Chapter 5 The Duke of Orleans's Counterattack

Gizo was the first to react, summoning his subordinated seated at the far end of the banquet table and instructing:

"Cesar, take your men and investigate whether any dentist had contact with Lenot a month ago!"

Joseph thought for a moment and added, "If a dentist visited Lenot's house, his servants should know about it."

"But the servants' testimony did not mention this," Gizo said, then paused in shock. "No, wait! Cesar, interrogate the servants as well!"

"Yes, sir!"

Outside the City Hall, the cries of Lenot's fiancée suddenly stopped. It was unclear if the guards had driven her away or if someone had informed her that the case was being reopened for investigation.

In the afternoon, the plump mayor arrived with a group of City Hall officials to invite Joseph to dinner. Cesar, the policeman, suddenly rushed in and whispered something into Gizo's ear.

Gizo's eyes lit up as he turned to Joseph, placing a hand over his chest and bowing slightly. In a loud voice, he said:

"Your Highness, it is just as you predicted. After Lenot's servant was captured, he quickly confessed that a dentist had indeed visited Lenot's home on the day of the crime. The servant admitted to accepting a bribe from the visitor and providing false testimony."

The president of the Chamber of Commerce asked anxiously, "What about the murderer?"

"Cesar searched the dentist's residence and found that he was British," Gizo said, clearing his throat as he lowered his head. "His brother fought in the American war and was killed by Lenot. He returned to seek revenge. Cesar, however, accidentally killed him during the pursuit."

Around ten City Hall officials turned their gazes toward Joseph, their eyes filled with awe and respect. At the banquet earlier that day, the Crown Prince had pieced together the details of the murderer with only a few clues.

And now the police investigation perfectly matched his deductions!

The plump mayor loudly praised, "Fortunately, the Crown Prince is wise and astute. That murderer could not escape justice."

He then turned his head with a chuckle to whisper to the nearby officials, "At least that woman won't come to the City Hall to cause trouble anymore..."

As night fell, Joseph accepted repeated invitations from the Chamber of Commerce's president, Freselle, and stayed at his private villa. The distance between the City Hall and the Palace of Versailles was too great for Joseph to constantly travel back and forth.

Joseph reclined on the soft, plush bed, staring at the wall across from him, feeling a tinge of irritation inside.

*Both the plump mayor and Chamber of Commerce president played political games with him throughout the day,* *steadfastly refusing to let him interfere with the Police Department.* *If he still couldn't convince them tomorrow, perhaps he should write to the Queen and have her arrange for his participation in the police affairs.*

Outside the room, Eman lightly knocked on the door. "Your Highness, are you still awake?"

"Not asleep yet, come in."

Eman entered with a respectful gait and handed a letter to Joseph. "Your Highness, this was sent by the Police Department. It seems to have been left behind by Mr. Lenot's fiancée."

"Her? A letter for me?"

Eman replied in a somber tone, "Well, she committed romantic suicide tonight..."

Joseph's mood turned heavy. He hadn't expected there to truly be women so devoted in this world.

He unfolded the letter to find the first few lines expressing gratitude toward Cesar and the police officers. The subsequent lines revealed her fervent desire to thank the Crown Prince personally for catching the true criminal—but lamented that her modest status prevented her from meeting him. Thus, she had chosen this way to convey her thanks; the page was filled with words of gratitude. The last lines expressed that without Lenot, her life had lost all meaning. Now that the police had avenged Lenot, she would follow her beloved in passing. She further instructed that all her assets should be distributed between the Crown Prince and the Police Headquarters after her death.

This generous gift left Joseph somewhat surprised. Nearby, Eman softly remarked, "Your Highness, it's said that Miss Estelle left behind 4,000 Levas worth of property..."

Along the banks of the Seine River.

The Royal Palace, situated here, was once a retreat for Louis XIV but now belonged to the Duke of Orleans.

During the age of Louis XV, the Orleans family served as Regents, wielding immense power. Over the past century, they accumulated wealth rivaling that of the Royal Family.

The current Duke of Orleans had relied on this legacy to continuously expand his influence. Despite holding no official position, he was allowed to attend Cabinet meetings and possessed considerable authority. He had a knack for theatrics, wasn't stingy in spending, and was a favored guest at various political circles. Among the nobles, he enjoyed significant prestige.

A luxurious carriage pulled up at the Royal Palace, stopping in front of an arched corridor. The Duke of Orleans descended the stairs, arranged by a servant.

From the distant gardens came the sound of a speech. He turned his head toward it, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth. He knew it was a gathering of some group dissatisfied with the Royal Family.

Indeed, the Royal Palace had now become a secret base for anti-royal sentiment. The future core members of the Feuillants, Girondin Party, and Jacobin movements frequently convened here. Furthermore, all manner of banned goods—including regulated military weapons—were traded openly within its walls.

The Duke used his influence to provide protection for them. After decades of deliberate effort, he supported anything that helped undermine the Royal Family.

Throwing his coat to a servant, the Duke of Orleans strode into the great hall. As the guards opened the doors, he immediately saw his son berating a maid.

Clearing his throat, he stepped forward and said, "Philippe, what is the matter?"

The youth turned around—it was the sharp-eyed boy who had taken the math test with Joseph earlier that day. He pointed at the maid and shrieked, "This idiot! She brought me tea when I was in a bad mood! It's scalding hot!"

"What has put you in such poor spirits?"

"That Joseph!" Philippe clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "He must have cheated! There's no way he studied college-level material!"

After hearing the details, the Duke frowned deeply. He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to impress top scholars like Lagrange. While the Royal lineage had struggled with the ineffectual Louis XVI, why was his son proving so outstanding?

*The Crown Prince's reputation must be suppressed before he becomes too revered,* *or it would make toppling the King all the more difficult.*

He offered a few words of comfort to his son, then saw the steward approaching at a brisk pace. Bowing, the steward said, "Sir, Mr. Frouwa is here to see you."

"Is it Weber's trusted aide? Have him wait in the study."

Inside the study, the Duke of Orleans perused the letter Frouwa had brought. His eyes gleamed with cold laughter as he handed the letter to the steward beside him:

"The Crown Prince may have some cleverness, but he's still just a child. If he were to remain idle at the City Hall, I'd have no way to deal with him. Yet he insists on meddling in police affairs."

The steward reviewed the letter and clicked his tongue, saying, "Paris has always been a chaotic mix of people. In the poorest districts, robberies and murders are never-ending. Even officials with decades of experience struggle to manage these areas. The Crown Prince will only bring trouble upon himself."

The Duke smiled and nodded. "Since Joseph is so confident, let's help him make a name for himself."

Turning to Frouwa, he instructed, "Go back and inform Weber to have the Crown Prince appointed as the Police Commissioner for the Saint Antoine District."

The position of Police Commissioner was second only to the Director of Police Services, overseeing all police matters in one of Paris's major districts. Paris had only six Police Commissioners in total.

"Yes, Your Grace."

After Weber's trusted aide departed, the Duke ordered the steward, "Have The Paris News and The Citizen's Daily extensively cover the crime rates and police management issues in Saint Antoine. Keep the focus on the district's new police head, the Crown Prince."

"Understood." The steward bowed and exited the room.

The Duke of Orleans paced to the window, gazing contentedly at the night-shrouded Royal Palace Gardens. His lips curled into a smirk:

"When the Saint Antoine District descends into chaos, let's see how that Austrian whore defends her son. Crown Prince? Hmph, soon, the people will see you as nothing more than your father's equal—a laughingstock!"

The 'Austrian whore' he mentioned was none other than Queen Mary, who hailed from Austria.

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