Seeing him return to his seat, Dibor couldn¡¯t help but be shocked¡ªsurely the Crown Prince¡¯s intention wasn¡¯t to allow the Duke of Chartres to walk away with the inheritance, what was Danton doing?!

    He had no choice but to follow through the judicial process with a stiff neck, and under the ¡°non-resistance¡± of the prosecution, the court swiftly ruled, ¡°The Duke of Chartres shall inherit the entirety of the Duke of Orleans¡¯ estate.¡±

 Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 262: Fines, Fines, and More Fines!

    Chapter 342: Chapter 262: Fines, Fines, and More Fines!

    The Duke of Chartres, upon hearing the judge¡¯s decision, immediately beamed with joy, turning to celebrate with his several lawyers.

    The same lawyer with a face full of excess flesh rose to his feet and gave a slight bow to the judge, ¡°Your Honor, then please issue an execution document to order the banks to unfreeze the assets of the Duke of Orleans, oh, now it should be the Duke of Chartres.¡±

    Dibor frowned instantly. According to legal procedures, he indeed should issue the unfreeze document, but if he did, how would he explain it to the Crown Prince?

    While he was in this dilemma, Danton, who had been silent until then, stood up and motioned with his hand to the lawyer of the Duke of Chartres, ¡°Please wait a moment, Mr. Balthasar.¡±

    Then, turning to the bench, he raised his voice, ¡°Your Honor, I believe we should first verify the exact amount of the estate of the Duke of Orleans on the spot, otherwise, once unfrozen, it is very likely that the creditors will suffer losses.¡±

    ¡°Creditors?¡± Mr. Balthasar, the lawyer, frowned and retorted with a sneer, ¡°You must be mistaken, prosecutor, the Duke of Orleans has no debts¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Danton signaled his assistant to pass the materials to the judge and also distributed a copy to the side of the Duke of Chartres, ¡°Your Honor, please turn to the second page.

    ¡°Here are testimonies from the administrators of the Banking Guild, including the Marquis of Ludo. In March 1775, the Duke of Orleans invested 1.8 million livres in the ¡®Heller River Steel Company¡¯ of England through the City Trade Bank.

    ¡°In May 1776, he invested 2.2 million livres in the ¡®Carman Brothers Textile Company¡¯ of England through the Paris Discount Bank.

    ¡°In December 1776, from the Paris Discount Bank to the Netherlands¡­¡±

    Danton listed 15 investment records in one breath, spanning over ten years, involving amounts of more than 13 million livres.

    ¡°All of these investments, the Duke of Orleans transferred to the Bank of England in the form of bills without undergoing investment review. This violated Article 12 of the financial regulations of 1774¡­¡±

    Lawyer Balthasar impatiently interrupted him, ¡°Yes, some irrelevant violations, this should be dealt with in a separate case.¡±

    ¡°No, no, this is not just a ¡®violation¡¯ but a serious illegal act!¡± Danton gestured emphatically, ¡°Take a look at this penalty document issued by the financial review commissioner.¡±

    Immediately, his assistant divided the transcribed copies of the two documents between the judge and the lawyer of the Duke of Chartres.

    Mr. Balthasar glanced at the document, his eyes widening in shock. He flipped through it frantically and then bellowed in frustration, ¡°How is this possible?! Just for not conducting reviews, a fine of 16 million livres?!¡±

    Danton addressed Dibor, ¡°Your Honor, may Mr. Bernie, who is responsible for the accounting of these violations, explain the details to everyone.¡±

    Shortly after, a middle-aged man with neat attire and a wig was summoned to the stand. He wore glasses.

    He greeted the judges including Dibor and then surveyed the Duke of Chartres¡¯s side nervously, but he soon remembered the orders from the Crown Prince.

    He took a deep breath, pulled out the prepared documents, and cleared his throat, ¡°Your Honor, first, I will explain to you the basis for the fine for the illegal investment made by the Duke of Orleans in 1775.

    ¡°The money invested in the British steel company would play a crucial role in the development of their smelting technology, which in turn would give them an overwhelming advantage in hard steel products over similar French companies¡­¡±

    He spouted a slew of technical jargon and concluded, ¡°As such, it is evident that since 1775, due to the Duke of Orleans¡¯ illegal investments, at least seven steel factories in France have been shut down, resulting in over three million livres in losses.

    ¡°Had the Duke of Orleans submitted an investment review application to the Treasury Department at the time, I believe the investment would have been denied, the money would have stayed in France, and would have helped advance local steel refining technology¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Dibor¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. Could calculations really be made this way? Which genius came up with this method? Finally, he could see the Crown Prince¡¯s commands being fulfilled.

    Attorney Balthasar angrily retorted at once, ¡°This is completely absurd! Not to mention over a decade ago, even today¡¯s investment reviews are simply a formality! Back then, even if there had been a review, it certainly wouldn¡¯t have been rejected¡­¡±

    Mr. Bernie, the accountant in charge, coldly hit back, ¡°That¡¯s a serious slander of government departments. I can provide ample evidence to prove the efficiency and dedication of the review departments.

    ¡°As for your claim that it wouldn¡¯t have been rejected in 1775, I would appreciate solid evidence to support it.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Attorney Balthasar faltered. The fines listed had the signatures of the auditors from that time; what evidence could he possibly produce?

    Anticipating the various benefits promised by the Crown Prince after the case¡¯s conclusion, Bernie continued boldly, ¡°As for the investment made in May 1776, the impact was even greater¡­¡±

    By the time he finished all the justifications for the more than ten fines and saluted the judge before leaving, it was already 6 p.m.

    Just as Dibor was about to adjourn the session, Danton preempted him, saying, ¡°In addition to these illegal investments, the Duke of Orleans has also engaged in a substantial amount of tax evasion.¡±

    While saying this, he cast a discreet glance at Robespierre, who had provided these financial records of the Duke of Orleans, which were very helpful in analyzing the Duke¡¯s tax situation.

    Danton continued, ¡°The total involves unpaid taxes of three million and two hundred thousand livres. According to a suggestion from the Treasury Department, the total for tax penalties and fines amounts to fifteen million livres.¡±

    Hearing this, Duke of Chartres almost spat out a mouthful of old blood; the fines just listed had already confiscated more than half of his father¡¯s assets.

    Yet Danton was still passionately presenting his case, ¡°Furthermore, the Duke of Orleans¡¯ previous transactions involving arable land and estates also contain a significant number of illegalities¡­ The fine for this part amounts to¡­¡±

    ¡°There is testimony to prove that the Duke of Orleans was involved in illegal slave trade¡­ requiring a fine of¡­¡±

    Given the Duke of Orleans¡¯ former status and position, such so-called irregularities would never have been mentioned, and even if they were pursued, they would mostly have been pardoned by the King.

    But now the circumstances were different. With the man himself gone, who would defend his shape and circles? Wasn¡¯t it all subject to others¡¯ whims?

    Joseph had seen too many news stories in the later days of Western politicians using similar tactics to deal with their opponents¡ªeven the Great Commander Trump was nearly bankrupted by old Biden, let alone a dead man.

    Joseph only had to casually replicate homework from the future, and the Duke of Orleans¡¯ meager assets were really nothing to speak of.

    After talking nonstop for an hour and a half, the Duke of Chartres was already in despair¡ªwithout having to calculate, he felt that his father¡¯s assets must have been completely confiscated by the fines.

    Suddenly, Danton paused, and just as everyone thought he was finally concluding, he inhaled deeply and said, ¡°The aforementioned accounts for the lighter violations. Now, I will discuss the Duke of Orleans¡¯ instigation of riots in numerous southern provinces, which caused tremendous harm to the nation.¡±

 Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 263 The Switch Between the Old and New Era

    Chapter 343: Chapter 263 The Switch Between the Old and New Era

    Dibor glanced at his watch, it was already past 9 o¡¯clock in the evening.

    He hurriedly interrupted Danton, who was still enthusiastically discussing matters, indicating a temporary adjournment, and that the proceedings would continue the next morning.

    The Duke of Chartres had long lost the fullness of ambition he had while waiting for the inheritance of a substantial fortune at the opening of the court, and upon hearing the news, he escaped the excruciating place like a wild dog breaking free from its leash.

    The court sessions continued as usual over the following days.

    On the third day, Danton had calculated the Duke of Orleans¡¯s fines to be 68 million livres, and this was just the beginning of accounting for the specific losses of the riots.

    As for the Duke of Chartres, he had stopped attending court from the second day on, leaving all matters to be handled by several lawyers.

    ¡­

    On the second floor of the Tuileries Palace, the Industrial Planning Bureau office.

    Joseph was drinking newly imported tea from the Far East, looking relaxed while reading about the Duke of Orleans¡¯s inheritance case on the Paris Commercial News.

    Since it concerned the privacy of major nobility, the paper did not go into the specifics of the case, merely noting that according to ¡°informed sources,¡± the Duke of Orleans would face substantial fines due to his involvement in multiple legal infractions, and the inheritance the Duke of Chartres could receive would be greatly reduced.

    Upon reading this, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but smile, it wasn¡¯t just a significant reduction, the court proceedings weren¡¯t over yet, and the Duke of Orleans was already bankrupt.

    According to rough calculations by the Crown Prince¡¯s exclusive accountant, the total amount of the fines was close to 90 million livres.

    Moreover, these were fines the Duke of Chartres could not refute. If Danton pushed harder and established some fines that could have been waived, it was likely to reach an ambitious goal!

    Based on ¡°internal materials¡± provided by Robespierre, selling all the assets of the Duke of Orleans, including the Royal Palace, there would still be a shortfall of 20 million livres.

    The Duke of Chartres, who had inherited the Duke of Orleans¡¯s wealth, would have to find a way to handle these penalties himself.

    Of course, Joseph also knew that it was impossible to extort any money from the Duke of Chartres, but with such a ¡°debt to the king of hell¡± over his head, at least it would ensure he wouldn¡¯t dare to be too active.

    Eman knocked on the door and announced, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Fouche is here.¡±

    Joseph put away the newspaper, ¡°Let him in.¡±

    The door opened and a radiant Fouche entered swiftly, bowing respectfully, ¡°Greetings to you, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Please take a seat.¡±

    Fouche sat down on the sofa and reported, ¡°Your Highness, all 198 core participants of the ¡®Playing Card Operation¡¯ have been granted leave, and the 12 officers in charge have been transferred to Paris.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction, ¡°You all have done very well this time. Oh, His Majesty has already signed the decree to upgrade the Police Affairs Department to the Intelligence Department, which will officially take effect at the beginning of next month. You should also start preparing early.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness!¡± Fouche stood up quickly to bow and then remembered that he might have misspoken, adding hastily, ¡°Long live the King! The Police Affairs Department will always remain dutiful and loyal to His Majesty!¡±

    Joseph smiled and gestured for him to sit down, while Eman brought the tea and placed it in front of Fouche.

    Fouche set down the stack of documents he brought with him in front of Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, these are some recent matters that warrant attention.¡±

    Following the operational procedures of the Police Affairs Department, Fouche would categorize and filter the collected intelligence every few days and then submit it to the Crown Prince. Of course, if there were urgent matters, he would report them immediately.

    ¡°Lady Audreyan is mediating the dispute between Baron Beverly and Earl Cyprian¡­¡±

    ¡°Rumors about the Duke of Chartres contracting syphilis are spreading through the streets of Paris. According to intelligence we have obtained from his doctor, it is mostly likely true¡­¡±

    ¡°A major equity transfer occurred at the Paris Trade and Investment Bank two days ago¡­¡±

    As Fouche continued reporting what he considered the most important matters, Joseph¡¯s gaze fixed on a section of the report: Recently, the number of nobles at the Palace of Versailles joining various clubs has significantly increased, as well as the frequency of their meetings. According to intelligence analysis, these clubs are mainly focused on political analysis and discussion, with the core members being the Old Nobility.

    These clubs express strong objections to some of the government¡¯s recent reform proposals, particularly regarding the ¡°Abolition of Noble Privileges Decree.¡± The main arguments include ¡°His Majesty the King has abandoned the sword-bearing nobility,¡± and ¡°Nobles with uncertain futures should fight for their own rights.¡±

    For the not yet promulgated ¡± specific details for the redemption of all taxes by peasants,¡± they are more inclined to petition Her Majesty the Queen to increase the redemption amount and enhance compensation for the lords.

    Recently, a song titled ¡°Leaving My Land¡± has become very popular among the Old Nobility. The song is about a noble who, unable to afford the costs of marriage due to the loss of his land rents, leaves his fianc¨¦e to seek adventure in the Caribbean Sea, only to die tragically at sea.

    Additionally, some pamphlets complaining about the Royal Family have appeared.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but frown, recalling the financial statement for last month submitted by Brent, the general manager of the Paris Angel Company, yesterday.

    Last month, the turnover of Paris Angel Company plummeted by 27%.

    Linking these two matters, a sense of alertness suddenly arose in his heart.

    The core customers of Paris Angel Company are the nobility of Versailles, with a large portion being the Old Nobility.

    The downturn in Paris Angel Company¡¯s turnover indicates that the nobility have a very pessimistic outlook on their income expectations, leading to a downgrade in consumption.

    The complaints from the Old Nobility mentioned in Fouche¡¯s report, as well as that pitiable song, further illustrate their extreme dissatisfaction with the abolition of noble privileges.

    Although they currently could not cause much of a stir due to the fact that their leading figures had been taken down by Joseph himself, the resentment within their hearts was evident.

    Yet, these people are currently the core stratum of France. Whether it¡¯s their spending power or their influence, the Capitalist Nobility are still unable to replace them for the time being.

    Joseph knew that if the situation were not handled correctly, it could lead to very serious consequences.

    At the same time, Emperor Joseph II of Austria was also implementing reforms to cut back noble privileges, with the scope of his reforms being far less extensive than Joseph¡¯s own, and it had already caused significant problems in Austria. In history, after Leopold II ascended the throne in 1790, he quickly canceled most of his predecessor¡¯s reform measures to restore stability in Austria.

    Currently, the Royal Family¡¯s biggest reliance is still on the feudal nobility.

    Without their support, capitalists naturally tend to set rules for the King¡ªsuch as enforcing a constitution to be signed by the King or simply making the King disappear.

    However, to move toward the Industrial Revolution, the nation must shift towards capitalism.

    Thus, one of Joseph¡¯s future priorities is to figure out how to keep capitalist power in check during the process of industrialization.

    Firstly, this requires as much support as possible for the Capitalist Nobility to occupy the capital market, to prevent pure capitalists motivated solely by profit from controlling the market.

    More importantly, Joseph himself must control the national capital¡¯s lifeline as much as possible, implementing state-led management of key resources and sectors. Only in this way can the thought of rebellion be quelled among the capitalist forces.

    But achieving this will take a considerable amount of time.

    Before that happens, the Royal Family must rely on the feudal nobility to govern the country, until the Royal Family can switch its grip from ¡°feudal land¡± to ¡°capital and resources.¡±

 Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 264: Competing in Industry

    Chapter 344: Chapter 264: Competing in Industry

    Afterwards, Joseph barely listened to Fouche¡¯s report, since he had the documents and could read them later at his leisure.

    Once Fouche had left, Joseph looked out at the sunlight and stretched his back with effort.

    It must be said that after a year of his handling, he had stabilized the debt, gotten through the famine, and improved the plight of the lower classes. The likelihood of France facing a major calamity was now almost non-existent. He had preliminarily solved the most pressing survival issues.

    But the cost was disturbing the Old Nobility¡¯s piece of the cake, which triggered new social issues.

    Nevertheless, the size of the domestic cake was finite. Giving a larger share to the peasant class naturally meant the aristocracy would get less.

    Therefore, if he wanted the aristocracy to reliably unite around the Royal Family and continue contributing to France¡¯s prosperity, the cake had to be enlarged. It was essential to involve them in the new process of cake distribution.

    ¡°So, how do we enlarge the cake?¡± mused Joseph, as he picked up his teacup, only to find the tea had long since gone cold.

    On the side, Eman tactfully signaled for a servant to bring fresh tea:

    ¡°Your Highness, would you like a piece of cake?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no thank you,¡± Joseph smiled and shook his head, ¡°I have to save my ¡®cake quota¡¯ for when I visit Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°I admire your thriftiness.¡± Eman, having no concept of the harms of excessive sugar intake, could only think of this explanation and respectfully withdrew to the door.

    The warm tea brought Joseph a moment of tranquility.

    He couldn¡¯t help but think of Napoleon; at that time, France also faced the severe problem of an insufficient cake to divide. Napoleon¡¯s solution was to direct internal pressures outward¡ªtaking the cake from others to distribute among the French people.

    He sighed involuntarily as he realized that war was the main theme of the era, with battles erupting almost annually across the European continent. If you didn¡¯t strike others, they would strike you. The aim was to secure a larger piece of the cake from other countries.

    Of course, even when grabbing cake, one could not be as reckless as Napoleon, nor have as great an appetite, which provoked the entirety of Europe against France and eventually led to France being dragged to its death.

    ¡°Walk on two legs. Look outward, but also enlarge the domestic cake,¡± Joseph put down his teacup and wrote words like ¡°industry,¡± ¡°agriculture,¡± ¡°trade,¡± and others on a piece of paper.

    Indeed, France was still an agricultural country at the time, and increasing grain production was clearly the biggest contributor to enlarging the cake, which could most quickly improve the quality of life for the common people.

    To increase grain yields, the most direct tool was fertilizer. The phosphate mines currently being excavated in Nauru and Tunisia¡ªformed from guano¡ªcould partially solve the problem, but the transportation costs were still too high.

    Developing purely industrial synthetic fertilizers could bring about a true agricultural revolution.

    Yet at that moment, the level of chemical engineering around the whole world was rather unimpressive, only sulfuric acid could barely be synthetically produced industrially. The rest of the four substances among the fundamental ¡°three acids and two alkalis¡± of the chemical industry were only producible in small quantities in laboratories.

    This was far from enough to support a fertilizer industry able to supply the entire country.

    Joseph drew a branch under ¡°industry¡± for ¡°chemical engineering,¡± recalling the historical development of the chemical industry during the industrial revolution.

    Then he thought of something¡ªthe gas lamp.

    In the early 19th century, the British were the first to erect gas street lights in London, greatly enhancing the city¡¯s convenience and image.

    What they didn¡¯t anticipate was that the gas lamp project would greatly promote the development of Britain¡¯s chemical industry.

    During the process of distilling coal gas, a large amount of coal tar was produced. In dealing with this sticky, disgusting substance, the British discovered it was rich in many useful components, such as aniline.

    Subsequently, industries utilizing coal tar flourished, leading to swift advancement in British processing industries such as disinfectants, dyes, fragrances, and even explosives. In this process, chemical industry technology experienced significant development.

    ¡°`

    You should know that in this era where the textile industry reigns supreme, dyes are considered the crystallization of high technology.

    Joseph nodded silently to himself, the gaslight project was definitely a great breakthrough.

    Besides promoting the development of the chemical industry, affordable and convenient gaslight could bring immense benefits¡ªit illuminated cities, allowing for longer hours of commercial activities. Even the previously profitless nights could now generate revenue. For industrial production, low-cost lighting equipment could extend factory working hours, making it possible to work night shifts.

    All of this could directly increase the nation¡¯s GDP.

    Furthermore, gaslighting could also boost the development of France¡¯s coal industry. Eventually, exporting the gaslight project as a whole abroad could become an industrial calling card for France.

    Looking at the long list of benefits brought by gaslighting, a smile couldn¡¯t help but appear on the corners of Joseph¡¯s mouth. Right now, Murdock, the inventor of gas light, was in his grasp, tinkering with steam engines for France in Nancy.

    Everything was in place to launch the gaslight project.

    The British¡¯s beard, I¡¯ve got it cut!

    ¡­

    The next day.

    Joseph walked out of the meeting hall in a cheerful mood, as the ¡°Grain Production Act¡± had just been passed at the Cabinet meeting. After registration with the High Court, it would soon be implemented nationwide.

    This was not surprising, not to mention that the Cabinet Ministers were mostly Joseph¡¯s people now, France had just experienced large-scale civil unrest due to a shortage of food, and increasing grain production was now the greatest political correctness. No one would seek trouble over this matter.

    Joseph thought of the gaslight plan and said to Mirabeau on the side:

    ¡°Do you understand gaslight?¡±

    The other party thought for a moment and recalled:

    ¡°Your Highness, I remember reading a paper mentioning this device. It seems to be a light fueled by gas made from coal. The light is very bright.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°I plan to set up such lights on the streets of Paris. If successful, we could illuminate the entire night of Paris at a very low cost.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Streetlights?¡± Mirabeau clearly didn¡¯t understand the significance of the gas streetlights.

    Joseph then briefly told him of the immense value of gaslight, which made Mirabeau¡¯s eyes widen:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, factories could operate 24 hours, stores could stay open all night, it¡¯s simply wonderful!¡±

    ¡°But the technology isn¡¯t mature enough yet,¡± Joseph poured some cold water on his enthusiasm, ¡°However, I know who is good at this. Now I need you to help me draft a plan for setting up streetlights throughout Paris, and make an initial budget. Oh, and include the Palace of Versailles as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will submit the report to you as soon as possible!¡±

    As Mirabeau was speaking, an attendant of Louis XVI came towards them, bowing to Joseph:

    ¡°Crown Prince, His Majesty the King invites you to his workshop.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I will go now,¡± Joseph nodded, and said to Mirabeau, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the details later.¡±

    Before long, in the Royal Workshop, Louis XVI was gesturing lacklusterly at a wooden machine about three meters wide and as tall as two men, fitted with numerous cylinders to Joseph:

    ¡°This is it, the automatic loom you asked for.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 265: The Counterattack Horn of the Textile Industry

    Chapter 345: Chapter 265: The Counterattack Horn of the Textile Industry

    Joseph immediately showed an expression of delighted surprise, stepping forward to caress the machine, which was of an antique design¡ªin this era, perhaps it could be described as sci-fi in appearance¡ª and turned to Louis XVI, saying, ¡°You are absolutely the greatest master of mechanics in all of France, no, in all of Europe!¡±

    ¡°You have created this machine perfectly in less than half a year!¡±

    ¡°It is but a replica,¡± Louis XVI said with a curl of his lip, ¡°and merely a boring contraption for weaving cloth¡­¡±

    As he spoke, his eyes shone with excitement, ¡°Right, my son, that rifled gun you mentioned last time, when shall we begin to develop it?¡±

    ¡°Whenever you want, we can start at any time,¡± Joseph replied with a smile, then patted the automatic loom beside him, ¡°And I must say, this is not just some ¡®boring contraption,¡¯ it is the hope of French industry!¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the most important source of fiscal revenue for the British? It is their export of textiles.

    ¡°Now, the British have begun to use this kind of machine in their factories, which can reduce the cost of textiles by more than 20%, while the output increases several times.

    ¡°Without your hard work, the textile factories in Lyon would soon be forced into a dead end by the British and ultimately shut down in large numbers. But now, we have the capital to compete with the British!¡±

    A smile started to form on Louis XVI¡¯s face, ¡°Well then, can I at least claim to have saved Lyon?¡±

    ¡°Not just Lyon, but also Paris¡¯s fashion industry, and a large number of sericulturists, cotton farmers, and hemp farmers. You have given them hope.¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°Moreover, according to the information I have received, because this machine is expensive and needs to be driven by a water wheel, there are not many factories in England that use it. If we drive it with a steam engine and promote it on a large scale, we might even close the gap in the textile industry with England.

    ¡°This will increase the export volume of French textiles, yielding high fiscal revenue.

    ¡°In other words, you have also saved our finances. Archbishop Brienne will certainly be very grateful to you.¡±

    Indeed, according to Joseph¡¯s plans, it was not just about closing the gap. If they based on the automatic loom and simultaneously used the French-invented Jacquard machine, as well as the American-invented cotton gin, and concentrated them in Lyon to form an industrial chain, they could even surpass British textile efficiency!

    These advanced concepts could only be suggested by someone like him, who had witnessed industrial integration and consolidation.

    ¡°Aha,¡± Louis XVI was instantly invigorated upon hearing this, ¡°This is just a small gift I, as the King, give to France.¡±

    He gestured to the weavers standing outside the door, ¡°Etaule, Dominique, come and show the Crown Prince how this machine works.¡±

    Seven or eight textile workers immediately came in, bowed to Louis XVI and Joseph, and then mounted the well-carded cotton on the automatic loom. They carefully set the machine, tied the thread ends and the shuttles, and finally, connected the connecting rod to the large water wheel at the Palace of Versailles.

    The automatic loom immediately went into action, its paddles slowly turning, and a multitude of shuttles flew back and forth under the operation of the weavers¡ªwell, the automatic looms of this era could hardly be fully automatic, but even so, they were far more efficient than manual looms.

    Soon, a piece of cotton yarn more than two meters wide appeared at the end of the machine, visibly extending at a pace detectable by the naked eye.

    Louis XVI leaned toward his son¡¯s ear with some pride, ¡°See the connecting roller in the middle there? The British machines often get stuck there, but I added a spring to adjust the distance, and it has hardly ever had a problem since.¡±

    ¡°You are truly the Hephaestus of France!¡± Joseph immediately showered his father with praise. He had thought it impressive enough to replicate the British automatic loom, but the ¡°top craftsman of France¡± had even made improvements! One must understand, the technical content of this device was essentially equivalent to a five-axis CNC machine from later centuries, a true high-tech product.

    Louis XVI happily showed his son a thick stack of manufacturing process documents, and then summoned the more than ten assistants who had helped him build the loom, ¡°With these blueprints, Mr. Frauhaus and the others will be able to produce the automatic looms.¡±

    Joseph nodded in contemplation, wondering whether to locate the loom factory in Saint-Etienne or Nancy. However, starting a factory from scratch would take at least several months before production could begin¡­

    Suddenly, he had an idea, and turned toward Frauhaus and the other craftsmen with a smile, ¡°The first batch of looms will be made in the Royal Armory. Please complete at least ten as soon as possible, and then transport them to Lyon.¡±

    The armory had all sorts of machinery, not to mention a large number of carpenters and blacksmiths who could assist, ensuring production efficiency would be anything but low.

    Though the craftsmen were somewhat surprised, they bowed and accepted the command, beginning to move blueprints and tools along with the servants of the Royal Workshop.

    Louis XVI then looked expectantly at his son, ¡°Then let¡¯s begin the research on that new gun.¡±

    Joseph silently gave his father a thumbs-up. Having just completed such a large project, his father neither asked for a bonus nor a vacation; he was truly a model of French labor!

    He took a deep breath, asked for paper and pencil from a servant, and began to draw a rough sketch of a gun on the platform where the cotton basket was placed beside the automatic loom, ¡°First, we need to combine the percussion cap firing mechanism with the existing rifled guns.¡±

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be difficult,¡± Louis XVI nodded, ¡°We can use the experience from retrofitting flintlock guns to percussion caps.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Then it¡¯s about perfecting the rifling process and modifying the dimensions of the primer chamber. I know it needs to be slightly enlarged, but the exact measurements will have to be determined through your experiments.

    ¡°After that, we will use a totally new type of bullet, that will ensure rifled guns are no longer useless!¡±

    ¡­

    On the eastern outskirts of Paris, on the wooden railway heading to Reims, an exquisitely crafted carriage was speeding along.

    In the spacious carriage, Joseph turned to the Minister of Agriculture, Venio, ¡°After the completion of spring sowing, you must ensure the ¡®phosphate rock¡¯ is immediately transported to every parish.¡±

    ¡°Phosphate rock¡± was the colloquial term the French people used for the phosphate rock imported from Nauru, a term Joseph had heard so often that he had adopted it himself.

    ¡°Your Highness, the usage for each parish has been tallied last month. The phosphates mined in Tunisia have also arrived in large quantities.¡±

    As Venio spoke, he seemed somewhat concerned, ¡°However, with our current transportation capacity, it will be difficult to deliver them on time. As you know, phosphate rock is incredibly heavy¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°That¡¯s why we need to lay more wooden rails.

    ¡°For areas where transportation is overly difficult, we will first transition using large amounts of compost.¡±

    [Note 1]Hephaestus is the god of artisans in Greek mythology, skilled in forging tools and sculpting.

 Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 266: The Busy Minister of Agriculture

    Chapter 346: Chapter 266: The Busy Minister of Agriculture

    ¡°Additionally, we must make greater use of the power of the Church,¡± Joseph instructed. ¡°Often, the Church¡¯s efficiency far surpasses our bureaucratic system, and peasants are more convinced by the words of a priest.¡±

    Venio nodded in firm agreement, ¡°Indeed, Your Highness, the Church has put forth considerable effort in promoting the new composting methods.¡±

    Joseph said with a smile, ¡°We can¡¯t let them collect so much tithe for nothing, can we?¡±

    In the recent actions to diminish feudal privileges, to minimize resistance, Joseph had temporarily spared the Church, considering the current Chief Minister originated from being the Archbishop of Toulouse. Though Foreign Minister Talleyrand was a ¡°wine-drinking monk,¡± he was nominally an archbishop as well.

    Since the Church in France was heavily dependent on royal power and had a working relationship with the Royal Family, it would be addressed gradually through later reforms. After all, it was a lot easier to deal with than the nobility.

    However, upon hearing this, Venio was taken aback, as the Church was not something one could easily mock in those days. He immediately turned his head, pretending he had heard nothing.

    Joseph continued with his agricultural plans, ¡°A large number of former lords¡¯ hunting grounds will gradually be converted to farmland.¡±

    The abolition of hunting privileges was a crucial element of the recently enacted ¡°Decree Abolishing Nobility Privileges,¡± which returned many public lands monopolized by the nobility as hunting grounds to the peasants for cultivation, significantly increasing the available farmland¡ªof course, this was contingent on how peasants could purchase the land to make it truly theirs for farming.

    ¡°You need to make some plans to encourage the peasants to plant vegetables, especially in parishes close to cities. For example, we could provide financial subsidies in the early stages and have the government organize transportation of the vegetables to the cities for sale, reducing the peasants¡¯ transportation costs.¡±

    In France at the moment, because of high transport costs, peasants hardly made any money if the distance exceeded four kilometers.

    As Joseph spoke, he looked down, ¡°Therefore, we still need to build more railway transportation. With wooden tracks, vegetables from the countryside could be transported to places tens of kilometers away.¡±

    With some hesitation, Venio said, ¡°Your Highness, based on what I know, the cities already have enough vegetables like onions and carrots.¡±

    Onions? Carrots? Joseph couldn¡¯t help but facepalm. Coming from a nation of foodies, such words from his Minister of Agriculture were absurd to him.

    But he also knew that the daily diet of the French populace consisted primarily of these items. Or rather, having some vegetable soup along with black bread for each meal was considered quite a fair living standard.

    ¡°You can¡¯t limit yourself to just these items,¡± Joseph broadened his horizon, ¡°First, there¡¯s chili pepper. You only need to plant a little, and it can greatly enhance the flavor of food.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s tomatoes. Yes, tomatoes are indeed harder to cultivate and don¡¯t store well, but you can promote making them into tomato sauce¡ªit¡¯s very simple, just need some glass jars. We will discuss this in more detail later.

    ¡°Apart from these two, plant asparagus and artichokes in the less fertile fields. These plants are easy to grow and produce high yields.¡±

    The vegetables he mentioned had already been introduced into France, with the Palace of Versailles having them, but their cultivation was still quite limited among the general populace.

    After carefully noting down the Crown Prince¡¯s instructions, Venio was still perplexed, ¡°Your Highness, but why should we put effort into vegetables? I mean, grains and potatoes are most important.¡±

    ¡°Commercial value,¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°With just a small amount of land resources, we can significantly improve the quality of life for both peasants and city dwellers, why wouldn¡¯t we do it?¡±

    Joseph was well aware that after the abolition of aristocratic privileges, the lower class could barely manage to survive, far from eliminating their dissatisfaction with society.

    In a situation where both the Old Nobility and the military were restive, this could be dangerous.

    Therefore, improving the quality of life for the lower classes is also an extremely important task at present.

    In fact, if we could gain the absolute support of a large number of the lower classes, the Royal Family would have nothing to fear¡­ However, with the current level of production, to satisfy more than 96% of the population is virtually a pipe dream.

    But it is still possible to improve their quality of life as much as we can.

    For example, by making their meals more varied.

    And this can be achieved with some inexpensive vegetables and a few cooking techniques.

    As for cooking, the chefs of France do have some skill. Moreover, Joseph can also pass on the traditional craft of the great food-loving nation to everyone, ensuring that even ordinary cabbage can be turned into a delicious stir-fry.

    When the common people come back from a day¡¯s work, if they can have some stir-fried dishes and soups in addition to gnawing on rye bread, they will surely be deeply grateful to their King.

    Joseph said to Venio, ¡°You also need to cooperate with the Church to produce a simple cooking manual, so that priests or nuns can organize cooking lessons for the women every week.

    ¡°Hmm, remember to include this promotional slogan¡ª¡¯If you want to capture his heart, first capture his stomach.''¡±

    As he was saying this, the carriage suddenly came to a stop.

    Eman leaned out of the window for a glance, then turned to Joseph with a bow, ¡°Your Highness, the wooden railway has come to an end. From here we must switch to horse-drawn carriages.¡±

    Joseph nodded, as the wooden railway had only just barely reached the western part of Reims. This thing was still very expensive to build, so for now, it stretched only a few dozen kilometers from Paris out to the surrounding cities.

    Before boarding the carriage, he caught a glimpse of the three horses drawing the wagon and was suddenly reminded of something. Turning to Venio, he asked, ¡°By the way, do you know about soybeans?¡±

    Venio was rather well-read and immediately nodded, ¡°Are you referring to that bean from the Far East? Some botanists are quite interested in them. Oh, and some farmers in Georgia, United States, grow them to feed their cattle.¡±

    Joseph was relieved to learn that France had already introduced soybeans; he had indeed been worried that he might need to acquire seeds from Asia.

    ¡°I need you to promote this crop in France, especially in the northern provinces.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Are we going to use it to feed cattle as well?¡±

    Joseph gestured for him to get into the carriage, ¡°You can feed it to the cattle normally, or make soy sauce¡­ oh, a kind of condiment. But in times of war, soybeans become the best feed for warhorses¡ªsmall in size, easy to carry, and feeding just a little to the horses can significantly boost their strength.¡±

    Compared with the oats currently used as a ¡°nutritional supplement¡± for warhorses in Europe, soybeans have unparalleled advantages, requiring only a third of the quantity to achieve the same effect as oats.

    This would be a great improvement for logistical transportation¡ªthe feeding of warhorses constitutes the largest part of military logistics.

    Moreover, soybeans are easy to carry, and the Cavalry only need to fill their pockets with a few handfuls to sustain their horses for several days, eliminating the need to repeatedly return to base for supplies.

 Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 267: The Romance of Steel and Steam

    Chapter 347: Chapter 267: The Romance of Steel and Steam

    With the blessing of soybeans, coupled with Napoleon¡¯s ¡°on-the-spot resupply¡± mode, the French Army¡¯s logistical capability would crush any European opponent.

    There has always been a saying about war, ¡°Amateurs talk strategy, professionals talk logistics.¡±

    Logistics is always the most important link in warfare, which is why everyone from the Spring and Autumn period to the Three Kingdoms era loved to burn the enemy¡¯s supply of grain at every opportunity.

    The logistical advantage brought by soybeans is even more important than new-style firearms.

    Joseph continued, ¡°When there is no war, we can purchase a large amount of soybeans from the farmers and store them in the strategic reserve grain silos.¡±

    What he didn¡¯t say was that in the event of a severe famine, these could also be mixed into bread as rations.

    Venio just made notes of everything as he followed Joseph.

    By the time dinner arrived, he looked at the thick stack of work arrangements in front of him and couldn¡¯t help feeling overwhelmed.

    He originally thought his role as the Minister of Agriculture would involve leisurely urging the planting of potatoes as in the past, but he didn¡¯t expect the Crown Prince to have so many tasks for him.

    It seemed that his promise to Lady Lacroix to take her on a trip to Spain was going to fall through¡­

    Two days later, the caravan arrived in Nancy.

    Venio busied himself with the purchase of potatoes. Nowadays, the northeast of France had almost become a ¡°potato breeding base,¡± and as the Minister of Agriculture, he had to give it special attention.

    Meanwhile, Joseph went straight to the industrial development park.

    This was the purpose of his trip. To grow the domestic economy, vigorously promoting industrial development was fundamental. Merely a portion of the Industrial Revolution¡¯s dividends could feed the grumbling noble class. That¡¯s exactly what the British did historically.

    From a great distance, Joseph could see thick plumes of black smoke rolling up into the sky.

    In later ages, this would certainly incur heavy fines from environmental agencies, but at present, it was a symbol of advancement and civilization.

    This time, Joseph had not notified the industrial park in advance, giving only an hour¡¯s notice to the park¡¯s manager, Ramo, before his arrival.

    Therefore, only Ramo, William Murdoch, Sandler, and about a dozen others were at the gate to welcome him.

    Joseph joined them in a hand-cranked trolley running on wooden rails, speeding towards the depths of the park. Since this stretch was downhill, the car moved swiftly even with only two people cranking the lever.

    Joseph looked around and saw that nearly one-third of the park had been built up with factories. Compared to the sparse buildings from his visit last year, it was now brimming with vibrancy.

    Ramo wiped the black soot from his face with a handkerchief¡ªGod as his witness, he had washed his face before leaving, and this was all from the coal smoke along the way¡ªand then eagerly introduced to the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, now over half of the factories in the development zone have achieved production standardization, and the production efficiency has increased several times over compared to before.

    ¡°The remaining factories, oh, they can now only be considered workshops, and many are newly built, but they are also spreading standardized production.

    ¡°Our goal is to have over 80% of the factories reach production standardization by the end of this year.¡±

    The attitudes of these factory owners had changed greatly compared to last year¡ªthey had seen with their own eyes the terrifying efficiency after other factories implemented standardized production.

    Efficiency can reduce costs and increase output, and that means glittering livres!

    For capitalists, nobody can stop them from doing something that makes money. Consequently, Jean Sone¡¯s previously founded ¡®Production Management Consultancy Company¡¯ is now thriving, and the cost of implementing standardization reforms continues to rise. Employees are working till dark every day before they can leave work.

    Ramo stood up and pointed towards a large complex of buildings to the west, ¡°Your Highness, look, that is Viscount Olivier¡¯s ironworks. Oh, he later made investments twice, and now he owns three blast furnaces and four reverberatory furnaces. In the first three months of this year, he has already produced nearly 24 million pounds of iron ingots, and he expects to produce over 98 million pounds this year.

    ¡°Moreover, his steel mill has employed quite a few British technicians, and the quality of the steel produced now has basically reached the level of those in Birmingham.¡±

    He added in a lower voice, ¡°It¡¯s just that the cost is still a bit high¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, France¡¯s steel industry has always been decades behind England, and given the scarcity of iron ore, it is difficult to match British costs.

    He remembered that last year when he came here, the total pig iron production of the entire development zone was only 7,000 tons. Now, just Viscount Olivier¡¯s firm alone has reached 98 million pounds, which is nearly 50,000 tons. This rate of progress was truly astounding.

    Bear in mind, last year the entire country of France produced only 120,000 tons of pig iron.

    With the policy support in the industrial park and the added boost of production standardization, this single ironworks has produced nearly half of the previous year¡¯s national output.

    Ramo, the manager, continued, ¡°Adding the Gregoire brothers¡¯ ironworks and several other smaller ones, the total iron ingot production of the development zone this year should exceed 200 million pounds.¡±

    200 million pounds is almost 100,000 tons.

    The Nancy development zone has basically reached the past pig iron production of All of France.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but smile. If you add the ironworks of Saint-Etienne and Lille, France¡¯s pig iron production this year will very likely surpass England by a considerable amount!

    Although the cost may also be higher than England¡¯s, only with steel production is an industrial revolution possible.

    This is a very good start indeed.

    He then asked Ramo, ¡°What about the sales situation?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, recently a lot of wooden railways have been laid out in our country, consuming over 60% of the iron ingots. Most of the remainder is sold in Paris and the southern provinces, and some are sold nearby to Bavaria and Wurttemberg.¡±

    Although wooden railways are mainly made of wood, a layer of iron sheet is still covered on top to prevent wear and tear; in addition, iron is also used in parts like rivets and connectors.

    So if it weren¡¯t for the substantial increase in iron production here in Nancy, even the twenty to thirty kilometres of wooden railways around Paris might not have been laid down.

    In the future, if we want to lay down steel rails, the consumption of iron and steel will be astronomical.

    Joseph suddenly remembered the ¡°blast furnace ironmaking¡± technology. He might not be clear on the details, but having seen some documentaries, he understood the principles.

    This could be a major boon for increasing pig iron production and could also be achieved by modifying existing blast furnaces, without the need for new ones.

    He immediately ordered Ramo, ¡°Please arrange for several ironworks owners, oh, and their core technicians, to come see me tomorrow morning. It¡¯s a matter of great importance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    As the rail cart made its way around the expansive ironworks district, Eman began to wipe the soot off Joseph¡¯s face with a handkerchief.

    Murdock, who had finally found an opportunity to speak, pointed eagerly towards a factory not far ahead, as if to take credit, ¡°Your Highness, your United Steam Engine Company has tripled in size in this nearly one year.¡±

 Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 268 In the 18th century, the most important thing was talent!

    Chapter 348: Chapter 268 In the 18th century, the most important thing was talent!

    ¡°You have done very well,¡± Joseph said to Murdock, not sparing any compliments. ¡°Your effective work has brought much-needed irrigation water to hundreds of parishes, powering numerous mills that could still operate last winter despite the rivers freezing over.¡±

    ¡°You and the United Steam Engine Company have been widely praised by all of France, including myself. In fact, I hold you in higher regard than anyone else.¡±

    While his words may have been slightly exaggerated, Murdock indeed deserved such praise.

    In just half a year, he had helped to establish a full production line for the Steam Engine Company; to date, the produced LJ15 type 15-horsepower steam engines were very mature, with a failure rate very close to Watt¡¯s similar products.

    Moreover, at Joseph¡¯s request, Murdock had also completed the compact design of the LJ15. Excluding the water tank and other accessories, it could be hauled around the world on a donkey cart. In this respect, he had even surpassed Watt.

    As it turned out, he hadn¡¯t been boasting; he truly was a world-class technician.

    Murdock¡¯s face flushed with pride at the praise, and he immediately placed his hand on his chest and bowed, ¡°Receiving your affirmation is a tremendous honor for me. Please be assured, I will definitely lead the United Steam Engine Company to even greater heights!¡±

    He paused for a moment, then raised his voice, ¡°That will be a splendor surpassing the Boulton-Watt Company!¡±

    Joseph felt a bit amused upon hearing this. How deep was this technician¡¯s grudge against Watt?

    A mischievous idea suddenly came to him. If he were to hang a portrait of an expressionless Watt at life¡¯s height in Murdock¡¯s office, would it increase the latter¡¯s work efficiency by several times?

    Sandler then chimed in from the side, ¡°Your Highness, we are already on the path of surpassing them.¡±

    He exchanged glances with Murdock, ¡°The prototype of our latest high-pressure Steam Engine, the LJ26H, completed its tests two months ago. It has been working continuously for over 60 hours and has reached a power of 26 horsepower!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Although Joseph had already heard this news, he was still very happy to hear it again. The High-Pressure Steam Engine was indeed the direction of the future, the true tool for increasing thermal efficiency.

    And higher thermal efficiency meant consuming less coal and accomplishing more!

    Due to Watt¡¯s conservativeness and obstinacy, refusing to embrace the High-Pressure Steam Engine, France had already taken the lead over England in this domain.

    Murdock added, ¡°Your Highness, we have mostly completed the mass production preparations for LJ26H. We expect to begin production and sales at the start of next month.¡±

    During the conversation, the railcar had arrived at the entrance of the United Steam Engine Company.

    Joseph wanted to see the latest model of the High-Pressure Steam Engine and got off the cart right there.

    The company was bustling with activity; craftsmen continuously transported materials into the sheds, and the sounds of metal being worked on were heard everywhere¡ªmechanics were mainly handcrafted in this era.

    Of course, there were also the shrill ¡°zzz¡± sounds from drills and milling machines, mixing with the workers¡¯ calls, creating a rugged and sharp symphony of the steam age.

    The workers merely glanced curiously at the group of lavishly dressed visitors before hurrying back to work at the foreman¡¯s behest.

    Most of them had been hired in the past half year and had not seen the Crown Prince before.

    Murdock led Joseph to the ¡°Second Assembly Area¡± on the east side of the company, where a steam engine stood more than a man¡¯s height tall¡ªa clear size up from the LJ15 with several craftsmen busying around it.

    Once Murdock received news of the Crown Prince¡¯s visit, he had someone start heating the boiler. Approaching to check the pressure gauge and asking a few questions to the craftsmen nearby, he then personally took charge of operating it.

    More than ten minutes later, LJ26H emitted a plume of white smoke as the piston began to move slowly.

    The huge iron wheel used as a load started to rotate, and as coal was continuously fed into the furnace, its speed increased.

    Murdock, watching the smoothly operating machine, proudly turned to Joseph and said, ¡°Your Highness, now that we have reliable high-pressure steam engine technology, John and I plan to scale it up to create a ¡®monster¡¯ that exceeds 50 horsepower!¡±

    After the high-pressure steam engine technology was mature, scaling it up was not very difficult. The main challenges were casting and pressure testing the boiler and cylinder, along with redesigning parts like the valves.

    Joseph¡¯s interest was piqued instantly by these words.

    You see, if steam engines could reach an output of 100 horsepower, then installing three or four units at the same time would be enough to power the warships of this era!

    Even without such high horsepower, just a bit more progress to around 70 horsepower would suffice for powering paddle steamers suitable for inland waterway navigation.

    That would be a transportation revolution!

    Although paddle steamers did not have as exaggerated an effect on productivity as trains, in the densely interwoven inland waterways of Western Europe, the improvement was still very apparent.

    If combined with the Rhine River navigation, it would be possible to transport a large volume of French goods to the Germany region for sale at extremely low freight costs.

    This would bring huge profits for France!

    However, after weighing the options, Joseph still decided to put large high-pressure steam engines on hold for the time being.

    Murdock had other important uses¡ªthe impact of gas lamps may be somewhat less than that of paddle steamers, but they were much simpler and had quicker results.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh, wishing there could be more talents like Murdock.

    It was a pity he had only found one.

    He lowered his hand as a sign to calm down, interrupting Murdock¡¯s enthusiasm, ¡°Actually, I have something very important that I need you to do as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Yes, please give your orders.¡±

    Joseph gestured for him to enter the adjacent office with him. After they closed the door behind them, silencing the noise of the steam engine, he said, ¡°I plan to install coal gas streetlights on all the streets of Paris. Yes, the combustible gas produced from coal that you once mentioned. We can use it to light up the street lamps.¡±

    Although Murdock was more interested in working on his large steam engine, the idea of lighting up all the streets of Paris excited him.

    ¡°However, Your Highness, while I have the technology for distilling coal to obtain gas, oh, I¡¯ve also applied for a patent in Paris, there is no suitable lamp for it yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯ll need to show your talent,¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°I believe it won¡¯t be a difficult task for you.¡±

    He thought to himself that all he needed was for Murdock to bring forward his invention by two or three years, and if the reward was substantial, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?

    ¡°I do have a few ideas¡­¡± Murdock rubbed his hands subconsciously, pondering for a moment before lifting his head and saying, ¡°Alright, Your Highness, I will certainly create this device as quickly as possible!¡±

    Joseph nodded, pleased, ¡°I will establish a Gas Lamp Company that can either purchase your patent, or you can join the company using your patent as a stake. Oh, the company¡¯s investment will be around three million livres.¡±

 Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Chapter 269: The Monarchy of the New Era

    Chapter 349: Chapter 269: The Monarchy of the New Era

    Murdock naturally did not hesitate to choose to invest, obtaining a 5% share of the Gas Lamp Company with his distilled gas and, for now, the gas lamp patent that was still in his mind.

    5% might not sound like much, but if you calculate it based on an investment of 3 million livres, that¡¯s a full 150,000!

    This didn¡¯t even include future dividends and the continuous increase in stock prices as the company grew.

    Joseph went into detail with Murdock about his plans for the gas streetlights, to which the latter immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, if you want to ensure the absolute safety of the gas pipelines, I suggest using gun barrels as conduits.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph also vaguely recalled a documentary he had seen in his previous life, which mentioned that the gas streetlights that Murdock created for London did indeed use gun barrels for gas pipelines.

    Perhaps this was the inevitability of history.

    He nodded, ¡°In the near future, a large number of old guns will be retired. Let¡¯s use those gun barrels.¡±

    After the new caplock guns were put into service, it would be possible to recycle the retired flintlock guns.

    After finishing discussing the gas lamp matter with Murdock, it was already three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    Joseph got back on the railcar and continued touring the park until it got dark before returning to where he was staying.

    Standing by the window and watching Murdock¡¯s departing figure, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, if only there were more talents like him¡­

    At that thought, an idea suddenly struck him: right, talent can be recruited. Wasn¡¯t Murdock recruited from England?

    Why not launch a ¡°Talent Introduction Plan¡± as a national initiative?

    Advertise in various countries, promising that anyone with skills who wanted to develop in France would receive government funding for their entrepreneurial endeavors. In addition to monetary awards and housing, even matrimonial issues could be solved¡ªduring this era, it was much easier to have officials help you find a marriage partner than in later times.

    And to marry a fashionable and elegant French lady at that! This would especially be an irresistible temptation for talents from Germany, Russia, and other countries.

    The more Joseph thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He was so engrossed that he skipped dinner, grabbed pen and paper, and began planning: ¡°Mmm, outstanding talents could also be granted noble titles.

    ¡°Right, might as well create the Nobel Prize too, which would have even greater appeal to talents¡­ Ah, the name will definitely need to be changed, let¡¯s call it the ¡®Louis Prize¡¯.

    ¡°The Louis Prize for Physics, the Louis Prize for Chemistry¡­ this time, we can¡¯t forget about mathematics¡ªthe Louis Prize for Mathematics is a must!

    ¡°In the future, France will inevitably begin to replace England as the new academic center of Europe!

    ¡°Even making the Louis Prize ceremony more grandiose could stimulate tourism and generate income. Perhaps after giving out the prizes, there could still be profit to be made¡­¡±

    The next morning, the owners of various ironworks in the development zone brought their technicians, as promised, to Joseph¡¯s residence.

    After a simple exchange of greetings, Joseph asked everyone to sit and got straight to the point: ¡°I have a technology here that you all might be interested in.¡±

    He glanced toward the distant steel blast furnaces: ¡°I can increase the furnace temperature by 200 to 300 degrees, and it can be done by modifying existing blast furnaces, without the need for building new ones.¡±

    Those factory owners who knew their stuff immediately widened their eyes in surprise, while those who didn¡¯t quite understand hurriedly whispered to the technicians beside them: ¡°What does this mean?¡±

    ¡°Sir, never mind 200 degrees, even a 100-degree increase would be incredible!¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    ¡°You know, reaching 1200 degrees in a blast furnace is very difficult. Below this temperature, the iron in the iron ore hasn¡¯t fully melted; instead, it turns into a somewhat sticky fluid that flows out from the bottom of the blast furnace.¡±

    The melting point of iron is above 1500 degrees, but because the iron ore is mixed with a small amount of other metals, its melting point drops to around 1200 degrees.

    ¡°But this sticky molten iron contains many impurities, making it very brittle, or prone to cracking upon solidification. Therefore, it needs to be refined further in a reverberatory furnace. The temperature inside a reverberatory furnace is very high, reaching over 1500 degrees, which can burn off impurities in the molten iron. Moreover, we can add carbon to the completely liquid iron in the reverberatory furnace to adjust its hardness, or add additives to further remove impurities. Only after such refinement can the steel become strong and durable.¡±

    This is the difference between ironmaking and steelmaking.

    Although both iron and steel are mainly composed of the element Fe, the former contains impurities such as silicon and sulfur, making it neither tough nor durable. Only after removing the impurities and adding an appropriate amount of carbon can it be called steel. Whether it is high-quality agricultural tools, or swords and springs, they must be made of steel.

    Last year, France¡¯s pig iron production was 120,000 tons, while steel was a mere five or six thousand tons.

    Those factory owners were also very shrewd, and upon hearing this, they roughly understood¡ªif the temperature of the iron-making blast furnace could be increased by over 200 degrees to reach 1400 degrees, many processes that are only possible during steelmaking could be completed in the iron-making furnace.

    Even for applications with less demanding requirements, the high-quality iron from the blast furnace could suffice.

    This would definitely greatly improve the efficiency of their factories!

    Sensing the factory owners¡¯ fervent gazes upon himself, Joseph continued, ¡°I believe everyone understands the significance of increasing the temperature by 200 degrees.

    ¡°Raising the furnace temperature can speed up the iron extraction from the ore, significantly increasing the daily output of iron. Additionally, a high temperature can oxidize the silicon mixed in the iron while it¡¯s still in the blast furnace¡­¡±

    Unsure whether these people understood things like silicon oxidation, he summarized, ¡°In short, it improves the quality of iron ingots and drastically reduces the time needed for steelmaking later on.¡±

    Viscount Olivier, unable to resist the temptation, carefully asked, ¡°Your Highness, can you tell us how we could obtain this technology?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°Actually, I plan to establish a ¡®French Steel Technology Association.¡¯ Members of the association will have access to all the association¡¯s technologies, such as blast furnace heating technology. In addition, the association will also organize members to develop new technologies and improve everyone¡¯s production processes.¡±

    The factory owners didn¡¯t respond because they knew there had to be numerous conditions attached to such a favorable proposition.

    Joseph looked around at everyone and continued, ¡°Oh, the association will also coordinate some aspects of membership, such as the sales restrictions for steel production and product quality evaluation. Of course, if you don¡¯t use the association¡¯s technology, then naturally you are not subject to the restrictions.¡±

    He then explained to everyone what the restrictions and evaluations entailed.

    Simply put, if you use the technology from the Steel Technology Association, who you sell your steel to must be approved by the association, and you absolutely cannot sell to orders that are prohibited.

    Quality evaluation is conducted by the association inspecting your products and publishing product grades.

    The steel industry is the skeleton of the industrial revolution; as long as one can control steel, they can essentially restrict the production of the majority of enterprises.

    As long as one is the manager of the association, they can effectively control the capitalists, and at the same time, it¡¯s like holding the knife that divides the cake.

 Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 270: Winds of Change in North Africa

    Chapter 350: Chapter 270: Winds of Change in North Africa

    Viscount Olivier hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, but if there are too many orders prohibited from sale, factories will struggle to survive¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled and waved his hand, ¡°Please rest assured, the association will not interfere with the vast majority of orders. Only a few buyers who may threaten national security will be banned, which might occur once in a few years.¡±

    The factory owners all heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this¡ªunder such terms, there were practically no restrictions.

    Compared with the benefits brought by the new technology¡ªsignificant improvement in the quality of iron ingots and an increase in the production of fine steel¡ªthis was completely acceptable.

    In fact, they hadn¡¯t noticed the ¡°quality evaluation¡± clause. And this was the main means of controlling the steel factories.

    The so-called quality evaluation was an assessment carried out on a company, equivalent to rating the company.

    How prestigious the three major rating agencies in the future United States were, was common knowledge¡ªif they took a dislike to you and downgraded your rating, your stocks could be blown instantly.

    These factory owners had yet to experience such manipulation. Just imagine, if all other steel factories were rated A++ and only yours was B, who would buy your products?

    In the future, wouldn¡¯t these factory owners have to cooperate sincerely with the Crown Prince?

    Joseph threw out another bait, ¡°Oh, before long, the association will also announce a new iron smelting technology using new fuel, which can further reduce the impurities in iron ingots and increase production.¡±

    He was referring to using coke to smelt iron.

    One of the by-products of distilling coal gas, which had been put into use with gas lamps, was coke.

    This material, as a fuel for smelting iron, had advantages like low impurities and high calorific value. It was ideally suited for development as part of the gas lamp¡¯s accessory industry.

    It was young Mr. Gregoire who first became restless, ¡°Your Highness, Gregoire Brothers Steel Company sincerely hopes to join the Steel Technology Association.¡±

    Viscount Olivier and the other factory owners immediately followed suit, ¡°Your Highness, Hilker Steel Company also applies to join the association!¡±

    ¡°And the Red Furnace Ironworks¡­¡±

    ¡°And Wilhaurite Steel¡­¡±

    Joseph gestured for Ramo, the development zone manager, to distribute the association¡¯s prepared regulations and application forms to everyone, ¡°Please fill out the applications and submit them to Mr. Ramo. Afterwards, the association will send technicians to teach you the new smelting technology, which might take some time due to the various procedures involved.¡±

    In truth, there were no such procedures, but Joseph had yet to file a patent for ¡°hot blast iron smelting,¡± and the technicians also needed to convert his principles into blueprints, all of which required time.

    The factory owners didn¡¯t mind waiting a few more months since, by the standards of the era, implementing anything new was never too swift.

    Joseph cautioned them, ¡°Oh, right, you might want to start purchasing some refractory bricks, and steam engines to drive the blowers, as these will be needed later.¡±

    The factory owners busily instructed their technicians to take note.

    Joseph stayed in Nancy for three days, sorting out various aspects of industrial enterprise development, then set off southward, heading to Saint-Etienne.

    The newly established industrial development zone there had been officially in use for four months¡ªowing to its closer proximity to Paris, its scale was by no means smaller than that of Nancy.

    Joseph naturally needed to visit there too, and he was also planning to bring the steel factories there into the ¡°Steel Technology Association.¡±

    The visit to Saint-Etienne was very similar to Nancy. After Joseph left the development zone and prepared to continue eastward to Lyon, France¡¯s textile industry center, to promote the newly replicated automatic loom.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped; currently, all industrial sectors in France needed him to create a framework and lay down advanced concepts before gradually handing them over to people like Mirabeau. Recently, he had been incredibly busy, barely keeping his feet on the ground.

    However, when he arrived east of Lyon at Folei, he encountered a messenger waiting for him there.

    The latter delivered a letter from the Royal Armory into his hands. The letter said that the mass-produced type of the automated loom had encountered some problems, mainly due to the insufficient precision in the craftsmen¡¯s workmanship, and that Louis XVI had to instruct each one of them in person, resulting in the completion of the first batch of ten looms being delayed until the end of next month.

    Joseph helplessly took out his itinerary, looked down at it, and finally decided to return to Paris first to apply for the patent for ¡°hot blast iron smelting.¡±

    Before he could set out, however, he received a report from the National Intelligence Agency, which was the upgraded Police Affairs Department.

    He opened the sealed letter and passed it along with the codebook to Eman.

    The latter expertly and quickly deciphered the code and then turned to look at Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, a coup occurred in Tripoli six days ago.¡±

    Joseph frowned, took the translated report, and saw that it read: On March 18, Ottoman officer Ali Benjiur launched a coup in Tripoli with the support of nobles dissatisfied with the Pasha.

    The Pasha of Tripoli, Ali I, fled to Egypt. Benjiur declared that Tripoli was once again under Ottoman rule.

    There were signs that the British were involved in the coup, including the provision of weaponry and funds for the insurgents, most of which came from England.

    The British? Joseph immediately became alert. The British would not meddle in the affairs of a small Mediterranean country with just a few hundred thousand residents without cause; they were most likely targeting France.

    It seemed that, although he had been very restrained, having limited France¡¯s influence in North Africa to the small region of Tunisia and not directly capturing Algiers as in history, he had still caught the British¡¯s attention.

    There was something fishy about this, and he could not afford to be careless.

    Joseph picked up his itinerary again, looked at the last line, and sighed:

    ¡°It seems necessary to make a trip to Tunisia ahead of schedule.¡±

    Tunisia, after the great chaos caused by the expulsion of the Imperial Guard, had largely restored order through governance over the past few months. He was originally planning to go there to address some issues and arrange subsequent development plans.

    He looked at Eman:

    ¡°Murat¡¯s Corps are still in Montpellier, right?¡±

    The latter recalled and nodded:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, they have just completed the reorganization of the Moncalm Legion and probably have not returned to Murat yet.¡±

    Joseph immediately wrote a letter, sealed it with a wax seal, stamped his private seal on it, and handed it to Eman:

    ¡°Send someone to Montpellier immediately, and deliver this to Colonel Andre.¡±

    In the letter, he requested Andre to take two regiments and head straight for Toulon and then take a ship to Tunisia from there.

    He wrote another letter and instructed Eman, ¡°This one goes back to the Palace of Versailles, instruct the General Staff to issue a replacement order.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s also head to the Port of Toulon to board a ship. Oh, if Her Majesty the Queen asks, just say I went to a ¡®Domestic Province.''¡±

    Hmm, after all, Tunisia is indeed a province of France now.

 Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 271 Serious Situation

    Chapter 351: Chapter 271 Serious Situation

    Ottoman Empire.

    Constantinople.

    Sultan Hamid I lay in bed watching the British envoy leave.

    The servant bowed his head and closed the door, then he weakly turned to look at the Grand Vizier:

    ¡°How do you think we should best handle this matter?¡±

    The Grand Vizier Yusuf pondered for a few seconds before answering:

    ¡°Great Sultan, although the British proposal to ¡®Jointly strike at Tunisia¡¯ is not practical, they did indeed offer assistance, helping our people take control of Tripoli.

    ¡°The Empire has just experienced a failure in Labia and needs some victories to boost morale. I suggest that we dispatch troops to garrison Tripoli and make it a true province of the Empire.

    ¡°In addition, this would create a pincer movement on Egypt, threatening the Mamluks to come to the Topkapi Palace and renew their loyalty to you.¡±

    Although Egypt claimed to be part of the Ottoman territory, in reality, it was controlled by the Mamluk faction. The Ottoman Empire had always been reluctant to relinquish the fertile land of Egypt but could not gain an advantage over the Mamluk Cavalry, and so they had never truly controlled Egypt.

    Hamid I nodded silently:

    ¡°I hope I live to see that day. You choose some troops and have the navy transport them to Tripoli. I need to rest for a while¡­¡±

    ¡°As you command, great Sultan.¡±

    Yusuf bowed and excused himself.

    Due to France¡¯s influence in Tunisia, the current state of the Ottoman Empire differed from that in history¡ªthey had not expended their main forces in the Russo-Turkish War, so they still had some military strength to deploy.

    A few days later, more than ten thousand Ottoman Imperial Guard and Sipahi Cavalry were aboard transport ships headed for Tunisia.

    ¡­

    French North African territories, Province of Sousse.

    Tunis City.

    Joan and Isaac, along with a few officials, welcomed the arrival of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at a villa north of the city.

    Although Joan was now merely the administrative commissioner of Sousse, he was in charge of the administration there as the governor had not yet taken office.

    Meanwhile, as Isaac had once served as the leader of the Tunisian Rebel Forces, he also had considerable influence within the Tunisian Legion, which had been reformed from the rebel army.

    It could be said that they were the military and political leaders of the Province of Sousse.

    Joseph had specifically instructed that his whereabouts not to be publicized, otherwise, being surrounded by a large group of Tunisian dignitaries every day, he would certainly not be able to attend to any serious matters.

    Joan and Isaac respectfully ushered the Crown Prince into the villa¡¯s hall and had someone serve high-quality coffee produced locally.

    Joseph then signaled for everyone to sit down and asked directly, ¡°Are you aware of the situation in Tripoli?¡±

    Isaac hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the people of Ben Guerir have completely taken control of the area from Tripoli City to Benghazi, and are now attacking the Pasha¡¯s forces in Zuwara.¡±

    He then spoke in detail about the current warfare in Zuwara.

    Zuwara is a city bordering Tripoli and Tunisia. At present, fewer than 600 soldiers remain loyal to Ali I, the Pasha of Tripoli. They are making a stubborn stand here.

    However, under the superior firepower of the rebel forces equipped with British equipment, they were barely hanging on, especially after Ali I subsequently fled Tripoli, which further demoralized them.

    Joseph then asked, ¡°Will they pose a threat to Tunisia?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, although there is such a possibility, Ben Guerir only has an army of 2,000 men. If he dares to set foot in Tunisia, he can be completely dealt with by the Tunisian Legion stationed in Sfax.¡±

    As they were talking, an Arab-descended intelligence agent gestured anxiously to Isaac from outside the door. Isaac frowned and quickly stepped outside. After listening to the agent¡¯s report, he immediately returned to the hall and informed Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, we have just received news. The Sultan of Morocco has dispatched 12,000 of the Imperial Guard to Algiers. In addition, the Algiers Guard seems to have acquired a batch of flintlock guns, mostly produced by Germany or Spain, but it is very likely they were provided by the British.¡±

    Over the years of war, the British have obtained a fair amount of Austrian and Spanish weapons through various channels, and it was entirely possible they had given them to Algiers.

    ¡°The British again?¡± Joseph furrowed his brow, ¡°Murat¡¯s Corps will be able to reach Tunisia in a few days. Have them first stationed on the border with Algiers to prevent any surprises.¡±

    He then looked at Isaac, ¡°How many personnel in the Tunisian Legion are relatively strong right now?¡±

    Although the Tunisian Rebel Forces at the time totaled nearly twenty thousand, most of them were the old and frail who followed for the spoils of war. Additionally, many tribal armies had returned to their tribes after the war ended.

    Therefore, those ultimately incorporated into the Tunisian Legion amounted to just over 10,000 men, and among these, even fewer were truly elite and properly trained.

    Isaac hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, the stronger ones are the two battalions of Major Zemir and the battalion of Ghazi can be considered combat effective.¡±

    In other words, those with real combat capabilities were just two and a half battalions, not even 4,000 men. The rest of the soldiers could basically just fire their guns from behind fortifications, and there was a high likelihood they would crumble at the first contact in direct combat.

    Joseph roughly calculated the military forces on the Algerian side and could not help but frown and shake his head, surprised at how suddenly severe the situation in Tunisia had become.

    After all, the last time the Algiers Guard, incited by the British, had launched an attack on Tunisia. With the British involved again this time, precautions were certainly necessary.

    After their last disastrous defeat, the Algiers Guard had about six or seven thousand men left. Together with the Moroccan forces, they were nearing twenty thousand. Relying solely on Murat¡¯s Corps and the native Tunisian troops was very uncertain.

    ¡°It seems we need to transfer more troops from the homeland,¡± he concluded.

    Joseph immediately penned a letter to Bertier and then continued discussing the eastern and western situations in Tunisia with Isaac and others as the sunlight outside began to fade.

    During Crown Prince¡¯s break, Joy busily suggested:

    ¡°Your Highness, I have prepared dinner for you. Shall we dine now?¡±

    Feeling the pangs of hunger at his suggestion, Joseph stood up and followed him to the dining hall.

    On the way, Joseph peered through the arched windows and saw hundreds of people still swinging hoes and shovels busily. He casually asked Joy:

    ¡°What are those people doing so late?¡±

    Joy glanced in that direction, then turned back and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, those are captives from Algiers and Albanian mercenaries from the last war. Now they are enslaved, working on road construction across Tunisia. They will not stop until the sky is completely dark.¡±

    Joseph nodded in understanding; no wonder the reports from Tunisia mentioned the roads being built so quickly¡ªit was the work of strong, healthy captives.

 Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter 272 Gazing into New Zealand

    Chapter 352: Chapter 272 Gazing into New Zealand

    Yet Joy appeared somewhat regretful:

    ¡°If those tens of thousands of Imperial Guards could also be used for road construction, perhaps the ¡®King¡¯s Avenue¡¯ between Tunis City and El Ayoun would have been completed by now.¡±

    Currently, various regions in Tunisia are following France¡¯s example and constructing ¡°King¡¯s Avenues,¡± ¡°Local Roads,¡± or ¡°Branch Roads.¡± However, they could not possibly build them as lavishly as in France; the so-called King¡¯s Avenues here are just over ten meters wide.

    ¡°The Imperial Guard?¡± Joseph turned to look at Joy. He had almost forgotten about these men.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Although many of the Imperial Guards fled to Anatolia during the great uprising, more than 30,000 remain in Tunisia. At present, they have all been driven to Djerba Island.¡±

    Djerba Island is a small island off the eastern coast of Tunisia with a very poor natural environment. Without supplies from mainland Tunisia, it is impossible to sustain 30,000 people on the island.

    Joy continued, ¡°These are not like the captives taken by Algiers; they are very familiar with Tunisia and even have some connections. If we put them to work building roads, people will quickly start to escape.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph narrowed his eyes. So many people represented a tremendous wealth in this era!

    Do not misunderstand; he had no intention of treating the Tunisian Guard as slaves to be sold. Trafficking human lives was something he found deplorable.

    Where could he put these tens of thousands of people?

    After thinking for a while, Joseph said to Joy, ¡°Letting them wait for death on the island is too inhumane; we need to find a way out for them.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s an unexplored golden island in the Pacific Ocean¡ªNew Zealand. We could have the Tunisian Guard go there to work and live.¡±

    Joy recalled it for a moment and hesitantly said:

    ¡°Your Highness, I remember the British claimed colonization rights over it¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled,

    ¡°They just discovered it a few years ago, and they haven¡¯t undertaken any colonization efforts. Currently, New Zealand is still under the domain of the native Maori.¡±

    In fact, it was the Dutch who first discovered New Zealand, and ¡°Zealand¡± is the name of a city in the Netherlands. British explorers, after visiting, thought the island extremely desolate and the natives very fierce, so it wasn¡¯t until 1837 they considered colonizing New Zealand.

    But Joseph planned to get there first; after all, New Zealand is an important wool-producing region. The natural conditions there are so favorable that one only needs to drive the sheep to the pasture, and people can collect the wool annually without much need for shepherds. Before Australia developed, New Zealand was the world¡¯s largest wool-producing area!

    Compared to England, France¡¯s textile industry is severely handicapped by two major factors: the lack of expansive colonial markets and wool-producing regions.

    England itself is the largest wool-producing area in Europe. If France wants to compete with England in industrial might, the textile industry must not lag behind, hence the value of New Zealand becomes evident.

    In this era, Europeans were not very willing to seek a livelihood in the distant Pacific Ocean. When England colonized New Zealand in the 19th century, there were only about 2,000 people who went there. Yet Joseph had over 30,000 people under his command!

    Although many of them were elderly, weak, sick or disabled, at least half of them were capable of being put to work in production. Only a few thousand French people would need to be sent to manage them, which could rapidly establish the colonial situation in New Zealand.

    Of course, how to interact with the indigenous Maori of New Zealand was also a key point in successfully taking over New Zealand. For this, Joseph had the various lessons from the English colonization of New Zealand in later years, naturally giving him confidence in this regard.

    Joan was merely a local official in Tunisia, with no particular research into the country¡¯s Pacific strategy. He would just follow whatever the Crown Prince said. Nodding, he agreed:

    ¡°Your Highness, then I will arrange to transport some food to Djerba Island and send people to tally the numbers. Once the navy¡¯s transport ships arrive, we can directly load them up and take them away.¡±

    ¡°You have my thanks,¡± said Joseph, ¡°but it¡¯s not the navy that will be coming for them; it¡¯s the Gemini Trading Company.¡±

    His original plan was to persuade the Dutch to establish the United East India Company together and hand over the development of New Zealand to this company.

    However, after being severely defeated by the British in the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War a few years ago, the Dutch had been somewhat fearful of England and thus had not made up their minds to cooperate with France.

    That piece of fat meat then had to be given to the Gemini Trading Company.

    Since incorporating the ships of the Tunisian Navy, the transportation capacity of the Gemini Company had greatly improved. Currently, over seventy percent of the trade between Russia and France was operated by the Gemini Company. In addition, it was also involved in trade with Nauru, the Caribbean Sea, and the United States, already becoming quite a sizable company.

    Reflecting on this, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh that, compared to the Dutch, the Russians certainly were more decisive in their actions. There was also an advantage in the Russian temperament¡ªif they considered you a friend, they would genuinely put in the effort to help. Alexei had secured almost every concession he could for the Gemini Company from Russia, which substantially increased the trade volume between Russia and France.

    Of course, even brothers settle accounts clearly. The Gemini Company could handle the trade and transportation of New Zealand, but only French people must be the ones to set foot on the island.

    The main course of the evening banquet was still the Tajine Pot, which Joseph was very fond of. However, since he had arrived in haste this time and did not bring the Imperial Chef from the Palace of Versailles, the taste was slightly inferior. Still, the meal included some Tunisian local specialties like roast camel meat, nut-filled grilled sausages with yogurt, and¡­ a dish that seemed to be fried moth larvae.

    Joseph naturally ignored the last dish, feasted heartily, and then returned to the conference hall.

    It was only then that he finally heard from Joan about the important matter he had been prepared to deal with before coming to Tunisia.

    ¡°Your Highness, as for those rumors, they seem to have started appearing last month,¡± Joan reported. ¡°Besides people spreading them on the streets, there is also a pamphlet about it.¡±

    He gestured for an assistant to bring over a pamphlet, which he then presented to Joseph with both hands:

    ¡°The core view in it is that most Tunisians come from Egypt, descendants of the Prophet. The Berbers, on the other hand, have lived in the desert areas since ancient times, and they have no relation to Rome. Besides, the rumors also fabricate many stories in which Europeans, especially the French people, persecute Tunisians. It advocates that Tunisians should kill us or drive us out of North Africa.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph looked at the pamphlet in his hand with some surprise. These rumors were clearly meant to disrupt French rule over Tunisia, and belonged to the realm of cognitive warfare. To come up with this idea in the 18th century, one had to be a political genius!

    However, if one wanted to engage in cognitive warfare, the geniuses of this era were far from a match for an ordinary person who had experienced the cognitive warfare of a great power in the 21st century.

 Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter 273: The Epic of Tunisia

    Chapter 353: Chapter 273: The Epic of Tunisia

    Joseph raised the booklet towards Joy, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this, I believe the rumors will soon subside.¡±

    ¡°Right, your report also mentioned something about the tribes of Tunisia?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°tribes,¡± a look of gloom appeared on Joy¡¯s face, ¡°Because during the last major uprising, the tribes of Tunisia all sent out warriors, so they each claim they had a part in driving away the Imperial Guard and thus believe the government should give them generous treatment¡­

    ¡°Put simply, the larger tribes are not very proactive in enforcing government orders, and they even fall behind on their taxes.¡±

    Joseph knew he was putting it mildly, in reality, the indigenous tribes were disobedient and not paying taxes.

    This was not surprising, not to mention the 18th century, even in 21st-century Africa, there are still a large number of tribes that operate independently with the government having no control over them whatsoever.

    He asked Joy, ¡°About how many of these tribes are there?¡±

    ¡°There are at least a hundred¡­¡± He hesitated for a moment but decided to reveal the truth, ¡°In fact, only those small tribes with a few hundred people are very cooperative with the government.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but frown; it seemed this was a widespread phenomenon. This attitude needed to be curbed as soon as possible, because the longer it dragged on, the more these tribes would get used to it and be harder to manage.

    Isaac suggested from the side, ¡°Your Highness, perhaps we could pick a few tribes that are most severely behind on their taxes and send the military to punish them.¡±

    Joseph shook his head. At a time when somebody was waging a cognitive war of hostilities against France, attacking indigenous tribes with the military would only be aiding the enemy, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Moreover, his grand goal was to assimilate Tunisia, not simply treat it as a colony, so it was better to reduce conflicts as much as possible.

    After pondering for a while and unable to come up with a good solution, he sighed. After all, one eats a meal one bite at a time, so he might as well deal with the more manageable cognitive war first.

    He then looked at Joy, ¡°Please find me Tunisia¡¯s best writers, and, hmm, several of them.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Mr. Xilada is actually a very good writer.¡±

    Joseph nodded; the same Mr. Xilada had written ¡°Analysis of the Origins of Tunisia,¡± an old acquaintance.

    He further instructed, ¡°Also, please begin preparations for the Tunisian regional competition of the Star of France. Oh, you¡¯ve heard of the Star of France, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I have heard of it, Your Highness, I read the newspapers from Paris carefully every week. In fact, I pay great attention to that grand event; my two sons even competed, and my eldest son advanced two rounds in the Berry district.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. If you¡¯re unclear about any details regarding the preparations, feel free to ask me at any time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    The next day at noon, Xilada, who served as an administrative official inside Tunis City, and two other writers came to the villa where Joseph resided.

    Having been to the Palace of Versailles, Xilada was thrilled to see that the person before him was the Crown Prince and hurried forward to bow respectfully, speaking in perfect French, ¡°Honorable Crown Prince, your presence truly brings radiance to the entire City of Tunis, making the song of angels echo in the ears of every person within the city¡­¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that it was no wonder he was a writer, with his flattery flowing as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water. He then smiled, interrupted him, and gestured toward the carpet: ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±

    After a few people sat down properly on the wool carpet, Joseph had some coffee brought over and then got down to business, ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve asked you all here because I need your help to turn a great legendary story into a novel, or¡­ a historical essay could work as well.¡±

    Xilada skillfully took out paper and pen and nodded earnestly, ¡°Please tell us the main content of this legend.¡±

    Joseph had organized his thoughts the night before, and now he spoke eloquently, ¡°Long ago, on the vast Eurasian continent there were various ethnic groups, including the French, Arab descendants of Tunisia, Berber Tunisians, as well as the wicked Ottoman People and the cunning British¡­¡±

    ¡°Back then, the Grand Mage of the Ottomans, Sofon, had forged a magic ring filled with magical powers, known as ¡®the Magic Ring,¡¯ which was used to conquer the rich Roman Empire. However, due to the Magic Ring¡¯s immense power, Sofon was consumed by it, and the Magic Ring came to rest in some corner of the continent¡­¡±

    ¡°It was only many years later that a Berber named Froy accidentally came into possession of the Magic Ring and learned that he must travel to Constantinople and cast the Magic Ring into the volcano there to destroy it, in order to save the Roman Empire¡­¡±

    ¡°The Magic Ring possessed a seductive magic, and only Froy could resist this power. With the help of numerous brave French and skilled Tunisian Arab archers, he repeatedly thwarted the sieges of the Ottoman People and their British allies¡­¡±

    The story was magnificently grand, filled with a heroic and romantic air; so much so that Xilada and the others forgot to take notes.

    It wasn¡¯t until twilight fell that Joseph finished telling the tale of how Froy successfully destroyed the Magic Ring and his friends became the greatest heroes of the Roman Empire. At this point, several Tunisian writers were simultaneously moved to tears, ¡°Praise our great Rome!¡±

    ¡°As long as Roman compatriots unite, they can overcome all evil!¡±

    ¡°So our ancestors had such legendary experiences¡­¡±

    Xilada seriously assured Joseph with a hand over his heart, ¡°Your Highness, I will ensure this part of history shines with the glory it deserves! I will make the world sing praises of this touching epic!¡±

    He practically and without hesitation defined the story Joseph told as history, completely disregarding the rampant magic within it. Perhaps this was the fervor of a convert.

    The writers skipped dinner and went straight to the second floor of the villa to start writing furiously. Within just three days, they had written a lengthy volume of nearly twenty thousand words titled ¡°The Ring King: Roman Marvels.¡±

    Joseph roughly read through the manuscript, which covered about the first half of Volume One, then instructed Eman to hand it over to Joy and to start printing immediately.

    Joy¡¯s side also moved swiftly, and just a day and a half later, the first batch of manuscripts were distributed throughout Tunisia. Additionally, in order to spread the ¡°epic¡± to Tunisians who were illiterate, he commanded local officials to have people recite the manuscript aloud on the streets.

    Public opinion was almost instantly unanimous.

    Practically everyone in Tunisia was discussing the adventures of Froy and his companions, proudly speaking of their own ancestors¡¯ bravery, recounting the thrilling moments on the battlefield, and even beginning to dress up as characters from the book.

    Anyone who dared say something like ¡°Tunisians have nothing to do with Rome¡± would immediately be mobbed by passersby¡ªdaring to deny that my ancestor was a hero who escorted the ring? Denying that I am a descendant of the great Rome? Who else but you deserves a beating!

    As subsequent volumes of ¡°The Ring King¡± continued to be published, Tunisian society once again erupted in torrents of lashing and curses at the villainous Ottomans and English.

    Afterward, two British spies, who had concocted rumors that ¡°Tunisians have nothing to do with Rome,¡± were caught. These two had previously paid Tunisian accomplices to spread the rumors, but, inspired by their ancestor Froy, the accomplices didn¡¯t even want their payment and ran to the police to confess, implicating the two spies.

 Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter 274: Open Conspiracy

    Chapter 354: Chapter 274: Open Conspiracy

    Joseph looked at the report about the two British spies with a very calm demeanor¡ªif the British weren¡¯t up to something, he might indeed feel a bit uneasy.

    The spies were personally captured by Isaac¡¯s team.

    Because the intelligence was very detailed, the two were knocked unconscious by agents in Tunisia before they had a chance to commit suicide by poison.

    Isaac also found many useful documents in their secret hideout, basically confirming their identities as spies without the need for interrogation.

    ¡°Aside from their being from the British Naval Intelligence, is there any other useful information?¡± Joseph put down the thin report and looked at Isaac.

    Isaac replied with some helplessness, ¡°Your Highness, those two only received orders, they don¡¯t even know who the officer issuing the commands was. After that, they were stuffed onto a merchant ship and landed at the Port of Tunis, disguised as Italian businessmen.¡±

    Joseph shook his head resignedly, ¡°Send them back to Paris, let Talleyrand take them to England, whatever advantage we can knock out of them is a plus. Oh, and it would be best to get Jeanne back, Queen Mary will probably be very pleased.¡±

    He was well aware that considering the British Government¡¯s thick skin, even with irrefutable evidence, they would deny that the spies were theirs, and at most, if utterly cornered, they would merely pay a ransom for their release.

    As the main character in the Diamond Necklace affair, Jeanne had been hiding in England, and Queen Mary often became furious at the mere mention of her. Trading two spies for his mother¡¯s happiness, while also salvaging some of France¡¯s dignity, was more beneficial than just money.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Isaac departed with his orders and returned in less than ten minutes, bowing solemnly, ¡°Your Highness, intelligence has just arrived from Tripoli. Four days ago, over ten thousand Ottoman troops landed in Tripoli and proclaimed Ben Guerir as Pasha.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s brow immediately furrowed. The reinforcement of Algiers by Morocco did not reveal much, but almost simultaneously, a force of over ten thousand Ottomans appeared to the east of Tunisia, and with British involvement on both sides, there was definitely something complex at play.

    He instinctively thought about writing to Paris, asking the general staff to reinforce Tunisia as a precaution.

    However, as he picked up his pen and paper, he suddenly hesitated.

    The British weren¡¯t fools. They wouldn¡¯t believe that just over twenty thousand North African troops, plus ten thousand from the Ottoman Empire, could destabilize France¡¯s foothold in Tunisia¡ªwith these forces¡¯ fighting capability, France would only need to send an additional twenty thousand soldiers to make Tunisia as secure as Fort Knox.

    So, what exactly did the British want to do?

    Joseph looked at the Mediterranean map on the wall, squinting slightly. Port of Toulon was just over four hundred nautical miles from Tunisia, but still separated by the breadth of the Mediterranean Sea.

    Even if only twenty thousand French troops were sent to Tunisia, their logistical consumption would be no different from forces stationed overseas. Considering Tunisia¡¯s current situation, the economy would be greatly affected by supporting twenty thousand soldiers, even if the taxes were collected normally, let alone when many native tribes were in arrears.

    As for a swift victory, decisively defeating Algiers and Tripoli was not realistic either.

    France now could not, and did not want to, engage in a major conflict in North Africa.

    France¡¯s finances had just begun to improve, and domestic reforms also required substantial funds. Engaging in military campaigns in North Africa at this time would likely cause the financial situation to deteriorate once again.

    Moreover, whether attacking Algiers or Tripoli, the other side would attack Tunisia, making it difficult for the French Army to attend to both fronts. Unless more troops were dispatched, which would again increase the financial burden.

    Even if France really did spare no expense to defeat both adversaries, it would be difficult to swallow the gains¡ªas long as France only occupied the small area of Tunisia, other European countries wouldn¡¯t care too much. But if it included both Algiers and Tripoli, effectively taking over most of North Africa and controlling most of the Mediterranean trade, the land area would far exceed that of France itself.

    This is something the European powers could not accept. At this point, England could form alliances and demand that France cede interests in North Africa, or even directly send a fleet to intervene.

    The British Parliament might not risk offending Russia and the United States over a small place like Tunisia to quarrel with France. But for most of North Africa, those British MPs would not hesitate to grant William Pitt Junior the authority to wage war.

    Currently, France was far from a match for the British in the Mediterranean. In history, the French people had spent over a decade amassing warships and, even with the combined forces of the Spanish and Dutch navies, were utterly defeated by the British fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. What more now?

    Yet, after deploying a large number of troops in North Africa, not occupying Algiers and Tripoli would be even less acceptable. The huge military expenses could not be recuperated, inevitably leading to a financial explosion in France and consequently exacerbating domestic conflicts.

    Therefore, for France, the best scenario would be to maintain a sizeable army in Tunisia, sapping Tunisia¡¯s financial revenue.

    Which meant that for a considerable period, Tunisia would not be productive for France.

    Joseph tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop unconsciously, ¡°This is an overt scheme by the British¡­¡±

    ¡­

    On the western side of the European Continent, Port of Lisbon.

    The officer¡¯s door aboard the British third-rate warship Colossus, which was preparing to set sail after resupplying, was knocked upon. The voice of Lord Talmothes, the newly appointed British Maghreb Diplomatic Envoy, came from outside, ¡°Marquis, news just in from Constantinople.¡±

    ¡°The door is open, please come in.¡±

    Lord Talmothes entered the cabin and handed over a secret report to the Marquess of Wellesley, the British Foreign Minister, ¡°Hamid I is critically ill, and their Prime Minister, Yusuf, seems to have no intentions of threatening Tunisia.

    ¡°In fact, according to information obtained by our spies, the Ottoman People only intend to use the garrison in Tripoli as a threat to the Mamluk officers in Egypt.¡±

    [Note 1] The Diamond Necklace Affair: In 1784, a fallen noblewoman named Jeanne who had learned that the Archbishop of Rouen wanted to ingratiate himself with Queen Mary, impersonated the queen¡¯s maid and used forged letters from the queen to deceive the Archbishop of Rouen, making him believe that the queen was interested in him. Thereafter, Jeanne found a prostitute who bore some resemblance to the queen, dressed her up as the queen, and arranged for her to meet the Archbishop in the pitch-dark night to ¡°share heartfelt words.¡±

    After thoroughly convincing Rouen, Jeanne revealed to him that Queen Mary wanted to buy a diamond necklace worth two million livres, but was short of funds. Without hesitation, the Archbishop paid the down payment himself, bought the necklace, handed it to Jeanne, and instructed her to deliver it to the queen.

    Jeanne and her husband immediately dismantled the necklace and sold it off. The queen only found out about the matter when the jeweler came to collect the final payment. Subsequently, all involved parties were arrested.

    However, Jeanne escaped from the Bastille in 1787 and was sheltered in London by the British, who also helped her publish a book about the fraud to humiliate the French Royal Family.

 Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 275: Disintegration of the Indigenous Tribes

    Chapter 355: Chapter 275: Disintegration of the Indigenous Tribes

    ¡°`

    Marquess of Wellesley revealed a faint smile, ¡°Hmm, that is very much in accordance with the habits of the Ottoman People.¡±

    Lord Talmothes said anxiously, ¡°But, my lord, your North African strategy is to pincer Tunisia, and if the Ottomans don¡¯t act¡­¡±

    The British Foreign Minister nodded, ¡°Not just them, the Moroccans are also likely to just watch, since they can get our support either way.¡±

    ¡°How can this be?!¡±

    Marquess of Wellesley signaled for him to remain calm, ¡°We still have Ben Guerir, oh, he¡¯s Pasha now.

    ¡°As long as you command him, he will be very happy to raid Tunisia.¡±

    Ben Guerir had launched the coup with massive British aid. This included funds, weapons, and British personnel.

    Now, in Ben Guerir¡¯s base, at least over thirty percent are Tripoli officers propped up by the British. They could have a huge impact on Ben Guerir¡¯s decisions.

    At the same time, raiding Tunisia is politically correct in the Ottoman Empire ¨C it is a ¡°rebellious province¡± that openly betrayed the Sultan and must be severely punished ¨C hence Ben Guerir¡¯s soldiers would hardly object. In fact, most of them are quite willing to undertake such lucrative endeavors.

    Marquess of Wellesley continued, ¡°If the French people don¡¯t handle it, the People of Algiers will also be encouraged to raid Tunisia from the west, since they have often done so in the past.¡±

    Lord Talmothes suddenly understood, ¡°If the French people attack the Tripoli army, then the Moroccans must launch a diversionary offensive against Tunisia, according to our agreement. Then Ben Guerir can simply pull back to the City of Tripoli to stand firm.¡±

    Marquess of Wellesley, listening to the sound of heavy sails unfolding above, walked towards the oriel window and watched as the water slowly receded, ¡°I do hope the French people can take Tripoli City in one fell swoop; those fellows from the Whig Party would then have no more excuses to prevent our fleet from intervening in Mediterranean affairs.¡±

    The Maghreb diplomatic envoy added, ¡°Moreover, this will cause serious conflict with the Ottoman People, and we could even help transport more Ottoman troops to Tripoli to fight the French.¡±

    Marquess of Wellesley turned back to give him an approving look, ¡°You have a deep understanding of the Mediterranean situation; I believe that North African affairs can be entirely entrusted to you.

    ¡°As for me, I can devote more energy to the Low Countries and the situation in Denmark.¡±

    ¡­

    Tunis City.

    Joseph was escorted by the Guard and boarded the carriage with some helplessness.

    With such a commotion in Tripoli, the news could not have failed to reach the Palace of Versailles. Afterwards, Queen Mary, somehow informed that her son had gone to the ¡°Domestic Province¡± on the other side of the Mediterranean and a coup had erupted in the neighboring country, became immediately anxious and dispatched a Court Official to recall the Crown Prince to Paris.

    Although Joseph really wanted to stay and command the response to the British open secret, he still had to listen to his mother¡­

    The carriage started slowly, and he picked up the documents sent from Paris, casting a final glance at the distant Ksar Hellal Palace.

    The palace¡¯s dome glowed under the sunlight, as beautiful as a fairytale castle.

    A sudden idea crossed Joseph¡¯s mind. He signaled to stop the carriage and called Joan and Xilada over, asking, ¡°Would you like to live in Ksar Hellal Palace? I mean, quite freely, with the court providing meals and lodging and daily balls and feasts.¡±

    ¡°You must be joking,¡± Joan said with a smile, playing along, ¡°That¡¯s Haji Bey¡¯s residence.¡±

    But Xilada replied with a smile, ¡°But if such an opportunity really existed, no one would refuse it.¡±

    Joseph then asked, ¡°Even if it means giving up on the pursuits you are currently focused on, you¡¯d be willing to go?¡±

    ¡°`

    Xilada said, ¡°If you can enjoy such luxury and comfort, what else is there to let go of?¡±

    ¡°I think so too,¡± Joseph nodded, looking towards Joan, ¡°With that, the issue of tribes not being governed should be resolved.¡±

    The latter was immediately overjoyed, ¡°Your Highness, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Have you been to the Eden Amusement Park in Paris?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Joan was a bit slow to respond, and after a moment he nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I took my wife there once.¡±

    ¡°With a budget of 150,000 livres, could you build a similar amusement park at the Ksar Hellal Palace? Oh, half the size will do.¡±

    ¡°I will do my best to fulfill Your Highness¡¯s command,¡± he said.

    ¡°Then invest another 100,000 to 200,000 livres to expand the Ksar Hellal Palace. Build more facilities for entertainment and enjoyment.¡±

    ¡°I am somewhat confused by your meaning, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph gave him a meaningful smile, ¡°You seem to have forgotten how to deal with these tribes; our Sun King had long ago provided the answer.¡±

    ¡°??¡±

    ¡°Invite the tribal chiefs and the actual power holders to the Ksar Hellal Palace, bestow upon them noble titles¡ªoh, I¡¯ll have Queen Mary issue a decree for you.¡±

    Joseph glanced towards the direction of the Ksar Hellal Palace, ¡°After that, entertain them with the most luxurious banquets and balls, give them the finest pleasures, all expenses paid by the finances of the Tunisian provinces.¡±

    ¡°Tell them that nobility must stay in luxurious places like the Ksar Hellal Palace to showcase their noble status. To get closer to the Bey is to truly be above the rest.¡±

    ¡°You should know what to do next, just follow the Sun King¡¯s example.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joan¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and after a long while he murmured, ¡°Can this¡­ really work?¡±

    Joseph patted his shoulder, ¡°It all depends on whether you can make the tribal chiefs addicted and unable to extricate themselves. Oh, if that doesn¡¯t work, guide public opinion to make those chiefs living in the Ksar Hellal Palace look down on their peers who stay with the tribes.¡±

    Swallowing, Joan realized that the Crown Prince¡¯s plan might cost more than 300,000 livres, but it was far more economical than sending troops to punish them¡ªand it wouldn¡¯t offend the major tribes.

    He touched his chest in a heartfelt salute, ¡°Your Highness, rest assured. In half a year¡ªno, four months, I will definitely collect the tribes¡¯ taxes!¡±

    If he couldn¡¯t collect the taxes when all the tribal chiefs and main power holders were absent from their tribes, then he really would have no face to continue in his position.

    ¡­

    Eastern Tunisia, Djerba Island.

    More than twenty sailboats were anchored outside the harbor, simply because the dock here was too small¡ªpreviously a forward base of the Barbary pirates, it was never seriously developed, so only three ships could dock at a time.

    On the pier, thousands of ragged-looking individuals crowded together, craning their necks to look at the ships and occasionally letting out anxious calls of urgency.

    They were once the invincible Tunisian Guard, and now, they all longed for a chance at survival.

    Those ships could take them to faraway New Zealand¡ªwhere there were plenty of farmlands to fill their bellies. They had had enough of starving on this broken island.

 Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 276: Others Use Guns to Colonize, But I Use Information Gaps

    Chapter 356: Chapter 276: Others Use Guns to Colonize, But I Use Information Gaps

    ¡°Line up orderly, those who push will be thrown straight into Gabes Bay!¡±

    On the dock, more than a dozen Tunisian Legion soldiers on horseback shouted loudly in Arabic.

    In front of the three gangplanks leading to the transport ships, the doctors of the Gemini Trading Company were examining these former members of the Tunisian Guard, letting those who were physically robust board the ship, while the others were turned away without hesitation.

    Those who boarded the ship sighed in relief, knowing they would at least not starve in the future. And according to the official Tunisian promise, as long as they performed well in New Zealand, they could bring a family member there after a year.

    A scruffy Tunisian Guardsman, clothed in tattered garments, led his wife and two children around the crowd and directly onto the ship under the soldiers¡¯ escort, immediately drawing envious stares¡ª he was a blacksmith, considered a high-end talent, and thus was able to board the ship with his whole family at once.

    Before long, the three transport ships were filled with people and slowly sailed out of the harbor, while another three empty ships immediately docked at the wharf to continue loading laborers.

    Yes, from this moment onward, the so-called Tunisian Guard had become a thing of the past, and henceforth they had only one identity¡ª New Zealand laborers.

    The next day at noon, the Gemini Company¡¯s fleet, filled with 5000 laborers, set sail, circling past the Strait of Gibraltar on their way to the distant New Zealand Island.

    ¡­

    The South Pacific.

    Cook Strait.

    On the bow deck of the Gemini Company¡¯s armed merchant ship ¡°Yuyang,¡± Marion Du Fresne gazed at the vast and flat black sand beach in the distance and finally took a deep breath of relief.

    Previously, neither France nor Russia had explored this large island named New Zealand¡ª a landmass almost the size of England¡ª and yet the Crown Prince had quite confidently instructed them to find a port nearby for anchorage.

    At first, he was extremely worried because according to information gathered from the Spaniards, British explorers seemed to have landed from the north side of the island.

    He commanded the fleet to sail along the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand for three days and indeed saw the good harbor that the Crown Prince had mentioned.

    Hmm, Joseph did not know the exact location of Kaffia Port, but he remembered a documentary that mentioned it was the closest port to the New Zealand pastoral regions.

    Under Du Fresne¡¯s command, the five ships of the Gemini Company slowly moored in a ¡°concave¡±-shaped bay, then they lowered the boats through the gap between two towering boulders on the shore, and set foot on this mysterious island.

    As the vanguard of the Gemini Company¡¯s colonization team, only over 600 people came this time.

    Initially, the company recruited just under 300 volunteers since these islands in the South Pacific were notoriously desolate, and adventurers were not too keen to come here for opportunities.

    It wasn¡¯t until the Crown Prince expressed to the Church that the island had a population of over a hundred thousand people and would definitely accept Catholicism that the situation began to change.

    The Church quickly organized a large number of priests to fund their own way to join the fleet for colonization, and even their expenses were provided by the Church¡ª after all, finding a new congregation of over a hundred thousand was an extremely valuable resource in those days. Perhaps this achievement could be the capital for competing for the Archbishop position in the future, so to compete for spots, the dioceses were nearly at each other¡¯s throats.

    Moreover, to gain the support of the Gemini Company, the Church even handed over the command of this group of priests to the company.

    The sailors quickly set up a makeshift encampment on the shore and began moving things from the ship onto land.

    Meanwhile, Dufresne, leading a small exploration team of fewer than a hundred people, headed toward the interior of the islands to the east¡ªthe curtain had just been raised on the vitally important task of building France¡¯s New Zealand colony from under their feet.

    After walking for a day and a half, as they approached a series of winding hills, they suddenly heard a loud shouting coming from a huge Pandanus tree ahead.

    Dufresne remembered the Crown Prince¡¯s admonition and promptly ordered the exploration team to stop, then gestured for the interpreter, Tolman, to step forward. Before coming here, they specifically went to Tahiti and hired a few locals who understood French¡ªthe place had been colonized by Spain very early on, so while there weren¡¯t many who spoke French, there were still some to be found.

    Tolman walked forward and waved friendly at the brown-skinned warrior in the tree, babbling something in his language, and after the other replied with a few sentences, the interpreter turned to the commander and said, ¡°Sir, they want us to put down our guns.¡±

    Dufresne felt a bit tense, and sure enough, as the Crown Prince had said, these natives were not simpletons at all. Although almost all of them were naked, they knew that guns were dangerous items.

    In fact, this was one of the reasons why the British colonization of New Zealand had been so tortuous historically¡ªmore than 100 years ago, Spaniards had arrived in New Zealand and made contact with the Maori, exposing them to many new things. They were no longer the unworldly bumpkins they had been.

    This made them much more difficult to deal with than the Indigenous people of the Americas. They had seen firearms, they planted potatoes and sweet potatoes brought by the Spaniards, and sweet potatoes had even become one of their staple foods.

    Dufresne instructed his men to place their weapons on the ground, then proceeded forward with two assistants and the interpreter to make contact with the Maori man.

    He had only taken a few steps when suddenly dozens of Maori warriors armed with stone spears emerged from the underbrush and low hills around them.

    Dufresne signaled for his men not to move and had the interpreter call out loudly, ¡°We are friends, here to do business with you.¡±

    Seeing that the leading Maori did not make any threatening moves, he boldly stepped forward and, following what was written in the ¡°New Zealand Guide¡± given by the Crown Prince, moved his nose toward the native¡¯s nose.

    The latter seemed to be taken aback, but immediately leaned forward, touched his nose against Dufresne¡¯s, and then burst into joyous laughter.

    The surrounding Maori warriors smiled, and a few even approached voluntarily to touch noses with the exploration team members.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10135486¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10135486/61b77a8f5bde976b84b22aca046edffa7g8UnHN8Npf5J4U.jpg¡±>

    The simple and effective Maori traditional custom¡ªthe ¡°hongi,¡± or nose-to-nose greeting¡ªimmediately brought the two groups much closer.

    By evening, the exploration team was led by the Maori warriors to meet the ¡°hapu¡±¡ªthe chieftain of the Maori tribe¡ªin the area.

    After receiving a soft woolen blanket as a gift from Dufresne, the chieftain joyously gathered his people for a welcoming celebration where they feasted on roasted meat, seafood, and sweet potatoes. The exploration team members reciprocated by strictly following the interactions prescribed in the ¡°Guide¡± with the Maori.

    Subsequently, Dufresne, guided by the tribal chieftain, trekked for five days to reach a very large Maori village. There, he successfully met with the head and the High Priest of Te Iwi o Te R¨¡whiti, or the ¡°Eastern Tribe.¡±

    A Maori ¡°iwi¡± is equivalent to a tribal confederation, and the ¡°Eastern Tribe¡± was the largest confederation on the North Island of New Zealand.

    Compared to the Dutch, who were beaten terribly by the Maori and chased out of New Zealand many decades ago, and to the British who, several decades later, failed to subdue the Maori despite committing a significant force of soldiers and fleets, Dufresne¡¯s trip could scarcely be described as smooth¡ªit was nothing short of miraculous.

    This was the terrifying power of an information gap!

 Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Chapter 277 Common Prosperity

    Chapter 357: Chapter 277 Common Prosperity

    Dufresne expertly presented small gifts to the Chief Tuae and High Priest Matua of the Yiwei Maori Tribes, and the Maori¡¯s attitude immediately warmed up.

    After some awkward pleasantries through a translator¡ªsince the Tahitian language isn¡¯t exactly the same as the Maori¡¯s¡ªDufresne cut straight to the chase and said to Tuae,

    ¡°Respected Chief, I am here to represent His Majesty the King of France to purchase some land from you. As for the payment, you may choose from weapons, clothing, furniture, or even technology. I assure you that you will be completely satisfied with this deal.¡±

    Tuae and High Priest Matua exchanged glances and smiled at Dufresne, ¡°How much land do you plan to buy?¡±

    The latter, seeing that the other party didn¡¯t seem to resist, thought to himself that the Crown Prince had overestimated these people; they were still ignorant natives after all. According to the routine commonly used by colonizers¡ªjust like how the Spaniards had dealt with the Indians¡ªcheap trinkets could get them vast lands.

    He replied immediately, ¡°If possible, I would like to purchase 50,000 acres at first, and then continue buying more, depending on the situation.¡±

    The translator spent quite a while explaining the unit ¡°acre¡± to the Maori Chief. However, Tuae suddenly sneered and shook his head, ¡°At most 500 acres, we need some firearms.¡±

    Dufresne¡¯s face stiffened in an instant, and he rushed to say, ¡°You have so much useless land here, 50,000 acres is nothing to you.¡±

    ¡°500 acres.¡±

    ¡°50,000 acres, and we can provide you with the firearms you want.¡±

    ¡°500 acres, there is no other possibility!¡±

    Dufresne was unaware that the Maori had mastered agriculture and held their farmland in high esteem. Tribes often waged wars over land, so why would they sell it so easily?

    In fact, the British would encounter the same snag decades later, and they would have to go to great lengths, sending troops to ¡°persuade¡± the stubborn Maori.

    Dufresne took a deep breath and quickly returned to the ¡°script¡± the Crown Prince had given him.

    He put on a harmless smile, ¡°You might have misunderstood, we do not need arable land, but wasteland.¡±

    Tuae was still uncompromising, ¡°Not even wasteland will do.¡±

    Left with no other options, Dufresne played his trump card, ¡°Your Excellency the Chief, what if I told you that the land I purchase would still belong to you? I just want to use it for sheep farming, and your people would still manage the land?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Tuae seemed somewhat lost and probed, ¡°And you will still provide me with firearms?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Dufresne signaled to his assistant, took an old-style matchlock gun from him, and handed it to the Maori Chief, ¡°500 of these guns, along with 10,000 rounds of ammunition and gunpowder. Plus, 500 sets of flax jackets, skirts, and 300 blankets, in exchange for your 50,000 acres of wasteland.¡±

    Tuae confirmed incredulously again, ¡°The land won¡¯t belong to you, and my people can still set foot there?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely correct!¡±

    Tuae was delighted; what difference was there from not having sold the land? He would gain a large number of firearms, clothes, and blankets at no cost!

    Dufresne smiled and said, ¡°The only thing is that the 50,000 acres must be used for sheep farming.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I will provide the sheep; I only need your people to help take care of them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, rest assured, I will pay your people a fair wage, whether it¡¯s firearms or anything else.

    ¡°And the sheep will belong to you, too.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Tuae¡¯s eyes almost popped out of his head¡ªwas there such a good deal in the world? Not only was he getting goods for free to buy the land, but also sheep for free! And on top of that, they were offering wages for sheep farming!

    Dufresne continued, ¡°Of course, you cannot simply slaughter these sheep unless they are too old to produce wool. And your tribespeople must take good care of them, if any sheep die or are injured, the cost must be deducted from their payment.¡±

    ¡°And my only demand is that all the wool produced must be sold to France. Yes, sold, after all, the sheep are yours. We will provide the corresponding goods in exchange for the wool.¡±

    This was Joseph¡¯s New Zealand strategy.

    In the face of a situation where the French Navy was utterly incapable of defeating the British, and aiming to establish a stable colony in the Pacific Ocean, facing the well-travelled, battle-hardened, and highly united Maori, there was only one strategy to use.

    That was to share profits with the Maori!

    The land is still yours, the sheep are yours, I pay the wages for sheep farming, and I pay for the wool you produce.

    If anyone still refuses this, they must be a fool!

    This is the model often used by modern meat joint factories, providing farmers with piglets and buying them all back when they are grown. However, placed in New Zealand, where land costs, labor, and wool prices are so low they are almost negligible.

    And with New Zealand¡¯s natural conditions, even the indigenous people could easily raise sheep well.

    Everything was perfect!

    At the same time, France formed a community of interest with the Maori and even armed them by way of payment.

    When the British intended to cause trouble, they would first have to deal with the fierce Maori.

    You see, although the Maori were still in the Stone Age, they possessed a highly formidable weapon¡ªthe Pa.

    This was a military defense system.

    Usually built on raised ground like hills, the Maori would turn the landscape into terraced planes and construct fences and towers layer by layer¡ªthe former made of sharpened stakes, the latter of stones, all secured with flax.

    Behind these fences, they would dig trenches as deep as 4 meters. Thus, after each fence was breached, the enemy would still face a deep ditch and another fence.

    Most ingeniously, these ¡°fortresses¡± constructed by almost primitive people inherently had the capability to defend against cannon!

    Facing cannon fire, the Maori would immediately take shelter in the trenches behind the fences. Solid cannonballs were useless against these defenses. Once the cannonade ended, they would leap out and engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat.

    During the mid-19th century, British forces that attempted to conquer New Zealand suffered greatly because of these ¡°Pa.¡± Nearly every ¡°Pa¡± required thousands of cannonballs and an extremely long period to conquer. And after the British breached the last tower of the ¡°Pa,¡± the Maori would escape through tunnels dug in advance.

    And such ¡°Pa¡± were something that each Maori tribe would build several of; New Zealand was riddled with them everywhere¡­

    Even the mighty British of 1840 could only resort to deception and sign a colonial treaty with the Maori chiefs. They were soon overwhelmed by Maori uprisings and were ultimately forced to agree to Maori self-governance.

    Therefore, taking a tough approach was never an option for New Zealand.

    From the very start, Joseph intended for the Maori to speak French, raise France¡¯s sheep, believe in France¡¯s Catholicism, and prosper together.

    As for the possibility of the Maori colluding with the British?

    Not to mention the honesty and stubbornness innate in the Maori¡¯s character, just the penetration and influence that France would develop in New Zealand over many years meant it wasn¡¯t something the British could easily handle.

    At the very least, the British would have to pay a price ten or eight times higher than what they historically spent colonizing New Zealand to stand a chance of taking over here.

 Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter 278: The First Colony in the Pacific Ocean

    Chapter 358: Chapter 278: The First Colony in the Pacific Ocean

    After the Maori Chief had repeatedly confirmed the details of the transaction with Dufresne and consulted with High Priest Matua, making sure there were no traps involved, he finally solemnly agreed to the French proposal to purchase land.

    Moreover, Chief Tuae seemed to think that the French were so sincere that he felt somewhat ¡°indebted¡±, so he agreed to sell Dufresne one thousand acres of land with full French ownership rights, as long as it wasn¡¯t too close to the Tainui Tribe, and he could choose the location freely.

    Dufresne was overjoyed and immediately asked for the area where he had landed. There, a port could be constructed later on, and a little further inland, a town could be built, making it very convenient to ship wool from the interior of New Zealand to France.

    Once the trade was agreed upon, the two parties became much closer. Tuae went to instruct his people to prepare a ceremony to welcome the French guests. Meanwhile, the priests that Dufresne brought had already started conversing with the Maori High Priest.

    ¡°Indeed, there is a most great God who rules over everything,¡± said Matua, devoutly raising his hands, ¡°Io Matua Kore, we worship him, revere him, and offer everything to him!¡±

    A priest from the Reims district immediately nodded with a smile, ¡°Respectful High Priest Matua, in fact, the name of God is Yahweh, and He indeed rules over everything.¡±

    This shrewd priest, having seen in the ¡°Guide to New Zealand¡± provided by the Crown Prince that Maori loved facial tattoos, drew some lines on his face with a pen. Though the Maori found this ¡°tattoo¡± unclear in meaning, it was certainly more pleasing to the eye than those with plain faces.

    Matua looked at him and said, ¡°How can this be? This is what our ancestors have told us, and they would not make a mistake.¡±

    Priest Dietrich, remembering the instruction from the ¡°Guide¡± not to contradict Maori beliefs, replied instead, ¡°You see, the names differ between languages.¡±

    He picked up a sweet potato from the table, ¡°Like this, you call it¡­¡±

    The translator immediately provided the Maori word for ¡°sweet potato¡±.

    ¡°While we call it a sweet potato,¡± Dietrich continued, ¡°And our name for God might sound different, but we are absolutely referring to the same deity.¡±

    He looked at the High Priest nervously until the latter pondered and nodded, feeling a sudden relief in his heart¡ªHis Highness the Crown Prince was right, it seemed very likely that these Maori were about to convert to Catholicism. The Church¡¯s great investment shouldn¡¯t result in a loss!

    Joseph had previously seen this in a documentary. The Maori believed in a supreme god, and their religious theory was very primitive, so they were easily convinced by Christianity, which had nearly two thousand years of development. In history, British colonizers also quickly persuaded the Maori, turning them into Protestant followers.

    Now, it was inevitable that the Maori would be taken by Catholicism. In the future, when the British wanted to curry favor with the Maori, they would face an additional obstacle of religion¡ªthough Protestantism and Catholicism are both branches of Christianity, their enmity was much deeper than that between different religions.

    Indeed, by the next day¡¯s noon, Matua had already been coaxed by some seasoned priests of the Church to start making the sign of the cross on his chest. Yet he firmly believed that he had not changed his religious faith, but had simply gained a deeper understanding of God and His deeds.

    Before the sun went down, the signing ceremony for the ¡°Land Purchase Agreement¡± between Dufresne and Chief Tuae officially began.

    The Maori had neither a written language nor anything like paper; their way of ¡°signing a contract¡± usually involved a ritual similar to a sacrifice, and making some marks on animal skin sufficed. Their reverence for ancestors and devotion to God ensured they would never breach the agreement. Or to put it another way, any Maori who broke an agreement would be rejected by all Maori people.

    Because the ceremony involved tens of thousands of acres of Tainui tribal land, it was held with great solemnity, and almost all the villagers who could come came to watch.

    Dufresne also fully engaged with indigenous traditions, busying himself until after 9 p.m., finally settling the purchase agreement for fifty thousand acres of pasture and one thousand acres of ¡°private land¡±.

    Kaffia Port readily gave dozens of matchlock guns to the Maori as a deposit.

    Tuae immediately beamed with joy, and his affection for these French friends increased even more.

    A few days later, the land where Dufresne had originally landed was marked with the flag of France, and the port, later known as Kaffia Port, was named ¡°New Marseille Port.¡±

    Dufresne then hurried with the exploration team to the central North Island of New Zealand, and with Tuae¡¯s introduction, met the chief of the Yatila Yi Tribe.

    When Dufresne emerged surrounded by the people of the Yatila Yi Tribe a few days later, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how glad he was to have taken on this colonial task¡ªit was simply a windfall. The mission was almost effortless, and at the current pace, he could have all the major tribes of the North Island of New Zealand under control within two months at most and then sit back and count his reward.

    Meanwhile, near ¡°New Marseille Port,¡± the construction of a temporary town had already begun.

    Employees of the Gemini Company and priests were directing thousands of Maori to level the land after slash-and-burn. Not far away, a large quantity of neatly felled timber was stacked, ready to be transformed into houses.

    These Maori were not hired by the Gemini Company but were sent by the tribe chiefs who were full of affection for these French friends to offer assistance.

    When, more than a month later, Dufresne returned to New Marseille Port with a contract for nearly 300,000 acres of land, he could already see the copper bell atop the newly-built small church from afar.

    Three smooth, compacted dirt roads connected to the dock, and more than a dozen houses had been erected along the roads, with numerous natives and company clerks busy constructing new dwellings.

    His face showed a satisfied smile, and he began to look forward to the bustling scene that would emerge in a few months when the company sent thousands of laborers here.

    Of course, there would also be sheep¡ªthe company¡¯s ships would bring a large number of sheep. They would become the new masters of this island.

    ¡­

    In the southeast of France.

    Port of Toulon.

    As soon as Joseph got off the ship, an officer handed him the documents from the General Staff.

    Dismissing the officials who had come to greet him at the port, Joseph sat in the carriage and opened the documents.

    The first item was the decision by the General Staff, after assessment, to dispatch 10,000 troops from Montpellier, Provence, and other places to Tunisia to support Murat¡¯s Corps in stabilizing the situation there.

    Nearly half of these 10,000 troops came from the newly reorganized Moncalm Legion¡ªnow renamed the Montpellier Legion¡ªwith the rest being the garrison of Provence.

    This was based on the proximity principle, with the first batch of troops being transferred from two provinces close to the Port of Toulon, and the General Staff planned to send an additional 10,000 people to Tunisia afterwards.

 Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Chapter 279: Opening up the South Asian Battlefield

    Chapter 359: Chapter 279: Opening up the South Asian Battlefield

    When Joseph saw the supply train list below, and the cost of deploying troops, he immediately felt a headache coming on.

    Just the deployment costs for this first batch of 10,000 men and horses exceeded 500,000 livres. And that was only the expense of moving the troops from France to Tunisia; a continuous supply of food, fodder and various consumables would require at least another 400,000 livres per month.

    If a battle occurred, the costs would become incalculable¡ª1,000,000 livres a month might not even be sufficient.

    Joseph furrowed his brow, if this were coupled with the second batch of 10,000 soldiers and Murat¡¯s Corps, these forces would just by sitting in Tunisia consume over 10 million livres a year!

    He slammed the documents down on the table forcefully¡ªthe British had a damn disgusting way of doing things!

    He himself had gone through great lengths to take down Tunisia, and now they had to pay extra to stabilize it.

    It would be possible to rely on steady management, to train Tunisian local corps and hand over the defense to them, but that would be at least three to five years away.

    Not to mention, during this period, the French would be less willing to cultivate Tunisia due to fears of possible warfare there.

    This would greatly slow down the pace at which he could develop Tunisia.

    So, was there any way to turn the situation around? Joseph pondered with a frown.

    Deliver benefits to Morocco to withdraw their troops?

    He shook his head immediately¡ªthat would only embolden Morocco¡¯s appetite, and the British might just raise the stakes. Would France then follow suit or not?

    Inciting Russia to pressure the Ottoman Empire into relinquishing Tripoli?

    That seemed unrealistic as well¡­

    Russia was currently engaged in the seventh Russo-Swedish War with Sweden, and the conflict would continue until the middle of next year before any outcome. Russia, having just signed a ceasefire treaty with the Ottoman and having gained significant advantages, would definitely not be willing to provoke the Ottomans into starting a new conflict.

    Unable to come up with any effective strategy, Joseph could not help but rub his forehead and exhale a long sigh:

    ¡°Why does the world have to have a shit-stirrer like England?¡±

    ¡°Shit-stirrer?¡± Eman, who sat opposite, paused for a moment before revealing an understanding smile, ¡°That¡¯s a very apt metaphor, Your Highness. Indeed, it¡¯s what the British are best at.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why, rulers of France with great aspirations have always wanted to give them a good thrashing.¡±

    Joseph thought to himself; right now, I really want to thrash the British¡­

    Beat the British? He suddenly felt he was onto something.

    Right! He had been constantly thinking about how to defend Tunisia, falling into a blind spot; he should take the initiative to attack, to thrash the British instead!

    That great strategist once said, ¡°You fight your war, I¡¯ll fight mine.¡±

    One should not duel with the British on the battlefield they have predetermined, but rather seek out their weakness and strike hard there.

    As long as it hurt the British enough to make them unable to focus on Algiers and Tripoli, wouldn¡¯t it be a piece of cake to deal with those two smaller countries?

    Once he had found the way out, Joseph immediately took out a map, spread it out on the table, and started looking over it.

    North America?

    There was nowhere to exert force. The United States was too small and weak, and always flirting with the British, completely unreliable.

    The Caribbean Sea?

    Forget it, as long as it involved naval power, the British were momentarily unshakable there.

    Australia?

    England hadn¡¯t invested much there yet; even if it were completely wiped out, the loss wouldn¡¯t be much money-wise.

    India?

    When Joseph saw the upside-down triangular peninsula, a light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

    The largest gemstone on the British crown, right?

    I will smash it for you!

    If I remember correctly, the Third Anglo-Mysore War will break out by the end of this year.

    In history, Sultan Tipu fought alone and was ultimately defeated by the British allied with the Indian princely states.

    But now, he would have the support of his French friends!

    The Kingdom of Mysore, located in the southwestern part of India, was one of the strongest forces on the subcontinent and had always been at odds with the British. In fact, any Indian prince with a bit of spirit was dissatisfied with the British policy of encroaching upon India.

    Of course, the majority of Indian princes were those without spirit.

    In 1789, the Dutch East India Company prepared to withdraw from India and sold two fortresses to the Travancore Royal, and yet those fortresses were located within the territory of Mysore.

    The Sultan of Mysore, Tipu, upon hearing this, was furious¡ªTravancore had always been at odds with him.

    After negotiations were unsuccessful, Sultan Tipu led his troops to attack the Travancore Princely State and soon occupied part of the territory adjacent to both countries. Interestingly, Travancore had good relations with France at the time and also lost quite a few soldiers in this battle.

    Seeing that they couldn¡¯t defeat Mysore, the Travancore Royal turned to the British for help.

    The Governor of India for the East India Company, Cornwallis, declared that the Indian princely states were under British protection, and Mysore¡¯s declaration of war against Travancore was tantamount to declaring war against the East India Company.

    Immediately, Cornwallis rallied the Indian princely states of Maratha, Madras, Nizam among others, to join forces in besieging the Kingdom of Mysore.

    Sultan Tipu led the Mysore forces and held off the British for two and a half years, during which he also scored some victories in battles, but ultimately fell before the powerful onslaught of the British and their vassals.

    From then on, there were no forces on the subcontinent that could threaten British dominance, and it became a veritable backyard of theirs.

    Actually, speaking of it, Sultan Tipu did have some opportunities in this war.

    His father, Hyder, had started training a new army thirty years earlier, hiring European officers and developing a European-style military force, complete with cavalry and artillery.

    Without the British, the other Indian princely states were no match for him.

    However, Sultan Tipu had a serious problem: his intolerance towards Hindus, which brought the enmity of other Hindu princely states.

    At the same time, Sultan Tipu always wanted to defeat the British in one fell swoop, which made his military tactics too aggressive, forgetting his biggest advantage¡ªbeing on the home ground, the ability to fight and stall.

    This resulted in his early victories being unstable, allowing the British to launch a successful surprise attack and suffer a devastating defeat.

    If France could provide some support to Mysore and dispatch some officers to help him avoid these mistakes, there was still a good chance of teaching the British a lesson!

    Joseph was reflecting and writing at the same time, and by the time the carriage had reached southeast Montpellier, he had basically sorted out his thoughts.

    He put down his pen and smiled as he let out a sigh, wondering if the British would still be interested in stirring trouble in Tunisia after India ¡°caught fire.¡±

    Then he picked up the reports from the General Staff again and continued reading.

    Following the information about reinforcing Tunisia, there was a report by Bertier on some developments within the General Staff.

    Essentially, it was one statement: the department had started to function in a preliminary fashion. Recruiting new soldiers and training were the first tasks to be undertaken, followed by the expansion of the Paris Police Academy and the integration of other military schools.

 Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 280 Young Napoleon

    Chapter 360: Chapter 280 Young Napoleon

    In this series of affairs, the first few items were very smooth.

    For example: The Paris Police Academy had essentially converted Joseph¡¯s estate into a training field, and acquired several acres of nearby land, already becoming France¡¯s largest military and police training base.

    Of course, the teaching staff was still far from sufficient.

    With the cooperation of the new Minister of War, Duke of Broglie¡ªan old noble who after leaning towards the Royal Family and ascending to the position of Minister of War, was indeed very devoted¡ªmany of his prot¨¦g¨¦s agreed to teach at the Paris Police Academy, but given the current size of the academy, it was still a drop in the bucket.

    According to Duke of Broglie, other military nobles seemed to still harbor illusions, believing that the Royal Family¡¯s military strength was insufficient to deal with all troubles, and sooner or later they would have to beg for their help, so they continued to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

    Joseph stroked the armrest of his chair and frowned slightly, these hereditary officers were really ¡°stubborn.¡± It seemed he would have to pay more attention to this matter himself.

    Although in his plans, he intended to have the new army he trained take up all of France¡¯s combat tasks, leaving the old army to retire in their garrisons, this did not mean he would abandon the precious resources of the old army that France had cultivated for decades.

    Especially the mid-level officers, and the cavalry, talents that required a lot of resources and time to develop, he would try to absorb as much as possible into the Guard Corps for his use.

    Historically, because a large number of old army nobles were either executed during the Reign of Terror or driven away, Napoleon¡¯s cavalry were mostly inadequately trained commoners¡ªcavalry as a troop type are best trained from a young age on horseback to truly become elite, which poor commoners could not achieve¡ªso his cavalry units were always substandard, relying solely on the fervor of revolutionary enthusiasm and a reckless spirit to hold up on the battlefield.

    If Napoleon had had an elite cavalry made up of nobles, it¡¯s not to say that he could have turned the tables completely, but at least he could have held out for a few more years under encirclement.

    Joseph wasn¡¯t too worried about absorbing talents from the old nobility; after all, soldiers are by nature full of vigor. Or to put it another way, he wasn¡¯t interested in those who lacked vigor.

    Thus, he needed to find a way to stir up the blood of these noble officers, make them admire him, and thoroughly impress them with the Guard Corps, so they would naturally come crying and begging to join his ranks.

    After planning a recruitment strategy for the noble officers, Joseph finally turned to the last part of the report from the General Staff.

    It was a list of personnel who had earned distinction during the suppression of unrest, complete with their personal information and the reasons for their honors.

    Most of them were from the Guard Corps, with some from Murat¡¯s Corps and the Paris Legion, but what made Joseph most curious was that there were also a few individuals from the old army on the award list.

    Captain Mark Dimitri Babole, who bravely protected the City Hall when Vendee insurrectionists attempted to set it on fire¡­

    Lieutenant Napoleon Buonaparte, who led 50 men against close to 500 rioters in Amiens and ultimately dispersed the mob¡­

    Joseph was immediately taken aback upon reading this; the name Napoleon was very uncommon, and logically there shouldn¡¯t be anyone else with that name, but this person wasn¡¯t surnamed ¡°Bonaparte.¡±

    He hastily pulled out the rest of the information, and saw written: Napoleon Buonaparte. Born on August 15, 1769, in the city of Ajaccio, Corsica. His father was Carlo Maria di Buonaparte, Corsican nobility¡­ having four siblings¡­ entered the Paris Military Academy in 1784, graduated early in 1785¡­ currently belonging to the Raphael Artillery Regiment stationed in Valence, provisionally the second battalion leader.

    Joseph¡¯s breathing suddenly became a little quicker; if it had just been the name that was the same it would have been nothing, but the year-long military academy training, the family situation, and even the father¡¯s name all matched perfectly, it couldn¡¯t possibly just be a coincidence.

    ¡°`

    This must be His Majesty Napoleon himself!

    He immediately became greatly puzzled, why is Napoleon surnamed Buonaparte? No wonder he had never found Napoleon Bonaparte all over France; he hadn¡¯t even gotten the surname right.

    But regardless, finally finding His Majesty Napoleon when France needed to draw more benefits from overseas was definitely tremendous news!

    With His Majesty in hand, the confidence in leading France to dominate the European Continent instantly increased manifold!

    Once the carriage train stopped in Vitrolles, Joseph immediately handed over Napoleon¡¯s information to Eman, instructing him to send someone to Valence to summon the young lieutenant.

    While Eman was instructing a messenger, Joseph suddenly remembered that the general staff had apparently ordered the troops from Montpellier to head to Tunisia, and since Valence was also under Montpellier, it was very likely that His Majesty was among them.

    So, he instructed Eman to leave a few people waiting at the Port of Toulon to look for Napoleon among the troops heading to Tunisia¡ªthe army would surely embark from Toulon to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

    However, what Joseph did not expect was that the messenger he sent out returned the next afternoon, reporting that he encountered the army bound for Tunisia in the southern part of Montpellier and, as expected, Lieutenant Buonaparte was in the ranks.

    Therefore, at 8 o¡¯clock in the evening, there was a knock on the door of the villa where Joseph was staying. Eman¡¯s voice came softly from outside, ¡°Your Highness, Lieutenant Buonaparte requests an audience.¡±

    Joseph promptly responded with excitement, ¡°Please, invite him in.¡±

    The door opened, and a young man wearing an old white uniform, slightly thin-faced, with a prominent nose and anxious blue eyes, quickly walked in. He stood beside Eman, appearing somewhat awkward.

    It was only after Eman gave a light cough that the young officer hurriedly took off his hat and bent down to greet Joseph, ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to be summoned by you, respected Crown Prince¡­¡±

    Joseph approached to return the gesture, ¡°You are a hero who defended against the insurrections, there¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡±

    He examined the young Napoleon; he wasn¡¯t as plump as often depicted in paintings, but the facial features were very similar.

    After a pause, Joseph cautiously confirmed, ¡°Do you also have a brother named Joseph, and younger brothers named Lucien and Louis?¡±

    Napoleon was clearly surprised that the Crown Prince knew so much about his family members, he nodded eagerly, then added, ¡°The youngest brother is named Jerome, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no mistake,¡± Joseph said as he pulled Napoleon to sit on the sofa, then casually asked, ¡°How¡¯s your mother¡¯s health, busy with the vineyard, I reckon?¡±

    Napoleon nodded subconsciously, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, she¡¯s doing well, the vineyard hired not many workers to reduce expenses¡­¡±

    Joseph gestured towards the tea cups on the table, then smiled at the young artillery lieutenant, ¡°I greatly admire your brave actions at Amiens. In fact, I hope you can join the Royal Guards. Oh, in light of your recent achievements, you will be promoted to the rank of captain, taking the post of artillery battery commander.

    ¡°So, what is your answer?¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 281: The Troublesome Corsican Nationalists

    Chapter 361: Chapter 281: The Troublesome Corsican Nationalists

    Napoleon was clearly not expecting the Crown Prince to seek him out for this matter. He was stunned for a moment before hurriedly rising to his feet and placing his hand over his chest, ¡°I am most honored, Your Highness. I mean, of course I would like to join the Royal Guards!¡±

    Joseph observed the man before him who would once cause a storm across Europe and couldn¡¯t help but find the nervous and restrained demeanor of Napoleon in his presence rather amusing.

    He had anticipated that the young Napoleon would not refuse his offer at this time, given that his family vineyard in Corsica was deeply in debt and desperately needed him to earn money to support the household.

    Joseph was about to encourage Napoleon further in order to foster a closer relationship when he saw Napoleon blush as if mustering courage and say, ¡°Your Highness, however, I have a request, and I hope you can grant it.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Please speak.¡±

    ¡°Well, I need to take a leave of absence for four to five months each year to return to Corsica¡­¡± Napoleon apparently knew that the military discipline of the Royal Guards was certainly very strict, and it would be difficult for him to take leave as freely as he had in Valence, so he brought it up directly.

    ¡°As you know, my health isn¡¯t very good, and I must receive regular treatment. Besides, the family vineyard also needs me to go back and help take care of it¡­¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, thinking to himself that apart from hemorrhoids, Napoleon was not known to have any serious illness. So what was he doing going back to Corsica every year?

    Suddenly, he remembered that at this time Napoleon was still a staunch believer in Corsican independence and was often secretly involved in political activities under the call of the Corsican independence movement leader, Pascal Paoli.

    Historically, Napoleon had served in the military for four years before the great destiny, of which nearly three years were spent on leave, participating in these activities in Corsica. Thanks to the chaotic management of the French old army at that time, no one noticed this¡­

    Joseph sighed to himself, realizing that it wasn¡¯t ideal for Napoleon to have his body in one place and his heart in another, and that it was important to dispel his thoughts of Corsican independence as soon as possible.

    However, this matter couldn¡¯t be rushed, as it could very well backfire. Young people in their twenties could be rebellious, and if Napoleon were to be pushed too hard, he might become even more committed to Corsican independence and turn against France, which would be a real mess.

    Therefore, it was necessary to secure Napoleon¡¯s loyalty and build a good relationship first; the rest could be dealt with later.

    So, Joseph nodded very graciously, ¡°Your health is of utmost importance, and taking leave, of course, can be arranged. As for your vineyard back home, I have some friends in Bordeaux who might be able to lend a hand in managing it.¡±

    Napoleon had originally thought it would be quite generous of the Crown Prince to grant him one or two months of leave per year and was taken aback when his request was readily agreed upon.

    Listening to the Crown Prince¡¯s caring words warmed his heart, and he quickly bowed again, ¡°Thank you for your kindness and understanding. My brothers and I can manage the vineyard.

    ¡°Oh, I will definitely fight with all my might for the Royal Guards and honor you with my military achievements!¡±

    With Napoleon ¡°in his pocket,¡± Joseph was also very pleased, and after having dinner together, he had Kesode send two guard soldiers to escort him back to Paris to report directly to the General Staff.

    As for the Raphael Legion, he simply wrote a note and sent it off to Valence. The old French military forces were very compliant, and as long as the officer himself had no objections, Joseph had virtually free rein to make transfers.

    After Napoleon¡¯s departure, Joseph stepped out into the villa courtyard, feeling the cool breeze of late spring and gazing at the distant stars. His thoughts, however, were occupied with how to eliminate the inclination for independence in Corsica.

    It wasn¡¯t just about dispelling Napoleon¡¯s dreams of Corsican independence; the island, hanging off the coast of mainland France, would have to be reorganized sooner or later, otherwise, trouble was bound to arise.

    First and foremost, a way had to be found to deal with Pascal Paoli. Without this instigator behind the scenes, the Corsican nobles would soon forget about their foolish aspirations for autonomy.

    However, the man had now fled to England, and from there he rarely showed himself, only publishing books and remotely commanding the Corsican nobility to cause trouble.

    Perhaps the intelligence agency could think of a way to deal with this.

    The next step was to dissolve the Corsican Parliament.

    After Louis XV purchased Corsica, he didn¡¯t plan to govern it properly, so he didn¡¯t implement the French civil administrative system there; instead, he allowed the Corsican Parliament to continue its existence.

    This led to Corsica having a great deal of autonomy, and the parliamentarians, out of fear of losing their power, were all the more vigorous in supporting Corsican independence.

    Beyond these measures, it was necessary to strengthen France¡¯s national power and consequently improve the economic level of Corsica. If the Corsican commoners led a stable life, who would still be willing to pursue independence?

    Only a powerful France could incite a sense of identity in Napoleon; over time, he would naturally become integrated into France and emerge as a true Frenchman. By then, anyone who dared to speak of splitting French territory would face his strong opposition first and foremost.

    Ironically, it was after Napoleon¡¯s ascension to the throne that he personally ordered a substantial limitation of the Corsican Parliament¡¯s powers and unified Corsica¡¯s administrative system, thereby ending the island¡¯s independence movement.

    Nine days later, after a bumpy journey, Joseph¡¯s convoy finally entered Paris City.

    In the carriage, he opened the latest newspaper sent by Eman and saw that the front page of the Paris Commercial News was ¡°The Star of France finals imminent, fifty contestants to head to the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    He shook his head with a smile, as in fact, there were two much more important events today that would have a far greater impact than any contest for the Star of France.

    The first was the conclusion of the long legal trial for the inheritance of the Duke of Chartres: The Duke was formally declared bankrupt, owing fines totaling 26 million livres, as he inherited the entire estate of the Duke of Orleans. A large number of properties, including the Royal Palace and the Duke¡¯s annuities, had been seized by the Bank of France Reserve to offset the debts.

    However, Her Majesty the Queen was too soft-hearted and couldn¡¯t resist the Duke of Orleans¡¯s widow¡¯s tearful pleas, agreeing to leave the Duke of Chartres with a manor and several hundred thousand livres in property to maintain a minimum of noble decorum.

    But considering the Duke of Chartres¡¯s current syphilitic condition, he probably didn¡¯t have many years left¡­

    At the same time, the Duke of Orleans¡¯s estate, worth more than 60 million livres, had officially entered the French treasury, most of which was being used to repay national debt. Of course, as the biggest holder of French national debt, most of this money ended up in the accounts of the Bank of France Reserve.

    The second important event was the official sentencing of the several hundred rioters who had been arrested, with the majority receiving the death penalty¡ªfor these ruffians from gangs, Joseph naturally wouldn¡¯t show mercy.

    However, under the immense influence of the Star of France, the entire nation of France was keenly watching the fifty advancing contestants, discussing their deeds and talents, and even betting a few sous on who would ultimately take the championship.

    The happy and forgetful French people had already put the unfortunate Duke of Orleans and the rioters condemned to death out of their minds.

 Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter 282: Expanding Paris

    Chapter 362: Chapter 282: Expanding Paris

    Joseph¡¯s carriage was still three or four kilometers away from the Palace of Versailles when he discovered that the nearby area was already crowded with people.

    Eman glanced out the window and explained, ¡°Your Highness, the official competition doesn¡¯t start for another two days. These people must have come from other places to watch.¡±

    Normally, there are strict dress codes for entering the Palace of Versailles, but during the Star of France competition, the Versailles Palace Square can be freely accessed, just as it was during the King¡¯s birthday.

    As a result, a large number of ordinary people set up camp outside the square, waiting for the competition to begin.

    However, they wouldn¡¯t find it dull, for with the great influence of the Star of France, various vendors had long set up their stalls here.

    From snacks to fruits, from toys to shoes and hats, from painters to cobblers, the space on both sides of the road was densely packed and stretched out for seven or eight kilometers, with the sounds of vendors, music, and the chatter of passersby filling the air, forming a huge open-air commercial street.

    Even the more business-minded individuals had erected hundreds of tents under the shade of trees to serve as temporary hotels.

    Brian, worried that the large crowds might cause chaos, had even dispatched the court guards to patrol the ¡°commercial street,¡± which added to the lively atmosphere.

    As Joseph looked at the bustling and flourishing scene outside the carriage, an idea struck him.

    Why not take advantage of this moment to set up a commercial street or something?

    With France¡¯s continuous development, the population of Paris was bound to increase, especially after Fashion Week and the Standardization Conference. Not only more French nobility flocked to Paris, but also a steady increase in foreigners settling here.

    Nowadays, the permanent foreign population in Paris has almost reached a thousand, with most concentrated near the real estate projects associated with Fashion Week, and several tens of thousands more staying temporarily.

    The subsequent result was a surge in demand for the expansion of Paris.

    And with the Palace of Versailles situated outside of Paris, it was extremely unfavorable for disseminating decrees and for the Royal Family to establish an image among the people.

    Joseph had long been thinking of integrating Paris with the Palace of Versailles, and now, he saw a good opportunity.

    Especially since the construction of the wooden railway from Versailles to Paris had been completed, providing the foundation for integration, it was even more imperative to put this matter on the agenda as soon as possible.

    The carriage stopped in the Marble Courtyard, and Joseph noticed that Queen Mary was not among the crowd that had come to welcome him.

    Eman leaned in and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid Queen Mary is probably angry with you.¡±

    Indeed, the Queen¡¯s maid Debreninac quickly made her way through the crowd and curtsied to him, ¡°Crown Prince, Her Majesty the Queen has ordered you to come to her as soon as you return.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she cast a glance around and advised him in a softer tone, ¡°Your Highness, you have really been too willful this time, rushing off to North Africa on your own. You may not know this, but His Majesty has been so worried that he couldn¡¯t even sleep.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Joseph rubbed his forehead somewhat helplessly¡ªwhy did this feel like a parent giving a cold look to a child who had sneaked out to play all night?

    He had no choice but to follow Countess Debreninac to the Petit Trianon Palace. Upon entering the front hall, he saw Queen Mary standing with her back to him in the center of the room.

    Joseph hurried forward to bow, speaking earnestly with a smile, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m back¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Queen Mary tilted her head up at a forty-five-degree angle, not even looking at him, ¡°So you still know how to come back?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Joseph hurriedly moved closer, flashing a bright smile, ¡°Ah, the most beautiful, intelligent, and kind mother in the world, I haven¡¯t seen you for almost a month, and I¡¯ve missed you terribly!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± the Queen still tilted her head back, deliberately wearing a stern face, ¡°Daring to run off to such a dangerous place on your own? And to deceive me saying it was domestic!¡±

    ¡°Tunisia is also considered domestic now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Joseph moved in front of Queen Mary, took her hands, and rubbed them against his face, ¡°Look, haven¡¯t I returned safely?¡± he said, then turned back to Eman with a wink.

    The latter immediately instructed the servants to carry in several exquisite boxes and then opened them one by one.

    Joseph, grinning, introduced, ¡°Look, this is a Tunisian-style dress designed for you by the best tailor in Tunisia.

    ¡°This necklace is made of pearls, a specialty of North Africa, specially picked for you¡­¡±

    ¡°And this scarf is¡­¡±

    Seeing Queen Mary still wearing an impassive face, Joseph sighed lightly and had to play his trump card.

    ¡°Mother, guess whom I¡¯ve brought back for you?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± the Queen glanced at her son, ¡°It¡¯s no use, whoever you bring to plead won¡¯t do any good!¡±

    ¡°Jeanne.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I said no amount of pleading would¡­¡± the Queen was midway through her sentence when she suddenly froze, her eyes wide with astonishment, ¡°Who did you say?!¡±

    ¡°Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Remy,¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°that fraudster.¡±

    Queen Mary immediately grabbed her son¡¯s arm, her eyes wide, ¡°Are you serious? How did you find her?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well, actually, I went to Tunisia just for this reason,¡± Joseph immediately exaggerated the story about catching the British Spy, though in his tale, he had set out with the objective of exchanging the spy for Jeanne.

    ¡°Ah, my sweetheart! Good boy, I¡¯m so thankful to you!¡± Queen Mary heard her son had braved danger to retrieve the fraudster who had humiliated her from the British, and tears filled her eyes as she embraced him, ¡°But you really shouldn¡¯t have taken such a big risk! Tripoli is even at war¡­ Joseph, your life is more important to me than everything! That damned female fraudster isn¡¯t worth the risk! Ah, I¡¯m so moved, my son has grown up, and like a valiant knight, you have cleared my disgrace. I was still blaming you, oh, I really shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±

    Joseph instead felt a bit embarrassed, and quickly extricated himself from the Queen¡¯s embrace, signaling the maids to bring some cake, pudding, and the like, and then took out the red Tunisian dress embellished with gold pieces and ornate curves and held it in front of the Queen, ¡°Mother, you must try this on, it¡¯s beautiful and will certainly suit you perfectly¡­¡±

    An hour later, an utterly exhausted Joseph who had finally appeased his mother walked out of Petit Trianon Palace, and headed straight to the office of the Minister of Commerce Bailly to discuss plans for developing the area between Paris and the Palace of Versailles into a commercial center and a new scientific research district.

    However, the time at Queen Mary¡¯s had also seen some gains; the Queen had promised him that as long as he brought the Swiss Guard and informed her, he could go abroad anytime.

    After relaying the matters of Paris¡¯s expansion plans to Bailly, Joseph immediately went to the General Staff Headquarters¡¯ office building without a break.

    Because of its special nature, the headquarters was located in a two-story building next to the Royal Armory.

    The space was small but bustling with activity. Dozens of civilian officers carrying various documents continuously shuttled between different functional offices. Shouts urging action emerged from the rooms from time to time, strikingly different from the relaxed atmosphere typically found in traditional military officers¡¯ offices.

    When Bertier learned that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had arrived, he hurried out to meet him with several officers.

    Before they could salute, Joseph asked the question he was most concerned about, ¡°Has that officer named Napoleon reported for duty yet?¡±

    The Chief of General Staff, clearly not expecting the Crown Prince to be so interested in that young captain ¡ª who was newly promoted ¡ª hesitated before nodding, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, he has already reported the day before yesterday. He is now serving in the artillery battalion of the Guard First Legion.¡±

 Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 283: Following the Powerful

    Chapter 363: Chapter 283: Following the Powerful

    Joseph exhibited a contented smile. Now, even if Napoleon¡¯s people were retained, as for his heart¡­ Napoleon was only just 20 years old, there was plenty of time and opportunities ahead to cultivate affections.

    He, along with Bertier and others, entered the Chief of Staff¡¯s office, sat down in the chair at the head, and gestured to everyone, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±

    ¡°I have already reviewed the report sent over by General Staff beforehand, and the work of everyone here is truly outstanding, having gotten this place up and running in such a short time.¡±

    Of course, most of the credit for this belonged to Bertier.

    If his ability to command troops in the battle was to be rated 70 out of 100, then his skills as an auxiliary staff officer would definitely score 100. It¡¯s not that he could only get 100, but rather that 100 was the highest score possible. In this regard, he was indeed France¡¯s most outstanding genius!

    Bertier and the officers immediately stood up, loudly proclaiming, ¡°Serving His Majesty the King is our honor!¡±

    Joseph gestured for them to sit down and continued, ¡°Aside from the basic work of recruiting and training during this period, the General Staff also has many other matters to attend to.

    ¡°Firstly, we need to conduct an ¡®army-wide combat effectiveness assessment.¡¯

    ¡°All legions must participate, and as long as they meet the assessment standards, they can be granted the ¡®Royal¡¯ title. Officers who perform excellently in the assessment will be promoted.¡±

    Bertier, somewhat surprised, said, ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t this reward rather excessive? I mean, this is just an assessment after all¡­¡±

    Joseph laughed and shook his head, ¡°No, if you knew the standards of the assessment, you would find the rewards very reasonable.¡±

    ¡°Then, what are the standards?¡±

    ¡°Based on the daily training standards of Guard Corps, with just a slight increase. Any legion that can achieve this will be considered to have passed the standard.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bertier immediately revealed a knowing smile¡ªlooking across the whole of France, besides the Royal Guards, even if you included the elite Swiss Guard, who could run 5 kilometers in 22 minutes? Not to mention doing it with a weight of 18 pounds¡­

    There were also several other items such as shooting, formation, obstacle crossing, and tactical cooperation. Forget about whether those old-style military forces could meet the standards, some of them probably hadn¡¯t even heard of these training events!

    A staff officer who had been promoted from the Guard Corps hesitantly said, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s likely that no legion will pass the assessment, so what is the purpose of this assessment then?¡±

    ¡°Good question,¡± Joseph cast an appreciative glance at him, ¡°That¡¯s why, after the assessment, they will certainly claim, ¡®No one could meet such standards.¡¯ At that time, the Guard Corps will shatter their confidence and tell them what real elites are.¡±

    Bertier and the others immediately revealed an odd expression, the Crown Prince was really ruthless. This was about setting other legions¡¯ soldiers to live under the shadow of the Guard Corps.

    Joseph then smiled again, ¡°Remember, after the assessment is over, to distribute application forms to those legions.¡±

    Bertier was slow to react, ¡°Application forms?¡±

    ¡°Yes, application forms to join the Guard Corps. Make sure that the approval process is strict. Only those with talent and courage are acceptable; we absolutely cannot let garbage enter the Guard Corps!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Joseph did not think that merely with this demonstration could he make the noble officers submit, but at least it would leave a profound impression in their hearts.

    In the end, to thoroughly convince them, the Guard Corps had to achieve remarkable results on the battlefield.

    The previous battle in Tunisia was against the North African army, which was entirely inferior in terms of equipment, training, and command. And the fight against the Moncalm Legion involved meticulous planning. These were not enough to convince those proud French noble officers.

    Only by facing a real European army and securing an overwhelming victory could the true combat strength of the Guard Corps be showcased.

    Soldiers always revered the strong¡ªas long as you were powerful enough, they would naturally follow you.

    Just like Napoleon, whether he promoted the republic or proclaimed himself emperor, everyone from nobles to commoners followed him without looking back. Even when he was exiled, he could command countless soldiers to cheer and swarm around him upon his return with just one word.

    After discussing some details regarding the assessment of the entire army¡¯s combat capabilities with his staff, Joseph continued, ¡°Next, we need to talk about the situation in the Far East.

    ¡°Are you aware of the news that the Kingdom of Mysore in India has had a dispute with the Dutch and the Travancore Princely State?¡±

    Bertier and others exchanged glances, and an officer quickly left the conference room, returning shortly with a document in hand.

    After the staff members had passed the document around, they all looked at the Crown Prince with some surprise.

    It was intelligence that had just arrived from Puducherry in India two days ago, mentioning a potential conflict in the southwestern princely states, with the Dutch being a factor. As for the details, nothing was mentioned.

    Yet the Crown Prince seemed to have an in-depth understanding of the matter on hand. Could it be that the Intelligence Bureau¡¯s reach had extended to the Far East?!

    Joseph certainly wouldn¡¯t explain to them that it was not the case. The Intelligence Bureau had barely managed to handle North Africa, and their infiltration into the Americas had just begun. The Far East was not even to be considered.

    At present, intelligence from the Far East was provided by merchants and diplomats, so the content was very vague.

    Only he, who had ¡®cheated¡¯, knew the detailed situation.

    Joseph also glanced at the military¡¯s intelligence and decided to first inform his staff of the situation in Mysore: ¡°The incident started when the Travancore Royal bought two fortresses on Mysore Territory¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s roughly the situation. Sultan Tipu of Mysore has always been assertive. He would never allow a hostile princely state to drive a nail under his watchful eye. Therefore, I believe it is highly probable that he will declare war on Travancore.¡±

    A staff officer pondered and said, ¡°Travancore has our interests, perhaps we should support them.¡±

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°On the contrary, Major.

    ¡°Travancore is no match for Mysore, and they will inevitably seek help from the British.

    ¡°And the British have long disapproved of Mysore, the only kingdom in India that has not submitted to them, so they will definitely take this opportunity to declare war on Mysore.¡±

    He looked around at everyone: ¡°Our interests in Travancore are trivial, and even in the entire Far East, we barely have a presence, let alone significant interests.

    ¡°Therefore, our goal should be to have the British expend as much as possible in the Far East!

    ¡°That is to say, we will support Mysore.¡±

    The staff again looked at each other and slowly nodded their heads.

    However, Bertier hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, if we send troops directly, it could very likely provoke England into waging a full-scale war against us.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Therefore, we must conceal ourselves as much as possible.

    ¡°Mainly by supporting Mysore with arms and equipment¡ªtry not to use French weapons, and send officers. As for the troops, we can send a small number of Tunisians. They share the same religious beliefs as the people of Mysore.¡±

 Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 284: Unveiling a New Chapter

    Chapter 364: Chapter 284: Unveiling a New Chapter

    It¡¯s not about being timid, it¡¯s just that the French Navy is truly no match for the British.

    In order to support the American independence, the French fleet had to toughen up and engage the British in the Caribbean Sea, but ended up being beaten like dogs, resulting in the loss of a great deal of control over the Caribbean. In the end, in order to preserve the sugar-producing base of Santo Domingo, later known as Haiti, they had to exchange North American lands ten times larger with the British.

    Joseph would not make such a mistake again for the sake of supporting Mysore.

    Exerting force in India was meant to drain the British, not themselves.

    The most important thing for France right now was to develop industry. A huge amount of start-up capital had been poured into steel, coal, textiles, steam engines, and many other sectors, just when massive investments were needed for industrial expansion, they could not afford to waste money on warfare and cause the industry to stagnate.

    Ultimately, it¡¯s because France¡¯s finances are too poor. If France were as wealthy as the British, Joseph wouldn¡¯t mind going all-in in India.

    Bertier suggested, ¡°Your Highness, if we only offer limited support, then what the people of Mysore need most is an excellent commander. Perhaps Major Lefebvre or Colonel Davout could be sent to India.¡±

    The Colonel Davout he spoke of was Andr¨¦ Davout, the commander of Murat¡¯s Corps.

    Joseph thought for a moment and shook his head. While both men were certainly competent commanders, who would likely have more than enough to match wits with Cornwallis, the Mysore War was almost set to sweep up half of India, and being so far away, it was extremely dangerous.

    He didn¡¯t want to risk his closest direct followers in India.

    But who else could he send? Among the officers of the Old Nobility, few were truly capable of fighting, and he didn¡¯t know them well enough.

    Suddenly, he thought of a name and turned to Bertier, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to send Marquis de Lafayette to Mysore?¡±

    Lafayette, a French officer, who snuck off to the United States in 1777 to join the war for independence, became a major general in the Continental Army, and even George Washington treated him with great respect. In 1780, he played a significant role in the Battle of Yorktown and helped the Americans finally defeat the British forces.

    Upon returning to France, he was made a brigadier general, but because he was a liberal and not favored by the French Military Nobility, he had never been put to significant use. It wasn¡¯t until the outbreak of the French Revolution that he became the commander of the National Guard, effectively France¡¯s highest military commander at the time, enjoying unparalleled glory. However, in the end, due to his greed for power and his insistence on protecting the King, he fell out with the Jacobins and fled the country.

    And coincidentally, Lafayette had clashed with the current Governor of India, Cornwallis, in America, where the latter had never been able to gain the upper hand against him. This would give him quite the psychological advantage in combat against the British.

    After quietly discussing among themselves for a while, Bertier and his staff turned to the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, there is no doubt about Marquis de Lafayette¡¯s capability in commanding warfare, but he might not be willing to risk going to the Far East¡­¡±

    He spoke euphemistically. Lafayette had been reprimanded by the Royal Family because he had gone to America on his own accord and had an unpleasant fallout with the military, so it was likely that he wouldn¡¯t obey the General Staff¡¯s orders.

    However, Joseph just smiled slightly, ¡°You can tell him that if he can help Mysore achieve victory, just like he once did in the United States, upon his return, he could be promoted to Assistant Minister of War or Governor of a province. I believe he would accept the mission.¡±

    Joseph knew that Lafayette was a man with a strong desire for power and great ambition. After fighting in America for several years, upon his return to France, he received a brigadier general¡¯s rank but no substantial rewards.

    ¡°`

    So as long as he is given a chance to rise, he will certainly not refuse it.

    Moreover, the promise Joseph gave him is actually a blank check¡ªalthough the Kingdom of Mysore is quite powerful in India, England is an ever-expanding mighty empire. It is already quite difficult for Sultan Tipu of Mysore to hold out against the British for several years, and victory is almost an impossibility.

    Of course, if Lafayette really had an explosive burst of energy and managed to defeat the British in the Far East, making him an assistant to the Minister of War or something of that sort wouldn¡¯t be out of the question. You should know, that would be equivalent to smashing the British¡¯s biggest livelihood!

    Bertier quickly noted down the Crown Prince¡¯s orders in his notebook and nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I will do my best to persuade Marquis Lafayette.¡±

    Afterward, Joseph discussed the military deployment in Tunisia with the staff members until dusk fell and the meeting came to an end.

    Returning to his own chamber, Joseph was so tired that he couldn¡¯t even bother to take off his clothes and fell asleep on his bed. Since returning from Tunisia, he had been jostled about on the road for eight or nine days, and could finally get some good rest.

    Seeing this, Perna exchanged a glance with Eman and stepped forward to carefully check the Crown Prince¡¯s forehead and wrist to make sure he was not sick. Then, along with the maids, they gently placed him properly on the bed and covered him with a blanket before slowly withdrawing.

    The candles were extinguished. Joseph, deep in sleep, dreamed a dream where the continent of Europe became an endless theater, and that colossal curtain stretching to the horizon was slowly drawn back under the gaze of the gods¡­

    Netherlands, Amsterdam.

    Second floor of the temporary Parliament House.

    The British Foreign Minister, Marquess Wellesley, surveyed the austere building and said to the Dutch Speaker Campelen beside him, ¡°I still prefer the Earl¡¯s Castle in The Hague, where one can always feel a sense of dignity and somberness.¡±

    By ¡°Earl¡¯s Castle¡± he meant the former Dutch Parliament House. After the Patriot Party gained control of the Dutch government, they moved the Parliament to Amsterdam. Because it was done in a hurry, the new Parliament House was not yet built, and this building was used as a temporary workplace for the Parliament.

    Campelen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, the meaning in the Englishman¡¯s words being quite clear that Amsterdam was not ¡°dignified and somber¡± enough. However, he quickly put on a smile and replied, ¡°The Hague belongs to the past now, my lord. And we will soon have a new Parliament House. Look, just two streets away, and it is every bit as grand as the Earl¡¯s Castle.¡±

    The Marquess Wellesley simply smiled indifferently and followed Campelen into the reception room to sit down on a sofa: ¡°Well, perhaps you and your Parliament needn¡¯t rush to build a Parliament House in Amsterdam.¡±

    Campelen immediately thought of William V, who had been stripped of power: ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t misunderstand me,¡± said the Marquess Wellesley with a wave of his hand. ¡°I mean, perhaps the Dutch Parliament will soon have to discuss the location of the Parliament House with voters in the Southern Netherlands again. You see, Brussels is also a nice place.¡±

    A flicker of realization crossed Campelen¡¯s eyes: ¡°My lord, I don¡¯t quite follow you.¡±

    ¡°With all the trouble in Brabant, surely the Dutch Parliament has some plan, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter 285: The Brabant Rebellion

    Chapter 365: Chapter 285: The Brabant Rebellion

    Campelen straightened up immediately when he heard the word ¡°Brabant¡± and gave a sign to the Dutch diplomat beside him.

    The latter quickly gestured for all the servants to leave and tightly closed the main gate.

    Only then did Campelen carefully say, ¡°Marquis, in fact, the Brabant uprising has nothing to do with the Netherlands.¡±

    The British Foreign Minister nodded, ¡°Yes, it has nothing to do with it. Vandernoot did not get the support of the Dutch Parliament.¡±

    The Vandernoot he mentioned was the leader of the Brabant uprising.

    Brabant was a core region of the Southern Netherlands, which is modern-day Belgium, where a large-scale rebellion was currently taking place.

    At that time, the Southern Netherlands was still Austrian territory, but it had been practicing a relatively autonomous political model, managed by the States-General of the Netherlands.

    Emperor Joseph II of Holy Rome had started implementing a series of reforms a few years earlier, among which were strengthening centralization and weakening noble privileges.

    This offended nearly all the powers in the Southern Netherlands¡ªthe Liberals opposed centralization and demanded to maintain the Congress¡¯s rights while the Conservative nobles were extremely discontent with the weakening of their privileges.

    Thus, both sides joined forces, started to organize the power of the Southern Netherlands, planning to drive Austrian influence out of the area and establish their own country.

    This event in history is known as the Brabant Uprising.

    The other name for the Netherlands is ¡°Northern Netherlands.¡± As a country of the same origin as the Southern Netherlands, the Dutch naturally hoped that their brethren could break free from Austrian rule, and so they secretly provided considerable support to the rebels.

    Marquess Wellesley glanced at the demeanor of the Speaker of the Dutch Parliament and continued, ¡°There is no need for you to be nervous. I have come here to convey to you the British Parliament¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°We believe that the Southern Netherlands has every right to choose its own allegiance.

    ¡°However, you also know that Vandernoot alone does not have the power to contend with the mighty Austria.¡±

    Campelen stared intently at the Englishman, ¡°Please continue.¡±

    ¡°They need their own compatriots as their support,¡± stated Marquess Wellesley, clasping his hands together, ¡°to resist the Austrians as ¡®the Republic of the Netherlands.¡¯

    Campelen¡¯s breathing became rapid, ¡°Are you saying that England supports the unification of the Netherlands and the Southern Netherlands?¡±

    Marquess Wellesley nodded, ¡°We have always been the most loyal ally of the Netherlands and naturally hope that the Netherlands will become stronger. Therefore, the unification of the Low Countries is the first step.¡±

    He completely omitted to mention the Anglo-Dutch War that had just occurred a few years ago, during which the British Navy had almost annihilated the Dutch Fleet.

    In reality, England had always seen the Netherlands and Belgium as springboards for attacks on the British mainland from the European continent, and hence pursued a policy of firmly controlling the area.

    Previously, the French people supported the Dutch Patriot Party in deposing William V, after which the Netherlands began to lean towards France, causing the British considerable discomfort.

    Now with the Brabant Uprising taking place, England immediately used this as a leverage to persuade the Netherlands.

    ¡°Unification?¡± Campelen seemed somewhat hesitant, ¡°Would the South Netherlanders agree to that?¡±

    Marquess Wellesley smiled, ¡°If they wish to break free from Austria, they would have no choice but to merge with the Netherlands.

    ¡°Vandernoot has been seeking the help of Prussia¡ªindeed, without the entry of the Prussian Army into the Southern Netherlands, Austria could easily suppress the rebellion. And I have already discussed this matter with His Majesty William II, who is very supportive of the unification of the Netherlands.¡±

    Campelen immediately stood up, excitedly placing his hand over his chest, ¡°Thank you and His Majesty William II. The Dutch people will forever remember the solid friendship between our three nations!¡±

    However, Marquess Wellesley abruptly changed the subject, ¡°I have heard that the Dutch East India Company is preparing to cooperate with the French and form a United East India Company?¡±

    Campelen immediately shook his head, ¡°This is just what the French people wishful thinking; we have never indicated agreement.¡±

    Marquess of Wellesley showed a relieved expression, ¡°Then that¡¯s excellent, otherwise it would have affected the close alliance between Britain, the Netherlands, and Prussia.¡±

    ¡°Alliance?¡± Campelen was startled for a moment, then quickly realized, ¡°Yes, the Triple Alliance! This is exactly what the Netherlands has been looking forward to!¡±

    A meaningful smile flickered at the corner of Marquess Wellesley¡¯s mouth. He knew his strategy was bound to succeed.

    Uniting the Northern and Southern Netherlands had been all Dutchmen¡¯s dream for hundreds of years. For this, they were willing to give up everything!

    For Prussia, anything that could weaken Austria, they would do without hesitation. As long as the Southern Netherlands did not belong to Austria, they did not care whether it was independent or unified with the Netherlands.

    Moreover, the Southern Netherlands controlled the mouth of the Rhine River. With most of Austria¡¯s territory inland, to engage in overseas trade, they could either go south to the Mediterranean or navigate through the Rhine River, exiting into the Atlantic Ocean.

    Now, Britain controlled the gateway in and out of the Mediterranean¡ªthe Strait of Gibraltar. If they could also control the mouth of the Rhine River through the Netherlands, it would be equivalent to completely blocking Austria¡¯s maritime trade channel.

    By then, Austria would have no choice but to bow to Britain.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, in Austria¡¯s Schonbrunn Palace, Emperor Joseph II listened to the report from State Minister Kaunitz, took a deep breath, and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Reform must not stop.

    ¡°Paris has undertaken even more radical reforms than ours without any problems. I am confident¡­

    ¡°As for Brabant, they only have a few thousand poorly trained militia. Let General Willemze suppress the rebellion quickly.¡±

    Kaunitz frowned and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Prussians will certainly not miss this opportunity to strike at us. So, we are facing more than just a few thousand militiamen.¡±

    Emperor Joseph II leaned against the back of his chair, his poor health making it difficult for him to concentrate on thinking.

    After a moment, he finally spoke, ¡°Give General Willemze 30,000 troops. If the Prussians dare to interfere, launch an attack on them.¡±

    Kaunitz was silent for a few seconds before tentatively saying, ¡°Your Majesty, perhaps we could ask for help from your sister.¡±

    Emperor Joseph II¡¯s sister happened to be the current Queen of France¡ªMarie Antoinette.¡±

    Emperor Joseph II¡¯s mouth twisted into something resembling a smile, ¡°My dear brother-in-law has always had his eyes on the Walloon Region. You actually suggest letting the French Army set foot in the Southern Netherlands?

    ¡°We must resolve this matter ourselves. If Austria can¡¯t even handle a rebellion in Brabant, then what talk is there of unifying Germany?¡±

    The Walloon Region he mentioned is a large area in the south of the Southern Netherlands, accounting for nearly half of its area. The residents mostly speak French and are very pro-French overall.

    Kaunitz sighed helplessly to himself: If it were not for the Emperor¡¯s push for radical reforms, there would not have been a rebellion in the Southern Netherlands. Now, because of the reforms, there is widespread public discontent among the nobles, and Austria is at its most vulnerable. He hoped that this time, they could successfully navigate the crisis.

    He bowed to Emperor Joseph II, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I will discuss the deployment of troops with General Willemze immediately.¡±

    ¡­

    Versailles Palace.

    The finals of the Star of France began officially, and the Versailles Palace Square was packed with tens of thousands of people, making it extremely crowded.

    The crowd kept shouting the names of the contestants they supported, and the cries of vendors made the square lively and bustling.

 Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 286: Happy French Citizens

    Chapter 366: Chapter 286: Happy French Citizens

    Joseph rubbed his ears and put down the draft of the ¡°France-Austria Trade Agreement,¡± frowning as he looked towards the huge French windows.

    The windows were tightly closed, but they still couldn¡¯t block out the tsunami-like cheers coming from the Palace of Versailles Square.

    He then remembered that today was the final day of the Star of France competition, and he shook his head as he stood up, realizing that if he wanted to work, he¡¯d have to go to the Tuileries Palace.

    Eman hurried over, bowing and saying, ¡°Your Highness, Queen Mary¡¯s people have come to urge you, the competition is about to begin.¡±

    Joseph nodded and stretched, allowing his servants to help him change into a different outfit before he hurried toward the square. After all, there was nothing else to do, so he might as well go and keep his mother company at the contest. She was particularly fond of such events.

    As he stepped out of the main entrance of the Palace of Versailles, he heard the noisy voices in the Marble Courtyard, ¡°No, you need to add more emotion! Especially the part about your father¡¯s death¡­¡±

    ¡°At that time, to keep me dancing, my father had to work five jobs a day, busy until midnight before he could sleep, and then up again at five in the morning to go to the workshop.¡±

    ¡°Although I don¡¯t have a right hand, no family, and hardly any friends, I still have my voice, and singing is everything to me¡­¡±

    ¡°Truly! That day I heard the voice of God¡­ so I picked myself back up, bravely returned to the qualifying round, and finally succeeded! Thank the Lord!¡±

    Joseph smiled and shook his head, knowing that these were the contestants, and the Marble Courtyard was currently being used as their preparation area.

    To maximize the impact of the competition¡¯s stories, he had specifically requested all contestants to share a part of their story before the competition, the more tear-jerking the better.

    What he hadn¡¯t anticipated was the extraordinary perceptiveness of the 18th-century French people; after just a few rounds, everyone realized the importance of ¡°pre-competition stories¡±¡ªwhen two contestants were close in singing and dancing abilities, it was the degree of emotional stirring of their stories that determined the winner. Even a story heart-wrenching enough was more crucial than actual talent.

    Consequently, the contestants¡¯ stories became more and more spectacular, and it was rumored that playwrights had begun to specialize in writing ¡°pre-competition stories¡± to make money.

    And this had greatly increased the heat of the competition, which was now not only a sensation throughout France, but the talk of virtually all of Europe.

    The organizing committee of the Star of France had even compiled these contestants¡¯ stories into booklets for sale, with the qualifying rounds version already in its third issue, selling astoundingly well.

    The temporarily constructed wooden spectator stands surrounded the large stage in the middle of the Versailles Palace Square in a circle. According to the design, there were more than 5,000 seats, but at this moment, each spot was crammed with two people, with still a large part of the audience standing around the outside, craning their necks towards the stage.

    To accommodate the Star of France competition, Paris City Hall had even specifically requested that all workshops and shops give their employees at least one day off during the three days of the finals. This significantly increased the number of spectators.

    Joseph, via a path cleared by the guards among the crowd, arrived at the VIP area of the spectator stands. The people along the way, realizing that it was the Crown Prince, bowed respectfully to him.

    Joseph sat down next to Queen Mary, casually chatting about the state of the competition, and couldn¡¯t help but recall the last time he watched the fencing match with Clementine on Louis XVI¡¯s birthday. It felt like such an occasion was only properly atmospheric with a little girl chattering away beside him.

    However, his cousin¡¯s return to Austria had also been a relief for him; he was genuinely afraid that Queen Mary would forcibly make a match from the Matchmaking Scroll, leading to an incestuous marriage for him. As someone familiar with modern genetics, that would be an absolute disaster in his life¡­

    A loud burst of horns sounded around, accompanied by drumbeats and the sound of a harpsichord, as Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio, sister of Louis XVI and the Countess of Provence, came to the center of the stage to announce the official start of the finals of the Star of France.

    Then, the host recounted the twists and turns of the qualifying rounds, encouraging the contestants to perform at their best¡­

    The stands were packed with hundreds of international journalists, frantically recording the progress of the competition on their notepads. The contest was now the focus of public attention¡ªwhichever newspaper got their stories out fastest would see the highest sales.

    The French people who came to watch the competition were so excited that they couldn¡¯t stop cheering, or they were moved to tears by the performers, fully immersing themselves in a carnival feast.

    All the hardships and gloom of ordinary days were forgotten in this moment, completely wiped away.

    Actually, ever since the preliminaries started two months ago, their lives had been filled with various performers and highly acclaimed songs and dances.

    It could be said that, during this period, the French people were the happiest group in all of Europe. Now, unless they were on the brink of starvation, even if someone incited them to revolt, they simply wouldn¡¯t care.

    Joseph gazed at the young performers singing and dancing on stage and then glanced at the tens of thousands of citizens around him who were intoxicated with delight, and he couldn¡¯t help but nod to himself, ¡°The entertainment routines from the future sure work well.¡±

    He immediately thought that, once the Star of France was over, maybe they should continue with a national sports festival or even a European one.

    Yes, promoting popular sports among the common folk would not only enable them to exercise but also provide an outlet for venting their emotions.

    It might even stimulate the economy.

    He immediately reviewed the sports of the era¡ªhorseback riding, fencing, tennis, golf¡­

    They all seemed to be noble sports, with perhaps only cricket being something that could be promoted among the commoners.

    He sighed. Well, it looked like he would have to ¡°invent¡± football himself.

    However, for the people of this era, a football made of cowhide stitching was still not something the common man could afford.

    Joseph planned in his mind to have the treasury spend some money to purchase public footballs for each parish for everyone¡¯s use.

    A smile played at the corner of his mouth. In that case, maybe he could see his beloved World Cup as soon as the eighteenth century!

    And what about the possibility of an early appearance of the French football league? The idea of forming his own professional team was even a little exciting¡­ The Paris Crown Prince¡¯s Team? Just the thought of it made him a little thrilled¡­

    Together with the ¡°Louis Prize¡± evaluation and awards ceremony that had already been scheduled on the agenda, and the upcoming Paris Fashion Week among other events, France had a series of grand festivities almost non-stop throughout the year.

    Joseph suddenly slapped his thigh. Well, in that case, the property prices in Paris would definitely rise again, and he had to arrange new real estate projects quickly. It would be perfect to combine them with the Paris-Versailles Palace integration project and develop the wasteland in between¡ªthere was money to be made!

    ¡­

    Three days later.

    The Star of France competition came to a close, and Oriean Tona, a commoner from Brittany, ultimately won the championship.

    The runner-up was a merchant from Paris, and the third place went to a little clerk from Bordeaux.

    It wasn¡¯t that the commoners were exceptionally strong, but rather that most of the nobles haughtily refused to compete alongside commoners and thus did not sign up.

    However, when the nobles at the Palace of Versailles saw Tona being awarded the trophy and 30,000 livres in prize money by the Countess of Provence in the midst of cheering thousands, and his subsequent joining of the court orchestra, every one of them regretted deeply and silently resolved to participate in next year¡¯s Star of France! What was the face of nobility worth compared to 30,000 livres?

 Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter 287: The True Core of the French Cabinet

    Chapter 367: Chapter 287: The True Core of the French Cabinet

    Palace of Versailles, East Wing, Conference Hall.

    Queen Mary, who sat at the head of the conference table, was evidently in a good mood. Part of her relaxation stemmed from the song and dance competitions of the past few days, but the most important reason was the report from the Foreign Minister yesterday, suggesting that the British Government had agreed to arrest Jeanne and send her back to France.

    Finally, she would not have to hear about that swindler writing more disgusting news about the French Royal Family.

    The Cabinet meeting had not yet officially begun, and she turned to the Crown Prince first, ¡°Joseph, have you heard about what¡¯s happening in Spain?¡±

    Joseph hurriedly adopted a sorrowful expression, ¡°May His Majesty, the old King, rest in peace in heaven.¡±

    Yes, King Carlos III of Spain had passed away not long ago.

    Queen Mary made the sign of the cross over her chest and sighed, ¡°May God have mercy on him.

    ¡°By the way, you should take a trip to Madrid soon to congratulate His Majesty Charles IV on my and your father¡¯s behalf for his coronation.¡±

    Charles IV was the Crown Prince who had been cuckolded by his wife. Joseph had once helped him deal with the adulterer, so they shared a history. Furthermore, the Spanish Royal Family and the French Royal Family both belonged to the Bourbon lineage, so it was reasonable and proper to formally congratulate the new king on his ascension to the throne.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Yes, Mother. I¡¯ll set off tomorrow.¡±

    Actually, he had been planning on when to visit Spain. Not just Spain, but he intended to visit all of the major powers in Europe.

    As French industry rapidly developed, he needed to lay the groundwork in advance, signing trade agreements with various countries to smooth the path for French industrial goods.

    Thereafter, Queen Mary gestured to Archbishop Brienne, ¡°Please begin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the latter bowed respectfully and then looked towards the Cabinet Ministers at the conference table, ¡°As Her Majesty the Queen just mentioned, with the coronation of His Majesty Charles IV, we need to prepare a diplomatic mission to accompany the Crown Prince on his visit to Spain.

    ¡°At the same time, some policies regarding Spain also need to be adjusted in advance¡­¡±

    France and Spain were closely related Royal Families, and the interests of both countries were relatively aligned, almost in a semi-alliance state. Generally, the policies would continue from those of Carlos III, so discussions on this subject were quickly concluded.

    Then, Archbishop Brienne spoke again, ¡°Next, we need to discuss the situation with the Ottoman Empire.

    ¡°I believe everyone is aware that Hamid I passed away at the beginning of this month. He had previously designated his nephew, Salem III, as the new Ottoman Sultan.

    ¡°During Salem III¡¯s accession, the Ottoman Empire should experience a period of instability.¡±

    Duke of Broglie, the Minister of War, spoke up immediately, ¡°We could take this opportunity to find the offspring of Ali I of Tripoli, and send troops to support him in reclaiming Tripoli.¡±

    Ali I was the Pasha of the Karamanli dynasty, recently overthrown by the Ottoman officer Ben Guerir in a coup.

    Hearing this, several Cabinet Ministers nodded in agreement.

    Tunisia was, in a manner of speaking, snatched from Ottoman hands, and the current Tripoli, under Ottoman control, always posed a serious threat to Tunisia.

    For this reason, France had to maintain a large military presence in Tunisia. Instead of being worn down like this, it would be better to resolve this trouble directly while the Ottoman internal situation was unstable.

    Joseph immediately expressed opposition, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that might not be the best strategy.¡±

    Queen Mary was about to ask her son for his reasoning, but she noticed that the ministers, who had been eagerly supporting military action, had become quiet, as if they hadn¡¯t mentioned the matter at all.

    She looked at Joseph in surprise, ¡°Ah, can you explain why?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Joseph said, ¡°behind Tripoli lurks the shadow of the British, and they certainly hope to see us entangled in the chaos there. And if the Ottomans can reinforce their troops with the help of the British Navy, it would be difficult for us to stop them. This could easily lead to a protracted war.

    ¡°Most importantly, even if we drive out the Ottomans, we cannot occupy Tripoli. You know, the countries of Europe would become wary of our presence in the Mediterranean.¡±

    Queen Mary furrowed her brow, ¡°But if we miss this opportunity, the Ottomans might well establish a firm foothold in Tripoli.¡±

    ¡°Please rest assured, I have already made arrangements for that. The Ottomans are even farther from Tripoli than we are, and without British support, they will soon retreat from there.¡±

    Joseph looked at Duke of Broglie, ¡°Maintaining a legion in Tunisia for a short duration costs much less than waging a war.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true, Your Highness.¡±

    Queen Mary was still somewhat hesitant, ¡°What are the arrangements you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    Joseph offered a faint smile, ¡°I will submit a report to you later.¡±

    The matter of the Ottomans was thus put aside for the moment. Archbishop Brienne then brought out proposals from Minister of Industry Mirabeau about abolishing tariffs between regions in France, as well as reforming the tax farmer system.

    Of course, both of these matters were orchestrated by Joseph himself.

    Now, with tens of millions of livres secured from the Duke of Orleans at the Bank of France Reserve, there was confidence in undertaking these reforms.

    And the Capitalist Nobility, represented by Mirabeau, naturally welcomed this very much.

    The abolition of inter-regional tariffs would make the flow of goods smoother, effectively expanding the market.

    In the development of industry, market is the most important of the three key elements¡ªcapital, technology, and market. It can even be said that with a market, the other two can be spawned.

    As for the tax farmer system, it was a chronic problem in French finances, swallowing up a large portion of tax revenues every year.

    However, when Archbishop Brienne presented these two reform proposals, apart from Mirabeau and Bailly, the other ministers were more opposed than in favor.

    To this, Joseph was not surprised, after all, these were reforms with great reach.

    Local taxes not only involved the finances of the provincial governments but also related to the development of local handicrafts¡ªpreviously, if your region¡¯s handicrafts were weaker, you could protect them with tariffs. But once tariffs are abolished, you would have to compete with the whole of France. Most of the workshops with lower production levels would have to go bankrupt, leading to a wave of unemployment.

    And the problem with the tax farmers was even bigger. The government¡¯s tax departments were incompetent and corruption was rampant. If tax collection were handed directly over to them, the French Government would go bankrupt next year¡ªthe taxes collected could even be halved.

    So when Joseph instructed Mirabeau to put these matters forward, it was only to warm up public awareness, letting all sectors of society know about these issues in advance to make preparations.

    As expected, after over an hour of debate, Queen Mary reluctantly announced that these two proposals would be set aside for the time being.

    Archbishop Brienne also heaved a sigh of relief, before moving on to the last matter, ¡°Recently, there has been a serious revolt in the Southern Netherlands; rioters have surrounded the Governor¡¯s Palace and expelled Austrian officials from Brabant.

    ¡°Vienna has not yet responded, but we should make some preparations for this in advance.¡±

    The reason he left this matter for last was entirely because he considered it of little importance¡ªuprisings were common occurrences in Europe at that time, and France itself had just experienced one recently.

 Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter 288: What Sentiments Are There Between Countries?

    Chapter 368: Chapter 288: What Sentiments Are There Between Countries?

    Upon hearing this, Queen Mary immediately turned to Archbishop Brienne, ¡°My brother is currently troubled by illness, and such events are unfolding in the Southern Netherlands. I believe we should help him deal with the rebellion.¡±

    She folded her hands in contemplation, ¡°The Dutch should have significant influence over the Southern Netherlands, and we have been supporting the Dutch Patriot Party all along. It is time for them to reciprocate.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne immediately nodded, ¡°Of course, Your Majesty, but in fact, I think His Majesty Joseph II could easily suppress the few thousand rioters in Brabant.¡±

    Joseph recalled the information about the Brabant uprising, but his brow furrowed.

    This was not a rebellion Austria could easily resolve!

    In history, England, Prussia, and the Netherlands all intervened quickly in this chaos, and later the eastern part of the Southern Netherlands, Liege, also erupted in rebellion. The rebel army from the Southern Netherlands alone numbered over twenty thousand, coupled with the intervention forces of Prussia and the substantial funds provided by the Netherlands, their fighting capacity was formidable.

    The reality was that the Austrian army, dispatched to quell the rebellion, encountered fierce resistance upon entering the Southern Netherlands and nearly got annihilated by the Prussian-Dutch allied forces.

    The Austrian commander had no choice but to withdraw to Luxembourg to set up defenses and urgently request reinforcements from Vienna.

    At that time, Joseph II had just passed away, and the newly ascended Leopold II, seeing the unfavorable situation, had to revoke his brother Joseph II¡¯s reform measures in order to stabilize the situation with the South Netherlanders and domestically.

    Afterwards, Leopold II also conveyed considerable benefits to the Hungarians under his rule, including the complete withdrawal of reform measures there, ultimately securing the support of the Hungarian nobility.

    Before long, Austria had assembled almost its entire military strength from within Hungary, Bohemia, Moravia, and Galicia, a grand army of one hundred and eighty thousand, along with the forces of over ten thousand from the Duke of Bavaria, and they marched majestically to the Southern Netherlands.

    On the Prussian side, King William II handed over more than one hundred thousand Prussian troops to the Duke of Brunswick and rallied Saxon, Mainz, Hesse, and other states to form an allied force of one hundred and fifty thousand men, determined to intervene in the situation in the Southern Netherlands.

    William II even demanded that the newly allied Poland send troops to reinforce the Southern Netherlands. Prince Poniatowski prepared thirty thousand troops, but due to not wanting to offend Austria, he hesitated and did not send them.

    Even so, the number of the South Netherlands insurgent army combined with the Prussian allied forces was not inferior to the Austrian army.

    By the end of 1790, large-scale fierce battles broke out between the two sides, and the European countries at that time believed this would be the start of another Seven Years¡¯ War.

    However, just as the war was escalating, the conservative and liberal factions within the South Netherlands insurgent army began infighting.

    Ultimately, the liberal Vandernoot successfully seized power, and the conservative Weng Ke fled abroad, plunging the insurgent army into chaos.

    The Austrian army took this opportunity to launch an attack, quickly taking key towns such as Liege and Brussels, and the Prussian Army at one point retreated into the territory of the Netherlands.

    Just as William II was preparing to amass more troops for a counterattack, the great turmoil in France escalated, drawing the attention of both Prussia and Austria.

    Then came the beheading of Louis XVI, and the two countries immediately suspended hostilities, issued the ¡°Declaration of Pillnitz,¡± and formed the First Anti-French Alliance. And the forces of both parties on the Southern Netherlands front gathered together to become the power that intervened in France.

    It could be said that Louis XVI selflessly used his own head to dispel what might have become the ¡°Second Seven Years¡¯ War.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s fingers lightly tapped the armrest of his chair; now that he had pressed down the great turmoil in France, the conflict aroused by the Brabant uprising was likely to continue to expand.

    In this great war, how could France minimize its expenditure and maximize its interests?

    At the head of the conference table, Queen Mary said with a firm tone, ¡°It would be good to give my poor brother a break. Saying hello to the Dutch won¡¯t be any loss for us and would earn Austria¡¯s gratitude. Let¡¯s do that.¡±

    Joseph shook his head secretly, noting that Austria¡¯s main focus at the moment was on Prussia, but this didn¡¯t mean they had any profound friendship with France.

    On the contrary, Austria wanted to become the master of the European continent, and France was the biggest obstacle. They always considered France their greatest hypothetical enemy.

    The rapid emergence of the Anti-French Alliance in history was only ostensibly about ¡°avenging Louis XVI and his wife.¡± The core reason was that Austria, Prussia, and England wanted to take advantage of France¡¯s chaos and weakness during the Revolution to solve the problem of France¡ª a thorn in their side¡ªonce and for all!

    If it weren¡¯t for Napoleon emerging on the scene later on, France in the 19th century might very well have been beaten to a pulp by the Anti-French Allied Forces and even split into a bunch of small states.

    Never mind that my own mother was an Austrian Princess; that really doesn¡¯t mean anything. Austria wouldn¡¯t hesitate to act when they wanted to. As for family, every European Royal Family is related to each other, but whenever interests clashed over the past few centuries, they could instantly fight like dogs.

    So between nations, there¡¯s no need to talk about feelings¡ªthere are only interests!

    Only by developing France into an exceptionally strong nation can we achieve true security amidst the powerful nations on the European continent.

    Joseph quickly recalled the historical trajectories of Austria, Prussia, and others in his mind, gradually sketching out a general framework for profiting France by leveraging the Brabant Uprising.

    He looked at Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, we really should help Austria.¡±

    He saw the Queen¡¯s smile and immediately continued, ¡°But perhaps we can also seize this opportunity to get the Walloon Region, which you know is very important to France.¡±

    The Walloon Region is a large part of the Southern Netherlands where almost everyone speaks French and is naturally very close to France.

    And what is more important is that it has one of the largest coal mines in Europe!

    Coal is the lifeblood of the Industrial Revolution, and it¡¯s even more precious for France, which naturally lacks coal.

    The Saar Region ¡ª which is Alsace and Lorraine ¡ª can supply France with the minimum amount of coal needed, but its reserves are insufficient for taking off during the Industrial Revolution.

    This is also a crucial reason why France, desperate as it was, could not surpass Britain and Germany during the First Industrial Revolution.

    One could say that obtaining the coal from the Walloon Region and iron from Luxembourg would lay the foundation for France¡¯s industrial revolution to take off.

    Of course, France¡¯s current desire for the Walloon Region is primarily due to its French-speaking population of over 1.5 million and the Rhine River within close reach.

    Queen Mary fell silent upon hearing these words. She hadn¡¯t expected her son to point out France¡¯s interests so calmly, whereas she had only thought of helping her ailing brother just a moment ago.

    She nodded slightly, affirming the Crown Prince¡¯s points.

    Although she was Joseph II¡¯s sister, she was foremost the Queen of France, and for her, the interests of France must come first!

 Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Chapter 289: The Crown Princes Diplomacy

    Chapter 369: Chapter 289: The Crown Prince¡¯s Diplomacy

    Joseph immediately revealed a radiant smile, ¡°Mother, I wish to personally visit Vienna. I have yet to properly visit Uncle since his illness.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will do my utmost to help Uncle resolve the issues in Brabant and restore the peace he deserves.¡±

    ¡°At the same time, there are many matters Uncle and I can discuss.¡±

    Queen Mary immediately nodded in relief, ¡°That would be wonderful! My dear, I have always wanted to visit my brother, but France cannot do without me. Now you can go in my stead to see Benny. Oh, I must prepare some gifts for him.¡±

    Shortly after the Cabinet meeting concluded, Joseph briskly returned to his own sleeping quarters, where he first instructed Eman to summon Count Saigul, the assistant to the Foreign Minister, and ordered the latter to write a letter to the U.S. ambassador in Poland in a private capacity.

    Once Count Saigul had prepared his pen and paper, Joseph said, ¡°The main content of the letter should be a warning to Prince Poniatowski never to dispatch troops to support Prussia, as that would offend Austria, the only one of Poland¡¯s three large neighboring countries that is somewhat sympathetic to them. Poland should take advantage of the conflict between Russia and Sweden, and the issues in the Southern Netherlands between Prussia and Austria, to quickly resolve the ¡®liberum veto¡¯ issue in the Congress and train as many troops as possible.¡±

    Due to France¡¯s actions in North Africa, the Ottoman Empire surrendered earlier than in history, giving Russia more resources to deal with Sweden. If things go as expected, the Russo-Swedish War should also conclude earlier than in history, and that will be when Russia turns its attention to Poland.

    To prevent Prussia and Austria from banding together, we must go all out to prevent the emergence of the Prussian-Austrian-Russian partition alliance against Poland. Thus, Poland must first strengthen itself.

    And to keep Russia, Prussia, and Austria from harboring suspicions, Joseph used the United States as France¡¯s front to help Poland. Therefore, the letter had to be placed in American hands.

    Count Saigul rapidly noted down the Crown Prince¡¯s instructions, and Joseph added, ¡°Oh yes, once Archbishop Talleyrand returns from England, have him go straight to Strasbourg and wait for me there to travel to Vienna together. Remind him to bring several reliable aides.¡±

    Strasbourg is the last border city of France on the way to Austria.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    That very noon, Joseph set out from France, not for Austria ¨C the trip there had to wait for Foreign Minister Talleyrand, as some matters would be more convenient to handle with him. More importantly, both Prussian and Austrian sides needed massive troop mobilizations which would take several months of logistics preparation, and the uprising in Brabant could not start immediately.

    His first stop was Spain.

    After all, as Charles IV was crowned, it was important for him to represent France and show support. Moreover, there were many matters to discuss with Spain, this unreliable ally.

    Spain¡¯s interests currently aligned very much with those of France, and due to its weaker national power, it nearly always followed France¡¯s lead on international matters, making it a good ally.

    However, despite having a massive colonial empire and boasting the third largest navy in Europe, Spain had ended up as the weakest among European powers.

    If Spain could be made stronger, France could borrow more of its strength, especially in dealings with England.

    After all, the gateway to the Mediterranean, Gibraltar, is on the southern coast of Spain, originally Spanish territory before it was ceded to England more than seventy years ago after the Spanish War of Succession.

    Since then, the Spaniards have constantly fixated on this strategic location, to the extent that it has become an obsession.

    Taking the Strait of Gibraltar from the British would ensure France¡¯s interests in North Africa to a great extent ¨C even with a mighty British fleet, without access to the Strait of Gibraltar, they could not reach the Mediterranean and hence could not influence the North African countries along its southern coast.

    Joseph left Paris, and his carriage headed southwest. Within a little over ten days, he arrived at the Pyrenees, the border between France and Spain.

    However, once they passed the narrow passage of the Pyrenees, especially upon arriving in the Spanish city of Leon, their pace immediately slowed down.

    The road conditions in Spain were simply leagues behind those of France.

    Fortunately, Joseph was riding in the latest model of the ¡°gemstone¡± carriage, which was quite comfortable. Nevertheless, even so, his bottom might as well have been on the rack.

    After jolting around for half a month, Joseph finally glimpsed the distant buildings of Madrid. He was already pondering in his heart whether he should just take a ship straight back when returning.

    Charles IV gave the Crown Prince of France the highest level of reception¡ªgreeting guards were lined up five miles outside of Madrid, guided personally by the Spanish State Minister to the grand Royal Palace of Madrid.

    Charles IV, holding the arm of his good brother, walked towards the palace from outside of the palace square. Exquisite carpets were laid along the path, the guard of honor stood at attention on both sides, and thousands of Spanish nobles and congratulatory delegates from various countries surrounded the front of the palace, respectfully looking towards Joseph while the distant sound of salutes was almost non-stop.

    The Spaniards all knew that the King of France was an extreme social recluse and homebody; it was almost impossible to expect him to come to Spain. Therefore, the Crown Prince of France represented the King of France here.

    Joseph accepted a bouquet of flowers from a group of Spanish children and entered the palace alongside Charles IV.

    He noted that the newly crowned Queen of Spain, Maria Luisa, although always at the side, behaved very cautiously and hardly spoke throughout the event.

    Joseph silently breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed the old king had indeed completely stripped this woman of her power. She should not be able to rampage through Spain as she had historically, and it wasn¡¯t in vain that he had gone to the trouble of helping Charles IV catch the adulterer.

    After an exceedingly lavish banquet, Joseph savored the Spanish feast abundant in seafood. Honestly, many Spanish dishes tasted even better than those of France.

    Take, for example, the main course just now¡ªa Spanish baked seafood stew. A large bucket was brought to the table, with oysters arranged around the outer layer, then a layer of lobsters, followed by a layer of boned fish flesh, then a layer of roasted octopus, a layer of sea urchins¡­

    The whole bucket was then baked with cheese and sprinkled with spices; a mere glance was enough to whet one¡¯s appetite.

    Joseph had only eaten half a bucket and was already so full he could not bend over.

    On the other hand, Charles IV dragged his good brother into the palace theater, where a play by a French playwright, ¡°Ph¨¨dre,¡± was being performed.

    In the VIP room on the second floor, Joseph watched his cousin, heartlessly critiquing the actors¡¯ performances, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. He took the opportunity to mention when the play¡¯s plot involved the Chancellor:

    ¡°By the way, speaking of Chancellors, Your Majesty, your current State Minister is Count of Floridablanca, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Charles IV waved his hand:

    ¡°You should just call me Antonio. Oh, that¡¯s right, it¡¯s still Redondo.¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly. The Count of Floridablanca was the State Minister of Charles III, and it seemed that without Godoy causing trouble, Charles IV continued to use the old king¡¯s staff.

    However, this Count of Floridablanca wasn¡¯t on good terms with France.

 Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 290: Englands Fatal Weakness

    Chapter 370: Chapter 290: England¡¯s Fatal Weakness

    The Count of Floridablanca, apart from being the State Minister in Spain, also held a very important role, that of the executor of Charles III¡¯s reform plans.

    Charles III, as the last capable king of Spain, vigorously promoted enlightened absolutist reforms, allowing for the spread of Enlightenment ideas within the country, encouraging the development of industry and commerce, and pursuing economic liberalization. At the same time, he dealt a heavy blow to the Church¡¯s power, reduced noble privileges, and intensified the exploitation of the colonies to improve domestic welfare in Spain.

    It could be said that if Charles III had lived for another few decades, Spain might have still had the chance to ascend. But after his death, Charles IV simply couldn¡¯t control the situation. The nobles began to oppose the reforms, and with Godoy manipulating power, Spain quickly fell into decline.

    Joseph gave it some thought and then looked at Charles IV, ¡°Have you heard about the recent events in Brabant?¡±

    ¡°Brabant? Oh, I heard about it. The citizens there are in revolt.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the reason for the outbreak of the rebellion?¡±

    ¡°It seems that it¡¯s because Joseph II wanted to weaken the power of the States-General of the Netherlands.¡± Although Charles IV was ineffectual, as a king, he was generally aware of important international news.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not just about the Congress, but also the curtailment of noble privileges. To put it generally, the reforms in Austria are what led to the rebellion there.¡±

    Finally, Charles IV¡¯s attention shifted from the play, ¡°My dear Joseph, what exactly are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the reforms that Austria is implementing are very similar to those in Spain? Strengthening the king¡¯s authority, reducing noble privileges, encouraging the development of industry and commerce.¡±

    ¡°They are similar,¡± agreed Charles IV, ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°You need to consider that Spain might face a situation like the one in Brabant.¡± In fact, Joseph was trying to scare Charles IV.

    The intensity of Spain¡¯s reforms was not as great as Austria¡¯s, and with a substantial inflow from the colonies, domestic conflicts would not be too sharp. Moreover, the Southern Netherlands was an exclave of Austria, and Brussels was over 800 kilometers away from Vienna, with several German states lying in between, making governance extremely challenging. Spain did not face these issues.

    Yet Carlos was very convinced by his dear brother, and he immediately became anxious, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s possible. There are also nobles clamoring recently for the abolition of the reforms. What should we do?¡±

    Joseph immediately responded, ¡°The reforms of His Majesty Carlos III must not be terminated ¡ª they are the cornerstone of Spain¡¯s prosperity. But we cannot neglect the dissatisfaction of the nobles either.

    ¡°At this time, it¡¯s necessary to give them an outlet for their grievances.¡±

    ¡°You mean?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, the nobles¡¯ anger is likely to focus on the Count of Floridablanca, the State Minister pushing the reforms.¡±

    Joseph let Charles IV ponder for a few seconds before continuing, ¡°And the sharp conflict between the nobles and the State Minister can easily lead to the ineffectiveness of decrees.¡±

    ¡°You mean, appoint a new State Minister?¡±

    Sacrificing the Count of Floridablanca to preserve as much as possible the achievements of Carlos III¡¯s reforms would be beneficial for Spain. Most importantly, it would ensure the longevity of the friendship between France and Spain.

    However, Joseph did not continue ¡ª as French, it was not appropriate for him to comment too much on the appointment and removal of Spanish officials. It was best to stop after giving a hint.

    So, he changed the subject and began to talk about the colonial issues of both nations in the Americas.

    Charles IV was clearly frustrated with the colonial problems, and he soon complained, ¡°We¡¯re pouring massive amounts of money into New Spain, but the returns are diminishing, and the Creoles protest for 11 months of the year¡ªexcept during the coldest month of winter.¡±

    The Creoles he referred to were Europeans whose parents were also in the Americas and who were born there, forming the core stratum of the colonies.

    Joseph had been waiting for this very point and, filled with righteous indignation, said, ¡°Spain gains abundant products from the Americas but is unable to convert them into real profits, all because the British have thrust a knife into the America-Mediterranean trade!

    ¡°If Gibraltar still belonged to Spain, then American goods could be continuously sold to the Mediterranean coastal nations, and the annual fiscal revenue could even double!¡±

    Charles IV nodded vigorously in agreement, ¡°And the Portuguese! They are selling Brazilian goods to Europe at low prices, seriously undercutting the profits of American goods!¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Joseph nodded even more forcefully, ¡°The British and Portuguese, they are simply the cancer of Europe!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why they have been allied since the 14th century, like the devil forever twined with a curse.¡±

    As they spoke, the drama had come to an end, and the performers were taking their bows on stage. Charles IV, however, grabbed Joseph to rush like one hurrying to the next show, ¡°There¡¯s still some time until the ball. Let¡¯s go gamble a bit first. Ah, all the bets are on me today!¡±

    Arriving at the palace corridor with him, Joseph saw the servants bustling about and whispered into the ear of Charles IV, ¡°If you wish to take back Gibraltar, I will support you with all my might!¡±

    The latter was startled! After all, reclaiming Gibraltar was a fervent desire of all Spaniards! As Joseph had said, this small port could significantly increase Spain¡¯s fiscal income and also has strategic significance in controlling the Mediterranean passage.

    It can be said that a Spain with Gibraltar and one without are practically two different countries!

    His eyes widened as he looked at Joseph, ¡°You¡¯re not joking, are you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Joseph patted his shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s not just Gibraltar; in the future, we must also join hands to take Portugal and root out this thorn from the Bay of Cadiz!¡±

    Portugal was an important naval base and supply point for England on the European Continent, as well as a core node on England¡¯s trade routes. This is why England had signed the Treaty of Windsor centuries before, forming an alliance with Portugal.

    If Portugal were to be recaptured by Spain, then England¡¯s influence on the European Continent would be directly halved!

    Since the British were causing trouble and disgusting France everywhere, Joseph naturally wouldn¡¯t indulge them. Being from a future era, he even knew more about England¡¯s weaknesses than England itself did.

    Carlos IV¡¯s eyes grew even wider, and although Portugal had been Spain¡¯s obsession for over a hundred years, after suffering defeats in the previous wars, Spain had almost given up on this hard bone it found difficult to chew.

    But now the Crown Prince of France had brought up this tempting prospect, how could he not be stirred?

    If he really could take Gibraltar and Portugal, he would undoubtedly become the greatest and most venerated sovereign in the history of Spain, eternally extolled by the Spanish people!

    [Note 1] New Spain refers to the Spanish colonies in North America from the end of the 18th century to the 19th century, mainly today¡¯s Mexico and the southwestern United States. In addition, Spain also owned New Granada, today¡¯s Colombia and Panama area. At this time, almost all of South America, except for Brazil, was a Spanish colony.

 Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 291 Spains Beautiful Future

    Chapter 371: Chapter 291 Spain¡¯s Beautiful Future

    Charles IV eyed Joseph intently, his voice tinged with excitement, ¡°Are you speaking off the cuff, or¡­?¡±

    ¡°It was Her Majesty the Queen who sent me to Madrid,¡± Joseph said seriously.

    Instantly, Charles became even more animated, his chest heaving dramatically as he fervently patted Joseph¡¯s shoulders, ¡°France will always be Spain¡¯s dearest brother!¡±

    Joseph then shared with him a vision of France and Spain hand in hand controlling the entire Iberian Peninsula¡ªvisions that filled Charles IV with such ardor that he was ready to lead his armies personally to drive the British out of Gibraltar and then sweep across to conquer Lisbon!

    Joseph glanced at his eager expression and casually mentioned, ¡°Once Gibraltar is reclaimed, Ceuta will be of no use to you. Perhaps, France could use it as a supply port.¡±

    Ceuta is the port opposite Gibraltar, the southern gateway to the Strait of Gibraltar. It lies in Morocco and was occupied by Portugal in the fifteenth century. Over a hundred years ago, Spain took it from Portugal.

    Almost without thinking, Charles IV agreed, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no problem! Allow me, on the day that I set foot on Gibraltar, to present Ceuta to my French brothers.¡±

    Although Ceuta¡¯s location is also significant, because it¡¯s not on the European Continent, supply is very difficult, hence its limited usefulness to the Spanish Navy.

    However, for France, this is not an issue. North Africa is a core focus of French development, and Morocco is inevitably going to be within France¡¯s sphere of influence.

    In other words, France would essentially be supplying Ceuta from the mainland.

    Helping Spain drive away the British and reclaim the northern gateway of the Strait of Gibraltar, France would also gain the southern gateway at no cost¡ªan exceedingly advantageous deal indeed.

    Seeing Charles IV all too eager, Joseph quickly tempered his enthusiasm, ¡°Of course, the British currently have an unshakable naval dominance, making Portugal equally difficult to conquer.

    ¡°We must concentrate on developing national strength first, and after replenishing our finances, construct a large number of warships. Only when our navies can overpower the British will it be time to retake Gibraltar!

    ¡°As for the land forces, there¡¯s no need to worry. Without the British fleet causing trouble, the Franco-Spanish allied forces could take Portugal within two months.¡±

    Back then, Napoleon¡¯s great army merely loitered near Portugal¡¯s doorstep before the latter swiftly surrendered. However, with the British Navy still present, maintaining stable control over Portugal was difficult, which led Napoleon to take Portugal¡¯s overseas colonies and order a withdrawal of his forces.

    Charles IV silently nodded, his mind cooling down.

    With Spain¡¯s current national strength, it would not dare provoke the British, and France, having barely recovered from a devastating financial crisis, could scarcely divert much energy to assist Spain.

    Therefore, focusing on development and amassing warships was the sound course of action.

    Joseph then shared some suggestions for reform and development. In reality, Charles III had left a very decent foundation for Spain.

    Campos, the Earl of Aranda, were quite capable ministers.

    Although Count Floridablanca was very wary of France, he could be counted as a wise minister.

    Even Bernardo Tanucci, Chief Minister during Charles III¡¯s reign as the King of Naples, could be transferred to Spain to assist in the administration.

    As long as Spain kept up with France and stabilized its colonies without disturbances, it wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched to see a significant rise in national power, or at the very least, maintaining its status among the European powers should not pose a problem.

    Moreover, the construction of the Spanish Navy had always been fairly sound. After all, this was the nation that had once boasted the Invincible Armada; its foundations were still in place.

    In the following period, Joseph discussed with Charles IV everything from colonial management and control of the nobility, to Franco-Spanish trade cooperation. Although uncertain how much the latter could grasp, Joseph did all he could; the rest was up to the fate of Spain.

    Of course, there were also the daily Spanish feasts and various balls.

    Three days later, Joseph, bid a reluctant farewell by Charles IV, left Madrid and headed east. He boarded a Spanish Navy battleship at the Port of Valencia and then sailed northwards, disembarking at the Port of Toulon before switching to a carriage to race towards Austria.

    Strasbourg.

    Joseph looked at the gifts Talleyrand had brought¡ªseveral carriage-loads¡ªand couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and sigh in secret. His mother indeed was a straightforward person; the gifts she sent to her eldest son were anything but stingy.

    Oh well, it was her own private money after all. She could spend it however she wanted¡­

    He signaled to the Foreign Minister to get in the carriage, first commending him for successfully retrieving Jeanne from England, and then he meticulously laid out the diplomatic mission to Vienna.

    This would influence France¡¯s policy direction for a considerable time into the future.

    ¡­

    Poland.

    Warsaw.

    Lieutenant Colonel Paul Jones, the United States Ambassador to Poland, scrutinized the two individuals before him. Had it not been for the French intelligence agency¡¯s repeated assurances that there was no mistake, he would have found it very hard to believe that these were the so-called ¡°men who could change the course of Poland¡±¡ª

    The taller one wore a coarse jacket and grey-black trousers. The skin on his hands and face was rough, resembling that of a fisherman who had spent years at sea.

    The other, chubbier, had a balding head typical of a priest and wore a tattered grey robe that clearly came from a remote country church.

    The two men bowed to Jones, pressing a hand to their chest, and greeted him in French. Both their manners and speech were extremely cultivated, which completely mismatched their appearances.

    Jones, returning the civility, diligently checked out the window to ensure there was no surveillance before he turned around. He then took out two pamphlets from his coat pocket and handed them to the men, adding a caution, ¡°Please keep these safe; we have not made any printing plates for security reasons.¡±

    The ¡°fisherman¡± carefully took the pamphlets and noticed that the title on top was ¡°The Glorious Polish Nation.¡±

    His heart stirred, and he looked at the next one. It was ¡°I May Speak Russian, but I Am Forever Polish.¡±

    He quickly thumbed through the pamphlets and immediately became excited. Turning to Jones, he said, ¡°Good, this is excellent! Who is the great thinker who wrote these? We need them!¡±

    Jones shrugged faintly, giving an evasive answer, ¡°It is said to be a German.¡±

    In reality, these were works commissioned by Joseph over three months ago by Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a master of German Enlightenment.

    Although Fichte¡¯s research on Poland was not particularly deep, matters like unifying national consciousness mainly relied on provocation¡ªwhich he excelled at.

    Plus, since the sponsor was willing to pay generously, he threw himself eagerly into the task and completed these two works on the concept of Polish nationhood in record time.

    ¡°Please print them as quickly as possible and distribute them all over Poland,¡± Jones instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about funds; the sponsor will contact you shortly.¡±

    Joseph resorted to this ultimate weapon of national consciousness because he had been driven to the edge by the Polish Congress¡¯s dithering inefficiency.

 Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 292 United States Presidential Candidate

    Chapter 372: Chapter 292 United States Presidential Candidate

    American Ambassador Jones, seeing the two men preparing to leave with the pamphlets, suddenly remembered the instructions in the letter from the Crown Prince of France and hurriedly called out to them, saying solemnly, ¡°I trust you have come to understand the current situation. The primary task is to preserve Poland and to counter the ambition of the Russians, so I hope you will support the King, after all, he can rally more Polish people to resist Russia.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and you must temporarily set aside your religious demands¡­ I don¡¯t mean to stop you from spreading Catholicism, but that should come after Poland¡¯s crisis is resolved.¡±

    ¡°If the Bar Confederation can make an outstanding contribution to resisting the Russian invasion, I believe, the Polish public will come to favor Catholicism even more,¡± he added.

    The two men, upon hearing the word ¡°Bar Confederation,¡± instinctively shrank and looked around nervously.

    Yes, they were among the few remaining members of the Bar Confederation in Poland. Seven years ago, some patriotic Polish nobility, in order to maintain the country¡¯s political and diplomatic independence and oppose Russia¡¯s infiltration into Poland, had formed the Bar Confederation.

    At first, the Confederation raised an army and expelled Russian forces across Poland, seizing the opportunity of the Rebellion of Kreivaishenna, expanding into the territories of Lithuania and Ukraine[Note 1]. In addition, the Confederation actively incited the Ottoman Empire to wage war against Russia, which somewhat led to the Fifth Russo-Turkish War.

    However, as the Confederation grew, its policies began to drift.

    First, it declared opposition to the King of Poland¡ªafter all, Stanis?aw August Poniatowski was Catherine II¡¯s former lover, and his election as King of Poland[Note 2] had the factor of the Tsar of Russia bribing the Polish Congress. Therefore, the Bar Confederation was extremely averse to this King, declaring that they wanted to depose him, and at one point even briefly kidnapped Stanis?aw August Poniatowski.

    Then, the Confederation fell into religious fervor, starting to aggressively promote Catholicism in Poland and persecute Protestant and Eastern Orthodox believers.

    Thus, Catherine II, in alliance with Prussia and Austria, launched an invasion of Poland under the pretext of protecting the King of Poland and the Eastern Orthodox believers.

    The Bar Confederation could not withstand the might of Russia¡¯s large army for long and was soon crushed, while the Prussian-Austrian forces did not stop there but occupied the Polish territories they desired.

    That was the beginning and the end of the first partition of Poland.

    After the war, most of the Confederation¡¯s leaders and their families were imprisoned in concentration camps built in Lithuania, and a small part was exiled to Siberia.

    Although the Bar Confederation had failed, Joseph was aware that they were the most staunchly anti-Russian group in Poland and that as long as they did not engage in religious fanaticism, they had considerable support among the civilian population and the army.

    There was no one more suitable than them to promote Polish national consciousness.

    By cultivating national consciousness, it would be possible to greatly strengthen Poland¡¯s internal cohesion while shrinking the space where pro-Russian traitors could operate. After all, the ease with which Russia, Prussia, and Austria could partition Poland had a lot to do with Poland¡¯s internal divisions among Poles, Lithuanians, Slavs, and Germans, who had their own languages, policies, and would sabotage each other in the face of foreign invasion.

    Given Poland¡¯s population and land area, if they truly came together, it would be very difficult for Russia, Prussia, and Austria to subdue it quickly.

    Moreover, should Poland¡¯s situation one day become irrevocable, it would also be possible to leverage the influence of the Bar Confederation to raise resistance forces among the Polish civilians and engage in guerrilla warfare against Russia, Prussia, and Austria for years.

    The next day.

    ?azienki Palace.

    This was the residence of Prince Poniatowski, the nephew of the King of Poland.

    At this time, Jones was strolling through the garden behind the house with several Polish nobles, much like a casual afternoon chat.

    ¡°In fact, what concerns the major families is that the abolition of the liberum veto would restrict the power of the Congress,¡± a nobleman around sixty years old looked toward the American ambassador to Poland, ¡°So, it might be best to first introduce a constitution with the separation of powers, while simultaneously addressing the liberum veto issue.¡±

    What he referred to as the ¡°liberum veto¡± was the infamously pernicious Polish practice wherein any member of parliament could veto any legislation, effectively preventing any reform and progress within Poland.

    ¡°Yes, I am all too familiar with this kind of political wrangling,¡± Jones nodded, speaking Polish, ¡°It¡¯s really headache-inducing in the U.S. Congress as well.¡±

    ¡°At such times, we need a leader of the highest political authority to unify the differing opinions,¡± he said.

    Prince Poniatowski sighed with a sense of resignation: ¡°His Majesty the King, ah, as you know, is always so agreeable¡­,¡± he said.

    Jones turned to look at him: ¡°Perhaps, Your Highness could represent His Majesty in rallying those Congress members.¡±

    The senior nobleman beside him immediately shook his head: ¡°The Potocki family certainly won¡¯t listen to His Highness, oh, nor will the haughty Czartoryski family.¡±

    He was an elder of the Poniatowski family, obviously the King of Poland¡¯s family, yet not the largest family in Poland.

    At present, Polish politics was essentially controlled by fewer than ten noble families, and getting anything through Congress without their cooperation was practically impossible.

    Jones, recalling the letter from the Crown Prince of France, said gravely, ¡°Poland is at a very dangerous edge, and perhaps at this moment, we need to resort to some less gentlemanly means. Currently, Your Highness is in charge of the recruitment and training of the army, and you must use that to your advantage.¡±

    ¡°As for the Potocki family, perhaps they have done some deeds that would be despised by others. If other families learned about it, they would surely delight in dismantling their influence.¡±

 Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 292 United States Presidential Candidate_2

    Chapter 373: Chapter 292 United States Presidential Candidate_2

    Senior members of the Poniatowski family exchanged surprised glances upon hearing the elder¡¯s words. Lowering his voice, the old man said, ¡°This is likely to cause a major upheaval!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why His Highness the Prince needs to deploy the troops at the right time to stabilize the situation. Once the Potocki family is dealt with, the Czartoryski family will certainly begin to cooperate.¡±

    Prince Poniatowski frowned and said, ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s no need for such drastic measures. The terms proposed by the Potocki family are, in fact, negotiable.¡±

    Jones sighed inwardly. As nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Crown Prince of France, this was all he could do. ¡°The decision is yours, Your Highness, but I can assure you that within three months, I will provide you with evidence of the Potocki family¡¯s treason.¡±

    In truth, he did not possess any incriminating evidence against the Potocki family, but the French people had assured him that there would be some.

    Joseph was well aware that despite the Polish tendency for delay, they had eventually passed a constitution¡ª the May 3rd Constitution¡ª three years later in history.

    This constitution abolished the liberum veto, ended the election of kings in favor of hereditary succession, and established a Polish political system with the separation of powers, paving the way for national development.

    However, the May 3rd Constitution¡¯s limitations on noble privileges touched upon the interests of some families, led by the Potocki family. They immediately colluded with the Russian Prince Potemkin to form the Targowica Confederation and requested the Russian Army to intervene.

    Subsequently, the Confederation¡¯s forces, together with the Russian Army, defeated the Polish government forces, while Prussia and Austria, following a secret agreement with Russia, invaded Poland from the west.

    The Second Partition of Poland began.

    The Potocki family had always been in collusion with the Russians, and evidence could certainly be found if one looked for it.

    Of course, Joseph was also prepared for the eventuality that no evidence could be found; in which case, he would ¡°create¡± some evidence. Once the Potocki family was brought down, there would naturally be people who confessed.

    At present, the Russo-Swedish War raged on hotly, and Russia could not spare resources to intervene in this affair.

    As long as the May 3rd Constitution could be properly implemented for a few years, Poland¡¯s national power would increase significantly. Moreover, without the Potocki family as their inside collaborators, the Russians would lose their pretext for sending troops, making the partition of Poland very difficult.

    If Prussia and Austria, especially the latter, believed that invading Poland would seriously deplete their strength, they would mostly weigh up whether they should join the conflict.

    Without the shared benefit of partitioning Poland, they would definitely start warring over dominance in Germany.

    In that case, the strategic pressure against France would be greatly reduced. At the very least, it could secure several more years for France¡¯s development.

    Prince Poniatowski hesitated for a long time before bowing slightly to Jones: ¡°Thank you for your help to Poland, Your Excellency the Ambassador. I will surely give serious consideration to your suggestions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the banquet is about to begin. Let¡¯s go inside,¡± he added.

    ¡­

    United States.

    New York.

    ¡°The votes are counted!¡± A middle-aged man in a black waistcoat burst into the room with excitement, pausing deliberately for two seconds under the anxious gaze of everyone before bowing to George Washington, ¡°Congratulations, Mr. President!¡±

    The dozen or so people in the room instantly burst into cheers, crowding around Washington to offer their congratulations.

    Washington¡¯s face turned even ruddier, but he took a deep breath and looked at the bearer of news: ¡°Mr. Thomas, can you tell me the specific voting results?¡±

    ¡°You received 50 votes, a landslide victory!¡±

    Washington felt a sense of relief. Fifty out of sixty-nine votes was an absolute triumph.

    He also felt fortunate that the Crown Prince of France had provided him with support; otherwise, considering Hamilton¡¯s astonishing popularity before the election, it might have been Hamilton celebrating the election victory right then.

    You should know that even with French support, Hamilton still got 33 votes![3]

    Initially, Joseph brought Hamilton the political achievements of eradicating pirates in the Mediterranean and sending them back to the United States for public trial, making the latter¡¯s reputation unrivaled for a time, even eclipsing that of Washington, the commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

    There¡¯s no helping it, people are forgetful; the Revolutionary War had been over for several years, how could it be as fresh in their minds as the hanging of pirates a few months ago?

    However, Joseph quickly realized that Hamilton was a very radical hawk and had a special obsession with the military.

    If he were to be elected President of the United States, it was very likely that a standing army would be re-established¡ªcurrently, the United States only had militia, with no professional soldiers¡ªand this would greatly speed up the United States¡¯ westward slaughter of Native Americans and the devouring of North American land.

    An United States with merely thirteen states isn¡¯t concerning, but a United States occupying half of America would become the nightmare of all Europe.

    Joseph certainly needed to prevent this situation from arising.

    So he sent someone to the United States to support Washington, whose overall style leaned more moderate. At least during his administration, the United States still muddled through with its militia.

    His method was simple: provide Washington with some campaign funds, while also establishing a newspaper in the United States, ¡°American News,¡± available at a very low price¡ªwith France¡¯s inexpensive wood-based paper and printing technology, the newspaper could cost 60% less than its American counterparts and still make a 10% profit.

    Moreover, with the exclusive American publication rights to novels such as ¡°Refining the Skies¡±, ¡°The Master of Besties¡±, and ¡°Ladies, Please Stop¡±, ¡°American News¡± quickly monopolized the American newspaper market within a very short time.

    Subsequently, they published daily articles about the events of the Revolutionary War, continuously mentioning Washington¡¯s great contributions, while attributing the success in fighting the Barbary pirates to the Federal Congress. Therefore, those congressmen all praised ¡°American News¡± for its objectivity and fairness.

    With arrangements by the French campaign team, Washington gave speeches all over the United States, variously showing off, and his public approval rapidly surpassed Hamilton¡¯s.

    Of course, Washington returned the favor; Jones, the ambassador sent to Poland, was a trusted confidant and extremely diligent in his work.

    While Washington was celebrating his election as President, the manager¡¯s office of the ¡°American News¡± was meeting to discuss the opening of branch offices.

    Following the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince, ¡°American News,¡± a relatively orthodox publication, wasn¡¯t enough to cover all Americans. They also had to start up an entertainment-focused newspaper to attract the lower classes of America.

    In the upcoming congressional elections, the newspaper aimed to ¡°secure¡± the election of at least ten congressmen; truly a daunting task.

    ¡­

    While riding in a carriage through Baden, Talleyrand looked across at the Crown Prince with a smile and tentatively asked, ¡°Your Highness, have you seen some good news?¡±

    Joseph pushed a report that had arrived from Nancy just before leaving the French border towards him and said, ¡°Take a look; this is last month¡¯s sales report from the United Steam Engine Company.¡±

    ¡°Our high-pressure steam engines have already been sold to England, and we keep getting orders,¡± he added.

    The Foreign Minister, clearly not quite understanding the significance of the steam engine, offered a forced smile and said, ¡°Oh, selling one for 11,000 livres is indeed good business.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it may well be the best business,¡± Joseph nodded with a smile.

    You should know that Watt Company¡¯s low-pressure steam engines also sold for 480 British Pounds, that is 12,000 livres, but only had 60% of the power of the French products.

    If most of the output of the United Steam Engine Company hadn¡¯t been reserved for domestic supply in France, Watt¡¯s company might well be out of business by now¡­

    [1] At the end of the 18th century, Ukraine was still a geographic term, a large part of which belonged to Lithuania.

    [1] Poland, at the end of the 18th century, practiced a royal election system where the king was elected by a congress of nobles. This gave foreign powers an excellent opportunity to interfere in Polish internal affairs¡ªby bribing Polish congressmen, they could elect a king of their preference. Catherine II did exactly that to place her lover Stanis?aw August Poniatowski on the throne.

    [2] During America¡¯s first presidential election, each presidential elector could vote for more than one candidate.

 Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 293: The "Big Thunder" of Vienna

    Chapter 374: Chapter 293: The ¡°Big Thunder¡± of Vienna

    Talleyrand was unaware of the importance of the steam engine, but Joseph knew it better than anyone else.

    The steam engine was the soul of the first Industrial Revolution, he who mastered the most advanced steam engine technology held the key to unlocking the future!

    In this history, the soul of England¡¯s Industrial Revolution, Watt, would no longer be the chosen son of destiny.

    Unlike the massive state funding for technology competition between nations in later centuries, the countries of 18th century Europe had yet to realize the significant impact these mechanical playthings could have on national strength, so the British government had no intention of subsidizing the Watt Company.

    Furthermore, the ¡°Eden Treaty¡± previously signed between France and England stipulated that France would enjoy negligibly low tariffs on industrial goods sold to England¡ªbarely a year and a half earlier, the British were firmly convinced that France could not possibly have any industrial goods worth exporting to England¡ªso even if the British government wanted to protect its own steam engine industry, it would be rendered powerless by the treaty¡¯s constraints.

    The French United Steam Engine Company had already begun setting up a branch in Birmingham, on one hand to conveniently repair the machines sold to England; on the other hand, to absorb British talent in this field, and whenever a promising individual was found, they were sent to France on business trips, effectively undermining the British industry from within.

    And the funds England used to purchase steam engines could further propel the technological R&D of the United Steam Engine Company.

    It could be said that France was one step ahead in this regard, and would continue to be ahead in every step that followed!

    Joseph had already written to the United Steam Engine Company, urging them to increase investment and production to quickly occupy the British steam engine market.

    Seeing that His Royal Highness the French Crown Prince seemed to place great importance on the export of steam engines, Talleyrand immediately followed the topic, saying, ¡°Your Highness, if this machine can sell well in England, perhaps we can also market it in Austria and Bavaria.¡±

    Joseph gave him an appreciative look, ¡°You are absolutely right, Archbishop Talleyrand. In fact, the main purpose of my trip to Austria is to sign a Franco-Austrian trade agreement with my uncle.

    ¡°Oh, it would be best if under Austria¡¯s influence, other German states would also take the initiative to sign trade agreements with France. If it doesn¡¯t go that smoothly, at the very least, I want to have the agreements signed with Saxony and Bavaria before I return to France.

    ¡°Oh, as for diplomatic matters, I will have to trouble you and your staff.¡±

    French industrial products need a broad market to achieve sufficient sales volume.

    This trip was about finding markets for French goods.

    The wealthy core regions of Europe were naturally the best markets at present. The markets of Austria, Saxony, and Bavaria together accounted for over sixty percent of the Germanic region. If possible, Joseph even wanted to sign trade agreements with Prussia.

    As for smaller countries like Poland, Denmark, and Italy, the task of signing agreements was left to the Minister of Commerce.

    Bilateral trade agreements were still somewhat novel in Europe, with the Eden Treaty between England and France being the most representative so far. Other European nations were also interested in trying it out but were unclear of the nuances involved, so now was an opportune moment for Joseph to exploit this information asymmetry.

    Of course, the fact that French goods had not yet taken over the European market played a part in facilitating the signing of these agreements¡ªif not, the savvy European nations would not have easily allowed French goods in to create a dumping situation.

    Throughout his journey, Joseph¡¯s mind was preoccupied with France¡¯s industry and trade, yet he was oblivious to a major trap awaiting him in Vienna.

    ¡­

    Ten or so days later.

    Along the main road southwest of Vienna, the flags of the Austrian Imperial Guard stretched out for several miles.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116660¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116660/816c4e2ded7b9b4ea982dfecd94aa9b7v2N2bCAOKSX4k7K.jpg¡±>

    At the front of the procession was the future Emperor of Holy Rome, Leopold II. However, since the Emperor of Holy Rome was elected by the electors, his official title at the moment was still the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

    He came on behalf of the ailing Joseph II to welcome the French Crown Prince. Austria was on the verge of taking military action in the Southern Netherlands, and Prussia was likely to intervene in the war, so he sought to gain France¡¯s support for Austria through the opportunity of the French Crown Prince¡¯s visit.

    By his side, dressed in the latest pale purple gown from Paris Fashion Week, with a wide-brimmed hat decorated with colorful feathers, was the current Duchess of Tuscany, Maria Ludovica.

    As Leopold II saw the French entourage approaching from afar, he immediately signaled to his followers behind him.

    A team of ceremonial officers promptly raised their flags high, and simultaneously, the band began to play a cheerful tune.

    The carriage stopped, and Eman jumped down first, then bowed and opened the door on the other side.

    Flanked by a host of Austrian officials, Leopold II approached Joseph and said with a smile, ¡°Ah, my dear Joseph, I have waited for you for a long time! Look, the entire City of Vienna is welcoming you!¡±

    He started by addressing Joseph with the familiarity of a relative, a gesture laden with intriguing implications.

    Joseph alighted from the carriage and quickly took several steps toward Leopold II, placing a hand over his heart and bowing, ¡°Dear uncle, I am delighted that you came to receive me, it feels as if I have returned to Paris. Oh, and my mother, she asked me to tell you that she misses you very, very much.¡±

    After exchanging a few pleasantries, Joseph respectfully bent down to lift Maria Ludovica¡¯s hand and kissed the back of it lightly. It was a gesture of respect for a lady of noble standing.

    ¡°Dear aunt, you are like the spring rain of Vienna, sprinkling endless kindness and care upon everyone. You are also Austria¡¯s brightest morning light, shining down upon the kingdom with grace and dignity.¡±

    Maria Ludovica smiled and reciprocated the gesture, while sizing up the strikingly handsome French Crown Prince. Complemented by his recent flattery, her heart burst with joy.

    No wonder Clementine could not stop singing her cousin¡¯s praises after returning; the reality did indeed live up to the reputation¡ªshe doubted all of Europe could find a better son-in-law!

    Her gaze drifted to the distant carriages filled with gifts, thinking to herself: These must be the betrothal gifts, right? Oh no, the betrothal gifts should not be brought by the fianc¨¦ himself; these must simply be gifts for the first meeting.

    If the gifts for the first meeting are already so generous, when the Queen of France truly sends the betrothal gifts, it would probably require a dozen carriages.

    ¡°Oh, you must be tired from your journey?¡± Ludovica, beaming with delight, linked arms with her future son-in-law and gestured towards the City of Vienna, ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has prepared a grand banquet and is waiting for you at Schonbrunn Palace.¡±

    She then lowered her voice, expressing a tinge of regret, ¡°Clementine didn¡¯t know you were coming and went back to Tuscany half a month ago. If you can stay in Vienna a little longer, I can send for her to come back.¡±

    [Note 1] Leopold II¡¯s wife was the Spanish princess Maria Luisa. She shares her name with the wife of Carlos IV (the one who metaphorically ¡®wore the horns¡¯), so for the convenience of the narrative, her German name Maria Ludovica is used here.

 Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter 294: Austrias Interests

    Chapter 375: Chapter 294: Austria¡¯s Interests

    ¡°`

    ¡°Oh, please let her be busy,¡± Joseph quickly refused with a smile. ¡°Tuscany is so far away, and the journey back and forth is not easy.¡± He came to Austria for official business and did not wish to be entangled with a little lolita all day.

    Ludovica was taken aback for a moment but soon broke into a smile again. The Crown Prince of France was worried that Clementine would suffer from the hardships of a hasty journey back. It turns out that her son-in-law was not only handsome but also very considerate.

    She was becoming more and more satisfied by the moment!

    Under the guidance of Leopold II and his wife, Joseph traveled along the streets of Vienna, heading toward Schonbrunn Palace.

    Vienna was very different from what he remembered: it lacked a sense of tranquility and artistic atmosphere. Instead, it was dilapidated everywhere, and although he encountered a few street musicians, most of the music they produced was quite harsh to the ears.

    The excrement on the streets could rival that of Paris before the public toilet renovations, and there was also the ¡°scenery¡± of mountains of garbage. Many street corners were half-blocked by rubbish.

    What made Joseph feel most uncomfortable was the faint hostility in the eyes of the passers-by when they looked at the carriage of the Crown Prince of France. But this was not surprising, as France and Austria had been waging wars for dominance of the European Continent for hundreds of years, and the people had held mutual animosity for just as long.

    After some difficulty, they arrived at Schonbrunn Palace, where the nobles gathered to greet them showed a basic warmth and etiquette.

    Joseph II, regardless of his ill health, also came to the entrance of Schonbrunn Palace with the help of servants to welcome his nephew.

    Joseph hurried forward to greet his uncle, then pushed aside the servants and personally took his arm, warmly saying, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, my father always talks about how he would have visited you if he weren¡¯t so busy with state affairs. Oh, and my mother misses you very much too, she even asked me to bring many gifts for you, they are in the carriage behind us.¡±

    Ludovica twitched the corner of her eye upon hearing this. Hmm? Weren¡¯t those gifts on the carriage meant as a welcome present for me?

    Joseph had no idea what she was thinking and continued to Joseph II, ¡°Mother heard about the rebellion in the Southern Netherlands and is worried that you are overburdened. She insisted that I must help alleviate your worries.¡±

    Joseph II nodded with relief and wanted to say something but was seized by a fit of violent coughing, merely raising his hand towards the direction of the banquet hall to gesture.

    Following closely behind, Austrian Minister of State Count Kaunitz overheard Joseph¡¯s words and turned to look at the French Foreign Minister beside him, speaking in fluent French, ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand, does the Crown Prince mean that France is going to send troops to support Austria in the Southern Netherlands?¡±

    He was one of the most pro-French individuals in the Austrian upper echelons¡ªhe vacationed in France for several months every year, and even sent his most expensive clothes to Paris for laundry to maintain his typical Parisian style. Thus, he was amongst those most hopeful for French involvement in quelling the Southern Netherlands¡¯ revolt.

    Talleyrand immediately showed a very sincere smile, ¡°Her Majesty the Queen does indeed plan to send troops. However, as you know, France is currently in a terrible financial state, and cannot even muster the funds to mobilize a few million for the troops.¡±

    ¡°Regarding funding, Vienna can provide¡­¡±

    Kaunitz had only spoken half a sentence before he was interrupted by Talleyrand¡¯s smile, ¡°That¡¯s why Duke of Broglie proposed that France could offer logistical support to the Austrian Army.

    ¡°Transporting supplies from Vienna to Brabant requires covering almost a thousand kilometers, oh, that¡¯s more than 120 leagues, and the transportation costs will be enormous.

    ¡°Whereas we can supply from Verdun, which would be much easier.¡±

    Kaunitz¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. If a war broke out in the Netherlands, Prussia¡¯s biggest advantage over Austria would be the shorter supply lines.

    ¡°`

    And if Austria received logistical support from France, then Prussia¡¯s advantage could turn into a disadvantage¡ªFrance and the Southern Netherlands are directly adjacent to each other!

    Even if France doesn¡¯t deploy troops directly, the support for the Austrian army would still be considerable.

    He promptly bowed slightly to Talleyrand, ¡°I am grateful to Her Majesty the Queen for making a decision that is most beneficial to both Franco-Austrian interests!¡±

    Talleyrand, however, showed a look of distress, ¡°You see, with France¡¯s disastrous finances, I am just worried that while the warfare in the Southern Netherlands is at a stalemate, the funds for purchasing military supplies will become a problem¡­ Those unscrupulous merchants are even unwilling to offer a penny of credit to the Royal Family.¡±

    Count Kaunitz replied hastily, ¡°How could we let Her Majesty the Queen pay out of her pocket, all supplies will be paid for at the procurement price by Vienna.¡±

    In this way, France made a significant favor from Austria without sending a single soldier. As for the ¡°procurement price,¡± it was still ultimately defined by France at will, which was much cheaper than transporting from Austria.

    Upon entering the banquet hall, Count Kaunitz pulled Talleyrand to a seat next to him and began discussing logistics arrangements for the Southern Netherlands.

    As they spoke, he sighed, ¡°Even with France¡¯s help, this expedition is probably going to strain the Empire¡¯s finances once again¡­¡±

    Talleyrand nodded in agreement, ¡°Actually, the revenue from the overseas trade in the Southern Netherlands is getting lower and lower, and it is almost worthless to His Majesty the Emperor now.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, if Duke Ottodor of Bavaria is interested in the Southern Netherlands, perhaps this could be an opportunity for some territorial exchange during this rebellion?¡±

    Count Kaunitz looked at him in surprise; indeed, it was a strategic goal that Austria very much wanted to achieve. Compared to the distant exclave of the Southern Netherlands, the wealthy Bavaria that bordered Austria was the territory Austria most desired.

    ¡°However,¡± he frowned and shook his head, ¡°Duke Ottodor might not agree, would he?¡±

    ¡°Concerning that matter, I can help you persuade Duke Ottodor,¡± Talleyrand said immediately.

    Joseph had told him on the way here that Duke Ottodor always harbored the dream of resurrecting the Burgundian dynasty¡ªnot the current Burgundy region of France, but the mighty medieval Burgundy, owning vast lands from the Southern Netherlands all the way to Mannheim.

    Hence, Ottodor always wanted the Southern Netherlands so he could escape the constraints of the electorate territories of the Holy Roman Empire and grant the non-electorate lands of the Southern Netherlands to his illegitimate children.

    Yes, he had no legitimate children, only a plethora of illegitimate ones. This meant that his Bavaria could only be passed on to relatives in Saxony. For him, the Southern Netherlands was more valuable than the wealthy Bavaria.

    Count Kaunitz grabbed Talleyrand with excitement, ¡°Are you really confident?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have some confidence in my oratory,¡± Talleyrand smiled and nodded, ¡°Moreover, if Austria could reach an exchange agreement with Bavaria, then the rebellion in the Southern Netherlands would become Bavaria¡¯s own problem. Duke Ottodor would definitely commit more troops to quelling the rebellion.

    ¡°After that, Austria and Bavaria, sharing a common interest, could do even more things together.¡±

    He pointed northward, ¡°For instance, dealing with Saxony or even, advancing towards Silesia!¡±

 Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter 295 Franco-Austrian Trade Agreement

    Chapter 376: Chapter 295 Franco-Austrian Trade Agreement

    Kaunitz¡¯s pupils constricted at the word ¡°Silesia.¡±

    Silesia was undoubtedly an eternal pain in the heart of every Austrian.

    It was the occupation of this prosperous artisanal region by the Prussians that ended Austria¡¯s claim to the title of ¡°co-ruler¡± of Germany.

    At the same time, Prussia was looked at with new respect by the other European nations and officially joined the ranks of first-rate powers, becoming a formidable contender for the ¡°co-ruler¡± of Germany.

    If any Austrian claimed he didn¡¯t wish to reclaim Silesia, he would certainly be thrown into prison immediately, denounced as a traitor to Austria.

    However, Kaunitz maintained his composure.

    Silesia must be returned to Austria, but not now.

    The radical reforms initiated by His Majesty the Emperor would make Austria much stronger in the future but currently only brought chaos and weakness to the country.

    He remembered the last war over the Bavarian succession when Austria had mobilized an army of hundreds of thousands, hoping to take advantage of the confusion to recapture Silesia but didn¡¯t even reach the border of Silesia before being blocked by the Prussian Army in Saxony, the western gateway into Silesia.

    The Austrian Army and the Prussians were at a standstill for over a year, draining massive amounts of logistical supplies, yet unable to make any headway on the battlefield, and ultimately forced to cease hostilities under the mediation of France and Russia.

    Moreover, Austria had to regurgitate Bavaria, which it had almost swallowed.

    Keep in mind, that war took place ten years ago, before Austria¡¯s reforms had started, when its national strength was stronger than it is now, and they still couldn¡¯t bite down on Prussia, so recapturing Silesia now seemed even more impossible.

    Kaunitz sighed and shook his head with a smile, ¡°Austria does not have the necessity to go to war with Prussia for the time being. If I may speak frankly, General Wilmze¡¯s army is already fully equipped and ready, and the rebellion in Brabant will soon be quelled. By then, the Prussians will only be able to withdraw to Potsdam.

    ¡°If you can persuade Bavaria to deploy more troops, this process will be even quicker.¡±

    Talleyrand followed suit with a smile, lifting his glass in a toast to him: ¡°Here¡¯s to General Wilmze, and his glorious victory.¡±

    But in his heart, he was silently recalling the Crown Prince¡¯s firm prediction that the Austrian Army would suffer a crushing defeat in the Southern Netherlands.

    He would spend the next period in Vienna, waiting for the news of the Austrian defeat to arrive, and then proceed to the next step ¨C as per the Prince¡¯s words, Austria certainly would not accept defeat lightly and would marshal the full strength of the nation to wage a decisive battle with Prussia.

    His mission was to shift the location of the decisive battle from the Southern Netherlands to Silesia!

    At the head of the banquet hall, Joseph II had barely touched the delicacies in front of him ¨C for a year, he had been able to eat almost only porridge and over-stewed fish ¨C and was looking eagerly at his nephew from France: ¡°You mean to say, if this trade agreement is signed, France will implement a tariff of less than 5% on Austrian exports of glass, leather goods, silverware, and musical instruments?¡±

    Given his recent health, it was rare for him to speak so long at once.

    Joseph smiled and nodded: ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten the linen textiles, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Oh, textiles,¡± Joseph II waved his hand dismissively, laughing, ¡°I¡¯m not yet senile. Austrian textiles are far from matching French goods; they simply cannot be sold in France.¡±

    Joseph assumed a thoughtful pose, then looked up and said, ¡°Mother has asked me to help you as much as possible, and flax textiles are a very important product for Austria¡­ so how about this: France could reduce the tariff on these items to zero, including in North Africa and the Caribbean Sea. Meanwhile, Austria could impose any tariff it wants on French flax textiles.¡±

    In Joseph II¡¯s somewhat cloudy eyes flashed a surprise not seen in a long time: ¡°Oh, my dear sister, she¡¯s always so generous!¡±

    According to the ¡°Franco-Austrian Trade Agreement¡± just proposed by Joseph, Austria¡¯s most important goods such as glass and fur would be able to enter France with very low tariffs, and other commodities including minerals, grains, cotton, and timber would enjoy the benefit of being exempt from tolls in France¡ªa privilege not even French goods had. At present, goods transported from Lyon to Paris have to pay tolls at least ten times along the way.

    If this agreement could be implemented, it would usher in a historic glory for Austrian commodity exports.

    Based on his experience, he estimated that it could increase export revenues by at least thirty to forty percent, thus bringing in a large amount of fiscal income!

    This would provide substantial support for his difficult reforms.

    However, as Emperor of the Holy Rome, Joseph II knew well that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and Austria would definitely have to pay a corresponding price for these great benefits.

    He waved the silver fork in his hand toward Joseph: ¡°Perhaps, I should offer something in return for my dear sister, to ease my mind.¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°You are my close uncle, there¡¯s no need for such formality. However, if Austria could also lower some tariffs on French goods, I believe mother would be very pleased.¡±

    Joseph II immediately adopted a posture of earnest attention, ¡°Speak in detail.¡±

    ¡°Well, you know, there are a large number of workers in Lyon who rely on textiles for their livelihood. If France could get tariffs lower than England on these goods, that would be great. Of course, excluding flax textiles.¡±

    Joseph glanced at the Emperor of the Holy Rome and added, ¡°It would be best if they could be over 5% lower than British goods.¡±

    Although French textiles couldn¡¯t compete with England, they still held an incomparable advantage over other European countries. Joseph estimated that with the extensive use of automatic looms and steam engines, as well as the supply of wool from New Zealand, within 1 to 1.5 years, the cost of the French textile industry could come close to that of Britain.

    By then, as long as the tariffs were more favorable than Britain¡¯s, France would be able to greatly capture the Austrian textile market.

    Joseph II pondered for a moment, but did not agree, ¡°That might be difficult. Austria has granted most-favored-nation treatment to British textiles; the best I can offer is for French textile tariffs to be the same as Britain¡¯s.¡±

    Joseph was actually able to accept this, since asking for a 5% discount was just an opening gambit. So, to gain a cost advantage, he¡¯d have to find a way in areas like transportation.

    He put on a dismayed face, ¡°How could French textiles possibly compete with British ones¡­

    ¡°Alright then, for machinery, steel products, paper, chemicals, and such, you¡¯ll have to give me low tariffs.¡±

    Joseph II thought quickly. Among these goods, aside from paper, he hadn¡¯t heard that French products had much competitive power.

    Anyway, the cost of French paper was so low that it made all of Europe tremble, and it simply couldn¡¯t be blocked, so agreeing to lower the tariffs on these items seemed to have no impact.

 Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 296 The Most Outstanding Son-in-law

    Chapter 377: Chapter 296 The Most Outstanding Son-in-law

    The most important thing is that my nephew just omitted France¡¯s largest export commodity¡ªwine.

    In contrast, glass and fur products, among others, are Austria¡¯s pillar industries.

    He chuckled inwardly, his young nephew still lacked experience. Although including a number of goods that would lower tariffs for France in the trade agreement would make it look better, those combined wouldn¡¯t come close to the export value of wine.

    So he nodded generously, ¡°Then, let¡¯s set the tariff for paper at 15%, and 5% for the other items, what do you think?¡±

    Joseph promptly offered a bargain, ¡°Look, I¡¯ve already reduced the tariff on Austria¡¯s flax products to zero, you could at least lower the tariffs on steel or chemical products a bit more.¡±

    The Emperor of Sanctum smiled, lifted his wine glass and took a sip, ¡°Well then, since my dear nephew says so, we¡¯ll reduce the tariff on chemical products to zero.¡±

    Austria still had some steel industry, even exporting a large amount to the German states. As for chemical products? To be honest, he wasn¡¯t quite sure what they specifically referred to¡ªprobably something like sulfuric acid. The annual trade volume for those probably didn¡¯t even reach ten thousand florins.

    Joseph displayed a young man¡¯s naive smile and bowed to his uncle, ¡°You truly are an easy-going elder. This makes our trade agreement seem much more fair.¡±

    Immediately afterward, he continued to push his advantage, ¡°My dear uncle, for the convenience of Franco-Austrian trade, perhaps we could also include in the agreement a provision for free access of shipping vessels to each other¡¯s internal river navigation.

    ¡°Oh, of course, necessary onboard inspections before transit are still permitted.¡±

    Joseph II was nearly exhausted and waved his hand weakly, ¡°I¡¯ll give it serious consideration.¡±

    Joseph seized the final opportunity, speaking rapidly, ¡°What about extending the mutually beneficial trade agreement between France and Austria to the whole of Germany?

    ¡°Include Bavaria, Salzburg, Wurttemberg, Baden, and other states to sign a trade agreement together. Even Saxon, Thuringia, and Hesse could join this trade agreement in the future.¡±

    Joseph II shook his head tiredly, ¡°They all fear that the Franco-Austrian goods will crush their own markets, so they¡¯re likely reluctant to join an agreement that removes tariffs.¡±

    Even larger German states like Bavaria and Saxon couldn¡¯t withstand Austrian goods, let alone the smaller states. In an era where market economy theories were still very underdeveloped, the tariffs set by everyone were exorbitantly high.

    A sly smile flickered in Joseph¡¯s eyes, ¡°Then let¡¯s offer them benefits.¡±

    The Emperor of Sanctum gathered his strength for a few seconds before speaking, ¡°But why should we do that?¡±

    Of course, Joseph thought, it was to leverage Austria¡¯s influence in the German states, which was much easier than France having to negotiate with each of them separately.

    However, he said to his uncle, ¡°This would allow them to reduce trade with Prussia.

    ¡°And less trade means less contact. This has a positive significance for establishing Austria¡¯s prestige in Germany.

    ¡°In fact, with the right negotiating strategies, Austria wouldn¡¯t really lose out. After all, with Austria¡¯s size, even if the terms of the agreement aren¡¯t that favorable, as the country continues to develop, Austria would still benefit from a larger market.¡±

    Joseph II was already extremely fatigued, but a spark appeared in his eyes upon hearing the remark.

    He was a clever man, and immediately understood the meaning behind his nephew¡¯s words.

    For instance, small states like Thuringia and Wurttemberg, even if they had a relatively strong industry, how strong could it be? Even if their technologies were advanced, their exports would not be substantial due to the small size of their countries. Moreover, for Austria, it was generally not difficult to find alternatives to the small states¡¯ advantageous industries.

    But for a major power like Austria, once it took the lead in an industry, small states could generally only resign themselves to being flooded with exports.

    Therefore, it was not about the short-term benefits. The key was to bind the small states to oneself from the start, to use them to expand one¡¯s own market, and to make them dependent on Austrian goods and market ¨C that was the most critical!

    Perhaps the desire to unite Germany, which could not be achieved through war, could be realized through this method!

    The look he gave his nephew was filled with astonishment; this could not have been an idea conceived by his sister ¨C he knew her too well.

    Was it the brainchild of this ¡°child blessed by God,¡± or perhaps the thought of a capable minister from France?

    In fact, Joseph was merely applying the concept of economic colonization from future generations. Which of those great powers of later times didn¡¯t bring their neighboring small countries into their fold, creating a unified market?

    What the Emperor of Sanctum failed to realize was that he thought it was Austria taking the lead to bind the German states to itself, with France only getting to sip a bit of the soup. But in Joseph¡¯s eyes, there was no difference between Austria, Thuringia, and Wurttemberg; they all had the label of France¡¯s industrial market affixed to their foreheads.

    Joseph II finally could no longer hold up and signaled to his brother Leopold II to continue discussing the details of the trade agreement with his nephew while he, supported by servants, returned to his bedroom to rest.

    By the time the banquet ended, Leopold II had already discussed the details of the trade agreement with Joseph.

    He was much more energetic than his brother and thought things through more thoroughly, preemptively countering all the foreseeable industries where France could impact Austria.

    What he did not expect was that the pace of France¡¯s industrial development would soon turn almost all valuable industries into its strengths.

    After Leopold II and Joseph left the banquet hall amidst the adulation of the nobles and headed towards the music room, Maria Ludovica surreptitiously signaled to a noble on Joseph¡¯s left, then quickly took two steps and approached the place where the latter had just stood.

    She was similar in height to Joseph and, tilting her head, said, ¡°My dear, the way His Majesty the Emperor looks at you is truly filled with admiration and satisfaction.

    ¡°Alas, he never showed so much affection for Clementine.¡±

    Joseph was startled for a moment and hurriedly replied, ¡°My cousin is the kindest and most lovely lady. I heard that the Emperor¡¯s favorite relative is her.¡±

    Ludovica covered her mouth with her fan and laughed, ¡°Clementine, bless her, if there¡¯s one flaw, it¡¯s that she can sometimes get very jealous, especially concerned about the ones she likes.¡±

    She suddenly lowered her voice, ¡°So, if you do not take any other mistresses in the future, oh, just like your father, I think she would be very happy indeed.¡±

    Joseph was taken aback again, not expecting the topic to turn in this direction, and began to sweat a little, hastily deflecting, ¡°Ah, um, have you heard that Mr. Mozart will be playing later?¡±

 Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter 297: General Willemzes Tough Battle (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 378: Chapter 297: General Willemze¡¯s Tough Battle (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    ¡°Indeed, he should be in the Hall of Mirrors by now, it seems you also have a fondness for this genius musician,¡± Ludovica responded curtly, thinking the Crown Prince of France might be adverse to the topic of ¡°finding fewer mistresses,¡± and quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Oh, by the way, His Majesty and I have already discussed it, and will prepare at least one million florins as a dowry for Clementine.¡±

    ¡°She is our most cherished daughter, we hope she can live happily in Paris¡­¡±

    One florin was roughly equivalent to 2.5 livres, which definitely amounted to a very generous dowry.

    Hearing her even start discussing the dowry, Joseph was filled with frustration and sighed deeply in his heart: Good Lord, Clementine is my very own cousin! Your own family is also of the Bourbon surname, this is close kinship within close relations. If I were really to marry your daughter, wouldn¡¯t every one of our descendants be at risk for congenital idiocy and deformity¡­

    ¡°Actually, I feel Vienna is better than Paris, warm in winter and cool in summer, full of artistic atmosphere.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t know how to change the subject, but just then, he glimpsed a spring gushing water outside the window and exclaimed, ¡°Oh, that must be the spring that Emperor Matthias adored, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Matthias was a 17th-century Emperor of Sanctum. He once came upon a sweet-tasting spring, loved it, and built a hunting palace there, which was the predecessor of Schonbrunn Palace.

    Ludovica¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, sensing that the Crown Prince of France seemed reluctant to talk about his marriage to Clementine.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the Beautiful Spring, dear, it¡¯s in the Royal Garden.¡±

    She drew a deep breath and continued to smile, ¡°We are the closest and noblest of families, if there is anything about Clementine that displeases you¡­¡±

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡± Joseph thought, my dissatisfaction lies in the fact that we are ¡°family¡±! Are you insistent on finalizing this marriage today?

    He feigned severe coughing and bent over, signalling to Eman: ¡°This damnable pneumonia, cough cough, please get me some medicine.¡±

    Eman was momentarily stunned¡ªhadn¡¯t the prince¡¯s pneumonia been in remission for quite a while? But he reacted quickly, supporting Joseph and on his master¡¯s silent cue, began making their way through the crowd toward the resting room.

    Ludovica watched Joseph¡¯s departing back, a look of confusion crossing her face.

    In the following days, aside from discussing trade agreements with Leopold II and Austrian officials, Joseph used his pneumonia as a pretext to decline all banquets and social engagements, doing everything possible to avoid Clementine¡¯s mother, Ludovica.

    After the draft of the ¡°Franco-Austrian-German Trade Agreement¡± was roughly finalized, he took his leave from Joseph II and almost fled back to Paris.

    Ludovica, following the processional that was seeing Joseph off a few miles southwest of Vienna, didn¡¯t manage to engage him in much conversation¡ªThe Crown Prince of France¡¯s pneumonia seemed quite severe, prompting a bout of violent coughing every time he tried to speak.

    She remembered the information she had gathered these past days about Joseph¡¯s love life and her brow furrowed. Aside from a woman doctor who was over three years his senior, of humble origins, and preferred dressing in men¡¯s clothing, there were hardly any women around the Crown Prince. Why was he avoiding the marriage to Clementine?

