From Corsica to the Fourth Rome

"Are you coveting the territory of Southern Italy?" Duke Choiseul asked with a frown.

"It doesn't matter what I want to do. After all, I am a humble minister who will only carry out the will of His Majesty the King."

Lawrence smiled, shook his head, and said humbly:

"And His Majesty the King will be happy to see us expand our influence in southern Italy, right?"

Duke Choiseul smiled meaningfully, narrowed his eyes and said:

"Indeed, France will also benefit from this. But Governor Bonaparte, I'm afraid you will be the biggest winner then, right? Corsica also belongs to the Italian heritage. If the king needs a capable, loyal and Ministers who are familiar with Italian customs and culture govern our forces in Italy. Your name will definitely appear on the king's shortlist."

Lawrence shrugged, looked away and said:

"I didn't think so far ahead. We don't even know what happened in the Kingdom of Naples yet."

"Oh come on, dear Laurence, don't play this game with me."

Duke Choiseul said with a smile. He obviously didn't believe that a smart man like Lawrence didn't think so far. Maybe Lawrence was already planning how to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Naples at this moment.

"However, Governor Bonaparte, in view of our close cooperation all the time"

Duke Choiseul suppressed his smile and said kindly:

"As long as your name appears on the king's final selection list, I will definitely make you the representative of France's power in Italy."

Lawrence first glanced at Duke Choiseul calmly, understanding that the Duke was repaying him for his service in dealing with Duke Richelieu.

However, Lawrence did not rush to accept, but asked cautiously first:

"Thank you for your generosity, but the Spaniards shouldn't be happy to see us strengthening our presence in southern Italy? They are France's allies."

"Don't worry about it, Governor Bonaparte. Alliances don't mean complete agreement of interests. Even within a country, there are conflicts of interest, let alone between two countries. And the Spaniards can at most have some issues with us. A painless protest.”

Duke Choiseul waved his hand nonchalantly and said:

"In the final analysis, allies are meant to be used and betrayed. Today's friends may become tomorrow's enemies."

Lawrence smiled and listened, then nodded happily and accepted:

"Then I have no reason to refuse your kindness, Your Excellency Duke. I hope our cooperation will always be so close."

"Hahaha, I believe it will." Duke Choiseul pinched his beard and said with a smile:

"I really want to drink a glass of champagne that symbolizes friendship at this time."

"Why not? Dinner time will be here soon." Lawrence invited with a smile:

"There is also a lot of fine champagne in this mansion. We can have a few glasses at the dining table together."

"Oh, of course, then I won't refuse." Duke Choiseul said in a good mood:

"Just think of tonight as a celebration banquet for a great victory against the Duke of Richelieu."

The evening banquet lasted until late at night.

Although Duke Richelieu has not completely fallen, Lawrence's calculation has given him a fatal blow, which allowed Duke Choiseul to use his power as he pleased for a long time.

Although the Duke of Richelieu also made his counterattack and persuaded King Louis to temporarily transfer Lawrence and the Duke of Choiseul from Paris, this was still a comprehensive victory.

Duke Choiseul also had a high opinion of Lawrence, a young man, for this reason. He did not expect that he could solve half of his major problems in just a few months after arriving in Paris.

The overjoyed Duke Choiseul drank half a barrel of champagne by himself. Even the Duke of Choiseul, who was completely drunk at the end, put his arm around Lawrence's shoulders and said how great it would be if this was his biological son.

Lawrence could only smile awkwardly at this, and quickly sent people to find Duke Choiseul's entourage and asked them to take the drunk and unconscious Duke back.

At the same time, Lawrence could only pray that Duke Choiseul's drunken words did not spread. After all, the French like to use the person's origin when slandering someone.

If Duke Choiseul's drunken words spread, I'm afraid someone would spread the rumor the next day that Lawrence is the illegitimate son of Duke Choiseul.

However, Lawrence, who had been drinking and talking with the Duke of Choiseul all night, could also see that the Duke had more than 90% trust in him at this time.

"It's always good to be trusted."

After seeing off Duke Choiseul, Lawrence, whose cheeks were slightly red under the influence of alcohol, covered his forehead and muttered softly:

"Trust can be used as the cornerstone of cooperation or as capital for betrayal."

The next day, July 5

After being hungover, Lawrence got up early and wrote a letter to Prince Louis telling him that he was leaving Paris temporarily.

Since arriving in Paris, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's performance has been quite satisfactory. He spends two or three hours every day reading and studying the various reports of the National Silver Company of Corsica.

Although the crown prince still spent most of his time making locks. After all, the number and level of locksmiths in Paris were much higher than those in Versailles. However, Lawrence was very pleased that Prince Louis could study finance for a while every day.

