Chapter 125 Crisis Public Relations

Dubois wrinkled his nose and felt an ominous premonition in his heart. He quickly turned around and ordered the police: "Antoine, spread out the search! Faustin, go back and call more people, quickly!"

About half an hour later, a large group of police officers had surrounded the area, and Anthony hurried back and reported to Dubois: "Sir, a farmhouse to the north has been shelled. An old man and his wife are dead. , houses and stables were also destroyed.”

"Shell attack?!" Dubois suddenly frowned deeply.

After a while, other searchers also returned one after another, but nothing of value was found. At this time, the sky had darkened, and it was difficult to see clearly from more than ten steps away. In addition, the French Guards had been prepared. , so that the police officers all returned without success.

Early the next morning.

In a small room on the second floor of the Industrial Planning Bureau, Murdoch was looking excitedly and anxiously at the notes and drawings in front of him. It could be seen from the bloodshot eyes that he had not slept all night.

In fact, what the Crown Prince told him was so amazing and so tempting that he had no idea of ​​going to sleep.

He picked up a schematic diagram with a complex structure, shook his head and sighed vigorously, thinking to himself: Fortunately, the French crown prince did not build a steam engine, otherwise both he and Watt would probably be unemployed.

These ideas are simply incredible and brilliant. I can’t believe that these were thought up by a fourteen-year-old boy!

He had spent most of the day and night yesterday to understand the design principles of the new throttle valve and new safety valve that the Crown Prince told him, and he also had a rough processing idea in mind.

However, there are still many things he hasn't figured out, and the most "scary" one is the principle of this "three-expansion steam engine". The heat energy utilization rate is frighteningly high, but at the same time it is also frighteningly complicated.

What's worse is that the crown prince only gave him the principles and ideas, but asked him to complete the specific mechanical design.

He didn't dare to think about the words "three-increase type" now, otherwise his brain would immediately throb and hurt. It was obvious that it was overwhelmed...

After a long time, Murdoch finally gave up, sorted out the information, and walked towards the Crown Prince's office.

"Actually, you don't have to be so impatient." Joseph smiled and comforted the haggard inventor. "In the short term, you only need to build the existing steam engine. These new technologies can be slowly figured out in five or eight years. Even if it takes ten years to do it, it will still be too late.”

Just kidding, if Murdoch could really realize all the technologies he mentioned yesterday, France’s industry would not be able to take off directly!

But everything has an objective law of development. Without the accumulation of low-level technology, high-level technology will always be a castle in the air.

Just like a three-expansion steam engine, which has extremely high requirements for finishing and materials, even if Murdoch suddenly bursts with inspiration, completes the specific design, and then rubs it out by hand, the boiler will definitely explode during operation. ——Because the materials and processing levels are far from meeting the requirements.

The reason why Joseph wanted to tell Murdoch about these high technologies was firstly to give him an idea of ​​the technical direction, and secondly to use this to attract him and make him more practical to work in France.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness." Murdoch looked a little sluggish, whether it was because he was tired or because he was hit - he always felt that although he was relatively dull in dealing with interpersonal relationships, he was definitely a super genius in the field of steam engines. Thinking that others had told him the principles and design ideas, but he still couldn't make it.

He sighed and said: "Your Highness, actually, I want to recommend someone to you to help me study the technologies you proposed."

"Oh? Who are you talking about?"

"My neighbor and former colleague, Mr. John Sandel, is a very talented technician." Murdoch said, "Perhaps you have not heard of his name, because his invention of the 'boiler pressure gauge' was used by Mr. Watt." It is considered an important business secret and has not been made public.

"And Mr. Sandel's current living situation is not very good. I believe that as long as you offer a suitable salary, I can let him come to France with a letter."

Joseph was a little ashamed. If he continued at this pace, he would have to dig out Watt's corner.

However, this is all because Mr. Watt himself often "deducts" employees' skills, which gives me an opportunity to take advantage of them.

"Thank you for your selfless recommendation." Joseph thanked him sincerely, and then reported a number, "120 livres. Do you think this is appropriate as Mr. Sandel's monthly salary?"

