Life of Being a Crown Prince in France-Chapter 633 - 542: Brought to Justice
Chapter 633: Chapter 542: Brought to Justice
With Joseph’s devilish whispering narration, Ford and the other Tax Farmers shuddered, the hair on their backs standing on end.
However, Joseph continued, “I’ve heard that after that skinless ball of flesh crawls out from underground, it usually remains alive, running about in pain on the ground.”
“Please, no more…” Morrel, already frightened by the torture, closed his eyes and pleaded in a trembling voice.
Joseph nodded and, seeing a few people sigh in relief, suddenly slapped his forehead, “Oh, almost forgot, there’s one last step they mentioned: pouring a bucket of boiling water over that ball of flesh!”
“Ah—” Morrel was so scared that he fell to the ground, a wet patch forming on his trousers.
The others appeared as if their souls were about to leave their bodies, some clutching their chests as if about to vomit.
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Of course, Joseph hadn’t heard about these things from the intelligence bureau; at most, they would smash fingers or drive wooden stakes through calves—those kinds of “tricks.”
This was the best of thousands of years of tortures “selected” from Lu Dingji, surely enough to plunge someone into an endless Purgatory, experiencing despair and terror from the depths of their soul just by hearing it once.
Seeing the few men thoroughly intimidated, Joseph then declared sternly, “If you think you can keep your mouths tight enough to keep the secrets of your ill-gotten gains, by all means, go ahead and give it a try.”
No one replied. Most were still wiping cold sweat or struggling with the feeling of their stomachs turning upside down.
At last, Ford managed to regain his composure, albeit reluctantly, “If you press us like this, we’ll commit suicide right away, and no one will have it easy!”
Joseph’s eyelids lifted slightly as he said slowly, “If you pay the fines and accept the court’s judgment, I might allow your descendants to inherit your titles and the remaining property.
“Your families, your surnames will continue to exist.”
Seeing a few still not speaking up, he continued, “Oh, right, aside from Borelay, who ordered the attack and killed the Tax Officer, and Barrot and De Contre who incited the caravans to disrupt national trade, as well as Antoine, whose Tax Farming Bureau was involved in numerous homicides, the rest, especially those with fewer illegal records, might not be sentenced to death by the High Court.”
Utmost pressure followed by a sliver of hope, alongside attempts to divide them as much as possible. This was forever the best way to deal with opponents who band together.
Morrel quickly compared situations and immediately his eyes flickered with joy; he was clearly among those mentioned last by the Crown Prince.
Since he could save his life, why bind himself to a sure-death rascal like Borelay?
He had an estate worth 14 million, and even after paying the fines and deducting recent expenses, he should be able to leave about 2 million for his family and children.
Perhaps after serving a few years in jail, he might even be released on bail.
Thinking this, he took a deep breath, moved his cold legs forward two steps, and said dejectedly, “Your Highness, I am willing to pay the fine. Please keep your promise…”
Joseph nodded, “You made the correct decision; this is the attitude a penitent should have.”
Ford looked at Morrel with despair, feeling somewhat envious. He was the president of the Tax Farmers Association, and he had overseen much of the confrontation with the government, so naturally, he could not expect a light sentence.
But after hesitating for a long time, he eventually expressed his acceptance of the Crown Prince’s plan.
He was acutely aware that when the Crown Prince said just now that his family and descendants could inherit his titles and property, he quite literally meant it.
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Even if the court sentenced him to beheading, at least these could be assured.
Moreover, now that Morrel and the others had compromised, even if he wanted to continue resisting, there was no hope of victory. Not to mention, it would make him more likely to “experience” the terror of mercury flaying—he swore, no matter what, he wanted no part, not even the slightest, with that thing!
Soon, the other two Tax Farmers participating in the negotiations also accepted Joseph’s proposal. Drained of all their strength, they left the Tuileries Palace with wooden expressions, to pass on the outcome of the negotiations to the other Tax Farmers.
As Ford and the others left, two carriages drove out from the Dutch embassy in France.
An intelligence agent watching the front door of the embassy exchanged glances with an investigator from the Tax Bureau hiding under an opposite tree. The tax investigator mounted a horse and followed.
They were there watching Nop.
This Dutch banker, probably worried about being arrested by the Tax Bureau—with the heads of Tax Farmers and their subordinates rolling lately, he was genuinely terrified—had sought refuge in the Dutch embassy a week ago.
Suddenly, from the embassy, someone called out loudly, “Mr. Vischhof, have a safe journey. Tell my wife I am well in Paris.”
The investigator turned to look, seeing Hope standing at a second-floor window of the embassy, waving to the two carriages.
And from the carriages, people also popped their heads out and waved back a few times.
However, the investigator still cautiously followed the two carriages on horseback, and that evening, after the people from the carriages checked into a hotel, he observed them closely from the shadows—since they couldn’t directly stop and search diplomatic vehicles, it had to be done this way.
They were all embassy staff, without Hope. Yes, he should still be in the embassy.
So, the two investigators hurried back to Paris overnight to continue their stakeout there.
What he did not expect was that, half an hour after he left, the Dutch diplomats snuck out, took tools to remove the roof of the carriage, and Hope immediately popped his head out from a hidden compartment.
From the other carriage, Fankevich also complained as he jumped from the roof, but because his legs had been cramped for so long, they were numb, and he fell heavily to the ground.
The next day at dawn, the two disguised themselves and mixed into a merchant convoy, and two days later, they boarded a ship on the Picardy Coast, sailing toward the nearest British port…
Half a month later.
The Paris High Court passed the judgment on Tax Farmer Borelay—sentencing him to beheading for 16 charges, including murdering the Tax Officer, murdering five other civilians, kidnapping, smuggling, and added a hefty fine of ten million francs.
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Clerks turned into officials, handling taxes, justice, administration, promoted step by step based on seniority. The Charter Act passed by Congress in 1793 confirmed this principle. The act indicated that in India, all principal civil appointments below the council should be filled by the company’s covenanted servants. In 1800, he established William Fort College in Calcutta to train company administrators, but it didn’t succeed. In 1806, Haileybury College was established in England…
