The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 234

Chapter 234: The Crown Prince's First Regency

A palace official hurriedly knocked on the door and entered, bowing to Joseph and Count Mirabeau. “Your Highness, my lord, Her Majesty the Queen requests your immediate presence in the East Palace conference hall.”

“What’s the matter?” Count Mirabeau asked, sensing something amiss.

“There seems to be unrest breaking out in multiple regions…”

By the time Joseph and Mirabeau arrived at the conference hall, they found the Queen and several ministers already seated around the table. Even the seldom-seen Louis XVI was present, and everyone wore grave expressions.

Before the two could bow, the Queen gestured for them to sit and then turned to Archbishop Brienne. “Your Grace, please begin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Brienne said, his face somber as he addressed the room. “Everyone should be aware that the unrest caused by food shortages in the southern provinces has grown extremely severe.

“From Paris to Moulin and beyond, nearly all regions have been affected. In places like Montpellier, Foix, and Brittany, the riots have escalated to involve over ten thousand people.”

Had it not been for Anna Solène's daring infiltration of the Bastille, which forced the Duke of Orléans to act prematurely, even the northwestern provinces would not have been spared.

Brienne paused before continuing, “Previously, General Neymuet submitted a report on behalf of the army, stating that the riots erupted too suddenly. At least two months would be required to mobilize the troops necessary to suppress the unrest.”

Allowing the riots to continue for two months would leave the affected areas in total ruin.

“They’re deliberately stalling!” Baron de Bréteuil exclaimed angrily. “In my years of service, preparations never took more than a week!”

“That now seems very likely,” Brienne replied, nodding as he produced a document. “Just now, the Duke of Mouchy submitted proposals to Her Majesty the Queen. The main demands are as follows:

“First, abolish the Royal Supreme Court and restore the election of chief justices by the Assembly of Nobles.

“Second, repeal the decree requiring nobles to pay land taxes.

“Third, nullify the ‘Miller’s Rights Act’ and dismantle privately constructed mills in all parishes…”

The Queen clasped her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her fury evident. “This is outright extortion! They’re exploiting the chaos to blackmail His Majesty and the entire realm of France!”

Joseph took the document from Brienne’s hands and scanned it quickly. The proposals continued: abolish the Press and Publications Bureau and transfer news censorship to the High Court.

Merge the Berthier Corps into General Mariette’s command, combine the Moulin Corps with the Montcalm Corps, and mandate that any royal military deployment must receive the War Minister’s approval—otherwise, the army has the right to refuse orders…

The list went on, with six or seven more demands in total, all aimed at stripping power from the royal family. If accepted, they would undo all of Joseph’s reforms from the past year, placing the nobles back on top.

Once the Queen’s anger had subsided, Brienne resumed, “Over 20 generals have signed in support of the Duke of Mouchy’s proposals.

“The Duke claims that meeting these demands will greatly enhance the military’s efficiency.”

After a long silence, Queen Marie finally turned to the group, exhaustion evident in her voice. “What do you suggest, gentlemen?”

Count Nicoll spoke cautiously. “Your Majesty, many of the riots have been ongoing for nearly ten days. Even cities like Lyon and Trévoux are beginning to experience unrest.”

These cities were already in central northern France, perilously close to strategic locations like Moulin and Lyon.

Nicoll continued, “This will cause immense damage to the nation, and the riots could ultimately evolve into… rebellion.

“Many of the Duke of Mouchy’s proposals merely restore old traditions. Perhaps Your Majesty could agree to some of them. Ending the chaos in the south must be our priority.”

Joseph frowned slightly, not even considering the Duke’s demands. Instead, he silently calculated the forces he could mobilize.

If all police cadets were reorganized, the two cohorts would total around 6,500 men. Adding the Berthier Corps and the Moulin Corps would bring the total to 14,000.

The Paris Corps’ 3,000 troops could also be included. In an emergency, even the Paris police could be mobilized, adding another 3,000—Parisian police were highly trained and motivated, comparable to the upper ranks of traditional French forces.

In the meantime, Parisian security could be temporarily managed by the King’s Swiss Guard. After recent police reforms, the city’s criminal elements had been nearly eradicated, so maintaining order was not a significant challenge.