Murdoch really wanted to say "inappropriate" because it was too high. In fact, giving him only half of this salary would allow Sandel to board the passenger ship bound for France at all costs.

To be honest, from a personal point of view, he really doesn't want Sandel to come, as it will bring competitive pressure to him. However, after reading the technical information provided by the Crown Prince, he also knew that he had to find a helper, otherwise he might not be able to digest all the technology on his own in more than ten years.

Murdoch stroked his chest and saluted: "Your Highness, you are still so generous. I will write a letter to Mr. Sandel right now."

As he said that, he remembered something again: "By the way, Your Highness, I saw that rail facilities are being built in the center of Paris."

Britain had rail transit decades ago, but it was used for transportation in mining areas and had never appeared in cities.

"That's right, Paris is about to hold a fashion week, and rail carriages will be needed to transport guests."

"This is really a great idea!" Murdoch praised, and then continued, "It's just that, to put it bluntly, your track construction workers are not professional enough. Although they have come up with the good idea of ​​using gravel to pad the foundation. , but whether it’s the fixation of the sleepers or the precision of the track installation, it’s all more…well, you understand.”

Joseph said in his heart that I told them to lay gravel. These people's skills are indeed average.

He hurriedly asked: "What suggestions do you have for construction?"

Murdoch waved his hands repeatedly: "Your Highness, I am not good at laying tracks. But I know some experts in this field. A lot of tracks have been laid in the mining area of ​​Birmingham, but in recent years there have been relatively few new coal mines, which has led to their income The situation is very bad."

Joseph's eyes lit up, Mr. Murdoch, have you ever been a headhunter? In just over ten minutes, I was able to recruit so many talents!

The importance of track-laying technicians is self-evident - railway tracks are the technology tree that must be lit to develop trains.

He nodded without hesitation: "Then please extend an invitation to them. There will be a lot of track-laying work in France in the next few years. They must be satisfied with the remuneration."

As soon as he finished speaking, Eman walked in quickly and whispered in his ear: "Your Highness, Baron Friant is here. It seems there is something urgent."

Murdoch resigned with a wink. Friant, the dean of the police academy, entered the office, closed the door behind his back, bowed quickly to Joseph, and said anxiously: "Your Highness, something happened..."

"The farmhouse was hit by a cannonball and someone died?" Joseph frowned, "Is it caused by our training?"

"Probably not." Friant lowered his head and said, "According to your instructions, the charges during artillery training are halved. The farmhouse is 1,800 steps away from the training ground. Even if the gunner's aim is wrong, the shells will still be fired." It’s impossible to fly that far.”

"Do you know who did it?"

"This is still unclear. Major Dubois found traces of gunpowder residue and blackened weeds on the north side of the training ground. It is likely that someone fired at the farmhouse there. But he did not catch any suspicious people."

Friant took a deep breath: "Your Highness, the most troublesome thing now is that the farmer insisted that his house was hit by a cannon from the training ground.

"I don't know who spread the word about this. Now a large number of reporters are interviewing the family, and there are protesters blocking the outside of the training ground..."

Joseph felt that this matter was not simple, so he signaled to Emang: "Please prepare your car, I'm going to the training ground to have a look. Oh, send someone to notify Mr. Fouche and ask him to come too."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Not long after, on the carriage driving to the training ground, Joseph asked Friant: "Theoretically, is it possible for the cannon at the training ground to hit the farmhouse?"

"Your Highness, if it is loaded with gunpowder and there is a favorable wind, the four-pounder can barely hit 1,800 steps."

Joseph nodded: "It seems that someone wants to put the blame on us, and he should be very familiar with cannons."

He looked at Friant: "Who is equipped with a four-pounder near Paris?"

"The closest ones are the French Guard and the Forbidden Forces. Oh, and the Mounted Police also have some artillery. A little further away there are troops such as the Retro Regiment."

Joseph couldn't help but narrowed his eyes. It was difficult for the Forbidden Army to avoid everyone's eyes and ears when they dragged the cannon from Versailles. It seems unreliable for troops like the Lettler Regiment to transport artillery to Paris from nearly a hundred kilometers away.

So only the French Guard and the Mounted Police are the most suspect. Who are they?

