Descending On France 1780
Chapter 64 - 64 060 Level 3 Meeting Begins

64: 060 Level 3 Meeting Begins 64: 060 Level 3 Meeting Begins Anning raised her hand directly: “Over here!

Maximilien, over here!”

Robespierre immediately looked over and then slightly smiled.

This was the serious Robespierre; his smile was equivalent to roaring laughter.

He maintained this smile as he approached Anning and her group, and Dan Dong went up to pat his shoulder and asked, “When I saw your name on the delegation list, I was wondering when you would arrive in Paris.”

Anning said, “I’m different, seeing your name on the delegation list, I was wondering if you had replaced your beloved green coat.”

Robespierre seriously said, “Although my financial situation has improved recently, it’s not yet to the extent that I can afford to splurge wastefully…”

Dan Dong said, “Maximilien, Andy is joking.

Andy, you too, Maximilien will definitely not respond to your humor.”

Robespierre looked somewhat surprised: “Is it a joke?

Well, I don’t really understand it.

I thought you were seriously talking about my green coat.

So, how is the situation in Paris now?”

Anning: “To summarize the situation in Paris: Long live the Third Estate!”

Robespierre hesitated for a moment, then asked Dan Dong, “Is this also a joke?”

Dan Dong: “No, this is fact.

Not long ago, the municipal authorities whipped several citizens of Paris at Louis XV Square, and while being whipped, they shouted ‘Long live the Third Estate!’ Paris is now a volcano ready to erupt, and everyone knows the words from that pamphlet: The Third Estate is everything!”

Robespierre nodded his head: “Good, this way we will get thorough public support.

What are we discussing now?”

Anning picked up the memo from the table and handed it to Robespierre: “Take a look, we are discussing the general petition of the Third Estate, which will be submitted to the King tomorrow.”

Robespierre exclaimed loudly, “Is there still a need for discussion?

Our goal is, of course, to draft a constitution, abolish all feudal privileges, and achieve equality for all!

These past years I have been representing ordinary people in lawsuits.

I’ve witnessed too much oppression; the era when the nobility trod upon the Third Estate needs to end!”

Anning: “True to form, Maximilien, you just summarized most of the contents of the general petition we are currently proposing.”

Dan Dong: “That’s how we proposed it, and many of the great nobles also support us.

Marquis Lafayette and Duke Tolleson raised the same proposal in the meeting of the Second Class, but it was rejected by those backward, filthy little nobles.”

Amidst the conversation, Robespierre focused on reading the memo, suddenly he called out, “Wait!

What is this clause about?

Demanding voting by headcount?

So isn’t the current Third Estate voting by headcount?”

“Yes, no.

Everything is still based on the procedure from the Third Estate gathering 175 years ago: one vote per class.” Anning shrugged, “What, did you think…”

“I thought it would definitely be one person, one vote!

Haven’t all the recent mentions of voting been like this?

How can it be so outdated?

This system must be reformed; we must count heads!

Otherwise, nothing will start, and the nobles and priests will still ride on the heads of the Third Estate.”

Anning: “I think this might just be the main agenda as the Third Estate meeting starts.”

Robespierre looked somewhat angry: “Absurd!

To think we need to start with such fundamentals, are we really the birthplace of Enlightenment?”

Dan Dong: “Hello, as far as I know, yes.”

…

That night, Anning and the long-unseen Robespierre talked a lot, and later Marat, who had finished writing today’s battle proclamation, joined in the conversation, fiercely criticizing the noble class.

That night, Anning slept soundly.

The next day, the general petition of the Third Class was finally submitted to the King.

A few days later, the Third Estate meeting, after a break of 175 years, finally convened again.

Early that day, Anning rushed to Versailles Palace early—the principal venue for the Third Estate meeting was in this luxurious palace.

Anning remembered that before he traveled through time, he had read an article on a public account saying how Versailles Palace was everywhere filled with human feces, a smell unbearable.

Actually, using logic, one would know that this is impossible: would your king live amidst piles of excrement?

Even without a complete sewage system, manpower could be used for cleaning, surely upon smelling any odor they would immediately have servants dig three feet into the ground to find and deal with that pile of Midden.

Anyway, the Versailles that Anning saw was very much in line with a latecomer’s imagination of the lifestyle of the privileged class; the palace was quiet, elegant, comfortable, and pleasant.

However, today, Versailles had to be described as bustling with activity.

The thousand representatives attending the Third Estate meeting had gathered here early in the morning, and in addition, there was a large crowd from the Paris area who had come to watch.

Yes, the Third Estate meeting was open to the public, with stands similar to those of a stadium set up next to the meeting venue, where ordinary citizens could stand and watch the representatives discuss.

Anning didn’t know whose brilliant idea it was to allow this spectating.

Anning observed the crowd entering Versailles Palace and noticed that the majority were respectably dressed bourgeois, with a small portion being indolent street wanderers.

The true sans-culottes were at that moment working hard in Paris City, attempting to buy increasingly expensive bread.

As Anning was observing the onlookers, a solemn voice loudly announced, “The Third Estate meeting is now officially beginning, please enter, representatives.”

The speaker was the French King’s chief court butler, whose name Anning had forgotten.

The representatives began to queue, entering the main venue from the entrance, while the spectators flooded into the stands through a side passage.

Anning showed his representative pass to the inspecting royal guards and then followed the crowd into the meeting.

He was quite exhilarated; as a history enthusiast, he couldn’t help but be excited.

So much so that he almost forgot his purpose of joining the Third Estate meeting was to familiarize faces leisurely and play both sides of the fence.

The hall hosting the Third Estate meeting was splendid, with portraits of Louis XV and Louis XIV hanging on the walls, both former kings dressed in cloaks adorned with the fleur-de-lis symbol representing the Bourbon Dynasty.

Compared to the majesty of the former kings, Louis XVI, standing in front of the portraits, looked like a dressed-up toy soldier.

The Locksmith looked somewhat displeased, frowning.

By his side was the Austrian Princess, the French Queen Marie, who wore a white dress today, radiant as ever.

Dan Dong, after seeing her, quipped in Anning’s ear, “Her Majesty appears very happy today.

She probably thinks they can raise taxes today so she’ll have money to squander, right?”

Anning scoffed, “She won’t get her wish.”

At that moment, Anning suddenly noticed that one of the guards standing behind the queen looked familiar.

Wait, could that be Christina?

Well, joining into this matter in such a manner?

And to coincide so coincidentally?

Indeed, you are the heroine of my story, aren’t you?

Christina also saw Anning and revealed a sweet smile.

Just then, all the representatives had taken their seats, Dan Dong on Anning’s left and Robespierre on his right.

From this seating arrangement, it was very disadvantageous for his future fence-sitting endeavors.

Anning thought to himself silently, when the National Assembly is convened, I must get a seat between the two factions.

At that moment, the ceremonial officer loudly announced, “Ladies and gentlemen!

Please be quiet.

We now invite His Majesty, the French King, to deliver the opening speech for the Third Estate meeting!”