Chapter 55: The Tree Wants Peace, but the Wind Persists
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Chapter 55: The Tree Wants Peace, but the Wind Persists
In the months that followed, life was somewhat "peaceful," at least compared to the days when Bastille was under siege.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
Order had been restored in the higher echelons of Paris. The newly formed National Guard patrolled day and night, ensuring that troublemakers dared not create havoc in these areas. The poorer citizens had been mostly weeded out from the National Guard since they needed to focus on earning a living rather than receiving military training.
But if one ventured outside these neighborhoods and inadvertently crossed into the regions where the less fortunate resided, they would immediately notice that the restoration of order was nothing more than an illusion. The chaos here was even worse than it had been before the revolution.
As Aunt Sophie put it, the streets were now infested with thieves and robbers.
"I wouldn't dare walk the streets with a loaf of bread," Aunt Sophie remarked when Joseph suggested she take some bread for her children. "Mr. Bonaparte, you have no idea how chaotic it is outside these neighborhoods! My word, for a woman like me to walk the streets with a loaf of bread, it's more dangerous than wandering in a forest with tigers. Not just me, even someone as sturdy as you, if you were alone, I'm sure you wouldn't take a hundred steps before someone robbed you. If it were young Monsieur Lucien, well, he wouldn't even make it ten steps before being shot. And as for little Louis, well, he and the bread would both vanish without a trace."
"In that case, how do you bring the bread home?" Joseph asked.
"We go in groups," Aunt Sophie replied. "If you men hadn't stirred up trouble with your Estates-General and kings and meetings and revolutions, we thought, 'Life is already tough enough, a bit of excitement won't make it any harder.' But look at us now... Mr. Bonaparte, they said once the Estates-General was convened, everyone would have enough to eat. But there are some bad folks who won't let us hold our meetings. So we all went to fight those bad folks. But even after we fought them and the meetings were held, bread became more expensive. When the Estates-General wasn't in session, we couldn't afford bread; when it was in session, we still couldn't afford it. What's the use of that Estates-General then?"
Joseph sighed and said, "Aunt Sophie, the Estates-General itself can't produce bread."
In his mind, he added, "And the representatives don't really think about how to ensure the lowest rungs of society have enough bread."
This thought wasn't unfounded. In fact, most of the representatives were wealthy and had no worries about bread. Some even compared French and British wages, concluding that French wages were too high, harming the economy, and proposing legal restrictions on high salaries.
In 1775, Mirabeau was released from prison. However, immediately upon his release, he seduced the young wife of the Marquis de Morieu, then eloped with her to Holland.
This behavior led to his father completely cutting off his financial support. Mirabeau was forced to make a living through writing. Mirabeau hailed from the upper echelons of society and was well aware of the corruption within the French aristocracy. Consequently, he became a prominent critic of the old French system.
However, the income he earned from writing wasn't sufficient to maintain his lavish lifestyle. Mirabeau was notorious for his extravagant living and overspending. During this period, he faced numerous financial disputes and was once again imprisoned due to debt. He claimed that the reactionary French authorities were persecuting him.
However, Mirabeau was soon released from prison, and miraculously, he managed to clear his debts, living even more extravagantly. Surprisingly, he didn't get into trouble over financial disputes again. He credited this to his various successful investments, which he claimed brought him substantial returns. He insisted that achieving financial independence was just one small achievement. Many believed that he had found a wealthy patron, someone wholly dedicated to tarnishing the king's reputation the Duke of Orleans.
Mirabeau's continued critique of the old French system gained him a good reputation among the dissatisfied Third Estate. When the Estates-General convened, Mirabeau became one of its representatives and eventually a leader of the National Assembly.
"However, in situations like this, the Parisians have experienced many times before," the Duke of Orleans mused. "Besides, this year's wheat is growing splendidly, and everyone believes that if there are no unexpected natural disasters, we'll have a harvest like we haven't seen in nearly a decade. When that happens, the price of food will surely decrease. This isn't within anyone's control. Once food prices drop, the people's dissatisfaction will diminish, and the flames of the revolution will die down. If we don't seize the moment, the old regime will persist."
The Duke of Orleans furrowed his brow.
Mirabeau chuckled, his jowls shaking.
"Don't worry, Your Grace. With the current situation, how can we wait for the autumn harvest? It's different now. The Estates-General and the revolution have given them hope. If reality shatters that hope, the resulting anger won't be easy to suppress. Moreover, no one can suppress such anger these days. Even in the rural provinces, unrest is brewing. The peasants are desperate to rid themselves of feudal rents and the tithe. They can't wait anymore, and revolts are breaking out everywhere. To pacify them, the Constituent Assembly is preparing a new law. This new law will face resistance from the king, and we'll use it to raise prices. Then we'll redirect the people's anger toward the king. This will work in our favor."
Unlock exclusive early access to more than 200 chapters before anyone else by becoming a valued member of my Patreon community.
