Make France Great Again-Chapter 144 "Protector of the Realm" Barrow

The Orleans Royal Family’s proactive cooperation and self-awareness surprised Audion Barrot, and he even felt a sense of regret.

If the Orleans Royal Family had cooperated as proactively as they are doing now, perhaps before the Cayenne gathering in 1847, leveraging the leadership position of the Orleans Clan among financial capitalists, and combined with the "approachable" image they cultivated over the years and the Moderate Republicans’ respect for the Duchess of Orleans, there might have been a possibility for the Orleans Kingdom to persist.

Unfortunately, no one expected that the Orleans Kingdom, with eighteen years of governance experience and numerous street battle confrontations in Paris, would be directly toppled by a sudden revolution. Thiers, who hoped to become the Prime Minister of Orleans once again, had to, on the eve of the revolution, both boldly declare himself as tomorrow’s Republican (political chameleon) and try to save the Orleans Kingdom alongside Audion Barrot.

The financial capitalists who had supported the Orleans Dynasty also did not foresee that the kingdom they painstakingly molded would be overturned by the masses.

For some time after the establishment of the Second Republic, certain financial capitalists were still secretly regretting whether their excessive exploitation of the Orleans Kingdom led to such tight circumstances.

Of course, if given another chance, they would undoubtedly tread the same old path.

The nature of the financial class is to consume a lot and give little.

[PS: Since the first Duke of Orleans, the Orleans Clan has been the leader of the Parisian financial class, excelling in lending and banking. During the Great Revolution, the Orleans Clan supported the revolution, hoping that after Louis XVI was deposed, they could ascend with their approachable image. Louis Philippe’s father, the previous Duke of Orleans, Louis Egalite, voted in favor of executing Louis XVI. As the revolution intensified, Louis Philippe abandoned Louis Egalite and fled France independently, resulting in Louis Egalite being sent to the gallows. It wasn’t until Louis XVIII came to power that Louis Philippe returned to France. However, he was always loathed by the Orthodox Faction as the descendant of a regicide, and after 1830, he was also labeled as a usurper.]

On another note, even before Audion Barrot decided whether to set off for Clamont Village, he had already envisioned various scenarios of meeting with Louis Philippe.

This included Louis Philippe vehemently insulting him and the Order Party as thieves, or the former king preferring death to supporting his strategy.

As things progressed unusually smoothly, Audion Barrot couldn’t help but feel a sense of compassion for Louis Philippe.

"Mr. Barrow, could you tell me about the current political situation in France? Is it possible for us to return to France?"

After Audion Barrot had negotiated the "compensation" for the Duchess of Orleans with Louis Philippe, a voice like a goldfinch came from his right side.

Upon hearing the voice, Audion Barrot hurriedly stood up and bowed apologetically, saying: "Madam!"

If Audion Barrot had to choose one person he felt most guilty towards in his life, it would be the widow of the Duke of Orleans, Princess Mary.

The day after the February Revolution was launched, Guizot was dismissed as a scapegoat, and Audion Barrot and Thiers were invited to assemble a cabinet.

As the February Revolution grew more intense, Audion Barrot felt that the revolutionary momentum was irreversible. Coincidentally, at this time, Louis Philippe also fled in haste, leaving only a brief statement that the Count of Paris would succeed, and the Duchess of Orleans would act as regent. A clueless child and a woman unfamiliar with politics were left at the Bourbon Palace to face the members of the Bourbon Palace, while he could only "cowardly" [which Mr. Barrow believed had let down the Duchess of Orleans] hide on the side, leaving the Duchess to face the masses alone.

[PS: Around the time of the February Revolution, the Duchess of Orleans was widely adored by all factions except the Orthodox Faction. When King Louis Philippe fled, after the Duchess became regent, Lamartine personally defended the legality of her regency. Republican generals like General Urdino and General La Moriciere also protected the Duchess of Orleans on the eve of the February Revolution.]

Helena of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, also known as the Duchess, holding the hand of a child dressed in a mini National Guard uniform, gracefully greeted Audion Barrot and said: "Mr. Barrow, please forgive me for my excessive involvement in politics as a woman! In light of the fact that you once served the Orleans Kingdom, could you tell me if we can return to France?"

The Duchess’s voice, like a goldfinch’s mournful cry, combined with her "pitiful" expression, made it hard not to feel a sense of compassion, especially given the good friendship Audion Barrot shared with the Duchess before the February Revolution. In the revolution, because of his own actions, he "abandoned" the Duchess again.

