He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 167

(167) Paris Falls into Scandal and Political Turmoil

It is always from a tiny crack that the collapse of a massive dam originates.

-〈Former Queen’s Affair: Burning Passion Rekindled with Diamond Scandal Lover?〉

Danton abruptly stood up, abandoning his meal.

“What in the world is this!”

This was the Café Procope, located in the heart of Paris, south of the Seine.

A famous café that began in the 17th century, it was frequented by aristocrats during the old royal era.

From the time of the Great Revolution, it mainly served as a gathering place for moderate revolutionaries to plot.

So, it’s no surprise that Danton was a regular here.

Furthermore, it was common for people of this era to read the morning newspaper while eating.

However, it was shocking to see such an article on the front page of the morning paper.

A man who brought the newspaper, Danton’s closest aide, Representative Déglandine, reported.

“The entire city of Paris is in an uproar right now.”

Danton frowned and asked.

“Who is it? Who wrote this article?”

“I don’t know. It’s said to be an anonymous tip. For now, the newspaper that published the article is from the Cordeliers Club.”

“Our faction? Could it be Desmoulins?”

Le Vieux Cordelier [The Old Cordelier].

It was the daily newspaper of the Cordeliers Club, the stronghold of the moderate revolutionaries.

This newspaper was run by none other than Desmoulins.

However, Desmoulins was a representative who believed in freedom of the press, so articles unrelated to his opinions were often published.

Nevertheless, it was strange that the article appeared in a newspaper published by Desmoulins.

But Déglandine shook his head.

“That’s not the problem. All the other newspapers are already reprinting it. The bigger issue is the political controversy surrounding this matter.”

Danton blinked and looked around.

Danton wasn’t the only one reading the newspaper.

Most of the bourgeois [middle-class] patrons of Café Procope were reading the newspaper and lamenting.

“Has the Queen gone mad! Having an affair in this situation!”

“The country is embroiled in war because of the old royal family! Good heavens!”

“Isn’t Fersen the protagonist of the Diamond Necklace Affair? Could Louis Charles be his son too?”

After glancing at them, Danton lowered his voice and asked.

“Why is everyone like this? I know the Queen isn’t in her right mind. She should be living quietly as if she were dead, yet she’s having a passionate affair with her old lover! But why is Paris in such an uproar over that?”

“It’s not just about the scandal; it’s about who’s responsible.”

“Responsible?”

Déglandine swallowed hard and explained.

“The old royal family is a symbol of corruption. But we kept that symbol alive, and now she’s having an affair. And with the protagonist of an old scandal that reminds us of the old royal era!”

Certainly, judging from the reactions of the bourgeois in the café, Déglandine’s point was correct.

If the bourgeois who read the newspaper directly are reacting like this, the sans-culottes [common people] who hear about it through rumors will be even more outraged.

Perhaps this time, they’ll demand the Queen’s head.

Danton, a man of common sense who hates killing people but hates chaos even more, pulled at his menacing cheeks.

“Good heavens. The general mobilization order has been lifted. It’s not wartime, and it’s not the era of the Reign of Terror.”

“It wasn’t really a reign of terror, even back then.”

“Anyway! We’ve got Florida, we’ve got Italy, and soon we’ll have Holland in our hands. So what if the old royal family did something like this!”

In fact, even during Robespierre’s time, a reign of terror where hundreds of people died every day didn’t happen.

That’s because Robespierre was overthrown before it could escalate to a full-blown reign of terror.

However, as a result, the citizens of Paris don’t fully know the terror of when the revolutionary situation goes to extremes.

And Eugène was the hero who prevented that.

Déglandine pointed that out.

“Wasn’t it General Bonaparte’s adopted son, Eugène de Beauharnais, who saved her? There’s a lot of public opinion demanding that he be held responsible!”

Danton rolled his eyes and cocked his head.

He was originally planning to meet Eugène again for the presidential election.

But in this situation, it’s better to avoid Eugène for the time being.

“First, let’s cancel the appointment to meet Eugène de Beauharnais. And…”

Just then.

-Clatter!

The café door opened, and someone rushed in to find Danton.

“President Danton, did you see? We must issue a deportation order immediately.”

Danton frowned and then widened his eyes in surprise.

