Chapter 84: Austria's Provocation

"Turn it into an armory? How could that be possible? The government wouldn't agree. They keep a strict watch on me, just waiting for an opportunity to arrest me!" Jobs quickly waved off the idea after hearing Roland's suggestion. He was already on edge due to the constant scrutiny from government officials and didn't want to get further entangled with them.

"No, Jobs, you don't need to be afraid. Have you forgotten what my uncle does?" Roland smiled, trying to reassure him.

"First Consul of France, Napoleon!" With Roland's reminder, Jobs remembered Roland's influential uncle. He had always envied Roland for having such a powerful relative who could protect him from harm.

"So, Jobs, you don't need to worry. With me here, no one will bully you anymore," Roland said, patting Jobs on the shoulder to encourage him.

"Alright, if you say so. I trust you wouldn't harm me," Jobs replied, finally convinced. He was already in a difficult situation with no other options. It was worth taking a risk with Roland.

"Great, this is wonderful! Finally, we're reunited, my brother. Don't worry, I won't let you down," Roland promised, pounding his chest in assurance.

"Let's go then, we'll talk to my uncle. I'll explain everything to him," Roland said, taking Jobs by the hand and leading him towards Napoleon and the others who were waiting inside the factory.

"Uncle Napoleon, this is my good friend, Jobs," Roland introduced them, emphasizing "good friend" to make it clear that Jobs was under his protection and no one should harm him.

"Hmm," Napoleon nodded, acknowledging the introduction.

"So, Roland, what do you plan to do next?" Napoleon asked. Knowing that Jobs was Roland's good friend meant the original plan was no longer viable. A new approach was needed.

"Well, I've already discussed this with Jobs. He's willing to cooperate with us. I'll provide the technology, Jobs will provide the factory, and you, Uncle, will provide the funding and policies. We'll work together."

"And the shares?" Napoleon asked.

"Uncle, you'll take seventy percent, I'll take twenty percent, and Jobs will take ten percent," Roland proposed.

"Alright, in that case, there's nothing more to discuss. I'll go see the Minister of Industry tomorrow to discuss the factory's transformation," Napoleon said. Since he would take the lion's share in the factory, he had to take the initiative.

"Thank you, Uncle Napoleon," Roland said with a smile. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The armory was finally going to be built.

Napoleon was pleased too. He had experienced firsthand the power of the new rifles. He knew that once the entire French army was equipped with them, their combat power would increase exponentially. This would make his dream of unifying Europe much easier to achieve.

His mood lifted further at the thought.

"Consul Napoleon!"

Just as Napoleon was reveling in the thought of the new rifle's power, a government official hurriedly arrived by carriage, searching for him.

"Talleyrand! What brings you here?" Napoleon was surprised to see him, puzzled as to why Talleyrand had come to the factory.

"Is there a problem? Is it the British or the Austrians?"

After a brief moment of confusion, Napoleon quickly asked. Talleyrand was a French diplomat, so his urgent visit indicated a diplomatic issue. The British and the Austrians had been causing trouble recently.

"It's the Austrians. Our soldiers suffered another defeat in Genoa. Emperor Franz II of the Holy Roman Empire has stationed a large force in northern Italy," Talleyrand said with a worried expression, handing the latest intelligence to Napoleon.

"Damn Franz. That troublesome fellow, I'll teach him a lesson one day," Napoleon said, his expression darkening as he read the report on Italy. Since the French Revolution, the Holy Roman Empire seemed to have become France's sworn enemy, with constant battles in Italy.

"We're heading back to Versailles! Summon Murat and Davout to join us for a meeting at Versailles," Napoleon commanded.

Saying this, Napoleon hurriedly led everyone back to the Palace of Versailles in Paris.

…

Inside the Palace of Versailles, various high-ranking French officials had already gathered, each wearing a grave expression. France was in a state of chaos, and the recent coup had just given them a brief respite. Now, the Austrians were taking advantage of the situation.

"Moreau, tell me about the situation in Italy," Napoleon demanded as soon as he entered the palace.

"The Austrians are attacking fiercely, led by the renowned Holy Roman Empire general Radetzky. They defeated us twice in a single day," Moreau replied. The sudden assault by the Holy Roman Empire had caught everyone off guard and disrupted all of France's plans.

"Damn those persistent Austrians. They've always wanted to take our Italian territories. I will never agree to that. I will send troops to Italy to crush the Austrian army and show Franz who the true master of Italy is!" Napoleon shouted, pounding the table in frustration.

"But this time, we're facing the Second Coalition. Their forces outnumber ours several times over. Additionally, our country is in turmoil after the political upheaval. Is it wise to send troops under these circumstances?" Sieyès questioned. He preferred to resolve the crisis through diplomacy rather than war.

"Sieyès, what is your suggestion then?" Napoleon asked. Although he had weakened the powers of the Second and Third Consuls through the constitution, he could not simply ignore their opinions.

"I believe we should first negotiate with the Holy Roman Empire. We can hold discussions to reach a mutually acceptable agreement on the Italian issue. This way, we can avoid war," Sieyès proposed.

"But Second Consul, the Austrians are very greedy. If we negotiate with them, they will undoubtedly propose terms that we cannot accept," Murat interjected. He disagreed with Sieyès' proposal, believing that negotiation was a sign of weakness. Territory should be taken by force, not through mere words.

"General Murat, if you are keen on waging war, you must consider the current state of our country. The society is in chaos, and the people can no longer afford the costs of a major war," Sieyès retorted sharply, clearly displeased with Murat's stance. He subtly mocked Murat as a war-monger.

"Talking doesn't cost money, but can it really bring Italy back to us?" Murat argued vehemently.

"Watch your tone, Major General," Sieyès responded coldly. As the Second Consul of France, he couldn't tolerate such disrespect.

"Enough, Murat, Consul Sieyès. We are here to discuss matters, not to argue. We need to approach this situation rationally. If arguing could solve the problem, I'd be happy to let you all argue for a day," Napoleon interjected, stepping between the two to mediate.