The Fox of France

Chapter 133: A Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Back at his residence, Joseph pondered a question. What documents could he entrust to Fanny for handling? Classified files were out of the question; they could endanger her. But as for non-classified documents, Joseph realized that he didn't have many on hand.

After thinking for a while, Joseph had an idea. He remembered the set of exercise books he had prepared for Napoleon, Lucien, and Louis. These exercises, tailored for kids of different ages and abilities, had an excellent educational impact and could serve as a powerful tool. If he organized them well, he could publish a "Joseph's Mathematics Exercise Book" for the benefit of society. It sounded like a good idea.

So, Joseph decided to leave Lucien and Louis in Paris and gather the math exercises he had done before. Coupled with any materials he had left in Carnot's place, it should be sufficient. Besides, he thought, when Napoleon, Lucien, and Louis joined him in the future, he could provide further training. That settled it; he would focus on nurturing these young "rascals."

Joseph and Fanny had made plans to visit Armand's grave in a suburban cemetery two days later. In 1786, due to health concerns, Paris had banned burials within the city, leading to the proliferation of small cemeteries on its outskirts, which later combined to form the three major cemeteries of Paris.

Armand's remains had been returned and buried in one of these suburban cemeteries near Montmartre. It took quite some time to reach the spot, even back when Fanny had attended Armand's funeral. Joseph, however, didn't think it wise to bring a stack of exercises to such a place. He decided to entrust them to Fanny later, perhaps on the day they were about to depart. In the meantime, he'd take a day to rest.

Yet, Joseph didn't get to rest as he wished. Just as he was contemplating this, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Joseph inquired.

"Mr. Bonaparte, it's me, Fouch," came Fouch's voice from outside.

Joseph opened the door and saw Fouch standing there, holding a package. He looked sweaty from the heat during his journey.

"Please, come in, Mr. Fouch," Joseph welcomed him and poured a large glass of water.

"Thank you, I was quite thirsty," Fouch said as he accepted the glass and downed it in one gulp. He extended the empty glass to Joseph and asked for more.

Joseph poured another glass of water and handed it to him. "Mr. Fouch, why have you come to see me now?"

After finishing the second glass, Fouch replied, "I've resolved the two tasks you entrusted to me."

As he spoke, Fouch took a stack of papers from the black leather bag he had brought with him. "Here are the people I found on the lists. Apart from a few exceptions, most have accepted the terms you offered."

Joseph furrowed his brow slightly. "Why did they agree?"

"Several, like Gaston and Dominique, have health issues. Edmond, on the other hand, has amassed wealth and doesn't wish to continue with strenuous work. The ones to really watch are Franois, Henri, and Otto; they've left Paris, and though their whereabouts are unknown, it appears they had contact with royalists before their departure."

"Heh, even the royalists seem more forward-thinking than some folks in our government," Joseph commented sarcastically.

"For the remaining individuals, I've made contact and, with your authorization, renegotiated their contracts," Fouch continued.

"Mr. Fouch, I appreciate your assistance," Joseph said.

"Furthermore, concerning the privatization of the Naval Research Institute, that's no longer an issue. Well" Fouch handed over a document, "if you sign here, the Naval Research Institute will be sold to you."

"So fast?" Joseph was surprised. He accepted the document and examined it briefly. "Why is the total price 200,000 livres? You won't earn a single livre from this."

"The price in the document is to be paid with bonds," Fouch explained with a smile.

Since the downfall of the guillotine tyrant, bonds had spiraled out of control. Now, one livre in silver was worth at least twenty in bonds.

"Selling it so cheaply?" Joseph was taken aback.

"For this, Mr. Barras took an extra 120,000 livres from me. Of course, that money doesn't belong to him alone," Fouch replied. Without Fouch needing to explain, Joseph knew that the 120,000 livres Barras received were not in bonds.

"Very well, thank you for your help. That leaves us with one final matter," Joseph looked at Fouch. "Now, can you tell me, have you made your decision?"

"Mr. Bonaparte, as per our previous agreement, I should be entitled to 70,000 livres in silver, plus my commission of 2,000 livres, and the amount I saved from negotiations with the others is 1,215 livres. In total, I should receive 73,215 livres from you. If I use 73,000 livres as an investment in your enterprise, how much equity can I obtain?"

The two of them began discussing the details of the partnership. Fouch proved to be more agreeable than Barras in this matter. They quickly reached a broad consensus. Joseph felt that they were on the verge of forming a comprehensive strategic partnership, but at that moment, Fouch asked, "Mr. Bonaparte, how do you perceive the current political situation?"

Joseph knew that Fouch was different from Barras; he valued political standing over wealth. Even so, he asked, "Mr. Fouch, why do you ask me this question?"

"In recent days, while handling these matters for you, I took the opportunity to study your various actions in recent years," Fouch replied. "Your actions have been quite cautious over the years, but now, they've become bolder. That's why I'd like to understand your thoughts."

"Mr. Fouch, it's quite evident that the current government's governance has led to chaos in France," Joseph began. "A regime can only persist if it has support. Who supports this government today?"

"Who?" Fouch inquired.

"Those who are making a fortune and wish to make even more. But do they truly believe in those who once cheered for the Jacobins and hailed Robespierre?" Joseph chuckled. "So, to secure their support, the government must not only guarantee their interests in policy but also ensure that those truly trusted by these people hold key positions in the government. Whom do these people trust the most?"

"The followers of Brissot," Fouch answered.

"Not just Brissot's followers, but also those of Fayou and, as a backlash against the Jacobins, anyone who fundamentally distrusts a strong government. This will inevitably lead to the resurgence of the royalists. These respectable folks, the Brissotists, the Fayouists, they don't trust the current giants at all. Moreover, due to the liberalization of the market and the rejection of the Jacobins, it's bound to have adverse effects on the military's combat capability. So, in the future, France is likely to face continuous military failures, even if there are occasional flickers of hope. Politically, the country will be restless, with frequent uprisings."

Here, Joseph paused and looked at Fouch. Then he continued, "During this time, the respectable folks will realize that the weak government of today cannot secure their interests. They will need a strong government that can genuinely protect and even expand their interests. That's when the real opportunity arises."

Fouch smiled and said, "Back then, Robespierre was deeply concerned that prolonged wars would lead to the emergence of military dictators. But now, it seems this trend is irreversible, isn't it? Your brother is a remarkable general, and you, sir, are an outstanding figure. With financial difficulties and the military beginning to starve, isn't this the perfect moment to privatize the national army? Well, I hope we have a fruitful partnership from now on."

Thus, the two of them smoothly formed a comprehensive strategic partnership.

"Mr. Bonaparte, I recall you wanted me to assist with security and confidentiality matters," Fouch said. "I reviewed the security regulations of the 'Military Research Institute' from the past, and those rules were already quite comprehensive. However, they were costly to implement. I've made some simplifications based on the existing system. If you follow these, it should be sufficient. You also tasked me with keeping an eye on other manufacturers. For that, I need to remain in Paris. Furthermore, our real business needs someone in Paris. General Carnot can handle some military matters, but I believe there are aspects that I can manage better."

"You make a valid point," Joseph agreed. "Alright, you can stay in Paris, overseeing intelligence matters. If you need anything, feel free to reach out to me. When I'm away, you can write to me or approach General Carnot directly."

"Very well, that's the plan," Fouch said as he prepared to take his leave.

"Ah, Mr. Fouch, when I'm not around, there's someone else I'd like you to look after," Joseph added.

"Who would that be?" Fouch inquired.

"Armand's sister, Miss Fanny," Joseph replied.