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Chapter 613 The King dies! Long live the King!

Almost five minutes before Zhao Xin and the others evacuated, the residents of No. 366 on Avenue Saint-Honoré were awakened by a rapid knock on the door. Although it was already past two o'clock in the morning, some people were still awake.

, except for the owner’s family, the other tenants in this house are almost all night owls.

The landlord Dupre is a carpenter and does some furniture business, but most of his income still comes from rent. Since the Revolution, his favorite tenants have been Jacobins. At present, the tenants in the yard are not only well-known in later generations.

In addition to famous painters such as Gerard and Prudhon, there is also Maximian Robespierre.

The living conditions of the house are not very good, and there is no privacy. If a visitor wants to find Robespierre, he must first enter the dining room and then climb up the narrow ladder-like stairs to reach his room.

.However, this place is only a few doors away from the "Association of Friends of Liberty and Equality" (Jacobin Club). When you go out and turn a corner, you will find the Tuileries Palace and the Horse Racing Stable (the seat of the National Convention). This is comparable to Robert

Spier's previous residence in the Mahé district was many times closer.

The landlord Dupree, who was woken up, walked to the door and asked through the door: "Who is outside?"

"I am Fréron. If you have something urgent, please see Mr. Robespierre!"

Two minutes later, Maximilian Robespierre, fully dressed, was already standing in the restaurant on the first floor.

"What happened?" It was nearly 3 kilometers away from the Temple Tower Prison, and the sound of flintlock gunfire could not be transmitted at all, let alone the silencer-filtered gunshots of the special operations battalion.

"Sir, something big happened..."

When he learned of the attack on the Temple Tower prison from the sans-culottes who reported the news, Robespierre was shocked and speechless, but then decided to rush to the city hall to get the latest news.

Although it is only just over a kilometer from Avenue Saint-Honoré to the Paris City Hall, a large number of armed sans-culottes from the surrounding districts are gathering towards the location of the Temple Prison, causing crowds to gather on the narrow streets.

, it took Robespierre 20 minutes to arrive at the City Hall, and then he learned one shocking news after another from the mouth of Paris Mayor Boucher.

About 500 royalist militants broke into the Temple Tower Prison at around 2 a.m. this morning. Although the garrisoned National Guard resisted, they suffered heavy casualties due to the small number of people. The National Guard Battalion in Linwai District

and sans-culottes also participated in the encirclement and suppression, but the opponent's firepower was too strong, and several attacks were repelled. Later, when the National Guard battalions from the two surrounding districts came to support, they launched a new attack under the cover of multiple cannons.

After a round of counterattack, the Temple Tower Prison was retaken.

However, when the soldiers rushed into the tower, they discovered that Louis XVI was actually dead! According to the preliminary investigation, he was stabbed in the abdomen with a sword, causing massive bleeding. In addition, no one alive in the tower except Queen Marie Antoinette

In particular, only a few servants who were locked up on the first and third floors were found. Not only were hundreds of royalist militants missing, but even Louis XVI's sister Lady Elizabeth, daughter Princess Charlotte, and heir to the throne Louis

.Ciel also disappeared.

Go ahead! When the members of the Paris Commune and the National Convention heard the news, it was like a bolt of lightning struck their foreheads!

What was even more horrifying was yet to come. Soldiers of the National Guard and sans-culottes carried torches and carefully searched every inch of the four floors of the Temple Tower Prison and the square garden. Except for a few...

This unlucky guy was tied up like a pig, and not even a trace of a royalist was found!

How did they escape? You must know that these were not a few people, but hundreds of people! Besides, not long after the exchange of fire, the entire Temple Monastery was surrounded by citizens of the Sans-culottes organization. Even those people

No one dares to stop you after climbing over the wall, but there will always be people who see you, right?

But no one saw it, it was really a ghost!

The General Security Committee under the National Convention immediately ordered a large-scale manhunt throughout the city. National Guard battalions from 48 districts and more than 20,000 sans-culottes members led by the Paris Commune took action to search every corner of the city and interrogate all suspicious homes.

Arrest every suspicious person. There are even many surveillance agents outside the British, Spanish, Dutch, Russian and American embassies.

Of course, it is impossible to conduct a door-to-door search of the apartment on the Place des Vosges where the diplomatic mission in Beihai Town lives; after all, they just took eight thousand pounds of wheat from them for free, which alleviated the food crisis in the whole city of Paris. Who is the friend and who is the enemy?

Can still see clearly.

