From Corsica to the Fourth Rome

Chapter 319 Jeanne Bequ must die

In the afternoon, outside the Tuileries Palace

"Hand over Jeanne Bequ!"

"She deserves to be judged!"

"If the royal family still cares about us ordinary people, if the royal family still has justice and law in their hearts!"

More than two hours have passed since the indignant people gathered around the palace.

More than two hours of waiting did not extinguish the anger in the hearts of the citizens. On the contrary, as the deafening shouts dissipated in the cold wind without any response, the sparks of resistance in the hearts of the people were reflected in the biting winter wind. becoming more and more majestic.

During this period, the Tuileries Palace did not send any bureaucrats or courtiers to negotiate with the citizens. After all, in the eyes of the palace nobles, it was a great shame to negotiate with the untouchables and surrender.

What's more, there was no negotiation option in Louis XV's original plan. His Majesty the King just wanted to wait for his black gloves to arrive - and let the city defense and police forces suppress the riot for him.

It is conceivable that this kind of high-minded posturing will undoubtedly add fuel to the dissatisfaction in the hearts of the people.

After a long wait with no results, the people at the scene spontaneously decided that more radical action must be taken.

After all, there are also smart people among the citizens. They can also figure out the thoughts of some big shots in the Tuileries Palace, and they have noticed something from the palace's decision of neither negotiation nor suppression.

Although the Paris police force had turned a blind eye to the citizens' demonstrations and riots throughout the morning, and the city defense troops did not appear at all, the citizens present did not dare to bet that those heavily armed soldiers would not appear in groups the next second. On the street corner.

If that were the case, this unprecedented demonstration by the citizens could only end in a bloody suppression.

As this anxiety quickly spread among the protesters, the public quickly reached a consensus that they must race against time to forcefully demand that the Tuileries hand over the fraudster Jeanne Béqué.

The people's first choice target was naturally the Swiss mercenaries guarding outside the palace gate.

If these fierce and well-equipped Swiss mercenaries were to face the unarmed people on a battlefield in the wilderness, they would be able to overwhelmingly slaughter one against ten.

However, this was outside the Tuileries Palace, and the mercenaries would not even pull out a dagger without His Majesty the King's order.

They allowed the angry people to surge forward like a tide. The only thing the mercenaries could do was to stand side by side and form an indestructible human wall to block the onslaught of the people.

The two sides faced off fiercely, like hundreds of strong bulls wrestling with each other. The entire Tuileries Palace was filled with the rhythmic shouts of the people. Even the best military band could not play such a tune. A high-spirited charge.

The Swiss mercenaries worked hard to resist the impact. They stood firmly with their comrades, shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand, like an impregnable high wall.

At first, the Swiss Guards could easily withstand the collision of the people. These young and strong mercenaries were like Goliaths in front of the malnourished poor.

However, as time went by, the tall Swiss mercenaries gradually became exhausted and outnumbered.

A Swiss mercenary may have to withstand the impact of two or three citizens at the same time in front of him, not to mention that they are facing a sea of ​​​​people that can't even be seen.

Whenever a strong Swiss mercenary pushed the people in front of him to the ground, before he could take a breath, citizens would immediately pour out of the crowd and join the tug of war without hesitation. In the midst of wrestling.

Soon, the frontline of the confrontation between the two sides began to slowly move towards the interior of the Tuileries Palace.

"Please give the order, Your Majesty!"

In the king's suite, the colonel kneeled on one knee and shouted as if in despair.

He knew that the Swiss Guards could not hold out for long under the order of non-resistance, and the mob would soon break into the Tuileries Palace.

And if that kind of appalling thing really happened, it would definitely become the biggest shame for the Bourbon royal family in the past fifty years.

A group of courtiers who tried to stop the officer also rushed into the king's suite. When they heard from the officer that the Swiss Guards could resist for ten minutes at most, the courtiers' faces instantly turned pale.

They had no time to hesitate.

A choice must be made, whether to let the sword be stained with blood and end this farce with violence; or to negotiate for peace with the citizens and compromise. No matter which path is chosen, this decision must be made immediately, and there is no room for indecision. .

Everyone present also knew that while His Majesty the King was unconscious, there was only one person with the power to make a decision.

In an instant, dozens of pairs of eyes focused on Prince Louis' cheek.

"Oh me."

Crown Prince Louis stared blankly at the ministers. Although the solemn gazes were invisible, His Royal Highness felt that every gaze was like a ray of sunshine, burning his cheeks unbearably.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has never faced such a situation, requiring him to make a crucial decision that affects the entire royal family within ten minutes.

All of a sudden, countless messy thoughts were rushing around in the crown prince's mind.

Should we use force to suppress it? Can the Swiss Guard be used if there is a crackdown? Where are the city defense and police forces at this moment? Is negotiation a viable option? If there are negotiations, what level of representatives should be sent to negotiate with citizens? What are the bottom line and requirements for negotiation?

