After a while, amidst the creaking of the door, the door slowly opened, and Fouché appeared before Joseph.
Ever since joining the Ébels, Fouché had moved his residence to this place. It was mainly to show his camaraderie with those unruly comrades. Plus, since his affiliation with the Ébels, Fouché had maintained a high level of integrity. If you didn't consider his history of shifting allegiances, during this period, he was almost a moral exemplar, just like Robespierre.
How...
2023-11-07 20:14:21 +0000 UTC
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Joseph arrived in Paris, and his first order of business was to find Carnot.
He entered the grand building of the War Department and followed the familiar path to Carnot's office. The office door was slightly ajar, and Joseph lightly knocked on it.
"Come in, the door is open," came Carnot's weary voice from inside.
Joseph pushed the door open and, as he walked in, exclaimed, "Lazare, I'm back! Surprise, surprise... Oh, Lazare, you don't look too good. Are you ill?"
"It...
2023-11-07 20:14:13 +0000 UTC
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When the news of Robespierre losing his head reached Toulon, Joseph had just completed all the tests for his new ship. The ship's performance was outstanding in every aspect, with one minor issue - it was now rendered obsolete.
The message was personally delivered by Napoleon himself.
"Joseph," he said, "Are the carriages ready for your departure?"
"Everything is prepared," Joseph replied. "A four-wheeled carriage and a detachment of cavalry. I've asked Lecleire to escort yo...
2023-11-07 20:14:05 +0000 UTC
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It took Robespierre the entire night to prepare his speech, in which he listed the names of Fouche and over a dozen other members of parliament secretly associated with him. These were the individuals who would soon lose their parliamentary status and find themselves on the guillotine the following morning.
With everything in place, Robespierre retired to his bed. Days of anxiety and internal conflicts within his camp had taken a toll on his health, causing frequent, severe coughing spe...
2023-11-07 20:13:55 +0000 UTC
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As the struggle in Paris was reaching its boiling point, Joseph decided to take a day off in Toulon. He brought his mother and all his siblings to Fort Malgrève for a day of fishing to celebrate the family reunion. A few days earlier, Napoleon had arranged for Louis to be brought to Paris from Toulon.
Since the last punishment meted out to Lucien, Joseph's standing among his brothers and sisters had considerably improved. However, he could sense a slight distance growing between them.<...
2023-11-07 20:13:45 +0000 UTC
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The series of blows seemed to have dazed Robespierre. In protest of the Committee of Public Safety's perceived defiance of him, he decided to feign illness and stop attending their meetings. Meanwhile, his key supporter, Saint-Just, was dispatched as a northern commander due to the growing threat of an attack by the anti-French coalition forces. In the Committee of Public Safety, Robespierre's loyalists dwindled down to just Couthon. To many observers, it appeared that Robespierre was losing ...
2023-11-07 20:13:37 +0000 UTC
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Fouché had rushed to visit Carnot under the cover of night. Carnot eyed him with disdain, but Fouché, unfazed, pointed out the significant regression in the principles of freedom and democracy that Paris once held dear, and he believed it was abnormal and unsustainable.
Carnot, not a fan of Fouché due to his unpredictability, wasn't too fond of his presence. However, he knew Fouché wasn't entirely wrong. Still, he replied, "You may have some valid points, but you've arrived too late...
2023-11-07 20:13:28 +0000 UTC
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When Fouché's carriage arrived in Paris, he realized that all his plans during the carriage ride had been in vain. Both Danton and Desmoulins had already been sent to the guillotine. That night, the lights in Fouché's residence stayed on, and no one knew what he was up to.
Early the next morning, Fouché headed to the National Convention. He was one of the first to arrive, finding the hall almost empty, except for a janitor tidying up. The entire hall was silent, and the delegates did...
2023-11-07 20:13:21 +0000 UTC
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The maiden voyage of the "Black Pearl" had been a resounding success, and in the following weeks, they conducted several more trials. However, the revolutionary situation did not allow for a leisurely pace. As soon as the Committee of Public Safety received word of their initial success, they demanded the mass production of this type of ship.
So, less than half a month after the first voyage, the ship's blueprints were dispatched to several naval shipyards, and rapid production began.
2023-11-07 20:12:43 +0000 UTC
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Joseph had a busy schedule, so he set off later that afternoon. Napoleon, being thoughtful, even arranged for a cavalry escort from one of his regiments to accompany him. Yet, as they bid him farewell, there was an air of uncertainty, as if they were watching a paper boat being set alight.
Joseph hadn't criticized Napoleon too severely; he simply pointed out that while his intentions to protect his younger brother were admirable, his methods were flawed.
"A truly moral person dema...
