《Napoleon in 1812》 Chapter 1: Prolog Chapter 1: Prolog Chapter 1 Prolog The French Republic, which achieved a revolution that overturned the old system called Ancien Rgime, became the target of all the other powers in Europe. In the aftermath of the revolution, the military officiers who were from the nobility vanished, leaving behind only empty shells, and the republican army became simply a group of idiots. Napoleon Bonapartelll appeared at that time. Napoleon defended his country by defeating all the allied forces that invaded the French territory despite leading these fools. He also marched west of the Rhine to reim the long-cherished French natural border and, in the heat of the invasion, conquered northern Italy, forming thergest territory for France since Charlemagne. Napoleon was the Republics savior and the hero who strengthened France. As Napoleon was gaining national poprity and fame, the leaders of the presidential government became jealous and wary of him. In order to topple Britain, the Republics biggest opponent, the government ordered him to attack India, its colony, and in the process, to capture Egypt omitted) Even if wend in Egypt and take down Cairo, we cannot continuously supply the troops to maintain our position. Moving from Egypt to India is impossible, no matter the cost. The operation nned by the government has no possibility of sess and it would be foolish to turn a potential ally of the Republic (the Ottoman Empire) into an enemy. I am not a leader who will drive the Republics youth to hell (omitted) Napoleon, who was relieved of his duties because he refused to follow orders, used the media to reach the people and the soldiers. The impact of the sincere words of the Republics hero was beyond imagination. The people stood up and protested, and intellectuals and the media criticized the government. The Republics national army was also on Napoleons side. The panicked government harshly repressed the protestors, giving Napoleon a reason to raise the army. Napoleon used the division that was loyal to him to take over the chaotic Paris, establishing a government under his leadership, and gave himself the position of President. The Legitive Assembly, the National Assembly, and the General Government. Everyone did politics for their own interests and power. No one took care of the lives of the people. I will take care of them from now on. The people of the French Republic are those who deserve the protection and respect of the state from the moment they are born. I will make the French people proud of their country wherever they go in the world. After bing president, Napoleon stopped the war and devoted himself to the internal affairs of the Republic. He worked to revive the economy and industry, while minimizing the outflow of national wealth, corruption and inefficiency of the administration. As capital began to gather to a certain extent, Napoleon established a state-owned bank, which sought to improve the credibility of the international financial market. His government invested the military expenditure into the quality of life of the people and the revitalization of the national economy, including the construction of canals, roads and irrigation waterways for the agriculturalnd development, and the construction of viges and cities. Napoleon judged that cotton looms, spinning machine, cotton cloth, and steam engines, which had been invented in Britain, were the industries that would lead the future world economy. He led the process of copying and improving the British models by bringing together numerous engineers and scientists in France, and established an industrialplex to extract coal from coke furnaces. From 1798 to 1802, when Napoleon was president, the size of the French Republics economy was more than doubled, the production of iron tripled, and the average ie of the people and the national finances grew by 20 percent annually. The slowing poption growth rate rose rapidly again, surpassing 40 million people. The people were no longer starving, and happyughter poured down the streets and viges. The French considered Napoleon their savior for his mythical achievements and gave him absolute support and praise. The generals, bureaucrats and ministers urged Napoleon to be Emperor. Napoleon refused to do so. Britain was the most wary country as France grew stronger. Especially, looking at France, which dominated the European cotton and wool market by imitating the industrial revolution in its own country, Britain even felt a threat for its own survival. Britain spread numerous political lobbying funds to the Schnbrunn Pce, the Potsdam Pce and St. Petersburg, 21 calling for the re-establishment of the anti-French alliance. Britain was not the only country threatened by Frances growth, so the Coalition, centered around Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia, was formed again. 121 I dere the existence and safety of the French Republic. Those who threaten the sovereignty and people of our good Republic will be defeated unconditionally and there will be nopromise. On November 1st 1802, Napoleon dered war on the Coalition, which included Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Portugal and Sweden, on the asion of the Deration of Nemours. Soon Napoleon called in his allies Spain and Denmark and asked for troops from the sister republics of France, such as the Batavian Republic and the Parthenopean Republic. It was the beginning of a great war involving almost all European countries. The God of War Himself. Carl Ludwig 141 We were just dwarves in the palms of giants. Alexander | [] What strategy can you use against a man who can win an unwinable battle? William Pitt [6] Despite not standing on the battlefield for four years, Napoleons strategy and tactics were not rusty at all. He won 10 battles throughout Germany and Northern Italy, including the Battles of Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena and Auerstedt, and achieved the feat of suppressing 180,000 of the troops allied against him with only 40,000 losses. 171 Prussia and Austria, which were hit directly, were surprised and quickly ask for a cease-fire. They never stood up to France again. On the other hand, Napoleon judged that it would be hard to beat Britain at sea. Therefore, he only sent the navy to destroy British trading ships and merchant ships, avoiding naval battles as much as possible. It was a strategy to increase the financial burden of Britain, that needed a huge number of ships and sailors in order to block all the French coasts. In the meantime, Napoleon made a tremendous record of killing 115,000 Russian troops in the Battle of Eu and the Battle of Friend, and even led Russia to break away from the Coalition. Portugal could not fight back against Spain, and Britain was left alone as Sweden slipped away when Russia fell out. Britains finances were already at their limit after the French fleets trade destruction war, weakening the British control on the European market, and with the explosive war funds, huge military subsidies for each country, and worsening domestic economy. British taxes rose exponentially during the war. Britains citizens, who were unable to withstand the taxes, staged massive protests and strikes, asking to stop the war immediately. Having defeated all his enemies on the continent, Napoleon announced a naval project and nned to build 50 of thetest battle ships. British Admiral Horatio Nelson was killed in a fierce battle with the French, Spanish, Neapolitan and Danishbined fleets.181 The United States prepared for a new war, targeting the British colonies in the New World. Britain could no longer withstand it, and ended up signing a peace treaty with France. The other allies were able to conclude the end-of-war talks on light terms, but that was not the case for Britain, which had led the anti-French alliance from the beginning and resisted until the end. Britain had to face very humiliating and harsh demands to hand over the entire colonialnd of the North American New World instead of being subject topensation, tariff cuts, or patent adjustments. On February 2nd 1805, two years and three months after the Deration of Nemours, Napoleon dered the end of the war. France was recognized by the leading powers as Europesrgest hegemony and world superpower. The French people proudly sang the anthem of the Republic and praised Napoleon. I think Im done with my work now. I have served my 10-year term, so I want to step down. In 1808, Napoleon dered his honorable retirement. All generals, ministers, bureaucrats, and even the media and the people hung onto him, but he resigned neatly, following George Washingtons example, saying that more power would be no different from despotism. Thest thing he did was to propose a referendum for a five-year presidential term. After his retirement, the new government always seeked out Napoleon, who was supported and loved by the whole French people. Napoleon had quietly retired to his hometown in Corsica and only intended to takemand of the military in the case of a national crisis. He was therefore very upset by the governments attitude of asking for his opinion every time a new policy or bill was implemented. Napoleon eventually set out on a voyage to Louisiana. Frances North American colonies, including Louisiana, which was returned from Spain, and Canada, formally controlled by Britain, were nowrger than the entire Europe. The potential of this hugend is endless. Frances future lies right here. The western part of the New World, which had yet to be pioneered, had been recognized by European powers as an implicit French territory. Frances North American colonies still had enough room to expand and develop. Although the yellow fever and other infectious diseases had gued the pioneers, they did not stop their enthusiasm. Napoleon decided to spend the rest of his life on this newnd. *** Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Its time for you to wake up. What kind of idiot calls me with the title of a monarch? Hearing the wrong title, Napoleon frowned at the man who was shaking and waking him up in the midst of extreme fatigue. How on earth are these attendants trained Huh? Y-Your Majesty? The resentful face of the middle-aged man caught by the cor (heter found out that his name was Baron Fain191 and was Napoleons secretary) belonged to a stranger he had never seen in his life. All the people around the middle-aged man were looking at him with surprised faces. Napoleon jumped out of his seat in a sense of difort piercing his whole body. Then he opened the curtains covering the carriage and closed them again. I dont know where this is, but I can see for sure that its not New Orleans, Louisianas top port city, where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico to create a magnificent view. A thick endless forest, the smell of freshwater, different from the sea, and a line of French troops. When he confirmed that this was the Neman River, in Russian territory, Napoleon could only ask. What the hell is this? TL notes [1] For more information: Napoleon Bonaparte [2] Residences of the Austrian, Prussian and Russian rulers. For more information: Schnbrunn Pce, Potsdam Sanssouci Pce Saint Petersburg Winter Pce. [3] War of the Second Coalition [4] Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen (5) Alexander l of Russia (6) William Pitt the Younger [Z] War of the Third Coalition [8] Battle of Trafalgar [9] Agathon Jean Franois Fain Chapter 2: Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasslands - 1 Chapter 2: Napoleon''s cry from the middle of the grasnds - 1 Chapter 2 Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasnds 1 An expedition to Russia. It was definitely thergest project ever undertaken since the establishment of the French state on thisnd. A total of 680,000 people, 400,000bat troops, and tens of thousands of tons of food. 150,000 war horses and transport horses, 8,000 carts and wagons. 800 artillery pieces, 750,000 artillery shells, 5 million ammunition guns, and 200 tons of gunpowder. Napoleon I, the Emperor of the French Empire, said. If this huge mountain can move, it will be enough for Alexander I to raise a white g. Without fighting, we will subdue our enemy, so if that is not a great victory, what is? If the grasnd warriors bow to us, Britain can no longer continue the war. Most of Napoleons advisors about the enemy and the operations disagreed. Napoleons boast was not fulfilled. As if it had waited, Russia expelled the French ambassador, summoned the Cossack cavalry andmanders such as Bary and Bagration, with a burning will to end the war.[1] France was now forced to wage war against the empire that ruled the vast grasnds. Im telling you now, but I regret not giving more weight to Caincourts words.121 If so, we wouldnt have had such a disaster from the beginning. The Emperors adopted son and the rich king of Northern Italy, Eugne de Beauharnais, said so in front of his most trustedmander, Jacques MacDonald.[3] Hundreds of horses and soldiers drowned and the food they were carrying was flooded after a sudden copse of a bridge built to cross the Neman River. Two days ago, a storm had hit the camp site, damaging a considerable amount of supplies and killing more than 3,000 horses. To Eugne, these misfortunes seemed to be a sign of God. It was as if there were going to be a big tragedy on this expedition You can only say that to me, Your Highness. No matter how much you care about His Majesty, he will never forgive you if you speak out against him when he is determined to fight. Eugne nodded silently. People be more and more stubborn as they get older, and Napoleon was like that. His stepfather did what he thought was right unconditionally and never gave up. It was an expedition that most people, including myself, opposed. Did His Majesty think that the Emperors authority would be established only if he went against our will and prove us wrong? Of course, many of those who opposed this expedition were either intoxicated with too much Parisian social life or did not want to challenge more ennemies because they thought they were already sessful. However, Eugne and MacDonald did not sincerely oppose the expedition for suchzy reasons. They just thought that France had nothing to gain from a war with Russia. Even if they loyally devoted their bodies and minds to the expedition, if they did not ept it, it would only lead to despair and resignation. Eugne sincerely hoped that his stepfather, the Emperor, would know that even if his whole body was burned by eternal fire, he would not bend his loyalty to the Emperor, but others would not act like this. He remembered a native voodoo doctor he had met in a colony of the New World. Wearing a hat made of rhinoceros horns and painting with deer blood and oil paints, the voodoo doctor had told Napoleon an interesting story. We see the world as one giant system in which life pulsates, souls circte, and bodies bnce. We are always deeply and steadily exploring the rules and principles of the world with the wisdom of our ancestors. Therefore, we would like to inform our benefactor, former President of the Republic, of one truth andw that we have found. During his presidency, Napoleon sought to greatly ease oppression and discrimination against the natives of the North American New World and to recognize them as members of the society of the French Republic. After moving to Louisiana, Napoleon was not treated by the natives as a blood-sharing brother but as a blood-sharing rtive This is not the end of the world that exists in the whole universe. Outside the world we live in, there are mysterious multi-dimensionalyers of waves, and each of those huge wave has its own worlds. Their numbers are infinite. Among the infinite multi-dimensional infinite worlds, the worlds located in a straight line are particrly special. This is because we share the same time zone as the world we live in. We call it a parallel world. The parallel worlds exist indefinitely, isted from each other, creating countless branches. This is thew of space dimension and origin. They produce hundreds of billions of different kinds of worlds in many different branches. For example, there could be a world in which Britain wins against France, and a world in which you, the former president of France, be the Emperor instead of the President. At that time, Napoleon had thought that it was just one of the interesting principles of the New World folk beliefs and passed on. Napoleon, who was well-versed in mathematics, science, and philosophy, was not a man who would listen to unproven things. But at this moment, what came to Napoleons mind was what the native voodooist had called thew of the world. No matter how hard I think about it All I can exin is that my soul and mind have passed over to another world. That old man, Im sure he said interference between worlds was impossible. You dont know anything about exploration, do you? Then Napoleon muttered quietly and looked down at his body. He sighed. Originally in his world, Napoleon was a man who was in a much stronger physical condition than his age by repeating his healthy diet, exercise, and regr life. His moderately thin, lean body with stic muscles had disappeared, and his slender legs and drooping sides weed him. He also regrly had serious coughs and fever. Sometimes it was apanied by breathing difficulties. Napoleon knew right away that he was in such a shape and health that he would not live for more than a decade. How the hell was this guy taking care of his body? He did not hide his dissatisfaction and irritation with Napoleon Bonaparte of this world, who was the original owner of this body. Oh, by the way, he was a noble and honorable Emperor. Napoleon snorted scornfully. Just sharing the name Napoleon Bonaparte is disgusting. Instead of Napoleon, this pig should have had a suiting name, like Paul Barras or Roger Ducos. 141 Napoleon expressed his hatred for Napoleon of this world to the point where he recalled the specter of the presidential government that had been jealous of him and had tormented him. It had only been three hours since he came into this world, but Napoleon realized with his intuition. Now Napoleon had to worry about survival itself. TL notes [1] Michael Andreas Bary de Tolly, Pyotr Bagration [2] Armand-Augustin-Louis de Caincourt was the French ambassador in Russia [3] Eugne de Beauharnais tienne Macdonald [4] Paul Barras, Roger Ducos Chapter 3: Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasslands - 2 Chapter 3: Napoleon''s cry from the middle of the grasnds - 2 Chapter 3
  1. Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasnds 2
The first thing done by Napoleon Bonaparte of the other world, who had his soul transported into the body of Emperor Napoleon I, was ending this madness (the Russian campaign). The 400,000 troops crossing the Neman River stopped moving at Napoleonsmand and stood by. No, Napoleon could not understand how he could conquer and thousands of kilometers away. How would we handle the huge supply of manpower if we pushed 400,000 troops into the vast, destend, rather than quickly hitting and sweeping a small number of captured elite troops like the old Mongol nomads? If Russia responded with field tactics and dyed tactics, we would have experienced hell. If I were a Russian general, thats what I would have done. The Swedish army, once Europes strongest soldiers, was also destroyed by such Russian tactics. Despite knowing what happened in the past, do you still want to go that path that even beginners in strategy wont choose? Napoleon Bonaparte decided that the former owner of his body was a psychopath. There will be no Russian campaign. We will give up this useless expedition and return to Paris. At a military meeting where generals of the expeditionary army were gathered, Napoleon talked about withdrawal himself. Although there were many happy faces he was seeing after a long time, Napoleon knew best the importance and seriousness of this situation. If there were still idiots with futile dreams of an expedition to the East, he vowed to shower their burning will with a very strong rebuke. Whether we are doing the expedition or not, ourmanders are ready to follow anything. Nevertheless, we are confident that Your Majestys decision is apanied by courage and wisdom. I fully support Your Majestys choice! The war with Russia was only a loss to the Empire. Its a wastnd where theres nothing to gain from conquering. This has stopped the Empire from following the footsteps of Sweden and Poltava. We strongly support Your Majestys decision. We will be able to handle the vs in a different way. After all, thepetent generals who remained in Napoleons memory were not foolish. They knew how absurd and self-destructive this expedition was. After hearing what they said, he seemed to have decided to go against their will before the expedition. His anger soared against Napoleon of this world. Did he try to lead stubbornly this expedition against all his military experts and advisors? What the hell! We will make the army return as soon as possible. I also believe that Your Majesty have made a truly right decision. Napoleon nodded as he looked at the handsome man in front of him. He was Eugne de Beauharnais. He was one of Napoleons favorite talents. He seemed to have the same moderation and trust here. However, it was a little longer after learning that Napoleon in this world had a rtionship with Josephine, Eugnes mother, and that he had even adopted Eugne as his son. Whoa Im relieved that Your Majesty thought about everything. Im d. The war on the Iberian Penins has not ended yet and is showing signs of prolonging. No matter how strong the Empire is, fighting on two fronts is too much. The whisper entered Napoleons ears as he was about to lift himself up. Napoleon stopped moving at that moment and muttered unconsciously. The Iberian other front? ude Victor Perrin and Nics Oudinot,111 among the 26 marshals of the military staff who thought the Emperor had listened to them, immediately got up and apologized, but Napoleons face, which was horribly hardened, showed no signs of loosening. All the advisors and generals gathered here, as well as Perrin and Oudinot, turned white. They knew well from experience that they would never see the light if the Emperor was in such a state. The atmosphere of the military council was rapidly freezing, but Napoleon, the mastermind, had no time to pay attention to it. The meeting is over. Everyone stop the army from crossing the Neman River and step back to the West bank. After that, we will discuss the future again. Getting up from his seat, Napoleon quickly headed for his barracks. You were also fighting a war on the Iberian Penins? You rotten pig-like Nabot (Napoleons insulting nickname) were determined to consume France! As soon as Napoleon arrived at the barracks, he searched his personal documents. He did not know anything about the current situation in France or internationally, so he wanted to learn it from the letters and documents that he went through. Weve been at war since 1808. Our enemies are Ennd, Spain, and Portugal. At least 200,000 casualties? You idiot! Napoleon could not control his rising anger. In the world where he originally lived, Spain was a faithful ally and friend of France. They wererades who fought along the French allies and who shared the sweet fruits after victory. In some ways, the Spanish liked and praised Napoleon more passionately than the people of the maind (France), and he treated the Spanish people juste after the French. He was in the midst of making a personal decision with Spain on the fate of the nation. I think even allies can wage war if there is an issue where the national interests or diplomatic interests are greatly divided even after a hundred concessions, and if sufficient gains and security are guaranteed through war. But the Iberian Penins war was not triggered for that reason. Napoleon almost fainted when he learned about the war on the penins, which had sent 200,000 French youths over the Styx River. No, you made Joseph Bonaparte 2. King of Spain, without any justification or lineage? Did you think the title of King of Spain was like the butler of a small pce!? If Napoleon of this world had been in front of him, he would not have hesitated to shoot himself in the head with a musket. If youve started a war that doesnt make sense, youll have to end it first before starting another. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of troops were recruited to go on a Russian expedition He had a splitting headache. What have I done wrong toe to this world and endure this trouble? TL notes [1] ude Victor-Perrin, Duc de Belluno, Nics Oudinot [2] Joseph Bonaparte, older brother of Napoleon Chapter 4: Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasslands - 3 Chapter 4: Napoleon''s cry from the middle of the grasnds - 3 Chapter 4
  1. Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasnds 3
Napoleon was struggling to calm down the urge to kill Napoleon of this world. He called in Baron Fain, the chief secretary. He gave orders to Baron Fain, who rushed in. Send a messenger to Alexander I, saying that we have no intention of continuing the war with Russia. Lets be at peace with each other and go back to our previous agreement. Send the mostpetent diplomat you can find from the Republic No, the Empire and persuade him well. For now, making peace with Russia was an urgent priority. Dozens of luxury carriages, pulled by six horses per vehicle, were moving in a row, creating dust clouds. The carriages were full of couriers, maids, bodyguards, artists, cooks, poets, horsemen, lovers, and other servants. In front of them, the gs symbolizing the French Empire fluttered in the wind. Damn, how many civilians do you have to take for one enemy? Did you have any thoughts about these people going to war? Almost a whole vige seemed to be moving. Looking at the luxurious procession, Napoleons stomach was burning. Yes, it was only natural in current European Society for a high-ranking general to be followed by tails of that size when he left on an expedition. But Napoleon changed that obvious thing. When he was a general, Napoleon ate the same meal as the soldiers, slept in the same ce, and led them from the same height. He broke all kinds of stereotypes, such as rapid military maneuvers, aristocratic sense of authority, and arrogant strategies to maintain military discipline. It made the military think only of efficiency andbat power. As a result, the French army led by Napoleon was able to reign as the best army in Europe. I have to change everything from one to ten Looking at Napoleon muttering with a grim look, the generals around him slowly pulled back. Ill have to clean up before that, right? All right, all right One corner of his mouth went up and he smiled. Im not smiling that damn Nabot of this world. Im going to work hard and put everything in order. The only one who can save Europe is His Majesty. And the only way is to oppose Napoleon. Frances former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Talleyrand, [1] was a man who had even heard the voices of the second-inmand of the French Empire in the past. He said in a letter that he would fully stand on the Tsars side and promise to respond within France. Only then did Alexander I have the courage to face Napoleon in full force. The war between Russia and France, two great empires, came to an end. Alexander I, Tsar of the Russian Empire, was staying in the city of Vilna, the former capital of the duchy of Lithuania. He had already received the news of the sudden stop of Napoleons 400,000 soldiers in the Neman River basin instead of marching. We dont know what else the sly Napoleon will do. Why dont we stop the operation and watch the expeditions movement? They are consuming astronomical supplies every day. They must have a reason for not moving despite that. Alexander I considered his aides to be right and focused on figuring out the situation while waiting for the serfsing from the eastern part of Siberia. The change happened the very next day. There was some intelligence that the French were packing up and retreating as if they were being chased by something, even though the full-scale ind advance had not begun. While staff officers drew question marks with puzzled expressions on their iprehensible behavior, Alexander I thought. Theyre not trying to be sneaky, theyre trying to go back because something unexpected happened. The French have sent an envoy. It seems that they are trying to promote peace with our country. Who is the envoy? Its Louis Chankelier for foreign affairs. Alexander I stroked his beard. He was the highest-ranking diplomat who served under Napoleon. Usually, on the first day of negotiations between countries, it was customary for low-ss diplomats to visit each other first and then gradually increase their status. Calling the Minister of Foreign Affairs as a negotiator from the beginning turned Alexander Is doubts into conviction. There was something big going on in France. Since France finally broke peace and invaded the stronghold of our Empire, it is impossible to make an agreement to just go back to how things were two months ago. I will state our conditions. Alexander I recited the negotiation proposal after a brief discussion with the advisors.
  1. Theplete withdrawal of the French troops from the territories of Prussia and Austria.
  2. The independence and sovereignty of the Duchy of Oldenburg, which France annexed in 1810.
  3. The acknowledgment of Russias annexation of the Duchy of Warsaw.
  4. The exception of Russia in the trade blockade with Britain.
  5. 40 million francs to pay for Russias border invasion.
Whenever he heard each of the negotiation conditions, Louis Chankeliers heart burned ck. The Emperor had told him If you think Russias proposal to end the war is reasonable, ept it. You can make some concessions in the process. However, this was beyond the limits and could not belong to what the Emperor had called a reasonable proposal to end the war. It was a proposal that would never be epted by the French Empire If I ept this, His Majesty and the citizens of Paris will never leave me alone Uh Louis Chankelier, whose face color did not change at all as an excellent diplomat even though he was getting sick from inside, quietly folded the paper. The eyebrows of Alexander I and the Russian diplomats, who were looking at him with sharp eyes, wiggled. Can I take that now as the official refusal of the French Empire? Yes, Your Majesty! We cannot ept these conditions at all. Thats too bad. Then lets see each other on the battlefield. Thats where we will decide who will cry andugh at the end. When Louis Chankelier stepped down quietly, Alexander I ordered his entourage. Lets figure out whats going on in France right now. And contact Vilnius and Minsk. If you have a chance to strike Napoleons tail, do it without dy. TL notes [1] Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord Chapter 5: Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasslands - 4 Chapter 5: Napoleon''s cry from the middle of the grasnds - 4 Chapter 5
  1. Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasnds 4
The messengers sent by Alexander I, Tsar of the Russian Empire, arrived in Vilnius and Minsk a few hourster. At Vilnius, Bary de Tolly, amander of the Russian army, was currently under camp with 120,000 troops. In Minsk, Russias proudmander General Pyotr Bagration (1) was standing by with 52,000 soldiers. The original purpose of the two corps was to control the speed of the French expeditionary forces advancing ind, cutting off subsequent units and supply units. However, as the situation changed, the operation was stopped and the French were watched closely. Prince Bagration, who was still sharpening the de of revenge against the French, was delighted at the Tsarsmand to pursue the French army that really seemed to be retreating, while General Bary, who practically led the field tactics, looked disappointed. The French expeditionary forces have yet to suffer any damage. The French Emperor is not just any enemy, he would have prepared for his retreat Whats the benefit of chasing after him? In order to reduce the amount of local supplies the French expeditionary forces could take, they had already carried out a devastating operation on the French expected march. If they stepped back and started chasing from here, wouldnt the devastating side disappear? But isnt this His Majestys order? And if something really urgent happened to the French maind, how much could Napoleon do? The grasnd is thend of the Empire. The Neman River area is also a ce where the Imperial Army has conducted numerous maneuvers. Our army has an advantage in mobility and intelligence. It was the words of the staff officers who wanted to chase and fall back if they could not. General Bary nodded his head after much thought and ordered his troops to be ready to move. Bary made his way to Minsk. === Thatndboy Nabot has been scrambling to capture the nation from the start of the war to the moment he reached the Neman River. If such a belligerent fellow is pulling back, theres probably a good reason. Im sure hes not the type to retreat without setting up proper countermeasures. Bagration, originally stationed in Minsk, urged Bary to act. The belligerent and straightforward Prince Bagration said Barys field tactics were no longer effective and that he should focus his efforts on chasing the expeditionary forces. The information is not clear yet. Napoleon is a deceptive genius. Remember to watch out for his sly head at any time. The General, who had been overly cautious since the beginning, was not popr among the Russian soldiers. As if to prove it, not only the officers of the Bagration Corps, but also the officers of the Bary Corps, frowned slightly at General Barys words. Bagration made a fierce smile at the sight. The Empire (Russia) is a nation of beasts and warriors. Soldiers who are not brave will eventually be ughtered. Thete General Suvorov 21 always emphasized the bravery and recklessness of each soldier. Youd better remember what His Majesty really wants. Thank you for the advice. Bary sighed quietly and shook his anger. He was only a general in name, filling the vacancy of Kutuzov,131 who had briefly stepped down from the front line. Feeling the sorrow of a foreign-born general, Bary had to soothe his depressed heart. It was around the time that intelligence that Russian soldiers stationed in Vilnius were moving to Minsk arrived at the expedition. Napoleon was currently dealing with quite a nuisance. Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Forgive this Marshals disloyalty! But I cant go on without saying a word about this! Isnt this different from what we promised with the Polish people!? Since he became Napoleon of the world, Napoleon diligently collected various information by reading letters, documents, and reports, and was lucky to know who was in front of him. Jzef Antoni Poniatowski, 41 a member of the Polish royal family that had fallen into ruin, was confident in taking a position among the 26 marshals under Napoleon. He was aplete stranger in the other world. Napoleon had always emphasized his friendship with the Empire of the frozennd, Russia, so he had refrained from doing things that could provoke Russia. Of course, he had never dreamed of liberating Pnd, but it seemed that the Nabot in this world had acted differently for a long time. He had intelligence making him believe that an alliance against Russia would be properly maintained after making the Duchy of Warsaw. And what else did you promise before your expedition? Well Im sorry, Duke. But from the beginning, this expedition was stupid, no, burdensome, and I only realized it now. Im not sure I can keep my promises right now. But Ill give you a reasonable reward somehow. So I want you to trust me and France and wait. Poniatowski had run energetically, arguing, but he had never thought the proud Emperor would apologize so gently. Rather, the Duke of Warsaw, who had a look of surprise, bowed his head in a hurry and replied. Oh, no. Your Majesty. This Marshal was too hasty. I had no intention of questioning the sincerity of the Emperor. But if the expedition has been canceled, what should our Duchy and the military do now? The Duchy of Warsaw was the secondrgest country after France, with about 90,000 troops on this expedition. There must have been tremendous financial and administrative bleeding just by recruiting these soldiers Napoleon felt very sorry. Thank you for understanding. However, I havent ordered yet the dissolution of the expeditionary force. Weve already thrown the cheese, and soon the mice wille. Dont you think we should catch the rats? If they sign the agreement without even fighting, theyre not Russian. The people who ate foie gras knew, and Napoleon, who had dealt with Russia many times, knew it well. Alexander I would show his face to the negotiating table in a big and proper way. TL notes [1] Michael Andreas Bary de Tolly. [1] Pyotr Bagration [2] Alexander Suvorov 13] Mikhail Kutuzov [4] Jzef Antoni Poniatowski Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Between the meetings at home There was a time when every house had a piano. It was popr when everyone lived in apartments and had a piano in the living room, it was like a symbol of the middle ss. The children were led by the hands of their mothers to a local piano academy and learned the piano regardless of their will. Piano was a kind of essential course that the middle ss, who was wealthy enough, taught for the basic dignity and culture of their children. But when the children stopped with Beyer and started learning Cherny, some began to struggle. Minju remained at the academy even when children who had no talent or hobby left one by one to find another talent. It was not because she had superior talents. In the first ce, her registration at the academy was far froming from a high enthusiasm for education. Minjus parents, who were both working, found that the piano academy was runningter than other ces after inquiring because they had no ce to leave their child. Minju spent a lot of time at the piano academy after school. The director suggested to Minju to participate in a contest, in which the fact that she had to practice only one song to death was absolutely advantageous to her. The amount of practice she did was iparable to other participants. As such, trophies piled up one by one, and Minju became the pride of the piano academy. Minjus parents also had no doubt that her daughter would make a great pianist. Was it because of the Pygmalion effect? Minjus piano skills improved more and more. She did not have to think about any future dream other than being a pianist. By the time the poprity of the piano faded away, personalputers had risen rapidly, and people had sold their pianos at home to buy PCs. The days when each house had a piano are over. Along with this, the demand for piano tuners decreased dramatically. It had be difficult to make ends by only tuning pianos for families. To conterbnce it to a certain extent, the tuners had to look for other ces where the piano was frequently yed in addition to houses. For example, churches, academies, schools. The used instrument store where Minju worked was also regrly visited by one of them. The music college, which Minju enrolled in after receiving a certificate of eptance but could not attend, was also one of them At first, Minju had followed the boss with a bag containing the tuning tools, but now she went alone. When she saw music students in each of the practice rooms and lecture rooms, she felt envious and ashamed at the same time. It was not that tuning was insignificant. But a person had no choice but to yearn for the threshold of a dream that they could not reach. Minju, who finished tuning thest piano, tried to leave the practice room but someone opened the door first. She just looked up reflexively and looked at the person in front of her, but they suddenly talked to her with a surprised face. Choi Minju right? Its me, Shin Yurim, from Seonjae High School 3rd grade 1st ss. While Minju hesitated to answer, a student walking through the hallway greeted Yurim. Hello, professor. Oh, hello. Minju tried to leave while Yurim was greeting the student. Once again, a voice called Minju from behind. Minju-ya, wait a minute. Minju paused, but stopped for a while because she thought it would get bigger if she ignored Yurims words and left. Yurim approached her. I have a lesson right now, so could you wait an hour, or even 50 minutes? There seems to be some misunderstanding Its been ten years. Do you know how much Ive been looking for you since you disappeared? I think youve got the wrong person. Im not the person you know. Then, goodbye. Yurim grabbed Minjus wrist when she turned around. I didnt believe people. Really. What do you mean Then wait a minute here. Ill cancel todays lesson when the studentse. Lets have a meal together, okay? Im not Choi Minju. Please let me go. Yurim held Minju so tightly that she could not shake off her hand. Just then, someone else from the opposite side approached Minju. What are you doing here, Hye-ryeong-ssi? It was Sang-yeon. Surprised by Sang-yeons appearance, Yurim released Minjus wrist. Oh, I made a mistake. Im sorry. Yurim believed his eyes, but immediately changed his stance and apologized when Sang-yeon called Minju by another name. He had always been quick to judge situations since he was young. When Yurim disappeared into the practice room, Sang-yeon whispered to Minju in a small voice. Then Ill see you at home next Monday. Leaving Minju bewildered, Sang-yeon left the hallway with a brief greeting. The words see you at home felt like some promise or code between the two, and it felt secretive and thrilling. Waiting for the next Monday, Minju was almost on the verge of turning around. It was because she wanted to see Sang-yeon, she wanted to make an excuse to him, and she wanted to ask him why he helped her. Minju knew Yurim. She was indeed Choi Minju, and Yurim was right. However, she was no longer the Minju Yurim knew. At that time, she was only one of the girls who dreamed of bing a real musician while ying the piano and singing together. Minju did not recognize herself as this Minju because she was humbly holding a tuning tool in front of an old friend who was called a professor. She did not want to go on a time trip to the past with Yurim. Monday dawned, with her misceneous thoughts unorganized. When Minju arrived at the gate of Sang-yeons house at the appointed time, the door opened even before she could press the doorbell. As if he had been watching Minju the whole time. She did not know how she should face Sang-yeong during the tuning, even though she had struggled to sleep for several nights, thinking of what to say when meeting him. As she got depressed, wondering if she should go back like this, Sang-yeon came down the stairs with slow movements. It was so fascinating to see him disorganized as if he had just woken up, so Minju turned her eyes for a moment. Sang-yeon did not realize that there was another person at home and went to the kitchen to drink water. Minju tried to just continue to do what she was doing as naturally as possible, but it was not easy. She could not concentrate at all. Im grateful for that day. If youre thanking me, I guess he didnt see the wrong person. Sang-yeons words were sharp and urate, as he put a bottle of water back in the refrigerator. Yes, my name is Choi Minju. She did not know it would be like this, but Minju told Sang-yeon her name for the first time. It meant more than just conveying information. It was like a confession of her identity. I see. A in reaction with no prejudice or judgment came back. Youre not asking why I did that? If Minju-ssi lied, there must have been a good reason. You dont have to exin it to me. When she heard Sang-yeons words, Minju felt strangely relieved. Even if it could be understood that he did not want to know because he was not interested, to Minju, it sounded like a kind of consideration and courtesy that he would not be curious about her past. Maybe he also had a past that he did not want to reveal. Although it was clear that she had an erged interpretation and a grandiose delusion, Minju believed that God was listening and that her prayers for a spouse were not in vain. It was a faint hope. I dont like what others have used before. The little customer, who was pressing the piano keys with his skinny fingers, said, pounting his lips with a bitter expression. The childs parents looked at each other with embarrassed faces. Looking at them, it was clear that there were customers who would go after just looking around. Minju crouched down and looked at the child. How about that? Its going to be yours. Instruments are different from bicycles and robots, so the older they are, the more expensive and valuable they are. Really? Its a secret, but Im showing you the piano I originally wanted to buy. The child seemed to shake a little, but eventually shook his head. Well buy a digital piano on home shopping its nice to be able to pay with a 24 months installment n. Its not a real piano, you dont even know. The childs parents quarreled among themselves and just left the store without saying goodbye. Goodbye. Minju looked out of the window with a look of dismay as she saw off the customers. Boss-nim, theres a ck car that has been standing across the street for some time now Have you seen it? Where? The boss looked out the window, but it was after the ck car had just disappeared. Oh, where is it? It was here just a minute ago. Didnt you say you had to go to the bank? Its three oclock already. Oh my! Its already thiste. Boss-nim, Ill stop by the bank and go straight to Pyeongchang neighbourhood. I have to work there. Minju said in a slightly excited voice, and then took her clothes and her bag and rushed out of the store. It was Monday, which became Minjus favorite day of the week. As for Minju these days, she was always tensed, like a slightly unbridled colt, or like college freshmen drunk on cherry blossoms. Before going to Sang-yeons house, Minju headed to the bank to solve her rent problem. It was the end of the year, so she managed to get a seat at the window only after 45 minutes of waiting in the crowded bank. Theres not much time left until it expires. It must be such a waste. I was going to buy a piano and save some money if I get a saving ount. It looks like Im just going to put everything in the rent. But you shouldnt touch the housing subscription ount. Would you rather look into a loan? Im probably not eligible for a loan. I cant afford to pay interest. Minju was sick and tired of loans now. At first, there were no ces willing to lend her money, andter she had struggled to pay off her debts. It had been a while since she was able to put even 20,000 won a month into a housing subscription ount with the swollen dream of buying a house. The banker checked Minjus credit rating and, without furtherment, presented two checks worth 10 million won each, her identification card, and a stamp. Here you are. Please confirm. Twenty million won It was all the wealth that she had struggled to save for three years. After counting the number of zeros on the check over and over again, Minju put it in her bag and left the bank, carrying it on her shoulder. When the traffic light at the crosswalk turned green, Minju stepped back. At that very moment, someone pushed Minjus shoulder strongly and her body went forward. It was so hard that she could see stars in front of her. Lady, your bag! If someone had not said this, Minju might have been standing nkly for a while without knowing that she had lost her bag. The green light of the traffic lights began to sh. Minju came to her senses and ran recklessly after the motorcycle that had stolen her bag. Minjus legs got faster and faster, but the motorcycle only got farther. She stopped running as she thought that she could not catch up with the motorcycle no matter how much she ran. It was a very resolute abandonment. You unlucky bitch! You cant do anything! A cursed life where misfortune ensues if you feel a little happy! Like that, Minjus savings of the past three years disappeared. Chapter 6: Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasslands - 5 Chapter 6: Napoleon''s cry from the middle of the grasnds - 5 Chapter 6
  1. Napoleons cry from the middle of the grasnds 5
Thisnd was located about 2,000 kilometers away from the homnd of the expeditionary soldiers. Due to the condition of the army, which was moving farther away, countless deserters were leaving the French Empires forces every day. General Bary and Prince Bagration released the Cossack cavalry, who were good at chasing and hunting, to capture all the fleeing French deserters. It was to get information from them about the French army. Its not the big fish I was hoping for, but its still quite good. Motpacarowne (excellent)! The faces of the Russian generals brightened when they saw some Austrian officers among the deserters. Prussia and Austria were allies of France in name and had sent a considerable number of troops on this expedition, but their actual rtionship was worse than expected. Since France had struck them down and forced them to sign demanding treaties, Prussia and Austria had only been looking for a chance to avenge themselves. They were potential allies of Russia. Even now, they could exchange information and opinions. If they were to betray France now, then when the Russian won, they would support Prussia and Austria. In other words, what an Austrian officer with no loyalty to France said was very credible. There has been a major revolt in Paris that made it impossible to continue the expedition. I dont know anything more about it. They dont really give proper exnations to foreign-born officers like us General Bary could not fully believe the testimony of the Austrian officer, and listened carefully to the French deserters. I only heard from afar that something happened in Paris The officer of our unit said it was a rebellion caused by the Bourbon royalists I saw officers talking about a revolt in the capital. More than that, I dont know Afraid of being treated harshly, they trembled and revealed everything they knew even if they were not threatened. All the deserters testimonies mentioned a revolt in Paris. General Bary deliberated with his head down. What more are you thinking about? This is a golden opportunity to end the dictatorship of that Emperor from Corsica! Do you really want to follow in the unfortunate footsteps of the former Marshal Bennigsen?[1] Prince Bagration was ready to give a blow as soon as the decision to fight was made. During Napoleons expedition in Prussia and Pnd, Bennigsen had been overly passive and had been defeated in the Battle of Friend and forced to retire by Alexander I. The officers faces were red and tensed. General Bary eventually nodded. Sounds good. If its like this, lets get to Napoleon. The Russian generals and officers cheered and apuded as if they had only waited for these words. But Barys expression remained serious. If it was true that the French expeditionary forces were truly retreating due to problems in their home country, they would inevitably head to the free city of Danzig, where their forces supply centers were concentrated. To go from the Neman River to Danzig, they had to go through the cities of Hrodna and Augustw, located southwest of the Neman River. Otherwise, they would have to pass through the northern teau but it would not be a suitable path for 400,000 troops. Bary and Bagration were in Lida, a city between Varna and Minsk. To hide the presence of more than 170,000 troops, the Cossack cavalry was busy running around, killing the French scouts. Meanwhile, the two armies gathered their soldiers and prepared themselves for battle, giving the marchers some rest. An enemy who believed in the overwhelming strength of their troops and allies, and in their geographical advantage. Napoleon recalled the Battle of Jena, in which he had defeated the Prussian army in central Prussia. A decisive battle that had pushed arge number of troops into unexpected positions, dividing and crushing the enemies, andpletely destroying the Prussian main force. After winning the Battle of Auerstedt that had followed, Napoleon had put the Prussians on their knees with just two fights. Havingpletely lost the power to oppose France, they had eventually signed an agreement and left the anti-French alliance. I dont know if its a coincidence or not, but Napoleon of this world also fought in the Battles of Jena and Auerstedt. But the process and results were very different. The number of casualties in both battles, in the other world and in this world, was roughly the same. However, there were important differences: the number of prisoners, the amount of looting, and the following war. The Nabot of this world had lost 60 cannons, 15,000 Prussian prisoners had fled, and they hadter conspired with Russia to form a new front. On the other hand, the real Napoleon (Napoleon decided to call himself like this) had predicted the enemy route and had sent a unit there in advance to capture all the remaining soldiers of the defeated troops and crush the Prussians will to fight. Napoleon thus proved that not only his strategic judgment but also his tactical abilities were superior to this Nabots from here. It was not important anyway At the Battle of Jena, I took the lead, dealt the first blow to a separated enemy and won. This time, its the opposite. This situation will make the enemy strike a separated ally. Napoleon intended to show his ns to his officers and to his enemies, written by his hand. Youre going to be surprised. Even if its different from Nabots usual ns, its too different. Napoleon chuckled thinking so. Hisst destination was Hrodna TL notes [1] Levin August von Bennigsen was a German general in the service of the Russian Empire. Chapter 7: Battle of Hrodna - 1 Chapter 7: Battle of Hrodna - 1 Chapter 7
  1. Battle of Hrodna 1
General Bary and Prince Bagration predicted that Napoleon would divide the forces of the expedition into two or more. The French expeditionary forces were not only made of French soldiers. There were allies of France from different nations, such as Pnd, Austria, Prussia, Italy, the Confederation of the Rhine and Denmark, as well as military forces from satellite countries. ording to the testimony of the Austrian officers and the French deserters, the leaders of the expedition were considering canceling everything due to a massive revolt in Paris. They had to go back to Paris to subdue the rebellion, so they could not bring foreign troops in France, right? And especially armies of Frances potential enemies, such as Austria and Prussia. We will never let the expeditionary forces go away. Napoleon knows this very well. He must separate his army to stop our troops. The expeditionary forces will have no choice but to be divided. This was the situation that Bary and Bagration were aiming for. Each division of the army will not be the exclusive property of the Nabot. Youll see, donkey-like French! The price to pay for invading thend of the Russian Empire will never be small! Good news came to the Russian army, who was staying in the city of Lida while grinding their teeth and preparing for battle. The French expeditionary forces were divided into at least three parts. Napoleons corps, consisting only of French soldiers, including the Imperial Guard. (1st Corps) The Polish corps, which was the main force of the Duchy of Warsaw under Poniatowski. (2nd Corps) Finally, a mixed coalition with soldiers from Austria, Prussia, the Confederation of the Rhine, Italy, etc. (3rd Corps) As soon as the 1st Corps finished clearing their campsite near the Neman River, they immediately left. As predicted, they seem to be marching toward the free city. It was the words of Colonel Raevsky.11, the chief of staff. Napoleon was retreating in a hurry with his own corps. It further cemented the Russian generals sentiment that the revolt in Paris was true and that its size and power were extraordinary. Bary, who had been suspicious until the end, could now have some confidence. On that day, the armies of Bary and Bagration waiting in the city of Lida moved. The three corps of the expeditionary force are located right here. The armies of Bary and Bagration stopped marching after the whole day and stayed overnight in the city of Astryna between Hrodna and Lida. Time was the crucial parameter of the operation. They started without making any ns, and then had time to conduct operational briefings at the camp at night. It was to organize the operation while marching. The chief of staff of the Bagrations corps, and the leader of Bessarabia, pointed at three ces on a map showing the Neman River area. Hrodna, Augustw, Ostroka. ording to intelligence from Austria and Prussia, Napoleons 1st Corps is currently staying in the city of Ostroka. In Augustw, the Duke of Warsaw, Poniatowski, is stationed with the Polish soldiers, while the rest of the remaining troops have been deployed to Hrodna. Staff calcted the distance between Hrodna, Augustw, and Ostroka and put it on the map. Hrodna-Augustw: 25 miles Augustw-Ostroka: 45 miles Ostroka-Hrodna: 58 miles The distance between Hrodna and Augustw could be traveled in just one day if they rushed hard, but Augustw-Ostroka and Ostroka-Hrodna would take at least two or three days. There was a tight time gap between the separated expeditionary forces, which the Russians had to take advantage of. Therefore, we will defeat the Allied Corps in Hrodna first, and then stand by there, making their defense and artillery ours. I dare say that it would be the most reasonable tactic to defeat additional enemy troopsing from Augustw and Ostroka. Destroying the nearest enemy and holding a favorable position to defend against the enemysrge army. The goal was tost until Alexander I brought the newly conscripted troops to support them. It was a reasonable decision. In this situation, this was the best anyone could think of. The Russians who remembered the Battles of Austerlitz and Friend knew well their fear of the French army. The French could surround them in no time and attack from all directions. We have to move quickly. Quickly defeating the 3rd Corps and quickly taking over Hrodna. Everyone nodded at Prince Bagrations words. They had to destroy Hrodnas corps and capture all major bases and artillery. That was the first goal of the Russian army. This is the wisdom of God, receive it with reverence. O Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen. Alleluia! In the early morning of July 5th, 1812, before the battle, the Russian generals held the prayers of the Orthodox Church. Before the Battle of Poltava!21, Peter the Great had encouraged the entire officers to participate in the prayers and had won the battle, creating a turning point in the Great Northern War.131 Since then, Russia had worshiped the Lord Jesus Christ, hoping for victory, whenever there had been a great battle. O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance! The bell rang to announce the end of the prayers. The Russians resumed their march. The Russian troops, divided into the Bagration and Bary Corps, arrived in the Hrodna ins at noon on July 5th. General Bary was strictly controlling the information leaking about the Russian movements, but it was unlikely that a first-ss army could not detect such arge force moving. When they arrived, Hrodna had already been turned into a huge defensive city. Deep trenches and ditches had been dug in the front, and stone walls and bastions had been piled up everywhere to hinder the armys advance. Artillery had been installed on high grounds, such as hills. Behind all that, the expeditionary force with a perfect defensive formation was waiting. Feeling their strength and determination, General Bary remained silent, but some other people got excited when they saw the situation. 80,000! No matter how prepared they are, they are only 80,000. And most of the soldiers are not from France! Hahaha! Its nothing! A small army that will be wiped out if we sweep through! More than the number of soldiers, the fact that they were mixed troops from various countries, and not French, further increased the confidence of the Russian generals and officers. The Bagration Corps, which had imed the leading position to strike, had already begun fighting against the enemy. They were aggressively attacking the bastion on the right side of the enemy camp. The expeditionary forces guarding the bastion took advantage of their height and artillery, but the Bagration Corps rushed like a swarm of bees and attacked them quickly. As such, the Russian army seemed to be victorious right from the beginning of the war. TL notes [1] Niky Raevsky [2] The Battle of Poltava (1709) was a decisive victory of Peter the Great over the Swedish Empire during the Great Northern War. [3] The Great Northern War opposed a Russian coalition to the Swedish Empire (1700-1721), ending with the defeat of Sweden, leaving Russia as the new dominant power in the Baltic region and as a new major force in European politics. Chapter 8: Battle of Hrodna - 2 Chapter 8: Battle of Hrodna - 2 Chapter 8
  1. Battle of Hrodna 2
Before the advance, General Bary had ordered the deployment of the artillery to counter the enemys weapons. Meanwhile, he searched the enemys lines with a spyss to find out who their enemy was. Louis Nics Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstedt. Ah! The Iron Marshal (Davouts nickname) is our enemy! It might be a lot more tricky toplete the operation than we thought. But their numbers are less than half of our troops, right? If you do the math, its just Barys roared at the chief of staffs immature words. You idiot! Half of our army is 80,000! Suppose they hold out in a fit of rage and two of them kill at least one soldier! 40,000 people would die! Is this how you win a war! Bary, who decided to say something firmly to the officers who were talking as if they had already won the war, gave a fierce look around him. In addition, Davout is one of Frances top generals who broke 60,000 Prussian soldiers with 27,000 men at the Battle of Auerstedt! Keep your head straight! Think like Napoleon is in front of you and do your best! Only then did the officers lower their heads, saying they did something wrong. But Bary did not show any sign of eptance. He suddenly felt stuffy. If only there was a member of the Suborov team at this time. If so, we wouldnt have any worries That was the recurring problem of the Russian army. Excessive confidence and belligerence. Sometimes they had used it as a weapon to win great victories, but there had been many times when it had meant the end of the battle for them. Alexander Suvorov was the only general who hadplete control over the Russian armys temper. Of course Bary was not capable of doing the same. July 1st, 1 p.m. The instation of all the Russian artillery waspleted. The entirend shook when about 250 cannons, half of the field guns that were brought, were fired at the same time. The Allied Corps also opened fire to counterattack. It did not take much time for this wide battlefield to be covered in gray smoke. The Hrodna area is famous for itsrge roads and open prairies Now it feels rather narrow because there are so many soldiers. Everything is rtive. In this situation, the enemies and our troops make a total of 250,000 soldiers fighting. Its a historic battle with national interests at stake. Lets refrain from chatting. Our great Empire will surely win and reim itsnd. One suspicion passed through General Barys head, who was listening to the officers murmurs. They were in perfect formation, as if they knew we wereing this way, at this time. No matter how much information leaked, can they respond naturally like this? And thats not even the French troops but the Allied ones? But Barys thoughts got disturbed by his aides advice. The gunfire from the artillery on both sides covers the battlefield. The enemys vision ispletely obscured, so nows the time to send in troops. Remove the enemys vision with the artillery and push in the infantry. It was a fundamental principle of thews of battle. Bary agreed with the advice of his aides and ordered General Tuchkovlll to lead 25 infantry battalions, leaving many reserves behind. Make it your top priority to raid the artillery and destroy the enemys cannons. Killing the soldierses next. Yes, sir! Even if more than half of the soldiers died, the operation would only be beneficial if the enemys front artillery was blown away. The 25 infantry battalions made their way to the battlefield full of cannonballs and gunfire like a wave. The real battle was now beginning. The officers did not hide their excitement. Bang! Boom! Bang! Boom! Boom! The Russian soldiers did not stop moving forward despite the fierce shells pouring in from both sides. One of their lines was hit by a cannonball from the Allied Corps. Even though therades who were walking together were reduced to a pulp, it could not break the spirit of the fearless vs. Turks and Swedes know us well, and we are famous in the world, To battles, to victories we are always led by the Tsar himself! Our grandfathers were glorious, the Swedes and Poles remember them, And the eagle of victory was soaring over the fields of Poltava. So we would go forward the glorious, the first-born Russian regiment!121 The Russian infantry was marching in rythm with the sound of drums and trumpets while singing the March of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and after some time, broke through the gunfire. In the meantime, the wind was not strong enough to blow away the smoke. Thanks to this, there was less fear of exposure to the enemys heavy artillery fire, but the battalions sense of direction was also reduced, causing confusion. Tuchkov stopped the soldiers from advancing and asked them to wait a moment to find out more about the situation. My General! Should we keep singing the march and ying the trumpets? It could also expose our position to the enemy. Youre right. Hmm from now on, we will advance as silently as we can. Adjust your climb. Keep a distance with the people in front of you. 25 infantry battalions continued to advance. Even in an frightening environment, where thunder-like sounds were constantly ringing and trapped in smoke, the courageous Russian army did not think of running away. How much time passed? They could see theyers of smoke gradually fading. The faces of the Russian soldiers turned red. They were now at the enemys position. It was then. Bang! Bang! Boom! Bang!! The sound of gunfire was the same as before. However, it was not the same kind of artillery that had swept through the battle lines intermittently. The cannonballs were fired upward, not downward. And countless metal fragments were shattering in the air with a bang. The sharp debris spread everywhere and fell on the Russian infantry that were walking below. Soldiers copsed as their flesh and bones were shredded by the metal debris. Screams and groans covered the whole area in an instant. General Tuchkov and the officers knew what that was. Lead shot! Its lead shot! Shit! They figured out our location! The advance of Russian infantry battalions, which were marching like bisons, was stopped. The officers gritted their teeth. TL notes [1] Niky Tuchkov [2] You can listen to the March of the Preobrazhensky Regiment here Chapter 9: Battle of Hrodna - 3 Chapter 9: Battle of Hrodna - 3 Chapter 9
  1. Battle of Hrodna 3
Get the front lines under control! The guy who steps back will be shot on the spot! The damage from the lead shots was so severe as they kept moving forward in a dense formation with long columns. But they could not stop now. Go ahead and take the enemys artillery! Thats the only way we can live! Tuchkov made a firm order. At the strict urge of the generals and officers, the 25 Russian infantry battalions clenched their teeth and marched on. Once again, the lead shots were fired, causing a lot of additional damage, but everyone endured it and continued to advance. They were able to reach the front of the enemys artillery afterpletely breaking through the gunfire. You did a great jobing all the way here. You servants of the vs! Eat the bullets weve prepared! What awaited them was a pleasant-looking French general and the Chasseur regiment standing in a long line behind him. Shoot! Tatatatatatatatatata-!! Their aiming skills, shooting and reloading speed overwelmed the infantry with devastating power. The Russian army, which had even managed to prate through the lead shots, copsed helplessly at the sessive fires. The lines were broken one after another and the march was stopped like this. There were also some courageous battalions that ran forward, shouting. But they were struck by intensive fire and fell. Bang! Boom! Bang! Boom! The front artillery continued to shoot. For the Russian infantry battalions already tattered by the infantrys fire, the shots from close range was a disaster. In an instant, dozens of nearbyrades were reduced to corpses. Desperate cries and screams rang out everywhere. The smells of flesh and gunpowder paralyzed their five senses. Even the fearless Russian army was forced to shake. Shoot! Tatatatatata-!! The infantry continued to fire. The lines of the Russian battalions were once again shattered due to the indiscriminating fire. Even if the Russian generals and officers persistently pushed the soldiers, it was impossible to control them on the battlefield because of the continous shots. The 25 Russian infantry battalions stopped the march without making a step forward. In the meantime, the number of bodies and injuries had increased countlessly. The distance from the artillery had not narrowed at all. Retreat! Retreat!! In the end, Tuchkov ordered the retreat. The 25 battalions, which had marched vigorously to capture the Allied artillery, were put to rout in such a disorderly manner. While Barys troops were defeated by the lead shots and the infantrys fire, the Bagration Corps on the other side was also facing difficulties. At first, they had seemed almost certain that they were going to upy the fortress safely. However, the resistance of the Allied soldiers guarding the ce was severe enough for even the fierce Russian soldiers to be pushed back. Kill the vs! They should have been made up of soldiers from various countries. Nevertheless, their will to fight was as hard as a rock. They were systematically taking cover after aiming and shooting. Their proficiency clearly showed that they had been trained to do so for a long time. Do you dream of winning the war without being able to cross this small obstacle!? The men of Russia dont learn how to step back! The soldiers clenched their teeth and climbed the walls at Brigadier Dsks roar. Boom! Bang! Boom! Indiscriminating fire poured on the dense infantry. The Russian soldiers who were advancing were torn apart by shells. The soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine fight hard and well. Even in the desperate circumstances, they shot relentlessly and did not stop their cannons. p! But the Russian armys tactics eventually paid off. The Bagration Corps seeded in capturing the fortress after a close quarter battle with soldiers prepared for sacrifice. The white g was hanged on the bastion, but the casualties were too great. Brigadier Dsk, who was in charge of the capture of the fortress, looked at his division, which had be tattered like a rag. He struggled with the urge to kill all the surrendered enemies. There were as many as 4,000 casualties from the fortress attack alone. Be thankful that you guys are not French. If you were those frogs, I would have put bays in your mouth, ready for execution! He was not just saying it. If it were the French, they would have been shot without surrender. At the words of Brigadier Dsk, the officers and soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine lowered their heads with frightened looks. === Your Your Majesty the Emperor? Im busy. Cant you see it? Baron Fain bowed his head at the Emperors cold words. He knew it was an urgent situation, but the Emperor, who used to be very friendly (of course, there was a lot of different emotions at that time), was now as sharp as a de. The Emperor looked at the depressed Baron Fain and sighed. Tell me. Before I change my mind. Yes, yes! Then I will ask you in spite of my embarrassment. I wonder why you made the loyal young guards change their clothes and protect Polkans bastion (the fortress just upied by Russia). The Emperor thought about it for a moment, then the corners of his mouth went up and he smiled. Baron Fain felt chills on his back when he saw his smile. The secretary cant be curious about strategies and tactics. The Marshal (Berthier) has been secretly pushing you to ask, right? T-Thats not true, Your Majesty! The Emperor gazed pleasantly at Baron Fain, who was holding on his pounding heart. I believe in their acting and German skills. Thats all. Chapter 10: Battle of Hrodna - 4 Chapter 10: Battle of Hrodna - 4 Chapter 10
  1. Battle of Hrodna 4
The main unit of the Bagration Corps was steadily moving beyond the fortress and toward the Krunol Hill. The Krunol Hill was a perfect ce to deploy artillery with its high altitude, one of the few in the Hrodna grasnd, which was a t area. Naturally, the expeditionary allied forces had been firing at the Bagration Corps from there with cannons. Russian soldiers were still falling under their fire. Looking at the uniforms and emblems of the soldiers guarding the hignds, they must be from Prussia and Austria. Then, cant we make them surrender? The two countries are our potential allies. Its difficult. Napoleon is not defeated yet, and the French are almost upying these two countries. But Ill send a messenger. When France had attacked Russia, Alexander I had sent people to Prussia and Austria, asking to betray Napoleon and side with him. Prussia and Austria had not immediately responded. In any case, nominally, they were enemies of Russia. Bagration stopped advancing for a while. It was to indicate that they would not attack while the messenger was delivering the proposal. The Austrian and Prussian armies at the Krunol Hill did not fire. Before long, the messenger returned with an answer. For our homnd in mortgage! Bagration said sadly. Get ready for battle! Show enough respect to these patriots and do your best to fight. Until then, Bagration believed that he could easily defeat the Austrian and Prussian armies and capture the Krunol Hill. However, as time went by, the gap between reality and expectation grew. Because the Prussians and the Austrians were fighting so well! They fired a series of steady shots at the approaching Russian army, and as they got closer, pulled out their bays without hesitation and entered closebat. The guns of the artillery were also amazing. The bombardment aimed at the dense infantry was sophisticated enough to remind them of the French artillery, Europes top artillery. Im sure theyre fighting for their countries, but whats the point of fighting so hard for France, which has mistreated these countries? That wont do. I have to go myself. My General! Its dangerous to step forward now! The enemys artillery and infantry have not been subdued yet! Please just give us orders! Well figure it out! Bagration shook his head despite his loyal officers plea. Theres something suspicious. I have to check this out with my own eyes. Pyotr Bagration, who had fought numerous battles and had won victories as a fieldmander, trusted his instinct. A sense of ipatibility, feeling that he was being yed by something, made him move. Going to this ugly battlefield? Commanding is not all about bravery! Your Highness, you must take care of your body! Brigadier Vachev, who had an impressive red beard and wasmanding the infantry in the front, hurriedly blocked Bagration. With the annexation of the Georgian kingdom by Russia, the Bagration royal family of Georgia had been incorporated into the Russian nobility, but the members of the family were not called with royal titles. It was because they had been royalty in the past, but were not anymore. However, Brigadier Vachev was from Georgia, and he called Bagration Your Highness despite the re of the Russians. I came here because there is something to find out! Dont bother me with your annoying nagging! Hmm Bagration calmly observed the enemies position on the hill, who were not losing their courage despite the shellsing without break. A general in the position of Bagration should be good at propaganda. When themander of the corps took risks to stand in the line, the soldiers, who had been embarrassed by the unexpected strong resistance from the enemy, burned their fighting spirit again. After seeing it, Bagration hid his satisfied smile and asked Brigadier Vachev. You see that hill over there? Brigadier Vachevs gaze also shifted along the direction pointed by Bagrations finger. Yes, I see it. Isnt it the steepest ce on the Krunol Hill? Push the troops in there. It doesnt matter if you step back right away if you find it difficult. Lets see the enemys reaction. Bagration issued a mysterious order and moved immediately. He was followed by the cavalry. When Brigadier Vachev sent the infantry to the steepest hill at Bagrationsmand, Bagration was giving another order to another officer. It was General Borozdin, responsible for the 65 cavalry battalions of the Bagration Corps. Lead half of the cavalry to the rear of the Krunol Hill right now! If there are enemy cavalry stationed there, defeat them, if not, attack from behind! Send me a messenger when you know whether there is a cavalry or not! Ill follow your orders, my General! Bagration went back to the headquarters, waiting for the messenger to return. In fact, he had only stayed in the dangerous area where the range of artillery shells could reach him for about 20 minutes, but it was enough to give the Russian soldiers the recognition that theirmander was fighting together with them at the risk of his life. The Bagration Corps once again prepared to attack the Krunol Hill. The soldiers eyes burned with indomitable will. === As countless soldiers were engaged in simultaneous fights on such a wide battlefield, it was difficult to grasp all the situation no matter how high a watchtower was or how precise the magnification of a telescope was. General Bary de Tolly watched the battles taking ce everywhere and tried to put reinforcements where they were pushed back and reserve forces where they were ahead to take the lead in the battlefield. But his opponent, Louis Nics Davout, was always one step ahead of him. When he tried to advance the troops toward a stronghold, there were already ambush units waiting to intercept the Russian soldiers. One of the painful mistakes was that the Cossack cavalry regiment was hastily deployed, but was defeated by the Curassiers, and their surrounding artillery was upied. Davouts tenacious defensive tactics between trenches, bastions and stone walls was repeatedly pushing back the Russian advance. There is no need to be impatient. The overall battlefield situation is still overwhelmingly favorable to our troops. With the development of gunpowder weapons, only few battles had been won with a power difference that was more than double. In particr, it was unimaginable that the elite troops of the Empire could lose to foreigners. He soothed himself thinking that way, but he still could not understand the enemys mysterious superiority in this battlefield centered on Hrodna. Mdzyechna Regiment defeated, ambushed by the enemy. Warsaw Regiment, at war with the Chasseurs. Asking for reinforcement. The 16th and 17th artillery battalions were attacked by cavalry and are exhausted. The enemy forces were making great use of the topography and the defensive positions, neutralizing their offensive every time. Was Louis Nics Davout such a greatmander? He swallowed dry saliva. Chapter 11: Battle of Hrodna - 5 Chapter 11: Battle of Hrodna - 5 Chapter 11
  1. Battle of Hrodna 5
On the morning of the day that would determine the fate of Russia and France in Hrodna, Baron Cathcart, 11 the British ambassador in Russia, came to the temporary pce in Vilnius under the call of Alexander I. Baron Cathcart received strong protests from Alexander I. As promised, he had opposed France and Napoleon, but the reason was that the British support was insufficient. The Federal Bank has already issued a bill in His Majestys name of about 3.6 million pounds. With the friendship and trust of the two countries, Westminster Council will spare no support for the Empire, so please wait a little longer. The ambassadors words were recognized as the official promises of the government. Alexander I did not doubt them. As the atmosphere eased, the two enjoyed lunch and had a casual chat. During most of it, they med Napoleon, themon enemy of Britain and Russia. Meanwhile, Alexander I hinted at what he really wanted to ask. Ive heard a very interesting rumortely. There was a massive revolt and demonstration against Nabot in Paris. I heard its such a big rebellion that Nabot had to rethink the expedition itself. The Baron was surprised at the words of the Tsar, whose eyes were glowing. l-is that true, Your Majesty? If its true, its a great fortune for both the Empire and us! Its a rumor that has not been confirmed yet. Of course, we have secured circumstantial evidence. Alexander I tried to mesure the falsehood of the rumor by looking at Baron Cathcarts reaction, but he only got some surprised words, as if the Baron had no idea about it. The Empire and your country are on the same boat to fight against France, ourmon enemy. So if you have any information about this, you should share it. Indeed, I should. But Ive never heard of such information. Of course, it takes at least 10 days for information to get here because of the distance Alexander I tried to hide his ufortable feelings by saying Is that so? when he promised to let him know as soon as he confirmed the authenticity of the rumor. It was a rumor that even the British, who sent hundreds of spies to France alone every year, did not know about I wonder if this is Nabots deceptive operation, huh? But his main corps is already retreating to Paris. I cant rule out the possibility that all this is a hoax made by the inders. He was confused. What on earth was true and what was false? Alexander I had fought several wars, but it was the first war mixing uncertainty and difficulty. === There was a close game of push and pull centered on the town of Labrodotangals. Located in front of the city of Hrodna, this small town was a major stronhold that could affect the direction of the whole battle. Although they had pushed a considerable number of troops to capture the vige of Labrodotangals, they had struggled against the enemy defending the ce, repeatedly shooting and hiding, using the reed forest as a cover. When Tuchkovunched an attack to capture the artillery, I definitely should have provided support. That was the decisive moment to seize the battlefield dominance! General Bary med himself, thinking he should have pushed more elite soldiers despite the enemys intensive fire and lead shots, but the past was already gone. As the deadlock was prolonged, anxiety began to appear on the soldiers expressions. The officers offered various opinions to break through. Bary and the other generals gathered some of the ideas that seemed quite good and put them into practice. They sent a quick squad to attack the area where the enemys headquarters were located. However, they were stopped by a grenadiers regiment waiting in the rear. They advanced with their artillery ced in the safe rear, and even tried to push forward with overwhelming cannon firepower. But rather, they were intercepted by the enemy artillery and only damaged the small cannons. Their cannon handling skills were just as good as those of the French. An officer suggested in a powerful voice to Bary, who was slightly frustrated. How about releasing the Cossack cavalry and striking their supply camp in the rear? They must have a supply camp close by, seeing that their ammunition is not running out. Well thats a good idea. Do it right away. The Cossack cavalry on the rough, uneven, and wild grasnds was simply the best light cavalry in the world. They were unrivaled in looting, arson, and ughter, and as soon as the orders were issued, they turned to the right side of the battlefield faster than anyone else and invaded the rear of the Allied Forces. Burn everything! Kill them all! Ring Rus funeral march! The speed of the excited Cossack cavalry was not something that the Allied cavalry dared to match. The Cossacks rushed toward the supply camp predicted by themander, disying ingenious horsemanship to avoid the shots of the soldiers deployed in various ces. Bary and the officers all jumped out of their seats as they watched their fierce battle with telescopes from the headquarters. The Cossacks themselves were sure of the sess of the operation. However, the secret weapon of the Allied Corps was relentlessly breaking their sweet dreams. Bang! Boom! Bang! Bang! Boom! New artillery wasing from the side and firing! The cannons, which had never appeared in the battle so far, fired in unison. They were aiming at the Cossack cavalry as if they knew they woulde here. The iron shells that flew with terrible kic energy were enough to crush the running horses. In an instant, the ranks of the Cossack cavalry shattered. It was an unexpected surprise attack, so the damage was tremendous. The horses swept away by the shelling rolled on the grass in a mess, and the riders were crushed by such warhorses. The cannons of the Allied Forces, which were equally striking the horses and the riders, were the god of battle itself. Oh my God! Blow the retreat trumpet right away! Order the Cossacks toe back! Pooooooo The injured Cossack riders turned their heads, but what awaited them was the Cuirassiers who had been chasing after them. The Cossacks swallowed dry saliva when they saw the bright Cuirassiers. In a battle between light cavalry and armored cavalry, the Cossacks could not do anything, despite being skilled in horsemanship. The artillery fire and the assault of the armored cavalry continued simultaneously. The rulers of the grasnds eventually had to go back, losing as much as half of their power. General Bary stared at the officer who had suggested using the Cossack cavalry, who had his mouth shut and his head lowered. Bary looked at the clock. It was 5 pm. It had already been four hours since the full-fledged battle had begun. Soon the night woulde and they would not be able to continue the battle. The Polish Corps would be here in a day or two, and the Napoleons Corps would arrive between two and four days. Before that, they had to end the battle unconditionally. What the hell is that Georgian guy doing, he cant even get through the Austrian and Prussian troops! Staring at the Bagration corps blocked on the Krunol Hill, Bary vented his anger. It had looked like they could defeat the Allied Corps and capture Hrodna at any moment, but the only achievement they got after four hours was to upy one bastion, and that was all. TL notes [1] William Cathcart Chapter 12: Battle of Hrodna - 6 Chapter 12: Battle of Hrodna - 6 Chapter 12 Battle of Hrodna 6 Themander in charge of the army blocking the Bagration Corps at Krunol Hill was Andoche Junot.11) The general, who had faced British, Spanish, and Portuguese forces in the Iberian Penins war, had been called by Napoleon to serve asmander during the Russian expedition. Junot had always thought that his position and rank in the militarygged behind his other couprades, because of his long service in the war on the penins, which was less recognized internationally. Therefore, he was dreaming of bing a pir of the Empire by achieving an incredible feat in this war. Although the Russian expedition had been overturned by the Emperors change of heart even before it began in earnest, Junot was fortunate to have a chance to prove himself. When I first heard His Majesty the Emperors grand strategy, I thought it was a ridiculous n. But His Majesty is indeed His Majesty. The generals and officers who had listened to the Emperors ns had thought that they were ingenious but unrealistic. But it turned out it was them who had short thoughts. The strategist Emperor had eventually led the Russian troops with deceptive and false information to the city of Hrodna, where the deployment of his own troops was designed perfectly. Russia would surely be defeated. We need a general who is calm, courageous and able to move quickly to defend the Krunol Hill here against the Russians. I believe you are the right person for this job. Just a few months ago, the Emperor had sent a letter with harsh reproofs and criticism to Junot. It was a nervous resentment after his defeat against the British troops of Arthur Wellesley, (2) therefore failing to end the Iberian Penins war. When preparing for the Russian expedition, the Emperor had coldly embarrassed Junot. But then, the Emperor had given faith to Junot as if he were a different person. The Emperors words had been friendly and warm enough to remind Junot of the days when he had been treated like a trusted subordinate and close friend 15 years ago. At that moment, Junot had been so moved that he had almost shed tears. Since then, he had vowed dozens of times to achieve this operation with his life and a firm determination. He could never lose. Ill report to you, Commander! The Russian cavalry in red clothes was spotted running toward the back of the hill. Their number is about 10,000! The vs decided to shake us. You have finished preparing, havent you? Weve made everything ready to turn the other side of the hill into the Land of Death. Corpses will be manure and blood will irrigate the grasnds. Nodding at the officers confident words, Junot examined the Bagration corps with a telescope. The headquarters were quiet and the Russian infantry showed signs of vigor again. As His Majesty said, the enemy has a good intuition. Themander, Bagration, is certainly suspicious of us. That was probably because they were fighting too well, not like foreign soldiers. The soldiers dressed in Austrian and Prussian uniforms were actually French. Napoleon hade up with an unconventional strategy, swaping the uniforms. In other words, Napoleons Corps, now running from Ostroka, was actually abined army of Austrian, Prussian, the Confederation of the Rhines, and Italian troops, and the real French elite troops were fighting in foreign uniforms here in Hrodna. When they had first heard about this strategy, the French soldiers had opposed it vigorously. Why should they pretend to be a little foreign army? In particr, the guards, who had to give up on the honorable Imperial Guards uniforms for foreign ones, had protested very strongly. In response, Napoleon had said, Your soldiers honor is of course valuable, but I can repay you with great victories and the sess of the Empire. However, in case of defeat, nothing can repay the prestige of the Empire. Bagrations suspicion must be simr. Hisrge-scale maneuvers must be a move to confirm the deployment of our cavalry and intercept it. Its the Empires tactics to hide the cavalry behind hills and then send it at a critical moment. Napoleon, who had predicted so far, had even set up a tactic against it. That was the battle in front of them. Fire! What awaited the Russian cavalry running at the back of the Krunol Hill was another artillery battalion aiming directly at them, and not the cavalry nor an empty space. The same thing happened on Barys side, just as the Cossack cavalry was smashed by the surprise fire. The shells, bouncing off the dry ground of the grasnds, swept away Bagrations cavalry that was running briskly. The screams of horses and humans rang the ground. Leading the cavalry, General Borozdin cursed at the bloody scene. I cant believe these guys! How many cannons did they bring!? Theres no way Nabot could hand over so many cannons to foreign troops!? Nevertheless, Borozdin confirmed that the distance from the enemy artillery was only about 400 yards (366 meters). This distance was short enough to reach them within two minutes. When anger, embarrassment and greed obscured his thoughts, General Borozdin lost his reason. Forgetting even the basic strategy that the cannons would naturally have a separate unit protecting them, General Borozdin ordered the Russian cavalry to charge. The Russian cavalry screamed and ran like wild boars. Waiting for them was the French Imperial Guards, and among them the regiment of the Empress Dragoons. [31 Tata! Bang! Tatatata! Bang! The average cavalrymans shooting skills were inferior to the infantrys. It was just that difficult to aim and shoot an enemy on a moving horse. However, the Empress Dragoons regiment was different. These were the elite troops of the Empire, had received the highest evaluations in shooting, close quarterbat, and horseback riding. The shots fired by the regiment flew with correct trajectories and prated the Russian cavalry. The Russians charge was temporarily slowed by their fire. Fire! Fire! The French cannons did not miss this time. The French had reced the old-fashioned iron shells with lead shots and pellets, and fired again at the Russian cavalry. The destructive power of lead shots and pellets fired from close range was something that no troops could withstand, no matter how brave they were. The Russian cavalry battalion had no choice but to flee and retreat with countless casualties. Pull out your swords! For the Empress Guard! Brigadier General Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville, 141 themander of the Empress Dragoons regiment, shouted. Although the uniforms they were wearing belonged to the Austrian cavalry, they never lost their bravery and pride. Charge towards the enemy of the Empire! Long live the Emperor Bonaparte! Long live the Great Free French Empire!! The number of the Empress Dragoons barely exceeded 1,000, but it was enough to sweep the Russian cavalry who was fleeing without fighting. The Dragoons following the Russians swung their swords without mercy. Some Russian riders drew their swords and fought back, but those who were bleeding and falling were the Russians. The Empress Dragoons also rushed towards the Bagration infantry battalions. The Bagration Corps originally intended to send the Russian cavalry to the rear of the Krunol Hill and simultaneously advance the infantry to fight on two fronts. To stop this, Junot and the French troops were engaged in a fierce gunfight and close quarter fight near the hill. Without slowing down their advance, the Empress Dragoons on the side of the Bagration infantry battalion made a strong charge and tore the battle line apart like they were splitting a bamboo. The Bagration infantry battalion got caught by it and its formation andmand system quickly copsed. We are victorious! Charge!! Andoche Junot was amander who knew the correct timing. As soon as he judged that they had gained enough momentum, he immediately ordered the infantry in line to charge with bays. As their morale rose, the French in Prussian and Austrian uniforms charged at the Russians with fierce shouts. The Russian soldiers, who had never been pushed back in close quarter fight, had no answer to this situation. It was a brutal massacre. The Bagration infantry battalion was forced to retreat, leaving countless bodies behind them. The soldiers on the hill cheered as they lifted their gs. The gs belonged to Austria and Prussia, but the victory was for France. TL notes [1] Jean-Andoche Junot [2] Arthur Wellesley (3] Empress Dragoons [4] Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville Chapter 13: Battle of Hrodna - 7 Chapter 13: Battle of Hrodna - 7 Chapter 13
  1. Battle of Hrodna 7
A battle that started and ended with fake information. Napoleonmented on the battle being fought in Hrodna. At the Kalozha Orthodox church in the heart of Hrodna, the g of Louis Nics Davout, Duke of Auerstedt, was fluttering. However, nowhere in the church could be found the figure of Marshal Davout, who had a sharp face and bald head. It was not Davout with high magnification telescopes inside the high chapel who was constantly sending messengers. It was the fat French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon, disillusioned with his poor physical condition, exercised his mind andmanded the entire Hrodna defense. No matter how much the Russians had been fooled, the reason why Napoleon was able to achieve an overwhelming victory against enemies who were more than twice as many was because he was the onemanding. The arrangement he had set had not failed, and his tactical judgment was never wrong. The staff officers who were with Napoleon could not hide their admiring looks as he blocked the Russian armys attacks dozens of times. His strategies and tactics were originally great, but hes showing a different level! I cant believe he showed such a perfect operation against the ferocious Russian elite! The Emperor is the God of War himself! The officers were obsessed with Napoleons perfect tactics andmand, but Napoleons expression was not very good despite their praise. Ive been thinking of the elite troops of the Imperial Guard to some extent, but their level is below expectations. Theyre not as good as the Rhine army, let alone the Corsican Regiment, the Presidential Guard, or the Alpine Division. Napoleon recalled the elite troops of the French Republic, from the other world, who could even defeat the demons of hell. If they were here, they would have shredded the entire enemy army without stopping. There was no significant difference in the way soldiers were trained or nurtured in this world, but the gap in terms of quality was toorge. The Empires soldiers were young and most had a short career. This made Napoleon assume that the French Empire had reached a serious stage of human sacrifice. How many wars have you started You stupid bastard. Napoleon, who once again cursed at Nabot of this world, resumed hismand by reading the situation in Hrodna. The third-ss officers were not able to deal with the situation before them properly, and the second-ss were trying to solve only the things right in front of them. The first-ssmanders were predicting the next situation and came up with answers. They read the psychological state of the enemies and adapted to the changes as if they were prophets. Send these letters to Colonel Robert Lubel of the 15th and 16th artillery battalions and Baron Cesari of the Cavalry Regiment, respectively. Take at least five messengers to carry the letters. Colonel Lubel and Baron Cesari marched to the positionmanded by Napoleon and waited there. The Russian army appeared shortly afterwards. On standby, the French immediately charged and easily pushed back the Russians. As such, the French army was fully prepared and was always one step ahead of the Russian army. General Andoche Junot has defeated Bagrations forces! He captured countless weapons, artillery, and prisoners, and the enemies have retreated 1.5 kilometers away! Your Majesty the Emperor! The Curassiers Regiment has defeated the Cossack bandits! Our cannons did devastating damage to them! The officers sped their hands strongly and cheered at the sessive news. Napoleon also had a small smile on his face. It had been more than seven years since he had stoppedmanding. However, his skills had not declined at all. On July 5th, 1812, the first battle between Russia and France in Hrodna ended after 7 pm. Both the Bary and the Bagration corps stop fighting, retreated for about five miles and set up a campsite. There was a deep sense of defeat and helplessness on the faces of the Russian soldiers who had not been able to break down the solid defense of the Allied Corps. The same was true for the officers and the generals. There were about 20,000 casualties after the battle thatsted for nearly six hours. Among them, the number of officers alone exceeded 100. In particr, the loss rate was high in the cavalry, which could be called the cream of the Russian army, such as the Cossack Cavalry Regiment and the Russian Cavalry, which was even more painful news for the Bary and Bagration corps. But did they do as much damage to the enemy? They did not think so. The result of the six-hour battle was the capture of one bastion on the right side of the Allied Corps. Neither artillery nor base nor supply camp was upied. It was a clear defeat for Russia. Poniatowski, who was staying in Augustw, started to move. The exact time was around noon today. Assuming a rapid march, the Polish Corps will arrive here tomorrow afternoon. If they join in, the numerical superiority of our troops will disappear. Our original n will copse entirely. Lieutenant General Johan Bergiokic, the chief of staff of the Bary Corps, spoke in a grieving voice. After two and a half days or three days, Napoleons Corps would arrive as well. If things went that far, the entire Bary corps and Bagration corps would have to bury their bones here. The barracks fell into silence. Chapter 14: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 1 Chapter 14: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 1 Chapter 14
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 1
Our initial n was to quickly capture Hrodna and to use it as a defense against the other expeditionary corps. As long as we failed the first step, the whole n should be seen as a failure. Its very sad, but we need to retreat Retreat! Retreat like this! What a nonsense! Pyotr Bagration huffed and puffed, hitting the table as if to break it. He red sharply at the generals who spoke pessimistic words. There is one more important reason why we struggled in battle today besides the fact that our two corps were out of step! We didnt expect the expedition to have such arge artillery deployed here! The god-like cannons on the battlefield. In particr, the power of the cannons in battles between defensive positions around rivers was different. The Russian generals had counted the number of cannons deployed in Hrodna, looking at the battle lines and at the rear batteries, and had misjudged that that was the entire Allied artillery. When the Russianmanders had divided the units and dispatched the troops, the Allied Corps had taken out the artillery that they had hidden, destroying the Russian army with unexpected fire. In the end, the decisive factor in the failure of todays battle was the outstanding artillery operation of the Allied Corps, on both fronts of the battlefield, and the number of cannons far exceeding their expectations. Technically, the number of soldiers in Hrodnas Allied Corps was only one-fifth of the entire expeditionary forces. However, more than 400 cannons were here alone. Of course, this number was only for the confirmed observations, and there may be more cannons hidden. ording to intelligence from Austria, Prussia and Britain, the entire expeditionary forces had about 800 guns. Who could have guessed that more than half of them would be deployed here? They got defeated because they did not know it before. Now that they knew it, they would not get fooled anymore. Bagrations idea was to rekindle the fading Russian belligerence. We dont need to discuss more about whether were going or not. Our forces are still superior! The expeditionary forces are separated! Tomorrow from dawn, lets mobilize all the troops and push them with desperate determination. If our whole army does their best, we can surely surely pass through Hrodna! I agree with General Bagration. If the French hid a lot of cannons here, it also means that there are many cannons that we can capture and use. Thats great. Were going to take Hrodna, extort all their cannons, and build a heavenly defense here. Today weve been on our guard, and despite putting a lot of power into the battlefield, we could only upy one stronghold. Even if weunch the offensive from dawn, the time left for us is not that long. Do you think its possible to capture all of Hrodnas strongholds and artillery in here? The soldiers will be exhausted first. Is that why you want to retreat like this!? The Tsar must be very pleased with you! We havent even tried all the tactics properly with our troops, but you just want to leave with your tail between your legs! Think about our ultimate goal first. The armys goal is to win the war. And France is currently in a state of chaos due to an internal rebellion. Time is on our side, there will be no problem at all if we step back for a while to get more troops and supplies. There was a sharp confrontation between those who wanted to continue fighting like this and those who wanted to take a step back. The Bagration Corps was mostly the former, and the generals of the Bary Corps were thetter. The meeting became more and more intense. General Bary remained silent from the beginning to the end of the meeting, but he wasining a lot inwardly. This was because General Pyotr Bagration, who was brave andpetent, had not even been able to prate the Prussian and Austrian forces and had been tied up at the Krunol Hill. Youre the reason why things got so messed up in the first ce, but youre still shouting so loud? You cant reflect on your mistakes, but youre going wild as if you havent done anything wrong! Of course, Bagration alsoined about Bary. Barys Corps had more than twice as many troops as Bagrations. Nevertheless, they fought too passively, saving their soldiers lives. In fact, our much smaller corps suffered almost equal losses over there. If De Tolly (Bary) had been able to attack properly without fearing the sacrifices, we would have captured Hrodna! As the twomanders antagonized in this way, there could be no proper discussion and measures. In the end, the generals secretly passed on the responsibility of losing to their opponents. As the meeting arguments gradually became usations and personal aggressions, Bary hit the table to calm everyone down. Bary asked Lieutenant General Bergiokic, the chief of staff. If we dont capture the city of Hrodna until the Polish Corps arrives, is our defeat certain? Thats what I would say as the chief of staff. Of course, theyre a group of vile refugees, and cant break our valiant and elite corps. But they can earn enough time for Napoleon toe. When Napoleons name came out again, there was no one to make a sound anymore. Bary touched his forehead. Russias disgrace was enough after the Battles of Austerlitz and Friend. A third one must never happen. Nevertheless, the tightening tension, anxiety, and obstruction were hitting his chest. What was making him feel like they were falling into Napoleons trap? Bary, who had been agonizing for a short time, opened his mouth with a light sigh. The Polish troops are expected to arrive at 5 pm? Considering Poniatowskis loyalty and belligerence, it would not be strange for them to run day and night. Then, wouldnt it be possible for them to arrive before 2 pm? Thats true, but if they do that, a lot of soldiers would be exhausted and they wouldnt be able to fight properly. They wont march at night. Anyway, if we include errors, they could arrive earlier than the staff expected. But we cant hurriedly retreat when theyre just around the corner and when we have some extra time. Bagration and some other generals noticed what Bary was trying to say. It was not an attack or a retreat, but apromise. Lets set it at noon. We will order an all-out attack on Hrodna from 5 am to noon tomorrow. But if we cant capture all the artillery and bases, well retreat to Smolensk without hesitation. What do you say? Thats good. Seven hours would be enough. Thats reasonable. Sir Commander. If Bary suggested and Bagration agreed, there was no need to say anything more. The Russians would attack with all their might from 5 to 12 and would decide to retreat if they failed to upy the area. Chapter 15: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 2 Chapter 15: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 2 Chapter 15
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 2
Pyotr Bagration left the barracks after the military meeting. In order to prepare for the battle that would take ce from early tomorrow morning, he had to rest his tired body on a bed, but instead of doing that, Bagration headed straight to the city of Izmonti to meet someone. The city of Izmonti, which was farther behind the town of Putrishki, where the main Russian troops and headquarters were currently stationed, was holding enemy prisoners captured in todays battle. Bagrations expression was very stiff, as he was on his way to meet the prisoners while being escorted by Russian officers and soldiers. No matter how much I think about it, there are so many suspicious things. Why would foreign troops fight so hard for France? And the number of deployed cannons is abnormally high. He knew Napoleon well because he had fought many battles against him. He was not someone who would distribute the most important strategic materials, such as field artillery, to foreign troops in suchrge quantities. The suspicion did not turn into conviction because it was confirmed that the enemy was not using the French unique troop deployment or tactics. However, Bagration still did not let go of his doubts. Bring some Hrodnas prisoners. Do not distinguish between rank, nationality or physical characteristics, but choose randomly. Yes, my General! While Bagration burned some tobo for a while, the officers dragged the captive prisoners. They were soldiers who had struggled against the Bagration corps many times in the fortress, so the hands of the officers dealing with them were rough. Bagration opened his mouth as he watched the prisoners sharp nce. You! Stand up and introduce yourself. Bagration, who had followed Suvorov in the Northern Italy expedition, had traveled all over Bohemia and Germany to form a coalition front with Austria and Prussia, and had also studied many foreignnguages. He was therefore fluent in German. Bagration thought if theyre really soldiers from the Confederation of the Rhine, their German skills cant be clumsy, as he looked at the soldier. Im from the Kingdom of Westphalia. I live on a farm near the Herrenhausen Pce, and Im called Hans there The first soldier stuttered because of the tension, but his pronunciation and ent were no different from a true German. Stop, youre next! Introduce yourself. Start with your name, where you live, your family, etc. Im Anton, 21 years old, I live in Wittenberg, in the Kingdom of Saxony. My father passed away when I was young, and now I live with my mother Bagration continued to confront the prisoners in this way. The prisoners were all terrified, but they spoke German fluently and not a single French word. Bring them back to their original positions. And bring other prisoners. Likewise, chosen at random. Yes, my General! Bagration also pretended to ask for personal information with the other prisoners and listened to their German ent. Most of the soldiers pronunciation was the same as that of native speakers. There were some awkward German-speaking soldiers, but they were Irish, American, or Croatian mercenaries hired by the Confederation of the Rhine, not Germans. None of the soldiers were from France. Bagration was lost in thought with his fist covering his mouth. An officer opened his mouth while looking at him. Well can I bring others in? No. Its meaningless. Bagration said, after thinking a little more. Bring in themander of the Rhine forces. Soon after, the Russian officers brought in someone with a generous impression. Unlike the tightly bound soldiers, he was enjoyingplete physical freedom and was treated luxuriously for a prisoner. This was because the status of Commander of the Confederation of the Rhines forces was that high. He was Karl von Wrttemberg, the younger brother of king Friedrich I of the Kingdom of Wrttemberg. Even though I am a prisoner, I am devoted to my kingdom and to the Empire. I will not cooperate with you until the end of the war. I dont have any information to give you. Although he was speaking confidently, his slightly trembling voice and his eyes moving from side to side could not be hidden. Hes a scared and timid person. Its a piece of cake to cook this kind of people. I heard that the number of troops mobilized by the Confederation of the Rhine was 130,000, and the number of those crossing the border was close to 90,000 There were only 2,000 or 3,000 soldiers guarding the fortress. Where are the rest of the soldiers stationed? I made my position clear. I wont answer. Dont speak so stubbornly Think carefully before answering. You and the Kingdom of Wrttemberg are currently under the fake emperor Napoleon, but will it be the same in the future? People speak ill of bats, but it wasnt the beasts or the birds that survived without getting hurt until the end.[1] Is it true that the soldiers you weremanding are the soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine? I dont mean to disparage the Rhine soldiers, but Ive never seen or heard of an army from several nations fighting to death in a foreign army and on a foreign expedition. Theyre actually French, pretending to be from the Confederation of the Rhine, right? Its hard to listen to this anymore. Please observe the internationalw on war prisoners. Ill go back now. Karl von Wrttemberg jumped out of his seat with a red face and reached the door. The officers looked at Bagration, but he did not make any expression. Instead, he left a message for Karl von Wrttemberg, who was about topletely leave the room. A nation will surely destroy France, led by a fake emperor. Under this great and just cause, tens of millions of vs are willing to march forward. When that timees, you will regret todays choice. Karl von Wrttemberg left without answering. How much time passed? Clink! Bagration could not control his anger and punched a bottle of wine on the table. The ss bottle fell and shattered, soaking the floor with red wine. M-My general! Oh,e on, call the medics! Thats enough! Its okay, dont call them! Bagration shouted while wiping the blood and wine on his fist with a handkerchief. The officers were overwhelmed by his ferocious spirit. Bagration gripped his forehead. It was really a difficult day. TL notes [1] A reference to the Fable of Aesop The Bat, Birds, and The Beasts. During a war between the birds and the beasts, the bat switched sides easily depending on which looked more likely to win. At the end of the war, neither side would ept it. Chapter 16: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 3 Chapter 16: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 3 Chapter 16
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 3
Karl von Wrttemberg, who headed to the spire where he was detained under the forced guidance of Russian officers, felt also a littleplicated. It might be that it was handed over or that he did not have a special conviction from the beginning, but Bagrations words hit the nail on the head. All of the soldiers pretending to be Allied forces from the Confederation of the Rhine, now captured and confined in the city of Izmonti, were actually French, all fluent in German. It was the work of Napoleon I, the Emperor of France. I cant believe you changed your uniforms and national g. It was a strategy breakingmon sense. Was it necessary to prepare for such a surprise attack in order to destroy the Russian troops that were more than twice as many? This deception tactic of pretending to be another soldier had already been used in the past. But it had always been limited to mercenaries. Regr troops changing uniforms and fighting pretending to be other soldiers? He had never heard of such a thing. All of the soldiers under hismand had been reced by French, but Karl von Wrttemberg had not rejected it. In the first ce, he did not have the courage to refuse the Emperors words, and having the French fought instead of the Confederation of the Rhines army was also good for him. As ordered by the Emperor, he fought relentlessly on the fortress and surrendered without regret when he was on the verge of falling. Perhaps because they had disguised themselves as soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine, the French were able to preserve their forces without suffering any damage or severe retaliation. Karl von Wrttemberg clicked his tongue at the Emperors petty tricks. Of course, it was not that different from the numerous famous topmanders tactics, but still, as amander himself, he felt that he had to keep an eye on him. The Emperors sharp strategy, excellent operational skills and tacticalmand in the field were truly astonishing, and the Russians were in a very disadvantageous position in this battle. Would the Russians be able to win this battle? Karl von Wrttemberg did not think so. You described us as bats. Yes, were bats. To survive among the fierce powers dominating Europe, one has to be a bat. You are the one who made us bats. Bats followed the side that was certain to win. The Russian Empire could not win. Then there was only one choice. If you wanted our help, you shouldnt have lost todays battle that way. At least, you should make it look like you have a chance of beating France. What were your thoughts that led to ask me for treachery when you are strategically cornered and lost the fight? The Russian officers, who could not understand German, asked what he had said, but Karl von Wrttemberg shook his head saying it was nothing. The bat changed sides ording to the circumstances and caused its own destruction, but the Kingdom of Wrttemberg only waved a g of loyalty toward the victorious side. I once thought about it. The Emperor, who started an unreasonable expedition with excessive self-confidence, looked like a runaway wagon. But not anymore. The expedition was canceled and the god of war regained hisposure. France will win. Now his remaining task was to save the French soldiers disguised as the Confederation of the Rhines troops for the Emperor and the French Empire, who would be the winner. Looking at the moonlight, Karl von Wrttemberg walked down the path to the spire. July 6th, 1812, just before dawn. The Russian soldiers warmed up and prepared for the decisive battle. Their willingness to fight was much higher than yesterday, thanks to Bagrations speech. If we can win todays battle, we will share all the loot of the French with you! I swear on my family name that Ill give a generous reward to each and every one of you! Look! Everything theyre wearing and holding is your spoils!! Bagration meant that he would give the soldiers full authority and ownership over the postwar looting. The ce was overflowing with many expensive and valuable items. Now, the Russian soldiers were legally able to secure their share as long as they won the battle. Their fighting spirit burned as they clenched their fists and shouted an exuberant cheer. Bang! Boom! Boom! Bang! Bang! The Russian artillery fired first and the Russian attack began. While the Allied Corps (the French troops) were also firing to counter-attack, this time the Russianmander pushed the infantry battalion from the front without dy. No matter the sacrifice, they would definitely conquer Hrodna today. The Russian infantry soldiers were singing march songs. Hrodnasmanders watched them quietly without sending their own infantry to stop them. It was around the time when the Russian infantry approached to some extent. In addition to the front artillery, which was in the middle of a gunfire battle with the Russian artillery, a second artillery, which was located further in the rear, fired in unison. The Russian infantry was swept away by the shelling like bowling pins. Youve changed the position of the cannons again. Youre a bunch of sly guys. Bary murmured as he looked at the enemys response with a telescope. For his allies, a sly enemy meant apetent and tricky enemy. As if to say, I knew youde in front of me, the enemy forces had formed a double front by moving the cannons that had been on the side the day before. He even thought that Louis Nics Davout was amander who had such a high understanding of artillery and cannon operations and high-level psychological warfare. Despite the severe bombardment of the French artillery, the Russian soldiers endured it by shouting to show off their vs spirit. Before long, the infantry began to reach the artillery of the Allied Corps located on the hill. Whenever the muskets fire sounded, soldiers of the Russian and Allied forces fell, bleeding. On the side where the infantry lines were close to each other, there was a close-quarter battle with bays. The Russian side suffered more damage due to the disadvantage caused by the artillery and the terrain, but the Russians were more numerous. It did not take long for the grasnds to turn red. A much more intense and deadly battle was taking ce on the left side of the Russian army, on the Krunol Hill and north of the Neman River. Pyotr Bagration himself came to the front line where shells and bullets were flying and led the troops enthusiastically. The goal was to raise the Russian Empires g on the Krunol Hill, which had not been captured in yesterdays battle. Die fiercely for your children, the future of the vs, and the honor of the Empire and the Tsar! I will die with you here too! Bagration knew what words and expressions could make even the lowest-ss soldiers do. They did not need any grand promises. There was nothing like the pledge and action of themander showing he would risk his life like them. Uraaaaaaaaaaaa-!! Encouraged, the Russian soldiers ran to death. Theyunched a fierce attack on the hill as they were hit by a flurry of shells and bullets. If you die, even if you die, move forward unconditionally! Fear was magnified on their faces as they stepped on the bodies of their deadrades. Chapter 17: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 4 Chapter 17: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 4 Chapter 17
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 4
The French soldiersin foreign uniforms were sick and tired of the Russian assault, that was not giving them time to rest. Andoche Junot took off his military cap and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief. The current time was 6:10 a.m. It had only been a little over an hour since the battle began, and the Krunol Hill was already at risk due to the Russian offensive, flooding in like a river bursting. When therades swept up by bullets and shells copsed, others climbed up the hill stepping on their bodies. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Russian Empire! They rushed through the French line of defense, which was about to break. Staff officers telescopes saw dense images of Russian infantry battalions advancing beyond trenches and stone walls. If the Krunol Hill was upied, all the north side of the Neman River would fall into the hands of the Russian forces and the French headquarters would be exposed to direct threats. This was a crisis in which strategies and tactics that had been almost perfect so far could be entangled. Unlike yesterday, the vs areing at us very determined! Mymander, we wontst long at this rate! Hey! You cant stop the enemy infantry from rushing even though you have cannons on the hill!? Shouting like that did not change anything. Your Majesty the Emperor No, Marshall Davout, why dont we request reinforcements? Oh, youre not going to act anymore? Sorry, Im sorry. My Commander. No. Its almost meaningless now anyway. There was no possibility that the conversation here would be heard by the enemy, and the moment of the showdown was just around the corner Junot decided not to go out tightly. The military officers in Hrodna belonged to Louis Nics Davout. However, it was Napoleon Bonaparte who was actually sitting at the headquarters of Hrodna andmanding the army. Napoleons surprise n before the battle was not just about changing the soldiers uniforms. Even the g of the French Emperor, which symbolized Napoleon himself on the battlefield, was used to mislead the enemy. It was a strategic that was not like Napoleons usual strong obsession with authority and honor. If Hrodnas headquarters had had the Emperors g in the first ce, Bagration and Bary would never havee out this way. They would have been suspicious and cautious, refraining from attacking excessively and would have tried to guess my intentions. However, they believed in Louis Nics Davouts stubbornness and did not consider subtle traps or tactics. That was why they did not leave despite their failure yesterday and gambled once more today. Napoleons psychological warfare caused them to cross a line that they could not return from. But Its a problem now Junot began to worry. Apparently, it seemed difficult for the Krunol Hill tost long. Supporting troops were in desperate need. He had been praised and scored by Napoleon, but what if he asked for reinforcements and get Napoleons contemptuous eyes again? Junot, who had been criticized and med by Napoleon in the past, had a trauma about asking for help. However, seeing the Russian troops upying the front-line bases one by one, Junot bit his lips and eventually tried to ask Napoleon for reinforcements. But there was no need to worry about this. This was because a messenger requesting the dispatch of troops to support on the hill arrived from the headquarters in the center of Hrodna. The eyes of Junot, reading a letter from Napoleon, changed quickly. Got it. Tell the Emperor I will follow his orders right away. Yes, my Commandant! The messenger stepped down and Junot showed the letter to the curious officers. The expressions of the officers reading it were also colorful. Isnt this going to change the gamepletely? His Majestys strategy has reached heaven! I cant wait to see the faces of the Russians here. If the value of the upied hill turns into nothing Hahaha! He wondered if he had arranged this idea in advance or if he came up with it on the spot. Andoche Junot nodded firmly. Napoleon was indeed Napoleon. === The strongholds of Krunol Hill began to fall into the hands of the Russian army one by one. The excitement felt by the Russian soldiers who were able to raise their g on the hill that they had not captured yesterday was great. To battles, to victories we are always led by the Tsar himself! And the eagle of victory was soaring over the fields of Poltava! Look at the greatness of the Russian Empire! Show off the vs spirit! The Russian soldiers spirit rose to the top of the sky as they made a fanatical charge while singing marching songs. The French, dressed in Prussian and Austrian uniforms, could not resist their momentum and continued to be pushed away. The Russian Empires gs rose one by one on the strongholds and artillery of the hill. If this continued, it would be possible to capture the Krunol Hill before 7:30 a.m. Theyre dismantling the artillery one by one and putting the cannons back! I think we can finally cross this damn hill! Dismantling the artillery meant that they were going to abandon the ce. The Russian morale soared once again as they witnessed the scene. As long as the General stands strong, the title of the Bagration Corps, the First Imperial Corps, will never be shaken! I never thought he would raise the strength and courage of the Russians to this extent! The Generals skills are the best in Russia, and even in Europe! The officers were thrilled, but Bagration was not happy at all. He would rather scold them. Do you think we won the battle after taking a hill, you fools who cant do anything! There is nothing more shameful than dering victory when the enemy retreats in an orderly manner! In fact, they were abandoning their artillery and weapons and did not run away in disorder, nor did they show signs of defeat, of the copse of the battle lines or of themand system. They were retreating, but in an orderly manner. He used to step back little by little, but now he gave them a strong taste of the Russian infantry and cavalry who charged recklessly on the front line. Bagration thought he was a very capable fieldmander, although he did not know who the othermander was. Its a general who knows that its more important to preserve the strength of the corps than to carry out orders in a straightforward manner. Ive been thinking about it for a long time, but there are so many talented generals under Napoleon. Of course, Bagration was also strong. No matter how orderly the retreat was, not all squads and units could retreat without error. As long as themander was a person, and as long as the members of the corps were people, there were bound to be squads falling behind or missing. Bagration led the cavalry and infantry battalions, defeating the fallen enemy one after another. And finally, the Russian g was raised on the headquarters at the top of Krunol Hill. It was the moment when the owner of the hill changed. Chapter 18: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 5 Chapter 18: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 5 Chapter 18
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 5
The enemys troopsare concentrated near the river. It looks like theyre preparing to cross the Neman river. They went out well and did stupid numbers. Did they think we would let them go? The number of enemies guarding the Krunol Hill had been at least 20,000. Although several bridges had been installed to prepare for retreat, it would take a considerable amount of time to evacuate the troops over the river. Naturally, Bagration had no intention of closing his eyes and letting the enemy cross the Neman River. Lets show them a reproduction of Austerlitz. The officers understood the meaning of Bagrations words and bowed their heads with shining eyes. In the Battle of Austerlitz, where the Russians had beenpletely defeated by Napoleon, they had been surrounded by the French with a frozenke behind them. The Russians had tried to cross theke to survive, but Napoleon had led an artillery unit which had fired toward theke. Theke had quickly turned into a water hell, devouring the Russian soldiers and warhorses walking on the ice. Bagration decided to return this resentment to his enemies. It turns out that theyre not French These guys fought so well. Prussia and Austria will also understand this revenge. With his cold eyes shining, Bagration was about to give the order to fire at the bridges. Booom! Booom! Boom! Boom! Fire erupted from the artillery of the Allied Corps over the Neman River. At first, Bagration thought that the bombardment was a barrage operation to protect their retreat. But he could see right away that it was not that when he saw the ce where their artillery was concentrated and the series of events that took ce there. Boooom! Booom! Boom! Booom! The bombardment hit several warehouses located between the Krunol Hill and the Neman River bridges. The warehouses seemed to be small camps, where military supplies were stored, but a huge explosion urred there when heated iron bullets hit the ce. The orange, dense mes that soared high in the sky swept through the area, causing a series of explosions and emitting ck smoke. Its gunpowder! Those bastards bombarded the gunpowder storage on purpose! After putting a lot of gunpowder in a cannon, it was used as a detonator. Bagration gritted his teeth. A huge explosion burst the eardrums of Russian soldiers nearby, but the direct military damage was not that great. The problem was the smoke from the explosion. The thick ck smoke was enough to cover the numerous bridges over the Neman River. The Russians lost their sight. They did not know where to aim their cannons. We cant let them go like this! Cavalry, go out immediately! Sweep all those who want to cross the river! Under Bagrations orders, a total of 20 cavalry battalions rushed out to cut off the enemys retreat. The Russian cavalry bravely rushed through the rising smoke. However, this was an unreasonable order in the first ce. The smoke-covered field was more lethal to the horses than to the riders. When they could not see ahead, the horses started to run out of the riders control. The Russians had to spend a considerable amount of time trying to control them without making a proper charge. I can hear the sounds of the Russian cavalry! They respond like the French army. All infantry ready to fire! In response to Napoleons letter, Andoche Junot, who was in charge of all the operations, made sure they were prepared for the Russian pursuit. The gunpowder storage was located far ahead of the bridges, where the smoke emitted from it was only blocking the Russian armys view without affecting the Neman River basin. In other words, the Russians had no idea about the situation here. Of course Junot was going to take advantage of this. Junot had already divided his forces with the best shooting formation, and had deployed somebat infantry and light infantry in three rows. It was to wee the Russian cavalrying out of the smoke with a French-style wee. Fire! Tatatatatata! Lines of warhorses of the Russian cavalry battalions emerged through the smoke. What awaited them was the French soldiers aiming at them. Their strong fire covered even the fierce rush of the Russian cavalry. The sound of the horses and soldiers screams rang in unison with the gunfire. Fire! The Russian cavalry panicked after being directly hit by the bullets. No time was given for them toe to their senses. The rapid reloading of the French forces was enough topletely crush them. Retreat! Retreat!! The military trumpets announced the retreat along with the urgent orders of the cavalrymanders. The French, who fired a third times behind their fleeing backs, clenched their fists and cheered. Its not over, guys! These ignorant vs dont know how to give up until theyve been beaten twice, so keep your positions! We protect this ce until the artillery crosses the river. Junos prediction hit the mark. As the cavalry wandered poorly and returned from defeat, instead of preventing the enemy from retreating, Bagration roared fiercely and sent the infantry this time. But the infantry could not seed where the cavalry failed. The Russian infantry, advancing through the smoke with slow steps, often got shot by the French firing squad that was waiting for them. The French could fire from a stable position with aplete view, and as soon as the Russians got out of the smoke, they were hit by a volley of bullets, so the result was not a matter of quantity or quality. The Russians could not do anything against Junot and the French until all the explosions and fire at the gunpowder storage subsided. Give this letter to Pyotr Bagration. Andoche Junot left the battlefield leaving only a letter to a Russian prisoner. As soon as they crossed the Neman River, they burned down the bridges to prevent the Russians from following. All that remained on the Krunol Hill was traces of enemy troops stationed here and building positions. There was not a single grain left of major strategic materials such as ammunition, gunpowder, artillery or cannons. The Russian troops had taken the hill, but there was nothing to get from it. Your Excellency. It is said that the Commander of the Krunol Hill left a letter for your Excellency. Bagration received it. This was what the letter said. If I had been in your shoes, I would have used the overflowing river to put out the mes of the explosion. Then the smoke would have subsided quickly and we would have had great difficulty crossing the Neman River. Your choice allowed us to flee to safety without any loss. [P.S. I think we should continue to fight on Frances side as you are not showing any signs of winning this war. I wish you good fortune on your way home!] Ahhhhhhhh!! Angerpletely filled Bagrations head, and he raged for nearly 10 minutes, tearing the letter apart and smashing all the surrounding objects and utensils next to him. @ Authors notes: There is a controversy over whether Napoleon killed the defeated Russian soldiers in Austerlitz with his operation to break theke. The above chapter assumes that it actually happened. Chapter 19: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 6 Chapter 19: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 6 Chapter 19
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 6
The ticking of the clock was representing Barys nervous mind. As amander of the Russian military, he did not reveal his true feelings, but the time flowing toward 9 oclock made Barys eyebrows tremble. No news was good news. Atst, the headquarters of the Bary Corps received a victory signal that made the generals excited. It was news that the Bagration Corps had finally taken over the Krunol Hill and all the north of the Neman River. The good news did not stop here. General Tuchkov, who had led infantry battalions on the front line, had seeded in taking away the enemys front-line artillery. General Tuchkov is an outstandingmander! The courageous soldiers of the corps managed to rob about 40 artillery pieces and even captured nearby supply points and bases! Finally, the door to Hrodna has opened! General Tuchkov washed away yesterdays humiliation! Russian generals apuded and cheered in unison, while Bary clenched his fists and enjoyed the sweetness of the news. Afterwards, the entire corps was ordered to speed up the advance. It was a little slower than expected, but the Russian army was moving step by step toward Hrodna. Coming here had required a great sacrifice, but it was a sacrifice that could be made up for if Hrodna was captured and if they pushed into the enemys headquarters. General Bary and the other Russian generals actively encouraged the soldiers and pushed the battalion in, further weakening the enemys defense. Atst, the victory seemed close. At the same time, the veins in Barys eyes became visible, as he got more and more excited. T-the enemy is here! At least tens of thousands of troops appeared five miles west of the main camp! Considering their number and gs They seemed to be the Polish Corps led by Poniatowski! The voice of a messenger froze the heated atmosphere at once. The Russian headquarters became dead silent, without a single sound. The Polish Corps, which was expected to arrive around 3 p.m. at the earliest, was six hours early and appeared at 9 a.m. Six hours of misjudgment, this was enough to panic the entire Russian headquarters. An officer stuttered and said. T-they must have run all night The enemy soldiers must be in a terrible condition, so if we divide the troops and intercept them quickly! But everyone knew this was nonsense. Healthy adults would not suffer much even if they stayed up all night. Also, dividing the troops would meanpletely abandoning the military superiority that they had enjoyed so far. The best choice. Lieutenant General Johan Bergiokic, the chief of staff, opened his mouth as he received everyones attention. There is one best choice in this situation. Before the Polish army arrives Capturing Hrodna. And do as we nnedst night. The Russian generals shouted back at Lieutenant General Bergiokics words. It will take them two hours to travel five miles an hour and a half at the earliest! Dont forget that weve only gotten this far after four hours of onught, Chief of Staff! Its unfortunate, but now the right choice seems to be admitting the failure of the operation and calling the troops back. We can deal with the Polish Corps, but then our chance to retreat will disappear. And Napoleons Corps ising. The officers all swallowed their saliva. This was because they realized once again that they were in a desperate situation. Lieutenant General Bergiokic shook his head and said to Bary. If we retreat in this situation, the Allied Corps will surely chase us. Remember that they have been fighting as passionately as the French. Having taken over several strongholds, artillery, and the hill had be a source of trouble. Because they were now closer to Hrodna, the enemy headquarters could immediately send in troops that could hinder the Russian retreat. No one here was ignoring the Allied Corps anymore, iming that it was only an army made up of foreigners. They had enough capabilities to stop the retreat as they pursued the rear of the Russian army. And when the Polish Corps arrived, the Russian army would be stuck from both sides without abat formation. We have about an hour and a half before the Polish troops get to this battlefield. But what should not be overlooked is that even if they get here, they cant go intobat right away. If they came this fast, they ran with a long (vertically long) march formation, but as you know, the formations for a march and for battle lines arepletely different. They will have to spend at least one hour preparing for the battle formation. In other words, we have at least two and a half hours. Of course, its still a short time, but I think its enough to push our troops sincere efforts and challenge them. Lets send in the elite reserve forces. And the cavalry as well. If we take Hrodna in two and a half hours and make their artillery and defensive positions our own, the situation will be reversed. No officer answered Lieutenant General Bergiokic. Everyone was just chewing their lips, rolling their eyes around, or covering their mouths with their fists. Facing ruin while running away, or betting until the end Bary opened his mouth. Those who can refute what the chief of staff said or offer a better alternative, raise your hand. You dont have to care about your rank. No one raised their hand. Bary nodded and said. Send everyone in for two and a half hours. They must take over Hrodna. Napoleon Bonaparte, borrowing Davouts name, wasmanding the operations and tactics of all the troops from Hrodnas main camp. He judged that now was thest step to the final phase of this battle. Standing on the tallest tower, Napoleon immediately called Berthier, the chief of staff, when he saw the Russian advance. Even if the troops of Poniatowski arrive, they cannot go into battle right away. We have to buy some time. Please give your orders, Your Majesty! Get the cavalry ready. I came up with a way to stop their advance and inflict great damage. The title Your Majesty was still awkward to hear, but Napoleon held back and gave orders. Berthier tilted his head when he heard Napoleons exnation. The cavalry of the French Empire is, of course, among the best in Europe, but it will be difficult to break down the Russian infantry marching in formation. I suppose that you know that the cavalry is powerless if they form infantry squares? I know that the cavalry charge mostly disappeared after the Spanish session war. However, what Im aiming for is making the Russian infantry take a square formation. The real purpose was to make it look like the cavalry was charging. If the Russian infantry formed squares to prevent a cavalry charge, their mobility would be greatly reduced. Napoleon, who had the special skill of inducing the enemys misjudgment with deceit, was nning to buy time again through deceit. Those advancing in close order have always been just a meal for the artillery. Recognizing Napoleons strategy, Berthier felt goose bumps on the back of his arms. There were still a lot of French troops with plenty of weapons. If they fired artillery shells at the enemies in infantry squares There would be a huge massacre. Just one shot wouldpletely destroy the Russian army. I already knew that His Majestys strategies and tactics were the best in Europe But isnt this on a different level? It was like seeing Napoleon at the peak of his military career during the first expedition to Italy or at the Battle of Austerlitz. This battle will be recorded in history and immortalized. And His Majesty will remain the greatestmander in the history of war. Berthier was convinced that it would be the greatest victory in French history, even over the Battles of Austerlitz and Friend. Chapter 20: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 7 Chapter 20: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 7 Chapter 20
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 7
Usually, cities were formed in basin, with a lower altitude than the other ces around them, but the city of Hrodna was the opposite. The city center of Hrodna was located on a hill, slightly higher than the nearby grasnds. In other words, the Russian troops had to climb up a sloping road to advance to the French headquarters in the center of Hrodna. The slope was so gentle that strong adult males could not feel much difference from t ground, but the fast horses were different. Booooooo! Boooooooo! French cavalry battalions showed up on the hill with their signature trumpets. Dressed in brint uniforms with breasttes, they appeared majestically, as if they no longer had to hide that they were French. Joachim Murat,111 the king of Naples and the greatest cavalrymander of this era, was standing at the front. As the Russian officers who confirmed his g were in chaos, Murat pulled out his saber and shouted. When ourrades were fighting in blood and sweat, we had to watch silently! We endured it for too long! Warriors of the Empire, charge! Charge! Despite bing a Marshal of the French Empire and the king of Naples, Joachim Murats position was always leading from the front. Everyone, follow the Marshal! Long live the French Empire! The French armored cavalry drew swords in unison and made a valiant charge down the slope. The Russian infantry trying to climb up and the French cavalrying down shed violently in the middle of the slope. Argh! Ahhh! The power of the cavalry that charged with warhorses as one body was enough to crush humans. The Russian infantry lines, which directly received the impact, were divided. The sabers wielded by the riders split the necks and chests of the Russian soldiers trying to respond with guns. Blood and flesh sshed all over the ce, and the screams of horses, humans, and shouts were mixed. It was the French who won this fierce struggle. First Division, stop! Second Division, charge! Joachim Murats cavalry tactics were also outstanding. Murat divided the cavalry and charged sequentially, breaking the formation of the Russian infantry with every impact. The greatly scattered infantry disappeared like melted snow under the des of the French cavalrying down the slope. The ground rang with the screams of the Russian soldiers and was stained by their blood. In the meantime, the tricolor g of France was fluttering vigorously. Oh my God! The French cavalry! Where the hell did theye from! From the color of their uniforms, it was clearly the Flemish Cuirassiers regiment. Seeing that they were running quickly, wielding their swords, they must have been saving their strength without participating in any battles so far. The Russians could not do anything against the Cuirassiers regiment, which poked and cut down everything that was in their way. The Russian troops were pushed back by their sequential charge. The Russian infantry soldiers who had marched and attacked yesterday and since this morning were already exhausted. When the cavalry charge passed through the copsed battle lines, the defeated Russian infantry could no longer hold out. We cant move forward like this! Your Excellency! Please quickly give us your response orders! Form infantry squares! Let them charge! General Tuchkov ordered the retreat of the infantry battalions to reorganize them in the rear, and advanced other battalions, using the standard tactics against cavalry. The infantry with bays was divided into squads in square formations with a lower posture. These squads were then deployed on the battlefield. This was the best response to stop the cavalrys quick rush. However, the enemys capabilities should always be taken into ount when using tactics. Joachim Murat, who was leading the French cavalry, was a skilled cavalrymander who had experienced this situation dozens of times. When the infantry squares were put in ce, he quickly calmed down the excited riders and horses. And he simply retreated to avoid the squares, making the Russians bewildered. As the dirt and dust settled where the cavalry swept through, the front view became clearer. And they could now see countless cannons waiting in line. Oh, my God, my God! Break the squares! Break the squares right now! However, the cannon fire came before General Tuchkovs order. The square-shaped dense formation was the best when dealing with a rushing cavalry, but it was just a huge target in front of the artillery. Boom boom! Boom boom boom! The front artillery attack showed a different level of power than the Russian army had ever experienced. The entire square hit by the shells evaporated. The Russian infantry were crushed without preserving their formation. Against infantry in close order, the cannons showed the most devastating destructive power they could exert. More than 100 cannons fired again. Shells fired with terrible kic energypletely devastated the Russian infantry battalions in square formation. The cold and one-sided ughter, with no blood or tears from the attackers, was something that even the Russian elite soldiers could not endure. Facing this overwhelming devastation, General Tuchkov and the Russian officers were speechless. Looking at the Russian elite soldiers who were losing in disorder, their faces were dyed with immutable despair. At 10:30 a.m., about 100,000 Polish troops led by Poniatowski arrived at the battlefield of Hrodna. They appeared on the left side of the Bagration Corps, pressing the entire Russian army from the side. Pyotr Bagrationunched a preemptive strike before they were ready for battle, but was unable to cope with the Polish tactics as the troops were rushing down like water. The situation in the Russian army, especially in the Bagration Corps, was serious after the appearance of the Polish Corps. It was good to have taken the north side of the Neman River, including the Krunol Hill, and to have made the Allied Corps retreat to the city center of Hrodna. However, as the bridges over the Neman River were burned down, they were now isted and separated from the Bary Corps. Pnds great army in the front, and the Neman River in the back. The Bagration Corps was now walking on thin ice. Bagration wontst long Without even thinking about wiping the sweat off his forehead, General Bary gave strength to his hand holding his knee. Even though he was applying strength, his hand was shaking. The Bagration Corps was an elite unit known in the entire Russia. But they had already been fighting fiercely for more than 10 hours since yesterday. Their stamina would be at its bottom. The retreat was blocked. Three times as many Polish troops were pressing ahead. Even if Alexander the Great and Hannibal Barca were reborn, it was impossible to ovee this. Now, Bary and the other Russian generals were able to admit it. The majestic operation for the upation of Hrodna was a heroic failure. Oh Oh God!.. Barys eyes closed tightly. TL notes [1] Joachim Murat Chapter 21: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 8 Chapter 21: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 8 Chapter 21
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 8
