I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 508 Let the gangsters tremble, Mr. Robespierre!
Joseph was a little surprised when he heard this - he had seen reports from the Intelligence Bureau about threats and attacks against the Tax Bureau before, but he had never expected it to be so serious.

These tax farmers are so bold!

His first reaction was to ask the Intelligence Bureau and the police to cooperate and let the attackers taste the iron fist of the violent agencies, but then he thought of another thing and frowned.

Who were Robespierre and his subordinates?

That’s the “French IRS” we created ourselves!

In later generations, the IRS in the United States was able to arrest gangster godfathers who even the FBI couldn't deal with, take away members of Congress in public, and catch keyboard warriors through the Internet.

And now, the French "IRS" is like a bullied young wife, being bullied by a group of gangsters and running to me for help...

How is this possible?

You know, in this era of jungle law, beating tax officials and gathering to resist taxes are common. If the tax department does not have a bit of "murderous intent", it will not be able to collect taxes at all.

We can take this opportunity to give the tax bureau some exercise.

Joseph thought of this and looked up at Robespierre: "What are your plans for these evil criminals?"

Robespierre immediately said: "I hope to add some guards to the tax bureaus in various places..."

Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him. "There will be no guards, but I can equip all tax collectors with two pistols and standard military swords. You can even request cannons if necessary."

At present, the standard equipment of the tax bureau is that each person is equipped with a Charleville 1776 flintlock rifle, as well as batons, shields and other equipment. Although this firepower is already very strong, it obviously cannot give tax officials enough confidence.

Robespierre was a little slow to react: "Your Highness, but we are facing assassins..."

"So what? You are tax collectors!" Joseph raised his voice, "You are tax collectors who have received strict training at the Paris Police Academy and have the authority to search, interrogate, and arrest!

"Whether they are killers, gangsters, or smugglers, they should only tremble in fear when they hear your name, instead of daring to threaten or even attack you. Attacking tax collectors is a felony. If you are equipped with guns, you must be good at using them!"

Robespierre felt a surge of blood rushing through his body when he heard this. The dauphin was right. He was a tax collector who was determined to devote everything to the interests of the country and the people. It was a shame that he was frightened by a group of gangsters! What about his perseverance and faith? Did they all disappear when he encountered danger? !
Joseph saw the change in his eyes and continued to encourage him:
"You represent justice and the whole of France. You also have enough power to let those lawless people know how powerful you are. They will have nightmares whenever they think of the reputation of the tax collector!
"Go ahead. Tell me if you need any weapons and I'll send them to you right away, but they won't be guards."

Robespierre immediately stood at attention and said loudly: "Yes, Your Highness!"

After he left the Tuileries Palace, he immediately returned to his office, tore up the speech he had previously written to appease his subordinates, and then wrote a new one based on what His Royal Highness the Dauphin had just said.

Not long after Robespierre left, Brian came to Joseph's office and saluted excitedly, "Your Highness, just now Berlant came to me with the drafted agreement, saying that he would increase the package tax to 5 million francs and give up some trade-related taxes. It can be signed immediately. However, I drove him away as you ordered."

Joseph smiled when he heard this. The tax farmers are always using both soft and hard tactics, intimidating the government tax officials on the one hand and offering generous tax farming agreements on the other.

However, judging from their actions, their method of "making empty payments" had clearly produced results - the confidence of the tax farmers, who had previously relied on the tax revenue to control the government, began to collapse.

Then the next step is to start implementing the differentiation operation for the tax farmers.

He gave Brian some instructions, then summoned Fouché and asked the Intelligence Agency to investigate the forces behind those who attacked the tax bureau.

Most of these attackers were sent by tax farmers. If we can find evidence against them, the resistance to tax reform will be reduced. …

Palace of Versailles.

In the reception room of the Crown Prince's bedroom, Charles, one of the largest tax farmers, kept looking at the door with an anxious look on his face.

His assets in France were temporarily seized three days ago, and the High Court explained that the intelligence agency was conducting some investigations on him.

Several banks and loan funds under his name were affected, and some shareholders had received the news and were anxiously asking him what had happened.

Charles tried every possible means but could not find the answer.

Finally, after spending thousands of francs, a captain from the Intelligence Service revealed to him that the investigation was conducted at the request of His Royal Highness the Dauphin.

So he hurried here again.

It was more than an hour before the prince finally came back.

Charles hurriedly stood up and saluted respectfully. He was thinking about how to ask about the seizure of assets in a subtle way, but unexpectedly, the crown prince spoke first: "Are you here to learn about the investigation of you by the Intelligence Bureau?"

Charles was startled, then nodded immediately: "Yes, Your Highness. I have always been engaged in legitimate business. The Intelligence Bureau's seizure of my assets without reason will cause me to suffer huge losses."

"Business?" Joseph deliberately stretched out his voice. "You seem to have forgotten something."

"I swear, Your Highness, my business is all legal!"

"It seems I need to remind you." Joseph's face darkened. "You have provided financial support to the rebels in the Southern Netherlands for a long time, and you did not stop when our army was fighting against the rebels."

Charles was immediately shocked. France had declared war on the rebels in the Southern Netherlands. According to what the Crown Prince said, that was a serious crime of aiding the enemy.

He waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Your Highness, this is absolutely impossible. I have always invested in the royal families or governments of various countries. I would never be interested in the little benefits of the rebels."

"is it?"

Joseph motioned to Emmanuel to fetch a document and flipped through it.
"Your Charles-Botton Bank in the Southern Netherlands provided a total of three loans to the rebel group last year. You also helped them complete dozens of fund transfers with Dutch and British banks."

Charles' eyes widened: "This... This is impossible!"

Joseph threw the documents to him directly: "Take a look for yourself."

Charles immediately saw that it was written: Charles-Botton Bank, Brussels Branch, loaned 10 livres to the Herlos Steel Company on October 21...

Charles-Botton Bank, Burgenland, loaned 12 livres to the Ghent Town Hall on December 1…

There are more records of loans and financial transactions later.

(End of this chapter)