Descending On France 1780
Chapter 61 - 61 057 Fiery Start

61: 057 Fiery Start 61: 057 Fiery Start Over the next half-month, representatives from all over France gradually arrived in Paris.

However, the transportation of this era was in a very delicate state; one could reach Paris from the farthest corners of France in just a few days if they traveled day and night and kept changing horses at the stations.

But here lies the problem—not every representative was in such a hurry.

Especially some of the old nobles, who took a lot of time to prepare for their appearance in Paris.

Considering the situations of these representatives, the opening of the Third Estate was scheduled three months later.

Anning observed for a few days and realized that this was a fatal mistake for the French King, as it gave third-class representatives time to collude.

The Brittany Club was bustling these days, and every day, new faces appeared.

The third-class representatives were moving between clubs, vigorously exchanging their views.

At the future headquarters of the Jacobin Club, Anning met representatives from the Royalist Party, Pei Yang faction, and Girondists.

At this time, they did not have the significant differences that would later emerge and were joyfully discussing the future of France.

Anning himself went to the future territory of the Girondists to mingle with them and unexpectedly saw Mabuli’s nephew there.

This young man inherited Mabuli’s mantle and was promoting the embryonic state of communism in the clubs.

At this time, Paris was a melting pot where all thoughts on the future of France converged, with people passionately debating which direction France should take.

Then Anning realized, no one expected the path that the future “sans-culottes” would forcefully steer France onto.

At this time, nearly everyone—regardless of their views and ideologies—believed that the future of France would head towards a constitutional monarchy.

That is to say, for France at this time, revolution was also an unforeseen path.

Anning, with the restless soul of a Paradox Interactive game player, was tempted again.

If he could select national policies at this moment, he would definitely choose the button labeled “Unforeseen Path.”

Unfortunately, Anning did not have such an amazing system; his system only allowed him to become a super soldier on the battlefield and sometimes act as a “Translation Taro” (a famous gadget from Doraemon).

One day in April, Anning was at home reading the morning newspaper that Vanni had bought—well, not just today’s morning paper but also yesterday’s evening paper; Vanni would buy all newspapers not yet in Anning’s study using Anning’s officer allowance.

Suddenly, there was a shout from outside, “Andy!

Something terrible has happened!”

Andy, puzzled, stood up, opened the window, and looked out, “What happened?”

Marat: “Didn’t you say that the hungry people are like a huge powder keg?

It exploded!”

Anning exclaimed in shock, “What?

I didn’t hear any cannon fire?”

He thought that the Storming of the Bastille had occurred prematurely.

However, the Bastille was, after all, a fortress that was difficult to conquer without cannons.

Marat, confused by Anning’s reaction, asked, “What cannon fire?

What are you talking about?”

Anning: “Uh…

so the Bastille is still intact?”

“What are you talking about?” Marat frowned, his already not-so-pleasant face looking even grimmer, “It is indeed about the Bastille!”

Anning was startled: “Really?

Was the prison breached?”

I still wanted to check in there!

Give me back my chance to check in!

“No, the riots happened in the Saint Antoine suburb next to the prison.”

Anning: “Ah?

What in the world?”

Knowing that the Bastille wasn’t stormed yet, Anning felt somewhat relieved.

Marat continued, “I’m not sure about the specifics, but apparently the owner of a wallpaper factory refused to raise the salaries of his workers, and then the workers revolted!”

Anning remembered, this factory owner was also a well-known figure; he famously said, “No worker is worth 15 sous!”

Now, 15 sous can’t even buy half a loaf of bread; this employer was courting death by taking such a hard stance against his workers during this time, and the only choice left for him was to pick his favorite lamppost design.

This incident today was likely just a prologue; after the news spreads, more angry workers would storm the employer’s residence and plunder everything he owned.

Anning immediately decided to dress up and go to the scene to watch the excitement.

This was the prelude to the French Revolution!

How could he not be there to mark the occasion?

Anning had forgotten all about this; after all, it had been nine years since he traveled through time, which is quite a long time; otherwise, he would have surely marked the occasion right from the start to witness the entire process.

Anning’s current mindset was entirely that of a tourist in a theme park.

With the cheats activated, it was hard for him to die, so as a history enthusiast and a Paradox Interactive game player, this was of course an occasion for him.

Marat was still urging him outside, “Hurry up!

We must get to the scene first to cover the incident; this is bound to be the front-page headline of my newspaper.”

Anning was still dressing, and Vanni came in with two sets of formal coats: “Are you going in military uniform, or would you prefer casual wear?”

Anning thought for a moment, feeling that it might not be appropriate to flaunt a military uniform during such unrest, as it could make him a target.

