Descending On France 1780
Chapter 71 - 71 065 We refuse to leave_3

71: 065 We refuse to leave_3 71: 065 We refuse to leave_3 The ceremonial officer, seeing the situation, urged loudly, “Representatives of the Third Class, why are you not moving?

Please rise and leave immediately!

This is an order from His Majesty!”

Anning looked at Mirabeau, thinking, “It’s your turn!

Go for it, Mirabeau!”

But Mirabeau did not move.

At that moment, Louis XVI demanded, “Third Class!

What are you doing?

Did you not hear what I said?”

Anning was nearly frantic; this was a perfect opportunity for Mirabeau to retort with his famous line: The people of France have chosen us, and unless bayonets are used, no one can force us to leave!

Come on, Mirabeau!

You’re not Théo; why won’t you move!

The representatives of the National Assembly continued to exchange looks, including Mirabeau, everyone remained silent.

Dan Dong was desperately poking Anning’s waist, whispering, “Come on, do something, Andy!”

—No!

I won’t!

Last time I was forced to take action when history was going off track, I ended up in the minutes of the meeting!

I became the leader!

I don’t want to be in the spotlight again; I am supposed to play both sides, not become your leader!

Go find Mirabeau!

This is his defining moment!

Yet Mirabeau did not stand up.

Didn’t he shout loudly on the tennis court yesterday?

Did he turn cowardly when the King arrived?

After all, at this point, although everyone was already discussing limiting the Monarch’s power, they still held a certain level of respect for the King himself.

After all, the prevailing thought was constitutional monarchy; everyone still believed in the need for a Monarch.

Louis XVI urged again, “What are you all waiting for?”

Perhaps the silence of the members of the National Assembly gave Louis XVI the false impression that “I am quite capable.”

He visibly grew more assertive and questioned, “Are you trying to incite rebellion?”

The people of the National Assembly continued to stay silent.

Anning saw that these people were not yet mentally prepared to openly defy the King; after all, their current stance was still constitutional monarchy, they had not reached the point of “Louis must die, the revolution must live.”

The King’s appearance had deviated the course of history from its original path.

In actual history, at the time when only the ceremonial officer asked the representatives to disperse, Mirabeau had stood up.

In theory, the general course of history is fixed, but the process might change due to some random factors.

Such a degree of change should be considered normal.

The great revolution should still erupt afterward.

But the problem is, Anning has not seen the script for such a revolution, and in these tumultuous times, not knowing the script can be terrifying.

In the future, if he stays in Paris, with the guillotine executing people every day, he might end up as a donation if not careful.

If he flees to the countryside, he might encounter Royalist rebellion, where they kill Patriots wearing the tricolor.

Not wearing the tricolor could lead to him being mistaken for a Royalist by the already bloodthirsty Republicans and sent to the guillotine…

Thinking it over, it seems better for history to follow its original course.

That way, at least Anning knows when to adjust his stance and stay flexible and independent in his fence-sitting.

By doing so, he can stay in Paris, which as the stronghold of the revolution, would be secure regardless of the Royalist rebellion.

So Anning stood up.

Louis XVI, thinking that Anning was about to leave, immediately smiled, “Good, just like that, please leave the area!”

Anning: “Go tell your master!

We are here by the will of the people!

Only by the force of bayonets can we be made to leave.”

Louis XVI was stunned, clearly he was not mentally prepared to disperse the representatives with bayonets.

Moreover, the guards nearby, having essentially overheard so much discussion from the National Assembly, had already been swayed; if the soldiers were ordered to use their bayonets against the delegates, it was uncertain whom the soldiers might point their bayonets at.

With Anning taking the lead, Mirabeau also stood up: “That’s right!

Only bayonets can make us leave!”

The Earl’s face turned red, he looked very excited indeed!

Sais made a sarcastic remark, “Your Majesty still hasn’t changed his old habits.”

Louis XVI’s lips trembled as he looked at the angry representatives.

Suddenly, he turned and fled in panic!

Mirabeau walked straight out from the area where the representatives sat, pushed the ceremonial officer aside, and then said loudly, “We will hold our meeting right here!

We won’t give up this room until a constitution is formulated and enacted!

“Let His Majesty disperse us with bayonets!”