At least Lawrence can do business with King Louis. He has indeed brought the crown prince into contact with the emerging bourgeois operating methods.

After blowing the ink on the letter paper dry, Lawrence called the old housekeeper and gave instructions:

"Send this letter to the Tuileries Palace, prepare a carriage from the palace, and inform Justice Maupp of the Palace of Justice in advance. I would like to meet with him in the afternoon."

Since the Duke of Choiseul has reminded himself to complete the treaty as soon as possible, Lawrence has also decided to end the negotiations with Justice Maupe without further delay in the next few days.

Since the last time Louis XV ordered that all the achievements of the Duke of Choiseul be preserved in the negotiations, there was little and no matter left to negotiate between Lawrence and Chancellor Maupe.

After all, the core terms of the treaty had even been agreed upon by Lawrence and the Duke of Choiseul at their first meeting in Toulon.

But despite this, the process still needs to be followed, and Lawrence does not want to give up even the smallest details to the French.

His mere words at the negotiating table might affect the core interests of a certain group in Corsica, so Lawrence still attached great importance to the entire negotiation.

At about one o'clock in the afternoon, Lawrence drove to the gate of the Palace of Justice on the Ile de la Cité.

Since someone had been notified in advance, there was already a bureaucrat wearing a purple silk robe and long leather boots in front of the gate waiting for Lawrence's arrival.

"Your Majesty Bonaparte, what an honor to meet you!"

When the purple-robed bureaucrat who had been waiting for a long time saw Lawrence stepping out of the carriage, he immediately trotted over and said with a flattering smile:

“Your arrival really adds a touch of splendor to the entire Palais de Justice and the Paris High Court.”

Lawrence glanced at the bureaucrat indifferently.

The purple robe on his body means that he is an assistant judge of the Paris High Court. Although his status is much lower than that of the trial judge, he can be regarded as the middle and upper class of the High Court.

Moreover, the position of assistant judge can also be hereditary, which shows that the purple-robed bureaucrat in front of him is also a bureaucratic aristocrat.

Although the High Court held great power and was a loyal ally of the Duke of Choiseul, Lawrence did not have a good impression of this group of people and the bureaucratic nobles.

As later historians concluded:

"Although the Paris High Court is in fact nothing more than a small, selfish, arrogant, corrupt and corrupt oligarchic ruling group, it still regards itself, and is also regarded by the public, as the guardian of France's constitutional freedoms."

The High Court can be said to be synonymous with conservatism and decadence. If it were not for their firm resistance to fiscal reforms, France's finances might have survived for decades longer than in history.

And if his political stance did not allow it, Lawrence would even somewhat support Justice Maupp in suppressing the High Court.

"Are you...?" Lawrence asked with a frown.

"Ah, sorry I haven't introduced myself yet, my name is Jackie Hadera de Roel."

The purple-robed bureaucrat still said flatteringly:

"I am an associate judge of the Paris High Court. Just call me Associate Judge Jackie. I heard that you were coming to the Palais de Justice, and I came to receive you."

"Okay, Judge Jackie, please excuse me." Lawrence nodded and said expressionlessly.

"Oh! Where are you, Monsignor Bonaparte?"

Judge Jackie said cheerfully, as if it pleased him to hear Lawrence omit the word "assistant" from the title.

Lawrence looked at the diligent and flattering appearance of the purple-robed bureaucrat in front of him, and could basically guess why he was so enthusiastic.

He already has a close relationship with the Duke of Choiseul, and he also has considerable political energy in Paris by virtue of his close relationship with the royal family.

In addition, the story of Duke Richelieu has spread throughout Paris. For people with higher status like Judge Jackie, they will not feel that Duke Richelieu was simply killed by Falco like ordinary citizens. The count had been tricked, and they knew very well that this was a trap set by Lawrence for the Duke of Richelieu.

When Judge Jackie and the others heard that Lawrence had sent an earl to the dungeon and a powerful duke to house arrest without any blood, they couldn't help but feel a little more fear and admiration for this young man who had just arrived.

With the support of these multiple factors, Judge Jackie completely regarded Lawrence as someone who needed to be fawned over.

After all, the task of receiving Lawrence could normally be done by a small official, rather than requiring an associate judge from the upper echelon of the court to receive him personally.

"Come in with me, Monsignor Bonaparte."

Judge Jackie bowed comically and respectfully, then led Lawrence through the door, adding:

"I heard that you are going to meet with Marquis Maupe, but he is out for something. According to the arrangement, he should be back at two o'clock in the afternoon."

