Chapter 257: The Scapegoats
Indeed, the lives of the farmers would improve. This was exactly Joseph's goal.
Both small uprisings and great revolutions stem from people's dissatisfaction with their lives. When the quality of life improves for the common folk, they won't care whether you're a king or a parliament; they'll be too busy supporting you. If anyone tries to disrupt the country, the people will be the first to oppose it.
As expected, once the farmers repeatedly confirmed with the priest that this was indeed a royal decree, they began to shout "Long live the King!" before dispersing to their homes to share the great news with their families.
Later that afternoon, the district magistrate gathered the villagers in front of the small church to announce the upcoming "Star of France" competition. Immediately, over ten people signed up on the spot.
Three days later, the chaos in the southern provinces was under control. The newspapers reported that a laundress from the Moulin region had won the "Star of France" competition, earning a 3,000-livre prize, and was even hired by the Duchess of Villars as her private musician. With this news, everyone's attention shifted to the competition.
To boost the popularity of "Star of France," the Moulin region held their auditions early, completing the competition in less than a week. The Duchess of Villars participated as a favor to the Crown Prince.
Soon, all over France, people could be seen practicing their dance moves or vocal exercises on the streets. Everyone hoped to be the next lucky winner, like the laundress.
As regional auditions began, competitions were held each day, extending into the evening until 9 PM to accommodate workers after their shifts. The city halls and squares were brightly lit, and organizing these competitions cost cities nearly 10,000 livres, with additional funds needed for the prize money. But it was all worth it.
Even those who didn't participate were eager to follow the progress of friends and relatives. People gathered daily in front of city halls to enjoy the performances, cheer for the winners, or listen to the heartwarming stories of the contestants. They stayed until nightfall, then reluctantly returned home.
The riots seemed like a distant memory.
As funds for the police reform became available—initially secured through bank loans—the new officers received their first month's salary and were noticeably more motivated. Investigations into the recent riots resumed, not targeting those who protested at the mansions of the nobility, but rather those who took advantage of the chaos to loot and steal from ordinary people.
...
At Versailles Palace, a group of seven or eight worried nobles quietly discussed the latest events as they walked through the southern wing's corridor.
"…And then the Duke was brutally killed by those wretches. They found his body in the mud outside the estate…"
Another noble shook his head sadly, "I heard they even stole his clothes, leaving him with no dignity in death!"
"These shameless, cursed wretches!"
"My God, is France falling into chaos?"
"Every night, I wake up from nightmares, seeing myself tied to a stake, burning... My God, I'm thinking of selling all my assets back home. One day, those rioters will take it all away…"
"I'm considering that too. Maybe it's safer to take some money and go abroad."
"Shh…"
One of the nobles noticed the approaching Crown Prince and quickly signaled to the others. They immediately stepped aside and bowed as the Prince passed.
Joseph overheard parts of their conversation. Initially, he nodded and walked past them, but then he stopped, turned back, and smiled at them.
"Gentlemen, the riots are over. Believe me, this was just a rare incident caused by an unprecedented drought and harsh winter. The new police forces are being trained across the provinces. They will be just as effective as the Paris police in maintaining law and order. Such riots will not happen again. Oh, and the criminals who incited the riots and killed the nobles have been arrested. They will soon face public trial."
The nobles exchanged glances, excitement spreading across their faces. "Your Highness, is that true?"
"Of course, it's true. You'll soon read about it in the newspapers. And if you're interested, you can come to Paris to witness the trials of the rioters."
Joseph knew that to truly end the riots, it wasn't enough to disperse the mobs; order had to be restored in people's hearts.
Aside from the few who had severely harmed the country, most of the nobles needed to be won over. Even the old nobility, as long as they accepted the reforms and integrated into the country's development, could become the backbone of France. After all, they still controlled most of the nation's wealth, and many among them were knowledgeable and capable. France needed them.
Moreover, to counterbalance the power of the capitalist nobility, the Crown also needed the old nobility. The art of ruling as a monarch lies in finding a balance between different forces.
After dealing with the members of the Assembly of Notables, it was necessary to reassure the law-abiding nobles to prevent the country from falling into turmoil. And if the rioters weren't severely punished, how could the nobles ever feel at ease? Therefore, not only did the rioters need to be punished severely, but there also needed to be enough scapegoats to serve as a warning!
Of course, Joseph had no intention of arresting the ordinary people who participated in the riots. The scapegoats had already been prepared.
These were the gang members that the Duke of Orléans had initially used to incite the riots. Later, the police force had "taken over" and used them again. Now, they were being transported to Paris.
These guys were still waiting to get paid, so it was easy for the police to round them up. It was a nationwide crackdown on crime, after all.
A week later.
A procession of 2,000 men, composed of police cadets from the Paris Police Academy and soldiers from General Berthier's corps, marched in perfect order into the streets of Paris.
Behind them, over 100 gang members arrested in the southern provinces were paraded through the streets. In reality, nearly 400 gang members had been arrested, but to avoid chaos, the rest were kept in the Paris Police headquarters.
At the front of the procession were dozens of soldiers draped in yellow sashes, their chests adorned with medals of varying ranks.
Behind them marched the drummers and standard-bearers. Two tall standard-bearers carried a banner reading "Triumphant Suppression of the Southern Riots," leading the soldiers as they proudly marched down the center of the street.
Nearly every Parisian crowded along the streets, shouting slogans like "Long live the King" and "Praise the brave warriors."
The victorious procession wound through half the city, heading towards Versailles Palace.
(End of Chapter)
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