The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: A Dead End

"Oh?" Joseph turned to Fouché. "Do you know who’s searching for Necker?"

"That... we can’t confirm yet. However, our informant at Claessenet Bank reports that the bank has recalled all its commercial spies, likely for some critical mission. Meanwhile, Paris Bank has also been hiring a large number of private detectives."

"So, it is indeed someone from the banking industry." Joseph nodded slightly. It seemed Calonne's speculation was correct—Necker had shady dealings with the major banks, which must be why they were so eager to find him before the government did.

Tapping the armrest of his chair, Joseph pondered something peculiar: as the banking industry’s representative and a senior figure in the Bankers' Guild, Necker should logically have sought their help the moment trouble arose. Instead, he had chosen to go into hiding immediately.

There was only one possible explanation—Necker didn’t trust the people in the Bankers' Guild.

This was not surprising. Being Swiss, Necker's roots in France were shallow. In the face of danger, he couldn’t be sure that the French bankers wouldn’t silence him to prevent leaks.

Realizing this, Joseph became even more determined to mobilize the secret police for a house-to-house search, even involving the military if necessary—Necker had to be found before the Bankers' Guild got to him!

After giving Fouché further instructions to intensify the search, Joseph headed straight to Versailles to discuss a large-scale operation across Paris with Brienne and Robert, head of the secret police.

In the carriage, Maria Clementine, noticing the Crown Prince’s serious demeanor and furrowed brow, cautiously asked, "Cousin, are you troubled? Tell me about it. Sometimes, just speaking about things can help."

Joseph sighed and replied casually, "Maria Clementine, if you were looking for a missing person, how would you go about it?"

The little girl thought for a moment and answered earnestly, "Hmm, I’d start by asking their friends or servants where they might’ve gone, and then..."

Joseph froze upon hearing this, suddenly realizing he had overlooked something crucial—the Bankers' Guild knew Necker far better than he did!

Even Necker’s subordinates might have been recommended by one of the major banks.

With those around Necker providing clues, Joseph knew that even with extensive manpower, it would be difficult to gain the upper hand...

What could he do?

Maria Clementine continued speaking to herself, only to notice her cousin’s frown deepening. She quickly tried to comfort him: "Is one of your friends missing? Don’t worry too much. Maybe they just have something to take care of and will return soon."

Joseph forced a smile. "Thank you for your comfort, but that person will not return on their own..."

Wait!

Mid-sentence, Joseph suddenly felt as though he had grasped something important.

If he couldn’t outmatch the Bankers' Guild in searching for Necker, why not make Necker come to him instead?

It was like the ancient strategy of besieging a city on three sides—leave one side open, and the enemy would flee toward that escape route.

If Necker’s other paths were blocked, he would have no choice but to take the one Joseph left open for him!

Joseph refined this idea, and soon, a comprehensive plan to "besiege on three sides and leave one open" took shape in his mind.

He expressed his sincere gratitude to Maria Clementine. "You’re truly an expert at finding people. Thank you so much!"

The little girl blushed at the praise, popped a vanilla-mint candy into her mouth as a reward for herself, and gave one to her cousin as well.

...

The marble courtyard of Versailles.

When the carriage stopped, Joseph headed straight to the office of the Minister of Finance.

This "three-sides besieged, one side open" plan hinged on the critical element of the "open side," which required the Queen’s cooperation.

Before long, the Minister of the Interior, Morneau, and the Minister of Justice, Bréteuil, gathered in Brienne’s office, all looking puzzled at Joseph.

"Your Highness," Bréteuil began, "I don’t understand. Shouldn’t we be focusing all efforts on capturing Necker? Why have you withdrawn the arrest warrant and even asked Her Majesty to announce a pardon for him?"

As Joseph’s political allies in the cabinet, they had all heard about Calonne’s evidence of Necker’s embezzlement.

Joseph glanced at the group and explained, "When a person is faced with certain death, if you offer them a glimmer of hope for survival, they will seize it without hesitation. I intend to make the royal family Necker’s only path to survival."

Bréteuil immediately protested, "Your Highness, Necker’s embezzlement is a grave crime. He should be rigorously prosecuted. Pardoning him seems inappropriate."

Joseph replied, "Necker himself isn’t important. What I want are the secrets he holds!

"As for the pardon—well, while His Majesty may pardon him, if someone else seeks to punish him, that’s beyond our control."

Brienne looked at Joseph. "Your Highness, what exactly does Necker know?"

"Possibly matters involving several billion livres of government debt!"

The room fell silent.

That afternoon, several cabinet ministers, along with a group of prominent nobles, visited the Petit Trianon Palace to persuade Queen Marie Antoinette to announce a pardon for Necker. They assured her there would be no death penalty, nor even long imprisonment.

Though puzzled by the ministers’ and nobles’ insistence, the Queen’s soft-hearted nature prevailed. After hearing arguments about "demonstrating royal magnanimity," "showing care for ministers," and "prioritizing recovery of embezzled funds," she reluctantly agreed.

...

The next morning, Queen Marie Antoinette publicly announced, in front of a crowd of nobles and journalists, that Necker would be spared severe punishment. She revealed a document signed by King Louis XVI affirming this decision.

Simultaneously, pamphlets began circulating wildly in Paris.

Most of these pamphlets contained the usual scandalous tales of aristocratic debauchery, but in the middle of each was an alarming announcement: a bounty of 150,000 livres for Jacques Necker’s head. Even providing credible information could earn a reward of 100,000 livres.

Not long after, the underworld in Paris received even more shocking offers: 180,000 livres for Necker dead, and 120,000 for reliable intelligence on his whereabouts.

