The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Who is a Friend?

The carriage rocked for a long while before finally stopping at a large workshop on the outskirts of Saint-Antoine.

Mirabeau stepped out of the carriage and was immediately hit with a pungent chemical smell.

He looked up, noticing a row of "boilers" larger than stone mills in the distance, releasing yellowish-white mist that enveloped half the workshop.

Ahead, under a large shed, was a massive square water tank, suspended with several wooden sticks, connected by wooden planks.

More than ten workers, their arms swollen and reddened from exposure to the chemicals, were working together to move something out of the water, then carefully placing it on a wooden rack taller than a person. They then returned to the water tank and resumed stirring.

Mirabeau frowned and covered his nose. What on earth was the Crown Prince thinking, choosing to meet in a paper mill...

While he was muttering to himself, a middle-aged man with a large nose, dressed in a black short coat, approached them. He greeted Mirabeau warmly, pressing his chest in a friendly manner: "Ah, Count Mirabeau, I'm so glad to see you here. Although the smell is a bit unpleasant, I'm sure you'll come to appreciate this place soon."

Mirabeau flashed a bright smile and tipped his hat in greeting: "I'm equally pleased to see you, Mr. DuPont."

He took a few steps forward, lowering his voice: "And the Crown Prince?"

DuPont led him around the large water tank and pointed towards a wooden rack shrouded in mist: "His Highness has been waiting for you."

Mirabeau then saw a young man, dressed distinctively from the others, standing atop the tall wooden rack.

He pursed his lips and quickly walked over, bowing respectfully: "It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

DuPont hurriedly introduced him: "Your Highness, this is Count Mirabeau."

Joseph turned to look at Mirabeau—the creator of the National Assembly during the Great Revolution, a key figure in the current influential political meetings, and the leader of the capitalist nobility. He was also the critical point for Joseph’s plan to deal with the High Court.

He jumped off the wooden rack and tipped his hat towards Mirabeau:
"Ah, it's wonderful! At last, you've arrived, Count Mirabeau."

The workers, separated by plainclothes guards, did not overhear their conversation.

Mirabeau, curious, asked: "Your Highness, what are you doing here?"

"Researching papermaking," Joseph replied with a smile. "Would you like to have a look?"

Mirabeau shrugged: "Oh, you had me sit in a carriage for most of the day and brought me all the way to this remote place just to study papermaking?"

"Well, that is indeed one of the things we have to discuss."

"You see," Mirabeau smiled, "I have no interest in papermaking." He then added, "Why don’t you just tell me, are you here representing Archbishop Brienne?"

"Of course not. He doesn’t know I’m here looking for you," Joseph said seriously. "I’m here to make friends with you."

Mirabeau quickly nodded: "Yes, you are my most esteemed friend."

He then changed the subject: "Of course, Duke of Orléans, Duke of Seville, and the others are also my friends, so I can’t..."

"No," Joseph interrupted, "I think you’re mistaken. They are your enemies."

"What?" Mirabeau froze, thinking to himself, this is a rather crude attempt at persuasion, but quickly shook his head: "No, no, our relationship is quite good."

Joseph spoke calmly: "They are the old nobility, and you are the capitalist nobility. You are natural enemies!"

"Capitalist nobility?" Mirabeau asked, confused.

Joseph explained: "The old nobility are those who own vast lands and estates, relying on grain and rent as their main income.

"Whereas the capitalist nobility, like yourself, have their wealth in industry or trade, and their income comes from earning profits."

Mirabeau nodded, as he had heard of such theories: "But we are still friends."

"Your conflict lies in labor and the needs of the environment!" Joseph continued. "The old nobility need labor to work the land, and they want estates everywhere, with only a few cities for their enjoyment.

"While the capitalist nobility needs labor for workshops or merchant ships, and they want more cities, with only a few estates to provide food."

"Your conflict is irreconcilable. The old nobility obstructs your development, and you want to destroy their paradise!"

Mirabeau was stunned and instinctively shook his head: "No..."

Joseph laughed: "I know you are allied now, trying to gain more power."

Mirabeau was startled and hastily waved his hands: "No, that’s not it!"

Joseph interrupted with a smile: "Let’s assume you topple the monarchy—of course, that’s impossible. But let’s assume—what do you think will happen next?"

"What?"

"A death battle between the old and new nobility. To the death!"

Joseph thought to himself: I’ve seen the history. After the Great Revolution, you wiped out the old nobility completely.

Mirabeau fell silent. He carefully considered the situation in his mind, realizing that, as the Crown Prince had said, without the king, both sides would inevitably fall into a deadly conflict until one side lost all power and strength.

Seeing Mirabeau’s expression soften, Joseph began to plant seeds of thought: "The monarchy will always need the nobility to help them govern the country. To the monarchy, the old and new nobility are merely different methods of development."

Mirabeau muttered, slightly frightened: "I truly don’t understand what you’re saying."

Joseph continued: "The obstacles facing the capitalist nobility can only be cleared by the monarchy!"

Joseph thought, of course, you could also rely on a bourgeois revolution to clear them out, but can I tell you about that?

"Ah?"

"For example, the monarchy could introduce a 'Company Law.'"

"This would include provisions on who the company’s representative is, that is, the person who can exercise the company’s powers."

"How to establish, split, or merge companies..."

"How company shares are issued, distributed, and transferred..."

"And the scope and responsibility of company debts..."

A series of modern corporate concepts that made Mirabeau’s eyes widen—these were considered common knowledge in later times, but at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, they were precious and advanced experiences.

As a representative of the capitalist nobility, Mirabeau placed great importance on industrial development and was well aware of the issues France faced in this area. It could be said that if such a law existed now, it would significantly improve the production efficiency of workshops across France!

Joseph glanced at his expression and continued: "There is also the 'Patent Law.'"

"For instance, if you design an efficient machine, or a popular fashion, and someone copies it without paying, eventually, no one will want to innovate. Instead, everyone will just try to cut costs in the old industries, and in the end, no one will make money."

"But with a 'Patent Law,' once you file for a patent on an invention, others can only use it by paying you, or else they will be heavily fined..."

Mirabeau’s eyes immediately lit up—this was exactly what he needed!

He had been wanting to invest in improving the technology in his workshop, but he had always hesitated, fearing that others would take advantage of his ideas.

If there were a 'Patent Law,' he could quickly increase his competitiveness, even surpassing those damned Englishmen!

Joseph continued to tempt him: "Oh, and there’s also 'Financial Law,' 'Contract Law,' and so on..."

After explaining the meanings of these laws, he looked at Mirabeau: "What do you think? Will the old nobility support these laws?"

Before Mirabeau could respond, Joseph answered his own question: "No! Only the monarchy can push these laws forward quickly, helping France’s industries develop rapidly!"

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