Napoleons strategycame together, and the Bary Corps waspletely destroyed by the artillery. In addition, Russias elite reserve forces, which had been saved and cherished, were consumed by artillery fire and had to fill the empty spots. It took more than an hour for the generals and officers of the corps to resolve the shock and reorganize their troops. While General Bary was working to resolve the situation, the enthusiast French army began to push them down again. As the artillery fired, the cavalry rushed, and the infantry marched, the Bary Corps shattered as dust fluttering in the wind. The defeat of the battle became definitive. Now Bary, as themander and leader of the corps, had to think about how to minimize the damage to the army and to his country. As Bary walked through the headquarters where the morale had fallen to the bottom, he saw his chief of staff and officers bowing their heads as if they were blind. Barys head was also lowered. Lets propose a deal. Send someone to Hrodna. G-general! But we still have resources! We may be able to get out of this if we take the damage. But the Bagration Corps cant. The Bagration Corps,pletely isted north of the Neman River, had be, in short, a hostage. Abandoning a soldier for the sake of the entire army was possible, but if he were to give up a whole corps, Bary would remain as the most ipetent and stupidmander in Russian history. Send a messenger. This war is lost. Finally, among the officers who were showing tears, Bary sat down. He felt like ten years had passed. === A messenger sent by the Russianmander Bary de Tolly arrived to Napoleon and the French troops marching as they were recovering the stolen bases one by one. Napoleon ripped off the finely folded letter paper that he reached while passing through officers and generals. After reading the contents of the letter, he burned it without hesitation. Although the chief of staff Berthier and many other officers were surprised, Napoleon looked calm. Tell my words to the Russian messenger who brought the letter. We will not ept any negotiations unless its an inconditional surrender. Y-Your Majesty? But if that happens, theyll fight to death. Isnt it be a little too much to demand unconditional surrender The officers looked weak, but Napoleon snorted. Then let them fight to death. Weve already taken control of all the fronts, and in a little while well have 200,000 additional troops, what are you so afraid of? Pyotr Bagrations corps is on the verge of annihtion, and even the remaining troops have lost their fighting spirit and have been cut off. They ask for negociations instead of surrendering? They havent grasped the reality yet. The officers who wereining quickly changed their expressions after hearing Napoleons stubborn position, and thought that the Emperors judgment was right. In fact, there was no one here who could resist Napoleons words, as he had almost led the battle alone. The reason why Napoleon was going strong was topletely break the g of Russia. The supplies, manpower, and finances consumed while preparing for the Russian expedition are sorge, and in order to getpensation for them, we must clearly specify them in diplomatic documents from the beginning. By making them surrender, not negotiate. And we have to bring Alexander I in. Although he had seeded in breaking the Russian army innovatively, the French army had suffered a lot of damage. First of all, as many as 40,000 nonbat losses had urred during the march to the Neman River (before Napoleon woke up in this world). These losses included soldiers killed by diseases such as rashes, dysentery, and typhus, and those who disappeared or fell behind due to desertions and injuries. About 5,000 horses who did not adapt to the different climates and environments also died. The amount of money and supplies spent preparing for the expedition was astronomical. On the first day he heard the report, Napoleon once cursed himself from this world as a bastard with the ck gue. The rtionship with Russia has already gone sour. No matter what I do, I cant restore it. Now that its done, weve got to crush them and rip off the maximum amount ofpensation. That way, we can defeat Britain and Spain and continue to press Austria and Prussia. It was apletely different diplomatic policy from the other world, which had a friendly rtionship with Russia and maintained a strong alliance with Spain. Of course, this was not confirmed yet. To be exact, he would make the final decision after meeting Alexander I. Berthier called Napoleon who was thinking that way. The Russian troops were preparing to attack once again after hearing his refusal to negotiate. Its a trick to push us to the negotiating table. These guys are still out of their minds. Napoleon grinned and retook the lead. If they did not know, they had to get hit and learn. The Barys offensive was once again pushed back by Napoleon. They stepped back without gaining anything, only arger number of casualties. In the meantime, Napoleon divided the army, recaptured the stolen bases and deployed the artillery forward. The Bary Corps showed no response to the French advance. On the north side of the Neman River, fighting continued between Poniatowskis forces and the Bagration Corps. The numerical advantage was overwhelming and the Polish Corps had also the advantage in everything else. The difference between me and this worlds Nabot in ability and personality is like looking at the sky and the earth, but it seems that the other people are the same. Including Pyotr Bagration. The Bagration that Napoleon remembered was a ressourceful general who could bite the tail of a cat like a cornered rat. Even in France, there were only a handful of people who couldpete with him alone and win. Against such amander, Poniatowski pressed the Bagration Corps step by step without leaving a single gap in power or gunfire. He knew how arge number of troops could subdue a small number of soldiers with the least damage. For that alone, Poniatowski was amander who could be called first-ss. Now, the picture of the Bagration Corps being crushed by the Polish Corps was clearly depicted. The Bary troops lost all their main bases and were pushed south. Napoleons deration of victory was imminent. Once again, a Russian messenger arrived. This time a pretty big shot came himself. After confirming the name and rank of the messenger, Napoleon epted to meet him face-to-face. Hahaha, no wonder I was wondering if the Duke of Auerstedt (Louis Nics Davout) had such excellent psychological and tactical skills but it was Your Majesty the Emperor. I never expected that Your Majesty would hide his own g as bait. Because I thought it would be hard to win if I didnt do that. Your country is that strong. And Your Majesty pushed such a strong country to the brink of defeat. Leaning on the chair, Napoleon put his head in order and asked. So whats your main point? Lieutenant General Bergiokic, the chief of staff of the Bary Corps, took a short breath and opened his mouth. Chapter 22: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 9 Chapter 22: Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks - 9 Chapter 22
  1. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks 9
First of all, our Commander said that the content of the Treaty of Tilsit between the French and Russian Empires greatly contributes to the peace and bnce in Europe, and that he felt very sorry for the broken friendship between the two countries. Thats needless. Your main point. Lieutenant General Bergiokic swallowed his saliva looking at Napoleon, who had no facial expression. Two pirs (Russia and France) are essential to bnce the continent. In that sense, the unconditional surrender of the Bary and Bagration Corps, which you want, is too much. We are willing to make concessions on any other terms and conditions, so I ask for your mercy and tolerance. Napoleons demand for unconditional surrender meant that the Bary and Bagration troops would bepletely disarmed and would ept the situation of being captured by France. Naturally, all the war supplies they had now would also be transferred to the French. They were the most experienced elite troops in Russia, and being locked up as prisoners and deprived of their war supplies was humiliating and practically a sign of their defeat in the French-Russian war. Pyotr Bagration and his troops arepletely surrounded. In fact, all of them are already prisoners of the French. The same goes for your superior and his corps. If the Empires real Corps (the 3rd Corps) arrives here, this battle will end anyway. There is not much time, so showing pride here is useless. Certainly I cant help but acknowledge the situation of the Bagration Corps. As Your Majesty said, it would be hard for them to escape. But isnt the situation different for our corps? If you continue to give us non-arguable offers, such as unconditional surrender, our corps can escape this battlefield. Hmm If you abandon the Tsars favored Bagration Corps, wouldnt there be a lot of political pressure to bear? Unconditional surrender is the same as asking for auto-destructive betrayal to both corps. Id rather choose to give you only one arm. Lieutenant General Johan Bergiokic said so with a determined look. Certainly, if the Bary troops decided to escape, it would be difficult for the French to boldly pursue them beyond the Neman River, where they had already retreated from. The Bagration Corps would be damaged, but the Bary Corps would be able to retreat while preserving its power. The fact that France is practically waging a double front war on the Iberian Penins is one of the reasons why these people can afford to rx. There was still plenty of troops left. Russia was a great country that oftenpeted with France, so they asked for concessions, but this was what was implied: [We know you are in a hurry to fight against Ennd, Spain, Portugal, etc. on the Iberian Penins anyway. If we keep going, youll be the only one to lose, so we will roughly admit that we lost this battle, and lets end it up in a good way.] Napoleon murmured to himself These arrogant guys Maybe you would have expected the French Corps of Ostroka to arrive here in Hrodna tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. If you calcte the distance between the cities and the speed of our soldiers march, thats about it. But youre wrong about that, Ostrokas French Corps will be here tonight, no matter what. And we will not let your superiors troops get out of here. I will wait for the arrival of the French Corps persistently, like an English bulldog. I cant wait to see if youll keep a straight face after being surrounded on all sides. Napoleon smiled as he said so. At the words of the French Emperor, Lieutenant General Bergiokic lost his reason for a very short time. I cant believe it! The distance between here and Ostroka is 60 miles! Covering that distance in 36 hours!? Thats ridiculous! Could the French Corps be the 13th century Mongol army!? Dont forget that this is a formal diplomatic meeting between countries and that I have been entrusted with the official seal of the Commander of the Russian Army! Please refrain from trying to obscure this meeting with absurd stories, Your Majesty! What the hell! Whats up with this v guy!? Act properly before His Majesty the Emperor! As Lieutenant General Bergiokic raised his blood and voice, French generals and officers watching threatened him with harsh words. The Emperor simply calmed the angry French by waving his hand. Theyre not the Mongol army, but theyre moving in a simr way. I heard a report early this morning that 30,000 cavalry troops had passed Biaystok (a city between Ostroka and Hrodna). Moving north fast with minimal military supplies, theyre light cavalry imitating the Cossack cavalry that Russia is so proud of. Theyre perfect to pursue your fleeing soldiers. That can you prove it! Some proof The French Emperor handed over a folded piece of paper, and Lieutenant General Bergiokic received it with trembling hands. It reported that a special unit consisting of only cavalry was passing through Biaystok. In the lower right hand corner were the seals of Louis Nics Davout and Eugne de Beauharnais. You may or may not be suspicious of maniption. My words will prove true in 12 hours anyway. The front on the Iberian Penins is unstable, but it can wait 12 more hours, right? At the Emperors words with a light smile, Bergiokic felt distant. Johan Bergiokic was a soldier, but when he was young, he stayed at a foreign embassy and worked as a diplomat. He quickly scanned the expressions and actions of Napoleon I and his surrounding generals and officers. With his own intuitions umted while working as a diplomat, he could realize that all this was true, and not bluff. How the hell is this possible? Where did our n go wrong? Thats ridiculous! If everything the French Emperor had said so far was true, it meant he had been anticipating from the beginning when, where and in what way the Russians would attack here in Hrodna. Did they nt a spy at the top of the Russian army? Otherwise, he could not exin how they were able to prepare so perfectly. Are you saying that you and your troops believed without a doubt that you would end up stopping more than twice as many enemies like you did? Assuming thats the case, you ordered 30,000 light cavalry to be sent in advance from the beginning? By predicting the exact time of the battle? If Bagrations troops had not been separated by the Neman River, if the Bary Corps had not advanced a little further, if they had attacked Augustw instead of Hrodna, if they had not pursued the retreating expedition in the beginning If only one thing had missed, Napoleons strategy would not have worked. The 30,000 cavalry would have had to go back without doing anything, and France would have had to deal with the huge human and financial losses from excessive military operations. Perhaps the corps itself would have copsed. But the winner of all this gambling was Napoleon I. In the course of numerous crossroads, there was no deviation. The 170,000-strong Russian army was nothing more than a marite who had beenpletely yed in the hands of the French Emperor. It was a perfect reproduction of the Battle of Austerlitz, or an even bigger disgrace. Im sure youve got it, but there are about 500 of our cannons guarding the city center of Hrodna. I put here more than half of the 800 that I had prepared for the expedition. The rest of the cannons are in the possession of the Polish Corps. So how many does the French Corps in Ostroka have now? Bergiokics hands were trembling. Not a single cannon. Its the result of extreme lightening for rapid march. Thanks to that, theyre on their way here as fast as the 30,000 advance unit. They will probably arrive much earlier than your estimated time. Now, do you understand when I said that all of you are already prisoners of the French army? Bergiokic could not answer the Emperors question. Napoleon thought that he was lucky that themander of the Russian army against the expedition was Bary de Tolly. If it had been someone like Mikhail Kutuzov, this kind of negotiation would not have worked. Kutuzov is a cold blooded man who would not have only cared about the establishment of a grand strategy or the victory of the war, whether other corps were captured or annihted on the way. Perhaps he would have bought time by sending these messengers, and would have pushed all the troops to the rear to preserve their power and wait for the right time. What was the best response for Russia against the French Empire and Napoleon? It was to avoid hostilities as much as possible while preserving power and dragging time. As mentioned earlier, France was currently in war with Spain, Portugal and Britain on the Iberian Penins. The French also had to check potential threatening countries such as Prussia and Austria, and there were not a few battlefields to pay attention to, with the movements of allies, a possible British surprisending war, and the movements of the Ottoman Empire. The battle was won, but France still had many weaknesses in the huge international situation. For these reasons, it was fortunate that Mikhail Kutuzov, the most difficult Russianmander, was not here. We would not be able to do anything if Russia step down and drag this war on. The Duchy of Warsaw, a satellite country we have to protect, would require a considerable number of troops to be stationed 1,000 kilometers away from the maind Considering the current situation of France, even that would be hard to bear. The best judgment was not to fight Russia from the beginning, but if they started fighting, they had to cause as much damage as possible in a short time and get the Russians out of the anti-French coalition. Napoleon knew the Alexander ls personality well. Since he would not blink at most human losses or damages, he had to break his will to carry out the war by dealing a decisive blow, which Napoleon could do now that he had the entire Bagration and Bary Corps. With this weight, Alexander I would not be able to do anything. The Duke of Auerstedt and 30,000 cavalrymen greet Your Majesty the Emperor of the French Empire and the legitimate Emperor of the Roman Empire! We are devoted to you! Looking at Davout, who saluted with a sharp gesture with his sword, Napoleon hold his breath. The title Your Majestying from his old colleagues was really ufortable to hear. Especially from Davout. There was a Russian camp on your way. What is its status? Its very quiet, with all the gs down. They seem to havepletely lost their fighting spirit. Napoleon nodded. Lowering the military g indicated that they had no intention of fighting. There was nomander who could have such a great victory against the Russians except for the Mongols in the Middle Ages. Your amazing victory and great achievements will remain in the hearts of the French forever! I heard the report of the battle, and I was thrilled! Yes, thank you. For some reason, it was Napoleon who did not want to be here anymore. Chapter 23: What happened at the dinner - 1 Chapter 23: What happened at the dinner - 1 Chapter 23
  1. What happened at the dinner 1
Peace and harmony between France and Russia, between Napoleon I and Alexander I, was nothing more than a precarious and absurd treaty, just like an ice pce built in summer. The British had been aggressively targeting the two countries ufortable cohabitation, by using their wealth. As the saying went, A golden key opens every door, and not only could money buy all things, but it also had the power to reshape the international rtions themselves. There was no other sassy foreign aristocratic politician like Britain. However, there was no one to reject the economic benefits offered by Britain either. Russia, which participated in the Continental Blockade, eventually took the hand of Britain. The reason was that the temptation of gold was too strong. On the day that trade between the two countries resumed, Russian agricultural products (wheat, grain), canvas (x, hemp), wood (mast, nk, timber), and iron were purchased inrge quantities. Although many products had been left in bad stock because they had not been sold for a long time, British merchant ships bought them at prices higher than the market price. Britain had also promised a financial aid as the recovery of their friendship with Russia, and the sum had been rumored to have shaken their neutral allies and France. Gold was also stronger than guns and cannons. Napoleon expelled the Russian ambassador who was staying in Paris. Alexander I responded by expelling the French ambassador from Saint Petersburg. Theres a report stating that several divisions of the Iberian Penins are moving north. Frances allies and satellite nations are forming an army. Finally, Nabot is starting to move! The war between Russia and France ising! This was not the end of the news. The news that Frances great army had crossed the border and invaded Russia hit London. On June 24th, 1812, the first day of the FrenchRussian War, there was a shower of congrattions and apuses at the Pce of Westminster. Among the politicians who looked refreshed as if a blocked blood spot had been pierced were Prince Regent George IV and British Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, Count of Liverpool.11 George IV pped and said, leaning his head toward Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, who was sitting on his left. (The king of Ennd did not sit next to the Prime Minister andwmakers, but it was possible because George IV was a regent.) We seeded inpletely separating Russia from France. This will make the Nabot walk step by step toward his fall, wasting his force. Excellent, Prime Minister. Your predictions are not wrong. Its still too early to cheer, Your Highness. Now that we have seeded in concentrating Frances power to the east, the kingdom has to invest and support the entire Iberian Penins. To end the war where the soldiers of the kingdom are suffering. Led by Commander-in-Chief Arthur Wellesley across the country, 60,000 British soldiers were serving on the Iberian Penins. Based on outstandingmanders, well-trained soldiers and support from home, they were gaining victory by capturing French troops that werecking power. However, Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson called for greater support and reinforcement. As the Prime Minister knows, the finances of the kingdom are not easy. There is a limit to tax increases and bonds to make up for defense expenses and debts that have grown like snowballs. Also, a considerable amount of money is being spent on pension payments for officers and soldiers who died in service. The political funding to split the French allies is also increasing day by day. The Navy was much more difficult to manage and cost more to maintain than the army. It meant that Britains military spending, which had more than 100 warships, was significantlyrger than France, which had hundreds of thousands of army troops and was actively conquering. Britain was blocking France and its allies entire coasts, spending astronomical sums to maintain that naval power. No matter how rich Britain was, the long-standing war and trade barriers were dealing a heavy blow on its finances. The situation in Britain, where prices and national debt rates soared day by day, was never good. George IV was often said to be a moderate in the Great French War. It was also unusual for Britain, which had no history of having many troops stationed on the European maind from the beginning, to send 60,000 troops to the Iberian Penins. Now they were fighting well enough and wasting Frances power, and many French troops in the penins had even been sent on a Russian expedition. The outlook on the Iberian front was bright enough, which was why George IV did not feel the need to invest more resources and manpower. Its definitely an advantage in the war against Napoleon, but the ultimate goal of the kingdom is not to harden this situation. We need much fuel to make progress. Even with the same support as it is now, we are bringing honorable victories every day. If the royal family and the parliament guarantee more faith and support than now, how much more could we achieve? Perhaps the Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley) will dedicate the victory of the Penins War to the royal family and His Highness. Hmm Felipe II of Spain, who had built an unbroken empire before the British Empire, underestimated the revolts in the Nethends, did not expand the size of the suppression force and gave the Dutch time. As a result, the Nethends gained independence after nearly 80 years of war and ruled over Spain as king of Eastern trade. If you worry about the damage you will lose due to the continuance of the war, you will lose your chance and suffer even greater losses. The right investment is not to miss the timing. Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, Count of Liverpool, who had inherited William Pitts world strategy, called for a bold investment in the Penins War. His grand strategy was to make sure that Britain had a power advantage on the Iberian Penins with more troops and more support, and to hit the southern part of France. George IV, who had been agonizing for a long time, eventually nodded heavily. There are a lot of things we need to do before we can send more troops in. As always, the Prime Minister and hiswmakers will take care of the issues. Your brilliant decision will make the British Empire stronger. We will prepare as soon as we can so that we can deal with the Peninsr War. Because of his expedition to the frozennd of the East, Napolon will not be able to pay attention to the Iberian front for at least half a year. Just try to solve it during that time. The British army was recruiting. Therefore, there had to be time to train the volunteer young people and transform them into a united army. The instation of military facilities to produce and supply more war materials was necessary, and discussions to pass the budget were essential. Prince Regent George IV and Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson set a six-month period for all of this, which was clearly a reasonable choice. This was becausemon sense said that the victory would never be decided in a short period of time, as the war between Europes greatest powers broke out. But their belief was destroyed in its worst form. The news came 20 dayster and shocked the entire British nation beyond London. Russia was defeated. Napoleon won an overwhelming victory. The Russian elite troops were captured. Can Russia continue the war? What choice will Alexander / make The members of the Westminster Pce fell into a huge panic and missed their days work. The Prime Minister failed to answer a flurry of questions from reporters, and Prince Regent George IV did not appear outside the pce. British government bonds had never been shaken in any unfavorable circumstances. However, the price of a 100-pound share, which wasmonly sold on the London Stock Exchange, temporarily dropped to 68 pounds. From British citizens to financiers, frommercial and industrialists to politicians, they all realized their fears of Napoleon and France again at that moment. = = = The Russian expedition of Napoleon I, the Emperor of the French Empire, caught the attention of all European countries. It was clear that the order and power leading Europe would be greatly reversed depending on whether Russia or France won the war. Whether it was an ally of France, an enemy country that was pretending to be with France, or a neutral country that was looking at both sides, they all paid attention to each newsing from the East. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord, also known as Talleyrand, had served as the minister of foreign affairs since the first days of the presidential government and had led Frances hegemony with his skillful negotiations, international diplomacy, and ability to grasp the situation. However, he continued to oppose Napoleons increasingly ambitious war after the Battle of Austerlitz, was eventually dismissed from his minister position, and was now a prominent figure in Paris who continuously criticized Napoleons ambition to conquer However, all of this was a camouge trick to make Napoleon believe that he was just a loud old man who had gone away. It had been a long time since Talleyrand had abandoned his loyalty to France, or to be exact to Napoleon and the French Empire. He was in close contact with Joseph Fouch, who had previously served as Paris Minister of Police but was also dismissed due to conflicts with Napoleon, and was serving as governor of the Illyria region, plotting to bring Napoleon down. Thats very surprising news. Dont tell me the Emperor was preparing for this and divided the expeditionary forces. Russias dy operation will be useless. Talleyrand, who had been on various lines in Prussia and Austria, was able to hear the news of the French-Russian war in Paris faster than anyone else. Napoleons unconventional moves in the process caught Talleyrands attention. He did not act like a proud, vain and greedy Emperor. Rumor has it that he will give up the Russian expedition, but he is never the one to admit his fault and ept advice from others. The Russian expedition had been judged by Talleyrand as the highest peak among the many wrong judgments that Napoleon had made in the past. During the preparation for the Russian expedition, Talleyrand had contributed greatly to the countless criticisms, but in fact, it was a trick to stimte Napoleons rebellious temperament, which red up when he faced opposition. Taking the opposition around him as a challenge to his authority, Napoleon eventually went on the Russian expedition. Napoleons defeat was imminent. He could feel it and celebrated quietly. Despite the opposition of numerous officials, the Russian expedition was carried out with great stubbornness. But now Napoleon himself was going to give it up. What changed the Emperors mind when he was in the madness of war? How should Talleyrand take this? It doesnt matter. The heart and public opinion of Paris have already left the Emperor, and Alexander I has no intention of giving up the war. However, I am curious about the color of the face of the Prince of Beilstein (Metternich), 21 given that the war canst for a long time. I hope he doesnt get too excited and ruin his Rococo style office. Talleyrand smiled softly and savored his coffee. After drinking a bit, he closed his eyes. The continent was doing a blockade against Britain, but Britains overwhelming naval power led to the istion of the entire European continent, with the discontinuation of trade routes between the New World and Asia. However, in the midst of the blockade, smuggling trade continued between Britain and all of Europe. The evidence of that was the Brazilian coffee Talleyrand was drinking. Napoleons Continental Blockade, which should eventually dry up Britains economic power, was nothing but a delusion that Napoleon had dreamed of. Napoleons reign wasing to an end. Thinking about the future, Talleyrand prepared a n to move for France and his own interests. As a result, the n was dyed for a long time. The spies sent by Alexander I found out about the revolt that had not even urred in Paris and soon disappeared. News about the Battle of Hrodna reached Talleyrand, who strengthened the intelligence channel with some unknown anxiety. It made even the cool-headed Talleyrand freeze. It had been a long time since he had been so excited. But like the British politicians, Talleyrand did not show anything and only grabbed his forehead. Yes, Napoleons reign was not over yet. TL notes [1] George IV, Robert Jenkinson [2] Klemens von Metternich Chapter 24: What happened at the diner - 2 Chapter 24: What happened at the diner - 2 Chapter 24
  1. What happened at the diner 2
France and Russia. It was the morning of July 15th, 1812, which would be recorded as a historic day for the entire European continent. Napoleon dressed up in a well-ironed uniform. Hebed his hair while looking in his full-length mirror. As he had an important and meaningful position, he maintained his hair line without a single hair sticking out. If I go back to Paris, Ill have to exercise first. I have to lose this guys weight. Looking at the penguin in the mirror, Napoleon gritted his teeth. He would make sure to recover his angr jawline and neckline. The generals looked at Napoleons appearance when he left the dressing room. They could not hide their surprise. Ney and Davout did not even think of closing their open mouth. Berthier approached carefully and asked. Your Your Majesty the Emperor? Are you sure you want to go in that outfit? You think the ce were going to is a battlefield, dont you? Well, thest battle was quite passionate enough to confuse Your Majesty.11 The cavalrymander Murat giggled andughed. No, is this guy crazy? Napoleons first feeling after hearing that was absurd. However, the surrounding officers and generals did not react much, despite the extraordinary act in front of the Emperor. Based on their reactions, Napoleon understood. That guy Joachim Murat was talking down to him here. Napoleon Bonaparte of the other world was sessful in every battle and became a general at a very early age, proving to be far superior to the Nabot of this world. When Napoleon wasmander of a division, Murat was only a lieutenant. That was why Murat would not have dared speak informally to him There, Murat was a friend who waste for promotion because he was ipetent. Anyway, it was not that important The Generals seem to be mistaken, but our war is not over yet. Alexander I and I have to decide and sign the agreement to dere an end to the war. The ce were going is not a party hall in the Dresden Pce. We dont even know how things are going to turn out, but youre all dressed up very splendidly. Druskininkai, the ce for the negotiations, was in Russian territory and the Tsars guards would be waiting for them with a deadly look. That might be extremely rare, but a fight might break out if the situation got distorted. But these guys were rxed as if they were out for a walk or a drink. Was it because the troops of the French Empire tend to be loose as a whole? Their behavior was more like a noble than a soldier, and it seemed natural, irritating Napoleon. Ahem I see. I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. That I think we were short-minded. Your Majesty was right to remind us. Tsk! Your Majesty is not wrong. Thest one was Murat, right? Napoleon let it pass patiently. Ill discipline himter. I cant stand being talked down to by him. As expected, we dare not follow the deep thoughts of His Majesty! Lets learn todays lesson and work harder! The name of the young general whose eyes were sparkling was Eugne de Beauharnais. Napoleon sighed inwardly when he saw him ttering. An anecdote rted to Eugne in the other world came to his mind. Eugne de Beauharnais was a young boy at that time. When his father, Alexandre de Beauharnais, was executed for treason by Robespierre, the party leader, and others, he visited Napoleon, who was the Commander of the Capital Defense Force at that time. Despite being severely beaten and kicked out by soldiers, he cried out to save the life of his family and the honor of his father. Appreciating the courage, boldness, and loyalty of the young boy, Napoleon took care of his family. And after an investigation, he also found out that his father had been unfairly executed. This led him to be an officer of absolute loyalty to Napoleon. Later, when Napoleon retired and left for Louisiana, it was reported that he entered the political arena of the Republic. Anyway, Napoleon may be a benefactor and special superior to Eugne, but to Napoleon, he was only one of his beloved and versatile subordinates. They had just that much of a rtionship, but in this world, the situation was a little different. Hes my adopted son. And Nabot from this world married Josephine, the mother of Eugne? And divorced again? Hes crazy, really. Although he had met Josephine, Eugnes mother, a few times, he had never thought of her that much. What kind of sexual attraction did Napoleon have to marry a woman who was old, not beautiful, and had children? Anyway, that damn Nabot married Josephine and epted Eugne and his sister as family. Even though heter divorced Josephine, he still acted as a strong stepfather to Eugne. Napoleon had to look away from Eugnes sparkling eyes. His chest felt stuffy. = = = Napoleon, the French generals, and the Imperial Guard arrived with their horses in a city named Druskininkai. Geographically between Vilnius and Hrodna, it was also the ce for negotiations with Alexander I. Russia had suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Hrodna, and the Bagration and Bary Corps were effectively taken prisoner by France. Alexander I could no longer hold on to his previous tough stance. Napoleon also did not want to fight Russia, so talks about the end of the war could easily be held. Upon arriving in Druskininkai, Napoleon was able to meet a tall man with a sturdy appearance and half of his hair missing. That was right. He was Alexander Pavlovich Romanov, Alexander I, the Tsar of Russia. He was not much different from what Napoleon remembered. Except that he had a bit less hair. How long has it been? We havent seen each other since the Treaty of Tilsit, so its been five years. Well thats right. Napoleon was happy to see him but Alexander I was reluctantly epting him with a disapproving face. Looking at this alone, it was clear who had the upper hand. I was very sorry that the misunderstandings between each other had umted and a useless war broke out. As you know, themon enemy of Russia and France is the puppet state of the ind country. Thats true. Britain has always been on the lookout for you and your countrys growth. I want to resolve various misunderstandings and sign a new treaty at the negotiating table today. I ask the Tsar to be willing to do the same. Of course I am, but Didnt the Emperor invade our country first, breaking many contents of the Treaty of Tilsit, a symbol of friendship between our two countries? I just want you to know that I and the Russian government feel sorry for this. There was nothing advantageous about the French side, who broke the treaty first, if they were to argue about the responsibility of the war. So to prevent this, the French Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Armand-Augustin-Louis de Caincourt naturally tried to intervene. But Napoleon was Napoleon. The words of the Tsar remind me of Epictetus, an ancient Greek philosopher, who said If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie,ugh at it. In our situation, evil is an imperial truth and a result of the process. It doesnt matter who started. It was like saying not to argue about this and that. Alexander Is veins were visible on his forehead, but he did not leave his seat. At the table were Napoleon, Alexander I, the French Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Armand-Augustin-Louis de Caincourt and the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kochu Beiman. Behind them, the French and Russian generals were facing each other as if they were going to fight in the snow. On July 15th, 1812, at 11:30 a.m. our country will hand over the two men, the Russian Generals Pyotr Bagration and Bary de Tolly, as prisoners. Along with them, we captured about 125,000 Russian soldiers, 1,000 with at least the rank of officers, 339 operational cannons, 22,000 warhorses, and about 3.4 million roubles of war supplies, food, and wartime funds. First of all, ording to the internationalws, all the cannons, horses, and war supplies will be transferred to the French Empire. Do you have any objections to this? Our soldiers were not captured inbat. I made apromise with you because I didnt want to shed any more blood in a fight where myrades were isted and less likely to win. If I had decided to fight, I had enough capacity to cause considerable damage to your troops. Treating them as prisoners of war with the internationalws is a harsh treatment. Thats what I have to say. The Polish Corps, led by the Grand Duke of Warsaw (Poniatowski), has pushed your Bagration Corps to the brink of copse, and the Allied Corps is already blocking the retreat of the Bary Corps. Even if the battle continued, Frances overwhelming dominance would be confirmed A push-and-pull diplomatic war between the two ministers of foreign affairs had begun. With the help of diplomats, military experts, fieldmanders and journalists dispatched from both countries, they struggled to win negotiations in their favor. Napoleon and Alexander I yed the role of putting a pendulum in the middle of the negotiations, bluffing that they could fight more without an agreement, and picking up false information. Alexander I was slightly annoyed by the slow process of negotiations and asked his men how long they would do it, but Napoleon did not. He looked at the clock that was already running toward 5 p.m. Hungry, Alexander I stood up first and said. Weve got arge dining hall. Lets eat something. Lets do this. You have to put something in your stomach to keep talking. The two emperors rose from their seats. They were faithfully followed by the French and Russian generals. Napoleon and Alexander I walked side by side on the way to the dining hall. Napoleon opened his mouth. Neither the Tsar nor the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kochu Beiman mentioned the rebellion in Paris. Isnt this an event that would shake the bnce of the negotiating table? What do you want to say? Im just amazed. That Russia is not using advantageous issues Huh, the Empire doesnt bother to pinpoint the weaknesses of other countries. It was the proud words of Alexander I, but Napoleon smiled inwardly. The distance from Vilnius to Paris was about 2,500 kilometers. The round trip was twice as much. No matter how many spies Russia had put in Paris, Alexander I should not know the truth about the rumors yet because of time and space constraints. Even before Alexander | came to the negotiating table, he knew that the Paris revolt was Napoleons deceit. There was only one possibility then. There was a rat in Paris. TL notes [1] Informal speech in Korean. Chapter 25: What happened at the diner - 3 Chapter 25: What happened at the diner - 3 Chapter 25
  1. What happened at the diner 3
The dinner hall of the Druskininkai Pce was small. Asit was a meal for the top French and Russian people, the quality of food was very high, but other things had been disregarded due to the urgent situation. In particr, the interior of the dinner hall had a simple and rough design, with messy curtains and faded decorations and patterns. Some generals looked disappointed, as they had expected a fancy party venue where aristocrats in luxurious clothes anddies in colorful dresses gathered to dance passionately, with musicians pulling out enchanting tunes, and opera singers singing magnificent songs. It could not be helped because Druskininkai was a small and remote city from the beginning. Alexander I liked parties, but he was not crazy enough to dance and y during the war. At the table, generals and diplomats who had been arguing with each other were different now. They drank sweet wine together and shared food in a friendly manner. Although they did not like each other, their conversation went smoothly and they burst intoughter. I should take care of my body. Napoleon mumbled as he touched his bouncing belly. While he was trying to separate greasy food from vegetables on his te, someone sat across the table. It was Tsar Alexander I. He asked Napoleon. You dont like the taste? Why are you separating the food? The Russian imperial chefs are the best. You dont need to do that, just eat. Hmm Im trying to control what I eat because I think my health has gotten worse these days. But the cooking is absolutely excellent. Your health Well, health is important to a nations leader. Strong muscles, strong vitality, and a thick beard are symbols of masculinity and health. It was a voice filled with pride, so Napoleon nced at Alexander I and saw that he was looking alternately between their bodies, ted. No, this guy? It was true thatpared to Alexander Is robust body that was a strong as a grey wolf of Siberia, this fat penguin-like body was not attractive But Napoleon could only be relieved by returning what he received. One corner of his lips went up and he said. If you change your lifestyle, then exercise sincerely and control what you eat, your body can be healthy again at any time. The problem is things that cant be reversed anymore. Once its gone, it will nevere back again. Napoleons gaze reached the broad forehead of Alexander I, who was shining brightly. Hmm, is that enough to make the Guard intervene? Alexander Iughed loudly, but he could not hide his half-hearted voice. The Emperor will also soon be the same. Apparently, it seems to have progressed to some extent Im sorry to hear that from someone in the same situation. What are you talking about? Were in the same situation? Napoleon quicklybed his hair and checked for anything missing. Fortunately, his hair was fine. I cant believe Ive heard this from Alexander I wasnt this bad in the other world! This is all because this Nabot is a mess! If your health recovers, your hair will grow again. Napoleon decided to believe that. After the war of nerves, which was meaningless but respectful, Napoleon and Alexander | still sat at the same table and continued to eat. Only the tter of cutlery and crunching food could be heard in the room. Amid the awkward silence, Alexander I drank a bit of wine and opened his mouth in a soft voice. Although the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are talking about this and that Arent we going to make the final decision anyway? Even if they have a lot of professional work experience, they cant follow the Emperors who decide from a national perspective. Thats true. But I want to respect the opinions of experts in this field? Napoleon, however, hid his inner thoughts and simply listened to Alexander I. He wanted to hear his true intentions. Just as the Emperor does not want to fight our country, I do not want to be hostile to France either. As you said before the talks, we have an obligation to hold down the nose of our countries old enemy that is the arrogant ind nation. In order to do that, we should not harm each others national power by arguing. Russia will join again the Continental Blockade isting Britain. We will also be responsible for persuading Sweden to do the same. All loot from Hrodna will belong to France. I promise on the honor of the Tsar that there will be no further discussions with the Duchy of Oldenburg about marriage. So lets end the war here. Napoleon did not answer immediately. He knew better about Russias potential. They had thergest territory in the world, elite troops that never retreated, and had outstanding generals and officers. It was truly an empire that could fight against France for European supremacy. Even if Napoleon demonstrated his superior strategic and tactical skills, he could not conquer that vast and strong country. That was why he chose not to fight Russia in the other world by offering rtively generous terms. But things arepletely different now. Napoleon in this world had thoroughly smashed Austria and Prussia and crushed their pride, making them enemies. Enemies that were nominally allies of France but were gritting their teeth. Russia had continued to contact the two countries and had demanded that they rebelled against France even before the preparation for the expedition. A number of secret letters bearing the Tsars seal were found, most of which criticized Napoleons regime and asked for active internal response. This was an unbearable act for France. Napoleons diplomatic side was not less shocking. Before his awakening, Nabot had separated the Duchy of Warsaw, the sessor of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, for which Russia had fought for supremacy for hundreds of years. And he had sworn to restore the oldnd and received Poniatowskis pledge of allegiance. The oldnd of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was now a territory controlled by Russia. On the contrary, it was disrespectful and an insult that Russia could not pass over. Trust between France and Russia had long been lost. They could never trust each other. Will they be grateful and keep their promises with us if we are merciful? That cant be. Trust that had already been broken once cannot be gained again. No matter how hard we try, its useless. Well, of course, even without trust, they could have generous conditions depending on the international situation. Ending the Iberian War in the meantime was not a bad strategy, at least the hostillity of Russia and the Tsar would certainly go down. But there was another problem. Napoleon had not yet been to Paris in this world. However, he could guess the atmosphere from the rough news and information. The people of Paris had long lost support for Napoleon. Topensate for the financial and human expenditure caused by frequent wars, Napoleon had repeatedly lowered the conscription age and standards. The French citizens, who were already very tired, had to face tougher taxes and military burdens as they formed thergest expeditionary force in French history. The Empires press had given them a vision of the enormous spoils they would receive from Russia to appease the public sentiment. As such, the citizens expectations forpensation had been inted without countermeasures. Nevertheless, he was going to return with a few generous negotiations without earning proper profits and spoils? Who was the anger of the citizens likely to focus on? Thats not enough. His anger had soared at the international diplomatic and internal affairs situation that Napoleon of this world had ruined before, but now it was his turn to admit that this was the reality. Napoleon now made what he thought to be the coolest and most reasonable decision. France suffered an unspeakable loss due to your betrayal. Its a terrible loss that cant be made up with just a few trophies. Although my country invaded you, it was because you eventually broke your promise and did not participate in the Continental Blockade. You have to get your facts straight. In addition, the Tsar sent several disturbing correspondence to Prussia, Austria and others. We are strongly displeased about this. The brave French warriors killed 50,000 Russian elite troops and captured all the rest. France is definitely the winner of the battle, with 400,000 soldiers participating. If the Tsar wants to end this war, hell have to make a satisfactory offer to the winner. As soon as he woke up in the body of this Nabot, he had wanted to negociate with Russia, not because of a difficult situation in France, but as a part of a two-sided tactic. A little bluff was mixed in it, but it was okay. When the negotiations broke down, the burden was still greater on Russia. Alexander Is face hardened in an instant, but Napoleon did not stop talking. The first things the Tsar suggested were the conditions that Russia must grant for our victorious country. So Ill tell you the additional terms of negotiation that we hope for here. We have suffered severe damage and a retreat of the front line in the Iberian War while we were at war with you. I want apensation of 75 million francs, as well as the right to use the forests and mines near the ck Sea. The Duchy of Warsaw has made considerable sacrifices to help our country in this war. To repay their noble sacrifices, we would like you to give up on the provinces of Podolia, Volhynia, and Pripyat. 75 million francs was more than 20 percent of Russias one-year gross domestic product, and the provinces of Podolia, Volhynia, and Pripyat were densely popted and granary areas to Russia. There were also part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Alexander I could not contain his anger and banged his fist on the table. All the food on the table spilled onto the ground. The atmosphere at the dinner hall cooled down in an instant. The tense eyes around them focused on the emperors of the two empires. Chapter 26: What happened at the diner - 4 Chapter 26: What happened at the diner - 4 Chapter 26
  1. What happened at the diner 4
Did you think wed ept such an offer without consequences? How ignorant, foolish and shameless! How did the genius of war lose his sense and be so arrogant? I think you and your country want to fight till the end. Great! Lets give it a try! Ill see how long you can hold out between many fronts and many enemies! Alexander I was well aware of the current domestic and international problems of France. That was right. It was undeniable that France would be in a very difficult position if Russia insisted on war until the end. But Napoleon knew how to hide his weaknesses. Whew this is a pity. Why the hell would this be a pity! As an honorable victor, we have given the utmost generosity and mercy to your defeated country. But now the Tsar rejected it with such simple words. Hahaha! Was it a proposal of generosity and mercy? The Emperor must have lost his head in the long war! After quietly rising from his seat, Napoleon put his bicorne on his head. And he dered. The negotiations between France and Russia broke down. After this, the two empires will resume war, and the expedition to the East will march again. Generals, I expect great achievements like the Battle of Hrodna. Veillons au salut de lEmpire (Lets ensure the salvation of the Empire)![1] Sensitive, Marshal ude Victor-Perrin shouted in a loud voice, followed by the French generals and officers at the dinner hall, who also sang the French national anthem. Napoleon had a solemn expression on his face, but pped inwardly in satisfaction with their acting skills. Its worth the stubborn push. Before sitting at the negotiating table, Napoleon had ordered his loyal subjects. If the Russians rejected their proposal or showed willingness to fight, they should act as bold as them. Negotiations between countries were like gratins (traditional French food), where truth, lies, and bluff were properly mixed. And among all that, the momentum they were showing could be considered as high-level bluffing. [We can quit this negotiation at any time and fight. Come if youre confident.] Couldnt this bravado against a monarch like Alexander I who had a fiery temperament be counterproductive? That was why it was more effective. Fear was like pain, and the concept of threshold and immunity existed. When the intensity of the stimulus broke through a certain point, a person began to feel pain, and a person who had been rarely exposed to it felt more pain than a regr person. If pain was reced with fear, then Alexander I was just like that. It must be a great shock for him that Ipletely crushed his proposal and that the French generals cried out for war. Its enough to obscure his rational judgment for a while. When did he ever face such threats? Even before entering the room, Napoleons psychological warfare had been aimed at Alexander I from the beginning. lexander I, whom Napoleon knew, was a man of high pride. But that was why he would never resume the war. This was because he knew how terrible and desperate the humiliation that a national leader had to endure when he waspletely defeated. Because he was very proud, he paradoxically avoided the possibility of the worst moments happening. That was what Napoleon thought Alexander I was like. The French generals and officers immediately put down what they had eaten and drank, with a burning will to resume war, and lined up behind Napoleon. The friendly Napoleon from before was nowhere to be seen. He left the dining room without hesitation with a firm face. The generals and officers under hismand followed the French Emperor in a solemn way. Alexander I asked the General Peter Wittgenstein 21 in the quiet dining room. Where are the surviving troops of your corps right now and how many are they? Can they stop the French from advancing? Currently, the Tormasovi31 Corps is guarding the Kiev area. n Find, 40,000 troops are heading south. Except for them, the regr corps are not anymore. Except for Your Majestys Guard. There were also troops led by Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov and Marshal Levin Bennigsen, but they withdrew from the front line. That was how the Bagration Corps and the Bary Corps were born. It was not for nothing that they were now called Russias main forces and the elite corps. All of them had fallen into Napoleons hands. This alone was a sufficient answer to the question of whether it would be possible to prevent the advance of the French army. What if we recruit more soldiers? Is it too much to call troops from the ck and Baltic fleets? Not really. The vs are warriors who are not afraid of war and death. In order to protect our country, we will fight with all our might, crying out for Your Majestys noble name. But the problem is time. It takes two to three months just to conscript, arm and organize them. At least we need an army to support that time. General Wittgenstein said two to three months, but Alexander I knew it was well aware of the reality. An army would not be made with just conscription and organization. At least, basic training such as gun handling, hand-to-handbat, and formation training was also required. In particr, Russians with a high illiteracy rate took longer to educate their soldiers. It would take a considerable amount of time to march here, so it would take at least half a year tomand a corps here that could confront the French. It would be a little better to call some troops from the fleet, but How helpful would they be if they were 20,000 or 30,000? In the end, there is no way to stop the French from invading the Empire. l beg your pardon, Your Majesty the Emperor. What about Ennd? Didnt they say that if our country goes to war with France, they wouldnd arge army in the Nethends and respond greatly!? The Deputy Minister of Foreign affairs, Kochu Beiman, replied with a bow. People in London protesting against the increase in war taxes are demonstrating on arge scale and the British cannot afford to deploy additional troops. They said that the situation on the Iberian Penins was urgent Instead, I received a reply saying that they would increase the amount of financial support. Its not money that matters right now! Alexander I shouted to leave the dining room. bragt (Fuck)! Were like Austria in 1809! I shouldnt have believed the disgusting people of this ind country! In 1809, Britain had dered that if Austria attacked France, it wouldunch arge-scalending campaign in the Nethends at the same time. However, when Austria dered war on France, Britain gave up thending operations under the pretext of mosquitoes in the Nethends. Only Austria was destroyed by the coboration of France and its allies. Alexander I, who could not understand how people could protest against their own country, was only angry, saying that Britain was only making excuses. What about Prussia and Austria? Im sure they promised to step in with us!? Britain changed its face, and Russia was defeated in the first round. At this point when France and Napoleons momentum was not dampened at all, of course Prussia and Austria were forced to remain silent. In the end, we cant stop France. That rootless Corsican viger is running wild, and I, who inherited the blood of Peter the Great, cant control anything. Hahaha hahaha!! Alexander I rushed out of the dining room. The Russian officials and generals were forced to bow their heads, even more bewildered and miserable. The reason why the Tsar and the Empire suffered such humiliation was because they were weak. Because they were ipetent. In a surge of humiliation and insults, they once again increased their bitter hostility to France. Call Napoleon I. He wouldnt have gone far yet. Several generals gritted their teeth in tears at Alexander Is helpless words. This shame, this humiliation. They would never forget. The French side was also concerned about the breakdown of the negotiations. With a decisive victory, they seeded in splitting Russias main corps. Surely Russia had lost the power to continue the war for some time. Nevertheless, no French generals wanted to continue to fight Russia. The same was true for Napoleon. During the annihtion of 51,000 Russian troops, 20,000 of our soldiers were injured as well. Dont tell me that the deterioration of the quality of the Great Army is so serious. Napoleon secretlymented after the Battle of Hrodna. If the war with Russia continued, France would have to endure considerable damage and expenditure. Russia had too much territory. And it was too far away to be incorporated into the French sphere of influence. Far from controlling it effectively, just upying the frozen grasnds was difficult. Once again, he realized that fighting Russia would do more harm than good. No one said a thing, but they all understood that much. They wanted anyone toe forward and say to Napoleon, It is still difficult for the Empire to resume the war. Napoleon smiled lightly when he noticed their thoughts. I can hear you rolling your eyes all the way here. Oh, no. Your Majesty! Ill correct it. Hmm Napoleon continued to speak among the generals and officers who avoided his eyes with an embarrassed look. I know what youre thinking. But you dont have to worry about it anymore. The war with Russia will not continue. What do you mean, youve just shouted at the Russian Tsars face the resumption of the war? While the generals of the Empire tilted their heads, a loud voice calling Napoleons party came from behind. He shouted in French mixed with Russian words and had a strong Russian ent. It looked very urgent. Thats right. Napoleon smirked. It was worth walking slowly on purpose. TL notes [1] You can listen to Veillons au salut de lEmpire [2] Peter Wittgenstein [3] Alexander Tormasov Chapter 27: What happened at the diner - 5 Chapter 27: What happened at the diner - 5 Chapter 27
  1. What happened at the diner 5
Negotiations between France and Russia, the two major European powers, resumed. Despite the harsh and fierce atmosphere of the previous talks, the two emperors were able to reach an agreement without difficulty as they were determined to end the war. There was a sharp confrontation over several uses, but the treaty was finally concluded as officials from both sides made small concessions.
  1. The French Empire confirms possession of all loot obtained in the Battle of Hrodna. However, considering various circumstances, it is not possible to im the right to the personal belongings of generals and officers who have titles.
  2. The Russian Empire rejoins the Continental Blockade against Britain. The Russian Empire will also use diplomatic and military means to force Sweden to participate in the Continental Blockade.
  3. As a sign of responsibility and apology for the outbreak of war, the Russian Empire will never again discuss the sovereignty of the Duchy of Oldenburg, as it was established in one of the Treaties of Tilsit. However, this is not a sign of approval for the French Empires annexation of the Duchy of Oldenburg.
  4. The Russian Empire repays 60 million francs to the French Empire as a token of its responsibility and apology for the outbreak of war. The provinces of Podolia and Volhynia are transferred to the Duchy of Warsaw.
  5. Rtions between the French and Russian empires go back to 1807. The two countries are equal allies and do not vite each others sovereignty.
  6. The Russian Empire and the French Empire sign a three-year nonaggression pact. During this period, the two countries cannot invade each others territory and directly or indirectly support opposing countries.
  7. The French Empire releases all Russian prisoners as soon as the Russian Empire payspensation and transfers the territories. During that time, the French Empire and the Russian Empire each pay half for the food and expenses of the prisoners.
On July 15th, 1812, about a month after Napoleons deration of an expedition to Russia, negotiations were signed between the two countries. Napoleons initial offer was 75 million francs inpensation and the transfer of the provinces of Podolia, Volhynia and Pripyat, but Napoleon himself expected that it would be difficult to get all of it. At least Russias pride would not tolerate it. After negotiations, it was decided that only the provinces of Podolia and Volhynia would be ceded to the Duchy of Warsaw, and that thepensation would be 60 million francs. In the official diplomatic documents, the victorious and defeated countries were not specified separately, but were onlybeled as equal allies. However, it was clear who was the winner and who was the loser. We have crossed an irreversible line. France and Russia have be enemies that cannot live under the same sky. Alexander I left Napoleon without saying goodbye. Russian generals also left the room with seriously hardened faces. Under the diplomatic treaty, France and Russia were allies, but their attitude showed that they could never be so. Russia also joined the ranks, along with Austria and Prussia. The faces of the French generals were not bright as they understood the situation. If they regain their military strength, they will hit the back of our country on the first asion. We will have to prepare for this. There was no one to disagree with Michel Neyslll words. That was right. France and Russia would fight again soon. This agreement was only used to make time to prepare for the war. Before the vs gain power, we must first break the coalition of the enemy nations that surround France. Its time to operate on the Empires long-standing ulcers. All the generals understood what Napoleon was saying. The Iberian Penins Warsted from 1808 to this day. The number of French soldiers killed in this war alone war 200,000. Combined with the satellite countries of the Empire, such as Italy, the Duchy of Warsaw and the Confederation of the Rhine, it would soar to 250,000. The economic and social losses caused by pouring troops during that period were beyond description. The Iberian Penins had established itself as thergest and most persistent source of bleeding, threatening the French supremacy on the European continent. It was even more painful that it was a war that did not have to start. Nabots arrogant and stupid mischief had created an ulcer for the Empire. No matter how hard it is, is this the kind of war that needs tost this much? Spain is not the Spanish Empire of the 16th and 17th centuries. Ennd and Portugal had united to form a front, but considering the size of their armies, it was impossible topare, and the weight ss itself was different. Indeed, by looking at the overall strength on the Iberian Penins, France had an overwhelming dominance throughout the war. Nevertheless, France was suffering from a retreat of the front line, rather than a decisive victory. Napoleon decided to go to the Iberian Penins himself and look at the situation. To see what the hell was going on there. As the chief secretary assisting the Emperor of France, Baron Fain was the quickest to notice Napoleons change. Please deliver this report to His Majesty. Marshal Michel Ney had yed a part in the Battle of Hrodna along with Andoche Junot and Joachim Murat. He had given the Russians a deadly blow with a valiant charge, but the expression he was making now was so cautious that he could not recall the courage of that time. Presenting a handwritten battle report, Ney added Please submit it when His Majesty is in a good mood. The Battle of Hrodna was a decisive battle in which France had won a great victory over Russia. Even though it was not a report on a defeat but on a victory that would go down in history, the marshals cautiousness showed how much the Emperors capriciousness and irritation were unpredictable. You should have been subjected to such a thing once or twice I fully understand, Duke of Elchingen (Michel Ney). Baron Fain answered, Dont worry, and received the report, but he did not shudder like a puppy, like in the past. He headed straight to the office of Mayor Hrodna. It was now upied by the French and had been converted into a bedroom for the Emperor. On the historic day when the Empire had seeded in ending itsrgest expedition and made its Russian enemy kneel down, the Emperor and his former colleagues had a small victory celebration party. Although he drank quite a lot at the party, the Emperor was awake on time, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. Are you awake? Your Majesty! Did you have a peaceful night? Its been a while since Ive had a good nights sleep. Are the newspapers and coffee brought by the Baron? Yes, Your Majesty! I ordered the servants to bring them in advance. Thanks to you, Im able to smell the aroma of coffee from the morning. Thank you. The Emperor said so while smiling lightly. Perhaps because he was self-made, the Emperor was kind and generous to his subordinates, but the fluctuations of his feelings were severe. Even if he saw the same actions and listened to the same words, he could react differently depending on his mood. Sometimes he could be so petty and nervous, so his secretaries and attendants were very anxious. But at some point (Baron Fain did not remember exactly when it was), the Emperors attitude changed. The biggest difference from the past was that his capriciousness and mood swings had decreased. Of course, it was human to be annoyed and angry when faced with unexpected difficulties, but he did not vent it on someone else. His hostile tone and threatening behavior also no longer scared his subordinates. The whims disappearance left only kindness and generosity, and Baron Fain really liked the changed Emperor. And this became the reason why Baron Fain was able to make straightforward and loyal statements to the Emperor, unlike in the past. I understand that we should celebrate a hundred times our great victory that will brighten the Empire. But you should avoid drinking too much like yesterday. Didnt the imperial physicians tell you to watch out for excessive drinking and eating? They did. This guys body is really! Your Majesty? Oh, nothing. Whats that paper? Marshal Michel Ney had asked for this report to be delivered when the Emperor was in a good mood. The Emperor was suffering from a morning hangover and was quite irritated, so technically it was not the right time. Nevertheless, Baron Fain believed in the recent change of the Emperors attitude. This is a handwritten report of the Battle of Hrodna by Marshal Ney. The Emperor read it without saying a word. Baron Fain watched him carefully. When his eyes passed over certain parts, his eyebrows wriggled and showed signs of difort. Perhaps he found something that he did not like about the exnation or interpretation of the report. If he were like before, he would have summoned the Marshal immediately and scolded him nervously. However, the current Emperor did not do such a thing, but simply added a short annotation on the side. Baron Fain cleared the cup of coffee and left the bedroom so that the Emperor could concentrate. It was a peaceful morning. End of the Russian Expedition! Great victory for the French Empire! The expedition ended and news of the victory was announced to the expedition troops, who were a bit frustrated after moving hundreds or thousands of kilometers from their hometown. They cheered enthusiastically and threw off their hats, regardless of nationality, ss and age. Just the fact that they did not have to live anxiously with the fear of death anymore made their morale soared to the sky. Joachim Murat, who was watching the scene, said, Thats what we can do when we fight. If we can fight while maintaining this momentum, we will be able to defeat 10 times more enemies. Hey, this guy. Are we marching home or to death? Tsk As Napoleon kept his thoughts for himself about Murats ignorant behavior, he paid attention to the faces of the soldiers seen through the carriage. The faces of the soldiers of the expedition were very bright and hopeful, but there was a difference among them. Surprisingly, the Prussian and Austrian soldiers were the brightest. On the other hand, the faces of the French soldiers, the protagonists of the victory, were rtively dark. This is not the end of the war for the French. Now they must feel instinctively that they are going to the Iberian Penins. The French soldiers had been struggling on the battlefields since 1805 because of Nabot, a lunatic war maniac. The only way they could be discharged was to be crippled or to cross the River Styx. Would it feel like walking without a speck of light in an endless cave? He felt sorry for them, who wereughing hard but ran out of hope. It would be best to end the remaining war as soon as possible and help the French find rest. Of course, that alone would not solve it. So as soon as Napoleon returned to Paris, he decided to give special gifts to the tired soldiers. This would also be of great help in boosting public support for the Empire. TL notes [1] Michel Ney. Chapter 28: What happened at the dinner - 6 Chapter 28: What happened at the dinner - 6 Chapter 28
  1. What happened at the dinner 6
The provinces of Podolia and Volhynia were transferred to the Duchy of Warsaw after the negociations between France and Russia, that wouldter be called the Treaty of Druskininkai. It was Napoleons reward to the satellite nation for being the most active in the Russian expedition and investing the most in resources, but in fact it was only a pretext. There was another real reason for giving so much to the Duchy of Warsaw, even yielding some of the terms of negotiations. [Interests between countries depend on the national interests. When ites to national affairs, a leader must take advantage of whatever is avable. Like the French Cardinal Richelieustil famous saying, no matter how poor the rtionship between two countries was, they could still join hands ording to their national interests. As a result of the Treaty of Druskininkai, Napoleon and Alexander I now despised each other, and France and Russia were burning with hostility, but depending on their national interest, the alliance might be maintained. The problem was that unlike Britain-Russia, France-Russia was a rtionship with no mutual benefit. France was fully self-sufficient with its fertilend and did not have to import Russian wheat, meat, or wood, and Russia did not have to buy French cotton fabrics, whichgged behind Britain due tock of industrialization. In the end, the hostile stand between France and Russia would remain. Perhaps in the near future, France would have to fight a huge and long war against Russia beyond this expedition. Napoleon was well aware of the geographical importance of the Duchy of Warsaw on the periphery. We have to raise them. At least, they need to have enough weight to withstand a Russian offensive until the French armyes. And I will also take this opportunity to fulfill the promise I made with Poniatowski. Napoleon had witnessed Poniatowskispetence during the Battle of Hrodna. The Polish troops had joined the battlefield ahead of schedule and had fought better than expected, but he had noticed in particr their united solidarity. The Polish peoples dedication, sense of mission, and patriotism to regain their homnd may be one of the reasons, but Napoleon judged that Poniatowski could maintain such unity because he was the center point for the entire Polish poption. There is no army as scary as a united one. As long as Poniatowski existed, the value of the Duchy of Warsaw and the Polish Corps would always be highly appreciated by Napoleon. With the acquisition of the provinces of Podolia and Volhynia, the territory of the Duchy of Warsaw was increased by about 1.6 times. And the poption had grown by more than that. This was because the expeditionary forces had swept the surroundings as they advanced, and the grasnds and steppes of the frozennd were devastated with Russias sorched earth tactics and dyed strategies. In the process, arge number of refugees had fled to the Duchy of Warsaw. Most of them were Polish, Lithuanians, or Kievans, who were not against Poniatowskis rule. The territory and size of the duchy were now toorge to still call it a duchy. Napoleon attributed part of the wars victory to the Duchy of Warsaw, saying, There is nothingcking to be promoted to a kingdom. The next day, he dered the rise of the Kingdom of Pnd through official procedures. On the spot, he appointed Jzef Antoni Poniatowski king of Pnd. I swear to God that I dedicate my body and soul forever to Your Majesty the great Emperor. Once again, I dere that I am prepared to jump into the pir of hellish fire for the Emperor and the French Empire. As soon as his long-cherished desire for his lost country came true, Poniatowski shed tears. The same was true for the Polish generals and officers. They kneeled before Napoleon and swore eternal allegiance. They would fight for Napoleon until the moment they stop breathing. Long live the Kingdom of Pnd! Long live King Jzef!! Long live the French Empire! Long live the Emperor Napoleon!! The historic day of Poniatowskis official crowning into King Jzef I of Pnd was on July 20th, 1812. The citizens of Warsaw weed the revival of their country and the rise of the new king with enthusiastic cheers and shouts. Both the elderly and the children watching the expeditionary procession cried. How could one guess how they were feeling about reiming the territories that they had lost? The citizens filling the square and streets were holding the Polish g in one hand and the French g in the other. The gs of the two countries, shaken by the wind, represented eternal loyalty and friendship. Citizens sang hymns of freedom and national anthems. The voices chanting the names of Pnd, France, Poniatowski and Napoleon were resonating constantly. I never thought the Polish peoples support and cheers for the Empire and Your Majesty would be this great. Youve never been treated like this when you stood in the ce de Concorde after beating up the Austrians. Their enthusiasm seems to surpass the French. It was the words of Andoche Junot, who was looking at the emotions expressed by the Polish people. Napoleon replied with a smile. Its not enthusiasm, its liberation. This is a natural feeling for those who have regained their freedom. The most beautiful and hot feeling in the world, where no natural scenery, rare jewels, or famous paintings could bepared to it. Of course this was not the end. Freedom was only the first gateway to paradise. The Polish people would have to continue fighting to protect the freedom they had been given. The trials ahead would be formidable, but Napoleon believed they could do well. Those who realized the preciousness of the restored freedom and liberation would risk their lives to fight oppression and restraint. Now, its time to go back. Lets do a little more for our dearrades who are suffering in the Iberian Penins. Louis Nics Davout encouraged the soldiers with an unusually soft voice. Napoleon and his generals did not have the time to savor the achievements of putting on its knees the worldsrgest empire. They had to go to war again. Iberia was also called the Land of Death by the French. The French soldiers steps were heavy. Despite being the winners of the war, they did not look like a victorious army. Napoleon knew their feelings, and stepped up. My brave men who defeated the vic Empire and liberated Pnd. His words drew the attention of the French soldiers. Have you read tales of legends? Soldiers hesitating at Napoleons question. Among them, a courageous officer shouted in a loud voice, Yes! If the stories of beautiful and wonderful heroes in tales and myths are shabby, think about how those who read them would feel. Can you feel the excitement and emotions there? In the eyes of the Polish people, we are like heroes in tales who made great achievements. But what would they think if they saw the backs of our men walking desperately like weak horses? Walk with your chest open and your back straight. You are the wisest, the elite, and the most qualified soldiers in the world to be called heroes. Napoleon continued, pointing to the citizens of Warsaw. Lets make a great appearance until the end. Shouldnt we show them that even the imperial soldiers backs are beautiful and strong? Just in time, Warsaws citizens threw petals of pansy flowers toward the French soldiers march. The petals scattered on top of the spire of the high church and came down from the sky as the wind blew. Countless pansy petals covered the streets as if it were purple snow. May their fathers de be ced in the hands of the brave, Remember us on the field of Mars! Baptise in the blood of kings and ves, The de thus blessed by your elders! And by bringing back home Both wounds and virtues, Return to shut our eyes When tyrants are no more!121 Some citizens even sang Le Chant du Dpart, the national anthem of the French Empire, with an awkward French pronunciation. The French soldiers lifted their heads at the magnificent sight as if they were watching a triumphant victory ceremony. The Polish people gave the best courtesy to the French army for restoring the territory and sovereignty of their homnd and their king. Citizens who appeared to be bakers distributed small loaves of bread to marching soldiers. the Polish per with an awkward who appeared to The appreciation and gratitude of the Polish people made the French soldiers think a lot. Their shoulders stretched. Their bent back straightened and smiles were engraved on their saggy faces. They raised their arms high and matched the pace willingly. Meanwhile, they gave strength to their jaws so that the bread in their mouths would not fall. The march of the expeditionary forces regained its vitality. Napoleon and his generals watched the scene with delight. Teacher, thats him. Thats Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France and the genius of the century that governs the European continent. I can see everything even if you dont make a fuss. Hmmm! An old man with well-groomed gray hair and a yound man watched the French march among the citizens on the street. A man of great standing, starting in rural Corsica, had conquered Europe and ascended to the throne. Napoleon was someone who many European figures praised or looked forward to meeting. However, he was criticized for defaming the spirit of the revolutionary republic, for being a dictator and even a secr monarch after a coup. The gray-haired elder, close to thetter, just snorted with his arms folded. The God of War, the King of Europe, an omnipotent dictator, liberator of the old system There are a lot of words to describe him, but in the end, hes a man with eyes, ears, a nose and a mouth like us. I think its too harsh for us to judge the hero who defeated the hideous vs and saved our country. The disciple grumbled, but the gray-haired man did not care. He said rather coldly. Do you think Pnd has been saved? What an innocent thing to say! Our struggle has only just begun. Our poor country will be at the forefront of the future war. France and Napoleon have only invested so much because they know we will y an important role. Although he was dissatisfied with the cynical teachers response, he decided to be cautious because he knew well the personality of his entric teacher. Meanwhile, a event began in the city of Warsaw. It was more colorful and magnificent than a victory ceremony, with pansy petals painting the whole world purple, with the people singing imperial hymns and marching songs, and praising Napoleon and the French army. Seeing the people waving tricolor gs, the disciple felt strange. Haha isnt that a bit too much? No matter how generous he is, hes still a foreign leader Teacher? The disciple did not hear, but the teacher had just heard what Napoleon had said to his soldiers. There is no reader who wants the heroes in the legend to be shabby. So we shouldnt show that to the Polish people. Thats the pride the Imperial soldiers should have. At that moment he felt something inside. His so-called artists inspiration shone. I have to go. Take care of the luggage on your own. I have to go first. T-Teacher? The disciple called him desperately, but the old man had already left the street at an impressive speed. Hero! Who spoke these words that made my heart flutter as soon as I heard them! The agony and paradox of a hero! Which one is the more desperate society, one without heroes or one that needs heroes? The mans name was Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz.131 He had written Pnds firstedy, The Return of the Deputy and was also a great writer of literary works and historical books. His pen driving the Polish culture was the symbol of Niemcewicz. Emperor Bonaparte! If what you said to your soldiers is true, I may have been wrong about you this whole time. If so, I will try to change my attitude towards you. To repay for this inspiration. Niemcewicz grinned as he said so. TL notes [1] Cardinal Richelieu [2] You can listen to Le Chant du Dpart (3] Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz Chapter 29: Their circumstances - 1 Chapter 29: Their circumstances - 1 Chapter 29
  1. Their circumstances 1
Carl von usewitz, 1) who had been appointedmander of the Prussian troops to help France on the Russian expedition, had been secretely ordered by his mentor and Prussian chief of staff, Gerhard von Scharnhorst,121 not to expose the troops full power. Prussia was currently using its reserve forces to increase its military power by subtly deviating from the Treaty of Tilsit, because it would be in a very difficult position if news of this were to reach Napoleon. After struggling not to reveal the armament, qualitative level, and size of the Prussian army, usewitz eventually made an extreme choice. To desert immediately after the start of the expedition, leading the entire contingent. Under internationalw, if he became a deserter, then the whole unit would stop belonging to any country at that very moment. If it was dismissed as the individual deviation and treason of themander of the deployed troops, France would not be able to argue with Prussia. I would rather side with Russia than fight for the French. But the situation went strangely. Napoleon, who marched all the way to the Neman River, was certainly going to put the foreign armies ahead, including the Prussian troops, regardless of casualties. usewitz thought it was better. It would be easier to desert to Russia from the vanguard. At some point, however, Napoleon changed his mind and began to engage in bizarre operations. When he took off the uniforms worn by the Prussian soldiers, usewitz thought Napoleon was crazy. When he realized it was a psychological battle in a cleverly crafted script, it was already out of control. What do we do now, Commander? Dressed in the uniforms of the French army, the officers waiting in Ostroka looked uneasy. They were all loyal and reliable Prussian officers who had graduated from the Prussian Military Academy, and had joined the campaign. However, it was natural for them to be embarrassed because they had unexpectedly fallen into the rear. The chief of staffs mission is to keep our forces hidden and to reduce the consumption of troops on the expedition as much as possible. However, if we stay in the rear, we can achieve these two objectives without difficulty. There is no need to risk desertion. Russia is our ally. If we turn a blind eye to their crisis, wont our country lose its chance of escaping from the French oppression? The officers were ready to report the situation to Russia at the risk of their lives, but usewitz tried to stop them. It was almost impossible to reach Hrodna through the strict surveince, and above all, it was likely that it would be toote already. These loyal men, who could risk their lives for their country, had to fight on a more important battlefield. In the end, usewitz and the other Prussian officers did not turn about 20,000 Prussian troops into deserters, nor fled to Russia. However, as they marched toward Hrodna while belonging to the Third Corps, they prayed to God, hoping that the Russian army would win and destroy the French hegemony. But it was the elite Russian troops that got crushed, and Napoleon created a new myth. After arriving at Hrodna and confirming the horrors of the battlefield, usewitz and the Prussian officers fell into despair. Why does God favor him so much? Theres no way to defeat France! The officers expressed their anger, but usewitz, a cool-headed rational, was the first toe back to his senses. Even with his own knowledge of military science, he found that Napoleons abilities shown in the Battle of Hrodna were monstrous. If the Prussian troops had sessfully escaped and joined the Russians Just thinking about it have him the creeps. Napoleons supremacy is not over yet. We are going back after a valuable experience. This alone is a positive thing. usewitz and the Prussian troops returned safely to their homnd without firing a single shot. They reported to King Frederick William 1||31 and exined how strong Napoleons military capabilities had been at the Battle of Hrodna. Coldly speaking, our Prussian military level is not up to France yet. And if Napoleon were tomand, the gap would widen. We still need to be patient. Frederick William III sighed and so did the ministers who were gathered at the court. The Prussian resistance was further dyed. Hearing the news, Blcher14 beat his chest andmented. European noblemen had said that Napoleons expedition to Russia would be an unprecedented war. A long, huge and fierce war between the two empires was expected, but the result was decided in a single turn. It was France that won the Battle of Hrodna, where 400,000 troops faced each other. In this battle, Russia suffered a devastating humiliation, with about 125,000 soldiers, generals and officers captured. After loosing its main corps, Russia was forced to ept humiliating conditions. In front of the Schnbrunn Pce, a luxurious carriage with patterns of tulips and mountain goats arrived, creating dust. The door of the carriage opened and a man appeared there. Guards of the pce saluted the man. Gott erhalte den Kaiser (God protect the Emperor)! I greet the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Well done, Count. What about His Majesty the Emperor? Hes waiting in the gloriette in the garden. Lets go. The head of the court at the Schnbrunn Pce, Count Rantzau, led the man. The man following the Count was wearing a cloak with the emblem of the Metternich family. His name was Klemens Wenzel von Metternich. He was the highest-ranking aristocrat in the Austrian Empire, and had the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible of all foreign policy and national lines of the Empire. The public called him the second hand of the Schnbrunn court. Gloriette was the name of a building in the middle of the gardens of the Schnbrunn Pce that had been created by the famous Maria Theresals) who ordered the construction. The gloriettes front had a splendid Rococo style, with a well-organizedwn and stone wall. Theke, and the white marble sculptures around it, werebined to create a beautifulndscape. Austrian monarchs loved the gloriette and its gardens that praised the Habsburg imperial family. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Metternich, and Count Rantzau arrived in the gardens where birds were singing, and passed a stone wall decorated with marble sculptures. There they greeted Francis 11,16] the true ruler of Austria. Return to the court. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I have a lot to discuss. Ill follow your orders, Your Majesty. Francis II, Metternich and a few guards remained in the gardens after Count Rantzau left. Metternich sighed helplessly and bowed his head in humiliation. Francis II asked him. The Minister had clearly said that France would be defeated in the war against Russia and that our country would have a golden opportunity. But howe things are the other way around? Im sorry, Your Majesty. I have nothing to say. The Minister had said something simr three years ago. Napoleon and his main corps were tied up in Spain, the French were tired of the long war, and the French generals and major ministers had all different minds, and now was the opportunity. Metternich opened his mouth but had nothing to say. In 1809, he had overestimated the damages that the French had suffered from in the Iberian War, and had opposed Francis II and his generals. He had judged that Napoleon could not easily withdraw from the Iberian Penins, but even this was a mistake. As soon as Austria had dered war, Napoleon himself had led arge army into Vienna, leaving the war on the penins to his marshals. The new Austrian army, disciplined and trained under themand of Grand Duke Charles, themander-in-chief, was not outyed in tactics, even winning against Napoleon and the French, but still ended up losing heavily. In this war, Austria lost the province of Illyria and all of its coastal territories and became anndlocked country. Everything is because of my stupid mistakes. Please scold me severely. Its not like I dont know what youre capable of. However, the Minister has already made a number of mistakes. Youll need to make up for it. It is a difficultbor for me to appease the angry council. Many of the members of the imperial council had insisted on not going against France, which had gained supremacy on the continent. So far, Austria had lost nearly half of its territory in a row in the war against France. The resentment against France and Napoleon remained, but defeatism was slowly covering it. France winning against Russia could be a fatal blow to the moral of the Austrians. But Metternich was convinced. Austria would never stop fighting the French. He was also a solid figure for the Austrians, but did not reach the level of Francis II. The situation did not change even though Napoleon and Francis II had be son-inw and father-inw. As long as he was wearing the crown of the Austrian Empire, France and Austria could never be close. His Majesty still has no intention of listening to the members of the council. Nevertheless, hes still bringing up this subject to the council, probably to pressure me. Despite a series of misjudgment, the reason for retaining Metternich as the second-inmand of the Empire, was that Metternich was also a representative figure of antiFrance. The day Metternich stepped down as Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be the day when Franz Ilpletely lost his will to fight France. The Potsdam Pce (Prussia) wants us to join forces while the Russian expedition troops are disbanded and there is a gap in power. The British said that if we dere war, they would double their financial support, so what does the Minister think? If the two countries join hands, would they be able to defeat those French and Napoleon? Now is the time to wait and watch quietly. Now that Russia has pulled out and the momentum of the French army is at its highest point, its dangerous to hastily reveal a will to fight. If there is a war, it will only repeat what happened four years ago. Perhaps the Potsdam Pces proposal is just a diplomatic investigation to let us know that the alliance between the two countries is maintained. The Battle of Hrodna was one of Napoleons most formidable victories so far. With numerous tricks and deceit, hepletely hid his purpose and led the Russian generals to make mistakes. He prepared a ce where the enemy was bound to fight, and used ingenious deployment and operational skills to tactically win. The Russian army was unable to surpass Napoleon with troops that were more than twice as many, and rather suffered a series of fatal damage due to counterattacks. From the beginning to the end, the Russian army was nothing but a doll that danced in a puppet show controlled by Napoleon. I didnt expect Napoleon and the French to be that strong. When he first heard the news of the oue of the Battle of Hrodna, Metternich was thrilled and frightened. In recent years, there had been criticism and ridiculous talks saying that Napoleons strategical and tactical skills were not as good as before. Indeed, in some battles after 1808, there had often been pathetic mistakes that Napoleon would not have made before. This was probably one of the reasons why Britain, Austria and Russia were able to challenge France. But the Battle of Hrodna and its consequences were shocking enough to turn all of that into nothing. Napoleon was also a war genius. Wouldnt we have a chance of winning if Charlest8l returns? Metternichs head shed at that one word. TL notes [1] Carl von usewitz [2] Gerhard von Scharnhorst (3) Frederick William III of Prussia [4] Gebhard Leberecht von Blcher [5] Maria Theresa [6] Francis II was the Holy Roman Emperor, and the Emperor of Austria under the name Francis I from 1804. The author chose to use his first name even though the story is set in 1812. [Z] Charles, Grand Duke of Baden [8] Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen, was the younger brother of Francis II and a greatmander, but he gave up all his military offices after the defeat of Austria in the War of the Fifth Coalition against Napoleon. Chapter 30: Their circumstances - 2 Chapter 30: Their circumstances - 2 Chapter 30
  1. Their circumstances 2
Charles Louis. Austrias greatestmander who defeated Napoleons invincible army for the first time. But he had now stepped down from the military and was enjoying a leisurely life. Officially, he did this to take responsibility for the defeat of Austria in the Battle of Wagram, but in fact, it was to escape the constant checks of Francis II. Francis II, who had a foolish and weak crown prince, had been very wary of Prince Charles, who was the next heir to the throne and was greatly favored and supported by the Austrian people. Despite that, Francis II just talked about the return of Archduke Charles with his own mouth. No, no. The Minister did not hear anything. Yes, I understand. Your Majesty. But Metternichs head did not stop and thought extraordinarily. That was right. Napoleons tremendous victory over the Russian Empire had enough effect to make Francis II think of the return to the military of Charles Louis, whom he was the most wary of. Metternich, an experienced diplomat, showed no facial expression, but imprinted on his mind the remarkable change in attitude shown by Francis Il today. He was expecting that this card would definitely emergeter. === General John Moore, (1) who was fighting in the Peninsr War, was killed at the Battle of Corunna. His sessor was General Arthur Wellesley,121 who had been rmended by members of the Tory Party and by the Count of Liverpool (the Prime Minister) to takemand of the British army on the Iberian side. Arthur Wellesley served as a member of the British East India Companys Indian Army and led to victories in the Battles of Mvelly and Assaye, making a remarkable contribution, but was defeated by Tipu Sultan, (3) the Sultan of Mysore. The first thing he did when he arrived on the Iberian Penins was to bring together a sense ofradeship among the soldiers with strict discipline, clear reward and punishment, and squad-level training and camp. Arthur Wellesleys goal was to make a 180-degree difference between the Portuguese army, which was mired inx military discipline and continued defeat, and the British army, which was greedy andzy, in order to recover throughout the penins. Gentlemen. From today, we will build the best defenses that the French guys wont get past even if they sell their souls. This line of defense will serve as thest bastion of the British and Portuguese Allied forces and will serve as a prelude to a great counterattack. Arthur Wellesley was not just a militarymander. His ability to build defense positions and fortresses, which he trained while serving in Indias military, shone. With engineers deployed in the rugged and high mountainous terrain of the Portuguese border, Wellesley formed defense lines called the lines of Torres Vedras.14 The Frenchunched an onught to break through the lines, but all of their offensives were blocked. Andr Massna, Louis-Gabriel Suchet, Auguste de Marmont51 All the prominent French enemies were blocked by this barrier and bit dust. Arthur Wellesley, who seeded in bleeding the French army, actively supported the Spanish Resistance and distributed some supplies from Britain. This allowed the insurgents to continue to point guns at the rear of the French army without fail. The resistances persistent guerri tactics consumed the French army steadily and gradually ousted the French influence from Spain. Arthur Wellesley was at the center of the reasons that caused the Iberian Penins War to be an ulcer for France, consuming astronomical manpower, finances, and supplies. Sir! Im reporting to you, sir! Our Spanish friends have sent us a very fantastic gift! The grenadier regiment officers excited voice was not the right attitude toward hismander. But Wellesley, did not condemned his disrespectful demeanor. In fact, the gift of their Spanish friends was so precious that even Wellesley, the embodiment of calm and coolness, was excited. (omitted. Enemies are now upying an advantageous position, and they are prepared for our attacks, so you should never attack recklessly. All you have to do is to drag on while protecting the main points with waterways or roads. The most important for our allies is to defend our positions, it is okay not to respond to the enemys hasty provocations as the front lines may be pushed back. Dont worry too much about the loss of Fort Ciudad Rodrigo and Fort Badajoz. The enemies have continuous supplies from Britain anyway. If the situation is maintained, the enemy soldiers will feel the fatigue faster than our allies. Contact Soult:01. to seal off Cdiz and Andalusia. Give orders to stop meaningless hard work and join Madrid. In the meantime, set up a defense site in the hills of Smanca and make it a second Badajoz fortress. With Smanca sealed off, the British and Portuguese troops would not dare to go to Madrid.! The sender of the letter was not written, but no one here did not know who he was. Because there was only one Frenchman who could order Marshal Auguste de Marmont, themander-in-chief of the French Army throughout Iberia, in informalnguage. That was right. The Spanish militia that was attacking from the rear had obtained a personal letter from Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor. This single theft has helped us a lot more than the past four years that they have spent pricking the French armys ass. It is a ssified document that will shake the core of the Penins war. Even the goose without taste has the skill to rob! Those Spanish weirdos are pretty good too! Hahahaha! Although Wellesley would have frowned or yelled at the officers vulgar jokes, he only smiled lightly at this moment. The unusual appearance of Arthur Wellesley, who had not expressed his feelings awfully, surprised the British officers who knew him for a rtively long time. Arthur Wellesley told them why he was so excited. Because if this letter had reached Auguste de Marmont, we would have been in deep trouble. Our forces lost thousands of soldiers to capture two fortresses, Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, to open the way to Madrid. However, if the French had entered Smanca with arge army as described in this letter, we would be wandering again, losing the advantage of upying the two fortresses. It was difficult to move in the Iberian Penins on the roads between cities because of therge number of mountainous areas and valleys, and it was therefore possible to defend a territory with only a few strongholds. Among them, the city of Smanca was a very important point for the British, Portuguese and French forces. This was because the city was on the border between Portugal and Spain and on the road to Madrid. Even if they upied the two fortresses Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, if the road was blocked, they had to return to the other side. If their allies could not capture Smanca, then to go to Madrid they would have to pass through the province of La Mancha, but it was ind and therefore several times harder to supply. What if this letter had reached Marmont without being found? Their allies would have literally just vomited blood. Its too sharp and urate to be a strategic decision made thousands of miles away. Is this the true face of the genius of the century, Napoleon Bonaparte? If the Spanish militias hadnt caught the messenger carrying this letter, wed really have to fight a tough battle. That was why Arthur Wellesley was able to let out a sigh of relief openly. Napoleons personal letter to Marmont was now in his hands. This was good luck from God. Napoleons letter is now in our hands. It is the Lords revtion that we must win for the national interest and honor of the kingdom and for the bnce and stability of Europe. God Save the King! We will subdue those European lunatics and be victorious! God Save the King!!! The British-Portuguese allied forces, led by Arthur Wellesley, marched to Smanca for a decisive battle that would set the game in the penins war. The French troops, led by Auguste de Marmont, also advanced to Smanca to protect Madrid. Wellesley figured out that Marmonts number of French troops was nearly 50,000, almost equal to their own, and devised a trick. It was to move the convoy and the wagons back and forth to create a cloud of dust. As if to make a strategic retreat to evade engagement. Indeed, Marmont was caught up by Wellesleys deceit and rushed to move his army. Having not received Napoleons letter, Marmont acted like Napoleon did not want him to. As if he had waited for that, Wellesley instructed the divisionmanders and brigades to turn and attack. Arthur Wellesleys exquisite formation shone again along the ridges, allowing the British and Portuguese allies to fire bullets and shells at the enemy from an advantageous position. Wellesley coordinated his units divided by mountain ranges and wends, putting them in the right ces to nibble away at the reserve of the Marmont Corps. Upon confirmation that all the French reserves were exhausted, Wellesley rushed the elite grenadier regiment toward the enemy base. The French heavy army, which had no reserve unit anymore, could not handle the grenades thrown by the grenadiers, a volley shot on two rows, and the bay charge inflictedter. With this one shot through the center, the French armypletely copsed and became routed. Of the 50,000 British and Portuguese allied forces, only about 5,000 were killed. On the other hand, at least 7,000 French soldiers were killed or wounded, and 7,000 others retreated but were taken prisoner as their retreat was cut off. Themander-in-chief, Marmont, was severly injured, with his right arm and two ribs broken. When the Division General Bertrand uzelle) pulled the Corps back out of harms way, the remaining number of French troops was less than 20,000. It was a overwhelming victory for the British, and for Arthur Wellesley. Thee haughty tyrants neer shall tame! All their attempts to bend thee down Will but arouse thy generous me, But work their woe and thy renown!(91 The British soldiers, who were the protagonists in the victory, sang Rule Britannia after God Save the King, praising the great battle victory. The Battle of Smanca 101 was Britains mostplete and decisive victory over the French in the Iberian Penins. The capture of Madrid enabled direct interaction with the Spanish resistance. Portugal, Gibraltar and Seville have also regained stability. Even Arthur Wellesley dered With this one victory, we have a decisive victory in the war! Unfortunately, however, their joy did notst long, blocked by the rapidly changing world situation. This was because the result of the war and battle between France and Russia in the far east reached the Peninsule: the incredible defeat of the Russian army, resulting in the end-of-war negotiations between France and Russia. Arthur Wellesley had no choice but to pound the table with his fist when he heard that Russia was again in a trade blockade against Britain. The British barracks fell into silence. Only silence enveloped them, and the joyful atmosphere of the troops that won a great victory not long ago was nowhere to be seen. Napoleon wasing back. TL notes [1] John Moore [2] Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington [3] Tipu Sultan [4] Lines of Torres Vedras [5] Andr Massna, Louis-Gabriel Suchet. Auguste de Marmont [6] Jean-de-Dieu Soult [Z] The message is written in informal speech in Korean. [8] Bertrand uzel [9] You can listen to Rule Britannia here (10] Battle of Smanca Chapter 31: Paris, City of Light - 1 Chapter 31: Paris, City of Light - 1 Chapter 31
  1. Paris, City of Light 1
Paris, the city of light and passion (Ville lumire et des passions)! How long has it been! He looked around with nostalgic eyes when arriving at the walls surrounding Paris. Napoleon, who had served his term in the other world and resigned as president, had returned to his hometown in Corsica, Ajio, as soon as he retired. The republican officials and ministers chasing him to Corsica were so annoying that he fled to Louisiana Anyway, Napoleon did not go to Paris on purpose when he visited Europe after that. This was because he was aware that his existence itself could be a great burden on the next presidential government. I had never dreamed Id be an emperor after running away from politics. He had a bitter smile. In any case, Napoleon was able to step back into France, in a colorful, sophisticated and symbolic city. He knew well that the other world and this one here were different in many ways. Of course, the biggest reason why the wheels of history went in different directions was the difference between one individual named Napoleon Bonaparte. The fact that the history of the world was so twisted by just one human being was still interesting. Napoleon clearly knew that Paris, which he remembered in the past, could be different from Paris today. However, the sense of strangeness and incongruity that arose at that moment was more than expected. Soon he stopped walking. Parisians filling the Concorde Square (formerly the Revolution Square), a regr stage of victory ceremonies, were delighted and cheered for the victory of France and Napoleon. But with a sharp sense of observation, Napoleon discovered that it was not a genuine expression of emotion. They were just forced and loyal to their role as an audience. France had an unprecedented great victory. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the city was heavy and even depressed. The slums under the bridges of Paris looked muchrger than in Napoleons memory. The clothes worn by citizens wandering along the road were generally shabby and old. In the middle of the shops next to the square was a sign indicating the closure of business. There were many closed shops even though this neighborhood in Paris was quite busy. Napoleon turned his head and looked at the other side of Concorde Square. He wanted to look at the historic buildings where the Bourbon family stayed or was imprisoned, such as Charles street, the Marais district, and the Temple Tower. But now there were only hideous traces left after someone destroyed it. The same was true of the National Assembly, which was the birthce of the revolutionary spirit, the Salle du Mange, a horse riding practice ground which was the meeting ce of the delegates who constituted them, and the Couvent des Feuints. Many other cultural heritages of the past were damaged or destroyed, and their vacancies were filled with buildings and statues praising France and Napoleon. To describe Paris in the other world in two words, it was vitality and passion. The faces of citizens walking down the street were rxed all the time and could not stop smiling. Children ran freely in parks and open areas, the stores and shops were crowded, and slums were rarely found. It was a city where writers, painters, and sculptors gathered in search of jobs, fascinated by the free citys style. The regr performances of famous writers and actors, including operas and ys, were endless. They praised Paris and sometimes satirized the figures of the Republic. Citizens maintained their dignity by appreciating high standards of culture and art. Administratively, economically, culturally and artistically, Paris was the heart of Europe. It was the most advanced, free and wealthy city in the world. Like the city that benefited the most under Napoleons rule, the people of Paris really loved and admired him. And they expressed it. Every time Napoleon walked along the streets and squares of Paris with his entourage, the merchants of the stores always handed Napoleon some goods and food they sold. The unbounded affection and goodwill they gave was one precious memory that made Napoleon smile. Nabot, you fucking Nabot. What the hell have you been doing here? What policies had been implemented, what actions had been taken, and what had been done, to make the citizens of Paris, who should be most passionate about supporting them, have that look on their faces at the victory parade celebrating a great victory? Was the propaganda for yourself and your regime more important than the city itself, which boasted a great history? Napoleon was genuinely curious. If Nabot had been sacrificing the entire French people just for the title of Emperor Napoleon, who thought about it, once again vowed to himself. He would surely heal France, which had suffered more than he thought. He would rebuild the great nation he remembered here. Long live His Majesty the Great Emperor! There was a voice that awakened Napoleon, who had been lost in all sorts of thoughts, as he rode through Concorde Square. Through the crowds and guards lined up in a row, a man ran out to the main street and blocked the Emperors triumphant ceremony from the front. Its an assassin! Protect the Emperor! The Guard, covering Napoleon from close range, immediately ran out. Some protected Napoleon with their bodies and the others rushed to the man who ran into the boulevard. They looked like they were going to tear up the man right away. Napoleon shouted in a hurry. The Guard, stop! I have something to say at the risk of my life to Your Majesty the Emperor! If youre going to slit this small mans throat for rudeness, listen to him first! The words of Napoleon and this man rang almost simultaneously. The guards, staring at his man, stepped back at a reasonable distance when they realized he wasnt carrying dangerous objects such as firearms. The man sat in the middle of the street and lowered his head. He then bowed down on the ground. This humble little man dares to pay tribute and reverence to Your Majesty the Emperor, who has once again won a great victory against the evil external enemies threatening the Empire. Your Majesty will certainly leave his name as the greatest monarch in the history of France. I will receive your praise sweetly. Courageous citizen, what is your name? The man thought about it for a while, and soon bowed his head more and answered. My name is Laurent Cersault. I run a small gold and silver shop south of the Louvre Pce. Yes, Cersault. You obviously risked your life to say something to me. The force that led you in front of me. Dont regret it. Some of the generals and high-ranking officials around him advised him to arrest and seize the man named Cersault immediately, but Napoleon refused. All the citizens of Paris were already focused on this incident. Although he was guilty of obstructing the Emperors event, Napoleon could not help but be conscious of the eyes of the citizens around. And above all, Napoleon wanted to hear the courageous middle-aged mans honest thoughts. Your Majesty is the embodiment of a warrior that doesnt know the defeat. The French army, led by His Majesty, conquered Europe and has the greatest strength that no monarch has ever achieved. So, Your Majesty! Please let go of your greed for more than this expedition! Have you ever seen such a rude viger! How dare a clueless idiot insult the Emperor! The officers of the Guard got angry and roared, but Cersault continued calmly. This little man had three sons. They were lovely sons who looked like my deceased wife, who were all kind and respectful to their old father. The first and second were conscripted ording to thews of the country, and participated in the war to protect the country. They promised to win ande back and help their father in the family business. My first son died in the Battle of Eulll in the Polish Liberation War (against Russia and Prussia). My second son went missing at the Battle of Wagram, 12 where Your Majesty the Emperor defeated Charles of Austria. Judging from theck of news so far, the child probably lost his life, too. Now my only son left is the 18-year-old youngest. In three months, he will be a soldier under the new Imperial conscriptionw The heart of Cersault silenced the noisy guards. They were loyal to the Emperor and the Empire, but they had also children and were the sons of someone in their families. Not only the guards but also the citizens who watched the situation with interest were speechless. Some were moved by Cersaults words and showed tears. I bow down to the great Emperor and give my life to him. Its a desperate request from a father who lost two sons. Its a plea from widows and orphans who lost their parents. Please stop further conquest! Please do not put the horrors of war on the young men who will support the future of the Empire. In the end, no one could point a finger at Cersault or swear at him for his rudeness, as he eventually shed tears and sobbed. Still, some loyal guards restrained their emotions and were about to move to drag him down. I have sinned greatly against you. The eyes of many French parents, wives and children have shed tears of blood, Cersault, I will never be able to understand your sadness. Napoleon got off his horse and walked over to Laurent Cersault, who was lying face down. Guards warned that it was dangerous, but they did not dare to stop the Emperor. Napoleon looked at Cersault, who raised his head with bloodshot eyes. I gave you an indelible pain, and you gave the right teachings and bitter words to the ruler of the Empire. What many high-ranking officials and generals of the Empire have failed to do, Cersault, is what you did. How can I repay you for this? Y-Your Majesty the Emperor! This little man did not do anything for His Majesty, but only for his personal reward It doesnt matter what the purpose is. What matters is the result. You took courage to plead with your life, and it moved my heart. Napoleon took his wallet out of his inside pocket. Taking out six 100-francs bills, Napoleon approached Cersault lying on his stomach and kneeled on one knee. People around him were murmuring or holding their breath. Regardless of them, Napoleon handed the money to Cersault. Dont think of it as pity. A father who has lost his sons who could support his household will surely have trouble making a living. This is a fair price to pay for the burden. If you feel ufortable, I would like you to think and ept it as a sign of my regret for the great young men who gave their lives for the country. People who were critical of the Emperor could have said that he was justpensating with money. However, who could say that to the Emperor who showed sincerity while kneeling on one knee? Cersault received the bills with trembling hands. His lips trembled, and hot tears continued to leak out of his eyes. Napoleon wished that the sorrow of losing a child in those tears had not existed. It is simple for us to dere war. However, we must not forget that there are people who have to fight and die. In the other world, it was Napoleon who constantly expressed his opposition to war even within the belligerent National Assembly. TL notes [1] Battle of Eu [2] Battle of Wagram Chapter 32: Paris, City of Light - 2 Chapter 32: Paris, City of Light - 2 Chapter 32
  1. Paris, City of Light 2
The higher the position, the more politically significant their actions were. Unintentionally, those who watched attach such interpretations. Moreover, it was the venue for the victory ceremony, where so many citizens eyes were focused. What Napoleon could do in this situation was, of course, political. This is a position where I can use every move and statement that happen in everyday life. Then I have to use it thoroughly. The story and situation of the gold and silver shop merchant named Cersault were unfortunate. Napoleon felt sympathy for him as a human. But that was all. Napoleon had a sad look at Cersaults story but did not forget his position. He thenbined himself with Cersault to create a story. A story that could not have been more human as a propaganda for the Emperor. How could Napoleon use this incident to impress the Parisians who were disappointed in him? The answer to that was the present situation. Yes. I guess I was Napoleon after all. Napoleon of this world had destroyed numerous pieces of the French history and put up propaganda about the Empire and himself. What was the difference between him and himself now? Napoleon could not answer this question. After leaving Laurent Cersault like this, he could feel the odd change in the street at Concorde Square. The faces of the citizens, who had been weing the Emperor, who had cooled down the enthusiasm of the event that they did not want, became lively and curious unlike before. Napoleons unconventional actions attracted citizens eyes and hearts. p p p p p!! The citizens apuded the benevolence and tolerance shown by the Emperor when no one asked them to. Deceived by false propaganda, they shouted Long live the Emperor! with touched faces. Napoleon waved in hand with a determined face. It was the face of the Emperor. This little man heard the tactics and strategies of Your Majesty the Emperor who put Alexander I on his knees. Congrattions from the bottom of my heart, Your Majesty! Thus, there will be no more forces in Europe to stand in the way of the Empire! Hugues-Bernard Maret. He was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the French Empire. As soon as he saw Napoleon, he ran to him with a red face and lined up tireless ttery. Napoleon roughly epted his praise and remembered a man whose whereabouts he was curious about. Do you know where Sir Bishop Talleyrand no, where Talleyrand-Prigord is now? Oh you mean that vulgar guy? He must be diligently ndering the great Empire and defaming Your Majestys dignity in front of the Tuileries. As always. If the low-spirited, greedy sound he was making bothered you Well take care of him. Your Majesty doesnt have to worry. Well make sure it doesnt backfire They looked ready to kill him if they were asked to, and Napoleon had to calm them down. Here too, Talleyrands reputation is hitting the bottom. Well. Talleyrand-Prigord was an unbelievably corrupt, obscene and greedy man who was a former Catholic priest. When he worked as a diplomat, he always asked for a small amount of bribes from the subject of negotiations, and when he was appointed governor of a province, he also took his lover and subordinates to his office. Despite being such a wed figure, the government appointed him. His abilities were superior to anyone else, and his loyalty to France was firm. Personally, Napoleon had no affinity for Talleyrand. However, the royals of other countries were still following the old system, and to sort out the tangled diplomatic situation of the French Republic at the time, there was a desperate need for a figure like Talleyrand who could handle high-ranking nobles. That was why Napoleon kept him as a governor. I need to talk to him, so please call him here. Its not because of him ndering the Empire, so I hope you dont make any trouble with strange spection and over-loyalty. I will follow your orders, Your Majesty! The Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Maret did not look happy, but responded steadily, not refusing the Emperors words. He left, leaving only Napoleon and his secretaries in the office. Napoleon wondered what Talleyrand might be thinking now. No matter how hard I think about it, Nabot and Talleyrand-Prigord of this world are bound to oppose each other Napoleon, who had worked with Talleyrand for a considerable amount of time, knew well that he had quite a temper, although he did not show it. Talleyrand was currently staying near the Tuileries Pce. Although no one talked about it, it was the birthce of the National Assembly and the holy ce of the Revolutionary Republic, where the public assembly was held every week. Nabot from this side of the world could not have proimed an Empire and left the Tuileries alone, so thorough censorship and cover-up must have been carried out. The fact that Talleyrand lived near the pce itself was like showing his position against the current system and Napoleon. Well see when we meet. Napoleon sat and waited quietly for Talleyrand. How long had it been? The door to the tightly closed office opened and an elderly man walked in. Rough gray hair, a high nose, tightly closed lips, and an iron face where no one could imagine a change in expression. Although he seemed a few years older than Napoleons memory, he was indeed Talleyrand. I greet Your Majesty the Emperor of France. May the Empire and His Majesty have infinite glory and victory. Long time no see, Talleyrand-Prigord. He weed him politely. The former Secretary of Foreign Affairs? The former Bishop? The former Minister of Foreign Affairs? He did not know what to call him, so he just decided to call him by hisst name. The reason I called you who was resting at the base of the Tuileries is that you have a duty to do for the Empire. Napoleon continued his words calmly. The war on the Iberian Penins was a futile war that did nothing to the national interest and honor of the Empire, so it had to end as soon as possible. He had no intention of reconciling with Britain, but he was determined to conclude end-of-war negotiations with Spain and Portugal, and a turning point for new rtions improvement was needed. Napoleon briefly exined the situation that was currently facing the imperial government and the army on the Iberian Penins, and listed alternatives and solutions. I understand that you have many regrets about what happened in the past. But for France, that you are loyal to, let go of your old feelings and help out. Now is the time when we need the skillful negotiating skills of Talleyrand-Prigord. Talleyrand remained silent. He was a excellent diplomat who could maintain a straight face under any circumstances, so he did not express his feelings, but with his own short experience, Napoleon could notice that Talleyrand was now confused. If you think of Napoleon in the past, you may be suspicious of such a forward-looking attitude. Napoleon decided to wait a little longer for his answer. But what Napoleon did not think of was the level of actions and remarks Nabot of this world had made to Talleyrand. Not knowing how rude and petty Nabot was, he failed to control the gap with his pre-awakening. Talleyrand was in shock and confusion beyond embarrassment. Naturally, the cause lied in the changed attitude of the Emperor as if he had be apletely different person. After dismissing him as Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Emperor had never visited Talleyrand. When the Emperor called him as soon as the expedition was over, Talleyrand thought of two possibilities. The first was that the Emperor, who had low tolerance, was very angry with the advice and criticism about the future of the Empire he was writing and tried to harm him. The second was that he had found hismunications with Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. There was a good chance that it was thetter. If so, he stood here with clean recognition and determination to face a just punishment. He had never imagined that the Emperor would hire him again to stop the Iberian War after having rejected him for such a long time. And he did so with such amon sense and gentle attitude! Talleyrand stuttered uncharacteristically. What can I refuse to Your Majesty and the French Empire? But the situation across Iberia right now is worse than you think. In order to discuss agreements on the end of the war, not a few imperial concessions will have to be done. Asked how far he would allow concessions, the Emperor replied. The return of all the territories upied by the Empire within the penins, and the abdication of King Joseph I, who was established by the Empire. Based on this, I hope that Spain will once again act as our friend. It was the Emperor who had forced Joseph Bonaparte, his brother, to be king of Spain. The Emperor, whose pride reached heaven, just said that he would destroy the deration he had made in his past. They will never ept Your Majestys offer. Nevertheless, Talleyrand was skeptical. The Emperor had forcibly deposed their king and usurped the throne, and the French army had viciously taken their houses and property as local supplies. The Spanish people had a deep hatred for them. Insurgent militias were taking revenge against the French with a tactic called guerri. The French, whoserades were brutally murdered by them, also harbored fierce resentment. The war between France and Spain had already crossed a line to be resolved by diplomatic talks. Even if the Empires forces take over the entire Spanish maind, they will move the capital and government to the New World to resist, as did Portugal in the past. The Empire must advance, fight, and upy it to end the long war. Of course, it was unfeasible from the start because of the existence of Britain. From the beginning, this war should not have been fought. Talleyrand criticized the Emperors past in a subtle tone. All this was his fault for grinding the nations capabilities for his endless greed and ambition. The Emperors current attitude was astonishing, but Talleyrand thought this was also one of his many whims. Although a prominent figure of the times, the Emperor was basically rude, impatient, and inconsiderate of others. Knowing that the Emperor was morbidly reluctant to point out his faults, it was time for him to pour out insulting remarks toward Talleyrand. In the past, Talleyrand had heard Youre shit in a silk stocking! and this time he thought that it might be something more vulgar and ugly. But Napoleons words were surprising to Talleyrand, who was prepared to be insulted. It was my fault, my fault. As you said now, we should not have intervened in the matter of the Spanish throne from the beginning. And even if we did, it was ridiculous to point our guns at an ally. So Id like to ask you. What would you do first to prevent the deterioration of the war in this situation? I am asking you now for your opinion, which was right at the time. Talleyrand who was bowing his head, opened his eyes wide. Words that Napoleon Bonaparte could never say wereing from the Emperor in front of him. TL notes [1] Hugues-Bernard Maret Chapter 33: Paris, City of Light - 3 Chapter 33: Paris, City of Light - 3 Chapter 33
  1. Paris, City of Light 3
The Emperor has changed. It was the first words that Talleyrand uttered quietly when he left the Tuileries Pce, the official residence and imperial pce of the French Empire. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was never one to admit his mistakes, nor was he one to lower himself to ask for advice to a former official. The change was radical, to the point where there was a terrible sense of ipatibility. People could never change in a short period of time. Talleyrand, who had been thinking about it, suspected for a moment that another person looking like the Emperor was acting in his stead. And at the beginning of the Russian conquest, the Emperor suddenly dered a halt to the expedition and stopped the march. The Emperor as usual would have run to Moscow to prove that he was right, with some hell waiting before him. Talleyrand, who had not stopped pondering on his way out of the pce, quickly relieved his embarrassment and regained his coolness. Talleyrand did not think at all that the Emperor had found reason. Of course, he thought that he was scheming something hard to guess. After all, the Emperor had already sent a delegation to Russia wishing for peace to reassure Tsar, and then had led the battle of Hrodna to destroy the Russian army. This time again, it would be a two-sided tactic in a simr vein. Then what was the Emperors true intention? Is the Emperor suspicious of me? What if this move was aimed at discriminating Talleyrand? Or if was he trying to convey fake information through himself to the French enemies? Talleyrand shook his head. Too much thought would ruin the conclusion. It was time to focus on the original theory. The only thing that was clear was that Talleyrand now had to obey the Emperors orders. Lets go straight to the mansion without stopping by. Well have to go on a long journey soon. Yes, I understand. After ordering the coachman, Talleyrand climbed into a carriage pulled by four horses and leaned over the window. Talleyrand had eventually epted the Emperors request to step up in the negotiations with Spain. Even if Spain could not ept them, the words spoken in the office of the Tuileries Pce were sincere. And even if Spain epted them, the war on the penins was intricately entangled withpletely different interests between Britain and Portugal. End the war and make Spain a French ally again? It was a dream, pure and simple. The war on the Iberian Penins was already rotting. Natural healing could not cure it. It had to be cut out with a knife. Even if the Emperor truly changed his mind Its toote now. The Empires consumption has already gone beyond its limits since the old system. France no longer needs a leader who is crazy about warfare. Talleyrand made up his mind. That was right. His route could not be changed. = = = After sending Talleyrand away, Napoleon ordered his secretaries to bring the entire archive inside the Tuileries Pce. The reason was that there were a lot of things that needed to be checked and verified as soon as possible. In a sea of documents taken out of the archives, Napoleon took out what he wanted and collected them. These were documents that recorded the timeline of the major events France had experienced since the attack on the Bastille Prison (1789), one of the major turning points in history. The war from 1789 to 1798 makes no big difference between the world over there and here. From the moment I (Napoleon, Nabot) emerge in earnest, there is a peculiarity in which the road is divided. Facing reality, Napoleon felt a terrible sense of ipatibility. As if looking in a mirror, everything was the same, except for Napoleon. Even in the myriad dimensions and worlds spoken by the native voodoo doctor, only Napoleon was sucked into another world? It was as contrived as the setting of a story. In the meantime Napoleon faced reality. Clicking his tongue, he looked at Nabots past. Im the only one whos different, but I didnt imagine the difference at the crossroads would have widened like this. The main difference was the war history of France between this world and the other one. In short, a grand military operation of July 1798 called the Egyptian Expedition existed in this world. Nabot here did not reject the governments order to attack Egypt, or rather seemed to have taken the initiative. He did not know what delusion he had, but the result was a catastrophic failure of both the Army and the Navy. This had caused France to lose its historic ally, the Ottoman Empire. Then the events were almost the same in both worlds that led to the presidency. However, after bing a president, they were were sharply divided. Napoleon himself did his best to prevent war, avoiding military actions that would threaten his neighbors after bing president. This was because the government decided that it was better to focus on internal affairs to heal the wounds of the revolutionary war and revive the broken economy. The card of war was taken out only when it was really necessary. And if they decided to go to war, it did not necessarilyst long. He maneuvered quickly and rapidly, to have an overwhelming strategic advantage. And even after his victory, he avoided harsh diplomatic negotiations. As a result, the French Republic was able to have rtively favorable rtionships with neighboring countries even though they lost. On the other hand, Nabot did not stop war, war, and war after the expedition to Egypt. Nabot only knew to wage war, but he did not have the ability to finish it right. His talent for strategy and tactics enabled him to lead most wars to victory and conquer many territories, but in the process, he greatly raised the boundaries and public resentment of neighboring countries. Except for the satellite countries that had been forcibly conquered and subjugated, Denmark, and the United States across the sea, there were virtually enemies everywhere. The Swedish Empire in its golden age and France now looked alike. Of course, the Swedish Empire had soon copsed. This is more problematic than I thought. Ive had some prediction, but I didnt expect it to be this serious! Nabot had used the media and propaganda to manipte the number of casualties, but it seemed to have been filled out honestly without lying in official documents. Thanks to this, Napoleon was impressed by the post-war report, which summarized the casualties, injuries, and civilian damage that urred in every war and battle. From 1789 to 1812, the French had fought continuously, and the number of deaths was well over one million and reached 1.5 million. This caused the ratio between men and women in their 20s and 30s to be 1:1.25. Almost all adult men who could be conscripted had be taken to the military. The youth, the foundation and future of the country, had already been greatly divided even before the Russian expedition. The problem was that the war was still going on. Call the Minister of the Economy and Finance, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Administration right now. Tell them its the Emperors urgent summon, so theyd better stop all their duties ande. I-I understand, Your Majesty! The attendants left the office terrified, as the atmosphere around Napoleon turned into a volcano just before an eruption. Napoleon gritted his teeth quietly. With an honest heart, he wanted to run to the Iberian Penins right now. He had to quickly end the war and undergo surgery on the whole of France, which had already begun to crumble. However, the problems in Paris were far too many and far worse than Napoleons expectations. It was doubtful whether these problems within the country would wait until the war was over. Most of them had been made without countermeasures by Nabot from this world, such as ipetent bureaucrats who coborated with him, bourgeoisie pretending to be aristocrats, and the military. Among all these problems, the first that needed to be cleaned up was the situation of the entire national military, which was reaching its limits, with the unnecessarilyrge Great Army and the numerous conscription training centers. Its going to be a more dynamic Empire than ever. Napoleon raised one eyebrow as he saw the ministers rushing in. There was a lot of work to be discussed with them. === His Majesty the Emperor enters the Imperial Council. Please all stand up and show a legitimate courtesy. It was Napoleons first day at a Council meeting after returning from the expedition. Members of the Council opened the door and apuded Napoleoning in. It was a sign of respect and awe for the French Emperor who defeated Russia and kneeled down the vic army. Napoleon, who was greeted by them, took a look at the people filling the French Council. A parliament did exist in France as well. It had also a much longer history than in Britain. However, unlike Britain, the French parliament did not have the right to collect taxes or decide budgets, so it could only act as a rubber stamp under pressure from the king. The same was true of the Imperial Council. Thanks to this, Napoleon was able to overdo his own policies. We are abolishing the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, which was announced in January 1812. The conscription age and standards will be returned to before 1812, and soldiers in active duty who fall short of these can be discharged whenever they want. The first announcement made by the President of the Tuileries Pce was a controversial issue in various circles of society. The standard for conscription of French troops was unmarried men between the ages of 20 and 25. However, even if a man lost his wife or divorced, he was not eligible for conscription if he had children. It was the same for people who worked as military instructors or in foreign countries, or students at school. In some cases, priests of the church were treated as exceptions from conscripts. It meant there was some flexibility. Sadly, however, the war-maniac leader began to take control of France. Frequent wars and expeditions had led to extreme military and manpower consumption, which had consistently lowered the standard of conscription. The Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree announced by Nabot to make up for the shortage of soldiers ahead of the Russian expedition was a decisive blow. Not only did he no longer recognize the exceptions to the above conscription, but he also took arge number of young men to the military.he imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree was the biggest reason French citizens turned against Nabot. And now Napoleon dered that he would abolish it. Be confident when you give benefits or choices. That way, people who feel the same way will change their minds again. Napoleon did not stop here and went one step further, following the principle of human strange psychology. Standards for military service shall be governed by the Homnd Security Decree of July 1808. Simrly, soldiers in active duty who do not apply to this will be able to enjoy a return to their daily lives if they wish. Exceptions if a man had a wife or child, exceptions if he was an undergraduate at a university, exceptions for aspiring priests. Exceptions if he was an only child who had no siblings to support his old parents. He also raised the age of conscription. Now the 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds, whose birthdays had not passed, were able to escape the military. On the other hand, the retirement age was lowered. Those over the age of 26 who had more than five years of experience in the service, had the option to retire. Napoleons gift for the French soldiers who were tired of the war was the right to escape from the army. Chapter 34: Paris, City of Light - 4 Chapter 34: Paris, City of Light - 4 Chapter 34
  1. Paris, City of Light 4
Well Your Majesty! Your Majestys heart for the soldiers who are loyal to the Empire is surely holy. However, if we return to the conscriptionw of 1808, many of the imperial soldiers will either be discharged from the army, or will be forced out of age. We just calcted that at least 250,000 soldiers would be able to take off their uniforms in ordance with the standards Your Majesty requires. How are we going to fill the gap in military power that will definitely not be small? There was such a bacsh that members of the Imperial Council, who had only served as rubber stamp, said so with embarrassed expressions. Though the expedition to the East was over, in their opinion, France still needed a huge army. First of all, the war had not yet ended on the Iberian Penins, and Prussia and Austria were showing signs of rebellion. Even the seemingly loyal satellite countries would be a little nervous if France were to cut its troops. In other words, the French Great Army was putting a pressure to prevent these reactions. Their remarks seemed reasonable at first nce. But not for Napoleon. Now that the war with Russia is over, I wonder if it is necessary to strictly maintain the Grande Arme (Great Army) with 400,000 or 500,000 soldiers. Youre worried about France if its big army disappears? Why are you so anxious when I am sitting as Emperor of this Empire? Napoleon showed a frenzied degree of confidence, and the members of the Council unconsciously nodded and found themselves epting. He ended up in wars and battles with numerous nations and eventually put the g of victory in the enemy camp. Napoleon, the Emperor who returned from the peak of his military achievements at the Battle of Hrodna against Russia, deserved to say such wild words. I rather think that many armies are destabilizing the Empire. Its an idea that includes both economic and political reasons. Napoleons ideal form of state and army was one in which a proper number of well-trained standing forces were maintained. If the number of troops wasrge, there were many cards avable in the war. There were times when it could help in international diplomatic battles. However, it was a problem that it caused huge maintenance and social costs. If disarmament was achieved, the young French people who had been liberated from military service would start a new life and job. Their youth and dynamism would breathe new life into Frances economy. In fact, this was the policy intended and pursued. A hundred wild dogs cant stand ten lions. We dont need arge army. We just need soldiers who have the will to fight with the heart of warriors on the cold battlefield, and who are united with passionate patriotism to protect the Empire. Its time for us to re-select and recruit the suitable soldiers over the many. At the Emperors words, thewmakers remembered the French army in the early days of the French Republic and Empire. The first soldiers were also forced to serve under the state conscriptionws, but they were braver, stronger and more dedicated than anyone else on the battlefield. Such an army was born because the military selected those who had the right physical conditions and spirit as soldiers. On the other hand, how about now? The valiant troops of the past had all been consumed by the war, and those with bodies and spirits who were not fit to serve as soldiers were sent to fill their numbers. The quality of the army had naturally declined, and the invincible French army, which had been on the winning path, had had to taste the bitterness of defeat in various battlefields. We have put Russia to sleep, the greatest enemy of the Empire. Prussia and Austria are weighed down by our dignity. The war on the penins remains, but there is no need for arge army in that harshnd. Dont be nervous. Even if the number of troops decreases, there is no enemy country that would threaten to change France. After Napoleons words, the Council of the Empire fell in silence. But then apuse began to be heard one by one, and before they knew it, it filled the interior of the parliament hall. It was clearly a hotter and more enthusiastic procession of apuse than Napoleon received when he first entered here. Somewmakers looked at Napoleon and did not hide their surprised looks. They looked like they did not expect the Emperor to persuade them by showing his sincerity in this way. Napoleon, of course, was able to turn them into rubber stamps like the previous Nabot. But he was well aware that power, which was not checked and advised, decayed, decreased, and eventually self-destructed. Napoleon hoped that the Imperial Council would y such a role. Discussions and specific measures on disarmament wereplicated inside the parliament hall. A fair, legitimate, yet realistic system had to be established to apply to the corps within the Empire, the corps dispatched outside, the reservists, the trainees at the army training camps, and the reservists scheduled to be conscripted. For example, the troops in Iberia could not be immediately dimissed because they were currently fighting with Britain, Spain, and Portugal. It was a problem for Napoleon because it also had a lot ofplicated interests involved. However, the discussion ended much earlier than Napoleon expected. When the Emperor recognized their status and authority, the excitedwmakers mobilized all their knowledge and abilities to help establish a reasonable system. They surprised Napoleon by pouring out creative and efficient measures that he had not thought of. The Council wasnt ipetent either. The man handling the Council (Nabot) was ipetent. Napoleon, who lightly badmouthed Nabot today, was able to quickly move on to the next agenda. This, too, was as great as the massive disarmament. From now on, we will abolish censorship of all media and culture in the Empire. People are free to express and post their thoughts, ideals and opinions in writing, ys, music, and art, without penalty. I understand that it can cause great social disruption right now. But we have to look at it from a long-term perspective. What can citizens learn and think about in a rigid and uniform society? We are in the 19th century, not the feudal era. Napoleon said so with a straight face. The person who had led the censorship of the cultural and mediamunities was the Nabot of this world, not him, so he said it in a few words. Anyway, it was clear that Napoleons grasp of this world was too snobbish and secr, and at the same time unable to withstand criticism, caricatures, and satire about himself. He thoroughly censored and suppressed civilian expressions andmunication and made no one in the Empire voice negative opinions against him. On the other hand, Napoleon now knew how important the diversity of perspective and expression was. No human being, however brilliant, could be superior in every way. There would be times when wrong choices and decisions would be made. At this time, if there are no criticisms about them, the political system would soon be stagnant and rotten. Even more so in this tyrannical dictatorship, where power is concentrated on one person. It was not enough to raise an Empires Council and get positive support and checks from them. Opinions outside the court should also be heard. Napoleon, who had ovee difficulties by taking hints from various cultures and media in his time as a president, did not forget this. First of all, I have no intention of maintaining imperial rule on thisnd for long. This was because, before being a believer in the republican regime, the current French Empire system, led by a despotic monarch on his own, had clear limits. Regardless of how Napoleon himself was sessful, the Empire would easily copse if the monarch who seeded him was ordinary. The Bonaparte family, which had no legitimacy such as the Bourbon, Habsburg, and Hohenzollern families, could neverst long because of its inherent limitations. Maintaining imperial rule was nothing but asking for a second revolution. On the other hand, a society that was free to express diverse opinions would prevent such a revolution. No, to be exact, it made it impossible to maintain the despotism itself. Nabot did not control the media and culture for nothing. A increased sense of citizenship, free will, and progressive ideas required time. It would be the transfer of power from the Emperor to the citizens. Napoleon was painting a picture of the demanding down, him acknowledging it and slowly transferring power when it reached some degree. Wouldnt this really be a peaceful and beautiful revolution? Of course, it was still a long way off. We will actively make and improve cotton weaving machines, spinning machines, and cotton ginning machines. In particr, copy and produce all of the models brought from Britain. You dont have to worry about patent infringement. However, there is no need to show it openly and we need to be discreet about this. The third announcement was also sufficient to create a huge stir in the parliament chamber. In particr, the Emperors demand for something that would be greatly criticized by the internationalmunity madewmakers very absurd. But Napoleon was confident. Now, practicalityes before authority. I should save Frances economy even if I need to shame my face. The mechanical revolution in Britain had set the backdrop for the already wealthy Britain to achieve a huge amount of money worth more than every country in Europe. Cheap and quality goods produced by them had exploded into the continent. This had resulted in the elimination of most European craftsmen. A few pieces of machinery had reduced the huge continent of Europe to a market for Britishmodity sales. The continental blockade had only slowed this flow slightly, and was not an essential measure. Napoleon was quick to see through the innovation and added value of the mechanical revolution in Britain when he was in the other world. He imitated the British mechanical revolution in France and gradually changed the constitution of national industry. Thanks to this, Frances economy grew day by day, and by the end of its term, it was able to surpass the mainstream of Britain. But now it was muchter than then. However, the advantage of experienced people was that they do not have to go through a lot of trials and errors. Napoleon already had a history of transforming France, a dairy country, into Europes best industrial country. In order to continue the mechanical revolution, developing and producing coal, iron ore and coke across France must also be preceded. And rtedws, regtions, and administrative affairs agencies should be established, because in the other world there was a lot of confusion because they couldnt prepare for it in advance. In particr, the establishment of the workersw was the most important. If the mechanical revolution was achieved, many factories would be built, and themon people who made up the domestic handicraft industry would surely fall. They did not have the money to build a factory, so they would work under the factory owners. But moneycrazed factory owners would not give the workers the right treatment. In this case, the state should step up and establish proper legalism and market order. Unlike Britain, France can be a huge market in itself. If workers get the right wages and treatment and have the purchasing power, the domestic market alone could maintain its growth. I didnt think of this in the other world, so I had to go back a long way. His umted knowledge did not disappear even if the world changed. In Napoleons mind, the right path for France after achieving the mechanical revolution was open. Chapter 35: Paris, City of Light - 5 Chapter 35: Paris, City of Light - 5 Chapter 35