Besides, just how many days did it take for those thirty-odd people to disembark from Le Havre and enter the city of Paris? Except for General Deng, who led the team, who was proficient in French, and an assistant staff officer who knew English, the others could simply ask

Well, I'm afraid I don't even know what Temple Tower Prison is for.

To be able to do such a big thing, it would take at least several months of planning.

The Jacobins, headed by Robespierre, Danton, Marat, Camille and others, at the meeting held in the equestrian meeting hall, unanimously determined and affirmed that there were members of the National Convention and the National Guard.

A traitor; otherwise it would not be enough to explain how hundreds of royalist militants stormed the Temple Tower under the noses of the garrison and watchers.

Marat, the Jacobin "terrorist", loudly denounced from the podium that the internal corruption and impurity of the National Convention and the General Security Council were the main culprits of all this. This guy attacked Foreign Minister Le Brun on the spot.

Said he was in contact with foreign agents, accusing banker Val Kiers of being an Austrian agent and a speculator on the exchange.

"We want to arrest all enemies and all suspicious people! If we don't want to be eliminated ourselves, let us eliminate all conspirators without mercy! Only dictatorship is the only way to defeat all counter-revolutionary traitors!"

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "That's enough!"

Although the Girondins were at a disadvantage, they immediately counterattacked. They first targeted Marat; you must know that among all the Jacobins, this Sun Tzu's speech was the boldest and most offensive. As long as

Once his arrogance is suppressed, others will not be affected.

De La Salle, the Girondin leader, interior minister and Madame Roland's husband, immediately stood up and spoke, saying that it was Marat's advocacy and incitement in September that led to the massacre, and that the Paris Commune adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards it.

Attitude, and this is also the root cause of the royalists' desperate efforts to save the royal family. In addition, he also declared at the Paris Commune Council in September that at least 270,000 heads must be chopped off to ensure the cause of the republic.

smooth progress and the tranquility of the French people.

There was an uproar among the people present, and some members of the Girondins called for the anarchist to be arrested and tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal. However, this was not an issue to be discussed at today's meeting. Elie Guardet, the president of the National Convention, vetoed the proposal.

When it was Robespierre's turn to speak, he first called on everyone present to remain calm, but he himself was not calm at all. He even roared on the podium: "I demand that those who protect traitors be severely condemned!"

Pétion, former president of the National Convention and member of the Committee of Public Safety, stood up and was about to speak when Robespierre suddenly said: "You are their accomplice."

Petion's nose was so angry that he thought, "Have I provoked you?" But he reacted quickly and retorted a few seconds later: "Yes, if I am an accomplice, so are you. It's time to end all atrocities."

It’s time! It’s time to put the traitors and slanderers to the gallows! And I will personally execute them!”

Robespierre shouted: "You are lying!"

Pétion responded: "You are the one to be punished!"

The two accused each other like shrews and immediately caused a commotion in the venue. You must know that the two of them were very good friends six months ago. Robespierre and Pétion were neighbors before moving, and they ate and discussed together every day.

Question. Since August 10, the relationship between the two has deteriorated sharply, and now they have openly turned against each other!

Faced with the increasingly fierce attacks on him by the Girondins, Robespierre made a general refutation, and at the same time exaggeratedly asked everyone present: "Who dares to accuse me?"

At the other end of the parliament hall where the Girondins were sitting, a tall, thin, pale man stood up and shouted: "I dare!"

Everyone took a look and thought, OK! It turned out to be Louve, a reporter for the Journal de Debate, a good friend of Interior Minister De La Salle, who was also one of the representatives of the National Convention. The Girondins were overjoyed and said in their hearts, well done, we

It's up to you to beat him to death!

The reason why everyone thinks so is because Louvet seems to have had a grudge against Robespierre in his previous life. Since two years ago, he has had to scold him from time to time.

"You talk every day. You talk more every day than all the club members combined."

The implication is that I feel tired for you!

"Robespierre, while your tongue is resting, your body is busy attending meetings."

The meaning couldn't be simpler, just calm down, you will be there everywhere!

"You are neither the chairman nor the secretary, but you sit in the most conspicuous place on the rostrum."

Well, this is a serious statement. Who the hell do you think you are, you want to replace the President of the National Convention!

Even though Louvet offended the Montagnards a lot, he actually escaped the massacre by the Jacobins in history, and was finally appointed consul of Palermo, Kingdom of Naples, during the Directory period.

Seeing this person, Robespierre froze immediately, and suddenly felt ten thousand flies flying around his ears. Danton on the side immediately jumped out to the rescue and threatened Louve: "I hope this accuser

Able to insert fingers into wounds."

What he meant was to ask the other party to produce evidence. If not, stop beeping.

