Joseph arrived in Paris, and his first order of business was to find Carnot.
He entered the grand building of the War Department and followed the familiar path to Carnot's office. The office door was slightly ajar, and Joseph lightly knocked on it.
"Come in, the door is open," came Carnot's weary voice from inside.
Joseph pushed the door open and, as he walked in, exclaimed, "Lazare, I'm back! Surprise, surprise... Oh, Lazare, you don't look too good. Are you ill?"
"It's nothing, just dealing with those idiots," Carnot replied. "But let's not dwell on that. Why have you returned so suddenly?"
"I heard that Robespierre is done for, and I thought Paris might be in turmoil. I was worried about the Institute and whether it would face any issues, so I didn't wait for orders and came back on my own. Well, Lazare, you'll need to issue a new order for my return to make it official," Joseph said, pulling a chair and sitting in front of Carnot.
"Joseph..." Carnot's expression was strange. "You don't know yet, do you? Ah, I'm sorry; I couldn't save the Institute. It's been shut down! I wish I could drag Robespierre out of his grave to decapitate those rascals!"
"The Institute is gone?" This news indeed caught Joseph by surprise. He had anticipated that some people would try to cause trouble in the absence of Robespierre's authority and might tamper with the Institute. But he hadn't expected them to act so quickly and decisively.
"What happened?" Joseph asked urgently. He needed to understand the situation and minimize the damage.
"It's all those scoundrels' fault!" Carnot's anger flared. "Those who've been causing trouble since Robespierre's fall! They closed down the Institute! Right now, I wish Robespierre could rise from the grave and decapitate them all!"
"Lazare, calm down, calm down..." Joseph said, trying to soothe him. "We need to salvage what we can now. Stay calm. Come, Lazare, have a drink of water." Joseph quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to Carnot. "Lazare, you need to hydrate."
Carnot took the water and drank it all in one go. After a moment of composure, he recounted the situation to Joseph, concluding with a self-deprecating remark, "Joseph, I'm sorry; I couldn't protect our..."
"Lazare, pull yourself together," Joseph said. "We still have a chance to recover. Those scoundrels are just that—scoundrels. They caused destruction but didn't understand what was truly valuable in the Institute: its talents. They've taken our talents and put them to work for the nation. We must bring them back. Lazare, I've earned some money. When I add it all up, it's over a hundred thousand livres, and you know where it came from. You might have less, with your expenses, but we can use it. Also, about Napoleon... I must apologize for not keeping a closer eye on him. He's been involved in smuggling activities in the south, using my smuggling ships, and has amassed over three hundred thousand livres. We can work together to bring these people back and rebuild our own Institute and arms factory in the south. At the moment, it's the best way to minimize our losses."
Carnot considered this and said, "We have no other choice. Joseph, you're remarkable! You've remained calm and quickly found a solution. Actually, you're better suited to oversee everything. If you were in my position from the start..."
"Come on, Lazare," Joseph shook his head. "You know me well. If you can't handle it, how could I?"
"Alright, let's not dwell on that. Let's address the current issues," Carnot said. "We need to expand Napoleon's smuggling operations. It's going to be costly in the initial stages of our plan, so we need more money. We shouldn't restrict ourselves to legal smuggling anymore. We'll smuggle whatever makes money, including weapons, but only to genuine Americans. If we don't, those scoundrels will do it!"
Joseph added, "Besides Americans, we can sell to the Native Americans too."
"Let's get to work," Carnot said. "Secure the Naval Research Institute before those scoundrels get their hands on it. There's valuable stuff in there!"
"I already told Napoleon about it before coming here," Joseph said.
"Good. Let's not waste any time. Here's my suggestion: you have the money ready?" Carnot asked.
"I've got about three hundred thousand livres ready," Joseph replied.
"Excellent. If you trust me, give me one hundred twenty thousand livres, and I have eighty thousand livres. I'll go negotiate with Labas to buy the 'Naval Research Institute' right away," Carnot said. "Regarding personnel, I have a list of all the staff, but they're scattered now. It'll take time to bring them back. As for you... Joseph, it's a shame you can't be in two places at once. I'd have one of you stabilize the Institute in Toulon, and the other can help me with some tasks here."
Joseph knew why Carnot was concerned about him handling affairs in Paris, which often involved making connections and using influence. Carnot wasn't comfortable with such tasks, and having Joseph in Paris could fill that gap. However, Carnot was also worried that without Joseph in Toulon, there might be potential losses.
"Many things in Paris don't necessarily require our direct involvement," Joseph said. "Lazare, there's someone who can act as our go-between."
"Who?" Carnot inquired.
"Joseph Fouché. I know you don't have a favorable impression of him," Joseph replied. Seeing Carnot's raised eyebrow, he continued, "But Fouché is capable, especially in finding people and using his connections. Let him handle these tasks. Lazare, I respect your abilities, but different people are better suited for different roles. I believe Fouché can handle these matters more efficiently than you."
Carnot nodded, acknowledging Joseph's point. He was proud and a bit stubborn, but he wasn't someone who refused to see the reality. "You're right, Joseph. Fouché is indeed better for these tasks than me. However, I do have some reservations. You know what? Shortly after Robespierre's fall, Fouché came to me—back when I was in the Committee of Public Safety. He accurately pointed out the dangers I might face and wanted to join forces with me. But I turned him down. Do you know why?"
Before Joseph could reply, Carnot continued, "I was afraid of him. He played a significant role in bringing down Robespierre, and he excelled in conspiracies and intrigues. Robespierre called him a snake, and I agree. If he secures a strong position within our ranks, I fear he might become even more dangerous than Robespierre. I think Labas and others deliberately suppressed him, but they didn't realize they could achieve what they wanted without Fouché..."
Joseph couldn't help but think of a remark he had come across in a past life while reading "Dream of the Red Chamber": "A person should not lack talent; if one has talent but is conceited about it, they will likely cause harm. Conversely, a person should not lack talent, and if they misuse their talent, they will cause even more harm." The saying seemed to hold true now.
"It's precisely because he's so dangerous that we should keep a close eye on him," Joseph said. "Lazare, do you know where to find him?"
"Yes, that makes sense," Carnot nodded. "I know where he lives. After work, shall we go find him together?"
"All right," Joseph agreed.
At the end of the workday, Joseph and Carnot, accompanied by a dozen cavalrymen, boarded a carriage and headed to the Saint-Antoine district.
The Saint-Antoine district was the largest slum in Paris, with narrow and chaotic streets. In recent days, due to skyrocketing prices and the worsening conditions for the lower classes, the area had become even more disorderly. People like Joseph, who preferred stability, wouldn't dare to come here without some protection.
The carriage stopped outside a crooked alley, as it couldn't go any further. Joseph and Carnot got off, and Joseph discreetly gripped the handle of a pistol concealed in his coat. The cavalrymen dismounted and surrounded Joseph and Carnot as they ventured deeper into the alley.
After navigating the dirty, meandering alley with a foul-smelling stream running alongside it, they arrived at a dilapidated building. A soldier who had been leading the way said, "This is the place."
Joseph nodded, cast a glance at Carnot, and then approached the door, where he knocked.