The news also dominated Paris’s major newspapers. The front-page headlines declared:

• "Necker Allegedly Involved in Embezzlement: Royal Family to Forgive Major Punishments"

• "Anonymous Factions Offer Astronomical Bounty for Necker’s Life."

Meanwhile, the secret police and other agencies received orders to divert their search teams from Paris’s outskirts into the city, effectively sealing off all routes in and out of Paris to prevent Necker from escaping.

By the next day, the mysterious bounty had risen to a staggering 200,000 livres.

Newspapers and pamphlets began speculating about the identity of those behind the bounty. In articles subtly steered by Joseph’s deliberate manipulation, the consensus pointed toward the Bankers' Guild as the orchestrators of the bounty.

...

In a modest house on Paris’s northern outskirts, Necker’s loyal butler, Aironc, peered cautiously through the gap in the curtains, scanning the street for anything suspicious. Satisfied there was no immediate threat, he carried a tray of food into the bedroom.

After closing the door and adjusting two hidden mechanisms on the bedpost and dressing table, Aironc revealed a small square entrance behind the wardrobe. He lifted a section of the floor and disappeared into the concealed passage below.

In the dim candlelight of the second-level basement, a haggard Necker received the food tray. He divided the meal among his wife and two children, skipping his portion entirely to grab the newspapers Aironc had brought.

The headline of the Paris News sent a chill through Necker's heart as he read it: "Massive Bounty Posted for Necker's Life." Though the report stopped short of naming the Bankers' Guild outright, its implications were unmistakable. It asserted that the bounty’s backers were powerful, their promises ironclad, and their payments guaranteed—even in cases where the claimant perished.

"Those devils!" Necker snarled, slamming the newspaper to the ground.

The Paris News, owned by the Duke of Orléans, was directly associated with the Bankers' Guild. If even their publication suggested such conclusions, it meant the Guild wanted him dead without a shred of ambiguity.

Despite having amassed vast wealth for the Guild, Necker found himself cast aside the moment trouble surfaced. He didn’t know that the Paris News had been temporarily banned by France’s News Bureau, with the versions on the streets fabricated by Joseph’s own Paris Trade Gazette.

As for copyright concerns? Joseph didn’t care. If the real Paris News complained later, they could take it to court. A trivial fine was a small price to pay compared to Necker’s capture.

Picking up another pamphlet, Necker froze at the staggering sum printed within: 300,000 livres.

He knew all too well what this number meant.

This bounty would incite a frenzy in Paris’s criminal underworld. Even ordinary citizens, upon seeing such a fortune, might transform into ruthless killers.

It also meant that no one could be trusted—not even those who had previously helped him plan his escape. The sheer magnitude of the bounty ensured betrayal was always a risk.

Though his wealth exceeded ten million livres, much of it was held in anonymous accounts abroad, out of his immediate reach. The small fortune of 2,000 gold écus in his possession wasn’t enough to bribe those blinded by greed.

Even if he could offer an impressive sum, Necker dared not gamble on loyalty. A would-be assassin might take his money and kill him anyway to claim the reward.

No amount of trust, honor, or ethics could withstand the temptation of 300,000 livres.

Necker’s wife, trembling as she read the newspaper, asked hesitantly, "My dear, are we still leaving tomorrow?"

Necker suddenly grabbed her arm, his voice sharp with anger: "Leave? That’s all you can think about! Are you trying to get us killed?"

He gestured toward the basement’s entrance. "I swear, if I set foot outside, the coachman will stab me in the back before I reach the street! It’s over, all over..."

Collapsing onto the bed in despair, Necker’s gaze fell upon an article speculating about the Queen’s promise of leniency. It suggested that if Necker surrendered and returned the embezzled funds, he might face only a fine and exile.

A fierce internal struggle began within Necker. After a long moment, his eyes filled with hatred.

Since the Bankers' Guild wanted him dead, he would cooperate with the French royal family instead!

That evening, Aironc slipped into the night under strict orders from Necker.

...

About an hour later, over a hundred secret police and agents from the intelligence bureau surrounded the house. Fouché personally led the raid, yet when they reached the hidden basement, it was empty.

Just as Fouché began to grow anxious, several officers reported that Necker had already been apprehended.

"Where was he caught?" Fouché asked, glancing at the empty underground room.

"He emerged from a sewer on the street," the officer replied.

The ever-increasing bounty had left Necker too paranoid to trust even his most loyal servant. Fearing betrayal, he abandoned the house before dawn.

With the mission completed, Fouché personally escorted Necker to the Bastille.

...

At the Palais-Royal, members of the Bankers' Guild anxiously awaited updates from the Duke of Orléans.

"We had a lead on Necker’s location, but now this ridiculous bounty has thrown everything into chaos," one member lamented.

"The royal pardon complicates matters," said the Duke. "If Necker surrenders, he might align with the royal family."

"We must inform Necker that the bounty isn’t our doing!" Count Kappfeil urged.

"How will we find him?" another retorted, scornfully.

A servant hurriedly entered with news.

"What? That fool’s been captured?" The Duke of Orléans clenched his fists, glaring at the messenger. "Are you certain?"

"It comes from our contact within the secret police. Necker is being taken to the Bastille as we speak."

...

Two hours later, Necker and his family were locked in a surprisingly luxurious cell within the Bastille. It was well-furnished, complete with a toilet, dining area, and cushioned seating.

Fouché remained vigilant, keeping Necker and his family under constant watch with over a dozen agents.

At that moment, a tall officer arrived with a group of guards. After exchanging pleasantries with Fouché, he gestured toward Necker and said, "Routine inspection. I need to conduct a standard procedure."

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