2023-11-07 20:12:28 +0000 UTC
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A few days later marked the start of the "Ten-Day Holiday." Ever since the French Republic adopted the "Republican Calendar," this holiday system seemed to align with the ancient customs of the East, where officials would enjoy one day off every ten days. This system was humorously praised in "Tengwang Pavilion Ode" with the line "ten-day holidays, friends aplenty." Meanwhile, in the Western territories, the tradition of resting one day every seven days, influenced by Jewish customs, was chan...
2023-11-07 20:01:02 +0000 UTC
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As Joseph and his entourage departed, Lucien let out a sigh of relief. He patted his chest and said, "Thank goodness, Joseph was in a hurry. Well, we can take a break now. It's finally daylight!"
After uttering those words, he suddenly turned to Napoleon and asked, "Napoleon, Joseph's visit to Toulon and the matter of Pauline in Toulon, almost everyone there knows about it. Do you think..."
Pauline grew nervous upon hearing this.
Napoleon reassured them, "Don't worry. Joseph...
2023-11-07 20:00:58 +0000 UTC
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The decision had been made, but its execution required more time. Establishing an institution was no easy feat, and preparations involving personnel and resources took time. Additionally, many matters in the Paris Institute needed to be organized. Therefore, it wasn't until mid-Rainmoon that Joseph was finally ready to depart for Toulon.
If we only considered the research aspect, having Lavoisier oversee the Paris Institute would have been the best choice. However, given Lavoisier's "pr...
2023-11-07 20:00:53 +0000 UTC
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The situation with saltpeter shortages had finally eased, and on the snowy day of December 21 in the Republican Calendar (which didn't correspond directly to the months of the conventional calendar – it had slightly fewer days in each month, similar to the Chinese lunar calendar), a significant deposit of saltpeter was discovered in the Douran region of France.
To say it was a discovery wasn't entirely accurate. The presence of saltpeter in Douran had been known since the time when Fr...
2023-11-07 20:00:50 +0000 UTC
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Fouché's method of coercion was essentially extortion through kidnapping. However, it differed from regular kidnappings in one key aspect - he didn't demand ransom from his captives. Instead, he required them to "expose the people hiding money that belongs to traitors of the Republic." He told each captive that if they could provide information within the first fifty to prove their loyalty to the Republic, they would be set free from prison and even receive a reward from the money Fouché co...
2023-11-07 20:00:45 +0000 UTC
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On the nineteenth of December, which should have been a frosty day in Frimaire, Napoleon encountered an old acquaintance in Marseille—Joseph Fouché, a commissioner dispatched by the Convention. Fouché had been sent to Marseille to replace Couthon, tasked with investigating the counter-revolutionary activities in the south and overseeing requisitioning of various supplies.
When Couthon had arrived in the south, he was full of ambition, believing he could achieve the same glory as Sai...
2023-11-07 20:00:41 +0000 UTC
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In the southern regions, Napoleon was busy with the retraining of his troops and the development of new battle plans. The introduction of the "little melon" had dramatically changed the way battles were fought. Previously, firing at a formation with muskets posed limited threat, as one musket ball could only take down one person, and the formation could retaliate effectively. Most of the time, skirmishers were considered more valuable than regular infantry because of their ability to fight in...
2023-11-07 20:00:36 +0000 UTC
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As Napoleon rapidly resolved the Turin issue, the French mobilized more armies and turned their attention to the north. Their timing was impeccable because, at the very moment they launched their offensive, the anti-French alliance faced internal discord.
Much like the fable of the swan, the salmon, and the shrimp pulling a carriage together, each country in the anti-French alliance had its own agenda, leading to a lack of cooperation and even undermining each other.
The British w...
2023-11-07 20:00:32 +0000 UTC
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Almost synchronized with the departure of the British and Spanish, Davout and his army had entered Toulon. Davout had expected that the rebels might put up a stubborn resistance, but as he entered the city, people came forward willingly to show him the way. They claimed to be loyal to the revolutionary republic and had long awaited the arrival of the army, whether it was the King's forces or, oops, I mean the Republic's army from Britain and Spain. However, Davout didn't trust these self-appo...
2023-11-07 20:00:24 +0000 UTC
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"Indeed, the British are stronger than the Austrians and Prussians," Napoleon said to Oloron as he watched the approaching British army.
"If it were a field battle, these fellows could inflict significant casualties on us," Oloron nodded in agreement. "Look at them; after such a beating, the Austrians would have turned back home to their mothers."
"Austrians? At Valmy, just one round of artillery fire killed hundreds, and the rest of them, tens of thousands, froze in fear. But loo...
