The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: The Battle of Offense and Defense

Sumiar bowed respectfully to the Queen and said, "Your Majesty, I have been entrusted by the Duke of Seville, the Count of Cerlier, the Marquis de Saint-Véran..."

He rattled off a dozen influential names of great nobles without pause.

"...to express their stance that Archbishop Brienne should resign."

Vergennes glanced at Brienne and remarked, "Now all of Paris is abuzz with discussions that Archbishop Brienne lacks financial expertise, his policies are outdated, and so on."

Queen Marie Antoinette was taken aback by how many were aligned against Brienne. Hesitating, she said, "The matter of the tax legislation is incredibly complex. Perhaps Archbishop Brienne should be given more time..."

The Duke of Orléans, who had long schemed to topple Brienne, seized the moment. Allowing delay was the last thing he would permit.

With a light cough, he stood and said, "Your Majesty, I have friends in the banking sector. They inform me that the assistant to the Minister of Finance abruptly terminated loan cooperation with two major banks not long ago, leading to significant losses for the banks.

"Recently, the entire banking industry has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the government's financial policies."

To pin this on Brienne, the Duke had deliberately attributed Joseph's actions to him. It wasn't entirely false—Brienne, as the head of the financial system, bore ultimate responsibility for its issues.

Sumiar played along, putting on a shocked expression. "This sounds extremely serious."

"Indeed," the Duke of Orléans replied, feigning concern. "Friends have confided to me that the banking guild may boycott Archbishop Brienne, which would severely hinder the government from securing loans."

Turning to Queen Marie Antoinette, he said, "Your Majesty, as you know, without support from bank loans, we cannot service the national debt, which would mean a sovereign default."

This was nothing but fearmongering. Lending to the government was the most lucrative deal for the banks—high interest rates with minimal risk of non-repayment. The moment Ravelle Bank and Laborde Bank lost government business, their revenues plummeted, leaving them in a panic.

But Queen Marie Antoinette, unsettled, frowned and asked, "What can be done? Is there any way to salvage this?"

"Perhaps..." The Duke of Orléans pretended to deliberate for a moment, then suddenly looked up. "There is one man who could handle the current situation."

The Queen leaned forward anxiously. "Who is it?"

"You are already acquainted with him—Mr. Necker," the Duke of Orléans answered. "He has always been on good terms with the banking industry and possesses extensive financial management experience. I believe he is the most suitable candidate for Minister of Finance at present."

Vergennes and Sumiar immediately nodded in agreement, putting on airs of gravitas. "Mr. Necker certainly has the capability to address these problems."

"I also believe he is the only one fit for the position of Minister of Finance."

Queen Marie Antoinette watched as the three men passionately voiced their arguments, appearing deeply concerned for the state of the nation. She sighed inwardly.

In truth, she was not satisfied with Brienne's performance since taking over the financial system. The nation’s massive debt had not diminished in the slightest, and the tax legislation had seen no progress in over half a year. Now, relations with the banking industry were in turmoil...

She had initially chosen Brienne as Minister of Finance because he was the president of the Assembly of Notables, which represented the high nobility. Aligning with him would have garnered support for the new tax legislation.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Brienne expressed any inclination to support the crown, he was abandoned by the Assembly of Notables. In terms of political maneuvering, he had become nearly worthless.

If replacing him could facilitate the passage of the tax legislation and regain the support of the banking sector, it might not be a bad idea.

Moreover, Necker had previously served as Minister of Finance. Though he was dismissed for publicly revealing the royal family’s expenditures, his financial expertise was undeniable.

With this in mind, the Queen raised her eyes to the other ministers. "What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Joseph, having been caught off guard by the sudden attack from the Minister of Justice and the Duke of Orléans, finally understood their intent: to oust Brienne and install Necker.

Historically, Necker indeed replaced Brienne as Minister of Finance, though it happened a few months later. Necker’s appointment would ultimately bury Louis XVI’s last hope of survival.

It was simple—Necker represented the interests of the capitalists, specifically the banking capitalists. How could he possibly serve the monarchy with genuine loyalty?

During his tenure as Minister of Finance, the scale of French government borrowing from banks multiplied several times over.

Even when subsequent Minister of Finance Calonne tried to avoid high-interest loans, the government’s reliance on borrowing had already reached the point of no return.

Furthermore, Necker’s unauthorized disclosure of royal expenses provoked widespread outrage against the monarchy’s exorbitant spending. In reality, much of this expenditure was for purchasing noble estates and similar state costs.

Actual royal household expenses mostly came from the King’s own estates and income, with the King frequently using his private wealth to cover state deficits.

Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly. He would not let the Duke of Orléans have his way!

His plans for advancing the tax legislation were just beginning to take shape, and Brienne’s cooperation was crucial. Protecting Brienne also meant stymying Necker.

He stood immediately and said, "In fact, Archbishop Brienne has been very effective in promoting the tax legislation.

"You may go to Paris and see for yourselves. Most people believe the nobles should pay taxes on their land and strongly support the new tax law."

Though his words were somewhat exaggerated, such public opinion had indeed begun to take root.

Sumiar turned to him and said, "Your Highness, as far as I know, there are still many who harbor doubts about the tax legislation."

Joseph sneered. "But their numbers will dwindle."

As the circulation of his two newspapers continued to rise, public opinion would inevitably lean toward supporting the legislation. The law itself had little impact on most citizens and could improve government finances—there was no reason not to support it.

"No, Your Highness. The tax legislation has faced opposition for a long time. People will not suddenly..."

Joseph refused to be drawn into petty arguments. Clearly, his opponents had prepared well. Engaging in the minutiae of debate would only play into their hands.

He raised his hand to cut him off and turned to Queen Marie Antoinette. "Your Majesty, Archbishop Brienne has already devised a comprehensive plan for advancing the tax legislation and has begun its implementation.

"I can assure everyone here that within two months, the tax legislation will be registered and passed by the High Court."

Everyone in the room froze, stunned by Brienne’s apparent confidence.

Brienne himself was bewildered—he had no knowledge of any such plan. But he quickly realized this was the Crown Prince aiding him.

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