Capítulo 78: Chapter 78: The Battle of Wits
Chapter 78: The Battle of Wits
Soumière bowed respectfully to the Queen and said, "Your Majesty, I have been entrusted by the Duke of Seville, the Earl of Cerullières, the Marquis of Saint-Véran..." He listed a dozen influential nobles.
"... to convey their stance that Archbishop Brienne should resign."
Vergennes glanced at Brienne and added, "All of Paris is talking about how Archbishop Brienne lacks the necessary financial expertise and how his fiscal policies are outdated."
Queen Marie was surprised by the number of people calling for Brienne's resignation and hesitated, saying, "The tax bill is a complex matter. Perhaps Archbishop Brienne should be given more time..."
The Duke of Orléans, who had long been plotting to remove Brienne, seized the opportunity to prevent him from gaining any reprieve. He cleared his throat and stood up, saying, "Your Majesty, I have friends in the banking sector. They informed me that the Assistant Minister of Finance's recent unilateral termination of loan agreements with two banks has caused them significant losses. The entire banking industry is now expressing strong dissatisfaction with the government's fiscal policies."
To pin Brienne down, the Duke of Orléans blamed him for something Joseph had done. But it made sense since Brienne was the highest authority in the financial system and was ultimately responsible for all financial matters.
Soumière played along, feigning shock, "This situation sounds very serious."
The Duke of Orléans, feigning concern, continued, "My friends have hinted that the banking guild may boycott Archbishop Brienne, which would severely impact the government's ability to secure loans."
He then looked at the Queen and said, "Your Majesty, as you know, without the support of bank loans, we won't be able to service the national debt, leading to a default."
This was an exaggeration. For the banks, lending to the government was a lucrative deal—high interest rates with minimal risk of default. When Ravel Bank and Laborde Bank lost government contracts, their revenues plummeted, leaving them in a desperate state.
However, the Queen was visibly concerned and frowned, asking, "What can we do? Is there any way to salvage this?"
The Duke of Orléans "thought" for a moment and then suddenly looked up, saying, "There might be one person who can manage the current situation."
The Queen asked eagerly, "Who is it?"
"You know him, Your Majesty—Monsieur Necker," the Duke of Orléans replied. "He has always maintained good relations with the banking sector and has extensive experience in financial management. I believe he is the most suitable candidate for Minister of Finance."
Vergennes and Soumière quickly chimed in, "Monsieur Necker indeed has the ability to resolve these issues."
"I also believe he is the only one who can serve as Minister of Finance."
Seeing the three men passionately advocating for Necker, the Queen sighed inwardly. She had been increasingly dissatisfied with Brienne's performance since taking over the financial system—France's massive debt had not decreased, the tax bill had been stalled for over six months with no progress, and now he had antagonized the banking sector...
Initially, she appointed Brienne as Minister of Finance to win the support of the nobility for the new tax bill since Brienne was the Speaker of the Assembly of Notables at the time. However, as soon as Brienne showed support for the monarchy, the Assembly of Notables abandoned him. Politically, he had lost his value.
If replacing Brienne would help advance the tax bill and secure the support of the banking sector, it might be worth considering.
Moreover, Necker had previously served as Minister of Finance, and although he had been dismissed for publicly disclosing royal expenditures, he was indeed very capable in financial management.
With this in mind, the Queen looked at the other ministers and asked, "What are your opinions on this matter?"
Joseph, who had initially been caught off guard by the sudden attack from the Justice Minister and the Duke of Orléans, finally realized they were trying to oust Brienne and install Necker.
Historically, Necker did indeed replace Brienne as Minister of Finance, but it happened a few months later. It was during Necker's tenure that Louis XVI's last hope of survival was buried.
Simply put, Necker represented the interests of capitalists, specifically the banking sector. He could never truly serve the monarchy.
During his time as Minister of Finance, the French government's borrowing from banks increased exponentially. Despite the later efforts of Finance Minister Calonne to avoid high-interest loans, the French treasury had become so dependent on loans that it was beyond repair.
Moreover, Necker's decision to disclose the monarchy's expenses led to widespread outrage across France over the royal family's extravagant spending. In reality, a significant portion of these expenditures was related to the government buying back noble estates and other such costs. The monarchy's actual spending primarily came from the King's estates and personal income, and he often had to use his private funds to cover state deficits.
Joseph narrowed his eyes, determined not to let the Duke of Orléans succeed. His plans for advancing the tax bill were just starting to take shape, and Brienne's cooperation was crucial. He needed to protect Brienne and block Necker's return.
He immediately stood up and said, "Archbishop Brienne has been highly effective in advancing the tax bill. If you visit Paris, you'll find that most people believe the nobility should pay land taxes and strongly support the new tax bill."
While this statement was somewhat exaggerated, similar public sentiment was indeed becoming more prevalent.
Soumière looked at Joseph and said, "Your Highness, as far as I know, many people still have doubts about the tax bill."
Joseph smirked dismissively, "But those doubts are diminishing."
With the rising sales of his two newspapers, public opinion would inevitably lean in favor of the tax bill. Moreover, the bill had little impact on most people while improving government finances, giving them no reason not to support it.
"No, Your Highness, the tax bill has faced opposition for a long time, and people won't suddenly..."
Joseph didn't want to get bogged down in a debate over minor details. The opposition had come well-prepared, and engaging in a detailed discussion would only play into their hands.
He quickly interrupted and addressed the Queen, "Your Majesty, Archbishop Brienne has already devised a comprehensive plan to advance the tax bill, and it is already in motion. I can assure everyone here that within two months at most, the tax bill will be registered by the High Court."
Everyone was taken aback, not expecting Brienne to be so confident.
Even Brienne himself was puzzled, wondering when he had come up with this plan. But he quickly realized that the Prince was helping him.
(End of Chapter)
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