Chapter 79: Declaration of War

Chapter 79: Declaration of War

Soumière and Vergennes immediately looked toward the Duke of Orléans. They had meticulously planned everything, but this unexpected turn of events caught them off guard.

In a typical political struggle, Brienne, who had been ambushed without warning, would have had two options:

Accept defeat and announce his resignation immediately. Try to argue and deflect the issue until the meeting concluded, then seek political allies to counteract the situation.

However, they had prepared for this. They intended to rally more high-ranking nobles and bankers to pressure the Queen, ensuring Brienne would be dismissed. Yet, they never anticipated that Brienne would fight back on the spot!

The Duke of Orléans frowned and said coldly, "Archbishop Brienne, you have struggled to advance the tax bill before. How can you suddenly be so confident now? The financial situation in France is dire. If, in two months, you still can't get the bill passed..."

Brienne glanced at Joseph, who gave him an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, Brienne boldly declared, "Duke of Orléans, how do you know that the previous attempts weren't part of my strategy to test the High Court? The rejection of the bill is also a calculated step in my overall plan."

As a seasoned politician, Brienne knew how to mix truth with fiction.

Turning to Queen Marie, his expression resolute, he declared, "Your Majesty, if the tax bill is not registered within two months, I will accept exile to Corsica!"

Exile was a traditional punishment for high-ranking officials who made mistakes, but usually, they were sent to remote towns like Lorraine or Perpignan. Exile to an island outside the mainland was a much harsher punishment.

In truth, Brienne had already anticipated his eventual dismissal and was ready to accept it. However, in that brief moment, he had a strong feeling that the Prince was capable of getting the bill passed. Unwilling to see his political career end, he decided to take a gamble—he would trust the Prince and bet everything on this chance.

The Duke of Orléans, seeing the Queen's hesitation, loudly exclaimed, "There's no need to waste another two months. We should appoint Monsieur Necker immediately to save France's finances!"

Joseph calmly smiled and asked, "Duke of Orléans, can Monsieur Necker guarantee that the tax bill will be passed within two months?"

The Duke was momentarily stunned. He was one of the masterminds behind obstructing the tax bill, so he had to shake his head and admit, "Probably not..."

Joseph quickly turned to the Queen, "Your Majesty, since Monsieur Necker cannot achieve this, why not give Archbishop Brienne, who is confident, the chance?"

The Duke of Orléans protested, "Your Majesty, Archbishop Brienne will only worsen the financial situation!"

Joseph immediately countered, "Only by passing the tax bill can the financial situation improve. Monsieur Necker is powerless in this regard."

He knew that increasing the taxes on the nobles would only provide a modest boost to France's finances. However, the passage of this bill was a critical indicator in the struggle between the royal authority and the powerful nobles. Whoever lost would suffer a significant setback in the political arena.

Thus, the bill had to pass!

Queen Marie, seeing the two men at odds, tiredly rubbed her forehead. The weight of such national issues was too much for her to bear. She looked back and forth between Joseph and the Duke of Orléans, feeling that Joseph's argument seemed more logical, but the Duke was a seasoned politician, and his opinion might be more reliable.

She recalled Brienne's confident demeanor, which suggested he was sure of victory. However, the stance of the Assembly of Notables and the banking sector could not be ignored.

Her mind was a tangled mess of conflicting factors, and she couldn't decide who to trust.

After a long pause, Queen Marie looked to the other ministers for guidance, "What do you all think?"

The ministers who were neutral in this conflict didn't want to take sides hastily, so they all kept their heads down in silence. The Minister of the Interior, Monot, opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately said nothing.

Seeing the lack of response, the Queen glanced at the Duke of Orléans and Brienne before folding her hands on the table in front of her and saying softly, "In that case, I ask all of you to make a fair judgment in the interest of all of France regarding whether Archbishop Brienne should continue to handle financial affairs for the next two months. I have decided to adjourn for now, and the cabinet will reconvene tomorrow to make a decision on this matter."

By "decision," she meant that the ministers would vote on the issue, a standard procedure for difficult decisions.

After making her announcement, the Queen, as if drained of all her energy, signaled the end of the meeting and was the first to leave, supported by her maids as she headed for the grand golden doors.

Joseph frowned internally, disappointed by the Queen's lack of decisiveness and leadership. She had effectively passed the responsibility onto her ministers.

The Duke of Orléans shot a smug look at Brienne before leaving the meeting hall with his supporters, saying nothing.

The lines had been drawn, and there was no room for compromise. What remained was a political battle where both sides would employ whatever means necessary.

...

Joseph and Brienne retreated to the Minister of Finance's office together. Once the door was closed, Brienne immediately bowed and said, "Thank you for your support, Your Highness. You have saved me and, in doing so, saved France's finances."

He then asked the question that had been weighing on his mind, "Please, Your Highness, be honest with me. Are you really confident that the bill will pass?"

Knowing that their interests were now aligned, Joseph wasn't worried about secrecy. He nodded and reassured Brienne, "Rest assured, I am confident. The Assembly of Notables may seem like a formidable political force, but it has two fatal weaknesses. First, it is not a united body but a coalition of high nobles and wealthy commoners—a newly wealthy class, if you will. We can divide and conquer them. Second, they rely too heavily on the High Court. Without the High Court's support, they are just a group of nobles without any real power. And the High Court is rife with corruption; there are plenty of ways to attack them."

Brienne listened, nodding thoughtfully. "Your analysis is spot-on, but we only have two months..."

Joseph smiled, "Don't worry. I have enough tools and leverage to divide the Assembly of Notables and make the High Court submit. With your political influence, if we play our cards right, the bill will pass in less than two months."

A spark of hope appeared in Brienne's eyes. At that moment, he knew he had bet on the right horse.

As they were talking, they heard Éman's voice, "Your Highness, Count Monot is here."

Brienne and Joseph exchanged glances, and then Brienne called out, "Come in, the door's not locked."

The door opened, and the Minister of the Interior, Monot, entered with a serious expression.

(End of Chapter)

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