2023-11-07 20:00:09 +0000 UTC
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In the midst of the fog, Pauline dashed about, surrounded by the sounds of gunfire, artillery, and shouts. Initially, she felt terrified, but soon, after a series of intense explosions, she realized that the gunfire seemed to diminish. After a while, the cries of "Long live the Republic" echoed all around her.
At this point, the fog began to dissipate gradually. Pauline saw a group of soldiers in blue uniforms not far from her, celebrating. Obviously, they had won the recent battle.
...
2023-11-07 19:29:58 +0000 UTC
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Unlike their journey to this place, things took a troublesome turn for Lucien and his companions on their way back. Typically, the Mediterranean was as calm as a serene pond, where practically anything that could float could be used for navigation.
As far back as ancient Egypt, people could navigate the Mediterranean's nearshore waters using boats made of woven reeds. Later on, Greek galleys could roam freely throughout the Mediterranean. However, the Mediterranean was still a sea, not ...
2023-11-07 19:29:44 +0000 UTC
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General Popham had just lost his eldest son in a recent unsuccessful assault. It saddened him deeply, but it also relieved him in a way. No one could now accuse him of incompetence in his previous actions, or of any treachery.
So, after the loss of his son, General Popham immediately ceased most of his offensive operations and engaged in a standoff with the British. When Napoleon arrived with the Fifth Corps, both sides had been in a state of static warfare for some time.
Napoleon...
2023-11-07 19:29:36 +0000 UTC
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After Popham's request for "tactical guidance," Carnot ordered Napoleon to lead the Fifth Army south. Napoleon had been well-prepared; he had studied the map of Toulon countless times. As soon as he received the order, he gave the command, and the entire Fifth Army immediately sprung into action. In just half a day, the Fifth Army left their encampment and began their march south.
However, just as the army had started its journey, a messenger caught up with Napoleon.
"General Bona...
2023-11-07 19:29:02 +0000 UTC
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Robespierre and Couthon couldn't convince Carnot, but at least they managed to get him to agree to send observers to the research institute. (Carnot referred to the residential area of the institute as a "military prison.") As for the test area...
"I'm sorry, but many of the experiments conducted in the test area are strict military secrets that require strict confidentiality. I'm not doubting the loyalty of the observers, but the fewer people who know the details of some things, the be...
2023-11-07 19:28:50 +0000 UTC
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Ever since the downfall of the royal family, the Palace of Versailles had been all but abandoned. Carnot found a spot within the palace and repurposed it as the headquarters for the "Military Technology Laboratory" and the "Military Technology Inspection Department." With a location established, there was a heap of work to be done. Joseph was busy as a bee, and he often invited his younger brother Louis over to Carnot's place to share meals. The only difference was that in the past, they used...
2023-11-07 19:28:40 +0000 UTC
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"Joseph, would you like to be in charge of managing military production?" Carnot raised his head from the documents and looked at Joseph.
"Yes, Lazar." Joseph replied, "Right now, things are gradually getting back on track in other military aspects, but our military production is still in complete chaos. There are issues like cutting corners, poor quality, and various problems popping up one after another. It has seriously hindered our army. Although the Committee of Public Safety has d...
2023-11-07 19:28:33 +0000 UTC
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When the news of Toulon's fall reached Joseph, he immediately realized he was in trouble. Because once Toulon was lost, France's control over Corsica would be almost reduced to zero.
"Damn it, my family is still in Corsica!"
Compared to France, Corsica was, in some sense, safer. At least the holy relics of the improved Great Revolution hadn't been shipped to Corsica yet. But now, the brilliance around Napoleon was starting to emerge. Though not as dazzling as it would later become...
2023-11-07 19:28:27 +0000 UTC
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Joseph shared his thoughts with Carnot. Carnot pondered for a moment and replied, "Joseph, we don't currently need someone like Napoleon in Italy. While the Kingdom of Sardinia has allied with Austria and joined the coalition against us, they're merely offering verbal support. The Alps separate us, and the Italians won't easily cross them. They are not the Romans under Caesar. As for us, we can't spare forces for an Italian campaign at the moment. But I understand your point..."
Carnot ...
2023-11-07 19:28:15 +0000 UTC
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Aurelio rode his horse, the first to leap over the enemy's trenches and breastworks, swiftly slashing down a terrified rebel. More cavalry soon joined, and chaos ensued among the enemy forces as they scattered in disarray.
Aurelio knew he had to seize this moment, launching a continuous assault to prevent the enemy from regrouping. Napoleon's orders were clear: "Keep a watchful eye on the battlefield. If you spot any signs of the enemy attempting to regroup, attack immediately, disperse...
2023-11-07 19:28:10 +0000 UTC
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