Chapter 77: The Napoleonic Code

As the doors of the opera house slowly opened, Napoleon calmly walked in, entering his box as if nothing had happened. Seeing Napoleon enter unscathed, the audience immediately rose to their feet, cheering, "Long live the First Consul!"

"Oh, my dear, are you alright? I heard the explosion earlier. It scared me to death." As soon as Napoleon entered the box, Josephine, with tears in her eyes, rushed to him. She had come from home and was not in the same carriage as Napoleon, so she missed the explosion. Despite this, she was still terrified.

"Don't worry, Josephine, I'm fine. Your man won't be easily defeated." Seeing Josephine's tearful face, Napoleon's protective instincts were immediately aroused. He pulled his wife into his arms and gently comforted her.

Napoleon then sat down in the box with Josephine by his side, and the commotion in the theater gradually subsided. With a gesture from Napoleon, the oratorio *The Creation* began. However, he did not stay for the entire performance and left the opera house early, returning to the Palace of Versailles.

Back at the Palace of Versailles, Napoleon could no longer contain his anger. In the hall on the first floor, ministers and generals were waiting. Napoleon, with a stern expression, walked in and asked Fouché, the Minister of Police, "Have you questioned the coachman?"

"Yes, First Consul. The coachman was bribed. Someone paid him a large sum of money to carry out this act," Fouché reported with his head lowered.

"That damned traitor! I trusted him so much. Lock him up in prison. I never want to see him again," Napoleon said angrily. The feeling of being betrayed by someone he trusted was unbearable.

"Who ordered him to do this? Have you found out?" Napoleon continued to inquire.

"It seems... it seems to be the Jacobins," Fouché stammered.

"Those damned scoundrels!" Napoleon shouted at him. "The Jacobins want to assassinate me! They are the dregs of society, defying every government they encounter. If we can't bring them to heel, we must crush them! I must eliminate them."

"Here is a list of the Jacobins. You are to ensure they are all exiled," Napoleon said sternly, first reprimanding Fouché before handing him the list, which even included some of Napoleon's Jacobin friends.

The Jacobins were exiled, scapegoated for the assassination attempt on Napoleon. However, within a few days, Fouché announced the arrest of the true perpetrators, agents of Cadoudal, the royalist conspirators Saint-Réjant and Carbon. It became evident that the exiled Jacobins were wrongly accused of the plot to assassinate the First Consul. Despite this, Napoleon did not pardon them. While he did not heavily reprimand Fouché, Napoleon's patience with him was wearing thin, and this dissatisfaction was waiting for an opportunity to erupt.

...

As the night deepened, the fatigue on everyone's faces grew more pronounced. The meeting had gone on long enough, and it was clear it couldn't continue. Realizing this, Napoleon massaged his forehead and addressed the assembly.

"Let's adjourn for now. We'll discuss the remaining matters tomorrow."

"Yes, First Consul. We will leave now."

Napoleon had attended the opera at seven, and by the time he returned to the Palace of Versailles for the meeting, it was already ten at night. Now, after speaking for so long, everyone was exhausted. When Napoleon called for adjournment, they felt immense relief and immediately began to leave without hesitation.

"Roland, stay," Napoleon called out to Roland, who was about to leave with the others.

"Uncle Napoleon, is there something else?" Roland stopped in his tracks upon hearing Napoleon's call.

"Roland, what do you think of my rule?" Napoleon asked, still massaging his forehead. 

Napoleon had always lacked confidence in his rule. He was aware that many in France opposed his leadership, making him cautious in all his actions to avoid displeasing the people. Today's assassination attempt had hit his most vulnerable nerve, making him realize how challenging it was to govern a nation.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly," Roland replied, his face filled with confusion. He didn't understand why Napoleon was asking him this.

"Really? I hope you're not lying to me," Napoleon said skeptically, wondering if Roland was just trying to appease him.

"Roland, if there's something on your mind, just say it. I won't be upset. Since when have we, uncle and nephew, become so distant?"

"Since you put it that way, I think the government needs a code of laws," Roland said after a moment of thought, realizing he couldn't evade the question any longer.

Strangely enough, despite the French Revolution's outbreak and all the changes since, France still lacked a unified legal system. It was unbelievable. The revolution had been ongoing for eleven years, yet there was still no comprehensive legal framework. Historically, after Napoleon seized power, he would go on to promulgate a legal code known as the Napoleonic Code.

This code was a monumental event that significantly influenced the course of history. It consolidated the achievements of the French Revolution, encapsulating its main contents and ideas by summarizing all revolutionary laws. It legally recognized the social order completely transformed by the revolution, replacing feudal personal dependencies and hierarchical systems with absolute private property rights. This provided a legal basis for capitalist economic and social activities, greatly promoting the development of capitalism in France.

Even a hundred years later, this code continued to function in France. Additionally, as Napoleon's military conquests spread, the legal systems of central and southern Germany, Prussia, Switzerland, and Spain adopted elements of the Napoleonic Code. Its influence even reached Central and South America.

But this crucial legal code, which could change the course of history, had yet to be mentioned by anyone. Not even Napoleon had brought up the idea of establishing such a code in their discussions. Therefore, Roland felt compelled to speak up and remind Napoleon through his own actions and words.

"Roland, you're right," Napoleon said after a moment of reflection. "A unified legal code is exactly what we need. It's time to bring order and stability to France, not just through military might, but through a solid legal foundation."

"Yes, a legal code! How did I not think of that? Roland, you are truly a genius," Napoleon exclaimed, jumping out of his chair as if pricked by a needle after hearing Roland's suggestion.

"I've been so foolish. How could I overlook something so crucial? Without laws, a country cannot stabilize. Laws! They are essential for a nation's peace and order," Napoleon said excitedly, his words coming out rapidly. He kept repeating the importance of laws, and finally, he grabbed Roland's arm in his excitement. "Roland! You truly are my good nephew. Whenever I am at a loss, you always provide the right answer."

"I merely offered a suggestion. The main work will still need to be done by you, Uncle Napoleon," Roland replied, slightly nervous at Napoleon's exuberant reaction.

"You're right. The laws must be drafted immediately. Only then can France find peace. In a few days, I will summon all the renowned lawyers to Paris to discuss this matter," Napoleon said enthusiastically.

Seeing Napoleon's excitement, Roland knew that this was a sure thing. Given Napoleon's nature, he would undoubtedly put all his efforts into making this happen.

"Who would have thought that I would be the one to bring about the Napoleonic Code? Hey, do you think my name will be mentioned when this code is written? Or perhaps it could even be called the Roland Code," Roland mused, tilting his head back in a daydream. Since he had traveled back in time, he wanted to leave a mark. At the very least, he hoped that people would remember him a few hundred years from now.