Can Madame Du Barry be handed over directly? But wouldn’t that mean that the royal family gave in to the demands of the common people? And will grandfather accept this decision after he wakes up?

After all, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is still a young boy. He has never been exposed to government affairs and is already sweating profusely.

Every time he came up with a solution, ten more problems would pop up that he had no idea how to deal with.

As time passed by, the eyes of the courtiers became more and more anxious, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who was stared at by these anxious eyes, became even more anxious.

First, Madame Du Barry misappropriated her own donations, then her grandfather fell ill, and then there was a countdown crisis. His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, who had been obsessed with hunting and lock making, had no experience or talent in handling these affairs.

Finally, Prince Louis, who felt his brain was shut down, slowly turned his head, looked at Lawrence beside him, and asked with trembling lips:

"Lawrence, what do you think?"

Hearing the words of the crown prince, the courtiers were all stunned.

To be qualified to stand in the king's suite in the Tuileries Palace, these courtiers are undoubtedly the political elite of France. How could they not hear what the words of Prince Louis meant.

This means that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince willingly handed over the sole decision-making power at this time to his most trusted friend-Laurence Bonaparte, a Corsican.

Dean Edmund and Caesar Gabriel were even more surprised. They did not expect that the relationship between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and this Corsican was closer than they imagined.

As His Royal Highness the Crown Prince finished speaking, everyone's eyes shifted from the Crown Prince to Lawrence's cheek.

Crown Prince Louis breathed a sigh of relief. Although he could also feel that he had neglected his duty as the future king, when everyone turned their anxious eyes to Lawrence, His Royal Highness still felt an unconscious sense of relief and relief. relief.

Lawrence was naturally not as nervous and indecisive as Prince Louis. He had been loyal to thousands of soldiers in Corsica and had the hope of millions of people. He was just accustomed to such high-profile occasions.

Moreover, this is also a perfect opportunity for him, a chance to get the plan back on track.

"Colonel, please return below immediately and send a message to the citizens as the commander of the Swiss Guard."

Lawrence pondered for a moment, and then ordered the officer without any courtesy:

"Tell them that Laurence Bonaparte will bring the guilty Jeanne Betsy to the tribunal, and ask them to be patient."

The colonel hesitated for a moment, seeming to doubt whether the name of a Corsican could really persuade Paris citizens to give up storming the gate of the Tuileries Palace.

The rest of the courtiers also looked at each other in confusion, and couldn't help but wonder if His Excellency Bonaparte thought too highly of himself. Can his name alone bring these irrational mobs back to their senses?

However, with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince supporting Lawrence, everyone had no choice but to remain silent, and the colonel officer did not dare to say anything more. After responding, he immediately rushed out of the king's suite without looking back.

Lawrence smiled slightly and shook his head. Of course he kept the suspicions of the ministers in his eyes.

The reason why he is confident that he can use his name to hold back the indignant people is not only due to his recent high prestige among the citizens because of the charity auction, but also another important reason.

That is, among the crowd outside, there are still hidden the King of Beggars Oga Kumas and hundreds of his gray rats.

With the shrewdness of Oga Coomas, when he heard the message from the colonel officer, he must have realized that His Excellency Bonaparte in the palace wanted to temporarily stop the attack on the palace.

Although gray rats do not account for a large proportion of the protesters outside, when hundreds of people unanimously dissuade citizens from suspending their attack on the palace, the resulting herd effect can still effectively prevent citizens from radical behavior.

Although Lawrence wanted to use these protesters to put pressure on Louis XV and Crown Prince Louis, he did not want them to be so radical that they directly broke into the Tuileries Palace.

"Everyone, His Majesty the King is not feeling well. I will not disturb His Majesty's recuperation. Please follow me to the rooftop stand."

Lawrence glanced at Louis XV, who was still unconscious, and called everyone to leave the king's suite, leaving only two royal doctors inside to take care of the unconscious King.

A few minutes later, on the top floor of the Tuileries Palace.

"Those citizens really stopped! God!"

Crown Prince Louis stared at the people below with wide eyes. As the colonel officer's shouts continued to spread among the crowd, the boiling public opinion quickly cooled down a little. The mercenaries of the Swiss Guard were finally able to rest for a while and resume their duties. Formation.

The rest of the courtiers also looked down in disbelief, completely unable to believe that His Excellency Bonaparte had actually suppressed thousands of angry mobs based on his name alone.

As expected, Lawrence didn't have any special reaction. He was just glad in his heart that he had not misjudged the person. The beggar king, Oga Kumas, had a very sensitive mind and understood what he meant so quickly.

"Oh my God, I knew you were right, Lawrence." Prince Louis finally showed an excited smile and patted Lawrence on the shoulder happily.

"No, Your Highness, it's not over yet."

Lawrence's expression was still solemn and solemn, and it did not change anything because of the citizens' stop:

"My reputation can only make them a little more patient. When they find that they can't get the final result they want, the scene of storming the Tuileries Palace will still happen."

