Descending On France 1780
Chapter 317 - 310 As before

Chapter 317: 310 As before

That night, Anning accompanied Pauline and the newly printed paper money to the Jacobin Club.

When he entered the club, the monastery’s nanny (the Jacobin Club was originally set up in the monastery) was startled: "Oh, look who’s here!"

Anning went up to give the nanny a hug: "Nanny, long time no see! How have you been?"

"Good, good. I thought you would never come back to this monastery."

"How could that be? In this monastery, I spent the most important time of my life."

While speaking, Anning reminisced about his days teaching at the Paris Military Academy, reporting to the club every evening.

Back then, a group of friends would gather together, discussing the future of France and casually playing bridge.

The nanny was very happy and immediately called a young nun: "Go, remove the flowers from table three and wipe the table clean!"

Anning: "Flowers on table three?"

In those days at the Jacobin Club, Robespierre, Dan Dong, Marat, and Anning all liked to sit at table three, which was like their exclusive territory.

Nanny: "Yes, I kept this table reserved because it was frequently occupied by you all. I often tell the new nuns that back then, the people seated around table three were influential figures, representing France’s future!"

Anning: "So because of that, you don’t let others sit there..."

The nanny suddenly sighed: "You all have become important figures and gradually stopped coming to the monastery. Young Marat even died. Sometimes, I dream of you all sitting around that table again, drinking, playing bridge, and laughing loudly...

"It was such a good time back then."

Anning pursed his lips, as he too had just envisioned the scene.

At this point, Pauline interjected: "So that’s what you did at the Jacobin Club. And here I thought you were plotting revolutions."

Anning raised an eyebrow: "If by plotting you mean discussing ideas without specific action plans, then we did indeed plot."

Pauline: "People outside say that at the Jacobin Club, you voted on who would attack the Bastille."

Anning: "How are you so well-informed about what’s outside?"

"Because Christina took me to many salons and reading groups. People also say that when you encountered dangerous situations, you would draw lots in the club to decide who would do it."

Anning looked helpless, guessing that even if he, Frost himself, went to the public forums in Paris and said, "No no, we didn’t do such grand things; we just played bridge," nobody would believe it.

Listening to Pauline’s words, the nanny laughed heartily: "They didn’t do such remarkable things. They just drank, chatted, and played cards—just like any other idle young people."

Anning: "We were not idle; at that time, we all had proper jobs. I was a teacher at the Military Academy, Dan Dong was a lawyer, Robespierre was a trainee lawyer, Marat was a doctor..."

"Marat a doctor!" Pauline exclaimed.

"A former doctor; later, he felt that medicine couldn’t save France, so he abandoned medicine for literature."

Anning paused, then continued to make up lines for Marat: "At that time, he said, ’Judging from the current situation, physical diseases are not as crucial as diseases of the heart,’ so he became a journalist and founded the Friend of the People, criticizing societal ills in the newspaper every day."

Listening to Anning’s words, the nanny silently made the sign of the cross on her chest: "Poor child, may he rest in peace in Heaven."

Then, a nun came to the nanny and said, "Table three is ready."

Anning: "Then let’s go, nanny, you carry on with your affairs."

Then Anning walked into the hall, and Pauline naturally took his arm.

Pauline’s arm felt entirely different from Christina’s. When Christina linked arms with Anning, it was like sinking into cotton, soft and warm, often sweat-drenched.

Pauline, on the other hand, was remarkably cool.

Entering the hall, Anning immediately caught everyone’s attention.

Anning heard someone whisper in astonishment: "Frost! He actually showed up at the club!"

Anning: "Of course I would come. I have spent quite unforgettable moments at the Jacobin Club, these memories are treasures in my heart, never fading."

As soon as he finished speaking, applause erupted in the club.

However, a discordant voice spoke out: "You have the nerve to return, you who lined your pockets during the revolution!"

Anning immediately looked in the direction of the voice, and then saw Camille Demourlan.

He was also an old member of the Jacobin, and he had participated in the Storming of the Bastille holding a pistol to his own head saying, "Unless you blow us away with one shot, we’ll never stop," and he even incited the crowd to seize the military hospital to get weapons.

In this sense, this man had once been Anning’s comrade-in-arms, after all, they had charged into the Bastille together.

Anning: "De Mulan, I have read the articles you wrote. I think there are some misunderstandings between us."

De Mulan, after Anning received five hundred ounces of gold from Balas, wrote an article denouncing Anning (the one FouchE read).

De Mulan took a deep breath and then crossed his arms: "Then speak, just like before, convince me."

— Just like before... Indeed, in this monastery, members of the Jacobin would engage in heated debates over their theoretical differences.

Back then, Dan Dong and Marat were the radicals, while Robespierre was seen as more moderate.

And Robespierre was also a lawyer opposed to capital punishment, perhaps one of the earliest abolitionists.

Just like before...

Anning observed De Mulan, noticing he had hardly changed from his memory.

"I accepted gold bars from Balas, not as a bribe, but as an investment. I will also publicly sell shares of my industrial trusts established in Paris. Mr. Balas just got the news early and chose to invest."

De Mulan scoffed coldly: "Humph, do you think by saying this we can’t see through your cover-up? Whatever you say, the fact that you took gold bars remains unchanged!"

Anning nodded: "Yes, I took it, but I will give him dividends. His share is in the profits from my enterprise in the future."

De Mulan: "Compared to dividends, Mr. Balas has gained far more politically, right? You wouldn’t know how active he has been in Paris since you took his gold bars!"

Anning: "There definitely is that objective impact, but believe it or not, if the news of my visit to the Jacobin Club today spreads, this club will be packed tomorrow?

"I cause such ’phenomena’ no matter what I do. You should view this matter more objectively, De Mulan. You know I have always been obsessed with the approaching Industrial Revolution. I’ve always believed that only through the Industrial Revolution can we truly solve France’s current predicaments.

"To put it bluntly, the problem with France now is that ancient social structures hinder the development of productivity. Only by advancing productivity to the next stage can we solve the issues of this stage!"

Then there would be new problems at the next stage, but Anning did not intend to discuss that at this moment.

De Mulan: "Here we go again! Your delusion about the Steam Revolution! Even back in the club days, I thought you were delusional!

"No need to discuss other matters; how could ships possibly not need sails? Your delusions, all nonsense! You are just looking to amass wealth!"

Anger flared in Anning, his voice deepening with suppressed rage: "This is the inevitable trend of the future. You can insult me, but you cannot insult the future of the Industrial Revolution."

De Mulan: "Ha, struggling to argue you start flaunting your General Frost authority? Feeling exposed now..."

At this moment, Pauline threw her glove at his face.