He initially frowned because of the impolite person making such political claims in a public place like a café.

But he was surprised because that impolite person was someone of considerable stature.

It was Representative Lafayette, the leader of the former constitutional monarchist faction, the Feuillants [a political group during the French Revolution].

Danton put his knife down on the table and asked.

“A deportation order? For whom?”

“Who else? Former Swedish Ambassador Fersen! That fellow sneaked back into Paris and is having an affair with the former Queen! This is a grave act of disrespect to the Revolution!”

“Wait, disrespect. Right. Now that I think about it.”

Danton, who had been rolling his eyes, wore a triumphant smile.

“This incident is your responsibility, Lafayette?”

Lafayette, who had come to sort out the situation, was taken aback by Danton’s absurd claim.

The reason Lafayette came to Danton now was simple.

To save Queen Marie Antoinette.

If things got out of hand, the fiery citizens of Paris would once again demand the Queen’s execution.

So, he came to seek cooperation to deport Fersen, but instead, he was being held responsible.

“What are you talking about? How is it my responsibility?”

“Who is responsible for the royal family of the old regime in the first place? Isn’t it you!”

“Wait a minute. The extent of my responsibility is to ensure that the members of the old royal family do not collude with traitors abroad.”

Lafayette retorted with an absurd look on his face.

“Are you telling me to take responsibility for the Queen’s, or rather, Madame Capet’s love affairs?”

But Danton nodded shamelessly.

“You should have. You should have taken responsibility for this issue along with Eugène de Beauharnais!”

“President!”

“I’m not the President right now. The government hasn’t been formed yet!”

Danton declared confidently, rising his heavy body.

“I will demand a parliamentary session tomorrow. And we’ll see each other in parliament. We must address this issue!”

So, Danton judged that this scandal could potentially bring political benefits.

He needed to secure three out of the five Directors to lead the political situation.

The old royal scandal involved both the Bonaparte faction and the constitutional monarchist faction.

So, he wondered if he could use this opportunity to make a decision on the Directors that would be favorable to the Danton faction.

Lafayette glared at Danton, who was only considering his own interests, and scoffed.

“Fine. Let’s meet in parliament! I’ll make sure you retire from politics this time! A scandal responsibility controversy at this critical time when Ireland is in chaos!”

“That’s what I should be saying! We need to start the Great Migration to the New World in Florida, but you’re not cooperating, so the government hasn’t been formed!”

“Ha, let’s see who wins in parliament!”

Amidst the citizens of Café Procope watching, two political heavyweights turned their backs on each other.

Marié’s scandal began to shake the political landscape of Paris.

***

This article was written with truly sensational skill.

“Hehehe! How is it, my skill? Isn’t it very煽動적 [provocative]?”

Lucille Duplessis Desmoulins.

She is the wife of Representative Desmoulins.

Originally, in the original history, she was a woman who died with Desmoulins when he was executed.

But as Eugène saved Desmoulins, she was instead actively engaged in media activities.

Listening to Lucille’s self-praise, Hippolyte offered greasy compliments.

“Madame Desmoulins’ skill is truly first-class.”

“I’ve always been first-class. Madame de Staël and Fréron are rampant these days, but they can’t beat my pen!”

“Fréron is rampant?”

Lucille nodded and cut the meat to hand it over.

“Yes, Monsieur Charles. Fréron is writing and agitating these days. He writes a lot of articles against General Bonaparte, in particular. He used to be a devotee of General Bonaparte!”

This place is Desmoulins’ house.

When he heard Marie’s scandal order, Hippolyte sought out Desmoulins.

Although not a complete Bonaparte faction, Desmoulins owes his life to the Bonaparte security forces during the previous Marat’s coup.

Furthermore, as a journalist, it was easy to create scandal articles.

Of course, Hippolyte didn’t know that Lucille would write the article.

Conversely, Fréron, who used to chase Pauline, seems to have become an anti-Bonaparte faction.

By the way, the stuttering Desmoulins, who was eating next to him, spoke to Hippolyte.

“D, d, do you know? R, royalists are r, really r, rowdy these days. F, Fréron seems to be a, attached to the r, royalists.”

“That’s why I came to Paris. That’s why I requested this article. Haha!”

