Chapter 81: The Targeted Jews

"Alright then," Roland said dejectedly. Although his share of the profits was small, there was no way around it. The arms factory couldn't function without Napoleon. As Napoleon had said, the benefits of this new rifle were enormous, too much for Roland to handle alone.

"Sigh!"

Seeing Roland's dejected look, Napoleon felt a bit embarrassed. After all, he was competing with his own nephew for profits. But this pie was too big for him to give up. On the surface, he was the ruler of France, the First Consul, enjoying glory and wealth without lacking anything. But in reality, he was poorer than most government officials.

Just to satisfy his wife Josephine's daily clothing purchases was an astronomical expense. To support Josephine's increasingly luxurious lifestyle, Napoleon had to find ways to generate money. So despite his grand appearance, Napoleon was actually quite poor.

"Go and call Marmont," Napoleon instructed his guard.

"Yes!" The guard saluted and left immediately.

"Colonel Marmont? Why call him?" Roland asked, puzzled.

"No, Roland. It should be General Marmont now. Just recently, I promoted him to Major General to replace Bernadotte as the Minister of War. He needs to see this new rifle and calculate how many francs it will take to build a new arms factory."

"Promoted Marmont? And not just promoted, but from Colonel to Major General, two ranks up at once. That's too fast! No wonder everyone says the merit of following a dragon is immense! Wait, if every general under Napoleon got a promotion, why didn't I? I'm a pillar of Napoleon's faction and his nephew by blood!" Roland thought.

...

"Roland, don't worry," Napoleon said, noticing the change in Roland's expression. "Your contributions are invaluable, and your time will come. But this project is crucial, and we need the best people in the right positions to ensure its success."

Just as Napoleon finished speaking, Marmont entered the room, saluted, and stood at attention.

"General Marmont, I have a special task for you," Napoleon began. "This new rifle, designed by Roland, is revolutionary. We need to build an arms factory to produce it, and I want you to oversee the project. Calculate the costs and logistics required for this undertaking."

"Yes, First Consul. I will get started immediately," Marmont replied, taking the rifle and examining it closely.

"Roland, your design is truly impressive," Marmont said after a moment. "I'll make sure we can bring this to production as soon as possible."

Roland nodded, feeling a bit better. While he still had concerns, knowing that Napoleon and Marmont were fully behind the project gave him some reassurance. As they continued discussing the details, Roland couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of determination. This rifle, and the factory to produce it, could be a turning point for all of them.

Roland, who was not originally a slave to officialdom, realized the importance of power after the arms factory incident. If he were the First Consul of France, he could have established the factory on his own. This thought made him look at Napoleon with growing resentment.

"Roland, what kind of look is that? Are you upset that I didn't promote you? When did you start craving power so much?" Napoleon asked, surprised by Roland's expression.

"Alright, little Roland. You're already a battalion commander at your age, which is quite an achievement. Sometimes, rising too quickly can be detrimental. You're my nephew, and if I promote you too fast, people will think your achievements are because of our relationship, which could hinder your future development," Napoleon advised, trying to ease the tension that had arisen over the arms factory issue. He didn't want this misunderstanding to strain their relationship.

Just then, Marmont arrived, alleviating the awkwardness between them.

"Ah, Marmont, you're finally here. I have something important to discuss with you," Napoleon quickly changed the topic.

"Marmont, look at this. It's a new rifle, named the Type 01 Rifle. I've tested it myself, and it's excellent. If we can mass-produce this rifle and equip our army with it, our military strength will greatly increase. We won't fear any other nation's army," Napoleon said excitedly, handing the rifle sample to Marmont.

"Really? That's incredible," Marmont replied, examining the rifle. He knew that any weapon praised so highly by Napoleon must be exceptional. 

Napoleon continued, "I plan to build a new arms factory specifically for producing this rifle."

Marmont nodded, understanding the significance of the project. "This is indeed a remarkable rifle, First Consul. I'll make sure to calculate the costs and logistics required for building the factory."

With Marmont's arrival and the shift in conversation, Roland's feelings of resentment began to fade. He understood that while his ambitions were valid, the support and guidance of Napoleon were crucial in achieving their shared goals.

"Marmont, I want to build an arms factory. How much would it cost?" Napoleon asked, picking up a cup of coffee. He intended for the French government to cover the expenses.

"Approximately 30 million francs," Marmont replied.

"Pfft!" Napoleon spat out his coffee upon hearing the amount.

"How much did you say?" Napoleon asked in shock. Thirty million francs was an astronomical sum in France at that time.

Napoleon had anticipated that building an arms factory would require a significant amount of money, but he hadn't expected it to be this much.

"First Consul, if we start from scratch, it indeed costs that much. This includes equipment, land, and raw materials. We also lack enough workers, so we would need to recruit from other places," Marmont explained.

"Moreover, First Consul, building an arms factory takes a lot of time. It won't bring you immediate profits. Therefore, I suggest you consider acquiring an existing factory instead," Marmont added, pouring more cold water on Napoleon's plans.

"Alright, it seems that's our only option," Napoleon said reluctantly. He didn't want to spend a lot of time waiting, and he really needed the money.

"Marmont, I'm entrusting this task to you. Look around Paris for a suitable arms factory and report back to me."

...

Orders from above, hard work below.

Following Napoleon's orders, Marmont didn't rest for several days. He ran all around the outskirts of Paris, searching for a suitable arms factory for Napoleon.

Marmont understood Napoleon's keen interest in the arms factory, so he didn't dare delay. He practically scoured the entire city of Paris, looking for the right place.

Finally, in the southeastern outskirts of Paris, he found a suitable location.

This factory was primarily used for steel production. During times of national crisis, it had also been tasked with manufacturing cannons, giving it some experience in military production. Its location, environment, and scale were all suitable. Situated just outside Paris, it was not far, and the factory employed over six hundred workers.

Marmont immediately reported this information to Napoleon, who, as expected, showed great interest in establishing the arms factory. Upon receiving the news, Napoleon quickly gathered his things and, along with Roland, headed to the factory.

"First Consul!" Marmont was waiting at the factory entrance. Upon seeing Napoleon's carriage, he quickly approached.

"Marmont, is this the factory you found? It looks impressive," Napoleon said as he slowly stepped down from the carriage, looking pleased with the grand and imposing factory before him.

"Yes, First Consul, this factory is quite large and its equipment is relatively modern. They also have some experience in military production, making it ideal for conversion into an arms factory."