In the Palace of Elysium, Lucien is meeting with his new general, Victor Treville.

"Victor." Lucien said, "I have heard that you have an elder brother who is now with the Count of Provence. ”

"Yes, Your Excellency." Victor replied calmly, "I have reported these things to the disciplinary inspection department in accordance with discipline very early on. Moreover, my political views have always been different from his. ”

"I know all of this, Victor, and I think your brother is just disgusted with Robespierre, and not really against the republic. Also, as far as I know, the Count of Provence may be leaving England for North America. I think this is almost the end of the power of the Bourbons. Do you think I'm right? ”

"You're right, Mr. Minister." Victor replied.

"Bourbon was worthless, and when the Count of Provence decided to leave England for North America, he had already admitted his defeat - he and Bourbon had no future. Therefore, many people below him need to think about their own future. On the other hand, as the position of the republic is more consolidated, we can also be more generous. I guess you know what I mean, right? ”

"I understand that only the strong are qualified to be tolerant." Victor replied.

"There were many outstanding anti-figures among the former aristocracy of France, and it would be a waste for them to withdraw from the stage of history with the Bourbons. In fact, many people from noble backgrounds have also made outstanding contributions to the republic, and the republic does not discriminate against them. Also willing to give him what he deserves.

For example, your uncle, Admiral Trevier, was from a noble background. Because of his victory in North Africa, he was about to be promoted to "marshal of the navy" and received the title of Roman nobleman, senator of the Senate; And he will also get a mine in Tripoli as a reward, in addition. The Turkish Sultan will also reward him with an olive oil-rich estate. My friend, France is already a republic, and there are no more nobles; But Rome was an empire, and there was an aristocracy. And it is a nobleman who can be passed down from generation to generation.

Victor, since the establishment of the ruling government, France has reorganized the internal order, and initially established a republic with the rule of the people and the people; Winning a hundred battles abroad, let the glory of France illuminate the whole of Europe. Today, France has stood on top of the world and has achieved unprecedented glory. Even the best of time in Bourbon is not like a firefly compared to a full moon in the sky in France today.

Recently, the republic is about to grant amnesty again, and the nobles who have gone down the wrong path in the past, for various reasons, and who have stood on the opposite side of history, as long as they change their minds and come back sincerely, with their wisdom and skills, are they still worried that they will not be able to find a place where they can display it? I think after the amnesty is issued, you can contact your brother, and talented people should not waste their talents on something that is not worthy. Do you understand? ”

"I understand." Victor quickly replied.

"In addition, you have done a great job and done a lot of important work, so I, as the tribune of the Roman Empire, have proposed to the Imperial Senate to admit you as a citizen of the Roman Empire. Do you have any comments on this? ”

"I really appreciate your recommendation. It was an honor for me to be a citizen of the great Roman Empire. Victor hurried.

"Very good, besides, your son's drawing skills are very good." Lucien suddenly laughed, "The last time Jacques Louis David saw his paintings, they all praised him for his talent. He even offered to be your son's painting teacher. I think he will become a good painter in the future. ”

"Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency." Victor said.

"Well, finally, we have one more thing to get you out of the way, and I know you've only been back from a long time. I want to stay at home more and spend more time with my wife and children. But why, Viktor, why do we people work so hard outside, just so that they can live a peaceful life at home in the future? Lucien said.

"Minister, where am I going this time?" Victor asked.

"North Africa. Tripoli, to be exact. Lucien replied, "You go with the Reverend Peter of the Holy See." You go over there, and you determine the land allocated to the freed slaves, and organize these people into a militia that can fight.

In addition, we must keep an eye on the people of the Holy See, although they are temporarily with us in this matter, but the organization must be controlled by us. Victor, do you know what to do? ”

"Understood." Victor nodded.

"Tell me what you think." Lucien asked.

