Descending On France 1780
Chapter 54 - 54 050 Observations on the Way Back

54: 050 Observations on the Way Back 54: 050 Observations on the Way Back Anning, trying to steer Christina away from offending Napoleon further, abruptly changed the subject, “Speaking of which, have all the manor’s servants left?

That carriage in the back won’t be able to fit them all, right?”

Christina replied, “Of course it can’t fit everyone.

The carriage in the back only has Vanni and my personal Maid; the other servants will have to stay at the manor.

It seems like my father has forgotten that he bought a manor, so the servants need to stay to maintain it.”

Anning raised her eyebrows, suddenly getting an idea, then turned to ask Napoleon, “Where does your sister Pauline stay in Briena?

In the school dormitory?”

Napoleon nodded, “Where else could she stay?

We don’t have money for anything else.”

At this point, Christina caught on to Anning’s thought and excitedly suggested, “She could stay at my manor.

After all, we aren’t dismissing the servants there, they have to keep the manor running.

It wouldn’t cost my family more if your sister moved in.

Everything is ready!”

Napoleon frowned slightly, “It doesn’t feel right to accept such a favor for no reason.”

“It’s not a favor, it’s convenient.

The dormitory conditions in Briena are terrible.

Alexandra often complains about lice in the beds and having to sun their own blankets.”

Anning added, “You wouldn’t want Pauline to sleep in a bed with lice, would you?”

Napoleon smirked, “Actually, in Corsica, it’s rarer not to have lice…”

“But you can provide better conditions for your sister, why not?” said Anning, “Pauline would definitely prefer a bed without lice.”

After a few seconds of silence, Napoleon nodded, “Alright, I’ll write a letter to Pauline.”

Christina chimed in, “Then, once I reach Paris, I’ll write to the steward to prepare the manor to welcome a noble lady from Corsica.

She can have my room.

From the room’s window, one can see a beautifully maintained flower garden.

The view is quite lovely.”

Napoleon just shyly nodded, clearly not accustomed to accepting kindness from others.

Anning reminded him, “There’s a more appropriate way to express gratitude, isn’t there?”

Reluctantly, Napoleon pursed his lips and said, “Thank you, Miss Tolleson.”

Christina beamed with joy, looking very delighted.

She then asked Napoleon, “Is this your first visit to Paris?”

Napoleon shook his head, “No, I was here once before when I accompanied my father and my brother Joseph for some bureaucratic business.”

“What do you think of Paris?”

After a few moments of silence, Napoleon managed, “The streets are surprisingly not covered in manure; it’s quite clean.”

Anning and Christina burst into laughter.

Briena is a small town without a sewage system like Paris, so the streets often smell of the carted manure.

Just a bit away from where Anning lives, vast fields release a “fragrant essence of soil.”

However, in this period, Paris had renovated its sewage system during the era of Louis XIV, so the streets no longer showed the previous abundance of manure.

Back in the day, it was due to the filthiness of Paris that French noblemen started wearing high-heeled shoes to avoid stepping in manure during outings.

Seeing Anning and Christina laughing, Napoleon’s face turned red, then he added, “And also, the streets are crowded with people.”

Anning remarked, “Indeed, Briena probably has only tens of thousands of residents, while Paris packs together millions.

So many that cleaning up their waste could be a profession, even allowing for a guild of waste removers.”

Napoleon exclaimed, “A guild of waste removers!

Are there that many?”

Christina, equally surprised, said, “Really?

There’s a guild for waste removers?”

Then she and Napoleon exchanged glances.

Napoleon asked, “Miss Tolleson wasn’t aware of this?”

“I had no idea,” shrugged Christina.

“In Paris, my activities revolve around my home and various social gatherings, like salons and balls.

I don’t know any waste removers or the people who manage them.”

Anning: “I don’t know him either, I was just saying it off the top of my head.”

Napoleon stared at Anning: “So you were just bragging, I’ve noticed that you sometimes say boastful things when you’re happy.”

Anning: “Isn’t that normal?

Which man doesn’t like to brag, especially when they get together?

As long as I don’t brag when reporting military affairs and stick to the facts, don’t take other times too seriously.”

Napoleon smirked: “And you were the one who taught me to focus on being factual!”

Christina chuckled: “Looks like he’s not just your sidekick, but your student too.”

Anning: “No, he and I are the same age, but I’m just a bit older, so I’m sharing some life experiences with him.”

At this moment, the coachman knocked on the front window of the carriage: “Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the station ahead, we need to change horses, you can get off and rest for a bit.”

Christina responded loudly: “Understood.”

Soon, the carriage stopped, and Anning was the first to get off, then turned around to help Christina.

Christina was wearing a green dress suitable for a countryside outing today, and since it was not a formal dress, it did not have a low neckline and her chest was well covered.

However, the corset around her waist still accentuated her slim waist, and incidentally lifted her breasts into a very majestic shape.

Christina laughed: “Don’t stare at my chest, you should be looking at Alexandra’s, she would surely be delighted.”

Anning: “Has Alexandra joined the Queen’s guard as well?”

“Yes, we will be on duty together at Versailles.”

Anning: “I see, maybe we’ll have a chance to meet again in the future.”

—During the Revolution.

By the timeline, this Alexandra would likely witness the fall of the French crown.

Napoleon also got out of the carriage, but he deliberately kept a distance from Anning and Christina, standing apart and stretching his limbs.

Suddenly, there was commotion nearby.

A crowd of peasants angrily surrounded a man standing on a box—a peasant?

But this peasant had a strap over his shoulder, and Anning realized that this might be the notorious Enforcement Officer.

In France, tax enforcement was not a fixed official position; in rural areas at this time, since the nobles no longer managed affairs, the task of tax collection had always been borne by peasants themselves.

Meaning, peasants took turns serving as the Enforcement Officer, collecting taxes from their neighbors.

Since everyone in the village knew each other very well, and the taxes in the French countryside were always heavy, it resulted in everyone being impoverished.

The Enforcement Officer was shouting hoarsely: “It’s not me who wants the taxes!

Don’t say you can’t pay, I know it clearly!”

Another peasant shouted: “What about you!

Your family still has an old hen!

You should pay more taxes!”

Enforcement Officer: “I paid!

That’s why I’m collecting yours!”

“I don’t believe it!

Your old hen is still there!”

Anning silently watched the peasants arguing.

From their appearances alone, it was clear they were impoverished.

But this would not reduce the King’s taxes.

In the midst of the noise, Anning faintly felt that something was brewing, and in a few years, it would erupt in an astonishing way, shocking all the courts of Europe.

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