    It was known that Leopold II was certainly going to be coronated as Emperor of Holy Rome; his daughter¡¯s status would definitely be a match for him!

    She turned to her husband and asked softly, ¡°Dear, has the Crown Prince mentioned anything to you about the engagement?¡±

    Leopold II thought for a moment and shook his head, ¡°The trade agreement is very important. Our discussions are mostly on that, and occasionally on hunting or shipbuilding, but seldom on matters of the heart.¡±

    Ludovica frowned again and suddenly grabbed Leopold II, her expression serious, ¡°You must speak seriously with your sister about Clementine¡¯s marriage. It would be best to formalize their wedding date in the form of a royal letter.¡±

    ¡­

    May 2, 1789.

    More than 17,000 Austrian soldiers and 3,000 Bavarian soldiers left the Austrian exclave of Luxembourg in the west, along the border with France, moving towards the frontier city of Liege in Southern Netherlands, dozens of kilometers away.

    In the leading carriage, a general with white at his temples but eyes reflecting calm competence, looked out the window and casually asked the officer beside the carriage: ¡°Colonel Haydn, how far is it to Liege?¡±

    The latter quickly checked the map and replied, ¡°General, less than three leagues. If we maintain our pace, we should arrive by tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    A league here referred to an Austrian league, about the equivalent of 20 kilometers.

    The elder in the carriage was General Wilmze, commander in chief of the Austrian forces. He nodded and then inquired, ¡°Any news from the Muzil Corps?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, General. But according to their last message yesterday, they should have entered Luneburg by now.¡±

    Luneburg was a city to the north of Liege, bordering Brabant to the west. It was a connecting point between two rebellious cities. Muzil was leading a light corps, carrying only a minimal amount of supplies. According to General Wilmze¡¯s plan, they would march rapidly, bypassing Liege and striking directly into this strategic point to disrupt support from the Brabant Rebels to Liege.

    At the same time, this position could also serve as a warning against the Prussian Army¡ªLuneburg was a mandatory route for the Prussian Army if they wanted to move south.

    Everything was going according to plan, and Wilmze was about to pull down the carriage shade when he remembered something and instructed the officer, ¡°Oh, right, contact the French and tell them to transport the supplies to the south of Liege in three days; we should have taken control there by then.¡±

 Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter 297: General Willemzes Tough Battle (Seeking Monthly Votes)_2

    Chapter 379: Chapter 297: General Willemze¡¯s Tough Battle (Seeking Monthly Votes)_2

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    Colonel Haydn saluted with his hat and galloped away to convey the orders to the messenger.

    General Wilmze pulled the curtain down and smiled at General Ernst, the Bavarian Army commander sitting opposite him, ¡°The Marquis of Walschstaet¡¯s troops were still in Cologne yesterday; he certainly didn¡¯t expect us to arrive in Liege so quickly.¡±

    The Marquis of Walschstaet was none other than the Prussian General Blucher, who had once led his troops to intervene in the Dutch Patriot Party uprising. He was currently the vanguard of the Duke of Brunswick.

    Ernst nodded in agreement, ¡°Even if the Prussian Army starts a forced march immediately, they will encounter Colonel Muzil¡¯s blockade at Luneburg. We have at least a week to deal with the rebels in Liege.¡±

    Thanks to logistical support from France¡ªof course, to outsiders, France only claimed it was a trade of ordinary food and iron goods¡ªAustrian forces hardly carried any logistical burdens, so they could march rapidly and arrive in the Southern Netherlands earlier than the Prussians, despite the greater distance.

    General Wilmze leaned back in his chair, appearing quite relaxed: ¡°You overestimate those rebels. According to the intelligence reports sent a few days ago, they have less than 4,000 men, and most of them are peasants who have never fought in wars. It should not take too long to crush them.¡±

    ¡°My plan is to surround Brabant before the Prussians arrive. If the Duke of Brunswick insists on getting involved in this war, then you will undertake the encirclement, and I will lead the main force to turn around and have a decisive battle with the Prussians.¡±

    His operational deployment was quite reasonable.

    The Prussians, in their effort to reinforce the rebels in Brabant, would certainly hurry on their way, becoming less vigilant. During this process, the Austrian Army might find an opportunity to launch an ambush. Even if they weren¡¯t lucky enough to successfully ambush, at the very least, they could choose a battlefield with terrain that favored them for the final showdown.

    General Wilmze then mentioned a ¡°rumor¡± he had heard: ¡°Do you know anything about the exchange of Lower Bavaria for the Southern Netherlands, a matter involving Emperor Ottodor?¡±

    General Ernst replied, ¡°It seems that the French people are involved as notaries to ensure that neither side reneges, so this time the land exchange is likely to happen.¡±

    ¡°Then after the rebels surrender, you won¡¯t need to return to Munich,¡± General Wilmze said with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ll welcome your King right here in Brussels. After that, you will at least get a double promotion.¡±

    In their eyes, the rabble of the Southern Netherlands was nothing but walking military exploits that would be over by the end of the month at most.

    As they indulged in their visions of the future, Colonel Muzil¡¯s Austrian brigade of 5,000 soldiers was facing a frustrating situation in Luneburg.

    A cavalry scout group discovered spikes being installed near a village. As they moved forward to inquire, a priest holding a pitchfork, followed by dozens of peasants, blocked their path.

    The cavalry captain sneered disdainfully and ordered his men to prepare to charge through these death-seeking peasants.

    From his experience, the horses would be about ten or more meters away when these people would scatter in fear.

    Eleven horsemen lightly picked up their reins and spurred their horses forward, then simultaneously drew their swords.

    Just as they were about to charge, a volley of gunfire erupted from behind them. A horse¡¯s thigh was hit, tumbling to the ground with its rider.

    The priest immediately roared and was the first to charge, eyes bulging, with the peasants wielding sticks and farm tools following suit towards the Austrian cavalry.

    The Austrians became panicked, not expecting these peasants to dare launch an attack.

    In just a moment of hesitation, the pitchfork-wielding priest had already closed to about seventy or eighty meters from them.

    The cavalry captain swung his sword frantically forward, shouting loudly, ¡°Advance! Trot!¡±

    ¡°Gallop!¡±

    ¡°Prepare to engage!¡±

    The ten horsemen charged at the ragged peasants like brutal beasts, closing in to less than ten meters from the leading priest. Just when they thought the priest would dodge the warhorses, he thrust his pitchfork at them instead.

    The priest facing the cavalry reacted with skilled movements, pulling the reins to the left and skimming past the side of the pitchfork. Then, his saber lightly crossed the priest¡¯s chest, the blade beaming through and drawing a great deal of blood.

    The peasants behind, spurred on by the priest¡¯s encouragement, did not shrink back either, wielding their crude weapons at the Austrian cavalry.

    However, the gap between them and professional soldiers was just too vast. After sacrificing seven or eight lives, they merely succeeded in slowing down the cavalry.

    Without the priest¡¯s leadership, the remaining peasants were finally crushed in spirit by the bloodshed and corpses, beginning to abandon their farm tools and screaming as they fled into the bushes on either side.

    Just as the Austrian cavalry breathed a sigh of relief, gunshots rang out from behind them once again, this time much closer than before.

    The cavalry commander turned his head to look and his face immediately became grave¡ªthere were sixteen or seventeen figures holding flintlock guns, formed in a line, cutting off their retreat.

    He gritted his teeth, ordering his men to turn around and prepare to charge back to report to the main force when the previously fleeing peasants turned back around too, holding farm tools and glaring at them with baleful eyes¡­

    Half an hour later, most of the Austrian cavalry unit had been killed by flintlock guns and clubs, with only one managing to escape the village with severe injuries.

    Meanwhile, the Muzil Corps had just chosen a campsite and was in the midst of pitching tents when suddenly, hundreds of South Netherlanders surged out from a dried-up riverbed nearby, firing their guns pell-mell at the Austrians and setting several fires in the camp before slipping into the darkening twilight and vanishing down the riverbed.

    By the time the Austrians gave chase, the enemy had already used their familiarity with the terrain to disappear without a trace.

    Though this attack only resulted in the death of a dozen Austrian soldiers, it forced them to remain on high alert all night, preventing them from resting properly.

    Similar situations were cropping up all over Luneburg, with Protestant priests taking on the significant task of organizing the populace to attack the Austrian army¡ªthey had only received two thousand flintlock guns from Netherlands half a month ago, yet dared to strike everywhere, causing the Austrians endless trouble.

    Because of these constant harassments, the Muzil Corps¡¯s march had become as slow as a snail¡¯s pace. It was not until three days later that they finally arrived near the city of Luneburg.

    The cavalry sent by Colonel Muzil to deliver a message to General Wilmze, except for one who had lost his way, had all been intercepted and killed by the rebels. Even as General Wilmze engaged the main forces with the Liege rebels, he was still unaware of the situation in Luneburg.

    In Liege, the situation for the Austrians also wasn¡¯t as optimistic as anticipated.

    From a high ground, General Wilmze saw through his telescope that the Southern Netherlands Rebels instantly collapsed under the charge of his skirmishers, and he couldn¡¯t help but curl a smile at the corner of his mouth.

    These rabble had no combat experience whatsoever, placing their line formation on an inclined hillock, attempting to defend from a high position.

    However, the Austrian army had launched a powerful attack from the left side of the slope, from the side where the terrain was higher.

    The South Netherlanders, already at a disadvantage in equipment and numbers, were unsurprisingly defeated.

    Just as General Wilmze ordered the cavalry to pursue the fleeing enemy, he saw the South Netherlanders swiftly disappear into the woods not far from the hillock.

    He frowned immediately, feeling as disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly¡ªthis exact scenario had occurred just the day before. Those rebels were obviously very familiar with the terrain, and by the time his cavalry gave chase, the rebels had already scattered and fled, leaving less than two hundred rebels to be captured.

    Although he had achieved an overwhelming victory in this battle, from deploying troops to probing the attack, and then breaking through the enemy lines, nearly a day had already passed.

    After resting up from the battle, it would be at least noon the next day before he could continue the march.

    These despicable South Netherlanders had delayed him for a full three days, and there were still nearly ten miles to go before reaching the town of Liege.

    Just yesterday, the French had sent envoys to inquire why the supplies delivered to southern Liege had not been received and had instead been largely intercepted by the rebels.

    [Note 1] Maria Ludovica was the daughter of Charles III and the sister of the current King of Spain, Charles IV. Both the Spanish Royal Family and the French Royal Family belong to the close-knit Bourbon family.

 Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter 299: Persistence and Collapse (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 381: Chapter 299: Persistence and Collapse (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Over ten thousand members of the Rebel Army from the Netherlands had formed two narrow lines of foot soldiers on the gentle slope, each line consisting of three ranks with soldiers tightly packed together, seemingly well-arranged from a distance.

    However, their disheveled attire and the mismatched flintlock guns in their hands were undeniable proof that they were nothing more than a hastily assembled ragtag militia.

    In fact, it had taken them a full six hours since early this morning to form their lines of infantry into a semblance of order, leaving several Dutch commanders with cramps in their legs from exhaustion.

    When the motley crew saw the opposing dark lines of Austrians begin to move in the distance and a swarm of skirmishers advancing towards them nimbly like ants, their hands almost uncontrollably began to tremble.

    Behind them, more than a thousand Prussian soldiers kept shouting, ¡°Stay calm, do nothing!¡±

    Priests within the Dutch lines quietly reminded the soldiers beside them, ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything when the time comes, just reload as quickly as possible. Then listen for the drumbeat.¡±

    As the fastest Austrian skirmishers appeared 80 paces in front of the Dutch line, they began to take cover behind weeds or stones, shooting at the South Netherlanders.

    A few bullets whizzed through the air, striking the line and immediately soldiers howled as they fell to the ground, twitching and writhing in pain.

    The Prussian soldiers behind them immediately shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t move! Move the dead away! Keep the formation tight! Quick!¡±

    However, the untrained Dutch seemed as if they hadn¡¯t heard a thing, simply joining in the cries of the wounded or subconsciously raising their guns to aim at the distant Austrians.

    As the Austrian main force continuously closed in, skirmishers began to spread out to either side, clearing the front of the battlefield.

    Prussian officers, estimating that the distance between the two infantry lines was less than a hundred paces, ordered the Dutch to start loading their guns.

    The orderly rider delivered the loading commands, while the drummers beat the specific rhythm for loading¡ªthe soldiers could maintain the highest efficiency in handling their weapons by following this tempo.

    The Austrians kept advancing, coming within sixty paces of the enemy and still showing no sign of ceasing their gunfire.

    The Dutch lines finally snapped¡ªwith the crushing pressure of nearly ten thousand men bearing down on them, the soldiers¡¯ minds went blank, wishing only to drive these people away by any means necessary.

    Sporadic gunfire erupted throughout the ranks. Fearful that the ragtag army might squander their ammunition in such disarray, the Prussian officers had no choice but to order a general volley.

    The messy half-minute ¡°salvo¡± enshrouded the Dutch position in black gun smoke, yet the results were minimal¡ªthe Austrians continued to advance in orderly formation.

    It wasn¡¯t until the forces were 50 paces apart that the Austrian Army came to a halt, and amidst a volley of intense drumbeats, the soldiers raised their flintlock guns.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    At the Austrian commander¡¯s order, a sea of infantry along the line discharged a burst of flame. The fierce volley blasted hundreds of small gaps into the Dutch line.

    The Dutch priest screamed at the top of his lungs, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! Continue reloading! For your families, to drive away the Habsburg tyrant, everyone hold fast!¡±

    Seemingly spurred on by this encouragement, the ragtag army, although shaking, still managed to reload their guns and then clenched their teeth, raised their weapons, and waited for the Prussian officer¡¯s command.

    On a hill in the distance, General Willemze frowned as he looked through his binoculars at the battlefield.

    His valiant grenadiers had performed over a dozen volleys at the Dutch, killing at least a thousand men, but there was still no sign of them collapsing.

    Behind the Dutch infantry lines, there was another line of infantry for defense. Further back, there should have been Prussians.

    ¡°These damn rebels! Why are they still standing there?¡± he cursed under his breath, pondering whether to send more skirmishers to tear at the enemy¡¯s flanks when suddenly he heard the urgent hooves of a scout rapidly approaching.

    He had just turned his head when he heard the breathless voice shout, ¡°General, the Prussians are encircling our right flank!¡±

    Before Wilmze could react, his staff officer, clutching a telescope, approached in alarm, ¡°General, there¡¯s a disturbance in the cavalry on the left flank, it might be enemy forces there!¡±

    Wilmze¡¯s face went ashen. It seemed the Prussians were not behind the Dutch infantry lines. The Duke of Brunswick had used his main forces to launch a surprise attack on both his flanks!

    He waved his cane forcefully and commanded the orderly officer, ¡°Order Schulder to break through the enemy¡¯s front at all costs, with the utmost speed! Once we crush their infantry lines first, victory will be ours!¡±

    In the battles of large troop contingents of this era, the frontal defense line was akin to the waist of a person; once breached, commanders would have nowhere to stand. Trapped by poor communication capabilities, if the commander had to move at high speed to escape enemy attacks, the orderly officers would immediately lose track of him, causing the whole army to lose its command.

    Moreover, after losing control of the front battlefield, it meant that the artillery and cavalry would no longer have a safe space to prepare, which for these two types of forces that require extensive preparation, was equivalent to losing combat capability.

    So as long as the front confrontation was won, the losses on both flanks didn¡¯t matter at all.

    The Austrian Grenadier battalion on the right side of the infantry lines advanced even more bravely, pushing forward and returning fire despite the Dutch bullets.

    Finally, after suffering heavy casualties, they tore a gap on the left side of the Dutch lines.

    Austrian skirmishers, like sharks smelling blood, immediately swarmed towards that gap, shooting non-stop at officers and drummers to increase the enemy¡¯s confusion.

    Wilmze, seeing the collapse of the Dutch¡¯s first line of infantry, clenched his fist excitedly, then looked anxiously towards the right, where one could faintly hear the hoofbeats of Prussian cavalry.

    The combat effectiveness of the Austrian cavalry was originally inferior to that of the Prussians, and having already divided some forces to the left flank, they could not hold the Prussians off for long.

    He turned the telescope again, his heart anxiously urging Schulder to quickly rip open the Dutch¡¯s second line of defense.

    On the other side, the Duke of Brunswick put down his telescope, and said to the orderly officer with a relaxed expression, ¡°Tell the Dutch that if they can hold on for just 15 more minutes, the Austrians will be driven out of this land.¡±

    He could estimate the speed of his main forces, which by now should have already made contact with the Austrian right flank.

    Yes, his cavalry was just a cover; he had committed all 14,000 of his Prussian main forces to encircle the Austrian right flank, that was his trump card!

    After this interaction with the South Netherlanders, he was immensely impressed with their resilience.

    Although these ragtag troops were weak in combat and couldn¡¯t even form proper ranks, their morale was incredibly high¡ªperhaps the pursuit of what they called freedom made them willing to die rather than live under Austrian rule. Particularly the priests, who seemed ready to ascend to heaven, facing any enemy without fear.

    So he made his judgment: although these Dutch couldn¡¯t possibly defeat the Austrian Army, simply holding Wilmze back was very feasible.

    On the distant battlefield, the second line of Dutch infantry, riddled with holes from the battle, seemed on the verge of collapse but held on without breaking.

    The Prussians supervising the battle from behind had several killed by stray bullets, starting to cause chaos, but the Dutch still stood there, clumsily reloading with shaking hands, firing wildly at the Austrians until bullets claimed their lives, yet never moving their feet¡­

    And on the Austrian right flank, at this moment, it was being crushed into dust by the overwhelmingly superior Prussian Army.

 Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter 301: The Mocked Napoleon (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 383: Chapter 301: The Mocked Napoleon (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    ¡°No, none of them¡­¡±

    Joseph suddenly realized he had been careless¡ªhe had followed modern norms where at the age of 15, one wouldn¡¯t need to consider marriage matters, yet in the eighteenth century, this was already perilously close to the ranks of a bachelor of advanced age!

    Queen Mary¡¯s frown deepened.

    ¡°Dear, you are already 15 years old, your grandfather and great-grandfather were married at your age,¡± she glanced toward Louis XVI, ¡°Although your father married me at the age of 16, that was indeed somewhat late. I hope you do not follow his example.¡±

    Louis XVI nodded in agreement very cooperatively.

    Queen Mary took her son¡¯s hand, took a deep breath, and said in the gentlest tone possible:

    ¡°Dear, if you have no objections to Clementine, why not marry her sooner? Once you have progeny, the people of France will feel much more at ease!¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± At this moment, Joseph only felt extremely passive. He had thought through the whole of Europe, along with Africa and America, yet he hadn¡¯t considered planning for his own marriage.

    Who would rush to find a wife for a 15-year-old boy, hey! Barely two years past puberty, right?

    Marrying too early is also bad for one¡¯s health; this is common knowledge¡­ His great-grandfather and grandfather did marry early, but one lived only until 64, and the other passed away in his prime at 36. Hadn¡¯t they considered there might be reasons for this?

    Moreover, Clementine was actually a relative, did he really want to engage in orthopedics in eighteenth-century France? Besides, she was only 12 years old¡ªsuch a thing, if it were in the future, would be a minimum of three years¡¯ incarceration, with no upper limit!

    Seeing her son fall silent, Queen Mary spoke again with solemn gravity:

    ¡°Dear, if you are thinking of the girl named Perna¡­ ah, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s impossible, but how should I put it? Her background is truly too low¡­ If you like her, you can keep her by your side. But as a formal marriage candidate, I believe she must be a princess of a country or at least the daughter of a crown prince.¡±

    Joseph almost spat out a mouthful of blood¡ªhow did his mother bring up Doctor Perna again¡­

    He tried to calm himself down, reflected for a moment, and decided to play the ¡°ambitious and spirited¡± card:

    ¡°Mother, if we speak of love, then I have only one true love¡ªFrance!

    ¡°As the crown prince, under the witness of God, I hope to make France stand tall atop Europe!

    ¡°If I must marry, then I must find a princess from a country that can provide great support to France.

    ¡°Clearly, that country is not Austria.¡±

    Queen Mary immediately showed a look of surprise: ¡°You think there is a country more suitable than Austria?¡±

    Joseph nodded: ¡°You should have heard, Austria has just been defeated in the Southern Netherlands by the Prussian-Dutch allied forces. If Austria loses the Southern Netherlands, its national power will quickly decline. It might even be surpassed by Prussia!¡±

    ¡°No, my brother will certainly recapture the Southern Netherlands,¡± Queen Mary¡¯s voice immediately grew louder, ¡°I know him, Prussians cannot scare him!¡±

    A smile flickered across Joseph¡¯s eyes: ¡°Father, mother, then perhaps we should wait until after the situation in the Southern Netherlands is resolved before considering a union with Austria?¡±

    Louis XVI nodded thoughtfully, took his wife¡¯s hand, and said softly, ¡°Dear, Joseph has truly grown up. He¡¯s able to consider marriage from the national perspective¡ªperhaps we have been too anxious.¡±

    Taking advantage of his wife¡¯s distraction, he winked at Joseph and mouthed, ¡°You can go now, I¡¯ll persuade her.¡±

    While his mother was still in a daze, Joseph quickly got up, performed a bow, and then swiftly escaped the Petit Trianon Palace.

    For a long while, Queen Mary looked reproachfully at her husband, ¡°You know that¡¯s just an excuse.¡±

    Louis XVI smiled and said, ¡°Our son is so smart, he must have his own reasons. We should trust him.¡±

    ¡°You really spoil him too much,¡± Queen Mary sighed, ¡°Clementine is so pretty and charming, why doesn¡¯t Joseph like her?¡±

    Louis XVI kissed the back of his wife¡¯s hand, complementing her with an uncharacteristically high emotional intelligence, ¡°With such a beautiful mother, he¡¯s likely to set his bar very high for so-called beautiful women.¡±

    ¡°Stop it!¡± Queen Mary broke into a coy smile, but her expression turned serious again, ¡°But he is indeed not young anymore. Before next year, we must decide on a marriage candidate for him.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Louis XVI seemed quite in agreement, ¡°I will have a good talk with him.¡±

    ¡­

    The central-eastern part of France.

    The province of Troyes.

    An army, impeccably uniformed with golden iris insignias on their collars and carrying brand-new Auguste-style caplock guns, marched in neat columns at a brisk pace toward the outskirts of the town.

    They were heading there to put on a ¡°standard demonstration¡± for the renowned Champagne Corps. They had performed this task numerous times before, and every unit that had witnessed their demonstration ended up demoralized.

    After their departure, any capable officers or soldiers in those units submitting transfer requests to the General Staff, asking to join the Royal Guards, even willing to serve as general laborers there.

    In the middle of the troops, a few soldiers caught a glimpse of the young officers riding on horseback to the side-front and began whispering among themselves, ¡°Hey, that captain is new, right? Does anyone know him?¡±

    ¡°I heard he took General Bertier¡¯s route to get transferred to the Guard Corps,¡± a big soldier with an unkempt beard said, ¡°His name is something Napoleon¡­ a weird name.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Napoleon. Napoleon Bonaparte.¡± A middle-aged soldier behind them said quietly, ¡°He¡¯s Italian. But he didn¡¯t join the Guard through connections, I heard he made quite a name for himself quelling riots in Amiens.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡± However, two of the soldiers laughed, ¡°You might not know, but this outstanding officer sir has never been able to finish a 5-kilometer run. He was left behind in the barracks during the previous ¡®demonstrations¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Well, Italians tend to be a bit frail physically¡­¡±

    ¡°I also heard that this captain often takes sick leave.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s a sickly one, that explains it, haha.¡±

    The young officer riding at the front could vaguely hear the laughter of the soldiers discussing him behind his back, causing the veins on his forehead to throb. His hands holding the reins had turned pale from gripping them too tightly.

    Yet he couldn¡¯t refute them, because that damned 5-kilometer run was simply too difficult.

    At first, he didn¡¯t believe these soldiers could complete such a distance in 22 minutes, but reality taught him a harsh lesson¡ªonly three in the entire corps didn¡¯t finish on time. One had a bit of a fever, the other had a broken boot.

    The worst part was the requirement from the Guard Corp for officers below the rank of Major to complete the 5-kilometer run alongside the soldiers.

    He vowed to himself that during this ¡°standard demonstration,¡± he would definitely shut those mocking soldiers up!

    When had Napoleon ever lost to anyone? Those who looked down on him in the military academy had all been surpassed by his excellent grades in the end!

 Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter 302: Let Me Tell You What Elite Really Means

    Chapter 384: Chapter 302: Let Me Tell You What Elite Really Means

    However, Napoleon immediately recalled several other terrifying daily training exercises of the Guard Corps. Hmm, those were just routine drills, and it was said that there were also ¡°hellish¡± intensive marching drills, which he had yet to experience.

    Among all the routine exercises, apart from shooting and map drawing, he had not yet met the passing standards.

    Especially in tactical coordination. The tactical standards of the Guard Corps were so numerous and completely different from what he learned at the military academy.

    Just memorizing the content of these tactics, had taken him a week, and he didn¡¯t know how much longer it would take to reach the level of muscle memory.

    Napoleon couldn¡¯t help but recall the shocks he had received during the more than two months since he had arrived at the Guard Corps.

    From the new caplock guns to artillery cluster tactics. From the theory of deep operations to officers mingling with soldiers all day. From exquisite food to the welfare of free clothing repairs.

    These made him once doubt that the military academy he had attended before was fake¡ªso many practical and innovative military theories and skills, and the prestigious Paris Military Academy had never taught them. No, not even a mention from the instructors.

    He took a long breath, but fortunately, he had unexpectedly arrived at the Guard Corps and was able to learn this military knowledge. When he would later devote himself to the great cause of Corsican independence, these skills would surely play a huge role!

    In fact, he had planned to ask for leave to return to Corsica at the beginning of this month. According to the arrangements of the Restoration organization, members were to have a secret meeting in Ajaccio on the 5th of every even-numbered month.

    But he was very curious about this month¡¯s military combat effectiveness assessment, so he decided to skip the meeting, as accumulating more military skills was the most important thing. To think of independence, Corsica needed first to have an army capable of resisting the French people¡¯s attack.

    Speaker Paul had very seriously predicted that he, Napoleon, would certainly become the greatest general in the Corsican National Guard.

    Since then, this had become Napoleon¡¯s life goal.

    That afternoon, the Guard First Legion reached Troyes, encamping less than two kilometers from the Champagne Corps in the suburbs.

    After a simple dinner, Napoleon dismissed the orderlies and came alone to an open space at the edge of the camp area, and started doing push-ups according to the requirements of the ¡°Physical Training Manual¡± issued by the Guard Corps¡­

    After practicing for a full 40 minutes or so, the sky had already completely darkened, and the camp sounded the evening roll call whistle.

    Wiping the sweat from his face, he ran back to his company¡¯s bivouac location with his body aching all over.

    Although tired, he could clearly feel that after two months of training, both his strength and endurance had greatly improved.

    The ¡°Training Manual¡± was certainly effective because it was directly copied by Joseph from futuristic scientific fitness methods. Coupled with a protein-rich diet, it enabled the soldiers of the Guard Corps to enhance their physical fitness at the fastest speed.

    If you disregard the height factor, just by the robust physique of the Guard Corps soldiers, basically each one could be elite grenadiers elsewhere[Note 1].

    Early the next morning, the officers responsible for the combat effectiveness assessment from the General Staff arrived on time at the Champagne Corps¡¯ station, accompanied by 1,200 soldiers of the Guard First Legion led by Major Lefebvre.

    Unlike previous assessments, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince actually came to the scene this time, taking over from the General Staff officers, to oversee the assessment.

    On the east side of the Champagne Corps¡¯ drill ground, Joseph stepped up to the review platform and started with a preamble about ¡°loyalty to the King and maintaining the spirit of brave knights,¡± before announcing the start of the assessment.

    More than 7,000 soldiers of the Champagne Corps and lower legions began to line up in an orderly fashion and walked out of the drill ground, heading towards a small hill two kilometers away under the command of the General Staff officers.

    They were to run a circuit there, then return to the drill ground. The whole distance was 5 kilometers, and to pass the assessment one had to complete it within 22 minutes; finishing within 20 minutes was considered outstanding.

    According to the assessment requirements previously announced by the General Staff, if the performance of a soldier reached excellent, he could earn a bonus equivalent to one month¡¯s salary.

    And subordinate officers who achieved excellence could be directly promoted by one level. Of course, the assessment content for officers included several more items than for soldiers, and the difficulty was higher.

    An hour and twenty minutes later, the officers and soldiers of the Champagne Legion participating in the assessment had mostly returned to the parade ground.

    A moment later, growing somewhat bored of waiting, Joseph received the assessment results submitted by the officials, and a smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

    As expected, the entire legion¡¯s 5-kilometer run results were all unsatisfactory.

    The fastest to return was a Grenadier Company commander, who took 25 minutes. The average soldier generally took about 40 minutes to complete the distance. Additionally, 27 people had gotten lost and had not yet returned. The Guard First Legion¡¯s Cavalry had already set out to find them.

    However, it was acknowledged that the Champagne Legion was indeed the elite of the old-fashioned armies. For example, the number of people who got lost was enough to look down on other legions¡ªin previous assessments, an army of three to four thousand could have over a hundred people getting lost.

    After Joseph had the General Staff officers announce the assessment results, the Champagne Legion, as exhausted as dead dogs on the parade ground, predictably started to murmur complaints:

    ¡°By God, it¡¯s impossible to run such a distance in 22 minutes!¡±

    ¡°Captain Lacoste took 25 minutes to complete it, and he¡¯s stronger than a lion! 22 minutes? That¡¯s a joke¡­¡±

    ¡°This is definitely those high and mighty officers from Paris giving us a hard time¡­¡±

    ¡°I bet there¡¯s not a single army in this world that can meet the assessment standards!¡±

    ¡°Shh¡ªkeep it down! The Crown Prince is up on the reviewing stand¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best if he hears, maybe he¡¯ll order the General Staff to revise the assessment standards.¡±

    Seeing this, Joseph shared a smile with Lefebvre at his side and raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

    The officers of the Champagne Legion hastily swung their riding crops, sternly silencing the soldiers who were still discussing.

    When the parade ground quieted down, Joseph loudly ordered Lefebvre:

    ¡°Major Lefebvre, immediately assemble your troops, prepare to perform the 5-kilometer cross-country run demonstration.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    After that, Joseph turned to the Champagne Legion¡¯s Commander, Baron Diercun:

    ¡°Please take your soldiers to the western hill so they can clearly see the Guard Corps¡¯ demonstration.¡±

    ¡°At your command, Your Highness,¡± replied Baron Diercun, who was quite embarrassed by his subordinates¡¯ poor assessment results, as he bowed in response.

    [Note 1] Grenadiers were originally soldiers responsible for throwing hand grenades. Since hand grenades were heavy, they required tall and strong soldiers, which is why grenadiers were usually bigger and taller than average. After the 18th century, hand grenades played a very small role in battlefields, and grenadiers were typically used as infantry. However, they remained some of the tallest and strongest soldiers in an army, and were often employed as elite assault troops.

 Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 304: Napoleons Family Letter (Added for 500th Floor Check-in)

    Chapter 386: Chapter 304: Napoleon¡¯s Family Letter (Added for 500th Floor Check-in)

    Compared to the food itself, what truly evoked the envy of the soldiers from the Champagne Corps was the sight of officers from the Guard Corps sharing meals with ordinary soldiers!

    Even the contents of their bowls were exactly the same as the soldiers¡¯.

    They couldn¡¯t help muttering to themselves:

    ¡°These are the officers worth serving, worthy of respect. In contrast, the officers of the Champagne Corps just consider themselves nothing more than beasts capable of firing guns.¡±

    Then, to their amazement, they saw the Crown Prince himself sitting together with a group of soldiers from the Guard Corps, eating out of the pot!

    ¡°Mm, this soup has a nice flavor,¡± Joseph dipped his bread into the red broth, and then took a bite. The tomato soup, with a hint of spiciness, tasted quite like borscht.

    Lefevre nodded and said:

    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness, this is the soldiers¡¯ favorite food besides meat.¡±

    A staff officer added:

    ¡°All thanks to the tomato sauce. Good God, which genius invented this? The taste of fresh tomatoes is simply marvelous.¡±

    The genius inventor Joseph did not join in the conversation, instead, he turned to glance at Napoleon, who was absorbed in twirling his food:

    ¡°Captain Buonaparte, are you getting used to life in the Guard Corps?¡±

    The latter was taken aback and hastily set down his food, snapping to attention:

    ¡°Quite accustomed, Your Highness. Everything is very good!¡±

    ¡°Uh, you don¡¯t need to be so tense,¡± Joseph thought to himself that they still had future collaborations to come; such stiffness wouldn¡¯t do.

    He suddenly noticed Napoleon¡¯s eyes and asked with concern:

    ¡°Your eyes are full of bloodshot veins. Haven¡¯t you rested well?¡±

    Napoleon indeed hadn¡¯t rested well; since joining the Guard Corps over two months ago, he had been relentlessly ¡°cramming,¡± and his unyielding nature allowed him only five to six hours of sleep daily.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, Your Highness, thank you for your concern.¡±

    A corps staff officer turned to Joseph and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, Captain Buonaparte has been working very hard. Since joining the corps, he has passed several basic assessments.¡±

    Joseph nodded in approval at Napoleon, then casually shifted the conversation:

    ¡°By the way, after leaving Troyes, you will be heading to Verdun.¡±

    The corps staff officer expressed surprise:

    ¡°Your Highness, there seems to be no corps there requiring assessment, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about assessment,¡± Joseph said, ¡°it¡¯s war. A battle against a truly formidable enemy.¡±

    Excitement immediately sparkled in the eyes of the surrounding officers and soldiers¡ªat the Guard Corps, combat meant military achievements and honors, which also signified promotion.

    Not to mention the envy and admiration of their families and neighbors.

    This was thanks to the effective work of the Military Affairs Department.

    Those who had distinguished themselves in battle would have their homes bombarded with military bands, pennants, flowers, and bonuses. Coupled with the three-day promotion of their feats nearby, they would instantly become local heroes.

    When they returned home, the sense of pride and glory felt even better than a promotion.

    ¡°Your Highness, who are we going to fight against?¡± a company commander immediately asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet, but there will likely be Prussians among them.¡±

    Upon hearing that they would be able to face a proper European army, everyone was rubbing their hands together, eager to try their hand.

    They had defeated the Algiers and the Albanian Army before, and they had beaten the Moncalm Legion, but those victories were not enough to prove their strength.

    If they could defeat the Prussians on the battlefield, who would dare question the authenticity of the Guard Corps¡¯ battle achievements?

    Speaking of fighting, Joseph suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Lefevre:

    ¡°Major, has the latest ¡®compact riding cannon carriage¡¯ been delivered?¡±

    The latter shook his head: ¡°It had not arrived when we left Paris, Your Highness. But the armory had already sent a Training Manual and said it would arrive within a week.¡±

    Joseph sighed. It was still a bit late. He cautioned:

    ¡°Then have the riding cannon carriages sent directly to Verdun. You must hurry and practice the operations there; we may not have much time left before the battle begins.¡±

    Napoleon, hearing the term ¡°riding cannon carriage,¡± immediately perked up and asked the staff officer beside him:

    ¡°Sir, what is the new equipment that His Highness just mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a type of cannon carriage that can move quickly. You¡¯ll know when you get to Versailles.¡± The staff officer was somewhat disdainful of this Corsican¡ªin this era, it was common to discriminate against outsiders, let alone a ¡°country bumpkin¡± from a remote island.

    Napoleon wanted to ask more, but saw that the staff officer had begun to discuss training matters with the Crown Prince, leaving him no opportunity to interject, his heart feeling as restless as if dozens of cats were scratching at it.

    If he wanted to see the riding cannon carriage, he would inevitably miss the next meeting of the Corsican Revival Organization; perhaps Speaker Paul would have some new instructions¡­

    But that new equipment related to cannons seemed even more appealing¡­

    As he was struggling with his decision, unsure of what to do, the following morning the legion¡¯s mail carriers arrived in Troyes.

    This was the moment all soldiers looked forward to most passionately. The wooden boxes the mail carriers brought contained news from their families, lovers, or friends¡ªtheir only connection to the world outside the barracks.

    As the crowd waiting for their letters gradually dispersed, Napoleon approached the two mail carriers and gave his name:

    ¡°Napoleon Bonaparte. Is there a letter for me?¡±

    A tall mail carrier picked up the ledger and searched for the name alphabetically, then pulled out a letter from the second wooden box and handed it to him:

    ¡°There¡¯s a letter for you. Sent by Joseph Buonaparte. Oh, that¡¯s a unique surname. Is he your father, or your brother?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my elder brother.¡±

    Napoleon casually answered, took the letter, and quickly returned to his own tent, where he eagerly tore it open to read.

    In the letter, his brother first inquired about Napoleon¡¯s recent situation in the army, according to custom. Then, in an excited tone, he told him that last month, by a chance opportunity, he had been selected by the assistant to the Minister of Commerce to become an assistant in the negotiation delegation.

    Because of the urgent need for personnel, there was no need to pay for the position. The monthly salary was a good 65 livres, plus substantial allowances.

    Napoleon smiled happily; this was much better than the barely surviving business his brother had been running before. With this stable income, he would no longer have to deal with the family¡¯s huge debts alone.

    The government position of Joseph Buonaparte was naturally arranged by Joseph through Bailly. Corsicans have a strong sense of family; after Napoleon¡¯s father died, his elder brother was like a father to him, and Napoleon listened to him a lot.

    So Joseph first secured a position for Napoleon¡¯s elder brother within the French bureaucracy, and as the latter would climb the ranks, it was only a matter of time before ¡°the backside would dictate the brain.¡± When that time came, even if Napoleon wanted to pursue Corsican restoration, his elder brother would not agree.

    Napoleon continued to read. Joseph Buonaparte told him that at the time of sending this letter, he had already left Paris with the Minister of Commerce to participate in an important trade negotiation in Bavaria.

 Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter 305: The Choice of Talent

    Chapter 387: Chapter 305: The Choice of Talent

    Napoleon couldn¡¯t help but feel some emotion.

    He had always thought that his brother should not have given up the study of law to go into business¡ªa decision that had proven to be ill-advised, considering that his brother¡¯s business abilities were indeed lacking. After so many years, he had barely managed to break even.

    Now, not long after his brother took up a position at the negotiating delegation, he was able to go abroad for negotiations with the Minister of Commerce. It seemed he had found a path that allowed him to utilize his strengths.

    The latter half of Joseph Buonaparte¡¯s letter relayed a verbal message from their mother, Maria Letizia.

    She said that last month the government had finally disbursed the compensation for the vineyard, reducing the family¡¯s debt by half and greatly alleviating the pressure from interest payments.

    In addition, the French Brewing Technology Association had decided to invest in building a large winery in the City of Ajaccio, where construction was currently underway. To ensure a sufficient supply of raw materials, the winery had signed supply contracts with vineyards around Ajaccio. As long as there were no natural disasters, the Buonaparte family could expect a stable income of nearly 2,000 livres each year.

    In a word, the family¡¯s financial situation had improved a lot, and they could even afford to hire people to work in the vineyard now.

    In her final reminder, mother urged Napoleon not to worry about coming home to help anymore. He should perform well in the army and strive for a promotion as soon as possible.

    In reality, what Napoleon referred to as ¡°coming home to help¡± was just an excuse to participate in the activities of the Corsican Revival Organization. However, when he read the letter, he felt unexpectedly relieved and shook his head, muttering to himself, ¡°It seems that before I find a new excuse to take leave that can deceive mother, it won¡¯t be easy to return to Corsica.¡±

    That is to say, he could now visit Verdun to see the new type of cavalry cannon without any worries!

    What he didn¡¯t know was that the affairs of his family¡¯s vineyard had all been arranged by the Crown Prince himself, with the intention of keeping him at ease in the army.

    Of course, Joseph¡¯s construction of a winery in Corsica was also aimed at improving the living standards of the people there. When everyone saw a way to make money, they were all busy growing grapes¡ªwho would bother with something like ¡®overthrowing French rule¡¯?

    If even the winery was built by the French people, who would they sell their grapes to after driving the French out?

    At the same time that Napoleon was reading the family letter, in a nearby Cavalry Camp, a soldier of a similar age with curly hair, a slightly chubby face, and a somewhat melancholic gaze, was swiftly writing a letter atop a hay cart, trying to get it to the post before the mail carriers left.

    He bit his pencil and continued writing, his head bowed: Dear Father, I have made my final decision. I will not return to Fortinier Fortress to learn about selling fashion, for today I have found my true calling in life¡ªto join the Guard Corps and become an outstanding cavalry officer!

    Yes, in the Guard Corps, anyone of any background can become an officer, as long as you are brave enough and train hard enough to achieve it.

    Do you know how incredible this army is? Each of their soldiers is exceptionally strong, capable of carrying a gun and a blanket, and running 5 kilometers in 20 minutes¡ªoh, that¡¯s 1.25 leagues. Their speed in changing formations is so fast that it¡¯s as if a giant is pulling them along with strings¡­ and their astonishing marksmanship¡­ oh, and those handsome uniforms¡­

    In short, I am absolutely certain that it is the place where I can realize my dreams! Please forgive me, I really can¡¯t go back, or the fortress of Fortinier will be missing a great general¡­

    After finishing the letter, he reviewed it and then signed off with: Joachim Murat, sealing the letter in an envelope.

    He then took out the ¡°Guard Corps Application Form,¡± which he had kept on him, and began to fill it out with focus.

    The Cavalry Company Commander walked past him, glanced at the nearly completed application form, but walked away with his head held high as if he had not seen anything¡ªhe had filled out the same application form himself and already handed it to the postman.

    In fact, at that time, nearly everyone in the entire Champagne Legion was busy filling out this thing.

    ¡­

    Bavaria.

    Northwest of Munich.

    A black carriage bumped along the rutted road. Inside the carriage, Joseph Buonaparte was carefully checking the documents in his hands, occasionally confirming figures with his assistant, looking extremely focused.

    That stack of documents was the result of his recent business survey in Wurttemberg, including a large number of questionnaires and data collected on site.

    And these were the vital materials that would be used in trade negotiations the day after tomorrow.

    After arriving in Munich, he first reported his work to the assistant to the Minister of Commerce, who was also his immediate superior, and then shut himself in his hotel room to memorize that data, until the negotiations officially began at the beginning of June.

    Outside the Munich Palace, bands and honor guards filled both sides of the road. Ceremonial Officers shuffled back and forth to the music, greeting the representatives of various countries who were coming for the negotiations.

    Duke Karl Otto Dor of Bavaria presided over a brief ceremony to open the negotiations in the square in front of the palace, then left everything to State Minister Pomentar and departed sullenly himself.

    It¡¯s no wonder he was in a bad mood, not long before he had been planning how to bestow the territory of the Southern Netherlands, which he had obtained in exchange, upon his illegitimate children, but then the news of Austria¡¯s defeat arrived, causing all his beautiful dreams to fall through.

    Pomentar greeted the negotiating representatives into the conference hall and made a speech, after which he turned his gaze to Baron Tugut, the Austrian Foreign Minister.

    The latter smiled and nodded, rose to the front of the conference room, cleared his throat, and spoke loudly, ¡°I believe everyone is well aware of just how chaotic the trade situation in Germany is at the moment.

    ¡°The constantly changing tariffs, the sudden appearance of various fees, all sorts of access restrictions have greatly hindered the progress of our trade¡­¡±

    ¡°Therefore, under the joint initiative of His Imperial Majesty of the Holy Roman Empire,¡± he said, indicating towards Talleyrand and Bailly, ¡°and His Majesty the King of France, we will discuss and sign an unprecedented and great agreement!¡±

    However, unlike his impassioned speech, representatives from small states like Bavaria, Salzburg, Wurttemberg, and Baden seemed less enthusiastic.

    These smaller states found it difficult to compete with large countries like France and Austria in industrial and trade sectors, thus harboring reservations about the so-called ¡°free trade.¡±

    But since they didn¡¯t wish to offend Joseph II, they could only go through the motions and attend; they had little expectation of reaching any substantive trade agreement.

    After finishing his formalities, Baron Tugut ordered his assistants to distribute the trade planning documents which had been prepared beforehand to everyone: ¡°This is the preliminary draft agreement proposed by Austria, please take a look. Of course, this is just a draft, and the specific terms still need detailed discussion before we can determine them.¡±

 Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Chapter 306: The Art of Negotiation

    Chapter 388: Chapter 306: The Art of Negotiation

    The trade agreement involved many aspects, and even just the draft documents amounted to a thick stack.

    It took the representatives of various countries all morning to briefly go through the content¡ªthis was after Austria had communicated the general framework of the agreement to them, otherwise, they would probably have to spend the entire day on this matter.

    However, after everyone closely examined the clauses, they all revealed expressions of surprise, and then began to whisper among themselves:

    ¡°It says here that we can maintain a 60% tariff on wines imported from France and a 38% tariff on iron products from Austria, which seems¡­ quite reasonable.¡±

    ¡°We can even levy an 80% tariff on French paper, which is different from what I had originally thought.¡±

    ¡°Aside from the tariffs on French textiles, which need to be consistent with England, other terms are not too oppressive¡­¡±

    ¡°One could even say¡­ quite fair. Austria only charges a 10% tariff on most goods exported to Wurttemberg.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me, we can enter Austria and France with very low tariffs.¡±

    Lunchtime came quickly.

    On the way to the restaurant, Count Pomentar, the Bavarian State Minister, pulled aside a few representatives from the smaller countries and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Although on the surface, the agreement terms proposed by Austria seem to benefit them more, however, our industries are nowhere near as competitive as those of France and Austria, especially France.

    ¡°For instance, the draft requires us to levy no more than a 12% tariff on French machinery and only 15% on chemical products, which seems highly disadvantageous to us.¡±

    Count Wintzingerode, Wurttemberg¡¯s plenipotentiary representative, nodded and looked at him, ¡°So, what do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°This trade agreement is a good opportunity,¡± Pomentar looked around at the others, ¡°It gives our goods the chance to enter the vast markets of France and Austria, but we need to unite and bargain for more favorable conditions.

    ¡°Specifically, we must be united when discussing specific tariff amounts. Oh, of course, Bavaria will also make concessions to your countries, please rest assured.¡±

    The other representatives, upon hearing this, nodded their heads in agreement. Indeed, as Pomentar said, according to the draft, the tariffs imposed on them by France and Austria were almost negligible, giving their goods the possibility of entering France and Austria, which was previously very difficult.

    Therefore, the focus of the subsequent negotiations would be on the maximum tariffs they could levy on France and Austria. After all, these small countries could only rely on tariffs to protect their own markets when faced with the highly competitive goods from the large nations.

    At two-thirty in the afternoon, the trade negotiations continued.

    Count Wintzingerode of Wurttemberg was the first to stand, addressing the French Commerce Minister, ¡°Respected Mr. Bailly, regarding the iron products that your country exports to Wurttemberg, I believe that a 12% tariff is indeed too low. You know, Wurttemberg has many iron foundries, and we need to provide them with some protection. Perhaps, the tariff on iron products could be raised to around 35%.¡±

    Hearing this, the representatives of Bavaria and other countries immediately followed suit, ¡°Bavaria hopes to raise the French steel tariff to 30%.¡±

    ¡°Salzburg also hopes to raise it to 30%¡­¡±

    Mr. Bailly then stood up and said some platitudes, the gist of which was that France also valued the industrial protection of your countries, but did not budge an inch on the tariff rate.

    Seeing the situation at a standstill, Count Wintzingerode was about to threaten to withdraw from the negotiations when he saw Mr. Bailly signaling to a young official behind him: ¡°Mr. Buonaparte, please provide the trade data of iron products between France and Wurttemberg to Count Wintzingerode.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡±

    Joseph Buonaparte immediately flipped through several pages of documents, courteously placed them on the table in front of the Wurttemberg representative, and with considerate explanation said, ¡°Count, as you can see, over the past 5 years, France¡¯s exports of iron goods to Wurttemberg have averaged only one hundred and ten thousand livres per year. The average price is 16 sous per piece.

    ¡°At the same time, the average price of iron goods produced in Wurttemberg is only 14.8 sous. That is to say, French iron goods have almost no competitive edge in Wurttemberg.¡±

    Before the advent of technological innovation, European countries¡¯ iron smelting technologies were all at the same level. France, not rich in iron resources, held no advantage even over smaller nations.

    Count Wintzingerode was suddenly stunned, having no concept of these detailed figures and truly clueless as to where the French people had gathered such statistics.

    In fact, since Joseph had been preparing to expand into the German states market, he had dispatched people to investigate the industrial and trade situations of various countries, spending hundreds of thousands of livres on the effort.

    Therefore, this draft trade agreement was by no means baseless; he was sure that every country could accept the tariff amounts listed.

    In later generations, extensive commercial research would be conducted before engaging in trade negotiations. But in the 18th century, people still acted based on experience, totally unaware of this concept, which inevitably put them at a disadvantage in negotiations.

    Joseph Buonaparte, with a smile, pointed to the next page, ¡°As you can see, this is a survey of 200 residents of Wurttemberg, and only 7 people have indicated they are willing to purchase French iron goods. So, you really don¡¯t need to worry about local iron foundries being threatened.¡±

    Count Wintzingerode looked in astonishment at the survey questionnaires, which bore the signatures of the respondents and appeared unlikely to be fabricated.

    At a loss for how to rebut, he could only sit down sullenly.

    Subsequently, the Bavarians questioned the tariffs on French chemical products.

    Mr. Bailly replicated the earlier approach, allowing the official responsible for Bavarian commercial research to plaster Count Pomentar¡¯s face with exhaustive data, using ample evidence to prove that a 15% tariff was sufficient to protect their chemical industry.

    Thus, the negotiations continued into the third day, with the French side speaking through data and corroborating with survey questionnaires, essentially ensuring that the tariffs on French goods underwent no major changes.

    On the other hand, the Austrian side, after much persistence and pressure from several smaller nations, agreed to some substantial increases in their tariff rates.

    It wasn¡¯t until the fifth day of negotiations that Mr. Bailly, with a beaming smile, presented the ¡°Inland Waterway Free Transport¡± clause¡­

    Vienna.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    Joseph II frowned at his brother and asked weakly, ¡°Are you saying that there has been no confirmation of the marriage alliance from Paris?¡±

    Leopold II nodded with a grim face, ¡°Antoinette¡¯s letter makes no mention of an engagement. Your Majesty, you know, Clementine even lived in Paris for a year, and for them to do this is an outright insult to the Habsburg Family!¡±

    Joseph II was silent for a long while before letting out a long sigh, ¡°It might be due to Clementine¡¯s young age and her inability to bear children, which is why my sister made such a decision.¡±

    The situation he mentioned was not without precedent. Even Louis XV had been betrothed to a Spanish princess, but because she was too young to bear children, she was ultimately sent back to Spain.

 Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: Chapter 307: Assistance from France (Vote for Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 389: Chapter 307: Assistance from France (Vote for Monthly Pass)

    ¡°`

    Leopold II still spoke with fury, ¡°Austria must also make its stance clear!¡±

    Joseph II, tired, waved his hand to interrupt, ¡°General Willemze has just suffered a defeat at Rochefort. Now all the German states are watching our response; we must deliver a powerful counterstrike against the Prussians.¡±

    Immediately, Leopold II¡¯s gaze dropped.

    He was well aware that due to his brother¡¯s reforms, the Austrian nobility was extremely dissatisfied, utterly unwilling to exert themselves for the nation. Similarly, Bohemia, Croatia, Hungary, and other nations also resisted the Royal Family because the reforms had touched their interests[Note 1].

    In such a situation, Austria simply didn¡¯t have the strength to confront Prussia decisively. But if Southern Netherlands were allowed to become independent, then the German states would certainly perceive Austria as weak and defect to Prussia¡¯s embrace.

    This was an unacceptable situation!

    Joseph II paused for a few seconds, then continued, ¡°Now our only option is to persuade France to provide support, then we might have a chance to beat Prussia. Clementine isn¡¯t yet engaged to the Crown Prince of France; let that matter pass.¡±

    Leopold II also understood the stakes and nodded somewhat reluctantly, but then he recalled something and looked at his brother, ¡°Your Majesty, although we have a marital alliance with France, according to the supplementary clauses signed with Gravier, France does not bear military obligations to our country.¡±

    The Gravier he spoke of was the Earl of Vergena, Louis XV¡¯s Foreign Minister, also the very person who facilitated the marriage of Austria¡¯s Queen Mary to Louis XVI. However, as a very seasoned politician, the Earl of Vergena took advantage of Austria¡¯s need for France at the time to completely extricate France from any marital obligations.

    Indeed, after this century-old rivalry formed a marital tie for short-term benefits, there was hardly any mutual support afterwards.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± acknowledged Joseph II. ¡°That is why we must make every effort to persuade Antoinette, after all, she is our sister.

    ¡°Moreover, France seems very interested in the trade agreement with the southern German states. We can offer them certain help in this regard in exchange for their military aid.¡±

    According to Austria¡¯s original plans, it was not supposed to allow France to enter the southern German market too easily. They would add many restrictive clauses to the trade terms between France and Germany, and set up high tariff barriers for states like Bavaria and Wurttemberg, to ensure that they remained the masters of this market.

    However, the situation was stronger than their plan, and now Austria could only offer benefits in this regard in exchange for France¡¯s military support.

    Fortunately, the French people were very tolerant of the high tariffs imposed by the German states, only demanding that tariffs be lowered for certain goods like iron products and machinery, which was acceptable to Austria.

    At the same time, Austria could also use this trade agreement to enter the French market.

    Moreover, regardless of how the trade agreement was signed, as long as the French troops were deployed, at the very least, it would ensure that the Austrian reforms could continue.

    That was what Joseph II valued most!

    His reforms could not be interrupted, or Austria would, sooner or later, lose its status as a leading European power.

    ¡­

    ¡°`

    In the spacious corridor of Schonbrunn Palace, Talleyrand followed the court officials at a brisk pace towards the reception room of Leopold II.

    He had been summoned by the latter and had just hurried back from the negotiation venue in Munich.

    Talleyrand recalled the letter from Leopold II, and couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional. Last month, when he left Strasbourg, the Crown Prince of France had told him that Austria was very likely to suffer a defeat in the Southern Netherlands. As it turned out, General Wilmze had indeed been crushed by the Duke of Brunswick.

    According to the instructions of the Crown Prince of France, after that, a high-level Austrian ¡ª possibly the Emperor or a State Minister ¡ª would seek him out to discuss the matter of France dispatching troops to assist Austria.

    And thus, the summons by Leopold II, equivalent to the Austrian Crown Prince, took place.

    Talleyrand immediately straightened his chest, ready to implement the follow-up arrangements made by the Crown Prince of France.

    In the reception room, after some simple pleasantries, Leopold II steered the conversation to the military affairs in the Southern Netherlands, ¡°As I just mentioned, General Wilmze has withdrawn his main forces to the vicinity of Luxembourg¡¯s dense forests, thereby saving the vast majority of his troops.

    ¡°That is to say, we still maintain a substantial military pressure on the rebels.¡±

    Talleyrand knew that the Austrian Army had not suffered heavy casualties, but the so-called ¡°maintaining pressure¡± was just diplomatic rhetoric. Blucher¡¯s army of twenty thousand and the tens of thousands of Dutch rebels were blocking the west side of Luxembourg. If it weren¡¯t for the fear of ambushes in the Black Forest, they would have driven the Austrian Army into Bavaria by now.

    Of course, logistical supplies from France were also a crucial support that enabled Wilmze to continue holding on. Otherwise, the Austrian Army would have had to compete with the farmers of Luxembourg for potatoes to fend off hunger.

    He simply smiled at Leopold II, but did not take the conversation further.

    The latter, feeling somewhat embarrassed, continued, ¡°His Imperial Majesty has decided to dispatch eighty thousand troops to Luxembourg to make William II understand how foolish it is to interfere in the affairs of the Southern Netherlands.

    ¡°Of course, the Prussians are likely to reinforce their troops as well. At the same time, the Dutch have also provided a lot of support to the rebels.

    ¡°While His Imperial Majesty¡¯s army is confident in defeating any enemy, the conflict could potentially drag on for a long time. As you know, this is very costly financially.¡±

    He glanced at Talleyrand, ¡°If at this time, Austria¡¯s close ally France could provide some military support nearby, it would greatly accelerate the defeat of the Prussians.¡±

    After speaking, he looked at the French Foreign Minister, ¡°His Imperial Majesty has also instructed that Austria will take French interests into account as much as possible during the negotiations for the ¡®Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement¡¯.¡±

    The Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement was the new name that the representatives of the negotiations had come up with a few days ago. The Seine River represents France, and the Rhine River runs through the southern German states, while the name also reflects the French proposal to use inland river navigation for trade.

    Leopold II added, ¡°I hope you can promptly convey His Imperial Majesty¡¯s views to His Majesty the King of France. I am very much looking forward to the further close cooperation between our two nations.¡±

    Talleyrand nodded, remembering the instructions of the Crown Prince of France, he smiled and said, ¡°Your Majesty, in fact, His Majesty the King of France, upon learning of the situation in the Southern Netherlands, has already authorized me to sign a military assistance agreement with you at any time.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Leopold II was overjoyed, thinking to himself that his sister, after all, still cared for her homeland. He hadn¡¯t even spoken yet, and she had already prepared to reinforce Austria.

 Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 308: The Unbreakable Friendship between France and Austria

    Chapter 390: Chapter 308: The Unbreakable Friendship between France and Austria

    Leopold II immediately ordered a servant to fetch the map of the Southern Netherlands, as he was about to discuss the details of reinforcements with the French people, when he heard Talleyrand say, ¡°Your Majesty, in fact, after a serious analysis by the general staff, it is believed that we should not continue to send troops to the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    ¡°Not send troops?¡± Leopold II¡¯s face instantly darkened, ¡°Are you suggesting that I abandon the Southern Netherlands?¡±

    ¡°No, no, you misunderstand,¡± Talleyrand¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°The general staff¡¯s suggestion is that making the Southern Netherlands the main battlefield would be extremely disadvantageous for Austria.¡±

    Just then, the servant brought the map, and Talleyrand pointed to the location of the Southern Netherlands: ¡°You see, this place is very close to both Prussia and the Netherlands, and there are rebels everywhere.

    ¡°Austria is a full 800 kilometers away, and whether it¡¯s sending reinforcements or logistics, they are at an absolute disadvantage.

    ¡°Besides, even if you deploy a large force and eventually eliminate the rebels, the Southern Netherlands will be severely damaged by the war. In that case, even if the Prussians withdraw from the Southern Netherlands, they would have essentially claimed victory.¡±

    Leopold II frowned and looked at him, ¡°Please give your suggestion.¡±

    Talleyrand stepped forward, meeting his gaze, and said gravely, ¡°Since Prussia and Austria have already de facto started a war, then you should no longer have any concerns.

    ¡°Choosing a battlefield that is advantageous for oneself and can yield the greatest benefits is the best strategy.

    ¡°And the most advantageous battlefield for Austria is undoubtedly Silesia!

    ¡°That region is semi-surrounded by Austria, and the people there identify more with the Emperor¡¯s rule, after all, it was Austrian territory thirty years ago.

    ¡°At the same time, neither the Dutch nor the South Netherlanders can offer any support to the situation in Silesia, leaving Prussia to face the powerful Austrian Army all by itself!

    ¡°As soon as hostilities begin in Silesia, Prussia will be bound to withdraw its troops from the Southern Netherlands to invest in Silesia. And the Southern Netherlands Rebels, without Prussian support, can be eradicated at any time.¡±

    Talleyrand¡¯s aggressive suggestion stirred something in Leopold II; the prospect of reclaiming Silesia was undoubtedly hugely tempting. But he quickly calmed down and shook his head, ¡°Austria is currently undergoing reforms, and it may not be appropriate to engage in such large-scale warfare.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the scale of the war will be under control if it is only fought in the Southern Netherlands?¡± Talleyrand asked, ¡°Once the Emperor sends reinforcements, the Prussians will immediately follow with their own reinforcements.

    ¡°In the end, both sides will still use all their national power to determine the winner.

    ¡°But if the fight is in Silesia, even in the worst-case scenario where Austria doesn¡¯t win, the war would destroy the region, leaving nothing but scorched earth for Prussia.

    ¡°No matter how you calculate it, this is strategically advantageous!¡±

    Leopold II still felt something was off but couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. After a long hesitation, he said, ¡°If we attack Silesia, Saxony will definitely side with Prussia. And Poland has already formed an alliance with Prussia; if they attack Austria from the east, the situation could quickly spiral out of control.¡±

    There were disagreements between Saxony and Austria over the issue of Bavaria, and Silesia bordered Saxon; they were gateways into each other¡¯s territories. If Austria were to recapture Silesia, it would inevitably pose a major threat to Saxony, so the latter would surely join the conflict.

    Talleyrand immediately said, ¡°Yes, the Prussians have Saxony¡¯s assistance, but let us not forget, Austria has France as a friend.

    ¡°As for Poland, I can assure you that France is confident it can persuade them not to get involved in the conflict between Prussia and Austria.¡±

    France doesn¡¯t need to be persuaded at all, as Poland is currently experiencing a national awakening. They are fully focused on implementing a constitution and resisting Russian aggression, with no interference in the affairs of other countries.

    Leopold II keenly grasped the implication of his words, ¡°Are you saying that France will send troops to help us recover Silesia?¡±

    Talleyrand smiled and nodded, ¡°His Majesty the King indeed has such intentions.¡±

    Leopold II nodded and then asked, ¡°Then, what kind of return does His Majesty the King expect?¡±

    Having been the Grand Duke of Tuscany for over 20 years, he naturally understood that there are no free gifts between nations.

    Talleyrand¡¯s smile grew even more sincere, ¡°As you just said, agreeing to advance or retreat with France in trade negotiations is the best reward.

    ¡°Of course, if His Imperial Majesty could recognize France¡¯s rights over Piedmont, it would further demonstrate the profound friendship between our two nations.¡±

    Piedmont, adjacent to southeastern France, currently belongs to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Historically, France has always had its own claims to this region, which also serves as an entrance to Italy and possesses significant strategic value. With Sardinia having only two major neighbors¡ªFrance and Austria¡ªthe attitude of Austria becomes very important.

    In fact, Joseph had no intention of targeting Piedmont, at least not for the time being. However, asking for nothing from Austria might make them suspicious of France¡¯s motives.

    Actually, as long as Prussia and Austria went to war, and it was a significant conflict, Joseph would be quite satisfied.

    Leopold II nodded, ¡°Very well, I will report this to His Majesty the Emperor. I firmly believe that the friendship between France and Austria is unbreakable!¡±

    While he and Talleyrand were discussing the joint military campaign, Talleyrand¡¯s assistants were also busy at work all over Vienna.

    In a modestly designed villa, Austrian Army Marshal Franz von Lacy earnestly looked at the Frenchman before him and asked aloud, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true?¡±

    French diplomatic officer Conrad Hoettinger nodded even more seriously and said, ¡°You might have heard that our Crown Prince once said two years ago, ¡®There must be a war between France and Prussia.¡¯ Yes, his words will come true in Silesia.¡±

    ¡°How many troops will you commit?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, fifty thousand or maybe seventy thousand. You know, I¡¯m not a professional soldier.¡±

    Excitement flashed in Marshal Lacy¡¯s eyes. As a military man who had participated in the Silesian Wars, he had always dreamed of recapturing that rich land.

    And if France could dispatch seventy thousand troops, Austria would undoubtedly have a great chance of victory.

    Of course, the numbers Hoettinger, as a diplomat, mentioned in informal settings were not to be taken as final, but they could be persuasive.

    After some stirring, Marshal Lacy was filled with fiery passion. He personally escorted the Frenchman out of the villa, and then immediately hurried to Schonbrunn Palace.

    Similarly, at the home of Marshal Ernest Gideon von Laudon, the French diplomatic envoy Bellamy also spoke passionately, recounting the history of Prussia¡¯s forceful seizure of Silesia, enraging the marshal.

    ¡°Those damned Prussians,¡± the aging marshal banged on the table and bellowed, ¡°must be taught a lesson!¡±

 Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter 309: The Art of Talleyrand

    Chapter 391: Chapter 309: The Art of Talleyrand

    Thus, Talleyrand¡¯s agents either made direct contact with the upper echelons of Austria or spread rumors, causing the news that ¡°Austrian and French forces will join hands to retake Silesia¡± to buzz everywhere.

    Nobody would pursue the French for instigating trouble because reclaiming Silesia and washing away decades of humiliation was the current political correctness for all Austrians.

    If anyone dared to say the French were wrong, Austrians by their side were ready to give them a beating.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    The bedroom of Joseph II.

    Because His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s health had been deteriorating over the past year, court meetings had been held here.

    The core topic of this meeting was naturally the war with Prussia, and as such, in addition to a dozen or so ministers, nearly all the military high command were present.

    ¡°Crown Prince¡± Leopold II first briefed everyone on the situation and then turned to Joseph II, bowing and saying, ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s roughly the situation. The French propose that the allied forces press directly into Silesia, forcing the Prussians to withdraw from the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Seated on the bed, Joseph II summoned his strength and scanned the room of officers and ministers: ¡°What are your opinions on this matter?¡±

    Marshal Laudon was the first to speak out: ¡°Your Majesty, this is a great opportunity to reclaim our territory! I am willing to lead the troops myself and teach those Prussian bastards a lesson!¡±

    Joseph II, seeing the old marshal¡¯s body wasn¡¯t much better than his own, quickly signaled for him not to get excited and consoled him, ¡°Your experience and courage are precious assets to Austria, let the younger men handle the frontlines.¡±

    Marshal Lacy and several other senior military officers also promptly stood up; they had not only been in contact with French diplomats but had also connected with each other numerous times and had long reached a consensus about deploying troops to Silesia.

    ¡°Your Majesty, with France as a strong reinforcement, now is a great opportunity to recover Silesia!¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I also believe we have a high chance of winning this battle!¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Prussians are presently focused on the Southern Netherlands; we must deploy our troops quickly for a surprise attack¡­¡±

    ¡°I too agree with deploying the troops quickly¡­¡±

    Count Kaunitz, the State Minister and leading figure of Austria¡¯s pro-French faction, stepped forward excitedly, ¡°Your Majesty, as long as Austria and France unite closely, it¡¯s possible we may not only reclaim Silesia, but we could also take the opportunity to defeat Saxony, and even aim towards Brunswick is not impossible!

    ¡°If we achieve this step, Your Majesty¡¯s prestige would shake the whole of Germany, and the radiance of the Holy Roman Empire could be expected to be restored very soon!¡±

    Upon his declaration, regardless of what the others truly thought, they immediately echoed in unison, ¡°Restoring the radiance of the Holy Roman Empire!¡±

    However, as the shouting died down, the Minister of the Interior, Earl Voltaire, furrowed his brow, ¡°I feel what the French really want is likely more than just their stance on Piedmont. After all, they¡¯ll be involved in a very brutal war; such a small interest seems too little for them. They must have other plans¡­¡±

    If Joseph had heard him, he surely would have complimented him with ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± But it¡¯s Austria and Prussia that are in for a brutal time, while France is so far away, their involvement is entirely a matter of their own mood. And now that Vienna had rallied significantly in favor of an offensive push into Silesia, who would care what the French were thinking?

    Count Kaunitz immediately looked at the Minister of the Interior with a smile, ¡°Earl Voltaire, you might not be aware of the importance France places on trade agreements.

    ¡°I often go to Paris, and I¡¯m very familiar with the situation there. The French Government has converted a large portion of its banking debt into an ¡®Industrial Development Fund,¡¯ possibly amounting to hundreds of millions of florins.

    ¡°That is to say, in the coming decades, France must ensure good sales conditions for its products in order for the fund to be profitable, which is to say, to keep the French finances from collapsing.

    ¡°For this purpose, they must expand their market, and in the absence of colonies, they can only try to sell as much as possible to the Rhine River basin. This requires our help in getting them into the market of Southern Germany.¡±

    Immediately, two ministers expressed their agreement with Kaunitz¡¯s statement and made further detailed supplements.

    In fact, these two people were ¡°insiders¡± cultivated by Talleyrand. More than half a month earlier, through his subordinates, he had channeled benefits to these two, spending tens of thousands of livres in the process.

    Joseph knew that when it came to bribery and corruption, Archbishop Talleyrand was the most skilled, although historically the XYZ Affair had been a setback, purely because the Americans had not played along, and hence he had entrusted this important task to him[Note 1].

    Of course, the intelligence agency¡¯s personnel were also secretly watching Talleyrand to ensure that the money would end up in the right places.

    As it turned out, the cripple¡¯s bribery skills, including the ability to select the right targets for bribery, were completely trustworthy. The two Austrian officials who had taken the money began to lobby for France according to the ¡°script¡± laid out by the French.

    ¡°Earl Voltaire, in fact, on the matter of weakening Prussia, France¡¯s stance is very consistent with ours. Prussia is England¡¯s spokesperson for interests on the European continent, and you must have also heard of the things the British are doing to France in North Africa,¡±

    ¡°Moreover, in terms of influence over the Netherlands, France and Prussia are also in fierce competition. Especially this time, the Dutch in the Brabant rebellion did not consider France¡¯s position at all and sided with the Prussians, which infuriated the French people¡­¡±

    As the two men passionately spelled out the interests at stake, including Earl Voltaire, the skeptics finally fell silent.

    Joseph II, however, was very calm, turning his head to Leopold II and speaking in a low voice, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s worth giving up our interests on the western side of Italy?¡±

    As the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the latter was most familiar with the situation in Italy. If they recognized France¡¯s claims to Piedmont, then Austria¡¯s Lombardy and Tuscany would be faced directly with France, and even Venice could not be assured.

    Yet he did not hesitate, ¡°Your Majesty, if it can be exchanged for Silesia, it would be acceptable.

    ¡°After all, if the French are too aggressive in Italy, we can always bring in British power to restrain them.¡±

    Joseph II fell silent again for a long time, once more looking around at his ministers with their resolute gazes, and finally nodded heavily, ¡°Then, let¡¯s move on to discussing the deployment of forces and specific plans of operation.¡±

    [Note 1]XYZ Affair: At the end of the 18th century, the Americans, in the interest of making money, restored diplomatic relations with the British and stated their opposition to the Great Command of France. As retaliation, France decided to take revenge on the Americans, seizing and plundering a large number of American merchant ships, causing heavy losses for the United States.

    The then President Adams sent a delegation to France to negotiate and appease France¡¯s anger. Talleyrand, at the time serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs, took the opportunity to order three of his subordinates to demand huge bribes from the Americans. Furious, the Americans declared war on France.

    The three individuals involved in demanding bribes were referred to as X, Y, and Z in the diplomatic documents, which is how the incident got its name.

 Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter 310 Historic Trade Agreement

    Chapter 392: Chapter 310 Historic Trade Agreement

    As for the battle plan, Marshal Lacy and other senior military officials had already discussed it, and it was now directly brought out at this time.

    Austria conscripted 80,000 troops from across the country¡ªdue to the effects of Joseph II¡¯s reforms, this was already the limit of their military strength¡ªled by Marshal Lacy, they secretly set out for Silesia.

    Meanwhile, only 5,000 troops were left in the direction of Luxembourg to watch the Brabant Rebels. The main forces were brought back to Austria by General Willemze, who, after a brief rest, also went to Silesia.

    As for Bavaria, they sought to persuade Karl Otto Dor to deploy 10,000 to 20,000 troops, naturally with the territory exchange in the Southern Netherlands as the bargaining chip.

    France, on the other hand, needed to deploy more than 50,000 troops.

    If the military support possibly provided by the German states in southern Germany was also included, the Austrian Allied Forces could muster approximately 150,000 to 170,000 troops in the direction of Silesia.

    Currently, Prussia could conscript no more than 120,000 troops, and it was almost certain that Saxon would join the war with about 30,000 troops.

    In other words, in terms of total strength, the Austrian Allied Forces did have a certain advantage.

    Moreover, both the Austrian and French armies were no less capable than the Prussians, and far superior to the Saxon forces.

    As long as France ensured, as agreed, that Poland would not send troops to support Prussia, the victory of the Austrian Allied Forces would be very likely.

    If France could send even more troops, they could even overwhelm Prussia.

    It was not until twilight descended that the imperial meeting at Schonbrunn Palace concluded for the time being.

    Of course, by this time, it was Leopold II who was presiding over the meeting, as His Imperial Majesty had gone to rest in another room after deciding to send troops to Silesia.

    After the meeting, Leopold II seemed preoccupied with heavy thoughts. He knew that one extremely important factor for the battle in Silesia needed to be considered: Russia¡¯s stance.

    Russia and Prussia shared highly consistent interests in Poland, and if Prussia was at a disadvantage, Catherine II was very likely to send troops to intervene.

    Although Russia was still at war with Sweden, with Russia¡¯s formidable military strength, they could easily allocate a few army corps to create a significant impact on the battlefront.

    So, how to ensure Russia remained uninvolved?

    Leopold II rubbed the corner of his brow and suddenly remembered the significant common interests between France and Russia recently in dealing with the Ottoman Empire, as well as in Mediterranean trade. He mused to himself, ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need the help of my dear sister after all. But, what to offer in return¡­¡±

    Bavaria.

    Munich Palace.

    At the negotiation site for the Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement.

    ¡°Regarding the tariff on wooden goods, I still hope it can be raised a bit more,¡± Count Wintzingerode from Wurttemberg looked at Bailly, ¡°It should at least be 45%¡­

    Baron Tugut, the Austrian Foreign Minister, however, shook his head and interrupted him: ¡°You are always getting caught up in these trivial issues.

    ¡°By delaying further, it is feared that we won¡¯t be able to reach a trade agreement by the end of the year.

    ¡°And this will lead to a loss of nearly half a year¡¯s trade income for all our states.

    ¡°I believe you should just focus on the overall direction, without letting your single interest delay everyone¡¯s benefit.¡±

    Count Wintzingerode looked at him with some confusion; since the week before last, the Austrian delegates had been persistently urging to reach an agreement.

    As a major power with tremendous influence over the southern German states, Austria¡¯s stance was something the minor states could not afford to ignore.

    The representative from Baden also raised his voice, ¡°Baron Tugut is quite right, we are also waiting for the agreement to be finalized.

    ¡°The merchants within Baden have heard the news of the trade negotiations and have piled up their goods at the ports, just waiting to ship them to France and Austria for sale.

    ¡°If we drag on too long here, they might just go mad from the urgency.¡±

    The representative from Augsburg nodded in agreement, ¡°I think the current terms are completely acceptable. Besides, the draft also says that every three years we will renegotiate the details of the agreement.

    ¡°Many things can be examined more carefully when that time comes.¡±

    Unsurprisingly, these two were also the results of Talleyrand¡¯s bribery and the cost was minimal, giving each only 30,000 livres to fully ¡®secure¡¯ them.

    Of course, the terms of the agreement did appear to favor Baden and Augsburg; thus, they were also happy to take the money¡ªit simply hastened the signing, and they would bear almost no risk themselves.

    As for Bavaria, they received the most favorable terms in the agreement, and since Duke Ottodor was still dreaming of ¡°moving¡± to the Southern Netherlands, he was more inclined to listen to Austria¡¯s opinions.

    Consequently, the negotiation scene was dominated by France, Austria, and Bavaria, along with the two smaller states, firmly advocating for the signing of the agreement, while Wurttemberg and Hesse hesitated.

    However, after Hesse faced a covert threat from Austria to be excluded if it did not sign the agreement ahead of the other states, Hesse quickly compromised¡ªfor the small state, missing out on such a vast market including Southern Germany, France, and Austria, could lead to significant trade disadvantages, which could then precipitate a rapid decline in national power.

    The small states were only trying to secure a bit more advantage for themselves but certainly did not want to become outsiders.

    Under the forceful brokering of Austria, after just over half a month of trade negotiations, the countries had already reached a preliminary agreement. Count Wintzingerode also finally conceded after standing alone and after securing a French promise to import at least 800,000 picke of coal annually at market price.

    A picke is a standard-sized basket, one picke of coal is roughly 20 kilograms in weight. 800,000 picke is 16 million kilograms. This figure might seem insignificant in modern times, but in the 18th century, when coal was primarily used for heating, it was practically the total output of all the coal mines in Wurttemberg.

    For Wurttemberg, this was certainly a major deal.

    On July 1, 1789, the ¡°Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement,¡± which had a significant impact on the European trade landscape, was officially signed. The signatories included France, Austria, Bavaria, Salzburg, Wurttemberg, Augsburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, and Baden.

    Accompanying the agreement was a supplementary provision¡ªthat the shipping vessels of the Seine and Rhine River basin signatories could enter each other¡¯s territories directly. Although they were not allowed to land, and had to hire locals for unloading the cargo, this already represented a significant convenience for conducting free trade.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Palace of Versailles.

    Queen Mary looked up from the joint proposal for war participation submitted by Archbishop Brienne and Duke of Broglie, the Minister of War, somewhat surprised, ¡°Are you certain that France should get involved in the wars in Germany? Does that really align with France¡¯s interests?¡±

    The two Cabinet Ministers nodded together.

    Of course, it was by the command of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and they had written the document as requested to submit to Her Majesty the Queen.

    Queen Mary cautiously inquired, ¡°Then, is France fully prepared for participation in the war?¡±

    Although Brienne and Duke Broglie were not entirely clear about the specifics, they still nodded firmly, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The battlefield is far from France, and the interests are substantial enough. We only need to send some troops to Silesia. There is no need to worry about winning or losing.¡±

    Only Talleyrand, standing to the side and most aware of the insider details, bowed his head, muttering to himself, ¡°Here you are worried about whether preparations have been made¡­ His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has long settled everything with the Austrians. By now, the Austrian Army may have already completed their mobilization.¡±

 Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter 311: Declare War on Prussia... No, on the Dutch Rebels

    Chapter 393: Chapter 311: Declare War on Prussia¡­ No, on the Dutch Rebels

    ¡°`

    France also had to be extremely cautious about taking part in something as serious as a war between Austria and Prussia.

    Therefore, after receiving affirmative answers from several key ministers, Queen Mary immediately called an ¡°expanded Cabinet meeting¡± to discuss sending troops to Silesia.

    Except for the Minister of Commerce, who was still negotiating a trade agreement in Munich, all Cabinet ministers and military high officials, including the Count of Provence and the Count of Artuwa, were seated.

    The meeting, which appeared serious and grand, actually had little suspense, as the Cabinet Ministers, under Brian¡¯s leadership, unanimously agreed to join the war.

    Especially the Minister of War, Duke of Broglie, who even declared it a ¡°historic opportunity¡± for France to expand its influence on the European Continent. Of course, his enthusiasm was due to the Crown Prince promising him an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse.

    Afterward, he had Bertier conduct a military analysis to prove that supporting Austria had a very good chance of success and that even if Prussia won, the loss to France would be minimal.

    The Count of Provence, who was not very familiar with the situation and also Louis XVI¡¯s younger brother, looked at the impassioned Minister of War and raised a critical question:

    ¡°Duke of Broglie, may I ask how many troops we are planning to deploy, and whether there will be any financial problems?¡±

    After all, France was still shouldering several billion livres of debt.

    This was also Queen Mary¡¯s primary concern, and she immediately turned her gaze to the Duke of Broglie.

    Before the Minister of War could speak, Talleyrand stood up and bowed slightly to the Count of Provence:

    ¡°Your Excellency, our country¡¯s participation in this war is very cost-effective financially.

    ¡°Because His Majesty Joseph II has already promised, as a reward for joining the war, he will promote a trade agreement between France, Austria, and the German states of Southern Germany. You might have already heard of it; it¡¯s the Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement.

    ¡°In fact, when I left Munich, the negotiations were nearing an end.

    ¡°Which means, in the future, our commodities can be sold in large quantities to the market of Southern Germany, and the expenses of this war can be earned back from there.¡±

    The Duke of Broglie immediately continued:

    ¡°Moreover, we will strictly control the scale of our involvement in the war. We will not deploy more than 50,000 men initially, so the expenses will not be too high.¡±

    Queen Mary blinked and turned towards the Finance Minister.

    Brian, who had also made preparations, immediately responded:

    ¡°Your Majesty, the current financial situation is relatively stable. By issuing some bonds, we can support the expenses of 50,000 troops for a year or two.¡±

    In fact, if it weren¡¯t for Joseph¡¯s plans to use a large amount of funds for tax reform, just the 50 to 60 million livres confiscated from the Duke of Orleans would be enough to support the French Army¡¯s campaign.

    The biggest worry in Queen Mary¡¯s heart finally settled, and after discussing the pros and cons of joining the war with her ministers, seeing the surprising unanimity in their opinions, she no longer hesitated.

    At 5 p.m., she looked at Brian and commanded solemnly:

    ¡°Then, please draft the document. France will officially ally with Austria and declare war on Prussia.¡±

    Joseph, who had been sitting in the corner without saying much, almost choked on his own saliva when he heard this. He thought to himself, my mother is really going all out. Taking advantage of the conflict between Austria and Prussia for our own benefit is one thing, but forming an alliance and declaring war?

    With all these actions, isn¡¯t she making Austria¡¯s problem France¡¯s problem? In the future, we won¡¯t be able to shake it off even if we want to.

    He quickly cleared his throat and stood up, bowing to Queen Mary:

    ¡°Your Majesty, I believe there is no need to declare war on Prussia for the time being.¡±

    Seeing the surprised looks from Queen Mary and everyone else, Joseph explained:

    ¡°The current situation of the war is still unclear, and we should be cautious about declaring war.¡±

    ¡°`

    ¡°But our army is about to go to war with the Prussians in Silesia, isn¡¯t that essentially a declaration of war?¡±

    ¡°No, no, we¡¯re merely accepting Austria¡¯s invitation to maintain order in the area.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°We will send the troops as planned, and fight as necessary, there¡¯s just no need to declare war. The Prussians should not take the initiative to declare war on us either.¡±

    If the Prussians weren¡¯t foolish, they would certainly pretend not to see the French forces joining the conflict¡ªdeclaring war would mean tying France firmly to Austria¡¯s side.

    Duke of Broglie frowned and said,

    ¡°Your Highness, I fear that Austria might strongly demand that we declare war on Prussia.¡±

    A crafty smile flashed in Joseph¡¯s eyes,

    ¡°If we must declare war, then let¡¯s declare it on the Southern Netherlands Rebels.

    ¡°Last month they brazenly robbed our trade convoy; that¡¯s an open provocation that we absolutely cannot swallow in silence!¡±

    ¡°Ah? The Southern Netherlands robbed a French trade convoy?¡± A multitude of question marks suddenly popped up in the council hall.

    Bertier was the first to catch on,

    ¡°Your Highness, are you referring to that time when the Netherlands Rebels attacked our logistics supplies prepared for Austria?¡±

    ¡°What supplies prepared for Austria?¡± Joseph feigned a serious frown, ¡°Those were foodstuffs and iron goods purchased by Luxembourg, a normal commercial transaction!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I misspoke, indeed it was Luxembourg that ordered the goods.¡±

    Ministers like Brian and Duke of Broglie immediately agreed with the Crown Prince¡¯s view, and in the end, Queen Mary had no choice but to yield to advice and decide to first declare war on the Southern Netherlands Rebels. If, in the future, Austria gains the upper hand on the battlefield, then they would officially announce the France-Austria alliance and declare war on Prussia.

    However, what she did not know was that Joseph had long been prepared and would never let either side in the Prussia-Austria conflict gain a clear advantage.

    As long as Prussia and Austria remained in conflict, even if the warfare was not very intense, they would not be able to join forces to partition Poland. They might even seek to curry favor with Poland for military support.

    Even if Russia later wished to make a move on Poland, Poland would be able to avoid being attacked from both front and rear, focusing its efforts on dealing with the Russian Army. Even if Poland was ultimately unable to withstand the pressure, it could still hold out for several years longer than it did historically.

    And while the rest of the European Continent was embroiled in heated warfare, it would be France¡¯s opportunity to develop quietly and stealthily supply the warring nations with materials.

    By six in the evening, the Cabinet meeting had concluded, and France took the crucial step of joining the Prussian-Austrian war in alliance with Austria.

    Of course, getting involved in the massive matter of the Prussia-Austria war was not something that could be discussed in just one day¡ªtoday they merely set the tone. The specific details of participation in the war would require lengthy discussions in subsequent Cabinet meetings.

    But the real plans for France¡¯s participation in the war were actually drafted in the Crown Prince¡¯s study, later to be simply ¡°formalized¡± at the Cabinet meeting.

    Eman pushed open the door to the study and stood by, head bowed.

    Joseph stepped into the room and turned to ask Talleyrand, who was beside him,

    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready with the Southern Netherlands, right?¡±

    The latter immediately nodded, his voice lowered,

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. As soon as the time comes, Ferdinand will immediately receive the message.¡±

    The Ferdinand he referred to was Duke of Brunswick, the Commander of the Prussian Army.

 Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 312: The True Target (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 394: Chapter 312: The True Target (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Joseph nodded and continued to ask, ¡°What about Saxony?¡±

    ¡°When I left Vienna, the person set out for Dresden,¡± Talleyrand said. ¡°By now, they must have already made contact with General Morris.¡±

    General Morris was the Commander of the Saxon Army.

    Joseph gestured for him to sit down in a chair, ¡°Are the people you used reliable?¡±

    ¡°Please rest assured, they were chosen by the intelligence bureau, and I secretly brought them to Saxony through diplomatic channels. They are genuine Bavarians who don¡¯t even speak French.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well,¡± Joseph said with a smile. ¡°Oh, by the way, you maximized the efficiency of the funds when you bribed the assistant to the Austrian Minister of the Interior, as well as the representatives from Baden. That¡¯s very good. Therefore, keep half of the income from ¡®selling¡¯ intelligence in Southern Netherlands and Saxony as a bonus for you and your subordinates.¡±

    Joseph spoke lightly, yet Talleyrand felt a twinge of tension upon hearing this.

    In the process of bribing officials in Germany, due to the difficulty, he had barely gotten anything for himself. When the Crown Prince just now mentioned ¡°maximizing the efficiency of the funds,¡± it was clear he was referring to this matter.

    So, whether or not he had kept some of the money for himself, the Crown Prince probably knew all about it.

    And previously in the United States and Russia, the bribes he had taken¡­

    He swallowed hard, cold sweat forming on his forehead, and as he struggled internally with how to confess to the Crown Prince, he heard Joseph say, ¡°Bribery is common in diplomatic circles, all you need to do is to report back afterwards. You did exert effort to get money from foreign governments, so you can keep a part of it as a bonus. Of course, you must never let the pursuit of money interfere with your work.¡±

    Talleyrand was taken aback. Did the Crown Prince mean that from now on he should accept bribes from foreign countries, and as long as he turned in the funds, he would get a share of the bonus?

    He stole a glance at Joseph, who looked very serious, and a wave of relief washed over him; no longer would he need to secretly worry about collecting money.

    Then he recalled the profits from this round of ¡°selling intelligence,¡± and could hardly conceal the smile on his face.

    He had followed the Crown Prince¡¯s instructions to first send someone to the Southern Netherlands, selling the information that ¡°the main force of the Austrian Army in Luxembourg had already withdrawn to Vienna¡± for 16,000 florins to the Duke of Brunswick from Prussia. Later, his man also sold the information that ¡°Austria is assembling a large army to attack Silesia¡± to Saxony, earning 20,000 florins.

    That totaled 90,000 livres. The Crown Prince had casually given half of it as a bonus to him, how could he not be overjoyed!

    Indeed, remaining loyal to the Crown Prince was the best decision he had ever made in his life!

    Talleyrand forcefully pulled his thoughts from the sea of livres, expressing his loyalty to Joseph, before continuing with the matter at hand, ¡°Your Highness, before I left Vienna, Leopold II had summoned me, saying he hoped France could influence Russia to ensure they do not interfere with the conflict in Silesia.¡±

    Joseph nodded slightly, thinking to himself that Leopold II¡¯s political experience was indeed rich, having almost immediately considered the issue with Russia.

    Catherine II had always been committed to involving Prussia and Austria in the partition of Poland, so she definitely didn¡¯t want the two countries to start fighting.

    But how could he convince her to stay out of it?

    After pondering for a while, Joseph finally looked at Talleyrand and said, ¡°It seems you will have to take another trip to Saint Petersburg. After you meet the Tsar, you should say this¡­¡±

    After giving detailed instructions, Joseph added, ¡°I will also try to provide you with support from my end, and you will need to adapt according to the news you hear.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I certainly won¡¯t disappoint you!¡±

    After Talleyrand had left, Duke of Broglie, the Minister of War, and Bertier came to the Crown Prince¡¯s study.

    The two presented the drafted plan for deploying troops to Joseph, and the Chief of Staff explained, ¡°Your Highness, as per your orders, we will deploy a corps of 35,000 men towards Austria.

    ¡°The core is composed of the Lorraine Corps, Champagne Corps, and Rhine Corps, and we have selected some soldiers from the north who speak German.¡±

    Duke of Broglie seemed a bit nervous; although the Crown Prince had previously stated that he would let him decide which troops to send to Austria in exchange for his support for the deployment, he had mostly selected corps related to him. He feared the Crown Prince might have objections.

    However, Joseph simply nodded with a smile, ¡°Very good, these troops are quite suitable.¡±

    He had originally intended to send the old army to Austria. If they could win a few battles, he could use that as a pretext to demand favors from Vienna; if they were defeated and a bunch of hereditary military nobility died, it would be no harm done¡ªthe capable people in these old armies had long since requested to be transferred to the Guard Corps. Those left were either hardliners or incompetents; it wouldn¡¯t be a shame if any of them died.

    Relieved by these words, Duke of Broglie gestured for Bertier to continue.

    The latter hurriedly said, ¡°Your Highness, according to the latest message from Vienna, the Austrian Army will complete their deployment in about three weeks and will officially launch their attack.¡±

    Mobilizing a large army of nearly one hundred thousand is an extremely tedious affair, nothing like in games where you just drag the mouse and click to move them.

    In reality, prior to attacking a certain area, strategic planning is required to calculate the enemy¡¯s transport routes, logistics supply lines, and the paths for advancing or retreating troops. Then the troops are reasonably moved to positions that can most quickly threaten these points, while also paying attention to concealment.

    During the army¡¯s mobilization, the logistics supply must also follow, and the domestic personnel and material conscription need to keep up.

    Only when everything is in place can the main forces begin their offensive.

    Therefore, the fact that Austria could complete all these preparations in a month and a half is already considered relatively quick.

    Joseph then asked the question he cared about most, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the Guard Corps?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, the supply stations north of Verdun have been completed, and supplies will be fully replenished within a week,¡± said the Chief of Staff. ¡°To facilitate resupply, a wooden track has even been built from Lorraine to Verdun, but it¡¯s still more than three months from completion.

    ¡°Currently, the first and second Guard Corps, along with Murat¡¯s Corps, totaling nearly twenty thousand men, have finished assembling and are ready to fight at any time.¡±

    A smile flashed in Joseph¡¯s eyes.

    What Silesian War¡ªhe didn¡¯t care about that at all.

    His focus was on the Southern Netherlands!

    All of France¡¯s strongest Guard Corps were deployed here, just waiting for the Prussian Army in the Southern Netherlands to surprise Vilmos¡¯ Army stationed in Luxembourg with a huge shock when the Silesians got into a mess.

    At that time, Joseph II would be unable to pull together any available troops and could only seek the help of France, the closest to the Southern Netherlands, to take action.

    For this reason, Joseph had even given Duke of Brunswick a ¡°heads up,¡± pointing out the situation of the depleted Austrian forces in Luxembourg.

 Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 313: Lyons Last Chance

    Chapter 395: Chapter 313: Lyon¡¯s Last Chance

    By the time the French Army defeated the rebels of Brabant, Prussia would certainly not be willing to accept Austria¡¯s rise in the Southern Netherlands and would thus have to divert some of its forces to support the Southern Netherlands.

    Joseph had even prepared to create the appearance of the French Army running out of steam there, encouraging the Prussians to believe they might have another chance.

    As the Prussian Army moved toward the Southern Netherlands, the troop strength in Silesia would inevitably decrease, and consequently, the pressure on the Austrian forces there would also lessen.

    Feeling the supportive role that the battle in the Southern Netherlands played for operations in Silesia, Joseph II would definitely encourage the French Army to continue tying down the Prussians there.

    At that time, the French Army¡¯s military presence in the Southern Netherlands would amount to de facto Austrian approval.

    During the conflict between the French Army and the Prussians, the extent of the battlefield would be beyond Austria¡¯s control.

    Even then, Joseph II might hope for the French to control a larger area, preferably extending the battlefield to Saarlouis¡ªPrussia¡¯s territory located northeast of the Southern Netherlands.

    Of course, Joseph would not be foolish enough to be the first to provoke Prussia limitlessly.

    In fact, he didn¡¯t even want to meddle with the Flemish Region in the Southern Netherlands; securing the Walloon Region, the French-speaking southwestern part, would already fulfill his strategic goal.

    The Walloon Region, where the population mostly spoke French and was naturally pro-France, posed hardly any difficulty in governance.

    Most importantly, the Walloon Region was an essential coal-producing area in Europe, and securing it could provide strong support for France¡¯s industrial revolution.

    Furthermore, the Walloon Region bordered Luxembourg, which had rich iron ore deposits and had been under French rule 80 years earlier. The war in the Southern Netherlands could easily spread there.

    Once the conflict between Prussia and Austria ended, with the Walloon Region and Luxembourg filled with French soldiers and even their bureaucratic systems adopting the French model, the question of who would own these areas would become a matter for France and Austria to discuss.

    As for the Flemish Region in the northern part of the Southern Netherlands, although it could control the Rhine River estuary, it was a hot potato at the moment.

    Firstly, most of the Flemish Region¡¯s population spoke Dutch, which would make governance extremely challenging¡ªAustria¡¯s struggles with the Brabant rebellion provided a clear precedent.

    Secondly, the British valued the Rhine estuary highly since nearly half of their trade with the European Continent passed through there. Incidentally, Le Havre, the Seine River estuary, was equally important.

    Therefore, the British would never accept their long-standing adversary, France, controlling their trade lifeline with the extensive German market.

    For this reason, they would declare war on France without hesitation. Historically, the core reason the British invested so heavily in the Second Anti-French Alliance was that at that time France had occupied the Southern Netherlands and against prior agreements, decided to control the Rhine river traffic to restrict British river trade.

    Joseph¡¯s current strategic focus was on domestic industrial construction, to quickly enhance national strength and use the dividends of industrial development to fill the substantial fiscal deficit.

    Before this, he did not want to compete with the British, as they were still the most powerful country in Europe at the time.

    Hence, for now, leaving the northern part of the Southern Netherlands in Austrian hands was most appropriate.

    These were Joseph¡¯s strategic designs for France on the European front. As for flexing France¡¯s muscles on the European Continent, that would have to wait until France¡¯s economy had developed.

    War, in essence, is a competition of a nation¡¯s foundation, and the economy is the most important aspect of that foundation.

    It was past 10 p.m. by the time the Minister of War and the Chief of the General Staff finished their report on the French Army¡¯s war preparations.

    Joseph, following Bertier¡¯s earlier report, had roughly calculated the time. It would take nearly a month for the Austrian attack on Silesia to have repercussions in the Southern Netherlands.

    He sorted through the matters at hand and instructed Eman, standing by the door, ¡°Please make the preparations, we¡¯re heading to Lyon early tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    One month was enough time to make a trip to Lyon and back.

    Joseph knew that once the Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement was signed, a vast market would open up before France.

    Yet, thus far, the all-important automatic loom had yet to be fully deployed.

    This was simply a waste of a historic opportunity!

    In fact, the automatic loom had already begun mass production, with Mirabeau recently shipping thirty to forty units to Lyon.

    However, due to the slow spread of information in that era, combined with the conservative mindset of the factory owners in Lyon who dared not invest heavily to experiment, the automatic loom had failed to make even the slightest splash.

    Joseph rubbed his sore shoulders, sighing deeply to himself, truly feeling that nothing could get done without his personal involvement¡­

    Seven days later.

    Joseph gazed out the carriage window at the Rhone River docks, where textile products were piled up like mountains, and workers bustled like ants, loading the goods onto ships.

    Vehicles continuously arrived, bringing more fabric and clothing, with the people on them shouting loudly to gather the dock workers to unload.

    It was indeed the image of a thriving center for France¡¯s textile industry.

    However, Joseph was well aware that in comparison with the developed textile industry of England, it still lagged far behind.

    In reality, if it hadn¡¯t been for his own ¡°undermining¡± of the British by altering the Treaty of Eden, giving a respite to Lyon, it would have already been filled with bankrupt workshops and unemployed workers, full of decay and ruin.

    Of course, even now it was merely a temporary relief.

    France lacked colonies to dump goods, and without large cotton and wool-producing areas, it naturally couldn¡¯t compete with the British in terms of cost and sales.

    So, if France wanted a slice of the largest sales in the industry of textiles, it had to work on its production process.

    Although the British were still unparalleled in this field, the use of the automatic loom and the steam engine presented France with a rare opportunity.

    Joseph¡¯s entourage continued on to the Royal Square, where the surroundings instantly became lively.

    The municipal commissioner and the president of the chamber of commerce led hundreds of officials and factory owners who respectfully stood on both sides of the road, welcoming His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    This had also been arranged by Joseph beforehand, asking them to wait in the square rather than meeting him outside the city, which would have otherwise wasted half a day.

    After a series of routine greetings and salutations, Joseph, accompanied by music and cheers, made his way through the crowd and went directly to the central platform in the square.

    As he raised his hand to signal, the surrounding area quickly fell silent.

    He surveyed his surroundings, not wasting a moment, and declared loudly, ¡°Now, it¡¯s Lyon¡¯s last chance!

    ¡°According to the provisions of the Treaty of Eden, starting from the end of next year, tariffs on British textile products will be significantly reduced.

    ¡°According to the current costs in Lyon, by then all domestic markets will be lost!¡±

 Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter 314: Textile Industry Revolution

    Chapter 396: Chapter 314: Textile Industry Revolution

    In the Royal Square, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

    They had planned that after the Crown Prince arrived in Lyon, he would first attend a banquet and then a ball. The serious discussions weren¡¯t expected to start until the next day.

    Unexpectedly, His Highness did nothing of the sort, but came out swinging with the explosive statement that ¡°Lyon is finished.¡±

    However, the majority here were involved in the textile industry. Although they felt the Crown Prince¡¯s words were a bit over the top, the fact that the industry would face brutal competition from the British was undeniable.

    Joseph paused, then pointed to the automated loom that had been specially placed beside him, ¡°The only thing we can compete with the British on right now is production efficiency!

    ¡°Everyone should have heard that the spinning speed of this kind of automated loom is more than ten times that of a manual loom. As it continues to improve, the efficiency will increase even further.

    ¡°This means that a factory using automated looms only needs to employ one-tenth of the workers it used to!¡±

    Here, he was actually playing a bit of a conceptual sleight of hand. Though the efficiency of automated looms was high, they still required a large number of workers to operate them¡ªperhaps they could reduce the workforce by at most a quarter. Of course, the output of cloth would increase dramatically.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Only in this way can our textiles possibly approach the cost of the British ones.

    ¡°However, the British began using automated looms several years ago.

    ¡°That means their costs will be even lower in the future, and our products will completely lose their market!¡±

    The details of the British automated looms were a commercial secret. France was not clear about the specifics. As the Crown Prince spoke, everyone suddenly became tense.

    Actually, representatives from Mirabeau had previously promoted automated looms to them, but they had not hammered it home like Joseph, so nobody took it seriously. Only now did they realize the urgency of the situation.

    Seeing that the atmosphere was primed, Joseph finally shifted his tone, ¡°The good news is that the quantity of automated looms in England is not that many, and they are all water-powered.

    ¡°This is what I meant by ¡®the last chance.¡¯

    ¡°If Lyon starts using automated looms on a large scale from now on, coupled with our latest model of high-pressure steam engines, we will be able to surpass the British in production efficiency, and thus reclaim our rightful market!¡±

    What he didn¡¯t mention was that once automated looms were widely deployed, they would also promote the improvement of steam engines, creating a positive feedback loop.

    The factory owners present murmured amongst themselves for a while. Boyer, the President of the Lyon Chamber of Commerce, stood up at the crowd¡¯s behest, and gestured respectfully to the chest in front of Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, in reality, everyone is aware of the advanced capabilities of automated looms. It¡¯s just that¡­ these things are too expensive.

    ¡°A loom along with its steam engine costs more than 16,000 livres. To achieve economies of scale, we¡¯d need at least three looms. Plus, there¡¯s the cost of training workers, trial production, and other expenses¡ªit all adds up to a substantial amount.¡±

    He glanced behind him, ¡°Most people here would find it difficult to come up with such a large sum of money. And even if we were to pool resources to buy the looms, if there were any issues with the raw materials or market, leading to poor sales, the enormous initial investment would quickly bankrupt the factory¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph nodded slightly. He understood that Boyer was mentioning very real concerns.

    In the 18th century, new technologies were extremely risky due to insufficient technical validation, misinformation, or lack of supportive policies.

    Even in England, the birthplace of new technologies in Europe, it took more than a decade to popularize automated looms, and they were still driven by water wheels. As for automated looms driven by steam engines, it would not be until the 19th century that they came into their own in England.

    Similarly, it had been nearly ten years since Watt made improvements to the steam engine, yet the annual sales were still less than twenty units.

    France relied entirely on Joseph using parish banks to lend to the countryside so they could buy pumps for irrigation, which in turn promoted steam engine sales. Otherwise, Murdock¡¯s technological iteration would not have progressed so swiftly.

    However, as someone who had experienced the capitalist era in later generations, Joseph had already developed mature countermeasures.

    He raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet and said loudly, ¡°Regarding everyone¡¯s concerns, the government has already made preparations.

    ¡°That is to invest in the insurance business!¡±

    The people in the square looked at one another in confusion¡ªthey understood the word ¡°insurance,¡± but when ¡°investment¡± was added in front, no one knew what that meant.

    Although the insurance industry had emerged in the 17th century, its development had been limited to a few types such as maritime insurance, fire insurance, and life insurance.

    Joseph explained to the audience with a smile, ¡°The France Commercial Insurance Company can accept investments in automatic looms for insurance purposes. Afterwards, the company will verify the financial and operational status of the factory and send sales representatives to supervise production.

    ¡°Should any insured factory go bankrupt, the insurance company will investigate the factory¡¯s operations and accounts. As long as there is no fraudulent behavior, investors can receive compensation of 80% of their investment amount.

    ¡°Of course, the corresponding assets of the factory will be taken over by the insurance company.¡±

    To be honest, such a type of insurance carried a great risk for the insurance company, but Joseph had ample confidence in the automatic loom. As long as the factories operated normally, bankruptcy should not occur.

    Even if operations did fail, he could still, in the capacity of the insurance company, reclaim the factory¡¯s assets and merge them into a massive textile company, continuing operations in a government-invested mode.

    It had to be the newly established France Commercial Insurance Company, under the Bank of France Reserve, that would take on these risks for the technological revolution in France¡¯s textile industry.

    The factory owners present immediately started to whisper excitingly among themselves:

    ¡°If we only lose 20%, it might be worth a try.¡±

    ¡°To have such insurance is truly a big help.¡±

    ¡°The question is whether the insurance company could afford to pay out if there¡¯s a problem¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Mr. Valerna mention that this is a company in which the Bank of France Reserve holds shares, so there should be no issue with funds.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! I¡¯ve been wanting to try out a few automatic looms for a while now. Who wants to go in on it with me?¡±

    Joseph struck while the iron was hot, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve heard the news that we have signed trade agreements with Austria and the six states of southern Germany.

    ¡°Henceforth, textile goods from Lyon will be able to be sold directly through the Rhine River to southern Germany, and at a minimum, tariffs will be on par with British goods, and even lower for countries like Baden.¡±

    A collective gasp burst forth from the square.

    Gaining access to such a large market in southern Germany was an absolute boon for France¡¯s textile industry, and future sales volumes were likely to increase significantly.

    Yet Joseph continued to ¡°stimulate¡± the audience, ¡°Moreover, we have obtained a new wool source in the Pacific Ocean, with production that can reach over a million pounds, and next year it might even surpass two million pounds. The price is only half of the current market rate for wool!¡±

    In fact, he was being somewhat modest¡ªNew Zealand was a paradise for sheep farming, and if the flock sizes were increased, the production could even exceed that of England by a considerable margin!

 Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter 315: Smoke of Gunpowder Rises (Long Chapter for Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 397: Chapter 315: Smoke of Gunpowder Rises (Long Chapter for Monthly Votes)

    For a time, the factory owners present grew even more excited.

    With the market in place, the raw materials secured, plus the latest technology and the backing of insurance companies for investments, this business was bound to succeed!

    Of course, Joseph was well aware that, excited as these people were, when it came time to actually invest their livres, the vast majority would still hold back until someone who took the risk made money. Only then would they follow suit into the market.

    Therefore, Joseph proceeded to throw out an incentive scheme, ¡°To encourage everyone to use new technology, factories that invest in automatic looms within three months will enjoy a 50% tax reduction policy for three years. Those who invest within five months will enjoy a 35% tax discount.¡±

    ¡°In addition, for investors short on funds, the Precision Machinery Factory can also provide rental services. With just two thousand livres, one can lease an automatic loom for a year.¡±

    The France Precision Machinery Factory was a new factory spun off from the Royal Armory since the armory needed to focus on the production of weaponry¡ªit wasn¡¯t really appropriate to have them tangled up in loom production as well.

    Conveniently, the armory had recently recruited a group of craftsmen for the production of the automatic looms. So Joseph simply invested some money to spin this group off into an independent company.

    In the future, this place could also produce precision products like lathes and boring machines, which could play a very important role in promoting industrial productivity.

    As for the lease of the automatic looms, Joseph directly had the Minister of Industry apply for financial subsidies; for every loom rented out, the France treasury would subsidize the Precision Machinery Factory 4000 livres¡ªa full automatic loom sold for 5800 livres. That is to say, the Precision Machinery Factory bore no risk in leasing out the looms.

    This move immediately increased the number of textile owners truly determined to try the automatic looms.

    Investing in three automatic looms only required 36,000 livres, of which 30,000 were for purchasing steam engines. Steam engines held their value very well¡ªmany villages were looking everywhere for second-hand steam engines for irrigation, and they could be easily sold.

    Given the 50% tax deduction, there was truly no need to hesitate any longer. Keep in mind, after five months, the tax benefits would be gone.

    Some astute factory owners were already grouping together, discussing a partnership to invest in automatic looms¡ªthe larger the capital scale, the more effectively costs could be reduced. Although there wasn¡¯t a complete set of commercial operating theories at this time, these people had practical experience running factories, they were all seasoned capitalists.

    After the ¡°policy briefing¡± had concluded, Joseph immediately proceeded with the Lyon city commissioner and chairman of the chamber of commerce to inspect the established textile factories in Lyon without a moment¡¯s rest.

    For several of the best-run factories, he not only provided loan support¡ªwell, the Bank of France Reserve was very quick to lend when seeing the notes approved by the Crown Prince¡ªbut even personally imparted advanced concepts such as brand building, promotion, and the cultivation of sales networks to the operators of those factories.

    For the sake of France¡¯s textile industry, he virtually took care of everything for the factory owners, short of chewing and feeding the information directly into their mouths.

    Compared to their British counterparts who relied on their own talents and struggled, Lyon¡¯s textile owners could practically fly with happiness.

    If they still couldn¡¯t catch up with the British, it would be utterly unreasonable!

    Four days later, Joseph looked at the more than thirty applications for new automatic loom factories on his desk with satisfaction and couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath, feeling that his trip to Lyon could now come to an end.

    The specific implementation work would naturally be taken over by people dispatched by Mirabeau; he had already set the broad framework and basically, nothing would go wrong.

    However, on the morning Joseph was preparing to set out for Verdun, he heard a faint noise coming from outside his window.

    He opened the window in surprise, to see the villa¡¯s surrounding walls crowded with people, his own personal guard and Lyon police loudly scolding, trying to disperse the crowd.

    Before he could ask, Eman hurried over and bowed, ¡°Your Highness, those are Lyon¡¯s textile workers. They seem to have heard that the automatic loom could reduce the need for labor by 90%, so they have come to petition you.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but facepalm; the workers were worried about losing their jobs. He blamed himself for boasting a bit too much¡­

    In this era, workers mostly lived paycheck to paycheck and would starve immediately if they lost their jobs.

    He felt a headache coming on. Though the workers¡¯ concerns were unfounded, firstly, the effect of the automatic loom on reducing labor wasn¡¯t as exaggerated; secondly, automatic looms could increase the sales volume of Lyon¡¯s textiles, effectively enlarging the market share. By then, factories would definitely expand on a large scale, and the need for labor would only increase, not decrease.

    However, it was difficult to make this clear to the workers.

    After a moment of thought, Joseph instructed Eman, ¡°Please tell Major Kesode there¡¯s no need to disperse the crowd.¡±

    Eman hesitated for a moment, but still pressed his chest and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Soon, Joseph appeared in front of the villa¡¯s gates. Someone shouted, ¡°It¡¯s the Crown Prince!¡±

    The hundreds of Lyon workers, who had been kept outside the walls by the police, went silent.

    Joseph looked around, climbed atop a carriage parked in front of the gate and proclaimed loudly to the ragged and anxious textile workers, ¡°I understand your concerns. But I assure you, you will not lose your jobs because of the automatic looms!¡±

    A bold worker pushed through the crowd, nervously saying, ¡°Your Highness, but my boss said, once the automatic loom arrives, he will lay off more than half of the workers¡­¡±

 Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 315: Smoke of Gunpowder Rises (Long Chapter for Monthly Votes)_2

    Chapter 398: Chapter 315: Smoke of Gunpowder Rises (Long Chapter for Monthly Votes)_2

    Joseph immediately said, ¡°The government plans to build a textile processing base in Lyon and expand the Rhone River docks, which will require a lot of manpower. Unemployed textile workers will be given priority for job opportunities. The wages will not be lower than what you previously earned.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the construction of the wooden tracks around the major cities near Lyon will also start soon, again prioritizing the recruitment of unemployed workers.¡±

    ¡°After these projects, there will also be large companies established such as the Lyon River Transport Company and Lyon Gas Lamp Company. The government will also launch many major projects to advance the development of Lyon. In short, there will be an increasing need for manpower here, and everyone need not fear a lack of work.¡±

    The textile workers who came to petition immediately began whispering among themselves, but it was clear from their eyes that there was still worry and disbelief.

    Joseph then smiled and said, ¡°Every two months, I will personally send someone to tally the unemployment rate in Lyon. If the unemployment rate is too high, I will have the government provide funds to help unemployed families relocate to Saint-Etienne or Nancy. You must have heard of the industrial development zones there¡ªwith factories everywhere, and employee dormitories and schools, work is not an issue.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and the things I just mentioned will soon be released in an official announcement by the city government, so please be assured.¡±

    The hundreds of people around suddenly fell silent, not only because the Crown Prince had addressed their deeply concerning unemployment issue, but also because they were surprised at how considerate and approachable the Crown Prince was for them.

    This was nothing like the Royal Family they had in their minds!

    Joseph was well aware of the large riots caused by unemployment among Lyon workers in history, naturally, he would not take it lightly.

    After a moment, someone took the lead and shouted, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    Reminded by this, others bowed to Joseph, following in chorus, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, merciful Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°You must be the savior sent by God to us¡­¡±

    Seeing this, Joseph was somewhat moved; he had only provided these honest, lower-class people with the opportunity to work 14 hours a day, enabling them to buy dark bread to fill their stomachs, and they were so grateful.

    Perhaps, as the Crown Prince, he should do even more for such poor people.

    ¡­

    South Asia.

    The southern part of the Indian subcontinent.

    Outside Calicut Port, more than a dozen carriages in the Arab style were traveling on a rugged and bumpy path. Every now and then, dark-skinned locals, barefoot, quickly overtook the carriages from both sides of the road.

    Marquis de Lafayette did not urge the coachman to speed up because his buttocks could no longer withstand greater jolts. In fact, he was now somewhat regretting not listening to the guide¡¯s advice to ride in the local round-roofed palanquins.

    However, he soon cast aside these slight displeasures and even felt that the humid and hot weather, as well as the terrible roads, were rather endearing.

    Because this place would be the starting point for his meteoric rise!

    Unlike when he went to America to participate in the War of Independence without authorization more than a decade ago, this time, his voyage to India had the King¡¯s commission, so there would be no concern of coming back to France and being reproached despite winning numerous battles.

    The Royal Family promised him that as long as he helped Mysore defeat the British¡ªas he had done before in North America¡ªhe would ascend to the high position of Assistant Minister of War. That was the power he had long aspired to!

    The military nobles who previously mocked and ostracized him would have to treat him with utmost respect and even compete to curry favor with him.

    At this thought, a strong excitement surged in his heart, as if he was about to go on a date with a noblewoman he admired.

    He looked toward the distant tropical jungle and soon reined in his thoughts, beginning to contemplate how to quickly turn the situation around on his trip to Mysore.

    In fact, before leaving, the Crown Prince had already organized a series of strategies for him, but he found it hard to believe in the effectiveness of the methods designed by a youth who had never been to India.

    He recalled the Crown Prince¡¯s plans, murmuring to himself, ¡°In the end, it¡¯s still up to me to act according to the situation.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, this is a kingdom with nearly 20 million people. Even if it takes time, we could wear down the fellows from the East India Company.¡±

    Yes, now England has fully entrusted the political, military, and trade management in India to the East India Company, which only needs to pay a share to the British Government each year.

    For cost-saving reasons, the East India Company¡¯s forces in India number less than 3,000 men, and during wars, they largely rely on Indian soldiers recruited from the local princely states. When necessary, they usually have between 40,000 to 80,000 men.

    That is to say, the enemy with stronger combat capacity has only a meager 3,000 men.

    Thinking of this, Lafayette couldn¡¯t help but smile; it was as if Divine Providence was gifting this to him¡ªthe Kingdom of Mysore not only had formidable strength but, starting from the generation of Sultan Tipu¡¯s father, had trained nearly 60,000 strong troops in the European model.

    Moreover, the nation of Mysore was ethnically and religiously unified, and its politics were relatively progressive, making its overall national power far surpass that of the surrounding princely states.

    If this trip to India went smoothly, perhaps he could return to Paris by the end of the year and be promoted to Assistant Minister of War.

    After being ravaged alternately by tropical downpours and scorching sun for about ten days, Lafayette¡¯s caravan finally arrived at Mysore City, the capital of Mysore.

    Sultan Tipu gave him a grand welcome. In fact, France had sent envoys to Mysore before but had been unable to provide much support and even had certain interests in Travancore, which was on bad terms with Mysore.

    But this time, the French people were clearly determined to assist Mysore for real.

    The messenger who had come in advance to make contact said that the visitor to Mysore was the famous French general, Marquis de Lafayette, who had defeated the British in the United States.

    At the same time, he would bring troops and a large amount of weaponry.

    In the spacious Arab-style palace, Lafayette glanced at the food enough for ten people for three days in front of him, but did not touch it. Instead, he turned his head towards Sultan Tipu and got straight to the point, ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask how you plan to deal with Travancore¡¯s recent forceful occupation of the Mysore fortress?¡±

    The Indian man beside him immediately performed the simultaneous translation.

    Sultan Tipu, having learned that France had decided to give up its interests in Travancore, did not evade the topic, ¡°Respected General, I have already ordered the assembly of our troops, and in three months we will attack the overconfident people of Travancore!¡±

    Lafayette smiled and immediately voiced the one point the Crown Prince had repeatedly emphasized, ¡°Your Majesty, if you wish to be victorious, you must always keep your eyes on the British.

    ¡°They may be few in number, but they are your real enemy!¡±

    Sultan Tipu was taken aback, then nodded slightly. In the previous two wars, the enemy forces were commanded by the British in the background.

    He looked at Lafayette, ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°Drive the British out of Karnataka and Malabar into the sea with the utmost speed, then focus all forces to deal with Manat with full force!¡±

    Lafayette said, ¡°This time I have brought three hundred elite soldiers and numerous craftsmen, as well as 13,000 flintlock guns, 30 cannons. We will assist you in crushing all enemies at once!¡±

    ¡­

    Prussia.

    Potsdam, Sanssouci Palace.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116587¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116587/d7af4b89a032bcf9aa5354c99bccb736l0ODAE4tN6H02eM.jpg¡±>

    William II waved the secret report furiously, shouting at Prince Henry, ¡°Despicable Austrians, they actually plan to launch a surprise attack on Silesia!¡±

    The report in his hands was just sent by Saxony, stating that Austria had already rallied nearly a hundred thousand troops, ready to launch an offensive against Silesia at any moment.

    Prince Henry looked at the King pacing back and forth in anger and sighed inwardly, wishing his brother were still alive.

    No, if his brother were still here, the Austrians probably wouldn¡¯t dare to casually covet Silesia.

    He was Frederick the Great¡¯s younger brother, the uncle of the current King of Prussia William II, and the most influential person in Prussian politics at the moment.

    ¡°Your Majesty, there is no need to worry,¡± Prince Henry said with great calmness, ¡°Since we have received intelligence in advance, we can quickly mobilize troops and take the opportunity to heavily damage the Austrians, or even seize parts of Moravia is not impossible.¡±

 Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 316: The Fourth Silesian War

    Chapter 399: Chapter 316: The Fourth Silesian War

    ¡°`

    ¡°Yes, the war has just begun,¡± William II slammed his hand on the table beside him. ¡°The Austrians have launched multiple attacks on Silesia before, each ending in miserable failure, and this time will be no exception!

    ¡°In fact, they will taste the bitterness of Lutynia once again!¡±

    He was referring to the Battle of Leuthen, which took place during the Seven Years¡¯ War when Austria tried to retake Silesia and clashed fiercely with Frederick the Great¡¯s Prussian Army.

    In that battle, Frederick displayed all his military genius, commanding an army only slightly more than half the size of the Austrian forces and, with his brilliant tactical leadership, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Austrians¡ªof their 90,000 troops, 22,000 were killed in action, and 14,000 captured. Subsequently, the Austrian garrison in Breslau was affected and nearly surrendered without a fight, handing Frederick another 17,000 prisoners.

    After this battle, Prussia conclusively secured its ownership of Silesia, which could be called the pinnacle of Frederick the Great¡¯s military achievements.

    However, William II seemed to overlook that Prussia no longer had a military genius like Frederick the Great.

    Moreover, after Frederick¡¯s death, Prussian military preparedness had slackened, and the Junker nobility had begun to grow lax, with the overall combat strength having declined significantly from the era of Frederick the Great.

    Although Prince Henry knew that it would be difficult for Prussia to replicate the glory of the Battle of Leuthen, at such a time, he could not afford to dampen the morale of His Majesty the King. Hence, he too clenched his fist with conviction, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, we shall teach the feeble Austrians a lesson again!¡±

    Having spoken words to boost the troops¡¯ morale, he immediately brought up specific plans, ¡°Your Majesty, we need to make full preparations during this period before the Austrians attack.

    ¡°I suggest that we should immediately form an alliance with Saxon to counter the Austrians.¡±

    ¡°And Hanover,¡± William II added, ¡°as well as Hesse-Kassel and Mecklenburg. We need to assemble a formidable army that will astonish the Austrians.¡±

    Prince Henry paused upon hearing this. It was not surprising for Saxon, being adjacent to the Silesian region, to join the war, but the King was even considering bringing the British into the mix.

    In fact, William II had good reason to say this.

    Hanover was essentially the British enclave in the German region, and King George III of England was also the Elector of Hanover. England had always been committed to the weakening of Austrian and French power through Prussia, so it was very likely that they could persuade Hanover to join the war.

    Unlike Hesse-Darmstadt, which had joined the Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement, Hesse-Kassel belonged to Lower Hesse and was politically pro-Prussian. Mecklenburg, right beside Prussia, dared not defy Prussian demands outright. Both could be expected to join the allied forces with the promise of certain benefits.

    ¡°Your strategy is excellent, Your Majesty,¡± Prince Henry praised, and then continued, ¡°But before we exert our diplomatic efforts, we should do two things.

    ¡°First, immediately dispatch Generals Delrisen and Krockhov with the Imperial Guard to station at Legnica and Ratibor, to buy time at the beginning of the war by holding off the Austrian offensive until our main forces are assembled.

    ¡°Second, we must recall the Duke of Brunswick as soon as possible; his command will be the key to our victory.¡±

    William II wasn¡¯t particularly knowledgeable about warfare. Hearing this, he put on a contemplative look and then left the military affairs entirely to Prince Henry to execute in detail.

    However, just as the latter was about to bow and leave, he saw William II¡¯s servant hasten towards them, bowing his head as he handed an urgent message to the King.

    William II quickly scanned the letter after opening it, frowning as he spoke to his uncle, ¡°This is from the Duke of Brunswick. He¡¯s found out that the Austrians have pulled back their forces from the direction of the Southern Netherlands to their homeland. Luxembourg at the moment has only about 5,000 troops, so he¡¯s preparing to launch an all-out attack on the Austrian army in the coming days.

    ¡°But as you were just saying, he needs to come back to aid Silesia, so now¡­¡±

    Prince Henry pondered for a moment and then nodded, ¡°Your Majesty, maybe the Duke of Brunswick is right.

    ¡°The two things his 20,000 soldiers could achieve in the Southern Netherlands would far outweigh the effect of him rushing back to Silesia.

    ¡°He will be able to completely sever Austria¡¯s control over the affluent Southern Netherlands, and moreover, secure a resounding victory there even before the outbreak of hostilities in Silesia, which will greatly boost the morale of our soldiers there.

    ¡°Before that, we only need to hold the fortresses on the western and southern sides of Silesia, waiting for Duke of Brunswick¡¯s triumphant return¡ªhis 20,000 troops, along with the Netherlands Army, should not take much time to eliminate Luxembourg¡¯s 5,000 garrison.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± William II was still hesitant.

    Prince Henry stepped forward and spoke in a lower voice, ¡°Your Majesty, if we can drive the Austrians out of the Southern Netherlands, in the event that our campaign in Silesia turns unfavorable, we could use the Southern Netherlands as a bargaining chip.¡±

    The Southern Netherlands was Austria¡¯s only access to the Atlantic Ocean, economically developed due to overseas trade, and comparable in size to Silesia, at least worth half of Silesia in a trade.

    William II was also lost in thought: ¡°If we could affect the Southern Netherlands, England would also become more supportive of our fight in Silesia.¡±

    England regarded the Low Countries as a stepping stone for European countries to reach the Atlantic Ocean; they were also a strategic position that could pose a threat to England, hence they have always treated it as a center of strategic gravity[Note 1]. If Prussia held a military presence in the Southern Netherlands, surely England would be willing to offer substantial benefits in exchange, such as sending troops to participate in the Silesian war.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 316: The Fourth Silesian War_2

    Chapter 400: Chapter 316: The Fourth Silesian War_2

    But he soon added with some worry, ¡°However, who will command the Silesian battlefield? Perhaps, my dear uncle, you can once again display your former glory.¡±

    Prince Henry had followed Emperor Frederick on campaigns north and south, participating in the Silesian Wars and the Seven Years¡¯ War, and was a fierce warrior.

    After pondering for a moment, Prince Henry shook his head and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I am truly no longer young. Perhaps we could transfer the Duke of Brunswick back to Silesia and have the Marquis of Walschstaet lead the troops of the Southern Netherlands. There are very few Austrians there, he should be more than capable of handling them.¡±

    The Marquis of Walschstaet he mentioned was Blucher, who was currently serving as the deputy to the Duke of Brunswick and would later make his mark in the Anti-French Coalition as a Prussian Field Marshal.

    ¡­

    In the northwest of Austria, Kreignitz.

    This was the vital route that led to the Gnitz Fortress on the southwestern side of Silesia.

    Along the narrow path, Austrian Army¡¯s vanguard commander General Dagobert Sigismund von Wumz put down his telescope and signaled to his staff to hasten the march.

    A moment later, a dense drumbeat echoed through the miles-long column; the soldiers¡¯ footsteps immediately quickened.

    General Wumz was very aware that the current pace of the Austrian Army¡¯s march was almost equivalent to the outcome of the battle¡ªthe sooner they arrived in Silesia, the more land they could seize before the Prussians were prepared.

    Then, he turned his head to look at the faint white ¡°line¡± at the rear of the column.

    Those were the reinforcements from France.

    Not only were these Frenchmen slow in marching, but they also seemed to carry an air of grandeur, as if they were here to save Austria.

    ¡°Only thirty thousand soldiers,¡± General Wumz exhaled dissatisfiedly, ¡°this will reduce our original numerical superiority by half.¡±

    According to the original agreement, France was supposed to send at least fifty thousand troops to support Austria, but by the time the Austrian Army started its march towards Silesia, only thirty thousand French soldiers had arrived.

    The cavalry commander General Nauntdorf, who was beside him, also shook his head: ¡°France¡¯s financial situation is very bad. It¡¯s said that they couldn¡¯t even gather logistical support for fifty thousand soldiers, so they had to send troops in batches.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the news sent from Vienna that the Emperor has allocated four hundred thousand florins of military funds to them for purchasing supplies. If nothing goes wrong, the rest of the French troops should join the battle in half a month.¡±

    ¡°Half a month?¡± General Wumz¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, ¡°by that time, we may already have taken Breslau, and those Frenchmen can just serve as decoration for our entry ceremony.¡±

    Breslau was the capital of Silesia, located in the heart of the region, and a strategic point that controlled the north-south passage of Silesia. Taking this place could essentially secure the entire campaign in Silesia.

    Of course, historically, the Austrians had occupied Breslau before, only to be thoroughly beaten by the military genius, Emperor Frederick, and driven back to the Bohemia area.

    Nevertheless, the Austrians now tacitly believed that without Frederick, Prussia would no longer be able to prevent itself from avenging the shame of defeat in the previous three Silesian Wars.

    As they were talking, they spotted two cavalrymen galloping from the northeast and halting not far from them, shouting, ¡°General, our vanguard has crossed the border near Legnica, and no Prussian troops have been spotted.¡±

    General Wumz¡¯s heart leaped with joy; it seemed that the attack would indeed be a surprise to the Prussians, just as the pre-battle predictions suggested.

    General Nauntdorf approached and said, ¡°Should we report this situation to Marshal Lacy? His main forces should be a day¡¯s journey away from here.¡±

    General Wumz looked at his impressive vanguard force¡ªincluding twenty-five thousand soldiers from Austria, ten thousand from the French Army, and three thousand from the Bavarian Army.

    A formidable army of nearly forty thousand men bursting into undefended Silesia might well conclude the fight even before Marshal Lacy¡¯s main forces arrived.

    He immediately shook his head: ¡°You see, there are no Prussians here, and opportunity never waits for us.

    ¡°`

    ¡°On this day, as we wait for the marshal, the enemy may have already noticed something amiss,¡±

    General Nauntdorf frowned. ¡°Then what is your plan?¡±

    ¡°Speed up the march and deploy our troops on both sides of the Legnica fortress,¡± General Wumz confidently said. ¡°While severing their connection with Breslau on one side, we must also guard against the Saxons on the other.¡±

    To the west of Legnica lies Gorlitz in Saxony, and to the east, adjacent to Breslau¡ªnot only a bridgehead for an offensive into Silesia, but once taken, it also poses a threat to Saxony.

    After a moment of hesitation, General Nauntdorf nodded: ¡°Your deployment is reasonable, but I still think we need to report to Marshal Lacy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, reporting the military situation is necessary. And we should accelerate the pace of capturing Legnica.¡±

    By noon the next day, the Austrian Allied Forces¡¯ vanguard, after a forced march, could already see the fortress of Legnica in the distance.

    When the last of the French people finally arrived at the front line, General Wumz gave the troops almost no rest before immediately implementing his prior plan, sending the Bavarian Army and 5,000 Austrians to defend the west against the Saxons, while he took the Austrian main force and the French Army to attack Legnica from the east.

    The French, although prone to posturing and a bit slow to move, were known by Wumz to be quite good at fighting. At least as good as the Austrian Army.

    By evening, the survey team had delivered a map of the terrain around the Legnica fortress to General Wumz¡¯s tent.

    Yes, despite Austria having controlled Silesia for over a hundred years, they hadn¡¯t properly mapped the terrain in detail until Frederick had given them a sound thrashing, prompting the realization that they were not as familiar with Silesia as the Prussians.

    Standing before the battlefield map, Wumz pointed to a high ground to the northeast of Legnica and said to the French Army Commander, General Kellermann: ¡°Your Excellency, please take your forces to this position at dawn tomorrow.¡±

    He then pointed to a gentle slope next to the fortress: ¡°I will deploy the main force here, and I will set up the artillery position at this location.

    ¡°From here, we can bombard the range of the fortress directly.

    ¡°Once the Prussian defenders are driven out by our cannon, I will hold them at the front. And Your Excellency, you will then charge down from their flank, certainly able to crush the Prussians in one fell swoop.¡±

    He turned to ask a staff officer beside him, ¡°How many soldiers are defending Legnica?¡±

    ¡°According to our previous intelligence, it should not exceed 8,000 men, General.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Wumz nodded, ¡°victory will surely be ours.¡±

    Before dawn the next day, the French Army struck camp and set off towards the northeast of Legnica at the first light of morning.

    However, just less than 3 kilometers into their departure, the cavalry responsible for scouting frantically returned to report to Kellermann: ¡°General, a large number of enemy troops have been spotted on the high ground directly ahead, at least seven to eight thousand men, and they have already completed their formation.¡±

    General Kellermann¡¯s heart tightened; his men were still in marching formation, and engaging with nearly equal numbers of Prussians who were already arrayed for battle would be tantamount to suicide.

    He vividly remembered the devastating blow his unit had suffered at the hands of Frederick in Westphalia more than a decade ago.

    ¡°This is probably the main force of the Prussian Army from Legnica.¡±

    He made his judgment and immediately ordered a regiment to spread out for defense on the spot, the rest to retreat in order, and at the same time sent someone to notify Wumz to come and reinforce them.

    However, what he did not expect was that the Austrian vanguard had encountered even bigger problems and was already engaged in a fierce fight. Wumz also dispatched cavalry, requesting immediate support from the French.

    [Note 1] Low Countries: The Low Countries refer to the northwest coastal countries of Europe, named for their low elevation above sea level. This includes the Netherlands, Belgium (known as Southern Netherlands in the 18th century), and Luxembourg.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter 317: France Will Be the Key to the War

    Chapter 401: Chapter 317: France Will Be the Key to the War

    ¡°You want ME to provide support?!¡± the French Army commander Kellermann pointed toward the area where gunshots were faintly audible from the west, and roared at the officer who came seeking help, ¡°There are over 7,000 enemies there, which is the total number of Prussian forces in Legnica!¡±

    ¡°But, General¡­¡± the dirt-covered orderly officer glanced in that direction with surprise, then hurriedly argued, ¡°General Wumz is under heavy artillery fire, and more than 20,000 Prussians have suddenly appeared on the south side of the fortress.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve also encountered a surprise attack. Please tell General Wumz that I really can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    The orderly officer pleaded urgently, ¡°Please at least dispatch Cavalry to coordinate with us¡­¡±

    Kellermann flatly responded, ¡°If I don¡¯t have Cavalry to protect my flank, my men will be chopped to pieces by Prussian Cavalry before we can retreat into Kreignitz.¡±

    ¡°Eckardt, send this captain back.¡±

    ¡°Karlus, order Ferlick Group to establish a second line of defense at the edge of that forest, and have Dort¡¯s men withdraw in half an hour!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    8 kilometers away on the gentle slope south of the Legnica fortress, nearly 60 cannons on the already prepared position were spewing flames at the rashly approaching Austrians.

    General Wumz had not expected his surprise attack to be met with a counter-surprise attack by the Prussians.

    Under the intense fire of numerous artillery, his vanguard was almost instantly dispersed.

    As he hesitated whether to deploy his troops on the spot and engage in a frontal confrontation with the Prussians ahead, a large Prussian force appeared from the southwest, moving in neat line formations towards him.

    The unprepared Austrians immediately fell into chaos, but fortunately for Wumz, in order to increase concealment, the Prussians had positioned their troops on the inner side of the depression, giving him a temporary advantage in terrain.

    Wumz was a veteran of the Seven Years¡¯ War and the battle for the Bavarian succession; seizing this only opportunity, he ordered his elite skirmishers to launch a counter-charge from a higher position against the Prussian Infantry lines.

    At the same time, he sent Naundorf¡¯s Cavalry to move towards the north, posing as if they were ready to assault the Prussian artillery positions at all costs.

    General Delrisen, commander of the Prussian forces in Legnica, quickly received the scout¡¯s report¡ª10 Austrian cavalry squadrons, that is, 1,500 cavalrymen, were maneuvering towards the rear side of the Prussian artillery positions on the gentle slope. The terrain there was higher, almost leveled with the artillery line. If the cavalry charged from there, the Prussian cannons would be in danger.

    He frowned and weighed his options¡ªPrince Henry¡¯s orders to him had been to hold Legnica, not to annihilate the Austrian Army.

    He was well aware that he was facing only the Austrian vanguard, and that there might be over 100,000 of the Austrian main force behind it.

    Without the cannons, his 30,000 men wouldn¡¯t stand a chance to hold Legnica.

    After a moment, General Delrisen ordered the orderly officer, ¡°Order Jonas¡¯s Cavalry to retreat and intercept the enemy cavalry with full force.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    As orders from both sides were issued, on the rolling hills around Legnica, a thin green line sped through the bushes, continuously racing northwest, moving farther and farther from the Austrian main force, like a group of assassins throwing themselves at the enemy¡¯s heart.

    Another thin light blue line emerged from the southeast of the Austrians, bypassing the Austrian main force and desperately rushing back to the high ground near Legnica fortress.

    If Wumz could have looked down from the sky at that moment, he would have definitely broken out into a cold sweat.

    Had that Prussian Cavalry unit suddenly charged at his main force during its retreat, his main troop would have been cut in two almost instantaneously, with little hope of returning to Bohemia.

    On the other side, the Austrian elite skirmishers, taking advantage of the cover provided by the wild grass, spread out and rushed toward the lower Prussian Infantry lines in the depression.

    They were highly experienced; despite being in skirmish formation, they could use the drummer¡¯s beat to signal from different positions to rise and volley fire, greatly increasing their killing efficiency.

    Many among them were hunters from the Austrian mountains with excellent marksmanship. Taking advantage of the shooting range provided by the high ground, they ¡°dug¡± out numerous gaps in the Prussian lines before the Prussians could return fire.

    However, in the age of flintlock guns, charging an Infantry line with inferior numbers was undoubtedly unwise.

    Soon, the Prussian Infantry lines advanced into range and, after several volleys, bullets fell like rain, covering the Austrians¡¯ hiding spots.

    In the wild grass on the gentle slope, cries of agony ensued, followed by bodies rolling down into the depression, leaving blurry trails of blood on the green grass.

    The Austrian skirmishers, less than two battalions strong, fought while retreating, forcing the Prussian Infantry lines to repeatedly stop to realign and shoot. On this gentle slope less than a kilometer long, they managed to hold up nearly 10,000 Prussian soldiers for over an hour.

    Together with the gap created by Naundorf¡¯s Cavalry, Wumz finally managed to withdraw his main force out of the range of the Prussian artillery. He then began an orderly alternating cover retreat.

    As twilight approached, Wumz finally met Kellermann¡¯s French forces about ten kilometers from Kreignitz, the Austrian border.

    Only after entering the French camp did Wumz breathe a sigh of relief and hastily instructed his staff to tally casualties.

 Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter 317: France Will Be the Key to the War_2

    Chapter 402: Chapter 317: France Will Be the Key to the War_2

    Several hours later, a succinct battle report was submitted into his hands. The report showed that approximately 16,000 Austrian soldiers and 9,000 French had successfully retreated. As for the Bavarian forces on the western side, since no combat had occurred, they, along with the 5,000 Austrian soldiers, had all safely returned.

    The main forces were still intact, and Wumz quietly breathed a sigh of relief. However, in this battle, his two most elite skirmisher battalions had almost been entirely wiped out, and the cavalry had lost nearly four squadrons, even General Naundorf was wounded.

    Therefore, although the losses in terms of numbers were not too great for the Austrian Army, the impact on their combat effectiveness was quite severe.

    The next day at noon, when Marshal Lacy, the overall commander of the Austrian forces, led the main forces to the border of Legnica, he was met face-to-face with the retreating Wumz Corps.

    Upon learning of the Austrian Army¡¯s disastrous defeat the day before, his complexion instantly turned livid.

    According to his original plan, he would have been able to take Legnica by surprise tomorrow or the day after and then set his sights on Breslau, the capital of Silesia.

    However, given the battle situation that Wumz encountered, it was clear that the Prussians had been well prepared.

    What he faced would likely be a tough and fierce battle¡­

    ¡­

    When the news of the disastrous defeat at Legnica reached Vienna, the entire city erupted.

    Countless Austrians were instantly reminded of the painful memories of the three disastrous Silesian Wars over the past decades¡ªa series of failures that resulted in Austria losing the rich region of Silesia and consequently being embroiled in a struggle with Prussia for dominance over Germany.

    Along with the adverse effects brought about by Joseph II¡¯s reforms, the nobility and citizens of Vienna took to the streets in droves, sparking large-scale protests.

    An enormous crowd of four to five thousand people surged towards Schonbrunn Palace, chanting slogans along the way:

    ¡°Marshal Lacy must be held accountable!¡±

    ¡°Reinforcements to Silesia, we must not suffer another defeat!¡±

    ¡°Replace the incompetent Lacy, let Marshal Laudon command the army!¡±

    ¡°Yes, only Marshal Laudon can defeat the Prussians¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, among the protesting crowd, there was also a significant mix of dissatisfaction with the Royal Family¡ªthey blamed the defeat on the reforms of Joseph II, claiming that the reforms affected the morale of the troops, and criticized the Emperor for rashly waging war against Prussia without adequate preparation.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    Although the protesting crowd was kept out of the palace square by the guards, Joseph II could still faintly hear the clamor from outside the window.

    After a bout of coughing, the Emperor of Sanctum looked towards Leopold II and State Minister Kaunitz, who stood solemnly beside his sickbed: ¡°There¡¯s no need to disperse the protesters; haven¡¯t you heard them saying we should send reinforcements to Silesia? This might be an opportunity to unite the Austrians.¡±

    Kaunitz tentatively asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you think we should give Marshal Lacy some reminders?¡±

    What he referred to as a reminder was, in fact, a reprimand.

    Lacy, being of Irish descent born in Saint Petersburg, was politically very inclined towards Russia. The pro-French Kaunitz often clashed with him.

    Joseph II waved his hand: ¡°Please draft an order on my behalf, praising Marshal Lacy for his rich experience which prevented even greater losses for our forces. Additionally, issue a stern reprimand to General Wumz for his improper command, which led to the collapse at Legnica.¡±

    Despite being gravely ill, his mind was still clear, and he knew that at this moment, it was imperative to fully support the overall military commander, otherwise the morale of the troops would falter, and the battle would be pointless.

    Leopold II added, ¡°Your Majesty, it seems the Prussians were likely prepared. Perhaps we can appease the Hungarians, where at least fifty to sixty thousand troops could be conscripted.¡±

    Hungary, under Austrian rule, retained a significant degree of autonomy, especially the Hungarian Nobility Group, which often banded together to oppose Vienna.

    As a result of Joseph II¡¯s reforms, the privileges of the Hungarian nobility were considerably affected, or rather, weakening them was precisely Joseph II¡¯s intention. Consequently, Hungary adopted a passive and antagonistic stance towards the Silesian conflict, contributing almost no troops.

    ¡°`

    However, harnessing the full strength of Austria was impossible without Hungary.

    Joseph II weakly waved his hand again, ¡°Apart from canceling the reforms, there is nothing that can satisfy them. Send Baron Tugut to Paris, let our sister send more troops, and we could exchange interests in Italy¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, the protesting crowd outside the square suddenly burst into heaven-shaking shouts, as if cold water had been poured into boiling oil.

    Joseph II frowned and looked at Kaunitz, ¡°What¡¯s happened now?¡±

    The latter bowed slightly and quickly stepped out of the Emperor¡¯s bedroom. More than ten minutes later, he returned with a somber face and said, bowing his head, ¡°Your Majesty, news just came from the Southern Netherlands, Blucher has led his troops into Luxembourg. General Leao¡¯s forces were insufficient, and three days ago, they suffered a terrible defeat. Now, the western part of Luxembourg is under Prussian control¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph II suddenly coughed violently and then suddenly slumped onto the bed.

    Leopold II was greatly alarmed and hurriedly shouted at the Imperial Physician waiting at the door, ¡°Mr. Richter, the Emperor has fainted!¡±

    The Imperial Physicians, after having bled the Emperor of Sanctum three times and administered medicine containing opium, finally saw the pale-faced Joseph II slowly regain consciousness at twilight.

    Joseph II was too weak to sit up and, and after gathering strength for half a minute, spoke to Leopold II in a trembling voice, ¡°Order Marshal Laudon to lead twenty thousand soldiers and rush to Luxembourg for reinforcements immediately.¡±

    The latter was immediately shocked and quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, if we divide our forces now, it¡¯s very possible we¡¯ll face insufficient soldiers in the direction of Silesia¡­¡±

    Gasping for breath, Joseph II struggled to speak, ¡°Marshal Lacy will find a way¡­ the Southern Netherlands must be held.¡±

    Austria had operated in the Southern Netherlands for decades; holding that territory was a much better bet than attacking Silesia. Moreover, Joseph II knew that losing the Southern Netherlands completely would severely affect morale on the Silesian front.

    He rested for a while, then continued, ¡°Also, seek assistance from France, let them aid Marshal Laudon¡­¡±

    This Emperor, conscientious throughout his life, striving to strengthen Austria¡¯s power, ambitiously prepared to recapture Silesia, had not expected the Prussians to take the risk of leaving heavy forces behind in the Southern Netherlands, striking Austria a heavy blow.

    Seeing his brother so weak he was almost about to faint again, Leopold II patted his chest to take command and leave.

    Exiting the Emperor¡¯s bedroom, and hearing the protesters¡¯ shouts again, he frowned and signaled to the captain of his guard, ¡°Disperse those people! The Emperor needs rest.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    The Austrian Foreign Minister, Baron Tugut, with letters signed by Joseph II, hurried to Paris day and night for assistance, but encountered the Crown Prince of France in Lorraine¡ªthe latter was inspecting the French Army about to depart for Austria there.

    Of course, Joseph was specifically waiting there for the Austrian envoy.

    Blucher was on the verge of capturing all of Luxembourg. Soon, Austria would have no standing in the Low Countries. And their Emperor could only seek assistance from France.

    In the camp of the French Expeditionary Force, Joseph looked at the anxious Baron Tugut, ¡°Are you saying that the Emperor wishes to transfer troops from Silesia to rescue Luxembourg?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The Austrian Foreign Minister took out the Holy Roman Emperor¡¯s letter, which was actually written for Queen Mary, but it was entirely appropriate to give to the Crown Prince of France, ¡°His Majesty hopes that France can dispatch additional troops to help Luxembourg and provide logistical supplies nearby.¡±

    Joseph took the letter but frowned and shook his head, ¡°Transferring troops from Silesia now might be too late, Luxembourg could be occupied by the Prussians before they reach the Southern Netherlands. And it would also mean facing a disadvantage on both the Southern Netherlands and Silesian fronts.¡±

    Tugut sighed, although he knew that was most likely the case¡ªGeneral Leao in Luxembourg had less than two thousand troops left, definitely not enough to hold out for half a month.

    Joseph¡¯s face was full of concern and sincerity, ¡°The only way to keep Luxembourg now, I fear, is one option.¡±

    Tugut immediately lifted his head, ¡°What do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°Our twenty thousand troops prepared for Silesia are right now in Verdun,¡± Joseph said, ¡°If they set off immediately, they could reach Luxembourg in three to four days to withstand Blucher¡¯s offensive.¡±

    ¡°And Austria need not transfer troops from Silesia. This way, we can turn a disadvantage on both the Southern Netherlands and Silesia fronts into an advantage on both!¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Chapter 318: The Arrogant Woman

    Chapter 403: Chapter 318: The Arrogant Woman

    Baron Tugut immediately said in disbelief, ¡°Your Highness, excuse my boldness, but you aren¡¯t joking, are you?¡±

    Joseph gripped his arms firmly¡ªTugut was not tall, and Joseph, at one meter seventy, was only slightly shorter¡ª and said earnestly, ¡°I believe Her Majesty the Queen will certainly agree with my proposal. France and Austria are the closest of friends and naturally must do everything in their power to help each other through difficult times!¡±

    The eyes of the Austrian Foreign Minister sparked with light, and he nodded excitedly, ¡°Yes, you are absolutely right! The Franco-Austrian alliance is forever the most steadfast of allies!¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I shall rush to the Palace of Versailles overnight and request His Majesty for military aid for Luxembourg.¡±

    Jospeh saw him preparing to rise and hurriedly stopped him, ¡°We must block Bl¨¹cher¡¯s offensive as soon as possible to prevent Luxembourg from falling. Traveling to Paris and back will take too long.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest then?¡±

    Jospeh assumed a thoughtful stance, ¡°In that case, you should return to Vienna immediately. Please implore His Imperial Majesty to issue a decree, commanding the Austrian Army and officials in Luxembourg to fully cooperate with me in sniping the Prussians, whilst recalling the troops planned for reinforcement in the Southern Netherlands to continue attacking Silesia with all their might.

    ¡°As for the Palace of Versailles, you can simply send an aide to deliver the state letter to Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    Baron Tugut wanted to nod but hesitated, ¡°Isn¡¯t it too disrespectful to have only an aide meet Her Majesty?¡±

    ¡°State affairs are of paramount importance!¡± Joseph spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°Rest assured, Her Majesty will definitely understand your predicament. Besides, I can send someone to accompany your aide to Paris to explain the situation on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°I am truly grateful to you!¡± Tugut immediately bowed deeply to Joseph, ¡°Austria will forever remember your kindness!¡±

    Vienna.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    Joseph II put down Tugut¡¯s secret letter¡ªhis Foreign Minister had just arrived in Bavaria; the letter had been brought back by a messenger galloping for three days¡ªand his pale face finally showed a faint smile as he said to Leopold II:

    ¡°Our sister agrees to go snipe at Bl¨¹cher. With this, we can continue to maintain a superior troop strength in Silesia. Oh, tell General Leao to accept the command of the French Army.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Leopold II nodded, but then added in a grave tone, ¡°Your Majesty, could the large entrance of French troops into the Lowlands cause any trouble?¡±

    The Walloon Region of the Southern Netherlands predominantly speaks French and is very close to France. Austria had always been wary of France¡¯s influence there.

    Joseph II sighed wearily, ¡°General Wilmze failed to properly deploy at Luxembourg and hurried off to Silesia, leaving a gap for the Prussians to exploit¡­

    ¡°What else can we do now, except rely on the French Army? Should we abandon the Silesian front?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Leopold II lowered his head.

    Austria had already suffered three defeats in the Silesian Wars, and the people could not bear a fourth. It was a critical time as his brother was alienating the noble class with his vigorous reforms. Another defeat at the front might very well lead to great turmoil internally.

    ¡°You need not worry,¡± Joseph II waved his hand dismissively, ¡°The Prussian Army in the Southern Netherlands, along with the rebels, totals over thirty thousand men. Twenty-thousand French soldiers, if they can hold Luxembourg, will have done very well; it is unlikely they will advance into the Southern Netherlands.

    ¡°And as long as we resolve the battle in Silesia quickly, the Prussians will naturally withdraw from the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Leopold II might have acknowledged his brother¡¯s point, but he still felt somewhat reluctant, lamenting, ¡°But Luxembourg¡­¡±

    Joseph II had expended all his energy and had lain down, ¡°Consider it a trade of interests; giving Luxembourg to the French is also acceptable.¡±

    After all, as long as they could take the rich Silesia, everything would be worth it.

    Moreover, without the help of the French, Austria would lose not only the Southern Netherlands but also Luxembourg. Trading the small Luxembourg for the Southern Netherlands, which was more than ten times larger, was not too bad a deal.

    Leopold II left the Emperor¡¯s bedroom, pondering over how to recruit more troops for Silesia, and before he knew it, he had arrived back at his own quarters.

    The moment he entered, he heard his wife¡¯s angry, shrill scream: ¡°How could she do this?! This is an insult to me, and to Austria as well!¡± Then came the sound of porcelain crashing heavily to the floor.

    Leopold II furrowed his brow and looked towards the guard standing at the door. The guard immediately lowered his head in panic and muttered softly, ¡°Your Majesty, she went into your study¡­¡±

    Leopold II immediately thought of something, hurried into the room, and headed straight for the study. There, he saw a group of maids and servants standing in the corner, looking terrified, while several antique porcelain pieces that had been on the table were now shattered on the floor, leaving only a letter on the vast table.

    The letter Marie Antoinette wrote to His Majesty the Emperor, which had made no mention of the Crown Prince of France¡¯s marriage. However, the Emperor, due to his failing health, had entrusted it to his care. Then war broke out, and he had not had a chance to attend to it.

    Unexpectedly, Ludovica had found it.

    Leopold II cleared his throat, stepped forward to pick up the letter, and then held his wife¡¯s hand, consoling her, ¡°My dear, Clementine is still far too young to bear children, and it¡¯s normal for my sister to have such concerns. The Emperor has decided not to bring the matter up again.¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t he bring it up?! Didn¡¯t you and your brother both say this matter would certainly be settled?¡± Ludovica yanked her hand away, her voice filled with anger, ¡°I¡¯ve already told almost all the noble ladies and celebrities that Clementine would become the Crown Princess of France, and received countless congratulations¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, you¡¯re telling me to drop the matter?!¡± She pointed at her husband¡¯s nose, her voice fierce, ¡°You coward! How can you even call yourself a husband and a father? That woman has insulted us, and you don¡¯t dare seek justice for us!¡±

    ¡°Marie Antoinette!¡± she screamed until her throat was hoarse, ¡°One day, I will make her pay back this humiliation a hundredfold!¡±

    Leopold II tucked the letter into his pocket, shaking his head, ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Ludovica, she is my own sister. And in fact, there never was any talk of engagement from the side of the Palace of Versailles, you spread the news on your own¡­¡±

    ¡°Sigh, forget about it. We will find Clementine another suitable match, and His Majesty will surely provide her with a generous dowry and ensure her happiness in the future.¡±

    ¡°No, how can I forget! You care about family ties, why doesn¡¯t she?¡± Ludovica¡¯s chest heaved violently, her eyes full of coldness, ¡°I want that woman to realize the grave mistake she made!¡±

    Leopold II shook his head helplessly, whispering orders to the servants to take good care of the lady of the house, while he turned and headed to the council hall. Austria had a myriad of affairs waiting for his attention, and he couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted by such trivial family matters.

    ¡­

    France, Verdun.

    Just as the Austrian Foreign Minister left, Joseph immediately ordered the Guard Corps to move towards Luxembourg.

    He knew that Joseph II had no other choice but to rely on France to deal with Blucher.

 Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Chapter 319: Flying Artillery (Please Follow)

    Chapter 404: Chapter 319: Flying Artillery (Please Follow)

    Upon the spacious and smooth King¡¯s Avenue in France, nearly twenty thousand soldiers of the French Army were marching in a column too long to see the end, advancing briskly amidst resounding songs.

    In the middle of the troop, the young Napoleon, much like one nestled close to a lover, clung tightly to a tall ammunition wagon, pulled by four horses.

    Well, others were sitting on the wagon, but he preferred to walk beside it, so he could admire and touch it from every angle.

    It was the latest model of Mounted Artillery produced by Joseph¡¯s gemstone carriage company.

    Joseph had instructed craftsmen to prototype it over half a year ago, and it was only completed a few months back. The first batch consisted of more than twenty units, all issued to the Guard Corps.

    This Mounted Artillery, resembling a long wooden hut in size, was based on Napoleon¡¯s later horse-mounted cannons, of course, with some necessary improvements.

    The concept of Mounted Artillery was created by Frederick the Great during the Seven Years¡¯ War.

    Simply put, Mounted Artillery involved providing enough horses for cannons and gunners, enabling full mobility by dragging them along, which significantly increased the movement speed of the cannons and greatly enhanced the flexibility of artillery tactics.

    However, early Mounted Artillery had various shortcomings. For example, the process of repeatedly tying and untying the ropes connecting the cannons to the horses led to long preparation times.

    The prevailing view of the era held that Mounted Artillery took more than a third longer to get ready to fire compared to regular artillery.

    Additionally, Mounted Artillery was not suitable for heavy cannons. Usually, it was very difficult to move cannons weighing more than 6 pounds rapidly with horses¡ª12-pound cannons required eight horses to drag, and it was already a sign of well-trained soldiers to keep the horses from going astray, let alone trying to move quickly.

    Therefore, at the end of the 18th century, most countries primarily equipped regular artillery, supplemented by a small number of Mounted Artillery units.

    However, Napoleon, a genius with cannons, pushed the advantages of Mounted Artillery to the extreme, even converting all cannons in certain corps to Mounted Artillery.

    He had numerous innovations in the use of Mounted Artillery. For example, Mounted Artillery would use their speed to quickly advance, fire a few volleys in the face of the enemy, and then retreat swiftly. Or he would assign Mounted Artillery to cavalry units, rushing and bombarding alongside the cavalry.

    In summary, after him, the importance countries placed on Mounted Artillery increased exponentially.

    But at this moment, Napoleon was still a newbie drooling over the Mounted Artillery wagon.

    In history, Napoleon¡¯s Mounted Artillery had two primary core pieces of equipment¡ªthe horse-drawn cannon and the ammunition wagon.

    The object that Napoleon was currently ¡°cuddling and licking¡± was the later common ¡°big top wagon¡± or ammunition wagon.

    This device integrated all the logistic support for the cannon, allowing for the rapid deployment of ammunition and gunpowder during combat and quick storage when moving, ready to be dragged away by horses.

    This was much more convenient and time-saving than Frederick¡¯s Mounted Artillery¡¯s use of separate gunpowder wagons, ammunition wagons, and tool wagons, all of which had to be harnessed with horses.

    Speed was Mounted Artillery¡¯s greatest advantage.

    Joseph also integrated the structure of modern trucks into these wagons, adding wheel chocks and designing the gunpowder and cannonball modules with a slide structure. The lids of the boxes were fitted with automatic latches¡ªdesigned by King Louis XVI himself, sturdy and reliable.

    With these changes, the preparation time for firing the cannon was reduced by a significant seven or eight seconds compared to the original version in history.

    Moreover, Joseph added six seats to the ammunition wagon for the gunners to sit on. Historically, the ¡°big top wagon¡± didn¡¯t allow soldiers to ride; the gunners had to run beside it on foot.

    But having a wagon and not riding it is something no one could endure. So the gunners sat on the roof of the ammunition wagon, essentially on the sloping French-style roof. Although their buttocks certainly suffered, they bore it if they wanted to slack off.

    Joseph knew it would be exceedingly difficult to enforce the rule of not allowing gunners to ride, so he simply provided seats for them, which at most meant adding another horse. This also increased the mobility speed of the Mounted Artillery considerably.

    As for the cannons, Joseph made some improvements there as well, mainly adding a type of coupler between the carriages, like the ones found between modern train cars.

    Do not underestimate this modification; when the Mounted Artillery needed to relocate, it greatly reduced the time it took to harness the cannons to the horses, and the operation became more convenient.

    Another addition was a winch on the gun carriage.

    During cannon fire, horses had to be kept at a distance to prevent them from getting spooked. As such, a lot of time was wasted harnessing horses every time they switched between firing and moving.

    Therefore, during Napoleon¡¯s era, the Mounted Artillery invented a unique operation¡ªthe ropes connecting the horses to the cannons were left very long, and the harnesses were not removed during firing. That way, when they needed to maneuver, they only needed to tighten the ropes to be immediately on their way.

    Joseph took it a step further by eliminating the need to gather the ropes; the horses would simply drag the long ropes and move directly, while the cannoneers slowly reeled in the ropes using the winch on the gun carriage.

    This was truly a case of ¡°ready to fight and run¡±!

    Fondly touching the fascinating new Mounted Artillery wagon, Napoleon recalled the tactics of the Mounted Artillery he had trained and felt a surge of excitement within.

    If these exquisite tactics and fine weapons could be used to equip the Corsican National Guard, it would greatly enhance their combat effectiveness.

    He took a deep breath, thinking that coming to Verdun this time was absolutely the right decision.

    The troops would soon reach Luxembourg, where they would battle the Prussians, and he would gain experience in actual combat, growing into a true General!

    ¡­

    In the central western part of Luxembourg, Winceler.

    Blucher, watching through his telescope as a hundred or so Austrians fled the town in a panic, said to the orderly officer without expression:

    ¡°Leave one battalion to garrison, the rest rest in place for 1 hour, then continue south. Before tomorrow afternoon, I want to take Diekirch.¡±

    After crushing Leao¡¯s main forces, the fighting became extremely easy, to the point of boredom for him.

    Just like the recent attack on Winceler, he only ordered a dozen rounds of artillery fire before the defending Austrians ran away.

    It was predictable that tomorrow¡¯s assault on Diekirch would mostly be the same. And after taking it, the road to Luxembourg City would be unimpeded.

    There should still be about 1,600 of Leao¡¯s troops left, while he had brought ten times the number of soldiers; taking Luxembourg City was without doubt.

    His aide-de-camp suddenly rode over, handing him a document sealed with wax:

    ¡°General, from Potsdam, four days ago.¡±

    Blucher opened the seal and immediately frowned slightly, looking up at his aide-de-camp:

    ¡°The French have entered the war. Although General Delrisen defeated them at Legnica, this is a very dangerous signal.¡±

    He gave a flick of his reins:

    ¡°Order a faster march, we must resolve the situation here as soon as possible and then return to Silesia to reinforce His Grace the Duke.¡±

    Just then, two Hussars rode up quickly, shouting towards him:

    ¡°General, a large enemy force was spotted 2 miles to the south! Their numbers could be several thousand.¡±

    Blucher was startled by the news. Could it be Austrian reinforcements? How could they arrive so quickly?!

 Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter 320: Fierce Battle in Luxembourg

    Chapter 405: Chapter 320: Fierce Battle in Luxembourg

    ¡°Is it the reinforcements from Vienna?¡± a staff officer asked the question that was most pressing on Blucher¡¯s mind.

    A hussar immediately shook his head and said,

    ¡°No, Commander, by the looks of the flags, it should be the Leao Legion.¡±

    Blucher couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly¡ªLeao should only have less than two thousand soldiers left, where did he suddenly get a few thousand men from?

    His staff officer also thought of the same question and turned, saying,

    ¡°General, could it be that he brought all the garrison troops from Luxembourg City?¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t add up¡­¡± Blucher said halfway, then suddenly seemed to remember something, quickly signaling his staff officer to fetch a map and asked the hussar to point out the location where the enemy was spotted.

    When he saw the scout point to the area directly north of Diekirch, his eyes narrowed sharply,

    ¡°No, the Austrians are trying to escape! Leao must have not only called away the garrison from Luxembourg City but also the troop strength of the surrounding cities.¡±

    ¡°Escape?¡± the staff officer asked with some surprise, ¡°Why would he¡­¡±

    Blucher revealed a cold smile:

    ¡°I guess he¡¯s trying to bypass us, using all the troops of Luxembourg to launch a surprise attack on Liege. If he succeeds, we can only temporarily abandon Luxembourg City and head back west to pursue him.¡±

    ¡°That will buy time for the Vienna reinforcements.¡±

    ¡°General, should we intercept him?¡±

    ¡°Not just intercept,¡± Blucher, who always liked to charge in fiercely, immediately said to the orderly officer, ¡°Cancel the rest period, the entire army must assemble immediately.¡±

    ¡°Order Christel¡¯s unit to continue the attack on Diekirch. After taking Diekirch, he is to march directly for Luxembourg City. If I¡¯m not mistaken, that place should no longer have a garrison.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General,¡± the orderly officer said quickly, taking notes.

    Blucher tapped his finger on the map over a hilltop on the northeast side:

    ¡°Have Aichendorf drag the cannons up there to set up a position.¡±

    Leao¡¯s troops would have to pass by that area on their way to Liege. If the cannons were set up midway up the hill, they could deliver a crushing blow to the Austrians from above.

    Blucher continued:

    ¡°Alterman Corps must march east immediately at speed to cut off the Austrians.¡±

    ¡°The cavalry will keep harassing the enemy from behind to slow them down, but without my orders, do not initiate a strong attack.¡±

    He proudly flicked his horsewhip, exuding great confidence:

    ¡°I will personally lead the main force in a painful strike against Leao! What follows will be the cavalry¡¯s ¡®performance¡¯ of pursuing a defeated enemy.¡±

    Whether Leao intended to escape or launch a surprise attack on Liege, Blucher¡¯s morale was high, and with an absolute advantage in troop strength, it was an excellent opportunity to annihilate them there.

    Silesia was the place where he could make his mark; Luxembourg was not worth wasting his time on.

    But Blucher failed to realize, his current deployment had stretched the Prussian army into a long line from west to east, leaving their flank completely exposed to the south.

    ¡­

    On a narrow path less than ten kilometers to the east side of the Prussian main forces near Luxembourg, the Austrian Commander Leao looked nervously at the middle-aged man beside him:

    ¡°Major Lefebvre, your scouts have just spotted Prussian hussars.¡±

    He glanced at the marching troops alongside him, slowly advancing:

    ¡°Normally, the Prussians will catch up to us quickly. And we have less than four thousand men here¡­¡±

    But Lefebvre revealed a smile:

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you may have made a great achievement, General.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Leao looked back over his shoulder and swallowed hard, ¡°the Crown Prince¡¯s main forces are still in Diekirch, and we can¡¯t possibly hold out before he arrives.¡±

    Yesterday afternoon, when he learned that the Prussians were on the verge of Wincel Town and was scared, he suddenly received news that the Crown Prince of France himself was coming with an army of 20,000 to reinforce. He was so excited he almost cried.

    He had already received orders from the Emperor and knew that the French Army would come, but he did not expect them to arrive so quickly¡ªaccording to news sent from Vienna, the French Army should have set out from Verdun two days ago, and it usually takes about five days to travel from there to Dixie Town.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that with the terrifying marching speed of the French Royal Guards Corps, a forced march of two days covered over fifty kilometers!

    Subsequently, Leao nearly cried again.

    This time, it was out of fear.

    The first order the Crown Prince of France gave upon seeing him was to have him immediately lead troops to maneuver to Blucher¡¯s left flank and set up defenses on a nearby low hill.

    Blucher had a full 17,000 Prussian soldiers and nearly 5,000 Netherlands rebels, while Leao was left with only about 1,600 men.

    What was the difference between marching into a den of wolves?

    Afterward, the Crown Prince of France told him that he would send a legion to cover him.

    Just when Leao was about to heave a sigh of relief, he heard the Crown Prince order the transfer of one unit plus one battalion, a total of 2,200 soldiers, to accompany him in a ¡°suicidal¡± mission.

    Confronting over 20,000 Prussian troops with a mere 4,000 men, was it not courting death?

    After that, he had been virtually escorted by Lefebvre all the way to the east side of Blucher¡¯s forces, and then they discovered the presence of Prussian hussars.

    Yet Lefebvre appeared very confident:

    ¡°Rest assured, the Prince will definitely arrive in time.¡±

    Before Leao could say anything more, Lefebvre added:

    ¡°The main force of the Guard Corps ¡®hides¡¯ in distant Dixie Town to avoid Prussian reconnaissance.¡±

    ¡°According to the staff headquarters¡¯ plan, the Prussians can¡¯t possibly realize that nearby there¡¯s a French force powerful enough to destroy them.¡±

 Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter 320: Fierce Battle in Luxembourg_2

    Chapter 406: Chapter 320: Fierce Battle in Luxembourg_2

    ¡°When their attention is all on us, thunder will strike upon their heads!¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Leao said grimly, ¡°Your Highness is still more than a day¡¯s journey away¡­¡±

    ¡°No, at most half a day.¡±

    ¡­

    The Prussian Guard¡¯s Alterman Infantry Regiment, along with an accompanying skirmisher battalion and five cavalry squadrons, virtually dashed at full speed towards the Austrians who were ¡°fleeing¡± ahead for an interception.

    Alterman did not bring any artillery¡ªthe cumbersome things would have severely slowed him down.

    And to deal with those feeble Austrians, cannons were not needed.

    In the past few months, his corps had engaged the Austrian Army several times, mostly emerging victorious, especially after entering Luxembourg, their advancement was like crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood.

    ¡°You lazy things, pick up the pace!¡± he shouted at the soldiers beside him, ¡°Don¡¯t make me use the whip on you!¡±

    Indeed, to speed up the march, his corps¡¯ formation had completely disbanded; on this journey of less than 10 kilometers, nearly a tenth of the soldiers had fallen behind.

    But to catch Leao¡¯s troops, this was acceptable.

    A hussar rode up, calling out to Alterman:

    ¡°Lieutenant Colonel, the Austrian Army has stopped moving!¡±

    The latter quickly took the map, and guided by the scout¡¯s directions, looked towards the low hill two kilometers to the east.

    It was a small hill less than two kilometers wide, with dense forests on the north side and a V-shaped clearing in front.

    He immediately scoffed in disdain:

    ¡°These fellows realized they can¡¯t escape and are preparing for battle.¡±

    He signaled to his staff to put away the map:

    ¡°Although they have chosen a decent battlefield, this will not stop us.

    ¡°Pass the order, Bischoff¡¯s regiment to form up at the front, the skirmishers to attack from the southern slope, and strive to disrupt the Austrian formation.¡±

    The orderly officer spurred his horse and rode off, Alterman was instructing the cavalry commander on how to strike at the Austrian defenses when he suddenly heard the rapid approach of hoofbeats.

    He looked at the cavalry commander in surprise, who immediately shook his head indicating it wasn¡¯t his men, then screams of agony came from the front side.

    A messenger rode up at full gallop, shouting from a distance:

    ¡°Lieutenant Colonel, Austrian Cavalry has attacked our advance troops, Captain Jonas is directing the company to resist¡­¡±

    Alterman and the cavalry commander exchanged looks, both full of disbelief.

    The Austrians dared to launch an offensive!

    Alterman immediately barked:

    ¡°Schlosser, get to them at once! Perhaps this is still an opportunity to break through the Austrian defenses amidst the chaos.¡±

    The cavalry commander¡¯s face darkened as he turned his horse and galloped away, loudly summoning his cavalry troops.

    Several hundred meters away, over three hundred guardsmen from the Austrian Guard Corps in Austrian uniform roared past the flank of the Prussians at high speed, taking advantage of their charging momentum, where the cavalry only had to raise their sabers for the blades to easily slice through the bodies of the Prussian Infantry.

    In almost an instant, a ¡°border¡± of fresh blood appeared to the left and in front of Alterman. Captain Jonas was desperately commanding his soldiers to form up, but that barely formed infantry line was immediately dispersed by the charge.

    The ¡°Austrian¡± cavalry formed an arc in the distance, quickly reformed their ranks, and then charged at the Prussian Army again.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116000¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116000/57c07646102630b0b03751873adc5e46SY3JRe3J94O41tQ.jpg¡±>

    At the very front of the formation, a young man with a full head of curly hair and slightly overweight gleamed with excitement in his eyes, carefully controlling the pace of his horse to maintain the same speed as his comrades on both sides, his hand already uncontrollably touching the hilt of his saber.

    ¡°Trot¡­¡±

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    Following the Cavalry Commander¡¯s order, the curly-haired young man pressed his legs forcefully against the flank of his horse, lifting his saber diagonally upward. The sturdy Arab horse beneath him let out a robust snort and charged towards the Prussians with irresistible force.

    Yes, although he was only a ¡°new recruit¡± who had joined the Guard Corps for a few months, he was able to ride one of the top dozen horses in the Cavalry Camp.

    Unlike his previous service in the Champagne Corps, the Guard Corps allocated horses only based on individual skill and merit.

    Relying on his nearly perfect score in daily assessments and the impressive feat of slicing through three targets while jumping an obstacle, he was personally awarded this purebred Arab horse by the camp commander.

    Despite being the son of a minor official, he had an astonishing affinity for horses, mastering highly skilled horsemanship after only a little more than two years as a cavalryman.

    The sound of horse hooves rhythmically beat against his nerves like war drums, making everything around him seem to slow down, giving him a wonderful sense of control over everything.

    There were 50 paces between him and the trembling infantry up ahead, clutching their flintlock guns.

    40 paces¡­

    10 paces!

    The curly-haired young man¡¯s piercing gaze noticed a gap over three meters wide between a few infantry, and he immediately flicked the reins, ducked his head, and charged through that gap, at the same time slashing his saber and cleaving through the chest of a Prussian to his right.

    Warm blood splashed onto the hind legs of his warhorse, and much more sprayed onto the faces and bodies of the nearby Prussian Infantry.

    The blood-curdling scene made the infantry¡¯s eyes bulge in horror as they frantically tried to wipe the sticky blood from their faces, tumbling into disarray.

    Following the curly-haired cavalryman, other members of the Guard Corps immediately spotted the breach and surged through after him.

    With the flash of sabers, the hole in the Prussian ranks grew larger, and fifty or sixty infantrymen were ¡°cut¡± down from their defensive line.

    Then, the guardsmen circled the isolated soldiers a few times before galloping off into the distance, regrouping where there were no longer any standing Prussians.

    Just with these simple two charges, the Alterman Corps suffered the loss of nearly a company of infantry; officers, soldiers, and orderly officers were mingled together, clearly unable to form an effective defensive formation at the moment.

    The Cavalry Commander of the Guard Corps spurred his horse to catch up with the curly-haired young man at the front, slapped him on the shoulder, and said with a beaming smile:

    ¡°Well done, Mula! If you can make another splendid charge into the enemy lines like that, I¡¯ll apply for a medal for you when we get back!¡±

    Mula also grinned:

    ¡°Just apply for my medal now, oh, it has to be a Silver Iris Medal, not a bronze one. Because of this battle, I¡¯ll have killed at least more than ten Prussians! Maybe twenty, who knows?¡±

    There was friendly laughter nearby, everyone was all too familiar with the bluster of the young man from Ghent Province¡ªlike the time in the Champagne Corps when he fought with five soldiers and won, or when he was pursued by six girls at the same time, and didn¡¯t marry any to avoid breaking their hearts.

    The Cavalry Commander chuckled and slapped his shoulder again:

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not boasting, just like the time you cut through three targets.

    ¡°Oh, remember to conserve your horse¡¯s strength, otherwise, it might not be able to handle ten kills with you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s as sturdy as can be, almost as tough as my own physique.¡±

    Laughter echoed around them again.

    As the guardsmen quickly regrouped and charged once more towards the Prussians, a troop of riders clad in light blue military uniforms charged from their flank.

    The Guard Corps did not engage; they turned their horses and quickly rode away¡ªthey had already expended too much energy, and it was not wise to engage in a direct confrontation at this moment. Moreover, their mission was initially to delay time.

    After their antics, it took the Alterman Corps a full one and a half hours to regain order and begin advancing toward Leao¡¯s positions.

    When Alterman saw through his binoculars the irregular lines of Austrian infantry, he immediately ground his teeth and growled in a low voice:

    ¡°Order Major Bischoff to launch an immediate fierce attack! Schlosser, be careful to guard the flanks of the infantry, the Austrians¡¯ cavalry have some skills.¡±

    Just as Major Bischoff had his troops form an infantry line and was about to launch the assault, suddenly, the sound of bugles came from the Austrian Army opposite them, and then that shaky infantry line started to move.

    Charging straight at them!

    Bischoff¡¯s eyelid twitched¡ªhad the Austrians gone mad? With so few men, they dared to launch a direct attack?!

 Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 321: The French-Speaking Austrian Army

    Chapter 407: Chapter 321: The French-Speaking Austrian Army

    Bischoff, as a Junker nobility who had participated in the Bavarian succession fight, possessed a fairly solid military competence.

    Although he had much contempt for the Austrians¡¯ foolish offensive actions in his heart, he still carefully checked his own infantry line before ordering the skirmishers to strike first, disrupting the enemy¡¯s formation, followed up by the infantry line.

    The distance between both infantry lines quickly shrank to just over 300 paces, and Bischoff, upon seeing the increasingly disordered Austrian lines¡ªwith the movement on the south clearly slower than that on the north and a particularly slow-moving section in the middle, making the whole look like a broken line¡ªput down his telescope and instructed the orderly officer beside him, ¡°Order the second line to press forward as well. We aim to completely crush the Austrians before Colonel Altermann sends in the cavalry to flank.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commandant Sir!¡±

    Soon, Bischoff¡¯s reserve infantry line also started moving, charging towards the enemy to the beat of drums.

    At the same time, the Prussian skirmishers at the very front also engaged with the Austrian soldiers.

    Nearly a hundred skirmishers, using the chaos of rocks on the northern side as cover, drew close to the Austrian infantry line, fired a few random shots, and managed to further mess up the already disordered formations.

    Leao had no choice but to order a halt and begin reorganizing troops on the spot.

    And at this moment, the Prussian infantry line had arrived within less than 100 paces of them.

    Bischoff watched the battlefield situation, which seemed ripe for reaping military achievements, with pleasure. He raised his hand and waved two fingers toward the enemy, saying to the orderly officer, ¡°Full assault now¡­¡±

    Before he had finished speaking, several columns of soldiers suddenly surged out from the midst of the Austrian¡¯s chaotic infantry line.

    He furrowed his brow and once again raised his telescope, only to see that these column formations were very orderly and their charge was incredibly swift.

    The most northern column, upon taking a volley from his skirmishers, immediately changed formation.

    Those ¡°Austrians,¡± with their high level of training, required less than half a minute to shift from a columnar into a simple line formation and then, under the officer¡¯s command, unleashed a dense volley at the skirmishers scattered among the rocks.

    Bischoff felt something was off about the sound of the gunfire but couldn¡¯t quite grasp what it was at the moment; he only saw his skirmishers stand still as if they had been punched senseless, forgetting even to return fire.

    ¡°These fools!¡±

    Standing far away, he couldn¡¯t quite appreciate the terrifyingly quick reformation and precision shooting of the ¡°Austrians,¡± but the Prussian skirmishers at the front, observing from less than 40 paces away, saw every detail clearly.

    The sense of oppression nearly made their spines tingle!

    The leader of the skirmishers was the first to react, loudly ordering a dispersal to both sides and a counterattack.

    On the short infantry line opposite them, the ¡°Austrians¡± began to reload quickly. Although a few were hit by the Prussian skirmishers, the others acted as if they hadn¡¯t seen it, their hands moving just as fast.

    In just sixteen or seventeen seconds, voices rang out from the infantry line, ¡°Ready,¡± ¡°Aim.¡±

    Then, a thunderous boom followed as more than 70 guns fired in unison.

    Eight Prussians were knocked down by lead bullets, with two of their bodies rolling down the gentle slope. It has to be noted that this was the era of smoothbore guns, and such a high hit rate was simply terrifying!

    When the ¡°Austrian¡± infantry line, led by the standard bearer, pushed forward more than ten steps, the skirmishers scattered among the rocks began to retreat in terror¡­.

    The commander of the skirmisher company desperately tried to restrain his men but managed only to halt a dozen or so around him, leaving him no choice but to reluctantly order his entire company to move to the outside of the infantry line. This is why skirmishers require a higher level of training¡ªwithout a formal formation, soldiers have a lot of autonomy, making it very easy for them to act on their own when facing good or bad situations regardless of orders.

    It was not until the skirmisher company commander had retreated out of enemy range that he suddenly realized, didn¡¯t it seem like the officer opposite was commanding in French?

    On the battlefield, other soldiers of the Bischoff regiment soon experienced similar fear.

    Those ¡°Austrian Soldiers¡± speaking French moved forward swiftly. The Prussian infantry line had time only for two volleys before the columns were sixty paces away. Then the two center columns turned sideways on the spot, while the other four columns flanked out to their sides.

    After their fourth volley, the Prussians found themselves facing a straight infantry line.

    Then came the shrill cry in French, ¡°Aim¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fire¡ª¡±

    An intense explosion of fire and brimstone followed, not like the widespread gunpowder smoke from a typical flintlock gun, but with only light black smoke rising from the muzzles. Next, the Prussian infantry line was sprayed with blood as dozens of men¡¯s lives were taken by the volley.

    Blood and limbs fell upon the Prussian soldiers and at their feet, sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spine, but the officers¡¯ shouts soon pierced their ears, ¡°Move it! Load your guns! If you don¡¯t want to get killed, move faster, you idiots!¡±

    The soldiers immediately snapped out of it. Although their minds were blank, their hands reflexively began to prop up their flintlock guns and pull out their gunpowder packs.

    The firing rate of the Prussian infantry was renown across the European Continent. In the era of Frederick the Great, they were said to lead other nations¡¯ infantry by one bullet per minute. After William II assumed the throne, although military training was somewhat relaxed, the pursuit of firing speed became even more obsessive¡ªto the extent there were cases of firing without loading bullets to increase the rate.

    However, this time the Prussian soldiers were generally still pouring the propellant when they heard from the opposite side in French, ¡°Ready!¡±

    ¡°Aim¡ª¡±

    The Prussians were numb.

    Wasn¡¯t this too fast? Both sides had just completed their volleys and began loading at almost the same time, yet while they still had two steps remaining, the enemy was about to fire?!

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    With the opposing officer¡¯s loud command, a torrential downpour of lead bullets, backed by the sound of thunder, pummeled the Prussian infantry line, eliciting a new wave of cries and screams along the two-kilometer front.

    Prussian soldiers, who had almost finished loading, were now thrown off rhythm and took an additional ten or so seconds to raise their guns under the stern urging of their officers.

    Meanwhile, the enemy was almost done reloading for the next round¡­.

    After several exchanges of fire, the confidence of the Prussians began to collapse¡ªthey had always been proud of their firing rate, yet it was now firmly suppressed by the Austrians; how could they not lose confidence?

    Of course, they were unaware that the ¡°Austrian soldiers¡± opposite them were using caplock guns, which had three fewer steps to load than their flintlock guns, and their training was several times more intense!

 Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 322 The Guide to the Netherlands

    Chapter 408: Chapter 322 The Guide to the Netherlands

    Advanced weaponry, combined with a high level of training and elevated morale, assured the Guard Corps, disguised as Austrians, a significant advantage over the Prussian Soldiers in shooting!

    Thus, with a pair of binoculars in hand on the high ground behind, Bischoff watched helplessly as more than 800 ¡°Austrians¡± shattered the line of nearly 1000 Prussian Infantrymen¡­

    The enemy charged in column formation, and during this time, his side had managed to fire two volleys first, yet they still could not withstand the rapid and dense firepower.

    Quickly, Bischoff¡¯s complexion grew even uglier.

    Due to his overconfidence earlier, he had pushed the second line of Infantry too far forward. When the first line broke and retreated, they crashed into the rear line, causing a wave of confusion.

    In this era, line infantry tactics didn¡¯t allow for putting all soldiers in a single gamble ¨C forming one line of Infantry. Instead, they were divided into several lines ¨C usually three lines, with three ranks of soldiers in each line of Infantry, which was the most stable combat formation of the time. In a situation of advantage or desperation, it might be reduced to two lines, front and back, to squeeze in more soldiers in each line.

    This arrangement was to ensure that if an unexpected event occurred to the front line of Infantry, the line behind could immediately step up, and the retreating infantry could regroup behind them. Thus, a single collapse of an infantry line ¨C which could be caused by anything as trivial as an officer¡¯s heartbreak or having had too much to drink the night before ¨C would not lead to the complete collapse of the battle.

    Colonel Alterman, who was observing the battle from afar, seeing that Bischoff¡¯s unit was on the brink of faltering, hastily ordered the reserve to move up to support. He was secretly relieved that he had kept a reserve and sent for Cavalry assistance.

    Lefevre, too, saw through his binoculars the Guard Corps¡¯ brave assault, which routed the Prussian Infantry line that outnumbered his own, and a smile crept onto his face. But then he immediately looked towards the Leao Legion behind and shook his head silently.

    Even though they had gained a huge advantage at a hundred paces away, these Austrians, who had been frightened by Blucher, still showed no sign of advancing to capitalize on the victory.

    Just as the Guard Corps began to fire two or three volleys toward the Prussians¡¯ second Infantry line, Lefevre noticed more Prussian Infantry hurrying to reinforce.

    After a brief assessment, he ordered the protruding Guard Infantry to be called back.

    He could not judge whether the Prussians still had a reserve, and if they did, his forces, with their numbers in disadvantage, could be surrounded in a deep encirclement, especially with a coordinated Cavalry retreat tactic ¨C his own Cavalry, after the previous rapid assault, had lost significant stamina and might not catch up with the enemy Cavalry.

    Crown Prince had commanded him to hold this position until noon tomorrow.

    He could not afford to lose too many forces before that.

    Moreover, the Prussian main force could appear at any time, and that would be a very tough and fierce battle; he had to be ready at all times.

    Alterman, seeing the ¡°Austrians¡± not pursuing their victory, also breathed a sigh of relief, quickly ordering Bischoff to fall back and reorganize the troops for defense, merely watching the enemy on the opposite slope from afar.

    Thus, an hour later, as twilight descended, both sides retired to their respective camps to bivouac.

    Blucher, upon receiving the news that Alterman¡¯s attack had been disadvantageous, couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. Why had Leao suddenly become so capable in combat?

    It must be due to Alterman¡¯s underestimation of the enemy, leading to command errors!

    He concluded in his mind, preparing to go back and severely reprimand the Lieutenant Colonel. But then, frowning at the sky, he had to temporarily suppress his anger and wait for daylight.

    Meanwhile, the main force of the Guard Corps, 10 kilometers away, continued to march quickly with the last glimmer of sunset.

    Since they had always been outside the scouting range of the Prussian Hussars, Blucher had still not detected this army of more than ten thousand men.

    However, Joseph knew that continuing to advance, they could encounter the Prussians at any moment.

    It was not until the sky had completely darkened that the Guard Corps made camp in a flat wooded area, and Joseph, together with the officers of the staff, lit their lamps and discussed battle plans in the tent well into the night¡ªdue to new intelligence received from the front, tactical adjustments were necessary. This was one of the advantages of the staff command system; even if the commander-in-chief wanted to shirk his duties, the staff would drag him into ¡°overtime.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, now that Lefevre has gained an advantage,¡± Bertier suggested, looking at the map¡¯s depiction of the Prussians¡¯ elongated marching column, ¡°we could fight more aggressively.¡±

    He pointed to the east side of Wincel Town, ¡°We could send a detachment of cavalry to attack the enemy¡¯s rear guard, with all other units thrusting into the waist of the Prussian Army.

    ¡°Though the losses for the Lefevre Corps might be substantial, I believe they could certainly cut off Blucher¡¯s western route. Then we could complete a pincer attack against the Prussian main force!¡±

    Joseph, however, pressed down on the hand that Bertier had on the map, smiling, ¡°General, we don¡¯t have to rush to annihilate the Prussian army.

    ¡°In fact, even if Blucher makes a mistake, we must still let him go voluntarily.

    ¡°Actually, I have already made contact with Henri Onck, who is precisely the one to ¡®let the water flow.¡¯

    Henri Onck was a conservative leader of the South Netherlands Insurgent Army. At present, he has almost fallen from power, ousted by the Liberals led by Vandernoot over disagreements on the future path of the Southern Netherlands.

    Bertier did not dwell on the term ¡°let the water flow¡±¡ªPrince used to blurt out strange expressions, to which he had grown accustomed¡ªand looked at Joseph in great surprise, asking:

    ¡°Your Highness, why would you let the Prussians go? Are you worried about political repercussions?¡±

    Joseph adopted a mysterious expression and deliberately lowered his voice:

    ¡°If Blucher¡¯s Corps was gone, we would no longer have a reason to enter the Southern Netherlands. He is our ¡®guide,¡¯ after all.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    Joseph did not concern himself with the confusion on the Chief of General Staff¡¯s face, turning to the staff and saying:

    ¡°Our primary objective is to retake Luxembourg, and we must keep the losses of the Lefevre Corps to a minimum.

    ¡°Based on this direction, let¡¯s discuss the details of the operational deployment further.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    The next morning, Blucher himself rode through the camp to urge the soldiers to break camp and set out as soon as possible; he was very worried that after Bischoff¡¯s defeat, he would not be able to stop Leao.

    After nearly an hour, the Prussian Army finally packed up their tents, got the wagons in line on the road, and then started to move slowly with the sound of the drums.

    Blucher looked at the sun, which had not yet fully risen, and felt satisfied with the pace; if all went well, by three o¡¯clock that afternoon, the main force would be able to start their attack on Leao.

    What he did not know was that Joseph had already led the Guard Corps to set off more than forty minutes ago¡ªwithout tents, the Guard, camped in the open air, had started marching at the first light when visibility allowed, and their supply wagons were less than half the number of the Prussians¡¯.

 Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 323 The Strong Resilience of the South Netherlands Insurgent Army

    Chapter 409: Chapter 323 The Strong Resilience of the South Netherlands Insurgent Army

    At half past ten in the morning, the Marquis of Blucher, commander of the Prussian forces in the Southern Netherlands, received a message from the vanguard. They had joined forces with the Alterman Corps and had sighted the Austrian defense lines.

    Blucher was secretly delighted. As long as Leao¡¯s Austrian forces hadn¡¯t escaped, the battle in Luxembourg was essentially over for him.

    He was about to order a full-scale assault on the Austrians when he saw several hussars charging wildly towards him, shouting from a distance, ¡°Report! General, a large number of enemy troops have appeared half a mile to the south, their numbers unclear, but at least seven to eight thousand!¡±

    Blucher¡¯s brow furrowed in an instant. Where had these enemy troops come from? He had dispatched scouts out to a range of 2 miles, nearly reaching the outskirts of Diekirch Town, and had received no reports of other military movements.

    Even the Austrian forces defending Diekirch couldn¡¯t have covered such a distance in just half a day to suddenly appear before him!

    Two miles was almost equivalent to 15 kilometers¡ªa considerable reconnaissance range. He had been cautious enough, yet he had not anticipated facing a Guard Corps with march speeds reaching abnormal levels.

    Another hussar chimed in, ¡°General, judging by their uniforms, they appear to be the French.¡±

    Blucher felt a wave of confusion wash over him. The French? How could that be possible?

    He had just received a report from the Intelligence Department a few days ago, stating that the French troops assembled at Verdun were to depart for Silesia¡ªhow had they switched to Luxembourg without any warning?

    He gripped the riding crop in his hand tightly, thinking fiercely: Those imbeciles from the Intelligence Department, when I return to Potsdam, I will definitely report their incompetence to His Majesty the King!

    However, by now, the damned French were already alarmingly close, and he needed to respond immediately.

    After Blucher had the scout mark the position where the French Army was discovered, his expression turned decidedly grim¡ªthe troop movements he had ordered to prevent Leao¡¯s escape had led his soldiers to form an elongated formation stretching from east to west.

    And the French had appeared right in the middle of this long line!

    If he continued to press the attack on Leao¡¯s Austrian forces, his central position would undoubtedly be struck hard by the French. Although he had superior numbers, if his forces were cut into front and back segments, they could easily be annihilated separately.

    A staff officer suggested softly, ¡°General, we should temporarily lay off the Austrians¡­¡±

    Blucher glared at him, grinding his teeth: ¡°We cannot let Leao escape!¡±

    The Austrians had been entrenched in Luxembourg for decades and had considerable influence there. If Leao were to run circles around him in the Luxembourg-Liege area, his departure to join the campaign in Silesia would be delayed again and again.

    He glanced over the map, noting the position of his own forces, and then his eyes lit up. ¡°God bless, the Netherlands Army is presently right in front of the French.¡±

    He looked at his staff officer: ¡°They are a tough bone to chew!

    ¡°Send orders for the Bachhaus Corps to support Alterman in a strong attack against the Austrian forces. The battle must be over by two o¡¯clock in the afternoon!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡± The orderly officer immediately began making notes on the side.

    Blucher tapped a mountain pass area on the map with the handle of his riding crop. ¡°Have the Netherlands Army set up defenses here and block the French at all costs.¡±

    He then pointed to the current rear end of the line: ¡°The Dietlinde Corps must immediately turn south. The Dutch need to hold out only until three o¡¯clock in the afternoon; they will be able to reach the western side of the French left flank.¡±

    Based on the performance of the South Netherlands Insurgent Army in their previous battles with him and the Austrian Wurmser Army, these impassioned advocates of liberty were extremely resilient. Particularly the priests among them could continue fighting in the ranks for over ten minutes even after losing a hand!

    ¡°`

    At the time, it was less than 10,000 Dutch forces that staunchly blocked the Austrian main force, enduring for nearly five hours before the Duke of Brunswick completed the troop deployment, encircling the Austrians, and they did not collapse.

    Currently, although the Netherlands Army only had 5,000 men, relying on the narrow terrain, it could potentially hold back 7 to 8 thousand of the French Army for over four hours.

    Moreover, I would also leave some cavalry and artillery support for them, making the situation more relaxed than the last battle.

    This is still the most conservative estimate. If Alterman could quickly defeat the Austrians, then we could also encircle the French Army from the east side.

    An aide at the side suggested, ¡°General, should we dispatch cavalry to harass the French people to slow down their advance?¡±

    Blucher nodded, ¡°Let Hilde take six squadrons of cavalry to raid them.¡±

    Currently, the quality of the Prussian Army was far from what it was in the era of Frederick the Great, and only the fighting power of the cavalry, which was almost entirely composed of Junker Nobility, was noteworthy. Often, they could influence the situation of the Prussian Army significantly.

    Subsequently, Blucher deployed the artillery and the main dragoon forces, with the orderly officer quickly relaying his orders to each unit.

    The Prussian Army, originally arranged in a narrow, elongated marching column, immediately responded.

    The 5,000 men of the South Netherlands Insurgent Army formed a defensive line near the mountain pass to block the French Army. The front¡¯s Barkhausen Corps continued to advance, destroying the Austrians at the fastest speed. The Hilde Corps, which was originally at the rear, turned 90 degrees and headed straight for the left flank of the French Army.

    At the same time, Blucher placed all the artillery on the slopes on both sides of the Dutch forces, carefully guarding against the French Army quickly breaking through the defense line. Additionally, around 1,500 men from ten dragoon squadrons were ready to maneuver on the right flank of the French Army, waiting for the right moment to engage.

    One could say that, given the numerically superior position of his own forces, his deployment was almost flawlessly textbook.

    However, French Royal Guard Corps like those in France had never appeared in Prussian military textbooks.

    Therefore, his knowledge and experience might well become a major pitfall.

    ¡­

    Close to noon, at 12 o¡¯clock, the main forces of the French Royal Guard Corps had already arrived less than two kilometers outside the mountain pass where Blucher had set up his defense.

    This location, called a mountain pass, was actually quite broad, with about three kilometers of flat land between the low hills on both sides.

    However, as long as they took control of that middle segment, the sides would become impassable¡ªthe enemy could easily switch formations and cut off the marching column with a slanted formation, leaving cavalry to reap the scattered forces.

    Bertier, looking through the binoculars at the enemy infantry line at the mountain pass, turned to Joseph and said, ¡°Your Highness, it seems the Prussians are quite confident, preparing to do battle with us while also attacking Major Lefebvre.¡±

    The front infantry line consisted of two rows, and an experienced commander could estimate at a glance that they did not exceed 6,000 men.

    This clearly was not Blucher¡¯s main force.

    So, there was only one possibility: the Prussians had divided their forces.

    Joseph nodded with a smile, ¡°It indicates that their scouts have not obtained an accurate number of our troops.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter 324: Frances Inexpensive Troops

    Chapter 410: Chapter 324: France¡¯s Inexpensive Troops

    Yes, the Guard Corps also placed great emphasis on counter-reconnaissance.

    Within the cavalry of the Guard Corps, a full third were dispersed to carry out reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance missions.

    Joseph knew that at present, the combat quality of the cavalry of the Guard Corps was not advantageous¡ªthe cavalry is a very difficult branch to train, and students from the Paris Police Academy, having merely undergone a year and a half of study, could hardly be considered elite cavalry.

    Therefore, the battle deployment of the Guard Corps did not rely too heavily on cavalry, but rather took advantage of their youth, tirelessness, and passion, utilizing them as scouts.

    This intensive use of cavalry for counter-reconnaissance made it very difficult for Blucher¡¯s hussars to get close enough to the Guard Corps, and therefore impossible to ascertain an accurate number of soldiers.

    In fact, the Guard Corps faced by Blucher numbered 13,000 men, far greater than he had anticipated.

    That was after Joseph, for the sake of caution, had left Murat¡¯s Corps in Luxembourg City¡ªof course, leaving Murat¡¯s Corps behind was also to avoid spooking the Prussian Army too much, lest there be no fun to be had in the future.

    After Bertier had confirmed the enemy situation with the cavalry scouts, he revealed a relaxed expression, ¡°It seems the tough fight we planned for won¡¯t occur. There are only a bit over 5,000 enemy soldiers nearby, and 30 cannons.¡±

    Joseph, looking at the enemy infantry lines through binoculars and recalling the military theory classes at the police academy, said cautiously, ¡°It seems we are facing the Netherlands National Guard; we must take them seriously.¡±

    Bertier was somewhat surprised, ¡°Your Highness, if I¡¯m not mistaken, only less than one-fifth of the South Netherlands Army consists of regular soldiers; the rest are hastily assembled citizens.¡±

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°Please trust me, these ¡®hastily assembled¡¯ troops are no easier to deal with than the Prussian Army.¡±

    He knew very well the fervor of the historical South Netherlands insurgent army, which even exceeded that of the French during the Great Emancipation. Relying on their zeal for the republic, these insurgents had caused considerable trouble for the established powers of Europe.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Bertier bowed slightly, ¡°I will handle this with caution.¡±

    He turned and quickly discussed with several other staff officers, consulted the tactical plans they had previously made, and issued a series of orders to the orderly officer.

    Soon, the infantry lines of the Guard Corps appeared opposite the Netherlands Army, numbering over 7,000 men; they were indeed taking the latter very seriously.

    The South Netherlands side had already spotted the French Army¡ª at this distance, the opposing army was visible to the naked eye.

    The commander, General Peter Rodrigues van Witte, rode past the front of the infantry lines, loudly boosting morale: ¡°Citizens, this will be the last battle before the grand establishment of the South Netherlands Republic!

    ¡°Of course, it is also a very tough battle.

    ¡°As long as you hold the line here against the brutal French, General Blucher will be able to annihilate the Austrian Army completely!

    ¡°After that, no one will be able to stop the establishment of the Republic!

    ¡°The freedom-loving Dutch will forever remember you!

    ¡°Long live the Republic!¡±

    The soldiers immediately began shouting excitedly, ¡°Long live the Republic!¡±

    ¡°Drive away the greedy Austrian King!¡±

    ¡°Long live freedom and human rights!¡±

    These young faces were all filled with fanaticism and fearlessness. If someone told them that sacrificing their lives would lead to the establishment of the South Netherlands Republic, they would rush to their deaths without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    In their eyes, bullets and cannons were but thorns on the road to liberty and human rights. Even if those thorns pierced their limbs, the spurting blood would only make the republic more radiant and beautiful.

    This was why they could withstand heavy casualties on the battlefield; even losing a quarter of their forces could not cause their formation to collapse. In European powers, this number usually did not exceed 10%.

    Of course, the French Guard Corps should be able to reach the Dutch level, but no army had yet inflicted such a casualty ratio upon them.

    As General Witte stared intently at the steadily approaching French infantry lines and the skirmishers that might pop out at any moment, loudly reminding his soldiers to stay calm, he suddenly heard an urgent voice from a staff officer beside him: ¡°General, cavalry! It¡¯s French cavalry!¡±

    General Witte quickly turned his telescope in the direction the officer was pointing, only to see a large group of horsemen emerging from the rear of the French formation amid billowing dust.

    He frowned and said, ¡°A large cavalry force is not suitable for attacking narrow infantry lines.¡±

    The staff officer at his side immediately added, ¡°Which is why they must be heading for the cannons on the hillside!¡±

    Unlike the scenes often depicted in TV dramas where cavalry charges into infantry ranks, causing great slaughter, in actual combat, cavalry dare not attack infantry head-on¡ªdense bayonets could effectively stop warhorses, and cavalrymen would take heavy losses from gunfire while approaching and departing. Moreover, cavalry was extremely expensive, so even if they managed to kill one or two infantrymen, it would be a great loss.

    Therefore, cavalry tactics often involved using mobility to harass, looking for weak points in the infantry formation, or taking advantage of the slow reformation of the infantry to attack from the flanks.

    However, when dealing with artillerymen, cavalry had fewer concerns; they would usually charge straight forward and hack wildly to finish the job.

    In this era, artillerymen were cumbersome and slow-moving, with very poor accuracy. Cavalry only needed to adjust the angle of their charge slightly, and artillerymen barely stood a chance to retaliate.

    Therefore, cavalry was the greatest nemesis of artillery; there wasn¡¯t any other. Artillery units would always have infantry protection, or they would simply stay behind their own army lines and shoot.

    However, at this moment, General Blucher had placed all his cannons on the hillsides flanking the infantry lines. Although the firing effect would be excellent, the lack of infantry cover made them vulnerable targets for cavalry.

    General Witte turned his head and shouted to the orderly officer, ¡°Quick, order our cavalry to cover the cannons! Also, call for reinforcements from Major Hilde, have his cavalry return to assist our defense.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    Soon, all of the South Netherlands Army¡¯s few cavalry units lined up, heading for the western hillside¡ªthe French cavalry had launched their charge from the west. If they could reach there in advance, they would be able to form a commanding position over the French cavalry.

    Meanwhile, the Prussian Cavalry Commander, Major Hilde, also led six squadrons of cavalry to cover the artillery at the right flank.

    When both groups of cavalry had reached the artillery positions, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Now, they just waited to see how their cannons would shatter the French infantry lines.

    However, to their surprise, the cloud of dust kicked up by the French cavalry did not charge toward anyone¡¯s side of the Prussian artillery positions but instead came straight to the front of the infantry lines.

    General Witte put down his telescope and turned to the staff officer with a smile, ¡°Could it be that French cavalry is so cheap that they intend to charge directly at our infantry lines?¡±

    ¡°No, no! General, it¡¯s not!¡± the staff officer still holding his telescope suddenly shouted in surprise, ¡°They are not cavalry, but mounted artillery!¡±

    General Witte frowned, looked through his telescope again, and indeed saw that behind the horses were a dozen cannons being turned to face the Netherlands infantry lines.

    ¡°What are they planning to do?¡±

    General Witte was puzzled; French artillery was so cheap? At such close range to the Dutch position, they could fire maybe a dozen rounds at most. Once his own cavalry charged, they wouldn¡¯t have any chance to escape.

 Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 325: Unleashing The Ultimate Close-Up

    Chapter 411: Chapter 325: Unleashing The Ultimate Close-Up

    As the reserve Prussian Cavalry and the Hilde Cavalry Camp charged with covering the right flank of the artillery quickly received their orders, they swiftly began to assemble their ranks, preparing to annihilate the group of daring French Cavalry Artillerymen who had brazenly advanced to the forefront of both armies¡¯ battle lines.

    Meanwhile, the French Cavalry Artillery Barracks had completed their firing preparations, the horses had been driven a hundred meters away, and the cannons adjusted for the firing angle.

    The orderly officer of the artillery camp ran swiftly past the temporary artillery position, shouting loudly, ¡°Solid shot. Prepare to adjust fire!¡±

    The gunners skillfully loaded the gunpowder into the muzzle, rammed it down, and then inserted a six-pound iron ball.

    The captains of each company sequentially received reports of readiness, and the command flags not far off were then lowered.

    The firers immediately pulled the lanyards, and the hammers at the rear of the cannons heavily struck the percussion caps, igniting the gunpowder in the chambers.

    Yes, the cannons equipped by the Guard Corps¡¯ Cavalry Artillerymen had all been switched to percussion cap firing. In fact, after the caplock gun technology matured, it was easily transferrable to cannons, with the only requirements being repeated adjustments to the structural strength of the touch hole, and the trial production of slightly larger specialized percussion caps. The Royal Armory had basically completed these tasks at the beginning of the year.

    With a thunderous rumble, billows of black smoke rose from the muzzles, and twelve iron balls whistled towards the South Netherlands Army, nearly two hundred paces away.

    Under the close-range bombardment, about one third of the cannonballs passed accurately through the infantry line formations. The immense force, when sweeping over a human body, was like hitting a water-filled balloon, causing the flesh to burst forth explosively, with blood and black, sticky substance scattering in a fan shape to a distance of seven to eight meters behind.

    Even the flying bone fragments had terrifying lethal power, almost no different from being hit by a bullet. Essentially within a one-meter radius on either side of a cannonball¡¯s trajectory was an absolute death zone, while soldiers within a two-meter radius were likely to be killed or wounded.

    The cannonballs left four gaps in the infantry line formations, and after landing, they bounced and continued to roll for a distance, and even at this point, a mere graze by the dark iron balls resulted in the immediate price of broken limbs.

    Even one cannonball, due to a gunner setting the firing angle a bit too high, rolled all the way to the second line of the Dutch infantry in the rear, crushing the leg of a drummer.

    The captains of each Cavalry Artillery company of the Guard Corps observed the effect of the recent firing through their binoculars and swiftly instructed the gunners to adjust the firing angle.

    After nearly half a minute, the order from the commander of the Cavalry Artillery Camp came, ¡°Grapeshot!¡±

    When it came to killing infantry, solid shot was merely a tickle; grapeshot was the true nightmare.

    However, grapeshot had a shorter range, which meant it was often not usable during artillery duels¡ªit would be utterly suppressed by the longer-range solid shot from the opposition. But at this moment, the Cavalry Artillerymen of the Guard Corps were almost at the face of the Dutch infantry line, close enough to use grapeshot.

    After the powder men rammed down the gunpowder, the ammunition handlers took a cylindrical ¡°iron can¡± from the ammunition wagon and carefully placed it into the muzzle, before ramming it down again.

    Following the firing command, the twelve six-pound cannons once again belched thick smoke, but this time, what flew towards the Dutch infantry line was not the solid iron balls, but spinning cylindrical cans.

    In many films and television shows, what is often shown being fired upon the command of ¡°fire grapeshot¡± is buckshot, but in reality, there¡¯s a significant difference between the two.

    Although grapeshot also relies on multiple small projectiles for impact, it isn¡¯t merely a matter of stuffing a bunch of small pellets into a cannon. Instead, items like ropes and sheet iron are used to fix a large number of small iron balls together, usually with multiple layers involved.

    With this method, cannonballs can rely on their collective inertia to travel far¡ªfarther than simple buckshot¡ªand upon nearing the enemy, the fragile casing wrapping the projectiles would tear under the force, allowing the pellets inside to scatter in all directions.

    The infantry lines of the Southern Netherlands were suddenly filled with hellish screams of terror.

    Thanks to the previous round of firing, almost a hundred walnut-sized bullets swept through the crowd from all around, like a vast fly-swatter, instantly smashing forty or fifty soldiers into pieces.

    Netherlands officers hastily shouted, ¡°Grapeshot! Get down! Don¡¯t run around, maintain formation!¡±

    The distance to the French infantry lines was not far, and if they scattered to avoid the cannons now, by the time the French charged, the Netherlands army might not be able to reassemble, so they had no choice but to grit their teeth and endure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, at this short distance, our cavalry will quickly take care of those cannons!¡±

    ¡°Once we¡¯ve dealt with the French cannons, victory will be ours!¡±

    The Netherlands soldiers looked back and saw their own cavalry had almost completed assembling, which greatly boosted their confidence, and they began busily filling the gaps left by their fallen comrades.

    But merely less than twenty seconds later, the French mounted artillery¡¯s cannons fired again.

    Still grapeshot, it whizzed with a strange, piercing scream unlike that of regular cannonballs, stopping abruptly midway ¨C that was the shell breaking apart, scattering the bullets inside.

    Another cloud of blood mist rose, but since the Netherlands soldiers had crouched to avoid fire at their officers¡¯ command, only more than thirty people were hit, yet even such casualties were enough to trigger panic in the infantry lines.

    It should be noted that in this era of smoothbore guns and muzzle-loading cannons, even a close-range volley fire between infantry lines would at most cause casualties in the tens.

    Few had witnessed such a bloody, gruesome scene.

    Major Hilde merely had to look up to see the tragic sights on the Netherlands infantry lines. Turning to see his cavalry roughly assembled, he couldn¡¯t wait to point forward with his riding whip and bellowed, ¡°Follow me and teach those damned French gunners a good lesson!¡±

    Instantly, over 800 horses trotted out¡ªthis was already against the cavalry drill manual. Normally, a trot would begin when closing in at about 300 paces, and a charge was only permitted within 100 paces.

    At this moment, Hilde¡¯s cavalry camp was still at least 700 paces from the French mounted artillery, and this action would severely deplete the horses¡¯ strength.

    But Hilde could no longer care about that, if he didn¡¯t deal with those cannons now, the Dutch would be bombarded to breaking point by grapeshot!

    And at such a close distance, the cannons wouldn¡¯t have time to flee; he just had to charge over, and he could easily reap a rich reward of over a dozen cannons. Compared to the infantry losses, this was nothing.

    However, almost as soon as his cavalry had begun their rapid charge, those French gunners at the very front of the battlefield started to gather their loading tools and ¡°fumbled¡± to hitch the cannons onto horses.

    Seeing this, Hilde couldn¡¯t help but smirk coldly. Those foolish French, daring to pull their cannons so far forward! Even the most skilled gunners would need at least 5 minutes to hitch the cannons to horses and start retreating. And to withdraw within the firing range of their own infantry would take several more minutes.

    Such a long time was enough for him to slaughter all the gunners, spike every cannon¡¯s breech, and leisurely light a cigarette!

 Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter 326: The Terrifying French Artillery

    Chapter 412: Chapter 326: The Terrifying French Artillery

    Just as Hilde was confidently planning how to cruelly slaughter those detestable French artillerymen, he was shocked to discover that the cannons had started to move!

    He instinctively looked back and realized he had only run about 400 paces, which should have taken less than 2 minutes.

    That is to say, the French artillery had taken only this brief amount of time to hitch their horses and begin to maneuver!

    How was this possible?!

    He watched as the French cannons retreated, his eyes almost bursting with bloodshot fury, and immediately gritted his teeth and commanded, ¡°Speed up! We must intercept those cannons!¡±

    Just now, the French mounted artillery had fired at least 9 rounds, inflicting hundreds of casualties on the Dutch Army. Allowing them to escape would severely demoralize our troops.

    In an instant, the six squadrons of cavalry started a frenzied gallop, sparing no horse¡¯s strength. Although not yet at a charge, it was already the maximum that the horses could endure at this distance.

    However, the French cannons were slipping away exceedingly fast. Hilde estimated that they were nearly matching the speed of a cavalry¡¯s trot.

    Especially those carriages shaped like elongated, pointy-roofed houses, which were almost about to drill into the French infantry lines.

    By the time his cavalry squad had finally reached the previous firing position of the French mounted artillery, those cannons were already long gone.

    Hilde¡¯s deputy panted heavily and said, ¡°Those guys run even faster than foxes¡­¡±

    Hearing the heavy breathing of the horses and the cavalrymen by his side, Hilde¡¯s brows were also deeply furrowed. The speed at which the French had harnessed their horses was definitely abnormal¡ªno, there was almost no harnessing process at all before the cannons began their retreat.

    He naturally did not know that this was a result of the new equipment and combat mode for the mounted artillery brought to the Guard Corps by Joseph.

    The cannons were never unstrapped. As soon as the Prussian cavalry was spotted attacking, the gunners immediately spurred their horses into motion. The soldiers on the cannons used winches to close the distance between the cannons and the horses, and finally, with a push that enabled a hook to easily attach, the rear of the gun carriages was secured to the back of the driver¡¯s seat.

    As for the ammunition wagons, they were even faster. Pushing the gunpowder boxes and ammunition frames into the wagon, they would just turn and leave. The ammunition wagons were positioned behind the cannons, very close to the horses, so there was virtually no harnessing involved.

    The speed of the sensibly designed ammunition wagon was almost no different from that of city buses.

    This was the confidence that allowed the Guard Corps¡¯ mounted artillery to dare to bombard the enemy right in their face. In Napoleon¡¯s time, this tactic had a name, called close-quarter cannon fire, commonly referred to as ¡°fixing bayonets on the cannons.¡±

    However, the Guard Corps did not fully implement the close-quarter firing tactic just now, or else they would have directly blown the Prussian cavalry away with canister shots. After all, there was no need for them to fight so desperately in this battle.

    In fact, if Joseph hadn¡¯t ordered to take the Dutch infantry formation seriously, Bertier would not have allowed the mounted artillery to show their hand like this.

    While Hilde was filled with frustration, a guard suddenly looked towards the distance, ¡°Commander, it looks like French cavalry!¡±

    Hilde quickly focused to listen and indeed, he could faintly hear the sound of horseshoes from the east side.

    He immediately felt a tightness in his chest. In the pursuit of the swiftly fleeing French artillery, he had nearly exhausted the strength of the horses. If confronted with a surprise attack from the French cavalry at this moment, his men would be no different from stationary targets.

    He hastily ordered that two squadrons stay behind to cover their retreat, while the rest immediately withdrew to their own positions.

    However, his warhorse could only trot forward with flaring nostrils, while the sound of hooves from behind grew ever closer.

    Finally, the rear-guard cavalry and the Guard Corps engaged in combat.

    To be honest, the quality of the cavalry in the Guard Corps really couldn¡¯t match the Junker nobility troops of Prussia¡ªhalf of them had only learned to ride after entering the Paris Police Academy, whereas those cavalrymen absorbed from the French guards did have some experience.

    But at this moment, they were facing what amounted to ¡°fixed targets.¡± After a flanking charge, the Prussian Cavalry lost their will to resist and began dismounting to surrender en masse.

    When Hilde looked back and saw this, his curses against the French artillery grew even more venomous, and then he saw it¡ªthose damn mounted artillerymen had circled around behind the French infantry, besting them again from the west less than 200 paces in front of the Netherlands infantry line, beginning to set up their cannons¡­

    At the same time, the infantry line of the Guard Corps was also rapidly advancing forward.

    Even though the soldiers of the Southern Netherlands were fervent and the priests among them could stabilize the troops¡¯ morale, when faced with cannons firing grapeshot unceasingly at close range and unable to effectively return fire, it was impossible for anyone to keep their morale from collapsing.

    After nearly a thousand soldiers were killed by the bombardment of the French mounted artillery, the first infantry line of the Dutch began to falter. In fact, it was quite remarkable that they held out against about 20 rounds of grapeshot before starting to scatter.

    General Witte, seeing the situation of his infantry lines through his telescope, hastily ordered the second line to press forward, while from the main battlefield came the rhythmic beating of the French infantry¡¯s drums.

    Bertier timed his command with perfect precision, just as the Dutch were shifting their infantry lines, ordering the Guard Corps to press the attack in column formation.

    Immediately, the booming of Prussian cannons could be heard from the hillsides on both sides. Though they were forced to use solid shot due to the distance, they still posed a considerable threat to the Guard Corps.

    But soon, the Guard Corps¡¯ mounted artillery quickly maneuvered to the flank of the Prussian artillery positions on the eastern side and began a suppressive attack.

    The Prussian artillerymen, with no other choice, turned their cannons to return fire, and the pressure on the infantry of the Guard Corps suddenly eased.

    Over a dozen infantry columns swiftly reached 30 paces in front of the Dutch defense line¡ªwhere the other side was retreating in panic, posing no danger at that distance¡ªand then, with practiced skill, deployed into line formation to unleash a volley of close-range fire on the Netherlands Army.

    General Witte¡¯s second infantry line had not yet pressed forward when he heard dense gunfire ahead, followed by his own routed soldiers running headlong towards him.

    The Dutch, with minimal training, did not know to retreat to the sides, while the advancing did not know to widen the gaps to let the routed pass, and very soon they were jostling together in disorder.

    And the infantry line of the Guard Corps had already appeared a little over a hundred paces away.

    ¡­

    Blucher was still discussing with his staff how to perfectly encircle the French Army when a messenger hurried into the tent, handing him a report.

    Seeing Major Christel¡¯s seal on the wax, Blucher couldn¡¯t help but smile; it seemed Diekirch town must have been taken. This meant that Luxembourg might already be in Christel¡¯s hands by the time he routed the French Army.

    He calmly unrolled the paper, but his expression froze¡ªthe message read that Diekirch town was heavily garrisoned by the French Army, with no feasible way to begin an assault, and Christel requested to regroup with the main force.

    ¡°The French still have forces in Diekirch?¡± Blucher frowned, passing the note to a staff officer beside him.

    Before he could finish speaking, the tent flap was pushed aside once more, this time by a messenger covered in gunpowder residue and blood.

    As the messenger handed Blucher the report, he said with a hoarse voice, ¡°General, General Witte¡¯s defense lines have been breached¡­¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Blucher exclaimed in shock, quickly unfolding the report, and indeed saw the news of the Dutch Army¡¯s defeat, with Hilde¡¯s signature below.

 Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Chapter 327 Miscalculation

    Chapter 413: Chapter 327 Miscalculation

    Blucher kicked over the Italian-style carved chair with his foot and grabbed the collar of the messenger, his voice sharp as he demanded, ¡°What on earth happened? How many Frenchmen came?¡±

    ¡°Roughly, probably over 10,000¡­¡± the other said with a lowered head, trembling, ¡°Their infantry line only launched one attack and broke through the Dutch defense line.¡±

    ¡°10,000 men?¡± Blucher¡¯s hand loosened, releasing the messenger, but he shook his head incessantly.

    Even if the estimate of the enemy¡¯s size was off, but 5,000 from the Netherlands Army, along with the cavalry and artillery I sent, totalled nearly 7,000 men blocking near that mountain pass.

    With a defense line already set up in advance, it should have been no problem to hold back the 10,000 French Army for the whole day.

    Yet now, they had only held on for a little over an hour!

    Was the Duke of Brunswick¡¯s assessment of the South Netherlanders¡¯ combat prowess wrong? Were those fellows actually just good-for-nothing weaklings¡­

    No, that¡¯s not right! Blucher immediately shook his head again. It was the same people who, bearing numbers far exceeding their own, fought the Austrians extremely hard and even surpassed the Prussian Infantry in terms of morale.

    ¡°General,¡± his staff officer, seeing him drift off, quickly called out loudly, ¡°What should we do now?¡±

    Blucher snapped back to attention. Right, now was not the time to fret over the South Netherlanders¡¯ combat abilities. His main force was being cut off by the French in the middle. If mishandled, they could suffer a catastrophic defeat.

    He tried to calm himself down, walked quickly to the map, paused for a moment, and pointed to a marked X on the east side ¨C the position of the remains of the Austrian forces, and said to the orderly officer, ¡°Order Bachhaus Corps and Alterman Corps to leave 1,000 men to watch Leao, the rest of the forces need to pull back immediately.¡±

    ¡°The Dietlinde Corps must reach here before two o¡¯clock in the afternoon!¡± He pressed hard on a spot to the southeast on the map. After breaking through the South Netherlands Army¡¯s defense line, that area had become the French Army¡¯s rear.

    Blucher took a deep breath at last, ¡°Maximilian with two corps will delay the French here. Artillery and the remaining infantry will move north and set up a defense line at Wincel Town.

    ¡°We still have an advantage in troop strength. As long as we hold firm and steady, we can definitely defeat the French on the frontal battlefield!¡±

    Having lost Witte¡¯s South Netherlands Army and part of the cavalry, Blucher still had 16,000 soldiers in his hands. If he regrouped with Prussian forces stationed near Wincel, then his troops would number close to 20,000.

    At this moment, all Blucher had to do was to consolidate his main force toward the rear. If the corps dispatched to the east and west shrank inward, they could form a pocket defense. Then with the advantage in numbers, they could reverse the adverse situation in one fell swoop.

    ¡°Yes, General!¡± The orderly officer turned and left the tent, swiftly relaying his orders throughout the entire army.

    ¡­

    On a gentle slope several kilometers to the northeast, Leao looked pale-faced at the increasing number of Prussian forces, his voice quivering as he said to Lefevre beside him, ¡°Major, there seem to be six to seven thousand enemies, and they have brought cannons¡­

    ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s troops still haven¡¯t arrived, should we retreat north first?¡±

    Although Lefevre also looked grave¡ªhe had only about 2,000 men, and Leao¡¯s Austrian Army was nearly useless¡ªit would be extremely difficult to deal with the Prussian force of over 6,000 including artillery.

    Yet, he firmly shook his head, ¡°No, the Prince will definitely come to reinforce us before noon.¡±

    He smiled again and said, ¡°Even if Your Highness had not come, I would not have left this place. Retreat is not an honor for a soldier.¡±

    Just as he was preparing to send the cavalry to launch a surprise attack on the Prussians¡¯ cannons while they were reorganizing their formation, he suddenly noticed a chaos emerging from the enemy¡¯s position.

    He quickly raised his binoculars and saw that over a dozen Prussian orderly officers were riding back and forth through the ranks, evidently issuing some important orders.

    Soon, a cavalry scout came galloping over and shouted to him, ¡°Major, the Prussian Army¡¯s rearguard is turning around; it seems they intend to retreat.¡±

    Lefevre¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, and he slapped Leao on the shoulder and laughed loudly, ¡°You see, I told you, Your Highness has come to help us!¡±

    The latter, although three ranks his senior, laughed off the moment and nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. We are finally safe. Oh, thank God! Praise to the brave Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Now I need to return to my tent for a cup of coffee to relax my tense nerves.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Lefevre grabbed him, while yet again raising his binoculars to observe, ¡°If the Prussians are retreating because of the Crown Prince¡¯s attack, we can¡¯t let them get away with it.¡±

    Leao was taken aback, ¡°What, what are you planning to do?¡±

    Lefevre revealed a smile, ¡°We¡¯ll take the initiative to attack!¡±

    ¡°No, no! You¡¯re joking, right¡­¡±

    Lefevre proved he was serious with his actions; just half an hour later, his corps and two accompanying cavalry squadrons began to drag the Austrian Army with them as they launched a fierce attack on the opposition¡¯s Prussians.

    Lefevre¡¯s decision to bring the Austrian Army was because he knew that the Prussians were targeting Leao, so as long as the Austrians were at his side, more of the Prussian offensive firepower would fall on them.

    The Prussian commander, Alterman, who was responsible for pursuing Leao, never expected the Austrians, at an absolute disadvantage in numbers, to dare to take the offensive.

    However, as the command of Marquis Blucher was for him to return immediately to assist, besides the rearguard of a thousand men, all other soldiers had already entered a marching state.

    He could only grind his teeth and urge his troops to retreat quickly; the Marquis¡¯s deployment was most important.

    But before his main force had gone a kilometer, the sound of galloping horses reached them from behind¡ªLefevre, even when facing an equal number of Prussian troops, was confident of victory, let alone against a mere thousand of the enemy.

    He personally led a column charge and virtually unobstructedly crushed the enemy¡¯s rearguard; then, he quickly pursued Alterman¡¯s forces.

    Mula gazed excitedly at the winding Prussian marching columns in the distance. The Guard Corps had been on the defense all day; he had no chance to gain military exploits, but now he finally had the opportunity to prove the claims he had boasted¡ªit wasn¡¯t impossible to slay ten unformed infantrymen.

    Following the cavalry squadron leader¡¯s command, Mula began to trot, and soon he started cutting down the Prussian cavalry who had hurriedly come out to defend.

    ¡­

    Blucher¡¯s guards had just finished loading his luxurious furniture onto the horse-drawn carriages, ready to move out, when they saw two hussars, mad with urgency, streak past beside them, shouting at the nearby Blucher, ¡°General, a large contingent of French Army has appeared behind us!¡±

 Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Chapter 328: The Young Napoleons Trial of Skill

    Chapter 414: Chapter 328: The Young Napoleon¡¯s Trial of Skill

    ¡°`

    Blucher immediately tugged on the reins, his eyes widening as he turned to ask, ¡°Are you sure those aren¡¯t just cavalry coming to harass us?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not harassment, General.¡±

    The two hussars exchanged a glance, ¡°We saw cannons, and there were at least three or four regiments¡¯ worth of troops.¡±

    Blucher felt a buzz in his head, had these Frenchmen grown wings?

    In his effort to accelerate, he had ordered the soldiers to abandon a great deal of baggage, but they had barely broken camp when the French Army caught up!

    Ah, where could he know, the Guard Corps had almost no baggage except for shells and gunpowder. Even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince didn¡¯t bring a bed, let alone the other officers.

    An hour before, Joseph had routed the Netherlands Army, leaving only one regiment to clean up the battlefield, two battalions to care for the wounded, while the rest of the soldiers, without even a moment¡¯s rest, immediately set off towards the main Prussian force.

    Before long, more hussars came to report the approach of the French Army, and Blucher, having no choice, ordered his whole army to form lines on the spot, ready to meet the enemy.

    The Prussian Army, which had just gotten into marching order, immediately halted and began to form up. Meanwhile, the baggage wagons hurriedly rushed to the rear. For a moment, nearly ten thousand soldiers were jumbled together in disarray.

    Blucher had barely managed to establish three infantry lines when the French cavalry appeared less than one kilometer away, with the infantry close behind.

    ¡°Are the artillery positions ready?¡± Blucher asked with a dark face to an aide-de-camp nearby.

    After consulting with several messengers, the aide-de-camp turned and said, ¡°General, the cannons are en route to the high ground, it should take another half hour to be in position.¡±

    ¡°Tell them to move faster!¡± Blucher didn¡¯t know why, but the presence of this French force always left him feeling unsettled, only the cannons could provide him with some sense of stability.

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    After a series of reconnaissance and probing by both sides, the Guard Corps¡¯ infantry lines had already advanced to within 500 paces of the Prussians.

    And it wasn¡¯t until then that Blucher finally got a detailed count of the French forces ¡ª 11,000 men.

    He frowned and silently calculated that if the Alterman Corps and the Dietlinde Corps could return in time, they could still encircle the French!

    ¡­

    ¡°Push a bit harder!¡± The commander of the Guard Corps¡¯ artillery battalion shouted toward the mound in front, to the soldiers helping the horses drag the cannons, ¡°The Prussians have spread out their forces, as soon as we begin firing, they¡¯ll break quickly!¡±

    Nearly a thousand artillerymen let out an excited cheer, ¡°Break down the Prussians!¡±

    ¡°The glory of victory belongs to us!¡±

    ¡°Let those country bumpkins taste what we¡¯re made of! Long live the artillery!¡±

    Today¡¯s battle had been a moment for them to puff out their chests in pride.

    In wars of the past, the artillery was always just a support to the infantry. Even military textbooks stated that no matter the artillery¡¯s achievements, it would ultimately rely on the infantry to end the battle.

    But in today¡¯s fight against the South Netherlanders, it was precisely the mounted artillery, with their ability to strike from unexpected quarters, that broke through the enemy¡¯s defenses.

    The infantry merely moved in to tidy up the aftermath.

    ¡°`

    If it weren¡¯t for the sheer number of cavalry on Blucher¡¯s side and the excessive fatigue of the Mounted Artillery horses of the Guard Corps, they would have loved to re-enact that scene once more against Blucher.

    Just as the cannon at the very front was about to be hauled onto the mound, a skinny captain with a high-bridged nose surveyed the terrain around him and occasionally used his telescope to observe the Prussian Army¡¯s deployment.

    Suddenly, he put away his telescope and briskly approached the commander of the artillery battalion, saluted him with his hat and said, ¡°Commander, I believe that the most suitable position for artillery is not this mound.¡±

    Commander Lacoste frowned slightly, recalling that the Crown Prince seemed to take special interest in this young officer, and patiently explained, ¡°This is the Staff¡¯s deployment, Captain Buonaparte.¡±

    He gestured towards the Prussian lines barely visible to the west: ¡°From here we can directly bombard the enemy¡¯s infantry columns, and there is no open ground around suitable for cavalry formations, making it an excellent shooting position.¡±

    Napoleon pursed his lips and mustered the courage to point toward a gentle slope further west: ¡°Sir, I believe¡­ that there lies the most ideal position for our artillery.¡±

    Major Lacoste was slightly startled and raised his telescope to look in the direction indicated, but immediately smiled: ¡°Captain, that position is indeed closer to the enemy and the trajectory is not bad. But you may not have noticed that to the left of that position, there is a clump of trees between us and the Prussian Army.¡±

    ¡°Once the Prussian Infantry is under cannon fire, they just need to move slightly towards that area, and we will lose sight of them.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Napoleon nodded vigorously, ¡°That¡¯s precisely the advantage of that location.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Lacoste blinked in surprise.

    Napoleon took a breath and explained: ¡°The more intense our bombardment, the more the enemy will want to move towards those trees. And the distant enemy forces will not be able to get there. This would likely tear their infantry line apart.¡±

    On a real battlefield, the two armies typically fight over a large area, and it is common to see infantry lines stretching for several kilometers.

    So the soldiers in the line cannot see where their more distant comrades are, or what they are doing.

    Including the officers, if communication is not smooth, everyone will lose track of their own situation.

    Lacoste looked again at the artillery position Napoleon had suggested, suddenly feeling that what he said could very well happen.

    After a moment of thought, he nodded and instructed the messenger to report to the Staff about his intention to move some cannons to the new position, and then he ordered Napoleon¡¯s artillery unit to change direction.

    More than ten minutes later, the roaring of the cannons marked the beginning of the decisive battle¡ªit was the cannon fire from the Guard Corps.

    Fifteen six-pound cannonballs, with a heart-pounding whistling sound, flew over the first line of Prussian infantry, plowing more than a dozen furrows into the verdant grassland.

    Blucher was startled once again, wondering how the French, who had traveled so far, were able to fire first.

    He ordered five cavalry squadrons and a company of skirmishers to attack the French artillery and urged his own artillerymen to fire back as soon as possible.

    Meanwhile, Napoleon directed the five six-pound cannons in his own unit, quietly hiding behind a large patch of wild grass, waiting for the opportunity.

    As an experienced commander, Blucher, in large unit warfare, was extremely cautious, using his experience to resolve the multiple pulls and harassments by the Guard Corps.

    The infantry lines of the Prussian and French directly opposing each other inevitably came closer, amid the dense sounds of drums and the vocal commands of officers, the battle seemed imminent, decided by training and morale.

    Just then, less than 400 steps from the Prussian Army¡¯s right wing, there was a sudden burst of fire, and five six-pound cannonballs very accurately drilled into the ranks of the Prussian line.

    The Prussian infantry caught off guard instantly let out a collective wail.

    Napoleon saw the hits through his telescope, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth¡ªhis ballistic calculations were always top of his class at the military academy, hitting the target without adjusting at this distance was not difficult for him.

 Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Chapter 329: The Artillery Captain in Dire Straits

    Chapter 415: Chapter 329: The Artillery Captain in Dire Straits

    The French Army¡¯s artillery fire had all been coming from a position to the west of the center of the battlefield, and the attention of the Prussian officers was concentrated there as well.

    But suddenly, cannonballs flew out from the vicinity of the right flank of the Prussian Army, catching both soldiers and officers off-guard. The startled soldiers stopped in their tracks without any officers to restrain and command them, and the formation immediately descended into chaos.

    Because those five cannonballs were so precisely targeted, they caused 28 casualties among the infantry lines. An experienced Prussian veteran exclaimed, ¡°That must be a French artillery camp, otherwise they couldn¡¯t have hit so many men!¡±

    His words spurred greater confusion until an officer who had hurried over whipped him to the ground, and the surrounding clamorous cries of terror faded somewhat.

    The unit that the enemy had ¡°promoted¡± to an artillery camp, the Napoleonic Battalion, quickly reset their positions and completed reloading their ammunition with remarkable agility.

    Again, five thunderous booms sounded almost simultaneously, the cannonballs drew low arcs, and once more struck the Prussian infantry lines with precision.

    However, this time the Prussians had spread out a bit, and the toll was nearly halved compared to the previous volley.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115938¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115938/775ea6a74ba645b99be621c1b2f20eaewEMge6441DG70yE.jpg¡±>

    Napoleon watched the results through his telescope and said to the orderly officer, ¡°Adjust the azimuth angle 1 degree to the left.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±

    As the five cannons roared once more, the right flank of the Prussian infantry, which had just been attacked, was swept by whizzing cannonballs, resulting in limbs and bodies strewn across the ground.

    Napoleon¡¯s unit was highly trained¡ªthis was all thanks to Joseph¡¯s willingness to spend money to have the gunners practice with live ammunition. And the gunners were also required to improve on mathematics, with additional allowances for those who excelled¡ªthe cannons fired rapidly and with excellent stability. After seven rounds of simultaneous firing, the edge of the Prussian right flank had a significantly jagged gap.

    Although the soldiers didn¡¯t dare abandon their posts under the officers¡¯ shouts, some who had experienced the Bavarian succession battle noticed the small thicket close at hand.

    They immediately suggested to the officers, ¡°Sir, if we move closer to that side, the French gunners won¡¯t be able to see us!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir, that won¡¯t take us out of the line formation. Those damn cannons are too accurate¡­¡±

    The three platoon leaders near the bombardment position exchanged glances, seemingly tempted. Although they were shouting at the troops to maintain formation, they were also rattled by the cannon fire, uncertain whether the next cannonball might hit them.

    They quickly made a decision to shift the troops a bit westward. This did not contradict the orders from their superiors; when the path forward was not clear, it was common to sidestep ten or so meters.

    However, as their orders were being relayed, another volley was fired from Napoleon¡¯s side.

    When the soldiers learned that the officers were allowing them to cling to the shrubs for cover, they paid no heed to the ¡°move ten or so meters¡± limit and almost instantly lined up at the edge of the thicket.

    At the same time, the Prussian Cavalry had finally locked onto Napoleon¡¯s position, and a squadron of cavalry charged straight at them. A force of 150 cavalry was enough to clear out a small-scale sneak attack by the gunners.

    A French Cavalry Scout quickly informed Napoleon of the Prussian Cavalry¡¯s movements, urging him to move quickly.

    But as Napoleon observed the ever-widening breach in the Prussian infantry line through his telescope, he firmly told the orderly officer, ¡°Adjust the azimuth angle another 1 degree to the left, and maintain rapid fire.¡±

    The artillerymen continued loading their guns, pouring fire onto the enemy¡¯s infantry lines while under the increasing threat of the approaching Prussian Cavalry.

    On the right flank of the Prussian line formation, the soldiers were gritting their teeth and complaining. Although the artillery bombardment hadn¡¯t cost them many lives, each of them had instinctively edged closer towards a certain grove.

    On the infantry line, the Prussian Soldiers who were side by side with them and had not been shelled, were jeering at the embarrassed ones seeking cover, not noticing that the distance between them had grown to seventy or eighty paces.

    Bertier had previously received a report from the commander of the artillery battalion and was interestingly observing the artillery position ingeniously chosen by Captain Buonaparte when he suddenly noticed a significant gap had appeared in the Prussian line formation!

    His heart stirred, he turned to the orderly officer and shouted, ¡°Quick! Concentrate a battalion and attack the enemy¡¯s right flank! There is a gap there!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    About ten minutes later, five infantry companies formed an assault column and, led by their respective company commanders, hurriedly marched to the beat of the drum towards the right flank of the Prussian Army.

    Napoleon had already led his subordinate artillery out of the temporary position. They had almost held their ground until the sound of the Prussian cavalry¡¯s hooves drowned out the cannon fire, only retreating after firing one last cannon shot.

    They had come for a surprise attack, so they had no infantry cover; against cavalry, they could only retreat.

    Napoleon ordered the abandonment of those five cannons. He had seen the condition of the enemy¡¯s linear formation and knew that as long as the corps commanders did not miss this opportunity, the loss of five cannons would be inconsequential.

    The Prussian Cavalry, seeing the deserted French artillery position, left a dozen men to spike the guns while others scattered to search for the French artillerymen who had just been there.

    Hearing the increasingly clear sound of hooves behind him and looking into the distance towards his own position, Napoleon knew it was impossible to get back in time and loudly called to his soldiers, ¡°Everyone stop. The Prussians are upon us!¡±

    He waved vigorously, ¡°But they will not be facing defenseless gunners; they will face warriors willing to fight them to the last drop of blood!

    ¡°Now, take up your caplock guns. Those without weapons stand at the back row and help pass ammunition and ramrods.

    ¡°Let¡¯s show the Prussian cavalry a thing or two!¡±

    To be honest, the soldiers of the Guard Corps hadn¡¯t been very respectful towards this Corsican captain who had suddenly appeared among them, some even mildly resistant. Only after witnessing Napoleon¡¯s exceptional skill in ballistics calculation did they grudgingly accept him.

    Yet today, this Corsican islander had led them in a beautifully executed surprise attack, throwing the Prussian troops into disarray.

    Now seeing the fearless and proud expression on their young captain¡¯s face and listening to his impassioned words, they all felt their blood boil, loudly echoing, ¡°Right, we¡¯ll take down some Prussian cavalrymen no matter what!¡±

    ¡°Listen to the captain, form ranks! Have you all forgotten how to form a line?¡±

    ¡°Come on, lift your guns! Remember to fix bayonets!¡±

    ¡°Glory awaits us!¡±

    Soon, less than 40 artillerymen had formed a straight line, tensely waiting for the Prussian cavalry to appear. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to form a square; rather, there weren¡¯t enough caplock guns to go around.

    Napoleon then drew his sword, his expression solemn, standing on the right end of the line, silently musing: How I yearn to return to the vineyards back home just once more, to see my mother laboring beneath the grapevines¡­

 Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter 330: Continuous Breakthroughs on the Front Line

    Chapter 416: Chapter 330: Continuous Breakthroughs on the Front Line

    The Prussian Cavalry, from a distance, saw the French Artillery attempting to make a desperate stand and couldn¡¯t help but show a mocking sneer as they began to accelerate steadily from seventy to eighty paces away.

    ¡°Stay calm! Don¡¯t fire¡­¡±

    Napoleon had not finished speaking when one of the soldiers, tense, pulled the trigger¡ªtheir expertise was in operating cannons, but they had no experience engaging the enemy within 200 paces.

    Influenced by this, the others also haphazardly fired off their precious bullets. The disorganized shooting, coupled with the distance being too great, failed to cause any harm to the Prussians.

    Napoleon felt bitterness in his heart but still loudly encouraged his men:

    ¡°Do not fear, grip your guns tightly, point your bayonets at the men, not at the horses!¡±

    The Prussian Cavalry charged up to about forty paces away with a loud clamor and, facing the gleaming bayonets, skillfully veered off to the sides, swiftly sweeping past the artillery defensive line.

    They did not need to fight these ¡°infantry¡± to the death. By leveraging their speed to pull away a few times, the formation of the French would break, and then they could chase them down as easily as hunting rabbits.

    Napoleon frowned and ordered a turn, but with cavalry on both sides, there was no way to protect against all of them.

    His mind went blank; as an artillery officer, he was indeed not adept at this.

    ¡°Engage at will!¡± he waved his sword, ready to grapple with a Prussian cavalryman when he suddenly remembered¡ªas a Corsican, there was absolutely no need to fight to the death over a war between France and Prussia!

    He could surrender!

    As he was struggling internally, the Prussian Cavalry had already formed up and charged.

    Napoleon, on reflex, raised his sword to strike the leading cavalryman but heard gunfire from behind the Prussian line, followed by the dense sound of galloping hooves.

    The Prussians were clearly startled as well; they hurriedly abandoned the harmless artillerymen and took a left turn, regrouping in the open space.

    Then, not far away, a hundred or so lavishly dressed cavalrymen on tall horses discarded their short barrel guns, drew their sabers, and charged at them.

    ¡°It¡¯s reinforcements!¡± the Gunners of the Guard Corps shouted excitedly:

    ¡°We are saved!¡±

    ¡°Ha-ha, we don¡¯t have to die now! Charge, let¡¯s properly teach those Prussian bastards a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Thank God, You really heard my prayers!¡±

    Napoleon, observing the cavalry, was astounded; he had heard from the camp commander that the Cavalry of the Guard Corps was all positioned on the eastern side to guard against the Prussian Cavalry¡ªhow had they managed to arrive so quickly to their rescue?

    The unprepared Prussian Cavalry hadn¡¯t even gotten ready before they were scattered by the suddenly appearing cavalry and had to flee haphazardly in all directions.

    Napoleon¡¯s soldiers were even more excited, loudly urging their own cavalry to give chase and expand their victory.

    However, the cavalry quickly turned back around. When Napoleon saw the face of the leading officer, he was taken aback¡ªthat was the Captain of the Crown Prince¡¯s Imperial Guard, whom he had seen during a previous audience.

    Why would he come to save him?

    Kesode pulled up on his horse not far from the artillery captain, dismounted, and waved him over:

    ¡°Just in time, are you all right?¡±

    Napoleon, taken aback, realized the question was directed at him, and hastily raised his hat in salute:

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine! I really can¡¯t thank you enough, but weren¡¯t you supposed to be guarding His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?¡±

    Kesode replied annoyance:

    ¡°`

    ¡°It¡¯s because of your artillery company. His Highness was worried that your small unit might be in danger so far from the main force, so he sent me as reinforcements.¡±

    In fact, he was reluctant to come to Napoleon¡¯s rescue before, as his duty was to protect the Crown Prince. However, the Crown Prince himself said that if he didn¡¯t go, he would ride out to save Captain Buonaparte on his own.¡±

    Having no choice, he had to lead the Imperial Guard to reinforce this small artillery unit.

    Napoleon listened as the cries of ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡± rose from the artillerymen around him and once again saluted Kesode earnestly:

    ¡°I thank His Highness, the Crown Prince, for he has saved our lives.¡±

    ¡°You can tell him yourself,¡± Kesode gestured toward the rear of the French Army, ¡°but now I have to escort you back first.¡±

    ¡­

    When Blucher noticed the conspicuous gap in his infantry line, he broke out in a cold sweat. The main forces of the two armies were now at close quarters, and if the French attacked that spot, it meant his right wing would be gone.

    He hastily dispatched four squadrons of dragoons to plug the gap¡ªthe dragoons may have an impressive name, but they were actually mounted infantry. They could use their horses to quickly reach their destination, then dismount to form lines. In a pinch, they could also be used to patch gaps in line formations.

    However, just as they approached their own infantry line, the very thing Blucher feared most happened.

    The attacking columns of the French hit the line formation head-on, clearly aiming for that gap!

    Forming an entire infantry line was an extremely cumbersome task. Although standing in line is something even a child can do, to form a straight horizontal line several kilometers long required a great deal of coordination by the many officers and took a considerable amount of time to complete.

    Clearly, the training of the Prussian Infantry was not sufficient to rapidly fill the gaps in the line formation.

    The five battalions of the Guard Corps encountered almost no resistance¡ªthose Prussian Soldiers who were supposed to be in front of them had moved towards the small grove at the edge of the battlefield and had no time to return.

    Thus, the five columns plunged into the Prussian infantry line without even rearranging their formation.

    Immediately after, the latter descended into chaos.

    Most of the soldiers continued to advance in the decisive battle pace they had been trained for, while those near the gap frantically raised their guns to fire sideways at the French, gradually turning the whole line formation into a slanting line.

    A few minutes later, the drumbeat of the Guard Corps was already audible from 50 steps away.

    As thousands of caplock guns erupted in a volley, the Prussian infantry line instantly fell, seventy or eighty men down. When the disheveled Prussians began to return fire, less than a third of the soldiers joined the volley¡ªothers were either grappling with the charging French or too far away to be within effective range.

    The Infantry of the Guard Corps quickly reloaded and advanced another 10 steps before launching a second volley.

    From a distance, Bertier saw that the enemy¡¯s right wing had collapsed and the protruding left wing was being relentlessly pushed back by the Guard Corps. He immediately ordered a decisive bayonet charge for the whole army.

    After the brief sound of the signal call had repeated three times, the drummers immediately changed their rhythm, playing the military drum at the fastest pace.

    Under the command of the officers, the soldiers of the Guard Corps raised their guns to waist height, bayonets pointing straight ahead.

    A few minutes later, the narrow line of infantry shouted as they charged the Prussians, who, already disordered by the previous volleys, had no intention of engaging in combat and began to flee towards the rear, led by their officers.

    With their morale soaring through the skies, the Guard Corps swept over the Prussian infantry line, leaving behind only a landscape of bodies and trembling captives kneeling on the ground.

    Before Blucher¡¯s command to prepare the second infantry line to meet the enemy could be passed down, the first French column that had penetrated the gap charged unstoppably toward the Prussian¡¯s second line of defense and rapidly deployed into a horizontal formation.

    They then launched a volley at the still bewildered Prussian Soldiers.

    Though they were only 500 men, the Prussian Soldiers heard the thunderous war cries from ahead and vaguely heard the officers say that the front line had been breached, assuming this was the main French force before them.

    The feeling of fear magnified the perception of the casualties, and when the 500 men of the Guard Corps fired their second volley, the right wing of the Prussian infantry line, which hadn¡¯t suffered many losses, actually collapsed.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter 331: The Great Victory of Luxembourg

    Chapter 417: Chapter 331: The Great Victory of Luxembourg

    When large formations engaged in combat, a continuous collapse at the frontline inevitably led to immense chaos.

    Blucher personally commanded the third infantry line and committed all his reserves, yet he was still unable to restore order among the soldiers at the front.

    Soon, a large number of Prussian rout soldiers, driven by the Guard Corps, turned around and surged toward their own last line of defense.

    The Prussian cannons, which had originally occupied favorable firing positions, now faced a mix of French and Prussian soldiers and could not find a clear target to attack.

    Instead, the Mounted Artillery of the Guard swiftly maneuvered to a higher position on the western side and began barraging the Prussian infantry lines from behind under the protection of the cavalry.

    Watching the Prussian soldiers scurrying about like ants whose nest had been destroyed, and hearing the deafening sound of French artillery, Blucher knew the battle was no longer tenable.

    He bent his riding crop with force, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and said to the orderly officer with difficulty, ¡°Order the Maximilian-led infantry line to hold the French here until five in the afternoon. The artillery battalion should stay back to assist in defense.¡±

    This infantry line was their only hope in holding back the French, and the artillery, being slow to move, was unlikely to retreat successfully. Therefore, he entrusted these tasks to the defensively skilled Lieutenant Colonel Maximilian, hoping to withdraw as many troops as possible.

    As long as they could retreat to Liege, they could meet up with the South Netherlands Insurgent Army there, reorganize their forces, and then¡­ hold out until reinforcements from Potsdam arrived.

    Blucher knew that after this significant defeat, it would be difficult for the Prussian Army in the Southern Netherlands to directly challenge the French Army in the short term, but this was merely a surprise attack from the French, catching him off guard.

    With a sufficient replenishment of forces and his full effort in commanding the battle, he was certain that he could defeat these damned French and wash away the disgrace of today!

    He turned around and sighed, then made a final gesture to the orderly officer, ¡°Everyone else must immediately retreat to Wincel Town. Additionally, inform Altermann and Dietlind to cancel their mission and head to Wincel Town at the fastest speed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    1.5 kilometers to the southeast, on the high ground, Bertier received the report from the hussars and immediately turned to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, it seems the Prussians are about to run.

    ¡°If we commit our reserves to strengthen the frontal assault in combination with a cavalry flanking attack, there¡¯s a good chance we could break their defense line before they can exit the battlefield. That¡¯s their last line of defense.¡±

    In their current state of disarray, the Prussian Army would find it anything but easy to retreat. For starters, just to convey the retreat order to every junior officer would take at least 40 minutes. Then the officers would need to collect their units and form at least a basic formation before they could move towards Wincel; all this would take at least another hour and a half.

    As for running without forming up? That wouldn¡¯t be a retreat; it would be a rout. Most soldiers would likely find a nearby village to hide in. If Blucher comes out with 1,000 men by the time he gets to Wincel Town, it would be because he was devout enough, and Jesus granted him special favor.

    Joseph, however, just shook his head with a smile, ¡°Oh no, by doing that, you might just capture Marquis Blucher.¡±

    Bertier was about to say ¡°that would be great,¡± but he suddenly remembered the ¡°leniency¡± His Highness had mentioned before. He paused, looking puzzled, and hesitantly asked, ¡°You mean to let them go?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Joseph replied with a smile, looking at the chief of staff, ¡°As long as that Marquis does not stop his retreat, he will be the best friend of France.¡±

    Seeing the befuddled expression on Bertier¡¯s face, Joseph simply explained his Netherlands strategy, ¡°We didn¡¯t come here to fight Austria¡¯s war for free.¡±

    He pointed towards the northwest, ¡°Through this war, we will reclaim the Walloon Region.¡±

    Yes, ¡°reclaim.¡± Although France had only ruled over the Walloon Region for a few decades, from that time on, it would forever be French territory.

    He continued, ¡°However, if our troops rashly enter the Southern Netherlands, it will inevitably provoke strong opposition from Austria.

