Chapter 180: "Convincing" the Jacobins
The Next Day. Paris, Industry Planning Bureau, Second Floor.
"So, you suddenly left last night because you wanted to resign?" Joseph looked at the three men in front of him and then smiled. "I'm glad to hear your wound isn't serious."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," Marat said, leaning on his cane as he slightly bowed. "And thank you for your trust. However, we have decided to leave the Investigation Bureau."
Joseph paused for a moment before asking, "Can you tell me why?"
Danton was quick to answer, "We don't want to associate with those filthy aristocrats!"
Desmoulins added, stammering, "And we... we don't want to work for the Crown anymore."
Joseph couldn't help but find the situation amusing. Most people quit because they can't get a promotion or a raise, but here were these men quitting right after being promoted.
Well, that's very Jacobin of them...
"I'm curious, what do you want?" Joseph asked.
Marat responded firmly, "We want to remain forever loyal to the people of France!"
Joseph thought to himself that it would be best to convince these radicals to stay. If not, having them resign every now and then would be a hassle. Moreover, they were key figures among the radicals, and winning them over would greatly reduce the hostility of the radical liberals towards the Crown.
He recalled some of the "sophistry" he'd seen on various forums in his previous life and thought, These should be enough to handle 18th-century logic...
"Loyal to the people," Joseph nodded slowly. "So, in other words, you want to make the people's lives better?"
Marat considered it for a moment and said, "Yes, Your Highness, that's right."
"And to achieve that goal, you're resigning?"
"Yes..."
"Have you thought about what will happen after you leave? Who will oversee people like Necker? Another group of corrupt officials? Do you think that will make life better for the people of France?"
Marat and the others were momentarily stunned.
Joseph immediately targeted the core of their thinking. "I believe your hostility towards the Crown is misplaced."
"No!" Danton, the youngest and boldest, immediately shouted back. "It is the Crown's indulgence and disregard for the people's suffering, its unwavering protection of the nobles' interests, that causes the people to be oppressed!"
"Is that so?" Joseph asked calmly. "Do you believe that without the Crown, the people's lives would automatically improve?"
Marat and the others, heavily influenced by Rousseau, almost instinctively recited one of Rousseau's famous quotes: "All men are born free, and no one has the right to infringe upon another's freedom, not even a king..."
Joseph interrupted, "Tell me, Mr. Marat, if all men are born free, can the rules set by previous generations bind those who come after?"
Marat was about to say "no" but suddenly froze. If that were the case, wouldn't it mean that someone who never participated in creating the rules could do whatever they wanted? But if the answer was "yes," then future generations wouldn't be truly free, would they?
Joseph smiled. "You see, the idea that all men are born free is inherently flawed. In reality, none of us are truly free, not even the king."
Danton, trying to support Marat, said, "Rousseau also said that we need to establish a fair social contract, and then everyone should follow it!"
Joseph immediately countered, "And what exactly is this 'fair contract'?"
This question stumped even the greatest minds of the 19th century, and by the 21st century, people were still only experimenting with the idea. Marat and his companions, who had only a rudimentary understanding of Rousseau's theories, were bound to be confused.
"It's…"
Desmoulins jumped in, stuttering, "It's… it's the Parliament. The people… they delegate their power to Parliament, and Parliament makes the rules!"
"Parliament?" Joseph asked with a smile. "Once Parliament has the power, do you believe it will always act in the people's best interest?"
"Why… why wouldn't it?"
"No, they will only act in their own interest," Joseph shook his head. "Look at America. What kind of land purchase policies has their Parliament enacted? Every purchase must be a minimum of 60 acres—no less. And the poor? Sorry, they can't buy land.
"Or look at our neighbor, Switzerland. The rules made by the cantonal parliaments only serve the interests of warlords and wealthy merchants, making it easier for them to control cities and take the last penny from people's pockets.
"I dare say, if such things happened in France, the people would already be protesting outside Versailles. The king would be cursed a thousand times over and eventually be forced to change these policies."
"No, these are just isolated cases…"
"Really? Take the American Parliament, for instance. After passing oppressive laws, the members return home to enjoy their wealth after a few years, leaving the problems for the next Parliament. And, of course, the next set of lawmakers will do the same because they see Parliament as nothing more than a tool. Only a king truly cares about the country because he doesn't have a 'next term.'"
Marat and the others hesitated, shaking their heads. "No, there's something wrong with what you're saying!"
Joseph continued, "Human society has always been a system of oppression; this is a fundamental and pervasive reality. The king is just a symbol and an archetype of this phenomenon, and Parliament is the same. Any ruling body operates similarly.
"We've inherited a past that might be narrow-minded and outdated, requiring constant revision and improvement. But this past has also brought tremendous benefits. Every word we speak, every thought we have, is a gift from those who came before us. The foundation of our lives—technology, wealth, opportunities—also comes from them. So, it's unreasonable to view social structures as purely oppressive. It's not as simple as rejecting everything from the past when problems arise.
"The Crown and the people are not enemies. They can work together towards the common goal of improving France.
"Yes, France has many problems, like the unreasonable privileges of the nobility and the exploitation of the poor by the rich. We need to address these issues, but they aren't caused by the king.
"Do you think everything will improve if the king is gone? No, it will only get worse. The nobles and the wealthy will simply take on new roles and continue their enjoyment and exploitation.
"You've been working for the Crown, haven't you? But look at Paris—people are cheering for you. Isn't that more helpful to them than you declaring a thousand times, 'I'm loyal to the people'?"
Joseph paused, then added, "To be honest with you, I have been implementing the king's reform measures all along.
"The Public Investigation Bureau is just one part of it. You've seen other reforms recently, like the police reforms, tax reforms, financial reforms, and more will follow until all of France's problems are resolved.