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Chapter 55: The Tree Wants Peace, but the Wind Persists
In the months that followed, life was somewhat "peaceful," at least compared to the days when Bastille was under siege.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
Order had been restored in the higher echelons of Paris. The newly formed National Guard patrolled day and night, ensuring that troublemakers dared not create havoc in these areas. The poorer citizens had been mostly weeded out from the National Guard since they needed to focus on earning a living rather than receiving military training.
But if one ventured outside these neighborhoods and inadvertently crossed into the regions where the less fortunate resided, they would immediately notice that the restoration of order was nothing more than an illusion. The chaos here was even worse than it had been before the revolution.
As Aunt Sophie put it, the streets were now infested with thieves and robbers.
"I wouldn't dare walk the streets with a loaf of bread," Aunt Sophie remarked when Joseph suggested she take some bread for her children. "Mr. Bonaparte, you have no idea how chaotic it is outside these neighborhoods! My word, for a woman like me to walk the streets with a loaf of bread, it's more dangerous than wandering in a forest with tigers. Not just me, even someone as sturdy as you, if you were alone, I'm sure you wouldn't take a hundred steps before someone robbed you. If it were young Monsieur Lucien, well, he wouldn't even make it ten steps before being shot. And as for little Louis, well, he and the bread would both vanish without a trace."
"In that case, how do you bring the bread home?" Joseph asked.
"We go in groups," Aunt Sophie replied. "If you men hadn't stirred up trouble with your Estates-General and kings and meetings and revolutions, we thought, 'Life is already tough enough, a bit of excitement won't make it any harder.' But look at us now... Mr. Bonaparte, they said once the Estates-General was convened, everyone would have enough to eat. But there are some bad folks who won't let us hold our meetings. So we all went to fight those bad folks. But even after we fought them and the meetings were held, bread became more expensive. When the Estates-General wasn't in session, we couldn't afford bread; when it was in session, we still couldn't afford it. What's the use of that Estates-General then?"
Joseph sighed and said, "Aunt Sophie, the Estates-General itself can't produce bread."
In his mind, he added, "And the representatives don't really think about how to ensure the lowest rungs of society have enough bread."
This thought wasn't unfounded. In fact, most of the representatives were wealthy and had no worries about bread. Some even compared French and British wages, concluding that French wages were too high, harming the economy, and proposing legal restrictions on high salaries.
In 1775, Mirabeau was released from prison. However, immediately upon his release, he seduced the young wife of the Marquis de Morieu, then eloped with her to Holland.
This behavior led to his father completely cutting off his financial support. Mirabeau was forced to make a living through writing. Mirabeau hailed from the upper echelons of society and was well aware of the corruption within the French aristocracy. Consequently, he became a prominent critic of the old French system.
However, the income he earned from writing wasn't sufficient to maintain his lavish lifestyle. Mirabeau was notorious for his extravagant living and overspending. During this period, he faced numerous financial disputes and was once again imprisoned due to debt. He claimed that the reactionary French authorities were persecuting him.
However, Mirabeau was soon released from prison, and miraculously, he managed to clear his debts, living even more extravagantly. Surprisingly, he didn't get into trouble over financial disputes again. He credited this to his various successful investments, which he claimed brought him substantial returns. He insisted that achieving financial independence was just one small achievement. Many believed that he had found a wealthy patron, someone wholly dedicated to tarnishing the king's reputation the Duke of Orleans.
Mirabeau's continued critique of the old French system gained him a good reputation among the dissatisfied Third Estate. When the Estates-General convened, Mirabeau became one of its representatives and eventually a leader of the National Assembly.
"However, in situations like this, the Parisians have experienced many times before," the Duke of Orleans mused. "Besides, this year's wheat is growing splendidly, and everyone believes that if there are no unexpected natural disasters, we'll have a harvest like we haven't seen in nearly a decade. When that happens, the price of food will surely decrease. This isn't within anyone's control. Once food prices drop, the people's dissatisfaction will diminish, and the flames of the revolution will die down. If we don't seize the moment, the old regime will persist."
The Duke of Orleans furrowed his brow.
Mirabeau chuckled, his jowls shaking.
"Don't worry, Your Grace. With the current situation, how can we wait for the autumn harvest? It's different now. The Estates-General and the revolution have given them hope. If reality shatters that hope, the resulting anger won't be easy to suppress. Moreover, no one can suppress such anger these days. Even in the rural provinces, unrest is brewing. The peasants are desperate to rid themselves of feudal rents and the tithe. They can't wait anymore, and revolts are breaking out everywhere. To pacify them, the Constituent Assembly is preparing a new law. This new law will face resistance from the king, and we'll use it to raise prices. Then we'll redirect the people's anger toward the king. This will work in our favor."
Unlock exclusive early access to more than 200 chapters before anyone else by becoming a valued member of my Patreon community.