Victor thought for a moment before replying: "Organizational ties based on economic integration are the strongest ones." So the first important thing is to organize the Christian farmers into a commercial production department, and let them all produce olive oil, or whatever else makes money, and then buy it and sell it all together, as the veterans' associations do in the countryside. And, because that part of North Africa is not necessarily suitable for growing food, once such a structure is formed, they become even more dependent on us. Of course, this is just the overall idea, and the specific method needs to be understood before it can be formed. ”

"Good!" Lucien slapped his face, "Victor, I really didn't misunderstand you, you are indeed a person with vision, ability, and worth cultivating!" You go out to Mr. Ferrero in a moment, he should have the relevant materials ready. For a week, you can read these things every day in the small reading room of the Palace of Bliss, but you can't take the materials with you, you know? After a week, hand over your complete plan to me. If there are no problems, we can arrange for you to go to North Africa. ”

Victor came out of Lucien's office and went to the secretariat to find Ferrero, Lucien's real secretary.

Ferrero was a thin, small, middle-aged man, who was always dressed in a black suit, which seemed to be very inconsistent with the atmosphere of the entire Elysium Palace. After listening to Victor's explanation, he carefully examined Victor's various documents, even if he had just come out of the minister's office. After he was sure that the person in front of him was not a fake and shoddy impostor, he nodded and said, "Mr. Treville, the relevant materials have been prepared for you, please come with me." ”

Victor followed the little man to a small reading room. Ferrero pushed open the door and said to Victor, "Mr. Treville, you wait here for a moment. I'll send you the documents right away. ”

Victor walked in and sat down at his desk, looking around the reading room. Unlike the other rooms in the Palace, this reading room is exceptionally simple. The large desk was only slightly varnished, flat and unadorned. Just a little button on the right. To the right of the table is a state-of-the-art printer. The chair is also just a general style, and there is nothing carved about it. Even the lamp above his head is a very ordinary lamp. However, because this reading room has large floor-to-ceiling windows, the light is very good, so the room is quite bright.

Victor was watching when he saw Ferrero walking in with a servant pushing a small cart. Naturally, the trolley was filled with all kinds of books. The servant pushed the cart in and turned and went out. Ferrero said to Victor: "Mr. Treville, this is the information that the minister has asked me to prepare for you, you can go through it here, but you can't record it, and you can't take it out. If you need food and tea, or if you're leaving, you can press that button and the servant is right next door. ”

With that, he nodded slightly to Victor and left the reading room.

Victor walked over to the cart and looked at the information.

Obviously, the information that Ferrero found for Victor was quite complete, and the classification was very detailed, including local history, geography, culture, climate, products, etc., as well as the latest local information. Victor picked up the latest information, sat down at his desk, and read it carefully.

A week later, Victor handed over a stack of printed manuscripts to Lucien. After Lucien looked at it carefully, he said to Victor, "Very good, Victor! You go home and rest for two days, get ready, and soon we will arrange for you to go to Tripoli. ”

At about the same time, in the Holy See, the Pope was also giving an account to a bishop named Torres. Since the coronation of Napoleon, the old pope's health has deteriorated day by day, and he knows that the day when he will be called by the Lord is not far off.

Whether the Pope was a true believer in God or not, at this point, when he looked back on his life, he could not help but think of his predecessor, Pope Urban VIII, who had commented on Cardinal Richelieu: "If God really exists, then our brother will have an explanation when he arrives there; If God didn't exist, his life would be wonderful. ”

As for the question of whether God exists, well, you have to ask His Majesty the Pope, and of course His Majesty says that He exists. Especially now, when this can be verified soon, he unconsciously remembers the question of "how to explain it to God." Under his leadership, the status of the Holy See is declining, which is really difficult to explain.

Therefore, His Majesty the Pope felt that he must seize this last opportunity to do a big, no, something that can truly please God. So he gasped: "Torres, my brother, you know that those lambs in North Africa have been separated from the church for a long time...... We need to find a way to steer them on the right path in order to be worthy of God's entrustment. In North Africa, we have to rely on the strength of the French, but also ...... and beware of them, and not let them ...... Can't let those things of ours get polluted...... Contaminated lambs...... Do you understand? ”