Chapter 847: Across the strait, the year 1832 (6K8)_3
I imdiately signaled to the lads, asking them to follow back to the police headquarters.
However, what no one expected was that this disturbance would escalate into a rebellion to seize power in a short ti.
On the night of June 5th, barricades filled the streets and alleys of Paris, and everyone was ard. Around 8 PM, roadblocks on the main streets of the city were also set up.
The rebels, holding various types of guns, fired at us fiercely. With my intimate knowledge of Paris’ street network, I led the lads to launch so surprise attacks on the barricades in the old city, capturing so ard n and rebels holding provocative banners.
Hmph! I’m not bragging, but every secret path, alleyway, and nook of Paris’s map is engraved in my Francois Vidocq’s heart.
Honestly speaking, Paris’s atrocious streets should be renovated at an opportunity. Most streets are very narrow, and it would only take stones and wooden stakes to set up a blockade; seven or eight good marksn could easily block the advance of an entire company.
Everyone knows that charging barricades in these conditions is certain death. Soldiers are unwilling to give their lives away needlessly, so they wanted the citizen volunteers from the National Guard to lead the charge, but no one is a fool; these volunteers too did not want to be cannon fodder plugging gun holes.
The situation in the entire city was extrely complicated. I saw so isolated outposts surrender to the rebels after long delays in reinforcent.
On the road, I encountered my old friend, the Earl of the Seine district, Bondi, who was being chased around by the rebels along with a few servants. The journey to his City Hall office was far too long for him.
But luckily, just then a hired carriage happened to pass by, I thrust him into the carriage and dispatched Vakul to ensure his safety. Although Vakul did not perform well in last year’s London mission, this ti he completed the task excellently, living up to my expectations. Hmm… perhaps I should consider recomnding him for a comndation.
I led the rest of the lads as we fought our way back to headquarters, and as soon as we entered, we ran into Chief Jusco.
It was clear that he was sowhat panicked.
Although he had never admitted the political comntators’ predictions about the inevitable downfall of the July Monarchy, the sight of smoke billowing from all over Paris forced him to acknowledge it.
He planned to go to the Tuileries Palace to discuss counterasures with the Pri Minister and the Cabinet but was rather worried about the street firefights. I knew this was my chance to shine.
I escorted him, personally scouting the route ahead. As we passed a governnt army outpost, the soldiers insisted on checking the chief’s credentials and refused to let us through otherwise. Fortunately, they recognized , and in light of fifty francs and my loud reputation, they eventually let us through.
We had just arrived at the Tuileries Palace when we learned that His Majesty the King, Louis Philippe, upon hearing news of the situation in Paris, had rushed back to Paris from the Compiegne castle with the Queen and Princess Adelaide. If not for this uprising, he was supposed to be at Compiegne receiving the King of Belgium, Leopold I.
Though His Majesty looked quite pitiful, lacking any kingly aura, I still applauded him for personally riding back from Neuilly to command operations in the capital. This at least showed his responsibility as a king.
I was glad that I had once served in the sa unit as the King in my youth, and even after all these years, he had not lost the courage to face difficulties directly due to a life of comfort and high status.
Marshal Robeau received us at the Tuileries Palace and issued clear and vigorous instructions to the Great Paris Police Hall.
However, within the hour we spent traveling between the court and the police headquarters, our headquarters on Jerusalem Street had co under attack by the rebels. Fortunately, our stationed officers held their ground.
I hardly had ti to catch my breath before I led my n to circle around from Île de la Cité to the right bank of the Seine River. From what I knew, the center of the disturbance was in the Saint-rri district. The streets here were very narrow, allowing only single-file passage, making the cavalry suffer heavy casualties here.
When I arrived, I found that so of the rebels had started drinking and celebrating. The streets and alleys were filled with drunks. Of course, not everyone was like that; so of them were still guarding the barricades.
After several hours of fighting, my lads and I were all tattered and filthy. Yet, a keen-eyed person among the rebels recognized . Instantly, their rifles were all aid at us.
God! At that mont I was scared out of my wits!
I heard bullets whizzing over our heads, chilling my scalp.
Like street rats, we were hounded and fled confusedly. We managed to return to headquarters disheveled and demanded enhanced firepower from the chief. I assured him that if he fully ard my Security Departnt, I could quickly quell the riot.
But Jusco evidently doubted , as even the Great Paris Police Hall headquarters had just been surrounded by those rebels. Seeing his reluctance to approve guns and ammunition for , I had no choice but to take my n back to the Security Departnt.
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