Chapter 255: The Contribution of the Duke of Orléans
At the Petit Trianon, Queen Marie Antoinette sighed deeply, her face clouded with worry.
"This is a complete disaster. Even someone as noble as the Duke of Orléans has been killed by these mobs…"
Joseph gently pushed a strawberry cake toward her.
"In reality, he was guilty of treason."
The Queen gestured to the musicians sitting by the door.
"Mozart's new piece, the 'Sonata in A Minor,' please."
She glanced at the cake and shook her head.
"But still, he should have been judged properly, not met such a tragic end."
Joseph thought to himself, If you had been the judge, he probably would've continued to plague France for another 20 years… The mournful tune from the piano made him frown. He turned and gave a look to Clémentine, who was happily devouring her cake.
The little girl quickly wiped the crumbs from her mouth and took the Queen's arm.
"Dear Aunt, don't be too sad. Surely God will punish those cruel villains… Oh, would you like some pudding? With double the sugar, pudding can make all your troubles disappear."
Joseph facepalmed, his gaze shifting back to the piano.
Finally, Clémentine got the hint, exclaiming, "Oh!" before scurrying over to the musicians and whispering a few words.
The piano music paused, then shifted to Handel's lively "Water Music."
Finally, the background music was appropriate. Joseph turned to Queen Marie Antoinette and said,
"Mother, this actually shows why using the military for maintaining order is inappropriate.
"You see, military movements are inherently slow, and soldiers are usually stationed in barracks. When something happens in the city, it takes them a long time to arrive.
"Moreover, their powerful weaponry isn't suitable for maintaining order and could inadvertently harm innocent people.
"This time, Paris also experienced some demonstrations, but there was no chaos because Paris underwent police reform. The police patrolling the streets quickly brought the situation under control."
Queen Marie Antoinette looked at her son.
"So, you believe we should implement police reforms elsewhere as well?"
"Yes, I'm certain that extending the new police system can help quell the riots quickly."
Nationwide police reform required a significant amount of funding—over 10 million livres in the first year alone. This had made the Queen hesitant, but the recent riots had shaken her resolve.
"But this will cost a lot of money…"
Joseph smiled.
"I discussed it with Archbishop Brienne. The financial pressure won't be too great. For instance, we could use bank investment loans or issue special bonds…"
Of course, this was just a convenient excuse to sway his mother. In truth, Joseph had his eye on the Duke of Orléans' immense fortune, which amounted to several million livres.
He knew that many nobles, including the Queen, believed that the Duke of Chartres should inherit this wealth. However, with control over the High Court and the Duke of Orléans having committed treason, if Joseph couldn't confiscate his assets, he might as well give up.
Once he secured this vast fortune, it would be enough not only for police reform but also to fund reforms to local tariffs.
In a way, this would be the only significant contribution the Duke of Orléans ever made to France.
Queen Marie Antoinette hesitated for a long time before finally nodding.
"Very well, we will proceed with police reforms across the country as you suggest."
She knew that the police reforms were her son's initiative. If they successfully brought the riots under control, the Prince's reputation would receive a massive boost.
Joseph's heart leaped with joy. He quickly scooped up a spoonful of double-sugared strawberry pudding and fed it to his mother. Then, he pulled out the decree he had prepared in advance, had her sign it, and dashed out of the Petit Trianon.
"Cousin…" Clémentine had wanted to say goodbye to Joseph, but when she turned around, he was already gone. Pouting in disappointment, she turned to the Queen.
"Dear Aunt, you know that Uncle the King's health isn't good. Father wants me to return to Vienna with him to visit the King, so I'll be leaving Paris in the next few days."
She was referring to her uncle, Joseph II, the current Archduke of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor.
Queen Marie Antoinette's expression changed. She knew that Joseph II had no heir, and this sounded like her brother was preparing to call back his younger brother, Clémentine's father, Leopold II, to succeed him.
Although she knew her brother had been unwell for a long time, she hadn't realized it was this serious. She quickly asked,
"How is your uncle doing?"
"Father mentioned that the Emperor only handles about half an hour of state affairs each day…"
The Queen bowed her head in sorrow. Recently, too many things had weighed on her mind, making her feel as though she had aged several years.
Soon, the room was filled again with the melancholy notes of the "Sonata in A Minor."
…
With the decree for nationwide police reform in hand, Joseph felt much more at ease.
Although he was confident he could persuade his mother and had already arranged for the necessary personnel to implement the reforms, having an official decree made everything legitimate.
He understood that a riot was like a ferocious beast. He had released this beast to devour the rot within France, but if he couldn't immediately contain it, it would continue to consume the nation.
So, this "small revolution" he had instigated against the feudal elite was only halfway done.
Given that he now had control over the country's internal affairs, public opinion, judiciary, finances, and military, he dared to administer such a drastic remedy. But even so, a single misstep could trigger a significant crisis.
Soon, Joseph boarded a carriage bound for Paris to personally oversee the registration of the police reform decree with the High Court. As he looked out at the Palace of Versailles, he suddenly shook his head with a chuckle. Ever since arriving in this world, he had been trying desperately to prevent a major revolution, yet here he was, having just orchestrated a small one himself.
…
Southern France.
Nice.
In front of the police headquarters, an officer who had just arrived from Paris looked at the 100 or so members of the civilian patrol standing crookedly before him. He tried to recall how the Prince had addressed him, attempting to mimic it.
"Gentlemen, good morning! I'm not one for idle chatter, so I'll keep this brief—just three points…
"First, from now on, all civilian patrols in Nice will be integrated into the police force and become official police officers!
"Second…"
For a moment, he was back in the Saint-Antoine district, on that morning that had changed his life.
He suddenly raised his voice,
"Trust me, this will be the opportunity that changes your fate!"
This wasn't something the Prince had said.
With only a day of training on how to use riot control batons, these new officers received their crisp uniforms and followed two officers onto the streets of Nice.
Of course, the old police force trailed behind them.
The officers from Paris had told them that if they performed well enough, they wouldn't have to join the "routine duty squad."
(End of Chapter)
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