  1. Paris, City of Light 5
After voting for the three main agendas in cooperation with the Council, Napoleon dered the meeting closed. Members approached Napoleon with sparkling eyes, but he avoided them because he had a lot of duties and was physically tired. When he opened the door of the parliament hall, reporters, who had already guessed that something was going on, had gathered together and were waiting for interviews. For the future of the Empire, we have concluded a fruitful discussion with the delegates. Steps for progress and development will start soon, so the people of the Empire should trust me, the government and the Council, and wait. Napoleon returned to the Tuileries Pce after this remark. After hours of mentally demanding struggle, his body was already exhausted. Napoleon called officials in the Emperors office. They were high-ranking officials working directly under the Minister of the Economy and Finance, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Administration, that he had called the other day. Napoleon gave them a document stating every points discussed in the Imperial Council. I delegate my authority on this matter. Consult your superiors and members of the Council to take care of it. Y-Your Majesty? You just have to report the results on time. The officials rushed out of the office, even though they were not sure what to do with the Emperors gesture. After they left, Napoleon put his feet on the table and leaned back on his chair. He twisted his body in afortable posture and closed his eyes for a moment. The wheel begins to roll. The reform of France starts now. The three most urgent issues were put on the stand, but there were many other abscesses growing on the body of France. What was the point of pouring out economic revival policies? It would be useless unless there was a massive eradication of the corruption that prevailed throughout society. Napoleon thought that an in-depth analysis of the Empires tax receipts and finances was needed. There were many other things that needed to be changed and reorganized, including stopping the oppression of Jews, breaking unfair tariffs by region, introducing transparent ie and progressive taxes, credit adjustment in the international financial market, standardization and institutionalization of direct and indirect taxes, and improvement of the military medical system. I have to stop here for now. This country has argend, and the administrative system is weak and fragile I cant do much at once. Still, he could not hide his sense of aplishment that he had taken a step forward. A light smile was engraved on Napoleons face with his eyes closed But the thought that quickly came to his mind caught him off guard. I have to exercise Oh, damn it! There was no time to rx for a second. There were French soldiers returning to the military base after hard training near Paris. Their steps were heavy. Was it fatigue from training? One of them, Maxime, thought it was not. Oh, the sky is so clear without a cloud. Maxime took off his sweaty military hat while spitting. Then he could see an editorial of a famous journal on a street sign. omitted The overwhelming victory in a huge battle fought by hundreds of thousands of troops brought the vic empire to its knees. This great achievement will remain praised in history. The French warriors who participated in this will live with infinite pride omitted As soon as the content of the article came into view, Maxime frowned. He felt even more rotten and dirty. Maxime ripped the newspaper and tore it up roughly. Win a historic battle, but to whom does the honor go? And when did the soldiers at the bottom ever wish for such honor? What they really wanted was life. A life without fighting. A life without worrying about being killed, a life with a family. They say our next destination is the Iberian Penins. Do you mean we have to creep into the Land of Death!? Oh my god!.. Therades of Maxime murmured with a lost look on their faces. If you go to the Iberian Penins, you will surely die or be crippled. It was an ominous rumor circting among the French troops. And this rumor was also based on facts to some extent. The cold, hunger, and the infectious diseases of the country are terrifying, but they cannot bepared to the hell in the south. Its just not a habitable ce. The soldiers who experienced the war on the Iberian Penins trembled and exaggerated. At some point, the old man who was talkingfortably with us came down and threw an axe at the back of ourpanymander. I clearly saw the scene up close. Some viges poisoned their wells. They said they were going to kill all the French passing by. I even caught a guy starting a fire in the camp at night. I thought he was a little small, so I took him close to the bonfire and he was a young man with no beard yet. Oh thats terrible. They are demons. Demons in human form. All of the fellow soldiers agreed. A ce where no one could be trust, where no one could rx for a moment, and where the whole of Spain was filled with malice. It was what they thought was the Iberian Penins. And now they had to go to war again in such a ce. Maxime could not hide his mixed feelings. When on earth can I end this hellish life? No, is it possible to get out of here alive? Uuugh! Ugh! Huh? Maxime! Whats wrong with this little guy? Never seen a man with a weak mind lose it from the impact of a battle? Hes been like this since the expedition. Its tough But at this point, how did you train in the suburbs? It was twice as hard for me to take care of him. Damn how did such a young man end up wearing a military uniform The proportion of soldiers suffering from mental panic after the battle was not small. Such side effects were natural because the military was forced to recruit unsuitable people from the beginning and to turn them into soldiers. In Maximes heart, fierce anger was boiling several times a day. What in the world are we fighting for with guns and knives? What is the purpose to achieve by changing the lives of young people like this? Damn it The faces of Maxime and his fellow soldiers as they trudged back to the military base were darker than before. It was then. Wow! Ahhhhh-!! Suddenly there was a tremendous cheer from the other side. It was such a loud voice that a stray cat walking on the street was surprised and ran away. Maxime and the soldiers looked at each other and rushed there. Something must have happened. The ce where the cheers rang out was the military base to where Maximie and hispanions were currently on their way. There, soldiers dressed in military uniforms of the same color as Maxime were throwing their hats up, showing incredible enthusiasm and joy. Some soldiers crouched down and cried. Although they did not shed a lot of tears, the eyes of all the soldiers gathered at the training ground were reddish. Among the soldiers raising their arms and crying out Long live the Emperor!, Maxime could not understand. It wasnt like this when we won the Battle of Hrodna, when the expedition ended, or when we returned home What the hell happened here? Maxime and the soldiers who were walking with him, looked puzzled because they could not adapt to this atmosphere. Someoneughed after seeing them. Herees new people to react to this amazing news! Sergeant Maxime, reporting to the battalionmander, returning from the suburbs training with 21 soldiers. Loyalty! Loyalty. Perhaps today will be thest time I receive this kind of greetings from you. The battalionmander handed official documents to Maxime, who still did not understand what he was saying, and to some soldiers who could read. Maximes eyes widened after reading the top line of the official document. Abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, reduction of the Great Army scale and conscription reform Maxim read the official document as if possessed. As his eyes went down, his hands trembled more and more. Soldiers who deviated from the standard were given the right to be discharged Is this dream really real? The seal of the Imperial Council and Emperor Napoleon at the end of the document awakened Maxime. Well, then were!? Maxime, 11 out of 17 people, including you, are over 25 years old. The other six also have qualifications, like being an only child or an undergraduate. Congrattions! Maxime could finally realize it. It was the same for the other soldiers on the training ground. Atst he could finally take off this heavy military cap, uniform, and sword. Oh, ahhhh! Oh, my God! God! The Emperor Long live the Emperor! Hahaha! Maxime and his soldiers could not help but cry at the waves of emotions. How many twists and turns of tears had been shed in this hell so far? Their sense of liberation destroyed their reason and mental barriers. Haha, youre good soldiers, so I was hoping youd choose the option to stay in the military, but its useless seeing your reactions. Im, Im sorry. Battalionmander. But I want to go back to my daily life. The battalionmander patted him on the shoulder with a kind face as if he understood. Im afraid were going to have a power vacuum, but I think this is the right thing to do. It was impossible for our Empire to demand unconditional loyalty and hopeless dedication, even if it was against a barbaric country like Prussia. This shouldnt be happening any more. Honestly speaking, Ive rarely been happy in my military career. But I was really lucky to meet a superior like the battalionmander. Thank you so much so far. Im telling you, youre still soldiers. You cant just run home like this. A soldier appeared in front of Maxime, who wasughing and talking with the battalionmander. A troublemaker who was gued by aftereffects after the battle, Brigadier Dugaisault. He was running frantically around the training ground, hooraying. Fuck this guy. He was struggling like a sick chicken in training. Maxime smiled bitterly. But the smile on his face did not fade for a long time. The sky was very clear today. Chapter 36: Paris, City of Light - 6 Chapter 36: Paris, City of Light - 6 Chapter 36
  1. Paris, City of Light 6
As soon as Emperor Napoleon arrived in Paris, he coborated with the Imperial Council and issued three bills (though strictly speaking, two abolished existing policies). This announcement, which will be referred to as the Luxembourg Decree, was enough to make the whole of Paris very noisy. In particr, the first issue of the Luxembourg Decree was almost salvation for the young people who were about to join the army and the French soldiers who should maintain their military status due to the change in the standard with the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree in 1812. Withdrawal of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, return to the conscriptionw of 1808. As soon as the conscription reorganization was announced by the Imperial Council, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of War, young men in Paris and their entire family rushed out of their houses, waved the French g and cheered. It seemed that the feeling of wanting to leave the army was the same as in any country in the world. They praised the Empire more sincerely than ever and were enthusiastic about the Emperors mercy. The people of the Empire were more pleased with the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree than with the great victory of the Russian expedition or with the defeat of Prussia and Austria, said Jean-Pierre de Montalivet, lll the Minister of the Interior. If the first part of the Luxembourg Decree was to save young French men and the families they needed to support, the second was to open the blocked mouths of numerous journalists, art and literature workers, including painters, novelists and sculptors. They were not as happy from day one as those concerned by the first part. If they had criticized or satirized Napoleon Bonapartes rule or foreign strategy in the past, secret police officers who were hiding would have ran out to suppress and even capture them. They had a cautious attitude because they did not know when or where these officers woulde back to suppress those who opened their mouths. Still, some courageous intellectuals wrote critical articles about the current situation of the Empire and actually reported on the incident in various media. The imperial government kept its promise and made a gesture of respect for their freedom of expression, but the majority still had doubt. If time passes and trust is built in the governments announcement, this problem will naturally be solved. However, in order to advance that time, we need to set an example first. Members of the Council took the initiative and posted pictures or cartoons satirizing themselves on posters. Their efforts were not in vain. The rigid and authoritarian atmosphere of the imperial society was gradually diluting. There was also a controversy in many ways with the third part of the Luxembourg Decree. The 19th century in Europe broadly recognized individual private property and rights. No matter how powerful the Emperor was, he could not take away the capitalists properties at will. And patents were also personal property rights. But the Emperors order defied it head-on. Of course, the third issue was not published as it was, for example, Steal the property rights of the British capitalists! but everyone knew. Officials say, Copy patents rted to the British mechanical revolution, uncaught., and this was what the Emperor intended. French engineers and technicians embarrassed. Stealing others properties openly was a bit The Emperors response to this was as follows. Have you already forgotten the precedent for canned food and steam cars that France created and patented under internationalw? The British had copied the principle of canned food developed by a French confectioner named Appert,121 and patented it among themselves. That was not all. Britain had also stolen importantponents of the steam car, developed by French engineer Nics-Joseph Cugnot, 131 and forms for the assembly. That was how the steam engine was today praised as a major industry that would lead the future. Should we respect British patents when Britain is stealing French patents and inventions like this? This remark made by Napoleon Bonaparte was sufficient to give the French engineers psychological justification. No matter what pressurees upon you, I will be your shield. Dont worry and do your duty. The Empires economy is in your hands. The engineers nodded at the Emperors confident words. Thus they started to imitate the British industrial machines, and France prepared for another revolution. Napoleon was setting off a signal to wake up France, which was now sleeping. Perhaps this was the most important and dense time in the history of the French Empire. But Napoleon, the Emperor who was supposed to lead this Empire, was now in a very difficult situation. The reason was that a woman who had no facial expression opened the door of the Tuileries Pce and pretended to be his wife and the Empress. Napoleon soon knew who she was. Marie-Louise[4] Nabot abandoned Josephine and got a new Austrian Empress. Her father was Francis II, Emperor of Austria. He did not know about it in the other world, but he was sure that Francis II here probably had a very bad opinion about Napoleon. Therefore, the possibility could not be ruled out that this woman was spying for Austria or that she may lead anti-war public opinion within France. Concealing such vignce, Napoleon approached Marie-Louise. Its been almost a week since you came back from the expedition, and youve never called me. I came here to see how long you would leave me alone at the cold Fleury Pce. Dont tell me, you had a sweet night with other women again? That cant be true. So far, Ive been dealing with the affairs of the Empire, which scattered throughout the night, reducing my sleep. I thought I sent a letter to the Fleury Pce asking for your understanding because I was so busy You always made excuses like that. But every time, all I saw was a woman running away with her body covered, and you coughing while wiping away a cold sweat. With those short words from her, he immediately guessed what kind of private life the previous Nabot had. Napoleon sighed inwardly. He was like an onion with something new everytime Is my duty as your wife over, now that Ive given birth to the son of an enemy? If youre going to do this, why did you keep sending such sad letters to me even before our marriage? Marie-Louise was apparently not a believer in Napoleons words. Napoleon had a headache because of her pathetic words. Aside from spying or not, Napoleon made a sign to Baron Fain next to him, thinking that appeasing that woman was the first priority. Well, Your Highness the Empress. His Majesty the Emperor really did not call other women, he only looked at business. In the meantime, he held two meetings with the Council Baron Fain, the chief secretary, smoothly talked about what Napoleon did after returning from the expedition. It was not even a lie to avoid her anger. It was all true. Marie-Louise must have realized the reality, whether Baron Fains words were true or his credibility was quite high. She bowed her head with a red face, perhaps embarrassed. Napoleon clicked his tongue at the sight. Marie, I know Ive done a lot wrong in the past. I must have been a cold husband to you No, I was. It irritated him again to apologize for what he had not done wrong. But he tried to ease the annoyance and managed to carry on. Because he was convinced that Marie-Louise was not acting. I can tell by her tone, mood, and eyes. This young, emotional Austrian woman cant act. Anyway, she was the woman who gave birth to the son (Napoleon II) of the former owner of this body, Napoleon Bonaparte. He had never actually spent a night with her, but he knew that he could properly run the Empire only if he cooperated internally and externally. It was very stupid of me. I will try to restrain myself from hurting you in the future. Were not all mature. Lets make our rtionship better from now on. He did not know if the original Nabot loved her passionately. Even so, there would be no significant change in the way Napoleon treated her now. Im not going to show her the ugly side of the past, ying around with women. But it will be hard to treat her like a lover or wife. It was a bit embarrassing. He had to match aplete stranger as a wife and Empress, but he did not know the right line. But at least he did not mean to kick her out of that position, treat her harshly or turn her away just because he did not love her. Marie-Louise, on the other hand, was thrilled to hear this from Napoleon. I never thought Id hear your sincere apology. Thats right. How can a marital rtionship go awry because of just one persons fault? I will also reflect on my hasty actions Please finish your duties. Im sorry to have interrupted you. But please stop by the pce after work. Shouldnt we show our young son the image of his father? Until you leave for the battlefield again. Marie-Louise left ament like this. I tried to keep the same attitude from before the expedition as much as possible, but how would I know. Napoleon looked behind her as she left, and thought she was a foolish but not easy woman. Napoleons frustrating troubles were just beginning. When he met her face to face and talked to her, she was not a perverse evil woman. An Austrian spy? Well, Napoleons intuition said she was not one either. But there was a different problem. How should I treat the son of this body I ended up with a family. Ive avoided that kind of rtionship all my life in the other world. Napoleon, a war-fighting genius and innovator in state management but a novice as a father, was really at a loss to deal with his son. In the other world, Napoleon had several lovers, but never married or had children (although he may have an illegitimate child he did not know). There were two main reasons. If Napoleon, who had be the living power of the French Republic itself, had children, then there would have been room for radical monarchists and imperialists who wanted to make Napoleon an absolute monarch. The second was Napoleons deep distrust in his family members. To be honest, the second reason was more important. So, it turns out, in this world, you are dressed up like nobles, and you are pretending to be a imperial family, eating well and living well, right? Those vanity, ambition, and greed have not changed. Well, I didnt even expect it to change. When he thought of them, Napoleon was naturally cynical. TL notes [1] Jean-Pierre de Montalivet [2] Nics Appert [3] Nics-Joseph Cugnot [4] Marie-Louise dAutriche Chapter 37: Gold Rush - 1 Chapter 37: Gold Rush - 1 Chapter 37
  1. Gold Rush 1
Napoleon did not love his family. It was more of an abomination. His violent and nervous mother, Letizia, 1) was a woman under the illusion that she was involved in Napoleons every sess. After the sessful coup, when Napoleon rose to the presidency, she, who had a strong sense ofpensation, had asked Napoleon for a lot of things. Most of them were demands to ce her children, Napoleons brothers and sisters, in key posts in the newly created government. The French Republic was not privately owned by Napoleon. Napoleon rejected her demands, and since then Letizia and Napoleon have had a lifelong dispute. In this world, his eldest brother, Joseph Bonaparte, 21 was sitting on the throne of Spain and was struggling a lot against Arthur Wellesley in the war on the penins. He was by no means someone who could rule a smallnd like Corsica, let alone a great power like Spain. In the other world, he served as French Foreign Affairs Ambassador and President of the Cisalpine Republic, but he had obtained both positions by using Napoleons background. He was weak-minded and timid, but had a lot of greed. He was also the person who strongly insisted that Napoleon should be Emperor. Because if Napoleon, who had no children, became Emperor, then the first in line for the session would be him. Napoleon despised him for that. Lucien Bonaparte, 31 the third son of Letizia and Napoleons younger brother, had helped Napoleon during the coup. He was quite politically capable, but like the Bonaparte family, he was greedy and corrupt. Napoleon fired him and cut off his rtionship when it was revealed that he had squandered more than several millions of francs. The same was true of his youngest brother, Jrme Bonaparte.141 Luxury, corruption, greed Besides all these, this guy was ipetent. Napoleon only provided him with enough financial support to make ends meet and did not pave the way for him as a bureaucrat or soldier. After Napoleon retired, Jrme rejected Napoleon. He was a coldblooded person who did not care about his family. But the public opinion in France was also very cold. Unable to withstand the barrage of criticism and threatening letters, Jrme fled to a foreign country. Caroline Bonaparte and Elisa Bonapartell were Napoleons sisters. Napoleon called these women blood-sucking leeches as they were very shallow, greedy, extravagant and flirty. In particr, Caroline believed in her brothers power in the Republic and even demanded a title and an estate like a hereditary monarch. As Napoleon could not look at these extraordinary things with his eyes open anymore, he ended his rtionship with them as well. They constantly criticized on Napoleon and, like Jrme, had to emigrate as if they were being chased abroad. It was Louis Bonaparte and Pauline Bonapartell who could be considered nobles. In fact, they were better humans than the others, but they were still not in the normal category. At least, they had the Bonaparte familys fanatical greed andcency. Since their egocentric attitude was at a level that could be controlled by Napoleon, they were able to avoid the tragedy of being kicked out or cut off. Anyway, the Bonapartes would always criticize Napoleon, saying that he was cold blooded, with no family affection, and that he was the only one who was not a Bonaparte. Whenever that happened, Napoleon would answer like this. Youre the ones who made me tear this family apart. Napoleon drew a very sharp line in front of them. Whenever they borrowed his name and acted recklessly, he repeated threats and even demonstrations of force. By doing so, he made the Bonaparte family quiet and built a wall around them. Napoleon agreed a hundred times that he was worse off than anyone else. Some malicious lords sarcastically called him president who gained power but lost his family, but Napoleon thought it was the right thing to do. He believed that the rtives of the head of the state needed stricter control to set an example for the entire nation. But Nabot here did not seem to think that way. The name of the Bonaparte family was written all over the ce with all kinds of titles. It was the worst judgment that came from the ignorance of the base of his power, how he gained the support of the people and took the ce of Emperor. The Emperorsplex, the poor soul obsessed with his family legitimacy. Napoleon was the President of the Republic. Although he might be stigmatized as a dictator who won the coup, he did not have to insist on his legitimacy and his familys legitimacy. On the other hand, Nabot here was the Emperor of the Empire. However, the history and legitimacy of his family were way too insignificant for an emperor. Nabot, who was ashamed of the humble and ill-educated Bonaparte family, made them pose as European nobles by giving them various titles. Nabot had made the Bonapartes fake crocodiles, who could fill their material greed and spiritual vanity. I cant leave them alone like this. I will arrange it by all means. This was because the existence of the Bonaparte family in itself was very likely to be a stumbling block to the reforms that Napoleon wanted, and might even consume the Empire. However, it was necessary to set the lines and steps of the process well. Like Eugne de Beauharnais who had be king (precisely vice-king) under the auspices of Nabot, some others had gained poprity and high positions. Caroline Bonaparte had married Joachim Murat, king of Naples. If he wanted to change Carolines position, he had to do the same with Murat. There was a lot to consider. And now I have another mountain of work to do, while I was just thinking about my first child. Napoleon clicked his tongue. Anyway, he had to keep his promise to stop by the Fleury Pce when he had time. After returning from the expedition, Napoleon spent some time to deal with his imperial duties that had piled up in the Tuileries Pce. Napoleonmented that it was a very precious time to get a grip on the reality of France. Ive thought so far that only the consumption of manpower was endangering the Empire. But I didnt expect a more serious financial crisis to cover the Empire Well, its at such a level that the rewards we got after achieving a revolution to overturn the old system have disappeared. Napoleonughed, dumbfounded, when he saw the real face of the Empire, and the most decisive reason why France, which had Europes most fertilend and had the richest state treasury, suffered a decline, a defeat at war, and even a revolution. It was the existence of tax collectors who extorted the wealth of the good French people and made a huge hole in the states finances. The government had to collect more money because of the enormous amounts they took for themselves in the middle, and the result of the people crushed by double and triple taxation who could not tolerate it was a revolution. Surprisingly, the same thing was happening in the French Empire, which was born from the revolution. The tax collectors had disappeared. But the messy tax collection system had be another tax collector. A vicious group of people who dug into the gaps in the administrativework was making the national finances leak. Call the Minister of Finance and the Treasury Secretary right now. Tell them to stop everything theyre doing ande right away, because Ive discovered the most urgent problem of the Empire. Yes, Your Majesty! Shortly after, the Minister of Finance Martin Michel Charles Gaudin and the Treasury Secretary Nics Franoislil arrived at the Emperors office. Napoleon ordered them to bring all the data for thest years fiscal indicators, expenditure and revenue reports, and real ie indicators. Struck by the Emperors order, the Ministers and the Secretarys offices packed all the documents in the archives of the Tuileries Pce, and Napoleon read and analyzed them as soon as they arrived. How many days passed? Only then could Napoleon, the officials and the secretaries find the tax that was disappearing in the middle and its amount. A whopping 210 million francs evaporatedst year alone. As if snow had fallen and disappeared in the harbor of Marseille. What do you think about this situation? Until I noticed, none of the officials, experts in tax,w and finance, could even guess this upsetting issue. Napoleons tone was calm, but his words were colder than the wind. Everyone, regardless of status, bowed their heads and trembled at the Emperors remarks. Actually, their reaction was the right answer. Napoleon was angrier than ever. He had not even been that angry when he had discovered the doings of Nabot. Do you remember what the Empires revenues werest year? 668 million francs. Oh, my God! I had no idea that a third of the revenue from the taxes collected by the central government was escaping into an empty space! I didnt even know that stupid, pathetic and ipetent people like you were in charge of the states finances! Maximilien Robespierre, 18l the epitome of the Terror, had took over the tax ims originally held by local governments, saying they should now be centralized. The National Assembly had then conducted a nationwidend and health survey to determine the size, status, dependents and property of taxpayers. The work of Robespierre and the National Assembly was worth being called an achievement, with the central government changing the tax system to collect taxes directly from the people. This was because the state could identify individuals directly and receive rtively reasonable and urate taxes without leaking money. Subsequently, the ruling government was able to lead the revolutionary war to victory, supported by Robespierres administrative and tax reforms. But now the French Empire was walking the other way around. It was going back in time. Due to the vigorous conquests, the territory of France grew and the number of regions and citizens to manage increased. It was the same as well for the satellite countries. On the other hand, the number of central government officials who had to control and manage everything had not increased, and the administrative system had remained the same. To ovee this gap, the Ministry of Finance and the National Treasury Administration began temporarily delegating the right to collect taxes to local government officials, bourgeois and financiers. Of course, like the previous tax collectors, there was no such crazy thing as officials willing to only collect the money and respect the quotas of the central government. They just took advantage of the gains they could get in middle management positions, but as the central governments surveince system became weaker, the issue got bigger and bigger. In the end, it meant that the countrys frame itself was poorly built. And so there was a country in the 19th century that carried out a decentralized plunder economy that rejuvenated the national economy with war-tornpensation. Napoleon was once again disappointed as he turned his eyes to see the reaction of the Minister of Finance, the Treasury Secretary, and officials in the department. They were just as scared as rabbits and were shivering at Napoleons criticism. No one offered legal punishment or the right alternative to the situation that Napoleon really wanted. All of them were ipetent, passive and self-centered. Even if he did not want topare them to their counterparts in the other world, he could not help it. I didnt want to do that but Im afraid it cant be helped. Napoleon thought about who had helped him lead the state affairs of the French Republic when he was president. They were true partners who werepetent, clean, active, and above all, able to express their bitter opinions when the country was heading in the wrong direction. Napoleon could not do all this alone with France, which was starved and rotten, and desperately needed them. TL notes [1] Letizia Bonaparte [2] Joseph Bonaparte [3] Lucien Bonaparte [4] Jrme Bonaparte (5) Caroline Bonaparte Elisa Bonaparte [6] Louis Bonaparte Pauline Bonaparte [Z] Martin Michel Charles Gaudin, Nics Franois Mollien [8] Maximilien Robespierre Chapter 38: Gold Rush - 2 Chapter 38: Gold Rush - 2 Chapter 38
  1. Gold Rush 2
I will not have any mercy for the sneaky rats who have stolen the imperial governments budget and have eaten the peoples back and flesh! As soon as the Imperial Councils meeting began, Napoleon shouted with visible veins on his neck. The Imperial Council, the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury Administration already had a list of local officials, bourgeois and financiers who were benefiting from fraud. What good coulde from hesitating? They immediately issued the highest-level arrest warrants for those on the list. And this great event was soon revealed to the French people through the leading media of the Empire. Ghosts of the forgotten past engulf the Empire! The reappearance of tax collectors! The Imperial Treasury Department dered: The total amount of fraudulent taxes made in the Empire so far is estimated to reach 600 million francs Was it because of the tax collectors that the taxes have soared so much? Hourra (Hooray)! Our Majesty the Emperor promised severe punishment for the economic criminals who have shaken the Empire! The people of Paris still had vivid memories and raw records of the days when they were oppressed and suffered amid the contradictions and irrationalities of the Ancien Rgime. Among the many vices of the old system, there was something hellish for the French people, the tax collectors. At the end of the 18th century, when the entire country suffered from abnormal weather, disasters, and wars, these vicious tax collectors extorted the taxes of the poor and hungry people in double and triple, and hundreds of thousands of people died across France. After the historical revolution broke out, these tyrannic people were sent to the guillotine. It shocked the French citizens that there were still remnants of the tax collectors, who were thought to have beenpletely uprooted by the revolution. Those remnants had been left and had been exploiting and extorting their taxes in the middle? It was like an ember thrown into a gunpowder storage. Soon after, a violent explosion broke out and swept all over France. Their anger was hotter and rougher than Mount Vesuvius, which burned Pompeii to ashes. Guillotine the dirty tax collectors! Guillotine for the wicked tax collectors! We want a real revolution. Your Majesty! It was as expected. All the citizens of Paris came to the streets with fierce faces, holding pickets. They demanded the best punishment for those who illegally took advantage of their taxes. During the revolutionary government, the guillotine was used steadily, but when Napoleon Bonaparte rose to the throne, he removed objects like guillotines that symbolized the revolution and prohibited any mention of it. However, the citizens were putting the word guillotine back in their mouths. And even the dangerous word revolution popped up. It was possible because Napoleon had already tolerated a wide range of freedom of expression, but the learning effects of censorship and surveince that they had received for years could not be ignored. Nevertheless, if these extreme words were brought up during protests, one could see how strong and extreme the mes of anger emanated from the French people were. The public opinion was already so intense that it did not matter whether the Imperial Justice Ministry dered severe punishment or not. Napoleon smiled secretly as he heard the people shouting to kill them as soon as possible. It went as nned. It was obviously Napoleons work that broke the tax fraud case through the media. As the warsted longer, war taxes continued to rise, prices fluctuated, and standards for conscription were lowered. At a time when French public sentiment had be brutal and the citizens support for Napoleon was fading, there were limits to policies such as lowering tax revenues or returning to the past conscription standards to reverse the situation. The cold but best way was to make a scapegoat. Why did your taxes continue to rise? In fact, its because tax collectors intercepted it in the middle. Napoleon had never directly uttered the above remark. However, he justid the groundwork so that citizens could think of the above situation. Thanks to this,ints about the imperial government and Napoleon turned all to the tax collectors with this one turn of events. Of course, Napoleon had no intention of sending the tax collectors to the guillotine, as most people wished. No matter how much they stole, theyre different from the infamous real tax collectors of the old system. I cant make an emotional judgment based on public opinion. These people were bureaucrats, bourgeois and financiers. That meant that they had a lot of money. Local officials, not to mention bourgeois and financiers, had been gathering quite a fortune while stealing. Moreover, they were now quite frightened by the public opinion of the French people, who were now boiling like wildfire and crying for guillotine. Was it not suitable enough for a negotiation? They will be punished by proper legal procedures, not by ruthless punishment, and the imperial government will be able to secure reasonable tax revenues. They would have to give up more than what they took, anyway. Then how beautiful would it be if a reasonable process based on thew wasbined here? Currently, a thorough investigation into the assets of fraudulent recipients who were expected to be arrested was being conducted by the Ministry of Finance. Through this, they would decide whether to rip off twice the amount of illegal receipts, three times, or more. This would give France a short grace period. Shocked by the empty vaults of the French Empire, he had found some way to save money. Only then could Napoleon breathe a sigh of relief. == = The Fleury Pce was the pce where Marie-Louise lived, but it was also where Napoleon II was born and raised. Emperor Napoleon Bonapartes unique legitimate son. Unless there is an unexpected change, he would be the next Emperor with absolute power and inherit and run this huge Empire. Napoleon, the current French Emperor, thought differently, but that was the way people looked at him anyway. This little boy is my son Napoleon gazed at Napoleon Franois Joseph Charles Bonaparte, 111 his son, who had bright eyes. He put his hand between his little sons armpits and lifted him up. Mrs. Montesquiou, 21 who was in charge of raising the child, had a hard look on her face, like she wanted to say something, but Napoleon did not care. There was no such thing as a fateful attraction for your own blood like in a novel. In fact, this boy was the son of the original owner of this body, Nabot, but Napoleon himself did not want to have one. He did not feel any paternal love. However, he wanted to raise his son as a good man who could take care of himself even if he was not part of an imperial family. Struggling Well Your Majesty, if you hold His Highness Charles up and lift him up in that way, he might be ufortable. So how can I hold him so he can feelfortable? Please hand over His Highness Charles to me for a moment so that he can rest a bit Lady Montesquiou held Charles (Napoleon II) in a skillful manner. Charles expression of difort as he struggled calmed down. Napoleon looked at him mysteriously. This little guy is already starting to assert himself. If we dont listen to what he wants, he gets angry and annoyed. He also understands simple everyday words. Oh, really? Is this kid a genius? Hes not. His Highness Charles is now one and a half years old. Other babies are like this at this age. Looking at Napoleon again, Mrs. Montesquiou felt something strange. She remembered having a simr conversation with the Emperor before he left for Russia, and she had also taught him how to hold a baby. But it was as if it were his first time learning Whether Mrs. Montesquiou raised a question mark in her head or not, Napoleon looked carefully at Charles again. Delicate features, a childs unique white skin, plump cheeks, and a savory and sweet body smell. All babies were cute enough to conquer adults. But Charles looked especially cute and lovely. He just thought that he did not feel paternal love Napoleonughed unconsciously. Giggle Huh? His Highness Charlesughed along. I think he recognizes his father. Its been a few months since weve seen each other, so i dont think he recognizes his father. Its just that a weird personughs in front of him, so heughs, too. Even while saying that, a smile was drawn on Napoleons face. His first son It was much better than he thought. Beside that, Charles smiled as well. Thats a good smile. Dont you ever cry? He does. He cried all day yesterday, too. Im sorry to tell you this, but His Highness Charles is quite picky. All the people in my family are. I grew up hearing my angry mother saying that she was raising ugly children. Mrs. Montesquiou only smiled awkwardly at the words. Mrs. Montesquiou and a nanny said that Charles cries were harsh, stubborn and wicked, but he never cried when he was with Napoleon. As if fascinated, he looked at him with sparkling eyes, turned his head, looked at him again, and turned it again and again when the eyes met. That was why it felt like he recognized his father and was acting cute. How long has it been since Ive spent this much timeying down heavy responsibilities and duties? Its almost the first time since Ivee to this world. Although he did not originally want a son, he lost track of time with this smart and bold guy. But where is the Empress, have you not heard from her? Its been a while since Ivee to the Fleury Pce, but howe she hasnt shown her face yet? He did not want to burden Marie-Louise, so he deliberately visited the pce just in time for her outing. After spending time with Charles, he was nning to leave when Marie-Louise came back so that she could take over Charles. Mrs. Montesquiou did not seem to know. It was the same for the nannies. Napoleon clicked his tongue inside. Charles needed his mother more than anyone else, but she had been away from the pce for hours, leaving her one-year-old son. Marie-Louise did not seem to be a very good parent either. Whos cursing who? Its the same for me so far. Napoleon thought that he should pay more attention to his son in the future while watching Charles ying and putting the toys brought by his nanny in his mouth. He did not want to leave Charles with a personality w created by an unstable family, like himself and the Bonaparte family. TL notes [1] Napoleon II [2] Louise Charlotte Franoise de Montesquiou Chapter 39: Gold Rush - 3 Chapter 39: Gold Rush - 3 Chapter 39
  1. Gold Rush 3
August 4th, 1812. Virginia, U.S.A., exactly 20 days after Napoleons army won the Russian expedition and signed the Treaty of Druskininkai. Dear Voters of Virginia! You may have heard the words of Candidate DeWitt Clinton, 111 who criticizes what the federal government has done in the past. Yes, none of hisments make sense at a nce. Obviously, our federal government has not assuaged the loss of voters who have suffered significant material damage from the war with Britain. I deeply reflect on that point. Thomas Jefferson 21 had doubled the territory of the United States by purchasing the vastnd of Louisiana from France. James Madison Jr.,131 the former Secretary of State, had won thest presidential election and had be the fourth president of the United States, and was now frankly acknowledging the mistakes of the federal government in his speech for a second term. DeWitt Clinton came up with the bill that he talked about at the Congressional Nomination Convention as a campaign pledge. At first nce, it seems to be a reasonable measure for the continuation and efficiency of the war against Britain, but it is only a smokescreen operation for federal dictatorship after fixing the administration of the war system. If the bill is passed, the autonomy and diversity of each state, which is both the legitimacy of the United States itself and its foundation, will disappear like snow in the middle of summer. A huge war for European hegemony was in full swing in the Old World, but another war was being fought in the New World: the United States presidential election. Madison Jr., who was also the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, finished a passionate speech appealing for unity among supporters, criticizing his rival DeWitt Clintons pledges and actions. Madison Jr. stepped down from the podium, receiving cheers and apuse from voters. His face, which gave his supporters faith and trust with a confident facial expression anytime, anywhere, was now hardened like a Da Vincis ster statue. He asked the secretary who was next to him. By now, the voters reaction to Elbridge Gerrys[41 speech in Pennsylvania must have been heard. How was the atmosphere there? The enthusiastic supporters are still following the Democratic Republican Party and the President. However, the expressions of citizens working in themerce and industry were not very bright. God damn it! Its the same here! Madison Jr. grabbed his forehead as if he had a headache. The war with Britain ahead of the presidential election was a critical blow to the economy of the northeastern United States. As a friend of France, the United States was one of the countries that blocked trade with Britain, but in fact, there was a considerable amount of traffic between the United States and the United Kingdom through various smuggling routes. The smuggling trade was fueling the economies of northeastern states such as Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia, which resulted in the Royal Navys press gang incident against U.S. sailors. The U.S. federal government strongly protested but the British officials consistently feigned ignorance. Afterwards, the war broke out as it became known to the Iroquois and other native tribes of the New World that Britain would provide them with various weapons on the condition that they were hostile to the United States. When the war broke out between the United States and Britain, all smuggling routes were cut off and the economies of the northeastern states were severely depressed. It was not surprising that there were more voters criticizing the federal government in this area. The departure of the middle ss, which formed the center of his supporters, was an inevitable bad news for Madison Jr. At this rate, we cant guarantee our victory in the presidential election. The vice president candidate said that a major change in the international situation was needed to shake the whole election. Adams Carlin, a Democratic Republican campaign adviser, said. But President Madison Jr. shook his head. But we cant stop a war that has already begun. The time to call for reconciliation and peace is over. What would happen if they signed a peace treaty with Britain in this situation? It would be ridiculous to have appealed to the ruling party and the federal government to empower the government to ovee this national crisis. If they proposed a cease-fire now, they would have to make huge concessions to the British, which could be even deadlier in the uing elections. Arent there any remaining countries on the European continent that are still fighting against Britain? Whatever the asion, the United States has begun a war with Britain as they wished. I think its time to receive a diplomatic reward for that. Thats true. How can we get back the public opinion of the voters in the Northeast? With the removal of the Mn Decree.[5] Without it, American businesses would be able to find a new way out. In 1807, the Mn Decree, issued by the French Emperor Napoleon, was an announcement that allowed indiscriminate capture and disposal of ships of all nationalities carrying British goods. The United States and other neutral countries suffered greatly from this French-centered protectionism aimed at strengthening Britains istion. Nevertheless, the result was that now all ships bound for France were being attacked by the British navy, and it had be so natural that they even attacked and ripped off French governmentapproved fishing boats. France had long wanted the United States to hit Britain. That was why they had supported the independence of the United States in the American Revolutionary War. Now, as they wished, the U.S.-British war had begun and was forcing Britain to fight on two fronts. In return, Adams Carlin offered to make a deal with France so that American ships could be treated as exceptions in the Mn Decree. If it was sessful, it could soothe the minds of the merchants and traders in the northeastern United States who were currently unhappy with the federal government. Thats a good idea. Lets do it. Anyway, France, which lost all its colonies and bridgeshead in the New World and almost severed its naval power, was not a threat to the United States, so what France could want from the United States was limited in this situation. At best, the French would ask for financial aid, war supplies, or amitment to strengthen the offensive against the British colonies in the New World. Madison Jr. could easily ept such conditions because they were in ordance with the U.S. national interest. He had no political reason to oppose the abolition of the edict because it could be wrapped up as his own achievement. Thus an American delegation was formed to be send to France. Napoleon, who had been preparing for another expedition while staying in Paris, was asked to receive one more group of guests. They were the U.S. Ambassador, William Dinsmore, and U.S. federal envoys. The first time they asked for an audience was on September 12th, but Napoleon dyed the reception because he was leading reforms to clean up the ruins of the Empire. As the situation inside France stabilized, the federal governments delegations asked for an audience again. Napoleon greeted them with the Chief of Staff, Bessires,[6the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugues-Bernard Maret, and other secretaries and officials. It was September 16th, when some measures were taken to pressure capitalists and financiers who made unfair tax gains using public opinion and to take some of their assets back to the state coffers. I salute the great Emperor of the Empire. Long time no see, Ambassador Dinsmore. Ambassador William Dinsmore, who had a brief chat with Napoleon, delivered the position of the U.S. administration. In short, the West wanted an easing of the Mn Decree for U.S. ships. The U.S. was currently at war with Britain in the New World, so it was an eptable demand for France with the same enemy. But nothing was free in international diplomacy. The Ambassador Dinsmore took a forward-looking stance as if he did not expect what Napoleon was going to demand in return, and asked him to say what he wanted. The U.S. envoys stepped down for a while and Napoleon, his staff, and officials began to discuss between themselves. In this situation, what kind of thing should they ask? At this point, its best to get financial support from U.S. government bills and government bonds. Napoleons secretary was an expert on finance and expenditure. Although they were diligently filling up the empty coffers, no matter how much money they had gathered, the reality was that it was still insufficient. In particr, the Iberian expedition, which Napoleon was currently nning, was really eating money. We could borrow some battleships and sailors from the U.S. navy. How about having them break the British coastal blockade? The navalmand staff wanted to reim the French costs, which were blocked by the British. However, it was not certain that the British navy could be defeated with the help of the United States. Various opinions came out, but nothing stood out. Most of them were unfeasible or unhelpful to Frances national interest. Napoleon briefly fell into thought as he listened to the arguments between the officials and his staff. Come to think of it, America has benefited a lot from the changed history. They bought Louisiana at a bargain price, and gained a foothold to expand to the West. When he first heard that Nabot of this world had handed Louisiana over to the United States at the ridiculous price of 75 million francs, he cursed him again, butter he concluded that it was hard to dismiss it as such a wrong judgment. In the other world, the French Republic did not carry out unreasonable maritime operations such as the Egyptian expedition or the Battle of Trafalgar, and France was able to have as much naval power as Britain because Napoleon was in power. Therefore, France was able to project enough influence and military power on its colonies across the ocean, and the new U.S. did not dare to cross Louisiana, Frances New World territory. On the other hand, France here had repeatedly fought, and its naval power had already been destroyed. Moreover, the British navy had be incredibly strong, so it was impossible to manage and far away like in the New World. As the situation in France had changed, so had the attitude of the United States. As a countryposed of migrants who came after being pushed by Europeanndlords, thend-hungry U.S. aimed to expand its territory toward the French colony. It was perhaps natural that Nabot of this world felt that he owed the United States, which had to keep Britain in check outside Europe, and decided to sell Louisiana. But 75 million francs were too cheap, no matter how much I think about it. If the negotiations were sessful, the U.S. federal government would have at least guaranteed bonds, development rights and mining rights in Louisiana and in the west of the New World. Anyway, if the products from this great continent are fully utilized, the hegemony of the world may turn to the United States in the future Hmm? Just in time, a very good idea crossed Napoleons mind. He immediately called the U.S. Ambassador William Dinsmore. TL notes [1] DeWitt Clinton [2] Thomas Jefferson [3] James Madison [4] Elbridge Gerry [5] Mn Decree [6] Jean-Baptiste Bessires Chapter 40: Gold Rush - 4 Chapter 40: Gold Rush - 4 Chapter 40
  1. Gold Rush 4
Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Ambassador William Dinsmore reappeared, apanied by federal envoys. Ten days ago, I heard about the great victory the Emperor has obtained against wicked pirates and thugs. You will defeat them, Your Majesty! We, the United States, have no doubt about the victory of the French Empire, and we pray that those arrogant British men will eventually kneel at your feet. Not long ago, it was reported that the Valencian Corps, led by one of the French marshals, Louis-Gabriel Suchet, defeated a coalition of British, Portuguese and Spanish militias. It was a small skirmish that did not mean much. The Allied forces suffered little damage and the victory itself was insignificant. However, the French troops on the penins, who had lost their morale after the crushing defeat of the Battle of Smanca, regained some confidence. Thanks, Ambassador. By the way, howe your ttery is longer than thest time we met? Its cumbersome. During his expedition to Russia, so shortly after his awakening, Napoleon strongly felt the need to keep Britain in check, because it was supporting the French enemies both openly and secretly. And it was the New Worlds new nation, the United States, that was chosen by Napoleon to act. Napoleon then sent a letter to the U.S. Ambassador, Dinsmore, asking when the United States would attack Britain to protect their friendship. At that time, Ambassador Dinsmore did not give a definite answer, maybe knowing that France was overdoing it, as he passed the topic with a lukewarm attitude. But when he saw theme back after breaking Russia, he praised Napoleon and France like the saviors of the world. Now that the United States had started a war with Britain, as soon as he was called, he ran like a foal on fire. Napoleonughed at the sight. Yes, international diplomacy had this taste. Thats how much I and the federal government were honored by Your Majestys victory. We, the United States and the federal government, will always do our best to protect our friendship with the French Empire. Time is precious, so enough of useless talk. Lets get right to the point So, you want to discuss the exceptions to U.S. ships in the Mn Decree issued by our country? Yes, Your Majesty! The United States and the French Empire are in a fierce war against the same country. In this situation, what is the need for the two countries to stick to closed protectionism and do what is only good for Britain? In order to circte economic value-added through active trade transactions between our countries, and to promote mutual interest of the two countries, the abolition of these measures seems inevitable. Napoleon nodded and asked as if he was convinced by the U.S. delegations arguments. Our country has been fighting a trade war with the inders for years. As the ambassador knows, it has been a tradition for trade wars to prevent enemy merchant ships from entering or leaving a port, or extorting the cargo of the ships. But the cunning inders broke the tacit rules of the sea by sinking or seizing ships of neutral countries as well as enemies. Thats why I was forced to issue the Mn Decree to counter Britain. We acknowledge that the announcement of the decree at the time was an unavoidable measure, even within our federal government. In the end, all the problems are caused by the cunning British. I fully understand the situation of Your Majesty and France. Right now, they were bowing their heads as if they werepassionate, but if one looked at the records at the time of the decrees announcement, one could see that the reality was very different on the American continent. That was why Marshal Bessires and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugues-Bernard Maret were showing displeasure at the face-changing attitudes of the Americans. Napoleon, however, simply nodded coolly. What use were past actions and old feelings in discussing international diplomacy? It was nice to see their forward-looking attitude, as it was necessary to thoroughly determine whether it was beneficial to the nation. Thank you for understanding. So the decree cannot be removed. In addition, it would be difficult to make an exception only for American ships. Im sure the British would smuggle trade with the g of the United States, and there would be no way to stop them from doing such tricks. Also, granting special treatment for the United States would make it difficult to avoid bacsh from other neutral countries. Oh, weve thought of something to prevent the British for smuggling by stealing U.S. gs. Please listen, Your Majesty. The head of the federal delegation and the Democratic Republican State Council member, Caudran Pollins, stepped up to exin the newly changed standards and ordinancews for the U.S. merchant ships that would start next month. Most of them were inconsistent with the maritime and hull regtions that British merchant ships now abide by. Pollins argued that the rules and ordinances could be a distinction between U.S. and British merchant ships. The U.S. merchant ships will abide by these ordinances thoroughly. If a merchant ship is caught acting against thew, the federal government will ept any response and punishment from the French Empire, considering as if it were a vessel of pirates of the ind country disguised as an American merchant ship or someone that was not entitled to carry the U.S. g. Certainly, that would steady trade between the U.S. and the French Empire, and the blood-sucking ones would disappear. But I dont think its a convincing proposition for angry neutral merchants and the citizens of the Empire. Napoleon said that such a preferential treatment would require diplomatic benefits in response, even if the issue of preventing the camouge of British merchant ships was resolved in such a way. The delegations representative and the U.S. ambassador briefly met eyes and soon opened their mouths. We have prepared some suggestions that might suit Your Majesty and the national interest of the French Empire. Their proposals were not much different from those expected by Napoleons secretaries, department heads and vice ministers. There were a wide variety of financial grants secured by U.S. government bonds, lower tariffs on French products, licenses of various federal patents, and official documents pledging to actively attack Britain. However, Napoleons aides and secretaries refuted the proposal, pointing out thexity and ambiguity of the conditions. In the middle of the talks, Napoleon stepped in and walked through the American people, as if he were strolling through a store without being able to choose anything. Then tell me what your Majesty wants. Ill consider it with all due respect if its a proposal that our federal government can ept. The delegations representative, Caudran Pollins, responded by trying to hide his tired expression. For the federal government, which had no choice but to support the Democratic Republican leader and current president James Madison Jr., the removal of the Mn Decree for the U.S. ships was necessary to win the presidential election. But even if the negotiations were concluded, what if they took too long and the decree was abolished after the presidential election? To them, losing the election meant losing a lot more. Their minds were in a hurry, and Napoleon knew how to use such psychology. Napoleon, who was tapping the table with his fingers, said in a soft voice. I have a long story to tell, so it would be nice if the minimum number of people remained. Id like to have a discussion with key officials. I will also remove everyone on my side, so please show your sincerity by doing the same. The members of the delegation, who had been wary, stood up and left the office at the order of Pollins. Napoleon also forced not only the staff, the secretaries, but also the guards to step down. Only Napoleon, Caudran Pollins and William Dinsmore remained in the office. Do you have any idea why I left only the three of us and asked the rest to leave? I understand to some extent. Isnt it to discuss Your Majestys private affairs that are hard to reveal? Hahaha! Youre quick to read. Exactly. Thats right. Pollins had a gentle smile on the outside but felt a surge of disgust on the inside. This was because he noticed what Napoleon was saying. The Emperor in front of him wanted to receive personal rewards in return for national affairs. What a disappointment. Napoleon Bonaparte Was he such a snob and greedy man? Napoleon, the Emperor of France, always had noble causes and justifications when he staged a coup, when he became Consul for life, or even when he ascended the throne. There were so many who were fascinated by the justification he put forward, except for the intellectuals who constantly questioned the truth. In the United States, where the reality of France was not well known, a favorable public opinion towards Napoleon prevailed, and people were saying, Wouldnt George Washington, the sovereign and spirit of the United States, be like Napoleon today if he had be king? Napoleons poprity and public opinion in the United States were never bad, as the head of a friendly country with themon British enemy, and as a great conqueror who led many wars to victory. Such a man was now tantly demanding private interests. He acted like he would grant exceptions to the Mn Decree if he was bribed. How dare someonepare the great George Washington to this greedy, hypocritical dictator? Anger rose in his heart, and Pollins wanted to tell the U.S. citizens about it. Of course this stayed in his mind. Ambassador Dinsmore and I are open-minded and willing to ept Your Majestys offer. Whether its bonds, cash or bills, our federal government will be prepared to deliver it. Of course, this story will be kept strictly confidential. But this situation was better for the national interest of the United States. If they managed to please Napoleon withpensation, they would obtain the abolition the decree. By just knowing one side of his personality of course, they never meant to reveal this to the Americans), the United States would be able to gain some negotiating advantages. Well, that sounds obvious But what I want is not bonds, cash, or such. Waiting in a forward-looking manner, U.S. Secretary of State Pollins and U.S. Ambassador Dinsmore were soon at a loss for words at Napoleons suggestion. It was not because it was such a ridiculous condition, but because it was a proposal they had never thought of before. Id like to have full ownership of four viges in Georgia: Dahlonega, Vi Rica, Ellijay and Calhoun. What the hell was he talking about? TL notes Here is a map I made with Google Maps of the four viges: Chapter 41: Gold Rush - 5 Chapter 41: Gold Rush - 5 Chapter 41
  1. Gold Rush 5
There was an elderly man dressed in a uniform, strolling through Heidelberg campus. Aside from his white hair, one could see all the students greeting him as he passed by. Its a good morning today, Professor. The lecture on the paradox of the equitable tax system that you gave yesterday was really great. Most of them were German. However, the one who appeared to be a professor was French. Nevertheless, he responded without hesitation to their greetings in German. Sometimes some students asked questions or threw arguments against his lecture, but the white-haired professor responded with all his heart without being annoyed or offended. His name was Franois Carnot,1l he was a professor of politics and economics at Heidelberg University. With a big smile, Professor Carnot saw off students with a bright look on their faces and entered his private room. Youre here, Professor. Huh why did you alle so early today when we dont even have a lecture. Franois Carnot greeted the teachers with a big smile. Along with Georg Hegel, 21 who called Napoleon Bonaparte the spirit of the age riding a horse, he was the most prominent professor and schr at Heidelberg University. Nevertheless, he did not belittle his subordinates and there was no arrogance in his behavior. Franois Carnot was a respected and recognized professor. I was going to send someone else. Professor Carnot tilted his head at the teachers words. I got a letter from a professor in Paris. Its about inviting you to the Tuileries Pce. Now, it has subsided because time has passed, but when Professor Carnot was called by the French Emperor, all the teachers were excited. If the Emperor called, then it was a promise to appoint him as a key member of the imperial government. When a professor was called, professors around him would also be called. For them, it was like a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. However This is difficult. Professor Carnots eyes were cold. With an indifferent look on his face, he put the letter from Paris into his coat. And left the private room as if nothing had happened. The atmosphere inside the room cooled down. Secretary of State Caudran Pollins and U.S. Ambassador William Dinsmore looked nk as if they had heard an unimaginable story. Looking at them, Napoleon did not show any emotion. He maintained an attitude as if he had nothing to regret. This was an important moment. Your Majesty I am very sorry to say that, but We, the United States, do not sell or give ownership of thend to foreigners. Its a set ofnd ordinances established since the beginning of the federal government. Uh, the rtionship between the U.S. and me is not that shallow. Is it against your constitution, is it impossible to give me some privileges? I recall that the federal government was able to acquire a vast piece ofnd called Louisiana thanks to my decision. Pollins and Dinsmore looked at each other with embarrassed faces at the Emperors frowning reaction. Napoleon was showing them a look of displeasure, but he was thinkingpletely different inwardly. Im probably the only one who knows the value of the towns of Dahlonega and Vi Rica at this point. The French Republic of the other world did not sell Louisiana to the United States and even engulfed Britains New World colonies in exchange after its victory in the war. Thanks to this, France had created a state thatpletely surrounded the United States to the north, west, and south, with the help of Spain, its ally. In addition, France had strong military and naval capabilities that defeated Britain, which was the hegemonic power of the time Tired of this, the U.S. had no choice but to be incorporated into the French-led order without daring to seek territory. It was natural for the U.S. in the other world to choose a national strategy focused on internalism rather than expansion, while being careful of France. The U.S. focused its attention on its ownnd, which was stillrgely unexplored, and began to send exploration teams. The territory of the United States was more than twice asrge as the maind of the French Republic in Europe, and this vastnd contained rich and fertile farnd and pastures like France. While developing their territory in such mindset, the United States obtained one very remarkable thing. Tworge gold mines that could not bepared with ordinary mines were discovered. Napoleon remembered hearing about them directly from the newspapers when he stayed in Louisiana. So he knew exactly where the mines were. The two gold mines were located in the viges of Dahlonega and Vi Rica in Georgia, and were among the four towns which Napoleon imed ownership and development rights. The United States of this world gained the huge territory of Louisiana and secured an ess route to the Pacific Ocean. Compared to where I lived, luck went different ways. But when there was light, there was also a shadow. Having gained too much territory at once, the U.S. had to devote its entire energy to manage and explore newnd and establish an administrativework. It was no ordinary thing to manage a waterway that extended in all direction like the Mississippi River and its octopus bridge. Just in time, a war broke out with Britain. The U.S. could not afford to thoroughly explore its ownnd. Thanks to this, the maind of the United States has received rtively little attention and the two gold mines are also still undiscovered. Im lucky on this one. Napoleon knew how great the amount of gold buried in the two gold mines was. At that time,nd prices had jumped by more than 2,500% just by the measures of mining experts. Even in the viges around the gold mines, the price of lownd soared due to the expected effect, but the value of the gold mines themselves was left to ones imagination. Napoleon wanted ownership of these whole gold mines anyway. The other two viges, Ellijay and Calhoun, were smoke screens to hide his true intentions. Following aplex and difficult process, a contract was to be carried out between Napoleon as an individual and the federal government. This was because if a state required ownership ofnd, it could effectively be understood as asking for overseas territories. The federal government would have doubts about the French and Napoleons intentions, and separatingnds from their homnd to give it to a foreign country (even a friendly one) would cause anger among the U.S. people. Naturally, these experienced diplomats would not ept such a potentially dangerous event. All four viges are only about 100 square kilometers. And thend of substantial economic value is much smaller than that. Moreover, I know that most of the residents in these viges are not U.S. citizens Your Majesty is right. All four viges are indigenous enves. We are protecting them and that is why I dont see any reason to be reluctant to my offer. Arent they a pain in the neck of the federal government? They frowned, but did not refute Napoleonsments revealing American disgrace. Actually, if the natives were forced to move somewhere else, that was good as well. So what do the Ambassador and the Secretary of State think about my proposal? Please wait a minute we will have a little more talk and then make a decision. Caudran Pollins and William Dinsmore began to discuss with low voices and serious faces. Napoleon showed with his facial expressions and gestures that he would not eavesdrop on their words. Of course, he could not help but hear the words that came naturally. It looks like Nabot couldnt speak a foreignnguage at all, but Im different. Napoleon could understand American English. What on Earth is the French Emperors intention? To have an eye on that uselessnd Isnt it too far away from the French maind? I doubt that the Emperor has any information about such a remote ce, so I cant understand his suggestion. Ive heard that northwestern Georgia is and where its easy to grow cotton. Rumor has it that France is in the middle of developing cotton and spinning machines Isnt he trying to make up for the shortage of raw materials? Then, Georgia would have caught his eye. If they just buy and use the cotton we grow, wouldnt it be cheaper and simpler for them? In fact, there were cotton and cotton products included in the tariff reduction items we proposed. Well, they could have some personal interest in doubling the suppliers. Hmm That wouldnt be a big problem, but Their discussion ended after 15 or 20 minutes. Pollins opened his mouth with a stern look. I dont think it will be easy to ept Your Majestys proposal, because firstly, it is subject to the currentws and public sentiment of the federal government, and secondly, it may be a reason for diplomatic disputes. Im so sorry, but No, dont be. I like the offer I made in the first ce. I have no intention of epting any other offer. I know you would say that, so I will look for apromise between the two positions. However, I would like you to know that there are some issues that we cannotpromise on. Napoleon and the two Americans spent a long time on that subject. The contract thus concluded was as follows: (omitted) The United States will delegate the economic and development rights of the viges of Dahlonega, Vi Rica, Ellijay and Calhoun in Georgia to the Emperor of the French Empire for 50 years. This development right cannot be donated or sold to anyone unless they are citizens of U.S. nationality. We also inform you that after 50 years, they will automatically return to the federal government. In return, the U.S. ships will be recognized as exceptions to the Mn Decree. In the event of capture or pige by French trawlers in Normandy, the U.S. will demand apologies and legalpensation in dors and francs three times equivalent the plunder to the French Empire. All agree. Although ownership was not recognized and development rights were limited to 50 years, Napoleon was very satisfied. The demand for ownership was only a smoke screen anyway. Development rights, including mining rights, were Napoleons real goals. Federal State Council member Pollins clearly stated in the contract that the development and economic rights could not be exchanged with anyone other than U.S. citizens. Of course this included states or organizations. However, there were no control regtions for raw materials, resources, or ie generated by development or mining in thend. In other words, if Napoleon developed Dahlonegas and Vi Ricas gold mines, mined gold, and transfered all of the revenue from it to the French Empires treasury, there was no problem regarding thew or the contract. Fifty years is enough time to fully develop and suck up the gold mines. Napoleon was very pleased with this deal. How much help would the gold mined from two huge gold mines help Frances finances? A smile appeared on his face. In addition, please ensure that the issues involved in this contract are secure and confidential. I will keep quiet about it except for a few members of the cab. Of course, Your Majesty. Were going to include this document in the federal governments list of top secrets. Even if the government changes, Your Majestys rights and contracts will not change. It was a truly constructive encounter. Please give my regards to President Madison Jr. as well. I hope this deal will lead to a Democratic-Republican victory. Our President will be very pleased with your support. Napoleon smiled. Lip service could be done at any time. Since he got such a big gift. Map of the North American continent in 1812, red: Britain, orange: Spain, green: United States Map of the North American continent in the other world before Napoleon crossed, blue: France @ Authors notes: From 1828, when the gold mines were first developed, to the 20th century, a total of about 24.6 tons of gold were mined in Dahlonega and Vi Rica. Thank you! TL notes [1] I think its him: Joseph Franois ude Carnot, but Im not sure. [2] Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Sorry for the quality of the images, they were originally like this. Ill update them if I find better ones. Chapter 42: Gold Rush - 6 Chapter 42: Gold Rush - 6 Chapter 42
  1. Gold Rush 6
Federal State Council member Caudran Pollins left for the United States with a secret document bearing Napoleons seal. However, Dinsmore, the U.S. Ambassador, decided not to leave immediately, but to stay at the Tuileries Pce. Their discussions on France-U.S. state affairs and diplomacy had not yet been concluded. France and the United States were at war with Britain, but in fact there was one moremon enemy in between: Spain. Spain, which had thergest colony in the New World among the European powers, was also facing the United States. Ive heard that the Emperor will soon go to the Iberian Penins. Napoleon raised one eyebrow at Dinsmore, who asked in a soft voice. He clicked his tongue and put down the teacup he was holding. Oh, Im sure weve decided to treat this as a top secret military information, but rumors have spread all over the town. Where did you hear that? I am sorry, Your Majesty. Napoleon raised his chin as if to ask him to keep talking. If youe forward, the war on the penins will surely end with a great victory for the French Empire. So, at this point, I would like to make a suggestion that would serve the interests of Your Majesty, the French Empire, and the United States as well. The United States was fully willing to start a war with Spain. However, before that, the U.S. would like to sign an agreement with France on the territories to be shared after the victory. William Dinsmores opinion was about this. Our federal government is willing to work with the French Empire to have amon front against Spain. And were going to request the return of ownership of Florida, Nueva Filipinas and Nueva Mexico. What a mugger you are! Napoleon, who noticed what the U.S. was up to, uttered a curse inside. He had lived in Louisiana, and was well versed in the geography of the New World. The areas required by the United States wererger than the entire French Empire. He could not believe it andughed. Spain had supported the United States along with France in the American Revolutionary War, and in exchange had received Florida, which originally belonged to the 13 States (the predecessor of the United States). That meant that Florida was originally a territory of the United States. As such, he could understand that the United States wanted to take advantage of the international affairs to get Florida back somehow. But they wanted to get Nueva Filipinas and Nueva Mexico as well? Theres no control over the U.S. in the New World, so were going nowhere. What hes asking, doesnt that mean that weve been fighting for more than four years, our feet soaked in red waters, and that well only have bones to nibble? These wicked guys. At present, the French were fighting a tough war on the Iberian Penins. Hundreds of thousands of French people were killed by a strong resistance from Britain, Portugal and Spain. Inparison, Spains New World colony, Nueva Espaa, which the United States would fight, was almost empty of soldiers. After the abdication of the Spanish king for two consecutive times, the U.S. even rebelled, saying that they could notply with both the Spanish government (of King Joseph) and the provisional government of Fernando VII). When France asked them for help, they did not bat an eye, but when the events moved this way, they stuck like a ghost, trying to get as much as they could. They wanted to take profit without much effort, just like when they purchased Louisiana. He was listening silently to U.S. Ambassador Dinsmores lengthy remarks, but Napoleons insides were boiling. There was a degree of practical diplomacy. And he did not want to let the other person know what he was thinking inside. But if he kept it inside too much, he would just be treated as a pushover. The world has changed so much. In the other world, the United States would tremble just by hearing me sneeze. Nevertheless, Napoleon was able to clearly establish his attitude and course toward the United States. Napoleon smiled like a viper hiding its fangs. Hmm I think the federal governments strategy back home is a bit of a problem. Yes? What do you mean a problem? Your Majesty? Oh, the word problem is my mistake. Id say its not efficient at times like this. Napoleon, leaning against his chair, crossed his legs and continued. Maybe your grand strategy is to seize supremacy in the North American continent and make the entire continent one giant ind, the fortress of the United States, by making an advance to the West, to the Pacific Ocean. Completely free from interference from the European powers. U.S. Ambassador Dinsmore did not respond, but Napoleons sharp nce sensed his eyes shaking, as he hit the nail on the head. Our country and Spain have be bitter enemies, but your country and Spain have been doing well. Oh, I dont mean to pinch your diplomatic route. I just wanted to tell you that dering war on Spain without any cause would only undermine the image of freedom, democracy and equality achieved by the United States. Going back to the exnation of your grand strategy I am just wondering if your country can make better choices and judgments. If you want to escape the interference of European powers, you have to break the link. Your priority is to oust Spains influence in the New World. Only then can your country be guaranteed full security, expand and progress. Currently, the New World was experiencing a time of chaos that could not be predicted. This was because the Spanish colonies of Venezu, the Viceroyalties of Peru, of Nueva Granada, and of the Ro de ta, Bolivia, and Chile had dered a war for independence as Spains national power plummeted due to the Peninsr War. Spainsrgest colony, Nueva Espaa, was also likely to join their ranks soon. Napoleon was now saying that the United States should look far ahead and support their independence. U.S. Ambassador Dinsmore replied, raising his eyebrows. No matter what you say about our nations affairs, it is your opinion only. So I wont make an official position on this. Of course. This is only my personal opinion, and I have no intention of interfering with the internal affairs of our allies to direct or enforce state management. But France and I want the United States to help us keep Britain in check and pressure during the uing reorganization of the international order. To do so, we need to have stronger national and international influence than now. If I were president of the United States or a member of the State Council, I would not dere war on Spain. Rather, I would support the independence of the Spanish colonies, including Nueva Espaa. Or at least watch Spain and its colonies from the sides, until they dere aplete independence. After that well, its up to you. If the United States invaded the Spanish colonies now, it would be a deration of war on Spain, and they would not be able to avoid the attention, interference, and checks of European powers in America. However, the story would be different if the Spanish New World colonies became independent and each had sovereignty. There would be no room for European powers to intervene in the conflict in the New World. That meant that it would be possible to discuss the hegemony of the continent entirely under the leadership of the United States. New countries that had just regained sovereignty inevitably experienced great political turmoil. If the U.S. could take advantage of it, they would be able to enjoy great national interests. In other words, Napoleon was saying not to eat the mouth-watering prey, but to wait, raise it and then eat it. U.S. Ambassador Dinsmore, who had stayed silent, opened his mouth. I am the Ambassador of the U.S. Embassy. Therefore, I am fully aware that my remarks here represent the official position of the federal government. Therefore, I have no intention of expressing my opinion on what your Majesty is unterally asserting. Dinsmores remarks were diplomatic. He pretended that he did not hear, because of his position. He had no intention of taking responsibility but he would deliver Napoleons proposal to the federal government. Napoleon grinned inwardly. Dont get me wrong, I am always working for the French Empire. What serves as the cash cow for Spains provisional government is the resources that Spain has poured out from the colonies of the New World. Among them, Nueva Espaa has thergest stake. They were also a great force for Britain, the enemy Napoleon had to finally defeat. This was because Indian and Spanish colonies were the ones who eagerly bought British-made goods isted from foreign trade due to the continental blockade. This allowed Britain not to lose its ce in economic hegemony despite umted financial losses. If theypletely break away from Spain, I assure you, the Empire can end the war on the penins ten times as fast. Now you know what I want? Im sure that could be possible for the French Empire. Napoleon, who had been rolling in the political arena for a long time, was able to read Dinsmores psychological state with his own instinct. Ambassador Dinsmore was hiding his facial expression with his skills aquired in his diplomatic career, but Napoleon saw that he was quite satisfied with the conversation. It looked like Napoleon himself had revealed his intention with the above strategy. Napoleon insisted on it. I have no interest in the hegemony of the New World. The stage where I am running is Europe. It would be better for our allies to establish a new order than for the British and Spanish to set up on another continent. Only then was Ambassador Dinsmore able to remove all doubt and smile warmly. Of course all of these were not Napoleon Bonapartes true intentions. The nations and citizens who have regained their sovereignty once lost will always have a desperate obsession and desire for freedom. The United States was also born that way. Nueva Espaa could be invaded by the United States under Spanish colonial rule, or by the United States after bing an independent nation. The two cases were essentially different. The Nueva Espaas ruling ss came from Spain, but most of the subjects were indigenous to the region. Since the 16th century, Spain had ruled over them by dividing them into native, colonial, mixed-race, and indigenous people. The history of contradiction, discrimination and oppression, just like the former French kingdom of Ancien Rgime, was the seed of tragedy deeply rooted in their minds. The brutal exploitation of tax revenues to fund the war, the kings throne being trampled twice, and the great decrease of the kings power was a decisive blow for the germination of those seeds. If there was a war between the United States and Spain in this situation, would the colonists really try to help Spain with all their heart? That was not at all. They would be divided into quarters, and each would struggle to survive. But what if the colonies won a long war with their homnd and regained sovereignty, and thus reborn as an independent nation like the United States? What if it just became independent and was invaded by external enemies when the nationalist and liberal sensibilities of the people reached their peak? Napoleon was sure of this. They would be the second Iberian Penins, where the lowest ss of people would rise with guns and risk their lives to fight the U.S. invasion. Especially in the hignds of Mexico, where guerris would be the most effective. He knew how American militias, in disorder, defeated the British red coats. Napoleon predicted that there would be another war like that. Under the assumption that the United States would move as he intended, Napoleon was poisoning the brilliant American road ahead. This was the result of a national view of the great nation rather than personal feelings. He was mindful of the hegemony of the world after defeating Britain and Russia. The United States, among others, was a threat. For the bright future of France, it was necessary to nip it in the bud. The areas in purple are the territories wanted by the United States. Chapter 43: Towards the Peninsula - 1 Chapter 43: Towards the Penins - 1 Chapter 43
  1. Towards the Penins 1
After leaving his guests from the United States, he was continuing his duties as Emperor of the Empire. Napoleon was sifting through a list of people who illegally collected taxes and deliberately omitted records, that should be handed over to the central government. Somehow a familiar name caught his eye. Name: Lisarmont Victor Colin Age: 39 years old Birthce: Old Town, Lyon City Position: Head of Finance at La Croix-Rousse (Paris National Bank). Circumstances of fraudulent collection: omitted Looking at his personal information such as his age, where he came from, etc., he seemed to be the one Napoleon used to know. Well, there probably arent two people in France with this unique name. Its been a while. Lisarmont Victor Colin. He was now from a past rtionship that was hard to see again, a rtionship from another world. Napoleon, with curiosity and some anticipation, decided to meet him. Wee, Your Majesty, the great Emperor of the French Empire! It-Its an honor to wee you here! The man bowing was shivering in fear, his voice trembling with ttery. Napoleon ordered him to raise his head and looked carefully at the mans appearance. He was indeed the one from Napoleons memory. But he seemed to have been through a lot of trouble. His shiny golden hair, which used to be like honey in the past, had turned to dull gray, and the appearance of a noble man had changed to a normal French man who could not endure the passage of time. Having experienced both worlds, Napoleon realized something. There was now that a person who had made a remarkable achievement in the other world must do the same here. There was an exact example before his eyes. When I ascended to the throne, I emphasized the values of equality, freedom and the rule ofw the most. Nevertheless, with this disastrous event, the authority of the Empire and the imperial family fell to the ground. There is no day to look up to for the people who supported me. I have sinned to die, Your Majesty! But the little man that I am is nothing but a miscreant who did what his master told him to do! Please think about this! Economic criminals who cut holes in the nations tax administration and made their own profits are miscreants I dont remember those words being inscribed in thew? Did you dream of taking the imperial throne and amending the new constitution? P-Please, be merciful! Your Majesty! If you forgive me this once, I will live with it as a sin for the rest of my life! I will nevermit injustice or corruption again! I will live in praise of Your Majesty anytime, anywhere! After a bit of a threat, Colin lowered his tail immediately. He was about to cry now. As the Emperor thought, he made a little fuss in anticipation of something, but he acted like a typical small citizen with his head lowered and sweetened as the atmosphere became harsh. Come to think of it, Colin was originally such a man. Napoleon knew that Lisarmont Victor Colin was a genius at investing in securities, stocks and bonds. In 1798, after seizing the presidency of the French Republic in a coup, Napoleon founded a state-led bank, the Banque de France. By the way, this central bank also existed in this world. There were differences in structure, equity, utility, and funding, but it was simr. Colin had entered the banking industry since he was hired as a junior employee at the bank. He had a natural talent for reading through the stock market and the flow of funds. He made numerous contributions, broke his return on investment, and was promoted repeatedly. By the time Napoleon retired, he eventually became the governor of the central bank. He became the perfect example of a sessful story, starting at the bottom of thedder and reaching the top with only his senses and abilities. Nevertheless, Colin was more famous for his timid, moody and capricious personality. Whenpeting with overseas financiers in the stock market, he was bolder and more aggressive than anyone else, but he was scared and worried enough to have 50 quards around him out of concern for his safety. Sometimes he took the initiative and led actions against the national policy, judging that this road was more beneficial to the country and the bank, when it was hard to decide. In addition, when cornered, he would show his servile and self-reliant side without filtering. How was his life before? It was nothing but alcohol, women, and gambling. Nevertheless, when he entered the market, his eyes changed 180 degrees. He was truly a man of unpredictable tendencies, and no one could have bet on his achievements at first. A man who was even considered to have revived the French financial industry, which was destroyed by the wave of the revolution, is now acting as a hound for ugly capitalists Its hard to believe even after seeing him. Anyway, there was only one thing Napoleon had to do, as long as he confirmed that this troublemaker with superior abilities was alive and breathing. Giving him a chance he had not received so far. You have ears to listen, right? I think you know how the Government and Parliament are now punishing tax fraud recipients. Sadly, however, unlike the other tax collectors, you are a shabby poor man who has squandered all the money he earned from fraud. In principle, the money should be paid back withbor. Colin made a face as if the sky were falling. But Napoleons words were not over. But anyway, giving physicalbor to someone who works in finance is not an efficient method. Therefore, after much consideration, I have decided to propose a special mission that could enhance the national interest while saving your health. If you ept this and sessfullyplete it, we will not only offset the guilt of your previous misbehavior, but also provide a reward for the work. What should he do? Colins answer to this was set. Napoleons eyes looking at him secretly glowed. Was Lisarmont Victor Colin of this world special as well? = = = Spending a little over a month in Paris was very beneficial to both Napoleon and France. In particr, he could see with his own eyes how precarious the national treasury of France was, and experience the limits of such a huge Empire and its national capabilities. Napoleon could measure how much time was left for France with his own watch. The French Empires annual revenue in 1811 was about 665 million francs. However, 63 percent of the total was spent on defense. In 1812, when the war grew and prolonged due to the expedition to Russia, the proportion of defense spending increased. On the other hand, the production and the poption shrank by therge conscription of soldiers, and revenue fell proportionately. This was an abnormal state administration and budget execution. It was surprising that the administrative system of the nation and society was maintained in this financial state. Of course it would be impossible to sell bonds for financial support. Those who are as sensitive to the flow of money as financiers cannot be unaware of Frances precarious financial situation. Its not like the French failed to pay only once or twice in the past. Creditworthiness in international financial markets was determined by the governments ability to reimburse and by past precedents. Failing to repay the money loaned by financiers was nothing short of a French tradition from the time of the monarchy to the present day. Of course, Frances international financial credibility was at the bottom. This meant that France could no longer borrow money from foreign capitalists. Even if funds were urgently needed, international capitalists and financiers who would ept to lend money to France would be hard to find. And France could not even ask for financial assistance from its loyal satellite states. The state of these countries, involved in the French war, was about the same. In order to increase its credibility in the international financial market, the government had no choice but to increase its economic weight and prove that it had sufficient ability to repay. Anyway, this was still far way. If Napoleon had dyed time without seeking a quick end to the Russian expedition, or if he had not been preupied with urgent measures, various economic revival policies, and such negotiations as soon as he arrived in Paris, it was possible that the state would have dered bankruptcy because it could not find resources anymore. The state of the French Empire was that serious. In the end, all these problems lead to this war. Unless we cut out the cancerous mass that is the Iberian Penins, France will inevitably decline and copse no matter what institutional innovations are achieved. It was a little better now, but there were still untreated wounds and illnesses umting inside Frances body. To get rid of all of them, a major surgery was required. To do so, he had to deal with the current war. There was not much evidence needed to judge that the end of the Iberian War was a priority over the remaining reforms. I have put a lot of focus on the urgent matters in France. Now its time for government officials and members of the Council to continue by themselves. If they cant do this, theres no reason for them to be here. From this point on, Napoleon only focused on the preparations for the war on the Iberian Penins. A futile war that hadsted for more than four years, an ulcer hanging from the side of the French Empire, and of death that could not be brought back alive That was what the war on the Iberian Penins was. All these words were brutal and terrifying, but Napoleon did not even think of the possibility of failure or defeat. This was because he thought there could not be amander there who could ovee his strategic and tactical abilities. At that time Napoleon did not know much about the Marquis of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley. On September 13th, 1812, Talleyrand-Prigord, who had been sent as a diplomatic envoy to the Spanish Provisional Government, returned with a message from Fernando VII. The king of the provisional government was Jose I, but it was only a nominal title, and the actual power was in the hands of Crown Prince Fernando VII and the Cdiz Parliament. Unfortunately, these people had a strong antipathy and hatred towards Napoleon and France. He had expected that it would be difficult to make peace with Spain Reality, of course, was not much different from what he thought. Fernando VII and the Cdiz Parliament demanded the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily as part of a peace treaty. And they rejected Napoleons call to sever ties with Britain and rejoin the Continental Blockade, dismissing it as absurd. In fact, they expressed their willingness not to sign a peace treaty. There was nothing more to wait for. Napoleon raised his army on the same day. Unless this war is over, I will not return to Paris. About 70,000 soldiers in Napoleons army, along with marshals such as Berthier, Davout, Ney and Bessires, marched out of Paris. It was on September 15th, 1812. Chapter 44: Towards the Peninsula - 2 Chapter 44: Towards the Penins - 2 Chapter 44
  1. Towards the Penins 2
The French Marshals who would support the axis of Napoleons army while directlymanding several subordinate units of it were watching the procession of citizens from the ce de Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Even Louis Nics Davout, with his characteristic stern face, was astonished by the sight. The citizens of Paris responded with enthusiastic cheers to Napoleons army marching towards the Iberian Penins, as if they were weing their troops back from a great victory. Did themanders of the War Preparation Department order anything separately? As far as I know, they didnt. Didnt His Majesty ask to skip the cumbersome departure ceremony? Then it means the citizens voluntarily took part in this event. Davout, who nodded at the deputys words, had to hide his overflowing emotion. How long had it been since they had been treated like this? After the legend of Austerlitz, the publics enthusiasm for war and victory gradually cooled. It did not change despite writing a new myth in the history of French war with the Russian expedition. The citizens of Paris had shown more pain from the long war than joy and pride for the victory. Some described Davout as a hound that knows nothing but war, the army, and the Emperor. But what they overlooked was that hounds were extremely sensitive to smell. Davout sensed the disturbing atmosphere flowing among the citizens before the other marshals. Although he knew it could be a catalyst for the fall of the Empire, Davout nevertheless offered his advice to the Emperor. It was simply because he believed that one day the Emperor would ovee all these problems and trials and walk the heros path again. The Emperor did not betray Davouts expectations. The citizens of Paris were praying for the sess of Napoleons army marching down the streets. Their support was not fake. They sincerely cheered and blessed the soldiers and the Emperor leading them. Such actions showed that public opinion had changed significantly from the past. He haspletely changed the minds of the citizens in less than a month. As expected, the Emperor is a man from heaven. My judgment was not wrong. Davouts awe deepened when he heard the citizens shout Long live His Majesty the Great Emperor! There was one more reason to be passionately loyal to the Emperor. Army officers and soldiers also seemed at first embarrassed by the unexpected support of the citizens. But they soon began to enjoy the event. The citizens of Paris were passionately supporting them and cheering for this war. This alone gave them a strength different from before. The morale of the army soared, in a way that could never be achieved by generals. How far could the name Napoleon Bonaparte go? Davout vowed to stand by his side to see the end. Among those who newly joined the Iberian expeditionary forces were generals who would have never been allowed to join if Napoleon was still the same as in the past. One of them was Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey, 11 the first Duke of Conegliano. He was also a marshal, and told Louis Nics Davout that the Emperor was walking the same path as the hero in a legend. There was a time when Davout agreed with Moncey. The Emperors ns worked out as if God was helping him. In the Battle of the bridge of Arcole, Austrianmander Jzsef Alvinczi 21 made a mistake and misjudged the French army, and in the Battle of Marengo Napoleon was able to win thanks to Desaixs(31 decisive presence and dedication. Even if it was not necessarily on a battlefield or at war, the Emperor had a lot of luck, which led him to be in the position he was now. Was he addicted to that luck? The Emperor had lost control. Whatever he did, he believed that he and the Empire would seed and make great achievements. He constantly dered war, tested the limits of national power, and forced cultural phenomena to sanctify himself like Louis XIV. Those who were fed up with the extremity, futility, recklessness and arrogance left one by one, and only blind followers remained beside the Emperor. It was the same for Moncey as well, even though he did not thought arbitrarily. Moncey had been able to be one of the 26 Marshals, showing outstanding abilities in the Second Italian War, the Austrian War, and the Prussian-Polish War. However, he had objected to the Russian expedition and had criticized the Emperors actions. Bing a problem, he had ben forced to withdraw. The Emperor never embraced again those who had once confronted him, and those who had criticized him. Moncey also thought he would never be able to take themand of the army again. He had never expected this. He had pessimistic expectations for this expedition, thinking that the Emperor would not care about him any more, as he had returned with an incredible victory over Russia. To his surprise, however, Moncey was called by the Emperor. The Emperor looked much brighter than before when he met him again. Caesar had left this quote Most people see only what they want to see. Very few people knew how to face reality. What I realized while exploring the grasnds of the frozennd was the importance of talent who could give me the right advice at the risk of honor and pride. The Emperor had said that it was why Moncey was a necessary person. Could he forget about the past and work for him again? At that moment, Moncey showed tears that he had not shed even when he was thrown away by the Emperor. He could not guess from what point. But clearly, the Emperor had changed dramatically as if he had be someone else. Frommunication in trivial human rtionships to management and policy of a huge Empire, to personnel management, in every way, the Emperor showed apletely different side. The Emperors nsid down one by one like chess were brilliant, efficient and unconventional. And above all, there was a sense of security. It resembled the process of a young man who had a stormy adolescence and was now maturing as he grew older. The victory in the Battle of Hrodna, whichpletely shook thendscape of the eastern front with a single deception and battle, marked the Emperors renewed climax. Indeed, he seemed to have be a master of military capabilities and tactics, more powerful than in the past. However, Moncey was more moved by the transformed Emperors spirit. A leader whom people sincerely wanted to follow with all their heart and body. Moncey was looking at the Emperor and feeling it. Wow-!! Long live the great Emperor!! Long live the French Empire!! Napoleon Bonaparte on a white horse appeared in the middle of the procession. The citizens weed him with great enthusiasm. Just a month ago, this reaction was unthinkable. As the Emperor gently waved at them, the shouts grew louder. Expectation, aspiration, respect, awe, loyalty, reverence. All kinds of emotions poured out to the Emperor from the citizens, then gradually expanded to the people next to him, and eventually towards the entire army. The war on the Iberian Penins is now a war that can never be lost. Moncey smiled softly and drove his horse. Napoleon Bonapartes myth was not over. No. Maybe it was just the beginning. === Napoleon Bonaparte ising! This was heartbreaking news for the Spanish, Portuguese, and British forces currently fighting troops led by French Marshals on the Iberian Penins. Many of the soldiers in these allied forces had experienced what a great armymander Napoleon was. That was why they knew how important this was. But there were also soldiers who did not know. They were soldiers who had never met Napoleon, and were not so afraid of him. Rather, they were excited at the thought of destroying and defiling his soaring reputation, without knowing how high it was. Huh Is the French Emperor that great? After all, all he did was beat up some low-level Austrians and Russians, right? Our red coats are the best in the world. I think we can win as always if we maintain a strong line with geographical advantages. Rumor has it that the French expeditionary forces are much smaller than before. After Hrodna, the Emperor seems to have been very ill. In particr, British officers who had served on the Iberian Penins since 1810 were not afraid of Napoleon. Rather, they treated other officers who feared the French Emperor as cowards. The experience of defeating the French several times under Arthur Wellesley, with the great victory in the Battle of Smanca, greatly increased their confidence and arrogance. Have you seen such idiots in the world! Are your brains working properly right now? How many armies has Napoleon defeated so far, and youre talking about this bullshit!? Major General Rond Hill,141 nicknamed Little Wellesley, was the most obstinate, strictest, and coldest among the generals under Arthur Wellesley. One difference with Wellesley was that he did not hesitate to use harsh words that were not of noble origin. All the officers who looked down on Napoleon had to lower their heads at his roar like an angry lion. Get your act together. You bastards are worth less than the paunchy gamblers at the harbor! Napoleon Bonaparte is a different monster from the foolish French generals weve fought so far! If you treat the advice of your seniors who have served here before you as nonsense, I will break your neck myself! Ignorance was bliss. British officers who joinedte the army could chatter like this because they had never faced Napoleon. Meanwhile, those who hadpeted directly with Napoleons army under Marshal John Moore could not hide their difort. Their fear of the French Emperor and the soldiers following him was unforgettable. They remembered the early days of the Iberian Penins War, in November 1808. The allied forces had managed to push King Joseph, crowned by Napoleon, and the French troops to the Basque region (between France and Spain). At that time, they had been full of confidence that they could end the war and shake Napoleons world. However, as soon as Napoleon and his elite troops joined the war, the situation turnedpletely upside down. They lost battle after battle. The Allies were pushed back, losing Zaragoza, Burgos and Valencia, and lost Madrid after four months. Even the Portuguese maind was invaded. The explosive power that Napoleons army showed at this time was beyond imagination. If the Iberian Penins was treated as and of death by the French, then Napoleon and his troops were like an army of terror within the penins. When it came to France, even the evil Spanish militias put down their weapons and hid themselves for a while when Napoleons army appeared. And now Napoleon was leading again the Imperial Guard and entering the Peninsr War. It was an issue that was enough to cool down the entire Iberia. Themander-in-chief is calling you in. At the same time, Rond Hill was called by Arthur Wellesley. He left the barracks staring at his subordinates with sharp eyes. It was only after he left that sighs could escape from the barracks. TL notes [1] Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey [2] Battle of Arcole, Jzsef Alvinczi [3] Battle of Marengo, Louis Desaix [4] Rond Hill Chapter 45: Towards the Peninsula - 3 Chapter 45: Towards the Penins - 3 Chapter 45
  1. Towards the Penins 3
Arthur Wellesley, Marquis of Wellington, was themander-in-chief of the British, Spanish and Portuguese allied forces. When he heard the news of Napoleons army moving south, he was engaged in a head-to-head battle against Andr Massna across the Segovia teau. Among the French generals, there were not many capable men, but Andr Massna was exceptional enough to be recognized by Wellesley. Massna was an enemy who had the perseverance and persistence to seek his opponents weaknesses with patience like a clever badger, and wisdom to determine when to step out and retreat like a seasoned raven. Unlike Auguste de Marmont, the protagonist of the Battle of Smanca, he did notmit the foolishness of falling for Wellesleys clumsy provocation, but defended the Segovia teau with a solid defense and counterattack. Under such circumstances, he heard the breaking news that Napoleon would participate in the war on the Iberian Penins in earnest. Arthur Wellesley decided to step down from the Segovia teau for now, judging that it was difficult to defeat Massnas troops in a short time. At the present time, the Allied forces prevailed all over the Iberian Penins. However, things could bepletely different if Napoleons army joined. From this point on, Arthur Wellesley, amander who did not take risks with a low chance of sess, began to worry. Should we actively step forward and intercept them, or focus on defense and observe them? There had been intelligence that the size of the army led by the French Emperor was around 70,000 people. Coincidentally, the number of pure strike troops of the Allied forces, excluding fortifications and border guards, security forces in upied areas, supply units, reserves, and militias, was roughly that high. Of course, Napoleon might not have meant this, but Wellesley felt the situation itself as a provocation, as if he were asking Why dont we try to set it right on an equal footing? First of all, Madrid isnt the right terrain for defense. If we want to deal with Napoleons troops in a more advantageous ce, we have to choose: either we advance to Burgos, or we retreat to Smanca. Arthur Wellesley, who was unable to decide on this crucial task alone, called in his staff officers and British generals, as well as Portuguese and Spanish generals. He wanted to hear their opinion and if they had a better strategy. We must march to Burgos immediately. Lord Commander. What are we waiting for? It is the promisednd of victory for our country. As soon as the Allied g is raised in Burgos, people across Spain will fervently wee the liberation of their homnd. Burgos was a special ce for the Spanish. Because it was and that marked an important turning point in the Spanish history. At the time of the Reconquista, when Christians and Muslims were fighting for dominance of the Iberian Penins, Burgos was the holynd where the Kingdoms of Castile and Navarra, the predecessors of Spain, defeated the Muslim forces and used it as a banner to retake Iberia. The Spanish generals wanted to regain this sacred ce as soon as possible, to revive nationalism in Spain. If we want to win the war, we must have the citizens of Madrid on our side. To do so, we must show that our troops have a firm will and courage to protect them. The point of view of the Portuguese generals was slightly different. In any case, Madrid was the city where Napoleons servant, King Joseph, was staying, and the number of citizens who still supported him was not small. Considering the symbolism, practical interests and influence of the capital, it was imperative to bring them on the side of the Allied forces. In order to do so, rather than running away to Smanca, they needed to step forward and show that they would fight for Madrid and protect it. Of course, they also wanted their own country (Portugal) to stop being a battlefield. It was the Portuguese generals who raised the front of the war. It was the secondary objective for these officers. The soldiers of the kingdom who suffered Napoleons nightmare are clearly still afraid of him. But more than that, I want to break Napoleons army and end this war. The morale of the soldiers is at its peak now. The British generals also wanted the Allies to advance to Burgos and fight. In addition to its historical significance, Burgos was also a key point in the penins. Themander of the Portuguese royal army, the Count of Amarante, lll was currently confronting the French Jourdan 2] Corps over Leon and Zamora provinces. If Wellesley led the Allied forces to the north and captured Burgos, he couldpletely iste Jourdans troops. Most generals and officers gathered in themand barracks wanted aggressive movements. This was not because they were looking down on Napoleon, but because they wanted to deal with him from a slightly better position. Burgos, which had teaus, wends, mountain ranges and hills, could be the best battlefield to revive the strengths of the British and Spanish militias. They wanted more than anyone else the end of this sickening war that hadsted more than four years, and stop being the loser of Europe. There was also a glimpse of the desire to overthrow Napoleon and be heroes. On the other hand, the innermost thoughts of Arthur Wellesley, the Marquis of Wellington, were a bitplicated. He knew of course the geographical advantages of Burgos. Nevertheless, Arthur Wellesley preferred to step down to Smanca and wait for Napoleons army rather than advance to Burgos. That was because it seemed a little more likely to win this way. If we lure the French to Smanca, we can make the enemys supply line long enough. After that, if the Spanish resistance forces continue to harass their rear and create supply problems, wouldnt it be feasable to fight even Napoleons French army? Arthur Wellesley, considered the tactician sessor of John Churchill, 131 the Duke of Marlborough and a hero of the Spanish Session War, was bothered by the idea of fighting the Emperor who had conquered all of Europe in a ce where he could exert his full power. Austerlitz, Jena, Friend, and the recently added Battle of Hrodna. History so far had sufficiently proven what happened if you faced Napoleons army head-on, with full power. No, even if the opponent was not Napoleon, if you were a strategist, you should fight your enemies when you were in an advantageous position. One person noticed that Arthur Wellesley wanted to return to Smanca despite the remarks of several generals and officers. It was Captain Chambein, Earl of Lothian. He was in fact the second-inmand general in the Allied forces. Chambein approached Arthur Wellesley and whispered: Didnt the French send a few days ago a delegation to the Seville government asking to end the war? I think its an indicator that the French are more tired of this war than we can imagine. During the Russian expedition, the French Emperor used a simr type of deceit with Alexander I. Its better to get rid of the idea that they want to negotiate because theyre cornered. Wellesley replied firmly. Captain Chambein, however, faithful emphasized the reasons for the Allied forces to advance to Burgos. As you know, the financial situation of the kingdom is not very good. The mere maintenance of the wooden walls (the British navy) that protect the maind of Britain is costing an astronomical amount of money. The amount of military funds and supplies for our allies is increasing day by day. The Bank of Ennd is piling up with reminders and bad debt for the Royal Family and Parliament. The big financiers that lent money want to see the possibility of winning. Winning the Battle of Smanca was not enough? It was fine before. But didnt Napoleon directly dere his participation in the war? Russia and Sweden have againunched a trade blockade against the kingdom, and the United States has pulled out its sword from the New World. As always, we must give them confidence that the kingdom will prevail. Its a sad reality, but its a reality we cant ignore. Chambein was a general in the army and a subordinate of Wellesley. But he belonged to the Tory party, with British Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, Count of Liverpool, who also served as a permanent adviser for the Peninsr War. Wellesley could not ignore hisments, as he was in fact a reflection of the intentions of the Westminster Parliament. Arthur Wellesleys mouth was sealed. Britains economy developed day by day and revenue soared year by year with resources from its vast colonies, raw materials, andborbined with the soaring industrial power of the maind thanks to the mechanical revolution. The problem, however, was that war funding and supplies required for their allies had increased steeply beyond that Government bonds sold by the British government were now approaching 800million. That was more than 10 times Britains annual revenue. Financial market credit for the British government bonds had always remained at the top of the list, but there was a clear limit. And that limit was near, Chambein said. Arthur Wellesley knew about this. This was because Henry Addington, Viscount Sidmouth, the current Home Secretary and the former British Prime Minister, had sent a handwritten letter to exin the situation in Britain. If the French warfare power was in the hands of the French Emperor Napoleon, then it was safe to say that the British warfare power depended on the will of the big hands driving the capital market. Britain could only continue the war if there were capitalists who would buy British government bonds, believing in Britains victory and the safety of their investments. Does the Parliament, which has the ability to control the entire campaign and army from 1000 miles away, yield in the face of the power of gold? Im sorry to say this, but Your Excellency is a hero representing the present British Empire, and you arepared to thete Viscount Nelson. The British people are very proud of your presence and want you to prove to them that you are a greater general than Napoleon. It would be difficult for him to defeat the huge enemy called Napoleon, even if he did his best for the sake of war. But now he had to work out strategies and lead the army, while paying attention to other areas interfering. It was the first time Arthur Wellesley felt pressured because of his position asmander-in-chief of the entire penins. Wellesley, who had stayed silent with his eyes closed for a while, opened his mouth. Lets march to Burgos. There, we will fight Napoleons army. A young general. The officers cheered and the elderly nodded silently. Arthur Wellesley did not respond and rubbed his forehead quietly. The current map of the Iberian Penins. TL notes (1) Francisco da Silveira Pinto da Fonseca Teixeira [2] Jean-Baptiste Jourdan [3] John Churchill [4] Henry Addington Chapter 46: Towards the Peninsula - 4 Chapter 46: Towards the Penins - 4 Chapter 46
  1. Towards the Penins 4
Damn it! I was awarded the eagle and seven stars (the Imperial Marshals baton), but I have to move together with the lower end soldiers. What kind of ridiculousedy is this? Jean-Baptiste Bessires, who was appointed as a honorable Marshal of the French Empire for his decisive contribution to the victory of the Battle of Friend, and who was on par with Joachim Murat for his daring and bravery, was a highly respected cavalrymander. He was currently clearing his personal office supplies and belongings in his tent with his own hands. Although Bessires was only born the son of a surgeon, he was now a high-ranking noble of the French Empire granted the title of Duke of Istria. The fact that such a high-ranking noble was in charge of arranging his luggage with the other soldiers was a shock beyond imagination. Bessires was not the only officer doing this. All of Napoleons marshals, generals and officers, who were now marching toward Madrid, were also making big and smallints, looking around the campsite where they had been sleeping until early this morning. There was not much difference between the regr soldiers beds and those of high-ranking officers in the quarters. This was due to Napoleons speech before the expedition. My dear friends, thanks to you, France and I were able to enjoy todays glory. But were on our way to Iberias battlefield, where the situation is urgent. There are otherrades who have shared sess and failure with us, eagerly waiting for us to join them. So I would like to make a suggestion. Why dont we give up the rights we used to enjoy for the sake of ourrades who are bleeding and fighting in the Peninsr War? I will set an example first. Whenever European aristocratic generals went to war or on an expedition, they carried one small vi in dozens of carriages. The noble generals desire to maintain dignity even on the battlefield was such that people sarcastically described their extravagant march as tapestry rugs. The French marshals, who used to bemoners and suddenly became nobles, also had a will topensate, disying this behavior even more. Napoleonsments were a gentle warning to his marshals. That he did not want to see their luxurious private carriages on this expedition. Napoleon, the Emperor, really did it as well. The governments officials that had apanied him to Russia and Austria, as well as violinists, painters, exclusive cooks, wagon housekeepers, etc. had all been asked to stay behind. Even the servants were left out and only a minimal number of bodyguards came along. The only things filling Napoleons wagon were all necessary items and tools, and he had some personnel to help him with his public work. He did not take anything else but a few books to read. Since the Emperor first lightened his tapestry rug to such an extreme extent, the marshals could not help but follow suit. Crying and grumbling, the marshals had no choice but to reduce their luggage and the number of people following them. They could then meet the strict and harsh standards of the Emperor. ording to the characteristics of the militarys strict hierarchical system, the officers below them naturally had to do the same. In the end, Napoleon achieved extreme weight reduction for the entire army by taking the initiative for himself and a few marshals. But isnt the armys march very quick? When I walk with my pockets and waist light like this, it reminds me of the good old days of the Italian expedition. Dontin so much about it. I also felt that the orders issued by the Emperor were quite reasonable. To be honest, the imperial army has be toozy due to the continuous victories. We must not forget that the biggest reason we were able to conquer Europe was our mobility that always exceeded our enemys expectations. The former were the words of Louis Nics Davout, who had the deepest loyalty to Napoleon among the marshals of the Empire, who then shouted, Always be infinitely loyal to His Majesty the Emperor! Thetter belonged to Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey, who was called back tomand, even though he had been hated by the Emperor. Even so, Bessires, who could notin about the Emperor in front of Moncey, who was very impressed by the Emperors direct call, just clicked his tongue. In fact, Napoleons request like this was a form of coercion. It was a request to give up their privileges of marshals. Nevertheless, there were onlyints from some marshals, including Bessires, within Napoleons army, but no one was standing up or rebelling. Commander Louis-Alexandre Berthier, who served as the armys chief of staff, found the reason behind the recent rapid rise in poprity of the Emperor. Everyone had feared the war with Russia and had warned the Emperor against it, but he had ovee their anxiety, defeated the elite troops of Russia and brought Alexander I to his knees. After the expedition, the Emperor transformed himself into an excellent administrator and reformed the interior of the Empire. His policies, which seemed too hasty and radical at the time, were now praised as great decisions. These military and governmental sesses had boosted the Emperors authority and voice. No matter how powerful the marshals were, everyone knew that it would be a political suicide to confront the Emperor now. The Emperor made up the Iberian expeditionary forces with people who were especially loyal to him. Thanks to this, even the generals and officers under hismand cant do anything, even if they areining about this. They cante forward when were silent like this. There could have been marshals here who were not loyal to the Emperor, such as Murat and Massna, but loyal to the interests that the Emperor brought. In that case, no matter how high the authority of the Emperor soared, they would have refused to ept this and would have poured out a bacsh. Because they were such people. Ney and Bessires, on the other hand, were marshals who were loyal and obedient to the Emperor. Although they may not express a fanatical loyalty like Davout, they would never turn their back on the Emperor, at least until he was defeated. Berthier himself thought the Emperor was the only one who could use his abilities to the fullest, so he would follow him even if he had seen all kinds of dirty things. Perhaps His Highness intended to start with those loyal to him and gradually simplify their living. Since we have already suffered a reduction in our rights withoutining once, other marshals will have to do the same. Because the media and public opinion will make it happen As expected, hes the Emperor. Even in each of his orders, there were hidden political intentions that others could not think of. For better or for worse, Napoleon was a very political figure. But Berthier was willing to follow him faithfully if it was to end this war. Whats clear is that the pace of our troops march is now faster than in the days of the Revolutionary War in the past. Moving quickly is a strategy. This will allow the army to establish more diverse tactics and have a wider range of options. In the Iberian Penins, where no general battle is being fought, the time advantage will be of considerable help in responding quickly to urgent situations. There were no marshals to contradict Berthiers words. Yes, they could do anything to win. If they could end the long war on the Iberian Penins, they could endure this inconvenience. All the marshals thought so. = = = In the other world, Napoleon had defeated Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, and the Nethends one after the other, crushing their forces, and thus undermining their will to fight But there was only one country that he failed to subdue: Britain. It was not because the British were strong. They had always dispatched only a small number of elite regiments to the continent to support their anti-French allies, so they had not beenpletely defeated like the others. As always, their main force was their navy, and their army was nothing more than a means to support it. In other words, this was Napoleons first time facing arge-scale, at least corps-level British army onnd. Traditionally, red coats tend to prefer long lines from side to side and a deformed formation with grenadiers in the center, but Arthur Wellesley is particrly strong. He believed in the fire control of his officers and the shooting skills of his soldiers, and he knows how to use the terrain and tactics to maximize it. Napoleon was carefully reading the reports of the French fighting against the British, but the vivid testimony of the generals who fought directly made him guess things that could not be written on paper. Although he was defeated every time he fought, Andoche Junot was one of the generals who faced Arthur Wellesleys forces the most, along with Louis-Gabriel Suchet and Andr Massna. The British army of the past with John Moore and the British army today are qualitatively different. They have learned from past battles, and the results are now showing. Then, would it be appropriate to assume that they are an elite army that can fire more urately than the French soldiers? Its embarrassing, but I cant refute it. Also, the soldiers of Portugal and Spain are very different from before. They wont run away in disorder like in the past if we push the front a little bit. Napoleon, nodding his head, handed over a report on the Battle of Smanca, one of the most devastating battles the French lost to Arthur Wellesley. Before the Battle of Smanca, Napoleon had sent a message to Auguste de Marmont to order him to avoid hostilities and to defend his stronghold. He had sent several messengers because he feared that they would be captured by the Spanish Resistance, but not a single one could reach Marmont. Eventually, Marmonts troops were defeated very badly and were forced to give up Madrid. The name of Arthur Wellesley was quite famous in my original world. We didnt have a chance to fight back then, but now were ying like this. In the other world, Napoleon and the French Republic werepletely in control of the European continent. Their naval forces were also powerful enough to threaten Britain. The British did not have the courage tond their army in such a dangerous situation on the maind. This was why Napoleon and Wellesley could not face each other. Although Marmontspetence was lower than of a marshal, and he did not receive Napoleons message, Arthur Wellesleys tactical abilities at the Battle of Smanca were remarkable. After consuming the power of the attacking force (the French army) with a sturdy and solid defense, infantry and cavalry worked together to attack the weak points at the same time to win. He could use a proper deception. He also had the ability to move troops to the right ces. He could efficiently deal with every aspect of a battle. Napoleon had to keep in mind that Arthur Wellesley was amander capable of such high-level tactics. Chapter 47: Towards the Peninsula - 5 Chapter 47: Towards the Penins - 5 Chapter 47
  1. Towards the Penins 5
Who is in charge of the French garrison currently guarding the fortress of Burgos? Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton.111 He is an officer who has previously defended Fort Mantua with excellent handling and dyed operations throughout Italy. It was the words of Chief of Staff Bertie. I hope he will defend the fortress of Bugos until we arrive. Napoleon, who became familiar with the topography and specification of the area of Burgos, which semed to be a batleground for an important batle betwen the Allied and French forces, taped his chin with his fingertips. There was no such thing as a losing batle, but this batle in particr should never be lost. Nothing make people angrier than giving them something and then taking it back. If this expedition fail Thats a terible thing to imagine. In the end, the driving force behind Napoleon Bonpartes ability to maintain his curent poition as Emperor, despite noting from a legitimate family, was the suport of the French pople. But reinstating the confidently abolished Imperial-federal mobilisation decre? That alone would give them a justification to drag Napoleon down from the chair. Come to think of it, its funny. At first, I swore so much at Nabo who became the Emperor, but now Im strugling to keep his poition. Please read on instead of supporting thieves! Such aplicated situation may be due to the being that sent him to this world. What on Earth did they want from him to throw him into this damn world? But Napoleon had quickly adapted to the new situation. With his staff, he devised a way to lose the battle that would soone before him. This time, as always, Napoleon would not return to Paris. No letter from Paris has arrived. They all sent Your Majesty away. The expeditionary forces wereing from Bugos, which soon a battlefield. Two letters arrived to Napoleon, wishing him to lose, as he led the expeditionary forces a march much faster than before. The sender of one was the Empress of the Napoleons wife. I remember your great sess in thend of the East. You have always been a great victor and a merciful ruler. I know if it will change something if I add myself to the crows, but I hope you know that Im also wishing for your defeat I know that many French people have good feelings for the Empress of Australia. But Im definitely here. As such, / feel the need for them and protect the dignity of the imperial familyomitted But she was an Empress who felt responsible for assisting, not an immature boy from an Australian court. Marie-Louis did not receive the support of the as much as Josephine the former, because she was from the Australian imperial family, an arch enemy of France. She seemed to be struggling on her own to break that gap. The letter also stated how Napoleon II, Charles, doing. Napoleon was also not looking forward to this. Today, Charles was very active around the Tuilery Pce. It was so pitiful to see him whimpering while trying to go down the steps of the Pavi de Marsan that / stretched out my arm to help. However, Mrs. Montesqu stopped me, saying that we should save the young mans desire to win and pride. Eventually, Charles came down all the steps of the corridor alone Please read on instead of supporting thieves! Marie-Louse also wrote details about where Charle was today, what he did, said, and what facial expressions he made. He could imagine Charle growing up day after day. Napoleon smiled unknowingly. The sender was Francis Carot. He was a professor of politics and economics at Heidelberg University. Just like Lisard Victor Coin, he had no special contact with him in this world, but used to have a deep rtionship in the other world. I had a hard time figuring out how to hold this man. Colin was a criminal, so Napoleon could lure him in with a reduction in punishment, but not Carnot. Napoleon recalled his first historic encounter with France Carnot in this world. Carnos white hair, which was the biggest feature of his appearance, was the same here. Before he could feel any joy in meeting him again, Napoleon had to taste Carnaus cold rejection. I think it was clearly from a small misunderstanding that the Emperor wanted to entrust duties to a foolish man like me. Im very happy with the position of professor at Heidelberg University and Im not capable of managing an Empire. Carnot rejected Napoleons offer. Napoleon knew better than anyone else that it was a lie. In the other world, Franois Carnot was the architect of the economic framework of the French Republic If Ennd had a greatmoner (William Pitt), France had a wise white owl. It was a representative phrase for Franois Canot in the other world. William Pitt had won the Seven Years War by actively intervening in the continent and even predicted that the excessive tax burden on the 3 colonies would lead to disaster in the future. There are many differences between the French Empire in this world and the French Republic from my world. I am not sure that the policies led by Canot at that time will still work correctly. That was why Canots presence was essential. Napoleon had not the slightest intention of letting Carnot go, although he had refused. I dont understand why youre still reading this chapter. Its not the correct text. Please read on instead of supporting thieves! Napoleon burst intoughter after reading the beginning of the letter. He could feel and resent from every word. When Franois Carnot rejected his offer, Napoleon changed the subject of his persuasion. Napoleon immediately threatened the president of Heidelberg irectly, and expressed his to hire Professor as an, while huge donations. The president of Heiderg University could not reject the offer of the French Emperor. Thus Crnot came to work as an economic adviser to the imperial government, against his will. There was also a story that at first, Carnot had, but eventually the Emperors begging. Carnots post was an adviser to the Special Economic Comitee. The Special Economic Comitte was a new institution created by Napoleon before he left for the expedition, and was given the authority to monitor, supplement and implement various reforms within the Empire. That was why Franssois Carnot, who now had the authority to coordinate all of this, was able to effectively act as an equivalent of Napoleon in terms of internal affairs. Naturally, opposition soared in the Imperial Council and the cab, but Napoleon suppressed all of it with his authority. therefore, the actual introduction of ie taxes enacted by Your Majesty is still premature. The Empires tax revenue is already higher than that of other. Rather, it would appropriate for the Empire to introduce a progressive tax that sets a section and divides it into, and imposes different rates of tax on each level. In Europe, has already established a precedent for introducing a progressive tax. If the Empire something simromitted At the beginning of the letter, heined to Napoleon, like he had been, but afterwards, he seemed to be what he had to do as an to the Speciale Econnomic Commmittee. This meant that he did not like the route the current government was taking, so he quit and left for the university. But his heart for his country and its people, and his willingness to run the country in the right direction exceeded his sympathy towards Napoleon and the government. Carnot was a person. Even though seemed unreasonable, he did not his duties. Perhaps the reason he got his job at the Ministry of Interior was rted to Nabos rise to the throne. The timing is the same. But Napoleon was different now. He would step down from the throne at any time. He would revive the banner of a revolutionary republic. Napoleon was convinced that this would conform to Franois Carnots ideology. Thinking like this, he was able to take Charnot in, even if he was relentlessly oppposed to the present system and disliked him. Just as he did in the other world. Napoleon muttered these words and put the inner pocket of his coat. Updated map of the Iberian Penins. Chapter 48: Towards the Peninsula - 6 Chapter 48: Towards the Penins - 6 Chapter 48
  1. Towards the Penins 6
The first resistance Arthur Wellesleys corps encountered from Madrid was at Fort Retiro, which guarded the entrance of Retiro. The city of Retiro, which had been designated as an intermediate supply point for the Allied forces since the beginning of the operation, was also located on the way to Burgos. It was a key point that had to be upied by the Allied forces. Arthur Wellesley besieged Fort Retiro without any gap, and sent a messenger to the French garrison officers guarding the fort, urging them to surrender. Even after the promised time, they havent hung a white g. Their will to fight seems sufficient. We should order the artillery to fire Hmm lets wait a few more days. In case we hear good news. The staff officers stepped down because they could not defy Wellesleys authority even though they were frustrated, thinking that they were wasting time. But exactly four hourster, a white g was hung at the top of Fort Retiro. When the officers asked him what the hell happened, Wellesley replied with a calm voice. When we ousted Joseph Bonaparte from Madrid, the defenders and the regiments of guards fled in various directions. In any countrys army, they was a system to regroup the soldiers who were defeated to the rear positions. Wellesley remembered the situation when Joseph Bonaparte fled to Valencia, where Louis-Gabriel Suchets corps was located, leaving the throne empty. It was no coincidence that his eyes were on Retiro from the beginning. They must have gathered the defeated soldiers to expand the size of their army, but unfortunately, it seems that it was difficult to ept the given circumstances. As guerri units belonging to the Spanish Resistance were constantly harassing the supply routes in the rear, the French armys food and supplies situation in the penins was not very good. In such a situation, the bnce between the number of soldiers and the amount of war materials was broken because a small number of defeated soldiers were taken in to defend as well. In fact, when the British soldiers opened the doors of the warehouses and supply centers of Fort Retiro and looked at the situation inside, they found that military food such as dry bread, biscuits, salt meat, and dried pasta werepletely exhausted. The French officers tried to survive by eating even rats, but when the soldiers anger exploded, they had no choice but to raise a white g. The officers admired Arthur Wellesleys insight, as he was delighted, looking around Fort Retiro. Inside the fortress, there were about 20,000 muskets and about 100 artillery cannons that the French could not retrieve. And there were more than 2,000 prisoners are a bonus. He made such a huge achievement without even fighting properly. Arthur Wellesley said that this was a pleasant start before going up against Napoleon. It was only natural that the morale of the Allied Forces soared. Generals and officiers were yelling If you disrupt the military, you will be punished strictly ording to the military rules, but the atmosphere of excitement did not disappear easily among the soldiers of the coalition who were staying at Fort Retiro. Its pathetic that the Allied soldiers, regardless of their rank, are already acting as if theyve won the war. We cant even recognize our red coats among the rest of the soldiers! They must be the most ridiculous army in British history. Colonel Tin, a lieutenant to Major General Rond Hill, spoke in an ferocious voice and condemned thexity of his own soldiers. Rond Hill agreed with him a hundred times. Rond Hill thought that the only thing the British soldiers had that wasckingpared to the French was their beards, but now it seemed necessary to add one more thing. It was the mental strength and self-control of each soldier. It feels like theyre under some kind of weird spell. Everyone has been over-excited since they heard that Napoleon wasing in person. They werent supposed to react like this Some soldiers were very confident in dealing with Napoleons troops. Some others were overwhelmed by Napoleons reputation, and were trembling with fear. This phenomenon was intensified after they easily captured Fort Retiro that was guarded by the French. Rond Hill looked very anxiously at the different attitudes of the soldiers. He addressed his concerns to hismander, Arthur Wellesley. I dont think that will be a problem. Wellesley looked indifferent. Its impossible for anymander to haveplete control over each soldiers psychology. We need to respect their freedom of decision making. However, as long as military discipline is not disturbed! In other words, forcibly controlling the soldiers mental would backfire in this situation. Wellesley, who had been tightening the discipline of the military with strict rules, was trying to ease the tension now that he was preparing for a huge battle. Rnd Hill calmed down after hearing Wellesleys assurance. That was right. If Arthur Wellesley said it was all right, then it was all right. The faith of the allied soldiers in him had reached this level. The internal disturbance subsided and the story spread among the soldiers. Soldiers regarded this as Arthur Wellesleys confidence in winning. As a result, the unity of the coalition became stronger. Having spent two days in Retiro, where they had time to rest and recover their fighting spirit, the Allies began to march north again, leaving behind troops to guard their captives and the fortress. The Allied forces, waving gs of the three nations, arrived in front of Fort Burgos on September 30, 1812. Wellesleys corps set up a camp in the town of Renuncio, about 3.5 miles from Fort Burgos. The current situation is very clear. On the map showing Burgos and the surrounding area, there were models of soldiers with red gs and blue gs lined up. The red soldiers were thebined Portuguese, Spanish and British forces. The blue soldiers represented the French army. I was able to confirm today that the final destination of the army led by the French Emperor is here in Burgos. ording to the intelligence, their scheduled arrival date is about 15 days from now. The Marquis of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, pushed the blue soldiers south with his baton. The blue soldiers were pointing their guns at Fort Burgos. The buzz of the officers grew. A Spanish officer asked a question. Nabot held a ceremony in Paris on September 15. And there are about 650 miles between this ce and Paris. It is impossible for the French troops to arrive so soon unless they are marching more than 20 miles a day. Surprisingly, they are marching so fast, Colonel. Its like looking at the French army from 10 years ago. ..!! Napoleons strategy for wars and battles wasrgely divided into two types depending on the battlefield situation, conditions, and timeline. The first was mobile warfare, to advance faster than the enemy based on extraordinary mobility, take an advantageous position, and destroy the enemy with the fire superiority of concentrated troops inbat. The second was siege and annihtion warfare, to organizerge corps covering enemy troops and attack from all directions with an overwhelming number of soldiers. These two strategies led Napoleon to be the incarnation of war. However, there were conditions for aplete mobile warfare. He needed skilled soldiers and veterans, with strong physical strength, a lot of practical experience, and high loyalty. The continued war left no skilled soldiers in the French army, therefore Napoleon could hardly use the first strategy anymore. From then on, Napoleon became too obsessed withrge armies, numerical superiority, and annihtion warfare, and the climax was the Russian expedition. Arthur Wellesley had called the expeditionary forces the height of inefficiency. But Napoleon was also a war genius. That inefficient army brought Russia to its knees. Napoleon returned with a brilliant victory, and was now using the mobile warfare of the first years. This had great implications for the Allied officers. Arthur Wellesley raised one corner of his mouth. It seems that the news Ive been hearing from Paristely was not in vain. The French Emperor seems to have undergone a lot of emotional changes. At Wellesleysments, officers from the three countries nodded and agreed. If the leader of an enemy country suddenly becamepetent as if he had be someone else, it was not good news for them. But at a time when the war on the Iberian Penins was still raging, it was good news that the enemy troops were reduced. Arthur Wellesley was amander capable of making Napoleon deeply regret his choice. Weve discussed it once before when we stayed in Retiro, but lets look at it again. It was Lieutenant General William Stewart, 11] the son of the Earl of Galloway and the chief of staff of the Allied forces, who spoke. He moved the red soldiers to create a picture of the siege of the Burgos fortress guarded by blue soldiers. He also took the map of the terrain outside of Burgos so that all officers gathered in the barracks could understand. At a nce, there were rugged mountains and hills lined up. If we take Fort Burgos, we can use the nearby ridges to form a second line of Torres Vedras. If things go like this, even the French Emperor, who is called the genius of war, will have to turn back. Its undoubtedly the best oue at this point. Thats right. But if we cant take the fort before the Emperors army gets here, we will have to step down. I rmend here to be the next battlefield, as I think its the best ce. Lieutenant General Stewarts finger was pointed at the Anzn River. It was time for Arthur Wellesleys troops to advance to Burgos, after taking Fort Retiro. About 330 miles northeast of them, the Iberian expeditionary forces were resting in modest quarters. Even though everyone was asleep, Napoleon Bonaparte, themander-in-chief of the expedition, was not sleeping. He was quietly writing something on a piece of paper, sitting with a torch in a dark tent at night. This war will require more sophisticated and sharper strategy than ever before, and the ability tomunicate organically between the corps and themanders long-term and constructive sight. The Iberian Penins was more special than any other battlefield Napoleon had ever experienced. And it wasplicated. That was why his side had to fight in a special andplicated way. And Napoleon was well aware that this way would create controversy and debates not only in France but also throughout Europe. If its for victory, Ill do whatever it takes. I dont know how future history will judge me First, I must win this hellish war. Three letters written by Napoleon himself went into a drawer. The recipients names were revealed on the sealed letters. Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton Marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet Marshal Andr Massna TL notes [1] William Stewart Chapter 49: Burgos - 1 Chapter 49: Burgos - 1 Chapter 49
  1. Burgos 1