    ¡°Then we would need a sufficient reason, such as Marquis Blucher¡¯s army wreaking havoc in the Southern Netherlands¡­¡±

    After he briefly finished outlining the plan for the Southern Netherlands, Bertier was brimming with admiration, nodding subconsciously, ¡°You are truly the most outstanding strategist, Your Highness. With this, Emperor Joseph II will certainly be very grateful to France¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Joseph approached the map, ¡°Now, you must deploy the final battles.

    ¡°The remnants of the Prussian Army that are left behind must be eliminated as much as possible, while also minimizing our casualties.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Bertier immediately got into action, issuing a series of orders swiftly based on the situation on the battlefield.

    ¡­

    Blucher looked back at his disheartened soldiers and let out a long sigh of relief.

    The French Army had just temporarily halted their frontal assault, allowing him to gather his scattered troops with composure, ultimately retreating with nearly 7000 men.

    He had now withdrawn to a place less than 4 kilometers from Wincel Town, and if Colonel Altermann and Dietlind¡¯s two corps could successfully return, he would still have an army of 14,000, still capable of fighting the French.

    ¡°Those pampered French people,¡± he sneered, ¡°Most likely, the previous battle has worn them out, so they stopped to drink their fill of wine before continuing to fight.

    ¡°Because of this, they will never be able to defeat the immensely determined Prussians¡­¡±

    As he was muttering under his breath, a staff officer hastened on horseback to report the reconnaissance results of the Hussars, ¡°General, it seems the French want to bypass Lieutenant Colonel Maximilian. They are dividing their forces between Russembourg Village and Voli¨¨res Village to the west, but have left their cavalry in place.¡±

    ¡°Detour?¡± Blucher scoffed, ¡°Going through those two villages will take them an extra mile¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he suddenly realized something and his brow furrowed. The French weren¡¯t trying to pursue him but to encircle Maximilian!

    He sighed in resignation, knowing that Maximilian was intended as a sacrifice anyway. As long as Altermann and Dietlind¡¯s corps returned successfully, the loss would still be within acceptable limits¡­

    However, just as his thoughts were whirling, another messenger arrived, urgently reporting, ¡°General, Colonel Altermann has been held up by Leao¡¯s Austrian Army. The situation is dire, and he is requesting your support!¡±

    ¡°What? You mean Leao¡¯s army?!¡±

    On the battlefield 10 kilometers to the east, Lefevre was commanding a thin line of infantry to fiercely strike the flank of the Prussian Army while Leao¡¯s soldiers, inspired by the Guard Corps, had finally found some momentum and were exchanging fire with the Bachhaus Corps.

 Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter 332: Friends from the Southern Netherlands

    Chapter 418: Chapter 332: Friends from the Southern Netherlands

    Blucher was destined to be unable to send reinforcements to the battlefield in the east, but reinforcements from the Guard Corps arrived quickly.

    Although there were only three Cavalry Squadrons, the joining of new French forces tipped the scales, becoming the last straw that broke the camel¡¯s back.

    Mula shouted at his exhausted steed to push on, his eyes set on a small group of isolated Prussian Soldiers, ready to add another entry to his record of military achievements, but then he heard a Prussian officer shouting something from a distance.

    He didn¡¯t understand German very well, and turned to look at his comrade from the northeastern provinces.

    ¡°They¡¯ve surrendered!¡± he saw the latter waving his sabre and shouting excitedly, ¡°We¡¯ve defeated 5,000 Prussians!¡±

    Before long, cheers from the Guard Corps erupted across the entire battlefield. With over 2,000 of their troops, plus 1,600 battered Austrian soldiers from the failed campaign, they had successfully turned the tables on the large encircling Prussian force.

    One could imagine that, from this point on, this unit would have an immense psychological advantage when facing Prussians again.

    Experienced veterans are forged through accruing such experiences and confidence, eventually transforming into something more.

    Yet Mula seemed somewhat unhappy; although he had already captured six enemies, enough for a medal, this was still four enemies short of fulfilling the boast he had made¡­

    Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, the Guard Corps had completed their encirclement of Maximilian.

    Joseph was not in a hurry to order his troops to attack, for if they crushed the Prussian Army here and then remained idle, it would seem a bit ¡°performed.¡±

    Seeing the Crown Prince was now at ease, Kesode hurriedly came over to remind him, ¡°Your Highness, Captain Buonaparte is still outside waiting for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot,¡± Joseph patted his forehead, ¡°please invite him in quickly.¡±

    Suddenly, Napoleon, his face still smudged with the black soot of gunpowder, was brought into the officers¡¯ tent.

    He quickly scanned the few people in the tent and then saluted Joseph, ¡°Honored Crown Prince, thank you for sending the Imperial Guard as reinforcements. In fact, you have saved the lives of my entire artillery unit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Joseph said with a smile, gesturing for him to sit down on a chair and then motioning to Eman, ¡°Please make a cup of tea for Captain Buonaparte, he¡¯s earned today¡¯s greatest merit.¡±

    Bertier chimed in from the side, ¡°The artillery position that Captain Buonaparte chose was simply brilliant. How did you notice that spot?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± the young Napoleon touched his nose shyly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just felt it would bring victory. It¡¯s more of an intuition, I guess.¡±

    The officers in the tent all showed a smile, clearly thinking that this artillery commander had guessed his way through, while only Joseph knew that Napoleon was no blind man catching a dead mouse; his ability to select artillery positions was truly unmatched in all of Europe!

    Historically, Napoleon had repeatedly used superbly chosen cannon positions to push the theory of massed artillery tactics to perfection, helping him win one seemingly impossible victory after another.

    And now Joseph had brought the massed artillery tactics to the Guard Corps ahead of schedule, providing Napoleon with the opportunity to display his innate skills.

    Joseph then looked at Bertier, ¡°Chief of General Staff, I think with Captain Buonaparte¡¯s contribution to this battle, he should be promoted to Major, shouldn¡¯t he?¡±

    In reality, he could have promoted Napoleon directly to a Colonel, but the young man still needed to accumulate combat experience. Historically, Napoleon rose through the ranks too quickly, which led to a lack of solid foundation, to the extent that he had to ¡°return to the forge¡± to study military knowledge again.

    Therefore, Joseph decided to let Napoleon personally experience every officer rank in the army, allowing him to grow more steadily. This could only be beneficial for him, with no downsides.

    In addition, the Corsican nationalism is still causing trouble, making Napoleon control too many military resources, which could potentially be funneled to support the Corsican rebels.

    Joseph sighed inwardly, realizing that resolving the issue of Corsican independence needed to be placed on the agenda, especially regarding the leader of Corsican Nationalism, Pascal Paoli. He wondered if the intelligence bureau had made any progress, as he had instructed them to keep an eye on that man several months ago.

    Bertier responded with a smile, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will expedite the signing of Major Buonaparte¡¯s promotion document. Oh, he should also receive a Silver Iris Medal.¡±

    Joseph looked at Napoleon, who was beaming with joy, and then gave Bertier further instructions, ¡°I¡¯d like you to arrange for his battalion commander to find a moment to personally visit his home and announce the good news of his decoration and promotion.¡±

    ¡°As you command, Your Highness.¡±

    And so, the artillery battalion commander, Lacoste, unexpectedly received the privilege of an ¡°official leave¡± to Corsica.

    As Joseph and his staff were discussing Napoleon¡¯s brilliant artillery fire, a voice at the entrance of the tent called, ¡°Report!¡± An officer came in and announced loudly, ¡°Your Highness, the Chief of the General Staff, the Prussian Army has surrendered.¡±

    Joseph glanced at his pocket watch; it was only 5 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. He had hoped to use this Prussian force to hold out until the next day, which would have certainly allowed Blucher to escape back to Liege.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he motioned to Bertier, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the matter of accepting their surrender to you.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered something and asked a nearby staff officer, ¡°Any news from Major Mason?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, Your Highness.¡±

    Several kilometers away, the commander of the Guard Corps, Major Mason, watched the trembling Dutch soldiers inside the encirclement, put down his binoculars with a yawn, and turned to ask his staff officer, ¡°Haven¡¯t they come yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, commander.¡±

    Mason shook his head; if it hadn¡¯t been for the Crown Prince¡¯s orders, these Dutch would have already become prisoners.

    Suddenly, a Cavalry Scout rushed over and signaled to him, ¡°Commander, there¡¯s a Netherlands army approaching from the southwest, about a thousand strong.¡±

    Mason immediately perked up, telling his staff officer, ¡°They¡¯ve finally arrived.¡±

    However, the officer was somewhat surprised, ¡°But Liege is to the northwest; why are they coming from the south?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Mason adjusted his military jacket and instructed, ¡°Make sure everyone plays their part convincingly. This mission comes directly from the orders of the Crown Prince himself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Two kilometers away from Mason¡¯s troops, a middle-aged man dressed in a South Netherlands army uniform, with a double chin and receding hairline, wiped sweat from his forehead and said to an officer beside him, ¡°Major Acht, please launch the attack immediately.¡±

    The robust officer beside him was taken aback; the Deputy Speaker Weng Ke had been cowardly throughout the journey, even ordering a four-mile detour to the south due to hearing distant cannon fire, to reinforce General Witte.

    And now, facing a French force larger than his own, he was unexpectedly ready to launch a full assault.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that Weng Ke was able to bring him here to reinforce the encircled Netherlands army because Joseph had sent someone to inform him.

 Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 333 Prologue and Methods of Collapse

    Chapter 419: Chapter 333 Prologue and Methods of Collapse

    The South Netherlands Insurgent Army, inspired by Vice-President Onck, began to launch a fierce attack on the French surrounding General Witte.

    Contrary to their expectations, the French Army nearly collapsed upon contact; within less than 20 minutes, a huge gap appeared in the encirclement.

    Witte evidently noticed the anomaly, and when he could barely make out the flag of the Southern Netherland National Army through his telescope, his heart surged with joy. He ordered the officers beside him to brace up and break through with him.

    Under the pressure from both inside and outside, the Guard Corps led by Mason found it increasingly ¡°difficult to defend,¡± and soldiers of the Netherlands Army nearby began to flee in panic.

    In just under an hour, Witte had met up with Major Acht, who had come to reinforce him.

    General Witte glanced at the retreating French, stepped forward, and embraced Acht tightly, patting his back excitedly, ¡°You arrived just in time, my dear friend! You are like the first ray of dawn that suddenly appears on a cold snowy night¡­¡±

    The latter extracted himself from the embrace and gestured toward Onck not far away, ¡°General, actually, it is Chairman Onck who is the true dawn. He bravely went against the majority opinion and led us to rescue you.¡±

    ¡°Onck?¡± General Witte was startled, finding it hard to associate the greedy and irresolute politician with bravery.

    But Acht would not deceive him, perhaps all the negative stories about Onck were just rumors. Thinking this, Witte quickly adjusted his uniform, approached Onck, and gave him a sincere chest salute, ¡°You saved me and thousands of revolutionaries with peerless courage. Please allow me to express to you the highest respect and earnest gratitude.¡±

    Onck returned the smile and the salute, took the horse that a guard had brought over, and gestured for General Witte to mount, ¡°Now is not the time for idle chat. I have heard that the French have defeated General Blucher and they could reinforce this area at any time. We¡¯d better head back to Liege first.¡±

    ¡°You are right, preserving these revolutionaries is of utmost importance.¡± Witte mounted the horse, then found his staff officer in the crowd, and ordered him to assemble the troops and retreat to Liege immediately.

    However, the French swiftly rallied and pursued them.

    The soldiers of Witte Corps, whose morale had been shattered by the Mounted Artillery of the Guard Corps, did not dare to fight and ran faster than each other. With their low level of training, the marching columns soon showed signs of disintegration.

    As Witte was anxiously trying to calm the soldiers, Onck stepped forward again, offering to lead a battalion to cover the retreat.

    About 20 minutes later, Mason¡¯s Mounted Artillery of the Guard Corps caught up and began exchanging fire with the more than 500 men of the Netherlands Army that stood in front of them.

    After firing at each other for a good half hour, one of Onck¡¯s confidants slipped away to a small forest not far from the battlefield and met a French officer there.

    ¡°Mr. Onck said that this should be about it,¡± the confidant said in French as if he were talking to an acquaintance, ¡°The next battlefield is near Aleviko Village. Please retreat first.¡±

    The French officer nodded, ¡°Okay, see you at Aleviko Village.¡±

    As he turned to leave, he stopped and fixed a piercing gaze on the other, ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked me to remind Mr. Onck not to forget the agreement.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. How could we forget? Mr. Onck¡¯s reputation for reliability is known to all of Brussels.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    Then, the French pursuers ¡°could not withstand¡± the valiant South Netherland soldiers led by Onck and began to retreat.

    In the thunderous cheers of the soldiers, Onck began to lead his troops to speed up the pursuit of Witte¡¯s main force, and caught up with them before nightfall.

    In the following two days, Onck twice took the initiative to cover the rear and, each time with inferior forces, miraculously drove off the pursuers, allowing Witte Corps to safely arrive at Liege.

    As Witte¡¯s soldiers and the South Netherlanders who came to welcome them converged, Onck¡¯s fame immediately spread throughout Liege.

    The Dutch soldiers he had saved from danger time and again even gave him a nickname¡ªHenri Onck, the Miracle Maker.

    After returning to Brussels with the wounded soldiers for rest and recuperation, this nickname, along with Onck¡¯s deeds, quickly became well-known to all the Southern Netherland Rebels.

    In the States-General of the Netherlands meeting the next day, the previously almost voiceless conservative members appeared energized, speaking louder than before. And their opinions were clearly taken more seriously by the other members.

    This was the political effect brought about by the conservative leader Henri Onck¡¯s miraculous military performance, winning him enormous support among the revolutionaries.

    ¡­

    Northwest of Luxembourg, in Wincel Town.

    When the Guard Corps arrived here, General Blucher¡¯s troops had left a day and a half ago.

    Inside the trading center¡¯s large building, Joseph dictated a letter to his uncle Joseph II, with a clerk recording it by his side.

    Suddenly, Eman hurried over and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, Major Mason has returned.¡±

    Joseph signaled the clerk to pause and said to Eman, ¡°Please let him in quickly.¡±

    Moments later, the Major, who had been promoted from the Crown Prince¡¯s guard to the Guard Corps, entered the room, led by Eman, and saluted Joseph with a hand to his chest, ¡°Your Highness, the mission has been successfully completed.¡±

    Joseph nodded with a smile, ¡°You did very well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your praise,¡± said Mason. ¡°Your Highness, Henri Onck has stated that the main force of the South Netherlands Army will gradually withdraw south of Brussels within three months at the earliest. However, he mentioned that convincing some members of Congress is necessary, thus an additional five hundred thousand livres will be needed for expenses.¡±

    ¡°He really dares to ask,¡± Joseph laughed and said to Eman, ¡°Instruct the intelligence bureau to take fifty thousand livres to Onck. Tell him, to withdraw from the Walloon Region within two months.¡±

    The area south of Brussels roughly corresponds to the Walloon Region.

    Major Mason cautiously said from the side, ¡°Your Highness, if that Onck does not keep his promise¡­¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± said Joseph with a dismissive shake of his head, ¡°He knows what would happen if Vandernoot learns that he has collaborated with us.¡±

    Vandernoot was the leader of the Liberals in the Southern Netherlands, Onck¡¯s political rival. Historically, not long after, the Liberals ousted Onck and other conservatives from Congress and began to monopolize power.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Even if Onck truly breaks his word, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as he remains in the States-General of the Netherlands, my purpose is achieved.

    ¡°This is the so-called largest weakness of the election system.¡±

    He was very aware that with the current fervor of the Southern Netherland Rebels and the emerging signs of national awakening, it would be difficult for France to secure a firm hold on the Walloon Region.

    Even if they occupied it by force, they would face uprisings sparked by the revolutionaries everywhere.

    In that case, the Walloon Region would not only fail to bring profits to France, but it would also become a severe drain on resources.

    Therefore, it was essential to disintegrate the parliament of the Southern Netherland Insurgent Army, causing them to be engulfed in internal strife, and in turn, diverting all the revolutionaries¡¯ attention to political struggles.

 Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter 334 Grasping the Measure

    Chapter 420: Chapter 334 Grasping the Measure

    And the parliamentary election system in Southern Netherlands provided just such an opportunity.

    The conservative faction led by Weng Ke had been suppressed by Vandernoot before, but this time, with the ¡°miraculous feat¡± of rescuing the Witte Corps, they made a strong return to Congress,

    It was foreseeable that the Conservatives would be able to stand on equal footing with the Liberals with the support of General Witte and the South Netherlands Army, and Weng Ke was bound to take revenge for being marginalized in the past.

    All Joseph needed to do was to provide some resources, balance the power between the two factions, and fan the flames of public opinion. Then the Southern Netherland Rebels would be left with nothing but political infighting in the future.

    Whether it was the United States or Europe in later ages, as long as the power between parties was close, they would fight like dogs without any need for instigation, let alone election game neophytes like Vandernoot and Weng Ke.

    Of course, all this was predicated on the assumption that Austria, the strong enemy that could promote unity among the South Netherlanders, would no longer show itself.

    And to achieve that, the Guard Corps still had many roles to play.

    ¡­

    ¡°What? You mean to pursue Blucher?¡± General Leao, the commander of the Luxembourg forces for Austria, looked at Bertier nervously, swallowed, and then turned to Lefevre with a pleading gaze, ¡°Do you think this is feasible?¡±

    He hoped that his old friend, who had fought alongside him before, could say a word for him, even if it was just ¡°his troops have no combat capability.¡±

    However, Lefevre, with a solemn face, said loudly, ¡°General Leao, I recall that His Majesty Joseph II¡¯s order was to recover the entire Southern Netherlands,

    ¡°Now that both the Prussians and the Netherlands Rebels have just suffered a great defeat, it is an excellent opportunity for you to pursue victory and reclaim lost territory.¡±

    Leao shook his head subconsciously, thinking, that was your victory, what victory am I supposed to pursue¡­

    Bertier exaggeratedly glared at Leao, ¡°Are you afraid to fight? Or do you plan to defy the orders of your Emperor?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no!¡± Leao straightened up with a start, puffing out his chest and exclaimed loudly, ¡°Long live the Emperor! Even if I am shattered to pieces, I must reclaim Southern Netherlands!¡±

    ¡°I knew it, you are the bravest general in Austria,¡± Bertier said with a smile, patting his shoulder, ¡°Rest assured, France is declaring war on the Southern Netherlands Rebels, and if any South Netherlands forces appear, I will fight alongside you!¡±

    Leao, relieved to hear that the French would help, forced a smile and said, ¡°I trust you must have already made the battle preparations, General?¡±

    Bertier nodded, ¡°By noon tomorrow, you can launch your attack on the Prussian positions in the southeast direction.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow? Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the longer we wait, the more prepared the Prussians¡¯ defense will be. I believe it¡¯s best if you attack sooner rather than later.¡±

    ¡­

    Joseph was yet unaware that even though he had strived to keep the number of Prussian prisoners and fatalities below four thousand to minimize the French Army¡¯s presence, the battle in Luxembourg still caused quite a stir across the European Continent.

    Political leaders of various nations were discussing that although France and Austria had not formally allied and France had not declared war on Prussia, the current situation was developing towards a Franco-Austrian collaboration against Prussia.

    The administrative center of Prussia, Potsdam.

    Sanssouci Palace.

    King William II, dressed in his formal regalia, looked at the Hanoverian envoy in front of him with a pleasant surprise. ¡°I very much welcome His Excellency the Governor¡¯s suggestion for reinforcements,¡± he said.

    ¡°So, how many troops is Hanover prepared to send to Silesia? Oh, I will do my utmost to support the logistics.¡±

    The Hanoverian envoy bowed slightly and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Governor will deploy an additional 30,000 troops according to Your Majesty¡¯s wishes. However, the destination is not only Silesia but also Luxembourg.¡±

    William II was overjoyed. With the 12,000 soldiers Hanover had previously sent, there would be more than 40,000 Hanoverians joining the conflict. This would greatly influence the situation in Silesia.

    And he heard the word ¡°Your Majesty.¡± That meant that the British were also very concerned about the situation here. It should be noted that the Elector of Hanover was still concurrently the King of England. Although in name an independent German state, in reality, it was like an enclave of England.

    With the strong support of the British ally, his own chances of victory had increased significantly.

    However, Prussia had little interest in Luxembourg. If it hadn¡¯t been to weaken Austria, he would have called back the troops from the Southern Netherlands a long time ago. But the British were particularly interested in that place. Was it because the French had won there, or because the British had some commitment to the Dutch?

    Thinking of this, William II said to the envoy, ¡°You must be aware that the core of the current war lies in Silesia. If we can focus our forces to repel the Austrians, or even push deep into Bohemia, then neither the Southern Netherlands nor Luxembourg would be hard for the Dutch to capture.¡±

    ¡°I will certainly convey your suggestion to the Governor,¡± the envoy said slightly bowing. ¡°However, before Your Majesty makes a decision, 20,000 Hanoverian troops will continue to hurry to Luxembourg to assist General Blucher.¡±

    The British were not very concerned about the conflict in Silesia, even the Russians were more interested in it, after all, that was a ¡®domestic¡¯ affair for Germany.

    In the direction of Luxembourg, however, the French were involved, and it was very close to France.

    If France¡¯s momentum was not contained in time, it would be very difficult for the Southern Netherland Rebels alone to stop the French Army. Once the French reached the mouth of the Rhine River, it would be a huge blow to British trade.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116654¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116654/bbe6d6ff41b443935c0025c42d6867ff0S4Ph4MXqPfPjxY.jpg¡±>

    Thus, King George III quickly decided to lend all of Hanover¡¯s might to reinforce the Southern Netherlands. And the British Parliament passed the aid appropriation for the Southern Netherlands without delay.

    At the same time, the Dutch would also send an army of several thousand to the Southern Netherlands. Although the Dutch were reluctant to clash with the French, the idea of merging with the Southern Netherlands has always been their greatest dream.

    Should the French show signs of occupying the Southern Netherlands, they would not hesitate to offend France in order to preserve the ¡°ancestral homeland¡± of the Netherlands, especially since they had British support this time.

    Vienna.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    Joseph II was worn out by the dragging warfare in Silesia.

    Austria¡¯s financial situation was also far from ideal. He had invested a considerable amount of money in recent years on reforms. If the war dragged on, Austria was more likely to be exhausted before Prussia.

    Fortunately, this morning news came that the Prussian Army in Luxembourg had been defeated, which allowed him to catch his breath amidst the sea of anxiety.

    Leopold II stood by his bedside with a smile, ¡°Your Majesty, the French have stopped 2 li from Liege. It seems our sister knows how to measure her actions.¡±

    According to the political tacit understanding between France and Austria, Luxembourg might as well be ¡°wages¡± for France, but the Southern Netherlands must not be touched by the French.

    And the French were acting to reassure Austria of this.

 Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter 335: Louis XVIs Reward

    Chapter 421: Chapter 335: Louis XVI¡¯s Reward

    Leopold II continued, ¡°According to the latest news sent back from the Southern Netherlands, General Leao is counterattacking Liege with the assistance of the French people.

    ¡°With Blucher¡¯s forces currently suffering from low morale, General Leao is likely to achieve commendable results.¡±

    Joseph II nodded in relief, ¡°Draft a commendation order for Franz Siegmund Leao for me, and also, dispatch another 4,000 troops to support him. Perhaps Austria is about to witness the rise of yet another military genius.¡±

    Austria was currently under significant troop pressure, so allocating so many soldiers clearly showed the Emperor¡¯s high regard for Leao.

    As they were talking, State Minister Count Kaunitz hurriedly knocked and entered, holding a document in his hand.

    Upon seeing his grave expression, Leopold II urgently inquired, ¡°Did something happen in Silesia?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Majesty, the stalemate in Silesia persists,¡± Kaunitz handed him the document, ¡°It¡¯s the international situation that has changed. Hanover has increased its troops by 30,000, and it is said there will be more reinforcements.¡±

    Leopold II¡¯s heart immediately tightened. Hanover had previously sent over 10,000 troops to Silesia, and with an additional 30,000, that was almost the entirety of Hanover¡¯s armed forces.

    If they were to increase their troops further, it would mean large-scale conscription, which would inevitably impact their domestic agriculture and trade.

    For Hanover to be so ¡°desperate,¡± there was only one possibility¡ªthe British had decided to fully support Prussia.

    Kaunitz added from the side, ¡°The only solace at the moment is that our spy in Hanover confirmed that only 10,000 of their troops are reinforcements for Silesia, with the rest headed to the Southern Netherlands. Prussia also plans to allocate 10,000 soldiers to Blucher.¡±

    After meeting with the Hanoverian envoy, William II had consulted with Prince Henry and decided to also send reinforcements to the Southern Netherlands¡ªsince they could not convince the British, they might as well cooperate with them and quickly eliminate the Austrian and French forces in the lowland area. This would also prevent the Franco-Austrians from taking back the Southern Netherlands following their prior victory.

    According to their plan, 20,000 Hanoverian soldiers plus Blucher¡¯s 14,000, along with several thousand troops from the Southern Netherlands Army, and if an additional 10,000 were allocated to Blucher, they would have nearly 50,000 troops in the Southern Netherlands.

    Meanwhile, the Franco-Austrians did not even have 25,000 troops there.

    With such a vast advantage in troop numbers, it would take at most a month to crush the French and Austrian forces in Luxembourg, and then, this 50,000-strong Hanoverian-Prussian army would march to Silesia to secure a decisive victory.

    Joseph II struggled to sit up straighter, his voice hoarse, ¡°Fortunately, the British are very worried about the expansion of French power in the Southern Netherlands¡­¡±

    Leopold II continued, ¡°Perhaps you could grant General Leao even greater rewards, his victory has greatly relieved our pressure in Silesia.¡±

    Joseph II nodded slightly, ¡°We should allocate more troops to General Leao. After fighting with Hanover, France is likely to increase troops as well. In this case, the Southern Netherlands could draw a large number of Prussian forces.¡±

    Leopold II wholeheartedly agreed, ¡°And we should take this opportunity to call up the nation¡¯s forces and achieve a decisive victory in Silesia!¡±

    ¡­

    In the streets of Paris, countless citizens were spontaneously taking to the streets to celebrate the great triumph of the Royal Guards in Luxembourg.

    Since their defeat in the Seven Years¡¯ War, it had been a long time since the French people had won a war against a major European power.

    As for the American War of Independence, it was, first of all, merely ¡°civilian volunteers¡± from France, and moreover, the main victory was won by the Continental Army, to which the French public did not pay much attention.

    But this time, it was the regular French army that had faced off against the Prussian Army with inferior numbers and emerged victorious, making the French feel as if the Sun King had returned.

    At that time, the French were not yet known for their future ¡°white flag skills¡±; rather, they were exceedingly martial in spirit.

    The joy of a military victory could even make them forget the worry of having no bread for their next meal. In this regard, only the Russians could match them.

    This is also why Napoleon was able to easily stage a coup and regain power after being exiled, winning support from all over the country with ease¡ªhe could win battles!

    Of course, this also involved Joseph manipulating public opinion through the news media.

    Recent major newspapers have all been publishing content about the Battle of Luxembourg, from the Crown Prince personally going to the battlefield to command the troops, to the outstanding performances of various officers, and even to the heroic actions of the soldiers themselves.

    The topic quickly reached a fever pitch, completely distracting people from the ongoing food shortages plaguing France.

    By noon, crowds celebrating the victory had already arrived near the Palace of Versailles, and the commercial streets of Versailles welcomed another wave of brisk sales.

    Queen Mary didn¡¯t complain this time about her son entering the dangerous battlefield¡ªshe had started to get used to it, after all, as Archbishop Brienne had said, the Crown Prince was just tens of kilometers away from the battlefield to boost morale and nothing untoward would happen.

    She heard the noisy cheers from the square and signaled to her maid, Countess Debreninac, ¡°Please open the window.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    The huge arched French window was pushed open, and the cheers outside immediately reached Queen Mary¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°The Son of Divine Favor has brought us victory!¡±

    ¡°Long live the King, God bless France!¡±

    ¡°March into the Southern Netherlands, reclaim the Walloon Region!¡±

    ¡°The Royal Guards are invincible, glory belongs to you¡­¡±

    A look of joy instantly spread across Queen Mary¡¯s face; since coming to France, she had never seen such high support for the Royal Family from the populace.

    And all this was brought about by her son¡¯s great military victory.

    She hastily instructed her maid, ¡°Order the guards to open the gates to the square, let the people come in to celebrate. Oh, prepare some food for everyone, and a band too, we must have music and dance at a time like this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    The cheers of tens of thousands soon drowned out the entire Palace of Versailles, and Queen Mary, with Louis XVI rushing to her side at the news, clasped his arm at the window and asked loudly, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we give Joseph some reward?¡±

    Louis XVI also raised his voice, to be heard above the shouts from the square, ¡°Yes, what do you think would be a fitting reward?¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a beautiful and kind wife¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re rewarding that lucky princess,¡± Louis XVI laughed, then after a brief contemplation, called out loudly, ¡°How about we erect a statue for our Son of Divine Favor in the Versailles Palace Square.¡±

    ¡­

    At the same time that the Hanoverian Army and Prussian Allied Forces were rushing to Luxembourg, on the far-off southern peninsula of India, Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, was also inspecting his massive army.

    It was a formidable army of 60,000 men, equipped with Charleville or Brown Bess flintlock guns and marching in tidy European formations.

 Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter 336: Undermining the British

    Chapter 422: Chapter 336: Undermining the British

    Sultan Tipu lightly shook his reins and passed quickly in front of his soldiers, and the soldier by his side immediately presented his rifle in salute, casting a respectful gaze upon him.

    ¡°Lord Jahanzeb, do you think my army can defeat the British?¡± Sultan Tipu turned his head to ask the slightly portly old man riding a horse behind him.

    ¡°Certainly, great Sultan,¡± the elder named Jahanzeb Khan lifted his wide sleeves slightly and bowed, ¡°Your great army is unmatched, and no one can stand against you.¡±

    He paused, gauging Sultan Tipu¡¯s mood, then continued, ¡°However, the British have superior weapons, and their warships coordinate from along the coast. To be enemies with them, your army will also suffer not insignificant losses.

    ¡°Moreover, we need to rely on trade with the British to obtain the gold coins required for the reforms you¡¯re implementing.¡±

    Sultan Tipu nodded slightly. This Jahanzeb Khan was a minister heavily relied upon since his father¡¯s time, and his opinions were naturally not to be ignored.

    ¡°So, you think I should drive out those French?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Jahanzeb Khan took two steps forward, speaking in a low voice, ¡°They have brought quite a number of weapons and technologies, and you can completely make use of these for what you want to do.

    ¡°As for their desire to use your strength against the British, we just need to keep stringing them along.

    ¡°Right now, the most important thing is to teach Travancore a lesson with a force as colossal as mountains and seas, to deter other nations and prevent them from daring to be our enemies.

    ¡°And after the British see our strength, they will definitely choose to cooperate with us.¡±

    Sultan Tipu nodded and raised his hand to point south with his riding crop, ¡°Then at the beginning of next month, we shall march on Travancore. As for the French, leave them to you to entertain.¡±

    ¡°Yes, great Sultan.¡±

    In a luxurious building in the southern part of Mysore City, Lafayette paced back and forth with irritation.

    He had been in India for a month now and had several times suggested to Tipu Sultan that they should take the initiative to attack the English. He had even devised the battle plans, but the stubborn leader of Mysore had yet to agree.

    Here he spent each day either attending banquets or being asked to oversee military training, but he saw no hope of accomplishing the Crown Prince¡¯s plan.

    And his own rapid rise to success would turn into a mirage!

    Lafayette suddenly stopped and signaled for a servant to fetch his coat, then said to an attendant, ¡°Go invite Mister Salah.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General.¡±

    Soon, a man around thirty years old, dressed in Arab-style robes with neatly trimmed sideburns, stood outside his door, offering a chest salute and said in French tinted with a North African accent, ¡°General, you wanted to see me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please accompany me to Ambavilas Palace; I must convince him!¡± Lafayette strode towards the carriage in the courtyard, ¡°The rainy season is approaching, at which time large-scale combat is impossible.¡±

    Salah hurried to catch up, ¡°General, you have already spoken with Tipu Sultan five times, and he seems quite reluctant to accept your opinions.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all that old man named Jahanzeb!¡± Lafayette hopped into the carriage, frustrated, ¡°Every time I talk about the importance of defeating the British, he interrupts with ¡®The British are here for trade,¡¯ and ¡®They bear no ill will towards Mysore¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°And ¡®the war stemmed merely from a trade dispute.''¡± Salah added, ¡°He is indeed a problem. To my knowledge, there are quite a few pro-British forces in Mysore, and Jahanzeb Khan is their representative.¡±

    As the carriage slowly set off, Lafayette¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold, ¡°Perhaps, I really should get help from intelligence to make that guy disappear for good!¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s too risky,¡± Salah said. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten the instructions His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave you before you left. I believe it¡¯s time to try those methods now.¡±

    ¡°The Crown Prince?¡± Lafayette immediately shook his head, the Crown Prince¡¯s ¡°special methods¡± were practically a joke.

    What ¡°telling stories to the people of Mysore,¡± ¡°labeling those who oppose,¡± ¡°using mythology to guide the public opinion of Mysore,¡± ¡°even considering a marriage alliance with Sultan Tipu¡±¡­

    Salah tentatively suggested, ¡°If you need to be occupied with negotiating with Sultan Tipu, allow me to implement these methods of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. What do you think about that?¡±

    Lafayette, frustrated, raked his fingers through his hair and absently said, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±

    When Lafayette left the palace of Sultan Tipu an hour later with a heavy heart, Salah did not return to the inn with him, but instead hurried towards the west of the city.

    With the help of the intelligence bureau, Salah, the second consul of France in Mysore, easily met with Mysore¡¯s General Sheikh Khan. The intelligence bureau, though it had only been in Mysore for less than a month, quickly set up a usable intelligence network with the help of former employees of the French East India Company. They had even extended their reach beyond Mysore, into several other princely states.

    Sallah, a Muslim from Tunisia, got along quite well with General Sheikh Khan, who spoke French. The latter had been part of Sultan Tipu¡¯s military reforms and had gone to Europe to study military technology. He learned French in the Ottoman Empire.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Jahanzeb Khan must have accepted benefits from the British,¡± Sheikh Khan, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, nodded continuously as he looked at Salah. ¡°However, His Majesty the Sultan trusts him very much, and we can¡¯t even criticize him in front of the Sultan.¡±

    Salah came to see Sheikh Khan precisely because the man was a political opponent of Jahanzeb Khan.

    Salah said with a smile, ¡°You can completely let others oppose him.¡±

    ¡°Others?¡±

    ¡°Such as the lesser nobles, or even the common people.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±

    ¡°If Jahanzeb Khan is pro-British, then we shall make the British lose the hearts of the people¡­¡±

    Salah and Sheikh Khan discussed until 5 p.m., and Salah prepared to stand up and leave. As he was about to leave, he seemingly remembered something and said to the other, ¡°I wonder if His Majesty the Sultan would be interested in an alliance by marriage with France?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sheikh Khan¡¯s face lit up with ecstasy, and he nodded vigorously without any hesitation.

    You see, since the time of his father, Sultan Tipu had begun learning from Europe, aiming to strengthen Mysore. And as he continued to contact Europe and learned of the West¡¯s advancements, he unavoidably developed a strong admiration for the European powers. Basically, he was a ¡°Europhile.¡±

    Sultan Tipu himself could speak English, French, and Turkish.

    However, the European major powers were rather cool towards this indigenous person from the Far East, who was also a nonbeliever, and in the end, he had to settle for less and reached out to the Ottoman Empire.

    Thus, Mysore¡¯s military training system was largely modeled after the new army of the Ottoman, and they had also learned a little from the people of the British and French East India companies.

    Now that France, a top major power of Europe, expressed an interest in a marital alliance with Sultan Tipu, how could he not be ecstatic?

    But Sheikh Khan immediately thought of a serious issue: ¡°Mr. Consul, if there¡¯s a marital alliance, would it require conversion?¡±

    ¡°Conversion¡± means changing one¡¯s religious beliefs. Mysore practiced Islam or Hinduism, while France was Catholic. If there was to be a marriage, surely one side would have to convert.

    Salah laughed and shook his head: ¡°Of course not, General. Mysore could welcome a Muslim princess as a bride.¡±

 Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Chapter 337: Betrothal Gifts and Dowry (Please Follow)

    Chapter 423: Chapter 337: Betrothal Gifts and Dowry (Please Follow)

    Mysore City, Ambavilas Palace.

    This was originally the palace of the Maharaja, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, though now it had been largely ¡°requisitioned¡± by Sultan Tipu.

    In a spacious and cool hall on the west side of the palace, Sultan Tipu, barely able to contain his excitement, grabbed Sheikh Khan by the arm, ¡°Are you saying that France wants to send a princess to Mysore?¡±

    As arranged by Salah, the second consul of France in Mysore, he did not directly approach Tipu with this matter, but let Sheikh Khan tell Tipu. In this way, Sheikh Khan could become the de facto facilitator of the Franco-Mysore marriage alliance, greatly enhancing his political status and providing convenience for the future joint effort to overthrow the pro-British Jahanzeb Khan.

    ¡°Indeed, great Sultan,¡± Sheikh Khan sat up straight and placed his hand over his chest, ¡°and she is a princess who believes in Islam!¡±

    However, upon hearing this Sultan Tipu was taken aback. He was quite familiar with the European countries and knew that France was a pillar of Catholicism in Europe. How could there be a princess who believed in Islam coming out of the Royal Family?

    Noticing his confusion, Sheikh Khan hastened to relay Salah¡¯s original words, ¡°Your Majesty, the French consul said that the princess is from Tunisia, named Amira Slichi, 15 years old, beautiful and intelligent¡­¡±

    ¡°Tunisia?¡± Sultan Tipu blinked and then remembered the recent news¡ªTunisia had been incorporated into France, ¡°How could the Tunisians be princesses?¡±

    Sheikh Khan continued to explain using Salah¡¯s words, ¡°Your Majesty, although Tunisia has merged with France, it is still a kingdom, and the brother of Princess Amira is the ¡®Bey¡¯ of Tunis, oh, now he has been renamed the Duke of Tunis.¡±

    Sultan Tipu couldn¡¯t help nodding slightly. He knew that in Europe this situation was quite common. For instance, the Holy Roman Empire, they had a common Emperor of Holy Rome, but the states underneath also had their own grand dukes, and their children and sisters were princesses too.

    Yet even a princess from Tunisia was very satisfying to him, as she was a princess of a French state, and there was no one else across the entire peninsula who could claim an alliance with a great European power.

    This would greatly enhance the prestige of Mysore, making it a premier kingdom on the peninsula!

    ¡°The princess is 15 years old?¡± he mused, ¡°Just right for Prince Pratiba who is 17 years old, let them¡­¡±

    Sheikh Khan, however, wore a smug smile and interrupted him unceremoniously, ¡°Your Majesty, the intent of the French consul is for Princess Amira to marry Prince Nawaz.¡±

    The eyes of Sultan Tipu immediately widened, for Nawaz was his son!

    Although Mysore was currently under his, Tipu¡¯s, command, in reality, there was still a ¡°Maharaja¡± above him, the supreme ruler of Mysore. Tipu¡¯s father, Hyder, originally an officer in Mysore, had taken complete control of the army 30 years ago, sidelining the Wadiyar family¡¯s kings and seizing the real power in Mysore.

    This Wadiyar family would become a food industry giant in India in the 21st century, manipulating legal articles in cooperation with the French Danone Group, suing Danone, and ultimately fleecing them for 2.4 billion US dollars¡­

    But at this moment, the nominal ruler of Mysore was still the Wadiyar family, and thus Tipu had always assumed that France intended to forge an alliance through marriage with the Wadiyar family.

    Yet unexpectedly, the French had chosen him!

    This meant that the French Government regarded him as the actual ruler of Mysore, or at least that he would be in the future.

    With the support of France, he might be able to toss the Wadiyar family into the rubbish heap for good!

    He excitedly looked at Sheikh Khan, about to give his consent, when he suddenly remembered that the French wanted him to confront England, and immediately he felt somewhat deflated.

    He also greatly disliked the British, but England¡¯s power was indeed formidable, and with the support of Maratha and Hyderabad, he really did not want to provoke England.

    Sheikh Khan saw his hesitation and quickly threw out the ¡°cake¡± that Salah had given, ¡°His Excellency, the French consul, also said that Princess Amira¡¯s dowry is a cannon foundry, bringing at least 30 technicians and a full set of production equipment.¡±

    Sultan Tipu¡¯s breathing suddenly became rapid.

    This was not just a cannon, but a cannon foundry!

    He had always strived to learn from Europe how to cast cannons, and even spent a lot of money to bring over European craftsmen; he could produce some cannons, but in terms of quality and power, those cannons were far inferior to the original ones bought from Europe.

    There were mainly two reasons for this.

    First, Mysore was learning from the Ottoman Empire, which itself was only half knowledgeable; their cannon technology had been behind Europe for years, and the knowledge passed to Mysore was further discounted.

    The second reason was that casting cannons was a systematic project; you couldn¡¯t produce excellent cannons just by having a blueprint and a few craftsmen. From the most fundamental tools, like rulers and pliers, to advanced machining equipment, like boring machines and drills, Mysore was far behind. Don¡¯t underestimate a pair of pliers; without solid handicraft foundations, you simply couldn¡¯t produce a qualified product.

    So far, the cannons Mysore relied on the most were still those dozen or so smuggled from Europe. They had nearly a hundred cannon produced themselves, but in total, there were no more than 120 altogether.

    These cannons, although sufficient to dominate the Indian peninsula, were far from enough when facing the British.

    And now that the French provided a full set of production equipment and dozens of skilled technicians, Sultan Tipu had only to invest money, and he would be able to continually acquire cannons!

    With over ten times the soldiers of the British, if he had enough cannons, he might not be unable to defeat the British!

    Of course, Joseph still kept an ace up his sleeve. Although Mysore acquired the foundry, both the production materials and spare parts for the equipment were dependent on France.

    Even the most basic gunpowder was not something Indians could easily handle¡ªwithout a precision chemical industry, the power of gunpowder would be at least ten to twenty percent lower.

    Moreover, arming Mysore had no downsides for France, since this was all within the British sphere of influence. Given the political environment in India¡ªwith countless small states, sharp religious and ethnic conflicts, and the caste system¡ªthere was no worry that Mysore might unify the peninsula and become a powerful empire.

    Sultan Tipu no longer hesitated. Rising to his feet, he said to Sheikh Khan, ¡°Invite the French consul to Ambavilas Palace tomorrow; I wish to discuss the marriage with him.¡±

    He then remembered something and instructed, ¡°You may reveal to the consul that I am willing to offer 500,000 British Pounds as a bride price.¡±

    Of course, the bride price he mentioned was not exactly the same as that in East Asia, but it generally referred to wealth paid for acquiring a wife.

    Joseph had never expected that, in his efforts to incite Mysore against the British, he would suddenly gain a huge profit of more than 12 million livres.

    However, this was also enough to show how incredibly wealthy the Indian peninsula was at that time.

    And it demonstrated the enormous profits that England, which controlled the India-Europe trade, was able to extract.

 Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Chapter 338: Newcomer to The Public Opinion War

    Chapter 424: Chapter 338: Newcomer to The Public Opinion War

    The alliance between Mysore and France came about so suddenly that it surprised everyone involved.

    This included the Marquis de Lafayette.

    Upon leaving the Ambavilas Palace, he looked at Salah with a tone filled with bafflement and astonishment, ¡°Are you really going to promote a marriage with the natives?!¡±

    Salah responded with a polite smile, ¡°This is a bargaining chip that His Highness the Crown Prince has left us to throw out when necessary. You yourself have said that the monsoon season is approaching.

    ¡°Moreover, this is merely the marriage between Duke Haji, oh no, Haji Bey and the Kingdom of Mysore, which has no real impact on the Royal Family.

    ¡°According to the secret agreement just now, the marriage will not be made public until the British are out of the Indian subcontinent. Only a secret wedding will take place, and the dowry will be paid. This way, it won¡¯t affect British-French diplomacy in the short term.

    ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s the dowry of 600,000 British Pounds! That amount of money should be enough for you to bring two regiments from France to fight here.¡±

    Indeed, using his eloquent persuasion, Salah had, during the marriage negotiations, convinced Sultan Tipu to add another 100,000 British Pounds to the dowry.

    ¡°Suit yourself¡­¡± Lafayette, uninterested in these political maneuvers, still appeared anxious as he said, ¡°But Tipu has not responded to the attack on the British that I mentioned earlier. Your marriage plan does not seem to be working.¡±

    ¡°It is only part of the plan,¡± Salah said as he joined him in the carriage, shut the door, and continued, ¡°It brings us closer to Mysore, and we also gain an important ally ¡ª General Sheikh Khan.

    ¡°By the way, my lord Marquis, I need to request 100,000 livres for the expenses.¡±

    As the chief in charge of the Indian strategy, Lafayette had full control over both the troops and finances. Joseph had generously allocated 700,000 livres for this purpose.

    ¡°What do you need so much money for?¡± Lafayette asked, looking in surprise at his Tunisian colleague. If not for the fact that the other was a disciple of Elder Aly, with a distinguished identity and a powerful family background, he would have suspected Salah of planning to embezzle the funds and flee.

    ¡°To deal with Mysorean officials who speak for the British,¡± Salah said, ¡°like Jahanzeb Khan.

    ¡°Though hiring people here is relatively cheap, you know, there is no real press to speak of, oh, and even if there were, it would be of little use, since most people here are illiterate. Therefore, if we want to do some propaganda, it will be very costly ¡ª I can only hire many people, and use their mouths to spread the news.¡±

    ¡°Propaganda? What are you planning to propagate?¡±

    ¡°Well, to use the words of His Highness the Crown Prince, this is called a ¡®war of public opinion.''¡± Salah still wore a smile, ¡°It¡¯s to put those pro-British folks in a difficult position. Then General Khan will deliver the fatal blow to them!¡±

    With no other way to persuade Sultan Tipu, Lafayette thought for a moment and then nodded, ¡°Alright, I hope you succeed. But you will need to write a daily report on the flow of the funds and give it to me.¡±

    ¡°You will see the daily financial report, my lord Marquis.¡±

    Soon enough, starting from Mysore City, stories about the British began to spread to cities like Seringapatam, Ganga, and beyond.

    With the network and resources of General Sheikh Khan, the news spread very quickly.

    In fact, Salah had spent only one-third of the applied funds, and as an ally, Sheikh Khan took out 5000 British Pounds from his own pocket, equivalent to more than one hundred thousand livres, to help bring down Jahanzeb Khan¡¯s influence and mobilized many nobles from the same political faction to assist.

    On the streets of Seringapatam, more than a dozen Hindu citizens were gathered together, discussing something with agitated expressions, ¡°I heard from relatives at Ambavilas Palace that the generals said over three million people died at that time! However, most were from Madurai, so we didn¡¯t feel it much here.¡±

    ¡°The British actually killed that many people!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know this? It¡¯s to intimidate us,¡± a small man with fair skin and wearing a red robe mysteriously continued, ¡°Have you heard? In order to control North America, a very distant land, the British killed all the Native Americans they saw ¨C the original inhabitants, millions of them!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve heard of this.¡± A middle-aged man nodded, ¡°My business partner has been to North America, and he told me about it. The British would lure Native American leaders into a room under the pretense of discussing matters, then set fire to it and burn them all. Oh, they also give blankets used by plague patients to the Native Americans, causing entire villages to be wiped out by the epidemic.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the British are preparing to attack Mysore, and what happened to the Native Americans will happen to us too¡­¡±

    A person, clutching his chest fearfully, said, ¡°Thankfully we have Tipu¡¯s army, or more than three million people would have died in the two wars against the British. Perhaps even we would have¡­¡±

    Another old man added with a tense expression, ¡°I also heard that the British like to eat children, especially those of high caste, clean and with lots of flesh. They only eat the limbs and the heart, and throw the rest to the dogs¡­¡±

    The surrounding people immediately showed a look of horror, although they were not of high caste, their children were also fair and plump, and if the British came this time, their children might tragically end up on the dining table.

    What they were discussing was, of course, the ¡°script¡± written by the writers accompanying Salah.

    Previously, Joseph wasn¡¯t very familiar with the specific situation in Mysore, so he only roughly outlined the approach of a propaganda war, leaving the rest to the discretion of the executor of the ¡°India Project¡±. And Salah, as a novice, ended up devising such a horrifying narrative.

    But he did grasp the principle the Crown Prince had mentioned, ¡°eight parts true, two parts false¡±.

    They leveraged the psychological shadow left by the previous two Mysore Wars among the locals, with most content being true actions of the British, only somewhat inflated. For instance, the total deaths in Mysore and British wars combined were less than 130,000. And the Native Americans did not nearly number in the tens of millions slaughtered.

    Of course, the child-eating part was added based on the horror stories he had heard in his childhood, representing the ¡°two parts false¡±.

    Since Indians had extremely limited sources of information, it was difficult for anyone to verify the truth within these stories. And with Salah spreading vast numbers of these rumors, he quickly dominated the discourse of the time.

    Meanwhile, in the southern region of Madurai, people were discussing the same topic, adding the issue of the British dealing extensively in the slave trade.

    Being by the sea, everyone started to worry that they might be sold to the Americas like the Africans and forced into endless labor.

    In many other places, the news that the British would ban both Hindu and Islamic religions in Mysore, force everyone to convert to Protestantism, and those who refused would be faced with execution by cannon, caused even larger-scale panic.

    For a time, the memories of the previous two Mysore Wars along with the widespread news about the British filled every heart in Mysore with hatred and fear against them.

    It was just short of a spark to ignite the powder keg.

 Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Chapter 339: Want to Quash the Rumors? Ill Help You!

    Chapter 425: Chapter 339: Want to Quash the Rumors? I¡¯ll Help You!

    A few dozen kilometers west of Mysore City.

    This area was already close to the Cannanore region under British control.

    At this moment, within a luxurious building styled after the era of the Peacock Kings, Callum Griffiths, a senior representative of the British East India Company, was scowling at Jahanzeb Khan before him, ¡°Are you sure the French are behind this?¡±

    ¡°Um, I have no evidence, Mr. Griffiths,¡± said Sultan Tipu¡¯s private secretary Jahanzeb Khan, mentioning ¡°no evidence¡± with a surprisingly affirmative tone, ¡°These rumors surfaced after the French arrived in Mysore. From what I know, the French have been covertly encouraging the Sultan to attack British territories.¡±

    The position of Mysore¡¯s Chancellor, also known as ¡°Vizier,¡± was merely a ceremonial office. Above the four core ministers with actual power and below Sultan, there was also the role of Sultan¡¯s secretary, holding significant authority.

    However, even such an influential official had colluded with the British after the Second Mysore War, using their power to solidify his own position.

    Griffiths was not surprised by the news¡ªbackstabbing between England and France in India had never ceased. However, the French influence had essentially retracted from India after the Seven Years¡¯ War, and they hadn¡¯t stirred up such a fuss ever since.

    Logically, the French no longer had interests in the Indian subcontinent, and considering France¡¯s near-bankrupt financial situation, they shouldn¡¯t have been investing so much here.

    But with caution in mind, Griffiths still ordered Jahanzeb Khan, ¡°I want these rumors gone within a month.

    ¡°If you can manage it, you may purchase half a ship¡¯s worth of textiles or iron goods from me at a favorable price.¡±

    British textiles and ironware were very popular in India. Access to half a ship of goods at a discount could result in reselling them at nearly double the price, with profits of at least twenty to thirty thousand British Pounds.

    Jahanzeb Khan was overjoyed and, with a quick flick of his wrist and a serious expression, assured, ¡°Respected representative, I guarantee that by dawn tomorrow, you will hear no more of these rumors.¡±

    Upon his return to Mysore City, he immediately used the administrative system to issue a nationwide order to arrest those spreading libelous rumors against the British.

    In Sheikh Khan¡¯s summer villa, several Mysore officials from the same faction looked anxiously toward Salah.

    They had already received word that Jahanzeb Khan had ordered a large-scale arrest of rumor-mongers, and in just three to four days, over a thousand had been thrown into prison, many of whom were agents they had sent out.

    And the most troublesome part was that Jahanzeb Khan¡¯s actions were ¡°justifiable¡±¡ªquashing rumors was such that, even if it reached Sultan Tipu, they wouldn¡¯t be able to fault Jahanzeb Khan.

    After a long silence, a lean ¡°Ummda,¡± a Mysore high-ranking officer, grimly said, ¡°There are barely any people daring to speak about the British these days, and even those I sent to spread messages are shunned.¡±

    Another person immediately nodded, ¡°At this rate, the matters regarding the British will soon be forgotten by everyone. Moreover, Jahanzeb Khan will consolidate his authority by mobilizing officials on such a large scale.¡±

    Sheikh Khan sighed and said to Salah, ¡°Consul, it seems we need to find a new way to deal with Jahanzeb Khan.¡±

    The latter, who had been thinking with his head down, only now looked up with a smile, ¡°General, do you remember why we spread the ¡®stories¡¯ about the British?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to stir up hatred toward the British among the people and thereby topple the pro-British figures like Jahanzeb Khan.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± nodded Salah, ¡°In fact, people¡¯s hatred for the British can¡¯t directly affect the pro-British faction. Something else is needed to ignite public sentiment.

    ¡°And right now, Jahanzeb Khan¡¯s arrest of the rumor spreaders is giving us that opportunity.¡±

    Sheikh Khan and the others exchanged glances before all turning their eyes to Salah, ¡°What¡¯s your plan? To dispatch more people to spread the news?¡±

    ¡°No, we will help Jahanzeb Khan catch the rumor spreaders,¡± Salah gestured a catching motion with his hand, speaking fiercely, ¡°We should be even more ruthless than him, we must make everyone start to fear!¡±

    A few days later, the Mysore military also began to ¡°respond¡± to Jahanzeb Khan¡¯s orders, arresting those spreading rumors about the British all over the country.

    Their standards for arresting were far stricter than those of the administrative officers. If someone was accused of speaking ill of the British, soldiers would promptly arrest them in the name ¡°of executing the Sultan¡¯s secretary¡¯s orders.¡±

    In particular, in the political and economic hubs of Mysore City and Seringapatam, tens of thousands were thrown into jails. Prisons designed to hold a hundred people were now crammed with thousands.

    And soon, even the barracks were packed with prisoners.

    Initially, Jahanzeb Khan thought the military was trying to curry favor with him and cheerfully sent rewards to the soldiers capturing rumor-mongers¡ªfurther confirming to the public that it was the Sultan¡¯s secretary who was driving the army to make arrests. Consequently, Jahanzeb Khan¡¯s name was also dragged into the tale of the fight for public opinion.

    But Jahanzeb Khan quickly sensed something was amiss. The military seemed insane, even one of his wife¡¯s relatives was arrested for not contesting rumors about the British when overheard in the streets.

    Now everyone in Mysore feared for their safety, hardly daring to leave their homes, lest talking about the British in the streets would bring them misfortune.

    At the same time, the hatred toward the British grew even more intense¡ªsuch is the nature of people; the more you forbid them from speaking about something, the more they believe it.

    Soon enough, even Sultan Tipu was alarmed and summoned Jahanzeb Khan over the mass arrests. Knowing he had stirred too much trouble, Jahanzeb Khan explained the rumor incident, then immediately assured the Sultan that he would swiftly review those arrested and release anyone who wasn¡¯t a severe offender right away.

    Subsequently, Sheikh Khan¡¯s political circle held a meeting.

    ¡°Jahanzeb Khan has been reprimanded by the Sultan and has no choice but to start releasing people,¡± said the lean ¡°Ummda,¡± looking delighted, ¡°This will be a substantial blow to his prestige.¡±

    Another one nodded, ¡°After this lesson, he certainly won¡¯t dare to arrest people randomly. We can keep sending agents to tell those ¡®stories¡¯ about the British.¡±

    As the group reminisced about Salah¡¯s clever strategy, they turned their attention to him, ready to praise him, but found Salah looking serious, ¡°The day after tomorrow, Jahanzeb Khan will release the first batch of rumor-mongers, and that will be our best opportunity¡ªwe must seize it firmly!¡±

    ¡°Ah? Opportunity?¡±

    Salah looked at Sheikh Khan, ¡°I ask you to mobilize everyone, send them across the country, and prepare in advance¡­

    ¡°By tomorrow at midday, we will launch simultaneously¡­¡±

 Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter 340 Intensifying Contradiction

    Chapter 426: Chapter 340 Intensifying Contradiction

    After Salah had discussed his plan with several high officials of Mysore and made adjustments to the details, he hurried back to his inn to report the operation to Lafayette.

    However, after he left, Sheikh Khan watched the retreating figure of his carriage and turned to the people beside him, saying, ¡°If things go smoothly this time, we can knock Jahanzeb Khan into hell.¡±

    The lean officer hesitated before replying, ¡°But it seems not secure enough to just hijack those who are about to be released¡­¡±

    A cold smile flashed in Sheikh Khan¡¯s eyes, ¡°These Europeans are indeed smart, but they are not decisive enough in their actions. We must act in our own way to ensure that Jahanzeb Khan has no chance of turning the tables!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We do it like this¡­¡±

    The others nodded again and again upon hearing this.

    ¡­

    The next day.

    On the outskirts to the southeast of Mysore City.

    On a clearing outside the city¡¯s largest prison, four to five thousand people had gathered, all craning their necks eagerly towards the prison gates behind the guards.

    Today was the day the government announced the release of the rumor-mongers they had captured, totaling more than 370 people.

    This allowed the people of Mysore, who had been oppressed by panic for some time, to breathe a sigh of relief. Apart from the families of those being released, many more came to witness the process of release.

    After being reprimanded in person by Sultan Tipu, Jahanzeb Khan had already ordered a stop to the arrest of the rumor-mongers¡ªwith the recent harsh crackdown on rumors, he believed that even if no more arrests were made, no one would dare to casually discuss the matters of the British anymore.

    However, the efficiency of the administrative system had decreased somewhat this time, as his orders were strictly enforced only in Mysore and Seringapatam, with the army still arresting rumor-mongers in more remote areas.

    Jahanzeb Khan hoped that the ¡°demonstrative¡± effect of this release would send a message across the country that the ¡°rumor incident¡± was over and thus quiet down the unrest.

    Before long, the sun had risen to the center of the sky. Under the earnest gaze of thousands, the prison gates were still not open, while the guards at the door had increased in number.

    ¡°I knew it, they are deceiving us all!¡± one of Sheikh Khan¡¯s men planted in the crowd shouted as planned, ¡°The arrests have not stopped, we are still in danger!¡±

    ¡°I heard that the mass arrests were demanded by the ¡®Devil,¡¯ and without the ¡®Devil¡¯s¡¯ agreement, they won¡¯t release anyone!¡± another person shouted in response.

    In recent times, since ¡°England¡± had become a forbidden term, people had begun to refer to the British secretly as ¡°Devil.¡±

    The crowd immediately became agitated, with shouts rising and falling, ¡°Open the gates, they are innocent¡­¡±

    ¡°My husband has been captured for half a month, if he doesn¡¯t come back soon, we will not be able to sustain our home¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Please, release them¡­ Hasn¡¯t the official already promised?¡±

    At that moment, a young man suddenly slipped out from a side door of the prison, swiftly coming to the front of the crowd and screaming at the top of his lungs, ¡°No one will be released! They¡¯re all dead!¡±

    Of course, this man was also arranged by Sheikh Khan.

    Another ¡°plant¡± immediately followed up, ¡°Who did you say is dead?¡±

    The young man¡¯s face was full of terror as he pointed towards the prison behind him, ¡°The ones who were about to be released. They¡¯ve all been killed! I saw it with my own eyes!¡±

    His words were like cold water poured into boiling oil, and the thousands of people exploded in an uproar, especially the relatives of those scheduled for release, with many women collapsing to the ground, crying in a chorus.

    A middle-aged man of high caste stepped forward and pointed at the young man, ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll have you thrown into prison as well!¡±

    ¡°I am not lying. Those corpses are laid out in the prison yard¡­¡±

    The middle-aged man frowned and waved vigorously to the crowd behind him, ¡°Come! Let¡¯s go in and see for ourselves!¡±

    Thousands of people immediately responded loudly and, led by dozens of high-caste individuals, surged toward the prison like a flood.

    The prison guards only made a symbolic threat before wisely stepping aside from the crowd.

    Those with agile bodies quickly scaled the walls and then nimbly climbed over several large trees to reach the buildings inside the prison.

    Then they pointed to the courtyard inside the building and started screaming in shock, ¡°They¡¯re really dead!¡±

    ¡°There are hundreds of bodies, the ¡®Devil¡¯ killed them!¡±

    ¡°These cursed fellows, they¡¯ve killed hundreds!¡±

    The people outside the prison completely exploded. Because the first batch released were somewhat prominent, their relatives were not to be trifled with. It didn¡¯t take long for someone to open the prison gates, and thousands of people rushed in.

    What appeared in front of them was a scene unbearable to watch¡ªa little over 300 corpses were strewn on the ground, like slaughtered livestock. The hot weather had already caused a stench to permeate the air. Swarms of flies circled over the bodies like black clouds, buzzing jubilantly. To the side, over a dozen guards were hurriedly wrapping the bodies in straw, but due to the excessive number of dead, they hadn¡¯t even managed to cover a corner.

    Women with their children poured into the courtyard, identifying their relatives among the heaps of bodies. Piercing screams of grief were unceasing, and from time to time, someone would faint from the shock. Then followed the thunderous curses.

    Those of high caste brought out a few prison officers. Under the interrogation of thousands, an official stammered, ¡°They were all fine yesterday. This morning they suddenly started vomiting, bleeding from the eyes and nose. Before I could call a doctor, they were all dead¡­¡±

    The middle-aged high-caste man demanded, ¡°Were they all supposed to be released today?¡±

    The prison official nodded.

    ¡°Besides them, has anyone else died?¡±

    ¡°No, no more¡­¡±

    From within the crowd, someone shouted, ¡°It was the ¡®Devil¡¯ who ordered the Sultan¡¯s secretary to kill them!¡±

    ¡°Right! It must be him!¡± Immediately, others echoed the accusation.

    ¡°He wanted to use the death of these people to threaten us.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Devil¡¯ killed hundreds just to keep us from talking about their evil deeds!¡±

    ¡°The Sultan¡¯s secretary is an accomplice of the ¡®Devil¡¯!¡±

    ¡°We must seek justice for the deceased!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll file a complaint with the Sultan¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll accuse them of their atrocities before the Maharaja!¡±

    Under the leadership of a group of high-caste individuals, the angry mob marched toward Ambavilas Palace with the few prison officials in tow.

    The news spread rapidly, and more and more people joined the procession to lodge complaints with the Sultan as they went. Of course, this was the result of Sheikh Khan¡¯s men fanning the flames and going door-to-door spreading the word about the ¡°Massacre of the Released.¡±

    Sultan Tipu, seeing the throngs of people gathering around the palace, almost thought there was a riot brewing, until an official from Sheikh Khan¡¯s faction reported the situation, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter 342: The Indian Quagmire

    Chapter 428: Chapter 342: The Indian Quagmire

    The spy of the East India Company nodded with certainty, ¡°It should be correct, I have heard the same message from multiple channels.¡±

    ¡°Those Shah fellows are surrounding Tipu all day long, painting us as a huge threat. Additionally, the people of Mysore towards us¡­¡±

    Although Sheikh Khan, Shah, and others had toppled Jahanzeb Khan, the pro-British faction in Mysore still held significant power, and they were bound to use this anti-British opportunity to reset the British influence in Mysore to zero.

    Half an hour later, the spy left Griffiths¡¯ office. The senior representative of the East India Company immediately ordered his servants to prepare the carriage, heading to Ambavilas Palace, wanting to gauge Sultan Tipu¡¯s inclinations.

    Sultan Tipu, who had lately been greatly troubled by the British supposedly ¡°directing¡± Jahanzeb Khan to kill more than 300 people, naturally would not show him a good face. And Shah was also there adding fuel to the fire, desperately steering the conversation towards the ¡°atrocities¡± of the British.

    Griffiths was practically lectured from start to finish, and was then kicked out.

    Leaving Ambavilas Palace, Griffiths¡¯ expression was grave ¨C based on the spy¡¯s report and today¡¯s attitude from Sultan Tipu, the situation seemed to be very serious.

    He immediately returned to his residence, wrote a report about the situation in Mysore to Governor Cornwallis, and suggested the temporary withdrawal of East India Company staff from Mysore.

    He handed the letter to the messenger, then busily began arranging for the British to evacuate ¨C war could be declared by Mysore at any time, and it would be too late to wait for His Excellency the Governor to reply before evacuating.

    Meanwhile, Salah heard the news that the British were starting to withdraw from Mysore and immediately showed a smile.

    The intelligence obtained by the spies of the British East India Company was precisely what he had instructed Shah to sell, and in addition, a close attendant of Sultan Tipu had also taken his money, hinting unofficially that ¡°the Sultan has decided to take the initiative against the British.¡±

    Given the recent fiery anti-British sentiment in Mysore, it was likely that the British would choose to leave a place of trouble temporarily.

    If Griffiths still wanted to persist, then the French Intelligence Bureau would arrange some more ¡°surprises¡± for him, such as the Mysore public rioting and looting British merchants, or British subjects being kidnapped. He did not believe that the British could hold out.

    Salah had not expected Griffiths to be so ¡°cooperative,¡± deciding to leave at the first opportunity.

    He immediately went to consult with Lafayette, and the next morning, they together went to see Sultan Tipu.

    Inside Ambavilas Palace, Lafayette looked at Tipu with an anxious expression, ¡°Your Majesty, I have always been reminding you that the British will once again invade Mysore. Now the situation has become very clear; they are withdrawing from Mysore, obviously preparing for a military assault later on.¡±

    Though he somewhat disdained Salah¡¯s methods, since the latter had already paved the way, he naturally would not waste the opportunity.

    Sultan Tipu¡¯s expression was also dark. As the ruler of Mysore, of course, he was aware of the news about the East India Company¡¯s withdrawal.

    Salah immediately stepped forward, starting to portray in an emotional and vivid manner the brutal scenes of the first two Mysore Wars, especially the massive damage the latter war had caused to Mysore.

    In fact, if Joseph had not intervened in the Indian situation, the British would have initiated the Third Mysore War at the beginning of the next year, which would deal the most severe blow to Mysore.

    That war caused Mysore to lose half of its territory and to pay a compensation of 3 million British Pounds, which is 75 million livres.

    After that, the ¡°Tiger of Mysore,¡± Tipu, became a tiger without teeth, no longer able to contend with the British, ultimately dying in the defense of Seringapatam during the Fourth Mysore War in 1799.

    And at this moment, there was nearly half a year¡¯s time before the British made their war preparations complete ¨C the East India Company needed a considerable amount of time to transport arms and supplies from Britain, thousands of miles away ¨C if Mysore launched a preemptive strike against the British before that, it would cause huge losses for them.

    Although it would be difficult for Mysore to completely defeat the British, given their resources, the British, if they wished to preserve India, the ¡°most dazzling gem in the crown,¡± would inevitably have to divert resources from elsewhere ¨C for instance, the funds used to antagonize France in North Africa ¨C and invest them into India.

    This would immediately alleviate France¡¯s difficulties in North Africa and even allow for increased support for Mysore depending on the circumstances, further increasing British colonial costs.

    Of course, Joseph would certainly not do as Louis XVI did in supporting the United States¡¯ independence, drawing a lot of his own blood to transfuse into Mysore. Maximizing gains at the lowest cost is his style.

    Finally, when Salah spoke of his father Hyder¡¯s death in the war against the British, Sultan Tipu could no longer keep his calm.

    He stood up abruptly from his wide golden chair, clenched his fists and said, ¡°You are right, rather than waiting for the British to attack Mysore again, it is better for me to take the initiative!¡±

    He turned to the court chamberlain nearby, ¡°Pass the order, convene a council of ministers immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Mysore¡¯s ¡°council of ministers¡± also followed the European model of the Cabinet, composed of four ministers for finance, military, commerce and industry, religion, along with the Sultan¡¯s secretary ¡ª currently on a pilgrimage, temporarily absent ¡ª and important military commanders, serving as the core political power structure of the state.

    Sultan Tipu then looked towards Lafayette, ¡°If possible, I hope you can also attend this meeting.¡±

    The latter bowed slightly, ¡°It would be an honor, Your Majesty.¡±

    At just after 5 p.m., Salah, who had been anxiously pacing outside Ambavilas Palace, finally saw Lafayette¡¯s figure and hurried to meet him, ¡°What was the outcome, Marquis?¡±

    Lafayette adjusted his coat with a relaxed expression, showing a rare smile since arriving in India, and spoke in a low voice, ¡°War against Britain has been decided, with no objections from the ministers.¡±

    Salah too was excitedly nodding, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!

    ¡°All I could do has been done. Now it is up to you, Marquis.¡±

    Lafayette confidently patted his shoulder, ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, my old friend.¡±

    Leading rookies into battle, especially foreign rookies, was what Lafayette excelled in.

    In the past, he had led the rookie Continental Army to defeat the formidable British Expeditionary Force.

    He had previously reviewed Mysore¡¯s military, which had clearly undergone some European training; though overall slightly inferior to the American militia, these men were more obedient ¡ª officers could even order them to take their own lives on the spot.

    And an even greater advantage lay in the large number of soldiers in Mysore, which had not yet begun mobilization, numbering over 58,000. According to Sultan Tipu, the upper limit of troops that could be mobilized was around 120,000.

 Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter 343: War and Military Expenditure

    Chapter 429: Chapter 343: War and Military Expenditure

    Apart from its military advantage, Mysore was also an extremely wealthy nation.

    Thanks to trade with England, Mysore¡¯s cotton, tea, spices, indigo, and sugar were exported in large quantities, bringing a vast amount of wealth to the nobles, providing ample material assurance for national warfare.

    Using a phrase from future generations, Lafayette had never fought such a wealthy war before.

    Of course, his opponents were even stronger¡ªEngland, currently the most powerful country in the world, need not be mentioned. The East India Company had more than 3,000 regular troops in India and could mobilize around 6,000 when necessary. If reinforcements were called from England, they could have a force of 10,000 within three to four months.

    In addition, Indian princely states under British control and British Indian allies could provide a large number of troops, amounting to over two hundred thousand at the most. Although the combat effectiveness of these Indian troops was far inferior to that of Mysore, the sheer numbers could overwhelm like ants consuming an elephant, which was definitely a big trouble, especially since these princely states could also provide logistical support to the British forces, a crucial factor influencing the war¡¯s direction.

    So the most important command Joseph gave to Lafayette was to ally with the Indian princely states as much as possible, or at the very least, to persuade them not to side with England.

    At the end of the 18th century, England¡¯s control over India was not nearly as strong as it would be in the 19th century; the completely controlled Indian princely states amounted to less than one-fifth of India¡¯s total area, and most collaboration was in the form of alliances.

    The kings of these princely states were very greedy and easily bribed by interests.

    Lafayette and Salah were talking about the situation at the recent ministerial meeting as they got into the carriage one after the other.

    Suddenly remembering something, Lafayette took out a colorful ribbon from his pocket and showed it to Salah, ¡°Oh, Sultan Tipu has also conferred on me the title of ¡®Ummda.¡¯ There seems to be a titling ceremony the day after tomorrow at noon. I wonder if you¡¯re free to attend?¡±

    Ummda was the highest military rank in Mysore, which showed the esteem in which Sultan Tipu held Lafayette.

    Salah smiled and nodded, ¡°Congratulations, my lord Marquis, I definitely won¡¯t miss such an occasion.¡±

    ¡­

    Southern Netherlands.

    East of Brussels.

    There were over ten thousand soldiers dressed in red uniforms and white breeches, forming a long marching column, winding forward on the lush green grass with the beat of drums.

    The red column stretched all the way to the distant hills, disappearing into the faint mist.

    Not far from a twelve-pound cannon drawn by eight horses, two officers, surrounded by guards, were riding slowly side by side.

    The man on the left, dressed in a red uniform with golden double-breasted buttons and two dark blue sashes across his chest, with thick eyebrows and a high nose, was rather handsome; he was none other than Charles II, the current Governor of Hanover.

    He was muttering rapidly, ¡°The States-General of the Netherlands are all idiots.

    ¡°Now the Austrian Army hasn¡¯t been completely driven out, the French have rolled in, and what are they doing? Completely preoccupied with seizing control of Congress¡­¡±

    ¡°Even this has affected the deployment of our troops. A full eight thousand plus soldiers from the Netherlands are just idling in Ghent, watching us fight the French to the death.

    ¡°Especially that Weng Ke. His soldiers have been resting for over a month, and he still wants them to recuperate until the end of the year¡­ Might as well let them retire in Ghent.¡±

    Karel van Bronckhorst, the General of the Dutch Volunteer Army, dressed in blue uniform, nodded helplessly and said, ¡°Indeed. But right now, Wente¡¯s prestige in the South Netherlands Army is exceedingly high, and ever since their last defeat at the hands of the French, their troops have been very keen on resting. Wente¡¯s orders just happen to match their wishes.¡±

    Charles II glanced at the large army beside him and snorted coldly, ¡°After defeating the Austrians, I will definitely suggest to His Majesty the King that the States-General of the Netherlands be merged with the Dutch Parliament.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bronckhorst¡¯s heart soared with joy. Although England had always promised to help unite the Netherlands and Southern Netherlands secretly, hearing it from the mouth of the Hanoverian commander who was actually representing the will of England at the front lines gave him renewed hope.

    He quickly flattered Charles II and then voiced his hesitation, ¡°Marshal, do you think, after you crush the French and Austrian armies, will the French continue to send more troops to the Low Countries?¡±

    As a Dutchman, he was naturally concerned about France, the formidable neighbor, given that a few decades earlier, Louis XIV had almost annihilated the Netherlands.

    Charles II scoffed disdainfully, ¡°I remember you¡¯re a shareholder of the Amsterdam Bank, aren¡¯t you? Then you must be well aware of France¡¯s current financial situation.¡±

    The Netherlands, as an old financial empire in Europe, had banking operations all over the continent, especially in France. Over forty percent of France¡¯s foreign debt was owed to Dutch banks.

    General Bronckhorst nodded, ¡°Yes, I am somewhat aware. The scale of France¡¯s debt still exceeds two billion livres.¡±

    What he did not know was that, although the total amount of France¡¯s debt hadn¡¯t changed much, Joseph had managed to convert a large portion of it into low-interest debt through the operations during the previous banking crisis, greatly reducing the financial pressure compared to before.

    Charles II looked at him and said, ¡°You know, France maintains over 20,000 troops in North Africa to guard against potential attacks from Algiers and Tripoli.

    ¡°At the same time, they have 30,000 troops in Silesia and 20,000 in Luxembourg. The expenses for these troops stationed overseas are extremely high. France can no longer afford to support more troops; otherwise, the nation¡¯s finances will collapse before they can decide the outcome of the war on the battlefield.¡±

    Bronckhorst nodded in agreement. Charles II continued, ¡°France¡¯s standing army is less than 120,000. They currently have over 70,000 deployed everywhere. Unless there is a large-scale recruitment, they will not even have enough forces to maintain order domestically.¡±

    He gestured towards the southeast, ¡°Therefore, as long as we crush the French forces in Luxembourg, the fight in the Low Countries will be completely over.

    ¡°And our superior forces will soon be able to accomplish this task.¡±

    As the commanders of the Hanoverian and Dutch armies were having a grand discussion, at the border between Luxembourg and Liege, Leao was frowning while speaking to Lefevre, ¡°Lieutenant Colonel, my friend, it might be better to rest for a while longer.¡±

    After the last victorious pursuit battle with fewer troops, Lefevre had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

    ¡°General, look, all your reinforcements have arrived,¡± Lefevre said with a smile, gesturing towards the distant Austrian Army camp. ¡°You cannot disappoint the trust His Majesty the Emperor has in you, can you?¡±

    Joseph II, in order to attract the attention of Prussia and Hanover to the region of Southern Netherlands, had sent 8,000 additional soldiers to Leao. Now he commanded an army nearly 10,000 strong.

 Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter 344 The Hero of France

    Chapter 430: Chapter 344 The Hero of France

    The Commander of the Austrian army in the Southern Netherlands, Leao, looked even more distressed.

    Accompanying the reinforcements that arrived in Luxembourg was a secret letter from Joseph II. The letter instructed him to drag the French Army into battle against the Prussians and the Hanoverians if possible, and if necessary, lead the enemy forces into the Luxembourg area.

    However, Leao knew better than anyone how cunning the French people were, through his interactions with the French Army during this period.

    They constantly provoked him to engage in a decisive battle with Blucher, while setting up their camp at the rear of the Austrian troops and beginning to construct breastworks along the borders of Luxembourg and Liege¡ªa form of simple defensive fortification, as if they were preparing to defend Luxembourg to the death.

    Previously, Leao had used the excuse of insufficient troops to delay for nearly half a month. Now, with the 8,000 reinforcements from Joseph II in place, he found himself squeezed between the Emperor and the French, as if on the edge of a knife.

    He turned his gaze towards Lefevre, his tone carrying a plea, ¡°My dearest friend, you will surely send me reinforcements when I am battling the Prussians, won¡¯t you?¡±

    He had witnessed the combat prowess of the Lefevre Group, especially during that chase, where more than 2,000 French soldiers had the nearly 5,000 men of the Alterman Corps fleeing in panic. With his help, maybe he would be able to contend with Blucher¡¯s army of 14,000.

    Lefevre had been waiting for these words, yet he put on a very distressed expression, ¡°I would be very glad to help you, General. We forged our friendship in blood on the battlefield. But as you know, I cannot move the troops on my own accord. To be frank, my orders are to stay at Defretille Mountain.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Before Leao could continue his plea, Lefevre leaned in close to his old friend and whispered consolingly, ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is at Kleve Town, maybe you could ask him. The Prince is kind-hearted and easy to talk to.¡±

    ¡­

    In the northern part of Luxembourg, Kleve Town.

    The sights on both sides of the road were quite desolate. When the Prussian Army retreated from here, they took away all the goods they could loot. Not only were all sorts of livestock ¡°requisitioned,¡± but even some people¡¯s bed linens and blankets were taken to be used as bandages.

    Joseph watched the Luxembourg farmers pass by the carriage window and worried about military expenses in his heart.

    This morning, he had received a report from Brian in Paris, which detailed the expenses of the French forces in various locations over this period.

    The troops in Tunisia had been stationed the longest and had spent 4.5 million livres.

    Although the French forces in Silesia and Luxembourg had only been mobilized for a month, the total expenditure had reached as high as tens of millions of livres due to the fierce fighting.

    This was without counting the pensions for the wounded soldiers, as well as the substantial supplies provided to the French forces in Silesia by Joseph II.

    If the pensions were included, the military expenses for this period would be around 17 million livres.

    And this was just for a little over a month of fighting.

    Joseph frowned slightly, fully aware that to achieve his strategic plans for the Southern Netherlands, the war might last for half a year or even longer.

    The necessary military expenses would definitely exceed 100 million livres.

    One must remember, France had spent a full 1.3 billion livres supporting the United States in the War of Independence over eight years! And for several of the early years, it was just ¡°volunteer¡± forces skirmishing. It was only from 1780, when the Count of Rochambeau took 6,000 French troops to America, until the independence of the United States in 1783, that the annual military expenses exceeded 300 million livres.

    War is always a devouring beast of gold in any era.

    Although victory in war would bring enormous dividends, France needed to invest a massive amount of funds upfront at the moment.

    If handled improperly, the French finances, which had just recovered from the brink, might well plunge back into the abyss.

    How to raise the military funds?

    ¡°`

    Following the standard practices of the era, the general approaches were to borrow from banks or private lenders, issue war bonds, and increase wartime taxes.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly, recognizing these were pitfalls.

    The first two methods would saddle the nation with heavy interest burdens¡ªsuch wartime loans had exorbitantly high-interest rates, even exceeding 40%.

    Increasing taxes was even more detrimental. He had just managed to subdue the enthusiasm of the old district¡¯s people for playing the ¡°Bastille dungeon¡± levels, and he didn¡¯t want to lose all his hard work due to high tax rates. Besides, Louis XV had already imposed a military service tax, which wasn¡¯t revoked even after the war¡¯s end.

    Inwardly, he reviewed all the modern short-term financing methods he knew.

    The first thing that came to mind was banknotes.

    It just so happened that the ¡°banknotes¡± from the Bank of France Reserve had not yet been officially declared as France¡¯s sole legal tender, which would allow for an increase in circulation with this batch.

    Moreover, the move was beneficial for France¡¯s current economic situation¡ªthe French industry was experiencing rapid development, and moderate inflation at this time would stimulate consumption, advantageous for the sale of goods.

    Then he remembered the French Commercial Insurance Company, as the insurance industry was an important pillar of the financial system in later times.

    But at the end of the 18th century, the insurance industry wasn¡¯t yet developed, limited to marine, fire, and property insurance.

    The market was just too small¡­

    As Joseph reflected on this, he suddenly laughed and shook his head.

    Isn¡¯t this thinking too rigid?

    If the market is small, it means there is a significant void! If customers don¡¯t have demands, then guide them to develop demands.

    If he could push the insurance industry forward, financing military expenditure for one or two years wouldn¡¯t be an issue at all. There might even be surplus funds for investment in industrial construction.

    He immediately took out paper and pen and began writing quickly at the small wooden table in his carriage: health insurance¡­

    business insurance¡­

    financial management insurance¡­

    Soon, Joseph¡¯s carriage stopped near the Guard Corps¡¯ camp to the north of town, and a squad of soldiers on duty promptly ran to welcome him, forming a line in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage.

    From the soldiers¡¯ proudly raised heads and their straight spines, one could tell how high their morale was at the moment.

    Joseph smiled and nodded to the soldiers and then let a Major who came to greet him lead him directly to the wounded soldiers¡¯ camp area.

    Several farmhouses in the suburbs had been temporarily rented as a field hospital, and with tents set up between the buildings, there were more than three hundred wounded being treated here.

    Perna was busy bustling about with the nurses; having heard the Crown Prince had arrived, she curtseyed from a distance to Joseph before being called away by the shouts of the injured.

    A large number of Luxembourg locals had been hired to help. Situated at the intersection of France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the people here were masters of languages, mastering three foreign languages from a young age, so coming to work here posed no obstacle.

    They also didn¡¯t have much opinion on who should rule the country.

    When the wounded saw that the Crown Prince had come, they struggled to rise and salute, but were stopped by accompanying officers. Instead, it was Joseph who first saluted them seriously with his hat, sincerely saying, ¡°You are the heroes of France, and France is honored by your sacrifices and contributions!¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Chapter 345: The Soldiers Life is the Most Precious

    Chapter 431: Chapter 345: The Soldier¡¯s Life is the Most Precious

    ¡°For the Crown Prince!¡±

    A Paris Police Academy first-year student with a sergeant¡¯s insignia looked toward Joseph, clutched his chest, and responded loudly, as if the Crown Prince were carrying out a routine inspection at the academy.

    ¡°For the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°For His Majesty the King!¡±

    ¡°For honor and France!¡±

    The other injured soldiers immediately disregarded their pain and joined in the shouting, their voices echoing throughout the entire battlefield hospital.

    According to their habitual thinking, with the medical conditions of the era, being wounded was basically tantamount to death.

    What awaited them would be wound infections, and within one to two weeks, they would die in a fever-induced coma.

    Although Doctor Perna had repeatedly assured them that at most only two out of ten would die from infections, the soldiers took her words as mere comfort to themselves. Thus, they faced the Crown Prince with the attitude of bidding him farewell for the last time while alive, bravely saying goodbye.

    Of course, some young men were despondently curled up in their beds but clenched their teeth without any complaints.

    The pursuit of honor had now become a consensus and a habit for the Guard Corps, making them unwilling to show any signs of cowardice.

    The staff officers following Joseph then publicly read the list of those who had distinguished themselves and received medals, which immediately drew rounds of cheers, as if death were not a big deal in the eyes of these young men.

    This caused the Luxembourg People who were helping around to cast sidelong glances, unable to understand why these dying soldiers were ¡°crazy.¡±

    Every time Joseph passed a tent or a farmhouse, such a scene would occur.

    More than half of these injured soldiers were students from the Paris Police Academy. He often saw them at the academy, and he could even call out some of their names.

    But now, seeing the bloody bandages where they had lost limbs, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a pang of sorrow in his heart.

    In fact, these wounded had already received initial treatment. Just yesterday, many soldiers wailed in pain as they underwent amputations, with bloodied uniforms strewn everywhere, much more horrifying than at the moment.

    These unsung young men had propped up the prosperity and stability of France with their blood and youth. Yet, the rest of their lives would be accompanied by disability.

    After leaving the last tent, Joseph turned his head to Bertier, the Chief of the General Staff following behind him, and ordered in a low voice, ¡°Increase the casualty compensation by 20%. Try to arrange for injured soldiers to work in government departments. Also raise the living security for the families of the fallen soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Let everyone know that sacrificing for France is worthwhile, and that France will not forget them!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Bertier nodded, taking note without a word about the tight military budget.

    As Joseph left the battlefield hospital, he pondered¡ªIf he could create bulletproof vests from the future, then the casualties among the soldiers could be greatly reduced.

    In fact, in this era, there were primitive forms of bulletproof vests¡ªbreastplates.

    However, these were purely made of iron and to be effective against the increasingly refined flintlock guns, they had to be at least 2 millimeters thick.

    The problem this presented was that the weight was simply uncontrollable.

    A decent breastplate weighed between 20 to 25 pounds, which might not seem excessive, but one must remember that this was additional weight on top of carrying weapons and personal equipment. And during combat, it had to be worn at all times; even the soldier with the greatest stamina would struggle to last half a day.

    ¡°`

    In addition, there¡¯s the price. A standard breastplate alone costs over 120 livres, and high-quality ones have no upper limit.

    As a result, only a portion of the cavalry, who are involved in frontal assaults, are willing to equip themselves with these¡ªthe weight is borne by the horses anyway, and cavalry gear is already expensive, so the cost of one more breastplate doesn¡¯t make much difference¡ªthus the famous cuirassier cavalry were born.

    As for the infantry, only a very few ¡°supermen¡± would be equipped with some breastplates, mainly to intimidate the enemy infantry.

    So, could some future technologies be used to improve the breastplate?

    Joseph soon shook his head slightly.

    Whether it¡¯s alloy smelting or Kevlar fiber, these are far from the technologies of this era.

    And just using steel forging, it is impossible to significantly reduce the weight¡­

    Having returned to his temporary office, Joseph was still at a loss. Perhaps it would be more practical to improve medical and health standards.

    It was then that he inadvertently caught a glimpse of the Luxembourg soldiers standing at the corner of the street¡ªactually policemen maintaining order¡ªdressed in military uniforms with gray squares on them, and his eyes suddenly lit up: ¡°Right, how could I have fallen into this way of thinking!¡±

    Who says that armor is the only way to stop bullets?

    Joseph remembered that in later times, statistics showed that being shot in the torso accounted for 70% of soldier casualties. That is to say, protecting the torso could prevent the majority of injuries and deaths.

    This was also an important reason why breastplates were popular.

    Joseph also knew of an even more convenient piece of equipment to protect the torso¡ªbulletproof inserts.

    In future times, a certain online marketplace sold hundreds of millions of these life-saving gadgets to soldiers all over the world, and it had been proven to be very effective on numerous battlefields from Africa to Eastern Europe.

    The so-called bulletproof insert is essentially a thin plate the size of a tablet computer, used by inserting it into the ¡°pockets¡± on the chest and abdomen of the military uniform. It is lightweight, provides good ballistic protection, and can also be inserted only in the front according to battlefield conditions, without worrying about the back.

    In this way, the overall weight can generally be controlled within 10 pounds.

    Joseph recalled the structure of bulletproof inserts¡ªa layer of metal sheet, a layer of Kevlar, a layer of ceramic plate, another layer of Kevlar, all bonded together, the production process was very simple.

    Of course, Kevlar was definitely not available in this era, but silk could be used as a substitute. Ancient officers used multiple layers of silk garments to protect against bows and arrows because of the excellent toughness of the silk, so the effect was still quite good.

    Although silk was not as strong as Kevlar, it only needed to stand up to lead bullets fired by gunpowder, which should be strong enough.

    Special ceramic technology definitely wouldn¡¯t work, so ordinary hard ceramics had to be used.

    Again, due to the limited power of the enemy¡¯s weaponry, this could be a viable substitute.

    As for the adhesive, Joseph was somewhat unsure; he would have to ask Lavoisier for help with this matter.

    If it could be figured out, the cost of such a ¡°youth version¡± of the bulletproof insert wouldn¡¯t exceed 5 livres each. At 5 inserts per soldier, that would be just 25 livres, entirely affordable.

    He hurried back to his office, jotted down his ideas for the new equipment, and was just about to write to Lavoisier when Eman knocked on the door and entered, bowing, ¡°Your Highness, General Leao wishes to see you.¡±

    Leao? Joseph smiled. It seemed the commander had finally arrived. He nodded in assent, ¡°Please, let him in.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Chapter 346 The Cornerstone of the Empires West

    Chapter 432: Chapter 346 The Cornerstone of the Empire¡¯s West

    General Leao strode into the Crown Prince of France¡¯s office, first bowing very respectfully, then just as he was about to speak, Joseph expressed surprise and said anxiously, ¡°General Leao, what are you still doing in Kleve Town!¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Leao was startled and said subconsciously, ¡°Should I not be here?¡±

    Joseph picked up the documents that had been prepared on the desk and handed them to him: ¡°This is the intelligence from our agents in the Netherlands last night. Hanover¡¯s army of twenty thousand has left Brussels and is heading to Liege to reinforce Blucher.¡±

    A sense of urgency gripped Leao as he carefully read the document, which indeed stated that Charles II was leading his troops southward, accompanied by four thousand Dutch ¡°volunteers.¡±

    Joseph spoke solemnly, ¡°General, if the twenty-four thousand troops join forces with Blucher, I fear the heavy responsibility of reclaiming the Southern Netherlands will become very difficult for you to fulfill.¡±

    Leao¡¯s eyes twitched at the corners, facing nearly forty thousand Allied Forces of Prussia, Hanover, and the Netherlands, it was not so much about reclaiming the Southern Netherlands but more likely that he would be chased back to Austria.

    Joseph noticed his expression and continued, ¡°You are the ¡®cornerstone¡¯ that repelled Blucher and stabilized the situation in the Southern Netherlands. His Majesty the Emperor has even called up reinforcements from Silesia for you. Should you fail to meet the Emperor¡¯s expectations, it would tarnish the reputation you have established.¡±

    In order to set Leao up on the ¡°rack,¡± he had previously exaggerated Leao¡¯s contributions in the fight against the Prussian Army, and had portrayed him as the key factor in defeating Blucher in his letters to Joseph II.

    Flattery gets you nowhere, but who refuses the windfall laurels? Although Leao knew that these were the merits of the French Army, how could he possibly refuse such a great honor presented to him? Thus he half-heartedly accepted it.

    Back in Vienna, the avalanche of encomiums and rewards overwhelmed him as Joseph II even dubbed him ¡°the cornerstone of the Empire¡¯s west!¡± However, before he could even enjoy it for a month, he now faced the daunting situation with tens of thousands of enemy troops.

    Joseph, appearing concerned for him, stepped closer and whispered, ¡°General Leao, I greatly admire your bravery, so I must remind you of a few things.

    ¡°The importance of the Southern Netherlands to Austria goes without saying, and should we lose it, my uncle will inevitably have to find someone to blame.

    ¡°True, it was General Willemze¡¯s lack of success in combat that led to the dire straits in the Southern Netherlands, but he is now an important commander in Silesia, and with his profound political background, my uncle is unlikely to blame him¡­¡±

    The uncle he referred to was Joseph II.

    Upon hearing this, Leao¡¯s face grew even grimmer.

    How could he not understand what the Crown Prince of France meant? If he were to be defeated by the Prussian-Hanoverian forces, the blame for the loss of the Southern Netherlands would fall on him.

    Not only would his aura as ¡°the cornerstone of the west¡± vanish, but he might also spend the second half of his life in exile in Transylvania¡­

    At that moment, he was taken aback and looked eagerly at Joseph: ¡°Your Highness, as a matter of fact, this is exactly why I have come to you.

    ¡°I hope you can command Colonel Lefebvre and his regiment to assist me in attacking the Prussian Army in Liege. If we can defeat Blucher before the Hanoverians arrive, we could then establish a defensive line from Namur to the east of Brussels and face off against Charles II.

    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor will surely send more reinforcements to me afterward. If I can reclaim the Southern Netherlands, I will never forget your great kindness!¡±

    Joseph spread his hands with difficulty, ¡°But my uncle has not asked for France¡¯s assistance in attacking the Prussian Army. You know, if French soldiers were to enter the Southern Netherlands rashly, my uncle might misunderstand¡­¡±

    Visions of his exile after a military defeat flooded Leao¡¯s mind once more; he clutched at the last straw, pleading, ¡°Your Highness, you only need to order Colonel Lefebvre to issue the troops, I will explain the situation to His Majesty the Emperor!¡±

    Joseph still shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Uncle¡¯s approval before we mobilize the troops.¡±

    Leao hurriedly said, ¡°Rest assured, I will ask General Wilmze and Count Kaunitz for help, as I have some connections with them. His Majesty will certainly agree to your assistance in recovering the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    A smile flashed across Joseph¡¯s lips as he pretended to have difficulties, before reluctantly nodding, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you struggle.¡±

    ¡°However, I think that if we are to launch an attack, we shouldn¡¯t just focus on Blucher.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°If the Prussians hold firm, it will be hard for you to take Liege before the Hanoverians arrive. Therefore, it would be best if you could spare some forces to hold off Charles II and the Dutch.¡±

    Leao tasted bitterness in his mouth, he of course understood the reasoning, but he had only 10,000 soldiers. Now, by requesting one and a half battalions from the French people, he could just barely manage to engage with Blucher. Where would he find the extra troops to target the Hanoverian Army?

    Joseph seemed to be caught up in the discussion and casually said, ¡°Speaking of the Netherlands, France gave them substantial support, yet they choose to stand with Hanover, which, you know, is tantamount to forming an alliance with the British.¡±

    ¡°If I get the chance, I must teach these ungrateful Dutch a lesson!¡±

    Leao looked at him excitedly, ¡°Your Highness, there are currently 4,000 Dutch troops to the east of Brussels. This is a perfect opportunity for you to vent your frustration.¡±

    Joseph appeared very hesitant, ¡°But if we do that, my army might encounter them in the Brabant area.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will explain to His Majesty the Emperor.¡±

    After some more coaxing, Joseph nodded with reluctance once again, ¡°Then you must tell Uncle that this is your battle plan.¡±

    In fact, this was the plan he had come up with after half a month of discussion with his entire staff for the campaign into the Southern Netherlands¡ªall actions were to use Leao as the figurehead, allowing Leao¡¯s forces to engage the Prussian Army at Liege, while the French Army circumvents Liege to strike directly into the hinterland of the Southern Netherlands.

    By the time Austria reacted, Brussels would already be a French garrison. Moreover, Joseph II couldn¡¯t find fault with France for anything¡ªall the plans had been made by your man Leao, the French Army had ¡°accepted the invitation¡± to enter the Southern Netherlands, helped repel the Hanoverian and Dutch forces, and dealt with the rebellion of the Dutch. After such a huge favor, Austria would have to show some gratitude, right?

    Leao nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will definitely not make things difficult for you.¡±

    However, in his mind, he had his own little schemes. If he really could reclaim the Southern Netherlands with the help of the French Army, then as the person who developed the entire battle plan, he at least could earn himself the title of marshal, and even entering into Vienna¡¯s political core was not impossible.

    ¡­

    Southwest of Silesia.

    The main battlefield of Legnica.

    The commander of the French expeditionary ¡°volunteer army¡± in Silesia, General Kellermann, turned his head towards the direction from where the sound of gunfire came, furrowed his brow slightly, picked up a chess piece next to him, and placed it near the ¡°king¡± on the other side: ¡°You see, if the game continues this way, it will definitely end in a draw.¡±

 Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Chapter 347: The Emperor of Sanctums Regret

    Chapter 433: Chapter 347: The Emperor of Sanctum¡¯s Regret

    ¡°Yes, General, it¡¯s a draw,¡± said the staff officer, pushing his chair back as he too looked eastward, ¡°just like this damned standoff.¡±

    After playing chess for most of the day, General Kellermann, who found the game quite dull, stood up and stretched lazily, ¡°I heard from a Cavalry Scout that there¡¯s a nice river by the border of Gorlitz, teeming with plump trout. Let¡¯s go fishing there tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°That would certainly be nice,¡± the staff officer said, ¡°but that area is close to Saxon, so it might not be very safe.¡±

    ¡°No problem, we¡¯ll just bring more guards.¡±

    Kellermann donned his coat and sauntered out of the tent, as the distant roar of cannon fire was heard once more.

    He had originally thought he could distinguish himself in Austria and boost the military¡¯s sagging spirits over the past six months¡ªsince the Marquis de Saint-Veran¡¯s rebellion, the military had been heavily suppressed by the Royal Family and was in dire need of a victory to regain prestige.

    However, after the initial raid was ambushed by the Prussians, resulting in nearly a thousand men lost, he had not had another opportunity to participate in the action¡ª

    The Austrian Army and the Prussian Army had set up numerous artillery pieces on the hills of Legnica, more than 230 on the former and 190 on the latter, and then began a relentless day-and-night bombardment.

    The dense lines of cannons made both sides¡¯ infantry hesitant to make any rash moves¡ªthey didn¡¯t have the boldness of the French Guard Corps to charge in columns, and would quickly draw back after a brief foray into the artillery range.

    This had been the favored mode of warfare for the Prussian and Austrian forces in recent decades, using a massive number of fixed artillery positions to hold the ground, then seeking to break through by concentrating forces on the enemy¡¯s weak points.

    But the commanders of both sides were well-versed in this tactic. After clashing in the Seven Years¡¯ War and the Bavarian War of Succession, they were very familiar with each other¡¯s military habits and took meticulous precautions against each other.

    And so, for a month, the miles-long artillery line of both sides bombarded each other, and apart from the occasional unlucky soldier being ¡°accidentally¡± hit by an enemy shell every few days, almost no results were achieved.

    The minor losses of the cannons were immediately replenished by countries as large as Prussia and Austria, and thus the stalemate in Silesia persisted.

    Neither country dared withdraw its troops casually, fearing that the other might suddenly reinforce and forcefully break through their artillery positions.

    Hence, every day the combined armies of more than 200,000 men would routinely come to the front lines to witness the ¡°fireworks show,¡± and then it was time to eat and sleep, leading a rather comfortable and leisurely life.

    The only ones not at ease were the treasuries of Prussia and Austria. Maintaining such large armies came with no small expense.

    Leopold II finished his inspection of the Silesian front with a gloomy expression and returned to Vienna.

    He was well aware that, although Prussia and Austria were currently in a deadlock, with Austria even having a slight advantage in troop numbers, strategically, Austria was moving towards failure.

    As the one who had concentrated all its resources to launch the offensive, Austria still lingered only on the edges of Silesia without making any decisive progress.

    Meanwhile, in financial terms, the Prussian endurance¡ªfueled by its ¡°militaristic¡± policies¡ªproved to be far stronger than Austria¡¯s.

    The Prussian serfs dared not harbour any dissatisfaction towards the Junker lords as long as they had potatoes to fill their bellies, while the Junker nobility were willing to go to the front lines to earn military distinction for little or even no pay.

    But in Austria, due to the reforms of the older brother, taxation faced resistance from the nobility, and if the finances suffered because of the war, the entire nation could collapse.

    Therefore, it was imperative to quickly shift the situation in Silesia, using the victory of war to stabilize the domestic state of affairs.

    Leopold II fell into contemplation; by the time he snapped out of it, the carriage had stopped in the square of Schonbrunn Palace. He hurried to Joseph II¡¯s bedroom, collected his thoughts outside the door one last time, then knocked and entered.

    After reporting on the situation in Silesia, he looked at his frail brother and said solemnly, ¡°Your Majesty, we must mobilize on a large scale as soon as possible, or else by the end of this year at the latest, our finances will no longer be able to support the war.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to remind the Emperor on the sickbed what kind of desperate situation Austria would face if they were defeated in Silesia.

    ¡°Based on what I¡¯ve seen on the battlefield, we need to recruit at least another 80,000 troops to possibly achieve a rapid advance in Legnica,¡± he said.

    Joseph II, gazing out the window for a long time, finally spoke with difficulty, ¡°You know the current situation of our country, we can¡¯t¡­¡±

    Leopold II bit his lip, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Brother, now is the time when we must temporarily halt the reforms.

    ¡°If we restore the traditional rights of those nobles and stop paying the serfs their extra wages, the nobles of Hungary and Kyiv could immediately assemble an army of more than 100,000 and also raise a substantial amount of funds!¡±

    ¡°With that, not only could we retake Silesia, but we could even advance into Lusatia!¡±

    Lusatia was already within Prussia¡¯s traditional territories, which also included some provinces in the eastern part of Saxony.

    Not waiting for Joseph II to refuse, he continued, ¡°Moreover, the Southern Netherlands Rebels would lose the support of the nobles, which would help to ease the unrest in the western part of the Empire.

    ¡°I know this is a difficult decision for you, but once we retake Silesia, with the prestige brought by a victorious war, you can re-implement the reforms, which will surely proceed more smoothly than now!¡±

    Joseph II let out a wooden sigh; the reforms into which he had poured most of his life¡¯s efforts had become an obstacle to the nation¡¯s victory.

    After a long silence, he finally shook his head dejectedly, ¡°Let me think about it some more¡­ after all, we are so close to success¡­¡±

    Leopold II was about to persuade him further when Joseph II changed the subject, ¡°Leao has made a comprehensive plan to attack the Southern Netherlands and needs 10,000 more troops. Can you allocate some?¡±

    Leopold II took Leao¡¯s letter from his brother¡¯s attendant and quickly scanned it, then said with some hesitation, ¡°He plans to have the French people deal with the Hanoverian Army?¡±

    ¡°Charles II has brought 20,000 troops, and there are several thousand Dutch as well. If the French Army engages them in the Southern Netherlands, it will likely result in a long stalemate.¡±

    After taking a break, Joseph II continued, ¡°Archbishop Constantine has promised me that he will summon forces loyal to him to strike from the north side and encircle Brussels. Leao can surely achieve a breakthrough sooner and then capture Brussels. Oh, General Wilmze also highly approves of this plan.¡±

    Constantine was the Archbishop of the Diocese of Liege, which as an independent ecclesiastical territory, meant the Archbishop held tremendous power there.

    Leopold II fell silent for a moment then lowered his head and said, ¡°I will find a way to send additional reinforcements for General Leao, Your Majesty.¡±

    After he left Joseph II¡¯s bedroom, whispering to himself ¡°It¡¯s time to make a decision,¡± he returned to the carriage and ordered the driver to head to the residence of State Minister Kaunitz.

    ¡­

    Luxembourg City.

    Joseph took advantage of the brief rest of the Guard Corps before they headed to Brussels to preside over the ceremony for the French Steel Technology Association¡¯s acquisition of eleven iron mines in Luxembourg, as well as the two largest smelting workshops.

 Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Chapter 348: The Dividends of War

    Chapter 434: Chapter 348: The Dividends of War

    Although Luxembourg is nominally still Austrian territory, this does not prevent French businessmen from conducting some normal trade there.

    The Austrian officials in Luxembourg had already heard the rumors that His Majesty the Emperor was preparing to give Luxembourg to France as a reward for the latter¡¯s deployment of troops against Prussia, so they did not interfere with these ¡°commercial activities¡±.

    Moreover, on this speck of land, not even a quarter the size of Corsica, twenty thousand French Army soldiers were stationed, so even if the officials had opinions, they could only grumble to acquaintances in salons at most.

    In Tom Square of Luxembourg City, the Secretary-General of the French Steel Technology Association was smiling as he passed the agreements he had signed one by one to the Luxembourg mine owners sitting opposite him.

    The mine owners immediately grabbed pens, signed the agreements, and affixed their seals, as if afraid that the French would change their minds.

    After the agreements were signed, the notary and lawyer declared them effective, and that was when the mine owners finally showed relaxed smiles and whispered to each other:

    ¡°Now we don¡¯t have to worry about the war destroying everything.¡±

    ¡°I never imagined the French would be willing to take over these iron mines¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed, although thirty thousand livres is not a lot, it¡¯s enough for a family to live comfortably in Vienna.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m thinking of going to Brussels, of course, after the rebellion there is quelled¡­¡±

    Indeed, the entire region of Luxembourg was under the cloud of war, especially since the Prussian Soldiers had relatively lax military discipline, which caused great distress among the local businessmen.

    There were persistent rumors among civilians that the large armies of Prussia and Hanover would engage in a decisive battle with the French Army in Luxembourg. Such a tiny place could hardly withstand the devastation of a battle involving seventy to eighty thousand soldiers from both sides; the aftermath was bound to be scorched earth.

    So all Luxembourg People were eager to sell their assets, and high-quality open-pit iron mines that used to be hard to buy even for hundreds of thousands of livres were now going for one less zero and still required pleading with buyers to make a sale.

    In the center of the VIP section at the front, Joseph¡¯s face was also adorned with a satisfied smile. He had spent less than eight hundred thousand livres to buy all of these top-quality iron mines in Europe, which was practically a bargain.

    It should be noted that Luxembourg¡¯s steel production could almost satisfy the entire demand of Western Europe in the future. With these mines, France¡¯s industrial revolution would receive a powerful boost.

    If one were to wait until the industrial revolutions of all European countries reached a period of high-speed development and the demand for coal and iron soared, the value of these mines would likely surpass one hundred million livres!

    As for the war, even if it meant deploying half of France¡¯s military force to Luxembourg, Joseph would not let it be affected by the conflict.

    Because of his absolute confidence in regional stability, he had even taken advantage of the selling wave to buy quite a few craft workshops and high-quality land.

    The former would provide a large number of skilled smelting and mining workers, and the latter were for the construction of iron smelting plants.

    In fact, including the Gregoire Brothers Steel Company, Hilker Steel Company, and several other French steel companies that had grown most rapidly recently, had already arrived in Luxembourg City, waiting to expand their new factories here.

    ¡°`

    They had long been fed up with the low output and mediocre quality of the iron ore from France and had previously been forced to import substantial quantities of iron ore from Russia, or purchase coarse iron ingots from Luxembourg at very high costs.

    Now, their smelters could be built right beside the iron mines, and, with exceedingly favorable ore prices, their production of iron ingots could see significant improvements in terms of cost, quality, and output.

    This was especially true since they had obtained Joseph¡¯s ¡°hot blast ironmaking¡± technique from the French Steel Technology Association. After almost half a year of experimenting, they had basically mastered it and had completed small-scale pilot production domestically. It was the perfect opportunity to use this new technology to set up a factory in Luxembourg, where the refined iron and fine steel produced could also be conveniently sold to the nearby German states, yielding substantial profits.

    For Joseph, as long as he firmly controlled the core resource of the iron mines, there was no reason to worry about these private capitals spiraling out of control.

    After all, to develop the entire coal and iron industry of France, royal investment and management simply were not sufficient; it was imperative to encourage private enterprises to participate to the utmost. Joseph could offer them advanced technology and concepts, and assist them in market expansion with state action, ensuring that every livre invested saw a handsome return.

    Once these private companies developed, they would contribute substantial tax revenue to support France¡¯s finances, eventually leading to an overall enhancement of national power.

    This could also be considered the first wave of dividends following France¡¯s wartime victory in Luxembourg. Moreover, with its very small size and proximity to France, Luxembourg would not draw too much attention from great powers before its industries developed, making it an ideal choice for France to expand overseas influence.

    After the signing ceremony concluded, Joseph, surrounded by a throng of people, read out a congratulatory message. Then, he gestured for the crowd to attend the signing banquet, but in his mind, he was planning how to combine the abundant coal resources of the Walloon Region in the Southern Netherlands with Luxembourg¡¯s iron resources in the future, to form the coal and iron heart of French industrial development!

    Then, Joseph thought of the security issues in this region, which made him frown.

    After all, both the Walloon Region and Luxembourg lay on the very edges of France, and in the event of war, the enemy could easily reach this area, causing immense damage to France¡¯s coal and iron core.

    ¡°Therefore, it would be best to turn the Walloon Region and Luxembourg into inland provinces so they could have a certain strategic depth¡­¡± Mounting his carriage, Joseph looked out the window at the Luxembourg and French businessmen smiling and flocking to the banquet hall, and he sighed to himself. Everyone else enjoyed the fruits directly, while he had to wear his heart out for the whole of France.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Eden Amusement Park.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s just like flying up into the sky!¡±

    Amidst the childlike cheers, the little girl on the carousel clutched the handle with one hand and raised her other hand high, as if she were cracking a whip, letting her goose yellow dress and pretty braided pigtails flutter in the wind. Excitement and enchantment filled her warm blue eyes.

    After the carousel made another round, she turned her chubby little face and shouted toward a man standing outside the fence, who looked utterly bored:

    ¡°Uncle Alexei, can you make it ¡®fly¡¯ even faster?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Your Highness Grand Duchess Alexandra, I¡¯ve told you not to address me that way,¡± Alexei¡¯s voice dropped, and he put on a look of disapproval, ¡°There are strangers here.¡±

    Still, he gestured to a guard by his side, who immediately ran to ask the amusement park staff, then came back swiftly to whisper a few words to him.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Chapter 349 Alexeis Nemesis

    Chapter 435: Chapter 349 Alexei¡¯s Nemesis

    ¡°`

    ¡°Oh, alright,¡± Alexandra pouted, changing tracks, ¡°Count Bobrinsky, I want to ¡®fly¡¯ faster.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible,¡± Alexei spread his hands, ¡°They say this is already the maximum speed. But next month they are going to replace it with a high-pressure steam engine, uh, that seems to be what it¡¯s called, and then it will be able to spin faster.¡±

    The little girl sighed in disappointment:

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s still a long wait¡­ But fortunately, we are going to stay in Paris for a while.¡±

    As she was speaking, the bell rang beside them, and the carousel slowly came to a stop.

    The little girl hopped off the carousel, her deep blue eyes sweeping around before they settled on the winding water ride called ¡°Rapids Advance¡± not far away:

    ¡°I want to go play on that! I remember it wasn¡¯t here the last time we came to Paris.¡±

    Alexei glanced at the scorching sun overhead, ignored the handkerchief offered by the servant beside him, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, saying with a grimace:

    ¡°It¡¯s really hot today! Perhaps we could come and play another day when it¡¯s overcast. You said it yourself, we are going to be here for quite some time.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Alexandra patted Mickey by her side, and without any argument, pulled her uncle towards Rapids Advance, ¡°You just bought an ¡®all-rides ticket¡¯, we can¡¯t let it go to waste.¡±

    A 30-livre all-rides ticket allowed you to enjoy any attraction in the amusement park until nightfall.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the damn winter,¡± Alexei let out a look of utter resignation as the seven-year-old girl dragged him along, ¡°we could have arrived in Paris during the early summer, when the weather wouldn¡¯t be as tormenting as this.¡±

    In fact, Catherine II had sent him with his granddaughter at the end of the previous year, but not soon after he left Saint Petersburg, he encountered a severe cold spell which occurs only once in decades, with temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees, and breath turning to ice¡ªa time when including Russia, all of Europe was going through the winter¡ªthus, they had no choice but to return to the Winter Palace.

    As everyone knows, after the winter in Russia, what comes is not a spring warm enough for travel, but a slush of melting snow mixed with mud. Both man and horse, with each step on this kind of road surface, had to pull their feet or hooves out of the mud three times, just to get free from the mire¡¯s entanglement.

    Therefore, they waited until early summer to finally set out for Paris.

    Alexandra glanced at her uncle and flashed a sweet smile:

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t ¡®discussed¡¯ poetry for over a month with Mrs. Sylankiewicz in Klementyev, and hadn¡¯t ¡®stayed¡¯ for more than 40 days at Miss Isabella¡¯s place in Prague, we indeed could have arrived here during the cool early summer.¡±

    She then bared her missing teeth, adding earnestly:

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so persistent about coming to the amusement park, you might still be at Miss Isabella¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Alexei hastily interrupted his niece with a cough, then nervously looked around, relieved to see that apparently no one overheard¡ªthe things Alexandra had just said were in French, and had they been heard, he might well become the talk of the Parisian nobility by tomorrow.

    He promptly ushered Alexandra onto the Rapids Advance boat, offering with a dutiful smile:

    ¡°You can play as long as you want. Hmm, actually, it¡¯s not that hot¡­¡±

    Two hours later, after having been on every amusement twice, Alexandra was finally content and decided to return to their stay.

    As she boarded the carriage parked outside the main entrance, she looked back longingly at the attractions inside the park, exclaiming:

    ¡°I heard that all of these are designed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of France, I really wonder why he is so clever.¡±

    Alexei, exhausted by the sweltering heat, replied with annoyance:

    ¡°`

    ¡°He¡¯s a prince, so isn¡¯t it normal for him to be a bit smarter than the average person¡­¡±

    The little girl looked at him intently as if pondering something:

    ¡°Uncle Alexei, come to think of it, you¡¯re also a prince, even older than the Crown Prince of France. So why haven¡¯t you designed an ¡®Eden Amusement Park¡¯ in Saint Petersburg?¡±

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡±

    Alexei nearly choked to death on his niece¡¯s words but, being used to it by now, he quickly changed the subject:

    ¡°Tomorrow is Mr. Greuze¡¯s first lesson. Do you need to prepare in advance?¡±

    Alexandra became serious upon hearing anything related to painting:

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I should check the paints since they¡¯re all brought from far away Vienna. And I should choose tomorrow¡¯s dress in advance as well¡­¡±

    She was very fond of Mr. Greuze¡¯s paintings, and one of her objectives in coming to Paris was to learn the art from him.

    Painting was her favorite subject to study.

    The next day.

    In a villa in the Paris Louvre District, the renowned French painter of melancholic style, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, the creator of ¡°The Guitar Player,¡± was present.

    A few extravagantly dressed noble girls were sitting demurely in front of Greuze, listening to him explain portrait composition techniques.

    However, the young ladies would occasionally glance at the youngest girl sitting in the middle, their eyes filled with curiosity and a touch of exclusion.

    In the brief introduction before the class, they learned that the girl was a Russian Grand Duchess named Alexandra Pavlovna, apparently the eldest daughter of the Russian Crown Prince.

    To them, Russians were nothing more than a semi-savage people desperately trying to imitate France without ever quite managing to do so.

    In simple terms, bumpkins.

    Therefore, even though she was a Grand Duchess, they didn¡¯t think much of her. Instead, they were baffled as to why such a bumpkin could attend the classes of the famous Mr. Greuze.

    Soon, Greuze finished the theory part. After demonstrating with a few strokes, he called over his maid to model and instructed the students to draw a portrait of the thirty-something woman using the techniques he just taught.

    The students proceeded to the studio. Alexandra set up her easel, took out her precious paints brought from Vienna, pulled a grimace, and began to paint with concentration.

    In the afternoon, Greuze returned to the studio. After his gaze swept over the works of several students, his face inevitably showed a shade of disappointment.

    Although these disciples were of noble birth and paid him a hefty tuition fee, to be honest, their natural talent for painting was quite average.

    If he weren¡¯t in need of supplementing his income, he would genuinely prefer not to waste his precious time on them.

    It wasn¡¯t until he saw the painting of the little girl who had just come today that he was taken aback¡ªthe painting skills weren¡¯t mature enough, even the basics of sketching were somewhat wanting, but she had understood the techniques he had just taught extremely well, as if she had practiced them many times before.

    What surprised him even more was that her painting possessed a unique spirituality that made it feel as though there was a beating heart within the colors she laid on the canvas.

 Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Chapter 350: Money Power? I Have It Too!

    Chapter 436: Chapter 350: Money Power? I Have It Too!

    Mr. Greuze watched silently until Alexandra¡¯s painting was complete, and he finally let out a sigh with a surprised smile, ¡°Your Highness the Grand Duchess, you are truly the most talented student I have ever seen. You have portrayed Joanna with such vitality¡­¡±

    Joanna was the maid currently posing at the front of the art studio.

    As Greuze spoke, he caught a glimpse of the other students¡¯ work and shook his head with a sigh, ¡°Kalalis, Marisa, perhaps you should take a look at the Grand Duchess Alexandra¡¯s painting.

    ¡°You have been studying with me for four or five years and in some ways¡­ it seems you still haven¡¯t touched the essence of painting. I hope you can learn something from this piece.¡±

    The three noble girls beside him exchanged glances, their faces full of dissatisfaction. After all, the youngest among them was already 11 years old, and Kalalis was 14.

    And yet their teacher was suggesting they learn from a Russian peasant girl of only seven years!

    The girls congregated around, reluctantly, but their meager artistic cells prevented them from seeing the ¡°soul¡± of the painting that Mr. Greuze referred to.

    Greuze then commented on Alexandra¡¯s painting some more, mostly with words of praise and encouragement. After a glance at his watch, he announced that class would continue next Tuesday before bidding farewell to the young noblewomen and leaving the studio.

    Marisa mockingly kidnapped Alexandra¡¯s easel, exaggeratingly inspecting the latter¡¯s painting and muttered to herself, ¡°Has the teacher been drinking today?¡±

    Her father was the second assistant to the French Minister of Agriculture, and their family had an hereditary earldom, so she harbored no fear toward the Russian Grand Duchess.

    Another noble girl beside her sneered in response, ¡°That must be the case, otherwise why would he comment for over ten minutes on such a mundane painting.¡±

    ¡°And he even expects us to ¡®perceive¡¯ something from this work. Hmm, the paint is quite nice,¡± Kalalis followed with a sardonic tone.

    No wonder they were upset. Mr. Greuze had actually said they couldn¡¯t paint as well as a ¡°wild Tartar¡± girl, which was a humiliation to their skills!

    They were all born and raised in the Palace of Versailles, having been immersed in art from a young age, with many masters praising their great talent. How could they possibly be surpassed by a Russian peasant girl?

    Since they couldn¡¯t challenge the master artist Greuze, they turned their frustrations on Alexandra instead.

    The young Russian girl took back her painting, gestured to the maid to pack it carefully, and then turned to the noble girls with a sweet smile, speaking in perfect French, ¡°If you spent the time and effort you use to say these discordant words on practicing painting instead, perhaps your teacher wouldn¡¯t need to praise a ¡®transfer student¡¯.¡±

    Having said her piece, she ignored their expressions and headed out of the studio.

    ¡°You!¡± Marisa stamped her foot in shamed anger, pointing at Alexandra¡¯s retreating back as she shrieked, ¡°Don¡¯t think your painting is really that good! The teacher was just humoring you as a child with some casual encouragement.¡±

    She signaled to the two noble girls beside her, ¡°Any one of us here paints far better than you do.

    ¡°Let me tell you, Kalalis and Miss Stella¡¯s paintings have been selected for the ¡®Lorraine-Charlibourg Exhibition¡¯!

    ¡°Oh, you probably never heard of the Charlibourg Exhibition. If your painting from earlier gets selected for the exhibition, we¡¯ll admit that your painting is not so bad. But if you don¡¯t make it, you must apologize to us!¡±

    In reality, it was only because their families had some connections with the people running the exhibition that their paintings were displayed in a nondescript little cottage in Charlibourg, merely hitching a ride on the event¡¯s hype, which hardly counted as ¡°participating in the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Alexandra glanced briefly at the three and then headed towards the carriage in the courtyard with long strides.

    The noble girls felt they had regained some ground and immediately became smug, ¡°Hmph! It¡¯s good that she knows her limits.¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a top-tier exhibition attended by the Royal Family¡ªher clumsy work wouldn¡¯t even make it through the door.¡±

    ¡°She really should have a look at the Charlibourg Art Exhibition; it¡¯s truly a spectacle of being submerged in an ocean of art¡­¡±

    As Alexandra boarded the carriage, she didn¡¯t catch what they said afterwards, only feeling that the name ¡°Lorrain-Charlibourg Art Exhibition¡± seemed vaguely familiar.

    ¡°Where have I heard it before?¡±

    She gazed toward the majestic Louvre in the distance and soon forgot about the matter.

    Three days later.

    In the northern outskirts of Paris. A series of carriages arrived at the luxurious estate of Charlibourg. About six or seven hundred aristocrats gathered here to attend the renowned Lorrain-Charlibourg Art Exhibition.

    This place used to be a monastery, bought and converted into a castle-style manor, and later gradually developed into a center of painting arts.

    There was still some time left before the exhibition was due to start. Mr. Philip Beto, the overall organizer of the exhibition, was checking the guest list one last time¡ªsince the Royal Family would visit Charlibourg each year during the exhibition, no detail could be overlooked.

    Just then, the office door was pushed open. His assistant almost ran to his desk and whispered a few words into his ear.

    Philip Beto immediately frowned and turned to look at his assistant, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    The latter nodded: ¡°Quite a few young noblewomen from the Palace of Versailles have heard about it, likely from Miss Marisa boasting to them.

    ¡°I went to Mr. Greuze¡¯s house this morning to confirm, and his maid witnessed the whole event.¡±

    ¡°This could be troublesome¡­¡±

    After a moment of thought, Philip Beto instructed his assistant, ¡°Announce to the public that termites have been found in the room on the second floor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Manager.¡±

    Once the assistant left, Philip Beto rubbed his brow in annoyance. The conflicts between these noble ladies were the most troublesome; the second daughter of the Lemaire Count¡¯s House just had to clash with the Russian Grand Duchess at this time¡­

    Although he was somewhat acquainted with Count Lemaire, it was Count Poplinsky from Russia who was the main sponsor of this year¡¯s exhibition, providing as much as 75% of the funds required.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to offend him!

    Therefore, the only option was to let the paintings of the two young ladies, who boasted that their works would be exhibited whereas the Russian Grand Duchess¡¯s would not, ¡°disappear¡±¡­

    Soon, the grand art exhibition officially opened.

    Several hundred aristocrats were led ordersly into the exhibition hall by the servants of Charlibourg.

    Kalalis and Marisa, looking proud, led a group of young nobles directly to the room in the southwest corner of the second floor, boasting along the way, ¡°That is the painting even Mr. Greuze praised, so it naturally took part in the exhibition.¡±

    They entered the room designated for their works, only to find it completely empty.

    Thinking she had made a mistake, Kalalis repeatedly checked the room number and even looked in the adjacent rooms, but never found her own paintings.

 Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Chapter 351 The Two Most Powerful Women in the European Continent

    Chapter 437: Chapter 351 The Two Most Powerful Women in the European Continent

    The young nobles who had come with Kalalis and Marisa had already started whispering among themselves, casting mocking glances at them from time to time.

    You see, they had been boasting about their participation in the exhibition for over a month, and everyone¡¯s ears were numb from hearing about it.

    Yet today, they had come with great fanfare, only to see nothing.

    ¡°No, there must have been some mistake!¡± Kalalis argued loudly, ¡°My painting really was in the exhibition¡­¡±

    ¡°I must go ask the person in charge of the exhibition!¡±

    Marisa quickly found a steward of Charlibourg, who, after hearing her question, led her towards the third floor. Kalalis quickly followed behind.

    The steward opened a storeroom on the floor, lit a candelabra, and apologetically gestured towards a table in the corner, ¡°I am very sorry, esteemed miss, due to a severe termite infestation in room 229, the paintings there have been affected, and it is no longer suitable to display them. Charlibourg will compensate you double for the loss incurred.¡±

    Kalalis hurried over and found her painting among the pile of disheveled scrolls, quickly unrolling it only to freeze on the spot.

    Under the candlelight, her painting bore several marks created by the reaction between formic acid and the pigments, and there was even a termite corpse stuck to it¡­

    Presenting such a painting at an exhibition would undoubtedly turn it into a laughingstock.

    Philip Beto¡¯s assistant was very meticulous in his work; when the boss said there was a ¡°termite disaster,¡± then he surely arranged everything to look as if there really had been one.

    Kalalis immediately let out a piercing scream and ran down the stairs crying¡­

    In the main exhibition hall on the first floor of Charlibourg, Alexandra, dressed in the latest Parisian fashion¡ªa light green gown¡ªwas blissfully unaware of the tragic scene unfolding upstairs.

    She was duly following etiquette, posing in the most standard way a lady should, slowly walking past rows of exquisite paintings accompanied by Alexei and Count Alexander Sergeyevich Stroganov, the Russian ambassador to France.

    ¡°This is one of Mr. Loran¡¯s masterpieces!¡± Count Stroganov exclaimed in a low voice, gazing at the painting ¡°Ursula Embarks on Her Voyage¡± on the wall.

    He was a true connoisseur of art, and had it not been for an important task assigned by the Emperor today, he would have spent half the day admiring this painting.

    After the ¡°Russian appreciation group¡± lingered in the exhibition hall for nearly an hour, suddenly the sound of trumpets came from outside Charlibourg, followed by a band starting to play.

    The crowd instantly became agitated and began to flock towards the outside of the exhibition hall.

    Count Stroganov turned to look at Alexei and whispered, ¡°Count Popblinsky, they must have arrived.¡±

    The latter nodded; he knew that when the ambassador said ¡°they,¡± he was referring to the King and Queen of France.

    He quickly gestured for Alexandra to also head towards the entrance.

    Soon, Louis XVI and Queen Mary appeared at the entrance of the exhibition hall. With a reminder from their attendants, they immediately took note of the splendidly dressed Russian Grand Duchess and her entourage.

    Seeing the French King approaching, Alexandra and her companions hurried to meet him, greeting him with great formality, ¡°To encounter you here is a tremendous honor and surprise.¡±

    Queen Mary looked at the girl in front of her with surprise, her thick, plaited braids framing a very sweet face, and greeted her with a kind smile, ¡°I am also delighted to meet you. Welcome to the art capital¡ªParis.¡±

    Subsequently, Alexandra and her group naturally joined Queen Mary in touring the art exhibition.

    The young girl quickly stepped aside at her uncle¡¯s gesture, and Count Stroganov, the ambassador to France, stepped forward, coming to the side of the Queen of France, and said respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty, the Emperor has instructed me to convey his sincere greetings to you and His Majesty the King.¡±

    ¡°Please convey my thanks for his concern,¡± Queen Mary nodded politely in acknowledgment.

    Count Stroganov was well acquainted with the Queen and began discussing art. By the time they had viewed almost half of the exhibits on the first floor, he had steered the conversation to the purpose of his visit, ¡°The Emperor holds you in very high regard. He has often praised you to his ministers, saying that the financial, military, and judicial reforms you have guided in recent years have been extremely successful, and that you have achieved accomplishments in foreign affairs that have captured the attention of all Europe.¡±

    Queen Mary blinked, feeling that something was amiss, but she still nodded slightly. Indeed, France had developed well in the past two years, even establishing a province in Tunisia.

    Stroganov continued, ¡°The Emperor especially admires your North African strategy for its astonishing strategic planning, which has yielded rich rewards with minimal impact on the international situation.

    ¡°At the same time, His Majesty also expresses high appreciation for your support of our country regarding the Black Sea and for maintaining a consistent stance with us in our attitude towards the Ottoman Empire.¡±

    He discretely observed Queen Mary, seeing that she seemed unfazed, he marveled internally; indeed, as the Emperor had said, the Queen of France was the only woman in Europe who could be compared with him.

    She was as ambitious as he was and possessed extraordinary skills, leading their respective countries step by step out of difficulties toward vibrant development.

    In reality, Queen Mary wasn¡¯t ¡°unfazed¡±; she was somewhat bewildered¡ªwhat was there to admire about her North African strategy? Wasn¡¯t it just that their Bey, unable to endure Ottoman rule and admiring France, had come to request annexation by France?

    What support had she provided to Russia in the Black Sea?

    And how had her position been aligned with the Ottomans?

    What was he talking about??

    Stroganov took a breath and added, ¡°Furthermore, regarding the ¡®Sweden Plan¡¯ mentioned by Archbishop Talleyrand, your Foreign Minister, during his mission to Saint Petersburg two months ago, the Emperor agrees profoundly. His Majesty believes¡­¡±

    ¡°Please, wait a moment,¡± Queen Mary¡¯s brain was overloaded. What ¡°Sweden Plan¡±?

    ¡°What exactly did Archbishop Talleyrand say?¡±

    Stroganov nodded inwardly, admiring the cautious and precise ruler who wanted to make sure her Foreign Minister had accurately described the policy and so asked him to recount it in person.

    He coughed lightly and said, ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand mentioned that you support Russia¡¯s claims over Eastern Sweden, that the Gulf of Finland should become an inland sea of Russia¡­¡±

    Queen Mary became even more confused. She had no idea that this was a ¡°pie in the sky¡± that Joseph had promised Russia.

    At this time, the Russo-Swedish War was in full swing, and Russia¡¯s powerful army had achieved a significant advantage. Catherine II was certainly plotting how to tear off a larger piece of territory from Sweden without arousing the interference of the European powers.

    So Joseph played to their desires, indicating that France agreed to Russia occupying Eastern Sweden. As long as Russia¡¯s sights were set on Sweden, then Poland would be safe.

    In history, it was because Sweden had defeated Russia in the naval battle of Svensksund in 1790, quashing the latter¡¯s aspirations for Swedish territory, that Catherine II shifted her hunting sights towards Poland.

 Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Chapter 352: Catherine IIs Ambition (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 438: Chapter 352: Catherine II¡¯s Ambition (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    ¡°`

    To prevent Austria and Prussia from aligning their interests, one must first stop the partition of Poland from happening.

    Therefore, for Joseph, the only choice was to make Sweden suffer a bit first.

    If King Gustav III of Sweden knew his thoughts, he would probably give him a thumbs-up and exclaim, ¡°Impressive, you are truly noble!¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10120676¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10120676/a9af4cf673d02bba9fdeb1829d02eb4868TJbCxBM6f24n9.jpg¡±>

    Of course, Joseph did not intend to allow Russia to expand unchecked; on the contrary, he was very vigilant about Russia¡¯s insatiable territorial ambitions.

    The title of ¡°European Gendarmerie¡± was not a joke. Once the massive Russia found its war footing, its forces would sweep through the heartland of the European continent. Historically, just twenty years later in 1814, the Russian Army would accompany Tsar Alexander I into Paris.

    Joseph pushed the Russian front towards Sweden because he was well aware that Sweden could definitely withstand Russia¡¯s fierce attacks. Even though they had not defeated the Russian Army at the Battle of Svensksund, there would surely be a great victory that would turn the tide later on.

    The reason was that Britain stood behind Sweden.

    Britain was also very concerned with Russian expansion. They have always adhered to a policy of balance on the continent and would not allow the emergence of an overpowering nation in Europe, so Sweden was Britain¡¯s bastion against Russia¡¯s westward advance.

    As for Poland, the British were not so concerned. After all, even if Russia could swallow Poland, the entirety of Germany, including Austria and Prussia, would stand in its way, making it very difficult for Russia to reach further west.

    Once Sweden fell, Russia would roam the Baltic Sea at will, and Britain might face the possibility of having to confront the Russian Army directly.

    Historically, when Russia achieved consecutive victories in the early stages of the war with Sweden, Britain then began to intervene strongly, pressuring Denmark, Russia¡¯s ally, along with Prussia.

    After gaining some advantages, Denmark quickly announced its withdrawal from the war. Sweden was then able to concentrate all its forces on Russia and, with extensive support from Britain, defeated the Russians and regained all the lost lands through the Treaty of V?r?l?.

    Thus, Joseph¡¯s strong support for Russia¡¯s war against Sweden allowed Poland more breathing space to consolidate its nation. On the other hand, it also served to wear down Britain through Sweden. France, aside from verbal support, did not have to make any actual commitment, which was certainly a very cost-effective deal.

    However, for Queen Mary, this was far too explosive.

    Waiting until Russian Ambassador Stroganov finished speaking, her eyes were already wide with astonishment, trying hard to recall if Talleyrand had ever submitted such an important national strategic plan report to her.

    Stroganov thought she was implying agreement and leaned closer to her, lowering his voice, ¡°Your Majesty, the Emperor is grateful for your stance.

    ¡°Right now, Prussia and Austria are fiercely battling in Silesia, and France is also heavily involved in the conflict there.

    ¡°The Emperor fully understands your claim to the Low Countries and is ready to offer support at any time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Queen Mary was still pondering the matter of Sweden and was even more confused by his words. France had no designs on the Low Countries, had the Russian Ambassador had too much to drink?

    If Joseph had been there, he would surely have been greatly shocked¡ªthe French Army was still hovering near the border of Liege, and Luxembourg was still legally a part of Austria at the time. Yet, Catherine II had already seen his intentions for the Southern Netherlands.

    This woman was truly one of Russia¡¯s most outstanding Tsars in modern history, with strategic insight alone that was enough to overshadow the powers of the European continent.

    ¡°`

    Of course, she was measuring France¡¯s strategy with her own ambitions. In fact, Joseph only wanted the Walloon Region in the south. Eating too much at once can lead to indigestion.

    Count Stroganov continued, ¡°However, His Imperial Majesty believes that France¡¯s strategy should not stop at the low countries.¡±

    Queen Mary immediately shook her head, ¡°I never thought of the low countries as¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± the Russian Ambassador thought she meant to say ¡°the low countries are never the final goal¡± and immediately nodded, ¡°His Imperial Majesty also thinks that what you have in mind is the wide Rhine River.¡±

    He lifted his right hand to his chest and swung it with force, ¡°But that is definitely a difficult goal to achieve. Oh, I¡¯m not questioning your power, but facing the whole of Germany on France¡¯s own is a challenge, believe me. England, the states of Italy, and even Sweden would be hostile to France as a result, which would lead to a prolonged, major war and bring significant losses to France.

    ¡°But if France were to join hands with Russia, the situation would be quite different.

    ¡°As long as His Imperial Majesty¡¯s grand army can cross Poland, of course, this would be after our conflict with Sweden has ended, it could provide strong support for you from the east of Austria.

    ¡°As for the subsequent strategy, perhaps it would need to be discussed in detail between you and His Imperial Majesty to be determined.¡±

    His words were very clear¡ªCatherine II wanted to join forces with the powerful woman of France to partition the European Continent from both the east and west!

    France would take the western bank of the Rhine River, while Russia acquired the eastern part of Sweden and Poland. Ultimately, the two armies would squeeze Austria from both directions.

    As for how far the final plan would go, that would have to be discussed in detail by the two women.

    After her brain crashed and rebooted several times, Queen Mary finally determined that the Russian Ambassador had drunk too much.

    What low countries? What Rhine River? What facing the whole of Germany?

    One wouldn¡¯t get this drunk on wine alone; he must have guzzled an entire bottle of vodka!

    Having understood this, she immediately regained her composure, looked at Stroganov with a smile, ¡°You really have a sense of humor. Perhaps, you need to rest a bit? Debreninac, would you please have a room prepared for rest¡­¡±

    Stroganov became somewhat anxious and hurriedly said, ¡°His Imperial Majesty tasked me to convey to you that in today¡¯s Europe, only France and Russia can bring a new order. Although France is currently facing some financial issues, under your reign, France will ultimately become powerful!¡±

    He suddenly turned to signal Alexandra at his side, ¡°Oh, look, His Imperial Majesty has the utmost sincerity in fostering closer ties between our two nations.¡±

    Queen Mary maintained a tolerant and polite smile towards the drunkard, ¡°Okay, okay, I greatly appreciate His Majesty¡¯s sincerity. So, do you need to go to the rest room to have something to eat first?¡±

    Stroganov was taken aback, confirming that he had made all his intentions clear, which meant the Queen of France was indicating she needed time to consider.

    With that, he gave a bow, touching his chest, ¡°Then I shall not disturb you from enjoying the artwork.¡±

    Joseph in distant Luxembourg could never have imagined that his series of maneuvers would have ignited such enormous ambitions in Catherine II.

    If Queen Mary truly chose his granddaughter to be the Crown Princess, then the entire European Continent would indeed be shaken to its core.

 Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Chapter 353: Luxembourg Steel Center (End of Month for Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 439: Chapter 353: Luxembourg Steel Center (End of Month for Monthly Pass)

    ¡°`

    Catherine II¡¯s strategic planning was by no means a whim.

    The foundation, of course, was France¡¯s demonstrated capabilities over the past two years¡ªwhether it was the Royal Family¡¯s control of power, or the profound strategy displayed in North Africa and the lowland countries, all convinced her that this was the best partner to work with.

    Meanwhile, Austria, Russia¡¯s former ally, had fallen into chaos due to its reforms, and its national strength was on the decline.

    Especially since the suppression of the Brabant uprising had been unsuccessful, and they were bogged down in a tough fight in Silesia, she had become very disappointed in Austria.

    Another German powerhouse, Prussia, had indeed signed a secret treaty with Russia to partition Poland, but that was only aimed at dealing with Poland.

    Prussia now was practically wearing the same pants as the British. On matters concerning the order of the European Continent, they would definitely give precedence to the British point of view.

    Moreover, Prussia¡¯s troops were currently stuck in Silesia, and who knew when they would be able to extricate themselves.

    In addition, Catherine II had another important consideration for planning to collaborate with France.

    Compared to Russia¡¯s targets¡ªSweden, Poland, the Black Sea coast¡ªthe European powers were more concerned with France¡¯s targets¡ªthe lowland countries and the Rhine River basin.

    The lowlands were forbidden fruit for England. The Rhine was even more the traditional sphere of influence for Germany. If France really made a move on these two areas, then all of Europe¡¯s attention would immediately fall upon it.

    At that time, Russia could take the opportunity to feast without worrying about the opinions of other great powers.

    Of course, if France really could withstand the pressure of the whole of Europe and capture the Rhine, Catherine II wouldn¡¯t mind cooperating with a military offensive. Perhaps with their pincer attack from east and west, even Austria could be swallowed up!

    The next morning, the diplomat placed Count Stroganov¡¯s submission, which was about further developing Russian-French trade, on Queen Mary¡¯s desk.

    Queen Mary sighed as she opened the file and began to frown after reading a few pages¡ªshe was truly not adept at these matters.

    She was about to call for Archbishop Brienne, but then she remembered that the Crown Prince seemed to be quite proficient in such affairs.

    Joseph had even started a trading company with Russian Earl Bobrinsky, hadn¡¯t he? It was said the business was doing extremely well, even multiplying the volume of trade between France and Russia several times over.

    With this thought, she called for her maid and instructed her to take the trade plan to the Crown Prince for handling.

    ¡­

    Luxembourg.

    Not far from the giant open-pit iron mine ¡°Iron Sea,¡± several tower-like blast furnaces were under intense construction on an open field.

    Viscount Olivier, the owner of Hilker Steel Company, stood on a hillside, watching his new ironworks take shape with a content heart.

    For less than 40,000 livres, he acquired a large ironwork shop in Luxembourg, and with it, over 700 skilled workers.

    Afterward, he began expanding and innovating the technology.

    Next to his newly acquired old blast furnaces, craftsmen were using firebricks to construct two square structures about the size of ordinary houses.

    Those two constructions were almost entirely enclosed, save for two thick pipes reaching the height of an adult¡¯s waist connecting them, with the ends of the pipes attached to the blast furnaces.

    Next to each square building was a high-pressure steam engine, blowing air through a mechanical device into the pipes.

    This was the ¡°hot blast¡± iron-smelting technology that Joseph had brought to the French ironworks.

    ¡°`

    Actually, the principle is quite simple. When smelting iron, the combustion of fuel requires a lot of oxygen, and traditional iron-smelting blast furnaces get air directly from the environment, which is at room temperature. Once that air enters the thousand-degree blast furnace, it inevitably lowers the furnace temperature.

    The furnace temperatures that could be reached during this era were just sufficient to melt the iron in the ore, but usually, it could only produce a thick, viscous iron slurry that flowed out from the bottom of the blast furnace.

    Such iron slurry definitely wouldn¡¯t be of high quality. Due to insufficient melting, impurities would be trapped inside, and fluxing agents could not dissolve evenly.

    The technology Joseph brought was to use a ¡°hot blast stove¡± to preheat the air and then blow it into the blast furnace under pressure.

    This would avoid the cooling effect of cold air on the furnace temperature and the pressurized blast would also increase the amount of oxygen available for combustion.

    Just this one simple measure could raise the furnace temperature by nearly 200 degrees.

    Additionally, by switching to coke with a higher calorific value, the blast furnaces in France¡¯s ironworks could now completely melt the iron in the ore.

    Fully liquefied iron slurry could fully contact the air, oxidizing a large amount of harmful impurities such as silicon and sulfur, while further precipitating impurities by adding fluxing agents.

    The iron slurry smelted in this way could nearly match the quality of rough steel. By adjusting the carbon content at the end of the blast furnace, the iron ingots produced scarcely needed to go through a crucible for further steelmaking and could meet the requirements of most iron products.

    After trial production in the Nancy Industrial Development Zone, the iron ingots produced by Viscount Olivier¡¯s ironworks sold for three-quarters the price of fine steel and were in high demand.

    He had previously estimated that once the factory he was building in Luxembourg was fully operational, the annual output could reach 20 million pounds.

    This one factory alone would surpass France¡¯s total steel output from last year!

    With the convenience brought by the Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement, his iron ingots and steel could smoothly enter the markets of several states in southern Germany without encountering the checkpoints and tax officers that were previously ubiquitous when selling goods to Germany.

    This factory in Luxembourg would bring him at least 800,000 livres in revenue next year!

    He would become one of the top tycoons in France in one fell swoop!

    And all this started the moment he decided to invest in the Nancy Industrial Development Zone.

    He always told people that it was the most correct decision he had ever made in his life.

    Not far away, his old rival Mr. Gregoire came over and gave him a nod.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think the war will reach here, do you?¡± Mr. Gregoire stopped and looked worriedly at another iron smelting factory he had invested in on the other side, ¡°I¡¯ve invested most of my fortune in Luxembourg.¡±

    Viscount Olivier smiled, ¡°You should have heard that the government has already started to build a wooden railway from Luxembourg to Verdun.

    ¡°If they weren¡¯t quite confident, they wouldn¡¯t make such a big investment.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Oh, Mr. Gregoire is also here.¡± The general manager of Vere Haury Ironworks suddenly appeared from somewhere, greeted both men, and followed up, ¡°And I¡¯ve heard that they are planning to build not a wooden railway, but one made from iron.¡±

    ¡°Good God, how much would that cost?!¡± Viscount Olivier had just started speaking when he suddenly paused. Ah right, this is Luxembourg, and if there¡¯s anything to spare, it¡¯s iron. The price wouldn¡¯t be too high.

    His eyes immediately lit up; if the government were to build an iron railway, they would surely buy large amounts of iron ingots from his ironworks!

    Or perhaps, he should mortgage his assets in Nancy, take out a loan, and build more blast furnaces in Luxembourg¡­

    This was precisely the effect Joseph¡¯s plan sought to achieve.

    By leveraging the low-cost iron of Luxembourg to start producing iron rails, they could train railway craftsmen while also significantly increasing the sales of the ironworks, further reducing their costs.

 Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Chapter 354: Josephs Indirect Interweaving

    Chapter 440: Chapter 354: Joseph¡¯s Indirect Interweaving

    Although this stretch of railway that spans across much of Luxembourg was costly to construct, once it connects to the wooden rail tracks of Verdun¡ªthough the materials differ, the gauge and other technical parameters are completely identical¡ªcarriages running on the tracks can pass through directly.

    Within France, the wooden railroads of Lorraine will be able to connect to parts of Verdun in a few months. By then, the iron ingots from Luxembourg could be transported in large quantities to Nancy for further refinement, or used to manufacture steam engines, boring machines, and other machinery.

    At the same time, French industrial products could also be transported from Nancy to Luxembourg, and from there sold on to the Southern Netherlands and as far as the Netherlands.

    Although the carrying capacity of wooden railroads plus horse-drawn carriages is far less than that of trains, it can still outperform the carriage highway transport of the era, and is much more convenient than river transport.

    Moreover, Joseph was preparing to set up steam engine auxiliary traction systems on particularly steep sections along the route, to assist horses in uphill travel, thereby significantly reducing the consumption of horse power.

    Goods transportation is fundamental to commerce, and commerce is the basis for ensuring a positive cycle in industry.

    It can be said that the numerous wooden railroads built within France have already laid a solid foundation for the activation of France¡¯s industrialization.

    Compared with other European countries, with the same output, French factories could achieve higher sales volumes and reach a farther customer base via wooden railroad transit, thereby recouping capital faster and investing in the next round of production or R&D.

    It¡¯s foreseeable that even without Joseph giving France¡¯s industry a leg up, solely with railroad transit, France could gain a significant advantage in the Industrial Revolution.

    And although constructing wooden railroads seems to have cost the French Government a lot of funds, in reality, all this money eventually made its way into the pockets of French iron foundries, lumber yards, craftsmen, and even the varying classes of citizens who served the craftsmen. Afterward, this money would flow into the grand economic cycle of France through consumption, promoting national economic development.

    This would later be known as ¡°GDP growth.¡± Over a century later, Great Commander Roosevelt would use the construction of a vast amount of infrastructure such as roads and bridges to bring about an economic revival in the United States.

    As for the funding source of the wooden railroads, for now, it is still provided by loans from the Bank of France Reserve. However, Joseph had already instructed the Minister of Commerce to start planning to raise funds from the public through a model of local government debt and wooden railroad equity.

    With these fundraising models that would become very common in later eras, when dealing with public welfare and infrastructure construction, France¡¯s private sector would definitely be able to provide a colossal amount of capital.

    ¡­

    While France¡¯s steel manufacturers were expanding aggressively in Luxembourg, Joseph had already led the Guard Corps to the border between Luxembourg and Liege.

    According to the operational plan drawn up by the staff department earlier, they would continue to the north, taking a detour through Julich in Bavaria, traverse the desolate mountain roads at the intersection of Aachen and Liege to circumvent Blucher¡¯s Army, and then swiftly turn to the west, directly striking at Antonov.

    Antonov is a province north of Brussels, which is precisely the important origin of the Brabant Revolution.

    Yes, Joseph¡¯s target was not Charles II¡¯s Hanoverian Army, but rather the more northerly Antonov.

    Bertier turned to gaze at the dark red hills stretching behind him, and then looked toward the faintly visible Ruhr River in front. Hesitating momentarily, he still spurred his horse to catch up with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s steed.

    ¡°Your Highness,¡± he organized his thoughts, ¡°we¡¯re about to leave Luxembourg. I still think that it would be more prudent for you to stay in Luxembourg City.

    ¡°This battle is different from the ones before. We are going deep into enemy territory, and we don¡¯t have sufficient logistical support. If something were to happen to you¡­¡±

    Joseph raised his hand, interrupting him with a smile: ¡°I greatly appreciate your concern, Your Excellency the Chief of General Staff.

    ¡°But no matter what dangers we encounter, I must be with my troops.¡±

    He signaled to the soldiers of the Guard Corps marching quietly and quickly beside him, ¡°With these bravest warriors by my side, I will not be in any danger.¡±

    Joseph was very clear that only by sharing life and death with the soldiers would they truly be convinced and support you.

    If the army is bleeding on the front lines while you indulge in luxury within the palace walls, then do not blame the soldiers for becoming alienated and disloyal.

    Napoleon became the eternal god in the hearts of the French people because he personally led the charge on the front lines, battle after battle.

    Moreover, as the Great Commander joining the army on campaign, the army¡¯s victories were his victories. If any officer desired to dominate the military through their influence, they would first have to surmount him as an obstacle.

    In 18th century Europe, only a king who could lead troops in battle could maintain control and command respect and support from all social classes, from nobles to farmers.

    As for the dangers mentioned by Bertier, Joseph also had a sense of measure in his heart.

    He had enough confidence in the combat effectiveness of the Guard Corps, and even in case of an emergency, there was still the custom of ransom in this era.

    Any captured noble of status would be well cared for by the enemy, looking after him with the utmost attention. As long as the prisoner of war could produce a ransom, he could return home with dignity. Before leaving, enemies would even send him off for several miles.

    Therefore, unless he was so unlucky as to be directly hit by a cannonball¡ªand he was usually positioned at the command post, where bullets could not reach¡ªthere was essentially no possibility of being killed on the spot. The worst-case scenario would only be to pay a ransom and return home.

    Some soldiers nearby heard Joseph speak of ¡°the bravest warriors¡± and immediately let out a subdued cheer:

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Forever protect the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°Courage! Glory!¡±

    Bertier, looking at the excited soldiers, could only sigh with resignation, ¡°Your Highness, I believe that in the stories told decades from now, this moment will certainly be included.¡±

    At the front of the marching column, Napoleon, looking puzzled, surveyed the map and then turned to the Colonel beside him, ¡°Commander, it seems we are heading toward Bavarian territory?¡±

    Although he had found it strange since morning why they were marching in silence, it was only now that he realized the Guard Corps was not, as rumored, heading to intercept the Hanoverian Army.

    Colonel Dumont nodded, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Yes, our target is Antonov. To avoid the Prussians, we had to traverse the wild mountains south of Aachen.¡±

    ¡°Antonov?¡± Napoleon was somewhat surprised, ¡°What about the Hanoverian Army then?¡±

    At this moment, Charles II¡¯s army was already in the area southeast of Brussels. And Antonov was north of Brussels, meaning they would have to circle behind the Hanoverian Army.

    Colonel Dumont smiled faintly, speaking a few more words than usual to the Artillery Major who had been quite conspicuous lately:

    ¡°Originally, the General Staff planned to confront Charles II west of Luneburg, but the Crown Prince proposed implementing the ¡®flanking and interpenetrating¡¯ tactic to engage the enemy¡¯s defense line.¡±

 Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Chapter 355: Deep into Enemy Territory

    Chapter 441: Chapter 355: Deep into Enemy Territory

    Napoleon was taken aback. He had indeed come across the ¡°encirclement and infiltration¡± tactics in the officer curriculum at the Paris Police Academy, but his understanding was limited to a general idea; he had no concept of how to deploy it.

    He turned to the regimental commander, ¡°But if we ignore the Hanoverian Army, once they join forces with the Prussians, General Leao might find it quite difficult to hold them off.¡±

    Colonel Dumont nodded slightly: ¡°In fact, I had the same question as you during the last staff meeting.¡±

    He then smiled, ¡°But you have to realize, whether Hanoverians or Prussians, their ability to set foot in the Southern Netherlands is fundamentally dependent on the rebellion of the Dutch.

    ¡°If Antonov falls to us, the Congress of the Dutch Rebel Army will also cease to exist. Even if the Prussians defeat General Leao, what can they do? Occupy the Southern Netherlands directly? I¡¯m afraid neither the Dutch nor the British would agree.¡±

    Napoleon suddenly saw the light: ¡°So, Charles II must come to the rescue of Antonov.¡±

    ¡°Yes. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that as long as our march is faster than the Hanoverians and threatens Antonov before they reach Liege, then the Austrian army will not be in any danger.¡±

    ¡°However,¡± Napoleon mused, ¡°it seems not a wise decision to penetrate deep into the Southern Netherlands and battle the enemy in their stronghold. Charles II could even cut off our supply lines and then wait for us to surrender.¡±

    Colonel Dumont shook his riding crop: ¡°Who says we¡¯re going to decide the battle at Antonov?

    ¡°Your understanding of ¡®encirclement and infiltration¡¯ tactics is still not deep enough.¡±

    He paused, feeling a bit ashamed; he himself hadn¡¯t really studied these tactics, but he had attended the staff meeting and heard the explanations of the Crown Prince, which was why he could now point Napoleon in the right direction.

    ¡°Ahem, well, ¡®encirclement¡¯ and ¡®infiltration¡¯ are actually two tactics aimed at controlling the battle situation and putting the enemy at a disadvantage.

    ¡°After maneuvering Charles II to return northward, our army will have to¡­¡±

    He suddenly stopped. The following military deployment was a top-level secret, and it seemed that Major Buonaparte¡¯s rank might not be cleared for it.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough. In any case, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is indeed a tactical genius.¡±

    When it comes to commanding troops in combat, Joseph, who had only attended the military academy for a year and a half, might not compare to any company-grade officer of the Guard Corps, but his mind was filled with advanced military theories from centuries later and he could refer to a massive amount of real case studies.

    Many tactical theories are like this; once explained, they seem very simple. Appropriate to the current situation, they could suppress an opponent who doesn¡¯t understand such tactics.

    For example, the battlefield debate in Europe at that time was focused on how to deploy forces directly in the optimal way, from which angle to attack for the best advantage, with little thought given to large-scale encircling maneuvers.

    Even a genius like Frederick the Great only managed maneuvers within the theater level, yet he was already able to outplay his contemporary adversaries.

    However, what Joseph brought was the theory of the ¡°King of Encirclement and Infiltration¡± from the future East, enough to give Charles II a run for his money.

    Of course, even if they were to face the Hanoverian Army head-on, Joseph believed the Guard Corps still had a better chance of winning.

    Although the Guard Corps could commit only fewer than 14,000 troops to the operation against Charles II¡ªtwo regiments had to be left with Leao, just in case he was broken through by Blucher; then Joseph would have to hurry back to fight the Battle for the Defense of Luxembourg. Additionally, the Murat¡¯s Corps troops were maintaining public order in Luxembourg, and considering the previous combat casualties, only these troops were left¡ªbut with the training, morale, and equipment level of the Guard, they still had a bigger chance of winning against a 24,000-strong Hanoverian and Dutch Allied Forces.

    But a hard confrontation with an enemy with superior numbers could lead to relatively heavy casualties for the Guard. This was something Joseph was not willing to accept.

    There are also many favorable conditions for the French Army to carry out flanking movements in the Southern Netherlands.

    For example, in the French-speaking region in the south of the Southern Netherlands, the French Army is even more popular than the Brabant Rebel Army, making it relatively easy to secure logistical supplies.

    Moreover, after several decades of Austrian rule in the Southern Netherlands, deep roots have been established. Austrian officials are present everywhere, and even if they were removed from power, they could still provide Joseph with intelligence, supplies, and other support.

    The most critical point is that, for Prussia and Hanover, the Southern Netherlands holds too many essential areas that must be rescued. This gave Joseph a large number of tactical advantages.

    ¡­

    North of Brussels.

    In the States-General of the Netherlands, a Liberal member of Congress, a follower of Vandernoot, was red-faced as he pointed at Weng Ke, who sat in the front row:

    ¡°Right now, the Hanoverian Army is rushing to Liege, and we should be coordinating with them, crushing the Austrians in one fell swoop! And yet you have our troops hiding away! This is our South Netherlanders¡¯ fight, our struggle for freedom and democracy, and you are destroying the future of the Southern Netherlands!¡±

    Weng Ke remained unmoved, while his faction¡¯s members skillfully responded:

    ¡°Freedom and the people must first survive in order to have anything. Our army, after fierce fighting, is already very exhausted. They will rejoin the battle at the appropriate time.¡±

    The core conservative members of Congress already received a notification from Weng Ke that he had reached a secret agreement with the French¡ªso long as the Southern Netherlands does not interfere with the war between France and Prussia and other countries, once the conflict ends, France would support the independence and statehood of the Southern Netherlands in exchange for just the province of Namur in the south.

    Weng Ke never believed that the Southern Netherlands alone could challenge Austria; it was simply a matter of choosing between Prussia and France.

    He knew that both Prussia and England were in favor of the Netherlands absorbing the Southern Netherlands.

    In comparison, France¡¯s appetite, just wanting Namur, was much smaller. And among the conservative members of Congress, a significant portion was from the French-speaking region and were more willing to cooperate with France.

    After learning of Weng Ke¡¯s agreement with France, some conservative members even wanted to mobilize forces from the southern region to assist France in driving out the Prussians.

    Just as the Liberals were preparing to rebut, they saw an officer forcefully parting the guards on either side of the great door, barging into the Congress like a startled wild buffalo.

    Vandernoot frowned, lately the military was becoming increasingly unruly.

    He was about to object when he heard the officer cry out in alarm:

    ¡°The main force of the French Army has already passed through the east of Brussels, less than 10 miles from Antonov!¡±

    Ten miles is about 16 kilometers, a distance which could normally be covered in a day and a half of marching.

    The entire chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands fell deathly silent. After a good seven or eight seconds, Vandernoot suddenly called out loudly:

    ¡°Quick! Send for reinforcements from His Excellency Charles II! His armies should not be far¡­¡±

 Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Chapter 357: Going Around in Circles

    Chapter 443: Chapter 357: Going Around in Circles

    Joseph was acutely aware of how difficult life was for the common people at that time. If he took their food and livestock without paying, it was likely that an entire family could starve to death.

    Moreover, local procurement was much cheaper than transporting supplies via a long and narrow supply line from within France, after all, there were no transportation costs or losses, and therefore, it was not necessary to pinch the peasants¡¯ life-saving money.

    In addition, paying for supplies could leave the South Netherlanders with a good impression, making it easier to procure supplies locally in the future. Perhaps some locals, eager to make a profit from the price difference, would take the initiative to deliver goods to the Guard Corps camp to sell.

    At 3 p.m., the Guard Corps began to move southwest, bypassing the south of Antonov and heading straight to Ghent Province, skirting the boundary of Brussels.

    Joseph still rode on the left side of the marching column, occasionally waving to the soldiers to boost their morale, and they responded to him with excited cheers.

    Bertier spurred his horse forward and bowed slightly, saying, ¡°Your Highness, Major Mason has sent a message, since the Hanoverian Army is quite compact, he chose not to launch an attack.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°He did the right thing. The key to breakthrough tactics is not to seize an opportunity whenever it arises, but to prioritize the preservation of one¡¯s own living forces, and to disrupt the enemy formation as completely as possible.¡±

    With less than a thousand men, including two companies, Mason¡¯s battalion acted as the mobile force near the large Hanoverian forces.

    Joseph¡¯s order to him was to carry out breakthrough operations and further disorganize the enemy¡¯s formation when the enemy was engaged and in disarray.

    At present, there are still too few officers in the Guard Corps who can hold their own. Lefevre stayed with Leao to help, leaving only Bertier. People like Dawu and Napoleon are still immature, and their ranks are not enough to independently command a corps.

    As for Mason, he had shown considerable cleverness during the exercises with Weng Ke, which made him the only mobile unit.

    If people like Napoleon could prove to be of great use, or if Joseph could recruit fierce generals such as Massena, Moro, or Lannes, he could definitely turn the Hanoverian Army into a sieve.

    ¡°Talent is always the most precious resource¡­¡± Joseph sighed to himself. However, he also knew that the development of an army was not something that happened overnight. In fact, the growth rate of the Guard Corps had been quite astonishing.

    He believed that if they could achieve a resounding victory in the Southern Netherlands, the Guard could attract more talent, ushering in the next surge.

    In the middle and rear of the marching column, Napoleon was again consulting with the regiment commander, ¡°So, is our real target Ghent?¡±

    Without waiting for Colonel Dumont to say anything, he immediately realized, ¡°No, Ghent doesn¡¯t have a target that can mobilize the enemy¡­¡±

    Colonel Dumont smiled and said, ¡°Exactly, there are only over 8,000 Southern Netherlands Rebels there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the main force of the Rebels,¡± Napoleon suddenly had a realization, ¡°Our target is not Ghent, but Brussels!¡±

    Colonel Dumont was surprised to look at the young major. He hadn¡¯t thought of the connection between Ghent and Brussels at the staff meeting until the Crown Prince mentioned it, which made him realize it.

    And yet this Buonaparte figured it out in just a few seconds!

    Somewhat unwilling to succumb, he probed further, ¡°Oh? Why do you think that?¡±

    Napoleon answered rapidly, ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple, if the main force of the Rebels in Ghent is wiped out, then Brussels would be an apple ripe for the picking. The Rebel Congress might even surrender to us directly.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we attack Brussels directly?¡± Colonel Dumont continued to inquire.

    ¡°That would put our army in jeopardy. If the Hanoverian Army quickly comes to aid and the rebel main force in Ghent also moves towards Brussels at the same time, it¡¯s very likely they will form a pincer attack on our forces.¡±

    Ignoring the surprised look from the regiment leader, he continued, ¡°Even if the enemy lacks coordination, our attack on Brussels will probably cause the rebel¡¯s Congress to flee to Ghent. In that case, even if we capture the city, we won¡¯t gain any strategic advantage, since it¡¯s merely an isolated city deep in enemy territory.¡±

    Colonel Dumont nearly blurted out ¡°That¡¯s absolutely right.¡±

    He composed himself and cleared his throat, ¡°You really are young and promising. Perhaps in a few years, this regiment will be in your hands.¡±

    Napoleon simply responded, ¡°Thank you for your praise,¡± but in his heart, he was filled with admiration for the young Crown Prince who had proposed this series of tactics. Not yet 16, having studied only military theory at the Paris Police Academy, he possessed such incredible command abilities!

    If Corsica had such an outstanding leader, the road to founding a nation would certainly be smooth sailing. He muttered to himself inwardly.

    East of Brussels.

    Charles II looked westward with a deep furrow in his brow.

    The Dutch commander, General Bronckhorst, holding the intelligence report, wondered, ¡°The French just took a turn near Antonov and left? Heading west? What are they after?¡±

    ¡°Ghent.¡± Charles II spat out a single word, then begrudgingly summoned the orderly officer, ¡°Order the entire army to immediately turn west.

    ¡°Pass the order, march at increased speed, leave all unnecessary baggage for the rear guard! Speed, I want speed!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal!¡±

    Bronckhorst hesitated, ¡°Your Excellency, if the French are heading to Ghent, there¡¯s absolutely no need for us to bother with them.¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡± Charles II¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Witte¡¯s forces are no match for the French.¡±

    He vividly remembered how Witte¡¯s army of 5,000 had been surrounded by little more than two regiments, less than 2,000 French soldiers, and nearly annihilated.

    ¡°If the Southern Netherlands Army¡¯s main strength is gone, those in Brussels will surrender immediately!¡±

    Bronckhorst paused, quickly grasping the implications, and urgently ordered the Dutch Army to rush westward as well.

    Meanwhile, in Ghent, the Southern Netherlands Insurgent Army also received the news and began to nervously prepare defensive positions.

    However, just as the Hanoverian Army had marched northwest for three days, almost reaching Ghent, Charles II suddenly received a report from a Cavalry Scout that the French had changed direction again, heading southeast.

    Charles II quickly unfolded the map and marked the movements of the French forces, and then he realized in shock that in pursuing the French, he had moved too far north. At this point, the distance between the Hanoverian Army and French forces to Liege was now negligible.

    He broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that with all the French¡¯s twists and turns, their real target was the Prussian Army in Liege!

    In a panic, he ordered to immediately move towards Liege for reinforcement.

    What he didn¡¯t notice, due to several days of high-speed marching, was that the Hanoverian Army, which had a slightly better quality of troops, had already left the Dutch trailing by seven or eight kilometers.

 Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Chapter 358: The Collapse of Charles II

    Chapter 444: Chapter 358: The Collapse of Charles II

    ¡°Please convey to Mr. Weng Ke that France remains steadfast in its support of the founding of the Southern Netherlands,¡± Joseph said with a smile, gesturing towards Viscount Flotte, ¡°Just as he has anticipated, our army is indeed in pursuit of the Dutch forces.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and thank you for bringing the oats and the precious intelligence.¡±

    ¡°It is my honor to serve you and your grand army,¡± Viscount Flotte replied, his face beaming with compliments before he bowed and exited the tent, never suspecting why the French Army would come to Ghent to chase the Dutch Army.

    Indeed, he had just brought over a dozen carts of oats. This was extremely valuable feed for the warhorses, as well as news that the Hanoverian Army had turned south near Brussels.

    As a South Netherlander born in Zwevegem, who had spoken French since childhood and always longed for the French way of life, he had been hoping that the Walloon Region could be annexed by France. Then he could become a genuine French person.

    So, upon learning that the great French army was nearby¡ªhis serfs had told him this when they tried to repay their debts with French banknotes¡ªhe immediately brought oats and wine personally to ¡°support the troops.¡±

    Of course, for someone as wealthy as he was, Joseph did not pay the ¡°goods fee.¡± It was believed Viscount Flotte wouldn¡¯t miss a livres or two.

    With this batch of oats, the Guard Corps would be able to reduce the time needed for local foraging and accelerate the march even further.

    In reality, since arriving in the southern part of the Southern Netherlands, such ¡°heaven-sent supplies¡± had been flowing continuously, to the point that there was even an abundance of wine they could no longer carry.

    After the South Netherlander noble had left, Bertier immediately turned to the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, if the intelligence brought by this gentleman is accurate, we must place our hopes on Major Mason taking action.¡±

    He approached the map on the table, pointing to the south of Brussels, ¡°The presence of enemy troops from the town of Gialli to the Town of Waterloo indicates that their marching column is at least six kilometers long.¡±

    The staff officer at his side promptly added, ¡°This may be a good opportunity for us to launch an attack!¡±

    Joseph also looked at the map but hesitated. The Cavalry Scouts had not yet returned with specific details of the enemy situation, and he was still quite distant from the Hanoverian forces. Rushing there for a decisive battle still carried considerable uncertainty.

    Suddenly, he pointed his hand at Antonov on the map and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s take another trip back!¡±

    ¡­

    East of Brussels, Major Mason grabbed a Cavalry Scout coming to report on the enemy situation, his eyes shining with excitement, ¡°Are you sure? The Dutch are still near Waterloo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Major, I saw with my own eyes the Dutch Cannons and a large number of tents,¡± the scout confirmed.

    Another scout piped up, ¡°We also heard the town shoemaker say that he was still conducting business within the Dutch camp yesterday afternoon, whilst the Hanoverian Army had already started moving south.¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Mason griped the hilt of his sword at his waist tightly. There was at least half a day¡¯s gap in the march between the Dutch and Hanoverian Armies, presenting a perfect opportunity for implementing the ¡°flanking¡± tactic that the Crown Prince had explained.

    He waved towards the orderly officer, ¡°Order the entire army to urgently march towards Waterloo, immediately!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Major!¡±

    A few hours later.

    General Bronckhorst glanced at the dispirited marching column beside him and shook his head with a hint of resignation. Anyone would feel weary after traveling back and forth three times in less than a week.

    He was about to give a speech to boost morale when he saw several Cavalry Scouts racing towards them in a panic, shouting from a distance, ¡°Report! General, the enemy has been spotted to the northeast, less than 3 kilometers away!¡±

    General Bronckhorst frowned. He knew that a French Army unit had been lingering nearby, and Marshal Charles II had even sent Cavalry to drive them away. However, those French people had always kept their distance, seemingly only responsible for scouting, so they hadn¡¯t paid much attention to them.

    He asked the Cavalry Scout, ¡°Is it the same French unit as before?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be them,¡± the Cavalry Scout nodded, hurrying to add, ¡°But this time there are more of them, probably over a thousand.¡±

    Bronckhorst felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly. Over a thousand enemy troops definitely could not be ignored, but his march had already been slow, and with this delay, he feared he would fall even further behind Marshal Charles II.

    He ordered his staff in irritation, ¡°Halt the entire army¡¯s advance, form up in the open ground south of the town to meet the enemy!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    The French Army moved much faster than Bronckhorst had anticipated. In less than an hour, French skirmishers began assaulting the Dutch supply wagons.

    He immediately ordered the infantry to squeeze the French¡¯s space to the west, but the latter didn¡¯t intend to engage in battle at all. Taking advantage of the chaos, they launched a counterattack on the Dutch vanguard, killed sixty or seventy men, and then fled southwest without looking back.

    Bronckhorst was initially worried about a French ambush, and waited several hours in strict formation before finally confirming that the enemy had indeed left.

    He angrily sent Cavalry to pursue but encountered the French infantry lines that had been ready for them, and was forced to hastily retreat.

    Bronckhorst then commanded his men to tally the losses. Learning that casualties were just under a hundred, and aside from losing some food and tents, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

    He glanced at his pocket watch. After all the commotion, it was nearly 5 p.m.

    He then looked at the soldiers who had been standing in line the whole day and reluctantly ordered the entire army to return to the Town of Waterloo to rest and regroup, planning to continue on to Liege at noon the next day.

    On the other hand, Charles II, who was marching urgently, felt a bad premonition upon hearing that the Dutch Army had been ambushed by the French¡ªalthough Bronckhorst reported only a thousand French troops, who knew if that was merely the vanguard.

    After lengthy discussions with his staff, he prudently decided to send one infantry regiment and three squadrons of Cavalry to Waterloo to support the Dutch.

    As long as his main force could join up with Blucher, they would certainly have more than enough strength; dispatching fewer than two thousand men would hardly have any impact.

    Less than half a day after Charles II sent the reinforcements, bad news came from the direction of Brussels¡ªThe French Army had suddenly changed direction and headed back toward Antonov.

    For a moment, Charles II was tempted to march directly to Liege, disregarding everything to first annihilate Rennes¡¯s Austrian Army, then turn back with Blucher and deal with those damned French people.

    But he knew that the French people didn¡¯t care about the fate of the Austrian Army, yet he had to care about the survival of the States-General of the Netherlands.

    After cursing for over ten minutes, he ordered the Hanoverian Army to turn back north and head for Antonov.

    Two days after his troops left, the infantry regiment he had sent to support the Dutch reported that they had been ambushed by the French Army en route, losing hundreds of men.

 Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: Chapter 359: Division, Interlacing, Decisive Battle!

    Chapter 445: Chapter 359: Division, Interlacing, Decisive Battle!

    The French people should be in the direction of Ghent, how come they suddenly emerged from the eastern suburbs of Brussels? Charles II almost snapped his riding whip in frustration, but then he had no choice but to send a regiment to assist the troops that were ambushed, and dispatched a large number of Hussars forward for reconnaissance to prevent the main force from also being ambushed.

    After Marson¡¯s surprise attack on the Dutch, he received instructions from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to return north to Antonov. Consequently, he made a detour around the west side of Waterloo and maneuvered to the north of the Dutch.

    Since Bronckhorst was so rattled by the previous attack, after leaving the town, he gave the order to maintain a cautious formation and proceed carefully. Marson completed a large loop and began to dispatch Cavalry to scout the position of the Dutch Army, who had barely covered less than 8 kilometers.

    To the northwest of Brussels, by a small village over 20 kilometers away from Antonov, the Guard Corps was in the midst of reorganizing.

    They had already been on a forced march for two days, covering nearly 60 kilometers. According to the speed of Charles II¡¯s march, it would take about another day and a half to reach here.

    In fact, if Joseph truly wanted to launch a strong attack on Antonov, with the city¡¯s defensive troop strength, it was very likely that it would have been occupied by the French Army before the Hanoverian Army arrived.

    However, that would amount to helping Austria suppress a rebellion. This was certainly not the outcome he desired.

    Inside the central officers¡¯ tent at the Guard Corps camp, Bertier drew the last circle on the map and wrote a line of annotation next to it before putting away his pencil and exhaling deeply.

    The intelligence reports from the various Hussar detachments had finally been collated. Joseph, standing beside, looked at the long snake-like formation on the map marked by circles of various sizes and couldn¡¯t help but show a satisfied smile.

    ¡°We have at least three positions we can use to perform our interpenetration,¡± he pointed at a few spots on the map consecutively, ¡°but doing so will also disperse our forces.¡±

    With the means of communication in the 18th century, once the troops were deployed, they were essentially left to their Commanders¡¯ discretion. However, given the current depth of the pool of senior officers in the Guard Corps, Joseph truly couldn¡¯t put his mind at ease.

    ¡°Yes, your Highness,¡± Bertier agreed, nodding and after some thought pointed towards the southeast of Antonov, where Charles II¡¯s main force was located, ¡°There¡¯s a noticeable gap between the Hanoverian artillery and infantry, and about three regiments¡¯ worth of forces are also dispersed to the northeast of Brussels.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ we can cut in between their rear guard and this scattered legion and, at the same time, deploy a strike force to hold back their main force in the northwest direction.

    ¡°This way, the distance between our two interpenetrating forces won¡¯t be too great, which is conducive to commanding as well as providing mutual support.¡±

    Joseph looked closely at the enemy positions on the map and nodded in agreement.

    Though he himself had modern tactical ideas from the future, when it came to specific combat deployments, it still had to be officers like Bertier¡ªacademically trained and immersed in the military for over a decade¡ªwho were more professional.

    He immediately summoned all the staff officers of the headquarters and the commanding officers at the regimental level. Based on Bertier¡¯s thinking, they quickly formulated a detailed battle plan.

    The Guard Corps, which had just rested for half a day, once again began to march rapidly. However, for them, this was nothing unusual¡ªin the police academy, they often trained continuously for a week, and the end-of-year final exercises would even last for half a month, during which period they would engage in this kind of high-intensity marching.

    Speed is the essence of encircling and interpenetrating tactics!

    So even if another commanding officer on the European Continent systematically learned encircling and interpenetrating tactics, he would be dismayed to find that he simply could not implement them¡ªhis troops would not be able to support such high-intensity maneuver warfare due to assembly time, reaction speed, physical strength, and morale.

    And if you don¡¯t have a faster movement speed than the enemy, then it¡¯s impossible to disrupt their arrangements and find the opportunity within.

    By noon the next day, the Guard Corps had rapidly marched 30 kilometers, arriving at the southeast of Antonov.

    At this moment, Charles II was still rushing on his way, preparing to enter Antonov to garrison and fend off the siege by the French Army.

    After resting on the spot for two hours, the Guard Corps began their all-out assault on the disorganized Hanoverian Army.

    The main force of the army quickly cut in from the northwest, separating the corps that Charles II had sent to reinforce the Dutch from the main force of the Hanoverian Army.

    Only then did Charles II realize in alarm that over ten thousand French soldiers had already closed in to less than 6 kilometers from his own position.

    And the distance between the front and rear of his troops¡­ exceeded 5 kilometers¡­

    ¡°Damn it! Did these French people sprout from the ground?!¡±

    He wiped the sweat from his brow with the lace on his cuff, striving to calm himself down, and bellowed to a tall officer, ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt, immediately lead the Dragoons to Ogquenna village to establish a defensive line. Without my order, you are not to retreat a single step!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal!¡±

    Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt turned around, his face souring instantly; how could the Dragoons, not even totaling two regiments, possibly stand against the main force of the French Army in haste? This was clearly a command to use the lives of soldiers to delay the French.

    Then, Charles II ordered two infantry regiments to go and meet the baggage train and the cannons in the rear, while the rest of the troops were to immediately regroup with him.

    At this moment, he still had about 16,000 soldiers under his command, and as long as they could form up, they would still stand a chance in a fight against the French Army.

    Moreover, 6,000 soldiers from the South Netherlands Army in Brussels would be able to come as reinforcements by tomorrow afternoon. By then, a counter-attack on the French Army could even be launched.

    However, the situation on the battlefield developed completely differently from what he had envisaged.

    In just over an hour, the Guard¡¯s Mounted Artillery, along with the supporting Dragoon Corps, cut through the nearly two-kilometer gap between the main force of the Hanoverian Army and the rear gunners.

    Following Napoleon¡¯s suggestion, the artillery battalion quickly set up positions on the hills to the north, while the Dragoon Corps formed an infantry line beside the woods at the foot of the hills.

    Meanwhile, the main force of the Guard Corps launched a fierce attack on the 3 separate Hanoverian regiments scattered outside.

    Using their absolute superiority in numbers, four infantry regiments up front attacked in column formation, with cavalry flanking from both sides.

    An hour earlier, this Hanoverian force had still been on the march and was only informed by an orderly officer sent by Charles II that they were to do battle with the French Army.

    The order Charles II had given them was to close in on the main force as much as possible, no longer concerning themselves with the Dutch.

    But they had not yet managed to marshal their formation when the columns of the French people appeared in their sight.

    The battle unfolded without any suspense¡ªthe cavalry of the Guard Corps conducted a feint attack to distract, while the infantry at the front had already charged up to the Hanoverians¡¯ faces.

    The columns swiftly deployed into line formation, and before a volley could even be fired, the Hanoverian Army was already thrown into a disorderly retreat by the terrifying momentum.

 Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: Chapter 360: The Mounted Artillery Shows Their Might Again

    Chapter 446: Chapter 360: The Mounted Artillery Shows Their Might Again

    The Guard Corps maintained a rigid formation, rapidly firing volleys of three ranks while continuously advancing forward.

    Under this machine-like efficient and precise assault, the hastily-formed infantry lines of the Hanoverian Army were eventually cut into three sections.

    On the one-kilometer wide battlefield, groups of Hanoverian soldiers would throw down their weapons and turn to flee every few minutes, despite the efforts of their officers to stop them.

    Soon, even the officers began to run away.

    As the infantry lines behind the Guard Corps had not yet pressed forward, the sound of the military drums changed, and they immediately altered their formation, enveloping the enemy from both sides.

    Mula, from a distance, heard the disordered sounds of the enemy¡¯s drums becoming sporadic and his heart leapt with excitement¡ªthat meant there was a problem in the enemy¡¯s defenses.

    Indeed, the command from the commander came¡ªCavalry Camp, form up, pursue the defeated enemy.

    Mula spurred his horse vigorously, excitedly waving his hand and shouting, ¡°Gentlemen, it¡¯s our turn to take the field!¡±

    Unlike the scenes often seen in modern TV series where cavalry, under intense enemy fire, recklessly plunge into the enemy lines and wreak havoc, in the long history of human warfare, the main tasks of cavalry have been harassing, containing, covering, and pursuit. Employing expensive cavalry in a frontal assault was only done if the enemy was confirmed weak, or if one¡¯s own side was on the brink of collapse and had to make a desperate effort.

    Therefore, Mula had previously circled the Hanoverians a few times without even drawing his saber.

    Now, at last, there was an opportunity to earn some military glory!

    In the last battle, he was promoted to sergeant for heroically breaking through the enemy lines. If he could kill a few more enemy soldiers this time, he might return as a commissioned officer!

    Before long, one could see the red uniforms of the Hanoverian soldiers scattered across the ground. Mula¡¯s Arab warhorse carried him like a wild bison charging into the red crowd¡­

    To the north of Ogquenna village, a Cavalryman was reporting to Cavalry Artillery Barracks Commander Lacoste, ¡°Two battalions of Hanoverian infantry have reached 2 kilometers to the northwest side.¡±

    Lacoste looked towards his staff officer, smiling, ¡°If they didn¡¯t arrive soon, I was thinking of taking a nap.¡±

    The staff officer smiled as well, ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for over 40 minutes. The Hanoverians are indeed slow to move.¡±

    Lacoste turned towards the distance, ¡°Order everyone to adjust the cannon positions and give the enemy a painful reception! As long as we hold off the enemy reinforcements for three hours, our cavalry will be able to destroy their cannons and baggage.¡±

    Yes, according to the General Staff¡¯s plan, at that moment, half of the main cavalry force of the Guard Corps was lunging at the Hanoverian rear on the eastern side.

    Soon, the cannons on the hills roared, and more than a dozen cannonballs whistled past the Hanoverian lines. However, due to the distance, only two hit the target.

    Even so, the Hanoverians were struck with terror. They retreated several hundred meters quickly and sent scouts to carefully locate the positions of the French cannons before they hastily organized skirmish lines to charge at the artillery position.

    However, they immediately encountered the infantry lines of the French Dragoons at the foot of the hills.

    The progress of the skirmishers was halted by the infantry lines, and with cannonballs continuously ¡°whizzing¡± by overhead, the Hanoverians¡¯ first attempt at an assault was swiftly declared a failure.

    Holding binoculars, Lacoste watched with satisfaction as the enemy retreated like the tide.

    He had already held his position for over an hour, and at the current rate, three hours would soon pass.

    Just then, a messenger ran up to him, raising his hat to salute, ¡°Commander, Major Buonaparte has some tactical suggestions he would like to report to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The Artillery Battalion Commander, who knew the young Corsican officer to have a very quick mind, nodded with some curiosity, ¡°Please, go on.¡±

    Half an hour later, the Hanoverians reorganized their ranks, this time forming a proper infantry line, ready for a head-on clash with the French Army.

    However, the Hanoverian Light Cavalry in the distance suddenly sounded an urgent alarm.

    The Hanoverian commander then saw through his telescope a squad of French Cavalry¡­ no, they were dragging cannons, they must be Mounted Artillery, charging directly to his left flank and beginning to unload the cannons.

    ¡°Are these French mad?!¡±

    His eyes twitched, and he immediately ordered skirmishers to eliminate those cannons¡ªhe had only brought two battalions of infantry to reinforce the rear and did not have enough cavalry to deal with the cannons.

    But before the Hanoverian skirmishers could prepare, the French cannons had already completed a dozen volleys, hitched up, and galloped away.

    The Hanoverian commander nearly shattered his teeth with rage, bellowing orders for the infantry line to initiate a frontal assault. The right flank once again reverberated with the alarm calls of the Hussars¡­

    Southwest of Ogquenna village.

    Joseph looked through his telescope at the red soldiers on the roofs of distant farmhouses and frowned.

    The Hanoverians were clever, apparently anticipating that they couldn¡¯t match the Guard Corps head-on, so they had only arrayed a few sparsely distributed infantry lines on either side of the village, while spreading nearly half their soldiers within the village itself, attempting to stall the French Army with street fighting.

    The Guard Corps had just annihilated three isolated Hanoverian battalions and was promptly marching towards Charles II¡¯s main force, now greatly fatigued.

    In this exchange of strengths and weaknesses, a direct assault on this small village would likely lead to severe casualties.

    Bertier, who was also aware of this issue, came over and suggested:

    ¡°Your Highness, perhaps we should bypass the village from the west side.¡±

    Joseph hesitated, vividly recalling that a small river lay to the west of the village on the map he had seen earlier.

    Therefore, taking a detour would mean not just walking a few extra kilometers but also wasting a lot of time crossing the river.

    By doing this, Charles II may be able to gather his troops, turning a flanking maneuver into a direct confrontation. Although a large portion of the Hanoverian Army had already been taken out and the artillery lagged behind, the remaining forces still numbered over ten thousand men.

    As for bypassing from the east side of the village¡­ with the Hanoverian main force to the northwest, that would add over a dozen kilometers to their march, making it worse than crossing the river.

    Just as Joseph and Bertier were weighing their options, they suddenly heard faint cannon fire from the north of Ogquenna village.

    The two exchanged glances, both filled with confusion.

    Although it was possible for the Hanoverian main corps to carry some cannons¡ªsince at that time in Europe most armies¡¯ cannons were still attached to infantry units, meaning some light artillery would follow closely behind the infantry rather than being part of a unified rear transport¡ªthey wondered who the Hanoverians were shelling to the north? The Guard Corps was currently to the southwest of the village.

    ¡°Your Highness, something¡¯s not right,¡± Bertier murmured, listening to the cannon fire, ¡°There must be at least a dozen cannons. The enemy shouldn¡¯t have so many.¡±

    Twenty minutes later, several Hussars rushed in to resolve their confusion:

    ¡°Report! The Cavalry Artillery Barracks launched an attack on the enemy north of Ogquenna village!¡±

 Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: Chapter 361 Ransom of 800,000

    Chapter 447: Chapter 361 Ransom of 800,000

    Joseph and Bertier exchanged glances once again.

    Although neither of them understood exactly what was happening, they almost simultaneously said, ¡°Your Highness, I suggest launching an immediate attack!¡±

    ¡°I think we should launch a strong attack in conjunction with Major Lacoste.¡±

    Bertier then bowed slightly and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Soon, the scattered soldiers of the Guard Corps began to converge toward Ogquenna village. At the same time, the cannons roared as they tore through the thin infantry lines of the Hanoverian defense with their shells.

    Bertier looked at Joseph with some concern and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, could it be that the Mounted Artillery didn¡¯t manage to intercept in time, and the enemy¡¯s reinforcements have already joined up with their rear guard?¡±

    He furrowed his brows forcefully and added, ¡°Or perhaps they were defeated by the enemy¡¯s reinforcements?¡±

    Joseph shook his head thoughtfully and said, ¡°At least it¡¯s not the latter, otherwise it would be difficult for them to launch such intense artillery fire. As you said just now, there are more than ten cannons firing at the enemy troops.¡±

    Relieved by his words, Bertier said, ¡°You¡¯re right, at least they haven¡¯t suffered significant losses.

    ¡°Even if they didn¡¯t manage to intercept the Hanoverian reinforcements in time, forming a pincer attack on Ogquenna village with us at this moment is still a favorable situation.¡±

    As they discussed the situation with concern, a guard led a soldier over. He was covered in soot from head to toe, a burly figure.

    Bertier immediately recognized the man: ¡°You¡¯re a messenger from the Cavalry Artillery Barracks, Mathew?¡±

    ¡°Yes, General. Mathew Dubreuil.¡± The messenger saluted with his hat, ¡°The barracks commander heard the sound of your artillery fire and sent me to report to you. The Cavalry Artillery Barracks, in conjunction with the Dragoons, routed the Hanoverian reinforcements that were moving to support their rear, and then the commander learned from the prisoners that the enemy was entrenched in Ogquenna village, so he decided to attack the enemies here.¡±

    Bertier was stunned for a second before a look of joy appeared on his face: ¡°Major Lacoste is truly¡­ ah, so brave! He has made a remarkable contribution to the victory of the corps!¡±

    He then turned to Joseph and said softly, ¡°He used to be a very steady officer.¡±

    Joseph immediately thought of a certain artillery lieutenant and curled his lips, saying, ¡°Perhaps it was some adventurous subordinate of his who had the idea.¡±

    The Hanoverian Army in Ogquenna village clearly had not expected to be attacked from behind and quickly fell into disarray.

    Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt, the commander, was shouting desperately, maneuvering his soldiers to the north side to intercept the enemy, but since he had positioned his men on the rooftops earlier, it took a half-hour just to issue orders and get into formation, with less than three companies making it to the north end of the village.

    And with this commotion, the Hanoverian soldiers in the village were somewhat bewildered. They clambered down from the rooftops, only to hear a greater commotion coming from the south, and hurried back up to the rooftops¡­

    To the north of the village, the Cavalry Artillery, facing almost no resistance, was the first to charge in.

    Commander Lacoste had the cannons dragged to positions less than a hundred steps from several farmhouses hiding enemy troops and bombarded those buildings into ruins.

    The Hanoverian soldiers nearby who witnessed this scene were terribly frightened, hastily fleeing the farmhouses for fear of being buried in the rubble like their compatriots.

    On the southern side of the village, Dawu pointed to a burning farmhouse in front of him and shouted to the orderly officer, ¡°The fire there has broken the enemy¡¯s defenses, let everyone follow me and charge through it!¡±

    The drummers and standard bearers executed the lieutenant¡¯s command without hesitation. Under the urgent drumbeats, hundreds of Guard Corps soldiers swiftly passed on both sides of the burning farmhouse, losing all eyebrows and beards to the licking flames, with some even having their clothes ignited; but there truly were no Hanoverian soldiers nearby.

    Dawu commanded his soldiers to help each other put out the flames on their bodies. They quickly formed up and immediately launched a volley into the enemy infantry lines at their side.

    Subsequently, the breach grew increasingly large, and more soldiers of the Guard Corps shouted as they poured into the village through it.

    Less than an hour later, the soldiers of the Guard Corps launched simultaneous attacks from both the north and south and soon encountered each other in the village.

    Afterward, Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt, with singed hair and a large tear in his uniform, was escorted by a company commander to Joseph¡¯s presence.

    Upon learning Joseph¡¯s identity, the Hanoverian officer respectfully saluted him by placing a hand over his chest, ¡°I never expected that the commander of this great army would be His Royal Highness, the young Crown Prince of France. Your command artistry has left a very memorable impression on me.¡±

    Joseph nodded to him, ¡°Then, could you please tell me how much longer it will take for His Excellency Charles II to complete the defensive preparations?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. Out of loyalty to His Majesty the King, I cannot utter a word to you.¡±

    Joseph waved his hand dismissively and turned to Bertier, whispering, ¡°What is the background of this man?¡±

    After thinking for a moment and consulting a staff officer nearby, Bertier replied, ¡°Your Highness, Viscount Schmidt is from a prominent family in Ferden; since George II, his grandfather has been a lieutenant general in Hanover.¡±

    Joseph nodded and smiled, it seemed the man had a substantial family fortune.

    He signaled to a guard, ¡°Please arrange for Viscount Schmidt to be given clean clothes, and then invite him to my tent for a cup of tea. Even an enemy deserves the respect due to a dignitary.¡±

    Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt was about to express his gratitude when the Crown Prince of France continued, ¡°Let¡¯s set the ransom at 800,000 livres, which should adequately reflect your distinguished status.¡±

    Schmidt almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, for it was the first time he had heard of being ¡°priced¡± on the spot upon capture.

    800,000 livres, that¡¯s over 300,000 florins!

    He couldn¡¯t scrape together such a sum even if he bankrupted his entire estate!

    ¡°Your Highness, you can¡¯t¡­¡±

    He was just about to ¡°bargain¡± when he heard the Crown Prince of France say softly to a general nearby, ¡°Ah? Too much? No, no, I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s quite easy for high-ranking officers to secure loans from the Bank of England.¡±

    All his words were suddenly stuck in his throat, until a French officer invited him to step over to the military tent¡­

    ¡­

    Charles II asked his staff approximately every half hour, ¡°How much longer until the troop assembly is complete?¡±

    This time, the staff officer did not report the positions of the various units as before but spoke with a gloomy face, ¡°Marshal, we have just received news that Ogquenna village has been captured¡­¡±

    Charles II felt his world spin, in less than four hours, Schmidt, who excelled at defense, was defeated?!

    It meant that there was now less than three miles of open ground between the French Army and himself.

    He looked at the map beside him, where the farthest infantry battalion of his side was still 1.5 miles away. By the time the French launched an attack, they might not have been able to assemble in time.

    And the most critical issue was that there had been no news from the rear cannons.

    If they were without cannons, engaging in a pitched battle against the French would only result in being soundly thrashed.

    He hesitated for a while, then called over an officer nearby and said loudly, ¡°Sir Mathew, I now entrust you with full command to lead the troops in battle.¡±

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Chapter 362 Continuous Good News (Request for Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 448: Chapter 362 Continuous Good News (Request for Monthly Pass)

    At a high ground two kilometers from the main force of the Hanoverian Army, there stood a small wooden table with two cups of hot tea on it.

    Joseph picked up the cup without any additives, signaled to Bertier across the table, and then took a contented sip:

    ¡°There¡¯s so much good news today.¡±

    The latter smiled and nodded:

    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness. We didn¡¯t expect the Hanoverian artillery to be so rushed that they forgot to destroy their cannons.

    ¡°We can even drag those 16 cannons right in front of the Hanoverian lines, doubling our firepower.¡±

    The Guard Corps Cavalry Camp had just sent back a message; they had easily annihilated the rearguard of the Hanoverian Army, which lacked the protection of infantry.

    The Hanoverians clearly did not expect the French Army to arrive so quickly, and they hardly put up any resistance before they turned and fled in a rout.

    Of course, they could not outrun the Hussars.

    In just over two hours, three battalions of the Guard Corps Cavalry captured over 800 Hanoverian soldiers and seized all of their 16 cannons, along with a large number of logistical supplies.

    As Bertier had said, the Hanoverian soldiers were so panic-stricken that they forgot even the basic operations of setting their baggage on fire and spiking their guns.

    The French Cavalry directly drove more than eighty horse-drawn wagons back to the camp, in high spirits.

    As they were talking, a staff officer walked over briskly, raised his hat, and saluted:

    ¡°Your Highness, General, our forces have broken through the enemy¡¯s infantry line on the left flank.¡±

    Bertier¡¯s face lit up with joy, and he turned to look through his binoculars, but the thick smoke on the battlefield offered no visibility, so he had to turn back and lean over the map to determine the location of the breakthrough.

    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± the staff officer hurriedly pointed to the north side of a small river.

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Bertier exclaimed with excitement, ¡°If we let the two skirmisher companies on the right flank cooperate with the tenth infantry regiment to bisect westward, we can form an encirclement around the enemy.

    ¡°Oh, and let the Mounted Artillery move to the left flank of the enemy line, driving them south. That will ensure that all enemies fall into our encirclement!¡±

    Joseph leaned over to look at the map and saw that on the face and northeast side of the two-kilometer-long Hanoverian infantry line extending along the river valley, there were as many as six regiments of the Guard Corps infantry, while more than a dozen cannons were bombarding them nonstop from the high ground on the east.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10115987¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10115987/bed76c295e56b78b8eb7d7c9007d0716yVVPU37GwDI5PO8.jpg¡±>

    If we were to adjust our forces as Bertier suggested, the Hanoverian Army would have nowhere to retreat except into the river to the south, and they would be inevitably doomed.

    The staff officer was about to issue the command to the orderly officer, but then heard the Crown Prince say:

    ¡°No, please maintain the current situation. Order the troops to focus on destroying the enemy¡¯s cavalry forces and leave them a gap to retreat towards Brussels.¡±

    Bertier turned to Joseph in surprise:

    ¡°Your Highness, this is a golden opportunity to annihilate the enemy! Why would you want to¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s based on political considerations, General. I will explain it to you later,¡± Joseph replied with a smile, though his tone left no room for doubt, ¡°Now, please carry out as I have instructed.¡±

    Joking aside, this Hanoverian Army was a valuable pawn; as long as they existed, Austria, stuck in Silesia, couldn¡¯t break free from France.

    Now that the Hanoverians had lost all their cannons, if their cavalry were also largely annihilated, coupled with the severe blow to their morale from this battle, they would pose nearly no threat to the Guard Corps in future.

    Once all the ¡°rewards¡± that should be collected were in hand, they could be devoured at any time.

    Bertier checked with Joseph once more if he really intended to let the enemy go, and upon receiving an affirmative response, though filled with confusion, he still ordered the orderly officer to do as instructed.

    It seemed today was destined to be a day of good news.

    About an hour later, a messenger from the front lines arrived at the temporary command post and excitedly reported to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, just now General Diel¡¯s orderly officer came forward, expressing his willingness to surrender.¡±

    What?!

    Joseph¡¯s expression instantly darkened.

    Do they have to be so useless? We aren¡¯t even surrounding you, and with such a vast gap on the northwest side, don¡¯t they know to run? They¡¯re going to make George III lose face entirely!

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t entirely General Diel¡¯s fault. His cavalry had just been chased into a valley, and it looked like they couldn¡¯t get back. Without cavalry cover, how could he know whether turning to flee would cause him to be pursued by the French cavalry and have his head taken?

    Since he was acting in a crisis, he had Charles II to blame if he surrendered. So, he chose the safest option¡ªsurrender.

    Joseph looked at the orderly officer beside him and said in a deep voice:

    ¡°A joke! How could the brave Hanoverian Army possibly surrender?

    ¡°This must be their ploy to lure our army into lowering its guard!

    ¡°Send that faker of a surrender back, and tell his commander that we will not be fooled!¡±

    ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Several officers exchanged glances upon hearing this.

    Bertier was the first to react, leaning close to Joseph¡¯s ear:

    ¡°Your Highness, is this also a ¡®political consideration¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Before long, General Diel, finding nowhere to surrender amidst the ongoing fierce attacks from the Guard Corps, took the risk of escaping towards Brussels.

    After receiving the latest battle report, Joseph finally relaxed and ordered the cavalry, exhausted from a day¡¯s battle, to rest on the spot while the infantry cautiously pursued, without entering the suburbs of Brussels.

    The city of Brussels was now in the Flemish Region. That wasn¡¯t France¡¯s current strategic objective.

    ¡­

    ¡°Lads, still got the energy to teach the Dutch a lesson?¡±

    Marson called out cheerfully to the soldiers sitting on the ground.

    Answering him was a vigorous shout: ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Company Commander, sir, this is much easier than the regular drill exercises.¡±

    ¡°We have enough energy for a forced march to Amsterdam! Haha!¡±

    Pleased, Marson nodded, said a few more words to boost morale, and was about to order the last assault on Bronckhorst¡ªover the past few days, he had divided the Dutch into three parts, with over 1,400 men killed or captured. At this moment, Bronckhorst was desperately making for Brussels in the hope of finding shelter from the Hanoverians. However, in their rush, their formation had become extremely disordered, making them very susceptible to attack.

    Just then, a Hussar came rushing to report to Marson:

    ¡°Company Commander, sir, we have spotted a small group of Hanoverian soldiers near the northern woods, and from their uniforms, it seems there are a few high-ranking officers among them.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Hanoverians?¡± Marson narrowed his eyes. According to the information previously received from the staff office, the main Hanoverian force should have been dozens of kilometers to the east, so how did officers end up here?

    He quickly asked the Hussar, ¡°How many of them are there?¡±

    ¡°No more than 400 men, Commander.¡±

    Marson then glanced toward the southwest, where there were nearly 2,000 Dutch troops, and then looked to the north, where the Hanoverian officers had mysteriously approached.

    Ultimately, his gaze settled on the north.

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Chapter 363: The Situation Joseph Needs

    Chapter 449: Chapter 363: The Situation Joseph Needs

    Joseph looked at the report of captured supplies and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a satisfied smile.

    This battle had hardly met with any significant resistance from the Hanoverians¡ªchiefly because the previous flanking maneuvers had completely disrupted their deployment, making it impossible for them to organize any substantial fight¡ªand they had left behind nearly half of their logistical supplies, saving the Guard Corps well over ten million livres.

    And those English cannons were treasures, perfect for aiding forces that should remain unadvertised, such as Poland¡ªwithout leading anyone to associate them with France.

    Moreover, several Hanoverian officers had been captured, and Joseph was contemplating if he could extract a ransom of two to three million livres from them. Of course, this was his asking price; those North German nobles might not be able to produce that amount.

    ¡°Your Highness, good news!¡± a voice came from a staff member behind him.

    Joseph turned around with Bertier and the others, only to see a corps staff officer approaching with a smiling messenger, who eagerly reported as they walked, ¡°Major Mason unexpectedly encountered Charles II¡¯s Guard and successfully captured Charles II!¡±

    The crowd immediately burst into admiration and cheers, while Joseph stood thunderstruck on the spot, unable to utter a word for a long time.

    My dear Captain Mason, must you be so valiant¡­

    I¡¯ve gone to all this trouble to let the Hanoverian main force escape, and here you are capturing their commander. Charles II is also the Governor of Hanover. With this, it¡¯s very likely that Hanover will drop out of the war in the Southern Netherlands.

    The Austrians must be rejoicing¡ªwithout support, Blucher isn¡¯t enough; the Southern Netherlands will soon return to Austrian rule¡­

    Though as Governor of Hanover and the King of England¡¯s brother-in-law, Charles II¡¯s ransom will surely reach sky-high, the Walloon Region is ultimately more valuable.

    Joseph quickly made up his mind and called over the Guard Corps Commander Kesode to his side, whispering a few instructions.

    The latter took a half step back, surprised, and glanced at the Crown Prince but asked nothing, merely bowing and responding, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    ¡­

    The camp of Mason¡¯s corps.

    Kesode first announced the Crown Prince¡¯s commendation for the whole camp and the promotion decisions for several people who had merited recognition; then he took Mason into the tent.

    ¡°What are you saying? This cannot be!¡±

    A cry of alarm came from the tent, but upon seeing the handwritten letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Mason quieted down and then said in a low voice, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    At night, a troop from the Walloon Region of the Southern Netherlands Insurgent Army sneaked into Mason¡¯s camp, and after quietly ¡°killing¡± a dozen French guards, ¡°accidentally¡± discovered the imprisoned Charles II.

    The Dutch-speaking Rebel Army freed the Governor of Hanover and others from the enemy camp, helped them onto stolen horses, and heroically stayed behind to snipe at the pursuers.

    As Charles II heard gunshots echo through the night sky, he couldn¡¯t bear to look back and kept silently reciting the brave words of those who had spoken to him last, ¡°Please, you must help the Rebel Army drive out the Austrians! We will be watching from heaven¡­¡±

    Brussels.

    In the hall on the first floor of the South Netherlands Parliamentary Building, dozens of congressmen sat or stood lifelessly, as if their souls had been sucked out by the devil, occasionally letting out anxious sighs.

    Suddenly, a soldier burst through the door, loudly announcing, ¡°Marshal Charles II has returned! And General Bronckhorst too!¡±

    All the congressmen¡¯s eyes immediately sparkled. Vandernoot rushed to the door, eagerly asking, ¡°Really? Where are they?¡±

    ¡°Just south of the city.¡±

    Without even changing out of his battle-torn uniform, Charles II hurried straight to his troops¡¯ encampment.

    When Vandernoot and other members arrived, he was passionately addressing the Hanoverian soldiers.

    ¡°We fear no defeat! We must show the French and Austrians that they merely got lucky once¡­¡±

    ¡°Prussia and England will send us more reinforcements, and our army will steamroll Luxembourg, straight into France!¡±

    Bronckhorst also loudly concurred, ¡°The Netherlands will send additional troops too. The Southern Netherlands will be independent!¡±

    Though the soldiers below were not moved by their fervor, Vandernoot and the others were exceptionally excited and immediately expressed their intentions to recruit more South Netherlanders to join the fight.

    Subsequently, Charles II summoned the senior military officers from Hanover, the Netherlands, and the Southern Netherlands and swiftly organized Brussels¡¯ defense deployment.

    It was certain that the French-Austrian allied forces would take advantage of their victory to attack Brussels. They had to hold them off.

    In the afternoon, the 13,000 plus Hanoverian soldiers who had fled back, along with 3,000 Dutch soldiers, and more than 18,000 men of the Southern Netherlands National Guard rapidly constructed several defensive lines to the south of the city, ready for the impending battle.

    However, the French Army didn¡¯t lazily launch an attack on Brussels until three days later, and they immediately retreated after being repelled.

    In the time that followed, both sides formed a standoff situation, deploying their armies over a seven to eight kilometer wide area south of the Brussels suburb as the dividing line.

    Every day, the French would fire a round of cannon at the defenders, and sometimes the cavalry would also make a few distant circles around, making the defenders tense.

    ¡­

    The front lines of Brussels.

    The Guard Corps camp.

    Joseph looked at the map showing the movements of Blucher¡¯s Army and slightly furrowed his brow, ¡°Do the Prussians seem like they want to retreat?¡±

    ¡°We think so too, Your Highness,¡± Bertier nodded, ¡°after all, their position in Liege is quite unfavorable. If our army abandons Brussels and heads south, we could pincer the Prussian Army with General Leao.¡±

    Joseph immediately pointed to the Meuse River north of Liege and commanded, ¡°Have Colonel Lefebvre block the Prussians here, we must keep them in Liege, but avoid a decisive battle.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    After the messenger left, Joseph pondered a moment and looked at Bertier, ¡°Do you know who among the Prussian high command is the most aggressive?¡±

    After some thought, the latter responded, ¡°Your Highness, it should be Morendo and Delrisen.¡±

    Joseph nodded, taking note, and instructed his staff to discuss the detailed plans for intercepting the Prussian Army, while he turned to the officers¡¯ tent to write a letter to the French diplomat in Prussia.

    The role of Blucher¡¯s Army was also crucial; it was to tie down the Austrian forces in the Southern Netherlands. Once the Prussians retreated, Rennes would surely come to join the confrontation in Brussels. If that were to happen, military presence in the Walloon Region would no longer be only the French Army¡¯s domain, which would have a very unfavorable effect on Joseph¡¯s subsequent strategies.

    After handing over the letter to the messenger, Joseph took out the half-finished letter to Emperor Joseph II of Holy Rome and began to write further:

    Dear uncle, you should already be aware of the situation here in the Southern Netherlands.

    After suffering heavy casualties and enduring extremely tough battles, the brave men of France have finally managed to keep the rebels at bay around Brussels.

    You know, including Hanoverians and Dutch, there are over 35,000 enemy troops gathered in front of our forces, which puts immense pressure on us.

 Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Chapter 364: From Austria to Russia (Long Chapter)

    Chapter 450: Chapter 364: From Austria to Russia (Long Chapter)

    ¡°`

    Joseph certainly wouldn¡¯t tell the Emperor of Sanctum that among the enemy forces in Brussels, over 18,000 men were from the South Netherlands Army who had little combat capability, including remnants of Witte¡¯s force that had already been demoralized by the Guard Corps and hastily conscripted farmers and peddlers.

    Even the Dutch Army were those enlisted since last year¡¯s uprising, whose combat effectiveness could hardly be considered reliable.

    The only truly capable forces were the 13,000 men from Hanover, who lacked both cavalry and artillery.

    However, a total figure of 35,000 was attributed to Charles II, which was sufficiently intimidating when spoken of.

    Joseph¡¯s pen continued moving across the paper:

    ¡°To ensure the Southern Netherlands does not fall into the hands of the rebels again, you need to deploy at least 20,000 soldiers here. Since Prussia and Hanover may also send reinforcements, it would be best to assemble even more troops for security.

    Oh, and there¡¯s another important matter, my dear uncle. Threatened by the Prussian Army from the direction of Liege, our army¡¯s logistical support has encountered significant trouble. You know, the vehicles transporting supplies from Luxembourg to Brussels must pass near Liege. This makes our logistics very susceptible to attack. Therefore, I hope to recruit military supplies locally in the Southern Netherlands, which could also save you some expenses.¡±

    A large portion of the French Army¡¯s current military expenses in the Southern Netherlands are borne by Austria.

    And if the French Army were to ¡°recruit supplies locally,¡± that would amount to taking over the taxation of the Southern Netherlands. Naturally, this would necessitate the creation of some administrative positions to facilitate communication with the public and the transportation of supplies.

    As for certain ¡°incompetent¡± Austrian officials, having them temporarily relinquish their authority during the war becomes a matter of course.

    At the end of the letter, Joseph expressed with great righteousness: France will certainly offer the utmost support to our close Austrian relatives, including preparations to reinforce the front lines in Brussels, and requested the Emperor to be at ease.

    He was very clear that Austria and Prussia were engaged in fierce conflict in Silesia, and not a single step backward could be taken by either side without risking catastrophic consequences. Therefore, Joseph II would hate to have to call back the Austrian Army from the Southern Netherlands, and it was absolutely impossible to deploy an additional 20,000 men there.

    So Austria¡¯s choices were reduced to two¡ª1, lose the Southern Netherlands. 2, export interests to France, allowing the French Army to stabilize the situation in the Southern Netherlands.

    In fact, there was no real choice. If the Southern Netherlands were to become independent, it would not only greatly tarnish the Empire¡¯s reputation and severely impact morale, but the Southern Netherlands National Guard and the Dutch Army would likely go to Silesia to support the Prussians.

    With such a loss and gain, Austria might as well cease fighting.

    Joseph handed the letter to the messenger and then summoned a staff officer to take a message to the Austrian Commander Leao in Luxembourg.

    No sooner had he finished with these tasks than Eman brought in a messenger from Paris into the tent.

    The latter respectfully greeted Joseph and then took out two letters from a leather case he carried, handing them to Eman who was standing by.

    Joseph received the letters from his attendant and scrutinized them. One was from Archbishop Brienne, likely seeking the Crown Prince¡¯s opinion on important matters recently occurring in France, which was essentially a work report.

    The other, however, was from Queen Mary, with an appended ¡°Proposal for Promoting Russo-French Trade¡± submitted by the Russian Ambassador.

    He opened his mother¡¯s letter, puzzled, and began to read.

    The beginning was the usual¡ªshe talked about how much she missed her son, to the point of losing sleep every night, then expressed concern about whether her son was eating well in Luxembourg, whether he was sick or tired, and lamented that he had again forgotten to bring a chef¡­

    Joseph felt warmed by the affection pouring from the letter. It seemed that she had written it while he was still in Luxembourg. But really, what was the issue with bringing along a few Imperial Chefs while at war? Usually, they would even bring along a convoy of kitchenware and ingredients¡­

    It suddenly occurred to Joseph that he could allow the Imperial Chefs to prepare nutritious meals for the wounded in the rear. This would not only make the soldiers feel the Royal Family¡¯s care and importance placed upon them but also save his mother from nagging about the matter each time.

    He continued reading.

    Queen Mary advised in the letter that her son should not stay too close to the front lines and leave the fighting to the generals. France had so many generals.

    Joseph was moved, realizing that in a mother¡¯s eyes, her child is always just a fragile little kid.

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, I might as well be granted the rank of General.¡±

    He smirked and turned to the second page of the letter.

    After wrapping up the family matters, Queen Mary mentioned an interesting incident she had encountered recently¡ªthe apparently inebriated Count Stroganov, the Russian Ambassador to France, praised Russia¡¯s Emperor for admiring France¡¯s ¡°Swedish plan¡± and even expressed his support for our claims over the lowland countries. In the end, Stroganov declared that the Russian Army would support us in taking the Rhine River from Austria¡¯s eastern side as long as they could cross Poland¡­ just look at what he was saying. Yet, for all his intake of alcohol, he was still an excellent diplomat, eloquent even in his inebriation¡­

    As Joseph read up to here, his eyes narrowed slightly¡ªthe ¡°Swedish plan¡± was his own idea, which he had sent Talleyrand to dangle before the Russians.

    This was clearly Catherine II¡¯s response to France, not some ramblings of a drunk Russian Ambassador.

    What Joseph had not anticipated was the grand scale of Catherine¡¯s appetite; she wanted not just Sweden and Poland, but even to partition Germany with France!

 Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Chapter 364: From Austria to Russia (Long Chapter)_2

    Chapter 451: Chapter 364: From Austria to Russia (Long Chapter)_2

    She truly deserves to be called the most resolute woman of the late 18th century.

    To be honest, even Joseph was tempted by Catherine¡¯s proposal for a few seconds.

    If France acquired all the rich lands of Western Europe, including the Netherlands and Belgium, to the west of the Rhine River, and most certainly Italy as well¡ªsince Austria would be too preoccupied to care, leaving the weakened Italy as easy prey for France¡ªthen France would surely soar to great heights, becoming the true hegemon of the European Continent!

    However, he quickly cooled down and shook off these impractical thoughts.

    It was clear that Catherine intended to draw fire onto France to facilitate Russia¡¯s expansion.

    Just look at the places Russia wanted¡ªSweden, Poland, and even including the northeastern part of the Balkans; these were all quite distant from the heart of Europe, and even if Russia swallowed them up, Britain, Prussia, Austria, the Netherlands, and Spain and other major European countries might not intervene due to cost factors.

    And the gains Catherine ¡°outlined¡± for France, whether it be the Low Countries or along the Rhine, were the lifelines of the European powers, who would undoubtedly fight to the death against France with all their might!

    Joseph pulled the messenger over and asked in a serious voice, ¡°How did Queen Mary respond to the Russian Ambassador?¡±

    The latter only said that Count Bobrinsky and Grand Duchess Alexandra were also present that day, and as for what they said, he had no idea.

    It was no surprise, as Stroganov, in the interest of secrecy, carefully avoided all formal occasions, even finding balls unsatisfactory, choosing instead to speak with Queen Mary in close quarters during an art exhibition to prevent eavesdropping.

    Joseph shook his head and sighed. Catherine II had sent both her illegitimate son and her granddaughter, which showed she was very keen on making this deal happen.

    Although from the tone of his mother¡¯s letter it seemed she only thought the Russian Ambassador was spouting nonsense and likely hadn¡¯t agreed to anything, there was always the fear that she might suddenly act impulsively.

    Joseph hurriedly wrote a reply to Queen Mary, mainly to urge her never to respond to the Russians, and handed it to the messenger, instructing him to deliver it with utmost speed back to the Palace of Versailles.

    Watching the messenger¡¯s retreating figure, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep thought; it seemed that in the future, he¡¯d have to discuss matters of national strategy with his mother in advance to prevent any major blunders that would be troublesome to clean up.

    He then thought that although Catherine¡¯s suggestion couldn¡¯t be accepted, her ambition could still be used to seek strategic benefits for France.

    However, exactly how to operate required careful consideration.

    Joseph picked up the ¡°Plan for Promoting French-Russian Trade¡± on the desk, which mainly articulated Catherine¡¯s hope to increase French-Russian trade further to reduce dependence on British trade. Clearly, the rising trade volume of the Gemini Trading Company had caught her interest.

    Joseph looked at the unoriginal clauses in the document and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head slightly.

    There was just so much demand for raw materials in France at the moment, and the Russian market couldn¡¯t possibly open up completely to France, so the current trade volume between the two had already reached saturation.

    Russia did have an abundance of coal and iron resources, but the distance to France was too far, making the transportation costs extremely high, otherwise they could be bought in large quantities.

    He was about to toss the document aside when he suddenly thought of something and muttered to himself, ¡°No, if transport costs are high, one could engage in localized operations¡­¡±

    He immediately recalled the business cases of Britain in 19th-century Russia.

    At that time, Russia had been defeated in the Crimean War, and the Tsar realized the importance of the steel industry and the urgency of developing the regions adjacent to Crimea.

    At that very moment, a British entrepreneur named John Hughes, weary from his ventures in England, decided to try his luck in Russia. He noticed the Donbass region, just north of Crimea, was rich in coal and iron resources but had not been effectively exploited.

    So he signed a contract with the Tsarist government, invested money in the Donbass, and personally brought over a hundred British workers to start mining and establish factories.

    Right when Russia was fervently building the Baltic Fleet, Hughes¡¯s smelting plant consistently sold steel to the Russian shipyards, making a fortune, and eventually expanded his smelting plant into a sizable city.

    It was not until nearly a century later when the October Revolution broke out that the myth of Hughes¡¯s investment finally came to an end.

    By that time, the coal and iron resources in the Donbass region had not even been explored. Investing then would surely have cost far less than in Hughes¡¯s time. It was estimated that one might acquire quality coal and iron mines for the mere price of purchasing wasteland.

    Then, factories could be built locally to extract and process crude ingots, which could be shipped back to France for further refining.

    Excess coal might be turned into coke and sent back to France, or even sold locally to make a profit.

    The workers in the factories would be Russians. Even if their wages and conditions were poor, there was no need to worry about them causing trouble¡ªthe Tsar never showed leniency to discontented subjects from his own country.

    Of course, in Russia¡¯s iron-works, only relatively outdated technology could be used, in order to prevent a rapid improvement in the country¡¯s industrial level.

    Absolutely profitable!

    Moreover, mining and setting up the factories could boost Russian tax revenue and help develop Crimea¡¯s hinterland. Crimea was Russia¡¯s most important port, providing a channel for maritime trade with the European Continent. It had always been of great significance to every Tsar. However, it was not until Catherine II defeated the Ottoman Empire that Russia gained complete control over this outlet to the Black Sea.

    If France could help to stabilize Russian rule over Crimea¡ªbuilding the surrounding cities and attracting more people to settle is the best way to govern¡ªthen Catherine would surely overflow with gratitude towards France.

    Historically, the Tsar¡¯s protectionist stance towards Hughes¡¯s investment says it all.

    A trace of a smile glided across Joseph¡¯s lips. Speaking of which, he would have to ask Catherine II for something in return; otherwise, she might feel somewhat indebted.

    So, he took up the pen and began to write on the back of that ¡°trade plan¡± document: France acknowledges and supports the above-mentioned plan¡­

    Also, to encourage the traditional friendship between Russia and France, France has decided to urge its investors and factory owners to undertake construction in the Crimea area¡­ purely investment, not involving any political or military affairs, in compliance with Russian tax and trade laws¡­

    The hope is that His Imperial Majesty the Tsar could provide suitable support for France on matters related to North Africa¡­

    Having dealt with Russian affairs, Joseph then opened Brian¡¯s letter and read it carefully.

    The Chief Minister first reported the general state of affairs in France in the letter, requesting the Crown Prince¡¯s decisions on the matters yet unresolved.

    After that, he mentioned the vast military expenses for recent foreign actions. Due to various unforeseen circumstances, the total expenditure was 12% higher than expected. However, it was still within the financial system¡¯s tolerable range at the moment. But if the current scale of foreign military engagements continued, the finances were estimated to develop issues by the end of the year.

    This did not surprise Joseph, and he hadn¡¯t planned for lengthy foreign wars. At least in North Africa, a turning point should emerge soon. Moreover, the taxes collected locally from the Southern Netherlands would relieve a significant financial burden.

    All in all, everything was within controllable limits.

    He continued reading on.

    In the last part of the letter, Brian reported the latest discussion from the Cabinet meeting about the peasant land redemption scheme.

    Joseph subconsciously furrowed his brows. This redemption scheme had already undergone three revisions, yet none were satisfactory.

    Indeed, although he had already initiated the abolition of the feudal privileges in France, the policies regarding how peasants could redeem their land had not been announced.

    For the peasants, this meant they were merely exempted from paying minor taxes like mill tax, oven tax, and hunting tax, while the core issue of land ownership remained unresolved. This was the central reason for their lukewarm response to the abolition of feudal privileges.

    However, the specifics of land redemption were incredibly thorny issues that could set the whole country in motion.

 Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Chapter 365 The Counterattack of the Indigenous Indians

    Chapter 452: Chapter 365 The Counterattack of the Indigenous Indians

    Joseph began to examine the land redemption plan submitted by Brian closely.

    At the beginning of the document, it was first declared that public lands illegally occupied by the nobles must be returned without compensation.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but nod slightly. This version was finally an improvement over the previous ones.

    In France during the feudal era, land ownership was extremely chaotic, and almost nobody could absolutely own a piece of land. A large amount of feudal land was collectively owned by the King, nobles, the Church, and local governments, or rather, it belonged to no one in particular.

    Moreover, the rights to possess, use, and profit from a land often belonged to different people. The feudal lords were not actually the owners of the land, but they had the right to collect taxes and designate the cultivators. Of course, the King also had a part of the tax rights.

    Many of these lands were public lands, such as forests, ponds, wastelands, and the like, which usually accounted for half of all the lands in a village. According to regulations, peasants could mow, chop wood, and graze on these communal lands, while the nobles could hunt there.

    However, over the course of hundreds of years, the nobles had used their power to encroach upon these communal lands, converting them into their own hunting grounds, summer retreats, fishponds, or turning them into cultivated fields and levying taxes on these illegally occupied lands.

    In the first two versions of the land plans, the public lands possessed by the nobles were to be redeemed by peasants at a proportional rate. The rationale was that the nobles had also incurred significant costs to ¡°develop¡± these lands.

    The latest version of the plan finally mandated the nobles to return the public lands.

    But Joseph knew that this was far from simple.

    The amount of public land seized by the nobles was vast, and some not-so-wealthy nobles even relied on these lands for their livelihood. It wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved with a simple decree of abolition.

    The King could issue a decree to reclaim the public lands, but a large number of desperate nobles might also band together and plunge the country into chaos. And the nobles were the most influential group in feudal society.

    Joseph continued to read the document in his hand:

    The annual tributes and tithes would no longer be redeemable. Serfs under the annual tribute could pay 25 times their land¡¯s annual output value in a lump-sum land redemption fee, while other types of tenant farmers could pay 30 times. In addition, the transfer fees for such redeemed lands would be five times that of a normal transaction. Furthermore, peasants must first pay all overdue annual tributes and other taxes before they could redeem their land.

    Attached to the document was an estimate of the total amount for the land redemptions for all of France¡ªbetween 38 to 40 billion livres.

    Joseph was almost amused with anger.

    This was clearly the work of Mirabeau and his cohort.

    Abolishing annual tributes and tithes was meant to annoy the Old Nobility because these new nobles hardly relied on such feudal rents to live.

    And a one-time payment of 25 to 30 times the land¡¯s annual output value was something that ordinary tenant farmers simply couldn¡¯t afford. Just looking at the total amount of 40 billion livres, one could tell that if French peasants could come up with so much money, there would be no need for any reforms of the land system¡ªbeing so wealthy, who would care about the issue of land ownership?

    Not to mention the tens of billions in redemption money, in reality, more than half of the French peasants couldn¡¯t even make up the overdue rents. That is to say, they didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to participate in the redemption.

    This redemption plan was clearly prepared for the Capitalist Nobility to merge and speculate on land. They were the only ones who could afford such expensive land.

    After purchasing the land, they would be able to control land prices and make a fortune by reselling. And the peasants would still have to rent their land, only this time, instead of feudal rents, it would be exploitation by capitalists for surplus value.

    Joseph could imagine, after the initial excitement of being freed from the shackles of feudal rents, how disappointed the peasants would become when they fell into another form of severe exploitation, and how much disappointment they would feel towards the Royal Family.

    Yes, the peasants would blame these problems on the Royal Family¡ªwho else to target but the ¡°head of the household,¡± the largest and easiest target? Perhaps this could provoke the long-delayed but inevitable crisis¡­

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but rub his temples.

    Although this version of the land redemption plan was an improvement¡ªthe previous one had even required peasants to redeem 30 years of feudal rents before they could purchase land¡ªit would still intensify the social conflicts in France.

    In history, the Feuillants and the Girondin Party collapsed quickly, primarily because their land redemption policies were opposed by everyone in the country.

    Honestly, Joseph felt like initiating a deep-reaching purge himself at this point, to clear away the nobility¡ªjust following the historical methods of the Jacobins.

    However, if he instigated such a purge, his own family would be the first to lose their heads¡­

    How to stabilize the noble class while reducing the burden on the peasants as much as possible for land redemption, and at the same time take into consideration the attitude of the capitalist class?

    He rubbed his hair irritably and began to make revisions to the land redemption plan with his pen.

    Some of the feudal taxes still needed to be redeemable, and the way public lands were dealt with was completely wrong. This was to take into account the livelihoods of some of the Old Nobility.

    The redemption amounts of 25 to 30 times the annual output value of the land were definitely unreasonable, and it was not feasible to require payment in one lump sum. Here, considering loans from banks to the peasants was an option. The total redemption cost for the country should not exceed 15 billion livres.

    A minimum guaranteed area per person should be set. Before exceeding the guaranteed minimum, peasants should redeem land at the most favorable cost, with the amount gradually increasing for any surplus area.

    Furthermore, the longer the cultivation time and the higher the yield per acre, the cheaper it would be to redeem the land¡­

    Having written these, Joseph still felt somewhat dissatisfied. So he sent the revised document back to Brian, letting the intelligent minds of the era think it over once more.

    But Joseph did not anticipate that this ¡°crack¡± in the policy of land redemption would soon catch the attention of another group.

    ¡­

    London.

    Upon exiting the chambers of Congress, the British Foreign Minister, Marquess of Wellesley, scowled as he climbed into his carriage and immediately headed for 10 Downing Street.

    ¡°How does it stand?¡± Prime Minister William Pitt Junior was clearly waiting for him, personally opening the door to his office to welcome him inside, ¡°Your expression doesn¡¯t seem too upbeat.¡±

    ¡°The situation in India is likely far worse than we imagined,¡± the Marquess of Wellesley took off his hat and hung it on a nearby rack, then shut the door and said solemnly, ¡°During the questioning in Congress just now, the people from the Whig Party said that Mysore¡¯s army suddenly attacked Cannanore, over 200 individuals from the East India Company were captured, and we also lost several ships.¡±

    William Pitt Junior¡¯s expression changed immediately; he cursed the intelligence system in his mind for such a significant matter being known to the opposition before him, and then looked towards the Foreign Minister, ¡°What on earth do those Indian natives want?!¡±

 Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: Chapter 366: The Battle of Brussels

    Chapter 453: Chapter 366: The Battle of Brussels

    Marquess Wellesley sat down on the chair opposite and recalled the news he had heard in Congress:

    ¡°According to Fox, nearly two months ago, Mysore sent out 6,000 troops to invade Cannanore. The defending soldiers of the East India Company resisted for only three days before they were completely defeated.¡±

    Cannanore is an important stronghold for the East India Company in the southwest of the Indian peninsula; losing it would greatly affect trade in the southwest of India.

    Although the East India Company is, in name, a company, it is in fact the administrative arm of England in India¡ªfrom the government to members of Congress, from officials to businessmen, nearly everyone owns shares of the East India Company. One could say that the damage to this company¡¯s interests could even have a greater impact on England than a significant financial loss to the government.

    William Pitt Junior frowned deeply:

    ¡°Are you saying that those native Indians put in only 5,000 men and¡­¡±

    The East India Company¡¯s garrison in Cannanore, though less than 600 strong, was mostly composed of individuals with regular army service experience, and their combat capability was absolutely superior to that of the native Indians. Additionally, there were several thousand servant-soldiers recruited locally who, according to past experience, should have been able to withstand an intense assault by a force of tens of thousands from Mysore for at least a month or two.

    But this time, it fell after just three days.

    Marquess Wellesley said gravely:

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s said that these Mysore troops were extremely formidable in combat, all equipped with European-manufactured flintlock guns, along with more than ten pieces of fine artillery. The bastions of the East India Company were breached by their cannon fire.¡±

    These fine weapons were naturally brought to Mysore by Lafayette.

    Moreover, the Princess of Tunis, Amira, had already arrived in Mysore and had secretly held an engagement ceremony with Sultan Tipu¡¯s son Nawaz¡ªalthough they had not yet officially married, her dowry had already been shipped to India in advance.

    That was an entire set of cannon production equipment, as well as 30 cannon-casting technicians, and enough materials to produce 50 cannons. This meant that Sultan Tipu would have an unending supply of cannons.

    Although the Royal Navy controlled Indian Ocean shipping, they couldn¡¯t do much about the smuggling ships. The cannon-casting technicians could land safely by taking French merchant ships. France still retained a small colony in Puducherry, maintaining a negligible trade presence.

    Most important, Mysore had gained a general in Lafayette who excelled at commanding novices in battle.

    For a country like India, still in the mid-stages of feudalism, the factors limiting the combat effectiveness of its army came only in part from its weapons and equipment. The larger issues were the various backward systems and the quality of its soldiers.

    Lafayette, under the guise of protector of Princess Amira and with the rank of Ummda, spearheaded military reforms in Mysore. From military pay distribution to the appointment and removal of officers, from military discipline to coordinating soldiers of different faiths, and even meticulous regulations on how tents should be arranged when encamping or which direction and for how many rounds patrols should walk, he established strict rules.

    After nearly three months of rigorous training with whip and cudgel, this Indian army, which already had some foundation in European military drills, was almost completely transformed. Although their fighting strength still fell far short of the British Army, they would at least not be easily defeated ten to one as before.

    Of course, with Lafayette¡¯s energy, he could only train 4,000 new Mysore troops on five hours of sleep a day, and he had to leave the training of the others to the Tunisian officers he had brought with him.

    This time, during the surprise attack on Cannanore, he personally led 3,000 of the new troops, supplemented by 3,000 ordinary Indian soldiers, and easily took down the camp of the East India Company.

    However, there were factors the British hadn¡¯t anticipated. At the time, only half of the soldiers¡ªaround 300¡ªwere on duty in the bastion, while the rest were doing business in nearby cities or seeking pleasure. And the servant-soldiers had not been formally gathered.

    After Lafayette launched the attack, those utterly disloyal British servant-soldiers, seeing the seemingly ferocious Mysoreans¡ªand the impressive reputation of Tipu¡¯s ¡°Tiger of Mysore¡± also played a significant role¡ªdefected one after another. These people were very familiar with the defenses of Cannanore and further accelerated the collapse of the British defenders.

    Marquess Wellesley continued:

    ¡°The last news from India is that over 10,000 Mysore troops have approached North Karnataka.¡±

    William Pitt Junior¡¯s face darkened like still water. North Karnataka was the East India Company¡¯s important stronghold in the western part of India. The Port of Malabar was located there. If this place were to fall into Mysore¡¯s hands, England would no longer have any trading posts available on the entire west coast of India.

    And with India being such a long distance from England, this information must be at least a month and a half old.

    He contemplated and turned to Marquess Wellesley:

    ¡°It seems, the Royal Navy should now fully support India.¡±

    ¡°And an expeditionary force of thousands of men as well,¡± nodded the Marquess of Wellesley before he suddenly remembered something and added, ¡°Prime Minister, Governor Cornwallis mentioned that lately, a bunch of French people have been active in Mysore.

    ¡°Mysore recently started a trend of antagonism towards England, and it¡¯s likely that the French people are behind it. And the weapons in the Indians¡¯ hands are probably supplied by them too.¡±

    William Pitt Junior was surprised¡ªFrance¡¯s financial situation should have been extremely dire, and yet they could still squeeze out funds to assist the Indians!

    Little did he know, France had actually only sent Lafayette and the Princess of Tunis, and the rest of the investment had long been recouped by Sultan Tipu¡¯s dowry, even turning a small profit.

    William Pitt Junior sighed silently. He had previously invested substantial funds in North Africa, and yet the French people still had not exited Tunisia. After that, the Hanoverian Army faced a tragic defeat in the Southern Netherlands. And now India needed a substantial investment too.

    Moreover, Britain¡¯s textile exports in Europe had recently declined, and the French people were attacking the British markets in Germany and Spain with cheap fabrics. If he could not reverse the unfavorable situation everywhere, the Whig Party would surely seize the opportunity to cause trouble, and His Majesty the King might also start to doubt his capabilities.

    He calculated the cost of aiding India and the complex situation that would arise from waging war with Mysore, and eventually gestured wearily to the Marquess of Wellesley:

    ¡°Please, make your way to Paris as soon as you can. We can¡¯t afford any greater losses in India.¡±

    ¡­

    Southern Netherlands.

    Brussels.

    Charles II looked angrily at the several officers in front of him and rebuked loudly:

    ¡°What on earth are you doing? The French people only have 3,000 men in the Town of Lully! You, with nearly triple their numbers, couldn¡¯t even capture it!¡±

    The Hanoverian officers all hung their heads in silence, inwardly complaining.

    The French Army was truly terrifying. Before their forces even came close to the Town of Lully, the outnumbered French forces actually took the initiative to launch an attack, splitting their formation in two.

    If they hadn¡¯t reacted quickly and retreated in time, the losses wouldn¡¯t have just been 300 soldiers.

    In fact, it was Joseph who had strictly ordered not to annihilate the enemy forces on a large scale, otherwise how could they have escaped the clutches of the Guard Corps?

    The front lines south of Brussels had been at a standoff for over a month. Charles II had called up more than 7,000 troops from Hanover, but he couldn¡¯t shake the French Army in the slightest; instead, it was he who kept suffering losses.

 Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Chapter 367: The Coal Treasury

    Chapter 454: Chapter 367: The Coal Treasury

    What Charles II did not know was that, in order to maintain the abundant stamina and morale of the Guard Corps, Joseph had already implemented a rotation system. In the two important towns south of Brussels, two battalions of troops were stationed in each, with 1,000 men left on alert in the central area, plus reconnaissance Hussars scattered around. In total, only half of the forces were ready for combat, while the other half were conducting routine training north of Namur.

    They switched places every month and a half.

    In addition, he conscripted 5,000 locals in the Walloon Region to form the ¡°Walloon Guard¡± to assist with the battle in Brussels. In the French-speaking region of Southern Netherlands, there were plenty of people willing to serve the Crown Prince of France for a bit of military pay.

    Which is to say, under the current stalemate, 7,000 soldiers of the Guard Corps, along with 5,000 temporarily recruited mixed troops, were able to handle the 40,000 demoralized men on the opposite side.

    Harboring the humiliation of his initial captivity, Charles II angrily ordered the officers in front of him to reorganize their troops and to launch another attack on the French Army in three days.

    After the Hanover generals left as silent as cicadas in winter, Charles II also gradually calmed down. He had experienced firsthand the formidable fighting capability of the French troops south of Brussels. Even without much direct confrontation, he had been defeated.

    And the past month¡¯s battles also proved that it would be difficult to win this campaign with just his own insufficient forces, plus the ¡°peasants¡± from the Southern Netherlands who couldn¡¯t even maintain proper formations.

    He sighed deeply and sat down behind his desk, picking up his pen to write a letter of aid to his brother-in-law, who was also the King of England, George III.

    Originally, he had sent troops to intervene in the affairs of the Southern Netherlands at George III¡¯s request, but now it had become his own war.

    After sealing the letter, he worried it wasn¡¯t secure enough, so he picked up the pen again and wrote another letter to the Prime Minister of England, William Pitt Junior. The core content of both letters was essentially the same¡ªrequesting England to send reinforcements to Brussels.

    While Charles II was anxious about the war situation, Joseph was reviewing the recruitment test results just reported by the ¡°Military Supplies Preparatory Committee of Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Indeed, Joseph II of Holy Rome had barely hesitated in agreeing to France¡¯s request to gather logistics supplies in the southern part of the Southern Netherlands and ordered Austrian officials there to cooperate fully with France.

    Moreover, he replied, highly commending the French Army for its decisive role in suppressing the Southern Netherlands rebellion and combating invading forces such as Prussia and Hanover. At the end of the letter, the Emperor of Sanctum mentioned that Luxembourg would be used as compensation for France¡¯s deployment of troops.

    Subsequently, Joseph ordered the establishment of this ¡°Military Supplies Preparatory Committee,¡± which essentially took over the taxes, finances, and commercial trade of the Walloon Region. After monopolizing financial power, the administration of the Walloon Region was pretty much determined by the committee¡ªany local official who did not comply could forget about next month¡¯s salary.

    The top officials of the committee were dispatched from France, while the middle and lower-ranking clerks were all locals from the Walloon Region.

    Joseph, using his previous experience with the ¡°civil service recruitment exam¡± in Tunisia, also organized a recruitment process in the Walloon Region under the pretense of ¡°selecting capable individuals to quickly gather urgently needed supplies for the frontlines,¡± but in reality, it was to win over the elite class of the Walloon Region.

    And just as he expected, the nobility and capitalist class of the Walloon Region came in droves for the assessment. They completed the examination with exceedingly high efficiency within less than three weeks.

    Joseph looked at the list of 103 selected candidates and their recommended positions by the chairman of the committee, Foullier, who was also the former assistant commissioner of municipal administration in Lettelicity, and he shook his head slightly.

    Seeing this, Foullier¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly stepped forward, bowing:

    ¡°Your Highness, is there something unsuitable about these positions?¡±

    Joseph lifted the document in his hand:

    ¡°Can 103 people ensure the supply of materials to the frontlines? If there is a problem with logistics, we could lose the war at any moment!¡±

    Foullier was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean, Your Grace?¡±

    ¡°At least three hundred positions responsible for gathering supplies are needed to be somewhat safe,¡± he said.

    Though President Foullier looked confused, he had no objections since the Crown Prince was willing to pay the salaries,

    ¡°Ah, yes, Your Highness, I will get to the adjustments immediately,¡± he said.

    Joseph did not have extra salaries without a place to allocate them; rather, those who passed the exam and were hired were essentially the foundational bureaucrats for his management of the Walloon Region in the future. Three hundred people were still far from enough.

    He then turned to Viscount Flotte beside him, the precise ¡°Eminence in Law¡± who had previously come to deliver intelligence and oats to the Guard Corps,

    ¡°Additionally, there are thirty other positions. Please discuss with the other ¡®coordinators¡¯ and recommend some talented individuals to me,¡± he said.

    Viscount Flotte was currently the committee¡¯s coordinator in Mons, essentially acting as Deputy Mayor. As a representative of the noble forces in the Walloon Region, those he recommended were sure to be influential in the region.

    This was tantamount to forming a community of shared interests between France and the local people of the Walloon Region. Should Austria later be reluctant to release control over the Walloon Region, these individuals would be the first to object.

    ¡°Ah! I am grateful for Your Trust,¡± Viscount Flotte hastily touched his chest in salute, excitedly saying, ¡°I will do my utmost to select the best talent for you!¡±

    ¡°Then I shall leave it in your capable hands,¡± Joseph said with a smile, nodding, then added, ¡°Oh, and about establishing the ¡®Coal Industry Joint Company of the Walloon Region,¡¯ please cooperate closely with President Foullier as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± he replied.

    The so-called Coal Industry Joint Company was a company funded by the Bank of France Reserve to acquire or hold shares in coal mines in the Walloon Region. Due to the war, the price of coal mines had plummeted in recent months, making it an opportune time to invest.

    However, unlike the small Luxembourg, the Bank of France Reserve did not have the resources to buy all the coal mines, so Joseph pulled in investors from France and the Walloon Region to jointly hold shares in this company.

    Of course, decision-making power had to remain in the hands of the Bank of France Reserve. As the largest investor, and with the support of the Military Supplies Preparatory Committee, the Bank of France Reserve effortlessly became the ¡°sole veto director.¡±

    Soon, the vast coal reserves of the Walloon Region, capable of rivalling Germany¡¯s Ruhr Region, would become a powerful support for France¡¯s industrial revolution.

    Once the Coal Industry Joint Company started receiving endless orders from France, the investors, traders, and workers of the Walloon Region who profited would also become increasingly dependent on France.

    ¡­

    The British Foreign Minister, Marquess of Wellesley, had not dashed straight to Paris as the Prime Minister had requested, to deal with France over interests in India, but was preparing to travel to Brussels via the Port of Amsterdam, braving the war.

    He was well aware that the bargaining chips he held were far from adequate to negotiate with the French over India, so he hoped to find some leverage on the Southern Netherlands front.

    However, no sooner had he disembarked than he received the news that Charles II was seeking assistance from England.

 Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Chapter 368: The Reversed Dipper (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 455: Chapter 368: The Reversed Dipper (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    In front of the South Netherlands Parliamentary Building.

    When Charles II saw the Marquess of Wellesley, he fully expected the latter to bring him news of London¡¯s confirmed reinforcements for Brussels and was so moved he was nearly in tears.

    However, the Foreign Minister threw cold water on his expectations:

    ¡°Respected Marshal, I personally am very much in favor of sending troops to reinforce you immediately, but¡­ I must not hide from you that the East India Company has run into some trouble in the Far East, and the Empire¡¯s main focus is there at the moment. Perhaps by the beginning of next year, you might receive the reinforcements dispatched by Congress. Of course, Congress will definitely provide you with ample support in terms of military funding and weaponry.¡±

    Not only was Charles II anxious, but so was Vandernoot, the Speaker of South Netherland, standing nearby:

    ¡°My lord Marquess, you might already be aware of the situation in Brussels. If we cannot defeat the French soon, it will be difficult to hold Brussels once Austria has drawn its forces, and the revolution would face failure¡­¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley glanced at him, his voice somewhat cold:

    ¡°Personally, I am not too fond of your revolution. However, at the moment we share a common enemy that needs to be dealt with. Oh, are we to keep standing here in the square discussing matters?¡±

    ¡°No, no, we¡¯ve prepared a bountiful feast for you,¡± Vandernoot hurriedly gestured towards the Parliament House. ¡°Please come inside.¡±

    Inside the banquet hall, the Marquess of Wellesley swept a look over the long dining table at the officers who hung their heads in dismay and then turned to Charles II:

    ¡°Marshal, are you saying you need to request aid from Congress because the French Army has only 14,000 men?¡±

    Before Charles II could speak, General Bronckhorst, the Dutch commander at his side, interjected:

    ¡°Lord Marquess, you¡¯re unaware that the French are equipped with a remarkably powerful type of musket, and their cannons appear and disappear unpredictably, posing a great threat to our forces.¡±

    The Foreign Minister scoffed and shook his head; in his view, this was just the Dutch making excuses for their incompetence.

    He irritably tapped the table with his spoon; he had come to Brussels to assess the military advantage here as a bargaining chip for his negotiations, but instead of finding his bargaining chip, he found a group of people waiting for him to persuade Congress to clean up after them¡­

    Suddenly, Vandernoot clenched his fist with righteous indignation:

    ¡°We should incite the French people to join the revolution and overthrow that tyrant!¡±

    The newly appointed commander of the National Guard, General Orleans, immediately agreed:

    ¡°Yes! We have many revolutionaries in places like Lille and Artuwa. We can let them lead the French people in revolution! To fight for their freedom and rights¡­¡±

    The passionate words from both seemed to capture the Marquess of Wellesley¡¯s attention. He looked towards Vandernoot and whispered,

    ¡°Are you saying that there are members of the South Netherlanders¡¯ revolutionary party within France?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± the latter nodded. ¡°Initially, to avoid persecution from the Austrians, our revolutionaries often hid in the northern parts of France. Over the years, we¡¯ve established quite a few footholds there and have good relations with the local liberals.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley¡¯s eyes lit up:

    ¡°Within half a month, how many people could you mobilize in France to instigate¡­ call for a revolution? And how many would respond?¡±

    Vandernoot immediately replied:

    ¡°We currently have over forty people across France, and if necessary, we can immediately mobilize 200 revolutionaries to go to France.¡±

    Historically, the revolution in the Southern Netherlands was indeed supported by the French Revolution. The connection between the two was very close, with the South Netherlanders often seeking sponsorship from French nobles who sympathized with the revolution, resulting in many who frequently stayed within French territory.

    Vandernoot thought for a moment before expressing his reservations:

    ¡°But the momentum of the revolution in France over the past two years¡­ hasn¡¯t been very good, and many who were once proponents of the revolution have now become flatterers of the tyrant. Especially the common peasants and citizens of France, after the tyrant doled out some benefits to them, have become satisfied with the status quo. So, this is definitely not a good time to help France launch a revolution.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley first glared at him impatiently before speaking in displeasure:

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any other term in your limited vocabulary to refer to a king of a country besides ¡®tyrant¡¯? Even though we all may not like Louis XVI, it¡¯s still necessary to maintain basic courtesy toward him.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Vandernoot then remembered that the nations he was counting on were all under monarchic rule, and he could only nod embarrassingly, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    Only then did the Marquess of Wellesley narrow his eyes and, tapping his spoon lightly on his plate, said in a grave voice:

    ¡°In fact, there¡¯s a powder keg in France right now. If your people can make good use of this opportunity, they might just be able to stir up a storm in France!¡±

    The Governor of Hanover and the Dutch commander by his side immediately looked over in surprise.

    The Marquess of Wellesley¡¯s tone carried a hint of smugness:

    ¡°You must have heard that the French government intends to abolish the traditional rents that peasants pay to their lords, but they have yet to announce a specific plan for peasants to purchase land.¡±

    Charles II said subconsciously: ¡°So what then?¡±

    ¡°This is an opportunity to plunge France into chaos!¡±

    The others looked at each other in surprise, clearly not understanding the meaning of the British Foreign Minister.

    Seeing their expressions, the Marquess of Wellesley sighed helplessly:

    ¡°Think about it. Why hasn¡¯t the French Government announced a land purchase plan?

    ¡°It¡¯s because the two parties involved in this matter¡ªthe nobility and the peasants¡ªare too difficult to agree.

    ¡°The nobles want the peasants to pay a substantial amount of money that is enough for themselves and their descendants to maintain a luxurious life, while the peasants hope to get the land without paying a single cent. For this matter, they are definitely willing to hang each other on the gallows!¡±

    Indeed, the Marquess of Wellesley possessed extraordinary strategic acumen, recognizing the crux of the problem at a glance.

    In history, after the French Revolution, the first government to form was the Feuillants, the constitutional monarchists. They were ousted because they had devised a land redemption policy that favored the nobility, requiring peasants to redeem feudal dues, as well as the price of land revenues for up to 30 years, triggering dissatisfaction among the peasant class and ultimately toppling the Feuillants.

    The Girondin Party that followed abolished all feudal dues, but they acknowledged rents on lands not granted by the King. The peasants were still dissatisfied because a lot of land had previously been bought by nobles or capitalists at low prices, and now they had to pay high redemption prices for them.

    Thus, when the Jacobins raised their arms and called out, especially during the famine at the time, the Girondin Party stepped down in dismay.

    It wasn¡¯t until the Jacobins ordered the burning of all the nobles¡¯ land deeds and sold the land cheaply to peasants that the land issue in France was essentially resolved.

    However, the reason the Jacobins managed to handle the matter was based on the fact that most of the nobility at the time had already been executed. In other words, the interests of the peasant class were satisfied at the expense of the nobility¡¯s fortunes.

    Yet the current French nobility remains very strong.

 Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Chapter 369: Garbage Time on the Battlefield

    Chapter 456: Chapter 369: Garbage Time on the Battlefield

    Charles II still looked puzzled, ¡°But at present, there hasn¡¯t been any conflict between France¡¯s peasants and nobles.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley waved the spoon in his hand as though it were his sword, ¡°Then we shall do something to disrupt their tranquility.¡±

    ¡°You mean?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll issue a land redemption policy on behalf of the French Government. I will initiate channels in Paris to proclaim to the nobility that the government intends to distribute land to the peasants at a very low price.¡±

    While speaking, the Marquess of Wellesley pointed at Vandernoot, ¡°Your people, on the other hand, will tell the French peasants that the King has decided to have them pay the costs of supporting the nobility for hundreds of years.

    ¡°When both sides are extremely dissatisfied, you will join forces with the Liberals of France and lead the peasants in an uprising. France will undoubtedly be plunged into chaos!¡±

    Vandernoot immediately nodded excitedly, then hesitated, ¡°But, Your Lordship, the French Government will surely step forward to deny these claims.¡±

    Wellesley smiled, ¡°In such a situation, unless they officially announce the land redemption plan, no denial will be believed by anyone.

    ¡°And at the moment, no redemption plan could possibly satisfy both the peasants and the nobility. Whichever side¡¯s interests the plan touches, we will support that side in causing trouble.

    ¡°What France can expect is nothing but a nation-wide chaos!¡±

    ¡­

    South of Brussels, in the City of Namur.

