NOVPUBChapter 1042 -56, An Extraordinary Gathering
As the hegemon of Europe, he had to consider issues globally. Merely supporting the Russo-French war was clearly insufficient; support for Spain鈥檚 troops in Morocco was also essential.
However, how to support them was a headache for Franz. Direct engagement was impossible; the rules of political games were very clear: protect your own wealth.
The world of great powers was the most realistic. If they couldn鈥檛 even handle a few native tribes, then Spain had no right to possess colonies.
Material aid was like throwing meat buns to a dog鈥攇one without return. Morocco didn鈥檛 impede the Holy Roman Empire, so there was no need to suppress it.
Substantial aid, no matter what was given, was a blood loss, so the only option was to encourage them spiritually. Whether the Spanish government needed it or not, the decision was joyfully made.
鈥
...
Snowflakes drifted down, and now the once-bustling streets of Paris in the evening sun were left only filled with misery. The white, blanket-covered sidewalks reflected streaks of faint light.
A chill breeze swept past followed by a sudden sharp, bone-chilling wind, swirling the drifting snowflakes, slicing like blades鈥
A carriage slowly advanced against the wind and snow, intermittently emitting squeaky noises as the wheels compressed the snow.
On the streets, passerby seemed oblivious to this scene, hurrying on their way.
It was almost curfew time. If they didn鈥檛 hurry home, falling into the hands of the patrolling Russian soldiers would leave them skinned.
Suddenly, a carriage window opened, and a middle-aged man leaned out, looking around before letting out a sigh.
潣梆潣佛潟橉潡?co
鈥淧aris, so full of misfortunes and hardships!鈥
Since the 19th century, France had indeed made its mark. But after each highlight, what remained was devastation.
As the capital, Paris was at the center of these tragedies. With each hardship, Paris bore the brunt.
A lavishly dressed woman patted the middle-aged man鈥檚 shoulder, reassuringly saying, 鈥淏urea, stop lamenting. Trust me, things will get better.
The dogs raised by the Russians have sharp noses. Getting caught by them would be troublesome for us.
Now that Paris is in their hands, it鈥檚 really not wise to provoke them. The blood debt left by the Russians will be settled with them someday.鈥
Under the eave, one must bow their head. Under the Russian military鈥檚 blades, even the French nobility now had to bow.
Fortunately, it was the 19th century, and the age of the nobility had not yet ended. Even the lawless Russian soldiers had to restrain themselves somewhat in the presence of the nobility.
Of course, these preferential treatments were only superficial. What might happen in the dark, no one knew.
To survive better, French nobility had to humble themselves, making compromises with the Russians.
There were those who resisted, but the fate of the resisters was generally not good. Although the Russian Army nominally did not kill nobles, they had many ways to kill.
Burea nodded slightly, 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry, Maria. I know what to do next. Let the Russians gloat for a few days.鈥
Where there is oppression, there is resistance. The oppressive rule of the Russians not only angered the French public but also these French nobles.
Most of the resistance organizations within France were secretly formed by French nobility, even many leaders of the resistance were noble descendants.
However, these individuals were mostly down-and-out aristocrats who, beside their noble titles, weren鈥檛 much different from ordinary people.
The truly wealthy nobles all endured silently. Even if they wanted revenge, it was carried out secretly, while outwardly they behaved compliantly.
Burea was one of these compliant individuals, but with more passion than most. He was always striving to drive out the Russians.
As the snow got heavier, the carriage stopped at a manor in the suburbs. Looking around, Burea could see no fewer than fifty carriages.
This was clearly an aristocratic gathering. Playing this boldly under the watch of the Russians, one had to admit the boldness of the French nobility.
However, seeing each carriage鈥檚 noble crest, no one would find this gathering strange.
With so many nobles gathered, secrecy was impossible. Instead of sneaky meetings, it was better to hold a grand banquet.
The circle of European nobility was originally an 鈥渆ntangled mess.鈥
After the European wars, the Anti-French Alliance did not deeply purge these individuals, not because the governments didn鈥檛 want to, but because they couldn鈥檛 bring themselves to do it.
Life and death on the battlefield are inevitable; nothing more to be said. After the war, everyone is still family. Connections through aunts and uncles always exist.
Since everyone is related, tradition must be followed. After all, tradition protected the interests of the entire Aristocratic Group, and as beneficiaries, there was no need to overturn it.
Now, these fellows were only guilty of violating the Russians鈥 curfew and illegal assembly laws, which would be serious crimes for commoners, but for the nobility, it hardly mattered.
