The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 679 The Flame of Revolution

The prediction Mo Gongze made about the future of France in front of Mo Zibu a few months ago was quite accurate.

He said that the new French revolutionary regime was incapable of straightening out the country and that it was impossible to improve the current situation immediately.

So they can only continue to incite revolutionary enthusiasm and turn the red revolution into white terror in order to cover up most of the problems.

At the same time, the middle and lower classes would also think that the revolution was not thorough and pure because their lives did not get better after the revolution or did not meet their expectations.

This sentiment further fueled revolutionary enthusiasm, turning most people into radicals.

Cao Zhenyong ventured back to Paris, and what he found was pretty much the same as predicted.

At this time, the ministers of various countries had basically evacuated. Because all countries were hostile to the French Revolution, this hostility was quickly transmitted to the revolutionary government, and then reflected in the attitude of Parisians towards foreign envoys.

However, when the soldiers of the Paris National Guard saw the carriage team carrying the red flag with a golden sun and moon of the Dayu Dynasty of the Seris Empire, although they glanced at Cao Zhenyong with suspicion, they still sent a team of cavalry guards.

This is because the Seres Empire actually has a very close relationship with France. The two sides have carried out a series of cooperation over the years and can almost be called allies, so that the French have a good impression of Seres.

Of course, the most important thing is that, apart from Mo Zirong in Brussels, the new French revolutionary government has no conflict of interest with the Seres Empire, and the Chinese Army is unlikely to come all the way to interfere.

As soon as he entered the city, Cao Zhenyong knew why there was a cavalry guard, because the whole of Paris was in deep chaos.
The streets were filled with various opinion leaders delivering passionate speeches, attracting large crowds of people to watch.

Or there would be groups of sans-culottes holding weapons, gathering together to discuss or protest something.

The so-called sans-culottes are relative to the suits commonly worn by nobles. This kind of clothing without a suit and convenient for labor has profoundly influenced later generations.

It can be said that most of the trousers in later generations can be classified as trousers without culottes.

At this time, the sans-culottes basically referred to the backbone of the revolution, namely the small and medium-sized landowners, small shop owners, small entrepreneurs, and a large number of urban workers who were oppressed by the king, nobles and clergy.

"Can I ask what those people are doing? They seem to be commemorating something?"

Cao Zhenyong was quite brave. Others would have been scared speechless when surrounded by the National Guards who dared to imprison the king.

But Cao Zhenyong not only dared to speak, but also dared to ask questions.

The escorting officer looked in surprise at the Seres man, whose pronunciation was standard and whose face was filled with a warm smile. After a moment's hesitation, he said with a sympathetic look on his face:
"They were commemorating the martyrs of the Champ de Mars, where righteous men had gathered to demand the punishment of the fleeing king.

But someone opened fire during the rally, killing dozens of the most sincere and authentic sons and daughters of the French motherland!

This is the historical Massacre at the Champ de Mars. The cause was very simple. Some people felt that the king's escape was tantamount to treason, and that they could not simply hold him hostage and declare him innocent after a simple trial.

They demanded a retrial of the king and a public trial.

About 6,000 people participated in the parade, and tens of thousands of people watched.

At this time, the main power body, the National Constituent Assembly, was ruled by the right-wing Girondists who tended to be royalist.

In order to avoid foreign interference, they naturally rejected the sans-culottes' request to re-try the king, and asked the mayor of Paris, Jean-Sylvain Bailly, and the commander of the National Guard, Marquis de Lafayette, to bring troops to the scene to disperse them.

However, according to convention, the mayor should first talk to the gathered crowd and ask them to disperse. Only after that is unsuccessful can they be expelled.

But when they arrived at the scene, before the mayor could say anything, someone from the National Guard opened fire on the protesters, and the situation immediately turned into a bloody conflict. A total of more than 50 protesters were killed.

Cao Zhenyong listened quietly to the young officer's story, and gradually, the officer began to get excited.

He expressed loudly and almost without restraint his dissatisfaction with Antoine Barnave, the president of the ruling National Constituent Assembly, founder of the Jacobin Club, and a moderate Girondist royalist.

"This country has always been created by us, the people, not by the king and the nobles. Instead, they are the devils sucking the blood from us and Mother France.

Why, today, when the revolution has succeeded and the most sincere and loyal sons and daughters of France are personally in control of the destiny of this country, should we still be respectful to the so-called king?
It was their family that betrayed Mother France and us, not us who betrayed them. The King must bear the consequences of this escape.

Those cowards who support retaining the king must also be punished!"

Inside the carriage, a group of Dayu embassy officials looked at each other in shock. Has things now come to the point where the king has to bear the consequences?

It seems that this is really a revolution that changes the dynasty!
“Sir, have you ever considered that it is impossible for the king’s family to cause such great damage to France alone?