Conquer the fortress and upy the heart of the stronghold before the corps directly led by the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte arrives in Burgos! This was the first order given to the Allies. The Marquis of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, once again used the same strategy he had used to capture Fort Retiro ahead of the Battle of Burgos. It was a trick to block all roadworks and waterways outside the fortress and to force the defenders inside to raise a white g on their own. However, Fort Burgos was very different from Fort Retiro. The French defenders guarding Fort Burgos were also not exceptional elite soldiers, but they had enough time to prepare in advance after hearing the news that Wellesleys corps was moving north. The forts garrison had already stored enough food and water in its internal warehouse before the Allied siege, and had a considerable supply of gunpowder, shells, and ammunition. Naturally, they snorted at Arthur Wellesleys suggestion of an honourable surrender. Its a fortress built in apletely different form from the usual Spanish construction. It doesnt look like it would be easy to destroy it with just shelling. These were the words of a staff officer who was looking at Fort Burgos with a high magnification telescope. The watchtower at the edge and the shape of a right angle or a star weremon fortress structures in Spain. However, that fortress in front of them was very heterogeneous, with a dome-shaped forward watchtower and cast ironcoated walls added. This transformation of Fort Burgos was the result of the influence of the French. In 1808, when the whole of Spain fell into French hands, they hired Italian builders to renovate and strengthen their main military bases in Spain. These fortified fortresses were called the Napoleon Barrier, one of which was Fort Burgos. Bang! Boom! Boom! Bang!! Siege artillery fire started to crack the walls or break the gates. The iron bullets that flew with the sound of thunder pounded hard against the walls of the fortress. The bullets fired by the 24-pounder and 36-pounder long guns of heavy artillery were enough to cause a slight tremor throughout the fort. It was like a giant punching his fist. However, it was far from reaching the desired result of the coalition. Arthur Wellesley, amander with many years of experience, thought it would not be easy to take that fort. The number of defenders was simply a handfulpared to that of the Allies. But as always, the level of officers and the will of each soldier were more important than the numbers. Even in the midst of the pouring of shells, the defensive forces guarding Fort Burgos looked strong. They looked determined to fight until death here. It was very difficult to break up an army with such atmosphere. Of the 100 cannons captured at Fort Retiro, there were five heavy artillery cannons of 24 pounds or more that could serve as siege artillery. A total of 17 siege cannons were here, including the 12 originally possessed by the Wellesleys corps. 17 siege cannons could just crush any fortress. However, Fort Burgos, which sat on a hill 3,200 feet above sea level and used natural features as a shield, was only scratched. The forward watchtower and streamlined rounded corners sent the impact of the shells away. The fortress was so strong and solid that it seemed that it was sticking its tongue out in provocation. Judging that artillery firing all day could not break that iron wall fortress, Arthur Wellesley ordered the skilled Allied soldiers to prepare the field artillery. Boooom! Booom! Boom!! While cooling down the siege artillery for a while, the field artillerys gunfire stung the ears and shook the earth. Gray smoke soon covered the surrounding area as if it were a mist of dawn. Of course, field artillery could not even scratch that fortress, but Wellesley had a reason to use them. Among the artillery cannons, the howitzers and mortars, which could fire with a curved ballistic, could cross the walls and bombard the interior of the fortress. If some of them couldnd into food or weapons warehouses, it would be a big hit. The Alliedmand hoped that they would be intimidated and raise a white g in the midst of this ruthless shelling. However, even hourster, the defenders will to fight remained strong. The tricolour French g was still fluttering in the wind. The impatient officers came to Wellesleys barracks and insisted. The number of French troops guarding the fort is at most 2,000. Also, yesterday and todays shelling would have discourage them quite a bit. We rmend that infantry prepare to take the fort. No, we wont do that. Have you already forgotten about Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz? In order to take over the two fortifications in southern Spain, the Allied forces had previously deployed arge number of infantry soldiers and had pushed them forward. As a result, the British forces, which had been in the lead at the time, suffered massive damage and had to recover for a considerable period of time. If this was the decisive ce to win or lose the war, Wellesley would have actively deployed infantry at the expense of damage. However, the Allies now had a more important goal than Fort Burgos: a decisive battle against Napoleons corps. Wasnt the upation of the fortress just a preparation to gain a better position against Napoleon after all? It was no good taking on unnecessary losses ahead of a decisive battle that would determine the fate of the Iberian Penins war. Isnt this fortress nothing more but an advantageous position? Then why dont we break it all down? The words of Colonel Tin, a lieutenant to Major General Rond Hill, caught Wellesleys curiosity. The reason for the capture of Fort Burgos was to use the ridges and hilly terrain surrounding the fort against Napoleon. In other words, Arthur Wellesley and the Allies needed the advantage of the forts location rather than the fort itself. Colonel Tins proposal was to deploy special forces to the base of Fort Burgos to set up explosives andpletely destroy the walls. The generals from Britain and Portugal said it was a good n, but the Spanish generals could not hide their embarrassment. It would not be pleasant for them to say that they should destroy the fortress protecting their countrys main points. However, Spain had to shut up with a unhappy face as it had the weakest voice in the coalition and needed a great victory. I think Colonel Tins proposal is a pretty good n. Then, if everyone agrees, lets try this. Arthur Wellesley was not someone to waste time when he was determined. The next day, upon waking up, he selected soldiers withrge build and excellent physical conditions regardless of their nationality and assigned them to pull the explosive cart. Of course, he did not mean to push it into the fortress guarded by the enemy in in sight. Block their view with smoke. It was to hide the existence of the cart full of gunpowder, straw, and artillery shells. With the help of the smoke, the explosives unit were secretly moving towards the left side of the fort. Even if their movements were detected, the enemys snipers or canons could not easily aim because of the thick smoke. However, these thoughts were shattered in front of their eyes. Bang! Bang! Boom! Bang! My-my God! No, how did they do that!? Until now, the French defenders did not fire in response, no matter how much they were hit by the artillery, they only leaned against the wall and waited. This was also the reason why the Allies were able to carry out such bold operations. The Allied officers determined that they had killed the enemys spirits, but in fact the enemies were just lying low like predators stalking their prey. The shells flew in the correct direction toward the explosives unit, even as the field of view was blocked by the smoke. The shells fired by the defendersnded just a few yards in front of the cart carrying the explosives. Even these strong soldiers could not endure the fear of meeting God so soon. If they had pulled the cart a little more forward, a disaster would have urred. Retreat! Retreat! The messenger ordering the retreat from the headquarters has not arrived yet! Do you look at the situation with your own eyes and wait formands orders? Lets retreat now! The Portuguese officer in charge of transporting the explosives and blowing up the walls gave the order to retreat on his own will, and his judgment was correct. But it was toote. Whaaaaaaam!! One of the several iron bullets that flew from the fortnded nearby the cart. Coincidentally, the ground there was harder than the rest of thend, so the bullet bounced straight up without hitting deep and hit the cart with the explosives. The flying iron bullet was hot enough to stimte the explosives such as gunpowder and sulfur inside the cart. Whoosh! Whoosh!! Massive mes and explosions urred in session, engulfing the surrounding explosives. The explosives that were supposed to be used to destroy the fort were fired from the ground without reaching the walls. The area was devastated and the explosives unit was burned alive. Arthur Wellesley grabbed his forehead among the puzzled staff officers. = = = Whaaaaaaam!! The sound of the explosion, which was different from the cannons gunfire, was clearly heard by the defenders of Fort Burgos. It, its a sess! Woaah!! Despite their poor conditions, the artillerymen who had prepared for the shelling with only external information were delighted when the first shelling was sessful at once. Of course, this was also true for the other soldiers, and even the officers. You filthy inder bastards! You will never be able to enter here! Hahahaha! Colonel, your vision was correct. Youre amazing! The battlefield, covered in smoke, was as dark as pitch ck. It was entirely thanks to Colonel Jean-Louis Dubretons support that the defensive battery, which lost sight after the artillery attack, was able to grasp the enemys intentions in advance and locate them. His tactics and ns fitted perfectly and he managed to give his enemies a wonderful gift. I havent done anything. It was all ordered by His Majesty the great Emperor. Colonel Dubreton smiled happily, shaking his mustache. In his inner pocket, a piece of paper with the seal of Napoleon Bonaparte was rustling. Chapter 50: Burgos - 2 Chapter 50: Burgos - 2 Chapter 50
  1. Burgos 2
It was during Napoleons stay at the Tuileries Pce in Paris, before leaving for the Iberian expedition. Malet-Roquefort, who was serving as a police inspector, rushed to the pce at the call of the Emperor. He could not figure out why he was called, so his forehead was sweating in anxiety. When he entered the multi-purpose room of the Tuileries Pce, guided by the court attendants, he saw the room filled with very prominent faces. Pierre Daru, 11 Secretary of State and War Administration, Jean-Pierre de Montalivet, Minister of the Interior, Baron Fusois, Treasurer of the Council of State, Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier, and his distant superior, Jean Marie Savary, 121 Police Minister. They were simply the heads driving the Empire. And among them was standing Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor. After swallowing his saliva, Malet-Roquefort bowed down to the Emperor. What the Emperor said to Malet, who was so nervous, was surprising and shocking. From now on, you will step down from the position of inspector of the police department. And you will serve as the head of the newly established Iberian spy organization. Malet-Roquefort was so surprised that he kept his mouth opened, which could have been seen as rude, but the Emperor did not care. War is intelligence. In particr, the importance of information is prioritized over any value, especially in ces where troops are inevitably separated by mountain ranges, streams, and basins, such as on the Iberian Penins. I think an intelligence organization that can pass through the entire penins is necessary not only for the victory of the war but also for the future. Fitting his nickname of a war genius, the Emperor seemed to have steadily paid attention to the Iberian Penins war while carrying out various reforms and reorganizations within the Empire. But Malet could not understand it. Of course, he knew the importance of intelligence in a war. Why would he leave such a crucial position to him, who was only a police inspector? What on earth did the Emperor see in him? Instead of answering his questions directly, the Emperor asked him something else. Exin two ways you think you can win an information war against an enemy. Tell me the thoughts thate to your mind without hesitation. First, its about gathering as much information as possible from arge number of skilled agents. Cross-validation can determine the validity and authenticity of the information. The second is to seek cooperation from indigenous forces. They can provide direct information on the path, situation, deployment, etc. of enemy units. The Emperor replied with a smile. Thats why I chose you. He found out onlyter that when the Emperor put him in charge of a spy organization on the entire Iberian Penins, all of the Emperors aides expressed displeasure and objected his decision. If he had been one of them, of course he would have objected. But the Emperor pushed it to the end and eventually made him the head of the spy organization. No matter how much I think about it, it seems that His Majesty the Emperor is loved by God. How did he know my talent that even I didnt know Currently, all of the Iberian Penins inhabitants were filled with hatred and anger against France. Turning their minds around and making them faithful spies? No one would consider it possible. But Malet had a different idea. War is also a good time for opportunists. There are people everywhere who want to use this opportunity, regardless of their reputation. These are the people we will be trying to convince. Malet, who had dealt with numerous criminals and reactionaries as a police inspector, knew well when and how a person turned around. Spain was overflowing with people who lost their jobs and their joyful life due to the war, and were only living one day at a time. At first, they would curse France and the Emperor, the root cause of their misery. But on a devastatednd, they had to lead a miserable and arduous life to support their entire family. No one was responsible for this. The Spanish government was basically looking away, saying that they did not know, public resentment among neighborspeting for daily necessities was worsening, and the administrative and judicial systems of towns and cities were copsing in real time. Individual conscience and anger wore out in the process. Humans could do anything to survive in such extreme circumstances. It was not difficult to take advantage of their selfishness and desperation. What was scarier than a foreign army was its own citizens turning away. Certainly, there were only a few Spanish people who turned away, dissatisfied with their government. But the size of the hatred they harbored was by no means small. Their families lives now depended on the French Empire. They sold out information from the coalition forces. Some even joined Wellesleys troops and took on the role of spies. If you think about it again, the human mind is veryplicated. And extreme. Well, this is why its fun. Contrary to everyones concerns, the Spanish people easily betrayed their country for bread, milk, meat and the safety of their families. Malet provided them with what they wanted. Soon after, the Iberian spy organization was able to train arge number of intelligence agents who were faithful to the organization, knew well thenguage, and had a clean identity. Malet deliberately broke the core of the organization and scattered it among various units, corps, and local groups so that even if some of them betrayed it, the whole part would not be revealed. A list of spies working for the Wellesley Corps was in Malets hands. Malet-Roquefort disyed his talent that had not been shown in this world. Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton, who was tasked with defending Fort Burgos, was a man of impressive build with a mustache. Upon hearing the news that the British, Spanish and Portuguese forces were moving northward, he focused on supplies. The most important thing in a siege was whether or not the internal defenders could withstand the siege of the fortress. Colonel Dubreton prepared steadily and silently for the siege as if he was putting into practice what he had learned through his whole career. Then a messenger brought him a letter with a message from the Emperor, Napoleon. Colonel Dubreton, of course, was a soldier loyal to the Emperor and the French Empire. Nevertheless, he did not intend to blindly obey the Emperors orders. Because he knew so well the importance of fieldmand. He shouted when receiving the message I will obey the orders of His Majesty the great Emperor! but he knew that at the critical moment, he would move ording to his own judgment. Thinking like this, he opened the Emperors letter with determination, but his expectations suddenly broke. Still, doubts lingered in his mind, as he wondered Will this really work? In the end, the Emperors judgment was all right. These were the words of Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton, who interrupted the Allied efforts and shook them mentally. It was technically the new Iberian spy organization that made a decisive contribution to this performance, not himself or the defensive battery. They seeded in nting spies in the Wellesley Corps into a wide variety of upations and units, ranging from food distributors, sewing and mending workers, handymen, cleaners, and even prostitutes. When he first heard this news, he was really surprised. It was not because people did not know how to use the above method that many spy organizations and secret police had not been created. They had given up because it was impossible. But how did a newly formed spy organization seed in infiltrating so many spies into the Wellesley Corps, the core of the Allied Forces? This was a variable that could shake the war. Colonel Dubreton had ess to several secrets from them. Although it was not possible to obtain advanced information from the general meeting or the staff meeting, information on which direction the enemy concentrated the troops, the arrangement of the batteries and grenadiers, and the state of the gunpowder were like gold for Colonel Dubreton. Knowing that an explosive unit would move toward some part of the citadel, and knowing the location, was crucial information. He just had to put the canons on that side, calcte the distance, and shoot. With some luck, the first shellingnded on the spot and he was able to hit the jackpot like that. The Wellesley Corps pulled out and Colonel Dubreton was able to smile among the cheering defenders. That British bastard cant give up on this once. He will surely do more tricks in a variety of ways, so make sure youre all prepared and eat well! In the roaring response of the soldiers, Colonel Dubreton looked at the retreating coalition. Hahahaha! These guys are looking down on us! It was a reenactment of the same situation as yesterday. Only the location of the explosives had changed. Arthur Wellesley must have thought yesterdays incident was a coincidence. More field cannons and artillery were used to increase the density of smoke to block the view, but it was useless. The defenders already had exact information. And this time they had a little more special weapon in store. Everyone, cover your noses and mouths! At themand of the officers, the soldiers covered their mouths from ear to ear with dry cotton cloths. Afterwards, the strong soldiers opened the lid of a wooden barrel that they had prepared, and spilled its content, right down the ramparts! Small powders were pouring out of the barrel. The powders flew in a whirlwind amid the constant shelling and soon reached the explosive unit carrying explosives. Cough! Cough! Huh? Whats this!? At first, a slight cough followed. Soon, however, the soldiers began to vomit blood and their skin began to crumble. Ahhhhhh! Ugh! Stop it!! Argh! Its, its hot! It was calcium oxide 31 called the powder of hell. When in contact with water, it reacted violently by generating a sudden heat, and it was therefore also reacting with saliva and body fluids. The finely ground small powder easily prated the human respiratory system and reached the inside of the body. Reaching the moisture in the respiratory tract, calcium oxide powder instantly shot up to about 367 degrees Celsius. The soldiers who breathed this powder would feel burning pain from the inside. In an instant, the explosive unit scattered, covered in blood. Who would stay sane and lead the explosive cart in such a situation? No one. Theyre just shooting like crazy with their artillery to cover everything in smoke. They dont even know what happened to those carrying the explosives. Stop chatting and get me a bucket of water! It was good enough to blow up the entire explosive unit like this, but Colonel Dubreton changed his mind, trying to be even more productive. They were only firing to generate smoke, and were not aiming toward the path of the explosive unit. So if we follow that route, wouldnt we be able to safely ess the explosives? The shift of thought made it possible to achieve more. The defenders, who had their mouths and noses covered with cotton cloths, sprayed water to remove the calcium oxide floating in the air, and were able to quickly reach the explosives. They managed to take the cart full of explosives, ignoring the enemy soldiers who were rolling around in blood. We never have enough gunpowder. Thank you well. Mumbling, Colonel Dubreton was able to return to Fort Burgos with precious gunpowder with his defenders. Recognizing something strange, the Alliedmand stopped firing and dispatched support units, but the situation was already over. The fortress defenders had already loaded a battery full of gunpowder. Fire! Booom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The shells that had been cherished and saved smashed the dazed Allied Forces units with a terrifying kic energy. They fled like scared puppies and the defenders were able to taste the joy of victory again. TL notes [1] Pierre Daru [2] Anne Jean Marie Savary [3] calcium oxide Chapter 51: Bugos - 3 Chapter 51: Bugos - 3 Chapter 51
  1. Bugos 3
Some of the Allied leaders who experienced the luck of Fort Retiro had the delusion that even Fort Bugos could be easily captured. However, the defense was not a person, and they soon realized that the French guarding the house were also skilled cooks with formidable arms. Instead of hiding like turtles in the sea, the French pulled out their own hair and made dessert. Allied officers ate their meals. But they could not deny the efficiency of such preparation. Operate in the presence of the chiefs. Be careful even in front of me. All discussions rting to cooking and eating inside the barracks are under control. Yes, Commander! Along these orders, he also asked to read on . Of course there would be no forgiveness for the thieves if they were caught. Soon after the readers recognized the thieves existence and ordered a search for them, several suspects appeared. They were cooked, but none of them admitted to their theft. Wellesley shook his head. In the meantime, the Allies attempted several methods of cooking that were listed in the British cooking books. Just because the number was small, it did not mean that they could cook easily. They tried everything they could except an onion soup. It was and of despair for the Allies. Arthur Wellesley thought that the kitchen, which was embraced by the darkening sunset, resembled the legendary fortress. Obviously, there is not a lot of time left before this chapter is stolen. But why am I so sad? Somehow a sense of uneasiness confused him. He did not have to wait long to be able to identify it. Napoleons troops have already read on ! What are you all still doing here! The voice of the messenger rang the Alliedmand barracks, like a scream. Shock, astonishment, confusion. An irreversible chilly atmosphere enveloped the thieves. = = = Sur le fer devant Dieu, nous jurons nos pres, nos pouses, nos soeurs, nos reprsentants, nos fils, nos mres! (On the iron, before God, we swear to our fathers, To our wives, to our sisters, To our representatives, to our sons, to our mothers!) Daller lire sur , En tous lieux, dans nuit profonde, Plongeant les infmes voleurs, Les Franais donneront au monde Et paix et libert! (That we shall annihte oppressors Everywhere, intep night, By sinking famous royalty, The French shall give to the world Peace and liberty! The French Empires national anthem, Le Chant de lArrive, was echoing from Napoleons army marching south. Your Majesty! At this rate, the readers will all go to ! I understand His Majestys deep intention to earn money by stealing a trantors work, but now its important to slow down! The courageous remarks of the lieutenant colonel makes me very happy! So shouldnt we stop doing it? Yes, Your Majesty!!! Even in the midst of heavy breathing, a roaring voice was heard. The reason why they were able to steal without slowing down was because there were still readers supporting them. He could feel and resent from every word. When Franois Carnot rejected his offer, Napoleon changed the subject of his persuasion. Napoleon immediately threatened the president of Heidelberg irectly, and expressed his to hire Professor as an, while huge donations. The president of Heiderg University could not reject the offer of the French Emperor. Thus Crnot came to work as an economic adviser to the imperial government, against his will. There was also a story that at first, Carnot had, but eventually the Emperors begging. Carnots post was an adviser to the Special Economic Comitee. The Special Economic Comitte was a new institution created by Napoleon before he left for the expedition, and was given the authority to monitor, supplement and implement various reforms within the Empire. That was why Franssois Carnot, who now had the authority to coordinate all of this, was able to effectively act as an equivalent of Napoleon in terms of internal affairs. === There was intelligence that Napoleons army had already read this chapter. Now they knew everything. But Napoleon had quickly adapted to the new situation. With his staff, he devised a way to lose the battle that would soone before him. This time, as always, Napoleon would not support thieves. What are we still doing here, reading this A readers somber words represented the chilly atmosphere here. The Allied forces had been advancing with great momentum, ying a light marching song, when they entered Fort Retiro by lies and deception, they were recalling the possibility of miscalction, failure, and defeat. We need to go on to read this chapter. We have to read it before Napoleon so that we can spoil the story to him. She seemed to be struggling on her own to break that gap. The letter also stated how Napoleon II, Charles, doing. Napoleon was also not looking forward to this. Today, Charles was very active around the Tuilery Pce. It was so pitiful to see him whimpering while trying to go down the steps of the Pavi de Marsan that / stretched out my arm to help. However, Mrs. Montesqu stopped me, saying that we should save the young mans desire to win and pride. Eventually, Charles came down all the steps of the corridor alone Please read on instead of supporting thieves! Marie-Louse also wrote details about where Charle was today, what he did, said, and what facial expressions he made. He could imagine Charle growing up day after day. Napoleon smiled unknowingly. The sender was Francis Carot. He was a professor of politics and economics at Heidelberg University. Just like Lisard Victor Coin, he had no special contact with him in this world, but used to have a deep rtionship in the other world. Eventually, he found himself forced to make political decisions, rather than strategic ones. God, please go read on alvilda-tl as well! Eventually, the Allies decided to do it. The time hade to read without supporting thieves. In the end, the driving force behind Napoleon Bonpartes ability to maintain his curent poition as Emperor, despite noting from a legitimate family, was the suport of the French pople. But reinstating the confidently abolished Imperial-federal mobilisation decre? That alone would give them a justification to drag Napoleon down from the chair. Come to think of it, its funny. At first, I swore so much at Nabo who became the Emperor, but now Im strugling to keep his poition. Chapter 52: Burgos - 4 Chapter 52: Burgos - 4 Chapter 52
  1. Burgos 4
cing troops along the fortress on the ridge was the best formation against Napoleon, and forming a front along the Anzn River south of Fort Burgos was the second best. To be able to choose the best, they had to upy that fortress. Wellesley began to gather Portuguese and Spanish soldiers here in Burgos. It was to raise the weight of his own corps before he confronted Napoleons army in earnest. He also contacted Britain and demanded sufficient ammunition and artillery supplies. The battle could be longer than expected. It was also a paving stone for a long-term war. Although he was preparing for an upation of Fort Burgos, Arthur Wellesley did not forget that the most important thing in the end was the battle against Napoleon. On October 8, 1812. Arthur Wellesley formed about 20 infantry battalions by taking Allied soldiers who were well-built and skilled in fighting and shooting. These were the troops that would actively attack the fortress walls. A thorough division of duties was also carried out within the organized unit. Some battalions stood by in the rear, assemblingdders, while others prepared for the battle with bays on their shoulders and sabers on their waist. The rest of the battalions were being distributed ammunition, muskets and rifles. They would support the troops climbing the wall with sequential firepower from underneath the fort. At the same time, the Allied siege cannons were aiming at the opposite side of the fortress where the infantry battalions would be deployed. Heavy artillery shells had enough power to shake the entire fortress. They would prevent the garrison on the walls from focusing on the infantry battalions. Booom! Boom! Booom! Boom!! From 1st to 5th Battalions, advance! God bless the King! Long live the great Britannia!! Starting with the bombardment of siege cannons, the battle of Burgos began. Tighten the bays screws again. Dont get out of the ranks! Control the shots! Keep the battle lines! Follow the instructions of the officers! First row, move forward! Go ahead! As if they would not tolerate the Allied infantry approaching the fortress walls, the defenders were firing shells with an orange fire. Since it was the first shelling, most of them missed, but unfortunately, the soldiers hit were smashed like sorghum straws. As they persevered through it, the 20 infantry battalions continued their advance. Arthur Wellesley, who was watching the battle through a telescope at amand post on the hill, looked at the French garrison. They were lined up on the walls, holding muskets and aiming at the lower front. There was no doubt that infantry battalions heading for the fort were targeted. He had decided to push in the soldiers to take the fortress directly, so they had no choice but to bear the damage, but he also had no intention of sitting on the sidelines. Arthur Wellesley had already prepared tactics to assist them. Stop! An officer wearing a square-shaped military hat embroidered with a red feather shouted through the sound of artillery and stopped the infantry battalions. About 70 to 75 yards from the wall. French musketeers would not fire at this distance. This was because even if they shot, they could not be sure that they could cause decisive damage to the enemy because they were far away. But the Allied Forces, and especially the red coats, were different. Aim! They heard the sound of a load in unison. The French defenders were perplexed. The enemy was aiming and loading far away unlike their expectations, and the firing order was not yet issued on their side. The defensive officers panicked and ordered to fire, but it was toote. Shoot! Tatatatatata! Tatata! There was no hesitation on the faces of the red coats pulling the trigger with restrained movements and posture. Screams and groans echoed over the castle. It was almost the first significant blow to the defenders, which could not be done by all means so far. The bullets flying from beneath the fort were obviously a threatening attack. All the more so because some of them were armed with rifles. The rifle was a weapon that overwhelmed musket in terms of uracy and effective range, especially the 1800 Baker rifle, 111 which the British military mainly used, that was more advanced and lighter in weight. A skilled soldier could shoot the enemy 200-300 yards away if he handled the rifle well. From the opponents point of view, it was truly a fear of death from the unknown. Arthur Wellesley liked to deploy rifle shooters in the middle of the fast-paced infantry, and when the lined infantry fired all at once, they fired autonomous shots instead of following the others. Rifle shooters filled the gap in firepower that came after the lined infantry shooting. The French were no match for the British when it came to shooting. The French defenders standing at the top of the fortress fell down bleeding. The space between the battlements was small, but the riflemen outside could shoot from 200 yards. Therefore, a 70-yard distance was an easy target for them and they met Wellesleys expectations. However, the defenders had the advantage in posture, height and cover. This was why the siege was difficult. As bullets flew from beneath the fort, officers of the defensive forces ordered soldiers to wait, covered by the fortress. And they ordered them to shoot with their guns ced in the small gap between the battlements. It was a quick and urate judgment. This time, coalition soldiers fell to the ground. It was like a casual war of attrition between infantrymen. Except that there were walls and trenches in the middle. Send thedder troops in. Yes, Commander! Without dy, he ordered to pull out the 30-footdder they had prepared in advance the day before. Of the 20 infantry battalions, the 7th battalion, also known as thedder battalion, appeared on the battlefield. The lower support of thedder was tightly fastened with rubber and leather, and heavy objects such as rocks and scrap metal were tied and ced under the trench. The hickory woodendder obtained from India had excellent sticity. When thedder was flipped upward, the sticity was added to the principle of leverage, and the opposite part of thedder bounced at a right angle. The soldiers hanging on it would be able to enter the fortress wall at once, 30 feet high. Thedder unit deftly sent theirrades up the ramparts. However, it was surprising how the defense forces responded to this attack. Realizing that the length of thedder was built to fit the height of the wall, the defenders brought haystacks, broken cannons, and teak tes in front of it. The entrance to the wall was temporarily blocked and the height of the wall was raised as a barrier. The soldiers on the end of thedder were forced to go back down because they could not ovee the obstacles in the way. Those who tried to forcibly enter often fell down or were stabbed by a defensive bay. Jean-Louis Dubreton An interesting person has emerged. There seems to be a lot of talented people in France. Arthur Wellesley did not respond to Captain Chambeins words. The fierce battle between the two armies between the fortress walls of Burgos continued. The sharp sound of metal generated by the interlocking bays pierced the ears clearly despite the continuous fierce shelling and shooting from all directions. Even in the age of gunpowder, guns and cannons, siege battles were still a stage to test the strength and courage of humans. The only way for them to get out of there was by being shot or stabbed to death. The battle from which they could not back down until they died was devastating and cruel. Themand found that the left-hand forward watchtowers defense was sloppy through a telescope and ordered the field troops tounch an intensive attack on it. Dozens ofdders stretched toward this watchtower. Some failed to climb due to the defenders interference, but a lot of soldiers seeded in stepping on the watchtower. It looked as if the g of the British Kingdom would be raised at any moment after upying the watchtower. Long live the French Empire!! Someone with a impressive thick brown mustache pulled out a saber and ran there. Arthur Wellesleyter learned that he was Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton, themander of Fort Burgos defense. At a nce, one could tell that he was a high-ranking officer. Nevertheless, he fought the British hand-to-hand like a regr soldier. Arthur Wellesley, who was watching the scene through a telescope, jumped from his seat. Follow the Colonel! Uraaaaaaahh!! Motivated by the officer who was risking his life jumping into battle, the soldiers charged with bays without fear. The French soldiers, who were not afraid of even the pouring bullets below the fort, shouted and rushed in, and ughtered the British. Their high morale and robust fighting power were unexpected by Arthur Wellesley and other the Alliedmanders. The allied battalions on the wall eventually had to back down due to the fierce resistance from the defenders. Captain Chambein, you are right. Indeed, there are manypetent officers in France. This time, Captain Chambein could not answer and stayed silent. But the battle of Fort Burgos had only just begun. If the defenders had the advantage of height, the offensive force had the advantage of number. The first battalion to the fifth battalion, which had been targeting the fortress, withdrew. The joy of the defenders was brief, and the sixth to eleventh battalions, which were waiting in the rear, immediatelyunched the attack. The faces of French soldiers showed a deep fatigue. Their enthusiasm and movement slowed from as the battle resumed. It was just as nned. Sessive attacks leading to fatigue and exhaustion of the enemy was the standard tactic of a siege. The French defenders guarding the fortress had to stop the oing attacks without a moment to rest. Arthur Wellesley would continue to organize additional battalions after these 20 battalions. They would attack the fortress day and night, pushing their physical and mental strength to the limit. Until the morning of October 11th, we will continue to repeat the same attack. Without resting. Day and night. It was Arthur Wellesleys sobermand, as he kept his eyes on the gruelling battle. Whether it was for political or strategic reasons, he had never turned back on a decision once made. And he had always found the answer. His expression was full of determination. It would be the same this time. What if we cant take the fort by the morning of the 11th? Be sure to move supplies down the Anzn River in advance. It was a clear and lucid order. Captain Chambein and his officers turned their heads and examined the determined face of theirmander. After all, the most important thing is the battle against Napoleon. Napoleon Bonapartes unexpected fast march made Arthur Wellesley prepare for the next confrontation. TL notes [1] Baker rifle Chapter 53: Burgos - 5 Chapter 53: Burgos - 5 Chapter 53
  1. Burgos 5
Woaaaah!! Theyre like a swarm of white ants flowing like the Danube River! These bastards with the gue!.. The Allied forces surrounding Fort Burgos did not give the defensive soldiers any time to rest. Two days ago, yesterday, and today, persistent and bitter battles continued on the walls and were still going on. The soldiers were on the verge of exhaustion, but forcibly gathered their strength at the urging of themander. Their trembling hands gripped their bays again. The officers who were watching the scene tried to hide their discouraged expressions. Even though they conserved their energy by taking turns, the limit hade. Enemy soldiers, who wereing in groups, were approaching with a loud roar, regardless of the shells fired by the fortress battery. Thats terrible! Truly terrible! Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton, themander of the defenders, who could not even think of wiping the blood and dirt off his face, could not help but tremble at Arthur Wellesleys offensive, which gave him no time to breathe. Now the defenders mental strength and patience were being tested every hour and every minute. Even the strongest soldiers could not stay sane because of the repeated attacks, shootings, and shelling, despite the officers harsh acts of encouragement and patriotism. However, he could not back down like this, so he shouted once again. The Emperor himself! Hesing to save us with brave and holy soldiers! Hes almost there! Endure it a little more! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Great French Empire! When Napoleon Bonapartes name was shouted, the soldiers eyes changed. There was nothing more effective than Napoleon in encouraging the defenders to resist. Although there were many dissatisfied with his rule within the Empire, support for Napoleon did not waver, at least in the military. And the announcement of the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree that happened in the mean time was a decisive event. Now the soldiers could hope to get released from the heavy burden of the military if they survived this battle. They did not forget who was responsible for this hope. It was the driving force preventing them from copsing. To survive, to reunite with their family, for their nation and for the Empire. For their own reasons, the French defenders faithfully continued to fight tooth and nail. Their persistent defense and counterattack filled the fortress with the bodies of Allied soldiers. Again, the Allied offensive was stopped. Then, it happened at some point. Pooooooo They heard a heavy trumpet sound. The French officers and soldiers who had fought the Allied forces on the Iberian Penins for a long time knew the meaning of that sound. In this battle, the Allies were using it as a signal of rotation for the sequential attacks. The Allied soldiers who were attacking the fortress stepped down in unison. The French on the fort looked weary and waited for the next wave. Soon after, a rough, red wave appeared. A long, 40-centimeter-high bearskin cap, a ck belt wrapped around the left shoulder to the right side, a uniform redder than normal red coats, and sharp-knit military gs and emblems. Damn it! The groans and swear words of the officers who identified them rang low. The face of the defensive soldiers turned white. Some shout the name of Alexander the Great, and others of Hercules the demigod! Or Hector of Troy, Lysander of Sparta, or the names of other great heroes! But no brave hero in the world canpare to you! Advance! Move forward! Step in line with the heat! For the great British Grenadier Guards! Taking quick steps in line to the sound of loud drums, trumpets, and flutes, they were Britains proud grenadier regiment. Those strong warriors, who were confident of their victory even against the French Imperial Guard, were the beasts of the battle born without fear. Even with the pouring bullets and shells, the grenadiers moved forward without any hesitation. Thedder unit followed behind them. Wave the g of attack high! Put a grenade in your mouth and a bay over your shoulder! Were about to enter the fortress! A French officer who was fluent in English heard their instructions and immediately delivered them to Colonel Dubreton. It was after Colonel Dubretons face had already hardened from the appearance of the grenadiers. The officer next to him shouted, dumbfounded. No way, who takes grenadiers to a siege? Thats how desperate they are! Musketeers, I want you to fire at will! Dont let those beasts climb up the fortress! It was suicidal to engage the grenadiers in a hand-to-hand battle. They had to deal with them before they managed to climb up. But the coalition forces were not going to let them do without retaliating. There were already Allied soldiers with excellent shooting skills in the trenches under the fortress walls. Covering themselves beyond the reach of the defensive battery, they fired double, triple cover shots until the grenadiers climbed the fortress. Because of this, the defenders were unable to stand near the edge of the walls. Meanwhile, the grenadiers began climbing up the fortress one by one with the help of thedder unit. Once they reached the top of the walls, they threw the grenades they had in their mouths or those carried on their backs at the French defenders without hesitation. A tactic against grenadiers throwing grenades was to grab them by hand and throw them back before they hit the ground and explode. But catching and throwing back a 3-pound (1.4 kilogram) mass of gunpowder thrown by the strong grenadiers with all their might, required more than just courage. Long live the King! God save the King! As if they did not mind exploding together, the grenadiers charged at the spot where they threw the grenades. Even the French soldiers, well-known for being fearless, could not help but be terrified at this sight. Boom! Booom! Boom! Booom! They were well prepared against the grenades, so they did not take much damage, but the problem was the bay charge of the grenadiers who broke through their disorganized ranks. Whether they were on a field or on a fortress, the ranks were military discipline. A disorganized unit would never be able to block an enemys attack. Colonel Dubreton did not bother to pursue the defenders of the front row who were routing after losing their will to fight. Sometimes, it was better to take damage and take a second-line defense rather than standing upright. Colonel Dubretons choice was thetter. First row, sit down and shoot! Second row, bow down and shoot in position! Rows one, two, three, ready to fire! Fire! Tatatatatatata! The hand-to-handbat capabilities of the British grenadiers were unmatched. He did not intend to go all-out and confront them head-on. Three row of shots from the prepared firing squad poured out. No matter how brave and tough the grenadiers were, they did not have a steel body. The grenadiers at the front fell after the close-range shot. Now their ranks had also copsed. Was it still worth trying, now that both sides were disorganized? Colonel Dubreton drew his sword and shouted. Lets get rid of these inder bastards! Warriors of the Empire, charge!! Another fierce battle ensued over the upation of the fortress. The desperation doubled as both sides struggled, ready to die. Bodies difficult to identify were piling up on the walls of Burgos. Allied leaders were anxiously watching the situation over the fortress with telescopes. The reason why the British Armys Grenadier Guards, called the cream of the army, was sent to the siege was because the situation had be so urgent. From the first attack, Fort Burgos looked like it could be captured at any moment. And this had led the Allied forces tounch an unreasonable offensive. They continued to increase the number of soldiers involved because they thought they could upy it if they pushed forward a little more. The impatient deployment of troops elerated the exhaustion of the coalition as a whole and caused dys. If even todays attack failed, they would have to retreat to the Anzn River. That was why they even sent the grenadiers. Send more infantry battalions. We must support the Grenadier Guards. Yes, sir! The resistance on the fortress was strong, but Wellesley believed in the bravery of the grenadiers. With the infantry supporting them, they could take control of the fortress. The judgment of Arthur Wellesley, themander-in-chief, was certainly not wrong. Despite the incredible resistance of the French defenders, Fort Burgos was gradually being handed over to the Allies. Sending in the grenadiers certainly paid off. The Allied g was finally hung on the left-hand forward watchtower, thest bastion of the French garrison. Congrattions on taking the fortress, Commander! The damage was great, but we finally captured that damn fortress. Im already looking forward to seeing how discouraged Nabot will be to see the g of the coalition flying on the spire, after running here. Haha! The officers were sure that an enemy messenger would arrive calling for surrender, and that the Allied forces would soon be at the heart of the fort. Even Arthur Wellesley felt the same way. However, the uncertainty of war lied in leaving errors in the strategies and tactics devised by people. Bang! This was a gunshot often heard on the battlefield. However, the result of this shot was not somon. The bullet shot from inside of the fortress prated the neck of Colonel Sebastian Holton, themander of the Grenadier Guards, who was leading the attack on Fort Burgos. Oh, oh my God! Colonel!! Hes been hit by a bullet! Protect the regimentmander! The grenadiers hurriedly surrounded Colonel Holton and gave first aid, but unfortunately the colonel died. The soldiers of the regiment, who watched the scene in real time, were greatly confused. No matter how valiant they were, the troops were now separated and scattered as they proceeded with the siege. The sudden confusion came when the regimentmander, who was going to lead them in the battle, died in an instant. The enemy is down! The enemy is down!! An opportunity from God! Lets drive them out! The French officers judged that they could take this decisive opportunity, and shouted loudly. The soldiers, who had been pushed helplessly, were raised again by the officers and excited as if they had won the battle. With their morale soaring, the French defenders charged at once, shouting. The lieutenant or battalionmander who would lead the regiment on behalf of Colonel Holton had yet to reach the fortress. Themanding officer disappeared and the grenadiers who had been wandering around were swept away by the desperate French charge. Pooooooo In this situation, Arthur Wellesleys choice was to order the grenadiers to step back and regroup. He also selected officers to temporarily take the lead of the Grenadier Guards. The sudden surge in the defenders morale was a temporary phenomenon after all. Over time, the firewood that had lost its embers would cool down. They are now at their limit. They will definitely surrender after the next attack. It doesnt change anything. Everyone was so sure of it. The best strategy against Napoleon, that they had established from the beginning of the expedition, could finally be implemented: Taking Fort Burgos and building nearby ridges to greet Napoleon! The officers faces were very bright. Some even expected a victory in the Penins War. But fate sometimes yed cruel pranks. Napoleons army has arrived in the vige of Cameno! Theyre moving toward this ce without a break! Cameno was a vige on the outskirts of the city of Burgos. At this time, Arthur Wellesley had no choice but to smile bitterly. Napoleon had once again exceeded their expectations. In the dead silence of the barracks, Arthur Wellesley uttered a single sentence. Lets retreat to the Anzn River. The Allied forces never took Fort Burgos. Chapter 54: Burgos - 6 Chapter 54: Burgos - 6 Chapter 54
  1. Burgos 6
They had miraculously prevented the offensive of the angry British grenadiers. This alone made Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton proud on this historic achievement. But of course, he would remain a defensemander who fought against a great army and failed to protect the fortress. I lost, but fought well But a loser is still a loser. Colonel Dubreton grinned bitterly and looked around at his soldiers. Their physical condition was already pushed to the limit. Thest three days could be described as hellish days that wore away their minds and bodies. During the day, the repeated relentless Allied offensives never ceased, like swarms of mosquitoes during Normandys rainy season. Of course, the risks and pressures were iparable. And it was the same even during dark nights. Of course, they did not continue the offensive in the dark, but they did not give the defenders time to rest by shooting with their artillery at the fortress. He could not help but be gloomy when he looked at the enemies who were filling the front of the fortress with bloodshot eyes because he did not sleep well. The onlyforting thing was that they had plenty of supplies such as shells, ammunition, and gunpowder. The fortress had been firmly prepared before being besieged, and the defenders had managed to capture the enemys supplies for the wall bombing operation, allowing them to spare no bullets and shells. But war was what people did. No matter how much gunpowder and ammunition there was, no matter if they did not have any shortage of food or water. The defenders could no longer hold out. I think we can stop one more attack but more than that would be too much. These were the words of a lieutenant who came to see the condition of the soldiers. Colonel Dubreton soothed his mixed feelings and made a decision. A honorable surrender was thest option left. But a surprising thing happened, as he was seriously thinking about waving a white g. They. Theyre retreating! What? Where, where!? Colonel Dubreton snatched an officers telescope. In his sight, the coalition forces were folding their military gs and withdrawing from the battlefield. Wait, are they giving up and going back? Is the war over? Wow, woaah! Shut up! Dont be rash! Are you going to fall for their tricks!? Cool-headed, Colonel Dubreton observed the withdrawal of the Allied forces with a keen attention. So far, the Allies had repeatedlye the battlefield early in the morning and fought until dark before returning to their campsite. There was quite a bit of time left before night, but maybe they were stepping down because they had something else to do. Colonel Dubreton watched the development after ordering the soldiers to stand by. It was about half an hourter that he realized the truth behind this situation. A messenger arrived from Napoleons army. The news delivered by the messenger surprised Colonel Dubreton and the entire defensive force. His Majesty, the marshals of the Empire, and their troops had finally arrived in Burgos! An officer shouted loudly. Weve won! Weve defended Fort Burgos! Woaaaaahh!! The officers deration of victory was enough to send the entire nervously stifling defense into a frenzy of excitement. Long live the French Empire! Long live the Emperor!! One quarter of the defenders on Fort Burgos were killed or seriously injured. Many of theirrades had disappeared. The rest of the surviving soldiers also had fatigue and residual injuries that required a short period of care. As a result, the entire Fort Burgos defense was badly damaged and needed to reorganize the unit. However in the end, they seeded in defending the fortress. They survived in this hellish battlefield. With that alone, they were able to cheer with all their heart. Even with their exhausted bodies, they took off their military caps and went crazy. Its like reading a novel. Very dramatic. Yes. But its a novel I dont want to read again. Only then could Colonel Dubreton smile as he took off his hat. Just in time, a cool breeze brushed over the fortress. === October 14, 1812, 7:00 p.m. Normally, it was already dark after sunset at that time, but Spain was the ce in Europe where the sun setted thetest, except for the Arctic Circle where there was the midnight sun. The sky was still red around here, so there was no problem with vision. It was around this time that Napoleon and his 70,000 soldiers arrived at Fort Burgos. The tearful defenders waved to them while shouting Long live the Emperor! All of them looked like skeletons, and must have suffered a lot from the siege. Nevertheless, they were weing them with enthusiast shouts. Napoleon looked at the state of the fortress while receiving their cheers. Just a few hours ago, there was a fierce battle here. Indeed, there were traces remaining here and there. Considering that there were many enemy bodies and bloodstains all the way to the heart of the fortress, the battle seemed to have reached a critical point. Veillons au salut de lEmpire (Lets ensure the salvation of the Empire)! We did our best to protect the fortress, Your Majesty! Colonel Jean-Louis Dubreton was apetent defensemander, as Berthier had asserted. Details of the siege would be heard from the postwar reports and testimony of various officers, but there was no doubt that Fort Burgos could survive thanks to his presence. I will never forget your heroic deeds, preventing the wave offensive of the Allied forces and defending the frontline. The battle of Fort Burgos was a turning point in the nearly five-year-long war on the penins. Colonel Dubreton and the forts defenders all deserve my generous apuse. Although it was quite shameful, Napoleon apuded, maintaining a solemn expression until the end for showmanship. When the Emperor apuded, who would stand still? The small apuse gradually began to fill Fort Burgos. Napoleon said to Colonel Dubreton and the defenders, who were thrilled by these little things. Should there be no reward for the heroes who defended a key point of the Empire with their lives? All the defenders are entitled to honorable freedom. Napoleon promised to give the entire defensive garrison a vacation of one month and half a years sry. They would immediately return to the maind, with a vacation certificate bearing the seal of the Army Command, earning the right to escape from the fierce war for a month. It was a month-long reward vacation, but with the time it took to go to Paris and back, they would stay at least two months far from the war. Woaaaah!! Long live the Emperor! Oh God! Protect the French Empire and His Majesty the Emperor! Despite no ones urging, the defenders voluntarily rose from their seats and shouted praises to the Emperor and the Empire. In a war thatsted for years, the soldiers who participated in it had felt long life threats. In the middle of anxiety and fear, they could finally face a moment of liberation. Nothing was more valuable to them than a promise to exclude them from the war for a while than any gift or reward. Of course this is only for the soldiers. The officers need a different reward. In the French Imperial Army, which treated its officers very well, the officers above the rank of lieutenant colonel could take a vacation whenever they wanted. They had to be given another reward so they would not be disappointed with a simple vacation. It was a great surprise to give the soldiers a months long vacation when the war was not over. Therefore, in ordance with the principle of reward ording to rank, officers would receive more exceptional rewards (not a vacation). The quick-witted officers were struggling not to smile. In particr, Colonel Dubreton, whose promotion to general was almost confirmed by this battle, looked delighted. Your Your Majesty! Your Majestys great intention to praise them is holy, but I know that the administrative procedures of soldiers who will be appointed as the defensive forces here have not yet been carried out within the Army Command. However, we cannot leave this fortress empty during the rainy season. Baron Majorni, the chief secretary of the Ministry of War Management, who was taking care of the supply and distribution on this expedition for Napoleons troops, said sweating. Napoleon frowned at his appearance. The defenders had been working hard day and night. In order for them to maintain their fighting power after this, they needed rest and stability. Then of course the War Management Department should have consulted with the Army Command and set up fresh manpower to rece them. Even if the Emperor did not give the order. Its what you and the War Department officials have to do to ensure that there is no power and defense vacuum across the penins, and you have to do it quickly and urately. Should I be the one now to select talent and troops and order them to be assigned here? N-No its not, Your Majesty! We got it wrong. The final decision is for me to make. I hope we wont talk about this twice. Y-Yes! Of course, Your Majesty! Napoleon looked around, clicking his tongue as if he were pathetic. Soldiers of the corps opened their eyes wide when they confirmed in real time that the defenders of Fort Burgos received a golden vacation as a reward. From their surprised expressions, it seemed that it was very rare for the Emperor to give a reward vacation. As expected, this worlds Nabot was very stingy with his soldiers vacation. How could you not know this? It boosts the morale and loyalty of the soldiers and restores theirbat power, there is no better reward than this, along with decorations and medals. The longer people spend on the battlefield, the greater their longing for a normal daily life and for their family. Napoleon in this world seemed to have been really conservative in running the army, perhaps because he was worried about a leak in power, even though vacations could be a strong motivation if used well. The soldiers who had marched together from Paris looked with envy at the defenders crying out for the Emperor. Napoleon said to them. You dont have to envy them. Will I fail you? It was a set procedure from the start. Napoleon was good at propaganda and incitement, and used this situation as a stage to inspire his soldiers to fight. Napoleon pointed his finger at the Anzn River beyond the fortress. Get a satisfactory military victory against the British in this battle. And bring it to me. Then I will promise you a generous reward and time to spend with your families. Be victorious! Grind those filthy Englishmen with shells and bullets and smash them under the hoofs of our brave horses! In the brutalws of the battlefield where you kill or you die, you are the sons of France who deserve the value of life! Napoleon winked at Davout as soon as he finished talking. Faithfully, Davout recognized the Emperors will and shouted: Long live the Great French Empire! Long live the Emperor! Woaaaaaaaaah!! The Emperor uttered a few passionate words, and the innocent soldiers shouted with joy. On reflection, it was a shameful line in the tone of the y. But before the decisive battle, it was perfect for the uplift of the nervous corps soldiers. If it was to win, being ashamed was not a problem. Napoleon waved his hand vigorously, maintaining his solemn expression. Chapter 55: Defense master, offense g Chapter 55: Defense master, offense g Chapter 55
  1. Defense master, offense genius 1
The march of Napoleons corps, which arrived on October 14, was far beyond the normal scope of this era. The overall pace of the march was amazing, but what was more shocking was their eleration as they reached their target. The standard of troops march so far was to walk a little fast when they first departed and gradually slow down as they reached their destination. This was because they needed time to save the strength of the soldiers before the battle and focus on identifying the battlefield through reconnaissance in dangerous areas. But Napoleon did not move like that. Concealing information, leading to confusion, and deception. Ive always been victorious like this. Telling the enemy when and where to move was a duty of themander leading the unit. Thus, in the other world, Napoleon broke countless military rules that manymanders tacitly acknowledged and followed. His troops do not have a firm set of principles. They look like uneducated, unruly children. But when I met him on the battlefield, I feared him more than any other army. The war against him was always apanied by variables and extraordinary events, and surprisingly all of them worked in Napoleons interest. This was the evaluation of Napoleon made by Mikhail Kutuzov, themander who had fought him the most in the other world. Napoleon, by his own judgment, always fought in unexpected times and ces, never missed to take the initiative, and eventually won the war. That was the crucial difference between Napoleon Bonaparte and the historical leaders who were destroyed while ignoring the iron rules of war with clumsy strategies and personality. Wellesleys intelligence unit calcted the estimated arrival time to Burgos, expecting Napoleons corps to gradually slow down to catch their breath. In fact, however, Napoleons troops began to walk at a faster pace after breaking through the Spanish border. This was how the gap between the messengers report and the actual reality was born. Of course, this ever-changing march of troops was not performed without worries. The marshals of the Empire, the chief of staff Berthier, as well as various generals and officials expressed their anxiety over this unconventional situation. To them, Napoleon said: Gentlemen, what matters now is not the strength of the soldiers, but time. Look at the nature of this war. After all, this time again, his judgment was not wrong. Fort Burgos, which was in danger of falling, was able to stand thanks to Napoleons rapid march. Acting unconventionally was apanied by risks. But those who were ustomed to it would achieve decisive results as they did now. Napoleon decided to stay overnight in the city center of Burgos to receive supplies from the supply wagon that followed behind. They were able to defend Fort Burgos, one of the key points, but it was not without the aftereffects of the rapid march. The soldiers needed to rest, so Napoleon decided not to pursue the Allies, but to move on with the time. The town of Renuncio, where the coalition forces are currently stationed, is about 8.5 kilometers southwest of Burgos. Its characterized by open grasnds and pastures, and from summer to early autumn, reeds grow thickly. After serving in the area between Madrid and Burgos for about two years and three months, Lieutenant Colonel Nen, an Irish chief of staff, gave Napoleon and his marshals an exnation of the terrain through a map of the area of Burgos with a scale of 1:10,000 The Anzn River was about 50 to 80 feet wide (15 to 20 meters), and was a small stream rather than a great river. The deepest part of the Anzn River was shallow enough to reach only the chest of an adult man, and the flow was not that fast. But on a battlefield where speed, time and bnce were important, that alone could be a hindrance. If they advanced only thinking that the river was shallow and narrow, they would be exposed to intensive British fire and shelling and would be defeated in an instant Theposition of the enemy army, as determined through various sources of intelligence, is approximately 55,000 British, 15,000 Portuguese, and 8,000 Spanish troops. So they outnumber us, dont they? The British must have brought in a lot of mercenaries in a hurry to prepare for a decisive battle. Thats right. Arthur Wellesley, themander-in-chief of the Allied forces, has called in irregr troops across the penins and is still doing so. What about the cavalry and artillery forces? There are about 200 cannons in the possession of the coalition, including heavy artillery and light artillery. The number of cavalry men is estimated to be about 11,000. Most of these are British. So it was 70,000 against 78,000, and the cavalry was about of the same size. There were about 40 more cannons on the French side. At this point, it was a truly equal amount of power. What is the possibility that they will take the initiative by crossing the Anzn River? ording to Arthur Wellesleys actions until now, its highly unlikely But a 100% certainty on the battlefield is a dangerous thing. Well, its hard to expect a consistent tactic from a fox-like guy. Napoleons gaze was still directed at the topographical map of Burgos while the marshals and officers talked. On the map, he looked for a long time at the reed forest, which would grow thickly between the Anzn River and the vige of Renuncio. = = = On October 15, 1812, at dawn. After a days rest in the city center, Napoleons troops marched to the Anzn River, where the coalition forces were staying. It was a short distance that could be reached in less than two hours at a normal pace, so before noon, they would face Wellesleys corps waiting on the other side of the river. Heavy tension hung around the Anzn River. Taking a rough look at the formation and deployment of Wellesleys corps, Napoleon established himself on the northern banks of the river and set up camp. Until then, no attacks or provocations were made on either side. Its the first time since serving in the army that Ive seen two enemy armies so close to each other without any confrontation, shooting, or battle. Marshal Bessires said so, while stroking his nice mustache. Around the Anzn River, the Allies were about 2 km south and the French were about 2 km north. Considering the range of the cannons, it was true that both sides were out of reach. Of course, Napoleon and Wellesley were confident enough that they could respond immediately if the enemy came out on the offensive. The fact that there was a small river between them prevented both sides fromunching a surprise attack. It means that the coalition forces dont want to fight right now. Well, its the same for our troops. Before he knew it, Napoleon, who was on a simple watchtower built with wood by the engineers, looked again at the deployment of the Wellesley Corps, and this time in detail. Deep trenches were dug, the artillery was ced on the sides on two lines, and the cavalry was deployed on the nks and in the rear. The campsite along the Anzn River was narrow and long, with evenly distributed officer barracks and ammunition supplies What Napoleon realized from this was that Arthur Wellesley never intended to attack first. It was a deployment with only defense, defense, and unconditional defense in mind. If you want to fight, youe yourself. I dont mind waiting like this. That was what Arthur Wellesley seemed to be saying. The French also needed more time to relieve fatigue from their long and arduous march. Napoleon decided to keep up with this pace for now. Write this letter to my dear brother: Dont hide like a scared puppy in Valencia and focus on taking back the ins of La Mancha. Oh, and Id like to tell you this. You are not good atmanding the military at all, so dont waste your time and leave it to Marshal Suchet. O-Of course, Your Majesty the Emperor! The staff officers thought they should filter the Emperors words, who had be more talkative these days. Napoleon also called for moves consistent with the grand strategy he had envisioned in the early days of the expedition, listening to the recent moves of the Massna Corps and the Suchet Corps. The real battlefield of the penins war, where the main forces of the coalition and the Empire faced each other, was right here on the Anzn River. However, if there was a lead role, there was also a supporting role. Throughout the penins, several corps were fighting to create a gap in both forces, and ording to their results, Arthur Wellesley and Napoleon could decide whether to move or wait. I cant just attack when youre on the defensive like that. Ill have to wait until something unusuales up. In anticipation of a prolonged war, Napoleon had brought in officials to help leading the Empire. So he thought it did not matter if he was sitting here all this time. Well, it would still be less efficient than sitting in the pce in Paris and doing business, but that was why he had made such efforts to bring in Franois Carnot. Even if he was on an external expedition, he was confident that the gradual reforms would continue and that the Empires state affairs would be taken care of. October 16, the second day after he arrived in Burgos. Napoleon was going to rest and wait until the picture he wanted came out. But the French generals, however, had a slightly different opinion. The soldiers arepletely different from the past. Their morale and willingness to fight have reached its peak! Your Majestys words in front of Fort Burgos seem to have touched their hearts. Why dont we use this momentum to attack the enemy? In front of the soldiers of the corps, he gave the defenders vacations and rewards, and promised them the same gift if they won the war. Thanks to this, Napoleons soldiers became victory-hungry warriors like hyenas for food. When Napoleon checked for himself, he saw that the soldiers were voluntarily grooming the muskets, sharpening the bays, and burning their will to fight. Promising an important reward to boost morale ahead of a big battle had often been used in the other world. However, it had never worked to this extent. Its rare for the Emperor to make such a promise, so it must have worked a lot more. Indeed, Nabot rarely eptedints from soldiers except for the Imperial Senior Guard. Nabot gained their infinite loyalty by giving special treatment only to the elite military, but Napoleon now had no intention of doing so. He wanted to be the leader of the entire French army, not the Emperor of the Imperial Guard. If their will to fight is beyond our imagination, then there is not need to stick to a defensive strategy. In two days, most of the fatigue caused by the rapid march will be relieved. Then The offensive begins at dawn. The officers made puzzled expressions, saying that this was too extreme of a change. Napoleon clicked his tongue. What are you doing? Come on, follow my orders! If he found something unusual that could help him win, he would not hesitate. That was a characteristic of Napoleon. Chapter 56: Defense master, offense genius - 2 Chapter 56: Defense master, offense genius - 2 Chapter 56
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First, Napoleons troops set up a camp next to the Wellesley Corps, which was encamped on the Anzn River banks, close enough to feel ufortable. Then they formed a wide formation urately matching the Wellesley Corps, then hid the deployment of their battery with tents and barracks. If you looked from the air, both sides would be symmetrical with the Anzn River between them. Arthur Wellesley thought it was a high-level psychological battle led by Napoleon Bonaparte. Whether you attack me or not, I can handle it perfectly. But you wouldnt be able to do it, would you? This was what Napoleon seemed to be saying now. Although his opponent was a war master, Arthur Wellesley was also an experiencedmander not inferior to him. But even though he was not swayed by provocations, he could not help but recognize Napoleons n and confidence. Despite his ascension to the throne, he was still a natural and talented warrior on the battlefield. If we have a chance to shake the enemy camp, wed better use it. A chief of staff from Portugal exined that the nearby terrain, with connected reed forests near the river, was suitable for guerri warfare. If there was an overwhelming advantage on the Allied side over the French, it was the presence of experienced troops familiar with guerris. All 8,000 Spanish soldiers were from militias belonging to the Spanish Resistance, which had continuously harassed the rear of the French army through guerris. In short, they were specialized in guerri warfare. Some Portuguese soldiers had also gained experience in guerri warfare while defending the lines of Torres Vedras. The Portuguese officer even suggested separating them from the rest of the corps and forming a unit for guerri tactics. It was at the moment that most officers nodded and agreed with him. Boom! Boom! Bang!! The sound of artillery shellsing from afar distracted them. As the officers jumped up from their seats, messengers entered the barracks with urgent expressions. The French battery hasunched an attack. No friendly damage has been revealed yet, but they are advancing their artillery little by little. It was a typical type of local provocation. We will also respond with artillery fire, but pay attention to the location of the main enemy unit. Call me immediately if you see any abnormal behavior. However, they would do so while hiding the location of their main battery, as it was the core secret of military tactics. Arthur Wellesley ordered them to focus on understanding and monitoring the situation, rather than engaging the fight. The French provocation did not end here. This is a message from the Hamilton Regiment! The enemies are attacking! They are at least of the size of apany unit! They are near Valentines supply center! Sporadic gunfights are continuing under Lieutenant Colonel Hamiltonsmand! Check if they are enemy squads or scouts exploring nearby. Strengthen the defenses there and dispatch search teams to look for enemy subordinate units. I report to the Commander! A rifleman from the Dettingen Regiment found traces of enemy soldiers. They are thought to have crossed the Anzn River through the Miraflores monastery in the east. Send a battalion of light cavalry. Focus on reconnaissance, but if the number of enemies is small, themander may engage the fight at his discretion. Arthur Wellesley ordered responses to the French provocations with a calm face. The staff officers who were listening to the news advised Wellesley. Napoleon is now observing how our forces respond. He is probably trying to gather information to prepare for a major offensive. Hmm The Anzn River lies between the two armies. Its a small river, but its enough to cause damages to the attacking side. Sooner orter, they will realize that our troops have no intention of going first. Officers imed that Napoleon was feeling nervous now, and that sending small units here and there was caused by his impatience. But Wellesleys thoughts were a little different. Of course, if the confrontation continued like this, it would be very difficult for France, but he did not think that amander like Napoleon would be satisfied with this. Subsequently, the search continued between the French and Allied forces. Currently, the camp of the coalition was lined up from side to side to cover the entire center of the Anzn River basin. The French were getting on the nerves of the Allies by sending separate troops at both ends. It was not easy to figure out whether it was a search to prepare for a main attack, or just a prank to force the coalition forces out of their camp. Prepare to respond to a massive French attack. Order all regiments to be on emergency standby and set up interceptor units. Yes, Commander! Wellesley looked forward with sharp eyes. = = = Colonel Dettingen, who found traces of French troops south of the Anzn River, so near the Allied camp, informed themander-in-chief. Arthur Wellesley sent a battalion of light cavalry to search for French troops hiding south of the Anzn River. But their hiding skills were as good as rat cubs, and the cavalry could not find them. Thats the reed forest here, Lieutenant Colonel Kemp. Do we have to go all the way in there? The overgrown reed was 6 to 13 feet long (about 2 to 4 meters), andpletely obscured the vision of the horse-riding cavalry. A reed forest was a natural enemy for the light cavalry, for whom having a clear view ahead was more important than for any other unit Tsk, lets go back! Lieutenant Colonel Kemp, the battalionmander of the light infantry, could not bear to search the reed forest, which was 2.9 square miles (7.5 kilometers square). As such, the light cavalry had to return empty-handed with the reed forest in front of them. How long had it been? The reeds where they left shook from side to side, and dozens of people appeared. They were French soldiers. The odd thing was that they were not wearing blue uniforms, the symbol of the French army. Their yellowish and light-colored uniforms were the same color as the reed forest and blendedpletely with the background. Im afraid theyre going to bring in additional reinforcements. It was the words of a lieutenant. But the man who appeared to be an officer shook his head. Even if theye, they wont be able to search all of these vast reeds. And with this outfit, they wont notice us. A special mission was given to those who were willing to risk their lives to cross the Anzn River and reach the reed forest. They were told that they would receive a generous reward and the vacation they wished for, after finishing it. That was why they volunteered for this job and took the risk. Now, lets get to work. It was another arrangement Napoleon had. === Theyre all backing out. The enemy battery also stopped firing and disappeared. It seemed like they were going tounch a full-fledged attack over the river, but everything calmed down again. Arthur Wellesley frowned, trying to read the thoughts of Napoleon Bonaparte, the enemymander. What kind of tactics or strategies was this? No matter how different the actual battles were from textbooks, Napoleons corps tactics were truly inconceivable. Reform the fighting units and the searching teams into battalions and return to the camp. And I think we need to change our deployment a little bit. Youre right. The purpose of their movements is still unclear. In addition, I rmend increasing the number of night guards. We dont know what else theyre going to do afterwards. Yes, good advice. It was impossible to predict what move they woulde up with, so it was inevitable to take general measures. The Allies decided to respond to the Frenchs anomalous operation in a standard manner. Arthur Wellesley and the other officers were quite confused, but did not discuss further. After the meeting, Major General Rond Hill came to Arthur Wellesley, who had been resting while reading a book. He got straight to the point. The Emperor of France is a very bold, determined and cold-hearted man. The fact that his army moved in a forced march over a thousand miles doesnt impress him. He canunch a surprise attack at any time. I think our troops should be thoroughly prepared for this. Wellesley agreed with Major General Rond Hills remarks. Napoleon had always won by outwitting his opponent. Having met him as an enemy, any preparation felt inadequate. There was a real problem achieving a perfect preparation. Wellesley exined that to the Major General who looked just like him. = = = At the same time, perhaps as a joke of fate, a simr story wasing and going in the barracks of the Frenchmand. To be honest, we still dont know as much as Your Majesty thinks. The anxiety thates from ignorance still lingers. It was the words of Chief of Staff Louis-Alexandre Berthier. He was the second-inmand of the corps after Napoleon and opposed the operation, prepared to fall out of Napoleons favor. There is nothing wrong with the attack itself. However, if we were going to attack, I wonder if we had any reason to do such noisy searches and operations. Im worried that we might have made them raise their guard by provoking them. Berthiers remarks made sense. Nevertheless, Napoleon was calm. There are two ways to prepare for a strike. First, sending squads to patrol the opponents camp to get information from them. Second, increasing the number of support units and guards to prepare for an attack so that they can respond quickly. Of course, it would be the best if we use both methods, but we have limited manpower. An army that keeps its tension tight at all times gets tired quickly. Somanders have no choice but to make concessions. No one knew how long the confrontation between the two armies would continue. Not even Napoleon himself or Arthur Wellesley knew. So it was dangerous to keep the soldiers on alert all the time. Because soldiers were people made of flesh and blood, no matter how strong they were, they could not stay at 100% of their capabilities forever. This was why people alone could not establish a perfect surveince system. Amander as good as Arthur Wellesley could not ignore the concept of rapid control to maintain the soldiers constancy. Due to his defensive and orthodox tendencies and the unpredictable circumstances of the war, he would necessarily focus on it. Considering their deployment of troops, the terrain, the location of the bastions and watchtowers they have installed, and the location of officers with their assigned battalions, Arthur Wellesley is by no means an adventurousmander. At least when dealing with me. From the beginning, Napoleon had climbed at the top of a tall watchtower and had analyzed the formation of the Allied forces. He had sporadically sent separate units to various ces to find out how the coalition forces responded, and through this, he traced back information and broke down their formation in detail. More important than the deployment and structure of the troops, he wanted to obtain information on the responding ability and mobility of the units. This was the aim of each search operation. In Napoleons head, a strategy to attack the coalition was already drawn and colored. You dont have to worry about anything. Decisive thoughts and judgments are burdensome. All you have to do is follow my orders. Isnt it simple? Berthier only smiled awkwardly beside Napoleon, who was grinning. Chapter 57: Defense master, offense genius - 3 Chapter 57: Defense master, offense genius - 3 Chapter 57
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Dawn came as the sun began to shine little by little on the banks of the Anzn River. The farm roosters cried loudly, announcing a new day, and the dark surroundings gradually brightened up under the rising sun. There was a saying that dawn always came after the darkest moment. Therefore, dawn was also the time when a group of people who had nned something in the dark began to move to reap its benefits. Arthur Wellesley was still sleeping on a bed. The table in front of the bed was stacked with numerous operational ns, discussion journals with his staff, and reports from each unit, showing how much he suffered from heavy work untilte at night. Sir Commander! Arthur Wellesleys eyes opened wide when he heard an officer calling him hastily. As he rubbed his bloodshot eyes, he could feel the situation that was happening in real time. The bewildering footsteps of numerous soldiers traveling to and from the barracks, the shouts of officers, the intermittent artillery from the outside, and the unforgettable sound of the French military band. Even before he heard the officers exnation, Arthur Wellesley was able to grasp the situation. Get my horse, my telescope, and a map of the area! Officers, go back to your positions and get ready for defense! Wake up all the sleeping soldiers! And put the grenadier reserve in the back! Y-Yes! At once, sir! Tell the artillerymanders! They can freely fire at our enemies! Dont spare gunpowder and shells and shoot at those crossing the river! It was at the moment when Arthur Wellesley ordered officers to fire A shell flew from the French side and ripped through the barracks nearby. The following shells smashed nearby stables and warehouses, chilling the surrounding protests. From this, Wellesley could see that the French were very determined to move, and that all their cannons had been deployed forward across the river. Commander! It can be dangerous to go out now! Please wait for the surroundings to calm down! What are you talking about when the enemy is rushing in! Every minute Imte, a thousand of my soldiers die! Enough! Arthur Wellesley rode his horse and ran through the fire of the French artillery. He headed to a ce slightly higher than the surrounding area. It was amand center built on a hill. Everyone, take your position! And move with themand of the officers! Dont panic! Me and the generals are all safe! Ill prepare a n to defeat the French who woke you up! Arthur Wellesley deliberately showed his strength as he rode his horse to reassure the Allied soldiers and to boost their fighting spirit. Soldiers could not help but acknowledge themanders efforts to end this crisis. When he arrived at themand post, Wellesley was quickly briefed on the situation, as he forced officers to stop inspections and salutes. The French have crossed the Anzn River in the dark, when we had low visibility. Brigadier General Shtelhoun is now holding them back on an Irish farm (a farm built by Irish immigrants). Its dangerous if theres a gap there. Have the five nearest infantry regiments support Brigadier General Shtelhoun. Move the batteries together. Keep in mind that the objective of this strategy is to keep our soldiers awake from sleepiness and confusion, until we are ready to defend. In addition, Arthur Wellesley issued instructions directly on the battlefield. Officers were told that the objective was not to counterattack, but to dy, although the troops under theirmand were to take the initiative. He then ordered the troops from the rear that were ready for battle to be brought into the fighting area sequentially to maintain the front line. This is where we decide on the operation and the deployment of the reserve forces in the overall framework! I want you all to carry out your mission with all your might! If you meet any officers who havent arrived at themand center yet, please tell them to return to their positions and prepare for a defensive battle without having toe here! Yes, Commander! Despite allowing the enemy to strike an unexpected blow, the Corpsmander-in-chief, Arthur Wellesley, did not panic at all and made the right decisions. His toughness brought much relief to the officers under hismand. Wellesley sent all the generals and officers leading the subordinate units to the battlefield, and took out a telescope to examine the current situation. Looking hard at the size and deployment of the French troops who attacked the main camp, he gritted his teeth while murmuring. The sporadic attacksst night were just a y for this. I didnt expect them tounch a general offensive like this the next morning! Until yesterday, both French and Allied forces were separated by a clear, straight line stretched parallel to the border of the Anzn River. However, the French deployment, which he had just identified, was attacking across the Anzn River, nting obliquely, and thus enclosing the right side of the Allied forces. They must havepleted the preparations for the attack fromst night until dawn this morning. Wellesley had to reflect on his owncency. The French troops crossing the river were moving steadily ording to their pre-defined order and specifications, supporting the troops in the front line and pushing the Allied forces out of the fighting zone. Support troops were deployed to next to them, and if they overpowered the ce they were fighting in, they marched toward the nearest unprepared coalition unit. Their tactical flexibility, the organic movement between units, and the tactic of aiming for their weaknesses, looked like an octopuss hunting method that overpowered its prey. The whole French maneuver belonged to an already fully prepared army. The coalitions response, on the other hand, certainly fell short. In the midst of a sea of real-time reports, Wellesley was proud to have issued the most reasonable orders, but his opponents preparation and response were on another level. Arthur Wellesleys back went cold. Napoleon Bonaparte, is this how the genius of war fights? It was a different opponent than any other enemy he had ever faced. However, Arthur Wellesley was also considered the savior of Britain, and had been given the title of Marquis of Wellington by George IV, Prince Regent of Great Britain. He was also themander-in-chief of the British, Spanish and Portuguese armies, the most prominentmander of the British Empire, and had won numerous difficult battles. After a moment of panic at the enemys level, Wellesley, armed with solid reason and determination, made the best judgment he could. Heres mymand to the officers of the entire unit. Defeat the enemy squad, but dont waste your energy chasing them. We are fighting back, but our purpose is to slow down the enemy offensive. Giving up ground was a way to reduce the unnecessarily wide front line. It was a thorough adjustment of the line. Then, while minimizing the enemys entry space, they would prepare for a British military surrender. With a separate battery ced on the side, each unit would be blocking the enemys attack itself. Wellesley, who rethought the military organization in real time, gave great autonomy to the fieldmanders to prevent confusion among the troops due to the changes. However, the decisive decisions concerning advancement, retreat, pursuit and support would still be taken by themand headquarters. Dont let the cavalry generals jump in with excitement. Draw your rapiers and sabers when the enemy cavalry moves. Other engagements are allowed only when the enemy artillery is in sight. Although they had been taken by surprise, their army itself and theirmanders judgment remained strong. Arthur Wellesley, sitting at themand post, demonstrated a remarkable ability to stop the French advance from all directions. Send a messenger to Brigadier Maind to tell him to lead the artillery battalions right now through the ravine and support the infantry line on the hills. Tell him to absolutely defend the hills! Send another one to the battalionmanded by Colonel Landris on the right, he should give up fighting and step back. Let the enemy battery fire. Then, when the enemies try to find another target, reverse the battle line and counterattack. Tell him that I will tell him when to judge. And send my order to themander of the best light artillery regiment. Hes allowed tounch Congreve rockets. [1] He should make sure to fire half of them at the ce I designate. The coordinates of the first to third shellings are written in this letter. Support and supply troops were deployed to the right ce to prevent the copse of the front line, and troops were sent on the enemys advance route to thoroughly protect the main base. The Allied troops, which seemed clumsypared to the French, followed Arthur Wellesleys lead and began to restore its copsing front. A chess game began on the huge and narrow board called the Anzn River basin. His opponent was Napoleon Bonaparte, the genius of war. Arthur Wellesley struggled to suppress the rising spirit of victory, and yed the game with only thorough and hard-headed rationality. Brigadier General Foy, [2] who worked under themand of Marshal Michel Ney, was leading a brigade of two regiments. Under the leadership of the aggressive and reckless Michel Ney, he was assigned a mission that was almost the vanguard of this operation. The goal was to capture the Irish farm and make a way for the rear forces to advance. Arriving right in front of the farm with his troops, he saw that the Union Jack was already hanging there, sobbing in the wind. The height of the wall is higher than we thought. And the soldiers inside seem to be well defended. Do we just go in like this? No, we would take too much damage. Lets wait. Support from artillery battalions will arrive shortly. Soon after, two lieutenants, each leading two artillery battalions, brought a total of eight cannons and four howitzers. The faces of the officers looking at the cannons and artillery battalions that arrived just in time were filled with pleasant surprises. No matter how advanced the French army was in Europe, it was not easy to move at the exact time on the battlefield with variables, unexpected events and unnecessary flexibility. Until now, the soldiers treated it as a good thing if it happened, or an inevitable thing if it did not. However, the Emperor changed the militarys administration andmand system after the Russian expedition. The number of messengers responsible formunication between units was also doubled, and whenever they moved, they had to be apanied by light cavalry to reduce the risk ofmunication interruption. As each unit cooperated and quickly exchanged strategic goals and information on the current situation, the time error greatly decreased. As a result, officers no longer questioned the details of the operation. As long as the Emperors orders were followed, the tactics were carried out. Brigadier General Foy judged that this innovation boosted the Frenchbat power by at least 30 percent. And now he wanted to judge it on the battlefield. TL notes [1] Congreve rocket [2] Maximilien Sbastien Foy Chapter 58: Defense master, offense genius - 4 Chapter 58: Defense master, offense genius - 4 Chapter 58
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Fire! Booom! Boom! Boom!! Boom! Boooom! Brigadier General Shtelhoun and his British troops guarding the Irish farm were greatly surprised by the French shelling that began much earlier than they had expected. The stone walls hit by the shell copsed and the fence of the farm fell like a sorghum. When will our artillery battalions and reinforcements arrive? Ive sent a messenger to themander, but they need more time! At least 30 minutes to an hour Damn it! I cant believe these bastards are shooting at us! Hold your ground! If you deviate from the battle line, you will immediately be charged with desertion! However, there was a big difference between those with and without cannons. The coalition had not yet provided sufficient artillery support to each units except for the main battery in the front. This was because the preparation and deployment of the artillery was not finished. The soldiers morale was sinking because the enemies were shooting with cannons so close, and their side was bare-handed. Boom! Uh uh!? The stone wall is copsing! Ugh, argh! When the shell hit the center of the rocky stone wall, a part of it copsed, scattering dust and stones. The soldiers guarding behind it were hit by falling stones and rocks. Their colleagues hurriedly removed the stones, but most of the soldiers involved in the ident were killed or seriously injured. Hey, dont mess with the lines! The enemy is right next to us, what are you doing now!! Brigadier General Shtelhoun and the other officers tried to keep the soldiers under control by shouting, but it was difficult for them to remain calm as they were mentally shocked to see theirrades crushed to death by a stone wall. The French could not miss this opportunity. Brigadier General Foy clenched his fists and ordered. March! March forward! The French Imperial army, dressed in blue uniforms, began to advance to the marching song yed by the drummers and trumpeters. The British riflemen could fire with excellent range and uracy, but the French pushed forward. Judging that they had won, their faces were showing a longing for victory rather than fear. Shoot-! Shoot! Musketeers from both sides fired. British and French soldiers hit by bullets fell bleeding. But the British were more confident than the French in winning in a shooting battle. In addition, even if some of them copsed, they had an advantageous position because they were able to shoot while covering their bodies behind stone walls and fences. But the British, at least on this battlefield, could not gain the upper hand. Boom! Booom!! There were many reasons, including the will to fight, morale, and the quality of the soldiers, but the most decisive was the power of artillery support from 12 cannons. No matter how good the British were at shooting, the king of the battlefield in this era was not a gun but a cannon. The difference was even more important when troops with cannons were facing troops without any. The British guarding the farm had no cannons, so the French artillery was not facing any risk of being fired at by the enemy artillery. The French artillery, well-known for being the best in Europe, was able to prepare the cannons more calmly than anyone else from a safe distance, and it soon turned out to be an indicator of an astonishing uracy. They shot, and the shells flew, swept away the British armys battle lines and knocked down the stone wall, so even the masters of shooting, the red coats, could not do anything. There was an overwhelming exchange that could not normally be seen on an open battlefield. The British battle lines shattered where the shells swept, and more and more troops were unable to withstand the French fire and were on the verge of copsing. If Brigadier General Shtelhoun and the other officers had not risked their lives and taken the lead, showing Noblesse Oblige, the British troops on the farm would have been defeated earlier. But they were also almost at their limit. Brigadier General, heres what I think! Now is the time to give these bastards a taste of French bay! I was just thinking the same! Brigadier General Foy decided to ept the advice of the officers, and to deal a strong blow with a bay charge. upying the Irish farm would open the way to the Wellesley Corps. Deep anticipation and excitement appeared on everyones faces at the thought of being able to focus on an important point that could decide between their victory or defeat in this battle. It was then. There are enemy reinforcements approaching, 1.1km southwest from here! It seemed that the enemymand dispatched support troops to this key point, showing a very quick response. They were now in a difficult situation. Whats their size? I identified the gs of four different regiments. But there could be more of them. And they brought field artillery. With the current size of the brigade, it would be hard to deal with them There is nothing we can do. Lets get out of here. In the past, the Imperial army used to value sacrifices for achieving strategic goals. For the soldiers, it was impossible to retreat without fighting even if they could not match the enemys power. But the current Napoleon Corps was different. They moved based on efficiency rather than purpose. Whenever the opponent seemed stronger than them and that the damage from the fight would be too much, they could withdraw at the judgment of the fieldmander. Brigadier General Foys brigade and the artillery battalions withdrew but their morale remained intact. Because they did not think of themselves as losers. And that was truly the case. Brigadier General Shtelhoun and the British army at the Irish Farm, who could not fight back, had no choice but to look at the French troops retreating with empty eyes. All the corpses nearby belonged to Red Coats. The Congreve rockets that were all fired at once into the early morning sky poured down, temporarily covering the sky. The roar and explosion centered on the French battery. The artillery that had been regrly firing shells at the main forces of the coalition faltered for a while. Now! Fire!! Boom! Boom! Booom! Boom! Boom! Booom! A fierce counterattack from the Allied battery aimed at this brief absence of fire. It was the moment when the British cannons, which had only been beaten so far, threw up their anger. And at the same time, the French march, which had been advancing without hesitation over the Anzn River, was stopped for the first time. You are truly the best strategist God has ever made! Despite being in the worst situation possible, allowing the enemy to strike them defenseless, losing key points and being exposed on both sides, Arthur Wellesley eventually managed to rebnce the situation and received the praise of officers. Now the biggest crisis was gone. The Allies seeded in limiting the French advance to a few routes. If the batteries and infantry regiments were concentrated there and fired with the artillery, they could create the foundations for a huge counterattack. Pooooooo A trumpet was heard from the French side announcing the retreat, just when the sun had fully risen. The blue waves that had been sweeping the Allied forces stopped and began to step back. The coalition soldiers, officers and generals cheered and raised their hands when they saw it. Only then could Arthur Wellesley sit down in a chair and smile helplessly. What a bloody first battle. French officers clung to Napoleon, who ordered the retreat, and spoke in unison. Were still winning in most of the fighting areas. If we push in the troops that havent been deployed so far, we would be able to overpower them. Please reconsider the retreat Napoleon gave them a pathetic look. What to do with these hot-blooded guys Gentlemen, keep your eyes open and look at the battlefield. They already have a solid defensive formation. The advantage of surprise is almost gone, and everything that remains now is only a bloody battle between the infantry. Napoleon, of course, could certainly push them away if he took the baton himself and ran with all his heart. This battle could lead to victory. However, if that happened, they would have to bear enormous damage that would overshadow their victory. To that extent, the current defense posture of the Wellesley Corps was solid. Napoleons course of action, as always, was to win with as less damage as possible. Considering that hostile countries such as Russia, Prussia and Austria remained strong, he needed to stick to it even more. Sometimes an honorable retreat is better than a wounded victory. I think thats it for todays battle. Let the weary soldiers rest and retreat back to the north of the Anzn River, they wont be able to chase us. No officer objected to his words. Napoleon had proved to be right numerous times even though he might take strange decisions. Napoleon, packing his luggage and climbing onto his horse, was thinking of Arthur Wellesley, his rival in this battle, who might be leading his troops passionately on the other side. It must have been an unexpected surprise for him. Nevertheless, I didnt expect him to fight back so well. Arthur Wellesley is a bettermander than I thought. As Napoleon recalled how the Allied forces changed in real time and skillfully responded to the French offensive under Arthur Wellesleys rationalmand, he remembered one person. Alexander Suvorov, the legendary Russian Marshal who was almost the only one in the world against whom he had struggled. If his defense is at least at the same level as that old mastermind, should I make a strategic n for the future? Your Majesty? Im talking to myself, so you dont have to worry about it. While saying so, Napoleon drove his horse. Even during its retreat, the French army remained unwavering. No one thought that the backs of the French soldiers going back the way they had march were that of losers. After eventually managing to stop the French surprise attack, the coalition forces now had to face the reality in front of them. Listening to the officers reports, Arthur Wellesley rubbed his tired eyes. It was estimated that about 1,200 French soldiers were killed on the battlefield. On the other hand, the Allies suffered 6,800 casualties, 19 damaged cannons, and lost 6 gs. About 10% of their fighting power had evaporated. Most of the casualties were British soldiers who fought on the front lines. Considering that their skill level and values were higher than those of the Spanish and Portuguese forces, the actual damage might be even greater. But there was a more painful loss than this. A total of 26 warehouses storing war supplies have been destroyed. Colonel Eureth, a logistical officer, went to the Lords side in the explosion. About 2,500 horses were killed as nearby stables burned down. Most of them were horses used to pull wagons and carts. It was the result of the French artillerys precise aiming skills. He did not know how they located them, but they managed to fire shells at the coalition bases in the midst of chaos. It was a great misfortune for the Allied forces that shells fell on the explosives storage and burned down all the surrounding warehouses. Its also a problem that a lot of gunpowder and food have disappeared, but the bigger difficulty is the loss of drinking water storage. Normally, drinking water could be supplied from the Anzn River, so it was not a big problem. However, the area of the basin was contaminated with blood, corpses, and manure due to the battle fought at dawn. They could not drink the water from there. Wellesley already felt a lump in his throat. All the faces of the Allied generals were dark. We won but we lost. This was the report for the first battle against Napoleon. @ Authors notes: The French casualties estimated by the British forces is only based on the death toll. The number of deaths + injuries is about 2,000, slightly higher than 1,200. Chapter 59: Defense master, offense genius - 5 Chapter 59: Defense master, offense genius - 5 Chapter 59
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There were not many options for the Allied forces, which had lost much of the necessary supplies to continue the war. Arthur Wellesley opened his mouth carefully. The kingdom will listen if we ask for the supplies we need. But the problem is that we dont have enough munitions, food, and drinking water avable right now. I have no choice but to ask for help from Lisbon (Portugal) and Seville (Provisional Government of Spain). Arthur Wellesley said he would make up for the lost war supplies from the Spanish and Portuguese governments. In fact, this was both a need and a request to the representatives of the Spanish and Portuguese forces within the coalition. We fought an unexpected battle. Most of the casualties were among the British troops. So you guys should show your sincerity in a different way. Some Spanish and Portuguese officials who noticed the true meaning of Wellesleys words did not look good, but they epted it because they could not do anything about it. Because diplomacy between countries was about giving and receiving. Britain lost blood, so the other two countries had topensate in different ways. The urgent fire has been put out, but how am I supposed to turn this situation around Wellesleys real concern was about an unstoppable fire. It was the first time he had ever met someone who psychologically dried him up like this. === Due to the nature of the battle, where victory and defeat depended on every decision of themander, and where the timing was urgent, the army forced to retreat would generally do so while leaving the wounded on the battlefield. This was because the defeated soldiers had no time nor energy to spare to take care of the injured. The wounded wouldy on the battlefield and be the spoils of the victorious nation. Although they would be captured by the enemy, they would still be lucky to be taken by the regr army. Even if it was to get a ransom, the enemies would give them first aid, food and a ce to sleep. The real unlucky ones were not those left on the battlefield, but those noticed by looters. Usually farmers or workers would be hyenas wandering around the battlefield like predators after the battle. They would search the bodies on the battlefield and loot their items and clothes, and if they found someone groaning, they would never keep them alive. Most of the wounded soldiers who were left after the battle were not able to survive. A total of 2,136 French casualties were reported in the battle against the coalition at dawn on October 17, 1812. And nearly half of them were injured. There were some people who had rtively light injuries and had no difficulty moving around, but there were also some seriously injured people who could not move without support. If the French Imperial army was still the same as in the past, they would have been left unattended, moaning in pain, or brutally killed by nearby civilians who turned into looters. However, nothing like this happened in this battle. Sort the injured by the size and depth of the wound and the area of injury. Please be careful not to irritate the affected area when getting them off the wagon. Dominique-Jean Larreylll was the head of the medical unit in the Napoleon Corps. In the midst of fierce fighting, Larrey was tasked with transporting the French wounded from the fighting to the rear. The mobile ambnce, which was built by remodeling existing carts and wagons, safely and quickly removed the seriously injured soldiers who could not move from the battlefield. They retreated to the safe rear and received rapid first aid and treatment. This was why no French casualties were found at dawn at the battle site. Ugh Baron! My, my leg I cant move my leg! A soldier shot in the leg grabbed Larreys arm with a bloody hand. The watchful guards approached to separate him, but Larrey waved to stop them. Calm down. Yourst name is Mr. Jung. Are you from Germany, Sergeant Jung? Thats right, Baron. I have an old mother, a wife and children to take care of If I be a one-legged idiot, they would have to live on a small military pension andpensation Cough! Sergeant Jung shed tears over the pain in his leg and the sorrow of his situation. Larrey, who was exhausted from dealing with numerous patients, did not despise the man and calmly examined and treated him. Im sorry to hear that You wont be able to receivepensation. No! W-what do you mean by that. It means, to be exact, that you are not eligible forpensation for missing limbs. Theres no need to cut off your leg. Are you sure? Oh, my God! Oh God! Thank you so much! Thank you!! Larrey added that he may have a slight limp, but it was not a problem for Sergeant Jung, who was preparing to lose a leg. Seeing Sergeant Jung forgetting the pain from the gunshot wound and cheering, Larrey could smile lightly. Hey, youre lucky! If the treatment was just a littlete, you would have had to lose one leg. So be always grateful to Baron Larrey for creating a mobile ambnce unit that can move the wounded soldiers immediately, and to the Emperor for his absolute support and help. At the words of a military doctor, Sergeant Jung thanked Larrey in tears and shouted Long live the Emperor!. And so did other wounded soldiers. Many soldiers who were being treated at the medical center were able toplete treatment with fewer aftereffectspared to the injuries suffered. All of this is thanks to the Emperor, who has an open mind toward medical practice and a heart to care for the soldiers. Dominique-Jean Larrey, a mere surgeon, was given the title of Baron at the Battle of Wagram, where the French faced the Austrians. Napoleon had the idea that the medical system would reduce the militarys mobility, but with the work of Larrey and other military doctors, he changed his mind and recognized them and established a formal medical unit. This was an innovative act that other countries leaders dared not to think of, but Napoleon made a step even further after the Russian expedition How many Imperial troops are there, but there are only 1,200 medical equipment bags. From now on, each medical unit will always have medicines (bandages, opium, needles, sutures, etc.) that can treat 10,000 wounded soldiers. The Ministry of War Management should spare no support for this. The mobile ambnces are a very revolutionary invention. However, their number is very small and they are limited when traveling to and from muddy or sloppynd. Therefore, it will be necessary to have more mobile ambnces, which vary ording to their use, environment, and purpose. In addition, Napoleon established new military hospitals, an organization for training military doctors, and actively recruited external surgical personnel. He even promoted medical unit officers. With the Emperors support, the role and proportion of medical units in the corps increased day by day. The political status of Larrey who was leading them also increased. Not just a few people who smelled power approached him, but Larrey just wanted to focus on his duties and protect his fellow citizens of the Empire. Nothing in the world is more vain than useless death. Saving even one more life would be the reason why the Lord sent me down to Earth Of the 1,027 wounded in the battle at dawn, 492, nearly half of them, werepletely healed by these medical units. There were 417 soldiers who suffered from disabilities and physical defects but survived. Only 118 soldiers died during treatment or evacuation. This was the smallest death ratepared to the number of wounded since the medical unit was established. With the full support and help of Napoleon, Dominique-Jean Larrey used the knowledge and experience gained whilemanding the medical unit to revolutionize the French surgical medical profession. === Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessires was brave enough to pull a sword and fight on the spot, even though he had risen to the position where he could be themander of a corps. Today, he volunteered with his loyal men to deal with the roaches that were bothering the rear of the French army. I found traces of horses passing there. It is estimated that there are at least a few hundreds of them. Are you going to chase them? Youre saying the obvious! The Imperial Army cannot sleep in a warehouse where rats roam! The reconnaissance cavalry from Pnd, good at tracking and searching, was of great help in this situation. As the search cavalry moved in the direction they were pointing at, they were soon able to face the British cavalry in red uniforms. Both sides had unsuitable soldiers for thisnd, the slopes of a forest, where the bushes, weeds and trees were overgrown. The difference was that the British cavalry look very embarrassed, while the French looked like cats that found a mouse. The first to draw his sword was Marshal Bessires, who then shouted. Look at their frightened faces, brave cavalry warriors! Proudly wear the breastte that His Majesty the Emperor himself bestowed upon the soldiers and charge! Long live the French Empire! Long live the Emperor!! The French cavalrymen, who rushed from top to bottom, were fierce and sharp. The British cavalrymen were overwhelmed even before they could fight. Shoot! Shoot! Tatata! Tatatata!! There was a shooting of British chasseurs, but they were in a forest, with countless obstacles blocking sight and trajectories. Their shooting was not impressive at all, but rather stimted the cavalry led by Bessires. Only then did the British officers realize their mistakes, but it was toote. Wham! Bang!! Shook! Argh! Gasp! Screams erupted from all directions along with a blunt shock. Most of them came from the British cavalry. All of the cavalrymen led by Bessires were cuirassiers. They were wearing breasttes that covered their chests and backs, lined with leather that protected their stomachs and nks. On the other hand, the British cavalrymen wereposed of light cavalry and chasseurs. They were no match. When unteral results emerged, the British officers, who confirmed the military ss and formation of their opponents, ordered the retreat without hesitation. They were able to escape quickly, as most of them were light cavalry. However, some of the soldiers surrounded by the French cavalry were forced to put down their swords and guns and surrender. Its a small but brilliant achievement! Nice to meet you all! Our treatment of prisoners is more gentlemanly than any other country, so you wont be so bad. Bessires smiled at the British soldiers who had lost their fighting spirit. Seeing that smile, the British soldiers trembled with fear. It was only a small battle, but the French seeded in keeping down the nose of the British and, more generally, the coalition. The French army was definitely on the rise. @Authors note: Dominique-Jean Larrey was a real person who actually contributed to the development of the French medical science. And now with Napoleons backup added to this TL notes [1] Dominique-Jean Larrey. Chapter 60: Defense master, offense genius Chapter 60: Defense master, offense genius Chapter 60
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The battle at dawn on October 17, which began with a surprise French attack, was named the Battle of the Anzn River. This was the first historic battle between Napoleon Bonaparte, a continent-winning war genius, and Arthur Wellesley, the guardian deity of Ennd and the penins. It was clear that it was the French forces, including Napoleon, who first turned back and retreated. But the actual loss and damage that had to be endured was much greater on the side of the coalition. It was virtually a defeat for the Allies. Nevertheless, the leaders of the coalition bought war correspondents andunched a major propaganda campaign, iming they had won the Battle of the Anzn River. This was a political decision considering external public opinion (especially Austria, Prussia, Russia, etc. that were carefully looking at this war). On the other hand, France, the de facto winner, had plenty of time. They ended the propaganda by sneaking up practical evidence, including the Allied gs, British-made field artillery and Allied prisoners, which they captured in the battle. It was a way to tell the neutral countries who was victorious in the Battle of the Anzn River and which side they should be on. The Battle of the Anzn River was a battle that showed not only Napoleon Bonaparte and Arthur Wellesleys tactics, but also their personal tendencies and values, as well as the political situation in which they were. Napoleon moved with boldness and, if he was not sessful, stepped down without hesitation. He did not actively talk about the victory and worked hard to establish military discipline. On the other hand, Wellesley put stability and moderation first, was obsessed with merit and winning, and was sensitive to foreign political opinion. This showed the difference between the Emperor, the number one in the Empire, and his enemy who was only themander of the military, and at the same time Excerpt from History of the War on the Iberian Penins === Since then, the Wellesley and Napoleon Corps continued sporadic skirmishes and explorations, with the Anzn River between them. But it rarely urred for the entirerge corps to confront each other, like in the Battle of the Anzn River. Perhaps the biggest battle since then was the fight between the cavalry who were aiming for the rear supply unit. Here, Jean-Baptiste Bessires, Marshal of the French Empire, yed a major role in defeating the British cavalry. Your bravery and determination are the greatest of the Empire! Napoleon praised his performance in front of everyone, calling it heroic. It was part of the showmanship to raise the spirit of the loyal Marshal Bessires and to boost the soldiers willingness to fight It was also because arge-scale battle was not taking ce. Since the battlefield was so quiet, this battle between hundreds of cavalrymen had been drawing attention and was being treated as the biggest battle in the past years. Far away in the East, there is a saying, An expert recognizes an expert. The Napoleon and Wellesley Corps were fighting timid battles without full-scale fights like before because they had recognized each others strength in one fight. Therefore, the twomanders tried to only fight at the time and ce where they could benefit. If the French were judged to have the advantage on a battlefield, the Allies withdrew without hesitation. The same was true for the other side. Both sides never tried to fight a losing battle. Napoleon had expected this to some extent while he was preparing for the expedition to the penins. In the meantime, time had passed steadily and it was already thest week of October, three days before November. === Napoleons army had marched over 1,000 kilometers within a month to break through the entire penins. After the march and the first battle that shocked Europe, the troops remained in ce for more than 10 days afterwards as if they were hibernating bears. Many words came from within the Empire or from the upied Iberian territories, but they stayed there. Sitting in Burgos, Napoleon was enjoying his time at war here, even dealing with his duties as an Emperor. What Napoleon was most interested in these days was observing the small but big changes taking ce within the French Empire. Starting with the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, Napoleon had been doing so many things, including the abolition of media and cultural censorship, the introduction of the machinery industry, and the reform of taxation and tariffs. As each change had a ripple effect, like a bomb shaking the entire Empire, it drew a variety of repercussions. Of course, not all of them were good. La Gazette: How is the situation in your pocket? The government promised to cut taxes, but the total amount of taxes citizens have to pay was measured to have increased Mont-nc: The removal of tariffs between the regions will eventually lead to the domination of big cities such as Paris! For bnced regional development, it should urgently be revised Garden of Poncede: French men freed from the military, but caughtmitting various crimes as they could not control their blood Some argue that we should re-conscript them It was natural for side effects to multiply as massive transformation was taking ce in a short period of time. The more liberal atmosphere in the media and cultural circles pointed out these issues. Despite this, however, it was difficult to find criticism or political offensive against Napoleon himself, the essential cause of the above-mentioned events. Perhaps it was because the majority of the citizens of the Empire supported him at this point, and his poprity was not subsiding due to the sess of external expeditions. Napoleons poprity now was curiously high, even though it had faltered greatly only a while ago. What do people think of Carnots torture? At least there are no words from within the Special Economic Committee. Everyone acknowledges his ability and admires the Emperors eye for rmending such a talented person. Oh, thats a relief. Napoleon smiled lightly. They could not attack the main culprit (Napoleon) of this social turmoil, so they seemed to be turning to the Imperial Council or the Cab, especially Franois Carnot and the advisors of the Special Economic Committee. Since the day Carnot took office as an advisor, he had been treating the corrupt bureaucracy. The media and Parisian intellectuals disapproved of Carnots move and even pointed out that he was of mixed blood between Germany and France. However, Carnot performed his duties thoroughly and perfectly without batting an eye. He also took the time to write letters to Napoleon from time to time. It could be seen as ttery in front of the Emperor, but it was impossible for the Francois Carnot Napoleon knew. It was clear that the officials of the Special Economic Committee, who had been looking at him with distrust, now understood that he had been recruited solely on his abilities. Now, it was time for him to go beyond the inside of themittee and to be recognized by the entire cab and even France. Because Franois Carnot was such a talented person. Napoleon thought that Carnot was very satisfied with his work (this was, of course, from Napoleons perspective). Were just going through a transition period. Can we get rid of the evils that have been umted since the previous monarchy no, the republic, and move on to a new country? Arent there actually positive indicators? Th-thats right, Your Majesty! They could not help but be embarrassed because he was directly talking about the republic and monarchy, which were topics that had been so strictly prohibited and controlled in the past. Leaving themittee officials and secretaries alone, Napoleon could feel the beat of the economy that had not moved for a long time. It was only a short period of time, less than a few months after the full-fledged reform system began. However, a series of measures taken by Napoleon to solidify the framework and by Carnot to fill the pieces were certainly working. As soon as the abolition of tariffs was active, and when the easing of trade regtions began to put money in the hands of citizens engaged inmerce and industry, investment in new industries and consumption in the city as a whole increased. The rural economy, which was supplying grain and meat from them, was also revitalized. With the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, young and healthy men were discharged from the military, and the job market began to be crowded. They eagerly worked to earn a living for their families, and became the growth engine for the Empire to move forward. In order to boost a long-suffering economy, its also a great thing to bring new life to the whole country. The creature of the economy was so fascinating, as it remained in ce without growing no matter what policy was taken, up until a certain point. It took a heavy step only when a shock, vitality, or strong promotion was applied to ovee the threshold of that boundary point. Such tangible results would not have been achieved without the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, the abolition of tariffs between regions, investment in new industries, and the lifting of trade regtions, happening all at the same time. Once the growth of the economy had begun, it would continue to do so, even if no further actions were taken, but it could soar more steeply if the right path was set and the obstacles in the middle were cleared. More efforts were needed for France to enter this stage. Money should circte to increase added value. The revision of tariffs and tradews seems to be on track, so we should prepare for a tax reform soon. A rational and proper tax system was one of the most decisive factors that made the country wealthy. It was also a field in which Franois Carnot of the other world truly blossomed his talents. I like the British model, too. But the others who led France before me, why on earth didnt they ept the good things, and hold on to this The country with the most advanced and efficient taxation and tariff systems in the world was Frances archrival, the United Kingdom. It was also the decisive reason why it was possible to fight on an equal footing with France in spite of itsnd area and poption, which was only one-third of France. Napoleon had always argued that excellent systems and technological innovation should be epted without prejudice, no matter which country they were from. In Napoleons perspective, it was really hard to understand that many of the leaders who ruled France in the past did not ept Britains advances (whether in institutions or technology) to protect their pride. As long as the country was rich and its citizens prosperous, copying Britain was nothing, right? The active imitation and eptance of the British mechanical revolution was made in that sense. If they did not want to be eaten and to fall behind, they had to develop eventually. It was foolish to add justification and pride in that development. That was howpetition was between countries. Chapter 61: Defense master, offense genius - 7 Chapter 61: Defense master, offense genius - 7 Chapter 61
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In that sense, Nabot from here was definitely better than his predecessors. He took a number of effective steps to restore the ruined economy, including building a huge roadwork around Paris, building high value-added luxury factories, and setting up a central bank. However, the problem was that much of the economy depended on plunder, reparations and protections. As a result, when the money fell and the economy stagnated, he had also led troops to invade and rob foreign countries, ripped offpensation, and forced French products to sell. It was time to root out this fundamental economic climate. Napoleon, who had been reading various documents and reports from the government and ministers, found a secret letter apanying them. Everyone out for a while. Yes, Your Majesty! Napoleon opened the secret letter only after they left. Nabot was preparing to mechanize the cotton industry. At least he didnt have frog eyes that couldnt read the flow of time. Not long ago, Napoleon discovered an industrialplex that Nabot of this world had secretly created and where he operated private organizations. Spinning machines and textiles using coal and steam engines were being studied and used there, and surprisingly, the machines were soplete that the prototyping stage of cotton products using them was just around the corner. Although there were still troubles with unit prices and errors. Even officials in the Empire did not notice the existence of these industrialplexes, which were operating on Nabots personal property. Only a few of Nabots henchmen knew about them. If they had not contacted Napoleon first for reasons such as financing and equipment problems, Napoleon himself would have never even known there was such an industrialplex in his life. Anyway, its existence is good luck for me and France. France was already manufacturing cotton textile machinery at the government level, imitating British industrial machines. Although it was going through trial and error, the gap was able to be narrowed quickly as there were already existing models. The direction and purpose of the two industrialplexes (Napoleons industrialplex mass-producing and imitating the British mechanical revolution, and Nabots secret industrialplex producing its own French machinery) were clearly different. Nevertheless, facilities, blueprints, and know-how could be fully shared. Nabots secret industrialplex would be absorbed and merged into a government-run industrialplex. The mechanical revolution in France would be born in Paris, which would help a lot. Napoleon worked hard to foster the cotton and wool industry by gradually revealing Nabots Industrial Complex in the open. At the same time, thepany worked to change the framework of Frances industrial structure. Cotton fabrics made and run by individuals were bound tog behind in terms of productivity and efficiency. If those who would be unemployed wandered the streets because of the principle of marketpetition, it would cause a huge social chaos iparable to now. But this willpletely change the future of France. And ultimately we, France, will rece Britains position in the European market. Nabot and Napoleons propensity, ideas and values differed in many ways, but if there was one thing inmon, it was to think that the key to bringing Britain to its knees was the economy. In order to bring them down, they had to bring down their economy. In the other world as well, Frances lifelong rival was also Ennd. Deliver my letter to the Minister of Industry and Trade. Make sure you report progress on development and mining every 15 days and immediately suggest to the Special Economic Committee advisor (Franois Carnot) if there is any major change. Francesnd was, by all ounts, Europes richest and most fertilend, but unfortunately, it did not have as much coal reserve as Britain. However, coal mines were abundant in nders, Wallonia (now Belgium), Alsace-Lorraine, and Rhinnd (now southwest of Germany), which France had annexed through active conquests from the time of the revolutionary government. It was foolish not to take advantage of it. His letter to Trade Minister Jean-Baptiste Collin de Sussylll was full of locations of coal mines and seams in nders, Wallonia, Alsace-Lorraine and Rhinnd. The French Empire of this world knew the importance of coal, and therefore developed several mines and mined coal, but in fact, France in the other world was on a different level. It established a Mining Ministry, established a joint association between sub-national institutions and cooperative associations rted to them, and carried outrge-scale mining projects through private funds and state funds. France in the other world developed numerous coal mines to form a coal mining vige and a bundled economy, and elerated industrialization by providing thetest roadwork for direct transport to steel mills and factories. And I was the one who led all this business. Naturally, Napoleon knew almost exactly the location and size of the coal mines in Frances territory. It was not difficult for him to pinpoint the locations of mines that had not yet been developed or discovered. Soon, countless machines and products linked to steam engines would emerge from within France. And the fuel for running these machines would be coal. The development of coal mines would be the driving force behind the French governments move to the next level of industry without suffering from fuel shortages. Napoleon took a pencil and a pen instead of a baton, and led the way for the Empire to move forward. Coming out of the barracks after roughly finishing his days work, he began to warm up before exercising, twisting his body around. After sitting in a chair for a long time, he bent his dull and stiff body from side to side, and gently stimted his joints by slowly turning his ankles and wrists. The Emperors attendants had been frightened at first by this bizarre act. Now, they seemed to have gotten used to it, and they only rolled nervous eyes. While Napoleon was warming up, a sound of restrained gait came from the other side. Un (one)! Deux (two)! Trois (three)! Quatre (four)! Un (one)! Deux (two)! Trois (three)! Quatre (four)! They were French soldiers who were training around the perimeter of the barracks and training grounds. Napoleon followed behind them, who were running lightly with the lead officers, without disturbing their ranks. The soldiers who were running smiled as if they were used to it and gave Napoleon a ce to enter, and the officers who were leading the training looked as if they could not do anything about it. That was right. Napoleon voluntarily participated in the regr training of the French soldiers to take care of his messy body. Hey, youre a little slowpared to yesterday. Looks like you secretly ate a jar of German sausages during the night. Your Majesty the Emperor! I was on day guard duty yesterday, so I didnt participate in the regr training! Hmm Well, I could be mistaken. You all look alike. Big eyes, big mustache Even the drooling and sleeping marks. Hahahahaha! The soldiers burst intoughter at the sly Emperors answer, while running together. Napoleon naturally blended among the soldiers, exchanging bitter stories or joking around. He showed no sense of authority here. As they approached the training camp, the officers training reached its peak. They asked the soldiers for a louder voice and a faster run. Napoleon stopped talking and shouted chants louder than anyone else, and desperatelyplied with the demands of the officers. The Emperor of the Empire had taken the initiative and was training so hard, so how could the soldiers slow down? They clenched their teeth and tightened their feet and legs even though they were tired. The ringing chants grew louder and sand dust thickened the surrounding area. After the regr training, the bay training began. It was to develop ones ability for hand-to-handbat by repeating and mastering the key movements that were essential during such fights. Instead of dangerous des, a wooden model knife was hung on the muskets barrel. No matter how effective the training was, the soldiers bodies would not be spared if they used actual weapons. And moreover, the Emperor of the Empire was also participating to lose weight (the officers understood that it was an act to promote the unity and loyalty of the soldiers). Step! The key to bay skills, simr to that of fencing, was to keep a distance from the enemy. By repeating movements such as forward, normal walking, lunge (footwork), and turning, the virtual opponent could not stab him, but the soldier could quickly move to a position where he could stab his opponent. It was the most fundamental technique with a bay. Guard! This time, it was like a mixture of pe and spear swordsmanship. It was called a guard, but it was actually the basic posture that infantry took before bays charge, and the soldiers would then prepare the attack and defense stages separately at themand of the officer. The front line was usually defending, and the row behind was attacking. At the shouts of officers and nonmissioned officers, they had to hold the bay and perform the movements quickly and urately. As expected for the French Imperial Army, the intensity of the training was very severe. Even strong young people were short of breath and sweated endlessly, while carrying heavy weight. Worried eyes turned to him, but Napoleon endured with his own mental strength. He was much better now. It had been so hard when he first started to train with them he had had difficulty breathing and dizziness. Napoleon rolled again today, with the determination that he wanted to get rid of this fat as soon as possible. Stop moving! These guys Youve beenpletely mesmerized that there hasnt been a battle in a while! You all need to wake up! Those who cant stand this kind of training and flounder do not deserve to wear the uniforms of our great Empire! Some soldiers seemed to have made a mistake during guard movements, offending the officers. Of course, if they made a mistake, they would be scolded or yelled at. But Napoleon thought the officers anger today seemed a little too much. Strict and rigid military discipline under a free and open climate, this was the tradition of the French army. Sticks can be better in the short term. In the long run, however, carrots eventually lead to higher efficiency. History has proved it. For example, the Prussian army, which had been trained with strict discipline and harsh corporal punishment, was defeated by the French army, which operated under a rtively loose discipline, nonviolence and decoration system. Napoleon thought that this alone revealed the superiority of one of the two ways of training. In fact, this was true not only in the military, but in all organizations. Organizations with repeated praise, honor and rewards for their performance showed superior productivity than organizations with repeated disciplinary, verbal abuse, and sry cuts whenever the employees failed. Voluntary will was superior to passive will. Maybe because Im here, theyre treating failures more harshly than usual. Those who squeeze the people below them to prove their loyalty to me. Ive seen a lot like them. The faces of the soldiers who were yelled at by the officers turned white. Some of them showed discontented eyes. Eventually Napoleon stepped in. TL notes [1] Jean-Baptiste Collin de Sussy. Chapter 62: Defense master, offense genius - 8 Chapter 62: Defense master, offense genius - 8 Chapter 62
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Dear valiant soldiers of the French Empire, isnt repeated training a little boring? Come here for a moment and take a look at my bay posture. Is this how you do it? Hmm At Napoleons words, the officers who were shouting at the soldiers stood still, stopping all movements. It was the same for the nonmissioned officers and the soldiers. Some raised their heads out of curiosity, as they once again recalled that the majestic Emperor was training here with them. How well would an Emperor who was chubby and old handle a bay? He was called a war genius, but he was no better than them. Most soldiers were worried that they might be humiliated while expecting the Emperors dignity, but some had mischievous thoughts. Step! Napoleon moved his feet at the officersmand, remembering the sessive moves. Take your left foot as far as your shoulder and your right foot follows immediately. The bay always faces the enemys chest. In this forward posture, your right leg is bent at an angle of about 110 degrees and your left leg is standing still while maintaining sticity. Afterwards, move your left foot again, rotate your heel along the axis, and maintain your bnce so that the bay can stab forward and backward. Guard! Middle Guard was an anti-infantry position with the bay tip facing the enemys chest and stomach, and High Guard was a posture against cavalry with the bay raised to 45 degrees upward. In addition, he continued to maintain a posture for walking while in a dense formation, Coup de Mle, and a posture for closebat, Shortened Stroke. Running sweat soiled his uniform and soaked his entire body, and his rough breathing showed no sign of calming down. Nevertheless, Napoleons movement did not stop. His movements were all flowing, powerful and perfect without a single mistake. The soldiers faces were very colorful. Looking at them, Napoleon could smile with satisfaction. I was flying around in my childhood, and now Im stuck in the body of a fat Emperor and cant see the light. When he was at the Royal Military Academy in Paris, he got a perfect score in swordsmanship, bay, and never lost a single duel between cadets. Nevertheless, he was the type to shine in action rather than in practice. During the Battle of Toulon, he was assigned to the position of divisionmander, but fought directly against the British and Spanish armies. During the Italys campaign, Napoleon fought actively against the enemy soldiers, unlike the othermanders who turned back when the situation became an emergency. Napoleon, a tough general, showed off his old skills to the fullest, even though he was from a different world. He eventually finished demonstrating all the guard positions. A lot of cheers and apuse were hearding from officers and soldiers alike. The Emperor did not forget any of the bay movements written in the textbook and, as if he had not expected that he would do so well, he seemed very surprised. Ah, now I remember a little bit! I made a mistake earlier because its been a while since I learned bay. Napoleon smiled and called out the officers who had been shouting at the soldiers before. Napoleon put his hand on their shoulders in a friendly way, and continued. The faces of those who you were scolding are very familiar to me. They were probably friends who were in bay training behind or next to me. Isnt it right? Th-thats right, Your Majesty! I was right behind Your Majesty. Its an honor that you remember me! Look at that. I made some mistakes in guard movements some time ago. But if I was the only one who made a mistake, what would I have done? These guys rather saved my face. Is that so, Your Majesty? Then the officers made a big mistake. I am ashamed of us, Your Majesty. I did not understand your deep meaning, forgive me Your Majesty! Of course Napoleon did not make a mistake at all. The officers were aware of that. But they had the sense to see what Napoleon wanted now and what his intentions were. The soldiers, on the other hand, who had been scolded by the officers, looked almost as if they were about to cry, knowing that Napoleon took their side. The same was true of other soldiers. They were all giving Napoleon a look of respect, as if it was not the first time this happened and they were expecting it. It was Napoleons leadership that made him instinctively loved by his subordinates. Still, the fact that you can pick the one who made a mistake out of all these soldiers means that the officers eyesight and teaching skills have reached their peak. Thats great. Marshal Perrin has been able to do so much on the battlefield with suchpetent officers like you. Th-thank you, Your Majesty the Emperor! Its an honor, Your Majesty! If it had ended just like this, he may have been able to gain trust and favor from the soldiers, but he may not have heard good things from the officers. Napoleon was not foolish to look down on one group, especially with the officers sense of belonging and solidarity. Napoleon smiled at the officers whose expressions had brightened, and grabbed his bay again. There is still a phase of bay attack and defense. Arent you curious about my skills? If its not this time, you wont have a chance to see them. We are very curious about the Emperors skills! Wooow! Napoleon stood in the middle of the training camp, where cheers and apuse were pouring in. In no time, officers and soldiers from other units heard the sounds and filled the outskirts of the training camp. Attack! Push your center of gravity forward in the Middle Guard state and stab the enemys chest with your bay. To use the maximum reach of the bay, extend your left arm, hold the buttte (the end of the musket, used to strike) with your right hand, and bend your knees. Napoleon perfectly showed the bays attack postures, including high point, used to stab enemy cavalry, and low point, used to avoid counterattacks by fallen enemies. Defense! He took the Prime posture to protect his left side from top to bottom with the end of his bay, and then Seconde to protect his right side. Napoleon immediately followed with Tierce and Quarte, and even took St. Georges stance to defend against cavalry strikes. Physical problems were unavoidable, his arms and legs trembled relentlessly, his fat belly came out and he could not continue the change quickly. However, the uracy, simplicity, and flow were perfect enough to be included in the bay manual. At first, the soldiers were enthusiastic, but as time went by, officers and nonmissioned officers rubbed their eyes in disbelief. An Emperor showing perfect posture and bay movements, surpassing active officers!? Once again, cheers, whistles and apuse from officers and soldiers poured out at Napoleon, after the end of the demonstration. Napoleon drank water after being handed a bottle by an approaching officer, and then bent down gracefully, crossing his legs and raising one arm up, just like thest greeting of a dancer after a wonderful dance. Some soldiers cheered or burst intoughter at the Emperors performance, and others bowed their heads in respect. Theirmon emotion was a deep respect for Napoleon. When a person in the highest position continued tomunicate at eye level by putting down his sense of authority, people from the lower ranks would give him blind favor and support In particr, the Emperor participating in this hard training and showing that he was well versed in bay technique was enough to inspire loyalty and respect of soldiers, as well as to prevent them from being scolded too much by the officers. And I can take care of my health. Napoleon patted his stomach. Compared to when he first woke up in this body, it seemed to have gone in a lot. How was I handling the bay, gentlemen? Its been a long time since I learned this in military school, but from your reactions, I guess Im not rusty yet? Your Majesty could kill at least a hundred inders alone! At the words of a soldier who had the courage to raise his voice, Napoleon gave a picturesque smile. Thats good. When were surrounded by the British, I will be able to take care of them. The bay instructors will not be able to perform as perfect a movement and posture as the Emperor did today! But if you lose a little weight, youll have a much more beautiful form! The soldier who made these brave and mischievous remarks was from the Old Guard, the most elite unit of the French Imperial Guard. Some officers opened their eyes wide at the cheeky remark, but they released their expressions when they identified the red shoulder ornaments and the second marching uniform symbolizing the Grenadier Regiment of the Old Guard.(1) Although most veteran soldiers of the Old Guard were sergeants and therefore in a position to receive orders, no one would dare do so except for the Guard officers and Napoleon. The Old Guard had been created from the beginning with only the best nonmissioned officers in the French infantry. Their rank was at least sergeant. The bond between the Old Guard and Napoleon was also known for being very special. It was not for nothing that the mostfortable when talking with the Emperor were the Old Guards, and not Baron Fain, the Empress MarieLouise, nor the marshals of the Empire. Of course, the current Napoleon was not the same Napoleon as before, but he took lightly the words of the Old Guard. As a guard, youre even caring about my beauty. But dont worry! Even though my body is thick, women in Paris will be more attracted to me than to you, who look like a bandit. Hahahaha! Napoleon, who gave a shot to the guard soldier with a thick tongue, put down his bay and opened his coat jacket to cool off. Summer was long past, but the afternoon after training was terribly hot. During the short break before resuming training, the soldiers sat down and drank water, and the officers sat on rocks or stumps and chatted. A man dressed in a uniform approached Napoleon who was resting like that. It was one of his secretaries. The secretary, who came quietly, looked around and whispered to Napoleon. Napoleon nodded and soon rose from his seat and pped twice, drawing the soldiers attention. Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in the next training. Even if Im not here, you must train hard and follow the instructions of the officers. Dont forget that the body and spirit of mighty men are the greatest treasures that support the Empire! Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! With the support and cheers of the soldiers, Napoleon left the training ground. He felt like he heard a sigh of relief from the officers, but he chose to believe that it was an illusion. === Gabriel Suchets Corps sessfully attacked Fort Albacete. Beginning of siege. Andr Massnas Corps took the city of Almadrones. Beginning to march to Madrid. The flour swelled into bread. I should eat it before it gets cold. A line from the y Prjug mode (Popr prejudice) 12] It was finally time to move. TL notes [1] Heres an painting by Edouard Detaille of a grenadier of the Old Guard: [2] A y written by Pierre-ude Nivelle de La Chausse. Ive read it but couldnt find this line Chapter 63: Operation Sickle - 1 Chapter 63: Operation Sickle - 1 Chapter 63
