A Conflict and a Greater Conflict

These Nobility were just "extras" in the previous street confrontations, so they wouldn't have been imprisoned for long anyway.

More than thirty people emerged from the prison in Reims, where their families and Servant, who had been waiting for them, immediately surrounded them. Some shouted rebukes, some offered words of comfort, and some wept bitterly. Then they dragged their spendthrift children toward the Carriage parked outside.

However, the young Nobility all insisted on waiting until they had watched the public trial the day after tomorrow before returning to the Versailles Palace.

Yes, yesterday a prison guard told them that a public trial for the Southern Netherlands Spy would be held on the 17th of this month.

How could they, already filled with righteous indignation in prison, miss this?

This was followed by angry rebukes or desperate pleas from family members and Servant.

The Nobility then angrily recounted how they had been deceived by Southern Netherlands Spy, intending to come to Reims to defend the rights of the Nobility, only to be mistakenly arrested by the Police.

"They dared to lie to me! I must watch those guys get hanged!"

Someone shouted loudly, which immediately drew a chorus of agreement:

"Yes, I can't leave like this, humiliated!"

"I want to pelt them with stones, just like the common people!"

"I even want to personally carry out their hangings..."

News of the Southern Netherlands sending numerous Spy to incite a peasant uprising in France quickly spread throughout the France, causing a great uproar.

The newspapers were full of news about this matter, as well as announcements of the public trials of Spy to be held in Reims, Lille, and Paris on the 17th of this month. As instructed by His Crown Prince, the News and Publication Bureau temporarily suspended the review and approval of all news unrelated to the "Spy case" to ensure that public opinion was directed in a consistent direction.

Several versions of the story of the Southern Netherlands Spy circulate among the public, vividly describing how the Spy plotted and how they were ultimately exposed and arrested by the heroic Intelligence Division.

Of course, these were also written by the novelists organized by the Intelligence Division —including the literary giant Beaumarchais, who had once ghostwritten for His Crown Prince —who worked through the night to produce the manuscripts. The plot is guaranteed to be tightly woven, full of suspense and twists, and it vividly portrays the sinister intentions and despicable faces of the Southern Netherlands Spy who are trying to destabilize France.

For a time, the Spy of the town was everywhere. Nobility and commoners alike were filled with rage, condemning the shamelessness and wickedness of the Southern Netherlands.

The Land Redemption Policy, which had caused quite a stir not long ago, has been temporarily forgotten.

Most of the rioting farmers stayed at home, fearing they would be implicated in treason. No one dared to raise any more objections to protests—at the moment, gathering to protest was equated with Spy and incitement; who would dare to risk trouble?

As for the Nobility, when the two met, they would greet each other by first cursing the Southern Netherlands or "lamenting" that their sons had been deceived by Spy and arrested by the Police in the Northwest Province. This had almost become a kind of political correctness at the Versailles Palace.

The outcry against the Southern Netherlands Spy reached its peak across France on the 17th.

Outside the Paris High Court, a crowd of five or six thousand citizens gathered to watch. Some Nobility even paid Livre to buy "seats" from commoners who had secured good spots for a better view.

When the forty members of the Southern Netherlands "Committee of Freedom Allies" were led to a small hut in the corner of the square, the crowd erupted in a deafening roar:

"Hang these despicable bastards!"

"They are the ones who brought chaos to France! Death penalty!"

"My sister died in the riots in Lille, and they were the ones who did it! The Spy of the Southern Netherlands must go to hell!"

"Declare war on the Southern Netherlands and make them pay with their blood!"

Someone nearby immediately whispered to him that France had already declared war on the Southern Netherlands Rebels and had even won two major victories.

The man who had initially shouted for war immediately changed his tune and yelled, "Long live His Majesty the King! Crush those Rebellion!"

Soon, the public trial began.

The officials of the High Court first read out the charges against the dozens of Spy one by one, along with the evidence that had been collected.

The Intelligence Bureau brilliantly completed the task assigned by Joseph, obtaining a large amount of evidence of the "committee" instigating riots. The letters, documents, and detailed accounts alone piled up to a thickness of more than half a meter.

Of course, some of these were "copied" by Fouche's men, but in such a situation, no one would actually verify the authenticity of the evidence.

Amid the roars of the onlookers, a large number of witnesses came forward one by one, including farmers who had received subsidies from the "committee" and France Liberals who had instigated the riots, testifying against the Southern Netherlands people standing in the dock.

Next, the families of the riot victims appeared, tearfully recounting the tragedy caused by the Spy and pleading with the judge to severely punish Spy.

The entire trial lasted from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m., and only about ten people were tried. High Court officials then announced that the public trial would continue the next day.

The crowd surrounded the High Court and hurled insults for over half an hour before gradually dispersing.

The second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

In the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Venio was excitedly showering Joseph with compliments:

"Your Highness, just as you said, the riots in various places disappeared overnight. Some farmers who participated in the riots even went to the Police Department to turn themselves in. You are truly the embodiment of wisdom and strategy, a person blessed by God!"

Brienne nodded repeatedly from the side. "When the conflict between two people is so great that they can never reach an agreement, only an even bigger conflict can make them forget their previous differences and face a common enemy together."

"Your Highness, how did you come up with such a brilliant idea? I'm always so envious of your mind that I'm almost driven mad."

Joseph smiled, gesturing for them to stop. "You didn't come to me just to say this, did you?"

The two exchanged a glance before Brienne said carefully, "Your Highness, the riots in the northwestern provinces have indeed been temporarily quelled, but as you know, both peasants and Nobility are waiting for a land redemption plan."

"The Southern Netherlands Spy affair will eventually pass, and their attention will return to this. Although the Spy incident shouldn't lead to any major chaos, public discontent General Association erupt one day, so..."

Joseph immediately nodded very seriously. "You're absolutely right. Then let's officially announce the land redemption plan the day after the public trial concludes."

Brienne paused immediately, his face contorted with worry. "Your Highness," he said, "We still don't have a solution that will satisfy everyone."

Joseph smiled and said, "Just follow my previous suggestions for revisions, and then publish it."

"You mean, allowing farmers to redeem eight years' worth of land output, and the Annual Tribute system?"

"That's right."