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Chapter 135: Go, Pika... er, Mr. Marat!

Joseph then recalled the bankers who had invested vast sums of French money in England, and a bitter resentment rose within him. 'If he could uncover dirt on these fellows, it would not only be immensely satisfying but also an effective way to clean up the financial sector.'

But Joseph immediately felt a pang of discouragement. The banking sector still had too many targets, and these individuals weren't government officials. Asking the Office of Fair Investigation to investigate them, Marat, the "Friend of the People," would likely object.

'If only there were someone who represented the banking industry and was also an official...'

Thinking of this, his eyes lit up. There truly was such a person!

Although he wasn't an official now, he had previously served as Minister of Finance for a long time. His ties to the banking industry were exceptionally close—oh, to be precise, he himself was a banker.

And during the period when Necker managed France's finances, that was the beginning of France's irreversible path of relying on high-interest loans to maintain its treasury. The Ministers of Finance after him had wanted to break free from this vicious cycle of borrowing new debt to pay old, but due to the immense pressure of high interest, they were forced to continue borrowing.

A cold glint flashed in Joseph's eyes. 'Considering Necker's various maneuvers, he'd be damned if there weren't problems.'

Having the Office of Fair Investigation investigate this fellow now, first, it could divert Marat's attention. Second, if something was truly uncovered, it might implicate a whole string of unscrupulous banking magnates later on.

Early the next morning, Joseph sent Eman to the Minister of Finance's office to retrieve all financial archives from when Necker served as Superintendent of the Royal Treasury (as a Swiss national, he couldn't officially hold the title of Minister of Finance, but his authority was undiminished). They filled a good four wheelbarrows.

Sure enough, without Joseph needing to say a word, Marat came rushing over himself by noon the next day.

Joseph employed his usual method with him.

First, he passionately detailed how Necker, by colluding with banking titans, maliciously inflated government expenditures, leading to massive loans from banks and channeling exorbitant interest payments back to them. Then, he described the severe harm the national financial crisis inflicted upon the French people.

Finally, he pointed the "piranha" in the right direction: "Go forth, for the people of France, and tear Necker apart!"

This time, however, Marat seemed extremely hesitant. "Your Royal Highness, forgive my frankness, but Mr. Necker enjoys an excellent reputation. When he managed the national finances, revenue and expenditure were almost balanced. Surely you aren't deliberately slandering him because he exposed the royal family's extravagance and waste, are you?"

Joseph chuckled. Necker was indeed skilled at packaging his image—historically, when the Estates-General was convened, all three estates held a favorable opinion of him, and even Louis XVI regarded him as a savior.

But as someone intimately familiar with history, Joseph was quite clear about the schemes this fellow had been involved in.

"Mr. Marat, villains don't wear a sign saying 'bad guy' on their faces. The Office of Fair Investigation's purpose is to see through superficial disguises and uncover the true darkness within."

Joseph leaned forward and whispered, "Do you know where the first loan Necker secured for the government after becoming Superintendent of the Royal Treasury came from?"

Marat had clearly skimmed through the financial archives, opening his notebook and glancing at it. "It was a Swiss bank..."

"Precisely," Joseph nodded. "And do you know that this bank was co-founded by Necker and his friends?"

Marat froze, then shook his head.

Joseph's voice turned cold. "In other words, the first thing Mr. Necker did after taking office was to secure a massive deal for his own bank, and with a rather hefty interest rate.

"There's more you don't know.

"For instance, in his youth, Mr. Necker collaborated with his English banking friends, using substantial funds to speculate on grain between England and France, causing a dramatic surge in food prices at the time.

"Or, for example, to become Superintendent of the Royal Treasury, Mr. Necker offered hundreds of thousands of Livres, along with shares in his own bank, to bribe several high-ranking officials..."

Marat could no longer contain himself, rising to his feet and declaring, "Your Royal Highness, I will investigate all of this thoroughly, but it may only prove that you hold a prejudice against Mr. Necker."

Joseph smiled and nodded. "I look forward to you bringing more justice to the people of France."

Marat bowed respectfully, about to depart, when Joseph added, "Oh, right, Mr. Marat, you just said that financial revenue and expenditure during Necker's tenure were stable?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness, that is a fact."

"The fact is, this so-called balanced budget was built upon excessive loans. The interest on these loans wasn't immediately apparent, making the financial situation seem good, but the interest would accumulate, with the damage only becoming apparent more than a decade later. In other words, a large portion of the current budget deficit stems from the loans taken out during his time."

"Thank you for the clarification, Your Royal Highness," Marat bowed once more. He then turned and left, a hint of excitement in his stride.

Having diverted Marat's attention from the French Guards, Joseph then summoned Baron Breteuil and subtly suggested that he could be more lenient in his review of the French Guards officers.

Breteuil had initially been elevated to the position of Minister of Justice by the Crown Prince and Archbishop Brienne together. And since scrutinizing officers was a thankless task that easily invited resentment, he immediately agreed.

...

At the French Guards' barracks, letters reporting officers suddenly decreased. The Military Police department's review speed immediately accelerated significantly.

Marquis Saint-Priest was quite surprised upon receiving the news that Berthier truly possessed such influence. He thus simplified all procedures, almost immediately signing the commission, promoting Berthier to Lieutenant Colonel and appointing him commander of the French Guards' Third Infantry Regiment.

However, just after noon, Berthier came to see him, stating that he had encountered a minor issue.

"So, what does your dear friend require now?" Saint-Priest asked with a frown.

"Ah, yes, it's about his younger brother, who recently graduated from military academy and is currently just a Second Lieutenant," Berthier repeated the Crown Prince's request. "He hopes his brother can serve as a battalion commander or something similar in the French Guards."

Marquis Saint-Priest let out a long sigh. 'He'd already given away the cow; might as well throw in the bridle too.'

He immediately nodded. "Do as he says. Have him go as soon as possible..."

"He specialized in cavalry command, so he hopes for a cavalry battalion."

"Alright, alright! Cavalry or whatever, just make it happen," Saint-Priest rubbed his forehead vigorously. He was numb to it all now, only hoping this nightmare would end soon.

Berthier acted swiftly. After his promotion to regimental commander, he immediately went to the French Guards' barracks with Dubois and Clauzel's cousin, Odoric, to begin selecting his own troops.