If the king is not the real culprit, why not keep him and, in the name of the king, slowly carry out reforms to put France back on the right track?"

Cao Zhenyong actually started discussing it seriously, as if he was one of the French revolutionaries.

But unexpectedly, this young officer did not continue to debate with Cao Zhenyong, but looked at Cao Zhenyong with disgust and a bit of disgust.

"As expected, you nobles are all like this. What you say and what you actually do are all weak, compromising, and hypocritical.

The king is the biggest sinner and he must pay the price for his crimes. The revolution is passionate, direct, fast as lightning and loud as thunder.

It will not give in or compromise in the slightest, and will burn away the so-called darkness and corruption in this world like a raging fire.

Bring to the earth the rights of man and liberty, the birthright of all men, the freedom of all men!"

Amid the roar, this little officer unexpectedly became extremely sacred, and the light of revolution burst out from him, so much so that Cao Zhenyong actually felt it was a bit dazzling.

"Well said, well said!" Someone heard the young officer's roar. They cheered on the roadside and shouted loudly to the convoy:

"Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death, death to all!"

After hearing this, Cao Zhenyong straightened his clothes in the open carriage and performed a traditional Chinese bow to the young officer.

"May I ask the general's name?"

The young officer then showed a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "Hello, sir. I am Louis Nicolas Davout from Burgundy. I am only a lieutenant colonel battalion commander, not a general."

If Mo Zibu was here, he would have heard about this immediately and might even want to try to lure this person back to China. However, Cao Zhenyong was not a time traveler, so he naturally didn't know how powerful the person in front of him was.

But he still said with admiration: "Mr. Davout, I firmly believe that you will become a general or even a marshal in the future.

Besides, I am not a noble, and in Seris, all civil servants must pass an examination to obtain official positions."

Davout was overwhelmed by what he said, and he also had some respect for this official. "Mr. Ambassador, I have also read some books about Seris, especially the memoirs of Vice-Admiral Fragoset, Count of Monar.

The Great Emperor of the Seris Empire is truly a wise and enlightened monarch, and the selection of officials in the Seris Empire is also very fair.

Nobles and commoners have equal opportunities, unlike France, which is completely filled with darkness and corruption."

The relationship between the two sides gradually became closer during the conversation. When they were about to reach the Provisional Constitutional Government, Dawu lowered his voice and said to Cao Zhenyong:
"Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Barnave, the President of the Constituent Assembly, does not have the same power as the king did before, and he cannot make the final decision on many matters.

The Jacobin Club is also divided internally, so the promises he made may not be fulfilled.”

"Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Dawu. I wish you a bright future," Cao Zhenyong thanked him solemnly. After the lieutenant colonel walked away, Cao Zhenyong sighed deeply.

"We have to speed up. The royalists may not be able to hold out for much longer. Once a more radical figure, such as the infamous Robespierre, comes to power, it will be impossible for us to take Princess Charlotte away."

"Will there be another mutiny?" Chen Xiceng, the chief clerk of the Guanglu Temple and the embassy counselor, asked in a low voice.

"It will definitely happen. The radical style has already penetrated into the middle and lower classes. It is only a matter of time before moderates like Chairman Antoine Barnave step down." Cao Zhenyong said affirmatively.

Chen Xizeng nodded. "Then it seems that what the envoy said about France producing a number of Huang Chaos is indeed true."

"Huang Chao is great!" Cao Zhenyong sighed, "If there were no Huang Chao in China, the aristocratic families would never have left the stage of history, and the vast majority of poor families would never have a chance to rise.

Now France has reached a crossroads, but with so many Huang Chaos coming at once, where will this country go?

"There are only two possible outcomes: either rebirth from the ashes, or total destruction." Chen Xizeng interjected, "It seems the envoy has a favorable opinion of Lieutenant Colonel Dawu. Could he be considered a mini-Huang Chao?"

"Green eyes plus blue eyes, hehe!" Cao Zhenyong suddenly laughed strangely a few times.

"I don't know if it's Huang Chao. I only know that even if he didn't have it before, he should have some now that I've inspired him."

"Huang Chao is great!" Cao Zhenyong said again, "Huang Chao can purge the corrupt aristocracy, but he can also plunge the country into great chaos.

As for China, the more chaos Europe is in, the better. The more chaotic they are, the more they will need us."

Chen Xiceng was stunned for a long while. You old idiot, all those expressions of great respect, approval and respectful bows just now were just to add fuel to the fire!

In fact, it was not simply fanning the flames. Cao Zhenyong was indeed very optimistic about this revolution, but that did not stop him from fanning the flames.

This gentleman is just such a person, who can make personal emotions and interests intertwined and clearly distinguished with each other in an extremely rational way.

In history, anyone who could achieve the highest honor in the Qing Dynasty by relying on the six-word mantra of "doing less and bowing more" could not be a simple person.

