Chapter 158: Napoleon's Reverse Scale

Friends are often crucial, as they can help you in times of danger. Napoleon knew this very well. Murat, Marmont, Davout, and Desaix were all his friends, and Napoleon owed much of his success to them. Without their support, no matter how capable he was, he could not have achieved his current success.

"By the way, how do you plan to deal with the Ordoff family?" Napoleon asked as he sat down by Roland's bedside after finishing his conversation with Marlin.

"They must be severely punished!" Roland answered firmly.

"Oh? Why? Roland, you must understand. Although you were injured this time, it was ultimately just a scuffle between youngsters. If I were to remove a mayor of Paris because of this, people would say I am abusing my power," Napoleon explained to Roland.

Although Napoleon was very displeased that a young member of the Ordoff family had injured Roland, he couldn't target the Ordoff family over this. It would cause widespread fear across all levels of French society and could lead to a loss of public support.

"No, Uncle Napoleon. The reason I suggest severe punishment is not just because they injured me. More importantly, they have their sights set on my arms factory," Roland said with a serious expression.

"The arms factory!" Napoleon's expression also became serious upon hearing Roland's words.

"What's going on? Explain clearly," Napoleon demanded.

The arms factory was not only Roland's lifeline but also very important to Napoleon. The new rifles produced by the factory significantly boosted the combat effectiveness of the French army, as had been proven on the Italian battlefield.

Thus, immediately after the war ended, Napoleon placed a large order with the factory. This order included more than 100,000 rifles, worth a total of 80 million francs.

Since Napoleon owned 70% of the shares in the factory, 56 million francs from this order would go into Napoleon's pocket.

Therefore, the factory not only enhanced the French army's combat power but also enriched Napoleon. Naturally, he valued the factory highly.

"Uncle Napoleon, you must know that the conflict with Xuren began because of a girl," Roland explained.

"That's right, I know that much. Originally, I was curious about what kind of girl could provoke you to act. But now it seems her identity is not ordinary," Napoleon remarked.

"She is Jobst's sister. Jobst was the former owner of the arms factory and is now our representative at the factory," Roland explained, emphasizing Jobst's identity to ensure Napoleon remembered.

"Jobst? The Jewish merchant?" Napoleon's interest was piqued as Roland's words rekindled his memory of Jobst.

"So, the Ordoff family has set their sights on our arms factory, and Jobst is their way in," Napoleon quickly deduced, piecing together the situation.

"Yes, according to the information I have, Jobst has already been captured by them using their influence and schemes. The girl, Anya, is Jobst's sister and came to me for help," Roland explained.

"Uncle Napoleon, regardless of anything else, we must cut off the Ordoff family's overreaching hand. Their target is our arms factory. If they succeed, both the army's rifle re-equipment plan and our interests will suffer. Especially for you, Uncle Napoleon, since you own 70% of the factory's shares. Your losses would be the greatest," Roland continued, knowing that he couldn't defeat the Ordoff family on his own and needed Napoleon's help.

With Napoleon's power, a small family like the Ordoffs wouldn't stand a chance. However, Napoleon wouldn't act impulsively, as his every move had wide-reaching implications. Acting against the upper echelons of French society without a justified reason could cause widespread panic, undermining Napoleon's rule.

That's why Roland immediately brought up the arms factory, knowing its significance not only to France but also to Napoleon. For France, the factory produced the world's finest rifles, whose effectiveness had already been proven on the battlefield. The Ordoff family's actions clearly threatened the re-equipment of the French army with these rifles.

Thus, acting against the Ordoff family under the pretext of national security would be unassailable.

"This arms factory is also a significant source of personal wealth for your aunt, which is why Napoleon was so adamant about the Ministry of War purchasing over 100,000 rifles. Although each rifle is expensive, most of that money ends up in Napoleon's pocket. Hence, Napoleon has been a staunch supporter and promoter of the army's rifle re-equipment plan. Now, the Ordoff family has blocked Napoleon's financial pipeline.

There's a saying that cutting off someone's financial resources is like killing their parents. Thus, a feud has arisen between the Ordoff family and Napoleon. This means that both Napoleon and France as a whole now have a reason to take action against the Ordoff family. It's easy to imagine how difficult the Ordoff family's days will become, potentially leading to their complete eradication.

'Hmph! The arrogant Ordoff family has become far too audacious. They think they can act without consequence. I must teach them a proper lesson,' Napoleon fumed.

Indeed, upon hearing that his arms factory was being targeted, Napoleon became furious. He was determined to see who had the audacity to steal from him. 'Barret!' Napoleon shouted.

'Yes, First Consul, what are your orders?' The chief of guards, Barret, hurried in and asked.

'Immediately take a squad of soldiers to the Paris city hall and arrest Mayor Dossu-Ordoff,' Napoleon ordered vehemently.

'Arrest the mayor of Paris?' Barret asked in astonishment. He wondered if he had misheard Napoleon's command. After all, the mayor of Paris was not a trivial figure. Could it be...?

Barret glanced at Roland, his eyes filled with deep apprehension. Could it be because of Roland? He hadn't realized how important Roland was to Napoleon. It was merely a minor scuffle between children, yet Napoleon was implicating the entire Ordoff family. 

With this realization, Barret made up his mind. Once this matter was resolved, he would visit Roland with generous gifts. If he could win Roland's favor and have him speak well of him to Napoleon, his career would be set.

'What? Are you deaf? Hurry up!' Napoleon urged impatiently.

'Yes, sir. I'll handle it right away,' Barret replied, his face tense. He quickly saluted and left to carry out the order.

Meanwhile, Marlin discreetly left the room, leaving only Roland and Napoleon behind.

'Roland, don't worry. I will make sure the Ordoff family receives a harsh lesson,' Napoleon said sternly."

"Napoleon, don't forget to rescue Jobs. He's important to us," Roland reminded. Jobs is his good friend, and he can't just let Jobs be captured like that.

"Oh, so you care about your friend? Or is it because you're commissioned by his sister?" Napoleon said with a mischievous smile, clearly suggesting that Roland was captivated by Anya's beauty. Napoleon had seen the girl at the banquet yesterday, fair-skinned and beautiful, with bright, lively eyes. If it weren't for Roland's presence, he might have teased her a bit.