Lu Wei glanced at Dandong and said: "I originally planned to do this. But why do you have to stand up?"

"Uh..." Dandong was speechless.

Lu Wei's meaning is very clear. If I dare to stand up, I will naturally have evidence. What the hell are you talking about?

Seeing that Danton was wilting, Louvet immediately shouted to Robespierre: "I accuse you! You regard yourself as the idol of the people and promote that you are the only person in the country who can save France. I accuse you! You use conspiracy and fear.

To dominate the General Security Council and gain supreme power through defamation, violence and acts of terror. I demand the establishment of a committee to investigate your actions!"

At this time, the entire meeting went crazy, and the content of the discussion had nothing to do with what happened last night. Therefore, crooked buildings are human nature, regardless of ancient or modern times.

Although these words of Louve are all clichés, they still pushed the opposition's hostility towards Robespierre to an unprecedented height. Robespierre and the ghostly Louve looked at each other, and his heart went crazy.

He knew clearly that he was in danger of being lynched at this moment, and if he was not careful, he would be doomed. Danton kept giving him gestures urging him to refute immediately. But the cunning Robespierre could neither refute nor wanted to refute.

. He knew that he did not have Dandong's eloquence, and a hasty defense would only make things worse; he needed time to calm down and write his self-defense statement.

He wanted to use strong language to show his long-term great contribution to the revolution. He was right! He was never wrong! Before letting others believe in himself, he must first believe in himself.

He immediately made a request to the president of the Congress, giving him a week to prepare his own defense. Then the members of the National Convention unanimously decided to give Robespierre a week to prepare his own defense, and then everyone continued to discuss how to deal with the current situation.

situation.

You must know that the French government cannot hide such a big thing if it wants to. Those who sympathize with the king and spies from all over the world will certainly not be able to stay idle. In less than three days, Austria and Prussia in the north will be able to

Know.

This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! In the afternoon, further investigation results came out. After questioning the National Guard soldiers who exchanged fire that night, and looking at the wounded and bullet marks, the General Security Committee concluded

The conclusion was that the attackers were royalists funded by Austria. Although the National Guard officers who participated in the exchange of fire that night had different opinions, they were ignored because other than that, there was really no way to explain it. In addition, there were no

Say "alien", otherwise the French would be unprepared for what they would think.

Of course, the only people in Europe who can see clearly bullet fragments are probably the Russians, but the problem is that the Russians can't see them...

This conclusion mainly stems from a gathering of the Jacobin Club in April this year. At that time, a member recommended a newly invented weapon to the club leaders, and was subsequently dismissed by Robespierre as "completely contrary to human nature."

"Basic Principles" and rejected it.

In fact, the fact that the French do not have equipment is not a problem of human nature, but that it is too difficult to process and the cost is too high. Currently, only the Austrian army in Europe uses it.

Yes, the "new invention" that member was so boastful about was the air rifle designed by Italian inventor Bartolomeo Girardoni around 1779. Its basic size and weight were about the same as a flintlock gun, and it had a tubular magazine that could hold 20 rounds of bullets.

.

After installing the magazine, the user first erects the barrel, lets the bullet in the magazine slide to the bottom of the barrel, and then pushes a push rod at the rear of the barrel, through the flat spring connected to the side tube.

Load the bullet and enter the ready-to-fire state; after each shot, press the push rod again and the spring will return. Then repeat the above action again.

The biggest feature of this gun is that it can fire 25 times in one minute. It also has a high rate of fire, low shooting sound (compared to a flintlock gun), and no flame at the muzzle; in addition, because the inside of the barrel is engraved with ratchet rifling,

As a result, the shooting distance can reach up to 150 yards (137 meters).

The special gas storage tank it is equipped with is the butt at the tail. It is connected through threads. When shooting, the check valve at the interface is controlled to release the compressed gas through the linkage of the hammer. Each gas tank can be fired about 30 times.

The internal pressure is 800~850 PSI. The only troublesome thing is that you need to bring at least three compressed air tanks and matching tool kits during combat.

Well, it’s not surprising that there are Austrians behind the Royalists; after all, Marie Antoinette is the Archduchess from Austria, and the army of the Republic is still at war with the Prussian-Austrian forces. So it’s always

Both the Committee of Safety and the National Convention acknowledged this statement.

So the next question is, how did the attacker escape with three people, one large, two small, and one small? The city of Paris is now under full martial law. Tens of thousands of people have been searching for a whole day. Even a mouse escaped from the Temple Tower.

Now that we can catch them, where are the big living people?

