Count Mono looked at the throng of angry young women glaring at him and, with a tinge of embarrassment, bowed slightly towards Joseph:
“Your Highness, you… aren’t dancing?”
Joseph said, “I don’t have time to dance. I have serious matters to discuss with you.”
Count Mono glanced again at the crowd dancing merrily around them:
“Are you suggesting we discuss serious matters here?”
Joseph thought to himself, I would prefer to sit on a sofa, sipping tea while chatting leisurely, but after searching for you all afternoon, not even your servants knew where you had been gallivanting.
“I came looking for you this afternoon.”
“Oh…” Count Mono touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, not wanting anyone to learn about his little affair with Countess Mesayer.
He quickly led the Crown Prince to a more secluded corner:
“Please, go ahead.”
Joseph considered for a moment, then said:
“To put it simply, I want to engage in promoting industrial development. And currently, that falls under the management of your domestic affairs department.”
Count Mono blinked his little eyes in agreement.
“To be direct, I hope you will relinquish control over industry.”
Count Mono continued nodding, waiting for the Crown Prince to propose a trade of interests.
Joseph continued, “Currently, the new censorship is no longer under the purview of the High Court. We could establish a Bureau of News and Publishing, which would handle these matters, and place it under your management.
“Additionally, I have discussed with Archbishop Brienne the issuance of a ‘Patent Law.'”
He explained the concept of the ‘Patent Law’ and added, “Correspondingly, a patent office should be established, which could also be managed by you.”
Count Mono calculated in his mind—France’s industry was no match for England’s, already in a state of near dormancy, holding it in his own hands had little value.
However, the patent office the Crown Prince mentioned seemed quite good, and being able to tie it to fashion design would definitely be lucrative. Just the news censorship seemed of little use.
He then showed a naïve smile and said, “Your Highness, you see…”
Without waiting for him to ramble, Joseph immediately said, “Plus one printing workshop.”
“A workshop?”
“I possess a technology that can reduce the cost of printing images to one-fifth of the current cost. With an investment of 200,000 livres. Oh, of course, this sum will primarily come from you, we could monopolize nearly all of Paris’s printing business.
“Shares would be divided equally between us, with each of us holding 20%, and the Bureau of News and Publishing holding 60%. Moreover, all profits for the first seven years would be yours.”
The printing workshop Joseph had in mind was also a way to control pamphlets.
If someone wanted to print a pamphlet, they’d have to come to us; otherwise, the price would be much higher than others’, leading to no sales whatsoever.
And if you come to us for printing, hah, this workshop is connected to the Bureau of News and Publishing. You’d have to get through their censorship first.
After Count Mono repeatedly confirmed that this inexpensive printing technology was already in use, he immediately displayed a radiant smile and nodded:
“Oh, you’re always so generous, distinguished Crown Prince! May God bless you!”
…
In the Royal Workshop, after being busy for the better part of the day, His Majesty the King of France set down the musket on the workbench, wiped his sweat, ready to enjoy his dinner.
As servants helped him out of his apron, he casually picked up a newspaper lying nearby—every day, a servant would bring in some influential newspapers—and immediately saw the eye-catching headline “The Great King’s Glorious Victory.”
He scratched his head—having spent the last while immersed in the workshop focusing on gunsmithing, how had he suddenly achieved a glorious victory?
He switched to another newspaper. The front page proclaimed “The King Brings Justice to His Loyal Paris.”
Louis XVI hurriedly perched his glasses on his nose and read the newspaper carefully, realizing it was due to the law concerning the “Royal Supreme Court” that he had signed a few days earlier.
He set down the newspaper, puffed out his chest with a look of pride, and thought to himself: Managing state affairs doesn’t seem to be that complicated after all. Hmm, haven’t I been handling them quite well?
…
In front of the gilded doors of the eastern meeting hall at the Palace of Versailles.
Joseph, dressed in a burgundy formal outfit, puffed up his chest and strode through two rows of bowing guards, entering the meeting hall with decisive steps.
This was the first time he was so eager to enter this place.
Soon, all the Cabinet Ministers had arrived, and Queen Mary had also arrived a bit earlier than usual.
After everyone had exchanged bows, the gilded doors creaked shut, and the Cabinet meeting officially began…
Archbishop Brienne looked around at everyone with a face full of joy, then naturally started discussing the tax bill:
“After the passage of this bill, it will greatly relieve the national fiscal distress.”
He opened the file that had already been prepared: “Just from the land tax alone, we expect to increase financial revenue by 18 million livres each year. The stamp tax is predicted to increase…”
Having read everything in detail, he glanced at the somber-faced Somiare and concluded:
“Considering all these taxes combined, the annual financial revenue will increase by 22 million to 24 million livres!”
Queen Mary led the applause and nodded:
“This will be a day worth commemorating in the financial history of France!”
All the ministers, whether willingly or reluctantly, also applauded, congratulating Brienne.
After finishing the discussion on the tax bill, Brienne switched to another document, bowed to the Queen, and then announced loudly:
“Now, let’s begin the first item on the agenda.
“Count Mono proposes that Count de Simeon should be held responsible for the scandal in the judicial system, and is no longer suitable to serve as Justice Minister.”
Somiare, with his head down, glanced quickly at Mono, then fixed his gaze on the brass pen holder in front of him, saying nothing.
He knew that the affair with Vergniaud had made too great an impact, and as the Justice Minister, he definitely could not escape the accountability for lax supervision.
And having impeached Brienne in the past, Brienne would certainly not miss the opportunity for revenge this time.
The Duke of Orleans had also anticipated that Somiare would be impeached and was prepared to do everything in his power to protect his political ally.
He stood up, cleared his throat, and said:
“Your Majesty the Queen, as far as I am aware, Vergniaud was always very cautious in every instance of bribery, and it was very difficult for outsiders to detect. Although Somiare was negligent in his supervision, impeaching a Cabinet Minister on account of a single judge, is that not…”
Joseph sneered from the side:
“The Duke of Orleans really has a way with words. First off, Vergniaud was not only involved in bribery, you can go take a look at his verdicts.
“Secondly, there are probably more judges with issues within the High Court than just Vergniaud. Shall we continue investigating to see?”
He was not afraid to bring down the High Court; after all, it was the Nobility Group’s domain. Destroying it would conveniently allow him to establish a system of his own.
As expected, the Duke of Orleans’s face turned beet red, but he dared not respond.
The judges of the High Court, wishing to avoid investigation, even reluctantly accepted the Royal Supreme Court. If he were to stir up more trouble, he might become the public enemy of the judges.
Seeing this, Brienne immediately pushed the pre-drafted dismissal document towards Queen Mary, respectfully saying:
“Please make a decision, Your Majesty.”
The Queen, observing the ministers’ greatly unanimous opinion, reassured Somiare briefly, then picked up the pen and signed the document.
Brienne, satisfied, put away the document carefully and, looking at Somiare, raised his hand toward the golden door and gestured:
“Count de Simeon, please excuse yourself.”