An hour later, Napoleon and his family strolled along the walkway of the palace grounds, taking in the grandeur of Versailles. The sun bathed the gardens in a warm glow as they explored the palace.
"This place is incredible, papa!" Aveline exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.
"It certainly is, my dear," Napoleon replied, a smile gracing his lips as he observed his children's excitement. "Now, are you liking the idea of living here?"
"I do but is it okay papa? This palace is from the royal family of France right?" Aveline asked.
"Well, the royal family left their country, abandoning their people, so it doesn't belong to the royal family anymore but to the country."
"Are you finished with your duties darling?" Ciela interjected.
"No, I'm expecting to meet someone later," Napoleon replied.
The moment he said that Napoleon noticed Lucien running towards him.
"Brother," Lucien said as he got in front of Napoleon. "The Minister of Finance has arrived and is waiting for you in your office."
"Speaking of the devil," Napoleon muttered under his breath. "Well, Francis, Aveline, I'll be out again for a while. I want you to behave yourself and continue exploring the palace with your mother and Lucas, alright?"
Francis nodded solemnly, taking his role as the older brother seriously. "Of course, papa. We'll be good."
Aveline chimed in with a mischievous grin. "Yes, we'll be as good as little angels!"
Napoleon chuckled, ruffling Aveline and Francis's hair affectionately. "Alright then. I'll see you soon. I'll leave them to you, love,"
"Don't worry, I got this. You do you," Ciela reassured him, giving him a reassuring smile.
With that, Napoleon headed back to his office with Lucien by his side.
Arriving at his office, Napoleon found the Minister of Finance waiting patiently. He greeted him with a firm handshake and invited him inside.
"Your Excellency, it's an honor to meet you," the Minister of Finance said before taking his seat across Napoleon's desk.
As he settled on his seat, the Minister of Finance introduced himself. "My name is Jacques Necker, as you were aware, I was once a finance minister of King Louis the Sixteenth. But I was fired at the end."
"I am aware of the story, Monsieur Necker. You tried saving the economy of France and preventing its collapse," Napoleon paused, tilting his head upward. "What was it again? What were your proposals?"
Jacques Necker cleared his throat before recounting the economic reforms he had tried to implement before the revolution.
"I proposed several measures to stabilize the finances of France and alleviate the burden on the common people. Firstly, I suggested greater transparency in government spending and accounting. This way, the people would know where their taxes were being allocated and how they were being utilized," Necker explained.
Napoleon nodded attentively, recognizing the importance of transparency in governance. "Go on," he encouraged.
"Next, I proposed taxing the nobility and clergy, who were historically exempt from taxation. By doing so, we could redistribute the financial burden more fairly across all classes of society," Necker continued. "I also recommended reducing unnecessary expenditures in the royal court and military to free up funds for essential public services."
"Your proposals seem reasonable and fair," Napoleon remarked, impressed by Necker's insights. "But why were you dismissed as finance minister?"
Necker sighed, the memory still weighing heavily on his mind. "I faced opposition from some members of the royal court and advisers who were resistant to change. They feared losing their privileges and resisted any attempts to tax the nobility."
"If King Louis were to implement those reforms, there is a huge chance that the revolution may never have happened," Napoleon said. "But, unfortunately, it didn't go that way."
"Uhm…Your Excellency, before we proceed to business, why did you appoint me as the Minister of Finance?"
"Hmm…maybe because you are the person who has a clear view of France's financial situation, you care about your country, and you are a shrewd man. I should be the one wondering why you have accepted my appointment. You could have rejected it."
"Well, just as you said, Your Excellency, I love my country," Jacques replied.
Napoleon scoffed softly. "In that case let's save the country we love. First off, let's get to the facts. I want to know how much money is left in the state coffers."
Jacques brought his briefcase to his lap and pulled out an official document, placing it carefully on the desk. "As of today, Your Excellency, the state coffers hold a sum of 147,654 francs," he stated, his expression serious and concerned.
Napoleon choked on his breath, his eyes widening in shock. "147,654 francs?" he repeated, disbelief evident in his voice. "That's all that remains in the state coffers?"
Jacques Necker nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Excellency. The finances of the country are in dire straits. The revolution and the years of turmoil that followed have left the treasury nearly empty."
"Ridiculous," Napoleon cursed."I'm sure there's twenty times that amount in the pockets of each former member of the Directory. France is really bankrupt,"
He set the document down on the tabletop and sighed exasperatedly. Corruption was truly rampant in the period of the Directory. He also remembered the time when Talleyrand bribed Barras with 150,000 francs to resign as a member of the Directory. It was shameless. Well good thing, there is a way for him to get back the money that each member of the Directory stole during their tenure.
"Necker, I want you to assemble a team of experts, auditors, and investigators to conduct a thorough audit of the government's finances for the last ten years. From the National Convention to the Directory. If there is a sign of fraud, embezzlement, or any illegal activities, I want them exposed. And once exposed, I want their stolen wealth seized and returned to the state treasury," Napoleon declared and continued. "I'm sure we can raise several million francs from that action alone."
Jacques Necker nodded solemnly. "Very well, Your Excellency."
"Also, aside from that, I want to stabilize the financial system. As you are aware, France's current financial situation is precarious, and we must take immediate action to restore stability and confidence in our economy," Napoleon continued.
"Go on,"
"Necker, do you have an idea about centralized banks?" Napoleon asked.
"Centralized banks, Your Excellency, are institutions that serve as the sole issuer of currency and act as the custodian of a nation's monetary policy. They are responsible for managing the country's money supply, regulating interest rates, and providing financial services to the government and other banks," Jacques Necker explained.
"How about establishing a centralized bank in France that not only serves as the issuer of currency but also acts as a driving force for economic development and stability?" Napoleon proposed. "I want this bank to be an instrument of progress for our nation, offering loans and financial assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises. It should also help fund infrastructure projects and encourage research and development in key sectors. By doing so, we can empower our citizens and spur economic expansion across the country."
Necker pulled out his notepad and jotted down Napoleon's words.
"Another thing we can do is to implement economic stimulus measures and revamp our taxation system…I have a lot of ideas on how we can get France back on its feet. I will write a comprehensive plan and present it to you in a few days," Napoleon said. "For now, you focus on the task I gave you and the creation of the centralized bank."
"Understood, Your Excellency, I'll have it ready for you in four weeks," Necker said confidently.
"Good, that's all for now."
Follow current nov𝒆ls on freew(𝒆)bnov𝒆l.(c)om