. . . .

Tuileries Palace.

Louis XVI and his family were under strict surveillance. The area they could move in was very small, and the only people they could trust were about 900 Swiss Guards.

The rest are about a thousand people, the National Guard composed of children of old aristocrats and royalists, but their loyalty is questionable.

However, Louis XVI's family was very calm. The only one who seemed a little uneasy was Queen Antoinette.

But the queen's anxiety was not due to worry about her future fate, but because she had just learned that all her property except the Tuileries Palace had been confiscated.

"Mr. Ambassador, you should know how serious the situation is when a queen cannot even keep her personal property.

Therefore, I need you to quickly inform all the monarchs of European countries of the situation here, especially my brother, His Majesty the Holy Roman Emperor, and my brother-in-law, His Royal Highness the Prince of Belgium."

Antoinette placed all her hopes on foreign intervention, so she was very direct.

"Mr. Ambassador, if necessary, I will find out all the military secrets that can be known to Your Majesty and me."

Cao Zhenyong nodded. This was more like a dying monarch. For the throne, even collusion with foreign countries was acceptable.

“Your Majesty, that is why I proposed to you that I take Princess Charlotte with me.

Because this would be a signal to the monarchs of all European countries that the French rebels are so brutal that the King and Queen have to send their daughter away to ensure her safety.

However, after hearing what Cao Zhenyong said, Antoinette rolled her eyes and said, "Mr. Ambassador, since you can take Charlotte away, then..."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I'm very sorry." Cao Zhenyong said quickly.

He could try to take Princess Charlotte away, but he shouldn't try to take the queen away. He might end up being buried with her, especially since they had already escaped once.

“The removal of Princess Charlotte was not secret, but rather I appeared in person to present the credentials requesting that Princess Charlotte be escorted to Brussels.

Because she is engaged to the Crown Prince of our Seris Empire, a representative of the Imperial Palace eunuchs has come here on the orders of Queen Seris to meet Princess Charlotte in person."

There was indeed a eunuch who came, and he was the eunuch who was in charge of the Imperial Stables. He was now the most powerful eunuch in the Dayu Dynasty. He was in charge of the farming and grazing of the imperial farms and grasslands, and he also had a small cavalry under his command.

Do the whole thing, this is Mo Zibu's usual principle.

When Queen Antoinette heard that Cao Zhenyong could not take her away, she lost interest in the conversation and left quickly.

At this moment, Louis XVI, who always appeared to be blessed by God, seemed to have regained consciousness. He looked at Cao Zhenyong and suddenly asked:

"My brother, the Great Eastern Emperor Zhao, is he so pessimistic about my fate that he ordered you to take the risk and come to Paris at this time, and take Charlotte away with you?"

Cao Zhenyong felt a little sweat on his forehead, but after much deliberation, he nodded. "The situation is indeed urgent. For the sake of the reputation of the Kingdom of France and the Seres Empire, Princess Charlotte, as a female member of the family, really needs to leave first."

Louis XVI was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he did not ask, as if he was sure that if he continued asking, he would get an answer that he could not bear.

"How could things have come to this?" Louis XVI muttered, then waved his hand. "I can no longer make the decision. If you want to take Charlotte away, you must go to the National Constituent Assembly."

Cao Zhenyong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left the palace. He sent his concubine in Francena to persuade Princess Charlotte, while rushing to the leaders of the Constituent Assembly.

This time it went much more smoothly. Antoine Barnave, who was inclined to protect the monarchy, would certainly not object to taking Princess Charlotte away. He advocated protecting the safety of the royal family.

As for the radical Maximilien Robespierre, Cao Zhenyong silenced him with just one sentence.

"If the Constituent Assembly agrees, then the spice trade rights that were once exclusively enjoyed by King Louis XVI will immediately be handed over to the new government, the government established by you revolutionaries."

Under the temptation of a net profit of three million silver dollars a year, even Robespierre had no choice but to agree, because this was indeed a good business.

"Mr. Ambassador, you know that in France, like in China, women do not have the right of inheritance.

So I'm wondering, is Princess Charlotte that important to you?"

"It's important, and it's not important." Cao Zhenyong replied with a smile, "Perhaps the Emperor saw that the King's family was so incompetent and wanted to find an excuse to cancel the engagement.

But who knows, this is a private matter between a father and a king, a deal that will benefit both of us."

Seeing that Cao Zhenyong refused to say anything, Robespierre thought for a while and really couldn't think of any use for Princess Charlotte, so he stopped pestering and nodded in agreement.

Three days later, a simple carriage carrying French Princess Maria Thérèse Charlotte left the Tuileries Palace.

This princess, who was not pretty at all and looked nothing like Queen Antoinette, but was very similar to Louis XVI, took a last look at Paris and her parents, and at the same time bid farewell to her tragic fate in history.

(End of this chapter)