The Fox of France

Back in Paris, Joseph immediately sought out Carnot. Being a regular visitor to Carnot's house, he didn't need to announce himself—the servants recognized the esteemed Bonaparte and ushered him in without a word.

Upon entering the living room, Joseph was greeted by Carnot's exasperated voice, "You fool! Didn't I explain this problem to you yesterday? Just swapped X and Y, and yet... It's maddening! By God, I'd rather face a coalition of European armies than deal with your incompetence! You..."

In this prolonged peace, Carnot had more time at home, delving into scholarly pursuits and educating his six-year-old son.

Following the sound, Joseph strode into the adjacent study. There, Carnot stood, ruffled and flustered by a desk cluttered with crumpled drafts, discarded pencils strewn on the floor. His six-year-old son, Nicolas, stood beside, pale and bewildered.

"Lazare, what's going on? You can't vent your frustration on a child," Joseph promptly scolded Carnot.

"Ah... Joseph, when did you arrive?" Carnot's tone softened.

"Nicolas, come here to Uncle Joseph," Joseph turned to the boy.

Nicolas hurried to Joseph's side.

"Lazare, did you give Nicolas this problem and he couldn't solve it?" Joseph inquired.

"Yeah, a simple question... I just explained a nearly identical one to him yesterday... This child, driving me mad..." Carnot sighed.

"Let me see the problem," Joseph knew Carnot's son was remarkably bright.

Carnot handed over a crumpled paper to Joseph.

Glancing at it, Joseph exclaimed, "Lazare, how could you? Presenting a six-year-old with a quadratic equation! Good Lord, it's even a second-degree equation! Are you out of your mind? Using this on a child, and then getting mad at Nicolas? I must say, I'm certain that even at twelve, or maybe even fourteen, you couldn't solve this! Nicolas, don't cry, Uncle will sort this out. Your father's being unreasonable! Lazare, truth be told, do you honestly believe you could solve this at twelve?"

"Yesterday, I already explained it to him once..." Carnot's voice trailed off, showing some guilt. Often, parents set unrealistically high expectations for their children, expecting feats they themselves couldn't achieve. In this aspect, Lazare Carnot was no different.

"Damn it! Understanding this concept at six is already close to genius level, let alone the complexity involved! How can we expect skill at this age? Mozart composing at five is art, not mathematics! Besides Mozart, who else in this world could do that? Are we fools for not achieving Mozart's level? I dare say, in terms of scientific aptitude, Nicolas is likely superior to you. He'll probably enter the Academy earlier than you did. Remember, at twelve, you might not have solved this question!" Joseph argued.

"But..." Carnot became more sheepish, "Joseph, your assistant seems capable of..."

"My assistant?" Joseph paused, then burst into laughter, "Hahaha! Lazare, now I understand! You're feeling a little inadequate! Let me tell you, some folks are inexplicable wonders. The first time I met that guy, I was nearly scared to death!

This scoundrel, at twelve, was already questioning the fundamental proofs in geometric elements. At sixteen, he derived the general form of binomial theorem. At seventeen, discovered prime distribution theorem and least squares method. By nineteen, he was using compass and straightedge, drawing regular heptadecagon... Oh, and recently, he's onto another stroke of genius. I completely agree; it'll soon shock the entirety of European mathematicians... Hahaha! Honestly, we can't compare ourselves to those geniuses. Otherwise, how could we even eat?"

Carnot glared at Joseph, "Joseph, you're also one of those geniuses! Why did you come to my house?"

"Ah, Nicolas, go play outside for a bit. Uncle needs to talk to your father," Joseph ruffled Nicolas's hair.

"Okay," Nicolas agreed before leaving and responsibly closing the door behind him.

Joseph approached Carnot's desk, retrieving a document from his briefcase to show Carnot.

Carnot bent over the document, Joseph settled into a nearby chair, crossing his legs.

After a while, Carnot set down the document, "Joseph, this is another invention that can change the world! It also means we can further reduce military expenses. Did you come to discuss this?"

The military advantages of railways were evident—they facilitated swift movement of troops and supplies, offering a strategic edge. A well-connected rail network in France and its allies implied superior mobility compared to hypothetical adversaries. Prussia's success in the Franco-Prussian War rested significantly on its superior railway network, quickly amassing troops to defeat France.

High strategic mobility also reduced the need for a standing army. Previously, lengthy deployment meant maintaining substantial forces everywhere. But with railways, fewer troops sufficed, allowing saved funds to bolster training, equipment, and personnel benefits.

"Lazare, you're right. With this, we can reduce the standing army, channeling more funds into training, new weapons, and the navy. A national railway network would aid overall economic growth by drastically cutting transportation costs. Our military expenses have seen a decreasing share in the national budget despite accommodating numerous post-war soldiers. The average annual funding per soldier has increased. Hence, overall national economic growth will benefit the military," Joseph explained.

"But before the railways are complete, reducing troop numbers is risky. You should discuss these matters with your brother," Carnot advised.

"Of course, but I have military-related thoughts I wish to discuss with you. The entire world's willingness for free trade with us is primarily because they can't defeat us. We must never compromise our military strength. However, railway construction takes time. If solely relying on corporate investment, we'd fund routes with the quickest returns. I believe, Lazare, you'd understand," Joseph remarked.

Carnot nodded in comprehension.

"Often, the most economically vital routes coincide with the most strategically important ones. However, not all areas may yield immediate economic returns but hold great military significance. If only focusing on economics, these lines would be delayed. This would slow down our troop reductions and, subsequently, our savings. Thus, I propose this—let the War Department allocate some funds for these railways. Economically, they might not yield as much as others, but they're still profitable. The War Department would benefit economically from these routes. What do you think?" Joseph suggested.

"The military shouldn't have its finances, as you've said before," Carnot countered.

"Indeed, but this money doesn't directly go to the military. It passes through the government, which then allocates it. Essentially, the government slightly reduces military spending for a few years, in return for larger future allocations," Joseph clarified.

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