Chapter 188: Louis XVI's "Themed Birthday Celebration"
"Distract the public's attention?" Brienne nodded, quite familiar with the concept. "Are you suggesting we heavily publicize some noble scandals?"
Joseph paused for a moment. To be honest, this was slightly different from his initial idea, but it was indeed a very effective method.
"Besides that, we can also have the newspapers report on Switzerland's debt."
Right, the unreturned embezzled funds from the Swiss Denaro Bank were indeed the money Switzerland owed France, which was perfectly logical.
Joseph knew that France was currently in the early stages of national awakening, and people were very concerned about matters involving national interests. As long as the messaging was well-crafted, it was sure to capture everyone's attention.
In fact, the Swiss cantonal and federal parliaments had already advanced nearly 3 million Livres, and more bank loans were being forcefully recalled early. Diplomatic personnel had also been sent to France to coordinate the matter. However, due to France's domestic situation, Switzerland would simply have to "suffer" for now.
Brienne nodded thoughtfully, admitting that this matter would indeed capture citizens' attention more effectively than noble scandals.
Joseph continued, "And those Barbary Pirates we captured, send them all to Paris for public trial. We'll also find a few American sailors who speak French to help with the emotional appeal."
"Have the process of capturing the pirates written into a script, and perform it on the spot every day after the public trials."
"We could also add some visual stimulation. Hasn't Boissandard's trial concluded? Execute him by hanging as soon as possible, and display the body on a lamppost."
Boissandard was the banker who had taken the blame for Necker's murder.
"But..." Brienne wanted to say that the judicial process wasn't complete and the execution shouldn't happen so quickly, but then he remembered that the banker wasn't a noble and had gang connections. A word with the High Court would suffice, so he said nothing more.
With these measures, public concern over the poor harvest would surely decrease significantly. Coupled with the availability of affordable bread, he believed the panic over food shortages would soon be effectively controlled.
Brienne's assistant entered, accompanied by the Queen's maid. The Countess of Debeninac curtsied to the two men in the room and announced, "Archbishop Brienne, Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence."
Brienne quickly followed the maid out, while Joseph returned to his study and began writing down the "hot topic" arrangements point by point.
Unexpectedly, barely half an hour later, Brienne returned, looking somewhat anxious and distressed. "Your Royal Highness, you absolutely must help me persuade Her Majesty the Queen."
"Oh? What happened?"
Brienne sighed. "You know, next month is His Majesty the King's birthday. Her Majesty the Queen just summoned me to discuss the birthday celebrations."
"But with such a severe poor harvest gripping the nation right now, and money needed everywhere, I suggested that Her Majesty not hold a grand celebration. She was clearly not pleased..."
"Wait a minute!" Joseph suddenly looked at him. "That's right, it's His Majesty the King's birthday soon."
"Yes, Your Royal Highness. Her Majesty the Queen dotes on you the most; if you reason with her, she should listen."
Joseph pondered for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. "No, Archbishop Brienne, this birthday should absolutely be celebrated."
"Huh?"
"Not only should it be celebrated, but it should be a grand affair!" Joseph declared, pulling Brienne along towards the Petit Trianon.
Before long, Queen Marie happily stroked her son's hair, glancing at Brienne, who stood by with a frown, and delightedly said, "I knew it! Joseph would certainly agree to host a magnificent birthday celebration for his dear father."
Joseph played along, first offering a blessing for Louis XVI, then continued, "However, as you know, the citizens of Paris are currently concerned about food issues. If we were to hold a direct birthday celebration right now, it could easily cause public dissatisfaction."
"Furthermore, finances are also an issue."
Brienne hadn't expected such a turn of events and promptly nodded in eager agreement.
The Queen, however, began to frown. "So, you mean?"
Joseph smiled. "We need to set a theme for His Majesty's birthday celebration."
"A theme?"
"The citizens of Paris will hear this news: 'His Great Majesty the King will host a disaster relief-themed birthday celebration.'" Joseph explained, "The celebration must be grand in scale, impacting as many people as possible. We'll start building anticipation half a month in advance, arranging free programs and distributing free food daily in His Majesty's name.
"During the birthday period, daily charity bazaars will be held, appealing to nobles for donations. All citizens of Paris can come to the Palace of Versailles square to participate in the celebrations, and we can also organize lucky draws and similar activities.
"This will ensure that for almost an entire month, Paris will be filled with joy and laughter, and no one will remember the poor harvest."
Brienne said with a wry face, "Your Royal Highness, but this will cost a lot of money."
"It won't require much money," Joseph replied. "The most expensive parts of such celebrations are hiring theater troupes, circus performers, hosting large-scale banquets, and decorating the Palace of Versailles and similar venues.
"We'll simply save on all those."
Queen Marie's eyes widened instantly. "Without all that, what kind of birthday celebration would it be?"
Joseph had already formulated a plan on his way here, and immediately smiled. "For the celebration's entertainment, we can hold two competitions.
"The noblewomen can compete in singing and dancing. We only need the court orchestra to provide accompaniment, and the ladies of Versailles skilled in song and dance will naturally take the stage to display their talents. Her Majesty the Queen, along with several royal ladies, will serve as judges, scoring them on the spot, with music masters offering commentary. The top performers will ultimately be selected, and Her Majesty the Queen will personally present them with awards. I'm certain they will eagerly sign up.
"As for the gentlemen, they can participate in fencing competitions. His Majesty the King will act as judge and present awards to the winners.
"Of course, a circus troupe can also be hired, but they'd only need to perform during breaks in the competitions, so the cost wouldn't be excessive."
Queen Marie envisioned the noblewomen gathered together, each showcasing her vocal talents, and found herself feeling quite eager. She nodded in strong approval.
Joseph continued, "On his birthday, His Majesty the King will conduct a tour around Paris, receiving congratulations from the citizens. This way, the banquet will only need to be the evening meal, which is the only place where significant money will be spent."
Previous royal birthday celebrations involved a full day of feasting, which accounted for the bulk of the expenses. By only hosting an evening banquet, the cost would not be excessive.
"As for the celebration's decorations, the Palace of Versailles is already the most exquisite and luxurious place in all of Europe. Simply cleaning it thoroughly and placing some fresh flowers around will be sufficient.
"The core of any celebration lies with the people. As long as there's a lively crowd and everyone is enjoying themselves, then it will be a good celebration."
Brienne silently calculated the Crown Prince's proposed celebration plan, estimating it would cost at most 300,000 Livres, and it wouldn't provoke negative opinions from the Parisians towards the royal family. He immediately voiced his approval: "Your Majesty the Queen, I believe His Royal Highness's suggested celebration method is absolutely perfect."
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