Chapter 531 Execution
Because of this, those nobles who participated in violent attacks on tax collectors today will also go to hell in groups with ordinary prisoners who they usually look down upon.
And this will make the nobles feel that this is an insult to them.
It sounds very ridiculous, but in this era, for the nobles, this was really a big deal.
A big thing about your identity!
"Thank you for your suggestion." Joseph looked at Baron Breteuil and sighed, "Perhaps the nobles must gradually get used to 'integrating' with ordinary people."
The superiority of the nobles and their contempt for the common people are not only reflected in their luxury and privileges, but have penetrated into every detail of their words, deeds, and thoughts.
From accents, eyes and manners, to food, accommodation, work, and even prison cells and executions, nobles have a completely different set of things from commoners.
This is a natural and subconscious behavior. And this will inevitably lead to the division of social classes.
Although Joseph also knew that this was a big problem, he also knew that it was the most difficult problem to solve.
Historically, it took more than 100,000 French magistrates to partially solve this problem, and it was repeated several times later.
Baron Breteuil tentatively said: "Your Highness, we can secretly execute these noble prisoners, and it won't take too much effort..."
"It doesn't have to be like this." Joseph waved his hand and looked out the window at the crowds rushing to the execution ground, "I have already made arrangements.
"Those prisoners will no longer be divided into nobles and civilians today. They will all be given the same identity. I believe that the nobles will not have any objection to unified execution."
In fact, this execution was also an attempt by Joseph to gradually eliminate class divisions.
As long as people accepted the beheading of nobles and commoners at the same time this time, it would become a common practice in the future.
Then there is the convergence of prisons between nobles and civilians, and then there is the consistency of certain living habits... Slicing the sausage slowly, although not efficient, can avoid social unrest to the greatest extent.
Joseph wasn't even sure his method would work, but it was better than doing nothing.
Breteuil wanted to remonstrate, but he heard the Crown Prince say: "In fact, not only the criminals in this combined trial, but also the people on the list you just gave me, will also be executed in the same way."
The Minister of Justice was shocked when he heard this. What he had just given to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to sign was the list of tax collectors who had recently been tried, and there were big nobles like Bollore and Antonel on it!
He originally thought that His Highness was just making a gesture and would seek pardon for these people from Her Majesty the Queen. Although the Crown Prince was currently presiding over most judicial work, the power of pardoning, which could only be possessed by the king, was still for the time being. It is carried out by the queen.
But he didn't expect that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would even execute Bolore. You know, in the past, a big noble with this status could pay a fine even if he killed someone in public. This is tradition and practice.
What bothers Joseph the most is this routine that should have been thrown into the dustbin of history.
He glanced at the clock in the corner, stood up and motioned to Eman to get his coat, and then patted Baron Breteuil on the shoulder: "It's almost time. Do you want to go to the Louvre Square with me?"
"Ah?" The Minister of Justice was startled for a moment, then nodded quickly and said, "Okay, Your Highness."
Half an hour later.
A large number of policemen, with the assistance of the Crown Prince's personal guards, struggled to clear a passage among the onlookers, allowing Joseph's carriage to drive into the center of the square. It's not that the police in charge of the special passage were negligent, it was mainly that the number of people who came to watch this time was far more than they expected.
More than 13,000 people poured into the Louvre Square, which was originally very spacious! The square looked crowded.
Although Joseph closed the car window tightly, the cheers and shouts in his ears were still ringing, "These damn guys are finally going to hell!"
"Thank you, His Highness the Crown Prince, for judging these evil tax collectors!"
"Long live His Royal Highness the Dauphin! Long live the High Court!"
"Did you see it? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not let them go!"
"They have this day too! Haha!"
Although Joseph was mentally prepared, he was still a little shocked by the extent to which the people hated the tax collectors. You know, when he led the Guards Corps in triumph from the Southern Netherlands, there were far fewer people who came to watch.
Not long after, surrounded by Kesode, the President of the High Court, the prison judge and other officials, he came to the high platform on the north side of the square. It was three meters high, and he finally got rid of the sea of people. come out.
He sat down on the chair in the middle, raised his eyes and looked across, and saw a higher rectangular wooden platform built in the center of the square more than 30 meters away, with a device like a long guillotine placed on it. It was completely different from the grand guillotine he had seen in documentaries.
That guillotine didn't appear, which is probably a good thing.
Joseph muttered something in his heart and motioned to the High Court President Diboer: "Please start."
"Yes, Your Highness."
DuBoer then gave instructions to his men. Soon, heavy drums sounded all around, and the people who came to watch suddenly became quiet.
Then, orchestral instruments began to join in the performance, and after more than ten minutes, the music suddenly stopped. DuBoer loudly said to the people: "Today, we are honored to welcome His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Please join me in saluting His Highness."
The tens of thousands of people in the square immediately moved toward the VIP seats and bowed deeply. Their salutes this time were different from the previous ones that were purely forced by rules. They were almost all expressing their high respect to the crown prince from the bottom of their hearts.
It has been widely spread among the people that this tax reform was presided over by His Highness, and it was only with his persistence and promotion that these tax collectors who had committed many evil deeds were arrested. How could they not be grateful?
Joseph smiled and nodded to everyone, then came to the stage and made a simple opening statement, and finally announced the execution. Immediately there was a burst of rapid drumbeats in the square, and a prisoner with his hands tied behind his back was escorted onto the high platform by two muscular executioners.
But what followed was not a court official reading out the prisoner's crime, but a man dressed as a farmer following behind them.
He seemed a little nervous at first, but when he turned around and saw the tax collector who was about to be executed, he immediately clenched his fists and his body began to tremble violently with excitement.
He completely forgot the speech and process he had practiced repeatedly before, and roared loudly with red eyes: "This bastard, Adrian Berni, he falsely accused me of concealing the yield of the land and asked me to pay a fine of 50 livres! My sister for In order to be exempted from this fine, I had to be his mistress... As a result, she died due to dystocia caused by him the year before last...
(End of chapter)