Anning: “Casual, thank you.”

Vanni immediately hung the military uniform on the adjacent rack and hurriedly started helping Anning into his casual clothes.

Ten minutes later, Anning, neatly dressed, went downstairs, and Marat had already hired a carriage.

“Quick, let’s go!”

Anning got into the carriage, sitting opposite Marat.

Marat immediately knocked on the carriage’s front window glass, urging the coachman to hurry.

The carriage started moving, and Anning looked out the window to see Vanni standing on the roadside, watching him leave.

Marat: “The Duke gave you quite a well-mannered maid, even seeing you off.”

Anning: “So how did you know something was up in the Saint Antomai District?

You don’t live there, do you?”

“Of course, the security there is a bit poor,” Marat said, shaking his head, which looked quite like that of a certain Mr.

Marat, “I have my own sources!

Guess what they are?”

Anning: “I guess it’s the newspaper boys.”

Marat looked shocked: “How did you know?”

Anning: “Simple logical deduction.

You’re a journalist now, in need of firsthand news from everywhere.

No one knows this city better than the boys who roam the streets.

All you need to do is tell them bringing the latest firsthand news will earn them a five-sous copper coin, and they will continuously bring you the latest updates.”

Anning said with a proud expression, as if this brilliant idea was entirely his own, although in reality, it wasn’t; he was merely applying Sherlock Holmes’ method.

In Sherlock Holmes’ stories, he often uses street boys and other small children to gather information, and this has become a signature method of British detectives, nearly every British author’s great detective uses this trick.

It is said that this technique even indirectly inspired Aoyama Goushou, leading him to create Detective Conan—a story centered around a detective’s child companions.

Marat looked at Anning in astonishment: “Absolutely correct!

My goodness, you’re smarter than I thought.

No wonder you learned almost all European languages just from a trip to Briena.”

Indeed, Anning now tells his friends that his Italian, Spanish, and Latin were all taught by a priest at the Briena military academy.

Anning had a hunch that Briena military academy in his story, would eventually become as versatile as Hawaii in Conan.

In the future, whenever Anning showcased a new skill that astonished everyone, he could say, “I learned it at Briena military academy.”

While Anning and Marat were chatting, the carriage raced through the streets of Paris.

Suddenly, the coachman shouted, “Whoa!”

Confused, Anning looked out the window, only to see a squad of Paris police moving along the street.

Marat also looked out: “The police are mobilizing…

Damn, how did they move so quickly?”

Anning: “Maybe the Third Estate is about to convene, and the Paris police are more on edge.”

At that moment, a policeman came up to the coachman and said: “Coachman!

Tell the gentlemen inside that today is not a good day for visiting the Saint Antomai District.”

Marat immediately opened the door and stepped out: “No!

I’m specifically going to the Antomai District, you blocking the road only confirms we’re headed the right way!”

Anning also got out of the carriage, showing his military badge to the police to prove his identity as a soldier when not in uniform.

Anning: “Don’t worry, with me accompanying this gentleman, his safety won’t be an issue.”

The policemen looked at each other, and the first officer who spoke shook his head; “We haven’t received any news of military deployment?”

Anning: “I’m accompanying my friend on a personal basis.

You might not know him; he’s Marat from ‘Friend of the People’!”

Marat: “I’m the editor-in-chief!

The editor-in-chief!”

Anning: “Oh, alright, editor-in-chief.”

The policeman thought for a moment, then waved his hand: “Alright, go ahead, it’s not my concern if anyone dies.”

Marat dropped a “thank you” and ran towards the center of the commotion, with Anning right behind him.

Turning a street corner, Anning saw a familiar object hanging from a street lamp.

—Wait a second, I was just joking about picking a street lamp style!

Anning gaped at the object fluttering in the wind.

—No, I don’t remember this part?

Is this another detail difference between two timelines?

At that moment, Anning heard horse hooves clattering.

Turning his head, he saw a small battalion of breastplate cavalry appear at the end of the street, aligned in a horizontal line like a giant wave rushing down towards the workers still moving items from the workshop.

Anning grabbed Marat, who was intent on getting closer to the scene, and pulled him into a crevice between two buildings, where they huddled together to watch.

The cavalry charged thunderously, crashing into the unprepared crowd with formidable force.

Anning saw an unlucky soul get pierced through the heart by a spear.

The knight discarded the spear, then drew his horse sword.

The workers, who had been fervently shouting “hang him,” now scattered in all directions, screams filling the air.

The French Revolution in this timeline started with a cavalry charge.

The blood-stained hoofprints of the cavalry left a bold stroke on the canvas of history.