Chapter 57: Madame Saint-Belam
Chapter 57: Madame Saint-Belam
Joseph had no intention of micromanaging the setup and organization of the Intelligence Division. Knowing he was inexperienced in this field, he decided it was best to leave the specifics to those who were skilled in the task, while he focused on steering the broader direction.
As the members of the Intelligence Division watched the Prince leave, they were eager and full of anticipation. To be honest, when Prosper and the others first heard that the Intelligence Division would be part of the police system, they were quite dissatisfied, even if it was only nominally so. They had initially believed they would be transferred to serve in the elite royal guard.
However, when they learned they would receive a salary generous enough to erase any lingering doubts, all their displeasure vanished, replaced by enthusiasm and motivation.
...
When the Duke of Orléans returned to the Palais-Royal, a relaxed smile adorned his face.
Just as he was preparing to bring down Brienne, news came from the High Court that Brienne's latest tax bill, with its harsh terms that completely disregarded the nobles' interests, had been rejected even before the procedural review was completed.
It was as if God Himself had arranged it! This would be the perfect opportunity to strike at Brienne!
During the recently concluded social gathering, the Duke had effortlessly completed all the necessary preparations.
First, he secured the support of influential nobles. They would spread the word that Brienne's policies were harmful to the nobles' interests, branding him as the enemy of all nobility and rallying the noble class to firmly resist Brienne's initiatives.
Then, he formed an alliance with the Minister of Justice and the Foreign Minister. Together, they would move in the cabinet to dismiss Brienne on the grounds of incompetence and failure to make progress with the tax bill.
Meanwhile, the financial sector would assist from the outside, leaking rumors and attacking Brienne for his lack of economic knowledge, while promoting Necker as the only banker capable of saving France's finances. The banking industry would stand solidly behind Necker and fully support him in improving the economy.
Under this multi-pronged attack, the Queen would have no choice but to abandon Brienne to stabilize the political situation.
Once Necker was in power, everything would return to the Duke's control!
The Duke of Orléans walked briskly through the eastern corridor towards his study, but suddenly, he heard some unusual noises and stopped in his tracks. He turned towards his son's music room.
The door to the music room was tightly closed, but the strange sounds were becoming clearer. The Duke frowned and glanced at the guard standing at a distance. The guard immediately lowered his head deeply and murmured, "I-I don't know anything..."
The Duke of Orléans called out loudly towards the music room, "Philippe, are you in there?"
Inside, there was a sudden flurry of activity.
Moments later, the door opened, and a voluptuous woman in her late twenties hurried out—she was the piano teacher for the Duke's son.
Her face was flushed, her hair disheveled, and her dress crooked, clearly hastily thrown on.
She curtsied to the Duke and then quickly slipped away, sticking close to the wall as she went.
The Duke of Orléans entered the room with a stern expression, only to find his son with his shirt buttons fastened incorrectly. Pointing at him, he scolded, "How many times have I told you not to mess around with such lowly women? You can easily find women from noble families who would be more than willing to be with you..."
Young Philippe, avoiding his father's gaze, cut him off with a dissatisfied tone, "Those little girls can't compare to Madame Horlat's charm."
"You!"
Philippe flinched, hastily turning to flee the music room.
The Duke of Orléans was about to lose his temper when he suddenly recalled his own youth—when he was his son's age, he had similar entanglements with the family's older maids.
He sighed and shook his head. What young man could resist the allure of experienced women at that age?
Speaking of mature beauty, the image of a certain woman from the recent social gathering flashed through his mind—Madame Saint-Belam.
A seductive, mesmerizing woman whose every pore exuded irresistible allure to men. Countless high-ranking nobles had been infatuated with her, and she had at least six or seven lovers.
If a boy like Philippe encountered her, he would likely be consumed by thoughts of only one thing.
The Duke suddenly sneered. This seductive woman was unaware that one of her lovers, the Marquis of Capeville, had contracted syphilis.
Just two days ago, during a hunting trip, the Marquis had bragged about his escapades with Madame Saint-Belam, and that very day, he had been diagnosed with syphilis.
This meant that within a few years, she would be covered in sores, reeking of death, and shunned by everyone.
Syphilis was often flaunted by nobles as proof of their libertine lifestyle, but everyone knew it was a terrifying disease.
In fact, the Duke was aware that Louis XV had likely died from this disease.
If only that entire family could succumb to such a vile disease! He cursed bitterly but then suddenly stopped in his tracks as if struck by a revelation.
"Yes! Let's make sure they all catch it!" His eyes lit up with excitement. "That boy won't be able to resist Madame Saint-Belam's charms, and then she can infect him. Yes, that's it!"
After pondering the idea for some time, he was convinced it had a high chance of success, and even if it didn't work, he had nothing to lose.
He immediately summoned his steward and gave him some quiet instructions.
"Yes, my lord."
A few hours later, at Madame Saint-Belam's residence, Viscount Valais excitedly exclaimed, "He said that if you can seduce the Prince, you'll receive fifteen thousand livres!"
Madame Saint-Belam wrapped her slender arms around his neck, her eyes sultry. "So much money? Which powerful figure is being so generous? What do they want?"
Of course, Viscount Valais didn't dare mention the Duke of Orléans. He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about who it is. This person wants to ally with the Prince, so they need information on his activities. If you can get close to him and report back on his actions, you'll earn even more."
Madame Saint-Belam was clearly tempted—seducing a thirteen-year-old boy was an easy task for a seasoned woman like her. She might even receive a reward from the Prince as well.
The French court was notoriously scandalous, and even affairs with the King weren't unheard of; there was nothing to be ashamed of if it became known.
She suddenly felt it had been a huge missed opportunity not to have thought of this route sooner.
She giggled as she playfully nuzzled Viscount Valais's face with her nose, purring, "And won't you be jealous if I fall into someone else's arms?"
Valais pressed her down onto the velvet mattress, lowering his head to kiss her. "It's not like I can't still see you. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Oh, you're so bad..."
The next day, in Queen Marie's music room.
A group of noblewomen gathered around the Queen, chatting about various rumors and gossip to the soothing music.
The Queen's lady-in-waiting, the Countess of De Beniac, suddenly suggested, "Next week is Saint Nicholas' Day. Shall we hold the usual masquerade ball?"
Standing on the outskirts of the group, Madame Saint-Belam's eyes lit up at the mention of this. The Prince was sure to attend the masquerade ball—this was her chance.
A wealth of experience in seduction flashed through her mind, and she quickly smiled and suggested, "Aren't we all tired of the same old masquerade every year? I have a great idea for this year!"
(End of Chapter)
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