The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Declaration of War

Sumiar and Villers immediately turned their gaze to the Duke of Orléans—despite their meticulous planning, this turn of events had not been anticipated.

Following the usual patterns of political struggle, there were typically only two ways for an unprepared opponent like Bishop Brienne to respond to their sudden attack:

First, he could accept defeat and directly announce his resignation.

Second, he could make excuses and deflect, biding his time until the cabinet meeting ended to seek political support to counter their move.

They had already prepared for both scenarios, ready to mobilize more high-ranking nobles and align with the banking sector to pressure the Queen. Ultimately, Brienne’s fate would still be dismissal.

However, who could have predicted that Brienne would counterattack on the spot?

The Duke of Orléans frowned, his voice cold. “Bishop Brienne, you’ve been entirely at a loss regarding the tax bill. What gives you such sudden confidence? France’s financial situation is already dire. If, two months from now, you still cannot get the bill…”

Brienne cast a sidelong glance at Joseph, who returned a reassuring nod. With determination, Brienne raised his voice and said, “Duke of Orléans, how do you know that my previous attempts weren’t a test of the Parlement? Perhaps the rejection of the bill was all part of my broader strategy.”

An experienced politician, Brienne effortlessly blended truth and falsehood.

He then turned to Queen Marie Antoinette, his expression resolute. “Your Majesty, if the tax bill is not registered within two months, then please exile me to Corsica!”

Exiling high-ranking officials to distant towns like Lorraine or Perpignan was a common practice in France, but exile to an island beyond the mainland signified an exceptionally severe punishment.

In truth, Brienne had long anticipated his eventual dismissal and had been prepared to accept it. Yet, in that fleeting moment, he had a premonition that the Crown Prince could genuinely succeed in passing the bill.

Unwilling to see his political career end prematurely, Brienne made a decisive choice—to trust the Crown Prince and gamble everything on this one opportunity!

The Duke of Orléans noticed the hesitation in the Queen’s eyes and immediately raised his voice. “There’s no need to waste another two months. We should bring in Mr. Necker immediately to salvage France’s finances!”

Joseph responded with a faint smile. “May I ask, Duke of Orléans, does Mr. Necker have any certainty of securing the passage of the tax bill within two months?”

The Duke of Orléans froze. After all, he was one of the masterminds behind the opposition to the tax bill. He could only shake his head reluctantly. “I don’t believe he does…”

Joseph turned to the Queen. “Your Majesty, since Mr. Necker is incapable, what reason do we have not to give Bishop Brienne, who is confident, the chance?”

The Duke of Orléans grew anxious. “Your Majesty, Bishop Brienne will only worsen the financial crisis!”

Joseph retorted instantly, “The financial crisis can only be alleviated by passing the tax bill. Mr. Necker is powerless to achieve this.”

Though Joseph knew that taxing the nobility would do little to resolve France’s fiscal woes, the passage of the bill was a pivotal event marking the contest between royal authority and the grand nobles. Whoever lost would suffer a significant political setback.

Thus, the bill had to pass.

Queen Marie Antoinette rubbed her temples wearily. The weight of these national affairs felt overwhelming for her.

Her gaze shifted between Joseph and the Duke of Orléans. Joseph’s argument seemed more reasonable, yet the Duke, an experienced politician, likely offered advice of greater merit.

She recalled Brienne’s confident demeanor, but the opinions of the prominent nobles in the Assembly of Notables and the banking sector could not be ignored either…

Her thoughts swirled chaotically, leaving her unsure of whose counsel to follow.

After a long pause, Queen Marie Antoinette looked imploringly at the other cabinet ministers. “What are your views on this matter?”

The neutral ministers avoided taking sides, each lowering their heads in silence. Minister of the Interior Count Morneau opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

Seeing the lack of responses, the Queen glanced again at the Duke of Orléans and Bishop Brienne before clasping her hands powerlessly on the meeting table. “Then, regarding whether Bishop Brienne should remain in charge of financial affairs for the next two months, I request that you all make a fair judgment based on the interests of all France.”

“I have decided to adjourn the meeting for now. The cabinet will reconvene tomorrow to vote on this matter.”

The “vote” referred to a cabinet resolution, where ministers collectively voted on contentious policies.

After the Queen finished, as though drained of all her strength, she signaled for adjournment and left the chamber, supported by her maid, heading toward the gilded doors.

Joseph frowned slightly. He hadn’t expected the Queen to be so indecisive and lacking in authority, leaving the decision to her ministers.

The Duke of Orléans cast a smug glance at Brienne, said nothing, and led his faction out of the hall.

Both sides had declared war, leaving no room for compromise. The rest would involve deploying various political tactics to broker deals.

…

Joseph and Brienne retreated to the office of the Minister of Finance.

Once the door was closed, Brienne bowed immediately. “Thank you, Your Highness. You’ve not only saved me but also salvaged France’s finances.”

He then eagerly asked the most pressing question on his mind. “Please, Your Highness, tell me the truth—are you truly confident about passing the bill?”

Joseph, knowing their interests were now aligned, didn’t hesitate. “Rest assured, I am confident.”

“The Assembly of Notables may appear to be a monolithic political monster, but it has two critical weaknesses.

“First, it is not a cohesive entity. It’s an alliance between the grand nobles and the capital aristocracy—those new elites who have quickly amassed wealth. We can exploit their divisions.

“Second, it relies heavily on the Parlement. Without its support, the Assembly is merely a group of nobles with no actual power. The Parlement is rife with corruption, providing ample grounds for attack.”

Brienne nodded thoughtfully. “Your analysis is astute, but we only have two months…”

Joseph smiled. “Rest assured. I have the resources to divide the Assembly of Notables, the means to pressure the Parlement, and with your political capital, we can get the bill passed in less than two months.”

Brienne’s eyes lit up. At last, he was certain—he had made the right gamble.

As they spoke, Eymond’s voice came from outside. “Your Highness, Count Morneau is here.”

Brienne and Joseph exchanged glances before Joseph called out. “Come in, the door is unlocked.”

The door swung open, revealing Count Morneau, the Minister of the Interior, with a grave expression as he entered.

Table of content - Next Chapter >>>