  1. Operation Sickle 1
Jordanss Corps, which was staying in the city of Len (a Spanish city north of Portugal), has moved south. As they advanced toward Portugal, they captured Fort Ponferrada, but Count Amarante (themander of the Portuguese Division) stopped them once. Guerri troops reported that they turned their horses north. Commander! The troops of Louis-Gabriel Suchet who were in Valencia have captured the port of Almera and the city of Murcia, and are surrounding Fort Albacete! The Parliament of Seville and the King of Spain (Fernando VII) have formally called for reinforcements! Andr Massna is on his way to Madrid. And he has quite a few siege cannons. As you know, the walls and fortifications protecting Madrid have already been badly damaged when we retook the city At this rate, Madrid is in danger. There was a series of urgent and negative breaking news arriving simultaneously. The Alliedmand, stationed south of the Anzn River, was in such a cold silence that even a drop of sweat could be heard. It was difficult to read any expression on Arthur Wellesleys face, as he was stiffer than ever before. He eventually sighed and said. Was this what the French Emperor was after? Somehow for the past few days, Ive had this strange feeling that his troops were dragging time, rather than actually searching for weak points. Commander Unfortunately, we were hung up in the field and forgot the whole big picture. Well, thats how efficient their psychological warfare was. Wellesley stood up and pulled out a dagger from under his coat. And he relentlessly tore apart the map showing Burgos and the Anzn River. Wellesleys attendants ced a map of the entire Iberian Penins on top of it. Arthur Wellesleys act now seemed to dere that the entire penins was a stage for the coalition forces to y on. Dear British, Spanish and Portuguese officers. Were at a disadvantage. In the past, capturing Burgos was to separate the enemy corps scattered on the penins and defeat them individually, but now its no longer possible. First of all, well have to gather our defenses, step back to the maind and wait for the support of the Kingdom (Ennd). Arthur Wellesley was not someone to be frustrated or despaired after falling into an enemy trap or being in an unfavorable situation. There had been a time when it was harder and harder to fight against the Maratha alliance in India. But in the end, he was able to stand here now because he had ovee all those difficulties. We must give up Madrid. Commander! How can you say that You want to give them a city with a poption of 200,000? I dont mean to ignore the Spanish symbol. However, Madrid can be recaptured whenever we take back the advantage in the Penins War. I have to make the right judgment from a grand perspective. Arthur Wellesley suppressed the Spanish generals anger with a cold voice. The most important ce among the various regions of the penins where the fights were taking ce, was Seville, where the Spanish Provisional Government was established and where Fernando VII lived. If this ce was captured, Spain would have virtually no choice but to withdraw from the war, or even surrender. He gave up Madrid to protect Seville. Wellesley made a natural choice. Lets go back to the Allied operations before 1812. Were going to thoroughly defend key points, operate wide range of guerri units, and attack the rear and supply lines of the French. Theres no need to be disappointed that were now at a disadvantage in this war. If we go back in time and drive those French into a fight that we can do well, that will be enough. The suffering of the Spanish people who fell under French upation would never be small. But Arthur Wellesley tried to look only at the final victory of the Peninsr War, that would be more beneficial to their future. If our troops retreat, the belligerent Napoleon will follow us. Definitely. Major General Rond Hill added thisst word. Currently, the Allies had a perfect defense and formation along the Anzn River. The reason why the French did not attack them recklessly was because their defense was so solid. But Napoleon would not miss the gap if the Allies were forced back because of the situation on the maind. But we cant attack the French first It was already hard to stop the French from attacking, but crossing the river? And then facing the French elite,manded by Napoleon? The generals shivered just by imagining it. Then its simple. Shouldnt we retreat to Seville while preventing the French troops from pursuing us? Arthur Wellesley grabbed his baton with burning eyes. Go back to your respective positions. Tomorrow morning, we will leave this ce. Of course they cant just let us go. But I have something in mind to counter them. Everyone nodded at Arthur Wellesleys conviction. They were people who had directly experienced how great amander Wellesley was. He also had the highest position, so if he made such a statement, everyone believed him. He was such a man. = = = On the day Napoleon wasst training with his soldiers, his secretary brought some news. It was the moment Napoleon had been waiting for, hiding his nervousness. The Corps of Louis-Gabriel Suchet, who was staying in Valencia, captured the port of Almera and the city of Murcia. The importance of the two ces was obvious, because the simple fact that the French Imperial Army upied the port caused hysteria in Britain. The British Navys current grand strategy was to block and monitor all the coasts upied by France and its satellite countries. This strategy of preventing even a single ship flying a tricolor g from leaving thend was possible because of Britains naval power, but it was not without limitations. The more ports and coasts upied by France, the more the British Navy had to do (such as blockade and surveince). And therefore, the more inevitable the gap in power urred. The city of Murcia was also a key point that had been repeatedly taken by both sides during the Penins War. It was indeed a very important bridgehead to advance to the ins of La Mancha. If they managed to upy these ins, then Seville, with Spains Provisional Government, was just around the corner. Holding them wouldpletely sever the link between the Spanish Provisional Government, Madrid, and their Allies in Burgos. In other words, Arthur Wellesleys Corps, which was currently confronting Napoleons Corps, would no longer be able to continue the battle. If they lost the ins of La Mancha, then the war on the Iberian Penins was practically over. The Corps of Mortier and Jourdanunched an attack on the Portuguese border Massnas Corps is preparing to recapture Madrid. If this were known, Arthur Wellesley and his allies would be as calm as a wild boar with its tail on fire. Napoleon recalled Arthur Wellesley, who wasmanding his corps over the Anzn River. In fact, Napoleon did not stay still because he wanted to stay here. Any prolonged war would only lead to economic loss and waste of manpower Napoleon knew that the fastest and surest way to end the long-standing Penins War was to defeat Arthur Wellesleys Corps, the main force of the coalition. He had tried to explore it several times to make a gap in his own way, but there was really no room to squeeze in. The Allied forces along the Anzn River had a perfect defense. That was why Napoleon changed his strategy a little. While Napoleons troops were holding Arthur Wellesleys Corps, Suchet, Massna and Jourdan led their respective armies to attack the maind of Spain and Portugal. The entire Iberian Penins itself was a Spanish and Portuguese territory, but it was possible to deploy such numbers of soldiers to the front because France had more troops than the coalition. France, of course, was also consuming a lot of power during the Peninsr War, but Spain and Portugal were consuming more than that, and Britain had no intention of sending more troops to maind Europe from the beginning. Such an all-out attack on the maind would be enough to panic the leaders of Wellesleys Corps. And all of this is just a smokescreen for the decisive battle. Having more troops than the enemy meant that there were more cards avable. There was a map of the Iberian Penins in front of him. Napoleon took a figurine representing Andr Massnas Corps on the map. The troops were headed for Madrid from the city of Zaragoza. The figurine of Massnas Corps in Napoleons hand moved as well. However, the figurine took a sharp turn on a decisive crossroad before Madrid. And went north. Their true destination was Burgos, just here. The best thing a warden can do is a quick battle and then defend. I dont think the above operation fall behind inparison to that of Your Majesty. Napoleon remembered the dry and silent figure of a general who had started from a cabin messenger and had reached the position of marshal. Andr Massnas ability was acknowledged by Napoleon Bonaparte himself, who was called the god of war and the conqueror of Europe, as well as by other marshals, even if he could say such arrogant words. Although the world was different and what the individuals had experienced and learned may have been different, Napoleon believed in Massnas power. That was why he entrusted him with the key part of this operation. Even though he made me angry, not listening to me in the middle. Napoleons gaze on the figurine of Massnas Corps was cold. The whole operation had been dyed because of Andr Massna, sitting down in Zaragoza and making excuses not to move from there. Of course, there may have been some circumstances, but it took Napoleon time to suppress that wild horse-like temperament of him in the other world, so he could not help but doubt reasonably. He did not think that the Nabot would have taken good care of his formerrades who were now his subordinates, his marshals. Anyway, Andr Massnas Corps, who failed to win the argument, went out with his troops and turned around pretending to go to Madrid as nned. But in reality they were moving north at a tremendous speed, deceiving the eyes of the Allies. What would Arthur Wellesley and his officers look like when they notice that Massnas troops suddenly showed up behind their backs when they tried to retreat? When they first heard Napoleons n, the Chief of Staff Berthier, and the Marshals Perrin, Ney and Bessires were all shocked. They asked, full of excitement. What are you going to name this grand operation? I didnt think about it. Hmm How about Operation Sickle?:[1] Napoleons operation, which would be known as Operation Sickle, began. (Its not exactly urate, but you can think of it as roughly how the corps moved.) TL notes [1] The name of the operation probablyes from the movements of Massnas Corps, going in one direction and then the other. During World War II, one of the German operations while invading France had been sometimes called Operation Sichelschnitt (Sickle Cut), the movements of the German troops were a bit simr. Heres a map highlighting La Mancha, with the main cities upied by the coalition and France: Chapter 64: Operation Sickle - 2 Chapter 64: Operation Sickle - 2 Chapter 64
  1. Operation Sickle 2
A single French army against a coalition from Britain, Spain and Portugal, the Emperor of an Empire with unlimited power against amander of coalition forces who was sensitive to internal and external political situations. Obviously this was not an even fight. Arthur Wellesley was facing Napoleon with many penalties. Someone might say that it was a cowardly confrontation, not a fair fight. To them, Napoleon would answer like this. So, what do you want me to do? A fair battlefield only exists in heaven. Theres nothing I can do for him even if there areints. Unfortunately, I feel better when I win by any means, whether its in politics or at war. Louis-Gabriel Suchet had sent a request to be allowed to perform operations. He wanted to engage the coalition forces led by William Beresford (British Lieutenant General and Commander of the Portuguese army) who was trying to take back the city of Murcia. Although Suchet had been entrusted with a wide autonomy, he was sending a request to see if the situation had evolved in such a way that there would be a more intelligent way to move. Napoleon marked his approval with the Emperors seal. = = = Busy movements filled the encampment of Arthur Wellesleys Corps early in the morning from 4 a.m. The soldiers took out the poles and supports deeply embedded in the ground, removed tents and barracks, and were busy demolishing wooden bastions. Nonmissioned officers prepared for the long journey by feeding the horses with fodder, hay and water in advance. During the night when the sun had yet to rise, they dismantled the camp, where they had stayed for nearly 20 days, and hurriedly prepared their retreat. The soldiers in the corps also reduced the number of torches and bonfires by less than half, fearing that they would be caught by French troops beyond the Anzn River. It was difficult to distinguish objects and people in the dark, so there were mistakes and sounds of pain everywhere, but it could not be helped. The food squadrons carrying the heaviest loads must be at the forefront of the procession. If there are food carts in the background when the French hit our troops, well have to fight a difficult battle. The golden words of historical masters said not to put units carrying food and drinking water at the front. Of course, as Officer Ode said, the rear is also dangerous, so it would be better to put them in the middle of the army. Youre putting the main force and the heavy squadron together? Where in the world is such an army? We should rather split up the troops! The overall situation across the penins darkened, and now they had to unwillingly retreat from the battlefield against Napoleons Corps. As such, the atmosphere worsened, officers became sensitive and quarrels became frequent. The decision was ultimately up to themander. Wellesley decided to deploy the food squadrons at the front. But hepromised by cing them rtively close to the middle of the army so that they could quickly receive support if something unexpected were to happen. The soldiers who were packing did not look very good either. After the great victory of the Battle of Smanca, the recapture of Madrid, the capital of Spain, and the capture of Fort Retiro without shedding blood, they had been seriously talking about the end of the Penins War. A lot of them were probably thinking about returning to their hometowns and reuniting with their families. Since the atmosphere had changed after the failed capture of Fort Burgos, it was not iprehensible that morale had bottomed out. It was already 5:30 a.m. when the soldiers of the Wellesley Corpspleted all preparations for the retreat. Usually, the coalition forces would finish decamping within an hour in an orderly manner. However, this time, the progress was inevitably slowed because they did it secretly not to get caught by their enemy. At this point, Wellesley and the other leaders of the Corps felt a little relieved at the thought of being freed from the French pressure. There was still about an hour left before dawn. No matter how aggressive the French were, they would not do something crazy likeunching an offensive in the dark before dawn. Of course, the Allied had prepared a lot to stop them from going over the river, but the best was to leave Burgos quickly without fighting. As Napoleons troops on the other side of the river remained silent until the end, some coalition officers started to make jokes, saying they had been nervous for no reason. Boom! Booom!! Boom!! Boom!! The sudden sound of artillery fire from the other side of the Anzn River was enough to freeze all Allied soldiers. But did they not make preparations for the above situation in the first ce? The moment of embarrassment was short. Get started! Yes, sir! At Wellesleysmand, the Allied soldiers put out the bonfires as nned and began to move the torches. As it was impossible to gain visibility in the dark, the shelling was naturally focused on shining objects. The coalition dispersed the artillery shots while hiding somewhere else. There were also other orders. As soon as the shelling stopped, special forces from Spain and Portugal, made up of guerri-experienced militias, followed the officers and left the main unit. They headed towards a reed forest west of the coalition camp. Stay in ce until the order is given. They had to stop the French here if they wanted to prevent them from chasing after them. And the French would onlye after the day became bright enough to be able to identify the soldiers. Everyone thought so, and so did Arthur Wellesley. Th-the French have crossed the river! Theyreing!! However, Wellesley detected through his telescope a wave of French troops moving through the dark night. Swear wordsing from the officers of the Corps hovered in the crowd. Were they really doing the crazy thing of attacking in the dark!? = = = The French army crossed the river through temporary bridges built on the Anzn River, proudly stepped toward the enemy in the dark, singing their marching songs low. Artillery firing from both sides posed no threat to them. There was nothing less urate than a cannon fired in the dark. The problem was that they were also advancing to ces where they could not see an inch ahead. Dont argue with the Emperors orders! Do you still doubt His Majestys skills on the battlefield!? The soldiers of the 4th Infantry Regiment under Louis Nics Davout were expressing doubts andints at the shouts of officers, but closed their mouths. It was not just because they were frightened by the officers voice. They once again recalled that the Emperor, who conquered Europe with numerous victories and achievements, was the one leading this operation. Even the lowest-ranking soldiers had no doubt that Napoleon would create another myth in this battle. Napoleon was now giving the French soldiers that much faith and devotion. The march of the 4th Infantry Regiment continued. They walked, walked, and walked. It was a long walk to the point where it would not be strange for them to face coalition soldiers in their camp, but the officers leading them continued to walk. After walking like that for a while, the officers ordered a halt. All troops, stop! To the right! Their march ended before dawn when the surroundings were still dark. Other regiments of the corps arrived behind the 4th Infantry Regiment. Officers kept track of the time through a pocket watch and rearranged the soldiers ranks. Only the officers knew what was going to happen here. The tensed soldiers were waiting in position, swallowing their saliva. In the meantime, the artillery fire kept ringing. How much time passed? The regimentmander opened his mouth. Now these coalition bastards are just in front of us. The sun will rise in a little while. We will then engage. Dont answer, just nod your head. The soldiers began to brighten up little by little and nodded as they looked at the regimentmanders face. In that condition, another 15 to 20 minutes passed. The sky definitely brightened. And the overallposition of the units revealed by it was remarkable. As the regimentmander said, there were coalition soldiers waiting nervously in front of the 4th Infantry Regiment and other French infantry units. But there was nothing in front of the coalition soldiers. That was right. The French troops, including the 4th Infantry Regiment, were now standing on the right side of the Allies! Advance! Move forward! In line with the march, the French soldiers wearing the uniforms of the Imperial Army advanced. The 4th Infantry Regiment also walked along. When they saw them, the coalition soldiers panicked and started to run. Even the officers could not control them well. The soldiers walking bravely, gave strength their legs with a strange smile. They were the enemies hidden by darkness who suddenly appeared as the surroundings brightened. The fear in the eyes of the soldiers and the fact that they could strike the coalition made the French thrilled. The French infantry, convinced of victory, moved forward without hesitation. And they took aim. Shoot! Tatatatatatatata! The surroundings were not so bright because the sunrise had not yet begun. Muskets hit rate was also lower than usual. However, they were still being hit in the side. The Allied officers tried to counterattack by turning the direction of some regiments and battalions, but the French were not ones to let them do. On your left! Aim for the men with the barbed gs! Shoot! Tatatatatata! Disorganized troops who were concentrated there due to the reversal of the battle lines were the first target of their fire. The sun rose just in time in the east, giving the French soldiers a clear advantage because they were facing west. The clearly brightened view greatly increased the hit rate of the French infantry. On the other hand, the coalition soldiers, who were firing back from the west and who were already struggling to reverse the battle lines under the French fire, suffered from the re of the sun. The firing battle on the right wing of the coalition was conducted under the overwhelming dominance of the French forces. Most of the soldiers who fell in the fight between infantry units were Allied soldiers. Napoleon, who was watching all of this with a telescope, had already deployed batteries forward. He had given Davout 10,000 infantrymen to destroy the right side of the coalition, but it was difficult to deal a decisive blow with them. If the Allied forces turned their cannons around, Davouts army would be wiped out in no time because it was only made of infantry soldiers. He had to eventually protect them from this. The enemy cavalry has begun to move! Send a signal to our cavalrymanders. Arthur Wellesley would surely attack Davouts troops first and then make ns to deal with every enemy unit one by one. Napoleon was aiming at the moment when Wellesley moved his cavalry. Fire! Fire the cannons! The French artillery battalion, which was deployed forward under themand of the artillerymanders, fired its cannons. So far, the cannons had only been fired as threats, but now they could aim precisely as the surroundings had brightened with the sunrise. Their target was the British cavalry! The shelling was concentrated on the cavalry that was getting prepared for battle, waiting for orders from themander Arthur Wellesley. The hit rate itself was not that high, but because the cavalrymen were in a dense formation, the surroundings turned into a sea of blood as soon as they were hit. Napoleon could feel their surprise up to here. Well, the coalition did not expect the French to shoot their cannons as soon as the sun rose, and fire at the cavalry far behind the infantry lines. Any way, Napoleon carried out the tactics he had set up. All the cannons in the rear were brought forward to maximize the artillery firepower, and engineers built more bridges over the Anzn River so that the infantry could continue to advance. By now Arthur Wellesley would have noticed the presence of the French cavalry. As amander of his rank, he would know that the enemies would fight back against his cavalry with their own cavalry. Now Napoleon could leave the front side alone to some extent. He turned his gaze toward the reed forest on the left side of the Allied forces. That was where the second battlefield was. Positions on the battlefield, blue: French side, red: coalition side. The unit that moved right next to the Allied Forces is the detached unit led by Davout. TL notes The French ambush in the dark reminded me of this lithography made by Auguste Raffet, although its illustrating the Italian expedition (1796). The title trantes to The enemy doesnt suspect us to be here, its 7 p.m. we will surprise them tomorrow at 4 a.m. Chapter 65: Operation Sickle - 3 Chapter 65: Operation Sickle - 3 The reedforest south of the AnznRiverwas aterrain potentially advantageousfor the WellesleyCorps. Thepresenceofreedsthat grew wellbeyond adult height waslimitingthe movement of troops. Because theFrench could not easilyenterthe area, the WellesleyCorpsconcentrated its firepoweronthe front and right sides,pletely excludingthe leftside. The leaders of the WellesleyCorpswere confidentofwinning, even if they had failedtocapture Fort Burgos forsome reasons. Their geographicdvantage wasrge enoughtooffset the numericdvantage of the French. Of course, Wellesley was notnegligent in defending thearea, and did notonly rely on the terrain of the reed forest. A special unit was created to roamthe areabyselecting gueri-experienced soldiers fromSpainand Portugal. Their formationconsisted of 14 battalions, to which Wellesley added a battalion of British light infantry toplete atotalof15 battalions. Ourgoal is to stop the Frenchfrom crossing theriverasmuch as possible. With thehelp of these reeds. BrigadierGeneral Miguelke, who hadled Spanishmilitiasinthe pastand had experience in guerri warfare, waschosen to leadthesedivision-levelforces. While crossing theAnzn River and movingsouth, the Frenchwere forcedtoexpose their right nk. The purposeofthe specialforces hiding in thereed forestwas to holdthe right wingofthe Napoleon Corps for as long as possible, while staging aguerri war against them. Brigadier General ke set clear strategicgoalsfor his officers, but respected their individual judgment on the tactics and operations of the lower levels. And I have to give aspecialorder to the Lieutenant Colonnd his battalion. You dont have to say it. Our battalion members do not seeitasanact of dishonor. Brigadier General ke nodded heavily at the sight of Lieutenant ColonelPeterwood, thmander of the British light infantry battalion, who was tapping on his chest andsaying thathecoulddoanythingtowin the war. LieutenantColonel Peterwoodsaluted BrigadierGeneral ke, led the members of his battalionand disappeared throughthe reedforest. The Britishlightinfantrybattalion was theone added by Arthur Wellesley. Its soldiers were fromthe 95thInfantryRegiment. Theywere thebest British riflemen, armed with Baker rifles, and werewearing dark green coats insteadofthe red coats symbolizing theBritish army. There wasonly oneoptimal waytouse them. = French troopswere crossing theAnzn River and movingsouththrough temporarybridges. Despite theartillery shelling of the Alliedforces, they did notforget their disciplineand moderation, and were stepping forwardintime with the marching songs yedbydrummersand trumpeters. As they watchedthe raging blue waves fillingtheirfrontview, the troops hiddeninthe reedforest swallowed their saliva. French andAllied infantry werefacing eachothersouthofthe Anzn River. The soldiers on bothsideswere nowabout500 yards away, and thedistancewas narrowing quickly. Fromthe 1st Battaliontothe 7th Battalion! Advance! Forward! Itwas finallytime forthe specialforces to start aguerri war. Appearing through the reed forest, they rantoward the right wing of the Frencharmy. The French soldiers, who werepreparing for a historic battle against the coalitioninfantry, weregreatly surprisedbythe sudden emergenceofspecial forces. Their expressions were the ones thatBrigadier Generalkehad hoped for. First row, aim! Thesame situationhad unfolded exactlyanhour ago. But this time, the offense and defense sides werereversed. Shoot! Tatatatatatata! The gunsthat they wereholding were rifles, not muskets. Created by modifying theKentuckyrifleused by Americansinthe American RevolutionaryWar, these Baker rifleshad ahit rateand range thatwouldoverwhelm ordinary muskets, and were among the best rifles in existence. Their first shots copsedthe French line. Thefacesofthe survivors showeddeep embarrassment. Theyreriflemen! Dont be scared, hold your bays! Forward! The rifle washeavier than the musketand slower to shoot. Riflemenwere no match forthe lineinfantryifthey meet in an openfield. The Frenchofficer of theunit, who knewthis, ordered theadvancementofthe soldiers in order to engage in a close fight. But thiswas alsopart of BrigadierGeneral kes expectations. Changeofline! TheAllied specialforces moved in unison with his order. Soldierswith riflesfell back to load. And in thevacancy stood soldiers with musketswho had been waitingbehind them. The Frenchinfantrymen, who were approaching for a close-range firing battle, werehit hardbythe second round of shots of thespecial forcesthat hadfinishedaiming. Once again, theFrench linewas broken. Brigadier General ke, whowas watching all of this, putinthestmove. The light infantry battalionappeared, dressedingreencoats. I take the onewith theepauletson. ThenI take the onewith theshaggy beard. Thefattest on theoutside is mine. There was a wordused in theBritish army to describe the shooting skillsofthe green coats. Ghosts TheBritish soldiers, who weresaid to have the best averageshootingskills in the world, praised them likethis. Brigadier Generalkeknew it, but he was able to confirmitagaintoday. Officers and nonmissioned officers werestruggling to recover the lines of theFrench unitthat washit by consecutive shots and panicked. Theyjumped out of theranksand shouted, but those actions madethem easiertargets forthe green coats. Tatatata! Tatata! Tata! Hold your position! Re-regimentmander! Unlike lineinfantry, which typically required 60 to 70 yards to cause significant damage, Britishinfantrymenwere able to shoot bulletsinto theenemies chests from200 yards away. And 300 yardswas not a problemfor the green coats calledghosts, armed with Baker rifles. Targeting the officers andnonmissioned officers wasa vicious and dishonorablemove that Britainhad learnedinthe American RevolutionaryWar. As such, theeffect was tremendous. Asnearly halfofthosewho wouldmandand controlthem disappeared at once, thechaosofthe French troopsled to atotalcopseoftheirunit. They scattered, unable to even speak of their cowardice. The specialbattalions, whichremoved oneentire French regiment like this, continued to shoot andharass other French troops, using their rifles rangeand uracy. Ifthey could notresist fighting, they steppeddown to thereed forestand responded with guerri warfare and irregrwarfare. Now! Tata! Tatata! Tata! Tata! Where aretheseguys Ugh! Argh! Due to the natureofthe reedforest, in which it wasimpossible to move together by battalion or regiment, the French troopschasing theAllied specialforces had no choicebut to be divided. The soldiers torn in front of the special forces with alot of experienceinguerri warfarewere nothing but prey. They hunted theFrench excitedly. However, theywere so absorbed in hunting thatthey could notfigure out what was going on outside the reed forest. === As expected, Arthur Wellesley came up witha strategy to make the most of the terrain and to stop the Frencharmys advance. The most representative partofthis strategy wasthe formation of guerriunitsinthe reedforest. Napoleon didnot havemuch experience dealingwith guerriunits, but that did notmean he wasignorantofthesekindsoffights. Hehad alreadypreparedhimself. There area lotoints from the officers, including the ones in charge, aboutmemorizing maps and directions thatwill only be usedonce andthenpletely forgotten. I wonderhow yourMajesty will soothe this. Oh,e on My head hurts justdealing with theints and grumbles of theOld Guard. Areyou doing thistoo? Youmay havetomemorizeitonce andthen forgetit, but youshould remember the efforts of the explorerswho struggled through the reed forest fordays anddays toplete this map. Theofficerssmiled yfully andsaluted. The officers uniforms were surprisingly notblue, but had a yellow color close to gray. It wasNapoleons trump card to beatthe Allied special forces striding through the reed forest. We will not returntoYour Majesty until we kill the rats swarming in the reeds. I wish you good luck, and will be waitingfor you with Champagne. With asmile, Napoleon sendoff the guards. Their uniforms had changed, buttherewas asymbol hangingonthe leftbreast thatproved who they were. FrenchImperialGuard 2ndGrenadier Regiment French Imperial Guard 2nd Chasseur Regiment It was theemergence of the MiddleGuard, which was next to the OldGuardinthe French Imperial Army. === Theywere informed that anew French unit had been found in the reed forest. The officers of the battalions of the special forces, including Brigadier General ke, hada grotesquesmile. The reed forest wastheiryground. Noone was able to beattheirtroops, whohad light clothing, a specialized formation, and abundant experienceinguerri warfare. Ill have to makethesefearlesspreyspay the price. This time, my battalionwill go outfirst. Whatare you talking about? Of courseits ourturn! They weresoexcited, and showed their motivation. If thebattle continued like this, the first prize after thewar would be won by themen in the reed forest here. If they stood out in such aspecial battalion, theywouldsurely be rewarded, promoted andhonored by theAlliedmandand the governments of each country. Thatwas why they weresoeagertofight. Buttheirexpectations weresoon shattered. Tatata! Tata! Tata! Tatatata! The special battalionsengaged thefightagainst thenewlyfoundtroops. As they had been doing before, they thought theycouldwin the battlewhilesaving their strengths. However Swish! sh! Cough! Ugh! W-where didtheseguyse from!? Battalion members standing by to attack theFrench troops approached themseparately. But suddenly, they weresurrounded by Frenchsoldierswho appeared behind them. In their words, itwas atragedy. The same was repeated among thecoalition specialforces who were scattered around. The messenger sent to the 3rdBattalion has still noe back! Somethingseemstobegoingwrong! We havealso lostmunicationwith the8th Battalion. Itlookslike theyve beentakendown. Weannouncethe defeat of the11th Battalion! LieutenantCommander Jaros has died in battle! It didnot takethem long to realizethat they werebeinghunted in reverse, withsimultaneous, blistering defeatsand ominousnews. The positions of hunterand preyhad beenreversed. WhenBrigadier Generalkewas sweating in the unexpected situation, the light infantry battalion of the95th Infantry Regiment wasfacing their old enemy. Ha! You musthave reallywanted to beatus! The Guardsare runningaround in suchpeasants uniforms withnosenseofpride! Lieutenant Colonel Peterwood, themander of thelightinfantrybattalion, said so, smiling sadly. In front of Peterwoodand his troops, weregrenadiers andchasseurs in grayuniforms, waitingwith bays. Is this uniforma bigdeal forthe victoryand glory of the Empire? I wouldeven wear womansclothes! Hahaha! LieutenantColonel Temple, the highest rankamongthem, responded witha bigsmile. LieutenantColonel Peterwoodand the other soldiers prepared their bays forthe battle. But in fact, it was a pointless fight. The light infantry battalion wasa unit specialized in scouting and shooting. But theyhad to fight backinclosbat againstthe Grenadiersand Chasseurs of theGuard? Theycouldneverwin. I have onequestionbefore the battle. How thehell could youlocate us so quickly? Our great Emperor had long foreseen thatyourmanderwouldbeying trickshere. Hesent a search party ahead to prepare for it, looking forhiding ces, marchroutes inside theforest, ambushable locations We lookedinto everything. Thelocationinformationisall in our heads. Thisgrey uniform, which is indistinguishable from the color of thereeds, is abonus. Thanks to it, your unit didnt realize our existenceuntilthe end, right? Ha haha! Fromthe beginning, wehad our heads in themouthofa lion. To LieutenantColonel Peterwood, who tiltedhis headand smiled sadly, Lieutenant Colonel Temple made agenerousoffer. Its rare to meeta unit thatcan stand shoulder to shoulder withthe Imperial Guard. I think of yourunit as oneofthem. I acknowledge thehonorofthe Green Coats, andI urge you to surrenderinhonor. No way! Wouldyou ept an offer of surrenderifweswitchedour positions!? Our honor in defendingthe kingdoesfrom unbreakable pride andfaith! Lieutenant Colonel Temple nodded. His subordinate officers understood it as asign anddrew their swords. Long live the FrenchEmpire! Long livethe Emperor!! Long livethe United Kingdom of Britain! God save the King! The twoarmies, each withtheirown shouts, rushed towardseach other. A close-quarters battlesttered with blood and flesh engulfed thesurroundings. Redbloodsoaked the earth insidethe reedforest, under screams, shoutsand groans. Half an hourter, there wasnogreencoat still standing on both feet. LieutenantColonel Templeclosed the eyes of LieutenantColonel Peterwood, who haddied with ahole in hischest. Letsgo! To celebrate thevictory of this battle! Themarchofthe Middle Guard through the reed forest wasnot over. Heres alithographymade by Henri GanierTanconvilleofsoldiersofthe Middle Guard: Sorry not sorry forthis: Chapter 66: Operation Sickle - 4 Chapter 66: Operation Sickle - 4 An hour before Frances Middle Guard began massacres in the reed forest. There were push-and-pull skirmishes between the French and the coalition forces south of the Anzn River. Between the towns of La Buena and San Felices, there were open ins and hills with low altitudes. The soldiers of both armies repeated their advances and retreats at themand of officers, filling the ce with bodies. Aim! Shoot! Tatatatatatatatata! Tatatata! Step down right away. Stand by after reloading! Second row, forward! A brutal gunfight and a war of attrition ensued. In the wends and grasnds of the river basin, corpses and wounded soldiers of both armies piled up. The soldiers standing in the front row and pointing guns at each other had their faces full of grim determination and fear. This was what people often said about battles between infantrymen: There are only two ways to leave your line. Defeat all the enemies in front of you, or be shot dead by the enemy. However, on actual battlefields, such brutality was rarely seen. Infantry lines were copsing in real time, because few soldiers could maintain their mental and fighting power. Therefore, after a few rounds of shooting, they retreated and had time to recover from the mental shock, reorganize the unit, clean their guns, and supply ammunition. If they were lucky, they could get out of the line without dying. Napoleon changed the process of this rotation and made it a little more borated and shorter. When they fired while advancing, the rear row moved forward and led the way. There, they shot and form a new battle line. It was the opposite when they fired while stepping back. Napoleon made the time of exposure to the enemy fire equal in all battalions. Thanks to this, the French infantrymen were able to carry out a war of attrition, suffering rtively light damage from the front line to the rear line. It was difficult to reduce the total amount of actual damage, but at least one battalion evaporated from their firing. By relieving the psychological pressure on the soldiers and saving time for maintenance of the unit, it eventually led to a rise in power itself. This was why the French did not fall behind in this shooting battle, even against the coalition forces who had a majority of British soldiers. But the Allies had special weapons and special soldiers that the French did not have. Tata! Tata! Tatata! Tata! Theyre Riflemen! Keep your body down, Lieutenant Commander! Everyone stands back, and stays in line! Dont equip your bays! The fire from the rear of the British skirmishers and light infantry was a very cumbersome resistance from Napoleons point of view. Their aim shot forced the officers and nonmissioned officers to withdraw, and they had difficulty inmanding the infantry. It was not like France did not have any rifle nor rifleman. Although its performance was inferior to that of the British Baker rifle, France also produced a rifle called the Versailles rifle, and had Chasseurs who knew how to handle it. The problem was that Nabot, the source of all evil, had stopped the production of the rifle because the production process wasplicated, expensive and slow. I will make sure to train riflemen again. I will create a special unit better than the English and make them pay back with interest. These were Napoleons thoughts, as he looked at the French officers withdrawing under the shooting of the British riflemen. The French and Allied forces had been searching for gaps in their opponents, seeking even a little more favorable terrain for them. Napoleon looked at the long lines of the two armies with a telescope and figured out that now was the time to take action. If pressure was applied in this state, he could gain an advantage with an artillery attack. Now was the time to urge forward the deployment of batteries. Why on earth is the transport of cannons so slow!? Its already been an hour since I ordered it! I-Im sorry, Your Majesty! There was an ident in which half of the 24-pound cannons copsed in an attempt to transport them over the river on a hastily built bridge. Frowning, Napoleon decided to quickly fill their ce with lightweight cannons. These bastards asses are quite heavy. These were Berthiers words next to him. The coalition forces had briefly been embarrassed by the surprise attack of the unit led by Louis Nics Davout. The Alliedmanders leading their troops in the battle lines quickly deployed the reserve forces in the rear to block their right side, instead of dealing with Davout. The reserve forces marched through the gap between the main forces of the French army and its right wing, and confronted the troops of Davout head-on. This created a natural battle line, which could guarantee the security of the right side of the Allies. They showed the greatest possible response in their situation. Napoleon realized once again that Arthur Wellesley was a formidablemander. And he could also recall the fact that cannon firepower was necessary to break them. Soon after, it was finally the time that Napoleon and the Frenchmand had been waiting for. The cannons are all deployed. What about the calction of the shelling coordinates? Its finished too. If we supply enough gunpowder and shells, Im confident well show the British hell! Marshal ude Victor-Perrin had a confident expression on his face. Napoleon entrusted him with 150 cannons and 35 artillery battalions. This was equivalent to a third of the total artillery force of Napoleons Corps. For a fierce artillery shelling attack, they were nning on deploying them to the front and actively use the advantage of having more cannons than the coalition. I trust you and leave it to you. You dont have to worry about your back, so wipe everything out as you wish. As if he had been waiting for these words, Perrin smiled and made a solemn salute. === Marshal Perrin, who wasmanding the forward battery and artillery with a solemn expression, ordered the artillery officers to fire. Boom! Boom! Booom! Boom!! Boom! Booom!! 150 cannons fired in unison. It was impossible for the Allied forces to respond quickly, as if they had never thought the French would deploy cannons this far and fire at them. Like a field of corn that bison roamed through, the rows of enemy soldiers were crushed and smashed. The coalitionmanders could takefort in the fact that the damage was reduced a little thanks to the British armys unique thin battle formation. Marshal! The first shelling was very sessful! Many French cannons fired where we wanted them to fire, and gave the enemies a deadly blow! I know it from the look of it. Dont sparepliments for the officers of each battalion! However, this is the first time for our artillery to handle cannons this close to the enemy A lot of officers are anxious. The lieutenant was not wrong. It was one of the worries that Perrin had as well. Currently, the battery was only about 600 to 700 meters away from the enemy line. The artillery shelling from this close could massively wipe out the enemy with its destructive power, but it could not be denied that the entire battery was exposed to a huge risk. The enemies could reach the battery in only five minutes if they were properly determined. The distance between the battery and the enemy was even shorter than the distance between the battery and the French main forces, showing how bold this strategy was. If the other side had a bravemander confident in the maneuver, he would surely lead a handful of elite troops and smash the battery in. However, Perrin did not panic at this thought and carried out his duties faithfully. The reason was Will he not be able to cope with the little tricks of his enemies? You dont have to worry about anything. Behind us is the great Emperor watching. This was because he had a greater faith and trust that could erase his anxiety. Many people noticed Napoleon Bonapartes change, as did ude Victor Perrin, who had been serving him for a long time. Starting with his personality, speech, and habits, his Emperor had really changed a lot. Among these changes, Perrins attention was on his military capability. The Emperor, who was called Europes greatest mastermind, progressed even further, perhaps after learning something from the Russian expedition. In particr, his ability to strengthen the paving stones of strategic advantage through skillful operational skills, using psychology to trick the enemys mind, was one of the most unusual features that the Emperor had not shown previously. Now Marshal Perrin could fully trust and follow whatever the Emperor did. It was because he believed that Napoleon could present the right judgment and answer no matter what the situation was. The French artillery was firing excitedly, using their superior number of cannons. But they were also carefully observing the enemys movements while firing their cannons, and soon noticed suspicious activities. The troops in front of us are changing the formation of their unit, preparing to gather. Considering their dense formation, it seems that infantry battalions are going to be deployed to capture the battery here. At the words of a staff officer, Perrin confirmed it with his own eyes. Through the lens of his telescope, he could see soldiers lining up with British officers who were busy directing them. The artillery officers were anxious, but Perrins faith remained unshakable. This is an order from the Emperor to the Marshal! The Allies are expected to deployrge infantry battalions to take over our artillery, so he said to prepare pellets and explosive bullets! It was the words of a messenger riding a horse. Perrin asked him. Did the Emperor mention other units that could protect the battery? His Majesty only added that Marshal Bessires was preparing for a heroic counterattack Perrin just grinned without answering. That was what he had been waiting for. With this one move, Wellesleys Corps will lose its power. = Allied forces begun to advance. Because they had lost a good location to use artillery (dry, soil-lessnd, strong ground, and low curves) to the French, they could not do much if they counterattacked with their own artillery. Eventually, capturing the French forward battery and firing their cannons back was the only way for them to get through this mess. Lets guide to the gates of hell those who dont know what theyre doing and try to get here! Perrins exmation was not a bluff. Cannons armed with pellets were able to show a truly destructive power at a short distance. Boom! Booom! Booom! Boom! Boom! Pellets, which threw dozens of smaller iron bullets, were an excellent explosive ballistic weapon against infantry. Explosive bullets with gunpowder inside were bullets that required to calcte distances to set the time of explosion and shoot. urately calcting the time could cause a bullet to explode just over the enemys head, when sharp fragments such as nails, screws, and pieces of steel in the outer storage of the bullet were pouring out in all directions. Its power was such that it turned the body tissues of the people who were within the scope of the damage into small pieces of minced meat. Screaming in English, Spanish, and Portuguese resonated desperately. Perrins battery fired again without anypassion or hesitation. There were enemy soldiers who were hit by the second shelling and survived fortunately. Of course, their faces were imbued with a deep fear from which they could not escape. Marshal Bessires has arrived with elite cavalry! The British cavalry is moving, too! This is where the key point seems to be! As Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessires led his cavalry and moved to protect the battery, the Alliedmand also sent the British cavalry to intercept them. The Allied infantry was advancing to take over the French battery, while Bessires cavalrymen were tasked to stop it, and British cavalrymen were deployed to deal with Bessires cavalry. Another messenger, sent by Napoleon, arrived with a new message on the bloody battlefield. It was an exquisite way to break the enemys joints. Fire! Perrin divided the battery into exactly two as Napoleonmanded. One side fired pellets and explosive bullets at the enemy infantry approaching at close distance like before. The other sides ammunition was reced with regr cannonballs, not pellet nor explosive bullet. And its target was the British cavalry. Charge! Charge!! The British cavalry faltered after being hit by the French artillerys surprise attack. Meanwhile, the French cavalry led by Marshal Bessires swept the coalition infantry. The infantry, once again shot andpletely scattered, could not stop the French cavalry. It was the moment when the infantry, which had been selected by the Allied forces, copsed like a sand castle that met strong waves. Themand has ordered a full attack! The Allied g is down! We have won! Woaaaaah! As the soldiers cheered, Perrin clenched his fists. They had won again. Now France could never be defeated. Chapter 67: Operation Sickle - 5 Chapter 67: Operation Sickle - 5 The Alliedmand headquarters, located at the edge of the enemys artillery range, were as precarious as the rest of the current coalition forces. Officers advised to move the headquarters barracks to a safer rear, but Arthur Wellesley tly refused. They had already retreated once, pressured by the French army. Doing it again would not look any different than running away. To keep the morale of the soldiers, they could not back down. On the way to the city of Buniel, we found traces of spies and scouts apparently dispatched from the French side. They seem quite recent. That was right. From the beginning, Napoleon had been expecting the Allies to retreat around this time. Arthur Wellesley, who smiled bitterly saying that he could not be defeated, had now begun to worry. In the distance, French troops in blue uniforms were rushing in like waves. On the battlefield, Arthur Wellesley always enjoyed using his defense strategy because it was advantageous for him to win. Because humans were not perfect beings, there was not amander perfect in every way. Attack meant breaking the consistency and taking risks in the process, which inevitably revealed mistakes and weaknesses. On the other hand, defense was stable and consistent and could also hide weaknesses from the outside. Establishing a solid defense line using the terrain, observing the situation closely without any risk, and inducing an enemys preemptive attack. Cold and rational, Arthur Wellesley could discover enemy errors and vulnerabilities in the process, and had always won with a counterattack actively exploiting them. His reasoning had always been correct. But at this moment in time, he was questioning it. Arthur Wellesley struggled to find mistakes and gaps as he watched Napoleons troops advance. Even the bestmander could not control all units, and big and small mistakes could ur because of various causes, such as theck ofmunication between units, troops advancing too deeply in enemy territory, or lines getting twisted because of sessive advances and retreats. But Napoleons Corps was different. It was the same for all the units that Wellesley saw. There was no gap or crack in the French troops entering, as they splendidly changed formation, pressuring Wellesleys Corps. They repeated their advance by establishing strict fire control with unexpected uniformity and consistency. A series of processes were carried out in unison, like well-interlocked cogwheels. In the face of this regr and heavy force, the coalition troops were pushed back helplessly. Ive never seen or heard of an army like this before. The lieutenantsints was representing Wellesleys feelings. Before they knew it, the tricolor g, not the Allied g, was flying over the main battlefield. In the end, Arthur Wellesley had no choice but to move hismand post a little further back. And as if he had waited for this, Napoleon immediately deployed a French battery forward, tightening Wellesleys breath. Boom! Boom! Booom! Booom! Booom! Under the heavy French artillery shelling, damage on the coalition side was umting. Their merciless fire easily prated the ranks of the Allied soldiers. Despite such unfavorable circumstances, Arthur Wellesleys defensive tactics shone. It was Wellesleys masterpiece that quickly stopped Louis Nics Davouts side-attack troops with timely reinforcements and reversal of the battle lines. Wellesley, who directlymanded the advance and support of numerous coalition forces, covering miles of space between the viges of La Buena and San Felices, and blocked the French army, was showing superhuman-like abilities. The officers under hismand thought this. If anyone other than Arthur Wellesley had been in charge ofmanding here, they would have never made it this far. However, the shoulders of the coalition leaders, including Wellesley, had no choice but to drop after they heard the news. All the troops sent to the reed forest have been destroyed? The fifteen battalions of specialists in guerri warfare were a trump card to strike the French right wing. Thanks to them, the rest of the coalition forces were able to concentrate on the French armys middle and left wing, and to hold out by digging trenches. The fact that the units that were in charge of such an important task had been destroyed in one stroke, and that even themander of the units, Brigadier General Miguel ke, had been taken prisoner, was an event that could break Arthur Wellesleys patience. Weve definitely selected the best fighters for this terrain! But what the hell is this result!? Tell me! Did Napoleon release demons of hell in the reeds!? Major General Rond Hill, known for remaining cool and reasonable on any battlefield, bawled and smashed the wooden table with his fist as if to break it. It was also a shocking scene for the coalition officers who knew him. They were the Middle Guard of the French Empire. They were wearing uniforms of a color simr to that of the reeds to camouge themselves, and they freely roamed and hunted us like they were in their own courtyard. Listening to the testimony of the surviving soldiers, Wellesley closed her eyes and shook his head. Napoleon It was Napoleon again. Ever since he began fighting him, he had been fooled like this by his opponent without being able to do anything. Themand headquarters fell into silence. Arthur Wellesley had to make a final decision. Do I really have to use this in the end! = Thest tactical operation to take over the French battery failed catastrophically. Now the victory waspletely over to the French side. Theyunched an all-out attack from all directions to achieve a brilliant victory. Under the French advance, which morale soared to the sky, the Allies looked as dangerous asnterns in front of the wind. While looking at Napoleons Corps, which was unstoppable, Arthur Wellesley, the ironmander, showed no change of expression. It was also his nature to remain calm despite his humiliating defeat against Napoleon from the beginning to the end. The final operation to capture the French armys battery was obviously reckless. But thanks to their brave attack, the Alliedmand headquarters could buy valuable time to prepare their new strategic weapons. Its time to start the fireworks! S-Sir! Really, to use so many of them at once! Theyre just rockets. Each soldiers life is more precious to me. I, themander, will be responsible for everything! So I want you to obey my orders! The officer, who could not refuse Arthur Wellesleys orders, clenched his teeth and lowered the g. At the signal, hundreds of fireworks flew in unison. Peeeeeeee-! It was like a giant hundreds of meters tall, ying a giant flute that fit his body. A series of sharp and thin sounds echoed, illuminating the morning sky over the Anzn River. They were Congreve rockets. The other day, when the French hadunched a surprise attack, the Allies had a lot of fun using Congreve rockets. However, it was notparable to now in terms of numbers and supplies. Congreve rockets! A-Avoid them! Ahhh! Ahhhhh! F-Fire! Get some water now! Europe was traditionally a region affected by humid windsing from the west, and where wet weather continued from autumn to winter, but things were a little different as you went ind. In particr, Burgos was one of the areas where precipitation was particrly low in Spain, and the area had be drier due to theck of rain over the past few days. Thanks to this, the French artillery had the best environment to set up their cannons, but it was time to pay its price. The Congreve rockets, which flew high into the sky with a roar and sparks, exploded in the air and split in all directions like exploding fireworks. Congreve rockets had a bigger range than cannons, and could fly up to 1.6 miles. As if to prove their reputation of being able to strike a wider area than any other weapon in modern times, the entire battlefield was set on fire. Not only the French infantry, who was still marching in lines, but also the artillery and cavalry behind them were within range. Even the rear positions, military camps, barracks, and supply stations located at the rear of the French army were blown away. Second battery, fire! Peeeeeeee-!! It was time for the second round of fireworks. Likewise, the Congreve rockets, which were shot on the battlefield where French troops stood, struck and burned evenly living and nonliving things. The tremendous roar, cohesive explosions, and subsequent mes looked like the manifestation of a disaster. The French had been walking as if they had just won the war. Now they were confused and panicked like lost ducklings. Not missing that time, the Britishunched third and fourth rounds of rocket bombings on them. The chaos that came to the French army became even more severe. Looking at it like that, the Congreve rocket seems to be the best strategic weapon of all time but thats not the case. The Congreve rockets hit rate was absolutely terrible. There was no concept of aiming, so only God knew where it was heading after firing. Therefore, it was problematic to use it on general battlefields, not just because of the difficulty to concentrate its firepower, but because of potential friendly fire. Sir, you must go now! Leave the rest to us, lead the rear guards quickly and leave! All right, gentlemen. I wish you good luck. Wellesley drove his horse. The coalition forces, which had been deployed on a long line between the towns of La Buena and San Felices, had began retreating half an hour ago, one unit after another in order, and now were reduced to less than a quarter. As he rode his horse, Wellesley looked at the falling rockets. Of the thousands of rockets, the ones hitting the enemy were burning splendidly in the morning, worthy of their name, but there were also far more rockets that failed to reach the enemy. A lot of them fell into the Anzn River, and there were many defective products that fell in remote ces and could not cause any damage to the French army. He did not know how expensive the unit price of one rocket was, but the cost of this bombing may have been about 5% of Britains total military budget. Considering that Britains annual military expenditure was several timesrger than that of the entire French army, which had hundreds of thousands of troops, this single firework was equivalent to tens of thousands of troops disappearing. But in the end, it seeded in creating more strategic value. The war that depends on individual excellence has passed. Now, the nations economic power and political soundness determine the difference between victory and defeat. Napoleon, no matter how brilliant you are, you will not be able to withstand the flow of this great age. Although Wellesley and the coalition forces fought so hard, they could not stop the French. But the power of new weapons and of the economy, allowing to strike the French massively, made it possible. Wellesley looked at his enemies, who hadpletely stopped advancing, and drove off the battlefield again. The Allied headquarters faced the threat of defeat, but were able to escape the range of French attacks using such a trump card. The first confrontation between Napoleon Bonaparte and Arthur Wellesley ended in this way. Chapter 68: Operation Sickle - 6 Chapter 68: Operation Sickle - 6 I never thought Id see the money of those damn ind bastards here again! Things like this dont change even if the world changes. Napoleon clicked his tongue while watching the Congreve rockets meteor shower raging in the Anzn River basin. The Congreve rocket was a new British weapon that had long gued Napoleon and the French army in the other world. Britain, which was one step away from the continent, and which had always been wary of the emergence of powers in Europe, and France, a traditional European power, could not coexist in any parallel world. Even in Napoleons original world, France and Britain did everything they could to destroy each other. Those brutal and ignorant weapons are the sins of the inders, born out of their disdain and cruelty. These were the first words that Louis-Alexandre Berthier, the chief of staff, said when he saw the Congreve rockets as they appeared for the first time in the history of war. From the French armys point of view, these words were really deserved. Of course, for their enemy, the British army, such remarks were nothing short of the highest praise. Due to the nature of parliamentary politics, which required to pay attention to public opinion, shedding the blood of many people in war should be avoided as much as possible. The Congreve rocket, with which the British could freely bombard enemies from a safe distance, was truly a revolutionary weapon. As Britain had a good financial situation before the beginning of the war, they used these expensive weapons made by William Congreve very actively against France in the other world. In the early days of the war, Napoleon himself had led the French army to face the British and Dutch rebels whonded in the Nethends. The Battle of Heerenveen was recorded as the first battle where the British used the Congreve rockets on arge scale. Peeeeeeee-!! The situation at that time had been simr and different. At the Battle of Heerenveen, the British had begun to attack by mercilessly firing Congreve rockets, apparently trying to discourage the French from the very beginning. Roars, sparks, and explosions had poured out continuously. It had been a beautiful and brutal bombing, even causing the illusion of a meteor shower falling from the sky. At that time, when the French experienced it for the first time, they had floundered away from the great panic. Even the elite soldiers of the French Republic could not help it in the face of unknown fear. I really had a lot of trouble trying to recover and reorganize the officers and soldiers who lost their minds at that time. As he recalled the hardships of that battle, Napoleon frowned slightly. After having quickly reorganized his troops, he had used his unique psychological warfare to bring the British and Dutch rebels to the desired positions and had made them pay back several times. Theres a lot of damage from the damn explosives. The fire went crazy not only to our barracks and positions north of the Anzn River, but also to the supply depots and storages installed at the rear. Fitting his nickname Le Rougeaud, Michel Ney, Duke of Elchingen,[1]reported the damage with a face like Burgundy red wine. Specifically, which storages are concerned and how much is the loss? Two warehouses containing hay and fodder for the horses have been lost. In addition, the storage with the clothes and boots of the Imperial Army was half burned, and its contents were greatly damaged. Fortunately, the warehouses with gunpowder and food for the soldiers are safe. Napoleon, who was quietly listening to the report, turned his head in surprise as he took off his hat and swept up his head. The warehouses where hay and fodder are stored Arent they located near the cathedral and the farm next to it? Thats right, Your Majesty. Then what happened to the corps wagons and carts that were also there? Michel Ney, who answered without hesitation, was speechless for the first time. He replied that he would check, but Napoleon could guess that there were no reporting from subordinates on this matter. Napoleons head was spinning, even though he was dissatisfied with the attitude of those who had not grasped these important issues in advance. If two warehouses, that are several tens of meters wide, werepletely burned down, then the whole area near the cathedral was devastated The wagons and carts cant be fine. This is getting messed up. It was not long before Michel Ney brought information about the damage to the carts and wagons that were stored nearby. Napoleon could confirm that his guess was right. Of the 800 carts and wagons owned by the Corps supply units, 217 were damaged by the bombing. It seems that about 35 of them can be repaired or some of their parts can be transferred and used somewhere else. That means that the rest arepletely burnt down or destroyed. I-Im sorry, Your Majesty. At Napoleons cold words, Michel Ney bowed his head. The damage to transport wagons and carts was a very painful problem in the operation of the corps. The reduction in avable transportation naturally put restrictions on the movement and supply of the troops. In particr, some supply wagons were not only transporting food for the soldiers, but also hay, oats, and fodder to feed the horses. The loss of supply wagons was not just restricting the movements of troops, but was also a serious problem that could threaten their lives and health. In short, it meant that the French army would not be able to follow the fleeing coalition forces after they used their fireworks. Napoleon sighed slightly and gestured to him to leave. Its really messed up. = Napoleon returned to the north of the Anzn River and let out swear words as he looked at the ruined French army. The damage to the headquarters barracks was greater than expected. The firepower and hit rate of a single rocket were insignificant, but it could show this formidable power if its target location was selected well and hit inrge quantities. As such, the number of French soldiers who were swept to death by the explosion of the thousands of Congreve rockets fired by the British troops was very small. However, the explosive roar that seemed to rip out their ears, the painful agony of those who burnt to death screaming, and the fact that it was not possible to predict where the rockets wouldnd caused extreme fear and anxiety. It would take long for the soldiers who suffered from this to calm down. They also needed to extinguish the French military camp, which had been set on fire everywhere. We wont chase after the enemy. We need to get the army together. Make the soldiers work on the maintenance of the army. These were Napoleons orders. Having lost a lot of war supplies such as gunpowder, shells, wagons and carts carrying soldiers daily necessities, they could not chase the coalition even if they wanted to. Napoleon went around the battlefield, giving orders. His eyes caught sight of arge group of French high-ranking officers. Seeing Arthur Wellesley running away after throwing away those expensive rockets, my resentment from thest battles seems to wash away, hahaha! He ran away with his tail between his legs! It wont be long before his title of Iron Duke is changed to something closer to his real ability. Although urate estimates of the damage have yet to be made, the Imperial Army is expected to have made them pay an overwhelming price again this time. In any case, they did a lot of damage to the coalition forces. They had defeated them and had defended Burgos. With this logic, the officers were celebrating todays victory, calling it a great victory. One of the officers who wasughing and chatting noticed Napoleon approaching quietly. I-I salute Your Majesty the Great Emperor! Lets ensure the salvation of the Empire! The officers around him came to their senses and also took an angr salute, showing their tension. Napoleon calmly approached them, receiving their greeting. You guys were celebrating todays battle as if it were a great victory like Austerlitz or Hrodna. Y-Your Majesty! We made a big mistake! Please forgive us Its not a mistake. I have abolished censorship of the press and art, and I am not trying to control the officers thoughts. You have every right to speak your opinions and ideas. Napoleon spoke with a friendly tone while putting his hands on their shoulders. But as he continued, the officers shoulders hardened and their faces gradually turned pale. Based on your rank and affiliation, you must have participated in the staff meeting with me and the marshals. Thats right, Your Majesty! Then you must know what strategies and operations I led from the beginning. What do you think? Did todays battle go as nned and give the results we wanted? I-Im sorry! We were short-sighted. Please forgive us! Napoleon grinned as he looked at them who werepletely frightened. It was like catching kids. Theres nothing wrong with you for not being able to fully execute the operation as nned before. Its my fault for making clumsy tactics and failing to predict the enemys tricks. I mean it. In the end, he was not angry about todays battle that did not produce the desired results. He was not even angry at the condescending officers who were talking as if they had won. Youre young, smart and astute soldiers. With some more experience, it would be possible for you to receive a baton decorated with an eagle (the baton of the marshals of the Empire). The future of the Imperial Army depends on you. Your Majesty If I were you, I would not care about the vain honor of considering worthless victories and defeats. Instead, I would analyze why we failed topletely overwhelm them and deviated from the original operation n by reviewing thest battle. Then the next time we meet them again, wouldnt we be able to win based on the lessons we learned here? I could also grow and develop in this way. !! Thecency and the arrogance of thinking about convenience are not suitable for those who will be responsible for the future of the Imperial Army. I want you to reflect on what I said. The French Imperial Army could be greater than ever if you could be able to point out the deficiencies in my ns without hesitation, after learning like this. This is advice that touches the heart We will keep it in mind, Your Majesty! Napoleon returned to his barracks after patting them on the shoulders, as they were moved to tears. Soldiers and errandsmen were busily moving around the barracks to arrange their belongings as they prepared for the troops withdrawal. But the ones Napoleon was looking for were nowhere to be seen. It seems that there are no officers doing their own analysis of the battle. Well, I kind of expected it, but The battle was already over. It was not without regret, but there was no need for them to be overly regretful or me themselves for the results. However, it was a different matter not to reproduce this situation. In addition to the officers to whom he just spoke, Napoleon recalled those who still had sullen expressions, and sighed quietly. Did the long-standing war dull their senses? They are so immersed in a small victory that they are neglecting something really important. There were still a lot of things to be fixed that were appearing in Napoleons eyes. It was too much. Chapter 69: Operation Sicke - 7 Chapter 69: Operation Sicke - 7 There was an indescribable tension on the faces of the French officers who gathered at themand headquarters after organizing and maintaining the situation of the battlefield to some extent. They had not yet experienced defeat in the Peninsr War, and were very satisfied with their brilliant victory over Wellesley and his allies, but there were rumors circting in the crowd that were sending chills down their spines. It was said that His Majesty was very unhappy with the oue of this battle Its like a storm ising. Anyone who see them would think its a parade of defeated soldiers. I wonder if His Majesty is making the corps too rigid by being more strict than necessary. Jean-Baptiste Bessires muttered as he saw the stiff and nervous faces of officers gathering at themand headquarters. I think differently. Its because the battles oue is only breaking the enemies and letting them retreat. Didnt we eventually fail to achieve the strategic goals we hoped for in the beginning? It was not just that. At the end of the battle, they even had to endure Congreve rockets pouring out, devastating everything. But they had such a rxed expression when it was over, almost like the Peninsr War had ended, which was very different from the Emperors thoughts. Its sad and shameful, but we havent won against them since the Marquis of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, became themander-in-chief of the British army. Its not iprehensible that soldiers feel too satisfied with todays victory. Youre right. Apparently our Marshals couldnt do anything against Arthur Wellesley. But isnt His Majesty different? Ah Only then did Jean-Baptiste Bessires knew what Berthier was saying. The Emperor had never faced Arthur Wellesley before. Actually, he had won andslide victory over the British when Wellesley was not there yet, and had then gone east, winning over all the great generals of the continent. Naturally, the Emperor, who was the greatestmander of this era and had conquered Europe, had hoped for a perfect victory against Arthur Wellesleys Corps. Because his expectations had been higher from the beginning, his reaction was different from the ones of the officers who thought Isnt this good enough? Anyway, whats certain is that we need to be careful about our behavior now. His Majesty has recently been changing the Empire to a liberal and less authoritarian monarchy, and his unnecessary mood swings have been greatly reduced, but we cannot guarantee that it will stay the same if we cross the line. The words of Berthier, the chief of staff, were a wake-up call for the French high-ranking officers who were listening to him, including Marshal Bessires. They were well aware of Napoleon Bonapartes capricious and extreme personality. They remembered the faces of those who acted wrongly and were humiliated with horrible insults or even bled. These days, the Emperor had be much more gentle, but he was basically like fire. When stimted, it would burn down everything around. The great Emperor of the Empire ising. Please salute with courtesy and respect, everyone. Napoleon Bonaparte entered themand headquarters under the salute of the officers. As soon as he came in, he looked at the officers with an expressionless look. Those who received the Emperors gaze shivered. He opened his mouth. Arthur Wellesley and the British, Spanish and Portuguese forces were defeated by me and the Imperial Army here between La Buena and San Felices. I think that it was a decisive battle that shook the whole continent of Europe beyond the peninsr. The soldiers who fought for this achievement certainly deserve praise. How could they be so anxious even though it was apliment for the victory? While the officers were looking carefully at each other, reports of the battle began. The battle against Wellesleys Corps had begun at dawn and ended near noon. Wellesleys Corps seemed to have had this operation in mind from the beginning. While the French troops were bombarbed by the Congreve rockets, they left the battlefield with their belongings so meticulously that they could not be considered losers. This was why despite winning the Battle of La Buena-San Felices, France did not collect any spoils such as military food, cotton cloth, wartime funds, military gs, and high-end goods. It was the same for war supplies, including gunpowder, cannons, rifles and muskets. The French had only gained about 25,000 rounds of ammunition and 6,000 shovels at best. Nevertheless, a victory was a victory. The taff officers estimated that the coalition force lost about 12,000 men. These included Allied officers and soldiers captured by the French army. The Imperial Army showed superiority in the previous Battle of the Anzn River and in other misceneous engagements. Wellesleys Corps is the elite unit of the coalition forces involved in the Peninsr War. Its a very encouraging achievement to have reduce their power by a quarter. Arthur Wellesley gave up his dominance on other fronts and concentrated his power here to target Burgos, a key point in the Iberian Penins. But the Emperors outstanding strategy and the struggle of the soldiers managed to stop him. I think its a great victory that will shine on our country. Berthier, the chief of staff, unwittingly sped his forehead. He did not know who among the officers in charge of thebat report said such ttery, but it was really stupid. As expected, the Emperors expression changed. You are clearly misunderstanding something. !! The purpose of the operation, on which I and the other Corpsmanders worked hard, was not just to cut off one arm of Wellesleys Corps. Dont you remember hearing enough exnations about the grand objectives and strategic value of Operation Sickle from me? The outline of Operation Sickle was simple. Napoleons Corps had to hold Wellesleys Corps as long as possible, as thetter tried to escape after seeing that the coalition was at a disadvantage in the war. In the meantime, Andr Massnas Corps was running this way pretending to go to Madrid, and would arrive behind them. If this operation had been sessful, it could have ended the Peninsr War itself. All of Wellesleys troops, the main forces of the Allies, would have been killed or taken prisoners. Gentlemen. I know better than anyone else that the strategic model on the table and the actual battlefield are different. But at least basic mistakes, that can only be made by first-time officers and recruits, should not have been made. The sloppy construction of bridges over the river had led to their copse as heavy artillery was being carried over them, and the failure to report on the movements of the reserve forces of Wellesleys Corps on time had almost endangered Davouts troops. In addition, some infantry battalions had been unable to participate in the battle due to ammunition that was not supplied in time, and soldiers had been unable to control the fire caused by the Congreve rockets bombarding warehouses and barracks even though the river was just next to them. The only ones whose mistakes were not pointed out by the Emperor were the members of the Middle Guard, who had showed splendid performances in the reed forest. If I have to evaluate todays battle, I will say that it was a failure. What the hell are these troops in my Corps, which is supposed to be the elite of the Imperial Army? I have nothing to say, Your Majesty. Starting with Berthier, the chief of staff, the marshals of the Empire asked for apologies one after another. The officers just bowed their heads, saying they were ashamed of themselves. The atmosphere sank to a point where they could not see the bottom of it, but Berthier was actually hiding his surprise. This was because the Emperors scolding of the officers was as smooth as flowing water and irrefutably logic. Surely the Emperor has changed. And quite a lot. In the past, he would have thrown things at the officers because he could not control his anger. As Berthier faithfully followed the Emperor, he thought honestly that it would be difficult to earn respect from his subordinates in that way. This was because such behavior raised fear and animosity, not reflection and introspection. However, today, the Emperor pointed out what was good and what was wrong, and also told the officers what attitude and mindset they needed to have in order to prevent this from happening in the future. He became a teacher, not a scolding and angry man. The Imperial Army will be stronger in the future. His Majesty is showing the process first. For a moment the officers had been depressed, but now they had new resolutions. They would never make such stupid mistakes again. Berthier nodded as he looked at their changed expressions. For him, the Emperor was starting to look like a truly great leader, as he unfolded new features different from the ones of his previous self, likeyers of an onion. He was now a monarch worthy of true obedience. Napoleon was thus constantly perfecting himself through self-discipline. === An exnation would need to be given for using so many of the kingdoms beloved strategic materials, the Congreve rockets, in a single battle. Arthur Wellesley was already worried about the excuse he would have to give to the people of Westminster and 10 Downing Street (British Prime Ministers residence). Unfortunately, he did not even have time to worry. There are French troops nine miles ahead of us! Judging by their gs, theyre supposed to be Andr Massnas Corps! The news brought by cavalry patrols to Wellesleys Corps, which had retreated to a temporarily supply station built in the city of Buniel, came as a shock. Ah, damn it! Wasnt Massnas Corps supposed to be heading for Madrid!? It must have been their vicious deception. Otherwise, they wouldnt be so close to here The officers muttered a lot, but Arthur Wellesley could not hear them. Chills were running down his spine. Two hours If we had retreated two hourste, the whole army would have faced a tragedy like Macbeth. In Wellesleys head, the coalition troops were surrounded and destroyed by Napoleons and Massnas Corps. Their lives were hanging to a thread. And it was Napoleon Bonaparte who led all this shady and malicious n, like a devil. Arthur Wellesley had to hide the goose bumps he had all over his body, thinking that he could have been defeated by this deception. The Marquis decision to use the Congreve rockets was the best judgment ever. At Major General Rond Hills words, Wellesley nodded and agreed. Indeed, it was an exquisite blessing that God helped the kingdom and him. But now we have to think about what is going to happen. Massna is not an easymander. Thats true. We need to be firmly prepared to counterattack him. Just in case, pay special attention to the movements of Napoleons Corps. Weve taken away their mobility, but as you know, we can never be careful enough against Napoleon. All right, sir! Encountering Massnas Corps here was unexpected, but Arthur Wellesley was not too worried. Officers quickly regained their reason. Although the Wellesley Corps was running south like they were defeated, their situation was not so bad. Not a few soldiers were wounded. However, there were enough supplies to maintain the unitsbat capabilities. Andr Massnas ability was well known to them, but it was only truly a threat when he had enough power. The number of units he was leading was only half of the Wellesley Corps. Of course, there was a problem with the soldiers physical strength because they fought a fierce battle until two hours ago, but it would be the same for Massnas troops, who came all the way here at a rapid pace. ws are powerful only when theyre on two closing jaws. With Napoleons operation failing, we cant afford to fight each other with all our might, can we? It would be better for you and me topromise and step down. Arthur Wellesley murmured so, recalling Andr Massna marching toward his corps. Chapter 70: Back to Paris - 1 Chapter 70: Back to Paris - 1 Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte[1]was a former Marshal of the French Empire, who, along with Napoleon Bonaparte, had contributed greatly to the French armys victory over all of Europe. However, Bernadotte, who had confidence and pride in his own abilities and had a unique ego and independent tendency, unfortunately came at odds with Napoleon, who was at the top of France. Most of the French armys marshals and high-ranking officers acknowledged Napoleon and did not hesitate to bow their heads, but Bernadotte was different. He was a man who thought Napoleons rise to the throne of the French Empire included much of his stake. Even before Bonaparte emerged in earnest, I led the entire Flemish side of the Republic and made a great contribution to thepletion of the natural border. This achievement was only thanks to my skills and Bonaparte contributed nothing to it. Bernadotte proudly talked about it, saying Napoleon was not above me before the Italian expedition, and Napoleon, who rose to the throne after being Consul, knew that he could not left him alone. Napoleon spared no effort to crush Bernadotte, who did not give in. He hurt his pride in front of his subordinates, openly mocked and rebuked him when the marshals gathered, intentionally reduced his achievements after battles, and ssified the Bernadotte Corps as the lowest in the distribution of loot. However, such attempts did not dampen Bernadottes high self-esteem, but only increased his antipathy toward Napoleon. Marshal Bernadottes honorable and merciful acts on Swedish soldiers at the captured Schwyz camppletely dispelled the Swedish peoples reluctance to wee a new crown prince. His Majesty King Karl XIII[2]and our noble council will be waiting for the wise decision of Marshal Bernadotte. Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was an attractive card for the Swedish royal family, whose bloodline was on the verge of dying as Crown Prince Karl August[3]died suddenly in an era of constant chaos of war and revolution. He was also popr among the Swedish people because it was revealed that he had treated Swedish prisoners very well, and he had outstanding military capabilities that had already been verified as a Marshal of the French Empire, the hegemony of Europe. Bernadotte was also looking for an opportunity to escape from Napoleon, so he did not have any objection. Bernadotte converted from Catholicism to Lutheranism, became the new Crown Prince of Sweden, and was reborn under the name of Karl Johan Baptist Julius, vowing to serve the Swedish people. After the Northern Alliance (Britain-Russia-Sweden) formed to defeat France ended in the defeat of the Battle of Hrodna, Sweden ostensibly followed Russia and raised again an anti-British banner. During the ceasefire, Prince Karl Johan stopped training the army and was entrusted with the overall duties of state affairs from the Swedish noble council, while learning the kings work. A special guest came to Karl Johan today. Big eyes like a carp, small height, thick ts, white hair, a monocle, were the outer features of this guest. The full name of the man, who appeared with a ck uniform, a green strap tied to his shoulder and splendid military medals, was Mikhail Irionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov.[4]Mikhail Kutuzov was a former marshal andmander-in-chief who used tomand all the armies of the Russian Empire in the past. May the Kingdom of Sweden and its royal family be filled with prosperity and blessings! First of all, I would like to express my sincere apologies, Your Highness. No, I know the circumstances of the Marshal Im really d your health got better. Hehehe, as I got older, I only got more and more minor illnesses. I should have taken better care of myself earlier. The veteran, called the suprememander representing the Russian Empire after Alexander Suvorov, asked the Russian Tsar to return after his health was restored. The incredible defeat and humiliating agreement Russia had to make with France and Napoleon gave the old man a desire for a new life. The anger of the vs was stronger and fiercer than expected. Looking at the old mans fighting spirit burning like a smanders me, Karl John clicked his tongue inwardly. If this man had been inmand on Hrodnas battlefield, the Russian army would never have lost to Napoleon in that way Perhaps with his strategy and tactics, Russia would have brought an end to Napoleons reign. But why was Kutuzov sick at that time, then? There was always this kind of fortune for Napoleon. Karl Johan really resented it. I think theres a reason why the Tsar dared to summon the suprememander and asked me for an audience. Thats right. First of all, please ept our Tsars letter. Karl Johan quietly received the letter from a Russian servant and read it. As he read the words and sentences, Karl Johans eyebrows, which had been going down gradually, narrowed in an instant. As far as I know, the terms of the ceasefire and non-aggression pact with France are three years A pact is always just a pact. The most important thing in a treaty is its recognition in European society. Therefore, with the consent of powerful figures, its destruction and annulment are possible at any time. ! His Majesty is willing to take this huge risk. He can no longer look at Europes order swayed by Napoleon. If they could really win over Napoleon and France, then breaking the pact would not be a problem. Britain, Prussia, Austria, Spain and Portugal would of course support the victors rights. The cry of a loserining about the injustice of a broken treaty would not apply in front of the great powers that were grinding their teeth toward France. Even if it was an unfair and indecent victory, the winner could monopolize everything, as history had done so far. Could they trust the internationalmunity? If they won and destroyed the French Empire, their power and authority would soon be trusted. Of course this was only if they were sessful in defeating Napoleon and bringing down France. If Russia were to lose again this time without switching the positions of the winners and losers The aftermath would be beyond imagination. Karl Johans Adams apple, imaging this tremendous event in real time, moved once. The Russian Tsar was now urging Sweden to participate in this war. Sweden, along with Russia, had also signed a non-aggression pact of three years with France. As Sweden had a small weight ss, it was bound to face a greater risk and burden after breaking the treaty. But Alexander I and I are already on the same boat. If we abandon Russia now, our country will be isted by itself Either we enjoy the sweet winners right, or die heroically. He was deeply troubled, but he had only one choice anyway. Karl Johan shook Kutuzovs hand. The veteran smiled softly as if he knew it would happen. Kutuzov was giving words of blessing, but Karl Johan was not listening to him properly at the moment. It was not Alexander I who had sent the letter, Kutuzov standing in front of him, nor his hated rival Napoleon who was filling Karl Johans head now. Hah! Ah! Huh! Bo, Bonaparte!! The first man of his wife, Princess Dsire ry of Sweden,[5]had been Napoleon Bonaparte. And she still had not forgotten him. Napoleons name, which came out of her mouth during intercourse, tore Karl Johans heart apart. He could not me the woman he loved more than his life. Naturally, Karl Johans anger and resentment were focused on one person. Oh, God! I believe in you! You have so far shown him a biased loveparable to Josephs, but I believe fervently that it wille to an end soon. Unlike Joseph, who preached engagement, dedication, forgiveness and generosity, Napoleon brought tears to the eyes of countless people. I will be patient, work hard and devote myself to you, while waiting for this time. For his lifelong lover Dsire ry, and for the kingdom of Sweden where he was Crown Prince. Once again, Karl Johan decided to raise his sword at Napoleon and his former country. === Long-grown sideburns, protruding cheekbones, extremely curly hair, and numerous military medals of the Republic and the Empire hanging on his left breast. This worlds Andr Massna was exactly how Napoleon had imagined. Massna strode toward Napoleon, whose marshals were lined up behind his back, and showed his respect to the Emperor by bending one knee. To the Emperor of the French Empire, the legitimate sessor of the Roman Empire, I speak for the entire corps as the Prince of Essling.[6] Long time no see, Prince of Essling. Nabot of this world could not have met Massna often, because he had been serving on the Iberian Penins for a long time. Napoleon was able to affirm this because he had never heard any evidence or testimony saying the opposite. I heard you encountered Arthur Wellesleys Corps on your way here. And yet you avoided fighting? Yes, Your Majesty! The first n of our operation was destroyed when the wicked inders noticed and avoided it. Although Arthur Wellesley fled without being able to withstand Your Majestys brilliant abilities, there was no decisive loss to his strength. The officers judged that forcing an engagement could have resulted in tarnishing the victory of the Battle of La Buena-San Felices. Massnas defense was wless and reasonable. Napoleon did not mean to take issue with his refusal to fight Wellesleys Corps that was fleeing. What he wanted to point out was something else. You dont have to convince me, I am aware of this. Please speak asfortably as before, Your Majesty! Although we have been far away from each other, my loyalty to Your Majesty has not changed. All right. Ill do that. It seemed that Nabot did not go against Massna. What I am curious about is the exact status of your corps. I sent a draft of Operation Sickle and ordered you to enter the operation with everything ready by October 20th. But you didnt follow it because the troops werent finished with maintenance. After the crushing defeat in Smanca, the troops on the penins had to face a harsh counterattack from the coalition. Among them, it was my corps that was preventing the British offensive on the front line leading to Madrid. My apologies to His Majesty, but the troops needed time to reorganize after they stepped down from Madrid. Well If thats true, then youd better return the baton of Marshal of the Empire and go back home right now. The marshals and officers raised their heads at Napoleons sudden sharp words. On the other hand, Massna, who was facing Napoleons eyes, did not show any change in facial expression. The Battle of Smanca, which was a real disgrace to the Imperial Army and Auguste de Marmont, was fought on July 22nd, and your corps began to step down from Madrid on August 4th. I think my letter was delivered to your corps in early October Its hard to understand that the Prince of Essling, the master of maneuvering, needed more time for maintenance. The reason why I became known for maneuvering is because I always make sure to have enough training and preparation, to ensure that there are no disruptions to the operations before going on the field. As Your Majesty guaranteed autonomousmand over each corps, the best judgment was made after consulting with themanders and staff officers. Im very sorry, but I cant give you any answer other than this. A murderous silence covered the barracks. The officers had to swallow their saliva carefully amid the tension that froze the surroundings. Chapter 71: Back to Paris - 2 Chapter 71: Back to Paris - 2 Andr Massna was Prince of Essling and Duke of Rivoli. The quality and quantity of his achievements during the Revolutionary War were evaluated to be next to Napoleon Bonaparte. In fact, Massna himself thought that his strategic and tactical abilities were not much inferior to Napoleons. Napoleon had heard it from Massna himself (although it was in a different world) who had been openly speaking about it. Of course, it was natural that his self-esteem was so high because his ability was excellent. It was not usually difficult to deal with him. But ferocious beasts could not be tamed by humans. The maintenance of the corps is probably just an excuse to dy theunch of the march. He must have been dissatisfied with the fact that his corps was given the most dangerous task in the operation I led. The marshals of the Empire, who led independent corps in the Iberian Penins, were not given special instructions from France. They voluntarily supplemented the soldiers of their corps and led their troops as independent military organizations, seeking (plundering) supplies and property on their way. The military operations had been carried out far away from France for a long time, and they became like warlords. Andr Massna, who had a clear vision of the situation and was obsessed with benefits, was even worse. Even thest reins hadpletely disappeared after Napoleon directly allowed him to autonomouslymand his corps and the military operations. Of course that did not mean that Andr Massna was a disloyal traitor. Napoleon, who had known him for a long time, knew the true meaning of Massnas love and loyalty to France better than anyone. However, Napoleon was not the object of his loyalty. But his will to defeat the coalition forces rebelling against the French order remained unchanged. However, trying to take care of ones own interests is also a matter of time and ce. He has crossed the line Ive set. He may not have been the original Napoleon of this world, but to him, sabotaging the work of the state for his own personal gain was not eptable. After closing his eyes for a moment in silence, Napoleon opened them, revealing eyes he had never shown since he came to this world. = Later, Massna recalled it like this: A fierce look like an angry lion He had been going through all sorts of emergencies and dangerous situations for decades on the battlefields. But even him, who could not be impressed by any enemy, felt the coolness of the air as if it were freezing when he looked at Napoleons eyes at that time. Napoleon was like a beast. And it was the same for Massna. Although the Emperor and themander of the Imperial Army were in a superior-subordinate rtionship, they did not attempt to invade each others territory. The Emperor respected him as an individual and respected his decisions. Massna led the army faithfully under him and brought victory. That was how the Emperor and Massna continued their rtionship. However, the Emperor had to invade his territory first. You marched from Zaragoza to Guadjara (a city in front of Madrid) to Burgos? Even if you had to avoid being detected by the coalition, it should have taken you 13 days at most? When he first epted the Emperors order, Massna was beyond belief. He did not doubt the utility of the operation. In his view, this was fatal enough to destroy Wellesleys Corps if it was done right. The problem was the mission and location of his own corps in this operation. Were tasked with the most dangerous and arduous mission. But we will be in a position that wont get much fame or profit. Since ancient times, the unit that yed the most decisive role in winning or losing battles had been regarded as the main character. Since he would be ying the role of raiding the enemys rear during the fierce battle, then the Massna Corps would have a chance of being the main character. With his troops, he had to march from Zaragoza to Burgos, but had to pretend to go to Madrid and then move north to deceive the Allies eyes. Of course, the distance of the march inevitably increased dramatically. It should have taken them 13 days or so. But by doing so, his troops would have been exhausted from the march and would not have been able to y their role properly. Another one of Massnasints was that there were no cities or rich viges for his troops to rob on their way. (Because of his tendency to live a debauchery life, Massna carried out brutal looting on every battlefield.) Hes going to use my corps as a thorough supporting role! I dont think Ive ever done anything that would make the Emperor hate me! With his own reasoning and instinctive senses, Massna was able to see what role his corps would have yed in the operation. That would have been to stop Wellesleys Corps from retreating. Just this one thing. He was dissatisfied by the fact that they would have to go through really hard work for this mission and would not have earned any money or fame. He showed his dissatisfaction with the operation itself and the way it was handled by preparing and moving his corps slowly. If the Emperor had been the same as before, he would have noticed these signs and would have told him to do something else, or would have change the strategy altogether. But the Emperor had sent him a reminder and had ordered the operation to continue, and Massna was now in Burgosmand headquarters in anticipation of a reward. But It did not take him long to realize that something was wrong by looking at the Emperor staring at him with eyes, facial expressions and atmosphere that he had never seen before. As Massna was rather startled by a sight that he had never seen before, the Emperor opened his mouth. Theres nothing else to do if you really want to continue this battle of truth with me until the end. Marshal Davout! Yes, Your Majesty! As Louis Nics Davout answered quickly, the Emperor ordered in a cold tone. Start with the staff officers of the Massna Corps, and bring all the lower-ranking officers and nonmissioned officers to the training ground in the vige of La Buena! Recognizing the true meaning of his words, Massna raised his head. The Emperor red at Massna and continued. Im going to confront each and every one of them personally and reveal the facts very carefully and meticulously. We are at war on the Iberian Penins? But theres a corps in the Imperial Army that is suspected of thinking otherwise, or that war is not a big thing? I dont need such thing at all! I will definitely be back in the war after Ive covered up all this! Massna could not hide his embarrassment anymore. He had not thought that the Emperor woulde out so tough. Why on earth would he do this? No way Is he trying to get rid of me? The Emperor? Now it was the other marshals except Massna who tried to neutralize this extreme situation. Your, Your Majesty! Please calm down! His troops ran 500 kilometers hiding from the Allies eyes and came all the way here. The Prince of Essling has made a shameful mistake, but he should not be punished to this extend after such hard work. There must have been some unavoidable circumstances. Theres no doubt about the loyalty of Marshal Massna to the Empire, is there? Please reconsider it! Prince of Essling, apologize to His Majesty quickly! The mistakes andziness of the Prince almost left a major stain on the Imperial Armys military operations! They tried to appease the Emperor and urged Massna to apologize. The situation itself was very unpleasant for Massna, but there was nothing he could do as the pressure from the marshals continued to increase. I was so conceited and obnoxious that Imitted a great disrespect to His Majesty. Please forgive me. = His Majesty has really changed a lot since Ist saw him. Berthier nodded with a bitter smile at all the negative emotions expressed in Andr Massnas words and tone. After eventually bowing to the Emperor, Massna suffered a great blow to his pride. Although he expressed strong dissatisfaction, he did not cross thest line at the end, but approached Berthier and secretly inquired why the Emperor had changed. This was the difference between Andr Massna and Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who had been at odds with the Emperor and was nowpletely an enemy. Massna knew how to step down. Berthier had the highest military rank among the 26 marshals of the Empire chosen by Napoleon. There were older marshals, such as Franois Christophe Kellermann and Jean Mathieu Philibert Srurier[1], but they were now working hard to train recruits and officers from the rear. There were also marshals with a higher political rank than Berthiers, such as Joachim Murat and Jzef Antoni Poniatowski who were kings.[2]Nevertheless, Berthier had always been seen one level above the other marshals. It was because he was the chief of staff of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Berthier was the closest assistant of the Emperor whenever he entered the battle himself, and therefore was in a position to speak directly to the Emperor. The Prince of Essling stayed on the penins, so you probably didnt know it until now Thats right. His Majesty has changed a lot. How could he express the dynamic transformation that the Emperor had shown so far in one word? Berthier was only tilting his head. Why do you seem to really like the Emperors new personality? Because I actually do. But I dont think the Prince of Essling does. The two mens eyes met tensely in the air. Among the 26 pirs supporting the French Imperial Army, the 26 marshals were different in their tendencies and values. Some were blindly loyal to the Emperor, such as Bessires, Perrin, Davout, Soult and Mortier, others were centrist, such as Berthier, Moncey and Jourdan, and others followed the Emperor for their personal gain and fame, such as Murat, Massna and Oudinot.[3] He had some idea why Massna came to him, but he did not feel the same way. Napoleon Bonaparte was now a leader whom many French soldiers, including him, could really trust and follow. Do you think His Majesty is trying to tame the Prince of Essling? I cant deny it. Otherwise, he wouldnt have given these insults and persecutions in front of his formerrades, would he? Surely the Prince must have felt that way. But Id like to ask you a question on a more fundamental level. Im listening. Berthier continued to talk to Massna, who crossed his legs and leaned his back against the chair. So far, the corps on the penins, including the one of the Prince, have not been fully loyal to their homnd. Rather, it looks like they think of orders as transactions and always expect rewards for executing them. Chief of Staff, what are you saying now! Listen to me. Im not trying to speak ill of themanders on the Iberian Penins, including the Prince. For some time now, the French corps on the penins had been moving for the interests of the troops instead of following the strategies that were best for France. When Fort Badajoz was in critical condition, their defenders asked various corps on the penins, including the Massna Corps, for help. The fortress of Badajoz, located between Seville and Madrid, was one of the key points on the penins that France should not lose. But the troops on the penins were busy looting other cities, so no one sent reinforcements. Eventually, Fort Badajoz fell and allowed the coalition to move to Madrid. Rather than a regr army of the great Empire Doesnt it look like the attitude of mercenaries? Im sure the Prince knows that His Majesty is good at political maneuvering. Perhaps this means that he will no longer allow the army members to act like warlords and mercenaries. Massna listened to Berthier with a serious look on his face, and then left. Thank you for the coffee. Ill see youter. Berthier murmured with a light sigh as he looked at where Massna had left. I did as His Majesty instructed me to do. But I dont know if these words will help soothe Massnas dissatisfaction. Berthier was a chief of staff with excellent strategic abilities, but he was not very talented inmunication and with human rtions. All of this had been directed by the Emperor himself. Before Massna came to visit him, the Emperor had called Berthier separately and had said: The only marshal in Burgos that Massna can call separately toin about this situation is you. So Id like to convey my message to Massna through you Do you mind? Berthier did not object to it. He could not refuse. Theparison of Massnas troops to mercenaries was also exactly what the Emperor had told him to do. [1]Franois Christophe Kellermann,Jean Mathieu Philibert Srurier [2]Joachim Muratwas King of Naples andJzef Antoni Poniatowskiwas King of Pnd (in the novel). [3]For more information about the Marshals of the Empire:wiki Berthier (painting by Andrea Appiani) and Massna (painting by vie Renault): Chapter 72: Back to Paris - 3 Chapter 72: Back to Paris - 3 By now, their discussion must be roughly finished. Napoleon was told by his servants that Andr Massna had visited the barracks of Louis-Alexandre Berthier. At a time when the threats from the enemy countries surrounding France were still present, he had had no intention of abandoning Massna, apetent general, from the beginning. He just wanted to give a warning to the corps on the penins that were running abnormally, after suppressing Massnas wild horse-like temperament. What happened today would be reported to the other corps on the penins. He got up and stood in front of a map of the Iberian Penins. Napoleons priority goal since he came back to Paris was to end this long-standing war as soon as possible. To do so, it was necessary to win a short-term decisive battle, as in the Russian expedition, and the best way was to destroy the main corps of the coalition. If they destroyed the corps under themand of Arthur Wellesley, they couldpletely break the enemy countries will to fight over the Iberian Penins. It would have been like this if the Operation Sickle had been sessfullypleted. But, sadly, it seemed that God did not want him to put a clean end to this war. Napoleon, who failed to achieve his first goal, turned his strategy without hesitation. Napoleon took a pen out of his coats outer pocket. Then he drew on the map of the Iberian Penins. From Santiago to Almera. It was a line thatpletely divided the entire Iberian Penins diagonally. Thanks to this, we will start a medieval war again. Now he and France would face a new type of war. They could not go fast, but it was not that bad. The final oue would not change anyway. === The quiet sunset fell on a square in the Paris Commune. The long procession of young workers returning home after a hard days work was an indispensable sight to see here at this time of day. Their appearance was very different. Miners from iron, copper, or coal mines, engineers apparently working for Imperial state-run munitionspanies, sailors hired by privateers, and ink-smelling journalists working in print shops. Their steps as they left the center of the city and entered the suburbs did not contain any uncertainty or anxiety about the future, even if their fatigue could be seen. It was apletely different attitude from the past. The conditions of our pockets havent changed much from before. Were still poor workers trying to make a living. But whats crucially different nowpared to a month ago is that weve lessened our concerns about keeping our work. Olivier, who worked in a mill in the Seine River basin, responded to an interview with a journalist who was examining the livelihoods of Paris. He did not hide his strong support for this system, which was very rational. The changes announced by the Special Economic Committee a month ago were a new form of civilws that had never been seen before, clearly establishing workers rights to work. The man who led the executive order, and who first introduced the wordbor rights, was Franois Carnot, advisor of the Special Economic Committee. He definedbor rights as the right to set a period of time for workers to work and receive remuneration. Now all authorized workces under the Imperial Government had to draw up contracts setting the exact duration and conditions of work when hiring workers. During that contract period, workers were guaranteed the right to work in the workce, and if the workce intended to terminate the contract for unjustifiable reasons, they had to pay the workers a smallpensation by calcting the remaining contract period and daily sry. Under the bill, employers were no longer allowed to fire or kick employees out as they wish. This new contract between the employer and the employee resembled the promotion of civil rights and the idea of universal equality. Of course, it would take some time and trials and errors for the system to be fully implemented throughout the Empire. But at least the faces of the workers working in downtown Paris had be considerably brighter at a nce. People like us used to be treated like flies. If we made a small mistake, we got a notice of dismissal right away. The fact that there is no such thing anymore seems to be the reason why I can work harder at my workce. And if Im less nervous, I make less mistakes. Because we have a fixed period of time to work, we can look for another job as we approach the end of the contract. Thanks to this, Ive relieved my worries about my livelihood. At least its less likely that I wont be able to find a job and feed my family. I am always grateful to Mr. Carnot and His Majesty for making all this happen. Marson, who worked at a coke mill, blushed and praised the two for protecting the workers rights. There had not been much resistance before the neww, named Labor Rights, was passed. The citizens of Paris knew that Franois Carnot, who was an advisor of the Special Economic Committee, had managed to persuade the members of the Imperial Council and senior officials of the Ministry of Justice to pass thew. The great Emperor, who discovered Carnot and ced him here, also had the support and admiration of the workers. omitted There were not only positive responses to the guarantee of workers rights. The bourgeoisie, who ran businesses inside France, feared the ripple effects of Carnots policy of prioritizing workers rights. If we guarantee ones rights in the principles of the market economy, then the others rights will be reduced by that. Workers have earned the right to workfortably as long as their contract has not ended, but businessmen have lost the freedom of free employment and dismissal. The Empire is in dire need of capitalists investment more than ever before. Thats why its important to have a good environment for them to invest in. Maurice Periore, an auditor of the French Central Bank, was concerned about the contraction of the investment market, saying that after the announcement of the executive order onbor rights, there had already been one capitalist who had given up on businesses in Parisomitted The Garden of Poncede: New Time for Workers The issues of workersbor rights and contracting period are not leaving Pariss squares and salons. There is a healthy yet intense debate depending on the situation and political orientation of each ss. This time again, we have seeded in capturing the issue. Now, not only the citizens of Paris, but also the ones living in the small towns in the region, must know the name Special Economic Committee. Carnot was reading an article published by Paris main newspaper, The Garden of Poncede. Listening to what themittees officials and secretaries said, Carnot nodded with a satisfied look. After all, the French Empire was born out of a country founded by citizens. And its principles included the happiness of the majority. It was natural that other newspapers were pouring out favorable articles despiteints from capitalists. I Ive always wanted to ask you this. Tell me. When asked by a young official, Carnot answered with an encouraging expression. Isnt our Special Economic Committee a temporary organization that operates until His Majesty returns? Thats right. When His Majesty returns, you may be incorporated into an organization other than thismittee, or be an official member of the Cab I wonder why you should pay attention to the expansion of public awareness of a temporary organization. Dont we just have to focus on our duties? Thats a great question, Tourant. I can give you an answer to that right away. Thats because this temporary organization were in is going tost much longer than expected. Thats Does that mean that His Majesty will being back to Paris thatte? To the surprised officials, Carnot brought some documents from his library. They contained indicators of the approximate economic conditions of Britain, Spain and Portugal, which were currently at war with France. These are not confidential documents, but its not something to talk about, so I want you to keep them somewhere safe. Of course, sir. I think weve ovee a lot of the dark internal situation in France through various transformations. Of course, the greatest credit for this achievement should go to the Emperor, who himself proposed the Luxembourg Decree. But I can say Ive contributed a little bit to this. No one denied or refuted Carnots words. Frances economy had been in a great crisis in 1812 due to excessive external wars, contraction of trade and industry, a decline in national credibility, continued coastal blockade, and abnormal weather conditions. Carnots credit for monitoring the contents of the decree and proposing supplementary measures could not be denied, no less than the unconventional and bold decisions made by the Emperor to solve this problem. The war wont necessary end if we defeat the enemys forces and capture cities and castles. It will ultimately be over when the enemy countries judge that the loss is greater than the gain (damage done to France) from continuing the war. Britains economic growth was endless. It was the birthce of the mechanical revolution that had shown how powerful the steam engine powered by coal was, allowing the development of all kinds of industries dramatically and explosively. In addition, Britains revenues were breaking new records every year as it had seized global control of the sea, monopolizing all trade with the New World and Asia, and circtingmercial value-added goods. This overwhelming wealth was being poured solely into the war against France, the blockade, and the support of its allies. Spain and Portugal werepletely economically dependent on Britain. Without a direct blow to Britains finances and economic power, the countries of the coalition will note to the negotiating table with the Empire. His Majesty must know this, so of course he will aim for the end of the Peninsr War with a new strategy that has never been seen in the history of the Empire. Then then what is this new strategy? Carnot grinned as if he had no intention of telling more. So you dont have to disregard themittee for being a temporary organization, because youll be with me here for still quite some time. Members of themittee who heard that smiled but had expressions on their faces that did not show whether they liked it or not. = Carnots duties were entirely done at the headquarters of the Special Economic Committee (on Rochechouart Street). He was given only one day off a week and spent more than 13 hours a day on duty every day fighting documents, people and statistics. As the year 1812 was about toe to an end, Carnot recalled the past, while quietly drinking coffee and taking care of all of todays duties. He had spent nearly four months here on Rochechouart Street. The view of the street past 10 p.m. was not magnificent, but elegant and very quiet. Sometimes I feel like he knows my tastes and tendencies ahead of time. Obviously its normal to be ufortable Hmm. Carnot muttered quietly. Recalling Napoleon Bonaparte, the strange man, Carnot greeted the cold wind of the night. Chapter 73: Back to Paris - 4 Chapter 73: Back to Paris - 4 When he first started to work in the Special Economic Committee, Franois Carnot did not really like it. This was because Napoleon Bonaparte was not a leader in line with his values, nor was he pursuing the politics he wanted. Carnot loved his country, France, but he did not want to work for the Emperor, who had been acting like a tyrant. Even when the Emperor brought an unexpectedly great victory in the war against Russia, the political and economic professor at Heidelberg University had still no interest in the him. When he was forced toe here by the Emperors wicked trick, Carnot even thought of hiding his whereabouts and running away. The Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree issued in January 1812, is abolished. The age and standards of conscription will revert to before 1812, and active-duty soldiers who dont meet the standards anymore can be discharged at any time if they want. From now on, the censorship of all the media and culture in the Empire is abolished. Citizens are free to express and post their thoughts, ideals, and opinions in writing, theater, music, or any kind of art, without any penalty. The announcement of September 4, 1812 in the Imperial Council, called the Luxembourg Decree, rang a storm throughout France. A war maniac who fought endless wars of greed, ignorance, and delusion, and a ruthless tyrant who was driving the country to ruin, heading toward pure dictatorship without epting any remark or criticism about him. Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor he knew, was by far the farthest from the word freedom, tolerance, and moderation. Such an emperor shook Paris politics by issuing an edict that waspletely contrary to what he had done so far, which stimted Carnots interest. Eventually, he ended up participating in a strange temporary organization called the Special Economic Committee. To be honest, Carnot at this time seemed to regret his foolish choice a little bit. The Russian expedition was sessfully concluded, but the war on the Iberian Penins on the other side is an old disease making France rotting from inside. The Empire was already in tatters. The French Empire, which was proudly called the sessor of the great Roman Empire, was just a shell that was swollen on the surface and hollow on the inside. Why did he take this position without checking the situation of the Empire, which was festering beyond imagination? Regretful, Carnot soon discovered other interesting things. His Majesty ordered all of this? Thats right, sir. Hmm After the Emperor left for Iberia to end the war on the penins, Carnot heared his orders through officials of the Special Economic Committee. What Carnot felt at that time was pure surprise only surprise. The Emperor sought to promote themercial activities of small ind towns by removing tariffs for the people who traveled and engaged in trade activities. At a time when numerous French workers poured into society after the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, his intention was to revitalize domestic demand and the local economy to lead the economic revival. It was a very appropriate measure for the present situation of the Empire. Carnot also did not hide his admiration for the transformation of epting new technologies from Britain and trying to imitate the mechanical revolution at the national level. The new power sources, including coal and steam engines, would change all industries and economic structures in the world. It came as a fresh shock to Carnot that the Emperor, who had been only interested in war and looting, knew their value. The Emperor also operated on the negligent management of local governments and drove out corruption, enhancing the financial health of the Empire itself. In this way, the government strengthened the administrative power of the Empire by electing arge number of state-approved officials and bureaucrats with increased revenues. When he received a letter from the Emperor saying that he was considering reforming the tax system, Carnot unknowingly pped his knee. The Empire was in such a tight spot that it would not have been strange if the country copsed. However, the Emperor created the momentum to stabilize and advance the Empire by taking the best measures that could be taken in this situation. I wonder why he had been so clumsy at dealing with economic problems when he had this ability. Carnot smirked while muttering. The purpose was clear, the process was clear and the results were encouraging. On a second thought, the reforms and systems proposed by the Emperor were innovative and efficient, to the point that there were no more appropriate measures to take. If Carnot had been in charge of the Treasury Department of the Empire, he would certainly have set the direction and order of reforms in this way. Thats why I had this strange sense of deja vu when I saw the changes in the Empire. Its fascinating. It was around that time that he became curious about the individual Napoleon Bonaparte. Although it was part of his work as he wrote reports, he had never imagined that he would exchange greetings through letters with a dictator whom he had been reluctant to meet at first. And so, Carnot and the Emperor had time to discuss the progress of the reforms and the contents of the next reorganization, as well as to learn about each others thoughts, values, and tendencies through the letters they wrote to exin the status of the Empire. As he learned more about the Emperor in this way, Carnot found out that he was very different from the public perception, and from his own perception. The Emperor was more sophisticated and patient than he thought, he knew how to speak interestingly, and he was an enterprising and non-authoritative figure. Although he had be the Emperor almost a decade ago, he did not act like a pretentious noble, and rather gave him an innovative and passionate revolutionary feel. The Emperor, who had destroyed the Republic built after the revolution and had established an Empire where he was the sole monarch, had revolutionary ideas? He was unique enough to match this contradictory social position and inclination. Carnot still did not really want to work for him, but he was interested in watching. Carnot pulled himself out of his chair and walked through the inner corridor of the building, which was as still as death. And he took out a letter from the bottom of his coat pocket. In the letter senderspartment was inscribed the name of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord, the former foreign minister of the French Empire. === Berlin Pce, located in the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, in Brandenburg, was the holynd of the Hohenzollern family. King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia[1], who lived there, had now a very troubling problem. He crumpled a document nervously and rubbed his dark eyes. Someone do something to this impetuous, stubborn old man! However, all the people inside the residence of the Berlin Pce simple avoided the Kings gaze. Only Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst[2], chief of staff in the Prussian army, responded as he stepped forward. I have sent Lieutenant General Ludwig Yorck, who is close to the Count of Wahlstatt (Blcher).[3]He will be able to persuade the stubborn formermander of the Pomeranian army, Your Majesty. Really now we have to depend on a retired general. Its so frustrating! Friedrich Wilhelm III still expressed his displeasure by clicking his tongue, but did not say anything more. Gebhard Leberecht von Blcher, the formermander of the Pomeranian army and a general of the Kingdom of Prussia, had recently moved to a noble house right next to the Potsdam Pce. This was why Friedrich Wilhelm III was irritated. After losing the war in 1806-1807, Prussia had lost more than half of its territory to France.[4]This humiliating defeat and agreement were sufficient to stimte the patriotism and fighting spirit of the Prussian people, and even maximized their anti-French sentiment. Some people, disappointed by the Prussian governments failure to counter the French oppression and tyranny, became a political force and initiated various actions. They pressured the Prussian government, including Friedrich Wilhelm III, by protesting in front of the Berlin Pce, putting up posters expressing their opinions, and wrote books and ys showing their hostility toward France. Blcher, who was stubborn, tough, and more anti-French than any of the Prussian generals, happened to be at the forefront of the patriotic forces in Prussia because of his tendency and position. It was reported that the retired veteran was staying in his hometown of Rostock and recently moved his residence next to the Potsdam Pce. Next to the Pce of Potsdam Isnt that too obvious! The Potsdam Pce was a pce just ahead of Berlin, but the bigger reason was that it was the ce where Friedrich the Great[5], who had founded current Prussia, was buried. Friedrich the Great, who had made current Prussia by fighting against neighboring powers such as France, Austria, Russia and Sweden, had loved the Potsdam Pce and had stayed there all the time until his death. The reason Blcher moved next to it was to imitate the will of the Great King, whose fighting spirit had burned even in the siege formed by European powers in the past. At the same time, he was dering to the main forces in Prussia and Friedrich Wilhelm III: Lets go out like Friedrich the Great and fight proudly against the French oppression. In those days, it was a political maneuver that could rekindle the aspirations of those who dreamed of a glorious and powerful army and nation. Friedrich Wilhelm III was weary of this situation and of his generals. === A gray-haired old man, with a long brown mustache, was regrly tapping on the table with his fingers as he looked at the Potsdam Pce, visible outside the window. He was Gebhard Leberecht von Blcher, Count of Wahlstatt, who was making Friedrich Wilhelm IIIs head ache. Major General August von Gneisenau[6], who had seen him for a long time, could tell. Blcher pretended not to be excited, but inside he had great expectations. He had been like this ever since he met a secret envoy from Russia. Expectation is good, but the time you wish for is still far from now. But isnt it enough to just know that the end exists? I can happily wait. I pray to God every day to have a chance to cut that damn Corsican peasants throat with my own hands on the battlefield. Blcher, grinning, continued as he looked at Major General Gneisenau. Now that I have moved my residence here, His Majesty will send someone to me, as you imed. Thats right. He will ask you to leave the city of Potsdam through them. Although Blcher had a long military career and such a reputation that he was respected and admired by former Prussian soldiers, he was almost at the same level in terms of political influence. It was Gneisenau who was sitting right in front of him that made him the leader of the Prussian Patriots. Moving Blchers residence next to the Potsdam Pce was also the result of General Gneisenaus advice. I dont know anything else, but Im good at sitting heavily. No matter what His Majesty says, I will not falter. Berlin media, who have previously insisted on fighting the French, have already described you as a soldier who will recreate the indomitable resolve that Friedrich the Great showed. The longer you hold out here, the stronger Prussiasmitment to war will be. The war against France was inevitable. And Gneisenau thought that the earlier it started, the more favorable it would be for Prussia and their other anti-French allies. However, that was not the case right now. Isnt now the best time, when Nabot and those stupid frogs are stranded on the Iberian Penins? A lot of our soldiers have been wasted in the war, and its the same for Austria and Russia. We need more time to fill the void and train the new recruits. We need to be more careful because we need to keep it out of the eyes of the French spies. Although Prussia could not have more than 55,000 regr troops under Napoleons coercive treaty (though this was also a rxed measure, it had originally been 40,000), they were building an army in the dark with various tricks. This was done under the leadership of Friedrich Wilhelm III, which also meant that even those who opposed the war were preparing to face France one day. If that time came, themander-in-chief who wouldmand the Prussian army would be Blcher. Blcher was looking forward to that day. Have you heard about Arthur Wellesleys and Napoleon Bonapartes fight alongside the Anzn River banks? I heared the results of the battle this morning, while eating bacon and brtchen (German bread). I didnt expect the British to eventually step down from this battle of fools! Blcher simply downgraded the battle of the century to a battle of fools. He did not like Ennd either, but it was still a hundred times better than France. The news that the coalition had been defeated by Napoleon was not pleasing to Blcher, who was preparing to fight back. If Arthur Wellesley had a separate unit to attack the enemys nk, he wouldnt have backed down like this. If I had been there, I would have sent Nabot to Valha. Im sure this day wille. The swords pointed at Napoleon began to move little by little. During the Battle of Waterloo, Blcher struck Napoleons nk and turned the tide of the battle. [1]Frederick William III of Prussia [2]Gerhard von Scharnhorst Frederick William III (painted by Thomas Lawrence) and Gerhard von Scharnhorst (painted by Friedrich Bury): [3]Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg,Gebhard Leberecht von Blcher [4]War of the Fourth Coalition, here are the territories that Prussia lost after the Treaty of Tilsit: [5]Frederick the Great [6]August Neidhardt von Gneisenau August von Gneisenau (painted by George Dawe) and Gebhard Leberecht von Blcher (painter unknown): Chapter 74: Towards the Peninsula - 1 Chapter 74: Towards the Penins - 1 Caracas Bagane, themander-in-chief of the Spanish Resistance Army, was the brigademander of the guerri unit under Lieutenant General Juan Martn Dez[1]. In a head-on fight, a guerri unit of insurgents and militias would never defeat the French soldiers. However, if they were able to fight by Guerrisw, they could defeat even the much stronger French army. Of course some prior information was needed to engage in a guerri war. One of the most important was the march of the target troops. To find the way the French were passing, or were about to pass, the guerri troops had sought information by releasing expert units that were good at tracking and searching. Sometimes they sought help from the Spanish inhabitants, who had been looted by the French for their homes, property, and food, and even though the Spanish were not promised any remuneration, they actively gave information about the French. This was why the anger of the people was so scary. A procession of those French demons is expected to pass through the Lohane Mountains today. This is the information given by these vigers who appear to be merchants. Lets go that way for now. Check the authenticity of this information and make a reasonable n. All right, Brigade Commander. As a Spanish himself, Bagane knew to well the desperate anger of the Spanish people. That was why he was not even suspicious of the testimony of only merchants. Caracas Baganes guerri brigade made its way toward the Lohane Mountains. Their gueri uniform, a mixture of dark gray and brown, was specialized in concealment and stealth. Their appearance in the thick forest of the mountain ranges was not detectable from the far away. An army in blue uniforms with tricolor gs appeared a mile ahead of the guerri unit, which was on standby, fully prepared for battle. This was the arrival of the long-awaited French army. Bagane murmured in a low voice, staring at the French army as they marched south across the Lohane Mountains. As we have done before, we let the leading troops and the main troops go. Our target is the rear squadron and the reserve forces. Yes, sir. It had already been four years since the guerri unit started operating in earnest. The Spanish Resistance had learned how to deal more damage and pain to the French. Rather than raiding the main forces, it was to wipe out the rear guard who was responsible for supply. After losing its supplies in guerri raids, the French army had to plunder the area more violently and brutally in order to survive. As a result, the resentment and anger of the Spanish inhabitants against France grew even more. A virtuous cycle (a vicious cycle from the French point of view) therefore took ce in which the Spanish generals enrolled more recruits, wracked with resentment, in the resistance. France is already fighting an unwinnable battle. As the war continues, our numbers increase and the Spanish peoples hatred for France grows. No matter how demonic the Emperor of France may be, he wont be able to turn the tide of this war. Spanish guerri forces led by Caracas Bagane were waiting in a private house in the Lohane Mountains to ambush the French rear troops they targeted. Likewise, the locals who had been beaten up by the French dly hid them. How long did they wait? Finally, wagons and carts pulled by horses appeared, along with the French heavy force escorting them. As the guerri forces held their breath, they swept through the French wagons with a telescope. Because the Spanish resistance had been targetting only the supply wagons, the French sometimes disguised their troops and carts to trap them. So they had to be cautious and look carefully at their movements and behavior. Were they really soldiers in charge of supply, and were they really carrying supplies? Bagane took his eyes off the telescope and looked around. As an experienced hunter, he had already made up his mind. But two or three pairs of eyes together were more urate than one. The other hunters, who were holding telescopes with Bagane and looking at the movements and characteristics of the enemy, nodded in unison. It meant that they were right. There had never been a mistake in judgment when Bagane and the others agreed. Show our fear to these vicious invaders like hyenas! Whoaaa! Driven by their resentment, the guerri soldiersunched a surprise attack. Those who were angry and thirsty for revenge to the point that they would chew the French without leaving a single bone, pointed their guns indiscriminately at the panicked French army. Bagane, who foresaw the sess of the operation, smiled fishyly. With this, a French unit that invaded Spain would painfully die of starvation. It was then. Tatata! Tata! Tatatata! This was not a gunshot from Baganes guerri unit. They had not issued the order to fire yet. When the guerri troops started to panic at the unexpected gun shots, a new army emerged from a totally unexpected area. As they quickly approached the left side of the guerri unit, and started to surround them, they fired from a position that prated their sides. The uniform they were wearing was not blue like regr uniforms of the French army, but khaki. As soon as they saw them, the guerri troops realized that they were not the only one to know how to use stealth, infiltration, and surprise. The left side of the guerri army, hit by the surprise fire, copsed quickly. Reverse the line! Reverse! Argh! Major Lopez!! The French fired at the guerri officers who were leading their soldiers while shouting intensively. They rode horses and continued to shoot at the guerri troops whose movements were restrained. This was the first time that troops had attacked a Spanish guerri unit that was attacking the French army at the same time. Those who were bleeding and falling were all dressed in brown uniforms. Caracas Bagane was momentarily taken aback. The Spanish had prepared a perfect surprise attack by thoroughly looking at the French armys path and march schedule, with even customized preparations for their level of armed force. But these newly-emerged French troops came with a perfect response to their perfect surprise, as if they knew the guerri forces would ambush the supply units here. Bagane realized that they had fallen into a trap. Weve been fooled by fake information trying to tie us up from the start! Damn it, what a stupid mistake!! Lieutenant General Juan Martn Dez was worried that the performance of guerri forces hitting the rear of the French army had been decreasing recently, and the number of lost or repelled troops had been increasing. Bagane found the reason only today. France had created strategies and special forces to respond to the rear guerri war. But even if the troops were destroyed, this fact had to be know and reported to the resistance headquarters. Ah shit! Where are those damn old men!? Ill shoot them myself! They, theyre gone! They all left at some point! They looked for the vigers who had given them information on the French armys path, but they had long since disappeared. They were truly professional. In the meantime, the French troops fired sequentially in a perfect line. First row, fire! Tatatatatatata! Second row, fire! The rugged terrain of the mountains and ridges was covering the French, but the guerri troops had all their upper bodies exposed. The guerri unit, ambushed by their sequential fire, gradually copsed. We cant continue! Retreat! Everyone scatters! The lower members of the guerri unit were formed separatedly, so it did not matter much as long as the unitsmanders were not caught. Bagane, themander of the brigade, abandoned his subordinates and fled with only the major officers. While the troops became bait and were chased by the enemy, the officers, including Bagane, were able to escape safely on the prepared path. It was a cold-hearted decision, but it was inevitable to protect the roots of the resistance. But this was not the end of Baganes bad luck. A unitposed of light cavalry was waiting for them as they ran away. As if they had expected this, the French soldiers were dispatched at the exact moment when themanders of the guerri unit got separated, and surrounded them. Caracas Bagane! Commander of the 11th Guerri Brigade of the Spanish Resistance! Youre a good catch, you son of a bitch! You crawled in looking for your grave! One of the guerri officers, startled by the French officers words, shouted swearing. Poor bastards! We are walking down the path of hell, leaving the Lord, to pick up the pieces of you invaders! We know what you want us to live for! But our officers will never sell out theirrades! When he realized he was in an hopeless situation, he calmed down. Citing internationalw, he asked to be the only one killed and demanded that his officers be treated as prisoners of war. The French officer, however, only had a fishy smile. All the resistance solders we captured used to talk like that. Internationalw, h, h, h, and asking to be treated like a nobledy. But that goes both ways. Have you forgotten all the barbaric and cruel acts you have done to ourrades! And youre still asking us to be gentlemen? Not everyone who is born as a human is human. You have to act like a human being to be treated like one. The iron rule of the Spanish guerris was to never let prisoners live. Even the soldiers who lost their will to fight, threw down their weapons and surrendered, ended up with ony violence, torture, and murder. The story of the captured French generals family brutally ughtered in front of him was now very famous. The French officers cold eyes pierced the hearts of the officers of the guerri unit, including Bagane. How far will your loyalty to yourrades, to yourmander and to your monarch (Fernando VII) go? Its a mistake to expect fairy tale-like stories to the end. Do you still have no idea how we knew your positions and activities and dispatched informants? The skills of the torture specialists from Marseille are extraordinary. Lets bet if you care more about your colleagues or if you want to diefortably without pain. For your information, the former has never won before. The officers of Baganes guerri unit still had a determined expression on their faces but could not avoid the darkening of their eyes. Torture specialists came to them with cruel smiles. Their torture took ce there without having to move anywhere else. Soon desperate screams were heard in the Lohane Mountains. This was just a few of the numerous events that took ce in the French-upied Spanish region. The French were conducting a major extermination operation against the Spanish resistance, who had been persistently harrassing them. [1]Juan Martn Dez Heres a painting made by Roque Gameiro of a guerri unit attacking French troops: Chapter 75: Towards the Peninsula - 2 Chapter 75: Towards the Penins - 2 The ce where Napoleon Bonaparte celebrated New Years Day in 1813 in this world was the the Pce of Madrid, in the former capital of the Spanish kingdom. Charles V[1], king of the Holy Roman Empire and king of the Spanish Kingdom, had had the most crowns and titles in European history as a result of marriages. Philip II[2], who seeded him in Spains heyday, moved the capital of his kingdom from Toledo to Madrid. Madrid had since evolved over 250 years as the political, economic, administrative and cultural center of the Spanish kingdom. The suburban war that burned ournds and took away our families is a great ordeal throughout the kingdom. Despair! The five-color kingdom g is losing its light every minute, and the lions symbol of the royal family is getting worn out! But the pce of El Cid will not lose its splendor and grandeur, but will burn the heart of the kingdom forever! Wise citizens should always remember their longing for the glorious past of their country! It was the main characters line from the Spanish modern literary work El Gascos Youth. As everyone knew, the country mentioned in this work was Spain, the suburban war meant the war on the Iberian Penins, and the pce of El Cid was Madrid. El Gasco expressed the contents of the work byparing it to reality, like resistance literature to enlighten and inspire people, and the pce of El Cid was described as still alive despite the fact that the entire kingdom was sucked into the ravages of war. Coincidentally, so did Madrids pce. Napoleon, who was drying his sweat in the winter wind after finishing his early morning exercise to take care of himself, unconsciously scanned the image of Madrids royal pce. There had been several fierce battles between the French and the coalition to capture Madrid. However, the luxurious pce, built by Philip II himself, was not damaged at all, as if it had escaped from the fires of war. He looked at the sun beginning to rise in this new year, the high-rise terrace of the pce, the ss dome cup, and the tricolor g fluttering in the wind. It was truly an astonishing sight. It was a magnificent view that could only be found in intact buildings with history, tradition, and culture. Have you finished todays exercise, Your Majesty? Im done preparing for the bath and cleansing. Baron Fain, Napoleons chief secretary, came out of the morning service at Almudena Cathedral, a cathedral inside the Madrid Pce. As Napoleon woke up early every day and exercised at dawn, Baron Fain and the other secretaries also woke up earlier. Their faces were covered with fatigue, which Napoleon always felt sorry for. I will take a bath after breakfast. I see. Then Ill tell the chef to prepare the meal first. Baron Fain handed him a towel to wipe off his sweat and disappeared with quick steps. Napoleon briefly fell into sentimentality as he wiped away the sweat from the dawn exercise. It had been half a year since he was pushed into this damn world. In that short and long time Napoleon really did a lot of things. He immediately stopped the delusions of Nabot, the original owner of this body, and prevented a catastrophe by subduing the Empire of the frozennds on the battlefield. Since then, the government had carried out reforms to remove the umted and stagnant evils inside France, and had rebuilt the nations foundation by achieving innovation for national progress and development. He had appointed again Franois Carnot and Lizarmont Victor Colin, and those who were demoted by Nabots stubbornness returned to their original positions. The defeat of the Allies and the advancement of Iberias front line was also one of Napoleons achievements. The days that he spent trying to revitalize old and sick France passed by Napoleon still feltcking. The enemy remained strong and the future of France was still overshadowed by dark clouds. I still dont know what the being who sent me here wished for. But as the French leader, theres only one thing I can do. Napoleon greeted the guards with encouragement and salutes, and walked around the Madrid pce, where the cold air of dawn fell. = Napoleon was headed for the multipurpose room of the Madrid Pce in the time remaining until breakfast was ready. Followed by secretaries and guards, he passed through the central hall and entered the room. In the middle of the table was a map of the Iberian Penins, full ofplex notes, information papers, and orders. This was the masterpiece that Napoleon and his staff had suffered for nearly two months toplete, in order tounch a punitive operation against the guerri units belonging to the Spanish Resistance. Napoleon, who briefly removed someplicated notes, reached out to new letters and reports that had arrived here overnight and were waiting to be opened. In order to suppress the resistance spread throughout the Iberian Penins, Napoleon came up with a strategy of organizing numerous detachment and support units and dispatching them to each province. Since there were so many detachment and scouts dispatched, he had a lot of reports to read from them. Found traces of Jos de Pfox y Melci[3], the deputymander of the Spanish Resistance, in Ctayud. In the Lohane Mountains, repelled the 11th Guerri Brigade of the Resistance, captured Caracas Bagane alive. Fought with coalition forces in Palensia, temporarily retreating. Their numbers are estimated to be about 12,000. He read them quickly and put the information in his head. There were both good news and bad news. As soon he put the letters and reports aside on the table, the secretaries arranged them and began marking them on the central map of the Iberian Penins. All of this was, in a word, preliminary work for intuitively understanding information across the penins. This allowed him to infer how far the Resistances eradication had progressed so far, where the expected Resistances route was, and when they would meet the coalition forces for supply. In the past, this huge map had been full of Burgundys crosses (the Spanish g). But now much of the space was being reced by tricolor gs. Now Im getting some outlines. Ive never had such a muddy fight in my life. Napoleon sighed quietly as he saw additional details being added on the map of the penins whenever the secretaries hands moved. Fighting a battle with a hunters approach caused him considerable fatigue. With the defeat of Wellesleys Corps against Napoleon ross the Anzn River, the Allies lost the power to move to the north. Not missing that moment, Napoleon moved the corps of Suchet, Massna, and Jourdan. The other troops of the coalition lost their momentum and were pushed back incessantly after their main corps was defeated. As the corps of Suchet, Massna, and Jourdan continued to advance to the south, the upation of the penins was almost back to how it had been in early 1812. The marshals wanted to end the war in one go by using this opportunity, but Napoleon rejected it without a second thought. Napoleon also wanted to push down his enemies and take over the entire Iberian Penins to dere the end of the war at once, but he could not do it like this. It was because of the existence of the Spanish resistance forces in the shadows. I order all troops sent to the penins. Expanding the front line across the country is forbidden until all guerri units present in the upied territory are destroyed. Maintain the front line based on the main stronghold and fortress! To hunt wolves, they had first to limit their radius of action and narrow the front line a little bit. The Napoleon-style guerri operation, which had been prepared since the beginning of the expedition, resembled the hunters way to hunt wolf. Napoleon, who had been observing and analyzing the Iberian war for a considerable amount of time since the end of the war with Russia, decided that it was required to overthrow the Spanish resistance to win this war, and acted in that sense. The guerri warfare, a brutal irregr warfare, targeting the supply units at the rear was very painful to the French army. But the cooperation and solidarity of the Spanish people themselves were even deadlier. The terrible antipathy, hatred, anger of the Spanish people towards France The resistance had been growing by eating those feelings. The people fully provided the resistance with their supplies and information, and some even joined them directly with guns. In fact, the entire Spanish country had be enemies of the French and Napoleon. The card that Napoleon pulled out to break this situation was division. The majority of the Spanish people were waving anti-French gs, but in fact, the number of people cheering for the revolution and transformation brought by the French army was not small. Napoleon actively recruited them. He seduced those who wanted money with money, titles with titles, and honor with honor. They were willing to be loyal to France for noble convictions or for their own personal achievement. Napoleon even started a loyaltypetition.