Audion Barrot, feeling even more guilty, truthfully replied: "Madam! Although we (the Order Party) have control over the parliament, the Republicans and the Order Party still form a formidable force. Furthermore, due to some internal issues within us (with the Orthodox Faction attempting to ally with the Orléans Faction), it will still take some time for the Orleans Royal Family to return to France."

Then, Audion Barrot, with a determined tone, continued: "Please believe me; my colleagues and I will definitely do our utmost to help the Royal Family return to France."

At this moment, Audion Barrot was unaware that the colleague he spoke of, Thiers, was no longer content with serving merely as the Prime Minister of Orleans. He intended to become the true French Dictator. Even if the tenure of this dictator was only four years, he was willing to devote his life to strive for the opportunity to dance with France.

"Mr. Barrow, I entrust the hope of the Royal Family to you!" the Duchess promised to Audion Barrot. "Rest assured, once the kingdom is reinstated, you will remain the Prime Minister of the kingdom. Also, please convey my gratitude to Mr. La Martine for defending me and the Count of Paris (the son of the Duchess of Orleans, heir to the throne) during the revolution, disregarding his own safety! I sincerely hope to meet Mr. La Martine and others again; the revolution cannot affect the friendship between us!"

The "dexterous" Duchess of Orleans, with just a few words, depicted the entire revolution as an accident and attempted to leverage her relations with the Republican Faction to pull Lamartine and others towards a neutral stance.

Even Audion Barrot had to admire the Duchess’s astuteness; it seemed that during her year in Britain, the Duchess of Orleans had grown significantly.

"I will convey your thanks to Mr. Lamartine!" Audion Barrot replied, "However, the situation in Paris is far more complicated than imagined."

"Mr. Barrow, what is your plan?" Perhaps it was his deep concern for his descendants that prompted Louis Philippe, who originally had no intention of discussing future matters with Audion Barrot, to speak up.

[Since Louis Philippe fled France, his health, having lost the hope of power, has been deteriorating. He believed he might not live to see the day the Orleans Clan rose to power again and that the matters of the next generation should be left to his descendants to resolve.]

Audion Barrot was taken aback and didn’t respond for a moment: "Your Majesty, you mean?"

"The plan for the Orleans Clan’s return to France!" Louis Philippe said word by word to Audion Barrot, then softened his tone, "Prime Minister Barro, you wouldn’t deceive my poor daughter-in-law and grandson with empty words, would you?"

Faced with Louis Philippe’s almost pleading words, Audion Barrot remained silent for a long time.

To be honest, Audion Barrot only had a rough outline for the plan of the Orleans Royal Family’s return to France. The details still needed to be discussed with other colleagues to possibly succeed.

If Audion Barrot spoke of the plan now, and it failed or leaked, he would likely be the one to take the blame.

"Mr. Barrow!" the Duchess of Orleans called out.

The Duchess’s gentle voice broke Audion Barrot’s resistance. He could only confess part of his devised strategy to Louis Philippe: "Your Majesty, I believe you understand that relying solely on our power (the Orleans Faction) will not be enough to bring the Royal Family back to France, so we need to enlist the help of the Bourbons."

"Ha!" Louis Philippe mocked himself, "Rely on those people? It was because of them that the Kingdom collapsed! Now they seek cooperation with us? Would they cooperate with a regicide? A usurper?"

"Cough... cough... cough..." Louis Philippe’s voice trembled slightly, his expression was particularly agitated, making his cough more severe.

Since Louis Philippe ascended to the throne in Paris City Hall in 1830, he had been constantly on guard against the main Bourbon branch’s counterattack. To suppress the main branch’s forces, he abandoned oversight of the Bonaparte Faction and the Republican Faction, even cooperating with some defected Bonapartists.

He adopted an attitude of ruthlessness against the secretly active Orthodox Faction. How could eighteen years of hatred be so easily resolved?

The Orthodox Faction must wish for my death right now! Louis Philippe silently mocked himself.

"Your Majesty, times are changing!" Audion Barrot said, "We must choose a compromise!"

"How to compromise?" Louis Philippe asked again.

"The Count of Chambord has no children yet!" Audion Barrot said subtly, then looked at the 11-year-old Count of Paris, the implication clear.

"Mr. Barrow, I entrust everything to you!" Louis Philippe said solemnly to Audion Barrot.

"Yes! I will do my utmost!" Audion Barrot replied.

Of course, Audion Barrot did not fully entrust Louis Philippe regarding the issue of the alliance.

The prerequisite for the Orthodox Faction to unite with the Orleans Faction was that the regicide and usurper Louis Philippe had to die.

However, after seeing Louis Philippe, Audion Barrot believed it wouldn’t be long before the full integration of the Orthodox Faction and the Orleans Faction.

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