In total, Joseph could muster a 20,000-strong force, well-armed and highly disciplined.

The Duke of Orléans had previously assessed that the royal family could mobilize no more than 13,000 troops.

However, he had overlooked the police academy’s potential, dismissing the police as government thugs incapable of real combat.

Yet Paris’ police academy, from recruitment to training to equipment, far surpassed most military academies. Joseph had also integrated advanced organizational structures, making the cadets capable of facing ordinary French troops at a two-to-one ratio.

Joseph lightly tapped the armrest of his chair, shaking his head internally. The unrest in the western and southern provinces was too widespread for just 20,000 troops to handle.

Moreover, mobilizing the Paris police was a last resort, as it could destabilize the capital. In practical terms, he had only 17,000 troops.

He also had to guard against treachery from the military nobility.

Though outright rebellion was unlikely, they could easily disguise themselves as rioters and ambush his forces.

Under these circumstances, dispersing troops to various regions was not an option—small units would be too vulnerable to sabotage.

Inside the conference hall, most ministers seemed to have reached a consensus to capitulate to the military and noble Assembly’s demands, unable to devise alternative solutions.

Queen Marie and Louis XVI listened to the ministers with dark expressions, appearing to tacitly agree.

“The abolition of the land tax and the Press and Publications Bureau are absolutely unacceptable!” Mirabeau declared vehemently.

“I believe the rest can be negotiated, but the Supreme Court must remain intact,” Brienne added, still bitter over the last tax reform and keenly aware of the High Court’s importance.

Foreign Minister Viren, aligned with the Duke of Orléans, fervently advocated for accepting all demands, arguing it would “allow the military to restore order swiftly.”

By 3 p.m., everyone was famished, yet no agreement had been reached. They adjourned temporarily for lunch.

During the break, Brienne approached Joseph and whispered, “Your Highness, I’ve allocated funds to purchase grain from Spain and Sardinia. In about a month, this should ease the situation in seven or eight provinces…”

That’s far from enough, Joseph thought, shaking his head slightly. Suddenly, Brienne’s words struck him with a realization.

He had been stuck in a mental rut, focusing solely on mobilizing troops to suppress the riots, while neglecting the root cause: food shortages!

The rioting provinces were not completely devoid of food—stocks had simply been diverted.

If a batch of grain could be distributed now—not much, just enough to feed people for half a month, or even ten days—it would stabilize the hungry masses. Once order was restored, reserves could be returned, and the crisis would resolve itself.

Joseph pondered deeply. Supplying enough food for all of western and southern France for half a month—and delivering it quickly to the affected areas—seemed almost impossible.

Unless divine intervention were to occur!

Suddenly, he froze. Divine intervention?

Of course!

He could, in a way, call upon divine assistance!

France already had a group of God's "representatives"—the Catholic Church!

The Church, owning its lands and properties, was particularly fond of hoarding grain. After the Great Revolution, when the National Convention confiscated Church assets, the grain found in their cellars astonished the legislators and even helped alleviate the freezing disaster of spring 1792.

Due to the Church's extraordinary status at this time, no one dared target it, except for the archbishops, few of whom knew the full extent of the Church's grain reserves.

But Joseph, being a man of a later era, not only knew exactly how much grain the Church had hoarded but also had no qualms about tapping into their reserves.

Once this train of thought began, Joseph felt a sudden clarity.

The Church had properties all over France, meaning grain storage cellars were scattered throughout the country. Relief grain could be distributed to the starving people without them having to travel far.

The Church’s stockpiles were more than enough to feed the southern provinces for half a month—perhaps even one or two months. The so-called grain shortage wasn’t due to a complete absence of food but rather an insufficiency for everyone, which had caused grain prices to skyrocket. All that was needed was enough grain to plug the gap.

Joseph’s mind raced with ideas. The chaos instigated by the Duke of Orléans and the military could perhaps be turned into an opportunity.

Handled correctly, this could even eradicate the chronic ailment of the military aristocracy!

Joseph carefully considered the matter and soon formulated a detailed plan.

