Before the Queen could speak, the tall, slender man with the cold gaze suddenly cleared his throat and stepped forward half a step, saying,
"Queen Mary, you seem to have mentioned you wish for the Crown Prince to participate in governing?"
Queen Mary turned her head, her tone calm as she replied,
"Yes, Duke of Orleans, I have an agreement with the Crown Prince that if he completes his university coursework, he may be involved in the nation's affairs."
The Duke of Orleans's expression intensified, and he thought to himself: The Crown Prince has always been mediocre, so why has he suddenly become so formidable? Could it be that he's been pretending all this time? But why would he do that, and what could he be plotting now by revealing his strength?
No matter what, after years of manipulation, the prestige of the Royal Family has greatly declined, and my position is increasingly unstable. If a "genius Crown Prince" were to emerge now, it would surely bolster the court and people's confidence in the Royal Family.
This is highly detrimental to my own plans; I must find a way to keep him in check!
No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than he exclaimed loudly, "Queen Mary, the Crown Prince is still young and lacks experience in governance. I think it would be more appropriate to choose an experienced minister to teach him the knowledge of governance for a few years before he engages in state affairs."
Queen Mary's brows furrowed slightly; the Duke of Orleans did have a point. Although the Crown Prince was exceptionally talented, he was still only 13 years old. A mishap in state affairs could have a negative impact on his reputation.
She looked at her son with a consultative tone, "Joseph, perhaps you could study for a while longer."
Joseph glanced at the Duke of Orleans; as a transmigrator, he knew the man's true nature—Louis Philippe, a close relative of Louis XVI. Everyone thought he was loyal to the King and country, but in truth, from his father's generation, he had always been committed to overthrowing the King's line and ascending the throne himself.
After the French Revolution's Reign of Terror had succeeded, when the Girondin Party voted on whether to execute the King, the Duke of Orleans did not hesitate to cast a vote in favor. Ultimately, with a 301:300 vote, Louis XVI was sentenced to death. It could be said that it was his crucial vote that sent Louis XVI to the guillotine!
Joseph had not expected him to be so eager to step in. Without conceding a point, he said firmly,
"Queen Mary, three hundred years ago, Joan of Arc defeated the British army at the same age as I am now. She proved herself through her actions. Please believe in my abilities and give me the opportunity to prove myself!"
The Duke of Orleans spoke with "heartfelt" concern, "Your Highness, matters of state are of great importance, and it is not simply a question of confidence..."
Joseph, not one to indulge him, waved his hand dismissively, "Duke of Orleans, this is an agreement between the Queen and me, please do not interrupt."
He then looked at the Queen, "Mother, as an assistant to the Finance Minister, could I not also learn from Bishop Brienne?"
The few Cabinet Ministers present were taken aback, not expecting the young Crown Prince to have the courage to confront the Duke of Orleans directly; even the Chief Minister usually had to consult him.
The Duke of Orleans was even more surprised by Joseph's lack of deference. After a long stunned silence, he replied angrily,
"Finance is the lifeline of France; we cannot allow an inexperienced youth to intervene!"
Many ministers around nodded in agreement. Seeing this, Queen Mary turned to her son, whose expression was resolute, and offered a compromise,
"Joseph, go and serve at the Paris City Hall for now. If you perform well, we'll discuss letting you engage with financial affairs."
Joseph swept his gaze over the seven or eight Cabinet Ministers in the room, knowing that with them present, it would be difficult for the Queen to green-light his request. It seemed he would have to bide his time at City Hall before any progression could be made. He nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The Duke of Orleans wanted to stir the pot further; he stepped forward and said, "Queen Mary, the Crown Prince should first learn..."
"So be it," Queen Mary raised her hand to interrupt him and looked towards Brian, "Please continue with the tax law reform."
Joseph sat aside, listening to the Cabinet meeting, and gained a deeper understanding of France's dire financial situation—ninety percent of the meeting's content was about money, or more accurately, the lack of it.
After the meeting, the Queen insisted on rewarding him, dragging him to taste a whole array of desserts until he was choking on the throat ache caused by the various meticulously made cakes, puddings, and macarons, and finally regained his freedom.
Joseph left the tea room with a heavy heart and suddenly thought that perhaps he could follow in the footsteps of Louis XVI.
By the time he reached the King's Bedroom, he was informed that Louis XVI was busy with a "once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece," having spent the last three days eating and sleeping in the lock-making workshop without leaving.
Joseph felt a sudden wave of weariness, with such a father, how could he not end up at the guillotine?
Forget it, he figured that the heavily engaged Sixteen would probably send him off to find the Queen—boomeranged... He smiled bitterly, shook his head, and turned to order Eman, "Prepare the carriage, please, we'll go straight to Paris City Hall."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As Joseph exited the front door of the Palace of Versailles, he saw in the Marble Courtyard in front of him over ten carriages and around sixty or seventy people standing respectfully to the side.
He couldn't help but shake his head with a hand to his brow, recognizing most of these people—they were all personal attendants of the Crown Prince, including beauticians, chefs, tailors, and the like. It looked like they were all prepared to join him, no wonder so many carriages were required.
Joseph hurriedly had Eman send them back, bringing this group to City Hall would only create chaos.
Then he looked at the silver carriage used exclusively by the Royal Family that was parked in front of him, with its classic carriage design and body covered in delicate reliefs, trimmed on every corner with gold thread, the epitome of luxury.
He thought for a moment, then turned and boarded one of the plain carriages for the attendants—riding in the Royal Family's carriage would mean no peace and quiet on the way.
Soon, three grey-black carriages left Versailles Palace Square, speeding eastward.
The Palace of Versailles was located on the western outskirts of Paris, more than three hours' drive from the city. Inside the carriage, Joseph yawned out of boredom and, noticing a stack of books on the wooden table in front of him, casually picked them up to browse and found them to be documents from Paris City Hall.
He looked at Eman, who was sitting opposite him. Eman immediately smiled, placed his hand over his chest in a bow, clearly having prepared them himself.
Being the Crown Prince's steward required extraordinary perception that no ordinary person could match. Joseph smiled and nodded at him, then began reading the documents in his hands, which contained detailed information ranging from the staff structure and functions of City Hall to its daily operations.
When Joseph turned to the third page, he saw that under the jurisdictions of City Hall was the Police Department.
He eagerly read on, confirming that the Paris Police were entirely under the jurisdiction of City Hall, and his eyes lit up.
It seemed that his appointment to work at City Hall was not a waste of time; at the very least, he could properly reform the Paris Police.
For the common people of France, the chaos of public safety was the second biggest nightmare after oppressive taxes! To be robbed or pickpocketed in the street was the least of concerns, with frequent violent break-ins and kidnappings. And as for the gangs who oppressed and exploited citizens every day, they were a major scourge of Paris.
At the moment, no modern police system had been set up throughout Europe, with public safety still relying on community self-defense, making it nearly impossible to solve crimes, therefore allowing crime to run rampant and leaving ordinary citizens in constant fear for their safety.
Thus, reforming the police was of great significance; resolving public safety issues could significantly improve social stability, and social stability could greatly reduce the urge among the populace to revolt against the Royal Family.
Joseph finished reading the City Hall documents and thought carefully about the details of improving the police force. As the carriage entered Paris City, an overwhelming stench of rot seeped in through the windows.