Chapter 62: A Pleasant Surprise

 Ever since Bishop Talleyrand sold the Church's land, the financial crisis of the new government seemed to have temporarily abated. However, selling billions of livres worth of land all at once wasn't an easy task. If it was too expensive, no one could afford it, and if it was too cheap, it would be a significant loss. So, a new idea emerged: issuing a form of paper currency backed by these lands.

According to the initial plan, the issuance of this paper currency was supposed to correspond to the value of the Church's land. Theoretically, the government could gradually recover these notes by selling the Church's lands. So, in theory, the value of these notes was still guaranteed.

These notes were called "assignats," and Joseph's wages were mainly paid in this form of currency nowadays.

Carnot believed that Joseph must spend his time after work studying mathematical problems, or else, it couldn't explain how he could make discoveries amidst such a heavy workload.

But in reality, Joseph's main focus after coming home every day wasn't academic research. Instead, it was figuring out how to quickly convert the assignats in his hand into silver coins or other, more reliable assets in his eyes, such as land and food.

If this were a few years later, during Robespierre's reign, doing such things would practically be like placing your head on the guillotine. However, at this moment, it was something everyone was involved in. It was said that Robespierre proposed to limit the maximum price of grain in parliament, but this proposal was unsurprisingly rejected and didn't even make it to the formal discussion stage. That's because, at this time, almost everyone in the parliament, except Robespierre, was taking advantage of the situation to make money.

Joseph wasn't working alone. In fact, he had enlisted a few partners. One was his long-time partner, Lavache, and the other was a man he had met through Armand, named Danton.

Both of these partners would face the guillotine a few years later. However, Joseph believed that as long as he acted cautiously, didn't become too ambitious, and withdrew at the right time, plus the fact that he was "useful," he should be fine.

With their connections and information, the deals made them a tidy sum.

In the midst of this eventful life, Joseph suddenly received a letter from Corsica sent by Napoleon. The letter mentioned that Paoli had returned to Corsica.

Paoli was the hero of Corsica's independence movement. Joseph's father had served as his deputy and fought alongside him and the French against the Italians. After the resistance failed, Paoli went into exile in England, while Joseph's father pledged allegiance to France. Joseph knew that for a long time, Paoli had been an idol in Napoleon's heart. Napoleon had always yearned to lead Corsica to independence and freedom alongside him.

However, from the letter sent by Napoleon, Joseph could sense that Napoleon's mood wasn't great. Although the letter didn't contain many words, the sense of disillusionment could be easily felt between the lines.

"What's wrong with this guy?" Joseph wondered. "Maybe I should go see him."

But with his busy affairs, Joseph couldn't find the time. Instead, he sent another letter to Napoleon, comforting him on one hand and inviting him to come to Paris. In Joseph's view, Corsica was too small, and there was no future on that tiny island.

A week after sending the letter, Joseph returned home from work. As he walked in, he saw a short man sitting at the table, playing chess with Lucien. Louis stood beside them, offering advice, "Napoleon, Napoleon, move your bishop here, attack his knight..."

Hearing the door open, Napoleon put down the chess piece in his hand and looked up. "Joseph, you're later than what Lucien said," Napoleon said with a smile. His face was full of smiles, and there was no sign of the disappointment from his previous letter.

"Why did you come so quickly? You didn't receive my response to your letter, did you?" Joseph asked, as he took off his coat and handed it to Sophie, who had come to greet him.

"How could I have received it?" Napoleon shook his head. "I heard about your letter a week ago. By that time, I was already on my way to Paris. If I had stayed in Corsica, maybe I would have received it by now."

"Napoleon, are you playing or not? You promised to help me get revenge!" Louis chimed in.

"Napoleon, don't play anymore. Louis is just making excuses; he's already losing this game," Lucien added.

Napoleon didn't seem to mind. "Joseph, do you remember the investigation I conducted?" he asked.

"Of course, I remember."

"Do you know what the investigation revealed?" Napoleon shook his head.

Joseph didn't need to ask because he knew Napoleon would tell him.

"Most of Corsica's nobles are like Paoli, stuck in the past. It's understandable, as their good times were a few decades ago when the Italians left, and the French hadn't arrived yet. But now, their desire for independence is stronger, not for any other reason but because they're afraid of what's happening in France. They fear that such changes might affect them. If Corsica could sail away like a boat, they'd want to hide the island somewhere secluded to protect it from the waves of time.

As for Corsican peasants, they're mostly foolish. Corsica's nobles at least understand their interests, while they don't. They're like ignorant animals, still living in the haze of the Middle Ages. Perhaps a great storm is needed to wake them up.

In short, if I join forces with Paoli, considering the current situation in France, there might be a war. Achieving independence might be possible, but the independent Corsica would be a mere puppet like Paoli himself. I don't want that kind of Corsica.

If Corsica is to keep up with the times, the revolutionary storm from France has to reach Corsica. So, now I believe that seeking independence for Corsica might not be a good thing."

"So, have you and Paoli fallen out?" Joseph asked.

"No," Napoleon replied. "How could I argue with a corpse? Besides, it's in Corsica. Our mother and sister are still in Corsica. It's a stagnant place, but compared to Paris, it's quieter and better suited for women. As for me, I won't follow an illusion anymore. In this matter, I should thank you, Joseph. Without your methods, I might not have seen the truth or made up my mind so easily."

"Let's put that aside for now," Joseph said. "Napoleon, what are your plans now?"

"I still have some leave left. I plan to stay here in Paris for a while, get to know the city, and then return to the army," Napoleon said.

"So, you want to stay here, freeload off me, eat my food, and become a parasite?" Joseph taunted.

"Are you planning to enslave me, just like when Sophie was away, you handed the household chores to Lucien, and Lucien passed them to Louis?" Napoleon laughed.

"Isn't that only fair?" Joseph laughed as well. "I'm currently working with Captain Carnot, advising Lafayette, to reform the military structure of France. Based on your performance in Corsica, I think you've made significant progress and are no longer exceptionally foolish. So, I believe there are some things you can manage with difficulty."

Joseph was openly planning to exploit his younger brother as cheap labor, but Napoleon found it amusing. To think, as a lieutenant, he would intervene in the military structure of one of the most powerful countries in Europe. It was a delightful prospect.

"How could someone allow a fool like you to get involved in something as significant as this? There's bound to be mistakes. And when they trace the responsibility, fools like you will surely be taken out and shot. Joseph, you might be a fool, but at least you're a Bonaparte's fool. I have to watch over you, so you don't mess things up and lose your head," Napoleon said.