...

After lunch, the cabinet ministers resumed their heated debate on the terms of compromise.

Suddenly, Joseph stood up, signaling for silence. Bowing slightly to the Queen and Louis XVI, he declared, “Your Majesties, I believe we must not yield an inch to those who dare to threaten you and the realm of France!”

A glimmer of hope flashed in Queen Marie’s previously despondent eyes. She knew there weren’t enough troops to quell the current crisis, but seeing her son display such courage was comforting in itself.

Joseph continued, “Please grant me full authority to handle this crisis. I am confident I can bring an end to the riots.”

The Queen smiled and shook her head gently. “Joseph, my dear, I know you wish to contribute to France, but this matter…”

Joseph turned to Archbishop Brienne, whose expression changed at the prince's gaze. Brienne rose promptly and said, “Your Majesty, I believe the Crown Prince is the only one capable of resolving the current predicament.”

Choosing his words carefully, he added, “In fact, he possesses remarkable abilities beyond your imagination.”

Joseph’s piercing gaze swept across the other cabinet members. Count Mirabeau and Baron de Bréteuil both stood up in support.

“Your Majesty, I too believe the Crown Prince can be trusted absolutely,” Mirabeau said firmly.

“I share this view,” added de Bréteuil.

Even the Minister of the Navy hesitated briefly before standing to express his support.

In the conference hall, apart from the Foreign Minister and a few absent individuals, everyone sided with Joseph.

Queen Marie was astonished by her son’s influence. Before she could collect her thoughts, Louis XVI, surprisingly, spoke up: “Perhaps… we should let Joseph give it a try.”

In a barely audible mutter, he added, “He even managed to design the fire cap gun.”

Recalling her son’s extraordinary methods in North Africa, the Queen finally nodded slowly. “Very well. The Crown Prince will be entrusted with handling the unrest in the provinces.

“During this time, he may issue decrees on behalf of His Majesty and myself.

“I ask everyone here to cooperate with him fully.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

Joseph bowed to both Louis XVI and the Queen, then immediately turned to Foreign Minister Viren. “Effective immediately, you are relieved of your position.”

Viren almost fell out of his chair. How had the topic shifted from riots to him so abruptly?

“Your Highness, you don’t have the authority to do this!”

“Yes, I do,” Joseph replied calmly. “You will seriously hinder the efforts to quell the riots. Therefore, you must leave the cabinet.”

“This is a baseless accusation!” Viren retorted.

Joseph turned to the Queen. “Your Majesty, I am certain this is necessary. I promise to provide you with a satisfactory explanation after the crisis is resolved.”

Viren’s entanglement with the Duke of Orléans, the mastermind behind this chaos, made him a liability. He could not be allowed to remain in the cabinet.

The Queen hesitated but, seeing no objections from anyone present, finally turned to Viren and said, “Count Viren, please take a temporary leave of absence. If you are exonerated afterward, I will restore your position.”

Viren froze for a few seconds before giving the Queen a curt nod and storming out in anger.

Joseph felt a wave of satisfaction. Finally, the troublesome Viren had been removed! The taste of power was indeed intoxicating.

Next, he instructed Brienne to issue orders in the King’s name to all local troops, commanding them to immediately disperse the rioters and restore order.

The orders allowed small garrisons to act autonomously during suppression efforts without needing prior approval. An attached decree stated that civilian officers who distinguished themselves in quelling the riots could be promoted to lieutenant or higher ranks.

Whether or not these orders would be carried out depended on the army, but Joseph had to try.

For tasks like purchasing grain and organizing public morale campaigns, Joseph only gave brief instructions before adjourning the cabinet meeting.

The real work was just beginning.

...

Half an hour later.

A "Gemstone" model carriage rolled toward Paris. Inside, Joseph looked at Talleyrand, seated opposite him, and smiled. “Archbishop, the position of Foreign Minister is now vacant. Would you be interested?”

The lame man’s face lit up with delight. Placing a hand on his chest, he said, “Thank you for your trust, Your Highness. I will not disappoint you.”

Joseph nodded. “Before that, however, I need you to help me with one small task.”

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