These nobles had only played minor roles in the previous street confrontations, so they were never going to be detained for very long.
Over thirty people ca out of the Reims prison, and the family and servants who had long awaited them imdiately surrounded them. There were those who scolded loudly, those who offered warm inquiries, and those who wept with their heads in their hands. Then they dragged their disgraced relatives towards the carriages parked outside.
However, the young nobles all clamored to wait until after the public trial the day after tomorrow before returning to the Palace of Versailles.
Yes, a prison guard had told them yesterday that a public trial for the South Netherlanders spies would be held on the 17th of this month.
How could they, already full of righteous indignation in prison, miss this?
What followed was an onslaught of angry reprimands or desperate pleas from their families and servants.
The young nobles then angrily told them about how they had been deceived by South Netherlanders spies, had co to Reims to defend the rights of the nobility, and were mistakenly arrested by police.
"They dared to deceive ! I must watch those bastards hang!"
Soone shouted loudly, which imdiately provoked a chorus of agreent:
"Right, I can’t leave with this sha!"
"I want to pelt them with stones like the commoners!"
"I even want to carry out the execution by hanging with my own hands..."
The matter of South Netherlanders spies inciting French peasants into revolts soon spread throughout France and caused a huge uproar.
The newspapers were all filled with news about this issue, as well as announcents about the public trials of spies in Reims, Lille, and Paris on the 17th of this month—the news bureau had temporarily suspended the review of any news not related to the "spy case," as per the orders of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, in order to ensure that public attention was focused in a unified direction.
In the streets and alleys, multiple versions of the South Netherlanders spies’ stories circulated, vividly detailing how the spies planned their actions and how they were ultimately exposed and arrested by the brave intelligence service.
Of course, these were also the stories penned overnight by novelists organized by the intelligence service—including the gifted Bomasha, who had written for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The plot was guaranteed to be tightly connected, with suspense and twists abounding, and it emphasized the sinister intentions and despicable appearances of the South Netherlanders spies, making sure people loathed them.
For a while, every street corner talked about the evil spies. Both nobles and commoners were seething with anger, denouncing the South Netherlanders’ shalessness and wickedness.
And the land redemption policy, which had caused such a stir in the city, was temporarily forgotten by people.
Most of the protesting peasants holed up at ho, worried about being implicated in treason. No one dared to bring up protests or demonstrations—gathering to protest had been equated with spy instigation; who would dare to be so rash at such a ti?
As for the nobility, during greetings when they t, they would first curse the South Netherlanders or "lant" how their own boys had been deceived by spies and caught by police in the northwestern provinces. This almost beca a political correctness in the Palace of Versailles.
On the 17th, France’s denunciation of the South Netherlanders spies reached its peak.
In the square outside the Paris High Court, there were at least five or six thousand onlookers. So nobles even paid several dozen livres to the commoners who had taken good spots for "seats" so they could watch the trial from the front.
When the forty mbers of the South Netherlanders’ "Free Alliance Committee" were brought to a small house in the corner of the square, the crowd of onlookers imdiately exploded with a roar like a tsunami:
"Hang these detestable scoundrels!"
"It is they who brought chaos to France! Death penalty!"
"My sister died in the Lille riots; they did it! The Dutch spies must go to hell!"
"Declare war on the Southern Netherlands, and let them atone with their blood!"
Soone nearby imdiately whispered to him that France had already declared war on the Southern Netherlands Rebels and had even achieved two major victories.
The man who had shouted for war promptly corrected himself and shouted, "Long live the King! Crush those rebels!"
Soon, the public trial began. Continue your adventure at .Côm
Officials from the High Court first read out the charges against the dozens of spies one by one, as well as the evidence that had been gathered.
The Intelligence Bureau had brilliantly accomplished the task assigned by Joseph, obtaining a substantial amount of evidence of the "committee" inciting the riots. The pile of letters, docunts, and transaction records alone was over half a ter thick.
Of course, so of it had been "copied" by Fouche’s subordinates, but in such a setting, no one would really verify the authenticity of the evidence.
Amidst the roar of the onlookers, a stream of witnesses took the stand one after another, such as peasants who had received subsidies from the "committee," or French Liberals who incited trouble, pointing fingers at the South Netherlanders in the dock.
Next, family mbers of the riot victims appeared, tearfully denouncing the tragedies brought by the spies and requesting the judge to severely punish these spies.
The entire trial proceeding lasted from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., with only about a dozen people being tried. The officials of the High Court then announced that the public trial would continue the next day.
The crowd surrounded the High Court, cursing for more than half an hour before gradually dispersing.
...
Tuileries Palace second floor.
Inside the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Venio was excitedly singing Joseph’s praises:
"Your Highness, just as you said, the riots disappeared overnight. Even farrs who participated in the riots went to the Police Headquarters to turn themselves in. You truly are the epito of wisdom and strategy, blessed by God himself!"
Brian nodded incessantly on the side, "When the conflict between two people becos absolutely irreconcilable, only a greater conflict can make them forget their previous disputes and together face a common enemy.
"Your Highness, how did you co up with such a brilliant solution? Your mind always makes green with envy."
Joseph smiled and motioned them to stop, "You didn’t co here just to say these things, did you?"
The two exchanged glances before Brian carefully said, "Your Highness, the riots in the northwestern provinces have indeed temporarily subsided, but you know, both the peasants and the nobility are waiting for the land redemption plan.
"The matter of the Southern Netherlands spies will pass sooner or later, and then their attention will still turn back to this. Although, after the spy incident, there shouldn’t be any more big chaos, the dissatisfaction of the people will always have a day to erupt, so...."
Joseph imdiately nodded very seriously, "You are absolutely right. Then, the day after the public trial ends, we will officially announce the land redemption plan."
Brian’s face fell, and he said with a troubled look, "Your Highness, but we still don’t have a plan that will satisfy everyone."
Joseph smiled, "Just follow the revisions I suggested last ti, and announce it after the changes."
"You an to let the peasants redeem the land’s output for eight years, as well as the annual tribute?"
"Exactly."
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