“I, in this state, l, like last Fructidor [a month in the French Republican Calendar associated with a coup], a r, revolt might o, occur.”

Desmoulins watched Hippolyte and asked.

“The m, military is v, very u, uneasy. D, do you know? C, Colonel Charles.”

Just as Hippolyte Charles was about to roll his eyes, a disgruntled voice was heard from the next seat.

“Hmph, there’s no way Hippolyte wouldn’t know, Representative Desmoulins.”

A face that seemed very dissatisfied.

An appearance that somehow resembled Napoleon.

That is, Lucien, Napoleon’s younger brother and a member of the Council of Five Hundred.

Lucien sneered at Hippolyte.

“Isn’t that right? You’re like a tongue in Eugène’s mouth. Like a king’s favorite.”

“Wow, it’s been a while, but you’re starting the conversation with insults. Lucien, you’re something else?”

“I didn’t come here to say hello? How are you going to handle it? Is [Milan] going to leave the situation in Paris alone?”

That’s why Lucien rushed to Hippolyte and Desmoulins’ meal.

No, it’s not just Lucien.

There is another former Director besides Desmoulins at this seat.

Director Saliceti, who was a member of the Napoleon faction.

In short, the Bonaparte faction and its friendly political leaders have gathered.

The reason is very simple.

As Lucien said sarcastically, Hippolyte is Eugène’s closest aide.

Also, Eugène is Napoleon’s adopted son and chief aide.

Paris was chaotic even before the Queen’s scandal.

They were curious about Napoleon’s judgment in Milan, that is, in the Palazzo Mombello in Milan, in this situation.

Born in 1777, Hippolyte, who was two years younger than Lucien, smiled and retorted informally.

“General Bonaparte’s original base is actually Turin, though?”

“Who doesn’t know that he practically stays in Milan? Don’t joke around and answer! Or should I ask Genoa for their opinion!”

“Well, Eugène doesn’t have a different opinion from General Bonaparte anyway.”

Hippolyte shrugged his shoulders, feeling like he had become a great person for some reason.

But Hippolyte knows his place.

He only came as Eugène’s representative, and it’s not Hippolyte’s job to deal with the dignitaries in front of him directly.

Swallowing the meat in his mouth, Hippolyte wagged his tongue.

“Okay. Milan’s opinion is simple, Bonaparte faction.”

Just as everyone sitting at Desmoulins’ table was watching, Hippolyte asserted.

“A coup d’état is being prepared right now.”

“Then we have to suppress it!”

“Monsieur Saliceti, is this your first time seeing a coup d’état? Is there a force that can launch a coup d’état right now?”

Giving Saliceti a rebuke, Hippolyte told everyone.

“France is currently demobilizing. So, the main force of the army is on the border anyway. The commander of the National Guard is Marceau, our faction.”

“So?”

“Even so, to overcome all these obstacles and launch a coup d’état, conditions are needed.”

Hippolyte counted on his fingers and shone his eyes.

“Military power, political power, and financial power here.”

As all the coups Hippolyte had seen so far had been.

But the royalists, whom Eugène and Hippolyte had been tracking through the agents of the Surété [secret police], lacked all of that.

Someone is behind them.

“The royalists alone cannot do all of this.”

Suddenly, Desmoulins calmly asked again without stuttering.

“What are you trying to say? No, what is General Eugène de Beauharnais’ message?”

Desmoulins is in an extremely nervous state at times like this.

Hippolyte decided not to beat around the bush.

Anyway, it’s time for the people gathered in this place to know now.

“England is behind this coup d’état plot. They’ll probably take advantage of this opportunity.”

This is the message that Eugène was trying to convey to Desmoulins, Saliceti, and Lucien.

England, France’s arch-enemy, is behind this coup.

***

But how can England move in the capital of an enemy country?

“What happened to letting me meet General Eugène de Beauharnais? Mr. Baring?”

There’s not much that can’t be done with money in the world.

If there’s something that can’t be done with money, it’s because there’s not enough money.

This is how Francis Baring views the world.

But Baring doesn’t know if this time will succeed even if more money is invested.

That’s why he came to see the negotiator, Talleyrand, in person.

“The situation has changed, Mr. Talleyrand.”

“How so?”

