Descending On France 1780
Chapter 55 - 55 051 Returning to the Social Circle of Paris

55: 051 Returning to the Social Circle of Paris 55: 051 Returning to the Social Circle of Paris Even with a slight delay on the road, Anning still arrived in Paris on time.

Napoleon’s accommodation this time was in the dormitories of the Paris Military Academy, and not long after arriving in Paris, he got off the carriage.

Anning went directly back to the house the Duke provided him near the Royal Palace.

Although the house had been uninhabited for five years, it appeared as if Anning had left just yesterday, with not even a speck of dust on the tables.

Perhaps the Duke had had someone clean it the day before.

Anning settled down in Paris once again, and that evening he took a cab to the monastery where the Brittany Club was located.

Vanni sent him off with a strange look on her face, so Anning couldn’t help but explain, “I’m going to visit old friends I haven’t seen for years, don’t overthink it!”

Vanni: “Even if you were going out to a brothel tonight, I wouldn’t say anything.

After all, Briena has nothing, and those places only have country girls smelling of hay.”

Anning: “After five years in Brittany, I feel your sarcasm has improved.”

“I’m just giving a normal evaluation,” Vanni paused, “so, have fun tonight.”

“Just said I’m not going to ‘that’ kind of place…”

“I’m wishing you a fun time playing bridge with Mr.

Dan Dong and the others.”

Anning pursed his lips and got on the horse carriage.

The carriage passed through the streets of Paris at night.

In Briena, the streets would be pitch-black at nighttime, as the municipality couldn’t afford to pay the workers to light the street lamps every night, and the city didn’t have any street lamps.

When the Great Revolution comes, the citizens of Briena would have to worry about how to hang the noble lords with something.

But Paris had street lamps and lamp-lighters, and the roads were shrouded in a dim light at night.

Anning arrived at the brightly lit monastery and could hear the sounds of bridge playing inside from outside.

Anning confidently entered.

At a table near the door sat Dan Dong and Marat among others, who turned their heads to look when they heard the door.

Dan Dong slammed his cards on the table and stood up, arms wide: “Look who’s here!”

For some reason, Dan Dong’s words reminded Anning of “American bullying,” but in the CCTV translator voiceover version.

Anning felt sentimental, having traveled for five years and still remembering gags from before his travel; he thought he was already an authentic 18th-century resident.

He shook his head, then shook the hand Dan Dong extended: “Good evening, everyone, I’m back from Brittany!”

Marat: “That sergeant’s uniform really fits you.

From now on, we should call you Sergeant!”

Anning: “I won’t wear this uniform for long, as I’ve already enrolled in the Paris Military Academy.”

Dan Dong said in surprise: “A commoner enrolling in the Military Academy!

The people there will certainly look for duels with you every day.”

Anning: “Let them come then.

My individual combat score in Brittany was the best in the whole class, I even knocked the swordsmanship instructor off his horse.”

This was true.

After five years of swordsmanship, Anning’s skills, coupled with the external autodefense, had become unbeatable.

Anning’s friends burst into laughter, Marat said excitedly, “Then we’ll wait to see you put those nobles in their place!”

Anning: “By the way, on my way back, I witnessed peasants resisting taxes.

Is Your Majesty raising taxes again?”

“It’s only the tax collectors collecting this year’s taxes throughout the regions for now, but it won’t be long before the King proposes a tax increase,” Dan Dong answered.

“You wouldn’t have heard about these things in Brittany, right?

You probably don’t know, the King has dismissed the competent finance minister Necker, apparently because he suggested our deficit Queen spend a little less money.”

Anning: “I guess it won’t be long before the King has to call that banker back, after all, he’s really short of money now.”

A long-faced gentleman added: “Even that genius who came up with the idea of borrowing money to sustain the Queen’s expenses can do nothing in this situation.”

Anning: “Who is this?”

Dan Dong immediately introduced: “You don’t know him.

He’s our new friend, Camille Demuoran, a journalist.

He’s been railing against His Majesty in the newspaper articles for many days straight.

“Camille, this is Andy Frost, the muscle of our little group.”

The long-faced gentleman nodded: “I guessed so.

Mister Noble Killer, famous throughout Paris.

I heard you initially planned to deal with that countryside Marquis through legal channels?”

“Yes.” Anning nodded.

“Personally, I don’t like violence.”

The crowd roared with laughter as if Anning had made a very humorous joke.

Dan Dong: “You don’t know?

Since you’ve been to Brittany, Mirabeau’s been telling the story of you throwing your glove in someone’s face every day.

You say you don’t like to draw a knife or gun, it’s like saying the deficit Queen does not like to waste money, nobody will believe you.”

—Dammit, you drunken Mirabeau, what have you done!

Marat sneered: “That deficit Queen doesn’t like to waste money?

Impossible!

Every night in Versailles Palace is a night of feasting and dancing, spending tens of thousands of Livres just like that.

I really don’t understand why people still lend money to the King, in my opinion, the King’s creditors should unite and press the King to pay back the money!”

Dan Dong whispered to Anning: “Marat is not practicing medicine anymore, he’s writing articles now, pointing the finger at social ills, apparently, he thinks this can make France slightly better.”

Anning shook his head: “Useless, France won’t get better just from this, it needs a big change.”

Marat shook his head: “How can you say that?

Although we don’t see any direct effect, our continuous calls for action will eventually work.

The justices of the Supreme Court read our papers, and even the King himself is said to read!

As long as we…”

Anning cut him off: “What does it matter if the King reads your papers?

He’s just a Locksmith; expecting him to enact top-down reforms is like expecting his Queen to be replaced by Queen Theresia.”

Austria’s Queen Theresia had implemented numerous enlightened reforms, giving the Holy Roman Empire a great renewal.

Dan Dong sighed: “Why is that daughter of Theresia like this?”

Anning: “God knows.

Perhaps some things really can’t be passed on…

inherited.”

Anning almost said “inherited,” mindful that Mendel hadn’t been born yet.

The group shook their heads together.

Marat: “Let’s play bridge!

I won this round!

Quick, chips to me.”

Anning: “Who’s willing to give me a seat?

I haven’t played bridge in five years, now I’m an easy target.”

Dan Dong: “You take my seat!

I’ll give you advice from the side.”