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—Louis 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—the 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—all 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—traveling 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.