Descending On France 1780
Chapter 86: Advance on Versailles 080

Chapter 86: Advance on Versailles 080

Soon, the news that the Flanders legion was stationed near Paris spread throughout the entire city.

Along with it, a vividly described story also circulated: It was said that at the banquet hosted by the French King for the Flanders legion, the legion’s officers trampled on the tricolor emblem.

As for the origin of this story, it was unclear.

Everyone who told this story with conviction would claim they heard it from an eyewitness, but if pressed to name the specific person, they’d invariably hesitate and be unable to give a clear answer.

On the third day after the Flanders legion was stationed near Paris, on the morning of October 5th, a large crowd of Parisians gathered in front of the town hall’s plaza.

Lafayette ordered the National Guard to disperse the crowd, but the command was not obeyed.

More and more people joined the masses, among them a significant number of women.

At 10 a.m. sharp, a female fruit seller climbed atop her fruit cart and cried out high and loud: "Ladies and gentlemen! I’m sure His Majesty the King does not wish to see us in such a dire state! He must have been coerced and deceived by that German-speaking Austrian woman!

"Our French women, we must go and awaken His Majesty to the truth! Once His Majesty comes to his senses, he will never allow us to starve! Sisters, let us go to Versailles! We shall confront His Majesty!"

The fruit vendor’s cries immediately garnered the response of many women present. Many of them were housewives who could no longer afford to buy bread, with their entire families going hungry, leaving them no choice but to take to the streets.

Shouts rose among the crowd: "Catch that Austrian woman who told us to eat cake!"

"Yes, let her conjure up cakes for us!"

The fruit vendor who initiated the call out shouted: "Sisters, follow me! Let’s all go to Versailles!"

Saying so, she jumped down from her cart and took the lead.

The masses followed her, and began their march from the city plaza in a vast and vigorous procession.

Lafayette watched all this from the second floor of the town hall, a smile crawling up to his lips.

The Mayor of Paris, Ba Yi, said beside him: "Should we order the National Guard to take decisive action?"

Lafayette: "What action to take? Isn’T this just perfect? The King thinks that with the support of the Flanders legion, he can rest easy; well, I’d like to see how he deals with the angry citizens. With the legion’s bayonets?"

Ba Yi: "And if he does use the bayonets?"

Lafayette: "He won’t. I had a meeting with the King yesterday, and Andy Frost tested him then. It was clear that the King has not yet made up his mind to be an executioner. Because of this, we can utilize public opinion to force the King to yield.

"The National Guard just needs to be ready, to step in and clean up the mess when the time is right."

Ba Yi raised an eyebrow: "You are as wise as ever. However, I must remind you, the Artillery led by Mr. Frost is even closer to Versailles Palace. It would be best if you control the timing of your intervention, lest Mr. Frost picks the peach again."

Lafayette frowned.

"That Frost, either he’s very good at hiding himself, or... I’ve been observing him lately and find that he seems to be a man without great ambitions. He truly appears to have no interest in fame and profit - he values sleep more."

Ba Yi: "Maybe so. Anyway, I’ve warned you."

Lafayette nodded: "Don’t worry, I’ll seize the right moment."

**

Over at Anning’s end, early in the morning, he was supervising the training of his small troop when suddenly, a huge throng of people approached from afar, marching past the large road outside the estate.

The troops in training all stopped to look in the direction of the road; someone whistled: "Wow, looks like a bunch of old dames!"

Anning turned to Jean Paul, a Junior Sergeant he had promoted, and said: "Sergeant, fall in! Keep them solemn!"

"Yes, sir!" Jean Paul responded, turning to give orders, "Fall in! Attention! Stay solemn, no talking!"

Anning, with his hands behind his back and marching in step, approached the road and addressed the people on it: "Ladies, where might you be going?"

"We’re going to Versailles!" someone replied, "We’re off to ask His Majesty for bread!"

Anning understood at that moment what was happening: no need to ask, this was the very famous "March on Versailles" event in the history of the French Revolution.

This event nearly led to the premature beheading of Louis XVI and scared him and the Queen greatly.

After that, the King completely caved in, never able to assert himself against the National Assembly again.

As Anning reminisced about the script, a woman in the crowd recognized him: "Hold on, sir, aren’t you the Noble Killer, the Berserker who stormed the Bastille, Mr. Andy Frost?"

The Berserker who stormed the Bastille? What the devil, have I become a Berserker? I wonder if I’ll eventually get a white-haired red-eyed little loli as my master?