If people were arrested for illegal assembly, it would probably cause an uproar in the European world tomorrow. Although the Russians were not afraid of European public opinion, they still wanted aid from European countries.
Unless these fellows were proven to be plotting a rebellion, the Russians really couldn鈥檛 do much to them.
As Franz entered the banquet hall, his frown deepened. Although it was called a banquet, there was not the slightest atmosphere of festivity.
The early arrivals huddled in small groups discussing the situation, sighing from time to time, as if they were in despair about the current state of affairs.
While Franz was feeling lost, a middle-aged man nearby suddenly waved and said, 鈥淔ranz, come here.鈥
Franz hurried over and feigned confusion, 鈥淩etes, what were you all talking about just now? It seemed quite lively.鈥
Retes replied helplessly, 鈥淲hat else could concern us so much but the situation?
Lately, the Russians have become increasingly outrageous. At this rate, the Paris region will soon be ruined by their antics.
According to the news from the docks, over the past week, the Russians have been continuously shipping away prisoners of war on ships.
Although we don鈥檛 know where these prisoners are being sent, it is definitely not good news for France. With the European war, we have already lost a vast number of our able-bodied population, and the Russians now鈥︹€
Everyone was worried. With the end of the European war, everyone had come to understand the importance of the population.
But this realization had come too late. A population does not grow just because you want it to increase, especially when there is a critical lack of young, able labor.
Before France could catch a breath, the Russians started causing trouble again. From what everyone has gathered, the total population of France has decreased by at least two million in the past six months.
The dead, the exiled, the runaways; all of France has plunged into chaos like never before.
Of course, there were some benefits; their competitors for power, too, had been nearly ruined by the Russians.
The capitalists, businessmen, intellectuals, and the middle class, who used to be thorns in their sides, could not withstand the Russian oppression, and many chose to flee.
Now Paris was a city where almost all businesses had withered; the shops that dared to remain open were foreign ones, as local traders had long been scared off by the Russian plundering.
If it weren鈥檛 for their estates being tied to France, these nobles would have also fled. Although the Russian Army ostensibly would not harm them publicly, what they did in secret was uncertain.
The recent sudden deaths among the nobility were not few. The deceased all shared one common trait鈥攖hey had expressed anti-Russian sentiments in public. With such strong suspicions, it was hard for anyone to believe the Russians weren鈥檛 involved.
Despite suspicions, without direct evidence that the Russians were responsible, it was impossible for anyone to appeal to the international community.
Compared to the generally pessimistic crowd, Franz was slightly more optimistic. He comforted them, 鈥淭he situation isn鈥檛 as bad as it seems. Apart from this bad news, there is some good news.
The Spaniards have already cut their stationed troops by half. If they cannot stabilize the chaos in Morocco soon, they will probably continue to withdraw their forces.
From the current situation, the Alliance doesn鈥檛 seem prepared to reinforce the gap left by the Spaniards. It looks like the southern region can breathe a sigh of relief for now.鈥
The Anti-French Alliance stationed troops in France, and the military expenses were borne by the French. Although the Paris Government had gone on strike, with the Russians beginning to levy their own taxes, other countries naturally followed suit.
But compared to the Russians鈥 blunt approach, everyone else knew to take a roundabout way. Usually, they appointed locals as tax officers, and rarely deployed troops unless there was violent resistance to taxation.
Retes waved his hand and said, 鈥淪ome might consider it good news, but these are not issues we can worry about right now.
Have you noticed that among the attendees at the banquet, there are several unfamiliar faces?鈥
The circle of nobility was already small, and the sudden addition of a few strangers was bound to draw attention. Reminded by Retes, everyone glanced around the room and eventually focused on a small corner.
However, considering the purpose of this banquet, those who figured it out tacitly chose to ignore it. 𝖓𝖔𝖛𝔭𝖚𝖇.𝔠𝖔𝔪
Being anti-Russian also required tact; it was fine to deal under the table, but publicly, they absolutely could not give the Russians any leverage.
If the attendees of this gathering were not nobles, then they must be members of the Resistance Organization.
Not to mention not recognizing them, even if they were blood brothers who had now concealed their identities, they had to pretend not to know each other.
In a forest this large, all kinds of birds could be found; it was all too normal for a few nobles to turn into French traitors working for the Russians.
To avoid giving the Russians any leverage, when discussing countermeasures, everyone always spoke verbally, never leaving any written documents.
The presence of members of the Resistance Organization here openly had only one explanation鈥攖he patience of the higher-ups with the Russian Army had reached its limit.