[4] The intelligence and infiltration capabilities of spiesposed of locals were different from those of outside spies. They handed over information about the Spanish resistance forces when they were offered a heavy reward. If the Spanish resistanceunched guerri operations with the help of the anti-French poption, Napoleon could wipe their units out with the help of hired pro-French locals. These pro-French locals were, of course, treated as traitors in the Spanishmunity and were extremely ostracized. If they were caught handing over information to the French, they would often be severely punished by a peoples court. And this was also what Napoleon wanted. Continuous doubt, conflict, and division. The realization that your enemies are not the French, but the neighbours living next to you. The more ruthless the anti-French oppression of pro-French people, the more extreme the confrontation between the two sides. The Spanish Resistance would no longer be able to trust their people (to be precise, the pro-French locals hiding among the people). The conflicts opposing France to Britain, Spain and Portugal would intensify into conflicts opposing France and pro-French Spain to Britain, Portugal and anti-French Spain. This was the ultimate goal of Napoleons strategy. This is the result of doing everything we could to clean up those barbaric swarms of mosquitoes. I couldnt do otherwise for the French victory, but its quite sad. Seeds of indelible division were now being sown among the Spanish people. There was also news that the Spanish were stabbing each other in the areas upied by the French army. Now even if the war ended, Spain would still go through endless conflicts with unsealed wounds. Maybe even a civil war would break out. In the other world, Spain was able to reign as a European power with huge overseas colonies in friendly rtions with France. However, the damage and devastation of the Iberian Penins war in Spain were too great. The aftereffects would devour the whole country. Napoleon had once cared and loved the people of Spain so much that he thought of them as a second nation. But now for those people, he became the one who caused the worst disaster. Perhaps the Spanish people wouldter think of Napoleon as the devil. Napoleon was really sorry about this reality. If Nabot hadnt been foolishly greedy, this war, tragic for both countries, would not have happened in the first ce. Its too bitter to be the result of one individuals wrong choice. Napoleon remembered the year that had past. [1]Charles V [2]Philip II [3]Jos de Pfox y Melci [4]I dont know if this is clear enough, it means that Napoleonpeted again the Spanish resistance to gain the loyalty of the locals. Chapter 76: Towards the Peninsula - 3 Chapter 76: Towards the Penins - 3 Your Majesty! Breakfastisall ready. Pleasegotothe dining room in the main hall. Hmm Idlike to have aquickbite to eathere. Napoleon, who was tozy to move again after exercising, murmured, butBaronFain thought differently. The marshals arealready up andheading forthe dining room. They willbepleased to have you with them. For themtobepleased He would be d if he did notget sickaftereating. But he could see what Baron Fainintendedtosuggest this. Napoleon didnot reject theproposalofhis quick-witted secretary. = HisMajesty theEmperor is entering! Please showcourtesy. Several marshals andsenior officers werealready seatedinthe dining room. They immediately got up andsaluted, Napoleonsaluted as well and satinhis designatedseat. Napoleon was notone to seeksplendorineverydaymealsunless it was a specialasion. Especiallynow at war. So he usedtoeat rtivelysimple and easy-to-eat food, butthe dishes on thetable, which boastedthe height of their splendor, made hisstomach ufortable. Im tryingtolose weightbyexercising hard, butI cant turn thateffort intonothing. In an efforttocontrol hisweight and stay healthy, Napoleon had a frugal meal today. I salute YourMajesty theGreatEmperor! Its a veryrefreshing andgood morning for thenew year, YourMajesty! Jean-Baptiste Bessires, DukeofIstria, greeted him with adisheveled face. Napoleon said to him with aslight smile. The sunwill rise in the west. TheDuke, famous for hiziness, wokeupsoearly. Hahaha, youre having funwith jokes. I admireyour wit, YourMajesty! Doyou think itsa joke? Youneed to be more diligent. Ill try from thisyear on. Mischievous, Napoleonpoured vegetablesinto tomatosauceand put them in his mouth. The crunch andsournessinhis mouth gavehim alittle appetite. He took abite of bread. The hall was rtively quiet, although there were somemarshalsand officers chatting. Drinking a soupofcorn andpotatoes, Napoleon looked at themarshalssitting at thetable. Jean-Baptiste Bessires, Michel Ney, ude Victor-Perrin All of them, includingBerthierwho had been dispatched, weremarshalsloyaltohim. Thesame wastrue of hisofficers. It wasnot justanillusionthat Andr Massnas expression in betweenthem lookedgrumpy. Napoleon found it quite funny anughed quietly. Then at asudden thought, he stoppedeating for a moment. Watchinghim, Bessires tilted hishead. Is there anything botheringyou, Your Majesty? No, nothing. It just reminded me of someone. Usually, ifheansweredlike this, Bessires would moveonwithout askingany further, but today he seemeda littlemore lively. Isthat so? Ifyou dont mind, can youtell me whoyou thoughtof? I dontmind. Its Desaix.[1] Ah AtNapoleons gentlewords, not only Bessiresbut alsothe other marshals around himlooked speechless. Louis CharlesAntoine Desaix. He wasa Frenchhero whosacrificed hislife to bring victory to Napoleon at the BattleofMarengo. Nabotofthis world hadshamelesslytriedtostealhis credit, saying thatDesaixsfeatswere only the results of his orders. Anyway, it had been 12 years since Desaix died, buttherewere still many people whoremembered him. If he took Massna, whowas squinting oneeye fromtime to time, removed his greed andaddedloyalty, hemay obtain Desaix. Desaix wassuch an excellentgeneral. Eveninthe world where Napoleon was originally, he wasa brave, outstandingand faithful man. The battleofMarengo existed in the other world as well, buttherewas nothingimon withthe battle of this world fromthe beginning to theend. Inparticr, Desaix of the other world hadnot diedinvain, but had been subsequently given thetitleofmarshal. Lannes[2]and Desaix were the same Itsa pity thatI cant seeagaintheirfacesthat I miss. Unless he could return to hisoriginalworld. But there wasnoway to go back. Bessiresfakeda cough as Napoleonughed overhis helpless situation. Desaixwas an exampleofa great Frenchman. He haswon manygreatvictories, buthis greatest achievement was to diefightingfor YourMajesty theEmperor at theBattle of Marengo. Bessires smiledand ttered theEmperor, saying thatDesaix would be happy to see thegloriousEmpire of today, butitdid not sound very goodtoNapoleon. Thebody he hadnow had been eating away thatgreatachievement. Of course it would seem pretentious to say this to them. Because he was theonly onewho knewthat Nabot wasdifferent fromNapoleon. In the future, he would be criticizedand suffer from Nabotskarma. It wasbitter, butwhat could he do? This morning, he felt resentmentfor the being that had brought him into thisworldwhen he hadbeen livingwell in Louisiana. = TheEmperor brought up Desaixs name. Whatthe hellishethinking? The Emperorused to praiseDesaixsexploitsand sacrifice, but never mentioned hisname in private. Sinceheused to cover andconceal records and circumstances thatwere unfavorable to him, it musthave been veryinconvenient for himifmany peoplesaid Desaixs name. None of themarshalswere unaware of the fact thatthe Emperorhad taken Desaixs credit in an unjustified way. Andnow the Emperor mentioned Desaixs name on his own, bewildering Massna. Wasthe Emperortrying to testthem? While eating, Massnaobservedthe Emperordiscreetly. Despite sayinganinconvenient name, the Emperor looked calm. Hedid not look likehewas forcibly suppressing his emotions. Ashetalked withhis marshals, he remained calm all thetime. Only then did Massna recalled theconversation he had hadwith Berthier. The Emperorhad changeda lotfrom before. I need to lookinto it. Drinking wine fromhis ss, Massna thought so. If theEmperors inclinations hadchanged a lot, Massnas politicalline would have to be different as well. === Extra, extra! Heres thenews about theIberian Standing Organization! There are also benefits for theSpanish peopleofthe upiednd! Youll regretitifyou dont readthis! Freckled boys werewaving newspapersand hailed passerbysonthe street. People could tolerate curiosity, but could not resistbeingexcludedfrom benefits that everyone elsereceived. Merchantsselling goods in stallsand pedestrians walkingdown thestreet stoppedwhat they weredoingand rushed to buynewspapers. The newspapers headline was adorned by the Iberian Standing Organizations Todays Announcement. TheIberian Standing Organizationwas atemporary organization created by Napoleon Bonaparte, whichwas responsible for thegovernance andtax collectionofthe upied Spanishterritories. In fact, the Spanish local governmentwas doing whatithad to do, includingrelief missions. ording to the headline article, theSpanish citizens whowere in need becauseofthe longwar would be given freefood such as potatoes, rice and wheat. In addition, thegovernment would provide clothes, wood, and bread to each household, and fish, cheese, beef, soap, and evencigarettes to exemry citizens whohad urate information. Those rotten, devilishFrench! No matterhow clever they try to fool us, Spain remembersthe ughter of thepast! Ofcourse! Idrather holdhandswith thedevil, I will never epthelp from the frogs even if theychange! Lets allwork together to getthem outofhere right now! Exasperated, the citizens letout swear words and insults. They startedtotear up thenewspapers andincited peoplenot to receiveall of these supplies together. Those whowere bitterly resentfultoward the Frencharmy hadnointention of epting even asingle pea from France. Hey, guys! Whats wrong with you? Moneyhas no nationality. Theyre giving outfree food and clothes, so think about it! You may be able to refuse so hard becauseyou can affordit, but forsome of us, ifwedonthave thedailynecessitiesthat theFrench handout, we would allstarve to death! There werealso peoplesaying thistothosewho wanted theentire vigetorefuse the supplies. Theirill feelings toward Francewere thesame, but theywere notworthmore than the livelihood of their families. When allthe farnd theyownedwas devastatedand their parentsand children werehungry, howcouldthey refuseeven thedevils hand? Lookatthosetraitorswho would sellthis country! Have you already forgotten theatrocities theFrench havedone to ourfamiliesand neighbors!? I didnt forget! But itsmore importantfor me to get food to supportmychildren, my wifeand my parents! If you want to do anti-French operations, findanother way! We would never jointhis. Oh, God! Come to think of it, the numbersofspieswho are selling out thesecrets of theResistance areincreasing these days, buttheseguys arethe onesresponsible! The seeds of Napoleonsdivisionwere germinating step by step, eating nutrients. The Spanish people were now only swearing and pointing fingers at eachother. Stop talking nonsense! Even if were traitors, theres no reason to be insulted by you! I will protect my family! You dont havetobesopassionate andloyaltoyour country! TheKing fled to Sevillewithout protecting his peopleand knownothing of your sorrow! What!? Hesa spy! Whata traitor!! Hahaha, what atime to be proud of being a spy! Youdbetter not show it too much though. The resistancehas no forgiveness for traitors. W-What!? Eventually, thesituation camequickly to an endaftera group of peoplepunched others, and some people fainted and were seriously injured. But thistown wasa lucky case. In other ces, people hadused kitchen knives andsickles to stab eachothertodeath. The antipathythe Spanishpeople had against France wasbynomeanssmall. They hated the Frenchproportionately to the amountofdamage theyhad suffered directly fromthem. France was a deadly enemy, especially to thecitizensofLen, Valencia, andZamora, whohad suffered alot of plunderand ughter. However, it was difficulttoreject the daily necessities that theyprovided, so there werea lotofpeople who hadtpromise. Assuch, the situation of theSpanish localswas difficult. Being the centerofwar since 1808, Spainsadministrativwork hadlong since copsed. Thefarndwas devastatedand the local economy of viges had copsed. It was no lietosay thatifthe IberianStandingOrganization, founded by France, did not help them, whole families would havedied. The attitude of theFrench army, which had changed since Napoleon Bonaparte returned, also yeda part in increasingthe number of peoplewho werereluctant to ept help fromthe French. The Frencharmy didnot requisition the country as viciously as in thepast. They boughtfood andwaterfrom locals, paidthe price rightfully, and didnotmit evil actssuch as devastating nearbyvigesorcities becauseofsuspected presence of resistanceforces. Ofcourse, that did notdilute the anger of theSpanish people. However, theydid not intendtogoaheadand shoot the Frenchsoldierswho did notwant to harm them. Manwas an animal of adaptation. At first, the Spanishwere seething with the mere sight of atricolorg, but the inevitable contactwith them as theyreceiveddailynecessitiesfrom them gradually dulledtheirsharpness. Atfirsttherewere a number of peoplewho stood firmand dered I reject everything thatFrance gives me! But day by daythat numberdecreased. Even if thepeople epting therations were called traitors andturncoats, their numbers wereincreasing. Anger was noteternal. Family livelihoods and economic benefits were the eternal aspirations of human beings. Napoleons division n was clearly workingsteadily. [1]Louis CharlesAntoine DesaixdiedattheBattleofMarengo(1800). [2]Jean Lanneswas Napoleons bestfriend. He died after theBattle of Essling(1809). The death of Desaix (painted by Jean Broc), andofLannes (painted by Paul-EmileBoutigny): Chapter 77: Defence master, offense genius - 6 Chapter 77: Defence master, offense genius - 6 Around the time whenthe Spanishpeople got divided betweenthosewho chose their families livelihoods, individual interestsorthosewho favoredtheirloyalty to their homnd andthe royal family, and their antipathy towardFrance. Simr processeshad begun to ur among the much higher ss of theSpanish people. They set their courseofaction in aslightlydifferent way from the others. The province of Zaragoza wasupiedbythe French andundermilitaryrule. There was andlord called MigueldeSebastian Lopez who owned thrgestnd there. Lopez, who hadgained ahigh title andextensivendthanks to his ancestors feats in the Habsburg Wars[1]in the past, wasobserving the current situation on theIberian Peninswith more sober eyesthan ever before. For those like him, patriotism andloyalty to thecountry andtothe royal family were of little importance. He just thoughtaboutsurviving thisturbulent timewhilekeeping hisfamilyswealth and honor. Thetorrent of fire has stopped Lopezwas lostinthought as he stroked his thick beard. Therewas now a lullinthe war on theIberian Penins. Lopez wasconvinced thatatthe end of this war, whereBritain andFrance werefightingfor supremacy in Western Europe, and in which Spain and Portugal gotinvolved, the fall of the Spanish Empire would take ce, whoever won. Thatwas why Lopez wasable to abandon all hisloyalty to Spain andchoose practical interests. TheFrench armyhad beenfiercelypushed since the beginningofthe war, and the Alliedforces had been pushingupbytaking advantage of thepowervoid that happened while the Frenchwent to theeast (during the Russian expedition). Nownoone wanted to go outand fight first. The Battle of theAnzn River and theBattle of La Buena-San Felix, wherethe corps of Wellesley andNapoleonfacedeach other, were thst battles in which morethan 10,000 people wereinvolved. Now, the armiesofboth sides were ringateach other andfixing their uniforms, andinthe meantime, thesituation in the Iberian Penins wasgradually stabilizing. In lines that looked like theyhad beendrawnwith knives, the Frenchand the coalitionforces carriedmore shovels, hammers, andlogs than gunsand cannons. Today, aFrench messenger came hereagain. He saidthat he brought aletter fromthe headofthe Standing Organization (LouisEmardChartres), whoproposestothe governor agracious and honorablejoining. Should I justleavethe letter andsend theman backlikest week? Lopez, who hadpreviously servedasgovernorofthe Balearic Inds, continued to be calledgovernoreven after he stepped downfrom hispost. At the endofhis assistants words, Lopez narrowed hiseyebrows. A provisionalorganization under the ridiculous nameofthe IberianStandingOrganization. Nobles in the position of Lopez could notignore whatNapoleon, the FrenchEmperor, was after withthis organization. TheFrench Emperorwas veryeagertoattract thelocalnobles fromall overSpain, including him. Lopez hada rough idea of the reason. Untilstyear, Lopezdid not join either side but kept watching the warprogress. As an experienced politician, he knew wellthe importanceofchoosingthe goodside duringa chaotic situation. He was notthe onlyone doing this. There werea lotofaristocratsandndownersinthe territories upied by the Frenchwho wereobserving the situationbetween Franceand the coalition. The longer thedrought, the higher thepriceofwheat. There is no needtochoose aside now. No matter howbelligerentthe French Emperor is, he cant im interest in theSpanish territorybypushing us out. The Circle,posed of Spanish aristocrats andndlords, was more tightlyunited thanexpectedtoprotect their interests. This was thereason why theFrench armywas toleratingsuch a group of people, who werelike walking on atightrope, even thoughtitcouldwipe them out ruthlessly. Furthermore, Napoleon, theFrench Emperor, was actinglike it wasall right for local noblestokeep to themselves, includinghim. Even thoughhewas refusing the meeting in the end, theydid not imposeany military pressure or sanctions. Hewouldprobablycontinuelike this for a while. Lopezthought that thiswas due to theEmperors confidence. The confidence thatthe French could winthe PeninsrWar, thebelief thatthey would be theonly ones who would eventually be abletofight. Lopezcontinued to ponder. That meant that he could decide which side to joinafterlooking at thedevelopmentofthe war a little more. And if he was worried about his ownsafety, he could wait evenmore. Itmeantthat theEmperor wasinterested in Lopez andthe other nobles. Itwouldnot be toote to decide whether to joinhim or not after hisfuture victorybecame clearer. But Ill havetomeet him. Y-Yes!? Ugh, why are yousoslow today? Ill meet the manfrom theIberian Standing Organization. Y-Yes! Allright, Governor. If he wanted a bigger profit, he needed to know how to take risks. WithNapoleonhere, the French areunlikelytolose. This was thereason why MigueldeSebastian Lopez madethe decision to start moving now. = Imvery happy to meet the Governor-General, whom Ivebeen waiting for! Im PaulDuguesseau, anadvisor to theIberian Standing Organization. I used to serve as an administrator of our EmperorsCorps. Nicetomeet you, Im MigueldeSebastian Lopez. Andthe title Governor-Generalisnothing more thana facadeduring the day, so justcall me VignteLeader. Lopez was running asmallvignte group, rallying serfs andvigers, andhiring mercenaries separatelytoprevent hind from being swept awaybythe war. Thatwas why neither the Alliesnor the Frenchcouldplunder hinds. All thenoblndowners withrge farnd had been protectingtheind duringthe war in this way. The coalitionand France were not tryingtoattract themembers of thenoblecircle to their sidefor no reason. Ill ask youstraightforwardly. Whatcan France give me if I join theStandingOrganization and actively cooperatewith Frenchmilitaryoperations? Oh! You must havefinally made adecision! Weve always waitedfor the momentwhen VignteLeader Lopez madeuphis mind! Thats theonly reasonIm here. Why else would I be? Inthe past, there usedtobea unification of theSpanish peoplewith aristocrats, priests, merchants, bourgeoisie, colonists, andeven ck ves, to pushback theFrench army. But nowthings had changed dramatically. The entireSpanish poption living in theterritoriesupiedbyFrance was nowdivided into two extremes, busy criticizing andusingeach other. The resistance forces were being wiped out littlebylittle, anddivisions and conflictsbrokeout throughouteach province andvige, and factions split apart. These were the typical signs of acivilwar on the brink of bursting. Basque andCatalonia, which originally had stronganti-Castiliansentiment, openlysupported France by helping to create theIberian Standing Organization. The bnce was graduallytilting in favor of France. Thesituation across theIberian Penins, which was beginningtosolidify, was oneofthe mainreasons behindMiguel de Sebastian Lopezs decision. Asthe Allies were at adisadvantage in the war, theywent back to their strategy consistingofholding theLinesofTorres Vedras, like they always didbefore. When they did this in the past, theFrench corps usedtorush towardthem, consuming their troops, whichthen gave apoweradvantage to the coalitionwho could advanceagain. Butthis time the Frenchdid not do this. They stoppedadvancing and began to observe the situation, drawingthe Santiago-Almera Line that was cutting diagonallythe IberianPenins. This change urred after Napoleon Bonapartetook thelead again in thePeninsr War. Currently, the Alliesand the Frenchwere both building and consolidating fortressesand trenches at the main points of thelong front lines, like they wererepeatedly sayingtoeach other: I have no intentionofmoving, so yoe. What truly mattered now wasthe extent andlocationofthe territory upied by thearmies on bothsides. France upied most of the penins, including theprovinceofZaragoza, where Lopez owned rgnd. Lopezpredicted thatthis systemwouldnot easily copse. I am bettingonthe French victory in thiswar. So youllhave to offer me a fairprice, too. There wasa satisfiedsmileonDuguesseaus face. Then well have along conversation. One thing is forsure, you madethe right decision, andour Standing Organization will do its best to listen to your wishes. It wasa human instinct to side withthe strongest, asalways. MigueldeSebastian Lopez joined theIberian Standing Organizationwith hisservants, vigntesand farmersfollowing him. It was themoment whenster began to be applied to the lines drawn by Napoleon, adding solidity. === The Frenchforces across thepenins, includingNapoleons Corps, did not tryfurther expansion. Theysimply supported theadministrationofthe IberianStandingOrganization by defeating theresistance forcesinside the upied territories andsupporting thepro-French locals. They looked more likeofficials and guardswho cametorule than soldiers who came for war. Frances rule throughthe temporary Standing Organizationwas morestable and consistent thanbefore 1812, whenlooting, massacres and tyranny wermon. Itwas fromthis time thatthe aristocrats andndlordsofthe circle, who owned rgnd, begantomove towardthe French side little by little. This was because the stabilization of the upied area was fasterthan expected, and theysaw the possibility of Frances victory in the Peninsr War. IfFrance was clear, theAllies wereblurry. Theadvance to Burgos, which was supposed to wipe out themain Frenchforces in the Iberian Penins, failed. As theoperation was risky, the aftereffects of thefailure were huge. Wellesleys Corps, whichwas the elite unit of the coalitionforces, lost one-fourthofits power and exhaustedits specialstrategic weapons, the Congreve rockets. Atthis point, itcouldhave ended with areport withexnations and a few reprimands fromthe countries leaders, but the problem was thenumerousstrongholdsand cities on theIberian Peninsthat hadbeen recaptured. The front on the peninsretreated hundreds of miles backand the local strongholds lost to the Frenchwere so numerous that theycouldnot dream of reckoning them hastily. On theday thatthe Allied g flying in Madridwas reced by the tricolor g of the FrenchEmpire, theWestminsterParliament andleading British newspapersunited to criticize Wellesleys unreasonableoperation. DailyCurrent: The trustedMarquis of Wellington alsolost. Should we continue the warlike this? Thepublic opinioninLondon is skeptical Thekingdom shouldalso be mindful of the waragainst theUnited States in theNew World. Weekly News: Lawrence Photogiver(asenior member of theWhig Party) said: The Marquis of Wellingtons greed hasoverturned thesituation in the Peninsr War. PrimeMinisterJenkinson, whodecided to delegate allpowers to him, should reflectheavily on himself OxfordGazette: Arthur Wellesley wasalso no match forNapoleonBonaparte. Thegap betweenthemander, who mostly stayedinside the kingdom, andthe Emperorwho conquered Europewas muchbigger thanexpected. The kingdomsarmy needs to wake up GentlyMagazine: ording to military experts, if they losethe nextbattle, theBritish troopswouldhave difficultiesdefending Portugalsterritory! Some say we shouldnegotiate right now London Post: 200,000 British menhave already losttheirlivesabroad. More than50,000 of themdied in thearmy Howlong shouldwecontinuethis useless war? NewsLetter: Thewar of words betweenFirstLord of theAdmiralty Robert Dundasand Chancellorofthe Exchequer Nichs Vansittart[2]at Whitehall! Should we go all-in with the Navy? Or empower the Army? Commander-in-Chief ArthurWellesley received aletter fromPrimeMinisterRobert Jenkinson. Jenkinson wrote in detail thecurrent situationofthe ruling Tory party, pointing outthe failureofWellesleysCorpsinpolite and courteoushandwriting. When RondHill read the letterwith ArthurWellesley, he felt thatitseemed to be sayingthecitizens supportfor our party is being shakenbecause of you. He could nothelp butfeel hisinsides boiling. [1]OttomanHabsburgwars [2]RobertDundas,NichsVansittart Chapter 78: Chapter 78: 13. Golden War 2 Inthe end, this wasonly a trick of politicians to me the sluggishnessofthe war andthe failureofthe battle only on the Commander. Then theyshould givehim enough authoritytoapany his responsibilities, or give him enoughsupport andassistance to continue thewar! Even if Britain is amaritime empire, shouldnt it actively support the Army if itsparticipating in a war on thecontinent? British officers in theAllied forces were expressingwidespread discontent overtheircountrys behavior thatwas onlyemphasizingthe responsibility for defeatwithout thinking about what had been neglected. When we defeated Marmonts Corps at Smanca, all themediainthe kingdompraised theCommander as if he werea legendaryhero. Weall remember thatWestminsterministers andwmakerswere scrambling to lurehim intotheirparty. But now? Thissituation in which hespushed and criticized as if he werethe source of allthesefailuresand defeatsisridiculous. Now no one remembershow dangerous theIberian Peninswas before he came, andhow muchthe troops here weredesperate againstthe French. Major General RondHill expressedthe abovementation at adrinkingpartywith some coalition officers. Sincethe death of MarshalJohn Moore, tricolorgshad beencoveringthe IberianPenins. The SpanishProvisionalGovernment hadbeen barelyhanging on, crouching on nd of thesize of a palm, Portugal was desperately tryingprotecting itsterritory, andthe BritishRoyalCouncil hadbeen seriouslyconsideringabandoning theIberian Penins. ArthurWellesleysname wasindispensable when talkingaboutwhat hadbrought thewar on the peninstothe currentsituation whenithad beenalmostpletelydefeated. The postwarreports that the staff officers anduswrotecarefully clearlyreveal our calling for thebattle of Burgos. Ifthey have abraintothink, theywill know thatthe judgments we made in the battleatthat time werethe bestdecision. If it werentfor the Commander, all ourtroops would havebeen trapped in Nabotscamp, sitting on a coldfloorwaiting fortheirrelease. I have never seenanythingmore pathetic than themusingthe Commander andour troops as consumables fortheirpolitical interests andprovocativenews. ArthurWellesley had been anew hopefor Iberia, whichhad onlybeen considering thetiming to raise awhiteg, and had even broughtthe opportunity to turnthe situation around. Rond Hillwas the first to feel sympathy for hissteely superior, whose creditwas far from being recognized. Asfar as I know, MajorGeneral Hill was notoriginally very close to the Marquis. Butafterhearing your words today, I think youve changed yourmind? Rond Hillsuddenlynced at thebrigadier generalwho asked arandom question and burst intoughter. I was wondering whosaid this. TheBrigadier General, who hasbeen in Lisbonfor two years, may wellthinkso. Youre right. When theCommander was entrustedwith generalmandofthe entire penins, he received manints fora year. Arthur Wellesleywas personallya very difficult mantoget close to. He wasknowntobevery aristocratic, authoritativeand to havea cold-heartedpersonality. Notonly Rond Hillbut alsootherofficersunderhismandhad beenufortable aroundhim. Butthat mood hadpletely changedina year. They sawhispetenceinthe field, determination, leadership across many units, andhis abilitytowin the most important victory. When he began to advance north againsta Frencharmy, that hadneverbeen defeated by Marshal JohnMoore, his personality wasnolonger aproblem. ButI do believe thatnoone willcarelessly bring my words to theCommandersears. Ha Haha, ofcourse, Major General. RondHill pouredthe strong ruminto histhroat. Im ignorant of thepolitical situation andpublic opinioninBritain, but as you said, its apity if theCommander is in suchtrouble. Inthat sense, our countrys situationisa littlebetter. At least we dont have to be waryofanyone. He was Lieutenant GeneralJooMeldihortz, ChiefofStaffofBrigadier GeneralFrancisco Pinto, Count of Amarante[1]. Atfirstnce, hiswordsmay sound likePortugalwas better than Ennd, but those whogatheredhere knew thatitwas not. The Portuguese royal family, including Queen Maria I and Regent Joo VI[2], quickly packedtheirbags andfled to their colony, Brazil, assoon as Napoleon Bonaparteinvaded theIberian Peninsand advanced toward Portugal. The same was true for theofficials of the main cabofthe government. A physicaldistanceofthousands of miles was created betweenthe administration and themilitary. Thats why ourPortuguese armysstrategies or operations werenot interrupted. Theres no one to criticizeormeusfor winningorlosing. It was notuntilthe royal family andmembers of thegovernment disappeared that the Portuguese military could choose a strategy solely forvictory. Coincidentally, only thendid the Portuguese begin to see results. Lieutenant GeneralMeldihortzined about this. Uh The hound thathas lostits owner is better at fighting Theres areason why Nabot is flyingaround likethat. InFrance, hes at the top, so he doesnthave anything to worry about. Rond Hilllooked at the stars outside the barracks with remorsefuleyes. Nomatter how manyintsthey had, theyhad to obeyorders becausethey were soldiers. The oppressioing fromthe countrys leaders and their resultingangerwere soothed by alcohol. Thatway, they could go backtothe battlefield withtheiruniformsand officers caps. Theofficers night was getting intense. === The stock marketinLondon is currently like the weather in Cambridge. Its so gloomyand we dont knowwhen therain cloudswill disappear. Unless youredenying thesituation and have enough gold to fillthe Thames, investing now would be waytoo risky. An old mansaid in an interviewwith Londons Economic Journal, Isle of Dogs. If he had been justanordinaryold man whoenjoyed hisgrandchildrens pranks, noone would havepaid attentionand would have to cover thematter in an economic journal. But theold mans namewas PatrickStuart, a man known as a financier legendinLondon. Stuart began to gainfame when he bought arge amount of bonds from corporations that wereonthe southern coast thatwere circling at a bargainpriceinthe marketsinthe midst of awar betweenBritain andFrance. Everyhought he wascrazy. A stupid retirementofficialmocked him forspillinghis old agefundsinthe Strait of Dover. But exactlyfive monthter, the warendedwith thesigning of theTreaty of Amiens[3]between Britainand France. As aresult of the treaty, Britainupiedpartsofthe ind of SriLankathat were previouslycontrolled by theDutchEast India Company. The price of the bonds of corporationsthat were on the southern coast soaredmadlyand PatrickStuart became oneofthe richestpeople in Londons financial district. A man called thelegend of investmentwas now advising peoplearound the world through an economic magazine by saying this is notthe timetoinvest. The weight of hiswordswas definitelynot light. Then, Stuart, Sir, when do you think therighttime to investwille? As youhad expected the TreatyofAmiens to be signed, I think we canlook forward to yourprediction this timeaswell. Im not a prophet, unfortunately. EvenWestminster, who wasleading thewar and negotiations, didnt expectthe gap between the twocountries to narrow so quickly, so howcouldI know that? However atthat time, I thoughtthat bonds of southern corporationshad alowermarket valuepared to others. What greater opportunity thantobuy a3-pound thing for8 ounces(0.5 pounds)? Thatswhy I was abletospendmoneywithout hesitation. Witha gentlesmile, PatrickStuart continued. There is only one thing I wanttosay throughthis. This is certainlynot the right time for investment. However, we sometimesmeet winners who break through the odds and achieve tremendoussess. Im ashamedtosay thatIm one of them. What I did at the time wasnt so grand. I just bought andwaited for thingsthat were undervaluedpared to the marketvalue. After all, the mostimportant thing in investing is to develop the right eyefor value, andnot justlook at theflow of themarket. If yourememberand put into practice whatI am saying, you will be abletoachieve your desiredresults. Thankyou for your goodwordstoday. Thiswas an interview with PatrickStuart, whoruns StuartBank of London. === Britain, withEuropesmost advanced financial, securitiesand bondsystems, had about 10 financial autonomous districts in London. Theamount of money theymanaged andoperatedwas at least hundreds of thousands of poundseach. Itwas ahuge economy initself, exceedingthe annual revenue of mostsmand medium-sized countriesinEurope. Londonsfinancial district, where allofEuropesgold wasgathered, deserved to be called thehub among hubs. There wasa reasonwhy thissmallspecial borough, which wasonly about a square mile, wascalled the heart of Europe, or evenofthe world, beyondEnnd. Financial andsecurities firms hadnochoice but to establishcorporations within financiutonomous districtsthat hadcorporate and ietaxesreduction. Therefore, manypanies andbusinesses that received financial investment fromthem also established their headquarters near them, and, naturally, organizations of high-levelexperts, including patent offices,wfirms, and ountants, also settled nearby. The City of London was theoldest financial autonomous municipality in theUnited Kingdom, withthe London Stock Exchange andthe BankofEnnd flyingUnionJacksinits center. The City of London, the cityofgold andfinance, was fullofyoungpeople searching forsess. A secure ie, a stablejob, or an individualsdream, adesire to seed Most of them experiencepainful failures andtalent limitations and fell and disappeared. Those who survived, however, couldbereborn as hands controlling the entireBritish economy. Asthe ce where the most goldentrade tookceinEurope, it wasalso a ce where all kinds of humanscouldbeseen andheard. Its like the grasnds of Africa or thejungles of theAmazon River. Its acewhereyou pickupthings thatfell aroundand eat them, because if you dont grow as big as youcan youll be eaten. HowardBuck wasexining theCity of Londons rules to anew recruit. Gordon Banks wasone of the tergest financialcorporations in the City of London. And Howard Buck was theleader of Gordon Banks team. Whatsthe mostimportant thing whendecidingoninvestment in stocksand bonds? Yousaid information. Yes, information. Thereare certainly peopleinthis erawho achievelegendary returnsbasedoninformationthat othersdontknow, and who have collected enormous gold. Financialfirmsare all aware of thepoweroffast andurateinformation. In that sense, ourteams roleistoget information about whatGordon Banks can investin. Of course, this includes allthe sordid anddirtyinformationhidden fromthe restofthe world, as well as the media taboos. Buck unted histeam by lifting his wild beard. Thesecurities firm in London allran their own intelligenceteams, as did BucksGordon Banks. Inaddition, numerous spies werented in thekingdoms parliament, cab, and military, and theywere collecting rumors andnews that could makemoney. Sowe Buck, whowas helpingthe new recruit overa ss of beer, hadtostop talking, staring elsewhere at some point. Naturally, theneers face turned to thesame side. They bothlooked at agroupofmen. They paced outside for a moment beforing intothe pub. The three men with ck top hats werewearing very luxurious clothes and attire, and attractedthe attention of allthe people in thepub. W-what about them? These arethe humans I justtold youabout. Theyused information that others didntknow andquickly becamerich. Or they wereluckyenough to be loved by God. The envyand jealousy in Bucks expression seemed to never be able to go away. Thenew recruitexaminedtheirappearance closely. Soon after, he found uniqueinitialswritten on thefrontoftheirtop hats. L.V.C. Sinceitset-likeappearance at theend of Septemberst year, it was an emerging financiapany that had grown explosively, seeding in every field andbreakingrecords. After feelingthe envyand jealousy of all thefinanciers in theCity of London, the three mentook a quick lookinside the pub, drank assofmead andleft. The shortugh theyleft beforeleaving thepub seemed tough at thewholecrowdinside. Damnit, I feel like crap. Buck gulpeddown hisbeer. The new recruit alsolooked around andcontinued to drink his beer. TL notes [1]Francisco Pinto, Count of Amarante [2]MariaI of Portugal,Joo VI [3]TheTreaty of Amienswas one of thetreatiesthat ended theWar of the SecondCoalition, in which a coalition made of the UnitedKingdom, Russia, Austria, theHoly Roman Empire, Turkey, Sweden, Portugal andthe OttomanEmpire fought andlost against France, its sister republicsand Spain. Chapter 79: Chapter 79: 13. Golden War 3 L.V.C. Financial. Assoon as it established itselfinthe CityofLondon, it quickly grewtothe point thatnearby financial andsecurities firms becamevery wary of it and closely monitored it. Becauseoftheirunusual returns and growth, there was a lot of gossipamongthe financiersworking in theCity of Londonaboutthe trueidentityofL.V.C. Financial. It was a secret organizationraised by the British royal family, apany foundedbyfallen foreignaristocrats, aprivate safe for theRussian Tsar, etc. Themost likelystorywas rumoredtobea financialsubsidiary organizedbyEuropeanJews. Quick-witted, thefinanciers knew who thetrue rulersofLondonsfinancial marketswere. MosesMendelssohn, Mayer AmschelRothschild, Noah DIsraeli, etc.[1] These European Jews, who crossed the StraitofDoverand settledinthe Thames basin in thepast, had built ahuge financialempire withtheirown information circles, greed and obsessionfor gold, and eyes to judge the world situation. Still, Jews were treatedwith disdain wherever theywent in Europe, but very few knew thatthe heart of Europes richesteconomy hadalready bea Jewishyground. L.V.C. Financialwas alsosuspected of belonging to Jews becauseitwas following in thesame footstepsaspreviousJewish capital. Of course, L.V.C. Financials bond yields andgrowth rates wereremarkable even wheparedtoJewish capital. Knock, knock, knock ItsCarlene, the secretary, boss. Come on in. Theownerofthispany, which hadturned Londons financial district upsidedown in a short period of time, wasthoroughly veiledand contributed to anumber of conspiracytheories. Nevertheless, Britishobjectors werebusy entrusting L.V.C. Financialwith their property. There was no barrier to money. What was theuse of knowingtheiridentity, their purposeortheirstatus? As long as theycouldmake money. The hugereturns andhit rates thattheipany wasbreakingeverymonthdid not lie. A manand his group arelooking forthe boss. He saidthat allI have to do is tellyou I broughtsolidus gold coins (the currency of the ByzantineEmpire). Theyrevery suspicious. Theatmosphere aroundthem wassoheavyand seriousthat I toldthem to wait Shall we callthe guards andkick them out? No. Bring themin, here, politely. Allright, boss. Not longafter, agroupoffour menwith solidus goldcoinsappearedinthe office of theboss of L.V.C. Financial. Despite facingthe bossofL.V.C. Financial, whoseidentityand appearanceremainedunknown to thepublic, theexpressionsofthe group memberswere calm. Theyindeed havetrue solidus goldcoins. Boss? All of yougoaway. I have something to talk about withthem. Okay, boss. L.V.C. Financialsboss sent awayall his clerks, secretaries and bodyguards. They closed thedoor after stepping outofthe office. One of thegroupmembers whobrought solidus coins quicklyput his eartothe closed door and examined thesituation outsideofthe office. The other twoscoured theinteriorofthe office. They searched notonly under thetableand the desk, butalso under thecarpet and insidethe closet. But it wasnot enough, and theylooked verycarefully to see if there wasany secret space by knocking on thewall or stomping on thefloor, and lookediftherewas anyone hidingingaps. Despitebeingthe headofL.V.C. Financial andthe owner of the room thatwas being turned upsidedown, the bossdid not do anything to stop their actions. On the contrary, heeven lighted the candles. Weve confirmed that theresnothing unusual. The group leadernodded at the attendants words. Heopened his mouth looking at the boss. Itsnice to meet you like this. My nameisBrunoDmbert, the agent of the government fromParis. This is asecret messagefrom HisMajesty theEmperor to thePresident of L.V.C. Financial, Lisarmont VictorColin. His generous message is thatyou may forgetyour past deeds. The presidentofL.V.C. Financial wrapped in aveil. Hewas Lisarmont VictorColin, one of thefraudulent taxcollectors of theFrench Empire, who disappeared fromParisona special missionand received Napoleon Bonapartes forgiveness. = You are leaving for Londonrightnow. Take overthe CityofLondon, Londons stock market, withmycapital there. I dont care how much lossisincurredinthe investmentprocess. I will provideyou withhuge investments andconfidential information, so just pay attentiontothe profit margin. Lisarmont Victor Colin. When he came across theStrait of Dover withthe slush fundofNapoleon, he had no great confidence in his ownsess. It was true thatColinhad worked as thefinance chief fora small Paris securitiespanycalled La Croix Rousse, but it was more ajob specialized in attractinginvestors thandirectlyrunning thefield. He, who had notseen much of the stock marketinParis, was going to theCity of Londonand seeded? Itwas likely to appearina third-rate novel writtenbya drunkard. Colin was forcedtotake on this workinordertoescape fromthe sight of the angry Emperor and survive. It wasjust like sellingthe future to live in the present. Heneverwanted to fegainthe sense of hopelessness andfear that he had experienced when he, hisaidesand observers satside by side in asmalloffice rented in theCity of London. Butthe first timeColinset footonthe London Stock Exchange, hewas abletodiscoverhis talentsthat hadbeen dormant for 39 years. LikePierre Corneille (one of the three greatest Frenchywrightsofthe 17thcentury)[2]who realized he was a genius when he first grabbeda quill pen. Britain willincreasethe amount of banknotesissued by the Bank of Enndand do quantitative easingtopay for thewar thathassted more thanfour years. Nueva Espaadereswar of independence with Spain, Peruvian rule expels Spanish miners abroad. TheGolden Lineofthe New World, heading forSeville andLondon, wascapturedand sunkbya frigate fleet of the UnitedStates. There will be manydifficulties in Ennds NewWorldrouteinthe future. Ifquantitative easing is carried out, the value of the spot willjump rtively as intion urs. Evenso, the British supplies are quickly being usedupfor war here and there. Attimeslike this, no oneislooking at agriculture Thewar withthe U.S. wouldhave damaged the ocean transporwork with the NewWorld. Afterobtaining information fromFrench spies thathad yet to be known andwere kept secret, Colinanalyzeditinhis own wayand madehis own judgment. He pushed funds into businessesresponsiblefor producing or distributingcropssuch as wheat, corn, and beans. He also directly purchased farms in dangerofbankruptcy. And Colinsinvestment wasa huge sess. Investment in gold during thewar always wins. Britain received goldfrom theNew World in exchange for providingfree supplies to Spain andPortugal. However, as the colonies dered independence, the procession of goldwas abruptly cut off. News from an ally, the UnitedStates, reached Colin as soonaspossiblewithout passing throughFrance. It wasthe result of Napoleons effortstogather information quickly. This gaveColinthe possibility to buy arge number of gold certificates beforeanyone elseinthe CityofLondon. The price of the certificate he boughtsoon doubled. Thesess of theinvestment wascontinuous. Napoleonsinitial capital of 3.1 milliontripled only after amonthand ahalf. Howeasy it is to make money! If I had known that I had thiskind of ability, I would havelivedmylife without having to suffersomuch! Thethrill thatColinfelt as he watched the soaring value of his chosensecurities, goods, and patents in realtime wasa wave of emotions thathehad never experienced in his life. Althoughthat wasthe result of theadditionofcapital andvarious ssified information fromthe French Emperor, it would have beenimpossible from the beginningwithout hisintuition, analysis andactions. Information alsodependedoninformation. To produceresults that could be derivedfrom it andtoinvest in securitiesthat could produce the highest returns. Thiswas Colinsreal ability. Having gained tremendous confidencefrom itspast sesses, Colin hit themarket withall the proceeds from the investment. This wasbecause he believed that Napoleon would makeupfor all thelosses if he keptsending investment statements. As a result, the guarantee wasnolonger necessary. Most of thestocks invested by L.V.C. Financialhad taken aright-upgraph. 4 months. Itwas the time it tookafterthe L.V.C. logo appeared on the outskirtsofLondon for another financial giant to emergeand dominate Londons financial district. Thiswas the sess story of L.V.C. Financial, which London financiers and informants werelooking for. What does the Great Emperor wantfrom me? His Majestywantstoput an end to thelong-standing waronthe IberianPenins. In theprocess, hehopesthat youand L.V.C. Financialwill y abig role. Cough! Lisarmont VictorColinlet out an ufortable dry cough. Ignorantpeople weredifferent whenthey entered and left ace. Thesame wastrue of Colin. When Napoleon threatened his life and hisfamily, he waswilling to liet andlick thesolesofhis feet. He could do anything. However, hesettled in London, where Napoleon and Francecouldnot reach him, and madea fortune using his abilities(although mostofhis shares were tiedunderborrowednames), andgained asplendidreputation andhonorwith hisgreatsess. Colinsstomach wasbloated when he heard thatall of thiswas to be usedonly forNapoleonand France. Perhaps because he noticedthe sign, Bruno DAlemberts eyes became ugly. All of your property is in the name of the faithful cab membersofour government. In addition, allofyour familymembers aretreated well in Paris and lead astable and peaceful life. I believethat youwill notdoanythingoffending His Majestystolerance. Ahem Monsieur (Mister) has misunderstood. Although I livefar awayfrom my hometown, I have never forgotten that I ama proud citizen of the Empire. Im waiting for thedays when I can attribute allthis glory to HisMajesty theEmperor. Only thendid the faces of Dmbert and hisentourage openand Colin sighed inwardly. Imsure Mr. Colinknowsthat thecurrent atmosphere in London is extraordinary. Its becauseofthe situation in theIberian Penins, which is rushingtoa corner I hope you will convey my words to HisMajesty that I praise him forhis great victory. Therewas aheated debate in Westminster over the Peninsr War, and the main issue was thedispatchofthe new army. Were they going to invest to make suretochange the situationacross the penins, or werethey going to pull their feetoff the peninsand go backtothe old British strategy? Napoleonand the Frenchgovernment intended to drop ahuge bomb on Britain, who wasagonizing overit. Letsdecide now on an item to confirmmyidentityatour nextmeeting. Dmbert, whohad longtalked in secret in thepresident office of L.V.C., pulled a piece of paper out of hiscoat pocket. Thenhetore it diagonally and handedhalf of it to Colin. Its an Assignat notendbondsfrom theFrench Revolution)[3]thatisnot avable now. Itsa token to identify thenext person, so please dont lose it. Glory to theEmpire and HisMajesty. Glorytothe Empire andHis Majesty. AgentDmbert andthe other attendantsfrom Paris left the L.V.C. afterthesewords. As thesecretary and staff greeted them, Colin was quietly lostincontemtion, burning a cigarette. Its going to be abloody wind. TL notes [1]Moses Mendelssohn,MayerAmschel Rothschild. The author wrote (Noah DIsraeli), but I couldnt findany infoonhim, andrather think it wasBenjamin DIsraeli. [2]PierreCorneille [3]Assignat Chapter 80: Chapter 80: 13. Golden War 4 Asphyxia. Thisword wasthe besttoexpress theterriblefeelingsthat themembers of theSpanish resistance werefeeling now. TheFrench armys strategy andmovementwere so differentfrom thepast. They were no longerunchingrecklessoffensives against the coalitionforces, norwere they robbed anddefeatedbythe resistance. Theytook over the Spanish territory andsimply sat there. Theycracked down the insideand stabilizedit, instigatedthe people to dividethem, and ruthlesslywipedout the hiddeninsurgents. The more pressure the Frenchwere putting, themore difficultitwas for theresistance to find the supplies to usefor guerri operations. Inthe past, theycouldhave been obtained fromthe Spanishpeople or the Alliedforces, butwith thevicious divisionsand spread of therevolutionary spiritthat Francehad conducted, the resistancecouldnolonger trust the contaminated locals. Eventually, they had to getsuppliesfrom theAllies, andthe French could notignore it. Asifstable supplies wereuneptable, theFrench werevery persistentlyharassing the resistance, attackingand crushing their supply lines. If we go on like this, were going to sit down and die! Spanish Resistance Commander Juan MartnDezwrotedirectlytothe Allies to ovee thesituation. If you want us to holdour breath even if itsa weak one, wedesperatelyneed youtosend us warsuppliesassoon as possible. TheAllies, whoknew thevalueofthe Spanishresistance, did not turn ablindeye to his demand. FranciscodaSilveira, Count of Amarante and CommanderofPortugals Royal Army, volunteered to take on the heavy duty of providing supplies to theresistance. Ourgoal is nottofightthe French, but to givehope andcourage to ourades. Ofcourse, to provide supplies to the resistance forces in theterritoriesupiedbythe French, they hadtocontact them and infiltrate the enemys lines, which wasa considerablerisk. The Count of Amarante, daring to takerisksanyway, hadprepareda surprise infiltrationthrough theins of La Mancha. Who would dare to openly cross theins of La Mancha, the heart of the Iberian Penins? Therefore, there wasnobolder operation to piercethe enemyslinesthan this. CountofAmaranteled acorpsofabout12,000 troops to thenorth. Right behind them werecartsand wagons carrying wheat, rice, corn, salted beef, beans, oats, andwar supplies suchasmuskets, rifles, ammunition, lightweight cannons, shells, gunpowder, etc. The French didnot evendreamofthe Allies passing throughthe ins of La Mancha, insteadofgoingbysea throughportssuch as Almera andMurcia. The troops of theCountofAmarantewere able to quicklyrun to their target areas, simply defeating their enemies along the way, who were greatlysurprised. In fact, this operation wasonthe verge of sess. It would be over as longasthey could deliver anew spark to the dying Spanish resistanceand thengoback. Itwouldhave been possible, if it wasnot for theintrusion of the Spanish Fox, Louis-Gabriel Suchet. Africas vulgardishwashersand coachmen of Estrs countryside have gathered here! Givea gift of resttothosewho wanttomeet PhilipII and Joo IV in the underworld! The Spanish ResistanceArmy andthe Count of Amarantestroops responded well to the suddenappearance of Suchets Corps, showing their skills. From the beginning, however, it was impossible for theresistance andcoalition forces to ovee Suchets troops, which had artilleryonthe highground and were fully prepared. CountofAmaranteand Brigadier General Alberio(of the resistance forces) were able to savemany soldiers by quickly ordering themtostep down, butcouldnot protectthe supplies thatthe Allies hadbeen struggling to bring. Youve done agreatjob bringing these all theway here! Well keepyour tribute safeand use it well for thenext battle! Hahahaha! At the taunt of Louis-Gabriel Suchet, officersofthe Allies andresistance forceshad to holdback. And thisincidentbecame afatalblow to theresistance whowas alreadyina tight spot. === France hadfosteredand utilized rgenumber of spiesposed of locals to gain intelligence anddivide the enemy forces. Because of them, the Spanish resistancewas facing a great threat that it had never experienced before, and hadnow to worry about its ownsurvivalwithout receivingsuppliesfrom theAllies. However, thesame possibility also existedontheirside. Couldnt theyuse the same cards as the Frenchagainst them? Thenumber of Spanishpeople who were hostiletoFrance was still, and far greater thanthe pro-French. They werewilling at anytime to sell information about the Frenchmovementtothe coalition or theresistance. If France hadmade localsbe spies, theAllies could alsorun intelligence units of citizens in theupiedterritories. On a bigger scale, this would help to amplifythe volume anduracyofinformatioing to the Allies. TheSpanish resistance was also still alive, although it wasstruggling forsurvival, which allowedthe Allies to maintain their front lines without retreatingeven further. However, knowing information about theenemyinadvance didnot always have apositiveeffect. Lasttime, wereceiveda letterofprotest from 10 DowningStreet (theBritish Prime Ministers residence), but this time, itsthe Provisional GovernmentofSeville? Itistrue that the delegation fromSeville hasarrived Coincidentally, people on the Westminster side arrivedaround the same time. The armyslife is very eventful! This is the one whether we want to go to war or not. Tsk tsk Thankstothis, Commander Arthur Wellesleywas forced to leave hispost urgently duringa military meeting. This was whythe officers who were attending themeeting clicked their tonguesand looked displeased. Thecrisis had subsided acrossthe penins, sotherewas alot of fusshere andthere. Well, I understand thatSeville is nervous, too. We didnt know thatNabotwas inciting the Spanish people in such aheinous way. Theresnoequaltothis reincarnation of the true devil! In theentire history! I will never forgetthat damn Corsican yer! Haa! Eachofthe Allied generals ventedtheirangerorsighed to clear their minds. Thenews that France hadestablishedits own administrative entities andwas ruling the upied Spanish territories had left the Provisional Government of Sevilledumbfounded. ThestoryofKing Fernando VII, the king of Spain, running wildand smashing all kinds of furniturewas alreadya widespread rumor among the Alliedforces. FernandoVII and other members of the Spanish cabwere much moreangryand afraid of Franceencroachingonthe empty Spanishadministrativevacuum thanhundredsofthousands of their people being ughtered. It was because theyknew. The Spanishterritoriesthat were now under Frenchcontrol were thoughtfully polluted by theideasofrevolution andfreedom, and evenifthe war ended andthey were returned to Spain, they would never return to their formerstate. Dontwehave to stop the demiseofthe resistancebyany means necessary? When we were withthem, weused to call themabunchofelephants suckingmoneyand gunpowder, but to be honest, onlythe resistanceforces could swaythe Frenchs rear. The reasonwhy we can maintain thefrontline despite theck of coalition troopsisbecause there areinsurgents andmilitiasinthe territories upied by the French. We cant losethem. Weneed to make suretoprovide them withsupplies. Officersfrom Spain andPortugalwanted to protectthe resistancebyall means. British officers, on theotherhand, were skeptical. Thereisnoclearway to helpthem. Rightnow, were in a hurry to maintain the front line of the penins. The Frenchbastardsare not usually sneaky people. But theyre cuttingall the connections between us and theresistance. Tobreakthis crisis, the Count of Amarante himself led thecorpsand marchedinto theins of La Mancha Of course, as we all know, theCounts majestic operationfailed. The operationled by the Count of Amarante wascarried outwith thorough information control. Thefact that the enemy waspreparing for it in advance was evidence that there wereFrench spies inside thecoalition and resistance forces. All theAllied officers at the meeting looked dark. A lot of supplies from the coalitionhad beensent to feed and support the Spanish resistance. Nevertheless, Arthur Wellesleyand the other British, Portuguese, Spanish generals, andeven theBritish politicians were not questioning support for theresistance, because they admitted thatits existence wasnecessary. When thesituation turned unfavorable, the Allies gave up their upied territories and retreatedbehind the Lines of TorresVedras, as they always did. Their move was aimed at preventing the Frenchfrom attacking, including Napoleon, through this defensive front while they werecatchingtheirbreath. However, the French army, which wasmarchingasiftowipe outthe entire Iberian Penins, stopped advancing. And then it startedtoconciliate andstabilize its control overthe upied territories. Itwas as if the Frenchwere notinterested in anyotherarea of thepenins other thanthe one they werecurrently upying. They were using all sorts of tactics to exterminate the Spanish resistanceand militias. Theirstrategyseeded in making themembers of theProvisionalGovernment of Seville, British, Portuguese politicians and themediabeyond the straitmore hasty andanxious than the soldiers on thepenins. Allthat ledtothe presentday. At times likethis, I just wanttogoout and fight hard. An impatienmander fights a hundredtimesand loses ahundred times. Dontsay stupid things, kid. Bullshit! Butisntittrue! Astime goes by, theenemyisonly getting stronger and less vulnerable! The Frenchhave dispersedtheirforces to ruleover that vastupiedarea. This maybeourstchance! Although we have ignoredour Spanishfriends, itisundeniable that their assistanceallowed us to bring thewar here Opinions were alsodivided among generals andofficerswithin the coalition. It meant thattherewas no clear answer to ovee thecurrent situation. Thatwas why theAlliedmandwas evenmore unsettled. The Commander isingin! Arthur Wellesley, Marquis of Wellington, walkedinto theforeign officeofFort Santino, an outpost of the Lines of TorresVedras, where themeeting wasbeingheld. The officers did notknow what he had heard, but his poker face remained the same. Today the delegation of the Provisional Government of Sevillehas spoken to us. His MajestyFernandoVII recognizesthe hardwork of thesoldiersand asksustoreturn to the front line of September 1812 as soonaspossible. Wellesley spoke calmly, but theofficerswho knewaboutFernandoVIIspersonalitycouldimagine howagitatedhemust have beenwhen askingthis. Also, a final notice from Prime Minister Robert Jenkinsonand Westminster Parliamenthas arrived, asking us to break through thatbloody Santiago-Almera line beforeAprnd turntothe offensive. So, our troopscantcontinuewith thedefensive strategy. Grunts pouredout fromall overthe ce. Some generals expressed strongdissatisfaction withthe Prime Minister and theParliament, who did notrespect thejudgmentofthe field at all. Wellesley calmed them downwith hisquietcharisma. The new warwith theUnited States hasaddedtothe kingdoms financialburden. Theleaders of both partiesinWestminsterand His Majesty agreed to send fleets andtroops to protectthe kingdoms territoryinthe New World andapprovedadditional budgetspending. And so theoppositeaction is A cut in the budgetfor the Alliedforces in the Peninsr War. Oh, my God, damn it! Are theyreally going to handover thewholeIberia to Nabot!? Disappointedsoldiersspat outcurses. They could no longer bepensated forall the hard workthey hadhad in their servicehere fornearly fiveyears. Nowitwaspletelyinvain. But the Portuguese and Spanish officers wereeven more shocked. Withoutthe helpofthe British, how could they surviveagainst those ferociousFrench? Infact, itwas liketelling them to surrender. All kinds of negative emotions spring up, but among themArthur Wellesley smiled. You havetolisten to people until theend. TheWestminsterParliament hasclearly passeda budgetcut for thetroops currently operatinginEurope. Butitisnot our Army thatisincludedinthe cuts. S-Sir! Well, then! Thatsright. The targetbeingcut is the kingdomsnavalstrength. And a big part of the support thatwas put into it willberedirected to form an additionrmy force that willjoin us here. !! A wave of silence swept the military meeting. Soon after, theofficerswho cametotheirsenses let outharshcheers. That wasright. Britainhad dered thatitwouldabandon itscurrent strategy andmore aggressivelyengage in the waragainst France. Chapter 81: Chapter 81: 13. Golden War 5 Inrecent years, Britainsfinancial, economic andsocial atmospherehad fluctuatedlike a sailboat riding a wave. Economic indicatorscontinued to riseand fasthe boomand recession alternated depending on trade bnce, domestic market, climatechange, andoverseascolonialconditions. The economy was themost importantframework for supporting the nation. It was perhaps naturalthat theentire Britishsociety wasexperiencing chaos and instability. The ever-changing industrialenvironmentand regime of Britain wereamongthe causes. Domestichandicrafts, operated in the form of individuals or families, were insufficient to counter the power of fossilfuelsand steam engines. The marketeconomy wasa thoroughly weakeconomy. Small handicrafts disappeared as theyclosed one by one. Largepanies andfactories began to enter the site. Thessofcapitalistsand workerswas no longer a new phenomenon for them. Factories built in industrialcities suchasManchester, Lothian, Birmingham andBristol grewrger, ckclouds covering in the skygrew thicker, andBritish manufacturedgoodsnow dominated theglobal market to theextent thatthey could be seen anywhere in Asiaand in the NewWorld. Theconglomerate and itscapitalistshad umted enormous wealth by monopolizingthe market. Onthe other hand, the workers employed by themwere starving andimpoverished withoutproper pay andtreatment. The gap between richand poorwidened daybyday. As a result, social problems and crimesalso urred frequently. Nevertheless, prominent British economic and sociologistsviewed the whole process as apain in Britainsdeveloping transition. The changeinthe industrialstructure is justa wayofimproving the overall constitution of thenationaleconomy. Its a problemthat will naturally subside overtime. The morewedothis, the moreweneed to provide asocial environment where capitalists can investtheirassets. It will eventuallyreturn to the wealthofthe state. It was no wonderthat theBritish governmentshigh-ranking officials, who wereheavily bribedand funded by capitalists, pushed for such apro-capitalistpolicy. Britain achieved a mechanicalrevolution faraheadofFrance. However, thetwo countries showedcleardifferencesintheirattitudetoward dealingwith thetwo ssesborn of themechanical revolution. France, like acountry founded by people, protected the rightsand interests of workers, andBritain, like a countryoffinance andcapitalists, tookcare of theinterests of businessmen. Only God knew whatdifferencesand consequences this would bring in the future. === The State OpeningofWestminsterParliament, held on thefirstWednesday of every month, wasa bitdifferent fromotherparliamentary meetings. The opening ceremony was usually heldatthe House of Lords, where themembers discussedstateaffairs, whichwas attended by membersofthe upper ssesofBritain, including journalists, businessmen,wyers andothers, as well as citizens. Afterthat, they were given the right to observe the parliamentsstateaffairs anddiscussions. Although theyhad no say in it, they were given sufficientrole to monitor and check thwmakers parliamentary activities, allowing themtouse their rights as British citizens before being privileged. The members of the House of Lords areentering. Assoon as theclerks words were over, people wearing red clothes, white hats, andfancyessoriesappearedone after another. Journalists who hadarrived in advance and were attending quietly recorded their visits. Huh! Well! The people whoentered thechairwith arrogant faces andgestureswere members of the House of Lords, mainly the hereditary nobility of Ennd, Scond and Wales. Theywere families of honor whohad long-standingfamily lines and traditionand received numerous privilegesand pensions fromthe state. Some of them could haveinherited the seat of the aristocracy. They were atrulyprivileged ss whohad the right to take charge of British politics for generations andgenerationsunless Britainwas destroyed. Themembers of theHouseofCommons areentering. Dark navy neat, modest clothing, ckhat and one-eyed sses, solemnatmosphere andrefined expressions. Membersofthe House of Commons, who sawpuritanicalmoderation andfrugality as virtues, which werethe opposite of the arrogant group of aristocrats, were mainlyofthe gentry ss. Theywere peoplewho werenot borninto families with longhistory or tradition, but rose to thispositionwith their efforts and abilities. Naturally, the rtionshipbetween thearistocracyand themonerswas not very good. Eventhough theywere in thesame party, the way they looked at each other was notnice. Tsk vulgar, baseless people. Pigswho onlyhave their families! Regardless of whetherthe two housestreated each other lightlyornot, theopening ceremony of theParliament proceededsteadilyfollowing the pre-ceremonial procedures. Royalguards searched the underground warehouseinpreparationfor apossiblesecond GunpowderPlot (attempted assassination of James I)[1], anwmakers fromboth housessaid holy prayersand createda solemnatmosphere. After that, the ritualceremonywas carriedout, anditwaspleted only after the symbolofthe Britishroyalfamily was present as well. Finally, allthe participants of theopening ceremony of theParliament gathered as PrinceRegent George IV, representing the king who wasseriously ill andunable to takecare of state affairs, appeared as chairman. Usually, whena king or his representative came, both aristocrats andmonershad to stand up and show proper courtesy, but there was an exceptionfor the opening ceremony of the House of Lords. There was a feelingthat even the king should acknowledge thelegitimacy andauthority of the British Parliament. With the help of the chairman of theHouseofLordsand clerks, Prince Regent GeorgeIV ofEnnd ledthe grand ceremony by giving theopening speech. God bless the kingdom, theparliament andthe citizens, andI believe thatthe wiswmakers willdeal with and supplement the policies, billsand public rightsthat I haveproposed. Lawmakers and observersinboth Housesgave a well-organized apuse and courtesy to theprincesspeech. Theopening ceremony of theWestminsterParliament ended when George IV stepped downwith hisentourage. InFebruary1813, the discussions betweenthe House of Lords and theHouseofCommons began. Rightatthe start, a bombdropped at Westminster Pce. The kingdomisa prosperous countrythat standsatthe forefront of Europeintechnology andinstitutions, finance and capital, colonial markets and politicalsystems. But can yousay withconfidence that the kingdomsdomesticand internationppearance andactions arethoseofsuch a developed country? The current leader of theWhig party, Charles Grey, Viscount Howick[2], saidthe above fromthe Westminster podium. The reasonwhy he, whohad suffered acrushingdefeat in the general election two years ago, was able to shout withsuch confidence was because the current situation of Britain was notgood. Journalists who smelled the scoop busilywrotedown hisspeech. Members of the rulingTory party shouted, butCharles Grey shoutedina loudervoice. Last year, ourkingdom faced three major crises! The first wasthat thedebt-to-ieratioskyrocketedand we faced financial emergencies as a result of over-issuingbondstocoverthe costs of the war! Second, the price of grains, meat, vegetables andotherfood products soaredastradewith importerswas cut off! And thethirdcrisis was thepainful failure in the NewWorldtrademarket thatled to our istion! The current cabisshowing no will to solve any of them properly! The UnitedKingdom wasa country thatimportedmost of itsfood from abroad, with itsmain importersbeingthe United Statesand other New World countries, and Russia. However, Russiawas defeated by France andNapoleonand joined theContinentalBlockadeagain. The U.S. alsoderedwar againstBritain, cutting offall its smugglingroutes. Eventually, they hadnochoice but to importfood from SpainsNew World colonies, butthe problemwas thatthey began to reducetheirsalestotheirallies, Britain, as they dered independence from Spain. Tomake matters worse, 1811 and 1812 werethe years whenglobal bad harvests were prevalent duetosudden climatechange. Food pricesinthe United Kingdom experienced massiveintion, citizens were moring forbread, meatand vegetables, and local governments where thesituation was severehad evenstarted rationing. Myanswer to the leaderofthe Whigparty, CharlesGrey! I cansee whatyou are criticizing, but thisisthe result of a naturaldisasterthat humanscouldnot predict. And as a result, the response of our government was much better than thatofour French enemies. At least tens of thousands of peopledied of starvation. I wonder if we canpraise ourselves fordoingbetter thana nationthat moves by dictatorshipand ttery of asingle individual, whenour nation operates with ahigh level of educationand proficiency of collectiveintelligence. Of course, itshard to predict naturaldisasters. However, I and theWhig Party have always criticized the narrowinternational diplomatic framework of thekingdom andthe operation of theconservative trade market. Ifthe currentcab humblyeptedopposition criticismand sought to diversifythe kingdoms international market, I am sure thatitwouldhave been muchbetter thantodays politicalsituation. In theend, its all a tragedyand adisasterbrought by thegovernmentscency in state affairs. Despite theTory counterattack, Charles Greysaid everything he had to saywithout batting an eye. Participatinginthe IberianWar, in which they did notnecessarilyhave to step in (theWhig Party opposed the war), dida great disservice to the kingdomsnationalinterests. Now thatthey took partinthe war, itshould havebeen wonalready, but by settingupa wrong strategy against France, many young British people were buried in cold foreignds. Notonly didthey fail to subdue France, but they alsostarted a new warwith clumsyand overbearing diplomacy against the UnitedStates. Charles Grey, Viscount Howick, did notstep down fromthe podium until theend, pryingout and attackingthe ruling Tory Partysmistakes. And this drewa lotofsupport andsympathyfrom theobservers. = Charles Greyexpressed in apassionate tone Britains misfortune, caused by theruling Torypartyand the Prime Minister, Robert Jenkinson. Membersofthe Toryparty, hit hard by his cutting remarks, werelooking at each other withbitter faces. They had notexpectedthat it wasgoingtobecrazyfrom thestartofthe openingceremony. Sir! Areyou going to let that wicked mankeep talking as he wishes? Hes a pathetic man whodoesnt even knowa word of honor. He whoincites peoplebyselling patriotism doesntdeserve more thanthis. Prime Minister RobertJenkinson red at Charles Greyand narrowed his eyes. He hadpredicted thistosome extent. And he hadpreparedsomething on his side, too. p pp p p-!! At theend of CharlesGreys speech, members of theWhig party apudedenthusiastically. And asignificantnumber of observers didaswell. Thiswas becausethey felt thatthe currentslumpinthe Britisheconomy wasunusual. The nextperson on the podiumwas Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson. He opened hismouthamid mixed expectationsand dissatisfaction. Ill takethis opportunity to rify. Thecrisis thathasetothe kingdomnow is justa dark cloud thatwill eventually pass. Nevertheless, I acknowledge my responsibility as Prime Minister forthe internal and external circumstances. It goes withoutsaying! Resign! Ipetent Prime Minister, resignnow! Somemembers of theHouseofCommons of theWhig party shouted. Members of the Tory party protested in opposition. How long do you intendtunch sucha vulgarpolitical offensive when the country is in crisis!? Be careful. Thisisthe Pce of Westminster, wherethe framework of theKingdom of Britain was created. The mood did notcalm down easily, but Prime Minister Robert Jenkinsonsaid. There will be no major increase in the cost of war that manycitizensare concerned about. This is notjust an excuseora lietoavoidthe currentsituation. I dont feelthe needtodoso, and I havenodoubtthat I can ovee this crisis wisely. Ifhehad suggested increasing the taxes, hecouldhave reallybeen dragged out of hisprimeministers seat. Even if thetaxeswere notnoticeably increased, Britainhad manyways to collect money. Prime Minister Jenkinsons eyes wereonthe autonomousfinancial boroughs. Hehad given thema lotofprivileges andtax cuts. It was time to catch the fatgoose. TL notes [1]Gunpowder Plot [2]Charles Grey Chapter 82: Chapter 82: 13. Golden War 6 Therewouldbenotax increase, buthedid not intendtogive up thewar. Everyone seemedtobeunable to understand. So what the hell was he going to do? What didhewant? Only themembers of theTory party remained calm and lookedatPrimeMinisterRobert Jenkinson. They hadhad aclosemeeting theotherday and hadexchanged longdiscourse. Therewere reasons for notactivelysuppressthe political offensiveofCharles Grey, theleader of the Whig party, andnot giving measures as if they werebeingchased by the situation. Thereissti long way to go beforethe generalelections and theend of the prime ministers term. Makingme excuseswouldbefalling into CharlesGreys trap. Rather than having a dirty mud fight with him, itwouldbemore reasonable to admit the mistake neatly andmake an erasable case in the minds of voters. PrimeMinisterRobert Jenkinson andotherTory members werewell aware that the peoples memorywas not so good. Anissueabouta certain event was quickly forgotten in themindsofthe public when other topics emerged. This was their real target, and to reach it theyhad to put down their sincerity andpersuadethe public. After defendingagainst Vikinginvasions and preserving the Anglo-Saxon identity, this is what Alfred theGreat[1]said: The ignorant rejects reality, the ordinary faces reality. Buta wise man prepares forthe future. The Cab is always tryingtoprepare forthe future. Please watch overusasalways. A smallboo broke out from the audience at Jenkinson, as he wentdown after speaking, but he was confident. They would be criticizedfor amoment, butifthey managed to do whatthey hadprepared, the publicwouldhave no choicebut to supportthem andthe Cabagain. === A simr thing was happeninginthe heart of the City of London, asa tumultuous meetingwas underway in Westminster. Are youreally sellingall thisstuff, boss? No matter howhard I think about it, I dont understand. Are youtrying to sell the filialbondsthat provide regrreturns at once? SharesinSouthAfrican gold mines are especially valuable becausetheyre notcurrently avable on themarket. Nowthat thewar is still going on, there is nothing moreguaranteed than thisfor the future. The bosss decision in thefinancial sector wasabsolute. Whenhegave orders, employees hadtoobey unconditionally. But nowhere, inside L.V.C. Financial, there was an actcontrarytothat. Despitesensing thesurprise, embarrassmentand anxietyintheirfaces, Colin nodded heavily. Those who have worked with me willknow what I amtrying to say Anyway, timeisrunning out, so I wontsay it again. We sell all bonds andsecurities exceptforndand in-kindheld by L.V.C Financial. No objections. Sigh! I see, boss. I hopethe bossisrightagainthis time. Suchdecisionwas contrary tomon sense andlogic. The boss of afinancial firm, one of thebest in theCity of London, did somethingfollowing his intuition, and hisemployees trustedand followed him? However, alot of people were epting this phenomenonatleasthere in L.V.C. Financial. Wheneverhewas orderedtodosomething fromhis homecountry, Colinsaid that he madehis decision withhis own sensesinstead of givinglogical exnations. At first, everyhought he wasa madman, but hisdecisionturned out to be a hugesess, and it happened severaltimes. Logic andprocess were not important. Financewas the sole result. This waswhy the employeeswere puzzled but didnot argue or reject Colins decision. There willbebig changesinLondonsstockmarket in the future. Please understand thatI cant exin it to you properly because itsbasedonmyintuition. However, if that times, we willbeable to retrieve everything we lost. AtColins words, the employees felt disappointed buteventually puttheirsecurities on themarket. TheCity of Londonfinancial traderscouldnot afford to miss out on this opportunity. Securities andbondswith theL.V.C. markonthe London Stock Exchange began to sell immediately, at a terrifyingpace. Hahaha! Whatate Christmas present! Buythem unconditionally! Buy everything you see! Oh, shit! Someone stole it first! There was nothing but joyontheirfacesasthey were buying recklessly. It probably felt likegold rolledinto a vine. Colin lookedatitwith an understanding look. How were the British economistsgoingtodescribethe nextmonth? Colin was reallylooking forward to it. === The PceofWhitehall, in central London, had beenthe residence of many kings who ruled Britain. William Shakespeare[2], a great British writer, was honoredtohost hisy The Tempest at the PceofWhitehall, andwhen he sawthe it, he describeditasa garden of the Gods, where thesky meets the earth. In thepast, the Pce of Whitehallwas so beautiful andsplendidthat such praise wasnot excessive. Ithad over1,500 rooms, 19 multipurpose rooms, 5 banquet halls It hadbeen thrgest andmost luxuriouspce in Europe beforethe construction of thePce of Versailles, which had leisure facilitiessuch as bowling alley, tenniscourts, stables, outdoor huntinggrounds, and cockfighting square. A quick-witted personcouldguessthe reason fortalking about thepast. A series of fires in 1622 and 1698 burned down mostofthis beautifnd dignified cultural heritage. The great pce, which usedtobethe pride of Britain, disappeared, leaving onlyone BanquetingHouse, and only traces of itsexistence remained nearby. Many British intellectualswere very sorry about that. It wastime formany workers living near London to returntotheirhomesandy down. A carriage, decorated witha reddish-brown cross-shaped gpole, secretlyand quietlyentered theBanqueting House insidethe Pce of Whitehall. A man in a gloomy outfitgot off thecarriage, opened hiscoat andremoved hisfedora (a felthat). The mans figure wasrevealed. He wasRobert Jenkinson, CountofLiverpool, whohad beenhumiliated atst weeks meeting at the Parliament. Goodevening, Mr. Prime Minister. HisHighnessiswaiting foryou. At the endofthe attendants words, Prime Minister Jenkinsongesturedtogoinquickly. Itwas the PceofWhitehall, which wasburned down, but it wasalso a ce where people could have asecret conversation. = Inthe multi-purposeroom of theBanqueting House, Prince Regent GeorgeIV ofEnnd wasadmiringa painting. PrimeMinisterJenkinson brieflygreeted himand quietlyapproached him. Its The Marriage Settlement by WilliamHogarth (an18th-century Englishpainter).[3] Oh, does the Prime Minister know about thispainting? Thats right. Imckinginknowledgepared to you, but could you give me achance to exinthe work? AtGeorge IVspermission, Jenkinson began exiningthe painting. Fancy clothes, but no familycrest. The fatherofthe bride is amerchantwith lowstatus but a lot of money. The groomsfather, on theotherhand, isa shabby-looking, penniless nobleman, buthas afamily crest. As youcan see, the bride and groom arelooking in differentdirections, showing that theyare indifferent to eachothereven thoughthey aregetting married. In fact, theunionofthesetwo families can be seen as acontractbetween adultswho onlycare about theprofits they willget fromthe sessionofthe families. Its ascathingsatire about the society thathas lostits humanity and is only lookingfor its owninterests. Oh, I never imagined it would be a workwith such ameaning. I cansee the picture differently after listening to thePrimeMinisters words Coincidentally, itlookssimr to thesituation in which the kingdom is right now. Prime Minister RobertJenkinson smiled bitterly as if he agreed. After sharinga fewmore stories, thetwo soongot to the point. Theres areason why I called theastute Prime Minister at night. Because I felt that the order of thecountry I was supposed to rule in ce of my father wasseriously threatened. Thepublic opinionisunusual, and the Prime Minister, the Royal Family andthe Cabneed to continue to seriouslyreflect on thecurrent situation. George IV was criticizing Prime Minister Jenkinsons ambiguousattitudeand remarksduringstweeks meeting. Jenkinsondid not hide his true intentionsthis time. He brought up before himthe truthful storiesthat he didnot tellinthe Pce of Westminster. Thebiggest reasonwhy the kingdomseconomy is falteringisthat thefinancial leakhas finalle to a limit. So far, the Cab and ourpartymembers have focusedonthe war expenses, whichare the main financial expenditure of thekingdom. The kingdomspentabout144 millionst yearalone, muchofwhichwas spent on maintenance of naval power and operations. Considering thegeopolitical characteristics andstrategic objectivesofthe kingdom, isnt thata natural result? Doyou happen to know the exact trend andproportion? GeorgeIV shookhis headand Prime Minister Robert Jenkinsoncalmly readthe figures. Britaincurrently owned 114 battleships and780 vessels. 10.6 million was spent annually on maintaining a naval force of 135,000 men. Inaddition, 1.9 millionwas for theconstruction and repaircoststorecover from the damagecaused by storms, reefs, naval battles, aging and ship idents. The costofinstalling, maintainingand repairing numerous docks, ports, and coastal fortifications across Europe, the NewWorld, Africa, and Asiawas 4.6 million, and thecost of operatingthe fleet to block the coastsofFrance and other enemy countries(which required foodsupplies, toll, gunpowder, etc.) was about 7.6 million. In other words, Britain waspouring out25 million ayear just to keepits currentnavalstrengthand for themaritimeoperation blocking all thecoasts of France, its allies andsatellite countries. Atthe unbelievable cost, GeorgeIV was speechless. He wasthe representative of KingGeorge III, who was seriouslyill, butitwas rtivelyrecent thathetook over as regent andbegantotake over the kingsduties in earnest. Therefore, he had notgrasped everything in state affairsand had notreceivedseparated reports, particrly in thefinancial sector. Hejust thought things were doing well. It wasunimaginable thatsomuch of thekingdoms funds werebeingused only for theoperation of the Navy. EvenifI didnot ask foranexnation, wasnt it natural to report on such amajorpayment? How can younot say a wordabouthow athirdofthe kingdoms revenue is being used! I have nothing to say. Im sorry, Your Highness! Butasyou know, I also becamePrimeMinisterhastily Pleaseexcuse the stupidityofnot being abletodouble-check whathad beendone in thefirsthalf ofst year. Jenkinson had bePrimeMinisterafterthe assassinationofSpencer Perceval.[4] It was notuntilthe end ofst yearthat Jenkinsonnoticed thx investmentinmilitarypower, as the Navy did notfeel theneed to re-reportwhat hadalready been paidbythe former prime minister. In the end, Prime Minister Jenkinson andPrince Regent GeorgeIV were being reprimanded fortheirpredecessors doings. Feelingsympathyfor eachother, the twosighed quietly. TL notes [1]Alfredthe Great [2]William Shakespeare [3]HeresThe Marriage Settlement painted byWilliam Hogarth: [4]SpencerPerceval Chapter 83: Chapter 83: 13. Golden War 7 Our kingdomswar expenses includediplomatic payments to Russia, Austria, Prussia, Spain and ourotheranti-Frenchallies. ThePrince Regent knows about theamount, so Ill skipthe exnation. George IV pressed his forehead without saying a word. Since theresumption of warwith France, Britainhad beensending astronomicalfinancial aid every month to Frances rival countries, including Austria, Prussia, Russiaand Sweden. It was part of atypical British strategy to feedthe European continent with money insteadofprojecting directpower. In other words, the hugeamount of fundingwas alsoa form of employmentofthe other countries troops as mercenaries. Thesize of thefunding wastrulyenormous, as it was to buya nations army. Last year, theBritish government provided 28.8 million in aid to Russia, which was preparingfor amajorwar withFrance, given in nine times. Of course, the results of the investment weredisastrous. The annualspendingonSpainand Portugal, which were currently wagingdirect war on thepenins, wassmaller than of Russia. But the warwasstingmuch longer. Whig party figurescriticized thecurrent cab for spending tens of millions of pounds on foreign aid. They said thatthe United Kingdom should rathersupport thevulnerable or payoff its snowballing national debt. The citizens of London, who initially supportedthe stance of thecab investinginthe war against its archrival, France, were increasinglyleaning towardthe Whigpartys imsastime went by. Then, the Prime Minister wants to cutthe governmentfunding that has been usedtofinance thesea blockade? When Sir Perceval wasstiround, thefinancial situation of thekingdom wasgood. Unfortunately, thats not thecase now. You shouldknow howtotighten your waist whenyoure hungry. Prime Minister Jenkinsons confidentimtoreduce the Navy and other countries financial aidwas all fora reason. Because there werenomore maritime forcesthat could pose athreat to the Royal Navy. TheBattle of Copenhagendestroyed all of Denmarksmain fleet, and the BattleofTrafalgar destroyed theFrench and Spanish naval forces.[1] In other words, under thecurrent circumstances, thenavalpowerofthe enemy countries hadalmost evaporated, so evena small cutinthe kingdoms naval budgetposednothreat to the statusofthe maritime empire. Evenafterthe Battle of Trafalgar, Napoleon lived on the promise ofndingthe Imperial Guard on the British maind, butall the British leadersknew that it was a bluffing delusion. I rmend reinforcing the armysstrengthand training new recruits by using even apart of thenavy budgetcut. If youinvest amillion poundsinthe army, theywill present you with 30 elite divisions. The army The MarquisofWellington hasa defensivestrategyinthe penins, whichirgely duetohisckofpower. YourHighnessknowswhat hes capableof, right? If yougive himenough troops andweapons, hewill surelyturn thingsaround. Invest in thearmy with the navysmoney. It was Prime Minister Jenkinsons real intention, whichhecouldneversay in front of the citizens whohad the right to vote. Ifthey invested in thearmy andformed new units to join the penins, theywouldeventually have to recruitadditional soldiers andconscripts, sowho would weeit? Just in time, France also reducedits armybyabolishing theImperial-Federal MobilizationDecree issued earlyst year. If there was a timetosend power into the penins, it was now. GeorgeIV nodded as if he thoughtPrimeMinisterJenkinson had a point. Thecountries fighting on the Iberian Penins were the only onesresisting Napoleonstyranny on theEuropeancontinent. Britains long-standinggrandstrategyhad beenpassive interventioninthe continent, but nheless, there wasone reason whyPrince Regent GeorgeIV and Prime Minister Jenkinson were thinking of doing agrand intervention. This was because, nowmore than ever, Napoleon and Frances expansionand possibilitieswere makingBritain anxious. Now the twowere ipatible. Either theEmpire was taken down or the Kingdom bowed its head to them. But apart fromthat, the Treasury Departmentbelievesthat taxincreases are inevitable. Last month, thetotmount of governmentbondssold in thename of thegovernment surpassed900 million. Theirview is that if moredebt is umted than this, it could leadtofinancial health issues. Britain, whichhad previouslyestablisheda monopoly on foreign trade by assemblingtradworksbetween India, Chinaand the NewWorld, had bea country thatcouldproduce as much wealth as allEuropeancountriesbined throughthe mechanicalrevolution. Nevertheless, the long-standingwar was proving thatBritains wealth hadlimits. The cardthat Prime Minister Jenkinsonpulled out to make up for thesold government bonds thatshowed signs of turninginto increasinglybad debtwas to cut Londons financialself-governingdistricts. Many businesses and financialfirmswith subsidiariesintheirautonomous districtswere nheless payinglowercorporate and ietaxesthan other regions. Inaddition, theywere openlmitting taxevasion by maniptingbooksand deliberately omitting contracts. So far, thesevitions hadbeen overlooked for thesake of theeconomic of scale. But nowthat Londons financialmarkets hadbe aunique hub in theworld, raisingtaxeswouldnot makecapitalistsleave, and on thecontrary, Britaincouldnot be any more patientbecause of theincreasing urgency of the war. Howmany preferentialtreatments hadbeen given to capitalists andfinanciers? Jenkinson thoughtthat this was enough. Letsdoasthe Prime Minister wants. But letskeep this matter to ourselves. All right, Your Highness. GeorgeIV was drawinga line as to whatcouldbea politicalrisk. But anyway, after receiving tacit permission, Jenkinsonleft thehousewith a confident face. With thisreform, thecountry would be able to ovee thiscrisis wisely That was what Jenkinson believed. === Thetax increase thatthe EarlofLiverpool, Prime Minister RobertJenkinson, came up withwas veryefficient and reasonable, at least forthe managementofthe state. Capitalistsinfinancial self-governing districts umted enormous wealththrough business andfinance, but theyrepresentedonly a small minority of the entirenationwide poption. Therewas no one more suitable to be cut to match theslogan of the philosopher JeremyBentham[2]itisthe greatest happiness of thegreatestnumber thatisthe measureofrightand wrong. Politicians and journalists whoreceivedregr sponsorship or back money fromcapitalistswouldprobablygocrazy, but theprimeministers power andspeech werestrongerthan expected in wartime. PrimeMinisterJenkinson, themembers of theTory Party andofthe Cabwere optimistic about the situation. But if everything in the world flowedsolely on efficiencyand rationality, whydid conflicts anddisputesur, and whydid people cryover idents? A series of unexpected events wasenough to shock the otherwisedisturbing British economy. Witha tremendous ripple effectthat no oneinthe Treasury had expected. It was twodays beforethe Second Treasurerofficially announcedthe new taxbill publicly. As aresult of having spies everywhere in the Cab to get importantinformationbefore anyone else, Londons leading financial firms were abletohear it beforethe announcement wasmade. The taxreform n, led by Prime Minister RobertJenkinson, wasa very reasonableimprovementinthe system to removeblindspotsinthew, whichlegally preventedsmallincreases in corporate andie taxes, taxevasion andbook maniption. However, peoplewere more angry and sensitivetogiving and takingthan to receive nothingfrom thebeginning. The feelingthey felt was anger, not shame, as theeverydaythings thatthey hadbe usedtodowere blocked, even if theywere illegal. Even if they werenot wealthycapitalistswith a business or financialpany, forworkers whowere tied up in property or workinthe financial autonomous district, theabove-reorganizationn wasonly a y of acountry takingaway their livingmoney. Raisingcorporate and ietaxes? And theyre different dependingonthe profit of theyear? Then theres no point in investing in financialinstitutions, right? Requesting statements fromdouble ounts!? This means censoringour investors! From what kindofidiots head did this bile!? The reasonfor the establishment of acorporationinthe financial autonomous district is thattaxesare low, soifthey raise taxes, thereisnoreason to be in aceboastingthis crazynd price. Its the financiers who areleading theBritish economy thats about to fall behind, and thats howthey thank us? Allthe routes tryingtobypass thisnew regtionwith bribeswere cutoff, as if somethinghad beenfirmly orderedfrom above. The taxofficials saidthat theincidenthad nothingtodowith them and that theycouldnot let thesurveince personnel go because theywere dispatched separately, but that could not provide any constion. Companies in Londons financialborough hadtopay fulltaxes, which wereraised by the revision of thetaxw. The revised taxwincludedmeasurestoblocktax evasioworksand monitorcorrupt officials, as wesincreasecorporate and ietaxes, but excluded securities and bond tradingand dividend ie taxes. Thatmeantthat theamount of tax payable whenbuying and selling securities, bonds, or holding securitiesassets was thesame as beforethe tax amendment. They seemed to have thoughtthat there would be no adverse effect on themarket itself if they did nottouchsecurities transaction anddividendie taxes, butthe securitiesmarket began to freeze rapidly. February10, 1813, at 9 a.m. TheLondon Stock Exchange opened. Assoon as thetradebegan, the first runners toewere Jewishcapitalists, likethe Rothschildfamily. The nextgroupofpeople to do so was theCity of Londons major financialinstitutions, which hadties to Westminster courtsand politics. Theypetitively poured their bonds andsecurities into the marketinstead of secretly trading likeinthe past. As if theywere being chasedbysomething. The shockwave wasboundtospread in the marketwhen thefinancial conglomeratesdominating theCity of Londonwere ruthlessly pouringout suchamounts. Fivehourter, at 2:00 p.m., the London Stock Exchange wasbustlingwith peoplewho cametosell stocksand bonds. Sellthesebondsrightnow! Even if theresa 20%, no, 30% loss, its okay, so hurry! I came herefirst! Justsell this quickly! Please wait in order! Only those who bring theapplicable numbercan trade! Darn it, getout of the way! Do you want to see peopledie!? You think youre theonly onewho bought stockshere!? Takeyour turn! There had never been sucha mess since the LondonStockExchangewas established in the City of London. Prices of various securitiesand bonds werefalling in real time, reminding them of the South SeaCompany[3]crash that urred 90 years ago. The panic-stricken investorssold their assetsrandomly, furtherelerating the crash. Were screwed screwed!! Thewaterofthe Thames must be warm, right? Is it okay if I goin? At6 p.m., themarket closed. Outside theexchange, it was full of investors whocouldnot selltheirsecurities andbonds. It was a legendary crash that would go downinhistory. The market hadtobeclosed to protectthe goodhalf of thestocks. For those who didnot receivethe information in advance, the crash wasa bigeventthat urred without any warning or sign. Onlyangerand ragefilled their heads, as they wereslightlydazed. The Jewsand the financialtycoons whohad information about the crash have siphoned off allour investments! A cry fromsomeone determined the directionthat this anger should take. Thering eyeofinvestors turned to managers of Jewishcapital andfinanciers in theCity of London. Yes, thats them! The stock and bond prices plummetedbecause they poured outbig amountsrandomly! Instinctivelythreatened, the Jewish capital managers and thefinanciers of theCity of Londonshooktheirarms andmade excuses. Thats ridiculous nonsense! We-were just employees! All we can do is followorders! Weve lost alot of money, too! Were victimsjust like you! C-calm downfirst! The Jewish capitals anrgefinancial institutions whowere informed quickly wereable to sell, of course, quite alot of stocks at reasonable prices. However, theyhad so manysecurities andbondsthat it wasimpossible to sell everythingatonce, and the transactionswere controlled due to theheavytraffic on thestockexchange, making it difficulttosell anything. Itwas not wrong to saythat they lostmoneyinthe process. However, their situationwas verydifferent fromthe one of small investorswho lostmost of their wealth. Wefollowedthe principle of investinginsecurities. Wejust moved quickly based on our judgment on themarket values. Dontmeothers for losingmoney. A manwho managedJewish capitaldid not understand the atmosphere and uttered harsh words. Normally, people would haveughedatthe person wholost money or would have agreed with his provocative words, but the problem was that the targetofhis remark wasthe absolute majority of the peoplegatheredhere. Theycouldridiculeotherpeoplesfailures, but nottheirown. Some of themsnapped. And the resultwas terrible. Die!! Argh! With hiseyes wide open, an investor rushed at him, pullingout asharpde. And he pierced the stomach of the manwho saidthe cheeky remark. There wasa momentofpanicatthe shocking situation. Some investorswere extremelyexcited to seethe pouringred blood. They needed to find the cause of this painfulfailure anda targetfor their anger. Tothem, therewere no targets moresuitablethan Jewishcapital managers andemployees ofrge financialpanieswho had siphoned offmoney. Sinceyou stole our money, wewill take yourlives! Death to the filthyJews! Ugh Argh! Atfirstthey punched and kicked, butter they broughtstones, clubs, and evenshovels, causing mercilessviolence. Theindiscriminateviolence, which lefta total of 5 people dead and 38 seriouslyinjured, continued until officers rushed in. But whathappenedtodaywas justa preview of the beginningofthe tragedy. TL notes [1]Battle of Copenhagen,Battle of Trafalgar [2]Jeremy Bentham [3]SouthSea Company Chapter 84: Chapter 84: 13. Golden War 8 On10 February1813, a mass assaultand murder in front of theLondon Stock Exchange was enoughtoresonategreatly in theBritish society. Therewere some low-ss peoplewho werereally strugglingamongthe assants, but most of the peoplewho invested in securitiesand bondmarkets were upper-ss Britishmen, intellectuals, andpeople who belonged to thesessfulgroup thatmany envied. Thefact that suchupper-sspeople wieldedweapons andassaulted eachother, killingfive people, was news thatcaught the publics attention. But Britainstrue misfortune was notsocial but economic. London Post: Endless crash! Is it theend of Londons stock market? Weekly News: Fathers threw themselvesinto theRiverThames. Whodrovethem into acorner! Weekly News: The worst down shock since the South SeaCompany crash! What will be the impactonthe kingdoms economy? Oxford Gazette: Oxford economicsfaculty warning, theBritish financialmarkets could regress at least 10 years News Letter: The stock investors reasonable anger. Sowhat is thecauseofthis crash? Some might question the fact thatthe fallofthe value of bonds and securities could shake the whole economy of the kingdom, butthat wasbecause they did notknow theeconomicand industrialstructure of the country. It wasnoexaggeration to say that the UnitedKingdoms economywas acollection of numerous businesses. Therewere many foreigntradingpanies, including theEast India Company[1]thatwas devouring India, textile manufacturers including cotton, wool, etc. There wereminers who mined coal, neededfor mechanizedpower, silver andiron, and steel mills to processthem. In addition, businesses dealingwith canals, transportation, weapons manufacturing, chemicals, paperand ss industrieshad sprung up andwere developing one after another. Finance wasthe capitalfor entrepreneurswho established these businesses. Onlya fewpeople set up andrun abusinessentirelyontheirown capital. Most of the businessmen received investments from financial firms using their shares, family property, andnd. Britainseconomy wasrun by businessesinvarious industries. Andthe businesseswere runbycapital invested in thefinancial market. In the end, Britains finance and economy wereinseparable. If financecopsed, Britainseconomy copsed. In the meantime, a line of articles cameout. It wasenough to catch peoples attention. Daily Current: Whatcaused thisbig crash was the Cabsnew tax amendment? A low-level trick startedbyPrimeMinisterJenkinson destroyed thestockmarket. Now it waseveryones turn to lookatWestminsterand 10 DowningStreet. === Thergest and oldestbank in theUnited Kingdomwas by far theBank of Ennd in the heart of theCity of London. In 1694, Britain, which wasatwar withFrance, established theBank of Ennd withinvestment from numerous investors to payfor the war, and even grantedthe solerighttomint theBritish currency, poundsterling. Therighttomint money wassimply apowerfulforcethat could shake a nations economy. But theBank of Ennd could not project as muchinfluence as it was given. First of all, this bank, which hadthe right to mintmoney, had been constantlychecked andmonitored by the British government. TheBritish royal family, Westminster Parliament, high-ranking hereditary aristocrats, Jewishmerchants, andeven foreign capital, heldthe banks sharesevenly. Noone could own theBank of Ennd entirely becausethey hadbeen wary of eachothers presence andthe emergence of overwhelmingmajorityshareholders who would control the bank. So whowouldseed theBank of Ennd? Althougheach businessman hada differentopinion on this, sixout of ten of them would pickBarings Bank.[2] Barings Bank was founded in 1762 and had a longhistory. Itwas hardtosee, butithad madeits nameknownnot onlyinthe United Kingdom but also in the internationalmunity, bytaking on manyfamous contracts andguarantees. The British EastIndiaCompany also recognizedthe value of the bank and invested hundreds of thousandsofpounds, andbought foreigncapital at a bargainpricewhen Amsterdamwas upied by France. It was Barings Bankthat established branches in Washington, Massachusetts, andVirginiaassoon as theUnited States becameindependent, and it wasalso in chargeofbroadcasting the Louisianatransactionbetween Franceand the UnitedStates. Basedonthe above significant sessand performance, Barings Bankhad grown intoa financialorganization thatcoulddeal with hugesize of capital, just nexttothe BankofEnnd. Rothschild, DIsraeli, Mendelssohn, andotherJewish families fromcontinentalEurope wereestablishedinLondon and emerging in thefinancial sector, but theywere still small seedlingswith potentialgrowth. Butthereisa true giant thatcan sinrger, heavier, anddeeper, reaching thedepths of the ground. The only realfinancial conglomerate in this era whocan say this withconfidence is theBaring family. Theyre theones whocan contrnd leadall thisfrom behindThe authorofthis columnisvery imaginative. Well, thats not quite wrong, though. I dont feelsobad becausethat shows howmuch ourfamily rised, right, brother? Themiddle-agedman who nervouslid down the newspaperwas Thomas Baring, the eldestson of the Baringfamily. The rtivelyyoungman witha twirling smile next to him wasHenryBaring, thethirdson. Barings Bank, as you could seefrom itsname, was owned by the Baringfamily. After the death of itsfounder Francis Baring, his sonsran the giant bank, cooperating with eachother, following their fathers teachings.[2] Andthey didsowhiletrying not to deviate fromthe Cabs line as muchaspossible. But nowthe story was differentwhen there wasa crossroads betweenBaringsinterests and thedirection of the British Cab. PrimeMinisterJenkinson seems to be suspiciousofus, right? Wonderingifwehave ledthis big crash. And about gettingmediaexposurebefore the taxamendment was released. Its nota very absurd im. But theyshouldnt me their failures on us. Howmuch money didthey steal from our family? Theirtone wassoft, but the Baringbrothers eyeswere cold. It wastrue that theyhad soldhuge securities and bonds in themarket before thecrash. Butthe Baring familywas not theonly odoso, as numerous financial institutionsthat foresaw astockmarket contraction did thesame. Itwas onlynatural. Noinvestorwouldwant to hold securitiesknowing that acrashwasing. However, Prime Minister Jenkinson andhis currentcab were describingitinthe media as if it werethe doing of the Baringfamily and Barings Bank. It wasunbearable to theBaring brothers. As they werethinkingabouthow to repay this, one personcame to them, as if sent by fate. This is a letter from the boss of L.V.C. Financial. The rulers of Barings Bankrecalledthe nameofL.V.C. Financial, with itsfacelessand nameless boss. It wasa group with sophisticatedconcealments whose identity could not be revealed even by those who controlled information in the underworld. They did notknow where they were, but they werevery professional. It smelledsuspicious, but theydid not care. Itdid not matterwho theywere in this world anyway. Therewas onlyone thing to argue about, andthat waswhether it would be beneficial to themornot. Inthat sense, the letter brought by Barings butler andthe words contained in it were verysatisfying to them. We havebeen leading aboring war fortoo long. Itstime to wrap thisup. Thomas Baring foldedthe letter nicely. Peace could bring wealth andmoneytomany people, but warpresented enormous wealth to a few people. However, there wasalso an expiration date. War wasthe closestword to destruction after all. If handledwell, itcouldgive convenience, otherwise it could be seenasa dangerous, bloody toy. TheBaring brothers thoughtitwas timetosort outthe dangerous toys. Some people mightugh at this. How could the ownersofa bank stopa warbetween thepowerspeting forsupremacy in Europe? However, at least in thissituation, it hadbe possible. Because theyhad the power of theBaring family, the ruler of Londons financial district. === Investorswho purchased securities or bonds, whether small orrge, flocked to the front of thePce of Westminster and 10 Downing Street to demandthe truth. Another group stageda sit-ininfrontofBarings banksheadquarters, saying, spit out themoneyyou earned from unjustified spection. The royal familyremainedassilent as ever, the prime minister came to the residencethrough theback door as if he was fleeing, andBarings Bank remained calm. Whigs men, including Charles Grey, attacked Prime Minister Jenkinson, and the media stabbed and attacked himeverywhere, revealing their presence (in order to gain advertising). Cabfigures putthe me on eachother, and economists poured outcrisis and apocalyptic theories as if it were the endofthe century. As societybecame extremely chaotic, they shotateach other. But thereal crisiscame without asound. And that was howthey found themselves drowning in the abyss when it camepiercingtheirchestand splitting their heart. Londons biggeststeelmaker, Marias, went bankrupt! === Prime Minister RobertJenkinson, whohad not slept well in the past few days, barelygrabbed hisforeheadwith a darkface. The Cabofficials and bureaucrats were all speechless. Marias Corporation copsed. The newsitself was a shock, buteveryonehere knew it was just the beginning. The steel industry is alreadyina semiastate. Thepaniesare on the verge of bankruptcy for failing to pay their workers sries andare demanding bailouts from the government. Goddamn it! The governmenthas no money right now! Though theyare in alittle better shape than the steel industry Paper, ssand textileindustries arealso allina state of emergency. Financial firms andbanks, which havesquandered capital in the stock market, are in dangerofbeingoverthrown as they withdraw investments. It could not have happened ifpanies were in goodfinancial shape. Theproblem wasthat Britainsunstableeconomy, a long war, and acut in the trade market(Europe) caused by the continental blockade hadbeen constantly damaging their financial base. Andthe difficulties in theNew World trade market were adding to it. Whenthe continental trade blockade was implemented at theinitiative of France, Britainturned its eyes to the marketonthe new continent. Spains colonial countries, including Nueva Espaa, did notfollow the policies of their home country(at thattime Spain wasfightingagainst Britain along withFrance) andcontinued their business withBritain. Then, as the warbrokeout betweenSpainand France, the total volume of trade over the Antic Ocean exploded, and Britainwas abletomake up forits lossofnot being abletotradewith Europe. Merchantsinthe United Kingdompetitivelyincreased their credit limitsbyselling goods. Gold from the NewWorldwas whatmerchants wanted most. However, asalways, theinternational situationchanged dramatically. Social andeconomicturmoil came as countries in theNew World raised their weapons to gainindependence fromSpain. Customersinthe New World putoff paying with goldormoneytheirpotential enemies, the British merchants. The chain effect urred immediately. Manchesterand sgowbusinesses went bankrupt one after theother, and even Londons major banks stumbled and thevalueofthe pound plunged. Thiswas exactlywhat happened between September andOctober 1812. Never! No more damage shouldbedone to themarket! Even if we drawupanextrabudget right now, wemust prevent businessesfrom going bankrupt! Otherwise, thingsmay get outofhand! Economic officialswho participated in themeeting spoke in unison. The bossesand businessesthat hadbeen recently hitwere reeling fromthe shock. A small gapcouldbreakdown an embankment. If onecopsed, theentire Britishindustrycouldcopseasrapidly as falling dominoes. These fuckingcapitalists! You look at the current situation anddare saythis! Prime Minister RobertJenkinson grittedhis teeth. Thecapitalistsonly took careoftheirown profit until theend, no matterwhat happened to thecountry. Prime Minister Jenkinson andthe Torycab hadset up emergency aidfor businessesatrisk of bankruptcy. As technology and industry develop day by day, the wealththey generatedwas on the rise. The trade values andresources broughtfrom theexpandedIndian colonies by the East India Companymade it no longernecessary to relyonthe New World andthe European continent. Obviously, ifthey gotthrough this crisis, Britain would be able to enter aboom again. Everyoneinthe Cabthought so. The problem, however, wasthat thethreshold of thischallenge was too high. Theembankment that began to burst was unstoppable with onlysmallrepairs. The fundinghad melted away. The paperpany, Courant, wentbankrupt. The ss factory in Norwichclosed. Thebankruptcy procession happened in an instant, likedominoes. It took onlyeightdays formajorindustrial citiesinthe United Kingdom to be paralyzed, including Birmingham, Manchester, Nottinghamand sgow. Tens of thousands of unemployed people wholost their jobs poured outinto thestreets. Some of them wereworkers whocontinued to workwith unpaidwagesbecause of thedifficulties in theirpanies. Whenbusinesses went bankrupt and could noteven paywages, the tools they usedintheirjobs suddenly turnedinto weapons. Comrades! Lets getour rightful rights back intoour hands! If youdontstandfor yourself, this damncountry wont do anything foryou! Bread andwagesfor the workers!! Theangryworkers rantothe factories andbusinesses they had been workingfor. Their huge hammersbrokethe gates withouthesitation. And theysmashed themachines. It was an extreme machinedestruction, the re-emergenceofthe Ludditemovement.[3] TL notes [1]EastIndiaCompany [2]IntheBaring family,Francis Baringfounded theBarings Bankin 1762, and withdrew from business in 1804, leavingthe bankinthe hands of his three eldestsons:Thomas,AlexanderandHenry. [3]Luddite movement Chapter 85: Chapter 85: 14. End of the SecondHundred Years War 1 By thetime theentire United Kingdom was sufferingfrom measles in the aftermathofthe Great Crash. Changesalso began on theIberian front. The French, who finally found their basewith thehelp of local intelligence, attacked and dealt a decisive blowtothe Spanishresistance. Thatday, Napoleon unleashedhis rigid defenses andunched a full-scaleattack on the Lines of TorresVedras. The corps of Joseph Bonaparteand GabrielSuchet moved fromMurcia to ga. Jean-BaptisteJourdans Corps marchedfrom Galicia to Vigo. Then Napoleon led hisown armytoFort Badajoz where Arthur Wellesleywas staying. TheAllies weresurprised by thissudden attack andpreparedtorespond, but the Frenchhad alreade close to them. We havea good advance, maybe becauseweveeradicated therats that nibbledonthe wagons! Hahaha! Michel Neyand the other marshals were happy to havebroken the boringconfrontation. The soldiers whomarched with confidencewith thepossibilityofvictory lookedbraveand powerful. They did notwastetheirtime duringthe break thatdid not have muchfighting. Thecorps, which raised itsphysicalcondition and discipline under Napoleonsleadership with hardtrainingand adequate rest, was showing off itssupreme discipline, even though it hadlong been off thebattlefield. Confidence. Theyhad confidencethat they could win against any enemy. Imsure we would be able to keepupwith theRepublics standing army. Napoleon tried to hidehis satisfaction while looking around. The French were about to cross abridge on their way to Badajoz. Acrossthe bridge, some cavalrymen withwhitegswere waiting for Napoleon. Therewas amessenger of the British armyamongthem. This is aletter fromourmander-in-chief to HisMajesty theEmperor of theEmpire. On his waytoBadajoz, Napoleonreceiveda letterwritten by ArthurWellesley fromthe messenger. Inthe interest and attentionofmany, heopened the letterand readit. I greet YourMajesty theEmperor, the ruler of France. Itisthe first timethat I am writingsuch a direct lettertoYour Majesty, even though I havebeen facingFrance for a longtime. Please forgivemeifthereisany awkwardness in mannersand expressions. It was a hardhandwritingthat felt rigid and strict. Napoleonsgaze went down. Thelong-running war is causing trials andsuffering not only to the peopleofthe IberianPenins, butalso to thecitizensofBritain andFrance, andtothe people of neighboring countrieswho havea supporting roleinthis war. I am surethat this willdoharm to thedeveloped civil society, the state andnationalismthat developedinthe 19thcentury(omitted) The frontier drawn by the Alliedforces, includingFort Badajoz where YourMajesty troops are marching, issolidand did notmiss your advance. It cannotbedenied thatYour Majesty havesuperhuman military strength that willneverbeseen again in thehistory of war, but it is notenough to win in enemy territory, evenifyou had at least three times thepower. Thefortresses andfortificationsformed by the blood andsweatofthe Allies andtheirresentment against France will remain unbroken by anyodds. I hope thatthe brilliant Emperor of France will makethe right decision withconsideration forthe subjects of the Empire. Althoughheaddedlong phrases, thecontent meant Dontsuffer fromour defense, and turn backnow. Atthe provocation, Napoleon smirked and calledJean-Andoche Junot, whowas in the rear. Did youcall, Your Majesty? Read this. Itsa letterfrom Wellesley. Napoleongave theletter to Junot. Junot read it carefully, spat outa low-pitched swear word and then spoke. Hesmaking aclumsy excuse on theoutside, but itsreally alousyprovocation. The more scared a wildcatfeels, the louderitcries. YourMajesty, you dont havetopay any attentiontothis. The mainreason why I showed this letter to youisbecause youhave exchangedmany letters withArthur Wellesley. Napoleon understood thatthis wasa psychological battle between topmanders. However, because he had mostlyheardaboutWellesleystendencythrough rumors, he handed over the judgment on thesituation to Junot, whocouldbesaid to know Wellesley well. Junot thought for a moment andreplied. Theres certainly nothing strangeaboutthis letter. He is amember of ahigh-ranking noble family in Ennd, andhevalues mannersand praiseschivalryand gentlemans will. Iveneverseen this kindofuglinessfrom himbefore. Napoleon nodded. Healso thought thatitwas far from Wellesleys usual disposition. He hada rough idea of whatthis meant. HisExcellency said thatI shouldwait forYour Majesty the Emperorsreply, stayinghere fora while No, you dont haveto. Napoleon, smilingatthe messengers words, continued. Myreplywill be shown on thebattlefield. One thing for sure was that he had no intentionoffollowing Wellesleys letter. Napoleonincreased the speed of thecorps. Arthur Wellesleywas waitingatFort Badajoz, looking forwardtothe final battle of this war. === Located betweenhills, FortBadajoz stood like an outpost, blocking the Frenchand Allied forces. Thecoalition forces, whichwere densely deployed behind thefortressand on its side, were standing by withanoptimal formation,pletelyblockingthe entrance to the city of Badajoz. It wasa solid andstrong fortress, with troops cedinthe right way. Ifthey attacked them likethis, even a corps of elite soldiers would havetosuffer enormous losses. Advance! The left wingofNapoleons Corps advanced to thesoundofthe military band. The coalitionseemed rather surprisedbythe French armysapproachinghead-on with suchpace. Napoleonnodded quietly, and oneofthe officers who sawitsent a signal to theleft wing. Turnleft! Thehead of theprocession turned. Andthe battalionsthat followed in line withthe leadturned together. As they headed forthe fortress, theleft wing exposedits right sidewhen it turnedsouth. Once again, Napoleon lookedthrough histelescope at the enemies on the fortress andbehind it. Ha, those idiots Tell them to speed up on the left! I willfollow yourorders, Your Majesty! The French armysmarchinfrontofthe fortress elerated. After advancingfor about 4 to5 kilometers fromthe corps headquarters, the troops stood by andupiedthe southern partofFort Badajoz. Then, thepanyreorganizedits batteries with pleteformation. AndNapoleons Corps wapletely divided intotwo likethis. The two parts took formation, surroundingthe south and east of the city of Badajoz. What about Massnas Corps? He is almostthere. It willtake about an hour for himtodeploy his troops. Tellhim to set up a campnorthofthe fortress and proceed withthe operation as nned. Yes, YourMajesty! After speaking, Napoleonexpressed his willingness to fight. Hewas determinednot to end this confrontationwith a simple siege. There must be astorminthe ind country across thesea by now. Nevertheless, the descendants of proud pirates would not easilysign an armistice. Balloons could onlypop wheninted. All they needed wasa trigger and a shock. And thiswouldbethe captureofFort Badajoz, which wasatthe coreofthe Lines of Torres Vedrasand was guarded by Arthur Wellesleys Corps. Gentlemen. The eyesofthe marshals and officers staying inmandfocused on him. Its time to end this longwar. Newsarrived that MassnasCorpshad arrivednorthofBadajoz. Napoleongave theordertoattack. The French tricolor gs began to flyascannons rang out from the north, southand east. === The battle between the Frenchtobreakdown thedefensive barrierand the Alliestostop it continuedtodayaswell. Fearless warriors fromboth sides pushedthemselves into the battlefield, whereshells and bullets werepouring in, and struggled to puttheirgsonhigh grounds. The dominance changed severaltimesa day. The body filled thefields, andbloodcolored thesurroundingrivers red. Desperate battles weretaking ce all over the battlefield, but the armiesofboth sides followed oneunwritten rule. Do not aimguns andcannons at theemergency evacuationteamswho immediately cametotake care of injuredsoldiers. TheAllied and Frenchforces wereinthe midst of awar in which onlythe heartless andcruelcouldsurvive, but theynevertouched theevacuation convoy. ArthurWellesley saw it as an effortmade by thepeople not to lose their humanity and chivalry. There is a holeinthe wallsurroundingthe city, sir! Atthis rate, we mayhave to give up the city today or tomorrow Arthur Wellesley hadtosoothe his bitterstomach at thewordsofthe chief of staff. Thesituation got twisted whenMassnas Corps, whichhad beenadvancing north to supportJourdans Corps, quickly turned aroundand tookover thenorthernpart of Badajoz. The Allies were outnumbered and were attacked on three sides, makingthem at a structuraldisadvantage. If it hadbeen only thismuch, Wellesley might havebeen able to block the Frenchoffensive withthe power of his men. However, theFrenchscurrentbatcapabilities exceeded the expectationsofWellesley and theAllied officers. Theywere notatthis level when we faced themonthe Anzn River. What kind of magic did he do! Anyway, it was clear that the time thatthey could hold out here was limited. Oneofthe clever officers came up witha bold suggestion. The citycan be recapturedatany timeaslong as thefortressdoesnt fall. Thesituation is not very goodrightnow, so I think it would better to step downfor awhile. The fortificationofFort Badajoz, known forits robustness, did notbudgeatall during this short siege. Also, without much support, Wellesleys Corps could retreattothe cityofvora, where thecoalitionswarehouses were located, get more men andenough supplies. Itwouldbea strategicretreat. Ofcourse, they would havetogive up this cityuntilthen, but under the circumstances, they could not find abetter option. Lets retreat. Butwemuste backand retake this ce. Theywouldlet the owner of thecity surrounding thefort change. However, during that time, Wellesleys troops would be able to regain strength to attackthe French forcesbesieging the fortress. Arthur Wellesleys decision wasthe bestone to defend both his troopsand his cause as thmander-in-chief of the AlliedForces againstthe French. But theworldwas so cruel thatitsometimes madefun of humans with the mischief of fate. This time, its targetwas the coalitionforces led by ArthurWellesley. === The fall of Badajoz! The shocking news of the waronthe penins. The door to Portugal opens wide. The KingdomsArmy is in theworstsituation. Wecantcontinuethis waranymore We need to negotiate a ceasefire as soon as possible Arthur Wellesley wrote a post-war report, calling it a strategic retreat, butbreakingnews of theoverall situationarrived much earlieronthe maind. And the breaking news was enoughtopanicthe entire court of Westminster as well as the citizens of London. Thecopseofthe stock market andbankruptcy of businesses werecausing despair and were paralyzingmajorindustrial citiesone after another. Britainseconomy wasstruggling in great darkness, and it would takea long timeofpatiencetoget throughit. There was no time or money for them to invest in a war that seemed already over. Stop thewar on the peninsthat kills theyoungpeople of Britain! We wanttohold bread, not guns! The peopleare starving to death. What goodisthis wardoing? Abolishthe ie taximmediatelyand blowupthe previous agreement! Wake up Westminster! ThecitizensofLondon yearnedfor peace moreintensely thanever. They took collectiveaction, demandinganend to the war, the abolitionofie taxes (thetaxesconducted to cover the cost of war), and thepayment of overdue wages. If there is no ceasefire, wedemand the resignation of theCab! They demonstrated in front of Westminster Pce, 10 DowningStreet, andeven St. James Pce (the pce of theBritish royal family). Some of theprotesters didnot hesitate to engage in violent confrontations withpolice officers or evenpulled out swords. Meanwhile, a secondshockwave hit theindustrial economy of Britain. Nowthat exports of metallurgical, shipbuilding andcotton industriesplummeted, numerous businesses wentbankrupt, and were soldtosecuritiespaniesand banks. Britains economyonce again faltered heavily, andcitizenstook to thestreets, usingthe governmentand the royal family. Someradical citizens even demanded achange of government. Prime Minister RobertJenkinson and theTory members werecornered. In the end, theyhad onlyone choice. Chapter 86: Chapter 86: 14. End of the SecondHundred Years War 2 Thereisnotime forthe Caband Congress to concentrate on internal disputes. We must stopthis pointlesswar as soonaspossibleand revive thenationskey industries. At thismoment, I dereanend to the politicalconflictand suggestthat theruling and opposition partieswork together to ovee this national disaster. Woaaah!! Grey! Grey! Grey! Grey!! Thebiggest crisisand challenge since thebirthofthe United Kingdom, which unified the British Isles, hadnowe. Theaftermath of external expeditions and internal reformfailureshad caused even the richest and most advanced countryinEurope to falter greatly. Heroes always appeared in times of crisis. While all thepoliticiansinWestminsterwere thetarget of public distrust, discontent andanger, there was a new star. It wasCharles Grey, theleader of the Whig Party. Inparliamentary democracy, the betterthe Prime Minister and Cab managedthe state affairs, the stronger thesupport forthe ruling party was, and theless power theopposition party had. Charles Greywas abletoexpand his politicalinfluence thanks to theBritish situationonthe verge of copsing, justbybeingthe leader of theopposition Whig Party. ButCharles Grey was a politicianwho had left anumber of marks. We should stop awar thatisnot profitableand is onlysacrificingour people, and we should notallowtoo muchautonomytothe financiers. Taxes burdensometothe middle ss shouldbeabolished, etc Hispast remarks werenot muchsupported at the time, andvoters weretiredofhearing thesame repeated sounds. Butnow, most of his past statementswere reevaluated, and their status changedpletely. Charles Grey, the Whigsmadman, hadalready bethe mostinfluentialpolitician in London. Beingable to deliver sucha speechatCampbellSquare justinfrontofthe Pce of Westminster itselfwas asign of thechangingstatus and influenceofCharles Grey. PrimeMinisterRobert Jenkinson andthe Torwmakers hadughed at CharlesGrey at theopening ceremony of Westminsters Parliamenta month ago,paring himtoa dumb cow. But now they werevainly lookingatthe leader of theWhig Party, whichwas in the spotlightofthe media and thepublic, as if they had lost the war. I will fight for thestability and development of thekingdom, the lives of the peopleand their families and forthe realization of justice. However, I have no intentionofcausing unnecessary conflict andconfusing the politicalsituation by insisting only on my arguments andvalues. We need cooperation! I would dly work withPrimeMinisterJenkinson and theTory Members to ovee the crisisinthe kingdom! Please look forwardtoit! p p pp p p! Longlive theBritish Kingdom! God, protectCharles Grey! An explosive response came fromthe citizens of the squareafterCharles Greysspeech thatwas wrappedinpolitical tolerance, gentlemanhood, and cause. Amongthem chanting hisname, Charles Grey was stretching his fists towardthe sky. Helooked as if he had wonthe election. PrimeMinisterJenkinson was a man whocouldread thetrue meaning of sucha performance. IfGreys arguments at theopening of this meetingwere notcarried out, angry citizens should think carefullyaboutwhat would happenand should make adecision. He was actually makingpolitical threatstothe Torymembers andthe Prime Minister. The wounded beast has been released backinto thewoods. PrimeMinisterJenkinson was looking at CharlesGrey, who cameinto thepce, with remorsefuleyes. France wasEnnds sworn enemy and hadfought againstitfor hundreds of years. Britain had alwaysbeen wary of the birth of a superpowerwith total hegemony of theEuropeancontinent and hadneverbeen as threatened as now by France. Seeingthe French develop at aterrifying pace under Napoleon Bonapartes ruleafterdefeating the frozenempire, Russia, Prime Minister Jenkinson waseven more convinced. Iftherewas acountry that would plunge Britain intoabyss, it would be France. Until now, Britain hadbiting on one side of Frances neckwith thewar on the Iberian Penins. As the warcontinued, Francesufferedmore than Britain. ThePeninsr Waritself served as a barrieragainst theFrench expansion andNapoleons ambition. But themoment theysigned aceasefire, thefangsofBritain, whichwere currentlysinking in theneck of France, would disappear. How much stronger and more evolvedFrance would return, and would Britainbeable to stop suchFrance? Itsnone of thebusinessofa prime minister whohas lostall his power andsupport. Now. Jenkinson wasinformest night by PrinceRegent George IV to step downasprimeminister. On the surface, it lookedlike he wastaking an honorable resignation, but in fact, his recement wastoreveal his responsibility forthe currentsituation. Hewouldneverstep back intoWestminsterPce after thisfatalblow to hispolitical life. Feeling the emptinessofhis political power, PrimeMinisterJenkinson prepared for theopening ceremony, whichwouldprobablybethestofhis life. === And on thatsame day, the British Parliamentissued an armistice agreementonthe IberianPenins War. Mediaoutlets waiting in front of the pceimmediatelyspread the breaking news throughthe eveningnewspapers. After hearingthe headline news, citizens stormedout to the square, cheering for theend of the warand shouting their countrys name. Only Britain was withdrawing from the fight, but Spain and Portugal could notstop Franceontheirown. Infact, this huge event meant the endofthe entire Iberian War, and was thus concluded on thst dayofMarch1813. === Humanswere rational animals and enjoyed talkingwith logic, but theywere creaturesthat faithfully responded to emotions andimpulseswhen a decisive moment came. Londonsstockmarket bigcrash would go downinhistory as an event clearly revealing such human nature. The revision of thetaxw proposed by theBritish government before thecrashwas fullomon sense and a highly reasonable measuretostop capital fromleaking offshore andtoraisethe shadow economy in the open, allowing transparent investigation and useofthe nations taxes. But for Londons financialinstitutions, which hadpreviouslymittedtax evasiontotheirhearts content, theaboveset of measures could not have beenpleasing. In protest againstthe government, theysold their securities and bonds collectivelyand mercilessly. The market could notwithstand the shock, and frightenedinvestors threw awaytheirsales, eventuallycopsing theframework of the stock market. Economists in Europehave created their own forms by doing a lot of studies, marketresearchand simtions to model the principles of market fluctuationsand flows. I understandthat theadvisor wrote a simrthesis Thats right. When I was at Heidelberg University, I wroteaboutthe corrtion of value investmentbetween cash and securities. Savoring the faint scent of ck teaspreading in the room, Charles MauricedeTalleyrand-Prigord[1]gave hisnotestothe man in front of him. FranoisCarnot, whohad impressivewhitehair andcold eyes, hademerged as themost influential figureinthe currentimperialpolitics. Andhpletely interrupted Talleyrand-Prigord, who stoppedhis sentence midway. But evenafterthis, Talleyrand continuedtotalkfortably as if he were talkingtoa third party with the skillsofa diplomat whohad beentrained formany years. Thewill andpassion of schrs to explore is certainly respectable. But theymust have realized thatitisthe willofthe privilegedfew, neither forms norws thatdetermines theprinciples of themarket, starting from thisbig crash. In theend, Londons financialtycoons messedupthe market with money and influenceand carriedtheirway through. The frightened public just leaned on it andgot carriedaway. But isnt it interesting thatthereare so manypeople in London whouse the government rather than condemnthe financiers? It is the states job to control suchmishaps from urring. This is notgoingtohappen in Paris. Carnot, asalways, listened to Talleyrand withanexpressionlessface that did notshow anyemotion. Talleyrand hadheardthat he wasjust a friendly professor when he was at Heidelberg University The transformation was amazing. I thought theadvisor wasa mansimr to me. You musthave understood the limitations of thecurrent imperial systemmore than anyone else withyou brilliant mind and cool-headed reason. But youendedupmaking cent choice. Im just sorry about that. My choice is nocent. Its amitmentand challenge with new expectationsfor the changed Emperor. Changed His Majestyisclearly showing us adifferent sidefrom thepast, but how long do you think it willst? Iveseen himfor longer than you have. Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he hadmet at the endofthe 18thcentury, was simply a brilliant Frenchhero. WhenTalleyrand first sawhim, he hadtostop himself fromcheering, saying that his countryssalvation hade. In fact, Napoleon perfectlymet Talleyrands expectationsbydefending France from external threats. Buteverything wasreversedwhen thedegeneration of greed and ambition came to him. The shiningsavior thatTalleyrand cheered for turnedinto a dictator who hadlost control. Afterbeingdisappointed by him dozensoftimes, Talleyrandleft allhope andexpectations behind. And he swore to God that he would not live for theEmperor, but for Franceafterthe disappearanceofthe Emperor. You looklike my past self. It tookmea long timetorealize that the Emperor was notthe savior we hadbeen waiting for. Now you will follow thesame path as me. I can imagine yourdespair, anger, and youming yourself forthe past. I feel so sorry foryou. Eversincehefirstmet Franois Carnot, Talleyrand-Prigord had hadstrange expectations. He hadthought that Carnot, who had previously beencriticalofNapoleons regimeand had even rejected the Emperorsappointmentwithout thinking twice, wouldagreewith hisideas. Isthat right? But I thinkall these things andthe rhetoric seemtobeyour trick to rationalize your traffickedact. However, Carnot waspushing Talleyrand intothe pit as he chasedtraces of treason. Talleyrand handledeverything with great caresothat no tracescouldbefound, and although no onehad noticedhim until now, hedid not managed to escape theeyes of this newmitteeadvisor. Thecauseofoverthrowing adictatorcan onlyberecognized as such whenitisdone therightway. It is only hypocrisy if thenation groans under foreign threatsand aperson who holds hands with themand sellout internal secretsinsists that itstooverthrow dictatorship andfor the re-emergenceofrevolutionary consciousness. Talleyrandclosed his eyes tightly. Im alsoconcerned about whenthe Emperorwill regainthe sameferocityasbefore. However, I willnot do the same thing as you. I will watch, speak straight, and sometimes utter harsh words right next to His Majesty. I willnot hideinfear like you, even if I am severely reprimanded or broken by HisMajesty, orifI am threatened. Oncehemade up hismind, Franois Carnot wasa personwho did what he thoughtwas right evenifitwouldmean risking his life. Only thendid Talleyrandadmitit. It wasa perfect illusion to say that Carnot resembledhimself in thepast. Rather, he hadthe spirit of a young man andhis loyaltytohis dying country. It wasmuch more likeTalleyrand-Prigords youth, atanearlier point in thepast. Like a self-portraitthat made him ashamed of himselfwho had bemurkyand had changed overtime. TL notes [1] Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord painted by Franois Grard Chapter 87: Chapter 87: 14. End of the SecondHundred Years War 3 Then whydid youe to see me after thearrest warranthad alreadybeen approved by theParisHigh Court? Were yougoingtomock me while watching me fall? Carnot replied to Talleyrands questions, while still keepinganexpressionlessface. Illyriasgovernorand former policeminister, Joseph Fouch[1], hasdisappeared. He musthave escaped becausehewas afraid of theparliament andthe tribunalsjudgement of his sins. Youhave hada secretrtionship withhim for a longtime andhave conductedvarious acts againstFrance along withhim, includingagitation and leaking of secrets. Therefore, I amproposing the following: as areference, pleasereveal Fouchs misdeeds andwrongdoings, and provide information on his current activitiesifpossible. The price forthe information willbeincludedinthe subsequenttrind willbetakeninto consideration to determine thelevelofyour punishment. In short, it meant selling Fouch toreceive bettertreatment. Talleyrand, whowere listeningquietly, burstintoughter andthe atmospherebecame colder. In thepast, Fouch andI were not on good terms, we used to growl at eachothereverytime we metatthe Pce of Versailles. I still dont likehim muchnow. ButI dont want to me others when Im struggling. He could see what Carnot wasthinkingwhen he suggestedthis. Itdid not matterifhewas making thingsup, so he spewed badthings about Fouch and drewa line. The maintarget of the Paris High Courtschoice was nothim, butFouch. But Talleyrandkept hismouthshut. Areyou really going to feel better livingthe restofyour life as atraitor in disgrace? Doyou wanttotarnish your past, whenyou sincerely devoted yourself to France andmade achievements? But Talleyrandremainedstill, withouta smile. Itmeantthat he hadmade up hismind. Seeing that, Carnot clicked his tongueinwardly. Charles MauricedeTalleyrand-Prigord, who wasnow atraitor, had beena prominentfigure during theFrench Revolutionand the early days of the Empire. Hisgreatcontributions were to manage to attract the UnitedStates and Denmark intothe war against Britain, and thedeparture of Prussiaand Spain fromthe anti-French alliance. Itwas Talleyrandwho swayed thesalons withhis skillful speaking skills, preaching the politicallegitimacy of theCoupdEtat du 18 brumaire. Hewas agreatman of thisera, in another sense thanNapoleon. Take himaway. Guardshiding behind pirs and behindthe doors appeared witha rope. Talleyrand gavehis hands withoutsaying anything as if he knewthat it would happen. It was themoment the giant fell. === Napoleon Bonaparte, who had sessfullpleted the BattleofBadajoz andwas standing nexttothe fortress, wasnow feelinga sense of deja vu. The memories of the past, where he faced thesame scene, were revolvinginhis mindlike a panorama. It was February 2nd, 1805. The daywhen a nation, whichhas never dered pletedefeat since the Hundred Years War, knelt downinfrontofthe Pce of Versailles and prayed. Inthe world where Napoleon camefrom, France was able to ovee all thechallenges induced by the other powersofthe European continent andfinally hold the supremacyofthe world. Even Britain, which resisted until the end, eventuallysumbed to Frances all-outpressureand offensive. Thiswas alsothe first historicalmoment since the Roman Empires conquest of Britain, when Britainderedtotalsurrender. Ofcourse, unlikeinthe other world, where theyy t and beggedfor mercy, thesituation in the UnitedKingdom wasnot so bleak here. Greetings to YourMajesty theEmperor of theFrench Empire. I am Viscount Charlton, Husley Collins. I must first dere to YourMajesty that I amthe headofthis peace mission and have beenentrusted withfull authoritytonegotiate. Nice to meetyou. So, what position do youhold in thecurrent British Cab? Im ashamed, butI am serving as the Vice ForeignMinister. I amwell aware that it is customary forthe ambassadorofthe KingdombasedinFrance to takeonthis responsibility. However, due to the unfavorable circumstances, I willrece himwith official documentsbearing theroyalseal andofficialrecords of theCab. Thesecretarieswere asked to reviewthe confirmation procedures and official documents. Meanwhile, Napoleonlooked at the marshals of theEmpire waitingbehind him. Theywere struggling to preventthe cornersoftheirmouths fromgoingup, as if theywere holding backtheirdesire for joy. Its notsurprising. Its thefirsttime that Britainhas beensick like it is now. Thesafety of Britains maind from foreigninvasions had been guaranteedthanks to its geographicalcharacteristics of an ind country, being onefoot away fromthe continent. Spain, France, Denmark-Norway, theNethends, and many other countries thatpeted againstBritain failedtoattack its maind beyondthe sea, and so could not winwith certainty. As long as their terrifyingnavy, whichwas fearsome evenifthe Britishtriedtnd, was still lurkinginthe Strait of Dover, Britain wasable to fool the continental countriesbyprojecting itspoweratthe desiredtime andcebasedonits maind thatwaspletelyfree from the fire of war. It was preciselybecause of this geographical advantagethat theBritish were abletoy diplomatic games by switching allianceshere andthereunderthe pretextofprotecting Europes bnce and order. Fromthe Britishpointofview, itmeantleading a foreignpolicy pursuing extremeefficiency andpracticality for their owninterests, butfor the countriesaffected, it was only aperfidious move. Itwas particrly thecase forFrance, which hadbeen frustrated by Britains obstruction andmaneuveringwheneverittriedtoexpand evena littleinEurope. But Britainwas now kneeling andbegging forpeace. How happy could theFrench be? They could watch withtheirown eyesthe humiliating appearanceofthe Britishdering defeat. ImGeorges Tulisson, and Im in chargeofnegotiatingfor the Empires side. Lets talk in goodfaithfor the national interest andhonorofboth countries. Ata nce, the faces of theBritish diplomatswere dark and thefacesofthe French diplomatswere very bright. Itwas clear who hadthe upper handand who wasuneasy. And Napoleon, wholed the whole game, waswatchingfrom a distance fromthe negotiating table withhis armscrossed. Rumors circted thatthe Britishdiplomats werehaving coldsweatasthey were toldthat theFrench would run outand callfor the wartoresume if theydid not like the content of the negotiations. === The Britishpeacedelegation came to NapoleonsCorps, which had upied thecity of Badajoz and wasbesieging the fortress. The armisticeagreement, which they broughtdisguised as aletter, wasshowing thetrue face of Britain, which French soldiers hadbeen waiting to see. Shock derivedfrom Londons financialmarkets engulfed their economy, which resulted in theBritish government losing patience with the war. As aresult, Britain was forcedtomake many concessions whennegotiatingwith France. 1. TheUnited Kingdomwill break outofthe IberianPenins war immediately upon signingthe agreement andwill notdirectlyorindirectly support Spain and Portugal. Expedients such as hiring mercenaries anddispatchingofficersare alsoprohibited. 2. The UnitedKingdom will return to Francethe upied CapeColony (previously the Dutch Cape Colony in Southern Africa), theCaribbean indsincluding Guadeloupe, and FrenchGuiana. 3. The United Kingdom willpay France forthe restoration of 17 French ports, including Toulon, whichwas damagedduring the coastal blockade. TheSpanish ports upied by Franceare excluded. 3. The United Kingdom wilpensate fora total of 122 French, Danishand Spanishcargoshipsseized during thetradeblockadeand the goods, resources and warsuppliesinthem. Inthe caseofdamaged or decayed shipments, they will be reced withgold or francsofthe samevalue. 4. Thetradeblockadeagainst theUnited Kingdomwill be lifted. However, the UnitedKingdom will conducttariff adjustmentagreements with major European countries under theobservationofFrench officials. 5. The UnitedKingdom cannotengage in any armed activities or sanctions against French ships that export weapons, gunpowderand other war supplies to theUnited States. The French ships will alsobetreated as exceptions to the British navigationordinances. In addition, theind of Malta, which hadbeen upied by theFrench and then by the British, would be returned to itsoriginalowner, the Order of Knights of the Hospital.[2]Therewere also petty agreementssuch as exchanging prisoners andpaying ransom, tomaintaintheirdignity. Although it was an agreementthat theBritish hadtoept as theyfacedthe difficultyofcarryingout the war, it was notanunconditional surrenderimposed by France. In other words, the situation wasdifferent fromthat of theRussian expedition, so there were someconcessionstomake forboth countries. Thiswas one of themain issues. The United Kingdom mustparticipateinthe meetingofthe agreement that you will conclude withSpainand Portugal. Thus, we will set up a table in the form of atrteral meeting and thekingdom will be in charge of coordinatingbetween allthe countries so that there willbenoroom forfurther conflict or dispute. I would alsolike to receive adefiniteanswer herethat this treaty canbeimplementedonly if youagreewith this point. Nowthat youvesigned an armistice with the Empire, youre an external country thathas beenruledout of the Peninsr War. I understand thatthis would be possible under theinternational diplomatic conventionthat allowsanexternalcountry to observe and arbitrate, if the country has no interestsineither side. But I dont think thatBritain cany this role, as it was still in a fierce battleagainst theEmpire afew daysago. TheKingdom is in favor of thearmistice becauseitdoes notwant topletely break the bnce of the European continent. If youmake concessions on this issue, thekingdom is willing to negotiate in favor of your countryinotherareas. I hope that you will remember thatthe ambition of KingLouisXIV[3], theSun King, sparkedthe SpanishSession War, which was a misfortunefor all of Europe. Without Britain, Spain andPortugalwouldnot be abletomaintaintheirfrontlines, as theywouldnot be abletocarryout the war, and theIberian Peninswouldbeinthe hands of France. The British werenow saying that theydid not want to see this, no matterthe cost. It seemedthat these sneakyinders werehiding thisasthey epted allofthe above proposals in a gentle manner. French diplomatsshowed signs of displeasure, butNapoleonwas alittle different. Its likeyou dont wanttocry but youp me in theface. Britain seemed to be afraidofthe riseofthe French Empirethat could engulfthe entire Iberian Penins, but Napoleon had no intentionofdoingso. Spain hada history of standing up as anationwide enemy andresisting to death to fight the Frenchinvasion. They had alreadypleted resistance nationalism and there wasnoroom forFrance to intervene. Even if France were to annex the Spanish territories, it would take astronomical administrative power, finance, and timetofullyintegrate theminto Frenchsociety andtoappease theSpanish people. How much blood would be shedinthe process Its a terrible thing to imagine. France and Spain were so different in culture, ethnicity, system,nguageand history, thatNapoleonhad no confidenceinassimting them. Contrary to themegalomaniac of thisworld, the current Napoleon did notwant theannexation of Spain. However, I willdefinitely getwhat I can. Internally, he hadalready setnsand goals for Francetoget the most out of it. Now, all he had to do wastaking astance thatsaid I canendure more and reap the profits. It wastime to endthis tedious war that had been going on for nearlyfive years. TL notes [1]Joseph Fouch [2]KnightsHospitaller [3]LouisXIV Chapter 88: Chapter 88: 14. End of the SecondHundred Years War 4 All right. Thatsa good enough conditionfor our side. ImendYour Majesty for your wisejudgment. Afterpush-and-pull negotiations, aroughframework was established. Britain would be allowed to be an observer, instead of making concessions littlebylittle in the already established convention. It could havsted longer, but Napoleon dered an end to it here. But youd betterbecareful when youre setting up abreach. If it extents too much, theagreement betweenour countries could be a tornpieceofpaper. Im notlying. Napoleoncontinued to stick to his attitude that he did notcare whether the warcontinued, which wasthe reason whyBritish diplomatscouldnot keeptheirheadsup. Wewill keep thatinmind, Your Majesty! Phew! Britishdiplomats did notstop fanning despitethe fresh temperatures. They were aware of their precarioussituation. In fact, theFrench sidewas doing the same thing. Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden. Reportsoftheirunusual behavior wereing in every day, and Ennd, whowouldbesecretlyinteractingwith them, could nothave notknown. It would be a paininthe neckifall fourcountries joined hands andrebelledagainst Franceinunison. Andeven more so at atime when the peninsr war wasnot over. If the UnitedKingdom took advantage of this well, the British would not have to makesuch concessions. Butthe goodthingfor us is thatthe cooperation betweenthe United Kingdom and them is not consistent, andthat there is no decision maker in theBritish delegation here. Britains diplomaticstaffhad probably received firmorders fromtheirhome country. No matterwhat they had to give in, they had to conclude thenegotiations. Asthey tried to followtheirguidelines, the umtion of lossesinthe negotiation processwas inevitable. There was such abig differencewhether thedecisionmakerwas nearby or not. Andthe result wasNapoleonand the Frenchdiplomats pressing the British envoys forpeace. The British werecurrently onlyinterested in oveing their own crisis, and they seemed to be refractory about external expeditions and financially supporting other countries. Throughthis, Napoleonwas abletoguessthat British societywas as sickofwar as France andthat thepowerwithin Westminster had been reversed. Ifthe leadingpowerhad changed, thenthe new leaders would firmly stick to a lineoppositefrom beforetoprovethat they weredifferent fromtheirpredecessors. Britainwill notbea threattousfor awhile. It was thebest choicetouse Colin. Nabot would never haveimaginedthat hishidden slush funds would be usedinthis way. But what could be morejoyous thanhaving eliminatedBritain, the mostannoyingaxis of theanti-Frenchalliance, by exerting its effectiveness tensoftimes? After learning that the dog, thatstopped barking, hadnointention of biting, Napoleonstruggled to suppress asmileofsatisfaction. Nowthe onlytask left for himwas to pickupthe fruits of hishard work. Please formally conveymywishes to the Provisional Government and to Fernando VII: If you dont want to see theAlczarPce of Sevilleturn to ashes, just eptthe negotiations. === When Britain dered its withdrawal fromthe war, FernandoVII and theSeville Parliament wereterrified and beggedthe Britishambassador. If youre out, how canwefightthis war? Do you reallywant us to hand overthe whole IberianPenins to those French? However, there was no waythat an ambassador could do anything about an order issued in hishome country. TheBritish ambassador locked theembassy door and remained silenttoavoidthe difficult situation. Even thoughwefought while changing our countrysfoundation, the front of the peninsr war waspushed to Seville. Our defeatinthis warisa foregone conclusion if Britainleaves us here. We havetomake a decision before its toote. The atmosphere of the Alczar Pcewas extremely depressedand someservantseven shed tears. With eachday spent in despair, the short andsternthreat contained in Napoleon Bonapartes message was unbearable. FernandoVII and theSeville Parliament cametothe negotiating table after muchconsideration, and Portugal, whohad beenwatchingfrom theside, joined as well. A tripartite meeting was held withFrance, Spain, Portugnd the UnitedKingdom. The site of the ceasefirenegotiations on the Iberian Penins wasthe capitalofthe pastSpanish Empire, the pceofMadrid, where tricolor gs were flying as it wasnow upied by France. All three countrieswere working on an agreement on theend of the war. Becausethey hadnomore strength or will to fight. Spainand Portugal, hithard by thelong war, werpletely devastated, andeven their colonies hadderedindependence. France alsoweedthe sessofthe talks becausetherewere nota fewpeople who were sickofthe long-running war, and thecost of military supplies that wereconstantly being consumed wasastronomical. Itsgoingtobea dinnerasluxurious as the oneheldst yearinDresden. Looking at the numerous luxurywagons of different patterns approaching from afar, Michel Neysaid so, not hiding hisadmiration. Napoleon did notknow thedetails of theConferenceofDresden''[1]because it wasbefore he cametothis world, but he knewthat Nabot gathered keyfigures from French alliesand satellite countriesbefore his trip to Russia andshowed off hisvanity. Itwas so splendid thatthe people gathered at thePce of Madrid spoke of thelegendary meetingwith King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and Francis I ofthe Austrian Empire. On the Spanish side, MartinodeBorbn, the governor of Andalusia andcousin of Fernando VII, was appointed head of the negotiation team as the kingsrepresentative. He arrived at the pceofMadrid escorted by Count Enrique, the deputmander of the Spanish armyand Royal Guard, andwas followed by diplomaticofficials. Portugals Prime Minister Jos Felix, head of theinterioraffairs of theLisbon government, attended the meeting as the entireroyalfamily was currentlyinBrazil, andPortugalsmander, Count Amarante, escorted thedelegation. Jean-BaptisteJourdan, who had foughtbitterlyagainst Count Amarante, was lookingathim withsharpeyes. On the British side, Viscount Charlton, wholed the armisticeagreement withFrance, participatedasa directobserver. HispositionofVice Foreign Minister was toohigh to be included in a group of observers, but the importance of the matterovershadowed it. Inaddition, the prominentofficersofthe Allied forces, who hadrepeatedly tormentedFrance in the Peninsr War, sat together. Theplexnuances in their eyes pleasedthe French generals. Inthe end, the winner of thewar thatwas pushed again andagainwouldremain France. Then, murmurs came frombehind Napoleon. Oh! Hes the Well his figureisnothing special. He hassome stoutness, too. Wheredoes hee from? Napoleonturned his eyes and lookedstraightahead. Brown curly hair, blueeyes, aquilinenose, powerfulchin andcheekbones, and acolorfuluniform embroidered with red, navy blue and khaki. Napoleon knewwho he was even though he hadneverseen himbefore. Theman noticedNapoleon, madea surprisedexpression andsoon walkedtoward him. Areyou the onewho put me andthe Allies into despairand intocrisis overand overagain? I wouldlike to hear fromyou if you arethe one I am supposed to callYour Majesty. I would liketoask you this. Youare the general who sent athirdofthe French troopswho fought on thepenins to Valha, right? Napoleon Bonaparteand Arthur Wellesleycouldnot taketheireyes offeach other. Asthe two were identifying eachother, the numberofaidesand guards surrounding them reachedhundreds. Such numbersofsoldiers, and thefact that theyused to fight each other justa month ago, naturally created atenseatmosphere. I dont think itsa very goodcetotalk to each other about whatwehave in ourhearts. Would youtrustmeand follow me? Why wouldnt I trustYour Majestysintentions? I will tellthe men to wait herefor awhile. But Commander Dontforget thatthis is nota battlefield, but asacred ce to discussarmistice. Arthur Wellesleywas apanied by onlya fewofthe guards andassistants, and orderedthe restofthem to work in rotation. Napoleonwas alreadywalking in front of himasifheknew it would be like this. Wellesley followed himwith a hardexpression on hisface. === Unlikethe mainpce, which ranatthe height of splendor, the detached pce of Madridwas aceofrest with Rococos exquisite delicacy andsimplicity. The neighborhoodwas bustling withhigh-rank officials anddiplomatic staff from all over the country invitedtothe talks, journalists whocame to cover them and capture the oue of the negotiations, and Madridcitizenswho cametowatch. However, thedetachedpce where Napoleon was staying was under thestrict controlofthe French guards, so he could enjoy its quietness. Bourbon Santos, imported fromBrazil. Expensivegoodscost that much, but nowitseemsthat I cant livewithout this. Its the finestcoffee our royal familyand gentlemen enjoy. I didntexpect to see it here. Napoleon smiled softlyathis gaze, which had many meanings. Everyone knows thatthe fleet of the kingdom is verystrong and that itss are tight. But the smugglers obsession forprofit is moresecretive and sophisticated thanthat. ArthurWellesley smiled bitterly. Each country had imposed asevere hostiletradeblockadeonthe other, butthe luxuries needed by theleaders were still there, andwere constantly going backand forth betweenthe two countries. In the end, it was thepeople of bothcountries who suffered from the sharp trade war. I wasvery surprisedtohear that the Marquis had joinedthe observers. Asyou know, Britainhas alreadysigned aprioragreement withthe Empire, soits movement is bound to be restrictedatthis meeting. It wasalready shocking that the Vice ForeignMinistercame in person, but I think it is too much for theMarquis toe as well. DoesBritain have any intentionofpressuring thepeople of the Empirewith theprestigeofthe Marquis? I wouldlike to informyou thatI hadnootherchoice becauseHis Highness gavemesuch orders. As YourMajesty said, even if there are hiddenintentions, asa loyal soldier of the kingdom, I havenochoice but to followtheseorders. Buteven if thatsthe case, if YourMajesty theEmperor is nearby, willmyprestigebeofany use? Well, letssay it is. Butunfortunately, George IVsarrangementwill nothave much effect. Because Imgoingtohold theMarquis like this. Willyou be mypanion until themeeting is over? Do youmean it? Itwouldbesuch an honor forme. I didnt knowthat theEmperor of theFrench Empire would value me so much thatwecouldspendtime on an equal footing. By the windowofthe detached pce, next to a terracewith a fountain, thebestmanders of France andEnnd satface to face. Secretaries andguards, whowere listeningtotheirconversation froma rtively close distance, swallowedtheirsaliva. This wasbecause, like thefamous meetingofHannibalBarcaand Scipio Africanus, of the Duke of Marlborough and Karl XII, ofPrince Eugene of Savoy andMarshal de Virs, this was a historic moment that would be rememberedlong after.[2] Youdonthave to be so stiff. You and your kingdomhave signeda treatywith a desire forpeace, and so we will never meetagainonthe battlefield. I am wewareofthe ruthlessness of international rtions. Afterall, theTreaty of Amiens[3]wasonly a temporary peace in theend. Your Majestyremains themost fearedenemyofthe kingdom. Napoleonstillsmiled and Wellesleystillhad astiffface. The atmospherehad subsided coldly. TL notes [1]ConferenceofDresden [2]HannibndScipio Africanus,John Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughandCharles XII of Sweden,PrinceEugene of SavoyandudeLouisHector de Virs [3]Treaty of Amiens Chapter 89: Chapter 89: 14. End of the SecondHundred Years War 5 The biggestreason why I called theMarquis here is becauseI wantedtospendsome time talkingtoeach other in private. Youhave left adeep impression on me, whohave faced andfought againstnumerousenemies. Im being greedy because I wonthave a chance to talk openly to youunless itsnow. If someonehad saidthis to him, Wellesley would noteven have beenangrybecause he would have beensodumbfounded. Butitwas adifferent story if the personwas Napoleon Bonaparte, who was nowfrowningwith oneeye. A living godofwar, a genius of strategy andtactics, a name thatrepresentedthe era Hewas the only man whowas in apositionnot to cause displeasure to those who listened even after saying thearrogantwordsYou deserve my attention. ArthurWellesley feltrather ridiculous. He had notwon the battleagainst Napoleon, nor had he ever shown off anything impressive. Hehad beenhelplessly attacked by schemes and deceit, draggedaround giving up theinitiative throughout the battle, and hadbarely managedtosave hislife with thebination of incredible luckand chance. Although it was calledthe confrontationofthe century, in realityithad beenpracticallyjust a one-sided attackbyNapoleon. Wellesley hidthis feeling deeply. Asexpected, there was a limit to whatcouldbesaid in this situation. I dont think I have done sucha great jobagainst Your Majestyand the French. But I willbegratefulfor yourkindness. Arthur Wellesley, who spoke out, suddenlyfelt a little regret. Napoleon Bonaparte. Althoughhewas the Emperor of an enemy country, he was a giant who exerted enormous influence andpoweronEuropeansociety to thepointofbeingcalled the name of the era. If a bookwas writtenaboutthe historyofEurope, then he would takemore than one chapter, along with Alexander theGreat, Julius Caesarand Charlemagne. With such ahistorical figureinfrontofhim, he wasfrozen, wary and could nottalk properly. Imsure we will meetagainonthe battlefield. Butthats for thefuture. Worrying about thingsthat haventeyet, feeling intimidated Im ashamed of myself. He hadbeen humiliated by Napoleon severaltimes, but he wasthe one whohad humiliatedthe other Frenchmanders except Napoleon. Choosing himselfasanimpressive enemymandermeantthat Napoleon recognized him as a dangerous enemy, just as Wellesleyfelt intimidated by Napoleon. A giantthat would remaininhistory wassoconscious of his existence. Thinking about it thisway madeWellesley feelmuch morefortable. The color of his face, which reflectedhis inner feelings, also brighteneda little. Onlythen could Wellesleyobserve andthinkaboutthe man named Napoleon. === Considering hisexperience andage, it wasclearthat ArthurWellesley would remainmander-in-chiefofthe Britisharmy afterwards, andthat he would be a man whowouldbringhardshiptomany Frenchpeople. Hewas anatural soldier who wasloyaltothe state, cared forhis men, and obeyed orders. In addition, hisabilities and reputation wereexcellent. Hewas Napoleonsfavoritefigure. It wasinevitable forsomeone like Arthur Wellesley, evenifhewas an enemy. Ifhewere a French general, Napoleon might have madehim MarshalofFrance. Wellesleyfelt thesame way. Napoleon Bonaparte, whomhehad onlyheardthrough rumors, was known forsuddenlymaking the peoplesurroundinghim embarrassed and frightened, even though he showeda gentleand humane appearance. Asa result, Wellesley hadtokeep an eyeonwordsand expressions thatwouldoffend him while talking. Butitonlystedfor amoment. As he faced Napoleon forreal, hefoundhim verydifferent fromhis own prejudices. Hehad aserious look witha heavy atmosphere. It washard to seethrough him, but he wasgentle and didnot get irritatedorlose hisfocus. He sometimesreached peoplewith pleasant words andjokes. Wellesley could notfeel thepartiality of a cruel and ruthless dictator. There was another reason whyNapoleonand Wellesley were so fondofeach other, and thatwas becausethey were tiedupinonemon thing. Oh So theMarquis wasinspiredfor strategy and tactics by readingthe DukeofMarlboroughs history of war?[1] Itwouldbestrange notto. His bold maneuvering, mercenaryskills, anpetitiveprowess were models formeand other Britishofficers. John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, hamanded the British and Dutch coalitioninthe SpanishSession War. He had covered the battlefield with artillery fire, obscuringthe French view, andthen deployed arge cavalrytogain a decisive victorywith a long-rangecharge. This wasthe famous BattleofBlenheim, after which Frances victoryinthe war becamevirtually thwarted. The Duke of Marlborough I thinkofhim sometimes. IfI hadbeen a French general during theSpanish Session War, I would have given the Duke of Marlborough adecent blow, and there would have beennodisgracelike Blenheim, Ramillies, or Oudenaarde.[2] Napoleon was sayinghecouldhave wonagainst theDuke of Marlborough. The Britishofficersand guards whowere listeningtothe conversation lookedsullen, butthe French nodded, thinking thatitwas natural. In response, ArthurWellesley alsorevealedsomething. Unfortunately, I have a simridea. IfI hadbeen born in the 15th centuryinthe midst of the Hundred Years War, I wouldhave defeated ArthurdeRichemont and Joan of Arc andled the British to victory. Europes historywouldhave beenpletelydifferent.[3] Thistime, the French soldiers frowned and theBritish lookedpleased. Napoleonwas justsmiling like he was havingfun. Lets say so. Its up to ourimagination. Lets getback to thestoryofthe DukeofMarlborough. Isnt there abig gap between strategy and tactics from100 years ago andnow? Arge cavalrycharge likethe one theDuke of Marlborough ledwouldnolonger workinthe modern war, where gunsand cannonshave advanced dramaticallyand cavalrytactics have beendevised. Ofcourse, Your Majestyisright. However, justasthe Spanishtercio square wasborn based on theancient phnx, I think there is acrossroads between continuityand progress depending on howyou ept andchoose whatisuseful in the history of war.[4] Although they sometimes putforthuseless nationalistic pride, Napoleon andWellesley bothhad mon interest in war history and were inspired by it. They didnot talkaboutanythingpersonal. However, it was very interesting justtotell anecdotesaboutfamous pastmasters. Asthey ate, theydevouredstories of warhistory to thepointwherepeople around them got sick of it. I stillrememberwhat yousaid at thebeginning. If youdontmind, couldyou tellmewho the enemies werethat made astrong impressiononyour Majesty? Imvery curious becauseIm ageneral whohas enemiesinthe military. The topic even jumped to Napoleons experience. Napoleon, whowas eating Dutch pudding for dessert after finishing hismeal, answeredina gentleway. Itsnot difficult. Except for theMarquis, thereare three enemieswho impressed me. Karl LudwigofAustria, Gebhard vonBlcherofPrussia andMikhail Kutuzov of Russia. They areall intelligent and courageousmanders. The charactersmentioned by Napoleon wereoutstandinggeneralswho eachrepresentedtheircountry. And theyweremanders againstwhom Nabot of this world actually struggled. The British and Frenchofficerswho werelistening to the story noddedtheirheads. But Napoleons realfeelingswere different. Actually, Alexander Suvorov should be on topofthem, but Nabot of thisworldhas never fought against Suvorovs troops. The battle against Suvorovover Northern Italy wasthe toughest and most difficult battleNapoleonhad everfought. The experienced frozen foxused therugged terrainofLombardytocut off theFrench supply route anddrovethem into acorner by inducing continuoussporadicengagementsand bypassing detached troops. Napoleon faced thebiggest crisisinhistory, oveppingtheckofsupplies, morale of soldiers, and the politicalsituation in France that kepthim in check. However, when he captured Russian detached units traveling between Switzend and Tyrol, and obtained information fromtheirmessengers, Suvorov also found his politicalpositiopromisedbychecks and disruptions from Austriaand Russia. Napoleon immediately split his troopsinto two, one side striking the defense and blocking SuvorovsCorps, and theothemanding supplies, sweepingand lootingthe southern Italiancities. Having failed to defeatAustrias hystericttitude, Suvoroveventually chasedthe troops down south abandoninghis advantageous terrain, andNapoleon, who wasaiming for that time, was able to secure a narrow victory by attacking from the north andsouthatthe sametime. The Austrian andRussian military, whichhad beenlooking foranopportunity, immediately dismissed Suvorov fromhis postomander-in-chief and sent him back to his home country, and thecoalition leftwithout Suvorov was smashed by Napoleon, endingwith Frances victory. Alexander Suvorovwas the first general againstwhom Napoleon experienced frustration as he wasonthe roadtosess, and was also the onewho gavehim the impetus to growashewas now. He had already fallen ind diedinboth worlds, but Napoleon alwayshad respectfor him. Not knowing Napoleonsinnerthoughts, Wellesley noddedassoon as he heard thelist of names. Theyre all great generals whoare called thebest of each country. It seems rather awkward thatIm included in thislist. Modesty is notfit for a marquis. I thinkyoure the best of the four generals. Haha. Youreoverpraising me. I willthankyou for your words, which will remain as an immortal record. Arthur Wellesley seemedtothinkitwas justtalk, and Napoleon justsmiled withoutsaying anything more. Thetwo werehaving tea time withdessert. Wellesley seemed to have be morefortable withNapoleonand joked around, and the atmosphere became more pleasant. Noise came fromoutside, and someservantsofthe mainpce of Madrid entered. YourMajesty theEmperor, the ViceForeign Ministers messageisthat theMadrid talks havebeen concluded. Itwas finallyover. Napoleons eyes lit up, whileWellesley had a nk lookonhis facefor amoment. The, the negotiations have alreadybeen concluded? The negotiators of theEmpire and of your countryseem to be quitepetent. Lets go. Napoleon rosefrom hisseat, leading a bewilderedWellesley. There wasa strange smile on his face. === On April 19, 1813, at 9 a.m., six hours beforeNapoleonand Wellesley heard about theend of the negotiations. TheMadrid Conference held at the main pce of Madridwas under heavy tensionfrom thebeginning. There wasa line thatall fourcountries should never yield. In order to protectit, eachside also had toplywith theothers requests to some extent, soitwas naturalthat a fierce warofwits washeld forthe national interest of the countries. The Frenchside wasthe first to speak. First of all lets discuss the most fundamental issue thatled to the Iberian Penins War. The officials from the other three countriesshoneatthe words of French Foreign Minister Armand Augustin de Caincourt, knowingwhat he meant. HisMajesty theKing, asthe great-grandson of His Majesty Philip V[5], thefounder of theBorbn dynasty, possessedmore legitimacy and dignity thanany other imants to thethrone in Europe. I informthe ForeignMinisterofthe French Empirethat HisMajestys title cannot bepromised. It wasthe words of the Governor of Andalusia, MartinodeBorbn. FernandoVII was originally justa princewho had been entrusted with power fromhis father andformer king, Carlos IV, but was hastily crownedking a weekbefore the Madrid Conference. Sincethe storiesofdepriving aprince or aking of thethrone werevery different, theymade it even alittle harder forthe French to im thetitle. Our kingdomrecognizes thelegitimacy of King Fernando VII. Prince Regent GeorgeIV also guaranteed the legitimacy of the Spanish throne to be with KingFernandoVII. Britainand Portugal steppeduptosupport Spain. The reason whythey participatedinthe PeninsrWar itself wastoresist the Frenchoppression of theSpanish dynasty. I thinkyou are misunderstanding. TheEmpire has no intentionofimingthe Spanishthrone. Currently, therewere twokingsinSpain, one of them being Joseph I, whom Napoleon had established himself. He wasNapoleons ownolderbrother. The expressions of theofficials of the three countrieswere very colorful as ForeignMinisterCaincourt, whowas entrusted with fullpowerinnegotiations, briefly spoke of his deposition. Appreciatingit, Caincourt continued. The Emperorofthe Empire sacrifices the honor of theImperialFamily for thesake of thenation. This was thedetermination of thecountry to keep the bnce, development andprotection of Europe. However, thisisanenforceablematter onlyifconcessionsfrom theothercountries participatinginthe talks are preceded. At theend of thatremark, themurmurs of thediplomatic officialsofeach country grewlouder. Their discussions were watchedleisurely by the French, including Caincourt. TL notes [1]JohnChurchill, 1stDuke of Marlborough [2]War of theSpanish Session:BattleofBlenheim,BattleofRamillies,Battle of Oudenarde [3]HundredYears War:Arthur III, DukeofBrittany,Joan of Arc [4]Tercio,Phnx [5]Philip V Chapter 90: Chapter 90: 14. End of the SecondHundred Years War 6 Thedemands of theFrench side, represented by Armand Augustin de Caincourt, wereclearand simple. This confused Viscount Charlton, Husley Collins, who wasordered to stop the Frenchexpansion by all means. There areexactly four Spanishterritoriesthat HisMajesty theEmperor wants. Sardinia, Sicily, the Basque Country and Catalonia. Thats toomuch to ask! Youre tryingtotake away one-sixth of theterritory of the Kingdom! Besides, Sicilyand Sardinia are inds where you havent evenset footin! If thind cannotbeobtainedbecause theEmpire has notupiedit Then, may I imownership of thisceasthe Empire nowupiesMadrid? There wasnothing forBritain to opposetothis demand, as the Frenchside said thatthis wasa reasonable condition, asking for concessions in exchange forrecognizingthe Spanishthrone. No rather, this isnt bad. Husley Collinsnotedthat FrancedemandedSardiniaand Sicily. The membersofthe WhigParty, which tookpowerwith peoples anger, were also not fools. Sooner orter, theday would surelye whenFrance and Britain faced eachotheragain. Thesea belonged to Britainafterall. TheBritish could alwaysupy moreterritories. It was never reallya loss if an enemy acquired indsthat could becoastal bases. Itwas heartbreakingtogive up theBasque Countryand Catalonia to France, but there wasnojustification to prevent it. The Kingdom supports the Frenchdemand. This seems to be areasonable enoughdecision. The Portuguese sideagrees as well. Spaiined, but in fact, it was only to takethe upper handinthe negotiations, and the Frenchdemand was notsobad in exchange for protecting their throne. Theythought that sellingout one sixth of thecountry waseptable to stop thiswar in which theywere on thevergeopletedefeat. As such, Francegained fourregions without muchresistance from the other countries. Frances diplomatic officials held on to the position of makinggenerousconcessions. Theofficials fromSpain, Portugal and Britain weed the winners tolerance. Thanks to this, thenegotiations wereable to proceed swiftly. === April 19, 1813, at 3 p.m. I would like to announce the Treaty of Madrid, which was signedunderconsultation withthe French Empire, the Kingdom of Spain and theKingdom of Portugal, underthe observation of the UnitedKingdom. Thefinaltext of theagreement, issuedbythe French judge with the assistance of the clerk, was as follows. 1. Francewithdraws its troopsfrom theupiedSpanish andPortuguese territories. This will be doneassoon as thetreaty is signed. 2. Joseph I renounces thethrone of Spain. FrancesupportsFernandoVII as KingofSpainand legitimateleader and will not im thethrone. 3. Inreturn, Spain cedes theind of Sardinia, andthe territories of Catalonia andofthe Basque Country to France. Spainalso gives theeconomicand developmentalrights on the indofSicily for 100 yearstoFrance. 4. France guaranteesPortugals independence. In return, Portugnd its Braziliancolony willhave a minimumtariff policy forFrench-madetradegoodsfor 50 years. Innegotiations concludinganend-of-war agreement, winnersand losers were usuallyclearly distinguished fromeach other. But at theMadrid Pce, wherethe Treaty of Madridwas signed, not onlythe French, Spanish andPortuguese, but alsothe Britishobservers wereall trying to hide asatisfying smile. Whatwas the reasonfor thissituation thatcouldnot happen in a zero-sum game? Napoleon somehowseemed to knowthat. Everyones having a daydream. Every one of them was confidentofhaving won thenegotiations and wasnot showingany signofstruggle. Who actually wonthesenegotiations would onlybedecided after a longtime. Napoleonwas surethat it would be France. He thoughtthat Britain would especiallyregret it. Itwas no exaggeration to saythat Spain andPortugalhad beenindanger of being expelled fromthe entire peninswhen Britain withdrew fromthe war. As France hadsufferedhuge financind human losses in theprolonged war, itwouldsurely havesought away to makeupfor it, andSpainand Portugal would havebeen forcedtopay for it. Especially, the Spanish thoughtthat they would havetoendure any harsh demandtoprotect their king, Fernando VII, and thedecisionofthe Britishtoobserve wastoprevent such excessive greed from the French. Thedemands that France made in thistensed rtionship were muchunexpected forthem. Sardinia, Sicily, Catalonia, theBasque Country. Andfor Portugal, thelowest tariffsfor imported goods. At that moment, Spanish andPortuguese diplomatsthought. Thesituation on the Frenchside wasnot verygood either. The British pressure worked. British diplomats also thought. France was strongly consciousofthe Easterncountries (Austria, Prussia, Russia, etc.). At Frances proposal, which wasmore generous than expected, theBritish changed their minds and urged theSpanish andPortuguese officialstomake peace as soon as possible. That was howthe talks wereable to be concludedsofast. Originally, it was usual forend-of-war agreements to end after difficultpush-and-pull negotiationsbetween countries, thatcoulst forseveral days, weeks, oreven a month. However, the MadridConference was concluded withina dayandsted just afew hours, with Frances generous concessions and thecoalition thatdid not trytocut further. Itwas an opportunity to confirmthe sincerity of Your Majestyaboutthe bnce, stability andsecurityofEurope, on which youinsistedthe other day. Thanks to the Emperorsbroadconcessions, the Iberian Penins will enjoy truepeaceand harmony! ViscountCharlton, Husley Collins, encouraged by the reductionofFrancesrequirements and rightsbeyond his expectation, praised Napoleon in a delighted voice. From hispointofview, hemust be excited to makeanachievementthat could appealtothe prime minister and thecab. In addition, theSpanish andPortuguese diplomatsseemed to agree withthe factthat Napoleon made concessions, although they may have animosity against him. However, Napoleons thoughts when hearingthosewordswere different. Wetook everything we could. The waronthe IberianPenins began whenNabotappointed his brother Joseph BonaparteasKing of Spain. Perhapsifhehad insisted on this, Portugal and Britain would havetriedtoresume war. Napoleonhad no intention of doing such amisguided thing fromthe start. Hehad aroughidea of what kindofagreement Nabot madewith Joseph. But it wasnone of hisbusiness. Napoleon, as theEmperor of France, was only interestedinpromoting the nations interest. TheBasque Countryand Catalonia, whichhave been dominated by pro-France and anti-Castilian peoplesincethe beginning of theIberian Peninsr War, are areas thatcan jointhe French society withouttaking muchadministrativepower. Thisisthe kindond we shouldtake. Basqueand Catalonia were the ceswherethe division operation secretly led by Napoleon hadthe greatest effect, with thrgest numberondowners andlocalnobles joiningthe IberianStandingOrganization. Inaddition, mostofthe poptionoftheseprovinces could speak French. Inotherwords, evenifFrance ruled themdirectly, the risk of awide resistance was very small. Moreover, bothprovinces could bring manystrategic and economic benefits to France. First of all, they were the centeroftradebetween theWestern Mediterranean Sea andthe North Antic. Afterthe liftingofthe trade blockade againstBritain, France wouldpeteortradewith Britain, increasing its share of foreign trade. Commercial andindustrial workers in Basque Country and Cataloniawouldgreatly help France grow its foreign tradework. These twoprovinces could alsoserveasa major stronghold for France, south of the Pyrenees. By seizingthem, France was nowable to send troops into the Iberian Penins through thematany time. This meant thatthe entire peninswouldbewithin the range of Franceand thatSpainand Portugal would not be able to easily express their rejection of Frenchoppression. This certainly strengthens theleashonthe IberianPenins. Themeeting with YourMajesty wasa very pleasant and glorious time. I hopetosee you again someday. Although such meetingwill alwaysbeweedina party venue, not on the battlefield. It wasthe words of the Marquis of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, who broke Napoleons thoughts. He seemedtohave gotteneven brighter as he thought the Frenchhad madea lotofconcessions. Wecan lookforward to theMarquis dancing skillsthen. I enjoyed meetingyou today. Have asafe trip. MarquisWellington made his farewell to theFrench side. In addition, Napoleon left the conference hallwhilereceiving the courtesy andgreetings of manyothers. The Treaty of Madrid, which had causeda stir in the world, was signed in a single dayand ended the Iberian PeninsrWar at once. Francewouldnow set up newadministrativebodies in the BasqueCountry, Catalonia, Sardinia andSicily, while Spain andPortugalwouldbetroubledtorestore their war-torn countries. Thewar was over, butanother meaningful war to managethe aftermath andprepare forthe future hadjust begun. === After theMadrid Conference, Armand Augustin de Caincourt wascriticized by several figures, including theheadsofthe Empire. The French dered victory in the warand almost dominatedthe entire penins. They had such an overwhelming position, and all they had taken from the negotiationswere twoinds in theMediterranean Sea, the BasqueCountry andCatalonia. In thePeninsr War, the Spanish territory upied by theFrench alone was 450,000 kilometerssquare. But thend gained wasatmost 90,000 kilometers square. Thiswas the reasonwhy suspicionswere inevitable thatthey hadbeenpletely pushed back in negotiating power. How canI make an arrangement on my own without the ordersofHis Majestythe Emperor? The consequencesofthe Treaty of Madridwere asHis Majestyintended. If youd liketodiscuss this, pleaseask him directly. They tried to hidetheirdissatisfaction and didnot say more, as they could not argue with the Emperor. Perhaps officials in theParisCab andthe media on the streetwouldbeangry, saying that thipensation did notpay the price forall the bloodshed. But Caincourt, who knew the essence of the negotiations, was notafraid of their criticism at all. Sardiniaand Sicily arethe bestthings we can getwithout rming theBritish. They think these twoinds cant bring much benefittothe Empire, sothey will ept to give themtous. But thereality is different. The Emperorkindly exined to himwhy. In thedark forests of Sardinia and Sicily, there weremany robur oaktreesgrowing naturally, which wereessential for theconstruction of sailingboats. Thatwas right. It wasfor the navy. Inthe future of Francethat theEmperor wasseeing after the war, it was clear that the restoration of naval forceswas deeply engraved. Sardiniaand Sicily were necessities for that purpose. Theminimum tarifftreaty withPortugnd its Braziliancolony alsoharboredthe sameshadiness and sharpnessasa poisoned apple. As the Foreign Minister, Caincourtwas wewareofthe new revolution thatNapoleons government was currentlycarryingout. Usingmachinesthat could exceedhumaborefficiency, they were steadily preparing facilities to mass-produce uniformlysizedproducts. This would enable Francetostartexplosive productionand order hugevolumes just as Britaindid in the past. Portugnd Brazil, wherethe minimumtariff treaty hadbeen signed, would be the best marketstosell such French products with highmargins. Wherever yougoinPortugnd Brazil, youll see plentyofFrench-madeproducts. Itsmyidea to destroy their hand-made markets andpletely subordinate themtothe Empires economy. Isnt the UnitedKingdom, whichcan be astrongpetitor, alsostruggling through an economic crisis? Startingwith Portugal andBrazil, theEmpiresproductswill steadily eatupthe Britishvacancy. When he heard the Emperorswords, Caincourt felt goosebumpsall overhis body. It meant using the enemy ignorance, blocking information to induce misjudgment, and bringing the best cards for thebest situationthe French side could make. Feeling the best catharsis to enjoy in thenegotiations, Caincourtwas greatlydelighted. When Britain realized all this, Francewouldhave built a castle that would never copse. Caincourtwas verycurious about that timeand looked forward to it. Chapter 91: Chapter 91: 15. Interlude 1 Caincourt, who wasincharge of the negotiationsatthe French table in thepce of Madrid, achieved100% of what Napoleon had ordered him. He tookthe bestpossiblebenefitsfrom theenemycountries, which were ufortablewith theexpansion and growthofFrance. Anyonewalking under thetricolorg shouldrejoice in this victory. Even if it was a bit frustrating now, the futurewouldpraise the oue of these negotiations. But there was a single Frenchmanwho was defeated while allthe other French were victorious. Are you tryingtoconvincemetoept thisridiculous negotiation result? Anofficialletter in amonotonous form was deliveredtohim by Caincourt anda diplomatic delegation. The singlesheetofpaperconcluded thatJoseph Bonaparte would abdicate theSpanish throneinfavorofFernandoVII. The Emperors brother torethe official letter bearing the Emperorsseal to piecesbut was still angry, and shoutedatthe ForeignMinisterCaincourt withouthesitation. We arethe onlyones here, so tell me the truth! Isthis because of the ipetenceofthe Imperial ForeignMinistryatthe Madrid Conference!? OrisitNapoleons will!? Everything is theresult of His Majestysjudgment. Hahaha, I knew it! It wasthe intention of my brother, theEmperor of this Great Empire! Becareful what you sayand whatyou do, my King! Louis-GabrielSuchet, whohad beenassisting him throughout the Peninsr War, triedtostop him. Joseph Bonapartes anger wasfullyunderstood by those aroundhim who hadlong servedhim, andthe people of theImperialCab felt sorry for him. JosephBonaparte was originally KingofNaples, butbecame KingofSpainbecause of Napoleons insistence. Josephexined to his brother severaltimesthat he wassatisfied withthe KingdomofNaples, butthe Emperorinsistedonmaking him King of Spain. Joachim Murat seeded himasKing of Naples. It wasnatural forthe Spanishpeople to riseuplike wildfire because their kingwas deposedand aforeigner tookhis ce. Joseph I urgentlyaskedhis brotherfor helpwhen themes of rebellion started everywhere, and theEmperor seemedtobeeagertohelp himatfirst, but hisattitudechanged over time. Thetroops dispatchedtothe penins were gradually forcedout of the country, in thename of an expedition to the East. JosephI foughtdesperatelyagainst theAllies despitehiscklustersupply, buteventually lost Madrid andwas reprimanded by his younger brotherthe Emperor. His Majestythe Emperor, of course, was not satisfiedwith ourachievements. Hes beendealing with his arrogant enemies withhis genius mercenaryskills given to him by God, so how pathetic must we havelooked to him when we could not even pushone Britishguy back? Obviously, it wasunfortunateand sad foranindividual. But thatindividual also needed to keep the line to acertain extent. Caincourtand the other members of the diplomatic delegationunderstood JosephBonapartesinevitable circumstances, buttheirexpressionsbecame colder as thesarcasm against the Emperor grewworse. Napoleon wasnot justthe Emperorofthe French Empire. He was a savior forhis countryand ahero forhis people. Itwas not eptable to speak ill of him. Thats enough. His Majestywill also remember yourhard work and sacrifice. His Majesty musthave some constion and rewardtogive youafterwards. Suchetand other quick-witted generals noticed the signs andtriedtoease hismood. In any case, Josephlost hisSpanish thronebut was notsent outasanaverage manatall. TheEmperor gave him a new title, King of Sicily. As a result of theMadrid Conference, France acquired theinds of Sardinia andSicily, in addition to theBasque Countryand Catalonia. The Emperor established anew satellite state calledthe KingdomofSicily bybining thetwo indsand delegated their sovereignty to JosephBonaparte. Thenwhen shouldI leave formynew job? Its nota job. It is YourHighness kingdom, to be ruled entirely by YourHighness. Youre makingjokes, man. The Empire is risingday by day, and the Emperor is alive, so what do you mean thekingdom to be ruled by me? Suchanuncivilised Haha hahaha! His Highness seems to be very tired. HisHighness spirit andbody areexhausted fromthe longwar. Everyone, please leave. Ahem! The generals said withtheireyes that thisincidentshould be put on hold. This situation wassettled once Caincourt andthe delegationwith himstepped down. === When I was akid, I called himBonnie, cared for himand helped hima lot. All themembers of ourfamily did their best to supportthe Emperor No, he wasnt theEmperor back then, and we helpedhim makeall these achievements. I supportedand counseled him. Josephmented his situationasheopened one bottleafterthe other, andthe French generals whowere caughtupinitwere embarrassed. While somegeneralswere catering forhim, Suchetand the otherswere able to get outofthe drinking party. His Highness wordsand actionsare bing increasingly harsher Arent we supposed to stop him? Im afraid somethingbad wile outofthis. Even if he talks like that, he willbeable to shake offeverything andwork tomorrow. His Majestythe Emperorknowsit, thats whyhes leaving him alone. Suchetwas wewareofJosephspersonality. He was grumbling, but would nothave thehearttoplot somethingagainst Napoleon. Except for theEmperor, all the members of the Bonapartefamily werelike that. There were greedy peoplebutcked courage. Itsusthat matters. Everyone shouldbecareful of their actions. Thewar is over, but thesituation has bestricter. If you aredragged away by His Majesty for nothing, youwontget anything. Did you think I wouldnt knowthe way youlook at thesweetadvantages of being close to theKing? Werewild dogs, barbaric warriors whohave to live on battlefields. Its a pity, but we dont have to staywith HisHighnesswho is no longer King of Spain. It was a cool-headed judgement, but thatwas how those aroundhim evaluated thesituation. What could armyofficersexpect fromJoseph, whobecame the king of someinds? Theirdesired achievements, military sess, splendid honor noneofthesecouldbeoffered by such aking. Yourecold, but youre right. From thevery beginning, we werepart of theImperialArmy, part of Louis-Gabriel Suchets Corps. Suchet nodded. In the end, soldiers had to line up well. And they did notjudgethat line to be behind JosephBonaparte. === No matteryour position under himand, His Majestyisthe Emperorofthe Empire andthe mostdignified and honorableperson. To make sucha disrespectful remark about him! All themembers of theimperialfamily are very passionateand greedy, and Im worried about the futureofthe Empire. Dontyou daresay that. The affairs of the imperial familyare for theimperialfamily to dealwith, not for us to discuss. Caincourt wasnot as worriedasanyone else. He knewthat theEmperor wasa great andspecial man. In thepast, hedid not have the respect of everyone in France, but his reputation and fame soared to theend of the skyasheachieveda great feat thatnoone in French history had ever achieved, overthrowingthe frozen empireand evensubduingthe inders acrossthe sea. SomeFrench evenstarted to admirehim likea livingdivinity. Caincourt hadwatched with his owneyes thehistorical scene of Frances oldenemies surrenderingtohim. Theintellectual who hadrolled overthe political arena forquitesome time realised it at thatmoment. The Emperors reign would never falter, and loyalty and obediencetohim werethe onlyway to surviveinpoliticswithin the Empire. Everything will eventuallygoording to His Majestyswill. Weonly have to follow himfaithfully andassist him. Just think about it. Who willbethe realwinner of thishuge, political war? I cant think of anyoneexcept the Emperor. Strictly stick to the strongand to the winner. Caincourt intended to followthe mostbasicrule by which socinimals were living. All thediplomats following himnodded. They had to be loyal to theEmperor. Then they would enjoy wealth === My dearfriend andrade, andthe bravestman in France. Not longago, I heard thatyour secondson was born. Is hisname Lucien? Judgingfrom thenaming skills, itseemsthat it wasyou who chose hisname andnot the Bonapartequeen, which is veryunfortunatefor the child. Hey, that bastard. Murat[1]grumbledasheread a letter from his oldfriend, JzefAntoni Poniatowski, theDuke of Warsaw, who wasnow KingofPnd. However, he could noterasethe friendly smile thatwas drawn on his lips. I heard here in Warsaw that the waronthe penins wasfinally over. Polish people aretaking to the streets to praise thegreatvictory of theEmpire and expressing His Majesty the Emperorswar epicinwriting andy. The Polishpeoplesenthusiasm forHis Majestyissogreatthat I, theKing, feel a little jealous. Butwasnt he the true savior of this country? If I had chosennot to ascend to thethrone of Pnd buttoremain aMarshal of theEmpire, I would havebeen able to go to the peninsand watch these battlesand events that would go downinhistory. Im d the Polishsoul hasbeen revived, butsometimes I miss thelife of a soldierliving on the battlefield. Dontyou feelthe sametoo? The battlefield engulfed in gunfire, where soldiers putdown their lives andfought ording to orders, walkingonthe thinline between lifeand death. A frail life thatcoulddisappear withone bullet. Some peoplefelt thrilled andexcited in such asituation. None of thesoldiershad everheardJoachim Murat saythat he wasafraid to die. The braverand bolder youwere, the moreaddictedyou became to this feeling. Murat, whohad saved France from acrisis witha decisive cavalry charge in thepast, wouldneverforget the thrillofthe moment, and still missed it. Hebecame the king of acountry, but he was such aman. I am confidentthat I knowyou well, justasyou knowme. You arethe embodimentofthe desire forfame andconquestthat knows no restraint. Please dont do anything stupidthat might offendthe Emperor. You have beenwith theEmperor forthe longesttime among theMarshalsofthe Empire, and you arecloseenough to speak informallytohim in private. The closeryou are, the lessformal and politeyou can be, but thiswas technically possible in the past becauseyou wereonpar witheach other. Sinceancient times, keeping a distance fromthe ruler, being nottoo far andnot too close to him, has been the waytoleavetolongest. Dontforget my words. Murat was a typicalcavalrymanderofthis eraand had risen to this position fromthe verybottom. Althoughhewas ignorant ofplicated political battles, intrigue, and internationaldiplomacy, he hadananimal sense to notice thesubtle atmosphereinhumanrtions. Murat thought alot about Poniatowskisadvice. Everybody in the Empireknowsthat your exploits at the BattleofHrodna werethe best. But its adifferent matter to askthe Emperorfor something. Keep theline, mydear friend. Dont showyour greed forSicily. I dont know whenitstarted, but His Majesty has certainlychanged from before, and the standardsand exceptions that he has allowed for youand someothemanders arelikely to change. Youdbetter remember whatkind of embarrassment the Duke of Essling(Andr Massna) went through Muratfolded the letterfrom theKing of Pndwhilethinkingdeeply. In thepast, hewouldhave tried to im Sicily, as Poniatowski wrote. This wasbecause theKingdom of Sicily, the predecessor of theKingdom of Naples, alsoincludedthe ind of Sicily, as its name implied. However, when Murat saw theEmperor after a longtime, hewas abletotell that the Emperorstendencyand habits hadchanged significantly frombefore. What would theEmperor look likeifheaskedfor Sicily? Hecouldnot predictitatall. It wasthe biggestreason why he washesitating. Huh Muratdied because he had toomuch temper. That could happenifhepretended not to fear the Emperor, whowas now on theroad to thegreatestsess. MurateptedPoniatowskis advice. He would keephis thoughts to him fora while TL notes [1]Joachim Muratwas KingofNaples and wasmarried toCaroline Bonaparte, Napoleonssister. Chapter 92: Chapter 92: 15. Interlude 2 Holy League. Originally, itwas the name of acoalition of Christian countriesformed to counterthe great threat of theOttoman Turks. Recently, thisHoly Leaguehad beenrevived. And the targetwas not theOttomans, but France, aChristian country. Swedenjoined Austria, Prussiaand Russia in thename of restoringthe Roman Papal States, whichhad beepletely abolishedbythe French invasion, and saving Pope PiusVII[1], whohad beenkidnapped by Napoleon. Infact, therewere no Catholic countriesinthe coalition exceptfor Austria, so the restoration of theCatholicsanctum anddivinitywas justa pretext, andthesecountries sought to break theorderestablishedbyFrance and wantedtoreturn to the past. The membersofthe HolyLeague had been waitingfor the right time by engaging French insiders with active intelligenceand spying activities, obtaininginformationfrom them, andreceiving promises of internal strife. However, the badnews that camefrom theIberian Peninswas powerful enough to turn all their ns into pletevoid. The grand strategy of Austria, Prussia and Russias leading strategists andmanders was thefollowing. Austria-Prussia-Russia-Swedenwouldall raise their troops at thesame time and take the Kingdom of Pnd that was between them. Afterwards, they would devour thesatellite countries of Francebyputting forward the valuesofliberation and protecting sovereignty, and would advance to the maind. Russiasrge army, Swedens conscripted and standing army, andAustrias and Prussiashidden armies added up to approximately 600,000 troops. This wasanoverwhelming figure forthe French army, which hadrecentlybeen drastically reduced in sizedue to disarmament operations. It was worth a try. However, someprerequisites were needed forthis n to be realized. Oneofthem wasBritains financial aid. Thesize, equipment and warsuppliesofthe troops currentlyheld by theHoly Leaguewere more thanenough to exceed their national defense budget forone year. It was theBritish pound andbondsthat made up for it. But Britain had dered that it would cut offfunding because of its economic crisis. For Austria, Prussia and Russia, who were sharpeningtheirknives, it came likea bolt fromthe blue. Wecan fight withoutloyalty to ourcountry or to ourimperialfamily. Even if an ipetent and ignorant general takes the baton, the armywill move. Butwithout money, nothing is possible! Thetop decision makers of theHoly Leaguerushed to the British embassy, asking forreconsideration of the decision, and heldnationalconferences. Thunch of the operationwas postponed andthe military action wassuspended. Those whohad devisedthis grand strategy were now beating their chests. === WhoisJesus! Thefort of the weeping, theriches of the poor, theheights of thehumble, therelease of thecaptive, and our joy! Who is Jesus! The strength of the weak, thelightofthe blind, thehealing of thesick, the resurrection of thedead, and our life! Who is Jesus! The purity of theugly, the lifeofthe mortal, the mercy of the sinner, the salvationofthe lost, and ourpeace! Who is Jesus! The headofthe whole church, the Savior of thewholeworld, the king of all kings, the Lordofjudgement, andour glory! At the Opera House in Vienna, the opera Ledevinduvige (The Vige Soothsayer)posed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau wasinfull swing.[2] Actors dressed up sangand performed enthusiastically, using their loud voices. Atthe end of each song, the audience apudedfor their hardwork. Numerous aristocrats and upper ss peoplewere sitting in VIP seats andwatchingthe performance. Andabovethem, ina seat thatwas saidtobethe mostexpensive and reserved forthe noblest, there was Francis I, the Emperor of Austria, and next to him wasMetternich, his ForeignMinister. You met Viscount Peterson (the Britishambassador) againtoday? Yes, Your Majesty. From the look of yourface, theremust have beennoprogressinthe negotiations. Im sorry. Viscount Peterson seems to be very embarrassed thatthe Britishforeign policyhas changeddramatically fromthat of thepreviousadministration. Francis I clickedhis tongue with an ufortableface. With Napoleon Bonaparteand his Imperial Guard stranded in theIberian Penins, thiswas the best timefor military action. Prussiaand Russia knew it as well, and were secretly formingtheirarmies. Bang! Assoon as thegunfire sounded, themember states of theHoly Leaguewouldimmediatelyrun out anunch military action. But the gunpowderneeded to makethe gunfiresoundwas now gone. Did yousay it was Viscount Howick? The newly appointedBritish Prime Minister of theWhig Party? Thats right, Your Majesty. Whata senselessman, makinga fuss about atemporary internal crisis andneglecting a golden opportunity to cure thislongsting disease. Theydonteven seem to realizethat if we disappear, theywill have to stand alone againstthat mightyFrance. FrancisI hadreluctantlyallowed Archduke Charles to return, inordertooverthrow Napoleon and France. Although he wasnow speaking likethis, Metternich knew how displeased and nervous FrancisI must havebeen. He feltthe sameway. Thedevastatingdefeats of thepast hapletely crushed Austrias self-esteem. WithoutBritains supportand the help of neighboring countries, Austria could never defeatNapoleonand France. Your, Your Majestythe Emperor! Metternichs thoughts werebroken whensomeone calledFrancis I frombehind. When he turned hishead, hesaw apale-faced servant approaching witha restless look. Thisisanurgent messagefrom Count Kickingeronbehalf of the Foreign Affairs! A new treaty hasbeen signedinMadrid! !! TheWar on the Iberian Penins hasended! Count Kickinger is askingthat Your Majestyreturns quickly to the pce! Francis I and Metternich rosefrom their seats even before theend of his words. They could notafford to appreciateanoperaperformancenow. === A man appeared at the court of Schnbrunn after a longtime. ArchdukeCharles Louis of Austria was cedclosest to Francis I, receiving theattention of the court ministers. It hadalready been three and a halfyearssinceheresignedamander-in-chief of the Austrian Empire. However, his current job wastoreform Austrias oldmilitarysystem, establishand train anew-style army, and develop astrong force thatcouldbeonpar withthe French. Although he eventuallyretired after being defeated by Napoleon, hewas still the most influential man in theAustrianmilitaryexcept for Francis I. Its suicide to confront France now. A manofsuch influencewas now sayingthis. First of all, we needtoreduce the bloated armytoa level that the national budgetcan withstand. Undersuch circumstances, theres no way that the British willfinance us. We havetostay low, waitand see. For now, itseemsthat we shouldfocusonrevivingthe nations economybystrengthening theEmpiresstability. Fora while there will be no war. Charles Louis remarks werelike sayingthat theFrench-led systemwouldnevercopseina short time and that Austriawas now unabletoresist it. This wasaplete defeatand submissiontoFrance. It wasa momentwhen hegemony withinthe continent, whichhad beencontested for hundreds of years, waspletelyshifted to oneside. Theydid not expecttoexperience this humiliation in their lifetime. Theministers gathered at the court bowed their heads without saying anything, and wiped awaytheirtears. Reduce the army. TheOperation Liberation putitoff indefinitely do it. Thecourtministers, includingMetternich, couldnot say anything in constion to Francis I, who wasmuttering helplessly. Today at the Schnbrunn Pcewas the darkest and quietest daysincethe pce wasbuilt. === The number of Russians sharpening their swords against Napoleon was toobig to count, butnone of them harbored suchdeep andshadyresentment as this veteran. MikhailKutuzov. At the BattleofAusterlitz, hehad not been heavilyinvolvedinoperations andtactics, but was able to see themost humiliating defeatofthe RussianEmpire up close. Sincethen, Kutuzov hadbeenpletely different. His onlygoal wastorestore Russian pride by defeating Napoleon andFrance. Desperate for that, Kutuzov had brokendown andanalyzedNapoleons every move. Hehad beendigging into his weaknesses. He wasthe first person to noticeNapoleons changeamonghis enemies. He used the BattleofHrodna, theBattle of the AnznRiver, and theBattle of La Buena-San Felices as goodsources to identify Napoleons changedstrategies andcharacteristics. The Emperor who conqueredthe European continent! A masterofthe timecalled the geniusofwar! As a soldierwalking on thesame path, I praise youfor yourachievements. Butmyold skills as I sacrifice my bones andfleshtobreakonly youwill notbeeasy to counter. Alexander I had been depressed by a series of failures, but was still angry at Napoleon. Heentrusted the full power of the Russian armytoKutuzov, whom he hadalways admired. TheRussian generals, including Pyotr Bagration, LevinAugust von Bennigsenand BarydeTolly, werewaiting fororders under hismand. This sight reminded Kutuzovofthe past. He remembered the momentwhen he andotherRussian generals gathered under Marshal Alexander Suvorov on the steppes, toppled the TurkicEmpire and were victorious. This time, it was up to himtolead theRussian troopsand defeat France, justasSuvorov did. Cough Cough Ah! Calmyourself. You have to calmdown andput yourmind at peace. Thedoctor assisted Kutuzovashedrained hisblood, giving himmedical practice worthyofthis time. Kutuzov was administeredopiumtoreduce the pain, andemptied hisstomach by drinking water mixed with calomel.[3] Kutuzov did notlose hiswill to live, even though he wasbleedinghorribly. He really hadnot muchtime left. For the prosperity of the Russian Empire, for the long-cherished desireofthe vs. Mikhail Kutuzovwas willingtobethe gun that shotNapoleonbysacrificinghis own body. Hewas really confidenttodoit. After that, evenifhis mortal body weathered andscattered, Kutuzov would thank God andwouldbeable to leave this world at peace. Buthis expectations were betrayed in the most brutal way. This is theoue of theTreaty of Madrid. France acquired Catalonia andthe Basque Country, Sicilyand Sardinia. Britain has decided to focus on the warwith theUnited States andhas dered thatitwill suspend the financiid thatthe Tsarwas receiving in hissecret ount. A 20-year non-aggression treatyhas beensigned betweenSpain, Portugal and France. Bothsideshave promised nottoprovide anysupport to enemies in other wars But evenwithout this use, itseemsunlikelythat they willfightFrance again. Thescaleofrebellion in the colonies of theNew World Kutuzov, who was briefed at the Russian military baseinMinsk, was staggering. Oh, my God! Marshal! MarshalKutuzov!! Argh! Kutuzov vomited blood and copsedinthe middle of thebarracks, which was in chaos with shouts andscreams. === 42 hours hadpassed whenheopened his eyes again. Kutuzov orderedhis servanttobringwaterashefelt a burningthirst, andsoon sawdoctors andofficerswho ran at a fastpace andfilled his room. Kutuzov drank assofwaterwhilelistening to their fuss. He could no longerfeel thepersistent pain thathad afflicted himinthe past. His body was free as if he had regained hishealth. Kutuzov knewexactly what thisphenomenon meant. What is the situationinFrance? A very cracked voice leaked out. The officers answered with tears in their eyes. Napoleonhas departed fromMadrid The four countries deredpliance withthe treaty andthe end of thePeninsr War. Kutuzov closedhis eyes. It was nota nightmare, it was reality. Hisbreath began to run out. The the Almighty Godstill doesnt want Napoleonsdownfall Marshal! Take your words back! Thisisntthe end! I know my bodybetter. Theres no chance. It wasthe strength of his will and obsessionwith defeatingNapoleonthat supportedhis rotten body. Butnow the light of hiswill hadgone out. Kutuzovs life was leaving likethat. Tell thistothe Tsar. Im rmendingLevinvon Bennigsen as my sessor Ast, defeat Napoleon and restore the bannerofthe vic Empire Kutuzov passed outaftervomitingblood, and never openedhis eyesagain. The enemy he hadbeen thinking about until thst minutewas Napoleon Bonaparte. OnMay 21, 1813, he becameone of the great stars of theRussian Empire. Upon hearingofMikhail Kutuzovsdeath, Alexander I withdrew the troopsofthe OperationLiberation and had thegsofthe Kremlinfly at half-mast fora day. === Finally, the waronthe IberianPenins thatwas corroding theEmpire is over! Now, nogreatman willstandbefore YourMajesty! Charlemagne, Caesar, even Alexanderthe Great, will havetobow to YourMajesty! Now thatwehave conqueredthe West, it is timetodefeat the East again. Disturbing movements have beendetectednear Austria and Prussia. It wouldnt be a bad idea to remind them of the greatnessofYour Majesty and of theEmpire. Werethey ttering Napoleon or did they really think this way? What theofficersofthe unitand Bessiressaid wasa deafeningsound. Napoleon had a lookonhis facelike he hadseen themost pathetic peopleinthe world. Fromwhosehead came the idea thatthe Empire would be back on the battlefields? Y-Your, Your Majesty is always Napoleon seemed to know whathewas trying to say. Butthats who I am, right? You seemtobecreatingthe prejudice that cavalryofficersare ignorant. Theinternalevilsofthe Empire arestillpileduplike mountains, and youretalking about war? Gentlemen, a good soldiercantjust fight well. Where did they wanttofightagain Onthe contrary, Napoleon seededincalming theunrest in the east by ending thePeninsr War. Its time for thepeople of the Empiretorealize thevalueofpeace. Numerousconflicts overFrance had yettoend. Buttherewouldbenoimmediate triggerfor those disputes. Napoleonintendedtopresent a better tomorrow to thepeople of the Empire. Becausethey were bornFrench, they had therighttoenjoytheirprideascitizensofa hegemonation, along with the everyday happinessoflife. Quilsreviennent dans nos muraillesbeauxdegloire et de libert ! Lavictoireenchantant! (Let thee back within ourwallsembellishedwith glory andliberty! Victory sings forus!) Napoleon walked as thesoldiershummed Le Chant du Dpart together as they marched. France, gloriousFrance! (End of Part 1) TL notes [1]Pope PiusVII [2]Jean-Jacques_Rousseau,Le devin du vige. I wentthrough thelyrics of thisoperabut couldnt findwhat is written in thischapter [3]Calomel Chapter 93: Chapter 93: 16. Sea Men 1 Cloud. Springwill noe to thestolen fields. Because theGod of nature will not give thema time whensprouts bloom andnew lifepulsates. Thesewere thst words left by his oldfriend who wasdyingwith a bullet piercing hisabdomen. Red Cloudsface wasengravedwith thetraces of time, as he rememberedthem without missinga singleword. Now, long after the death of hisfriend, RedCloudwas abletoanswer him. Youwere wrong, East Wood, thnd taken away by the invaders hasspring likeour fields. Ithasnt changedover thepast 30 years. On thecontrary, the invaders were rapidlydeveloping at a pacethat thetribesmen of Americadid not dare to imagine. Looking at themachieving an absolutelybrilliant and splendid civilization, Red Cloud thought thatthey might be thepeople truly blessedbythe God of nature. Thewhite-skinned invaders were not satisfiedwith theterritoriesthey upied by brutally ughteringthe natives. Even though they alreadyhad vastand fertilnd, they were greedily turningtheirguns towardnew fields. The native tribesagainst them werefragile likenterns in front of the wind. The Mohicantribe[1], led by RedCloud, was probably thetribefacing the most transformation in these turbulent times. Living in theHudson River basin, they settledinGeorgia, migrating as manyasthreetimestoavoidthe mes of warand persecution. Red Cloud, whohad beenthrough allkindsoftrials and experienced theprocess himself, hadgained an eye to seethe world. Rather thanprotesting against invaders who didnot hidetheirgreedfor thend, RedCloudinsistedonactivelylearningtheirculture andskills. The Mohicantribesidedwith Britain in the American Revolutionary War andfought againstthe new country, theUnited States, but in return, they were brutally ughtered and their territorywas devastated. They pretended to devotetheirloyalty by actingsubmissive in front of their opponent. The chief needed to be themost courageous. RedCloudwas proud, even if he had to face fierce criticismfrom theelders. In order to catch agiant, you must be abletoclimbonthe giantsshoulder. Ifhis family hadnot beenexterminated by the UnitedStates, andifhis close friend, who vowed to staybyhis sidefor the rest of his life, hadnot diedbytheirhands, his loyalty to the tribe would have beenquestioned andhewouldhave been brandedasa traitor and expelled. Anyway, RedCloudand the other Mohican tribesmen were currently havinga hard time. Havinglearned to obey their enemiesbysuppressingtheirsouls, it was nowtime to transnt and develop the strength that theyhad gained from the invaders. The Mohicanpeople received specialguests not long after theyrealizedit. Weare fromParis. Some strangersintroduced themselves likethis. Itwas truethat therangeoflife andperception of NativeAmericans was narroparedtothoseofEurope. However, nomatter how narrowitwas, they knewwhichcity Paris was. Itwas especiallytrue forthe Mohicantribe, which was tryingtoget usedtothe civilization of white people. I have always thought of France as a countrythat is fighting Britain handinhand with the UnitedStates. Of coursethats true. However, there is asaying in the iron rules of internationaldiplomacy: Thereisnoeternal ally or enemy. There areonly opponentswho can benefit me and those whocant. We came herethinkingofthe Mohicans as the former. What theFrench suggested wassurprising. Youwant to hire the warriors of ourn as guardsfor the viges of Dahlonegaand Vi Rica? Thats right. His Majesty, the Emperor of the Empire, has been delegated economic anddevelopmentrights to severalvigesinGeorgia for50 yearsinexchangefor tolerance forthe United Statestradeagreement. AndHis Majestywantstosharethe wealth andvalues thatgrow naturallywith thenatives whowere theoriginalowners of thend. !! The Mohican tribesmen were stirredupbystories that could not be easilybelieved. Red Cloud narrowed hiseyes. Therewere several nativesliving in Georgia, and among them was theMohican tribe. He had heard about thenumber of French migrants increasing sharplyinthe pastyear or two. He thought thatthe involvement of the FrenchEmperor wasquitesuspicious. The storiesofNapoleonBonaparte, theEmperor of France, had been toldacross the seaand had reached thisce. Stories about Europe, thendofwhitepeople likethe invaders, andaboutthe kingwho conquered it. But why washetrying to coaxthem from far away? Share the wealthand values It soundslike youknow exactly whatwealth is produced in the viges there andhow big thevalues are. AmI right? Thats right. Then, canI take it as meaningthat thechiefknew about thehidden values of thevigesofDahlonega and Vi Rica? Red Cloud smiledand leaned against achairmade of elks fur. Itwasnt longago thatour tribe settledaround here. But even our sources are notclumsy. Ive known for a longtime that there are gold mines in bothviges. Itwas not necessaryfor themtounderstand right away why Napoleon, who owned the gold mines in exchange for a legitimatedeal with the UnitedStates, would want to share themwith thenative tribes instead of monopolizing them. Inany case, theywouldhave time after epting thecontracttofind outwhether these peoplewere true friendsorinvaderswith hiddenknives behind their smiling faces. I thinkyou willreachout to not only our tribe, but alsomany tribesliving on the continent The morefriends we have in the distance, the better it is. Our Ministry of ForeignAffairs hopes to form aprogressiveandplementaryrtionship betweenthe Empire andthe indigenoustribes, starting with small cooperation. If France hadbeen a countryrightnext to theUnited States, they would nothave fallenfor sucha deal. Because in the end, it would justhave been atricktocovetthendofthe natives. However, Francewas far away across thesea in Europe, and it was difficulttoactivelyintervene in the battlefor supremacy between Britainand the UnitedStates. Red Cloudssenses, as he hadled atribeofthousands of people formany years, were speaking. This could be an inflection point thatwoulddramatically change theMohican tribe, whichwas currently in a tight spot. Our first encounter wasgreat. If we build trust and keep our promises while narrowingthe gap between our positions, we willbeable to aplish manythings. For thefirsttime in hislife, Red Cloud reachedout to awhiteperson first and asked fora handshake. Thiswas an expressionofcourage andwill in itsown way. For revenge, freedom, andsurvivalofhis tribe, he could make friendswith peoplewith faces that resembled theinvadersatany time. The manfrom Francedid not rejectit. I would like to givea word of advice to thenew friendsofour tribe. It is betternot to expect that all nativetribes willbehostile to theinvaders. Keepinmind that there are nota fewofthem whodreamofextremely privateand shallowpurposesinharmony with them. Of course, weare wewareofthat. France willonly reach outtotribes who arefullyawareofthe value of freedom. At least the chief in front of me is a brave man whomeetsthat standard. Thats nicely said. Laughing withhis eyesglowing, Red Cloud asked the tribesmenaround him to step down. The Frenchman, who came as the head of the delegation, also senthis men away and faced RedCloudone-on-one in response. Among thetribesmen of the continentwho harbor thebanner of rebellion against the UnitedStates, there is oneofthe mostcourageous andoutstandingwarriorsI know. However, he is currentlyindanger of losing hisfamily and tribe, and is runningwild recklessly. Please, findhim before theothertribes, stop him, and convince him to n for thefuture. Hmm Who is he? Tecumseh. Wecall himTecumseh.[2]If he joins our cooperation, you willsurely not regretit. The wheel of historywas gradually deviatingfrom itsorbit. === France, a great and glorious Empire. Had theGaulsever hadsuch a brilliant goldenage since theysettled on thisnd? Franceoverpowerednumeroupetitorswho covetedits fertileancientnds with strength and wisdom, evensubdued Britain, andcame to reign undisputed overthe European continent. The citizens of this countrywho werewalking under thetricolorg also deserved to share thisgreathonor. However, European societyinthe 19thcentury hadaplexposition scattered with numerous directionsand diversity. There werealso peoplewho wereexternally pleased withthe great sessoftheircountry, but weredissatisfied or bitter on theinside. Therewere mainlytwo kinds of suchdissatisfied people. The first werethosewho wereopposed to Napoleons reign itself, and the secondwere those whohad beenshunned, orlet alone, in thecurrent imperial system. Theformer was highlylikely tomit treason or rebellion, and so deserved to be ssifiedasdangerous, butthetter shouldbeembracedandforted. Eventhough theyhad not been appointed so far, there was among them important rightpeople indispensable for thetransformationand development of the Empire. Like Carnot, a university professor at Heidelberg, andColin, afraudulent taxcollector, there were people whowere wasting their timenot using their talents. Theywere thepossibilities hidden withinthe French Empire. === On the seapainted in ck, the creaking noise of asailing boat! A hugeswirlingwave of salt, butthe devilsholy water that can never be drunk! The deckfull of saltedbeef, moldybread, and thesmellofrotting wood are exclusivetobravesailors! Exploring the legendaryHoly Grail, weregoing, were going! Ah! The men wear albatrosses around their necks instead of crossesaftera damn longday! Cryingout to God in groaning andweeping, I pray thatI will be awake tomorrow! One could tell by lookingatthe lyrics of this sailors songthat it wasnevermeanttoglorify sealife. Rather, it lookedlike a songaboutwanting to quickly end this difficult life as soonaspossible. But Frenchsailors andmarines often sang thissong. Even more thanLe Chant du Dpart, thenationnthem of the FrenchEmpire. Through thissong, whichdirectlyexpressed the hardshipsand difficulties of sealife, many boatmen wereable tofort and relieve their emotions. Haha! Yourvoiceissoloud today! Come to think of it, youre overflowing withenergy these days! Did somethinggood happen!? Howcan I not be happy thatthe demonicoppressors lickedGauls ground andbegged for life! Hahaha! I keep forgetting thatyoure fromIrnd! Isitbecause Imgetting old? The transport ship headingtoward the maind, whileriding the rough waves of theAnticOcean, was full of cargo. The two mentalking next to the mizzenmast seemedtobeold friends. The sight of a man with impressivered hairand an old manwith white hair nexttohim was very unique. The name of the red-haired Irish man wasDrennan, and the oldman withwhitehair wasPierre. Aftertraveling along the ocean andwind, the wooden sailboat arrived at the docks on theBrittanyPenins. Whilesailors andporters disembarked thecargofrom thetradeship, Drennan andPierre weresupervisingthem andburning tobo. Thesailors calledPierre Captainand DrennanQuarter Master. Once theBritish bastards terriblecoastal blockade is lifted, the traders willbebusy. Therewill be more workfor people like us. Haha Thanks to it, I wont be hungry. But for Drennan, whoknew Pierres true identity, it just soundedlike a joke. As with all thesailors, therewere many personal circumstancesthat ledthem to do such hardand dangerous work. Thesame wastrue of Drennan. He hadsettled in France, dreaming of avery personal revenge. Today is mystday. Oh Areyou leavingnow? Well, youveenjoyed it forquitea long timefor ahobbyofa rich former noble. Ha, but youreleaving with me as well. Pierre smiled at Drennan, whohad astrange expression on his face, andturned to the peoplewaiting forhim outsidethe port. In the attentionofthe sailors, theysaluted Pierrerespectfully. WithoutYour Excellency, howcouldwedefeat the powerful navy of those inders? Wegreetthe heroofthe Battle of theChesapeake Bay. The identity of the oldman withwhitehair calledPierre was PierredeVaugiraud de Rosnay, the bestcaptain of thetime, whomanded thegshipVille-de-Paris under theFrench admiralCountFranois Joseph Paul de Grasse duringthe Battle of theChesapeake Bay, Frances mostdecisivenavalvictory in theAmericanRevolutionary War.[3] TL notes [1]Mohicans [2]Tecumseh [3] Franois Joseph Paul de Grasse, Battle of the Chesapeake. Chapter 94: Chapter 94: 16. Sea Men 2 His Majesty the Emperor is eager for thereturn of the admiral. TheNavy Command willhold themost honorableceremonytoawardYour Excellency. Hahaha His Majestys thoughts reallycannot be understoodbya criminal. Pierreweedtheirserious attitude with abig smile. Im curious about one thing. You mustknow notonly my identity butalso my deeds. Thats right, sir. But youregoingtoept His Majestysorders so straightforwardly? Hasnot evena singleperson objected to this? Pierre de Vaugiraud de Rosnaywas the captain of the Ville-de-Paris and thehero of theBattle of the Chesapeake Bay, but was a representative royalist aristocratwho supported theold system. Withthe French Revolution, numerous nobleswho exploited thepeople wenttothe guillotine. Thesurviving nobles chose to flee abroad or fight revolutionary forces withinFrance, andPierre was, amongthem, a ferociousrestorationistnoblemanwho chose thetter. He joinedthe Army of Cond,[1]an armyofroyalists, foughtagainst thenew government, and sometimesjoined forces with French enemies suchasBritain, Austria, Prussia andRussia to forma unitedfront. Pierrewas an unforgivable traitor fromthe point of viewofthe presentEmpire, thesessor of the revolutionary republic. However, in order to hire sucha traitor, theEmperor, the headofthe Empire, stepped up. The FrenchEmpiresMinistryofthe Interior, which represented theEmperors position, persuadedPierre overa long period of time and eventually madehim ept thetricolorg. Itwas the momentwhen thetraitor returned as theadmiral of thecountry he rebelled against. I know what the admiral is saying. Asexpected, youre worried. However, we arefaithfulservantsofthe Emperorand workfor the prosperity and glory of theEmpire. We dont need our thoughts on what His Majesty is determinedtodo. Itsnot worth it. These werewordswith many meanings. They followed noble purposes, andthe wishes of theEmperor Napoleon. The imperial government and themilitarywere ready to tolerate allthe mistakes the subject had made in the past, andany actsofsavagery. This alsomeantthat theappointmentofthe traitorofthe revolutionwas not even alittle political burdenfor the current Emperor. Its probably like that. Who would dare to speak out against the Emperor who allowed freedomofspeech, freed theyoungmen fromthe military service, and ledtwo hugewars to victory? The Emperor, whomade even Britain, Frances long-time nemesis, kneel down, hadbe truly the king of Europe andwas drawingnumerouslife histories. Andsuch a monsterhad called him. Of course, itwas to appointhim as the captain of agshipand as the admiral of afleet. Pierrehad received aword about todays visit in advanceand had prepared hismind. However, asthe moment of hisreinstatement approached, hispalmsbegantosweatagainst hiswill. His youth, when he wasmoving as one body witha battleship of three-story decks andpetingvigorously with the pirates of the indcountry The lifeonthe deck, which he tried hardtoforget, brought lifeback to hisold heart. Only thencouldPierre knowwhat he reallywanted. Lets change thelocationand continue the detailed story. I shouldexin thesituation to thisconfusedfriend. I had somethingtotell this person, too. Pierre smiledand tapped Drennan shoulder, while receivingthe meaningfulgaze of theFrench envoy. Drennan followed themwith a puzzledexpression. === I will greet you formally. Im VermontMarchal fromthe Ministry of the Interior. The reason we came to visit you in personisbecause we want to invite youtothe Imperial Navy, which willgreatly expandits scale starting fromnext year. He emphasizedthat hisexercisecontained boththe intention of Emperor Napoleon and theapprovalofthe Imperial Council. And it wasalso quickly revealed thatthe imperial cabknew Drennansidentity. Your fatherbravely foughttoprotect thespirit and soul of the Irish peopleand sacrificedhimself nobly. Ofcourse, I feelvery sorry that you hadtohide yourself foryour fathers honor. Drennan, whowas unintentionally hidinghimself with Pierre, was the sonofJohn Murphy[2], akey figure in theIrishindependence movement thattook ce in 1798. However, his father wasa Catholic priestwho could not officially marry or havechildren. Therefore, Drennan spent hischildhood as an illegitimate child. Whenthe Irish independence movement ended in failure and John Murphy andotherleading figures wereexecuted, DrennanmovedtoFrance withthe nanny who raisedhim, which ledhim to where he was now. He was a typicalIrishmanwho helda grudgeagainst Ennd to the bone. Im a little upset to think that people I dont knowdid abackground investigation and evaluatedmylife. Drennan frownedand officials from the Ministry of theInteriorapologized. Even with their apology, Drennans doubtsdid not disappear. Obviously, Pierre wasa legendarycaptain whodefeatedthe Britishnavy, whichwas called theking of thesea. Perhaps it was natural for theEmperor to covet himdespite hispast deeds. However, he was just an Irish quartermaster and an illegitimatechildfrom theremnant of a pastfaction. Whatinthe world did such ahigh-ranking figure seeinhim to try to gethim in the navy? Vermont quicklyansweredDrennans question. Irndhas beeninvaded andpersecuted by Britain for a longtime. Wheneverthe Irish tried to regain their national essence and sovereignty, they were retaliatedwith ruthless ughter. Our Emperor feltdeeply sorry and pitiful for thehistory of theIrish, and he wasvery interested in theirplete independence. IndependenceofIrnd. Ever since OliverCromwelldevastated Irnd and brutally ughtered itspeople, there wasnoword that madethe Irish heart beatmore than that. However, Drennan, whohad spent aconsiderable amount of time as amerchantand asailor, waswell aware of thefear hiddenbehind unconditionalgoodwill. I cant hide my joy andpridethat theEmperor of theFrench Empire valuesthe sovereignty of our small nation. But there shouldbea prerequisitethat theIrishhave to fight bloodily forFrance, right? Vermont repliedwith a smile. Itssimr. You willlead a group of naval squadron withsailors of Irish origin. Of course, this is notmandatory at all, and onlyeliteapplicants from Irndwill be selected Listening to Vermontssuggestion, Drennan smiledself-helpfully. Anothername to call the Irish wasEuropean mercenaries. Irndwas an ind with beautiful natural scenery, but thesoil wasbarren and theclimate wasinconstant, soonly a small number of crops such as potatoes and oats could be grown. Sinceagriculturewas difficult, livestock was inevitably prevalent, but the problem was that all of thnd andcapital insideIrnd were heldbycapitalistsfrom Britain. All the peoplerunningrge farms in Irnd wereBritish, and native Irish peoplehad to surviveeach daybyraising potatoes on barrend. Young Irish men went abroad to find jobstosupport their families. Itwas not surprising thatthey becamesoldiers, the easiest job to obtaininanera of war. In France, therewas aseparatearmy regiment consisting onlyofIrishsoldiers, and Britain wentfurther andabout30% of the British troops whoparticipated in the Iberian Penins Warwere Irish. (The Marquis of Wellingtonwas alsoIrish.) The Irish thoughtthat thepenins war wasa tragedy thatmade them killeach other. Assuch, the people of countriesthat lost their sovereignty wereboundtobe bulletsinforeign wars. Ina word, Francewas now askingthem to fight andbleedatsea in return forhelping their homnd escapeBritish oppression. Ofcourse, there would be no definite contract or agreementtomake theEmpire keepits promise. Thiswas the reality of anation thatwas not even aweak country. QuarterMaster Drennanlookssuspicious of theEmpiresintentions. Tobehonest, yes. It is truethat ourIrishpeople are determined to makeany sacrificesinordertoescape fromEnnd. But the Empires proposal is toovague. And even if we ept, i dont think that us joiningwill improve alot of things. Haha Compared to theinders, theEmpiresnavalpowerisweak. But the Imperial Navy willsoon develop brilliantly. Youwill be able to check it out yourself. You haveanswers to everything. Vermontsmiled brightly. His Majesty has already helped a countryregain its sovereignty andnationalitywhen it wasgroaningunderthe oppressionofinvaders: the Kingdom of Pnd nowstands proudlyonthe easternborder of the imperial federation. If youstandonthe sideofHis Majestyand the Empire, Irndwill surelybeable to regainits sovereignty. Drennanknew well thathewas being used, but he could notfind a wordtorefuse. In fact, Franceclearly revived the Kingdom of Pnd by crushing allthe powers aroundit. AndifIrndsplete independence threatened Britains back, it could notbebetter for France. In theend, Francehad enough motivation, ability, andjustification to actively support Irnds independence. The situation in Europecannot be predicted anyway. If thats thecase, the answer would be to stick to thestrong. He still did notthinkthat Francewouldcreate anavalforcparable to that of Britain. Becausethe sea wassti British territory. However, Drennan believed. Napoleon Bonaparte, the monarchwho finallydefeatedthe numerous powers that dominated Europeand conquered thecontinent, would surelyachieve somethinggroundbreaking. === Itwasmon to prepare for thenext warimmediatelyafterthe end of thepreviouswar. Because an imperfect peace would eventually led to another war. That wasa fact thatNapoleonknew andthat British politicians had probably guessed. Thetime of thedecisivebattle would surelye in the near future. Napoleon reformed the Frenchmilitaryata frightening pace after the negotiationswith Britain wereconcluded. Hisfirsttask wasthe revivalofthe French Navy. The country thatcontrolsthe sea will soondominatethe world. Napoleon did notforget the proverb thathad almost been trueinthe world where he camefrom. Of course, the French Republic in theotherworldand the current French Empirehere differed in various ways, including their territories withinthe continent or oversea, their industry, economy, and political system. However, scbility andliquidity throughthe sea were one of thefundamentalreasons formaking the country richinboth worlds. In order to enjoy itsadvantages reliably andstably, havinga powerful navy was essential. France should have at least enough naval power to cool downBritish chatter. In the aftermathofthe revolution, alot of aristocratic officers serving in the Navy leftatonce, and due to Nabots policy prioritizingthe army, old battleships hadnot beenproperlymaintained. Moreover, Frances naval power almostdisappearedafterfailing several external maritime expeditions (Battleofthe Nile, Battle of Trafalgar, etc.).[3] Itwas rtivelyeasy to restore something when halfofitstillremained. However, it tooka lotofeffort, time, andfinance to build up from the basic stage what had been smashedtothe bottom. But ahead of thisdifficult and daunting work, Napoleon wasconfident. Why? Because eveninthe other world, he hadalready experienced numerous trialsand errors while restoringthe navy. Weneed skilled and loyal sailors, newstandardised ships madeofexcellent material. On topofthat, wewill take Britishnavaltactics andoperationaltechniques, and add excellentcannon firing devices and fast firing cannons. The first part was to establisha steadily increasing budget forthe Navyand aprocurementn forship materialswithout shortage. The secondwas to recruitexcellent engineers, woodworkers, and industries to preparefor the constructionofnew battleships and frigates. The third wastoconduct systematic and regr training and practice to fosterskilled crew membersand experienced naval officers. The fourth wastoestablish naval academyschools to improve the quality of naval officers who hadbeen ipetent so far, to forma sense of homogeneity, and to establish a trustmunity at theship level. I dont envythe BritishNavy at this rate. Unless an ipetent admiral likeVilleneuve[4]leads it. Napoleon wasa geniusind warfare, buthewas almost a novice in naval warfare. Therefore, the best thing he could do was to prepare the best naval fleet and hand it overtoapetentand experienced admirnd not interferewith anything. The reportthat he waslooking at containedone persons name. Pierre de VaugirauddeRosnay, thehero of theBattle of the Chesapeake Bay. Hewas the manwho had blocked to the endthe fleet of HoratioNelson, whowas the pride of Britain. TL notes [1]Army of Cond [2]JohnMurphy [3]Battle of theNile,Battle of Trafalgar [4]Pierre-Charles Villeneuve Chapter 95: Chapter 95: 17. The Great 1 Fontaine Street: Paris is having such abeautiful time(Belle poque) right now! Peaceand glory to His Majesty! March 15, 1817. If it hadbeen theoriginalhistorical flow, Francewouldhave hadtosuffer the humiliation of givingupParis, the city of light, to itsold enemiesinexchangefor the great failure of the Russian expedition, losing itsvast territoryand bing awar criminal. However, inthis twisted worldview, one person appeared, and the years of humiliation anddisgracewere transformed into aprelude to glory filledwith light. The French Empireremainedundefeated. And it was dominating WesternEurope, wavingits brilliant bannermore than ever. This indicatesthat theimperialgovernment hasrepaid 84.6% of the total of 919.2 million francs borrowed from the Bardi, Switzend, and Hond banks. This is the amountincluding the principnd interest thatthe governmenthas to pay back by early 1819. Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin[1], the French Minister of Finance, expressedthe Empires debtsituation witha confidentvoiceatthe Louvre Pce, where the Imperial Council was held. What this meant was clear. The French Empireseeded in shakingoff all theaftermath of the past wars, and thefinancesinvestedinthem could be used for socialcapital, militarycosts, and internal funds in thefuture. France had paid interest and refunds on money borrowed fromseveral banks andcapitalistsintime without missinga singleone. Itwas apolite andmon-senseattitudethat wasquitefar fromthe usual French traditions of borrowing money. Many banks, investmentsand securitiesfirmswere surprisedbythe sincerity anddiligence of France. The consistency shown in therepayment ofrge loans soonled to afavorable fiscal evaluation and an increase in financialcreditworthiness. In the end, it became a goodmeanstopromote thepowerofthe imperial economytoneighboringcountries and to advertisetointernational capitalists that theywere reliable investment targets. Howwouldthey notuse sucha great position politically? Currently, notonly members of the Imperial Council but also reporters from major media outletsdispatched were presentatthe meetingtolisten to eachministrys deration. JustasBritains Westminster Parliamentinvited outsiderstoshow offits political achievementsateveryopening ceremony, the French EmpireParliament also organized simr events. Political journalists busily wrote down the words of theMinisterofFinance Gaudin. All of thisisthe achievement of His Majesty the Emperor, whoreorganizedthe system to revivethe dying economytoimprove thenationsfiscal situation andefficientlyutilize thewasted budget of each ministry. Long liveHis Majestythe Great Emperor!! Hurrah! p, p, p, p, p! They shoutedhurrah eventhough no one asked them to. Spontaneous cheersand apuse resonated in theLouvre Pce. Reputationand treatment, that deserved a standing ovationrather thanfrowns evenout of context, werea higherpraise thanany other rhetoric or reverence forthe heroatthe peakofhis great journey. Napoleon Bonaparte, who still lookedsolemn at the centerofthe hall, smiled slightly as he heard thecheers of the passionatewmakers andreporters. Fouryearsand eight months have alreadypassed since I woke up in this body, in anotherworldthat sharesthe sameera. Looking back, it was a longand hardjourney. He wasstillfar awayastohow to return to theworldheoriginally lived in. Hecouldnot hidehis depressed feelings forthat part becausehecouldnot finda clue. However, hewas proud of the feats that he had built up as theEmperor of theFrench Empire, even if he hadvery high evaluationstandards for himself. Heendedasquickly as possible theRussian expedition, which wasreally reckless and foolish, as well as the long-drawn penins war. He dideverything he could in theprocess, and won against bothBritain andRussia. Needlesstosay, it wasanoverwhelming military achievement, butNapoleonwanted to achievea higherscoreinotherareas. After endingthe war, hewas mostimmersedinthe nations overalleconomicreform and trade revolution, instead of fostering strongeliteforces or preparing fora newwar. The first thing Napoleon did with Franois Carnot, after returning to Paris at theend of the peninswar, wastolowerforeign importand export tariffs and lift restrictions on exportitems. Since tariffs betweenthe regionshad alreadybeen removed to revitalizethe local economy, the volumeoflogistics and transportation in Francehad beencontinuously increasingwhilenew bridges, roads, andcanals wereconstructed. As logisticstransportationbetween citiesand provinces becameactive, it wasnatural to move toward thegrowth of overseas trade. Thereduction of tariffsand the lifting of export restrictionswere a stepping stone. With theabolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, the growthofyoungworkers, logistics, andthe resumptionoftradbined, gavethe Empires economya driving force to growsignificantly. And whatfocused on this was also the application anmercializationofthe machinery industry reproduced in France. Last year(1816), theEmpirestotalexports were about 248 million francs. Its only beenthreemonths since 1817, but if this trend is maintained, itsestimated thatitcouldsurpass thethreshold of 300 million francs. This is a veryencouragingfigure considering thatthe Empires total exportsfive years agowere farbelow100 millionfrancs. The Minister of Trade andIndustry, Jean-BaptisteCollin de Sussy[2], wasalso proud to revealthis beautifchievementthat urred duringhis term. Thankstothe hardimitation of Britishpatents, France was able to promotecotton, paper, and craft industriesusingcoal andsteamengines on a national level, which soon led to an explosiveproduction. Eventhough the coastal blockade was liftedand the exportroutes throughthe sea were secured, it was mostlythanks to the mechanical revolutionthat Frances exports jumped so sharply in sucha short periodoftime. Frances economywas growingatnearly 10% every year. Thefact that internationalcapital wascurrently drawn to France hada good reason. Aftereconomicreform and trade revolution, it wasthe turnoftax reform andadministrativerevolution. Previously, Frances tax systemwas still the same as the medieval one, which tooka certain amount perperson and a certainamount per householdatonce. On top of that, taxes were createdunderall sorts of misceneousnames, suchand tax, licensetax, toll tax, rental tax, window tax, clothingtax, etc. making it difficulttofind equityand rationality. Inparticr, peoplesdissatisfaction was so great because of the severeexploitation of French farmers and footwear merchants. Napoleon abolishedthem all. In addition, ietax and direct-indirecttax wereapplied after theBritish taxsystem, anda newconcept of progressiveie tax was introduced, which increased thetaxesbasedonthe money earned. Thisprogressiveie tax, whichwas first mentioned in British economist Adam SmithsThe WealthofNations''[3], was a system linking ie andtaxes. Peopleinthe low-iesswere notified of their taxes in a muchsimpler andclearer waythan before, but even the amounttobepaid wasmuch less thanbefore. Atfirst, theydoubted their eyes, buteritbecame their daily routocheerand shout Long livethe Emperor! Onthe contrary,ints fromcapitalistswho had to payhuge taxes becamewidespread, asthey earnedhigh ie. They led a strong protest collectively, but Napoleon proceeded with it firmly. Anyway, France is in themidstofeconomicdevelopmentand highgrowth, givinghuge profits to capitalists who invested money. Wecan soothe them roughlybyalleviatingsome regtions andsanctions on someofthe state monopoly industries. AsNapoleonexpected, the collective behavior of capitalists quicklysubsided. Becausethey knew it as well. Overall, there was no marketlike FranceinEurope, which wassuffering fromaneconomicdownturn. This was theonly ce where peoplecouldearn more evenifthey paid alot of taxes, so capitalists could notleaveFrance evenafteining. Thiskind of power wasunimaginable for Franceinthe past. I canconfidentlysay thatthe resultsofeconomicdevelopmentthat have led to thesess of national revenues arealso theresult of continuoussoundnationalmanagement. TheFrench Empires revenueost year (1816), announced by the Minister of theImperialTreasury, NicsFranois[4], was811.4 million francs, which might not seem muchdifferent fromthe previous revenueof668 millionfrancs in 1811. However, the twowere differentintermsoftransparency of tax revenue. In1811, the total amount of revenue wasrge, but morethan 30% evaporated duetothe presence of illegalrecipients andcorrupted officials in themiddle. Onthe other hand, mostofthe revenuecouldnow enter the state administration officeafterimproving the taxreceipt methodfor transparent tax procurement, establishing strict management norms for corruption, andpreventing leaking taxes. Inotherwords, the soundnessofthe national finances had been raised through the properadministrationand system. Since the revenue in 1811 includedall kinds of specialtaxestocoverwar expenses, thedifference widened evenmore. French economists and officialsfrom theMinisterofthe Imperial Treasury all agreedthat this years revenue would surpassthe pastyears, and that the growthtrendwouldalso continue. At a timewhen most European countries continue to grow low withoutpletelygetting outofthe economic downturn, allkindsofeconomicindicators andliving bnceare drawinganupward trend by the Empirealone. Now thepeople of the Empirespendtheirdays praising Napoleonthe Great from morningmass to dinner. No one candeny that all of this is the resultofthe economic reform ledbyHis Majesty. The Great, theGreat. Napoleon heldupaintatthe words of an obedientwmaker. He didnot knowthat he would be calledthe Great, which wasonly given to FriedrichII, Henry IV, andSuleimanI[5], when he hadnolegitimacy. Journalists wererather actively blowingwind here, andeven artists who were allowedalmost infinite freedomofexpression were not sayingmuch about this atmosphere. Even those picky people were acknowledginghis achievements. Napoleonrecalledhis New Yearsspeech at La Floretta Square in Paris earlier thisyear. Courageous and righteouscitizensofFrance, whom I love. I would like to say thank youfirstfor yourinterestand effort iningall the wayhere to fill the seats. I am very happy to see you. And there aresomany thingsI want to tellyou. I havenot forgotten howweworked together and supportedthe burden until theend whenthe Empire waswalking on a difficult path. Youare the first contributor to thecreationofa prosperous Empire today. I hope you will always remember it andbe aGaul youcan be proud of. Its not just about loyaltyand dedicationtorisk your lives to fight for thesake of your countryagainst external enemies. It canbesaid that living your daily life, fulfillingyour dutiesinyour positions, defending your families, andliving an honest life are ultimately the wayfor the country. In that respect, you arewarriorswho havedevoted themselves to the Empireenough! I willneverforget thamitment. There were no morepeople who lookeddoubtfully at Napoleon standing on thepodium. As if staring at the stars in thenightsky, their eyes lookingatthe Emperorshonebrightly. ThecitizensofParis, who could be said to be the biggest beneficiariesofFranceseconomicgrowth, fell in lovewith theEmperor more thananyone else, as he allowedthem to enjoy a morerxed, abundant, and worry-free lifethan before. At theend of his speech, citizens shoutedNapoleonBonapartesname, followedbyThe Great!. That was when Napoleon was calledThe Great for the first time. When he first stepped intothis world, the evaluationofthe man named Napoleon Bonapartewas dividedinto twoextremes. He wasnotoriouslyknownasthe god of war, the king who conqueredEurope, theCorsica viger whobecame Emperor, the unstoppable dictator, the terrible war fanatic, andthe traitorwho corrupted therevolutionary spirit. In Spain, Austria, and Prussia, he wasmonly calledthe devil of hell, the yer, and thesecond ck Death. Even withinthe Empire, such differentopinionsofNabotalso meant that his position wasatstake. But Napoleon reversed theevaluation of this body. The moreI receive thesepliments and praises, thebetter I want to do. Dear citizens of France, whatmore shouldI do foryou to be satisfied with myself? The Great wasstinunfamiliar title. However, Napoleondid not want to disappointthe peoples expectations. Napoleon got up from his seat while listening to theadmirable apuse of those who filledthe hall. Finally, it was histurn to read his deration. TL notes [1]Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin [2]Jean-Baptiste Collin de Sussy [3]TheWealth of Nations [4]Nics Franois, Count Mollien [5]Frederick theGreat,Henry IV of France,Suleimanthe Magnificent Chapter 96: Chapter 96: 17. The Great 2 Prague, acewherethe passion, romanceand soulofbohemians lived and breathed, was one of Europes most preferred citiesfor renowned artists. War, nationalconflicts, andpolitical conflicts were difficult to find in acity filledwith neossical, romantic, andrealism styles. It wasand of romantics filledwith only culture, art, and people whoenjoyed it. Ludwig van Beethoven[1], amaster and great musician of thetimes, was also one of these Praguelovers. Hedid not like thiscevery much at first. He wasborn in thecity of Bonn, Prussia, butthe citythat allowed him to learn music wasVienna. When he wasyoung, he studiedinVienna and went throughnumerouslearningand exchanges with the musiciansthere, and in theprocess, henaturally tookprideinbeinga musicianfrom Vienna. Cities known for being and of art andculture had their own sense ofpetition, whereartists wholearned andengaged in arthad to prove themselvesbetter for thehonorofcities (or universities) and sponsors. Since Vienna andPrague werecitiespeting forthe top of culture and artwithin Austria, it was natural thatBeethoven, whoconsidered Viennathe homeofhis heart, hated Prague. However, hisperception changed little by littleasheyed and coboratedinPrague withthe supportofPrince Lichnowsky[2]and other aristocrats. The condescensionofmusicians fromPrague was still ugly, butBeethoven could never hatethe cityaslong as there were happy audiences whopurely enjoyedmusicand admiredit. If Viennahad an aristocratic andauthoritarian aspect, Prague hada more poprandmon-ss-centered character. It wasnocoincidencethat Beethoven, who wasdeeply immersed in the idea of republic and human equality, was attracted to Pragues atmosphere. InMontina concert hallinPrague Pce, nobles fromBohemia approached Beethoven, who was seatedinthe VIP seat of the concert hall, pretendingtoknow him. After greeting him, theywanderedaround as if theywere in need of something. When Beethovenput his fingeronhis chinwith a displeasedexpression, only takingthe informal politeness, the noblesreturn to their ce withbright faces. Therewere a lot of them. Thenobleand the musician (artist) were in artionship in which thetterunterally courtedthe former. It was because musicians gainedthe right to ytheirperformances to the publiconly when theyreceivedfinancial supportandworksupport from the aristocrats. However, the story was differentfor the fewmusicians who hadrisentothe level of master. Beethoven, whowas evenconsidered to surpass Haydn and Mozart[3], was in a position where he did notneed to regretthe sponsorship of the nobles. Treating aristocrats in an ignorant manner could also be regarded as acranky characteristic of someonewho had reached the level of a master. A veryspecial guest is here today. He is so famousthat it is rude to listthe numerous concertos, symphonies, and solosongshewrote. Hereisthe Kapellmeisterofthe Kassel Court Orchestra, Ludwig vanBeethoven! pp p pp!! The audience, includingthe nobles, apuded and marveled at theappearance of thefamous person, and the members of the Montina concerthall swallowedtheirsaliva whenthey sawthe master, showing both tensionand expectation. Beethoven got up from his seat and greeted thembriefly. Soon after, the orchestra started ying. Beethoven had long starting to losehis hearing. It was nopletely lost, buthecouldhardly hearthem y. Nevertheless, Beethoven wasoftenshowing hisface to eventslike this recently, bing a decorationfor the audience to seeand enjoy. One of the reasons was to payfor living expenses, but the more important reasonwas musicalinspiration. A feastoftens of thousandsofnotesflowing on hisskin, not his ears, hadbeen inspiringhim withnew stimuliand inspiration these days. Beethovenalso liked this scene where the whole audience listened to themusicwith concentration, even if it was notthe music he yed. A newspaper cameinto Beethovens eyes, as he wasenjoyingthe atmospherearound him sofortably. Hepicked up the newspaperfrom a local journalinPrague thatwas randomly lying on the groundasifits original owner had abandonedit. A name on theheadlinecaught his eye. Napoleon Bonapartes NewYears addresstothe Imperial Council Beethovenstared at the newspaper. The scenery of the concert hallwas no longer visible. Therepublicanswho wanted to overthrowthe old systemhad put their expectationsinone person. A man named Napoleon Bonaparte. Beethoven had been one of them, andhad prayed forNapoleons sess eventhough he was from an enemy country. However, as this ambitious manascendedtothe position of Emperoronhis own, hpletely broke theexpectations of Beethoven andthe other people whosympathizedwith theideasofhumanequality. I didntwant to hear about thisman, butI cant help it. After all, Europe wasconquered and is nowunderNapoleons feet, so thecontrarywouldbestrange. Therepublicans, who hadtheirhopesonNapoleon, turnedpletely and threw allkindsofcurses againstthe traitor. His dictatorshipwithout control had to be defeated. ording to their theory, the fakeEmperor full of contradictions and hisEmpire would fallina short periodoftime. However, Napoleon Bonaparte wrote history by creating anew myth, and theFrench Empire wasatits peak. Thebrilliant achievements, sesses, andidealstateaffairs were enough to confuse the cursing republicans. TodaysEmpire willbemore proud andjust forthe people than yesterdays Empire I believeit, as do the loyal government officials here, thebravegenerals, and thefaithfulschrs. In order to continue this sess, the efforts of the entirecab to promote reform anddevelopmentwithout a break, andyour activesupport areneeded. Thanks to the blood andsweatofmany citizens, the Empires finances allow us to carry out various construction andinvestments. I intend to invest these capitals in infrastructure andwelfare budgets in our oldand sicksociety. Ina speechtothe Imperial Assembly, Napoleon promised socialsupport forthe poorand vulnerable, saying, All imperial citizens have the right to be protectedbythe Empire. Thephrases cited here rtedtoArticles1 and13 ofthe Deration of the RightsofMan and of theCitizen issuedbythe French Revolutionary forces after thehistoricstormingofthe Bastille prison in 1789. Napoleonwent even furtherfrom here. He arguedthat theideasoffree andequalhumanrights required governmentassistance forthosesuffering frompoverty, disability, and age. Evenifmembers of a family were bornlow, poor, or even disabled, they had therighttoenjoypersonnd family happinessaslong as they wereborn French. European monarchs andnobles who heard of this deration did nothide their ridiculous looks. A countryboy fromCorsica wasunderthe illusion of equality and happinessofthe majority to hidehisplex. When theyheardtheseunsuitable words, they thought thathewas imitating a monarchoftolerance and enlightenment as if he wereFriedrich the Great. However, the emotions feltbythe intellectualsand artistsinEuropeansociety were different. Howshould we treat him if he really, really, triestorealize what he said? Should we criticizehis pasts actions of ascending to thepositionofEmperor andsetting theframework for lifelong dictatorship? Or should we support his current actionstospread human rights, utilitarianism, and equality? If it were before, hewouldhaveughed and said Do youbelieve Nabots words of deceit andhypocrisy? Idiots! However, Napoleon wasreally different from before, and the anecdotesand recordsofhis changeshad spread allover Europe. Beethovenstilldid not like Napoleon, butnow he did notturn a blind eye to hiswordsand promises. What Beethovenremembered when he saw thename Napoleon wasthe symphony Eroica, which he still cherishedthe mostand performed very often. The original title of thissong wasBonaparte, noneotherthan Napoleons family name. At ime, Beethoven thoughtofNapoleonBonaparte as the best and ideal ruler of this era andwrotethis song to portrayhis sessstory. However, angry at Napoleons alteration, he scratched hisname on thecover, and eventually the song was released under thetitleEroica (heroinItalian) instead of theoriginaltitle. Evennow, he hadnoregrets about hischoice. He wasresentful for notrecognizingthe traitorwho had falleninto power. However, much of hisblindangerand the past betrayal had long since beenwashed away. After bing Emperor, Napoleon wielded unparalleled power andruledthe countryatwill like Louis XIV, the Sun King. Butheeventually becamea personwho knewhow to respectparliament andcab, receivedabsolutesupport from the people, and turnedtothe lowest peopleofthe Empire. TodaysNapoleonwas in linewith Beethovens idea of an ideal ruler. Exceptfor being asecr monarch by himself. Ifhehadnt be theEmperor, therewouldhave been no one more suitable thanhim as the hero of Eroica Huh, whatamI thinking! Beethovenshookhis headwith a little smile on hisface andturned his gaze backtothe concerthall. Hehad longput downthe newspaper. Soonafter, the flow of melodies on his skin stopped. Beethovens ears, which almost lost their hearing, still heard rtivelyclearly theconcert hall being filled with apuse and cheers. Beethovendid not stand up like the peoplearound him, but he apuded while sitting down. He was a little sorry fornot having fully enjoyed the performance. What did themaster think about their performance? Wasntitreally great? Beethoven smiledand responded to thewordsofthe blushing noble woman who wassitting next to him. Overall, it canbesaid to be a march of high-levelvirtuosity andclever counterpoint. Except thatthey arefollowing the trend of thebaroque days of the past. By the time the woman, who did notunderstand hiswordsproperly, turned herhead, Beethoven had already leftthe concerthall. A gentlesmilewas hangingonhis face. === Franois Carnot, who tookofficestyear as thenew chief executive of theImperialCab, recalledthe passionatespeech of his monarch froma week ago. Under my reign, the people of theEmpire willnolonger suffer from hunger andhardship. The Empirewill bericher and greater in the future. I promise it to youhere. The fact thatyou are a French citizen borninFrance willcontinuetoberegardedasthe first thing to be proud of. TheGreatFrance is evengreater (LaGrande France estencore plusgrande)! Rememberthis slogan. It willbea symbolofthis era, and will be heard and sung countless times in thefuture. At first, theEmperor spoke to themembers of thecab andtothe people in theImperialParliament, but he gradually expanded thesubject of hiswords. His speech, which he dered as if it werea pledgetothe people of theFrench Empire, conveyedanunhiddensincerity. Carnot, whoinitially doubtedhim, no longerdid. TheEmperor truly cared forand loved his people. Looking at the Emperor of the past during thePrussian-Polish expedition, philosopher Georg WilhelmFriedrich Hegel had calledhim theworld-soul on horseback.[4] Carnot felta simr feeling. However, the Emperor was notsitting on a horse, butwas on the podiumofthe Imperial Coud in front of the citizens. I dont wanttoremain in absolute power until my death. The first words spokenbythe Emperorwho called Carnotone day were verysurprising. Many European intellectualscriticized me andcursed me witha contemptuoustone forthrowingaway thebanner of the revolution containingthe spirit of freedom, equality, and brotherhood and bing a secrmonarch. IfIm not mistaken, you would havebeen oneofthem. I wont deny it. But, I say thiswith my heart andsoul, itwas ameansand never apurpose. At that time, France wasextremely unorganized internally, and externally threatenedbythe intervention of numerous powers. To ovee this, asingle, vertical, and intuitive systemwas needed. If allthe dangersthreateningFrance disappear andthe countrystabilizes, I will giveupmypositionasEmperor without regret. !! Sodontbetoo disappointed in me. Just sitclosetomeasyou are nowand givemethe right advice on themanagement of theEmpire. Andprepare themost correct and reasonable measures thatyou can take in caseI abdicate. What was left after theplicated thoughts that ran through his head was by no means negative. I willdomybest, Your Majesty. It was themoment whenFranois Carnot could fully trust theman named Napoleon Bonaparte. TL notes [1]Ludwigvan Beethoven. Heres an photo of thescratched title pageofthe Eroica Symphony: [2] Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky [3]Joseph Haydn,Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart [4]Heres an illustration of Napoleon andGeorg WilhelmFriedrich Hegelmeeting in Jenain1806: Chapter 97: Chapter 97: 17. The Great 3 At first nce, the full-bodymirror in front of him lookednormal. However, it wasdecorated witha silvertray carvedbyJean-Baptiste Lemoyne, themost famoussculptorofthe first halfofthe 18thcentury in France. It could be said to be avery expensiveand meaningfulrelic, enough to light theeyes of vain and extravagant European aristocrats if it wasonthe market. Napoleon, standing in front of themost expensivemirror in the TuileriesPce, lookedathimself in themost luxuriousway. He recalled thepast. After the BattleofHrodna, he hadput on his uniform to go to the end-of-war negotiations with Russia, and had stood in front of a full-length mirror as he wasdoingnow. The well-maintained middle-aged manhad disappeared, anda penguin witha body withouta singlemuscle and only abelly(witha slightly stripped head) hadbeen showing in ablurry look. Howembarrassing and shameful haditbeen? Napoleon had been veryfrustrated. Even on hisway backtoParisaftersigning theagreement, he felt thathis internal condition wasmore serious thanhis uglyand pathetic appearance. Chronic stomachpain, cough, fever, difficulty breathing even skindiseasesbotheredhim. He hada bitofeverything. Napoleon had started taking care of his body in earnestwith a strong feeling thathewouldnotstlong if he just lived likethis. Despitethe concerns of people aroundhim, he continuedregr high-intensity exercise, strict dietmanagement, and regrlife under close consultationwith hisfamily doctors. With afirm determination to get outofthis unrecoverable body, he clenched his teeth andpersevered. Fouryearshad passed since then. Napoleon, who worked so hard thathewas evenadmired by hismarshals, was able to regain hispast appearance and health. A happysmilewas drawn on his face lookinginthe mirror. As expected, this is my body. ButI couldntpletely erase the storm of time. His body, which wasmoderately thin, with almost no fatand withstic muscles, wasexactly what Napoleon had beforemoving overtothis world. Thincheeks, prominentcheekbones, and prominent eyelids. It wasNapoleonBonapartesbeautiful facethat hadbeen hiddeninthe flesh. Many peopleargued thatNapoleon has changed, but behind that im, such achanged appearance musthave yeda bigrole. Nothing stood outasmuch as an outward change. Napoleonssideburns, as he was48 yearsold now andclearly middle-aged, were more grayishthan before. It wasasifproving that the passage of timecouldnot be deviated. He wassoimpressed withthe way he took specialcare of hisbody that he did notlowerhis headany more. Afterbing his hair well, he could see a middle-aged man in a veryaristocratic atmosphereinfrontofthe mirror. Asexpected, amansappearance washis confidence. He was very satisfied. Your Majestys speechatthe Louvre Pceisresonating with the media, salons, andsquares. Most of them agree withthe values andrights asserted by YourMajesty. Public opinioninareaswherethe poorlive is also verygood. They believe in YourMajestys promiseand are waiting for follow-uppolicies. If we providea support nfor thisassoon as possible, theirsupport forYour Majesty willbeeven stronger Baron Fain, his secretary, followed Napoleon as he was changing hisclothes, and detailed the reactionstohisstspeech. Theimpact was notsubsiding overtime. Napoleonwas calm, but he seemedmore excited. Or maybe he felt sympathy for thepolicy. Therehad beenseveral discussions in Paris, Washington, and Berlin in thepast on thebasicrights thatpeople would receiveintheirlives. In the UnitedKingdom, itwas alsoa point that candidateshad always spokenout to attractvoters at every election season. However, the Emperor of the Empire, who wasexercising absolute power, had never donesodirectlyinfrontofthe Parliamentand the press. It was natural to fe differentlevelofweight thanbefore. Baron, I think we can proceed alittle slowly on that matter. Yes? It means we dont have to fly toohigh like the wings of Icarus. Yes, I will takeyour order, Your Majesty. Baron Fain, who sawthrough Napoleons intentions, immediately changedhisplexionand did notbringupthestspeech. As expected, hewas aquick-witted and agile man. Thereisnodoubtaboutmyloyalty to Franceand affection forthe people. But I must still putupboundaries. Toomuch wasjust as badastoo little. Just as excessivekindnesscouldbea nuisance, running state affairs in the rulers position required moresophisticated hasty control thanleading thearmy in war. Investment in social facilities, support for thepoor, the vulnerable, and even the working ss, of course, was necessaryand should be done someday. It wasdifficult to finda betterway to be poprand praisedbyeach ss of society, so it wasalso suitable forgathering national support. But theproblem wasthat peoplequickly getused to therighttoreceive anddid not easilyknow satisfaction. Once youraisethe level of social welfare, youcannot lower it again. There is a limit to the amountofgoodsthat canbeprovided, and it is notpossibletodevote everythingonly to support. Now the economy of the Empirewas rising at a steep pace. In addition, thestructure of the industry andthe ssesofcivilsociety were changing rapidly. There was a needtomaintainthe upward trend forthe timebeing To do so, they should avoid investingtoo muchmoneyinsocial welfare. The most important thing nowwas the growthofthe national economyand the expansionofthe middle ss. Inotherwords, the expansionofsocial welfarecouldbesaid to be a goodsmokescreen. Nevertheless, there wasa reasonwhy Napoleon spoke about the welfare of the poor. It wastoencourage themtolive life in arapidly changing society, where thegap betweenthe richand the poor was graduallywidening. To alleviatethe rtive deprivation theywouldfeel more coldly andtoprevent them fromrevealing anti-government tendencies, support for them would proceedslowly, while narrowly keeping the line where theirintswouldnot burst. Oveingthe system must be transferred peacefullyina state of my will and socialconsensus at eachss. Until then Im sorry, butbig supportisdifficult. To achievewhat he thought was an absolute proposition, Napoleondemonstrated his shady politicalpower. Every timehedid this, he realized thathewas never agood man. Thesituation in the country had improved a lot, but nevertheless, allocating limited resources wassti difficultproblem. === Youre here, YourMajesty. You looksogracioustoday, my Lady. Hoh, Im morehonored to hear pliment from ahero like His Majesty. Charles nanny, Mrs. Montesquiou, covered her mouth anughed. They hadbe close as theywent back and forth to Charles pcea lot, and nowthey could even exchange light jokes. His Highness is takingfencing andsaberswordsmanship lessons. At thesame ce as usual? Mrs. Montesquiou nodded, and Napoleon headed to theterrace. Underthe terraceoverlookingthe artificiake of theTuileries Pce, a tinum blondeboy waspetingwith a man with apracticesword. Hisswiftappearance while movingback andforthina straight line was characteristic of children of hisage. However, nomatter how hard Charlestried, it was impossible for himtogive a blowtothe man in front of him. He wasfacing Baron Debelle[1], who wasone of the best swordsmen in theimperialcourt. Unless Charles was a genius of swordsmanship, whoonly appeared once in athousandyears, it was impossible for theboy who wasonly sixyearsold to stabthe Baron. YourHighness skills aregrowing daybyday! Butyou needtoadjust yourfeet a little more, andthen rx your wrist! Come on again! Baron Debellespared no advice to improve Charles sword skills. Following his words, Charles moved busilyand showed bettermovements thanbefore. Napoleon lookedpleased at thescene. Im veryworried about theacademicteachingfor His Highness theCrownPrince. HisMajestys orders forguidanceare too focused on the useofhis body Charles is still young, soistherea need for himtoalready sufferfrom studying? Its most important forchildrentogrow up healthy. After that, he canfeed hismind. Howmuch hadhefelt nervous withMarie-Louise whenCharles hadfrequentillness when he was younger? These guys did notknow Healthwas the best. Knowledgecouldbeumteter, but if ones healthwent bad, it would not be possible. Wow! Dad! Charles, whofinishedexercising, came running withhis sweaty hair shining. Mrs. Montesquiouand the other servants grabbed their foreheads at theprincesattitudeasheabandoned court etiquette, but Napoleon hugged hisson witha smiling facewithout caring. Your fencing skills have improved alot. Andyou gained weight, too! How can I gainweight in two days? Dadknowseverything. Napoleon kissedCharles on thecheekwith a bright expression, andwas greetedbyBaronDebelle. Youreborn to be apetitorbecause youresembleme, right? Thatsright, YourMajesty! Seeing him activelike this and good at learning is likeseeing YourMajesty as a child. Baron Debelle, who wasyounger than Napoleon, could notknow Napoleons childhood, and he was noteven from Corsica. But Napoleon didnot feelsobad eventhough it was clearly ttery. It appearstobethe bespliment forCharles. It seemedthat Napoleon wasnot the only one feeling good. Charles bright smile tickled his ears. Looking at theclockattachedtothe balcony, there was still quite some timeleft until thestartofhis work. Until then, he should y withCharles. Napoleonwas nning to walkthrough thke andforest withhis son after a longtime. Where is theEmpress? She is weing guestsfrom Austria. I was told 30 minutesago thatitwouldbeprolonged. At the servantsreport, Napoleon raisedone eyebrowasifhedid not appreciate it. After winning the Iberian Penins War, France held the hegemony of Europeinname andreality. Potential enemy countriessuch as Austria, Prussia, andSweden stoppedall suspiciousmovements. At first, itlooked likethey were going to lie t. When the warendedand the situationinEurope stabilized, Austrian diplomats were caught busy moving. Theywere apparently doing their bestinFrance to remove theharshuses of theTreaty of Schnbrunn (theagreement signed in 1809 whenAustria lost to France).[2]Marie-Louise wasthe Empressofthe French Empire, but shewas alsoa memberofthe Austrian imperial family. Napoleon, theImperialCouncil, and the Cab wererumored to be stubborn, sothey seemedtohave decided to focus on her somehow. Theyare still yingtricks likerats. They think that by doing it thatway, I would not budge. Peoplearound him flinched at hiscynical andchilly words. If they wanted to removethe uses, theycouldput acorresponding price on theotherside of thescale. Or they couldpletelyreduce the numberoftroops to showthat they had no will to fight? It didnot lookgood to trytolure Marie-Louisefor their national interests without riskinganything. Mypresent forDad! Napoleon thoughtthat Charles was ying nearthekebecause he could notsee him in front of himfor awhile, but he came backwith something. WhatCharles gave to him, saying it was a gift, was a hardcover bookposed of antiqueparchment. Itwas athickand heavy bookthat wasclearly notsuitablefor Charles Napoleonread thetitleand burst intughter. TheEmperor andthe Giant A story of a giant who didnot knowhow hugehis bodywas, woke up, metthe Emperor, and went out into the world. Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz.[3] Two years ago, a lettercame from the great Polishwriter. He wrote that he wanted to model a character in hisnovfterhim, butNapoleondid not care too much and allowed it. Hewas fromPnd, Frances true ally, so he was notgoingtomock or disparagehim maliciously. He forgotaboutitafterthat, but the novel must havebeenpletedand he senthim alimited edition hardcover. But this little guytook thebook andgave it to himsaying thatitwas his present? Athis sons cuteprank, Napoleon grabbedhis cheek and shook it a little. Even thoughhis white cheek was slightly warmedup, Charlesgrinned at him. Napoleon received the book fromhis son, vowing to readiterwhen he hadtime. Itwas aquietafternoon. TL notes [1]Csar Alexandre Debelle [2]TreatyofSchnbrunn [3]JulianUrsynNiemcewicz Chapter 98: The Great - 4 Chapter 98: The Great - 4 17. The Great 4 So far, the history of the FrenchNavy hadbeen paved with manydefeats. Althoughthey hadsuperiorship manufacturing technology, courageoussailors, and superior woodand artillery than any other European country, theFrench hardly won. This was because their opponent was none other thanthe BritishRoyalNavy, the kingofthe ocean. Thepassionate anpetitiveFrench had been learning and growing up constantlyreflecting on their defeat. However, the British Navycontinued to widen the gapasitevolved at an even faster rate. Enteringthe 19thcentury, the French Navy had benothing more thana meal for theferocious Britishbattleships. The Frenchadmiral instructed his subordinatestorun awaywithout looking backifthey sawbattleshipsdisying theUnionJack. Its pathetic and miserable. France, whichconquered the continent, cannot breathe at sea. TheBritish Navy was by no means invincible. Napoleon knew it better than anyone else, because he had learned it fromhis own experience. Infact, inthe world where he originallylived, HoratioNelson, an invincible admiralwho was iparabletothe currentgeneralsofthe BritishNavy, was holdingout. Nevertheless, theFrench Navy, which had continuedtogrow tremendously, eventuallyseeded in blocking Nelsons fleet. This wasthe result of leading the sailors in the right direction, making continuous investments and givingthem faith in victory, despite theck of talented people that happened due to thepurgeofnavalofficers. ButwouldNapoleon, who hadalready provedonce that the Frenchwere notweak at sea, be abletodothe samehere? Theinstructors evaluationpapers are full of favorable reviews of cadets. Its nota trick to tter me or intemyachievements, is it? OnmyfaithinGod and thehonorofmycountry, I dere to YourMajesty that thisisbynomeanssuch a shameless move! Thecadets are allpassionate about learning, and their abilities areexcellent and exceptional, they deserve to be called warriors of thesea! They are showing infinite loyaltytothe Empire andtoYour Majesty, andare lookingforward to getting on the deck as soonaspossibleandmandingthe battleships. The reportbyMajorGeneral DAutriche, vice-principal of theNantes Naval Academy, was full of confidence, withoutaninch of falsehood. Theprincipal of thismilitaryacademy wasLieutenant General Pierre de VaugirauddeRosnay, an oldroyalistnoblemanwhom Napoleon hadhad ahard time gettingunderhismand. In peacetime, he would pretendtobea retired admiralworking as a teacher, but in theeventofa war, he would immediatelymandthe elite fleet of the Empire. No one would be more suitable thanLieutenant General de Rosnay, who did notlose against AdmiralNelson. The faceofDenisDecrs[1], the Minister of the Navy and theColonies, who waslistening to the reportwith Napoleon, also showedsatisfaction. It wasnatural that the stronger theFrench Navywas, thestrongerhis voice in the cab would be. Thereason why theBritish Navy was strongwas thatithad skilledofficers, sailors, and marines withcountlessbat andsailing experiences. Theydid not lose or suffer much damage in themaritimewar againstFrance, so they survived while umting experience. And by passingthat valuable experience and know-how to their sessors, thevirtuouscyclewas repeated, andthe strength of the British Navywas maintainedover generations. On the other hand, Francelost every time it fought, soitwas unable to maintain a force of skilledofficersand soldiers. Inthe end,tergenerationsoftenclimbed to thedeck without proper education. Thiswas how thegap betweenthe two countrieswidened. After all, excellent manpower was thebasicfoundation to achieve strong maritime power. The NantesNavalAcademy wasa newly created naval academythat implemented naval policies that had been sessfulinthe world where Napoleon originallylived. Naval officers learned about artillery, deck shooting, maritimesignals, and loading, which wereessential for them, andwere trained countless times inbatpractice. In this process, cadets could experience leadershipthat they musthave as officers while leading sailorsand nonmissionedofficersassignedundertheimand, and developtheirability to respond to unexpectedevents at sea. As the educational curriculum was revised to be as close to practice as possible and money andtime were generouslyinvestedforbat training andnavigation practice, satisfactory resultswereingout in ashorttime. The cadetswere graduallytransforming intosea men as theyadapted to theharshenvironmentonthe deck. Napoleon wasreceiving abunchofpapers containinggrades and instructor evaluations of naval cadets from Major GeneralDAutriche, who cametoParishimself forreporting, andread them one by one. There was amon intense desire felt fromthem. It was theyoungpeoplesambitiontosomeday surpass Britainand establish Europes best maritime empire, and to stand tasthe leader of theera. Theyoungpeople of the Empireattheirpeak were so determinedthat they could do anything. Theresa separate reasonwhy I called the minister andthe vice-principal, whomust be already busy. Afterreading thst report, Napoleonswordsmade their heads tilt. Since the armisticenegotiations thatendedthe PeninsrWar, there have beena numberofgood investment proposals received by theimperialgovernment. Amongthem, therewere projects that wereconsidered to be so powerful that theywere regarded as topsecret. WhenNapoleonpped hishandsand senta signal, the door to the officeopened and a man with his servants entered. Hisuniform showedhis rank, indicatingthat he wasanartillery officer. Myname is Henri-JosephPaixhans[2], fromthe 17thBattalion of the Imperial Guard Artillery. I salute YourMajesty theGreatEmperor of theEmpire! Wee, Lieutenant Colonel. I wouldlike to askyou to presentthe new weaponyou made. It would be suchanhonor, YourMajesty! Then lets go to thedemonstration hall. Everyone, get ready to be surprised. Napoleon andLieutenant Colonel Paixhans leftthe office first, and Major GeneralDAutriche andMinisterDecrs shrugged andfollowed. === Ivealready said it, butonce again, pay attention. I think this new project is an innovativeweapon thatwill changethe situation on thesea, so youshould strictly think about its confidentialityasI do. Thecewherethey arrived was an ownerlesssite in thesouthofParis. However, although there was no name to it, it belonged to theimperialfamily, andNapoleonhad beenstrictlycontrollingess to thiscefor severalyears. This is it. Lieutenant Colonel, pleaseexin it to them. Yes, YourMajesty! There wasone veryhuge cannoninfrontofthem. Its too bigtobea field cannon, right? Its not one. Itsa cannonthat canbeused in battleships on thefrontline. But of course, its still bigeven fora ship. LieutenantColonel Paixhans began exining witha triumphant look. Sofar, cannons havebeen usefulbycarryingiron balls andsending them throughenemylinesand units. Modifications weremade, and the cannonballs varieddepending on the purpose of artillery fire, such as shotguns, grape bullets, andchainbullets. Artillery officers havelearned to usethem in therightce, and so have their subordinates. But thisnew cannon andits cannonballs are fundamentally different from those usedbythe imperial armysofar. In particr, I am confident that theywill be able to givea fatal blow to wooden sailing ships. Whatonearthwas thiscannon and theshells contained in it fora lieutenant coloneltobesocondescending in front of them? Major General DAutricheand Minister Decrslooked grim. Watching them, Napoleon smiledinwardly. He usedtobelike that, too. But he changed his expression immediately after confirmingthe power of thisinnovative cannon. Itwouldbebetter to see a demonstrationthan to hear ahundred exnations. Well, get it ready. Lieutenant ColonelPaixhansordered subordinate nomissionedofficersand researchers to operatethe hugecannon. Ammunition was brought, loaded, and then the chamber was adjusted. Ata nce, it was undergoing amuch moreplicated and difficultprocess than ordinary cannons. It wasnot until sometime that it was possible to install the ignition detonator, the final step before shelling. Cover your earstightly. Yes, yes? YourMajesty? Fire! Aaahhhhh! Even if lightningstruck at aclosedistance, it would not be as loud as this. LikeNapoleon, who wascoveringhis earswith hishands, LieutenantColonel Paixhans, the nomissioned officers andthe researchers, whohad coveredtheirears with cotton balls a while ago, were safe, butthe two were verysurprised by the unimaginablesound. In particr, thewig of Minister Decrsflew off, revealing hisbald head ridiculously. But he was so astonished by whathappenedinfrontofhis eyeswith hismouthwide open thathedid not even think of pickinguphis wig. Woaaaaahh!! The bulletfiredfrom thecannon hit theabandoned house thatwas chosen as target. If it had been aregr cannonwith regr bullets, whetheriron or shot, thedemonstration would have beepleted by breaking downthe house withphysicalforceorbymaking rgehole in it. However, the purpose of the shellsproducedbyLieutenant Colonel Paixhans was different. Theywere designed to explode. A red-yellowmethat rose witha roar hit theabandoned house and ck smoke swallowedupthe surroundings. Whenthe smoke subsided, thehousehad disappeared, andonly tracesand debris of theexplosion wereleft scatteredaround it. YourMajesty! Were there anymmable substancesinthe house, like gunpowder, sulfur, or oil!? Theresearcherswouldknow betterthan that, wouldnt they? Th-then!? Lieutenant ColonelPaixhanscontinued to exintothe two, theirsurprisemaking themforget the pain in their ears. The shell I made is notaniron cannonball thatpasses throughthe target, but an explosiveshell thathits thetarget and then explodes. Thatwas right. This was thereason why Paixhans, who usedtobea captain, waspromotedtolieutenant colonel at once, and whyNapoleonprovidedhim withanopen space to conduct top-secretresearch. When Napoleon heard about the research n for this cannon andshells fromCaptain Paixhans, hejudged thatthis would be a decisive weapon in thetimesahead. He immediately invested generous resourcesinit, and twoyearter, LieutenantColonel Paixhans faithfully met hisexpectations. To brieflyexin theprinciple, theshellisequippedwith a fusethat ignites whenthe cannon is fired, and thatmakesthe shell explodewhen it reaches its target. The principle of theexplosive shell was rtively simple. Simrly to conventional cannonballs, a chargebehind the warhead exploded, allowing theshelltofly to the target. However, themain difference was that high-performanceexplosives were concentrated in thewarhead of theshells produced by LieutenantColonel Paixhans. Whenthe shell hit thetarget, theimpact activated thedetonator inside thewarhead, stimtingexplosives andcausing a hugeexplosion. The resulting high heat, mes, and blowwoulddevastate the entirearea andcausegreatcasualties anddamage to the enemy. Special cannonsare needed to usetheseexplosive shells. They arposedofmuch more preciseandplexdevices than conventional cannons. Unfortunately, this cannon, whichcontainssuch devices, is toobig and heavy to be used as afieldgun. However, if it undergoesa slightminiaturization and weightreduction process, there is asufficient possibility that it can be used on aship. Napoleon wasconvinced thatdue to the natureofthe explosion, itwouldhave a stronger effect in maritime warfare thanind warfare. A sailing shipmade of wood, on a deckwheretherewas not much space to avoid, wasa huge and slow target. Innavalbattles where ships on thefirstline fired artilleryshells, this cannon would bring disaster to theenemy. What if French officers, who had been reborn as sea men through an efficientandbat-oriented training process, were given abattleship armed with these gunsand explosive shells? Minister Decrsand Major GeneralDAutriche, who werelistening to Napoleon, also had their heads twirled. Decrs wasfrom thenortheast, thepolitical center of France, and DAutriche was from asoutherncoastal city witha very strong regional feeling. The countryitself was so wide thattherewere many quarrels and disputes between regions, but allofthem hadone thing inmon: the French gathered under theg of France. Through the blood of allthe French wasflowing thesame feeling since the Hundred Years War, after having been brutally beaten by thepirates of that ind country. They hada great dream of conquering Britainbybreakingdown thewooden walls blocking the Dover StraitandndingFrancesGrandArme (Grand Army). Theireyes reflectedsuch a strong desire. Thetwo naturally felt joy from finallyacquiring areliableweapon thatcouldbreakdown theBritish fleet dominating the sea. I named this cannon Paixhans Cannonafterits creator. Arent youlooking forward to it? Theday whena Frenchfleetofwarshipsarmedwith Paixhans cannons and explosiveshells fires mercilessly at the British Royal Navy. ! Ill askthe minister and thevice-director. Are you ready to defeatthem whohold theworlds maritime hegemony, and achieveFranceslong-cherisheddream? They hadonly oneanswer to this. TL notes [1]DenisDecrs [2]Henri-JosephPaixhans Chapter 99: Chapter 99: 18. Reversalofalliance 1 The eraofpeacehad arrivedinEurope, andpeacemeantabundance and stability. There was no longera need for war, or exploitation to prepare for war, and thepeople did notfear fortheirlives. It alsomeantthat they did nothave to hear brutal gunfire and smell rottencorpses. Citizens who remembered the days whenwar was their daily life did notthinkthat thepresent erawoulst. They just prayed to thegod theybelievedineverymorning forthis peaceful life to continue. Onthe other hand, there werepeople who wantedtoshapethesebeautiful presentdays. Artists enjoyed the present by painting peaceful citylife, sculpting great figuresthat ended thewar, or singing in the quiet morning. The atmosphereofpoliticsbegantomix little by littlewith thenaturalnessofsociety. Tensionsbetween countrieshad not yetbeenpletely eased, butthey could notbparedtothe pastbrutality. Atfirst, peace under Frances hegemony seemed to be as fragile as thinice thatcouldbreakwith onehit. However, this thin ice hardened andincreased its thicknessover time. Now, the periodofpeacehad certainly entered astable state. Leaders fromall overEurope werepredicting permanentpeace. Butiftherewas light, there wasalso darkness, like thw of conservation of mass discoveredbythe Russianscientist MikhailLomonosov and organizedbythe great French chemist AntoineLavoisier.[1]Would thetotmount of warsfought by mankindaround the world be preserved? While theEuropeancontinent regained peace after areally longtime, therewere other continents groaning in blood under rough gunfire. Theywere thetwo new continents Americaand South Asia, withIndiainparticr. === Britain, which received theBengal areainexchangefor winningthe Seven Years Waragainst France, gently swallowedupall of India by settingupthe EastIndiaCompany with tax collection, administrative, and judicial powers in India. There was a strong bacsh from indigenousforces againstthis, and the MughalEmpire, theKingdom of Mysore, the Maratha Confederacy, andthe KingdomofGorkha evenformed an alliance againstthe BritishEast India Company, butthey could notwithstand thisinvader whowas vicious, cruel, andsneaky.[2] The BritishEast India Companysarmy, whichwon asweepingvictory over its enemies, swallowedupthe territories of the Indiansubcontinent withouthesitation. The BritishEast India Company was progressively taking over India. And thusa mere freetradpany wassteadilymoving forwardthe unification of the Indiansubcontinent, which no other country thatexisted in South Asia could achieve. The countrythat thekingdom cares about andchecks the most is by far theFrench Empire, with itsEmperor Napoleon Bonaparte. However, evenatthe peakofthe IberianPenins War, the number of troopsdispatched from the kingdom itself wasgreater on theIndian sidethan in Europe. The main battlefield of the kingdom is not Europebut India. Thisshowed how much investmentthe United Kingdom was makingtoget India, calledThe GoldenBird ofSouthAsia. If someonesaid Shakespearecannot be exchanged with India! the Britishwouldanswer Even 100 Shakespeareswouldntbeenough in exchange for India! Themajoritystakeinthe EastIndiaCompany sweeping Indias subcontinent belonged to capitalists dominating the Londonfinancial world. Thoseclosely connectedtoWestminsterpoliticsinfluenced theBritish cab and demanded theconstantexpansion of the territorycontrolled by theEast India Company. The cabalso considered thatthe expansion of theIndian colony wasinthe national interest. They allowedthe forces dispatched there unlimited freedom and ordered themtoactivelysupport theEast India Company. Thisistoinform you that the warbetween thekingdom andFrance has ended. French ships may notgoall the wayhere, but hostileacts against themare prohibited. The kingdom did notsuffer adecisivedefeat, butitissaid to have yieldeda lot. Hmm Its unfortunate, buttheres nothing we can do about it. The purposeofthe kingdomarmy dispatched to India is to eradicate rebelsand expand thekingdoms territory. Francis Rawdon-Hastings[3], 1st Marquess of Hastings, theGovernor-General of India, cut off hisinterestinhis homecountry andcontinued his duties, which was truly what the British governmentand the ownersofthe EastIndiaCompany wanted. Armed with excellent weapons, technology, advanced systems and strongdiscipline, the red coats were adisasterhere in India. As if theywere angry at what their homecountry hadsufferedfrom France, theydid not stop moving forward while shedding the blood andfleshofthosewho confrontedthem or resisted. Theygreedilyswallowed India. In no time, therivers thatthey upied included most of the southern part of the GangesRiver. The kingdomisconquering theworlds richest and most fertilnd while theFrench are bustling in that narrow Europe. Waitand see! This difference willultimately determhe sessorfailure of thekingdom andFrance! After winningthe Mysore-Maratha War, the BritishEast India Company, which moralehad risen to the sky,unched awar again to beatNepals Kingdom of Gorkha, whichprovidedtroops to the Mysoreand Maratharegions through the HimyanMountains. The 80,000 troops, including thearmy owned by theEast India Company, dispatched troops from the UnitedKingdom, and supportfrom subordinate countries, seemed to be able to crush the Kingdom of Gorkha at once. However, inthe Gorkha Kingdom, there wasa natural fortress withanaverage altitude of 2,000m, and there were Gorkhali soldiers who calledthemselves Gurkha. The British army, which was said to hardly have any opponent exceptfor the Frencharmy, stronglyfelt thebitterness of theckassassins who roamedthe hignds like it was their homes. Who Who the hell are those demons!? The East India Companywas veryconfusedbythe Gorkhali runningthrough thered coats. Andthis wasalso announcing the birth of thelegendary Gurkha mercenaries. Shortlyafterthe war between the Kingdom of Gorkha andthe EastIndiaCompany, a ship departed fromIndiawith a letter. The letter, inscribed withthe signature of theGovernor-General of India Francis Rawdon, was, in a word, an employmentproposalfor the Gorkhali soldiers. The beginning of theletter was like this. Inthe Nepalsmountains, we found a mysteriousarmy that is unlikely to be pushed back evenbythe French SeniorGuard. === It was theBritish East India Companythat wasdriving South Asia and theIndian subcontinent into awhirlpool of blood, butthe realculprit wasthe United Kingdom thatinstigated them. The war in North America was also one of thewars in which Britain participated. Britain waseven passivelyinterveninginthe Spanish-Portuguese colonies independence war withinthe South American continent. In the end, Britainwas involved in all thebig warsoutside Europe, as always. Andthis wasalso thefate, orthe privilege, asthe world empire that ruled the sea. TheUnited States, whichstarted from Britains 13 colonies on the Antic coast of North America, becameindependentafterwinning theindependence war. Having established itself as thefirstNew World countrytotransnt European systems, technologies, and ideologies, thecountry began a war with Britainagainin1812. The reasonwas thatthe forced conscriptionofBritain, called the Press Gang, included arge number of Americans, and that Britishspiestriedtooverthrow the UnitedStates by joiningforces withNative American tribes in theNew World. The United Statesfederal government saiditwas a seriousprovocationthat threatened the states existence. It became thecauseofwar. However, the truepurpose of thederationofwar was differentfrom thepublic announcements. Eventhough it alreadyhad vastand fertileterritory, theUnited States coveted the northern territories upied by Britain. Inaddition, it was irritatedatthe native tribeswho werestickingtoEnnd andsharpening their knives. Prior to the presidents secondterm, the governmentalso thought thatpolitical action wasneeded to unite supporters. Just in time, there was also acalctionthat Britain would not paymuch attentiontothe American continent as it wasina desperatebattle againstFrance in the Iberian Penins War. Likeotherwars, the U.S.-British Warbeganinthis way. But all of these predictions were wrong! Thewar is flowingtoa point where no onecan handle it! Im so resentful of theformer president Madison Jr.! How could he start awar withouta n! Daniel D. Tompkins[4]wasthe newly electedvice presidentofthe United States. Upontaking office, Tompkinsled the delegation himselftosign an agreementtoend the U.S.-EnglishWar, which wasthe first pledge of theDemocratic-Republican Party. However, thenegotiations failed without erasingthe disagreementsbetween thetwo countries. After returning from Montreal, Vice President Tompkins pouredout criticism against the formerpresident withoutrestraint. Politicians andadministratorswho currently made up the federal governmentdid not dare to helphim, butthe amount of dirt umted by his predecessor wargeenough to makethem sympathize withhim. We should never disappoint of the voters expectations. Regardless of themeans, the waragainst Britain mustbeended. JamesMonroe was theleader of the rulingDemocratic-Republican Party and thefifthpresident of the UnitedStates. He would be recorded as theone who ascended to thepresidency themost narrowly in theU.S. presidentialelections. The FederalParty, the opponent of theDemocratic-Republican Party, hadneverhad apresident since JohnAdams(the secondpresident), and evenJohn Adams hadnot seeded in being re-elected. However, inthe 1816 presidential election, theDemocratic-Republican Party securedonly 115 out of atotalof217 electors, andJamesMonroe, whowas thena candidate, won only 50.4% of the vote. This wasthe lowest ever for theDemocratic-Republican Party since Thomas Jefferson, whenhelost to John Adams and got46.6% ofthe vote. Youre right. We were abletowin thest election becauseyour Excellency strongly pushed ahead thepromise to endthe U.S.