Chapter 65: The Master of Public Opinion (Seeking Monthly Pass)

Dupont nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with agreement: “Yes, Your Highness, this is indeed a disastrous treaty. After the reduction of tariffs, a large number of textile workshops in Lyon have closed down, and the steel industry is also in jeopardy, leaving thousands of workers unemployed.”

He continued speaking for a while longer as officials from the mathematics society began delivering their concluding remarks on stage, announcing the end of the academic conference.

The attendees respectfully made way, allowing the pathway to be clear for the Crown Prince, the most distinguished person present, to leave first.

Joseph bid farewell to Lagrange and a few other scholars before turning to walk towards the door.

Dupont hurriedly caught up with him, cautiously saying, “Your Highness, during the original negotiations, the British had already agreed in principle to the ‘single tax plan.’ If the negotiations could continue, perhaps France could secure even more favorable terms.”

He was one of the presidents of the French Chamber of Commerce, responsible for northern France, and also a major capitalist. The reduction of industrial tariffs by France had a very significant impact on him personally. Encountering the Crown Prince today, who was well-acquainted with Anglo-French technological industrial conditions, he naturally seized the opportunity, no matter how small the possibility, to try his utmost to facilitate the modification of the treaty.

Dupont had been involved throughout the Anglo-French trade negotiations. From his earlier conversation with Joseph, it was clear that the talks were initially led by the Foreign Minister, the Count of Vergena, and the Finance Minister, Viscount Carolina.

But now, one of these two men was deceased, and the other had been dismissed over the tax legislation affair, causing the negotiations to halt, but a preliminary “Eden Treaty” was signed.

Considering the current situation, the British had already reaped tremendous benefits and certainly wouldn’t want to modify the treaty. At present, the only solution was to quickly enhance France’s industrial strength and competitive edge.

Of course, employing certain strategies to scrape out some minor benefits from the trade negotiations should still be possible.

Thus, he stopped in his tracks and said to Dupont, “I will bring this matter up in the Cabinet meeting, striving for the trade negotiations to resume as soon as possible.”

Dupont was overjoyed and promptly bowed, saying, “Your Highness, you are the savior of countless French industries! You are truly great!”

As Joseph left Madame Joce’s villa, a young man who had attended the academic conference, seemingly lost in thought, stumbled ahead with his head down, inadvertently heading straight towards him.

Eman, quick to react, hurriedly intercepted him.

It was only then that the young man with the horse-like face realized that he had almost run into the Crown Prince. With a look of panic, he placed his hand on his chest and apologized, “Oh, Your Highness, I did not mean to offend you.”

He spoke in English.

Joseph, instinctively, responded in English as well, “It’s all right, you didn’t bump into me.”

The horse-faced young man offered another apologetic smile, still speaking in English: “You see, I was born in Birmingham, and I just revert to my hometown dialect when I’m nervous.”

Joseph made a courteous remark, “Birmingham is a nice place.”

The horse-faced young man beamed with gratitude and said, “Thank you for the compliment. Oh, I was listening to your lecture, and it seems you hold England in high regard.”

Joseph, thinking the young man was trying to ingratiate himself, casually praised his hometown a few words, “Well, British industrial technology is progressing very rapidly. (That’s a fact)

“And they are very skilled at international politics and diplomacy. (Natural troublemakers)

“When it comes to cooking, they’re quite innovative. (Dark cuisine)

“Furthermore, the British are very practical and thrifty. (Old-fashioned and stingy)”

Excitement flashed in the young man’s eyes as he was about to say something more, but Eman, standing nearby, cleared his throat with a cold expression.

The young man with the horse-like face could only offer an awkward smile, bowed again, and said, “I won’t keep Your Highness any longer. Have a safe journey.”

He watched Joseph depart, then immediately boarded his own carriage and headed straight for the British Embassy in France.

“You mean to say that the Crown Prince of France has been conversing with you in English?” Hartley looked at his subordinate with some surprise.

“Yes, Mr. Hartley,” the young man with the horse-like face asserted firmly, “his English is very fluent, and he has a high regard for England. At the academic conference just now, he publicly refuted remarks that slandered England.”

He then repeated Joseph’s words in detail.

Hartley’s expression turned contemplative; the French people, especially the Royal Family, were quite hostile towards England and didn’t deign to learn English. Latin was their preferred language. This made a Crown Prince who knew English very exceptional indeed.

All signs were increasingly pointing towards one conclusion: the Crown Prince of France must be very pro-British, or at least he held England in high esteem.

If Joseph knew what he was thinking, he would definitely laugh out loud—learning English was a necessity for his academic studies. As for a fondness for England? Don’t make him laugh; in his previous life, he had a strong dislike for England, the troublemaker marked by the Blue Star, and now he thought daily about how to deal with France’s greatest enemy.

Hartley fumbled for the armrest of his chair, more convinced than ever that he needed to establish contact with the Crown Prince of France as soon as possible. He took out paper and pen and wrote a letter, which he instructed his subordinate to deliver to a lady at the Palace of Versailles.

After the subordinate took his leave, Hartley was reminded of London’s instructions to sow discord between Prussia and France. He ordered an attendant to prepare a carriage and then set off for the Royal Palace.

…

The Duke of Orleans looked at the newspaper the butler had just brought and couldn’t help but frown slightly.

The “French Messenger” newspaper filled two entire pages with a detailed introduction to the tax clauses in the tax law recently rejected by the High Court. Everything from the reasons behind the levying of the tax, who would be taxed, to the impact the taxation would have on the country, was explained in very simple terms.

There was also a feature article by a journalist, narrating the King’s efforts to implement the new tax law. However, it only mentioned that the tax law was proposed by the former Finance Minister Carolina and had been rejected by the High Court twice. Clearly, there was more to come.

He then picked up another newspaper with similar content.

“Archbishop Brienne has finally gotten smart,” the Duke of Orleans said with a smile.

Since last year, when Carolina proposed the new tax law, the French Government had been intent on enforcing the law by authoritarian means. When met with resistance, they resorted to continuous compromise without realizing the need for public support through propaganda.

It was only now that the Finance Minister had finally begun to drum up support for the tax law in the newspapers.

Truth be told, the new tax law did not overly affect the lesser nobility and commoners, especially after the recent amendments, which targeted primarily the great nobility. With the right publicity, it was bound to gain broad support across France.

The Duke of Orleans tossed the newspaper aside, his face full of contempt. He and the banking magnates were plotting to use the rejection of the law by the court to push for Brienne’s dismissal; they had no intention of allowing him to shape public opinion.

“To think of using newspapers to pressurize the High Court—Brienne’s idea is too simplistic,” he said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

After years of investment and courtship, nearly half of Paris’s newspaper and “pamphlet” industry was under his control, and, aligned with the great nobility associated with him, they nearly dominated the entire publishing and printing industry in Paris.

At this moment, his word was the direction of public opinion!

He was the master of public discourse!