"Wouldn't you want to join me in this great process?"
There was a long silence in the room before Marat suddenly took back the resignation letter on the table. He stepped back, bowed, and with a complex expression, said, "Your Highness, I hope to see a better and more just France."
...
As May began, the weather grew increasingly hot, almost as if it were already July or August.
The last rainfall had been three months ago, and large patches of foliage had been scorched yellow by the sun. The ground had developed cracks, resembling parched mouths gazing skyward, waiting for rain.
But in the vineyards of La Rochelle Parish, east of Bordeaux, a lush green scene thrived.
Although the sun was blazing in the sky, small streams flowed through the furrows beneath the grapevines.
Just 300 paces west of the vineyard, a bronze-colored steam engine was rhythmically clattering, continuously pumping water from the Garonne River into the irrigation channels.
The water then flowed through the dug-out channels, reaching the entire three and a half hectares of the vineyard, saving the grapes from the drought.
This highly productive water pump was a mass-produced 15-horsepower steam engine manufactured by the French United Steam Engine Company.
A similar steam engine was working tirelessly near the farmland south of the parish, ensuring the village's crops would survive this dry summer.
Two shirtless farmers sat under a makeshift straw shed beside the steam engine, half-closing their eyes as they relaxed in the shade.
Before long, a middle-aged man in a gray coat approached with a group of carpenters. From a distance, he shouted, "André! Aurel! Are you slacking off again?"
The two farmers hurriedly threw on their shirts and jumped to their feet. "No, no, Mr. Dietrich, we've been keeping a close watch on it..."
Dietrich glanced at the steam engine and shouted, "Do you know how expensive this thing is? A whopping 13,000 livres! Without it, the entire parish's crops would be scorched by the sun.
"If it gets damaged due to a lack of water or coal, I swear I'll hang you from the parish bell tower!"
"Please, don't be angry. We swear we won't doze off again," André said as he grabbed a shovel and loaded it with coal. Aurel quickly opened the boiler lid to let him shovel the coal inside.
"You see, all good now," Aurel said, sneaking a glance at the parish bailiff.
Dietrich gave them both a harsh glare, mentally noting that he should assign another overseer.
Just over a month ago, he had looked at the village's dried-up farmland and nearly lost hope.
The villagers had tried hauling water in carts to irrigate the fields, but it barely made a difference. If it didn't rain within five days, all the potatoes would die, followed by the wheat...
Then, the water pump they had ordered arrived. It had been purchased with a loan from the parish's newly established Agricultural Bank.
A team of technicians from Nancy had spent two days installing the pump. Then they added coal and lit the fire.
Soon, water from the Garonne River began flowing steadily, providing far more water than 100 horses could carry. In just a few days, all the village's crops were saved.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Bailiff Dietrich called on André and Aurel to help the carpenters unload the wood from the wagon.
Looking at the tall wooden planks, André grinned and asked, "Mr. Dietrich, are you building us a wooden house to rest in?"
Dietrich kicked him in the rear, scolding, "You lazybones! All you think about is resting!
"This is to build a shelter for the water pump."
"A shelter? To protect it from what?"
"I don't know," Dietrich said as he directed the carpenters to dismantle the straw shed over the steam engine. "The governor ordered it. All steam engines, water wheels, windmills—everything must be covered with wooden shelters, and they must be sturdy."
He shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand, looking out over the vast wheat fields. "God willing, we'll make it through this drought."
...
In the southeastern part of Paris, a man with a fierce expression exited the Académie de Mécanique. He waved dismissively at a thin, dark young man behind him, gruffly saying, "Take Viscount Donique home. When he sobers up, tell him I'll invite him back after this deal is done."
"Yes, Mr. Immanuel. Thank you for your hospitality."
As the young man turned to leave, the drunkenness disappeared from Immanuel's eyes. He quickly made his way to his own carriage on the other side of the academy and sternly ordered the driver, "Quick, to the Marquis's house."
The carriage sped through the streets as Immanuel's mind raced with excitement. Just moments ago, he had heard something from a drunken Viscount Donique—a piece of information that could make him rich beyond measure, something about the man his boss hated most.
But he hadn't noticed that a carriage was following him at a distance. It trailed him all the way to the Marquis of Lido's villa before turning away. Inside was none other than Viscount Donique himself, who had appeared drunk earlier but was now perfectly sober. He also held another title—Captain of the Fourth Squad of the Secret Police.
In the Marquis's study, the door locked behind him, Immanuel turned to the Marquis and whispered, "Is the information reliable?!"
Immanuel nodded repeatedly. "Viscount Donique's brother-in-law is an officer in the Bastille. He let it slip while he was drunk."
A cold glint flashed in the Marquis's eyes as he repeated, "Leaving Paris at ten o'clock the night after tomorrow?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Very well. You've done an excellent job!"
After Immanuel left, the Marquis immediately ordered his butler to summon several key members of the Banking Guild to his home.
Back in his study, the Marquis bit out his words to the assembled men, "Necker will be secretly leaving Paris the night after tomorrow. There may be secret police escorting him, but this could be our only chance to deal with him!"
The Count of Kapfel's eyes gleamed with malice as he clenched his fists. "No matter the cost, I want him dead!"
As they discussed how to carry out their plan, the Marquis's butler suddenly knocked on the door and said, "My lord, the Crown Prince has sent someone to request your presence at the Industry Planning Bureau."
The Marquis's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that his knowledge of Necker's movements had been leaked?
He had no choice but to steel himself and leave. Before long, he found himself on the second floor of the Industry Planning Bureau, face to face with the Crown Prince.
After the Marquis had greeted him, Joseph smiled and motioned for him to sit. He then pulled out a document and asked, "I see from your bank's records that you previously invested 2 million livres in the British automatic loom industry?"
(End of Chapter)
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