After some time, Anning followed the address given by Christina and located Robespierre’s current residence.
It was a two-story building, much better in conditions compared to the house Robespierre lived in before.
He knocked on the door, and a young girl opened it.
The girl wore a linen-colored long dress, adorned with a white maid’s cap—French maids all wore such hats, but Vanni didn’t because Anning had a preference for her to wear a lace headscarf like Japanese maids nowadays.
Anning: "I want to see Citizen Robespierre."
Maid: "He is not in."
"How could he possibly not be in, I know Robespierre too well, at this time he should be in his study reading."
Then suddenly the maid gasped in shock: "This voice... You are General Frost!"
Anning: "Yes, it’s me, inform Robespierre that I have come."
"No need to inform him." Robespierre’s voice came from behind the maid.
Anning directly pushed the door open and saw Robespierre standing with a candelabra at the stairs leading to the second floor.
"Mrs. Claire, please prepare some wine and pastries, there should still be some pastries, right?" Robespierre said as he walked forward, embracing Anning’s shoulder, "How come you are back from the front line? No news at all!"
Anning smelled a faint scent of soap; Robespierre must have just taken a bath.
"I just arrived in Versailles, heard from Christina that you might be in love, so I quickly came to see you." While speaking, Anning glanced at Mrs. Claire who was preparing the wine and pastries, "Is she your new landlord? Or should I say..."
"She is my new landlord, Dan Dong introduced me to this house. She’s skilled, bakes delicious pies, and her Marseilles fish soup is unparalleled!"
Anning: "Introduced by Dan Dong... How is Dan Dong doing?"
"He’s doing terrifically, now he has taken over Marat’s position, publishing articles daily in the Friend of the People! As if fighting traitors in Parliament wasn’t enough for him!"
It seems that the relationship between Dan Dong and Robespierre is still good?
Anning took another glance at the back of Mrs. Claire and asked, "So the rumor Christina mentioned, is it just a rumor, or..."
"What are you thinking about? How can we spare any effort for love talk during such times? Although you have bravely repelled the coalition temporarily, we still can’t rest easy!"
As Robespierre spoke, he led Anning up to the second floor, into his study.
Anning sat down in the chair in front of the desk and asked simultaneously, "Is the situation in Paris still bad?"
"Yes, firstly the financial issues, although relying on the confiscation of traitors’ properties we can barely manage, but Lazar Kano has organized so many troops, the military salaries are really challenging, not to mention the need for uniforms, weapons, flags...
"Now entirely relying on Lazar Kano’s capability, we barely managed to hold on, but the finances are full of holes if not for the somewhat stable tax sources from the south, we would be finished."
Robespierre sighed, "Additionally, we have to thank the people of Paris, the women of Paris! They have been working voluntarily for the National Assembly, producing cloth garments. Mrs. Claire now also goes out to work during the day.
"Really just like you said, women can hold up half the sky!"
In this timeline, this phrase was said by Anning, and it will also be passed down as a famous quote from General Andy Frost.
Anning: "Of course, the women are indeed impressive."
Robespierre continued, "However, some have sharply criticized the involvement of women in the revolution, even going so far as to throw slop on women actively working for the National Assembly in the streets! Just the day before yesterday, we even discovered the body of a lady who was murdered at night on the street!"
Anning exclaimed, "That’s detestable; we must take strong action!"
"Do you think so too?" Robespierre excitedly handed a document he was drafting on his desk to Anning. "Look, this is what I am drafting. Besides voting tomorrow on how to deal with the prisoners you captured, the most important is to vote on this!"
Anning carefully read the document: "Regarding the establishment of the Public Security Committee..."
Robespierre excitedly explained, "Exactly, to establish a Public Security Committee! To uniformly handle criminals and traitors who endanger public safety! We show no mercy to these people; once they are convicted, they are sent to the guillotine, no imprisonment, no chance for repentance!
"With absolute iron-fist, we’ll make sure these people have nowhere to hide!"
Anning put down the document, thinking it had really started.
So he asked Robespierre, "How do you avoid wrongful cases?"
Robespierre replied, "That’s why we need to establish a complete judicial system to reduce miscarriages of justice as much as possible. Completely avoiding them is obviously impossible; we can only minimize them, but we cannot abstain from action for fear of making a mistake!
"To maintain the majority’s freedom and safety, some individuals’ interests and lives can be sacrificed. It’s a difficult choice, but it’s a choice we must make!"
Anning grabbed Robespierre’s hands, "Maximilien, if I hadn’t known you for a long time and wasn’t familiar with your character, I would think you are a complete tyrant."
Indeed, the biggest difference between Robespierre and a tyrant is that he doesn’t act for personal gain; he truly believes this is for the good of France and the revolution.
Robespierre smiled reassuringly, "Thank you for trusting me; I knew you would."
"But," Anning threw in a turning point, "this Public Security Committee will definitely become a tool for others to line their pockets and wrestle for power."
"You say that, but then, any tool could potentially be used for evil, do we then abandon the tool? No, we cannot do that! Since tools could be used for evil, we must keep the tools in our own hands."
Robespierre broke free from Anning’s hands, gesticulating excitedly: "As long as we eliminate all enemies, the tools won’t be misused! Just wipe them all out, that’s it!"
Anning truly felt that Robespierre was already becoming paranoid, it was time to hit the brakes on him.
So, he said, "What if one day I, or Dan Dong, become your enemies?"
Robespierre replied, "No, how could you possibly become enemies? Dan Dong won’t either! I know you both!"
Anning retorted, "But I disagree with your methods, doesn’t that make me your enemy?"
Robespierre laughed, "Stop joking, I didn’t say having different opinions makes one an enemy. You disagree with establishing the Public Security Committee, which I already knew. Like before, we can retain differing opinions.
"You’ll be attending the National Assembly tomorrow, right? You can present your counterarguments there, and we can debate like before, fiercely clashing our points!"
Back at the Jacobin Club, Anning and his group used to engage in debates occasionally, sometimes arguing heatedly and even cursing each other’s families, but they would still continue drinking afterward.
It seemed that Robespierre hadn’t forgotten those days.
This reassured Anning a bit.
"Alright, we shall have a good debate tomorrow!" Anning smiled, "Just don’t accuse me of using General Frost’s influence to sway everyone, that would be a hollow victory!"
Robespierre laughed heartily, "Haha! Don’t worry, that’s what makes it challenging!"
At that moment, Mrs. Claire came in carrying drinks and snacks.
Robespierre exclaimed, "Come, let’s drink! Tonight, we drink until we’re merry!"