After Pasi’s report concluded, Jerome Bonaparte then listened to Minister of Internal Affairs Leon Fushi’s report on the Paris security issue. In the report, Leon Fushi subtly pointed out the "problems" with Police Chief Maxime Decamps, but did not mention a word about the newly established Anti-revolution Bureau within the Police Department.
Jerome Bonaparte nodded in satisfaction. Characters like Leon Fushi who understood the ways were rare. He immediately said to Leon Fushi, "Since you think our Police Chief has issues, then replace him!"
Upon receiving Jerome Bonaparte’s approval, Leon Fushi promptly responded, "Mr. President, then how should we handle the Special Team under the Police Chief?"
The Special Team mentioned by Leon Fushi was an armed squad formed by the Extreme Republican Faction to respond to the June Revolution, and it was also one of the few armed forces currently held by the Republican Faction.
Although the Special Team submitted a more satisfactory answer sheet to Paris’s propertied class than the army during the June Revolution, its label of the Extreme Republican Faction made the Order Party very disgusted.
"Mr. Barrow, what do you think?" Jerome Bonaparte focused his attention on Barrow, as the dissolution of the Special Team also required Barrow’s cooperation to succeed.
"France no longer needs this armed force! Their existence is the greatest crime against the workers!" Barrow said righteously, now seeming like a Left Wing warrior with boundless sympathy for the workers, a true embodiment of a political chameleon.
"Then let’s use internal strife to help dissolve them in name!" Jerome Bonaparte, who also disliked the Republican armed forces, immediately decided, and then added, "If some in the Special Team are willing to atone for their actions in June, then they can be incorporated into the National Guard, someone must take responsibility for the events of June!"
"Yes!" Leon Fushi gladly accepted the order, with the dual assurance from the President and Prime Minister, he was ready for decisive action, having endured the Police Chief and his semi-militarized Special Team for nearly half a month.
Having resolved the Minister of Internal Affairs issue, Jerome Bonaparte looked around again, waiting for the next minister to report on their work.
The ministers who followed to report to Jerome Bonaparte clearly did not have as explosive reports as the Finance Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, mostly involving financial expenditures or investment project issues.
Jerome Bonaparte patiently listened to their respective issues, all to be handled by Barrow.
The meeting lasted from 11 am until 1 pm, after which Jerome Bonaparte invited the Prime Minister and ministers to have a simple lunch at the Elysee Palace.
At 2:30 pm, Barrow and the ministers departed after lunch.
Minister of Justice Eugène Roué and Minister of Public Works Mornay were asked to stay by Jerome Bonaparte.
The three of them sequentially entered the study, and Jerome Bonaparte walked over to sit by his desk.
Eugène Roué and Mornay sat opposite Jerome Bonaparte.
"Mr. Mornay, this is our first meeting! I wonder if you have anything to say!" Jerome Bonaparte asked Mornay in a slightly teasing tone.
Mornay sat upright, pressing his body tightly against the back of the chair.
"Thank you, President, for giving me this opportunity to serve as Minister of the Public Works Department. I will do my utmost to serve the President!" Mornay lowered his voice, making it deeper and more persuasive.
"Mr. Mornay, I already know your background! So there’s no need for us to be so distant!" Jerome Bonaparte decided to be frank with Mornay, his aunt’s illegitimate child: "I hope you can join us? Because we are on the same side!"
"You?" Mornay looked at Jerome Bonaparte in confusion, then said bluntly, "Mr. President, forgive my candor, you and your team are too weak, joining you entirely offers no benefit to me!"
"Do you think they (the Order Party) can offer you benefits?" Jerome Bonaparte countered, shaking his head, "Mornay, my friend! Wake up; they won’t give you anything, there’s only so much space in all of France, and they barely have time to divide it among themselves, let alone leave some for you, an outsider!"
"But Mr. President, your term is only 4 years! It’s very difficult to accomplish a great project in 4 years!" Mornay responded.
"Mornay, rules are dead, but people are alive! Only mediocre people are bound by rules!" Jerome Bonaparte waved one finger back and forth.
"Are you planning to..." Mornay considered a possibility but dared not speak it aloud.
"No, no, no!" Jerome Bonaparte clearly understood what Mornay was implying, shaking his head, "The best solution is to achieve a satisfactory result for both parties under the current system. If it doesn’t work, there are other ways! Weapons should only be our last resort!"
"What do you plan to do?" Mornay asked Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte lightly tapped the desk with his index finger and said, "We just want to take back what’s ours!"
"How will you take it back! As I understand it, Mr. President, you don’t seem to have direct control over the army!" Mornay had already accepted the possibility of Jerome Bonaparte’s coup.
"I believe General Shang Jia’nie will surely stand with us!" Jerome Bonaparte confidently responded to Mornay, though he dared not reveal his intention to dismiss General Shang Jia’nie in front of Mornay. It’s better to keep certain things from Mornay for now.
Looking at Jerome Bonaparte’s confident expression, Mornay suddenly felt, "Maybe he can win": "Then Mr. President... no, Your Highness! I am willing to fight alongside you!"
Mornay’s inclusion brought another person capable of relieving Jerome Bonaparte’s worries into his small team.
After resolving the Mornay issue, Jerome Bonaparte turned his attention to Eugène Roué: "Mr. Roué, do you have any questions you’d like to ask me?"
Eugène Roué paused for a moment, then replied, "I understand it already!"
"Let’s hear it," Jerome Bonaparte seemed eager to listen, as a considerate subordinate indeed required fewer words.
"The revival of the salt tax is a trap!" Eugène Roué replied with certainty, "Once this proposal is handed over to the National Assembly, the contradictions within the Assembly will quickly intensify! The Mountain Party and the Republican Faction within the Assembly will never see the plan pass; they will go to great lengths to obstruct its passage, yet Prime Minister Barrow must implement the proposal, for only then can they alleviate the deficit in finances!"
"You’re absolutely right!" Jerome Bonaparte applauded, "The National Assembly must be activated, a united National Assembly does not serve our interests!"