Descending On France 1780
Chapter 62 - 62 058 Why not eat cake

62: 058 “Why not eat cake?

62: 058 “Why not eat cake?

Marat was extremely agitated.

“How could they do this?

These people resorted to such measures only because they couldn’t make ends meet!”

Anning: “Perhaps the aristocratic cavalry commander doesn’t regard civilians as humans at all.”

At that moment, Marat saw the commander of the armored cavalry mounted on a tall horse.

Before Anning could react, he dashed out and stood in front of the lord’s horse.

“Sir!

I protest!

You cannot treat unarmed civilians this way!”

The lord, perhaps because of Marat’s appearance, furrowed his brows and said loudly, “What are you?

Is there a problem in my orders to suppress the rioting rabble?

Look at what they have done, what wrong did the poor factory owner commit?”

Marat yelled back unyieldingly, “I am certain it was because he didn’t pay the wages that led to this event!”

The lord snorted, “Not paying wages is a reason to hang the owner on a lamppost?

Is there no law left!

As for you, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I will crush you under the hooves of the cavalry!

They are just the lowest trash, it doesn’t matter if they die!”

Marat wanted to continue his outburst, but Anning promptly pulled him back.

It wasn’t yet time for Marat to die; if he died now, who would the Royalist Party’s ‘Saintess’ execute in the future.

Oh, that’s wrong, the causality is reversed.

Madam Charlotte Kodai was considered a saintess by the Royalist Party precisely because she killed Marat.

Ironically, Charlotte herself was a republican, yet because she killed Marat, she was venerated as a saintess by the old nobles and the stubborn faction of the Royalist Party.

Anning dragged Marat into a nearby alley.

Marat was still very emotional: “This is murder!

I will denounce that cavalry officer in ‘Friend of the People’!

Just watch, I will make his atrocities known to everyone!”

Anning: “Of course you can do that, but had I not pulled you back just now, ‘Friend of the People’ would be without an editor-in-chief.”

Marat thought for a moment, then nodded; he seemed a bit calmer: “You’re right, my battlefield is not here but in the arena of public opinion.

I must strongly condemn this action, I must cry out loudly!”

The result of this ‘spectacle’ was that Marat wrote a passionate long article in the next day’s newspaper, portraying the rebellious workers as progressive individuals demanding reform, and depicted the repressive cavalry commander as utterly wicked.

But now in Paris, there were all kinds of voices.

On the same day, another newspaper depicted the workers as burglars who had broken into the owner’s home and killed him.

Suddenly, all of Paris was in an uproar over this event, with almost everyone discussing it.

However, after this incident, the workers found that the factory owners were much more amenable.

This incident was eventually termed the Reveillon Event by the people of Paris.

On April 29, the Paris police brought several people, alleged to be the leaders of the incident, to Louis XV Square to publicly administer a “cane beating.”

That day, Anning arrived at the square early in the morning.

Apart from him, many people from all over Paris had gathered.

Louis XV Square, later known as Concord Square, was, geographically speaking, the very center of Paris.

The execution began at one o’clock in the afternoon, and by that time, a large crowd had already gathered in the square.

With each strike of the executioner’s cane on the prisoners’ backs, a roar of anger resonated across the square.

The condemned shouted, “Long live the Third Class!”

Anning gaped in astonishment.

The executed did not look like gentlemen who frequented clubs.

It seemed the ideology of the Third Class had already widely spread among the common people, not just among respectable gentlemen.

The trouserless men had already realized that they must stand up for their rights.

As the punishment continued, the condemned’s voice grew weaker, and his back swelled, bruised, skin splitting in several places.

Yet his cries, gradually weakening, became even more poignant—he was beaten to such an extent, yet he still continued to shout “Long live the Third Class!”

Finally, someone in the crowd followed him and shouted: “Long live the Third Class!”

This set the entire square ablaze like dry kindling, the masses roaring overwhelmingly: “Long live the Third Class!”

“The Third Class is everything!”

“The Third Class will have everything!”

Anning, at the center of this whirlwind, was caught up in the scene and also started shouting: “It is everything!”

Returning from Louis XV Square, Anning sat quietly at his desk for a long time, unable to calm down.

To Vanni, who came in to call him for dinner, he said: “Do you know?

This city is now like a volcano before an eruption, calm on the surface but filled with power beneath.

Today in the square, I felt that power.”

Vanni seemed uninterested: “I don’t know what power you’re talking about.

All I know is it’s time for dinner.

You were supposed to have dinner at the Duke’s residence today, the lord, the lady, and several young masters are waiting for you.”

Anning: “The lady is back?”

“Yes, she just came back from the Versailles Palace today, I heard the Queen granted her a few days off.”

Christina has been promoted to Captain in the Royal Guard, leading the entire Queen’s ceremonial squad.

In the letters to Anning, Christina described this ceremonial squad, every member being a great beauty capable of ruling any ballroom.

Anning was indeed curious to see this group of fine ladies from the Queen’s Guard, and with the Third Estate convening, he would also be going to the Versailles Palace, and should have a chance to see them.

Vanni: “The lady came looking for you this morning but you went to watch the execution.”

Anning: “I didn’t go to watch the execution, I was observing the people’s conditions.

Don’t make it sound like I’m a loafer running around aimlessly.”

“Aren’t you?” Vanni retorted.

Recently, Vanni had stopped using formal language when speaking with Anning, except when she wanted to mock him, she would seriously use the formal tone.

Anning couldn’t refute Vanni’s mockery, as to outsiders, he indeed appeared as leisurely and idle, wandering around aimlessly.

He stood up: “Let’s go, let’s have dinner.”

**

In the main building of the Royal Palace’s dining room, Anning met Christina, who was dressed in a Captain’s uniform.

The uniform was different from the men’s, resembling—yes, just like in the game “Holy Maiden Banner,” the outfit worn by Napoleon’s sister, Pauline, adapted from a military uniform into a small dress.

Christina, in this outfit, looked impressively dashing, although the ensemble somewhat obscured her proud chest muscles.

The moment Christina saw Anning, she hugged him with sheer joy: “Andy!

I’ve missed you so much!

I’ve been bragging about your bravery in the troop, the Queen’s guards have all become your little fangirls now!”

Anning smiled: “That’s great to hear.

When the Third Estate convenes, I’ll also be visiting Versailles Palace; perhaps there might be some romantic encounters.”

Christina laughed loudly: “Did you choose this role just for the romance?

That’s so like you.”

—No no, I chose this role to play both sides and hedge my bets.

At that moment, Christina said: “By the way, the Queen recently heard about the Reveillon riots at the salon, and I told her that the people are rioting because they are starving and bread is too expensive.

Guess what the Queen responded?”

Anning thought, here it comes?

In another timeline, Queen Marie never actually said the famous “Let them eat cake,” it was concocted by someone in Paris to oppose the Queen.

In this timeline, it seems…

Christina: “The Queen told me, ‘I already know the bread is expensive, since they can’t afford bread, why don’t they eat cake instead?'”

Here we go!

The Queen in this timeline is really clueless!

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