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Chapter 483: Seizing Every Opportunity

Clement quickly gestured towards a two-story building not far away. "Your Royal Highness, Baron Friant has converted what was originally a warehouse into a teaching building. The nearby ground was already leveled, so it can be used directly as a training ground."

He led Joseph towards the students who were training. "As for the faculty, the Director of Academic Affairs invited several professors of economics and mathematics from the University of Paris and transferred teachers from the Paris Police Academy. Currently, the entire academy has 34 teachers."

He rubbed his hands together. "This is indeed quite few for 620 cadets, but by staggering the class times, we can just about manage."

"620 people?" Joseph was somewhat surprised. The College of Economics had only been in preparation for a little over a month; how could Friant have recruited so many students?

"Yes, Your Royal Highness. The Director of Academic Affairs transferred over 300 police academy cadets who had studied mathematics. Oh, and Mr. Robespierre, the lawyer, also brought over 30 people."

Joseph nodded. Robespierre still had some renown in the legal field, so he likely brought along "disciples" of the Jacobin faction. This was quite good; the Jacobins had drive, and people like them were precisely what was needed to push through the Tax System Reform.

On the training ground, cadets in black uniforms were practicing close combat, their short staffs whistling through the air.

Before long, several instructors lined up the cadets, summarized the training, and then announced a 15-minute break before target practice.

Yes, per Joseph's requirements, these "tax officers" spent more than half their time studying subjects like investigation, drills, close combat, and marksmanship.

After graduation, they were to become the core force of the local Tax Bureaus. Tasks like calculating tax rates and preparing reports could be handled by clerks, but tax officers would primarily lead teams to inspect for tax evasion and recover unpaid taxes, requiring strong combat capabilities.

In its early stages, the tax system had limited personnel—the College of Economics should be able to enroll two batches and train around 1,500 graduates—so each person would have to do the work of several. Once staffing was sufficient, Joseph planned to split off a tax police department, and these tax officers, trained in police duties, could directly serve as its commanders.

As was his custom, Joseph had lunch with the cadets of the College of Economics.

Robespierre, seated at the table to Joseph's left, watched the Crown Prince eat the same food as him and the cadets, discussing the significance of the Tax System Reform without any pretense. A thought he had never entertained before spontaneously arose in his mind.

'Perhaps a King could also lead the people to a better life?'

He shook his head vigorously, his admiration for Rousseau's ideas immediately rejecting the notion. 'No, absolutism could never give rise to a "Kingdom of Reason"!'

Yet, he instantly recalled that without the Crown Prince, the clean and fair tax system he was currently striving to create could not have emerged so quickly.

'Even a government authorized by the people would likely struggle to construct such a reasonable tax system...'

'What, then, was truly better?'

Unbeknownst to him, a crack had begun to form in the conviction he held within his heart.

Joseph, however, was completely unaware of Robespierre's internal struggle. After delivering a brief encouraging speech to the students of the College of Economics in his capacity as principal, he immediately rushed two kilometers away to the National First Prison.

Indeed, the Bastille had now been converted into a financial center, so there were no large prisons left within Paris. The vast majority of criminals were now incarcerated here.

Furthermore, the First Prison's proximity to the Paris Police Academy significantly enhanced security, reducing the need for as many stationed soldiers as before and saving considerable expense.

Soon after, Joseph entered the First Prison, led by its Commander-in-Chief, the Marquis de Launay.

There were only about a dozen buildings here. The main structure was the prison itself, encircled by walls over ten meters high, capable of holding perhaps three or four hundred inmates. Its base, however, was reinforced with granite, making escape no less difficult than from the Bastille.

In reality, the Bastille was mostly empty. Occupying such a large, valuable plot of land near the city center had been an enormous waste and particularly drew the citizens' ire; it should have been moved outside the city long ago.

In a stone interrogation room on the third floor of the prison, Joseph met the main target of his visit: the Governor of Poitou, Count Norfolk—the highest-ranking official among the more than 40 officials sent to prison by the Bureau of Impartial Investigation this time.

Count Norfolk, disheveled and gaunt, became frantic with excitement upon seeing the Crown Prince. He offered a torrent of blessings and greetings, then began to lament his mistakes and how he had betrayed His Majesty the King's trust, but... he pleaded for His Majesty to grant him a special pardon.

Indeed, under current French law, the King could pardon anyone simply by signing. The Count fully expected the Queen to have sent the Crown Prince to scold him, after which he would be granted clemency.

Joseph ignored him, turning instead to the Marquis de Launay. "I just passed by the noble cells and saw that the furnishings are still too lavish. The national treasury is currently strained, so aside from a table and a bed, everything else should be removed. Oh, and it would be best if the cells were converted into single occupancy; that would be more conducive to the inmates focusing on self-reflection."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness, I will obey your command."

Norfolk's face turned ashen. He was already close to losing his mind after a few days in the current three-room cell; if it were converted to a single cell and all furniture and leisure items removed, how would it be any different from hell?

He watched the Crown Prince signal for the Marquis de Launay and all the prison guards to leave, then sit down opposite him. Trembling, he stammered, "'Your—Your Royal Highness, are you going to...'"

"'Although your case hasn't gone to trial yet, I can confirm that you'll at least be exiled to Lorraine,'" Joseph said calmly, glancing at him. "'But it's more likely you'll be sent to Tripoli.'"

"'No, no... I don't want to go there. Please, I beg you, intercede with His Majesty for me...'"

Joseph raised a hand, cutting him off. "'If you demonstrate a repentant attitude, I might consider interceding on your behalf.'"

"'Repentance? Yes, repentance! I will confess to God every day, from morning till night, I swear!'"

"'No, you misunderstand. You need to repent through concrete actions.'" Joseph picked up the teacup in front of him, as if savoring its aroma. "'For example, by exposing some of your accomplices, or any criminal activities you are aware of. Only then might you be spared from North Africa.'"

Norfolk froze, then asked cautiously, "'Your Royal Highness, what exactly do you wish to know?'"

"'Everything,'" Joseph replied, signaling Eman to hand him paper and a pen. "'The higher the official, the better.'"

With so many officials implicated in corruption and such a massive stir created, Joseph, having expended so much effort on this matter, naturally wouldn't let the current situation go to waste.

While the issue was still fresh, he would use these arrested officials as a starting point to implement the Administrative Reform he had long contemplated, ensuring this opportunity wasn't squandered.