I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 740: Queen Mary's Struggle

Queen Mary suddenly took up her handkerchief to wipe away her tears, took a deep breath, and stood up:
“You’re right, Joseph will sort everything out and everything will be fine.”

She took her husband's hand again and said very seriously:

"But we can't just let him bear the heavy responsibility alone, we have to do everything we can to help him!"

Louis XVI nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, so I have been working late into the night at the arsenal."

Queen Mary was startled.

It turns out that even the king is working hard for the upcoming war, and it seems that I am the only one who has not made any contribution...

Her mind raced. What could she do?

For example, donate some jewelry...

Yes, donations. You can organize a fundraising dinner and call on the nobles of the Palace of Versailles to raise funds for the army!
What else can be done?

While she was thinking, Prince Charles pushed the door open and walked in.

There was no diplomacy or war in the world of children. He saluted his parents, then took Queen Marie's hand and asked, "Mother, will Archduchess Alexandra come to Paris again? I asked Mr. Greuze, and he said she hasn't made an appointment for the follow-up painting course yet..."

The little guy doesn't have many friends in the palace, and no one has been playing with him recently. When he was practicing swordsmanship today, he thought of Alexandra.

Queen Mary's eyes lit up when she heard this.

Alexandra? Yes, how could I have forgotten her.

She was Joseph's beloved princess.

Joseph is busy with national affairs, so as a mother, I should help him arrange his marriage.

This is also a great contribution to France!

She immediately picked up Charles and kissed him on the cheek:
“You really are my little angel!
"Oh, Alexandra will come to Paris, and she will stay for a very long time. There was a war in Russia before, so she must have been delayed. Now that peace has been restored there, I will send someone to pick her up."

Xia immediately smiled and hugged his mother's neck tightly, saying happily: "That's great, Sasha is coming back! Thank you, mother!"

After her youngest son was taken away by the tutor, Queen Marie looked at Louis XVI again and said, "Your Majesty, do you think Joseph will be very surprised to see his Sasha when he returns after defeating the enemy?"

The king smiled shyly and nodded: "I'm sure he'll be happier than if he won a great victory."

Queen Marie, who was eager to contribute to the country, did not delay at all. At noon that day, she summoned Count Stroganov, the Russian ambassador to France, and told him her intention to marry a Russian princess.

The latter immediately solemnly stated that he would report the matter to St. Petersburg as quickly as possible, and informally stated that His Majesty the Tsar would welcome this marriage. After Count Stroganov left, Queen Mary, feeling full of accomplishment, immediately got busy arranging a fundraising dinner, which lasted until three days later.

That night, the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles was crowded with people, and all the distinguished nobles of Paris gathered there.

Accompanied by the music played by the royal band, Minister of Agriculture Vergniaud took the lead and stepped onto the wooden platform on the north side. He raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and then said loudly: "On behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, I would like to thank everyone for coming to this dinner."

Seeing people in the hall bowing to the queen and then looking at him, Vergniaud's expression began to become solemn, and his tone was full of indignation: "I believe everyone has already known that Britain, together with their evil allies, shamelessly tore up the trade agreement, attempted to plunder our sugar industry like a robber, and assembled an army to invade our country!"

What he said was all based on the tone set by Joseph, and then handed over to the Press and Publication Bureau to organize well-known writers to write the specific promotional manuscripts.

After that, this caliber will be used for pre-war propaganda throughout France.

Dozens of reporters standing in the corner of the hall immediately recorded Verniaud's speech word for word.

Vergniaud was a famous orator in history, and his words were very inspiring: "The barbaric and despicable British seized our overseas colonies through the Seven Years' War, destroyed a large number of our industries through deception and vicious competition, and plunged France, once the richest and most powerful country in Europe, into decline!

“It is because of their shameless behavior that France’s wealth has been lost in large quantities and people’s lives have become increasingly difficult. People are constantly freezing to death and starving to death, while they are able to continuously obtain wealth from our North American and Far Eastern colonies and show it off to the world.

"It was the British conspiracy that caused France to lose 30 years!
"Those were 30 years filled with pain and shame!
“Fortunately, God has mercy on France. Under the leadership of His Majesty the Great King and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, we have tenaciously emerged from the trough and have begun to regain order and prosperity. The powerful France of the past is gradually returning.

"But the despicable British, together with the barbaric Prussians and the Austrians who are accustomed to betrayal, are unwilling to see us rise from our misery and weakness!

"They are planning to use another sinful invasion to make us lose another 30 years! Their conspiracy is to make us forever weak and subject to their manipulation and mockery forever!
"You, the people who have experienced the lost 30 years, would you allow this to happen?!"

Everyone present was instantly filled with anger, their eyes red, and they shouted in unison: "Never allow this!"

Vergniaud nodded vigorously: "France will stand forever because of you!"

He then used a passionate tone to recount the centuries-old feuds between Britain and France and between France and Austria - these contents were all ready-made. France and them had been at war almost non-stop for hundreds of years, and the blood feuds were so numerous that it would take months to tell them all.

Finally, Vergniaud saluted Queen Marie on his chest and said, "Today, Her Majesty the Queen has summoned us to stand here to jointly resist the invasion of evil enemies! Defend our country!"

Amid cheers, Queen Marie came to the stage and said solemnly: "Let us unite and contribute our own strength to make all those who dare to be hostile to France pay the price they deserve!"

Countess de Berninac said immediately, "The person who donates the most tonight will be invited by Her Majesty the Queen to have dinner with the royal family."

Immediately, a noble in the audience raised his hand and shouted: "I will donate 5 francs!"

A disdainful snort came from behind him. A factory owner who was invited straightened his collar and raised his hand and said, "I am willing to spend 2 francs to buy cannons for the army."

"How can we let these lowly guys outdo us?" One noble muttered quietly, raising his hand. "The Colbos family donated 3 francs."

(End of this chapter)