    Commander Andr¨¦ Davout of Murat¡¯s Corps saw His Highness the Crown Prince coming to greet him from afar. He hastily dismounted, strode forward swiftly, and, taking off his hat, bowed respectfully:

    ¡°You look in good spirits, Your Highness. All over Luxembourg, they are talking about the battle where you defeated the Hanoverians. You have almost become the stuff of legends!¡±

    ¡°The victory belongs to every member of the Guard Corps.¡± Joseph replied with a smile and a nod, and then patted his arm, ¡°With Murat¡¯s Corps in Brussels, my mind is completely at ease. Let¡¯s go into the city first. You will have only three days to rest, and then you must proceed to the Town of Lully to be stationed.¡±

    ¡°Murat¡¯s Corps is always at your service!¡± Andr¨¦ responded loudly.

    A few days ago, Joseph received a report from the Palace of Versailles that the British Foreign Minister would visit Paris in the middle of next month to consult on some important matters between the two countries.

    Joseph guessed it must be the fires of war in India that burnt the British enough to seek peace. This was a matter of great importance, and it certainly could not be left to his mother to handle. So he decided to return to the country. Moreover, he could take the opportunity to communicate with his mother about France¡¯s major strategies to prevent situations like the last time the Russian Ambassador attempted to sign a secret treaty.

    At present, the standoff at the Brussels front had entered ¡°garbage time¡± ¨C France was unwilling to attack, and Charles II¡¯s side was unable to advance ¨C both sides fired a few cannon shots at each other every day and then both would withdraw their troops.

    So even if he left the Southern Netherlands, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems here.

    But to be on the safe side, he still transferred two regiments from Murat¡¯s Corps in Luxembourg. Although Murat¡¯s Corps wasn¡¯t as powerful as the Guard Corps, they were more than capable of dealing with the Hanoverian Army.

    ¡°How goes the battle near Liege?¡± Joseph looked at Andr¨¦, who rode alongside him.

    ¡°To put it mildly, it¡¯s rather dull.¡± Andr¨¦ spread his hands, ¡°Lefevre complains every day about why we can¡¯t launch a surprise attack on the Prussians. On the Prussian side, they¡¯ve built narrow breastworks along the border of Liege and Luneburg, and set up many cannons, but they also haven¡¯t attacked for a long time.¡±

    After learning that the Hanoverian Army had been defeated and that the battlefront had stabilized in the Brussels area, Blucher lost the will to continue the fight¡ªhe could perhaps defeat Leao¡¯s Austrian Army, but then his forces would be caught in a standoff with the French Army in Brussels. What he desired was to achieve glory in Silesia, not waste time in the Southern Netherlands!

    However, some fools within Prussia, likely Morendo and his ilk, incessantly advised His Majesty the King, claiming that it would be ¡°shameful¡± to accept being driven out of the Southern Netherlands by Austria.

    In the end, he received an order from the King, instructing him to repel the Austrian Army near Luxembourg and to reinforce Brussels as soon as possible.

    Blucher¡¯s troops, having previously been thrashed by the Guard Corps, were also low in morale and, after two failed attempts to attack Leao, lost the will to press on with their offensive.

    Leao knew his own limitations and was even less willing to attack. Lefevre, following an order from Joseph, was forbidden from annihilating the Prussian Army on a large scale.

    Thus, the battle near Liege also entered a period of ¡°garbage time.¡±

    After receiving a detailed account of the situation along the Liege-Luxembourg line from Andre, Joseph finally let go of his concerns.

    Early the next morning, he took a carriage back to Paris.

    The rail transport from Luxembourg to Verdun had already begun construction. As for Verdun, wooden rails had already been laid previously during war preparations.

    Leaving Verdun, half a day¡¯s journey by horse-drawn carriage brought one to the wooden rails linking Reims with Paris.

    The entire trip took just over five days, nearly two of which were spent within the territory of the Southern Netherlands. Moreover, the ride on the wooden rails was extremely smooth, and upon arrival at the northern outskirts of Paris, Joseph felt none of the fatigue usually associated with long journeys and was immediately ready to attend to official matters at the Palace of Versailles.

    Because he had not informed the Palace of Versailles in advance, there was no guard of honor to receive him.

    Joseph¡¯s motorcade sped through the streets of Paris, where he could occasionally hear passersby discussing the French Army¡¯s recent two major victories. Suddenly, four or five children burst out from around a street corner, brandishing sticks and shouting ¡°bang, bang,¡± as they charged at another group of children.

    Sitting across from Joseph in the carriage, Eman looked out the window and said to him:

    ¡°Your Highness, it seems that the most popular game among the children of Paris lately is this ¡®Crown Prince Battles the Prussians.¡¯ I read about it in a letter from my father. My younger brother is already 13 and still can¡¯t get enough of it.¡±

    He suddenly remembered that when the Crown Prince was 13, he was leading police reform and couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional.

    ¡°Perhaps he will grow up to be an excellent soldier,¡± Joseph said with a smile, ¡°and truly defeat the Prussian Army on the battlefield.¡±

    Eman hastened to reply, ¡°Thank you for your encouragement, Your Highness. I will certainly urge him to work hard!¡±

    The carriage soon entered the Palace of Versailles, and a court lady who saw Joseph¡¯s figure from the carriage window hurriedly picked up her skirt and ran towards Petit Trianon Palace, calling out to the Queen¡¯s maids:

    ¡°The Crown Prince has returned!¡±

    Before the nobles could gather around, Joseph instructed the coachman to head directly to his mother¡¯s chamber.

    After Queen Mary¡¯s affectionate inquiries that lasted over half an hour and having servants bring in the Imperial Chef¡¯s recently developed Netherlandish-flavored dessert, Joseph finally found an opportunity to broach official matters.

 Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Chapter 370: To a mother, theres only one big thing in this world

    Chapter 457: Chapter 370: To a mother, there¡¯s only one big thing in this world

    Queen Mary looked at her son with surprise, the Belgian pastry wrapped in sugar threads and dusted with cocoa powder still hadn¡¯t reached her mouth, ¡°You mean to say, Archbishop Talleyrand has expressed support to Russia for their occupation of Sweden, and this was done with your instigation?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it kind of counts as a diplomatic policy suggestion I gave him,¡± Joseph didn¡¯t want his mother to think that the Foreign Minister had disregarded her, so he chose a more tactful way to put it, ¡°And he happens to agree.¡±

    ¡°But why would you indulge the Russians?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to make them temporarily forget about Poland. You know, if the Russian army has nothing to do, Poland will suffer.¡±

    Queen Mary blinked, ¡°In that case, we should negotiate directly with Russia, instead of sacrificing Sweden.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Joseph secretly pinched the armrest of his chair and explained patiently, ¡°Rest assured, Sweden can withstand a Russian invasion.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t feel that Sweden is much stronger than Poland.¡±

    ¡°Sweden will receive assistance from England and Prussia.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡±

    An hour and a half later, Queen Mary had completely lost interest in the dessert, and only shock remained in her eyes as she looked at the Crown Prince, ¡°So, your strategy is to first stabilize the situation around Tunisia, and then send the Marquis de Lafayette to India to cause trouble for the British?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I just gave some advice to the Minister of War. The Marquis de Lafayette was acting on orders from Duke of Broglie when he went to the Far East.¡±

    Joseph had to try his best to justify the actions of the Cabinet Ministers, ¡°According to the investigations of the intelligence agency, both Algiers and Tripoli have been supported by the British. If the British need to commit a significant force in India, then our pressure in North Africa will be reduced.

    ¡°You see, after Mysore declared war on the British East India Company, the British Foreign Minister immediately came to Paris. If I¡¯m not mistaken, he is here to request that we do not interfere with the situation in India.

    ¡°Of course, we cannot agree so easily, and recently we also defeated the Hanoverian Army, we must consider¡­ after he offers enough benefits.¡±

    Queen Mary wasn¡¯t really listening to her son¡¯s latter words; her heart was swirling with excitement and pride. Her son had grown up and was so excellent, speaking of these international affairs with authority, something that even Archbishop Brienne had never elucidated so clearly before.

    At the same time, there was a touch of melancholy¡ªfollowing this pace, her son would soon no longer need her protection. He would be like a bird with full plumage, spreading his wings and flying away from the nest she had built for him.

    She suddenly froze, then shook her head vigorously.

    What was she thinking about? Her son was about to turn 16; he was already a grown-up! He was the chosen son of God!

    She couldn¡¯t always hold him in her arms like when he was a child. He was meant to spread his wings and soar across the vast skies of France.

    Moreover, it was clear that he was very capable of doing so.

    With that in mind, there was only one thing left on Queen Mary¡¯s mind, ¡°Joseph, in a few months you will be 16. I know you have great aspirations and want to devote your energy to strengthening the nation, but you also need to consider your marriage.

    ¡°You can choose not to marry just yet, but that doesn¡¯t stop you from choosing a fianc¨¦e. For the love of God, think of it as giving peace of mind to me and your father.¡±

    She lowered her voice, ¡°To be honest, you¡¯re not into men, are you? Oh, it was your father who mentioned this to me.¡±

    Joseph suddenly felt a headache coming on, how could a discussion about national affairs suddenly turn to this topic.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± he said quickly, shaking his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely choose a girl I like to marry.¡±

    Queen Mary immediately seized the opportunity, ¡°So, what do you think of Clementine¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, mother, cousin Clementine is fine, but she¡¯s definitely not the ideal wife for me.¡±

    ¡°So the Princess of Sicily? No? What about the Princess of Savoy? Also unsuitable? The Spanish Princess¡­¡±

    Joseph was rather amused and helpless. Although his mother had almost listed the princesses of all the surrounding countries, thanks to the appalling tradition among European Royalty¡ªof marrying almost exclusively within a few royal families, never introducing fresh DNA¡ªhe was related to all the girls she mentioned!

    Even the most distant were third-degree collateral relatives, and ones like Clementine didn¡¯t even need mentioning. How could such a union be possible?

    Seeing Queen Mary¡¯s expression turning solemn as she began to extend the list of potential brides to England, Joseph couldn¡¯t bear it any longer.

    ¡°Uh, dear mother, my requirements are actually quite simple,¡± he said through gritted teeth, ¡°I just hope to marry a girl who is not related to me by blood.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Why is that?¡±

    Joseph felt a headache coming on. If he outright said that marrying close relatives could lead to offspring with mental deficiencies, that seemed like an insult to his own parents. After all, both his grandparents and great-grandparents had been closely related when they married¡­

    Furthermore, as someone influenced by 21st-century ideals, he was ethically opposed to taking a close relative as a wife.

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of genetics,¡± he said carefully, ¡°You know, Mendel¡­ Oh, never mind, he hasn¡¯t yet¡­¡±

    Queen Mary, looking at her son¡¯s constipated expression, suddenly smiled kindly and took his hand, saying, ¡°Alright, alright, I understand. But as the Crown Prince of France, you really can¡¯t marry a commoner.¡±

    In her view, her son must have concocted this excuse because he wanted to marry a common girl.

    ¡°Ah?¡± Joseph said instinctively, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted to marry a commoner.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Really?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll marry a princess, I truly will marry a princess,¡± Joseph, exhausted, asserted firmly, ¡°Just not a close relative.¡±

    Just then, Brian came with an important document for Her Majesty the Queen to sign, interrupting the conversation between the two.

    Joseph quickly seized the opportunity to escape the marriage pressure.

    After dealing with the official matters, Queen Mary paced to the balcony, looking out at the vibrant vegetables and flowers in the garden, her mind replaying her son¡¯s words.

    ¡°Not related by blood,¡± she frowned slightly, ¡°yet he wants to marry a princess. Is there such a princess in European Royalty?¡±

    Even the British Royal Family was related to the French Royal Family, albeit the connection was somewhat diluted. And surely the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t actually marry an English woman¡­

    ¡°What exactly is my son thinking?¡±

    As Queen Mary pondered, the image of a young girl with gentle large eyes suddenly appeared in her mind.

    Her eyes lit up, that girl indeed had no blood relation to the French Royal Family, ¡°Joseph must like that little lass! Hmm, although she is a bit young, she is indeed very adorable, especially those eyes.

    ¡°Right, she is currently in Paris, no wonder Joseph rushed back from the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    She recalled Joseph once saying he wished to marry a princess from a powerful nation. Though Russia was poor and backward, it was vast and heavily populated, definitely a powerful country.

    She suddenly felt guilty; her son had mentioned his interested party early on, yet she had failed to understand all this time.

    He really was a shy child, fancying someone else¡¯s girl but not saying it directly, leaving the parents to keep guessing.

    Queen Mary felt a twinge of regret over Clementine¡¯s ¡°rejection,¡± but soon cheered up, at least she was sure her son was not interested in men.

 Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Chapter 371: The New Divine Artifact

    Chapter 458: Chapter 371: The New Divine Artifact

    Joseph had no idea that Queen Mary had set him up with a new ¡°Matchmaking Scroll,¡± and it was with a very young girl.

    During the dinner, he cautiously prepared to continue dealing with his mother¡¯s relentless matchmaking, but the Queen only occasionally gave him a knowing look and didn¡¯t bring up the subject again. Instead, she mentioned some customs and cultures of Russia.

    At the following ball, Joseph became the focal point of all the nobles¡¯ attention.

    A Crown Prince, not yet sixteen, personally led his troops to consecutive victories over the armies of Prussia and Hanover on the battlefield. This prompted the nobility to continuously compare him with the Sun King, Louis XIV.

    Some even went so far as to say, ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will surely surpass the Sun King.¡±

    Previously when Louis XVI mentioned commissioning a statue for the Crown Prince, some ministers disapproved, given that the King himself didn¡¯t have an official public statue.

    However, after the news of the Guard Corps¡¯ defeat of Charles II reached Paris, no one raised objections anymore. Artists from all over were flocking to the Palace of Versailles, vying for the opportunity to sculpt a statue for the Crown Prince.

    The ball opened with the spirited melody of ¡°Triumph,¡± and the music was all about war and victory throughout the event. The nobles also abandoned their usual refined elegance to perform military-style dances.

    Midway through the ball, a well-known poet stood in the center of the Hall of Mirrors and recited a praise poem for Joseph that pushed the atmosphere to its peak.

    Witnessing the fervor at the ball and the lavish praise from the nobles, Joseph could not help but reflect: Indeed, victories in foreign wars are the best stimulant for a country¡¯s spirit. The previous dissatisfaction and opposition arising from the abolition of noble privileges had now largely subsided, at least on the surface; the nobles¡¯ attitude towards the Royal Family had become very supportive. He hoped this would help reduce the obstacles from the nobility regarding the policy of land redemption.

    The ball continued well into the night, and Joseph was only able to return to his quarters after, feeling more exhausted than if he had fought on the front lines for three days.

    The next morning.

    Joseph had a simple breakfast and then, dragging his weary body, headed towards the Royal Armory next to the Sycamore Grove on the southeastern side of the Palace of Versailles.

    The British Foreign Minister wouldn¡¯t arrive in Paris until about a week later. Joseph wanted to take this gap to quickly finish the long-planned bulletproof inserts.

    As he stepped out of his chambers, Joseph saw the broad corridors lined with nobly dressed young ladies. In an instant, bold, demure, and melancholic flirtatious glances attacked him from all directions, making his scalp tingle.

    Eman whispered to him, ¡°Your Highness, most of them have been waiting here since three or four in the morning. Some haven¡¯t left since the end of the ball¡­¡±

    Perna, who had just completed Joseph¡¯s routine check-up, followed him out. The surrounding ladies¡¯ gazes immediately turned cold and murderous, frightening her so much that she hurriedly bowed her head and fled back to the second-floor Imperial Physician¡¯s office.

    Joseph, however, ignored the stunning scenery along the way and briskly walked out of the Palace of Versailles.

    Once in the square, he touched his stubbly chin and muttered to himself with clenched teeth: just you wait! Once I¡¯m past my adolescence, I¡¯ll be sure to pick a few and ¡°slaughter¡± them thoroughly!

    Martiniel, the head of the Royal Armory, had obviously anticipated the Crown Prince¡¯s arrival, and had been waiting at the entrance with his management team since early morning.

    Joseph nodded to the bowing group and then got straight to the point:

    ¡°Mr. Martiniel, have you prepared the items I asked you for previously?¡±

    The latter hurriedly gestured towards a shed on the western side:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, everything is ready and placed over there.¡±

    When Joseph was in the Southern Netherlands, he wrote a letter listing the materials needed for making the bulletproof inserts and included simple manufacturing requirements, which he sent to the Royal Armory.

    Upon entering the workshop, Martinier had people display boxes of iron plates, porcelain slabs, silk, and the like in front of the Crown Prince, and took the opportunity to say:

    ¡°Your Highness, look, I had the craftsmen make iron plates of different hardness and thickness for you to choose from. The porcelain pieces were custom-ordered from the two most prestigious workshops in Sevres, and I also had Quimper attempt a custom production.¡±

    Sevres is the sacred ground of porcelain making on the western outskirts of Paris. Those nobles who cannot afford Oriental porcelain and scorn British goods mostly choose the products from here. Quimper, on the other hand, is the center of colorful pottery in Brittany, mainly targeting ordinary households, but the workshops there also have many unique firing techniques.

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction. After all, the Royal Armory was overseen by his father himself, and their work was quite reliable.

    He then asked his most pressing question:

    ¡°And the adhesive? Does Mr. Lavoisier have any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Martinier gestured toward a large glass jar on the table, ¡°Mr. Lavoisier recommended this special casein glue.¡±

    ¡°Casein glue?¡± Joseph looked curiously at the milky yellow viscous liquid in the jar.

    ¡°It¡¯s an adhesive processed from milk,¡± Martinier hurriedly explained. ¡°First, ferment the milk to remove the fat, then add substances such as alkali, water glass, and slaked lime to encourage coagulation, filter¡­¡±

    Joseph had never heard of an adhesive made from milk, but for now, he could only trust Lavoisier.

    He immediately took out different specifications of iron and porcelain plates from the wooden box and summoned the craftsmen to prepare for a trial production.

    Having previously seen a documentary about bulletproof inserts, he immediately instructed the craftsmen:

    ¡°Please stick together the iron plate, porcelain slab, silk, and another iron plate in that order. Be sure to press them as compactly as possible.

    ¡°Place the silk on the outermost part here, followed by the iron plate and the porcelain slab, with silk again at the very back.

    ¡°Use the iron plate for the outermost layer of this one, followed by silk¡­¡±

    Uncertain about the effectiveness of these 18th-century alternative materials, he had the craftsmen come up with five different combinations to try. For each combination, they used plates of different thicknesses and applied varying amounts of adhesive, resulting in more than 40 test samples.

    It was around 3 o¡¯clock in the afternoon when a craftsman informed Joseph that the casein glue, which was treated by heating and drying, had dried.

    Joseph took a piece that was about the size of a modern tablet, and tried to tear the iron and porcelain plates apart with force.

    They did not budge; it was incredibly sturdy. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that this milk-made adhesive was essentially serviceable.

    He didn¡¯t know much about adhesives. In fact, casein glue has high viscosity, quick setting time, and strong bonding strength, and it is still widely used in the 21st century.

    Moreover, Lavoisier had made special adjustments to the manufacturing process according to his requirements, with the aim of maximizing the bonding strength. It definitely couldn¡¯t be broken apart by hand.

 Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Chapter 372 Father and Son United in Heart

    Chapter 459: Chapter 372 Father and Son United in Heart

    ¡°Prepare a few guns, we¡¯re going to the range.¡±

    Joseph motioned to Martinier, ready to go test the newly completed bulletproof insert, when he heard Eman beside him say, ¡°Your Highness, the King has arrived.¡±

    Joseph hurriedly turned around and saw Louis XVI enter the workshop with a proud smile, ¡°Ah, my dear Joseph, I knew I¡¯d find you here inventing something interesting.¡±

    Then, he muttered somewhat resentfully, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me to join you? We¡¯re the best of partners.

    ¡°Oh, never mind that now, let me see what wonderful thing my genius son has concocted this time¡­¡±

    However, when he took the bulletproof insert from Joseph, he frowned slightly, ¡°What is this, a piece of iron?¡±

    ¡°This is no simple iron plate,¡± Joseph said as he pulled his father towards the range, ¡°It can withstand gunfire.¡±

    Louis XVI weighed the bulletproof insert in his hand, incredulous, ¡°This thing is at most 3 pounds, oh, we¡¯ve changed to the metric system now, so that would be 1.5 kilograms. It can actually stop bullets?¡±

    As a ¡°tech nerd,¡± he had some knowledge of armor. Even breastplates weighing more than 10 kilograms often got pierced if the bullets¡¯ angle of entry was perpendicular.

    And yet the Crown Prince thought to stop bullets with such a thin piece!

    ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself.¡±

    Joseph gave his father a mysterious smile and then ordered the guards to fix the bulletproof insert onto a wooden target, before taking a caplock gun from Martinier¡ªthe latest model produced by the Royal Armory, freshly sighted.

    Joseph positioned himself 60 paces from the target, cocked the gun, fitted a percussion cap, and squinted at the distant bulletproof insert.

    A loud ¡°bang¡± echoed. He missed the target.

    Joseph reloaded awkwardly and fired again.

    ¡°Bang!¡± Still off target.

    This was not necessarily due to poor marksmanship; in the era of smoothbore guns, hitting a target 60 paces away often depended largely on luck.

    Finally, after the caplock gun fired for the third time, the distant bulletproof insert visibly quivered.

    Two soldiers from the range immediately carried the target over at a run.

    Louis XVI curiously stepped forward to inspect it and saw that the iron plate had a large dent, but it was obviously not penetrated!

    He looked at Joseph in shock, ¡°How is this possible? It¡¯s just a thin piece!¡±

    Joseph was not surprised at all; he had set the shooting distance at 60 paces, leaving a considerable margin for error. According to his design, the insert was supposed to withstand shots from a British Brown Bess 1777 Flintlock Gun at 30 paces.

    He smiled and removed the bulletproof insert from the target, explaining to his father, ¡°Dear father, in fact this is not just a piece of iron.¡±

    He pointed at the insert, which had shown some layering from the huge impact, ¡°You see, behind the iron piece is a ceramic piece.¡±

    ¡°Ceramic? Such a fragile thing, what use could it possibly serve?¡±

    ¡°To disperse the impact of the bullets,¡± Joseph said, ¡°You can see from the edge the ceramic has already shattered.

    ¡°Since the cracks extend horizontally, they can disperse the vertical impact forces to a horizontal direction.¡±

    ¡°Behind that is a layer of silk. Silk is extremely tough; it can wrap around the first two layers, preventing them from being torn apart by sudden deformation.¡±

    ¡°As for this last layer of iron, it¡¯s to enhance reliability. You see, it only has slight marks on it.¡±

    Louis XVI¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as he examined the ballistic insert in his hands, nodding continuously, ¡°The simplest structures often have unexpectedly excellent performance. Joseph, how did you come up with this idea? It¡¯s simply¡­ miraculous!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself that he had of course seen it on a documentary, but he still followed his usual routine, crossing himself, ¡°I believe, it must be divine inspiration.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Louis XVI immediately made the sign of the cross with great piety, ¡°Thanks be to Almighty God!¡±

    In the last two years, with his son continually receiving ¡°divine inspiration,¡± he had become a hundred times more devout than before.

    Meanwhile, Joseph said something even more astonishing, ¡°This ballistic insert should still have some margin for error. Let¡¯s try again from 50 paces.¡±

    A new insert was secured into place. Joseph handed the gun to his father.

    As the muzzle belched thick smoke, Louis XVI shot and accurately hit the ballistic insert, then somewhat boastfully raised an eyebrow at his son who had hit the target only after three tries earlier.

    The target was quickly brought over by a soldier. Joseph hurried forward to examine the insert; the bullet pit was deeper than before, but it still hadn¡¯t been penetrated.

    He turned the insert over, and on the underside of the last iron layer there was only a barely noticeable indentation, clearly meaning the wearer would not be in any mortal danger.

    This time Louis XVI spoke first without waiting for him, ¡°Perhaps we can try even closer.¡±

    As the testing went on, it wasn¡¯t until the range was reduced to 28 paces that the ballistic insert was finally penetrated.

    Afterward, Louis XVI and his son continued to test several different models of ballistic inserts, falling asleep directly in the armory as night fell, and talked until well past two in the morning about various firearms and mechanical topics.

    In the following days, father and son stayed immersed in the armory, conducting a series of tests and improvements on ballistic inserts of all different materials and combinations, and eventually decided on a few types for mass production.

    Joseph, looking at the production process documents in his hand, instructed Martinier, ¡°Start with 6000 pieces of the standard type. 2000 pieces of the reinforced type. 500 pieces of the premium type.¡±

    Through the days of testing, he discovered that to counter the soft lead bullets of the 18th century, there was no need for double layers of iron.¡±

    Thus, following his father¡¯s suggestion, he used a structure of iron, cotton, ceramic, and silk to keep the weight of the ballistic insert down to 1.05 kg, able to reliably withstand a shot from a flintlock gun from beyond 40 paces.¡±

    This ¡°standard type¡± ballistic insert was the cheapest, costing only 5 livres and 16 sous. If necessary, even the silk could be omitted, bringing the price down to less than 4 livres, though the effective protective distance would also fall to 55 paces.

    The ¡°reinforced type¡± insert was the structure previously tested, with two iron layers front and back, weighing 1.4 kg, and could only be penetrated by a flintlock gun at a distance of 28 paces, especially designed for Cavalry use. It cost 6 livres and 10 sous.

    The ¡°premium type¡± was a single layer of iron plus double layers of silk, weighing the same as the standard type, with a reliable protective distance of 33 paces. However, its price was as high as 8 livres and 5 sous, usually only available to officers.

    In fact, Joseph had originally planned to produce more than 100,000 pieces to equip the entire Guard Corps. However, the bottleneck of adhesives limited his ambitions.

    The performance of casein glue was excellent, but at present, it could only be produced in small quantities and was quite expensive. As for other natural adhesives, they were basically useless for large-scale applications.

    Joseph recalled the various phenolic adhesives of the future and felt an even stronger desire to promote gas street lamps quickly, thereby illuminating the organic chemical industry.

 Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Chapter 373 I Bring a Furniture Revolution to Europe

    Chapter 460: Chapter 373 I Bring a Furniture Revolution to Europe

    Joseph finished arranging the trial production of bulletproof inserts, and suddenly felt fatigue wash over him.

    These past few days in the armory felt like a return to the days of doing projects with his mentor in his previous life. Thankfully, his father was there to help, ensuring he didn¡¯t end up exhausted to death.

    He watched Louis XVI depart for the Petit Trianon Palace¡ªthe King had indulged his craftsmanship addiction these few days and was now missing his wife¡ªwhile Joseph himself did not delay, immediately driving to the Paris Royal Arsenal to discuss the production of casein glue with Lavoisier.

    Without solving the issue of mass-producing the adhesive, the great strategic value of the bulletproof inserts could not be realized.

    When Joseph¡¯s carriage stopped in front of the administrative building of the Royal Gunpowder Agency, the entire agency buzzed with excitement. The management and craftsmen here were somewhat related to the military, and they cared deeply about victories on the front lines. They set aside their work and came to catch a glimpse of the legendary hero who created the ¡°Great Victory of the Southern Netherlands¡±¡ªthe Crown Prince.

    In the end, besieged by a ¡°forceful crowd,¡± Joseph had no choice but to drag Lavoisier away from the Gunpowder Agency and head to his office at the Tuileries Palace to talk.

    At the Gunpowder Agency, people gazed after the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage longingly, and only after a good while, under the overseers¡¯ angry roars, did they reluctantly go back to their tasks.

    In Joseph¡¯s carriage, Lavoisier furrowed his brows after listening to the Crown Prince¡¯s request, ¡°Your Highness, producing casein glue is not difficult, but, I¡¯m afraid the demand for your bulletproof inserts may not be enough to support mass production.¡±

    Joseph was taken aback. He was overwhelmed with busyness and had forgotten that in the pre-industrial era, as long as you were willing to invest and there were no technical hurdles, almost anything could be mass-produced.

    But the question was, to whom would he sell the products? If they couldn¡¯t be sold, it would only lead to continuous losses.

    Although he was willing to incur losses for the sake of manufacturing vital military equipment, it was not a sustainable solution.

    He looked at the ¡°Father of Chemistry¡± and asked, ¡°Mr. Lavoisier, to your knowledge, who would need this kind of adhesive?¡±

    ¡°Oh, previously only carpenters used it in small quantities and cobblers occasionally used a little to bond shoe soles. They typically ordered a small bottle from the drugstore at the beginning of each year.¡±

    ¡°Carpenters?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± said Lavoisier, ¡°it was to meet the carpenters¡¯ needs that casein glue was first invented. But as you know, this invention did not bring much profit.¡±

    Joseph, deep in thought, said, ¡°Can you explain in detail when carpenters would use this?¡±

    ¡°In any situation where nails can¡¯t be used, Your Highness. Casein glue bonds wood very sturdily, and once it dries, the bond is even harder than the wood itself¡­¡±

    As Lavoisier detailed the characteristics of casein glue, Joseph¡¯s eyes gradually lit up.

    If the dry strength of casein glue was so high and its affinity with wood was excellent, couldn¡¯t it be used to manufacture synthetic board materials?

    He was aware that in the later world, few ordinary households could afford pure solid wood furniture; ninety percent of the furniture market was made up of synthetic board materials like MDF and particle board.

    These synthetic boards were made from ¡°waste¡± wood chips and sawdust, mixed with adhesive and compressed.

    One should not underestimate this seemingly ¡°waste recycling¡± innovation¡ªsynthetic board materials triggered a furniture revolution at the end of the 19th century!

    First, the price of synthetic boards was far lower than that of solid wood.

    This was mainly because the solid wood suitable for furniture was limited to the straight trunks of trees; branches or crooked trees could not be used.

    However, synthetic boards could make use of an entire tree because whether it¡¯s crooked or in small pieces, it could all be crushed and glued into standard square boards. Even though there were additional costs for adhesives and processing, the overall price was still very affordable.

    Similar to the shipbuilding industry of the 18th century, which consumed large amounts of lumber, the scrap wood discarded every year could furnish all the French people with new furniture.

    If a synthetic board manufacturing plant could be built near the shipyards of Brittany, it would create a supply chain of lumber-shipbuilding-synthetic boards-furniture and might even significantly reduce the cost of shipbuilding.

    In addition, and more importantly, the biggest advantage of synthetic boards over solid wood was not cost.

    This might differ from the usual perception, but synthetic boards triggered a furniture revolution mainly because they had several unparalleled advantages:

    The first was ease of processing. Synthetic boards were basically square and flat on both sides when they left the factory. Carpenters could quickly assemble furniture with just a simple sawing, while those using solid wood were still laboriously treating the lumber.

    As a result, the output of furniture could increase by several times or even more than tenfold, and the variety of designs would also expand. With a broader selection and lower prices, a sales craze was naturally expected.

    You see, the most profitable industrial products were never the most exquisite ones, but those that could meet the basic needs of the largest number of people. Just like how, in later times, Mercedes and BMW could never surpass Toyota and Volkswagen, which catered to the mass market.

    Second, the nail-holding capacity of synthetic boards was far superior to that of solid wood. Because solid wood was dense, it exerted a force pushing out the nails, whereas composite boards made from wood dust and glue did not have this problem.

    This meant that the durability of furniture made from synthetic boards was also stronger than that of solid wood.

    Of course, this could be addressed by using the traditional Eastern mortise and tenon joint, but at present, furniture on the European Continent still primarily relied on nails. To expect tens of thousands of carpenters to suddenly change their customary skills was out of the question unless the Lord himself showed a miracle.

    Lastly, the resistance of synthetic boards to woodworm was leagues ahead of solid wood. Hmm¡­ for woodworms, adhesive was even more disgusting than dog excrement, not to mention that the stuff was poisonous.

    Durable, woodworm resistant, and affordably priced furniture would undoubtedly easily overturn solid wood furniture and dominate the market.

    Thinking of this, Joseph suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked Lavoisier, ¡°If I can find a market, say over 500,000 kilograms per month, could you help me set up a casein glue factory of that scale?¡±

    ¡°500,000 kilograms?!¡±

    Lavoisier was greatly astonished. The whole of Europe consumed perhaps only a few tens of thousands of kilograms of casein glue in a year, and the Crown Prince wanted to sell 500,000 kilograms in a single month, which was simply unbelievable!

    However, when he saw Joseph¡¯s earnest expression, he began to think deeply.

    After a moment, he shook his head slightly and said, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s absolutely impossible to reach a monthly production of 500,000 kilograms in the short term. If you are willing to invest one million livres, I can try to reach a monthly output of 50,000 kilograms.¡±

    ¡°One million livres!¡± Joseph nearly blurted out an expletive. His initial investment in the United Steam Engine Company was also one million. How on earth could a ¡°glue factory¡± with a mere monthly production of 50,000 kilograms compare to a steam engine?

 Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Chapter 374: The Most Advanced and The Most Suitable

    Chapter 461: Chapter 374: The Most Advanced and The Most Suitable

    Mr. Lavoisier, noticing the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes gleaming with excitement, hurriedly explained, ¡°Your Highness, if you only need a few thousand kilograms of casein glue each month, then an investment of 5,000 livres should suffice. However, if you require 50,000 kilograms, we would face a severe shortage of raw materials such as soda ash and water glass. Oh, the current soda ash production in the vicinity of Paris is only enough to produce 1,000 kilograms of casein glue per month.¡±

    ¡°So, you must first invest in a workshop for the production of soda ash, and the scale would be extremely large.

    ¡°You see, to produce soda ash, we must first build a Reverberatory Furnace and a workshop for the production of sulfuric acid. This alone would require at least 800,000 livres. Plus, producing water glass, purifying quicklime¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡°Did you just say that producing soda ash requires a Reverberatory Furnace? If I understood correctly, is it the same kind of furnace used for forging steel?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Your Highness.¡± Mr. Lavoisier nodded, ¡°You may not be very familiar with the latest mass production method for soda ash.

    ¡°It is a method recently invented by Dr. Leblanc. Mixing salt and sulfuric acid, then after distillation, adding limestone and coal and placing it into the Reverberatory Furnace to calcine into a molten state. This process requires reaching the melting temperature of iron, which is why the Reverberatory Furnace is so suitable¡­¡±

    As he continued to explain, Joseph began to understand that in this era, soda ash was still produced using calcination and the crystallization method.

    Just the high temperature of over 1,000 degrees needed for the process would consume a tremendous amount of coal. Moreover, the corrosive effect of the sulfuric acid on the Reverberatory Furnace at these high temperatures was severe, requiring a complete replacement every few years¡ªsuch costs were astronomically high!

    Therefore, soda ash was still considered a luxury chemical product. The kind sold by the gram!

    No wonder Mr. Lavoisier was prompting him to invest a million livres, to set it up like a steel mill¡ªthis money might not even be enough.

    Joseph quickly remembered, isn¡¯t soda ash just sodium carbonate?

    That is, soda ash.

    As one of the five pillars of the chemical industry, back in the day, countless chemists went insane trying to reduce the cost of its mass production¡­

    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Indeed, all profitable commercial products ultimately relied on the production of basic raw materials.

    Fortunately, thanks to his roommate from the chemistry department, he hadn¡¯t returned all his chemical knowledge to his teachers.

    For example, he knew the ¡°Solvay process¡±!

    Wasn¡¯t that enough to instantly outclass those ¡°primitive methods¡± of the late 18th century?

    Previously, he hadn¡¯t been able to spare the energy to delve into the chemical industry, but now seemed like the perfect opportunity to start with soda ash.

    Wasn¡¯t it just a million livres? If it could drive the chemical industry in France, that amount was nothing more than a trifle.

    Not to mention the significance of soda ash for the furniture revolution and bulletproof inserts, even selling it directly could earn back ten times the profit.

    Joseph immediately recalled the Solvay process in his mind and looked at Lavoisier, ¡°In fact, I have a completely new method for producing soda ash, which should cost less than a tenth of the method you just described.¡±

    Mr. Lavoisier¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Had anyone else made such a claim, he would likely have scoffed. However, coming from the ¡°Child Blessed by God,¡± he had to take it seriously.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it generally involves salt, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t keep it secret, the esteemed ¡°Father of Chemistry¡± wasn¡¯t likely to steal his technique, or rather, he wouldn¡¯t dare. Besides, knowing the principles was one thing, but implementing them in a specific mass production process still required Lavoisier¡¯s expertise.

    ¡°You start by passing ammonia gas into saturated brine to form ammonium chloride. Then, carbon dioxide is introduced to produce¡­¡±

    Having explained the Solvay process, he waited for Mr. Lavoisier¡¯s exclamations of surprise.

    However, after a good half minute, the ¡°Father of Chemistry¡± frowned and shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, your method is good in theory, but it seems unfeasible.¡±

    Joseph was momentarily stunned, ¡°What? Are you sure you heard correctly? This is the Hou Process for producing soda ash!¡±

    Mr. Lavoisier continued, ¡°Your method requires the consumption of a large amount of ammonia. If I remember correctly, the price of sodium nitrate is about 7 livres per kilogram. Thus, the soda produced in this way will not be much cheaper than Dr. Leblanc¡¯s method.

    ¡°Most importantly, the entire supply of sodium nitrate in Europe would hardly satisfy the consumption needed for producing 50,000 kilograms of casein per month.¡±

    Joseph blinked, ¡°Sodium nitrate? What is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the mineral used to produce ammonia¡­¡±

    As Mr. Lavoisier explained further, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but begin to look gloomy¡ªsodium nitrate must be ammonium chloride. With the current chemical technology, it was not possible to synthetically produce ammonia, one could only obtain it by calcining this expensive mineral.

    The price was through the roof.

    Only then did he remember that the synthetic ammonia process wasn¡¯t perfected until the end of the 19th century, and Dr. Hou¡¯s method of producing soda ash was invented in the 20th century when the price of ammonia had become incredibly cheap.

    And producing synthetic ammonia, if he remembered correctly, required high-temperature, high-pressure reaction technology, something completely unfeasible in the 18th century¡­

    So, what about the chemical industry, what about the furniture revolution¡ªwere they all just wishful thinking on his part?

    Seeing his changed expression, Mr. Lavoisier hurriedly comforted him, ¡°Your Highness, your line of thinking is very innovative, it¡¯s a method I¡¯ve never thought of before.

    ¡°However, sometimes the old ways might still be useful¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled bitterly. He hadn¡¯t expected that Dr. Hou¡¯s world-shaking improved method for producing soda ash would lose to the reverberatory furnace in the 18th century.

    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the documentary he had watched about Dr. Hou, how he had improved the Solvay process step by step under very harsh conditions, ultimately achieving success.

    Hm?

    Suddenly, he thought of something. What was Dr. Hou¡¯s improvement? It seemed to involve joint soda production¡ªproducing soda ash and fertilizer at the same time, thus enhancing output and raw material efficiency.

    And how was the Solvay process for producing soda ash done?

    Joseph desperately recalled the documentary he had watched, murmuring to himself, ¡°Salt plus ammonia plus carbon dioxide, dissolved in water. Remove the precipitate, add limestone, heat the reaction¡­

    ¡°Ammonia and carbon dioxide are generated, and the sinter contains soda ash and calcium chloride, then it¡¯s purified through crystallization¡­

    ¡°Such a method for producing soda ash wastes the chlorine in the salt and the calcium in the limestone, which is why the production efficiency and cost are not as good as the Hou Process for producing soda ash¡­¡±

    Joseph suddenly stopped, wait, during the process both ammonia and carbon dioxide are released, and they can be reintroduced into the next reaction!

    If that¡¯s the case, the consumption of ammonia would be very, very small. Although without the fertilizer production of the Hou Process, it bypasses the chasm of ammonia.

    Thank goodness¡­

    He suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. He had really fallen into a trap, always wanting to jump straight to the most advanced technology. But the most advanced isn¡¯t necessarily suitable for this era!

    ¡°Mr. Lavoisier,¡± he smiled again, ¡°if I have another method that does not require the consumption of ammonia, please help me design the mass production process.¡±

    Mr. Lavoisier¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, was the Crown Prince truly inspired by the gods?!

    To produce soda ash, such a cutting-edge technology, and he had come up with two approaches in less than half an hour!!

 Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Chapter 375: Busy Lavoisier

    Chapter 462: Chapter 375: Busy Lavoisier

    ¡°If the high-temperature production of baking soda isn¡¯t a problem¡­¡± Lavoisier pondered, ¡°Oh, I just haven¡¯t conducted the experiment of producing baking soda with ammonia, and it¡¯s not that I doubt you, Your Highness.

    ¡°The other processes, such as collecting released ammonia and carbon dioxide, can all be achieved.¡±

    The ¡°carbon dioxide¡± he mentioned was in fact carbon dioxide.

    He was clearly extremely excited, looking at Joseph, ¡°Then using your method to produce soda, the cost will be only one-tenth of the current price¡­¡±

    He wasn¡¯t just the best chemist of his era, his business acumen was also not lacking, immediately shaking his head, ¡°No, less than one-tenth, because this method has no raw material constraints, I mean, salt and lime are easy to obtain, making the production almost infinitely scalable!

    ¡°Your Highness, I must return to the laboratory immediately to verify the method you described.

    ¡°I swear, if this is feasible, it would absolutely be an epoch-making event in the history of chemistry!¡±

    He wasn¡¯t exaggerating in the least, as the three acids and two alkalis were pillars of the chemical industry, their importance self-evident. Of these five basic compounds, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid were relatively easy to come by, and considering the standards of the 18th century, industrial production of nitric acid wasn¡¯t even on the table. As such, soda ash became the star of the chemical industry in the 19th century.

    In fact, previously the French Government had offered a large sum as a reward for the industrial production method of pure soda. The winner was Dr. Leblanc, who produced soda ash using the reverberatory furnace.

    Although his method was expensive, it was still the cutting-edge technology of the era. However, if Joseph¡¯s alkali process were to be put into production, it could completely obliterate his method.

    As they were talking, the carriage stopped at the Tuileries Palace.

    Lavoisier was ready to take his leave and return to the laboratory, but then Mirabeau, who was already waiting there, quickly approached and bowed to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, when I heard that you left the Palace of Versailles, I guessed that you might have come here.¡±

    He had a heap of industrial development matters to report to Joseph, but the Crown Prince had been busy at the armory all this while, and as soon as he left the armory today, he disappeared.

    ¡°It seems you have quite a lot to discuss with me.¡± Joseph smiled and returned the bow.

    ¡°Indeed so.¡±

    Mirabeau was about to head to the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau with the Crown Prince when he turned and noticed Lavoisier, hastily bowing in greeting, ¡°Oh, esteemed Mr. Lavoisier, I didn¡¯t realize you were here too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, but I¡¯m about to leave,¡± Lavoisier said, placing his hand on his chest in a bow. ¡°His Highness has told me of a method for producing pure soda, and all I want now is to fly back to the laboratory.¡±

    ¡°Pure soda?¡± Mirabeau was familiar with Dupont and had some understanding of the chemical industry, ¡°That¡¯s really incredible. Pure soda is essential for many chemical industries.¡±

    When Joseph heard the words ¡°chemical industry,¡± he was immediately struck with an idea and pulled Lavoisier upstairs, ¡°You don¡¯t need to rush your experiment. If we¡¯re going to get into the chemical industry, we definitely need the opinion of an expert like you.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Lavoisier entered the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau with some resistance, still pondering the ¡°Royal Alkali Process¡±¡ªthe new name Joseph had given to the ¡°Solvay process,¡± since Mr. Solvay had not yet been born at this time.

    However, when he heard Joseph ask Mirabeau about the coal gas street lighting project, his attention was immediately captured.

    ¡°Then, we must expedite the progress of the supporting coal tar treatment laboratory,¡± Joseph said. ¡°Mr. Murdoch obtained the patent for coal distillation last month, and we aim to commence the construction of Paris¡¯s gas street lighting by the end of the year.¡±

    With some difficulty, Mirabeau said, ¡°Your Highness, I have actually purchased all the laboratory equipment according to the standards of the University of Paris lab, but the ¡®benzene¡¯ you mentioned, no chemist has heard of it¡­¡±

    Joseph quickly looked toward Lavoisier, who also seemed puzzled.

    He instantly felt a wave of helplessness. It appeared that the field of organic chemistry was still barren in this era, to the point where not even benzene, the most basic organic compound, had been discovered.

    He had no choice but to patiently explain to Lavoisier that coal tar contained a large amount of benzene, as well as other organic compounds like aniline and phenol, and that they could try to refine these substances.

    Lavoisier¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°Are you saying that there is a new substance in coal tar that we do not yet know about?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is a bit complex,¡± Joseph said. He was at a loss as to where to begin with the introduction to organic chemistry, after all, it was a vast subject.

    In the end, he decided to cut the Gordian knot and said, ¡°If you distill coal tar, at different temperature ranges, you will obtain distillates containing benzene. Oh, and you will also discover some other new substances in this process.¡±

    Lavoisier¡¯s breathing quickened. As a chemist, discovering a new substance was enough to gain fame in the academic world, yet the Crown Prince casually informed him that simple operations could yield multiple new substances!

    It was either His Highness was talking nonsense, or it must be divine revelation!

    He instinctively made the sign of the cross on his chest and eagerly said, ¡°Your Highness, please entrust the coal tar experiment to me!¡±

    Joseph replied with some difficulty, ¡°I would very much like your help, but you also need to help me design the soda ash production process.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Lavoisier was unwilling to give up and hurriedly said, ¡°I could have my wife assist. Please believe me, she has an extremely high level of experimental skill. Oh, and I have many excellent students, we will certainly not delay the production of the Royal Alkali Process!¡±

    A smile immediately appeared on Joseph¡¯s face. With Lavoisier, his wife, and his students on board, it meant that nearly half of France¡¯s chemical elite had joined his project.

    He nodded to Lavoisier and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re so interested, I¡¯ll entrust the management of the coal tar laboratory to you. You can apply directly to Count Mirabeau for the necessary funds.¡±

    Coal tar could be refined to produce a large number of valuable compounds like aniline and phenol, which could be used to manufacture disinfectants, dyes, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals.

    Especially the first two. As the earliest medical disinfectant, phenol saved countless lives¡ªit was much cheaper than alcohol, after all, it was a by-product of waste utilization from coal tar, and could be used for large-scale disinfection of entire buildings or camps.

    As for aniline, a raw material for dye production, its economic value was simply enormous. Keep in mind, the purple dye extracted from plants, used in the fashion industry, was so expensive that it often cost more than the clothing itself!

    Even for the nobility at the Palace of Versailles, wearing a garment entirely in purple was a matter of prestige. It wasn¡¯t until aniline purple, made from aniline, that purple clothing finally became accessible to ordinary people.

    If this dye were to be produced, it would also become a powerful tool for France to compete with England in the textile industry!

    Joseph brought his reverie to a halt. The organic chemistry industry was still a distant dream¡ªLavoisier didn¡¯t even know what benzene was, and it was uncertain how long it would take to transform this knowledge into an industry. The immediate priority was to establish soda ash production quickly, use soda ash to build a chemical industrial chain, and obtain profits from it¡ªthat was the urgent task at hand.

 Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: Chapter 376: Saving Angel (Please Follow)

    Chapter 463: Chapter 376: Saving Angel (Please Follow)

    Joseph briefly explained the characteristics of benzene to Lavoisier and immediately turned to Mirabeau:

    ¡°In the coming period, you will likely be very busy.

    ¡°First, you need to work with Mr. Lavoisier to build a soda ash production factory as soon as possible. Oh, I will arrange for the Bank of France Reserve to earmark funds specifically for this purpose.¡±

    ¡°Meanwhile, you also need to establish two casein factories. One in Paris, with a smaller scale, producing about 50,000 kilograms per month. Another in Brittany, reaching a monthly output of 500,000 kilograms.¡±

    ¡°Following that will be the construction of a beverage factory in each of Paris, Nancy, Bordeaux, Lyon, and Marseille. The drinks will be sold in glass bottles. I will send the specific formula directly to the factories.¡±

    Just now in the carriage, Lavoisier mentioned that the soda ash production process would produce baking soda, which reminded Joseph.

    Baking soda, when added to lemon or vinegar, would generate a large amount of carbon dioxide, wasn¡¯t that the 18th-century carbonated beverage?

    Previously, baking soda was expensive, and nobody could afford to drink it, but with industrial production, it became possible to use it to make high-end beverages.

    A bottle of water, a few grams of baking soda, a bit of sugar, and some fruit juice. Such a novel, bubbling drink that could relieve heat and quench thirst, as long as it was marketed properly, could even be sold at a price higher than premium wines. It was practically a printing press!

    Joseph continued, ¡°Most importantly, we need to prepare two furniture factories, one in Paris and another in Brittany. Initially, design them to produce over ten thousand sets of wardrobes and tables and chairs per month.¡±

    Mirabeau¡¯s pen, whirling as he took notes, suddenly stopped, and he looked at the Crown Prince in amazement:

    ¡°Your Highness, are you saying that we should build factories to produce furniture? Forgive me for speaking frankly, but I¡¯m afraid that might incur losses¡­¡±

    No wonder he questioned this idea, as in this era, furniture was mostly considered a ¡°personal art piece¡± of carpenters, and those who needed furniture would typically order it custom-made. Then carpenters would take a couple of months to make them a set from processed wood planks.

    What use would there be for a factory in this production model? And they were expected to manufacture 10,000 furniture sets a month.

    Paris had just over 600,000 inhabitants, which would be like every year, five people needed to change their furniture!

    According to the habits of the French people at the time, a set of furniture was expected to last for generations, often up to eighteen. Usually, only newlywed couples would order new furniture. Selling 10,000 sets of furniture a month was utterly impossible.

    Joseph smiled slightly:

    ¡°Please trust me. The initial goal of 10,000 sets of furniture per month is just a start; the scale will later expand by tenfold. Not just in France, I will have the whole of Europe, and even the Far East and the Americas, change their furniture. Oh, as for the specific requirements of the furniture factory, I will have someone give them to you later.¡±

    He had no intention of making furniture in the way woodworkers crafted art pieces. With standardized shaped boards, only a small number of designers were needed to design the furniture¡¯s appearance, and the rest would be cutting boards and nailing according to the blueprint.

    This kind of work was something any worker who didn¡¯t know carpentry could do. With two to three months of training, they could be competent, making mass production completely feasible.

    Afterward, Joseph gave detailed instructions to Mirabeau and Lavoisier about building the factories, and soon it was getting dark.

    After the two had left, Joseph sent someone to notify Brent, the general manager of the Paris Angel Company, to come to his office early the next morning.

    It was known that baking soda was not only useful for beverages but also an excellent deodorizer!

    Mixed with talcum powder and the like, applying it to areas prone to body odor, such as the underarms and groin, could effectively remove odors.

    The reason why the perfume industry in France was so well-developed was largely because people avoided bathing, leading to strong body odors that needed to be masked with perfume.

    It was common for a French nobleman to spend several hundred livres on perfume each year.

    ¡°`

    And if Paris Angel could produce a cosmetic that reduces body odor at its source, it would undoubtedly become a strong competitor to perfumes.

    Moreover, baking soda can be used as a mouthwash to reduce bad breath.

    One can imagine that in the future, nobles attending official events or dates will rinse with Paris Angel¡¯s mouthwash before stepping out, otherwise it would be disrespectful to others.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, the Paris Angel Company would also join the chemical industry chain, sparking the next wave of sales fervor.

    ¡­

    In the city of Reims, in the mid-northern part of France.

    In an open space outside a rural church on the outskirts of Reims, a long-haired young man wearing a black short coat, white tight pants, and a simple white scarf around his neck, with an exceptionally handsome face, stood on a broken-down ox cart, giving an impassioned speech to a few dozen peasants:

    ¡°Yes! The government has deceived us!¡±

    ¡°To keep everyone tolerating high taxes, enduring the exploitation by nobles and officials, they steady you with lies.¡±

    ¡°They say they will abolish the nobles¡¯ privileges, but in fact, it is only the small taxes like the mill tax and the hunting tax that have disappeared. The most important annual tribute and the tithe still remain!¡±

    ¡°That King, sitting in the Palace of Versailles, living in luxury and idleness, tells you the land will be handed over to you. But I must tell you the truth, the King and his bureaucrats have decided to make you pay an indemnity equivalent to thirty years of your land¡¯s produce, plus thirty years of annual tribute and tithe. By the time you are crippled by backbreaking work, your eyes clouded, your teeth gone, that land you have toiled on for decades will still not belong to you!¡±

    The peasants immediately exchanged looks and burst into discontented murmurs.

    After a moment, a brawny peasant shouted to the young man on the cart:

    ¡°What good does it do for you to tell us this, your lordship? Whether it is 20 or 30 years, we have no choice but to accept it and pay.¡±

    ¡°No, you are wrong!¡± the young man waved his hand emphatically, ¡°Apart from resigning ourselves to fate, we can also resist!¡±

    ¡°As long as we unite, those bureaucrats will see your anger and tremble, retracting their shameful redemption scheme!¡±

    ¡°We have already contacted people from dozens of parishes. In five days, everyone will gather in front of the Reims City Hall with stones, sticks, and even muskets, to teach those shameless officials a lesson!¡±

    His inflammatory tone made the peasants¡¯ blood surge, and immediately, they excitedly began to raise their fists:

    ¡°Teach them a lesson!¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t pay another 30 years of money!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s join this lord and fight back!¡±

    As the peasants dispersed, full of rage, a middle-aged man emerged from behind a nearby haystack and handed a glass of water to the young speaker, speaking with exaggerated emphasis:

    ¡°Mr. Saint Just, you were splendid! These peasants will surely join the revolution you lead! Tell me, are we going to Zephir Village today as well?¡±

    Saint Just drank several gulps of water, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said loudly:

    ¡°Of course, there are hundreds of French people waiting to be saved there!¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Chapter 377 Vandernoots Conspiracy

    Chapter 464: Chapter 377 Vandernoot¡¯s Conspiracy

    ¡°`

    ¡°You are the true leader of the French Revolution!¡± exclaimed the middle-aged man with fervent flattery, ¡°While those cowards shrink back under the despot¡¯s tyranny, only you continue to bravely fight for the French people.¡±

    ¡°It is my eternal cause!¡± Pride and satisfaction emerged on Saint-Just¡¯s face. He had little interest in money or beauty, but relished others¡¯ adulation.

    Without drawing attention, the middle-aged man pulled a stack of Bank of France Reserve banknotes from his pocket and placed it beside Saint-Just, whispering, ¡°This is your operational funding.¡±

    These notes had been collected by the States-General of the Netherlands from local peasants. They didn¡¯t care much for such flimsy currency, but the French people seemed quite willing to accept it.

    Saint-Just immediately pushed the money back, ¡°Operational funds should be managed collectively by the ¡®club.¡¯ I cannot accept them privately.¡±

    He signaled the middle-aged man to join him in the carriage, speaking earnestly, ¡°More important than funds, where are the firearms the committee promised?¡±

    ¡°You know, those vultures in Palace of Versailles who only prey on the French people will never surrender without a fight. We must have guns, and preferably cannons too, to completely crush them and truly free the French people!¡± he declared.

    The ¡°committee¡± he referred to was the organization sent by the States-General of the Netherlands to instigate the French Revolution. The man before him was one of the seven core members of this committee, Yeskut by name, who was specifically responsible for liaising with Saint-Just, an important figure among the French Liberals.

    The committee had over 210 operatives in France. To break the stalemate on the Brussels battlefield, Vandernoot had spared no expense, collaborating with the Netherlands to provide over 800,000 livres as well as the support of several thousand flintlock guns.

    Yeskut nodded vigorously, ¡°You are absolutely right! The tyrant and his minions must be crushed!

    ¡°Rest assured, the first batch of 1,000 firearms has already passed Comblain and should arrive in Reims the day after tomorrow. The rest will be delivered within the month.¡±

    A fiery gleam flickered in Saint-Just¡¯s eyes before he and Yeskut began to discuss the specifics of the uprising.

    The carriage stopped in Zephir Village, where peasants immediately began to gather from the fields.

    Other revolutionaries from the ¡°club¡± had already made preparations here, including secret propaganda and precautions against rural mounted police. They were just waiting for Saint-Just to speak.

    Saint-Just, filled with excitement, looked around at the people and suddenly turned to Yeskut, his voice grave, ¡°I¡¯ve always had a question, Mr. Yeskut. How did you come to know the details of the land redemption scheme at Palace of Versailles?¡±

    Yeskut faltered slightly, then quickly forced a smile, ¡°You know, after many years of activities in France, we naturally have our channels.¡±

    ¡°Is the intelligence reliable? I don¡¯t want the people to feel deceived by me.¡±

    ¡°We have been revolution partners for many years, you can trust me entirely!¡± Yeskut said with a firm expression. In reality, the harsh redemption scheme mentioned in Saint-Just¡¯s speeches had been fabricated by the British, who instructed Vandernoot to make it up.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    At a salon with more than a hundred participants, nearly all of the nobility paid no attention to the topic at hand but gathered in small groups, whispering about the recent domestic political situation.

    ¡°Have you heard the news? The farmers in Reims and Lille have driven out the stadtholders and then attacked the town halls!¡±

    ¡°Although the newspapers haven¡¯t covered it much, it¡¯s already the talk of the town. It¡¯s said that over a dozen cities have seen protests erupt.¡±

    Several less-informed nobles immediately inquired in shock, ¡°What on earth do those peasants want to do?¡±

    ¡°`

    ¡°It seems they are dissatisfied with the land redemption scheme and want to use this method to pressure the government.¡±

    ¡°These greedy bastards! His Majesty has already agreed to let them have the land, a boon never granted since the Creation by God, and all they need to do is pay a little redemption fee, and they are still not satisfied?!¡±

    A corpulent noble, in his fifties, harshly said, ¡°That¡¯s right! Our rights have been revoked, the benefits given to the commoners, yet instead of being grateful, they want to cause trouble? In my opinion, all those troublemakers should be hanged, and not a single acre given to them!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! The rent is a favor from His Majesty to the nobles and should not have been abolished!¡±

    A young noble, who had been silent until then, saw his moment and interjected, ¡°I advise you all to accept the reality. The King has already instructed the Cabinet to issue a new edict, reducing the redemption period to five years.¡±

    The surrounding nobles burst into uproar: ¡°That¡¯s the land His Majesty bestowed upon us, and after five years we won¡¯t get a penny from it?¡±

    ¡°How can this be? My son¡¯s tuition, my daughter¡¯s dowry, it all depends on those lands¡­¡±

    ¡°Forget tuition and dowries, in five years we may have to beg for a living!¡±

    Although most of these Old Nobility had other properties, feudal rent was certainly one of their important sources of income.

    They had all thought that the government would make the peasants redeem the rent for at least twenty or thirty years, which would have given them time to plan for other sources of income. But with only five years, their standard of living was bound to plummet.

    Not to mention those with rigid minds, who completely depended on feudal rent for survival¡ªonce the rent was gone, they really would have to beg for a living.

    Someone, agitated, called out while brandishing a fist, ¡°Let¡¯s petition the Queen!¡±

    ¡°Right! We can¡¯t let the commoners get the land so easily!¡±

    However, the young noble from earlier blocked them, speaking softly, ¡°His Majesty must have already made a decision. Have you forgotten? Last time, when the noble rights were terminated, our petition was of no use.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you propose we do?¡±

    ¡°We must defend the town halls of Lille and Reims ourselves and teach the greedy commoners a lesson with the sword! Who among you brave souls will join me?¡±

    ¡­

    The second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

    In the Industrial Planning Bureau office, Fouch¨¦ bowed deeply, his voice somber, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s my failure in handling this incident. Whatever the punishment may be, I will have no grievances.¡±

    Joseph sighed and gestured for him to sit down, ¡°Protests breaking out in over a dozen cities on the same day, there must have been a long-standing plot behind this. You need not be too hard on yourself.¡±

    As he was speaking, Eman knocked and entered, followed by a Court Official who bowed to Joseph, saying, ¡°Your Highness, the Queen requests your immediate return to the Palace of Versailles to attend an emergency Cabinet meeting.¡±

    Joseph nodded and rose to his feet, ¡°Is it about the peasants causing trouble?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

 Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Chapter 378: Crisis, Not Just Danger

    Chapter 465: Chapter 378: Crisis, Not Just Danger

    Joseph signalled to Fouch¨¦, ¡°Please join me in my carriage.¡±

    As the head of the National Intelligence Agency, even though Fouch¨¦ had not yet been admitted as a Cabinet Minister, his input was essential for the intelligence system to present at the Cabinet meeting.

    Indeed, several days before, Fouch¨¦ had reported to Joseph that there was unusual activity among Liberal activists in the northwestern regions of France.

    However, the order Joseph issued for the Intelligence Agency to start investigating and dealing with the situation had only reached the northwestern provinces when, less than two days later, protests and riots by farmers broke out.

    In the swiftly moving carriage, Joseph listened to the latest intelligence brought by Fouch¨¦ and couldn¡¯t help frowning:

    ¡°Are you saying this time it¡¯s the ¡®Tennis Club¡¯ stirring things up, and they¡¯re backed by foreign forces?¡±

    He knew that this so-called Tennis Club was an association of French radical Liberals. But given the past, where many key members of historical Jacobins and the Girondin Party had been co-opted by Joseph and with the absence of famine causing starvation, the Liberal movement had been quiet in recent years.

    Yet, with this sudden large flurry of activity, Joseph had suspected foreign intervention might be involved.

    Fouch¨¦ nodded and said, ¡°They are well-funded, and rioters in Lille and Reims have a large number of flintlock guns. According to our investigations, these should all have been provided by the States-General of the Netherlands.¡±

    The South Netherlanders had sent more than 200 people to stir up trouble in France, and amid the mix, it was inevitable that there would be both good and bad elements. The Intelligence Agency had already captured more than a dozen individuals. After interrogations by the agency, more than half of them had confessed.

    The expression on Joseph¡¯s face became instantly grim. Vandernoot was bold indeed; was he not afraid that Joseph would simply order the Guard Corps to take down his Congress?

    Fortunately, Lille and Reims had mostly completed police reforms, and the police, under gunfire from rioters, had dispersed the rioting crowds in just one day, or else there was no telling how much chaos would have ensued.

    If this had occurred in one of the eastern provinces where the police reform had not yet been implemented, it likely would have required mobilizing the army, and many lives might have been lost before the situation was resolved.

    However, even with the new police force, there was absolutely no room for complacency¡ªonce riots occurred, even if they were later quelled, they could still cause considerable damage to a city.

    Moreover, farmers from more than a dozen cities were still marching in protest. Although no violence had ensued, the impact on public order was quite serious.

    Seeing the Crown Prince¡¯s expression, Fouch¨¦ hurriedly sat up straight and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, I beg you for another chance; I assure you that within a month, I will have arrested all the South Netherlanders plotting against us!¡±

    ¡°Are you certain?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Fouch¨¦ hurriedly replied. ¡°The Agency¡¯s operations in the northwestern provinces have already begun, and we have gathered a large amount of intelligence. We could even nab everyone from the ¡®Tennis Club¡¯.¡±

    Joseph asked him about the specifics of his deployment, confirming it contained no exaggeration, and he let out a sigh of relief. However, as he was about to nod in agreement, a thought suddenly struck him.

    If the Intelligence Agency could quickly detain those stirring up trouble, the riots would be of little concern. In that case, this crisis could present an opportunity worth exploiting after all.

    He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his seat, thoroughly analyzing the current situation in his mind. A hint of a smile soon appeared on his lips:

    ¡°Vandernoot, it seems I actually owe you thanks for this.¡±

    With surprise, Fouch¨¦ looked over, ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move against those individuals just yet,¡± Joseph commanded, raising his hand. ¡°But keep a close watch on them, ready to arrest them at any moment.¡±

    Although surprised, Fouch¨¦ immediately nodded in agreement: ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°Furthermore, you must ascertain the funding and material support channels of the South Netherlanders into France as soon as possible. Obtain absolutely sufficient evidence, and keep close tabs on all involved parties.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    The carriage stopped in front of the great gates of the Palace of Versailles. Joseph briskly made his way to the Cabinet meeting hall. The guard at the door immediately bowed and pulled open the two golden doors for him.

    All the Cabinet Ministers were already in place. For some reason, Queen Mary, upon seeing the Crown Prince arrive, felt her previously frantic heart settled down a bit.

    She quickly gestured to her son, signaling him to sit beside her.

    Once Joseph had taken his seat, Archbishop Brienne rose to his feet and, with a soft cough, said,

    ¡°Regarding the recent farmer riots in northwestern provinces such as Lille and Reims, you may have already heard.¡±

    He gave a slight bow towards Queen Mary:

    ¡°Her Majesty the Queen wishes for us to quickly devise a plan to calm the situation.¡±

    No sooner had he finished speaking than the majority of the Cabinet Ministers looked in unison toward His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince.

    It wasn¡¯t that they all expected Joseph to have a solution, but subconsciously, they felt he might have one.

    Queen Mary looked on with some puzzlement at the scene before her, abruptly recalling her son¡¯s previous words to her:

    ¡°You all need some advice from the Crown Prince, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± The ministers realized their behavior was quite improper, and a round of embarrassed coughing followed as they awkwardly looked elsewhere.

    However, Joseph stood up directly and said to his mother,

    ¡°Your Majesty, the reason why this riot has escalated so quickly is mainly due to South Netherlanders¡¯ agitation.¡±

    He then called Fouche into the hall and introduced the intelligence gathered by the National Intelligence Agency to everyone present.

    After Fouche had finished, Joseph looked around and said,

    ¡°The urgent matter at hand is to quickly get the protesters to leave the cities and return to their homes.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne frowned and said, ¡°Your Highness, the root of the peasants¡¯ discontent lies in the rumors that the government requires them to pay the land income of thirty years as well as the principal taxes to redeem their lands.

    ¡°Unless we immediately issue a redemption scheme, they will definitely keep causing trouble.¡±

    That¡¯s how people are, when they completely see no hope, they numbly endure oppression all their lives without much feeling. But once hope appears, people want more.

    This is not greed, but rather their realization that they can be people¡ªreal people, not just feudal livestock that outwardly resembles humans.

    In fact, the reason Joseph wanted to break the feudal tax system was to increase France¡¯s population by more than 20 million.

    Yes, previously only a few hundred thousand nobles were the true French people; the lower-class populace was not really willing to do anything for the country.

    Only by granting them land and freeing them from feudal constraints would they realize that they are also French people and willingly contribute to the nation.

    Historically, after the Great French Revolution, why could France easily summon an army of 600,000 while still maintaining logistics supply? It was because, at that time, all 30 million French people were eager to serve the country, feeling pride in being French.

    Furthermore, the privatization of land was a necessary requirement for the Industrial Revolution.

    If the entire country is dominated by feudal lords¡¯ lands, with tenant farmers paying rent on their masters¡¯ estates, where would the labor force needed to support industrial development come from?

    No matter how many factories you build, if you can¡¯t recruit workers, you won¡¯t be able to produce even a single screw.

 Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Chapter 379 Expectation Management

    Chapter 466: Chapter 379 Expectation Management

    Joseph slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming loudly, ¡°That¡¯s right! We must come up with a land redemption plan immediately!¡±

    Brian said in a hurry, ¡°Your Highness, but the plan¡­¡±

    Joseph ignored him and turned to Queen Mary, ¡°Your Majesty, please rest assured, I can definitely come up with a suitable redemption plan within ten days, and at most within a month, the situation will be settled!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Queen Mary was taken aback. She had urgently summoned the Cabinet Ministers to discuss countermeasures because of the insurrection, yet the Crown Prince seemed to not take it seriously at all?

    ¡°But the land redemption plan has been in the works for nearly half a year, and still hasn¡¯t satisfied all parties,¡± Queen Mary said incredulously, looking at her son, ¡°Are you truly confident?¡±

    Jose to himself thought there was no such confidence, but the South Netherlanders had created such a stir, that he was now eighty or ninety percent sure.

    However, he simply said with conviction on the surface, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, while in Luxembourg, I suddenly thought of a very suitable plan.¡±

    Queen Mary looked around at the other Cabinet Ministers, only to see that not a single person raised an objection¡ªBrian and Baron Breti, among others, seemed inclined to say something, but after Joseph gave them a look, they immediately bowed their heads in silence.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s decided then?¡± Queen Mary looked at everyone again, ¡°The Crown Prince will be responsible for drafting the land redemption plan, and everyone shall cooperate with him as much as possible. Meeting adjourned.¡±

    The temporary Cabinet meeting, which had started with such momentum, ended in just half an hour.

    As Joseph stepped out of the meeting hall, Archbishop Brienne, Venio, and Talleyrand immediately followed him, all looking anxious.

    After exchanging glances, Brian was the first to speak up:

    ¡°Your Highness, as you know, the land redemption plan cannot satisfy everyone. The amendments you asked me to make last week have only been one-third completed¡­¡±

    Agriculture Minister Venio also hurried a few steps, leaned in, and whispered:

    ¡°Your Highness, I think, if the South Netherlanders are involved, they might just be waiting for us to announce the plan, and then they could take the opportunity to incite those who are dissatisfied, causing even greater chaos.¡±

    Talleyrand immediately added:

    ¡°Your Highness, perhaps we should deploy troops to the northwestern provinces. That would be the fastest way to quell the unrest.¡±

    Joseph glanced at him and shook his head inwardly. Deploying troops would play right into Vandernoot¡¯s hands. France¡¯s internal military strength was limited, and if things escalated, they would have to withdraw troops from overseas to maintain order.

    They had arrived at Joseph¡¯s quarters during this conversation. He gestured for them to sit down and said with a smile:

    ¡°Please believe me, I indeed have some quick-acting redemption plans.¡±

    ¡°Quick-acting?¡± Brian mused, head bowed, ¡°Do you mean to substantially lower the redemption fees to appease the rioting peasants and settle the matter?¡±

    ¡°No, quite the opposite,¡± Joseph said loudly, ¡°I need you to spread the word in the northwestern provinces that the government is preparing to set the redemption period at 50 years.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Joseph ignored the shocked expressions on their faces and added, ¡°The redemption must also include various taxes on the land over the next 50 years, and must be paid in full at once.¡±

    Hearing this, the faces of Brian and the others darkened.

    Rumors of having to pay redemption fees for 30 years had already sparked an insurrection, and now the Crown Prince was suddenly increasing it to 50 years!

    Are you trying to provoke the peasants to overturn the Palace of Versailles?

    Talleyrand was the first to recover, ¡°Your Highness, are you trying to assure the interests of the nobility, so that they will help calm the situation?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I have heard that recently many noble youths have taken it upon themselves to go to Lille and Reims, ready to discipline those rioters. Your Highness¡¯s plan will surely encourage more to join!¡±

    Brian shook his head in anxiety, ¡°Your Highness, this will only make the situation more chaotic¡­¡±

    Joseph simply looked at the Minister of Agriculture calmly, ¡°I have made my decision, please announce it as such.¡±

    ¡°This¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    As Venio rose to leave, Joseph then said to Talleyrand, ¡°Please use your social skills to spread the word around the Palace of Versailles that the 50-year plan is merely Venio¡¯s wishful thinking. The Cabinet has decided, in order to quell the riots as quickly as possible, to set the redemption period at 2 years without the need to redeem any taxes.¡±

    Talleyrand¡¯s eyes bulged in surprise, ¡°Your Highness, this will drive the nobility mad¡­¡±

    ¡°That is precisely what I want them to be.¡± Joseph nodded with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®expectation management¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Only by significantly lowering everyone¡¯s expectations first, then offering them a slightly better plan afterwards will they possibly accept it.¡±Update by n0vgo .c0

    Brian and Talleyrand were stunned for a moment, indeed as the Crown Prince had said. In the despair of both nobles and commoners over the ¡°vicious¡± redemption plan, the government putting forth a compromise of 10 to 15 years might make both sides breathe a sigh of relief and agree.

    Brain then thought of another issue, frowning as he looked towards Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, but before that, the country might experience great turmoil¡­I mean, the plans for both sides are far too harsh, they will surely provoke their fury.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You are quite right. That is why we must call upon our friends¡ªthe South Netherlanders¡ªto take the stage.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡­

    The city of Reims.

    Saint-Just swung his hand vigorously at the peasants carrying flintlock guns behind him, shouting angrily, ¡°50 years! Those bloodsuckers just want to drain us completely!

    ¡°Only by wresting power from their hands would we have a chance to survive!¡±

    Among the crowd behind him, Liberals immediately began to chime in:

    ¡°Let the Estates-General decide how to redeem!¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t accept a 50-year redemption policy!¡±

    ¡°Drive those greedy officials away, reinstate the Estates-General!¡±

    ¡°A constitution! We need a constitution without the King¡¯s involvement!¡±

    A few days earlier, the riots they had incited were dispersed by the Reims police. They thought they needed more time to plan a new round of riots, but unexpectedly the French Government suddenly ¡°gave them a big hand.¡±

    The terrifying policy of ¡°redemption in 50 years including taxes¡± immediately sparked the peasants¡¯ rage. They merely called out casually, and the peasants from the villages around Reims immediately gathered here, joining in the riots with them.

    Under the leadership of Saint-Just and others, thousands of peasants shouted slogans like ¡°Estates-General¡± and ¡°Drive out the greedy officials,¡± carrying pitchforks, clubs, and muskets, and surged toward the town hall with ferocious momentum.

    Just as they rounded Nafour Street, with only three blocks remaining to the town hall, suddenly a group of over 200 nobles¡¯ sons dressed in hunting attire formed into five neat rows and charged head-on with a menacing look.

    Saint-Just was momentarily startled, but he quickly linked arms with the peasants on both sides and shouted, ¡°The King¡¯s dogs have come! Don¡¯t be afraid, we greatly outnumber them!¡±

 Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: Chapter 380: Closing the Net, Catching Fish

    Chapter 467: Chapter 380: Closing the Net, Catching Fish

    The peasants in the midst of the uprising immediately followed with shouts:

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! Everyone, charge!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight those nobles!¡±

    ¡°We outnumber them, don¡¯t be afraid! Beat them up!¡±

    However, it was the nobles who initiated the attack.

    Two gunshots rang out from the ranks of the nobility. The leading ¡°Commander¡± immediately frowned, turned his head, and shouted:

    ¡°Who¡¯s firing indiscriminately?!¡±

    The Southern Netherlanders who had just fired the shots hid behind others, and started to agitate loudly:

    ¡°We must show these damned peasants our strength!¡±

    ¡°Dammit! They¡¯re rioting, use our swords to defend the city hall!¡±

    ¡°For His Majesty the King, warriors, teach those peasants a lesson!¡±

    Most of the nobles who had come here were young men; stirred up by these words, they immediately felt their blood boil, and another twenty or thirty began to raise their guns and shoot.

    The peasants on the opposite side initially recoiled in fright, but under the encouragement of Saint Juste and other Liberal leaders, they quickly steadied their nerves and returned fire.

    Both sides then started yelling and cursing at each other from nearly a hundred paces apart on the street, continuously firing at the opposite side, and in no time, the noise and gunshots mixed with gunpowder smoke soon shrouded the nearby two blocks.

    Although they made a grand clamor, both sides were greenhorns who had never seen battle, and with the distance being too great, after a long exchange of fire, hardly anyone was hit.

    Just then, whistles suddenly sounded from around the streets, as more than 400 policemen, divided into two groups, closed in from behind both conflicting parties.

    Reims had not been very peaceful lately, and the police were almost always on alert. However, due to the communication levels of the era, they took more than an hour to assemble a force sufficient to disperse the rioters.

    The peasants were immediately thrown into disarray, some continued to ¡°fight¡± under the command of Saint Juste and others, some had already slipped into the crevices between the surrounding buildings to escape, and many more were looking around in panic, unsure of what to do.

    On the nobles¡¯ side, however, there was a sense of triumph as they started speaking provocatively or cursing loudly, and some even directed the police from afar to block the fleeing peasants.

    In the midst of this chaotic scene, a few men in grey coats with their felt hats pulled down low emerged from a corner, showing their Intelligence Bureau credentials to the police leader, and then pointed towards the nobles.

    The police immediately turned and ran towards the nobles¡¯ side, quickly surrounding the group of more than two hundred people.

    A few young nobles stepped forward and gesticulated at the policemen¡ªafter the police reform, most officers were common citizens, and although they were well-trained, they were still looked down upon by the nobles¡ªand shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, the rioters are getting away!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing? These are all nobles, the people you should be arresting are over there.¡±

    The leading security inspector looked at them coldly and said sternly, ¡°Was it you who fired the shots just now?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± a curly-haired noble replied proudly, ¡°If you policemen can¡¯t handle those scum, it¡¯s up to us to teach them a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Did you all participate in the shooting just now?¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a shooting, we were maintaining¡­¡±

    The noble had not finished speaking when the security inspector gave a signal to the surrounding policemen and gestured toward the nobles in front of him, ¡°Arrest all those involved in the riot!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±

    The nobles were instantly thrown into panic; some cursed out loud, some revealed their prominent identities, and many more argued with the policemen:

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? The rabble across the street are the ones rioting!¡±

    ¡°Let me go, I came to quell the riot¡­¡±

    ¡°Let me pass, look, I don¡¯t even have a gun.¡±

    In a moment, some 200 arrogant nobles were being held down by the police, lined up against a wall that faced the street.

    As an inspector from Police Headquarters walked past them, he said coldly, ¡°Gathering in Reims to shoot civilians, no matter your status, this is a riot!

    ¡°As for those without guns, your swords can kill just as well, it¡¯s just that we stopped you in time.¡±

    A captain by his side leaned over and whispered, ¡°Commander, they are all nobles, and some of their identities are quite significant, you see¡­¡±

    The inspector glared at him, ¡°Can nobles gather and riot then?¡±

    ¡°No, they cannot¡­¡±

    ¡°Take them all away!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±

    The pocket of that inspector¡¯s coat contained orders personally signed by the Chief of Police Headquarters, commanding him to arrest all the troublemaking nobles, so he felt very confident at the moment, paying no heed to their statuses.

    Of course, the Chief of Police had received instructions from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince before making such large-scale arrests of the ¡°rioting¡± nobles.

    When Joseph heard from Talleyrand that many nobles had been incited to go to the northwestern provinces to ¡°protect noble interests,¡± he immediately realized it was a perfect opportunity to clamp down.

    So, he had Fouche send people to watch the nobles and instructed Police Headquarters to make arrests without hesitation whenever there was evidence.

    ¡­

    Zephir Village.

    Saint Just loudly incited the hundreds of farmers before him, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of the nobles, most of them can¡¯t carry a gun more than a mile. Today we almost defeated them.

    ¡°The day before yesterday, although we didn¡¯t break into the city hall, next time we will have more people, and we will definitely be able to¡­¡±

    The farmers occasionally waved their arms or shouted along, very agitated. With the experience from these two riots, they had become less fearful of the police, and indeed, as Mr. Saint Just said, more and more people were gathering around them.

    Next time, there should be two thousand people storming the city hall together, and at that point, who would care about a mere few hundred police?

    Especially those who were the most riotous, leading the charge, had received stipends from the Committee of the Southern Netherlands, and were now even more eager.

    Saint Just continued his speech, ¡°To avoid being drained of blood by those nobles for another 50 years, we must unite and use¡­¡±

    Just as he was passionately speaking, Priest Joly, panting, ran over and waved to the farmers, shouting, ¡°Be careful, everyone, don¡¯t fall for the devious South Netherlanders!¡±

    Saint Just frowned at him and said, ¡°You sold-out Priest, do you think your tricks of sowing discord will work?¡±

    More than a dozen Mounted Police following Priest Joly finally arrived at the gathering in the village square¡ªthe Mounted Police weren¡¯t all on horseback; many rural Mounted Police were on foot.

    The leader gave Saint Just a cold look, jumped onto the stage where the latter was speaking, and then pulled a letter out of his pocket, showing it to the farmers present, ¡°Take a look, this is a letter from the States-General of the Netherlands to your Mr. Saint Just.

    ¡°It says that the South Netherlanders would supply the money and guns, and Mr. Saint Just is responsible for inciting farmers to initiate riots in the cities of France. Their excuse is that the government would impose high land redemption fees.

    ¡°Oh, you can come up and see for yourselves, here¡¯s Mr. Saint Just¡¯s signature¡­¡±

 Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: Chapter 381 Free Alliance Committee

    Chapter 468: Chapter 381 Free Alliance Committee

    Saint Juste stared at the flimsy piece of paper in the mounted policeman¡¯s hand, where he could vaguely see his own handwriting.

    His complexion instantly turned ghastly pale, and his heart started to beat uncontrollably against his chest.

    How did that letter fall into the hands of the French police?! Did Josen betray the club? Impossible, he was a student of Mr. Rousseau¡­

    The letter was personally delivered to Brussels by Josen, if it wasn¡¯t him, then it could only mean there was a traitor within the South Netherlands ¡°Committee¡±!

    Saint Juste glared fiercely at Yeskut who was standing not too far away, then pointed at the captain of the Mounted Police, shouting at the surrounding farmers, ¡°They are lying, don¡¯t be deceived by them!¡±

    While the hundreds present were momentarily stunned, he suddenly leapt down from the stone platform and desperately ran towards the path leading out of the village.

    Meanwhile, the liaison of the South Netherlands ¡°Committee¡± hesitated for two seconds, but then violently lunged at the mounted policeman, attempting to snatch the letter from his hand.

    The mounted policeman was not as clumsy as he usually appeared¡ªpolice reform had not touched the rural mounted police, some of whom belonged to the tax system, so most of them seemed like they lacked proper training¡ªhe deftly dodged Yeskut¡¯s attack and managed to kick him in the shin.

    Yeskut instantly lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. Two other mounted policemen immediately rushed over and pinned him down firmly.

    The farmers watched the scene before them in shock, then turned their heads to look towards Saint Juste, who was now just a retreating figure in the distance. Without needing the mounted policemen to say anything further, they were almost certain in their hearts, and immediately started whispering among themselves.

    The captain of the Mounted Police still passed the letter to the farmers, waited for them to read it, and then pocketed it again.

    In fact, the letter was completely forged. The real one was still locked in the drawer of a South Netherlands ¡°Committee¡± official.

    Among those ¡°Committee¡± members caught by the intelligence bureau, some had seen a few of the letters. Therefore, Fouche had it roughly copied. Then, they took letters from members of the French Liberals from the postal system to mimic the handwriting.

    Of the more than ten mounted policemen, in fact, more than half were intelligence agents in disguise. They had shaken the full-of-holes letter in Saint Juste¡¯s face, and he had guiltily fled.

    Of course, if he hadn¡¯t run, then the ¡°mounted police¡± wouldn¡¯t have actually handed him the letter to ¡°confront,¡± they would have arrested him on the spot. How could those farmers tell if the letter was real or not?

    Even if Saint Juste had reacted properly, exposing the agents and managing to escape successfully, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. Because the same scene was being enacted in more than ten other places like Lille and Reims at the same time.

    Among the high-level Liberals who were causing trouble, there would always be those who were not mentally strong enough and would run. As long as someone guilty ran away, it would be tantamount to admitting the accusations, and the farmers present would become witnesses.

    In fact, nearly all the Liberals who incited trouble felt guilty, the only difference was whether they would run immediately, or continue to resist, trying to incite the farmers to confront the police.

    The captain of the Mounted Police had his men lift Yeskut up, then gestured to a man with tied hands behind him to step forward, ¡°Do you recognize him?¡±

    The man immediately nodded, ¡°His name is Yeskut. He is one of the seven representatives of the ¡®Committee¡¯.¡±

    The captain of the Mounted Police then waved towards the farmers, ¡°Tell them, who are you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Henri Belwin. The Committee sent me to spread rumors and incite clashes between French farmers and nobles, in order to alleviate the military pressure on Brussels¡­¡±

    The captain of the Mounted Police nodded satisfactorily and signaled his men to take him away, then said to the farmers present, ¡°As you can see, you have all been deceived by the South Netherlanders, and of course, those so-called Liberals. They are just using you to cause trouble, and whether you get arrested or even lose your lives, they couldn¡¯t care less.¡±

    The farmers immediately stirred uneasily, and the timid ones had already quietly slipped back to their homes.

    Two more farmers murmured to each other nervously before cautiously approaching the Mounted Police, each taking several silver coins out of their pockets and, pointing to Yeskut, stammered, ¡°Sir, he, he said this was a ¡®freedom allowance,¡¯ and we only¡­¡±

    ¡°We truly didn¡¯t know he was here to incite rioting, we¡¯ve handed over all the money, and we dare not do it again¡­¡±

    While a large number of members of the ¡°committees¡± from Reims, Lille, and other places in the Southern Netherlands were being arrested by the intelligence services, in a cell at the Reims Police Department, about thirty young nobles were cursing under their breath:

    ¡°These foolish police, they have the audacity to slander us as rioters!¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t dare to keep us locked up for long. Many at the Palace of Versailles must surely be rushing about and extolling our heroic actions.¡±

    ¡°Once I get out of here, I¡¯ll teach those wretches a lesson! They indeed try to swindle land by threatening the government; we cannot let them succeed!¡±

    Though called a prison, the conditions here were quite decent, with every five people sharing a suite complete with a living room and bathroom, and there were even musical instruments hanging on the walls.

    Intense boot steps echoed through the corridor between cells. Moments later, a squad of prison guards escorted three handcuffed, dispirited individuals inside.

    The door of the cell at the very end was opened. The guards threw the three men in roughly and said coldly, ¡°Good luck, you bastards!¡±

    The iron door slammed shut with a bang, and the guards turned to leave.

    In the cell across, a nobleman peered through the small window in the door and called out to the three men, ¡°Hey, gentlemen, what ¡®glorious deeds¡¯ have brought you here?¡±

    The three glanced at him moodily, but remained silent.

    Laughter from the prison guards could be heard outside the cell, with one tapping the cell door with his baton and saying to the three, ¡°Dutchman, why not answer him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from the Netherlands?¡± Another noble swiftly joined in, ¡°Being locked up here, you must have done something quite significant, huh?¡±

    The new inmates glimpsed the threatening eyes of the prison guards through the small window and reluctantly whispered to the noble, ¡°We are¡­ ¡®commissioned¡¯ by the Committee.¡±

    ¡°The Committee?¡± The other nobles became more intrigued, ¡°The River Transport Committee or the Geological Committee?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s the ¡®Free Alliance Committee¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah? What is that? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±

    One of the Dutch spoke with difficulty, ¡°We liaise with the French Liberals, seeking to stir up rebellion in France¡­ The farmers of Reims were incited, ah, no, encouraged by our call, to siege the courthouse¡­¡±

    The faces of the nobles in the surrounding cells immediately turned pale with rage:

    ¡°Scoundrels! So it was you who were inciting from behind the scenes!¡±

    ¡°No wonder those lowlifes had flintlock guns; it was the South Netherlanders who supplied them!¡±

    ¡°Dammit! Let me out, I want to duel with these fellows!¡±

    However, the prison guards did not give these nobles a chance to duel; instead, they were released two days later.

 Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Chapter 382: Contradiction and the Greater Contradiction

    Chapter 469: Chapter 382: Contradiction and the Greater Contradiction

    These nobles had only played minor roles in the previous street confrontations, so they were never going to be detained for very long.

    Over thirty people came out of the Reims prison, and the family and servants who had long awaited them immediately surrounded them. There were those who scolded loudly, those who offered warm inquiries, and those who wept with their heads in their hands. Then they dragged their disgraced relatives towards the carriages parked outside.

    However, the young nobles all clamored to wait until after the public trial the day after tomorrow before returning to the Palace of Versailles.

    Yes, a prison guard had told them yesterday that a public trial for the South Netherlanders spies would be held on the 17th of this month.

    How could they, already full of righteous indignation in prison, miss this?

    What followed was an onslaught of angry reprimands or desperate pleas from their families and servants.

    The young nobles then angrily told them about how they had been deceived by South Netherlanders spies, had come to Reims to defend the rights of the nobility, and were mistakenly arrested by police.

    ¡°They dared to deceive me! I must watch those bastards hang!¡±

    Someone shouted loudly, which immediately provoked a chorus of agreement:

    ¡°Right, I can¡¯t leave with this shame!¡±

    ¡°I want to pelt them with stones like the commoners!¡±

    ¡°I even want to carry out the execution by hanging with my own hands¡­¡±

    The matter of South Netherlanders spies inciting French peasants into revolts soon spread throughout France and caused a huge uproar.

    The newspapers were all filled with news about this issue, as well as announcements about the public trials of spies in Reims, Lille, and Paris on the 17th of this month¡ªthe news bureau had temporarily suspended the review of any news not related to the ¡°spy case,¡± as per the orders of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, in order to ensure that public attention was focused in a unified direction.

    In the streets and alleys, multiple versions of the South Netherlanders spies¡¯ stories circulated, vividly detailing how the spies planned their actions and how they were ultimately exposed and arrested by the brave intelligence service.

    Of course, these were also the stories penned overnight by novelists organized by the intelligence service¡ªincluding the gifted Bomasha, who had written for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The plot was guaranteed to be tightly connected, with suspense and twists abounding, and it emphasized the sinister intentions and despicable appearances of the South Netherlanders spies, making sure people loathed them.

    For a while, every street corner talked about the evil spies. Both nobles and commoners were seething with anger, denouncing the South Netherlanders¡¯ shamelessness and wickedness.

    And the land redemption policy, which had caused such a stir in the city, was temporarily forgotten by people.

    Most of the protesting peasants holed up at home, worried about being implicated in treason. No one dared to bring up protests or demonstrations¡ªgathering to protest had been equated with spy instigation; who would dare to be so rash at such a time?

    As for the nobility, during greetings when they met, they would first curse the South Netherlanders or ¡°lament¡± how their own boys had been deceived by spies and caught by police in the northwestern provinces. This almost became a political correctness in the Palace of Versailles.

    On the 17th, France¡¯s denunciation of the South Netherlanders spies reached its peak.

    In the square outside the Paris High Court, there were at least five or six thousand onlookers. Some nobles even paid several dozen livres to the commoners who had taken good spots for ¡°seats¡± so they could watch the trial from the front.

    When the forty members of the South Netherlanders¡¯ ¡°Free Alliance Committee¡± were brought to a small house in the corner of the square, the crowd of onlookers immediately exploded with a roar like a tsunami:

    ¡°Hang these detestable scoundrels!¡±

    ¡°It is they who brought chaos to France! Death penalty!¡±

    ¡°My sister died in the Lille riots; they did it! The Dutch spies must go to hell!¡±

    ¡°Declare war on the Southern Netherlands, and let them atone with their blood!¡±

    Someone nearby immediately whispered to him that France had already declared war on the Southern Netherlands Rebels and had even achieved two major victories.

    The man who had shouted for war promptly corrected himself and shouted, ¡°Long live the King! Crush those rebels!¡±

    Soon, the public trial began.

    Officials from the High Court first read out the charges against the dozens of spies one by one, as well as the evidence that had been gathered.

    The Intelligence Bureau had brilliantly accomplished the task assigned by Joseph, obtaining a substantial amount of evidence of the ¡°committee¡± inciting the riots. The pile of letters, documents, and transaction records alone was over half a meter thick.

    Of course, some of it had been ¡°copied¡± by Fouche¡¯s subordinates, but in such a setting, no one would really verify the authenticity of the evidence.

    Amidst the roar of the onlookers, a stream of witnesses took the stand one after another, such as peasants who had received subsidies from the ¡°committee,¡± or French Liberals who incited trouble, pointing fingers at the South Netherlanders in the dock.

    Next, family members of the riot victims appeared, tearfully denouncing the tragedies brought by the spies and requesting the judge to severely punish these spies.

    The entire trial proceeding lasted from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., with only about a dozen people being tried. The officials of the High Court then announced that the public trial would continue the next day.

    The crowd surrounded the High Court, cursing for more than half an hour before gradually dispersing.

    ¡­

    Tuileries Palace second floor.

    Inside the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Venio was excitedly singing Joseph¡¯s praises:

    ¡°Your Highness, just as you said, the riots disappeared overnight. Even farmers who participated in the riots went to the Police Headquarters to turn themselves in. You truly are the epitome of wisdom and strategy, blessed by God himself!¡±

    Brian nodded incessantly on the side, ¡°When the conflict between two people becomes absolutely irreconcilable, only a greater conflict can make them forget their previous disputes and together face a common enemy.

    ¡°Your Highness, how did you come up with such a brilliant solution? Your mind always makes me green with envy.¡±

    Joseph smiled and motioned them to stop, ¡°You didn¡¯t come here just to say these things, did you?¡±

    The two exchanged glances before Brian carefully said, ¡°Your Highness, the riots in the northwestern provinces have indeed temporarily subsided, but you know, both the peasants and the nobility are waiting for the land redemption plan.

    ¡°The matter of the Southern Netherlands spies will pass sooner or later, and then their attention will still turn back to this. Although, after the spy incident, there shouldn¡¯t be any more big chaos, the dissatisfaction of the people will always have a day to erupt, so¡­.¡±

    Joseph immediately nodded very seriously, ¡°You are absolutely right. Then, the day after the public trial ends, we will officially announce the land redemption plan.¡±

    Brian¡¯s face fell, and he said with a troubled look, ¡°Your Highness, but we still don¡¯t have a plan that will satisfy everyone.¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Just follow the revisions I suggested last time, and announce it after the changes.¡±

    ¡°You mean to let the peasants redeem the land¡¯s output for eight years, as well as the annual tribute?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

 Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Chapter 383 Awkward Situation

    Chapter 470: Chapter 383 Awkward Situation

    Southern Netherlands.

    In the southern suburbs of Brussels, the encampment of the Hanoverian expeditionary force.

    ¡°At last, here!¡± Charles II declared with full confidence as he tapped a small town southeast of Brussels on a military map, his voice loud, ¡°We will form an encirclement around the French and ultimately annihilate them. Then we will march south to support General Blucher¡­¡±

    A few officers in front of him exchanged embarrassed glances. Eventually, an older general spoke up cautiously:

    ¡°Marshal, your deployment is indeed impeccable. However¡­ the current state of our soldiers, I¡¯m afraid, isn¡¯t quite suited to launch a full-scale counterattack.¡±

    The other officers immediately nodded in agreement¡ª

    Just half a month ago, Charles II had assembled an army of 30,000 men and a large amount of logistical supplies to deliver a thunderous blow to the French Army¡¯s positions.

    However, no sooner had the Hanoverian Army left their base than the French appeared like ghosts near Antonov.

    The Southern Netherlands National Guard defending Antonov, though nearly 4,000 strong, lasted less than half a day before they were completely routed. It wasn¡¯t that the French Army was formidable, but rather that the South Netherlanders were just newly conscripted and had less than two months of training; they were bound to crumble upon meeting a regular army.

    Alarmed, Charles II hurriedly called off the southern offensive and gathered his troops to reinforce Antonov. If this position were to be lost, the French could attack Brussels from the north without any hindrance.

    By the time the Hanoverian main force had marched north, the Dutch Army and South Netherlands Army to the south of Brussels were immediately ambushed by the French, losing two villages that were critical positions.

    Afterwards, Charles II spent more than ten days under the bombardment of French cannons, suffering over a thousand casualties before he finally recaptured those two villages and stabilized the defense line.

    After such trials, the Hanoverian Army was left demoralized, and without two or three months of rest, could barely organize a decent offense.

    Yet at such a time, their Marshal was planning something like a ¡°full-scale counterattack.¡±

    Charles II did not blame the officer who had raised objections; instead, he looked around at everyone with a smile, his tone proud:

    ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, in at most half a month, the French will need to withdraw a large number of their troops back to their own country. We must prepare in advance for such an opportunity.¡±

    Ignoring the astonished looks of the officers, he pointed to the map again:

    ¡°Now I will arrange the operation to support the Prussian Army.¡±

    He had just begun to speak when the voice of an attendant came from the door:

    ¡°Marshal, Speaker Vandernoot has arrived.¡±

    The smile on Charles II¡¯s face broadened immediately; he gestured with a wave of his hand:

    ¡°Please let Speaker Vandernoot in. My generals could use some good news.¡±

    Indeed, Vandernoot had already informed him of the riots stirred up by the ¡°Free Alliance Committee¡± in France, and it was for this reason he had begun planning the counterattack against the French Army.

    Moreover, he had learned from his own intelligence channels that the South Netherlanders were doing well, and that the French Royal Family was being overwhelmed by the uprisings in the northwestern provinces.

    Vandernoot¡¯s visit at this time was likely to bring him the good news that the French had decided to call back their frontline troops to their country.

    As the door to the war council room was pushed open, Vandernoot entered in a rush, about to say something but then noticing a room full of high-ranking Hanoverian officers.

    He paused, then performed a chest salute to Charles II and stammered:

    ¡°Marshal, I, um, have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you in private.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be said in front of my loyal subordinates,¡± Charles II said with a smile as he gestured to the officers, ¡°And I¡¯ve already explained the situation to them.¡±

    ¡°Ah? You know about the situation?!¡± Vandernoot was surprised.

    Seeing his troubled expression, Charles II hesitated before asking:

    ¡°What ¡®situation¡¯ are you referring to?¡±

    Vandernoot, anxious, stepped forward and said in a low voice:

    ¡°Our people have been massively arrested in France, the French people have conducted public trials, and rebellious peasants have all gone to watch the trials¡­

    ¡°In short, our plan has failed.¡±

    ¡°What? Failed?!¡± Charles II seized his arms and exclaimed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the operation was foolproof, and that the French people would withdraw within half a month?¡±

    He was very clear about the state of his own forces; if the French Army did not return home, his counter-attack would be suicide.

    Vandernoot nodded stiffly: ¡°I swear to God, we had indeed made sufficient preparations, who knew it would turn out like this¡­¡±

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that his plan was not meticulous, it was more that he lacked an understanding of France¡¯s new police system and was still acting on the capabilities of the old police.

    If there had not been a police reform, the Reims peasants, armed with thousands of flintlock guns and led by a large number of Southern Netherlanders ¡°revolutionaries,¡± could have destroyed the town hall during the first riot. The riots would then quickly spread, plunging the entire province into chaos. The situation in places like Lille would have been roughly the same.

    Moreover, with young nobles incited to ¡°defend the nobility¡¯s interests¡± clashing with the rioting peasants, chaos could even sweep through half of France.

    Vandernoot had dispatched over 200 revolutionary elites and invested a large sum of money, so he naturally had ample confidence that his plot would cripple France.

    Only, his people had encountered Joseph¡¯s reformed police force.

    The more than 500 police officers in Reims fearlessly faced the rioters¡¯ stones and bullets, forming lines to push into the crowd, dividing the rioters into several sections, and using riot control equipment to disperse them.

    In the first two riots in Reims, the police suffered more than 70 casualties, but a well-established police training system allowed the Reims Police Department to promptly call in hundreds of police trainees as reinforcements and to maintain the highest level of readiness for nearly half a month.

    Such a sense of responsibility for law and order, loyalty to the government, and high morale were beyond that of not just the old-style police, but even some armies.

    It was relying on the outstanding performance of police in the northwestern provinces that a vast storm was dissipated into nothingness. It could be said that a similar situation in Austria or Prussia would have caused a hundred times more damage than in France.

    Charles II, still unwilling to accept defeat, repeatedly confirmed with Vandernoot. After the latter provided more details, Charles finally waved the officers out of the conference room with a sallow face:

    ¡°Everyone out. Oh, and what you¡¯ve just heard must not be mentioned to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal.¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    The day after the public trial of the Southern Netherlands spies concluded, Joseph received a report from the diplomatic department saying that the English Foreign Minister had requested to postpone the talks originally scheduled for the day after tomorrow by five days.

    Jospeh looked at the document in his hand and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a smile: ¡°He must need some time to figure out how to deal with this awkward situation.¡±

 Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Chapter 384 Farmers

    Chapter 471: Chapter 384 Farmers

    ¡°`

    Joseph knew that the British also wanted to observe what kind of reaction the recently announced French land redemption scheme would provoke, trying to find usable bargaining chips in the process.

    However, he had already made thorough preparations and was not about to give the British any opportunity to take advantage.

    Eman knocked on the door and entered, pressing his hand to his chest, he said, ¡°Your Highness, the carriage is ready.¡±

    Joseph nodded, descended the stairs, and climbed into the carriage, speeding toward the Palace of Versailles. Assuming everything was as expected, those of the Old Nobility would be in a state of panic by now; he had to get there quickly to stabilize the situation.

    ¡­

    Reims.

    Zephir Village.

    The village chapel was packed with people, and outside, even more people were lined up with bowed heads. It had never been this crowded even when the Church in the city of Reims held large masses here.

    Father Joly, somewhat wearily, massaged his shoulders and said in a gentle voice to the seven kneeling peasants before him:

    ¡°Alright, you have confessed your sins to God devoutly, and you shall be forgiven. Now, rise. Mr. Mari, could you please let the next group in¡­¡±

    But the kneeling peasants still stubbornly cried out:

    ¡°No, please let me stay a little longer. My sins are too grave; I even fell under the seduction of foreign spies and took part in that damned uprising¡­ Oh, I even cursed the King. I am such a scoundrel; His Majesty is so grand, he is¡­¡±

    His limited vocabulary failed to convey his emotions fully; he just kept repeating ¡°grand¡± and ¡°long live the King.¡±

    The people beside him spoke similar words, prostrating themselves vigorously as if the King himself were before them.

    Indeed, after the government officially announced the land redemption scheme, peasants throughout France were sent into a frenzy. No, it was more than that; they were ablaze with joy, shock, gratitude, and the flames of rebirth that engulfed every village.

    The redemption scheme stipulated that all French people could acquire up to 30 acres of arable land by paying a sum equivalent to eight years of the land¡¯s output and tribute.

    The money could be paid in installments over the years, and there was no need to pay it off all at once. Moreover, government subsidies for the redemption costs were to be provided based on the number of years the land had been cultivated, with additional subsidies for higher yields.

    Overall, tenant farmers who had cultivated a piece of land for over 20 years and whose yields exceeded the surrounding lands by 30% were to receive government subsidies amounting to 30% of the redemption cost!

    Additionally, families purchasing no more than 30 acres per person could obtain loans from the Bank of French Agriculture after approval by the parish Church¡ªJoseph had set up this bank, which mainly dealt with agricultural matters, by leading the Bank of France Reserve to invest and attracting substantial local government funds to facilitate the advancement of the land redemption.

    The interest on these loans was very low, and any tenant farming family could use them to pay the first installment of the redemption sum, thereby immediately gaining their farmland.

    Of course, the loans would not be delivered to the peasants¡¯ hands, but would be directly used to pay the redemption fees on schedule. Moreover, the loan repayment period could be extended up to 15 years, relieving peasants of worries about the redemption costs¡ªas long as they cultivated the land well in the future, they would face virtually no financial pressure.

    As for purchases exceeding 30 acres per person, a ¡°handling fee¡± of 20% would be charged.

    And beyond 100 acres per person, not only would the handling fee increase to 33%, but half of the total redemption amount would have to be paid in cash upfront, with the balance due within four years.

    These redemption conditions were several times better than the best scenario the peasants had imagined!

    Especially since there had been rampant rumors that the redemption period would be 50 years and the payment had to be made in one installment, the peasants now saw the King as merciful and loving as God himself.

    They did not fear hard work, as long as they could see hope and knew their days would not be crushed by exorbitant redemption sums; they were highly satisfied.

    And now, with only eight years, they could own their own land just like the old noble lords.

    All of this was bestowed upon them by the great King, the benevolent ¡°Savior,¡± Louis XVI.

    Those peasants who had previously participated in the rebellion were tormented by their conscience without anyone else pointing fingers, and they were in unbearable pain. Thus, they came to the church en masse, in hopes of lessening the burden of their sins before God.

    ¡°`

    Priest Joly helplessly dragged the farmers in front of him to their feet, one by one, which nearly exhausted the fifty-something-year-old man. After catching his breath for a good while, he gently comforted the dozen or so people,

    ¡°Even God has forgiven you, and His Merciful Majesty the King will certainly not blame you any longer.

    ¡°If you wish to wash away the guilt in your hearts, just come to Church often and pray devoutly for His Majesty the King.¡±

    The farmers immediately nodded vigorously,

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I will come to pray for His Majesty every day!¡±

    ¡°I will come every day too. I will be forever loyal to His Majesty!¡±

    ¡°And me¡­¡±

    After they were ushered out of the confessional by Mr. Mari who had waited for a long time, 7 people who had also been waiting immediately crowded in¡ªto improve efficiency, Priest Joly had no choice but to use the confessional in this way.

    And the farmers who had left the confessional heard what seemed like a speech outside the Church. An enthusiastic neighbor told them it was people deceived by Saint-Just letting out their anger.

    Upon hearing this, the farmers were instantly furious. It was all Saint-Just¡¯s fault, with his sanctimonious demeanor, fooling everyone by saying the government was implementing a 50-year redemption scheme and inciting everyone to create trouble!

    It was despicable, utterly vile!

    Curious, a few of them approached the person giving the speech, listening to his denunciation of the harm the ¡°Liberals¡± were causing to France.

    A farmer asked the person next to him with confusion,

    ¡°What are Liberals?¡±

    An experienced farmer explained to him,

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard Baron Guy say that those kinds of people like Saint-Just are called ¡®Liberals.¡¯ They¡¯re dead set on overthrowing His Majesty the King.¡±

    ¡°Those bastards! If anyone dares to disrespect His Majesty the King, I definitely won¡¯t let them off!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! If I see those so-called Liberals, I will report them to the Mounted Police.¡±

    ¡°Liberals? What they bring is not liberty, but lies and deception!¡±

    Joseph had not expected that, after this incident, the radical Liberals in France would become like rats crossing the street, at least among the farmer class, they no longer had any market.

    Soon, the farmers switched the topic to Dutch spies.

    ¡°Those shameless curs,¡± someone said vehemently, ¡°may God punish them!¡±

    ¡°My relative in the city told me that over one hundred and thirty spies caught have all been sentenced to hanging.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! They got what they deserved!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard His Majesty the King is at war with the Dutch.¡±

    ¡°Is that true? Then I must send my second son to join the army.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sending my son too!¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve got five sons¡­¡±

 Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Chapter 385: The Inexperienced Crown Prince

    Chapter 472: Chapter 385: The Inexperienced Crown Prince

    ¡°`

    Palace of Versailles.

    In front of the Petit Trianon Palace, over a thousand nobles gazed towards the tea room balcony on the second floor where Queen Mary resided, periodically letting out piteous cries:

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you abandoning us?¡±

    ¡°For the love of God, please glance at your loyal servants who are begging for a shred of your mercy.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, we only need that most humble traditional income that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please show us compassion¡­¡±

    Since the land redemption plan had been officially announced the day before, these nobles had quickly united in less than a day, starting a massive petition.

    Behind these more than a thousand petitioning nobilities were even more eyes fixated on this scene¡ªready to rush for reinforcements at any sign of hesitation from Her Majesty the Queen.

    They were so united because the redemption plan had indeed touched their interests.

    According to the plan, peasants would pay the lords the cost of redeeming eight years of due tributes.

    Though this was a lot better than the two-year redemption plan that had been previously rumored, making those nobles with other sources of income reluctantly accept, many ¡°poor¡± nobilities began to worry about their livelihoods.

    In the reception room of Queen Mary, there were also a few nobles of high status plaintively sharing their woes with her, with even Earl Artuwa, the King¡¯s brother, among them.

    Queen Mary kept comforting them, but in the end, overwhelmed by their persistence, she signaled to the maid Debreninac and whispered:

    ¡°Please go find the Crown Prince. Oh, and make sure he doesn¡¯t come here, but waits for me in the study.¡±

    She suspected it might have been her son¡¯s eagerness to quell the unrest that had caused the redemption plan to lean too far in favor of the peasants, provoking the nobility¡¯s criticism.

    She needed to discuss the plan with her son first and then find a way to compensate the nobles.

    It was normal for young people to make mistakes in their actions; otherwise, what would be the need for parents? Now was her time to step in and help her son clean up the mess!

    It wasn¡¯t more than ten minutes after Countess Debreninac had left the reception room that she returned and whispered in the Queen¡¯s ear:

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has returned.¡±

    The carriage came to a slow stop in the Marble Courtyard. Just as Joseph opened the carriage door, he heard the wave-like tumult coming from the direction of the Petit Trianon Palace.

    He merely smiled faintly, as this scene had been anticipated; it would have been abnormal for the nobles not to make a fuss.

    The eagerly expectant Mirabeau immediately came forward to greet him. Behind him was a monk clad in black robes, around fifty years old, none other than Archbishop Beaumont of the Paris district.

    Both men bowed to Joseph, then followed his footsteps towards the Petit Trianon Palace.

    ¡°Is everything prepared on your end?¡± Joseph asked, turning sideways to look at Mirabeau.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, we¡¯ve ensured there will be no failures.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done very well,¡± Joseph nodded, then asked, ¡°How many from the families of those more than three hundred ¡®prodigal sons¡¯ showed up?¡±

    ¡°At least one person from each family. There are also influential people like Count Onex in attendance.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that reassures me.¡±

    Joseph then turned towards Archbishop Beaumont: ¡°Thank you for making the long journey here personally.¡±

    ¡°`

    The latter hurriedly waved his hand with a smile on his face, ¡°Your command, of course, shall be taken seriously. And those matters you spoke of are indeed what the Church should be doing¡­¡±

    To get the Old Nobility to accept the land redemption program, relying solely on Royal pressure would definitely not work, nor was it possible to use the state finances to support them.

    Joseph was very clear that in the game of politics, one must have plenty of his own people on his side.

    His most solid political base was undoubtedly the Capitalist Nobility. Thus, as soon as he returned from Luxembourg, he had instructed Mirabeau to secretly contact important figures of the Capitalist Nobility to prepare support for the land redemption program.

    Moreover, according to his arrangement, the redemption program inherently offered great benefits to large capital. Merely at a call from Mirabeau, a swarm of respondents gathered immediately.

    As for the Church, to lessen the resistance to the land policy, Joseph had always refrained from touching the Church¡¯s ¡°cake¡±, so facing the pressure of the Old Nobility now, the Church naturally had to offer some support.

    Similarly, he wouldn¡¯t let the Church work for nothing.

    To get others to work wholeheartedly, using interests as a drive was undoubtedly the most effective method.

    The three of them conversed in low voices, and soon arrived on the empty ground in front of the Petit Trianon Palace¡¯s vegetable garden.

    Of course, by this time it wasn¡¯t empty in the slightest, some nobles who had come to petition were even pushed into stepping on Queen Mary¡¯s vegetables.

    The nobles immediately noticed Joseph and his party, and someone immediately shouted in his direction:

    ¡°Please, Crown Prince, help us persuade Queen Mary to amend the land redemption policy.¡±Upd@te by novg0.co

    Joseph pushed through the crowd and quickly made his way to the stone steps in front of the Petit Trianon Palace¡¯s main entrance, smiling at those people:

    ¡°Actually, I was the one who supervised the drafting of this land redemption program. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything that needs to be amended.¡±

    Queen Mary had just walked onto the balcony when she heard her son¡¯s words from below and immediately sensed trouble brewing. Joseph was still too inexperienced; such matters that displeased the nobles should have first been blamed on Brian and others so that he could mediate from a position of neutrality. It seemed she would have to step in to help him patch things up¡­

    As expected, there was an immediate stir among the petitioning nobles.

    Someone immediately turned their sharp words toward Joseph: ¡°Your Highness, nobility is the foundation of France. You cannot abandon us like this!¡±

    ¡°You are being too unfair to us!¡±

    Joseph surveyed the crowd, still with a smile on his face: ¡°No, I have always followed His Majesty the King¡¯s teachings and have never forgotten you all.¡±

    A noble loudly said: ¡°Your Highness, your redemption plan will leave us without a livelihood!¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± replied Joseph, looking in that person¡¯s direction, ¡°Actually, you will be richer than before!¡±

    The nobles¡¯ murmuring grew louder. The Crown Prince¡¯s statement was simply an insult to their intelligence. With the annual tribute gone in eight years, how could they possibly be richer?

    Joseph then spoke calmly: ¡°Gentlemen, do not just fixate on the land itself, it yields little profit.

    ¡°You need to look further afield. When peasants have their own fields, they will undoubtedly farm with greater care than before, and the output will be higher.

    ¡°Yet, peasants wishing to improve yield lack sufficient animals and fertilizer, and are powerless to repair water conservancy. Oh, everyone should know that the most common steam pumping machine costs six thousand livres.

    ¡°Furthermore, advanced farming techniques are also very difficult to master, this requires someone to teach them.

    ¡°The grains they grow also need to be transported to large cities for sale. Even if peasants know the price of grain in Lyon is forty percent higher than in Tours, they lack the means to transport it.¡±

    He paused to let the nobles digest the content he just shared, before continuing: ¡°Therefore, these are tasks that require someone to help them with.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not something one or two people can manage, it requires companies, large-scale companies to be exact!¡±

 Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Chapter 386: Chips and Investment

    Chapter 473: Chapter 386: Chips and Investment

    Joseph gestured grandly with a sweep of his hand, ¡°Start by guiding the farmers on how to cultivate more efficiently.¡±

    ¡°Provide them with livestock, seeds, farm tools, and fertilizers. You can imagine just how many farmers there are across the nation, and how large a business this will be.¡±

    ¡°At the same time, the company can organize craftsmen to build water conservancy for farmers and lease irrigation machinery. Don¡¯t worry about the money, the Agricultural Bank will gather a large number of farmers and sign collective loan agreements with them.¡±

    ¡°When the harvest is abundant, the company will then buy the surplus grain from the farmers and transport it on a large scale to more profitable markets. The enormous volume of transportation will greatly reduce transport costs. Nowadays, many large cities have built wooden railways, which will make transportation even cheaper.¡±

    ¡°I call it¡ªthe Agricultural Service Consultancy Company.¡±

    ¡°Compared to taking the reluctant tribute from farmers, such a company will earn much larger profits!¡±

    The nobles present obviously hadn¡¯t thought of operating in this manner and immediately began discussing it among themselves. Capitalist Nobility members, previously planted in the crowd by Mirabeau, immediately took on the role of explainer, convincing the surrounding Old Nobility to nod in agreement.

    However, it wasn¡¯t long before someone voiced a concern: ¡°Your Highness, although the prospects for the type of company you describe are excellent, the required investment will also be very significant. It¡¯s simply beyond what we can afford.¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± Joseph spoke up, ¡°which is why His Majesty the King has established a ¡®Royal Fund¡¯ in partnership with the Bank of French Agriculture, specifically investing in the Agricultural Service Consultancy Company.¡±

    He spread his arms before the nobles present: ¡°And you only need to invest a little money to subscribe to the fund, and then you can enjoy an endless stream of dividends. Of course, you can also gather your own funds to establish a company independently.¡±

    ¡°As for the cultivation technology, and the promotion to farmers, the Church will provide support to each company.¡±

    The Archbishop Beaumont immediately gestured towards Joseph with a hand over his chest: ¡°The Church will fully cooperate.¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°In terms of water conservancy, the Royal Fund will sign a large-scale purchase agreement with the Steam Engine Company to get the pumping machines, mill driving machines, and other equipment at the lowest prices.¡±

    ¡°As for sales, the strategic granaries will sign a supply agreement with the Royal Fund and may even pay part of the freight in advance.¡±

    ¡°I can assure everyone that the income will be significantly more than the little annual tribute you get¡ªseveral times or even tens of times richer!¡±

    The nobles in front of the Petit Trianon Palace immediately brightened at the prospect. This was definitely a good business! Previously, one could collect only the tenant farmers¡¯ tribute, but the Agricultural Service Consultancy Company could make money from the owner-farmers as well.¡±

    Moreover, with the Royal Fund and the Church managing the company, they could continue to live at the Palace of Versailles just as before, doing nothing and simply collecting dividends each year.

    Immediately, servants who had been prepared with stacks of fund subscription applications began distributing them to the nobles present.

    Joseph went on, ¡°Besides reaping generous dividends, you will no longer have to endure the sneers of the farmers or be called ¡®vampires¡¯ behind your backs. There will no longer be Liberals pointing fingers at your lifestyle, talking about ¡®extravagance¡¯ or ¡®degeneracy¡¯¡ªyour money will be earned through business, and you can spend every penny with your head held high!¡±

    Even more nobles were moved by this.

    Although these nobles clung to their feudal privileges for the sake of profit, in an era influenced by Enlightenment thinking across Europe, deep down they also felt like ¡°parasites,¡± ¡°remnants of a historical error.¡±

    Right now, if there truly were an opportunity to continue living lavishly through ¡°business¡±, they would naturally be delighted to participate.

    As they lowered their heads to look at the Royal Fund subscription form in their hands, they saw that the minimum subscription was only 200 livres, instantly easing their minds¡ªmany of these nobles were not wealthy, and maintaining their noble status required considerable expenditure. Many worried that a minimum purchase in the thousands of livres would be simply unaffordable.

    After carefully reading the ¡°Operation Explanation of the Agricultural Service Consultancy¡± that was distributed with the application, many nobles immediately wrote down their subscription amounts and then affixed their private seals on the spot.

    Joseph watched as people continuously gathered towards the Fund¡¯s staff, a slight smile curving on his lips.

    Who said that benefits must be delivered to the nobility in order for them to accept the land redemption plan? He would not only refrain from offering benefits but would also collect a sum of money for agricultural reform start-up funds from the nobility!

    As for the possibility of agricultural service companies hurting the interests of the farmers once they grow large?

    Such a thing did not exist. Not to mention that most nobles were merely waiting for dividends and wouldn¡¯t be involved in the company operations, essentially resulting in all agricultural service companies being Royal Family-controlled. Even if some nobles raised their own funds to establish companies, they would have to operate within the framework of the Royal Fund.

    Whether it¡¯s the Church delaying your compost and breeding enterprises by a few weeks or the strategic grain reserves refusing your grains, both can make private companies immediately compliant.

    Even in the worst-case scenario, Joseph could employ legislative measures to set maximum and minimum purchase prices to ensure the basic livelihood of the farmers.

    Of course, the sum invested by these Old Nobility into the Royal Fund was nowhere near sufficient to initiate nationwide agricultural reform.

    Joseph subtly glanced over at Mirabeau and others; several of the most influential Capitalist Nobility immediately bowed respectfully in response.

    The bulk of the Royal Fund was amassed by nearly a hundred Capitalist Nobility, with an additional supplement from the Agricultural Bank. Even without the Old Nobility¡¯s subscription, there was no shortfall of funds.

    A noble next to Mirabeau turned his head with a look of joy and whispered, ¡°Honore, how large of an estate do you plan to build this time? 1,000 acres?¡±

    ¡°Heh, not that much,¡± Mirabeau laughed and waved his hand, ¡°And you? My dear Francis?¡±

    ¡°Roughly 1,000 acres. That¡¯s all the money I have on hand can afford. I heard that Viscount Drasco plans to buy 5,000 acres, for which he¡¯s mortgaged his own tannery.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s indeed a big move,¡± Mirabeau nodded, ¡°But investing in estates right now is cost-effective. The Crown Prince¡¯s agricultural reforms are about to start, and this sector has a broad prospect.¡±

    This was the reason why Capitalist Nobility were willing to invest massively in the Royal Fund.

    In the land redemption plan established by Joseph, the rule that charged a high processing fee for individual land purchases over 100 acres and required a one-time payment of half the fee was essentially the most significant boon to the Capital Group.

    The steep fees essentially quelled the enthusiasm of ordinary people to buy large tracts of land through loans. The Old Nobility, having lost their feudal taxes, also dare not invest heavily at will. The only ones left capable of swallowing pieces of land in the hundreds of acres were the Capitalist Nobility.

    Joseph was very clear that in the unique era at the turn of the 18th century, large-scale land consolidation was beneficial for industrial development.

    And this could well serve as a bargaining chip to exchange for the investment enthusiasm of the Capitalist Nobility.

 Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Chapter 387: Industrialized Farm Goes Online

    Chapter 474: Chapter 387: Industrialized Farm Goes Online

    In this era, only the industrialized large farm model could rapidly advance the development of agricultural production technology.

    For the farmers, although they would take great care of their land, their lack of funds and technology meant they were utterly incapable of improving agricultural techniques.

    At the same time, small farmers were also very conservative.

    Joseph remembered that in the 19th century, French farmers still maintained their ancient farming habits, preferring the simplest and cheapest farm tools, and they firmly resisted the cultivation of cash crops, believing that a full granary would provide peace of mind for the family.

    However, large farms backed by capital were not aiming for self-sufficiency, but rather pursuing higher profits!

    Facing the pressure of profitability, they had to continuously upgrade to new agricultural machinery, develop more advanced planting techniques, try more expensive but better new fertilizers, as well as cultivate crops with higher economic value.

    This would greatly stimulate the development of both agriculture and industry in France.

    Indeed, farming was also the foundation for industrial development.

    The simplest example was England¡¯s textile industry, which relied on massive amounts of domestically produced wool and South Asian cotton to dominate the world.

    And if France wished to challenge England in the textile industry, it first needed sufficient cotton production. If all the farmers cultivated food crops and relied on imported cotton, it would be extremely difficult to come close to England in terms of cost.

    Moreover, in the traditional areas of strength of the French textile industry¡ªsilk, there was a need for the large-scale plantation of mulberry trees.

    These projects were best suited for large industrialized farms to exercise their capabilities.

    People like Mirabeau had a keen sense for things that could make money. With just a little hint from the Crown Prince, they immediately realized the vast ¡°monetary¡± prospects of the future modern estates.

    Taking advantage of the favorable land purchasing system, they decided to invest a large sum of money and enter the market of industrialized estates for a fierce competition.

    Of course, Joseph wanted to vigorously develop agricultural consulting firms precisely because he wished to use a unified management model to gather scattered small farmers, enabling them to have a certain degree of competitiveness of large farms.

    Watching Viscount Dico still excitedly discussing the bright future of the new-type estates, Mirabeau just responded with a smile.

    What he was pondering over was the words that the Crown Prince had said to him a few days ago.

    The Crown Prince had mentioned that, after industrialized large farms had been put into operation, land that originally required three or four hundred people to cultivate could be managed in an orderly fashion with less than one hundred workers by utilizing a large number of livestock, machinery, and new farming tools combined with strict standardized management.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to think about where those other two or three hundred people would go.

    There was only one answer: they would have to go to the big cities to make a living. Besides, with the help of agricultural consulting firms, ordinary farming families no longer needed all family members to be involved in farming to ensure the land¡¯s yield, and with the difficulty in acquiring more than thirty acres of land per person, the family members who became idle would likewise go to the cities to earn money.

    After these people poured into the cities, the availability of labor in factories would become extremely abundant, and one of the biggest factors restraining factory expansion would thus disappear.

    And these people living in the cities would need to purchase all of their necessities, meaning they would bring with them a huge consumer market.

    Having foreseen these developments, Mirabeau repeatedly calculated and found that investing in large farms at this time would not be as profitable as strategically investing in industries such as textiles and steel that required a large workforce.

    Thus, he only purchased some lands suitable for investment, ready to sell them as soon as they appreciated in value. He placed the majority of his capital in the automatic loom factories in Lyon, with a small portion invested in the coal mines of the Southern Netherlands.

    Indeed, the latter was an investment made following the recommendation of His Highness the Crown Prince. Although the area was currently engulfed in conflict, he trusted the Prince¡¯s insight more.

    Actually, Mirabeau had still missed one point.

    Joseph had foreseen the situation of land speculation arising as early as half a year ago¡ªhe had experienced the real estate frenzy of the early 21st century and was well versed in the tricks of land speculation by major corporations¡ªso he had planted a trap in the ¡°Agricultural Yield Bill¡± early on.

    Any land designated by the government as cultivable had to meet a certain yield obligation as soon as the buyer acquired ownership. Even if the land was sold, if the minimum yield was not reached during harvest season, all the landholders for that planting season would bear joint liability.

    Of course, this did not include situations of disaster.

    So Mr. Mirabeau would find that, upon acquiring the land, he would have to immediately start sowing, or he would face fines until the High Court forcefully auctioned off the land!

    While the capitalist nobility were pondering how to invest for maximum benefit, nearly half of the aristocrats among the petitioners outside the Petit Trianon Palace still looked tense, and some had even crumpled their Royal Fund Application Forms into balls and thrown them to the ground.

    They were the ¡°time-rich class¡± among the aristocracy, maybe because they had little land and limited annuities, or perhaps their lives were too extravagant, leading to expenses exceeding income¡ªin any case, they had no spare money. Many were even relying on loans to sustain their lifestyles¡ªmaintaining formal attire for various occasions, paying for the living costs of illegitimate children, participating in routine salons, hunting, or gambling, which all required a considerable amount of silver coins. And for the nobility at the Palace of Versailles, these were the basic elements of life.

    They simply had no money to invest in the Royal Fund, meaning that in 8 years they would be cut off from income and starve to death.

    Soon, a tall nobleman with noticeably unkempt curly hair forcefully made his way through the crowd going to subscribe to the fund, stepping forward and calling out loudly to the Crown Prince on the steps:

    ¡°Your Highness, the land tax is the traditional right of the nobility, the honor bestowed upon our ancestors by the old King, and you cannot just abolish it so easily!¡±

    Immediately, voices of agreement rose from around:

    ¡°Right, we want traditional rights, not the fund!¡±

    ¡°Those annuities were inherited from my father, and they rightfully deserve respect!¡±

    Joseph simply looked at these people impassively, having anticipated this situation and having already made contingency plans.

    The aristocrats who did not go and subscribe to the Royal Fund were the poorest, thus their influence was the weakest, but their potential for causing damage to the country in their desperation still needed to be taken into account.

    The postman clerk surnamed Li from the East had directly overturned an empire in such circumstances.

    Joseph cleared his throat, his sharp gaze falling on the tallest nobleman who had jumped forward, and he said in a cold voice:

    ¡°Perhaps you still remember how your ancestors obtained their fiefs?¡±

    The latter was somewhat stupefied by the sudden question: ¡°It is¡­ well¡­¡±

    Joseph pointed at him with commanding presence:

    ¡°It was because they followed the King¡¯s army, demonstrating extraordinary bravery and fearlessness on the battlefield, and earned their own glory!¡±

 Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Chapter 388: Queen Marys Peace and Contentment

    Chapter 475: Chapter 388: Queen Mary¡¯s Peace and Contentment

    Joseph looked around at the nobles whose faces still bore dissatisfaction and continued to speak loudly,

    ¡°Their descendants, however, only know how to lie on the glory of their forefathers, indulging in pleasure, idle and ineffective, even going so far as to defy His Majesty the King¡¯s wishes and jeopardize the future of France, all for a little tax money wrung from the poor farmers!¡±

    In this era, enlightened absolutism was already a consensus among European nobility. At the same time, the ideas of the Enlightenment had a profound influence. Therefore, when he said that it affected the future of France, even if the nobles were dissatisfied, they subconsciously knew it was right.

    ¡°If your ancestors knew of your words and actions here today, they would surely feel ashamed of you!¡±

    Joseph did not give the nobles any chance to retort, immediately continuing,

    ¡°If I were you, I would follow in the steps of my ancestors, fight on the battlefield like a warrior, shedding blood for His Majesty the King, for France, to achieve greater deeds than my forebears, to earn glory that commands attention!

    ¡°Your eyes should gaze upon the vast European Continent, your hearts concerned with the rise and fall, the honor and disgrace of empires, fulfilling the duties bestowed upon you by France, to overcome one mighty enemy after another, thereby winning endless wealth and glory! Not to secretly rejoice over a few silver coins collected from peasants or feel as wronged as a little girl over losing that pittance!

    ¡°You, should make your ancestors proud with your bravery, make them cheer for your victories! Not use the name of your forebears to sustain your empty and trivial existence!¡±

    Joseph said all this in one breath, leaving the nobles present stunned, their blood boiling with the education of noble glory they had received from childhood, yet they also felt a deep sense of shame.

    This was Joseph¡¯s strategy.

    For these idle nobles with no income and who were quite adept at making trouble, the Prussians had long provided a solution¡ªhave all noble descendants without land to inherit join the army, become professional soldiers, and be rewarded based on their military achievements. These petty nobles were so poor they clanked when they walked, yet on the battlefield, they fought desperately to carve out a family legacy, forming the backbone of the Prussian Army. This was the source of the Junker Nobility.

    Naturally, Joseph wasn¡¯t intending to create a French version of the Junkers. With a large number of common soldiers in the Guard Corps to dilute their numbers, these nobles could not band together into an interest group.

    However, these nobles, though idle on ordinary days, all had a decent educational foundation, especially in required skills like horse riding, swordsmanship, and shooting.

    With rigorous training and strengthened discipline, their combat abilities as individual soldiers would be stronger than those of common soldiers.

    There was also another point; the French Royal Family itself was the largest of the nobility, so they couldn¡¯t just abandon these Old Nobility. At least they were more loyal to the King, deeply tied to the Royal Family¡¯s interests, and would never seek to overthrow the Royal Household. If they could be integrated into France of the industrial era, it would actually be very beneficial for the Royal Family.

    And Joseph knew that just getting them pumped up with a speech wasn¡¯t enough. To have a class truly serve you, you have to offer them corresponding benefits.

    Seeing the reaction of the nobles below the dais, he immediately struck while the iron was hot,

    ¡°Do you wish to acquire lands according to tradition? That¡¯s entirely possible!

    ¡°As long as you, like your ancestors, establish merits with blood and sword, you shall receive honors and rewards.

    ¡°While there may not be much land in France, overseas there are almost endless territories. On the colonial lands won for France by your valiant fighting, there will certainly be lordships of your own! Whether in terms of area or tax revenue, both will be hundreds, thousands of times greater than those little territories you inherited before!

    ¡°Come, join the Royal Legion, and fight for your brilliant and glorious future!¡±

    On the balcony, Queen Mary listened to her son¡¯s impassioned speech, and seeing the eyes of the quarrelsome nobles gradually fill with a fervent light, she felt a shock of amazement and even more so, overwhelming relief.

    It turned out that her son didn¡¯t need her to cover for him at all. He stood there like an immovable tower, all challenges and difficulties rendered insignificant before him.

    She revealed a happy smile, no longer paying attention to the thousands of nobles below, turned, and went back inside, pleasantly pinching off a piece of cheesecake and putting it into her mouth. With Joseph there, perhaps she could rest more in the future and peacefully enjoy delicious desserts.

    ¡­

    The southwest corner of the Palace of Versailles.

    Escorted by four guards, the British Foreign Minister, Marquess of Wellesley, glanced gloomily at the door of the Hall of Peace.

    He knew a very difficult negotiation awaited him.

    Originally, he had planned to cause unrest in France to coerce the French people. Unexpectedly, before his ship even arrived at Le Havre, he heard that the unrest had been quelled.

    But when God closed a door for him, he opened a window.

    He learned that the cause of the unrest¡¯s end was the French Government¡¯s issuance of a land redemption policy that was very favorable to the peasants.

    Thus, he confidently requested the French Foreign Ministry to postpone the negotiation, hoping to wait for the situation to ferment, the angry French nobility to challenge the King. France, amid internal chaos, would inevitably concede to England.

    However, the development of events greatly astonished him.

    The nobility from the Palace of Versailles suddenly hushed their calls to arms, and he even heard that there was a craze of nobles joining the military here.

    These useless French nobles! He cursed in his heart if it were the British, they would certainly have risen in a glorious revolution by now and made the King beg for mercy¡­

    The door of the Hall of Peace opened, revealing the limping figure of Talleyrand.

    Wellesley hastened to stop his wild thoughts and, with feigned sincerity, pressed his hand to his chest in greeting, ¡°I am very pleased to meet you, Archbishop Talleyrand.¡±

    The other returned the greeting with a smile, ¡°I am also very pleased to meet you, Marquess of Wellesley. I hope we can have a pleasant conversation today.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it will be as you wish.¡±

    Wellesley secretly ground his teeth, following the lame man into the spacious hall, his gaze sweeping over the huge painting above the fireplace, ¡°Louis XV creating peace,¡± and muttered to himself again: Hypocritical French!

    The British and French Foreign Ministers exchanged hollow pleasantries, sitting on opposite sides of the long table, while seven or eight diplomats took their places below their respective chiefs.

    After a few seconds of silence, Wellesley sighed lightly and spoke first, ¡°I hear there has been a severe unrest in France recently, I hope it hasn¡¯t affected you too much.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it was just the peasants coming into the city for a walk, they were quickly dispersed by the police,¡± Talleyrand said, looking at him with a relaxed expression. ¡°Oh, by the way, it seems your country has also encountered some troubles in India, oh, surely you haven¡¯t been too affected either.¡±

 Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: Chapter 389 The Secret War Between the British and the French

    Chapter 476: Chapter 389 The Secret War Between the British and the French

    Marquess Wellesley felt like he had a clump of mud stuck in his chest and had to take a deep breath before he nodded and said,

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve encountered a few challenges in the Far East, but the East India Company has already reinforced its troops on a large scale. The natives of Mysore will soon be punished.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ve come to bring me the good news of the invincibility of the British Army.¡± Talleyrand exaggerated his expression, ¡°It seems we have nothing to discuss regarding the Far East then. Oh, I offer my early congratulations to His Majesty the King of England on his splendid victory!¡±

    Wellesley, looking at Talleyrand¡¯s punchable face, really wanted to drop a ¡°Just you wait and see¡± and storm off.

    However, he immediately remembered the special issue of ¡ê1.7 million in bonds that the East India Company had just issued last week. This money was specifically for resolving the Mysore issue¡ªaccording to the current exchange rate, that was a whopping sum of over 42 million livres.

    And that was just the first batch of bonds. After paying the salaries of the newly dispatched soldiers, purchasing weapons, supplies, and aiding India¡¯s allies, nearly all of it was already spent. Next month, they might have to issue at least another ¡ê800,000.

    Wellesley knew that, at the request of the East India Company, the Royal Navy had dispatched 25 warships, carrying over 5,000 Marines to South Asia to assist in repelling the Mysore forces. These ships and soldiers, traveling tens of thousands of miles away to fight, were veritable gold-eating beasts.

    If the East India Company did not fare well in the war with Mysore, this substantial loss would cause the company¡¯s stock prices to plummet. Also, due to the war¡¯s impact on Anglo-Indian trade, the company¡¯s revenues would be problematic.

    Not to forget, the East India Company was more than just a company¡ªit was also the most important ¡°blood pump¡± of the British Empire, contributing enormous amounts of money to Britain each year. Its profitability directly determined the financial surplus of the British Government.

    More importantly, the British, especially those in high society¡ªwhich included almost all the members of parliament¡ªwere shareholders in the East India Company.

    If the East India Company¡¯s stock crashed, the British whose wallets were hit would immediately oust the Tory Party. Even King George III, who strongly supported William Pitt the Younger, would lose political prestige.

    Wellesley knew that his mission on this trip was to secure the best possible wartime environment for the East India Company in India. For now, he had to endure this cripple.

    After a moment¡¯s contemplation, he smiled, ¡°Your Grace, you know that defeating Mysore is merely a matter of investment. Fortunately, Britain can easily afford this minor expense.¡±

    He leaned forward slightly, looking at Talleyrand, ¡°As for the investment in Tunisia, for your country, it represents a significant financial burden.

    ¡°Oh, if I¡¯m mistaken, please correct me. Your country¡¯s finances should only be enough to sustain the situation in North Africa until the end of this year. By the way, I heard you are planning large-scale investment in iron foundries in Luxembourg, which will further strain military finances. Perhaps you won¡¯t even last until the end of the year.¡±

    ¡°It is impressive that you are also proficient in financial matters,¡± Talleyrand said, looking unconcerned, ¡°Fortunately, Tunisia is very close to France, so it won¡¯t cost much.

    ¡°And how much did you spend on India this time? ¡ê2 million?¡±

    He waved his hand, laughing, ¡°Of course, that is nothing for the wealthy East India Company. It¡¯s just a mere half year¡¯s ¡®domestic taxes''[Note 1].¡±

    These so-called ¡°domestic taxes¡± referred to the revenue that the East India Company paid to the British Government. This did not even include the dividends paid to shareholders. It showed just how astonishing the East India Company¡¯s money-making capabilities were.

    Talleyrand met the gaze of the British Foreign Minister, ¡°You see, the crux of the matter is, France can afford to lose North Africa as we haven¡¯t invested much in Tunisia, and not many have bought land there.

    ¡°But can Britain, just like us, nonchalantly wave goodbye to India?¡±

    Wellesley faltered on the spot. The cripple was right; Britain could not afford it, and that¡¯s why he had come to Paris to swallow this insult.

    He struggled to maintain a smile, pretending to pick up his cup of tea to drink, avoiding Talleyrand¡¯s piercing gaze, ¡°So, there is no need for our two countries to continue wasting funds on matters unrelated to ourselves, is there?¡±

    What he meant was clear: England would stop supporting Algiers and Tripoli, France would cease sponsoring Mysore, and everyone could save money and live their own small lives.

    Talleyrand nodded, ¡°Your proposal is very beneficial. So, should England formally recognize our country¡¯s interests in the Maghreb nations now?¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley really wanted to smack this cripple with his cane. It was just France taking advantage of the chaos to grab Tunisia, and now you¡¯re trying to lump in all the Maghreb countries just like that? That includes Morocco, which damn well is within the sphere of influence of the British Empire!

    ¡°That is completely unreasonable,¡± he shook his head, ¡°At most, we can recognize French influence in Tunisia.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps establishing some diplomatic relations with Mysore wouldn¡¯t be bad for our country either.¡±

    ¡°In that case, the Royal Navy would be ready to block the Strait of Gibraltar at any time!¡±

    ¡°I very much doubt your country, while being harried in India, still has the capacity to be active in the Mediterranean¡­¡±

    ¡°When challenged, the depth of the British Empire will surprise everyone.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not include Morocco. However, our country wants to acquire trade rights in Carnatic, India.¡±

    ¡°Your appetite is far too large, Archbishop, it could be harmful to your health. Listen to me, let Mysore withdraw its forces, France gets Tunisia, this is good for everyone.¡±

    Carnatic is a large nation in southeast India, several tens of times larger than the French foothold in India, Puducherry. This would break the British monopoly on Indian trade, something the British would never agree to.

    Of course, Talleyrand was just asking for the moon. The French fleet was not sufficient yet to protect trade to the Far East.

    ¡°Then return Dominique and Antigua to our country¡­¡± Talleyrand was referring to two small islands in the Caribbean Sea, yet they produced sugarcane.

    ¡°No, you are mistaken, Mysore for Tunisia, that is my bottom line¡­¡±

    ¡­

    After sincerely and in-depth exchanging opinions, the two old foxes ended their meeting in a very harmonious atmosphere, with no agreement reached.

    In fact, this is the norm for diplomatic negotiations. Everyone first tries to figure out the other party¡¯s cards, then go back and use their own tactics, and then talk again. Until one side is unwilling to continue investing¡­

    Wellesley left the Palace of Versailles with a cloudy expression, and wrote a letter in the carriage to Lord Talmothes, the British envoy to the Maghreb countries, instructing him to pressurize Algiers and Tripoli to put pressure on Tunisia.

    Then he wrote to Cornwallis, the Governor of India, asking him to concentrate all his forces to achieve a great victory first, to increase his chips when facing the French.

    Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom, Talleyrand also reported on the content of the negotiations to Joseph.

    [Note 1] Talleyrand here is exaggerating. In reality, at the end of the 18th century, the taxes remitted to England by the East India Company were about 3 million British Pounds a year.

 Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: Chapter 390: The Harmonious Maori

    Chapter 477: Chapter 390: The Harmonious Maori

    Joseph raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh? The British are that stubborn?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Talleyrand nodded, ¡°Perhaps, we should increase our investments in Mysore, making the British suffer more before they¡¯re willing to come back to the negotiation table.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s bottom line for the negotiations was for England to recognize France¡¯s influence in Algiers, Tunisia, and Tripoli.

    Algiers was an important grain-producing area, several times larger than Tunisia, and the fattest piece of North Africa.

    Tripoli, next door to Egypt, was crucial groundwork for the future opening of the Suez Canal.

    In history, Napoleon had briefly set foot in Egypt, but due to the inadequate foundation in North Africa and the underperformance of his navy, he ultimately lost the opportunity to threaten England with the connection of the Suez Canal.

    Of course, if he could acquire islands in the Caribbean Sea, then Tripoli could temporarily be set aside. White sugar was a luxury, and the islands of the Caribbean that could produce sugar cane in large quantities were also of great value.

    After pondering for a moment, Joseph nevertheless waved his hand, ¡°No, Archbishop Talleyrand, we need to scale back our actions in India.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Why is that?¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Our goal is not to drive the British out of India.¡±

    Not to mention that England would definitely fight to the death with France over India, but without England¡¯s restraint, it wouldn¡¯t be in France¡¯s interest for Mysore to conquer the entire Indian subcontinent¡ªMysore had been exposed to European technology, and with Sultan Tipu¡¯s ¡°Tiger of Mysore¡± personal abilities, it was very possible.

    A powerful Indian Empire would inevitably move northward, reaching into Central Asia, bringing immense trouble to the whole of Europe. Thus, it was best for India to remain scattered like the stars in the sky.

    ¡°What we need to do is to make the English pay a higher cost,¡± Joseph continued, ¡°and the cost of attacking is far greater than defending.

    ¡°Have Marquis de Lafayette quickly set up defenses, let the British attack, and at the same time, he should destroy as much of the British¡¯s supplies as possible. Military expenses will sternly educate the British.¡±

    In fact, he had another important reason for this¡ªMysore simply couldn¡¯t defeat England.

    After all, England was still the world¡¯s number one power, and although Mysore¡¯s raids had achieved some results, the British had now started to get serious.

    With Mysore¡¯s strength, to continue the fierce attack could easily give the British the chance to annihilate them.

    However, an incremental defense that greatly drained the British military budget was the most correct tactics for Sultan Tipu. Moreover, Joseph had prepared a ¡°secret weapon¡± for him. Judging by the time, those people should also have arrived in India by now.

    Joseph then recalled something else and instructed Talleyrand,

    ¡°Also, given the British¡¯s habits, they are likely to cause trouble for the Southern Netherlands. You need to make a trip to the German states, as well as the Nordic and Eastern European countries, to go tell their kings¡­¡±

    India.

    Off the port of Mangalore in the northwest of Mysore, a small-sized schooner sailed in swiftly.

    The Russian flag was hoisted on the ship, while the hull bore the emblem of the Gemini Trading Company.

    On deck, several men with dark skin, robust figures, and intricate tattooed faces were gazing at the Mysore Defence Force lined up to welcome them on the dock.

    One of the middle-aged men, with a waist almost as thick as a barrel, pointed towards a distant building styled in Islamic architecture and uttered a series of incomprehensible words.

    The young man beside him spoke in not-so-fluent French:

    ¡°Uncle Magnus, Monsieur Dufresne told us to speak French as much as possible, and you forgot again?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Magnus revealed an apologetic smile and also started speaking in his awkward French, ¡°Those houses are really peculiar. Even more so than the ones the development team built in town. But they are beautiful.¡±

    What he referred to as the ¡°development team¡± were the pioneers who had come ashore New Zealand Island with Dufresne.

    After they were gifted a piece of land by the Maori, they changed their name to the development team and began building a town there.

    With the assistance of an abundance of almost free Maori labor¡ªthe Maori had a very harmonious relationship with them, usually working a full day merely for a few glasses of wine and to listen to stories told by the development team members.

    Although the development team had finished recounting everything they remembered from ¡°Breaking Through the Sky¡±, ¡°The Master of Besties¡±, and ¡°Ladies, Please Stop¡± within two and a half months and had to creatively continue the stories with their own inventions, the Maori still listened with great enthusiasm.

    What¡¯s more, many Maori learned French by listening to those stories.

    Especially after the first shearing of the sheep this year, the Maori who received their wages were elated¡ªwhat the French paid were large amounts of iron agricultural tools, horses, and beautiful clothes¡ªthese were considered luxury items that could be handed down for generations in any Maori tribe.

    The Maori tribes that had not previously worked with the development team, upon hearing the news, all flocked to offer their services to the French for sheep farming, even volunteering to lower their wages.

    Dufresne generously maintained the original remuneration since it was already very low, and there wasn¡¯t much to save on that anyhow, and he signed sheep-rearing contracts with more Maori tribes.

    After half a year of management, sheep could now be seen in most parts of the North Island of New Zealand.

    Now, the only factor limiting the number of sheep in New Zealand was the breeding speed.

    As soon as lambs were born, the Maori would race to ¡°adopt¡± them, caring for them meticulously. Coupled with New Zealand¡¯s rich grass and a climate that was extremely suitable for sheep breeding, the wool production of sheep here was nearly 20% higher than that of their ¡°countrymen¡± in England!

    On the deck of the ship, another tall young Maori forcefully tugged at his coat¡ªhe clearly wasn¡¯t accustomed to wearing clothes wrapped so tightly around him all day¡ªand said somewhat anxiously to Magnus:

    ¡°Lord Magnus, the Pakeha have been restless lately. If they come seeking vengeance on our tribe, and we happen to have left home¡­¡±

    What he referred to as Pakeha was the South Island of New Zealand. Historically, the North Island often launched raids on the South Island, which would in turn accumulate strength to strike back.

    Magnus laughed and said, ¡°No need to worry, Nikau. Monsieur Dufresne is currently calling for all tribes to sign a ¡®joint declaration¡¯. From now on, any conflict between tribes will be adjudicated by the ¡®Tribal Council¡¯.

    ¡°Before we departed, Monsieur Dufresne had already gone to the South Island. I think the Waitaha Tribe will also join the joint declaration.¡±

    Nikau was still not reassured and asked, ¡°But what if Waitaha refuses?¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± Magnus said disdainfully, ¡°To refuse Monsieur Dufresne is to be enemies with all tribes. Moreover, they would lose the opportunity to raise sheep.

    ¡°Nikau, do you think they would still attack Aramotu?¡±

    Aramotu was where their tribe resided.

    Upon hearing ¡°forbidding them from raising sheep¡±, the young man immediately nodded with full confidence:

    ¡°Then surely they won¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: Chapter 391: The Secret Weapon from New Zealand

    Chapter 478: Chapter 391: The Secret Weapon from New Zealand

    A delegation of Maori, led by Fernand Dufresne, boarded the dock, then took sedan chairs carried by locals to head for Mangalore City.

    Several days later.

    To the north of Mangalore, here lies the vanguard camp of the Mysore Corps, stationed with over 5,000 Mysore soldiers, as well as 100 elite Tunisians brought by Lafayette ¡ª the Tunisian soldiers are unquestionably considered exceptional here ¡ª and less than 15 kilometers to their north is the defense line set up by Britain in southern Karnataka.

    Following his usual inspection of the camp, Lafayette looked towards the British stronghold with some irritation.

    After his recent repeated reconnaissance, he had basically confirmed that there were only 1,200 British Army soldiers and between 3,000 to 5,000 Maratha soldiers, allies of the British in India.

    Based on previous engagements, his concentrated force of 12,000 here could breach northern Karnataka within a month if they committed fully to the offensive.

    However, a letter from Paris last week had the Crown Prince demanding that he prepare fully for defense, forbidding any large-scale offensive, with only minor raids allowed on the British supply lines.

    This made him feel like watching a beloved mistress throwing coquettish glances at him completely undressed, yet he was tied up, unable to move even slightly.

    At this moment, his Tunisian-born staff officer came up at a quick pace, saluted him with a tip of his hat, and said:

    ¡°General, those Pacific natives have arrived.¡±

    Lafayette nodded, and together with over a dozen officers, he left the camp to welcome the Maori ¡ª it seemed the Crown Prince took a special interest in these natives, so he too had to receive them with due formality and respect.

    In the northernmost small town of Mangalore, Lafayette and Fernand Dufresne exchanged courtesies, with polite remarks:

    ¡°I have heard of your uncle¡¯s exploits; with merely a few hundred colonists, he secured for His Majesty the King a colony nearly the size of Britain.¡±

    This Fernand was indeed the nephew of the leader of the New Zealand development team, Dufresne.

    The Maori leader hurriedly said:

    ¡°If my uncle knew that such a great hero, who has struck hard against the British in the Far East, spoke so highly of him, he would surely drink joyously until he fell to the ground.¡±

    Lafayette said this while glancing at the group of Maori behind Fernand, with their dark skin and strange hairstyles, inadvertently frowning slightly. The black lines tattooed on the natives¡¯ faces made him unconsciously think of ferocious wild beasts.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± he cleared his throat to cover the inappropriate expression, and said to Fernand, ¡°What exactly are they here to do? The Crown Prince¡¯s letter told me they possess excellent military skills, but honestly, I don¡¯t think they will fit in well with my troops¡­¡±

    Standing in the back row, Magnus suddenly waved his hand and interjected, ¡°You¡¯re the impressive General¡­¡±

    He looked toward Fernand and asked in a whisper, ¡°The word is ¡®General,¡¯ right?¡±

    After receiving a confirming nod, he raised his voice to Lafayette, ¡°Mr. Fernand often speaks of you onboard.

    ¡°Oh, yes, we are here to help you build ¡®pa.''¡±

    He gestured to the thirty-plus Maori warriors behind him, ¡°We are all experts in constructing ¡®pa¡¯ from our tribe.¡±

    Lafayette was clearly surprised that these natives could speak French, but he quickly picked up on the word the Maori had just mentioned:

    ¡°Pa? What is that?¡±

    Fernand hastened to explain, ¡°It¡¯s a type of simple Maori fortress. Although they may seem rudimentary, they are actually very effective defensively.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Nikau animatedly gestured, ¡°We need to choose a high ground first, level the top off, then chop some sturdy tree trunks to enclose the area. After that, build the central tower¡­¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10113985¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10113985/754e2e39743948243dc70264c43c7596909Nnm0T9B6FXKr.jpg¡±>

    When the captain of the engineering battalion behind Lafayette heard ¡°use three circles of wooden fences to protect the tower,¡± he finally let out a disdainful laugh, then said to Lafayette:

    ¡°General, I think this primitive¡­ well, let¡¯s call it a fort, can¡¯t provide any defense against the British. You know, the English aren¡¯t using spears and bows, they have cannons, and not just any cannons, but heavy artillery. I believe, if we are to build defenses, then we should choose bastions.¡±

    He was an old subordinate of Lafayette from France, a graduate of the Valois military engineering school, and was very familiar with the construction of bastions.

    Lafayette nodded his head and looked towards Fernand:

    ¡°You see, as Major Gaston said, against the British, bastions are much more appropriate. Perhaps, your people could help him build.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General, bastions are very effective,¡± Fernand weighed his words before speaking, but in the end, his adventurous nature led him to be straightforward, ¡°However, ¡®pa¡¯ is more suited to Mysore¡¯s situation. That is the Crown Prince¡¯s wish.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Major Gaston said with contemptuous hand wave, ¡°You must have misunderstood his Highness¡¯s¡­¡±

    Fernand¡¯s gaze shifted over:

    ¡°Major, may I ask how long it would take you to build a bastion?¡±

    ¡°That depends on the size,¡± answered Gaston. ¡°In an emergency, a temporary bastion at the front line can be built in 3 months.¡±

    Fernand nodded, then gestured to the Maori behind him.

    Magnus immediately said, ¡°With enough manpower, building a ¡®pa¡¯ takes one month.¡±

    Fernand continued, ¡°Major, apart from the speed of construction, building a ¡®pa¡¯ almost doesn¡¯t require any investment, not if you don¡¯t have to pay the Indian laborers.¡±

    Gaston hesitated. Sultan Tipu summoned serfs for labor; they didn¡¯t just forgo any salary, they even had to supply their own food. And to construct a bastion, at the very least, would cost thirty to forty thousand livres¡ªand that was for the most basic one. If one wanted it strong and durable, the cost could grow tenfold.

    ¡°As for defensive effectiveness,¡± Fernand looked towards the Major, ¡°¡®pa¡¯ might not be as strong as a bastion, but it can significantly delay the British advance.

    ¡°Provided there are enough of them, this thing will become the British¡¯s nightmare!¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Gaston wanted to say more but was interrupted by Lafayette:

    ¡°Alright, have the local officers in Mangalore City fully assist Mr. Dufresne. However, we still need to construct some bastions at key points.¡±

    He had already received instructions from the French general staff to cooperate with the Maori to strengthen Mysore¡¯s defenses.

    Although he didn¡¯t quite trust the natives¡¯ ¡°forts,¡± seeing Fernand¡¯s insistence, it wouldn¡¯t be good to forcibly stop him.

    In the days that followed, both British and Mysore kept to their own, and under this dull silence, time flew by quickly.

    Half a month later.

    When Lafayette saw the first ¡°pa¡± completed in the northwest of Mangalore City, he couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in surprise.

    As an experienced officer, he realized at first glance¡ªthe thing was definitely useful!

 Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Chapter 392 "Destroy Mysore Within Three Months!

    Chapter 479: Chapter 392 ¡°Destroy Mysore Within Three Months!

    The entire ¡°Pa¡± was built on a hillock about seventy to eighty meters high, with three concentric circles of walls from bottom to top, and a watchtower over five meters tall in the very center.

    Each layer of the wall was supported by stout tree trunks, with a multitude of thinner, densely interlaced wooden bars on the outermost layer, backed by a one-and-a-half-meter-thick rammed earth wall.

    Defenders could stand on the rammed earth wall, poking their heads out from the thick tree trunks to shoot at the enemy.

    For the attackers, their muskets would have difficulty penetrating those half-meter-thick trunks from a distance, and if they resorted to artillery, the cannonballs would likely ricochet off the lower rammed earth wall beneath them[Note 1].

    Thus, the attackers would have to demolish all the wooden structures on the side of the earthen walls with heavy artillery before their infantry could advance close enough to possibly storm through a layer of the wall.

    At the same time, it would be very difficult for the attackers to hold the first two walls, as they would be subject to the defenders¡¯ shooting from a higher position.

    Nikau explained excitedly, ¡°Below the high tower, there are tunnels. If we really can¡¯t hold out, we¡¯ll escape through the tunnels.¡±

    Major Gaston showed an unconcerned expression, ¡°The English will dig everywhere to find the tunnels¡­¡±

    Nikau laughed, ¡°There are two tunnels, one deep and one shallow. The shallow one only goes out a little over 200 steps and is meant for the enemy to damage. The deep one leads to the woods behind.¡±

    Gaston was momentarily taken aback. He was well aware that once the attackers uncovered a tunnel, they would consider their work done and not bother looking for another¡­

    Fernand added, ¡°We have also combined some advanced weapons for defense.¡±

    He gestured toward the highest tower of the ¡°Pa¡±:

    ¡°There, we will position a four-pound cannon. Also, at the entrance of the tunnel, we¡¯ve buried a large barrel of gunpowder; if the British try to pursue through it, they will receive a very ¡®explosive¡¯ welcome.¡±

    The cannon foundry of Mysore had started normal operations, and the four-pound cannon, being the simplest in craft among light artillery, could produce one every day and a half, sufficient to be distributed among a large number of ¡°Pas¡± for defense.

    Although the range of these cannons was limited, when mounted atop the tower, combined with the fact that the ¡°Pa¡± itself was built on high ground, they could use the high-ground advantage to even outrange an eight-pound cannon.

    Lafayette looked at the simple earth and timber structure, but the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help curving into a smile.

    Keep in mind that it only took 3 Maori and fewer than 400 Mysorean serfs, just half a month to build it¡ª

    The one-month time period Magnus had previously reported was based on the Maoris¡¯ tool standards. The Maori had not yet mastered metallurgy, and were using wooden shovels and stone axes. However, the Mysorean serfs came to work wielding iron tools, assisted by a number of oxen and horses, so it only took half the time to complete the first ¡°Pa.¡±

    This was because the serfs were still unfamiliar with the construction; once they became skilled, the work could be done even faster!

    ¡­

    Marquess Charles Cornwallis, the Governor of India, turned to look at the endless rows of red-clad ¡°Lobster Soldiers,¡± puffing out his belly with a sense of great satisfaction.

    Yes, the reinforcements from the East India Company had arrived!

    With the troops he had recently summoned from various parts of India, he now had a total of 9,000 British soldiers under his command, along with a large amount of heavy artillery and supplies.

    Flanking the British forces were 20,000 Maratha soldiers and 14,000 troops from Hyderabad. At the same time, these two vassal states of England continued to send more reinforcements to northern Karnataka.

    With such a formidable force at his disposal, Cornwallis was confident enough to reach the outskirts of Mysore City within three months and to have Tipu sign the surrender document, along with a hefty war indemnity to the East India Company, by early next year.

    He sneered with a light snort, ¡°Lafayette, this time I will fully repay the humiliation from North America!¡±

    He had taken part in the British¡¯s surrender ceremony at York Town in the United States, and at that time, Lafayette had sat across from him with a smug look on his face.

    However, that very afternoon, just two miles into entering Mangalore in Mysore, the vanguard of his great army came to a halt.

    Marquess Cornwallis frowned as he looked towards his staff:

    ¡°Michael, what has happened?¡±

    The staff officer spurred his horse to inquire about the situation. Half an hour later, he returned with an officer from the vanguard corps and reported to him:

    ¡°General, Lieutenant Colonel Pleasely¡¯s corps encountered something from the Mysoreans¡­¡±

    He glanced at the officer beside him:

    ¡°He says it was a bastion blocking the way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really a bastion.¡± The officer hastily said, ¡°It looks quite rudimentary, made out of wood and earth, but there¡¯s a cannon on it, so the commander decided to destroy it first.¡±

    Cornwallis frowned and waved his hand: ¡°Tell Pleasely to make it quick.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    The next day at noon, the Marquess of Cornwallis, listening to the constant cannon fire coming from afar¡ªa barrage that hadn¡¯t ceased since yesterday morning¡ªcouldn¡¯t help but darken his expression.

    He mounted his horse and personally rushed to the vanguard to inspect the situation.

    ¡°I am very sorry, General.¡± Lieutenant Colonel Pleasely looked pained as he glanced towards the distance, ¡°That thing is very¡­ peculiar; cannonballs hardly have any effect on it. Moreover, only 12-pounders can strike from a safe distance. Yesterday, an 8-pounder nearly got hit by the Mysorean cannon.¡±

    Cornwallis glared at him furiously: ¡°It¡¯s just a primitive defensive work by the Indians, and you have assembled as many as ten cannons and spent two days, yet you still haven¡¯t taken it down!¡±

    He risked drawing even closer to the site of engagement and soon saw the Mysorean ¡°bastion¡± through his telescope.

    It looked like an oversized granary, but he immediately noticed a black dot that, after blasting a large chunk of wood chips, flew diagonally into the sky.

    From experience, he knew it must be a 12-pounder cannonball.

    To think that an Indian ¡°granary¡± could produce a ricochet!

    Irritated, Cornwallis called for his elite light infantry company, along with three 12-pounder cannons, and ordered that this ¡°granary¡± must be taken before nightfall!

    Following the suppressive bombardment from the heavy cannons, the British light infantry bravely charged up the mound under the cover of more than a thousand infantrymen.

    The Mysoreans counterattacked from behind the wooden walls, but their poor marksmanship and haphazard command barely hit less than a dozen British.

    After that, the British skirmishers reached the first wall and climbed over through a breach.

    Cornwallis smiled smugly, put away his telescope and returned to his temporary command post. In no more than an hour, his officers would be bringing prisoners to report back to him on the battle.

    But soon, the commander of his light infantry came to him covered in dust and reported that the first assault had failed, with 27 soldiers lost.

    Cornwallis¡¯s eyelid twitched as he exclaimed:

    ¡°Hadn¡¯t you already broken in?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, General.¡± The commander of the light infantry bowed his head, ¡°The Mysoreans set fires in the first trench and attacked us from above by throwing rocks¡­ I had no choice but to temporarily retreat before the cannons could breach the second wall¡­¡±

    [Note 1] A ricochet is a situation in which a cannonball, upon striking a slanted surface and not being able to penetrate immediately, is deflected by the torque from the surface and flies off along the slant. The solid spherical cannonballs fired by smoothbore cannons in the late 18th century were especially prone to ricochet.

 Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Chapter 393 Talleyrands Tour Around Europe

    Chapter 480: Chapter 393 Talleyrand¡¯s Tour Around Europe

    Cornwallis grimly gazed at the distant rudimentary bastion for a full half-minute before finally gesturing to a staff officer beside him:

    ¡°Send the order, leave one battalion to continue the siege, the rest of the troops are to bypass this damned thing!¡±

    Regrouping and taking a detour could delay them a day or two, but it was better than being disgusted by that broken ¡°barn.¡±

    Yet, merely an hour and a half later, several squads of hussars successively brought back the news that less than three miles south of that ¡°barn,¡± two similar structures had been discovered.

    And farther away, there seemed to be more¡­

    These defensive fortifications densely guarded nearly all the traffic arteries, with three built at the crossroads of key strategic nodes!

    In a strategy game, perhaps one could micro-manage the troops to squeeze through two bastions, after all, their cannons could not possibly cover a range of two or three miles. But in actual combat, this was completely impossible.

    When tens of thousands of troops march, the column could be over ten kilometers long. If the enemy sporadically rushes out from the bastions to launch a surprise attack, a marching column has no defense.

    A surprise attack might not kill many, but the confusion and resultant stampeding could cause serious casualties and a severe morale blow.

    Thus, it was necessary to eliminate several defense points and clear a road at least seven or eight miles wide, deploy some forces on both sides for defense, and then the rest would dare to pass through the middle.

    In fact, even so, safety was not guaranteed, for the marching column was too long, and defensive gaps were likely to occur.

    Cornwallis, struggling to suppress the rage in his chest, clenched his teeth and commanded as he looked at the red circles marked on the map by the staff officer:

    ¡°Bring me all the cannons! Smash that ¡®barn¡¯ to pieces for me!¡±

    The staff officer was taken aback: ¡°Barn?¡±

    ¡°That thing on the high ground! Damn it, whatever you call it! Take it at all costs!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    The auxiliary forces from Maratha and Hyderabad were brought up, repeatedly charging towards the mound¡¯s ¡°Pa,¡± only to be driven back each time.

    During the tense wait over the next nine days, a British 12-pounder cannon accurately hit the defensive gun at the top of ¡°Pa¡±¡ªa chance that in the era of smoothbore canon was pretty much like winning the lottery jackpot.

    Afterwards, Cornwallis¡¯s grenadiers braved casualties and finally breached the last wall, pouring into the high tower in the middle of ¡°Pa.¡±

    Cornwallis felt a surge of relief, as if he had finally evacuated after nine days of constipation, and, pointing his cane at ¡°Pa,¡± he said to his staff officer:

    ¡°Bring me the commander of the garrison. Their tenacity deserves my praise.¡±

    Before the officer could leave, the high tower on ¡°Pa¡± quivered, billowing black smoke, followed by a thunderous ¡°boom.¡±

    Soon, the messenger brought news from the front, the people of Mysore had buried gunpowder in the fortress, killing over thirty grenadiers and only capturing five wounded prisoners.

    With his face ashen, Cornwallis stared at the ruins on the mound, then peered southward, aware that several more of these ¡°barns¡± awaited him, and felt a spasm in his stomach, almost vomiting¡­

    In fact, Magnus had already led the Mysore serfs to build over 70 ¡°Pas¡± in the entire Mangalore area, and construction was still ongoing. Each ¡°Pa¡± was only stocked with 25 days¡¯ worth of food and drinking water¡ªtheir defense was required to hold out for just that long, after which the garrison could retreat.

    And the British needed to remove at least one-fourth of them to pass through the Mangalore area smoothly.

    Even if they could hit the jackpot every time and directly strike the defenders¡¯ cannons, it would take 9 days, so dealing with Mangalore would require 160 days¡­

    And that¡¯s just a not-so-large province in the northwest of Mysore; the areas of Seringapatam and Mysore City are even vaster, and it would basically be impossible to breakthrough Mysore without two or three years.

    This was the defense strategy that Joseph tailored specifically for Mysore.

    ¡°Pa,¡± this kind of thing, has almost no value in Europe where human resources are precious and architectural technology is advanced; it would make more sense to invest money in building a bastion. But in India, where a large number of serfs could be levied for labor without any cost, ¡°Pa¡± proved to be very appropriate.

    Although it¡¯s not ¡°zero cost¡± as Fernand said¡ªconstruction indeed had its expenses, but cannons, gunpowder, provisioning, and transportation still cost money¡ªa ¡°Pa¡± only required Sultan Tipu to invest about 400 British Pounds, which is 10,000 livres, and a significant portion of that was borne by the local nobility. For Mysore, it was almost possible to build without limit.

    At the same time, this thing had a very low requirement for building skills; even the primitive tribes on the Pacific islands could manage it, let alone a mature feudal state.

    Most importantly, elsewhere the attacker could slowly grind down the earthen ¡°Pa,¡± eventually wearing it away, but with the British expending a high cost on a lengthy expedition, being dragged on for years would make them bleed money.

    Moreover, the ¡°Tiger of Mysore¡± was no ordinary adversary, not just sitting and waiting for the British to attack.

    While Cornwallis was launching an attack on the second ¡°Pa,¡± Sultan Tipu had already led an army of 17,000 into Travancore.

    Travancore was no match and had to rush to ask the British for help desperately.

    Cornwallis, in a flurry, diverted 3,000 British soldiers and more than 10,000 servant troops, which the Royal Navy shipped off to Travancore. Just three days after the ships left port, news came that the Travancore Royal had surrendered to Mysore.

    From then on, there were no more hostile forces in the south of Mysore.

    On Lafayette¡¯s advice, Sultan Tipu immediately led his main forces toward Carnatic in the east¡ªLafayette would command the 20,000 Mysore troops in the northwest, relying on the ¡°Pa¡± for defense, so there was no need for him to be distracted.

    If Carnatic was conquered, the entire southern part of the Indian subcontinent would fall into Mysore¡¯s hands, and the British strategic situation would become extremely dire.

    Meanwhile, the French consul in Mysore, Salah, and Mysore¡¯s senior official Shah were quietly heading to Hyderabad. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had said that Indians love to take advantage but have no credibility.

    If they could entice Hyderabad to turn against the British with benefits¡ªthey had allied with Mysore against the British decades ago¡ªthat would be best. Even if that could not be achieved, it would force the British to expend more resources to stabilize Hyderabad.

    ¡­

    In the western suburbs of Munich.

    Talleyrand adjusted his attire and stepped down from the carriage, then turned to signal the escorting guards:

    ¡°Please make sure to watch that guy closely. Come with me.¡±

    The three soldiers escorted a middle-aged man tied up like a rice dumpling, following behind the French Foreign Minister and heading to the Munich Palace.

    The sounds of music rose around them. The Duke of Bavaria, Karl Otto Dor, stood by the palace gates across from the honor guards, smiling at the visiting Frenchmen.

 Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Chapter 394: French Set Menu (Requesting Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 481: Chapter 394: French Set Menu (Requesting Monthly Pass)

    ¡°I hope the riot hasn¡¯t affected France.¡±

    Theodore walked shoulder to shoulder with Talleyrand toward the reception room, while the Bavarian State Minister and Foreign Minister, among others, could only follow behind as mere accessories.

    ¡°It was more than a mere riot, Your Majesty,¡± Talleyrand said loudly enough to ensure the surrounding Bavarian ministers could hear. ¡°You must be aware of those Liberals¡¯ ideology¡ªthey have always sought to subvert the monarchy and plunder the nobility¡¯s wealth. They are a group of dangerous madmen!¡±

    ¡°And the recent events in the northwestern provinces of France were instigated by those madmen.¡±

    ¡°They all deserve to be cursed,¡± Theodore chimed in, though puzzled as to why the French had come all this way to discuss this matter, as it had nothing to do with him. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard that the rebels from the Southern Netherlands seemed to be involved?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the French Foreign Minister nodded immediately, ¡°The Liberals I mentioned earlier are those South Netherlanders. They tried to use a riot to assassinate our King!¡±

    Theodore thought to himself that since they were at war with the Southern Netherlands Rebels, it was no surprise they would cause trouble in France, but he still feigned concern, saying:

    ¡°Thankfully, those fellows didn¡¯t succeed. God has protected His Majesty.¡±

    As the entourage entered the reception hall, Talleyrand suddenly spoke with gravity, ¡°Your Majesty, aren¡¯t you puzzled by this affair?¡±

    ¡°Puzzled by what?¡±

    ¡°Why do the Southern Netherlands Rebels have the audacity to boldly initiate a conspiracy against the French Royal Family?¡± Talleyrand looked towards Theodore, ¡°And how could they procure thousands of guns and millions of livres in funding so quickly? Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±

    Taken aback, Theodore slowly sat down in the chair at the head:

    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±

    ¡°All this was orchestrated by a great power!¡± Talleyrand gesticulated passionately, ¡°They who murdered their own King, then covertly supported the Southern Netherlanders to rebel, trying to tear this land from the hands of the Holy Roman Emperor.

    ¡°After the Southern Netherlands fell under rebel control, they weren¡¯t satisfied and prepared to spread the revolution to France!¡±

    Those words tightened the hearts of Theodore and all the ministers present.

    The intent of the South Netherlanders to assassinate the King of France had nothing to do with them, but if it was an attempt to export the revolution, that was a whole different matter.

    The revolution of the Liberals was a nightmare lingering in every monarch¡¯s mind, a plague that could instantly kill an empire at the slightest touch!

    They immediately thought of the ¡°great power¡± as the first country to be contaminated by the ¡°plague.¡±

    The Glorious Revolution had beheaded Charlie I and exiled James II.

    Furthermore, considering that the Hanoverians were actively supporting the Southern Netherlands Rebels on the battlefield, it was clear that the British stood behind the Liberal South Netherlanders.

    Talleyrand continued, ¡°The British Parliament controls their King, controls the whole of England. They want other countries to follow their example, and if a King stands in their way, they will plot his assassination.

    ¡°They will stir up revolutions everywhere, and the events in France are just the beginning!

    ¡°If the monarchs do not unite to stop this, similar events will occur in Austria, in Spain, in Sweden, in Bavaria¡­¡±

    In the meal Joseph was preparing for England, the situation in India was the main course, but accusing them of exporting revolution was the appetizer.

    He remembered clearly from history how the fear of the exportation of the French revolution among European monarchs ultimately led to the formation of the Anti-French Coalition.

    England was utilizing this very point to rally the countries of the European Continent, to bleed France dry.

    Meanwhile, the British seem not yet to realize that the very act they have been encouraging the South Netherlanders to play in France is essentially exporting revolution¡ªthe States-General of the Netherlands is in the hands of the Liberals, and the ones causing trouble in France are also a large number of Liberals, cooperating with the French Liberals.

    Since the British have played right into his hands, Joseph naturally doesn¡¯t mind letting them taste the wrath of the European monarchs.

    The Bavarian Foreign Minister looked hesitantly at Talleyrand:

    ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand, perhaps what you say is a bit alarmist¡­¡±

    Talleyrand immediately gestured toward the hall:

    ¡°I¡¯ve brought someone with me, you can ask him yourself.¡±

    Theodore signaled the guard to bring in the prisoner escorted by the French soldiers.

    Talleyrand said to the man, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Steven Albert Visari.¡±

    Immediately a Bavarian official remembered the name:

    ¡°He¡¯s the clerk of the Speaker of the States-General of the Netherlands¡­ cough, I mean, the head of the rebel leaders!¡±

    Yes, this man was indeed Vandernoot¡¯s clerk¡ªthe highest official within the ¡°Free Alliance Committee¡± captured by the French Intelligence Bureau.

    Talleyrand continued to question:

    ¡°Please tell everyone, why did Vandernoot intend to subvert the French Royal Family?¡±

    Visari replied dejectedly, head hung low:

    ¡°It was the instigation of the British Foreign Minister Wellesley. He told the Speaker, ¡®Start a revolution to overthrow that tyrant,¡¯ and proposed a plan to spread rumors about France¡¯s land buyout scheme, using the discontent of the French peasantry and nobility to create an uprising and ultimately dethrone Louis XVI, establishing a French Congress¡­¡±

    Suddenly, the drawing-room was filled with an uproar.

    What Visari said wasn¡¯t entirely true¡ªspeaking as the French had demanded, he would receive a sum of money to live out his life in the United States¡ªbut he had merely jumbled the order or misattributed details, without fabricating a single word. Even if the Bavarians investigated, they would most likely conclude that ¡°the statement is true.¡±

    Talleyrand again gestured towards the exterior of the Munich Palace:

    ¡°I have also brought more than 20 Dutch rebels, if needed, His Majesty can have them interrogated.¡±

    With Visari¡¯s words taking the lead, no matter what those following said, everyone was inclined to pin it onto the British.

    A few hours later, Duke Theodore of Bavaria looked steadfastly at Talleyrand and said earnestly:

    ¡°We must unite and do everything we can to make the British abandon this dreadful idea!¡±

    The next day, Talleyrand left Munich, heading for Wurttemberg.

    In his itinerary, his subsequent stops included Mainz, Upper Hesse, Austria, Sweden, and other countries, repeating to them what he had said to the Bavarians the day before.

    After that, he would also visit Saxon, Lower Hesse, and even Prussia. Despite these countries currently aligning with England, when it comes to exporting revolution¡ªa matter of grave importance¡ªthey could turn against the British at any moment.

    As for whether these countries believed him or not, he did not care. Even if they didn¡¯t believe him, the British would have to waste a considerable amount of diplomatic resources to clarify the situation.

 Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: Chapter 395: The Southern Netherlands Initiative

    Chapter 482: Chapter 395: The Southern Netherlands Initiative

    Austria.

    Vienna, Sch?nbrunn Palace.

    Joseph II struggled to lift his withered right hand, his throat only producing a vague murmur, ¡°Tal, Talle¡­¡±

    By his side, Leopold II hurriedly guessed, ¡°Your Majesty, are you speaking of Talleyrand?¡±

    Seeing the emperor nod, he continued, ¡°Are you very concerned about what he said regarding the British intent to export revolution?¡±

    Talleyrand had just concluded a visit to Austria, staying for a full three days, during which he criticized the British for conspiring to overthrow the monarchies of various nations everywhere in Vienna.

    ¡°Worthy¡­ of vigilance,¡± Joseph II managed to say after a pause of some ten seconds before laboriously continuing, ¡°Firstly, to make use of¡­¡±

    Leopold II followed his train of thought, adding, ¡°You mean, we can use this to weaken the British influence on the situation in the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    The Emperor of Sanctum weakly nodded, ¡°Coordinate with, France.¡±

    In terms of excluding the British from the German region, France and Austria shared a very similar stance.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. I will take care of it.¡±

    ¡­

    Western Mediterranean, Bay of Almeria.

    In the meeting room of the Royal Navy of England¡¯s third-rate ship of the line, Colossal, Lord Talmothes, the envoy to the Maghreb countries, was reporting to the Foreign Minister:

    ¡°The Sultan of Morocco has already agreed that as long as we make concessions on the import duties of grain and allow Morocco to serve as a textile trade hub in North Africa, he will consent to launch an attack on Bizerte. Currently, there are 14,000 members of the Moroccan Imperial Guard on standby in Annaba, and most of them are equipped with brown Bess flintlock guns and 20 cannons.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley agreed almost without a second thought:

    ¡°Tell the Moroccans that Congress will consider their demands.¡±

    Compared to the situation in India, the Empire¡¯s interests in North Africa could definitely afford to make some concessions. Moreover, turning Morocco into a trade hub wouldn¡¯t really affect British profits.

    ¡°I will head to Morocco as soon as possible, Marquess,¡± Lord Talmothes continued, ¡°In Algiers, they have also prepared an army of 12,000 men, but as you know, their combat effectiveness is not something to count on.¡±

    The Algiers Guard had previously been severely beaten by Joseph, and over the course of the past half year, they still hadn¡¯t recovered their former strength.

    ¡°Hmm, we can have their navy increase the harassment of French merchant ships,¡± the Marquess of Wellesley instructed before asking, ¡°What about Tripoli?¡±

    ¡°Ben Guerir currently has 12,000 members of the Ottoman Imperial Guard,¡± replied Talmothes, ¡°However¡­ as per your orders, he has secretly made contact with them, willing to dispatch no more than 800 men for raiding. After all, Constantinople has always been reluctant to offend France.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley waved his hand unconcernedly, ¡°No matter, I am here to resolve this issue.¡±

    He had already secured a budget of 350,000 British pounds from the British Parliament, which is nearly 9 million livres. Within this sum, 100,000 pounds were earmarked for bribing Ben Guerir.

    Afterwards, Wellington planned to visit Constantinople and offer a certain degree of diplomatic support and trade privileges to the Ottoman Empire in exchange for Salem III turning a blind eye to the unilateral actions of the Tripoli garrison.

    Wellington had absolute confidence that under the drive of huge benefits, the Ottoman warlord from Ben Guerir would be bold enough to provoke the French Army of Tunis, as long as the Ottoman Sultan did not hold him accountable.

    Moreover, Tripoli possessed a fleet of nearly 300 ships, most of which were small and no match for the French Navy, but with intelligence, artillery, and harbor supply support from England, they still had the capability to severely disrupt French trade in the Mediterranean.

    Wellington knew that the troubles the East India Company faced in Mysore were very thorny¡ªEngland would definitely have to concede some benefits to France to resolve the issue.

    Therefore, he had to create bargaining chips for himself as much as possible so that during negotiations he could minimize losses.

    He was even prepared, after the French Army of Tunis was forced into a passive state¡ªfaced with a pincer attack from nearly 40,000 troops, leaving the French Force of over 20,000 in disarray¡ªto let the Pirates from Algiers and Tripoli raid the southeastern coastal cities of France to increase domestic pressure there.

    With his own arrangements in the Southern Netherlands, if luck was on his side, he might not have to give up anything in exchange for France¡¯s non-intervention in the Mysore situation.

    However, just as the Colossus was anchored at Mitidja port for a brief resupply and preparing to set sail, a fast-sailing ship of the Royal Navy, the ¡°Panting,¡± rushed in from Gibraltar.

    The Marquess of Wellesley was discussing with Lord Talmothes in the cabin how to use the naval superiority of England to strike French trade in the Caribbean Sea¡ªalthough there were a series of treaties restricting action against France, there were definitely ways to work around the treaties to deal with the French. The sugar exports from Santo Domingo contributed more than 40 million livres annually to French Government revenue!

    Just when the two had begun to concoct a plan, an officer from the ¡°Panting¡± knocked and entered, handing over the latest intelligence from the European Continent to Wellesley.

    The Foreign Minister unfolded the pages from the envelope, waved them at Talmothes with a smile, and said,

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s good news from Vandernoot.¡±

    He unfolded the paper and after reading just a few lines, his smile froze on his face.

    ¡°My Lord Marquess, what¡¯s the situation in the Southern Netherlands?¡± Lord Talmothes asked somewhat inappropriately.

    ¡°Damn the French people!¡±

    Wellington put away the documents with a grim face, hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and shouted out of the cabin,

    ¡°Tommy, fetch Captain Taylor for me.¡±

    He then turned back to Talmothes:

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the matters of Tripoli and the Ottoman to you. I must return to Europe at once.¡±

    The intelligence report mentioned that Austria, Spain, Bavaria, Mainz, and several other countries had submitted a d¨¦marche to England, requesting clarity on England¡¯s stance toward the rebellion in the Southern Netherlands and the connection of the former Liberals¡¯ uprising in France to England.

    The d¨¦marches from Austria and Spain, in particular, were very stern, criticizing England¡¯s behavior of exporting revolution to the European Continent throughout the document.

    Wellington turned his back irritably and looked out the window, realizing he had been careless, not expecting the shameless French to fabricate a connection between inciting the uprising and ¡°exporting revolution¡±!

    He was well aware that if this issue was mishandled, it could potentially lead to a diplomatic disaster¡­

    More than ten days later, as Wellington was leaving Cologne for Prussia¡ªyes, even William II had expressed doubts about England¡ªhe suddenly received news that Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt had proposed something called the ¡°Southern Netherlands Initiative.¡±

 Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Chapter 396: The Busy Marquess of Wellesley

    Chapter 483: Chapter 396: The Busy Marquess of Wellesley

    Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt was politically inclined toward Prussia, yet his ¡°initiative¡± stated that if the Southern Netherlands insisted on breaking away from Austrian rule, they must elect a King to govern the Southern Netherlands. Otherwise, the States-General of the Netherlands should not be recognized by any monarch.

    The initiative had already received responses from ten countries including Spain, France, Bavaria, and Mainz.

    What surprised the Marquess of Wellesley most was that Austria was also among the signatories of the initiative.

    However, he quickly understood the implications: the Austrians signed ¡°the States-General of the Netherlands should not be recognized by any monarch,¡± convinced that the Southern Netherlands would not accept electing a king¡ªafter all, the States-General was now controlled by Vandernoot and the party of Liberals, and asking them to elect their own king would be harder than getting them to mount the scaffold.

    In fact, Austria was the biggest driving force behind this ¡°Southern Netherlands Initiative.¡± Naturally, the rights to the initiative were held by Joseph II¡¯s beloved nephew.

    Wellesley, angered, jabbed his walking stick into the ground, cursing Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt in his heart.

    If England now also demanded the Southern Netherlanders elect a king, it would be tantamount to pushing the States-General to their opposite side. But to reject the ¡°initiative¡± would be to cut themselves off from the entire European Continent.

    He immediately ordered his men to set off and rushed to Potsdam overnight.

    A few days later, after he promised William II to provide assistance of 500,000 British Pounds, and handed over all matters concerning the Southern Netherlands to Prussian discretion, promising that England would no longer interfere, he finally dispelled the latter¡¯s suspicions.

    Subsequently, the Marquess of Wellesley rushed non-stop to Saxony¡­

    Meanwhile, London was packed with diplomats from various countries.

    William Pitt Junior, Prime Minister of England, had to meet with seven or eight rounds of diplomatic envoys daily to explain that England had no intention of exporting revolution, and he also had to be called in from time to time by George III to enquire about the situation, exhausted from overwork.

    Over at the British Parliament, the Whig Party did not miss this opportunity to press him, and the interrogations never stopped. Even Fox was preparing to initiate a vote of no confidence against him, but luckily, it was forcefully suppressed by the King at the last moment, saving his political career.

    After a month of turmoil, following thorough discussions with George III, William Pitt Junior officially released an external announcement.

    In the announcement, England first declared that the recent unrest in France had nothing to do with England. It then stated that it did not agree with the current political situation in the Southern Netherlands, but did not relax its stance on the election of a king. Finally, it promised that England would ¡°suggest¡± the Hanoverian Army to gradually withdraw from the Southern Netherlands and did not oppose Austria¡¯s restoration of governance over the Southern Netherlands.

    After making these significant concessions and having Wellesley soothe each country by making various trade-offs, the denunciations from the nations against England gradually subsided.

    The British Parliament, which had resumed normal operations, began to deal with the affairs that had accumulated over time, including a suggestion submitted by Lord Talmothes, the special envoy to the Maghreb, about making tariff concessions to Morocco and establishing it as a textile transit hub in North Africa.

    As Wellesley was still in Italy putting out fires over the ¡°export of revolution¡± and could not attend the parliamentary interrogations, this matter was temporarily shelved.

    Meanwhile, Wellesley, overwhelmed with his diplomatic tasks, finally completed them and immediately went to Brussels to understand the status of his previous deployments.

    According to his plan, Vandernoot was to send people to the Walloon Region to stir up trouble, preferably spreading the chaos to Luxembourg.

    He knew that France had made extensive investments in Luxembourg, so its stability would become an important bargaining chip in his negotiations with the French people on the issue of India.

    However, as soon as he arrived at the Southern Netherlands border, he received orders from Prime Minister William Pitt Junior to cease all contact with the States-General of the Netherlands and return to London as soon as possible.

    George III was on the verge of a recurrence of his mental illness, aggravated by the curses of the ¡°exportation of revolution¡±¡ªhe had Porphyria,1 and it had been less than half a year since his last episode.

    The entire British Royal Family was tense with anxiety, fearing that he might be once again driven to madness, so they repeatedly urged William Pitt Junior not to get involved with the affairs of the Liberals of the Southern Netherlands.

    It wasn¡¯t until Wellesley returned to London that he realized the benefits he had promised to Morocco were still stuck in Parliament.

    He had been running around, subjected to cold shoulders, and had almost forgotten about the matter, which prompted him to rush to Parliament to explain the details of the exchange of interests, urging Congress to vote and pass it.

    By the time Morocco truly received the benefits from the British, nearly three months had passed since Wellesley¡¯s last visit to North Africa.

    The news that the Marquess of Cornwallis had suffered a setback in his attack on Mysore, requesting more troops, as well as the complete occupation of Travancore and the threat to Carnatic, reached England.

    All of London exploded into an uproar¡­

    Paris.

    The Palace of Versailles, Mars Hall.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you have already won nine games in a row, you¡¯re at the peak of your luck¡±, a Russian little girl of about seven or eight years old sat obediently beside Queen Mary, blinking her deep blue eyes at the latter, ¡°I think you should continue to trust your intuition.¡±

    ¡°Alright, sweetheart, I¡¯ll listen to you¡±, Queen Mary chuckled, grabbing a handful of gold ¨¦cus and placing them in front of the ¡°banker¡± square, ¡°I think the banker will win this round too!¡±

    The little girl then pinched a piece of cake and put it in her mouth, muttering in a very soft voice:

    ¡°If you keep winning like this, uncle wouldn¡¯t nag at me about France¡¯s financial problems all the time¡­ Oh, this is too sweet; does the chef have a channel for tax-free sugar?¡±

    If it wasn¡¯t for the Queen of France¡¯s enthusiastic invitation and constant prompting from her uncle, she really wouldn¡¯t want to come to such a boring place.

    The croupier at the front announced calmly: ¡°The banker wins.¡±

    ¡°Wow, ten victories in a row!¡± Queen Mary exclaimed excitedly as she bounced up from her chair, then turned around to hug Alexandra tightly and gave her a big kiss, ¡°You really are my angel, dear, ten in a row, do you know? It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve won this much!¡±

    Ever since she learned of her son¡¯s interest in this little girl, she had occasionally invited her to the Palace of Versailles to participate in various balls, concerts, and gambling games, creating opportunities for her son.

    Unfortunately, Joseph was always very busy, hardly ever participating in these social events, but she and the little girl grew more and more familiar with each other.

    Queen Mary hugged Alexandra, but couldn¡¯t help thinking of her own niece, and she sighed softly¡ªif only Joseph liked Clementine, it would be her standing by her side now¡­

    She suddenly paused, an unexpected memory of Clementine accompanying her to gamble last year flashed through her mind, and it seemed that she had hardly won at that time, with the worst being a streak of 17 losses, leaving her so miserable that she couldn¡¯t sleep for half the night.

    Looking again at Alexandra, the tinge of regret in her heart suddenly felt much thinner.

    1: Porphyria, also known as purple urine bag syndrome, is a group of disorders characterized by an abnormal accumulation of porphyrins or porphyrin precursors due to disruption in the heme biosynthesis pathway. It can result from a lack of certain enzymes or reduced enzyme activity. The main clinical symptoms include photosensitivity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and neurological or psychological symptoms.

 Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Chapter 397: The New Symbol of Paris

    Chapter 484: Chapter 397: The New Symbol of Paris

    ¡°`

    The gambling in Mars Hall continued until 1 a.m.; Queen Mary, elated with her win, eyed the small mountain of Gold Coins on the table, yawned quietly, and then rose contentedly, ready to return to Petit Trianon Palace.

    According to court etiquette, the royal couple were supposed to hold a bedtime ceremony at 10:30 p.m.¡ªwhich meant that the nobles would watch them go to bed¡ªbut since Louis XVI often ¡°worked overtime¡± at the Royal Workshop, this rule had become a mere formality.

    She stretched lazily, looking at the empty chair next to her, and turned to ask Countess Debreninac:

    ¡°Where¡¯s my little honey from Saint Petersburg?¡±

    The latter hurriedly leaned in and whispered:

    ¡°Your Majesty, she went to bed at 10.¡±

    ¡°Look, I had forgotten,¡± Queen Mary said with a laugh, tapping her forehead, ¡°She¡¯s still growing.¡±

    She left Mars Hall, and had not gone far when she heard the voices of several noblewomen chatting at the corner of the corridor ahead:

    ¡°Have you also noticed that Russian Grand Duchess?¡±

    ¡°Lately, it¡¯s been impossible not to notice her. I don¡¯t know whose favor she curried, but she has been appearing frequently beside Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°I actually think Her Majesty quite likes her; I¡¯ve heard Her Majesty call her ¡®little honey¡¯ several times in the evening.¡±

    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s probably just a novelty for Her Majesty. I bet that by next month, she will no longer pay her any attention.¡±

    ¡°Most likely. You see, even though she wears the most fashionable dresses of the season, she can¡¯t hide that rustic air about her, like a candle flame that can¡¯t be covered by a coarse basket.¡±

    ¡°Haha, that is so apt¡­¡±

    The noblewomen, continuing their talk, turned the corner and were suddenly face-to-face with the approaching Queen, which scared them into retreating to the side of the corridor, bowing their heads and bending their knees in a curtsy, not daring to breathe heavily.

    Queen Mary gave them a displeased glare, walked past with head held high, but the mocking words echoed in her ears. Suddenly, she felt self-reproach. She had indeed been inconsiderate of Joseph¡ªit turned out he was not shy but worried that choosing a Russian fianc¨¦e would subject the Royal Family to the nobility¡¯s gossip. Ah, he was indeed a thoughtful child, considering the bigger picture!

    Queen Mary was acutely aware of the French people¡¯s sense of superiority¡ªthey thought they were better than others. Having been princess of the Habsburg family, she was still looked down upon by them, let alone a Russian girl with Tartar bloodline[Note 1].

    She remembered her own frustration and bitterness when being secretly referred to as ¡°the Austrian mare¡± by those French nobles, and made up her mind on the spot: she had to work even harder to help form a bond between her son and the lovely Russian Grand Duchess! After all, she couldn¡¯t let her children be rained on by the same showers she had endured!

    The next morning, Queen Mary was discussing a script with her theater troupe¡¯s leader, when she saw the Crown Prince coming quickly with a maid leading the way.

    Once Joseph had bowed, she immediately went up to give her son a hug and smiled:

    ¡°Dear, you can¡¯t always be busy with work; necessary social interaction is also an important part of life. This is especially true for members of the Royal Family.¡±

    ¡°`

    Joseph¡¯s least favorite thing was the tedious obligation of attending balls, and after perfunctorily agreeing to a few, he swiftly moved onto the main topic:

    ¡°Dear Mother, next month Paris is going to hold a ceremonial installation for the gas street lamps. If you¡¯re available, I hope you can attend.¡±

    In reality, the construction of the coal gas distillation factory had just begun, and the gas lamps weren¡¯t yet produced on a large scale, but Murdock had already completed the testing work for distillation, gas transmission, and the gas lamps.

    Thus, Joseph planned to set up a few gas street lamps to boost the industry. On top of attracting civilian investments, this hot topic could also facilitate real estate projects.

    Yes, the gas lamps themselves leaned more towards infrastructure development and wouldn¡¯t bring much direct profit, but real estate could.

    He had already purchased all of the public land around the Tuileries Palace garden, which would also become the trial site for the first batch of gas street lamps.

    One could imagine, once night fell and the streets of Paris sank into a hazy twilight with only a few dim oil lamps flickering, the properties around the Tuileries Palace garden would be illuminated by bright gas street lamps, visible from several streets away. People gazed upon the luxurious villas and couldn¡¯t help but drool with envy.

    Together with the schools, hospitals, and public transportation systems built during Paris Fashion Week, the city¡¯s wealthy would definitely scramble to buy property here.

    The villas in the ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± district had already sold for 70,000 livres each, and with the addition of gas street lamps, the properties ought to fetch at least 100,000 livres.

    Don¡¯t think it¡¯s expensive; right now, Paris alone was seeing an influx of thousands of foreign tycoons¡ªsuch luxury estates could be snapped up in minutes.

    Keep in mind, in the past two years, Paris City had expanded twice and yet seemed more and more crowded. The excellent environment and public safety here had attracted a large number of people from elsewhere to settle¡ªlast month¡¯s population statistics for Joseph from the Minister of Civil Status indicated that the population of Paris had already surpassed 700,000.

    But Joseph estimated that there must be several tens of thousands of lower-class people not accounted for, as these individuals were hard at work from dawn until dusk, making it difficult for the civil officers to ¡°catch¡± them.

    This massive influx of newcomers gave rise to a tremendous demand for real estate.

    After the gas street lamps caused a boom in high-end property, he then planned to develop mid-range housing aimed at ordinary nobility and get major banks to start real estate loan projects, stimulating the entire flow of capital in France.

    ¡°Gas street lamps?¡± Queen Mary looked somewhat surprised, ¡°I¡¯ve heard Count Mirabeau mention this term quite often. But, my dear, it¡¯s just a lamp, why would both our Crown Prince and the Minister of Industry take it so seriously?¡±

    Joseph explained with a smile, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s nothing like the oil lamps we have now.

    ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s extremely bright, and unlike the yellow glow of oil lamps, it emits a white light more similar to that of the sun. In a couple of days, I¡¯ll have Mr. Murdock send one over to you. Once you try it, you¡¯ll understand. After using it, you will certainly want to throw away all the candles and oil lamps in the palace into the trash.

    ¡°Secondly, it¡¯s fueled by a coal gas pipeline, which is much more convenient than candles or oil lamps¡ªyou can use it continuously as long as you pay the gas bill, without needing to replace candles or add oil.¡±

    Queen Mary¡¯s expression showed great interest: ¡°Hmm, that does sound quite remarkable.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it will create a new fashion trend,¡± Joseph confidently said, ¡°and become another symbol of Paris.¡±

    [Note 1]Because the Mongolians once ruled Russia, Europeans regarded Russians as descendants of the Tartars, which was one of the significant reasons for their disdain for the Russians. In fact, the primary lineage in Russia is still that of the Rus people, with a mix of genes from European immigrants, Baltic residents, Tungusic peoples, Central Asian nomads, and Turks. Compared to these, Tartar genes don¡¯t amount to much.

 Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: Chapter 398: Queen Marys Birthday Gift (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 485: Chapter 398: Queen Mary¡¯s Birthday Gift (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Joseph knew better than anyone that in history, London turned gas street lights into its own calling card, which elevated the prestige of the entire Britain and thereby attracted talents and investments from all over the world.

    Of course, this was also based on Britain¡¯s own wealth and favorable investment environment. However, the London gas street light project greatly accelerated Britain¡¯s pace of development, which was undeniably true.

    Now Joseph wanted to snatch this hot spot for France!

    He continued to paint a grand picture for Queen Mary, ¡°Can you imagine, Paris, which used to fall asleep once it got dark, will now be full of vitality under the illumination of gas lights. People will continue to be active outside after nightfall, shops will extend their business hours by several hours, resulting in higher income.

    ¡°At the same time, crimes such as theft and robbery that happen under the cover of darkness will considerably decrease with the street lights.

    ¡°Paris will become more prosperous and safer, full of appeal!¡±

    He also had some advantages of gas street lighting that he hadn¡¯t mentioned to Queen Mary.

    For example, once the scale of use for these things picked up, the cost of lighting would be much lower than candles and oil lamps, allowing more people to afford lighting, improving the quality of life.

    In addition, cheap, high-brightness lighting would greatly extend factory operating hours. Well, in plain terms, it meant that workers could work overtime.

    Overtime, this thing that ordinary people loathed, was a tremendous progression in productivity at the end of the 18th century!

    The same factory, the same workers, my output could inexplicably be 30% more than yours, a production and cost advantage equivalent to a major technological innovation.

    Of course, with this came workers¡¯ health issues, which would require government legislation to address. Otherwise, given the ruthlessness of capitalists at that time, one could guarantee they¡¯d make workers work 24 hours a day.

    Finally, gas lamps required the large-scale refining of gas, which could stimulate the coal industry, and the byproduct coal tar could boost organic chemistry.

    That¡¯s why Joseph attached so much importance to this industry, inviting the Queen herself for the opening ceremony. Once Paris was fully covered with gas street lamps, he planned to take advantage of the situation and hold a ¡°World Expo,¡± instantly pushing Paris to the pinnacle of major European cities!

    When Queen Mary heard that such a trivial thing as a lamp was so important, she immediately agreed:

    ¡°All right, my dear, I will definitely attend your ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! You truly are the best mother in the world!¡± Joseph casually picked up a pastry that was beside him, feeding it into Queen Mary¡¯s mouth.

    The latter chewed with a smile, her eyes inadvertently catching a glimpse of a script by her side¡ªshe was a drama enthusiast, not only a fan of watching but often acting herself. This script was for the second part of ¡°Breaking Through the Heavens,¡± which her theater company was planning to produce.

    Queen Mary suddenly remembered the events from the previous night and immediately came up with an excellent idea.

    She looked at Joseph, smiling, and said:

    ¡°My dear, the lead actor of my theater company recently fell ill. Hmm, I think you are the best replacement, just look at my Crown Prince, more handsome and charming than any actor in the company!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph seemed to put on a mask of pain. Not to say he disliked acting, but rehearsal and performance would take up a lot of time, and he had a pile of tasks at hand to deal with.

    However, his mother had just agreed to attend the opening ceremony for the gas street lamps¡ªif he refused now, it would seem somewhat unappreciative¡­

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Joseph hesitated, ¡°Let¡¯s agree on just one performance¡­¡±

    He had only gotten halfway through his sentence when he suddenly caught sight of the title of the script and felt his heart tighten. Oh no! ¡°Breaking Through the Heavens¡±? The lead role¡­ That¡¯s asking me to play Hurter Xiao?!

    This excessively clich¨¦ role, if I can¡¯t get through the first act without feeling embarrassed to death¡­

    He immediately shook his head, ¡°That won¡¯t do, I will definitely star in another script next time.¡±

    Queen Mary held onto him, ¡°Dear, won¡¯t you even help your helpless mother?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s mainly the script¡­¡±

    ¡°My birthday is coming up soon,¡± Queen Mary made her final play, ¡°This play is to be performed on that day. Consider it helping to fulfill my birthday wish.¡±

    Joseph felt a headache coming on. His mother had put it that way; how could he not agree¡­

    He nodded despondently, ¡°Well, alright then.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful, dear!¡± Queen Mary embraced him, ¡°I will invite all the nobles from the Palace of Versailles to watch. I believe you will put on a very splendid performance!¡±

    ¡°Invite all the nobles?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. He knew that his mother was exaggerating. A theater couldn¡¯t accommodate so many people, but those who would be invited by Her Majesty the Queen were undoubtedly nobles of no ordinary status.

    Well, so this could be an opportunity. He thought to himself, though the production lines for soda and casein glue hadn¡¯t been built yet, it didn¡¯t stop him from advertising synthetic board furniture and soda bubbly beverages in advance.

    All the most prestigious nobles from Versailles gathered together would certainly create a huge momentum.

    In the time before the products were launched, he could also play a bit of hunger marketing. When the products were finally on the market, wouldn¡¯t they sell like crazy?

    Right, he would also need to get his mother to endorse them.

    Thinking of this, the bitter look on his face instantly disappeared, and he smiled at Queen Mary:

    ¡°Dear mother, I¡¯ve thought of what to give you for your birthday gift. It¡¯s some very fine furniture¡­¡±

    ¡°Furniture?¡±

    ¡­

    North Africa.

    Tunisia.

    Manuel Jacques de Sanel stepped off the gangplank and immediately felt much more at ease, the constant rocking on the sea having nearly been the death of him.

    After waiting for a moment, the servant Victor brought over his precious Gaul horse from the transport ship. The poor animal seemed to have sea sickness too, froth still stuck at the corners of its mouth from vomiting.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, the suffering is over!¡± Sanel took the horse¡¯s reins, raised his arms with force, and cried out, ¡°Tunisia will witness the arrival of its hero!¡±

    He glanced back at the hundreds of nobles accompanying him and instructed his servant, ¡°Mathew, go buy some top-quality oats from nearby. ¡®Crossbow¡¯ needs to recuperate properly. I¡¯ll go ask where the assembly point is.¡±

    Mathew, however, stretched out his hands pitifully, ¡°Master, I only have 1 livre and 6 sous left. I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t buy much¡­¡±

    Sanel frowned. To obtain a piece of fiefdom in North Africa for his family¡¯s glory, he had come to Tunisia to join the military at his own expense. Indeed, ever since the Crown Prince¡¯s speech, it had become fashionable at the Palace of Versailles for young nobles to go to the front to earn glory with their swords. Upon seeing young men, noble ladies would ask, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to win glory for yourself with your sword?¡±

    Reluctantly, Sanel took out ten silver coins and handed them to his servant, ¡°Go on. Pay attention to the quality, don¡¯t get cheated with inferior goods.¡±

    He had already spent 140 livres from leaving Paris to arriving here.

 Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: Chapter 399: The Guidance of the Lord Cavalry Corps

    Chapter 486: Chapter 399: The Guidance of the Lord Cavalry Corps

    Shalner shifted the Charleville musket strapped to his back and hoisted several bags onto his shoulder¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to burden his mount with any weight at all, preferring to give it a rest.

    ¡°Jacques!¡± a familiar noble youth ran past him, shouting over his shoulder, ¡°Victor wants us to assemble immediately, just over there. Hurry up!¡±

    Shalner reached out to pull the man back, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±

    ¡°Heard that the People of Algiers attacked the border.¡± The other man shook off his grip, ¡°Victor said the army is all down by the Oued Medjerda, and currently, only the Tunisians are defending to the northwest of Bizerte. This is our chance!¡±

    Shalner hurriedly adjusted his uniform and ran toward the distant assembly point.

    At the front of the disorganized line of nobles, a square-faced young noble stood atop a carriage, waving his sword and delivering a speech loudly, ¡°General Sherelle¡¯s main force likely won¡¯t make it to intercept the raiding People of Algiers, this is an excellent opportunity for us!¡±

    He beckoned energetically, ¡°My dearest classmates, the time has come to show your superior military training. As long as we can get to Tamire by nightfall tomorrow, we¡¯ll achieve great merit and win unparalleled glory!¡±

    Shalner immediately joined in the shouting. This Victor was the ¡°big shot¡± of their school¡¯s law faculty, and it was he who had called on everyone to come to Tunisia for battle. Not only their own University of Rennes, but along the way, hundreds of young nobles had joined his ranks. Although Victor held only the rank of lieutenant, a title purchased by his father on the eve of the military reforms, he had nevertheless become the leader of these men.

    ¡°Ha, a bunch of braggarts that¡¯s all they are,¡± laughed a group of young men, dressed in tattered uniforms or even just shirts, as they passed by them with footsteps taunting.

    ¡°They can¡¯t even get their line straight, yet they dream of ¡®unparalleled glory¡¯, haha.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how the nobles are, their talents for talking far exceed their talents for doing by a thousandfold.¡±

    ¡°Let them have their fun. By the time they start moving, we¡¯ll have already knocked the People of Algiers to the ground.¡±

    Victor immediately turned toward the sparse-haired, somber-eyed young cavalry officer at the front of that troop and called out in dissatisfaction, ¡°Lieutenant Ney, please control your men and do not interfere with our preparations for battle!¡±

    The latter glanced at him coldly, then raised his hand to his troops behind him and ordered, ¡°Silence! Quick march.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The non-commissioned officers within the line immediately echoed aloud, beginning to restrain the soldiers. At the same time, their only four worn military drums were hit even louder, and the entire troop immediately quieted down.

    Victor watched as the civilian troop quickly marched away, growing rather anxious.

    These civilians, who arrived in Tunisia on the same naval transport ship as they did, numbered around eight or nine hundred people. He hadn¡¯t expected them to be so fast! It seemed that this Michel Ney, the civilian officer, actually had some real skills.

    He hurriedly cut his speech short and ordered the noble youth to form ranks, ready to head to Tamire.

    Tamire was the westernmost town in Bizerte. As long as they held that town, they could block the Algiers Army from advancing deeper into Bizerte.

    Spurred by the recent mockery, the ¡°volunteer army¡± of nobles moved quickly and, within barely an hour, had formed a marching column. With the rhythmic sounds of drums and harmonium, they hastened westward.

    The transport ship officers, seeing both groups leaving on their own initiative, rushed after them, demanding they first report to General Sherelle but were completely ignored by everyone.

    And when Shalner¡¯s attendant, Mathew, carrying two bags of oats and gasping for breath, rushed back to the dock, his master was nowhere to be seen¡­

    Just before nightfall, Victor finally caught sight of the civilian camp and immediately spurred his horse to advance joyfully¡ªthe column of nobles had nearly everyone on horseback, and even some servants had mounts. Along the way, they had spent money to hire locals from Tunisia to carry their luggage and drag their supply carts, so their marching speed was significantly faster than the civilians.

    Lieutenant Ney, who was inspecting the camp, also saw him and unexpectedly initiated a greeting, ¡°Lieutenant Moro, honestly, I¡¯m quite surprised by your speed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Victor Moro nodded to him, ¡°We are the ¡®Guided Cavalry Corps of the Almighty,¡¯ how could we possibly fail to catch up with the infantry?¡±

    Ney frowned slightly, ¡°The Almighty¡¯s¡­ guidance?¡±

    ¡°Oh, although it hasn¡¯t been officially recognized by the staff headquarters yet, this name will surely be remembered by France!¡±

    Victor Moro intended to say that all these nobles had joined the army in response to the call of ¡°the Favored Child of God¡±, which is why they had chosen such a flashy name¡ªthe Favored Child of God¡¯s guidance. By rounding up, it was practically equivalent to the Almighty¡¯s guidance.

    Ney shook his head at this silly and naive name, thinking to himself: It seems there¡¯s no hope of getting any help from the noble lords behind us.

    The next morning, as Moro was getting ready to brush his teeth in the first light of dawn, he heard faint drumming from not far away and immediately looked at his attendant, ¡°Is the civilian camp breaking up?¡±

    ¡°It seems so, Lieutenant,¡± the attendant replied.

    Moro instantly grabbed a military drum and began drumming it forcefully, anxiously shouting, ¡°All troops assemble and form ranks! Prepare to depart!¡±

    ¡­

    London.

    The Marquess of Wellesley looked at the secret report of the Moroccan and Algiers armies¡¯ deployment, feeling somewhat relieved.

    Two days ago, the Congress had already passed the Prime Minister¡¯s proposal, which involved trading some interests in the Caribbean Sea and acknowledging France¡¯s claim to Tunisia, in exchange for France¡¯s non-interference in India.

    The premise of all this was that France would encounter sufficient trouble in North Africa.

    At present, 40,000 troops were attacking Tunisia simultaneously in North Africa¡ªthat was the bargaining chip he needed.

    He was just waiting for the French Cabinet to start discussing reinforcing North Africa, so he could immediately go to Paris and negotiate with them.

    ¡­

    The northern border between Algiers and Tunisia.

    A troop dressed in yellow thin shirts, wide horseman¡¯s trousers, and carrying brown flintlock guns, marched imposingly through the mountain pass, stretching back for nearly two miles.

    Said, wearing a red leather tarboosh, looked towards the distant plains and asked the black officer beside him, ¡°Agold, how much further is it to Bizerte?¡±

    ¡°Less than five miles, Pasha.¡±

    Said nodded proudly. The cavalry that returned at noon had seen the French Army¡¯s main force downstream of the Oued Medjerda, three days¡¯ march from the north of Bizerte.

    By the time the French realized that the Algiers Guard was just a decoy, and they thought to turn back to rescue, he would have already captured Bizerte Port.

    Afterwards, whether to continue striking east towards Tunis City or turn south to Kairouan, he would have a significant advantage either way. Even in the event of an unfavorable situation, he could threaten the French with destroying Bizerte Port, placing him in an almost invincible position.

    As long as he stirred trouble within Tunisian territory for a month or two, he could return to Morocco, and the British would pay a hefty reward of two million Rials.

 Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: Chapter 400 Non-professional "Players" (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

    Chapter 487: Chapter 400 Non-professional ¡°Players¡± (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

    Said called for a map and, after a brief look, said to Agold, ¡°Order the vanguard to reach Tami Lai by this afternoon. Rest there for a day, and the day after tomorrow, the whole army will attack Cape Serat.¡±

    Cape Serat is the only town on the west side of Bizerte City. According to intelligence, there should be a garrison of three to four thousand men from the Tunisian Army there. Once Cape Serat is taken, the road to Bizerte Port would be a clear path.

    The black officer bowed, accepting the order, and quickly relayed the command of the Moroccan Imperial Guard commander.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10116383¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10116383/5027f379676d854348e0ff2baef1147f09oOGXK50a4U688.jpg¡±>

    ¡­

    Ney hummed the country tunes of Salz along with the soldiers¡ªwho had only been trained for less than four months and only knew these songs¡ªestimating how long it would take to reach Tami Lai.

    Just then, his company commander came galloping towards them and shouted, ¡°Moroccans spotted, less than four kilometers from Tami Lai!¡±

    Severely lacking in cavalry, Ney¡¯s unit had to have officers like the company commander, who could ride, double as cavalry scouts.

    Upon hearing this, Ney felt a tightness in his chest. It seemed he would arrive at Tami Lai later than the enemy.

    This would turn into a siege battle.

    He quickly asked the company commander, ¡°How many men does the enemy have?¡±

    ¡°At least two thousand, maybe three thousand.¡±

    Ney frowned even more; he did not even have a thousand soldiers at his disposal. Defending Tami Lai might be feasible, but attacking would likely result in a difficult battle to win.

    Would they have to fall back to Cape Serat?

    He glanced back, knowing that such a retreat would surely earn the mockery of the nobles.

    Clenching his teeth, he shouted to his soldiers, ¡°Quick march! We will show those nobles who the real warriors are!¡±

    The soldiers immediately erupted in cheers:

    ¡°Let the noble lords see what we¡¯re made of!¡±

    ¡°Victory belongs to us!¡±

    ¡°Long live the King!¡±

    Most of these men were peasants who had bought land for their families. After hearing the Crown Prince¡¯s call for commoners to join the army, those with spare labor at home signed up with great enthusiasm.

    They initially only wanted to repay the King for fulfilling their dream of owning land. It was only after understanding France¡¯s current military policies that they realized they could also be promoted to officers through military service and that acts of valor could ensure them a carefree life.

    Consequently, although the training level of this ¡°green¡± army was limited, their morale was exceptionally high.

    Strengthening the national identity among the vast majority of France¡¯s lower-class population and their sense of belonging was the fundamental reason Joseph pushed the land distribution policy despite formidable resistance¡ªit was the only way to truly unleash the military potential of the country.

    In Napoleon¡¯s era, the population of France was not much greater than it is now, yet he could easily mobilize an army of 600,000 men, while contemporary France struggled to field even 160,000. This was because the great campaigns of France greatly ignited public enthusiasm, awakening a national consciousness. National matters were no longer just the duty of nobles but concerned every French person.

    If France could now mobilize an army of 600,000 and ensure logistical support, they could immediately sweep across the European Continent.

    After all, Britain, Austria, and Prussia combined could only muster an army of a little over 400,000, which was hardly a match.

    Of course, the land distribution policy alone was not enough to invoke absolute national identification among the French people, but it was already a significant step forward.

    Ney, watching the soldiers quicken their pace, loudly boosted their morale while continuously reminding the officers to look out for any stragglers.

    Two kilometers away, Victor Moro also received the report that the Moroccans were approaching Tamire.

    He looked at the messenger sent by Ney, ¡°How far are your men from Tamire?¡±

    ¡°More than 6 kilometers, Lieutenant sir.¡±

    Victor Moro frowned in thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°If I remember correctly, there are still 300 Tunisian soldiers at Tamire?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lieutenant sir.¡±

    Moro nodded, ¡°Then that¡¯s good. Order them to advance to the western side of the town to set up a defensive line and delay the Moroccans as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± The messenger instinctively replied, but immediately realized something, ¡°But sir, you don¡¯t have the authority to move them¡­¡±

    ¡°Just say it¡¯s authorized by General Sherelle. The documents will be given to them after the battle.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t delay, otherwise Tamire will be lost!¡±

    The messenger shivered and said with a stiffened chest, ¡°Yes, Lieutenant sir!¡±

    Watching the messenger spur his horse and ride off, Victor Moro¡¯s staff officer whispered, ¡°Lieutenant sir, this will bring you before a military court.¡±

    ¡°As long as we can hold Tamire, we will receive medals,¡± Victor Moro smiled, ¡°And even if there are problems, it is Lieutenant Ney who will face the military court. It was his man who claimed to have the general¡¯s authorization.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Ney sneezed loudly, rubbed his nose, but suddenly heard what seemed like gunfire coming from the west, his heart tensing instantly.

    He looked at his formation, already thoroughly disrupted by the forced march, and loudly ordered to regroup in place, continuing forward in columns of fours.

    They were now less than half a kilometer from Tamire; the gunshots could likely be the Moroccans looting in the town.

    ¡°We shall teach those infidels a profound lesson¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, he heard from a captain who had gone to scout:

    ¡°Lieutenant sir, it¡¯s the Tunisian border guards fighting the Moroccans. But it looks like they cannot hold on anymore.¡±

    Ney¡¯s eyes widened, contrary to his expectation, those few hundred Tunisian soldiers should have fled already. He had heard rumors about the Tunisian troops back home, saying they couldn¡¯t even maintain formation and were practically defenceless.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that the Tunisian soldiers had been used as elite forces by Lafayette in India¡­

    ¡°Quick! Move to support them immediately!¡±

    With a loud shout, Ney took the lead with the first and second platoons, which were already arranged neatly, and rushed towards Tamire.

    One-third of the soldiers in these platoons were those he brought from Salz, and their capabilities were much stronger than the others. Originally, he had planned to take them to apply for the military academy¡ªthe tuition, lodging, and meals are all free for civilians¡ªbut Salz had no military academy, and the enrollment season for other military academies that accepted civilians was over.

    Eventually, on the recommendation of a relative who had joined the Guard Corps, he decided to come to North Africa. Along the way, many civilians planning to join the North African conflict learned that he was an officer and voluntarily followed him, swelling the group to as many as eight platoons¡­

    The vanguard of the Moroccan Imperial Guard never expected to encounter resistance; their scouting Cavalry had reported that Tamire¡¯s garrison had already left.

    Therefore, when those Tunisian soldiers hiding outside Bizerte City suddenly opened fire on them, it threw them into temporary chaos.

    The Moroccan Imperial Guard, composed entirely of black soldiers, quickly regained their footing and launched a counterattack. However, just as they were getting the better of the more than 300 Tunisian soldiers, forcing them to retreat continuously and almost to the point of collapse, a slender line of formation composed of soldiers in white uniforms appeared in their view.

 Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: Chapter 401: The Courage of Commoners (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

    Chapter 488: Chapter 401: The Courage of Commoners (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

    Morocco¡¯s Black Guard fought with discipline, quickly maneuvering under an officer¡¯s command, forming a front facing the reinforcement troops of the French people.

    Almost a thousand black soldiers, arranged in four rows, charged towards the French Army at the urging of the trumpet.

    Ney himself stood at the very front of the infantry, drawing his sword and pointing it towards the dense, black mass of soldiers opposite him, he shouted loudly,

    ¡°Do not fear, they are but slaves who have been captured, they do not know how to fight! Just shoot as you did in training, and they will soon flee!¡±

    Although he said this, the orderly ranks of the Moroccan soldiers showed they were well-trained, and their combat strength was not to be taken lightly.

    Soon, the Moroccan Army had closed in to less than 80 paces, and some of Ney¡¯s soldiers began to shoot in panic.

    Fortunately, the panic did not spread. When the two sides were about 60 paces apart, Ney swung his sword forcefully,

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    More than 200 Charleville 1763-type flintlock guns emitted irregular flashes of light, causing the Moroccans¡¯ advance to stagger slightly, but they almost immediately continued their push forward.

    At the same time, because the Moroccans outnumbered them by several times, the narrow ends of the infantry line started to close in, forming an encirclement around Ney.

    ¡°Do not fear!¡± Ney still stood in the very front of the line, braving enemy fire, loudly boosting morale, ¡°Do not tremble, reload quickly. Our men will be here soon, these slaves won¡¯t do anything to you!¡±

    His 200 soldiers, who were farmers not long ago, looked at their commander, Ney, standing resolutely in place, and felt much more at ease. Following the drum command, they exchanged fire with the Moroccan Imperial Guard at a distance of 40 paces.

    Ney heard the bullets whistling past his ears, followed by the piercing screams of agony from behind.

    He glanced over and saw at least twenty or more soldiers hit by bullets, their bodies torn open by the shots, writhing and struggling on the ground like fish tossed ashore.

    The soldiers around him, covered in their blood and innards, stood petrified in place, not knowing what to do, while others started to shuffle backward in overwhelming fear.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Ney picked up a dead soldier¡¯s gun and started loading gunpowder, while shouting, ¡°Remember the oath you made when you came here. Just hold out for another half hour, and you can return home full of honor! Your families and villagers will be proud of you, and your neighbors will tell stories about you!¡±

    ¡°And all of this, god damn it, starts with the hands that load your guns. Get moving, move it!¡±

    He then looked toward the less than 300 Tunisian soldiers on the flank,

    ¡°You all must¡¯ve had enough rest by now, right? On my command, fire together!¡±

    He quickly loaded his musket, aiming at the black faces coming his way. With his lead, the soldiers of the French Army finally began, trembling, to pour gunpowder into their barrels, while the Tunisian soldiers also lifted their guns once more.

    ¡°Aim¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    At Ney¡¯s loud shout, he also pulled the trigger.

    Following him, the sound of ¡°crackling¡± gunfire came from behind; the Moroccans, who were nearly in their faces, didn¡¯t expect the French Army to still be able to organize a volley, and nearly 30 of them fell at the sound, while those on either side of the dead instinctively turned away, attempting to dodge the bullets.

    ¡°Well done! You¡¯ve done it!¡± Ney¡¯s voice was already hoarse, but he still shouted with all his might, ¡°Continue to load, do not stop!¡±

    There was no wind near the battlefield, the thick gun smoke obstructed the vision of the French soldiers, which ironically prevented them from becoming overly frightened. Anyway, Commander Ney was still with them, which meant the situation was not too dire.

    The nearby Tunisian soldiers also commenced their intermittent firing, and the Moroccans, after taking a heavy blow, began to fall back.

    Hearing the enemy¡¯s footsteps begin to recede, even the French people and Tunisians who, just a moment before, had been scared to the point of wetting their pants now let out a sigh of relief, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted, and cheered.

    Ney was just about to take a breath of relief when he faintly heard a ¡°thud, thud¡± knocking sound coming from both flanks, causing his pupils to constrict suddenly.

    The Moroccans were closing in from both sides.

    They had barely managed to hold off the frontal attack just now, and if they were to be caught in a pincer attack, they would surely collapse immediately.

    He closed his eyes and made the sign of the cross in front of his chest, pondering which side to launch a counter-attack on¡ªretreat was out of the question; at such a close distance, turning their backs to the enemy was tantamount to suicide. Attacking one side of the enemy fiercely might still buy some time.

    He just didn¡¯t know whether these soldiers could adjust the direction of their line formation in time¡­

    Muttering to himself, not a single thought of surrender crossed his mind. He had grown up listening to his father, who had served in the army, talk about the Seven Years¡¯ War, and he detested cowards who surrendered. He always saw himself as someone who could keep up with the enemy until the very last moment.

    Ney ran back and forth, loudly ordering the officers to have their soldiers turn to face the north.

    However, within just over ten minutes, he heard a din of Arabic behind him.

    When he looked at his soldiers again, they were still in a disorganized clump, and the Tunisians were even more so.

    There was no way they could fight in this kind of formation. His heart suddenly cooled, realizing that his first true command in battle would also be his last¡­

    Just as he was preparing to recklessly collide with the Moroccans and meet his death, a series of hoofbeats emerged again from the south.

    ¡°The enemy¡¯s cavalry has joined the fray?¡±

    He laughed, shaking his head, drew his sword, and pointed behind the gunsmoke:

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡±

    After waiting for a moment, the Moroccan¡¯s offensive seemed to slow down, followed shortly by faint gunshot sounds occurring behind them.

    Although Ney didn¡¯t know what was going on, he immediately seized the opportunity, urging the soldiers to form up desperately.

    Once the smoke finally cleared, he hurriedly stood on his horse and used a telescope to look to the south. He saw a troop of cavalry dressed in white military uniforms harassing the enemy from behind and to the side, forcing the Moroccans to tighten their formation for defense.

    ¡°It¡¯s those nobles!¡±

    For the first time in his life, Ney felt that those noble lords weren¡¯t so hateful after all, and turned to the soldiers, excitedly saying:

    ¡°Our reinforcements have arrived! Victory is ours!¡±

    Sanel spurred his ¡°flying crossbow¡± to speed past the Moroccan Army formation, raised his short musket, and pulled the trigger toward the dark-complexioned enemies.

    At a distance of over 80 steps, the short musket had no killing power, but its loud report was enough to intimidate the enemy.

    As 150 or more noble cavalry thundered towards the nearby Moroccan positions and then turned around to form up, the Moroccans were thrown into confusion by this sudden attack, and quickly chose to retreat.

    Moro ordered his soldiers to close ranks with their compatriots, and soon located Ney amidst the crowd.

    He stepped forward graciously, lifted his hat, and smiled:

    ¡°Lieutenant, it seems you were surrounded by the enemy. Luckily, my timely arrival with the men saved you all. How about that, we¡¯re impressive, right?¡±

 Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: Chapter 402 Reckless Battle Plan (Seeking Followers)

    Chapter 489: Chapter 402 Reckless Battle Plan (Seeking Followers)

    Seeing Ney about to place his hand on his chest in salute, Moro casually waved him off:

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need for excessive gratitude. The Cavalry Corps is simply following the call of honor.¡±

    Ney paused, truly wanting to kick this loathsome aristocrat twice.

    He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Still, I must thank you for the reinforcements. But in the end, it was us who held Tamire.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Moro glanced at the Tunisian ranks to the side, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for them holding back the enemy, you and your men would probably have been standing outside the Town of Tamirai.¡±

    ¡°They were under my command¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Moro said with a sly fox-like grin, ¡°it was I who ordered them to defend the town¡¯s west. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask your messenger, hmm, I hope he hasn¡¯t fallen in battle.¡±

    Ney paused again and gave a look to his attendant. The latter quickly departed and then ran back, nodding to him, ¡°Lieutenant, indeed it was Lieutenant Moro¡¯s order.¡±

    ¡°God¡­¡±

    Half an hour later, the other soldiers brought by Ney finally completed their formation and caught up.

    Afterward, the rest of the Nobility Cavalry arrived, most of them on foot.

    In a rush for time, Moro had picked 150 cavalrymen with better riding skills, having the others hand over their horses to them, with a configuration of three horses per person, they raced all the way to reinforce Ney.

    After one cooperation between the nobles and civilians, the two sides appeared less confrontational than before, and immediately returned together to the town of Tamirai.

    Outside the town hall, Ney glanced at the setting sun in the west and said to Moro, ¡°It seems the Moroccans won¡¯t come again today.¡±

    ¡°So, can we go enjoy dinner now?¡±

    Without showing any trace of emotion, Ney glanced at him and turned to walk westward, ¡°Let¡¯s take this chance to have the soldiers build a breastwork. It will be useful when the enemy attacks tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Breastwork?¡± Moro frowned, ¡°Are you planning to hold out here to the death?¡±

    ¡°Of course, otherwise, why would we have desperately stopped the Moroccans today?¡±

    Moro waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the news? The Moroccan Army has at least ten thousand men, whereas together, we have¡­ Oh, how many soldiers did you bring?¡±

    ¡°855 men. Now only 782 remain.¡±

    ¡°Hm, we have less than 1800 men in total. Adding the Tunisian soldiers, that¡¯s just 2000.¡± Moro gestured around, ¡°Defending this place, we¡¯ll be surrounded immediately. This little town has no fortress for support.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to fear?¡± Ney snorted coldly, ¡°General Sherelle surely knows we¡¯ve been attacked here, and his army could arrive in three to four days.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t hold out for two days if we stay here.¡±

    ¡°We can.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°As you wish. You can take your men and leave; I¡¯ll defend Tamirai on my own.¡±

    ¡°Are you confident?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s reckless.¡± Not waiting for the other to get angry, Moro immediately continued, ¡°Since we¡¯re being reckless, why not use a method with a higher chance of success?¡±

    Ney looked at him somewhat unexpectedly, ¡°What do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°Simple, leave the Tunisian soldiers and your wounded in the town,¡± Moro said, ¡°Hmm, the numbers might not be sufficient, so let¡¯s also leave the servants.¡±

    More than half of the nobles had brought attendants who had been somewhat trained and were capable of combat.

    ¡°That will leave nearly a thousand people in the town. Let them masquerade as us, and we will move to the south of Tamirai.¡±

    Unconsciously, Ney asked, ¡°To do what?¡±

    ¡°Why, to pretend we are General Sherelle¡¯s troops,¡± Moro said with a cunning smile.

    ¡­

    The nobility army and the civilian army left Tamirai together before dawn the next day.

    Lieutenant Ney glanced at the several carts of logistics supplies, then looked back at the town with concern, and turned to Moro, saying,

    ¡°Where did you get these things? Surely not by looting¡­¡±

    ¡°You are insulting me,¡± Moro replied indignantly, ¡°These were all requisitioned for us by the civic commissioner overnight.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but you don¡¯t have the authority to requisition.¡±

    They were all there to bolster Sherelle¡¯s Legion, and before officially registering, they didn¡¯t even have a unit number, much less the authority to requisition supplies.

    ¡°Hmm, I told them it was authorized by General Sherelle.¡±

    ¡°God!¡± Ney moved in closer, alarmed, and whispered, ¡°You could be court-martialed for this!¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯d better pray that we win.¡±

    ¡°I will pray for you.¡±

    ¡°No, for you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I told them it was a command relayed by you.¡±

    ¡°¡­You really are a scoundrel.¡±

    The two men led their respective troops until they were more than ten kilometers from Tamirai, where they chose a piece of high ground to camp. The camp was built to be more than twice as large as they needed it to be.

    Before long, Moro¡¯s hussars arrived to report, ¡°Lieutenant sir, the Moroccans have begun attacking Tamirai. There are over three thousand of the enemy.¡±

    Ney was shocked, ¡°We must go and assist at once!¡±

    Moro, however, glanced at his pocket watch and shook his head, ¡°No need, a thousand men can certainly hold the town for four or five hours. And in two more hours, it will be dark.¡±

    He closed the watch, ¡°Everyone rest well, we will take the offensive at dawn tomorrow. That¡¯s the way to maintain the spirit of General Sherelle.¡±

    ¡­

    The next day.

    The Moroccan black General Agold peered through his telescope at the nearly five thousand-strong army surrounding Tamirai, a cold smirk flickering in his eyes.

    There should be less than two thousand French troops in the town, or perhaps Tunisian troops, but as long as his forces launched an attack, they were bound to take over the place today.

    Although it was a day later than Said Pasha hoped, they would still manage to take Bizerte Port before the main force of the French Army could come to its aid.

    He waved his finger at an attendant by his side, and soon a deep horn sound echoed all around, and more than a dozen cannons began to pummel the town with shells.

    As Agold watched the wooden fences on the outskirts of Tamirai being blasted to pieces, just as he was about to order a full assault, he saw two cavalrymen hurrying over, saluting him and saying,

    ¡°General, a French force has appeared on our right flank, it seems they are about to attack.¡±

    ¡°Hm? How many are there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not very clear, their scout cavalry is too numerous, it¡¯s hard to get close.¡±

    Where did this large force of French troops come from nearby? Agold pondered for a moment and then galloped south.

    At some distance from the Moroccans¡¯ right wing, Agold heard the resounding boom of cannons.

    He counted silently, there had to be more than fifteen cannons. This was definitely the main force of the French Army!

    Could it be that Sherelle¡¯s Legion had arrived?

    Agold, exercising caution, quickly called back the troops besieging Tamirai and set up a southern defensive line.

    Not far from the Moroccan forces, a group of French soldiers was busy filling several iron barrels, wrapped in cowhide, with gunpowder, tamping it down, sealing it with mud, and then igniting the gunpowder through a small hole at the back of the barrels.

    Suddenly, there were bright flashes of light followed by a series of deafening explosions.

 Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: Chapter 403: Fief and Title (Extra for Daytime Helmsman of Time)

    Chapter 490: Chapter 403: Fief and Title (Extra for Daytime Helmsman of Time)

    Ney glanced at those iron bucket ¡°cannons¡± with disdain and said to Moro:

    ¡°Your ¡®little invention¡¯ is quite interesting. However, it certainly won¡¯t fool Moroccans for long, for they will realize that after being bombarded for so long, not a single one of them is injured.¡±

    ¡°You really should read David Hume¡¯s ¡®A Treatise of Human Nature¡¯,¡± Moro pointed at the distant Moroccan positions, ¡°They will just think they are lucky and then laugh at the poor skills of the French gunners.¡±

    ¡°¡­Suit yourself.¡±

    After the ¡°bombardment¡± continued for a while, the French infantry line appeared on the horizon.

    Ney nervously reminded his soldiers to keep their spacing, backing against the forest¡ªthe infantry line was only one row deep, and the men were spaced extremely far apart, which could only pass muster against the dim backdrop of the woods.

    Meanwhile, Moro led the cavalry back and forth alongside the line formation, indicating an intent to fight a major battle.

    Agold, watching from afar, saw the infantry line that stretched over a kilometer long, and the clouds of dust raised by the cavalry troops; his brows immediately furrowed.

    At least 4,000 infantry and more than 1,000 cavalry, along with 15 cannons¡ªthere was no doubt this was Sherelle¡¯s Legion.

    But how did they manage to come all the way from the lower reaches of the Oued Medjerda in such a short time?

    Before long, another cavalry came to report that they had found the French camp, four miles to the south. By judging its scale, it was likely a force of nearly ten thousand camping there.

    Now Agold was even more convinced.

    Given the French Army¡¯s combat power, his five to six thousand men were no match at all¡ªthey could only wait for Said Pasha to arrive with the main force of the Guard before they could fight a decisive battle with the French.

    No, something was wrong, he suddenly paused, recalling the Sultan¡¯s orders: the Guard should avoid direct conflict with the French main force¡ªthey were there to raid Tunisia and then demand rewards from the British. Going head-to-head with a great power like France, win or lose, was not in the interest of Morocco.

    He pondered for a long time before turning to instruct his attendant:

    ¡°Leave the Aghd Corps behind, everyone else retreat covertly. And yes, keep the cannons firing to confuse the French.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    Moro had initially thought he would have to repel one or two feigned attacks from the Moroccans at great cost before they could be thoroughly bluffed, but unexpectedly, there was no sign that the enemy wanted to fight at all.

    Of course, he was happy to drag out the time, so he ordered the iron bucket ¡°cannons¡± to fire with all their might, pretending the battle was fierce.

    Thus, the two armies, almost a mile apart, ¡°boomed and thundered¡± against each other all day long, and each withdrew their troops when it became dark.

    The next day the bombardment continued until the afternoon, when Moro suddenly felt that something was not quite right, so he took the risk of leading half of the cavalry to raid the Moroccans, only to find that there weren¡¯t any enemy cavalry coming to defend.

    He boldly circled Tamire several times and finally confirmed that there were fewer than 2,000 Moroccan soldiers still holding the front line, while the rest of the enemy had long since disappeared.

    He had never imagined that his act was so convincing that it had directly scared the Moroccans away¡­

    After returning, he consulted with Ney, gathered all the troops, including the few hundred from the Tunisian Army in Tamire, and launched a fierce attack on the Moroccan force from two directions at the same time.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    The second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

    Joseph looked at the map of North Africa on the table, his expression showing some worry.

    According to intelligence reports received last week, there had been large-scale troop movements in Algiers and Tripoli, signaling that the British could no longer restrain themselves from taking action against Tunisia.

    Meanwhile, news from India was that the Mysore Army was fiercely attacking Tiruchirappalli, the southernmost state of the Carnatic. Should Mysore seize it, they would be able to directly confront the British¡¯s only supply point in southeastern India, Nagapattinam.

    Joseph was convinced that if there was any risk of Nagapattinam being lost, the British would surely return to the negotiation table¡ªthis port being critical for the British mercantile fleet returning from East Asia. Without resupplying there, British merchant ships would have to detour by hundreds of nautical miles to Madras in central India for fresh water and food, or pay the French in Puducherry for supplies.

    Therefore, the British would definitely invest heavily to create chaos in Tunisia before issues arise in Nagapattinam, using it as a bargaining chip in exchange for interests in India.

    The staff headquarters had already dispatched 6,000 troops to reinforce Tunisia, which was the limit of what the French finances could bear.

    To be frank, if the situation in Tunisia deteriorated significantly, then Joseph would have no choice but to redeploy the Guard Corps to North Africa to clean up the mess, which would inevitably affect strategic deployments in the Southern Netherlands.

    Should it come to that, he would have to consider accepting the British terms and for both sides to cease hostilities. That also meant the failure of his strategy to limit the British in India.

    Just then, Eman knocked and entered, handing over a confidential report, ¡°Your Highness, this has just arrived from Tunisia.¡±

    Joseph immediately opened the wooden tube at the greatest speed, spilling out the several pages within.

    When he saw the report was from General Barth¨¦lemy Louis Joseph Sherelle, he couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled¡ªusually, this should be the job of the intelligence agency.

    He quickly read the main content, which mentioned that the Moroccans had joined the siege on Tunisia, deploying over 14,000 of their most elite Black Guards, and having the Algiers Guard feign an attack on Kaf to lure the main force of Sherelle¡¯s Legion to the lower reaches of the Oued Medjerda.

    Joseph frowned and continued reading, to see Sherelle reporting that two ¡°volunteer¡± detachments that had come to join his legion fiercely defended Tamire with fewer than 2,000 troops, repelling a Moroccan force of 10,000, capturing over 700 and seizing 11 cannons¡­

    Hmm? Joseph raised an eyebrow, 2,000 against 10,000 and still emerged completely victorious, taking captives and seizing equipment¡ªwhat was happening?

    On the last page, when he saw the detailed battle report, his eyes suddenly brightened.

    Victor Moro, Michel Ney? So it was the two ¡®marshal-level¡¯ big shots who were commanding the battle!

    Then achieving a victory ratio of one against five was not surprising at all.

    Joseph silently marveled: France truly abounded with talent; Napoleon¡¯s invincible marshals, who were now merely lieutenants each leading soldiers not under their own command, had unexpectedly thwarted the Moroccan¡¯s sneak attack.

    No wonder this intelligence came from Sherelle¡ªit was a victory on the front lines, and he aimed to report the triumph before the intelligence bureau did.

    When Joseph saw that Moro¡¯s detachment of noble soldiers called themselves ¡°God¡¯s Guidance¡± Cavalry Regiment, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and chuckle. Everyone was an adult, yet they chose such an adolescent name.

    However, if that¡¯s what they liked, then so be it.

    Joseph immediately picked up his pen and endorsed the report, formally granting the title ¡°God¡¯s Guidance Royal Cavalry Regiment¡± to those 1,000 noble soldiers.

    At the same time, Moro was promoted extraordinarily to Major, and Ney to Lieutenant. The former was granted 700 hectares of land in Tripoli, and the latter, 500 hectares.

 Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Chapter 405: The Passage to Egypt

    Chapter 492: Chapter 405: The Passage to Egypt

    ¡°`

    As for the other major powers on the European Continent, they probably wouldn¡¯t have much of a reaction to France sending troops to Tripoli.

    Austria was beaten and battered in Silesia, begging France to send reinforcements.

    Spain was practically family and had a secret pact with France to jointly retake Gibraltar and then unify the Iberian Peninsula. At most, a few benefits could be given, and they would stay out of it.

    Russia, on the other hand, hoped that France would send troops to Tripoli. After all, the 12,000 soldiers stationed there were all Ottoman Imperial Guards. If Russia wanted to control the Black Sea, it had to completely crush the Ottoman Empire. The more Ottoman troops France could eliminate in North Africa, the fewer enemies they would face on the battlefield later.

    Moreover, the Gemini Trading Company mostly ran the Mediterranean routes. France controlling another trade port in the Mediterranean would also bring more benefits to Russia.

    Poland was caught up in a national awakening, with the elite class giving speeches on the streets and organizing massive demonstrations, leaving them no time to worry about other matters.

    The only major power that might oppose France¡¯s attack on Tripoli was Prussia. But the Prussian navy¡­ well, they hardly had a navy at all, so what could they do even if they had an opinion? Anyway, the Prussian-French skirmish in the Southern Netherlands had already begun, and if worse came to worst, France could send more troops and see if Prussia dared to provoke again, risking their forces in Silesia.

    Minor countries like Sardinia, Denmark, and Bavaria wouldn¡¯t dare to interfere in France¡¯s affairs.

    So this time, Joseph was determined to secure Tripoli!

    Speaking of which, he had to thank the British. If it weren¡¯t for their meddling behind the scenes, prompting Ben Guerir to attack Tunisia, he wouldn¡¯t have found such a solid reason to send out troops.

    In fact, at this time, Tripoli appeared in the eyes of European nations as a desolate land with a population of less than 700,000. Though its territory was slightly smaller than Tunisia[Note 1], its output and port positions were average, with only the City of Tripoli, Zawiya, and a few habitable cities, and Tripoli Port having any real value.

    However, Joseph was well aware that Tripoli would be an important gateway to Egypt. Without Tripoli, the idea of cutting the Suez Canal in Egypt would be an unrealistic fantasy¡ªonce the Suez Canal opened, it could halve the maritime trade route between the Far East and Europe. Whoever controlled the Suez Canal could control the economic lifeline of Europe.

    In this situation, the British would surely fight desperately to prevent France from obtaining the canal. Without shaking the British maritime dominance, securing supplies through land-based routes in Tripoli was the only chance to gain a foothold in Egypt.

    Joseph had to take advantage of the favorable international situation and quickly establish real control over Tripoli. By the time other countries reacted, it would be too late for them to intervene.

    Bertier looked at the Crown Prince in surprise and, after a moment, finally spoke,

    ¡°Your Highness, our large forces are tied up in the Southern Netherlands and Silesia. If we rashly attack Tripoli and the Ottoman react violently¡ª¡±

    After all, Tripoli was still nominally a province of the Ottoman Empire, so his worry wasn¡¯t without reason.

    Joseph calmly replied, ¡°Most of Salem III¡¯s attention is focused on implementing domestic reforms and won¡¯t expend energy for the distant Tripoli. If the Ottomans dispatch significant forces, the Russians would eagerly seize the opportunity to gobble up all their territory along the Black Sea.

    ¡°And even if the Ottoman do want to fight, we have plenty of forces.¡±

    Bertier paused, hesitated, and said, ¡°Your Highness, with all due respect, our forces might¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, the conflicts in the Southern Netherlands and Algiers will conclude by the year¡¯s end, and we can reallocate over 60,000 troops to deploy to Tripoli.¡±

    ¡­

    October 25, 1789.

    Paris.

    The rain poured heavily, with occasional flashes of lightning slicing through the sky, making it appear gloomy.

    Several unremarkable black carriages stopped at the Versailles Palace Square. The door of the foremost carriage was opened, and a footman, hunched against the rain, got down, placing steps before the carriage door and quickly unfurled an umbrella.

    The Marquess of Wellesley, England¡¯s Foreign Minister, bent as he exited the carriage, gazing towards the entrance of the Palace of Versailles. He saw no one coming to greet him, just a few guards coldly watching from the gate.

    Wellesley¡¯s expression was darker than the storm clouds. Earlier that morning, he had received a secret letter from the Governor-General of India, Cornwallis.

    The letter mentioned that the Maratha Confederacy demanded that England provide 250,000 British Pounds, along with 20 cannons and 15,000 flintlock guns, to continue their reinforcement of Carnatic.

    Moreover, Hyderabad put forth even higher demands, asking for the return of the Kondaveedu area to England and, after repelling Mysore, acquisition of the Nizam¡¯s House of Carnatic.

    Cornwallis had, on behalf of the East India Company, agreed to the Maratha¡¯s demands, while as for Hyderabad, he indicated that he would await the board¡¯s decision to buy some time.

    Wellesley took a deep breath of the cold air. It puzzled him greatly. Hyderabad had allied with Mysore decades ago, so their interference was somewhat understandable. But Maratha had long aligned with England, so why were they suddenly being difficult?

    Little did he know, France¡¯s Consul at Mysore, Salah, had secretly contacted the Marathas months prior.

    Salah remembered how the Crown Prince had said that Indians would feel disadvantaged if they didn¡¯t gain any benefits. He and Mysore¡¯s representative, Shah, made wild promises to the Marathas, offering even the North Karnataka region and 200,000 British Pounds as an incentive to gain their support for Mysore.

    The Marathas then turned around and presented these as conditions to England.

    As for Hyderabad, they further increased their demands to England, adding 30% more on top of what Salah offered.

    Wellesley realized that the East India Company had no choice but to agree to their conditions¡ªwithout the cooperation of the Indian Princely States, relying solely on British forces to trek thousands of miles to battle with Mysore would ultimately prove exhausting.

    He gritted his teeth, stepped into the puddles on the ground, leading several diplomats towards the gates of the Palace of Versailles.

    Whether it was due to the heavy rain or the footman improperly positioning the umbrella, by the time Wellesley finally glimpsed Talleyrand¡¯s infuriating face, half of his clothing was soaked through by rain, water dripping from his cuffs with a ¡°plop plop,¡± leaving him in an exceptionally disheveled state.

    [Note 1]In the late 18th century, only the coastal strip of Tripoli was significantly populated, with the southern inland being practically barren. In addition, Benghazi and areas further east were not part of Tripoli at this time. So it was far from being as large as Libya in the 21st century.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: Chapter 406: Franco-British Negotiations, the Super Disgusting Talleyrand

    Chapter 493: Chapter 406: Franco-British Negotiations, the Super Disgusting Talleyrand

    ¡°Ha! I thought we wouldn¡¯t meet until after the Christmas Mass,¡± Talleyrand said, leaning on his cane and pointing down the corridor, his face brimming with a smile. ¡°This way, my old friend.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley followed silently, all the while cursing inwardly. If it hadn¡¯t been for Cornwallis¡¯s idiotic performance on the battlefield, he wouldn¡¯t have had to hurry to Paris to be ridiculed by the damn French!

    He walked on and then suddenly felt something was amiss; turning his head, he surveyed the surroundings:

    ¡°Your Excellency, Archbishop, are we going the wrong way? This doesn¡¯t seem to be the direction to the Hall of Peace.¡±

    According to French custom, important negotiations in the Palace of Versailles were usually conducted in the Hall of Peace.

    Talleyrand turned his head, revealing an apologetic expression:

    ¡°Unfortunately, my lord Marquess, the Hall of Peace is about to host a signing ceremony for the Paris Gas Industry Company and Paris City Hall regarding the installation of gas streetlights.

    ¡°Ah, you see, the Gas Industry Company has already reserved that location. We can talk just as well elsewhere.¡±

    Wellesley nearly let slip a swear word¡ªdid that wretched cripple mean to imply that the Foreign Minister of the mighty British Empire was less important than some gas company?

    But Talleyrand continued enthusiastically:

    ¡°Oh, right, my lord Marquess, on the 15th of next month, there will be an inaugural ceremony for the gas streetlights in Paris, and I cordially invite you to attend. It¡¯s certainly an event not to be missed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± the Briton replied, his face grim as he forced the words through clenched teeth.

    Soon, the diplomatic staff from both France and England took their seats in a small reception room.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Talleyrand seemed very interested in the topic of gas streetlights, speaking endlessly of their merits:

    ¡°These lanterns are so fascinating. Oh, and you¡¯ll never guess which city will be the third to have its night sky illuminated by gas lamps after Paris and Lyon!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Tunis City!¡± the cripple proclaimed triumphantly. ¡°Surprising, isn¡¯t it? Well, the threat from the brigands of Algiers is no longer a concern, so many investors have seen potential in that place. The Duke of Tunis himself will come to Paris to sign the contract with the Gas Industry Company.¡±

    ¡°Cough¡ª¡± The Marquess of Wellesley had to awkwardly interrupt Talleyrand¡¯s spiel about gas lamps, ¡°Your Excellency, Archbishop, you know why I am here. It is time for our two nations to clarify some misunderstandings.

    ¡°While the ¡®brigands¡¯ of Algiers brought disaster upon Tunisia, the brigands of Mysore also inflicted substantial losses on the British East India Company.

    ¡°I believe we should cooperate in combating these brigand powers.¡±

    Talleyrand waved his hand with a smile:

    ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, but our armed forces have already given the People of Algiers and Moroccans a severe lesson, and there¡¯s no trouble anymore in the northwest of Tunisia.

    ¡°By the way, how is the situation with the East India Company now?¡±

    Wellesley sighed inwardly; why were the Moroccans as foolish as Cornwallis! He would surely have to sacrifice some interests to salvage the situation in India¡ªin fact, the British Parliament had already authorized him to make considerable concessions.

    He didn¡¯t pick up on Talleyrand¡¯s conversational gambit but instead said:

    ¡°Your Excellency, Archbishop, my country will condemn the brigands of Tripoli and support your country¡¯s necessary retaliation against them.¡±

    Poor Ben Guerir was thus labeled as ¡°brigands.¡± The implication was that he was agreeing to France extending its influence to Tripoli.

    ¡°A very wise decision!¡± Talleyrand nodded with a smile, ¡°However, the brigands of Algiers have also caused severe damage to our Tunisia. Did you know? Her Majesty the Queen has already decided to declare war on Algiers. I believe that England should also express its support for this action.¡±

    Wellesley immediately said, ¡°No, that is not acceptable¡­¡±

    As for Tripoli, although its land is fertile, he absolutely could not accept Algiers, with an area approaching that of two Tunisias, becoming within the sphere of influence of France.

