The Fox of France

Chapter 122: Turmoil in Paris

The maiden voyage of the "Black Pearl" had been a resounding success, and in the following weeks, they conducted several more trials. However, the revolutionary situation did not allow for a leisurely pace. As soon as the Committee of Public Safety received word of their initial success, they demanded the mass production of this type of ship.

So, less than half a month after the first voyage, the ship's blueprints were dispatched to several naval shipyards, and rapid production began.

As for the experimental ship "Black Pearl," it was sent on a real combat mission to Spain, smuggling caustic soda.

In fact, the "Black Pearl" was a bit overpowered in terms of speed, but its limited cargo capacity hampered its efficiency. Joseph shifted his focus to further refining these ships to achieve a better balance in performance.

Time passed quickly, and spring arrived. On the day of May's flowering chestnut trees, Joseph received a special guest - Joseph Fouch. As a special envoy, Fouch had the authority to discuss matters related to the Naval Research Institute with Joseph. In fact, many things at the institute required Fouch's cooperation, and he had been a great help to Joseph in many ways.

Fouch had come to inform Joseph that he had received orders to return to Paris to report to the National Convention. He also informed Joseph of recent political changes in Paris - conspirators like Eberl had been arrested by the Revolutionary Tribunal and, after swift trials, dozens, including Eberl and Chom, had been sent to the guillotine.

Joseph was well aware that Fouch's words were the official narrative. It was possible that Eberl and others were involved in other activities, but the idea that they were conspiring to restore the monarchy was laughable. If Robespierre had once supported constitutional monarchy and said, "What is the Republic?" then Eberl, who inherited Marat, was the staunchest opponent of monarchy from beginning to end.

Fouch knew he was seen as an associate of Eberl, and now that Eberl's faction had become a target, his return to Paris would likely not end well. He had come to Joseph, seeking support.

"Mr. Bonaparte, your family knows me very well, and they are aware of my loyalty to the Republic. But the current situation is baffling, and the rumors are frightening. I know General Carnot is capable of stabilizing the situation, but it seems he has some bias against me. Well, of course, it's because of my previous radical actions... but I still hope to have the opportunity to meet with General Carnot and explain."

Joseph found this request quite challenging. He knew that the Reign of Terror was reaching its climax, and intervening at this moment could be very dangerous. However, he also knew that the climax signaled its end, and without action at this time, there would be no share of the spoils. Acting now might be grabbing the chestnuts from the fire, or it could be plucking ripe peaches from a tree.

Joseph's understanding of the history of the French Revolution from his past life was not the best. But regarding the fall of Robespierre, he vaguely remembered from his history books that the struggle within the Jacobin faction had been intense, and Robespierre had suppressed both the left and right wings. This undermined his own power base and led to the collapse of his regime.

Back then, Joseph had memorized this for exams, but now, looking back and comparing it to the present, he found the connections clearer.

"The left-wing within the Jacobins, that would be Eberl. The right-wing, apart from Danton, was Carnot. It appears Robespierre dealt with Eberl first. Next, it will be Danton's turn. Well, Carnot is on the right, but considering that the Carnot I'm more familiar with from my previous life, the Carnot of the Carnot cycle, isn't born yet (Sadi Carnot was born in 1796), he should be fine. As for Fouch..."

Joseph didn't know what kind of character Fouch would become in this world, but he did know that he was a person with remarkable abilities, someone worth recruiting.

"Mr. Fouch, you know that, under my current circumstances, I cannot easily write letters."

Fouch looked disappointed but didn't say anything. He merely nodded, well aware that he had seen many people in similar situations. Besides, his relationship with Joseph was only an acquaintance.

"However, General Carnot has a mathematical problem that we discussed. Recently, I had a new idea and put it in writing. If you happen to be going to Paris, I hope you can deliver it to General Carnot."

Fouch stood up, and since there was no one around, he grasped Joseph's hand. "General Bonaparte, thank you. Thank you. You are a good man, and you will surely receive the Lord's blessing."