Chapter 55: The Tree Wants Peace, but the Wind PersistsIn the months that followed, life was somewhat "peaceful," at least compared to the days when Bastille was under siege.Visit noveLbin.com for the best novel reading experienceOrder had been restored in the higher echelons of Paris. The newly formed National Guard patrolled day and night, ensuring that troublemakers dared not create havoc in these areas. The poorer citizens had been mostly weeded out from the National Guard since they needed to focus on earning a living rather than receiving military training.But if one ventured outside these neighborhoods and inadvertently crossed into the regions where the less fortunate resided, they would immediately notice that the restoration of order was nothing more than an illusion. The chaos here was even worse than it had been before the revolution.As Aunt Sophie put it, the streets were now infested with thieves and robbers."I wouldn't dare walk the streets with a loaf of bread," Aunt Sophie remarked when Joseph suggested she take some bread for her children. "Mr. Bonaparte, you have no idea how chaotic it is outside these neighborhoods! My word, for a woman like me to walk the streets with a loaf of bread, it's more dangerous than wandering in a forest with tigers. Not just me, even someone as sturdy as you, if you were alone, I'm sure you wouldn't take a hundred steps before someone robbed you. If it were young Monsieur Lucien, well, he wouldn't even make it ten steps before being shot. And as for little Louis, well, he and the bread would both vanish without a trace.""In that case, how do you bring the bread home?" Joseph asked."We go in groups," Aunt Sophie replied. "If you men hadn't stirred up trouble with your Estates-General and kings and meetings and revolutions, we thought, 'Life is already tough enough, a bit of excitement won't make it any harder.' But look at us now... Mr. Bonaparte, they said once the Estates-General was convened, everyone would have enough to eat. But there are some bad folks who won't let us hold our meetings. So we all went to fight those bad folks. But even after we fought them and the meetings were held, bread became more expensive. When the Estates-General wasn't in session, we couldn't afford bread; when it was in session, we still couldn't afford it. What's the use of that Estates-General then?"Joseph sighed and said, "Aunt Sophie, the Estates-General itself can't produce bread."In his mind, he added, "And the representatives don't really think about how to ensure the lowest rungs of society have enough bread."This thought wasn't unfounded. In fact, most of the representatives were wealthy and had no worries about bread. Some even compared French and British wages, concluding that French wages were too high, harming the economy, and proposing legal restrictions on high salaries.In 1775, Mirabeau was released from prison. However, immediately upon his release, he seduced the young wife of the Marquis de Morieu, then eloped with her to Holland.This behavior led to his father completely cutting off his financial support. Mirabeau was forced to make a living through writing. Mirabeau hailed from the upper echelons of society and was well aware of the corruption within the French aristocracy. Consequently, he became a prominent critic of the old French system.However, the income he earned from writing wasn't sufficient to maintain his lavish lifestyle. Mirabeau was notorious for his extravagant living and overspending. During this period, he faced numerous financial disputes and was once again imprisoned due to debt. He claimed that the reactionary French authorities were persecuting him.However, Mirabeau was soon released from prison, and miraculously, he managed to clear his debts, living even more extravagantly. Surprisingly, he didn't get into trouble over financial disputes again. He credited this to his various successful investments, which he claimed brought him substantial returns. He insisted that achieving financial independence was just one small achievement. Many believed that he had found a wealthy patron, someone wholly dedicated to tarnishing the king's reputation the Duke of Orleans.Mirabeau's continued critique of the old French system gained him a good reputation among the dissatisfied Third Estate. When the Estates-General convened, Mirabeau became one of its representatives and eventually a leader of the National Assembly."However, in situations like this, the Parisians have experienced many times before," the Duke of Orleans mused. "Besides, this year's wheat is growing splendidly, and everyone believes that if there are no unexpected natural disasters, we'll have a harvest like we haven't seen in nearly a decade. When that happens, the price of food will surely decrease. This isn't within anyone's control. Once food prices drop, the people's dissatisfaction will diminish, and the flames of the revolution will die down. If we don't seize the moment, the old regime will persist."The Duke of Orleans furrowed his brow.Mirabeau chuckled, his jowls shaking."Don't worry, Your Grace. With the current situation, how can we wait for the autumn harvest? It's different now. The Estates-General and the revolution have given them hope. If reality shatters that hope, the resulting anger won't be easy to suppress. Moreover, no one can suppress such anger these days. Even in the rural provinces, unrest is brewing. The peasants are desperate to rid themselves of feudal rents and the tithe. They can't wait anymore, and revolts are breaking out everywhere. To pacify them, the Constituent Assembly is preparing a new law. This new law will face resistance from the king, and we'll use it to raise prices. Then we'll redirect the people's anger toward the king. This will work in our favor."Unlock exclusive early access to more than 200 chapters before anyone else by becoming a valued member of my Patreon community.