Sewers? Of course we have looked for them. The problem is that the sewers in Paris in these days can suffocate people to death, so some people speculate that there must be an unknown secret passage inside or near the Temple Tower. The royalists are

It was through this passage that three people including Louis Charles could be taken away, while hundreds of people could escape unharmed.

Needless to say, you have to dig three feet into the ground to find the entrance to the passage!

During the General Security Council and the Paris Commune, they sent people to interrogate Marie Antoinette many times, hoping to pry answers out of her mouth. But Marie Antoinette dared to make the decision to stay.

They were prepared to be killed even if they were killed. The husband was gone, the children and Lady Elizabeth were taken away, and the Jacobins also had no bargaining chips to blackmail.

When the Jacobins saw this, they thought this was going to be really difficult! They did not dare to torture the queen. After all, the majesty of the royal power had not been shattered in the hearts of the French people. Otherwise, how could Napoleon be successfully elected ten years later?

Where is the emperor?

A few days later, the news of Louis XVI's death spread to all directions. After learning about it, various countries responded quickly.

British Prime Minister Peter Jr. first announced that the murder of Louis XVI was "the worst and most brutal act in human history." Immediately afterwards, the British Parliament unanimously voted to adopt a war proposal against France and approved war funding; Spain immediately recalled its garrison

Ambassador to France, and planned to declare war on France; then the Netherlands also began to actively prepare for war against France.

Catherine II of the Russian Empire learned of the news when she was about to go to bed. She was deeply shocked and saddened, and ordered the entire Tsarskoye Selo to mourn Louis XVI for six weeks.

Coupled with the previous Holy Roman Empire and Prussia, public opinion in almost all European monarchies has begun to oppose the First French Republic and demand the release of Marie Antoinette.

The reaction of the United States is more contradictory. They verbally support the Republic in trouble, but inwardly they feel that the death of Louis XVI is an opportunity, and they may not be able to repay the debt!

For the newly established French First Republic, after winning the battles of Valmy and Gemepis, it had occupied the entire Austrian Netherlands. It was a very exciting time. He was ordered to go to the Belgian front line to investigate the needs of the troops.

Danton declared: "The boundaries of France are defined by nature. The territory will be bounded by four points, the Atlantic Ocean in the north, the Alps in the south, the Pyrenees in the west, and the Rhine in the east."

On the tenth day after the Castle Temple incident, after learning the news from Britain, the National Convention decided to take a preemptive strike and declare war on Britain and the Netherlands.

In addition, Robespierre, Danton and others, who had successfully resolved the political crisis through self-defense, decided not to stop and proposed to set up a special court to try Marie Antoinette and let her compete with Louis XVI.

Go with me!

In such a tense atmosphere, the delegation from Beihai Town bid farewell to the Paris City Council. It was now winter and they wanted to return home while the storm at the Cape of Good Hope was at its lowest.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! After discussion, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided that De Guigne should serve as the accompanying translator. In addition, De Guigne’s family will also accompany him to the East. The public reason is that the old De Guigne

Influenced by the Chinese scholar Jiao Xun, I wanted to explore and study the origins of the Chinese people.

In addition, at the suggestion of De Guigne, the four "Ra gods" Lavoisier, Lacroix, Lagrange and Laplace, as well as the National Convention member Marquis Condorcet will also carry

The family heads east. They will serve as goodwill envoys for the French government on a three-year academic visit to the town of Butterworth.

In fact, due to Zhao Xin's interference, the factional struggle in the National Convention has become increasingly intensified, far exceeding the pace of history in another time and space. The Jacobins were sharpening their knives, and Lavoisier and Gill, who were tax collectors in the king's era,

Condorcet, the core of the Lundists, had already sensed that the storm was coming. Thanks to Jiao Xun and Huang Chengji's prior communication and strong invitation, they decided to leave France with three other scholars.

Taking Lavoisier as an example, he had been forced to resign from the Gunpowder Committee and move out of his residence and laboratory at the Royal Academy of Sciences before coming to North Sea. In addition, for the Paris Commune controlled by the Jacobins

Said that the French Republic needs neither scholars nor chemists! (These are the original words when Lavoisier was sentenced to death.)

On November 25, the National Convention and the Paris City Hall held a warm and grand farewell dinner at the Tuileries Palace. Early the next morning, Deng Fei and his party were cheered by tens of thousands of Paris citizens.

Embark on the return journey to Le Havre.

Zhao Xin, who had already sent the three Louises to the Thor in advance, and then secretly returned to Paris, looked back at the city of Paris that was fading away, and couldn't help but murmured: "The king is dead, long live the

king!"


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