Chapter 488: The Power of the Monarchy
Upon hearing that the Prince was willing to support them, the officials had no hesitation. They eagerly nodded in agreement, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your trust. We will follow your guidance."
"Yes, yes! We are willing to undergo any investigation to prove our innocence."
"Praise to you, noble Prince. It is you who has given us life."
Joseph raised his hand, signaling them to be quiet, and casually added, "By the way, His Majesty has just established a 'Royal Administrative University.' During your suspension, you can enroll there to study subjects like management and sociology. Plus, you'll be able to stay in Paris and keep updated on the progress of the investigations."
The officials exchanged surprised glances, unsure of the Prince's intentions. However, if attending university was the price to pay to escape their troubles, it was a small price indeed. They all eagerly agreed, bowing and expressing their gratitude.
Soon, word spread among the other implicated officials. It was as if a great weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They immediately sought out the Prince, who they now saw as their only salvation—especially since Queen Marie, unable to grasp the situation, had directed them all to Briand. This meant the Prince was their last hope.
However, the Prince had already left Versailles, and no one could find out where he had gone. Desperate, the officials reached out to their colleagues who had already sought the Prince's help. They learned that he had mentioned something about enrolling in a university to clear their names. Unable to locate the Prince, they turned to the church for information on this "Administrative University."
As a result, the newly established Royal Administrative University soon received nearly a hundred applications from high-ranking officials. The clerks responsible for registration were even receiving generous bribes to expedite their enrollment.
Three days later, a grand parade of the Paris police was held at the Champs-Élysées. Her Majesty the Queen attended the event, but it was the Prince who, as the architect of police reform, presided over the parade.
Thanks to the relentless promotion by the newspapers over the past few days, the public was eagerly awaiting this ceremony. Even the scandal of the corrupt officials' trials had lost some of its steam in comparison.
Thousands of citizens gathered along the Champs-Élysées, craning their necks to get a glimpse of this unprecedented event.
After a round of ceremonial cannon fire, solemn music filled the air. The crowd then saw the Prince, dressed in a blue police uniform, standing in a carriage that slowly made its way through the center of the square. Behind him were a dozen tall flag bearers, each carrying the royal golden fleur-de-lis flag and the police insignia flag adorned with the fleur-de-lis and shield.
Following the flag bearers, four four-pound cannons were pulled by horses, their barrels gleaming in the sunlight, so bright that onlookers had to shield their eyes. As the cannons passed, five formations of Paris police officers marched in, each formation consisting of 150 men. They all carried brand-new flintlock muskets, their uniforms crisp and neat, exuding a powerful and intimidating presence.
As the police formations passed by Queen Marie's position, they loudly shouted, "Long live His Majesty the King!" "Long live Her Majesty the Queen!" "We swear to defend the peace of France!" Their voices echoed across the square, sending flocks of birds soaring into the sky. The spectators, caught up in the solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere, instinctively straightened their posture, impressed by the imposing aura of the Paris police.
When the formations had passed the reviewing stand and taken their positions in the square, Joseph signaled to the formations with a raised hand. A police officer immediately shouted a command, and the leftmost formation swiftly moved into a semi-circular formation, demonstrating how they would engage a group of gang members.
The police moved in perfect synchrony, aiming their muskets forward and pulling the triggers simultaneously. A cloud of black smoke enveloped the square, startling the onlookers, who quickly realized that the guns were not loaded with bullets. They broke into applause, cheering for the impressive display by the police.
After the five police formations had demonstrated various training exercises, the cannons also performed a mock firing, again without actual ammunition. The thunderous booms left the five or six hundred nobles seated in the reviewing stands in a pensive silence. Many of these nobles were officials implicated in the corruption scandal, and as they watched the police showcase their power, they couldn't help but reflect on the implications.
These were just the police that could be mobilized at any time in Paris. The sight alone was enough to make anyone with ulterior motives think twice. And behind the police stood the even more formidable Royal Guard, who were utterly loyal to the monarchy.
The officials who had initially been upset with the monarchy for not intervening in the High Court and allowing Norfolk and others to implicate them felt a wave of clarity wash over them. Any dissatisfaction they had with the royal family dissipated, replaced by the realization that resolving their issues within the legal framework was the wisest course of action.
When the police parade ended, Joseph ascended the reviewing stand, praising the Paris police for their contributions to maintaining law and order. He then unexpectedly brought up the newly established Administrative University:
"Once the university is open, officials will be enrolled in batches to study courses related to their duties, enabling them to perform their roles more effectively."
After making this announcement, he signaled to Viscount Bessonçon, the head of the police department. The Viscount saluted the Prince and then took the stage, first discussing the police force before turning to the recent corruption cases:
"Based on recent police investigations, it has been largely confirmed that the confessions made by Norfolk, Caston, and others were simply attempts to mitigate their sentences by falsely accusing others. Of course, the investigations into the officials they named will continue, so please stay tuned for updates in the newspapers."
In the square, the officials implicated in the corruption cases finally breathed a sigh of relief. With both the Queen and the Prince present, this seemed to be the royal family's way of signaling that the matter would not be pursued further.
In the days that followed, the number of applications to the Administrative University multiplied. The officials, sharp as ever, realized that enrolling in the university was likely a necessary step to extricate themselves from their legal troubles and wasted no time in signing up. Even those who hadn't been named but felt uneasy about their positions rushed to enroll for peace of mind.
Before the Royal Administrative University even opened its doors, it had already enrolled over a thousand students, with more applications pouring in daily.
To Joseph's surprise, the university also received over 110,000 francs in donations! The officials couldn't figure out why the royal family wanted them to attend the university. Eventually, one "wise" individual speculated that the monarchy might be using the university fees as a way to collect fines from them. So, to demonstrate their proactive attitude, they paid their "tuition" upfront.
Joseph had no intention of returning the money. With the national treasury facing a massive deficit of 2.2 billion francs, every little bit helped, and even the smallest contributions were welcome.
While the French bureaucracy was in a state of upheaval, Joseph was on his way to Reims, where he planned to oversee another police parade. Afterward, he would travel to Lyon, Bordeaux, and other cities to conduct similar inspections. Having decided to implement sweeping civil service reforms, he knew it was essential to assert the monarchy's authority to deter any officials with ulterior motives.
(End of Chapter)
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