Chapter 383: Contradictions and Greater Contradictions
These nobles had been mere extras in the previous street confrontation, so they were never meant to be held for long.
Over thirty individuals emerged from the Reims prison, immediately surrounded by their waiting families and servants. Some were loudly scolding, some showering them with concern, and others embracing them in tears, before dragging their prodigal sons towards the carriages parked outside.
However, the young nobles loudly insisted on waiting to see the public trial the day after tomorrow before returning to Versailles Palace.
Indeed, a prison guard had told them yesterday that a public trial for the Southern Netherlandish spies would be held on the 17th of this month.
Already seething with indignation in prison, how could they miss this?
This was met with another round of angry reprimands or desperate pleas from their families and servants.
The young masters angrily recounted to them how they had been deceived by the Southern Netherlandish spies, intending to come to Reims to defend the nobles' rights, only to be mistakenly arrested by the police.
"How dare they deceive me! I must watch those scoundrels be sentenced to hang!"
One person bellowed, immediately sparking a chorus of agreement:
"I'll be like the common folk and pelt them with stones!"
"I even want to carry out their hanging with my own hands..."
The news that the Southern Netherlands had dispatched a large number of spies to incite peasant riots in France quickly spread throughout the country, becoming the talk of the nation.
Newspapers were filled with reports on the matter, along with announcements of the public trials for the spies scheduled for the 17th in Reims, Lille, and Paris—as instructed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Press and Publication Bureau temporarily withheld approval for any news unrelated to the "spy case" to ensure public opinion was uniformly directed.
Rumors abounded in the streets, circulating multiple versions of the Southern Netherlandish spy stories, vividly detailing how the spies planned their schemes and how they were ultimately exposed and apprehended by the heroic Intelligence Bureau.
Of course, these stories were also penned by novelists organized by the Intelligence Bureau—including Mr. Bomasha, the literary master who had once ghostwritten for the Crown Prince—who worked through the night to produce drafts. The plots were guaranteed to be tightly woven, with suspense and twists around every corner, and focused on portraying the nefarious intentions and hateful, ugly visages of the Southern Netherlandish spies in their attempts to destabilize France.
For a time, evil spies were the sole topic of conversation in every street and alley. Both nobles and commoners alike were bursting with indignation, denouncing the Southern Netherlanders' shamelessness and malice.
The land Redemption Policy, which had stirred up a storm throughout the city a while ago, was temporarily forgotten.
Most of the troublesome peasants had holed up in their homes, fearing they would be implicated in treason. No one dared to protest or demonstrate anymore—at present, mass protests had become synonymous with spy instigation, so who would dare court trouble at such a time?
As for the nobility, whenever two individuals met and greeted each other, they would first curse the Southern Netherlanders, or lament tearfully about how their sons had been tragically deceived by spies and arrested by the police in the northwestern provinces. This had almost become a form of political correctness at Versailles Palace.
The nationwide condemnation of the Southern Netherlandish spies reached its peak on the 17th.
In the square outside the Parlement of Paris, five or six thousand citizens gathered to watch. Some nobles even offered dozens of Livres to commoners who had secured good vantage points, simply to watch from closer up.
When forty members of the Southern Netherlandish "Committee of Free Allies" were led to a small house in the corner of the square, the crowd erupted in a tsunami of roars:
"Hang these detestable scoundrels!"
"They are the ones who brought chaos to France! Death penalty!"
"My sister died in the Lille riots; they are responsible! The Southern Netherlandish spies deserve to rot in hell!"
"Declare war on the Southern Netherlands! Let them atone with their blood!"
Someone nearby quietly reminded him that France had already declared war on the Netherlandish Rebels and had achieved two great victories.
The man who had been shouting for war immediately changed his cry: "Long live His Majesty the King! Crush those rebels!"
Soon enough, the public trial began.
The High Court officials first read out the charges against each of the dozens of spies, along with the evidence collected.
The Intelligence Bureau had admirably completed the task Joseph assigned this time, amassing a large amount of evidence proving the "Committee's" incitement of riots. The letters, documents, and transaction records alone piled up to over half a meter thick.
Of course, some of these were fabricated by Fouché's subordinates, but in such a public setting, no one would genuinely verify the authenticity of the evidence.
Amidst the angry shouts of the onlookers, numerous witnesses took the stand one by one—such as peasants who had received stipends from the "Committee" or French Liberals who had instigated unrest—to identify the Southern Netherlanders in the dock.
Then, the families of riot victims appeared, tearfully denounced the tragedy brought about by the spies, and pleaded with the judges to impose a harsh sentence on them.
The entire trial lasted from 9 AM to 5 PM, with only a mere ten or so individuals having been tried. The High Court officials immediately announced that the public trial would continue the next day.
The crowd lingered, raging at the High Court for over half an hour, before gradually dispersing.
...
On the second floor of the Tuileries Palace.
In the Industrial Planning Bureau office, Vergniaud was excitedly lavishing effusive praise upon Joseph:
"Your Royal Highness, just as you said, the riots in various regions vanished overnight. Some peasants who participated in the unrest even went to the Police Bureau to turn themselves in. You truly are the embodiment of wisdom and strategy, a man blessed by God!"
Archbishop Brienne nodded in continuous agreement from the side: "When the contradictions between two parties are so great that agreement is absolutely irreconcilable, only a larger contradiction can make them forget their previous disagreements and unite to face a common enemy.
"Your Royal Highness, how did you come up with such an ingenious solution? Your mind always drives me nearly mad with envy."
Joseph smiled, gesturing for them to stop: "You didn't come to me just to say these things, did you?"
The two exchanged a glance, and Brienne then chose his words carefully: "Your Royal Highness, the unrest in the northwestern provinces has indeed temporarily subsided, but you know that both peasants and nobles are awaiting the Redemption Policy.
"The matter of the Southern Netherlandish spies will eventually fade, and then their attention will return to this. While the spy incident should prevent major unrest from recurring, people's dissatisfaction will inevitably erupt one day, so..."
Joseph nodded very seriously at once: "You are absolutely right. Then, on the day after the public trial concludes, officially announce the Redemption Policy."
Brienne immediately paused, his face falling as he said with a wry expression: "Your Royal Highness, but we still don't have a plan that will satisfy everyone."
Joseph smiled: "Just follow the amendments I gave you last time. Announce it once they're finalized."
"Are you suggesting that peasants should redeem eight years of land output and pay annual tribute?"
"Precisely."
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