And her voice actress would still be Mae Mizutani, right?

Anning touched his nose: "Uh, that’s me. But I wouldn’t say Berserker..."

"Mr. Frost, come with us! Help convince His Majesty! He must have been deceived by that Austrian woman!"

— Don’t involve me! I’m already hard-pressed to stay neutral, you better ask someone else!

Anning: "I’m sorry, I still need to train the troops, I can’t leave just now."

"Then bring your troops along, too! And with your cannons!" An enthusiastic older lady said, "Let’s all go and persuade His Majesty, he must have been deceived by that Austrian Woman!"

Nema, take the cannons to persuade His Majesty?

Anning: "Forget it, you go ahead, His Majesty will definitely listen to your opinions."

Saying that, Anning waved his hand and turned towards the direction of his own troops—more accurately, he was fleeing.

He was afraid if he didn’t flee now, he would be forcefully carried off to Versailles by the surging crowd.

Then he would really have become the leader of public opinion.

He had just reached his troops when Rang Bo’er reported, "Captain sir, we are lined up and ready to set off at any moment."

Anning was startled, "Set off for what?"

Rang Bo’er looked puzzled, "Eh? Aren’t we setting off? I thought we were going to help out the crowd."

Anning: "Help out my arse! Artillerymen, stand down! We are a unit of the National Guard, we only mobilize under orders from General Lafayette."

"Is that so?" Rang Bo’er asked doubtfully.

"Of course, what do you think?"

"I thought we were your troops, you decide where to fire."

Anning: "Shut it! You can’t talk like that. Anyway, this has nothing to do with you. Continue your training."

Anning then supervised his troops for another two hours of training, while there were always people going towards Versailles on the road by the gate.

Anning reckoned that by now, Versailles Palace might already be surrounded by the public.

At a time like this, if he rushed to Versailles Palace, it could give the wrong impression to the people.

What if the crowd carried Anning off to charge into the Palace?

Anyway, Anning already had a psychological shadow from being carried and charged into the Bastille last time.

So he didn’t attend the meeting in the afternoon, choosing instead to stay with his troops in the manor.

At five o’clock in the afternoon, Dan Dong came looking for Anning on horseback.

"Andy!" Dan Dong yelled as soon as he entered the manor, "Why are you still here? The people have surrounded Versailles Palace, they demand His Majesty leave Versailles for Paris, to reside in the Palais des Tuileries!"

Anning: "Is that so."

Seeing Anning like this, Dan Dong couldn’t help but laugh: "It looks like you anticipated this situation? When do you plan to make your appearance?"

Anning: "Make an appearance?"

"Aren’t you waiting for the perfect moment to step in? With your prestige among the people, you’ll definitely be able to persuade them to disperse!"

Anning was alarmed: So that’s what I’ve been thinking? This is news to me.

Anning: "Doesn’t the King have the Flanders legion? A mere few thousand people, how could they stand against sixty thousand Flanders soldiers?"

Dan Dong laughed, "The legion’s soldiers refused to disperse the crowd and have already withdrawn to their barracks. Now, the public has surrounded Versailles Palace, and only the French King’s Guards are preventing the crowd from entering the palace."

Anning: "It seems even if you are the Flanders legion called from afar, you are deeply influenced by the Enlightenment."

"That’s right, His Majesty is running out of options. So when do you plan to step in on behalf of the people to pressure the palace?"

—— Just say I have no such intention!

Right at that moment, two military officers came galloping over on horses, shouting when they reached the gates of the manor: "By the King’s command! The National Guard must immediately proceed to Versailles and disperse the assembled public."

After delivering their message, the two officers continued galloping towards Paris City.

Even as they raced past, large numbers of people were still heading in the direction of Versailles.

Dan Dong looked at Anning: "The order has come, do you plan to ignore the King’s command? The King might hold you accountable for disobedience later."

Anning curled his lip.

If he hadn’t been in the manor’s yard, he could have claimed he hadn’t heard the command. But those two delivering officers had seen Anning, despite being separated by the manor’s gates.

Anning: "Bo’er!"

"Present!" Junior Sergeant Jean Paul responded loudly.

"Rally the troops! We’re going to Versailles."

"Yes!" The sergeant paused, then asked, "Should we bring the cannons?"

—— What the hell would you bring the cannons to Versailles for?

"Bloody hell, of course not! We’ll go as infantry, marching to Versailles."