“There’s a crisis of regime change in the home country.”

Baring, wearing a hat and speaking in a secretive voice to Talleyrand, said.

“England has gained nothing from this war. We lost Saint-Domingue, which we had almost acquired in the New World, and we gave Florida to France.”

“Isn’t that your skill, Mr. Baring? Besides, didn’t you get Pondicherry in India?”

“Only the East India Company benefited. Prime Minister Pitt, who has supported the East India Company, is in danger.”

Baring sighed deeply.

This place is the Café de Foy in the Palais Royal, which was once the palace of the Duke of Orléans.

Desmoulins once gave a speech leading the revolution in this café.

But now it has declined, and there are not many customers to have such secret talks.

Of course, the owner of this place is receiving Baring’s back money.

That’s why you can say such dangerous things.

“So, we need achievements to protect Prime Minister Pitt.”

Pitt has been bickering, but he is basically a supporter of the East India Company.

He defended the East India Company’s monopoly charter against forces trying to deprive it of its Indian trade monopoly.

Of course, that’s because he judged that it would be more advantageous for the conquest of India.

But it was also true that the East India Company’s board of directors and the Pitt regime’s interests coincided.

However, after the Florida incident, Pitt’s regime became precarious.

As the East India Company wanted, the United States, which occupied the New World, is in a disadvantageous situation.

As soon as the French Martinique army advanced into Florida, the US government is showing uncomfortable signs.

However, the fact that France acquired Florida itself touched the nerves of the British aristocracy.

Therefore, Pitt, who approved the armistice treaty, is in an extremely disadvantageous state.

A reversal to turn the situation around is essential for Pitt.

For the East India Company, which has a symbiotic relationship with Pitt.

Talleyrand clicked his tongue and asked.

“Did you perhaps cause the scandal of the former Queen for that reason?”

“No, we really didn’t do that. Rather, we’re embarrassed that Count Fersen is coming to the surface.”

“What do you mean, wait a minute. Are you saying that Count Fersen is related to you?”

Suddenly, Baring snapped his fingers.

“Before that, I should introduce who [we] are.”

Then, three people appeared from deep inside the café.

Talleyrand slightly raised his eyebrows as he looked at them, then regained his composure with an elegant attitude.

He never thought that those people would join hands with Baring.

But when you think about it, they are the ones who will join hands with anyone for profit.

“Boblan, Barras, Fréron. It’s incredibly surprising that you guys joined hands.”

“It’s the same to be in the same place as you, Talleyrand. Hehe. It was once my job to blow your head off.”

“It may be politics to endure unpleasant encounters, Barras. Seeing you here, I know what Mr. Baring’s mission is.”

Talleyrand, mocking Barras, who once went around cutting off the heads of moderates, looked back at Baring.

“It’s a coup. So, who is the executor?”

Talleyrand certainly has insight.

That’s why Baring came to meet Talleyrand.

Anyway, even if it’s just someone to use, it’s difficult to even trade if that person is stupid.

“Before that, I need a promise to cooperate. Mr. Talleyrand.”

“Does that sound like you’re going to kill me if I don’t cooperate?”

“Isn’t this something we’re doing at the risk of our lives? Especially for me, a foreigner.”

Talleyrand, who had been staring at Baring silently, shrugged his shoulders elegantly.

“It is a reality that France needs a new government. Peace with England is even more necessary. But why do you need me?”

“Well, because when a new government is launched, you need someone to put on the surface.”

“Indeed, you need the British Parliament to know that the negotiation faction has seized power.”

Talleyrand, who had been drinking a cup of coffee, nodded.

“Okay. Who is it, the executor?”

Baring sighed in relief and replied.

“Pichegru.”

“Not the person I expected, but it’s within a sufficient range of possibilities. So, when?”

“Well, I was originally going to do it at the upcoming triumphal ceremony, but a better opportunity has come.”

Suddenly, Baring smiled strangely.

“Soon, the Council of Five Hundred will gather to resolve the punishment of the former Queen and the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador. At that time, the Northern Army will move.”

The ball of scandal that Marié shot up to protect her mother began to roll.

Towards a huge coup plot.

Of course, the fact that Eugène moved the Surété was still unknown to anyone outside the Surété.