Judge Jackie did not address Maupp as Chief Justice. It seemed that Justice Maupp was indeed very unpopular with the forces of the Paris High Court in the Palace of Justice.

"Three o'clock in the afternoon? Is there more than an hour left?" Lawrence took out his pocket watch, looked at it, and said with a frown.

"Yes, that's right."

Judge Jackie suddenly lowered his voice and said mysteriously:

"If you don't mind, I can take you around the Palace of Justice, especially the Ancient Prison of the Palace of Justice. I think you will be interested in it."

"Judiciary Palace Prison.?"

Lawrence was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted and said:

"You mean that Count Falcone is in there?"

As the Duke of Choiseul reported the news to Lawrence yesterday, he mentioned that Count Falcone was directly sentenced to life imprisonment by King Louis and was immediately taken back to Paris for imprisonment in the Palais de Justice.

Before the French king's palace was moved from Paris to Versailles, the ancient prison of the Palace of Justice was a veritable royal prison, very similar to the Tower of London in the United Kingdom. Prisoners with higher status or special status were usually held here. The Paris High Court sentenced the prisoners before they could be transferred to other prisons.

"My God, you are so smart."

Judge Jackie pretended to exclaim in compliment, and then explained with a smile:

"Yes, the guilty count was sent to the ancient prison just last night, and he will stay here for the rest of his life. I heard that there is some relationship between you and him, so I was wondering if you would think Want to meet him."

"Okay, take me to see the ancient prison." Lawrence said casually.

Although Lawrence didn't pay much attention to the little chess piece Count Falcone, and he was not interested in doing anything to add insult to injury to this already crazy man, but since Justice Maupe would not come back for more than an hour, Lawrence would take it as a I went on a sightseeing trip to the ancient prison to pass the time.

"Okay, come with me."

Judge Jackie said excitedly, and led Lawrence towards the depths of the Palace of Justice.

The two entered a heavily defended masonry fortress without any obstruction.

The inside of the fortress is relatively clean and bright, not as dark and smelly as an ordinary prison. After all, the prisoners here are not ordinary prisoners.

Judge Jackie led Lawrence through the rows of cells and walked deftly towards the cell where Count Falcone was being held.

At this moment, a sonorous and powerful shout was suddenly heard from a cell on the left side of the corridor:

"Wait, are you that judge? Your Honor, I object to my charges. I should not be imprisoned here!"

Lawrence and Judge Jackie both stopped and turned to look at the cell.

Inside was an unshaven man with gray temples who looked to be nearly sixty years old.

He grasped the cell door in front of him with both hands, but did not shake it violently; although his voice was very powerful, he stood calmly and calmly, just staring at Judge Jackie.

The old-fashioned dress on the man was also very shabby. It was full of wrinkles and dark patches that were difficult to detect. It seemed that the man's living standard was not rich.

However, these clothes are washed very clean, so they still have a different kind of spirit when worn by men.

Lawrence stared at the calm man for a while, unable to help but feel fascinated.

He showed neither overwhelming courage nor earth-shattering power, but the temperament around him revealed an unparalleled willpower and wisdom, just like a poor philosopher who traveled around the world.

Lawrence has met countless people throughout his life, but this man's temperament still attracted Lawrence's attention immediately.

Judge Jackie was first startled by the man's shout. He looked at the man in the cell and thought for a moment before recognizing who he was. Then he walked to the cell door with a curse, kicked him, and said loudly:

"Why are you shouting! Your case has been filed long ago, and the fact that you violated the ban is irrefutable! Just stay here. I think you are old, don't make it so that you can't get out of here alive!"

There was no reaction on the man's weather-beaten face. He seemed to have been used to such words for a long time. He was still calm and composed, and replied in a neither humble nor arrogant manner:

"Your Honor, I have the right to raise objections and request the Paris High Court to re-examine whether I have violated the ban."

Judge Jackie ignored him at all. He just turned to one side and smiled apologetically at Lawrence:

"Hahaha, I made you laugh. Nine out of ten people imprisoned here will say that they are innocent. You don't need to pay attention to him. Let's keep walking. Count Falcone's cell is right in front."

Lawrence turned and looked at the man, but did not continue to move forward. Instead, he asked Judge Jackie:

"Who is he? Why is he locked up here?"

"Him?" Judge Jackie looked embarrassed and stammered:

"His name is Jean Jacques or something. I remember he was a book writer. He once wrote two banned books. This time he violated the ban imposed on him by the Paris High Court and was arrested."

"Your Honor, strictly speaking I am not a 'book writer'. I am a scholar. As for whether I have violated the ban, I still have objections."

The man in the cell said calmly:

"Also, my name is Jean-Jacques Rousseau."