A few hours later, the Crown Prince's carriage arrived at the police academy training ground outside Paris.

Before Joseph got out of the car, he saw dozens of people protesting outside the training ground, shouting, "The police academy endangers the lives of farmers" and "Stop training immediately."

Friant said with a grimace: "Your Highness, this matter has been published in today's newspapers. Some people in Paris have also begun to talk that we accidentally attacked the farmhouse. These protestors came early in the morning."

Joseph thought for a while and told Friant: "Don't worry about who did it now, let's do crisis public relations first."

"Crisis PR?"

"Immediately, together with the Viscount of Besançon, on behalf of the police department, go to express condolences to the peasant family, promise to help them repair their house, and give them... 4,000 livres. But remember, in front of reporters, you only say that it is for the family. Assistance, we must not admit that the accident was caused by our training, and the details are still under investigation.

"Next, you must personally lead the police to repair the house of the family every day, give them three meals, and even help them feed their animals. At the same time, publish an open letter to condemn the murderer who attacked the farmer, express sympathy for the farmer's suffering, and write it affectionately. Sincerely.

"I will let the newspapers continue to report and gradually guide public opinion."

Joseph looked at the protesting crowd again: "As for these people, please try your best to appease them and promise them to suspend artillery training. However, you must prepare your shields and beware of anyone instigating trouble, but be sure not to attack them."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will do it right away."

Joseph did not enter the training ground, but first looked at the victim's condition from a distance, and then went to the place where Dubois found the suspected murderer's gunfire.

Dubois had people protect the scene well. He pointed to the marks on the ground and said to Joseph: "Your Highness, judging from the depth of these wheel marks, they should be pressed by the wheels of the gun carriage.

"There are also mounds of dirt here, which are left by the fixed gun mounts. Looking at the footprints, there should be seven people and two horses, just enough to operate a four-pound gun.

"According to my guess, those people should have fired at the farmhouse over there while we were training shooting."

Joseph was checking nearby when he saw Fouche arriving with people from the Police Intelligence Department.

Fouche had already understood the general situation on the way here, and immediately began to carefully explore the surroundings. Then he went to the victim's side and came back with a cannonball.

"Your Highness, there are only wheel tracks leading to the woods nearby, and it seems that some of the murderers escaped to Paris." Fouche said with a solemn face, "With these clues alone, it is difficult to determine their identities."

Joseph looked at the cannonball in his hand, shook his head and said: "Any contact will leave traces. For example, not all four-pounders can fire this cannonball."

Due to the limited level of artillery processing at this time, it was difficult to make the calibers of the cannons exactly the same, so the artillery shells had to be customized individually.

"These wheel marks and footprints all contain useful information. I hope you can use them as soon as possible to determine who is framing the police academy.

"Oh, by the way, judging from the nearby troops with four-pounders, the French Guards and Mounted Police are the most likely."

Fouche repeated the words "Any contact will leave traces" in a low voice, nodded slowly, raised his hat and saluted Joseph: "Your Highness, I will find out who did it as soon as possible."

The next day, the Minister of the Interior's courier hurried to the Industrial Planning Bureau and handed Monod's letter to the Dauphin.

Joseph opened the envelope and looked at it, and saw Monod's letter saying that many nobles had complained to him about the police department or the police academy because of the shelling of their farmhouses, asking him to close the police academy training ground.

Now the Police Department is still nominally under the jurisdiction of the Home Affairs system, so all complaints go to the Home Secretary.

Mono had no choice but to convey the matter to the crown prince, who actually controlled the police system.

"It came quickly enough." Joseph threw the letter aside, a chill flashed in his eyes, "Don't let me catch you!"

…

The police station.

An intelligence officer was reporting the recent investigation results to Fouche: "The Mounted Police have a total of three artillery pieces. As we expected, these guys only bully farmers. I'm afraid they haven't used cannons for a long time. The cannon hooks and The axles were covered in rust.”

Mounted police are similar to rural patrols plus tax inspectors, and are not part of the police system.

"It seems that the focus will be on the French Guard." Fouche said and looked at Prosper, "Have you discovered anything there?"