A crisis held more than danger

Joseph gestured to Fouche, "Please ride in my Carriage with me."

Although Fouche, as the National Intelligence Bureau, has not yet been appointed as Cabinet Minister, this matter will inevitably require the intelligence community to speak at Cabinet Meeting.

In fact, Fouche had reported to Joseph a few days earlier that there was unusual activity by Liberals in northwestern France.

However, less than two days after Joseph's order for the Intelligence Bureau to investigate and handle the matter Darcy provinces, peasant protests and riots broke out.

On the speeding Carriage, Joseph listened to the latest intelligence brought by Fouche and couldn't help but frown slightly. "You mean, this time it was that ' Tennis Club ' organization that was instigating things, and they have foreign forces supporting them?"

He knew that this so-called Tennis Club was an organization of radical France Radical Liberals. However, Joseph had brought many key members of the Jacobin and Girondins under his control, and since there had been no Great Famine starvation, the Liberals had remained silent in recent years.

Joseph guessed that their sudden large-scale operation might be due to foreign interference.

Fouche nodded and said, "They have ample funding. The rioters in Lille and Reims also have a large number of Flintlock Gun, which, according to our investigation, should have been provided by the Southern Netherlands Parliament."

The Southern Netherlands sent over 200 people to France to incite unrest; among them were inevitably a mix of good and bad, and the Intelligence Bureau has already arrested more than a dozen of them. After interrogation by the Intelligence Bureau, more than half of them confessed.

Joseph's face instantly darkened. Van der Noot was incredibly audacious; wasn't he afraid that Joseph would have the Royal Guard Legion overthrow his Parliament?

Fortunately, Lille and Reims had largely completed their Police Reform. Despite being under fire from the rioters, the Police managed to disperse the rioters in just one day; otherwise, who knows how much more chaos would have ensued.

If this had happened in one of the eastern provinces that hadn't yet implemented Police Reform, the military would probably have had to be mobilized, and many people would have died before it was resolved.

However, even with a new Police force, we must not let our guard down. Once a riot breaks out, even if the situation is calmed down afterward, it will cause enormous damage to the city.

Furthermore, farmers in more than ten cities held marches and protests. Although no violence occurred, the impact on public order was very serious.

Seeing the Crown Prince's expression, Fouche quickly sat up straight and said, "Your Highness, please give me another chance. I guarantee that I will arrest all the Southern Netherlands people with ill intentions within a month!"

Are you confident?

"Yes, Your Highness," Fouche hurriedly replied, "The Intelligence Bureau's operations in the northwestern provinces have commenced, and we have already gathered a wealth of intelligence. We can even arrest everyone from that ' Tennis Club '."

Joseph inquired about his plans in general and, after confirming that there was no exaggeration, breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to nod, a thought suddenly struck him.

If the Intelligence Bureau can quickly apprehend those inciting the riots, then the unrest will be nothing to worry about. In that case, the "opportunity" in this crisis can be put to good use.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair, carefully analyzing the current situation in his mind. Soon, a smile appeared on his lips, "Van der Noot, speaking of which, I should thank you this time."

Fouche looked over in surprise. "Your Highness, what did you say?"

"Don't touch those people yet," Joseph ordered, raising his hand. "But keep a close watch on them, and be ready to arrest them at any time."

Although Fouche was surprised, he immediately nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Joseph continued, "Furthermore, you need to quickly ascertain the channels through which the Southern Netherlands people's funds and supplies enter France, obtain absolutely sufficient evidence, and keep a close eye on all those involved."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The Carriage stopped in front of the gates of the Versailles Palace. Joseph strode into the Cabinet Conference Hall, where Guard immediately bowed and opened the two golden doors for him.

All the Cabinet Minister were in place. When Queen Mary saw the Crown Prince arrive, for some reason, her previously flustered heart suddenly felt a little more at ease.

She quickly waved to her son, signaling him to sit next to her.

After Joseph sat down, Archbishop Brienne immediately rose, cleared his throat, and said, "You've probably all heard about the recent peasant riots in the northwestern provinces of Lille, Reims, and others."

He bowed slightly towards Queen Mary: "Her Majesty the Queen hopes we can come up with a solution to quell the situation as soon as possible."

As soon as he finished speaking, most of the Cabinet Minister turned to look at His Crown Prince.

It wasn't that they were entirely counting on Joseph to make the decisions, but rather that they subconsciously felt the Crown Prince might have a solution.

Queen Mary looked at the scene before her with some confusion, then suddenly remembered what her son had told her before, "You all need the Crown Prince to give you some advice, don't you?"

"Ahem--" The ministers then realized that their behavior was very inappropriate, and immediately coughed and looked away awkwardly.

Joseph stepped forward and said to his mother, "Your Majesty, the reason this riot has escalated so quickly is mainly because it was instigated by the Southern Netherlands."

He then summoned Fouche into the Hall and introduced the information the Intelligence Bureau had gathered to everyone.

After Fouche finished speaking, Joseph looked at the crowd and said, "The most urgent task right now is to get the protesters out of the city and back home as soon as possible."

Archbishop Brienne frowned and said, "Your Highness, the root of the farmers' discontent lies in the rumors that the government requires them to pay 30 years' worth of land revenue and major taxes in order to buy back their land."

"Unless we can immediately issue a buyout plan, they will definitely continue to cause trouble."

That's how people are. When they see no hope at all, they can be oppressed for a lifetime without feeling anything. But once hope appears, people will want more.

This wasn't greed, but rather the realization that they could finally be human beings—real people, not feudal beasts that looked like humans.

In fact, Joseph's reason for breaking the feudal tax system was to increase France's population by more than 20 million.

That's right. Previously France, only a few hundred thousand Nobility were truly France; the lower classes were unwilling to do anything for the country.

Only when they are given land and freed from feudal shackles will they realize that they are also France and willingly dedicate themselves to the country.

Historically, after the Great Revolution, why was France able to easily muster an army of 600,000 and maintain logistical supplies? It was because at that time, 30 million France people were eager to serve their country and were proud to be France.

Furthermore, land privatization was also an inevitable requirement for the Industrial Revolution.

The entire country was occupied by feudal lords, and tenant farmers paid rent on the lords' lands. Where was the labor force to support industrial development?

No matter how many factories you build, if you can't recruit workers, you still won't be able to produce even a single screw.