    Talleyrand interrupted him directly:

    ¡°To my knowledge, two months ago, Carnatic had already lost half of its territory at Tiruchirappalli. Perhaps we could wait and see, maybe Mysore will suddenly be inspired by the Divine and withdraw its troops.¡±

    Wellesley took a deep breath and threatened,

    ¡°Your Excellency the Archbishop, I have heard that your country¡¯s merchant ships have been frequently heading to the Pacific Ocean region. Perhaps they require the Royal Navy of England to ensure their shipping routes remain open.¡±

    Talleyrand, of course, knew that he was threatening to attack French merchant ships. Those were the fleets transporting wool from New Zealand. However, he simply shrugged indifferently:

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, but I have heard that the Russians suddenly took an interest in Pacific trade.¡±

    Indeed, the ships of the Twin Companies all flew the Russian flag, and most of the sailors were Russians too.

    Wellesley faltered, then coldly said:

    ¡°Those ports in the Pacific are equally unsafe.¡±

    He was threatening to attack the trade hubs directly. Although England was still unclear about who the French and Russian merchant ships were doing business with, with the strength of the Royal fleet, they could certainly find out if they wished.

    ¡°I do not care,¡± Talleyrand spread his hands, ¡°The pirates might as well try their luck.¡±

    His Highness the Crown Prince had told him that the Maori of New Zealand Island needed no protection from France, and that it would take at least half of England¡¯s military power and more than five years to possibly conquer that place.

    Such a large expenditure was absolutely unacceptable for England.

    Wellesley tested him again and again, confirming that the cripple was not bluffing, and inwardly he moaned¡ªhis hand had almost run out.

    He abruptly stood up, gritting his teeth:

    ¡°Your Excellency the Archbishop, if you continue to be so aggressive, the only result will be a war!¡±

    Talleyrand looked at his furious expression and knew he had almost reached the breaking point, immediately waving his hand to signal:

    ¡°Relax a bit, dear Marquis. At least we need to punish the Moroccan bandits entrenched in Annaba. After that, the Mysore army attacking Carnatic might indeed be touched by the Divine.¡±

    Wellesley thought angrily: Damn that cripple, they are Muslim, the Divine will not bother with them!

    However, he slowly sat back down, ¡°If it is limited to Annaba, perhaps we can negotiate¡­¡±

    At 5 p.m., Wellesley returned to London with one hand clutching his aching stomach and the other holding the initial draft of the ¡°Non-Intervention Treaty¡± for presentation to the Congress for review and signature, his face somber, but his mind already contemplating what to do after resigning as Foreign Minister.

    Yes, after taking over the mess left by the Duke of Leeds, he had been full of confidence, thinking he could turn the situation around, only to find that he had lost even more than his predecessor.

    Just last year, the Duke of Leeds had resigned because of an inappropriate North African strategy, and he could not avoid following in his footsteps.

    ¡°Perhaps I could go to India, tell Cornwallis how to resolve the trouble there,¡± he murmured to himself.

    It was after the deployment of troops from Mysore that he gradually fell into a passive position, so he absolutely had to recover his losses from there.

 Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: Chapter 407 Queen Mary and "The Crown Princess

    Chapter 494: Chapter 407 Queen Mary and ¡°The Crown Princess

    Within the small theater of Petit Trianon Palace, Joseph unfastened the buttons of his cumbersome theatrical costume and pointed to the actors reciting their lines on stage. He turned to Talleyrand and said:

    ¡°I apologize, please speak up. It¡¯s too noisy here, I can¡¯t hear clearly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, Your Highness,¡± the Foreign Minister raised his voice, ¡°The British have two main demands.

    ¡°First, France must not provide any support to Mysore, including recalling Marquis de Lafayette.

    ¡°Second, France must issue an announcement clarifying that Britain and the Southern Netherlands exporting revolutions is not connected.¡±

    ¡°As expected,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°And what do we gain?¡±

    Talleyrand, clearly excited, took out his notes and read aloud:

    ¡°First, Britain will not support North African countries, including Morocco, and will publicly condemn the aggressive actions of Algiers, Morocco, and Tripoli against Tunisia.

    ¡°Second, Britain will recognize Annaba in Tunisia, Tripoli, and Algiers as within France¡¯s sphere of influence.¡±

    ¡°Annaba?¡± Joseph looked at the Archbishop surprisingly, as this wasn¡¯t originally on his ¡°list.¡±

    Talleyrand lifted his chin a bit proudly:

    ¡°I offered some spies from the Southern Netherlands in exchange, and the British agreed quite readily.¡±

    ¡°You have done very well,¡± Joseph nodded in approval. Annaba Province was the only passage from Algiers to Tunisia¡ªif one didn¡¯t count the route through the southern desert. If we could control this area, the security of western Tunisia would be greatly enhanced.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Furthermore, from Tunisia, it serves as a beachhead into Algiers. The Algiers Guard had provoked France twice, and that score definitely couldn¡¯t just be settled so easily.

    Moreover, the area isn¡¯t small, it¡¯s almost as large as France¡¯s Montpellier Province and includes a good port. While somewhat redundant with Bizerte Port, it was better than nothing, and it would reduce the cost of shipping grain sold from Algiers to France in the future.

    ¡°It¡¯s my duty,¡± Talleyrand gave a bow, continuing to read his ¡°spoils of war,¡± ¡°Third, Carnatic will remain permanently neutral, and Britain will not seek an alliance with it.¡±

    Given Britain¡¯s power, so-called alliances with Indian states essentially meant recognition of British paternity. This point meant that Britain would have a power vacuum to its southeast in India, providing France with an opportunity to step back into the Indian subcontinent in the future. Puducherry, France¡¯s only foothold in India, lies adjacent to Carnatic.

    ¡°Fourth, Britain will use its influence to push Russia to stay out of the Silesian conflict.¡±

    This was a demand from Joseph, and Wellesley almost agreed without thinking¡ªRussia was currently at war with Sweden and had no intention whatsoever of getting involved in Silesia.

    However, Joseph knew that Catherine II had never ceased coveting Poland.

    To defeat Poland with the least cost, she would have to persuade both Prussia and Austria to act against Poland, which certainly meant she had to first mediate the war between the two.

    And the usual Russian method of mediation was¡ªyou two stop fighting, otherwise I¡¯ll send in troops.

    Talleyrand closed his notebook:

    ¡°Fifth and last, Britain will reveal the whereabouts of Oscar Poli to us, but he must not die in Britain.¡±

    This was also a demand from Joseph. As for Oscar Poli, the supreme leader of Corsican Nationalism, it was imperative to deal with him promptly.

    Not to mention that Napoleon had always considered him a spiritual mentor. To truly win Napoleon¡¯s allegiance for France, he was the biggest obstacle. Even just for the stability of Corsica, eliminating him was urgent¡ªthe nationalist faction kept fighting for power under his command in the Corsican Parliament, slandering the French Government everywhere, inciting Corsicans to resist national policies, making it impossible for Corsica to develop normally.

    In history, it was only after Napoleon used strong-arm tactics to suppress the Corsican Nationalists that the island gradually prospered. But that was after Napoleon had become the first Stadtholder and held dominion over France¡ªafter all, one¡¯s position determines their perspective. Since Joseph couldn¡¯t offer him the grand position of first Stadtholder right now, he could only deal with Paul.

    However, the British had some troublesome demands¡ªthey couldn¡¯t kill Paul in England.

    This was understandable, unlike the female swindler in the Diamond Necklace case, whom the British Government had unhesitatingly handed over to the French people. For a figure like Paul with enormous political influence, the British had to consider the implications, if he were killed in England, who in the future would dare to establish an exile government there? That the British were willing to reveal his whereabouts was already a significant concession.

    Joseph narrowed his eyes in contemplation; perhaps, for a political figure like this, social death might be more devastating than physical death¡­

    As he was thinking, the head of the court theater troupe approached carefully and bowed to him:

    ¡°Respected Crown Prince, your Annie has arrived.¡±

    Seeing Joseph look confused for a moment, the head quickly explained:

    ¡°Oh, the leading lady in your play.¡±

    Joseph smiled awkwardly, having forgotten that he had renamed the heroine in ¡°Breaking the Cerulean Sky¡± as Annie Xun¡¯er Xiao.

    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Talleyrand spoke with the Crown Prince swiftly about some details of the treaty, then took his leave.

    Joseph moved to the side of the stage in the theater and saw the troupe leader parting the crowd, bringing a little one who was not as tall as Joseph¡¯s chest, and said respectfully:

    ¡°Your Highness, this is Alexandra Pavlovna, who is playing Annie¡­¡±

    Joseph looked at the round-faced girl before him, and her gentle, soft eyes, and nodded with a smile as a greeting:

    ¡°Hello, we meet again.¡±

    Alexandra immediately lifted her skirt and curtsied: ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, respected Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°I am also pleased to see you, Grand Duchess.¡±

    A shy smile flickered across Alexandra¡¯s lips as she leaned in and whispered:

    ¡°Your Highness, your amusement park is simply the greatest invention in the world!¡±

    ¡°I am glad you enjoy it,¡± replied Joseph politely, then looked questioningly at the troupe leader, ¡°You mean the Grand Duchess is playing Annie?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, Your Highness,¡± the latter said with stiff resolve, ¡°Grand Duchess Alexandra is the most suitable candidate for this role.¡±

    He silently lamented; the role was clearly arranged by the Queen herself, who had given him strict orders not to tell anyone, so he had to shoulder the responsibility alone.

    Indeed, this was the brilliant idea Queen Mary had come up with for her son¡¯s romance¡ªto have all the nobles of the Palace of Versailles witness firsthand the Crown Prince and Alexandra as a couple, passionately performing on stage!

    In this rather indirect way, she intended to gradually make the nobility accept the fact that they would have a Russian Crown Princess. Queen Mary thought herself quite clever for coming up with such an idea.

 Chapter 495 - Chapter 495: Chapter 408: Women Competing for Attention and Jealousy

    Chapter 495: Chapter 408: Women Competing for Attention and Jealousy

    When Alexandra learned that the person she was to act opposite was the Crown Prince of France, her big eyes immediately sparkled with stars.

    She had been utterly admiring the Crown Prince, who had invented ¡°great wonders¡± such as the carousel, Ferris wheel, and pirate ships. He had also turned a profligate like Uncle Alexei into quite an accomplished gentleman, and he was so handsome! To be acting with him seemed like a dream come true!

    She quickly puffed out her chest and said in her childish voice, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured, I have studied recitation and body movement, and I will surely play Anne well!¡±

    Joseph looked at her earnest demeanor and couldn¡¯t bear to dampen the youngster¡¯s enthusiasm, so he nodded with a smile, ¡°I am honored to perform with you on stage.¡±

    To him, it didn¡¯t matter who he acted with, as long as it would promote synthetic panel furniture and soda. And having the Russian Grand Duchess play the leading lady might even open up the Russian market additionally.

    Upon hearing this, Alexandra immediately grinned broadly, but her expression suddenly stiffened. She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, moved to one side, and turned her back, fiddling with something in her mouth, before she touched her chest and sighed in relief.

    That was close, her false teeth almost fell out!

    She was at the age of losing baby teeth, with two gaps in her front teeth, and for this performance, she had spent a lot of money to have two false teeth made. However, the technology for false teeth at that time was quite bad, and there was a risk of falling off with slightly bigger movements, just like what had just happened.

    In contrast to Alexandra¡¯s happiness, the other noble misses involved in the play looked gloomily toward the troupe leader.

    They had learned from the queen¡¯s maids that the Crown Prince would be playing Hurter Xiao, so they had spared no expense to join the troupe through the back door, hoping to get close to His Highness by playing the leading lady.

    To their dismay, today the Russian girl had suddenly snatched the leading role away! And the Crown Prince seemed quite polite to her, which made them all the more resentful.

    Seeing that things were not going well, the troupe leader hastily shrank his neck and made a quick escape.

    Joseph was completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere among the actresses, focusing instead on directing several servants to move a huge ivory-colored bookcase onto the stage.

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    After adjusting the position of the bookcase, he picked up the script and started flipping through it:

    ¡°Hmm, this needs to be changed here, and here we need to add a line¡­¡±

    Soon, all the actors had received the revised script. After reading it, they all showed odd expressions on their faces. But since these changes were made by the Crown Prince, one noble miss immediately praised loudly:

    ¡°What a brilliant modification, making the original play shine with the brightness of the sun!¡±

    ¡°Indeed! His Highness¡¯s literary talent is unrivaled in Paris!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I absolutely love this line added by His Highness¡ªcool and refreshing summer, enjoying the comfortable moments. My favorite Paris Cola¡­¡±

    The noble miss read halfway and turned her head in confusion to look at the others, whispering, ¡°Do you know what this means?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know either¡­¡±

    Joseph hurriedly cleared his throat to interrupt their awkward moment, ¡°Well, everyone, once you¡¯ve memorized the lines, let¡¯s start rehearsing.¡±

    On the stage, a petite figure raised a purple potion bottle in her hand, nonchalantly shaking it at the nobleman in front of her:

    ¡°I have already concocted a ¡®Decomposition Potion¡¯, your ¡®Sleeping Potion¡¯ was neutralized before it could take effect.¡±

    The man, with a face full of frustration, opened his backpack to retaliate with another potion but suddenly saw the Crown Prince signaling him.

    He quickly reviewed the script in his mind, grabbed a glass drink bottle from a bystander, took a big gulp, and then exaggeratedly clenched his fist and swung his elbow downward:

    ¡°Paris Cola, give me confidence! Anne Xun, my Level Six Alchemy will put an end to this competition.¡±

    Joseph then waved to the assembled crowd, signaling them to clear the area behind the luxurious bookcase¡­

    Although Alexandra was young, her acting was quite convincing, especially in the scene competing in Alchemy¡ªafter all, she was accustomed to duels in Russia, where imitating others came naturally to her.

    Moreover, her product placement was the most seamless because she had not read the original work and believed the script was supposed to be that way. As a result, without the awkwardness other actors felt when inserting ads, she received continuous praise from Joseph, who instructed the other actors to learn from her advertising scene.

    A few noble young ladies immediately rolled their eyes at the little girl, and while Joseph wasn¡¯t paying attention, they spoke in a tone loud enough for Alexandra to faintly hear, laced with sarcasm:

    ¡°Hmph, His Highness is just being polite to her. Look at her, so smug.¡±

    ¡°Just a country bumpkin from Russia, what does she know about drama?¡±

    ¡°Who knows whose connections she used to squeeze into the troupe? She must have spent a lot of money.¡±

    The well-mannered little girl ignored them and turned her head to continue rehearsing.

    If those women knew she was there because of the Queen¡¯s favor, and not only had she not spent a penny, but the Queen had also gifted her several dresses, they would probably be agape.

    When ¡°Anne Xun¡± and the family¡¯s eldest daughter ¡°Katarina Xiao¡± were to act together, Alexandra had just taken two steps forward when a noble young lady playing part of the bystanders suddenly stuck out her foot in stealth.

    Alexandra was about to trip over that foot, but fortunately, she reacted quickly. The moment she saw the shadow of the foot, she prepared to step over it, but then she remembered the insults she had just endured from these people.

    She immediately retracted her foot and stomped hard on the shadow in front of her.

    The red leather boot landed ruthlessly on the ankle wrapped in silk stockings, eliciting a scream:

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    The malicious noblewoman fell to the ground, kneeling and holding her right foot, gasping in pain.

    The others quickly gathered around her, putting on an air of comfort, before turning to Alexandra with fierce looks:

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far!¡±

    ¡°Triss¡¯s foot may be broken because of you. How could you be so cruel?¡±

    ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done! Please apologize to Miss Triss right away.¡±

    Alexandra also moved closer, examined the foot of the woman who had tried to trip her, and looked relieved:

    ¡°I¡¯m relieved that my light weight didn¡¯t break your bone. Alyan always teaches me to maintain a dignified posture when I stand. You see, sticking out your foot carelessly is not only against decorum but can also be easily stepped on.¡±

    The other young ladies were stunned, not expecting the Russian girl to stand her ground and retort with such a sharp tongue.

    One of the noblewomen immediately looked over at Joseph and said in a tearful voice:

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve seen it. The Russian Grand Duchess deliberately stepped on Triss and is now humiliating her¡­¡±

 Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: Chapter 409: Export Sharp Weapon

    Chapter 496: Chapter 409: Export Sharp Weapon

    Joseph furrowed his brows instantly. Although he hadn¡¯t clearly seen what had happened, Alexandra had been walking properly and hadn¡¯t turned toward the ¡°extras¡±¡ªwhy would she have stepped on that person¡¯s foot?

    It seemed that the only possibility was that the latter had deliberately stuck out their foot.

    He frowned and shook his head, ignoring the noble lady who was stirring up trouble.

    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±

    Seeing that the Crown Prince had no intention of scolding the Russian girl, and unable to argue with a child of seven or eight years old¡ªa prospect that likely would have been masochistic¡ªthe noble ladies puffed up with anger, stood up, supported Triss, and walked towards the exit of the theater, muttering quietly:

    ¡°We simply cannot perform on the same stage as such a rude woman!¡±

    ¡°We shall take Triss back to her room to rest.¡±

    ¡°I will tell everyone about her uncouth behavior¡­¡±

    Alexandra watched the ladies make a show of leaving, aware that they were attempting to isolate her.

    She blinked and quickly followed them:

    ¡°Respected ladies, are you throwing a tantrum because you wish to draw the attention of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince but have failed to do so?¡±

    If an adult had uttered these words, it would have come across as sarcastic, but coming from a child, it seemed innocent and genuine.

    ¡°You! You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± a noble lady immediately denied, agitated.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°Oh? So you do not wish for the Crown Prince to notice you?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± The faces of the noblewomen turned purple, and they hastily turned and fled the theater.

    Joseph, watching this spectacle, almost laughed out loud, thinking to himself that this little girl was quite amusing¡ªmerciless when she had the upper hand. Were all Russian women so sharp? Indeed, it seemed so; Russia was rather strong when Elizabeth and Catherine were Tsars, but became a mess under Peter III and Paul I.

    Seeing the women leave, Alexandra couldn¡¯t help but sigh, turned to Joseph, and, with an apologetic bow, said:

    ¡°Your Highness, I apologize. I should not have argued with them, interrupting your rehearsal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Joseph waved his hand, ¡°You performed very well, and you were brave. I¡¯ll find a way to deal with the missing actors.¡±

    In fact, he didn¡¯t need to do anything. There was already a long line of people wanting to perform with the Crown Prince, and the rehearsal resumed after half an hour.

    ¡­

    On the outskirts of the north of Paris.

    Antoine Industrial Development Zone.

    Yes, thanks to the booming paper industry, there were increasingly more workshops and craftsmen in Antoine. So, Joseph simply designated this area as a new development zone.

    Inside a factory spanning over ten thousand square meters in the southwest side of Antoine, Lavoisier looked at the mechanical furnace before him that was spewing white smoke and hugged his wife¡¯s shoulders standing next to him, exclaiming sincerely:

    ¡°Dear, how did you manage to figure out this thing in just one month? You really are¡­ the favorite child of the god of chemical experiments!¡±

    Marianne smiled and said,

    ¡°Actually, I only set the specifications, had someone draw up the blueprints, and then handed them over to the ironworks in Saint-Etienne. It took them over 20 days to manufacture it, much of the time spent on testing and transportation. Their equipment and management are so much better than before.¡±

    ¡°I originally thought that we couldn¡¯t finish the work here without my help.¡± Lavoisier looked at his wife indulgently, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have resolved everything on your own.¡±

    As he spoke, his gaze turned toward the massive equipment in the shed¡ªthe rotary kiln, centrifuge, evaporation pans, reaction vessels, and that most complex gas scrubber.

    All of these had been overseen in their construction and testing by his wife. And she didn¡¯t even know what chemistry was before marrying him.

    She was absolutely a genius in the field of chemical experimentation. Well, of course, that couldn¡¯t have happened without his excellent teaching.

    After acquiring the Royal Alkali Process invented by His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, it took Lavoisier less than a week to complete the lab preparation¡ªas long as the principle was correct, there was no difficulty with his experience.

    But the tough part was mass production.

    In the chemical industry, once the quantity of reactants is increased, the preparation process becomes completely different. For example, in a test tube, you just need to shake it to mix the reacting substances evenly, but when the quantity reaches 1 ton, just mixing can drive you insane.

    How to ensure thorough reaction of such a large amount of material, how to purify it, and how to store it were all big problems. Without every link in the chain being right, it wasn¡¯t possible to mass-produce.

    This was especially true for alkali production. You should know that, according to the requirements of His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, to produce 1.66 tons of soda ash daily meant that the raw materials to be mixed were several times that weight.

    The core of this reaction was the recycling of ammonia, so the equipment¡¯s seal and the collection of gas had extremely strict requirements.

    Particularly for the purification of ammonia. Ammonia is not only toxic and corrosive but also flammable, and to purify it in large quantities was very troublesome, almost driving the Lavoisier couple mad at the time.

    In the end, it was His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, who provided a rough proposal¡ªJoseph only remembered the mention of a gas scrubber and its basic principle from documentaries, but he couldn¡¯t remember any of the specifics¡ªthen Marianne worked day and night for three and a half months and actually managed to design this thing!

    It could be said that as long as the confidentiality of the gas scrubber was maintained, even if other soda ash preparation manuals were given to other countries, they wouldn¡¯t be able to replicate it.

    Lavoisier looked at the complete set of alkali-making equipment in front of him and turned to his wife to ask, ¡°Dear, how is the trial production going?¡±

    ¡°The utilization rate of the raw materials is still a bit low. The Crown Prince said it could reach around 70%, but I can only achieve 50%.¡± Marianne spoke, her face lighting up with excitement, ¡°However, the trial production the day before yesterday took only 6 hours to produce 700 kilograms of soda ash. And it¡¯s very pure.¡±

    Although Lavoisier was well-prepared, he was still secretly astonished to hear this figure¡ªthe current market price for soda ash is about 33 livres for 100 kilograms.

    That means the day before yesterday, they made over 230 livres just by casually starting up the equipment.

    And about soda ash, it¡¯s always been in short supply; it¡¯s easy to buy a few dozen kilograms, but for over 100 kilograms, you¡¯d usually have to wait a long time.

    Before he could say anything, Marianne had already smiled and began, ¡°Dear, from now on, we won¡¯t have to be frugal with soap anymore.¡±

    Among the raw materials for soap production, the most expensive are fats and soda ash. With the ability to produce soda ash on a large scale, France could even monopolize the soap industry worldwide.

    Though it may seem insignificant, if you add up the markets of the whole world, it would be worth over ten million livres!

    Lavoisier nodded vigorously, ¡°And glass, paper, dyes, they¡¯ll all become much cheaper in the future.¡±

    For France, this meant that the costs in these industries would be significantly reduced, thus becoming a powerful tool for exports.

 Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: Chapter 410: Queen Marys Birthday Celebration (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 497: Chapter 410: Queen Mary¡¯s Birthday Celebration (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Soda ash could indeed be called the ¡°seasoning¡± of industrial production. Historically, the industrial production of soda ash marked the beginning of a new era in the chemical industry and had a further impact on the entire industrial sector.

    And in that era, France, thanks to the latest achievements of the Lavoisier couple, had suddenly claimed the top spot in Europe¡¯s chemical industry!

    Marianne suddenly remembered something and turned to her husband:

    ¡°Dear, I heard from Perna that His Highness the Crown Prince mentioned that he plans to grant you a baronetcy after the casein glue factory starts production?¡±

    This kind of nobility title bestowed in actual service by the Royal Family belonged to the order of swords and was entirely different from those bought-and-worn titles despised by nobility. It was usually reserved to reward a very select few who had made significant contributions.

    Lavoisier nodded with a smile:

    ¡°I was originally planning to surprise you, but it seems you have quite the insight.¡±

    Marianne immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, jumping and giggling like a young girl:

    ¡°Does that mean we¡¯ll be ¡®high society¡¯ in the eyes of others from now on, haha.¡±

    Lavoisier laughed and said, ¡°But that would mean you have to socialize frequently with the ladies of the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    ¡°I will hide in the laboratory, pretending not to have received the invitations.¡±

    Marianne winked mischievously, suddenly holding her husband tight and whispering shyly into his ear:

    ¡°Then, should we not hurry to address the issue of the baronet¡¯s heir?¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Seeing that no one was beside them, Lavoisier lifted his wife in his arms and leaned in for a kiss¡­

    November 2, 1789.

    Today is Queen Mary¡¯s 34th birthday.

    Historically, at this time, Marie Antoinette and her family were being escorted out of the Palace of Versailles by citizens of France to the dilapidated Tuileries Palace, which had been abandoned for many years.

    But at this moment, she was sitting in her dressing room, listening to the orchestra play beside her, and surrounded by her makeup artists, hairstylists, and seven maids, excitedly preparing for her birthday gala gown.

    Accompanied by a knock on the door, a maid ushered Brian inside.

    The Chief Minister bowed to Queen Mary, who was sitting in front of the mirror, and began with praise:

    ¡°Your Majesty, has God concentrated all the world¡¯s grandeur and beauty solely upon you? You will undoubtedly render all the women of Paris breathless with envy.

    ¡°Hmm, Your Majesty, please forgive me for having to disturb you for a moment.¡±

    With that, he placed a document on the small round table beside her:

    ¡°This is the final draft of that treaty, which requires your signature as soon as possible. You know, it is to be formally signed at the port of Le Havre in five days.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± Queen Mary smiled and nodded, taking the quill and signing her name at the end of the document.

    As for its contents, she had already learned the details from the Crown Prince a few days ago. The treaty was very advantageous to France, no, it was actually a lucrative deal indeed.

    She inwardly exclaimed that her son was becoming more and more capable. This time, with only a minimal investment in the Far East, they had managed to make England cease its interference in North Africa. They even got England to promise to give up protecting that person who incited a rebellion in Corsica, along with some other gains she didn¡¯t quite understand¡­

    She handed the document back to Brian, her gaze sweeping over the lively dressing room, and her smile grew even brighter. If it were not for Joseph handling these political affairs for her, might she still be discussing with the ministers how to deal with North Africa¡¯s troubles, and how could she enjoy the present ease and comfort?

    Queen Mary watched Brian leave, then, facing the mirror, gestured and pointed to the golden birdcage the size of a coconut beside her, saying to the hairstylist:

    ¡°Can I put that on now?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Your Majesty.¡±

    She flipped a small switch on the birdcage, and the mechanical nightingale inside fluttered its wings and poked its head out, emitting a ¡°tweet tweet¡± sound.

    ¡°Ah! How perfect!¡± the hairstylist, waving a silk handkerchief, exclaimed from the side, ¡°His Majesty the King¡¯s hands must have been blessed by the Lord!¡±

    Indeed, this mainspring birdcage headdress was a birthday gift from Louis XVI to his wife¡ªa fully automatic rotating, door-opening, life-like mechanical bird that could move its entire body and emit over a dozen sounds, its complexity far exceeding that of the most intricate clocks of the time.

    Presently, from the direction of the Palace of Versailles came the melodious and cheerful sounds of music.

    Rising to her feet, Queen Mary inspected her luxurious gown with satisfaction, then, bearing the slowly spinning birdcage, she made her way to the royal theater.

    Meanwhile, as the Palace of Versailles celebrated the Queen¡¯s birthday, the Royal Navy of England¡¯s third-rate ship of the line, HMNZS Achilles, was sailing through the cloudy Bay of Biscay, bound for the distant Indian subcontinent.

    In an inconspicuous officer¡¯s cabin on the second deck, the Marquess of Wellesley lit his pipe and took a deep puff.

    After stepping down as Foreign Minister, the absence of those who used to cozy up to him in an attempt to gain favor had given him a taste of rare tranquility.

    He pulled out the map of the surroundings of Mysore that he carried with him, spread it out on the table, but his eyes briefly caught sight of a letter that had fallen from his pocket to the floor.

    It was a letter from Governor Cornwallis in India, delivered to London just the day before yesterday, thoroughly detailing the military situation in India.

    The Marquis of Wellesley couldn¡¯t help but frown, a sense of irritation and restlessness flooding his mind. He was reminded of the ¡°rudimentary fortifications¡± built by the Mysoreans that Cornwallis had mentioned.

    Before boarding the ship, he was confident that as soon as he arrived in India, the Mysoreans, who had lost French support, would be quickly defeated by him.

    However, after a whole day of careful contemplation, he finally realized that there was no good method to deal with those ¡°fortifications.¡±

    He was likely to suffer another defeat in India¡­

    England.

    London.

    On the broad avenue northwest of St. James¡¯s Palace, a black carriage sped by.

    Inside, a white-haired old man in his sixties looked at the young man across from him and couldn¡¯t resist saying:

    ¡°Wyndham, I still think that taking over as Foreign Secretary at this time is not a wise decision.¡±

    The young man, with deep-set eyes and a hint of Scottish features, was the new Foreign Secretary, Lord William Wyndham Grenville.

    Grenville showed a candid smile:

    ¡°Uncle, you see, our Prime Minister must mollify the anger of the Whigs right now. And I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m his only choice.¡±

    After successive ¡°strategic mistakes¡± by the Duke of Leeds and the Marquis of Wellesley, William Pitt Junior faced immense pressure from the Whigs in the Cabinet. Therefore, he planned to appoint a Whig as the new Foreign Minister as a compromise to the Whig Party.

    But he played a clever trick by choosing a member of the Grenville family, which was allied with his own, and also his close friend, Lord Grenville.

 Chapter 498 - Chapter 498: Chapter 411: Englands New Strategy

    Chapter 498: Chapter 411: England¡¯s New Strategy

    Old Mr. Grenville sighed and continued to persuade:

    ¡°But now, with this mess¡­ you could very well become the scapegoat for the future disasters. I mean, the Marquess of Wellesley is an extremely outstanding politician, and even he¡¯s been left in a rather sorry state.¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10120440¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10120440/69a7a29219831a357140f1919f544913kgJ740N9pHbV935.jpg¡±>

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± said Lord Grenville, nodding earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ve never been very outstanding since I was a child, far less so in politics and strategy than the Marquess of Wellesley, uh, and not as much as the former Foreign Minister, the Duke of Leeds either.¡±

    He smiled somewhat awkwardly: ¡°To tell you the truth, I still haven¡¯t quite understood by what trickery the French people managed to defeat the Marquess of Wellesley.¡±

    ¡°Then you still¡­?¡±

    Lord Grenville straightened his back and said, ¡°However, I grew up among those excellent fellows, so I learned a skill, which is to quickly recognize others¡¯ strengths.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so?¡±

    ¡°What do you think has kept the French undefeated in their recent encounters with England?¡±

    Old Mr. Grenville was startled, shaking his head:

    ¡°I¡¯m old, these international matters have long since become too complex for me to understand.¡±

    His nephew said with a smile:

    ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t figured it out either. But I¡¯ve discovered a tremendous strength of the French¡ªover these two years, their international environment has been exceptionally good. This has allowed them to leverage external forces in everything they do. We, er, were even questioned by all of Europe not long ago for ¡®encouraging the export of revolution to the Southern Netherlands¡¯.¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    If Joseph had heard this conversation, he would have surely given Lord Grenville a thumbs-up and then told him that it was all the international environment painstakingly created by his elder brother¡ªwho would have guessed they¡¯d read history books?

    Old Mr. Grenville¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he nodded slowly:

    ¡°That is indeed the case, so what do you plan to do?¡±

    ¡­

    The Palace of Versailles.

    In the spacious palace theater, a wave of excited discussion emerged:

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, he¡¯s really on stage!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s truly so handsome; my heart is melting¡­¡±

    ¡°The Prince looked at me, did you see? He¡¯s looking at me!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re truly perfect, who could possibly capture your heart¡­¡±

    Joseph, dressed in a costume of blue and white, ascended the stage. He first made a respectful bow to today¡¯s ¡°birthday star,¡± Queen Mary, and then began his performance.

    After several bouts of rehearsal, he had overcome his previous embarrassment and confidently picked up the glass bottle from the wooden table, took a large gulp, and then, looking at the bottle in his hand, praised:

    ¡°Indeed, you need a bottle of Paris Cola to enhance the efficiency of alchemy!¡±

    As he finished his line, several servants who were prepared in advance distributed exquisite glass bottles to the aristocrats in the front rows.

    The recipients curiously examined them, seeing the label ¡°Paris Cola¡± on them, with ¡°Royal Endorsed Beverage¡± written in small letters below.

    Realizing this was the very drink the Crown Prince was enjoying, they all uncapped their bottles and began to taste.

    ¡°Er¡ª¡± A duke couldn¡¯t help but let out a loud burp, feeling a sudden relief throughout his body, while the sweet taste accompanied the burp to his tongue, utterly delightful.

    Ignoring the indecorous nature of his burp just then, he immediately chugged several more gulps of Paris Cola, squinting his eyes with pleasure.

    This effervescent beverage was simply fantastic! He decided on the spot that he would buy several crates to store in his cellar.

    The nobles who hadn¡¯t received a drink at the back rows craned their necks to watch those in front enjoying big sips, and they couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard with envy.

    It wasn¡¯t that Joseph hadn¡¯t prepared enough drinks; he had deliberately employed a hunger marketing strategy¡ªthe less available the drink, the more delicious it must be perceived to be.

    In the VIP seats in the center of the second floor, Louis XVI also let out a burp and raised his glass bottle to Queen Mary beside him:

    ¡°You must try this. How does our son always manage to come up with such amazing surprises?¡±

    Then Alexandra, playing the role of Annie, made her entrance and headed straight for her cousin Hurter, but first, she raised her hand to caress the tall bookshelf:

    ¡°The precious alchemical tomes of the family must be stored in cabinets made of synthetic boards to be truly safe.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. Furniture made from synthetic boards is not only sturdy and durable, outlasting ordinary wood furniture by several times, but it¡¯s also naturally resistant to insects, which reduces the risk of the books being damaged by pests.¡±

    ¡°Where might one purchase such novel and excellent furniture?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a new furniture store called ¡®Liveable¡¯ has just opened in the southwest of the Louvre District¡­¡±

    The nobles in the audience who had seen other troupes perform this scene were stunned¡ªhow was this completely different from the previous performances?

    Shouldn¡¯t Annie and Hurter be discussing the matters of fifth-level alchemy? Why had they started talking about furniture?

    However, that ¡°synthetic board furniture¡± they spoke of, what exactly was it? It sounded truly magical¡­

    London.

    10 Downing Street.

    ¡°Have a taste, this is one of my prized selections,¡± William Pitt Junior offered a glass of wine to his old friend, ¡°Now, based on what you said, how should we break the French¡¯s diplomatic advantage?¡±

    Lord Grenville smiled as he sniffed the aroma of the wine:

    ¡°Firstly, we can¡¯t be too greedy. If we try to grab everything, we¡¯ll end up with nothing. Take the Southern Netherlands, for instance. To keep it out of Austria¡¯s hard-to-control hands, we expended a great deal of funds and diplomatic resources, only for France to end up with Luxembourg.¡±

    William Pitt Junior nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Please continue.¡±

    ¡°And this has pushed Austria toward France,¡± Grenville continued, ¡°Now is the time to give up on the Southern Netherlands.

    ¡°Austria will be grateful to us, and it will make France less significant.

    ¡°Furthermore, Prussia retracting its forces back to Silesia will put more military pressure on Austria, and we can take the opportunity to mediate between the two countries.

    ¡°Then, whether we divert Austria¡¯s attention to Serbia or Poland, we can minimize their dependency on France.

    ¡°This is the international situation we need. A head-on ¡®duel¡¯ with the French will only deplete our strength; using the power of other nations to deal with them is the correct path to victory.¡±

    ¡°Abandoning the Southern Netherlands strategy¡­¡± William Pitt Junior inhaled deeply, ¡°This will make the attacks from the Whig Party against me even fiercer.¡±

    ¡°I will do my utmost to persuade the old fellows in the party,¡± Grenville said with a smile, raising his glass, ¡°Once we curb the French momentum, they will naturally be satisfied.¡±

    ¡­

    France.

    Palace of Versailles.

    Louis XVI lifted the glass bottle and offered it to his son, who was dripping with sweat:

    ¡°Joseph, perhaps you could use a drink.¡±

    Queen Mary said with a beaming smile:

    ¡°Dear, you performed brilliantly! Oh, and Alexandra was exceptional too; you both look so well-matched. I mean on the stage, of course.¡±

 Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: Chapter 412 Crown Princes Time (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 499: Chapter 412 Crown Prince¡¯s Time (Requesting Monthly Votes)

    Joseph glanced subconsciously at Alexandra, who was still energetically promoting a synthetic board liquor cabinet on stage, and couldn¡¯t help but smile and nod:

    ¡°She truly is a little angel, beautiful and charming, and very serious about her work.¡±

    Indeed, within the whole troupe, the Russian girl¡¯s advertisement integration act was the most natural and smoothest; he definitely had to praise her more.

    Queen Mary, however, detected another meaning in his words, and slyly shot her husband a triumphant look, as if to say, ¡°See? I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Our son truly likes the Russian Grand Duchess.¡±

    Louis XVI, while looking at the little girl on stage, had to admit he was a tad displeased with her Russian heritage, but thinking of his son earlier calling her ¡°little angel,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart soften.

    He too had been influenced by Enlightenment ideas, and his requirements for a royal marriage weren¡¯t as rigid as those of his forebears; instead, because of his love for Queen Mary, he believed that his son should also have the right to choose a girl he liked.

    Well, it was most important that Joseph liked her. Louis XVI muttered to himself, at least she was a genuine girl and a princess to boot.

    Although Joseph had long before confessed to his father that he didn¡¯t fancy men¡ªLouis XVI had witnessed countless incidents of that sort of affection within the Palace of Versailles, which was even quite popular among the nobility¡ªhe had always been concerned about his son¡¯s sexual orientation. Now, he finally set his mind at ease.

    Louis XVI also looked towards Queen Mary and nodded, showing his agreement with the ¡°Crown Princess¡± on stage, whereupon both of them simultaneously smiled with the complacent contentment of a doting aunt.

    After all, the Crown Prince was about to turn 16, and the matter of his engagement was finally taking shape¡­

    Joseph had no idea that his parents had just set in stone the future Crown Princess of France in that brief moment. He was watching Baron Tyron Shaw distributing soda drinks to distinguished guests on stage and suddenly frowned slightly. Were there perhaps too many product placements? Hmm¡­ a one and a half hour play, with only 35 minutes of advertisements, should be okay, right¡­

    But the audience quickly grew distracted due to the plethora of ads, and the royal family in the VIP box started chatting casually among themselves.

    ¡°My dear, I truly adore the set of furniture you gave me.¡± Queen Mary fed a piece of nut brittle candy into her son¡¯s mouth, smiling warmly, ¡°It¡¯s the best birthday gift I¡¯ve received this year. Oh, of course, this gift is also very wonderful.¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    She said, pointing to her hair accessory:

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute? Your father made it himself!¡±

    Joseph looked at the slowly rotating birdcage atop his mother¡¯s head when suddenly the mechanical nightingale inside fluttered out and burst into cheerful chirping.

    ¡°Actually, it can also play a little of ¡®Queen Anne¡¯s Birthday Ode¡¯,¡± Louis XVI said with a proud lift of his chin.

    Joseph blinked and hesitantly asked:

    ¡°Dear father, how long did it take for you to make this hair accessory?¡±

    ¡°Not long,¡± Louis XVI boasted proudly, ¡°just two and a half months, well, plus some additional design time. Mr. Ferrolant said that even if he had done it, it couldn¡¯t have been any better¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but facepalm, thinking to himself that no wonder there had been no progress on the development of the new rifled guns; His Majesty had been busy tinkering with birdcages instead.

    He shook his head silently; after all, his father didn¡¯t receive a salary, so naturally, he could spend his ¡°working¡± hours as he pleased. However, he still needed to remind him from time to time¡­

    Queen Mary¡¯s birthday celebration ended amidst joy and laughter, and subsequently, soda drinks began selling like hotcakes across Paris¡ªeven with a price tag of six livres per bottle. Lines hundreds of meters long formed outside the ¡°Habitable¡± furniture store in the Louvre District¡­

    What Joseph hadn¡¯t expected was the adverse impact that the advertising he¡¯d arranged on his mother¡¯s birthday would cause.

    The major theaters of Paris, following the court troupe¡¯s practice, began to infuse soft advertisements into their plays. Of course, this was because product placements brought them a substantial amount of revenue, and they could no longer let go of it.

    Around the corner on Rue de Richelieu, the Com¨¦die-Fran?aise was staging ¡°The Marriage of Figaro.¡±

    A couple, upon hearing the actors on stage mention ¡°Source of Elegance Perfume Shop,¡± immediately exchanged a glance.

    The man spoke in a low voice:

    ¡°It seems it¡¯s ¡®Crown Prince time,¡¯ we can go have a cup of coffee first.¡±

    ¡°Alright, dear.¡±

    Indeed, the French audience detested product placement with clenched teeth, and upon investigating its origins, found out that it was Crown Prince His Highness who initially came up with the idea.

    So ¡°Crown Prince time¡± naturally became synonymous with product placement.

    ¡­

    Brussels.

    Inside the Parliament House, Charles II looked at the English court messenger with annoyance, but when he remembered the signature of George III on the letter on the table, he could only sigh.

    ¡°Please tell His Majesty the King that I will lead the troops back to Hanover as soon as possible.¡±

    Although he was Governor of Hanover, he was more so George III¡¯s ¡°tool,¡± so when the King of England ordered him to stop supporting the Southern Netherlands Rebels, he had no choice but to comply.

    After the messenger left, Charles II gazed at the distant faintly visible gunsmoke and felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

    Deep down, he had already conceded that defeating the French Army on the other side was impossible.

    The shame of being captured made it difficult for him to face this retreat.

    Yet the command from the King of England had just solved this dilemma for him.

    ¡°Alas, out of loyalty to His Majesty, I must endure this shame for now,¡± he murmured to himself as he walked towards the door, waving at the orderly officer, ¡°Order Metternich to lead two battalions in guarding the southern line, and the rest of the forces to assemble north of Brussels immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal!¡±

    Vandernoot and the members of the Southern Netherlands Congress soon learned of the unusual movements of the Hanoverian Army, and although surprised, they just went to inquire about the situation with Charles II.

    By this time, Charles II had already reached a point fifty miles from Brussels, escorted by his guard.

    Vandernoot and the others had yet to realize that they had been sold out, scrambling to organize the Southern Netherlands National Guard to take over the defense of Brussels while seeking assistance from the Prussian Army in Liege.

    ¡­

    Prussian administrative center, Potsdam.

    Sanssouci Palace.

    William II frowned and said:

    ¡°This would mean that our massive investment in the Southern Netherlands will have been in vain!¡±

    Lord Grenville, the British Foreign Minister, revealed a plain smile:

    ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, how to quickly end the conflict in Silesia is the issue you should be most concerned with.

    ¡°If the information I¡¯ve received is correct, Prussia¡¯s finances should be very tight by now, right?¡±

 Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: Chapter 413 Retreat (Requesting Monthly Ticket)

    Chapter 500: Chapter 413 Retreat (Requesting Monthly Ticket)

    William II¡¯s brows furrowed even tighter.

    The English were right¡ªPrussia, although having survived last year¡¯s drought by largely planting potatoes, was still heavily struck by the agricultural shortfall, impacting the national economy.

    Then Prussia quickly became entangled in the Brabant uprising, as well as the Silesian War, and funds were draining from the national treasury like a flood.

    If the fight continued under the current circumstances, the state¡¯s finances might collapse by March of next year.

    Indeed, ending the war in the Southern Netherlands would alleviate the financial pressure.

    Lord Grenville continued,

    ¡°Moreover, moving General Blucher to Silesia could change the balance of forces there.¡±

    Seeing the King of Prussia nod subconsciously, he immediately threw out another lure,

    ¡°To ease your concerns, the Bank of England will offer you a loan of 700,000 British Pounds to help you achieve victory in the Silesian War.¡±

    He knew that the Prussians were worried that England might collude with Austria and betray Prussian interests, so he had to show support for their war efforts in Silesia.

    The eyes of William II lit up immediately¡ª700,000 British Pounds was 7 million florin! That amount of money could fund his army until October of next year. By then, after the autumn harvest, financial matters could continue.

    But he still hesitated,

    ¡°However, doing so would also allow Austria to take back the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Grenville said, ¡°It would also cause them to lose France. You may be aware that the Austrians have always been very wary of France gaining a foothold in the Southern Netherlands. The end of the rebellion there would mean the French lose their value to them.

    ¡°Of course, we will also exert some influence in Vienna to sow division between France and Austria.¡±

    Upon hearing this, William II finally nodded and fell into deep thought.

    ¡­

    Austria, Vienna.

    In a villa on the western side of Schonbrunn Palace, Earl Franz hurriedly sent the servants out and carefully closed the door, then anxiously turned to the middle-aged military officer standing by:

    ¡°Is what you said really reliable?¡±

    He knew that the officer nominally belonged to the garrison troops stationed in Vienna but was actually a person from the British Ambassador to Austria.

    The officer immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, my lord, this has been jointly agreed upon by Lord Grenville and His Majesty King William II.¡±

    Franz¡¯s face changed; it meant that England and Prussia had given up the rebels in the Southern Netherlands just like that.

    Pondering, he asked, ¡°Then, why did his lordship specifically send you to tell me this?¡±

    ¡°You know, the Hanoverian forces cannot leave until the French Army has evacuated from the Southern Netherlands,¡± the officer said, ¡°This is to ensure that Brussels does not fall into French hands.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are correct,¡± Franz said excitedly, rubbing his hands. If he were to ¡°offer advice¡± in Schonbrunn Palace and the Emperor then retook the Southern Netherlands, his future would certainly be bright.

    He immediately thought of another problem,

    ¡°But surely Kaunitz and his group will speak against my proposal to His Majesty.¡±

    Kaunitz was a representative of the pro-French faction in Austria, always supporting stronger Franco-Austrian cooperation, naturally disagreeing with the French withdrawal from the Southern Netherlands.

    The officer smiled,

    ¡°Marshal Lacy and General Wilmze will stand by your side, and at the same time, we will provide some trouble for Kaunitz.¡±

    Lacy held considerable sway in Austrian politics and was the Commander in Chief on the Silesian battlefield. His opinion could at least weigh as much as that of State Minister Kaunitz.

    And Wilmze¡¯s influence was no less significant. With the endorsement of both individuals, Franz¡¯s confidence surged dramatically.

    The British insider continued:

    ¡°The most important thing is, this may potentially end the war in Silesia.¡±

    After he explained this to Franz, the latter immediately nodded with excitement:

    ¡°Please convey to Lord Grenville that I will certainly persuade His Majesty to make the French people scram.¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Palace of Versailles, Petit Trianon Palace.

    Queen Mary looked at the trembling handwriting on the letter in her hand, and her eyes instantly moistened.

    ¡°Madame Delvaux, in my memory, you were always so cheerful and healthy, yet how could you¡­¡± she choked up a bit, took a deep breath, placed the letter aside, and made the sign of the cross over her chest, ¡°May God bless you.¡±

    Madame Delvaux was her former wet nurse and one of the people closest to her before her marriage. And in that letter, the old lady informed her that her health was not at all well; the doctors said she could be called by the Lord at any time.

    The old lady said she originally didn¡¯t want to trouble Her Majesty the Queen with such trivial matters of her own, but she couldn¡¯t rest easy without ensuring the well-being of her only granddaughter, hence she had to write this letter.

    After thinking it over, Queen Mary turned and instructed her maid:

    ¡°Debreninac, would you please bring the Crown Prince here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Joseph happened to be in the office of the Foreign Minister at the Palace of Versailles at the time, discussing something with Talleyrand.

    ¡°According to the intelligence bureau and the messages from our ambassador in Austria, it is very likely that Vienna has already decided to have us withdraw from the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Talleyrand, with a furrowed brow, pondered:

    ¡°Given Austria¡¯s military strength in the low countries, it¡¯s been a tremendous struggle to cope with Blucher¡¯s corps. Once we leave, the Brabant Rebels will immediately take over the entirety of the Southern Netherlands and declare independence.¡±

    Joseph nodded:

    ¡°Something is very abnormal, perhaps I should accompany you to Vienna.¡±

    Just yesterday afternoon, the Palace of Versailles received a note from Austria, inviting French diplomats to Vienna for discussions. As the matter was sudden, Talleyrand immediately went to the Tuileries Palace to report to the Crown Prince.

    While they were discussing, the Queen¡¯s maid knocked and entered, curtsying to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Is something the matter with mother?¡± Joseph stood up, signaled to Talleyrand to wait, and accompanied Countess Debreninac to the Petit Trianon Palace.

    ¡°It seems related to a letter from Madame Delvaux,¡± the maid said sideways, ¡°The Queen became somewhat melancholic after reading the letter.¡±

    Joseph nodded. It seemed that Madame Delvaux had a very special relationship with his mother, given that she could write letters directly to her.

    In this era, not everyone could exercise the privilege of sending private letters to the Royal Family. After all, even Catherine II¡¯s illegitimate daughter had to pass her letters through Potemkin¡¯s old subordinates to reach the Tsar.

    Soon, Joseph entered Queen Mary¡¯s bedroom, bowed gracefully, and before he could speak, he noticed his mother¡¯s tears had already fallen.

    He quickly stepped forward to take the Queen¡¯s hand, expressing his concern:

    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Dear, I hope you can go to Vienna on my behalf,¡± Queen Mary struggled to stop sniffling, looked up at him, and said, ¡°Madame Delvaux was my wet nurse, she has been caring for me since I was little. And now, she has encountered some trouble.¡±

 Chapter 501 - Chapter 501: Chapter 414: Austrias Finest Diplomat

    Chapter 501: Chapter 414: Austria¡¯s Finest Diplomat

    Joseph immediately nodded and said, ¡°Of course, as long as it can put your mind at ease, I can go anywhere.¡±

    It just so happened that even without Queen Mary¡¯s instructions, he was also planning to make a trip to Vienna.

    He then looked at his mother and asked, ¡°What exactly has happened to make you so worried, Mother?¡±

    ¡°Alas, since the moment I was born, I have been looked after by Madam Delvolf.¡± Queen Mary wiped her tears with a handkerchief and choked up, ¡°She gave me her meticulous care and affection.¡±

    According to 18th century European nobility traditions, a child would be handed over to a wet nurse as soon as they were born. Queen Mary¡¯s mother, the former ruler of Austria, Maria Theresa, raised all seven of her children with a wet nurse plus a tutor.

    Therefore, to Queen Mary, Madam Delvolf was almost like her mother during her childhood, and their emotional bond was very deep.

    It was also because Queen Mary lacked maternal affection from an early age that she did not want her own children to suffer such pain. Thus, she was an avid follower of Rousseau¡¯s advocacy that ¡°natural methods¡ªmothers should breastfeed their children themselves,¡± and she was one of the first mothers in European Royalty to practice this idea. After her, breastfeeding one¡¯s children became gradually popular among French women.

    By the way, Rousseau spent his life promoting the idea that ¡°mothers should take care of their children themselves,¡± yet he put all five of his children into an orphanage (his wife Delais was not deceased), because he believed he was ¡°absolutely free¡± ¡­

    ¡°Madam Delvolf wrote in her letter that her health has deteriorated badly¡­ and she also has a granddaughter.

    ¡°That poor child lost both parents to a fever at a very young age and was raised by Madam Delvolf.¡±

    Queen Mary prattled on about Madam Delvolf¡¯s granddaughter¡¯s affairs, and then said, ¡°When that child grew up, she turned out to be even more beautiful than her grandmother, with many young nobles pursuing her.

    ¡°And that beauty also brought her trouble. A year ago, a scoundrel named Walter started pestering her, and even though she has rejected him many times, he continues to harass her.¡±

    Joseph frowned and asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Sheriff of Vienna take care of this matter?¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°The Sheriff doesn¡¯t dare to provoke that Baron Walter,¡± Queen Mary looked at Madam Delvolf¡¯s letter, ¡°he is a cousin of Maria Vidolucca, the wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.¡±

    Joseph paused for a moment before connecting the name with its corresponding status, ¡°Leopold II¡¯s brother-in-law?¡±

    No wonder no one dares to mess with that baron¡ªLeopold II is about to be crowned Emperor of the Holy Rome.

    Continuing, Queen Mary said, ¡°Baron Walter has a very bad reputation, and Madam Delvolf worries that no one in Vienna dares to deal with him, so she hopes that Camellia, oh, that¡¯s her granddaughter, could come to Paris, where I could offer her protection.

    ¡°You know, I cannot easily leave the Palace of Versailles, so I hope you can make a trip to Vienna on my behalf, to send Madam Delvolf my best wishes, and, to bring the poor Camellia back.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, rest assured, I¡¯ll take care of these matters,¡± Joseph nodded seriously.

    ¡­

    Half a month later.

    Vienna, Schonbrunn Palace.

    Accompanied by a solemn orchestral tune, Joseph walked between the sides of the ceremonial guard, with Leopold II by his side.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to come in person,¡± Leopold II said warmly, gesturing towards the main entrance of Schonbrunn Palace, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a grand dinner for you.¡±

    Joseph politely expressed his thanks and after some small talk, he brought up the matter at hand:

    ¡°Uncle, your urgent summon for Archbishop Talleyrand¡ªdoes it pertain to something important?¡±

    Leopold II revealed a ceremonial smile:

    ¡°Haha, France has given tremendous support to our country on the battlefields of Silesia and the Southern Netherlands over the past six months. Your Majesty has instructed me to express our sincere gratitude to France.¡±

    Joseph murmured to himself, if you want to express gratitude, why not just send some florins? Why summon the French Foreign Minister?

    As the banquet continued, Leopold II suddenly raised his glass and loudly proclaimed to everyone present:

    ¡°With the help of our French allies, General Leao has achieved a decisive victory in the Southern Netherlands! I believe it won¡¯t be long before the rebels are swept away, and order will be restored to the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    He then gestured with a smile towards Joseph:

    ¡°And the brave French soldiers will soon be able to return to their long-missed homes.¡±

    Amidst the cheers of the Austrian nobility, Joseph also smiled and raised his glass in response, but his heart frowned¡ªLeopold II seemed quite certain that the Southern Netherlands Rebels would be defeated. Yet he had not received any report from the front lines, except that the Hanoverian Army had changed guards a while ago, with no decisive battles having taken place.

    Leopold II continued with passionate eloquence:

    ¡°In Silesia, our army taught the Prussians a harsh lesson. In the battles of Legnica, Marshal Lacy annihilated nearly ten thousand Prussian invaders. His cannons almost turned the enemy¡¯s position into scorched earth!¡±

    The Austrian nobles immediately erupted into cheers again:

    ¡°Long live the Emperor!¡±

    ¡°Marshal Lacy leads us towards victory!¡±

    ¡°To the valiant warriors on the Silesian front!¡±

    Joseph felt even more puzzled; Austria had clearly made no progress in Silesia, so why was Leopold II speaking as if a triumph was imminent?

    This way, the banquet ended amidst an excited and joyful atmosphere, followed by a ball that lasted until 11 o¡¯clock, when Joseph finally managed to return to his room.

    Soon after, Talleyrand knocked and entered, hastily bowed, and said with a grave expression:

    ¡°Your Highness, the situation doesn¡¯t seem very good. Count Kaunitz wishes to see you immediately.¡±

    Joseph nodded, signaling Eman to help him change into casual clothes, and followed by two servants who were already waiting outside, he quickly left Schonbrunn Palace.

    In the carriage, Talleyrand reported with a furrowed brow:

    ¡°Your Highness, according to information I¡¯ve gathered in Vienna, Charles II may soon withdraw back to Hanover, and the Prussians will also declare their disengagement from the situation in the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Joseph exclaimed in surprise, ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said that Earl Franz masterminded this, persuading Charles II and William II with minimal benefits,¡± said Talleyrand. ¡°He was also recently commended by Emperor Joseph II.¡±

    Joseph scoffed. Charles II could be persuaded through diplomatic means, but how could Prussia easily agree to a reconciliation in the Southern Netherlands while actively engaged in war with Austria?

    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked, looking at Talleyrand.

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly not Earl Franz alone¡ªthere must be someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes. But if things are as the rumors say, our country¡¯s military presence in the Southern Netherlands will become extremely passive.¡±

 Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: Chapter 415: Ceasefire Agreement

    Chapter 502: Chapter 415: Ceasefire Agreement

    If Hanover and Prussia had not intervened in the affairs of the Southern Netherlands, the Rebel Army led by Vandernoot would have been quickly extinguished by the Austrian Army.

    By then, the French Army would have no reason to continue its presence in the Southern Netherlands. Unless they shamelessly chose to stay put, in which case they would immediately fall out with Austria.

    Moreover, France needed the coal resources of the Walloon Region and had already invested heavily there; they could not simply walk away.

    As he considered this, the carriage came to a stop, and two servants who were leading the way bowed deeply, gesturing towards a small villa nearby:

    ¡°The esteemed lord, it is right there.¡±

    Joseph, accompanied by Kesode, arrived in front of the villa and immediately saw an elderly man with a look of anxiety come out to greet him, bowing and placing his hand on his chest:

    ¡°I am delighted that Your Highness has made the journey in person, Crown Prince.¡±

    It was the Austrian Minister of State, Count Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz.

    Kaunitz ushered Joseph into the house, closed the door himself, and immediately expressed his urgency:

    ¡°Your Highness, the Franco-Austrian alliance is facing a huge crisis.¡±

    Knowing that the old man was a renowned ¡°Francophile,¡± Joseph directly asked:

    ¡°Are you referring to the matter of Hanover¡¯s and Prussia¡¯s withdrawal from the Southern Netherlands?¡±

    Kaunitz nodded, but then shook his head: ¡°Those two countries do indeed intend to abandon their support for the Southern Netherlands Rebels, but more importantly, His Majesty the Emperor has decided that he will sign a cease-fire agreement with Prussia afterwards¡­¡±

    Go to ?????????????????.co

    Joseph¡¯s pupils contracted slightly: ¡°A cease-fire agreement? Do you mean a cease-fire in Silesia?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± said Kaunitz. ¡°Count Franz used some means to spend only 300,000 florins to get Charles II and William II to withdraw from the Southern Netherlands.

    ¡°After that, he suggested to His Majesty the Emperor that the original purpose of waging the Silesian War was to counter Prussia¡¯s interference in the Southern Netherlands. Now that the rebellion in the Southern Netherlands is about to end, continuing the deadlock in Silesia becomes senseless.¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly. This Franz did have some skill. Initially, it was Joseph himself who, under the pretext of the Brabant uprising, had suggested to Joseph II the recapture of Silesia, yet now it had been used as the reason by Franz to end the war.

    He looked at the Austrian Minister of State:

    ¡°So, His Majesty the Emperor agreed?¡±

    Kaunitz nodded: ¡°To be frank, Austria¡¯s financial situation is not promising. The cost of military expenses for fighting on two fronts in the Southern Netherlands and Silesia is extremely high.

    ¡°In fact, previously His Majesty Leopold II had even suggested due to financial issues that the Emperor temporarily halt the reforms.

    ¡°Additionally, rumors say that the Hungarian nobility, to oppose the war tax, are secretly planning a rebellion. This also motivated His Majesty to resolutely bring an end to the war as quickly as possible.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s frown deepened¡ªif the conflict in Silesia were to stop, Prussia and Austria could very likely refocus their attention on Poland, leading Russia to set the stage for the partition of Poland, eventually forming some kind of alliance¡ªhistory would be back on its original course.

    Kaunitz seemed even more anxious than he:

    ¡°If we fail to reclaim Silesia this time, Austria might lose it forever.¡±

    Kaunitz¡¯s core strategic position was ¡°Alliance with France against Prussia,¡± dedicating his life to defeating Prussia and restoring Austria as the dominant power in Germany. If Austria¡¯s all-out effort were to end so abruptly, it would certainly elevate Prussia¡¯s prestige, which was unacceptable to him.

    Joseph knew he was right¡ªin history, after Joseph II, Austria would gradually weaken and indeed never managed to reclaim Silesia.

    He nodded and said, ¡°Then, what do you suggest?¡±

    Kaunitz showed a pleading expression:

    ¡°If France can provide more support, such as additional troops and some loans, I am confident in uniting the ministers who are tough on Prussia and persuading Her Majesty to continue the attack on Silesia,¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph narrowed his eyes. Did this mean he was expected to pull out of the Southern Netherlands and continue to supply personnel and money to help Austria fight in Silesia?

    Do you think I look like a sucker? Capturing Silesia wouldn¡¯t contribute the slightest benefit to France.

    Besides, with France¡¯s current financial situation, where would the money for a loan to Austria come from?

    Wait a second¡­

    He suddenly remembered Kaunitz mentioning the ¡°ministers who are tough on Prussia,¡± so he looked at the old State Minister and asked:

    ¡°Are there many in Vienna who support waging war against Prussia?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Kaunitz nodded vigorously, ¡°The ignominy of Silesia is something people are constantly unable to forget. Everyone is worried that Her Majesty will make peace with Prussia.¡±

    He said it was about washing away the shame, but in reality, Austria¡¯s bourgeoisie couldn¡¯t bear to let go of Silesia, an industrially developed area with strong consumption power.

    Joseph nodded slightly, a smile flickering in his eyes.

    At any time, political correctness is an enormously powerful weapon.

    And in Austria, reclaiming Silesia was the greatest political correctness. Although the deadlock in the war, compounded by financial strain, had left Vienna¡¯s upper echelons exhausted and hesitant, a huge stimulus could immediately reactivate this political correctness.

    By then, even the Emperor of Holy Rome would not be able to go against the tide and make peace with Prussia.

    ¡°Please rest assured, our country will continue to support the conflict in Silesia. At the same time, I will certainly not sit idly by and watch Austria bow to Prussia,¡± he told Kaunitz.

    ¡°Thank you! Austria will forever remember your help!¡±

    Joseph continued, ¡°Additionally, I hope you can help me with something.¡±

    ¡°I am always at your service.¡±

    ¡°I need your cooperation at Schonbrunn Palace¡­¡±

    After leaving Kaunitz¡¯s villa, Joseph immediately headed to the French Embassy in Austria and summoned Baron Alphonse, the Ambassador to Austria.

    ¡°Your Highness, bypassing Vienna¡¯s news censorship is indeed difficult,¡± Alphonse frowned. ¡°But I will definitely try my best.¡±

    Joseph nodded and said, ¡°The Intelligence Bureau will cooperate fully with you. Moreover, if you encounter any insurmountable problems, you can go to Count Kaunitz for help.¡±

    ¡°I hope to see those news stories published within a week.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Early the next morning, Joseph instructed Talleyrand to visit those ministers advocating a hard stance against Prussia, while he himself went to the address left by his mother to visit Madame Delvaux¡¯s residence.

    It was a not-so-large yet quite unique manor, indicating that the Queen of France¡¯s wet nurse lived quite comfortably. In fact, the old lady had some reputation in Vienna, and had it not been for the fact that the brother-in-law of Leopold II was someone she really couldn¡¯t provoke, she would have never reached out to Queen Mary for help.

    The Delvaux household had already been startled by the extravagant scene outside their doors and the large contingent of guards in white uniforms. Seven or eight servants immediately came out to welcome them.

    Upon learning that the Crown Prince of France had arrived, a maid hurriedly turned and ran back into the house, calling out:

    ¡°Miss, come quickly! It¡¯s the Fr, French Crown Pri¡­¡±

    An old man, looking like a butler, scolded the servants to make way and then, with extreme nervousness, bowed his head low and ushered Joseph into the manor.

 Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: Chapter 416: The Flowers of Vienna

    Chapter 503: Chapter 416: The Flowers of Vienna

    Joseph walked through the impeccably maintained courtyard and saw the villa¡¯s doors being pushed open from the inside, as a girl accompanied by her fluttering white dress hurried out. Her golden, wavy hair moved slightly in waves behind her due to her hurry.

    The girl kept her head down nervously, almost bumping into Kesode.

    ¡°Please forgive me, I truly didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±

    She hurried to kneel and apologize to the captain of the guard and, after receiving his forgiveness, she cautiously glanced at the crowd, suddenly remembering something. She straightened her back and approached the handsome young man in a gemstone-blue coat with very measured steps, kneeling before him with the utmost standard of courtly etiquette:

    ¡°It is a great honor to have you here, most esteemed Crown Prince of France.¡± Her French was not very fluent, and it carried a Germanic accent. After a pause, as if realizing something, she added, ¡°Ah, I am Camellia Ermin Delvaux. It¡¯s a great honor to have you¡­¡±

    That was when Joseph finally saw the girl¡¯s face. She seemed to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a soft facial curve and skin delicate and fair like that of a baby. Her large violet eyes were filled with nervousness and unease, and her slightly trembling lips looked as though she wanted to say more, which instinctively made one feel the urge to protect her.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10122962¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10122962/fef108a111da3a2e71e8ca482b8959b88sNj0Y6yC9BWJYP.jpg¡±>

    Joseph, who was used to seeing all types of beauties at the Palace of Versailles, was still surprised by Camellia¡¯s appearance, and he couldn¡¯t help but pause for a moment.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± he quickly coughed to cover his embarrassment and nodded back to the girl, then asked, ¡°I am here to visit Madame Delvaux. How is she feeling?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Camellia¡¯s expression immediately dimmed, and she said quietly:

    ¡°Grandmother, she¡­ is not doing very well. Oh, please do come in.¡±

    Inside the sun-drenched bedroom on the second floor of the villa, an old woman with silver hair lay on the bed with her eyes tightly shut and her breathing so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

    As Joseph entered the room, a maid of the Delvaux family hurried to the bedside and whispered a few words into the old lady¡¯s ear.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    The wrinkled eyelids slowly opened, and the old woman made an effort to turn her head, her voice a hoarse murmur:

    ¡°Is it¡­ the Crown Prince¡­ Your Highness?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madame.¡±

    The old lady immediately forced her eyes open and grasped the maid¡¯s arm, struggling to sit up, as tears welled up in her eyes:

    ¡°Queen Mary¡­ she¡­ is still thinking of¡­ me¡­¡±

    Joseph quickly stepped forward to support her, ¡°Please lie down. Mother really wanted to visit you but she simply cannot leave Paris. She sent me in her stead to convey her most heartfelt blessings to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Madame Delvaux suddenly burst into tears, ¡°I, I also¡­ miss¡­ Queen Mary¡­ very much¡­¡±

    After crying for a while, she looked at Joseph and struggled to pay her respects:

    ¡°You see¡­ I am¡­ really¡­ old¡­ and confused. Your esteemed¡­ Crown Prince¡­ Your Highness¡­¡±

    ¡°You needn¡¯t stand on ceremony; please take care of your health.¡± Joseph assisted her to lean against the pillow, but found that due to the exertion, she no longer had the strength to open her eyes.

    He turned his head to look at Camellia:

    ¡°May I ask what the doctor has said?¡±

    The girl spoke softly: ¡°Doctor Richter bled Grandmother this morning. He said that if there¡¯s no improvement, he may have to perform an emetic treatment in the afternoon.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face was suddenly streaked with black lines, the old lady was already like this, yet the quack doctor still wanted to bleed her¡­

    Forget it, even the great Washington couldn¡¯t escape the ¡°blood loss debuff,¡± let alone an ordinary noble grandmother from Vienna.

    Madam Delvaux rested for a while and then began to speak with a smile about some things from Queen Mary¡¯s childhood. Joseph couldn¡¯t bear to interrupt the old woman¡¯s fond memories, so he just sat by the bed and listened quietly.

    By noon, that Doctor Richter arrived and, after examining the old lady, looked nervously at the obviously distinguished young man beside her before whispering to Camellia:

    ¡°Ah¡­ Madam Delvaux¡¯s condition¡­ there¡¯s no need for emetic treatment, what she needs is a priest. May God have mercy on her.¡±

    As the doctor left, Camellia could not hold back her tears any longer, but Madam Delvaux was smiling as she comforted her:

    ¡°Grandmother¡­ it¡¯s all right. Oh, there¡¯s no need for that¡­ damned¡­ emetic¡­ how wonderful. Go and call¡­ Father Koch¡­ over.¡±

    She seemed to suddenly remember something, looking at the Crown Prince of France as she tried to get up again.

    Joseph had no choice but to help her lie back down on the bed:

    ¡°Do you have something you wish to tell me?¡±

    The old lady nodded weakly:

    ¡°Your Highness¡­ there is a¡­ Devil named¡­ Walter. He¡­¡±

    As Madam Delvaux recounted the events in a halting narrative, Joseph finally came to understand what had happened. This Baron Walter had detained and raped numerous women in Spain, resulting in the deaths of two, angering the powerful Campos. With no choice, he fled to Tuscany seven years ago to seek refuge with his cousin Ludovica, and later came with her to Austria.

    Walter was still a womanizer in Vienna, until he saw Camellia at a dance and instantly set his sights on her beauty, declaring his intent to marry her.

    After learning of this man¡¯s vile character, Madam Delvaux decisively rejected the marriage proposal, only to be subjected to his incessant harassment ever since.

    Camellia had been terrified to even leave the house this past year. Fortunately, Madam Delvaux still had some prestige, and Walter did not dare to abduct her outright.

    ¡°When I¡­ go to meet¡­ the Lord,¡± Madam Delvaux continued with difficulty, ¡°that¡­ bastard¡­ will have¡­ no scruples.¡±

    Joseph frowned. He had already inquired about the Delvaux family¡¯s situation; they had no close relatives in Vienna. After the old lady¡¯s death, Camellia, a young maiden, would likely be unable to escape Walter¡¯s clutches.

    Madam Delvaux motioned for her granddaughter to come closer, held her hand, and then very carefully grasped Joseph¡¯s sleeve, slipping her granddaughter¡¯s hand into his, and pleaded:

    ¡°Crown Prince¡­ Your Highness¡­ I beg you¡­ for Queen¡¯s sake, you must take¡­ Camellia away from Vienna, keep her far from¡­ that Devil!¡±

    Joseph looked at the old lady¡¯s pale face, and at once gripped Camellia¡¯s slender and cold hand, nodding as he said:

    ¡°Please be assured, I guarantee no one will dare to harm your granddaughter. She will live well in Paris.¡±

    ¡°I am truly¡­ very grateful to you, Your Highness. May God¡­ bless you.¡± Madam Delvaux said, crying again, yet her expression seemed relieved of a heavy burden.

    Soon, the old lady fell into a tired sleep.

    After consoling Camellia for a while, Joseph agreed to visit the old lady again the next day and then left the estate.

 Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: Chapter 417 Conducting a Public Opinion War in Austria

    Chapter 504: Chapter 417 Conducting a Public Opinion War in Austria

    Schonbrunn Palace second floor.

    Austrian Foreign Minister Baron Tugut escorted Archbishop Talleyrand out of the hall, his face brimming with smiles:

    ¡°That¡¯s about it, Archbishop Talleyrand. The formal notice will be sent to Paris next week.

    ¡°I wish to thank France for its outstanding contribution to the defeat of the Southern Netherlands Rebels. Oh, His Majesty the Emperor has also specifically instructed to hold a grand farewell banquet in Brussels for the French heroes, and General Leao will take care of the matters thereafter.¡±

    Talleyrand nodded indifferently:

    ¡°Please convey my thanks for His Majesty¡¯s arrangements, long live the Franco-Austrian Alliance.¡±

    ¡°Long live the Franco-Austrian Alliance.¡±

    As soon as Talleyrand stepped out of the main entrance of Schonbrunn Palace, his expression immediately darkened. He took out his notebook, flipped through it, and, looking at a line of words, said to his servant:

    ¡°Go to 31 Uzburger Street.¡±

    That was the residence of Baron Ferrari, a staunch anti-Prussian, yet his influence was not considerable. However, over the past few days Talleyrand had met with the key players of the anti-Prussian faction, and now all he could do was to ally with as many anti-Prussian ministers as possible.

    Meanwhile, in the private room of Vienna¡¯s most luxurious brothel ¡°Red Boots,¡± Viscount Martel of the Vienna Secret Police, having just enjoyed the exquisite services, lifted a glass of gin¡ªit was said to have virility-enhancing effects¡ªsquinted his eyes drunkenly, and gestured to the corpulent man opposite him:

    ¡°You¡¯ve really outdone yourself today, Mr. Kugel, don¡¯t worry about that matter.¡±

    Mr. Kugel had treated him to the top-tier package costing eighty florins a day, a luxury not even Viscount Martel usually allowed himself.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, my dearest friend,¡± Kugel raised his glass, ¡°To Miss Elina.¡±

    She was the ¡°technician¡± who had serviced Martel.

    The two men drained their glasses, and although Martel was clearly inebriated, his eyes suddenly sharpened, he sat up straight, and smacked his forehead, saying:

    ¡°I almost forgot, I haven¡¯t signed the review authorization yet¡­¡±

    In Austria, news review was overseen by the Secret Police, and he was the highest official in charge of news review.

    He straightened his disheveled clothes and staggered to the door, shouting outside the private room:

    ¡°Erice, bring me my briefcase.¡±

    Soon, Martel handed the signed standard authorization to his attendant and instructed:

    ¡°Hurry back to the office and give this to Harper.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal.¡±

    Erice left ¡°Red Boots¡± and hailed a carriage waiting across the street¡ªdaring not to use the Viscount¡¯s coach carelessly.

    ¡°Grabon Street.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Lordship,¡± replied the coachman and cracked his whip to urge the horses on.

    However, after traveling less than a kilometer towards Grabon Street, the carriage suddenly turned into a secluded narrow alley.

    As Erice realized the carriage had stopped, and before he could question the coachman, the carriage door was yanked open and two masked brutes dragged him out, declaring in a gruff voice:

    ¡°This is a robbery!¡±

    ¡°Let me go! I am from the Secret Police¡­ow¡ª¡±

    Erice only got halfway through before he was knocked unconscious with a blow.

    One of the masked men leafed through his leather bag, took out the authorization document, and handed it to the shorter man beside him:

    ¡°Mr. Boduan, this should be it.¡±

    The latter immediately got down to the wooden table in the carriage and began painstakingly copying the signature from the authorization. After ten minutes, he handed a slip of paper with ¡°Martel¡¯s signature¡± on it to the brute:

    ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡±

    The brute examined the paper, tucked it away carefully, and then shredded the original authorization document to pieces.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10122992¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10122992/c3cde22bbb1650096251dd4e15024033Poe51c1Qj4avO5z.jpg¡±>

    Inside a three-story building on the south side of Grabon Street, a crowd of newspaper staff packed together, anxiously shouting at the uniformed person behind the desk:

    ¡°Sir, when will Viscount Martel be back?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already past 4 p.m., if we don¡¯t start the review soon, we¡¯ll be too late for printing!¡±

    ¡°Please, will you tell us where Viscount Martel is? We¡¯ll go fetch him ourselves¡­¡±

    Indeed, this was Austria¡¯s news censorship agency, and Martel, the censor in charge, was still at the ¡°Red Boots¡± discussing life with a courtesan.

    ¡°Please keep it down!¡± a square-faced Secret Police officer shouted impatiently, waving his hand.

    That was Harper, Martel¡¯s assistant, a deputy officer in charge of news censorship, but he too could not proceed with the review work without Martel¡¯s authorization document.

    However, the authorization document had long been torn up and discarded in the trash bin by an agent of the French Intelligence Bureau.

    Just then, a nondescript middle-aged man in a felt hat squeezed through the crowd and kept winking at the square-faced officer.

    Harper understood and took him into an upstairs office.

    After shutting the door, the man in the felt hat produced a slip of paper and handed it to Harper:

    ¡°Sir, this is an emergency approval by Viscount Martel. Thank you for your trouble.¡±

    The recipient glanced at the note, which read: ¡°I have already reviewed the content submitted by Life and Truth newspaper today, please grant approval.¡± Below was the signature of Viscount Martel, though it bore no personal seal.

    He frowned at the man in the felt hat:

    ¡°Where is the Viscount?¡±

    The man revealed a secretive smile, ¡°He¡¯s with a lady. Do you need the specific address?¡±

    ¡°Cough, no need.¡± Harper waved his hand, still cautious though, ¡°Let me see your articles.¡±

    ¡°Right away, sir.¡± The man in the felt hat hurriedly passed a stack of papers to him.

    Harper flipped to the first page, and the headline read, ¡°Great Victory at Legnica, Prussian Bandits Defeated.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t surprised; for the past few days, rumors had circulated that Marshal Lacy had won a victory in Silesia, and Legnica was indeed located in the southwestern province of Silesia.

    The man in the felt hat immediately added at his side:

    ¡°Our war correspondent sent back the news just this noon, and the official announcement should be issued tomorrow. Our newspaper needs this to join the ranks of the top publications.¡±

    ¡°You reporters are faster than the marshals¡¯ couriers.¡± Harper smiled and looked down at the article, which stated that the Austrian Army had annihilated 4,000 of the Prussian Army at Legnica, capturing 1,000 and seizing a large number of cannons. The frontline had already pushed northeast of Legnica, and according to the current battle situation, Legnica might be retaken within the month.

    ¡°Quite the news indeed.¡± He was quite excited, ¡°Finally, we¡¯ve taught those damned Prussians a lesson!¡±

    The man in the felt hat promptly slipped 10 florins into his pocket:

    ¡°Sir, please hurry it up a bit.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before he emerged from the Secret Police building followed by about a dozen people from other newspapers.

    ¡°Are you really willing to sell the news to us?¡± one of them asked anxiously.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Today, no news from any newspaper got approved except for the articles from Life and Truth newspaper.

    And just a moment ago, the people from Life and Truth newspaper told them that for just 30 florins each, they could sell them the news articles.

    Although there would inevitably be a massive overlap in the news, it was still better than having to compensate customers for not publishing and causing a negative impact on the newspaper¡¯s reputation.

    That afternoon, nearly half of Vienna¡¯s newspapers were printing the news of ¡°Great Victory at Legnica, Prussian Bandits Defeated.¡±

    The next morning, all of Vienna was abuzz!

 Chapter 505 - Chapter 505: Chapter 418: From Extravagance to Frugality Is Hard

    Chapter 505: Chapter 418: From Extravagance to Frugality Is Hard

    ¡°Long live His Majesty the Emperor!¡±

    ¡°Silesia belongs to Austria forever!¡±

    ¡°Annihilate the Prussian bandits, and His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s glory will shine upon Silesia!¡±

    ¡°Crowning a King of Silesia¡­¡±

    Outside Schonbrunn Palace, the excited cheers of the crowd surged into the meeting hall on the second floor.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10123319¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10123319/224de270c5490e9472bbfe944ef2a91eqI54PE7O3997SZ3.jpg¡±>

    Leopold II, who was discussing the ceasefire plan with Earl Franz and Baron Tugut, furrowed his brow and quick-stepped to the window. He then saw a dark mass of people swelling toward Schonbrunn Palace.

    He turned his head to a close attendant, ¡°What are they shouting? What¡¯s happened?¡±

    The latter hurried out to inquire and quickly returned with an army officer, bowing as he spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, it seems the people are celebrating a great victory.¡±

    ¡°A great victory? What great victory?¡±

    That officer immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s news that Marshal Lacy defeated the Prussians at Legnica and pushed the front to the southwest of Breslau¡­¡±

    Baron Tugut almost couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter and quickly held his breath as he lowered his head. Breslau was in the heartland of Silesia and the capital of Silesia. The Austrian army was currently blocked at the border of Legnica and couldn¡¯t advance any further, yet this rumormonger did not even think it through and directly helped Lacy sweep an entire province.

    Leopold II gave the Foreign Minister a cold glance, angrily saying, ¡°I originally didn¡¯t pay attention to those rumors, and I didn¡¯t expect people to actually believe them.¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    He listened to the growing cheers and irritably told the officer, ¡°Why are you still standing here? Dispel the rumors immediately and disperse the crowd.¡±

    Of course, the so-called ¡°Great Victory at Legnica¡± rumor was spread by Joseph, instructed by Baron Alphonse, the Ambassador to Austria. But this was just an appetizer.

    Inside Schonbrunn Palace, Baron Ferrari, a staunch anti-Prussian minister, waved the Vienna Daily News in his hand and stood on the staircase to proclaim loudly, ¡°A great victory! Silesia has never been closer to its return!¡±

    He distributed the newspapers to a few dozen nobles before him, ¡°Take a look, it¡¯s all written here on the newspaper.

    ¡°Oh, I suggest that everyone donates to Marshal Lacy¡¯s army. I will start with 300 florins.¡±

    The nobles immediately looked at the newspapers and started discussing excitedly, ¡°Marshal Lacy is incredible, he killed 4,000 Prussian dogs!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really a victory, fantastic!¡±

    And those nobles who had seen the news this morning were already instructing their servants to give money, ¡°For Silesia, I¡¯ll donate 300 florins too.¡±

    ¡°I donate 500 florins to the brave soldiers at Legnica¡­¡±

    In an era without the internet, newspapers were the most authoritative source of information people had, especially for such major events¡ªno one would suspect it¡ªsince the Secret Police would rigorously scrutinize every single word.

    In fact, not just at the end of the 18th century, but even in the early 20th century, the courts would even use the content of newspapers as evidence for sentencing.

    With Ferrari¡¯s vigorous promotion, Schonbrunn Palace quickly became agitated as well. And those nobles with military connections, though skeptical of the news, dared not voice any doubt at this time¡ªfor fear of being beaten by the people caught up in the frenzy.

    The officer who was about to leave to dispel the rumor was stopped by Baron Tugut, who suddenly thought of something. Frowning, he detained the officer and then approached Leopold II, whispering, ¡°Your Majesty, now may not be the appropriate time to directly dispel the rumors.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why?¡±

    ¡°Consider this, how is Baron Duden supposed to explain to those outside¡­¡±

    Leopold II was taken aback and immediately furrowed his brow. Indeed, what could he say? Announce that the great victory was a rumor, and that Austria was not as valiant as the rumors suggested? Say that Lacy had been leading an army of a hundred thousand near Legnica for almost a year and was still dawdling on the borders of Silesia? Tell everyone to disperse because Silesia could not be retaken any time soon?

    Due to the Emperor¡¯s reforms, Austria was already unsettled, with various factions filled with grievances. If they were to boldly declare the government¡¯s incompetence now, it would immediately lead to major chaos. Especially those Hungarian nobles with secessionist tendencies, who had been waiting for such an opportunity¡ªthey might be encouraged to start a rebellion¡­

    Human nature is such.

    If Austria had always been weak, people would have become numb to it. But if someone suddenly told them that Austria had become powerful, that their army was invincible, their demands and expectations would instantly rise. At that point, trying to make them accept the reality of Austria¡¯s weakness would only leave them in anger and despair.

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±

    Leopold II wiped the cold sweat from his brow and hastily stopped the officer, then instructed a servant, ¡°Gather the ministers. We must seriously discuss this matter.¡±

    The Earl Franz, an ally of the British faction, became anxious at once, ¡°Your Majesty, but if we don¡¯t refute the rumors, how can we sign a ceasefire agreement with Prussia?¡±

    He knew very well that if everyone in Austria believed Marshal Lacy had recaptured Legnica, the only thing Austria could do was to seize Breslau in one fell swoop while they had the momentum.

    At this time, anyone who dared to suggest peace would inevitably be labeled as a traitor by the entire nation.

    Even if it were excused that Austria¡¯s finances were tight and a temporary ceasefire was necessary, once both countries withdrew their troops, where would Legnica, conquered by Lacy, be?

    Surely it couldn¡¯t be said that they had given it back to the damned Prussians, could it?

    Leopold II waved his hand in irritation, ¡°Let¡¯s also discuss the ceasefire at the imperial council.¡±

    He then left the room with a slam of the door.

    Just past noon, Viscount Martel, the ¡°prime culprit¡± of the fake news scandal, was brought before Leopold II by Marquis Hartman, the head of Austria¡¯s secret police.

    And the poor news inspector, who was responsible for reviewing the information, only knew that a merchant named Kugel had asked him to help his nephew, who was caught smuggling banned books, get off the hook by spending an entire day at ¡°Red Boots.¡±

    Subsequently, Martel¡¯s attendant, as well as Harper, the assistant news censor, were both interrogated. The former stated that he had been robbed, tied up in an alley, and wasn¡¯t rescued until this morning.

    The latter claimed that he had passed the news of the ¡°great victory¡± through the review process after seeing a note signed by Martel.

    Under the pressure from Leopold II, the Austria¡¯s secret police worked with extreme efficiency, and by noon the next day, preliminary investigation results were placed on his desk.

    ¡°That Kugel¡¯s hometown is in Solnok, and he came to Vienna three years ago,¡± Marquis Hartman reported, ¡°He acquired the Vienna Daily News a week ago, and the fake news originated from this newspaper.

    ¡°According to the testimony of Viscount Martel¡¯s attendant, among the men who robbed him, one inadvertently revealed a bit of a Hungarian accent.

    ¡°The ones who forged Viscount Martel¡¯s signature must be these men.¡±

    Leopold II stared at the report on the table with a grim expression, ¡°So, this matter is related to the Hungarians?¡±

    ¡°It seems so, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: Chapter 419 "Look, this is a slave!

    Chapter 506: Chapter 419 ¡°Look, this is a slave!

    Leopold II exclaimed angrily:

    ¡°What exactly do they want to do?!¡±

    Marquis Hartman said uncertainly:

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Hungarian separatists have always been looking for an excuse to rebel, and this could very well be their way of humiliating Vienna. If we handle this incorrectly¡­¡±

    Although Hungary is currently a part of the Austrian Empire, it has always had its own ¡°little court,¡± not only independently managing its finances but also maintaining a complete official system, hence having a strong tendency towards independence.

    For the stability of Hungary, Austria granted them a significant number of preferential policies, yet the separatists in Hungary cause trouble every year.

    It was precisely this point that Joseph had taken advantage of, deciding to let Hungary take the blame. And the members of the Hungarian separatist faction could hardly come to Sch?nbrunn Palace to defend themselves¡ªunless they wanted to explain from a prison cell.

    That afternoon, all of Austria¡¯s most influential ministers gathered in the bedroom of Joseph II to discuss how to deal with the current situation.

    The anti-Prussian faction led by Kaunitz and the peace faction led by Franz clearly stood on opposing sides.

    At this moment, Joseph II was so ill he could hardly speak; he just weakly raised his hand to signal the meeting to begin.

    Count Lecam of the peace faction was the first to speak:

    ¡°Your Majesty, there is no significant obstacle in our way to retake the Southern Netherlands, and it¡¯s utterly meaningless for the Empire to continue depleting resources in Silesia.¡±

    Members of the anti-Prussian faction immediately objected:

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°My Lord Earl, if we fail to achieve a strategic breakthrough this time, you know that our country will find it very difficult to allocate so many resources to fight against Prussia and reclaim Silesia in a short time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because we have wasted so many resources that we should cut our losses as soon as possible!¡±

    ¡°Please listen to the people!¡± Baron Ferrari raised a list, ¡°When everyone heard that Marshal Lacy had achieved victory, just yesterday, they donated 35,000 florins to the front line! And now you want to negotiate peace with the Prussians? Then please, go and return these donations to everyone.¡±

    ¡°What victory has been achieved? That¡¯s all just rumors!¡±

    By this time, these high-ranking ministers all knew that there was no ¡°Legnica grand victory¡±; it was merely a rumor circulated by the Hungarians to shame Vienna.

    ¡°No, that is the longstanding wish of all Austrians,¡± Baron Ferrari spoke passionately, ¡°They all believe it to be true!¡±

    Earl Franz, considering the benefits promised by the British, began to join the fray as well:

    ¡°Do we really intend to continue waging a war for a rumor?¡±

    Marquis Lang spoke gravely:

    ¡°Unless you take everyone to Silesia to see for themselves, some will always believe that Legnica has been recaptured. Moreover, negotiating peace would also damage Marshal Lacy¡¯s reputation.¡±

    Indeed, yesterday everyone was saying that you had won a complete victory, but today the government is denying you have achieved anything¡ªthe political and military career of Lacy could be over after this.

    Franz immediately said:

    ¡°In fact, Marshal Lacy is also in favor of a cease-fire.¡±

    Count Lecam added:

    ¡°I have been to the Gnitz frontline, and given the current situation, our army simply cannot recapture Silesia before the financial collapse.¡±

    Foreign Minister Baron Tugut glanced at Kaunitz and began to say:

    ¡°The Crown Prince of France has officially stated his willingness to increase support for the Silesian war effort. The intervention of the French Army will help us defeat the Prussians, just as in the Southern Netherlands.¡±

    Baron Ferrari immediately responded:

    ¡°The entire nation is now immersed in the joy of victory, as you all know, and at this time, a retreat means¡­¡±

    He pointed towards the southeast: ¡°The Hungarian separatist faction is indeed the one that hopes most for us to negotiate peace with the Prussians!¡±

    Reclaiming Silesia remains the ultimate political correctness for Austria. As the pro-war faction¡¯s arguments grew fiercer, Franz and his group could barely get a word in.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10123458¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10123458/12ddde8ea9484cf91723ea6552739fb47zC76WucG7g7Z5i.jpg¡±>

    Just then, Kaunitz, who had remained silent, suddenly stood up, leaned his head back at a 45-degree angle to look at the ceiling, clenched both fists, took a deep breath and said aloud:

    ¡°I wonder if you have heard a poem that has been circulating among the people recently¡ª

    ¡°If We Don¡¯t Go To War¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t go to war,¡±

    ¡°the Prussians with their bayonets,

    ¡°will kill us,

    ¡°and then point at our bones saying:

    ¡®Look,

    ¡°these are slaves!''¡±

    Silence suddenly descended upon the entire bedroom. The peace faction could not help but bow their heads in shame, while the eyes of the war faction were filled with raging flames, some even on the verge of tears.

    This poem was a direct stab to the soul!

    Everyone instantaneously recalled the humiliation of Silesia being forcibly occupied by the Prussians.

    Especially that last line, which filled them with rage, wishing they could personally go to the front lines, press a flintlock gun against the Prussians¡¯ heads, and roar, ¡°Austrians are not to be trifled with!¡±

    This was the ¡°ultimate weapon¡± Joseph provided for Kaunitz¡ªa short poem that had inspired countless patriotic soldiers to fight bloodily in future generations, a potent bombshell in any country suffering from foreign aggression. Thus, Joseph relayed this poem to Kaunitz, instructing him to recite it when necessary to turn the tide.

    On the sickbed, Joseph II suddenly shuddered, lifting his withered right hand, making a ¡°eh eh¡± sound.

    Leopold II hurriedly bent down to listen closely to his mouth, then stood up after a moment and surveyed the crowd:

    ¡°His Majesty says, we must recapture Silesia at all costs. Discuss aid with France immediately, and send reinforcements to the front line.¡±

    Turning back, he saw His Majesty¡¯s lips move and added:

    ¡°Austria shall prevail!¡±

    Baron Ferrari immediately raised his arm and cried out:

    ¡°Victory to Austria! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!¡±

    The other war proponents also shouted excitedly, and after a moment, even the likes of Count Franz felt compelled to join the chanting throng:

    ¡°Long live His Majesty the Emperor!¡±

    ¡°Take back Silesia!¡±

    Under such an atmosphere, who would dare propose peace? His Majesty would undoubtedly throw him back to his hometown to feed the pigs without hesitation.

    ¡­

    Joseph, turning his head, listened to the crowd outside the window chanting loudly¡ª

    ¡°¡­and then point at our bones saying:

    ¡®Look,

    ¡°these are slaves!''¡±

    He couldn¡¯t help but exhale softly, it seemed that Kaunitz had won at Schonbrunn Palace and the French military investment in the Southern Netherlands wouldn¡¯t have been in vain.

    With Austria¡¯s current national strength, they needed to rely on France¡¯s power to defeat Prussia. He could then set his price.

    However, this time Austria needed some substantial support; otherwise, once the excitement of ¡®the victory at Legnica¡¯ had faded, Vienna would still opt for peace talks.

    Now that Hanover and Prussia had withdrawn from the Southern Netherlands, his Guard Corps could disengage and show off their prowess in Silesia.

    Of course, they couldn¡¯t conquer the whole of Silesia; that would severely weaken Prussia and lead to the possibility of Austria reunifying Germany.

    Basically, helping Austria recover one province of Silesia should suffice. In exchange for the Walloon Region of the Southern Netherlands, Austria would profit in terms of area, politics, and economics.

    However, getting involved in the grand war against Prussia required detailed strategic planning¡ªit needed to be enough to take a province without significant losses and to be able to disengage at any time¡­

    As Joseph pondered, Eman entered with an elderly man knocking on the door.

    Joseph recognized the man as the old butler of Madame Delvaux. A sense of foreboding immediately welled up in him.

    True to his hunch, after the old man bowed respectfully, he spoke in a low and somber voice:

    ¡°Your Highness, the lady¡­she has returned to heaven¡­¡±

 Chapter 507 - Chapter 507: Chapter 420 Valron Special Trade Zone

    Chapter 507: Chapter 420 Valron Special Trade Zone

    Madame Delvaux¡¯s funeral was quite simple.

    There had never been many friends in the old lady¡¯s lifetime. Previously, they had cut off contact with the Delvaux family so as not to provoke Baron Walter; now, only seven or eight people came to bid her farewell.

    However, Joseph¡¯s presence instantly made the somewhat lackluster Father Koch take things more seriously, and the voice in which he recited the holy words became significantly more solemn.

    Dressed in a black skirt, Camellia stood beside, her expression blank as she stared unblinkingly at her only relative in this world, seeming at a loss.

    It was not until the priest had finished the prayers and began offering incense in front of the body that she seemed to suddenly understand, and she burst into tears with a loud ¡°waah.¡±

    Joseph hurriedly went up to comfort the helpless girl,

    ¡°Madame Delvaux will watch over you from heaven, and she has not left you¡­¡±

    After the elaborate ritual, Madame Delvaux¡¯s coffin was carried to the nearest church by the servants, and only then did Camellia finally quiet down from sheer exhaustion.

    As soon as Joseph stepped out of the estate¡¯s main gate, he saw Talleyrand approaching him and greeting him,

    ¡°Your Highness, it was not easy to find you.¡±

    The Foreign Minister then looked towards the black coffin and crossed himself,

    ¡°May God have mercy on this poor soul.¡±

    ¡°She was the Queen Mother¡¯s wet nurse,¡± Joseph crossed himself too, and asked Talleyrand, ¡°Do you have urgent business?¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Talleyrand leaned in a little closer,

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Baron Tugut invited me to a meeting, likely concerning reinforcements for Silesia. You see, is there anything in particular I should be wary of?¡±

    Joseph nodded slightly. This was the groundwork for him and the Emperor of Sanctum to formally sign an agreement, with major issues usually being hashed out during such times.

    ¡°I will have the Guard Corps move to Silesia. You may tell Baron Tugut that we will certainly achieve the necessary breakthrough in military matters. However, France will still maintain a state of non-declaration of war.¡±

    It was better to remain non-belligerent so as to withdraw at any time, after all, France did not come to fight to the death for Austria.

    Hearing that the Crown Prince intended to use elite troops, Talleyrand felt emboldened to negotiate with the Austrians and quickly made a note in his notebook.

    Joseph continued, ¡°In addition, I will ensure that Russia does not interfere with Silesia.¡±

    A look of surprise flitted across Talleyrand¡¯s eyes as he hurriedly took notes.

    It might not seem like much, but it was enough to influence the direction of the Silesian conflict. Recall that Catherine II merely had to assemble 40,000 troops to the west, and the battle for the Bavarian throne came to an abrupt halt even before the troops were fully assembled, prompting Austria and Prussia to immediately return to the negotiating table.

    Moreover, the Crown Prince spoke with such certainty, as if the Tsar of Russia would definitely act as he said.

    ¡°As for our demands, there is only one,¡± Joseph looked at the Foreign Minister, his voice lowering a bit, ¡°and that is the Walloon Region.¡±

    Talleyrand nodded and took note, but then hesitated a bit,

    ¡°Your Highness, given the current atmosphere in Vienna, this will probably not be easy to achieve.¡±

    ¡°`

    At present, all of Austria is immersed in the fervor of reclaiming territory; although the Walloon Region is not large, even the loss of a single town at this time would arouse strong opposition within the country.

    ¡°Your concerns are very valid.¡± Joseph pondered and nodded, but soon revealed a smile, ¡°Then let us try a different approach, such as¡­¡±

    He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw the funeral procession had moved on, sighed helplessly, instructed Eman to go in his stead, and then detailed his plan to Talleyrand:

    ¡°For example, creating a special trade zone¡­¡±

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    In the bedroom of Joseph II, Leopold II¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise:

    ¡°You mean to say, the French have agreed to send a powerful legion into Silesia and will be responsible for most of the expenses for this corps?¡±

    It was not that Joseph was overly generous, but he knew that given Austria¡¯s current financial situation, if they had to bear the cost of the Guard Corps¡¯ military expenses, they might not be able to sustain it for long. Though the Guard Corps¡¯ numbers might not seem too high, the expenses required were considerable¡ªfirstly, the soldiers¡¯ salaries were much higher than those of regular troops, then there was the replenishment and upkeep of various new equipment, and even their daily food costs were much more expensive than those of other troops.

    Baron Tugut nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Archbishop Talleyrand also stated that the Allied Forces would surely achieve a strategic breakthrough.¡±

    Leopold II couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist: ¡°If France can truly persuade Russia to remain on the sidelines, we will have a great chance of reclaiming Silesia!¡±

    Lying on the bed next to him, Joseph II also let out a ¡°uh¡± sound, his face showing a rare smile.

    Tugut continued: ¡°Your Majesty, however, the French are consistently unwilling to declare war on Prussia, obviously reluctant to get too involved.¡±

    ¡°No matter.¡± Leopold II dismissively waved his hand, ¡°As the situation of the war changes, we have many ways to keep them in Silesia.¡±

    He instantly thought of more than a dozen ways to tie France to Austria¡¯s war chariot and couldn¡¯t help but smile. His sister still lacked political experience; once embroiled in war, how easy it would be to extricate oneself?

    If Joseph had been present, he would also have smiled.

    He was of course familiar with the principle of ¡°difficulty in leaving a gang of thieves once aboard their ship,¡± but he also clearly remembered that in less than three months, Joseph II would be called to heaven by the Lord.

    At that time, all of Austria would first be occupied with the old Emperor¡¯s funeral, and then the coronation of the new Emperor would follow¡ªand in Austria, coronation was no simple matter. Leopold II would have to go through the process of being elected by the Prince-Electors, crowned as the Emperor of Holy Rome, and thereafter begin his long journey to be separately crowned as the monarch of Hungary, Bohemia, Croatia, Transylvania, Mantua, Galicia, Lodomeria, and the Austrian Netherlands¡­

    What? Think to be lazy and skip one place? Then you would lose the legal basis for your rule over that area, and believe it or not, the following year there will be nobles attempting to fill the void themselves.

    (Just look at the insignia of the Emperor of Holy Rome to understand how complicated the ¡°titles¡± are.)

    Therefore, Austria would undoubtedly be too busy to continue waging war, and Joseph would be able to, after participating in the Holy Roman Emperor¡¯s coronation ceremony, conveniently bring the now ¡°idle¡± French Army back to Paris¡ªsurely you can¡¯t expect us French to be fighting Prussia while your ruling house takes a six-month break, can you?

    Having confirmed the glorious prospects of the Silesian war situation, Leopold II turned to Baron Tugut:

    ¡°What then are France¡¯s demands?¡±

    ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand said that previously many French had invested in the Walloon Region, so they hope it can become a ¡®special trade zone¡¯.¡±

    ¡°A special trade zone?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s where both France and Austria can invest and trade, and the administration of the Walloon Region would be handled by a council of merchants,¡± said Tugut. ¡°Additionally, to ensure the fairness of the trade, there would be no permanent military presence, with the Valron Police Department responsible for security.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: Chapter 421 Destiny and Future

    Chapter 508: Chapter 421 Destiny and Future

    Joseph II on the side let out an anxious ¡°uh-uh¡± upon hearing the news.

    Leopold II immediately bent down to listen, then said to Tugut, ¡°His Majesty is asking if the French people mentioned the sovereignty of the Walloon Region?¡±

    ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand said the sovereignty still belongs to the King of Southern Netherlands.¡±

    ¡°What about Ghent Province then?¡± Leopold II asked further.

    Ghent, located to the south of the Atlantic Ocean, is of extreme strategic importance as it can control the outlet of the Rhine River to the sea.

    ¡°Ghent is not included in the special trade zone,¡± Tugut added, ¡°nor is Bruges.¡±

    Bruges, another coastal province, is right next to Ghent.

    Upon hearing this, Leopold II sighed with relief; with this, the so-called ¡°special trade zone¡± was entirely inland and included only the provinces of Mons and Namur, as well as a part of the south of Liege. The area was only slightly larger than Luxembourg.

    As long as the coastal provinces were kept in hand, along with Antwerp, it would be possible to firmly control the estuary of the Rhine River. That way, the most significant interests of the Southern Netherlands would be preserved.

    He looked at Joseph II and nodded, ¡°Your Majesty, I think these terms are acceptable.¡±

    In reality, the control over the estuary of the Rhine River that Leopold valued was nothing more than a hot potato for Joseph.

    The Rhine is a major commercial artery of Germany. If France controlled the mouth of the Rhine, it would gain tremendous trade advantages in Germany and could even push the British out from there. By that time, the British would surely be willing to wage a national war to drive France away from this place.

    In history, one of the core reasons why Britain actively orchestrated the Anti-French Alliance was that France had occupied the entirety of the Southern Netherlands.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Moreover, if the British harbored any ulterior motives towards the Walloon Region, they would first have to cross over the coastal provinces controlled by Austria, which ironically would serve as a barrier for France.

    Therefore, it was most appropriate for Austria to keep the coastal provinces.

    Joseph was only interested in the coal resources of the Walloon Region and its large French-speaking population. Furthermore, with the establishment of the Walloon special trade zone, it could be connected with Luxembourg. Once the railway was through, the combined coal and iron resources of the two places would become another powerful engine for the French Industrial Revolution.

    As for the issue of sovereignty, that was merely a nominal matter.

    Thanks to Joseph¡¯s previous management, the Walloon Regional Chamber of Commerce was mostly filled with his appointees, and the president was directly a Frenchman. The military supply preparation committee had long since taken control of every aspect of commerce and trade.

    If the Chamber of Commerce managed the administration¡ªa very common practice in France¡ªthen it meant Joseph controlled the area.

    Also, with no more Austrian Army stationed in the Walloon Region, the Walloon police would be the only force of violence there.

    Although it seemed like an ¡°undefended¡± trade zone, the combat capability of the police had considerable room for variation.

    Have you ever heard of the Paris Police Academy? Send the Walloon police there for training, and don¡¯t blame me when your regular troops are crying at their hands.

    After a long silence, Joseph II also saw it as a no-lose deal and nodded with difficulty, squeezing out a single word:

    ¡°Agreed.¡±

    ¡­

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10124145¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10124145/b617c8ad104ced441a66f331b320072c8e1nF2Q4QqeE390.jpg¡±>

    While Joseph was busy signing the ¡°Vienna Special Agreement¡± with Leopold II, Madame Delvaux¡¯s funeral had completed a series of rituals and officially commenced the burial ceremony.

    By the time Joseph arrived at the cemetery from Schonbrunn Palace, the guests attending the funeral had all departed, leaving only a newly erected grave isolated there, with Madame Delvaux¡¯s name etched on the tombstone, with a line in smaller text: She was once remembered by the most beautiful Queen of this world.

    Camellia still stood in front of the tombstone, her head lowered, reluctant to leave for a long time.

    Joseph approached and patted her back, whispering softly,

    ¡°Those who have passed are gone, and you too shall have a new home. Her Majesty the Queen awaits you at the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    The girl slowly turned her head and curtsied, her voice choked with emotion:

    ¡°I am most grateful for your and Her Majesty¡¯s care. May God bless you and Her Majesty.¡±

    Joseph nodded and then said:

    ¡°I shall return to Paris the day after tomorrow. Will you depart with me as Madam Delvaux wished?¡±

    Camellia glanced at her grandmother¡¯s gravestone and, with tears streaming down, nodded:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡­ Paris is now the only place I can go to¡­¡±

    While she spoke, court officials from Schonbrunn Palace, led by Eman, approached Joseph and bowed, saying:

    ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Emperor invites you to attend the ball this evening.¡±

    A treaty of immense significance to Austria had just been signed; naturally, it merited a proper celebration.

    Joseph could only offer the girl a few more words of comfort before leaving two servants to take care of her, then hurried back to Schonbrunn Palace for the political social event.

    The next afternoon, Camellia finally ate her first meal in nearly two days, wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes, and prepared to go say farewell to her only friend.

    The servants Joseph had sent to look after her immediately got busy preparing the carriage¡ªsince all of Delvaux¡¯s servants had been dismissed except for Camellia¡¯s personal maid, these outdoor matters could only be handled by them.

    In a mid-range villa on Lerston Street, Mr. Bazel warmly brought Camellia a cup of hot cocoa:

    ¡°Have some, I¡¯ve added a lot of sugar; it can soothe your soul.¡±

    Seeing the girl quietly pick up the cup, he carefully asked:

    ¡°So, what are your plans for the future? If¡­¡±

    He gathered his courage to say, ¡°If you¡¯re willing, I could take you away from Vienna, anywhere you like, and then I would take care of you for life.¡±

    Though he was Camellia¡¯s music teacher, he was also deeply infatuated with her. Therefore, while others shunned her for fear of Baron Walter, he steadfastly protected her.

    Now that Madam Delvaux had passed away, he was the only one left to protect this poor girl in the world. He may not be able to confront Walter, but he could take her away. For her, he was willing to give up his comfortable life and spend the rest of his days on the run.

    However, before he could speak these words, he heard the girl whisper softly, ¡°Grandmother wrote a letter to the Queen of France; the Crown Prince of France will take me to Paris.¡±

    She looked up at Bazel: ¡°I am very afraid; it is a distant and strange place, and I do not know what fate awaits me there. Do you think I should go?¡±

    Bazel¡¯s heart tightened; he wanted to say ¡°No, don¡¯t go,¡± but then he hesitated.

    The Crown Prince of France?

    He slowly bowed his head. If Camellia could go to the Palace of Versailles, that would be a thousand times better than running from Baron Walter with him.

    That was the life she deserved.

    It took just two seconds for his eyes to fill with determination, for this was an opportunity for her.

    He had heard Camellia mention her grandmother¡¯s relationship with the Queen of France, meaning she might have many chances to meet the future King of France!

    Although with her background, it was absolutely impossible for her to become the Crown Princess, even a slight connection with the Crown Prince could turn her destiny upside down.

 Chapter 509 - Chapter 509: Chapter 422: How am I supposed to live without you?

    Chapter 509: Chapter 422: How am I supposed to live without you?

    ¡°Camellia,¡± Bazel gripped the girl¡¯s shoulders tightly, staring into her exquisitely beautiful amethyst eyes with a serious tone, ¡°you must go to Paris! Not only must you go, but you should do everything in your power to get close to the Crown Prince.¡±

    Camellia was clearly surprised, nervously responding, ¡°Why¡­ Why? Moreover, I couldn¡¯t possibly come into contact with the Crown Prince¡­¡±

    ¡°Please trust your teacher!¡± Bazel sounded as if he was giving her one last lesson, his expression extremely serious, ¡°You just need to find a way to stay by the side of the Queen of France. Becoming her lady-in-waiting might not be possible, but becoming a maid should be achievable¡ªyou are very familiar with Vienna¡¯s court etiquette, and Her Majesty will surely take a liking to you.

    ¡°The Crown Prince is bound to visit the Queen often, which means you will get to see him regularly. You need to first understand his habits and preferences, starting with something as simple as greeting him, and try to converse with him more.

    ¡°You are so beautiful that no one would refuse to speak with you.¡±

    Stunned, Camellia looked at Bazel, her mentor and friend, ¡°What are you talking about? This is completely unthinkable¡­¡±

    Yet Bazel did not hesitate, ¡°You must play to your strengths, I mean, even in the Palace of Versailles, you are the most striking girl among all! You must captivate the Crown Prince, be more proactive¡­ No, no, what¡¯s more important is to be measured, not let him think you are too forward, give him a natural feeling. Oh, I know it¡¯s difficult, you don¡¯t have such experience, but you can ask the noblewomen of Versailles for advice, they are very skilled in this. Of course, you¡¯ll need to give them some benefits, be willing to spend money¡­¡±

    The music teacher spoke with rising enthusiasm, ¡°Once those techniques start to work, well, when the relationship between you and the Crown Prince becomes very ¡®harmonious,¡¯ you must seize the opportunity¡ªto become his mistress!¡±

    Camellia felt as if she had been stung by a bee, forcefully breaking free from Bazel¡¯s hands, her face as red as the twilight sky, staring at the ground and shaking her head incessantly, ¡°Please stop¡­ How could this be possible? I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you can!¡± Bazel exclaimed, ¡°This is an opportunity many people only dream of, it¡¯s the destiny bestowed upon you by God.

    ¡°Trust me! You must do this!¡±

    In a panic, the girl tossed her cup of cocoa on the table and backed away repeatedly. She had always trusted her teacher, never going wrong following his guidance, but in this moment, she did not know if she should listen to him.

    ¡°I¡­ I came to say goodbye to you.¡± She suddenly remembered the purpose of her visit, retreating to the door, her back to Bazel until she found the doorknob, then continuing, ¡°I will write to you, you are always my most trusted friend, may God bless you. Now, I think I should go.¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    After she spoke, she pulled the door open forcefully and fled Bazel¡¯s villa without looking back.

    Bazel extended his hand towards her retreating figure but then retracted it, trembling. His eyes reddening, he muttered quietly, ¡°Will we meet again? My Camellia¡­ Oh, no, it is better not to.

    ¡°I hope you will live happily in Paris, I hope you find happiness! You must be happy!

    ¡°But without you, how am I to go on living¡­¡±

    He saw the girl seemingly look back at him before boarding the carriage and immediately waved to her, ¡°Go on, Camellia, to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince. It¡¯s okay, smile, that¡¯s it! Smile!¡±

    Camellia boarded the carriage, feeling extremely confused inside. Mr. Bazel had said it was her destiny, the fate of becoming that man¡¯s mistress¡­

    She couldn¡¯t help but picture the handsome face of the Crown Prince of France, her body trembling slightly, cheeks flushing. Indeed, as her teacher had said, so many girls dreamed of winning his favor. Could it really be that she should do the same?

    The teacher had never deceived herself, and the decisions she had made for herself had never been wrong¡­

    As she returned home lost in thought, it was almost twilight.

    From afar, she saw the gates of the manor wide open¡ªthere should have been no one there¡ªand she said to the French servant anxiously, ¡°Mr. Eric, it seems someone has come to our house?¡±

    The carriage stopped at a distance, and Eric got down by himself to check the situation at the manor. Moments later, several men dressed in the court guard uniforms were seen pushing him out, shouting something loudly.

    Camellia could only faintly hear the words ¡°fraud¡± and ¡°seizure¡±¡­

    In a luxurious villa to the southwest of Vienna, Baron Walter, with a heavily made-up woman in his arms, raised his glass towards the others and boasted proudly, ¡°That old bastard has finally died. Haha, God, you finally remembered to take her away. And now I can finally get my hands on that lovely little skylark.¡±

    On the sofa, a portly young nobleman toyed with the chest of the woman beside him and teased deliberately, ¡°Fred, I bet Miss Camellia will still reject you, just like before, haha.¡±

    The other nobles also showed smiles.

    Walter pushed the woman clinging to him away with disdain and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already had Judge Meyer and Marquis de Vilhona arrange everything. There¡¯s no way she can refuse me this time.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he patted the cushion next to him, boasting, ¡°In at most half a month, or even by next week, you¡¯ll see my little sweet treat sitting right here.¡±

    The other nobles began to roar with laughter, even cracking a few risqu¨¦ jokes to congratulate Walter on his impending success.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll have to take her to that ¡®party¡¯ at the end of the month.¡± Walter stroked his chin, revealing a lascivious grin, ¡°The Buckhouse guys will surely be green with envy, haha.¡±

    While Walter was boasting to his cronies, Joseph was in his room on the second floor of Schonbrunn Palace, frowning at his servant Eric, ¡°You¡¯re saying that the court guard has seized the Delvaux family manor?¡±

    The latter nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, they said that Madame Delvaux was involved in a fraud case before she passed away. Not only the manor but also three hectares of property in the northern outskirts of Vienna have been seized.¡±

    The law enforcement responsibilities in this era were very blurred, with the military being an important part of law enforcement, while the police usually only dealt with cases involving commoners. The fact that the court guard was used indicated that the fraud case was very serious.

    On the side, Camellia, who had been calmed down by the maid, burst into tears again upon hearing this news.

    Joseph¡¯s face darkened, he knew that his mother often gave her nurse a sum of money each year, at least four to five thousand livres. Over the years, just this money would have been enough for the Delvaux family to buy the manor and that bit of property, so there was no need for her to commit any fraud.

    Eric continued, ¡°Oh, right, Your Highness, those court guards also mentioned that a Baron Walter knows about the relevant evidence.¡±

    As soon as Joseph heard the name Walter, he immediately understood the situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s indeed that guy causing trouble!¡±

 Chapter 510 - Chapter 510: Chapter 423 Compensation (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Chapter 510: Chapter 423 Compensation (Seeking Monthly Pass)

    Clearly, Baron Walter had used some means to entangle the Delvaux family¡¯s fortune in a lawsuit, leaving Camellia immediately penniless. And she had no relatives or friends¡ªor, if she did it was doubtful anyone would dare to take her in under the threat of Walter.

    So, she would have no choice but to compromise with that scoundrel.

    The corners of Joseph¡¯s mouth lifted in a cold smile. He had previously disdained to pay any attention to that Walter, but now the man had brazenly sought to provoke him.

    Well then, it was time to teach him a lesson.

    He walked over to Camellia and whispered words of comfort:

    ¡°Rest assured, I will not allow Madame Delvaux¡¯s reputation to be tarnished. And those who have falsely accused her will receive the punishment they deserve.¡±

    As for how to handle the situation, such trivial matters were not worth his personal effort; he would just let Kaunitz take care of it.

    The next morning, the court officials from Schonbrunn Palace came to Joseph¡¯s room, and respectfully invited him to a farewell banquet held by His Majesty the Emperor at noon.

    However, Joseph simply gave a cold laugh and said indifferently,

    ¡°I appreciate His Majesty¡¯s kind offer, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need to stay in Vienna a bit longer.¡±

    The court official left, puzzled, and after a short while, the Austrian Minister of State Kaunitz, along with Baron Ferrari, Baron Tugut, and other ministers, hurried over.

    After exchanging formalities, Kaunitz asked anxiously:

    ¡°Your Highness, you were scheduled to return to Paris tonight. May I inquire as to why you have changed your plans?¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    He had reason to be anxious. Austria had just resolved to make a big move in Silesia, and the front lines were eagerly awaiting reinforcements from the French Army, but the Crown Prince of France needed to take the ¡°Vienna Special Agreement¡± back home before the French forces could depart.

    Joseph replied with a stern face,

    ¡°As you know, Madame Delvaux has just passed away, and there have been slanderous accusations of her involvement in a fraud case. I must wait until the truth of this matter is uncovered before I can return with peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°Madame Delvaux?¡± Kaunitz looked at Foreign Minister Tugut in surprise, and the latter quickly whispered a few words into his ear.

    The wet nurse of Queen Mary? Kaunitz frowned immediately. Although a wet nurse¡¯s background was usually not very high, sometimes they could form deep emotional bonds with the children they took care of, which could indeed be troublesome.

    He quickly signaled to Joseph:

    ¡°Your Highness, please return to Paris first, and I assure you that I will provide a satisfactory response.¡±

    ¡°No, I will wait for the results here,¡± replied Joseph calmly.

    Seeing his firm attitude, Kaunitz had no choice but to leave, immediately summoning the officer responsible for the case¡ªhe had already learned the general situation from the servants of the Crown Prince.

    He cursed inwardly, wondering which fool had delayed the Silesian situation over some fraud case.

    After inquiring about the case details, Kaunitz wasted no time and went to find the head of the Secret Police, Marquis Hartman, to help investigate the matter.

    With the involvement of the Secret Police, the officer quickly implicated the Captain of the Court Guard, Marquis de Vilhona. The Secret Police also traced the matter to Judge Meyer, who presided over the fraud case.

    The so-called fraud case was hastily concocted, with evidence conflicting throughout, and after just one day of interrogation by the Secret Police, from the ¡°victim¡± of the fraud to the judge, everyone told the truth.

    Of course, this was because the State Minister had intervened; otherwise, such a baseless accusation could have resulted in the seizure of all of Camellia¡¯s assets.

    The false accuser was thrown into jail, and the judge quickly dropped the case. Kaunitz, bubbling with excitement, went to tell Joseph the good news, but the latter still showed no inclination to return to Paris.

    With great frustration, Kaunitz reported the situation to Leopold II, who was also quite distressed and ordered Marquis Hartman to re-examine the case.

    The Secret Police immediately cracked down hard on all those involved in the affair.

    When the Captain of the Court Guard and the judge learned that Leopold II had personally inquired into the matter, they were momentarily stunned¡ªthe girl was merely a low-ranking noblewoman, so how had the Crown Prince been alerted?!1

    They dared not conceal the truth any longer¡ªfor a few thousand florins, jeopardizing their careers was not worth it¡ªthey immediately gave up Baron Walter.

    Baron Walter, who was flirting with women at a noble¡¯s ball, was seized by the Imperial Guard dispatched by His Majesty the Emperor¡ªdue to the suddenness of the event and the communication standards of the time, he had yet to receive news of his case being overturned.

    After Leopold II learned the full story, he fiercely scolded his brother-in-law and then sent Kaunitz to fetch the Crown Prince of France.

    When Joseph entered Leopold II¡¯s reception room, he saw a nobleman in his twenties with a lecherous appearance, tremblingly standing to one side with his head lowered.

    After exchanging greetings with Leopold II, the latter immediately struck Walter¡¯s back with his cane and shouted,

    ¡°Apologize to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince immediately, you scoundrel!¡±

    Joseph, however, raised his hand to stop him,

    ¡°Your Majesty, I was not involved in this case, there¡¯s no need for an apology to me. I believe Austria has laws to judge charges of slander, fabricating evidence, and bribery. Oh, and the victim of his slander was a respectable noblewoman, who, moreover, had already passed from this world.¡±

    Leopold II looked toward his judicial advisor, who hastily stepped forward and said,

    ¡°Your Majesty, if the charges pointed out by His Royal Highness are proven, then Baron Walter will be sentenced to 20 years in prison, and a compensation double the amount of the slander.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction,

    ¡°Praise be to Austria¡¯s judicial fairness, I think this resolution is quite appropriate.¡±

    Baron Walter immediately turned pale with fright, turned around, and knelt before Leopold II, pleading,

    ¡°Your Majesty, I was wrong, I am willing to pay the compensation, please don¡¯t throw me in jail, I beg of you¡­¡±

    The more arrogant and domineering a person is on normal days, the more cowardly they become when facing adversity.

    Leopold II glanced at Joseph, who was studying the frescoes on the ceiling, and with a reluctant grit of his teeth¡ªfor the situation in Silesia, he could only sacrifice this good-for-nothing brother-in-law.

    ¡°Guards, take Baron Walter¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, his wife, Ludovica, hurriedly entered through a side door, curtsied to him and Joseph, and then started to openly wipe her tears,

    ¡°Fred made a foolish mistake, please give him another chance, Your Highness. I am willing to compensate the Delvaux family 80,000 florins for this.¡±

    The inheritance left by Madame Delvaux was about 60,000 livres, which equated to 25,000 florins. Her offer of triple compensation came across as ¡°full¡± of sincerity.

    Seeing that Joseph was unmoved, she bit her lip and said,

    ¡°100,000 florins should be enough to restore Madame Delvaux¡¯s honor¡­ Your Highness, please be merciful¡­¡±

    Joseph exhaled, knowing that even if Walter was thrown into prison, given his status, he would most likely be secretly released as soon as Joseph left Vienna. It was better to secure some practical benefits for Camellia.

    ¡°150,000 florins, plus a public apology to Madame Delvaux in the newspaper.¡±

    Before Ludovica could respond, Leopold II immediately nodded and said,

    ¡°Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Royal Highness. We will proceed as you have said.¡±

    Joseph was taken aback for a moment. How come it felt like he was getting less?

    1 For the benefit of readers who might have forgotten the background: Leopold II is the younger brother of Joseph II. Since the latter had no offspring, according to the line of succession, Leopold II is currently the Austrian Crown Prince and the designated successor as Emperor of the Holy Rome. Meanwhile, Leopold II is also the Grand Duke of Tuscany, hence others also address him as ¡°Your Majesty¡±.

 Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: Chapter 424 Currency Reform

    Chapter 511: Chapter 424 Currency Reform

    Bavaria West.

    In the suburbs of Neidlingen, a line of knights holding dolphin and iris banners passed along the muddy road. Behind them was the convoy of the Crown Prince of France, surrounded by a large number of guards.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10134188¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10134188/d9fc524669f995aa5d74943d44f2c7c52Fusxw7YTwQhDUR.jpg¡±>

    Inside the carriage, Joseph rubbed his sore shoulders and turned to look out the window at the ancient town. This place was a famous battlefield during the Thirty Years¡¯ War, the Neidlingen battle, but with the passage of time, it had now returned to serenity and peace.

    The blonde girl sitting opposite him saw his movement and hurriedly stood up, whispering:

    ¡°Your Highness, allow me to give you a massage.¡±

    Joseph was startled, mainly because he had never been afforded such attentive service during previous long journeys, but he quickly nodded and smiled:

    ¡°That would be very kind of you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my honor to serve you.¡± Camellia bowed and moved from the low carriage to his side. Her slender fingers pressed on Joseph¡¯s shoulders. The force was just right, immediately making him comfortable enough to squint his eyes.

    A moment later, Joseph¡¯s fatigue had been swept away.

    The girl noticed that his coffee cup was empty and immediately picked up the coffee pot to fill it halfway¡ªon the bumpy carriage, it wasn¡¯t suitable to fill it up, as it could easily spill.

    Yes, after leaving Vienna, Camellia had practically taken over all the work of Joseph¡¯s servants, with even more diligence and care than the previous three combined. All of this was taught to her by Madame Delvaux¡ªbeing able to serve as a governess for the Austrian Princess surely required skill, and indeed she had surpassed her teacher.

    Camellia had been very hesitant about Mr. Bazel¡¯s suggestion at first, but after the Crown Prince of France had harshly dealt with that scoundrel who had threatened and harassed her for over a year and handed over the compensation of 150,000 florins to her, she had made up her mind completely.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    The teacher was right! No, more precisely, it was her own fascination with His Highness¡¯ aura, charm, and the sense of security he brought.

    Joseph nodded in thanks to her, took a sip of his coffee, and found it delightfully aromatic. He couldn¡¯t help but nod again¡ªthe girl¡¯s coffee-making skills were also top-notch¡ªand then he picked up his pen, continuing to draft the development plan for the Walloon Region.

    As per the agreement with Austria, both parties were able to invest in the ¡°Special Walloon Trade Zone.¡± Joseph hoped to finalize the layout in the Walloon Region as early as possible while Austria was preoccupied with the war in Silesia.

    For example, implementing favorable immigration policies to encourage more French people to invest and live in the Walloon Region.

    Then there was the construction of the police force, the first batch planned to recruit 4,000 policemen for the Walloon Region, half of them to be sent to France for training, and then rotated. The upper levels of the Police Headquarters would all be held by French people¡ªafter a large influx of immigrants, it would soon be impossible to distinguish between Walloon natives and immigrants¡ªwith both sides seamlessly integrating in language and lifestyle.

    After French investors took control of nearly all the coal mines in the Walloon Region, with the above two points achieved, France would effectively be in control there.

    At twilight, the convoy stopped in eastern Stuttgart.

    Joseph looked at the investment development plan in his hands and let out a sigh. With his maneuvers over the past two years, he had created a favorable situation for France.

    Aside from the Southern Netherlands, the situation in Tunisia had also stabilized, and a second wave of immigration boom had begun.

    Domestically, industries like coal and iron, textiles, and chemicals had all entered the fast track, simply waiting for cumulative quantity changes to trigger a breakthrough.

    However, all of this required money.

    Whether it¡¯s investment in the Walloon Region or developing Tunisia, as well as training the army (police), and pushing forward the Industrial Revolution, a vast amount of capital was needed.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plans, there would also be tax reform in the future, as well as the expansion of the navy. These were all money-consuming giants.

    And currently, France¡¯s finances were still burdened with a massive deficit of over two billion livres, and a great deal of military expenses had been spent over the past half year from fighting numerous battles. To squeeze out money to accomplish the aforementioned tasks was more difficult than wringing water from a stone.

    Joseph, following Kesode into the manor he was staying at, pondered that now, leveraging the peak of royal prestige brought about by a series of military victories in the Southern Netherlands and North Africa, it might be time to make a decisive move on currency reform.

    Across the whole of France, replacing gold and silver coins with banknotes, and considering the two huge markets of the Walloon Region and Tunisia, just the minting profit alone could alleviate the current tight financial situation.

    With the current pace of France¡¯s agricultural and industrial development, it was entirely possible to tolerate a higher inflation rate¡ªthis could even be beneficial for economic growth. By printing money that corresponded to goods before the overall national materials increased, one could effectively avoid trade impediments due to currency shortages. At the same time, the moderate devaluation caused by inflation could encourage people to invest more rather than hoarding their money.

    The additional money printed would be controlled by the Bank of France Reserve and could be quickly invested in the most needed areas, compressing the time traditionally waited for investments to a minimum.

    Moreover, as trade between France and other countries continued, French banknotes would inevitably flow into other nations.

    Given the era¡¯s general lack of protectionist sentiment towards monetary sovereignty¡ªa result of long-term habits from using gold and silver coins, which allowed most currencies to circulate within their own countries¡ªat least in the short term, French banknotes could circulate in small amounts in neighboring nations.

    Though each country might not hold a lot of French banknotes, as most merchants would tend to convert them to gold and silver coins, even if the banknotes only stayed in their hands for a month or two, the aggregate amount across all countries would be substantial.

    It was essentially like France was exchanging paper for their goods.

    After a simple dinner, when Joseph, full of weariness, entered the bedroom, his nose caught a faint scent of incense. Then he saw Camellia had already tidied up the bed neatly, even positioning the pillows in the most comfortable spot.

    The girl, hearing the noise, seemed startled and turned around in a flurry, curtsying slightly to the Crown Prince. Under the candlelight, a blush suddenly spread across her cheeks.

    Joseph noticed the subtle atmosphere and looked at her in surprise, asking, ¡°Do you have something you need to discuss?¡±

    ¡°No, no, nothing¡­¡± Camellia suddenly lowered her head and ran towards the bedroom door, ¡°Please, go ahead and rest¡­¡±

    The two servants at the door were stunned. Why hadn¡¯t the new lady completed her work? They quickly re-entered the room to help the Crown Prince change into his sleeping robe.

    Actually, Joseph didn¡¯t like others helping him change his clothes, but at the Palace of Versailles, it was a necessary etiquette for others to help him into his sleeping robe¡ªusually performed by aristocrats with status¡ªso he had to let it happen.

    Once Camellia returned to her own room and closed the door, she covered her cheeks with her hands, her heart pounding wildly, mumbling to herself: ¡°This is so difficult¡­ What should I be doing¡­¡±

 Chapter 512 - Chapter 512: Chapter 425: The Great Development of Tunisia

    Chapter 512: Chapter 425: The Great Development of Tunisia

    At the moment when Camellia felt so nervous that she didn¡¯t know what to do, Perna, who had been hiding at the end of the corridor and peeping, saw the incredibly beautiful girl run out of the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom and then return to her own room. It was quite some time before she was able to finally take a long breath of relief.

    She didn¡¯t know why she was doing this, but ever since that girl named Camellia appeared, an inexplicable sense of crisis had emerged in her heart.

    Especially since, as a personal physician, she hadn¡¯t shared a carriage ride with His Highness the Crown Prince for a long time¡ªHis Highness often worked in the carriage, and Mr. Eman said that it would affect His Highness. Yet on the journey from Vienna, Camellia had been in His Highness¡¯s carriage all along.

    Turning around to lean her back against the wall, Perna shook her head silently; no, she shouldn¡¯t entertain any other thoughts. But in the next moment, the handsome visage of the Crown Prince dominated her mind.

    ¡°Perhaps I should be braver,¡± she murmured, ¡°or else His Highness might be¡­¡±

    Startled by her own words, she suddenly jerked, hurriedly lowered her head, and scurried back to her room, praying silently, ¡°God, please guide me!¡±

    The next day, Joseph unexpectedly found that Doctor Perna seemed to be incessantly finding excuses to linger around him.

    After he coughed a few times, she even insisted on confirming whether his pneumonia had recurred, and stayed in his carriage.

    The carriage became somewhat crowded. Eventually, Eman, with no other choice, alighted from the carriage and rode on horseback beside the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage.

    Inside the carriage, Joseph started to get busy with reports on Tunisian immigration policy. The two girls exchanged polite greetings and then fell silent, each bowing their heads.

    In this awkward atmosphere, Perna felt so embarrassed she could carve a replica of the Palace of Versailles with her toes, yet she stubbornly stayed put, occasionally stealing glances at the Crown Prince¡¯s charming deportment while he attended to his official duties.

    This way, with the accompaniment of the two young ladies, Joseph finally reached Paris without any ¡°accidents¡± occurring.

    Perna, in the end, did not muster up the ¡°courage.¡± And Camellia still hadn¡¯t found the ¡°knack.¡±

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Joseph, well-cared-for, energetically took Camellia to Petit Trianon Palace to report to his mother.

    Queen Mary, holding the granddaughter of Madame Delvaux, cried as though her tears were a brook before announcing her intention to appoint Camellia as her third attendant.

    However, Countess Debreninac immediately cautioned prudently that with Miss Delvaux¡¯s background, it was unsuitable for her to serve as an attendant to Her Majesty the Queen.

    In the end, Queen Mary had to adhere to court protocol and made Camellia her maidservant so that she could stay by her side[Note 1].

    When Joseph emerged from his mother¡¯s place, he saw Brian waiting for him at the door of his bedchamber.

    The latter came up to him from a distance, greeted him, and said, ¡°Your Highness, congratulations on the series of important diplomatic achievements attained in Vienna. Our alliance with Austria has been further strengthened.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to God¡¯s blessing,¡± Joseph made the sign of the cross proficiently, then gestured for the Chief Minister to come inside, ¡°Do you have urgent matters? Oh, please sit and talk.¡±

    Brian nodded hurriedly and said:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. It¡¯s about Tunisia. The ¡®Tunisian Trade and Construction Plan¡¯ you previously enacted has started to be implemented, but due to certain tribal actions, we have encountered some difficulties.¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly upon hearing this. After Moro and Ney had defended Tamire, Sherelle¡¯s Legion completely drove the Moroccan Army back into Algiers territory, greatly improving the security environment in Tunisia.

    Then, under government propaganda, France began a second wave of major development in Tunisia, with tens of thousands of commercial and agricultural immigrants flocking to Tunisia, indicating a surge in economic activity.

    Therefore, Joseph made preparations in advance, issuing decrees to abolish local tariffs and tolls among different regions in Tunisia, lower commercial taxes, and begin infrastructure projects such as broadening roads and laying wooden railway tracks.

    In the political landscape of Tunisia, tribal forces dominated the villages and towns. There had been issues before with tribes refusing to pay taxes, which Joseph resolved using the ¡°Palace of Versailles¡± model. Now, were they causing trouble again?

    He looked at Brian and said, ¡°Please tell me the details.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Brian nodded, ¡°The main issue is that the large tribes do not allow certain foreign goods to enter their villages and towns.

    ¡°At the same time, almost all tribes are still charging exorbitant ¡®security fees¡¯ on the roads they control.

    ¡°In addition, they often extort merchants and the farmers who went there to till the land.¡±

    He looked troubled: ¡°You know, Tunisia¡¯s army is insufficient and can only be stationed near major cities. For these tribes that are far away, we basically have no power over them. Even if we send troops to intimidate them, they will comply with the laws only when the army is present. As soon as the troops leave, they immediately revert to their old ways.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s expression also turned serious.

    Let alone 18th-century North Africa, even in the 21st century, many countries¡¯ governments have difficulty effectively managing local powers.

    Especially with tribes, which are held together by kinship relations, it¡¯s even harder for external forces to intervene.

    Tribes in Tunisia, which have been dealing with taxation since the Phoenician era, were somewhat accepting of it, but now that they¡¯re being asked not to charge fees at will and to allow the free circulation of goods, they started to resist.

    Joseph had originally planned to use Tunisia as a pilot for local tax reforms before promoting them in France. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such strong resistance.

    Brian cautiously said, ¡°Your Highness, do you think we should first implement the laws in major cities and wait until the Tunisians are accustomed to them before expanding the scope?¡±

    Joseph immediately shook his head. He was counting on the profits from Tunisia to feed back into France¡¯s finances. Going this slow, it could take ten to eight years before the policies were fully implemented.

    Moreover, this would let the Tunisian tribes realize that the government couldn¡¯t handle them, and future new laws would still face various obstacles.

    He fell into deep thought; fundamentally, the reason local powers did not submit to government control was due to transportation and communication.

    When roads are poor, tribes have little contact with the outside world, inevitably creating their ¡°little worlds.¡± More interaction with the outside world and the formation of mutual interests could lead them to integrate into the nation.

    This required rapidly improving roads, but constructing infrastructure across Tunisia wasn¡¯t something that could be done overnight.

    Another option was to significantly increase the number of troops or police to supervise and intimidate the tribes constantly with the threat of force, preventing them from defying the laws.

    But this required the expenditure of a vast amount of funds. Maintaining an army of over a hundred thousand in Tunisia might solve the problem, but the taxes would also be largely consumed by military expenses.

    At this thought, Joseph suddenly paused; wait, to intimidate the tribes with the military, it wasn¡¯t necessary to station troops near the tribes¡­

    [Note 1]: A queen¡¯s lady-in-waiting is considered a court position, usually filled by nobles of higher status and close relationship with the queen, who can join the queen for walks, games, and other activities. A maid is simply a servant, the kind who would only stand at the doorway.

 Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: Chapter 426: The Power of Destruction

    Chapter 513: Chapter 426: The Power of Destruction

    Joseph pondered for a moment, then looked at Brian and smiled, ¡°We should be nearly ready for the military operation in Annaba, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the Duke of Broglie mentioned to me just yesterday that the additional legions have arrived in Bizerte. Oh, that must have been last week¡¯s news,¡± Brian replied.

    According to the Anglo-French Non-Intervention Treaty, France would retaliate against Algiers for its previous acts of aggression, with Annaba in the northeast of Algiers being the battleground as well as the spoils of war.

    Given that Annaba is very small, as long as the British acquiesce, other countries on the European Continent are unlikely to pay much attention. The ¡°sausage cutting¡± tactic is effective at any time.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°We must make full use of the impact of this war, so we must fight with great momentum. Of course, we also need to combine some other measures, which should be enough to keep those tribes in check¡­¡±

    Tunisia.

    West suburbs of Tunis City.

    A Berber colonel in a white military uniform and black breeches frowned at the disorderly gathered ¡°soldiers¡± on the open ground in front of the barracks and said to Zemir beside him:

    ¡°General, why do we conscript these fellows? Besides holding back the army, they won¡¯t be of any use.¡±

    More than a year had passed since Zemir had led the ¡°Sword of Vengeance¡± in a rebellion against the Tunisian Guard, and he had since been promoted to brigadier general and was responsible for commanding the Tunisian Legion.

    Zemir¡¯s French wasn¡¯t very good, so he replied in Arabic:

    ¡°This is an order from Lord Isaac, delivered from Paris, and it demands their presence on the front line.¡±

    The colonel appeared surprised:

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°Even we are only tasked with logistics and clearing the peripheries of the battlefield, and they are sent to the front line?!¡±

    Undoubtedly, the main combat forces at the front were from the ¡°Roman Brothers¡± from mainland France. The people before his eyes were from various tribes, conscripted over the recent half-month, and all were individuals of some standing within their tribes.

    According to the newly published conscription rules, large tribes had 20-40 slots, while small tribes had 10. Members of the tribes participating in the operation against Algiers could earn extra points in the next civil servant examination.

    Yes, it¡¯s the Tunisian ¡°civil service exams¡±; only after passing them can one hold office in Tunisia. That¡¯s why the tribes were scrambling over each other for the conscription slots.

    ¡°Who knows what the bigwigs at the General Staff are thinking,¡± Zemir remarked, glancing at his subordinate, ¡°Instead of worrying about this, you¡¯d better think about how to train these good-for-nothings.¡±

    While the Tunisian Legion was of scrub level compared to the French regulars, after more than a year of training, particularly since some officers even went to military academies in France, their fighting power was definitely top tier in the whole of North Africa. Thus, they legitimately looked down on the ¡°waste¡± from the tribes, who had only gone through traditional combat training.

    ¡°Yes, General, I will train them diligently!¡± the colonel affirmed, standing at attention immediately.

    Meanwhile, in the Sousse province of eastern Tunisia, the Wakruma Tribe was holding a farewell ceremony.

    Four warriors from the tribe were about to serve as Sheriffs and policemen in the Yobari Tribe, responsible for security there.

    This is indeed an extremely honorable position¡ªnot only does it come with a high salary from the government, but it also grants tremendous power. Anyone from the Yobari Tribe who violates the law can be arrested, fined, or even briefly detained.

    The Yobari Tribe has a total of more than 2,700 people. According to this scale, the Sheriff could recruit 12 Patrol Officers locally, and these individuals would also receive a monthly stipend of 8 livres from the government. The Patrol Officers do their own thing usually and train twice a week, but they must always be ready to respond to the Sheriff¡¯s call.

    Oh, if European descent Patrol Officers are recruited, then the number could increase to 20.

    With the continuous influx of immigrants from mainland France to Tunisia, finding people of European descent is not difficult.

    The Clan Leader of the tribe personally led his people to send four warriors several kilometers away. You see, these Sheriffs would bring substantial income to the tribe¡ªfor every violation of the law discovered within the Yobari Tribe, it would add something called a ¡°Law Enforcement Contribution¡± to the Wakruma Tribe. And this contribution could be used to offset the taxes the tribe had to pay.

    The Clan Leader had calculated that if the four people could catch enough illegal activities, the tribe could pay thousands less in taxes every year!

    Three days after the warriors left, the Wakruma Tribe received an edict from the province they belonged to stating that to reduce conflicts between tribes, no tribe would be allowed to have any form of tribal soldiers anymore.

    The Clan Leader immediately panicked and asked the official who came to deliver the edict what they were supposed to do if robbers attacked the tribe now that they no longer had tribal soldiers.

    The latter smiled and told him that these matters would now be handled by the new Sheriffs. And it seemed that the Sheriff of the Wakruma Tribe was from the Aboto Tribe, who would also recruit some Patrol Officers here¡­

    In the Governor¡¯s mansion of the Sousse province, the official in charge of police affairs was reporting the situation of Sheriffs appointed across the tribes to the Governor, Joan.

    Joan kept nodding her head and finally signed her name and stamped her private seal at the end of that thick stack of names.

    After the police official left with the documents, the Governor¡¯s Assistant hesitantly said to Joan:

    ¡°Governor, according to this model, the province will have to pay a large amount of salaries for Sheriffs and their subordinates every year. This will bring great pressure to our finances.¡±

    His implication was already clear¡ªpreviously, the tribes were responsible for their own security. This money simply didn¡¯t need to be spent.

    Joan smiled and said, ¡°Firstly, this is an order directly signed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    ¡°Secondly, you clearly don¡¯t understand the significance of this measure. There may be increased financial expenditure in the short term, but within at most half a year, our fiscal surplus will see a considerable rise.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s due to a favorable trade environment,¡± Joan said just briefly. She believed the Governor¡¯s Assistant would definitely understand the connections¡ªcurrently, a large amount of investment from mainland France is flowing into Tunisia. The tribal violations of the law, such as levying trade taxes or tolls privately, or even extorting migrants, severely affect trade and cultivation. If the Sheriffs could be used to constrain the tribes, the development speed of Tunisia could be accelerated exponentially.

    And prosperity would inevitably bring more fiscal revenue. Compared to that, the salaries of the Sheriffs are essentially negligible.

    The Governor¡¯s Assistant immediately understood, but then became somewhat anxious and said:

    ¡°Governor, you know, if the interests of those tribes are affected, they will not hesitate to kill the Sheriffs who ¡®interfere¡¯ with their money-making.¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± Joan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arranged for those influential individuals from the tribes to go to Annaba. There, they will witness the power of destruction.¡±

 Chapter 514 - Chapter 514: Chapter 427 "Tribal Warriors

    Chapter 514: Chapter 427 ¡°Tribal Warriors

    Meanwhile, in the Ksar Hellal Palace in Tunis City, Tunisian intelligence director Isaac was discussing the same topic with his subordinates.

    ¡°Yes, there must be tribes willing to risk breaking the law just for some money,¡± Isaac said with a cold laugh, ¡°In fact, we need such ¡®examples¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Need?¡± a nearby intelligence officer asked in surprise, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The Palace of Versailles has issued an order. If a sheriff is killed in a severe case, the tribe he was in charge of will face harsh punishment,¡± Isaac explained, ¡°If the clan leader takes responsibility proactively, all the tribe¡¯s top ranks will be arrested. If no one steps forward, then all the adults in the tribe will become laborers!¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t this cause a backlash from other tribes?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The intelligence director waved his hand dismissively, ¡°This is the grave crime of killing a sheriff; no other tribes will sympathize with them. Even the tribe the sheriff hailed from will be grateful to the army for avenging their clansman.

    ¡°Once one or two tribes have set an ¡®example¡¯ for everyone, the others will become very respectful of the sheriffs.¡±

    ¡­

    Algiers.

    Annaba.

    The commander of the Algiers Guard, Caheller, desperately rolled up the secret message, his hands trembling so much that it took five or six attempts to finally place the paper into the tube.

    The letter, just arrived from Mitidja, could be summarized in one sentence¡ªthe British have cut off all aid.

    From funding to weapons, from intelligence to military advisors, everything disappeared overnight.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Meaning, Algiers now had to face France¡¯s wrath alone¡­

    Lord Dey ordered him to hold Annaba until the ambassador from Algiers finished the ceasefire negotiations with the French.

    However, Caheller was very aware that even if he commanded the elite guard of the past, he couldn¡¯t withstand the mighty French¡ªsomething he had confirmed last year.

    And the so-called guard he had at his disposal was nothing more than a ragtag assembly, with less than a year¡¯s training.

    He estimated that it would only take 3,000 French soldiers launching a charge, no, even just a few rounds of cannon fire for his defense to crumble.

    No, he still had the Moroccan Black Guard. Suddenly, Caheller felt a surge of energy, realizing that with the Moroccans¡¯ help, it might be possible to hold Annaba for a month or two.

    He hurriedly waved to his attendant, ¡°Quick, prepare a generous gift. I must see Said Pasha!¡±

    ¡­

    In the border town of Tamire in Tunisia.

    Lefevre looked through his telescope to the east for the 30th time today, but the view was still nothing but wasteland.

    He said to his staff officer, irritated, ¡°Haven¡¯t those fellows arrived yet? My wife with the kids on a trip to the countryside would move faster than them!¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes, Lieutenant Colonel, they are already two days behind the scheduled date¡­¡±

    ¡°Two days and seven hours!¡± Lefevre bellowed.

    Originally, he had been extremely dissatisfied with being assigned to Tunisia ¨C apart from him, most of the Guard Corps had gone to Silesia to engage in a head-on confrontation with the Prussians. And here he was, playing games with the frail North African ¡°natives¡±! Even if he won, he wouldn¡¯t have much to boast about later.

    Just a month ago, the conflict in the Southern Netherlands had come to an end. Following the withdrawal of the Prussian troops, General Leao led the Austrian army to attack the rebels in Brussels.

    The main forces of the Southern Netherlands Rebels had suffered heavy losses, and the defense was mostly composed of new recruits. In addition, the morale was exceptionally low due to the successive withdrawal of Hanover and Prussia.

    Therefore, with the help of Lefevre Corps, Leao quickly took Brussels, leading to the dissolution of the States-General of the Netherlands.

    Vandernoot, along with some core members of the Brabant revolt, fled to the Netherlands. Most of the other rebels surrendered.

    Following this, the Southern Netherlands was back in the hands of Austria, except for the Walloon Region.

    Joseph then ordered the Guard Corps to rest and regroup for a month before heading to Silesia for combat.

    As for Tunisia, in fact, Sherelle¡¯s Legion alone, consisting of twenty thousand men, was enough to take Annaba. However, Joseph, wanting to exert sufficient deterrence on the various tribes of Tunisia, still dispatched Lefevre with four thousand of the Guard to assist in the battle.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Joseph¡¯s order that Lefevre must wait for the ¡°Tribal Warriors¡± to arrive and take them to the frontline for combat, Annaba would have been taken by Lefevre a week earlier.

    Finally, around 4 p.m. that day, an army of nearly five thousand tribal warriors arrived at Tamire in succession. And until noon the next day, the tail of the troop was still outside the town. In addition, hundreds went missing due to falling behind.

    Lefevre, already impatient, immediately ordered the Tribal Army to hurry to the frontline. The Guard was ready to launch a forceful assault at any moment.

    Ignorant and fearless, the ¡°Tribal Warriors¡± were eager to take on the challenge, each contemplating how many People of Algiers they would kill to earn a share of military glory to take back home.

    The next morning, the breeze dispersed the thin mist. Caheller saw the solemn military formation of the French Army through a telescope and couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge in his heart.

    Soon, a melodious bugle call came from the French side, and then he saw a line of nearly five thousand French soldiers advancing towards them¡­ in a highly disorganized three-row line formation, well, that sort of resembled a line formation.

    Not daring to be negligent, Caheller took it for some new tactic of the French, or perhaps a skirmishing formation, and immediately ordered the army to be on alert. At the same time, he sent a message to the Moroccan Imperial Guard to coordinate the defense.

    About 50 minutes later, the French ¡°skirmish line¡± finally made it to a position about 400 paces from the Algiers defensive line ¨C During this time, the formation had broken up twice, and the officers had to stop to reorganize the troops.

    Caheller watched the strange French force through his telescope with bewilderment until an attendant reminded him that it was time to fire the cannons.

    As the Algiers Army let out a roar, several iron balls with their piercing whistles landed in front of the French ranks. The already somewhat scattered formation suddenly came to a halt.

    Less than a minute later, cannon fire flashed again. This time the Algiers artillery was fortunate; three British-made 6-pound cannonballs plunged into the crowd of ¡°Tribal Warriors.¡±

    Suddenly, a series of light ¡°crack¡± sounds rang out, and three trenches of limbs and spume appeared instantly in the midst of the tribal army.

    After a moment of silence, those ¡°Tribal Warriors¡± let out a continuous wail. The officers couldn¡¯t contain them, and immediately, hundreds turned to flee.

    When the third round of cannon fire struck, the entire Tribal Army completely collapsed ¨C thousands desperately fled headlong, not stopping even when they came face-to-face with the vanguard of the Guard.

    Lefevre¡¯s face darkened as he watched his soldiers pointing their bayonets forward, finally forcing the rout to scatter to the sides.

    Caheller was stunned where he stood ¨C had he successfully held his ground?

 Chapter 515 - Chapter 515: Chapter 428: Let Them Witness the True Army

    Chapter 515: Chapter 428: Let Them Witness the True Army

    For a time, the battlefield to the east of Annaba was strewn with corpses of the French Army¡ªmost of which were caused by the trampling of Tribal Warriors as they fled.

    Caheller put down his telescope and squinted his eyes, Could it be that their previous defeat to the French people was just an accident, and they were not as fearsome as he had imagined? Or perhaps that more capable French commander did not come to Annaba this time?

    He hesitated for only a few seconds before ordering an officer beside him,

    ¡°Pass the order, the Golza Legion and the cavalry on the left wing are to immediately pursue the routed enemy! Move the artillery forward, bring it near the center line!¡±

    He confirmed it was not a ruse of the French, pretending to be defeated to lure the enemy into a trap¡ªlooking at those corpses strewn about, there had to be at least five or six hundred people, who would pay such a price for a feint and perform it so convincingly?

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10126948¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10126948/e261fab91c3785707e1063c2457deb46SK444x7CE6pNj5j.jpg¡±>

    Soon, a deep bugle call rose from within the Algiers Army. Algiers officers led more than 3,000 infantrymen, with the protection of the cavalry, charging towards the ¡°retreating¡± French positions.

    On the other side, Lefevre, looking at the approaching Algiers Army, couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in surprise. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had only wanted those tribesmen to experience the ¡°atmosphere¡± of the battlefield, he hadn¡¯t expected such an accidental harvest¡ªas charging was much easier than assaulting a stronghold.

    He immediately ordered the Tunisian Legion soldiers, who had been standing by with the Tribal Warriors, to follow closely behind the Guard Corps as observers, and then turned to a staff officer beside him,

    ¡°Alright, now let them witness how a real army goes into battle.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Spike, the nephew of the clan leader from the Wakruma Tribe, was trembling all over, forced at sword-point to walk back towards the direction of the battlefield.

    Contrary to what he had heard, the People of Algiers were terrifying! The man next to him had just burst into pieces, and the splattered entrails even shot into his mouth. Remembering the warm, bloodied taste, he couldn¡¯t help vomiting again.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°What¡­ what are they going to do? Are we going to fight again?¡± someone next to him asked with wide eyes, terrified, ¡°No! I won¡¯t go¡­¡±

    That man was kicked hard by a Tunisian soldier, and his words abruptly stopped.

    Spike moved forward, trembling, unaware of who had stuffed a telescope into his hand.

    ¡°Do you know how to use it?¡± the officer asked.

    Spike nodded subconsciously, only to suddenly hear the rhythmic sound of drums emerge from the army formation beside him. The next moment, the neat lines of French infantry moved as one, without any hesitation charging towards the People of Algiers.

    The officer pointed towards the north side, shouting loudly,

    ¡°Look over there!¡±

    The Tribal Warriors turned their heads in unison, only to see dozens of horses dragging something through the dust toward the enemy¡¯s position.

    Spike remembered the telescope in his hand, hurriedly lifted it to his eye, and found that it was several Cannons.

    The Cannons charged straight towards the Algiers Army¡ªat least in his view, the two sides were practically on top of each other.

    Then, a large number of soldiers jumped down from the horse-drawn carts, untied the ropes with practiced movements and set up the Cannons.

    Almost simultaneously, Algiers Cavalry wielding curved swords charged over¡ªdestroying the enemy¡¯s artillery was one of the primary duties of the cavalry.

    However, those cannons immediately spat out flames, causing Spike¡¯s heart to twitch involuntarily. The Algiers Cavalry, charging in, were mowed down like weeds in a gale.

    That was the terrifying effect of grapeshot at close range.

    The Cavalry were clearly frightened, their momentum checked as they turned and scattered in retreat.

    This was a contest of morale and willpower. If the Algiers Cavalry had continued their charge despite the gun fire, the artillerymen would likely have been the ones to fall. But that was clearly beyond their capabilities.

    The people of Algiers had not expected the artillerymen to stand their ground against the cavalry. Once the cavalry fled, the entire left wing lay exposed before the Mounted Artillery of the Guard Corps.

    Five six-pound cannons immediately switched to solid shot and conducted a concentrated bombardment on the Algiers Infantry less than 200 paces away.

    The barely trained Algiers Guard, only a little more enduring than the ¡°Tribal Warriors,¡± soon broke rank under the close range cannon fire and retreated in disarray.

    Caheller was flabbergasted¡ªin a mere half hour, since he had been so advantageously positioned, how had it come to this?

    He hurriedly ordered his officers to round up the fleeing soldiers and called for the second line of infantry to move up. However, before his orders reached the front line, the assault columns of the Guard Corps, under cover of the skirmishers, bore down upon the Algiers Army.

    Spike and others were driven to the flank of the battlefield, where his ears rang with the thunderous roar of cannons. He then watched as the ¡°Roman Soldiers,¡± clad in white uniforms, simply turned and ran a few paces before forming up into straight horizontal lines.

    The sound of the military drum halted abruptly, and officers of the Guard Corps pointed their swords forward simultaneously, issuing the command to ¡°Fire.¡±

    The two armies were at their closest, less than 20 paces apart. As the Guard Corps discharged a volley, clouds of blood mist erupted amidst the ranks of the Algiers forces. Screams and wails followed, the ground was strewn with mutilated bodies, and the air grew thick with the smell of blood. More soldiers from Algiers cried out in panic, scrambling everywhere; many were knocked over by their own men and soon trampled into a bloody pulp.

    Spike¡¯s eyes glazed over as he mumbled one word repeatedly¡ªHell!

    The infantry of the Guard Corps, however, operated like well-oiled killing machines, swiftly reloading their weapons, then advancing ten paces to the beat of the drum before unleashing another grim harvest of volley fire¡­

    The second line of defense of the Algiers Army, influenced by the fleeing soldiers, lasted barely ten minutes before they too turned and fled, followed by the third line.

    Caheller could now see the gleam of the bayonets from the French infantry with the naked eye. He turned to his attendant and bellowed:

    ¡°Where are the Moroccans? Why haven¡¯t they come to our aid yet?!¡±

    The attendant lowered his head and gestured toward a nearby warhorse:

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s best you retreat as soon as possible¡­¡±

    Two kilometers away to the west, Said, the commander of the Moroccan Black Guard, wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he watched the Algiers forces rapidly crumble through his binoculars.

    Thankfully, he had not agreed to Caheller¡¯s request¡ªafter all, this was just the vanguard of the French Army that had crushed ten thousand men of the Algiers Guard, with nearly twenty thousand of the French main force yet to engage. If he had gone to aid them, it would have likely been suicide!

    Without hesitation, he waved to his African officer:

    ¡°Agold, order a full retreat immediately.¡±

    In fact, as soon as he learned that the British had ceased their support, he had anticipated that this war was destined for defeat, which is why he had already suggested to the Sultan last week that the entire army should withdraw to the Tremseh Fortress.

    Although the Sultan¡¯s decree had not yet arrived, he knew that the Sultan would surely agree to the retreat¡ªwithout British support, Morocco would not engage in war with France! That would be an unwinnable conflict.

 Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: Chapter 429: War Indemnity

    Chapter 516: Chapter 429: War Indemnity

    Lefevre looked at the Iris flag fluttering atop the coastal defense fortress of the Port of Annaba not far away and shook the reins in high spirits.

    He had never thought the battle would go so smoothly before. It only took two and a half days to take down the entire Annaba. To be aware, with the marching speed of the Tunisian Legion, it would take almost two days to traverse the whole territory of Annaba.

    That is to say, in a few days he would be able to return to Europe and most definitely catch up with the great campaign in Silesia.

    A company commander rode up to Lefevre and tipped his hat in salute, saying,

    ¡°Sir, we have found a large number of heavy cannons in the fortress of the People of Algiers!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Lefevre waved his hand without any particular interest, ¡°The cannons of the People of Algiers aren¡¯t particularly valuable.¡±

    With the casting level in North Africa, the firepower of a 32-pound shore battery cannon is still not as good as Europe¡¯s 18-pound cannon.

    The company commander immediately said,

    ¡°Sir, those cannons are made in England. There are three 32-pound cannons, eight 24-pound cannons, and the lighter ones have not yet been counted.¡±

    Lefevre¡¯s eyes lit up at once¡ªif they were British goods, so many heavy cannons would certainly be a boon!

    Indeed, it was a boon¡ªat that time, the Duke of Leeds had spent tens of thousands of British Pounds building the coastal defense fortress of Annaba, yet not a single cannon had been fired before falling into the hands of the Guard Corps. Some cannons still had their factory grease seals intact.

    While they were talking, another cavalry unit arrived to report that they had found a large number of flintlock guns in the port warehouses, including Prussia¡¯s Potsdam 1740 and the Dutch AI, as well as some Brown Bess rifles from England. The total quantity had not been tallied yet, but it was estimated to be at least over 7,000.

    These guns were all from the British second batch of aid to the Algiers Guard, but due to the procrastination of the People of Algiers, months had passed and they had not yet reached the military¡¯s hands, so now Lefevre reaped all the benefits.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Lefevre suddenly felt that not going to Silesia might be acceptable too¡ªjust by confiscating so many supplies, he should be able to get commendations from the General Staff.

    He turned to his aide and said,

    ¡°Find a way to move some of the fortress cannons over to Constantine (a city in Algiers, originating from Rome, not the Constantinople of the Ottoman Empire), then we can head back.¡±

    Constantine was a city of Algiers to the south of Annaba. Holding it meant controlling the essential route from Algiers to Tunisia. With the assistance of the 24-pound cannons, the Tunisian Legion would then be able to complete the task of defending Annaba.

    ¡­

    Tunis City.

    Ksar Hellal Palace.

    Chandarle, the envoy of the Dey of Algiers, paced anxiously up and down the corridor.

    He had been prepared that if he couldn¡¯t meet with the French negotiator by tomorrow, he would take a ship to Paris.

    Fortunately, the bigwigs from Paris had arrived. He just hoped that General Caheller could hold on for a few more days, then he would be able to secure the French military with interests.

    Soon, footsteps could be heard from the corridor, and Count Saigul, the French special negotiator, accompanied by several officers of the General Staff, approached.

    Chandarle hurried forward, greeted them respectfully with a hand on his chest, and spoke an Arabic salutation.

    Saigul seemed to pay no mind to whatever the translator said, and walked straight into the hall before sitting at the head of the long table¡ªpresently, Tunisian society favored the French style, and people of status no longer wished to discuss matters while sitting on the floor.

    Chandarle had no choice but to follow them embarrassingly into the hall, and after a long wait, he managed to interrupt the casual conversation of the French, hurriedly interjecting,

    ¡°Esteemed special envoy, I am Aga of the Divan of Algiers, and the full representative appointed by the Dey for negotiations¡­¡±

    The Divan was the congress of Algiers. His role was similar to that of a Speaker.

    Saigul glanced up at him and drawled,

    ¡°Oh, and what are you prepared to discuss with me?¡±

    Chandarle promptly said, ¡°Special envoy, we should discuss a ceasefire in the Annaba area¡­¡±

    As Saigul listened to the translation, he smiled, raised his hand, and interrupted him,

    ¡°That will be unnecessary, the fighting in Annaba ended the day before yesterday.¡±

    He turned his head toward an officer at his side:

    ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Adrian, our legion should already be on the way to Constantine, shouldn¡¯t they?¡±

    Of course, under the current international situation, France had no plans to attack Constantine, but that did not prevent him from using this to intimidate the People of Algiers. With the remnants of Algiers¡¯ armed forces, the French Army could even march all the way to their capital, Mitidja.

    Chandarle¡¯s pupils contracted suddenly; he knew that although he had yet to receive the news, the French people were unlikely to lie about matters of warfare.

    He said in panic, ¡°The truth is, there should never have been a war between Algiers and France, it¡¯s not good for anyone¡­¡±

    Count Saigul coldly interrupted him:

    ¡°No, the war began the last time the Algiers Guard invaded Tunis.¡±

    Chandarle cursed the British thousands of times in his heart¡ªthey had promised full support for Algiers¡¯ attack on Tunis, but the moment the French Army appeared, they vanished without a trace.

    ¡°That was just a certain obligation toward the Tunisian Guard previously,¡± he could only say helplessly, ¡°We realize it was a mistake and are willing to do something to save the peace between our two nations.¡±

    Count Saigul said decisively, ¡°My country has invested more than 200,000 livres to cope with the invasion from Algiers. That loss must be borne by Algiers.¡±

    200,000 livres translates to approximately 4.4 million livres. It wasn¡¯t that Joseph was soft-hearted, but for Algiers, with only a population of just over two million, this was already their limit.

    Count Saigul continued, ¡°Moreover, Annaba as the gateway to the invasion of Tunis will be managed by my country hereafter. And Constantine, neighboring my country, will become a buffer zone where no military troops may be stationed.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Chandarle said urgently, ¡°These demands may be a bit too much¡­¡±

    ¡°This is the King¡¯s decision,¡± Count Saigul glanced at him sideways, ¡°You can refuse, and then we will continue our talk at Mitidja.¡±

    ¡°No, no! These can all be negotiated¡­¡± Chandarle waved his hands in a hurry.

    Tunis.

    The province of Sousse.

    Spike was staring blankly at the low hill behind the tribe, the boom of cannon fire still ringing in his ears occasionally.

    Suddenly, a crowd of tribesmen carrying spears and cursing made their way angrily toward the main road beside the tribe.

    Someone grabbed him and said, ¡°Spike, let¡¯s go teach that Sheriff a lesson!¡±

    ¡°That guy actually let go of whole ten carts of olive oil. We didn¡¯t even get a penny for the security fee.¡±

    ¡°And last time, he let a fur trader from the city come into our tribe¡­¡±

    ¡°How much money have we lost recently? I¡¯m going to kill that bastard!¡±

    ¡°Right, kill him!¡±

    ¡°The Sheriff?¡± Spike was startled and suddenly remembered the white uniform of the Sheriff¡ªvery similar to the uniform of the French Army he had seen in Annaba¡ªand he shouted in terror, ¡°Are you mad? We must not attack the Sheriff!¡±

    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t stop the tribesmen, he ran frantically to the Clan Leader¡¯s residence, burst into the house:

    ¡°Uncle, stop them quickly! Hurting the Sheriff will bring the military!¡±

    ¡°The military?¡± the Clan Leader said disdainfully, ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? The warriors of our tribe will drive them away.¡±

    ¡°No, no¡­¡± Spike¡¯s eyes filled with fear, ¡°Right, have you ever seen the Algiers Guard?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? No.¡±

    ¡°They are devils! Devils that can tear a person apart instantly!¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking about this?¡±

    ¡°And those soldiers¡­¡± Spike swallowed, his face turning ashen, ¡°They are war gods who can tear devils apart! Absolutely no one can withstand them. If we don¡¯t stop everyone now, our tribe is finished!¡±

    On the main road beside the tribe, more than twenty people who had been to the battlefield of Annaba were frantically trying to drive away the troublemaking tribesmen, terrified they might harm the Sheriff in the slight.

 Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Chapter 430: The Initial Settlement of North Africa (Two-in-One Chapter)

    Chapter 517: Chapter 430: The Initial Settlement of North Africa (Two-in-One Chapter)

    Southeast Tunisia.

    The Tetouan Province, facing the sea on one side and abutting the desert on the other.

    Standing on a highland, Ney looked through his binoculars at the Town of Remada and said in a deep voice:

    ¡°The scouts¡¯ report was correct, the terrain is indeed very suitable for the corps to deploy.¡±

    ¡°If we launch an attack tomorrow morning, we should be able to recapture this town by noon.¡±

    ¡°You are always so full of courage and energy,¡± Moro said with a smile beside him, ¡°but my suggestion is that it¡¯s best not to attack there for now.¡±

    Ney looked at him puzzled, ¡°Why not? There are only 2,500 Ottoman People in the town, and we have 4,000 soldiers. The battle will be over quickly.¡±

    Moro nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, an easy victory, taking back an insignificant small town. Perhaps we should also send someone to Tripoli City to politely inform the Ottoman People, ¡®Hey, your French friends have arrived¡¯.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ney paused. Moro was right, if they launched an attack on the enemy forces in Remada, it would inevitably alarm Tripoli. And there, nearly 10,000 Ottoman troops were still stationed.

    Ney¡¯s mission this time was to completely eliminate Ben Guerir, and if they forcefully attacked the well-prepared defenses of Tripoli City, it would likely be an extremely tough battle.

    Moro patted him, then tugged the reins to turn his mount around:

    ¡°We¡¯ve seen the battlefield, let¡¯s head back for now.¡±

    Ney shot the annoying noble a glance and followed him on horseback, but couldn¡¯t help asking:

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    ¡°Then what do you propose?¡±

    Moro didn¡¯t conceal his plans from his straightforward partner:

    ¡°You see, although we have 4,000 men, half of them are new soldiers who have never seen a battlefield. Some of your soldiers even lack the necessary training.¡±

    Their unexpected victory in the Town of Tamirai last time had earned them a fief. Subsequently, stimulated by this news, nobles rushed to Tunisia to ¡°pursue glory¡±. As for the commoners, the General Staff had set up a ¡°fast training camp¡±, which provided five months of basic training to those inexperienced but willing to join the army, after which they could perform service in less combative areas. For those who had participated in night patrols and village security teams, the training period could be reduced to two months.[Note 1]

    These ¡°fresh blood¡± arrived in Tunisia aboard naval transport ships. Joseph then directly handed them over to Moro and Ney¡¯s command, making the two responsible for the battle in Tripoli. However, Bertier was not entirely at ease, so he sent an experienced staff officer to assist the two young commanders.

    Moro continued, ¡°Using such troops to forcefully attack Tripoli could lead to unpredictable situations.¡±

    Ney muttered softly, ¡°Once our cannons arrive, everything won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Indeed, Moro¡¯s group had been joined by more than a dozen noble youths skilled in operating cannons ¡ª they had come directly from the military academy. Now, this young corps not only had artillery but also had up to 1,200 cavalry, an absurdly high ratio. Most of them were noble classmates Moro had brought with him from school, which was quite a burden on the local Tunisian government responsible for their logistics.

    Moro nodded, ¡°Cannons can solve some problems, but if we can make the main forces of Ben Guerir leave Tripoli City, things would be a lot easier.¡±

    A look of surprise flashed in Ney¡¯s eyes, ¡°You must have come up with a plan!¡±

    Although he didn¡¯t like the slick noble, he did acknowledge the man¡¯s sharp intellect.

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure myself, but we can give it a try.¡±

    As Moro spoke, he looked eastward, ¡°Ah, my beloved fief, I wonder how much it yields each year.¡±

    Ney glanced at him disdainfully and muttered under his breath, ¡°Are all nobles this greedy?¡±

    The next afternoon, Moro ¡°requisitioned¡± a large amount of supplies from the nearest town of Mede. However, these items were unrelated to combat, including expensive clothing, jewelry, crafts, spices, and more. Under his orders, Mede was practically emptied.

    If not for the soldiers he dispatched to block the municipal office, the officials of Mede would have run to the Governor to complain.

    The old staff officer sent by the General Staff urged Moro in fear to return everything immediately, otherwise, he would face a military tribunal. Ney had grown accustomed to his partner¡¯s rule-breaking actions, but he repeatedly assured the local officials that he had nothing to do with this matter; it was all the doings of an officer named Moro.

    Back at the ¡°Guidance of the Lord¡± Cavalry Corps camp, Moro also called upon the noble soldiers to donate all their valuables, promising to return them after the battle in Tripoli was over, with an additional 40% interest.

    After some preparations, a luxurious caravan consisting of seventeen or eighteen wagons left Mede and headed towards the Ghadames tribe in the southern oasis.

    The caravan arrived nonchalantly near the Town of Remada in southern Tunisia and, as it was getting late, decided to camp right there.

    As expected, the Ottoman cavalry occupying Remada soon discovered this ¡°fat sheep¡± during their patrol and immediately returned to the town to report.

    A few hours later, nearly a thousand Ottoman soldiers swarmed in, quickly overpowered the caravan¡¯s guards, and took the wagons.

    The officer in charge listened to his soldiers report the spoils of the raid and was immediately ecstatic ¡ª a rough estimate put the value of the goods at close to a hundred thousand rials!

    Soon after, he learned from the captured merchants that this was only the first batch of goods from an Italian caravan, and behind it were shipments nearly seven times larger due to arrive at the Port of Tetouan in a fortnight.

 Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Chapter 431 Bastille 2.0

    Chapter 519: Chapter 431 Bastille 2.0

    The climate of the Indian subcontinent is favorable, with plenty of sunshine and rain, resulting in extremely high grain yields, along with an abundance of fruits and vegetables, so Indians generally don¡¯t have the habit of hoarding food.

    However, Joseph knew that during the Third Mysore War, Sultan Tipu had twice suffered from not having reserve food supplies.

    The British had besieged Seringapatam twice, and the city had quickly run out of ammunition and provisions.

    The previous time, because the monsoon season had arrived early and flooded the British supply lines, Sultan Tipu had managed to escape the crisis by chance. However, the latter time, he was forced to take a risk and lead his troops out of the city to attempt a breakthrough, but British reinforcements continuously called in from Indian vassal states sealed off any escape, leaving him without success. Eventually, due to the depletion of food and fodder, he had no choice but to ask the British for peace, cede half of Mysore¡¯s territory, pay 3 million British Pounds in war reparations, and hand over two of his sons to the British as hostages in order to barely keep his position.

    The East India Company used those 3 million British Pounds, which amounted to 75 million livres, to rapidly expand its military presence in the Far East, thereby laying the foundation to dominate the Indian subcontinent. Eight years later, Sultan Tipu was killed by the British Army, and the state of Mysore was extinguished.

    In fact, at that time, a severe epidemic had broken out among the British forces, and if Sultan Tipu had held on for a few more months, they would likely have had to withdraw on their own.

    Therefore, the first piece of advice Joseph gave to Sultan Tipu was to stockpile more grain.

    With India¡¯s food production, it would suffice for the entire city of Seringapatam to eat for two or three years just by allocating some casually.

    Yet Sultan Tipu was somewhat puzzled,

    ¡°Why hoard food?¡±

    Lafayette said with a solemn expression,

    ¡°At the moment, Mysore may have achieved some victories, but don¡¯t underestimate the British because of this. They are powerful, and if they increase troop deployment, you could face a tough siege. ¡±

    Disdain flickered in the Sultan¡¯s eyes; both he and his father had defeated the British¡ªthat was during the first two wars of Mysore.

    Go to ????????????????????.co

    Nevertheless, he took Lafayette¡¯s words quite seriously, after all the latter had brought him a lot of advanced tactics, and the soldiers he trained were much stronger than those Sultan Tipu had trained himself.

    Lafayette continued to explain the Crown Prince¡¯s battle plan,

    ¡°After that, you only need to wait for the rainy season.

    ¡°The British have come across tens of thousands of miles, and their supply lines are troubled. The monsoon will destroy their logistics, and that¡¯s when you can launch a counteroffensive. However, try not to engage directly with the British in combat; your primary target should always be their supply lines.¡±

    Britain¡¯s financial expenditure in waging war in distant India was enormous, and if their supplies continued to be destroyed, then financial pressure would force them to choose a ceasefire.

    Lafayette added,

    ¡°Besides food, you should also be careful not to engage with British lackeys as much as possible.

    ¡°When it¡¯s absolutely necessary, you can directly offer them benefits in exchange for their withdrawal or neutrality. Especially for Hyderabad, even ceding some land to them is an option worth considering.¡±

    Britain¡¯s core strategy in India was to use Indians to exhaust each other, while they reaped the benefits.

    While suppressing Mysore, the most powerful kingdom in the Indian subcontinent, they were also extremely vigilant about their own followers, especially Hyderabad, as it had once formed an alliance with Mysore and was not weak.

    If attacking Mysore made Hyderabad stronger, wouldn¡¯t that mean their efforts were in vain?

    Therefore, the British would certainly prevent Mysore from transferring benefits to Hyderabad, which would inevitably enrage Hyderabad.

    As for how things would develop afterwards, Joseph couldn¡¯t be certain, but messing with the British would definitely be part of the plan.

    As long as France didn¡¯t directly intervene in the war between Mysore and Britain¡ªby then, all Frenchmen in Mysore, including craftsmen, had already evacuated¡ªthey would be abiding by the ¡°non-intervention treaty,¡± and the British would not be able to raise any objections.

    However, Joseph could still offer Sultan Tipu some advice that would give the British an advantage, and that was enough to make the British furious.

    ¡­

    Morocco.

    Meknes.

    Sultan Muhammad III looked at the French envoy, trying to appear as confident as possible,

    ¡°My Imperial Guard only went to help Algiers train soldiers, and although there were some misunderstandings with the French forces during that period, that was never my wish.¡±

    Count Saigul spoke with righteous indignation,

    ¡°You are right, it was just a misunderstanding. But His Majesty¡¯s soldiers did suffer casualties, and the Town of Tamire also sustained damage.¡±

    Muhammad III felt incredibly frustrated internally; his own Imperial Guard had suffered dozens of times more casualties than the French, and as for the Town of Tamire, his men had only glanced at it from a few miles away; how could that cause damage?!

    However, the situation was stronger than people¡¯s wishes; not long ago, the British Ambassador suddenly stated that he ¡°did not wish to see Morocco have friction with Tunisia¡± and cut off all aid.

    While he did not fear the French, he also did not want to provoke this European power. In the end, it was because he had been swayed by the British to provoke the French actively.

    ¡°For these losses, I am willing to offer compensation.¡±

    Count Saigul, however, revealed a smile,

    ¡°Or you could also do me a favor that would offset the compensation.¡±

    In fact, the Moroccan Imperial Guard had barely engaged with the French forces before being frightened away by Moro¡¯s feint. The French losses were negligible.

    Muhammad III asked with some caution, ¡°How do you need my help?¡±

 Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: Chapter 431 Bastille 2.0 Version_2

    Chapter 520: Chapter 431 Bastille 2.0 Version_2

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, just use your caravan to transport some goods for me,¡± Count Saigul said, ¡°passing through the Ottoman Empire on the way to the Indian Peninsula.¡±

    ¡°You will be responsible for gathering the goods, and the buyer will pay the full price. As for any items you can¡¯t acquire, you can purchase them from Spain.¡±

    ¡°Just like that?¡± Muhammad III was somewhat surprised. Morocco and the Ottoman Empire had always been engaged in close trade, so this request seemed to bear no loss to him. He could even hand over the goods directly to Ottoman merchants in Basra, who would then transport them to India.

    ¡°Are you sure someone will pay?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Count Saigul said, ¡°otherwise you can stop the transport immediately. As long as you help me with this for two years, any misunderstandings between our two countries will be wiped clean.¡±

    Muhammad III narrowed his eyes.

    He knew the French were using his channels in the Ottoman Empire for smuggling, but if the so-called buyers really paid, and the demand was high, he could even make a profit.

    ¡°All right, I can give it a try.¡±

    France could completely stop supporting Mysore, but if the latter got supplies from the Ottoman Empire, England would never trace it back to France.

    Count Saigul then smiled at Muhammad III and said in a deep voice:

    ¡°The most important thing is that these trades you conduct have nothing to do with France.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t afraid that Muhammad III would betray him to the British.

    Firstly, the British had just tricked the Moroccans, who were now itching for revenge, so why would they go and inform? Secondly, the Moroccans had no evidence; even if they told the British, France would deny anything¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a single French person involved in the sourcing or smuggling channels.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï

    If the Moroccans refused, then Count Saigul would turn to the Persians, getting supplies from Russia via the Caspian Sea and transporting them to India through the Gulf of Oman. However, the Persians would likely demand a cut, making them less cost-effective than the Moroccans. Fortunately, Muhammad III had agreed immediately.

    After leaving Morocco, Count Saigul immediately headed north to Spain. He would seek to procure some weapons and materials like steel from Charles IV. This would not only be profitable for Spain but also put them in good favor with the French, and he believed they would not refuse.

    ¡­

    January 12, 1790.

    Paris.

    A top-equipped light gray ¡°gemstone¡± type horse carriage rushed through the crowd and then abruptly stopped at the edge of Bastille Square.

    A servant hurriedly set down the carriage step and then opened the door.

    Mr. Walsh, a wool merchant, jumped down from the carriage impatiently, complaining to his wife behind him:

    ¡°I said we should have taken the railcar, but you insisted on driving¡­¡±

    Looking at the throng on Bastille Square, he raised his voice:

    ¡°We¡¯ve been delayed so long, there¡¯s no way to squeeze in now.¡±

    Mrs. Walsh, wearing the most fashionable dress of the season, followed down from the carriage, murmuring quietly:

    ¡°It¡¯s just a bank relocation, what¡¯s there to see. I heard the British pavilion is already set up, we¡¯d be better off buying preview tickets and having a look there¡­¡±

    Mr. Walsh cut her off:

    ¡°What does a woman know? The Crown Prince will surely announce some financial policies today that will affect everyone¡¯s business, of course, we have to come and see!¡±

    A boy in his early teens, seeing Mr. Walsh¡¯s anxious expression, approached quickly with a bright smile and said:

    ¡°Sir, the Crown Prince has arrived, would you like to get a closer look?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Have you got a way?¡±

    ¡°Three livres.¡±

    Walsh immediately handed over three silver coins: ¡°Quickly!¡±

    The boy whistled towards the Bastille, and instantly about seven or eight children began jostling the people around them. A ¡°path¡± quickly formed among them.

    Walsh hurriedly pulled his wife through the crowd, making it all the way to a very close position in front of the Bastille¡¯s main gate.

    The little boy, hearing the music rise up around him, waved to his companions:

    ¡°It¡¯s already started, there shouldn¡¯t be many more people coming. Now, let¡¯s go line up outside the ¡®Habitable¡¯ store.¡±

    ¡°Alright, big brother Gilles,¡± the children scrambled out of the crowd and hopped along behind him.

    Walsh craned his neck to see and noticed that where the once dark and terrifying prison entrance had been was now hung with colorful ribbons, and several rows of court guards in red uniforms stood neatly in front of the steps, with a large group of reporters behind them. Beside them, the band was playing energetically, and by the looks of it, they very well might be the court orchestra.

    And at the top of the prison¡¯s main entrance, a new large brass plate had been hung, inscribed with ¡°Bank of France Reserve ¨C Head Office.¡±

    As the ceremonial cannon roared, the music stopped instantly, and Joseph, in his brand-new blue and white cavalry uniform with a tricorn hat, briskly ascended the stage beneath the plaque, flanked by several officials.

    The surrounding crowd immediately bowed their heads in salute, and Joseph smiled and raised his hand to gesture:

    ¡°Thank you all for attending the relocation ceremony of the Bank of France Reserve.¡±

    He turned and pointed towards the Bastille:

    ¡°I know that nobody used to like it here very much.¡±

    Laughter erupted from the people instantly.

    ¡°But from now on, I¡¯m sure you will like it,¡± Joseph declared loudly. ¡°This will become the headquarters of the Bank of France Reserve.

    ¡°Additionally, the French Stock Exchange will occupy its western side.

    ¡°And its second floor will be the hall where the French Royal Insurance Company conducts its business.¡±

    He made a sweeping gesture: ¡°There will be no more jail here, but a symbol of Paris¡¯ wealth!¡±

    The crowd immediately erupted in cheers! Indeed, there was no French person who did not hate and loathe this prison.

    Before, when Joseph was selecting a site for the French Stock Exchange, the idea of this location suddenly came to mind, and he decided to turn it into Paris¡¯ financial center.

    Abolishing the notorious Bastille would definitely greatly improve the national sentiment towards the Royal Family.

    Moreover, the prison had already lost its purpose. As a prison, it did not hold many prisoners, and its core function was actually to maintain the order in Paris. In the past, it had a large garrison of soldiers who could suppress any unrest in Paris from nearby. But now the security of Paris was in the hands of the police.

    So, when Joseph proposed that the Bank of France Reserve buy this fortress, Queen Mary hardly hesitated before agreeing. The Marquis of Launay, the commander of Bastille, had previously received the Crown Prince¡¯s care during the Necker affair, and this time he was very cooperative with the relocation work as well.

    Almost half a month ago, the guards and prisoners of the Bastille were all moved to a new location in the Southern Suburbs of Paris, and the name was also changed to ¡°National Prison No.1.¡±

    On the stage, Joseph waited for the crowd¡¯s cheer to die down, then continued:

    ¡°Besides the relocation of the Bank of France Reserve and the Stock Exchange, there is another very important matter to be announced today.¡±

    He signaled to Finance Minister Brian, who eagerly stepped forward, cleared his throat, and spoke out:

    ¡°His Majesty the King has decided that from today onward, the banknotes issued by the Bank of France Reserve will become the official currency of France and will be renamed francs!

    ¡°One franc banknote is equivalent to one livre silver coin, equivalent to 0.3 grams of gold.

    ¡°The National Treasury Decree will guarantee the franc, and anyone who holds a franc banknote can exchange it for an equivalent value of gold at the bank at any time. Similarly, gold can also be exchanged for francs at the bank.

    ¡°Within the boundaries of France, no one is allowed to refuse francs, otherwise, they will be prosecuted. Livres, ecus, and other currencies will still be in circulation.¡±

    The crowd was immediately abuzz. Although the banknotes of the Bank of France Reserve had been circulating in many places, the formal establishment of their currency status still astonished everyone.

    After all, just a few decades ago, John Law had flooded the market with banknotes during the Mississippi affair, causing many French people to go bankrupt overnight. Since then, people have been very resistant to banknotes.

    Brian looked sideways at the Crown Prince, raised his hand to signal for silence, and then continued:

    ¡°In order to maintain the stability of the franc¡¯s value, the Royal Family, the Treasury Department, the Bank of France Reserve, and the French Chamber of Commerce will jointly establish the ¡®Currency Regulation Council,¡¯ with full authority to oversee the issuance of banknotes to ensure that there will be no oversupply.¡±

 Chapter 521 - Chapter 521: Chapter 432: Francs and the Gold Standard

    Chapter 521: Chapter 432: Francs and the Gold Standard

    When the people in Bastille Square heard about the establishment of a currency regulation department, which involved banks and the Chamber of Commerce, their concerns were greatly alleviated, and they began to nod and discuss among themselves.

    In fact, Joseph had absolute control over this supervisory meeting¡ªthere was no need to mention the Royal Family and financial officials, who would express their views as he requested. He was also the largest shareholder of the Bank of France Reserve. Even the French Chamber of Commerce was currently controlled by the Capitalist Nobility, still looking to him for direction.

    Thus, the monetary policy was essentially whatever he said it would be. This wasn¡¯t about creating a monopoly¡ªin fact, his financial concepts were more than 200 years ahead of the rest of the world, and it was better for him to establish them firmly rather than letting contemporary economists make random attempts.

    Of course, this regulatory body would have to be standardized eventually, forming a scientific and effective currency management system. After all, he would age as well, and couldn¡¯t always manage finances using his ¡°Great Prophecy Technique.¡±

    The journalists present were fervently writing, and the crowd buzzed with discussion. They knew the government had announced a significant economic policy, but no one realized that it was a momentous occasion for the French economy.

    The series of monetary policies Joseph announced were the gold standard system that all the great powers of the world would adopt as the model to follow starting from the mid-19th century.

    To the common people, it seemed as if the only difference was being able to use banknotes when shopping¡ªlivres were still in normal use, and nothing much seemed to change.

    However, from the perspective of the entire country, the underlying logic of currency and the economy had shifted.

    After this, all of France¡¯s currency was established on the basis of a gold valuation.

    Livres could be used for transactions, not because of their silver coin attributes, but because the French Government stipulated that 1 livre could be exchanged for 0.3 grams of gold.

    In other words, if the French finance ministry announced that livres could no longer be exchanged for gold, people would need to sell their silver coins as silver to get francs for circulation.

    For people accustomed to the relatively stable value of currency and mature exchange rate systems of the 21st century, this was mundane, but in the 18th century, it was enough to significantly improve the entire national economic environment!

    You see, in this era, there was almost no concept of a national legal currency. Whether it was the livre, florin, ducat, or the rial of North Africa, the ak?e of the Ottoman Empire, as long as you had genuine gold and silver, they could freely circulate in the French market. Even British Pound banknotes were accepted, since they could be exchanged for gold coins at the Bank of England.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    So, you can imagine how chaotic it was when conducting trade at that time.

    For example, someone says they will pay in ducats for a batch of goods, but when it¡¯s time to pay up, you find that half of it is in rials, mixed with some aygu. Fine, don¡¯t do anything else today; take your time to convert it.

    The exchange rates between various currencies also differed between localities. For example, in the Mediterranean coastal provinces, 1 rial could be exchanged for 22 livres, as it could be directly used to buy things from North Africa. But in the north of France, it might only be worth 20 livres and 10 sous¡ªpurely valued on its gold content.

    As a result, southern merchants were extremely reluctant to sell goods to the north. Even two towns not far from each other, each accustomed to using different currencies, were reluctant to trade with one another. This severely impacted the country¡¯s commercial operations.

    Do not underestimate such impact¡ªcommerce relies on the circulation of money and goods, and even a slight hiccup in circulation could directly halve the trade volume, not to mention a situation where everything was jammed up everywhere.

    Furthermore, issues such as currency abrasion, underweight currency, and the fluctuating exchange rates between gold and silver coins, which affect the value of money, can all be eliminated by the gold standard system.

    At present, across the entire world, except for England under Newton¡ªyes, that¡¯s the Sir Isaac Newton hit in the head by an apple¡ªno other nation had adopted a gold standard system; all other countries were still using precious metals for transactions.

    It was precisely Newton¡¯s action that placed England¡¯s commercial environment at the pinnacle of the European Continent, and together with their superior tax policies, paved the way for the formation of The British Empire.

    And now, Joseph was about to introduce the complete version of the gold standard system to France. It might not take long before the crown for the best business environment in Europe gets a new master.

    In addition, implementing the gold standard system allowed the government to have more control over the financial market, and the exchange rate was very stable. Thus, till the 1970s, several countries were still using the gold standard.

    Joseph had been planning to implement the gold standard for a long time, and his choice of this particular moment was a well-considered one.

    Firstly was France¡¯s recent acquisition of a large number of overseas markets. According to the news that came back last week, Moro and Ney¡¯s legions had already taken full control of Tripoli City and continued to advance east.

    Seventy percent of Tripoli¡¯s population was concentrated in Tripoli City and its surrounding areas, while the east was relatively barren. Moro and his men were unlikely to encounter any significant resistance. They should have probably reached the Surt area in the east by now [Note 1].

    In addition to the Annaba region in Tunis and Algiers, France now had a solid foothold in the central part of North Africa. These places, though not large, were all lands rich in fertility and abundant resources, and furthermore, were trade transit hubs for the Mediterranean, handling a considerable volume of trade.

    Meanwhile, in the Walloon Region of the Southern Netherlands, France¡¯s investment had begun to take shape, with a significant amount of coal mining and refining companies being established. And being a wealthy part of Europe, this region¡¯s economic capacity was roughly equivalent to the whole of Tunisia.

    At the same time, driven by Joseph¡¯s relentless push for over a year, France¡¯s industrial development had also achieved remarkable results.

    Currently, Lyon had started operating more than 200 automatic looms, nearly 3,000 spindles, and was continuously adding more. With wool from New Zealand and cotton from Russia, the cost of Lyon¡¯s textiles had already been reduced to about 120% of the British¡¯s.

    Keep in mind, this figure was at least 150% a year ago. Taking into account France¡¯s influence in fashion and their advantage in style design, Lyon¡¯s textiles were already taking a large bite out of the British¡¯s share in the European market.

    Furthermore, industries such as Bordeaux and Champagne¡¯s winemaking, Nancy¡¯s steel and Steam Engine production, Paris¡¯s papermaking, luxury goods, and machinery, and so on, all had made great strides. Gaseous lighting, chemicals, furniture, and other industries were also waiting to ¡°go online.¡±

    A vast number of factories and immigrants were eagerly awaiting funding.

    And Joseph could perfectly use this opportunity to allow the banks to issue a large amount of banknotes as loans.

    Afterward, factories would use these francs to purchase equipment and raw materials, or to pay wages to workers. Immigrants would also spend it on buying necessities from locals or hiring local people.

    In this way, in no time at all, the penetration rate of the franc would reach a very high level.

    [Note 1] At the end of the 18th century, the wealthier Benghazi region was still under the control of the Mamluks from Egypt, so it was not part of Tripoli. The territory of Tripoli extended to the west of Benghazi as far as Surt, and the area wasn¡¯t very large.

 Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: Chapter 433: World Industrial Exposition

    Chapter 522: Chapter 433: World Industrial Exposition

    And strong financial support could, in turn, promote the construction of industry and new lands.

    With France¡¯s industrial technology and policies, as well as its financial level all leading the way in Europe, Joseph estimated that after another 3 to 5 years of rapid development, France¡¯s overall industrial strength would be looking down on all of Europe.

    That¡¯s right, including you, England, by then you all might be left behind by France!

    Of course, England, relying on its vast colonies and accumulation over many years, still sat firmly in the position of world¡¯s supreme power, but it would only be a matter of time before France would topple it from its horse.

    Meanwhile, as the dividends of industrial development continuously increased, France¡¯s chronic financial problems would surely be completely resolved.

    By that time, Joseph would be able to lead France to recreate the glorious achievements once obtained by Napoleon. And with the wisdom of later generations, he would surely surpass Napoleon!

    Afterwards, Joseph also announced the official resumption of trading at the French Stock Exchange ¡ª anyone could now invest in stocks, and the exchange would be open every day except weekends, and companies could start applying for listings.

    After the Mississippi incident, stock trading in France was finally fully revived!

    Of course, to allow investors time to familiarize and adapt, for the time being, only a handful of company stocks were tradable, and the transaction amount was under strict control.

    The new ¡°Stock Trading Law¡± was in the final stages of organization, and the ¡°Securities and Exchange Commission¡± was also in preparation.

    Once these two pillars of securing the stock market were completed, the Stock Exchange would gradually loosen the approval of listed companies and expand the scale of financing.

    Keep in mind, Joseph started by regulating the stock market with various modern concepts from the future; the likes of shell companies defrauding investors or big capital dramatically inflating the price of a stock one day and then dumping it the next, were absolutely not going to happen in the French Stock Exchange.

    The stock market is the ¡°turbocharger¡± for industrial development; as long as it¡¯s regulated, it benefits the construction of the industry greatly.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï

    To win in the competition of the Industrial Revolution, the stock market is a must.

    In conclusion, Joseph solemnly announced that Bastille would officially be renamed to ¡°Paris Financial Center,¡± and then he pointed to the large cannons on the high walls of Bastille and smiled, ¡°This will be the safest bank and exchange in the world; I believe no bandit would dare target this place.¡±

    Walsh, listening to the deafening laughter and cheers around him, couldn¡¯t help but squint his eyes.

    As a shrewd businessman, he keenly sensed that France¡¯s monetary policy was now superior to England¡¯s.

    The simplest point being, exchange of British Pounds for gold could only happen at the Bank of England, which meant that if the Bank of England collapsed, then banknotes in Pounds would immediately lose all value.

    Whereas the franc was backed by the French state; even if the Bank of France Reserve were gone, the French Government would find other ways to maintain currency value.

    This was the difference between a complete gold standard and the gold standard being explored by England. It wasn¡¯t until 30 years later that England officially implemented the gold standard at the national level.

    Ever since Walsh had come to France the year before last, he had been hesitating whether to shift the focus of his business here.

    Admittedly, the market in England was huge, the country was wealthier, and the business environment was better.

    But the upward momentum of France was fierce, with tremendous policy support for the industry. Recently, it had opened up the markets of the Southern Netherlands and North Africa, coupled with the ¡°Seine-Rhine Trade Agreement¡± allowing entry into the German market, France would undoubtedly have plenty of opportunities in the future.

    Now, he had finally made his decision ¡ª to choose France.

    He turned his head towards his wife and smiled, ¡°Perhaps, we should buy a French noble title.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you,¡± Mrs. Walsh said with her icy hands clasped together, pouting, ¡°but if we don¡¯t go to the Royal Palace soon, we won¡¯t be able to get preview tickets.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, the World¡¯s Fair officially opens in a few days, and it won¡¯t be too late to go then,¡± Walsh said, pulling up his collar, ¡°It¡¯s really cold, why don¡¯t we go have lunch first? I heard Laperouse Restaurant has added some new dishes¡­¡±

    ¡°It will be very crowded after the World¡¯s Fair opens,¡± Mrs. Walsh complained, ¡°You know, there are over a dozen countries¡¯ pavilions to visit, and I really don¡¯t want to squeeze in with those dirty and unsophisticated people.¡±

    Walsh truly couldn¡¯t argue with a woman. After the crowd on the Paris Financial Center Square, previously called Bastille, dispersed, he drove to the Royal Palace.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10133356¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10133356/b7851feecf5625e8ef655f6f7ddc8be08RjII8K4N8277g3.jpg¡±>

    The former residence of the Duke of Orleans had been confiscated and was sitting empty, but now at its main entrance, there stood a three-person-tall iron tower, engraved with the words ¡°First World Industry¡¯s Fair.¡±

    Yes, Joseph had been planning the World¡¯s Fair for a long time and had finally extended invitations to more than twenty countries to attend the event at the Royal Palace, after stabilizing the situation in North Africa.

    Of course, another reason was that he had received a large sum of war reparations from Algiers, eliminating the financial barriers to holding the World¡¯s Fair.

    With the previous success of Paris Fashion Week, the countries showed some interest in participating. However, since this kind of exposition had never been held before, some countries that were unwilling to spend money politely declined, leaving only twelve countries that decided to attend.

    After all, unlike Fashion Week, they had to send delegations and bring their presentable items, all of which cost money.

    In this way, Joseph snatched the honor of inaugurating the World¡¯s Fair from the British more than half a century ahead of schedule.

    Moreover, compared to the British who spent a fortune building the Crystal Palace as the venue for their World¡¯s Fair, Joseph¡¯s investment was minimal.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10134260¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10134260/dea8479bd54086182bd7e3cf8e4db9942D9TY0x8St3h9AC.jpg¡±>

    (The British Crystal Palace)

    The Royal Palace only needed a bit of tidying up to become a grand and luxurious venue.

    France had many idle palaces, such as the Louvre, the Chateau de Fontainebleau, and even the Luxembourg Palace was queued up for future use, making them perfect for events like the fair.

    And on the day of the World¡¯s Fair, Joseph had a huge surprise for the audience from all over Europe¡ªthe gas streetlights in 40% of Paris would be lit simultaneously, illuminating the Parisian night sky.

    ¡­

    India.

    Northern Karnataka, on the northwestern frontline of the battlefield between England and Mysore.

    Marquess of Wellesley frowned as he looked through the telescope at the ¡°Pa,¡± murmuring, ¡°These rudimentary fortresses are indeed nauseating.¡±

    Cornwallis seemed already accustomed to it, shrugging, ¡°You¡¯re only facing these things for the first time, while I have already ¡®gnawed¡¯ through more than twenty. Oh, and according to the information I¡¯ve gathered, there are at least fifty more to go.¡±

    ¡°I will figure out a way to deal with these things,¡± the Marquess of Wellesley said as he put away his telescope, a cold light flashing in his eyes, ¡°and then I¡¯ll spread a wide net to capture Tipu, making that beast unable to escape.¡±

 Chapter 523 - Chapter 523: Chapter 434: The British Tactic

    Chapter 523: Chapter 434: The British Tactic

    The next day, in the fine curtain of rain, a squad of British soldiers took advantage of the overcast skies and slipped into the innermost layer of the ¡°Pa¡± through a breach blasted open by a cannon.

    The defending Mysore soldiers hastily fled through the tunnels, but the man left to ignite the gunpowder kegs took out a flint and struck three times. However, the sparks were all extinguished by the rainwater blown in by the wind.

    Two British soldiers appeared at the entrance to the tower, raising their Brown Bess flintlock guns at him.

    An hour later, the Marquess of Wellesley looked at the seven or eight corpses soaked in the rain, his expression somber. It had taken him a full 14 days to finally break through this crude fortress, and the Mysoreans had lost less than 30 men.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10134207¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10134207/669f0ee5142edabd5ba49886378c12f0E49P0u9tdtz7I8M.jpg¡±>

    He glanced at the 200 or so flintlock guns piled up not far away, and a 4-pound cannon, and just as he was about to return to his tent, he suddenly paused.

    He turned to the officer in charge of organizing the loot and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I see the enemy¡¯s gunpowder and cannonballs?¡±

    The officer hurriedly pointed to about a dozen small wooden boxes under the tree: ¡°Over there, Lieutenant Colonel.¡±

    Wellesley came from a military family and, though young, already held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

    He said with some surprise, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lieutenant Colonel. Actually, this is the first time we have captured their weapons. Previously, they would detonate the gunpowder when they retreated.¡±

    Wellesley stood in the rain, squinting his eyes. This ammunition was only enough for the soldiers defending the fortress to last another 10 days. That meant they had only prepared ammunition for a little over 20 days from the start.

    He wiped the rainwater off his face and looked towards the narrow tower at the top of the ¡°Pa¡±, then suddenly the corners of his mouth curled upward. He turned to Cornwallis beside him and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve discovered its weakness.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    Two days later.

    About forty to fifty Hyderabad soldiers, in a very loose formation and trembling with fear, advanced toward the ¡°Pa¡± on the dirt mound ahead.

    Soon, gunfire erupted from inside the ¡°Pa¡±, and one Hyderabad soldier had half his head torn off by a musket ball right there on the spot.

    The others were shocked and instinctively wanted to flee, but as they turned, they saw hundreds of British soldiers in red uniforms aiming their guns this way.

    They tensed up immediately, recalling the scene where dozens who had fled back in the morning were shot on the spot. They hurriedly turned back and looked for cover, then gritted their teeth and returned fire.

    The British commander had ordered them to launch an aggressive attack for one hour, after which they could retreat and be replaced by another group.

    However, it took less than half an hour for these few dozen to be killed by the Mysore soldiers.

    The British officer in the distance put down his telescope, turned to Wellesley, and saw the latter nod. He immediately shouted at a small squad of Maratha soldiers nearby, ¡°It¡¯s your turn! Go take down that fortress!¡±

    The Marathas, driven by the British soldiers, moved toward the ¡°Pa¡± with pale faces.

    ¡°Are you sure this is effective?¡± Cornwallis asked Wellesley, watching the Indian soldiers fall one after another, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve gained nothing but heavy casualties.¡±

    ¡°Just watch patiently,¡± Wellesley replied calmly, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, we will take down this fortress before nightfall.¡±

    Nearly 50 Maratha soldiers were soon killed, and another batch of British auxiliary forces were forced to charge. They began to use the bodies of the previous group as cover. However, they lasted only about 40 minutes before the next group had to step in¡­

    After 5 p.m., Cornwallis looked at the bodies strewn around the ¡°Pa,¡± roughly estimating that there must have been more than ten squads of Indian soldiers who died there, at least 600 men.

    Just as he was about to say something more to Wellesley, he unexpectedly found that the fortifications of Mysore had quieted down.

    ¡°Alright, it seems my judgment was correct.¡± A smile appeared on Wellesley¡¯s face as he said to the officer beside him, ¡°Let our men go up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lieutenant Colonel!¡±

    Subsequently, nearly a thousand British ¡°Lobster Soldiers¡± surrounded that ¡°Pa,¡± yet they encountered only sporadic resistance.

    The British methodically blew up several layers of walls with gunpowder, driving the Mysore soldiers into the tunnels.

    Then the retreating defenders detonated their barrels of gunpowder, toppling a large portion of the tower atop the ¡°Pa.¡±

    By the fading light of the sunset, Cornwallis saw the British flag planted atop the fortress that had troubled him for half a year. He was shocked and turned to Wellesley, ¡°How did you do it? You took this thing in just one day!¡±

    ¡°Ammunition reserves,¡± the Marquess of Wellesley replied indifferently, pointing to the tower on top of the ¡°Pa,¡± ¡°The main body of this fortress has three layers of walls, and only the middle one could be used to store ammunition.

    ¡°Based on its narrow dimensions, I estimated that after a portion of the space was taken up by food and water, they could store a maximum of 300 cannonballs and just over 15,000 flintlock gun rounds, along with the corresponding gunpowder.

    ¡°So, I had men attack in waves. Under relentless pressure, the people of Mysore would overlook their ammunition reserves, oh, and sustained shooting would also greatly reduce their accuracy.

    ¡°Finally, when they had used up all their ammunition, our soldiers rushed in. Just like that.¡±

    In reality, he was omitting a detail. That was the fact that the Mysore soldiers, after killing numerous enemies, would enter an extremely excited, bloodthirsty state, blindly firing away, utterly neglecting tactical considerations.

    Cornwallis stood there dumbfounded as he listened to the young officer calmly describe the tactic of ¡°using human lives to deplete the enemy¡¯s ammunition¡±¡ªit turned out that his own previous efforts to reduce casualties and value the lives of his soldiers had also given the enemy time to rest and arrange their tactics.

    Indeed, relentless pressure was the best tactic against the Mysoreans, who had a low level of military discipline!

    ¡°But,¡± he thought of another issue, ¡°Although we have quickly breached this fortress, the casualties seem too high¡­¡±

    That day¡¯s assault cost them at least 600 lives. By that count, they would pay with twenty to thirty thousand lives to deal with all of Mangalore¡¯s fortresses!

    ¡°They are just Indian natives,¡± Wellesley dismissed with a wave of his hand, ¡°Their population is vast, this is nothing.¡±

    As he was speaking, he saw the Hyderabad Army¡¯s commander approaching with a dark face, and yet he continued to speak to Cornwallis as if nothing were amiss:

    ¡°Moreover, my goal is not to take down Mangalore. It¡¯s only necessary to show Tipu that we can quickly breach his fortresses.¡±

    The Hyderabadi officer came up to the two of them and, without any pleasantries, bellowed loudly:

    ¡°You cannot let my soldiers die like this, nearly 400 have perished today alone!¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley looked at him with a smile and said:

    ¡°Dying in battle is a soldier¡¯s duty. There will be many more such assaults, you had better get used to it quickly.¡±

 Chapter 524 - Chapter 524: Chapter 435: The Stars of Paris

    Chapter 524: Chapter 435: The Stars of Paris

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    The Indian officer was about to say something more, but he was interrupted by the Marquess of Wellesley raising his hand, ¡°If you do not want to lose soldiers, then go conscript some untouchables. Anyone will do as long as they can lure the enemy into shooting.¡±

    The officer immediately closed his mouth, touched his chest in salute, and left. On the Indian Peninsula, the lives of those of low caste were the least valuable, and it didn¡¯t matter how many died.

    Wellesley continued to Cornwallis, ¡°This will force Tipu to divide his forces to defend Mangalore.¡±

    To the south of Mangalore lies the capital of Mysore, Mysore City, which is also the second-largest city in Mysore. Sultan Tipu naturally could not easily give up this place.

    Wellesley continued, ¡°Once Mysore¡¯s army begins to mobilize, I will take the Marines by ship around Kanniyakumari and launch a surprise attack on Tiruchirappalli.¡±

    Kanniyakumari is the southernmost maritime area of the Indian Peninsula, while Tiruchirappalli is an important city in Carnatic, southeastern India, that has been conquered by Sultan Tipu.

    If Tiruchirappalli can be recaptured, then Mysore¡¯s offensive to the east will be hindered.

    ¡°You stay in Mangalore and continue removing those annoying fortifications according to my tactics. Once I have achieved military success on my side, you will be almost able to reach the vicinity of Mysore City,¡± Wellesley said.

    Waving his walking stick, Wellesley added, ¡°Then we can attack Tipu from both sides. I believe he would come to us seeking to sign an armistice before the fall.¡±

    ¡­

    Cities in the east of Mysore.

    Salem.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï

    Sultan Tipu watched carriage after carriage enter the city, and his expression finally relaxed a bit.

    Those carriages carried flintlock guns and gunpowder just transported from the Ottoman Empire, along with some medicines and uniforms. With this batch of supplies, his army should not lack for ammunition before the rainy season arrives.

    However, he also knew that after losing control of the southern coast, assistance materials had become very difficult to transport into Mysore, and future battles would become increasingly difficult.

    Initially, he had some doubts about Lafayette¡¯s words, but after several months of fighting, he finally realized that the British were much stronger than he had imagined.

    The red-coated soldiers were highly trained and maintained strict discipline; usually, he had to mobilize tens of thousands of troops just to barely handle a few thousand British soldiers.

    At the same time, British commanders were very cunning, almost flawless in their commands during the battles.

    He was ambushed by the British at Tiruchirappalli. In less than three days, a 30,000-strong army was crushed by fewer than 4,000 British soldiers and over 10,000 from the Hyderabad Army, and the recently captured Tiruchirappalli fell.

    He then had no choice but to withdraw to Salem.

    If he could not hold this third-largest city of Mysore, the British would then march directly to Seringapatam, which is his administrative center.

    He carefully recalled Lafayette¡¯s words before departure, first sending a trusted officer to check the food reserves, and then summoned the senior minister Shah to secretly go to Hyderabad to conduct some secret trades.

    On the other side, Marquess of Wellesley rode his horse spiritedly onto a low hill and overlooked the distant Salem City, feeling much relieved in his heart.

    Although it was this British war-god¡¯s first time commanding a large army, he capitalized on his extraordinary military talent and had been invincible in a series of battles, completely reversing the British Army¡¯s weak stance within a few months and transitioning to an all-out offensive.

    Just yesterday, he received orders from London that he had been promoted to Major General, now solely responsible for the military affairs in India.

    Wellesley had been holding back his fury, waiting only to stabilize the situation in India before going back to settle scores with those French!

    He kicked his horse¡¯s flanks hard and galloped towards Salem at the foot of the mountain, shouting orders to the officer beside him, ¡°Get the whole army ready; we launch a full assault on Salem City the day after tomorrow at noon.¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    On the main street to the south side of the Louvre, Schmidt pulled his neck into his collar, glanced at the darkening sky, and said to his servant, ¡°Damn the cold wind, I want to go back to the hotel.

    ¡°Why do the French people hold the opening ceremony of the exposition at night?¡±

    The servant looked towards a few children not far away and whispered, ¡°Sir, would you like me to rent a hand warmer for you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright. I¡¯m nearly frozen stiff.¡±

    The servant had just left, when suddenly cheerful music sounded all around.

    Schmidt looked up to see a troop of court guards parting the crowd. Then Her Majesty, the Queen of France, clad in a white gown and adorned with flowing colorful feathers, stepped down from the carriage across the street and arrived at the pre-erected stage, surrounded by a host of officials.

    After a burst of intense drumming, a court official signaled everyone to bow, and then Queen Mary raised her arms high, without any preamble, and loudly proclaimed, ¡°Please join me, all friends who have come to Paris, in witnessing this grand spectacle!¡±

    Before Schmidt could react, he heard several saluting cannon shots, followed by a series of ¡°stars¡± quickly starting to twinkle at both ends of the street.

    The ¡°stars¡± continued to brighten in the night sky, and within mere minutes, the entire street was magically lit as bright as day!

    Schmidt, like everyone else, shielded his eyes from the dazzling white light and looked up in astonishment to discover a string of peculiar street lamps.

    Unlike the kerosene lamps he had seen, these were extremely bright, allowing him to clearly see the embroidery on the dress of the lady next to him.

    The crowd immediately erupted into excited chatter, ¡°What kind of lamps are these? They are so bright!¡±

    ¡°I heard they¡¯re called gas lamps; a few dozens appeared in the Saint-Germain District a few months ago.¡±

    ¡°Oh, God, it¡¯s like there is no night here¡­¡±

    Moments later, the band began to play again, and Queen Mary, with a smiling face, announced, ¡°This is the first exhibit of France at this industrial fair, oh, forgive us for not placing it inside the Royal Palace, as it¡¯s just too large.

    ¡°Its name is the gas street lamp. It will light up all of Paris! After the rest of the world falls into night, this place will remain a bustling metropolis!

    ¡°Now, the World Industrial Exposition officially begins.

    ¡°I will join all of you in this global festivity; please fully enjoy the wonders and conveniences brought by industrial technology!¡±

    As the Queen of France continued her passionate address, Schmidt couldn¡¯t wait any longer and slipped out of the crowd, looking into the distance, where the entire Parisian street block was dotted with ¡°stars¡±, and ribbons of light stretched to the horizon, reminding him of a future world he had read about in a novel.

    His weariness vanished in an instant; taking the hand warmer passed by his servant, he casually walked down the street with the bustling crowd.

    The shops along the street were still brightly lit, vendors on both sides of the road enthusiastically hawked their wares, and the volume of people on the streets was even greater than during the day, while the surrounding night added an air of mystery and style to the place.

 Chapter 525 - Chapter 525: Chapter 436: Paradise of the European Continent

    Chapter 525: Chapter 436: Paradise of the European Continent

    Schmidt strolled along the brightly lit streets of Paris until half past two in the morning when overwhelming fatigue finally subdued his excitement, urging him to return to the hotel to rest.

    That night, he bought an untold number of fashionable clothes, health products, and crafts. His servants were already exhausted from carrying large and small packages, so they had to hire a boy over ten years old to help carry the items.

    The ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± hotel where Schmidt stayed was extremely luxurious. The suite was equipped with gas lighting that shone as bright as the sun. Just for that fact alone, he felt spending an extra three florins to stay there was the right decision.

    Gazing out the window at the Parisian streets sprinkled with countless stars, he couldn¡¯t help but think that this place was in a completely different world from Munich.

    He thought of the neat and bright streets, the bustling crowd, especially the stylish and beautiful French ladies, and the array of exquisite goods in the shop windows, his mouth savoring the fresh flavors of shrimp, oysters, and mixed nuts¡ªthat was the North African-styled feast he had just enjoyed.

    His servant dumped a heap of items on the table, rubbing his cramping arms, and with a look towards the bustling city¡¯s night view outside the window, he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim loudly, ¡°Oh, I think heaven might just look like this?¡±

    Schmidt didn¡¯t mock his servant for being inexperienced as usual, but subconsciously nodded in agreement.

    At six in the morning, having only slept for a little over three hours, Schmidt was awakened by the knocking of the hotel¡¯s waiter: ¡°Mr. Schmidt, you asked me to remind you in the morning. It¡¯s six o¡¯clock now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, thank you.¡±

    Schmidt had a hard time getting out of bed, quickly freshened up, and then rushed out the door with his servant to the Royal Palace.

    Several people from the Bavarian Chamber of Commerce were already waiting at the entrance of the Royal Palace. Schmidt hurriedly went up to these familiar faces and greeted them politely.

    Moments later, music filled the air, and Minister of Industry Mirabeau gave another lengthy speech. Then, accompanied by the release of white doves, the grand doors of the Royal Palace slowly opened up.

    Armed with a VIP invitation, Schmidt didn¡¯t queue up like other visitors; instead, he entered the Royal Palace through a special passage.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï

    When the gardens of the Royal Palace appeared before him, his eyes widened instantly.

    He had attended some fairs and exhibitions before, like those Austria regularly started hosting over ten years ago, titled ¡°European Expositions,¡± and England had organized similar events, but those were more like slightly more luxurious country fairs.

    Workshops and merchants displayed some nice goods and enthusiastically hawked their wares. The government would organize for nobility and the wealthy to visit, followed by some banquets and dances, and finally, the events would close successfully.

    But what lay before Schmidt now was not some ¡°country fair,¡± but extremely grand pavilions from various countries, separated by tall wooden walls or horticultural divisions.

    From the nearby Austrian Pavilion, he saw miniature versions of the Hofburg Concert Hall, St. Stephen¡¯s Cathedral, and other iconic buildings. Next to it, the North African Pavilion was decorated like a Mediterranean port scene, with a model of the Roman Colosseum partially hidden from view[Note1].

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10134205¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10134205/8ea8ac48a7732f230787a943c0472959p3pMCG3ELnqGrK3.jpg¡±>

    Once he and other dignitaries entered the Austrian Pavilion, what was presented before them was the signature industry of Austria¡ªglassware.

    Unlike the simple display of goods in the past, what was exhibited here was a complete set of glass production process models, along with several craftsmen performing demonstrations for the audience.

    When he saw the creation of a colorful glass wine jug after an extremely complex process, he felt instantly that the object seemed as though it had been endowed with a soul.

    Following that were exhibits of industries such as leather tanning, iron smelting, and more¡­.

    In the past, when Schmidt attended these kinds of exhibitions, he would glance over the exhibits casually, at most complimenting the craftsmanship of a particular item.

    But today, he spent over an hour just at the Austrian Pavilion, until the general visitors began to pour in, before reluctantly following the signs to the adjacent Dutch Pavilion.

    Here, Schmidt was quickly captivated by the shipbuilding process demonstration, and when he saw the new inland cargo ship designed by the Dutch, his eyes lit up immediately.

    As the second-ranked shipping operator in Bavaria, he realized immediately that this kind of ship could significantly reduce his costs.

    He hurriedly went forward to inquire with those at the Dutch Pavilion about the address of the factory that manufactured these ships and other information, planning to buy several of them after the exhibition was over.

    However, an exposition staff member standing nearby heard his words and immediately smiled, gesturing to him that there was a business hall on the second floor of the Royal Palace, where detailed information about all exhibited items was available, and transactions could even be signed directly.

    After paying a small deposit, a waiter led Schmidt to the business hall. He immediately saw lawyers and bank employees waiting to serve at any moment¡­.

    Before lunchtime, Schmidt had signed a letter of intent to purchase with the shipyard and paid a small deposit in the presence of a lawyer. And all this money was directly transferred to the Netherlands through the Bank of France, which was extremely convenient.

    When Schmidt returned to the main venue of the exhibition at the Royal Palace Gardens, he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in his heart, ¡°So exhibitions can be run like this!¡±

    At the same time, in every pavilion of the Royal Palace, visitors from different countries were expressing similar amazement, ¡°So exhibitions can also be like this.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely brilliant!¡±

    ¡°It was absolutely worth coming to Paris this time; it has been an eye-opening experience.¡±

    The astonishment of the people was entirely within Joseph¡¯s predictions. Kidding aside, various commercial activities and exhibitions of the 21st century were already mature. Just by casually copying some of those exhibitions he had seen, for an age where the World Expo would only appear half a century later, it was like a dimensional strike.

    In this exhibition, from the layout of the pavilions of various countries to the content of the demonstrations and the creation of the models, everything was carried out under his direction, so naturally, nothing was lacking.

    It was only because the preparation time was relatively tight; otherwise, if he had added national costumes, dances, and even cuisines from various countries, the impact of the exhibition would have been even more sensational!

    The next day, when Schmidt finally made his way to the French Pavilion, he was astonished on the spot¡ª

    The visitors were sitting in tour carts pulled by steam engines, traveling automatically along the rails that encircled the pavilion.

    Inside the vast pavilion, from high-pressure steam engines to new types of automatic looms, from luxurious and comfortable carriages to modern synthetic panel furniture, from gas street lamps to advanced steel smelting¡­

    The abundance of novel inventions was dazzling, and all kinds of products were not only beautifully made but also exuded a high-end feel. Just a few hours of visiting significantly elevated France¡¯s image in his mind!

    [Note 1] The Colosseum mentioned here refers to the El Jem Colosseum built during the Roman rule of Tunisia, located in the far suburbs of Sousse.

 Chapter 526 - Chapter 526: Chapter 437 Catherine IIs Reward

    Chapter 526: Chapter 437 Catherine II¡¯s Reward

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph looked at the World Fair statistics report Bailly had just compiled and couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Initially, he only wanted to take advantage of hosting the World Fair and the opportunity to install gas streetlights in Paris to promote France extensively.

    However, he hadn¡¯t expected that, even before the fair had ended, orders had already reached more than six million francs.

    Moreover, this was just the amount signed in the commercial hall; according to Bailly¡¯s estimate, including private transactions, the total should exceed ten million francs.

    Within this, nearly seventy percent of the orders were for France. After all, as the host country, France had the most thoroughly prepared exhibition pavilions and very successful product promotions, attracting a large number of buyers quite unsurprisingly.

    Although many of these orders might not actually materialize in the end, as long as sixty to seventy percent did come to fruition, it would greatly boost the sales of French industrial products.

    Bear in mind, this was just a fair, and buyers still approached the products with a trial attitude.

    Once these products entered the markets of various European countries and gained local approval, creating stable demand, that would be the moment when French industrial product sales would surge dramatically.

    Owing to treaties such as the Eden Treaty signed with England and the Rhine-Saone Treaty signed with half of the German states, these products would face little difficulty entering the aforementioned countries.

    After the capital was recouped, creating a positive cycle of production, sales, funding, and research and development, and with Joseph providing guidance for the industrial development of France, it could be anticipated that France would have a very high chance of emerging victorious in the competition of the First Industrial Revolution.

    However, Joseph also saw from this fair that other European countries were increasingly emphasizing industrial development. Not to mention England, the leader of the Industrial Revolution; whether it was the German states or the several states of Italy, they all had set their sights on the coal and steel industries and had begun to engage with steam engine technology.

    It¡¯s unavoidable; Europe is this small. If one country introduced something good, other nations would immediately follow suit. Historically, after the Industrial Revolution kicked off in England, the other major European powers also commenced industrialization in succession, with Austria, the slowest to move, lagging behind England by only twenty years.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    Therefore, Joseph did not dare slacken in promoting French industrial development.

    The world of this era adhered to the law of the jungle¡ªpowerful nations showed no mercy to weaker ones. Especially when the currently strongest nation was England, which had meddling ingrained in its DNA.

    France had to be strong enough to counteract the hostility and subversion that the English would inevitably inflict, and for that, the pace of industrialization had to accelerate.

    Joseph handed the statistical document of the World Fair back to the Minister of Commerce, adding:

    ¡°Please offer as much support as possible to the factories involved in these orders, especially those pertaining to textiles, steel, and the chemical industry. Should any difficulties arise, report them to me directly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Bailly bowed slightly and discussed some matters regarding the closing ceremony of the World Fair with Joseph before rising and leaving.

    Bertier, who had been waiting for some time, nodded to the Minister of Commerce and quickly stepped into the Crown Prince¡¯s office. He bowed deeply to Joseph and then said:

    ¡°Your Highness, we received news from Vienna at noon that the Lefevre Corps has already arrived at Brunn. The Royal Guards in Silesia are expected to complete their assembly within five days.¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Please convey my orders to the Guard Corps through the General Staff: the entire army is to rest temporarily within Austrian territory. I will head to Silesia immediately after the end of the World Fair.¡±

    Bertier appeared somewhat surprised:

    ¡°Your Highness, are you going to Silesia?¡±

    After all, in his mind, the battle involving France in Silesia was mainly posturing towards Austria, and there was no need for the Crown Prince to go personally.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°we are going to engage in some intense battles there, so I must be present on the front lines.¡±

    Seeing the puzzled look in Bertier¡¯s eyes, Joseph laughed and said:

    ¡°At present, the border line between Prussia and Austria is virtually unchanged from before the war began. This makes it easy for them to negotiate a ceasefire.

    ¡°But if Prussia were to lose part of Silesia, do you think they would accept that outcome?¡±

    Bertier immediately realized something and hurriedly said:

    ¡°Your Highness, in that case, we would have to face 120,000 Prussian soldiers.¡±

    ¡°You must have confidence in the soldiers of France,¡± Joseph said. ¡°Besides, we will eventually face such a great battle anyway, and it is beneficial for our troops to accumulate experience sooner rather than later.¡±

    Joseph was very clear that as long as the German states could not unite, England alone could not pose a serious threat to France on the European continent. Therefore, it was essential to keep the hotspot of Silesia active.

    ¡­

    Russia.

    Saint Petersburg.

    Catherine II looked at the French Foreign Minister in front of her with surprise:

    ¡°Are you saying that France will make large-scale investments in Donbass and send people there for development?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Talleyrand bowed and said. ¡°This is a plan personally devised by the Crown Prince, and three companies have confirmed they will invest, one of which is the Hilker Steel Company, the largest producer in France at present. You may have heard of it.¡±

    Catherine II had not received a reply from the ambassador to France regarding whether France would agree to a Franco-Russian alliance through marriage. She had initially thought that France would maintain a certain distance from Russia, but she did not expect that the Crown Prince of France would immediately send such a generous gift.

    Could it be that the French are not fully satisfied with Alexandra¡¯s ancestry, but still want to strengthen relations with us?

    She put aside the thoughts in her mind and asked Talleyrand again:

    ¡°Then, what does the Crown Prince expect in return?¡±

    Talleyrand smiled most sincerely:

    ¡°Your friendship is the greatest reward for France.

    ¡°Oh, actually, the Crown Prince believes that it is very likely that coal or iron mines will be discovered in the Donbass region. Therefore, developing that area would be greatly beneficial for both our countries.¡±

    Joseph knew that real-life diplomacy could not be like a TV show, where you buy a piece of wasteland at a low price in someone else¡¯s house, quietly find resources, and then secretly transport them home.

    In such a scenario, the other party would only feel cheated while coveting the enormous benefits of the resources, which would inevitably lead to the tearing up of agreements and animosity.

    If from the start he told Catherine that he was convinced that there were coal and iron ores in Donbass, and that it was currently wasteland, they should agree on a price, so that later when the resources were indeed extracted, there would not be any feeling of having been short-changed.

    The Tsar of Russia smiled and nodded, saying:

    ¡°I can grant the Crown Prince the mining rights to 20,000 Russian acres of land in Donbass as a gesture of goodwill in response to his kindness.¡±

    One Russian acre is more than one hectare, so 20,000 Russian acres is definitely a vast area.

 Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: Chapter 438 The Taste of Vienna

    Chapter 527: Chapter 438 The Taste of Vienna

    Catherine II was truly a commanding sovereign, her mind worked blazingly fast, and she forthwith continued:

    ¡°Furthermore, I will relocate 3,000 serfs to Donbass and sponsor France¡¯s development plans with 50,000 rubles.

    ¡°In return, I hope to acquire one-third of the mining revenue from the Donbass region.¡±

    Talleyrand instantly displayed the standard diplomatic smile:

    ¡°Your Majesty, you know that our nation will face great risks in developing Donbass. You are aware that those initial explorations are unreliable, and it¡¯s quite possible that we might end up with just a small mine of a few hundred tons¡­¡±

    To be honest, the 3,000 serfs would indeed be somewhat helpful to the development work, but Joseph had long been prepared with other labor forces, and even without these people, work could still start as usual.

    As for 50,000 rubles, that¡¯s about 200,000 francs, which, when invested in a place as vast as Donbass, wouldn¡¯t even make a splash.

    Actually, Joseph was ready to share some profits with Catherine, after all, it is easier to work with an interest-bound partnership when exploiting resources on someone else¡¯s land, but he had authorized Talleyrand to offer Russia a 20% share of the profits.

    However, Catherine¡¯s appetite was a bit too big.

    Talleyrand considered his words carefully:

    ¡°Your Majesty, this development is entirely a risky decision made by the Crown Prince, and it¡¯s not fair to have you assume the risk as well, such as the manpower you would send, or the sponsorship.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for Catherine to object and immediately added:

    ¡°However, when I left Paris, His Highness instructed me to allocate 10% of the revenue to show his respect for you. Oh, and His Highness also mentioned that if a large mine is indeed discovered in Donbass, he will invest in the expansion and improvement of the Port of Kherson.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï

    Catherine II slightly narrowed her eyes at that moment.

    The river connecting the Donbass region with the Crimean seaport is called the Dnieper River, and the Port of Kherson is precisely where the Dnieper flows into the Black Sea. Talleyrand was reminding her of the importance of developing the Donbass region for Russia¡¯s control of Crimea. And Crimea is Russia¡¯s only foothold for trading with the Mediterranean coast, which previous Tsars spared no effort and resources to secure. Catherine also put forth immense effort, engaging in repeated wars with the Ottoman Empire, losing tens of thousands of lives, before she finally managed to retain a tenuous hold over Crimea.

    If she could rapidly develop the northern coast of Crimea, the Donbass area, it would provide strong support for her rule over Crimea. At the very least, if a war broke out in Crimea, conscripting logistical supplies from Donbass would cost much less and be much faster than transportation from Moscow.

    She smiled at Talleyrand and said:

    ¡°Thank you for the Crown Prince¡¯s consideration for our country. Then let France be responsible for all the investment, and I will take a 15% share of the mining revenue.¡±

    She indeed felt that developing Donbass was risky, and if the French really found a major mine, they would certainly need a large labor force for mining, so it wouldn¡¯t be too late to swap out serfs to increase her share then.

    Talleyrand inwardly breathed a sigh of relief but still continued to haggle:

    ¡°Your Majesty, that percentage is too high, so I hope you can give us a tax preference for the mining factories¡­¡±

    It was not until after the evening banquet that day that Talleyrand casually said to Catherine II:

    ¡°Your Majesty, Prussia and Austria are currently at war in Silesia. The Crown Prince earnestly requests that you understand Emperor Joseph II¡¯s desire to reclaim the Silesian homeland. You know, His Highness holds great respect for his uncle.¡±

    Catherine II immediately remembered that last month, England had also sent a special envoy to Saint Petersburg, expressing the hope that Russia would not interfere with the situation in Silesia. Today, the French Foreign Minister brought up the matter again.

    The British stance was naturally as Joseph had requested in the ¡°Non-Intervention Treaty.¡±

    Catherine II indeed hoped that Prussia and Austria could cease the war and then join Russia to partition Poland, but she still had to consider the attitudes of England and France. Moreover, since the French had just mentioned developing Donbass for her, this made it harder for her to refuse.

    Therefore, she nodded and said, ¡°Archbishop Talleyrand, please convey to His Highness that I have no intention of meddling in the affairs of Silesia.¡±

    ¡­

    Petit Trianon Palace.

    As soon as Queen Mary entered the room, she couldn¡¯t wait to sit down, looking very weary, yet her face was brimming with a smile:

    ¡°Ah, what a grand celebration it was! Look, the whole of Europe was paying attention to Paris, everyone was endlessly expressing their admiration, everyone!¡±

    She stretched out her delicate little foot, allowing her maid to help her change into comfortable shoes, and then she sighed:

    Joseph always comes up with such marvelous ideas. God must favor his little brain¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness the exposition will be held in Lyon in three years. Hosting such an event is truly exhausting.¡±

    She had just presided over the closing ceremony of the World¡¯s Fair, before rushing back from Paris to the Palace of Versailles.

    Countess Debreninac reminded her:

    ¡°Your Majesty, in two months there is Paris Fashion Week. You may have to preside over the opening since you are, after all, the symbol of French fashion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Lord¡ª¡± Queen Mary exaggeratedly touched her forehead, but her eyes caught sight of several plates of exquisite desserts on the small table in front of her.

    ¡°Is this Vienna Vanilla Cream Puff Pastry!¡± She was suddenly overjoyed, carefully lifting a small piece with her hand and putting it in her mouth.

    The sweet taste, accompanied by the crisp texture, spread between her lips and teeth, and Queen Mary closed her eyes in pleasure, nodding her satisfaction:

    ¡°Mmm, mmm!¡±

    After tasting a few other sweets, she suddenly looked at her maid:

    ¡°These definitely were not made by Mr. Cecilian and his team¡ªthe flavor is just too wonderful!¡±

    Cecilian was her chief pastry chef, and although his skills were top-notch, he couldn¡¯t produce this Viennese flavor.

    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Delvaux¡¯s masterpiece, Your Majesty,¡± said Countess Debreninac.

    ¡°Hmm? Yes, that¡¯s right, only she could achieve such an authentic Viennese taste here,¡± Queen Mary turned to the maid beside her, ¡°Where¡¯s Camellia?¡±

    A maid quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, Miss Delvaux is cleaning your piano room.¡±

    Queen Mary laughed and shook her head, ¡°She¡¯s always so busy. Tell her to stop and come chat with me.¡±

    Her initial request of Camellia was to behave like a normal noble lady, to learn poetry, dance a bit, and the like, but the latter insisted on fulfilling her duties as a maid, constantly bustling about. Moreover, she was very good at it, with even the veteran servants of many years¡¯ experience not managing things as meticulously as she did.

    Queen Mary cut a small piece of the cake with a fork, just about to put it in her mouth, when she heard the voice of the Court Ceremonial Officer:

    ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.¡±

    Joseph entered, bowing to his mother:

    ¡°Dear mother, I may have to make a trip to Austria soon. Hmm, this smells really good¡­¡±

 Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: Chapter 439: Personal Maid Get

    Chapter 528: Chapter 439: Personal Maid Get

    ¡°`

    ¡°Dear, come and try this, it¡¯s a Vienna vanilla crisp cake.¡± Queen Mary fed the cake to her son and then asked, ¡°You just returned from Austria a month ago, why are you going back again?¡±

    The unique flavor of vanilla suddenly filled Joseph¡¯s mouth, but it wasn¡¯t as sweetly cloying as the cakes he used to eat at his mother¡¯s.

    ¡°Ah, this tastes rather nice, your pastry chef has made great progress.¡±

    Joseph offered a casual compliment, then got down to business.

    ¡°My uncle is preparing a large-scale campaign in Silesia. You know, I have to go to show my support.¡±

    ¡°I really hope the war will end soon.¡± Queen Mary shook her head and, suddenly recalling something, looked at her son, ¡°You aren¡¯t planning to go to the battlefield again, are you?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­ I will be far from the front lines, rest assured, there will definitely be no danger.¡±

    Queen Mary took his hand, speaking earnestly.

    ¡°My dear, I know you will achieve great things, and I will fully support you, but you must promise me to stay away from danger! Don¡¯t let your father and me receive distressing news.¡±

    Joseph nodded quickly but heard his mother continue.

    ¡°Also, I always tell you, when you travel far, you must bring a chef; they can take good care of your stomach. Oh, and also a pastry chef and a musician, because no matter how busy you are, you must have time to relax. It would be best to bring tailors, cobblers, a beautician¡­ and take more maids as well, you can¡¯t always let Viscount Eman handle so many tedious tasks alone¡­¡±

    Joseph suddenly felt a headache: Mother, I am going to lead troops at the front, with so many servants following, we really won¡¯t get anything done.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°That, uh, the cake is quite special.¡± He tried to change the subject. ¡°I wonder if it will be very cold in Vienna recently¡­¡±

    The Queen was about to continue her recommendations when Camellia, dressed in a white long gown, quickly approached, curtseying before her.

    ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, did you call for me? Ah, Crown Prince, you are here too? I¡¯m delighted to see you.¡±

    Queen Mary showed a kind smile and waved at her.

    ¡°My dear, the sweets you made are fantastic! I think Mister Cecilian should be nervous about his position, hehe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my mother.¡± Camellia said, ¡°She used to work as a pastry chef in Archduke Ferdinand¡¯s house.¡±

    Queen Mary looked at the sweat on her forehead and said softly.

    ¡°You should leave the cleaning and such to Bettina and the others, you don¡¯t need to¡­¡±

    She stopped there, suddenly remembering her son had just complimented Camellia¡¯s cake, and seeing how hard-working and competent the girl was, handling the work of several maids by herself, she had an idea¡ªwhat if she accompanied Joseph to Austria? That way, there would be someone to take care of his meals on the journey.

    Queen Mary immediately looked towards Camellia.

    ¡°My dear, would you be willing to help me take care of the Crown Prince¡¯s meals and by accompanying him to Austria?¡±

    Camellia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, recalling her teacher¡¯s words, she hesitated for a moment before hurriedly nodding.

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty, I would be honored to travel with His Highness.¡±

    Joseph was surprised and hurriedly said.

    ¡°Mother, this might not be quite¡­¡±

    Queen Mary feigned sternness immediately.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll bring 3 chefs, 5 maids, and¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, alright, fine.¡± Joseph surrendered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anymore, I¡¯ll take her with me, alright?¡±

    That afternoon, Joseph¡¯s convoy set off for Austria.

    In the third carriage of the convoy, Camellia politely nodded and smiled at Perna sitting opposite her¡ªsince General Bertier was discussing matters in the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage, she ended up sharing this carriage with the female doctor.

    Perna also nodded in response but was somewhat distracted. Wasn¡¯t this girl a maid of the Queen? How did she end up here with the Crown Prince?

    ¡°`

    It was she who insisted on coming, or was it His Highness who actively asked her to¡­ No, no, why am I thinking about these things?

    On Joseph¡¯s carriage, Bertier said:

    ¡°Your Highness, the 12,000 sets of anti-bullet inserts have been packaged as you requested and sent to Silesia as military uniforms.¡±

    One set of anti-bullet inserts consists of five pieces, which can be used to equip a soldier.

    Joseph nodded:

    ¡°You must ensure they arrive on time; they will be vital to our victory over the Prussians.¡±

    Bertier then looked at the map on the table and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, the Duke of Brunswick has set up nearly 200 cannons on the western line of Legnica. If we are to break through the Prussian defensive line, I¡¯m afraid we might suffer heavy casualties.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Joseph also said soberly.

    Silesia and the Southern Netherlands are different; this place is a pure ¡°enemy-occupied zone¡± and a key management area. The mobility of troops and supply of materials can be very efficient, making the situation for the French Army extremely challenging.

    ¡°That is why we must avoid a frontal assault on the Prussian defensive line.¡±

    ¡­

    In the southern part of Donbass.

    Yekaterinoslav.

    This peculiar name was to commemorate Catherine II¡¯s great achievement in capturing the Crimean region.

    However, at this time, apart from a very rough small town, it was basically still a wasteland.

    Indeed, across the vast lands from Donbass to Crimea, there were less than 700,000 people, yet this area is larger than the Netherlands and the Southern Netherlands combined!

    Viscount Olivier, the owner of Hilker Steel Company, stood on a bare hilltop, feeling very uneasy at this moment.

    He had invested half of his wealth in Russia this time; if the large coal and iron mine that the Crown Prince mentioned was not found, he would face the risk of bankruptcy.

    A lieutenant officer rode up on horseback and called out loudly:

    ¡°Group leader, the laborers have arrived, how would you like to arrange them?¡±

    There were a total of 170 people in the Donbass Development Group, and because Viscount Olivier invested the most, he took on the role of group leader. The deputy group leader was this Captain Lemaire, who used to be a lieutenant in the Guard Corps and was sent by Joseph to manage the military affairs of the development group.

    Viscount Olivier looked towards the foot of the mountain with his binoculars, and indeed saw a winding line of people appearing and disappearing among the wild grasses, their numbers at least in the thousands.

    He tugged his horse¡¯s reins and followed Lemaire back to the camp:

    ¡°No particular arrangements, have them level the ground, and use the wild grass to make something to shield themselves from the wind and rain. In this godforsaken place, without our urging, they won¡¯t dare to be lazy.¡±

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10132646¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10132646/aa64bd5fd12795103f92ccb68c6764ef80e12i0J9FlL2Qn.jpg¡±>

    After a while, the two, along with their guards, returned to the camp ¡ª the so-called camp was actually just a large cleared space with seven or eight wooden houses and a large number of tents.

    At this moment, over a hundred laborers, dressed in North African attire and dirtied, surged into the camp. Lemaire rushed his horse forward, instructing the soldiers:

    ¡°Have them expand the camp area and build their shelters, they¡¯ll only get to eat after the work is done!¡±

    Someone immediately repeated the order to the laborers in Arabic, and the crowd dispersed with a rumble, each taking tools to begin their work.

    These were the laborers Joseph used for the Donbass development. Some of them were prisoners of war from Algiers and Tripoli, and among them, the dark-skinned were from the Moroccan Imperial Guard. After several battles in North Africa, the number of prisoners was not large, but there were still three or four thousand, and these prisoners were all strong laborers.

    Algiers did not dare to request the return of their captives. According to Ottoman tradition, soldiers captured would often face severe punishment upon returning, and some would even become slaves. Therefore, many of Tripoli¡¯s prisoners of war were not willing to return, and of course, even if they wanted to, Joseph would not release them.

 Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: Chapter 440: Super Coalfield

    Chapter 529: Chapter 440: Super Coalfield

    In fact, unless France said something, the Ottoman Empire itself wouldn¡¯t even know whether the troops that hadn¡¯t returned were captured or had perished in battle; in the end, they would basically be treated as though they had died in combat.

    Moreover, due to the enthusiastic assistance of the Maori, the town in New Zealand had been essentially completed. Initially, there were still thousands of surviving Tunisian Guards who had been sent to labor, and they could be transferred to the Donbass at any time if needed.

    Usually, the greatest barrier to developing a wilderness such as the Donbass was manpower, and Joseph happened to have a lot of free labor at his disposal.

    In that era, there was no such thing as the ¡°Geneva Convention¡±. Prisoners of war had absolutely no rights; even if they died of exhaustion in Russia, no one would really care.

    Moreover, for hundreds of kilometers around the godforsaken place that was the Donbass, the land was barren, with wild beasts lurking, and no food or drink; even if one thought of fleeing, escape was impossible. If by some miracle a few ¡°Bear Grylls¡± embodied laborers made it to a town, the Russians would immediately send them back as soon as they heard them speak Turkic or Arab languages.

    This was the confidence underlying Talleyrand¡¯s audacity to firmly refuse Catherine II¡¯s offer to dispatch labor forces.

    Viscount Olivier was discussing the logistics of transporting supplies with several shareholders of the development team when a few people, filthy with dirt, arrived at a gallop. Among them, a French scholar was excitedly waving his hands and shouting, ¡°Coal mines! I have found coal mines! There really are large coal deposits!¡±

    Viscount Olivier and the others were overjoyed¡ªthe Crown Prince of France had been right all along. The survey team had been out for less than a month and had found coal mines, and significant ones at that. Now, at least they wouldn¡¯t lose all their invested capital!

    The geologist came before them, dismounted his horse, and gestured for his attendants to take down a small basket of coal. With a glowing face, he said, ¡°Commander sir, we conducted a trial excavation around the Jubenay area and have uncovered high-quality anthracite extending for at least 40 kilometers! Have a look!¡±

    It¡¯s true that long ago, Russian explorers had found traces of coal and iron ore in the Donbass region, but nobody could be sure about the quantity of the reserves or the specific quality. To attempt excavation, one had to first establish a camp and then invest a significant amount of money for detailed exploration.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10132848¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10132848/f8eacbfdcab4989ced19656c64e8f63b5TeuId7QX14uM04.jpg¡±>

    Viscount Olivier excitedly picked up a lump of coal from the basket and examined it closely; indeed, the quality was very high. He passed the coal to the shareholders nearby, and everyone nodded in delight.

    If it were indeed anthracite, then it wasn¡¯t just a matter of recouping some of the costs; as long as the reserves were large enough, they would definitely make a fortune!

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    The geologist, producing a map, said, ¡°Look, from here to here it¡¯s all rich ore zones, and the deposits are generally no deeper than 2 meters. I had men dig at 7 points, each over 10 meters deep, and found coal seams in all of them!¡±

    Viscount Olivier and the others could no longer contain themselves, cheering loudly and tossing their hats into the air, or embracing and slapping each other excitedly.

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince of France!¡±

    ¡°Thanks to the guidance of the God-blessed child! Thanks to the grace of God!¡±

    ¡°Following the Crown Prince¡¯s word was indeed correct; we¡¯re going to be rich, haha!¡±

    ¡°Yes, rich! With such a large coal mine, we might earn millions of francs!¡±

    If Joseph had heard this news, he would not have been surprised in the slightest. He had long known that the Donbass region was rich in coal and iron resources. The Donbass Coal Field even supported over seventy percent of the industrial production of the later Red Empire!

    In fact, what Viscount Olivier and his team had discovered was just the tip of the iceberg¡ªthe entire Southern Donbass Coal Field covered an area of 15,000 square kilometers! And most of it consisted of shallow-buried open-pit coal mines, which could be easily mined manually.

    At this very moment, the mining team sent by the development group to the Kryvyi Rih area had already discovered iron ore reserves of high volume, but since it was a bit distant, trial mining was still ongoing.

    Although the quality of the iron ore in Donbass wasn¡¯t the highest, the reserves were exceedingly rich, with later explorations revealing more than 3.5 billion tons. Paired with coal that cost almost as little as stones in this region, it was possible to smelt iron ingots at an extremely low price, so the mining value was still very high.

    In the future, once a large quantity of coal and iron ore was extracted here, the high-quality products would be transported back to France, and the surplus could be sold to Russia on-site or through the Port of Crimea to various Mediterranean countries¡ªearning money at a pace even quicker than robbery.

    Most importantly, this coal and iron resource, historically controlled by England, would have absolutely no relation to the British anymore.

    France had finally obtained a crucial source of anthracite for the Industrial Revolution. Before this, all of France¡¯s anthracite could only be bought from England; the domestic coal mines were of low quality with high sulfur content. This was one of the significant reasons France couldn¡¯t catch up with England during the initial phase of industrial development historically.

    While it seemed like France had gained a great advantage in Donbass, Russia would be very grateful to France. Not to mention the contribution of the development of Donbass to Russia¡¯s control over Crimea, Russia was about to enter the startup phase of industrial development soon, and the demand for coal and iron ore would rapidly increase. Without the coal and iron mined by the French, they would have had to transport it from the distant region of Uralsk to Moscow, with costs at least 30 percent higher.

    As for the concern of accelerating Russia¡¯s industrialization process, Joseph wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest¡ªRussia couldn¡¯t pose a threat to France¡¯s industrial status in terms of social system or technical ability. If it meant allowing Russia¡¯s low-end industry to develop a bit faster while France could gain substantial profits, that was entirely acceptable.

    Viscount Olivier suddenly thought of something and gestured for everyone to be quiet, then said very seriously, ¡°Regarding the discovery of the large coal mine, this must be kept strictly confidential!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander,¡± they replied.

    After everyone dispersed, Viscount Olivier immediately took his money and hurried to Kursk.

    He was going to buy land.

    Beforehand, Archbishop Talleyrand had told him that the Tsar of Russia promised the development group could buy land in the Donbass region at a price of 1 ruble per Russian acre. He was initially hesitant to invest too much, but now it seemed he should definitely listen to the advice of His Highness the Crown Prince of France and buy up all the land that likely had mineral deposits!

    ¡­

    Vienna.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10133123¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10133123/72b488d564d2f1bd88ca5e6e4850afbdY6E8yVNn2l1M7mM.jpg¡±>

    At the grand ball welcoming the Crown Prince of France, Austria¡¯s nobility danced with abandon, yet the main character of the ball, Joseph, had no interest in dancing and was instead talking about something with Leopold II on a wooden platform beside the orchestra.

    ¡°You can completely trust the combat power of my army,¡± Joseph said, ¡°so although my plan is somewhat risky, it can also lead us to victory.¡±

    Leopold II looked at him somewhat surprised. He had heard that the Crown Prince of France had commanded troops on the battlefields of North Africa and the Southern Netherlands, but had thought it was just the adventures of a young man.

    However, after their detailed discussion on the campaign just now, he realized that this young man must truly have participated in the fighting and was quite familiar with military affairs.

 Chapter 530 - Chapter 530: Chapter 441: Stubbornness and Conservatism

    Chapter 530: Chapter 441: Stubbornness and Conservatism

    ¡°Your Highness, what suggestions do your generals have for this plan?¡± Leopold II asked hesitantly.

    Though not well-versed in military matters, he had at least attended a military academy for two years, and the combat plan proposed by the Crown Prince of France seemed too aggressive to him.

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°My opinion is their opinion.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I understand,¡± Leopold II nodded after sipping his wine, ¡°I will seriously consider your plan and suggest that Marshal Lacy fully cooperate with you.¡±

    ¡°We will surely emerge victorious,¡± Joseph toasted, ¡°To the Franco-Austrian Alliance.¡±

    ¡°To the Franco-Austrian Alliance.¡±

    As Joseph and the Holy Roman Crown Prince discussed the Silesian campaign, in a corner of the ballroom, a pair of malicious eyes shot daggers at Camellia standing behind him.

    ¡°Damn whore!¡± the owner of the eyes cursed under his breath, ¡°I will make sure you, and your French master, pay the price!¡±

    This man was Baron Walter, the cousin of Leopold II¡¯s wife. Following the incident of false accusation, he was confined by his furious brother-in-law for over a month and had only recently regained his freedom. Moreover, he had lost 150,000 florins over the incident, which was almost his entire fortune.

    Actually, he could have endured all these, but the memory of being ruthlessly mocked by his fellow scoundrels for boasting about the girl who couldn¡¯t escape his grasp, and then finding himself the laughingstock, made him infuriated every time he thought about it.

    After he cursed to himself, Walter slumped down in dejection. All of Austria was depending on the French to achieve a breakthrough in Silesia¡ªat this point, not just he, but even his brother-in-law had to be polite to the young man.

    He did not know that Camellia would be attending, and now, with no desire left to participate in the ball, he took the opportunity to slip out of the hall.

    ¡­

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    Silesia.

    The southwest border of Legnica.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10133110¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10133110/0b9b0281dc951e6270637d53b53a89388U7LZnJEc578cZd.jpg¡±>

    The Austrian Commander-in-Chief Marshal Lacy carelessly passed the letter just received from Vienna to the officer next to him, frowning as he spoke:

    ¡°The French know nothing of war. And yet the Crown Prince expects me to cooperate with them!¡±

    General Wilmze took the letter with a look of surprise, quickly scanned it, and then smirked disdainfully:

    ¡°They must be mad to concentrate all the cannons at Ferhlabi!¡±

    Naundorf took the letter from him, frowning immediately:

    ¡°Moving all the cannons to the west side will leave our forces without defense capabilities along the lengthy front. Before we can even commence our attack, the Prussians will have broken through our lines and even marched into Koniggratz!¡±

    Ferhlabi was on the western side of the Prussian-Austrian front lines, while Koniggratz was an Austrian province adjacent to Silesia.

    Indeed, according to Joseph¡¯s battle plan for Silesia, the first step was to end the stand-off between the cannon batteries of the Prussian and Austrian forces.

    On the extensive front line, both the Prussian and Austrian sides had deployed over two hundred cannons each. Under such circumstances, even the bravest troops determined to suffer heavy casualties would find it difficult to break through the enemy¡¯s defense.

    This was perfectly acceptable for Prussia, which was focused on securing Silesia. But for the attacking Austrians, such a scenario would be a colossal failure.