Fouch knew that, in this era, speaking of divine blessing was politically incorrect. Christianity was under attack, and Robespierre was promoting his rationalist creed, removing Christian icons from churches and replacing them with worship of "reason" and historical figures. Saying "God bless" at this time was highly improper.

But Fouch knew that Joseph had a close relationship with the church. The Bonaparte family had never made any anti-church statements. He took the risk of saying this to further gain their trust.

"No need for that, Commissioner Fouch. In fact, I have a personal favor to ask of you. I have a friend named Armand, Armand Lavoisier. He's a bit of a fool, but he's also my friend. If possible, I hope you can look after him."

Fouch readily agreed, at least on the surface. He showed gratitude and left. Joseph, however, grew increasingly anxious and couldn't sleep. He got up, lit a candle, and began further perfecting his escape plan.

Joseph's escape plan also involved a ship. This was a design called the "High-Speed Communication Ship," ostensibly for delivering crucial orders and information to overseas colonies. But in reality, Joseph's primary purpose in designing it was to serve as an escape vessel for his family. In this world, no other ship could catch up to it, not even the "Black Pearl."

So, this ship was entirely different in design from the "Black Pearl." It was a catamaran.

Each hull of the ship had a torpedo-shaped float underneath, fully submerged in the water. They were connected to the upper hull by several solid masts. This configuration reduced the ship's waterline considerably. Most of a ship's resistance when moving through water came from the bow wave it created, which consumed a great deal of energy. A ship with a small waterline like this one would create smaller waves and thus consume much less energy. As a result, it could travel faster than the "Black Pearl."

The catamaran's twin-hull structure also provided superior stability, seaworthiness, and comfort compared to the "Black Pearl." If there were any drawbacks, it was that the design required high-quality materials, making construction more challenging, and the ship couldn't be built very large.

"But what's the use of that? It's like King Louis XVI's 12-horsepower four-wheeled carriage. Speed is what matters most."

Joseph thought as he contemplated the design. After leaving Joseph's, the next morning, Fouch set out on his journey to Paris. On the way, he carefully analyzed the situation. First, he believed that Robespierre was unlikely to spare him. With Eberl's faction in ruins and Fouch isolated, only General Carnot had the power to influence the situation. However, Carnot was not surrounded by many allies, at least not in politics. Fouch decided that he might need to find a way to reach out to Danton.

Fouch had clashed with Danton in the past, and they had been on opposing sides in politics. But Danton was a rational man, capable of letting his reason triumph over his emotions. Fouch believed that Danton wouldn't overlook the danger he faced.

"Perhaps it's better to repair my relationship with Danton and join his ranks. Of course, mending ties with Carnot is also necessary."

Fouch thought as he sat in the carriage. Then he remembered Joseph Bonaparte's mention of a friend named Armand. He knew a bit about this person.

"Armand Lavoisier has a good relationship with Demoulin. Demoulin is a close friend of Danton. If I can get in touch with him, it could be a good connection."

While Fouch pondered how to establish connections with Danton and join his faction, Danton had just been woken up.

"Mr. Danton, you must escape!" The person waking him up shouted, "Mr. Demoulin and others have been arrested! Robespierre, Robespierre, and Saint-Just, they have come after us! You must run for your life. I've prepared a horse for you; hurry!"

Danton was initially startled but quickly calmed down, at least on the surface.

"Demoulin has been arrested?" Danton inquired.

"Yes, along with his wife," the person replied, then urged, "Hurry, Mr. Danton! If you don't run now, it'll be too late!"

"Run?" Danton suddenly chuckled. "How can I run? Escape to another world like Condorcet, or flee to another country like Talleyrand? Can I even take my homeland with me under my shoes? No, I won't run."

"You'll be executed!"

"Then let them execute me. I think my head is still worth showing to everyone."

Danton's brave words echoed through the room, signaling the turbulence and perilous times in the history of France that lay ahead.

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