Chapter 466 - 379 Expectation Management

Chapter 466: Chapter 379 Expectation Management

Joseph slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming loudly, “That’s right! We must come up with a land redemption plan immediately!”

Brian said in a hurry, “Your Highness, but the plan…”

Joseph ignored him and turned to Queen Mary, “Your Majesty, please rest assured, I can definitely come up with a suitable redemption plan within ten days, and at most within a month, the situation will be settled!”

Upon hearing this, Queen Mary was taken aback. She had urgently summoned the Cabinet Ministers to discuss countermeasures because of the insurrection, yet the Crown Prince seemed to not take it seriously at all?

“But the land redemption plan has been in the works for nearly half a year, and still hasn’t satisfied all parties,” Queen Mary said incredulously, looking at her son, “Are you truly confident?”

Jose to himself thought there was no such confidence, but the South Netherlanders had created such a stir, that he was now eighty or ninety percent sure.

However, he simply said with conviction on the surface, “Yes, Your Majesty, while in Luxembourg, I suddenly thought of a very suitable plan.”

Queen Mary looked around at the other Cabinet Ministers, only to see that not a single person raised an objection—Brian and Baron Breti, among others, seemed inclined to say something, but after Joseph gave them a look, they immediately bowed their heads in silence.

“So, it’s decided then?” Queen Mary looked at everyone again, “The Crown Prince will be responsible for drafting the land redemption plan, and everyone shall cooperate with him as much as possible. Meeting adjourned.”

The temporary Cabinet meeting, which had started with such momentum, ended in just half an hour.

As Joseph stepped out of the meeting hall, Archbishop Brienne, Venio, and Talleyrand immediately followed him, all looking anxious.

After exchanging glances, Brian was the first to speak up:

“Your Highness, as you know, the land redemption plan cannot satisfy everyone. The amendments you asked me to make last week have only been one-third completed…”

Agriculture Minister Venio also hurried a few steps, leaned in, and whispered:

“Your Highness, I think, if the South Netherlanders are involved, they might just be waiting for us to announce the plan, and then they could take the opportunity to incite those who are dissatisfied, causing even greater chaos.”

Talleyrand immediately added:

“Your Highness, perhaps we should deploy troops to the northwestern provinces. That would be the fastest way to quell the unrest.”

Joseph glanced at him and shook his head inwardly. Deploying troops would play right into Vandernoot’s hands. France’s internal military strength was limited, and if things escalated, they would have to withdraw troops from overseas to maintain order.

They had arrived at Joseph’s quarters during this conversation. He gestured for them to sit down and said with a smile:

“Please believe me, I indeed have some quick-acting redemption plans.”

“Quick-acting?” Brian mused, head bowed, “Do you mean to substantially lower the redemption fees to appease the rioting peasants and settle the matter?”

“No, quite the opposite,” Joseph said loudly, “I need you to spread the word in the northwestern provinces that the government is preparing to set the redemption period at 50 years.”

“What?!”

Joseph ignored the shocked expressions on their faces and added, “The redemption must also include various taxes on the land over the next 50 years, and must be paid in full at once.”

Hearing this, the faces of Brian and the others darkened.

Rumors of having to pay redemption fees for 30 years had already sparked an insurrection, and now the Crown Prince was suddenly increasing it to 50 years!

Are you trying to provoke the peasants to overturn the Palace of Versailles?

Talleyrand was the first to recover, “Your Highness, are you trying to assure the interests of the nobility, so that they will help calm the situation?”

“Indeed, I have heard that recently many noble youths have taken it upon themselves to go to Lille and Reims, ready to discipline those rioters. Your Highness’s plan will surely encourage more to join!”

Brian shook his head in anxiety, “Your Highness, this will only make the situation more chaotic…”

Joseph simply looked at the Minister of Agriculture calmly, “I have made my decision, please announce it as such.”

“This…Yes, Your Highness.”

As Venio rose to leave, Joseph then said to Talleyrand, “Please use your social skills to spread the word around the Palace of Versailles that the 50-year plan is merely Venio’s wishful thinking. The Cabinet has decided, in order to quell the riots as quickly as possible, to set the redemption period at 2 years without the need to redeem any taxes.”

Talleyrand’s eyes bulged in surprise, “Your Highness, this will drive the nobility mad…”

“That is precisely what I want them to be.” Joseph nodded with a smile, “It’s called ‘expectation management’.”

“Only by significantly lowering everyone’s expectations first, then offering them a slightly better plan afterwards will they possibly accept it.”Update by n0vgo .c0

Brian and Talleyrand were stunned for a moment, indeed as the Crown Prince had said. In the despair of both nobles and commoners over the “vicious” redemption plan, the government putting forth a compromise of 10 to 15 years might make both sides breathe a sigh of relief and agree.

Brain then thought of another issue, frowning as he looked towards Joseph:

“Your Highness, but before that, the country might experience great turmoil…I mean, the plans for both sides are far too harsh, they will surely provoke their fury.”

Joseph nodded, “You are quite right. That is why we must call upon our friends—the South Netherlanders—to take the stage.”

“Ah?”

…

The city of Reims.

Saint-Just swung his hand vigorously at the peasants carrying flintlock guns behind him, shouting angrily, “50 years! Those bloodsuckers just want to drain us completely!

“Only by wresting power from their hands would we have a chance to survive!”

Among the crowd behind him, Liberals immediately began to chime in:

“Let the Estates-General decide how to redeem!”

“We won’t accept a 50-year redemption policy!”

“Drive those greedy officials away, reinstate the Estates-General!”

“A constitution! We need a constitution without the King’s involvement!”

A few days earlier, the riots they had incited were dispersed by the Reims police. They thought they needed more time to plan a new round of riots, but unexpectedly the French Government suddenly “gave them a big hand.”

The terrifying policy of “redemption in 50 years including taxes” immediately sparked the peasants’ rage. They merely called out casually, and the peasants from the villages around Reims immediately gathered here, joining in the riots with them.

Under the leadership of Saint-Just and others, thousands of peasants shouted slogans like “Estates-General” and “Drive out the greedy officials,” carrying pitchforks, clubs, and muskets, and surged toward the town hall with ferocious momentum.

Just as they rounded Nafour Street, with only three blocks remaining to the town hall, suddenly a group of over 200 nobles’ sons dressed in hunting attire formed into five neat rows and charged head-on with a menacing look.

Saint-Just was momentarily startled, but he quickly linked arms with the peasants on both sides and shouted, “The King’s dogs have come! Don’t be afraid, we greatly outnumber them!”