The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 163

Chapter 163: France's Greatest Embezzler

Lavoisier immediately grew more excited—was the Crown Prince planning to unify the entire academic community of France?

No, if this system of standard units were to be established, it could even unify the academic community of Europe!

Joseph, however, still seemed unsatisfied. “After the standardization of measurement units, the Standards Committee will have much more to accomplish.

“For instance, establishing national industrial standards—hardness and strength of steel, purity of liquids, specifications for bolt interfaces, axle widths for carriages, and so on. Every aspect of industrial production should have clear guidelines to follow.

“Even tools used by craftsmen in different industries can be standardized. That way, artisans throughout the country can quickly access compatible tools…”

As Joseph continued to speak, Lavoisier’s eyes widened further. With every word from the Crown Prince, he could feel the foundation of France’s academic and industrial sectors becoming increasingly solid!

He suddenly interrupted Joseph. “Your Highness, I believe I should summon Mr. Lagrange, Mr. Monge, and the others to hear your grand vision together.

“Perhaps, today, right here, we can formally establish the ‘French Standards Committee’!”

...

That evening, the most eminent scientists of France departed from Lavoisier’s residence, yawning as they went.

At the door, they paused to turn and bow respectfully to the Crown Prince before taking their leave.

Joseph, though visibly fatigued, still warmly invited them, “I look forward to seeing you all at Versailles tomorrow, where we’ll continue discussing the Standards Committee.”

Lagrange, Monge, Condorcet, and the others bowed in agreement before finally dispersing, each silently reflecting on how the pace of progress in the French Academy of Sciences had always seemed too slow. Yet, with the Crown Prince leading this initiative, it felt almost too fast…

If only there could be a middle ground between the two approaches.

After bidding farewell to Lavoisier, Joseph was about to board his carriage when a thought struck him. He turned back to the chemist and said, “Mr. Lavoisier, I have a suggestion for you.

“The tax farming business is indeed profitable, but it involves many trivial matters and consumes much of your time, which could otherwise be spent on research. Moreover, the government might abolish the tax farming system soon. You might consider withdrawing from this venture in advance.”

Joseph offered this advice because he knew the impending tax reforms could devastate the tax farming class, and Lavoisier would inevitably suffer losses.

“Ah? Well…” Lavoisier appeared conflicted. Although the Crown Prince had said so, he found it hard to part with the nearly eighty thousand livres of annual profit.

Joseph continued, “You don’t need to worry about your income. Once fulminate of mercury production begins, I plan to invest in various chemical industries. You could contribute your expertise as a partner. I assure you, the returns will far exceed those from tax farming.”

Coal tar refinement, fertilizer production, and synthetic chemical dyes—these were chemical industries that would greatly influence the Industrial Revolution while generating immense profits. Now that Joseph had Lavoisier and his wife as key allies, he certainly wouldn’t miss the opportunity to capitalize on these sectors.

Lavoisier’s eyes lit up. Truth be told, compared to the tax farming business, which required constant dealings with merchants, he much preferred working on chemical projects.

He immediately bowed deeply and expressed his gratitude. “Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. May God bless you!”

...

After the Paris Charity Week came to a close, the series of Paris Fashion Week events also concluded.

Parisians felt as though they had experienced an extended festival. Though hectic and exhausting, the citizens had gained tangible benefits from the grand occasion.

Simply renting out their homes to visiting tourists had earned many Parisian families more than their usual monthly income.

What went unnoticed, however, was how the foreign visitors’ praise for Paris and Fashion Week significantly boosted the locals’ confidence and pride.

While Parisians were busy cleaning the rooms vacated by tourists, at the port of Marseille, two ordinary merchant ships and an armed trading vessel were being escorted by the Royal Navy’s frigate Double Wing as they slowly sailed into the Mediterranean.

The merchant ships flew the Russian flag and bore the insignia of the “Gemini Trading Company” on their hulls. However, aside from a few Russian advisors, everyone aboard—from the captain to the sailors—was either French or Italian.

The cargo consisted primarily of wine and brandy, along with mid-range clothing, cosmetics, paper, and other goods.

Their destination was Crimea in the Black Sea, where Count Bobrinsky’s men had already prepared a large stock of flax and iron, ready to be loaded onto the ships upon their arrival.

Although the scale of this trading mission was modest, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in Russo-French commerce, symbolizing significant diplomatic progress.

...

Wearing a gray short coat and an old felt hat, Marat glanced up at the house number before knocking on the door.

The door opened slightly, and a pair of brown eyes peered out, followed by a mocking laugh. “Ha! I wondered who it might be. So, it’s the government’s lapdog? You’re not welcome here!”

Marat blocked the door and said solemnly, “Think what you will, but I swear I will always be a friend of the people.”

The homeowner’s tone remained sarcastic. “Oh, sure, because even secret police can be considered ‘friends of the people.’ You must enjoy flaunting your noble friendship while living off government wages.”

“I’ve told you many times,” Marat said, slightly irritated. “I work for the Office of Fair Investigation, not the secret police! My job is to investigate corrupt officials. I’ve never done anything to harm the people!”

The person behind the door hesitated briefly before replying in a softer tone, “Fine, fair investigator or not, you should leave.”

Ignoring the comment, Marat forcibly pushed the door open and stepped inside. He turned to the stunned middle-aged man in the room and said, “Do you know? If you send me away now, you’ll be harming the interests of countless Parisians.”

“Oh? Don’t slander me. I’ve never done such a thing.”

Marat closed the door behind him and led the man into the room. “Do you think I want to work for the government? Of course not!

“But if using the government’s power helps more ordinary people, I have to do it. Besides, the Crown Prince is completely different from those parasitic nobles…”

He waved his hand dismissively. “Anyway, let’s get to business. Do you know how much this man I’m investigating has embezzled?”

The brown-eyed man shrugged. “500,000 livres? Maybe 800,000?”

When Marat shook his head, the man sneered. “Could it be as much as a million?”

“No, you’re wrong.” Marat slowly enunciated, “The amount he’s embezzled might exceed ten million livres…”

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