The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Gradually Shifting the Political Landscape

"Another matter: not long ago, Ravelle Bank and Laborde Bank suddenly decided to terminate their long-standing loan agreements with the government. It nearly caused a national debt default."

Joseph turned to Fouché. "These banks would only forgo profits for a compelling reason. I need to know what drove them to such a decision."

Fouché immediately bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Highness. I will investigate the matter thoroughly."

"By the way," Joseph added, "I have some clues that may prove useful.

"When I first sought a position in the financial system, the Duke of Orléans vehemently opposed it, forcing Her Majesty the Queen to assign me to the municipal office instead.

"Later, when I became Assistant to the Minister of Finance, Archbishop Brienne doubted my lack of experience and insisted on overseeing all financial affairs. Yet, the Duke of Orléans strongly advocated for me to handle government loans.

"Shortly after that, the banks refused to issue loans."

The subordinate taking notes paused briefly. "It seems we must conduct a detailed investigation of the Duke of Orléans."

He frowned slightly as he looked at the words "Duke of Orléans" written in his notebook. "Your Highness, the Duke of Orléans enjoys many privileges. At present, the Office of Intelligence is merely a subsidiary of the Bureau of Police, with limited authority as a police body. You know that as policemen, we are strictly forbidden from interfering in matters related to the royal court."

"Go on," Joseph prompted.

"I believe that if the Office of Intelligence could leverage some royal police privileges—specifically in postal affairs—progress would be much quicker."

Joseph gave him an approving glance. He had been contemplating this possibility himself, and Fouché had merely echoed his thoughts.

"I’ll handle this," Joseph said with a nod. He then emphasized, "However, the Office of Intelligence must not solely rely on authority to gather intelligence. It cannot become a mere replica of the royal police. The foundation must be intelligence-gathering techniques and establishing an extensive network."

Fouché immediately placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head. "Yes, Your Highness!"

...

That evening, large swathes of gauzy drapes were set up on the northern lawn of the Palace of Versailles. The soothing melodies of bagpipes and accordions filled the air, blending with bursts of laughter to create an atmosphere of ease and harmony.

It was an open-air banquet.

Joseph wasn’t fond of such social gatherings. They were usually rife with gossip and bawdy jokes. He would usually make a brief appearance before leaving quickly.

However, tonight the Chief of Secret Police, Count Robert, was also in attendance, prompting him to linger a while longer.

At a small table in a corner of the banquet, Count Robert held a wine glass with a troubled expression. "Your Highness, as you know, there’s no precedent for this sort of thing. I’m afraid it would require discussion in a cabinet meeting..."

Joseph interrupted him with a smile. "Rest assured, I will inform Their Majesties, the King and Queen. Moreover, the royal police have little to do with the cabinet ministers."

Establishing an intelligence agency was a significant undertaking, and he would, of course, need to inform the Queen. Otherwise, clashing with the secret police during operations could lead to chaos.

"But..."

Seeing Robert’s reluctance, Joseph sighed inwardly. The secret police represented Robert’s greatest source of power. While the favor Joseph had shown him with stock shares previously was appreciated, it seemed insufficient to convince him to relinquish any of his privileges.

Joseph was forced to unveil the bait he had prepared.

"Count Robert, I’ve always felt that the royal police have been unfairly treated."

Robert was taken aback by the abrupt change in topic. "Your Highness, what do you mean?"

Joseph declared earnestly,

"The royal police are constantly safeguarding France, making great sacrifices for the nation, yet they remain a small department under the Ministry of Police. It’s entirely unjust!

"I believe the royal police should have been independent long ago—standing parallel to the Ministry of Police, and certainly not under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior!

"In fact, the royal police report directly to His Majesty the King. There is no need for any connection to the Ministry of the Interior."

At this time, France’s policing and intelligence systems were intertwined, traditionally falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior. This arrangement persisted even into Napoleon’s era, where intelligence officials often doubled as heads of the police.

Such a structure significantly limited the rank of secret police officials—after all, as a subordinate department of the Ministry of Police, their position couldn’t surpass that of the Director-General of Police.

Robert’s eyes lit up. If the secret police could gain independence from the Ministry of the Interior, his position would rise from that of a mere "Counselor of State" to "Minister of Intelligence" or "Minister of Security," granting him a seat at the cabinet table.

Suppressing his excitement, he asked cautiously, "Your Highness, is this Her Majesty’s intention or..."

Joseph smiled. "Oh, this is the consensus between myself and Count Morneau."

Robert was startled. The Minister of the Interior was nominally the direct superior of the secret police. If Count Morneau supported their independence, the resistance to this proposal would significantly diminish. With the Crown Prince’s backing, the odds would only improve.

He scrutinized Joseph carefully. "Has Count Morneau given you his assurance?"

"Not yet," Joseph admitted, though his tone was firm. "But I guarantee he will agree."

The secret police’s funding came directly from the King’s private treasury, entirely bypassing the Ministry of the Interior. To Count Morneau, the department was essentially a burden.

Furthermore, Joseph’s future plans for fiscal revenue—including real estate development and public transportation—would heavily involve the Ministry of the Interior.

These projects represented substantial tangible benefits for Morneau. Joseph was confident that, in the face of such profits, Morneau would readily relinquish the burden of a department like the secret police.

Joseph intended to leverage these benefits to shift the political landscape in his favor as much as possible.

Robert narrowed his eyes. Years of experience in intelligence told him the Crown Prince wasn’t speaking lightly.

After a moment’s hesitation, he raised his glass, offering a sincere smile. "Your Highness, collecting intelligence is for the safety of France and in service of His Majesty. This aligns perfectly with the goals of the royal police.

"I believe there are many areas where we can collaborate and support each other."

Joseph smiled back. "For instance, sharing certain minor privileges."

"Exactly," Robert replied.

Joseph clinked his glass lightly against Robert’s. "To the future Minister of Intelligence."

...

The British Ambassador to France, Hartley, finally received a reply from London.

Using a letter opener, he carefully sliced open the envelope and retrieved his cipher book, meticulously decoding the message.

The letter outlined several of his ongoing tasks, but the last two points demanded special attention.

First, he was to quickly ascertain the Crown Prince of France’s true attitude toward Britain. Was he as pro-British as rumored? If so, efforts should be made to win him over and use his influence on France’s policies toward Britain.

Second, he was to amplify the Crown Prince’s animosity toward Prussia, encouraging him to adopt a tougher stance against the Prussians.

The Crown Prince’s hostility toward Prussia was well-known. In a cabinet meeting, he had once declared, "France and Prussia are destined for war." As the global disruptor, how could Britain resist stirring the pot in such a situation?

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