The Fox of France

Chapter 130: Joining Forces

After a while, amidst the creaking of the door, the door slowly opened, and Fouch appeared before Joseph.

Ever since joining the bels, Fouch had moved his residence to this place. It was mainly to show his camaraderie with those unruly comrades. Plus, since his affiliation with the bels, Fouch 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.

However, after the fall of the bels and the need to deal with Robespierre, Fouch didn't have the time to consider moving. After Robespierre's fall, Fouch lost most of his sources of income, so he had to continue residing here.

At this moment, some people began to gather around, asking, "Joseph, what's going on?"

"Nothing, there's no issue. They're our friends," Fouch replied loudly.

Upon hearing this, the people gradually dispersed. These people were the bels, Robespierre's followers. In their eyes, Fouch was not a treacherous snake but a hero who had avenged the bels.

"Mr. Bonaparte, Mr. Carnot, it's quite a surprise to see you here," Fouch said with a smile.

"Ah, Mr. Fouch, we've always been friends, haven't we?" Joseph replied with a smile. "How about inviting us inside, even if the house is messy?"

"The house is a mess, so please don't mind," Fouch gestured for them to enter.

Several people entered the house, which was dimly lit. It was almost evening by now, and Joseph couldn't see much inside. He could barely make out a few figures and hear Fouch say, "Take the child to the back to play."

After a while, Joseph's eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"Mr. Bonaparte, Mr. Carnot, what brings you to see me?" Fouch smiled.

"Mr. Fouch, the people on the stage now are a disgrace. What do you think?" Joseph said.

"Do you want to start a revolution to overthrow them?" Fouch asked. "If that's the case, as a friend, I would advise you that now might not be the best time for that."

"No, no, my friend, where did you get that idea?" Joseph hurriedly replied. "I just want to help our country recover as much as possible."

Fouch lowered his head, thinking for a moment, then said, "Do you want me to retrieve something from the Military Research Institute?"

"It's not something, it's someone," Joseph said. "Mr. Fouch, you should know the most crucial part of the institute is the researchers. I have a list here, and I hope you can help us locate these individuals. You can inform them that if they are willing to join me in Toulon, their income will be based on the previous standards with a significant increase. The upper limit of this increase is also indicated on the list."

Joseph handed Fouch a list, but Fouch didn't look at it. In fact, it was too dark in his house to see anything clearly.

"So, Mr. Bonaparte, do you plan to rebuild the Military Research Institute? But do you have the government's authorization for this?" Fouch frowned.

"No," Joseph said. "We plan to establish a private research institute. Of course, the scope of the work will be the same as before. Mr. Fouch, considering the current trend where everyone is open about making money, why let those people make money when we can do the same? So, Mr. Fouch, do you have any interest in joining us and making money together?"

Fouch stared at Joseph for a while and then asked, "Rebuilding the institute, establishing a military industry enterprise, is indeed profitable now. However, it requires substantial startup capital. Do you have that money?"

"That's not a problem," Joseph replied.

"Ah, I see," Fouch said. "While I was still in Toulon, you and your brother had already set up a smuggling route to Spain. These months must have been profitable for you. But, since this is business, allow me to ask impolitely, what's in it for me in this deal?"

"If you can find all the people on this list, I will pay you two thousand livres, in silver. Additionally, the difference between the monthly salary you negotiate with these people and the maximum limit I've specified on this list will be your earnings. Besides, there's an even more crucial task: convincing the government to approve my acquisition of the Naval Research Institute. For that, I've allocated two hundred thousand livres. As long as you can help us navigate the bureaucracy within that budget, any leftover money will be your reward. You can choose to receive it in cash, not in bonds, or convert the money into shares and join us."

Fouch asked, "What can I do if I join you?"

"I've already learned about your capabilities in Toulon. You see, the former Military Research Institute relied on the state's power to maintain security and confidentiality. But now, we don't have that kind of power. Even if I use my brother's influence, it won't compare to what we had before. To make the kind of money we're envisioning, we must ensure secrecy. I believe you have a talent for that."

Fouch listened quietly without saying a word.

"In addition, we need to gather intelligence on other manufacturers, which is crucial for our business," Joseph continued. "Mr. Fouch, I understand that wealth might not be your primary concern. But, my friend, with your keen sense, haven't you realized that the times have changed? The era of revolution and fiery speeches has passed. Today, to make a political impact, you need substantial financial support. Mr. Fouch, are you interested in joining us?"

Fouch raised his head and looked at Joseph. Finally, he said, "I can take care of the task you've entrusted to me for now. As for whether to join you, I need to think about it."

"Very well," Joseph said. "At least for now, we're in cooperation. I might be leaving Paris soon, and for the Paris matters, you can contact General Carnot."

"Alright," Fouch said. "Can you provide some advance funds? You know, the tasks you've given me will require money."

Joseph looked around and then said, "That's a very reasonable request. I can pay you a thousand livres right now, and of course, you can choose an equivalent value in pounds or marks."

"Let's stick with livres," Fouch said, "but not in bonds."

"Agreed," Joseph took out a check from his pocket and said, "Could you light a lamp? And do you have a pen?"

"Of course," Fouch quickly agreed.

Fouch lit an oil lamp and brought a pen and ink. Joseph signed the check, dried the ink with blotting paper, and handed it to Fouch.

Fouch took the check, glanced at it, nodded, and put it away.

"By the way, Mr. Fouch, I entrusted you to inquire about my friend..."

"You mean Armand Lavasix, right? He sacrificed himself on the northern battlefield," Fouch said. "But that's not a bad thing; otherwise, he would have surely faced the guillotine recently..."

The next day, Joseph returned to the University of Paris and found Lavasix, who was now teaching there. He asked Lavasix to go to Toulon to help him rebuild a research institute.

"Is that so?" Lavasix understood Joseph's intention and thought for a moment before replying, "Joseph, you protected me last time, and I'm grateful for that. Otherwise, I might have been executed by Robespierre. However, that was a matter of national duty, and there was an obligation involved. But this time is different, and if..."

As soon as Joseph heard this, he understood that Lavasix wanted to negotiate better terms for himself.

"Mr. Lavasix, you make a valid point, but you should know that this time I don't have government funding," Joseph began by feigning poverty and then presented a proposal.

"Mr. Lavasix, you see, we are now engaged in a profit-driven business, but you know I have many connections. This business should be profitable. Why not convert your technical expertise into money and become a shareholder in our venture?"

"Well, that's an interesting idea, but how much equity would my knowledge translate to?" Lavasix asked.

The two engaged in an open conversation about this issue, exchanging views until Joseph was ready to say that the discussion had deepened mutual understanding and was beneficial. However, Lavasix eventually relented.

"Alright, let's do it as you suggested earlier. After all, you helped me, and without you, I might have faced the guillotine by now. I'm someone who repays kindness..."

Joseph was satisfied with the agreement he reached with Lavasix. In his perspective, using such terms to bring Lavasix on board was a good deal. (After all, Joseph came from the future, and his estimation of the value of knowledge was much higher than that of people in this era.)

As soon as Joseph left, Lavasix immediately called out to his wife, who had been eavesdropping behind the door, "Marie, get ready; we're going to Toulon! Oh, this is too good! To conduct experiments freely and have such high wages, along with a share of the profits... Hahaha... Joseph is such a generous man! We're going to live the life of the wealthy again!"

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