Lawrence did not lie on this point. Manipulating populism is an extremely dangerous behavior. After all, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The citizens' attack on the Tuileries Palace just now was organized spontaneously by anxious people, and It was not Lawrence’s deliberate manipulation.

Once the citizens have lost all their patience, Lawrence has no confidence in continuing to delay them. Even if he uses the Beggar King and the Gray Rats, it may be difficult to stop tens of thousands of people who have completely lost their patience.

By then, Lawrence would probably have no choice but to reluctantly advise Crown Prince Louis to order the Swiss Guard to launch armed suppression.

The smile on Prince Louis' face froze for a moment, and then immediately turned into a frown, and he murmured to himself:

"What they want is Madame Du Barry, but do I really have the power to hand over Madame Du Barry to the citizens?"

In the original plan of Lawrence and Prince Louis, His Majesty the King should personally abandon Madame Du Barry and personally order this sinful woman to be handed over to the angry citizens, thereby ending this unprecedented riot.

But no one thought that Louis XV would fall into a coma for a while because of the heavy blow he received.

Lawrence did not force him. He could see that the reason why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was hesitant was because he was concerned about whether Louis XV would be dissatisfied with his decision, so he patiently persuaded:

"You have this power, Your Highness. Madame Du Barry has been stripped of her noble status and title of countess by the High Court. She is no longer qualified to be His Majesty's mistress. At this moment, she is just a sinner and a hateful fraud. By."

"I understand, but..." Crown Prince Louis was still hesitating:

"My grandfather, he learned about me after he sobered up."

Lawrence smoothed the ends of his hair that were blowing in the cold wind, leaned on the railing of the stand, pointed at the sea of ​​people below, and said in a deep voice:

"I think the biggest dream of His Majesty the King is that you can become a wise king; have you seen all the people here? They are all your future subjects, and they are also deeply poisoned by Madame Du Barry's crimes. Victim, Your Highness, please listen to the voice of the people, please take the interests of the kingdom as the criterion, and His Majesty the King will understand your choice.”

Crown Prince Louis murmured to himself absently: "For the kingdom."

After a moment, Prince Louis held his forehead and nodded slightly but firmly:

"You're right, Lawrence."

As Crown Prince Louis made up his mind to hand over Madame Du Barry to the High Court and deal with it in accordance with the court's judgment, the courtiers in the stands also breathed a sigh of relief.

In this way, such a farce is finally coming to an end.

Although His Majesty the King's body was still worried about the hearts of the ministers, everyone's footsteps seemed much lighter at the moment, and they began to leave from the top floor stand in groups of two or three.

However, Lawrence was in no rush to leave.

He deliberately walked at the end of the line and gave Dean Edmund a wink, gesturing for him to stay with him.

The wind roared, and snowflakes began to fall in the sky.

When only Lawrence and Dean Edmund were left in the stands, Dean Edmund slowly wiped the snow off his head and asked doubtfully:

"Your Majesty Bonaparte, is there anything else? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has agreed that we will bring Jeanne Béqué back to the Palace of Justice."

Lawrence nodded, lowered his voice and asked directly:

"So, what's next for the High Court to do with her?"

Upon hearing this question, Dean Edmund frowned. He didn't seem to understand why Lawrence asked the question knowingly, but he still answered clearly:

"Naturally, she will be dealt with in accordance with the verdict issued by the court, and she will be imprisoned in the Palace of Justice prison for life."

Lawrence's expression was solemn as always, and he was not very happy because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince agreed to hand over Madame Du Barry.

He lowered his head in thought, stretched out his hand to catch a falling snowflake, watched the snowflake melt into a drop of cold snow water in his palm, and suddenly said:

"It's very reasonable, Your Excellency Dean, but considering her behavior of escaping from the court later, isn't the sentence of life imprisonment a bit too light?"

Perhaps due to old age and frailty, Dean Edmund did not respond to Lawrence's question for a moment, but frowned and froze in place.

Lawrence paused and continued in a deep voice:

"You should also understand that as long as Madame Du Barry is still alive, His Majesty the King will not let go of the investigation of what happened today; even if His Majesty does not pursue the investigation, the Richelieu faction will not let Madame Du Barry's final death go. value, they will definitely make this woman their mouthpiece and use her words to accuse us."

If Madame Du Barry was really only imprisoned in the Palace of Justice, then when the Duke of Richelieu learned the news about Madame Du Barry, Lawrence could almost conclude that the wily Duke would never give up on Du Barry. Madam's use.

There is a high probability that he will contact Madame Du Barry secretly, and then use Madame Du Barry to make the most serious accusations against Louis XV and Laurence.

Lawrence is very familiar with this method. After all, he himself used the same method to manipulate Jean Du Barry to accuse Madame Du Barry.

And Lawrence will never let the seeds of this hidden danger be planted.

In the stands, Dean Edmund frowned even more tightly and asked carefully in a voice as thin as a mosquito:

"What do you mean, Monsignor Bonaparte?"

"Jeanne Bequ must die, and she must die today."