    So after discussing with Bertier, he decided to gather the cannons spread across dozens of kilometers of the Austrian battle line and concentrate the firepower to breach the Prussian defense.

    Once a gap in the Prussian Army was ¡°chiseled¡± open, the Guard Corps could take advantage of its ability to outflank and penetrate, rushing into Legnica from behind and drawing the Prussian troops to intercept.

    At that time, the Austrian main force could choose to strike where the enemy¡¯s main forces had departed, amassing their troops to launch a surprise attack and devour those artillery positions.

    As for Naundorf¡¯s concern that ¡°the Prussians might attack first¡±, not only was there a delay in intelligence gathering on the Prussian side, but even if they truly launched an offensive, it would actually be beneficial for Austria.

    If the Prussian Army left their cannon defenses, the Franco-Austrian Army would have the opportunity to strike at their living forces. They could even adopt a ¡°fortress besieged¡± strategy to draw out more Prussian troops.

    Joseph had great confidence in the Guard Corps¡¯ ability to engage in direct combat. As long as the difference in troop strength wasn¡¯t too great, the Guard Corps could swiftly rout any Prussian unit.

    Of course, this battle plan seemed far too risky in the eyes of the Austrian military. After all, old-school officers like Lacy, whose thinking was still stuck in the times of the Seven Years¡¯ War and who had not studied the campaigns in North Africa or the Southern Netherlands in detail, would definitely conclude that it was impossible to consolidate the defense line. Moreover, Lacy was originally more adept at defensive warfare, and this current situation was his preference.

    Three days later.

    In the Austrian Silesian Army Headquarters, Joseph looked helplessly at the officers of the general staff:

    ¡°So, does anyone have any suggestions now?¡±

    At the recently concluded Franco-Austrian military meeting, Marshal Lacy had completely rejected Joseph¡¯s operation plan, and his attitude was very determined.

    Lefevre shook his head and said, ¡°The Austrians actually plan to concentrate a hundred thousand troops to forcefully attack Carpathia.¡±

    ¡°Unless the Prussians are so dull that they ignore the movement of tens of thousands of men, such an attack will only lead to needless casualties.¡±

    Someone suggested, ¡°Or perhaps we could exert pressure on Lacy from Vienna?¡±

    Bertier sighed, ¡°I fear that won¡¯t be easy to accomplish. Marshal Lacy¡¯s prestige within the Austrian military is very high, and unless His Majesty Joseph II personally orders it, it is difficult for others to command him.¡±

    Everyone fell silent. Currently, Joseph II was only lucid for one or two hours a day and was entirely unable to speak.

    ¡°You just mentioned prestige?¡± Suddenly, something occurred to Joseph as he looked at Bertier, ¡°I do remember a general who commands great respect in the Austrian Army.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to General Leao?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Joseph nodded, reflecting:

    ¡°We must break the current deadlock. And General Leao is the only Austrian officer unaffected by Marshal Lacy¡¯s influence.¡±

    Joking aside, General Leao was the hero who turned the tide and reclaimed the Southern Netherlands, leading his troops into Brussels and driving Vandernoot to the Netherlands.

    Of course, all this was the result of Joseph deliberately ¡°creating a star¡±, but the Austrians unaware of the truth had already hailed him as the ¡°Netherlands Spears¡±.

    ¡°But Your Highness, Leao¡¯s command ability¡­¡± As Lefevre, who had worked with Leao on numerous occasions, was all too familiar with his limitations, ¡°Frankly speaking, he might have difficulty taking on any serious responsibility.¡±

    Joseph nodded, then glanced at the map on the table: ¡°However, sometimes a general who can¡¯t defeat the enemy has his merits.

    ¡°As long as he remains Austria¡¯s ¡®Netherlands Spears¡¯, I believe he can stir up the stalemate in Silesia.¡±

 Chapter 531 - Chapter 531: Chapter 442: The Marshals Temptation (Please Follow)

    Chapter 531: Chapter 442: The Marshal¡¯s Temptation (Please Follow)

    Silesia.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10133658¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10133658/ee3746138dfdebac8698d2540af764c0vn5cQgBKv9EJYto.jpg¡±>

    The southeastern front of the Prussian-Austrian line at Legnica.

    Inside the Austrian Army headquarters located in Wroc?aw, General Leao, now sporting brand-new General¡¯s epaulettes, handed a crystal-clear glass of wine to the French Lieutenant Colonel standing before him, his face all smiles, ¡°You must try this, my dear old friend, this is none other than the Bordeaux fine wine bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality,¡± Lefevre took the glass and raised it in a toast, ¡°It took me a full month to get here from Algiers, and then I came straight away to see you. You¡¯ve been promoted to General now, I must really congratulate you!¡±

    After Leao returned from the Southern Netherlands, Leopold II personally signed the commissioning document, promoting him to the rank of General in an exceptional move.

    Leao also smiled and raised his glass in response, ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it without your help.¡±

    He was indeed speaking the truth; without Lefevre¡¯s help, he might have already been captured by the Prussians.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯ve also prepared a lunch for you. The cheese stewed beef and roasted pork knuckle here are rather delectable.¡±

    Lefevre, exchanging pleasantries, stepped out the door and seemed to casually remark, ¡°By the way, why did Marshal Lacy send you here? I mean, you should be earning your stripes on the main front, not sitting in this remote little town.¡±

    General Leao spread his hands, ¡°After all, he is the Commander-in-Chief. But staying here isn¡¯t too bad, everyday¡­¡±

    He almost blurted out ¡°fishing¡± but caught himself with a cough and corrected himself, ¡°Ah, inspecting the defenses, training the soldiers, and such.¡±

    ¡°Yes, all in service to His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Lefevre nodded, then leaned in closer, speaking earnestly, ¡°However, as a loyal old friend, I think you shouldn¡¯t be so idle right now.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°Oh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, with your current prestige and your achievements in the Southern Netherlands, you could certainly be appointed a marshal,¡± Lefevre said regretfully, ¡°But perhaps the Emperor might think you¡¯re still a bit young.¡±

    Leao just turned 35, and indeed, it would be very young to be made a marshal.

    ¡°What can be done,¡± Leao said with a laugh, waving his hand dismissively, ¡°I¡¯m quite satisfied with the situation as it is.¡±

    He truly was satisfied. If it weren¡¯t for his ¡°adventure¡± in the Southern Netherlands, his career would likely have ended at the rank of Brigadier General.

    Lefevre extended his right index finger and thumb, pinching them together slightly: ¡°In fact, you are only that little bit of military glory away from becoming a marshal.¡±

    He lowered his voice, ¡°It seems Marshal Lacy doesn¡¯t quite want you threatening his position.

    ¡°You see, Wroc?aw is at the very end of the front line, there¡¯s really no chance of fierce fighting here. When the war is over, you¡¯ll miss any chance to earn further merits.¡±

    Leao blinked, feeling that his old friend had a point, especially the word ¡°marshal,¡± which tantalized his heart like a coquettish beauty.

    He then expressed his concerns, ¡°But, Lacy probably will not agree to transfer me to the main battlefield. You know, those are all his people there.¡±

    Lefevre nodded, adopting a thoughtful pose, ¡°Perhaps, you could create an opportunity elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°Yes, for example, Ratibor. The Prussian garrison there isn¡¯t large; you could definitely take it on your own.¡±

    Ratibor was located at the southernmost tip of Silesia, a smaller province.

    Leao expressed his doubts, ¡°But even if we recapture Ratibor, we would still be facing the Oder River, which would hardly affect the overall situation.¡±

    To travel from Ratibor to the capital of Silesia, Breslau, one must cross the Oder River. Prussia needed to deploy only a small number of troops to defend along the river, making it hard for the Austrian Army to break through. Meanwhile, the Prussian Army could rapidly deploy troops on the north side of Ratibor by traveling downstream along the Oder River from Breslau, swiftly retaking the area.

    However, the south side of Ratibor is bordered by the Sudeten Mountains, which also poses no threat to Austria proper, so neither side in the Silesian War paid much attention to Ratibor.

    Lefevre offered a faint smile, ¡°All you need is that little merit for a promotion to marshal. And recapturing any land in Silesia, no matter which, is enough for you to become a marshal.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Leao¡¯s eyes lit up. That¡¯s right! How come I didn¡¯t think of that?

    Once promoted to marshal, I could return to Vienna and live in comfort. As for how the situation in Silesia turned out, that would be Lacy¡¯s concern.

    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± he said, looking at Lefevre with some excitement, ¡°You always give me the best advice. It was the same in the Southern Netherlands; you truly are my best friend!¡±

    As he spoke, he hesitated again, ¡°But are you sure I can take down Ratibor?¡±

    One knows best what one is good at. Back in Luxembourg, his forces had been almost embarrassingly defeated by the Prussians, and it was only thanks to Lefevre, who led more than 3,000 soldiers to turn the tide, that he achieved a significant victory.

    ¡°The Prussian garrison at Ratibor should not exceed 7,000 men. Your legion has 16,000 soldiers. Leave a small force to defend Wroc?aw.¡±

    As Lefevre spoke, he gestured around, ¡°There¡¯s hardly anything worth defending in this godforsaken place. With superior forces, you can launch a fierce attack that will surely overwhelm the Prussians.¡±

    Leao looked at him eagerly, ¡°My old friend, would you consider joining me?¡±

    Lefevre immediately responded with gravity, ¡°I would very much like to fight alongside you, but this concerns your promotion to marshal, and I shouldn¡¯t share in your military exploits.

    ¡°Oh, but once you¡¯ve retaken Ratibor, I can help defend the place. I promise.¡±

    Lefevre then spoke many encouraging words and, after a moment, Leao¡¯s gaze finally became resolute.

    Three days later.

    Leao gazed into the misty haze at Ratibor in the distance and turned to his staff officer, ¡°Any movements from the Prussians?¡±

    ¡°Not as of yet, General. The enemy troops are all huddled behind their defensive lines in the town.¡±

    Leao nodded and ordered, ¡°Tell the troops to stay concealed. We launch the full attack at 10 a.m. sharp, as planned.¡±

    This time he brought an army of 12,000, and, as Lefevre had advised, a surprise fierce attack should quickly bring victory.

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    Two hours later, the cannons of the Leao Legion appeared southwest of Ratibor, where two 12-pounders and seven 6-pounders roared to life together.

    After about twenty rounds of cannon fire, large contingents of Austrian infantry formed columns and, to the sound of military drums, began their assault on the Prussian positions from the west and south.

    After his time with Lefevre, Leao might not have great actual combat ability, but at least he had learned the ropes to a large extent.

    The Prussians seemed unable to react in time, and it was quite a while before their cannons began to fire back.

    Meanwhile, the Austrian soldiers, advancing under cannon fire, quickly reached the first defensive line outside the town. On their officers¡¯ commands, they began to spread out to both sides, forming into horizontal lines.

    [Note 1]Wroc?aw is the name in Polish; I couldn¡¯t find the name used during the German occupation period, so for the moment, let¡¯s use this name in the text.

 Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: Chapter 443: The Focusâ€”Ratibor (Please Follow)

    Chapter 532: Chapter 443: The Focus¡ªRatibor (Please Follow)

    Austrian Silesian Army Headquarters.

    Bertier shifted his gaze from the map, looking somewhat uneasily at Lefevre, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s any chance that General Leao could actually rout the Prussians at Ratibor? After all, he has the absolute advantage in troop strength.¡±

    The latter smiled, ¡°If it were another officer in command, even an ordinary battalion commander, we might indeed need to worry about that. But the commander now is Leao, and please trust me, what he excels at is positioning his soldiers where they shouldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°Moreover, his ability to train soldiers is also very¡­ ah, average. So, only the less than 2,000 soldiers left by General Willemze are somewhat capable in battle; the rest can¡¯t even perform a proper volley.¡±

    ¡°Now I¡¯m actually a bit concerned that he will be overwhelmed by the Prussians¡­¡±

    Joseph interjected, ¡°General Leao has the advantage in troop strength, he should be able to hold out for at least five or six days. I have already sent Major Mason to Ratibor to support him.¡±

    He looked towards the distant Prussian position, ¡°Now it all depends on when the Duke of Brunswick makes his move.¡±

    As they were speaking, the sound of horse hooves came from outside the tent, and soon a courier walked in quickly, saluted Joseph with his cap, and said:

    ¡°Your Highness, General Leao¡¯s attack on Ratibor has failed, and now he is surrounded by the Prussian Army.¡±

    Mason had the Hussars standing by, keeping an eye on the battle situation at Ratibor, and this courier was sent by him.

    The courier continued:

    ¡°According to the scouts, it was because General Leao failed to notice the Prussians¡¯ movement on the flank, insisting on using the main force to attack the front, resulting in the Prussians flanking from the rear. Then he mistakenly withdrew the attacking troops, and the enemy forces in front immediately pressed forward, ultimately pincering them.¡±

    Joseph immediately gave Lefevre a look of commendation, laughing, ¡°You were right in your prediction, he does indeed excel at incorrect movements.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    Lefevre sighed, ¡°12,000 men surrounded by 7,000 Prussians, he has really outdone himself this time.¡±

    Bertier looked at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, shall we have Major Mason reinforce immediately?¡±

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°We have to believe in General Leao. His corps is the best-equipped in the Austrian Army; even if they are surrounded, they should be able to hold out for a few days.

    ¡°Now go immediately and inform Marshal Lacy and the Duke of Brunswick about the situation with the Leao Legion.¡±

    Joseph then said to another officer, ¡°Please send someone to notify Potsdam that they can start acting.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    The officer was a liaison from the French Intelligence Bureau with the Crown Prince and immediately left with Bertier to carry out the order.

    ¡­

    East of Legnica.

    In the Prussian headquarters, the Duke of Brunswick looked at the map in disbelief, shaking his head:

    ¡°What the devil do these Austrians intend to do? Attacking Ratibor makes no sense.¡±

    Just half an hour earlier, he had just received intelligence sent back from Austria that Leao¡¯s Legion of over 12,000 men had suddenly attacked Ratibor, but Colonel Erwin, who was responsible for defense, reacted quickly, exploiting the Austrians¡¯ negligence, and surrounded them on the outskirts of Ratibor.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10134402¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10134402/0e6e0ad15d9db4640745b9b0e807864439TOoha9v28jFAa.jpg¡±>

    (A portrait of Blucher in oils)

    Blucher, who had been battling with Leao in Liege for a long time, was not about to miss this perfect opportunity to kick a man while he was down and immediately spoke loudly:

    ¡°Marshal, the Erwin Legion has only 7,000 men; it¡¯ll be difficult to annihilate the enemy. I suggest immediately reinforcing them!¡±

    General Delrisen by his side suggested:

    ¡°Ratibor has no strategic value. If Colonel Erwin can hold it, that¡¯s enough. We don¡¯t need to insist on annihilating the enemy.¡±

    Duke of Brunswick thought for a moment and then suddenly said, ¡°No, we should reinforce Erwin immediately.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Though Ratibor is worthless, this Leao holds great prestige in the Austrian Army,¡± the Duke of Brunswick stood up with his hands braced on the table, ¡°if we can capture or kill him, it would deal a huge blow to the Austrians¡¯ morale.

    ¡°The national treasury is already in a lot of trouble. If we can end the war sooner, we should try our best to do so.¡±

    He looked toward Blucher: ¡°Take 10,000 men to Ratibor immediately, cut off the Austrians¡¯ retreat to Ostrava, and ensure Leao is either killed or captured.¡±

    Blucher was instantly overjoyed: ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±

    Meanwhile, in the tent of Marshal Lacy, a similar argument was taking place.

    Naundorf voiced loudly, ¡°Deploying two regiments to rescue Leao¡¯s Legion is enough; we shouldn¡¯t commit too many forces to Ratibor.¡±

    Bertier immediately shook his head, ¡°Your Excellency, you must consider that if the Prussians also send troops to Ratibor, then this small reinforcement will not suffice.¡±

    Wilmze, who had a good relationship with Leao, hurriedly expressed support:

    ¡°Ratibor is our territory too. Why not take the opportunity to retake it? General Leao has the advantage in troop numbers; he was just unfortunately surrounded. Once his troops are out, taking back Ratibor should be very easy.¡±

    Seeing Lacy still hesitating, Bertier added fuel to the fire, ¡°Marshal, if next week¡¯s newspapers in Vienna report ¡®The Spear of the Southern Netherlands successfully recaptures its homeland,¡¯ it will surely boost everyone¡¯s spirits.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marshal Lacy¡¯s brow instantly furrowed, for what he heard in the chief of staff¡¯s words was this¡ªif ¡°The Spear of the Southern Netherlands¡± gets captured in Ratibor, it would be a nightmare for Austria.

    And if this prestigious general should have an accident, the Emperor would most certainly blame it on himself, the overall Commander.

    With this in mind, he hesitated no longer, turning to Wilmze he said, ¡°Take 10,000 soldiers and head to Ratibor for reinforcement immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal!¡±

    Meanwhile, in Potsdam, the political center of Prussia, the streets were abuzz with talk of the army¡¯s victory at Ratibor.

    All the newspapers¡¯ front pages featured headlines like ¡°Invading Austrian Army Crushed by Erwin Legion, Leao Captured¡± and ¡°Great Victory at Ratibor, 12,000 Austrian Invaders Encircled.¡±

    As for pamphlets, they went so far as to boost the enemy casualties to 30,000, and the Austrians¡¯ pride¡ªLeao¡ªhad already been captured. The Austrian Army was currently fighting desperately to prevent Leao from being publicly tried in Potsdam.

    Of course, all of this was orchestrated by the French Intelligence Bureau¡¯s spies in Potsdam. Spreading this kind of news, which was music to Prussian ears, was the easiest task for spies.

    In Sanssouci Palace, William II was also beyond excited. Even though various reports were flying around and the situation in Ratibor was not yet certain, Leao being surrounded was a done deal.

    After such a long stalemate in the Silesian theater, there had finally been a major breakthrough.

    After consulting with Prince Henry briefly, he immediately drafted a Commendation Order, promoted Erwin to Major General, and heavily praised the Duke of Brunswick.

    Just three to four days later, all eyes in the Germany region were fixed on Ratibor, a seemingly insignificant province.

    Both Prussia and Austria had 40,000-strong armies rushing there, ready to stake everything on Leao in a desperate gamble¡­

 Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: Chapter 444 Ill Add Fuel to the Fire

    Chapter 533: Chapter 444 I¡¯ll Add Fuel to the Fire

    And General Leao, the bargaining chip in these proceedings, was on the verge of tears.

    Back in the Southern Netherlands, he had managed to emerge victorious in battle after battle alongside General Lefebvre, which gave him the delusion that ¡°I could do just as well on my own.¡±

    Now, facing the Prussians to the west, north, and east¡ªwith the Sudeten Mountains to the south¡ªhe had come to a clear realization of his own capabilities.

    The enemy was not in any rush to attack, but instead stretched lines of infantry across every major thoroughfare, placing cannons on either flank, and positioned their Cavalry to move between the lines for support.

    In the last five days, Leao had launched more than ten charges, all of which had been repelled.

    At this moment, a heavy air of pessimism pervaded his corps; if not for his reputation as ¡°the Netherlands Spears,¡± morale might have collapsed already.

    Seeing through his telescope that a cannon attempting to approach the enemy lines quietly was being chased back by Prussian Cavalry, Leao slumped into his chair, unable to fathom why the Lefebvre Corps¡¯s cannons could bombard the enemy¡¯s face and then leave calmly, while he himself couldn¡¯t achieve the same.

    ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t left so many soldiers behind in Wroc?aw¡­¡±

    While Leao was wallowing in self-pity, his staff officer suddenly ran over and announced loudly:

    ¡°General, it seems there is a force appearing on the west side of the Prussian lines.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Leao stood up swiftly, excitedly rubbing his hands, ¡°It must be Colonel Lefebvre coming to my rescue.

    ¡°Quick, spread this good news to the soldiers, tell everyone to hold on a little longer!¡±

    However, after more than three hours, the ¡°French reinforcements¡± still hadn¡¯t made a move.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    Leao became anxious and repeatedly asked his staff officer:

    ¡°Could that be Prussian reinforcements gathering to prepare an attack on us?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± the staff officer pondered, ¡°The enemy¡¯s lines haven¡¯t moved; they¡¯re probably not about to launch an attack.¡±

    If reinforcements were arriving, the existing infantry lines would need to make room for the additional forces.

    Leao finally breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear the sound of cannon fire from the northwest.

    He jolted and hurriedly ran to the highest part of his command post¡ªsituated on a low hill¡ªand peered through his telescope in the direction of the cannon fire, only to see smoke rising from a great distance.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the besieging Prussians?¡± he asked his staff officer in surprise, ¡°Who on earth is engaged in battle then?¡±

    Ten kilometers from the encirclement of Erwin, where the smoke rose, Blucher was barking at the commander of his Cavalry Camp:

    ¡°Idiot! You can¡¯t even distinguish uniforms or take a close look at the flags!¡±

    An hour earlier, he had led his forces to the west of Ratibor, preparing to meet with Erwin, only to accidentally discover an Austrian Army less than 3 kilometers away, silently deploying its formation.

    He was so furious he almost executed the Hussars¡¯ commander on the spot.

    In fact, this was not entirely the fault of his scouts¡ªin this era, military uniforms were a mess across various countries, with some officers even customizing soldiers¡¯ uniforms based on personal preference, generally with their own money, and the higher-ups tended to turn a blind eye.

    The Prussian Hussars indeed spotted the Austrian Army but, seeing them in green uniforms, they mistook them for Hanoverians¡ªin fact, there was a Hanoverian Army stationed in Ratibor. So without going forward to engage in conversation, they passed by in a hurry.

    ¡°`

    Fortunately, Blucher¡¯s courier, who had been sent to liaise with Erwin, was killed on his return, which alerted him to the presence of the Austrian Army. Otherwise, he almost fell into their ambush.

    In a hurry, he found a suitable area nearby and ordered his troops to deploy into defensive formation on the spot.

    On Wilmze¡¯s side, seeing that the Prussian Army had suddenly halted, he immediately guessed that the enemy had discovered them and ordered an assault without delay.

    Blucher¡¯s Cavalry saved his corps¡ªlikely to compensate for their earlier reconnaissance failure, they bravely harassed and restrained the Austrians with continuous attacks, suffering significant casualties. Still, they managed to hold off until the infantry completed their formations.

    Immediately, tens of thousands of Prussian and Austrian soldiers began to exchange fire across the battlefield, with the roar of cannons and the agonizing cries of soldiers mingling as night fell.

    Blucher and Wilmze, old adversaries who had recently clashed in the Southern Netherlands, did not realize whose forces they were facing until the next morning.

    Thus, both quickly understood that it was impossible to resolve the conflict with each other in a short time¡ªa fact they had confirmed multiple times in the Netherlands¡ªso they both immediately sent couriers to ¡°shake people up¡± at the commanding general¡¯s headquarters.

    ¡­

    Austrian Silesian Army Headquarters.

    Joseph flicked the newly delivered bulletproof insert in his hand and carefully placed it in the ¡°pocket¡± on the front of his uniform, expressing some dissatisfaction to the Chief-of-Staff:

    ¡°Just sending 5,000 men? Lacy is being too stingy, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Bertier replied, ¡°Your Highness, the Prussians have also not mobilized too many troops, so Marshal Lacy believes that 5,000 reinforcements should be able to resolve the situation at Ratibor.¡±

    Having just attended Lacy¡¯s war council, Bertier knew that, as the Crown Prince had expected, reinforcements from both Prussia and Austria were engaged in fierce battle at Ratibor, and that General Wilmze had requested reinforcements.

    Joseph stood up and jumped a little; hmm, four inserts, the weight hardly affected movement. By this assessment, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for an adult to carry five inserts.

    He tapped the insert on his chest and said to Bertier, ¡°Please issue the inserts to the soldiers as quickly as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. In fact, they¡¯ve already been distributed to each company by noon.¡±

    ¡°You always handle things with such attention to detail,¡± Joseph nodded in praise. Then he headed outside the tent, ¡°Now, I need to add fuel to the situation in Ratibor. Otherwise, waiting for the chance I want could take forever, with Marshal Lacy being so miserly.¡±

    Twenty minutes later.

    Marshal Lacy¡¯s eyes widened as he beheld the young Crown Prince of France, exclaiming in surprise:

    ¡°Your Highness, you really needn¡¯t do this, pouring so many troops into Ratibor is pointless¡­¡±

    ¡°No, Marshal, General Leao is an old friend of mine. We share a deep friendship,¡± Joseph said earnestly, ¡°He could be killed by the Prussians at any moment, which keeps me from sleeping peacefully.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s no need to move General Kellermann! Your Highness, this could very well affect the situation in Legnica.¡±

    Kellermann was the commander of the 30,000 traditional French Army troops in Silesia.

    Joseph thought to himself, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m aiming to do¡ªto break the stalemate at Legnica.

    He looked at Marshal Lacy with a resolute tone:

    ¡°General Kellermann with 20,000 troops can relieve General Leao in about a week. In the meantime, you focus on defense, and Legnica will definitely be fine.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: Chapter 446: Encircle the Point to Aid the Attack

    Chapter 535: Chapter 446: Encircle the Point to Aid the Attack

    Delrisen was riding forward with the winding column of troops, conversing with a staff officer from time to time, when he suddenly heard the distant rumble of cannons from ahead to the side.

    The entire Prussian Army column immediately came to a halt, soldiers anxiously craning their necks to look around.

    Delrisen¡¯s complexion also darkened. He had been extremely cautious all along the way, and even though he was marching on Prussian territory, he had still dispatched a large number of cavalry for reconnaissance.

    Previously, all the hussars had reported that there was no abnormality ahead, so what was the meaning of this cannon fire?

    He hurriedly ordered the troops to close ranks and form a defensive line.

    Then he turned to the staff officer beside him and shouted, ¡°Leon, send someone to find out what¡¯s happening!¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    Before his order could be carried out, two couriers arrived in a rush, and as soon as they saw him, they promptly reported with urgency, ¡°General, our vanguard has been attacked, General Bleichet¡¯s two regiments have been dispersed¡­¡±

    ¡°How could that be?¡± Delrisen frowned deeply. ¡°Who is attacking us?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be the French people.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, where did they come from!¡± Delrisen was at a loss, reasoning that the cannon must have been pre-set along the road to ambush him, but why had the hussars failed to detect it?

    Of course, he didn¡¯t know that it was the Guard Corps¡¯ mounted artillery, which had previously been concealed six kilometers away and had quickly approached upon discovering his troops, then opened fire from the front and to their side.

    ¡°How many enemy troops are there?¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°This, we¡¯re not sure yet, the artillery strike was too sudden¡­¡±

    Delrisen, being an experienced commander, quickly calmed down and promptly made a judgment.

    If the enemy had artillery, it was likely a large troop contingent, so the first thing was to delay the enemy¡¯s attack.

    He immediately ordered the Fein Corps to set up a defensive line on the spot to halt the enemy¡¯s advance, while the other units gathered near the woods to the north.

    Most of the Fein Corps consisted of elite Prussian Guards, and their actions were very swift. In just over half an hour, they had begun to assemble to the south of the main force, while the winding marching column of the Prussian Army was slowly moving north.

    However, the French Army ambushing them clearly didn¡¯t intend to give them a chance.

    Soon a hussar reported to Delrisen that they had spotted tens of thousands of French infantry appearing to the southwest, heading in their direction.

    Cold sweat broke out on Delrisen¡¯s forehead. His main corps was strung out over at least three or four kilometers, and it would take at least three hours to gather together and form up.

    He immediately took personal command of the two grenadier regiments by his side, to meet with Fein and together construct a temporary defensive line. He ordered Krokow to lead all twelve hussar squadrons to hold off the French at all costs and buy time.

    Atop the high ground beside the Bober River, Joseph observed through his binoculars nearly two thousand Prussian cavalrymen charging toward the Guard Corps¡¯ infantry line in a grand procession.

    He, however, felt not the slightest bit nervous. After two years of military studies, he could see that the Prussian Cavalry was utterly unprepared, their formation was scattered, and there was a disjoint between the front and the rear, as they hastily launched their offensive.

    This was essentially suicide.

    Don¡¯t think that just because cavalry are well equipped, fast, and have a strong charge, they can necessarily crush infantry. In fact, cavalry are not intended for frontal engagements at all. Their advantage lies in using their mobility to quickly strike at the enemy¡¯s weak points and then swiftly retreat. But if they go head-to-head with infantry, especially charging at orderly infantry lines, they usually won¡¯t win unless their numbers are about equal.

    Sure enough, when the Prussian Cavalry charged haphazardly at the French Army¡¯s infantry lines, they immediately faced a round of volley fire, with more than 20 horses in the front shrieking as they toppled, which in turn tripped up many of the cavalry behind them.

    Then, the soldiers who had completed their shooting planted their bayoneted guns diagonally in the ground and crouched down. The soldiers in the row behind raised their guns to shoot, then held the caplock guns horizontally, pointing their bayonets forward.

    Next came the third row¡¯s volley¡­

    By the time the Prussian Cavalry got close, they were faced with three dense rows of bayonets, front and back. They had no choice but to pull on the reins to turn and scatter to both sides.

    The depiction in movies and television of cavalry fearlessly charging into bayonets is meaningless. Even if you could take down two or three infantrymen, there would immediately be others to fill the gaps. Your and your horse¡¯s corpses would then become obstacles for your comrades behind, slowing down the entire team¡¯s charge. And stationary cavalry are just targets for the infantry.

    The Guard Corps¡¯ infantry line was very long, and with just the handful of Prussian Hussars, it was completely impossible to flank and encircle them. Moreover, readily available were the Guard Corps¡¯ cavalry, awaiting to provide cover behind the infantry.

    The Prussian Cavalry had no choice but to regroup at a distance after this disordered charge, a move that cost them at least one company¡ªmore than 150 men.

    But Delrisen¡¯s orders to Krokow were to hold the French Army at all costs, so he had no choice but to draw his sword again, loudly ordering his men to charge the Guard Corps.

    After such an assault for the third time, the Prussian Cavalry were extremely casualty-wary and hesitant, no longer eager to advance.

    In fact, these Junker nobility cavalrymen had performed quite admirably; if it had been troops with even slightly poorer morale, they would have begun to rout by the second charge.

    Bertier again suggested that the Guard Corps¡¯ cavalry go out to meet the attack. Joseph, seeing the faltering Prussian Cavalry through his telescope, finally nodded in agreement.

    Cavalry was the kind of troops the Guard Corps lacked the most. Only the cavalry initially received from the Paris Guard had stronger combat capabilities; most of those trained later could barely serve as Cavalry Scouts. So Joseph was very cautious when deploying them, with even a little casualties causing him much distress.

    However, after several rounds of depletion, even regrouping was a difficult task for the Prussian Cavalry at this point.

    When 700 Hussars from the Guard Corps suddenly appeared on their left flank, Krokow personally led his attendants to meet them, but almost no one followed him.

    Immediately, the Prussian Cavalry were split in two, with most fleeing north, while the others were swiftly overtaken by the French Army¡¯s infantry volleys and quickly surrendered their horses.

    Delrisen¡¯s infantry lines were still in disarray when he saw some Hussars fleeing back.

    He ordered a small group of these routed soldiers to be brought before him, and heard several of them panically say, ¡°General, the enemy is only eight or nine hundred paces away.¡±

    ¡°General Krokow? We don¡¯t know where he is.¡±

    ¡°The enemy¡¯s defenses are dense, and their firepower is fierce¡­¡±

    Delrisen¡¯s heart sank; he had done all he could to delay, yet hadn¡¯t even managed an hour¡­ It appeared the enemy numbered at least thirty or forty thousand.

    Dammit, such a large army had been in Oberon for at least two days, and yet no one had noticed!

 Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: Chapter 447 "The Undying Army

    Chapter 536: Chapter 447 ¡°The Undying Army

    Delrisen naturally got it wrong. The Guard Corps sent to intercept only consisted of 14,000 men, and they had been avoiding villages all along, so nobody noticed them at all.

    Even if the Prussians had detected something anomalous, by the time it would have been reported to him, the Guard Corps would have already been upon them.

    When Joseph learned that there was a large-scale movement in the Prussian Army, he knew they were definitely heading towards Ratibor. It could be said that, with the rapid marching speed of the Guard Corps, the ambush was almost guaranteed to be successful.

    This is the advantage of encirclement tactics¡ªyou know the enemy¡¯s reinforcements must take a certain path, so you can launch targeted attacks on the reinforcing troops.

    Soon, a straight white line of infantry appeared in the Prussian soldiers¡¯ line of sight, accompanied by the orderly sound of military drums, it slowly advanced towards them.

    Seeing that only about seventy percent of his own soldiers were formed up, Delrisen had no choice but to order them to engage the enemy immediately.

    Fortunately, the hussars who had been responsible for scouting reported that the French Army probably numbered only over 10,000 men. His own Fein Corps, along with two grenadier battalions, had a strength close to 9,000. Even though their formation was not complete, delaying for two hours should still be achievable.

    Once his main force completed forming up, they would be able to counterattack against the French with superior numbers. After all, there were over 17,000 soldiers at his back!

    The drumming of the French Army grew ever closer. In front of the Prussian defensive line, Lieutenant Olif of the Prussian Royal Jager Battalion was crouching behind a clump of withered grass, his eyes tightly fixed on a flag in the distance that bore the emblem of a ¡°Dolphin with a Sword¡±. If he remembered correctly, that seemed to be from the French Royal Guard Second Corps.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10135432¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10135432/56f1fd77ee905a40f580ca79cc079835wPuGH917cMBIX1y.jpg¡±>

    He estimated the distance between the two sides and ordered the soldiers around him to hold steady, then slowly raised the Potsdam M1741 model Jager gun in his hands.

    This gun was an improvement over the M1741 flintlock gun, with its most notable feature being the rifling inside the barrel, which allowed the bullet to spin, resulting in a straight trajectory.

    During an era where hitting a target 30 meters away with a smoothbore gun was entirely up to faith, this was an extremely advanced weapon. However, due to its very high cost and the laborious process of loading, it was only issued to a small number of elite riflemen.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    And Olif was one of them.

    He quickly chose his target¡ªa drummer who seemed to be the closest, about eighteen or nineteen years old and quite tall.

    Killing this fellow would definitely severely damage the morale of the French behind him.

    He licked his lips and squinted as he aimed at the young drummer.

    At a distance of about 80 paces, Olif felt the side breeze and determined it wouldn¡¯t much affect the bullet¡¯s trajectory, then decisively pulled the trigger.

    Although this distance was a bit far, he had absolute confidence in his marksmanship.

    With a loud ¡°bang¡±, the strap hanging the drum around the drummer¡¯s chest broke, and the drummer, as if struck by a hammer in the face, fell backwards.

    Lieutenant Olif whistled proudly, stood up, and pulled out the ramrod to poke at the ashes in the gun barrel. Then he poured a little gunpowder into the firing chamber, closed the cover, stood the gun up straight, poured in more gunpowder, tamped it down, and then inserted the bullet.

    Following that, he pulled out a mallet from behind himself and started hammering on the ramrod with force. This was a persistent problem with rifled guns; since the bullet was slightly larger than the muzzle, he had to hammer the bullet down.

    However, after just a couple of hits, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of the drummer he had just hit struggling to stand up!

    ¡°Oh, God!¡± Olif¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°What happened?!¡±

    He was certain that he had hit the man¡¯s chest dead on¡ªthe broken drum strap was proof.

    Yet at that moment, there wasn¡¯t a single drop of blood on the drummer¡¯s chest¡ªblood would have been highly visible on the Frenchman¡¯s white uniform. The drummer had even bent down to fix the strap, pulled out a spare drumstick, and hurried to catch up with the infantry line, resuming his drumming.

    Olif looked at the gun in confusion, bit his teeth and hammered the bullet all the way down, and then raised his gun to aim once again.

    This time, the drummer was blocked by an officer beside him, so he simply took aim at that French Lieutenant.

    The muzzle of the M1741 spewed flames, and the officer also staggered and fell to the side, but not even three seconds later, he stood up again with the help of several soldiers.

    ¡°This, this is impossible¡­¡±

    Lieutenant Olif retreated a few steps in a daze, giving up the chance he still had to fire and turned to run away.

    The Prussian Jager around him began shooting one after another, but except for one who accidentally shot an opposing soldier in the neck, all the others got back up after being hit¡ªthe standard at that time for riflemen was to aim at the enemy¡¯s torso as it was a larger target.

    The Prussian Infantry watched in astonishment as the Jager retreated in panic to their rear as if they had seen ghosts.

    However, they soon learned the reason for this, as they too encountered the same situation.

    When the French infantry line advanced to within 50 paces of them, the officers ordered a volley.

    With a crackling blast, the black gunpowder smoke obscured the battlefield, and nearly a hundred French soldiers fell to the ground.

    But soon, through the smoke, Prussian Soldiers could vaguely see that most of the French who were shot were propping themselves up with their guns and standing again.

    The Prussians looked at each other in disbelief; the enemy clearly wasn¡¯t wearing breastplates or anything of the kind, but the bullets just couldn¡¯t kill them.

    Chaos began to emerge on the already disordered Prussian lines as some soldiers even forgot to reload and started to pray with crossed fingers.

    Dawu watched his orderly officer grit his teeth and get up, also finding it hard to believe. Although the General Staff had repeatedly said that the ¡°bulletproof inserts¡± could withstand gunshots, he never really trusted these thin things.

    The orderly officer pressed his abdomen and pulled out the insert there, then lifted his clothes.

    Dawu immediately noticed a large area of dark bruising on his stomach, but clearly, the bullet had been stopped on the outside. He then looked at the insert on the ground, which had spiderweb-like cracks with a bulbous protrusion on the back.

    The drumbeat beside him suddenly quickened, and years of training led Dawu to reflexively turn and order his soldiers:

    ¡°Halt advance.

    ¡°Prepare¡ª¡ª

    ¡°¡­

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    Thousands of caplock guns almost simultaneously spewed flames, and the Prussian lines instantly had a multitude of gaps.

    For a moment, many Prussian Soldiers turned to look at their comrades who were hit, as if waiting for them to stand up as well.

    However, other than blood and wails, no miracles occurred.

    The Guard Corps quickly launched a second volley.

    This time, apart from those two Prussian Grenadier battalions, the rest of the soldiers began to turn and flee in terror.

    The elite Prussian Guard Infantry had collapsed after the enemy¡¯s second volley!

    Anyone facing an enemy that couldn¡¯t be killed, while being slaughtered in large numbers themselves, would find it hard to maintain the courage to continue fighting.

 Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: Chapter 448: Winning with Ease

    Chapter 537: Chapter 448: Winning with Ease

    Standing on a high ground, Delrisen saw his infantry line collapse before it even properly engaged with the enemy, and he immediately flung his binoculars to the ground in anger.

    ¡°They are a disgrace to the Royal Guards!¡±

    He then remembered that his Grenadier Corps were still holding on and urgently said to the orderly officer, ¡°Order Bohr and Karlus¡¯s units to go up and reinforce the grenadiers!¡±

    These two units were his reserves. In his opinion, the mismanagement of the Fein Legion must have led to the mishap. As long as they could stabilize the situation with the Grenadier Corps at the core, they should still be able to hold out.

    Soon, the Prussian reserve unit, which had just formed up, began to advance. Previously positioned about 200 steps behind the first infantry line, they needed only about ten minutes to fill the gap.

    This second line formation also served another purpose, to block the soldiers trying to flee in the event of a collapse at the front.

    In the wars of this era, the lethality of weapons was actually quite limited¡ªa volley from tens of thousands of flintlock guns often resulted in only a hundred or so casualties. Most of the time, morale broke first, with soldiers fleeing the formation, leading to a rout. So as long as soldiers could continue to stand in their place, there was still a fight to be had.

    However, the soldiers fleeing from the front this time seemed extremely terrified, and they kept running back despite the bayonets of the reserve units.

    Many of them were shouting in panic, ¡°They simply cannot be killed¡­¡±

    ¡°Run, for they are devils!¡±

    This caused hesitation even among the reservists, until the officers shot a few deserters and personally moved to the very front to lead the advance, barely stabilizing the situation.

    But before Bohr and Karlus¡¯s units could fill the gap in the infantry line at the front, the two Grenadier Legions also began to disintegrate.

    There was really no way to prevent it¡ªthe fighting power of those intern students from the Guard Corps was too strong. Whether in terms of loading, shooting, formation level, or morale, they completely overpowered the Prussians.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.??

    Especially since this time they were protected by bullet-proof inserts, the intern students were exhilarated, charging to within less than 20 steps of the Prussians, and with a single volley, they completely broke the enemy.

    In fact, at such close range, the bullet-proof inserts could no longer provide effective protection. However, the Prussians could no longer maintain volley fire, and the sporadic shots were nearly harmless.

    Delrisen took the staff¡¯s binoculars and saw that his own reserve troops had barely engaged the enemy before they began to flee along with the Grenadier Corps.

    His face turned ashen as he glanced at his watch; the French had broken through his temporary defense line in less than half an hour.

    He was well aware that his main force was still in total disarray at the moment. Engaging the well-formed French under such circumstances would only lead to being chased and beaten.

    Delrisen sighed resignedly. After the death of Frederick the Great, the training level of the Prussian Army had become increasingly worse, and now even the very elite Royal Guards had been reduced to this state.

    Hearing the French gunfire getting closer, he quickly turned his horse to retreat, then looked back at the orderly officer and said, ¡°Order the Auguste Legion to immediately return to Legnica. The other legions are to withdraw orderly to the north and defend in echelon.¡±

    The Auguste Legion, which was originally responsible for the rearguard, was the farthest from the French at this point and might have a chance to escape. The other units could only buy time as they retreated¡ªmaybe, with some luck, some might even make it back.

    Yes, Delrisen had decided to give up resistance.

    He suddenly remembered that two months ago, he and Krokow were talking about how Charles II was easily defeated by the French people in Luxembourg, at the time, they were all mocking the Hanoverians as useless.

    Now it seems, perhaps the Hanoverian Army wasn¡¯t that bad, but the French people were just too strong¡­

    Colonel Duden, upon receiving the command to retreat in echelon, immediately ordered his officers to leave all their baggage behind, and his soldiers to assemble and form ranks on the slope on the eastern side.

    His unit was located at the southernmost position, and it was certain they couldn¡¯t retreat; all they could do now was to try and buy time for the other corps.

    However, not long after he issued his command, he heard bursts of cannon fire from the east.

    His heart immediately tightened, wasn¡¯t General Delrisen saying the enemy¡¯s main force was in the southwest? What was going on with these cannons?

    Duden¡¯s unformed unit suffered direct cannon fire and immediately fell into disarray, beginning to flee toward the Prussian troops to the north, seeking cover.

    The mounted artillery of the Guard Corps also hadn¡¯t expected such a smooth operation.

    They had previously ambushed the Prussian Army¡¯s vanguard, only intending to delay the enemy to facilitate an infantry attack on the Prussian flanks.

    Unexpectedly, nearly 4,000 men from the Prussian Bleichet Legion had scattered after a few rounds of bombardment from their ten six-pound cannons, coupled with a bit of harassment from the hussars.

    The commandant of the mounted artillery had planned to regroup with the main body of the Guard Corps, but that Major named Napoleon suggested to continue moving closer to the center of the Prussian line for a surprise attack to coordinate with the infantry¡¯s decisive battle.

    In the end, Napoleon convinced his superior, and the mounted artillery, under the protection of 400 hussars, leveraged their mobility to circumvent the fleeing Bleichet Legion and arrived east of Delrisen¡¯s main force first.

    Then they discovered that the Prussians had begun to retreat.

    Of course, the mounted artillery didn¡¯t hesitate to bombard the enemy immediately.

    By the time the main body of the Guard infantry had swiftly dealt with the Fein Corps and rushed several kilometers north, they didn¡¯t encounter Delrisen¡¯s main force at all, only some enemy corpses and Prussian soldiers who hadn¡¯t managed to escape.

    Soon after, a few mounted riflemen who were left behind for communication reported to Bertier that the mounted artillery had broken through the Prussian line and was coordinating with the hussars in pursuit of the enemy to the north.

    Bertier¡¯s eyelids twitched, the mounted artillery responsible for the harassment totaled fewer than 300 men, plus ten six-pound cannons and 400 hussars providing cover, yet they were actually chasing nearly 20,000 Prussian troops in retreat?!

    He quickly consulted with a few staff officers, ordering the infantry main body to move northward as quickly as possible to meet up, while sending couriers to call back the mounted artillery.

    After all, the numbers of the Prussian Army were too great; if they were to regroup and counterattack, it could very likely be a disaster for the mounted artillery.

    An hour and a half later, Joseph also arrived at the former command post of Delrisen¡ªcurrently, the battlefield situation was still quite chaotic, and Bertier, concerned about potential surprises, along with the staff officers, strongly urged that he remain in a safer rear area until it was confirmed the enemy had been cleared before allowing him to come here.

    ¡°Your Highness, at present our vanguard has pursued the enemy as far as Jagerndorf Village,¡± reported Bertier, ¡°and the Bleichet Legion, fleeing toward Breslau, had also been caught by the Mounted Rifles Camp.¡±

 Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: Chapter 449 Never Forget Your Original Intention in Battle

    Chapter 538: Chapter 449 Never Forget Your Original Intention in Battle

    Bertier took the summary data from a staff officer and continued, ¡°According to the statistics, our army has killed over 1,200 enemy soldiers and captured nearly 3,000.¡±

    He said with a rather proud smile, ¡°Of course, our gains are definitely far more than that.¡±

    Joseph nodded. There were still many numbers of killed and captured enemy that hadn¡¯t been reported back; moreover, many scattered Prussian soldiers, though still free for the time being, could essentially be counted among the captives of the Guard Corps¡ªthe cavalry would have an easy time catching them.

    The Chief of General Staff then said, ¡°Your Highness, we plan to rest in Kehlendorf tonight and continue the pursuit tomorrow at noon.¡±

    But Joseph shook his head, ¡°General, we fought this battle very well, but now I must ask you to withdraw all your corps. Tomorrow we will advance towards Ratibor.¡±

    Bertier immediately widened his eyes in surprise, ¡°Your Highness, these days are the best opportunity to harvest the fruits of victory, why¡­¡±

    During the enemy¡¯s rout, it¡¯s necessary to keep harrying them, preventing them from regrouping or reorganizing. Typically, this could yield several times more results than in direct combat.

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Please remember our strategic objective. Even if we completely annihilate Delrisen¡¯s corps, it¡¯s just 30,000 men at most, and you know that this is basically impossible to achieve.¡±

    In such circumstances of defeat on their own territory, the retreating troops could get resupplied anytime, anywhere, and could escape in all directions. It would be quite fortunate for the pursuers to be able to eliminate half of the enemy forces.

    ¡°Strategic objective?¡± Bertier pondered and nodded, ¡°You mean to engage the Prussians and Austrians as much as possible?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± said Joseph, ¡°We must make the Prussians believe that today¡¯s battle was just an accident and that our real objective has always been to rescue General Leao.¡±

    ¡°So, we must appear to be willing to abandon the imminent fruits of victory in haste in order to rush to Ratibor?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph approached the map and pointed to a location downstream of the Bober River, ¡°We start like this, and then¡­¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    The next day at noon, after a brief rest, the Guard Corps began to advance southward with great fanfare, purposely passing through areas with villages and towns, their military music accompanied by the soaring voices of ¡°Glory and Victory.¡±

    A day and a half later, when they reached an area near the lower reaches of the Bober River, they immediately turned westward with increased speed, and along the way, they kept to the wastelands¡­

    Legnica.

    In the Prussian Silesian command post, Duke of Brunswick was looking at the officer sent by Delrisen for help, his face dark as the bottom of a pot.

    Fortunately, the French were inefficient in their pursuit, and Delrisen¡¯s losses were not significant, the main force was still intact.

    He pondered over the troops at his disposal and finally had an attendant call an officer, instructing, ¡°General Andreas, take your men immediately, along with ten squadrons of cavalry, to Oberon to join Delrisen.¡±

    The Andreas Corps had over 8,000 men, and along with the cavalry, nearly 10,000 in total.

    The Duke of Brunswick consistently believed that Delrisen had been defeated due to an ambush, not because of the French Army¡¯s combat strength. Thus, these 10,000 men, in coordination with Delrisen¡¯s forces, should have no problem in blocking over 10,000 of the French Army.

    After Andreas had left, the Duke of Brunswick hurriedly summoned all the senior officers to rearrange the troop deployments of the Lignitz Defensive Line. He had already drawn too many troops towards Ratibor to capture Leao, which made him worry that this would leave him with insufficient forces on the main front against Austria.

    However, just as his military council had ended, a staff officer responsible for battlefield intelligence entered the tent and handed him a report: ¡°Marshal, a French force has been spotted moving south from Oberon. It is very likely the same one that fought General Delrisen.¡±

    Duke of Brunswick quickly skimmed through the report, and involuntarily narrowed his eyes.

    No wonder Delrisen did not encounter a pursuit. It turned out the French had headed south, and the only strategically valuable target in the south was Ratibor.

    He handed the report to an officer beside him, ¡°The fact that the French were willing to bypass the Delrisen Corps to rush to Ratibor indicates that Austria¡¯s regard for Leao far exceeds our expectations.¡±

    The officer looked at the report and nodded, ¡°It appears that if Leao were to die or be captured, it would deal a severe blow to the Austrian morale.¡±

    Immediately, someone suggested, ¡°Marshal, should we continue to send reinforcements to Ratibor?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Duke of Brunswick furrowed his brows.

    To be honest, he was also very interested in Leao, but the Prussian forces were already outnumbered by the Austrians. If this were an Austrian trap, and he committed too many forces to Ratibor, it would be disastrous if that old fox Lacy launched a fierce attack on the frontlines.

    At the same time.

    Inside the Austrian headquarters, Marshal Lacy was passing a letter to an officer beside him, his face pale.

    The latter glanced at the letter and was immediately shocked, ¡°The Crown Prince of France, he¡­¡±

    He looked as if he was afraid of being overheard, glanced towards the entrance of the tent, and lowered his voice, ¡°Why would he go to Oberon?¡±

    He then looked back at Lacy, urgently saying, ¡°Marshal, he is now surrounded by the Prussians, we must do something!¡±

    Marshal Lacy gazed at the pointed top of the tent, his hands unable to stop trembling slightly.

    He had already learned from the Prussian informant that the Delrisen Corps had recently engaged in a fierce battle with a French force near Oberon.

    Now, in light of this plea for help, that French force must be the Crown Prince of France¡¯s troops.

    Yes, Joseph, after the fight with Delrisen concluded, had sent someone to plead with Marshal Lacy for help, claiming he was surrounded by 30,000 Prussian troops and might be captured at any moment.

    After a long time, Lacy heaved a deep sigh and said to the officer, ¡°General Davydov, you and General Conrad immediately rush to Oberon to rescue the Crown Prince of France¡­¡±

    These two corps were his main forces, totaling over 30,000 men. Sending them to Oberon would inevitably severely affect the strength of the forces at the Lignitz front, but he had no other choice.

    If something untoward happened to the Crown Prince of France in Silesia¡ªif he died, it might be better, as France could thus declare full-scale war against Prussia.

    But if he were captured, France would most likely withdraw from Silesia in exchange for their Crown Prince.

    And he would bear the brunt of France¡¯s anger for not taking proper care of the young man and could even become the scapegoat for the defeat in Silesia.

    Once General Davydov had departed, Marshal Lacy immediately motioned wearily to an attendant, ¡°Bring paper and pen, I need to write a letter to His Majesty the Emperor¡­¡±

 Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Chapter 450: The Duke of Brunswicks Opportunity

    Chapter 539: Chapter 450: The Duke of Brunswick¡¯s Opportunity

    Two days later.

    The main battlefield in Silesia, the front line near Legnica.

    Lieutenant Colonel Heine, the Austrian infantry battalion commander, was leisurely lying on a soft chair, accompanied by the intermittent booming of cannons, as he watched his hunting dog ¡°Mainmast¡± tear at some tree roots nearby.

    For the past few months, the Prussian and Austrian forces had been hunkering behind their lines, blindly firing at the opposite side with their eyes closed, and the dog had long since grown accustomed to the noise.

    Suddenly, the northwest side fell silent, and soon the cannons on Lieutenant Colonel Heine¡¯s side ceased firing as well.

    Heine immediately frowned and stood up, while his hunting dog also began barking incessantly towards the artillery position.

    Before he could send an attendant to inquire about the situation, a major hurried over and saluted him, saying, ¡°Commander, gunpowder has not been delivered, and nearly half of our battalion¡¯s cannons are now lacking gunpowder.¡±

    Heine had not been paying much attention to the affairs of his battalion lately, since there wasn¡¯t much to manage, the daily routine consisting of firing the cannons on time in the morning and ceasing in the afternoon without caring about hitting anything. He asked, confused, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it supposed to have arrived yesterday morning?¡±

    ¡°It was supposed to, but the quartermaster said yesterday that it would definitely arrive today, yet look at this¡­¡±

    Heine quickly mounted his horse and hurried to the tent of Colonel Markus, who was responsible for the logistics and supplies of his battalion.

    By the time he arrived, the tent was already crowded with people, and Colonel Markus, sweating profusely, was explaining to the officers questioning him: ¡°The supplies coming from Vienna were requisitioned en route last week by the French Chief of Staff, General Bertier. He said that the French Army had a batch of ammunition that could arrive yesterday afternoon and that he urgently needed to go to Ratibor to reinforce General Leao, so he swapped supplies with me.

    ¡°Who knew that there has been no sign from the French side until now¡­¡±

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t mention that he had accepted a bribe of 10,000 florins from Bertier at the time; otherwise, who would want to go through such trouble.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0

    ¡°But the firing at the front has to stop!¡± exclaimed Heine anxiously.

    This routine shelling indeed wasn¡¯t very useful, but it was a symbol of the Empire¡¯s valiant struggle in Silesia, so it couldn¡¯t just be stopped randomly.

    ¡°Please wait a bit longer. I¡¯ve already sent someone to hurry the French Army¡¯s camp,¡± said Colonel Markus with a pained expression. ¡°Tomorrow, the ammunition will definitely arrive. You may borrow some from the other battalions to use for now.¡±

    The Austrian forces had over 200 cannons on the entire Legnica line, and only about 30 cannons from 8 battalions were affected, as most of the surrounding cannons still had some reserves.

    After sending away the officer who had come to ask for ammunition, Colonel Markus cursed with a dark face, ¡°Damn the French!¡± After thinking for a moment, he picked up his cane and personally hurried to the French Army¡¯s camp.

    ¡­

    Inside the Prussian command.

    A staff officer stood erect and reported to the Duke of Brunswick, ¡°Marshal, we have confirmed that the Davydov Corps of the Austrian Army and more than 30,000 men have left Legnica, and they are likely headed toward Ratibor.¡±

    Another officer immediately said, ¡°With that being the case, we can confidently allocate troops to encircle Leao.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick was about to nod, but suddenly thought of something and turned to another staff officer, ¡°Has the Delrisen Corps safely withdrawn?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal. General Auguste¡¯s troops have already entered their quarters this morning, and everyone else is no more than a two-day march from here,¡± the staff officer replied.

    Upon hearing this, the Duke of Brunswick squinted his eyes. That old man Lacy, to support Leao, actually dared to divert so many troops to Ratibor.

    He quickly calculated in his mind. The Leao Legion had over 10,000 men, Wilmze followed with another 10,000, the French sent a total of 45,000 men in two dispatches, and now Davydov had taken another 30,000¡­

    There was also the Bavarian Army; altogether, the Austrian Allied Forces had deployed nearly 100,000 troops to Ratibor. Austria had less than 150,000 troops in the Silesian direction, and together with France and the Bavarian forces, that made just under 190,000, not quite 200,000.

    In other words, currently, only half of the Austrian Army was defending the Lignitz Defensive Line.

    On my side, the troops sent to Ratibor totaled only about 20,000, and this number included the independently acting Saxon Army. The 30,000 men at Delrisen, due to an unexpected encounter with the French Army, were already on their way back.

    Therefore, I presently held about 100,000 of my own country¡¯s troops, 27,000 from the Hanoverian Army, and over 20,000 Saxons, amounting to a total force of 150,000.

    That meant, in the short term, on the front near Legnica, I had amassed a force surpassing the Austrians by 50%!

    ¡°It seems Lacy has made a serious mistake,¡± the Duke of Brunswick¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°He was only preoccupied with Ratibor, actually neglecting that this is the main battlefield.

    ¡°Even if we were to fail at Ratibor, at most, it would mean losing Leao.¡±

    Suddenly, he crossed his hands over his chest and silently thought: This must be the Lord¡¯s arrangement; Delrisen might have been defeated but it has, in fact, strengthened the forces at Lignitz.

    With this in mind, he immediately made a decision, instructing his attendant to summon all the high-ranking officers for a meeting to discuss an assault plan on the main battlefield.

    That afternoon, as the Duke of Brunswick confidently arranged the combat tasks for each corps, he suddenly noticed something unusual in the surroundings.

    He listened intently, then with a puzzled look, turned to his staff officer: ¡°It seems the enemy¡¯s cannon fire has died down quite a bit?¡±

    Soon, an officer hurried over with a report that on the western side of the Austrian line of defense, a long stretch of cannons had stopped firing.

    The Duke of Brunswick quickly glanced at the map; it appeared to be the area that the Davydov Corps was responsible for defending.

    And his troops had been redirected by Lacy to Ratibor a few days prior.

    It must be that his defensive sector was experiencing issues due to the absence of its commander!

    The Duke of Brunswick was instantly overjoyed, crossing his hands again and looking up he exclaimed loudly: ¡°Thank the Lord for His blessings! Those damned Austrians will be rolling out of Silesia now!¡±

    He turned to gaze at the gathered officers, tapping the map where Davydov¡¯s sector was located, and said in a firm voice: ¡°By tomorrow afternoon, everyone must complete their combat preparations.

    ¡°We need to modify our plan, launching the all-out assault from here!¡±

    ¡­

    The next day.

    Colonel Heine was idly playing with his pet dog, yawning leisurely and thinking it was almost time for lunch.

    The ammunition still hadn¡¯t arrived, and just the day before, he had borrowed a small amount from a nearby unit so the cannons could barely hold out for another day or two. Although the sound of artillery from his position was much sparser than usual, he didn¡¯t pay it much mind.

    After living through such monotonous days for so long, his vigilance and sense of responsibility had been considerably dulled.

    All of a sudden, his hound stopped its frolic and stared towards the north, then wrinkled its nose and started baring its teeth.

    ¡°Ease up, old pal,¡± Heine patted its head, following its gaze. ¡°Did you see a squirrel? Or perhaps a fox?¡±

    But the next moment, he too was stunned, for he faintly heard the sound of drums, a very dense roll of military drums.

 Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Chapter 451 Collapse is Just a New Beginning

    Chapter 540: Chapter 451 Collapse is Just a New Beginning

    Heine fumbled to take the telescope from the attendant and saw a dense throng of soldiers gathering in front of the Prussian line, an array so long it seemed endless.

    ¡°Quick! Sound the alarm!¡± he shouted at once, ¡°The Prussians are about to launch an attack!¡±

    Fortunately, although the Legnica frontline had remained calm, it was still a state of war between two countries, so the soldiers maintained a state of combat readiness every day.

    Soon, sharp whistles and assembly drumbeats rang out all around.

    Austrian soldiers grumbled as they lined up near the defensive line, and then heard dense cannon fire coming from the opposite side.

    Accompanied by the screeches of shells, nearly 20 cannonballs landed near the Austrian artillery positions, kicking up a large amount of dust.

    The Austrian artillerymen also returned fire hastily but after firing about a dozen shots, they were shocked to find that their ammunition was nearly depleted.

    The Prussians started to risk pushing their cannons forward, and upon realizing that the counterattack from the other side was very weak, they immediately became bolder, including several 24-pound siege cannons hauled to the front line by teams of horses snorting and struggling.

    The Duke of Brunswick had already assembled all the cannons in the area, nearly doubling the number of cannons of the defending troops in front, and with ample ammunition, the Prussian bombardment soon left the Austrian gunners unable to raise their heads.

    Marshal Lacy also received the news and rushed to the defensive sector previously held by Davydov at the quickest pace. It was already 3 o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    What he saw was that on his own defensive line, only 4 cannons were still holding out, though their rate of fire was so low that it made him want to curse.

    Across the field, the Prussian Infantry had fully deployed, perfectly covering the entire Davydov defence sector. Just on the first line of infantry, there were approximately 14,000 men!

    At the same time, a large number of skirmishers had already taken advantage of the terrain to sneak within 400 paces of their own defensive line.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0

    On his side, there was only a rather thin line of infantry that appeared to be no more than 10,000 men at most. However, many troops that had just received the news were hurrying over, but in a state of forced march, they would not be able to join the battle right away.

    Marshal Lacy¡¯s back was drenched in cold sweat; indeed, it had been risky to move away Davydov and Conrad¡¯s corps, but he had not expected Ferdinand, that fellow¡ªhe recognized here as the Duke of Brunswick¡ªto initiate a targeted attack so soon.

    In fact, Lacy had not failed to reinforce this sector, but with just under 100,000 troops left at his disposal, and the entire line of defense to care for, this segment had received barely over 15,000 people in charge.

    The cannonade from the Prussians gradually subsided, followed by the sound of sonorous bugle calls.

    Lacy hurriedly looked through his telescope and saw Prussian skirmishers beginning to harass their own line formation. This meant that the enemy would soon launch a general attack, and a large amount of infantry would bear down on them.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± he muttered under his breath, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that little Frenchman, how could my defensive line have opened such a huge gap!¡±

    By this moment, he had completely forgotten that he had come to Silesia not to build a defensive line but to defeat the Prussians and recover his homeland.

    If defense had been the goal, Austria could have completely retreated to the Bohemia area, relying on the Sudeten Mountains for a more efficient defense.

    But complaints were useless at this point, and all Marshal Lacy could do was dispatch his orderly officers to desperately urge the reinforcing troops to hasten their pace, and then, ignoring his subordinates¡¯ attempts to dissuade him, he personally went to the front line, running back and forth to buoy the morale of his men.

    Not long after, a 12-pound cannonball whizzed by his side, created a huge gap in the infantry line, and nearly rolled to the second row of formations before being stopped by an earthen mound.

    The attendants, looking at the blood and flesh mixed with the soil on the ground, hurriedly carried the Marshal to the rear.

    Then, the Prussian Army, with four of its most elite Grenadier Battalions at the core, began to slowly advance their narrow infantry lines toward the Austrian positions.

    Marshal Lacy¡¯s encouragement had a certain effect. Austrian soldiers, with the cooperation of skirmishers, actually managed to hold firm against the grenadiers¡¯ close-range volleys from the opposite side. Then, under the orders of their officers, they returned fire with volleys from a distance of 40 paces.

    In the age of linear infantry battles, as long as the soldiers could stand their ground, there was a fight to be had.

    The two sides quickly became engaged in a firefight, with tens of thousands of soldiers standing in tight formations along a battle line more than 3 kilometers long, standing erect, mechanically reloading and firing continuously.

    Kill the enemy soldiers facing you or be struck down by their bullets.

    This is what people often refer to as ¡°standing in line for execution by firing squad.¡±

    After seven or eight rounds of mutual shooting, the Prussian Army, despite its numerical advantage, began to falter first. Some soldiers started to duck and move backwards.

    By then, the Prussian Army was no longer the fierce force under Emperor Frederick. Even in terms of individual soldier quality, they were slightly inferior to the Austrians.

    The first wave of Prussian Infantry gradually retreated; immediately, excited cheers erupted from the Austrian positions.

    However, Marshal Lacy didn¡¯t dare let his soldiers pursue, for he knew that the Prussians had a huge advantage in troop strength.

    Sure enough, the Duke of Brunswick quickly ordered the second line of infantry to attack, giving the Austrians no chance to catch their breath.

    On Lacy¡¯s side, he ordered several skirmishers to harass the Prussian left wing at all costs, coordinating with the only remaining three cannons to barely hold the defensive line.

    Thus, the two sides remained deadlocked until night fell and each retreated to their respective camps.

    However, after half a day¡¯s struggle, Austria had suffered heavy losses, especially the elite skirmisher battalions, which were severely depleted.

    After inspecting the wounded, Lacy had already begun to make arrangements to set up a second line of defense to the west.

    The next morning, the Duke of Brunswick wasted no time in launching a fierce offensive.

    Under the relentless attacks of the over 50,000-strong Prussian Army, the Austrian Army held out until around two in the afternoon, when a unit of Prussian Hussars found a gap and cut into their infantry¡¯s left flank.

    With the cavalry¡¯s continuous harassment of the flanks, the Austrian defensive line promptly collapsed.

    The Duke of Brunswick decisively ordered the cavalry to squeeze inward from both sides against the Austrian corps, while also deploying a large number of infantry to set up defensive lines on the southern and northern sides to obstruct the Austrian reinforcements.

    Marshal Lacy desperately commanded his soldiers to retreat but was still blocked by Prussian Cavalry in a depression 15 kilometers from the front line a day later.

    Fortunately, he managed to slip out of the encirclement before the enemy closed in. However, when he looked at the map and saw the huge gap in his own defensive line, his heart grew cold.

    The best scenario at this point was to hold the Prussians back and wait for his own troops to retreat from Ratibor and then attempt to stabilize the front line.

    However, after this disastrous defeat, reclaiming Silesia had almost become an impossibility.

    As for the more than 10,000 soldiers who were surrounded, he had little hope left for them.

    Yet, just as he sat on his horse, peering through his binoculars at those surrounded soldiers, his eyes suddenly widened¡ª

    In the far distance, a cavalry unit was charging at high speed toward the Prussian flank, and those men seemed to be wearing white uniforms.

 Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: Chapter 452: The Sparrow Stalks Behind

    Chapter 541: Chapter 452: The Sparrow Stalks Behind

    Marshal Lacy was suddenly bewildered. Hadn¡¯t the entire French Army gone to support Leao at Ratibor, and their Crown Prince was still encircled by the enemy at Oberon, so where did these people come from?

    Even more confused than him were the Prussian Cavalry tasked with the pursuit.

    Previously, they had been eagerly pursuing and killing the routed Austrian soldiers without scouting the vicinity¡ªafter all, an army of fifteen thousand in disarray, with countless dead and wounded, who would think the Austrian Allied Forces would ambush their own troops behind them?

    Yes, Joseph had ambushed the Guard Corps behind the Austrian line of defense.

    After defeating Delrisen, he immediately led his troops back to the Austrian-controlled area near Legnica. Moreover, to avoid detection by Lacy, the troops had hunkered down in the wilderness for several days, waiting until Lacy sent out over thirty thousand men under Davydov, before discreetly returning, lying in wait less than 15 kilometers southwest of the Austrian defense line.

    Today, after the Prussians launched their full assault, the Guard Corps also began to move.

    The main force was divided into two parts, one of which quickly inserted itself to the north of the Prussian assault point, establishing a defensive formation relying on the terrain, amounting to about four thousand soldiers.

    The other part, comprised of ten thousand soldiers, maneuvered to the south side of the Prussian attack point. When the Austrian defense line collapsed, they let the Austrian soldiers ¡°lure¡± the Prussians into their own territory, then suddenly cut off the Prussian Army¡¯s retreat from the flank.

    This was equivalent to using the fifteen thousand-strong Austrian Army on the line of defense as bait. And the bait was truly convincing, for they had indeed been routed.

    Of course, the foundation for this tactic to work was Joseph¡¯s belief that the Guard Corps could intercept an enemy several times their number with a force of fourteen thousand and hold out for at least about three days.

    The Prussian Hussars, in the midst of their excited pursuit of the routed Austrian soldiers, suddenly found their flanks under surprise attack and immediately plunged into chaos.

    In film and television, cavalry ordinarily surge forward in a mass and easily make the enemy flee in panic. But in reality, cavalry is a type of troop that values formation even more than infantry do.

    Large formations of cavalry have very strict requirements for the distances between horses both side to side and front to back during an attack. If too far apart, they can¡¯t generate collective force; yet if too close, they interfere with each other, and even one person falling can lead to many more toppling over.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    Therefore, qualified cavalry are extremely difficult to train, spending years on horseback just to acquire the skill of controlling distance. Maintaining formation during battle must rely on subconscious control, since their main focus is on their sabers or lances.

    This leads to the situation where, once cavalry are set on their initial target, they can only charge in that direction. To change targets, they need to maneuver to a distant location, regroup, and relaunch the charge. Otherwise, a sudden change of target can cause issues with the distances and proportions within the formation. Of course, some highly trained elite cavalry units are able to switch targets with ease, but those are rare exceptions.

    At the moment, the Prussian Hussars¡¯ target was to cut down the routed Austrian soldiers, so they were utterly powerless against the sudden flank attack.

    Their commander, however, responded quickly, immediately ordering a withdrawal from the pursuit of the Austrians, moving away with the intention to regroup for a counterattack.

    But that French Cavalry unit paid no attention to the Austrian soldiers¡ªafter all, the battle line was very long, and this was just one segment of it, with a large number of Austrian troops still being chased by enemy cavalry in the east and west¡ªinstead, it kept a close watch on the Prussian Cavalry, chasing them until they had all been scattered, before rushing towards the next target.

    Marshal Lacy, witnessing gaps forming in the encirclement by the Prussian Cavalry, hurriedly ordered the officers by his side to go and gather the fleeing troops.

    Around 3 p.m., several thousand Austrian soldiers had regrouped around Marshal Lacy, and a squadron of gallant French Cavalry just so happened to pass by nearby. Led by a slightly plump, curly-haired cavalry lieutenant, they greeted them with raised swords.

    After a brief exchange with the cavalry scout, Lacy¡¯s attendant returned and reported to him, ¡°Marshal, they claim to be from the First Legion of the Royal Guards, Second Company of the Third Hussars, specifically here to cover our army¡¯s retreat.¡±

    ¡°The Royal Guards?¡± Lacy exclaimed in surprise, ¡°That unit following the Crown Prince of France? Weren¡¯t they trapped in Oberon?¡±

    ¡°The lieutenant says he doesn¡¯t know anything about being trapped. They fought a battle with the Delrisen Legion and then came here,¡± the attendant replied.

    Lacy: ¡°???¡±

    ¡­

    On the western side of the Austrian line of defense, which was under Austrian control, a massive influx of Prussian soldiers was pouring into a breach in the line, with two units attacking north and south to expand the gap.

    Not far from the Austrian defense, a cavalry scout from the Guard Corps raced towards the command post and shouted, ¡°Report, Prussian infantry have reached Wolffenstette, with an approximate vanguard of 11,000 men. The total strength of the enemy main force is still being tallied, but it should exceed 30,000.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bertier nodded and said to a staff officer beside him, ¡°The enemy has penetrated deep enough, order the attack to commence as planned.¡±

    Wolffenstette lay deep within the Austrian-controlled territory, more than 6 kilometers from the Prussian-Austrian stand-off line.

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    Since this battle involved fighting a numerically superior enemy, posing a great risk. It had been unanimously decided by the general staff that His Highness the Crown Prince should stay well away from the battlefield. Thus, Bertier was in command. However, Joseph had already made detailed plans with his staff beforehand, so it hardly mattered who took command.

    Soon, the distant sounds of the Yuyang bugle signalled the corps¡¯ assault. Bertier looked towards his aide, ¡°Where has General Kellermann reached?¡±

    ¡°As of last night¡¯s report, he has crossed the lower reaches of the Bober River,¡± the aide answered.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, Kellermann¡¯s 30,000 French troops were never really meant to reinforce Leao. They made a symbolic few shots at Ratibor but as soon as they received the Crown Prince¡¯s orders, they immediately rushed back to the Legnica frontline. However, given the old army¡¯s marching speed, it would probably take another three days to arrive.

    Bertier then instructed, ¡°Get in touch with Marshal Lacy and ask him to cooperate with us as best as he can, to counter-attack the enemy entering the western side of the line.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    At the breach in the Austrian defense, General Morris of the Saxon Army was looking through his binoculars with a sullen expression on his face.

    The Prussians were chasing down the broken remnants of the Austrians for an easy victory, while he was tasked with gnawing at the Austrian defensive line.

    Although the morale of the Austrian Army had already dissipated, there were still many heavy guns on the line, and this was certainly no easy task.

    Just as he saw his own skirmishers take control of a highland, capturing the artillery position there and before he could feel any satisfaction, he saw a neat line of infantry suddenly appear behind the small hill.

 Chapter 542 - Chapter 542: Chapter 453 "Elixir of Immortality" (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 542: Chapter 453 ¡°Elixir of Immortality¡± (Seeking Monthly Votes)

    Morris subconsciously rubbed his eyes, and when he looked again, a long white line had become clearly visible¡ªthere were at least seven to eight thousand men!

    The Saxon Soldiers, who were originally bullying the weaker forces, were startled. As the front-line officers began to order the troops to halt and form ranks, they saw dozens of horses dragging cannons up in a cloud of dust, arriving at their flank. The cannons were quickly dismounted and set up to fire from less than 200 paces away.

    Within just a few minutes, seven six-pounder cannons roared towards the Saxon infantry. Iron balls swept accurately through the ranks of soldiers, instantly leaving a trail of severed limbs and dismembered bodies.

    The Saxons who were initially fighting carelessly were now completely disoriented by the terrifyingly close bombardment.

    Before the Saxon Cavalry could react, those six-pounder cannons had already been reattached to their carriages. After taking a large detour behind the French infantry, they appeared on another side of the Saxon infantry.

    The seemingly magic appearance and disappearance of the cannon fire completely disrupted the Saxons¡¯ rhythm. Infantry hit by the cannon balls scattered to reduce losses, while other officers pulled ropes and loudly ordered the soldiers to form neat ranks in preparation to meet the French infantry¡¯s line.

    After about twenty minutes of this chaos, the Guard Corps¡¯ infantry line had advanced to less than 100 paces in front of the Saxon position, which was still disorganized.

    In the era of firing squads, going into battle with a disorganized formation against a neat line was tantamount to seeking punishment.

    The Guard Corps took the initiative to begin volley fire at a distance of 65 paces. Although slightly distant, given the enemy¡¯s lack of formation, it was a reasonable tactic¡ªfiring first would further disrupt the enemy¡¯s efforts to form up.

    Moreover, the Caplock Guns equipped by the Guard Corps had a longer range; even around 80 paces could still inflict effective damage, albeit with a touching hit rate.

    As expected, the Saxon Soldiers began to fire back instinctively after being attacked. Their officers were still busy with formation and couldn¡¯t stop the soldiers.

    The chaotic shooting was hardly effective; the few bullets that hit their targets were mostly blocked by the bulletproof inserts the Guard Corps wore.

    Just like that, men in the Saxon ranks kept falling, while the French calmly advanced to less than 30 paces away from them.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    Suddenly, a Saxon Soldier cried out in alarm, ¡°That medicine is real! They just don¡¯t die!¡±

    His words immediately sparked tremendous fear:

    ¡°God, that medicine exists!¡±

    ¡°How can we fight this?¡±

    ¡°No! We simply cannot win; we¡¯re finished¡­¡±

    It turned out that previously, when Delrisen¡¯s troops returned to the Prussian Allied Forces camp, they told others with great fear that the French had a miraculous medicine that could instantly heal gunshot wounds. After being shot, a French person could swallow the medicine in their mouth and stand up again in less than a minute.

    Initially, the Saxon Soldiers ridiculed the Prussians for making excuses for their defeat. But at that moment, they believed it.

    After another round of volley fire, the Saxon Soldiers began to turn and flee, and even some lower-ranking officers followed suit¡ªthey had seen with their own eyes Frenchmen getting shot and standing up again. How could they continue to fight?

    In reality, most casualties during infantry line exchanges occurred within 40 paces. However, because the Guard Corps seemed ¡°impervious to swords and bullets¡± at a longer range, it caused a massive psychological impact on the Saxons. So much so that when they began firing at close range, their hands trembled, and even a slightly higher number of casualties was enough to shatter their morale.

    The aggressive close bombardment by the Guard Corps¡¯ Mounted Artillery further hastened this process.

    Similar to the situation faced by the Delrisen Corps initially, the collapse of the first line of infantry soon affected those behind it. The second line of infantry barely engaged in minor skirmishes with the Guard Corps before they, too, began to flee, and then the third line¡­

    In just about 40 minutes, the three lines of the Saxon Corps, with over 13,000 soldiers, began desperately fleeing to the north.

    Bertier, watching the hills swarming with soldiers in black, couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit somber. Most of the cavalry had been dispatched to cover the Austrian retreat, and he had only six cavalry squadrons left to protect the flanks of his infantry and none to pursue.

    The Guard Corps rested on the spot for an hour before continuing their push north.

    At this moment, they were standing right in the middle of the breach in the Austrian line of defense, cutting the Prussian troops that had penetrated the Austrian-controlled zone in half.

    The Duke of Brunswick received the news of the Saxon Corps being attacked and immediately furrowed his brow over the map.

    Although he didn¡¯t know where this French force had come from, according to Morris¡¯s report, they numbered just over ten thousand. He just needed to immediately redeploy forces to hold them back.

    He turned to the orderly officer, ¡°Order General Andreas to move to the breach at once and intercept that group of French people.¡±

    He thought for a moment, feeling it wasn¡¯t secure enough, and added, ¡°Send the Auguste Legion there as well.¡±

    Together, these two corps had over 16,000 soldiers, and with the cavalry assigned to cover them, nearly 18,000. He had a huge numerical advantage locally and was very willing to commit the troops.

    Bertier soon also received news that two Prussian forces were on their way. By then, he was close to completely sealing the gap in the Austrian line of defense, but without hesitation, he ordered:

    ¡°Gather the entire army on the gentle slopes to the southwest, ready to confront the enemy.¡±

    A staff officer beside him hesitated, ¡°General, but in doing so we¡¯ll have to abandon the line of defense we¡¯ve just secured.¡±

    ¡°The Crown Prince once told me never to forget the strategic objective that has been set,¡± Bertier patted his shoulder, ¡°We are here to annihilate the main force of the Prussian Army, not to help Marshal Lacy reclaim the line of defense.¡±

    The staff officer was stunned for a moment, then snapped to attention, ¡°Yes, General!¡±

    When Andreas and the Auguste Legion arrived at the breach, the French forces that had attacked the Saxons had already vanished without a trace.

    Soon after, the Saxon Army experienced the same ordeal¡ª

    Mounted Artillery suddenly bombarded them at close range; the Guard infantry line appeared on their right, and rapidly advanced close to them at great speed.

    These Prussian Soldiers had also heard of the legend of the ¡°Elixir of Immortality.¡± After facing a few volleys in a confrontation with the French Army, they, too, fell into terror.

    The battle was declared over by around 4 pm. Andreas¡¯s men managed to retreat in echelons, withdrawing northward, while the Auguste Legion was completely routed.

    Bertier did not order a pursuit but commanded his troops to immediately return to the gap in the Austrian line of defense to start positioning the cannons and sent soldiers to block the thoroughfares.

    The Prussian Corps that had previously penetrated the western side of the line were now completely cut off within the Austrian-controlled area.

 Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: Chapter 454 Politics and Trade

    Chapter 543: Chapter 454 Politics and Trade

    On the eastern side of the Legnica battle line, the Duke of Brunswick looked at the map with an ashen face¡ªby now, more than 40,000 Prussian soldiers and over 14,000 men of the Saxon Army had been cut off on the western side of the front, and he had lost contact with them.

    He glanced appreciatively at the staff officer beside him, grateful for the latter¡¯s advice the day before. Otherwise, he himself would have gone to the other side of the defensive line to command the troops. In that case, even he, the commander-in-chief, would be trapped there now.

    After a brief discussion, the Duke of Brunswick looked up and swept his gaze across the tent filled with officers, his voice hoarse as he said:

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that, gather all the troops from Legnica that can be mobilized. We must rescue our men.¡±

    The Prussian Allied Forces were already short on manpower. If those more than 50,000 were consumed by Austria, there would be no point in fighting the battles that lay ahead.

    Once the combat tasks had been arranged, the officers hurriedly left to execute their orders. As soon as the tent flap closed, the Duke of Brunswick immediately grabbed his cane and ferociously smashed it against the table in front of him, while a low growl emanated from his throat:

    ¡°Damn the French! Damned! Damned! Damned! Where did they spring from?

    ¡°Andreas and Auguste, those two fools, with such advantageous forces, were routed in less than half a day!¡±

    The day before, he had sent out the reserve troops to try to break the blockage by the 10,000 French soldiers on the Legnica defensive line, only to be forced back by the French in two hours.

    He knew that Austria would continuously reinforce their side to prevent those 50,000 plus men from retreating, and he would need to concentrate all his strength for a strike to reverse the defeat¡­

    Three days later.

    More than 40,000 of the Prussian Army had now gathered at the breach in the Legnica defensive line.

    The Duke of Brunswick, looking through his telescope at the cannons on the Austrian positions, was also full of trepidation. He was well aware that, on the other side of the line, Lacy was surely arranging to encircle his more than 50,000 men.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï

    If he couldn¡¯t break through the defense of the Austro-French forces in this battle, the situation in Silesia would become completely uncontrollable.

    Just as he was about to take a desperate gamble and order a total assault, a staff officer rushed over. Without even bothering to salute, he bent down and whispered a few words into his ear.

    ¡°What?!¡± The Duke of Brunswick immediately widened his eyes, ¡°Have you confirmed his identity?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marshal,¡± the staff officer indicated for the guards to step back before continuing, ¡°The letter he brought bears the seal and signature of the Crown Prince of France.¡±

    ¡°All troops, stand by in place!¡± the Duke of Brunswick waved to an officer nearby and then mounted his horse to follow the staff officer back to their own camp.

    In an officer¡¯s tent, the Duke of Brunswick saw the special envoy of the Crown Prince of France.

    The latter lifted his hat in salute, smiling as he said:

    ¡°Honored Duke, on behalf of His Highness the Crown Prince, I pay my respects to you.¡±

    The Prussian Army¡¯s commander-in-chief nodded in return and said with slight hesitation:

    ¡°You mentioned to my subordinate earlier that you wish to prevent the situation from escalating further?¡±

    ¡°These are His Highness¡¯s intentions,¡± the envoy glanced westward and continued, ¡°Right now, France¡¯s soldiers are all positioned at the gap in the defensive line, while your tens of thousands are eagerly preparing to attack there.

    ¡°Clearly, after this battle, our forces will suffer severe casualties. Of course, the number of casualties on your side will certainly be staggering as well. In reality, it¡¯s all completely unnecessary.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick¡¯s eyes narrowed immediately. It appeared that the French did not wish to make too many sacrifices for the Emperor of Sanctum; this was nothing short of a gift to Prussia from France!

    ¡°`

    He kept his composure and said, ¡°So, what suggestions does His Highness the Crown Prince have?¡±

    The envoy bowed slightly, ¡°If you want to launch a fierce attack on the Lignitz Defensive Line, it¡¯s to rescue the troops that have been blocked on the western side.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick remained noncommittal.

    The envoy continued, ¡°If we could do something to help your 56,000 soldiers break free, then the current great battle could be avoided.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick could no longer contain his excitement, ¡°How does His Highness the Crown Prince plan to do that?¡±

    ¡°You know, the defense of Zary is currently in charge of three of His Highness¡¯s infantry regiments. If the garrison here were suddenly redeployed elsewhere, then your men could head north into the Gwozdziec area.¡±

    Zary is situated northwest of Lignitz on a crucial path. Once through here, one can continue north into the province of Gwozdziec, in the northern part of Silesia.

    The Duke of Brunswick looked incredulously at the French envoy, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°You need not doubt His Highness¡¯s sincerity,¡± the latter nodded, ¡°But even if your men could get through Zary, Marshal Lacy would surely lead his troops in pursuit.¡±

    ¡°His Highness suggests that if you want them to break free successfully, you had better send troops to perform some feints on the north side of the defensive line, like pretending to launch a strong attack on it, to draw the Austrian army¡¯s attention.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I am extremely grateful His Highness.¡± said the Duke of Brunswick joyfully, ¡°I will seriously consider his suggestion.¡±

    Joseph was well aware that should the 50,000 Prussian troops who had breached the Austrian-controlled territory be wiped out, the situation in Silesia would fully fall into Austria¡¯s hands.

    His strategic goal from the beginning had been to use the Silesian conflict to prevent Prussia and Austria from joining forces, not to help Austria dominate Germany.

    Therefore, those large Prussian forces must escape, only then could the military balance between Prussia and Austria be maintained. But at the same time, he also needed Austria to achieve a substantial breakthrough in Silesia, to further escalate the Silesian war.

    This was indeed like walking a tightrope, where tilting a little to the left or right could result in a fall.

    The Duke of Brunswick said this, and then revealed a ¡°businessman¡¯s¡± smile, ¡°So, Your Excellency the envoy, what can I do for His Highness in return?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite simple,¡± the envoy smiled, ¡°His Highness needs a bit of money, 2 million florins will do. It¡¯s an excellent deal in exchange for your large army.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick was instantly stunned.

    He had guessed that the Crown Prince of France might want Prussia to cede some political interests, or even to secretly agree to some military understanding, but he never expected it to be a direct demand for money!

    That was just too¡­ tacky.

    He inwardly despised the mercantile French people and nodded, ¡°That is indeed reasonable. How shall I deliver the money to His Highness?¡±

    The Prussian army¡¯s pay for the next month had just been delivered, which was just about enough to allocate for this sum.

    Without hesitation, the envoy said, ¡°Send the money on horseback to the vicinity of the breach in the defensive line. After you receive the news that the troops have escaped, you can hand it over to our people.¡±

    Joseph, of course, wanted to exchange it for some political benefits as well, but he knew that since Prussia was deeply bound to England, even if they agreed to his political conditions, they would likely renege on them later under British interference.

    So, it was better to take some solid cash. Thus, he had people roughly estimate the monthly military pay of the Prussians and finally came up with the figure of 2 million florins.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: Chapter 455: Eating Sugarcane from Both Ends

    Chapter 544: Chapter 455: Eating Sugarcane from Both Ends

    As for the Duke of Brunswick, he wasn¡¯t afraid that the French people would deceive him. A transaction was made with cash in one hand and the release of prisoners in the other, a trustworthy trade. Mainly, he had no other choice, for if he had refused the proposal from France, it was very likely that his force of over 50,000 men wouldn¡¯t have been preserved.

    <img data-ywcc-imgId=¡±10139489¡å data-ywcc-path=¡±/imgChapter/8941652603683501/27700189502535504/10139489/49dd21a2c0d5cf12653eb81448a708a91ko1R90m274fVpc.jpg¡±>

    Western Legnica.

    The town of Wolffenstette had fallen back under Austrian control, and at this moment, next to the Austrian Army¡¯s camp outside the town, hundreds of ceremonial guards stood neatly on both sides of the road, looking excitedly at the passing French officers, especially the young man leading them.

    And behind them, a large group of ordinary soldiers were shouting without restraint, ¡°Thank you, brothers from France, may God bless you!¡±

    ¡°You arrived just in time, long live France!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, you have saved us all!¡±

    How could they not be excited? The moment the Prussian Army broke through their defenses, they thought they were as good as dead.

    At the critical juncture, the French Royal Guard Corps suddenly appeared, cutting the Prussian Army that had entered the Austrian control zone in half.

    At the same time, the French Army also sent cavalry to cover their flanks, helping them retreat safely.

    Subsequently, Marshal Lacy gathered the Austrian troops and launched a counterattack against the Prussians. Now the whole battle situation was rapidly developing in their favor.

    The sounds of military music around them suddenly became more stirring, as Marshal Lacy came out with several dozen officers.

    Upon seeing the figure of the Crown Prince of France, he immediately signaled those behind him and, with the officers, placed their hands on their chests in salute, ¡°Thank you for your timely assistance, Your Royal Highness. Austria will forever remember your help!¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0

    Joseph dismounted, returned their smiles and salutations, and also continuously exchanged pleasantries, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

    Marshal Lacy personally led the way for Joseph toward the camp. After a reserved conversation, he suddenly remembered the doubt in his mind and hurriedly asked, ¡°Your Highness, at that time you said you were surrounded by Delrisen and asked me to send reinforcements, but how did you suddenly appear on the Lignitz front line?¡±

    Joseph had already prepared his explanation and immediately made the sign of the cross over his chest with a devout expression, ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you, the situation was very perilous at that time, and I nearly lost my life several times. However, by divine providence, one of our cannonballs, after several ricochets, happened to hit a high-ranking Austrian officer. His troops immediately fell into chaos.

    ¡°I took the opportunity to break out of the encirclement and managed to escape back to Legnica. Just as I arrived here, I encountered the Prussians having breached your defensive line. My troops happened to be on the enemy¡¯s flank, so we seized the opportunity to attack and, fortunately, we managed to rout them.¡±

    The Austrian officers were stunned upon hearing this¡­ this was simply too unbelievable, it was the kind of thing one wouldn¡¯t dare to write in a novel, right?

    Lacy himself was taken aback for a few seconds before hastily making the sign of the cross, ¡°The Lord looks after you, Your Highness, you are indeed very fortunate.¡±

    The group entered the camp, and there was still some time before lunch. Due to the intense battle situation, Marshal Lacy invited the Crown Prince of France to rest first, as he needed to convene a battle meeting on his end.

    Upon hearing this, Joseph looked to his companions like Bertier and others, ¡°With a major enemy before us, let¡¯s join the meeting as well.¡±

    Marshal Lacy didn¡¯t say much, as the battle situation was what mattered most. He invited Joseph and the others into a farmhouse, which served as his temporary headquarters.

    In the farmhouse¡¯s living room were many maps and battle documents laid out, evidently where Lacy and the others had been meeting just before.

    Under the indication of Marshal Lacy, an officer briefly introduced the current deployment of the Austrian Army and then said, ¡°The situation on the battlefield is roughly as follows. Marshal plans, after the return of General Davydov and General Conrad¡¯s corps, to first strengthen the troop presence at the gap in the defensive line, and then encircle the enemy forces on the western side of the defensive line from three directions.

    ¡°At present, the enemy forces are centered around Andreas¡¯s corps, relying on the low hills north of Debar Village for defense. If we want to crush them, first we have to deal with the highlands on both sides¡­¡±

    Joseph listened to the spirited Marshal Lacy, patiently waited for the officer to finish explaining the battle deployment, then with a solemn expression said, ¡°Marshal, your deployment seems to be foolproof. However, how long do you think it will take to completely annihilate these more than 50,000 Prussian troops?¡±

    Without a second thought, Lacy replied, ¡°Assembling the troops will take about 5 to 7 days.¡±

    After all, a large number of troops were in Ratibor, and withdrawing them and then making brief rest would be extremely tight timing.

    ¡°If the battle goes well, one week should be enough to crush those Prussians. Even if they put up a stubborn resistance, I am confident we can end the fight within half a month.¡±

    Although the Prussian Army was cut off on the western side of the Lignitz Defensive Line, that was still an army of more than 55,000 well-organized troops. If they were determined to resist, it would take considerable effort to annihilate them.

    Joseph nodded and asked, ¡°After the annihilation of this enemy force, what will be your next step?¡±

    Marshal Lacy, with a smile full of confidence, answered, ¡°That would be to continue the attack eastward, to take back Legnica in one fell swoop, and then march on Breslau.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it will be that easy?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Marshal Lacy was somewhat puzzled, ¡°What do you mean, Your Highness?¡±

    He used to not take this young man seriously, but just two days ago, the latter had saved his army from a certain perilous situation. How could he dare underestimate him now?

    ¡°You just said it yourself, it will take half a month to a month to annihilate the enemy on the western side of the defensive line,¡± Joseph said, ¡°Such a long period is enough for Duke of Brunswick to reinforce the Lignitz Defensive Line.

    ¡°After that, even if we have a numerical advantage, we will still face a tough siege.¡±

    He paused and sighed, ¡°Perhaps half a year, or even longer, might not be enough to break through that line.

    ¡°As you know, the press in Vienna has already declared that you have recaptured Legnica. If we drag this out for so long, you may face considerable pressure by then.¡±

    There were still more than 200 cannons on the Lignitz Defensive Line. Even with a numerical advantage, nobody could say they could quickly take it. Of course, Joseph¡¯s mention of half a year was somewhat exaggerated.

    Hearing this, Marshal Lacy¡¯s expression turned bitter, ¡°You¡¯re right, Your Highness. But this is the best tactic I can think of. If His Majesty the Emperor blames me for the lack of progress in combat, I can only¡­¡±

    However, Joseph shook his head and said, ¡°Marshal, in fact, we have an excellent opportunity right now. Duke of Brunswick¡¯s recent withdrawal of a large force caused chaos in their defensive line, and having just suffered a defeat, their soldiers¡¯ morale is also very low.

    ¡°If we gather all our forces now and launch a strong attack on the southern defensive line, we might be able to achieve a breakthrough in one fell swoop.¡±

    Marshal Lacy also shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, there are still at least 90,000 troops on the Prussian defensive line. It might not be easy to break through quickly.

    ¡°Besides, the more than 50,000 enemies on the western side of the defensive line can¡¯t be ignored either. Otherwise, as soon as we start attacking the defensive line, they will immediately attack us from behind.¡±

    Joseph was waiting for this response and immediately a cunning smile flashed in his eyes, ¡°Marshal, what if I have a way to divert the soldiers on the enemy¡¯s defensive line, and at the same time prevent those 50,000 Prussians from causing trouble?¡±

 Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: Chapter 456: The Tide of Offensive and Defensive Has Changed

    Chapter 545: Chapter 456: The Tide of Offensive and Defensive Has Changed

    ¡°Really?!¡± Marshal Lacy was instantly overjoyed. According to the Crown Prince of France, they could break through the Lignitz Defensive Line with almost no losses.

    ¡°Do you have a plan?¡±

    Joseph immediately said, ¡°Mobilize all the Allied Forces within the territory of Lignitz as quickly as possible. This time we are going to take the initiative to strike, so gather all the corps responsible for the defense line.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marshal Lacy blinked, feeling that these words sounded somewhat familiar. Oh, that¡¯s right, when the Crown Prince of France arrived at Lignitz, he had suggested attacking in this manner, but Lacy had rejected it.

    At the end, after going around in circles, they still had to execute his tactics. Could it be that he, himself, was wrong?

    Joseph looked inscrutable and continued, ¡°And I can guarantee that within one week, a large portion of the Prussian Army on the defense line will move north, and the defense forces will be reduced by about 40%.

    ¡°At the same time, 50,000 enemy troops on the west side of the defense line will also leave for Gwozdziec.

    ¡°Then we can launch a fierce attack on the enemy¡¯s defensive line on the south side. With a vast superiority in troops, quickly achieve a breakthrough, and then invade deep into the territory of Liegnitz.¡±

    He looked around at the Austrian officers in the room, ¡°The things Ferdinand did to us before, we will return to him double!¡±

    All the officers exchanged excited glances, each clenching their fists. Just two days ago, they were being chased down by the Prussians; now they could bite back, and the mere thought was exhilarating!

    In his heart, Joseph said to the Duke of Brunswick: I only agreed to let your men go, but I never said I wouldn¡¯t take the opportunity to attack your defense line, so absolutely no breach of the trade agreement has occurred. Those 2 million florins cannot be refunded.

    Lacy immediately started studying the map with his officers; in just a moment, they confirmed the tactics were very feasible.

    He turned to Joseph and gave a bow across the chest, ¡°Your Highness, we will implement your plan. You truly are Austria¡¯s most steadfast ally!¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    Joseph also smiled and returned the gesture.

    He had been somewhat concerned that Marshal Lacy would stubbornly insist on annihilating those 50,000 enemy troops first, which would make his plan more complicated¡ªhe could only claim the enemy¡¯s onslaught was too fierce to hold, and have the Guard Corps at Zary open the way. If the encirclement battle failed to materialize, Lacy would have to consider his own assault plan.

    However, Marshal Lacy apparently did not understand the saying, ¡°Preserve the people, and the land will be preserved; preserve both the people and the land.¡± Eager to swiftly capture Liegnitz and then march into all of Silesia, he agreed without hesitation.

    ¡­

    Near Debar Village, 9 kilometers north of Wolfenstein Town.

    Lieutenant General Andreas, the temporary commander of the more than 50,000 Prussian Allied Forces being intercepted here, examined the sealed letter in his hands carefully before passing it to the staff officer beside him.

    After the latter also confirmed the seal on the letter was authentic, Andreas finally addressed the courier sent by the Duke of Brunswick: ¡°So, you managed to get through the French defensive line to reach here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, General,¡± the courier nodded earnestly, ¡°The Marshal and the French people have reached some agreement; it was they who let me through. The Marshal insists that you must act quickly to avoid the Austrians noticing anything abnormal.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for taking the risk to deliver the message.¡±

    Andreas ordered the attendant to take the courier to rest, then immediately summoned all the officers and showed them the sealed letter, ¡°According to the Marshal¡¯s orders¡ªthe entire army will march toward Gwozdziec immediately.¡±

    The next morning, those 50,000 plus Prussian soldiers moved quickly northward, and indeed, as the Duke of Brunswick had said, the troops at Zary did not attack them.

    Meanwhile, on the other side, the Duke of Brunswick had ordered the newly assembled army of 40,000 to hurry towards the northwest of Liegnitz, so they could meet up with Andreas and his men by the upper reaches of the Bober River.

    A week later, both sides successfully joined forces at the border of Gwozdziec Province, but the Duke of Brunswick did not encounter the tens of thousands of Austrian pursuers he had anticipated.

    A few hundred French cavalry, who had been ¡°supervising¡± Andreas, merely glanced at them from a distance before they promptly turned their horses and left.

    Although the Duke of Brunswick was somewhat surprised, he breathed a sigh of relief and instructed the courier to go back and inform his men that the 2 million florins could be handed over to the French.

    The following day, two couriers rushed into the Duke of Brunswick¡¯s camp as if they were out of their minds and anxiously reported to him, ¡°Marshal, the Austrians attacked our southern defensive line three days ago.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed the Duke of Brunswick, who quickly asked, ¡°How are things? ¡±

    ¡°The enemy has amassed an army of more than 80,000, as well as a significant number of heavy artillery. When we left, the defensive line had not been breached, but it was already difficult to hold.¡±

    The Duke of Brunswick¡¯s face turned ashen. He had left fewer than 30,000 men on the southern defenses, which also had to cover more than ten kilometers, and they would definitely not be able to stop such a large enemy force.

    Moreover, this news was already three days old.

    He immediately gathered his officers to discuss the situation and eventually decided to abandon the defensive line and retreat with the whole army towards the City of Liegnitz to continue the defense.

    At this time, they were about half the distance to the City of Liegnitz compared to the Austrian Allied Forces, and if they hurried now, they should have enough time to prepare defenses.

    To the southwest of Liegnitz, near Fordham Town.

    Joseph was listening to the distant rumble of artillery, leisurely commanding the staff responsible for military pay to distribute the 2 million florins they had received the day before.

    Four full wagons of gold coins, amounting to a vast sum of 5 million francs, made him sigh inwardly that war was indeed a quick way to make money.

    He pointed to a small chest of gold coins, ¡°Additionally, take out 30,000¡­ ah, no, make that 20,000 florins instead, to reward the unit that is first to breach the enemy¡¯s defenses.¡±

    This time, the Austrians were in charge of the main attack, and the Guard Corps only provided some artillery support; the rest of the soldiers were resting.

    After all, they had a significant numerical advantage this time, and if the Guard Corps were needed to win the battle, the Austrian forces might as well just buy a block of tofu and smash their heads with it.

    Marshal Lacy also agreed with this arrangement because so far, the war achievements had mostly been credited to the French, and he needed to seize more glory for himself.

    Nevertheless, Joseph, to avoid any unforeseen delays, decided to offer a substantial monetary incentive to motivate the Austrian soldiers.

    ¡°Is there about 400,000 florins left in this wagon?¡±

    When he saw the military pay staff nod, Joseph continued, ¡°Allocate all of it as bonus money for the soldiers of the Guard Corps who have received medals, as well as extra grants for the wounded. Oh, and make sure to deliver it directly to their homes.¡±

    The 400,000 florins, equating to 1 million francs, were to be divided among no more than a hundred medal recipients from the Silesian campaign and about three hundred wounded soldiers.

    That is to say, a recipient of the Golden Irish Medal could get close to 10,000 francs in bonus! Additionally, the wounded could receive an extra 1,500 francs on top of the regular pension.

    Such a large sum of money being delivered to a soldier¡¯s home would be a very impressive scene indeed and far more direct and effective than any flamboyant recruitment propaganda.

 Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: Chapter 457: The Devoted Music Teacher

    Chapter 546: Chapter 457: The Devoted Music Teacher

    The massive armies of up to 100,000 men each clashing in the Silesian campaign had made Joseph acutely aware of the need to expand the size of the Guard Corps.

    After all, no matter how strong your combat capabilities were, it was going to be tough to win when facing an enemy four or five times your size.

    So, he seized this windfall opportunity to attract a new group of soldiers and, at the same time, to boost the morale of the Guard Corps.

    Joseph looked at the remaining three carriages and, after pondering for a moment, gave his order, ¡°The rest should be deposited in the Bank of France Reserve for now. I¡¯ll use it to acquire military academies when I get back.¡±

    It was something he had been wanting to do for a while.

    Currently, there were a total of 12 top military academies in France, but apart from the Paris Military Academy, their sizes were modest.

    Take for instance, Napoleon¡¯s alma mater, Brienne Military Academy; it had just over a hundred students, and the other academies were essentially the same.

    But these academies had previously been intended for training noble officers, so their intake was naturally limited, making their size perfectly sufficient.

    The small size was actually an advantage for Joseph, as it meant the acquisition cost wouldn¡¯t be too high.

    Furthermore, most of the academies were affiliated with local army corps, usually stationed on military grounds, so there was no issue with the academies¡¯ unwillingness to be acquired¡ªthe military grounds were managed by the General Staff.

    Joseph planned to use 2 million francs to ¡°buy out¡± at least 10 of the top academies and then carry out a complete reformation.

    At the very least, he wanted to make the academies accessible to commoners.

    Of course, some privileges might need to be reserved for the nobility in the early stages, such as exemption from entrance exams, since they did pay substantial tuition fees.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï

    On the other hand, commoner students with outstanding achievements or exceptional talent could enjoy free tuition.

    Then came the expansion of the academies¡¯ sizes and their consolidation, which meant additional investment would be necessary.

    However, once these academies were reformed in the mold of the Paris Police Academy, Joseph would have a steady influx of high-quality soldiers and could fundamentally solve the problem of noble control over the military.

    The distant sound of cannon fire gradually thinned out, and Joseph knew this meant that both sides¡¯ main forces had begun the decisive battle. Glancing once more at the Gold Coins, he signaled Kesode to bring his horse, and he headed straight for Marshal Lacy¡¯s battlefield command post.

    Atop the high ground to the east of Debar Village, Marshal Lacy greeted Joseph with a beaming smile, raising his hat in salute before handing him a pair of binoculars and pointing to the front lines below, ¡°Just as you predicted, the Prussian defense is extremely weak.

    ¡°Our heavy artillery broke through the enemy¡¯s first infantry line, and now our boys are attacking the second.¡±

    He took a cup of coffee from an Attendant and handed it to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, have something warm. If all goes well, today we could capture the fork in the road before the forest.¡±

    Through the binoculars, Joseph saw a large number of Austrian soldiers converging on the Prussian Army from three directions; the battle¡¯s outcome seemed to lack suspense already.

    The fork in the road Marshal Lacy referred to was the last suitable place for a corps to deploy; after taking that position, the elite Austrian skirmishers would quickly sweep through the small defending forces.

    Marshal Lacy continued with an emphatic tone, ¡°Your Highness, after that we¡¯ll head straight for the City of Liegnitz. By the end of the month, we can hold a victory banquet there.¡±

    Joseph contemplated and said, ¡°Marshal, my suggestion is to leave the City of Liegnitz be for now.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We are to the south of Liegnitz, while the city is to the north,¡± Joseph replied. ¡°Instead of a long march, it would be better to launch a direct assault on Breslau.¡±

    Breslau was the capital of Silesia, located to the east of Liegnitz. From Fordham Town here, the distance to the City of Liegnitz and Breslau was basically close.

    Marshal Lacy immediately smiled and shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s too risky. Breslau has strong fortresses, and if we can¡¯t break through there swiftly, Ferdinand is likely to build a solid defensive line near the City of Liegnitz.

    ¡°At that time, we might end up unable to seize either Liegnitz or Breslau.¡±

    Joseph looked at him and asked, ¡°If you were the Duke of Brunswick, would you dare bet that the Breslau fortress wouldn¡¯t be rapidly breached by sixty to seventy thousand enemy troops?¡±

    Marshal Lacy fell into deep thought. The defense force of Breslau should not exceed four thousand, and even if Ferdinand were to urgently reinforce the troops, there would be at most ten thousand men.

    On the battlefield, situations change in a blink of an eye, and no one could guarantee the fortress wouldn¡¯t suffer an unexpected fate in the face of an attack from an Austrian Allied Forces that was more than six times greater.

    If Breslau was lost, it would mean that more than 80% of Silesia was gone¡ªfollowing the flow of the Oder River down from Breslau, it would be easy to capture both the provinces of Oberon and Ratibor.

    Ferdinand definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to take that gamble!

    ¡­

    Vienna.

    In a luxurious villa to the southwest of Vienna, a salon was currently underway.

    Baron Walter appeared to be in a good mood, having drunk quite a lot; he was already a bit tipsy.

    ¡°Ha, all that is just government propaganda,¡± he said casually to a few of the young nobles beside him, ¡°I¡¯m privy to the inside story. Let me tell you, the situation in Silesia is not as good as the newspapers say.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡ª¡± He burped from the alcohol, ¡°Don¡¯t spread this around, but the Allied Forces have been at a stalemate with the Prussians near Liegnitz all this time.¡±

    The young nobles exchanged glances, asking in astonishment, ¡°Is what you are saying true?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I heard it from the Minister of War,¡± Walter suddenly burst out laughing, ¡°You know what, even the Crown Prince of France has been surrounded by the Prussians in the Oberon region, haha.¡±

    He took another big gulp of wine and continued, ¡°That fool only brought over ten thousand men and recklessly left the camp, getting surrounded by thirty thousand Prussian troops. Marshal Lacy had to write to His Majesty the Emperor for help because of it.

    ¡°In my opinion, that French guy is probably already captured or even dead by now, haha, it¡¯s truly satisfying!¡±

    He seemed a bit drunk and grabbed a young noble he often drank and gambled with, saying proudly, ¡°Frank, that wench¡¯s protector is finally gone, hahaha! Once she returns to Vienna with the troops, I¡¯m curious to see how she¡¯ll get out of my grasp¡­ Eh¡ª, that little face of hers, tsk tsk, I¡¯ve never forgotten it¡­¡±

    As he was laughing wantonly, the musician playing the piano in the corner had a pale face, his hands trembling slightly, causing him to play several wrong notes in succession.

    That musician was Bazel, and he knew all too well that the ¡°wench¡± Walter was referring to was his own beloved Camellia.

    He bit down on his teeth tightly, originally thinking that his student had finally found a lifelong home and would become a noble of Paris, yet he hadn¡¯t expected that as if God were jealous of her, the Crown Prince of France would meet a tragic death on the battlefield¡­ or being taken to Potsdam, it was all the same.

    In any case, she had lost her protection.

    Bazel¡¯s icy gaze shot towards Baron Walter, and that scoundrel was not going to let her go.

    He curled up painfully in his chair, feeling as if his heart was breaking.

    Suddenly, Walter¡¯s burst of loud laughter jolted him.

    He sat up abruptly, his hands shaking even more, yet in his heart, there was an astonishing resolve: without the Crown Prince of France, let me be the one to clear all dangers for Vienna¡¯s flower!

 Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: Chapter 458 "Accomplishing Merit

    Chapter 547: Chapter 458 ¡°Accomplishing Merit

    ¡°Your Highness, no enemy forces were found near the Bober River,¡± Bertier reined in his horse, tipping his hat to Joseph.

    ¡°Good, continue to hasten the march,¡± Joseph nodded in acknowledgment while lifting a few sheets of paper, ¡°A personal letter from Marshal Lacy, expressing praise and gratitude to the second squadron of the Third Hussars, and he even sent 5,000 florins.¡±

    Bertier broke into a smile: ¡°If they hadn¡¯t covered them in time, Marshal Lacy¡¯s headquarters might have been overrun by the Prussian Cavalry.

    ¡°However, the young men of the Hussar¡¯s second squadron are indeed very brave, with four of them receiving medals. Especially that second lieutenant named Joachim Murat, who has received the Silver Iris Medal for the second time within six months.¡±

    This time, Murat had killed three enemy soldiers, captured a Prussian Major, and led his troops to bring Marshal Lacy to safety, nearly earning the Golden Iris Medal.

    ¡°He truly is an outstanding cavalryman!¡± Joseph expressed his surprise, yet he was not surprised at all in his heart.

    This was Murat after all, the historical cavalry chief under Napoleon. He had led tens of thousands of cavalry in a charge at the Battle of Auerstedt, breaking through the Russian central defenses and annihilating several Russian artillery regiments, thereby securing a decisive victory.

    Such talent could not hide its brilliance anywhere.

    Joseph then told Bertier, ¡°I think we can consider an extraordinary promotion for Lieutenant Murat.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. In fact, the General Staff has also suggested that we directly promote him to Captain.¡±

    As they were speaking, a courier hastened over and handed a report to Bertier: ¡°General, this is the latest dispatch from Breslau.¡±

    After quickly reading it, Bertier excitedly said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, Marshal Lacy¡¯s troops have reached the Breslau fortress and will soon launch an assault. And just as you surmised, the main forces of the Prussian Army are heading to Breslau for reinforcement.¡±

    Joseph breathed a sigh of relief. After so many twists and turns, the situation was finally nearing what he desired ¡ª the military power balance between Prussia and Austria had not significantly altered. Once the Duke of Brunswick reached Breslau, they should be able to form a standoff near the fortress.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    On his own side, in three more days, they would arrive at the City of Liegnitz. Although Duke Brunswick had left nearly ten thousand troops to defend it, he was approaching with the main forces of the Guard Corps.

    The Guard Corps, since its inception, rarely fought with a numerical advantage, so the siege should encounter no unexpected difficulties.

    Once he handed over the City of Liegnitz to Marshal Lacy, he could claim a complete ¡°mission accomplished.¡±

    By then, William II, having lost Liegnitz, would surely not rest, and Austria, having just recaptured a province in Silesia, was unlikely to let go.

    Both sides would continue to reinforce their troops, leading to a major confrontation at Breslau. Meanwhile, France could use this time to develop quietly and even sell supplies to the war-torn regions of Germany.

    Alas, for the future of France, even the great Holy Roman Empire must endure hardships.

    ¡­

    Duke of Brunswick frowned, looking at the gloomy sky, and loudly chastised the soldiers to hasten their pace.

    That old fox Lacy dared to raid Breslau under insufficient supplies and completely disrupted his plans.

    But the defending force of the Breslau fortress was too small, and even after urgently drawing nearby security forces, there were still fewer than 9,000 men, which could easily be breached by the Austrians.

    ¡°God, please don¡¯t let it rain.¡±

    Looking up at the dark clouds again, he heard the rapid hoofbeats, turned his head, and saw a mud-covered courier sprinting towards him, saying with a troubled face, ¡°Marshal, the City of Liegnitz¡­¡±

    ¡°Has the enemy attacked the City of Liegnitz?¡±

    The courier nodded, ¡°Yes, Marshal. General Auguste had dispatched me when the enemy vanguard had already entered the suburbs.¡±

    Duke of Brunswick roared immediately, ¡°What on earth is Auguste doing?!¡±

    The day before yesterday, a messenger from the City of Liegnitz had informed him that there were no movements of the enemy troops. Yet, in less than two days, the place had fallen!

    His face turned grim as he looked down at the saddle. Just half a month ago, he had triumphantly breached the Austrian line of defense, preparing to end the war in Silesia and return to Potsdam.

    Now, however, he was contemplating how to plead guilty to His Majesty the King¡­

    Vienna.

    In the luxurious guest room on the second floor of the ¡°Red Boots¡± brothel, a young woman, adorned with the most fashionable makeup among noblewomen, wrapped her arms around Bazel¡¯s neck and looked at him coquettishly, speaking in a flirtatious voice, ¡°Mr. Miller, if you are having trouble ¡®standing firm,¡¯ I have some mummy powder here. It¡¯s a bit expensive, but I guarantee it works¡­¡±

    As she spoke, her hand moved towards his groin.

    ¡°Please step aside!¡± Bazel slapped her hand away, then immediately bent over the keyhole again.

    The prostitute from ¡°Red Boots¡± was very professional, sticking close to him again and unfastening the buttons on her chest, ¡°Sir, you can ask me to do anything¡­¡±

    Bazel suddenly felt a bit of soreness in his legs and pulled her towards the door, ¡°Then please keep an eye on the room on the side, the one with the statue of Hera in front of it. Let me know immediately if there is any movement.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Oh¡­¡± The prostitute reluctantly bent down to look through the keyhole.

    Bazel then picked up a small violin used to keep spirits up and quietly started playing.

    Soon, the prostitute complained, ¡°Are you interested in Miss Fanny? Then why seek me out¡­¡±

    Fanny was the prostitute working in the room diagonally across.

    Bazel replied indifferently, ¡°No, I am after that man.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The gossip lit up in the prostitute¡¯s eyes, ¡°So you¡¯re here to ¡®catch a cheater¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Sort of. Please keep an eye on it.¡±

    ¡°Alright, sir. I¡¯ll certainly help you deal with that ¡®faithless man¡¯!¡±

    An hour later, the prostitute, rubbing her sore waist, suddenly whispered in shock, ¡°Mr. Miller, the door, the door is opening!¡±

    Bazel¡¯s eyes suddenly flashed with a cold light, dropping the violin, he took his bag from the coat rack, pushed past the prostitute, and burst through the door.

    Baron Walter turned around, entangled with Miss Fanny hanging on him, and suddenly felt an unusual shift in the lighting. He turned his head only to see a man in his mid-thirties watching him fiercely.

    ¡°Who are you? What do you want¡­¡±

    He was speaking when he saw the other pull out a pistol from his bag, aiming directly at his left chest, and his words immediately turned into ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t do this¡­¡±

    Bazel whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°Devil, don¡¯t think you can insult Camellia just because the Crown Prince of France is not around! Go and repent to God!¡±

    Then, he decisively pulled the trigger, and with a ¡°snap,¡± the flint fell onto the frizzen.

 Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: Chapter 459 The Obligation of the Allies

    Chapter 548: Chapter 459 The Obligation of the Allies

    The anticipated loud bang did not occur.

    Bazel and Baron Walter looked at the pistol at the same time, then both realized¡ªit had not fired.

    Although modern flintlock guns were quite refined, the flint could still occasionally fail to spark upon striking the frizzen, resulting in a certain probability that no sparks would enter the pan. This caused the firing rate of flintlock guns to never surpass 90%.

    And Bazel had encountered that unfortunate 10%.

    Baron Walter hesitated for a moment then pulled a nearby maid toward him, while he turned and ran into the house, simultaneously screaming at the top of his lungs:

    ¡°Help! Someone is trying to kill me!¡±

    Annoyed, Bazel cleared the frizzen and cocked the flint again, but as he raised the gun once more, he saw the terrified Fanny standing in the way of the scoundrel.

    Not wanting to accidentally harm the woman, he stepped forward and pushed her aside, only to see Baron Walter overturn the table and take cover behind it.

    At the entrance of the corridor, Baron Walter¡¯s bodyguard, hearing the cries for help, hurried over.

    As he rounded the doorway, he immediately saw a man with a gun approaching the overturned wooden table, while his master¡¯s shoes peeped out from under the table¡¯s edge.

    The bodyguard deftly pulled a dagger from his waist and threw it at Bazel.

    At the same time, the music teacher had finally reached the table¡ªpointing the gun downwards, he forcefully pulled the trigger.

    However, with a soft ¡°puff,¡± something threw him off balance slightly as his pistol blew flames, sending a bullet grazing past Baron Walter¡¯s thigh and striking the liquor cabinet behind him.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0

    Wood chips flew everywhere, and Baron Walter cried out in agony.

    A hint of joy flashed across Bazel¡¯s face, but then he felt a sharp pain in his back, and his body drained of all strength, he fell to the side.

    His vision blurred, he vaguely saw the scoundrel covered in blood and incessantly screaming.

    ¡°The flower of Vienna, the devil has been killed by me¡­¡± his body spasmed, and though few words formed on his lips, ¡°I love you, may you be free¡­¡±

    The bodyguard swiftly moved in, glanced at the knife in the assassin¡¯s back, and feeling the pulse in his carotid artery, confirmed that he was dead, then approached Baron Walter leaning in the corner:

    ¡°Where are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know, it hurts so much! I¡¯ve been shot! Ah, ah¡ª¡±

    The bodyguard straightened him up, inspected him carefully, confirming only some splinters had embedded in his waist and legs, and a wooden piece had pierced his palm¡ªthere were no lethal injuries, he then heaved a sigh of relief.

    Schonbrunn Palace.

    Emperor Joseph II on the sickbed, upon hearing the words of his brother Leopold II whispered in his ear, suddenly opened his eyes wide, struggling desperately to sit up.

    The attending doctor immediately supported him, just to hear the Emperor, who had not spoken for almost a week, strainedly say:

    ¡°Good! Good! Legnica, banquet, I¡­¡±

    Leopold II hurriedly responded:

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you planning to hold a banquet to celebrate the recapture of Legnica?¡±

    Joseph II weakly nodded, while attempting to raise his hand:

    ¡°Commend¡­ Lacy¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I have already sent Marshal Lacy¡¯s Order of Commendation to the front line,¡± Leopold II said. ¡°Currently, nearly 70,000 Allied Forces are fiercely attacking the fortress of Breslau.¡±

    ¡°Good, good!¡± A smile filled Joseph II¡¯s pale face. ¡°I want Silesia¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength and leaned sleepily against the doctor.

    The latter hurriedly checked the Emperor¡¯s pulse, nodding to Leopold II:

    ¡°His Majesty is just too weak. Perhaps, I should perform a bloodletting treatment on him.¡±

    ¡°Then I leave it entirely in your hands.¡±

    ¡­

    In a suite on the second floor of Schonbrunn Palace, Ludovica, wife of the Austrian Crown Prince, looked with heartache at her brother wrapped in bandages, especially his left hand, which now had only two fingers left, the rest amputated by doctors.

    Suddenly, cheers surged from outside the window, causing Baron Walter to turn his head:

    ¡°Cousin, what are they doing?¡±

    ¡°They seem to be celebrating the great victory at Legnica,¡± Ludovica said. ¡°I heard Marshal Lacy won a significant battle there, annihilating nearly 2,000 enemy troops, and now his forces have nearly reached Breslau.¡±

    Walter, clutching his wounded side, exclaimed incredulously, ¡°How is that possible? Just last week, wasn¡¯t it reported that the situation in Silesia was unfavorable, and that the Prussian lines had been breached¡­ How come?¡±

    ¡°Marshal Lacy¡¯s report stated that the French Army suddenly appeared on the flank of the Prussian offensive line and divided the enemy¡­¡±

    Walter paused suddenly, then anxiously asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t the French forces surrounded at Oberon?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? They just suddenly broke through.¡±

    Walter grabbed her arm urgently, ¡°So, the Crown Prince of France wasn¡¯t captured?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ludovica pursed her lips, ¡°His Majesty even had someone write a letter to express his gratitude to him.¡±

    Walter¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, ¡°So it was him¡­¡±

    ¡°Who? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°That assassin mentioned him at the time. I thought he had been captured or killed, so I didn¡¯t pay attention.¡±

    Walter¡¯s expression turned fearful, ¡°Now it seems that assassin was sent by him! Yes, that woman must have wanted revenge on me and asked him to kill me¡­¡±

    Ludovica looked at him nervously, ¡°Who exactly are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The Crown Prince of France!¡±

    ¡­

    City of Liegnitz.

    Joseph was comfortably watching the Austrian troops changing guard when Bertier hurried towards him, saluting and saying:

    ¡°Your Highness, Marshal Lacy has sent a batch of supplies for the troops, and some women¡­ also, he has requested our presence in Breslau as soon as possible.¡±

    He lowered his voice:

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, his offensive there is not going very well.¡±

    Joseph nodded:

    ¡°Please reply to Marshal Lacy, thanking him for the supplies. As for going to Breslau¡­¡±

    He paused to remember the date, now it was February, although he couldn¡¯t remember the exact date of Joseph II¡¯s death, it must be nearing.

    ¡°Tell him our army has been engaged in prolonged battles and needs half a month to recuperate. After that, we will immediately proceed to reinforce him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Bertier was about to turn away when Joseph called out to him:

    ¡°Oh, and please relay a secret order to General Kellermann to pack up the baggage train and be ready to return to France at any moment.¡±

    Currently, more than half of Kellermann¡¯s 30,000 French troops were accompanying Marshal Lacy in attacking Breslau.

    ¡°Ah?¡± Bertier appeared surprised, ¡°May I know the reason for this?¡±

    Joseph slightly smiled, ¡°We cannot get too deeply entrenched in Silesia. It is time to leave.¡±

    Bertier was shocked, ¡°Your Highness, but this will severely impact the Franco-Austrian Alliance.¡±

    ¡°Please do not worry, I will handle the diplomatic aspects.¡±

    ¡­

    England.

    London.

    Council Hall of St. James¡¯s Palace.

    James Fox, leader of the Whig Party, with both hands pressed on the table, loudly declared:

    ¡°France has effectively entered the war! They have over 50,000 troops in Silesia. It is now time to fulfill our military obligations to our Prussian allies!¡±

 Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: Chapter 460: The Death of the Emperor of Sanctum

    Chapter 549: Chapter 460: The Death of the Emperor of Sanctum

    Almost half of the British members of Parliament immediately voiced their agreement, ¡°The Fao Allied Forces have already taken the initiative on the battlefield, we must respond!¡±

    ¡°If Austria regains Silesia, the strategic balance Germany had achieved will be shattered.¡±

    ¡°Not just Silesia, the Fao alliance could even influence the political situation across the European Continent¡­¡±

    As a traditional troublemaker, England would never allow a dominant power to emerge in Europe.

    However, some more cautious members of Parliament shook their heads in discussion, with one of them standing up and saying,

    ¡°Lord Fox, we are not at all prepared for war, we haven¡¯t even begun to mobilize our troops.¡±

    England had committed all its mobile forces to India last year, and currently could dispatch no more than 30,000 men to Silesia, and logistical supplies were also not ready, so even if they went to war, it would be difficult to affect the outcome.

    Fox immediately slapped the war proposal in front of him and shouted, ¡°That¡¯s why we should begin preparations for war immediately.¡±

    He pointed vigorously at the air to the east, ¡°By the time the French people help Austria defeat our allies, it will be too late!

    ¡°Weak Holland can hardly be relied upon, Prussia is our only support point in Europe. If Prussia is defeated and chooses to side with France and Austria, it would be a nightmare for Britain!¡±

    In the Parliament hall, the shouts supporting him grew louder. Members of the Tory Party, although reluctant to support his proposal, couldn¡¯t find a reason to refute at the moment.

    In just over an hour, the British Senate passed the resolution to immediately begin preparations for war, and in three months, send troops to participate in the Silesian war with no fewer than 60,000 men. It also sharply increased Hanover¡¯s troop presence in Silesia and requested that allies like Holland, Lower Hesse, and Poland also dispatch troops.

    The resolution was quickly sent to Ten Downing Street for Prime Minister William Pitt Junior¡¯s signature.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    It seemed that soon, Europe might be completely ignited with Silesia as the focal point.

    ¡­

    Silesia.

    South of the City of Liegnitz.

    ¡°Please accept this token of appreciation.¡± General Leao, grinning widely, gestured towards the carriage stopped on the road, ¡°I heard about it, even Marshal Lacy was opposed to sending more troops to Ratibor, but it was you who overcame the opposition and had General Kellermann lead 30,000 troops to assist me.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Joseph coughed and smiled, patting his shoulder, ¡°We are old friends after all, I couldn¡¯t just watch you fall into danger.¡±

    Leao was once again profusely grateful. He had always thought it was his own poor combat abilities that led to him being surrounded in Ratibor, but it was ultimately the Crown Prince of France who saved him.

    Joseph was also happy to maintain a good relationship since it meant more connections in Vienna.

    He and General Leao exchanged pleasantries as they entered the tent. At that moment, an adviser approached and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, they are all jewels and luxury goods, worth at least 500,000 francs.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s smile grew even brighter, it seemed Leao had sent everything Vienna had awarded him. Indeed, because of Austria¡¯s great victory, Leao¡¯s actions in Ratibor were characterized as ¡°fighting bravely and tenaciously, thereby tying down a large number of enemy troops.¡± He was thus commended, and his promotion to Marshal was likely a done deal.

    Soon, Leao¡¯s conversation shifted to the ongoing war.

    He took out a letter personally written by Marshal Lacy and said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, the Allied Forces currently hold a significant advantage in Breslau.

    ¡°The headquarters has already drawn up the ¡®March Offensive¡¯ combat plan, just waiting for your Corps to arrive, and we will soon be able to break through the Breslau fortress.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself, as General Willemze, who had earlier rushed him, had not yet left, and now Leao was urging him again.

    The Guard Corps had been ¡°resting¡± here for over half a month, it seemed they really couldn¡¯t delay any longer.

    As he reluctantly turned to Bertier, preparing to order the troops to set out, he heard the rapid approach of hoofbeats. Soon after, an officer holding a black obituary entered the tent, and said in a solemn tone, ¡°Your Highness, gentlemen, the Holy Roman Emperor has been summoned by Jesus¡­¡±

    Although Joseph was rather saddened by the passing of his uncle, after all, he was a relative , he too felt a sense of relief.

    Joseph II, according to the course of history, had passed away at the end of February 1790.

    And France would now be able to use this occasion to extricate itself from the whirlpool of the Silesian Wars.

    Joseph looked toward General Leao, who was shocked, and said mournfully, ¡°My beloved uncle has passed away, I must return to Vienna to attend the funeral.¡±

    Leao also came to his senses, and began to beat his chest and lament, ¡°May His Majesty rest in peace in Heaven¡­¡±

    For a moment, no one brought up the situation of the war anymore, Marshal Lacy urgently revised the battle plans, switching to full defensive positions. Fortunately, the Austrian Army had gained some advantages previously, and Prussia was also unable to seize the opportunity to launch a full counterattack.

    One week later.

    Vienna did not have any somber air, in fact, the death of Joseph II even seemed to excite some people.

    Inside Schonbrunn Palace, several ministers were advising Leopold II, ¡°Your Majesty, if the nobles continue to be uncooperative, the nation¡¯s finances will be depleted within a few months.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, we have made a breakthrough in Silesia, but we have also expended a large amount of material.¡±

    ¡°The separatist activities in Hungary are becoming increasingly rampant, I suggest we redeploy some troops to Pest to deter¡­¡±

    Leopold II furrowed his brows, he was well aware that these nobles¡¯ words added up to one thing¡ª¡±Please abolish Joseph II¡¯s reforms as soon as possible.¡±

    Although he has always advocated an end to his brother¡¯s reforms, the influence of the reformists could not be ignored, especially since he had not yet officially been crowned Emperor.

    Given Germany¡¯s political structure, the Electoral Princes could only vote for him, but before that, he did not want to stir up too much political turbulence.

    At this moment, an attendant at the doorway loudly announced, ¡°Count Kaunitz arrives¡ª¡±

    Leopold II quickly turned his head and saw State Minister Kaunitz briskly walking in, saluting him by placing his hand on his chest, then loudly said, ¡°Your Majesty, it is urgent that we suspend the reforms. As for those reformers filled with fanciful ideas, I believe they could be arrested for inciting riots!¡±

    Although Kaunitz was not favored by Leopold II and had gradually moved away from the center of power, his influence as an important political force in Vienna was not to be underestimated.

    Seeing his firm support to end the reforms, Leopold II hesitated no longer, and said to the Minister of the Interior, ¡°Please draft the decree to suspend the reforms immediately, we will discuss it at the imperial conference tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    Joseph II¡¯s coffin slowly proceeded down the streets of Vienna, carried by the robust imperial guards. The Pope¡¯s personally dispatched Cardinal led a group of priests, carrying various ceremonial instruments, followed closely on either side.

 Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: Chapter 1 The Social Death Plan

    Chapter 550: Chapter 1 The Social Death Plan

    The Viennese public that came to the Emperor¡¯s funeral numbered more than ten thousand, tightly filling several nearby streets.

    Joseph, clad in a black overcoat, sat in a wheelchair, following closely behind Leopold II, contemplating how to withdraw the French Army from Silesia in stages.

    Well, his legs were fine, but the official story was that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had suffered a leg wound from a bullet on the battlefield. During his journey to Vienna, the wound became infected, and it was now starting to affect his mobility.

    The conflict in Silesia had come to a halt. Lacy had dragged the cannons he¡¯d used during the standoff at Legnica back to Breslau and built new defensive lines.

    Just the day before yesterday, Leopold II had formally announced the suspension of Joseph II¡¯s reforms, causing an uproar throughout Austria.

    Joseph remembered that historically, Leopold II canceled the reforms a few months later. It seems that due to the excessive burden the war in Silesia had placed on the Empire, he had to act sooner to secure more support from the nobles, especially the Hungarian nobles.

    However, this was good news for him. Once the Hungarian troops poured into Silesia in large numbers, the withdrawal of the French Army would be much less noticeable.

    Behind him and to the side, another man sitting in a wheelchair was staring at him with venomous resentment, Baron Walter.

    Walter¡¯s injury had healed quite a bit but walking still caused him immense pain.

    He no longer feared the Crown Prince of France¡ªthe French Army had previously been the Emperor¡¯s hope for reclaiming Silesia. Just as before, the slightest sign of dissatisfaction from the Frenchman would lead his brother-in-law to severely reprimand him.

    He even worried that the Crown Prince of France would once again send someone to assassinate him.

    Yet now, everything was different!

    The reforms had ended, and the nobles were jubilant, vowing loyalty to the new Emperor. Furthermore, the Hungarian nobles had rallied an army of almost 40,000 men, which was soon to depart for Silesia.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    In Austria, Bohemia, Croatia, and even the Southern Netherlands, a great number of nobles who had refused to fight due to the reforms were about to join the ranks; their numbers were said to be over 30,000.

    This meant that Austria no longer needed the French Army.

    Baron Walter in the wheelchair looked down at his maimed hand and silently vowed to someday make that arrogant and despicable Frenchman pay!

    In fact, he had already been secretly contacting anti-French ministers in Austria, working to get the French Army out of Austria. Although he had little political prowess, his identity was a political symbol in itself, so his efforts were starting to have an impact.

    Austria, an empire that had come together without bloodshed and located in the heart of Europe, bordered many powerful nations, leading to a variety of factions within the country¡ªpro-France, pro-Britain, pro-Russia, even pro-Prussia, and of course, there were opponents to all the aforementioned nations.

    If Joseph knew about Baron Walter¡¯s maneuvering, he really would have to award him a medal.

    Walter thought France was bending over backward to ally with Austria and form an Allied Forces with the Holy Rome, but Joseph couldn¡¯t wait to slip away and leave Silesia, this land of trouble.

    And so, after the funeral of the ambitious Emperor of Sanctum, Joseph II, was over, Joseph used his severe injury as a pretext to return to Paris and took the first regiment of the Guard as his escort along the way.

    Before leaving Vienna, Camellia had found no spare time to visit her teacher¡ªthe Crown Prince was injured, and she needed to be available to tend to him at all times.

    While everyone was preoccupied with the Emperor¡¯s funeral, the assassination of Baron Walter went largely unnoticed. The girl left a letter for her teacher and returned to Paris with the Crown Prince.

    Paris.

    Despite Joseph¡¯s repeated requests for the media to downplay France¡¯s military victory in Silesia, close to a thousand citizens still gathered on either side of the streets to welcome the victorious troops upon his arrival in Paris.

    Joseph had long since abandoned his wheelchair¡ªwho said the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t recover from robust health in a week¡ªand after making a brief speech to the welcoming crowd, left the task of promoting ¡°military-civilian fraternity¡± to Bertier, heading straight back to the Palace of Versailles.

    After reporting his safety to Queen Mary and Louis XVI and dining with them, Joseph finally had some leisure time.

    Was it easy being the Crown Prince? It was almost always working 9-9-7, and he often had to travel on business.

    He was preparing to head back to his chamber for a good night¡¯s sleep. During his time in Silesia, he had mostly slept on campaign beds, which left him waking up with a sore back. Today he could finally enjoy his own velvet bed.

    However, as he rounded the corner of the corridor, he saw Fouche, Mirabeau, Bailly, and others standing at the door, eagerly waiting.

    Joseph sighed deeply and walked over with heavy steps.

    Several ministers hurriedly bowed with respect. After praising his victory in Silesia, they exchanged glances, and Fouche took the lead into the parlor.

    ¡°Your Highness, about that matter concerning Oscar Poli that you instructed,¡± the head of the intelligence service laid a document before the Crown Prince, ¡°we have mostly grasped all his details and have placed people around him, we can take action at any time now.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s spirits lifted upon hearing this. This Corsican Restoration Faction leader was a thorn in his side, regrettably located in England, but now he finally had the means to deal with him.

    He looked at Fouche and asked, ¡°Do you have a plan?¡±

    ¡°According to your previous instructions, we¡¯ve decided to achieve our goal through a mistress.¡±

    Since the British Government forbade assassination, Joseph could only set the goal for Poli to be socially finished.

    He frowned slightly and followed up with, ¡°Please, elaborate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Fouche replied, ¡°Poli is married. We plan to have a low-born Bulgarian woman seduce him, making him think she¡¯s French.

    ¡°After she accomplishes this, we will widely publicize their affair and also reveal the woman¡¯s background¡­¡±

    Joseph sighed. He couldn¡¯t blame the intelligence service for their outdated methods; after all, they were people of the 18th century, unfamiliar with the intricate plots of the future, so such a cliched strategy was to be expected.

    Seeing his dissatisfaction, Fouche quickly added, ¡°Then, how about I send two Bulgarian women to seduce him?¡±

    The French Guard Carabinier Cavalry, some units left their mark in history only under Napoleon¡¯s command, while others did exactly the opposite, like this Guard Cavalry Regiment, already renowned in Europe since the 18th century. They, like the Guard Grenadier Cavalry, enjoyed the finest warhorses. Since they were an Old Nobility unit established by Louis XVI and had a fierce reputation for taking cities and lands, they were a fearsome double-edged sword for Napoleon.

 Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: Chapter 462: Industrial Development and Chart Statistics Method

    Chapter 551: Chapter 462: Industrial Development and Chart Statistics Method

    Fouche was startled upon hearing this, then a sparkle of excitement shimmered in his eyes as he clapped his hands, ¡°Your Highness, this method is simply brilliant! I request that it be included in the spy training curriculum.¡±

    Joseph smiled, waved his hand, and said, ¡°What I just described was merely the basic model of a ¡®moral attack,¡¯ You can further expand it yourself.¡±

    Throughout history, many celebrities and tycoons were brought to disrepute by such simple and low-cost methods; even many who later proved their innocence were still profoundly affected.

    ¡°Basic model?¡± Fouche¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You mean, there¡¯s something even more vicious than this?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph said casually, ¡°You need to broaden your thinking.¡±

    ¡°For instance, having a handsome man dress as a lady to seduce Paul, then manage to intoxicate him, and follow the same steps as before. When he cries out for help, calling the police and onlookers, then ¡®accidentally¡¯ reveal his chest hair¡­¡±

    Fouche was petrified. For the first time, he felt as pure as a young maiden, trembling in this cruel and perverse world.

    Seeing his expression, Joseph realized that these tactics might be tarnishing his own image, and hurriedly coughed, ¡°Ahem, well, actually I was inspired by some wild stories told by the Austrian soldiers.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for the head of the intelligence agency to respond, and quickly continued: ¡°Also, what I wanted to say is that you can¡¯t just attack that separatist from a moral standpoint.¡±

    ¡°After all, even a morally corrupt leader will still have followers.¡±

    Fouche pondered, ¡°You mean?¡±

    ¡°Interest,¡± Joseph made a fist, ¡°If everyone believes that Paul will erode their interests, combined with his unacceptable morals, then he will certainly ¡®socially die¡¯!¡±

    ¡°¡®Socially die¡¯?¡± Fouche heard a foreign term.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s short for ¡®social death¡¯,¡± Joseph explained, ¡°Some people, although alive, are already considered dead in their social circles.¡±

    Fouche nodded thoughtfully, ¡°I must also incorporate this into the spy training curriculum.¡±

    He then looked at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, then let¡¯s design some traps involving the interests between Paul and his organization members¡­¡±

    Joseph listened to his plan and immediately proposed enhancements based on some ¡°sly practices¡± from the future.

    After nearly an hour of discussion, they preliminarily finalized a plan to deal with the leader of the Restoration Faction from Corsica, and Fouche returned to the intelligence bureau to make detailed arrangements, constantly reminding himself: in the future, offend anyone but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    The door to the reception hall was pushed open again, and the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Commerce walked in.

    Both men bowed to Joseph, and Mirabeau first handed over the document he was carrying with both hands.

    Joseph glanced at the document titled ¡°1789 National Industrial Development Overview,¡± and immediately smiled and praised, ¡°In just over three months, you¡¯ve compiled the industrial development of the last year, the efficiency of your work is exceptional.¡±

    In an era without Excel, let alone telegraphs, compiling national industrial data was an extremely daunting task.

    Considering that industrial data had not been collected before, they could only draw parallels from the statistics of agricultural data. The national agricultural overview for 1788 took a full nine months to compile.

    As an emerging noble familiar with the capitalist production model, Mirabeau was far more efficient than the old nobility bureaucrats. Of course, this was also because he usually paid attention to the collection and organization of archives, which enabled him to complete last year¡¯s industrial report in such a short time.

    ¡°Thank you for your Highness¡¯s praise; it is all part of my duty.¡±

    As the Crown Prince began to browse the document, Mirabeau stood by and gave a brief introduction, ¡°Under your wise leadership, Your Highness, last year our country¡¯s industrial scale expanded to more than 140% of its original size.¡±

    ¡°Especially in the papermaking and machinery industries, the growth scale has reached 3.5 times and 2.3 times, respectively.¡±

    Joseph nodded.

    With the enhancement of wood pulp technology in papermaking, such a significant increase was not surprising. However, the fact that the United Steam Engine Company alone had so drastically elevated the machinery industry was truly remarkable.

    However, he also knew that this belonged to the initial explosive growth of new industries, which, as the industries matured, would gradually slow down in the future.

    Mirabeau glanced at the spot Joseph was looking at and continued,

    ¡°Ah, the brewing industry, yes, although the scale of the brewing industry only grew to 115% of its previous size, thanks to your new brewing technique, the profits have increased by 2.3 times.¡±

    Joseph was quite satisfied with this figure.

    After all, brewing was a cornerstone industry in France; the fact that it had a 15% growth on an already substantial scale was significant.

    Additionally, with the aid of pasteurization, French wine almost monopolized the entire high-end market, significantly increasing its profitability. This alone contributed nearly ten million francs in taxes to the French treasury each year.

    Joseph also saw in the report that, driven by wine, French beer had begun to make strides. Since the last half of the previous year, Normandy beer had gradually expanded into Germany and Italy, markets which had previously been dominated almost exclusively by Dortmund and Bavaria.

    As Joseph turned the page, Mirabeau continued his explanation, ¡°Textiles, steel, and coal industries also saw appreciable growth. Especially given our substantial investment in these industries this year, although we will face competition from countries like England and Austria, I am optimistic about this year¡¯s development¡­¡±

    Having finished reviewing the ¡°Industrial Development Overview,¡± Joseph felt a profound sense of accomplishment¡ªunder his relentless efforts, the momentum of France¡¯s industrial growth was formidable, much better than historical situations had ever been.

    Following this trend, in just a few years, France¡¯s industrial production capacity would be able to compete with that of the British.

    Of course, in terms of markets and raw materials, the British still had a significant advantage since they possessed the most colonies in the world.

    Thus, France¡¯s main targets were to rely on the Rhine-Saone Treaty to penetrate the German market as much as possible while rapidly developing the North African market.

    After all, for the development of industries, the sales market is even more crucial than technology and scale.

    Looking at the dense data on the report, Joseph felt a bit dizzy.

    He rubbed his nose bridge and turned to the Minister of Industry, ¡°Count Mirabeau, for documents in this data format, I have a more effective and intuitive way of presenting information.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Mirabeau leaned forward eagerly, ¡°I hope Your Highness could teach me.¡±

    Joseph took some paper, a pen, and a ruler and began drawing while referencing the data from the document. He explained, ¡°The vertical axis represents output or amount, and the horizontal axis represents the months. Mark each month¡¯s production at the corresponding point on both axes and then connect all the points with lines.¡±

    He handed Mirabeau the finished line chart of the paper industry¡¯s output, ¡°This is called a line chart.¡±

    He allowed Mirabeau a moment to absorb the information and then drew a circle on another piece of paper, marking it with data, ¡°This one is a pie chart.¡±

    ¡°This one is a bar chart¡­¡±

    ¡°This one is a scatter plot¡­¡±

    ¡°And this is a spider chart¡­¡±

    Joseph silently apologized to Lapras in his mind, ¡°To enhance government work efficiency, I could only ¡®spoiler¡¯ your statistical chart method in advance. As a Frenchman yourself, you should be able to understand, right?¡±

 Chapter 552 - Chapter 552: Chapter 463: The Three Major Rating Agencies

    Chapter 552: Chapter 463: The Three Major Rating Agencies

    When Mirabeau saw the industrial data of different types gathered on a single chart for the past year, clearly showing the trend of changes, he was instantly enlightened.

    ¡°Your Highness, how did you think of using this method? It¡¯s truly magical!¡± He flipped through the various statistical charts, unable to tear himself away. ¡°Looking at these charts, it only takes a few minutes to understand the industrial situation of the last year.¡±

    And yet he had just explained it for nearly an hour.

    These charts had significantly improved work efficiency to an amazing degree.

    He immediately thought of more applications, excitedly saying, ¡°Perhaps, we can promote this method of data statistics to factory production and administrative management.¡±

    Bailly added from the side, ¡°And scientific research. It would make papers clearer and easier to read.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is truly a great innovation!¡± Mirabeau looked at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I dare say, if government departments and factory managers all use these charts to handle documents, it could greatly enhance the efficiency of the entire nation.

    ¡°I suggest that this should be promoted nationwide as soon as possible, even mandated in government documents.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat baffled by their enthusiasm. He had initially just wanted Mirabeau¡¯s report to be more concise and efficient, not anticipating such a significant impact.

    He patted his forehead, realizing that he had seen statistical charts so frequently before, he subconsciously thought nothing special of them. Mirabeau was right, such a minor technique could greatly enhance management efficiency, almost equivalent to the 18th century¡¯s Excel.

    Joseph immediately nodded to Mirabeau, ¡°Please organize some scholars to help compile the chart statistics into a manual, and print it in large quantities. As for how to teach the managers¡­¡±

    Mirabeau instantly interrupted, ¡°Your Highness, we could incorporate this statistical method into the standardized production system, and have it taught by Monsieur Laisonne¡¯s management consulting firm.¡±

    Joseph nodded. These things, which seem so simple in future generations, indeed required a professional company to promote in the 18th century. Just like in the early 21st century, one would need to take a class to learn how to create Excel charts.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    Speaking of standardized production systems, Joseph thought of another issue; factories adopting standardized production models should be rewarded, after all, they were contributing to the nation¡¯s overall productivity increase.

    His first thought was tax reductions, but he quickly shook his head slightly. Whether it was industrial development zones or the promotion of automatic looms, taxes had already been significantly reduced, and they could not be reduced further, especially since France was still shouldering a debt of over two billion.

    Perhaps, establishing a rating agency should be put on the agenda.

    With a rating agency, companies that met the production standards could be given a higher rating. Although the ratings themselves would not generate profit, they exemplified the company¡¯s strength. Whether investors or consumers, they would definitely choose companies with higher ratings more often. High-rated companies would also find it easier to pass bank loan approvals.

    Moreover, he could use the rating standards to guide the development direction of companies. Even once the rating agency¡¯s influence was substantial, they could follow the Western practice of later generations and launch a ¡°sovereign credit rating¡± service.

    The so-called sovereign credit rating was an assessment of the credit quality of a nation or region, including aspects like national governance, economic performance, policy level, social structure, and government financial strength, among others.

    It was well known that in later generations, those three major rating agencies had tremendous influence; merely giving a country a lower sovereign rating could frighten away foreign investments, and in severe cases, even trigger an economic crisis in that country!

    Once the rating agency was established, it would be like adding an economic weapon to France¡¯s arsenal. If anyone dared to go to war with France, they would first face a series of sovereign rating downgrades. Even if it couldn¡¯t collapse the opponent¡¯s national debt, it would at least raise their financing costs and greatly increase their military spending pressure.

    So, who would be the best candidate to handle establishing the rating agency?

    Joseph pondered, concluding that it definitely should not bear the color of the French Government to appear objective and independent.

    Laisonne¡¯s consulting firm was quite suitable; for the promotion of standardized production, its staff had already exceeded a thousand people, surely capable of splitting off some to establish a rating agency.

    Then, the French Chamber of Commerce would come forward to collaborate with major banks to establish a rating agency.

    Additionally, one should be established in France¡¯s allies. After all, to carry out sovereign ratings of other countries, if all rating agencies were French, it would inevitably make some countries perceive manipulation.

    However, no matter who led their establishment, whether they were located in France or abroad, he must firmly hold the control of these rating agencies in his own hands.

    For Laisonne¡¯s company, there was no need to say, as it was initially created to promote standardized production, and the founding capital was his own. Naturally, he would hold controlling stakes in the split-off rating agency.

    For the Chamber of Commerce, it couldn¡¯t ignore the opinions of the Royal Family, and funding was also provided by the Bank of France Reserve, so gaining control wouldn¡¯t be difficult.

    As for the rating agency abroad, it would need careful consideration, and it would be best to find a local organization to act as a front, controlled by French investment.

    The location could be chosen in Spain, considering it was related to the House of Bourbon.

    Joseph roughly sketched out the matters related to the rating agency, then continued discussing industrial development with Mirabeau. His gaze unintentionally swept across the line chart he had drawn earlier and suddenly felt something was amiss.

    He picked up the chart and scrutinized it. Previously, the dense data made it difficult to notice anything, but now, it was obvious from the chart¡ªlast year, the first nine months were on an upward trend, but starting from October, except for papermaking and brewing, the growth of other industries began to slow down.

    He pointed to the lines on the chart, turning to the Minister of Industry, ¡°Count Mirabeau, look here, it seems that from October, there was some issue with industrial development?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Mirabeau hurriedly nodded, ¡°This is also one of the main topics I intended to report to you today.

    ¡°The momentum of industrial development indeed shows a slowing trend, mainly due to two factors.

    ¡°First is the lack of investment. After investing in the Luxembourg iron mines, there wasn¡¯t much money left in the accounts of the Industrial Development Fund. As for investors interested in industry, most had completed their investments in the first half of the year, and some later entered the coal mines in the Southern Netherlands, with new investors becoming increasingly scarce.¡±

    The Minister of Industry paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Second is the insufficient rate of return on industrial investments, which has also resulted in new investors remaining in a wait-and-see state.¡±

 Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: Chapter 464: Taxation and Administration

    Chapter 553: Chapter 464: Taxation and Administration

    ¡°Low return on investment?¡±

    Joseph frowned slightly. Did that mean it was not profitable? It was the end of the 18th century, they were engaged in industry, and they had his various advanced ideas to boot, and yet they were not making money?!

    Mirabeau replied helplessly, ¡°Indeed, Your Highness.¡±

    With his help, Joseph found the data on the return on investment for various industries in the report. A quick glance revealed that indeed, most industries had returns ranging between 6% and 10%.

    Such figures would be very impressive in the 21st century, but right now, they were frustratingly low.

    One must know that the current base interest rate for bank deposits was at 6.5%, and this was after a decrease following some alleviation of last year¡¯s financial crisis; before that, it had even been above 7%.

    And if one were to lend money out, a 10% interest rate could easily be obtained.

    In such a scenario, who would be willing to invest in industry?

    When Joseph saw that the profit margin of the steel industry was only 7.9%, his expression immediately turned grim, and he looked at Mirabeau, saying, ¡°Our iron-smelting industry has already implemented hot blast technology extensively. The profits should absolutely exceed 20%. What exactly is the problem?¡±

    He had been preoccupied with the Silesian conflict in the past few months and had indeed neglected domestic development somewhat. He had assumed that with various new technologies and standardized production models, the factories ought to be raking in profits. It turned out their earnings were barely outperforming bank deposits.

    Mirabeau rubbed his hands somewhat awkwardly and said, ¡°Your Highness, profits can indeed reach 20% if sold near the factories¡¯ locations, but if transported to places like Paris or Bordeaux for sale, profits drop to less than 7%.¡±

    Bailly added, ¡°Yet, after the signing of the Rhine-Saone Treaty, iron products sold to the German regions did yield close to a 10% profit.¡±

    Joseph instinctively responded, ¡°Why is that¡­¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    Before either could answer, he realized himself, ¡°Is it because of the local tariffs in each province?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Mirabeau nodded with a wry smile, ¡°And the tolls along the way consume a large portion of the goods¡¯ profits as well.¡±

    Bailly continued, ¡°In some provinces, they even see goods coming from other regions as an opportunity to make money.

    ¡°Just take what I witnessed last month in Toulouse. The tax collectors charged a sales tax on a cartload of cloth based on the value of the goods. Then at the next checkpoint, they stopped the cart again and, based on the size of the vehicle, levied another sales tax on them. Yes, just by adding a word, they made it two different taxes, ratified by the High Court of Toulouse.¡±

    When it came to unreasonable taxes and such, Mirabeau, as a representative of the capitalist nobles, couldn¡¯t help but ramble and complain.

    Joseph quickly began to frown tightly.

    As French industry began to flourish, local tax farmers and municipal authorities sought to wring every last drop out of the factories.

    For example, in Lyon, the center of France¡¯s textile industry, the local government had actually decreed that all textiles leaving the factory must meet certain lengths and widths in order to be transported and sold; otherwise, they would face fines, or even be publicly burned.

    Tax farmers¡¯ collection teams surrounded the factories daily, holding tax laws in their hands and desperately hunting for taxables, making factory life miserable.

    In reality, Joseph knew there was more they hadn¡¯t mentioned, namely the corruption of the officials. Many of France¡¯s current officials had bought their positions, and to recoup their ¡°costs,¡± they became extremely corrupt.

    Although the Bureau of Fair Investigation had a certain deterrent effect on officials since its establishment, Bohr¡¯s energy was limited, and it was difficult to uncover the subtle means officials used to trouble factories and covertly demand benefits.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but massage his temples, fatigued. He had previously focused all his energy on promoting technological and managerial advancements to boost factory competitiveness but had neglected the business environment.

    Britain had become the world¡¯s leading industrial nation not solely because of the vast raw material sources and markets from its colonies but also because it had the best factory operating environment in Europe, another core factor.

    Britain had abolished internal local tariffs decades ago, and its tax system had seen several reforms, making it transparent and reasonable.

    As for the integrity of government officials, while British officials were also corrupt ¡ª unavoidable in the 18th century ¡ª they were relatively one of the better cases compared to other countries.

    All this greatly promoted Britain¡¯s industrial development. In contrast, France was still trying to manage a country on the verge of the industrial age with feudal officials and tax systems.

    If left unchecked, even with advanced technologies and ideas supporting French industry, it might still be crippled by its own tax farmers and officials¡­

    Joseph let out a sigh, ¡°It seems we must proceed with tax reforms as soon as possible.¡±

    He silently added in his mind: and administrative reforms too.

    Mirabeau and Bailly exchanged a glance before cautiously saying, ¡°Your Highness, pardon my frankness, but even if some laws are passed to standardize taxes, the tax farmers will always find ways to circumvent them¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± Joseph nodded gravely, ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ll target the Tax Farmers Association!¡±

    The Tax Farmers Association was the autonomous organization of all tax farmers in France.

    France¡¯s current tax system worked like this: at the beginning of each year, representatives from the Tax Farmers Association would negotiate with the Finance Minister to set a fixed tax amount for the year or multiple years and then sign an agreement.

    Afterward, tax farmers from various regions would pay a lump sum of the fixed tax directly to the French Government based on the agreement, and then they would have the right to collect taxes in a certain area, keeping all the taxes they collected.

    In other words, the French Government only issued tax laws but did not participate in actual tax collection.

    The tax farmers maintained tax collection teams, who were adept at extortion and repeated taxation, causing widespread resentment among the populace. Despite collecting a significant amount of taxes, the government could only obtain a fixed amount, leaving the treasury strapped for cash.

    At these words, Mirabeau¡¯s eyes flashed with excitement, but he immediately became cautious again, ¡°Your Highness, our financial situation¡­ may not withstand the impact this could bring.¡±

    His words were the objective reality.

    A significant portion of France¡¯s current revenue came from the fixed tax paid by the tax farmers at the beginning of each year, sometimes covering two or three years at a time.

    If the tax farmer system were changed, then at the beginning of the year, the French Treasury would face an empty coffers situation.

    Although the government could then collect taxes later on, that would be months away, and the question was, what about the financial expenditures in the meantime?

 Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Chapter 465: To Win, We Must Beat England

    Chapter 554: Chapter 465: To Win, We Must Beat England

    If France had as sound a financial situation as England does now, it could issue special government bonds to bridge a six-month fiscal gap.

    But the French Government had previously exhausted the bond market in dealing with the over two billion in debt; even if they were to raise the bond interest to 12%, it would likely be difficult to sell many.

    Joseph nodded solemnly as well. Based on the French Government¡¯s annual revenue of five hundred million francs, at least two hundred and fifty million would need to be raised at once to kick-start the abolition of the tax farming system¡ªthe money would keep the government going for the first half of the year, and the taxes collected during that period would sustain it for the second half.

    However, to be on the safer side, perhaps three hundred million francs would be necessary.

    Joseph quickly recalled past examples of fundraisers, realizing that there could still be cards to play in fields like banking, insurance, and securities.

    He selected a few alternatives and said to Mirabeau, ¡°I will find a way to deal with financial matters. The tax reform must be promoted as soon as possible.

    ¡°You may begin by contacting the forces that support reform and start creating a buzz in anticipation. I will propose the establishment of the National Tax Bureau at the next Cabinet meeting as a starting point for the government to take over tax collection.

    ¡°The next steps will have to wait until the money issue is resolved.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    When Bailly heard ¡°National Tax Bureau,¡± it immediately brought another issue to mind, ¡°Your Highness, all tax collection duties are currently performed by tax farmers, and the government lacks any experience in taxation. I¡¯m concerned this could lead to chaos in tax collection.¡±

    Originally, Louis XIV outsourced tax collection to tax farmers because the government¡¯s tax officers were mediocre, and evasion and underreporting were rampant. Tax officers sometimes colluded with taxpayers, pocketing bribes and allowing them to avoid payment.

    After the tax farmers took over, they paid the government a fixed sum upfront and then assumed full responsibility for the profit or loss, ensuring not a single cent of tax due was missed.

    Joseph smiled, ¡°I have ways to deal with this, so there¡¯s no need for worry.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï

    For an 18th-century government, avoiding tax evasion was a major challenge, but Joseph had read the ¡°textbook¡± on this¡ªthe methods of the modern-day United States IRS could simply be copied.

    The IRS is the United States National Tax Bureau. Americans might not fear police or officials, but nobody dares cross the IRS. There was once a mob boss involved in murder and a host of other crimes, whom even the FBI couldn¡¯t touch. In the end, the IRS took him down, swiftly incarcerating him and completely dismantling his gang.

    Besides the IRS, Joseph had many other tax ¡°weapons¡± at his disposal, such as an invoicing system, personal tax system, tax declaration system, and so on.

    Modern government tax departments have come up with all sorts of tricks to boost tax revenue, even handling accountants specializing in tax avoidance of the 21st century, let alone taxpayers of the 18th century.

    Of course, these were theoretical. Joseph anticipated some turbulence in implementing tax reform, but for France¡¯s business environment, it was a necessary undertaking.

    Moreover, by abolishing the tax farmers system, the tens of millions of francs that went into tax farmers¡¯ pockets each year could significantly improve France¡¯s finances¡ªit was worth taking some risks for the benefits of killing two birds with one stone.

    Bailly then submitted the report on the previous year¡¯s commercial development. The two ministers reported to Joseph late into the night about matters concerning France¡¯s trade and industry, departing reluctantly after hints from Eman.

    The clock was nearing half-past eleven, but Joseph was still perusing the report, occasionally lifting the teacup on the table for a sip.

    Last year, France¡¯s total trade volume had reached an astonishing one billion francs, even coming close to England¡¯s forty-nine million British Pounds, which is equivalent to 1.22 billion francs.

    Yet the profit France gained from foreign trade was far less than England¡¯s, given that a large portion of France¡¯s trade was with European countries, while England could exploit its colonies, purchasing raw materials cheaply and selling industrial goods at high prices without fear of competition and with virtually no tariffs.

    Even the United States, nominally a French ally and a former British Colony, still had all of its industry built to complement England¡¯s, leading to significant dependence on it. Though now independent, its trade contribution was only slightly less than during the colonial era.

    In summary, the profit France derived from trade each year was roughly half of what the British earned, despite supporting a population more than three times that of England. England¡¯s population was less than ten million, while France¡¯s was thirty million.

    This was the result of Joseph¡¯s constant push; historically, by 1790, French industry had begun collapsing, with only wine maintaining some sales, until Napoleon forcefully opened European markets with cannons and kicked out British goods.

    Joseph knew that as the strongest country on the European Continent, France would at any moment face England¡¯s retaliation, guided by its policy of maintaining European balance.

    The policy of European balance meant that England would never allow an individual country on the European Continent to overpower others and dominate, ensuring England¡¯s absolute influence over Europe.

    In practice, this meant toppling the strongest nation on the continent with the help of other countries.

    The appearance of the Anti-French Alliance in history seemed on the surface to be a response to France¡¯s Revolution and the beheading of the Royal Family, inciting the wrath of other monarchs.

    But at its core, it was because Germany and Austria were long weakened, allowing France to become the dominant power on the Continent, thus drawing the British¡¯s concern. Otherwise, one might note that England was the first to have a revolution and behead its monarch, currently governed by Congress¡ªyet it stood with other kings against France?

    Therefore, having largely neutralized the domestic revolutionary crisis, Joseph¡¯s strategic focus had now shifted to preparing for the inevitable ¡°European balance¡± blow from England.

    In the era of the Industrial Revolution, to challenge England, it was paramount to first surpass them in industry and trade.

    Joseph glanced at the world map on the wall, the swathes of British Colonies pressuring him enormously.

    Resolve and confidence flashed in his eyes. Once he led France to catch up in trade and industry, he was determined to build a strong fleet, defeat the esteemed British navy, drive them out of all colonies, and accomplish what Napoleon could not in his lifetime.

    To win meant to beat England!

    Of course, one had to eat one bite at a time.

    For now, he would have to devote a substantial amount of time and energy to domestic reforms and then ensure the stability of the markets acquired from Germany while trying to expand their foothold in North Africa.

 Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Chapter 468: A World Where Only Perna is Injured

    Chapter 557: Chapter 468: A World Where Only Perna is Injured

    The nurse was startled into standing up by the sudden shout, turning her head to look at the person approaching, ¡°Lieutenant Angerx, what are you doing¡­¡±

    The French Lieutenant, pointing at the Austrian officer behind her, grit his teeth and said, ¡°Anais is mine, how dare you seduce her!¡±

    Anais hurriedly stood in front of him, anxiously saying, ¡°Lieutenant Angerx, please don¡¯t, I¡¯ve always regarded you as my best friend.¡±

    She glanced back at the Austrian, ¡°And Felinc, I, I truly like¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Angerx immediately roared in fury, ¡°You¡¯ve been fooled by this bastard!¡±

    He had always been pursuing Anais but she had been evasive towards him. However, today he saw his goddess being intimate with an Austrian, and his emotions instantly spiraled out of control.

    After being called a ¡°bastard¡± several times and slandered as a trickster, Felinc also stood up in anger, his voice cold, ¡°You rude fellow, it is right that Anais didn¡¯t choose you.¡±

    The French were always proud and looked down upon the Austrians as ¡°farmers from the mountains.¡± Hearing the challenging words from the other side, he could no longer restrain himself, pushed past the nurse, and swung his right fist towards Felinc.

    The Austrian Major raised a hand to block, and without any courtesy, his other hand struck straight at Angerx¡¯s face.

    The French Lieutenant, hit by a punch, saw red even more, and like a wild beast, howled as he lunged at the other man.

    Anais, frightened, turned pale, wanting to stop them, but was completely unable to intervene between the two strong men, so she turned and ran towards the center of the war hospital, shouting as she went, ¡°Someone come quick! Who will stop them!¡±

    Having been busy all day, Doctor Perna tiredly headed to the drying area to check on the beddings disinfection, even though it was someone else¡¯s responsibility, she still prudently checked every day.

    She had just passed the pile of wood used for making crutches and stretchers when she heard a girl¡¯s shouting from the side, and quickly grabbed her white coat and ran over.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï

    ¡°Doctor, Doctor Perna?¡± seeing her, Anais immediately felt reassured and pointed behind her, ¡°They¡¯re fighting¡­¡±

    Doctor Perna hurriedly followed her and soon saw two patients engaging in what could be called a ¡°battle of the disabled¡± not far away.

    She went forward anxiously to stop them, ¡°Gentlemen, please stop fighting!¡±

    The rivals, seeing each other red with rage, were already bloody-faced and paid no attention to the voices around them.

    Doctor Perna, feeling helpless, mustered her courage and went to pull them apart, ¡°You are both injured, how can you still¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, Felinc¡¯s fist swept towards Angerx, who ducked, the strike landing squarely on Doctor Perna¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    The Austrian Lieutenant Colonel felt that he had hit an ¡°unknown object¡± and instinctively turned to look, but Angerx took advantage of his distraction and kicked at his waist.

    The soldier¡¯s sensitivity to danger caused Felinc to desperately retreat half a step back; Angerx¡¯s boot brushed past his clothes but landed on Doctor Perna¡¯s back.

    The female doctor was thrown sideways, landing in a patch of weeds nearby.

    Anais, with the dying light of the sunset, saw Doctor Perna lying motionless on the ground, her eyes widening in shock, she let out a piercing scream, ¡°Ah¡ªDoctor Perna is dead!¡±

    The intensely fighting pair heard ¡°Doctor Perna¡± and instantly stopped, quickly rushing to the woman¡¯s side, only relaxing when they heard her pained moans.

    Suddenly, both men pointed at each other and bellowed, ¡°Bastard, you hurt Doctor Perna!¡±

    ¡°How dare you strike Doctor Perna, I will kill you!¡±

    The war hospital was situated far behind the front lines, so there were not many patrolling guards. Only now did a team of guards turn up nearby, hearing the scream, they hurried over, ¡°What has happened here?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±

    Upon seeing his own people arrive, Angerx immediately grabbed his rival and shouted, ¡°It¡¯s this Austrian bastard, he¡¯s injured Doctor Perna!¡±

    From a distance, Felinc saw the guards¡¯ white military uniforms and guessed that even with the truth on his side, he wouldn¡¯t be able to explain himself clearly. Following the principle that a wise man doesn¡¯t court danger, he forcefully shook off Angerx and hobbled towards the edge of the battlefield hospital to escape.

    Angerx was about to pursue when Anais stood in front of him with her arms wide open, even turning her head to shout at the Austrians¡¯ retreating figure, ¡°You run, I¡¯ll hold them off!¡±

    Half an hour later.

    In the largest tent of the battlefield hospital, military doctor Adam checked Perna¡¯s injuries and turned to the officers who were waiting by the side, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Doctor Perna¡¯s bones are intact, and she¡¯s not in great danger.¡±

    The hundreds of wounded surrounding the tent all breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. They had all been treated by Perna and many of their lives were saved by her. Hearing that she had been injured, they all came nervously to visit.

    An officer in charge of the camp¡¯s security looked at Anais and Angerx, demanding seriously, ¡°What exactly happened here?¡±

    Anais hadn¡¯t seen clearly at the time and could not articulate the situation.

    Angerx, however, indignantly said, ¡°It was that damn Austrian, he attacked Doctor Perna!¡±

    ¡°An Austrian?¡± the officer frowned, ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    Angerx turned to look at Anais. The nurse hesitantly whispered, ¡°Felinc¡­¡±

    The wounded from the tent entrance saw the bruising around Perna¡¯s eyes and instantly they wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    That was the kind, lovely, and charming Doctor Perna, adored by many a fan in the French Army, practically idolized by everyone in the battlefield hospital.

    Now someone dared to hurt her?!

    Someone roared in anger, ¡°I¡¯m going to slaughter that guy!¡±

    ¡°Felinc, I know him, he¡¯s with the Austrian Seventh Dragoon Regiment.¡±

    ¡°Who dares to come with me to teach that bastard a lesson?¡±

    ¡°I do!¡±

    ¡°And me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too¡­¡±

    Lying on her cot, Perna heard the commotion outside the tent and wanted to stop them, but her weak voice was heard by no one.

    A large number of wounded, risking punishment, returned to their units that night and angrily informed their comrades of Doctor Perna¡¯s assault.

    The proud French soldiers couldn¡¯t swallow the insult inflicted by the Austrians, and the very next morning, over a thousand French soldiers boldly approached the Austrian Seventh Dragoon Regiment¡¯s camp. Their officers only made a symbolic attempt to stop them and then let them go, some even joining in to discipline the Austrians.

    Inside the Austrian camp, Felinc nervously defended himself to the Cavalry Camp¡¯s commander, ¡°It was that French Lieutenant, he¡¯s the one who injured Doctor Perna! He¡¯s framing me!¡±

    ¡°You swear it?¡±

    ¡°I swear to Jesus, it was that Frenchman who knocked down Doctor Perna!¡±

    The commander, who had also been treated by Perna, immediately darkened his expression, ¡°Shameless Frenchman, they dare to come here and make a scene!¡±

    He turned to the messenger, ¡°Order the entire regiment to assemble.¡±

    Ten minutes later, the taunting French and Austrian soldiers could scarcely contain their hostility, and some charged across to start a fight.

    Quickly, outside the Austrian Dragoon Regiment¡¯s camp, a brawl of unprecedented scale broke out.

 Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Chapter 469: Escape by Shedding a Golden Cicada Skin

    Chapter 558: Chapter 469: Escape by Shedding a Golden Cicada Skin

    Under the desperate orders of the high-ranking officers from both France and Austria, the soldiers on both sides dared not use their weapons, but the brawl was savagely fierce nonetheless.

    Ultimately, it wasn¡¯t until the French Guard Corps arrived at the scene that over sixteen hundred men, who were nearly fighting like mad dogs, were finally forcibly separated.

    At noon that day, Miss Perna looked at the hundreds of new casualties outside the battlefield hospital and was on the verge of tears.

    She had been beaten up for no good reason, and as a result, her workload increased significantly.

    She looked up at the sky with panda eyes and drew a cross over her chest, ¡°Jesus, what have I done wrong?¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph was discussing the details of tax reform with Brian, Bailly, and others when he heard Eman knock softly at the door and say, ¡°Your Highness, an urgent report has arrived from Vienna.¡±

    Joseph signaled for the messenger to come in, took the report, and quickly read through it, immediately furrowing his brow.

    Discipline within the Kellermann Corps was indeed poor, to the point of causing a massive brawl over petty jealousy, and it had even resulted in Miss Perna getting hurt.

    Such an army would be a joke if it had strong combat capability.

    He was about to sign the attached list of punishments¡ªit had over six hundred names on it, including twenty-seven officers.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã?

    Just as his pen was about to touch the paper, he suddenly thought of something, paused, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

    At the moment, because Leopold II was busy with his coronation and the defeated Prussian Army had no intention of taking offensive action, the conflict in Silesia had temporarily come to a halt.

    This provided him with a chance to start recalling the French Army back to the country.

    But with over forty thousand French soldiers still in Silesia, any carelessness in the withdrawal could potentially provoke dissatisfaction from the Austrian side.

    Perhaps the brawl might actually be a good thing, something to be leveraged.

    After a bit of reflection, Joseph drew several large crosses on the list of penalties, and then, in the blank space reserved for his signature, he began to write:

    As for the act of injuring the doctor at the French battlefield hospital, it is reasonable to deliver a stern lesson to the culprit. The incident showcased the valor of the French warriors and defended the dignity of France. I suggest the cancellation of the punishment. Joseph, March 22, 1790.

    Then he wrote a letter each to Chief of Staff Bertier and Baron Alphonse, the Ambassador to Austria, handed over the disciplinary document along with the two letters to the messenger, and gave a few brief instructions.

    ¡­

    Silesia.

    Legnica, Kellermann Corps camp in France; Bertier sternly reprimanded the three battalions and two companies that participated in the last brawl in front of General Willemze and other Austrian officers who had been invited¡ªwhether your troops had a few or many individuals involved in the brawl, if any of them went, then the entire unit would be punished.

    He then publicly announced the disciplinary decisions for these units, which included demoting officers, docking the soldiers¡¯ pay to the point of confinement, and the involved units to immediately return to France for severe reorganization.

    General Wilmze, seeing Bertier¡¯s stern punishment, immediately affirmed his actions and promised to handle the involved Austrian soldiers with no less severity than the French punishment. He vowed to report to His Majesty the Emperor, declaring that the Franco-Austrian friendship was unaffected.

    A few days later, nearly four thousand punished soldiers from the French Army began their return to the homeland.

    As they entered the vicinity of Strasbourg, France, with their heads hanging low in dejection, the leading officer immediately took out the decree from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and began to read it aloud in front of everyone.

    Thousands of French soldiers were so moved when they heard the Crown Prince say they ¡°had spirit¡± and ¡°defended their dignity¡± that they immediately became uncontrollably excited, ¡°Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!¡±

    ¡°I will always be loyal to His Highness!¡±

    ¡°His Highness is not even afraid of offending those damn Austrians, he is the true hero of France!¡±

    Then the officer announced that the Crown Prince had revoked all their punishments, and the deducted wages would be replenished later.

    The soldiers¡¯ cheers broke through the skies, and many were even moved to tears, loudly praying for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    At the same time that this detachment of the French Army was withdrawing from Silesia, Baron Alphonse, the Ambassador to Austria, had a cordial conversation with Baron Tugut, the Austrian Foreign Minister.

    ¡°Those rascals dared to cause trouble in the camps of the Allies,¡± Baron Alphonse said indignantly, waving his hand, ¡°No punishment could be too severe!

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the troops involved will be reviewed one by one by the gendarmes in Paris, hmph, they¡¯re in for a bad time.¡±

    He looked at Baron Tugut, speaking very sincerely, ¡°His Highness hopes you can convey to His Majesty the Emperor that the Franco-Austrian Alliance is unbreakable.¡±

    Baron Tugut nodded repeatedly, ¡°Long live the Franco-Austrian Alliance, I believe His Majesty will certainly understand this matter.

    ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t the punishment for the troops a bit too harsh? Especially for those who did not participate in the fight¡ªthey are getting caught up in this too¡­¡±

    ¡°No, military discipline must be strict!¡± declared Alphonse emphatically, ¡°It is the decision of the General Staff, you need not plead for them.¡±

    He then lowered his voice, ¡°However, this time our Crown Prince is very angry. As you know, Miss Perna who was injured, and him¡­ well, they are quite close.

    ¡°So, he hopes that your side will also punish those involved in this incident severely.¡±

    A solemn expression appeared on Baron Tugut¡¯s face.

    He had previously heard that the identity of the woman doctor who was beaten up was not simple, and now he had confirmation from the mouth of the Ambassador to Austria.

    He busily nodded, ¡°I assure His Highness that we will give a satisfactory explanation to Miss Perna!¡±

    Meanwhile, Count Kaunitz and the Pro-France Faction of Austria were in complete disarray.

    Recently, due to the brawling incident involving troops, the political forces within the country that were dissatisfied with France had started to stir, especially Baron Walter, who was very active.

    And the first batch of the Hungarian legions had already arrived in Silesia last week; Walter¡¯s people even went as far as suggesting to His Majesty the Emperor that ¡°the French influence in Austria should be reduced,¡± which was essentially hinting at the withdrawal of the French Army from Silesia.

    Fortunately, the French side had imposed severe punishments on the soldiers involved, which gave Count Kaunitz some relief. He hurried to visit Emperor Leopold II, prepared to speak well of France.

    However, what he did not know was that the Allied Forces¡¯ camp in Silesia had run into trouble again.

    The Austrian Army was filled with resentment because Vienna had issued a strict order, and the troops involved in the brawl had received extremely heavy punishments.

    And yet a French artillery battalion captain, with nothing better to do, brought people over to the Austrian Army¡¯s camp to taunt them, insinuating that the Austrians only knew how to hit women. Last time they were confronted by their own men, they didn¡¯t even dare to fight back and even wanted to tattle to the General Staff of France, something even his 5-year-old child would disdain to do.

    Since these people didn¡¯t use any dirty words, the Austrians had no way to deal with them.

    But the Austrian soldiers could not stand it anymore.

    Finally, the angry Austrians, led by a few officers, arranged with the French battalion captain to settle the score three days later at the French Army¡¯s camp.

 Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Chapter 470: The Anxious Leopold II

    Chapter 559: Chapter 470: The Anxious Leopold II

    The chill breeze of early spring bent the wild grass outside the village of Jullay, revealing the mighty crowd beneath the slope.

    The Austrian officer at the forefront pointed to the distant French camp and boomed to lift the spirits, ¡°Let the French people taste our strength!¡±

    The seven or eight hundred Austrian soldiers behind him immediately responded in unison, ¡°Teach those mongrels a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Make them pay!¡±

    However, when they arrived at the top of the slope with great momentum, they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

    In the clearing outside the French army camp, there stood a group of Frenchmen, twice their number, forming a semi-circle, and sneering at them.

    ¡°You¡­¡± The Austrian officer swallowed his saliva, pointing at the French Corps Commander he had agreed to fight, ¡°You brought so many people, that¡¯s downright despicable!¡±

    The Corps Commander took a few steps forward, smiling, ¡°If you¡¯re scared, then run back home.¡±

    His words immediately drew laughter from the French soldiers.

    The Austrian officer stiffened and retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s scared of you? Fight us with an equal number of men!¡±

    ¡°Being able to gather so many men is my ability,¡± the French Corps Commander glanced back, ¡°You can go back and call for more, but I¡¯m afraid the cowardly Austrians don¡¯t have the guts to come.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s just a matter of numbers? There are plenty of Austrian warriors!¡±

    The French Corps Commander pulled out his pocket watch, flipping open the lid, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you two hours. Let¡¯s see how many you can bring.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã0

    Several Austrian officers returned to their quarters and related the French¡¯s arrogant behavior. The Austrian soldiers, originally reluctant to fight for fear of punishment, were instantly angered. They rushed carelessly towards the clearing outside the French camp.

    Two hours later.

    The nearly two thousand Austrian soldiers looked triumphantly at the now visibly nervous Frenchmen. At the officer¡¯s command, they surged forward en masse.

    Seeing this, the French Corps Commander¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and he turned to shout to his troops, ¡°They¡¯ve got too many men, retreat!¡±

    The French men scrambled back towards the camp, though many were still caught by the Austrian soldiers and couldn¡¯t escape being struck a few times.

    The news of their victory in the fight quickly spread back to the Austrian camp, inspiring even more soldiers to come to watch the action or join in.

    Almost an hour later, over three thousand Austrians blocked the entrance to the French camp, laughing scornfully at the battered and swollen-faced enemy cowering inside, venting out their previous grievances.

    At that moment, intense hoofbeats sounded in the distance. Before the Austrian soldiers could react, they saw Marshal Lacy leading his guard and a large force of cavalry thundering towards them.

    Lacy had received a ¡°report¡± early that morning about soldiers seeking revenge on the French for previous fight-related punishments.

    Having been recently reprimanded by Leopold II for this very issue, he had personally led a detachment back from the front at Breslau. And now, he witnessed the scene before him.

    Soon, both factions, with bowed heads, were gathered together. Then Bertier arrived quickly and rapidly had his subordinates tally up the number of injuries amongst the French¡ªmore than 420 wounded.

    Marshal Lacy eyed the French fighters with suspicion, sensing that they seemed to be relatively unharmed.

    Bertier, with a gloomy expression, said, ¡°The injured have been sent to the field hospital. Marshal, your men came to our camp to cause trouble and injured so many. You must administer severe punishment!¡±

    Lacy¡¯s face also darkened as he glared fiercely at the troublemaking soldiers, nodding, ¡°Rest assured, I will not show any leniency!¡±

    ¡­

    Leopold II, who was busy with the matters of the Electoral Prince¡¯s voting, frowned upon reading the report about the brawl between French and Austrian soldiers and couldn¡¯t help feeling irritated.

    The number of personnel involved from both sides had actually reached tens of thousands¡ªfollowing the French Army¡¯s precedent, if anyone in the unit participated in the brawl, all officers were to be punished, which involved a large number of people.

    The report stated that the punished French soldiers had all been recalled to their country for reorganization. Along with the ones previously sent back for brawling, the Kellermann Corps left in Silesia was now only half its original size.

    He remembered the report submitted by the Finance Minister a few days ago, which stated that the supply consumption of the French Army in Silesia was almost double that of the Austrian Army of the same number.

    The newly arrived Hungarian troops in Legnica had their logistics supplies squeezed as a result.

    ¡°These pampered French people, still so restless¡­¡±

    Leopold II rubbed his forehead, recalling how he had just heard that even the French soldiers needed to boil their water before drinking.

    Just then, his attendant handed over a letter that had just arrived from Paris.

    Leopold II opened it to find it was from the Crown Prince of France, mainly containing strong protests against the beating of French soldiers by Austrian troops.

    Yes, the incident occurred in the French Army¡¯s camp, and it was the French soldiers who were unilaterally beaten¡ªthus, it was the Austrian soldiers who came looking for trouble!

    The artillery battalion commander who had provoked the Austrian soldiers was exactly the one Bertier had arranged under Joseph¡¯s direction.

    Before the brawl began, he had already instructed his soldiers to run at the first sign of conflict and not to fight back.

    Because they ran quickly, there were less than fifty injured French soldiers, all with minor injuries. However, since Bertier¡¯s men were the ones counting the casualties, and it took place in the French camp amid chaos, naturally, the numbers were whatever he said they were.

    In the letter, the Crown Prince of France expressed dissatisfaction with the discipline of the Austrian soldiers, suggesting that the French and Austrian armies should be separated temporarily to reorganize their military discipline.

    In the afternoon, Walter, who had gathered ministers opposed to France, also began to create public opinion¡ªnaturally, they claimed that it was the French Army¡¯s discipline that had deteriorated, seriously affecting the combat efficiency of the Allied Forces.

    In the end, Leopold II, troubled by a series of unfortunate events, replied to Joseph agreeing to allow the French Army to temporarily leave Silesia for reorganization.

    This would also conveniently free up supplies needed for the newly dispatched Hungarian corps.

    On April 19, 1790, the last of the French troops pulled out of Silesia and began their journey home.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Inside the carriage, Joseph, looking over Bertier¡¯s arrangements for the French Army¡¯s withdrawal from Silesia, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a contented smile.

    He had originally thought it would take several more disturbances before Leopold II would agree to ¡°send away the plague,¡± but the withdrawal of the French Army had been agreed to so swiftly.

    It must have been because the Hungarian nobles, due to the cancellation of reforms, had provided substantial support to the Emperor, giving him confidence.

    Now Silesia had become a ¡°personal feud¡± between Prussia and Austria, allowing France to easily sit back and watch, then sell supplies to both sides.

    As long as such international circumstances could be maintained for a few years, France¡¯s catching up with England¡¯s national strength was not a fantasy.

    Joseph also thought of Perna¡¯s contribution to this event and pondered whether he could award her with a medal or something, but he didn¡¯t notice that sitting opposite him, Camellia¡¯s cheeks were flushed red as she was getting ready for something.

 Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Chapter 472: A Dream of Millet

    Chapter 561: Chapter 472: A Dream of Millet

    Paul smiled and said, ¡°Of course, as long as it¡¯s within my power, I will definitely serve you.¡±

    He jokingly thought, 20,000 British Pounds¡ªthat¡¯s 500,000 Leva¡ªsuch a large sum of money was enough to make him sell his soul.

    ¡°I want to ensure that the funds I donate are used for the great cause of Corsican independence, so I hope to know the specific use of the funds.¡±

    Chalmers showed an apologetic expression, ¡°Please forgive me, this is not at all a matter of mistrust toward you and your companions.¡±

    He looked around and lowered his voice, ¡°Actually, I funded the Irish Republicans quite a bit over the past few years, but those guys pocketed more than half of it!¡±

    The so-called ¡°Irish Republicans¡± referred to the organization for Irish independence. After England occupied Ireland, they had been resisting in the shadows, reaching a peak at the end of the 18th century. Historically, they even took advantage of the French Revolution to prepare for a joint declaration of war against England with France.

    Paul and his three subordinates exchanged glances, and although they were somewhat reluctant, they nodded in agreement since the wealthy benefactor had made a request.

    After the salon ended, Chalmers went directly back to Paul¡¯s house with him, to hear how the funds would be arranged.

    ¡°Half of your donation will be used to purchase weapons and organize public protests and riots,¡± Paul patiently explained. ¡°The rest will mainly serve as campaign funds to help the Restoration Organization¡¯s deputies gain more seats in Congress.

    ¡°You know, Congress is the political heart of Corsica. If we can control Congress, we can marginalize the French Government. This is an important part of our independence plan.¡±

    Chalmers nodded repeatedly, ¡°You are indeed a great Freedom Fighter, with rich experience. I feel much more at ease now.¡±

    He paused, then continued, ¡°However, based on my experience in Ireland, inciting riots is far less effective than influencing the upper echelons of power. So, I think more money should be spent on supporting the deputies.¡±

    The three members of the Restoration Organization present brightened at these words, for they were either Corsican deputies or preparing to compete in this year¡¯s election.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã?

    With a significant amount of campaign funds, their chances of winning would increase exponentially.

    Paul found this type of benefactor, who liked to meddle, quite troublesome but patiently explained to him why the funds had to be allocated in this manner.

    Chalmers suddenly waved his hand impatiently, ¡°You just mentioned that over twenty deputies in your organization would face competition, how could 9,000 Pounds be enough? Tell you what, listen to me and I¡¯ll contribute an extra 5,000 Pounds.¡±

    Paul was stunned by the magnate¡¯s generosity on the spot. After weighing his options quickly, he agreed to the proposition¡ªto allocate 17,000 British Pounds to the Restoration Organization¡¯s deputies to help them win the election.

    Chalmers was very straightforward; the next afternoon, he solemnly handed over two weighty suitcases of banknotes to Paul, which were then witnessed and verified by the three high-ranking members of the Restoration Organization who accompanied him.

    ¡°Your fight for freedom will ultimately be successful!¡±

    Chalmers took the receipt from Paul¡¯s hand and then bragged, ¡°After my East India Company shares pay dividends next year, I will donate another 25,000 Pounds to you.¡±

    After sending off the benefactor, Paul checked the time¡ªit was already past 5 p.m., and the banks were closed. The banknotes would be easier to use for purchasing weapons in the United States, Nordic countries, and other places if they were converted to Gold Coins.

    Thus, he had no choice but to lock the cash boxes in his study¡¯s safe and repeatedly reminded the butler to have someone guard the main gate well today and not let any mishap occur.

    Night fell.

    The maid in Lady Paul¡¯s bedroom got up stealthily, took a set of tools from a box under the bed, and then made her way in the dark toward the second-floor study.

    Twice on her way, she encountered servants on night duty, but both glanced at her and turned their heads as if nothing was out of place.

    Yes, they were all spies deployed by the French Intelligence Bureau.

    After obtaining Paul¡¯s whereabouts from the British Government, the Intelligence Bureau had infiltrated his household over the last six months like a sieve. Now almost half of the servants in this villa were on the bureau¡¯s payroll. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that killing Paul would do more harm than good, he would already be dead many times over.

    The maid entered Paul¡¯s study using a key that had already been copied, took out her tools, and started setting fires around the room¡­

    At two o¡¯clock in the morning, Paul was awakened by the maid¡¯s screams.

    Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he faintly heard the servants shouting, ¡°Fire!¡±

    ¡°Quick, put it out!¡±

    Immediately after, the butler pounded on the door urgently, ¡°Master, it¡¯s a fire! You and the lady must go out and take shelter!¡±

    Paul sprang up from bed, threw on his clothes, and rushed out of the bedroom. He choked on the acrid smell and, looking up, saw the staircase to the second floor fill with thick smoke, with servants continuously running up and down carrying buckets of water.

    The three high-ranking members of the Restoration Organization, who had been staying in the guest room, were also awakened and exchanged looks with Paul, simultaneously exclaiming, ¡°The money!¡±

    They immediately tried to rush toward the second floor, engulfed in flames, but the butler hurriedly had them firmly held back.

    Two and a half hours later, with the combined efforts of the servants and the London Fire Police, the fire was finally extinguished.

    Ignoring the significant amount of lingering smoke, Paul and others ran madly up to the second floor, only to stop dead in their tracks¡ªthe entire half of the second floor, including the study, was charred black.

    Paul coughed as he stepped into the study and saw the burned-through safe¡ªsafes of this era were mostly made by wrapping iron in wood, and it wouldn¡¯t be until the 19th century that the familiar heavy metal safes would appear¡ªalong with a clump of charred material inside.

    Someone by his side took the debris out of the safe. They could still vaguely make out the shape of burnt paper, and their face turned ashen, ¡°Damn it, that was 25,000 Pounds¡­¡±

    ¡­

    More than ten days later, at the secret meeting of the Corsican Revival Organization, Bartolomeo pounded the table furiously, ¡°We had the chance to take over two-thirds of Congress! It¡¯s all because of that fire!¡±

    He was one of the three who had watched 25,000 Pounds go up in flames.

    The others in the room also wore gloomy expressions. They had learned that a Scottish tycoon had provided substantial funds to each of them, nearly 1,000 Pounds each, which equated to more than 20,000 Leva.

    Now, because of an accident, all was lost.

    Suddenly someone asked, ¡°Mr. Bartolomeo, how did the fire start all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not clear on that either. The fire police said it could have been rats.¡±

    Everyone fell silent again.

    Then, Giuseppe, one of the senior members of the organization, clapped his hands, ¡°Let¡¯s all buck up. Mr. Paul has sent instructions to organize a riot in Carg¨¨se, and we now need to discuss this matter.¡±

    Meanwhile, an American lawyer arrived in London, knocking on the door of Paul¡¯s home.

 Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Chapter 473: The Yellow Mud in Pauls Crotch

    Chapter 562: Chapter 473: The Yellow Mud in Paul¡¯s Crotch

    ¡°Hello, does Ms. Maria Michaela Quirino live here?¡± asked the American lawyer in English. Seeing no reaction from the lady in front of him, he repeated it in French.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s me,¡± nodded Lady Paul, ¡°but now it¡¯s Maria Michaela Paoli, I¡¯m married. May I ask who you are?¡±

    The man hurriedly handed over his business card, ¡°My name is James Danton. I am a lawyer for your aunt by marriage.¡±

    ¡°My aunt by marriage?¡±

    The lawyer nodded, ¡°Yes, Lady Giovanna Massimo. Do you remember her?¡±

    Lady Paul shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t recall. Oh, please come in and take a seat.¡±

    Lawyer Danton entered the house and politely said, ¡°First, I need to confirm that you are from the Quirino family of Ajaccio, Padano Town?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Then you should be the heir to Madam Massimo¡¯s estate,¡± the lawyer extracted a stack of documents from his briefcase, ¡°She is your grandmother¡¯s sister¡¯s second son¡¯s cousin¡¯s¡­¡±

    The lawyer listed a long string of familial relations, ¡°Upon her death, you are her only living relative, set to inherit her estate valued over ten thousand US Dollars.¡±

    Upon hearing this number, Lady Paul¡¯s mind suddenly brightened with sunny skies and the chirping of birds, and even the smiling face of Aunt Giovanna seemed to appear.

    Ten thousand US Dollars, that¡¯s fifty thousand Leva¡ªenough to buy a sizable estate in Corsica!

    She immediately nodded, then suddenly her face exhibited sorrow, ¡°Aunt, when did she pass away? Oh, Jesus, such a good person, how could she¡­¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    ¡°Lady Massimo passed away due to illness three months ago,¡± Lawyer Danton responded, ¡°She mentioned she knew you were in London many years ago from correspondence; fortunately, you haven¡¯t moved.¡±

    Lady Paul strained to recall corresponding with relatives in the United States. After Corsica was occupied by France, indeed many of her relatives had moved to the United States to make a living.

    And that ten thousand US Dollars quickly helped her piece together a whole set of memories.

    ¡°Oh, yes, I believe I did write to my aunt.¡±

    ¡°Then, please travel to the bank in Amsterdam as soon as possible to collect the inheritance. Of course, you could also go to Philadelphia, where I would be more pleased to assist you.¡±

    Upon hearing the commotion, Paul, who was directing servants in cleaning up after a fire on the second floor, came downstairs to the hall. After his wife told him about the inheritance, he frowned slightly, ¡°Amsterdam? Can¡¯t we handle it in London?¡±

    After all, he was involved in activities against France, and there were people who wanted him dead everywhere¡ªhe had to remain vigilant at all times.

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, sir. Lady Massimo¡¯s assets are all in the United States, and as you know, there are no current banking transactions between the US and England; the nearest currency exchange bank is in Holland.¡±

    After verifying Lady Paul¡¯s identity, Lawyer Danton handed over the will and other documents to her, scheduled the processing of the inheritance, and took his leave.

    Paul looked at the documents skeptically and asked his wife, ¡°Do you really remember this aunt?¡±

    ¡°Yes, dear, I remember her taking me to town when I was very young.¡±

    In fact, Lady Massimo did not exist at all.

    Fouche had people investigate Lady Paul¡¯s relatives in the United States and then fabricated this character.

    No one would doubt an inheritance in pure gold and silver, and Lady Paul soon convinced herself through self-suggestion, pressing the vague memories onto the identity of her ¡°aunt by marriage¡± and fully believing that she had such a relative.

    ¡°So, you really want to go to the Netherlands?¡± Paul asked as he looked at the documents, ¡°This might be a scam.¡±

    The woman nodded, ¡°Mr. Peter Lorre and I are going together, there will be no problem. At worst, we¡¯ll just treat it as a trip to the Netherlands, which I¡¯ve wanted to visit for quite some time.¡±

    She knew that Paul would definitely not leave the United Kingdom¡ªleaving would expose him to possible assassination by the French people. However, she had never been involved in politics and was sure there would be no danger.

    After much deliberation, Paul finally agreed, as $10,000 was no small sum.

    Less than half a month after his wife traveled to the Netherlands with the company of a butler, Paul received a letter from her.

    The letter was full of excitement, informing him that the inheritance was real and she had received the $10,000 US Dollar draft from the United States, which had already been cashed. Besides the cash, the inheritance from the aunt included numerous properties and lands, though the exact value was still unclear, and it might require a trip to the United States in the future.

    Paul was also very happy. Since joining the Restoration organization, all his income came from donations, and his life was not too wealthy. Now with his wife¡¯s inheritance, at least the renovation costs for the second floor were no longer a worry.

    Shortly after Lady Paul received the inheritance from her ¡°aunt by marriage,¡± a secret high-level meeting of the Restoration organization was convened again in Ajaccio, Corsica.

    The details of an uprising to take place next month in Carg¨¨se were quickly finalized and the plan was submitted to the leader, Paul.

    During the noon recess, Girolamo casually mentioned his wife¡¯s encounter with Lady Paul in Amsterdam.

    ¡°What was Lady Paul doing in the Netherlands?¡± Giuseppe asked casually as he sipped his coffee.

    ¡°It seems she was there to inherit an inheritance,¡± Girolamo said. ¡°She mentioned to my wife that she has a distant relative in the United States who left her a large sum of money.¡±

    Seeing that no one was particularly interested, he continued, ¡°It could be several tens of thousands of dollars, plus real estate and such; truly a windfall.¡±

    Of course, Lady Paul had never met his wife, nor could she have said anything. But the director of the intelligence bureau had personally instructed him to say so. As for whether it was true or not, nobody would go all the way to London to ask Lady Paul if she had told Mrs. Girolamo about the inheritance.

    Yes, Girolamo had been turned by the French Government long ago. But since he didn¡¯t hold a high position in the organization, he was only useful for providing peripheral intelligence.

    He deliberately emphasized ¡°a large sum of money,¡± ¡°a windfall,¡±¡ªfinally making Bartolomeo frown: ¡°This is a bit too coincidental. The money funded by Mr. Chalmers was just burned, and Lady Paul received a large inheritance?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Giuseppe immediately rebuked, ¡°Are you doubting Mr. Paul?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, I was just joking.¡±

    Girolamo quickly waved his hand but exchanged glances with the other two who had gone to London with him.

    After the meeting, the three immediately went to Girolamo¡¯s home.

    ¡°Do you suspect that the 25,000 British Pounds weren¡¯t actually burned?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it could have been just waste paper. I don¡¯t want to suspect Mr. Paul, but with such a large amount of money, it¡¯s hard for anyone not to be tempted.¡±

    What he didn¡¯t say was that the money was originally meant to be distributed among them, so no one else should get any ideas!

    ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡±

    ¡°Send people to the Netherlands and the United States to check it out!¡±

 Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: Chapter 474: The Incorruptible Person

    Chapter 563: Chapter 474: The Incorruptible Person

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph watched Brian¡¯s figure disappear and then looked at the annual financial report on the table, shaking his head with a sigh.

    Although France¡¯s industry and agriculture had both achieved vigorous development, the pace of France¡¯s debt growth had sharply increased again after a brief decline at the beginning of the previous year.

    Last year¡¯s total fiscal revenue was 580 million francs, increasing by as much as 70 million francs from the previous year.

    But at the same time, expenditures also surged to 540 million, plus the nearly 100 million francs in annual fixed national debt interest payments, resulting in a deficit of over 60 million!

    By the beginning of this year, France¡¯s total debt had reached a new historical high of 2.25 billion francs.

    Of course, compared to the nearly 3 billion francs of debt France had in 1790, the situation had improved a lot. Moreover, last year¡¯s debt growth was mainly due to massive investments in North Africa, Luxembourg, and the Walloon Region of the Southern Netherlands, particularly infrastructure construction, which not only cost a lot of money but also showed no returns in the short term.

    In addition, the wars conducted in North Africa, the Southern Netherlands, and Silesia were major drains on funds. According to the financial data submitted by Brian, last year¡¯s military expenditures exceeded 43 million francs!

    That was with Austria bearing a large part of the expenses for the latter two conflicts; otherwise, the figure would have been even more frightening.

    Furthermore, under last year¡¯s grain shortage, the national strategic grain reserves were heavily depleted and needed significant investment to replenish them. After all, up until 1795, the climate situation in Europe was quite unstable, and although there was no famine as severe as the one following last year¡¯s hailstorm, minor underproduction was a common occurrence, which necessitated precautions.

    This cost nearly 10 million francs to buy grains.

    All in all, had there been no war and grain hoarding, it would have been possible to achieve the long-awaited fiscal balance.

    However, Joseph couldn¡¯t relax at all.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã?

    Because he was well aware that many of his previous reforms were based on eroding noble interests. Especially those of the Old Nobility, who had almost been completely stripped of their control over the national economy, their various privileges, and their feudal taxes.

    The reason why France¡¯s society hadn¡¯t experienced significant turmoil was that he had stabilized the nobles with the profits from the ¡°Industrial Development Fund¡± and the ¡°Royal Fund.¡±

    Once the earnings from these funds were insufficient, it would lead to dissatisfaction among the Old Nobility, and the accumulated resentments towards the Royal Family could erupt all at once. As for the outcome, while it might not be as disastrous as Austria¡¯s aborted reforms ¨C since a Capitalist Noble Group had already formed to some extent ¨C a stagnation, or even a few years of regression, in national development was entirely possible.

    The profitability of the Industrial Development Fund was particularly crucial.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, leveraging the dividends of the Industrial Revolution, the return on investment in industry should have been over 30%, and once industrialization showed initial success, this figure could even reach 200%!

    Historically, England had used this windfall to take off, achieving the heights of The British Empire.

    With such financial returns, it was entirely feasible to integrate the Old Nobility into the national industrial movement, transitioning from Land Aristocracy to Capitalist Nobility.

    However, the current rate of industrial profit in France was less than 10%, which was only achieved through a great deal of ¡°black technology¡± that Joseph had introduced.

    After all, France¡¯s social system was still that of the feudal era, and everything from the tax system to administrative management seriously hindered industrial development.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help shaking his head with a wry smile, ¡°In fact, a thorough revolution would be the simplest and most effective solution.¡±

    The British had done just that with the Glorious Revolution, creating a complete set of political and economic models suited for industrial development.

    Take the tax system reform that was currently giving him the most headaches, for instance. Historically, France had simply eliminated all Tax Farmers, nationalizing the tax revenues they collected in a simple and brute-force solution. Indeed, this had been the handiwork of the Jacobins.

    And yet, Joseph had to achieve the same thing while maintaining national stability, which was exponentially more difficult.

    To abolish the system of Tax Farmers, there were two key difficulties ¡ª money and people.

    In terms of money, it would be ideal if the Tax Farmers could loan the government the original tax they were responsible for collecting, charging some interest. This way, the government could gradually repay this debt with the future tax revenue.

    Of course, Joseph knew that the Tax Farmers were most likely not going to agree to lend money, since their ¡°cake¡± was being touched, why would they want to cooperate?

    First, a large sum of money needed to be secured to support fiscal expenditures. At least 200 million francs was likely necessary.

    Then came the issue of people. Tax officers were prone to corruption, an issue that Louis XIV faced, which led him to adopt the Tax Farmer system.

    Joseph took out the tax reform plan he had drafted from a drawer and began to carefully revise it.

    Eman knocked gently on the door from outside, reporting, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Robespierre has arrived.¡±

    Joseph immediately smiled, ¡°Let him in, please.¡±

    The door opened and the slightly plump, blond young man followed Eman in, glancing nervously at Joseph and immediately bowing with his hand on his chest, ¡°I am deeply honored to be summoned by Your Highness, the crown prince.¡±

    Joseph rose from his seat and gestured towards the sofa, ¡°I am also very pleased to see you, please take a seat.¡±

    After resolving the inheritance lawsuit in Chartres last time, Robespierre had ultimately not taken up the position at the Official Investigation Bureau; instead, leveraging the influence of the case, he had become an intern prosecutor at the Paris High Court.

    Robespierre, looking visibly flustered, sat down and hurriedly asked, ¡°Your Highness, may I know why you have summoned me?¡±

    Joseph immediately cleared his throat and spoke in a very serious tone, ¡°Mr. Robespierre, are you willing to fight for France, for His Majesty the King, for all the people with utter disregard for everything, even if faced with great danger?¡±

    He had prepared a few opening remarks and in the end felt that this most dramatic one suited Robespierre the best.

    Sure enough, the latter immediately stood up excitedly, nodding vigorously, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I am willing to dedicate my life for France!¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Joseph continued, ¡°You are the most noble and incorruptible person I know, which is why only you can fulfill this heavy responsibility.¡±

    Robespierre, not expecting such high praise from the crown prince, felt his head spin and immediately answered without hesitation, ¡°Just give your command, Your Highness, I will not disappoint you!¡±

    Joseph maintained a somber expression, ¡°I hope you can take on the role of Inspector in the newly established National Tax Bureau.¡±

    Joseph knew, if there was one incorruptible official in France, it had to be Robespierre.

 Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Chapter 475 Developing Real Estate

    Chapter 564: Chapter 475 Developing Real Estate

    Historically, Robespierre was perhaps too radical in his operations, but his being known as the ¡°Incorruptible¡± speaks volumes of his integrity.

    After the Jacobins came to power, he, as France¡¯s de facto leader, indeed devoted himself wholeheartedly to the welfare of the people¡ªat least he believed so subjectively¡ªand never used his power for personal gain.

    He also had some resentment towards the wealthy.

    Taking all these characteristics into account, Joseph believed he was the ideal candidate to oversee the tax system, unrivaled by any other.

    Upon hearing this, Robespierre seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, yet also appeared somewhat deflated, ¡°Your Highness, although I don¡¯t have experience in tax matters, if you request it, I will do my utmost to perform well in this role. However, I think it might not be as risky as you previously described.¡±

    ¡°No, you clearly underestimate the dangers of this position,¡± Joseph said, ¡°You will be threatened, intimidated, and might even face violent tactics. Of course, more likely are bribery and corruption.¡±

    Seeing the confusion still apparent on Robespierre¡¯s face, he elaborated on his plans to abolish the Tax Farmers system and the interests involved: ¡°Originally, every tax revenue had to pass through these Tax Farmers, involving more than 500 million francs. To cling onto their share, they would definitely resort to any means necessary.¡±

    This made Robespierre anxious, but he firmly stated, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured that I won¡¯t fear any threats.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction, ¡°You will assist Count Fulco, oh, he is the newly appointed director of the tax bureau, to build a national tax system together.¡±

    Fulco had taken over as Finance Minister in an emergency after Carolina¡¯s dismissal, having served only three weeks before being replaced by Brian.

    This man was highly competent in finance and loyal to the Royal Family, so Joseph appointed him as the head of the tax system.

    However, as a noble bureaucrat, Joseph could only rest easy if someone like Robespierre was watching him closely.

    Joseph continued, ¡°You ought to be very familiar with tax laws, but you still need some training in finances and tax processes.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°So, you will attend the economics college at the Paris Police Academy for three months and get acquainted with your future subordinates there in advance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will follow your arrangement,¡± Robespierre pondered, then asked uncertainly, ¡°Did you just say, ¡®Police Academy¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the Police Academy. You¡¯ll also need to train in drill and command there. And your subordinates, once appointed, will all carry side swords and firearms.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± This made Robespierre even more anxious.

    Joseph then personally took the new tax bureau inspector to Versailles Palace to meet the Finance Minister and the director of the tax bureau, effectively endorsing this politically inexperienced young man.

    Leaving the Palace of Versailles, it was already past 3 p.m.

    After Joseph entered the Paris City by carriage, he suddenly remembered the matters of fundraising and said to Eman, ¡°Please go to the Royal Palace first. I want to check on the ¡®Star Garden.''¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    The so-called ¡°Star Garden¡± was a real estate project near the Royal Palace, promoted by leveraging the buzz of the World Fair.

    Joseph had previously not paid much attention here, but upon returning from Silesia, he learned that the sales were not very promising.

    Now being in need of funds, real estate was an asset he must seize quickly.

    Joseph got off the carriage outside ¡°Star Garden,¡± looked up, and examined this community which was originally part of the Royal Palace Gardens.

    It was one of the first areas in Paris to have gas lighting installed, with the commercial area in the Western Wing of the Royal Palace nearby, complete with hospitals, schools, and other facilities. Logically, sales should have been flourishing.

    After all, ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± near the Tuileries Palace had sold out almost instantly, yet he learned from Brian¡¯s report that this area had sold less than one-fifth.

    The sales manager of ¡°Star Garden¡± quickly learned of the arrival of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and hastened over with a group of subordinates to greet him.

    After acknowledging their greetings, Joseph addressed the issue of sales.

    ¡°Yes, you are right, there are plenty of wealthy nobles,¡± the sales manager bowed and walked beside Joseph, ¡°but after all, this place is a lot more expensive compared to the ¡®Royal Palace Gardens.''¡±

    ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± were listed at 60,000 francs, with an actual transaction price around 70,000, while ¡°Star Garden¡± was marked at 100,000, generally needing a discount to 95,000 francs to make a sale.

    The sales manager continued, ¡°Everyone feels that the Royal Palace Gardens will also have gas lamps installed sooner or later, so they expect prices here may drop, that¡¯s why they are waiting¡­¡±

    Joseph frowned and nodded. It seemed this was completely similar to real estate in future generations, buying highs not lows, fostering a price reduction expectation.

    He immediately instructed the manager, ¡°Please select the most conspicuous property and place my coat of arms on it.

    ¡°Then, in the newspapers, advertise that the ¡®most expensive, most luxurious residential area in Paris¡¯ has only the last 10 sets left. Remember, not as an advertisement, but get a journalist to write it as a news article, emphasizing that only those of the highest status can live here, and the prices will never drop.

    ¡°Afterwards, all those who come to buy a property must first enter a lottery, only those who win can make a purchase, and the price can only increase.¡±

    ¡°Lottery?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a kind of draw, but make it more diversified, like having small balls with numbers for people to pick. Only those who pick a specific pattern three times qualify to buy.¡±

    The sales manager hesitated, ¡°Your Highness, but if the buyers lose patience and leave¡­¡±

    ¡°Do as I say, and it will sell faster,¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°You can have someone sell the lottery tickets privately in the name of ¡®Star Gardens¡¯ management, to those who want to buy but didn¡¯t get a ticket, a ticket for 2,000 francs. If not bought, next month it goes up to 3,000.¡±

    Jokingly, those mere hundred-plus properties, all the rich in France were eyeing this place. Those future strategies like ¡°scarcity marketing,¡± ¡°concept marketing,¡± and the like, it would be odd if it didn¡¯t sell.

    Royal Palace Gardens took up less than a quarter of the area, more phases were still to be built. If all sold, the net profit could reach 20 million francs!

    Previously, the condominiums in the ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± had already sold for 70,000 Leva apiece. With gas street lights as an added bonus, those properties should at least sell for 100,000 Leva. Plus, later putting the real estate company on the market could rake in another substantial amount.

 Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Chapter 476: The Smell of Industry

    Chapter 565: Chapter 476: The Smell of Industry

    Shortly thereafter, at the coronation ceremony for Leopold II as the King of Bohemia, the French envoy publicly presented a gift¡ªan exquisite villa model along with a set of gold-inlaid keys. This represented a luxurious property in ¡°Star Garden¡± in Paris, valued at 50,000 florins.

    Since Leopold II was to inherit a dozen royal titles subsequently, this gift was considered the most expensive at the coronation ceremony.

    Immediately, Austrian nobles and congratulatory foreign officials began inquiring about the ¡°Star Garden.¡± The French envoy¡¯s entourage eagerly acted as ¡°salespeople.¡±

    Soon, as a villa in ¡°Star Garden¡± was adorned with the Habsburg Family¡¯s emblem and numerous Germany wealthy inquired about the properties there, the French affluent could no longer sit still.

    Then, they encountered the unprecedented matter of property raffles which further fueled their desire to purchase, with a spot being bid up to 5,000 francs.

    Over a fortnight later, all properties in ¡°Star Garden¡± were booked out, and some already began inquiring about the phase-two project.

    On the other hand, Joseph had already launched a development plan for the wasteland between Paris and the Palace of Versailles. It included constructing numerous affordable homes to offset the impact of ¡°Star Garden¡± on Paris property prices, ensuring the housing needs of ordinary Parisians.

    ¡­

    Inside a civilian house in the Paris Louvre District, a salesman from the French Royal Insurance Company, Antony, was fervently explaining to a couple facing him, ¡°Whether it¡¯s an attack by criminals or being knocked down by a carriage, as long as there is injury, you can receive a substantial compensation from the ¡®personal accident insurance.¡¯ Let me see¡­¡±

    He flipped through the documents in his hand, ¡°A common injury would entitle you to a compensation of 800 francs. In case of unfortunate death, the compensation would be 1,500 francs. And all these protections only require an annual premium of 10 francs. Oh, the premium for women and children is as low as 7 francs.¡±

    The Evans couple exchanged glances, both somewhat tempted.

    They had just decided to purchase an educational insurance, having had a son this year and discussing his future education. This educational insurance demanded an annual payment of 80 francs, and after paying for six years, all tuition fees for both regular school and university attended by their son would be covered by the insurance company, with an additional monthly food allowance of 6 francs.

    What satisfied them most was that if their son chose not to attend university later, all the money would be returned when he turned 18!

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï

    After that, the insurance salesman introduced them to ¡°property insurance,¡± ¡°medical insurance,¡± ¡°pension insurance,¡± etc., all being the latest types offered by the French Royal Insurance Company.

    Of course, all this was planned by Joseph.

    These insurances, which would be common in the future, were novel and attractive compared to the current insurances limited to ¡°marine insurance¡± and ¡°fire insurance.¡±

    However, the chances of accidents in the 18th century were much higher than in the 21st century, so the Royal Insurance Company temporarily targeted only nobles and wealthy merchants for sales¡ªpeople who were both willing to spend money on insurance and less prone to accidents.

    In the end, the Evans couple subscribed to an educational insurance and also bought a personal accident insurance for Mr. Evans.

    Salesman Antony immediately took the deposit, issued a receipt, noted down an appointment for processing, and then hurried off to the next client.

    Recently, the sales of insurance were booming, with him even selling over a dozen policies a day, earning a hefty commission.

    And like him, there were already thousands of salesmen across France, actively promoting the company¡¯s latest insurance products.

    The Royal Insurance Company¡¯s daily income approached a staggering 400,000 francs, its capital absorption capacity rivaling that of banks!

    Meanwhile, in places like the Netherlands, Austria, and Sardinia, the French Royal Insurance Company also established branches. Beyond the ordinary insurance schemes mentioned, salespeople were making efforts to push a financial product dubbed ¡°investment insurance.¡±

    Purchasers ¡°only need¡± to pay a certain amount of premium to the insurance company annually, and after completing payments for 15 years, they could draw a monthly interest of 3% from the insurance company until their death. Additionally, at the age of 50 or upon death, the premiums would be fully refunded!

    People in the 21st century were aware that this type of insurance was actually a trap, but it¡¯s undeniable that, without meticulous calculations, the investment insurance seemed highly profitable at face value.

    Especially for people still living in a feudal society who greatly preferred a sense of stability and security, investment insurance sales were booming in various countries. Just this alone, each month, could add between two or three million francs to the Royal Insurance Company¡¯s income.

    Regarding England, the Royal Insurance Company did not directly establish a branch there but instead opened a new ¡°Atlantic Insurance Company,¡± ostensibly unrelated to the Royal Insurance Company.

    If the British dared to pursue anything like the forcible equalization of wealth against France in the future, this insurance company might simply show them a forced closure.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, by the time tax farming was to be abolished and tax collection returned to government control, through real estate and the insurance business, it was possible to raise over 50 million francs.

    ¡­

    Southern Suburb of Paris.

    In a luxurious yet stylistically understated villa, Godemid stepped into a spacious conference hall led by a manservant.

    Already, around a dozen people were clustered around an oval conference table, chatting in pairs or small groups.

    On hearing someone¡¯s arrival, they casually glanced at Godemid but didn¡¯t pay much attention and continued their conversations.

    Godemid wasn¡¯t offended; he was merely a small-time banker whose main business was in England. Being invited to this meeting was a difficulty in itself; naturally, he wouldn¡¯t mind others¡¯ attitudes.

    At the manservant¡¯s indication, he sat down in a chair close to the end of the table, immediately noticing the ¡°Suitable for living¡± logo branded on the conference table in front of him.

    He was somewhat surprised; ¡°Suitable for living¡± was Paris¡¯s most popular ¡°synthetic panel¡± furniture recently, very expensive. This large conference table in front of him must cost nearly a thousand francs.

    Yes, currently, due to the low production of casein glue, synthetic panel furniture was much pricier than real wood furniture. However, with the hype of being ¡°termite-resistant¡± and ¡°non-deformable¡± and the previous personal promotions by Joseph, synthetic panel furniture had indeed become the trend in high-end furniture.

    Godemid sniffed the table¡¯s unique scent, silently admiring: What an enchanting aroma; this must be what they call the ¡°scent of industry¡±!

    If Joseph heard his thoughts, he would awkwardly tell him that it was actually the smell of formaldehyde, which, inhaled in excess, was bad for one¡¯s health.

    [Note 1] 18th-century Europe¡¯s ¡°regular schools¡± were roughly equivalent to today¡¯s middle schools.

 Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: Chapter 477: In Control of Great Power

    Chapter 566: Chapter 477: In Control of Great Power

    In fact, all furniture produced by YiJiu comes with a notice that reads, ¡°Please place in a well-ventilated area when in use,¡± but virtually everyone ignores it.

    Subsequently, the servant brought Godemid a bottle of Paris Cola and a glass of wine.

    The latter nodded at the servant and expertly poured the drink from the glass bottle into the wine glass, causing large bubbles to form immediately in the dark purple wine.

    This was the latest drinking trend among the Parisian nobility. The soda drink enhanced the sweetness of the wine, and the bubbles helped the aroma spread more quickly throughout the mouth. The lingering scent that followed a burp was truly delightful.

    However, due to limited production capacity of the soda, Paris Cola was only sold in France¡¯s major cities, so this way of drinking had not yet become popular throughout Europe.

    As Godemid knew, the price of Paris Cola had been driven up to 5 shillings in England, which was more than 6 francs per bottle.

    As he indulged in the effervescent wine, the door to the conference hall was pushed open once again. A middle-aged man of average height, wearing a black silk short coat and with a composed look in his eyes, strode in.

    Next to him was a man with a pointed chin and a hooked nose.

    The people in the room immediately stood up to greet the two men, ¡°Viscount Ford, you look very well.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve all been waiting for you, Viscount Ford.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Hope? Long time no see.¡±

    Godemid also hurried to bow in greeting.

    Though he had heard of these two men, this was his first time seeing them in person.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã?

    Leon Fould was a financial magnate in France, owning banks and transport companies, and was the mastermind behind the Farmers-General of France.

    The man with the hooked nose was Dutch, named Henry Hope, who owned numerous banks in Holland, Russia, and Sweden.

    It was rumored that his fortune exceeded Ford¡¯s, but as a foreigner, his influence on the Tax Farmers Association was not as profound as the latter¡¯s.

    Ford took the lead at the conference table, firstly courteously inviting Hope to sit beside him, then addressing the attendees directly, ¡°As you all might have heard, the government plans to reclaim the tax farming rights. I¡¯ve invited everyone here today to discuss how we should respond.¡±

    Yes, the fewer than twenty people in this room were the financial powerhouses who controlled France¡¯s taxes. Some of them did not even appear publicly in the Tax Farmers Association, but the public tax farmers were supported by their funds.

    Like Hope, a major player who controlled the taxes of several French provinces and profited immensely from it.

    Immediately, a chubby-faced man dismissively waved his hand, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Without our tax money, the French Government would go bankrupt immediately.¡±

    An elderly man beside him nodded and added, ¡°Even without financial issues, the government¡¯s tax officers will soon drive His Majesty the King to despair. During the Sun King¡¯s era, due to their excellent ability to embezzle, the King handed tax collection over to us. What can Louis XVI possibly do now?¡±

    Their words elicited a wave of agreement, but Hope coughed lightly and said seriously, ¡°This matter concerns our business. Since the Queen is considering this, she must have made preparations. We need to respond preemptively.¡±

    Ford immediately responded, ¡°Firstly, we must form a financial alliance. No one should lend tax money to the government in the form of a loan.¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement, feeling that this strategy alone was enough to make the government give up on tax reform.

    Hope then added, ¡°We can also exert pressure on the Royal Family through bureaucrats.¡±

    Ford nodded in agreement, ¡°Many in the bureaucratic class have invested in tax farming. By offering them some more benefits, we will certainly fill the nation with voices of opposition.¡±

    The corpulent man sneered darkly, ¡°If the government wants to collect taxes itself, it will definitely appoint a large number of tax officers. If necessary, we can threaten them or even kill a few to deter the others.¡±

    Hope didn¡¯t quite like this rough approach and looked at his glass of wine, ¡°If it really comes to that, it should be the top officials we go after, not the tax officers.¡±

    Those present immediately started supplementing the plan with various details, appearing very confident.

    Two hours later, Ford looked at the plan copied by the clerk and nodded slightly. Seated here were the smartest people in Europe, weathering storms in each country. How could Queen Mary or ministers like Brian possibly outmatch them?

    The tax revenue of France would always belong to them!

    After the meeting concluded, the financial moguls headed upstairs to attend the banquet.

    Godemid watched Ford¡¯s retreating figure, hesitated whether to voice his own idea, but then thought the current plan was already good, so he drained his glass of wine and quickly walked upstairs.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    In the tea room of the Petit Trianon Palace, Queen Mary frowned as she handed Joseph a thick stack of documents, her expression uneasy, ¡°My dear, just the rumor of the tax reform you planned has brought me so many objections.¡±

    Joseph also frowned as he flipped through the documents, all were official objections to canceling the tax farmers system.

    Most were from local officials, but the list also included three governors and the assistant to the Justice Minister. Even the King¡¯s brother, the Duke of Provence, was clearly opposed.

    Joseph roughly counted; there were more than 40 objections.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised, considering many officials had invested in tax farmers. Touching their interests, they naturally would vehemently oppose.

    Queen Mary continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard there are even more objections on their way to the Palace of Versailles. Perhaps, now is really not a good time to proceed with the tax reform?¡±

    Initially, when her son spoke of reforming the tax system, she hadn¡¯t hesitated and agreed, especially since ministers like Brian and Mirabeau were also supportive.

    But now, with so many officials expressing opposition, she couldn¡¯t help but doubt whether her son had truly made a mistake.

    Joseph took a deep breath and gave his mother a confident smile, ¡°Dear mother, give me a few more months, and I¡¯ll make sure you see satisfactory results.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then try again,¡± the Queen nodded.

    She really trusted her son now, and then hooked her arm with Joseph¡¯s, ¡°Come dine with me tonight. Oh, it looks like Alexandra will also be there.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Alright.¡±

    Joseph nodded absentmindedly, his mind buzzing with thoughts on how to handle so many officials opposed to canceling the tax farmers.

    Should he first try to lessen their loss of benefits?

    Joseph walked down the corridor, with nobles stepping aside to bow to him and the Queen.

    He suddenly narrowed his eyes, yes, now that he held the levers of administrative, judicial, and financial power, why should he consider the interests of these ¡°lesser folk¡±?

 Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: Chapter 478: Strike with Full Force

    Chapter 567: Chapter 478: Strike with Full Force

    The following morning,

    Mara straightened his clothes and, at Eman¡¯s gesture, pushed open the door. He entered, bowed to the Crown Prince, who was sitting at the desk, and said concisely, ¡°Your Highness, I have arrived.¡±

    Joseph smiled as he rose to his feet, ¡°I am pleased to see you, Mr. Mara.¡±

    ¡°Did you summon me for any instructions?¡±

    Joseph, who was accustomed to his attitude towards the Royal Family, gestured for him to sit on the sofa and nodded, ¡°Indeed, there is a matter that requires your attention.¡±

    He sat across from Mara and handed him a list, ¡°These officials may be involved in corruption, please investigate them.¡±

    The list was precisely the more than 40 officials who had previously expressed opposition to the abolition of the Tax Farmers system.

    The bureaucratic class should have been the tool of the Royal Family to manage the country, but some dared to openly contradict the Royal Family. Joseph had decided that this was the time to strike hard and to put these fellows in their place.

    And to deal with bureaucrats, the Bureau of Fair Investigation was undoubtedly the best tool.

    Mara¡¯s gaze swept over the list, and then he looked at Joseph and said, ¡°Your Highness, is there evidence of their corruption?¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Then, has someone reported them?¡±

    ¡°Neither.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã?

    Mara put down the list and, frowning sternly, said, ¡°Your Highness, then I must refuse your request. The Justice Investigation Department is meant to oversee the integrity of officials and protect the rights of the people, not a tool for you to achieve your political goals!¡±

    Joseph was immediately at a loss for words. Mara and his ilk were indeed dedicated and fearless of power and their competence was strong, but they were also too rigid, not even giving face to him. Yet, this trait was indeed necessary for an anti-corruption department.

    He was quite certain that the officials listed, who had all come out against the Tax Farmers¡¯ abolition at the same time, would have been odd if they hadn¡¯t taken bribes. But he could only helplessly say, ¡°Mr. Mara, I¡¯m merely asking you to begin an investigation. If they are innocent, they naturally won¡¯t be treated unfairly.¡±

    In his heart, he thought to himself that with the way things were with France¡¯s bureaucrats now, not investigating and convicting them all of corruption would probably leave few miscarriages of justice.

    Mara frowned again, clearly against his will, and looking down, he said, ¡°Very well, Your Highness, I¡¯ll have someone look into it. Is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all, nothing more.¡±

    Mara then picked up the list, gave a bow to Joseph, backed away a few steps, and turned to leave, muttering under his breath, ¡°What a waste of the Bureau¡¯s resources¡­¡±

    Not long after Mara left, Brian hurried in, handing a stack of letters to Joseph, anxiously saying, ¡°Your Highness, these are admonitions just delivered yesterday. They are from officials from all over opposing the tax reform.¡±

    Joseph glanced at the letters in his hand; there were at least twenty or more, his brows instantly furrowed.

    Brian was well aware of the Crown Prince¡¯s determination to abolish the Tax Farmers, and so spoke with a grave expression, ¡°Your Highness, there should be even more admonitions on their way to the Palace of Versailles.¡±

    ¡°With such widespread opposition at present, it might not be wise to push ahead with the tax reform too quickly¡­¡±

    Joseph knew he was right. Nearly every region had officials opposing tax reform. If he pushed ahead against so much opposition, it would certainly provoke a backlash from the entire bureaucracy.

    He took a deep breath, surprised by the power of the Tax Farmers¡¯ group, which could mobilize so many officials to act in their interest.

    But the more that was the case, the more necessary it was to completely eradicate this influence.

    The urgent matter now was to stop the bureaucrats¡¯ momentum against tax reform. Otherwise, the more officials who joined the opposition, the harder the task would become.

    The plan had been to have Mara¡¯s department ¡°deal with¡± the first batch of officials to come out against abolition, hoping others would see the tide changing and no longer dare to take the Tax Farmers¡¯ money to speak up for them.

    But there would be a lag time. Once the admonitions reached the Palace of Versailles, it signified the officials could no longer turn back and would have to oppose staunchly to the end.

    Of course, he could always dismiss a large number of officials in the last resort, forcibly abolish the Tax Farmers system, but that would also lead to significant political turbulence. At that point, it could result in a situation of the Royal Family vs. the entire bureaucratic class.

    Joseph¡¯s gaze passed over the letters, and a thought suddenly struck him.

    The officials¡¯ participation in opposing tax reform was marked by these admonitions.

    In other words, without these admonitions, they were still neutral. Once they spotted an unfavorable trend, they could immediately switch back to support the Royal Family.

    He immediately spoke to Eman, ¡°Please have the Postmaster General Viscount Arrois and Mr. Fouche come see me. Oh, and the head of the Black Room department of the intelligence bureau¡­¡±

    The ¡°Black Room¡± was the department within the intelligence system responsible for monitoring mail.

    Eman bowed and replied, ¡°That would be Mr. Jean Randere, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, please bring him along as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Two hours later, the Postmaster General and two intelligence bureau officials hurried to the Palace of Versailles.

    Once the three had paid their respects, Joseph immediately instructed the Postmaster General Viscount Arrois, ¡°I need you to cause some ¡®accidents¡¯ in the postal system immediately, the kind that can partially collapse the system.

    ¡°You need not worry about being punished for this. After the event, I will transfer you to another Ministry, to a higher position than your current one.¡±

    Arrois had been personally promoted by him from the bottom up and was absolutely reliable in terms of loyalty.

    Arrois widened his eyes in surprise but still responded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. However¡­¡±

    Before he could ask in detail, he saw the Crown Prince then say to Fouche, ¡°Have the Black Room inspect all recent official letters sent to the Palace of Versailles. Any that involve tax reform admonitions, have the postal bureau ¡®hold¡¯ them or send them back to their place of origin.¡±

    Fouche and Jean Randere exchanged a glance and hurriedly bowed, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    That very night, a fire broke out in the operations building of the Paris postal bureau, neither too big nor too small.

    The fire was quickly controlled, burning just two offices and a storeroom on three floors, with no casualties, but some of the letters turned to ashes in the fire.

    As the news hit the press, two key figures in the postal bureau began to publicly blame each other, both putting on an act of refusing to take responsibility and eventually taking their dispute all the way to Chief Minister Brian.

    Subsequently, Postmaster General Arrois took a leave of absence due to a severe illness, and the postal system¡¯s officials split into two factions, each supporting their own superior.

    For a time, the postal system was in utter disarray, with no one managing the daily mail service, and a great many letters were either backlogged or sent back to their place of origin.

    However, anyone within the postal system who observed carefully would notice that ordinary mail was mostly delivered as normal, while it was the official correspondence that was most affected.

 Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Chapter 479 Malas Combat Power

    Chapter 568: Chapter 479 Mala¡¯s Combat Power

    Western suburbs of Paris.

    In an office of the Official Investigation Bureau headquarters, Joseph looked at Demulan in front of him and glanced over the work report he had just brought in, casually asking, ¡°Is Mr. Mara not here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Demulan from the bureau replied, ¡°He went to Poitou the day before yesterday.¡±

    Joseph recalled that the Count of Norfolk, Governor of Poitou, was one of the three governors opposing the abolition of the Tax Farmers, and he nodded slightly, ¡°Is he investigating the Count of Norfolk¡¯s case?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Demulan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s the Water Construction Department, corruption in repair and maintenance costs.¡±

    Joseph frowned, then looked through the work report in his hands and asked, ¡°Has Mr. Mara recently arranged a large number of new investigative tasks?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Demulan helped him turn to the last few pages, indeed there were quite a few investigation plans.

    But as Joseph scanned them, his brow furrowed even more¡ªmost of these investigation tasks were assigned only one investigator, and all had deadlines of 5 to 8 days. What could be uncovered with so few people and such little time?

    Obviously, Mara was just going through the motions.

    Joseph was somewhat annoyed. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the intelligence bureau was far less efficient than the Official Investigation Bureau, and investigating officials might provoke complaints from government staff, he would have preferred to hand the matter over to Fouche.

    He was about to reprimand Demulan but suddenly remembered that doing so might inadvertently benefit the Jacobins, so he sighed and stood up to leave.

    ¡°It seems Mr. Mara needs a bit of pressure,¡± Joseph said as he got onto his carriage and then considered, telling Eman, ¡°Go to the intelligence bureau.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    South-Central France, Bourges.

    Second-class investigator Cecilian from the Official Investigation Bureau listlessly flipped through the municipal financial records, unable to suppress a yawn.

    Just as Mr. Mara had said, there seemed to be no issues with Municipal Commissioner Baron Basse-Ham and financial officer Mr. Comu; this investigation was merely a sad political manipulation.

    The accounts were very clean. Over the past few days, Cecilian had also checked both their bank accounts and visited some officials acquainted with them, finding nothing amiss.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough then,¡± he closed the ledger, stood up, ¡°In two more days, I can go back to Paris. This trip felt almost like a vacation.¡±

    As he left city hall and was about to call for his carriage, a burly man wearing his hat brim low suddenly burst out from a corner to his left, colliding into him.

    ¡°Hey, you sure walk elegantly!¡±

    Cecilian loudly protested at the man, who seemed not to hear and disappeared into the crowd with his head down.

    By the time Cecilian returned to his hotel and reached into his pocket to get his key, he felt a piece of paper.

    He was certain he hadn¡¯t placed anything like that in his pocket and quickly took it out to read. The note contained just two phrases: ¡°Go back to Paris, there¡¯s nothing for you here. Leave now while you can, continue further and you¡¯re certainly inviting danger!¡±

    Cecilian¡¯s face flushed red. He was an investigator personally selected by Mara, a true Jacobin in character and principles, and he growled through gritted teeth, ¡°Shameful coward, do you think this can scare me?! For the people¡¯s benefit, I must expose your shameful acts!¡±

    He tore the note to shreds, entered his room and wrote a letter to the Bureau, the main content being his feeling that there were severe issues in Bourges, requesting an extension of the investigation time for approval.

    Then, he went out again and, thinking of the techniques Mr. Mara had taught him, he headed straight for the house of the most prestigious journalist in Bourges.

    The man who had bumped into him outside city hall saw him leaving and couldn¡¯t help but smile, writing a letter that night to his superiors in the intelligence bureau reporting that the ¡°Ignite¡± plan was progressing smoothly.

    Meanwhile, at the same time, investigators across France responsible for investigating those other 40 officials each encountered various scenarios.

    Some were threatened by criminals with knives to stop their investigations. Others were robbed, all their collected investigation materials stolen. Some even watched as the documents they wanted to access were burned.

    Quickly, these investigators, just as stubborn as Mara was incensed!

    They had previously thought these officials were innocent, merely victims of political strife, yet it seemed none were clean. Their ownSide hadn¡¯t even begun looking thoroughly before the others got nervous.

    How could they justify themselves to the French people if they didn¡¯t investigate and reveal everything?

    Of course, these threatening incidents were all specially arranged by agents on behalf of the Crown Prince, following Fouche¡¯s instructions. Investigating corruption wasn¡¯t their forte, but they were experienced in orchestrating such incidents.

    Meanwhile, Mara, who was in Poitou conducting investigative work, received a huge number of investigation requests within a few days. When he learned of the trouble his subordinates faced, he was furious.

    He immediately wrote instructing Demulan to suspend some of the less urgent tasks if necessary and to allocate more personnel to assist those threatened investigators, determined to thoroughly clear out the involved officials.

    The entire Official Investigation Bureau thus entered a state of ¡°frenzy.¡±

    ¡­

    Half a month later.

    Palace of Versailles.

    Mara stood in front of the Crown Prince, his expression full of guilt, and said remorsefully, ¡°Your Highness, I was wrong to doubt you before, please accept my sincere apologies. Just as you predicted, those officials indeed had issues.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never blamed you. The facts have proven your work to be consistently excellent,¡± Joseph said with a smile as he opened the report sent by Mara. In less than 20 days, this fighter akin to a ¡°piranha¡± had extracted concrete evidence of crimes from 16 officials!

    Primarily corruption, but also abuse of power, collusion between government and business, smuggling, and even a murder case!

    Joseph felt momentarily that maybe he should let Mara manage the intelligence bureau, given such efficiency in uncovering leads would definitely embarrass Fouche¡¯s subordinates.

    However, he immediately dismissed the thought. The intelligence bureau needed to do a lot of ¡°dirty work,¡± and with Mara¡¯s character, it was unrealistic to expect him to follow orders. Only someone like Fouche, with his kind of character, would execute any order unhesitatingly.

    Joseph raised the 16 reports and spoke sternly to Mara, ¡°Regarding these worms, these vampires, I entrust you to handle them fairly.¡±

    The Official Investigation Bureau had the direct right to arrest, and the detention time without evidence was even longer than the police¡¯s. After finalizing the evidence, they only needed to submit an application to Joseph, gaining approval to then directly initiate prosecution.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction and then looked at the investigative reports of the remaining 30 or so officials from whom conclusive evidence had yet to be obtained, his brow slightly furrowing.

 Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Chapter 480: Crime of Huge Amounts of Property with Unidentified Sources

    Chapter 569: Chapter 480: Crime of Huge Amounts of Property with Unidentified Sources

    ¡°`

    Mara glanced at the Crown Prince¡¯s expression, then peered at the investigation report in his hand, and immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, please give me some time. If they have indeed committed embezzlement, I will certainly be able to uncover it!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph¡¯s brows still did not relax.

    He believed that with Mara¡¯s ¡°dogged¡± spirit, sooner or later, he would be able to dig up those officials¡¯ dirty secrets¡ªeven the evidence of the Governor of Poitou¡¯s corruption had been unearthed by him¡ªbut still, the time that it would take was too long.

    If he could not deter in the shortest possible time those officials who dared to oppose the abolition of the Tax Farmers system, more people would follow suit, accepting bribes to join the chorus against him.

    After all, even if the postal system were to ¡°collapse,¡± at worst, it would be chaotic for a month, so one must make a quick decision to convict all these forty-some people.

    For an instant, the thought of instructing the Intelligence Department to fabricate evidence against these men flickered through Joseph¡¯s mind.

    However, he immediately dismissed the notion. Once such a precedent was set, it would have endless harmful consequences; it could even lead to a day when the Intelligence Department might concoct charges against the Royal Family.

    It would be best to adhere to the universally recognized political rules to avoid serious side effects.

    Joseph subconsciously flipped through the investigation report and suddenly noticed that it stated a certain official from a southern province had total assets of 50,000 francs, yet his position was merely a municipal hall judicial assistant, with a salary that should not exceed 60 francs per month, and his family did not hold any ennobled fiefs and clearly had no business income.

    That is to say, if this individual did not have an illegitimate income, he would have to work for 70 years without eating or drinking to accumulate such wealth.

    And yet, he had been appointed just nine years ago, and the province of Montauban he served in was an extremely poor one.

    Joseph turned to the next page.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï

    This was the municipal commissioner of Poitiers, with assets exceeding 120,000 francs. His family indeed had a manor, but it could only produce about 2,500 francs per year. His father had bought the manor 17 years ago, which could not account for his vast wealth.

    The situations of the next dozen or so people were much the same, all with considerable assets but without industries to earn so much money.

    Joseph squinted his eyes. The report listed only the information the investigators could gather in a short time, meaning the actual assets of the officials were likely even more than these figures.

    A term immediately sprang to mind in his head¡ª¡±unexplained large property crime.¡±

    Although in the 18th century, it seemed unrealistic to codify this crime into law, and the legislative process was too time-consuming, it did not hinder the use of its concept in investigating evidence of the officials¡¯ crimes.

    One must realize that the Justice Investigation Department indeed had the power of interrogation. And Mara, who always disliked the bureaucrats, would certainly not hold back in his interrogations as long as he had something to latch onto.

    Joseph then smiled slightly, looking at Mara, ¡°Mr. Mara, have you heard of the ¡®unexplained large property crime¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡­

    Poitiers.

    In an office of the Official Investigation Bureau, Baron Kasitong, the municipal commissioner, glared angrily at the two black-clothed investigators in front of him and clenched his fists forcefully, ¡°You dare to summon me without any evidence! I will surely accuse you before Her Majesty the Queen!¡±

    ¡°Please, please don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Demulan said calmly, looking at him, ¡°We¡¯re just, just having a chat with you. As for the accusation, that, that¡¯s your right.¡±

    The Investigation Bureau had been very busy recently. As its second in command, he also had to personally take charge of the interrogation work.

    Feeling that his own way of speaking was too inefficient, he shot a glance at his assistant and then stepped aside.

    The assistant immediately produced a document and said grimly to Baron Kasitong, ¡°Your assets exceed 120,000 francs, correct?¡±

    ¡°What business is it of yours?!¡± Kasitong retorted.

    Demulan¡¯s assistant went on as if talking to himself, ¡°You have previously served as an assistant financial officer, a trade commissioner, and four years ago you were promoted to municipal commissioner. We¡¯ve calculated that all your salaries put together over the years total 7,820 francs.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Kasitong said dismissively.

    ¡°The total earnings from your manor since its purchase should be 37,000 francs. The house you own in the eastern side of the city has been rented out, adding up to 4,000 francs in rent over the years. You¡¯ve written articles for ¡®Life and Salon Newspaper,¡¯ and the total fees accrued¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Your wife and children have no income. Your wife brought a dowry of 2,000 francs when she married you. Have I missed anything?¡±

    Kasitong merely sneered as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer.

    ¡°So since you were born, your total income adds up to 51,000 francs,¡± recited Demulan¡¯s assistant mechanically from the report, ¡°And your family¡¯s living expenses, including the purchase of your current residence, everyday food and clothing, spending at clubs, and at least 18,000 francs.

    ¡°That means, your fortune should be 33,000 francs. Yet, your property amounts to over 120,000 francs.¡±

    He suddenly leaned in close to Kasitong, their noses nearly touching, ¡°So, could you explain where this extra 87,000 francs came from?¡±

    ¡°The extra amount?¡± Kasitong became somewhat nervous, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ an inheritance left by my father.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! The inheritance tax you paid all added up to 820 livres, which means you inherited 13,000 livres.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember now, I invested in a friend¡¯s business and received dividends.¡±

    ¡°Good. What¡¯s his name, where does he live, and what business does he do?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Kasitong couldn¡¯t fabricate anything on the spot and eventually gritted his teeth, ¡°So what if I¡¯m rich? That¡¯s all from some friends who admire me!¡±

    Demulan suddenly broke into a smile from the side, ¡°Who, who gave you money?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

    ¡°Of, of course, it¡¯s my business,¡± Demulan said loudly, ¡°Giving money to an, an official for no reason, this, this is bribery!¡±

    Kasitong was interrogated for two days and two nights, and afterwards, Demulan applied to the High Court to extend the interrogation for another two days. Over at Joseph¡¯s end, he had already instructed the courts through the Royal Supreme Court, so such requests were quickly approved.

    Although Kasitong was a noble, the investigators, mainly Jacobins, despised the nobles the most, so they used every tactic such as coercion and sleep deprivation, short of direct physical assault.

    Finally, on the afternoon of the second day, Kasitong could not hold up any longer and began to confess the details of his embezzlement.

    Many film and television dramas often depict criminals with strong psychological defenses who persistently deny all charges under interrogation. However, in reality, most people collapse psychologically in the interrogation room within half a day.

    Especially since Demulan kept hammering on the issue of ¡°source of assets,¡± Kasitong found it impossible to bluff his way through.

    Meanwhile, similar scenarios were playing out across France. The investigators of the Official Investigation Bureau had reaped a bountiful harvest.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: Chapter 481: The Wind Changes Direction

    Chapter 570: Chapter 481: The Wind Changes Direction

    Baron Gaisan, the assistant to the Municipal Commissioner of Caen City, gripped the newspaper in his hands firmly. Despite the chill of mid-April, fine beads of sweat formed on his temples.

    The headline on the front page of the newspaper boldly read, ¡°Official Investigation Bureau takes action, uncovering corruption among over 40 senior officials.¡±

    He saw in that article that high-ranking officials, including the Governor of Poitou and the Municipal Commissioner of Poitiers, had been arrested. The second and third pages of the newspaper were full of details about their corruption.

    Since all of these 40-plus individuals were senior officials, with the lowest position being that of a judicial assistant in the city hall¡ªequivalent to a Deputy Mayor¡ªand none of the lower-ranking officials would dare to present any remonstrance to the Palace of Versailles¡ªthe shock was tremendous, and the entire nation was watching the affair closely.

    Yet what made Gaisan so nervous was not the positions of these people, but rather their commonality.

    Through his own bureaucratic circles, he had already found out that these 40-plus individuals had all expressed opposition to the abolition of the Tax Farmers system to the Palace of Versailles.

    It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence!

    Thus, it was clear: the exposure of these people¡¯s corruption was the Royal Family¡¯s punishment! It seemed that the Royal Family¡¯s determination to reform the tax system was immense, not sparing even Governors to ¡°deal¡± with them.

    Baron Gaisan thought of the remonstrance he had sent to the Palace of Versailles half a month ago and immediately felt cold all over.

    He had accepted a bribe of 8,000 francs from the Tax Farmer Eurydice, promising to ¡°make suggestions¡± to the government on his behalf, opposing the cancellation of the Tax Farmers system.

    He had thought it was a simple remonstrance, something he had done many times before. Especially during the time when the Duke of Orleans was alive, he had opposed various things, like tax reforms and Necker¡¯s arrest, without any issue.

    But he had not expected this outcome.

    Over 40 officials arrested¡­ Gaisan violently threw the newspaper to the floor, stood up abruptly, and ordered his servant to leave the house.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    His hands were not clean either¡ªindeed, no official¡¯s hands were clean. Once the Official Investigation Bureau came knocking, it was very likely he wouldn¡¯t just lose his position but could even end up in prison!

    Therefore, he must devise a method to deal with this situation immediately. The only solution he could think of was to unite with other officials opposed to the tax reform and escalate the situation further. As long as there were enough involved parties and loud enough voices, even if the Royal Family was displeased, they couldn¡¯t possibly punish so many officials at once.

    ¡°Damn that Eurydice!¡± he cursed, ready to step out the door when he saw his butler approach quickly, handing him a letter.

    ¡°My lord, this just came back from Paris. It seems there was an issue with the postal system there.¡±

    Gaisan was startled¡ªwasn¡¯t this his own remonstrance against the tax reform?

    He hastily tore open the envelope and saw the letter inside intact, a surge of euphoria overwhelming him.

    Now he was no longer part of the anti-reform camp, and the Official Investigation Bureau would not come after him!

    With utmost speed, he went to the fireplace, throwing the letter into the flames.

    After thinking it through, he immediately went back to his study, picked up a pen, and wrote a letter fully supporting the abolition of the Tax Farmers system, instructing his butler to send it to the Palace of Versailles.

    The stance of the Royal Family was crystal clear. To not take sides now would be utter foolishness. Compared to the trivial interests offered by the Tax Farmers, retaining his official position was far more important.

    ¡­

    In a luxurious villa in the Southern Suburb of Paris, Ford was discussing next year¡¯s tax capital in a relaxed manner with a few magnates from the Tax Farmers Association.

    ¡°Sales of goods to Germany and the Mediterranean coast have greatly increased since last year. I estimate that the total tax revenue this year could increase by about 80 million francs,¡± Fankevich caressed his wine glass, ¡°The government is sure to ask us to increase the tax capital. I suggest we raise next year¡¯s tax capital by 50 million francs.¡±

    Hope immediately shook his head, ¡°You are being too generous. We have to collect taxes in Luxembourg and the Southern Netherlands, which will greatly increase our costs, so the tax capital should at most be raised by 30 million francs.¡±

    Ford smiled and said, ¡°We just need to underreport this year¡¯s tax accounts, how would the Finance Minister know the amount by which the tax revenue has increased? Therefore, our proposed negotiation for the tax capital should remain the same, at most increasing by¡­¡±

    As he was speaking, his confidant butler knocked and entered, to which he showed some displeasure: ¡°Mr. Geoffroy, is there an emergency?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord. Look at this.¡± The butler presented him with the latest edition of the Paris Commercial News.

    Ford¡¯s expression changed drastically after a glance at the headline, snatching the newspaper, ¡°The Austrian¡¯s daughter has been so bold, arresting over 40 officials who opposed the tax reform!¡±

    He handed the newspaper to Hope, ¡°We need to do something quickly.¡±

    Those arrested officials had all taken their money, although it was their subordinates who had delivered the bribes, but it was still best to try to save them.

    Hope was somewhat surprised that the Official Investigation Bureau had found evidence of so many corrupt individuals so quickly, but soon he revealed a smile, ¡°No worries, it¡¯s only a matter of 40 or so people. We have invested millions of francs in this affair, and there will be many more remonstrances piling up on Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s desk. Is she really going to put hundreds of officials in jail?¡±

    Fankevich also laughed, ¡°That would make the entire bureaucracy of France stand with us.¡±

    Ford, not reassured, said, ¡°Should we allocate more funds to involve more officials?¡±

    ¡°Your suggestion is helpful.¡±

    After a brief discussion, they decided to allocate an additional 200,000 francs to bribe more officials and escalate the matter.

    However, that very afternoon, their informant in the Palace of Versailles brought news. Her Majesty the Queen had only received a little over 40 remonstrances, and due to an accident in the postal system, some letters were burned in a warehouse, while many others had been sent back to their places of origin.

    Hope and the others exchanged glances, dismayed by the unexpected turn of events. This limited the group opposing tax reform to those 40 or so people, making it more likely that the later officials would immediately distance themselves from them!

    Sure enough, soon some of the officials who had previously taken their money returned it, and the agents they sent to bribe officials were invariably turned away without exception, some even being thrown out by the officials themselves.

    A few days later, more news came from the Palace of Versailles. Officials everywhere started to express support for tax reform, especially those who had previously taken their money, almost excessively eager.

    And in that day¡¯s newspaper, headlines like ¡°Tax Reform Gains Widespread Support, Tax Abuses to be Corrected¡± were prominent, with quotes directly from the officials who expressed support for the reform.

    Soon, more officials began to follow the trend. Supporting tax reform had become the political correctness among French bureaucrats.

    But if things continued this way, even if Mala could take care of the first batch of officials opposing the reform¡­

 Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Chapter 482: Feigning Compliance and Deception

    Chapter 571: Chapter 482: Feigning Compliance and Deception

    Two days later.

    Nine tycoons who controlled the Farmers-General of France gathered in Ford¡¯s villa¡ªdue to the urgency of the matter, only a few from around Paris could attend. However, they possessed over forty percent of the association¡¯s funds, sufficient to make decisions on significant matters.

    At the conference table, Fankevich flipped through a newspaper and saw headlines like ¡°Professor Niset States, Tax Farmers System Increases the Tax Burden on Common People,¡± ¡°Shocking, They Won¡¯t Let Your Taxes Decrease,¡± and ¡°Is It the Failure of the Tax System, or the Darkness of Human Nature?¡± He immediately slammed his fist on the table in annoyance.

    These articles exposing the longstanding issues of the tax farmers system and analyzing how tax reform could reduce the tax burden were all commissioned by Joseph. Since tax reform was beneficial for the country and the public but not for the tax farmers, he naturally wanted to utilize public opinion to promote it properly.

