Descending On France 1780
Chapter 321 - 314 abnormal noise

Chapter 321: 314 abnormal noise

Robespierre said to Dan Dong, "Don’t worry, as a third-party witness, I have made full preparations, and there is a doctor on-site."

While he was speaking, the doctor appeared: "Move aside, let me see the injured."

Only then did Dan Dong reluctantly give way to the space in front of De Mulan.

The doctor stepped forward to examine De Mulan’s body, and then gently removed his monocle, saying to Dan Dong, "He has passed away, please accept my condolences."

Dan Dong let out a long sigh, then turned to look at Anning.

Dan Dong: "Explain yourself, why did you resort to deception? I always thought you were someone who would uphold fairness and justice in a duel, following the principles of a Knight."

Anning thought to himself that he would definitely do so if he were the one dueling, as he is invulnerable with divine protection.

But Pauline does not have that kind of advantage; if she gets shot, she’ll be injured, and if she gets killed, she’ll die.

Anning chose to tell the truth: "Because the one dueling this time is my best friend’s sister, I cannot bear the cost of losing her. If it were me fighting, Dan Dong, I assure you, there would be absolutely no tricks."

Robespierre looked at Anning with a complex expression.

At this point, Pauline interjected: "But in the end, I won using a legitimate method, General. The rifled gun you prepared for me didn’t even come into play."

Robespierre also nodded: "Yes, you killed this man in a fair fight, I have no objections to the result. However, the fact that cheating was involved beforehand is not something to be proud of."

Anning had no defense; he indeed intended to use this duel to get rid of De Mulan, going as far as to employ some cunning tactics for it.

Now that De Mulan was dead, there was one less catalyst for a future split between Dan Dong and Robespierre.

Although his objective was achieved, Anning felt a sense of distance from Dan Dong and Robespierre.

Anning quickly adjusted his mindset: I have chosen this path, so I’ll follow it to the end. If I hit a southern wall, I’ll break through it, and just keep moving forward.

**

Back at the Royal Palace, Christina had been waiting for a while.

"How did it go?"

Before Anning could answer, Pauline burst out and gave Christina a thumbs up.

"All set!" said Pauline, "The man who insulted Frost’s dream has been killed by me. From now on, no one in Paris dares to speak ill of the steam revolution."

Anning: "Their current disbelief in the steam revolution is simply due to shortsightedness.

"When we equip every factory in Paris with steam engines and have iron dragons running between cities, carrying huge loads tirelessly, they will realize that I was right.

"By then, they will have no choice but to acknowledge my foresight."

Pauline curiously asked from the side, "Iron dragons running on the ground? What is that?"

Anning: "It’s a transportation vehicle driven by steam engines. Because the steam engine is as big and powerful as its stature, typically many cars are strung together, towed by one locomotive."

Christina: "When he talks about these things, he always describes them so vividly, as if he has seen them with his own eyes."

Anning thought to himself that he had indeed seen them.

But outwardly he had to say, "I have a rather vivid imagination, imagination."

Christina: "He hasn’t even told you about the mechanical iron birds that can fly in the sky yet, you should really listen to that!"

Vanni: "And those ships that don’t need sails, that move forward by wheels driven by a steam engine."

Pauline: "My goodness, what a fantastic and wonderful idea, I never thought General Sir would still have such a childlike imagination!"

Anning: *pressing a hand to his forehead* You just wait, when I actually build these things, you’ll owe me an apology.

At this moment Pauline, with a twinkle in her eye, says to Christina: "Right, during the duel earlier, General Sir was actually called out by Mr. Robespierre for cheating!"

Christina: "Was it the affair with the rear-loading firearm that was discovered? I warned him about it yesterday, but he insisted on doing it because he was afraid you’d lose."

Pauline, pouting: "There’s no need for that, the duel was my own choice. If anything happened, I should take responsibility. I think my brother would say the same if he knew, he wouldn’t blame the General if I went to duel and got killed because I acted on my own accord."

Anning: "Napoleon might forgive me, but I cannot forgive myself."

Christina: "That’s just the way he is."

Pauline: "Ah, I know, I know. I want to write to my brother and tell him about my first duel experience."

—Your first duel? From the sound of it, do you plan on having a second?

Anning could only scratch his head.

**

Dan Dong returned home and flopped into the sofa, staring blankly at the grandfather clock facing the couch.

The pendulum of the clock swung back and forth, emitting a regular ticking sound.

He maintained this dazed state for several minutes.

Then his second wife Louis entered through the door: "Dear, speak to me when you’re back."

Dan Dong shook his head: "Sorry, as soon as I got home, I just..."

Louis came over and wrapped her arms around Dan Dong from behind: "De Mulan’s case, I’m very sorry."

"No, it’s not about De Mulan... uh, I mean his death does sadden me, but it’s not his death that’s making me silent right now."

Dan Dong sighed deeply, then began recounting: "You know, Frost actually gave Miss Bonaparte, who was dueling with De Mulan, a rear-loading handgun.

"This kind of handgun is much more accurate than ordinary ones, and it’s quicker to reload. This is practically an overwhelming advantage."

Louis: "But isn’t it customary to have representatives check each other’s weapons before a duel?"

"The problem is just that, the craftsman De Mulan brought to check the weapons didn’t mention any issues with the weapons prepared by Frost’s side.

"I’m afraid, he must have been bribed by Frost already."

Louis muttered "I see," and Dan Dong continued: "Such a thing was unimaginable before. Frost always faced his dueling enemies head-on; he never stooped to use any underhanded tactics.

"But now, he has... he has become like this."

Louis: "Dear, this isn’t something strange. People are always changing, aren’t they? Once, Maximilien was opposed to the death penalty, yet now he sends forty or fifty people to the guillotine each day.

"Frost must be the same.

"Of course, it’s also possible that he used to be fearless because he had nothing to lose, and now he has things he cannot bear to part with."

Dan Dong did not pick up on his wife’s words, instead burrowing into the sofa and falling silent for a long while.