Chapter 530 Nobles and Commoners
The second floor of the First Prison of France.
The captain of the guard, Kesode, was the crown prince and pushed open the door of cell 211.
A faint scent of incense immediately wafted out. Joseph glanced at the flat white walls in the cell, the desk with patterns carved on it, and the toilet behind the half-open toilet door, and couldn't help but frown slightly.
This bad habit in French prisons is really difficult to correct.
Previously, he had told the prison director, the Marquis de Launet, that the cell should not be too luxurious, but he quickly changed the cell into a single room. However, in addition to the single room, he also retained a toilet, a dining room, and a huge closet. Although the furniture is much smaller than before, it is still high-end goods that are not cheap.
Generally speaking, this place is much more luxurious and comfortable than the homes of ordinary Parisian citizens. Of course, these conditions are already many times more difficult for the nobles than before, and living here for even a day is a torment.
However, Joseph also knew that it was difficult to change the concept at once, and he would just continue to adjust it in the future. Moreover, he had more important things to do here today, and he didn't want to talk to the Marquis de Launet anymore because of the cell.
When the person in cell 211 heard the noise, he immediately turned around and looked toward the door. When he saw the crown prince in a straight blue and white cavalry uniform, he hurriedly took a half step back with his right foot, stroked his chest and saluted deeply, and said nervously:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, it’s great to have you here...”
Joseph sat down on the chair that Emang pulled over and looked coldly at the middle-aged man in front of him who was still wearing a lace velvet coat and a neat white wig:
"Baron Pellier, you can speak now. Regarding the 'important thing' you mentioned."
Yes, this man with always arrogant eyes is one of the giants of the tax collectors' association, banker, loan shark, and big landowner Pellier.
Just over ten days ago, his close associate Antonel was arrested for "inciting panic" and "spreading rumors."
Then, the police quickly found out several murders of Antonel - this guy controlled one of the largest gangs in Marseille Port, he did this kind of thing frequently, and he was almost known to everyone in Marseille.
It's just that he was protected by Pellier in the past and Marseille's corrupt bureaucracy, so no one could do anything about him.
However, this time, the police chief, Besançon, was personally in charge and brought an order personally signed by the crown prince. Now no one dared to help Antonel get away with the crime.
Unexpectedly, after Antonel was imprisoned, Besançon only threatened him a few times, and he actually revealed his backstage boss.
Besancon immediately felt like a treasure. Recently, the tax bureau has been so popular that it has taken away many of the jobs that the police department should do. After stabilizing the situation in Marseille, he immediately rushed back to Paris and led his people to clear the Pelliers. The fish was caught.
With His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's orders in hand, let alone a plutocrat, he now dares to arrest even a cabinet minister!
At first, Pelleier wanted to fight stubbornly, but soon he heard the news about "the emergence of the French Trade Federation and occupied nearly a quarter of France's caravan market within half a month." Confidence and arrogance.
It was clear to him that Fuld's plan had failed. Now that the crisis of trade route collapse has been eliminated, and the matter of Marseille Port has been suppressed, the government no longer has any worries, and the next step will definitely be to deal with people like itself.
But at this juncture, he was betrayed by the idiot Antonel.
So, he decisively decided to learn from Antonel - selling his teammates to protect himself.
Pellier put on a flattering expression, bowed slightly and said to Joseph:
"Your Highness, I did make some very stupid and disgraceful decisions before. I know you must be very angry because of this, but I hope that what I tell you next will improve your mood.
"Of course, if you can grant me, a humble me, some mercy and forgiveness, I will be eternally grateful for your mercy." Seeing the impatience on Joseph's face, he hurriedly started the topic:
"Your Highness, I know who was behind the intimidation and attacks on tax bureaus across the country."
Joseph raised his eyes: "Say his name."
"It's Bolore," Pellier said, "Jacques Albert de Bolore. I know that your people caught many attackers, but the clues were quickly lost. That's because of Bolore All the men responsible for this matter were sent to Switzerland and Venice.
"And I happen to have friends in Switzerland who know the whereabouts of several of them."
He said it was "just right". In fact, when he heard that Bolore was going to use intimidation tactics to deal with the tax bureau, he had already started planning to use this matter to catch this "smuggler".
Subsequently, through advance planning in Switzerland, he gained control of the hiding place of Bolore's men as he wished.
He originally planned to use this matter to threaten Bolore in exchange for a large amount of business benefits, but he did not expect that he was saved at this time.
Joseph's eyes lit up. These capitalists were really ruthless for their own interests.
"So, where are they?"
Pelleier rubbed his hands and said with a sneer: "Your Highness, I hope to be exempted from punishment with a fine of 2 million francs..."
Joseph immediately interrupted him: "I can only guarantee that you will not lose your life."
Pellier felt as if he was struck by lightning when he heard this, and a large amount of cold sweat rolled down his cheeks...
A week later.
On his way to board a ship to escape to England, Bolore was stopped by agents of the Intelligence Agency. Then, in the interrogation room of the prison, he saw his men who were supposed to have fled to Switzerland.
Second floor of the Tuileries Palace.
Joseph listened to the cheers and discussions coming from the window and motioned to Emang to close the window.
Those were Parisian citizens who were rushing to the Louvre Square to watch the execution ceremony that was about to begin. There will be beheaded today dozens of the minions of the tax collectors who are so hated by all ordinary people.
Almost all citizens who could spare time, including farmers within a radius of more than ten kilometers, came to watch this exciting moment.
The Minister of Justice, Baron Breteuil, who was standing in front of Joseph, waited until the noise was cut off by the glass and immediately continued: "Your Highness, you know that there are many nobles among the prisoners sent to the Louvre Square, ah, at least there are More than ten people.
"It's an insult to the nobility to have them be tortured with those lowly prisoners. I'm worried that this will arouse strong protests from the nobility. I mean, this is completely avoidable."
In France, and even in Europe as a whole, even the death penalty is completely different between nobles and civilians. This time, due to the "merged trial", ordinary prisoners who should have been hanged were unexpectedly "upgraded" to enjoy the guillotine treatment of an aristocrat.
(End of chapter)