    Ford gestured for everyone to quiet down and said with a stern face,

    ¡°Damn Post Office Headquarters just caught fire, which makes the situation somewhat unfavorable for us.¡±

    Everyone fell silent.

    They had previously spent millions of francs attempting to pressure the Royal Family through officials, but now the entire bureaucratic class had turned into the biggest supporters of tax reform¡ªperhaps not sincerely, but the direction of public opinion had already been set.

    Hope cleared his throat and said, ¡°First, everyone whose subordinates have had contact with the arrested officials must leave the country immediately. Those officials could betray them at any moment.¡±

    Several nodded:

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t get caught.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already made them leave.¡±

    A lender said nervously,

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°I think the Royal Family is very determined to abolish tax farming, and if the government manages to gather enough funds, they might not renew the tax farming agreement next year¡­¡±

    Hope raised his hand to interrupt him,

    ¡°With the financial condition of the French Government, they are unlikely to get 200 million francs. Of course, we must not be careless.¡±

    He looked toward Ford,

    ¡°We should give the government some illusions to numb them, making them relax about fundraising.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°On one hand, let Viscount Lebron reduce the terms in the tax negotiation, such as increasing the total tax sum by 70 million francs from this year, and giving up taxes like transport and transit taxes, which are very important to the government. Essentially, we want the Royal Family to think that ¡®even abolishing tax farming wouldn¡¯t be better than conditions like this.''¡±

    Viscount Bertrand represents the Tax Farmers Association in negotiations. Although it is only April, the negotiations for next year¡¯s tax amount have already begun and usually drag on until the end of the year.

    Hope continued, ¡°If necessary, we could even have Viscount Bertrand and Brian sign a preliminary agreement. By the end of the year, the association will find an excuse to revoke his representative status and renegotiate with someone else.¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up, and they nodded and praised the idea.

    Although the leader of the Tax Farmers Association was Viscount Ford, important decisions were mostly made under the shrewd direction of Hope.

    ¡°Mr. Charles,¡± Hope then looked toward the elder in front of him, and gestured to the three people beside him, ¡°On the other hand, you and Baron Morrel will secretly contact Brian, indicating that you can bypass the association and privately offer the French Government a loan of 150 million francs.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you should appear very concerned about the interest and the added conditions, dragging the negotiations until the end of the year.

    ¡°As long as we get past October, the initiative will return to us. By then, it will be too late for the French Government to raise funds. For next year¡¯s financial expenditures, they will have to agree to let us continue tax farming.¡±

    Charles¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement, and he promptly bowed, ¡°Please leave that matter to me.¡±

    ¡­

    In the office on the second floor of Tuileries Palace.

    Brian spoke cheerfully, ¡°Your Highness, the Tax Farmers Association has clearly felt the official pressure and appears very humble in the tax negotiations.

    ¡°I heard from Viscount Bertrand¡¯s assistant that their bottom line for the tax farming might reach 540 million francs, and they might even return some industrial and trade-related taxes to the government.¡±

    Joseph also smiled, ¡°Hmm, if that¡¯s the case, they are indeed very sincere.¡±

    Brian leaned forward mysteriously, ¡°Your Highness, yesterday afternoon Charles and Baron Morrel came to see me, hinting that if the government cancels the tax farming system, they could provide substantial loans. They want 18% interest, but I think there might be room for negotiation.¡±

    ¡°Very good, this makes us more confident about the tax reform,¡± Joseph was very pleased, ¡°Please continue negotiating with them and try to get the best terms.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will definitely bring you good news.¡±

    After Brian left, Joseph immediately signaled to Eman, ¡°Please get the carriage ready, we are heading to the Paris Police Academy.¡±

    He had no hope for Brian¡¯s so-called negotiations. He knew well that his task was to disrupt the livelihood of the tax farmers, and those people would hardly compromise, especially with Jewish capital involved, aware of their historical actions and the devastating impact on the economies of the countries they operate in¡ªthey would never give up even the slightest benefit!

    Therefore, the stance the tax farmers had now was likely for one purpose only, that was to stall for time.

    One reason was to drag out the current strong political trend calling for the cancellation of tax farming, and another was probably to shrink the government¡¯s preparation time and shake its resolve.

    Joseph got into the carriage with a smile on his lips. Stall for time? Great, he also wanted to buy some time.

    If he could keep the tax farmers focused on the ¡°negotiations¡± with Brian and prevent them from causing problems like ¡°over forty senior officials opposing tax reform,¡± he could spare himself the headaches and devote more energy to preparing for the tax reform.

    This was bound to be a world where only Brian would be hurt¡ªboth sides were merely posturing, with only Brian believing he was engaged in a significant national matter, exhausting his mind and body.

    Before long, Joseph¡¯s carriage stopped in the open space outside the Paris Police Academy.

    As there had been no prior notification, officials like Frient didn¡¯t come out to greet him. Joseph did not head to the main campus but instead turned directly into the newly established School of Economics on the south side of the police academy.

    Just as he saw the ¡°Tax Collectors¡± training on the playground, Dean Clemont hurried out with some academy officials.

    ¡°We are honored by your presence at the School of Economics, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince,¡± Clemont bowed as he greeted him, then gestured to the officials beside him, ¡°Let the students assemble to welcome Your Highness!¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t interrupt their classes,¡± Joseph quickly intervened, ¡°I just came to see how the academy is operating.¡±

 Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: Chapter 483: Seize Every Opportunity

    Chapter 572: Chapter 483: Seize Every Opportunity

    Clemont gestured towards a two-story building not far away, ¡°Your Highness, Baron Frient has converted an original warehouse into a classroom building, and the nearby ground, which had been leveled previously, can be used directly as a playground.¡±

    He led Joseph toward the students who were in training; ¡°As for the teaching staff, the Director General of Academic Affairs has invited some professors of economics and mathematics from the University of Paris and has assigned teachers from the Police Academy. Currently, the entire institute has 34 teachers.¡±

    He rubbed his hands as he spoke, ¡°This is indeed too few for 620 students, but by staggering the class times, we can barely manage.¡±

    ¡°620 students?¡± Joseph was somewhat surprised. The School of Economics had only been preparing for just over a month, and Frient had managed to gather so many students?

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The Director General has transferred over 300 police academy students who had studied mathematics here. Oh, and that Mr. Robespierre, the lawyer, also brought over 30 people.¡±

    Joseph nodded, Robespierre had some reputation in the legal profession, probably bringing some Jacobin ¡®devotees.¡¯ That was quite good; the Jacobins were energetic, and such people were needed now to implement tax reforms.

    On the playground, students in black uniforms were engaging in combat training, swinging short sticks with a swishing sound.

    Soon, a few instructors lined up to summarize the training situation and then announced a 15-minute break, followed by shooting practice.

    Yes, according to Joseph¡¯s requirements, these ¡°tax collectors¡± spent more than half their time learning detection, formation, combat, shooting, and the like.

    After graduation, they were to become the core force in tax offices across regions. Calculating tax rates and preparing reports could be done by clerks, but tax collectors, who often led teams to inspect and recover tax evasion, needed to possess strong combat capabilities.

    The tax system was initially limited in personnel¡ªthe School of Economics should be able to enroll in two terms, training around 1,500 graduates¡ªso one person had to do the work of several. When manpower was sufficient, Joseph planned to separate out a tax police department, and these trained tax collectors could directly serve as commanders of the tax police.

    As usual, Joseph had lunch with the students of the School of Economics during lunchtime.

    Seated at the table to his left, Robespierre watched His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, himself, and the students eat the same food, chatting casually without any pretense, and he couldn¡¯t help but entertain a thought he had never had before.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    Perhaps, the King could also lead the people to a better life?

    He shook his head vigorously, immediately dismissing the idea; his admiration for Rousseau made him conclude that authoritarianism could never produce a ¡°Rational Kingdom¡±!

    However, he immediately thought if it weren¡¯t for the Crown Prince, the clean and fair tax system he was striving to create would not have emerged so quickly.

    Even if a government authorized by the people was established, it would probably not be able to build such a rational tax system¡­

    After all, what is better?

    Unaware, a crack had formed in his steadfast beliefs.

    But Joseph had no idea about the internal struggle in Robespierre¡¯s mind; after a brief motivational speech to the students of the School of Economics as their principal, he hurried to the National First Prison two kilometers away.

    ¡°Hmm, Bastille has now been turned into a financial center¡ªso there are no large prisons left within Paris, and the majority of criminals are now held here.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the proximity of the General Prison to the Paris Police Academy greatly enhances security. There is no need for as many soldiers to be stationed as before, which also saves on costs.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t long before Joseph, under the guidance of the Marquis of Launay, the Commander of the prison, entered the General Prison.¡±

    ¡°There are only about a dozen buildings here, the main body being a prison encircled by walls over ten meters high, probably accommodating three to four hundred inmates, though its foundation is reinforced with granite, making the difficulty of escape not much less than that of Bastille.¡±

    ¡°In reality, Bastille was often empty, previously occupying such valuable land near the city center¡ªit was a huge waste and particularly despised by the citizens; it should have been relocated outside the city long ago.¡±

    ¡°In a stone interrogation room on the third floor of the prison, Joseph met the main subject of his visit, the Count of Norfolk¡ªGovernor of Poitou¡ªthe highest-ranking official among the over 40 officers sent to prison by the Bureau of Fair Investigation.¡±

    ¡°Disheveled and haggard, the Count of Norfolk, upon seeing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince arrive, immediately burst into an energetic salute, first showering him with blessings and greetings, and then began lamenting his mistakes and apologizing for betraying His Majesty the King¡¯s trust, but¡­ he pleaded for the king¡¯s clemency.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, according to current French law, the King can pardon anyone with just a signature. The Count mistakenly thought that the Queen had sent the Crown Prince to scold him, after which he would be pardoned.¡±

    ¡°Joseph ignored him and instead turned to the Marquis of Launay, saying, ¡®I just passed by the nobles¡¯ cell, and I noticed that the furnishings there were still too luxurious. As the nation¡¯s finances are tight, we should do away with everything except for the tables and beds. Oh, and it would be best if the cells were made into single rooms, to help the prisoners concentrate more on reflecting.''¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will follow your orders,¡± responded the Marquis.

    ¡°The Count of Norfolk¡¯s face turned green. In the current three-room cell, the few days he had already spent there were driving him nearly mad. If it was changed to a single room and all the furniture and leisure items were taken away, what difference would there be from hell?¡±

    ¡°He watched as the Crown Prince gestured for the Marquis of Launay and all the jailers to leave, then sat down opposite him, trembling and asking, ¡®Your Highness, you intend to¡­?''¡±

    ¡°¡®Your trial has not yet commenced, but I can affirm it will at least be exile to Lorraine,¡¯ Joseph glanced at him, speaking indifferently, ¡®and more likely to Tripoli.''¡±

    ¡°No, no¡­ I don¡¯t want to go there, please plead with His Majesty for me¡­ please¡­¡±

    ¡°Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡®If you show a repentant demeanor, I might consider pleading on your behalf.''¡±

    ¡°Repentance? Yes, repentance, I will repent to Jesus every day, from morning till night, I swear!¡±

    ¡°No, you are mistaken, you need to show repentance through concrete actions,¡± Joseph picked up the cup in front of him, as though smelling the tea, ¡°for instance, exposing some of your co-offenders or any criminal facts you know of. That might keep you away from North Africa.¡±

    ¡°Norfolk was startled and cautiously asked, ¡®Your Highness, what do you want to know?''¡±

    ¡°Everything,¡± Joseph signaled Eman to bring paper and pen, ¡°the higher the position, the better.¡±

    ¡°With so many officials involved in corruption cases and the situation having caused such a stir, after expending so much effort in handling it, he certainly wasn¡¯t going to waste the circumstances at hand.¡±

    ¡°Taking advantage of the continuing interest, he would start implementing the administrative reforms he had long contemplated¡ªthat was the proper approach.¡±

 Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: Chapter 484: French Royal School of Administration

    Chapter 573: Chapter 484: French Royal School of Administration

    The sky gradually darkened.

    The Crown Prince¡¯s carriage finally left the General Prison in France.

    Joseph sat in the carriage, looking at the list of more than 50 officials in his hand, smiled and tossed it to Eman, ¡°Please help me keep this in the study¡¯s clutter cabinet.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t need this list to purge the officials.

    Although the people on the list were all involved in corruption and dereliction of duty, they had not stood up against the tax reform. At least for now, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to move against them.

    That¡¯s how politics worked; the scope of attack had to be focused, making it clear to officials whether they were safe. That way, those not involved would distance themselves from the targets and support the Royal Family.

    If political purges spread indefinitely, officials would panic and take measures to protect themselves, which might eventually trigger political instability.

    Of course, using this list to give the bureaucrats a knock on the head was entirely feasible.

    If you don¡¯t give these powerful people a sharp reminder, they easily forget who they are and who really is the boss.

    The next day, Joseph, accompanied by Fouche, visited the General Prison again.

    He personally ¡°visited¡± an Assistant Governor arrested by Mala, while Fouche followed his instructions and went to the cell of the municipal commissioner, Kasitong.

    Joseph had limited energy and could only take care of provincial-level officials; the rest, the small fries, were left for the intelligence agency to handle, especially since many implicated officials hadn¡¯t been brought to Paris, and he couldn¡¯t run around the country for such a minor issue.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï

    Joseph estimated that after ¡°threatening¡± all 40-plus officials, he could gather incriminating material on thousands of officials.

    Currently, excluding North Africa and Luxembourg, France had just over ten thousand officials. Removing the judicial system and some ceremonial positions, this coverage already exceeded 10%.

    Enough to initiate the bureaucratic reform that was needed.

    Joseph watched the Assistant Governor of Picardie province busily documenting the incriminating material, silently planning in his mind:

    First, the officials needed a good scare.

    Then, the Royal Family would step in as the savior, aiding the ¡°helpless¡± officials.

    These gentlemen, having received grace, would certainly not refuse to enter University to further their knowledge in management and other professional skills to repay His Majesty the King.

    Joseph knew that France¡¯s bureaucratic system had been operating for many years, and the inherent inertia was huge. If he directly implemented the ¡°Civil Service Examination¡± system like in North Africa, it would likely provoke strong opposition from the entire bureaucratic class, including the nobles.

    Thus, he had to change the approach.

    That was to establish the ¡°French Royal School of Administrative Management¡± with the King as the president, allowing many senior officials to enroll for further education.

    In this way, ¡°academically inclined¡± officials would gradually start to sideline colleagues with ¡°non-academic¡± backgrounds, forcing the latter to seek further education as well.

    At that time, entrance examinations could be introduced.

    Those who couldn¡¯t pass the entrance exams, well, sorry, without the Royal Family lifting a finger, their academically inclined peers would marginalize them.

    Later, it would gradually evolve to the point where no one could enter the bureaucracy without a degree from the School of Administrative Management.

    Eventually, even low-level positions like clerks, secretaries, and record keepers would all fall under the University¡¯s purview.

    By then, the entrance exam of the School of Administrative Management would have become France¡¯s civil service examination. Unknowingly, the most crucial step of bureaucratic reform would be complete!

    To make this plan work, the biggest challenge was how to get as many officials as possible into the school.

    And this ¡°massive corruption case¡± provided Joseph with just the opportunity.

    As Joseph pondered the bureaucratic reforms, the carriage slowly came to a halt, and Eman reminded, ¡°Your Highness, we have arrived at Notre Dame.¡±

    Joseph nodded and looked out the window, seeing Archbishop Beaumont of Paris already waiting respectfully with a large group of priests at the church¡¯s main entrance.

    He immediately smiled, stepped out of the carriage, and exchanged greetings with Beaumont, then got straight to the point, ¡°Respected Archbishop, I need your help to build a university.¡±

    Yes, when it came to matters of education, it was most suitable to turn to France¡¯s ¡°Ministry of Education¡±¡ªthe Catholic Church.

    The Church not only had rich experience in running schools, with the ability to mobilize teaching resources at any time, but it was also very committed to upholding royal authority.

    Furthermore, the School of Administrative Management wasn¡¯t like a police academy, where one could simply set up a warehouse and a training field in the wilderness. The School of Administrative Management represented the face of the French bureaucratic system; it couldn¡¯t cut corners on necessary facilities.

    Archbishop Beaumont immediately beamed with joy. The Crown Prince building a university meant that the Church would handle substantial funds, a rare lucrative opportunity.

    He eagerly nodded continuously, ¡°Your Highness, it is my great honor to serve you. May I know what kind of university you wish to build and its scale?¡±

    ¡°The Royal School of Administrative Management,¡± Joseph walked familiarly towards the reception room behind Notre Dame, telling Beaumont, ¡°It will primarily teach economics, management, social studies, law, engineering, and the like. Oh, of course, not as deeply as the University of Paris teaches, all courses should be completed within a year, or even six months.¡±

    He then briefly introduced the main function of the university before adding, ¡°As for the scale, initially build for 1500 students, but reserve space for expansion.¡±

    Archbishop Beaumont signaled his assistant to take detailed notes and then offered many suggestions on establishing the school. Finally, wringing his hands with a smile, he said, ¡°Your Highness, only the timeframe you have given is too short, just three months, which could greatly increase construction costs¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded nonchalantly, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll have to trouble the Church to advance some funds.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thank you, Your Highness¡­¡± Beaumont unconsciously replied, but suddenly froze, exclaiming, ¡°Wait, Your Highness, did you say let the Church advance the funds?

    ¡°This university might need 500,000

    francs for construction, the Church can¡¯t come up with so much money¡­¡±

    Joseph patted his back, leaning in and saying, ¡°The Church has an estate to the east of the Seine River, just remodel it a bit and it should be usable, shouldn¡¯t cost that much, and could speed up progress.¡±

    Beaumont¡¯s eyes widened in panic, ¡°Your Highness, this is not¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled mysteriously, lowering his voice, ¡°Archbishop, a large number of officials might be investigated soon, I think, we could allow some people from the Church to fill some positions.¡±

    This bureaucratic reform for France was akin to a major surgical operation; Joseph couldn¡¯t predict what unexpected issues he might encounter. To be safe, he decided to pull in the Church to back him up.

    Despite the Church not being as dominant as during the era of Louis XIII, it still possessed some political influence. At least with the Church involved, it could prevent them from colluding with the bureaucratic system.

 Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Chapter 485: Lets Break the Sky First

    Chapter 574: Chapter 485: Let¡¯s Break the Sky First

    As for allowing clergy to participate in politics, this has a long history in France. There were outstanding politicians like Cardinal Richelieu in the past, and now there are active ministers like Brian and Talleyrand.

    So, assigning some additional official positions to the Church would not have any major impact on France¡¯s political scene.

    In fact, historically, clerics who entered politics almost always became pure bureaucrats and gradually distanced themselves from the Church¡ªafter all, ¡°where one sits determines one¡¯s standpoint.¡±

    Moreover, this batch of clerics entering politics would inevitably lead the way in furthering their education at the Administration College¡ªtheir own Church-established college; how could they not support their own institution?

    Archbishop Beaumont, hearing that official positions could be ¡°allocated¡± to the Church, immediately became full of smiles again, ¡°Helping His Majesty the King govern his subjects is also a duty of the Church.¡±

    He carefully asked, ¡°Your Highness, approximately how many people are needed for the positions, so that the Church could prepare in advance?¡±

    Previously, when clergy were appointed to official positions, it was generally because of individual talent, chosen by the King, and the number was not large. Especially local positions, it was even rarer for clergy to serve.

    But Beaumont was well aware that this time over 40 officials had been arrested, and all were local high-ranking officials¡ªa truly rare opportunity for the Church!

    Joseph glanced at him and elongated his tone,

    ¡°Hmm, at least ten positions, I guess. Among them, there would be seats like municipal commissioner assistants.

    ¡°Depending on the pace of the Administration College, perhaps there could be more.¡±

    Beaumont was overjoyed; converting the Church¡¯s estate for college construction would not exceed 200,000 francs. Well, the previous 500,000 included a ¡°cut¡± for themselves, so this deal was quite worthwhile.

    He eagerly said, ¡°Rest assured, I will personally oversee the construction of the Political Administration College and make sure you are satisfied!¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0

    Joseph continued, ¡°By the way, all the positions that the Church is supplementing this time are those left vacant by officials who were dealt with for corruption. I am also looking to take this opportunity to reform the bureaucratic system and hope the Church will cooperate.¡±

    Beaumont quickly put on a solemn clerical expression, ¡°Those corrupt individuals will not enter heaven. The Church has always taught the world with the holy teachings of Jesus, and one of the Ten Commandments is not to covet wealth. The Church will definitely severely condemn their crimes this time and extol His Majesty¡¯s just punishment of them.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± nodded Joseph, ¡°there will also be branches of the Administration College in Lyon and Bordeaux later on, and the Church may need to contribute there too¡­¡±

    A week later.

    Nearly a thousand people gathered outside the Paris High Court, craning their necks and peering through the iron fence.

    Today was the day the Governor of Poitou, Count of Norfolk, was to be tried.

    Although it was not a public trial, the newspapers had made a massive publicity beforehand, and even the Church had publicly condemned the recent widespread corruption twice, so the public was extremely attentive to the trial proceedings, gathering here early in the morning to await the outcome.

    In the courtroom on the first floor of the High Court, Chief Examiner Dibor listened to the shouts of ¡°harsh punishment for corruptors¡± coming from outside the window, and turned to look at Norfolk, who was walking shakily to the defendant¡¯s stand, heaving a deep inward sigh.

    It was clear that the Royal Family intended to make an example of him, but imposing a heavy sentence on a governor would inevitably lead to dissatisfaction among the bureaucratic class¡ªafter all, one man¡¯s downfall is another¡¯s warning. It¡¯s known that in the past, a noble official guilty of embezzling just a few hundred thousand livres simply had to repay the sum, and at most, they were dismissed from their position, without even a public lawsuit being filed.

    He took a deep breath, recited the opening statement according to protocol, and then the trial began.

    He was still pondering how to satisfy the Royal Family and issue a more lenient sentence for Norfolk, when the Prosecutor had already finished the public accusation and the defense lawyer began to speak.

    The lawyer glanced at the Governor of Poitou, then addressed Dibor, ¡°Your Honor, my client has something to say.¡±

    Norfolk clenched his teeth and immediately exclaimed, ¡°I wish to make an accusation in the hope of reducing my own guilt.¡±

    He recalled the list he had given to the Crown Prince earlier, ¡°First is Baron Belante, the financial assistant of Angouleme, who bribed me with 8,000 Leva to help him¡­¡±

    His words caused the more than ten nobles in the spectator seats to widen their eyes, too shocked to speak.

    Such in-court finger-pointing was absolutely taboo in the world of officialdom! With this, Norfolk wasn¡¯t just offending Baron Belante, but he was making enemies of the entire bureaucratic class. From this point on, whether he considered a career in bureaucracy, in business, or in farming, as long as he remained in France, there would be those who would relentlessly target him, determined to destroy him.

    Surprisingly, Norfolk continued in a ¡°letting it all hang out¡± manner, having finished with Belante, he started revealing the assistant of the municipal administration of Angouleme¡­

    Thus, the nobles in attendance listened with shocked expressions as Count of Norfolk kept naming one person after another, having long lost count of the number.

    In short, the entire official scene of the Poitou province was sure to collapse.

    Dibor¡¯s hands trembled slightly, why did such a thing have to happen in his courtroom?

    Would these officials implicated by Norfolk take out their grievances on him? God, who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do?

    He listened to several hours of accusations until he finally declared the court in recess with his mind a blank. The session would continue tomorrow. He then fled the courtroom like a man who had seen a ghost and drove straight to the Tuileries Palace.

    The Clerk by his side stared at the dozens of pages of testimony he had transcribed, at a loss for what to do next.

    Meanwhile, in several other courtrooms nearby, a similar scene unfolded¡ªofficials involved in corruption were frantically exposing their colleagues. Just that morning alone, at least 200 high-ranking officials were implicated.

    As news from inside the courtroom spread, the outside of the High Court instantly exploded.

    Journalists, like ravenous wolves, pounced on the nobles who had just observed the trials, screaming questions about the situations of the officials exposed, almost tearing them to pieces on the spot.

    And the public was even more incensed, crying out for ¡°hangings,¡± ¡°sending the corrupt officials to hell,¡± and chanting the names of the officials on trial, beginning to parade along the streets outside the High Court.

    As news spread and more citizens joined, the numbers protesting swiftly doubled.

    Then someone shouted, ¡°Petition His Majesty the King,¡± and the parade immediately surged towards the Palace of Versailles.

    That afternoon, a highly efficient newspaper had collected the names of those officials exposed in court and printed them¡ªthe Bureau of News Publishing had long received instructions from Joseph, and such news was given a green light throughout.

    ¡­

    On the second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

    The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Dibor, entered the Crown Prince¡¯s office with an ashen face. He forgot to bow and blurted out, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s bad, very bad! Norfolk implicated over 40 people in court, no, possibly 50!¡±

    Joseph, however, simply smiled at him, ¡°Your Excellency the Chief Justice, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you have another trial this afternoon, correct? Oh, please sit down and have a cup of tea. Then you must hurry back.¡±

 Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: Chapter 486: The Rift in the Jacobins

    Chapter 575: Chapter 486: The Rift in the Jacobins

    Dibor looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince with a calm and light expression, as if he understood something, and nodded hesitantly:

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, at 3 o¡¯clock we still have to hear Baron Astunodi¡¯s embezzlement case¡­¡±

    ¡°Then I¡­ won¡¯t have tea. I, I must return to the High Court now.¡±

    ¡°Please help me see Dibor out,¡± Joseph signaled to Eman and smiled at Dibor, ¡°Oh, and please don¡¯t forget what I¡¯ve told you before, to use your discretion in the case of the Count of Norfolk and the others, considering they have exposed others.¡±

    Dibor paused, originally thinking that the Crown Prince was simply following the usual practice of turning a blind eye to Great Nobles, but it seemed the Crown Prince likely knew in advance that corrupt officials would expose others in court.

    His forehead broke out in cold sweat again, as if he had learned something formidable.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will definitely judge fairly,¡± his thoughts racing, he quickly added another sentence,

    ¡°Besides¡­ after the trial, I merely had lunch and did not go anywhere else.¡±

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction. Dibor¡¯s words implied that he had not come to his place, meaning he wouldn¡¯t link himself to the exposure of the corrupt officials. He was indeed someone who deeply understood political rules.

    In the afternoon, the hearings at the High Court continued, but the judges like Dibor hearing the corruption cases were no longer as flustered as they were earlier.

    Facing the ceaseless exposure by those officials, they simply ordered the Clerk to carefully record everything and then announced that the hearing would be postponed.

    In a cafe across the street from the High Court, Mara tapped the newspaper on the table while looking at the excited citizens outside the window, and remarked with sentiment: ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how His Royal Highness the Crown Prince found out about the corrupt officials, it¡¯s clear that he was right.¡±

    He looked at Demulan across from him and shook his head smilingly: ¡°The number of corrupt officials he has uncovered by himself exceeds the workload of the Investigation Bureau for an entire year. Following this trend, within a few years, he could clean up all those dirty officials.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°I must admit, in fighting corruption, he is the true guardian of the French people.¡±

    Demulan was surprised that Mr. Mara, who always opposed the Royal Family, could have such an attitude towards the Crown Prince, but he immediately nodded in agreement.

    In fact, after joining the Justice Investigation Department not long before, he had come to greatly admire the Crown Prince, merely refraining from expressing it due to Mara¡¯s dislike for the Royal Family.

    ¡°The Crown Prince, His Royal Highness, is indeed very different from those vampires,¡± he said excitedly,

    ¡°I, I heard that the abolition of noble privileges, and allowing peasants to redeem their land, were all promoted behind the scenes by him.¡±

    Grasping the newspaper that had published a large list of exposed officials, his eyes shone: ¡°Now, he has taken action against the bureaucrats.

    ¡°Perhaps we should fully support him!

    ¡°At least from what I¡¯ve seen, he has made France more just and prosperous, and the people are better off than before¡­¡±

    Mara sighed and interrupted him, ¡°We cannot betray our beliefs! Although he has done many beneficial things, he could turn into a tyrant at any moment!

    ¡°Just like Louis XIV, in the late period of his reign, didn¡¯t all his previous brilliant achievements end up becoming heavy suffering for the people?¡±

    He punctuated his words: ¡°Only a government established by the people¡¯s mandate can guarantee eternal justice and fairness. We need a constitution, human rights, freedom! Not to rely on the charity of a King or his son!¡±

    Hearing this, Demulan stood up excitedly and said aloud: ¡°Why, when faced with a perfect situation, must we shatter it because of some theory?!

    ¡°The British have a constitution, they have a Congress, but their officials are still corrupt and corrupt, and commoners are still oppressed by the lords, they are even not allowed to wander, and police would not hesitate to throw them into prison!

    ¡°I dare say that if the British Parliament were to manage France, they would not do better than the current Royal Family.

    ¡°At least, most of their land has been bought by nobles and merchants, while French peasants own much more farmland than the British!¡±

    Mara looked at this old friend with wide eyes, feeling that he had abandoned Mr. Rousseau¡¯s thoughts and been deceived by the Royal Family, which was an unsettling sign.

    He suddenly noticed something else and said to Demulan with surprise: ¡°Your stutter seems to have improved!¡±

    ¡°Is, is it?¡± Demulan¡¯s previous state of selflessness vanished in an instant, ¡°I, I just wanted to discuss the future of France with you¡­¡±

    ¡°Time will give us the answer.¡±

    Mara unexpectedly did not want to continue this topic and turned to gesture out the window: ¡°We probably have a lot to do recently, look, hundreds more corrupt officials have been implicated.¡±

    Demulan simply nodded silently. At this moment, an imperceptible rift had appeared between the two ¡°flagbearers¡± of the Jacobins.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    In the visitor¡¯s lounge of the Crown Prince¡¯s Bedroom Palace, more than a dozen pale-faced officials stood, almost bowing their heads to the ground, too nervous to even take a deep breath.

    Joseph, with an indifferent expression, held a teacup and swept his gaze over these men, beginning to speak: ¡°You have seen it, the citizens have been protesting outside for two days, demanding that all involved in corruption be hanged.¡±

    The officials in the room shuddered even more fiercely.

    They were all those outed in court by the Count of Norfolk and others, had sought the Justice Minister, and then Brian, but were told the matter was serious and likely impossible to resolve.

    Finally, Brian hinted that there was a slim chance if they turned to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so here they were, only to hear about the ¡°gallows.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness,¡± the oldest among them said with a trembling voice, ¡°we have always been loyal to His Majesty the King, for the sake of Jesus, please help us plead with His Majesty¡­¡±

    Joseph glanced at his watch, feeling that he had frightened them sufficiently, and slowly said: ¡°However, it¡¯s also possible the Count of Norfolk was facing severe punishment and, to exonerate himself, has falsely accused you.¡±

    The officials immediately nodded as if pecking, ¡°Yes, yes! Just like that!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, truly the ¡®Son of Divine Favor¡¯, saw right through their lies!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been framed, Your Highness, please help us clear this up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness; you are as just as Jesus!¡±

    Joseph glanced over them again and said: ¡°I will have someone conduct a fair investigation to clear your names. Of course, this will take some time.

    ¡°In the meantime, I think you should step down temporarily to show your stance to His Majesty the King and the people.¡±

 Chapter 576 - Chapter 576: Chapter 487: The Power of the Royal Family

    Chapter 576: Chapter 487: The Power of the Royal Family

    (This chapter isn¡¯t complete yet, please refresh after 20 minutes to continue reading. The author sincerely apologizes.)

    The officials, hearing that the Crown Prince was willing to take charge for them, hesitated no longer. They eagerly rushed to nod their heads and said, ¡°We trust Your Highness completely, and we will follow your lead.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! We are willing to undergo investigation to prove our innocence.¡±

    ¡°Praise be to you, Your Noble Highness the Crown Prince. You have given us life.¡±

    Joseph raised his hand to signal for silence and casually mentioned, ¡°Speaking of which, His Majesty the King has just established a ¡®Royal School of Administrative Management.¡¯ During the period of your suspension, why not take some courses there? Study some management and sociology; you¡¯ll also be able to stay in Paris and keep up with any news regarding the investigation.¡±

    The officials exchanged surprised glances, uncertain of what the Crown Prince meant, but if it could rid them of their troubles, what¡¯s the harm in spending some time at the college?

    Therefore, the group of them quickly nodded and bowed, agreeing to the proposal.

    Soon, the officials who had been exposed heard the news and felt as if they had been granted a reprieve, immediately rushing to the Crown Prince for rescue¡ªsome even had sought out Queen Mary before, but the Queen, not fully grasping the situation, had directed them all to Brian. This meant that the Crown Prince was their only ¡°lifeline¡± at the moment.

    However, the Crown Prince had left the Palace of Versailles, and no one could ascertain his whereabouts.

    The anxious officials, having learned from their colleagues with ¡°successful experiences¡± that the Prince had mentioned something about a college course, could not find the Crown Prince. In their desperation, they turned to the Church to inquire about the ¡°Administration College.¡±

    Then the Royal School of Administrative Management, which was still under construction, received nearly a hundred applications for enrollment from senior officials, and some even donated funds for the establishment of the school.

    Of course, there were also many officials involved who clung to a sliver of hope, feeling that the Royal Family wouldn¡¯t deal with so many officials all at once, so they maintained a wait-and-see attitude.

    Three days later, the first Paris Police Inspection Ceremony took place solemnly at the Champs-Elysees Plaza in Paris.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    Her Majesty the Queen graced the event with her presence, but the inspection was presided over by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who had been the main driving force behind the police reform.

    With the newspapers¡¯ vehement propaganda, the public¡¯s attention had gradually shifted from the trial of corrupt officials to the inspection ceremony.

    Thousands of citizens gathered on both sides of the Champs-Elysees, and after a series of salutes from the cannons, solemn and respectful music sounded.

    After that, people saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, dressed in a blue police uniform, standing in a carriage that passed through the center of the plaza.

    Behind him were more than a dozen tall flagbearers, each holding the royal golden fleur-de-lis banner, and police ensign flags adorned with the fleur-de-lis and swords and shields.

    Following them were four 4-pound cannons drawn by over a dozen horses. The cannon muzzles reflected the sunlight, dazzling the onlookers to the point of squinting their eyes.

    After the cannons passed, squares formed by five Paris Police squads marched in. Each square comprised 150 men, all carrying brand-new flintlock guns, with crisp uniforms emanating an aura of stern order.

    As the neatly arranged police squares marched past where Queen Mary stood, they immediately let out resounding cheers of ¡°Long live His Majesty the King,¡± ¡°Long live Her Majesty the Queen,¡± and ¡°We swear to protect France¡¯s public order till death.¡±

    And Queen Mary also rose and waved with a smile.

    After the five police squares passed the viewing stand, they took their positions on the plaza. Following a loud command from an officer, one square quickly formed into a semi-encirclement, simulating an offensive against gang members.

    The police moved neatly and adeptly, pointing their flintlock guns straight ahead before pulling the triggers.

    A burst of black smoke enveloped the square, startling the onlookers, but they quickly realized the guns were not loaded with bullets and then burst into applause, praising the police for their impressive demonstration.

    After five squadrons of police had demonstrated various training exercises, even the cannons performed simulated firings, of course without any cannonballs loaded.

    The five or six hundred nobles seated in the stands, listening to the deafening roar of the cannons, fell into silence. Many of them were officials implicated in the corruption case, and now, watching the various displays of police force, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of thoughts.

    This was just the Paris Police that could be mobilized at any time, sufficient to calm down those with other ideas immediately, and behind them, there was an even more powerful and completely loyal to the Royal Family Royal Guard Corps.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The villas in the previous ¡°Royal Palace Gardens¡± neighborhood had already sold for 70,000 livres each, and houses with the addition of gas street lighting must sell for at least 100,000 livres.

    1. Hire from local academic centers and the capital¡¯s national universities

    2. Start from minor bureaucratic positions and work up

    3. Purchase of office [in certain periods] and networking [throughout history]

    4. Appointed by the Emperor¡¯s decree [a very rare situation because it undoubtedly disrupts the internal workings of the bureaucratic circles]

    The selection and appointment of inspectors under the Prime Minister is also extremely important; they are the important assistants through which the Emperor controls and grasps the imperial bureaucracy and the cradle for promoting central and local officials.

    Vacation. Use Church. Civil servants can temporarily handle political affairs and submit matters to Paris for decision.

    The Electoral Prince of Palatinate inherited Palatinate and Bavaria from the Palatinate-Sulzbach branch

    Fulco

    Bartolomeo

    The British have agreed to sell out Paul, confirming the possibility that Paul might flee.

    Chalmers was furious and prepared to invest in election candidates like Girolamo, bypassing Paul.

    The uprising in Carg¨¨se was urgently called off by a double agent, only to find a large contingent of French troops ambushed in advance, ¡°it must have been Paul who leaked it.¡± Rumors spread that Paul committed rape, causing his personal image to collapse. Bribed Paul¡¯s assistant, found the entire scheme of communications with the Dutch-French Government in Paul¡¯s room, confirming the purchase of tickets to the United States.

    Unexpectedly, the disturbance caused by Perna actually facilitated the smooth withdrawal of troops. According to her contribution, it would not be excessive to award her a medal.

    The Jewish banker Blairo Hilde. A subordinate of Rothschild.

    France. In the 1790s, Bill Leon Fould began his own banking business. His son, Achille Fould, served as Minister of Finance under Napoleon III.

    The Goldschmidt family had close ties with the Bischoffsheim family from Mainz and managed the Bischoffsheim, Goldschmidt & Cie bank alongside one of Monaco¡¯s wealthiest families¡ªthe Bartolomeo family. The bank merged in 1863, becoming the forerunner of BNP Paribas¡ªCredit Mobilier of France.

    England. The Goldmede family originated from Aaron Goldsmid, whose two sons, Benjamin and Abraham, started a bill brokerage business together in London in 1777.

 Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: Chapter 488 The First Step of Administrative Reform

    Chapter 577: Chapter 488 The First Step of Administrative Reform

    Adjacent to the eastern provinces of Paris, Reims.

    Viscount Durant, the market supervisor, watched hundreds of imposing police officers march past him with neatly synchronized steps and couldn¡¯t help but feel solemn inside.

    He vividly remembered that just a year ago, the police in Reims were hardly distinguishable from street thugs, not to mention having them march in unison, it was difficult just to get them to stand up straight.

    Moreover, these police officers were well-paid, highly disciplined, and directly commanded by the Police Headquarters, not subject to the control of the City Hall.

    He sighed internally, realizing that the police were no longer under the control of the nobility¡­

    Joseph originally wanted to hold a police parade in Reims like the one in Paris, but the local police training was somewhat lacking, and the Police Headquarters said they needed a month¡¯s preparation to barely meet his requirements.

    Thus, he had to change the inspection to a police procession around the city, but he did not expect that with a large number of citizens following and watching, it ultimately turned into a massive parade involving thousands of people, and the momentum was not much less than that in Paris.

    ¡°Hey, did you hear?¡± An official with prominent cheekbones, wearing a black long coat, suddenly moved close to Baron Durant and nudged him with his elbow, whispering mysteriously, ¡°The reason why the Count of Norfolk and his people exposed other officials in court was due to coercion by the Intelligence Agency¡­¡±

    Viscount Durant¡¯s face changed dramatically, and he rubbed his ears with exaggerated motions, raising his voice, ¡°Baron Chevalier, the drumming is too loud, what did you say? I didn¡¯t quite catch it.¡±

    ¡°I said¡­¡±

    As Chevalier was about to repeat himself, Durant had already turned around to greet a middle-aged man, ¡°Mr. Gerald, long time no see, you are here too.¡±

    Seeing no other option, Chevalier turned to another official to relay the ¡°big news¡± he had heard, but the latter quickly dodged him with a strange look on his face.

    Chevalier felt somewhat dispirited and managed to spot his cousin-in-law, Baron Alex, the fiscal assistant of Reims, in the crowd, so he weaved his way towards him, waving, ¡°Henry, it¡¯s so good to see you.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    ¡°About the people involved in the recent corruption case, I heard that it was the Intelligence Agency¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, his cousin-in-law interrupted him sharply, ¡°Stop talking!¡±

    Looking around cautiously with a serious expression, his cousin-in-law said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve always reminded you, never listen to nonsense from others, let alone spread it around.¡±

    ¡°No, this is not a rumor; it¡¯s from Viscount Charles Bernie¡­¡±

    Viscount Bernie was one of the more than 40 high-ranking officials being prosecuted for corruption.

    Baron Alex glanced nervously at the police officers carrying flintlock guns not far away and covered his mouth with his hand, ¡°The Royal Family has already suppressed this matter, which is the best possible outcome. Are you trying to prompt the Official Investigation Bureau to examine us by talking about this?¡±

    His voice became even lower, ¡°The High Court has only tried 4 people so far, and already hundreds of officials have been implicated. Once those more than 40 people are all judged, it¡¯s very likely that we will also be on the list of those exposed!

    ¡°The important thing is, whether it¡¯s you or me, or the Municipal Commissioners, Trade Coordinators, none of us can withstand investigation¡­ So we just need to cooperate with the Royal Family, and absolutely avoid causing further trouble!¡±

    Seeing Chevalier nod, he finally released his mouth and added, ¡°Prepare yourself when you go back; you¡¯ll be coming with me to Paris to register at the Royal School of Administrative Management in a few days¡­¡±

    After the police patrol ended, Baron Alex pondered for a moment and ordered his coachman to head to the Police Headquarters.

    Before long, he told an officer from the Police Headquarters, ¡°I want to report Viscount Charles Bernie for spreading rumors and defaming the Intelligence Agency¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, in an adjacent office, Viscount Durant was also making a report about the same matter.

    ¡­

    After overseeing the police patrol in Bordeaux, Joseph returned to Paris.

    He first made a detour to the Administration College, where he represented Louis XVI and gave a speech at the opening ceremony.

    Indeed, with substantial donations from numerous officials and persistent urging, the college had completed its preparations in just a month and a half, ready to start classes.

    The first batch of students had over 600 people, far surpassing the initially planned number.

    Moreover, to attend the first classes, one would need to seek favors from the Church, as there were still thousands of officials eagerly waiting in line.

    Coming out of the school, Joseph saw a ¡°For Rent¡± sign on a house across the street, the rent being as high as 40 francs a month!

    This was almost the monthly salary of an ordinary civil servant.

    He slapped his forehead, ruing that he had not thought of such a lucrative real estate project earlier.

    This was top-tier school district housing; selling a house for twenty or thirty thousand francs would pose no problem.

    After all, it would be officials moving in, and they could definitely afford it. Even if one didn¡¯t live there, it could be easily rented out at a high price, and some shrewd businessmen would invest in buying property.

    If a new neighborhood were built here, it could make at least tens of millions of francs!

    With this in mind, Joseph hastily ordered Eman to send people to buy all the vacant land near the Administration College. It wasn¡¯t too late to mend; this was another contribution to the tax reform efforts.

    The next day.

    In the Palace of Versailles, a regular Cabinet meeting was being held in the grand hall.

    ¡°Next is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s proposal.¡± Brian glanced at the ministers, ¡°His Highness suggests that officials managing roads, waterways, and other areas, due to the need for extensive professional knowledge, should attend university for education.

    ¡°If these officials fail the professional exams, it would prove that they are not suitable for the job, and others could be appointed in their stead.¡±

    Mirabeau immediately agreed, ¡°I strongly support His Highness¡¯s proposal. It is hard to imagine that a director of roads, who can¡¯t even read construction plans, could build quality roads.¡±

    Brian continued, ¡°So, let¡¯s send these officials to the Royal School of Administrative Management in batches for continuing education, where they must pass exams to continue their duties.

    ¡°And for future positions requiring a high level of professional knowledge, they should be trained first and hold a corresponding graduation certificate before taking up the job.¡±

    The ministers nodded their heads in agreement.

    Positions related to waterways and roads were few in number and not very powerful, so no one was particularly concerned.

    The ministers then turned their heads collectively to Queen Mary.

    She was still admiring a beautiful bird outside the window¡ªnow that the Crown Prince could handle most matters for her, she was increasingly reluctant to bother¡ªuntil Brian coughed lightly, and she suddenly turned back, smiling awkwardly.

 Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: Chapter 489 Queen Marys Determination

    Chapter 578: Chapter 489 Queen Mary¡¯s Determination

    Queen Mary hurriedly picked up the document in front of her, unsure of where she had left off, and could only seek help with a glance toward Joseph by her side.

    Seeing her son nod slightly, she immediately assumed an air of authority and nodded, ¡°I agree with the proposal, please Archbishop Brienne prepare the relevant decrees.¡±

    Archbishop Brienne quickly bowed, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Joseph sighed with relief in his heart, his ¡°salami tactics¡± had succeeded.

    Although the influence of officials in water management and road administration was minimal, once this decree was signed, it would essentially open the door to ¡°examinations for official appointments¡±!

    Exactly how to define positions that ¡°require more specialized knowledge¡± offered a great deal of leeway in interpretation.

    Would you say finance requires specialized knowledge? What about industrial management, agriculture, trade, or justice?

    In time, slowly boiling the frog, more and more government positions would fall under ¡°professional examinations,¡± eventually encompassing all posts, marking the completion of the most critical step in administrative reform.

    By then, professional studies for officials could be opened to educational institutions like the University of Paris and the University of Toulouse, with the Administration College responsible only for assessments.

    It would then become a complete system of ¡°public service examinations,¡± and administrative reform would be thoroughly concluded.

    Most importantly, the process would be gradual, not provoking strong opposition from the existing bureaucratic layer.

    Of course, there would certainly be those dissatisfied with this system, given that some nobles¡¯ useless progeny could no longer rely solely on their connections to secure high-ranking positions. But they would also remember the impressive inspection of the police force and turn their dissatisfaction into mere grumbling, voicing complaints without taking any real action.

    In fact, even with such public service examination systems, the nobles still had a significant advantage.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?

    Firstly, the cost of university tuition at that time was extremely high, unaffordable for the average family.

    Secondly, nobles¡¯ offspring were more familiar with the exam content for the Administration College ¡ª their parents were among the first to study there. It wasn¡¯t like in the internet age, where civil service exam past papers were readily available. Even if commoners mastered their professional subjects, they might not outperform nobles in public service examinations.

    Therefore, this made the nobility even less resistant to the examination system, with the noble class still controlling most government positions.

    Joseph had no desire to pursue absolute equality, as in the 18th century the role of the nobility was irreplaceable.

    Then, Archbishop Brienne continued, ¡°The next proposal, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suggests the creation of an ¡®Auxiliary Administrative Institution,¡¯ as a backup system for main administrative departments in case of unexpected incidents, ready to take over management immediately.¡±

    Seeing that the audience was somewhat puzzled, Joseph explained, ¡°I thought of this because of the recent corruption case.

    ¡°As you know, currently, more than 40 officials are on trial, and most are likely to be convicted. The matters they are responsible for will soon be stalled, a risk that has to be taken into account.

    ¡°Thus, I suggest the establishment of an ¡®Auxiliary Administrative Institution,¡¯ with positions modeled after those of existing government departments, but which would normally only accrue experience without being granted actual power.

    ¡°In the event of an emergency with current officials, corresponding officials from the ¡®Auxiliary Institution¡¯ could immediately take over.¡±

    Justice Minister Baron Breti immediately frowned, ¡°Your Highness, such a move would entail a significant increase in officials¡¯ salaries. And according to you, these people in the ¡®Auxiliary Institution¡¯ would be nearly idle most of the time¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°Your concerns are very valid, so the salaries for officials of the ¡®Auxiliary Institution¡¯ would be set lower. They could also be tasked with manageable duties, such as organizing documents and copying information.¡±

    ¡°But still, this is¡­¡±

    Mirabeau, observing the Crown Prince¡¯s expression, stood up and said, ¡°Baron Breti, do you realize how long the administrative management interruption caused by the recent jailing of a large number of officials lasted? It could well exceed a month.

    ¡°The loss incurred during this period is enough to pay several months¡¯ salaries for officials nationwide.

    ¡°I believe His Highness¡¯s idea is excellent, as it not only maintains administrative stability but also enables idle nobles to take on duties and contribute to the nation.¡±

    Joseph immediately gave him an approving gaze. To connect contributions to the nation with the welfare of nobility, only Mirabeau could make such a stretch.

    Joseph simply wanted to create a slew of ¡°wasteful positions¡± to accommodate those who bought their way into office. After all, these people had paid in real cash and had agreements with the government, and unless they committed serious infractions, it was difficult to outright dismiss them.

    So, he devised the ¡°Auxiliary Administrative Institution,¡± modeled after Nanjing Defensive Court of the Ming Dynasty. The titles of their posts remained the same, but once transferred from the Beijing Imperial Court to Nanjing, they would be stripped of all power and only await retirement.

    As professional assessments for officials gradually became widespread, all officials who merely occupied their positions aimlessly and focused on embezzling would inevitably be blocked by assessments, and then they would have to settle for the ¡°auxiliary positions¡± to accumulate experience.

    Joseph did not see the support of an additional group of bureaucrats as a waste of money.

    On the contrary, replacing those who bought their titles with individuals capable of effective work would provide a positive impetus for the nation, the benefits of which would far exceed their modest salaries.

    Not to mention that the ¡°auxiliary positions¡± were not entirely without function; they could at least handle document organization, potentially reducing the need to hire several ordinary clerks, so the additional expense would not be significant.

    Baron Breti assumed that the Crown Prince simply wanted to create more official positions to collect more money from the sale of titles and therefore immediately nodded in agreement.

    Queen Mary did not let her mind wander this time. Seeing that the ministers had no objections, she signed the document handed to her by Archbishop Brienne ¡ª such a small-scale administrative adjustment even did not require the King¡¯s signature.

    After discussing some routine affairs, the Cabinet meeting concluded.

    Queen Mary watched as Archbishop Brienne took his leave, recalling the events of the meeting earlier that day and suddenly called out to him.

    Archbishop Brienne turned and bowed slightly, ¡°Your Majesty, do you have further instructions?¡±

    Queen Mary hesitated, ¡°Archbishop Brienne, do you think, if I were not to attend Cabinet meetings, could the Crown Prince lead the ministers to handle state affairs properly?¡±

    Brienne thought to himself: Certainly, he can. The Crown Prince has long been the one upholding France¡¯s big picture. In fact, if you do not attend, the efficiency of the meetings might even improve a bit.

    However, he still expressed great surprise and exclaimed, ¡°You are the soul of France, Your Majesty! If you were not to preside over the Cabinet, it would be a disaster for the country!¡±

 Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: Chapter 490: The Great Mass

    Chapter 579: Chapter 490: The Great Mass

    Queen Mary mused deeply, ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s abilities are exceptional, and he has also been blessed by the Lord. I believe we should give him a broader stage to shine.¡±

    Brian glanced cautiously at the Queen¡¯s expression, sensing she was serious, and carefully suggested, ¡°I understand Your Majesty¡¯s intent to thoroughly prepare His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    ¡°Perhaps you can let the Prince preside over a few Cabinet meetings first, with your guidance at his side. This should ensure that nothing goes awry.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Queen Mary finally made up her mind, ¡°Since you think so too, then let the Crown Prince preside over the next Cabinet meeting.¡±

    After uttering those words, she suddenly felt a wave of relief wash over her, similar to the moment of relaxation and comfort when she returned to her bedroom after an all-night ball and cast off her tight corset and rigid shoes.

    Brian also breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed deeply, ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±

    After he left, the gold doors of the meeting hall shut with a ¡°bang,¡± and Queen Mary stretched her arms in a languid yawn, her mind fluttering with images of cakes, jewelry, and beautiful dresses.

    ¡°Please ask Cecilian to make me a mint cocoa cake,¡± she said with a smile as she rose to her feet, instructing her maid Debreninac, and then murmured to herself, ¡°Joseph will surely take care of everything.¡±

    ¡­

    June 3, 1790.

    The Sanctuary Hall of Notre Dame de Paris was packed, with thousands of citizens gathered outside the church as well, devoutly gazing at the dimly visible colossal statue of Jesus inside.

    At the very front of the hall, an acolyte in a white robe turned his back to the crowd, bowing his head and lifting the unfolded Bible above him. In front of him, Archbishop Beaumont recited the scriptures with a holy and solemn expression.

    Indeed, a grand Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi was being held here.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    Joseph sat at the forefront of all those attending the Mass, but his attention was not on the Archbishop muttering in Latin ¡ª he was probably the French Crown Prince with the poorest Latin in nearly a century, still unable to comprehend Latin texts, let alone follow a live translation.

    He turned his head slightly and whispered to Fouche, seated behind him, ¡°Is it verified?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± the Chief of Intelligence leaned forward, lowering his voice similarly, ¡°The news leaked from the jailer guarding Viscount Charles Bernie. He himself and the six others who spread the word have all confessed.¡±

    Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Bernie, clearly unwilling to accept his exile, had deliberately leaked the news of his exposure of officials, aiming to stir up their anger in the hope of forcing the High Court and the Royal Family to compromise.

    Fortunately, Joseph had arranged for police inspections around the country, and with the Church¡¯s support in rallying, the officials remained skeptical of his ¡°rumors.¡± Had this happened a year earlier, the bureaucratic class might have already thrown the country into complete disarray.

    Filled with indignant anger, Joseph ordered Fouche, ¡°Conduct a thorough investigation of all officials involved in this corruption case.

    ¡°As for Bernie, let¡¯s change his place of exile to New Zealand. Oh, and his jailer friend, let¡¯s send him along to keep him company.¡±

    He had already reached an agreement with Bernie and the others: they would reveal corrupt officials in court in exchange for being exiled to Lille, a relatively bustling place, and retain a portion of their wealth. But since the man wanted to cause trouble, let him go shepherd sheep on a small Pacific island instead.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Fouche bowed and replied, then added cautiously, ¡°Your Highness, I believe Bernie¡¯s message has already spread among the officials. Although they dare not say anything on the surface, they will definitely feel discontented in their hearts.¡±

    A flash of excitement crossed his eyes, ¡°Perhaps, we should arrest everyone who has spread this rumor, to put an end to¡­¡±

    Joseph glanced sideways at him and thought to himself, you just want to find an opportunity to show off, don¡¯t you? He shook his head and said,

    ¡°That would only exacerbate the situation. I have already made arrangements for the aftermath, so there is no need for you to worry.¡±

    After this incident, he had preliminarily established a plan for administrative reform. Since the bureaucratic class had accepted reality, they should instead be stabilized. ¡°A slap followed by a sweet¡± is always the best management model.

    According to Joseph¡¯s plan, it was then announced that a portion of commoners would be admitted to the Administration College, significantly reducing office taxes while increasing officials¡¯ salaries.

    Yes, he meant to increase the income of officials. Because, as it stood, the legitimate income of French civil servants was indeed very low.

    This had all stemmed from the practice of France¡¯s past kings treating the bureaucratic system as a business.

    Since it was a business, there had to be profits.

    Thus, the prices for buying an office had been sky-high, with any position of slight power costing tens of thousands of francs, and a municipal-level office starting from 30,000 francs.

    As for the officials¡¯ salaries, they were kept very low. Ordinary civil servants started from 50 francs, and salaries for a Deputy Mayor were just over 90 francs. Moreover, they also had to pay an ¡°office tax¡± annually!

    This peculiar tax was mandated by the Paulette Edict promulgated during the reign of Henry IV ¡ª all purchased offices had to pay a tax of one-seventieth of the purchase price each year to continue exercising their authority; otherwise, they would be immediately suspended from duty.

    For example, the aforementioned ordinary civil servant, after deducting the office tax from his salary, actually earned less than 40 francs. The actual income for a Deputy Mayor was about 60 francs.

    By relying on this model, since the ascent of Louis XVI, selling offices and collecting office taxes had brought in over forty million livres of revenue for the treasury each year.

    This led to the vast majority of French civil servants being unable to get by on their salary alone, and so they had to find their own ways to make ends meet ¡ª minor offenses included minor corruption and extortion, while serious cases involved embezzlement and accepting bribes. This had become the norm in the French officialdom.

    If you wanted officials to remain incorruptible, you at least had to pay them a salary that assured a decent standard of living.

    The first half of Joseph¡¯s administrative reform was to break the nobility¡¯s monopoly on the bureaucratic class and promote capable individuals. The latter half aimed to improve the treatment of officials and to promptly put an end to the corrupt practice of selling offices.

    Of course, given France¡¯s current financial situation, the sale of offices could not be banned completely just yet. However, according to his plan, at least half of the positions for sale were to be reduced by the following year.

    In front of Sanctuary Hall, Archbishop Beaumont finally ended the lengthy liturgical reading and began to have the priests instruct the clergy to distribute Holy Communion to the believers present.

    Archbishop Beaumont glanced at the Crown Prince who had been ¡°chatting¡± with the head of the intelligence service, showing no sign of offense, and immediately gave a light cough, seizing the interval to switch to French and said loudly, ¡°The Lord said, ¡®For the love of money is the root of all evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.''¡±

    ¡°Look, those greedy officials, though punished by the world, will ultimately be judged by the Lord¡­¡±

 Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: Chapter 491: The Church is the King of Amassing Wealth

    Chapter 580: Chapter 491: The Church is the King of Amassing Wealth

    Before Archbishop Beaumont had promised that the Crown Prince would cooperate with his campaign to reform the bureaucracy, and indeed, he had been very committed to it, seizing every opportunity to publicly denounce those corrupt officials who were undergoing trial.

    Meanwhile, at his request, various Churches occasionally paraded around the city displaying images of Gihazi ¡ª a biblical character who was punished by God for his greed with a severe case of leprosy that left his whole body ghastly white. The images were visually striking, at the very least.

    However, as the situation gradually calmed down, the Church had recently ceased to mention this matter. That Archbishop Beaumont was bringing this up now was simply to show off in front of Joseph.

    Fouche took the wine from the Priest and glanced at the endlessly chattering Beaumont, snorting dismissively and muttering, ¡°Ha, as if those officials are greedier than you.¡±

    Joseph, curious, turned his head back and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Realizing he had misspoken, but under the gaze of the Crown Prince, Fouche reluctantly whispered, ¡°Your Highness, many people within the Church know that Archbishop Beaumont¡¯s wealth amounts to three or four million francs, that money¡­¡±

    Being of a priestly background, he knew quite a bit about the inner workings of the Church.

    Bearing the news, Joseph exhaled sharply and nodded with a frown.

    He knew too that a high-ranking priest, such as an Archbishop, was bound to be corrupt. Especially since France had strictly limited the Church¡¯s influence on secular power, leaving those within the Church solely with the pursuit of gathering wealth.

    For now, he could only choose to temporarily cooperate with the Church, which, compared to the nobility, was somewhat more honest and more dependent on the Royal Family, thus easier to control.

    If he wanted national reforms, he needed to win over forces that could serve his purposes, and to create divisions between the first and second estates, that is, between the Priests and the nobles.

    Once the various reforms in France were essentially complete, regulating the Church would also inevitably come onto the agenda.

    Not to mention, with one-tenth of the national land in the hands of the Church, it was impossible to let that go unchecked.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    Historically, after the grand commands in France, the National Assembly survived the initial financial crisis by confiscating Church lands and using these lands as anchors to issue ¡°assignats.¡±

    Furthermore, the Church was still collecting a tithe tax, although the actual tax rate was about 7%, not 10%. This was still a huge burden on the national economic development.

    After everyone had received Holy Communion, Beaumont concluded his assault on the corrupt officials and hinted to a nearby Priest.

    The Priest quickly took out a detailed, text-filled paper with decorative patterns on it, raising it for everyone to see.

    Beaumont beamed, saying, ¡°This is the ¡®Wealth Protection Indulgence¡¯ that the Church has introduced following the revelation from Jesus. After purchasing this indulgence, one shall be blessed and thereby avoid harm from the greedy.¡±

    Joseph was immediately stunned and his eyes widened. The Church really knew how to expand on ideas; even such trivial matters could be transformed into a marketable indulgence!

    However, he could only watch.

    After all, to coax the Church¡¯s reserves, he had promised that the Church could sell ¡°improved versions of indulgences.¡±

    From this, it was evident that the Church had not spared any effort in concocting various kinds of indulgences to make money over the year.

    Joseph subconsciously licked his lips, now even more eagerly anticipating the future gains from regulating the Church.

    ¡­

    In the capital of Corsica, Ajaccio.

    Inside a room on the second floor of Corsican deputy Girolamo¡¯s house, another deputy, Bartolomeo, pushed some papers to the center of the table and then looked around at the others, saying, ¡°This was sent by Mr. Oneill from Charleston. Oh, he went to the United States on my request four months ago.¡±

    Another Corsican deputy picked up the topmost paper with a puzzled look and read, ¡°In the past 30 years, there have only been three Madam Massimos in Narrabeen Town in Charleston. Two of them are still alive, and the other passed away early this year.

    ¡°The deceased Madam Massimo had never mentioned having Corsican relatives during her lifetime, and she lived in poverty, her entire estate totaling no more than 30 US Dollars.

    ¡°However, some townspeople saw that, after her death, a man with an Italian accent, who was her only relative, her nephew, had contact with her, and afterward her nephew began to claim that she had been to Corsica.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡±

    Bartolomeo slammed the table forcefully and exclaimed angrily, ¡°So Lady Paul probably doesn¡¯t have any aunt in America! And even if she did, she would at most inherit 30 US Dollars, not 10,000 US Dollars!¡±

    ¡°Please look at this.¡±

    He pulled out two documents from the papers, handing them to the deputy next to him.

    Since the latter couldn¡¯t understand English, he handed the documents back to Bartolomeo.

    Bartolomeo pointed vigorously at the two papers, saying, ¡°These are certificates issued by the Charleston City Hall. This one is for a villa on the west side of Charleston, and this one is for a huge cotton plantation in the southern suburbs. They both belong to Lady Paul.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying Lady Paul didn¡¯t inherit anything?¡± Girolamo immediately feigned confusion.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t an inheritance at all, look at the transaction dates,¡± Bartolomeo said through gritted teeth, ¡°the end of April, indicating that Lady Paul has recently acquired these properties!¡±

    Girolamo pointed to the prices listed on the certificates, exclaiming in shock, ¡°The house and the land together are worth a total of 100,000 US Dollars, where did she get so much money?¡±

    All eight deputies in the room suddenly became stern.

    Oscar Poli had always professed his devotion to the restoration, claiming he owned no property, and even the house he lived in London was gifted by a supporter. Yet now, he suddenly had 100,000 US Dollars.

    Without anyone prompting, they all thought of the 25,000 British Pounds, which was about 120,000 US Dollars, sponsored funds that had been unexpectedly burned a few months earlier.

    The property Pauli had bought in the United States plus the 10,000 US Dollars his wife inherited in the Netherlands exactly matched this amount.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty clear,¡± Bartolomeo said. ¡°Pauli has betrayed us.¡±

    Someone raised a doubt: ¡°But he has no reason to do so.¡±

    ¡°No, he does,¡± the previously silent, thin man with brown hair spoke up. ¡°Actually, from the beginning of the year, we had intelligence that the British seemed to be negotiating in France and might no longer offer asylum to Mr. Pauli.¡±

    This was the official in charge of the Corsican Revival Organization¡¯s intelligence agency. He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°I reported this to Mr. Pauli, but he said he wasn¡¯t afraid of the French and told me not to bother about it.¡±

    Girolamo immediately added, ¡°From that moment, Mr. Pauli was preparing to leave England.¡±

    He was supposed to reveal himself the fact that the British no longer protected Pauli, but someone had beaten him to it.

    The brown-haired man pondered, ¡°No, not just leaving England. I believe he might have made a deal with France.¡±

 Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: Chapter 492: Conclusive Evidence (Up for recommendation, please follow!)

    Chapter 581: Chapter 492: Conclusive Evidence (Up for recommendation, please follow!)

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± The square-faced middle-aged man who had raised doubts earlier shook his head vigorously, ¡°Mr. Poli might go to the United States to seek refuge, but he would never collude with the French people!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Cesare, then why did he embezzle the money Mr. Chalmers funded to the Restoration organization?¡± Bartolomeo said coldly.

    ¡°Obviously, Mr. Poli went to the United States with the intention of retiring,¡± Girolamo immediately added fuel to the fire, ¡°He took that twenty-five thousand British Pounds as his pension.¡±

    The crowd nodded in agreement:

    ¡°That¡¯s probably the only explanation.¡±

    ¡°He might also have received a sum of money from the French.¡±

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be surprising, he might have been assassinated by the French if he hadn¡¯t compromised.¡±

    Only Cesare remained unconvinced, but he evidently could not find a reason to refute the argument and just shook his head persistently.

    Girolamo, on the other hand, wore a grave expression and looked around at everyone:

    ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s not talk about that money for now, I¡¯ve just remembered something more important. We¡¯re about to stage an uprising in Carg¨¨se soon, and if Mr. Poli is colluding with the French, the uprising will become very dangerous.¡±

    Bartolomeo immediately nodded with furrowed brows:

    ¡°You¡¯re right. But the uprising has been long in preparation, and if we cancel it just because of our suspicions, the other members of the organization might not agree.¡±

    There were many members in the Corsican Revival Organization, with nearly 40 deputies and important leaders combined. They were not authorized to change the plans of the uprising with just their group of seven.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    Girolamo pretended to ponder for a moment and said, ¡°I do have an idea. But it might require Mr. Bartolomeo to take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, I¡¯ll do anything for the Restoration organization.¡±

    ¡°I express, on behalf of the Corsican people, my sincerest gratitude to you,¡± Girolamo tapped him and continued, ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the communication with the people in London. You can inform Mr. Poli that there has been an incident in Carg¨¨se, and after discussion, everyone has agreed that the date of the uprising should be moved forward by three days.

    ¡°And the rest of us won¡¯t leave this place from this moment onwards to ensure the news doesn¡¯t leak.

    ¡°If the French are prepared at that time, it will confirm that Mr. Poli has betrayed us.¡±

    Bartolomeo¡¯s eyebrows deeply furrowed. If Poli was innocent, then this act would be a betrayal of the organization. But if Poli truly were colluding with the French, it could save a great number of members who were part of the uprising.

    He quickly made a decision and nodded:

    ¡°Alright! I agree to your plan and am willing to bear the consequences that arise from it.¡±

    He firmly believed Poli had embezzled everyone¡¯s funding, so his actions would earn him merits for the organization.

    Half a month later¡­

    As dawn just began to break, hundreds of people with red cloth wrapped around their arms, carrying indistinct objects, silently surged towards the Carg¨¨se town hall, with more joining along the way.

    As they reached the front of the town hall, the lead person took out an elongated object from behind him and swung it forcefully. Before he could shout, suddenly, a large number of troops appeared¡ªsince the military affairs reform had not yet been carried out in Corsica, the military was still responsible for public order¡ªand surrounded the people with red armbands, pointing flintlock guns at them.

    An officer then loudly commanded, ¡°I order that they all be arrested for the crime of insurrection.¡±

    As soon as he had finished speaking, a few of the red armbanded people protested:

    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve just come to the town hall to ask for a pay increase.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re falsely accusing us; we weren¡¯t starting an insurrection.¡±

    ¡°Look, we¡¯re just poor porters¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he took out a wooden sign from a sack, raising it up with ¡°Increase pay by 3 francs per month¡± written on it.

    The officer, somewhat baffled, ordered someone to go forward and inspect. Indeed, all carried signs, banners, and the like, with no weapons to be found.

    He had no choice but to take the leading individuals away for questioning, whilst everyone else could only be dispersed.

    Later that afternoon¡­

    In Girolamo¡¯s home, seven deputies of the Restoration organization sat despondently scattered around the room.

    After some time, Girolamo broke the silence, ¡°We should thank Mr. Bartolomeo; he has saved the Restoration organization.¡±

    When the people heard this, they all nodded respectfully towards Bartolomeo. If it weren¡¯t for his test of Poli, hundreds of members involved in the uprising would have been arrested.

    ¡°I have just done what needed to be done.¡±

    The latter waved his hand wearily and then continued in a frosty voice:

    ¡°Now it¡¯s crystal clear; Poli has betrayed everyone. I only told him about advancing the uprising by three days, so it must have been him who leaked the information to the French!¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement with this conclusion, but in reality, they had fallen into a mental blind spot¡ª

    Although those involved in the planning hadn¡¯t left the room that day, the idea to move the uprising up by three days could have been pre-agreed upon and presented in reverse by Girolamo. The Corsican army merely needed to wait for the date to arrive and then perform in Carg¨¨se.

    Even Cesare, who had previously trusted Poli the most, fell silent now, clenching his fists tightly, his eyes filled with anger.

    Bartolomeo continued:

    ¡°I believe we can no longer allow Oscar Poli to serve as the leader of the Restoration organization; he must be expelled from the organization!¡±

    Girolamo, not expecting his line to be stolen, quickly fanned the flames:

    ¡°I agree! It has always been us taking risks to propel the Restoration movement, while Poli just hid in England giving orders. Now he has even betrayed us!¡±

    Cesare also followed with a shout:

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve to lead the organization! Let him be gone!¡±

    Bartolomeo nodded:

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll split up to contact other deputies and expel Poli at the next organizational meeting!¡±

    The next day.

    The seven Corsican deputies reconvened in Girolamo¡¯s house, and there were six additional senior members of the Restoration organization present, as well as a middle-aged man with round glasses and a slightly plump figure.

    Bartolomeo respectfully gestured towards the bespectacled middle-aged man and then introduced him to everyone:

    ¡°This is Mr. Chalmers; he¡¯s very well-regarded in Scotland. I think you must all have heard of his great name.¡±

    The dozen people in the room eagerly and respectfully greeted Mr. Chalmers.

    This was the top philanthropist who had generously donated twenty-five thousand British Pounds to the organization; everyone was extremely eager and enthusiastic.

    Mr. Chalmers nodded in return to their greetings, then his expression turned serious and he said in a solemn voice:

    ¡°I¡¯ve recently come to Ajaccio to invest in vineyards, but I heard about what happened with Mr. Poli. This made me very sad and angry!¡±

    He raised his arms again, his voice growing more impassioned:

    ¡°But the great cause for restoration must not be interrupted by just one man! Here before me stands many brave restoration warriors.¡±

    He scanned the people:

    ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to once again contribute twenty thousand British Pounds to support everyone in next year¡¯s Corsican deputies election! With that scoundrel Poli out of the way, we can surely take control of the Congress in one fell swoop!¡±

 Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: Chapter 493: Avoiding Napoleons Pitfalls

    Chapter 582: Chapter 493: Avoiding Napoleon¡¯s Pitfalls

    The more than ten people in the room were instantly overjoyed, not expecting such an unexpected windfall that day.

    20,000 British Pounds, equivalent to 500,000 francs, was a substantial sum of support; no matter how it was divided, one could get a decent share.

    The crowd immediately surrounded Chalmers with fervor, showering him with exaggerated flattery, ¡°You truly are the messenger of freedom and fairness!¡±

    ¡°Your generosity brings hope to all Corsican people!¡±

    ¡°On behalf of the Corsican people, I express our deepest gratitude to you, may Jesus bless you¡­¡±

    Chalmers smiled and exchanged pleasantries with them, then suddenly turned serious, ¡°However, I have one stipulation regarding the use of this money. The recipient must sever all ties with that Paul guy!¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding. After all, Paul had embezzled 25,000 British Pounds, which would anger anyone. Moreover, they had just confirmed Paul¡¯s act of betrayal against the organization and were already planning to bring him down.

    Girolamo was the first to make a statement: ¡°Mr. Chalmers, rest assured, I will not rest until Paul is ousted from the Restoration organization!¡±

    Chalmers nodded in satisfaction, ¡°That¡¯s great, Mr. Girolamo. I¡¯ve decided to allocate 1,500 British Pounds to support your campaign as a Corsican deputy!¡±

    The intelligence agents and their plants worked in tandem, quickly igniting the enthusiasm of everyone present ¡ª 1,500 pounds was 37,000 francs. With such a substantial election fund, their rivals didn¡¯t stand a chance of winning. In reality, even half that amount would be more than enough for a provincial election campaign.

    Bartolomeo immediately followed suit, expressing his desire to distance himself from Paul, followed by Eloi, Cesare¡­

    Before long, over ten high-ranking members of the Restoration organization had received between 30,000 to 40,000 francs in support, all beaming with joy and satisfaction, heaping praise upon Chalmers.

    However, they all overlooked one issue ¡ª 20,000 pounds could have supported many more deputies, but Chalmers had only distributed it among the 13 of them. Their funds were excessively abundant.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã?

    In fact, this was the strategy Joseph used to dissolve the Corsican Restoration party ¡ª to divide and dissolve, then sway political objectives.

    With financial backing, within a short time, these 13 people would become a ¡°dominant group¡± within the organization and gradually become alienated from the others.

    Chalmers could then use his influence over them to encourage them to break away and form another organization.

    Soon, the two Restoration organizations competing for political resources would be engaged in fierce competition. Who would remember their original goals by then? It would become a struggle solely for the sake of power.

    After all, these deputies had only been involved in election politics for about 20 years. For Joseph, who had witnessed western elections of the future, without the spiritual leader Paul, it would be easy to fragment them by copying a few dirty tricks from partisan struggles.

    Keep in mind, the Corsican Restoration organization had its own armed force ¡ª the National Self-Defense Force, and also harbored a large number of assassins. Officials the French Government sent to Corsica were often assassinated. Civil unrest never ceased, with the most recent occurring at the end of last year, where nearly a thousand armed rebels battled with the military for over a month before it was barely contained.

    If they used the military, as in the time of Louis XV, not only would it be costly, but the results weren¡¯t particularly good ¡ª aside from forcing Paul into exile, there were no significant victories.

    Historically, even Napoleon had suffered defeat in Corsica.

    It was not until Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor and deployed a large number of troops to bloodily purge Corsica that the problem with the Restoration Faction was completely resolved. But because of this act, the Corsican people hated him to the bone; after his exile, they threw his statue into the sea and razed his ancestral home.

    Joseph certainly didn¡¯t want to use too much military force in Corsica. Even if he didn¡¯t care about the enormous military expenses and the damage inflicted upon Corsica, the mere fact that military purges would cause the Corsicans to hate the Royal Family even more, was also a loss disproportionate to any gain.

    The people, who were alienated from the government, simply couldn¡¯t be expected to earnestly engage in productive construction.

    Therefore, Joseph chose a strategy of internal subversion.

    By firstly eliminating Paul¡¯s Restoration organization, this cancerous growth, there would no longer be anyone to organize and incite the Corsican populace against the government.

    At that time, coupled with suitable policies to improve the livelihood of Corsicans, who would then bother to rebel? Living the enviable life of a French person, wouldn¡¯t making those Russians and Italians jealous be more appealing?

    Without the support of the people, the National Self-Defense Force of Corsica naturally couldn¡¯t be maintained. Even if it came to exterminating a small number of stubborn elements, it would still be much easier compared to historical situations.

    At present, it seems that after several months of operations by the intelligence service, the Corsican strategy is beginning to show effectiveness, just waiting for the final roundup.

    ¡­

    London.

    Paul¡¯s villa had been completely renovated, and there were no signs that it had once been burned.

    Outside the villa gate, Mr. Paul and Miss Isabella in the carriage shared a tender moment, reluctantly waving goodbye before he turned around, only to hear someone anxiously calling out in Italian, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯ve finally returned. I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for hours.¡±

    Paul looked towards the voice and saw his nephew Cesari-Colonna Paoli, also the second in command of the Corsican National Self-Defense Force, standing at the doorway.

    ¡°Cesari, how did you get here?¡± he immediately beamed with joy, stepping forward to embrace his nephew tightly.

    Cesari patted his back hastily, then quickly created some distance, his expression grave, ¡°Uncle, the situation is somewhat bad.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What happened?¡± Paul, sensing something amiss, hurriedly pulled him into the house and went straight to the study on the second floor.

    Cesari locked the door, then urgently said, ¡°At last week¡¯s routine meeting, Bartolomeo and Cesare and others accused you of embezzling large amounts of funding, as well as colluding with the French people to betray the Restoration organization, demanding the revocation of your leadership and expulsion from the organization!¡±

    Paul¡¯s face changed at the news, but he soon smiled, ¡°Such baseless accusations will not be believed by anyone.¡±

    ¡°No, Uncle, they have produced evidence,¡± Cesari recounted how Paul had acquired properties in the United States, and how the timing of the riots was leaked.

    ¡°They¡¯re framing me!¡± Paul roared in anger, ¡°That money was burned, and I never had any contact with the French!¡±

    ¡°I absolutely believe you,¡± Cesari hurriedly said, ¡°But within the organization, a public opinion unfavorable to you has formed.

    ¡°During last week¡¯s vote against you, there were 19 in favor of expelling you, and another 11 agreed to suspend your leadership of the organization. 5 abstained.¡±

    ¡°Damn these bastards!¡± Paul fumed, veins throbbing on his forehead. There were about 60 people with voting rights for major events within the Restoration organization. Subtracting those not in Corsica, there should be nearly 50 people attending the meeting. Out of them, 30 were against him.

    He was less than 2 votes away from the two-thirds threshold for passage!

 Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Chapter 495: High-Tech Industry

    Chapter 584: Chapter 495: High-Tech Industry

    Fouche hesitated slightly, ¡°Your Highness, nearly half of the pro-government factions in Corsica tend to be Liberal. They¡¯re probably not going to willingly follow Count Butafuoco¡¯s orders.¡±

    Count Butafuoco belonged to the Old Nobility, and compared with the Restoration Faction, he detested the Liberals even more, the ones who hollered all day about equality between nobles and common folk. Likewise, he was one of the fiercest enemies of the Liberals.

    Joseph blinked at the words and decisively said, ¡°Then make Butafuoco listen to the Liberals. Tell him if he can secure a two-thirds majority in the Corsican Parliament with the Liberals and the anti-Paul faction, I can appoint him Governor of Corsica.¡±

    In Corsica, it required the consent of two-thirds of Parliament members to enact legislation.

    In fact, even if they didn¡¯t secure that many seats, it wouldn¡¯t matter much. Most of the Liberals were nationalists at heart, naturally clashing with the separatist Restorationists; letting them fight amongst themselves would provide an opportunity for Joseph¡¯s own people to rise to power.

    Furthermore, involving Butafuoco in Liberal affairs could also hold them back from causing trouble at critical moments.

    Despite being an island with a population of only around 200,000, Corsica was internally teeming with various political forces, making the situation exceedingly complex. Hence, until the early 19th century, it was known as a ¡°nation within a nation¡± under French control.

    Joseph then instructed Fouche, ¡°Also, you need to leverage Mr. Chalmers¡¯s influence within the Restoration Faction to quickly get a read on the ¡®Corsican National Self-Defense Force¡¯. It would be best to plant some of our own people within it.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that political maneuvering alone could solve Corsica¡¯s separatist issues.

    Even if he controlled the Parliament, armed Restorationist organizations would likely overturn the table¡ªlike dissolving the Parliament and declaring independence directly.

    But if it came to that, the Restorationist organizations would lose their legal base in Corsica, and the public would begin to oppose them.

    At that time, deploying the military to eliminate them wouldn¡¯t end up like Napoleon¡¯s experiences, sinking into the quagmire of Corsica¡¯s ¡°people¡¯s war.¡±

    To be honest, facing the National Self-Defense Force¡¯s mere two thousand troops in open battle would be nothing significant. Early preparation by the intelligence bureau could make the eradication process all the smoother.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    Only after enduring the trial of real combat could France truly gain absolute control over Corsica.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    Fouche squared his shoulders and accepted the command, just as he heard Eman¡¯s light knock on the door outside, reminding, ¡°Your Highness, according to your schedule, you are to inspect the gas distillation plant this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set out.¡±

    Joseph stood up, motioning Fouche to leave with him. They climbed into the carriage, and Joseph began asking about the situations in Tunisia and Tripoli.

    Only when they neared the gas distillation plant in the North Suburb of Paris did Fouche take his leave and get out of the carriage.

    Joseph¡¯s procession advanced a little further and then spotted the plant manager Delas, Murdoch the patentee of the gas manufacturing process, Dupont, who had invested in the distillation plant, and the manager of the Industrial Development Fund, all waiting to receive him by the roadside.

    In a moment, music sounded around the carriage, and people with streamers or bouquets clustered near the welcoming party. However, framed by the plant¡¯s crude wooden barriers and the distant black smoke looming behind, the festivities seemed somewhat modest.

    Joseph originally didn¡¯t want them to come to receive him, as producing more coal gas was more substantial than anything else. However, later when De La Salle said that this was also part of the formal production ceremony for the distillery, he no longer insisted.

    When everyone saw the Crown Prince alight from the carriage, they bowed and paid their respects.

    Joseph also smiled and greeted everyone, then gave a brief congratulatory speech on the official start of production, and was escorted by a crowd into the factory area.

    The manager, De La Salle, followed by his side, attentively introducing, ¡°Your Highness, this place can now dry distill 16 tons of coal daily, and the gas produced can supply more than five thousand gas lamps, illuminating three-quarters of the streets of Paris, as well as the entire Palace of Versailles!¡±

    Joseph nodded satisfactorily. He recalled that during the World Expo, the then test-run coal gas distillery could only supply more than 800 gas lamps. Half a year later, this number had increased by five times.

    This was thanks to his substantial capital investment and personal inquiries into the construction progress, which allowed such high efficiency. One must know that this was the world¡¯s first coal gas distillery, without any previous experience, and such speed was definitely a miracle.

    However, the Paris gas lamp project alone saw a government investment of two million francs, with investors like Dupont entering the Gas Lamp Company with another 1.6 million, bringing the total expenditure to as high as 3.6 million francs!

    This was an unavoidable matter; after all, the gas lamp was the most cutting-edge technological product of the era, comparable to the technologies of Boeing and Airbus in later generations, so naturally, the cost could not be low.

    But such a large investment was definitely worth it. Not to mention that the public lighting boosted the image of Paris and the whole of France, significantly increasing its attractiveness to talent and investment, the benefits brought about by the lighting project in real estate alone were enough to recoup the investment and make a handsome profit.

    De La Salle then looked towards the east, his face beaming with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, the second phase of the distillery is expected to be completed early next year. By then, not only will the entirety of Paris be able to use gas lamps, but nearby places like Antoine Town will also have an ample supply of gas.

    ¡°Oh, and Lyon, the distillery there should officially start production around October¡­¡±

    Leading the way, Joseph and others walked past a huge pile of coal three stories high and saw ahead a large building made of stones and planks. The metallic dry distillation retorts inside glowed with a dark red light under the fierce flames.

    The chimney at the top of the building was spewing out thick black smoke, which dyed the nearby skies deep grey.

    Dozens of workers filled their small carts with coal at the huge coal pile and then pushed them heavily into the factory, where others shoveled coal into the furnaces beneath the distillation retorts. Nearby, technicians continuously checked the furnace temperature and various instruments.

    All the workers here were covered in soot from head to toe, and as they sweated, streaks of white were washed clean across their bodies, resembling the stripes on a Juventus jersey.

    Eman fanned Joseph vigorously by his side to cope with the intense heat from the dry distillation retorts, when suddenly he heard a faint voice from behind, ¡°Viscount Eman, may I withdraw for a moment?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph turned his head and saw the Maid blushing profusely and bowing her head in embarrassment.

    He suddenly realized that the workers here were all topless¡ªa necessity in such heat¡ªand he quickly signaled to her, ¡°Please wait for us outside the factory.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    Camellia turned and fled, picking up her skirt covered in black ash and trotting out.

    Following closely behind Joseph, Perna, dressed in men¡¯s attire, glanced at her and raised her head slightly in triumph.

 Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: Chapter 496: 2 Francs vs. Life

    Chapter 585: Chapter 496: 2 Francs vs. Life

    Perna, upon her return from Silesia, learned that Camellia had become a maid to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, which for some reason gave her an inexplicable sense of crisis.

    Therefore, she began to unconsciously stay as close to the Crown Prince¡¯s side as possible, as if guarding against something.

    Once they entered the distillation workshop, the technical expert, Murdock, took over the explanation for Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, you see, this cylindrical object is the dry distillation retort I invented. The ring-shaped, thick iron pipe around it is actually the furnace, used to heat the coal inside the dry distillation retort¡­

    ¡°Oh, before the coal goes into the dry distillation retort, it has to be crushed to a specified size. The crushing workshop is just across¡­

    ¡°After undergoing high-temperature dry distillation, the coal will coke and produce a large amount of gas. This process must continue for 10 hours¡­

    ¡°Then the fire must be extinguished, the coke removed from the dry distillation retort, new coal added, and the fire lit again¡­¡±

    He pointed upwards to a thick brass pipe overhead:

    ¡°The gas produced is sent here to the cooling chamber. But this gas is not yet usable, it must go through several layers of cloth to remove ash and coal slag from the gas¡­

    ¡°Then the gas passes through multiple layers of paper to filter out oily particles¡­

    ¡°After that, the gas goes through a gas scrubber. Oh, it¡¯s that tallest ¡®stone column¡¯ on the eastern side.

    ¡°Inside, there are actually lots of wooden lattices filled with lime water, which can remove the sulfur from the gas. You know, sulfur burns and makes people tear up incessantly¡­

    ¡°And in the lime water for washing gas, a lot of ammonia is dissolved, which was a reminder from Mr. Lavoisier to collect this expensive ammonia¡­¡±

    Joseph listened until he was utterly bewildered, no wonder the technology for distilling coal gas could obtain a patent.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    It sounded like simply dry burning coal in the absence of air, which seemed very simple, but the actual production process was extremely complex, and missing even one step would mean that usable gas couldn¡¯t be produced.

    Take desulfurization, for example, which Murdock had mentioned¡ªif you hadn¡¯t considered it from the start, by the time your distillation plant was built, the coal gas delivered to the gas lamps could make people weep all day, and the millions spent on building the plant would probably be in vain.

    Without talents like Murdock and Lavoisier, even if he could bring advanced technological theories from the future, he feared they would remain on paper only, without creating even a sou of profit.

    He suddenly remembered the ¡°Talent Introduction Plan¡± he had been planning before; he hadn¡¯t pushed it forward because he had been busy, but it seemed he would have to put it on the agenda soon.

    As they continued deeper into the distillation workshop, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but frown¡ªthe surrounding dust became thicker, and it was difficult to see objects even 3 meters away, while the astringent and foul smell of coal ash constantly irritated his nostrils, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

    He quickly turned to Eman and said, ¡°Please give me a mask.¡±

    ¡°A mouth cover?¡± Eman looked confused.

    Joseph frowned, not knowing how to say ¡°mask,¡± so he had used ¡°mouth cover¡± as a substitute.

    ¡°Ah, like the one doctors wear over their mouths¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Eman quickly looked back at Perna, who also shook her head with clear eyes.

    Joseph then realized that he had never seen Perna or Dr. Lamark wearing a mask. Could it be that such a thing had not yet been invented?

    He gestured with the piece of cloth in his hand, ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of cotton like this, square, with strings on either side that can hang on the ears.¡±

    Seeing Perna still shaking her head, he gave up completely. Indeed, it was an era without even masks¡­

    However, the manager Delas by his side took out something resembling a rag from his pocket and handed it over, ¡°Your Highness, are you trying to cover your mouth and nose?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Delas immediately demonstrated, ¡°Like this, covering the face.¡±

    Joseph put the ¡°rag¡± on his face, and his nose and trachea finally felt a bit more relaxed. It was then that he noticed some workers also using triangular scraps of cloth over their faces, as if they were bandits heading off to start their day¡¯s work.

    He couldn¡¯t help but frown; such a work environment without masks would surely lead to pneumoconiosis in no time!

    Some of these workers were even younger than he was¡­

    Although factory conditions around the world were generally poor at the start of the Industrial Revolution, since he had witnessed it, he couldn¡¯t just ignore the issue.

    He first left the swelteringly hot distillation workshop, tore off the face-covering cloth, and took deep breaths of the outside air. Then he said to Delas, ¡°There¡¯s something called a mask that can effectively improve the workers¡¯ inhalation of smoke and dust.

    ¡°Please find a tailor to make a batch as soon as possible; from now on, all workers must wear masks to work.¡±

    He signaled Eman to bring paper and a pen and drew a schematic of a medical mask from later times, ¡°Use four layers of cotton gauze, sew them together, fix strings on either side, and attach a metal wire at the top. When wearing it, tie the strings over the ears, and press the wire down on the bridge of the nose¡­¡±

    Delas¡¯s face turned almost green as he stammered, ¡°Your Highness, the thing you are talking about, uh, a mask, will cost at least 2 francs each. There are more than 200 people in the distillery; won¡¯t that be a little costly?¡±

    That expensive? Joseph was a bit puzzled but immediately understood¡ªcotton wasn¡¯t cheap at that time.

    Ordinary people could only afford one or two cotton garments in their lifetime and usually wore linen clothing. As for the wire, custom-sizing it specifically for masks along with the required hardness would also not be cheap without the ability to mass-produce industrially.

    He sighed in resignation, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for it. Please get the masks made and distribute them to the workers as soon as you can.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your generosity and kindness,¡± Delas hastily said, ¡°But we can¡¯t let you pay for this. We shall deduct it from the company¡¯s accounts.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to decline,¡± Joseph insisted, and thinking again of the workers¡¯ difficult working conditions, instructed Delas, ¡°From now on, conduct health checks for the workers every six months; if you discover any health issues, treat them as soon as possible. Oh, I¡¯ll figure out the inspection costs, you just need to organize and get the workers to cooperate.¡±

    After some thought, he added, ¡°But do not use health issues as a reason to dismiss workers indiscriminately.¡±

    The Industrial Development Fund was the largest shareholder in the gas distillation factory, and since he had the final say in the fund, he could completely influence the regulations here.

    Delas was incredibly surprised by his words; he had never seen a superior so concerned about the workers before and showered him with praise and thanks.

    Joseph was aware that providing basic living and health security for the workers was essential for the stable and sustained development of the industry, and it would also lead to fewer worker uprisings.

    Yet no capitalist would voluntarily offer such security as it would reduce their profits, so legislation was needed to address this problem.

    Securing the rights of the workers might seem to increase industrial costs, lead to higher product prices, and reduce competitiveness. In reality, however, only a worker treated as a human can produce qualified products. A worker treated like an animal eventually only hinders industrial progress.

 Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: Chapter 497 "Factory Act

    Chapter 586: Chapter 497 ¡°Factory Act

    In history, European countries that had gone through the early stages of the Industrial Revolution and devastated workers¡¯ lives with excessive exploitation eventually recognized this issue and started taking measures.

    As an industrial pioneer, England enacted the ¡°Factory Acts¡± in 1802 to ensure the basic survival of workers.

    Some important provisions included:

    ¡ª Factories were not allowed to employ child labor under the age of 9. Children aged 9 and older could work for 8 hours a day, and those over 14 could work for 12 hours a day.

    ¡ª Workers were not allowed to start work before 6 in the morning, and their bedtime could not be later than 2 in the morning.

    ¡ª Factories were required to provide clothes that could cover the body, and during the first 4 years, they were obligated to ensure the workers received at least 2 hours of basic education daily.

    ¡ª Factories had to ensure a minimum level of ventilation and install protective measures for dangerous machinery, among other things.

    In the initial stages of the ¡°Factory Acts,¡± British companies complained heavily, but before long they discovered that the efficiency of workers had significantly increased and production costs were even lower than before the implementation of the ¡°Factory Acts.¡±

    Especially as the quality of the labor force became more abundant and recruitment became easier¡ªthis was because the basic survival environment for workers was guaranteed, and the rates of disability, disease, and starvation decreased, allowing most to survive long enough to become skilled workers.

    As a result, Britain¡¯s industrial competitiveness significantly improved, further consolidating its global dominance.

    Today, after seeing the appalling working conditions of the workers, Joseph decided to urgently push for legislation to protect workers¡¯ rights.

    This would not only improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of workers in a major country, allowing them to sustain a basic living, but also increase the efficiency of industrial production in France. Moreover, labor protection laws could become a powerful tool in France¡¯s arsenal.

    In history, after England enacted the ¡°Factory Acts,¡± it immediately became the human rights standard in Europe and was praised by workers from all countries.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    Technical workers from other countries flocked to England, bringing a large amount of talent and technology, which further advanced England¡¯s Industrial Revolution.

    Then, other European countries realized something was amiss and had to issue similar laws, but they were already at a disadvantage, for once a standard is accepted by everyone, beliefs are not easy to change.

    In this lifetime, Joseph intended to keep that halo of standards in France!

    After returning, he would summon Mirabeau, Breti, and others to discuss the framework of the regulations, aiming to submit them for review at the next Cabinet meeting.

    As he was pondering this, he heard Perna say beside him, ¡°Your Highness, you just mentioned ¡®medical masks.¡¯ Do they also play an important role in medicine?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Indeed, masks can greatly reduce the likelihood of doctors being infected by patients during treatment. Actually, the bird beak masks that doctors often wear have this effect.¡±

    But Perna seemed surprised, ¡°Some scholars believe that bird beak masks are just ignorant superstitions which increase the risk of infection. My father never wears one.¡±

    Joseph, who had previously watched documentaries on the history of European medical care, sighed and said, ¡°That¡¯s because they rarely cleaned the masks, turning them into a breeding ground for bacteria¡­ But masks are definitely useful.¡±

    As he spoke, he quickly reminded the manager Delas, ¡°You should also frequently clean the masks here, at least once every 3 days, and it¡¯s best for each worker to have a fixed mask and not to share them.¡±

    Perna¡¯s eyes lit up, as if she had already seen another medical innovation.

    She greatly admired His Royal Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s medical knowledge and firmly believed that if he said it was useful, it surely was. Previously, she had turned the knowledge about ¡°double-blind experiments¡± that the Prince had taught into a paper, which had earned her considerable prestige in the medical community. Naturally, the medical community generally believed it was a joint effort by the Crown Prince and her father Lamark¡­

    She immediately pleaded, ¡°Your Highness, I would like to distribute some masks for field hospitals and later promote their use among doctors nationwide.¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a good thing,¡± Joseph nodded. Then, considering the high cost of individually custom-made masks, he simply said, ¡°Perhaps we could build a factory to produce masks.

    ¡°With just the demand from medical and industrial uses, we would need to use several tens of thousands of masks per month. It¡¯s necessary for a factory to produce them in large quantities.¡±

    ¡°Several tens of thousands?¡± Perna asked, somewhat surprised, ¡°Your Highness, there are only about 200 workers in the distillery factory, and even including all the nation¡¯s doctors, wouldn¡¯t that be too many?¡±

    Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Not just the gas distillery factory, but textile mills, mills, chemical plants, and even construction workers need these. I estimate we could definitely sell twenty to thirty thousand masks per month.¡±

    After discussing the masks, Joseph proceeded to tour the coal yard under the guidance of Delas, and along the way, started discussing with investors like Dupont about building new gas distillation plants in Nancy and Tunisia.

    When an investor heard that even Tunisia was going to install gas lamps, with an investment as high as 2 million francs, he expressed some uncertainty, ¡°Your Highness, installing gas lamps in North Africa might carry some financial risks. Actually, Nancy doesn¡¯t seem very prosperous either¡­¡±

    ¡°You have to see the long-term benefits,¡± Joseph said. ¡°Gas lamps have a huge role in enhancing a city¡¯s appeal.

    ¡°The industrial development zone in Nancy is the most mature, and it will become a densely populated city in the future. And with at least forty to fifty thousand immigrants moving to Tunis in the past six months, Tunis City is bound to become the center of North Africa.¡±

    The investor nodded slightly but still whispered softly, ¡°I mean, with such a large investment, perhaps we should be more cautious¡­¡±

    Before Joseph could respond, Dupont immediately interjected with a smile, ¡°Mr. Rowland, you¡¯re being too cautious. There¡¯s a very promising future for gas streetlights.

    ¡°As far as I know, the British Parliament has already approved a grant of 300,000 British Pounds to install gas lamps in London.¡±

    The businessman named Rowland¡¯s eyes widened¡ª300,000 British Pounds, that¡¯s 7.5 million francs, the British were investing such a huge amount in gas streetlights! It seemed he had been overly worried.

    Joseph heard this but slightly furrowed his brow. There was a reason the British became pioneers of the Industrial Revolution¡ªnot least their keen instincts which far surpassed those of their contemporaries.

    Note 1: At the beginning of the 19th century, what was referred to as the ¡°Factory Acts¡± in England was not the name of a particular law but referred to multiple related acts concerning factories. Among them, the most famous was the ¡°Apprentices¡¯ Health and Morals Act,¡± along with some other supplementary decrees.

 Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Chapter 499: A Different Third Mysore War

    Chapter 588: Chapter 499: A Different Third Mysore War

    Not far to the north, an Indian palanquin slowly made its way toward the British encampment¡ªnow Seringapatam was all waterlogged and muddy, making it difficult for even horses to move about, so people had to rely on human-borne palanquins to get anywhere.

    Then Wellesley saw the very Governor-General of India, Cornwallis, whom he had been pondering, hop down from the palanquin, stepping on the back of a palanquin bearer. Despite the mat spread out on the ground by servants, he still splashed a great deal of mud around, soiling his legs.

    ¡°I was just about to send someone to inquire about the situation with your supplies, and it so happens you¡¯ve come to us,¡± Wellesley removed his gloves and advanced to embrace the Governor, ¡°I hope you bring good news.¡±

    ¡°One piece of good news and one bad.¡±

    Cornwallis, with a look of disgust, flicked the mud from his boots and glanced at a chair set outside the command tent, ¡°Do you mind if I sit here?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. This was prepared for you.¡± Wellesley gestured for the Attendant to bring another chair from inside the tent and sat opposite the Governor, ¡°Now, please, tell me the bad news first.¡±

    Cornwallis lifted his leg to let a servant wipe the mud spots from his trousers, gesturing at the teapot on the table: ¡°Would you pour me a cup as well? This damnable weather¡­ Oh, I would like to start with the good news, after all it¡¯s quick to tell.¡±

    ¡°Very well, that¡¯s your prerogative. Although this sounds like a bad piece of news to me.¡±

    ¡°Savanur has brought us dried meat and rice. Yes, cursed rice again¡ªhardly any wheat, hence no bread.¡± Cornwallis said, ¡°However, these provisions should last the army until October.¡±

    Savanur, a southern province of Maratha, bordered Mysore. Currently, the British Army¡¯s logistical supplies were blocked at the Port of Malabar, with the only relief coming from Maratha. But what the Indian Princely States could supply was merely food, while weapons, medicine, wine, military horses, and even tents had to be brought by England from Europe.

    Cornwallis picked up his teacup, his expression darkening: ¡°The bad news is, the four transport ships that arrived at the Port of Malabar the month before last will be the last.

    ¡°The board of directors of the East India Company has decided not to invest any more funds in the Far Eastern theater. In fact, the Company¡¯s negotiating representatives should be almost to North Karnataka by now.¡±

    Wellesley didn¡¯t seem too shocked and looked at the Governor: ¡°So you¡¯re saying our chances to organize an attack are running out?¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï

    He had already learned that the East India Company had invested 3.2 million British Pounds in military expenditure in Mysore, exceeding the domestic taxes paid annually to the British Government by the Company.

    This had rendered the Company almost profitless for the year, with the next year expected to be significantly affected, so much so that shares had reportedly plummeted in value.

    Thus, the board¡¯s decision to cut losses was anticipated.

    Cornwallis nodded: ¡°By the end of this year at the latest, the expeditionary army will have to return home, or else there will be no military pay left.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then we shall wait for the heavy cannon to arrive before proceeding to the final battle.¡±

    A month and a half later.

    Sultan Tipu, peering through the misty rain, tilted his head to ask the Guard Captain, ¡°Is the position confirmed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, great Sultan, the British cannons are 2 miles ahead of us.¡±

    Sultan Tipu nodded, turned around, and drew his sword, raising his voice to address the 1,700 Imperial Guard soldiers around him: ¡°Those heathens have killed our relatives and friends and thrown innocent children into pots to boil!¡±

    ¡°Now they¡¯re trying to invade Seringapatam, we absolutely can¡¯t let this happen!

    ¡°If you want to keep your families safe, keep your children from becoming food for the British, then follow me and use your swords to send them back to hell!¡±

    After the earlier propaganda by the Mysorean consul Salah, the devilish image of the British had been deeply entrenched in the hearts of the Mysoreans, universally believing that every British soldier needed to eat one child a week to maintain their bravery.

    This rumor had even spread to places like Hyderabad and Carnatic, territories under British control. Three months ago, there was an incident where the Udayagiri People, fearing their children would be taken away and eaten, killed two passing British soldiers.

    So now the Mysoreans were united in their hatred and ready to risk their lives fighting the British Army.

    The rain had stopped.

    The Marquess of Wellesley waited until the ground had dried a bit, then immediately ordered the 5,000 British troops at the core to oversee the advance of 30,000 Maratha troops toward Seringapatam.

    At the same time, the 4,000 British troops of the Cornwallis Corps from the north side also launched an attack with over 30,000 soldiers from the Indian Princely States, forming a pincer movement around Seringapatam.

    The British 12-pounder cannons began to roar. Seven cannons fired at maximum rate, using intense barrages to suppress the Mysorean cannons located about a kilometer away. The latter only had 10 eight-pounders, which had to be spread out in an external defensive formation, and the rest were four-pounders, with a range far less than the British heavy guns.

    Around 4 p.m., Sultan Tipu led nearly 2,000 Mysorean soldiers in a sudden emergence from behind and to the side of the British artillery position, pouncing on the wildly firing cannons.

    The British infantry responsible for protection was clearly taken aback by the surprise attack, hurriedly beating drums to organize their formation.

    Sultan Tipu had taken advantage of the rain to slip through the gap between the British and Maratha forces to this position. Because he was extremely familiar with the terrain and the use of telescopes was impossible in the heavy rain, no one had discovered their trails.

    Sultan Tipu led the charge, not using muskets but brandishing a scimitar and charging head-on into the British infantry lines.

    These 1,700 plus men were his most elite Imperial Guard, fearsome beyond measure. They braved the three volleys fired by the 400 or so British infantry in front of them, finally closing in on their right flank¡ªfortunately, their attack was so sudden that the British formation was ragged, reducing the effectiveness of their volleys.

    After sustaining nearly 300 casualties, the Mysoreans scattered the British infantry line, then sent over a thousand men to block the arriving Maratha auxiliary forces, while the others spiked the cannons¡¯ touchholes with iron nails.

    Simultaneously, Nawaz, the eldest son of Sultan Tipu, was leading the 50,000-strong main Mysorean force in fierce combat with the British in the front lines.

    These soldiers, trained by Lafayette earlier on, were far superior in formation and discipline compared to the armies of other states in India.

    Hence, as long as they weren¡¯t facing the British ¡°Lobster Soldiers¡± head-on, the Mysorean lines were solid as a rock and could even launch counter-attacks in some areas.

    Once the British engaged, they would exchange a few rounds of fire and then quickly move, using subsequent groups to continue the delay¡ªthere were more than ten miles of wide ground outside of Seringapatam, with many mountains that could be used for defensive positions.

    After Sultan Tipu had destroyed six 12-pounder cannons and a large number of other artillery pieces, the reinforcements dispatched by Wellesley finally arrived.

    Sultan Tipu glanced at the dimming sky and immediately ordered a retreat.

    His combat style was just like that, fond of extreme risks, favoring surprise attacks with reckless abandon. In history, it was with these tactics that he had contended with the world¡¯s leading power, England, for several years.

 Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: Chapter 500 Lightning Coal Company

    Chapter 589: Chapter 500 Lightning Coal Company

    Before dawn, Sultan Tipu, covered in blood and mud, returned to Seringapatam with eight or nine hundred soldiers.

    Indeed, several hundred people got lost on their way back. In the 18th century, without navigation and night vision equipment, this was already a remarkably low rate of loss. It showcased the fierce combat capability of the Tiger of Mysore.

    However, his mad adventure was well worth it, as he had destroyed most of the British¡¯s heavy cannon, allowing the Mysorean army to hunker behind their defenses and delay the British with artillery fire.

    Before the British arrived at Seringapatam, Mysore had already bought a large amount of gunpowder and shells through the Morocco-Ottoman transport line, enough to last their cannon until winter.

    According to Marquis de Lafayette, the British would definitely retreat at the end of the rainy season.

    Sultan Tipu firmly believed in his prophecy, which is why he fought desperately to keep the British below the walls of Seringapatam.

    Because South Kannada on the west coast had fallen, it had become very difficult for Mysore to get supplies from Morocco via the Gulf of Oman. If the British could hold out until the end of the year, then Mysore would have no choice but to abandon Seringapatam.

    In the months that followed, the British launched extremely fierce attacks, but Sultan Tipu, relying on the defenses arranged by Lafayette before his departure and his own bravery, repelled the enemies time after time. Despite suffering huge casualties of tens of thousands, the seemingly tottering Seringapatam was never breached.

    Sultan Tipu, watching the bodies of soldiers being carried back from the front lines every day, frowned deeply, and his apprehension and hatred toward the British grew by the day.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that at this point in history, the food supply inside Seringapatam was nearing exhaustion, the Mysoreans were panicking, and it would not be long before they had to retreat to Mysore City.

    At this time, he had ample supplies. He had only lost a few border provinces like Vijayanagara and South Kannada, and the core areas of his kingdom were largely intact, with the nation¡¯s strength hardly diminished.

    Compared to the historical Third Anglo-Mysore War, where he lost the administrative center Seringapatam and all territories east of Mysore, his situation was vastly better.

    At the very least, if the British now proposed that he pay three million British pounds in reparations for their withdrawal, he would say just one word: ¡°Scram.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    As September approached,

    the intensity of the British attacks visibly decreased.

    The Marquess of Wellesley had contracted malaria and was burning with fever, almost unable to get out of bed. His soldiers also suffered heavily from diseases, with dysentery rampant in addition to malaria, causing more than 20% of the soldiers to lose their combat effectiveness.

    Some unnamed virulent diseases appeared among the troops, causing those afflicted to bleed from their bodies and die within just three or four days.

    The military doctor advised Wellesley not to let his soldiers eat rice¡ªhe believed this was the main cause of dysentery. But Wellesley couldn¡¯t comply, as this was the only food currently in the British Army¡¯s stores.

    Although the armies of the Indian Princely States did not suffer widespread illness, their combativeness was not enough to threaten the Mysoreans.

    Ultimately, the British Expeditionary Force could not endure the rainy season.

    His Majesty the King¡¯s personally signed Order of Commendation and the commission promoting him to Brigadier lay on a table beside him; Wellesley struggled to sit up in bed and exchanged a wordless look with Cornwallis, who had come to visit him.

    Gunpowder was nearly exhausted, new cannon were impossible to ship, and the Mysoreans kept launching stealth attacks on them. Both knew that this was where the war would end.

    ¡°Manata people can¡¯t even manufacture proper gunpowder; otherwise, a few more attacks might have crushed Tipu,¡± sighed Cornwallis.

    ¡°Let Sir Sidney go to Seringapatam,¡± Wellesley waved his hand, ¡°at least we can save Vijayanagara and Karnataka.¡±

    Sir Sidney was the peace representative of the East India Company.

    ¡°And Northern Gidderdurga,¡± Cornwallis added, ¡°but the Mysoreans have also occupied Tiruchirappalli.¡±

    The two exchanged a resigned look. The East India Company had invested 3.2 million British Pounds and deployed thousands from the expeditionary army, yet this was the result.

    ¡­

    London.

    At Mrs. Modant¡¯s salon, a man of ordinary appearance but clad in the latest style of loose-fitting long coat approached Mayor Herbert with a wine glass, offering a polite smile, ¡°Dear Mayor, I did not expect to meet you here; I am truly fortunate.¡±

    Herbert turned around, paused for a moment, then nodded in recognition, ¡°Mr. Styler? Oh, we met last time at the city hall.¡±

    ¡°I am exceedingly honored that you remember me.¡±

    Styler¡¯s smile brightened, and after exchanging pleasantries, he stepped closer once the Mayor¡¯s company had dispersed, ¡°Lord Brevferman must have mentioned our company¡¯s sincerity to you. As for the gas lamp project¡ª¡±

    Lord Brevferman was the connection Dupont had found, primarily responsible for bribing British officials with a very low commission of just 2%, certainly a gesture of respect towards Dupont.

    Styler merely smiled ambiguously, ¡°You know, Congress takes the installation of gas lamps in London very seriously. My report must contain convincing content to decide who will undertake the work.¡±

    Styler immediately said, ¡°Please rest assured, Mr. Modant is very familiar with our company¡¯s capabilities; he will definitely support us.¡±

    Mr. Modant was a major force in Congress for pushing the gas lamp project.

    Mayor Herbert was somewhat surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected this obscure ¡®Lightning Coal Company¡¯ to not only find an advocate in Lord Brevferman but also to establish connections with Mr. Modant.

    If Styler wasn¡¯t exaggerating, it could be worth considering accepting his ¡°token of goodwill.¡±

    ¡°And Mr. Coffey¡¯s technical endorsement is essential; your company must gain his approval before¡ª¡±

    Styler smiled, ¡°His endorsement will likely be submitted to you tomorrow or the day after, I assure you.¡±

    He could make such a guarantee because the technical head of London¡¯s gas lamp project had already accepted his bribe of 2500 British Pounds, even handing over the plans for the layout of London¡¯s pipelines.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Herbert raised an eyebrow, ¡°Your company¡¯s efficiency is quite astonishing.¡±

    ¡°Our company has invested heavily in the gas lamp project,¡± Styler lowered his voice, ¡°you see, if we can¡¯t secure this contract, our shareholders will suffer a substantial loss. In fact, that 8000 British Pounds could be negotiable.¡±

    The 8000 British Pounds was the bribe previously promised to Herbert, equivalent to 200,000 francs, which still left considerable room within the authority given by the Crown Prince.

    And this Lightning Coal Company, was established in Britain with Dupont¡¯s assistance, specifically to secure the London gas street lighting project.

 Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: Chapter 501: Please Feel the Press Conference in the Internet Age

    Chapter 590: Chapter 501: Please Feel the Press Conference in the Internet Age

    Styler was an Italian who had been doing business in England for many years, but his ancestors hailed from Bourges in France, and he had always yearned to return to Bourges, embodying the quintessential spirit of a French person.

    Bailly, a close friend of many years, recognized his outstanding business acumen and thus suggested entrusting him with the task of competing for the London gas lamp project.

    Mayor Herbert raised his glass with a smile, signaling, ¡°I will discuss the matter of awarding the contract to your company with Mr. Modant as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°That would be most appreciated!¡±

    After the salon concluded, Styler reported the day¡¯s events to his manservant in the carriage, who immediately lavished praise upon him, ¡°You have performed exceptionally, Mr. Styler, we have already ¡®taken the lead¡¯ over all the British companies in the London City Hall.¡±

    ¡°Next, it will be down to your ¡®live demonstration.''¡±

    This manservant was none other than the overall person in charge of the ¡°Gas Lamp Project¡± ¡ª Captain Delony from the French Intelligence Bureau.

    Styler confidently stated, ¡°Rest assured, I have made ample preparations. Your innovative style of presentation will surely sway the members of parliament.¡±

    Delony laughed and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about presentations; it was invented by a bigshot.¡±

    The bigshot he referred to was naturally His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    Joseph knew that to secure the entire London gas streetlight project, bribery alone was insufficient; given the project¡¯s vast scope, it was necessary to demonstrate overwhelming capability to silence all critics. Therefore, he had the Lightning Company organize a business presentation that would have been impossible in the 18th century.

    Three days later.

    Baron Modant, a member of the British Upper House, accompanied by numerous MPs and a host of experts and scholars walked on a red carpet, led with great cordiality by Styler, into the doors of the Lightning Coal Company.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    Upon entering, Modant was taken aback. Before him stood a rock over one person tall, its one side chiseled flat, inscribed with elegant Roman lettering ¡ª

    Lightning Coal Company Corporate Culture: Dream without boundaries, continue to explore, create miracles!

    Driven by innovation, perpetually breaking new ground, igniting the flame of technology with the spark of innovation¡­

    Pursue excellence, pay attention to every detail, forge world-class products that exceed customer expectations¡­

    Strive ahead with grit, undaunted by difficulties, with unwavering belief and effort, become the most outstanding company¡­

    These clich¨¦s that would barely draw a glance in the 21st century now seemed incredibly sophisticated and were viewed as shockingly inspiring slogans and progressive concepts by Modant and others, silencing them completely.

    Modant gestured for the servants to provide shoe covers for the MPs, apologetically saying, ¡°Please forgive us, gentlemen, but the company houses extremely delicate instruments, and we must prevent dust from interfering, hence the shoe covers are necessary.¡±

    Inside, the company was spotless, walls adorned with various documents and charts, while over 300 employees bustled about, with cries of ¡°Efficiency! Always maintain efficiency!¡±

    ¡°David, I need the data in three minutes!¡±

    ¡°The precision can be further improved; I want only the best products!¡±

    The visiting MPs were completely bewildered by these exclamations.

    Styler led them into a very spacious hall, where in the center stood a cylindrical ¡°iron barrel¡± as tall as two men, with a metallic sheen, connected to a multitude of pipes and gauges.

    Before Modant could inquire, Styler began to loudly explain, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please look, this is our company¡¯s latest coal distillation apparatus. Of course, this is just the prototype; the one used for actual production is much larger than this.¡±

    Styler gave a signal to his assistant, who immediately had workers place coal into the ¡°iron barrel,¡± then lit a fire in the furnace underneath.

    Soon, light yellow smoke began to billow out of the glass tube on top of the barrel.

    ¡°Our machine is 20% more efficient than what the French people are using in Paris,¡± Styler said, pointing toward a large wooden board filled with comparative data, ¡°Look, from furnace temperature to distillation speed to raw material consumption, our technology leads comprehensively.

    ¡°This coal will undergo dry distillation here, releasing large volumes of gas, which will travel through these pipes into as many as 18 devices for filtering and decomposing. Oh, right here¡­¡±

    His speech was fervent, full of passion, and he piled on the technical jargon as if it came without cost. Not just Modant and the other MPs but even the accompanying scholars were left in a haze, yet they dared not object ¨C after all, this was cutting-edge new technology, and it was quite normal not to understand.

    Even if they asked questions, Styler had a way to handle it: bury them in even more technical terms and data until they stopped talking.

    Of course, this so-called ¡°coal distillation apparatus prototype¡± was just a model made of iron sheeting, far removed from any actual coal distillation technique that could be used.

    However, after meticulous craftsmanship and a refined appearance filled with a sense of technology, and able to demonstrate with fire, it was perfect for making an impression. Its actual cost was merely less than 1,000 francs.

    Styler instructed his assistants to distribute beautifully printed promotional brochures to the visitors, ¡°Our company has invested 30,000 British Pounds in developing this technology. This brochure clearly shows that all performances are world-leading!

    ¡°Now, let us move on to another leading-edge technology of our company ¡ª the coal crusher.¡±

    After inspecting the coal crusher model, the visitors saw models of washing machines, then separators¡­

    With a thick stack of promotional brochures in hand, the MPs could only marvel at the forefront of technology; they were convinced that this company was the most advanced in technology and produced the finest products in all of Europe.

    Modant was already resolved; awarding the London gas streetlight project to Lightning Coal Company would surely result in a more exquisite and glorious cityscape than Paris.

    And he, leading this project, would gain immense political dividends, already thinking of the slogan ¡ª the Father of London Streetlights.

    Even aiming for the office of Prime Minister was not out of the question.

 Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Chapter 502 Project Subcontracting

    Chapter 591: Chapter 502 Project Subcontracting

    After the British Congressmen departed, the R&D department of Lightning Coal Company immediately ceased its bustle, as technicians began to chat or sip tea.

    These 30 or so people had been sent by the French Intelligence Bureau, having memorized a plethora of technical jargon to impress onlookers.

    The remaining workers were locally hired temps who usually cleaned machines and moved documents; they just had to look busy.

    A few days later, Mr. Modant, with a shake of his head, emerged from the workshops of the Andrew Chemical Company in London, murmuring softly, ¡°Not even wearing shoe covers, these machines can¡¯t possibly be precise enough¡­¡±

    The company manager, with a face full of ingratiating smiles, saw him to the door, carefully inquiring, ¡°Baron, our company¡¯s distillation equipment will be ready for use by the end of the year. We hope you¡¯ll allow us to take on the gas production project.¡±

    Modant suddenly thought of his visit to Lightning Company and said indifferently, ¡°Your company can¡¯t even achieve consistent particle sizes, let alone require employees to understand underlying logic and form a closed loop. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re suitable for this project.¡±

    ¡°What, particle sizes¡­ what¡­?¡± the manager was utterly baffled.

    Modant held his head high with a smug smile, ¡°These are essentials for a successful company; I suggest you learn a thing or two.¡±

    Upon entering his carriage, he glanced at the mottled gate of Andrew Company and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.

    During this period, he had inspected every company interested in the gas streetlight project, and ultimately, only Lightning Coal stood out. He had decided to award them the contract.

    He even felt that even without the 10,000 British Pounds Lightning offered, he would still choose them for the gas streetlight enterprise.

    In the two subsequent discussions about the gas streetlight project in Congress, Modant and his faction strongly supported Lightning Coal to oversee the entire project.

    However, there were always different forces within Congress. When some congressmen proposed other ideas, he threw Lightning¡¯s promotional materials onto their desks.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï

    After that, their opposition faded away¡ªas per the exquisite brochures, Lightning was at least a decade ahead of its competitors.

    On August 3, London City Hall signed a contract with the hitherto unknown Lightning Coal Company for the construction of gas streetlights in London, with a project duration of 1 year and 2 months, for a total sum of 260,000 British Pounds.

    Yes, Joseph had instructed Styler to push the bid down to 260,000 to ensure they outbid all competitors.

    He had no real intention of proceeding with it; even a reduction to 200,000 wouldn¡¯t bother him. But at that price, it left no profit margin for other companies.

    Three days after signing the contract, in a club in the Southern Suburb of Paris, over a dozen London factory owners and company managers gathered in a spacious music hall, whispering, ¡°I thought it was just our company, who knew he had invited everyone?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s he up to? To humiliate us?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps Lightning took our business and wants to make amends.¡±

    ¡°Shh¡ªhere he comes.¡±

    The doors of the music hall opened, and Styler entered with a smile, greeting each person before he ascended to the stage, proclaiming loudly, ¡°I believe you¡¯re all aware that our Lightning Coal has just taken on the London gas streetlight project.¡±

    A voice responded coldly, ¡°You didn¡¯t invite us here just to boast, did you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you misunderstand,¡± Styler waved his hand, speaking earnestly, ¡°Our company plans to expand in London, and we can¡¯t do that without dealing with everyone here.¡±

    The seated group stared in silence. They were all involved in the competition for the gas streetlight project and certainly not pleased about losing the business.

    Styler continued, ¡°So, I want to share the benefits with all of you, to ensure you make a profit too.¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone was somewhat surprised.

    Someone asked, ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±

    ¡°Subcontract,¡± Styler said with a smile, ¡°You see, with such a large project, there are many areas our company is not adept in¡ªlike making gas pipes, excavation and filling, we¡¯d even need to buy new machinery to produce the casings for gas lamps.

    ¡°So, I¡¯d like to hand over these tasks to you. Oh, rest assured, you won¡¯t be shortchanged on the price.

    ¡°This way we all share the benefits, and I hope you¡¯ll continue to support Lightning Coal in the future.¡±

    The group was overjoyed, not expecting the stolen business could come back their way. They eagerly offered, ¡°Mr. Styler, our company can produce gas lamp casings. According to the plan, London needs 20,000 streetlamps, could you possibly¡­¡±

    ¡°Our Soyer-Rivage Company employs the finest excavators who could handle laying pipes at a very low cost.¡±

    ¡°If you need gas pipes manufactured, our company can assist, you must have heard of our products¡­¡±

    ¡°And us¡­¡±

    Styler gestured for calm, smiling, ¡°Very well, Lightning Coal is quite sincere and will certainly subcontract as much as possible to all of you.¡±

    He immediately confirmed subcontracting intentions with several companies, then returned to the stage, clearing his throat, ¡°However, everyone must be aware, this project involves a significant sum, and we don¡¯t know when the City Hall¡¯s down payment will come through, so for the time being, the subcontracted tasks will require an upfront investment from you.¡±

    Everyone exchanged looks, all agreeing they could accept.

    Though no company relishes upfront payments, it had happened in the past. And with the gas streetlight project being so large, to miss out over reluctance to advance payment would mean a great loss.

    In the following week, Lightning Coal signed subcontracting contracts with numerous British companies¡ªeverything from digging the streets to constructing coal depots, from producing gas retort shells to streetlamp covers; almost no one was turned away.

    If any company were to peek into the contracts in Styler¡¯s safe at this point, they would find that over half of the gas streetlight project was already subcontracted out, yet all the links connecting the various parts remained in the hands of Lightning Coal.

    Joseph wanted not only to delay the London gas streetlight project but also to encumber the capable British companies, preventing the London City Hall from realizing the sham, cutting their losses, and quickly directing funds to set up a new operation.

    ¡­

    Mysore.

    In the grand hall of Seringapatam¡¯s palace, Sultan Tipu watched silently as Sir Sidney, the British negotiator, then cast a glance towards the Chancellor of Hyderabad, before suddenly declaring, ¡°Vijayanagara may secede from Mysore, but it must belong to Hyderabad.¡±

    Vijayanagara, already occupied by the British Army, was surely beyond reclaiming. Following Marquis de Lafayette¡¯s instructions, he sought to court the Maratha and Hyderabad, the British underlings.

 Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: Chapter 503: The Finance Minister and the Poor Man

    Chapter 592: Chapter 503: The Finance Minister and the Poor Man

    ¡°This is absolutely impossible!¡± the Governor-General of India, Cornwallis, immediately exclaimed. ¡°Vijayanagara now belongs to the East India Company.¡±

    England had spent a huge amount on this war, having only occupied the northwestern half of two provinces of Mysore and the trade along the western coast of India had been stagnant for more than half a year, they were already at a loss, how could they possibly give up their spoils of war?

    Sultan Tipu ignored him and looked instead at the Hyderabad Chancellor, Abuzzam, ¡°Are you just going to watch the people of Vijayanagara be ruled by heathens?¡±

    Hyderabad and Mysore were both Islamic, and decades ago, they had even formed an alliance.

    Abuzzam also knew that Sultan Tipu was trying to divide him from England, but Hyderabad had lost more than 30,000 soldiers for England in this war. It was only right that they received Vijayanagara as compensation.

    He coughed lightly and cautiously said to Sir Sidney, ¡°Sir, if you could entrust us with managing Vijayanagara, we could increase the taxes by thirty percent¡­¡±

    ¡°Your opinion is not needed here.¡± Sir Sidney bluntly interrupted him, rapping his fingers on the table, ¡°Vijayanagara is not within the scope of negotiation.¡±

    Sultan Tipu immediately stood up, ¡°If that is the case, then we shall meet on the battlefield.¡±

    In reality, as he said this, his heart wasn¡¯t quite steady; the British Army had an absolute advantage on the battlefield, with Seringapatam in grave danger. Yet, he firmly believed in the words of the Marquis de Lafayette¡ªthat the British would definitely retreat before the end of the monsoon season. Hence, in negotiations, he had to put on a brave front.

    A look of helplessness flashed in Sir Sidney¡¯s eyes¡ªthe British Expeditionary Force had less than half a month¡¯s supplies left and had to retreat to Karnataka as soon as possible; otherwise, their retreat might turn into a rout.

    After some haggling, Sir Sidney finally agreed to allow Hyderabad to ¡°manage¡± the area north of Bellary and permitted the people of other areas in Vijayanagara to move to Hyderabad.

    Abuzzam exchanged a grateful glance with Sultan Tipu, the resentment towards the British growing a bit deeper.

    Then Sir Sidney and Sultan Tipu began to discuss the issue of Carnatic. According to the secret treaty between England and France, Eastern Carnatic of Mysore would terminate its alliance with England and remain neutral.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    In this Mysore war, the main force of the British Army was concentrated in the northwest, providing almost no assistance to Carnatic, which was given a beating by Mysore.

    Had it not been for Sultan Tipu heeding Joseph¡¯s advice to contract his forces in defense, it¡¯s likely that the whole southern part of Carnatic would have been impossible to defend.

    Therefore, Carnatic had no objections to ending the alliance¡ªwhat use is an ally who only commands and collects taxes, but cannot protect its friends?

    After the three parties settled the matter of Carnatic¡¯s status, Sultan Tipu said to Carnatic¡¯s negotiator, ¡°There should not have been a war between Mysore and Carnatic.¡±

    His gaze swept towards Cornwallis and Sir Sidney, nearly saying, ¡°It was all instigated by the British,¡± and then continued, ¡°Thus, I am willing to return Tiruchirappalli to you.¡±

    Tiruchirappalli was a province in the southern part of Carnatic and had been occupied by Mysore shortly after the war began.

    According to the French people¡¯s advice, for Mysore to govern here would require a great deal of effort, and it would be resented by Carnatic. It would be better to return it and gain Carnatic¡¯s gratitude.

    France¡¯s last foothold on the Indian Peninsula, Puducherry, was adjacent to Carnatic; if the latter were accommodating, Mysore might be able to secretly establish contact with France.

    The diplomat from Carnatic clearly did not expect to recover the lost territory and immediately bowed excitedly to Sultan Tipu, ¡°On behalf of His Majesty the King, I extend to you the sincerest gratitude!¡±

    After several days of bargaining, on October 2nd, England and Mysore signed the truce agreement.

    Mysore, although having lost nearly three provinces¡¯ worth of territory, hadn¡¯t been hurt fundamentally.

    Historically, even after losing half of its territory including Seringapatam and Bangalore, Sultan Tipu still dared to fight the Fourth Mysore War against England.

    With his remaining strength, should he find the opportunity, how could he possibly not take revenge on England?

    On England¡¯s side, it seemed they had won against Mysore, gained some land, and maintained their hegemonic status on the Indian Peninsula, but they had invested substantial military funds, and gained no indemnity.

    Moreover, the reason England launched the war was ¡°Mysore¡¯s annexation of Travancore,¡± but now, with the truce, no one brought up Travancore again. The British could pretend to forget, but all the Indian states had witnessed it.

    The hegemon remained the hegemon, but it had lost its former luster.

    ¡­

    Outside of Paris.

    A group of more than ten leaders from the Tax Farmers Association, surrounded by servants and hounds, were merrily riding toward Mr. Fould¡¯s hunting ground.

    Mr. Hope said with a smile to the few beside him, ¡°You can probably imagine the look of despair on Mr. Charles¡¯s face when he said, ¡®Due to business reasons, the previously mentioned loan might not be provided.''¡±

    A middle-aged man on the left had a smug expression, ¡°There are only two months left in the year, how is our Finance Minister going to come up with 200 million francs?¡±

    Another man laughed, ¡°Soon various government departments, as well as the governors, will be asking for next year¡¯s funding from him, and then he¡¯ll really experience hellish despair.¡±

    The middle-aged man looked at Mr. Hope, ¡°Mr. Hope, then we need to accelerate the negotiation for the tax.¡±

    ¡°No, on the contrary,¡± Mr. Hope looked toward the distant fences of the hunting ground, ¡°you see, we are almost there. It¡¯s Brian who is in a hurry now, we can actually afford to let Viscount Bertrand fall ill or something.

    ¡°By mid-November, Brian probably won¡¯t even be in the mood to bargain, and we might be able to sign the agreement for the same amount as last year.¡±

    Fankevich spurred his horse forward, speaking loudly, ¡°I see no difference between the Finance Minister and those poor folks who take out high-interest loans. As long as we hold tight to the purse strings, they¡¯ll all come begging, and we¡¯ll dictate the terms, won¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely right.¡±

    As the group passed the wooden fence of the hunting ground and began directing the servants to set up a temporary camp, sending out squads with dogs to find game, Mr. Fould and Mr. Hope were chatting about the autumn game when a carriage drove up quickly. Due to the uneven ground of the wilderness, the carriage occasionally jolted.

    Soon after, the carriage stopped and a tall man in his forties jumped down.

    Seeing the man¡¯s appearance, Mr. Fould slightly frowned, ¡°Viscount Bertrand?¡±

    Tax Farmers Association¡¯s negotiating representative Viscount Bertrand, short of breath, quickly approached Mr. Fould, ¡°Mr. Fould, there has been an incident¡­ I was just informed by the assistant to the Finance Minister that the tax negotiations have been officially canceled.¡±

 Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: Chapter 504: Exorbitant Penalty Fee

    Chapter 593: Chapter 504: Exorbitant Penalty Fee

    Ford was shocked when he heard the news, ¡°Has Brian gone mad? Does he really intend to cause a government shutdown?¡±

    Hope slightly frowned and raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡°Please calm down, Brian is most likely bluffing. We often see such behavior in merchants who really want to buy but pretend to walk away to lower the price.¡±

    ¡°But what if Brian really did get 200 million francs?¡± Charles said nervously, ¡°What should we do then?¡±

    The assets of these financial magnates could not just lie in accounts, for many of them were managed for other investors under long-term agreements.

    That meant they had to pay interest to others at all times. If they could not generate more profit from this money, they would lose a lot significantly.

    Fankevich disdainfully said, ¡°The government can¡¯t possibly raise that much money. I bet that within no more than 10 days, Brian will come back to us, begging.¡±

    ¡°But what if the government really abolishes the tax farming system? We must be prepared!¡±

    Hope pondered for a moment, then nodded, ¡°You are right; we need to be prepared in advance. The real issue now is whether the government has indeed raised enough funds to sustain its operations.¡±

    Ford immediately replied, ¡°Such a large sum of money must be kept in a bank. With the association¡¯s connections, it¡¯s not impossible to find out.¡±

    Tax Farmers were currently a very popular investment in France. Therefore, members of the Tax Farmers Association could range from the Royal Family to ordinary landlords. Even scholars like Lavoisier had invested several hundred thousand leva to farm the tobacco tax in certain regions.

    Thus, the Tax Farmers Association¡¯s reach could extend into all aspects of French society. After all, when it involved their interests, if necessary, the Tax Farmers were all willing to provide intelligence for the Association, which was where Ford drew his confidence from.

    Hope nodded, ¡°Then it¡¯s up to you, make sure to find out quickly how much money Brian has got.¡±

    In the hunting ground, the news had all the financial moguls gathering, discussing the tax negotiation in an uproar, no longer in the mood for hunting, letting the servants run around with the dogs.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã0

    ¡­

    London City Hall.

    Mayor Herbert of London stared gloomily at the standing mine manager of Lightning Coal, upset, ¡°It¡¯s been two whole months now, and besides the coal storage and office building, there¡¯s been no progress on installing the vital equipment!¡±

    He was directly responsible for the London coal gas streetlamp project, which greatly affected his career prospects, so every few days he needed to check on the project¡¯s progress.

    Yet, two months had passed, and all that could be seen were large pits dug along Paris streets for laying pipes and those useless buildings in the gas distillery.

    Styler looked troubled and finally stammered, ¡°Mr. Mayor, the construction of the dry distillation retorts actually started last month¡­¡±

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t seen anything.¡±

    ¡°The problem genuinely lies with the technicians,¡± Styler shrugged, ¡°Our chief technician, Mr. Hannes, ran away with his wife¡¯s sister at the beginning of this month, taking all his possessions¡­¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    ¡°I heard he invested in a shipping company and failed, owing several thousand British Pounds. To avoid debts, he fled to the United States, and some say Brazil¡ªI¡¯m not sure of the details.

    ¡°Previously, Hannes was responsible for all technical details of the dry distillation retorts. His departure inevitably affected the project¡¯s progress.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for Herbert to get angry before he quickly added, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we still have the technical blueprints. Once the other technicians in the company familiarize themselves with them, construction can begin immediately.¡±

    Herbert took a deep breath and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see any further delays in the schedule, otherwise, I¡¯ll have to deduct your company¡¯s penalty fee according to the contract!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, Sir. I¡¯ll do my best to get back on schedule.¡±

    Styler said more polite words and then left.

    Once he returned to his office, he only had his servant make a cup of tea, then leisurely flipped through the newspaper.

    Yes, his task was to delay the project.

    It was only the beginning; Captain Deloney had already prepared a large number of excuses for him¡ªstarting with the chief technician fleeing due to debt.

    Next would be the excavation of a body at the company¡¯s construction site, but the police were already bribed and just surveying the scene repeatedly would take half a month, and Styler himself would become a suspect, interrogated by the police for a month before being proven innocent.

    Then, several technicians would bet to swim in the Thames River in winter, ending up missing collectively. The company would organize a large-scale search along the river and busy themselves for a month without surprise.

    Later, Hannes¡¯s wife would find out her husband sneaked back home to get the deed, and in a fit of rage, try to burn him alive, but instead set the coal storage on fire¡­

    In short, Lightning Coal would be plagued with various ¡°misfortunes¡± over the next year, almost constantly making headlines. In such a situation, even if City Hall had major complaints, they would be hard-pressed to express them.

    Of course, the penalties for delaying the project were definite, and according to the contract signed with London City Hall, the penalties were extremely high.

    But did Styler care about the penalties? Not at all. They could be deducted from the project funds, 260,000 British Pounds would be enough.

    He would even claim ¡°cash flow issues¡± as the reason to request that the penalties not be deducted from the initial payments¡­

    Meanwhile, because Lightning Company had not committed any severe breaches¡ªsuch as insufficient technical capacity or malicious delay of the project¡ªLondon City Hall could not cancel the contract without having to pay a penalty of 120,000 British Pounds.

    And even if the City Hall considered cutting its losses, the subcontractors below would do everything possible to make them reconsider. They had advanced a lot of funds, and Lightning Company hadn¡¯t settled those yet¡­

    ¡­

    Southern Suburb of Paris.

    Ford looked solemnly at the Tax Farmers magnates before him, speaking in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve had someone check, and the situation might be a bit tricky.¡±

    Someone immediately asked anxiously, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°My friend at the bank personally saw that over the last three months, more than 100 million francs have been steadily transferred into the government¡¯s financial accounts. Moreover, it continues at a rate of 10 million francs a week. At this rate, by early December, it will reach 200 million francs.¡±

    Everyone was shocked, ¡°Where did Brian get the money?¡±

    ¡°Is the information accurate? Could it be¡­¡±

    Ford shook his head despondently, ¡°Several of my friends at the Bank of France Reserve independently verified it; the accounts are clear. Moreover, many provinces have also received funding.¡±

 Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Chapter 505: The Counterattack of the Tax Farmers Association

    Chapter 594: Chapter 505: The Counterattack of the Tax Farmers Association

    The room fell silent for several seconds before Charles looked up at Ford and said, ¡°It seems the government is determined to forcibly abolish the tax farming system. So what should we do?¡±

    If the French Government really managed to raise 200 million francs, it could sustain its financial expenses for half a year. During this period, taxes would continue to flow in, thus forming a virtuous cycle.

    In such a case, the government wouldn¡¯t need to cater to the Tax Farmers Association any longer, and the tax reform could be completed with a single decree from the Cabinet.

    An old man sitting on the left side of the table shook his head, murmuring softly, ¡°With such a major reform underway by the French Government, even with 200 million francs, the financial situation will still be quite tight.

    ¡°Perhaps we should negotiate with Brian as soon as possible and offer him a loan, in exchange for higher interest rates.¡±

    ¡°We absolutely cannot give up just like this!¡±

    Mr. Hope immediately raised his voice, looking around at everyone, ¡°Lending to the government would fetch us at most just a slightly higher interest than government bonds. Are you willing to settle for such petty business?!¡±

    All the tax farm magnates showed signs of discontent.

    Although the official profits from tax farming were only between 16% and 20%, in reality, they had many hidden benefits. For instance, leveraging the convenience of collecting tobacco and salt taxes to traffic counterfeit cigarettes and substandard salt, and taking advantage of inter-province tax rate differences to control trade, among other things.

    With these revenues included, their return on investment could exceed 25%.

    If they had to go down to merely a single-digit percentage return, it would be more unbearable than having their entire family killed.

    Baron Morrel gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Damn the French Government, this business has been in my family for generations. If they stop me from tax farming, I¡¯d rather invest my money in England! I hear London¡¯s gas lamp project yields a 15% return.¡±

    His words immediately sparked a wave of agreement, ¡°Right, I¡¯ll also move my business out of France.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?0

    ¡°We need to stand together, not submit to the French Government!¡±

    ¡°The stock market in Holland isn¡¯t bad either, I¡¯ve been wanting to try it out there¡­¡±

    Mr. Hope raised his hand to signal for silence as if to conclude the matter, ¡°Let Viscount Bertrand try again, offering to increase the tax to 540 million francs. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll switch countries.¡±

    These financial tycoons never had a homeland; they simply fed off different nations. Controlling the economic lifelines of a country meant perpetual wealth and prosperity.

    For instance, the Wallenbergs controlling Sweden and the Saxon families in the eastern regions of the Ottoman Empire are among the leaders in their ranks. This also includes the later-comers like the Rothschilds and Morgans.

    At that moment, Fankevich stood up, disdainfully saying, ¡°After all this talk, you¡¯re just admitting you have no way to deal with the government and are preparing to flee.¡±

    Seeing everyone looking at him, he immediately showed a fierce look, ¡°We have enormous amounts of capital, relationships, and methods. Why not make those who dare challenge us live in fear? We can certainly give the French Government a taste of our power!¡±

    A cunning look flashed in Morrel¡¯s eyes as he loudly said, ¡°You¡¯re right, we need to demonstrate our power. You have the best means to do so. We all count on you!¡±

    Fankevich arrogantly replied, ¡°Hmph, just wait and see.¡±

    As the meeting was nearing its end, the Bank of England banker Godemid hesitated before finally looking toward Mr. Hope to carefully suggest, ¡°Mr. Hope, in truth, we hold a very powerful ¡®weapon¡¯ that could at least secure us a portion of the tax revenue from the French Government.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What might that be?¡±

    ¡°Tax documents.¡±

    With just those two words, Mr. Hope was plunged into deep thought, and slowly nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. The French Government hasn¡¯t collected taxes on its own for over a century; without our provided information, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to determine how much to collect from those cunning merchants!¡±

    Godemid nodded, ¡°We could also teach factory owners and merchants lies. For instance, telling them to declare they¡¯ve paid quarterly or biannual taxes, or reached tax reduction agreements with former Tax Collectors.

    ¡°Without our records, the new Tax Officers will fall into endless disputes and debates. Even if they forcefully collect taxes, it will incite the anger of taxpayers.¡±

    Mr. Hope¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°When the government¡¯s tax office is in chaos, we can negotiate with them. As a condition for helping the tax office restore order, we demand a share of the tax revenue or the right to collect certain taxes.¡±

    Seeing his idea supported, Godemid quickly followed up, ¡°So now, we need all Tax Farmers to gather the tax documents for the Association to safeguard right away.

    ¡°On the other side, we need to prepare some rough or even incorrect documents, to put off the French Government.¡±

    ¡°You are a genius!¡± praised Mr. Hope, then looked at Ford and others, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with that. Mr. Godemid¡¯s method will preserve a minimum level of profits for us all.¡±

    ¡­

    North-central France.

    Orleans Province.

    The Duke of Orleans had made this his base of operations, pouring huge funds into its development, thus agriculture and commerce here were among the best in the French provinces.

    The new Orleans Tax Office Director Lemaire had arrived with high hopes to excel, but at this moment, he was tensely looking at two bloodied figures in the room.

    The two were his subordinate Tax Inspectors Vincent and Vincent¡¯s assistant.

    The doctor instructed the servants to lift the injured onto stretchers and, after a cursory examination, handed over to the police the situation, ¡°The taller gentleman has a broken left arm, and the other has slightly less severe injuries, though clearly they have been bludgeoned with a blunt object. The good news is none of their lives are in danger, but now I must go and further assist in their treatment.¡±

    ¡°Those bastards,¡± Lemaire said through gritted teeth, looking at his unconscious subordinates, ¡°they actually dared to assault an official!¡±

    The nearby police officer immediately turned to him, ¡°Director, do you have any clues about the assailant?¡±

    Lemaire nodded, ¡°We received a threatening letter on our third day in Orleans. They demanded we resign immediately or else regret it.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t take it seriously at the time, thinking it was just a prank. But then, the day before yesterday, Francois and Garcia from our office were attacked from behind on the street. Fortunately, there were passersby nearby, so their injuries weren¡¯t serious.

    ¡°Today, Mr. Vincent was the victim.¡±

    As he was speaking, a police officer hurried over and handed over a crumpled note to his superior, ¡°This was just found in the victim¡¯s pocket.¡±

    The senior officer looked at the note, frowning as he read, ¡°Get out now, or next time it won¡¯t just be an arm.¡±

 Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Chapter 506: The Art of Shifting from the Left Hand to the Right Hand

    Chapter 595: Chapter 506: The Art of Shifting from the Left Hand to the Right Hand

    After collecting clues, the Police officer assured Lemaire that they would identify the culprit as soon as possible, and left two officers to protect the Tax Office.

    Lemaire had originally planned for his subordinates to familiarize themselves with the business by visiting markets or factories, but after several attacks, he had no choice but to order everyone not to leave Police Headquarters during work and to travel home in groups of three.

    Despite these precautions, over the following period, members of the Tax Office still suffered attacks, with over a dozen hoodlums hurling stones and incendiaries at Police Headquarters, only dispersing after the stationed police fired their guns.

    The subsequent investigation concluded that the attackers of the Tax Office were unlikely to be gang members and that they operated covertly, seemingly with professional prowess.

    Although a significant number of police were deployed, they still couldn¡¯t trace the assailants in the short term. Panic ensued within the Tax Office, and some Tax Officers even tendered their resignations to Lemaire.

    Left with no alternative, Lemaire was forced to submit a report to Paris, requesting guards for the Tax Office.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    In the office of the French Tax Administration, the newly appointed Inspector Robespierre frowned at the mountainous pile of reports on the table, his complexion ashen.

    These reports were mostly from Tax Offices across the country that had been attacked. In just over ten days, 2 Tax Officers had been killed and more than 40 injured. Although the police were making every effort to locate the assailants, only three or four people had been apprehended, and the situation was dire.

    Most heads of the Tax Offices requested additional guards, while some directly requested to resign.

    Robespierre knew very well that with the finances of the Tax Office barely sufficient to provide compensation to the injured, there was no possibility of allocating guards.

    He felt an immense pressure weighing him down¡ªas the Count Fulco, the superintendent of finances, mainly handled financial matters, it was his responsibility to deal with other issues.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?

    He first penned a passionate speech to boost morale, to at minimum halt any further resignations.

    Regarding security, after much contemplation, a disheartened Robespierre shook his head, stood up, and said to his manservant, ¡°Prepare the carriage; I must visit the Tuileries Palace.¡±

    Yes, the only solution he could think of was to request some funds from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to enhance the Tax Office¡¯s guard strength.

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph carefully reviewed the document in his hand, confirming that the amount was correct, then signed his name and pressed his signet ring firmly into the wax.

    Standing opposite him, the Bank of France Reserve Governor Mathew de Laffi¨¦bleur accepted the document with reverence before inquiring, ¡°Your Highness, the current flow of funds seems a bit rapid, and I¡¯m concerned it might raise suspicions.

    ¡°Do you think we should further split the transactions from Poitou and Burgundy and defer the recovery to next week?¡±

    Joseph pondered for a moment and nodded, ¡°Your suggestion is very sensible, let¡¯s proceed as you¡¯ve advised. And remember, maintain secrecy at all costs, all those handling the funds must be vetted by the intelligence service before they can be utilized.¡±

    If anyone had seen the document in Baron Laffi¨¦bleur¡¯s hands, they would have been astounded beyond measure¡ªthe transfer of funds listed there totaled 13 million francs!

    In reality, the finance of France didn¡¯t possess hundreds of millions of francs, nor was it possible to have tens of millions credited each week.

    Joseph had previously amassed only 50 million francs through insurance, financial management, and real estate. Except for real estate, the rest of the funds belonged to insurance companies, and though he could temporarily utilize them, it was impossible to spend them as actual budget.

    Therefore, if the Tax Farmers were abolished, next year, Brian would have only about 26 million francs at his disposal for financial expenditures. In less than a month, the salaries of French officials, government operations, and infrastructure projects would completely collapse.

    To stabilize the situation, Joseph had to secure a loan from the Tax Farmers.

    At least 150 million francs.

    But he knew that the Tax Farmers relied on the government being out of money, always turning to them desperately. Under these circumstances, they would undoubtedly cling to the tax farming system.

    Thus, he had to create the illusion of a government flush with funds to strategize and negotiate with the magnates among the Tax Farmers.

    Joseph then used the 50 million francs as ¡°props,¡± depositing the funds into the government¡¯s accounts in several installments.

    He was well aware that the Tax Farmers had informants in every bank who would certainly learn of the government¡¯s account balances.

    The money was first deposited into foreign banks, then ostentatiously entered into the Bank of France Reserve as a loan.

    The Bank of France Reserve would then disburse the funds to local banks in various provinces in installments, often to its own branches.

    Since this money was part of the next year¡¯s budget, the provincial governors could only look but not touch.

    Now came the covert operation.

    Local banks privately loaned out the provincial government funds in the form of short-term loans, immediately transferred back to the Bank of France Reserve headquarters in Paris.

    These loans were personally orchestrated by Joseph, marked as ¡°confidential projects,¡± prohibiting any inquiries.

    In fact, once these loan agreements were signed, they were directly taken to Paris by reliable Bank of France Reserve senior officials and locked in the Governor¡¯s safe, guarded 24 hours by intelligence personnel.

    The money loaned out from the provincial finances would be redeposited into foreign banks, then flowing back into the Bank of France Reserve accounts once again.

    This was the reality behind the Tax Farmers Association¡¯s discovery that ¡°the French Government accounts had received hundreds of millions of francs, with substantial sums continually pouring in each week.¡±

    In truth, it was only 50 million cycling through the motions, and the funds disbursed to provincial banks were budgetary, leaving no suspicions of any issues.

    For the secrecy of this handover, Joseph specifically appointed a dozen Bank of France Reserve branch managers and assistant managers, all financial activities related to the ¡°reverse loans¡± had to be conducted by them.

    The game at play was psychological warfare. If the Tax Farmers Association could remain calm, sacrificing profits to face off against the French Government indefinitely, then there was nothing Joseph could do.

    But he was quite confident that those profit-driven individuals would ultimately capitulate to the bottom line.

    Government officials were selected from company employees, who in the early days often performed two jobs. After Hastings became Governor, he divided company staff into commercial and administrative, with one person not allowed to hold both types of jobs simultaneously. Administrative staff became officials, overseeing taxation, justice, administration, and the like, rising through the ranks based on seniority.

 Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: Chapter 507: Let the Bandits Tremble, Mr. Robespierre!

    Chapter 596: Chapter 507: Let the Bandits Tremble, Mr. Robespierre!

    Joseph was somewhat surprised when he heard the words; he had seen reports of intimidation and attacks against the Tax Office in the intelligence briefings before, but he hadn¡¯t expected things to have become so severe.

    These Tax Farmers are too bold!

    His first reaction was to have the intelligence bureau work with the police to give the attackers a taste of the iron fist of the law enforcement agencies, but then he thought of something else and immediately furrowed his brow.

    Who are Robespierre and his subordinates?

    They were his own creation¡ªFrance¡¯s ¡°IRS¡±!

    In future generations, the United States¡¯ IRS would be able to arrest mafia bosses that even the FBI couldn¡¯t handle, take away members of Congress in public, and catch keyboard warriors online with relentless determination.

    Yet France¡¯s ¡°IRS¡± was being bullied by a gang of thugs like a meek little wife, running to him for help¡­

    How could this be acceptable?

    One must understand that, in this era that revered the law of the jungle, beating up Tax Officers and mass resistance to tax were common occurrences. If the tax department lacked a certain ¡°killer instinct,¡± they simply couldn¡¯t collect taxes.

    This could be an opportunity for the Tax Office to toughen up.

    Thinking this, Joseph looked up at Robespierre, ¡°What do you plan to do about these nefarious criminals?¡±

    Robespierre immediately responded, ¡°I hope to assign more guards to the various Tax Offices¡­¡±

    Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡°There will be no guards, but I can issue every Tax Officer two revolvers and standard military swords. If necessary, you can even request cannons.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    The current standard issue for the Tax Office was one Charleville 1776 flintlock gun per person, along with batons, shields, and other equipment. Although this was already quite powerful, it clearly did not inspire sufficient confidence in the Tax Officers.

    Robespierre seemed a bit slow to react, ¡°Your Highness, but we are facing assassins¡­¡±

    ¡°So what, you are Tax Officers!¡± Joseph raised his voice, ¡°You have received rigorous training at the Paris Police Academy, and you have the authority to investigate, interrogate, and arrest!

    ¡°Whether they be assassins, gangs, or smugglers, they should tremble upon hearing your names, not dare to threaten or even attack you. Attacking a Tax Officer is a serious crime, and when you are issued guns, you must make good use of them!¡±

    Robespierre felt a surge of passion throughout his body upon hearing this. The Crown Prince was right¡ªhere he was, a proud Tax Officer, resolved to devote everything to the nation and the people, yet scared by a gang of thugs, which was an utter disgrace! Where were his resolve and faith when faced with danger?

    Joseph saw the change in his eyes and continued to encourage him:

    ¡°You represent justice and all of France, and you also possess enough power to let these criminals know how formidable you are. Make them have nightmares just thinking about the reputation of the Tax Officers!

    ¡°Go, tell me whatever weapons you need and I will issue them immediately, but not guards.¡±

    Robespierre immediately stood up straight and exclaimed, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±

    After he left the Tuileries Palace, he immediately returned to his office, tore up the speech prepared to soothe his subordinates, and using the Crown Prince¡¯s recent words as a template, wrote a new one.

    Not long after Robespierre left, Brian came to Joseph¡¯s office, excitedly saluted, and said, ¡°Your Highness, Bertrand just came to me with the prepared agreement, proposing to raise the tax farming revenue to 540 million francs and to relinquish some trade-related taxes, ready for immediate signing. But as per your instruction, I sent him away.¡±

    Joseph smiled upon hearing this; the Tax Farmers Association was playing hardball¡ªthreatening the government¡¯s Tax Officers on one side while offering generous tax farming agreements on the other.

    However, from their actions, it was clear that his strategy of ¡°accounting into the void¡± had taken effect, and the Tax Farmers¡¯ confidence in manipulating the government through their revenues was starting to crumble.

    So the next step in the operation to split the Tax Farmers Association could begin.

    He gave Brian some instructions, and then summoned Fouche, asking the intelligence bureau to investigate the forces behind those who attacked the tax office.

    These attackers were mostly sent by the tax farmers, and if they could catch them red-handed, the resistance to tax reform could be decreased further.

    ¡­

    Palace of Versailles.

    In the reception room of the Crown Prince¡¯s Bedroom Palace, Charles, one of the heads of the tax farmers, kept glancing anxiously toward the door.

    Since three days ago, his assets in France had been temporarily seized¡ªthe explanation from the High Court was that the intelligence bureau was conducting some investigations on him.

    The banks he owned and the funds he lent were affected, and shareholders, having received the news, were anxiously inquiring about what exactly had happened.

    Charles had sought every connection but couldn¡¯t grasp the essence of it.

    Finally, after spending thousands of francs, a captain from the intelligence bureau revealed to him that the investigation was conducted at the request of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    So he hurriedly rushed here.

    More than an hour had passed before the Crown Prince finally returned.

    Charles hurriedly stood up and came forward to bow respectfully, contemplating how to subtly inquire about the seizure of his assets. Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince spoke first, ¡°You are here to find out about the investigation the intelligence bureau is conducting on you, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Charles was startled and immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I have always conducted legitimate business, and the intelligence bureau¡¯s unprovoked seizure of my assets will result in substantial losses for me.¡±

    ¡°Legitimate business?¡± Joseph purposely elongated the tone, ¡°It seems you have forgotten something.¡±

    ¡°I swear, Your Highness, my business is all legal.¡±

    ¡°It seems I need to remind you,¡± Joseph frowned, ¡°You have been a long-time supporter of the Southern Netherlands Rebels, and you didn¡¯t stop even while our troops were fighting with the rebels.¡±

    Charles was instantly horrified, as France had declared war against the Southern Netherlands Rebels; according to what the Crown Prince said, that was a serious crime of aiding the enemy.

    He repeatedly waved his hands in denial, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s impossible. I have always invested in various royal families and governments, and would never be interested in the slight benefits from the rebels.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Joseph signaled Eman to bring over a document and began reading, ¡°At your banks in Southern Netherlands, Charles-Bolton Bank, you provided three loans to the rebel organization last year. And helped them complete numerous fund transfers with the Netherlands and the Bank of England.¡±

    Charles¡¯ eyes widened, ¡°This, this is impossible!¡±

    Joseph directly threw the documents to him, ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡±

    Charles immediately saw it written there: Charles-Bolton Bank Brussels branch, loaned 37,000 Levas to Hellos Steel Company on October 21¡­

    Charles-Bolton Bank Ghent branch, loaned 20,000 Levas to Ghent City Hall on December 1¡­

    There were more records of loans and financial transactions that followed.

 Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: Chapter 508: The Desperate Charles

    Chapter 597: Chapter 508: The Desperate Charles

    (This chapter is not yet complete. Please pardon me, esteemed readers, and refresh the page after half an hour. My sincere apologies!)

    Charles looked at the Crown Prince with bewilderment and protested, ¡°Your Highness, all my business dealings are legal. Where is it that I have funded the Rebel Army?¡±

    ¡°Please turn to the last page.¡±

    Joseph gestured towards the document in his hand, ¡°Helros Steel Company is responsible for transporting weapons from Holland for the Rebel Army.

    ¡°And the Ghent City Hall has long been under the jurisdiction of the Rebel Army¡¯s Congress, providing them with a large amount of logistical supplies.

    ¡°That Mr. Clifford there is part of the Rebel Army¡­¡±

    Charles¡¯ complexion changed drastically, and he hurriedly defended, ¡°Your Highness, I truly had no knowledge of their ties with the Rebel Army. My bank was merely making routine loans.¡±

    Joseph knew that Charles had little to do with the rebellion in Brabant; however, given that Vandernoot¡¯s forces controlled much of the Southern Netherlands at that time, and Charles had three banks there, it was difficult to avoid financial interactions with them.

    Indeed, as he suspected, the intelligence agency soon found some connections between the banks owned by Charles and the Rebel Army¡ªnow that the Southern Netherlands was back under Austrian rule, and the Walloon Region was under French administration, investigating these matters was not difficult.

    In fact, these transactions listed in the document had all resulted in significant losses for Charles. For instance, Helros Steel Company went bankrupt after the Rebel Army¡¯s defeat, flushing tens of thousands of Levas in loans down the drain.

    Yet these loans had indeed occurred and could serve as leverage against Charles.

    ¡°I am very willing to believe you,¡± Joseph seemed to console Charles. ¡°If you really did not know, the High Court will soon lift the asset freeze.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Your Highness,¡± Charles quickly stood up and bowed, then nervously asked, ¡°When might the court lift the freeze?¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    ¡°That depends on the progress of the intelligence agency¡¯s investigation. If it¡¯s fast, perhaps your innocence can be proven in a month or two. However, the Rebel Army destroyed many documents before surrendering, so it might take half a year or even longer to come to a conclusion.¡±

    Charles almost burst into tears, ¡°Your Highness, you must help me prove that I have no connection with the Rebel Army!¡±

    Although he started his business in the Southern Netherlands, he later focused his business efforts in France, where the market was larger and the profits were higher.

    And in his assets, sixty percent of the funds were managed by him on behalf of other nobles, for which interest had to be paid at all times. Not being able to use the assets for even two months, let alone half a year, would be financially crippling.

    Moreover, he had to consider the situation of his banks. If word got out that his assets had been frozen, it would inevitably lead to depositors rushing to withdraw their money¡ªwho knew if Charles Bolton, the bank owner, had committed some serious crime? It was obviously safer to secure one¡¯s money first.

    The last thing anyone running a bank wanted was a bank run, which almost certainly spelled bankruptcy.

    ¡°You must trust the intelligence agency, or perhaps pray that they can find evidence quickly.¡±

    ¡°No, please, you must help me¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I truly cannot assist you,¡± Joseph stated as he stood up, signaling the end of their meeting. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it here for today, Mr. Charles. I still have to deal with tax reform matters.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Charles tensed up, now understanding why the intelligence agency might be targeting him¡ªthe Tax Farmers Association had been painstakingly obstructing the government¡¯s tax reforms. Previously, he and Morrel had pretended to provide a loan to Archbishop Brienne to delay the government¡¯s fundraising efforts. Now that the French Government had secured enough funds to maintain its operations for the first half of the next year, it had the confidence to reprimand him.

    Thinking this, he hurried over to Joseph, bowing his head, ¡°Your Highness, the government is going to undergo tax reform, during which funding shortages are very likely.

    ¡°Furthermore, while the intelligence agency is investigating, it is a waste to just let my assets sit there. Perhaps I could offer a loan to the Finance Minister to help him better navigate the transition period.¡±

    Joseph seemed indifferent, waving his hand, ¡°I have read Archbishop Brienne¡¯s report. The funds for the tax reform have been adequately raised, there¡¯s no need for you to bother.¡±

    Charles urgently said, ¡°Your Highness, unexpected situations might arise during the tax reform. If Archbishop Brienne had even more funds, it would be easier to manage.

    ¡°I am willing to provide a low-interest loan of 12 million francs to aid the government¡¯s tax reform. This could also prove that I have no ties with the Southern Netherlands Rebels, and I hope that the intelligence agency can speed up their investigation a bit.¡±

    Joseph sighed, ¡°Let me ask Archbishop Brienne if he needs the funds.¡±

    He knew that Charles¡¯ annual tax revenues were roughly 10 million francs, plus an additional 2 million legally, which was almost all the funds he could come up with.

    Charles seemed greatly relieved and quickly bowed in gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, I-¡±

    The British Army¡¯s commanders would attend the Governor¡¯s Council and become its members, while the regional commanders would join the Provincial Councils and become members. The councils had numerous secretaries,_each responsible for some departments, which gradually evolved into various ministries of the Central and Provincial Governments.

    In the county-level government, the tax collector was the main officer, handling not only tax collection but also administrative and judicial matters. Furthermore, there was a Chief of Police, specifically responsible for maintaining social order. Additionally, there was a police station, tasked with maintaining public order and carrying out repressions.

    Government officials were selected from among company employees, who initially often held two posts simultaneously. After Hastings became Governor, the company employees were divided into commercial and administrative employees, and one individual could no longer hold both positions. Administrative employees thus became officials, managing taxes, justice, and administration, and their promotion was based on seniority. The Act of 1793 passed by the Congress confirmed this principle, statingathy in India, all major civil positions below counselor must be held by company contract officials. In 1800, he set up William Fort College in Calcutta to train company administrative personnel, but it was not successful. In 1806, Haileybury College was established in England.

    The Goldschmidt family had frequent contacts with the Bischoffsheim family from Mainz, and together with Monaco¡¯s wealthiest Bartolomeo family, they collectively managed Bischoffsheim, Goldschmidt & Cie Bank, which merged in 1863 to become the predecessor of BNP Paribas¡ªCredit Mobilier of France.

 Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: Chapter 509: Fight Fire with Fire

    Chapter 598: Chapter 509: Fight Fire with Fire

    The tall Tax Officer swiftly opened his eyes, stimulated by the successive gunshots, and as he turned over to sit up, he saw his colleague clutching a pistol, followed by the sight of two attackers drenched in filthy blood appearing before him.

    He immediately forgot the pain in his head and exclaimed in alarm, ¡°Schommet, you¡ªyou killed them?!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Schommet, having killed for the first time, was also somewhat dazed, and he subconsciously took out the gunpowder to reload, ¡°We have the right to shoot when we¡¯re attacked¡­¡±

    The tall Tax Officer was still extremely anxious, ¡°But they, they¡¯re just dead like this?¡±

    Schommet suddenly stood up, forcefully tamping the gunpowder into the barrel of his gun, his expression fiercely agitated as he shouted loudly, ¡°Have you forgotten what the Inspector said during his speech?¡±

    The tall Tax Officer was taken aback, his eyes which had been wandering in confusion, instantaneously firmed up.

    ¡°We are selfless and fearless Tax Officers who should not be intimidated by any threats!¡± Schommet, lifting his pistol, repeated Robespierre¡¯s speech, ¡°As long as we stand on the side of justice and the law, we must pick up guns and strike back against any lawbreaker, making them tremble at the mere mention of our names!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right!¡± The tall Tax Officer nodded and added, ¡°We have to show them who¡¯s in charge¡­¡±

    After meeting the Crown Prince that day, Robespierre immediately rushed to the major cities to deliver speeches to the members of the tax offices, issuing strict orders. The core message was just one¡ªdo not be afraid, and harshly punish those who dare to cause trouble!

    The locals who came over to see what the commotion was about were all frightened by the sight of the menacing pair and the corpses on the ground, invariably bowing their heads and keeping their distance¡­

    Orleans.

    More than a dozen savage-looking men gathered outside the Tax Office building, some carrying buckets filled with feces and urine, continuously dousing the walls of the Tax Office, others throwing flaming balls at the windows¡ªstones wrapped in oil-soaked cloths, which could easily start a fire inside after shattering the glass.

    These people had been coming almost every day recently and were becoming increasingly brazen.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã?

    The rowdies did not hear the usual warnings such as ¡°Your behavior is criminal¡± or ¡°Please leave immediately,¡± fully believing that the Tax Office people were too scared to act, which made them even more insolent as they yelled loudly:

    ¡°I¡¯ve warned you enough times, bastards, since you still dare to stay here, let me show you what¡¯s what!¡±

    ¡°Adam Bournat, Pierre, Kerlou¨¨s¡­ I know exactly where you live, XXXX. If you don¡¯t want to die, get the hell out of Orleans!¡±

    ¡°You pigs are still not resigning? Are you sick of living?¡±

    Just then, ten black-uniformed Tax Officers ran out from the side door of the building, lined up and jogged to a halt thirty paces away from the thugs, who watched in stunned suspicion, and then simultaneously reached for their flintlock guns.

    The thugs immediately responded with a weak attempt to intimidate, ¡°What are you doing? We¡¯re just protesting¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to scare us!¡±

    However, what answered them was the Tax Bureau Director Lemaire¡¯s command:

    ¡°Ready¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aim¡ª¡±

    Several thugs¡¯ faces turned fearful, preparing to run, but more of them, assuming the other side was just bluffing, threw their burning balls at the Tax Officers.

    ¡°Fire¡ª¡±

    Following Lemaire¡¯s decisive command, ten Charleville guns spewed flames simultaneously, and instantly three thugs sprayed blood from their bodies, flipping to the ground.

    The rest of the thugs finally realized what was happening, and they screamed in terror,

    ¡°They¡¯re going to kill us!¡±

    ¡°Run¡­¡±

    Lemaire, with a grim expression, raised his Side Sword and pointed it forward, loudly declaring, ¡°All these repeat offenders who have attacked the tax office must be arrested. Anyone who attempts to flee or resists will be shot on sight!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The ranks of Tax Officers responded in unison, surging forward in a brief dash before drawing their pistols and shouting, ¡°Everyone down on the ground! No running!¡±

    Gunshots immediately followed, and two rioters were struck down. Two more were hit in the arm, and their cries of agony echoed through the alley.

    The Tax Officers didn¡¯t hesitate to switch to another gun loaded with ammunition and fired again.

    No one dared run anymore; they frantically lay on the ground, trembling at the sight of the fresh corpses beside them, their hearts sinking with fear¡­

    Meanwhile,

    In Bourges, the tax office, understaffed, had resorted to using explosives to deal with the rioters¡­

    The assistant supervisor of Charleville¡¯s tax office, M. Manes, pursued the attackers into their den and killed three of their allies, arresting one¡­

    The Picardie tax office had indeed requested Cannons from the military. However, before they even had the chance to use them, the rioters surrendered¡­

    After Robespierre delivered his national speech, perpetrators who attacked tax offices everywhere were decisively beaten back, their previously arrogant airs swiftly deflated.

    It wasn¡¯t so much that the Tax Officers were that impressive; after all, they had only undergone a few months of military training.

    It was mainly due to Robespierre¡¯s excellent oratorical skills and the fact that his tax officials, many of whom were Jacobins, were immediately ignited with fervor for justice and law.

    Combined with weaponry superior even to that of the regular infantry, they naturally swept through the rioters.

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Fankevich, the head of the Tax Farmers Association, listened to his butler¡¯s report, breaking out in a cold sweat.

    In the recent ten days or so, 37 of his men sent to threaten government tax officials had been killed and over 70 arrested!

    His family had originally been involved in smuggling, later shifting to usury and tax farming after making a fortune, which is why he had many desperate characters under him¡ªthis was his confidence in intimidating the Tax Officers.

    But he had not expected that these men, not even fearing the anti-smuggling police, would be slaughtered like dogs by a group of Tax Officers.

    He was unaware that it was people like Robespierre and the Jacobins who historically had wiped out tax farmers and smuggling magnates like him, completely.

    Fankevich felt a wave of regret. These subordinates had been ¡°elite¡± forces cultivated by his family over a long time, not only daring and audacious but also loyal and dependable.

    To intimidate the Tax Officers, he had lost over a hundred men at once, a bloody deficit indeed; his family¡¯s smuggling business was on the verge of collapsing.

    Moreover, as the butler had just said, not only had they failed to intimidate the tax office, but the mass arrests and killings of attackers had boosted the morale and prestige of the officers. It was almost as if he had helped the Ministry of Taxation to strengthen its cohesion.

    The butler glanced at Fankevich¡¯s expression, cautiously saying, ¡°Master, we need 620,000 francs for the compensation of our people, what do you think¡­¡±

    Those who were either killed or had gone to prison needed him to pay for their troubles.

    ¡°Just handle it as usual,¡± Fankevich said irritably, then asked, ¡°By the way, are arrangements for Anro and Ruzade in place?¡±

 Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: Chapter 510: Multiple Approaches

    Chapter 599: Chapter 510: Multiple Approaches

    Fankevich mentioned that these people were his ¡°black gloves,¡± and they were in charge of liaising with their subordinates for the threatening of the tax officer.

    As long as they were well arranged, the police would never be able to trace it back to Fankevich.

    The butler immediately bowed and said, ¡°Please rest assured, sir. They had already left France the day before yesterday.¡±

    ¡­

    On the other hand, Joseph looked at the report from the Tax Bureau about the recent arrests and killings of criminals involved in the attacks, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

    Finally, it started to resemble the look of France¡¯s ¡°IRS.¡±

    He thought for a moment and had Eman summon Denico, the editor-in-chief of the Paris Commercial News. With such a big stir caused by the Tax Bureau, it was crucial to make good use of it.

    On one hand, it was to publicize how the tax officers bravely crushed the mobs for a better tax environment in France, fearless of intimidation and threats, which would help build a heroic image of the Tax Bureau and garner public support while also deterring those thinking of evading taxes.

    On the other hand, it was an opportunity to promote the benefits to the general public from abolishing the tax farming system, so that if there were any hitches in changing the taxation model later on, it could foster more tolerance in French society.

    After receiving his orders, Eman left, and Joseph penned an Order of Commendation for individuals or groups like Schommet, who first killed an attacker, and the Orleans Tax Bureau, which swiftly cleared out the mob, who had shown outstanding performance.

    He was showing the tax officers that strength and boldness were appreciated and rewarded.

    More than an hour later, Denico, as the ¡°official mouthpiece¡± of the French Government, arrived on the second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

    Joseph first instructed Denico on the promotion of the Tax Officers and the cancellation of the tax farming system and then handed him the details of the banker Charles, along with a copy of the 12 million franc loan agreement Charles had just signed with Brian.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    The editor somewhat puzzled, asked, ¡°Your Highness, what are these for?¡±

    ¡°Please arrange for a journalist to conduct an interview with Mr. Charles as soon as possible,¡± Joseph instructed with a smile. ¡°Primarily to introduce his strong support for the government¡¯s tax reform and providing hefty low-interest loans to alleviate the government¡¯s financial pressure.

    ¡°Oh, and also mention that Charles-Bolton Bank has been listed as one of the trustees of the Royal Fund.¡±

    He was maximizing Charles¡¯s role in dividing the Tax Farmers Association. On one side exposing Charles¡¯s ¡°defection¡± to the government, and subtly indicating that defecting could reap benefits.

    One must know that the Royal Fund was a core fund related to the entire agricultural development of France, currently having more than 34 million francs in capital¡ªmostly contributed by the Old Nobility to maintain their family livelihoods¡ªand it also had government authorization in agricultural production management, along with assets like land, farm tools, livestock, and agricultural production patents. Its future was promising and would develop rapidly.

    Being a trustee bank for the Royal Fund, even if only holding a ten percent share, would represent a substantial sum.

    For banks, the amount of money on the books directly signifies the capacity for profit.

    This was bound to cause further division within the Tax Farmers Association.

    Once Denico had left, Joseph looked at the loan agreement on the table and fell into deep thought.

    Including this money, the financial budget for next year was just under 40 million francs, and he had less than two months left.

    If the fragmentation of the Tax Farmers Association proceeded smoothly, more people would come to ¡°defect,¡± but certainly, a large amount of capital would choose to flow elsewhere.

    Therefore, it was crucial to limit the exits for the original tax funds, needing at least 200 million francs to flow into the French treasury.

    Joseph tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, his brows slightly furrowed.

    To control capital, the government actually had many means, even, in extreme cases, directly enacting decrees, forbidding certain banks¡¯ capital from leaving France. As capital holders, they had no power to resist.

    However, if the means were too crude and the actions too unsightly, it would only scare off other capital and even destroy the normal investment environment within the country¡ªafter all, a government that dared to seize private property at any time would certainly be a persona non grata for all investors.

    The kind of scenario where His Majesty the King stamped a decree and the military was dispatched to seize the wealth of financial tycoons could only appear in novel plots.

    Like his previous ¡°threat¡± to Charles, it was also a coincidence that the latter was a financier from the Southern Netherlands, hard to separate from the Brabant uprising, thus justifiable to proceed through the High Court system and take advantage of the situation.

    In this case, other investors would feel it was a special case, absolutely unrelated to them, so it would not trigger panic.

    Even so, Joseph could only threaten Charles to temporarily freeze his assets. If there was any larger movement, it would still cause fear among other capitals.

    Currently, other magnates in the Tax Farmers Association didn¡¯t give him any leverage, so it was essential to find a rational and legal method that wouldn¡¯t shake the capital market.

    Joseph rubbed his brow wearily, it seemed for now he could only stall under the pretext of ¡°banking industry reorganization,¡± though even this slight delay would make many capitals choose the French Government.

    Because even just a month¡¯s delay could cause significant losses given the large sums involved, and many investments had to be finalized by the end of the year, giving him a slight advantage.

    If by the turn of the year he failed to gather enough funding for the government to function, he¡¯d have to drastically raise interest rates to attract these tycoons or seek financing from the Royal Insurance Company.

    Even if the interest rates were raised to about 18%, it would still be much less than what the Tax Farmers had previously taken.

    ¡­

    In Baron Morel¡¯s mansion, over a dozen of the heads of the Farmers-General of France sat around the conference table, all with serious expressions.

    Ford clasped his hands together, his voice low, ¡°As you¡¯ve all heard, Charles has betrayed us by bowing to the government.¡±

    Baron Morel said, ¡°I heard from Mr. Charles himself that he did it because he got involved with the Southern Netherlands Rebels¡¯ case, out of necessity.¡±

    Charles himself did not attend this meeting, so this was the only defense made on his behalf.

    The others showed contempt as they refuted Morel.

    One elder sneered, ¡°He got a share of the Royal Fund, was it because he got involved with the rebels?¡±

    ¡°He has always been timid; it¡¯s not surprising that he would lean towards the government.¡±

    ¡°I heard that the 12 million he got from Brian came with a 14% interest. If he couldn¡¯t tax farm anymore, that would be rather decent.¡±

    If Charles heard this, he would probably cry; he got only 4.5% interest, almost the same as giving it to the government for free.

 Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: Chapter 511: First Gather the Floating Capital

    Chapter 600: Chapter 511: First Gather the Floating Capital

    Yes, after Charles¡¯ 12 million franc loan was deposited, the High Court lifted the investigative ban on Charles-Bolton Bank.

    To others, it seemed just like an ordinary investigation that lasted seven or eight days. Banks of that era often engaged in irregular operations, and being investigated was quite normal, yet no one knew that Charles had nearly lost half of his fortune because of it.

    Ford signaled everyone to be quiet and continued, ¡°As it stands, the government already has the conditions to abolish the tax farming system. But, we have not completely failed yet!¡±

    He turned to the British banker nearby, ¡°Next, we will implement Mr. Godemid¡¯s suggestion, using tax documents as a bargaining chip, to try to secure the salt tax, liquor tax, tobacco tax, and market tax.¡±

    The taxes he mentioned were basically the most profitable types, and although the market tax was not high, it could facilitate the sale of some shady items in the name of tax collectors.

    Mr. Hope immediately nodded in agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right, as long as we all stick together, we can definitely get the government to allocate these taxes to us.

    ¡°So, now we need to collect as many tax documents as possible here at the association.¡±

    He then looked at a middle-aged man with burn scars on his face, ¡°Mr. Lafaitte, the tax documents previously managed by Charles will now be organized by you.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Mr. Hope.¡±

    Under the persuasion of Ford and Hope, everyone felt that there was still business to be done in tax farming next year, and thus the previously diminished spirits were revived, starting to discuss how the limited tax farming shares should be distributed.

    Unlike the confident giants of the Tax Farmers, the other several thousand lower-level Tax Farmers in France¡ªespecially those who only had tens of thousands or even just a few thousand, and could only obtain tax farming rights through pooling resources¡ªwere plunged into panic and anxiety.

    Because the Tax Farmers Association had repeatedly assured them that they could negotiate with the government to continue tax farming next year, they had always held onto their money, ready to pay the tax once the tax-farming agreement was settled.

    However, Charles¡¯ sudden public endorsement of tax reform and his loaning all his tax money to the French Government caused a huge stir.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï

    This action by a major player in the association clearly indicated that the government¡¯s decision to cancel the tax farming system was irrevocable.

    These small Tax Farmers basically had no investment experience. They were used to habitually putting their money in tax farming and receiving returns each year.

    Now, with the sudden declaration of tax reform, they were thrown into disarray¡ªno one told them that the association was planning a gamble with tax documents, and even most of the Tax Farmers at Lavoisier¡¯s level, those independent Tax Farmers managing around hundreds of thousands, were unaware because obviously, the more people who knew, the harder it was to keep a secret.

    As the end of the year approached, without any notice from the association about this year¡¯s tax farming amount, the small Tax Farmers started looking for their own solutions.

    In reality, the options left for them were only to buy government bonds, to deposit in banks, or to purchase land.

    But all of these options yielded much lower returns than tax farming. Especially buying land, which took time to select appropriate plots, and after purchasing, they had to manage it themselves, which might even lead to losses.

    Silvie Feno was one such Tax Farmer.

    In fact, his main business was running a glass shop, and he could only invest 7,000 francs in tax farming every year.

    At the moment, he was gathered in a caf¨¦ on the west side of the city with seven or eight partners¡ªthey pooled money to farm a quarter of the city¡¯s business tax¡ªdiscussing the plans for next year.

    ¡°I think we only have the option to buy government bonds now. I heard that the interest rates for next year¡¯s bonds will drop even further, so it¡¯s better to buy before the end of the year.¡±

    Immediately someone shook their head, ¡°The interest on the bonds is too low. Unless we buy those with terms of over ten years, but if we urgently need money during that period¡­¡±

    Feno sighed, ¡°I wish we could invest in the Industrial Development Fund. I heard this year¡¯s returns could reach 13%.¡±

    A partner beside him looked distressed, ¡°Unfortunately, the Industrial Development Fund no longer accepts small-scale subscriptions. We can¡¯t pool together 200,000 francs. It would have been great if we had invested last year when 1,000 francs could buy in.¡±

    ¡°The big shots at the association really screwed us over!¡± someone complained, ¡°Last month, old Arsen approached me to invest in his textile mill, and I turned him down to wait for the tax farming agreement.¡±

    Just as they were at a loss, the caf¨¦¡¯s door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man with curly brown hair walked towards them, waving a newspaper, ¡°Gentlemen, have you seen the government announcement?¡±

    ¡°Eric, you¡¯re late,¡± Feno greeted him, ¡°What announcement?¡±

    Eric pushed aside everyone¡¯s coffee cups and spread the newspaper on the table, ¡°This morning¡¯s news, to compensate for the loss of the Tax Farmers, the government has set up a ¡®Tax Reform Fund.''¡±

    He pointed at the newspaper, ¡°It¡¯s only available to Tax Farmers, and the amount cannot exceed the tax farmed.¡±

    Feno immediately asked the key question, ¡°What about the interest?¡±

    ¡°The same as the ten-year bonds. Plus, if the government¡¯s tax revenue situation is good next year, there will be dividends! Oh, and this fund can be redeemed as early as six months.¡±

    Feno and the others¡¯ eyes lit up upon hearing this.

    They hadn¡¯t expected the government to be so considerate! Although the returns from this fund were far less than tax farming, it was the best investment option they could find at the moment.

    The gentleman beside them quickly stood up, ¡°We need to act fast! Look, it¡¯s limited, and it might be sold out if we go there late.¡±

    With this news, everyone quickly left their coffee money, and according to the instructions in the newspaper, hurried to the bank managing the fund.

    Of course, this Tax Reform Fund was Joseph¡¯s way of attracting the floating capital of the Tax Farmers.

    He was well aware that the big players of the Tax Farmers Association only accounted for 40% of the total tax farmed, and the remaining 60% of Tax Farmers, after the abolition of the tax farming system, could potentially have nowhere to invest their funds.

    This fund offered somewhat higher returns than commonly seen in the market, but also much less than the interest from loans to financiers.

    As for things like ¡°only available to Tax Farmers¡± and ¡°limited amounts¡±, those were just promotional strategies. The French Government was in urgent need of funds, and if someone wanted to make a large subscription, naturally, an ¡°insider¡± would appear to help them through the back door.

    And just as Joseph had anticipated, the Tax Reform Fund was introduced and in just 10 days, it had sold 37 million francs.

    That was only the sales in Paris and the surrounding provinces¡ªonce more distant provinces received the news, this number was bound to rapidly increase.

    ¡­

    As Paris underwent vigorous tax reforms, Corsica also welcomed the elections for this session¡¯s provincial Congress.

    Unlike in previous years, where Paul led the Restoration Faction¡¯s dominance alone, this year¡¯s election saw four very powerful factions vying for a position.

 Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: Chapter 512: Pauls Deadlock

    Chapter 601: Chapter 512: Paul¡¯s Deadlock

    From the towns where votes had already been counted, it was evident that Oscar Poli still wielded significant influence in Corsica.

    After all, his father was the founder of the Corsican Restoration Faction and had managed to drive out the Genoan rulers and even briefly claimed independence. After France purchased Corsica, Poli himself led troops against the French Army. Although he was defeated, his fame had spread throughout Corsica.

    Thus, the Paoli Faction¡¯s Members of Parliament firmly secured 35% of the votes.

    The Pro-France Faction also emerged unexpectedly strong. With Count Butafuoco surprisingly setting aside his prejudices and joining forces with the Liberals, they captured nearly 30% of the votes.

    Despite the anti-Paoli Faction¡¯s tireless efforts to publicize Poli¡¯s embezzlement of organizational funds and his collusion with the French Army, it appeared that few believed them. Consequently, even with substantial financial backing from Chalmers, they only managed to secure 15% of the votes.

    The remaining nearly 20% of the votes went to the moderate faction within the Restoration Faction.

    It was known that if the Restoration Faction had remained united as before, they could have potentially won over 70% of the seats in Congress, thereby meeting the legislative seat requirement.

    But now, they were engaged in infighting, to the extent that no one was even bothering about the Pro-France Faction anymore.

    Southwest Corsica.

    On a hillside outside of Fonza village, two stout men were using binoculars to observe the village nestled in the valley.

    The dark-skinned man on the left nodded continuously, ¡°Agosta did a good job, the incendiary devices are very well hidden.¡±

    He put down the binoculars and said to the young man beside him, ¡°Alright, Filippo, let¡¯s head back to town for now. We¡¯ll carry out the operation tomorrow night.

    ¡°Oh, you might have already heard, the election didn¡¯t go very well.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0

    The latter nodded, ¡°It seems that those loyal to Mr. Poli only got just over a third of the votes. Those traitors should go to hell!¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why we must complete this mission. It will at least bring Eleric and the others back under Mr. Poli¡¯s banner.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Filippo gritted his teeth and nodded with difficulty, ¡°I will not disappoint you.¡±

    Fonza village was a well-known base for Restoration Faction members, and there were over 30 soldiers from the National Self-Defense Force from Fonza, making it very difficult to find someone willing to set the fire there.

    Poli¡¯s nephew, Cesari, had only reluctantly persuaded his three guards to accept the task after much persuasion.

    Filippo was the one responsible for starting the fire.

    As the arson trio returned to the nearby town of Qualre and entered the inn, they heard two merchants with thick Southern Italian accents let out sleazy laughs while whispering, ¡°Yes, when the police walked in, that Poli hadn¡¯t even dressed yet, just standing there dumbfounded. About a dozen people saw it, ha ha.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Corsicans worship him like a god, he¡¯s really just a lecherous old man.¡±

    ¡°And such a lustful brute. He wouldn¡¯t even court the lady, he just forced himself on her. Hmm, the unluckiest one is her poor aunt, who just because she cared for her niece, also fell victim to Poli¡¯s ¡®poisonous hands¡¯¡­¡±

    The two burst into lewd laughter again, ¡°One must say his taste is quite unusual. I heard that¡­ ah, Miss Isabella¡¯s aunt is nearly old enough to be a grandmother, yet he still made his move on her.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, Corsicans might just have that kind of taste¡­¡±

    Philip did not hear everything clearly, but he made out words like ¡°Paul,¡± ¡°lecher,¡± ¡°force.¡± Combined with the lewd expressions on their faces, rage surged within him. He strode over and grabbed one of the men by the collar, bellowing, ¡°How dare you insult Mr. Paul?!¡±

    Agosto also pushed the other merchant forcefully, ¡°You will pay for what you just said!¡±

    The two merchants were startled and hurriedly defended themselves, ¡°What are you doing? I didn¡¯t just make this up. Oh, it¡¯s in the ¡®London Gazette.''¡±

    ¡°Yes, that Paul has been arrested for rape. Miss Isabella¡¯s father was so angry he almost killed him.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible!¡± Philip, who had been a devoted fan of Paul from a young age, shouted about to strike them, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare slander Mr. Paul!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± The older merchant clutched his head and gestured towards his suitcase, ¡°There is an edition of ¡®The Times¡¯ in there as well. I remember it also reported the incident. You can read it for yourselves¡­¡±

    Philip paused, threw him aside, and turned to open the suitcase, quickly finding a copy of ¡®The Times¡¯.

    It was last week¡¯s newspaper, and indeed on the second page there was a huge headline¡ª¡±Corsican Political Leader Arrested for Rape¡±.

    Trembling, he looked further down to see the news article, which said that Paul had lured a young noblewoman named Isabella to a cottage in the suburbs and molested her. Isabella¡¯s aunt had suspected Paul all along and quietly followed them. Hearing a conflict inside the cottage after her niece entered, she knocked on the door ¨C only to be dragged inside by Paul as well¡­

    The article was filled with numerous detailed descriptions, Philip couldn¡¯t bear to read further. Throwing the newspaper aside, he stared at the two merchants, ¡°You¡¯re lying to me! This isn¡¯t true!¡±

    ¡°Stubborn fellow.¡± The merchant stepped forward to pack up his suitcase while mocking, ¡°There were over a dozen eyewitnesses. Now the whole of England knows about it. What¡¯s he to you? I¡¯d advise you to guard your own women.¡±

    Philip collapsed into a chair at the inn, feeling as if his head was about to split open. He couldn¡¯t believe that Mr. Paul, whom he revered for so long, could have committed such a beastly act¡­

    Of course, all of this was just a trap set by the French Intelligence Bureau.

    The only thing that Fouche was somewhat dissatisfied with was that he couldn¡¯t find a man who could lure Paul when dressed in a skirt¡ªif Dion de Beaumont had still been young, he surely could have handled this mission.

    So he had no choice but to make do, and had Isabella go and seduce Paul. However, adhering to the principle of ¡°quantity over quality,¡± he also arranged for an aunt to be a victim.

    As a result, Paul became a sensation in England.

    The next day, a devastated Philip saw the newspaper sent by Ajaccio which had already republished the news from England, with even more detailed content¡ªBartolomeo and the anti-Paul faction¡¯s congress members naturally would not miss such an opportunity and went all out to promote the affair, even dispatching a reporter to London to cover the story.

    Holding a copy of the ¡®Corsican Morning News,¡¯ Philip didn¡¯t know how long he had walked when suddenly, he looked up to see the village of Nonza appearing before his eyes.

    ¡ª

    [Note 1] Dion de Beaumont (1728-1810), a legendary French spy who excelled at cross-dressing, attracting many nobles with his stunning appearance in women¡¯s clothing. Beaumont used his ¡°beauty¡± to extract a great deal of intelligence from these infatuated nobles, and was awarded many times by Louis XV.

 Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: Chapter 513: The Future of Corsica

    Chapter 602: Chapter 513: The Future of Corsica

    The sky grew dark.

    Filippo still sat on the hillside opposite the village of Nonza, a torn newspaper lay at his feet as he stared blankly at the distant village, his heart plunging into painful turmoil.

    He knew that the Restoration movement faced enormous difficulties, and that setting the village alight was the only way to resolve all the problems and to continue the struggle against the French¡­

    However, that would also allow a man guilty of rape and embezzlement to continue leading the Restoration organization¡ªFilippo had always believed the embezzlement allegations against Paul to be false, but after the rape incident in London, he had come to believe they were true.

    But if he didn¡¯t set the fire, the Restoration organization, which he had fought for since childhood, would fracture, lose control of Congress, and ultimately fail.

    And currently, the only person capable of uniting the Restoration organization was Paul¡­

    Yet he was a dirty, shameless beast, a criminal!

    So should he simply let his decades of dedication to the Restoration cause evaporate?

    After an unknown amount of time, a bitter smile emerged on Filippo¡¯s face as he shook his head incessantly, unable to make a decision.

    Suddenly, he stood up and briskly walked toward a steep slope on his left.

    Since he couldn¡¯t make a decision, he would leave it to Jesus¡­

    Thinking this, he jumped off the nearly vertical hillside, his body tumbling rapidly downwards, bouncing off the rocks several times, leaving a trail of bright red blood.

    The next day at noon, villagers at the foot of the hill discovered a man¡¯s body and hurried back to the village to inform the Priest.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?

    Agosta and the head guard had not seen Filippo all night and had not seen Nonza village burning, so they came to this area looking for him and happened to meet the villagers rushing to check the deceased¡­

    ¡­

    Though only half a month had passed, Paul¡¯s rape case in London had already lost its heat, and he himself had paid bail and returned home¡ªsuch influential political figures were unlikely to be brought down by such ¡°minor cases¡±¡ªbut the issue continued to ferment in Corsica, dominating all conversation and was well known to everyone.

    Naturally, this was the result of the strong propaganda by the anti-Paul faction, with the Pro-France Faction also covertly cooperating, the front pages of daily newspapers almost entirely about Paul¡¯s case.

    Bartolomeo even had thousands of copies of the ¡°London Gazette,¡± which reported the case information, bought and displayed for free viewing in various towns.

    Under such a media onslaught, Paul¡¯s faction¡¯s electoral prospects plummeted. In the elections that followed the incident, they managed only one seat.

    The anti-Paul faction became the biggest winner. Especially those who formerly accused them of slandering Paul, who now turned around and voted for them.

    Some people, disgusted by Paul¡¯s notorious deeds as the leader of the Restoration Faction, inclined towards the Pro-France Faction and gave them unexpected votes.

    A month later, the Corsican provincial legislative elections concluded.

    Bartolomeo¡¯s anti-Paul faction seized 35% of the seats. Meanwhile, Girolamo, an insider supported by Chalmers, began his bid for the position of speaker of the house, currently with a clear advantage.

    Count Butafuoco, leading the Pro-France Faction, won 33% of the seats, marking the best performance since France¡¯s rule over Corsica.

    Despite a devastating defeat later on, Paul¡¯s faction still held 18% of the seats due to early electoral advantages.

    The Neutral Faction suffered the worst, being labeled as sympathizers of Paul, thus securing only 14% of the seats¡ªin political strife, ambiguity is never popular.

    ¡­

    In a vineyard on the outskirts of the City of Ajaccio, Girolamo saw a corpulent nobleman appearing at the gate and whispered to Bartolomeo standing beside him, ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±

    Bartolomeo straightened his collar and approached proactively, not allowing the other party a chance to offer a greeting, and said harshly, ¡°Speak, what do you want? Make it quick and leave.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quite cold.¡±

    The visitor was Count Butafuoco himself, who still persisted in tipping his hat, then said, ¡°But you¡¯d do well to change your attitude a bit. After all, we¡¯ll see each other often after our cooperation, wouldn¡¯t it be nicer to have a more harmonious atmosphere?¡±

    ¡°Cooperation?¡± Bartolomeo scoffed, ¡°What good is cooperating with you guys?¡±

    Count Butafuoco was not deterred, smiling slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?

    ¡°Combined, our factions already hold more than two-thirds of the seats in Congress.

    ¡°You know what this means.¡±

    Bartolomeo frowned. He knew that two-thirds of the seats were enough to legislate, but still responded coldly, ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°We can collaborate to push through legislation and bury Paul and his followers for good.¡±

    Bartolomeo was momentarily stunned.

    Although the anti-Paul faction had gained an advantage in the congressional elections, Paul still wielded considerable influence within the Restoration organization.

    If they could legislatively eliminate Paul¡¯s faction, his own anti-Paul faction would inevitably become the backbone of the Restoration organization.

    He might even rise to become the new leader of the Restoration organization.

    His thoughts raced. If the goal could be achieved, utilizing the Pro-France Faction wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question.

    Bartolomeo¡¯s expression softened a bit, gesturing towards the house, ¡°Come inside and let¡¯s talk in detail.¡±

    Several hours later, Count Butafuoco completed his mission and took his leave.

    Inside the vineyard house, Bartolomeo turned to Girolamo, ¡°What do you think about cooperating with them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity,¡± the latter replied confidently, ¡°It¡¯s just promoting a legislative bill. After that, we won¡¯t deal with the Pro-France Faction anymore.¡±

    Bartolomeo nodded in agreement.

    However, he was focused only on the immediate benefits, overlooking that the legislative voting in Congress was public.

    As soon as he joined forces with the Pro-France Faction to suppress Paul¡¯s faction, from then on, in the eyes of the Corsican people, he would be seen as a collaborator with the Pro-France Faction.

    And in political machinations, once one has a taste for success, it becomes hard to stop.

    Moreover, with the backers of Bartolomeo¡¯s faction being double agents, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they would be completely tied to Count Butafuoco.

    In truth, these novices engaging in election politics seemed simple as elementary students to Joseph, who had seen various Western political schemes in the next era¡­

    A week later.

    Under the newly appointed speaker Girolamo, the Corsican Parliament passed a new bill with a high majority.

    The bill stipulated¡ªPaul was forever stripped of his Corsican citizenship. No Corsican was to have any contact with Paul in any way, or they would be prosecuted for collusion. All of Paul¡¯s private assets were to be confiscated by the Corsican Parliament to compensate for the embezzled funds, and his writings were banned from being sold in Corsica.

    While these series of laws seemed to target only Paul specifically, in reality, they uprooted the Restoration organization¡¯s Paul faction.

 Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Chapter 514: Let Napoleon Do What He Needs To Do

    Chapter 603: Chapter 514: Let Napoleon Do What He Needs To Do

    Count Butafuoco wasted no time in striking while the iron was hot, having Girolamo push forward a bill in the Parliament to revoke the qualifications of the Paoli Faction¡¯s members.

    Naturally, Bartolomeo lent his full support¡ªonce the Paoli Faction¡¯s members were gone, the parliamentary seats would largely fall into the hands of his own faction.

    The Paoli Faction, however, was not going to sit idly by.

    They quickly formed an alliance with the neutral faction to jointly resist in Congress. The latter, too, was on tenterhooks, fearing that once the Paoli Faction fell, they would be next.

    Nonetheless, even with their alliance, they did not occupy a third of the seats in Congress and were unable to withstand the passage of the bill.

    Unless, of course, another force could lend them aid.

    Just then, Count Butafuoco made his appearance.

    ¡°So, I can assure you that my people will not vote for the bill to cancel your qualifications as members.¡±

    In the rest room of the Ajaccio tennis court, Count Butafuoco smiled as he looked at several individuals before him, who expressed their gratitude. He continued, ¡°As you know, I¡¯ve just become Governor, but many others are vying for this position as well.

    ¡°If we can work together to foster a bill that abolishes the National Self-Defense Force, a thorn in the government¡¯s side, my position will be much more secure.¡±

    The National Self-Defense Force, as an armed force of the Restoration organization, was deemed illegal by the French Government, but the Corsican Parliament recognized it, which was an important reason it continued to enjoy Corsican support.

    Giuseppe and Eloc exchanged a glance, both shaking their heads resolutely: ¡°This is absolutely unacceptable!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re exploiting our vulnerabilities, we can¡¯t use the Self-Defense Force as a bargaining chip, even if we have to deal with Bartolomeo.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã?

    Count Butafuoco chuckled: ¡°Once you lose your positions as members, the Self-Defense Force will belong to Bartolomeo. What¡¯s the point of defending it then?¡±

    Both the Paoli Faction and the neutrals fell silent.

    How many of the Restoration Faction truly wanted to establish a Corsican Republic? There were no notably prestigious states in Corsican history, and with nationalism yet to rise, weren¡¯t their separatist movements just a way for them to become ¡®founding heroes¡¯ and retain high positions?

    Now, they were about to be overthrown, and once Bartolomeo took control of the Self-Defense Force, they would have no chance of turning the tables.

    Finally, Giuseppe took a deep breath, nodded, and said, ¡°Alright, I accept your suggestion.¡±

    Eloc, leader of the neutrals, after some thought, suddenly said, ¡°My Lord Earl, even if we support you, our combined factions still don¡¯t make up two-thirds of the seats in Congress.¡±

    Bartolomeo¡¯s faction held 35% of the seats in Congress, and legislation required a 66% majority to pass.

    Count Butafuoco nodded calmly: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as your people vote in favor of abolishing the Self-Defense Force when the time comes, the agreement will be fulfilled.¡±

    What a joke, Chalmers, the major financier, could just lift a finger, allocate a little funding, and swinging a few members of the Bartolomeo faction wasn¡¯t a hard task.

    Moreover, there was Girolamo the Speaker, who also had his own power within the Bartolomeo faction and could serve as a reserve.

    ¡­

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph, seeing the report just delivered by the Governor of Corsica, couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    According to the letter, although the Corsican Parliament had not yet begun voting, the current political landscape indicated that the bill to abolish the National Self-Defense Force was certain to pass.

    All that remained was to send troops to wipe out this illegal armed force. Without the guise of legitimacy, this band of irregulars would struggle to garner support from the Corsican people¡ªthis was a decision by the Corsican Parliament, an entity which carried great local influence¡ªhence becoming easier to deal with.

    With the armed force gone, and the Restoration organization¡¯s severe internal divisions, it would no longer pose a threat.

    Whether through continuous political assimilation or by finding a pretext for direct prohibition, the problem of Corsican separatism could be thoroughly resolved.

    Joseph slipped the report into an envelope, pondering who he should send to eliminate the illegal force.

    He found it somewhat amusing; wasn¡¯t this exactly what Napoleon had done historically? This time, he might as well go himself; familiar with the task, certainly no mishaps would occur.

    Plus, once Napoleon personally took care of the Self-Defense Force and saw the ignoble actions of his idol Paoli and the disunity of the Restoration organization, he would likely lose interest in the idea of Corsican restoration.

    With this thought, Joseph immediately drafted an order for the General Staff, entrusting Major Napoleon Bonaparte to lead a battalion, along with the Corsican-stationed French Army, in charge of eradicating the Corsican National Self-Defense Force.

    Upon completion of the mission, Bonaparte would be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assume the position of acting Commander of the Corsican forces.

    He knew Napoleon was ambitious, and while disillusioned with the restoration group, a high-ranking position like the commander of Corsican forces might very well tip the scales, making him lean towards becoming a true Frenchman.

    Once Corsica was fully incorporated into the French Government¡¯s administration, any chance of a restoration movement would be gone.

    In time, this brave soldier would truly be recruited to his own ranks.

    Having finished writing the orders and handing them to the messenger, Joseph then picked up another document on the table.

    It was from the Tax Administration, stating that the local tax offices were ready and the transfer of duties from the Tax Farmers was nearly complete, poised to take over the taxation tasks.

    Joseph massaged his temples; less than a month remained until the end of the year, and they had only raised 80 million francs, far short of the target.

    Though he had already instructed the banks to begin ¡°payment and remittance rectification¡± to prevent large sums of funds from fleeing abroad, so far, only Charles, a Tax Farmer magnate, had pledged allegiance to him.

    Those financial moguls really knew how to keep their cool. Joseph shook his head, determining that if there was no progress by next week, they might have to resort to high-interest loans.

    At that moment, he heard Eman¡¯s voice from outside: ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Fouche is here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, let him in,¡± Joseph replied.

    The head of the intelligence bureau stepped into the room, greeting the Crown Prince: ¡°Your Highness, ¡®the Lender¡¯ wishes to see you urgently.¡±

    The Lender? Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up. This was the code name for the ¡°inside agent¡± he had bought from the Tax Farmers Association, though the individual had been silent up till then, almost forgotten by Joseph.

    Could it be that he had some breakthrough news?

    Joseph nodded and inquired, ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°At Madame Bertrand¡¯s house.¡±

    Half an hour later, Joseph met ¡°the Lender¡± at Madame Bertrand¡¯s house¡ªnone other than the Bank of England¡¯s banker Godemid.

    Already there waiting, Godemid bowed respectfully upon the Crown Prince¡¯s arrival: ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness. I apologize for the impromptu nature of this meeting, but I have good news to share with you.¡±

 Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: Chapter 515: Unexpected Gains

    Chapter 604: Chapter 515: Unexpected Gains

    Joseph Yigordmid sat down in the chair, looking somewhat expectant as he asked, ¡°Is it the task I set you on that has borne fruit?¡±

    He had met this British banker previously, on Jean Sone¡¯s recommendation¡ªa greedy and cunning speculator, and also one of the higher-ups within the Tax Farmers Association.

    Thus, he had promised substantial benefits to have Godemid act as an inside informant, gathering incriminating evidence on the tycoons of the Tax Farmers.

    Now, with Godemid mentioning ¡°good news,¡± it seemed quite possible that he had found something.

    But Godemid simply spread his hands: ¡°Your Highness, you know, those people are very crafty, and I have still been unable to find any evidence of their illegal activities.¡±

    Joseph immediately frowned and was about to say something when the Englishman revealed a smug look: ¡°So, out of desperation, I had no choice but to manipulate them into committing a crime. And I must say, I was quite lucky¡ªthey accepted my suggestion rather swiftly.¡±

    Joseph was somewhat surprised: ¡°Oh? What exactly did you have them do?¡±

    ¡°This,¡± Godemid rubbed his hands together and smiled, ¡°Your Highness, as you see, I have done more than what you asked of me. Perhaps, in addition to our previously agreed terms, you could grant me a few small favors.¡±

    ¡°Please speak.¡±

    ¡°I have several friends who wish to hold positions in the finance department, and I hope Your Highness could arrange some spots for them.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face immediately cooled.

    These financiers really looked for any chance to extend their tentacles into the nation¡¯s financial core, and from there, to gradually take control of the entire financial system.

    But Joseph was no easily fooled politician¡ªthis was not yet the 19th century, where the Jewish Consortium¡¯s methods of financial control were mature. The Rothschild family¡¯s brilliant maneuvers would not come into play until 20 years later, but for him, all of these were historical documents he had read countless times.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    So, the moment Godemid perked up his rear end, Joseph knew exactly what he was up to.

    ¡°That is probably not possible,¡± he declared decisively, ¡°France¡¯s finances must be absolutely controlled by the government.¡±

    He was blunt¡ªtelling him, I know you want to infiltrate the financial system, but don¡¯t even dream of it.

    Joseph continued: ¡°However, I can offer you some other benefits. For instance, allowing your bank to expand its business in France, or introducing you to some quality investment opportunities. Oh, I¡¯ve recently been told about a pretty good project by my friends in England.¡±

    According to the previous agreement, Godemid was to help collect compromising information on the Tax Farmers in exchange for managing the funds of the Atlantic Insurance Company. That is, the Englishmen buying insurance would first deposit their money into his bank, then transfer it to France.

    The Atlantic Insurance could sell over 500,000 British Pounds worth of insurance each year, which was more than 12 million Francs. Just by moving these funds through Godemid¡¯s bank, he could make hundreds of thousands of Francs, as well as enhance the reputation of his bank.

    So Godemid had readily agreed to cooperate.

    He now saw that the Crown Prince was very young and seemed rather easy to deceive, so he wanted to test the waters, but had his suggestion swiftly and firmly denied.

    He could only nod with a forced smile: ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. I hope we can have more cooperation in the future.¡±

    Joseph neither agreed nor disagreed and asked, ¡°Can you now tell me what you have done at the Tax Farmers Association?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, Your Highness.¡± Godemid said, ¡°I suggested that they hide the tax records and exchange them with false documents during the handover with the government¡¯s Tax Administration.

    ¡°They intended to use these documents as leverage to continue farming some of the more profitable taxes.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed. Without the authentic tax records, once the Tax Administration began tax collection, it would likely fall into chaos very quickly.

    Not to mention, just the missing records of back taxes and pre-paid taxes would be enough for taxpayers and Tax Officers to come to blows.

    Furthermore, the tax amounts for land and factories would have to be completely reevaluated. Market taxes, based on estimations, would be a complete mess¡ªthe tax is roughly levied according to the size of your stall, and new Tax Officers would certainly have endless disputes with the merchants.

    It had to be said, this method was indeed very malicious. If the Tax Administration was caught off guard and messed with in this manner, it would surely become a pandemonium.

    But Joseph wasn¡¯t without his own countermeasures. For instance, his first thought was¡ªthe documents are gone, but the people are still here.

    Who knew these tax documents the best? Certainly, the Tax Collectors employed by the Tax Farmers, who were actually responsible for collecting the taxes.

    If the Tax Administration found serious problems with the documents they received, making it impossible to carry out normal tax collection, he could arrest thousands of these Tax Collectors on charges of ¡°participating in tax evasion.¡±

    These people were the living tax data. Locked up at night, they would be handcuffed during the day and accompany the government¡¯s Tax Officers to collect taxes¡ªeach problem resolved would earn them a 5-day sentence reduction. In less than half a month, they would have the country¡¯s tax work in perfect order.

    Of course, now that Joseph knew about the Tax Farmers Association¡¯s switch of tax documents, the initiative was on his side.

    All he needed to consider was how to secure the evidence and create the most favorable situation for tax reform.

    Joseph then looked toward Godemid and asked, ¡°Do you know where the tax documents are stored?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The latter nodded proudly, ¡°Being the initiator of this plan, I was responsible for many aspects of it. The documents should all be in several villas owned by Viscount Ford in Antoine Town.¡±

    ¡°Very good.¡± Joseph ordered, ¡°Go back and act as if nothing has happened. As soon as you¡¯re sure all the documents have been gathered, notify me immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡­

    Five days later.

    A large force of Paris Police flooded into Antoine Town, surrounding all the properties under the name of Ford and his family to the surprise of the townspeople.

    Then, the intelligence bureau began their search inside the houses.

    Since the target was clear, it didn¡¯t take long for them to find and fill over ten horse-drawn carts with a large volume of tax documents.

    After the tax documents were sent to the French Tax Administration, the Paris Supreme Court immediately issued hundreds of arrest warrants. Clearly, they had been prepared in advance, just waiting for a stamp to be put into action.

    Subsequently, intelligence agents across the country, with the cooperation of the police, arrested almost all the heads of the Tax Farming Bureaus on charges of ¡°forging tax documents.¡±

    These so-called Tax Farming Bureaus were tax institutions set up by the Tax Farmers, serving a similar function to the government¡¯s Tax Administration. Most of the Tax Farmers did not take on the role of head of the Tax Farming Bureaus¡ªthey were the financiers, akin to the chairmen of the bureaus, while a large number of hired ¡°Tax Collectors¡± carried out the actual tax collection work.

 Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: Chapter 516: Cleaning Up Unscrupulous Tax Farmers

    Chapter 605: Chapter 516: Cleaning Up Unscrupulous Tax Farmers

    £¨Due to some urgent matters today, I came back late and have not yet finished coding this chapter. I deeply apologize to the readers! Please refresh and read again in half an hour, dear readers.£©

    Suburbs of Paris.

    In the interrogation room on the second floor of the National First Prison, a man covered with tattoos from neck to arm hung his head and anxiously exclaimed, ¡°I swear, it was Mr. Barna who told me to do it!

    ¡°Those fake documents were also procured by him; I just followed his orders and handed the fake documents to the Tax Bureau¡­¡±

    ¡°But the documents handed over to the Tax Bureau were all signed by you,¡± the police officer opposite him said coldly, ¡°Forging tax documents could result in a prison sentence of five to ten years.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± The tattooed man suddenly startled and hurriedly said, ¡°I can testify against Barna, oh, and my subordinates can also vouch!¡±

    ¡°You mean Recquillart Malherbe de Barna, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡±

    ¡°Where is he now?¡±

    ¡°He should be in¡­¡±

    The intelligence officer standing nearby immediately whispered to his subordinates, ¡°Bring him here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    As the interrogation continued, more and more high-level Tax Farmers were exposed, and the General Prison quickly filled up.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    At the same time, all assets of the implicated Tax Farmers were seized.

    This was the verdict rendered by the High Court¡ªthe case of forgery was clear, and it necessarily involved tax accounts, so seizing assets was entirely reasonable.

    Elsewhere, the Tax Farming Bureaus throughout France were also being sealed by the police, and almost all the tax collectors were arrested.

    Local areas did not concern themselves with public image as much as Paris, aiming to arrest as few as possible.

    The local Tax Bureaus were only worried about how next year¡¯s tax revenue might be impacted, so they arrested all they could at first¡ªlater, if they found no issues, they could simply release them.

    Just two days later, as more and more high-level Tax Farmers confessed, the ¡°document forgery¡± case began to spread to the giants of the Tax Farmers Association.

    One of the giants of the Tax Farmers Association, Barrot, with a grim expression, alighted from his carriage, quickly walked towards the entrance of the Palace of Versailles, accompanied by only one servant.

    Just the day before yesterday, he had been planning for when he would collect the salt and liquor taxes from provinces like Reims and Champagne, how to adjust the scale of the Tax Farming Bureaus, and increase illegal liquor transactions to maintain the original profit levels, when he received the news that his two most important Tax Farmers had been arrested for forging documents.

    He knew that he was about to be exposed as well.

    Although forgery was not a serious crime for him and he needed only to pay a sum¡ªwhich should not exceed 250,000 francs¡ªto obtain bail, it would inevitably involve the inconvenience of appearing in court and would certainly affect his other businesses.

    At that moment, Barrot felt somewhat envious of Morrel and Godemid, whose businesses were mostly abroad; if things turned sour, they could simply abandon their tax farming operations in France and ignore these cases.

    However, he was a native Frenchman with all his roots here; by now, he no longer thought of tax farming, only hoping to get rid of the current troubles.

    After waiting for over two hours in the corridor outside the Finance Minister¡¯s office, Barrot finally met Chief Minister Brian.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Tax Farmers and bankers, these financial magnates, influenced the state¡¯s fiscal revenues immensely through their tax farming leases. This was something beyond the reach of ordinary industrial and commercial bourgeoisie. These wealthy individuals settled in Paris, built magnificent mansions in places like the Royal Palace Gardens and Elysee Avenue, and owned extensive real estates collecting substantial rents. Many nobles were their tenants. Many financiers also engaged in other businesses and companies, such as life and fire insurance companies, the Paris water company, etc. Some families of these magnates still held significant positions in society in the nineteenth century. For instance, the Perr¨¨re family of great bankers, directors of the savings banks that replaced discount cashiers during the Directorate period, who also purchased the Anzin Coal Mining Company. Members of their family had held positions such as Prime Minister during the July Monarchy, ministers in the Thiers government, and presidents during the Third Republic.

    The rapid development of financial capital was a prominent feature of the development of French capitalism. On par with the financial bourgeoisie were some Liberal nobles. Their economic activities were also integral to the development of capitalism. Ever since the era of Louis XIV, decrees had been issued allowing nobility to engage in commercial activities without stripping them of their noble titles. Consequently, a considerable number of nobles operated plantations in the colonies, while more involved themselves in mining and metallurgy.

    In agriculture, as a part of the entire feudal system, the feudal landownership had considerably disintegrated. Accompanying the disintegration of the serfdom from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, a peasant landownership system had significantly developed by the eighteenth century. Particularly during government policies promoting land reclamation and tax reductions, about 305,000 hectares of land were newly reclaimed between 1760 and 1780. On the eve of the Revolution, the distribution of land in France was approximately as follows: nobles owned a quarter of the national arable land, the Church owned one-tenth, the bourgeoisie a quarter, peasants one-third, and public lands about five percent.

    Legally speaking, France still upheld the principle of ¡°no land without a lord,¡± and the farmers¡¯ lands belonged to the lord. However, these lands evolved from serf plots into perpetual tenant farms. Peasants could freely operate them, pass them down through generations, or even sell or lease them, though they needed to pay a sum to the lord during the transfer. Lords could not reclaim perpetual tenant farms. Perpetual tenant farmers had to pay a monetary tribute to the lord every year, with some areas adding some kind of physical rent, while also bearing other feudal obligations.

    Since the tribute was a fixed amount of monetary rent, with centuries of rising prices, by the eighteenth century, the tribute no longer constituted a heavy burden for peasants. In most regions, like the Walloon region in the Nord department, tribute only accounted for four to five percent of peasants¡¯ total income, and in some places even less. The tithe collected by the Church was also far less than one-tenth, often reduced to between one-twentieth to one-fortieth. In addition, peasants also had to pay taxes to the government. Despite such burdens, the condition of French peasants compared to those in other European countries was not the most miserable.

    It was among these perpetual tenant farmers with characteristics of independent peasants that capitalism arose. Some peasants expanded their operations through renting or buying land, hiring day laborers and short-term workers, engaging in commodity production, becoming capitalists in nature. Compared to the capitalist farms in England, this was a type of small-farm capitalism. Although there were also some larger farms in northern France, they were very few, and in the most developed capitalist province of Nord, they only accounted for twelve percent of all arable land. The largest number were still rich farmer economies.

 Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: Chapter 517: Napoleon Bloodbaths Corsica

    Chapter 606: Chapter 517: Napoleon Bloodbaths Corsica

    However, all this would come at the cost of dismantling the National Self-Defense Force.

    Napoleon¡¯s mind churned like a massive wave. Did he really want to do this?

    Without the National Self-Defense Force, the Corsican Revival Organization would lose its pillar¡­

    His gaze swept over the headline on the Ajaccio Life Newspaper lying on the table¡ª¡±Corsican Parliament Passes Bill to Ban National Self-Defense Force with High Majority¡±¡ªand his brows furrowed.

    Yes, it wasn¡¯t him who wanted to eliminate the National Self-Defense Force, but rather the fools in Parliament who had passed such a bill, at least half of whom were members of the Restoration organization.

    That is to say, it was the Restoration organization itself that had destroyed its own pillar!

    Napoleon couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath; Paul had fallen, or perhaps he had never been noble to begin with, and the Restoration organization was thoroughly rotten. They had lost the possibility of achieving Corsican independence.

    Even if he joined the Restoration organization, he would never have his day to rise to prominence!

    The thought flashed through his mind, and he suddenly froze.

    Why was he thinking about rising to prominence at this moment?

    He clenched the railing on the deck, candidly scrutinizing his own heart for the first time.

    Was he truly just simply wanting to see the establishment of the Corsican Republic?

    He hesitated for a few seconds, then shook his head slightly. It seemed that all along, he had only wanted to use Corsican independence to secure a prominent position in the Corsican Government.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï

    After all, since childhood, he had lived in Brienne, to the east of Paris, living like a genuine Frenchman, faring better than the vast majority of Corsicans. Now, letting other Corsicans live as he did might indeed be the true way for them to gain freedom and a prosperous life.

    Suddenly, Napoleon felt a weight lift from his heart and turned to head back to the cabin.

    Starting as the acting commander of the Corsican Legion seemed like a good beginning, he nodded to himself. Later, when he climbed higher, he could better help his homeland develop.

    ¡­

    In the outskirts of Asco, a northern city in Corsica.

    ¡°Lieutenant Colonel, I really can¡¯t let you enter the city,¡± a properly dressed middle-aged man, holding a silver cane under his arm, said apologetically to Cesari-Colonna Paoli, ¡°You know, Congress has already banned your army¡­¡±

    ¡°You are also a member of the Restoration organization!¡± Cesari grabbed the arm of the Asco Municipal Commissioner, pointing towards the temporary camp, ¡°The soldiers need supplies, and we have less than a week¡¯s food left.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here precisely as a member of the Restoration organization to visit you,¡± said the middle-aged man. ¡°But I, along with the city hall and the chamber of commerce, cannot defy the law, please understand.¡±

    Corsican Parliament was chosen by the Corsicans themselves, hence there was absolutely no doubt in their minds regarding the Parliament¡¯s decisions¡ªthis was also a result of years of Liberal indoctrination that made the public believe ¡°the Parliament represents me.¡± So how could I oppose myself?

    Thus, the once highly regarded National Self-Defense Force was now even struggling to enter towns. The Corsican public¡¯s warm welcome, once offering food and drink, had completely disappeared.

    Indeed, after the Parliament¡¯s decree to ban the National Self-Defense Force was enacted, more than a quarter of the soldiers had already fled back home, and the number of deserters was still increasing.

    After all, members of the Restoration organization who were also parliamentarians had voted in favor, and with no influential leaders remaining in the Restoration organization, the soldiers were increasingly despondent.

    ¡°Then, at least provide us with some wine and bread,¡± Cesari said helplessly, ¡°for God¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    The municipal commissioner hesitated whether to dig into his own pocket to buy supplies to appease the Self-Defense Force when suddenly a cavalry scout hurriedly approached Cesari and said, ¡°Commander, about 5 miles north, we have spotted the French Army! There are roughly two thousand of them.¡±

    Cesari¡¯s face turned pale as he quickly asked, ¡°Have you communicated with them?¡±

    It had been a long time since the Corsican garrison and the National Self-Defense Force had clashed, primarily because they couldn¡¯t defeat them, so it might just be a normal movement of the French Army.

    The cavalry scout replied solemnly, ¡°They refused contact, sir.¡±

    The nearby second battalion commander and other officers immediately gathered around, anxiously saying, ¡°Commander, it seems that these fellows are specifically targeting us.¡±

    ¡°We currently have only 1,300 soldiers, a direct confrontation will likely put us at a disadvantage¡­¡±

    ¡°Commander, we should head into Mount Ro.¡±

    The terrain of Corsica was essentially a massive mountain range that covered more than eighty percent of the area, with only some plains near the edge of the island by the Mediterranean Sea suitable for living.

    Previously, when facing encirclement by the French Army, the National Self-Defense Force would unhesitatingly retreat into the mountains. Leveraging their familiarity with the terrain and the numerous villages in the mountains that could provide supplies, they managed to play a cat and mouse game with the French.

    After dragging this out for a while, the French Army, unable to sustain the heavy military expenses, would retreat on their own, and then they would come out.

    Currently, they were at the northern entrance of Rao Mountain Pass. Heading south they could enter the mountains in less than a day; however, Cesari hesitated.

    They had passed through several villages recently, all of which had resisted them without exception¡ªCount Butafuoco had immediately dispatched people to propagate all over the island after the passage of the congressional decree, ensuring the National Self-Defense Force was treated like street rats.

    Cesari looked towards the nearby city of Asco. If the Self-Defense Force went into the mountains and those villages also refused to provide food, his more than a thousand men might starve. Moreover, he had important things to accomplish¡­

    He dismissed the municipal commissioner of Asco City, then convened a strategy meeting, and said to the officers, ¡°We have fought the French Army many times, and they are not so fearsome.

    ¡°We must repel them here and then continue south toward Ajaccio to make those foolish congress members revoke the decree. This is the only way for our legion to survive!¡±

    The officers exchanged glances and reluctantly nodded their agreement.

    They indeed had more victories than losses against the French forces stationed in Corsica, but they hadn¡¯t anticipated that this time their opponent would be the terrifying ¡°Corsican Monster.¡±

    To say nothing of their current numbers, even if they doubled their forces, battling head-on would be no different than sheep challenging a lion.

    ¡­

    Napoleon saw the camp of the National Self-Defense Force through his binoculars, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

    The intelligence was extremely accurate¡ªthe Self-Defense Force was indeed near Asco. He had landed at the nearest port, Calvi, after receiving this information, then marched rapidly for two and a half days and caught up with them.

    A staff officer came quickly, saluting and saying, ¡°Commander, our cavalry scouts have found that the enemy is setting up defensive positions, seemingly preparing for battle.¡±

    Napoleon pondered for a moment, sensing that his task might soon be completed.

    He gestured for an attendant to bring the map, pointed to a high ground on the west side, and commanded, ¡°Send the artillery there immediately¡­¡±

    He paused midway, then suddenly raised his hand to stop himself, ¡°Wait, perhaps this is an opportunity.¡±

 Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: Chapter 518: Go Big, Trace Back the Accounts of Ten Years for Me

    Chapter 607: Chapter 518: Go Big, Trace Back the Accounts of Ten Years for Me

    The army outside Asco City was only the strongest among the National Self-Defense Forces; according to the Intelligence Bureau¡¯s report, there were at least four other Self-Defense Forces active around Corsica.

    Although they numbered only a few hundred soldiers, with the weakest unit having fewer than a hundred, they were more adept at concealment, making it difficult to completely eradicate them.

    Napoleon bowed his head in thought; if he could turn the Corsicans against the National Self-Defense Force in the battle at hand, the remaining small units wouldn¡¯t even require him to act personally¡ªthe Corsican populace would take care of them.

    He redirected his gaze towards the map¡ªthis was a map drawn by the National Self-Defense Force itself, highly detailed, but now it was being used against them¡ªquickly he formulated a new battle plan.

    ¡°Send orders for Captain Benito to lead three companies to bypass the enemy and establish a defensive line at Rao Mountain Pass.¡±

    He pointed at the slope north of Asco City, ¡°Place the cannons here. Should the enemy approach, bombard them with full force.

    ¡°Other infantry to the east side of the enemy.

    ¡°Command the logistics officer to prepare ample supplies at Calvi Port, for we may be fighting here for quite some time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Major, sir.¡±

    In the following day, with Napoleon¡¯s infantry battalion from Marseille at its core, two thousand French troops swiftly advanced to the predetermined positions. If one were to observe from the sky at that time, it would be clear that the National Self-Defense Forces were surrounded from the north, east, and south, leaving only the direction of Asco City open.

    Cesari waited for three days, and not seeing the opposite side launch an attack, he concluded that this French force was even weaker than the previous ones and decided to take the initiative.

    At dawn, nearly 800 National Self-Defense Force soldiers charged towards the northern French troops¡ªthat sector had the fewest men and should be the weakest.

    However, what awaited them was a thunderous barrage of cannon fire. The only truly elite unit Napoleon had brought to Corsica was an artillery battalion¡ªhe had commanded an artillery company while serving in the Guard Corps.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    The horrific density of fire and shooting accuracy stunned Cesari¡¯s soldiers.

    Then came the Cavalry Scouts of the French Army, who were already nearby, charging into the ranks of the disordered Self-Defense Force. Following them, the two artillery companies rushed up overnight, took positions against the Self-Defense Force¡¯s face, and fired two rounds of grapeshot.

    In less than half an hour, Cesari¡¯s main force was scattered, wailing in retreat.

    At the same time, the main French infantry force on the eastern side also began to press forward.

    Due to Napoleon¡¯s great doubts about the combat effectiveness of this Corsican garrison, he only made a grand display but had no real intention of engaging in combat.

    But Cesari, already terror-stricken by the artillery bombardment, had entirely lost the courage to fight and ordered his whole army to enter Asco City to prepare for a desperate defense.

    After the National Self- Defense Force had entered the city, Napoleon immediately ordered a halt to the pursuit and then maneuvered his troops to block the two access routes into the city.

    For the next half month, the French forces merely guarded their positions tightly, showing no intention of attacking.

    However, Cesari found himself in a difficult situation¡ª

    Asco City had fewer than 10,000 residents, which was already considered a sizable town in Corsica; after all, the capital, Ajaccio, only had around sixty to seventy thousand people.

    And his troops numbered more than 1,200, all of whom had exhausted their rations; they could only obtain food, wine, and other supplies from the town.

    With so many soldiers, the food in town was quickly depleted.

    Starving Self-Defense Force soldiers, armed with guns, were not content to go hungry; as a result, they used every method at their disposal to ¡°extract¡± whatever scant supplies of food the citizens of Asco still had.

    Despair spread throughout the town, as violence over food became commonplace. The citizens¡¯ attitude toward the Self-Defense Force rapidly shifted from sympathy to hatred.

    Finally, a month after Napoleon had surrounded Asco, the members of the city¡¯s Chamber of Commerce organized the citizens and secretly set fire to the Self-Defense Force¡¯s ammunition warehouse.

    The next day, upon receiving the news, Napoleon led his troops into the city, with the citizens actively aiding the French Army to eradicate the ¡°grain-stealing scum;¡± the battle ended in less than half a day.

    Nearly all of Cesari¡¯s men were annihilated, with at least a hundred of them killed by the tenacious hands of Corsican citizens.

    Napoleon, who had brought a large supply of food to Asco, became a great hero to the citizens. The city commissioner even held a grand welcoming ceremony for him in the square.

    The story of Asco citizens starving to death due to the Self-Defense Force¡¯s grain looting quickly spread throughout Corsica, turning the National Self-Defense Forces into public enemies.

    In less than half a month, Napoleon had eradicated two more units of the National Self-Defense Force. For the first time in nearly a hundred years, the island¡¯s fragmented armed forces were nearly completely eliminated.

    ¡­

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Robespierre looked at the Crown Prince with some surprise, ¡°Are you saying, a nationwide public records check of the Tax Farmers¡¯ ledgers?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°and not just of the previous year, but of the last ten years of tax records.¡±

    If those Tax Farmers chose not to cooperate, then he would simply have to deal with them harshly.

    He was sure their tax records wouldn¡¯t be clean, and once anything was found, he could punish them with hefty fines. This wouldn¡¯t be something they could settle by buying a few bonds.

    As Robespierre was not very familiar with auditing, the side¡¯s Director of Taxation, Fulco, immediately widened his eyes in dismay, ¡°Your Highness, even if we obtain the Tax Farmers¡¯ financial documents, with tens of millions of tax records just for one year, finding problems among them could be harder than finding a diamond at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean¡­

    ¡°Moreover, even the records from three years ago are already almost impossible to clarify for any issues, let alone from ten years ago¡­¡±

    Joseph smiled, ¡°You need to think differently.

    ¡°If there are problems with the tax records, who would know best?

    ¡°The taxpayers.

    ¡°If they have been overcharged even a sou in taxes, even if it was ten years ago, they will surely remember clearly.

    ¡°So all we need to do is issue a notice, allowing the public to appeal for ¡®tax reconsideration¡¯ at their local tax offices. Then you can verify their claims against the corresponding records, and problems will quickly come to light.

    ¡°Oh, and I will have the major newspapers cooperate, listing out the tax regulations of previous years in detail, for the public¡¯s reference.¡±

    Fulco and Robespierre exchanged glances, admiring the Crown Prince¡¯s ingenious method; surely, a large number of discrepancies in the records could be uncovered.

    But immediately, he looked troubled again, ¡°Your Highness, even just for verification purposes, with the current staff at the tax office, it¡¯s likely to take half a year to finish checking¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°I can arrange for Archbishop Brienne to lend you personnel from the finance department.

    ¡°Additionally, we could invite the Accountants¡¯ Guild and students from universities to help. I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t refuse if they were offered some salary.¡±

 Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: Chapter 519: The Royal Familys Precious Item

    Chapter 608: Chapter 519: The Royal Family¡¯s Precious Item

    Fulco and other senior officials of the Tax Farmers Association had left less than ten minutes ago when Brian hurriedly followed Eman into the room and bowed to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s a tricky matter that I¡¯m afraid requires your intervention.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What happened?¡±

    Brian, with a distressed look, said, ¡°It concerns Queen Mary. Her Majesty summoned me and Baron Breti this morning to speak about the forgery incident involving the Tax Farmers Association. Her Majesty implied that the matter was not serious and suggested a fine would suffice, thereby negating the need to pursue legal action with the High Court.¡±

    Joseph looked surprised, ¡°How did Her Majesty suddenly take an interest in this matter?¡±

    Brian leaned in closer and said, ¡°Your Highness, I heard that the Count of Artuwa pleaded for the Tax Farmers Association in front of Her Majesty. Additionally, it appears that Her Majesty received an expensive diamond crown, and the Countess of Debeninac also mentioned that some renovations are planned for the Palace of Versailles soon.¡±

    Joseph immediately frowned¡ªthese tax farmers had quite an influence, even managing to involve the King¡¯s brother and the Queen¡¯s personal maid, taking the matter directly to the Queen.

    If Mother really intended to get involved in this, it would indeed be troublesome. After all, forging documents was not a serious crime on its own, and given the Count of Artuwa and the maid¡¯s face, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for her to lightly gloss over this issue.

    At present, the inspection of the Tax Farmers¡¯ accounts had not yet begun. Without the case of forgery, it would be necessary to extend the ¡°banking sector reform¡± time, otherwise, the Tax Farmers might flee the country with vast sums amassed from bleeding France dry.

    And the banking sector reform had already been ongoing for nearly half a month. Any further delay would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the economy of France.

    Brian said, ¡°Your Highness, now only you can persuade Queen Mary¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, signaling Eman to fetch his coat for him.

    He felt somewhat confident in persuading mother, but the temptation of the expensive diamond crown and the royal palace renovations was definitely significant¡ªhe would likely need to expend some effort in persuasion.

    As he caught a distant view of Versailles Palace Square, an idea suddenly struck him, and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï

    Even if he persuaded Mother this time, the Count of Artuwa could simply pester her again. Mother had a very good relationship with her younger brother-in-law, and should she inadvertently sign a Pardon Letter, that would be problematic.

    Thus, the issue needed to be resolved from the root.

    The carriage stopped. Joseph got out, but instead of heading towards the Petit Trianon Palace, he turned towards the residence of the Count of Artuwa.

    The Count of Artuwa appeared surprised at the Crown Prince¡¯s visit, and hastily, along with his wife, Maria Josepha, came out to greet him:

    ¡°Dear Joseph, what brings you here? We were just preparing to go camping¡ªit should be quite fun. Would you care to join¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded in greeting, smiling as he said, ¡°Let me guess, it was either Viscount Ford or Mr. Hope who called for it?¡±

    The Count of Artuwa hesitated for a moment, let Joseph into the house, and asked with a slight frown, ¡°What is it Your Highness wishes to say?¡±

    Joseph didn¡¯t beat around the bush and turned to look at him, ¡°My dear uncle, your recent interactions with the Tax Farmers Association seem to be rather frequent.¡±

    The Count of Artuwa smiled, ¡°I have some private affairs with Viscount Ford. Why the sudden interest, Your Highness?¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯d imagine he showed quite a bit of ¡®sincerity¡¯ in asking for your help?¡±

    The Count of Artuwa¡¯s expression shifted. He had heard of the Crown Prince¡¯s increasingly active participation in politics, but still regarded Joseph more as the young nephew, thus he adopted a superior attitude:

    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard, and I prefer not to elaborate on it.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s voice grew colder, ¡°My dear uncle, the investigation into the Tax Farmers Association is of great importance. Let me suggest that it would be in your best interest not to get too involved.¡±

    The Count of Artuwa was not expecting such a forthright warning from his nephew and narrowed his eyes, retorting quite impolitely, ¡°Your Highness, I believe this is none of your concern.¡±

    Though he seldom involved himself in the affairs of state, he was still the King¡¯s closest brother, the Queen¡¯s intimate friend, the Crown Prince¡¯s uncle, and thus held a very high position in Versailles, hardly intimidated by the Crown Prince.

    Most importantly, the Tax Farmers Association had given him a bribe of 1.5 million francs to help settle this minor matter of forgery.

    With additional lavish gifts for Queen Mary, this affair could easily be resolved, bringing the substantial sum of 1.5 million francs into his hands.

    How could he possibly spit out the windfall within his grasp just because of a few words from the Crown Prince?

    Joseph picked up the cup of hot tea that the Countess had just brought, and enunciated each word carefully, ¡°Your actions could cost France hundreds of millions of francs. I¡¯m not here to discuss it with you¡ªyou must cease your association with those Tax Farmers.¡±

    ¡°My dear Joseph, I have no idea what you are talking about. Moreover, my personal relationships are not for you to dictate.¡±

    Joseph gently blew on the tea, speaking calmly, ¡°You hold shares in the Bank of France Reserve and the Paris Angel Company, as well as a significant portion of the Industrial Development Fund. These profits are sufficient for all your expenses, even leaving a substantial surplus.¡±

    He glanced at the Count of Artuwa, ¡°If for just a bit of money from the Tax Farmers Association, your stable income is jeopardized, that wouldn¡¯t seem worthwhile, would it?¡±

    The other man was taken aback, ¡°What are you implying, Crown Prince?¡±

    Joseph said, ¡°You know that I control the Bank of France Reserve and the Paris Angel Company, and there are many ways I could dilute your shares. As for your dividends from the Industrial Development Fund, even your pension, I can make them cut.¡±

    The Count of Artuwa panicked instantly. He was currently reaping nearly 1.8 million francs annually from various dividends and his pension¡ªif these were to be affected, he¡¯d truly be devastated.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t¡­¡±

    Joseph placed the tea cup heavily on the table, speaking sternly, ¡°Your income from these dividends and such is built upon the foundation of a thriving France.

    ¡°And yet you would destroy your own foundation for a mere pittance!¡±

    He lectured fiercely, and the Count of Artuwa, with a darkened face, bowed his head and listened, ironically appearing as if Joseph were the elder.

    After a long struggle, the Count of Artuwa managed to speak, ¡°But, I¡¯ve already promised Viscount Ford to intercede on his behalf¡­¡±

    Joseph glared at him coldly; even now, he was still being stubborn!

    He exhaled softly and said, ¡°If you continue to insist on meddling in this matter, I will have no choice but to let the Official Investigation Bureau convince you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t! You can¡¯t do that!¡± The Count of Artuwa had heard of the crazed actions of the Official Investigation Bureau, and as a top-ranking noble, he was not without his shadowy dealings.

 Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Chapter 520: Exposed

    Chapter 609: Chapter 520: Exposed

    (The chapter is not yet complete, and the young author deeply apologizes. Please refresh and read again in half an hour.)

    Half an hour later, Joseph left the residence of the Count of Artuwa.

    The latter had already agreed that he would speak with Queen Mary, admitting that his previous considerations had been inadequate and that the case involving the Tax Farmers Association was very serious and should not be tolerated.

    Joseph was not at all worried that this influential member of the Royal Family would harbor resentment.

    He now controlled military and police forces, held the economic lifeline of the Count of Artuwa, and was not afraid of him rallying the nobles to create trouble¡ªthe new nobility were mostly obedient to him, and the Old Nobility had been weakened after repeated blow, now incapable of causing any significant disturbances. Moreover, the Old Nobility Group still hoped to revive their family¡¯s glory through warfare, and to rise in the army required his approval.

    Joseph boarded his carriage and looked back at the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Count of Artuwa¡¯s residence, feeling somewhat sentimental that he had been in this world for almost three years. Compared to the initial days when he feared for his safety every day, he could now completely subdue even the most influential grand nobles of the Royal Family.

    In the future, he was certain he would lead France to the pinnacle of the European Continent and create a glory that would be remembered throughout history!

    ¡­

    Saint-Germain District in Paris.

    In Mr. Fould¡¯s private tennis club, several leaders of the Tax Farmers Association comfortably sat on the chairs beside the court, watching two people fiercely competing and occasionally commenting.

    Fankevich smiled at the people next to him, saying confidently, ¡°Brian, that old fool, actually dared to threaten me to buy millions in government bonds? Hmph, what a dream!¡±

    Borelay nodded, ¡°I heard that the Count of Artuwa has already delivered the gift to the Queen, and she has agreed not to pursue the matter of forged documents.¡±

    Everyone revealed looks of joy, ¡°Mr. Hope¡¯s method really worked, saving us from a huge loss.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0

    ¡°Those greedy fellows in the Palace of Versailles, as long as they see money, they are willing to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Once the lawsuit at the High Court is withdrawn, I am heading to England. There are plenty of investment opportunities there recently.¡±

    ¡°I am preparing to go to the Far East¡­¡±

    Previously, following Mr. Hope¡¯s advice, each of them had contributed 400,000 francs, amassing over five million in total, a portion of which was used to bribe Count Artuwa and Countess Debeninac, with the majority spent on purchasing the diamond crown for the Queen.

    And just as Mr. Hope had predicted, the matter of the forged documents seemed to have been suppressed. They no longer hoped to continue their tax farming, each only wishing to extricate themselves as soon as possible and had begun discussing new investment directions.

    Borelay remembered the incident of the tax documents being discovered by the police and asked angrily, ¡°Mr. Fould, have you not yet found out who leaked the information?¡±

    Mr. Fould furrowed his brow and shook his head, ¡°None of my subordinates knew that the hidden documents were tax files; even if someone were to inform, it would likely not attract the police¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Therefore, I suspect there¡¯s a traitor among us.¡±

    Godemid immediately looked ferocious, bellowing, ¡°Who is it? I¡¯ll kill the bastard!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still unclear. Perhaps it¡¯s Charles, but he shouldn¡¯t know the location where we stored the documents.¡±

    Everyone immediately looked suspiciously at each other, feeling that everyone could be the suspect.

    Just then, a clamor arose from outside the tennis court, seeming like hundreds of people running past the nearby streets, shouting something as they swiftly disappeared.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Mr. Fould looked towards the butler standing not far away, who promptly bowed slightly and turned to go check.

    After a short while, the butler hurried back.

    *****

    In November 1773, Charles married Princess Maria Theresa of Savoy. Their marriage, unlike that of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, immediately resulted in offspring. In 1775, Maria Theresa gave birth to a boy, Louis Antoine, who was bestowed the title of Duke of Angouleme by Louis XVI. Louis Antoine was the first child of the next generation of the Bourbon family, at a time when neither the King nor the Count of Provence had fathered any children, leading Parisian libellists to satirically claim Louis XVI was impotent. [6] Three years later, in 1778, Charles¡¯s second son, Charles Ferdinand, was born and was granted the title of Duke of Berry. [5] That same year, Queen Marie Antoinette gave birth to her first child, Marie Therese, quelling all rumors about her inability to conceive. Charles was considered to be the most attractive family member, with manners reminiscent of his grandfather Louis XV. [5] His wife was considered quite ugly by most of his contemporaries, and he began seeking companionship and indulged in numerous extramarital affairs. Count Ezecque commented, ¡°There are but few beauties cruel to him.¡± Subsequently, he began a lifelong affair with the beautiful Duchess of Polignac, Louise de Polastron, a close friend of his sister-in-law Marie Antoinette. Charles also forged a strong friendship with Marie Antoinette, meeting her for the first time in April 1770 when she arrived in France at the age of twelve. [5] It was such a close relationship that led to Parisian rumormongers falsely accusing him of seducing Marie Antoinette. As part of Marie Antoinette¡¯s social circle, Charles often rehearsed plays with her in the private theater at her favorite royal residence, the Palace of Yenon. Both were talented amateur actors. Marie Antoinette would play a dairymaid, a shepherdess, and country women, while Charles would play lovers, waiters, and peasants. Charles¡¯s political awakening began in 1786 during the first major crisis encountered by the monarchy. When it became evident that the kingdom was bankrupt due to early military expenses (especially the Seven Years¡¯ War and the American War of Independence) and that financial reforms were essential for improvement. Charles supported the abolition of the nobility¡¯s financial privileges, but the Church and the nobility opposed any reduction of their privileges. He believed that the French fiscal system must be reformed unless the monarchy was to be overthrown. King Louis XVI finally convened the Estates-General, which had not been summoned for over 150 years, and in May 1789, he approved financial reforms. But his sister Elizabeth and Charles, the most conservative members of the family, opposed the demands for increasing the voting rights of the Third Estate (representing the commoners). This led to criticism from his brother, accusing him of being ¡®more royalist than the king.¡¯ [5] In June 1789, the representatives of the Third Estate declared the formation of the National Assembly. On July 9, 1789, the National Assembly proclaimed itself the Constituent Assembly, demanding a constitution and the limitation of royal powers. [5] Charles and Baron Breti formed a political alliance intending to dismiss the liberal Finance Minister Jacques Necker. On July 11, when Charles attempted to dismiss Necker before their original plan could be implemented without Baron Breti¡¯s knowledge, the plan went awry. However, this caused the political alliance with Baron Breti to shatter, eventually turning them into mutual detestors.

 Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: Chapter 521 Heaven

    Chapter 610: Chapter 521 Heaven

    At night, Paris City was as bright as day, lit by the gas lamps, with an endless stream of pedestrians on the streets¡ªeven busier than in daytime. Many workers didn¡¯t get off work until 8 p.m. It was only then that they could finally catch their breath, go out to buy some daily necessities, and take a stroll to relax their weary bodies from a busy day.

    In contrast, the shabby shantytown outside of Antoine Town was still pitch-black, with only the occasional scream or curse indicating that people lived there.

    However, this area was considered one of the better off outskirts of Paris, as it was not far from the factory-dense Antoine Town. People living here didn¡¯t have trouble finding work in the town, and although it didn¡¯t pay much, it was just enough to fill their stomachs.

    At that moment, in a small hut made of broken planks, a woman in her forties, with a head wrapped in a grey-white cloth and wearing a grey coarse linen dress patched up countless times, was vigorously washing clothes by the dim starlight coming through the window.

    ¡°Dom, go and hang it up. Don¡¯t hang it too close to the Franks¡¯ clothes; watch out for his wife taking them again.¡±

    She lifted a black coat out of the basin and handed it to a boy of about ten, then put her swollen fingers into her mouth to temporarily relieve the severe pain with the warmth of her mouth.

    She then glanced at the figure on the bed beside her, hesitated for a moment, then withdrew her finger and said, ¡°Paul, did you hear? The government said we could go to the tax office to appeal the previous unreasonable taxes¡­¡±

    The man on the bed tried to turn towards her but was so exhausted that he couldn¡¯t even move a finger and responded vaguely, ¡°Hmm, I heard Mr. Pierre mention it during the day.¡±

    The woman got up excitedly and walked towards the bed, but suddenly felt something soft underfoot. A sharp squeak rang out in the dim room and a rat darted out the window.

    Startled by the sudden scene, the woman staggered and knocked over the wooden tub for washing clothes. Ice-cold water immediately flooded her shoes.

    ¡°Oh, God¡­¡±

    She groped to set the tub upright and found that there was not much water left in it. She then began to mutter with a sobbing tone, ¡°It¡¯s over, all over, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t finish washing these clothes tonight¡­¡±

    If she could not deliver the washed clothes on time, she would be fined 5 sous. That meant tomorrow morning, two children would have no breakfast, or she and all the children would only have half the usual amount of bread.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï

    The man on the bed, hearing the commotion, struggled to get up, reached for the dining table to get his bearings, and hurried over to support his wife, patting her back to comfort her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear, we¡¯ll go to the Tini River to draw water right away. There should be still time.¡±

    He grabbed the wooden bucket and lifted it, then turned to the boy outside and called out loudly, ¡°Dom, take care of your brothers; your mother and I will be back soon!¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    A moment later, four boys aged four to ten leaned against the creaking doorframe, watching their parents¡¯ figures disappear into the night.

    Mrs. Leono, holding a large wooden basin, whispered behind her husband, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Paul¡­ This won¡¯t affect your work tomorrow, will it?¡±

    The man silently shook his head. The lack of three hours of sleep would definitely make it difficult for him to recover his strength tomorrow, but he didn¡¯t want to worry his wife, so he chose not to speak of it.

    He could simply volunteer to ¡°go down the pit¡± tomorrow; that way, he would have to haul less dirt. Although it was not his turn to ¡°go down the pit,¡± a few days of nausea and vomiting were preferable to having his wages docked.

    As they walked through the night, Mrs. Leono revisited the previous topic, saying to the figure beside her, ¡°Paul, maybe we could give the tax office a try. I kept all those receipts and penalty documents from back then. If we really could¡­¡±

    Leono sighed, tiredly, ¡°It¡¯s no use. It¡¯s just a way for the bureaucrats to showcase their achievements. Mr. Boka has paid a lump sum tax to the King; how could the tax office officials afford to offend him?¡±

    After another moment of silence, the woman looked up at the starry sky and slowly said, ¡°Darling, do you remember our old Sophie?¡±

    Sophie was their old horse, of course. But that was five years ago.

    ¡°That year, she kept farting and wouldn¡¯t eat, so weak that she could hardly stand. You said we might as well sell her to the butcher. Later, I fed her oats for half a month, and she recovered unexpectedly! The next year, with her help, we harvested a full 270 bushels of wheat! Remember how we danced around the threshing floor, and I was pregnant with Joan at that time¡­¡±

    Leono grumbled, ¡°Why do you bring this up?¡±

    ¡°That was the happiest time of my life!¡± she exclaimed, lifting the wooden basin high just as she did when she carried Dom, their eldest son, dancing in the village threshing floor. ¡°We should try it. Boka shouldn¡¯t have taken our land and old Sophie. If we could get those back, we could return to the village and continue¡­

    ¡°Even if the officials at the tax office really don¡¯t care, we can¡¯t be worse off than we are now, can we?¡±

    Leono spoke calmly, ¡°But it would delay us at least a whole day. As I passed Kols Street, I saw the tax office was already surrounded by crowds. It might not even be enough to queue for a day.

    ¡°You know, if I miss a day of work, we will have no bread. And I might also be fined a day¡¯s wage, which would mean¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can take on 10 more pieces of clothing from tomorrow, and in half a month, we should barely have saved enough for a day¡¯s worth of bread.¡±

 Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Chapter 521 Heaven_2

    Chapter 611: Chapter 521 Heaven_2

    Leon paused in his tracks, turned, grasped his wife¡¯s hand, and gently stroked the swollen redness, being careful to avoid the two festering spots.

    ¡°Look at your hands; you need rest, not more work.¡±

    She had taken up making wicker baskets during the day, often piercing her fingers with the splinters, and by night, she would transform into a laundry worker, submerging her injured hands in icy water, causing the wounds to swell and fester repeatedly.

    Leon knew that the little finger and ring finger on her left hand had already lost sensation. Father Hugo from the parish had said it would be best to amputate them, or else eventually the entire arm might decay.

    But they had no money for the surgery.

    Not to mention the cost of the operation, even if a doctor was willing to amputate for free, she dared not accept it. Post-surgery, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything for at least a month; with just Leon¡¯s meager earnings, their children would likely starve to death.

    ¡°No! I¡¯d rather let them rot away!¡±

    Mrs. Leono suddenly pulled her hand back forcefully and exclaimed, ¡°One day, at most two days, perhaps we can reclaim our land!

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to push that damned soil cart anymore and stay away from those toxic things!

    ¡°I heard from Mrs. Frank that extended contact with that stuff could blind you; a distant relative of hers suffered that fate.¡±

    ¡°Please, at most we¡¯ll eat Mr. Marsans¡¯s bread for a while. But if it works out, we could return to paradise!¡±

    Marsans was the most unscrupulous baker in Antoine Town. His bread contained at least half sawdust and sometimes even mud. But it did have one advantage: four pounds of his bread were cheaper by one sou than others.

    Paradise?

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    Leon was suddenly stunned.

    He had once been a farmer, knowing no craft. After losing their land to Boka, he could only move to Paris and take up the cheapest and most undesirable jobs.

    Like now, he worked for a dye factory. Specifically, he pushed carts of soil containing some ¡°alkaline substance¡± from several miles away back to the factory, then dumped it into a large pool to mix with poisonous liquids.

    The soil was said to reduce the toxicity in the water. Apart from that, everything else was bearable. Every ten days, he had to go down to the bottom of the pool to stir the soil with a shovel. He would be very close to the toxic liquid, and after a day¡¯s work, he would be dizzy, feeling a burning sensation throughout his lungs¡­

    Previously, every morning he would till the soil and water the plants in his own fields, returning at twilight. Although he would be sore from fatigue and have little food left after paying the taxes, there was always something for the family to eat, truly like paradise.

    He found he had almost forgotten that life.

    Every day, crushed nearly to breaking by over 14 hours of heavy labor, his remaining energy all focused on that small piece of bread, how could he think of anything else?

    His wife continued to speak: ¡°Dom is ten years old and can¡¯t read yet. Father Hugo said Marsans can also start to attend the church¡¯s literacy classes, but they now have to sweep chimneys every day.

    ¡°If they don¡¯t learn to read, they¡¯ll never find jobs that pay a bit more¡­

    ¡°Oh, and Mr. Pellier from the laundry mentioned that the recent order to review the tax records was issued by the Crown Prince, so perhaps those bureaucrats wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡±

    A glint of light suddenly flashed through Leon¡¯s cloudy eyes.

    He vividly remembered that when he first moved to Paris, gangs were rampant, and thieves were more numerous than summer mosquitoes; he had to group with over ten coworkers just to feel safe walking home.

    Then the Crown Prince instigated a significant police reform. He watched in person as the imposing police, yelling ¡°In the name of the Crown Prince,¡± used guns to herd gang members into dead ends and then all bound and taken away.

    Since then, their living environment had become much safer. Situations like going out to fetch water at 10 PM, which was unthinkable a few years ago.

    And that almost miraculous Divine Medicine¡ªthe Prince¡¯s Blessing¡ªwas surprisingly affordable at just a few sous. Meanwhile, the town doctors charged at least a franc for other medicines.

    Then Leon remembered the impressive sight of the Crown Prince leading the triumphant army through Paris City earlier that year. His Highness shone like a war god bathed in golden light.

    Those bureaucrats surely wouldn¡¯t dare ignore the war god¡¯s commands.

    Thinking of this, he made up his mind in an instant and nodded to his wife, ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try then.¡±

    ¡­

    Paris.

    Kols Street.

    Leon sat wearily on the ground, his stomach continuously rumbling loudly. Waiting in line didn¡¯t require physical strength, so he had only brought a half-pound of bread for the day¡¯s nourishment.

    Just then, a shout came from the front, ¡°Next.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± someone reminded Leon.

    He suddenly jolted awake and stood up, walking towards a row of tables in front of the Tax Bureau.

    A young clerk looked up at him and asked, ¡°What is your name, and what matter do you want to appeal?¡±

    ¡°I, I am Paul Gessien Leon. I, I feel that five years ago the Tax Collector Mr. Boka said I owed taxes¡­¡±

    Leon swallowed nervously and mustered his courage, ¡°and fined me an unfair amount.¡±

    The clerk at the Tax Bureau took a few documents from his hand and nodded politely, ¡°Can you explain the details?¡±

    Leon recalled the events organized by the factory manager Mr. Pierre, took a deep breath and said, ¡°That spring was a bit cold. You know, it slowed down the wheat growth.

    ¡°Indeed, by May the wheat had just started sprouting. Then Mr. Boka suddenly sent someone to the village, announcing that this year¡¯s taxes needed to be paid early, by mid-June.

    ¡°Normally, by mid-June, we would have started the harvest. But that year, the wheat wasn¡¯t ripe until July.

    ¡°The Tax Collector came to my house three times for taxes, and he beat me. But since the wheat hadn¡¯t been harvested, I had nothing to give him. So, he claimed I was severely delinquent and fined me twice the tax amount¡­¡±

    Leon¡¯s voice choked up a bit, he continued bravely, ¡°At that time, to increase the spring planting, I had borrowed 30 Leva at a high interest rate from Mr. Boka.

    ¡°I calculated that even if I sold all the crops in the field, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to pay the taxes after repaying his money¡­¡±

    He sighed heavily, ¡°The Tax Collector tied me to a tree at the village entrance for two days and nights. My wife was pregnant at the time and the shock caused her to miscarry¡­

    ¡°In desperation, I had to mortgage all the land and livestock to Mr. Boka, and I still owed him 15 Leva, oh, I had paid that off the year before last.¡±

    Leon looked at the clerk, ¡°Sir, as you know, the taxes were always paid at the end of July. If the taxes hadn¡¯t been suddenly demanded early that year, I wouldn¡¯t have been fined, and I would have been able to pay. I asked Mr. Pierre from the factory, and he said Mr. Boka couldn¡¯t just change the tax deadline arbitrarily¡­¡±

    The young clerk frowned and took down everything he said, then asked about some details carefully, finally handing him a notice, ¡°You can go back for now. Once we determine the result, we will immediately contact you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah,¡± Leon nodded repeatedly, walking towards Antoine Town in the twilight. Behind him, hundreds of people in similar situations were still queued in an extremely long line.

    Three days later, a Tax Officer with two assistants came to Leon¡¯s house.

    ¡­

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Godemid, with a self-congratulatory expression, told Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, apart from planning to halt the caravan trade, they also intend to disrupt the normal operation of the Port of Marseille.

    ¡°I discreetly inquired with Pellier, and it seems that they plan to pay off all the managers and workers at the port to take leave and go home.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face immediately turned cold.

    These fools really don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for them.

 Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: Chapter 522: Confident and Fearless

    Chapter 612: Chapter 522: Confident and Fearless

    ¡°Thank you for your information,¡± Joseph nodded to the British banker, ¡°You have won me at least half a month of preparation time.¡±

    Godemid immediately revealed a smile, ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be of service to you.¡±

    He was extremely relieved at his original decision. By being a ¡°double agent¡± in the Tax Farmers Association, he had successfully avoided significant income losses due to France¡¯s tax reform, and he had also established a connection with the Crown Prince, which would undoubtedly provide him with plenty of opportunities in France in the future.

    If handled well, he could even truly take control of French finance, just as the Wallenberg family had done in Sweden. By then, Godemid would become one of Europe¡¯s top surnames.

    He was about to ¡°take credit¡± and ask the Crown Prince for some favors when Joseph said, ¡°Oh, you must have heard about the Tax Bureau auditing the Tax Farmers¡¯ accounts, right?¡±

    Godemid nodded in response, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, all of France has been paying attention to this matter.¡±

    ¡°So when you go back, return any improperly collected taxes as soon as possible, and compensate where necessary,¡± Joseph said. ¡°Then I can pretend these things never happened.

    ¡°Oh, and if the tax office receives any complaints against you, I¡¯ll have them hold off for a while. You had better hurry.¡±

    Godemid paused, then remembered he was a Tax Farmer himself, and not a small one at that. If the audits got to him, it would not be a laughing matter; after all, no Tax Farmer was clean.

    He hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying with a lingering fear, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will definitely handle it seriously. Thank you for your leniency¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, his tone softening, ¡°I know you have some friends who want a government position. Although the finance department is definitely out of the question, I can let them become diplomats.¡±

    Godemid¡¯s spirits lifted from sadness to joy. Although the diplomatic system was far from finance, it meant he had his own confidants within the bureaucratic system, and it also indicated the Crown Prince¡¯s recognition of his importance.

    ¡°I am deeply grateful, great Crown Prince Your Highness.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï

    Naturally, Joseph would not let this cunning and ambitious tycoon control senior officials, but he could give him the position of the French ambassador to England.

    After all, the intelligence work there was now mostly handed over to the intelligence bureau, and with the current relations between France and England, there was little else for the ambassador to do other than talk tough.

    And in the not-too-distant future, he might even have to take some blame. The real diplomatic talents needed to be protected.

    Joseph encouraged Godemid a bit more and then sent him back.

    When Eman returned after seeing off the guest, Joseph immediately ordered him, ¡°Please invite Count Mirabeau, Baron Ba Yi, Viscount Besancon, Mr. Dupont, and Mr. Castella to see me immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Two hours later, a group of political and business heavyweights had already gathered in Joseph¡¯s office. The general manager of the Gemini Trading Company, Mr. Castella, had not yet returned from dealing with matters in Marseille, so his assistant manager Vorant came in his stead.

    After Mirabeau and the others were seated, Joseph immediately said solemnly, ¡°France will soon face a disaster, and I need you all to help me address it.¡±

    Everyone immediately stood up again and said in unison with their hands on their chests, ¡°Please instruct us, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph gestured for them to sit down and continued, ¡°I have received information that those guys from the Tax Farmers Association are preparing to make some big moves to stop the Tax Bureau from auditing their accounts.¡±

    Joseph then recounted the situation reported by Godemid earlier, and Mirabeau immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, since we already know their plans, we can certainly issue a prohibition order in advance to prevent it.¡±

    Paris added, ¡°We could even assign liaison officers to the larger merchant convoys.¡±

    What he referred to as liaison officers were essentially tasked with supervising the convoys, with powers to confiscate goods or freeze transactions, and each was accompanied by several, or even a dozen, armed attendants.

    Joseph shook his head, ¡°If they really want to disrupt trade, they could find many ways, such as diverting all funds for other uses. Even with a prohibition order, it¡¯s not illegal for a convoy to run out of money and not be able to buy goods.¡±

    He then smiled again, ¡°Moreover, I actually hope they can carry out their plans successfully.

    ¡°The bigger the fuss the Tax Farmers make, the more thorough the tax reform can be.¡±

    The people in the room looked at each other in astonishment upon hearing this.

    Baron Ba Yi immediately stepped forward anxiously and tried to dissuade him, ¡°Your Highness, if we let them disrupt commercial trade, it may have a very serious impact on the country.¡±

    That was precisely why the Tax Farmers Association was so confident. They were betting that the French Government would back down.

    Once the trade lines halted, factory products would accumulate, and the weaker ones would quickly go bankrupt due to broken financial chains. If the merchant convoys stopped working for two months, they could cause the collapse of France¡¯s finances, and even one month would cause irreversible damage to the country.

    Given the current scale of France¡¯s financial deficit, they dare not confront them head-on.

    Factory bankruptcies would lead to a large number of workers being unemployed, and on the other end, people unable to buy goods would not take long for the country to fall into turmoil.

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You are quite right. So we must find a way to stabilize domestic trade.¡±

    Ba Yi anxiously said, ¡°Your Highness, based on my calculations, the Tax Farmers Association can influence at least one-third of the national merchant convoys. With such a large scale, we simply cannot fill the gap quickly.¡±

    A third may seem like a small percentage, but that meant one-third of the country¡¯s goods would not be traded, which was enough to destroy a nation¡¯s economy.

    Joseph looked at the president of the French Chamber of Commerce, ¡°Mr. Dupont, how many merchant convoys do you think you can mobilize?¡±

    The latter thought for a moment, his expression troubled, ¡°Your Highness, my own convoys, plus those of the Chamber of Commerce and those without any ties to the Tax Farmers, I estimate there would be around twenty or so.¡±

    Because the Tax Farmers were extremely wealthy, they had significant influence in the Chamber of Commerce. Even as its president, Dupont could not guarantee that in a critical moment, the Chamber¡¯s people would definitely listen to him.

    Joseph then turned to Mirabeau and Ba Yi, who indicated they could find some trustworthy friends¡¯ convoys, but not in large numbers.

    Joseph nodded again and declared loudly, ¡°Then we¡¯ll form the French Trade Alliance with these convoys and the Gemini Trading Company as the core.

    ¡°The Trade Alliance will take over all trades with merchant convoy vacancies within half a month.¡±

    Mr. Dupont and Ba Yi immediately shook their heads, ¡°Your Highness, forgive my candor, but with such a number of convoys, half a month is completely insufficient to expand to the scale you need.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, if we had six months, perhaps we could give it a try.¡±

    Despite its strength, the Gemini Trading Company¡¯s regular convoy operations were not large because its main business was running Mediterranean trade and quietly bringing in some items from the Pacific Ocean.

    Combined with the convoys that several people in the room could mobilize, the total size was only about one-tenth of the national convoys.

 Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Chapter 523: Money Power, Activate!

    Chapter 613: Chapter 523: Money Power, Activate!

    ¡°I apologize for the delay, everyone. Please refresh and check back in ten minutes.¡± The young author expressed deep regret.

    With such magnitude in mind, the idea of filling a third of France¡¯s trade deficit was indeed a pipe dream.

    Yet Joseph appeared utterly confident as he looked around at everyone and said, ¡°What if I were to invest 20 million francs into the Trade Alliance?¡±

    The room fell silent at once.

    Even though these business and political magnates were accustomed to the high life and were themselves extremely wealthy, the figure of 20 million francs still sent their minds buzzing.

    What did this amount represent?

    500,000 francs was enough to establish a large trading caravan¡ªcapable of influencing the trade volume of a major city.

    The total profits of all French trading caravans last year were estimated to be around 50 to 60 million francs.

    With this move, the Crown Prince was investing nearly half a year¡¯s worth of national caravan profits!

    Immediately, several of them swallowed hard, excitement gleaming in their eyes.

    Ordinarily, forming a large trading caravan with ample funds would take about two months to prepare, after which the market would gradually be familiarized with, starting normal operations.

    But the funds at hand were more than sufficient, they were extravagant! It was a serious overflow!

    If each trading caravan invested an additional 100,000 francs to recruit help, almost overnight their framework could be established¡ªas long as the wages were high enough, employees from other caravans would flock to the Trade Alliance of their own accord.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    They could even acquire other trading caravans. Many would be willing to sell their ompanies for a 20% premium.

    They could also allocate a few thousand francs for advertising in their cities, hiring people to spread good word of mouth, with the added credibility of the Royal Family and government backing, factories burdened with stockpiles of goods would definitely choose the caravans of the Trade Alliance without hesitation.

    In this way, with an investment of 20 million francs, the existing scale of the Trade Alliance could double within a week, swiftly monopolizing the market.

    Dupont nodded subconsciously, ¡°With such a large capital investment, quickly restoring trade routes would be no problem!¡±

    Mirabeau, as a Cabinet Minister well-informed of the national finances, expressed concern, ¡°Your Highness, if we mobilize such a large amount of money, the treasury might have difficulty sustaining the pressure¡­¡±

    It was a joke, as after the tax reform, the government¡¯s operational funds for the next year hadn¡¯t even been fully gathered yet. With another 20 million taken out, the government might have to shut down next year.

    Joseph spoke calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about the money, I¡¯ll handle it.

    ¡°Mr. Bailly, please construct the Trade Alliance as quickly as possible, and the rest of you contact your respective caravans for agreements to join.¡±

    He didn¡¯t even ask if the caravan bosses were willing to join the Trade Alliance¡ªwith a whopping investment of 20 million on the table, anyone who refused would surely have their head examined.

    As for the funding issue, he planned to borrow 20 million from the Royal Insurance Company in advance. The insurance company¡¯s sales were booming and they had ample cash on hand, actively looking for investment opportunities.

    And how to repay this enormous loan in the future?

    Of course, that would be the Tax Farmers¡¯ concern.

    To pull off such a huge maneuver and still expect to emerge unscathed?

    Originally, buying 10 million francs of government bonds per family would have settled matters, but these insatiable fellows insisted on hardening their head, so now it would be changed to 10 million as a fine!

    Incidentally, their money could also be used to integrate the domestic trade system, improve caravan management levels, speak with one voice in foreign trade, and thus significantly enhance competitive strength.

    Mirabeau and the others hadn¡¯t expected the Crown Prince to casually throw out 20 million francs and were still trying to advise His Highness to be cautious, but they saw Joseph had already turned to the Chief of Police, Viscount Besancon, ¡°Please leave for Marseille immediately and make preparations to control the port with police officers.

    ¡°If anyone instigates a strike without cause, arrest them immediately. Ensure the port maintains normal order.¡±

    The head of Police Headquarters immediately stood at attention and responded loudly, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± However, there was a hint of hesitation in his eyes, ¡°Your Highness, if those people cause serious trouble¡­¡±

    ¡°You have permission to shoot on sight,¡± Joseph stated without hesitation. ¡°But try to avoid harming ordinary dockworkers and crew members.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Viscount Besancon now appeared much more confident.

    Joseph then turned to the assistant manager of the Twin Brothers Company, ¡°Mr. Vorant, you will also accompany Viscount Besancon to Marseille. Once there, spread the word that in the near future, the Twin Brothers Company will have a large number of urgently needed goods arriving, and at that time an extra 20% will be paid to the dockworkers, tugboat men and port managers.

    ¡°If the port really starts causing trouble, you can keep raising this amount until the wages double if necessary.

    ¡°Afterwards, make private contact with other captains coming to port, asking them to increase their pay as well. We will cover the additional costs.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will make sure to meet your expectations,¡± Vorant bowed and took the assignment.

    Joseph then drew a check from the drawer, signed his name, stamped it, and handed it to Vorant, ¡°Please confirm with the Bank of France Reserve first that the Marseille branch can pay out 1.5 million francs at any time. If not, then bring the money directly from Paris.¡±

    After a series of rapid task assignments, Mirabeau and the others took their orders and left, not daring to delay their execution for a moment.

    On Joseph¡¯s side, he summoned Mala, ordering him to dispatch personnel to oversee the entire process of the funds allocated this time.

    After all, the sum was simply too large and had to be spent quickly through unconventional means, making it difficult not to tempt those handling it.

    For the moment, only Mala and his men seemed capable of resisting the lure of money.

    ¡­

    A week later.

    Robespierre approached the Tuileries Palace with a grim expression, straightened his collar, and strode upstairs.

    Behind him, three subordinates from the Revenue Office carried wooden boxes filled with report materials.

    Before long, Joseph, looking at the files spread out on the table, had an even more somber face than Robespierre.

    These were all questionable accounts of the Tax Farmers, found based on public appeals recently reviewed by the Revenue Office.

    The findings were simply shocking!

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The commander-in-chief of the British Army would attend the Governor¡¯s Advisory Council and become a member, while the district commanders joined the Provincial Governments¡¯ Advisory Councils and also became members. The Advisory Councils had many secretaries, each responsible for certain departmental functions, which gradually evolved into the central ministries and provincial government departments.

    At the county level, the tax collector was a principal official, responsible for not only tax collection but also a range of administrative and judicial matters. Additionally, there was a Chief of Police in charge of maintaining public order, as well as the police station, tasked with upholding law and order and carrying out suppression.

    Government officials were initially chosen from company employees, with many at first juggling dual roles. After Hastings became Governor¡­

 Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Chapter 525 Arrest

    Chapter 615: Chapter 525 Arrest

    The leading Tax Officer stepped forward, his face devoid of any expression, ¡°You are Jacques Ethor de Boka from Turaine, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Turaine was Boka¡¯s hometown. He immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, I am Boka.¡±

    Then the Tax Officer pulled out a copper badge and showed it to him, ¡°I am Pierre Gaspar Shommet, an inspector from the Reims tax office. You are now suspected of illegal taxation, intentional harm, fraud¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, there are quite a few charges, we¡¯ll discuss these in detail later. Oh, and your ID number is 1037083123, right?¡±

    Thanks to the relentless efforts of the Minister of Civil Registry, every part of France, except for the most remote areas, had now universally adopted ID cards.

    Boka¡¯s expression darkened as he nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s correct,¡± Shommet signaled to the Tax Officers behind him, ¡°Arrest him immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chief!¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Boka took a step back and threatened, ¡°I¡¯m friends with Baron Le Corne, the municipal commissioner; you better be careful!¡±

    ¡°Municipal commissioner?¡± Shommet scoffed and turned to his subordinates, barking, ¡°Move it!¡±

    ¡°Do you know who I work for?¡± Seeing the municipal commissioner was ineffective, Boka had to resort to mentioning his boss, ¡°It¡¯s Viscount Borolei!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Shommet¡¯s interest was piqued, and he began taking notes, ¡°Tell me in detail how you work for Viscount Borolei.¡±

    Boka was stunned for a moment, and upon seeing that Shommet remained unmoved, he quickly put on a smile and frantically gestured with his eyes, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t be so serious. If you could perhaps rest outside the town for an hour, I could give you 2,000, no, 3,000 francs.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    Unexpectedly, the tax inspector in front of him did not display the greed that other bureaucrats typically did; instead, he seemed extremely angry.

    ¡°You dare bribe an official?¡± Shommet snapped, ¡°This will add another charge to your crimes!¡±

    He was a follower of Robespierre, a ¡°pureblood¡± Jacobin whose mind was filled with contributing everything to justice and freedom, creating a better country, and Boka¡¯s behavior was undoubtedly an insult to his ideals.

    Just then, Boka¡¯s butler arrived with seven or eight fierce men armed with weapons.

    Seeing Boka¡¯s unpleasant expression, these men immediately stood in front of him, separating him from the Tax Officers.

    More people kept arriving; they were all Boka¡¯s tax collectors. Most of them were previously local thugs and bullies, and having become tax collectors, they continued their domineering behavior, beating those who owed taxes at will, thus developing an extremely arrogant habit.

    One of them looked at Boka, ¡°Master, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Drive these guys away,¡± Boka gritted his teeth.

    He could tell that the Tax Office was serious this time. So, he decided to first drive away the Tax Officers, and then immediately seek protection from Viscount Borolei.

    Shommet¡¯s Tax Officers stepped forward to push aside those tax collectors but were staggered by a shove from the opposition.

    As more tax collectors arrived, their numbers quickly grew to nearly 20, surrounding Shommet and his men.

    A loud ¡°bang¡± made all of Boka¡¯s men flinch.

    Shommet lowered his raised right hand, blew the gun smoke away from the muzzle, and told the Tax Officers, ¡°In cases of a mob attack on Tax Officers, you are authorized to shoot to kill immediately!¡±

    His men immediately formed a circle back-to-back, with the muzzles of their flintlock guns pointed at the thugs.

    Boka turned and ran towards the courtyard, shouting at the same time, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, anyone who gets caught, I¡¯ll certainly bail you out!¡±

    Pierre Gaspar Shommet drew another pistol and aimed at the chest of the tax collector who was the most arrogant a moment ago, ¡°Step aside.¡±

    When the man remained unmoved, Shommet did not hesitate to pull the trigger.

    Another blast, the villain was blown backwards, his chest a bloody mess.

    The remaining tax collectors suddenly recalled stories they had heard of Tax Officers killing attackers in the streets, and they immediately associated the feared reputation of the Tax Officers with these men before them.

    A few of them trembled as they reached toward their waists. They too had pistols, and with the advantage in numbers, if a real fight were to break out, these Tax Officers would surely be no match.

    Seeing this, Shommet immediately bellowed, ¡°Fire!¡±

    Although the six Tax Officers were extremely nervous, they still carried out the command, their flintlock guns spitting flames simultaneously. At a distance of only five or six steps, they instantly struck down six tax collectors.

    ¡°Prepare bayonets!¡± commanded Shommet, as he drew his own sword.

    The ten or so remaining tax collectors, looking at the bodies on the ground, felt their legs go weak. They no longer had the courage to draw their weapons and fight, and they turned to run in terror.

    ¡°Everyone stop!¡± Shommet roared, ¡°Or be shot dead immediately!¡±

    Those tax collectors, usually so imperious, had even forgotten that the Tax Officers¡¯ guns were not yet reloaded. They froze right there, some raising their hands in surrender.

    Shommet personally led one of his subordinates crashing into Boka¡¯s villa. In no time at all, he came out with a pistol at Boka and his butler¡¯s backs.

    The tax farmers had already heard the gunshots, and now seeing the bodies on the ground, they were so frightened that they fell to their knees, their trousers soaked with a foul-smelling liquid¡­

    Meanwhile, in Stian Town.

    Although Tax Farmer Leconu was bound hand and foot, he still arrogantly shouted, ¡°Huh, you dare arrest me?

    ¡°Let me tell you, in three days, someone will come to fetch me. By then, I will make you regret this!¡±

    A Tax Officer, remembering this guy¡¯s past deeds from the records, smashed the butt of his gun into his mouth, and his yelling stopped abruptly.

    Meanwhile, in Reyon, a fierce battle erupted.

    After an exchange of fire between the subordinates of Tax Farmer Aubon and the Tax Officers, a melee ensued, and ultimately, with the help of the citizens and at the cost of four officers wounded, the Tax Officers managed to kill or arrest all the perpetrators.

    In the following three days, Tax Offices across France were mobilized, arresting nearly a thousand tax farmers or their associates.

    These were only the tax farmers where issues had been uncovered. There were still long queues of citizens raising complaints at various Tax Offices. It was foreseeable that many more tax farmers would be arrested in the coming days.

    ¡­

    On the second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

    Joseph, looking over the list submitted by Robespierre, finally relaxed his expression a bit.

    He picked up a pen and signed his name behind the list, then handed it back to Robespierre, ¡°You have done well. Let¡¯s begin the trials, then. Oh, those who violently attacked the Tax Officers, can be tried together to save time.¡±

    He eventually did not fully emulate the Jacobins¡¯ method from history.

    Current France was still maintaining good order; there was no need to destroy it out of anger. Trials were still necessary.

    It was just that the courts would probably be burdened for a while. However, most cases had clear evidence¡ªthe tax farmers¡¯ accounts, tax documents, and so on, were all in the hands of the Tax Offices, making it easy to verify whether there were any discrepancies.

 Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: Chapter 526: Death Penalty as a Starting Point, No Upper Limit

    Chapter 616: Chapter 526: Death Penalty as a Starting Point, No Upper Limit

    Adjacent to Paris, the province of Reims.

    Reims District Court.

    Judge Fosne listened to the prosecutor demanding the death penalty for the defendant and couldn¡¯t help but show a look of utter exhaustion on his face.

    Previously, he had only presided over minor cases of theft, vandalism of public property, and the like. A case of this magnitude, involving several hundred thousand francs with the likelihood of a capital sentence, was a first in his twenty years on the bench.

    To tell the truth, had it not been for cramming two all-nighters before the trial, he wouldn¡¯t even have been sure which statutes to apply to this case.

    There was no choice; the sheer number of cases involving Tax Farmers had become so rampant that the High Court¡¯s schedule was entirely full, forcing even the district courts to deal with major cases now.

    The defendant¡¯s attorney immediately strode quickly to the podium, arguing loudly, ¡°Your Honor the prosecutor, my client, Mr. Boka, simply failed to strictly adhere to tax procedures and made some errors in the calculation of taxes. These are purely economic matters and do not warrant such a severe sentence!

    ¡°Moreover, I believe this case should be heard in a commercial court, not in a general court.¡±

    The prosecutor furrowed his brow, nearly chased the attorney off the podium, and lifted a stack of documents in his hand, his voice icy as he said, ¡°Attorney Corantin, you are indeed adept at distorting the facts!

    ¡°In 1785, Boka prematurely collected taxes and used this as a pretext to impose hefty fines on 41 peasant households in Meidion Village, leading to the bankruptcy of 18 of them. During this, more than 9 people from these families died from starvation or illness. Had they been still living in their own homes, all of this could have been avoided!

    ¡°Furthermore, Boka forged government tax documents in 1786 and collected a ¡®legacy tax¡¯ of 300 francs each from Mr. Blanche and others, which led to the bankruptcy of Blanche¡¯s workshop and Blanche¡¯s suicide¡­

    ¡°That same year, Boka had subordinates beat Mr. Nei Ri because of unpaid taxes, and Nei Ri died 5 days later¡­¡±

    Attorney Corantin screeched in his objection, ¡°Your Honor, to begin with, people die of starvation or illness in Meidion Village every year. Those 9 individuals could likely have died within that year regardless of the fines.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    ¡°And as for the matter regarding Mr. Blanche, it is even more far-fetched. How can you be certain that he didn¡¯t commit suicide over a quarrel with someone or due to a mental problem?

    ¡°The circumstances of Mr. Nei Ri¡¯s death are also filled with doubts¡­¡±

    He rambled on for half an hour, his main tactic being to employ equivocations and confusions, insisting on the obsoleteness of the events since many pieces of evidence had disappeared years ago.

    He had many ways to drag out the trial for a long time. If he could stall until the uproar over the Tax Farmers subsided, perhaps a lighter sentence might ensue. Even by bribing judges and the like, he might secure an acquittal.

    After all, he had collected a hefty 7,000 francs in attorney¡¯s fees from the Boka family; he was naturally determined to exonerate his client completely.

    The prosecutor was livid with anger at the attorney¡¯s words, but given that his preparation time for the case was too short¡ªhe was currently handling four cases involving Tax Farmers¡ªhe simply didn¡¯t have enough time to gather detailed evidence. The evidence he had on hand was essentially what the tax bureau had handed over to him.

    He continued to argue his point vehemently when attorney Corantin suddenly changed tack, ¡°Ah, Mr. Prosecutor, the matters you¡¯ve brought up today should all be subject to private lawsuits by the concerned parties or their next of kin. I believe it is unreasonable for you to bring public charges, on the grounds that¡­¡±

    These shysters always found novel angles to manipulate the law.

    ¡°The families of those concerned simply cannot afford the costs of litigation, nor do they even know how to file a lawsuit!¡± the prosecutor exclaimed angrily, ¡°Otherwise, Boka would have been in prison long ago!¡±

    ¡°Your Honor, the prosecutor is threatening my client¡­¡±

    What followed was over two hours of tug-of-war between the defense and the prosecution until Judge Fosne, feeling helpless, banged his gavel and declared the court adjourned.

    He had a premonition that with the attorney¡¯s experience, this trial could last at least half a year.

    He returned to the lounge room, just about to enjoy a cup of coffee, when a court clerk escorted in a well-dressed, silky wigged, clearly distinguished-looking middle-aged man who knocked on the door.

    The middle-aged man signaled for the clerk to leave, then addressed a somewhat nervous Fosne, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Judge Fosne. I am Cyprian, the special representative from the Royal Supreme Court, and I need to discuss some matters of the cases with you¡­¡±

    An hour later, the Boka case resumed.

    Lawyer Corantin continued to digress from point to point, but his words were hardly out when he was abruptly interrupted by the judge banging his gavel hard, ¡°Defense attorney, please refrain from comments irrelevant to the case.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Honor.¡±

    Corantin switched to another angle to spar with the prosecutor, but was quickly reprimanded again, ¡°Defense attorney, your speculation is not admissible as evidence in court. Continue like this, and I will have to warn you.¡±

    The prosecutor was overjoyed and launched into an offensive.

    Under the clearly aggressive stance from the judge, the prosecutor quickly overwhelmed Corantin, who was visibly perspiring and retreating step by step.

    At 4 p.m., Judge Fosne symbolically consulted a few court associates, then forcefully hammered down the gavel, proclaiming loudly, ¡°This court hereby declares, Boka is guilty of illegal tax collection, murder, fraud, forgery of public documents¡­

    ¡°The charges are established, and this court sentences Jacques Ethor de Boka of Turaine¡­¡± according to the ¡°Dohrn Decree,¡± ¡°Sylvans Ordinance¡±¡­

    ¡°¡­to death by decapitation.¡±

    Corantin was stupefied. How had the sentence been passed already?

    Even though he had suffered some setbacks in court, there were many facets of the case that could still be exploited, yet the judge had rendered a verdict in less than a day!

 Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: Chapter 526: Death Penalty as a Starting Point, No Upper Limit_2

    Chapter 617: Chapter 526: Death Penalty as a Starting Point, No Upper Limit_2

    He hurriedly whispered reassurances to the ashen-faced Boka, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are many grounds for an appeal in this case, after all, a huge amount of evidence is gone. I will submit an application to the appellate court tomorrow.¡±

    Judge Fosne took a deep breath. Just now, that high-ranking official from the Supreme Judicial Court had instructed him to quickly deliver judgments on all cases involving Tax Farmers as long as the facts were clear, without paying too much attention to detailed evidence.

    At this rate, the thick stack of Tax Farmers¡¯ cases in his possession would probably be completed in less than half a month.

    He had originally planned to spend half a year dealing with these cases.

    At the courthouse gate, a bailiff, upon hearing the verdict, excitedly slipped out against the rules and loudly proclaimed to the waiting crowd outside, ¡°Execution by beheading!¡±

    The crowd immediately erupted into a wave of cheers:

    ¡°Great, that damned Boka is finally going to hell!¡±

    ¡°Long live Judge Fosne!¡±

    ¡°Thank Jesus, the wicked has finally been punished!¡±

    It could be said that almost no one in Reims didn¡¯t hate the Tax Farmers. Even if they hadn¡¯t been ruined by them, it was common to be overcharged a few sous or to be struck by a Tax Collector during collection.

    Now that they had heard the Tax Farmers had been sentenced to death, how could they not be jubilant?

    Lawyer Corantin carefully left the Lance District Court at twilight¡ªhe was well aware of the dreadful reputation, the Tax Farmers held.

    However, just as he stepped out of the main entrance, something was smeared across his face.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï

    Instinctively reaching up to feel it, he found his hand coated in something sticky and foul-smelling, which immediately triggered intense vomiting.

    More than a dozen people emerged around him, obviously waiting for him, cursing while throwing more ¡°unidentified objects¡± at him.

    It wasn¡¯t until Corantin¡¯s servant shielded him into a carriage that the crowd ceased their pursuit after two more blocks.

    Meanwhile, Leon, Blanche, and the family of Nei Ri related to the case only received news the following day¡ªthey didn¡¯t have the leisure to wait at the district court for the verdict; they were too overwhelmed by the burdens of everyday life. But soon, the key culprit for all this was about to pay for his crimes.

    ¡­

    Corantin was unexpectedly taken aback by the frightening efficiency of the French judicial system.

    He had appealed for Boka, but within just a day, the appellate court had rejected it, citing clear evidence and reasonable judgment.

    Helplessly, he appealed to the Reims Supreme Court, which took two days before the court announced that it would uphold the original sentence and issued a final judgment, cutting off any further thought of appealing to the Supreme Court.

    Subsequently, the date for the execution was set¡ªten days later.

    Naturally, he was unaware that all this was the result of the Crown Prince urging the Supreme Judicial Court to supervise the local courts. Even when several senior officials of the Supreme Judicial Court advised him to be cautious, Joseph unhesitatingly replaced the assistant of the chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court¡ªthe second in command.

    Joseph wasn¡¯t exactly aiming to interfere with the judiciary; although, in a royal society, interference was just that. It was just that the cases regarding the Tax Farmers were very clear, and since hanging was justified with hardly any miscarriage of justice, there was no need to waste time and judicial resources on them.

    Moreover, these Tax Farmers were immensely wealthy, and the longer the litigation dragged on, the more ways they could conceive to exonerate themselves.

    While Corantin was repeatedly revisiting the trial, beginning to doubt his professional capabilities, he heard news that restored his confidence¡ª

    Recently, all cases involving Tax Farmers were swiftly processed; his was even considered slow, with some cases receiving final judgments from the high court in the afternoon of the same day they were sentenced in the morning.

    Moreover, the death penalty rate in these cases was as high as 70%!

    Those not sentenced to death mostly faced decades of imprisonment, with only a few individuals receiving exile or short-term imprisonment.

    There wasn¡¯t a single case of acquittal!

    The tax office was targeting specific individuals for arrest, and tax farmers who had not committed any wrongdoing were not brought to court.

    In the morning, Corantin had breakfast and left a hostel in the Saint-Germain District of Paris to take a walk¡ªhe didn¡¯t dare stay in Reims anymore, fearing that the angry populace could kill him any day. Although he had earned 7000 francs, had he been given the choice, he would never have taken on Boka¡¯s case a few days earlier.

    ¡°Newspapers, get your news!¡± a newsboy¡¯s shout came from across the street, ¡°¡±News and Pictures Daily,¡± read about the joint trial of the violent attackers of the tax officers, just five sous for the verdict!¡±

    Corantin beckoned the newsboy, paid, and bought a newspaper, and immediately saw the news¡ª571 individuals involved in the attack on tax officers or violently obstructing the arrest of suspects, all sentenced to death! The majority were former tax collectors, that is, the henchmen bred by the tax farmers.

    The news also mentioned that among these 571 people, there were a few nobles, and to facilitate a unanimous trial result, the Paris Supreme Court sentenced them all to beheading. And their appeals were rejected that very day.

    These 500 plus people, like Boka, were to begin their death sentence ten days later.

    ¡­

    On the southern outskirts of Paris.

    In Ford¡¯s villa, a dozen tax farming magnates were all somber and silent.

    They had already known for some time that a large number of tax farmers and their subordinates had been arrested and quickly sentenced to death.

    This indicated that their route through the Countess of Artuwa and the Countess of Debeninac to the Queen had failed, and the government had started to take action against them.

    After a long silence, a corpulent tax farmer spoke: ¡°Who would have thought Brian would be so ruthless this time? Is he trying to drive us to death?¡±

    Ford shot him a look and retorted, ¡°This is not something Brian could achieve by himself. The entire justice system has been mobilized!¡±

    Hope nodded, ¡°It seems it¡¯s the Royal Family¡¯s intention.¡±

    Borelay gritted his teeth, ¡°I told you earlier we should have paid to support the High Court in its fight against the Royal Family! But you stingy people disagreed.¡±

    ¡°What use is there in saying these things now?¡± Baron Morrel said, ¡°The tax office people watch me every day. Soon the fire will catch us too!¡±

    Since these tax farming magnates usually operated from behind the scenes, leaving the actual business to agents and even having a noble negotiate the tax farming deals, and since they had also paid a large amount in hush money, the tax office had no strong evidence to arrest them as yet.

    But tax farming involved billions of francs, and the flow of dues could not be completely hidden. Moreover, they occasionally convened subordinate tax farmers to issue orders, so as long as investigations continued, the tax office was sure to find them.

    Hope signaled everyone to calm down, looking quite composed, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t panic. Our arrangements in the trading caravans and Port of Marseille are already in place, and we will send people to negotiate with the Royal Family soon.

    ¡°The Royal Family, having arrested so many people, has gained enough benefits. They should know when to stop. Otherwise, once trade and the Mediterranean ports encounter issues, large-scale riots will soon break out in France.¡±

    Morrel muttered under his breath skeptically, ¡°I hope your plan works. But I¡¯ve already decided to give up my funds in France and hide in England for a while.¡±

    Godemid and several other tax farmers promptly expressed similar sentiments.

    ¡­

    In the northeastern province of France, Champagne.

    Gerald Bonner handed a contract to the owner of the Marie estate, saying with a smile, ¡°You won¡¯t regret today¡¯s decision.

    In addition to giving you the best purchase price, we¡¯re also providing you with a property insurance¡ªall if the purchase amount exceeds 5000 francs.

    If there are accidents with the goods, for instance, if the wine becomes sour before being sold, the insurance company will compensate for it, and there is no need for refunds.¡±

    Bonner was the second in command of the newly established French Trade Alliance trading caravan in the Champagne region.

    Previously just a small businessman, although his business wasn¡¯t large, decades of hard work had honed his business skills.

    Seeing that the Trade Alliance was offering a 1500 franc annual salary for caravan management, he did not hesitate to apply. His small family business only earned him about 1000 francs a year and it came with risks.

 Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Chapter 528: Confrontation

    Chapter 619: Chapter 528: Confrontation

    Reve was struggling internally when the butler brought the manager of the trade caravan, Caberri.

    The latter entered the room and immediately presented his resignation to Reve, citing health issues as the reason. Of course, the real reason was that the Trade Alliance had offered him too much to refuse.

    Reve tried desperately to retain him. Caberri was the main person in charge of the daily affairs of the caravan; if he left, it would have a severe impact on the caravan.

    But Caberri¡¯s attitude was very resolute, and he quickly threw down his resignation letter and left.

    Reve pounded the table and roared for a while, but soon slumped down, then looked at his son and shook his head, ¡°We can¡¯t sacrifice the entire caravan for the sake of Ford. Go and make contact with someone from the Trade Alliance tomorrow; if possible, we¡¯ll join as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll raise some funds. If Viscount Ford still insists on going it alone, then we¡¯ll take the caravan¡¯s old hands and re-establish a new caravan.¡±

    If you can¡¯t beat them, join them. Even 18th-century merchants understood this ¡°principle.¡±

    Like in Champagne, trade caravans across France that had participated in halting trade soon regretted it.

    Many caravans opted to resume business and even sought to join the Trade Alliance, as once the market is lost, it¡¯s difficult to regain, and currently, the Trade Alliance firmly held a huge market share.

    As for those tax-farmed caravans that were completely owned by their bosses, although they had to hibernate and lose money under strict orders, it did not affect their employees from switching jobs in large numbers.

    ¡­

    Marseille.

    The salty sea breeze swept through the busy port. Morning sunlight penetrated the mist, shining on the mountains of goods piled up. Meanwhile, various sizes of merchant ships were continuously docking, ready to unload more cargo.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.??

    Old Fickman adjusted the collar of his thin, worn jacket to block the chill creeping into his neck. However, he was not worried about freezing, as he would soon be busy and the heavy goods on his shoulders would quickly make him sweat profusely.

    Yet, just as he and a few fellow dockworkers reached the outskirts of the docks, they were blocked by a short man with a wide and flat nose and drooping eyes at the corners.

    He recognized the man; it was Hogot, an overseer under Master Philippe Antonelle. Antonelle controlled over half of the warehouses on the west side of the docks, making him one of the largest forces in the Port of Marseille.

    Old Fickman and his companions quickly stepped forward and bowed, ¡°Master Hogot, what can we do for you?¡±

    The latter looked down his nose at them and commanded coldly, ¡°Go home, no need to come to the docks today.¡±

    The workers were momentarily stunned; one of them urgently asked, ¡°Master, what¡¯s happened? If we don¡¯t work, my family will have nothing to eat¡­¡±

    ¡°Give each of them 15 sous.¡±

    Hogot signaled disdainfully to his subordinate, who immediately pulled out a handful of copper coins and handed them to Fickman and the others, ¡°Don¡¯t talk back, just go home.¡±

    ¡°Ah, is this for me? Thank you, Master, thank you!¡±

    The dockworkers repeatedly bowed. Although the 15 sous were slightly less than what they could earn, they were happy to take money without any fairness involved.

    Then, Hogot pointed at them and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go to the docks for the next fortnight. Just come here to collect your money daily.¡±

    Fickman and the others thanked him again and were about to turn and leave when a man in a dirty coarse linen coat with patches on his trousers squeezed through from behind them and whispered with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just circle around from the south side to the docks and continue working? We¡¯d earn the 15 sous for free then.¡±

    Hogot immediately glared menacingly, not recognizing who this person was¡ªdespite having been around the Port of Marseille for over a decade, there were few dockworkers he didn¡¯t know¡ªbut judging by his attire, he was definitely a laborer. So, he grabbed him by the collar and growled fiercely, ¡°Are you asking for a beating? Get lost; you wouldn¡¯t want to see me enraged!¡±

    The man glanced at the copper coin in his hand but appeared unphased, ¡°You are disrupting the normal order of the docks.¡±

    Hogot threw a punch at him, but the man dodged it by tilting his head.

    ¡°This is outright assault,¡± the man said as he broke free from the grip, addressing Fickman and the others, ¡°You all saw it.¡±

    Enraged, Hogot signaled his subordinates to teach this troublemaker a lesson, but he stopped in sheer terror just a few steps forward¡ªthe ¡°laborer¡± had pulled a pistol from behind his back.

    Soon, more people rushed from across the street and knocked Hogot and his subordinates to the ground, securely binding them.

    The man with the pistol addressed Fickman and his companions, smiling, ¡°Now, you can go to work. Oh, Gemini Trading Company has a lot of cargo arriving at the port these days, and it¡¯s said that the wages could be at least 20% higher than usual.¡±

    The dockworkers exchanged glances and timidly handed over the money Hogot had earlier given them, ¡°Old master, he forced this money on us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why he gave me money¡­¡±

    ¡°Since it¡¯s a gift from him, you may as well keep it,¡± the armed man said, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve heard some people might threaten workers at the docks not to work, so Marseille City Hall is planning to hire Italians to move the goods.¡±

    Fearing that Italians would take their jobs, which they depended on to survive, Fickman and the others exchanged glances and quickly ran toward the docks.

    They had to prove to the employers that they were more enduring and reliable than the Italians.

    And according to what this gentleman said, they could also earn 20% more these days, so they definitely needed to work hard!

    Similar scenarios played out across the Port of Marseille, with a large number of police in dockworkers¡¯ attire striking everywhere, catching more than 30 instigators of the strike in one day.

    This was Besancon¡¯s deployment.

    Initially, he intended to deploy a massive number of police to surround the Port of Marseille to prevent a large-scale strike, but later, one of his subordinates suggested that it would be too conspicuous and allow those lurking as instigators to easily avoid the police.

    So, he decided to have the police blend in with the workers instead, making it easy to catch the instigators of the strike when they contacted the workers.

    Soon, the news that dockworkers at the Port of Marseille could earn extra and that Italian workers might flood the docks spread, prompting the original dockworkers to rush to the docks in desperation for work.

    Even those who originally worked different jobs also came, trying to grab a share of the opportunity.

    In the afternoon, several confidants of the tax farmers, including Antonelle, were arrested by police on charges of inciting riot, identified by their subordinates.

    The chaotic situation at the Port of Marseille, meticulously planned by Ford and others, had barely begun before it was declared bankrupt.

 Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: Chapter 529: Nobles and Commoners

    Chapter 620: Chapter 529: Nobles and Commoners

    National First Prison, second floor.

    Guard Captain Kesode opened the large door to cell 211 for the Crown Prince.

    A faint scent of incense immediately wafted out. Joseph caught a glimpse of the cell¡¯s neat, white walls, the patterned desk, and the half-open bathroom door behind which a flush toilet was visible, and he couldn¡¯t help frowning slightly.

    This bad habit of French prisons was truly hard to correct.

    Previously, he had instructed the prison head, Marquis of Launay, that the cells of the nobility should not be too luxurious. He did promptly convert the cells into singles, but outside those, he still preserved the toilets, dining rooms, and a massive wardrobe. Although the furniture was much reduced from before, it was still all expensive, high-quality goods.

    All in all, this place was much more luxurious and comfortable than the homes of ordinary Parisians. Of course, these conditions were several times harsher than before for the nobility, making even one day here a torment.

    However, Joseph also knew that it was difficult to change such ingrained notions all at once; adjustments would continue to be made in the future. Besides, he was here today for a more important matter and did not wish to prolong the discussion about the cell with the Marquis of Launay.

    As the person inside cell 211 heard the noise, he immediately turned and looked toward the doorway. When he saw the Crown Prince, dressed in a crisp blue and white cavalry uniform, he hurriedly stepped back with his right foot and, placing his hand over his chest, bowed deeply, nervously saying, ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince, it is truly wonderful that you have come¡­¡±

    Joseph sat down on the chair that Eman had pulled over, and with a cold gaze, he looked at the middle-aged man still wearing a lace-embellished velvet coat and neatly arranged white wig, ¡°Baron Pelley, you may speak now. Regarding the ¡®important matter¡¯ you mentioned.¡±

    Yes, this man, whose gaze always carried an air of arrogance, was one of the bigwigs of the Tax Farmers Association, a banker, a usurer, and a great landlord, Pelley.

    Just over ten days ago, his trusted aide, Antoine, had been arrested for ¡°inciting panic¡± and ¡°spreading rumors.¡±

    Then, the police quickly uncovered several murder cases linked to Antoine¡ªthis fellow controlled one of the largest gangs in the Port of Marseille, and such activities were common for him and almost an open secret in Marseille.

    However, previously, with Pelley¡¯s protection and Marseille¡¯s corrupt bureaucratic system, no one had been able to touch him.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    This time, however, the Chief of Police, Besancon, personally took charge, bringing an order signed by the Crown Prince himself, and now no one dared to help Antoine escape punishment.

    Unexpectedly, after being jailed, Antoine was slightly intimidated by Besancon and he ended up betraying his own boss.

    Besancon treated this revelation like a treasure trove. Recently, the Tax Office had been too prominent, even taking over many of the Police Headquarters¡¯ responsibilities. After stabilizing the situation in Marseille, he immediately rushed back to Paris at full speed and captured Pelley, the big fish.

    With an order from His Majesty the Crown Prince in hand, let alone a capitalist tycoon, he would even dare to arrest a Cabinet Minister now!

    Pelley initially wanted to resist firmly, but he quickly heard about the emergence of the French Trade Alliance, which had taken over nearly a quarter of France¡¯s merchant market in just half a month. He instantly lost all his previous confidence and arrogance.

    He was well aware that Ford¡¯s plan had failed. Now, with the trade route crisis resolved and the matter of the Port of Marseille suppressed, the government had no further concerns; the next step would surely be to deal with people like him.

    At this critical moment, he had been betrayed by the fool, Antoine.

    So, he decisively decided to emulate Antoine¡ªbetray his team members to save himself.

    Pelley put on a pleasing expression, slightly bending his waist as he said to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I indeed made some very foolish and disgraceful decisions previously, and I know you must be greatly annoyed by them. However, I hope that what I am about to tell you will improve your mood.

    ¡°Of course, if you could grant me a little merciful forgiveness for this, I would be eternally grateful for your pity.¡±

    Seeing Joseph¡¯s impatience, he quickly got to the point, ¡°Your Highness, I know who was behind the nationwide intimidation and attacks on the tax bureaus.¡±

    Joseph raised his eyes, ¡°Say his name.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Borore.¡± Pellier said, ¡°Jacques Albert de Borore. I know your men have caught many attackers, but the leads quickly ran dry. That¡¯s because Borore had sent those responsible to Switzerland and Venice.

    ¡°I just happen to have friends in Switzerland who know the whereabouts of a few.¡±

    His use of ¡°just happen¡± was strategic; he had been planning to leverage this as soon as he heard that Borore intended to use intimidation against the tax bureaus to grasp this ¡°smuggler.¡±

    Thus, by preemptively making arrangements in Switzerland, he managed to find out where Borore¡¯s men were hiding.

    He had initially intended to use this information to blackmail Borore for substantial business gains, yet it unexpectedly saved him now.

    Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up, realizing these capitalists indeed took harsh measures for their benefits.

    ¡°So, where are they?¡±

    Pellier, rubbing his hands and with a sheepish grin, said, ¡°Your Highness, you hope to exchange a fine of two million francs for exemption from punishment¡­¡±

    Joseph interrupted him immediately, ¡°I can only assure that you will not lose your life.¡±

    Pellier seemed as if struck by lightning, with large beads of cold sweat rolling down his cheeks¡­

    A week later.

    Borore, while preparing to board a ship to escape to England, was intercepted by agents from the intelligence bureau and subsequently found himself in the prison¡¯s interrogation room facing his subordinates who were supposed to have fled to Switzerland.

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph listened to the cheers and discussions coming from outside the window and signaled Eman to close it.

    Those were Parisians rushing to Louvre Square, ready to witness the commencement of the execution ceremony. Today, several dozen of the universally hated tax farmers¡¯ minions would have their heads chopped off.

    Almost every citizen who could spare the time, including farmers from more than ten kilometers around, had gathered to witness this thrilling moment.

    Standing in front of Joseph, Baron Breti, the Justice Minister, waited until the noise was muffled by the glass and continued, ¡°Your Highness, you know, among the prisoners sent to Louvre Square are quite a few nobles, ah, at least a dozen.

    ¡°To have them executed alongside these lowly criminals is an insult to their noble status. I fear this will incite strong protests from the nobility, I mean, it could have been entirely avoided.¡±

    Currently, in France as well as all of Europe, even the death penalty differs between nobles and commoners. This time, due to a ¡°joint trial,¡± even those common prisoners who would usually face hanging unexpectedly ¡°upgraded¡± to enjoy the guillotine, a privilege of the nobility.

 Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Chapter 530 Execution

    Chapter 621: Chapter 530 Execution

    For that reason, the nobles who were involved in the violent attack on the Tax Officers today will also be grouped with common prisoners they usually despise on their journey to hell.

    And this would make the nobility feel like they are being insulted.

    It sounds ridiculous but, in this era, for the nobility, this is truly a big deal.

    A big deal concerning their own sense of identity!

    ¡°Thank you for your suggestion,¡± Joseph looked towards Baron Breti and sighed, ¡°Perhaps the nobility will also have to gradually get used to ¡®integrating¡¯ with common people.¡±

    The sense of superiority held by the nobility and their disdain for the commoners were not only reflected in luxury and privilege but had permeated every detail of their behavior and thoughts.

    From accents and gazes, to food, lodging, work, and even prison cells and executions, nobles had a completely different set of things from the commoners.

    This had become a natural, taken-for-granted subconscious behavior, which would inevitably lead to social stratification.

    Joseph knew this was a big problem but knew even more so that it was the most difficult problem to solve.

    In history, tens of thousands of heads rolled during France¡¯s Great Cull before this difficult question was partially resolved, with several reversals afterwards.

    Baron Breti ventured, ¡°Your Highness, we can secretly execute these noble prisoners, it won¡¯t be too much trouble¡­¡±

    ¡°No need for that,¡± Joseph waved his hand and looked towards the crowd flocking to the execution ground outside the window, ¡°I have made arrangements.

    ¡°Those prisoners will no longer have the distinction between nobility and commoners today, they will all be given the same identity. I believe the nobility will have no objections to a unified execution.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À0.§ã¦Ï

    In fact, this execution was also an attempt by Joseph¡ªan attempt to gradually eliminate class divisions.

    As long as people accepted the reality of nobles and commoners being beheaded together this time, it would become a precedent in the future.

    Then, there would be convergence in prisons for nobles and commoners, and, subsequently, harmonization in certain lifestyle habits¡­ Cutting the sausage slowly, although inefficient, would avoid major social turmoil to the greatest extent.

    Joseph wasn¡¯t even sure if his method would definitely work, but it was better than doing nothing at all.

    Breti wanted to persuade him further, but then heard the Crown Prince say, ¡°Actually, not just the criminals from this combined trial, but also those on the list you just gave me, they will all be executed in the same manner.¡±

    The Justice Minister was shocked. The list he had just given His Highness for his signature contained the names of recently sentenced Tax Farmers, including big nobles like Borelay and Antoine!

    He had assumed that His Highness was merely making a show of it and would later seek the Queen¡¯s clemency for these people¡ªthe Crown Prince, although now presiding over most of the judicial work, still did not hold the royal prerogative of pardon, which was temporarily exercised by the Queen.

    But unexpectedly, the Crown Prince was even going to execute Borelay. It was known that great nobles of that status, even if they committed murder in public, could offset their crimes with fines. This was tradition and precedent.

    Joseph detested these precedents that should have been thrown onto the trash heap of history.

    He glanced at the corner clock on the wall, stood up, and signaled to Eman to fetch his coat, then patted Baron Breti on the shoulder: ¡°It¡¯s almost time, would you like to come to the Louvre Square with me?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± The Justice Minister was taken aback, then hurriedly nodded, ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±

    Half an hour later.

    A path had only been cleared through the crowd of onlookers by the struggling efforts of a large number of policemen with the assistance of the Crown Prince¡¯s personal guard, allowing Joseph¡¯s carriage to enter the center of the square.

    It wasn¡¯t a matter of police negligence at the special passage, but that the number of onlookers this time far exceeded their expectations.

    The usually very spacious Louvre Square was now crowded with more than 13,000 people, making it feel incredibly congested.

    Joseph kept the carriage windows shut, but the cheers and shouts still buzzed in his ears, ¡°These damned ones are finally going to hell!¡±

    ¡°Thank God for the Crown Prince, for he judged these sinful tax collectors!¡±

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! Long live the High Court!¡±

    ¡°See? The Crown Prince won¡¯t let them get away!¡±

    ¡°They have their day too! Haha, today is the happiest day of my life!¡±

    Joseph was prepared, yet still somewhat shocked by the public¡¯s hatred towards the Tax Farmers. Not even when he had triumphantly returned from the Southern Netherlands with the Guard Corps had there been so many onlookers.

    Soon, surrounded by officials like Kesode, the President of the High Court, and the Sentence Supervision Judge, Joseph arrived at a dais on the north side of the square, which was about three meters high, finally allowing him to break free from the sea of people.

    Sitting down in the central chair, he looked across and saw in the middle of the square, some 20 meters away, a taller rectangular wooden platform with a device that looked like a long-poled chopper¡ªcompletely different from the guillotine he had seen in documentaries.

    Perhaps it was a good thing that such guillotines did not appear.

    Joseph muttered to himself and signaled to Dibor, the President of the High Court, ¡°Please begin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Following Dibor¡¯s orders, a heavy drumbeat soon filled the air and the onlookers immediately fell silent.

    Then, the orchestra began to play, and after more than ten minutes, the music ended abruptly. Dibor announced loudly, ¡°The esteemed Crown Prince has arrived. Pay Your Highness your respects.¡±

    The tens of thousands in the square immediately bowed in unison towards the VIP area. Their gestures of respect differed from when they were enforced out of mere ritual; this time it seemed to come genuinely from the heart in tribute to the Crown Prince.

    It was widely rumored that the tax reform was orchestrated by His Highness and that it was under his insistence and push that the Tax Farmers with their numerous crimes were apprehended.

    Joseph nodded to the crowd, and then stepped to the front to make a brief introduction. Next came a rush of drumbeats and a prisoner was brought onto the platform by two burly executioners.

    Yet, what followed was not the reading of the prisoner¡¯s crimes by a court official, but instead, a peasant-looking man climbed onto the execution platform, visibly nervous.

    Initially hesitant, he clenched his fists upon turning to see the Tax Officer waiting to be executed.

    It had been estimated that at least 5,000 people witnessed public guillotine executions, with as many as 100,000 at times. They were there to mock, curse, or just watch the scene unfold as if it were theater.

 Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: Chapter 531: The Dye Vat and the Great Scholar

    Chapter 622: Chapter 531: The Dye Vat and the Great Scholar

    With the farmer continuously narrating on the execution platform, the tens of thousands of people in the square clenched their fists in anger, their teeth gritting audibly.

    Especially when he mentioned that after his sister¡¯s death, the shameless Tax Farmer even forced him to pay the fine for that year, with interest, amounting to 80 Levas, the crowd could no longer contain themselves and erupted in a tsunami-like roar, ¡°Execute this Devil!¡±

    ¡°Kill him, I don¡¯t want to wait a moment longer!¡±

    ¡°Send him to hell!¡±

    However, the nobles who came to watch were not very excited. The pitiful life of a countryman could at most make them shrug in regret, but it was hard to evoke any empathy.

    Even some of the villainous individuals, who had themselves committed the act of seizing poor girls, were whispering and emitting sleazy laughter.

    After the farmer had finished speaking, the Executioner Officer, taking advantage of the peak of the atmosphere in the square, loudly read the verdict of the High Court and then signaled to start the execution.

    A burst of drumming sounded, and the furious people immediately quieted down, their gazes collectively directed towards the large execution platform.

    First came the Priest to the Tax Farmer, conducted a routine prayer, and allowed him to confess.

    Then the Priest, making the sign of the cross, moved to the side, and an executioner, wearing a black mask with arms thicker than the average person¡¯s legs, picked up the ¡°long pole guillotine¡± beside him and strode over to the side of the criminal.

    It was at this point that Joseph realized that the ¡°guillotine¡± was actually a very large two-handed greatsword, as tall as an adult man including the hilt, flashing a blinding cold light under the sun.

    The Tax Farmer Bernie, neck locked in pillory and lying on a horizontal beam, suddenly became terrified and began to wail loudly; but the next moment, the executioner swung the greatsword like a windmill. Before the crowd could see clearly what was happening, the blade had swept past the front of the pillory, and instantly a pillar of blood shot out, Bernie¡¯s head rolling to the ground like a falling coconut.

    The Execution Officer stepped forward, picked up the head, and held it high to show the crowd, immediately drawing a deafening cheer.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    People waved their hands, shouting with all their might, all the long-accumulating sorrow, indignation, and resentment bursting forth with the spewing blood.

    The Tax Farmers had plagued the nation for too long. Almost everyone had suffered at their hands, being robbed of the last coin in their pockets, despising them to the bone yet powerless against them.

    From the moment this head was severed, people knew that the group of Tax Farmers would no longer exist!

    The future was filled with more hope!

    The farmer who had previously vehemently denounced Bernie¡¯s crimes was now tearfully incoherent, murmuring his sister¡¯s name, and with the help of the Execution Officer¡¯s assistant, he descended from the platform.

    Then another tax collector was brought up to the execution platform.

    Just as before, the victim came up first to denounce his crimes.

    However, this time the one who came up was a middle-aged woman, her clothes old but neat and proper, and her movements showing refined manners, clearly a noblewoman.

    She glared fiercely at the death row inmate behind her, beginning to weep as she recounted how he exploited the ¡°delayed tax payment¡± scheme to gradually burden her husband with overwhelming debts until they had no choice but to sell the family business.

    Even her daughter, who had been engaged to a promising young lawyer, had her engagement broken off due to their ruined family.

    In the end, their noble family, which had lasted for hundreds of years, was forced to move to the slums of the Saint Antoine District. The area stank of sewage. Her husband had to copy documents for others for over ten hours a day just to scrape by, and every night he would be tormented by back pain until midnight.

    Though the common people also shouted, ¡°Kill him,¡± their voices were much quieter than before, after all, the lady could at least feed her family.

    But the nobles present were engulfed in immense rage¡ªthese filthy, shameless Tax Farmers used despicable means to persecute a decent and long-established noble into such a plight, into the abyss of suffering! It was simply unforgivable!

    They suddenly cursed in the coarsest language like any other commoner, wildly waving their arms, their faces flushing with excitement.

    After the Tax Farmer¡¯s head was chopped off, the nobles also jumped and cheered without regard for decorum.

    Another common victim took the stage¡­

    In this manner, victims reciting the crimes of the Tax Farmers switched between commoners and nobles. Before long, the crowd, having forgotten their own statuses, began to unanimously denounce the Tax Farmers.

    With each sinful head chopped off, the crowd on the square seemed more united, even starting to dance to the rhythm of the execution drums.

    This was Joseph¡¯s plan. By having those long-oppressed by the Tax Farmers publicly indict them, he provoked people¡¯s sympathy and anger, thus maximizing the justification for this purge of the Tax Farmers.

    By now, neither commoners nor nobles harbored any sympathy for the Tax Farmers Association. The excited and frenzied crowd at the square was proof.

    From now on, no matter how he dealt with the Tax Farmers Association, there would hardly be major resistance. No, rather, the cleaner he swept the Tax Farmers Association, the more support and endorsement he would receive from everyone!

    It was near twilight when the execution event finally came to an end, and two worn-out Executioners left the scene. Since denouncing the Tax Farmers¡¯ crimes took a lot of time, they had only managed to chop off 28 heads that day, which lay bloodily piled in a corner of the scaffold.

    Joseph had also watched the entire day¡¯s proceedings here, but fortunately, having seen more ferocious scenes on the battlefield, he managed to remain emotionally stable. Nevertheless, he decided not to attend the subsequent executions¡ªgiven the current rate of execution, heads might be chopped here for the better part of a month.

    ¡­

    Two days later.

    Joseph was browsing through the files submitted by the tax office detailing the assets of the convicted Tax Farmers and the illicit gains identified when he suddenly furrowed his brows.

    He was startled to see a familiar name¡ªLavoisier.

    According to the documents, over the many years that this scholar handled the tobacco tax contract in Paris, he had been diluting the tobacco with water, amassing tremendous illegal profits¡ªabout 100,000 to 150,000 levas each year.

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help rubbing his forehead. Previous historical records had claimed that Lavoisier¡¯s beheading by the Jacobins was a huge mistake, causing the stagnation of France¡¯s chemical research for decades, among other things.

    Now it seemed that although his beheading was excessively severe, he was certainly not entirely innocent. The corrupt cesspool of the Tax Farmers, it seemed, made it hard for any person of integrity to remain clean.

 Chapter 623 - Chapter 623: Chapter 532: His Majesty the Kings Patent

    Chapter 623: Chapter 532: His Majesty the King¡¯s Patent

    Joseph continued to review the documents regarding the Paris High Court¡¯s verdict on Lavoisier and finally breathed a sigh of relief¡ª15 years of imprisonment, without the immediate death sentence typically favored by the Jacobins.

    Indeed, Lavoisier¡¯s crimes did not meet the standards for beheading. During the Reign of Terror in France, he was unlucky enough to lose his life simply because there were only verdicts of ¡°innocence¡± or ¡°death.¡±

    Joseph weighed his options with difficulty. Lavoisier could not afford to be imprisoned now, as both the Soda Ash factory and Coal Tar refinery were still relying on him to oversee the operations. If he were to be jailed, these projects would have to halt.

    It seemed that special bail was the only option. Joseph then looked at the amount of the fine imposed by the Court, a staggering 1.6 million francs.

    He immediately frowned, realizing that after the fine was paid, Lavoisier likely wouldn¡¯t have enough left for the bail. In such a case, he would have no choice but to ask his father for a royal pardon.

    Why would such a prominent scholar, already possessing wealth over a million, still greedily aim for a little more?

    Just then, Eman spoke softly from outside the door, ¡°Your Highness, Baron Breti requests an audience.¡±

    ¡°Please, let him in.¡±

    The Justice Minister entered, followed by a middle-aged man wearing spectacles.

    After formal greetings, Baron Breti gestured towards the newcomer, introducing him to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, this is Joseph-Ignace Guillotin of the Paris Judicial Inspection Office.

    ¡°In fact, he has always been committed to increasing the efficiency of executions and, after tireless efforts, has finally invented this new type of guillotine.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Guillotin eagerly stepped forward, opened the case he brought with him, and took out a detailed guillotine model. Smiling, he ardently explained to Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, our current methods of capital punishment are very troublesome, inefficient, and cause great suffering to the criminals. Moreover, the salaries of the executioners are extremely high, almost close to that of municipal commissioners.

    ¡°So, I found a German craftsman experienced in this area and together we invented this guillotine.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0

    ¡°Oh, Louvre Square has been carrying out a significant number of executions these days, and could really make use of this new device. It could increase execution efficiency by several times.

    ¡°Please let me demonstrate how it works for you.¡±

    Joseph looked at the model of the guillotine on the table, with its ¡°door¡±-shaped frame and a sharp blade hanging in the middle. He reflected on the stubborn inertia of history¡ªthis inevitable moment had arrived.

    However, he remembered that historically, Guillotin presented this invention to Louis XVI, and he was surprised that in this life, it had come to him instead.

    This was understandable, though, as after all Baron Breti was someone he had supported into position, and the entire judicial system was under his administration. It only made sense for a revolutionary invention within the judiciary to be presented to him first.

    Indeed, in an era where executions relied on an executioner and a simple blade, an entirely automatic guillotine would be the equivalent to the invention of high-precision CNC machines in the future¡ªan epoch-making advancement in technology. It was necessary to present this achievement to the ¡°big boss.¡±

    Guillotin had already skillfully lifted the blade on the model and placed a cucumber in the stock, simulating a human head.

    Then he pulled the lever on the model, and the blade came crashing down with a ¡°thunk¡± onto the cucumber.

    Unfortunately, the blade stuck two-thirds of the way into the cucumber and failed to slice through it.

    Guillotin wiped sweat from his brow and hurriedly lifted the blade, smiling apologetically at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, just a little accident, please give me another chance¡­¡±

    Joseph glanced at the flat blade and wasn¡¯t surprised to see it get stuck¡ªit clearly was an unimproved version.

    He was about to suggest the classic angled blade improvement, to complete the ¡°Reign of Terror style guillotine,¡± but suddenly he paused.

    It was better to leave the opportunity to his father. After all, it was his patent, and it also gave his father a sense of involvement in the governance of the country¡ªan opportunity he seldom had, and Joseph decided not to compete for it.

    So he said to Guillotin, ¡°His Majesty the King has a profound study of mechanical equipment; perhaps he can offer some valuable advice for your machine.¡±

    Over an hour later,

    Louis XVI, pondering over the guillotine model and stroking his chin thoughtfully, suddenly grabbed paper and pen and began to write and sketch.

    After several amendments, a blueprint for an angled guillotine blade emerged before Guillotin.

    The latter was immediately overcome with a look of shock and proceeded to praise and flatter the King.

    It wasn¡¯t mere flattery, though; he genuinely admired the King¡¯s ingenuity.

    It was as if a leading expert in modern high-precision CNC machines, seeing one for the first time, directly revised it into a new generation model.

    One had to admit, it was impressive.

    Guillotin also received a sponsorship of 50,000 francs from Louis XVI to manufacture a few prototype models of the improved guillotine.

    Baron Breti immediately declared that the prototypes could be tested in Louvre Square.

    After the jubilant Justice Minister and Guillotin left, Louis XVI started to chat with his son, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for days: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that recently you¡¯ve arrested many corrupt Tax Farmers?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± replied Joseph, somewhat surprised that his father, who mostly spent his days in the workshops, was still aware of current affairs, ¡°These individuals have committed egregious acts, severely endangering the social stability of France. One can judge the extent of their wrongdoings by the sheer excitement of the crowd watching their executions.¡±

    He had assumed that Louis XVI was going to plead for the major Tax Farmers, as the King was known for his soft heart and would likely struggle to refuse if they managed to appeal to him.

    However, Louis XVI firmly patted him on the shoulder and proudly said, ¡°My Joseph has grown up. You¡¯ve spearheaded tax reform and dealt with the nefarious Tax Farmers, truly contributing greatly to the nation and its people. I would wager that there¡¯s no Prince in all of Europe more excellent than you, and I am truly proud of you!¡±

    Though not adept at dealing with government affairs and inclined towards leisure, it did not mean he was unintelligent. On the contrary, he was very smart, and he could see at a glance whether his son¡¯s actions were beneficial to the country.

    He thought for a moment, then added, ¡°Well, the improvements I made to the guillotine can help you deal with these villains more effectively. Therefore, I¡¯ve also played a part in this tax reform affair.¡±

    Joseph quickly smiled and said, ¡°Indeed, your invention is of great significance.¡±

    He thought to himself that it might not have as significant an impact as it did in history.

    The same could be said of the guillotine. Its introduction significantly increased the efficiency of capital punishment, leading to more people losing their lives.

    As an executioner, Charles could originally execute at most twelve to thirteen people in a day, but after the guillotine¡¯s appearance, the number of executions soared to the hundreds.

 Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Chapter 533: The Riflemans Divine Artifact

    Chapter 624: Chapter 533: The Rifleman¡¯s Divine Artifact

    In the luxurious Royal Workshop of the Palace of Versailles.

    Louis XVI took down a rifle resembling the Charleville 1776 from the wooden rack on the wall and handed it to his son, feeling rather emotional, he said,

    ¡°You see, the manufacturing difficulty is really very high, it¡¯s almost as if a dozen clocks were installed inside the barrel. This thing has taken me nearly a year. But I bet that in all of Europe, no more than three people could produce it so quickly!¡±

    Joseph thought to himself, if it weren¡¯t for that birdcage hairpiece birthday gift you made for mother, it could have been completed by early October¡­

    He carefully took the gun, first squinted into the barrel, and saw four helical grooves neatly arranged on the inner walls of the barrel.

    His father¡¯s craftsmanship was indeed as exquisite as ever. It¡¯s known that at the end of the 18th century, these rifling grooves were handmade with a long hook-shaped cutter, fixed on a slightly tilted frame, and drawn out bit by bit.

    The manufacturing process relied entirely on touch, and if the spacing between two spirals was even slightly off, the whole barrel had to be discarded.

    That¡¯s why only veteran craftsmen with more than a decade of experience dare take on this work, which resulted in the cost of rifled guns being more than ten times that of a common flintlock, and with an exceedingly long production cycle.

    But for the secrecy of the research process, Joseph could only entrust the production of the new gun to his father. And indeed, His Majesty did not fail his reputation as France¡¯s foremost craftsman, starting as a novice, in less than a year he produced this brand-new rifled gun.

    ¡°You really have the most dexterous hands in France, my dear father, and the sharpest mind.¡±

    Louis XVI immediately beamed with happiness, and then pointed at the new gun, looking expectantly at Joseph, ¡°So, how does it greatly increase the rate of fire?¡±

    ¡°With that iron spike you¡¯ve installed in its chamber.¡±

    Joseph gave a mysterious smile, picked up the caliper beside him to measure the muzzle size, and said to the craftsman standing by the door, ¡°Mr. Emmerich, please help me create a lead cylinder 17.8mm in diameter and 35mm in length, with a hemispherical head.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±

    Louis XVI looked somewhat surprised, ¡°What do you need the lead cylinder for?¡±

    ¡°For bullets.¡± Joseph looked at the various firearms hanging on the wall and asked, ¡°Father, do you have any rifled guns here?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Louis XVI gestured to his side, ¡°These are all my collections.

    ¡°The chief craftsman of the Charleville factory modified this rifled gun from the 1763 model.

    ¡°Look, that one over there is the Bavarian Augsburg 1720 model. It has eight grooves!

    ¡°And there¡¯s the peculiar thing invented by the British, Ferguson. I paid a thousand British Pounds for it from a smuggler¡­¡±

    ¡°You could practically hold a weapons exhibit here.¡± Joseph said as he took down the German-style rifled gun. Stemming from the huge demand of wealthy hunters in Germany, it produced the best rifled guns in Europe at the time.

    For example, this 1720 model, though the caliber was only 15mm, its range and precision could surpass the British and French .72, which is the 18mm flintlock.

    Of course, the cost was frighteningly high, and it was difficult to maintain.

    Joseph picked up a spherical lead bullet from the side pouch and gestured to his father,

    ¡°Besides production difficulties, the biggest flaw of rifled guns is the time and effort it takes to load.¡±

    Louis XVI nodded.

    For the bullet to spin under the effect of the rifling, its outer edge had to be embedded into the grooves. Therefore, it¡¯s necessary to choose a bullet diameter slightly larger than the barrel caliber, then use a hammer and ramrod to pound the bullet into the barrel.

    And since the powder chamber at the bottom of the barrel is smaller in diameter than the barrel, once the bullet touches the bottom, it can¡¯t be driven further.

    Joseph put down the 16mm bullet in his hand and picked up an ordinary smoothbore gun bullet:

    ¡°If sub-caliber bullets could be used, the rate of fire of the rifled guns could at least double.¡±

    ¡°Sub-caliber¡± here means bullets with a diameter smaller than the barrel caliber. Conversely, bullets with a larger diameter are called ¡°over-caliber.¡±

    Louis XVI shook his head, ¡°But in that case, the bullet won¡¯t be able to embed into the grooves and won¡¯t spin.¡±

    Joseph smiled faintly:

    ¡°We could think in a different way. For example, after the sub-caliber bullet is loaded into the barrel, make it enlarge somehow.¡±

    ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Louis XVI said it was impossible, yet his eyes were filled with anticipation¡ªhis son had shown him miracles time and again.

    ¡°The simplest way is like this.¡±

    Joseph shoved the sub-caliber bullet into the muzzle of the Augsburg 1720, then hammered it several times with a hammer and ramrod used for over-caliber bullets, then looked at his father, ¡°You see, now the bullet diameter is larger than the barrel.¡±

    Louis XVI chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve flattened the bullet, which will severely affect the range and accuracy.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Joseph nodded, ¡°But you have to admit, the bullet will definitely spin when fired.¡±

    He did not wait for his father to object and immediately added, ¡°So, we could design the bullet as a cylindrical body, this way it won¡¯t flatten when hammered.¡±

    ¡°But that still wouldn¡¯t make the bullet embed into the grooves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when your iron spike comes into play.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Louis XVI was momentarily stunned, then his eyes lit up.

    ¡°I get it! Under the force of the hammering, the iron spike at the bottom of the barrel will pierce into the bottom of the cylindrical bullet, enlarging its diameter there!

    ¡°During firing, the tail of the bullet will embed into the grooves, creating a spiral.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Joseph nodded vigorously, and winked at his father, ¡°This is the Auguste 1790-style rifled gun we¡¯ve developed together! It will change the status of the riflemen completely, affecting battlefields all over Europe!¡±

    He almost blurted out the name of the weapon inadvertently. Historically, the Tulane rifle was a revolutionary weapon widely equipped by the French Army riflemen in the 19th century, and copied by countries like Prussia, Belgium, and Bavaria.

    In fact, Joseph had originally intended to have his father develop the Minie ball directly, which was the pinnacle of muzzle-loading rifled guns, with more advantages than the Tulane rifle.

    However, he only remembered the principle of the Minie ball; specific bullet structure, as well as the width and depth of the opening at the bottom¡ªall these needed his father to design and repeatedly verify, while also adjusting the structure of the gun itself to match.

    This would likely take a long time.

    So, after weighing his options, he chose to develop the Tulane-style rifled gun, which was less challenging.

    The bullet for this kind of gun is just a simple cylinder that even illiterate soldiers could produce in the field using a mold.

    Moreover, existing rifled gun technology could be used, requiring only minor modifications for production¡ªjust adding a long iron spike in the chamber would be enough.

    Of course, even a ¡°minor modification¡± required a lot of trial production by his father to finalize the specifics of the process.

 Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Chapter 534: The Weapon that Subverts the Battlefield Mode

    Chapter 625: Chapter 534: The Weapon that Subverts the Battlefield Mode

    (There¡¯s still a bit of the chapter left unfinished, please refresh after 20 minutes. The author sincerely apologizes.)

    Compared to the Minie rifle, the Tuvinan rifle required a couple more strikes during the loading process, resulting in a slightly slower loading speed, but the difference was minimal.

    Moreover, aside from the difficulty of development, the current level of craftsmanship and logistical capabilities were more suited to the Tuvinan rifle¡ªThe irregular shape of the Minie bullets required high precision in manufacturing, which could only be done in factories at the rear before being transported to the front lines. This undoubtedly increased logistical pressure.

    For the Tuvinan, the lead column bullets could be melted and cast by the soldiers at the front lines¡ªthe current flintlock bullets were produced in this manner, and so the army¡¯s logistical supplies only included gunpowder, without any projectile.

    As for long-term goals, Joseph even thought about skipping the Minie rifled muskets altogether.

    He glanced at the wall where Ferguson¡¯s 1776 breech-loading rifled musket hung.

    This gun was widely ridiculed in England and had gone unnoticed for more than half a century, but he was well aware that it was the future direction of rifle development!

    The Ferguson 1776, full of ingenuity, was loaded from the back of the barrel and then sealed with a vertical iron block. It was the first breech-loading rifle to be used in actual combat.

    This gun could fire a horrifying six rounds per minute. In comparison, the best flintlock marksmen could only achieve four rounds per minute, while an average soldier firing three rounds was considered proficient.

    Meanwhile, the greatest advantage of the breech-loading gun was that it could be fired while lying down.

    Muzzle-loading guns had to be stood up to load ammunition, thus the marksman always had to stand.

    The breech-loading gun could complete this process while the shooter was prone.

    One could imagine, in a standoff between two armies, where one side stood upright and the other was lying down firing, the former was certain to be massacred.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    In fact, the Ferguson 1776 rifle had been issued to the British Army during the American Revolution, and Ferguson himself had commanded the American Hunter Soldier Company to significant success on the battlefield. However, after his death in battle, the rifle faded into obscurity.

    Of course, the core reason the rifle wasn¡¯t taken seriously was because the technology wasn¡¯t up to par¡ªthe poor design of the vertical bolt and the rough manufacturing standards caused severe leaking in the barrel. After Ferguson¡¯s death, no one continued to improve it.

    It wasn¡¯t until 1819 that Hall, from the United States, developed the first reliable breech-loading rifle, though it still used a flintlock firing mechanism, leading to limited practicality.

    In 1841, the Prussian Dreyse invented the percussion cap firing breech-loading rifled musket, and helped Austria win the Putdan War within a week, finally vindicating the breech-loading rifle.

    After that, muzzle-loading guns gradually exited the stage of history, and breech-loading rifles began to dominate the battlefield.

    Joseph¡¯s plan was to first cultivate mature rifled musket manufacturing technology in France using the Tuvinan rifle and then let his father slowly develop the breech-loading rifle.

    As long as it was successfully developed and the troops equipped, ten thousand French soldiers defeating fifty thousand from any European army was not a dream!

    And he had a huge advantage, as he was well aware of the direction in which breech-loading guns were developing.

    Rotary bolt, high-strength firing pin, cartridge-fixed ammunition, coupled with the percussion cap ignition already extensively equipped by the French Army, meant there was no need to take a detour; under the leadership of ¡°France¡¯s foremost craftsman¡±, what had taken decades of research historically might now be accomplished in just ten years, or even as few as seven or eight years!

    At that moment, Louis XVI¡¯s assistant, Emmerich, came over with a dozen freshly-cast cylindrical bullets.

    Louis XVI took the bullets and immediately, with great excitement, slung the freshly minted rifled gun over his shoulder and pulled his son towards the Royal Armory next to the Palace of Versailles.

    At the target range of the Royal Armory, Joseph loaded the Auguste 1790, forcefully rammed it down a few times with an iron ramrod, pulled back the breechblock, inserted a copper cap, and finished loading. The time taken was almost no different from that of an ordinary flintlock gun.

    Then a guard took over the gun¡ªsince there was a risk of the new gun bursting, he insisted that His Majesty the King not fire it personally¡ªaimed at a wooden target in the distance, and pulled the trigger.

    After a loud bang, the range staff came running over with the target, and everyone present was immediately struck with an expression of utter shock.

    From a distance of 100 paces, the bullet had hit the center of the wooden target.

    For the flintlock guns, which relied on sheer faith to hit anything at 40 paces, this was an absolutely crushing superiority.

    In subsequent tests, the Auguste 1790 even hit the wooden target directly from 140 paces away, displaying the terrifying accuracy of the rifled gun.

    Louis XVI excitedly slapped Joseph¡¯s back and exclaimed loudly, ¡°My dear son, we are once again at the pinnacle of Europe¡¯s firearms!

    ¡°I truly look forward to the moment when our enemies, defeated by France¡¯s warriors, tremble and inquire, ¡®What weapons do you use? They are incredible.''¡±

    ¡°They will receive the answer¡ªAuguste 1790 model, developed by our great King himself!¡± Joseph very much played along, and then the father and son exchanged a look and burst into happy laughter.

    After his father had calmed down a bit, Joseph leaned close to his ear and tempted him, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to create another gun that could completely revolutionize the European battlefield model?¡±

    ¡°What on earth is filled in your mind with such marvelous ideas?!¡± Louis XVI exclaimed in astonishment at his son, ¡°What kind of gun is it?¡±

    Joseph smiled slightly, ¡°A brand-new type of breech-loading gun.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    In 1776, the British Patrick Ferguson invented a new type of repeating rifle (breech-loading). This rifle had a range of 180 meters, with a maximum range of up to 270 meters, and an average firing rate of 4 ¨C 6 shots per minute.

    By the early 19th century, nations generally recognized the advantages of rifled guns and had added a few to their troops, used mainly for elite soldiers in skirmisher roles like the British Baker and Brunswick rifles, and

    Germany¡¯s Dreyse Needle Gun as a representative of breech-loading rifles. Breech-loading also brought the huge advantage of faster firing rates, but the sealing of the breech-lock at the time was terribly poor and prone to leakage, which limited the range.

    Many domestic resources mention the Dreyse M1841 as the first breech-loader equipped in large quantities for military use, but in reality, it was Hall¡¯s M1819. However, while M1819 still used the flintlock method of ignition, M1841 employed the more advanced needle fire. The Hall M1819 breech-loading rifle, designed by Captain John Harris Hall, was patented on May 21, 1811, and officially entered service in the United States Army in 1819. The widespread equipment of Hall¡¯s M1819 breech-loading flintlock was largely dependent on a series of mechanized production machines invented by Hall. Previously, rifles were handcrafted by professional gunsmiths, and each rifle was unique, so even a small issue with a rifle,

 Chapter 626 - Chapter 626: Chapter 535: Camellias Professional Skills

    Chapter 626: Chapter 535: Camellia¡¯s Professional Skills

    If Joseph knew that Camellia¡¯s maid costume was worth 2,300 francs, he would definitely exclaim, ¡°What a spendthrift young lady!¡±

    Though Maid Miss had inherited 50,000 francs from her grandmother, and with the substantial compensation Joseph had helped her obtain from Baron Walter, she was now a ¡°little rich lady¡± who could really afford such an expense.

    In fact, she spent far more on the tuition fees to learn ¡°advanced experience¡± from the ladies at the Palace of Versailles than the cost of this costume.

    Camellia, watching the Crown Prince taste the dessert she had prepared, swiftly rehearsed tonight¡¯s plan in her mind.

    Since her last ¡°operation¡± failed, she had been relentlessly preparing for a more thorough plan. Finally, today her opportunity had come.

    Perna¡¯s mother had a birthday tomorrow, so she would leave the Palace of Versailles for two days, thus removing the biggest ¡°obstacle.¡±

    And today, His Highness the Crown Prince just happened to return to the Bedroom Palace to rest, offering a perfect chance to make her move.

    After finishing his supper, Joseph stretched his tired limbs, ready to freshen up, when he saw Camellia kneeling slightly by his side, softly saying, ¡°Your Highness, you must be very tired after a whole day¡¯s work, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah? Yes, I am a bit tired.¡±

    The Maid Miss revealed a sweet smile, ¡°Your Highness, I have recently learned massage from Madame Morson, oh, they call it ¡®the noble¡¯s sport.¡¯ It¡¯s very effective for relieving fatigue and relaxing the mind.

    ¡°Perhaps, I could try it on you, to help you relieve your weariness?¡±

    Hmm, this massage technique, according to Madame Morson, originated from Roman times, and she had spent a full 3,000 francs to learn it¡ªjust to be useful at this very moment!

    Joseph rubbed his sore shoulders, thinking he hadn¡¯t expected this young girl to know every skill¡ªit was like a ¡°heaven-sent maid¡± indeed. So he smiled and nodded, ¡°You truly are talented, then please go ahead and trouble yourself.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã?

    Camellia was secretly delighted inside; her new tactic had successfully taken its first step. Lady Celes had assured her that once the massage started, the Crown Prince would be hers¡­

    Her cheeks flushed instantly, she quickly stopped her reverie and hurried to push in a special bed with the help of a maid.

    Joseph saw the hole at the head of the bed and immediately realized it was a massage table, seeming very professional, and he thus looked forward to Camellia¡¯s skills even more.

    It seems that he would have a professional masseuse in the future, and not just any masseuse, but a bewitchingly figured beauty in a maid costume!

    Hmm, having worked tirelessly for France over the past few years, he could finally enjoy the splendid life a Crown Prince deserved.

    He took off his jacket and handed it to the maid next to him, then laid face-down on the massage bed at Camellia¡¯s gesture, his face fitting snugly into the hole, allowing his nose to breathe easily.

    Afterward, he closed his eyes, ready to enjoy a comfortable massage.

    On her part, Camellia also appeared very professional; she took out a packet of massage tools and signaled to the maids with a glance.

    The maids immediately dispersed. Some stoked the fire in the fireplace, some lit aromatic incense, and others dimmed the lighting and covered it with a pink glass shade, then they all left the room¡ªone and all had received tips from Camellia¡¯s maid and were naturally very cooperative.

    Soft pink lighting filled the room, the fire kept the air warm and cozy, and gentle fragrances wafted over. Seve felt a pair of soft, delicate hands rest upon his back; the massage had not even begun, and he felt so comfortable he was almost asleep.

    At the end of a corridor in the south wing of the Palace of Versailles, Soleil evaded the patrolling guards and quickly hid in the shadows to shed her long dress, revealing the black, tight-fitting hunting attire beneath.

    She looked all around to make sure no one was there, then darted into a room adjacent to the Crown Prince¡¯s Bedroom Palace.

    She moved lightly past the bedrooms of the sleeping nobility, unconsciously patting the stack of banknotes in her pocket.

    It was a full 5,000 francs. She had toiled for over a year and earned 3,500 francs, and with the income from the small mulberry garden her mother had left her, she had finally scraped together this amount.

    In the previous swordsmanship contest, she believed she had caused the Crown Prince to lose 5,000 livres due to her naive arrogance¡ªat least, she always thought so. As a lady with a strong sense of responsibility, she felt compelled to reimburse the Crown Prince.

    Originally, she had estimated she wouldn¡¯t have the money until early summer, but lately, she had unexpectedly received several commissions at the tax office to ¡°retrieve¡± crime evidence from the homes of some shameless tax farmers, earning herself nearly 1,000 francs in commissions.

    Indeed, after witnessing the various atrocities of the tax farmers, Robespierre had decided that eradicating these scoundrels was essential for the survival of the French people.

    So for those tax farmers whose crimes weren¡¯t enough to warrant execution, he hired ¡°professionals¡± to acquire incriminating evidence through special means, successfully adding nearly 60 people to the execution list.

    Soleil had initially intended to directly return the 5,000 francs to the Crown Prince but later thought that His Highness, with his kindness and benevolence, would most likely refuse to accept the money.

    In the end, she decided to quietly place the money in the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom, not giving him a chance to refuse.

    In the deep of the night, a shadowy figure, as nimble as a ghostly cat, scaled the window and then moved along the wall with great agility, expertly avoiding the eyes of the patrolling guards in the courtyard.

    When Soleil reached the window of the Crown Prince¡¯s Bedroom Palace and peeked inside, she saw a faint pink glow seeping through the gap in the curtains, which took her by surprise.

    Could it be that His Highness hadn¡¯t gone to bed yet?

    She bit her lip, pulling her hood down a bit further, and didn¡¯t plan to retreat.

    She was confident in her skills; even if he was awake, she would still be able to deliver the money!

    However, what she didn¡¯t notice was that the window to the left of the Crown Prince¡¯s room had been pushed open a crack. There, the captain of the Crown Prince¡¯s personal guard, Kesode, was closely watching her from behind, caught in a dilemma.

    Ever since Soleil had sneaked into that noble¡¯s room, he had spotted her, and he also recognized who she was.

    In his memory, this young lady had appeared by His Highness¡¯s side several times and seemed¡­ quite intimate with him.

    So, her late-night visit to His Highness¡¯s residence was likely for a¡­ well, you know.

    If he rushed to intercept her at this moment, he might ruin His Highness¡¯s good fortune. But if she was up to no good and he did nothing, it could lead to an even bigger problem.

    He shook his head, signalling the trusted aides and servants to remain silent. Meanwhile, with his hand on his sword, he quietly pushed the door to His Highness¡¯s room ajar, listening attentively for any noise inside.

    On the other side, Soleil expertly unlatched the window, leaped into the room, and didn¡¯t disturb a soul.

    Just then, a half-asleep Joseph suddenly widened his eyes and let out a piercing scream, ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

 Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: Chapter 536: The Crown Princes "Mistresses

    Chapter 627: Chapter 536: The Crown Prince¡¯s ¡°Mistresses

    Joseph, who had been anticipating a relaxing time, realized he had severely underestimated the explosive force of the delicate hands behind him and the massage skills of their owner.

    Camellia pressed down in all the wrong spots, her fingers frequently landing on the points where tendons meet; she also added ¡°techniques¡± such as twisting and pulling that, combined with the strength she gained from cleaning and carrying soup pots every day, made Joseph¡¯s tears nearly burst forth within a few moves.

    ¡°Ah¡ªstop, stop!¡± Joseph cried out with a sob, ¡°I¡¯m dying, I¡¯m dying¡­¡±

    What he really wanted to shout was, ¡°I confess, I confess everything!¡±

    Soleil, who had just entered the room, was startled by the screams. Peering through the dim light, she saw a woman pressing the Crown Prince against a ¡°long table,¡± one hand on his neck and the other holding something dark, seemingly about to smash down.

    With the Crown Prince shouting ¡°I¡¯m dying,¡± Soleil was struck by a chilling realization: someone was attempting to assassinate him!

    Fortunately, she had stumbled upon the scene, and her chance to redeem herself to His Highness had arrived!

    Without even having time to draw her sword, she leaped toward the massage bed and sent the ¡°female assassin¡± flying with a swift kick.

    Kesode, hearing the Crown Prince¡¯s cry from outside, felt his heart sink. He rushed into the room, sword in hand, just in time to see Soleil, with her hood obscuring her face, kick Miss Camellia into the air, and she was in the midst of drawing her sword!

    Could it be she was the one attempting to assassinate him?!

    The Captain of the Guard didn¡¯t have time to think and leaped forward, his drawn sword whistling through the air toward Soleil.

    Her sword had just been unsheathed and was not yet ready to strike the female assassin when she caught a glimpse of cold light and hurriedly raised her sword to block.

    With a sharp ¡°clang,¡± Kesode¡¯s powerful strike sent the lady¡¯s Swift Sword flying, and then, pressing his arm down, the tip of his sword was already against the ¡°assassin¡¯s¡± chest.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï

    Joseph, hearing Camellia¡¯s muffled groan and rubbing his nearly crushed shoulder, sat up and saw the Captain of the Guard fighting a figure in black right beside him.

    Both Soleil and Kesode, seeing the Crown Prince rise, turned to shout at him, ¡°Your Highness, watch out for the assassin!¡±

    Camellia also struggled to her feet, looking at the Crown Prince, ¡°Your Highness, run! There¡¯s an assassin¡­¡±

    Shortly afterward, over a dozen of the Crown Prince¡¯s Imperial Guards rushed in with their guns drawn and surrounded the few people in the room. Then someone turned up the gaslight.

    Joseph finally saw the pretty face under the hood and said in surprise, ¡°Soleil? How did you get in here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Soleil glanced at the Maid beside her and anxiously said, ¡°Your Highness, she was just about to assassinate you!¡±

    Joseph then looked toward Camellia, who was clutching her shoulder, her face pale with pain, ¡°Ah? Are you alright? She might have been a bit heavy-handed just now, but it wasn¡¯t to the point of assassination.¡±

    Ten minutes later, the Crown Prince¡¯s Imperial Guards had all withdrawn, and Kesode was looking sternly at Soleil.

    The ¡°Stealth Agent¡± Miss, her face flushed with shame, kept her head low, pushing 5,000 francs toward Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, I truly only came to repay the money. I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t accept it, that¡¯s why¡­¡±

    After explaining, she turned toward Camellia, who had tears rimming her eyes and was having her shoulder tended to with the help of a maid. Bending forward with a full show of regret, she said, ¡°I am truly sorry, esteemed Miss. It¡¯s all my fault¡­ I will compensate you for your medical expenses, please forgive me¡­¡±

    After confirming with the Imperial Physician that Camellia¡¯s injury was merely superficial and no cause for great concern, Joseph finally breathed a sigh of relief and handed back the thick stack of notes to Soleil, ¡°You are mistaken; in fact, I only placed a bet of ten leva on you that time. Cough, it¡¯s not that I lack confidence in you, I just don¡¯t like gambling¡­¡±

    Soleil stood frozen for a moment, then her face turned red and then pale, looking at the 5,000 francs in her hand. Recalling her belief that the Crown Prince would have placed a heavy bet on her victory, she felt so embarrassed she could dig a hole through the floor of the Palace of Versailles with her toes.

    Joseph exhaled wearily and felt even more exhausted. He said to Kesode, ¡°Please take Miss Frey back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Soleil placed the money back on the table and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, I am grateful for your forbearance. Please consider this money as compensation for disturbing your rest¡­¡±

    Joseph naturally did not wish to accept it.

    After some back and forth refusal, Joseph said helplessly, ¡°Very well, I will invest this money in the Royal Fund in your name, and you can receive dividends each year.¡±

    Soleil, flustered, made a bow and then fled toward the main door as if running away¡­

    Two days later.

    In Lavoisier¡¯s home, Madame Lavoisier Marianne was wiping her tears and speaking to her close friend Perna, ¡°It¡¯s all Antoine¡¯s fault for letting the Devil blind his soul, leading to those indecent acts¡­ and now he is filled with regret.¡±

    After being sentenced to 15 years¡¯ imprisonment by the High Court, Lavoisier himself was terribly frightened. He intended to seek the Crown Prince¡¯s pardon but feared His Highness would scold him since the tax reform was under the Crown Prince¡¯s direction, and his actions could be considered as undermining him.

    Fortunately, he had heeded His Highness¡¯s advice and stopped his tax farming business two years prior, or he might have been punished even more severely.

    So he asked his wife to bring Doctor Perna, a trusted confidante of the Crown Prince, to help plead his case. Unbeknownst to him, Joseph had already secured a pardon letter from the King for him.

    Perna consoled Marianne in a soft voice, ¡°You must pay the fine promptly, and I will definitely ask His Highness for assistance on your behalf. Oh, you might also need to prepare bail money.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, my dear Perna, you are the only one who can save Antoine now,¡± Madame Lavoisier cried again, holding onto Perna.

    The two friends talked until the afternoon, and after receiving repeated assurances from Perna, Marianne then expressed concern, ¡°By the way, have you heard about the matter concerning His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s mistress?¡±

    ¡°Mistress?!¡± The female doctor¡¯s heart tightened all at once.

    ¡°I heard it¡¯s a wild girl named Soleil and the Crown Prince¡¯s maid,¡± Marianne obviously knew about her friend¡¯s feelings for the Crown Prince and said with gravity, ¡°Inside the Palace of Versailles, everyone is talking about how they fought over His Highness out of jealousy the night before last. The Maid was injured¡­

    ¡°Dear Perna, perhaps, you should be more assertive. You were the earliest beside the Crown Prince¡­ cough, you should display the demeanor of the Chief Mistress and let those two know their place!¡±

    Perna was caught off guard and started coughing violently. It was the first time someone referred to her as His Highness¡¯s ¡°Chief Mistress.¡±

    Marquis of Launay said, ¡°I just passed by the Noble¡¯s Cell, and I saw that the furnishings inside were still overly luxurious. Given the current financial strain on the state, let¡¯s do without anything unnecessary except for tables and beds. Oh, and it¡¯s best to make the cells single occupancy; it will benefit the prisoners more when it comes to concentrating on their reflections.¡± The King did not remarry a foreign princess suitable to his status but instead secretly married the Marchioness of Mantenon, who was already over fifty years old at that time.

 Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: Chapter 537: Josephs Vocational College

    Chapter 628: Chapter 537: Joseph¡¯s Vocational College

    Perna¡¯s gaze met Marianne¡¯s smiling eyes, and she immediately stood up with an even redder face, shaking her head repeatedly in angry embarrassment:

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about¡­ I haven¡¯t, I¡¯m not, His Highness¡¯s mis-, cough¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Marianne¡¯s smile brightened as she approached and embraced her somewhat flustered friend, whispering, ¡°Dear, you are so beautiful, with a soul full of learning. No one can resist your charm¡­¡±

    ¡°Marianne, I think I have to go.¡± Perna, like a child caught stealing sweets, stepped back and curtsied, stuttering, ¡°I need to talk to the Crown Prince about Baron Lavoisier. That must be done as soon as possible¡­¡±

    Marianne thanked her repeatedly, shoved the gift for the Crown Prince into her hands, and then watched her dash onto the horse carriage, smiling again and waving at her retreating figure:

    ¡°Perna, change out of that men¡¯s clothing, it¡¯s drowning your beauty!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Perna crouched in the carriage, her heart pounding, feeling a mix of sweetness and sourness, with the phrase ¡°Chief Mistress¡± flashing through her mind occasionally.

    After a while, she suddenly remembered Marianne¡¯s last words and involuntarily looked down at her deep grey men¡¯s clothing, hesitating for a few seconds before nodding with determination as if making up her mind.

    On the southeast side of the Palace of Versailles.

    Inside the Royal Armory, Joseph looked helplessly at the head technician, Gaman:

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that in the entire armory, only two technicians can master the rifling technique skillfully?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Your Highness.¡± Gaman bowed his head, ¡°Even in Charleville, there are only six or seven technicians proficient in this. As you know, it¡¯s a very delicate and complex technique, rarely needed.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    Joseph sighed and said, ¡°Then we must immediately start training. How long would it take to train 100 rifling technicians?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Gaman hesitated, ¡°It depends on the apprentice¡¯s talent, Your Highness. Usually, a master can teach three apprentices. If they learn quickly, it will take two years for an apprentice to be fully trained, followed by another half a year to work independently.¡±

    ¡°That long?!¡± Joseph calculated in his mind, and by the standard of learning ¡°quickly,¡± it would take five years to gather these 100 rifling technicians.

    Gaman cast a nervous glance at Louis XVI, who was examining drawings nearby, and whispered:

    ¡°His Majesty the King took over nine months to master it¡­¡±

    Joseph was relieved. If France¡¯s foremost craftsman took nine months, then the technique was indeed difficult.

    In this era, rifling was done entirely by hand. Craftsmen used a hook-shaped tool to ¡°carve¡± four spiral grooves of equal width, spaced perfectly apart, into the inner walls of an iron barrel about a dozen millimeters in diameter and one meter long. A deviation of merely 0.1 millimeters required discarding the work entirely and starting over, and only the most elite craftsmen could accomplish this.

    Joseph then felt something was amiss. France was not short of genius craftsmen; even if they couldn¡¯t match his father, they shouldn¡¯t be so vastly outperformed.

    He then asked the head technician, ¡°Why do other apprentices take much longer than His Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Well, of course, it¡¯s mainly because of His Majesty¡¯s exceptional talent,¡± said Gaman, ¡°In addition, Mr. Larosiere has always been instructing His Majesty hands-on.

    ¡°Normally, whether it¡¯s an armory or Charleville¡¯s technicians, they can only spare two hours a day to teach apprentices, and that¡¯s to be divided among three people.¡±

    ¡°Two hours?¡± Joseph asked, surprised, ¡°Why so little time?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, the technicians have their own work to do, which is the source of their income,¡± Gaman patiently explained, ¡°Thus, a craftsman usually only prefers to take on one apprentice and generally has the apprentice simply observe from the side, leaving them to figure things out themselves, and rarely offers guidance.

    ¡°That¡¯s why previously, it took an apprentice five to ten years to finish training. With your command, shortening it to two years is actually quite fast.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help rubbing his forehead. The apprentice system of this era was really poor. With such efficiency in nurturing talent, how could it keep up with the needs of industrial development?

    He pondered for a moment and continued, ¡°So, if the technicians spend all their time teaching apprentices and do nothing else, and I pay them, could they train faster?¡±

    Gaman spread his hands, ¡°Your Highness, even if they agree, they might still take on side jobs secretly.

    ¡°After all, they need to maintain their hands-on skills, or after teaching, they might no longer be among the top in their field.¡±

    Joseph nodded silently upon hearing this.

    So, the root of all problems lay in the training mechanism.

    For those craftsmen, their primary job was always the priority, and teaching apprentices was secondary, mainly as a means to have someone to assist with menial tasks. The fees for this era¡¯s apprentices were almost negligible, hardly worth their attention.

    Thus, to solve the problem of industrial talent training, it was necessary to introduce a system for vocational technical training.

    It would involve craftsmen teaching skills full-time, becoming professional teachers, and basing their compensation on the number of students they trained.

    It was an opportunity to establish a number of vocational schools during the rifling technicians¡¯ training process, which would greatly support the industrial revolution in France.

    One must be aware that the contribution of a professional technical craftsman to industrial development can sometimes exceed that of hundreds of ordinary workers capable only of repetitive labor. Vocational schools could enable France to gain such talents at a pace several times faster than other European countries!

    Germany of the future would be supported by a large number of skilled workers and advanced manufacturing, with the vocational education even hailed as Germany¡¯s ¡°secret weapon¡± for industrial success, highlighting its utmost importance.

    Joseph immediately signaled Eman, who was standing by the door, ¡°Please notify Count Mirabeau, Monsieur Laisonne, and Archbishop Beaumont¡­¡±

    He paused at this point. Although France¡¯s education system had always been managed by the Church, he always felt it was somewhat incongruous for priests to oversee the construction of industrial vocational schools.

    Eventually, it would be best to separate at least vocational colleges and universities from the Church, leaving them to manage basic educational programs in local parishes.

    ¡°And Mr. Denico, to come see me tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph then turned to Gaman, ¡°You and Manager Martinier come along as well.¡±

    The industrial, educational, and propaganda departments, along with the armory¡¯s two executives, would first set up a vocational college in the military industry, before gradually expanding to other sectors.

    After arranging the vocational school matters, Joseph continued discussing the plans for batch production of the Auguste 1790 model rifled musket with his father until twilight, and only then, exhausted but excited, they returned to the Palace of Versailles, ready for dinner.

 Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: Chapter 538 Busy Ladies

    Chapter 629: Chapter 538 Busy Ladies

    En route to the banquet hall, Joseph always felt the nobility were paying him respectful homage, yet the smiles on their faces carried a profound meaning.

    He turned to Louis XVI and asked, ¡°Father, is there something on my face?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, my dear, I¡¯m certain.¡±

    Louis XVI paused for a moment, then gave him a wink and whispered, ¡°About those two young ladies the day before yesterday, um, did they really have a fight at your place?¡±

    Joseph immediately facepalmed. No wonder their gazes were off. So it was about that?

    The Palace of Versailles, this wretched place¡ªno one cares about serious matters, but gossip spreads incredibly fast¡­

    ¡°Ahem! Actually, they were just¡­¡±

    Joseph¡¯s expression slightly constipated, how to explain this one? That Catwoman came to repay her debt and didn¡¯t use the main entrance but climbed through a window, only to mistake the Maid, who was ¡°dissecting bones,¡± for an assassin and gave her a beating?

    Louis XVI showed an ¡°I understand¡± expression and smiled, ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t need to explain. You¡¯re grown up now, you should have an adult life of your own.¡±

    Joseph, ¡°As you wish¡­¡±

    On the second floor of the Palace of Versailles, the ¡°Catwoman¡± in question was anxiously asking Baron Candice, ¡°So, Miss Delvaux¡¯s new dress was your handiwork?¡±

    He nodded with a smile, ¡°It is a piece of work I¡¯m quite satisfied with.¡±

    ¡°May I be so bold as to ask,¡± Soleil asked shyly, looking down, ¡°how much did that outfit cost to produce?¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.??

    ¡°Miss Delvaux paid me 2,300 francs. If you like, I could also design one more suited for you¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Soleil felt the world spinning. Jesus, the dress was that expensive?! If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have refused the Crown Prince¡¯s offer and taken back those 5,000 francs.

    She had planned to rest for a while, but now she could only continue working to make money; after all, more than 2,000 francs was no small sum¡­

    Yes, that night when she kicked Camellia out, her dress got torn.

    In the Palace of Versailles, there was never an option to mend a dress; that would become a joke among the ladies. The only way to deal with a torn dress was to throw it in the trash.

    So she had to compensate Camellia for that dress, as well as the medical expenses for treating the injury, plus a bit more for an apology ¡°gift.¡± She probably needed to prepare around 3,000 francs.

    Soleil felt the world was overcast and gloomy as she bid Baron Candice farewell without energy and embarked on her fundraising journey once more¡­

    Elsewhere, Queen Mary who was attending a ball was earnestly ¡°comforting¡± her ¡°designated¡± future daughter-in-law, ¡°Sasha, a gentleman of Joseph¡¯s age, especially one as outstanding as he, is always going to be surrounded by young ladies. But you know, he is not one to be easily smitten, I assure you.¡±

    Eight-year-old Alexandra blinked her beautiful large eyes, a look of confusion on her face as she nodded. Anyway, agreeing with the Queen was never the wrong choice, and besides, she mentioned that the Crown Prince was quite outstanding. Well, she certainly wasn¡¯t wrong about that!

    Joseph had finished his dinner and chose not to ¡°work overtime,¡± as recently he was sincerely a bit tired, including emotionally.

    When he returned to his sleeping quarters, he saw Perna standing in front of the drawing room, which somewhat surprised him¡ª Doctor Miss was wearing a white¡­ it should be her lab coat, but clearly, it had been modified, with a tapered waist and expanded neckline down to the chest. Hmm, today she seemed to have skipped the corset, allowing the lab coat to emphasize her curves beautifully.

    Moreover, she had let down her slightly curly long hair, gently cascading over her shoulders. On her head was not the usual triangular hat but the small, neat swallow-tail cap he had designed for the nurses.

    In summary, it was¡ªa young lady¡¯s beauty coupled with the allure of uniform¡­

    Joseph quickly reined in his thoughts and greeted Perna with a smile, ¡°When did you return? Madame Lamarck¡¯s birthday party must have been quite grand. I have indeed been too busy, otherwise, I should have gone to congratulate her.¡±

    Madame Lamarck was Perna¡¯s mother.

    Perna seemed very nervous, quickly curtseyed, and then said, ¡°Mother would be very happy knowing that you wished to celebrate her birthday.¡±

    Seeing her stand there hesitantly, Joseph wondered, ¡°Is there something you wish to say?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, Your Highness.¡± Perna hurriedly picked up an exquisitely-crafted box from behind her and presented it to Joseph, ¡°This is from Madame Lavoisier, she entrusted it to me for you.¡±

    Joseph took and opened it to find a gold filigree sword chape inlaid with a dozen rubies, which was a decorative piece that could be fitted at the entrance of a scabbard.

    ¡°She¡¯s giving me such an expensive gift?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Madame Lavoisier said it was custom-made for 230,000 francs.¡±

    Perna, dressed in her brand new professional attire, was somewhat at a loss. She suddenly realized that she wasn¡¯t quite cut out to be a go-between, awkward as a student who had walked into an examination hall without proper revision.

    She bit her lip and went straight to the point, ¡°Your Highness, I wish to request a pardon for Baron Lavoisier. He has deeply repented and is willing to pay a fine. Please don¡¯t let him go to jail, he truly is a good person and holds a very high reputation at the French Academy of Sciences.

    ¡°If possible, please consider my¡­¡±

    Joseph patted his forehead, only then remembering that one of his reasons for returning to the Palace of Versailles was to ask his father for a Pardon Letter for Lavoisier. He had been so preoccupied with matters concerning firearms that he had completely forgotten.

    If this dragged on, once the High Court¡¯s process was finished, Lavoisier might indeed have to serve time.

    Since Perna had brought it up, he might as well do her a favor. He immediately said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve mentioned it, then I will ask my father for a Pardon Letter. Please tell Baron Lavoisier he no longer needs to worry about this matter.¡±

    Perna originally thought she¡¯d have to plead with the Crown Prince for an hour or two at the least, but to her surprise, after only a few words, His Highness had agreed to her request!

    This¡­ warmth suddenly filled her heart, it seemed the Crown Prince truly took great care of her, no, this was tantamount to¡­ doting on her.

    ¡ª

    The so-called traditional form was based on the maid¡¯s uniform from medieval Europe, with functionality as the primary appeal. The style was very simple and unadorned, mainly consisting of a white apron decorated with ruffles over a plain white long dress with a collar, and also the maid¡¯s headscarf would be worn on the head. This style of maid¡¯s uniform had essentially no decorations except for the ruffles on the apron and the bow made from the apron strings tied behind the back, including a satin ribbon tied into a bow at the neckline. Apart from that, the dresses were mostly black or in shades of blue and rarely featured bold colors.

 Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Chapter 539: The Hope of Life

    Chapter 630: Chapter 539: The Hope of Life

    Western Reims, Meidion Village.

    Paul Leono gently caressed his old house inch by inch as if touching a rare treasure, with tears rolling in his eyes, always swollen due to exposure to gas.

    This was Leono¡¯s home, the home his father had left him, bearing the memories of his childhood. After losing it for five years, he had returned to this warm homeland.

    The Crown Prince had chopped off Mr. Boka¡¯s head, which Leono had witnessed with his own eyes. That day, when he heard that the Tax Farmers were to be beheaded, he and his wife risked their family¡¯s starvation, putting down their work to watch at the Louvre Square.

    The formerly haughty Boka was trembling with fear, entirely unlike when he had forcefully demanded money from them. At last, when the executioner lifted his hideous head, he and his wife shouted with the crowd until their throats were hoarse.

    However, it seemed their child was frightened and couldn¡¯t stop crying. Finally, the eldest, Dom, displayed a brother¡¯s bravery, standing in front of his younger brothers, loudly telling them that he was a bad man and that Jesus was punishing him to go to hell.

    What Leono had not expected was that a week later, an official from the Lance District Court came to him, had him press his handprint on several documents, and then informed him that his 47 acres of land, as well as property that had originally been mortgaged to Boka, would all be returned to him soon.

    Even Boka was to compensate him 35 francs.

    The official was very polite, saying that, according to the Crown Prince¡¯s orders, Boka was supposed to compensate twice the value of the property he had illegally taken. But Boka had wronged too many people, and dividing all his property, each person would only get a few francs.

    Of course, Boka must have hidden a lot of assets, but it was now very hard to find them. Actually, even though the sufferers had received justice, they often couldn¡¯t recover their own taken possessions, let alone the years they had lost.

    Yet Leono was already very satisfied.

    He thanked the official profusely, and spent several hours praying for the Crown Prince with his family.

    Half a month later, he finally got back his household deeds and land deeds, along with 35 francs in banknotes.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    Leono also borrowed 30 francs¡ªwith the land as collateral, it was easy to borrow money from the bank¡ªto pay for surgery to remove his wife¡¯s two festering fingers.

    Afterward, their whole family ate their first beef stew in five years. The children, having eaten too eagerly, were clutching their stomachs and groaning all evening, but their faces showed no signs of pain.

    Leono was reminiscing about the recent ups and downs when he saw his wife, who was packing their luggage, suddenly stand upright and look towards the front door.

    ¡°Dear, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Sophie,¡± Mrs. Leono¡¯s face was full of excitement as she picked up her skirt and ran out the door, ¡°It¡¯s old Sophie! I remember its hoofbeats.¡±

    As Leono followed her out the door, he saw his wife embracing the already shedding old horse, both laughing and jumping, happy like a child.

    For farmers like them, a horse was truly another pillar of the house. Having a horse meant their lives had hope.

    Soon, Mrs. Leono began to weep softly, kissing Sophie¡¯s slackening skin, murmuring incessantly, ¡°Old friend, I thought we¡¯d never see you again¡­¡±

    Father Carlo, who had brought the horse, comforted her, making the sign of the cross on his chest: ¡°Thank Jesus. You see, hasn¡¯t everything turned out well?¡±

    Mrs. Leono nodded and added: ¡°And we must thank the Crown Prince. Oh, and the official from the tax bureau. Oh, and Lance Court¡­¡±

    Father Carlo had Leono press his handprint on the documents for receiving Sophie, declined the lady of the house¡¯s invitation to come in for some coffee, and hurried away: ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I still have to go baptize little Joseph. Perhaps another time.¡±

    ¡°Joseph?¡± Leon was a bit surprised. ¡°Was it the Truell family¡¯s child? He should have been baptized last week.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Kolgeva¡¯s youngest son.¡± The priest smiled and waved his hand. ¡°Well, in the past two months, four children born in the village have all been named Joseph; I¡¯m getting quite confused.¡±

    In this small village of just over a hundred households, a third of the villagers had gone bankrupt or fallen into dire poverty within the past decade due to the exploitation by the tax farmers. However, now, seventy to eighty percent had regained their properties, and the Crown Prince¡¯s prestige in the village was second only to that of Jesus.

    These simple farmers expressed their gratitude to the Crown Prince in the most direct way¡ªby naming their newborn sons Joseph. If it was a girl, they¡¯d name her Josephine, the feminine form of Joseph.

    In fact, recently, there were about sixty to seventy thousand newborns named Joseph throughout France¡­

    Father Carlo took a few steps, then suddenly remembered and turned back to Leon, ¡°By the way, next Sunday the parish plans to hold a Mass for His Highness the Crown Prince. You must come to participate.¡±

    Leon immediately nodded. ¡°We and the children will be there, Father.¡±

    He then looked at his wife and whispered, ¡°How much money do we have left?¡±

    ¡°7 francs and 9 sous, Paul.¡±

    Leon quickly said to the priest, ¡°Father Carlo, I¡¯d like to donate 5 francs for the Mass.¡±

    In Catholicism, ¡°donation¡± means to give money.

    The priest was taken aback and advised, ¡°That¡¯s a bit much, Leon.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not too much at all. His Highness helped us recover these¡­¡±

    In the western suburbs of Paris.

    In the Vianner family¡¯s newly rented courtyard, a dance party was being held to celebrate reclaiming their property from the tax farmers.

    Actually, they had also recovered their villa, but it was still somewhat in disarray, so Mrs. Vianar decided to renovate it, and they temporarily lived here.

    Mr. Vianar¡¯s face still bore traces of his previous struggles, but he was now spirited and lively.

    He stood on a chair, tapped his glass, and drew the attention of the guests. He said loudly, ¡°Thank you all for attending this dance party. Now, let us toast His Highness the Crown Prince, our ¡®Son of Divine Favor¡¯!¡±

    The crowd all raised their glasses and echoed loudly, ¡°To His Highness!¡±

    ¡°To the Son of Divine Favor.¡±

    ¡°May Jesus bless His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±

    However, a few people did not respond and coldly muttered, ¡°The Crown Prince actually allows nobles and those commoners to be beheaded together, it¡¯s an insult to respectable people.¡±

    ¡°Yes, those commoners now also use beheading, which should have been reserved for the nobility!¡±

    ¡°Hmph, does the Royal Family intend to let these lowly people climb over our heads?¡±

 Chapter 631 - Chapter 631: Chapter 540: Money, or Principle

    Chapter 631: Chapter 540: Money, or Principle

    (The rest of the chapter has not yet been coded, please refresh after half an hour, dear reader, for another look. The author sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience caused to everyone. In the future, I will definitely code faster to reduce the occurrence of such situations. I hope everyone can forgive me.)

    Their words immediately drew dissatisfaction from several nobles around them.

    Someone looked at them and scolded, ¡°Gentlemen, you should be ashamed of your nonsensical talk. I almost go to Louvre Square every day, and all I see there are despicable Tax Farmers, not decent people at all.¡±

    Another, clearly influenced by Rousseau¡¯s ideas of equality, retorted, ¡°The people of France should not be called lowly, at least not in the eyes of Jesus. When called by the divine, there is no distinction between noble and commoner.¡±

    ¡°Humph, in my opinion, those Tax Farmers deserve the shame. His Highness is absolutely right. Look at Mr. Vianner, he was nearly killed by those people in Saint Anthony District.¡±

    ¡°I see, you are sympathizing with those Tax Farmers? Ha, these last few years they have overtaxed me by hundreds of francs¡­¡±

    Those who previously expressed dissatisfaction with the method of execution were relentlessly pushed back but continued to protest softly, ¡°I don¡¯t like those fellows either, but perhaps one day, the dignity of other nobles will be stripped away as well¡­¡±

    ¡°That is, after all, the rule, and should not be changed just like that.¡±

    Seeing that the two groups were about to quarrel, a middle-aged man quickly stepped forward to mediate, ¡°Gentlemen, calm, please calm down.

    ¡°Yes, you are right, they are all vile death row inmates, whether commoners or nobles, what¡¯s the difference? All proper nobles still maintain their deserved dignity.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not saying that rules should not be respected. Actually, have you not noticed? His Majesty the King has cared for the dignified stature of the punished nobles in another way.¡±

    ¡°Oh? How so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the newly introduced guillotine.¡± The middle-aged man blinked, ¡°Though it finishes the job swiftly, just a snap and it¡¯s over, it lacks any sense of ceremony.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    ¡°Now, to have the Executioner perform the execution, they have to be paid separately.

    ¡°They will execute before the cold machine of the guillotine, recite an oath before acting, display a hereditary execution sword, and even chat with the condemned. Such a traditional and ceremonious method of execution is reserved especially for nobles. Oh, the commoners can¡¯t afford to hire Executioners.¡±

    Several nobles¡¯ eyes lit up on hearing this, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s true. No wonder His Majesty invented the guillotine, something to deal perfunctorily with the commoners!¡±

    ¡°Long live His Majesty the King! His Majesty has indeed expended much effort to maintain the dignity of the nobles.¡±

    ¡°Only a solemn Executioner is worthy of the nobles¡¯ heads!¡±

    Joseph could never have imagined that his father¡¯s guillotine would so quickly give rise to a unique ¡°execution economics.¡±

    Nobles, in order to display their status, even bought fancy uniforms for their Executioners, had them recite brief elegies, and hired assistants to sprinkle flower petals on their spilled blood.

    These acts¡¯ prices, half a month after the executions continued at Louvre Square, had already risen to between 500 and 800 francs per Executioner, becoming one of the core incomes of the court.

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    Joseph, looking at the report from the Tax Farming Bureau, couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.

    With the massive purge of the Tax Farmers revealing significant illegal earnings, along with fines, the total had added 67 million francs to the national treasury.

    You have to understand, this is unlike having to pay principal and interest on government bonds and loans; this is pure income!

    But it¡¯s now January 1791, and considering the funds he had raised earlier, there was still a shortfall of over 30 million to meet the minimum financial requirements of the government.

    This was far from his initial estimates.

    According to Robespierre¡¯s report, knowing that they couldn¡¯t escape their crimes, many leading Tax Farmers had transferred their assets, intending to leave them to their families.

    This era still valued cash as king. By burying silver coins or banknotes in a secluded place, it would be difficult for either the tax office or the intelligence bureau to uncover them.

    Only the assets kept by the Tax Farmers in the banks were completely confiscated.

    For instance, that Borelay, he held massive shares in more than ten Tax Farming Bureaus, and according to Robespierre¡¯s estimate, his tax farming income last year should have been 13 million francs.

    Yet, the confiscation and forfeiture of his assets amounted to only 9 million francs, the rest unknown.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    By the end of the 18th century, banknotes re-emerged in many different forms, and financiers developed secured banknotes and various complex forms of bonds. These complex financial innovations provided means to transform illiquid assets into liquid securities. This might sound technical, but as we will see, the development of secured loans played an important role in the economy of the American colonies and the American Revolution. We¡¯ve already seen how John Law issued currency thus causing disastrous inflationary consequences.

    The argument here is that dematerialized banknotes and paper bonds required investors to demand real assets as collateral for their investments. This new technology involved consolidating trust assets and issuing securities through pooled assets. These securities were merely a repackaging and reselling of an asset. Repackaging could involve pooling multiple assets, structuring cash flows over time to smooth out future payments, or in some way grading these cash flows to make the assets more attractive to investors.

    Undoubtedly, this story began in the Netherlands. The first diversified investment fund was created by 18th-century Dutch financial engineers based on a lifetime annuity pool. In the 1770s, around the time of the American Revolutionary War, Dutch investment bankers started marketing portfolios similar to ¡°maiden bonds.¡±

    Some components within ¡°Comprehensive Securities¡± were not just simple bonds. For instance, plantation loans in Dutch colonial territories that mortgaged both the Suriname plantations and the slaves therein as collateral. The loan income came from forward contracts targeted at the plantation produce, assuming that the products could be sold at a good price hence securing the loan yield. Similarly, income from tolls, canals, and postal services within the asset portfolio could also secure a stable cash flow, thus assuring investors¡¯ returns.

    Bad luck could doom any single underlying bond: a reduction in sugarcane production in the southern Americas could decrease the income from plantation loans, Russia might default, and the Danish American Islands might be transferred causing its debts to be declared invalid. However, if you held enough of these potentially fatal securities, the law of large numbers would make the performance of your defaulted bond portfolio predictable.

 Chapter 632 - Chapter 632: Chapter 541 "The Devil" Joseph

    Chapter 632: Chapter 541 ¡°The Devil¡± Joseph

    After an unspecified amount of time, Brian, who stood off to the side, cautiously spoke up, ¡°Your Highness, if this displeases you, then I shall go back and tell them to abandon their vain hopes.

    ¡°After all, these evildoers do not qualify for His Majesty the King¡¯s pardon.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s heart stirred upon hearing this. Yes, he had been thinking in the manner of a later, civilized society and had forgotten that this was the age of royal power.

    Why should he reason with those men?

    He represented the royal power, he was working for the nation¡¯s benefit, and there was absolutely no need to be polite.

    Let them first taste the iron fist of royal authority, then talk about terms!

    It was merely a case of him playing the ¡°villain¡± this time, just for tens of millions of francs. To say nothing of playing the villain, even becoming Satan would not be an issue.

    He then looked at Brian with a smile and shook his head, ¡°No, please tell them to come here tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±

    Brian had not expected the Crown Prince to agree so easily. Just as he was about to take his leave, he heard Joseph add, ¡°Oh, and Archbishop, the one million francs they gave you, just pour it all into the Industrial Development Fund. If it stays with you, I¡¯m afraid Mr. Mara will see it and be unable to resist.¡±

    Brian sighed inwardly. Though somewhat reluctant, he knew that holding onto the money was indeed too hot to handle. And as His Highness had said, with such a large sum, the people from the Official Investigation Bureau would certainly chase after him like mad.

    However, Joseph¡¯s next words made him beam, ¡°Nevertheless, you will receive half of the annual dividends of that money.¡±

    Rewards where rewards are due, punishment where punishment is due. Brian had chosen not to greedily take the money for himself, so encouragement was in order.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    Brian bowed earnestly, ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. May Jesus bless you.¡±

    One million francs placed in the industrial fund would yield an interest of over a hundred thousand a year, half of which would amount to fifty or sixty thousand. And that was with the previous year¡¯s earnings not being too good; surely, that number would only increase in the future.

    The following afternoon at two o¡¯clock.

    Baron Morrel, the negotiating representative from the Tax Farmers Association, said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, so as Archbishop Brienne previously mentioned, each of our seven families will contribute ten million francs to buy national bonds and pay a fine of one million francs.

    ¡°Mr. Laboucher, Baron Depelego, and the other six people, each buying four million francs in national bonds and paying a fine of five hundred thousand.

    ¡°What do you think of this¡­¡±

    Joseph¡¯s face darkened as he let out a cold snort, ¡°Humph, things were completely different then compared to now, Baron.

    ¡°The guillotine is now set up, and the tax bureau has deployed so many people to investigate, do you still think you can settle it as easily as before?¡±

    Morrel and Viscount Ford exchanged glances and quickly changed their offer, ¡°You¡¯re right. Perhaps we could double the fine to express our sincerity!¡±

    They had anticipated before coming that this time it would not be easy to get through, so they had agreed on a price in advance and then left it to the negotiating representative to haggle.

    In their view, it was a business deal; though they would surely take a loss, business was business, and there was always a point to cut the losses.

    Seeing that the Crown Prince was only looking at the teacup in front of him and not saying a word, Morrel gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Your Highness, then we¡¯ll double the fine again. This is virtually all the liquidity we have.¡±

    After a few seconds, he spoke again with difficulty, ¡°Then, the interest on the national bonds could be halved, would that be acceptable?¡±

    Suddenly, Joseph laughed, set down his teacup, and looked at the few tax farming giants in front of him, speaking unhurriedly, ¡°Let me lay out my proposal. Oh, and there¡¯s no room for bargaining.

    ¡°First of all, there¡¯s no need to buy any national bonds. Viscount Ford, Mr. Hope, Baron Morrel¡­ Each of you will pay a fine of ten million francs. Mr. Laboucher, Baron Depelego, Godemid¡­ Each of you a fine of five million francs. The fines for the other major Tax Farmers will range from one to three million each.¡±

    The few Tax Farmers gasped in shock.

    National bonds were essentially loans, which had to be repaid with interest no matter how much was borrowed. Based on their previous discussions, the bottom line was at most not to pay interest. But now, the Crown Prince had directly switched it to fines, with no principal to be expected at all!

    Viscount Ford stood up immediately and shouted, ¡°Your Highness, you are leaving us no way out! So much money will bankrupt us!¡±

    ¡°This is all ill-gotten wealth, sucked from the blood of countless poor citizens of France. It should righteously be surrendered!¡± Joseph glanced at him coldly and pointed toward the door, ¡°Those who feel they cannot accept, please leave.¡±

    Ford and the others exchanged grim looks, silent.

    After a moment, Morrel hesitantly stood up and spoke, ¡°Your Highness, if¡­ if I am willing to pay the fine, can I still receive a Pardon Letter?¡±

    ¡°Pardon Letter?¡± Joseph feigned surprise, ¡°Did I mention such a thing just now?¡±

    Morrel became anxious, ¡°Your Highness, I am prepared to pay ten million francs, surely that can persuade His Majesty the King to pardon me?¡±

    ¡°You have committed numerous crimes, paying a fine is only natural,¡± Joseph said indifferently, ¡°After this, what punishment you shall receive will be decided by the trials at the High Court.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± Morrel protested loudly, even forgetting his manners.

    If their criminal evidence was unearthed¡ªwhich was almost inevitable¡ªthe court would most likely sentence them to death or at least decades of imprisonment. And judging by the Crown Prince¡¯s intention, bribing the judges was out of the question.

    Ford also stood up angrily, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re going too far. In this case, we might as well not negotiate at all.

    ¡°Humph, at worst, we serve our prison sentences, but I swear, neither you nor the government will get a penny of it!¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Joseph glanced at him with a smile, ¡°You at least have a case of tax document forgery against you, and the tax bureau can arrest you at any moment on this ground.

    ¡°You¡¯re most welcome to hide that illegal gain, but I am convinced that, in the end, you will reveal the whereabouts of that money.¡±

    Ford laughed too, ¡°Your Highness, might as well be straightforward, I might be sentenced to death by the High Court, why then should I surrender the money?¡±

    ¡°Because being sentenced to death isn¡¯t the worst part,¡± Joseph suddenly adopted a gloomy and low tone, ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the intelligence bureau that they have a unique method of torture¡ª

    ¡°They bury most of a prisoner¡¯s body in the ground, then make an incision in his head and pour mercury drop by drop into the cut.

    ¡°As the mercury keeps falling, the prisoner will itch unbearably, causing him to struggle fiercely for relief.

    ¡°His body will wriggle upwards like a snake, continuing to squeeze upward¡­

    ¡°But his skin will be held in place by the ground, and soon, his body will shoot out from the skin like a meatball!¡±

 Chapter 633 - Chapter 633: Chapter 542: Brought to Justice

    Chapter 633: Chapter 542: Brought to Justice

    With Joseph¡¯s devilish whispering narration, Ford and the other Tax Farmers shuddered, the hair on their backs standing on end.

    However, Joseph continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that after that skinless ball of flesh crawls out from underground, it usually remains alive, running about in pain on the ground.¡±

    ¡°Please, no more¡­¡± Morrel, already frightened by the torture, closed his eyes and pleaded in a trembling voice.

    Joseph nodded and, seeing a few people sigh in relief, suddenly slapped his forehead, ¡°Oh, almost forgot, there¡¯s one last step they mentioned: pouring a bucket of boiling water over that ball of flesh!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Morrel was so scared that he fell to the ground, a wet patch forming on his trousers.

    The others appeared as if their souls were about to leave their bodies, some clutching their chests as if about to vomit.

    Of course, Joseph hadn¡¯t heard about these things from the intelligence bureau; at most, they would smash fingers or drive wooden stakes through calves¡ªthose kinds of ¡°tricks.¡±

    This was the best of thousands of years of tortures ¡°selected¡± from Lu Dingji, surely enough to plunge someone into an endless Purgatory, experiencing despair and terror from the depths of their soul just by hearing it once.

    Seeing the few men thoroughly intimidated, Joseph then declared sternly, ¡°If you think you can keep your mouths tight enough to keep the secrets of your ill-gotten gains, by all means, go ahead and give it a try.¡±

    No one replied. Most were still wiping cold sweat or struggling with the feeling of their stomachs turning upside down.

    At last, Ford managed to regain his composure, albeit reluctantly, ¡°If you press us like this, we¡¯ll commit suicide right away, and no one will have it easy!¡±

    Joseph¡¯s eyelids lifted slightly as he said slowly, ¡°If you pay the fines and accept the court¡¯s judgment, I might allow your descendants to inherit your titles and the remaining property.

    ¡°Your families, your surnames will continue to exist.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã0

    Seeing a few still not speaking up, he continued, ¡°Oh, right, aside from Borelay, who ordered the attack and killed the Tax Officer, and Barrot and De Contre who incited the caravans to disrupt national trade, as well as Antoine, whose Tax Farming Bureau was involved in numerous homicides, the rest, especially those with fewer illegal records, might not be sentenced to death by the High Court.¡±

    Utmost pressure followed by a sliver of hope, alongside attempts to divide them as much as possible. This was forever the best way to deal with opponents who band together.

    Morrel quickly compared situations and immediately his eyes flickered with joy; he was clearly among those mentioned last by the Crown Prince.

    Since he could save his life, why bind himself to a sure-death rascal like Borelay?

    He had an estate worth 14 million, and even after paying the fines and deducting recent expenses, he should be able to leave about 2 million for his family and children.

    Perhaps after serving a few years in jail, he might even be released on bail.

    Thinking this, he took a deep breath, moved his cold legs forward two steps, and said dejectedly, ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to pay the fine. Please keep your promise¡­¡±

    Joseph nodded, ¡°You made the correct decision; this is the attitude a penitent should have.¡±

    Ford looked at Morrel with despair, feeling somewhat envious. He was the president of the Tax Farmers Association, and he had overseen much of the confrontation with the government, so naturally, he could not expect a light sentence.

    But after hesitating for a long time, he eventually expressed his acceptance of the Crown Prince¡¯s plan.

    He was acutely aware that when the Crown Prince said just now that his family and descendants could inherit his titles and property, he quite literally meant it.

    Even if the court sentenced him to beheading, at least these could be assured.

    Moreover, now that Morrel and the others had compromised, even if he wanted to continue resisting, there was no hope of victory. Not to mention, it would make him more likely to ¡°experience¡± the terror of mercury flaying¡ªhe swore, no matter what, he wanted no part, not even the slightest, with that thing!

    Soon, the other two Tax Farmers participating in the negotiations also accepted Joseph¡¯s proposal. Drained of all their strength, they left the Tuileries Palace with wooden expressions, to pass on the outcome of the negotiations to the other Tax Farmers.

    As Ford and the others left, two carriages drove out from the Dutch embassy in France.

    An intelligence agent watching the front door of the embassy exchanged glances with an investigator from the Tax Bureau hiding under an opposite tree. The tax investigator mounted a horse and followed.

    They were there watching Nop.

    This Dutch banker, probably worried about being arrested by the Tax Bureau¡ªwith the heads of Tax Farmers and their subordinates rolling lately, he was genuinely terrified¡ªhad sought refuge in the Dutch embassy a week ago.

    Suddenly, from the embassy, someone called out loudly, ¡°Mr. Vischhof, have a safe journey. Tell my wife I am well in Paris.¡±

    The investigator turned to look, seeing Hope standing at a second-floor window of the embassy, waving to the two carriages.

    And from the carriages, people also popped their heads out and waved back a few times.

    However, the investigator still cautiously followed the two carriages on horseback, and that evening, after the people from the carriages checked into a hotel, he observed them closely from the shadows¡ªsince they couldn¡¯t directly stop and search diplomatic vehicles, it had to be done this way.

    They were all embassy staff, without Hope. Yes, he should still be in the embassy.

    So, the two investigators hurried back to Paris overnight to continue their stakeout there.

    What he did not expect was that, half an hour after he left, the Dutch diplomats snuck out, took tools to remove the roof of the carriage, and Hope immediately popped his head out from a hidden compartment.

    From the other carriage, Fankevich also complained as he jumped from the roof, but because his legs had been cramped for so long, they were numb, and he fell heavily to the ground.

    The next day at dawn, the two disguised themselves and mixed into a merchant convoy, and two days later, they boarded a ship on the Picardy Coast, sailing toward the nearest British port¡­

    Half a month later.

    The Paris High Court passed the judgment on Tax Farmer Borelay¡ªsentencing him to beheading for 16 charges, including murdering the Tax Officer, murdering five other civilians, kidnapping, smuggling, and added a hefty fine of ten million francs.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Clerks turned into officials, handling taxes, justice, administration, promoted step by step based on seniority. The Charter Act passed by Congress in 1793 confirmed this principle. The act indicated that in India, all principal civil appointments below the council should be filled by the company¡¯s covenanted servants. In 1800, he established William Fort College in Calcutta to train company administrators, but it didn¡¯t succeed. In 1806, Haileybury College was established in England¡­

 Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: Chapter 544 The Tranquil Corsica

    Chapter 635: Chapter 544 The Tranquil Corsica

    The procession had reached Louvre Square when thousands had already gathered, singing ¡°The Lantern Happiness Song¡± at the top of their lungs.

    Joseph made his way through a side entrance to the second floor of the Louvre and saw a circle left open in the crowd that surrounded the square¡¯s center, with hundreds of straw effigies piled haphazardly within.

    The features of the effigies were indistinct, but names like ¡°Ford,¡± ¡°Borelay,¡± and ¡°De Contre¡± could be heard shouted out among the crowd, identifying the Tax Farmers.

    Then, an old woman stepped forward and lit the effigies on fire. A thunderous cheer erupted from the square, ¡°Let these bastards burn!¡±

    ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! Long live the King!¡±

    ¡°Thanks to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, thanks to the Internal Revenue Service, for sending the devils to hell!¡±

    ¡°Burn the Tax Farmers, burn them!¡±

    Flames roared into life, and people once again gathered around the blaze to sing, while others began to cry tears of sorrow.

    Unnoticed by Joseph, under the eastern colonnade of the Tuileries Palace, officials like Robespierre and Schommet from the tax office also watched the dancing flames, their expressions even more fervent than the jubilant crowd.

    This was their victory, their first time challenging such a colossus as the Tax Farmers, and the newly-formed tax office was a resounding success.

    Looking at the satisfied expressions on the faces in the square, they felt they had brought fairness and justice to France, their own lives seemingly all the more splendid.

    After a long moment, Schommet suddenly said, ¡°I am glad I took your advice, otherwise I would have missed such a magnificent moment.¡±

    It was Robespierre who, at a Jacobin gathering, had called everyone to join the tax office. He gave many assurances then, but Schommet had still been hesitant¡ªlike most people at the gathering, he was reluctant to take up a government post.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??

    Nevertheless, Robespierre managed to persuade many, including Schommet.

    Robespierre smiled, then soberly said, ¡°Thank goodness I met the Crown Prince, otherwise¡­¡±

    His voice suddenly rose, ¡°He really is a special royal. A person¡­ who can bring justice and happiness to the people. He is much more suited for this than us.¡±

    Darti, who stood beside him, seemed even more impassioned. He had been one of the Jacobins most skeptical of Robespierre, joining the tax office to prove him wrong, yet now he was one of Joseph¡¯s staunchest supporters.

    He followed with a loud voice, ¡°Mr. Rousseau taught us how to do it, and the Crown Prince is fulfilling it! France is great because of them!¡±

    Robespierre gave a slight nod, ¡°Yes, we shall witness the greatness of France¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Corsica.

    In the Count Butafuoco¡¯s pale-gray villa in the suburbs of the City of Ajaccio, the newly appointed Governor handed a confidential report to the acting Commander of the Corsican forces, ¡°This is information Mr. Girolamo obtained from a splinter faction¡¯s congressmen. It might not be detailed, but we still need to be cautious.¡±

    Napoleon took the report and unfolded it, revealing a list of names with a note: Paul might soon instigate an uprising in the mountains; these are the people closely connected with him.

    Count Butafuoco said with some anxiety, ¡°Most of these people are congressmen still loyal to Paul, along with some senior members of splinter organizations.

    ¡°Perhaps, you could preemptively deploy the troops, so we can suppress them immediately should any trouble arise.¡±

    After a series of setbacks, Paul¡¯s standing in Corsica had plummeted.

    This had made him decide on a final struggle, mustering all the forces still under his influence, promising great rewards, and plotting to create an uprising in his own homeland. Then he would risk returning to Corsica, repeating his father¡¯s tactics, and, amidst the chaos, gather starving peasants to form an army.

    Napoleon frowned slightly and shook his head, ¡°Governor, there are hundreds of villages in the Qinto Mountain range. The current intelligence is far from sufficient for us to set up defenses.¡±

    The Count Butafuoco urgently said, ¡°You must think of a solution, the situation had just improved, we cannot let chaos erupt again.¡±

    His position as Governor was far from secure, and if a riot broke out now, he would likely be replaced by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

    Napoleon also looked solemn. Hadn¡¯t he just been promoted, with even the word ¡°acting¡± previously attached to his title? Naturally, he also hoped that Corsica would settle down.

    ¡°No, fighting in those mountain villages is not wise,¡± he suddenly shook his head, ¡°We should solve the problem on a higher level.¡±

    ¡°You mean?¡±

    As they were speaking, the Governor¡¯s butler came in and bowed, saying, ¡°My lord, there is an officer outside who wishes to see Mister Buonaparte.¡±

    Glancing through the door to see the face of the captain outside, Napoleon immediately apologized to Count Butafuoco, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have an urgent matter. As for the riot, I will take care of it, please rest assured.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank Jesus! Then I shall depend entirely on you.¡±

    After bidding farewell to the Governor, Napoleon went to the carriage and asked the officer opposite him, ¡°Have those men been brought here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander, they are now in the storehouse on the south side of the camp.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll go and see them.¡±

    Shortly after, the carriage stopped outside the storehouse, and Napoleon immediately heard the cursing inside.

    He smiled, pushed the door, and walked in; the several soldiers inside hurriedly stood at attention and saluted him.

    Napoleon nodded to them and then turned to the three men sitting in the corner, placing a hand on his chest and said, ¡°It is an honor to meet you, gentlemen judges, I hope my soldiers haven¡¯t been impolite in any way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you, you madman!¡± a judge with lean cheeks in his forties shouted angrily, ¡°Release us immediately!¡±

    Another elder also yelled, ¡°This is kidnapping! I will sue you and your soldiers!¡±

    Napoleon gestured for the soldiers to bring chairs and sat down opposite the three men, smiling, ¡°Just render those captives innocent, and I will immediately send you back.¡±

    He was referring to the over 400 soldiers of the National Self-Defense Force who had been captured during the suppression.

    After executing some of the die-hard officers, he incorporated the remaining soldiers into his own troops.

    Though these men were pardoned by the military tribunal, the Corsica Court insisted on convicting them of rioting as per Congressional decree.

    And according to France¡¯s regulations, those with such serious crimes could not join the army, and even if they were forcibly recruited, the General Staff would not pay them salaries.

    ¡°You dream!¡± the lean judge said firmly, ¡°I will not do anything that violates the decrees!¡±

    The other two judges also kept a stern face without saying a word.

    Seeing this, Napoleon stood up and said to a soldier nearby, ¡°It seems that the gentlemen judges still need some time to think, so please ensure their safety. I will come back in 10 days.¡±

    ¡°Madman! Let us go!¡±

    The three judges immediately tried to argue with him but were pushed back down into their chairs by the soldiers.

    Napoleon left the storehouse and told the officer beside him, ¡°Please call up two companies, oh, let it be Labo¡¯s and Buluo¡¯s companies, to assemble in front of Parliament Hall tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±

 Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: Chapter 545: Napoleons Thunder

    Chapter 636: Chapter 545: Napoleon¡¯s Thunder

    The following day.

    Two blocks away from the Ajaccio Council Hall, on a square, over 200 fully armed soldiers were neatly organized into two square formations, looking up at Colonel Buonaparte mounted on his horse.

    ¡°Not long ago, we had just rescued Corsica from those rebels,¡± Napoleon raised his riding crop towards the direction of the Parliament Hall, ¡°and now, another group of conspirators are ready to destroy this peaceful life.

    ¡°According to the intelligence I¡¯ve received, those incompetent, inefficient deputies who only know corruption will incite riots in the Qinto Mountain Area under Paul¡¯s command.

    ¡°You, the brave soldiers of France, to save this province once again, will follow me to arrest those separatists! We shall put an end to this chaotic nightmare once and for all!¡±

    He spoke with a powerful voice that resonated deeply, completely forgetting that just a few months prior, he himself had also been a ¡®separatist.¡¯

    ¡°Yes, Commander sir!¡± the soldiers responded in unison, and then, under the command of their officers, they marched towards the Parliament Hall to the beat of the drum.

    Following them were several warhorses dragging two 6-pound cannons.

    Today, the Corsican Parliament was to conduct routine voting on some policies, and over 70 deputies had just entered the Parliament Hall, some still yawning, when suddenly the front doors burst open and two officials from the Ajaccio City Hall ran in, exclaiming anxiously, ¡°The army! Buonaparte is coming with the army!¡±

    ¡°Someone heard him saying he wants to ¡®arrest the separatists¡¯¡­¡±

    The deputies immediately stood up in alarm, shouting, ¡°Who gave him this authority?¡±

    ¡°I heard that it was he who took away the three Chief Justices, he must be mad!¡±

    ¡°Does he intend to capture the deputies too?¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã?

    ¡°What should we do? Who will stop him?¡±

    Giuseppe, the leader of the Pro-France Faction, jumped onto a table, waving his arms and shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, everyone. This is the Corsican Parliament! We must unite and let that madman, that military leader, know that the Corsican people have never feared threats!¡±

    Immediately, deputies from the Restoration Faction echoed, ¡°Right! Corsica is the land of freedom and democracy, we will not allow him to act recklessly!¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t afraid of him! Everyone, follow me, let¡¯s drive that man away!¡±

    These deputies were orators by trade, their words passionate and stirring, each resembling fearless fighters.

    Giuseppe led the way, and dozens of deputies chaotically approached the doors of the Parliament Hall, just in time to see a unit of soldiers in white military uniforms approaching.

    He stepped forward immediately and demanded, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±

    Napoleon had his soldiers surround the Parliament Hall and then, riding forward to the group of deputies, he symbolically tipped his hat then took out a list, looking down at them indifferently and declared, ¡°In the name of the Commanding Officer of the Corsican garrison, I hereby announce the arrest of the following individuals involved in planning the riot¡ª

    ¡°Andrew Alexander Archid.

    ¡°Sean Chris Badolo.

    ¡°Richie Roman Grecos Joseph.

    ¡°Tim Toskaki¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, his soldiers immediately moved forward to apprehend them.

    Though they hailed from the Corsican forces, they all came from provinces on the mainland of France. Specifically, Labo¡¯s company comprised ¡®Grenadier Company¡¯, specially selected by Napoleon: though they did not have the towering stature of regular grenadiers, they certainly received their compensation.

    These soldiers were all Napoleon¡¯s ¡°direct lineage¡± and didn¡¯t care about the Corsican deputies at all.

    Giuseppe¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly signaled to the deputies beside him. They linked arms and stepped forward, shouting loudly, ¡°We are the Corsican deputies, representing the Corsican people! You have no right to arrest us!¡±

    ¡°Leave the Parliament Hall immediately, you impudent fellows.¡±

    ¡°You are trampling on freedom and the law, and you will be tried!¡±

    The soldiers, intimidated by their confident rhetoric, stopped in their tracks and turned to look at the commander.

    Napoleon glanced at the Grenadier Company¡¯s leader, ¡°Labo, show your soldiers how it¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±

    Labo snapped to attention, dismounted, and strode toward Giuseppe, the loudest shouter, raising his hand and cracking a whip, fiercely chiding, ¡°Rebel, shut your mouth!¡±

    Giuseppe screamed in pain, and the deputies holding him immediately let go, retreating in fear.

    Labo, ignoring the deputies beside him, followed up with another lash, knocking Giuseppe to the ground, then stepping on his back, he motioned to the soldiers, ¡°The rope, tie him up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Labo then looked at the other soldiers and loudly said, ¡°What are you waiting for? Did you not hear the Commander¡¯s orders?¡±

    With him setting an example, the other soldiers immediately surged forward, looping ropes around the deputies whose names had been called by Napoleon.

    ¡°Everybody, fight them!¡± Giuseppe¡¯s subordinates shouted fiercely, eyes wild with inner fear.

    At that moment, from the direction of the street corner, came the ¡°creaking¡± sound of wagon wheels. The deputies turned their heads and saw two dark cannons appear in their view, pointing right at them, with soldiers standing by holding linstocks.

    In an instant, the once fearless deputies, who had been struggling and resisting, were frozen in place, and all was silent in front of the Parliament Hall.

    In reality, the 200 plus soldiers did not need cannons to deal with the deputies, and they could not have fired them close quarters anyway.

    But the terrifying deterrent power of the cannons was unmatched. A person might be able to speak confidently in the face of a flintlock gun, but under the gaze of a cannon, most would find themselves tongue-tied.

    Soon, the soldiers had shoved a dozen bound deputies into horse-drawn carriages. Paul¡¯s faction in Parliament had almost been completely captured.

    The remaining deputies who had escaped harm mostly dispersed tremulously, while those from the Pro-France Faction watched the army¡¯s departure, gossiping with schadenfreude.

    From noon that day, Ajaccio implemented martial law, sending squads of soldiers onto the streets to ¡°prevent insurgents from inciting unrest.¡±

    Two days later, the trial began in the High Court of Ajaccio.

    Under the ¡°close protection¡± of soldiers, the three Chief Justices, who had previously been taken away by Napoleon to the storehouse, completed the trial process in just one day, declaring Giuseppe and 14 other deputies guilty of conspiring to incite a rebellion and colluding with foreign enemies, sentencing them to 10 to 20 years of imprisonment and revoking their deputy status.

    The news spread, and all of Corsica was shocked, especially in areas with severe tendencies toward division, where the mood was agitated, nearly to the point of armed uprising.

    However, their leaders were presently confined in Napoleon¡¯s military camp, with no one to make decisions, unable to mobilize funds, and not stirring up trouble.

    Before long, Napoleon¡¯s army appeared in these areas with signs of uprising.

    The restless hearts of the people instantly became calm.

 Chapter 637 - Chapter 637: Chapter 546: Englands Strategic Acceleration

    Chapter 637: Chapter 546: England¡¯s Strategic Acceleration

    Half a month later.

    Lucian Buonaparte, Napoleon¡¯s younger brother of just 17 years, hurried back to Corsica from Paris to participate in the by-election for Corsican deputies¡ªCongress suddenly had 14 seats to fill, for which new deputies were to be elected.

    Without any surprises, Lucian was elected by a wide margin as the deputy for the Sota District. Even though he had scarcely ever visited that place, with the vigorous campaigning by his second brother and the support of Governor Count Butafuoco, being elected was not a difficult task.

    In fact, nearly all of the 14 by-election seats fell into the hands of those designated by Napoleon and the Governor.

    ¡­

    On the second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

    Joseph, looking at the report on the situation in Corsica that Brian had just delivered, couldn¡¯t help but tiredly rub his temples.

    He knew Napoleon was capable of and dared to stir up trouble, hence he had assigned him to Corsica to solve problems, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated that it would almost lead to a seismic event.

    Napoleon¡¯s actions were nothing short of a warlord¡¯s disdain for national laws! Given slightly more power than he had in history, he had made a commotion several times larger than anything in the past.

    Although he did indeed solve the problem of Corsican separatism to some extent, he also damaged the image of the French Government there.

    Joseph sighed and instructed Brian, ¡°Please draft a reprimand¡ªLieutenant Colonel Buonaparte has besieged the Parliament Hall in a most inappropriate manner and must be disciplined. Revoke his position as the acting Commander of the Corsican garrison. However, as we currently don¡¯t have a suitable replacement, he will still be in command of the garrison troops.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Joseph couldn¡¯t help but smile after speaking. He considered himself to be the first person in history to discipline Napoleon, an unimaginable scenario in the previous timeline.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?

    He hoped to use this as an opportunity to temper Napoleon¡¯s arrogant and stubborn character, so he might wield his capabilities more effectively in the future.

    Joseph then turned his thoughts to the current situation in Corsica. Without destroying the old, the new cannot be established; now that the old patterns had been broken, it was time to start building. As long as the people there could live in peace and happiness, who would want to risk their lives for secession?

    But that place had neither the resources nor the agriculture for easy development.

    After some careful thought, he quickly recalled a small island from later eras, whose model could be adopted.

    He then looked at Brian and said, ¡°Archbishop, I¡¯m thinking of turning Corsica into a tourist haven. What do you think?¡±

    The Chief Minister pondered for a moment and nodded, ¡°I think it¡¯s entirely possible to give it a try, Your Highness. I¡¯ve been there, and the sunshine is very pleasant. The taste of the seafood and ham is also quite good. It¡¯s just that the local residents don¡¯t seem very gentlemanly.¡±

    ¡°Then the Church will need to take great pains to educate them,¡± Joseph said. ¡°When you return, collaborate with Mr. Bailly to make a plan. It should include establishing regular ferry crossings from Marseille to Calvi, with the government subsidizing some of the fares to attract more visitors to the place.

    ¡°In addition, new restaurants, massage parlours, and amusement parks need to be built there¡­¡±

    Brian immediately added, ¡°And academies, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that will be up to you.¡±

    ¡­

    Downstream of the Thames River.

    London Port.

    The Marquess of Wellesley had not yet disembarked when he saw the densely packed welcome party on the shore, as well as the Royal band in their neat red uniforms at the front of the crowd.

    However, as his gaze swept across the dock¡¯s center on a young man surrounded by officials, a smile immediately spread across his face.

    That man was none other than William Pitt, the current Prime Minister of England. To distinguish him from his father, people called him William Pitt Junior.

    The ¡°Martha¡± ferry gently touched the dock, the gangplank was lowered, and Wellesley stepped onto English soil amidst the noisy music, immediately striding towards Prime Minister Pitt.

    The latter, also smiling, came to meet him. Without waiting for him to salute, he gave him a warm embrace and exclaimed loudly, ¡°Arthur, do you know that all of London is singing praises of your splendid victory in the Far East? Your excellent command and brave combat have stabilized the very foundation of the nation!¡±

    Wellesley felt no pride at the praise; instead, a hint of embarrassment flashed in his eyes.

    He patted his old friend on the back and then took a step back, insisting on following protocol with a bow, ¡°Thank you for coming to meet me, it makes me very happy.¡±

    He glanced around at the grand reception and chuckled dryly, ¡°I originally thought¡­ there wouldn¡¯t be such an honor.¡±

    ¡°How could you think that? You are a general returning in triumph, a hero!¡±

    Seeing Pitt with his head down, as if lost in thought, he waved on his behalf to the crowds on both sides and then skipped the speech, directly pulling him into the carriage.

    ¡°Is that damned malaria still tormenting you?¡± asked William Pitt Junior, looking at his old friend with concern. ¡°You don¡¯t look very spirited.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley still had his head down, sounding dejected: ¡°You know there was no victory parade; I didn¡¯t defeat that Indian native.¡±

    ¡°No, you won a complete victory,¡± William Pitt Junior immediately corrected him. ¡°All of Britain needs your victory. The people don¡¯t like cold, hard truths.¡±

    ¡°Over three million British Pounds, nearly a thousand soldiers dead or wounded,¡± Wellesley shook his head incessantly, ¡°in the end, all we got was a little land of no value, and the mockery of Mysore.¡±

    William Pitt Junior sighed as well, patting his shoulder, ¡°Think of the brighter side; at least you¡¯ve secured our sphere of influence in the Far East.¡±

    ¡°The French!¡± The Marquess of Wellesley suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, gritting his teeth, ¡°It¡¯s all those damned French!

    ¡°The Mysore soldiers I captured said they all received training from Lafayette, and that man even devised a whole set of campaign plans for Tipu.

    ¡°I even suspect that those fine cannons in Tipu¡¯s hands were supplied by the French!¡±

    He clenched his fists, his voice low and growling like a beast¡¯s: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the French, I could have completely crushed Mysore, occupied Seringapatam, then forced Tipu to pay out millions of British Pounds in indemnities to redeem it. The entire Indian Peninsula would tremble before us, willingly offering everything we want!

    ¡°We must make those damned French bastards pay the price!¡±

    William Pitt Junior slowly nodded, ¡°Your political acumen is still as sharp as ever. In fact, the entire Cabinet agrees with you completely. I am ready to present this as the strategic core of our nation¡¯s future to His Majesty the King very soon.¡±

    Wellesley was momentarily taken aback, ¡°By ¡®completely agrees,¡¯ you mean?¡±

    ¡°Our stance towards France,¡± stated William Pitt Junior, ¡°Do you know the trade volume of France last year? It has already surpassed ours.

    ¡°Even with millions of British Pounds earned from us. That damned Eden Treaty¡ªwe were duped!

    ¡°The French have caught up with us in a large number of industries over the past two years, and we are still maintaining low tariffs as per the treaty, watching French goods flood our market.¡±

 Chapter 638 - Chapter 638: Chapter 547: The Unbalanced European Continent

    Chapter 638: Chapter 547: The Unbalanced European Continent

    ¡°Oh,¡± Lord Grenville¡¯s collected intelligence shows that France¡¯s textile industry costs are only about 15% higher than ours, and the steel industry has almost caught up with us. The French people have discovered huge coal and iron mines in the northern part of Crimea, Russia, which has provided them with a large amount of high-quality pig iron.¡±

    ¡°As for the wine industry, the costs for the French people have dropped by 40% compared to two years ago, and the quality has even improved.¡±

    What he spoke of were the three most important industrial sectors between England and France¡ªeither fiercely competitive or with huge trade volumes.

    William Pitt Junior paused, his expression turning grave, ¡°In any case, France is strengthening at an incredible pace, like a colossal beast.¡±

    ¡°In the past, we were blinded by arrogance and carelessness, but now we must first acknowledge the most critical point: we are facing an opponent more formidable than ever before.¡±

    ¡°This is not the France of the Seven Years¡¯ War; it has already begun to disrupt the power balance of the European Continent.¡±

    The Marquess of Wellesley did not show any shock upon hearing these words; instead, he seemed relieved, ¡°My old friend, your strategic acumen is as sharp as ever. Honestly, I have been worried during my journey that you might not have noticed these developments.¡±

    William Pitt Junior shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not my doing; it was outlined in a report submitted by the Duke of Leeds a few months ago.¡±

    He said, taking a stack of documents from a briefcase next to his chair and handing them to Wellesley, ¡°I was thinking of giving these to you in a couple of days since you¡¯ve just returned from the Far East and need some rest. But just now, I suddenly felt that I need your help as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I definitely support you wholeheartedly¡­¡±

    Wellesley immediately saw ¡°CABINET CONFIDENTIAL¡± on the cover of the documents and hesitated, ¡°I¡¯m currently not holding a government position; this might not be appropriate, might it?¡±

    ¡°No matter,¡± William Pitt Junior waved it off indifferently, ¡°Your opinion is exactly what this report needs the most.¡±

    He leaned on the armrest, ¡°Moreover, I hope you can serve as the Minister of the Army. If you don¡¯t refuse, you¡¯ll be a member of the Cabinet.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï

    ¡°Minister of the Army?¡± Wellesley was startled, ¡°What position is that?¡±

    Indeed, because the British Army had betrayed the King during the Glorious Revolution and because England had less demand for an army, by this point, England had only a Navy Minister, and the army was managed by several senior generals in their own right.

    William Pitt Junior spoke seriously, ¡°As I just said, we must take the French seriously. This is an important military measure.

    ¡°Although young, you have earned prestige in the battles in the Far East, and the soldiers greatly respect you. You are the most suitable for consolidating the army.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in,¡± Wellesley replied straightforwardly in front of his old friend, nodding, ¡°We cannot leave this matter to those rigid old fellows. Actually, I do have some ideas for reforming the military.¡±

    The soon-to-be Minister of the Army righteously flipped open the Duke of Leeds¡¯s report and quickly skimmed through it, continuing, ¡°According to the information I have about the French Army, they have made significant advancements in the past couple of years, even surpassing their industrial achievements.

    ¡°The Prussians got their hands on some French rifles, and I managed to acquire a few. It¡¯s a revolutionary weapon that the French people call the ¡®Caplock Gun¡¯. Whether it¡¯s range, power, or loading speed, it surpasses our most advanced Brown Bess 1769 by a good margin.

    ¡°One could say that our soldiers, when facing this weapon, would be inevitably defeated unless they have a more than 30% numerical advantage or the enemy all contracted malaria.¡±

    William Pitt Junior, not familiar with military fields, frowned, ¡°I have heard of this gun, but Sir Henry Conway believes it poses no threat.¡±

    Sir Conway was among the most senior generals in the British Army at that time.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I dislike those outdated fellows,¡± Wellesley twitched his mouth, ¡°They have to be beaten up before they admit their method is outdated.

    ¡°Oh, and about the Mounted Artillery. Prince Edward and I proposed years ago to vigorously develop this invention by Frederick, and our old generals only agreed to establish two battalions.

    ¡°Do you know how astoundingly effective the French Mounted Artillery were on the battlefields in the Southern Netherlands and Silesia last year?¡±

    William Pitt Junior nodded, ¡°This is why I want you as the Minister of the Army. Now you can go ahead with these, and I will make sure Congress does not trouble you over the funding.¡±

    ¡°Only you have the courage to do this,¡± Wellesley gave a grateful look, ¡°There are many aspects of the French Army that we should learn from, but I assure you, I can provide you with a British Army capable of defeating theirs¡­¡±

    He was in the middle of speaking when he suddenly paused, the report from the Duke of Leeds causing him to furrow his eyebrows and look up at William Pitt Junior, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no exaggeration in this report?¡±

    The other nodded, ¡°The Cabinet has met several times regarding this, and everyone highly supports the content of the report.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    Wellesley quickly flipped forward a few pages, where it was mentioned that France had already stabilized the situation in its North African colonies such as Tunisia and Tripoli, establishing preliminary governing systems, with immigrant numbers continuously rising.

    Just last year, French immigration to North Africa exceeded 70,000 people, especially in the last month, reaching 11,000. This caused the price of tickets from Marseille to Bizerte to rise by 35%.

    It is known that whether it¡¯s England, Spain, Portugal, or any other colonial powers, stabilizing control over overseas colonies always takes a considerable amount of time, numerous wars, gradually wearing down the local population¡¯s willingness to resist, and a significant investment of funds.

    This usually takes 5 to 10 years. But the French people achieved it in just one and a half years!

    Although North Africa is close to France, providing them with a significant advantage, this speed is still remarkably rapid.

    Actually, if it weren¡¯t for England¡¯s previous interference, this period would have been even shorter. Joseph¡¯s strategies of ¡°Roman identity recognition¡± and ¡°Miracle emergence¡± are highly effective, far beyond what any colonial empire could achieve through mere ¡°persuasion¡± with guns.

    Meanwhile, the report also stated that although the areas of Luxembourg and the Southern Netherlands Walloon Region acquired by France were small, it rapidly developed a large amount of coal and iron industries there.

    Plus, the residents there originally had a relatively positive recognition of France, so the order of rule was established even faster. The Duke of Leeds estimated that, at most, in two years, France would recoup all investments made in these areas, perhaps even in one year.

    The overseas colonies France lost in the Seven Years¡¯ War were largely compensated by these territories.

 Chapter 639 - Chapter 639: Chapter 548: Englands Strategic Direction

    Chapter 639: Chapter 548: England¡¯s Strategic Direction

    The Marquess of Wellesley¡¯s expression also became grave.

    He silently continued to flip through the pages until he saw that the next segment of the report was about France¡¯s diplomatic status.

    It was equally astonishing.

    Spain, as a relative of the Bourbon family, had always had a very good relationship with France.

    It goes without saying that ever since the United States declared independence, they had been allies of France.

    Austria, due to France¡¯s substantial aid to them during the Silesian Wars, now appeared quite harmonious with France.

    The countries of Southern Germany had signed the Rhine-Saone Treaty with France, and trade was booming.

    The Dutch Patriot Party had received help from France, and although there were some grievances concerning the affairs of the Southern Netherlands, overall, they lived in peace with France.

    The Italian states always sought to balance between France and Austria, not daring to offend either side.

    Russia was cooperating with France in developing the Donbas region, and Catherine II was very pleased with France¡¯s investment there. With the two nations¡¯ trade volume continuously increasing, rumors even suggested she considered marrying her great-granddaughter to the Crown Prince of France.

    Wellesley couldn¡¯t help but feel a sinking sensation in his heart.

    A Franco-Russian alliance?!

    That would create a terrifying colossus on the European Continent. With the current strength of Austria, Prussia, and others, they were simply incapable of contending with them.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã?

    In other words, France¡¯s current diplomatic landscape was as wonderful as heaven itself.

    Apart from Prussia, there were hardly any enemy states, and they were likely to receive the strong support of Russia.

    Wellesley narrowed his eyes, realizing that he needed to quickly disrupt France¡¯s international situation; otherwise, once it established dominance on the European Continent, England would never have its day in the sun again.

    This was England¡¯s long-held policy of ¡°European Balance of Power¡±¡ªthe Continent must remain fragmented; never allowing a hegemon to emerge.

    He looked at William Pitt Junior and said in a grave tone, ¡°It seems we must act to maintain the balance.¡±

    The latter nodded, ¡°Indeed, we can¡¯t afford to waste much more time.¡±

    He glanced at the part of the report Wellesley had turned to and continued, ¡°It also mentions the various reforms that France has carried out over the past two years.

    ¡°We must admit, they have done very well.¡±

    ¡°They resolved their tax issues first and then took the opportunity to crack down on the restless nobility. Then they pushed for banking reforms, streamlined the financial system, and even established something called the ¡®Industrial Development Fund,¡¯ successfully stabilizing the anger of the nobles.

    ¡°After all this, their precarious finances began to stabilize. This was also the guarantee for their rapid industrial development thereafter.

    ¡°Next, they carried out land reforms, gaining a great deal of public support. Oh, and they recently took back tax collection rights. Although there were conflicts with the Tax Farmers and several hundred people were killed, domestic support for them actually grew louder.

    ¡°The Duke of Leeds predicts that with improved taxation, French industrial development will surge even more fiercely, greatly impacting our products in the European market.¡±

    William Pitt Junior glanced again at the report, ¡°The Duke of Leeds seldom mentioned France¡¯s military affairs before, but you have already supplemented that. Likewise, it¡¯s nothing to be optimistic about.

    ¡°Actually, His Majesty has essentially agreed to shift the nation towards a strategy against France.

    ¡°At present, I have instructed the Cabinet Ministers to strategize for their respective areas of responsibility. We will have several discussions afterward; oh, and you might also need to submit a report on the military aspect.

    ¡°After finalizing all the plans, they will be submitted for His Majesty¡¯s signature and execution.¡±

    He never mentioned Congress throughout. Although England was nominally ruled by Congress, in reality, those populist MPs were only capable of quibbling over taxation. As for such major strategies involving the fate of the nation, it was essentially the elite from the Noble House and the King who would discuss and decide.

    William Pitt Junior sighed deeply after speaking, ¡°It looks like our peaceful lives are about to end.¡±

    As they were talking, the carriage stopped in front of St. James¡¯s Palace.

    The Marquess of Wellesley stepped out of the carriage and saw his mother and older brother waiting with more officials; then, all around erupted in cheers, ¡°Our hero has returned!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Guardian of the Far East, the great Marquess of Wellesley!¡±

    Wellesley found these praises rather grating. After briefly embracing his mother and older brother, he quickly followed William Pitt Junior into the ballroom celebrating his triumphant return.

    He forced a smile, delivered a speech, danced the opening waltz, and then retreated to an inconspicuous corner, contemplating his next strategic moves against France.

    A graceful figure in a white gown floated towards him, standing not far off with a glass of wine, expectantly waiting for Wellesley to invite her to dance.

    This noble miss named Catherine Kitty Parkman was an object of Wellesley¡¯s pursuit, but she had shown little interest in him until he had won a resounding victory in India, and her opinion finally shifted.

    However, she waited for a good fifteen minutes, and the young officer who once burned with passion for her only hung his head silently, showing no intention of dancing with her.

    Disheartened, she was about to move closer when she saw Lord Grenville, the Foreign Minister, approaching him, and she reluctantly stopped.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± Grenville toasted Wellesley with a smile, ¡°To a great victory.¡±

    ¡°To victory.¡±

    The latter clinked glasses with him, made small talk, and soon the topic turned to England¡¯s current grand strategy.

    ¡°As you¡¯ve said, the current international situation is very favorable for the French people,¡± the Foreign Minister nodded, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    Wellesley had worked in a diplomatic capacity and knew well how difficult it was to launch an attack against France on the diplomatic front, and so he responded with surprise, ¡°Do you already have a countermeasure?¡±

    ¡°I have some general ideas that I wanted to discuss with you.¡± Grenville always held Wellesley in high regard, often saying he was not nearly as clever.

    ¡°I have always believed that one must not be too greedy in doing anything. If one is unwilling to give up anything, in the end, one will lose everything.¡±

    Wellesley nodded, ¡°Please continue.¡±

    ¡°In the past, we were against Russia¡¯s claims over Poland in order to better control trade with Russia.¡±

    Grenville raised his glass slightly, ¡°However, this not only offended our ally Prussia but also created a situation where Prussia and Austria were at odds.¡±

    Wellesley contemplated and said, ¡°Do you mean to say that our safeguarding of Poland has blocked the expansion of Prussia and Austria to the east?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the case. Without the involvement of Russia, it would be difficult for Prussia and Austria to expand eastward, especially Austria, which would prefer to focus its efforts in Romania instead. And this is precisely the situation that the French would be pleased to see.¡±

 Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Chapter 549: The Grand Strategy

    Chapter 640: Chapter 549: The Grand Strategy

    Marquess Wellesley nodded slowly, ¡°You are right. As long as Prussia and Austria are unable to expand eastwards, they will have no choice but to vie for control over the German region.¡±

    In this era, a nation had to continually strengthen itself to survive in the world¡¯s vast jungle¡ªit was a universal understanding. Failure to grow stronger meant being swallowed by the mighty.

    And expansion was undoubtedly the most effective way to enhance power.

    Lord Grenville continued, ¡°As long as Prussia and Austria continue their conflict, no nation on the European Continent possesses the strength to threaten France.

    ¡°Therefore, if we want to re-establish a balance of power in Europe, we must first end the hostile state between Prussia and Austria.¡±

    Marquess Wellesley furrowed his brow, ¡°That is easier said than done. They were still slaughtering each other over Silesia just a few months ago, and their soldiers, tens of thousands from each side, are still confronting each other near Breslau.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not easy,¡± Grenville nodded, ¡°but it¡¯s not impossible.

    ¡°After a year of intense warfare last year, the domestic financial situations in both Prussia and Austria have already become quite dire. You know, the recent years of drought have devastated the economies of almost all countries. From what I know, both Prussia and Austria actually want to end their stalemate in Silesia as soon as possible.

    ¡°So, at this time, we need to divert their attention to other targets¡ªa target more appealing and easier to acquire than Silesia.¡±

    ¡°You mean Poland?¡±

    ¡°It is always easy to discuss matters with you,¡± Grenville smiled, ¡°Prussia and Austria have been fighting in Silesia for so long, suffering immense casualties, yet they have gained little.

    ¡°If their respective armies, tens of thousands strong, were deployed to Poland, they could easily acquire land several times larger than that of Silesia without much effort.

    ¡°If the timing is right, I believe they will not be able to resist this temptation.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°No, no, Prussia and Poland are still allies, that should¡­¡±

    ¡°Please trust me, Prussia¡¯s desire for Gdansk Port will make them tear up any alliance without hesitation.¡±

    Gdansk is what later becomes Danze. It is situated at the outlet of the Vistula River, which flows through Warsaw to the vast fertile plains of Eastern Europe in Hungary, and north to the Baltic Sea, making it a crucial knot for Eastern Europe¡¯s participation in the Atlantic maritime trade.

    Moreover, it is also the closest seaport to Prussia, which lacks good ports, giving it an unmatched appeal.

    Later in World War II, the core reason for Germany¡¯s blitzkrieg against Poland was their desire to seize Danze Port. And the Allied fleets¡¯ maritime blockade against Germany was mainly targeted here, showing how critical its strategic location was.

    Marquess Wellesley swirled his wine glass and said, ¡°Then we¡¯re back to our initial problem. Firstly, we need to get Prussia and Austria to cease hostilities.¡±

    ¡°That means we need to take some actions, even, pay some necessary price,¡± Grenville, who had clearly planned this for a long time, said confidently, ¡°fortunately, we can still use Russia¡¯s power.

    ¡°You know, Russia wants Minsk and Podolia more than anyone else. Those are the ¡®advance camps¡¯ that would make it easier for them to reach the core areas of Europe.

    ¡°I believe Russia would be willing to make some concessions for this purpose, and make the necessary threats.

    ¡°With this mediation, both sides would surely sign a ceasefire agreement.¡±

    Wellesley¡¯s eyes lit up as well. Letting the Russians exert efforts for British strategic objectives, his successor was indeed a genius in strategic planning.

    Where others might take the time to commend the Foreign Minister thoroughly, Wellesley, however, pondered for a moment and cautiously asked again, ¡°One last question.

    ¡°Even if we successfully use the division of Poland and other means to get Prussia and Austria to give up their hostility, and even form some sort of military alliance, how can you ensure that they will become enemies of France?

    ¡°Especially since Austria is currently allied with France.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have a secure plan for that,¡± the Foreign Minister spread his hands, ¡°at least we¡¯ve already built a power outside of France that is strong enough to confront it.

    ¡°Oh, one thing that might be useful. I¡¯ve heard that the Holy Roman Empress Maria Ludovica holds a grudge against the French, she should be willing to help us.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve really been away from Europe for too long, to not know this.¡±

    ¡°It seems like her dear cousin¡¯s beloved was stolen by the Crown Prince of France,¡± Grenville said with a meaningful smile, ¡°later, the French, probably still uneasy, sent an assassin to kill Baron Walter. Fortunately, he was lucky and escaped, though he lost his left hand in the process.¡±

    Ah, yes, after Walter¡¯s hand was cut off at three fingers, following a well-known British doctor¡¯s advice, it was soaked in a concoction brewed from mallow leaves, violet, beetroot, cinnamon, cardamom¡­ and several other items. The result was the heavily seasoned left hand getting infected, and it had to be amputated entirely.

    He was sturdy enough to survive a high fever for five days and miraculously pulled through, barely clinging to life.

    However, this brush with death made him hate the Crown Prince of France, who had sent the assassin even more.

    Thus, he began incessantly speaking ill of the French in Ludovica¡¯s ear. Actually, the Holy Roman Empress had already harbored resentment against the French Royal Family due to the humiliation of her daughter being jilted¡ªat least she was convinced of it¡ªand with the new resentment for her cousin, she had become a central figure in Vienna¡¯s anti-France faction.

    Marquess Wellesley shook his head slightly, ¡°Relying solely on these is far from enough, considering Vienna¡¯s pro-France forces are also strong.

    ¡°We must find and possibly widen the rift in the interests between France and Austria to possibly make Vienna reconsider its stance overall.¡±

    Grenville shrugged helplessly, ¡°But for now, there isn¡¯t any conflict of interests between France and Austria, though they do share some common interests, like the Southern Netherlands¡­¡±

    He had not finished speaking when Wellesley suddenly thought of something, exclaimed excitedly, ¡°You are a strategic genius! Yes, the Southern Netherlands, that¡¯s the place!¡±

    The sound of music from the ball echoed through the hall, and soon, two of Britain¡¯s finest young statesmen were smiling and nodding to each other in conversation.

    In fact, many major decisions that affected countless countries and led to millions of deaths did not originate from serious discussions in meeting rooms, but were born in settings like these balls and salons.

    Three days later.

    In the office at Ten Downing Street, William Pitt Junior surveyed the seated Cabinet Ministers and nodded, ¡°I believe Lord Grenville¡¯s diplomatic plan is excellent. This will provide us with a reliable military alliance on the European Continent that can effectively check France.¡±

 Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Chapter 550 Graduation Season at Administration College

    Chapter 641: Chapter 550 Graduation Season at Administration College

    Seeing the ministers nodding in agreement, the Prime Minister of England continued,

    ¡°Combining the plans from all aspects previously submitted by everyone, as well as the military deployment that Marquess of Wellesley just outlined, I have enough confidence to revert France to its rightful place before it becomes a threat to other European nations.¡±

    Yes, a nation¡¯s overall strategic direction can never be decided by the Prime Minister on a whim.

    In recent months, the British Cabinet had mobilized all senior ministers and a large number of professionals to make extremely detailed plans in political, economic, trade, military, and public opinion aspects, and after repeated discussion and revision, they had generally finalized the overall plan.

    Then, it required the approval of the King and the Noble House, later commonly known as the House of Lords, for implementation.

    This involved investing the nation¡¯s resources to vie for their destiny for decades or even a century, with no turning back once started.

    Success would dominate Europe, and even the whole world. Failure would mean never recovering and even facing the danger of national extinction.

    Therefore, utmost caution was absolutely necessary.

    William Pitt Junior neatly tapped the thick stack of strategic plans in his hand, looked around at the ministers again, and said, ¡°Then, the complete plan will be submitted to His Majesty the King for his signature tomorrow, and then¡­¡±

    At that moment, the Minister of the Interior, Duke of Portland, a member of the Whig Party and not part of the ruling Tory Party, hesitantly coughed and interjected, ¡°Mr. Pitt, regarding our plans in the trade sector, I believe there is room for improvement.¡±

    Duke of Portland was a Whig, and not belonging to the ruling Tory party. But this time, to unify all political forces as much as possible, William Pitt Junior included him in the Cabinet.

    William Pitt Junior eagerly responded, ¡°I look forward to your suggestion.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I recently met a Dutchman,¡± the Duke of Portland said. ¡°You might have heard of him, Henry Hope, who has high prestige in the credit and shipping sectors.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã?

    ¡°He pointed out some vulnerabilities of France in finance and trade to me, and I think there are some noteworthy aspects.¡±

    As he spoke, he looked towards the Second Finance Minister, ¡°Mr. Willberforce also highly agrees with his views.¡±

    The British Second Finance Minister was actually the top finance official. As for the ¡°First¡± Finance Minister, that was naturally William Pitt Junior.

    At that time, England did not yet have the official position of ¡°Prime Minister¡± and the term was merely a customary designation, even connoting a derogatory sense before William Pitt Junior, which had only recently turned into a term of honor. Currently, the Finance Minister was effectively the highest leader of the government, until the ¡°Prime Minister¡± became an official position in the early 19th century.

    Willberforce nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Hope has lived in France for many years and is very familiar with the situation there. His advice is very helpful.

    ¡°Not long ago, he was persecuted by the French Government for some matters, and at the request of the Dutch Parliament, we helped him escape to London. He is now quite eager to give the French a taste of hardship.¡±

    William Pitt Junior thought briefly, gathered his documents, and nodded, ¡°Very well. Please prepare a report on this matter for me as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Prime Minister.¡±

    ¡­

    February 7, 1791.

    Paris.

    On the east bank of the Seine River, in the grand and majestic French Royal School of Administration, the first cohort of students was undergoing their final interviews.

    Hmm, the written exam had ended three days ago, and the qualified officials had moved on to the interview stage. If they could pass, they would smoothly complete their studies and continue their bureaucratic careers.

    Those who failed the written exam would continue with their second semester, lasting three months.

    Why ¡°completion¡± instead of ¡°graduation¡±? Having studied for just half a year, touching only the surface of the vast administrative management knowledge, did they really think they could graduate from the Royal College that easily?

    All the courses required three years of study, and only after earning enough credits could one formally graduate. However, after graduating from the School of Administrative Management, their positions would be promoted by one level.

    Those who had never held an official position could directly assume roles like head secretaries in municipal government departments, promising a bright future.

    Thus, many officials chose to pursue in-depth studies, as climbing the bureaucratic ladder normally in three years was quite challenging.

    In the interview room, Baron Kersipei nervously looked at the examiner, pondering, ¡°Charging merchants on the main roads entering the city could supplement the municipal hall¡¯s funds, which would later be used for widening roads or reinforcing riverbeds, so it does have a certain utility.¡±

    He had originally served as an assistant to the municipal hall¡¯s finance officials and was very familiar with these matters. However, he had forgotten the lesson on taxation and fees he had just learned last month, which discussed the drawbacks of setting up toll booths from various perspectives.

    The examiner subtly shook his head, then moved on to the next question.

    Honestly, these questions were much simpler than the civil service exam questions of later generations, but for French officials who had never experienced such tests, they could still probe some issues.

    An hour later, Baron Kersipei left the exam room somewhat dizzy and thought about bribing the examiner as usual but immediately dismissed the idea when he saw the royal guard stationed at the door¡ªdirectly dispatched by Joseph.

    The next afternoon, Baron Kersipei received the official completion documents. The school official who delivered the documents also informed him that he would attend the completion ceremony the day after tomorrow.

    He saw off the assistant from the academic affairs office and took out the completion documents from the paper bag, quickly glancing through them before noticing there was something else in the bag.

    He pulled out the document and saw that it was actually an appointment decree. After a lot of bland formal words, it said at the end¡ªby the name of His Majesty the King, appointing Baron Kersipei as the assistant to the Rouen City Administrative Finance Management Office¡­

    He was a bit bewildered and looked at his college mate, the Rouen City municipal secretary Baner, ¡°Did you receive an appointment decree?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. But it seems there¡¯s no change, still the previous position.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the same, though ¡®auxiliary administration¡¯ has been added in front.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Not on mine¡­¡±

    They had no idea that their fates had become completely different because of the ¡°auxiliary administration¡± prefix.

    Baron Kersipei would thus be distanced from power, entering a state of indolence. Baner, on the other hand, entered the new bureaucratic system, embarking on his second career.

    As for the standard for this prefix, it was entirely based on their past service performance, their studies at the School of Administration, and the final interview results.

    These may not accurately discern whether an official was capable or corrupt, but they could reveal some of their attitudes and abilities.

    Like Baron Kersipei during the interview, who stubbornly clung to his old political habits, showing no difference in his half-year at the college¡ªthat kind of official was naturally to be sidelined.

 Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Chapter 551: The New Atmosphere in France

    Chapter 642: Chapter 551: The New Atmosphere in France

    Northwest France, Rouen City.

    Having just returned to the city hall, Baner¡¯s first task was to produce notices about the cessation of city entry taxes and the removal of toll booths on the three main roads leading into and out of Rouen.

    He looked at the administrative document signed and sealed by the municipal commissioner, somewhat surprised, and turned to his supervisor, ¡°Mr. Dupain, why are we stopping the collection of the entry tax?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I mean, won¡¯t this cause financial strain for the city hall?¡±

    Although he had studied related courses at the Administration College, faced with practical issues, he still instinctively reflected based on experience.

    The assistant to the municipal commissioner spread his hands helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s a decision made by Baron Vayon. I expressed my disapproval, but he insisted on doing it, claiming it was an experience he learned at the Administration College in Paris, which would lead to better development for Rouen¡­¡±

    Indeed, municipal commissioner Vayon was also a recent graduate of the Administration College¡ªa ¡°trainee¡± whose grades were even better than Baner¡¯s.

    Moreover, he was very astute and, upon returning to Rouen, noticed that many city hall officials had been sent to the building across from the city hall to become ¡°auxiliary administrators.¡±

    He set out to learn about the so-called auxiliary administration duties and found they only received a basic salary and had nothing significant to do. Simply put, they were removed from the power center.

    After much contemplation, Baron Vayon quickly identified a commonality among those people¡ªthey had all expressed dissatisfaction with the new policies recently planned by the Palace of Versailles while at the Administration College.

    He immediately began to mitigate risks, such as swiftly implementing policies recommended by the Palace of Versailles like abolishing entry taxes and tolls, and allowing craftsmen from other regions to enter.

    These policies had been promoted by the Cabinet for many years but had faced various forms of resistance or delays from local governments¡ªthese were significant sources of local revenue, and no one wanted to see their financial income sharply reduced.

    But this time was different.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    The most conservative and traditional officials had been kicked to the old building across the street, and their replacements were younger officials more open to new ideas. Due to the limited number of graduates from the Administration College, many positions were even still vacant.

    However, this was enough to significantly reduce the resistance to new policies. At the same time, Vayon also worried about being moved to that old building across the street, so he quickly signed off on these policies.

    Of course, it was also because this time the Palace of Versailles had allotted more than two hundred thousand francs to Rouen, and the newly established Rouen Tax Bureau¡¯s collected taxes would also be provided to the city hall.

    This money was basically enough to maintain city hall operations, so the cancellation of entry taxes was not unmanageable.

    Baner then recalled the knowledge he learned in the Administration College and nodded, ¡°It seems it could increase the circulation of goods from various places and stimulate trade.¡±

    Rouen City¡¯s second in command, Mr. Dupain, sighed, ¡°I heard that soon even local tariffs and the merchandise certification system will be abolished. If that happens, Mr. Danier will probably go insane.¡±

    Danier was the financial officer of Rouen.

    Dupain then threw up his hands, ¡°Sigh, I am going to further my studies at the Administration College next month. I leave the matters of Rouen in your hands. May Jesus bless Rouen.¡±

    While on their way to the office, Baner explained to his superior, ¡°You see, if all cities abolish entry taxes and tariffs, although foreign goods will flood into Rouen, our products could also be sold more to other places. ¡®Goods tax¡¯ would considerably increase.

    ¡°Now that there are no Tax Farmers, these taxes will stay in Rouen¡­¡±

    In the southeast outskirts of Rouen.

    The manager of the ¡°Ruby¡± mirror workshop, Shabban, looked out the carriage window toward Evreux and felt elated, and couldn¡¯t help but hum quietly, ¡°Ah! All will be well, all will be well¡­¡±

    No wonder he was so happy. On this trip to deliver goods to Evreux, he only encountered one toll collection¡ªwhich was at a small town outside a bend in the Seine River¡ªsaving him a significant amount of money.

    Even upon entering Evreux City, no one collected the entry tax!

    The entire trade process went very smoothly; he delivered a cartload of mirrors to the ordering shop, paying only 4 francs in tariffs and 9 sous in stamp tax.

    You should know, in the past, for the same business, he had to pay various tolls and a mess of taxes totaling over 13 francs!

    Following this trend, the ¡°Ruby¡± workshop would earn nearly 50 francs more each month.

    Moreover, according to that customer, even tariffs might be canceled starting next month!

    Life was simply full of hope. Shabban¡¯s smile deepened, and his quiet humming turned into full-throated singing, ¡°Robespierre and Dibor sing in the caf¨¦. Ah! All will be well¡­¡±

    The carriage¡¯s fellow worker and driver were infected by his cheerful mood and joined in the singing, ¡°¡­All will be well, all will be well! Let us look forward to the good days that are coming!¡±

    After finishing the song, Shabban couldn¡¯t help but shout out the window, ¡°Thank you to the great Crown Prince! Oh, and Count Fulco, Mr. Robespierre! Long live the Tax Bureau!¡±

    As the carriage soon entered Rouen City, approaching Big Clock Street, a commotion could be heard ahead, ¡°No, you are taking too much!¡±

    ¡°Right! We didn¡¯t make much money, no way we¡¯re paying the tax!¡±

    ¡°Just go back, you won¡¯t take a penny from us today¡­¡±

    As the carriage moved closer, Shabban finally saw clearly: several dozen vendors on this street were confronting four tax officers.

    Big Clock Street was Rouen¡¯s busiest commercial area and an important site for market taxes.

    ¡°Look at these guys,¡± remarked Shabban¡¯s companion disdainfully, ¡°when those from the Tax Farming Bureau came with sticks and whips to collect taxes, they were meek as lambs.¡±

    Shabban glanced at the pistols on the tax officers¡¯ belts and shook his head, ¡°You can¡¯t be too polite with these deceitful traders, but the tax officials rarely resort to violence¡­¡±

    ¡°Now the tax rate is much lower than before. If you ask me, they deserve a good beating! See if they¡¯ll still refuse to pay taxes!¡±

    Robespierre was also being a bit too corrective. In his efforts to forge a completely different image for the Tax Bureau from the previous tax officers, he instructed his subordinates to speak kindly and avoid violence as much as possible.

    This earned nationwide praise for the Tax Bureau, but at the same time, some cunning businessmen and ruffians no longer feared them, starting to openly act shamelessly.

    As Shabban finally returned to his own workshop, before he even got off, the workshop¡¯s accountant hurried over to him and whispered, ¡°Manager, I just saw the tax officers¡¯ carriage on Juleman Street, they should be here soon.

 Chapter 643 - Chapter 643: Chapter 552: I Also Have a Bit of Understanding in Economics

    Chapter 643: Chapter 552: I Also Have a Bit of Understanding in Economics

    (Text translation starts below the line)

    ¡ª

    (This chapter has not been fully coded yet, please refresh in half an hour later. The author deeply apologizes for this. There were too many things at home this afternoon, really could not keep up¡­)

    Shabban frowned slightly upon hearing this and asked, ¡°Is the batch of goods we sold to Le Havre loaded yet?¡±

    ¡°Almost finished,¡± the accountant replied. ¡°Pierre would¡¯ve finished it yesterday had he not been injured.¡±

    ¡°Are the accounts all settled?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Manager, everything is definitely in order.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Shabban nodded, and then instructed, ¡°Later, you take the Tax Officer to check the accounts first, try to delay as much as possible. Michel and I will go help with loading, and then slip away through the back door.¡±

    ¡°There will likely be Tax Officers blocking the back door as well.¡±

    ¡°No matter, I will send an empty cart first to draw them away.¡±

    Saying this, Shabban gestured to the workers on the cart, ¡°Hurry, come with me to load the goods!¡±

    Before long, the coachman who had just returned from Evreux drove the carriage out of the back gate, and the Tax Officers waiting there blew their whistles and chased after it.

    Following closely, another cart fully loaded with mirrors sneakily appeared and, confirming that no one was around, swiftly turned into a nearby alley.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    An hour later, a few Tax Officers left the ¡°Ruby¡± mirror workshop empty-handed.

    France currently implemented a ¡°commodity tax¡± system, meaning you have to pay a tax whenever you sell a batch of goods. Of course, for commodities like tobacco, alcohol, and tea, you might have to pay twice.

    Therefore, Tax Officers must monitor factories and estates closely at all times, and as soon as they discover goods being shipped out, they have to levy the tax immediately.

    If the Tax Officers don¡¯t notice the goods being transported away, it becomes very difficult to collect the tax later¡ªthe factories almost always keep cooked books, leaving no trace of the transported goods.

    As a result, a cat-and-mouse game unfolded between the producers and the Tax Officers. In the past, if the Tax Farmers suspected that the workshops were secretly transporting goods, they would even torture the workers to force out the truth.

    At twilight, Shabban¡¯s cart had already left the Rouen City area.

    He hummed a little tune with a smile.

    Successfully evading the Tax Officer today saved him 8 francs in taxes.

    Ah, life was truly getting better! He exclaimed in his heart.

    ¡ª

    Tuileries Palace, second floor.

    The Head of the General Tax Directorate, Fulco, glanced at Robespierre beside him and exhaled, saying, ¡°Your Grace, I suggest equipping Tax Officers with whips and granting them the authority to shoot in the face of violent tax resistance. Otherwise, the tax situation for next month will likely be¡­ ah, less than ideal.¡±

    Joseph, looking at the tax report for January, also furrowed his brow.

    In the Tax Bureau¡¯s first month of collecting taxes, the nationwide total was only 34 million francs. Not only did it fail to meet the expected target of 41 million francs, but it was even less than the lump sum paid by the Tax Farmers Association.

    ¡°So, do you believe it is the extensive tax evasion that has prevented us from meeting the tax target?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the case, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°If we allow the Tax Officers to use more forceful measures, could this situation be improved?¡±

    ¡°I believe it might¡­¡±

    Before Fulco could finish, Robespierre interrupted him, ¡°Your Grace, you are creating a brand-new tax system and have thus earned the respect and praise of the masses. If we reused whips to collect taxes, what difference would there be between us and the Tax Farmers?¡±

    Fulco, disgruntled, gave him a sidelong glance: ¡°The difference is that the state¡¯s finances will not collapse because of the shamelessness and cunning of the lowly people!

    ¡°Inspector, your kind heart won¡¯t collect taxes.¡±

    ¡ª

    In early modern Western Europe, the tax systems of the countries, whether in terms of tax theory, tax structure, use, or principles, all bore distinct characteristics of the era. In terms of tax theory, England¡¯s tax system followed the medieval ¡°common interest,¡± ¡°common need,¡± and ¡°common consent¡± as the basic principles for taxation, whereas France¡¯s tax theory diverged from England¡¯s, largely because the Estates-General in France relinquished their tax powers, which were then absolutely controlled by the King of France. The divergent developmental paths of tax theories in England and France resulted in differences in tax structure, usage, and principles, and it was these differences that, despite their common origins, led them down separate paths [1] and are an important reason why England¡¯s tax system was the first to achieve modernization. In addition to these differences, in the pre-modern period, most Western European countries adhered to mercantilist and classical political economic thoughts on economy and taxation. Mercantilism advocated that the state should interfere with foreign trade and implement tariff protection. In view of this, Western European countries put tariff protection policies into practice, with the passing of the British ¡°Corn Laws¡± and ¡°Navigation Acts¡± as clear examples. While the ¡°Corn Laws¡± and the ¡°Navigation Acts¡± protected domestic grain producers and national merchants to some extent, they did not meet the new demands of the bourgeoisie for a free market following the Industrial Revolution. Hence, the British Government later abolished these laws, marking the end of mercantilism and the triumph of liberalism. Consequently, classical political economy¡¯s thoughts on tax began to dominate. Key figures representing the tax thoughts of classical political economy included England¡¯s William Petty, Adam Smith, and France¡¯s Jean-Baptiste Say, who all advocated for fairness, certainty, simplicity, and economy in taxation. Additionally, to meet the demands of the Industrial Revolution for a free market, they criticized mercantilism and advocated for free trade and tariff reform. Influenced by classical political economy¡¯s thoughts on taxation between the 1840s to 1870s, the British Government carried out a series of tariff reforms, reducing or abolishing various goods¡¯ tariffs and excise taxes. However, with the completion of the Industrial Revolution in Western Europe and the emergence of various social issues, classical political economy¡¯s tax thoughts no longer met the new requirements, thereby pushing the modernization of tax system reforms in Western European countries at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.

    In terms of tax structure, in the early modern period, Western European countries relied on indirect taxes such as tariffs, excise taxes, and salt taxes as the main source of revenue; direct taxes like income tax, land tax, and property tax were not highly emphasized. France¡¯s tax structure differed from that of England, as France¡¯s tax structure was once predominantly based on direct taxes. Over time, the importance of direct taxes gradually diminished while that of indirect taxes rose. Statistics show that between 1726 and 1788, the proportion of direct taxes in France¡¯s national budget decreased from 44% to 35%, whereas the proportion of indirect taxes rose from 50% to 57%.[2] This reliance on tariffs and excise taxes as the main sources of indirect tax led to numerous and burdensome tax obligations in Western Europe. Hence, classical political economy advocated for tariff and excise tax reforms to lower tax rates, simplify the tax system, and promote free trade. As a result, the proportion of indirect taxes declined while the share of direct taxes gradually increased.

 Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: Chapter 553: Lottery, Tax Reduction, Theres Always Something for You

    Chapter 644: Chapter 553: Lottery, Tax Reduction, There¡¯s Always Something for You

    Joseph continued, ¡°And when the seller is purchasing raw materials, they must also obtain a document proving the price from the supplier.

    ¡°Oh, there is a name for such a document¡ªit¡¯s called an ¡®invoice¡¯.

    ¡°When a factory or shop issues an invoice, they must do so in duplicate¡ªone copy goes to the buyer, one copy is retained.

    ¡°In this way, tax officers can simply learn about the sales situation based on the seller¡¯s retained invoices and determine the amount of value-added tax due, depending on the corresponding purchase price¡ªwhich can also be seen on their purchase invoices.¡±

    Robespierre¡¯s mind raced, as he blurted out, ¡°Your Highness, what if the seller hides the copies of their sales invoices?¡±

    Joseph replied at a leisurely pace, ¡°Invoices must be obtained from the tax office by the merchants, and each invoice is numbered. The quantities and numbers obtained are both recorded. If they issue an invoice to the buyer, there must be a corresponding retained copy. Otherwise, there would be missing invoice numbers in the invoice book, in which case the tax office could impose a fine¡ªsure to be much higher than the value-added tax.¡±

    Robespierre nodded his realization, then immediately asked, ¡°Your Highness, then how do we ensure that shops or factories will definitely ask sellers for invoices when they purchase goods?¡±

    Before Joseph could speak, Fulco beside him, with a ¡°you-don¡¯t-know-this?¡± expression, said, ¡°Without a purchase invoice, the input cost will be calculated based on the market¡¯s lowest price, and the shop will end up paying extremely high value-added tax.

    ¡°Even, they can be penalized under suspicion of smuggling.¡±

    Robespierre¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Just as Your Highness said, this tax method will enable buyers to monitor sellers, and tax officers only need to check the invoice books to prevent tax evasion.¡±

    He was speaking when he suddenly saw another ¡°blind spot¡± and looked at Joseph, ¡°Your Highness, however, for the final purchasers of goods, such as farmers, there is no need for an invoice.

    ¡°Therefore, they have no incentive to ask for one, and if they don¡¯t ask for an invoice when buying things, the shop¡¯s invoice book will have no record¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve noticed a very important issue,¡± Joseph nodded.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    In fact, ordinary people not asking for invoices is also a headache for the tax department in the 21st century. Many businesses thus underreport their taxes.

    However, it was precisely because of this that tax departments in future generations came up with many countermeasures.

    ¡°We can use some methods to encourage people to ask for invoices,¡± Joseph said with a smile. ¡°For instance, when all government departments and employees make expense claims, they must base it on invoices. No reimbursement without an invoice.¡±

    Government expenses are no small sum, and government officials taking the lead in asking for invoices can also guide French society.

    ¡°Secondly, we can organize invoice lotteries. Every used invoice number gets a chance in the lottery, which the tax office will announce monthly. The prize amount does not need to be very large, three sous to one franc would be sufficient; the key is that there should be a large number of winners. If we award 100,000 winners each month, totaling a reward sum of 10,000 to 20,000 francs, it would attract many people to ask for invoices.¡±

    The effectiveness of invoice lotteries wasn¡¯t very significant in the 21st century, mainly because people in that era lived life at a much faster pace, and everyone was too lazy to waste time and to keep track of their invoices.

    But in the 18th century, there was an abundance of time. For the chance at a few sous¡¯ reward, plenty of people would be willing to ¡®hassle¡¯ sellers. Furthermore, preserving invoices was one of the basic responsibilities of a housewife of the era.

    Joseph continued, ¡°Furthermore, the tax office can implement policies, so ordinary people can also deduct their personal taxes with invoices. The more they shop, the less tax they pay, which can also stimulate commerce.

    ¡°Of course, a limit must be set, such as a maximum of three francs per person per month to prevent the wealthy from using this to evade taxes.¡±

    Robespierre and Fulco both nodded repeatedly. The French commoners would frantically ask for invoices even if they could save just three sous in taxes, let alone three francs.

    Yet the Crown Prince showed no signs of stopping, ¡°Lastly, and most importantly, is a measure of public advocacy.

    ¡°We need to make ordinary people understand the importance of asking for invoices.

    ¡°Not to say that the invoice is a guarantee of national taxation or anything like that, but to directly tell them that by asking for invoices, they can avoid rich factory owners and shopkeepers from evading taxes. If the wealthy evade a lot of taxes, then the government will have to raise tax rates to ensure fiscal stability. Then ordinary people will have to pay more taxes.¡±

    Both tax officials at this time had the same thought¡ªthe Crown Prince truly had a deep understanding of human nature.

    Ordinary people often harbored some resentment towards the rich. If it¡¯s not for the opportunity to reduce their own taxes, but for the chance to make the rich pay more, they would definitely be very proactive in doing so.

    With such a series of measures, France would soon be swept up in a craze for asking for invoices.

    Robespierre exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Your Highness¡¯s value-added tax plan is simply perfect! From now on, tax officers only need to focus on invoices to prevent most tax evasion.¡±

    Fulco nodded in agreement, ¡°And it can be foreseen that the number of tax officers needed will be reduced. The tax office is currently short-staffed; this could solve a big problem!¡±

    In the following days, Joseph and the senior officials of the tax office discussed in detail the implementation plan for value-added tax and the invoice system, later including Denico, the editor-in-chief of the ¡°Paris Commercial News¡±.

    As the month drew to a close, with the ¡°Paris Commercial News¡± publishing a front-page story ¡°Shocking! They are quietly devouring your purse, what can you do?¡± the tax office announced the plan to change from goods tax to value-added tax with incredible efficiency.

    The Paris Royal Mint also cooperated fully, ensuring that all invoice printing work could be completed within a month.

    Subsequently, long queues formed in front of tax offices all over France, launching a fever for obtaining invoice books.

    Unexpectedly to Joseph, even before the value-added tax took effect, the national treasury gained a substantial income¡ªjust in less than half a month, the national tax offices collected up to 3.2 million francs simply from the fee for the invoice books.

    Meanwhile, Robespierre¡¯s initial plan to increase training for tax officers was not delayed, with all tax offices training for an hour and a half every day. And at Joseph¡¯s request, officials from the Official Investigation Bureau were also invited to give lectures in tax offices from time to time.

    ¡­

    The western part of the Baltic Sea.

    Kattegat Strait.

    Even with only half sails hoisted, the fourth-rate battleship of the Royal Navy of England, ¡°Polyphemus,¡± still moved at an impressive speed, aided by the ocean currents.

    Based on their current speed, they would arrive at their destination, Riga Port, within three days.

    In the senior officers¡¯ dining room, Lord Grenville, the British Foreign Minister, smiled at the Duke of Leeds sitting across from him as he looked down at his plate, ¡°You don¡¯t have to endure this terrible food after tomorrow, I envy you.¡±

 Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: Chapter 554 Hopes Revenge

    Chapter 645: Chapter 554 Hope¡¯s Revenge

    ¡°In truth, these fish and pickled meats are already quite decent,¡± the Duke of Leeds said earnestly as he carved up a piece of meat on his plate. ¡°While I was in naval service, I once had to eat salted meat for two consecutive months, oh, and not these quality goods. That stuff had to be soaked in water for two hours and then hammered open before you could take a bite.¡±

    He shook his fork and added, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re not used to eating these things, but once you get to Saint Petersburg, it¡¯ll be better. The Russian court is full of French chefs.¡±

    Grenville laughed, ¡°As much as the French people can be unpalatable, no one can resist their chefs.¡±

    ¡°Especially the Russians,¡± the Duke of Leeds took a sip of wine and continued, ¡°In their court, it¡¯s a rule that the head chef must be French. Well, the Tsar is quite content to entrust his stomach to them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I must say, your journey this time is probably not an easy one.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m prepared for that,¡± Grenville nodded in agreement. ¡°After all, it seems the Tsar¡¯s granddaughter is still in Paris.¡±

    He sighed and then smiled again, ¡°But I have confidence as well. Speaking of which, your side is also full of challenges.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds finished the last piece of bread and wiped his mouth with a napkin, ¡°This old skeleton of mine can only warm up the scene for you, since I have some old friends in Vienna.

    ¡°But in the end, it¡¯s up to young people like you to sign the agreement.¡±

    As he spoke, he remembered something and complained, ¡°Do you and Mr. Pitt really trust that Dutchman?

    ¡°When I lost 300,000 British Pounds in North Africa, those fellows in Congress barked at me like mad dogs, and now he¡¯s asking us to invest nearly 500,000 British Pounds here.¡±

    He leaned forward and whispered, ¡°Have you ever considered that perhaps he has some kind of deal with the merchants of Vienna?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that possibility,¡± Grenville nodded. ¡°However, considering the potential profits, the risk is worth taking. Besides, of that sum, there¡¯s a loan of 170,000 British Pounds provided by Hope¡¯s bank, and I¡¯ve heard the interest rates are very low.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    ¡°That poor creature blinded by hatred,¡± muttered the Duke of Leeds before continuing, ¡°Another issue is that the merchants of Vienna might not be willing to compromise their reputation for such an amount of money.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a substantial sum,¡± clarified the Foreign Minister. ¡°Even divided among fifty merchants, they would gain more than their usual income of two to three years.

    ¡°What¡¯s more important is that you might have overlooked the Austrians¡¯ animosity towards France. They would quite enjoy seeing the French people in misfortune.¡±

    ¡°Oh? But if I remember correctly, Austria is the initiator of the Rhine-Saone Treaty.¡±

    ¡°That wonderful trade agreement is exactly the reason,¡± Grenville had finished his lunch and stood up, gesturing towards the door, ¡°Shall we go up on deck for some fresh air?¡±

    ¡°A fine idea, this quality of sunlight is hard to come by in London.¡±

    The two climbed the stairs leading to the deck, Grenville continued, ¡°When the Austrians signed the treaty, they believed that with the low tariffs promised by France, their trade in France could significantly increase.

    ¡°Of course, in fact, they did achieve that, with a 35% increase in their trade with France last year. But at the same time, France¡¯s exports to Austria nearly doubled.

    ¡°And more importantly, France¡¯s trade with other Southern German states that joined the treaty increased even more. Baden¡¯s increased by 1.4 times, and Wurttemberg by 1.2 times.

    ¡°These places were originally Austria¡¯s markets. In the end, Austria found that they had made far less money in France than the French had made from them, while the South German market increasingly favored French goods.

    ¡°In fact, there are already quite a few merchants in Vienna calling for withdrawal from the Rhine-Saone Treaty, or to renegotiate after excluding France.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds chuckled, ¡°So where does the ¡®Seine River¡¯ come into the treaty?¡±

    ¡°Who knows, perhaps they¡¯ll bring Switzerland in,¡± Grenville too broke into a smile, ¡°All in all, please trust that you will find a lot of support in Vienna. Your only concern should be to keep it confidential.¡±

    ¡°I have an old friendship with the president of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, you can be assured of that,¡± the Duke of Leeds said. ¡°One last point, do you really believe that what the Dutchman said will happen?¡±

    ¡°I can only say that there is a very high probability,¡± Grenville nodded. ¡°To be honest, Hope really understands France, and he¡¯s timed this very accurately.

    ¡°France has just carried out fiscal reform, which means their Finance Minister couldn¡¯t secure the usual enormous sum of tax farming money as in previous years.

    ¡°This made their finances quite fragile. And those newly appointed government Tax Officers lack experience, which will only worsen their tax collection.

    ¡°Oh, I just got the news from Mr. Hartley last week, France¡¯s tax revenue in January only achieved 83% of the set target. Poor Mr. Hartley, his work is actually excellent, but he¡¯s to be dismissed due to the re-signing of the Eden Treaty, which hardly seems fair.¡±

    The two British officials walked past the sailors who saluted them on the deck and arrived at the bow of the ship.

    ¡°At the same time, Hope also pointed out the most critical issue, that is the French reliance on their ¡®Industrial Development Fund.¡¯,¡± Grenville clarified.

    The Duke of Leeds looked out at the calm sea, puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an agency the French Government uses for industrial investments?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Grenville nodded, ¡°but it also has another important role, which is the debtor of the French nobility.

    ¡°The French people used this organization to carry out the previous banking reorganization, drawing a large amount of debt into industrial investment.¡±

    The Duke of Leeds finally caught on, ¡°So, if there¡¯s trouble with this fund, the nobles at the Palace of Versailles will go mad.¡±

    ¡°Indeed so. Hope mentioned that although the fund has a large amount of capital, the majority is invested in French imitation, steel, coal, and other industries, with very limited cash on hand.

    ¡°If your actions are successful, French factories will experience a considerable shortfall in funds, and the Development Fund, as a major shareholder, will be unable to provide financial support. Once these factories go bankrupt, the fund will incur huge losses.¡±

    ¡ª

    In 1723, Walpole ordered the taxation of tea, coffee, and cocoa. As tea and coffee consumption became increasingly popular in England, these taxes amounted to a substantial sum.

    Among the excise duties, the largest revenue for the British Government came from the consumption tax on alcoholic beverages. It was estimated that in the 1730s, a third of the annual tax revenue of 4.5 million British Pounds came from this source. The British Government also levied taxes on bricks, starch, glass, salt, paper, soap, candles, leather, coal, sugar, tobacco, timber, silk, iron bars, and even foodstuffs and means of production.

 Chapter 646 - Chapter 646: Chapter 555: The Irresistible Temptation

    Chapter 646: Chapter 555: The Irresistible Temptation

    Saint Petersburg.

    In the midst of Neva Street, the laughter and somewhat boisterous music inside Anichkov Palace disrupted the tranquil twilight.

    Alexei raised his glass to the young noble who was standing on the balcony railing, shouting loudly, ¡°Jump already! I bet 100 rubles he can make it through the piece. Does anyone dare to bet against me?¡±

    A slightly plump noble leaned over and whispered, ¡°Count Bobrinsky, Primakov has already drunk a whole bottle; he¡¯s going to fall¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t seen his capacity for liquor,¡± Alexei said as he patted the black bear next to him that was holding a mug with its paws and guzzling voraciously, ¡°Ivan, Sergei has never gotten drunk, right?¡±

    The bear nodded quite humanely before discarding the mug, turning round to push the pianist aside, and clumsily climbed onto a chair. It raised its bear paws to strike the piano keys, producing a chaotic noise.

    ¡°Sergei, Ivan is urging you on, dance already!!¡±

    Alexei drained the liquor from his glass, his eyes flicking to the long-faced middle-aged man beside him, and casually tilted his head saying, ¡°I bet 200 rubles Primakov won¡¯t fall.¡±

    Now, via the earnings of the Gemini Trading Company, he had achieved financial freedom and had become one of the leading businessmen of Saint Petersburg; 200 rubles was a trivial amount to him.

    ¡°300 rubles! Who will bet against me?¡± he continued to up the stakes.

    The long-faced middle-aged man seemed to be infected by his madness, also gulping down the liquor in his cup. He turned to look at the young man tottering on the balcony railing and accepted loudly,

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your bet for 300 rubles that he will fall!¡±

    Alexei was delighted: ¡°Excellent, let¡¯s start, Sergei! Where¡¯s the music?¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?0

    The musician, seeing his piano occupied by Alexei¡¯s pet bear, helplessly picked up a violin and hurried to the balcony to begin playing.

    Primakov followed the music, singing loudly, while dancing on the handrail that was no wider than a palm.

    Although it was the third floor, he showed no fear; perhaps the alcohol made him forget to be scared. He staggered a few times but miraculously regained his balance and continued flailing his limbs.

    The nobles in the room all gathered around, cheering and egging him on, occasionally passing filled glasses to him as encouragement.

    Seeing the long-faced middle-aged man watching Primakov nervously, Alexei approached and said, ¡°Count Chikolin, I¡¯ve heard that the British man who recently arrived is here to discuss a big deal?¡±

    Count Chikolin was the second assistant to Russia¡¯s Foreign Minister, presently in charge of receiving Lord Grenville.

    He had drunk quite a bit that day and was mostly preoccupied with the bet. He nodded subconsciously, ¡°Ah, right. They¡¯re talking about increasing trade volume and mentioned something about developing Crimea.¡±

    ¡°That does sound promising,¡± Alexei smirked, ¡°But they must have offered quite a few conditions to be so generous, right?¡±

    ¡°What else could the British be concerned with? It¡¯s always about raising tariffs on French goods, or reducing trade with France¡­¡±

    As Count Chikolin spoke, he suddenly paused, looking at Alexei asking, ¡°Why do you suddenly ask these things?¡±

    The latter thought to himself it was, of course, because the French Ambassador to Russia had asked him to help gather information.

    Since Lord Grenville landed in Riga, the French Ambassador to Russia had been on high alert, trying to ascertain the British¡¯s intentions. However, his efforts yielded little, and in the end, he had to follow the Crown Prince¡¯s original instructions to seek out Count Bobrinsky when faced with difficulties.

    Alexei busily said, ¡°As a businessman, I must understand as much as possible the direction of trade between nations, so I can make money, right?¡±

    As he was speaking, the black bear squeezed onto the balcony, attempting to dance with Primakov, who was taken by surprise and stumbled backwards, flipping over with an ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    Fortunately, servants had laid straw beneath the balcony, which saved him from a deadly fall.

    Upon seeing this, Alexei pretended to be angry and said, ¡°This stupid bear shouldn¡¯t have been allowed to drink so much!¡±

    He signaled his attendant to hand over a purse containing 300 rubles to Count Chikolin, who immediately brightened with a smile, ¡°Thank you for your generosity. It truly is a clever animal, haha.¡±

    After pocketing the purse, feeling obligated, he then whispered into Alexei¡¯s ear, ¡°Count Chikolin, you may want to start making preparations, such as trying out the Baltic Sea shipping routes.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It seems His Majesty the Tsar is rather interested in the English proposal,¡± the assistant to the Foreign Minister spoke even more softly, ¡°and he has already sent for Prince Potemkin to return from Iasi to Saint Petersburg to discuss the matter.¡±

    Alexei quickly adopted an appreciative expression and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been a great help to me; it seems I really need to allocate some ships to the Baltic Sea.¡±

    Prince Potemkin was effectively Russia¡¯s ¡°Chancellor,¡± currently engaged in constructing newly acquired territories in Moldavia, that is, eastern Romania. The Tsar summoning him back in such a hurry signified that the British had truly impressed her.

    And, since Potemkin¡¯s political allegiances leaned toward being pro-British, he would most likely not reject the olive branch extended by the British.

    The next day, Alexei went to see his brother, Crown Prince Paul, and indirectly inquired about the purpose of the British¡¯s visit.

    However, the latter also had not penetrated the core of Russian politics¡ªCatherine II did not favor him. So, the information Alexei got from him was even less than what he gathered from the party.

    Soon, the French Ambassador to Russia turned the intelligence from Alexei into a coded message and dispatched a messenger to deliver it to Paris with the utmost speed.

    ¡­

    On the northern coast of the Black Sea.

    Above the Eju Grassland, over a hundred elite Russian cavalrymen escorted a glittering carriage, racing northward.

    In the carriage, Potemkin weakly reclined in his seat, using his remaining right eye to look at the Tsar¡¯s Secretary opposite him, ¡°Baron Herabovitsky, there are no outsiders here, please tell me the truth, what exactly do the British want?

    ¡°His Majesty would never recall me from Iasi for some ¡®new trade agreement.¡¯ Unless¡­ she misses me.¡±

    As one of Catherine II¡¯s many lovers and the ¡°evergreen ivy,¡± he found it increasingly difficult to receive the Empress¡¯s favor due to his worsening health.

    Especially since he disregarded the doctor¡¯s advice and indulged in a bout of gluttony at the beginning of the year, which had completely devastated his digestive system.

    But he continuously fantasized about returning to the Tsar¡¯s bedside, just like he had more than a decade ago.

    ¡°Cough¡­¡± Herabovitsky coughed awkwardly and then said, ¡°The truth is, England does indeed intend to engage in many trade relations with us, but from what I¡¯ve heard, they seem to have mentioned Poland.¡±

    ¡°Poland?¡± Potemkin narrowed his single eye, then shook his head, ¡°But there are no opportunities in Poland at the moment. It would be difficult for us to take on Poland alone, after all, we must always keep an eye on the Ottoman Empire and Persia.¡±

 Chapter 647 - Chapter 647: Chapter 556 Dark Blending

    Chapter 647: Chapter 556 Dark Blending

    Potemkin did not mention that, just a few months before, nearly 200 warships of Russia¡¯s Baltic fleet had been ambushed by the Duke of Jutland from Sweden.

    The Swedes used a large number of gunboats, only the size of fishing boats¡ªthese small boats, although poorly seaworthy, were equipped with 24-pound and even 32-pound cannons¡ªlying in wait in the Svensksund Fjord, they heavily damaged the Russian warships that entered the encirclement.

    The Russian fleet was extremely unlucky; originally hoping to rely on their numerical superiority to fight to a mutual destruction, a sudden headwind ultimately resulted in the loss of 64 warships and thousands of soldiers, and they returned in defeat.

    This failure directly led to the end of the seventh Russo-Swedish War. Fortunately, at that time, Russia¡¯s ally Denmark took advantage of the chaos to launch a surprise attack from the south on Gothenburg in Sweden, forcing Sweden to abandon their plans to reclaim lost territory and sign the Virela Treaty with Russia.

    Although Russia barely managed to maintain its pre-war borders, after this battle, they had to invest significant resources to consolidate their influence in the Baltic Sea.

    That is to say, Russia faced the situation of committing troops on three fronts. At this point, even if they squeezed everything they had, they could only muster 50,000 troops to attack Poland.

    Yet even now, with Poland being weak, it still had nearly 70,000 troops, plus the advantage of fighting on home ground, Russia would definitely hit a snag if they acted rashly.

    According to the original plan of Catherine II, Russia had signed a secret agreement with Prussia, preparing to seize the opportunity to strike at Poland together¡ªthe fertile lands of the Eastern European Plain had always been highly coveted by Russia.

    However, heaven does not follow man¡¯s wishes, and just as Russia was preparing to strike at Poland after the Russo-Swedish War was over, Prussia and Austria began fighting first.

    At present, the Prussian and Austrian armies, totaling over one hundred thousand, were still confronting each other in Silesia and thus could not deploy troops to Poland.

    The Tsar¡¯s Secretary nodded and smiled, ¡°Your Highness Prince, actually, the British have come to Saint Petersburg this time to facilitate a ceasefire between Prussia and Austria. That is also why His Majesty is eager for you to return.¡±

    On hearing this, Potemkin straightened up but did not show surprise; instead, he cautiously inquired, ¡°What do the British want?¡±

    As a seasoned politician, he knew well there was no such thing as a free lunch.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï

    Herabovitsky said, ¡°They seem to want to help Prussia out of the quagmire of the Silesian War while simultaneously causing some trouble for French trade.

    ¡°You know, Prussia¡¯s financial situation is already very dangerous. If they persist in their standoff with Austria for another year or even six months, they could face financial collapse.

    ¡°As their allies, the British hope we can have an influence on Austria and facilitate a ceasefire.¡±

    Potemkin furrowed his brow: ¡°But we have an agreement with France not to put pressure on Austria because of the Silesian conflict.¡±

    Herabovitsky nodded, ¡°His Majesty also hinted at this point to the British envoy. However, the British suggested that we could offer Austria some benefits in exchange for their signature on the ceasefire agreement.¡±

    ¡°Benefits? What is he referring to?¡±

    ¡°The British mentioned that we could recognize Austria¡¯s claims on Wallachia¡­¡±

    ¡°These scoundrels,¡± Potemkin showed fury, ¡°That is our passage to Constantinople, how could we hand it over to the Austrians?!¡±

    The Tsar of Russia¡¯s ultimate dream was to inherit the legitimacy of the Eastern Roman Empire¡ªtheir rights derived from the bloodline brought by Princess Sophia, providing a legal basis¡ªif they could ¡°restore¡± Constantinople, the ancient capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, then no country could deny this claim.

    This was also the core reason why Russia tirelessly waged war against the Ottoman Empire.

    To advance into Constantinople, the Balkan Peninsula must be used as a stepping stone; otherwise, transporting logistics from Russia¡¯s mainland across thousands of miles to the Anatolia Region would utterly exhaust Russia.

    The Romanian region in the eastern Balkans served as the ideal forward base. After the previous Russo-Turkish War, Russia had effectively controlled the northeastern part of Romania, the Duchy of Moldavia.

    Potemkin was then engaged in construction and recruitment of the army in Iasi, the capital of Moldavia.

    Wallachia was the strategic center of Romania. If it fell, the Russian Army could march south straight into the Bulgarian Plain. The Thrace Region in the eastern part of Bulgaria bordered Constantinople.

    However, the Romanian region was also a strategic expansion target for Austria.

    Austria still preferred to maintain Poland¡¯s integrity while facing competition from France on the southwestern Italian Peninsula, so expansion toward the southeastern Balkans was their best option.

    In fact, Austria once controlled most of the northern Balkans until they withdrew under the joint pressure of Russia and the Ottoman Empire, but they still maintained considerable influence.

    Wallachia represented such a status¡ªit nominally belonged to the Ottoman Empire, but most of its inhabitants were Slavic, very close to Russia. Yet, Austria had the strongest control.

    So for Austria to truly acquire Wallachia, they needed Russia¡¯s approval. It¡¯s worth noting that Russia inciting Wallachian Slavs to revolt was the biggest obstacle to Austrian rule there.

    Herabovitsky quietly said, ¡°The British have indicated that they can persuade Austria to guarantee non-interference in the Silistra Region and to abandon their stance on a complete Poland, guaranteeing this.¡±

    Silistra was the easternmost part of the Balkan Peninsula, adjoining the western coast of the Black Sea, effectively connecting Moldavia and Thrace.

    This region, though small, could allow the Russian Army to bypass Wallachia and attack Constantinople.

    At these words, Potemkin¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    Trading Wallachia, which Russia had never controlled, for a truce between Prussia and Austria, and making Austria abandon harassment of the Silistra corridor, would be a strategically advantageous bargain.

    Keep in mind, once the Prussian-Austrian hostilities ceased, tens of thousands of Prussian troops could join forces with the Russian Army from the east and the west to pincer Poland, almost certainly defeating the weakened nation.

    Herabovitsky continued, ¡°The British envoy also proposed that over three to five years, Britain would increase their purchases of our timber, fats, wax, and hides by at least 25%.

    ¡°And invest no less than 300,000 British Pounds in Crimea to mine coal there, which would be transported by our merchant ships.¡±

    [Note 1] In the mid-15th century, the Ottoman army overthrew the Eastern Roman Empire. The last Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire perished in the conflict, and the ultimate scion, Princess Sophia Paleolog, fled to Russia under the arrangement of the Vatican, marrying Ivan III, the Grand Duke of Moscow.

    From then on, Russia assumed the mantle of the Third Rome and claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Eastern Roman Empire.

 Chapter 648 - Chapter 648: Chapter 557: Breach of Contract

    Chapter 648: Chapter 557: Breach of Contract

    ¡°Oh,¡± said the Tsar¡¯s Secretary, ¡°the British have also indicated that they will persuade Sweden to respect our interests in the Baltic Sea¡ªat least to ensure that Sweden would not launch another attack on our Finnish territories.¡±

    Without their support, Sweden, whose national strength had seriously declined, could hardly wage war. Thus, their attitude could definitely have a significant impact on Sweden.

    ¡°Ah ha, I see!¡±

    Potemkin suddenly burst out laughing: ¡°Those cunning British, it turns out they were targeting France.¡±

    ¡°France?¡± Herabovitsky said with some confusion, ¡°But the British envoy never mentioned France.¡±

    Potemkin proudly patted the wooden table inside the carriage as if he were a hunter who had just discerned the hiding place of a beast: ¡°Why would they expend so much effort to mediate the Prussia-Austria war?¡±

    ¡°This¡­ I really can¡¯t figure it out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to diminish France¡¯s military influence over Austria and to dissolve the alliance between the two countries. Since Britain¡¯s influence in the German region is insufficient, they can only ask us to persuade Austria.

    ¡°And as for Prussia, being their ally, Britain definitely has ways to make William II agree to a ceasefire.

    ¡°As for increasing trade volume, that¡¯s because in the past two years, trade between Russia and France has rapidly increased, stirring a sense of crisis in them. Increasing Russo-British trade would squeeze the trade space between Russia and France.

    ¡°They restrain Sweden also to ensure the smooth sailing of our Baltic Sea shipping routes.¡±

    Most of the Russo-British trade sailed from Riga through the Baltic Sea, passing through the Skagerrak Strait to reach England.

    Potemkin continued: ¡°And the British are concerned that French investments in the Donbass region will cause us to hesitate, so they counter with investments in the Port of Crimea.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°In a nutshell, everything they do ultimately falls on weakening France.

    ¡°This is indeed good. Let them fight; we will be able to find many opportunities to benefit from this process!¡±

    He said this while looking towards Herabovitsky: ¡°So, let me guess, the Tsar is likely preparing to accept the British proposal, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°It seems that the Tsar is inclined in that direction. Of course, this would require your agreement also.¡±

    ¡­

    Outside Saint Petersburg, in the Royal hunting ground.

    Catherine II sat on horseback, smilingly watching the nobles in the distance shouting and driving the game, imagining herself among them, galloping in pursuit.

    Beside her, a young man in his early twenties, very handsome and with a French air about him, casually made small talk: ¡°Those British are really generous. This year, the French have invested less than three hundred thousand rubles in Donbass, yet the British come prepared to invest millions of rubles, with a further investment of over five hundred thousand to come.¡±

    The nobles deliberately drove the game towards the Tsar¡¯s position. The young man, seeing two wild boars not far away, busily handed a hunting rifle to Catherine II and helped her steady the barrel.

    The Female Tsar was already 63 years old and her body wasn¡¯t what it used to be; holding and aiming the gun was quite difficult for her.

    She held her breath, aimed at the robust male wild boar, and pulled the trigger.

    A thunderous boom followed¡ªthe young man waved away the gun smoke, only to see the shot had missed. The quarry, startled by the noise, scrambled into the bushes.

    ¡°The way that boar ran looked just like an Ottoman deserter,¡± the young man quickly made a little joke to distract the Tsar, before continuing his task as a salesman, ¡°With the British involved, I believe the Port of Crimea will soon become bustling¡­¡±

    Having received a substantial gratuity from the British Foreign Minister, he naturally had to do his best to promote their cause.

    Catherine II turned her head and smiled at him, asking, ¡°Dear, you keep mentioning the British, but do you know what they are here for this time?¡±

    Indeed, this attractive ¡°fresh meat¡± was her currently most favored lover, Pladen Zubov.

    Whenever she saw his charming face, she felt a sense of relaxation.

    Zubov paused, hesitatingly said, ¡°Supposedly, it¡¯s to improve Russo-British relations?¡±

    The Female Tsar laughed: ¡°The differences between Russia and Britain far outweigh any room for cooperation; it is only their trade needs that link them together.¡±

    Zubov flashed a brilliant smile: ¡°Then they are here to¡­¡±

    Catherine II shook her head, pointing to some silhouettes in the distance: ¡°The game is approaching.¡±

    ¡°Fresh meat¡± quickly passed her the rifle.

    Catherine II aimed at a wild boar, but couldn¡¯t help thinking that if Grigori were here, he would certainly have seen that the British were here to suppress France.

    Grigori was Potemkin¡¯s nickname for his first name ¡°Grigory.¡±

    The man she missed the most was still him. Unfortunately, his health had collapsed; he was completely unfit for a lover¡¯s duties, but he still used his brain and courage to manage the country for her.

    When he returned, they would discuss in detail how to seek the most benefits between England and France. She thought this to herself as she forcefully pulled the trigger.

    The flash of gunfire sent a lead ball precisely into the eye of the wild boar, causing it to topple instantly onto the grass.

    ¡­

    Austria.

    In a meticulous brick-red villa two streets away from Schonbrunn Palace, Norbert Christel, vice-president of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, looked at the Duke of Leeds in surprise and confirmed: ¡°Are you saying that we should order goods worth three million florins from France all at once?¡±

    Three million florins was equivalent to seven and a half million francs, which was undoubtedly a tempting large deal.

    ¡°No, not a direct order.¡± The British man smiled and shook his head, ¡°That is only the deposit.¡±

    Christel¡¯s eyes grew even wider: ¡°Deposit? So you mean the final transaction amount will exceed ten million florins?!¡±

    ¡°My bottom line is twelve million, the more the better,¡± said the Duke of Leeds, as if he was talking about rocks instead of Gold Coins.

    ¡°But why would you want to help the French make money?¡± the president of the Chamber expressed some dissatisfaction, ¡°French goods have already taken too much of our market. I fear no one would be willing to do this.

    ¡°Moreover, even if we pooled all the money from the Chamber, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t be able to come up with such a large sum.¡±

    ¡°You have misunderstood, my old friend,¡± the Duke of Leeds was still smiling amicably, fiddling with the teacup in his hands, ¡°First of all, we are always talking about three hundred thousand British Pounds, oh, that¡¯s three million florins.

    ¡°Secondly, this money will be provided by me. You and your friends at the Chamber just need to take the money and order goods from French factories. I am also willing to pay you a handsome fee.¡±

    ¡°I am even more puzzled now,¡± Christel¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion, ¡°So what happens after the goods are ordered, who will pay the final amount?¡±

    ¡°There will be no final amount,¡± the Duke of Leeds shook his head, ¡°After the French goods are produced, they will just rot in the warehouse.¡±

    Christel was shocked: ¡°Are you suggesting that we break the contract?!¡±

 Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Chapter 558: The Merchants Trick

    Chapter 649: Chapter 558: The Merchant¡¯s Trick

    Seeing Duke of Leeds nod, Kleistier instinctively shrank back.

    He was acutely aware of what a planned default targeting the French market, amounting to thirteen million florins within a short time frame, meant.

    His voice trembled as he said, ¡°This, this could even spark a war!¡±

    ¡°So what? It¡¯s just a war between the Emperor of Sanctum and the King of France,¡± Duke of Leeds said with a light laugh, leaning on the sofa armrest. ¡°You¡¯re not even Austrian nobility; why should you care about what happens between monarchs?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡±

    ¡°My old friend, I¡¯ve heard your business has run into some trouble, and without help, you might not last till July, right?¡±

    Kleistier bowed his head in confirmation.

    ¡°You see, there¡¯s actually no risk in this at all,¡± Duke of Leeds¡¯s voice was filled with seduction. ¡°By the time the French people discover the problem, you will have already left Vienna with all your assets, and the million florins I¡¯ll give you.

    ¡°Then you can start a new and prosperous life somewhere nobody knows you¡ªwhether it¡¯s England, Russia, or the United States, all are good options.

    ¡°And should any mishap occur, I would provide you with diplomatic protection.

    ¡°Of course, if you handle it correctly, no one could even link this matter back to you.¡±

    When Kleistier heard about the million florins, his heart began to race uncontrollably.

    He was currently indebted for over four hundred thousand florins, and without surprises, he would be bankrupt in as little as five months.

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï

    Yet, the proposal of the Englishman offered him hope!

    After a while, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and swallowed hard, saying, ¡°You assure me of diplomatic protection?¡±

    ¡°I swear it in the name of Jesus.¡±

    Kleistier finally clenched his teeth and nodded, ¡°But you must pay me half of my fee in advance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s reasonable.¡±

    Half an hour later, the Duke of Leeds left the brick-red villa with an indifferent expression and got into his carriage.

    In fact, he had little appreciation for these lowly tricks of the merchants but estimated that it would take at least a year, and maybe even two, for Prussia and Austria to reach a truce and for a joint interest to form and an armament to complete.

    Before that, setting these money-grubbing merchants upon France to cause some trouble could make his plans easier to implement.

    Indeed, after he had been forced to resign as Foreign Minister, he didn¡¯t admit defeat but rather meticulously studied the French, who had brought him disgrace, finally submitting a strategic plan against France to William Pitt Junior, which was adopted.

    After that, the British political elites refined it together, and now the implementation was in full swing.

    Duke of Leeds looked up at his attendant, ¡°What time is Baron Walter¡¯s salon?¡±

    ¡°7 p.m., my lord. You have two and a half hours left.¡±

    Duke of Leeds thought for a moment then ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Baron Tugut¡¯s place first.¡±

    Compared with the petty schemes of those crooked merchants, what he was about to do was a significant move capable of levering the European political situation.

    In Austria, anti-Prussian forces were very strong, insisting on not ceasing hostilities without reclaiming Silesia, while Pro-France forces also held significant sway in the market.

    His role was to assist Lord Grenville in reversing this situation, a task not to be underestimated.

    However, as a seasoned diplomat, he had already devised some strategies. The breakthrough was Queen Ludovica and the anti-French forces in Vienna gathered by her cousin, Baron Walter.

    Duke of Leeds suddenly thought of something and said to his attendant, ¡°Have Bres keep a close watch on that Kleistier, to ensure we can make a move at any time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    ¡­

    In the central province of Pest, Austria.

    Inside a luxurious polo club, Baron Graz was talking a mile a minute to the general manager of MokeBruno Caravan opposite him, ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no risk. The company has received a significant investment and will never be late with payment, you can be assured.¡±

    When he saw hesitation on the other party¡¯s face, he took out a bank deposit receipt and proudly placed it on the table, ¡°Look, this is the deposit for the first batch of equipment, amounting to thirty thousand florins. The company¡¯s business is vast, and profit is guaranteed.

    ¡°All you need to do is refer French partners on behalf of your caravan, and you¡¯ll receive a handsome commission.¡±

    Seeing the thirty thousand florins listed on the document, the caravan manager immediately dispelled all doubts ¡ª this newly established company was clearly powerful, and since they were using real silver and gold for purchases, there was no possibility of them deceiving him.

    So, he quickly affixed his signature on the contract brought by Baron Graz.

    Before long, Baron Graz left the club with a smile on his face, thinking to himself that the business entrusted to him by Mr. Elwin Lenna was incredibly profitable.

    Lenna had given him a substantial sum of money along with a list, instructing him to order large quantities of goods from France.

    This wasn¡¯t something just anyone could achieve ¡ª with such an enormous amount, the French weren¡¯t fools; they wouldn¡¯t sign supply contracts with just anyone. This usually involved on-site inspections and a precedent of small transactions to build trust.

    But Graz, familiar with the rules of business, set up some shell companies, hired some staff to keep up appearances, and then approached prominent merchants or firms to connect with France.

    With endorsements from these people or firms, plus the earnest money he promptly provided, the French side soon believed in his credibility and financial power.

    His shell companies had already signed two contracts involving over four hundred thousand florins. With today¡¯s deal, he had easily earned nearly three thousand florins in fees.

    As for Mr. Elwin Lenna, he was actually a close confidant of Kleistier, the second chairman of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce.

    In the evening, at a dance, Baron Graz began bragging about his recent achievements to Georg, who had received a commission from Elwin Lenna as well.

    However, the latter only smiled somewhat disdainfully, ¡°You¡¯re too cautious. I posed as a wealthy businessman investing in a merchant¡¯s caravan in Venice, oh, just a small share of stocks.

    ¡°Then they¡¯ll help me place orders in France. Let me tell you a secret, pay the deposit in multiple installments to show you have an ongoing flow of money into their accounts¡­¡±

    In the past month, similar scenarios unfolded across Austria and the Italian regions under Austrian control.

    A vast number of caravans and companies got involved, signing purchasing contracts worth over four million florins, equivalent to ten million francs, with French firms in a short period.

    The entire French industrial market was stimulated by this, experiencing an unprecedented boom. Every factory aggressively recruited workers, stockpiled raw materials, and worked overtime to fulfill orders.

    And if someone took the trouble to tally the French factories involved, they would discover they were all invested by the France Industrial Development Fund.

 Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Chapter 559: The Storm in Austria

    Chapter 650: Chapter 559: The Storm in Austria

    Vienna.

    In a music hall on the second floor of Schonbrunn Palace, a salon hosted by Countess Nicholas was underway.

    However, all the nobles attending the salon knew that the real convener was Baron Walter, who was currently a rising political star in Vienna.

    Especially after Leopold II had finally completed his coronation ceremony at the Vatican, Walter¡¯s status had risen along with his cousin Ludovica becoming the queen.

    And a special guest at this salon made the place livelier than usual.

    The theme of the salon was ¡°The Relation between Truth, Freedom, and God¡¯s Will,¡± but at the moment, no one in the hall was discussing this topic.

    A nobleman wearing a long wig and with small eyes was saying loudly, ¡°We simply cannot defeat the Prussians in a short time; the conflict in Silesia is just a pointless drain on the Empire¡¯s resources!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± someone immediately agreed, ¡°Investing military force in Bavaria could yield tenfold results!¡±

    ¡°Now is not the time to fight to the death with Prussia! Everyone knows what our finances look like; if we keep fighting, the serfs might revolt again!¡±

    The small-eyed, portly noble again passionately discussed the situation in Silesia, then suddenly turned to Duke of Leeds who was sitting unobtrusively nearby, ¡°Your Grace, what do you think about what I just said?¡±

    ¡°Oh, splendid! We need peace, every country does.¡±

    The latter answered nonchalantly, then turned his head to Baron Tugut and others, ¡°That is to say, His Majesty the Emperor also realizes that your country¡¯s finances simply cannot sustain continued warfare.¡±

    ¡°Yes, His Majesty has mentioned multiple times that Breslau is like a beast that constantly devours his taxes.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°Then why does His Majesty not choose to cease fire?¡± asked the Duke of Leeds, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s clear that Prussia doesn¡¯t want to continue fighting either.¡±

    ¡°Many factors,¡± Baron Tugut said, swirling the wine in his glass, ¡°such as the military hoping for another victory like that at Legnica. You know, that battle sky-rocketed many people¡¯s careers, just like Marshal Reo.

    ¡°And the biggest obstacle is the group around Count Kaunitz who are always hostile to Prussia. They are constantly shouting ¡®recover the old territory.¡¯ Anyone who mentions ceasing fire in front of His Majesty gets accused by them of being a traitor.

    ¡°Moreover, this group often incites nobles and even commoners to petition His Majesty. His Majesty gets a headache every time he sees them.¡±

    Philip von Kobutzky, the new assistant to the Minister of the Interior, interjected, ¡°Also, we must consider the Prussians¡¯ conditions for the ceasefire. I believe they will demand the return of Legnica as the condition for negotiations, which is absolutely unacceptable to His Majesty.¡±

    Legnica was conquered during the reign of Joseph II. Leopold II was very aware that if he lost this territory right after ascending the throne, his prestige in Austria would plummet.

    The few true power brokers who could influence Austrian politics all slightly shook their heads.

    They had tried many things for the sake of cease-fire before, but had made no progress and were naturally quite dejected.

    Duke of Leeds thought for a moment and looked at the group, ¡°I can try to persuade Lord Grenville to mediate on behalf of Prussia.

    ¡°So, is the biggest obstacle remaining the attitude of Count Kaunitz?¡±

    Kaunitz was very radical in his anti-Prussia stance and also pro-France. Since he became the Austrian Minister of State, his core political stance had been ¡°competing with Prussia for dominance over Germany.¡±

    And with his family, the Kaunitz-Rietberg, deeply rooted in Austria and having served as the Minister of State under three generations of rulers, his opinions were absolutely taken very seriously even by His Majesty.

    Kobutzky keenly noted the mention of ¡°Britain mediating the Silesian conflict¡± and his interest was piqued, he immediately nodded, ¡°If Count Kaunitz is not opposed and if we can maintain the gains of Legnica, I am confident I can convince those war-mongering generals.¡±

    Now, with the queen¡¯s influence, Walter had gathered a significant amount of political power favorable toward Prussia and opposed to France, concerned only about the political force of Kaunitz. Without his hindrance, they truly had the potential to command great influence in Vienna.

    However, Baron Tugut frowned and said, ¡°But Count Kaunitz is very stubborn; we might find it difficult to make him compromise.¡±

    Baron Walter came over, his tone angry, ¡°It would be great if we could just get rid of that old man!¡±

    Although he was unschooled, he still represented the queen¡¯s attitude to a substantial extent, so he had to be involved in significant political schemes.

    Duke of Leeds smiled at him, ¡°You are right; perhaps the simplest and most direct method might be the most effective. Let¡¯s see if we can find a way to move the Minister of State out of the political center.¡±

    Tugut and others nodded repeatedly, then soon fell into silence. Frankly, before Clemens Metternich pulled Austria¡¯s ¡°broken carriage,¡± Austria really did not have any decent political figures.

    Duke of Leeds sighed in frustration, it seemed that he would have to be the one to play the villain.

    He continued, ¡°Since Count Kaunitz is highly pro-war, let¡¯s give him this opportunity to shine.

    ¡°If suddenly the front lines can no longer hold, or even show signs of inevitable defeat, he may have to take some political responsibility¡­¡±

    When he roughly finished outlining his plan, the others¡¯ eyes lit up, all exclaiming in unison, ¡°This plan is absolutely feasible!¡±

    ¡°You are truly full of wisdom. We should start the momentum immediately.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Hungary with your full support; I¡¯m sure I can persuade them!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to Prague; my mother is from there.¡±

    ¡­

    Prussia.

    Potsdam.

    William II paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his expression alternating between annoyance and indecision, muttering, ¡°Damn, is this how they treat allies? Why are there so few true friends like Emperor Peter II?¡±

    He was referring to the Tsar who had suddenly switched sides, helping his father reverse the fortunes of the Seven Years¡¯ War.

    Yet, he had forgotten that for his ¡°friendship,¡± Emperor Peter II had been ousted by a coup led by his own wife and died in a cold palace.

    Beside him, Minister of the Interior Lucyvida Menken cautiously advised, ¡°Your Majesty, given the current situation, it is difficult for us to launch an offensive to recapture Legnica.

    ¡°Although it controls a pass in the Sudeten Mountains, its output is not significant. If the British can guarantee the safety of Breslau, our losses would not be too substantial¡­¡±

 Chapter 651 - Chapter 651: Chapter 560: Equivalent Exchange

    Chapter 651: Chapter 560: Equivalent Exchange

    (This chapter is not yet complete. Please refresh and read again after 40 minutes. The author sincerely apologizes.)

    ¡°If we could exchange Legnica for Gdansk,¡± Manken glanced at his King, ¡°I believe, strategically, it would be completely acceptable.¡±

    ¡°Gdansk?¡± William II stopped in his tracks, raising his voice, ¡°That is originally mine. The British are actually asking me to use my own property to exchange for Legnica!¡±

    Gdansk, also known as Danze, although currently a territory of Poland, was difficult for Poland to govern effectively given its strength, as it was an exclave separated by Prussia.

    Under the alliance signed between Prussia and Poland, the area was essentially managed by Prussia. Of course, the port¡¯s revenues were largely taken by Poland.

    As a knock on the door sounded, Prince Henry stepped in¡ªas a pillar of Prussia, he could almost come and go as he pleased in Sanssouci Palace.

    He gave a quick salute to William II and immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, what we¡¯d be exchanging Legnica for is not Gdansk, but the legal legitimacy.

    ¡°Although we now have managerial rights over Gdansk, it is because Poland is in chaos. If their strength is restored, we will soon lose it.

    ¡°To truly secure Gdansk, as the British say, probably requires a war.¡±

    William II fell silent at once. His uncle had analyzed the situation in the east multiple times before, so he knew that if he were tied down by the conflict in Silesia, he¡¯d never be able to initiate the war he needed¡ª

    The war against Poland.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Austrians concede¡­¡±

    He had barely spoken when he was interrupted by Prince Henry, ¡°Your Majesty, I am here to report that the British envoy just received instructions from Congress, deciding to provide us with 500,000 British Pounds in aid to help us make the necessary preparations for war, in exchange for our concessions.¡±

    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°500,000 pounds in loans¡­¡±

    William II suddenly paused, looking at Prince Henry, ¡°Did you say ¡®aid,¡¯ not ¡®loan¡¯?¡±

    The latter nodded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, it¡¯s aid. Half of it in military supplies, and the other half in cash.¡±

    William II¡¯s face immediately brightened. A loan would need to be repaid, but aid was a gift!

    Given Prussia¡¯s current financial situation, this money was a godsend.

    He suddenly felt that the British might not be much worse than Peter III.

    Prince Henry continued, ¡°Your Majesty, we can use this money for military reforms, and in the subsequent wars, besides Gdansk, we will also be able to obtain more territory.

    ¡°For instance, the vast south bank of the Vistula River. This would yield far greater profits than Legnica.¡±

    Manken timely added, ¡°Your Majesty, after we expand our military capabilities, we could even wash away the humiliation suffered in Southern Netherlands.¡±

    He was naturally referring to Blucher being defeated by the French Army, being chased from Liege to Namur.

    Finally, William II nodded emphatically and said to Prince Henry, ¡°Please inform the British envoy that I will summon him tomorrow.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    During the reign of Leopold I (1640¡ª1705) of the Roman Empire, the rule of the Habsburg Family still featured dual governance by the monarch and the nobility, with the nobility holding considerable political power and many privileges. His second son, Charlie VI, began to consolidate monarchical power, steering towards a modern absolutist autocracy. Charlie VI¡¯s daughter, Maria Theresa, and her son, Emperor Joseph II, through a series of reforms, established a strong centralized modern state. The dual governance of monarch and nobility gave way to absolute monarchy. The powers and privileges of the nobility were significantly curtailed. Henceforth, central government taxation no longer required the approval of the nobility; administrative agencies and professional bureaucrats, obedient to the monarch, penetrated from the central to local levels, gradually eroding the ruling power of the noble landlords; the separation of the judicial and executive branches stripped the nobility of their judicial power; the codification of criminal and civil law led to a gradual unification and centralization of state power in the Viennese court; reforms in taxation and finance further reduced the nobility¡¯s rights; Joseph II refused to convene the local parliament of Bohemia and dissolved its executive bodies, thus eradicating the last remnants of nobility¡¯s parallel rule with the monarchy. Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg, a prominent minister during the enlightened absolutist era in Austria (1711¡ª1794) once told Empress Maria Theresa, ¡°I cannot agree to elevate the nobility again. I am myself a Bohemian noble and landlord. But my duty to Your Majesty outweighs my class¡¯s interests. I must admit before God and Your Majesty that if the nobility¡¯s rule is restored, it would completely end the hope and reform of the country, and the supreme power of the state would suffer severe damage.¡± [3] Absolutist monarchs and their representatives of centralized power and modernized state gradually replaced the feudal political systems. In this process, the nobility lost much but quickly found their new place. They actively took part in building the modern state, serving as administrative officials, serving the monarch, and obtaining material benefits and resources far surpassing those of the feudal era from stronger and richer modern states. Similar processes occurred in Prussia and other German states.

    During the era of enlightened absolutism in Austria, Count Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire¡¯s ¡°December Constitution¡± of 1867, proclaimed that everyone should be equal before the law. In 1907, universal male suffrage for the lower house of parliament was implemented. However, up until 1918, the nobility still enjoyed superior social status and many privileges. From 1861 to 1918, the Upper House of the Austrian Parliament (Noble House), aside from the royal family and church leaders, had 106 noble families with hereditary seats. These 106 families were often referred to as the ¡°High Nobility¡± (Hochadel), although this term generally only referred to princes who had or had had sovereignty within the framework of the Holy Roman Empire, and included some counts and barons who had never held sovereignty. The Kingdom of Hungary had its own Noble House in Budapest, unrelated to these 106 families. The extent of participation in politics by members of the Noble House varied, with some never attending meetings. From 1907 onwards, members of the Noble House could also stand for election to the Lower House. The Emperor sometimes elevated commoners or those who had risen from the bourgeois to the nobility to the Noble House.

    Nobility obtained before around 1400 were known as original nobility (Uradel). Those who acquired nobility through imperial/royal decrees thereafter were known as charter nobility (Briefadel). A common term used in Austria and Hungary, ¡°old nobility¡± (Alter Adel), included both original nobility and some early charter nobility.