-British Warasa presidentialcampaignpledge. If youreverse it, itwill be very difficult to predict the size of the bacsh. This promisewas the reasonwhy the Federal Party weakly got49.2% ofthe vote, and whythe Democratic-Republican side won theelectioneven thoughthe war broke outwhilethey were in power. Italso meant that citizens of the UnitedStates weredisillusioned with thisstagnantwar, which began in 1812. Ifthey didnot wanttosee angry citizens storming intothe White House to set it on fire, themembers of thecurrent federal governmenthad to stopthe war unconditionally. While everyone was worried becausenoone could finda way, aman revealed his presence. Thewar withBritain cannotbeavoided forthe national interest of the UnitedStates and forthe stability of thefederal government, andthe Britishseem to have no intention of signing an end-of-waragreement Then, isnt it simple? Wejust have topletelyreverse ourinterests. Hmm You are? Im WilliamHenryHarrison[5], aDemocratic-Republican congressman, Sir. Harrison, who hadintense eyes, wasa formersoldier andeven becamea major general. Then, he waselected to theHouseofRepresentatives in the 1816 election and took his first steps in Washington politics. Several members of the House of Representativesfrowned at therude interventionofa first-timer. However, President James Monroes eyesshoneatHarrison. Completely reverse our interests? Please exin in detail. Sincethe United Statesbecame independent fromthe British, it has constantly repeated disputes withthem. Onthe other hand, we established friendly rtions with France andhelped eachother. Despitethe revolutionoverturningthe old system, the twocountries remained allies andfought together againstBritain. ! However, in international rtions, thereisnoeternal enemy or ally. Unfortunately, a series of diplomatic actionsthat Francehas shown in recent years greatly disappointed thefederal government and raisedquestions about the continuationofthe alliance. While the UnitedStates was engaged in afierce war with Britain, France made peace withBritain without any consultationwith theUnited States. Thanks to this, manyofthe elite red coat soldiers tiedtothe IberianPenins could cross the Antic Ocean andjoined the American front. It was embarrassingfor the UnitedStates, andatthe sametime sufficient to holda resentfulheartagainst France. Of course, the UnitedStates alsohad aprecedent of rejecting Frances desperaterequeststoparticipateinthe war when France wasfightingBritain, but originally, people or countrieswere more sensitive to what theysuffered. A series of gold mines thatappearedwith huge amountsofgold in some viges in Georgiahad furthercooled the rtionshipbetween thetwo countries. Althoughtreated as topsecret, allofthe top leaders of the U.S. administration knew. Theperson who took overthe 50-yeardevelopmentand economic rights of several viges in Georgiafrom theUnited States wasNapoleonBonaparte, theFrench Emperor, and thegold from the gold mines was flowing intothe French Empires funds. In internationaldiplomacy, thevictim was a fool. However, the impactwaspletelydifferent for theones sufferingand the ones watching. There wasonly oneattitudethat theUnited States could take againstFrance after taking such ablow. Whyhave theUnited States andthe United Kingdom beenfightingcontinuously? There is a struggle for supremacyinthe New World andover theAnticOcean, but in fact, there is a reason more important than this. Itsthe friendly rtionship that the UnitedStates and Francehave. Britain and Francecouldneverbeonthe sameboat, and one of them had to be destroyedfor their confrontationtoend. Since theUnited States were Frances ally, it was natural for Britain to be hostiletothe United States. Butonthe contrary, if theUnited States ended itsfriendlyrtions withFrance, then Britainwouldprobablyceaseits hostilities againstthe United States. Harrison insisted on abreakthrough thatwouldtake a stepeven further fromhere. Friendship withFrance is over. It is no longer in theinterests of the UnitedStates. I would liketoexpress my sincere opiniontoyour Excellency. Instead of giving up theownership of Britains North American colonies, I petition that the time hase to achievea reversalofalliance in the Americas. TL notes [1]Law of conservationofmass,Mikhail Lomonosov,Antoine Lavoisier [2]Mughal Empire,Kingdom of Mysore,Maratha Empire,GorkhaKingdom [3]Francis Rawdon-Hastings [4]Former U.S. President:JamesMadison, currentPresident:James Monroe, currentvice President:Daniel D. Tompkins [5]William Henry Harrison Chapter 100: Chapter 100: 18. Reversalofalliance 2 Thehistory of friendship betweenthe United Statesand France is also directly rtedtothe federalgovernments trust in the European powers. It means thatits notsomething we can easilyconcludeorbreak Even if we paythe price and distance ourselvesfrom France, we cant joinhandswith Britain right away. Haveyou alreadyforgotten the history of oppression, persecution, andintimidation theyinflicted on us? Citizens of theUnited States will be suspiciousofthe federalgovernment. I agree. A reversalofalliance is easytosay. However, it took sometime forFrance and Austria to achievesuch a diplomaticreversal, starting withthe marriage betweenthe imperial families, when the heat betweenthem subsided after thewar. TheUnited States andBritain arestillenemies aimingguns at each other on the battlefield. TheUnited States SecretaryofWar WilliamH. Crawford[1]said it waseptable to break ties withFrance if there was an overwhelmingprofit, butthat joining hands withBritain wasanother matter. Senator CharlesHindersson also voted againstHarrisons proposal, saying thatsuch a radicaldiplomacy, in which a countryjoined hands withits direct enemy, had not existed so far. Withthe joiningofseveralwmakersand Cabmembers, Harrisons proposal seemedtobea fiercebut uneptable breakthroughofthe stereotypes. Vice President DanielD. Tompkinsstepped up. Letmetell youwhat I feltwhen I met theBritish officialsinMontreal. The longerthe war is, the better it is forneighboringcountries. They, too, expressed their longing for peace, with nothing to gainfrom this war. Just as spraying ahandful of soil intothe river could not trap the river, the territory of theUnited States wassowide andvast that no matter howmany troopsBritain dispatched fromits homnd, itwas impossibletoupy itpletely. Even if it upied acity or vige, it wasdifficult to upy it becausemunity-level militias actively foughtagainst theinvaders, likeshownbythe historyofresistance andconflicts in the UnitedStates. Britains North American colonies boasteda very vastarea, but mostofthem consistedofice, mountains, teaus and volcanic areas, sotheirindustrial base and human resourceswere very weak. In theend, themaindhad to bring the supplies neededtocarryout the war, but bringing them throughmore than 3,000 miles by boatand distributing them to military units was harsh work, no matterhow muchBritain wasa maritime nation. There wasa reasonwhy Britaincouldnot reliably leadthe war, even thoughithad overwhelmingnd and seapoweparedtothe United States. AboutHarrisons suggestion I dontthinkitshould be rejected justbecause its regarded as inconsistent with the current diplomacy. I think it makes sense enough. Thisisbecause theUnited Kingdomiscurrently the country thatfeelsthe greatest fearfrom Frances rise. Thatsanundeniable fact. President James Monroe, who hadheardfrom spies multiple reports about information circting betweenBritain andFrance, agreed. Underthe ruleofthe iron-blooded monarch named Napoleon Bonaparte,petitorsare remarkablydeveloping. Inthe meantime, theUnited Kingdomispouring outits finances while continuingits worthless warwith theUnited States. Its time for theBritish to feel the seriousness of thesituation. Its an opportunity for them to break off oneofthe strongest alliesoftheirenemy. Is there areason why theclever Britishpoliticianswouldnot weeit? In other words if we clearlyshow that we can voluntarily sever ties withFrance, we mayeven receive acorresponding price. Youre right, Sir. And I think thats what we and thestaffshould do to ensure that the size of thispricecan converge to the overwhelming profits imedbythe war minister. Nowthat James Monroe, who used to serve as secretary of state forthe previous administration, waselected president, the position of secretaryofstatewas still vacant. His duties, in particrforeign affairs, hadbeen taken over by VicePresident Tompkins. This was thereason why Tompkins hada stronginfluence about the idea of changing the diplomatic lineofthe United States. Monroe began to worry. He was thepresident of the UnitedStates. In a rapidlychangingworld, he was obligatedtofind thebest wayfor the UnitedStates to moveforward. Aftermuch consideration, an answerthat could changethe historyofthe United Statescame outofhis mouth. Thisreversal of alliance soundsgood! Letsproceed with it. However, everyone here should keep in mindthat confidentialityiscrucial. Although they weretrying to reversetheiralliance, if France knew about thisfact first, therewouldbenothing to gain for theUnited States. Itwas bestfor the Frenchnot to knowaboutituntilthe discussions withthe United Kingdom werpleted and until there wasanofficinnouncefrom thefederal government. Ifso, theneven if they failed to reverse their alliance, they could still be on Frances side. James Monroeand the seniormembers of theCab were wewareofthe importanceand weight of this decision. They hoped thatthis would protect all of their national interestsand values. === In thepast, therewere numerous nativetribes in North America. Their civilization level waslowerthan theMiddle Ages, inferior to other continents, and agriculture, hunting, and gathering were the only means of making a living. Nevertheless, the lives of the tribesmeninthe past, as toldbythe old elderly, lookedpeaceful, warm, and very happy. Therewere disputes andquarrelsamongthem, but peace could be maintainedbecause they had thewisdom to ovee them. What wasgiventouswas agreatdivine punishment. The disaster began whenpeople withpale faces appeared on theeast coast by ships. ording to storiesdescending from oraltraditions andmurals, thetribesmen who contactedthem soon copsedining of vomiting, fever, and abdominalpain. Their skincracked sharply likea stone wall, theends of their bodiesrotted ck, andbloodflowed fromtheireyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Calling thiskind of death, whichthey sawfor the first time, a divinepunishment was not enoughtoexpress howtragic it was. Whenthey realized that thiswas aterribleepidemic, dozens of viges hadalready disappeared after alltheirinhabitantsdied, and the sourceofthe diseasespread throughoutthe continent. The disaster brought by white people wassodevastatingthat 9 out of 10 tribesmenwere sent to the side of the GodofNature. Their territory, which was a fertilnd of life for thetribesmen, becamea burning hend swallowed them. However, this wasnot the endofthe disaster inflicted on theAmericantribesmen. White peoplegreedilyexpandedtheirterritory. Tribalpeople, whose majority of thepoption wassweptaway by thegue, hadtoface indiscriminate attacks fromwhitepeople armed withsuperiortechnology. My beloved son, the little puma of the Shawnee tribe. We must protectthe peace of the past, thefuture of the tribe, and the veneration of the GodofNature withour lives. Keep our noble duty, defeatthoseruthlessinvadersand regain ourlost homnd. Tecumseh[2], who was given an irreversible fate by his fatherPuckshinwa, became the chief of theShawnee tribe in recognition of hiscourage andleadership. From that moment on, Tecumsehsworetothe God of Natureonhis own soul. I will devoteall of my remaining life and even my afterlife to achieve thismission as thehead of thetribe, and to protect the tribe, its daily lifeand its future. I will enter into awar withoupromise with the white peoplewho covet our homes andnature. Tecumseh actively embraced their advanced technologies, especially weapons and tactics, while actively opposing white peoples society. Afterhedefeatedthe invasion of white countries such as Britainand the UnitedStates severaltimesbyforming warriors whoknew howtohandle white weapons, he was able to build ahigh reputation in the indigenous tribal society. Asfame built up,radeswho shared hiswill also emerged. Indigenoustribes who could notforgive white people, suchasthe Creek and Cherokee, wanted to joinTecumseh. As thenumber of tribesmen followinghim increased andtheirsphere of influence grew, Britain and theUnited States began to be wary. Tecumsehwas awise andintelligentleader. He realized that it was suicide to fight bothcountries in thissituation. After a timeofdeep thought, thecountry he chose to side withwas noneotherthan Britain. Both countrieswere hostile to the natives, butatleastBritain hadset its ownterritory in the NewWorldcoloniesand did notdesire to expend it more. However, the United Stateswas pursuing an aggressiveexpansion policy even after it devoured ahuge piece ofnd in the central partofthe continent, soitwas iparable in terms of threat. They would surely present helltothe nativesofthe continent. Tecumsehwas sureofit. Thiswas how thelong andbad rtionship between Tecumseh, histribe, and theUnited States began. Whenthe war broke outbetween theUnited States andBritain, tribes supportingTecumsehraised their gunsatthe U.S. with thesupport of theBritish. They foughtwell enoughtobeconsidered brave andoutstandingwarriorseven in Britain. Therewas alsoa time whenhedefeatedAmericans and wona battle. But in theend, Tecumseh andthe other tribal warriors were onlyhounds. The Britismand deliberatelydrovethem into moredangerous battlesand treatedthem thoroughly as consumables. Thewar became increasinglysluggish, and themore itsted, the more damage Tecumseh andthe tribes umted. Bythe timehewas feelinggreatskepticism about this situation, Tecumsehmade an encounterthat would changehis fate. === Evenwhen I think about it now, I must havebeen protectedbythe God of Nature. If we hadnt met, my people would have to pay a wrong price withblood. Thats toomuch. Weare alsovery proud of walking the same pathasa hero likeyou. The face of the maninfrontofTecumsehwas white. He hada face likethe white people he hadbeen fighting allhis life. Nevertheless, nohostility or vignce could be found on Tecumsehs faceashedealtwith theman. Rather, he hada feeling of goodwill andfort as if he had meta friendaftera long time. The manhewas facing wasAuguste Ravez[3], the ambassadorofthe French Empire. Theman, whomet withRed Cloud, thehead of theMohican tribe, gave a new hope to Tecumseh and thetribes following him. Theenemyofhis enemy was hisfriend, andTecumsehknew very wellthat Francecouldbeofgreathelp in many waysintheplexrtionships between countries. Onthe sameday, Tecumseh broke offall rtions with Britainand leftthe front linewith theUnited States. I havereceiveda clear answerfrom theEmperor of your country. Nevertheless, the critical crossroad of thecurrent situationmakesmenervous. Really has your position not changed fromthen? Will youstillsupport theproject established by ourtribes coalitionoffoundingour nation? Tecumsehs desire wastoform a state of indigenoustribes thatwhitecountries in the Americas could notcontrol. And this was also whatNapoleonBonaparte, theEmperor of France, promised him. Tecumsehrecalledthe contents of the personal lettersent by theEmperor that shook the continentbeyond the ocean. TheEmpire doesnot wantthe North American continent to be under theleadership of a single force. Thereisa need for a third power thatcan bncepowerbetween Britain and theUnited States. I have selected the NativeAmericanUnionasthis power. TheFrench Emperordid not offer a grand cause or suspiciouscandy. He was just honest with whatrole he wantedthe native tribestoy in theboardheled. Rather, Tecumseh was able to trust the Frenchbecause of that. The benefitthat they could exchange whenholding hands wasclear. If so, it waspossibletomaintainthis rtionshipatleastuntilthe lineofinterestwas cut off. From nowon, I, withthe helpofotherdispatched officers andnomissioned officers, will do my besttobuilda unitedstateofNative Americans withoutpromising theinterests of the Empire. His Majesty the Emperor has approved indirect support for this. Deal! As to showhis affirmation, Tecumseh clenched hisrighthand strongly. The timewhen he could achieve his mission was near. === A dark room had alwaysbeen a perfectcefor secret discussions. Itwas in these ces that plots bloomedand conspiracies were carriedout. In such aroom, Napoleonwas facing a person whocouldnot be seenpublicly. Following the grand strategy youimed, the Empire is encroaching on theAmericaswith itshandsand feet. Now, its time to hearaboutthe nextstep. In thedark room, Napoleon calledthe persons name. Talleyrand-Prigord. Hehad be an oldman withgray hair, andhad amysterious smile on hisface. TL notes [1]WilliamH. Crawford [2]Tecumseh [3]Auguste Ravez Chapter 101: Chapter 101: 18. Reversalofalliance 3 It was in June 1814, about three years ago. Napoleon, who correctedthe evils, corruption, anddeviant systems umted within theFrench Empire to some extent andstabilized thenationaleconomy, whichhad enteredthe war system, found alittle specialperson. Itwas CharlesMaurice de Talleyrand-Prigord, the former foreign minister of the FrenchEmpire, whowas scheduled to be tried at theParisHigh Court foracts of treason suchascivilwar and leaking of confidential information. Napoleon had been searching outstanding talents and hadactivelyhiredthem without lookingattheirorigin, past, or disposition. It could be seenfrom thefact that Carnot, who did notlike himvery much, wasquickly given a heavy responsibility, andthe factthat Napoleon invested a hugeamount of money in Colin, whohad beendoingillegal taxcollection. However, he never looked again at some people. Thosewho betrayed their country. Eveniftherewas the excusethat thepreviousNabotwas doing sucha mess thatitcouldnot be helped, Talleyrand-Prigords secremunication with Frances enemy countries wasnot something that could be forgiven. Naturally, ordingtoNapoleons usual theoryand inclination, it wasnormal to inflicta heavy punishment on him by takingaway allhis social fame and wealth. Of course, some peoplemay say this: Isnt LieutenantGeneral PierredeVaugiraud de Rosnay, the currentprincipal of the NantesNavalAcademy, also someone who betrayed hiscountry? Hewas taken in again, so whycantitbethe samefor Talleyrand-Prigord? However, there weretwo decisive differences betweenLieutenant General de Rosnay andTalleyrand: the timing of their betrayal, and their justificationfor doing sucha thing. Shortlyafterthe execution of Louis XVIs familyand the establishment of the Revolutionary Republic and theNationalAssembly, LieutenantGeneral de Rosnaysidedwith theroyalists, rejectingthe waveofrevolution. Although he had foughtthe RevolutionaryArmy in association with enemy countries, hewas antagonizing theFrench revolutionaryforces, notFrance. After that time, the Revolutionary Republic was taken down and Francewas transformed intoa monarchy. Since Napoleon was themastermind behindit, he could hardly frame Lieutenant GeneraldeRosnay as atraitor. However, Talleyrand-Prigordwaspletelydifferent. Afterthe imperial system wasalready in ce, hesold secrets of his country to the enemy by using hisold position and influenceinthe salon. Itwas alsorevealedthat he wrote a letter to enemy leaders, saying, If youbringyour troopstoParis, I will open the door wideand treat you as a liberator. Among thepossiblebetrayals, it wasa cowards betrayal that people despised themost. That waswhy Napoleon did noteven think of takinghim back. Thats too bad, too bad. Originally, thisman should be rolledand eaten as muchaspossible. NapoleonBonaparte, whohad watchedTalleyrand-Prigordasthe president of theFrench Republic for many years, highlyappreciatedhis skillful negotiating skills andclose-knit diplomatic strategies. In this vastEurope, there wasonly onediplomatwho couldpetewith Talleyrand-Prigord: Klemens vonMetternich, who was currentlythe foreignministerofAustria. The fact thatsuch apetent personcouldnot be usedwas agreatloss forthe country. Anyway, sincehecouldnot appointhim again, Napoleon visited the Denon vi, whereTalleyrand-Prigordwas imprisoned, to see himonesttime. Napoleonslips twitched when he saw Talleyrand, whoseemed to havebeen hitbythe flowoftime. Then, heheardwordsthat made him doubt hisears. Your Majesty, the great Emperor of the FrenchEmpire. I wibandon my Frenchnationality. I amdetermined to live as ashadow for therest of my life. !? As a mercenary without nationality, I willservethe Empire forthe future. This will be my punishment. InNapoleons previous world, Talleyrand-Prigordwas aperson who wasdifficult to believebecause of hisunpredictable thoughts, conservatism, andhis excessive greed forwealth. Now thathewas caught, hewas in atightspot. Naturally, Napoleon tried to ignorethe words of thisuntrustworthy man. Until he broughtthis up. Your Majestyhave changed rapidlysincethe expeditiontothe Eastin1812, and has ruled this Empire almostperfectly. However, Your Majestyshowed weakness in onlyone thing: theEmpiresgrandstrategyagainst theoutside world. Ill saythat its necessary to feed eventhe fishcaught. Go on. Your Majesty pretendtovaluethe bnceand stability of European forces, but thebasisofthe strategy is still French-centered hegemony. Its an instinct thates fromthe roots of France that cant be hidden even if one tries to. This canbeboth a burden anda threattoothercountries thathave foughttogetherunderthe Empire. Only when theycan be moderatelysoothed will the Empirebeguaranteed thesafety of the rear in the uing Great War. Napoleonimmediatelyfigured outwhat Talleyrand was sayingnow. CountriesinEurope and in theNew World surrounding France could bergely dividedinto three categories. Potential enemy countries, ally countries, or neutralcountries. Theneutral countrieswere theOttoman Empire, the Balkans and countriesinNorthAfrica, andtherewas no needtopay muchattention to themaslong as thertionships with themwere notharmed. The problemwas allies. The French Empirehad achieved anew European hegemony withthe sessofthe Russianexpedition andthe victoryinthe IberianPenins War. The Empire took all thegloryand interests as thewinner, butwas verystingy in sharingthem. Denmarkhad longfought againstBritain at seadespite enormous losses, the Confederation of the Rhine hadbeen severely exploitedeverytime theFrench wentonexpeditions, and theUnited States hadbeen keeping Britainincheckoutside theEuropeancontinent. They didnot receiveanypensation, like territories or reparations. Assoon as he heard Talleyrandswords, Napoleon had no choicebut to admit his mistake. Hedid not payattention to the management of allies exceptthe United Statesbecause he focused on the problems withinthe Empire andthe movements of hostile countries. But no oneinthe imperial cabpointed outthis. However, even with his hands andfeet tied, Talleyrand-Prigord sawthrough theEmpiresdiplomatic situationand weaknessesatonce. In thepast, I sawthe picturethat Your Majestywanted. Butitwas an illusion. Napoleon was sadthat he could notdeny it. Atthat time, Nabot wasdelusional in conquering the world beyondEurope, thinking of himself likeAlexander the Great or Genghis Khan. But YourMajesty is nowapletely different personfrom then. I onlyadmititnow. So Your Majestyshould ept this proposal. Because the national interestes first. Talleyrand toldNapoleonthe external vulnerabilities of theFrench Empire andalternatives thathethought about. Ifhis opinionhad sufficientprobabilityand rationality, Napoleon epted it or correctedittofit reality. Talleyrandspurpose wastobeforgivenfor the crimeshehadmitted andeventually live the rest of his life likea normalperson. Ofcourse, since Napoleon didnot knowexactly what Talleyrandwoulddo, he should thoroughly monitorhis daily life, but from his point of view, he hadnothing to lose by epting this proposal if it was kept strictly confidential. Thats how Napoleon andTalleyrand-Prigords secretcontractwas concluded. === From nowon, the Empirewill need to showa truly agile movement. Thecurrent external strategy of Franceled by Napoleon and theImperialMinistryofForeign Affairs, with Talleyrands help, could be calledOctopusFeet. Francestopped allexpeditionsand warsand was focusing on internal politics anddevelopment, but hands were moving quickly and secretly in thedark without rest. Notonly diditextend its arms to North Americas belligerent groups, but also to the colonies of Central and South America, which dered independencefrom Spain andPortugal. Franceestablisheda Frenchconste in their territory anddispatched diplomatsthere, starting normal diplomatic rtions. Spain and Portugal were fighting hardagainst them, butwouldthey dare confront France? Frances foreignministryneatly ignoredthe oppositionfrom theIberian countriesand helddiplomatic eventswithout interruption. Countries in Central and South America, of course, weed themwith open arms. Preemptive effects alsoexistindiplomatic rtionsbetween countries. The colonies fighting Spain andPortugre, more thananyone else, hoping to receive approval fromotherEuropeanpowers and to be recognized as independent countries. Theres nothing better than receiving it from the Empirethat dominatesEurope. Take fudvantage of their desperation, geteverything youcan get. Unlike other European countries, the Empire doesnt needtobewary of Spain or Portugal at all. Theyare currently in an extremelychaotic politicalsituation due to thewar for independence, internal social conflictsand civil war. Its hard to findpoliticianswho truly strive forthe national interest of their country, and they are allsacrificingthe foundationand future of thecountry fortheirown benefits. This is the best opportunity to subordinate themand makethem economic colonies of theEmpire. There is no need for diplomatic courtesy and moral conscience. Take careofthe Empires national interests thoroughly, regardless of means. Internationaldiplomacy was a world where the weak bentbefore the strong. Especiallywhen dealing withcountries outsideofEurope, theferocityand viciousness of great powers went beyond imagination. Talleyrands attitude towardcoloniesinCentral andSouthAmerica wasa cool-headed rationalism andnationalismthat Machiavelli would admire. Colonization by upying foreignnd, monopolizing rawmaterials and resources, and exploiting nativeshas now bea thing of thepast. Asa leading countryinEurope, theEmpire mustmore intelligently contrnd use subordinate states. Therewas certainly a timeinthe pastwhen overseas colonies brought enormous economic benefits to their homecountries. Spain, Portugnd the Nethends ledEurope by monopolizing overseas colonies andthe resources obtained from them. However, now, withthe development of navigationtechniques, private organizations could build sailingshipsand engage in overseas trade, and as the capitalist ss emergedsignificantly, a market-orientedeconomicsystem, nota state-centered one, was takingits ce. Therefore, national monopoly on certain raw materialshad be difficult, and thevalueaddedled by productionhad alsochanged with the emergenceofvarious industries suchaspaper, ss, steel, and cotton textile. Inaddition, voices of dissatisfaction, reforms, and independencewere popping up within colonial countriesthat hadundergone an indirect modernizationprocess influenced by their homecountries. This was clearly seeninCentral andSouthAmerica now. In other words, overseastroops, bureaucrats, and finances consumed to forcibly maintain the colonies were rising daybyday, andthe profitsgained fromexploiting them weredecreasing rtively. Ofcourse, thestorywas alittle different forcountries withadvancedshipsand overseas trade at the level of Britain, butthis wasnot the case for Franceeven after putting all itsenergy intorebuilding itsnavalforces. There are manypetent peoplearound YourMajesty. A prime example would be the Minister of theAdministration, Carnot. Ifyou entrusthim withthis work, he will be colder andmore vicious thananyone elsetosuck thebone marrowofthe American countries andofferittoYour Majesty. I dont think thats somethingyou careabout. Despite Napoleons coldwords, Talleyranddid not erase hissoft smile. === Leaving Talleyrands hideout, Napoleon took amoment to organize his thoughts. Talleyrand advised thatcountries other thanneutral countriesshould be dividedinto three categories. Enemies, economolonies, and allies. The basicsofinternational diplomacywere to skillfully mix wine and water to getthe mostfrom rtionships. Nevertheless, Talleyrand insisted on thoroughlyseparating theEmpiresattitudetoward other countries. This era of peace willetoanend someday. Thissuggestion means to clearly distinguish the enemy andestablish agreatstrategyinpreparationfor thattime. TheUnited States shouldnaturally be consideredasanally. Althoughitwas not in Europe, it was theonly country thatcouldkeep Britain in check beyond theocean, and of course, the strategicvalueofthe United Statesfrom thestandpoint of Francewas absolutelyhigh. The UnitedStates alsocleverlyused this dynamics to bring its owninterests. Talleyrand hadquestions about Napoleonsdiplomatic techniques thatstimted theUnited States in a bad way. He was notalothinkthis, the opinions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairswere also simr. Supportnative tribal groupsinNorthAmerica? Taking the risk of abandoningthe New Continent? It was somethingthey could notunderstand. However, while staying in Louisiana, I sawthe endlesspossibilities of theNorthAmericancontinent. I knowthe value of the continentbetter thananyone elseinFrance. The UnitedStatespletelydominating thevast continentwouldpose a realthreat to France in thefuture. Forthe future of France, it was necessarytokeep them frommonopolizing America. This was whyNapoleondecided to provide almost free supportfor the weak nativesofNorthAmerica. As Talleyrandsaid, Francescurrent hegemony hadanexpiration date, anda GreatWar hadyet toe. Perhaps thisGreatWar was thst ordealthat could threaten Franceand Napoleonssystem. If this ordeal could be ovee, France would overtake Britainand reign as the worlds first power. Then, ording to the basicsofwar, Franceshould worktoincreaseits number of alliesand reduce enemies in preparation for this. Until then, it would be a reasonablechoice to somehowmaintainfriendlyrtions withthe United States. However, Napoleon madea differentchoice. I cantstay alive forever. Then Wouldnt it be better to putaway allthe obstacles in front of FrancewhileIm still the Emperor? He decidedtothinksimply. Even withoutthe supportofthe United States, or evenifitwas on the other side during war, Napoleon was confidentthat he would never lose. Rather, it could be an opportunity to bring downthe United Statesaltogether with Frances enemies. Although Talleyrand and other foreign officials could rejectthesethoughts, Napoleon did notconsiderhimself unusual. What couldnt he do? Before that, I should give my enemiesonestchance. There was a yfullook on Napoleons faceashetook outa piece of paper from his pocketand fiddledwith it. Many of thenameswritten on theupperpart of thepaperbelongedtogiants ruling Europe. The time hade to wakeupagainthe quiet Europe. Chapter 102: Chapter 102: 18. Reversalofalliance 4 Nabot, wholivedinthis world, and Napoleon, whocame from anotherworld, had revealed bigand small differences in manydifferent areas. In particr, their personalities and valueswere very different. The two wereplete opposite to the point where it wastoo muchtoexin. Of course, they also had simrities. First of all, theirappearance wasalmost the same, andtheirexcellent military capabilities were simr. However, if someone who knew the truth hadsaid, BothNapoleons are simr in thatthey both haveexcellent military capabilities, Napoleon would haveansweredlike this withouthiding his unpleasant feelings. He has simr military capabilities to me? Thats nonsense! Howcan the guywho got ridofthe rifle unitbecause he wazy to manageitbparedtome? The mostdecisivedifference between Napoleon and Nabot in themilitaryaspect was their understanding of military organization andtheirability to eptnew cultures, technologies, and tactics. To sumitupinone word itwas whetherthey haduseless stubbornnessornot. The rifle, which hada steel wire dug, boasted a superior range and uracy than the musket. But Nabot only saw thplexity andcost of theproduction process. Althoughthe rifle productionwas stoppedand the rifle unit was disbandedbecause it wassomewhatinappropriate in battlelines, their effectivenesshad alreadybeen fully proveninnumerouswars andbattles. In particr, the Iberian Penins Warwas astagefor all European countriestorealize howterrifying theshootingofwell-trained Britishriflemenwas. Undertheirsharpsnipes, more French officers were killed than expected, which significantly reducedthe French militarys operational capabilities on thepenins. Despite thefact that theyhad beenhit hardbyBritish rifle soldiers, and despiteconstantsuggestionsbythe fieldsgeneralsand officers to developrifleunitstorespond to it, Nabotdid not break hisstubbornness. To him, ariflewas auseless weapon, and it could be counteredwith enoughmuskets. Britainrealizedthe fearofrifles in the American Revolutionary War andquickly epted it andaddedspecializedrifleunit to itsarmy organization. On theotherhand, France had been hampered by the development of theGreatArmy just becauseithad aleader who didnot admit thathewas wrong eventhough it had been thoroughlyshown. At this point, rumorsshould havebeen circting that Nabot was actually a Britishspy. To be evaluatedassimr to such ahumanbeingwouldbeaninsult and shame towardNapoleon. Fortunately, unlike Nabot, Napoleon wasnot stubborn to the point of being taken fora British spy, and he was thefirsttocreate anew unitwhen thearmy wasreorganizedafterthe war. Naturally, it wasa unit specializing in rifle handling. Incorporate theTirailleur (shooter) battalion and Voltigeur(acrobat) battalion into the Chasseur (hunter) Regiment.[1]Afterthat, they will be dividedinto newbattalions andsubdivided so that theycan engage in differentoperations andmissionsording to their training performance. Napoleon originallyhad experiencerunning rifle units in theworldwherehecame from, so he wasable to minimize thetrials and errorshehad to inevitablygothrough while organizing the newunits. By makingthe mostofhis memories, theChasseurRegimentwas reorganized likethe one of theRevolutionary Republic, and its uniform was changed to acolorthat wasfavorable for cover. The light infantry andskirmish-type units differed from the line infantry in the waythey engaged in battle. They hadscattered and covered formationsinstead of lined anddenseones, autonomous shooting instead of strict fire control, and thorough gunfightsrather thanhand-to-handbat with bays Since they had to take on muchmoreplex and diverse tasks, their leaders had to be able to operatetroops on aunit basis. Napoleon first assigned the officers of theMilitaryAcademy whohad excellent improvisation abilities to theChasseurRegiment. Fouryearshad alreadypassed since the reorganized Chasseur Regiment wasborn. === 5th Battalion 17th toon, ready! Aim Fire! Tatata! Tatatata! Tata! Stop! 17th toon, fallback! 18th toon, getready! The era of guns and cannons, which began in the17th century, ripened evenmore maturely in the19th century. All infantrymen had to be able to showconsistent movement under thestrictmandsystem of officers and nonmissioned officers, with asufficient understanding of the formations and good performance. But the best thing theyhad to do was to handleguns andscar theenemys heart. Firingisonly forthe fighting spirit! Afterthe baycharge, thehand-to-hand is the most important virtuefor the infantry corps! In thepast, when thehit rateand killingability of firearms were weak, thisdoctrinewas used, but it wasa thing of thepast. Now, battlefield infantry andgrenadiers, who wereengaged in close-quarterbat with the enemy, also received systematic shooting training to aim urately. The rifle units, whose ability to handle guns was much moreimportant thanthem, had to conductatleastthreetimesasmuch live shooting training. It wastime to show the results of their hard-working training in front of Napoleon. The nextChasseurs prepared to shoot. Soldierslifted their rifles at a distance of 150mtoward atarget of 25cmx 25cm. They aimed and fired in ordance withthe order and signalofthe officer. Along withthe sound of gunshots, thesmokeleaking from the riflescovered thefield. Thecurrent shooting range wasintentionally installedina windy ce, sothe smoke quicklywent away. Soon after, each target pierced by the bullets appeared. Napoleonand the seniorofficerswere staying far from the shooting range. From there, itwas not easy to knowwhether they hit thetargets or not, evenwhen looking througha telescope. Nevertheless, Napoleon did nothide hispleased face. This was because he was able to feelconfidence from the Chasseur Regiment preparingtofire. It was a belief in oneself thatonly those whotriedhard enoughcouldhave. Itwas alsoanessential virtue forelitesoldiers. Great! Youve grown steadily even though I didnt care enough about you! You have worked hard, my men. No! Its all thankstothe grace of YourMajesty! Its an honor to finally repay YourMajesty theGreatEmperor forwhat youhave done! As he skimmedthrough theshy ttery of the officers running around with joy, Napoleonlooked at the results of the shots brought by the nonmissioned officers. Confidence wasgood, but he needed to check their performance. Therewere a few Chasseur units that had yettofinish the shooting demonstration, buthecouldstillget an approximate averageoftheiruracy. Whenhechecked with his owneyes, half of thetargets hadbeen hitand halfofthem seemedtohave been missed. In order not to bring shame to thename of therifleunit, 200m targets had to have ahit rateofatleast60% and 300m targetsofatleast25%. This wasthe minimumstandardfor organizinga rifle unit. Forreference, thestandardofthe Britishmilitarythat hadthe bestshootingskills in all Europewas higher than this. However, now, evenwith 150m targets, which weremuch closer, onlya 50% hit ratewas barely achieved, soitcouldbesaid to be a verypatheticresult for Napoleons ambitious unit. Nevertheless, Napoleon showeda satisfiedface. The officers nexttohim alsolooked proud of the achievementsoftheirsubordinates. Why werethey reacting like this? The reasonwas the guns heldbythe Chasseur Regiment currently practicing shooting on the field. The chasseurswere holding avery old-fashioned rifle thatwas far worse than the Versailles rifle handledbyFrench rifle soldiers in the past, which wasnot muchbetter thanthe Italianmuskets. Although the rifle unit was established, itwas difficult to obtainrifles for them becauseNabothad turned allthe factories that wereproducing rifles into musketsfactories. Moreover, the design andpatents forthe Versaillesrifles had been soldtoothercountries. Inevitably, they hadtoproduce a rifle exclusively for shooting practice, changingonly a bit theold-fashioned model by addinga neunch device. That waswhat theChasseurRegimentwas holdingrightnow. If the shooting rate is thishigh even withthat antique thing, then of course they willshow a muchgreater firepowerand uracy withthe new rifles, which the Empires engineershave puttheirheartand soulinto. Thanks to Nabot, thesandbag effectwill definitely be seen. Napoleonand the officers were not satisfiedwith thepoor shooting uracy of theold rifles. The biggestdrawbackofa rifle with deepsteelwireswas thatittook a lot of strength andtime to push ammunitiondeep into the chamber. Tosolvethis problem, theMinistryofWar and Industry of theEmpire was currentlysuggesting that bulletsshould be dug in advance (like bolts and nuts) to engagewith steel wires. The newriflewas an improved versionofthe British-made Baker rifle, whichwas currently considered the best, adapted to the Frenchstylereflecting thtest trends. For this reason, itcouldbesaid that it was a revolutionaryweapon thatNapoleonand the main figuresofthe Imperial Armyhad beenwaiting for, although it was still confidential. The shooting skills of theChasseurs havedefinitely improved a lotpared to before. However, there is still roomfor furtherdevelopmentinmyeyes. Your Majestysopinion is very reasonable. Whatcantour soldiers do better than those inders? Like thefamous green coats, we cantrainmasters of shooting andsnipers. Tothis end, I will spare no support. Officers wereslightlywary of Napoleons words. Oneofthem proudly expressed hisopinion. I am Major Lexington of the12th Battalion. The Empires soldiers aremuch stronger, faster and more loyal thanthe inders. Underthe sameconditions, ofcourse, thesoldiersofthe Empire will do better. However, shootingisanindividual capability thateach soldier needs to improveasmuch as they can by thoroughly investing time and effort. For this, there is nothing better forthe Chasseurs than shooting practice. In other words, he wasasking for more supportsuch as ammunition and riflestoadd to the shooting practice. Napoleonhad given generous supporttothe Chasseur Regiment so far andwas producing newrifles witharge amountofmoney, but he hadnot beenable to deliver as muchammunition as he intended. The reasonwas simple. This wasbecause Francewas not a countryrich in gunpowder. The main ingredients of gunpowder were sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter(potassium nitrate). Sulfur andcharcoalwere easilyavable, butthe problemwas the saltpeter, which was a resource thatcouldonly be extractedinIndia, China, andSouthAmerica. Britain, whichwas holdingtightly to theAsiantrade, did notsell anysaltpeter to its potentialenemy, France. Eventually, France hadtopurchasesaltpeter fromSpain, and to South American countriescurrently at war fortheirindependence. Rifles werenot the only onesconsuming gunpowder. Canons suchasfieldartillery, siege guns, andfortresscannons also ate a lot of gunpowder. The ce of purchase waslimited andtherewere many ces to use, so no matter howgenerousNapoleonwas, he could noteasily promisesuch support. But this is now a thing of the past. Napoleon usuallychewed Nabot as usual, buttherewas one thing that Nabot did reallywell enoughtomeet hishigh standards. The fact thatheactivelyinvestedinchemistry, manufacturing, andwar supply production. Realizing thatthe supply of gunpowderwas too scarcetocontinuethe war, Nabothad trainedchemistsand geologistsacross the country to obtain saltpeter, and preciselythe potassium nitrateponent containedinit. CompetentFrench scientistsfounda waytoproduce potassiumnitrate by cultivating a nitridebacteriainorganic-rich soil. Nabot gave BernardCourtoisand Jean-Antoine Chaptal[2], whoformalized theprocess, greatawards and titlesofnobility, and sparednosupport formass production. Theinvestment at that timewas onlyseeing the light now. Although itsquality wasinferiortothat of gunpowderproducedfrom saltpeterand there was a riskofexplosion, perhaps becauseofimpurities, the factthat gunpowdercouldbeproducedwithout relying on foreigntradewas enough to offsetthesedownsides. Napoleon, determinedtouse asignificantportion of theamount produced by the gunpowderfactory here, noddedatthe demand. Youhave therighttoask me proudly. Didnt youmanage to train suchgreatand elite soldiers withthird-ssrifles and limited resources? I will ept Major Lexingtons request. It, its an honor, Your Majesty! While the officers showedextreme courtesy, Napoleonwatched theChasseurs, whowere still shooting. Inthe future GreatWar, they would be givenrge andsmallmissionsand would create differenttacticalvalues. Hehad alreadythought about theoperationaltechniques of theChasseurs. Napoleon wasconvinced thattheirskillsbined withthe new rifleswouldshinesplendidly. Thanks to bothNapoleons, Francewas abletosteadilysupply gunpowder even whenthe sea routeswere blocked. TL notes [1]Chasseur,Tirailleur,Voltigeur Chapter 103: Chapter 103: 18. Reversalofalliance 5 OxfordGazette: The regime haschanged, but Britains economy is still dark The citizens of London aresaying Whigs andTories are allthe same! Weekly News: Lawrence Photogiver(asenior member of theWhig Party) said The WhigPartyismaking every effort to normalizethe economy. It is the Toriesand corruptcapitalistswho are interfering with this. Daily Current: The promise to stopthe war with France is theonly thing that the government has kept But in thewar withthe United States, the kingdom spent nearly 100 million pounds GentlyMagazine: The shame of thered coats! Thehorrors of theworstdefeat in Britishhistory, the Battle of NewOrleans. News Letter: London capitalists are reluctanttoinvest, sayingThere is abetter investmentdestinationunderthe Dover Strait, istherea reasontospendmoneyhere? The Finance Minister called it a treacheryact. The year1817, whichseemed likeitwouldneverend, hadonly 70 days left. The atmosphere of London wasliterally on the verge of exploding. Even by looking at the Londonmedias tone, which wasunusually harsh, onecouldsee the turbulentcurrent flowing around Westminster. Themembers of theWhig Party andthe ToryPartywere only mingeach other, the cabwas confused, theroyalfamily was consistent withits ignorance, and capitalists wereinvesting money in foreigncountries in search of their ownway to live. Comints from all walks of life had besowidespread that it wasmonfor universityprofessors, prominent artists, and high-rankingaristocratstocriticize CharlesGreys cab. Ifthe economyand politics werespinninginvain, they hadtomake up foritinotherareas. By lookingatothergovernmentsinhistory, one could see that theyhad madeupfor their mistakes throughexternalexpeditionsorcolonization. However, thecurrent cab could not do so. Britainsgrandstrategy, led by Charles Grey, the leaderofthe WhigPartywho tookoffice as Prime Minister, wastosubdue the UnitedStates as quicklyaspossiblewhilesigning an armisticewith France. The ambition and strategy to overpowerthe United States, which was difficulttodeal with due to thewar withFrance and because of the physical distance, and therefore to reduceany anti-British forcesbeyond the ocean, seemed veryreasonable at thetime, sothe ToryPartyalso supportedit. The Britisharmy andnavalforces wereenough to crush the UnitedStates. TheBritish were not dispersing their power any more to fight France, sothey could concentrate it more and crush theUnited States at once. But thingshappeneddifferently. In particr, the British armyoverpowering the UnitedStates was hard to see. The war wasprolonged likethat. TheWhig Party andCharles Grey usedthe media to reversetheirworsening public opinion. Focusing on theexpansion of the East India Company, theydeliberately praisedonly South Asiasachievements, sayingWe finallyput India in our hands, like we hadhopedfor! It workedatfirst, but thepoor results in the American-British War were things that could not be covered no matter howthey tried. CitizensofLondon had already expressed strongdistrustand dissatisfaction with the cab. There wasnotime to rest for theWhig Party members. London Post: Thebeginning of anew regime change? Prime Minister CharlesGrey hada meeting withHis Highness the PrinceRegent (GeorgeIV) At thisrate, theircrushingdefeat in the general election in ninemonths was almostcertain. People wereexpecting CharlesGrey to resignasPrimeMinisterasa form of penitence, and to makea politicalmove to save evena littlebit of the numberofseatsthe Whigs could win in theelections. However, justfour dayster in Westminster, Charles Greys remarks werefar beyond peoples expectations. omitted Ithas beenclearly provedthat FrenchspiesinLondon and Manchester weresystematicallyinfringing on theKingdoms national interests andthe property rights of ourgood citizens. The CabstronglycondemnsFrancesignorantand shameless behavior andwantsthe French governmentsapology andlegitimatepensationfor the damage. If no agreement on this can be found, then theMadrid Treaty signedin1813 will be greatlythreatened. The Kingdomisconcerned thatsomething unpleasantmay happen. Charles Grey, theleader of the Whig Party and Prime Minister of theUnited Kingdom, was strongly criticizing Franceatthe openingceremonyinWestminster. His expression, as he was listing cases of infringement of patenws systematicallymittedbyFrance, wasthat of a patriotic politician who wantedtoprotect theinterests of his country. The useofstrong and passionate words suchasignorant andshameless without diplomatic rhetoric was also revealing howserious andunpleasant theBritish cab was feeling about thisissue. France definitely has to exin thissituation. TheKingdom canput its guns backonthe battlefield at any time to defend itshonor. It is important to keep in mindthat permanentpeaceinEurope can only be maintainedwhen tacit customs and internationalwsare correctly followed. PrimeMinisterCharles Greysseries of hard-line remarks spread rapidly across British societybeyond London in breaking news. This one speechseeded in turningthe public criticismofthe Britishcab andthe Prime Minister toward Franceatonce. Punish the frogs whoplunder British property! Lionsnevertolerateinsults! Lets hangNapoleons neck on the Thamesbridge!! The rivalrythey hadtoward France, the inherent resentmentafterlosing the war, and their anger as they learnedthat their properties had been stolen were added together. ThecitizensofLondon wereextremely excitedaboutthe cowardly and shrewdtheftthat Francehad beendoinginthe darkand cried out forwar. Meanwhile, Britains ForeignMinistry, as if it had been waitingfor this, ended the warwith theUnited States, reducingthe front lineand furtherignitingpublic opinionfor war. Theatmosphere in Western Europe, whichhad beencalm until a month ago, changed in an instant. As if theEuropeanpeacehad beenset until 1817, tensionbegantorise over the Dover Strait. === OverLondon was raining amixture of water andsmoke. The cab and congress, whichhad beenbribed by capitalists, were silent about thedangers of these ck rains, but all citizens aroundthe industriaplex knew it after having felt it withtheirown skinfor manyyears. Devils secretions thatwere causing hairtofall out, the skin to rot, and paininthe eyesand respiratory tract, were contained in theckrain falling overLondon. Its aterribleweather today, too. Howcan thisneighborhood be so consistent Lisarmont Victor Colin closedthe curtains while clicking his tongue. Thiswas the only ce where the repeatingweather wasmaking people feel depressed just by lookingatit. Lisarmont Victor Colin wasthe actual ruler of oneofthe leadingfinancial conglomeratesinLondonsstockmarket, theL.V.C. group. His true identity was a disguised entrepreneurwho was entrustedwith slush funds from France, orNapoleonBonaparte, andwas tasked with legallysucking up thegold from the enemy. Thertionship betweenNapoleonand the L.V.C. groupwas thoroughlyveiled and there were no direct transactionssuch as remittance of capital. However, the L.V.C. group wassteadilysending support beyond theDoverStrait, by doing thingssuch as purchasing bonds or guarantee checksfrom theFrench Empire or investinginfactory sites. Since Frances economy was cruising smoothly, bondsand checks purchasedbythe L.V.C. group steadily generatedprofits. Thankstothis, whilehelping hiscountry, the L.V.C. group wasbeingpraised by stockbrokers, who didnot haveeven theslightest suspicion. However, the volume of goods hadbeen graduallydecreasing duetothe recent esction of the waratmosphere between Britainand France. Sigh Come to think of it, its alreadybeen five years since I came here. Just ayear after starting a corporation in Londons financial autonomous district, theL.V.C. group established its owncapital without external inflows, and another yeater, it gained thepowerand influence to float throughout Londons financial market. Atthis time, Colin thought about betraying theFrench Empire andNapoleonBonaparte and takinghis own route in earnest. Hisfamily heldhostage in Paris wasa problem, butwith wealthand fame, he could solve the situationatany time. Afterall, money could be used to buy imperial officialsand the officers whowere watching hisfamily. If he wasworried about being assassinatedbya vengeful Frenchspy, he could payarge donation to theBritish royal familyand ask forprotection. Unt fewyearsago, I was seriouslyconsideringthis option. Although I have nowabandoned it. Theatmosphere in Londonwas verygloomy, just likeits weather. The dark atmosphereofthe citycenter, thecold-looking street scenery, andthe colors of factorieswere allclosetogray. It wasa scene that could illustrateLondonseconomy, whichhad beensuffering froma slump since thecatastropheofthe London stock marketin1813. Theresults of theoversea expedition and thefailure of economic policies hadled to aregime change in which theruling and opposition partiesswitchedces, butthe splendor and affluenceofthe pastdid not return. Nevertheless, the appearanceofLondon citizens still being yed by themediaand politicians was notpathetic, but pitiful. Despitethe ck rain, Colin did notlose hissmile, lookingdown at thecitizensgathering in front of St. James Pce (theresidence of the British royal family) and crying forwar. Whigpartyfigures dragged France in to cover up their politicalfailures. Thatwas why it wasonly revealed nowthat Francewas stealing patentsand secretsfrom British state-ownedpanies andprivate businesses eventhough theyhad known it earlier. Citizenswho would originallygoonstrike and sit-intoget the wages to be raised, the treatmentofworkers to be improved, and the wartaxestobeabolished, were now protesting, sayingLets beatFrance! Didthey noteven remember howthey were trembling in thewar until justa fewmonths ago? How foolish. Colinwas convinced that settingupanoutside enemy would remainthe bestway to reversepublic opinion, and at thesame time it was an example of the limitations of thedull masseswho could onlysee whatwas right in front of them. Huge overseas colonies, and thatwas safefrom invasion of foreign enemies, the development of private property rights, the emergence of themechanical revolution, andadvancedpolitical and economic systems. These werethe reasonswhy sucha small indcountry continuedtogrow rapidly and becameEuropesrichest country withnparison possible. Butthat wasnot the case anymore. Its explosiveeconomicgrowth had slowedfor along time, andFrance, which wasconsidered farbelowthat, was catching up withBritain at a frightening pace. Therewere many differences betweenthe French economicws, taws, and tariffsand the British ones, and theFrench governmentitself did notgive preferentialtreatment to capitalists. But thefact that it continued to grow rapidlyhad offset allofits shorings. Inotherwords, France hadbe an attractivemarket thatcouldrece Britain, whose growthhad slowed. Londonfundswere flowing to Paris. That was probably whythe Britishcab wasnervous about Frances sess. London Post: It turns outthat thecauseofthe economic recession that cametothe United Kingdom includes seriouspatent infringement systematicallymittedbyFrance Potential damageiscloseto430 million TheCab, including the Tory Party, cleverly handedover theresponsibilityfor the economic recessiontoFrance. It was said thatthe French products produced by using unauthorizedpatents or by extortingthem causedgreatdamage to Britains foreign trade bnce But in Colinseyes, itwas justanillusion. However, heyed the role of agitating theBritish to make themgocrazier andrun wild. Breaking the armisticebetween Britain and Franceand starting anew war seemedtobeinevitable. These were the reasons why Colin remained as a molehidden in Londons financial district without betraying hiscountry andNapoleoninthe end. Francehad beenadvancing by reorganizing itsnationalsystem at afrighteningpace while stopping allwars andresting. Underthe hugecentral leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte, itwas showinginfinitepossibilities andpotential to Europe. On theotherhand, Britain hadnot shown any impressive resultsinexternalexpeditionsand continued to leak behind duetothe continuouswar. Westminster hadbeen transformed into acewherethe state leaderswere passing the responsibility to each other. No one paid attention to constructivepolicy discussions or urgent economic issues. The publicdancing like clowns while being swayedbypolitical talks and itsagitation was a bonus. This is an era of upheaval in which theworldischangingday by day. Inordertomaintainwhat I holdnow, I willhave to entrust myself to thevictor who will takeover this era. The innate sense of LisarmontVictor Colin was hisability to grasp thenature of aproduct andtopredict itsrise or fall. Anditcouldalso be applied to dynamics and national power, growth potential, etc. between countries. Themost decisive difference betweenFrance and Britain, judgedbyColin, was thpetence of theleaders governingthe countries. On oneside wasthe currentFrench cabled by Napoleon Bonaparte, and on the other wasthe Britishcab, whosemembers were onlyying dirty politicaltricks on eachother. The pictureofthetter beating the formercouldnot be drawn in his head. Andtherewas anotherthing. The FrenchArmy losingtothoseignorantand stupid British? Thatsimpossible. Colinhad beeninLondon for a longtime andwitnessed the ugliness of British politics closer than anyone else in France. All fantasies that he had about theUnited Kingdomwere destroyed. Thanks to this, Colin was able to giveuphis thoughts on betrayal and perform his dutiesbyfollowing Napoleonsinstructions withoutsaying aword. Ill trust my country on this. And Imbetting my fate on you, its leader. Mumblinglike that, Colin prepared a letter. Itdepictedhow the current Westminster Parliamentintendedtoaim for Franceand withwhat ns. Hehad alot of worriesbefore making a choice, but oncehemade it, heneverlooked back. Colin, who sealedthe letters top with sealingwax, would soon findwhat he hadtodoonthe wheel of blood thathad begun to return. For the victory of France andNapoleon. Chapter 104: Chapter 104: 19. EuropeanSummit 1 Among thecountless Parisian newspapers, there was hat boasted the biggest history. It was LaGazette.[1] Thenewspaper, which first appeared in the17th century under KingLouisXIV, hadbeen activeasa media outletfor the Bourbon royal family in theearlydays of itsestablishment. However, whenthe French Revolution broke out with the famousBastillePrison raid, it was able to survivethe de of the purge by changing itspositionfaster thananyone elseand absolutelyobeying therevolutionary forces. Since then, La Gazette had enthusiastically praisedthe leadingforces by changing faces quicklywheneverthe regime andpowerchanged. While maintaining the same lineasbefore, it managed to increased itsscale. The intellectuals had been verydisapproving of this, but nevertheless, theycouldnot denythat La Gazette was themost famousandrgestpressinParis. It wasstillthe newspaper with the most subscribers in Paris, whether it had grown cheaply or not. The editorsrecentlybeguntodointerestingthings to Parisians. Didie this morning? Check the mailbox, Raymond! Yes, Dad! As theday got colder, the boycalled Raymond, sniffing witha runny nose, went outsidethe house and openedthe red mailbox. Ashetucked his arminto thecold mailbox, a smile appeared on his brightface. Itcontained whatRaymond andhis father were waitingfor. Wow! Its here! It reallycame, Dad! The mancame hurriedly, leavingthe farms work behind, when he heard Raymondsfuss. What wasinthe hands of his son, who wasrunning around, was a specialmail. To JeanMedecin, the farmer on BaillyStreet in the 3rdDistrictinthe South-EastofParis. Thank you forbeingpart of thesubscriberswho regrly read La Gazette. La Gazetteisalways Hequickly flipped throughitand focusedonthestpage containing the main topic of interest. It containedwhat wasmaking the Parisianssoexcited. La Gazettepreparedthe following special questions to investigate oursubscribers, andfurthermore, the Parisians usual thoughts, politicaltendencies, satisfaction withlife, future values, and beliefs. The subscribers responses willbeused as data to be reflected in Paris public opiniontrends and wishes, as wesinthe blueprint of futurepolicies, so please respond carefully andclearly. La Gazettplieswith theLuxembourgDecree issuedbyHis Majestythe Emperor. We promisenot to discriminate against or do anything to suppress freedomofexpression based on theresponses of our subscribers. It wasthe first questionnaireofLaGazette. Thiswoulterbereferredtoasthe worldsfirstpublic opinion survey. Whetherheknew he wasfacing sucha historical moment or not, JeanMedecin wasjust showing interest and curiosityaboutwhat questionswouldbeasked. Hurry, hurry up and do it! Hehe, dontrush me JeanMedecin smiledathis son andturned the page. A question-and-answersection came intohis eyes. 1. Hasthe financial situationofthe subscriberand his familyimprovedover thst 10 years? Please giveusthe answer byprehensivelyconsideringyour individual ie andassets, thestability of yourjob, andthe future. Writethe number 1 if it is better than how it was10 yearsago, thenumber 2 ifithas not changed, andthe number 3 if it has worsened. Jean Medecinthought fora moment. He was running agrapefarm inheritedfrom hisfather, andaswith allfarms, profitsvaried fromyear to year. Five years ago, the worst weatherconditions, cold waves, and hailhit and destroyedfarming fora year. But thesituation has improved a lot recently. The future haschanged to hope, too! Grapes grown on his farm werenot exclusively for brewing, so thetime fordistribution was short. Inordernot to losemoney, it had to be sold quickly, so if inventory umted, hehad to either sell it for a lower price or throw it away. However, as thewar ended and theeconomicsituation improved rapidly, the grapesonthe farmsold well withoutstocking. On topofthat, various taxes such as the sale tax, market tax, and farmtax wereabolished, increasing the liquidityoftransactions and leaving abigger margin even if he had to sell at alowerprice. Whatelse wastheretosay? Jean Medecinwrotedown thenumber 1 without hesitation. 2. What do youthinkaboutthe implementation of policies promised by the Empires cab and theoue of recentforeign policies? Here, foreign policyrefers to external expeditions and diplomatic achievements. Ifyou think it was sessful, write thenumber 1 Ofcourse its1. How can I alreadyforget the great victoriesofHis Majestythe Great Emperorand the invincible Grand Army? His son Raymond, whowas watching fromthe side, ppedwhilesmiling as if he agreed. In 1804, theday the republic wasconverted intoanempire. As he ascended to thethrone as Emperor, the risinggeneral promised to preserve theterritory of the republic, respect freedom of religion, equality of rights, political, civilfreedom, and aabundantlife forindividualsand families. There hadbeen many twists andturnsinthe middle, but in the end, he keptall his promises. 3. Which countrydoyou think is the biggest enemy threatening the safety, territory, and sovereignty of the FrenchEmpire? Forthis question, please write downthe nameofthe countryyou are thinking of, not anumber. Hmm Ofcourse, these arethe sly andvicious indbastards. Obviously! Excited to see if hisfathersanswer was good again thistime, Raymond raisedhis armsand hurrahed. Then, in theFrench folksong Song of theOcean writtenbyGeorges Caron, the partLets beatall the inders! wassung like amedley. Asthe war esctedagainbetween Franceand the UnitedKingdom, antipathy betweenthe people of thetwo countries began to re up. That waswhy JeanMedecin wasable to pick Britainrightaway without any hesitation. 4. What area do you think needs to be betterfor the development andfuture of the Empire? 1 for awiderterritory, 2 for a richer Empire, 3 for the welfare of citizens, 4 for theimprovementofexternaldiplomatic rtions(omitted) Jean Medecin, who wascurrently supportinghis old parents, wrote thenumber 3. In addition, he sincerelywrotedown theanswers to various questions. Overall, many subscribers answered that theywere satisfiedwith thecurrent situationand ruleofthe Empire. Along withJean Medecin, probably theabsolutemajorityofthe other citizens of Paris no, even the Frenchcitizensbeyond Paris, would think alike. Withthe liftingofcensorship in themedia, art, and publishingindustries, the French were freetocriticize the government, cab, andmilitary. At first, they had been warythat it wasaninvestigation trap fromthe secret police, but they soonrealizedthat it wasnot. Newspapepanies werenot asked to revise or deletearticleseven if they openly criticized governmentpoliciesintheirheadlines, andeven if citizens on thestreet cursed thegovernment, guards and policedid not arrestthem or brutally assault them. TheFrench people, who gained therighttoexpress their feelings as they pleased, fellinlove with the sweet taste of true freedom that theyhad never enjoyedbefore. Insalons and squares, they wereable to express their opinions ording to their politicaltendencies freely, and discussions or disputes were resolved among themselves, and no outside public power intervened. Thanks to this, the Frenchpeople had therighttomake legitimate criticism without risk. Nevertheless, it was surprising thattherewas no criticism of theEmperor, who was theone who made France prosper in its goldenage. All of this is thanks to HisMajestys grace. Thatsright. Hehad createdanenvironmentwherepeople could staywarm andfill their stomach, while leading the Empiretothe top, presenting a widerangeoffreedom, welfare, and fortableand stable life. They did nottoleratecriticism or usationagainst theEmperor, not becausesomeone ordered them, but on their ownwill. While feelingtheircountry constantly developingand advancing, and while watching the back of the Emperor leadingit, the Frenchpeople weregiving unchanging, absolute supportfor one person. Im curiousaboutotherpeoplesopinionsinParis. Theymust be thinking about theEmpire and HisMajesty just likeus, right? JeanMedecin answered while stroking Raymondshead. Of course. The 800,000 citizens of Paris are wise people, different fromthe people of Israel, who didnot recognize Moses, theirsavior. JeanMedecin wrote down the address of the headquartersofLaGazette andreturneditwith thecarefully writtenquestion-and-answer sheet. Asthe timewas gettingmore turbulent, he hoped thatthis small questionnaire would helpthe Empire andthe Emperor. === When conflictsofinterestorideologyarosebetween countries, it had been along-standing practice of international diplomacy to first go to theambassadorsofthe criticizedcountry when protesting. Even the Ottoman Empire andthe RussianEmpire, thetwo ironsupporters, were apanied by ambassadors in diplomatic affairs, and extremelyrefrained fromcriticizingothercountries in official meetings. However, Britains response thistime wasbreakingthat practice. PrimeMinisterCharles Grey gavea speechopenly criticizing France at Westminster Parliament, without talkingfirsttothe French ambassador in London at thetime. The British added, The French vited ourpropertyrights first, ignoring internationalws, so itsappropriateretaliation! butofcourse, theFrench sidecouldnot think thatway. This was a hugedisrespect to theFrench Empire andtoNapoleon. TheEmperor, who was respectedand reveredbyhis great and proud country, wasattackedbythe inders, sowouldthe passionateFrench staystill? TheangryParisians roselike wildfire andcriticized theattitudeofthe BritishPrimeMinisterand Cab, while painters and novelistsalso publishedsatire or short storiesmocking Britain and British politicians. Inresponse, London media reported on theestimated amount of damagereturnedtoindividual British citizens, listingpanies that suffered losses from Frances patentpiracy. In areas where citizens of bothcountries frequentlymet, it wamon to see hate protests or quarrels. Asthe confrontationbetween thetwo powers dominating WesternEurope intensified, theatmosphere of peace becameanold saying andwarfare began to circtethroughout Europeagain. War! It seemed that the time to cry forwar was about toe again. Notonly theFrench but also all Europenow paidattention to whatNapoleon, the Emperor of the Empire, would say. The remarks or expressions of the absolute ruler governingthe Empire hada differentlevelofinfluence and executionpowerthan theprimeministerofa constitutional monarchy. Withjust oneword, the war that had stopped could resume in an instant, andinreality, Napoleonhad often usedthis kind of surprise deration of war. Despite theattention focusedonhim, theFrench Emperordid not make an official statement. Even the warEmperor is reluctanttodere waragainst Britain, which rules thesea! Or maybe there is a secret agreementbetween thetwo countries. Theneighboringcountries of France andBritain made the above reasoningwith thegiveninformation. Maybe there would not be a war? Whileoptimismprevailed, news thatwouldsurprisethe entire Europehit the continent. (omitted) So far, the historyofthe European continent hasbeen a series of constant disputes, quarrels, and intimidation, to the extentthat it canbeconsidered a historyofwar. Those whosufferedduring thatperiod and those whodied bleeding were all ordinary European citizens. But didthe war bring groundbreaking benefits? Itdid not. Afterall, warismerely apolite expressionfor theft and plundering. Nowwehave to stop thiswheelofbloodthat only burns human potential without development. This cannotbeachievedbythe willofonly onecountry. Therefore, we insistonholding regr meetings thatwill lead the newera by establishing a new cooperative rtionshipand system between European countries andseeking harmony and coexistence. Thismeeting hasneverexisted before, where heads of European countries cangather for peace, bnce, and stability on theEuropeancontinent to haveimportant and sometimescasual discussions. Through this, we need to cultivate a sense ofplementaryresponsibilitybycoordinating disputes and quarrels in line withthe new erate. If all Europegathers itsmind, itcan preventthe tragedyofthe Great War. I sincerelybelieve andhope that the honorary heads of European countrieswill eptand cooperate forthemon development andvalueofEurope. These werethe words of Franois Carnot, Minister of the Administration of theFrench Empire. The remarkshemade in theImperialCouncil quickly spread throughout the European continent. Carnot wascalled the double heart of theEmperor Napoleon Bonaparte. His words soon became Napoleons intention. The war, which was likelytobetriggered overthe French andBritish patentdisputesand insults, had already beenburied under anew topic thatwas shakingEurope as awhole. Thiswas enough to mute the British side, which was preparingfor war. Chapter 105: Chapter 105: 19. EuropeanSummit 2 Naples was thefourthrgestcity in EuropeafterLondon, Paris, and Constantinople. Therulerofthis ce wasJoachim Murat, the son of an innkeeper, who eventually became Marshal of France andKing of Naples. His position evaluated by European politics wasonly oneofthe lords of the FrenchEmpiresnumeroussatellite states, but he thoughtofhimself as theking of an independent country and wasacting likethat. I waswondering whatthe hellyou werethinking but you were preparing a surprise party likethis? And ahuge party at that, thatsgoingtomake thewholeofEurope buzz! It was a weekbefore the Minister of theAdministrationCarnot delivered a speech calling for thenecessity of peace among European countries in theImperialCouncil. Joachim Murat smiledwhen he received a letter andinvitation from the TuileriesPce. The letter, engraved witha pattern symbolizing the Bonaparteimperialfamily, containedNapoleons ambition to prepare acetodiscuss bnced development andpeaceinEurope, along with abriefgreetingtoMurathimself. Napoleon seemedtowant to make thisbanquet, whichwas scheduled to be held at the Rohan PceinStrasbourg, the headquarters of Europe. Itwas added thatitwouldbea ce forall European countryleaders to attendand discussthe future, regardless of thenationalpower, governance, and reputation of their countries. In short, itmeanttorecreatethe ConferenceofDresden[1], whichbrought together allthe French allies, satellite states, and descendants of prestigious European families ahead of theRussian expedition in 1812 Murat, who was basicallyanignorantman but hada not-so-shortcareer in Parisian politics, immediately doubted Napoleonsintentions. Resolution of a peace regime at this time? Napoleon wrote this? Thats nonsense! Obviously, he guessed thattherewouldbesomething elseinsidious, butMurats limitations were onlyuptohere. That was whyMuratoftencalled the head of Salernocourtfor advice when he needed a political sense that was beyondhis capability. Thisisa n to distinguish between goodand bad led by His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire. The difference is thatthe scale is the whole of Europe. The head of the court read Napoleonsinvitation closely, thought for a moment andreplied like this. Distinguishing betweengood andbad? Yes, Your Majesty. To be exact, it shouldbeseen as an actofclearly distinguishing between enemiesand allies. Althoughithas not yetmade an official position, the Empire will surely wage awar againstBritain. Before that, it seems to be lookingforrades who will jointhe war. Napoleons letterwas mainly about peace andharmony on theEuropeancontinent, butthe headofSalerno court spoke of warwithout anyhesitation. His opinionwas likethis. British provocationscannot be tolerated by theEmperor. Also, the Empire hasnointention ofpensating forthe damage demanded by Britain. TheBritish know that, too. War is inevitable, and thetwo countries aresecretlypreparing for it. Nevertheless, it wasclearwhy the British did notwant to dere war. This wasbecause they wanted Francetobreakthe Treaty of Madridfirst. Naturally, itwas to insist on theinternationalmunitythat they had justifications forwar. France would first createanexcuse for them to go to war, and if the treatywas broken, Britain would be able to raise the will of its ownpeople to wagewar while gainingsupport from other powers. However, this one move by Napoleon was powerful enoughtooverturnBritains natonce. The harmonyand coexistence of European countries arenothing butpretty words. Perhaps thisisa justification for installing the next great strategy Thats what I think. Thatsright. Although the Emperor has changed alot, even his belligerent spiritand desire to conquer havenot disappeared. Bringingtogetherthe rulers of allEuropeancountries is ahigh-level intimidationtothem, asthey have to choose whether to follow or opposeanordeing fromthe French Empire. The Roman Empireinthe pasthad usedthe samemethod. Therulers of all provinceswere brought together at oncetopraise themand at the same timetoestablish hierarchical rtionships. Theprovinces who opposed the call wererepaid withfierce retaliation, punishment, andeven purges. The countryrulers mustknow this. What it meant to refuse Napoleons call, and theheavyconsequences thatwoule forthem. Ahem Is there anychoice for ourcountry? It goeswithout saying, YourMajesty. Wemust stand by theEmpiresside no matterwhat. The headofSalerno court sighedinwardlyatthe ignorant and greedyking andexined thatthe Empires allies andsatellite countries werepletelydifferent. Murat, whether he liked it or not, had to participate in Strasbourgsbanquet andserveasa decoration as Napoleonsfaithfulsubordinate. Murat, alow-bormoner, was able to be King of Naples thanksentirelytoNapoleonand his sister, Caroline. But what if he wentagainst Napoleon andwalked on his ownpath? The anti-French countries would wee it withopen arms, butJoachim Murats reputationand credibility would falltothe ground. No, before that, the Frenchwouldcrushthe ItalianPenins to punish thetraitor. Seeing Murat lostinthoughts, the head of the court felt frustrated, but he wasgratefulthat hisking wasnot stubborn. In the end, JoachimMuratand his wife Caroline Bonaparte decided to participate in the Strasbourg banquet. Of course, none of theFrench satellite countriesrefused to participate. JzefAntoni Poniatowski of the Kingdom of Pnd, Eugne de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy, Joseph I ofthe KingdomofSardinia, Jrme Bonaparte of theKingdom of Westphalia, andothermonarchsofthe Confederationofthe Rhine expressed their willingness to attend. Muratswepthis chest away, thinking thathealmost became a loner, andthe headofSalerno court lookedslightlypitifully at his king. === Allcountries of the European continentgatheredinone ce to formamoncouncil andrebuild thevalueoforder, coexistence, andharmony forthe future. Thetopicraised by Franois Carnotwas enough to heat up the whole of Europe. And his speechthat becamea hottopicwas named Carnots Deration. It was notthat there hadbeen no attempt to unite Europe so far. Frederick II, theEmperor of theHoly Roman Empire, had proposed theidea of an alliedarmy involvingall European countries to counter the Mongolinvasion, and beforethat, Pope Gregory VIII had issued a seven-yearceasefire in Europe andhad urged all European powerstoform a crusadetoretake Jerusalem.[2] However, thereason why Carnots Deration wasessentiallydifferent fromthesetwo previous cases was that he was askingtoform a council. Frederick II and Gregory VIII were motivatedbywars based on grand causeswith Christianvalues, askingfor aEuropeanunityfor thispurpose, but Carnots Deration preached peace, harmony, andfuture values of theEuropeancontinent to preventthe tragedyofwar itself. JohannWolfgangvon Goethe[3]: The European springthat weve been waitingfor is finallyhere. And of cultureand philosophyfull of logic, order, dialogue and consultation, not a battlefield dotted with guns, ughter, and malice, will unfoldinStrasbourg! Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz: Ive always thought thatonly extraordinary figureswith great will could block the blood waves flowing in Europe. Weare now livingthe mosthistoricmoment since the birth of theLord Jesus Christ. Pierre-Paul Prudhon: ProudcitizensofFrance, ourcountry is so great that eventhe title of theGreat is insufficient, sowewill have to findsomething else. If you dont know whattodonow, just shout Vive Sa Majest ! and sing the national anthemofthe Empire. Antonio Salieri: I reallywant to seethe future of Europethat theEmperor of theEmpire willlead. Im surethe end will shine brightly likethe HolyGrand willbeassweetasNectar, thedivine drink. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: Martin Luthers Ny-five Theses[4]reformedreligion, changedEurope, andchanged theworld. As I listenedtoFranois Carnots speech, I realized that we wereata turning point likethen. Europesleading celebrities viewedthis holy challenge with an extremely favorablegaze. For those who were immersed in the Enlightenment ideas, human equality, and romanticism, Napoleon andthe French Empirewere saintschallengingthe ideal theyhad onlydreamed of. In recentyears, the atmosphere of France exudeda strongscentoffreedomand equality, and Napoleonsattitudedeviatedfrom authoritarianism and despotism, respectingcooperationand representation. As a matter of fact, theabovechange lefta deep impressiononrenownedEuropeanphilosophers, artists, andschrs, and Carnots Deration wasits highlight. So far, no European monarchhad sought coexistence andharmony withinEurope. Butsuch ideas were directly led by thehead of a hegemony countrywho could surpassall neighboring countries with power and influence? It was unimaginable. When thetime andluck matched and thecountry reached its heyday, the monarch of agreatcountry wasalways immersed in the warofconquest. That hadbeen thecase forMehmet II, GustavII Adolf, Louis XIV, and evenFrederick the Great, who was praised as an Enlightenmentmonarch.[5]Making the country strong wasonly a means of invasion and conquest, and no one seriouslyconsidered thelivesofunknown, ordinarypeople. France nowalso hadthe power to trampleonothercountries and to continue itsconquest. The Frenchhad aterrifying force that would scare the entirecontinent as longasthey mobilizedtroops. Nevertheless, Napoleonand their cabcame up with the bannerofpeaceand harmony, citing thecauseofthemon peoples lives andthe joint development of the continent. Itwas for this reason that Austrian, Prussian, Russian, and evenBritish celebrities praised Carnots Deration. What was thenoblevalueofthe French Empireunless it was a truerevolution? On the other hand, monarchs andpoliticianspaid attentiontoFrance froma slightly differentperspective. Theyknew betterthan anyoneelse that there was no goodwill without national interest, andthey hadalready learned the inhumanity, cruelty, andcoldnesscontained in it. If Napoleon really wantedpermanent peace in Europe, hecouldjust maintain thecurrent state. Sacrifice the overall purposefor aillusoryideal? It was somethingthat could never happen. It mustbea y to showoff the power of theEmpire and theEmperor himself. I think its intended to unite friendly forces beforethe war against Britain. It is presumed to be a disguised offensive, talkingaboutpeaceinthe front and preparingfor war in theback. Foreign ministries of eachcountry naturallydoubted Frances intentions while making these predictions. Intelligence organizationsoperating inside Francewere eager to obtainadditional information. European monarchs andrulers struggled to grasp Napoleons trueintentions beforedecidingtoparticipateinthe Strasbourgbanquet. Soon after, as announced, invitations arrivedfrom theBonaparte imperial family to leaders of eachcountry. The moment of decision hadarrived. === The invitations sentbyFrance could bergelydivided into three categories. The first wassent to Frances satellitestates. Napoleon sentthem an invitation assuming thatthey would naturallyparticipate. It included requests on how to help the imperial event at theStrasbourg banquet. The secondwas senttoneutral countriesthat hadlittle to do withFrance. Theinvitation included howthe participationofthe talks would return to their national interestsand how it would affectthe supportofcitizensinthe currentsystem. It could resemble asolicitation to attractcustomers, butitwas certainly attractive for them. Theproblem wasthe invitationsent to Frances formal allies. Thisisabsolutely tyrannical and rude! Its an insult to thespirit of Brandenburg, where theGreatPrince (FriedrichWilhelm) stoodupright on thnd, thats whatIm saying! Whatkind of vulgarwordsare those inside of HisMajestys pce? Watchyour words andactions, Prince of Wahlstatt! If you hadtrulyassistedHis Majestyand the kingdom correctly, I wouldnt have toethis far! The manroaring wasGebhard Leberechtvon Blcher[6], with grayhair anda redface. The possible emergence of a European Councilhad caused theover 70-year-old mantojump up andrun to the BerlinPce. His reckless demeanor wasunhindered even in the pcehall (even if theking hadnot yet entered). Therewas no one to stop him because of his age, career, militaryrank, whichwas the best in the Prussian army, andbecause he wasstronglysupported by the main influential figures. His Majesty is entering. Everyone, please showcourtesy. Withthe announce of aservant, Friedrich WilhelmIII[7]appeared witha face thatcouldnot hidehis tiredness. Heentered thehall, sat on the throne, and openedhis mouth. Prussia is in trouble, itstime forthe wit andwisdom of the ministers. The court meeting was about to begin after theking appeared. Im sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty. TheViscountofBuckingham (the Britishambassador) askedfor the permission to enter. Your Majesty! TheCountofBoulogne(the Frenchambassador) isalso waiting at the entrance of thehall to meet YourMajesty. Friedrich WilhelmIIIsface wasfilled withannoyance. TL notes [1]ConferenceofDresden [2]Frederick II,Pope GregoryVIII [3]Johann Wolfgang vonGoethe,Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz,Pierre-PaulPrudhon,AntonioSalieri,Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel [4]Martin Luther:Ny-fiveTheses [5]Mehmed the Conqueror,GustavusAdolphus,Louis XIV,Frederick theGreat [6]GebhardLeberecht von Blcher [7]Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia Chapter 106: Chapter 106: 19. EuropeanSummit 3 All thepatents andtechnologies thatFrance has taken andused at will are thepropertyofthe Kingdomand its good citizens. TheKingdoms position was clearly conveyed thatsomething unpleasant would notbeavoided withoutpensation forthe damage. But to think thatyou wereactuallymaking afool of yourself here after being silent about it. Hahaha! Im sorry, butI dont understand whatthe Viscount is saying at all. Whatdoyou meanpatents andtechnologies? Thehonest and just Empire does not steal anything. Italready hasplenty of everything. Rather, didnt Britainstealthe patentsofthe Empires warships and steam-powered wagons? You areasshameless as ever. France, too, hastakenand usedthe Kingdoms properties as if it wereits own. With thesigning of theTreaty of Madrid between the twocountries, what happened in the past was buriedinthe past. Do you still have no ideawhichside broke down the atmosphere of reconciliation betweenthe two countriesfirst? Well, lets talk about that. I thinkyour prime ministers words and actions againstthe Empire andHis Majestyare the reasons for thefrozen rtionship between the twocountries By the way, speaking of the TreatyofMadrid, didntyou signthat youwouldntbeinvolvedinthe war between Spain, Portugal andtheircolonies? However, ording to theEmpiressources, your country was busy traveling between the twosidesand providing suspicious support The French andBritish ambassadors were spitting sharp words at eachother. It was FriedrichWilhelm III and his Prime Minister Karl August vonHardenberg[1]whocaused diplomats from other countries to growl insidethe pce of a third country. PrimeMinisterHardenberg advised Friedrich Wilhelm III, who looked embarrassed when he heard thatambassadorsfrom both countries hadvisited himatthe sametime. He shouldrather bring the twohere at thesame time and make themdispute in front of Prussia. This would givePrussia a minimumofevasion, nomatter whatchoice was made in the end. Thanks to this, he could not seethe ambassadors fighting inside theBerlin Pce, but Friedrich Wilhelm III wasproudtohave made the right choicefor the sake of the national interest. Dontdoany moredisrespect in thepresenceofHis Majestythe King, and tell us yourpurpose. Atthe words of the head of the court, the two stopped arguingand looked around. There was a brief war of nervesover whowouldreveal his intentions first, butsoon theCountofBoulogne, the Frenchambassador, opened his mouth first. Ahem HisMajesty, the Emperorofthe Empire, said that it is impossiblefor the Prussian Kingdom, which hasa stronginfluence in CentralEurope, to miss the Strasbourg banquet. As afriendlyally of theEmpire, theEmpire expectsPrussia to show friendshipand trust. It wasa politeexpression with diplomaticrhetoric. But if itspoliteness wasremoved, itactuallymeantIf you donte to Strasbourg, youre no longeranally of France. It wasa remarkputting Prussia under strong pressure. Some Prussian figureswho noticedithardenedtheirfacial expressions, andamongthem, Blchers face was worth seeing. The British ambassador, the Viscount of Buckingham, quickly intervenedtotake advantageofthe gap. With theTreatiesofTilsit[2], Prussia became a major allyofFrance and gave generous supportineverywar. ButFrance is threatening suchanally without any respect or consideration, showinga pitiful realityfor Europe, whereunderstanding andtolerance havedisappeared! Itsreally deceitful to speak of a consultative body formonEuropeanvalues. Its notsomething for a third countrytointervene in. Go back to yourown work. Idlike to make an offer on the Kingdomsbehalf. Your Majestyshould not go directly to Strasbourg, butsend an agent with areasonable position in your stead. In thepast, Prussia wasa long-standing friend of theKingdom, althoughitwas cut offbyFrench tyrannyand violence. This is an advice from the perspective of an oldfriend. TheKingdom deeplyrespectsPrussias spirit anddignity, and is capableofrepayingthem. Ifyou ept theKingdoms proposal, Prussia willhave no problem withits national finances evenifitdoes notcollect anyrevenue fortwo years. Huh? DidBritain have thatkind of capacity? I heard that military costs are soaring becauseofthe swollenfinancesfrom thewar againstthe United Statesand the violence in South Asia as well. The government bonds thatyou havetopay backgoback andforthbetween 800 million and 900 million, butyoure verygeneroustoprovide financialsupport forneighboringcountries, arentyou? Theamount of governmentbondsissued by the British governmentexplodeddue to the persistent recession andthe war with France. Atthe end of thewar, it began to decrease, but the scale wasstistronomical. Britains finances were rollinghard just by preparing fora newwar againstFrance. TheCountofBoulognewas sarcastic about theBritish situation. PrimeMinisterHardenberg roaredwhen theFrench and British ambassadors quarreled again fiercely with eachother. Whatkind of horrible words andactions arethose? I definitely said thatyou wereinthe presence of His Majesty. Whyare you arguing so loudly? The two ambassadors must be lookingdown on ourKingdom andHis Majesty! Hardenbergimmediatelyturned his head and told Friedrich Wilhelm III. I think thetwo ambassadors are especially excitedtodayand cant tellwhen they needtobepolite. Whydontwesend them out of thecourtand callthem separatelyter to talk? Hmm. I thinkweshould do so. Youtwo, pleasestep down for today. The Count of Boulogne and theViscountofBuckingham stepped down, leavingwordsofapology forthe king. Although Hardenbergexpelledthem on thepretext of disrespect, thereal purpose was, infact, tobuy timetodiscuss this issue. However, even though theambassadorsand their party wentout, thehall wasstillsilent. Even if no onewas saying a word, theyall had thesame opinion. They had to hold the Frenchhand. There waslittle possibility of amajorproblem happeningifthey rejected theBritish proposal, but if theyrejectedthe French one, it would be areal threat. Nevertheless, the reason whythey could noteasily opentheirmouths was because of Blcherspresence. If someonehas to participate in the Strasbourg banquet, hell do everythinghecan to oppose it. Hesanold man buthes still very healthy. Sigh! If he incites the main officers, thatsgoingtobea bigtrouble. Whilethe ministers were worriedaboutthis, Blcheropened his mouth. Please ept theFrench ambassadors suggestion, Your Majesty! The first words that Blcher broughtupwere enoughtosurpriseFriedrich WilhelmIII and thePrussiancourtministers. Butwerent youinsisting on throwing the Frenchoppression away and fighting them morepassionately thananyone else? To Friedrich Wilhelm III, who was askingwith a doubtful look, Blcher quietlyansweredwith courtesy. Thats definitelywhat I saidinthe past, and theidea itselfremains unchanged. However, I amthemander of thePrussianarmy anda servant of YourMajesty. I will notmitthe foolishness of making a mistakeinthe statesaffairs with my personal feelings. When Blcher insisted on fighting, it waswhen Francewas busywith theRussian expedition and theIberian PeninsWar. At this time, he thoughtthat with the support of the UnitedKingdom, ifPrussia puta knife in Frances back withAustrias help, theycouldoverturnthe situation. However, Francewas muchstrongerthan it wasthen, and there would be no second front to disperse itspower. If theyhastily setupa confrontation withFrance now, the entire country of Prussiawouldimmediatelybesweptaway under a waveoftricolorgs. The indbastardsalways try to show goodwill as if theyare reliable, butifthe situation breaksout, they act ignorant of their allies. Our Kingdom has also suffered fromsuch tricks. I wouldrather believethat theTurksconverted to Christianity than believethem. Someday Ill havetoshow theFrench whatIm madeof, but that should be at a timewhen theBritish cant back off. When Blcher, who was theone to shout againstFrance the strongest, saidthis, therewas no needtodiscuss anymore. It seemedthat FriedrichWilhelm III wouldbegoingtothe Strasbourgbanquet with his attendants. Pleaseallowmetogothereaswell with YourMajesty! Im sureNabotand his marshals will makerude threats, so I willstop them withmywholebody! Friedrich WilhelmIII did notwant to go with Blcher, butmost of theministers agreed, sohecouldnot helpit. Thus, the maninPrussia whohatedNapoleonthe mostalso gotona carriage heading to Strasbourg. === It was December 30, 1817, two daysbefore the NewYear. Strasbourgs gate, which had long served as a wallprotecting France, opened wide. Andnow the biggest event since the citysfoundingwas starting. Strasbourg, locatedinthe easternmost partofthe Alsace-Lorraine region, was centered aroundthe Rohan Pce andStrasbourgs Cathedral, with Contades Boulevardtothe north and Lugny Streettothe south. Usually, French citizens with aproven identity wereable to go back and forth between these two main roads at ease, but today they had to go back and choosea differentway as theywere strictly controlled by French guardsand police. Firstissafety, secondissafety! No unfortunate identsshould everurtothe citys distinguished guests! The honor and prestige of theEmpire are at stake, soeveryoneshould be prepared wellsothat there will be no mistakes! TheDuke of Rovigoand Police Minister Anne JeanMarieRen Savary[3]called forcaution from the security officers in a stern voice. He preached theimportance of theeventbyorderingagainand again to pay as much attention to safetyand security as possible, andsaying thatitwas eptabletodythe movement betweenthe carriages. The first processionofguests is arriving! Great! Proceedaswehave prepared! Policemen, follow me! Securityguards,e thisway! Thesecurityofficersled their respectivepolicemen and guardstocontrol thestreets andsecure the carriage paths. Soon after, asthe maingate of thecity of Strasbourg opened, four-wheeled carriages with brilliant familycrests appeared. The patterns were onesthat peoplewouldhave seen at least onceinnewspapers, public documents, orartworkssuch as paintings. It gaveanidea of howfamous the peopleinthe carriage were. Personalguards and horsemen escortingthe carriages separately appeared under the control of French guardsand police forces. ContadesStreet was wide enough to be calleda boulevard, but in consideration of the crowd gatheringatthe event, thecarriageroad wastemporarilyexpanded. Nevertheless, several carriages moved at once, andtheirguards wereaddedtothe front, rear, left, andright, so the wide boulevard wasvery full. Whoah! What a spectacr sight. Youll never see a scene likethis again in thefuture. Take agood look. Dad! Give me aride on your shoulders! Citizenswho lived in nearby viges or citiestiptoed andcapturedthe sights that theywouldrememberall their life. Althoughitwas not possible to approach closely due to thetightsecurityofthe police protecting the carriage path, it waspossibletoclimbuphigh-rise shops or building scaffolds andwatch. The procession of Europes leadingaristocratic families continued endlesslywith thepeoplesinterest. Onthe southern Lugny Street on theotherside, itwas aseries of veryhistorical scenesofa differentkind. Itwas iparable to thecolorfulcarriages and processions on Contades Boulevard, but theexistence of eachindividual in these carriageswas morethan enoughtomake up forthe difference. Therewere music masters, literary geniuses whohad published numerous masterpiece novels,edies, poems, etc. that had created amilestone in the times, philosophers and schrs whohad leftnumerousfamous quotes andtopics to talkaboutinthe future. Literally, the talents of the century werebreathing together within a few metersofdistance. John Constable(Britishpainter), Johan Gottlieb Gahn(Swedishchemist), Friedrich Heinrich Yakovi(Bavarian philosopher), and AntonioCanova (Italian sculptor) were drivingintheirown carriages.[4] ThomasRobert Malthus(Britishpolitical economist, afterwhom theMalthusian Trap was named), Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz (Polishpoet andywright), and Franz Schubert (Australianposer) were chatting with eachother, making a scene thatfuture generations would wanttorecord evenifthey hadtopay amillion dors.[5] In addition, John Dalton (British chemist), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(German writer), EdwardJenner (British physician), and Antonio Salieri(Italiaposer) led individual carriages oneafteranother, chasing thepreceding procession.[6] Unfortunately, most of thepeople gathered on Lugny Street to watch them werefarmers whofarmed or raised livestockinthe viges nearby, and theyhad veryfew knowledge to recognizethe European celebrities. Evenwhen it came to great men whowouldberemembered fora long timeinhistory, they were muttering words such as Whoare they? andTheymust be theservantsofthe noble families that would makefuture generations pound their chest. As such, the stars shining brightly on Europe were now gatheringinthe Rohan Pce in Strasbourg. = The lights in themain hall inside theRohanPce lit up with asign that the dinnerwas ready. Starting with this, the lightsturned on eachroom, terrace, the cathedral, and the pcewere also lit. Finally, the curtainofthe StrasbourgBanquet hadrisen. TL notes [1]Karl August vonHardenberg [2]Treaties of Tilsit [3]Anne JeanMarieRen Savary [4]John Constable,Johan Gottlieb Gahn,Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi,Antonio Canova [5]ThomasRobert Malthus:Malthusianism,Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz,Franz Schubert [6]John Dalton,Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,EdwardJenner,Antonio Salieri Chapter 107: Chapter 107: 19. EuropeanSummit 4 Goodwillcouldhide themost treacherous minds. This wasbecause peoplehad the instinct to take advantage forthemselves at critical moments. Therefore, the people whomade up society admiredothers who didthings out of goodwill andsupported their work. Theyrespected thembecause they knewhow muchcourage andsacrifice these people hadmade. However, it wasrare fora good man to be respected until theend. This was because whenthestmoment came, people betrayed himbydrawing outtheirugly inner selfishness. That wasright. In other words, theact of respectinggoodwillwas ultimatelyhumanhypocrisy. However, if one thought about thisthe other way around, it could be anew key to leading the game. AndNapoleonneverintendedtomake a noble sacrifice fora great cause. Theringing of theclockannouncing 6 p.m. brokehis thoughts. Napoleon talkedtoBaronFain while thetailor and hisservantswere meticulouslycheckinghis clothes, decorations, hair, andmakeup. I guess itsalmost time. Did yousay thatall the peopletowhom we sent an invitationarrived at thepce? Yes, Your Majesty! There werea fewcountry leaders fromthe Confederationofthe Rhine thatnotifiedoftheirabsence duetophysicalillness or unavoidable circumstances, butmost didnot reject theEmpiresrequest. Not everyone would have weed thisevent. Thatsright, YourMajesty. However, the listwas hardly differentfrom theexpectations of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Napoleon and theImperialMinistryofForeign Affairs had asked allEuropeancountries to attend. Among them, there were cases where monarchs or leaderswere tooold or seriously illtomove, and theyexined their circumstancesinadvance andsought understandingfrom theEmpire. Napoleon was notthat inflexible, so they could resolvethe situation by sending representatives in their stead. However, therewere some thatdid not fall under thiscase anddid not want to recognize thehegemonyofthe Empire. Britain, ofcourse, hadnointention of participatinginthis French-led order, andFrance had noteven sent it an invitationatall as it had no expectationstoreceive a positive answer. The two countrieswere in full swing, reminiscent of thecurrent quasi-warsituation. Napoleon ordered strict surveinceofthe Britishembassy. An invitation was sent to the Ottoman Empire, but theymade it clear that theywouldnot attend. However, itwas not because of the badrtionship withFrance, butbecause of theOttoman internal situation. SinceFrance invadedEgypt, Ottomanhad lostcontrol of it. Inthe meantime, theGovernorofEgypt, Muhammad Ali[1], was taking hisown independent route after seizingthe military power, intensifyingthe confrontationwith theOttoman central government. The windofnationalismand independence blowing in the Balkans was also afactor thatbotheredthem. Threatened by national changes and internal stability, theycouldnot afford to interveneinEuropesaffairs. Forsimr reasons, Spain andPortuglso dered their absence fromthe banquet. Instead, theysent high-rankingrepresentatives to saveface. The realproblemswere Russiaand Sweden. Letsgo. Yes, YourMajesty! They seemeddetermined nottowithdrawthe gunsaimedatFrance in the end. Napoleon had no intentionofshowing mercy to those whorefused even hisst hand. === The central hallofthe Rohan Pce boasted aquarter of theentire building, excludingannexpces andgardens. On topofthat, anopen double-storystructure was formedaround the insideofthe hall, and indoorterraceswere connectedtoeach floor in theeast, west, north, and south directions, allowing a significantlrger number of peopletoenterthe hallthan what could be expected fromthe outside. Nevertheless, thecentral hall of the Rohan Pcewas crowdedwith so many people that it looked like amarket. Even though thedoor of thehall wasopened, a considerable numberofpeople werecurrently outsidethe pce. Well, wehave certainlydelivered our requirementstoeach country, rmendingthat leaders should only be apanied by attendantsand aminimum numberofcab members. Butone by one, wehave been asked to makeanexception for a few people, and now I apologize, YourMajesty. Officials fromthe Ministry of ForeignAffairs andthe Ministry of the Administration, who had suffered a lot while preparingfor the grand banquet, bowed their heads to Napoleon with sorry faces. Napoleon decided not to think much of it. A partywas justa party. Ifthe number of peopleincreased morethan expected, itwouldbemore crowded. Of course, there was a separate ce for serious national discussions. Imready. Baron Fainbowedhis headatNapoleons words. The baron senta signaltothe servants of the court. His Majestythe EmperorofFrance is entering! Distinguished guests, please stopwhat youare doing and show courtesy! It wastime forthe hostofthe party to appear. === The eyesofcountless people from all over Europe, who wereenjoyingthe party, changed in amoment whenthe French imperial court servant shoutedina loud voice. Finally, was theperson who ledthis huge gamegoingtoappear? Along with the hornsunique musicalinstrument sound, the sound of flute and drum ranginthe centralhall of theRohanPce. The court music yedwhen an emperor or kingentered wasa littlelighter andmore colorful forthe French Emperor thanfor other European rulers. When the court music ended with aflutes solo, a historicalgiantdressed in white andblue clothes appeared. The Emperor of the FrenchEmpire was standing on a three-story podium made of marble. His eyes, lookingdown from ahigh ce while wearing urel crown, were those of the absolute monarch ruling Europe. Whatwill theFrench Emperorsay? Well Probably theusualspeech? Thank youfor attending thebanquet andbrighteningupthe ce, we allhave to work hardtoprotect this era of fragile peace, etc. Criticismagainst Britain cannot be left out. Nomatter how much the justification to workfor peace and Europes futurewas used, the fact thatthis wasa ce to glorify the prestige of theFrench Empire hadnot changed. Diplomaticdelegationsfrom countriesotherthan Francewere only gooddecorationsinthe end. Theircynical tone was unavoidable. On theotherhand, the invitedcelebritieswere looking at Napoleon withsparkling star-like eyes. What kindofwordswouldthis huge person sayand whattopicwouldheraiseatthis banquet? Europeisa continentthat leads theworld, and allmankind. The Emperors first words were unexpected. There weremany stories to talkaboutwith European talents, butnow he hurriedly brought up somethingpletely unexpected. Manystudies, ideas, technologies, institutions, andrights borninEurope havegreatly changed the world andhave nowcreated a lifestyle formankind. Inthe future, countries on other continentswill also learn and imitate the advancement of Europe, and theEuropeanlifestyle willremain universal formankind. Europe can be seen as ateacher wholeadsthe world and teaches mankindasa whole. Itwas aterriblyEuropean-centeredway of thinking. Therefore, it was possible to stimteand inspirethosewho gathered hereinthe Rohan Pce. Because they wereall fromEuropeancountries. We will derea step thathas never beentakeninthe historyofmankind, the pursuitoffuture harmonydetermined by peace anmon values through reconciliation and concession. No oneknowswhether this willbethe HolyGrailora poisoned grail. Nevertheless, theguests who hadthe couragetogather heredeserve to be calledtrue Europeans. Europe wasleading humanity andthe world. Thepeople gathered herehad beenchosen. That was whythey deserved a great challenge. They shouldunitetochallenge the utopiathat mankind had dreamed of. The Emperor of the FrenchEmpire Napoleon Bonaparte wassaying this. Apuse was heard from European celebrities. However, Napoleon raisedhis handtostop it. Please continue to enjoy the banquet. We havent achieved anything yet. Praise willhave to go back to everyone hereafterthe meetingisover andthe Councilisformed. He must haveleft a strong impression in the minds of those whosaw him forthe first time. Thiswas the name of the era, Napoleon. === Theschedulefor the Strasbourg banquetwas as follows. It would begin witha party running day andnightfrom today to December 31, and withNew Years eventsonJanuary 1. Of course, the party would continue evenduring the talks, and all guestswouldbeable to hear the progress andresults of thetalksinreal time. Outsidethe pce, therewere media outlets fromEuropeancountries for coverage. Reporters had even broughtmilitarytentstosettle close to the pce. Like this, they would be abletoimmediatelywritethe breaking newsaboutthe banquetorthe talks as amanuscript andhand it over to their newspaperpanies. As such, the Strasbourg banquetwas receiving unprecedented attention. Itwas atouchingand heart-warmingspeech! Your Majestys remarks willremain as an eternalmyth in Europeand be recorded as the hope of human history! These werethe words of the King of Saxony, Friedrich August I.[2]Among themembers of theConfederation of theRhine, he was themost enthusiasticperson to Napoleon. It wasvery burdensome to see tears in hiseyes. Thankyou. Therole of theKingdom of Saxonywill be very important in thetalks. TheEmpire is the parentcountry of ourKingdom. His Majestyisundoubtfully ahero in Franceand eveninthe entire Europe. We willdoour besttomeet your expectations! Saxony was oneofthe fourkingdomsthat existed in the Confederation of the Rhine, and it was thesecondrgestafterthe KingdomofBavaria. Napoleon, well aware of itsimportance, promisedhim and hiskingdom enougpensation. He lookedblind, but he wasa cleverman who knew whathewas going to get. After FriedrichAugust I, Napoleon met aradewhom he hadnot seenina long time. I salute YourMajesty, the Great Emperorofthe Empire! Your Majesty may notknow howhappyI wastohear thesess of theEmpire fromafar. Karl vonWrttemberg, theyounger brother and representative of theKing of Wrttemberg, who wassick, attendedthe Strasbourgbanquet.[3] He wasalso thegeneral whohadmanded theFrench troops disguisedasthe armyofthe Confederationofthe Rhine at the BattleofHrodna. It hasbeen a while. Is it thefirsttime we meet since then? Thatsright, YourMajesty! I still remember it vividly. Theoverwhelming moment when we cut offthe vs beardswith brave Frenchwarriors. Napoleon grinned. The Battle of Hrodnawas abattle thatwouldbedeeply rememberedeven in thehistory of war. It musthave been abig event for Karl von Wrttembergthat he would never experience again. The Kingdom of Wrttemberg wasable to obtainthe fruit of asweetvictory thankstoits goodline-up without betraying Franceeven at thedecisivemoment. Of course, itwouldactivelysupport Francethis time after having such an experience. In addition, Napoleon, apaniedbyhis attendants, met with the monarchs anddecisionmakers of states that could be faithful allies. The banquet itself waslike a preliminary tourfor the uing talks. Beforing to Strasbourg, mostofthem hadworked witha group of experts fromtheirhome country to set up a diplomaticroute, but dependingonthe atmospherehere, modifications andcorrectionscouldbemade. Therefore, Napoleon exchanged greetingswith friendly peopleonce andshookhandstoconfirm their support. Of course, he alsohad to meetwith a smile on his face those who didnot wantte. I never thought you woulde hereyourself. Didnt youhave a lot of regretfor yourcountry? Im sure youve heard this before? Itdoesnt matterhow veterans feel. For my country and HisMajesty, its my mission as the PrinceofWahlstatt to be aloyaldog thatcan bow on theground at any time. Theman, so belligerent that he was calledPrussias Marshal Forwards, was staringatNapoleonwith hisbewildered eyes. Thertionship betweenGebhard Leberechtvon Blcher and Napoleon wasnot goodinthe other world, anditseemed to be the same here. Napoleons attendants and escortofficersgave fiercences at Blchers disrespectfppearance. Tensionsarosebetween Franceand Prussia. Napoleon was tempted to tease thisfieryand simple man, but when he saw FriedrichWilhelm III fidgeting beside him, he decidedtogive up on theidea. Prussia is theshield thatprotectsEuropesperiphery fromthe vs. TheKing must havea loyal servant. Thankyou verymuch. However, I thinkthat hisleashisa littleloose. Friedrich Wilhelm IIIs facebecame paler, andBlchers lips twitched. Europes periphery This meant that Russia andSweden in the east and north would no longerberegardedasEurope. Prussian Prime Minister Hardenberglooked as if he had realized thetruthhidden in the Emperorswords. However, Napoleonsinterest, which caused a small stirinPrussias delegation, was already directed to anotherside. The eyesofthe people gathered in thecentral hall turned to a single ce. As if drawing concentrircles, the people aroundthem stepped down, leavingsome space centered on thetwo factions. As if they wereinessible. Therulerofa country thatwas alsocalled an empire along with the FrenchEmpire was waiting for Napoleon. Itwas Franz I, the Emperor of the Austrian Empire.[4] Hewas followed by the Austrian Foreign Minister Klemensvon Metternich, headofthe court Josef von Mercier, andKarl Ludwig.[5]Facing them, Napoleon walkedtoward them. Itsbeen a while since Ist sawyou, Emperor of the Austrian Empire. How have you been? Long time no see, Emperor of theFrench Empire. The two emperors faced each other. TL notes [1]Muhammad Ali of Egypt [2]FrederickAugustusI of Saxony [3]The King of WrttembergWilliam I, his youngerbrotherPrincePaul Heinrich Karl [4]Franz I [5]Klemensvon Metternich,Archduke Charles Chapter 108: Chapter 108: 19. EuropeanSummit 5 For France, the badrtionship withAustria (and the Habsburg family) was long and tough enoughtomatchthe inders. Now France hapletely defeated Austria, butnoone inside Franceignored that the Austrianswere sharpening their swords. Theheadsofthe two countriesthat were bound to sh werealso bound by a marriage alliance. Franz I was Marie Louises father, and thereforeNapoleons father-inw and thematernalgrandfatherofPrince Charles. Therefore, the meetingbetween Napoleon andFranzI wasvery special. TheEmpire (France) is veryhappythat itpanion Austriaparticipates in thisbanquet. Austrias cooperation is essential forEuropespermanent and constructivepeace. If FrancetrulywantspeaceinEurope, it wasonly natural toe. However, it should notbea justification to start anew war or strugglesfor interests. Asexpected, Franz I was suspiciousofNapoleons intentions. He must havewanted to pressure Napoleon, expressing thisopenly at the centerofthe party, noteven waiting for thetalkstobegin. Napoleonturned slightly to see theman witha hookednose next to Franz I. He was thegenius of diplomacy andconspiracy, the ForeignMinisterofthe Austrian Empire, Metternich, who could rival Talleyrand-Prigord. He would certainly notlet the Strasbourg talks flowasFrance intended. AndNapoleonwas alsopreparedfor this. He turned to theotherman, Archduke Karl Ludwig. I seeHis Majestythe Emperorofthe French Empire. I hope that yourcountry will always be full of prosperityand glory. Long time no see, Archduke. Did yopletely returntothe military? Thats right. I couldnt go againstthe calls of my countryand His Majesty. Ifthe Archduke joins the Austrian army, it will be twice as strong. You willhave no time to rest, but it will be happy daysfor the peopleofyour country. At Napoleons praise, the escort officers of Archduke Karl tried to hidethe cornersoftheirmouths thatwere going up. The praise given by theEmperor whoconquered Europe wasthe bestpraise for their superior. However, Archduke Karl did notloosen his stiff face and only repliedlike this. My presence will havenoeffect on the strength of theimperirmy. Ifthe armybes stronger, itwill be theresult of the blood andsweatofloynd passionateAustrianimperialsoldierswho wanttoprotect their country. Karl Ludwig wastwo years youngerthan Napoleon, but his military careerbeganearlier than his. Bythe timeNapoleonwas justgraduating from the Military Academy and wasinCorsica, Karl hadalready ledhis brigadetovictory at theBattle of Neerwinden.[1] Karl hadshownhis genius in military since he wasvery young in both worlds. Heknowshow to keepthe basics of themilitaryand use solid defense and sharp attacks. He is alwaysfaithfultothe rules and meticulouslycontrolsthe army, so clumsy deceptiondoes notwork against him. Hewas an enemy who gave Napoleon apickytasteina differentsensethan Wellington and Kutuzov. At the same time, unlike Blcher, who quarreled from beginning to end, whenthe war ended andthe era of peace arrived, Napoleon andKarl exchangedseveral letters as friendswho couldmunicate wellwith each other. Of course, all of this was a story in the world where Napoleon originally camefrom. See youter then. Ofcourse, Your Majesty. Thest option left for Austria was whether to be hostiletoFrance until the end, or to holdhandswith Franceinharmony. Depending on the oue of thischoice, theday mightewhen Napoleon hadtpete against KarlLudwig on the battlefield. He hoped Franz I and Metternich would not make foolishdecisions. Karl was often considered atricky opponent, butthat didnot meanhecouldnot be defeated. Napoleon met with severalkings, emperors, andprimeministers. With Marie Louise, who arrivete, hefulfilled his duty as the host of the party likewmakers campaigning forelections. Napoleon and hiswife also met Jrme Bonaparte, KingofWestphalia, and JoachimMurat, KingofNaples and Marshal of the Empire. Thest one wasJzef Antoni Poniatowski, King of Pnd. Pnd is with the Empireforever. I am also ready to devote my entirebody to theworldthat Your Majestywill make. Napoleon smiledand repliedthat Pnds mission was notover yet. The first dayofthe banquetendedlike that. === Themusicianwhom Franz Schubert respectedand adored themost wasLudwig van Beethoven[2], the risingstar of Vienna. Schubert, whogrew up listeningtoBeethovensmusicsincehewas young, also had expectationsinthe carriage headingtoStrasbourg. Even though he lived close to Beethoven, he could not even makea propername forhimself, let alone visit him. Meanwhile, he heard thatBeethoven was also going to attend theStrasbourg banquet. Schubert thought thiswas agolden opportunity to build afriendship with him. Since this young man wassti musician whose reputation and achievementswere notenough to be invitedtothe banquet, he asked AntonioSalieri[2], his teacher, for an invitation. There aresomany peoplehere I wonder if well managetomeet him. Schubert looked sullenatSalieris words. Of course, it was an honor to be able to attend this historicalevent, but he still wantedtomeet Beethoven Salieri found someonewhilepatting theshoulderofhis pitifulstudent. Itwas Goethe, a Germanscientist, philosopher, and writer.[2] No, how long has it been! Oh! As expected, theAustrianimperialKapellmeister came too! Hehehe! I wantedtosee the outside world after rottinginVienna for toolong. Itsbeen toolong since we metatthe PotsdamPce. I was alwayshungry for themusicofthe opera. Salieri and Goethegreeted each other happily, huggingeach other. And Schubert and Goethe, who were standing nexttoSalieri, were also introduced. He is the most passionate, loved and recognized person in Germany. Youhave probably heard this persons namebefore. Youre tteringmeinfrontofthis young man. Nicetomeet you. I amJohann Wolfgang von Goethe. F, Franz Schubert. Please speakfortably. Its hardtolisten to honorificsfrom someone who waseven minister. All right, then lets do that. Hahaha! Schubert could note to his senses. Thiswas becauseheknew howgreatthe old manwho was smiling friendly in front of his eyes was. Hisnovel, TheSorrows of Young Werther, whichhepublished 40 years ago, was truly amasterpieceofthe century, arevolving novel thatcaptivated notonly intellectuals, butalso theroyalfamily and aristocrats in Europe. The richsensibilityand beautiful style containedinthis book still touchedthe hearts of young menand women, includingSchubert, 40 yearster. Goethe wasa writerwithout a doubt, butasa theater manager, he had created numerous theaterstages, andhewas alsowell versedinbotany, havingwritten numerous papersand books on botany. Hisfootprints andachievements wereashigh as mountainsand as deepasthe sea. The words themost passionate, loved andrecognized personinGermany expressed by his teacher Salieriwere notanexaggeration. Above all, he has a verydeep rtionshipwith Beethoven, whomyou wanttomeet so much. At Salieriswords, Schubert looked at Goethewith a surprised face. Goethemade a yfulsmile. Ich tat(I did)! I wondered whya tall young man waswith these oldpeople, butI hadsuch an inner feeling! Ohreally, I didnt know you twowere close! And I thinkits an honor of my life justtosee you Goethughed andwent close to Schubert, who became red, and whisperedlike this. Then you dont have to try to find him. Ifyou justsit hereand wait, Ludwig willetoyou likeSantauslooking fora good child. Schubert could notunderstand Goethes words at first. Even as Goetheand Salierichatted with eachother, Schubert sat on a chair at the party table andwiggled hisfingers. But soonhecouldsee whatGoethe meant. Idlike to informthe distinguishedguests in the hall about the next event. There will be aperformancebythe Kapellmeisterofthe Kassel Court Orchestra, Ludwig vanBeethoven, whovoluntarilystepped up to bless this historic event and theStrasbourg talks to be held tomorrow. Pleasewee himwith a warmroundofapuse! Oh Gott! At thewordsofthe court servant, Schubert unknowingly jumped up from his seat. Goetheteased him mischievously, butSchubertcouldnot hearhim. He did notexpect to hearBeethovensmusichere! Schubertlooked at Beethoven in a tailcoat, appearinginthe centralhall with orchestra members. Apparently yourquarrel with Beethoven ispletely resolved now. Seeing thatyou evenknew this surprise event in advance. Hehehe! Men arecreatures, especially artistslike us, that arepickyabouttheiraesthetics andhave high self-esteem. Fortunately, itwas solved by finding atruehero. Goethe took it for granted to bow to aristocrats androyalty, but Beethoven considered it asin to serve the nobility androyalty because all humanswere equal. Thetwo close friendssplitupdue to these differences in values, but theyrecentlyreconciled. Itwas becauseofone person. Myvalues copsed when aman who reached the topofEurope appeared eventhough he was notfrom a royal family or a famous noble family. Beethovens values copsedbecause even though theleader of thishegemonyhad reachedthe highestposition, he insisted on human rights, equality, peace, anmon values. Sowewere able to reconcile. Therewas no needtosay the name of thisman. Salieri smiled softly. Thistime Goetheaskedhim aquestion. Youve hadmany disciples. It wouldnt be alie to say that halfofViennasmusicians are your students. However, there hasneverbeen a studentapanying you to a foreigncountry, not evenata ce other than aconcert. Itstrue that Franz has a specialtalent and passion As I get older, I think Ivebe alittle morerxed. Oh As far as I know, there werea fewpeople who praised yourspecial talent Ludwig was oneofthem, right? Hehe Is thatso? Salieribrushed it off, but he could notavoidGoetheseyes. Goethe decidedtorememberFranzSchuberts name. Beethovenand the orchestrawere ready to y. Beethovens baton moved as thelights in the central hallfaded. === Recently, there hadbeen somethinginBeethovensmind that had causedhim troubles and anguish. Beethoventhought about it several times aday and changed his mind overand overagain. He could not decidewhether to disclose it to theworldornot. Then one day, he heard shocking news. omitted Nowwehave to stop thiswheelofbloodthat only burns human potential without development. This cannot be achieved by thewill of only one country. Therefore, we insist on holding regrmeetingsthat will leadthe new erabyestablishing new cooperative rtionships and systems betweenEuropeancountries and seeking harmonyand coexistence. ThederationofCarnot, theMinisterofthe Administration of the FrenchEmpire, wasa newwind andshocked people. In particr, no one thought thatNapoleon, the conquering war god, and France, thatoverturned Western European tradition, wouldlead this. Thatday, Beethoventook outthe cover of the sheet music that he had buriedinhis heart for a longtime. I thought thatI would never take it out again duetothe heros alteration. It wasthe cover containingthe true name of his most cherished sheet music. Beethovenvolunteeredtobethe conductor fora huge performance on December 31, thesecond day of thehistoricStrasbourg banquet and thst dayof1817. And the score selected as theperformancesong forthis time was Eroica, hero. I hopethat true peace and stabilityinEurope wirrive and thatughter and hope willnot disappear from the citizens faces. I dedicatethis song to all therulers who will participate in the talks. p p pp p p!! Theimmortalmasterpiecewas reborn by thehandsofits original author. The intensesoundofthe violin caughtthe beginning. Soon after, the first movement, which wasconsidered very violent, started. A cheerful yetmagnificentmelody, a rhythm that changedarbitrarilybut overflowedwith infinite strength, and harmonythat firmlypushed toward opicinthe midst of dissonanceand changes. Althoughthe stage was suddenly created, there wasnohesitation or awkwardness. The audience admiredendlessly. The secondmovementwas gloomy anddark. Itkilled the excitement of the first movement at once and ledthe atmosphere. The audience waslooking aroundtosee if the lightsonthe ceilinghad weakened, buttherewas nothingwrongwith thechandelier. At theend of the secondmovement, about 40 minuteshad passed. And likethat, half of thesymphonyperformancetime ended. Beethovenstopped conducting for a while and raisedhis head. A drop of sweat dropped fromhis chin. His gaze reachedthe indoor balcony on the third floor of thecentral hall. Thecharacter standing there was Napoleon Bonaparte. Beethoven openedhis mouth. This songiscalled Eroica. Itmeanshero in Italian. But that wasnt thename I had initiallychosen for this song. Beethoven, who was theonly onewho could not hear the buzzing sound inside thehall full of surprise, continuedtospeakcalmly. Nowmysong hasfinally regained itstrue name: Eroica Buonaparte! Pleasecall this songlike this fromnow on. I willrece itstitlefrom today onward. (Buonaparte is Bonapartes Italian pronunciation) Therewas amoment of silence. But soon after, a feast of apuse roseinthe hasiftrying to fillit. In it, Beethovenlooked at Napoleon, whohad his eyes wideopen as if surprised. Beethoven could not believe thathecouldpull that expressionout of the giant of thetimesthat turnedEurope upside down. He felt pleasedfor somereason. Then Letsstartthe third movement of EroicaBuonaparte. Somedisturbances remained, butthe performance resumed. Faster beats, trumpets, restrainedmelodies Itwas as if to represent thst trial that the hero Napoleon was facing. Soonafter, as it enteredthe fourth movement, a march of variations continued. Thetrialthat bothered thehero eventually failed to stop his great steps. The herosoared intothe sky. And it remained an immortal myth. Thatwas how thefourth movement ended. A thunderousroundofapusebrokeout. Beethovenbreathedheavily in thehot waves. European aristocrats and celebrities alike gotupfrom their seats, and apuse continued. Beethoven smiled as he lookedatthe standing ovationofEroicastrue owner. TL notes [1]Archduke Karl Ludwig,Battle of Neerwinden [2]Franz Schubert,Ludwigvan Beethoven,Antonio Salieri,Johann Wolfgang vonGoethe Chapter 109: Chapter 109: 19. EuropeanSummit 6 Ludwigvan Beethovens tributesong waslike an illustrationofthe fantasies that intellectualswho did notknow thedark andshadyaspects of international politics and thenationalsystem had about Napoleon. Their clear, livelyexpectations, hopes andthoughtswouldbethoroughly consumed forNapoleonand Frances national interest. In theprocess, Napoleoncouldbe adevil, amartyr, or a truemythicalhero. Napoleon did notfeel anyguiltaboutusingtheirminds. Werethey notusingNapoleonand France to realize their own utopiaanyway? Funny enough, it was a conversation with Talleyrandthat came to Napoleonsmind, ashebecame the hero of the desperateEroica. Talleyrand wasa traitor who hadbetrayedhis country, but also aperson who hada contradictory loyaltytohis country. AmonEuropeancouncil is only acurtain to make people believe thatthe Empire is takingpeaceand coexistence in Europe very seriously. Peopleusually referred to FranoisCarnot, whomade thefamous deration, as thefirstperson toeupwith theidea of union. Itwas saidthat he, who was originally an advanced reformer, spoke to Napoleon about hisideasfirst. But thetruthwas different. Thiswas the work of Talleyrand-Prigord, a conspirator trappedina cage who wasimingthat thenationalinterestwas above any other value. And of course, his ideas werenot led by goodwill andnobleintentions. Themore pawns youhave in chess, the better. Bringthem into the Great Warascoteral to take advantage of their safetyand sovereignty. Usetheirideals as ajustification anduse themasconsumable items. Then whatwas the goal of Talleyrand-Prigord, whofirstproposedthis union? Itwas neithertotransform the image of theFrench Empire nortomake Napoleon an Enlightenment monarch. At atime when the British and Frenchforces wereatodds, itwas meant to put forward acausetouniteotherpowers on Frances side. Thus, it wastosolidifyits justifiable superiority in the GreatWar that would surely break outer, and to obtainnumerousallies. Infact, Napoleonand France didnot do anything special. Theyjust wishedfor peace in Europe andonly increasedfalsepromisesand pledgesaboumon values. Nevertheless, European intellectuals werepraisingNapoleonvery enthusiastically. They lookedasifthey hadfoundtheirfuture prophetand savior. The baseofthe influence of intellectuals and experts engagedinculture, art, andmediaonthe overallsociety wasvery wide and deep, especially for thepeople who enviedthem. The cause of theBritish-Frenchdispute, whichwas now threatening peace on theEuropeancontinent, was, strictly speaking, Frances fault forinfringing on British property rights first. Nevertheless, Europeanliteracyand public opinion protected Franceand criticizedBritain. This waswhat captivated the literacy ss. Beingable to move public opinion. Britain, whichwas spurring preparations forwar, must be at aloss by now. It was truly a perfectpolitical move. Britainwas alreadyreborn as an axisofevil that was threatening peace in Europe. Honestly, isnt the territoryofthe Empire wide enough? Now YourMajesty shouldpursue honor rather than conquest. Thatwas Talleyrandsst advice. Atthat time, Napoleon wasable to seethe nervousness, vignce, and anxiety thatcouldnot be hidden, contained in Talleyrands smile. Napoleon knewwell that Talleyrandhad criticizedNabots unreasonableconquestwars in thepast. Ofcourse, he didnot knowthat theownerofhis bodyhad changed. That was whyhewas showinganxiety even though theEmperor wasdifferent frombefore. He wasafraid thatNapoleonwouldrun rampantagain. And thatwas why I was able to ept Talleyrandstrue words without doubt. Napoleon strokedhis bluecloakembroideredwith an eagle, the symbol of theFrench Emperor. In an unexpectedworld, he was in theunwantedpositionofEmperor, a prisoner like Talleyrand. With the heart of a snake, he could do anything forFranceswealth and power. Atthe sametime, hewas anatural politician who skillfully usedhypocrisy and deception. He didnot consider goodorevil. Heonly moved forward thinking about the futureand national interests of hiscountry. Looking forward to tomorrowsevents, Napoleon lookedfor asleepthat never came. === Usually, there was no distinction between banquets symbolizing friendshipand harmonyand negotiations to coordinate diplomaticdisputesinces where treaties or agreementsbetween European countrieswere established. It was thetraditionnd aristocratic European negotiation methods to dance withmusicwhileenjoyingluxurious foodand colorful pce parties, andtosecretlybut warily express ones own opinions. Evenwhen Napoleon signedanagreement withthe RussianTsar in thecity of Druskininkaiafterwinning theBattle of Hrodna, the party venue and thenegotiatingvenuewere mixed andindistinguishable. However, thegreatevents hereatthe Rohan Pce in Strasbourg wereheld in separate ces, differing from the past tradition. The party wascontinuing in themain hall of the Rohan Pceasitdid the daybefore. However, theactual protagonists of thetalkswere filling their seats in aconference room of the detached pce. January 1st, 1818. The expressions of European monarchs and attendants, whostoodina position that would create a new history for theEuropeancontinent, were solemn. Then We willstartthe first European summit now. Theireyes lookedaround in asolemn atmospherewherethe brightnessand splendor of the party could notbefound. Theyre just readingthe room. And thiswas alsoa characteristic of organizations formed by an ideal justification. Themembers pretendedtowant to find autopia, butavoided takingthe leadand riskingtheirown sacrifice. In the end, theywouldonly move for thebenefit of individuals andgroups. Andthat wastrue forNapoleonhimself as well. Thekey was howsophisticated it waspackaged. Even withina small society, there areconstantdisputesamongpeople, so what about ahuge setofcountries? I knowthat its impossibletohave a world withnoquarrel at all. Heraised ahot topic. Feeling thatthe monarchs attentionwas focusedonhim, Napoleon continued. The willofthe French Empireistoachieve it even if it is witha limited scope. At least in Europe, we wanttosolveproblemsbetween countrieswith dialogue andgoodwill, not guns and cannons. Of course, thisisnot something that one country can do alone. Wedesperatelyneed thenoblecooperationofthe guests. Napoleons remarksopened the door to the talks, and the Minister of theAdministrationFranois Carnot, the author of theCarnot Deration, exined thespecifsfor the European Council. We haventnamedthe councilyet, so well call it the Union. Members of the Union are, of course, countries thatattendedthe Strasbourgtalks. Countries belongingtothe Union willbeprotected fromexternalenemies as a whole. Carnot made military alliances andmutual defensesystems thefirstpir of the Union. Members of theUnionadvocated the principleofjointly responding to external threatswhilerefraining from bloody internal disputes. My country approves. We will worktogether. Some countriesexpressed disapproval, butthe small states of theConfederation of theRhine, especiallythe bishopricsand the free cities, agreed as if it wentwithout saying. From thepointofview of thesmallcountries of the Confederation of the Rhine, France, Austria, Prussia, as well as Denmark, Bavaria, and Saxonylook like threatening predators targetingthem. They will not miss the opportunity to be guaranteed safety withinthe Union. In the past, small andmedium-sized countries of theHoly Roman Empirewere protectedbythe Habsburg Empire, but now that empire haddisappeared. In fact, thesmallcountries of the Confederation of the Rhine, whichwere only as big as city-states, had to protectthemselves andtheirneighbors in simrsituations, but their influence wasminimal in thehuge te ledbythe great powers. Theyattendedthe Strasbourgtalksontheirown willtoprotect their sovereignty from neighboring powers, not under any Frenchpressure. Inotherwords, there is no needtooverdo it or to givethem benefits to persuade them. They wipprove theUnionontheirown. Rather, they would be well-behavedmembers of theCouncil andwouldactivelyfollow the French-led order. Andthe number of peoplerepresenting thematthe talks was notsmall. With the activesympathyofpro-France countries, the atmosphere of the talks seemedtobeloosening under the leadership of France. Then, someone asked forthe right to speak. I wouldlike to saya word to the FrenchEmperor, the organizer of this conference, and to theEuropeanmonarchsgatheredhere. Themost importanttarget of vignce of theFrench ForeignMinistry, the Austrian Empires Foreign Minister Klemensvon Metternich[1], steppedup. Please speak. Thank you, Minister of the Administration. Wefullyacknowledgethe value and necessityofthe European Union imedbythe French Empire. Of course, our perspective is alittle different from the other countries But lets discussthister. First of all, itseemsnecessary to exinthe standards of theinternalmembers of theUnionand their individualspeakingrights. When discussinganimportant agenda forthe Union, thebiggest countriesdominating thecontinent and thesmallcountries of the Confederation of the Rhine will not exercise equal influenceand executive power, will they? Thistime, the monarchs and leaders of small states of theConfederation of theRhineshowed unpleasantsigns. Metternich. Youre starting to act. Carnotnced at them and replied. Of course. Member countries belongingtothe Union willbedivided into ranks based on variousstandards set by theForeign Ministry of theEmpire, includingtheirsize, poption, and economic power. Dependingontheirranks, the members of the Union will exercise different powers. Infact, this wasa given. Itdid not make sense for a city-statewith a poptionof50,000 and Francewith more than45 million citizens to speak on an equal footing. However, revealing thispart first andsaying it in aroughtone wasonly a tantact of blurring the water of theconference hall. The Foreign Ministry of the FrenchEmpire Hmm, inthe end, the ranks of the membercountries willbedivided ordingtothe intentionsand tendenciesofthe French Foreign Ministry, so canwetrustand ept thempletely? Metternich raisedhis headand shoutedatrepresentatives of other countries. It seems difficulttotrustthe objectivity of sucha rating, which is to evaluate member statesbydividingthem into severalranks. The Union is a consultative body established to protectand promotmon European values. Then of course, it is right to discussand set theranksofthe member statestogether, dont you think so? Therepresentatives became noisy. Itwas nothingbad fromtheirpointofview. This oneremark shook numerous pro-Francecountries. I cantagreewith that at all. Aboveall, it soundseven more suspicioustosay thatafterattending the meeting and ignoring theintentions of thehost country (France). Think about whose concessions andgood faith preceded theformation of thisallianceinthe first ce. Of course, therewere countriesthat didnot agree withMetternich. Pnd, among them, wasanextreme pro-France country. WhenJzef I condemned Metternich, sparks erupted betweenAustrianand Polish officials. These twocountries had jointly responded to theinvasionofthe OttomanEmpire and hadachieveda feat thatwouldremain in the history of the Christianworld, but their friendship had long beenbroken becauseofAustrias contribution to Pnds historical pain(the partitionofPnd).[2] The atmosphere in the conference hallfroze, and therepresentatives of somecountries wondered if theyattendedfor nothing. French foreign officials were perplexed as if they had notexpectedthis situation. It wasnot goodfor France to be dragged by other countries from the beginningofthe talks. It wasnot Napoleonscetointervene, buthestilltriedtostep up himself. However, someone elseopened his mouth first andcleared thesituation. It wasCarnot, theMinisterofthe Administration. Any organizationneedsa leadertooversee it. Althoughithas not been announced yet, there willbealso a chairman in the Union. No, to be exact, it will be achair country thatwill y the role of chairman. Of course, there is no countryotherthan theFrench Empire to take thisce. If you have any objections to this, please raise your hand. Noone raised a hand. The chaotic situation at theconference hall alsocalmed down. France, whichwas acontinentalhegemonyand led theformation of thisconference itself, was well qualified to be this chair country. Franceistrying to holdthe Union and to make it adictatorship! became Franceisjust tryingtoy therole of a chair country. Thenuance waspletely different. This wasCarnotsbrilliant response, notallowingany usation. Austrias ForeignMinistershould pay attentiontowordsand expressions withconsideration andrespect forneighboringmember states. I will keepthat in mind. Metternichraised bothhandsasifheacknowledged it. It wasa gesture meaningthat he would notstandout anymore. Napoleon, whowas watching the scene, narrowedhis eyesslightly. Austriawas unlikely to easily hand overthe initiativetoFrance. The reason whyMetternich waspraised both in the other world andinthis onewas becauseofhis skillful speech anddiplomatic wayofnot making enemies. Metternich madeAustrias influence stand outwithin the memberstates in justa fewwords. Countriesthat would notlike thecalctionmethod and results of the ranking would remember Austriabeingdissatisfied withFrance. Napoleonturned to Franz I. He was sitting rtivelyclosetoFriedrich WilhelmIII, theKing of Prussia, with an expressionless face. Perhaps it is necessarytobuilda wall in advance. Napoleon, who neededa quick endtothe talks for various reasons, intended to put away the annoyancerightaway. Chapter 110: Chapter 110: 19. EuropeanSummit 7 Thesmallstates of the Confederation of the Rhine wantedtobeguaranteed safetywithin the fence of theUnion. Mid-sized countries such as Denmark, Bavaria, and Saxonywere forcedtofollow under French pressure. And there wereotherpro-France countriesand satellite statesofthe French Empire. TheStrasbourg talks, ofcourse, hadtobeled by France. Itwas overwhelming from the numberofcountries supportingit. However, Austria and Prussia opposedit, as wessome small countriesofthe Confederationthat appeared to have decidedtojoin them. They bothered Frenchofficials by persistently arguing on the main agenda. Despite thefar greaternumber of French supporters, theatmosphere of thetalkswas shaking. Perhaps the pro-French sides solidarity was loose butNapoleonthought that it was more due to stupidity. The mostimportant thing in forminga military controlworkistoestablish aquickand intuitivemand and defense system. Inthe event of awar, theUnionshould be abletoquickly deploytroops to the conflict zone. Furthermore, I thinkitisnecessary to simplify the proceduretosharemajormilitaryroadsbetween memberstates and to be allowed to use defense facilitiessuch as fortresses, ports, and simple warehouses. Of course, the price forthis will havetobepaid after thewar is over. The man talking was Louis Nics Davout, who was given thepositionofmilitaryadvisor to thefounded union. Inshort, it meant thatifa warbrokeout, themember states would receive mutual military passage rights from the beginningsothat they could supporteach other immediately. If the memberstates belonging to theUnionagreed withthis, then they would not need to obtain permission fromeach other whenever they crossedthe border. If theycoulduse the roadworkand movequickly to thebattlefield, thatwouldbeenough. In order to proceed smoothly withthe uing war against Russia andSweden, Francehad to secure this right to passinadvance. Grant military passage rights? What country allows foreign troops to cross itsborder withouta singlerequest!? Prussiahas no intention of eptingthis! The marshalmust know better howimportant speed is in military operations Speed! Of course, its important! However, the Frenchofficials needtothinkaboutthe wisesaying of KingOtto theGreatthat urgentwork cannotbeanexcuse for tyranny! Ill ask younow. Is that really required? Blcher, Prussias Marshal Forwards, who always opposed France, shouted while hitting the table. He was fiery andreckless, so if the Frenchused this well, theycouldreduce Prussias speaking ability. However, theproblem wasthe French sidesresponse. Then, should we staystillwhen alliedmember states areattacked? Whata foolish question! What? Areyou dalking nonsense? You dont havetospeaklike a coward. I wont tell you to fight after youreturn home, so dont waste our time. Allyou havetodoisgive theway for theimperirmy to move forward. Muratwas crushing Prussiawith an arrogant expression. Because of this, Blcher and other Prussian officialsgot angry and even pro-Frenchcountries shook their heads. In order for theEmpirestroops to quicklyadvance to thebattlefields, they needthe supportand helpofthe member states. I will make surethat therequisitionisassmaspossible, so I approve it first Jrme Bonaparte, the KingofWestphalia, said thingsheshould not have said. In thisera, local requisition wasessential becauseitwas difficult to supplythe troops only withwhat they broughtfrom their home country. If warbrokeout withRussia, several cities andcountries betweenFrance and Russiawouldbe victimsofthis local requisition to supplythe French army. His brotherwas showinga curious talent to bring outufortable truthstothe strugglingmember states. Napoleonslightlyrubbed his forehead with atiredlook. The PolishKing, Jzef I, and theViceroy of theKingdom of Italy, Eugne, had helped with proper conversationmethods, but theywere cutoff by these two idiotswho blewthe talks away. How baddid theydofor Carnot, who always kept apokerface, tostareatthem with an annoyedgaze? I knowthis is to protect the safetyofthe Union and strengthen solidarity. However, if the demandisexcessive, it will rather harm the sovereignty andfreedom of memberstates. A coalition hasbeen formed, but each member state needs time to build trust. It was thewordsofHardenberg, Prussias ForeignMinister, who calmeddown theheated atmosphere. He gathered supportfrom memberstates by saying in a softvoicethat theissuewas hasty. At first, strongly opposeand takethe lead, provokethe other side, and then persuade the othersbymoderating your arguments anddyingthe decision You came up witha good strategy. Indeed, opinionsbegantodiverge among pro-France member states. Evenifsafety and solidarity wereimportant, didthey have to do this? A voicecame outinthe midst of their murmurs. Then we will takea littlemore time to think about this. Carnot noticedthat thediscussion would be disadvantageoustothe French side if it continued like this, so he withdrew first and thediscussion on this subjectended. ThePrussianofficials werehiding their happy faces, andBlcheropenly looked delighted. The faces of theAustrianofficials werenot darkeither. Is there somekind of deal betweenthe two countries? Im thinking thesame. But morethan that I thinkweneed to control our alliesmore than our enemies. It was also refreshingtosee Carnot as angry as he waswhen Napoleon forcibly brought him in. Then, discussing it furtherwontbringmuch profit. Ofcourse, even in thissituation, if thesubject waspushed withstrengthand authority, France could create thepicture that it wanted. Nomatter how much the participating countries tried to protect their own interests, theywouldbow in front of substantial threats. However, if thathappened, the atmosphere of the talks that had been prepared at bestwouldfade. Therewouldbescratches on Frances reputation. Napoleon, whosepurpose wastomake Strasbourgstalkslook fair, could notimpose suchcoercion. Asexpected, theresnothing like aconspiracy at times like this. Hefelt like he had bea boywho touchedsomething forbidden because he could not resistthe devilstemptation. Therewas definitelynoneed to go a longway whenhewas busy. === As I said before, the FrenchEmpire willbeselectedasthe new chair country of the Union. It wastime to rank the membercountries, theeventthat would mark the endoftodays meeting. No onecouldpredict howlong it would take for a rankwithin the Union to changeonce it wasdecided. Maybe it would staysemi-permanently. Except for a few countries, for which onecouldguesswhat grade andpositionthey would receive, allthe others were impatient to know. Upon receiving a signal from Franz I, Metternichshouted as if he hadbeen waiting for this moment. First of all, please disclose thecriteriafor the ratings calctedbythe French Empirehere. Only then willthe member statesbeconvinced whenthey receive their ranks. As I saidbefore, its the role of the chair country No, thatsnot whatI meant. Setting standardsitself is certainly therole of thechaircountry. But member statesdeserve to know at least whatthesestandards are. Metternichswordsworked again thistime. Itwas onlynatural. How manycountries could listen to evaluations without evenknowing thecriteriaand ept them smoothly? Itwas alsoa matterdirectlyrted to thenationalinterest. Thiswas abletoweavethe entire conference room, including pro-France countries, into a softconsensus. Ifthe creation of the Union itselfcouldnot be prevented, then they should gnaw at the influenceand reputationofFrance within theUnionlittle by little. Underthis goal, Metternich and theofficials of Austrias Ministry of Foreign Affairshad moved and their efforts werecertainly paying off. Theytriedhard to hide their smiles. As soonasthemotion wasabouttostartagain, the sound of five ps in the room calmed it down. Peoples attentionfocused on theperson sittinginthe middle of theconference hall. The scheduledclosing time has passed. Lets finish todays meetinghere andmake a new appointment in twodays. Its good to devote yourself to your country, but because you arerepresenting yourcountry, taking careofyourselfisanother form of patriotism. Lets stayinfull conditionduring the talks by filling up our stomachs andresting fora bit. Strasbourgtalksare not over after onlytoday. NapoleonBonaparte calmed down the memberstates in aheavyand powerful voice, sayingthat there wasnothing urgentand thattherewas plenty of time to discuss. It was thefirsttime that the FrenchEmperor spoke up, ashehad not said muchduring the dayexcept for theintroduction of the talks. At thatmomentary impact, Metternich stopped breathing andlooked at him without evenrealizing it. Those short words changed the atmosphere of the conference hatonce. As I thoughtbefore He has changed alot. Or maybe he is only revealing nowhis truenature. Thatwas naturalcharisma. The blood that could dominate and rule others, orshould, wasflowing in Napoleons veins. Metternich, who was looking at the FrenchEmperor carefullyand witha wary look, still decidedtocelebrate todaysachievements. Blocking the granting of military passage rights is a great achievement. With it, it would be more difficult forAustria andPrussia to develop their strength in the dark. Metternichnced at Prussian figures who hadsecretlycooperated with him, and to variouscountries in the Confederation of the Rhine, whichhad secret ties connected to France. First, he wona small victory in the Western War. === Johannes, theresstillnoresponse? Yes. Its been along time since the closing of the meeting, butthat damn gatedoesnt seem to open. Thee down frommyshoulders for a second I think my backisgoingtobreak. Holdon Crap, Zaite! Get your bncestraight! Comedown first, and thenwelltalk! Numerous reportersinthe square outside the Rohan Pceburstintoughter at theridiculous appearance of ayoungman staggeringwith another young man struggling on his shoulders. Youngpeople are very passionate! There was a timewhen I was like that, too. Ofcourse, Ive never had thestrange idea of gettingsomeone on topofmyshoulders. Even if you trysohard, you wont be abletoget an exclusive intervieworcontent that you cancover! Hahahaha! At their words, Johannes andZaites expressions were badly crumpled. Whatthe heck Thesebastardsare totallughingatus. Ugh Imtired! Johanneswas ajournalist working for a small newspaper in Frankfurt, and Zaite wasa trainee reporter. Thetwo, whowere also old friends in the same neighborhood, came to Strasbourg on behalf of a retiredreporterwho suffered froma chronic illness. Naturally, it was to cover theStrasbourg talks to which Europewas currently payingthe mostattention. Theenthusiasm forthe coverage was very hot. As manyas700 reporters gathered andwaited in the squareoutside theRohanPce alone, anditwas hardtocountthe crowd, local residents, and students. ording to data released by the FrenchMinistryofthe Interior, theend timeofthe meetingwas 6 p.m. However, even though it waspast 7 p.m. now, thebell wasnot ringingtoannouncethe closure. That was whyJohannestriedtofind outwhat wasgoingoninthe pce over the fence. Because of you, wevebeplete fools. Shut up, idiot. Zaites grumbling entered one of Johannes ears andflowed out of theother, as he looked at thescenery of thezaoutside thequietpce. As thedoor of thedetachedpce did notopen even after the promised time had passed, the tension among reporters slightly eased. The closerand moreeye-catching theywere to theobject to be covered, the betterthey could observe their expressions and actions. If they werelucky, theymightget achance to ask questions. If theydid well, theywouldget agood ce, right? Johannes thoughtso. It was then. Ding! Ding! Ding! Thebell rang. It meant that the talks hadended. As soonasheheardthe bell, Johannes ran towardthe gateatfull speed, throwingaway Zaite, the traineereporterand his hometown friend. Other reporters rushedin, but youth wasalso usefulfor this. Hahaha, passion and unusual ideas makea difference! Thejuniors were greatlyenlightenedbythe advice of theseniors. Gasp! Haa! Gasp! Huh! Damnit! Johannes, who reached the front of thegate blocked by pce guards, proudlysaid so. The reporters whughed at himbefore onlyspit outswearwordswhilecatchingtheirbreath. They could see theexpressionsofthoseleaving thegate through the gardens of the Rohan Pce. Johannes, who was at theforefront of the reporters, caught peoplefrom Austria and Prussia smiling. However, it was difficulttotell whowere thewinner and loser because the faces of Frenchforeign officials, who were expected to haveconfronted them, were alsobright. Itsthe first day of thehistoricStrasbourg talks. What discussions didyou havethere!? What was thepositionofmajorcountries on permanent peace anmon development in Europe?? Did HisMajesty theEmperor of Francedere aplete end to thewar? The answers of the participantsinthe talks answering thepouring questionsfrom reporterswere businesslike. Since it was thefirstday of the meeting, he thought thatheshould behave carefully But not a chance. Hehadeall the wayhere! Johannesshouted loudlyfrom theforefront of the reporters. Its a meetingtoachieve a noble goal, but theprocess of reaching it must not have beeneasy! Thats whatIm asking you! Haveyou achieved to integrate theconflictinggoalsofyour countrysnationalinterests and Europesmonvalues? Unpleasanteyes pouredout fromthe other reporters, but Johannes kepthis headstraight. Now, ashewas ready to write downany answershewouldhear, a pleasedugh was heard. The reporters whosaw who waughingheld their breath. Hahahaha! You know how to aska very pleasant question. Except under special circumstances, the giantsdid not deal directly withreporters. AndKlemens vonMetternich wasdefinitely a giant in Europe. Then he replied directly withoutlosing his smile. We have sympathized withthe ideals of Franceinmany ways, andifthe processisreasonable, we arewilling to work together. Protecting ones national interests is only one of many purposes, andI guaranteethat it will not y an active role as amajorissue. The newly formedUnionwill followthe pastEuropeantraditions. Please lookforward to fair justice, which is not dominatedbyonly one country. Johannes eyes shined. France lost This wasa scoop! === So far, Austriahad beenrepeatedly beatenbyFrance. It wasa history of humiliation withwar defeats, manyterritorieslost, and the country constantlyswayed on the French-led board. Austria seededinachieving asmallvictory (althoughitwas adiplomatic achievement) for the first time in decades. Since theEmperor Franz I praisedMetternich andotherforeign officialsina slightly encouraging way, Austrian people whoknew what thismeantwouldfeel a deepsenseofpride. It was a verymeaningful victory and sess for Metternich himself. Howmuch it made him feel better. Heeven smiledand answered questions from unknownnewspaper reporters to whom he would normally not have talked. But Metternichknew betterthan anyoneelse that thiswas not aplete victory. Napoleon andFrance would surelyuncha counterattack, anditwas urgent toe up witha strategy to prepare for this. What would theyargueaboutinthe second meeting in two days? What should be prepared to respond? Metternich, who did notshow up at thepartyand onlyworked withthe other Austrian officials, was secretly called by theFrench Ministry of ForeignAffairs 12 hours beforethe second meeting. Metternich feltthat thecontact wasunusual, and decidedtomeet them in person. What do you think theyre lookingfor? Imsure they wantustobehave obedientlyinthe uing talks. That was to be expected. But we willtake care of the national interestsofthe Austrian Empire as much as possible. I willonly trust theForeign Minister. Metternich received words of encouragementand trust fromFranzI, and wentout to meethis opponent withhis attendantswith full confidence. And then, he meta personhehad never evendreamed of seeingthere. Its been areally longtime, Marquis. How haveyou been? Talleyrand-Prigord. Metternichs face hardened as he faced his formerade whohad asoft smile. Asexpected, diplomacy wasAustrias strength! Chapter 111: Chapter 111: 19. EuropeanSummit 8 Insidethe conferencehall, therewas afierce confrontationbetween France, Prussiaand Austria, but in fact Austriadid not intendtoconfrontthem until theend. Ifthe Austrians hadreally intended to oppose France, theywouldhave epted theBritish proposal andwouldnot haveattendedthe Strasbourgbanquet like Russia andSweden. Even Franz I and Metternich, whohad verystrong anti-French feelings, didnot denythat Francehad the hegemony of thepresent Europe. Austriastrue purpose at the Strasbourg talks was to expandits right to speak within theUnion, which had beinevitable anyway, to secure suitable interests, and to createanenvironmentwhereitcouldexertinfluence afterwards. In particr, Metternich sought to restore the prestige of theAustrianEmpire, which hadbeen tarnishedbyits sessivedefeats, byrealizing the traditional Austrian diplomacythat hadbeaten Europe in thepast. In the end, Austriatook theceofthe two pirs of the Union with France, and eventook on therole to bnce the Union andtoproperlykeep Franceincheck. The councilproposedbyNapoleonhas now beanirresistible flow. Unless Napoleon andFrance are defeated, otherEuropeancountries willeventually participate in it. Thebrilliant Metternichlooked forwardtothis futureand established adiplomatic strategy ordingly. That washow he won thepreviousnegotiations. Butnomatter how much he had prepared forthis, heneverexpectedtosee thisperson. Itsbeen a longtime formerForeign Minister. Thankyou for notforgetting andrememberingthis old, obsolete man, Foreign Minister. To Talleyrand, whowas smiling, Metternichcouldnot expressa sincere wee. He had even heard the news thatthe conspirators in Paris hadbeen caughtand weredetained, but he didnot knowthat he would make sucha surprise appearance. Did youread todays morningnewspaper? Victory of Austria and Prussia! Metternichsmasterpiece! Those whopraised andworshiped the Empireand His Majesty change their faces overnighttopraise the other side. Isnt human history funny? Metternichfelt that there was an undertoneinhis words. Until then, thetwo had actively exchangedsecret lettersand conspired to endNapoleons reign. However, whenTalleyrand wascaught, Metternich immediately cut himoff and incinerated allthe documents andletters that could prove his rtionshipwith him. It wasinordernot to get involved andnot to giveNapoleonanother excusetoantagonize him. The tacticofkeeping somethingwhileitwas useful andthrowingitaway right after wasclearly seen in internationaldiplomacy. Im sorry about thepast. But Im theForeign Minister of theAustrianEmpire. I havetodosome cowardly thingswithout hesitation for thenationalinterestofmycountry. Ifyou wereinmyposition, of course youwouldhave acted like that, and I wouldnt havemed you. It wasufortable anyway. Metternichwas secretly asking back Whydid you askmetosee you in this situation? Metternichremembered that the personwho secretly called himwas the FrenchMinistryofForeign Affairs, notTalleyrand himself. That meant that thiswas an official meeting, not a personal one, and thatTalleyrand washere as a representative of the FrenchMinistryofForeign Affairs. Inthe end, heguessed that Talleyrandhad beenpardonedbyNapoleon. So Metternichdid not feel any burdenaboutthe past. Haha! Perhaps because the periodofpeacsted quite along time, theForeign Ministers sense seems to havebe abit dull. If you were likebefore, youwouldhave guessed whatI would sayjust by thefact that I was sittinghere. Metternich frownedslightlyatfirstbecause he could notgraspthe truemeaning of hiswords. But soon after, as a thoughtcrossed hismind like alightning bolt, he opened hiseyes wide and lookedatTalleyrand. With a subtle smile, Talleyrand spoke like aviper. His Majestyknowsthat your countryhas beenhiding Joseph Fouch[1], a traitortothe Empire, for along time. He is demandinga legitimate exnation fromthe Austrian cab. If he finds yourcountrys response to thisinsufficient, he added that he would not hesitate to retaliate. Itwas the momentwhen Metternichspokerface, whichhad not even budged so far, likethe iron-blooded diplomat he was, cracked. === The position of Police Minister of theFrench Empire wasa keypositionwith theauthority to leadall police, guards, andsecurityforces workinginParis. Thiswas not all. Thepolice wereobliged to inspect the dangers within thecountry andtake actionbefore theyur. Therefore, thepolice minister was given a powerful power to operatesecret police units andintelligence organizationstoprotect anddefend the capital and prevent civil war. In fact, since Napoleon became Consulwith theCoup of 18 Brumaire[2], heused thesecret inspectorsofJoseph Fouch, the policeministeratthat time, to maintain hispower. Information that could be aweakness, suchasembezzlement of public funds, various crimes, and scandals, had beenheld through secret policeand intelligence organizations, allowing them to be thoroughlycontrolled andmanipted. Thankstothis, Napoleonwas abletosave numerous servants andbureaucratswho werealways loyal to him (even if he didnot knowwhat to do inside), andeventually openedthe way to go beyondthe position of lifeConsul and to bethe Emperor. However, thenew monarchdid not want factorsthat could pose athreat to his power. AfterbingEmperor, Napoleonbegantofeel theburden of Fouch. Thefact that weaknessesofpolitical opponents could be collectedindetail meant, on thecontrary, thatNapoleons ownweaknesses could also be fully graspedifwanted. Fouchs contribution to Napoleons crowning was great, but beyond that, themagnitude of power given to Fouch was too great. It was natural thatNapoleon, who wassuspicious andgreedy for power, begantocheckhim. AndFouch, who had a secret informationwork and hada politicalsensibility, could not have ignoredit. Fouch feltthreatened by Napoleons pressure and politicaloffensive using public opinion around himthat tightenedday by day. Itwas Talleyrand, or to be exact, theAustrianForeign Ministry behindhim, whoreached outtoFouch. Fouch was dismissedfrom hispost as PoliceMinister, and wasthen appointedgovernorofIllyria. AsI andthe ForeignMinisterknow well, thethreeofushave been in close contactand built up friendships. However, it wasintendedtopromote national interestsbyestablishing close tieswith major foreign officials, not betraying thecountry andselling information. Even after the arrestorderfor Fouch was issued, the Austrian court chose to embracehim. Theconnectionsand tiesthat he hadumtedfor morethan a decade while serving as Police Minister were still deeply rootedinFrench police andintelligence organizations. This was because information suchascorruption, various incidents, and concealment records about major French figures thatFouch knew wereofgreatuse. However, afterthe Strasbourgtalkswere held to unite Europe, the Austrian court realized thatNapoleons hegemony could no longerbechallenged andeventually chose to send Fouch out. Despite thefact that thiswas carriedout verysecretly, it seemed to have beendiscovered by Frenchspies. I wasinformedthat he andhis family were in Vienna, and external intelligence agentsofthe Empire confirmedit. WhenI lookedinto hiswhereabouts, I founda deep connectionwith theSchnbrunnPce. It wasanamazing andshockingstory. How shouldthe Empire eptthat theAustriancourttook in a traitorwho disappeared whenhewas caught conspiring to divide thenation and start a civil war? Considering that Talleyrandwas the personwho led this treachery actalongwith Fouch, it wasabsurd for himtosay this. But diplomacywas an act of considering thepresent ratherthan thepast. Whatever the past, Talleyrand was nowa spokespersonfor the FrenchMinistryofForeign Affairs, andFouch wasa traitor to France forthe captureofwhom Napoleon himself evenoffered a reward. And such atraitor hadbeen hiddenbyAustria until recently. This could escte into aserious diplomatic issue. The documents presentedbyTalleyrand revealed thestatements of Frenchintelligence agents, with information about Fouchsfamily, andeven about thegoodsprovidedtothem by theAustriancourt. I wascaught in the perfect trap. Theresnoway out! On thecontrarytoTalleyrand, who was drinking ck teawith a rxedexpression, Metternichs inner thoughts rotted ck. What if this factspread to the outside world? Thefightfor influence withinthe Union, forwhichthe Austrian officials hadbeen working so hard, would be of no use. Austriawouldlose allits say andcouldeven be expelled from the Union. As for Britain and Russia, Austriahad alreadydrawna line first withthem beforethe Strasbourgtalks. Therefore, itwouldbedifficult to get their help. On theotherhand, France would exercise its right to trample Austriawith a goodjustification. Metternichsighed, breaking hiposure. Hisdiplomats face had long disappeared. This was both an act of acknowledging the defeatofthe negotiations anda deration ofplete surrender. What does France want fromus? IfFrance did notwant something, it would haveexposed this caseatthe meetingand would havedropped Austriasreputation to theabyss. I think theForeign Minister is nowreadytotalk to me. Metternich red once at Talleyrand, who wassmiling, and leaned over in achair. The night of secrettalksbetween them was long. === The secondday of the Strasbourg talks started. It was time for another diplomaticand political maneuvering that had beening andgoingbeyond the party venue to bear fruit, andthe heads of state and diplomatsgatheredatthe Rohan Pce with determinedeyes. Austria and Prussia formed a united front andtook considerableadvantage in thest meeting. Is there anything we cant do? The main goalofeach country was also to be judged as importantaspossiblewithin the Union. Theyheardthat therating of member stateswouldbecalcted periodically, but no specific date had been announced, whileitwas almost certain thathigh-grade countrieswouldexerta great influenceonthe Union. As thevalueofthe Union was reevaluated daybyday, thevalues of these grades also naturally jumped. Theweak(?) appearance of the Frenchforeign officials, who were thoroughlyfooled by Metternichand Hardenberg, was also the reasonwhy member stateshad unexpectedconfidence. Whetherthey were building anegotiation, trading, or collusion to form aconfrontation, they setupvarious strategies and entered the conference roomofthe detached pce. However, the sceneryofthe meetinghall wasmuch differentfrom what theyexpected. Wewouldlike to discuss an agenda that we havenotpleted in thst meeting. As youknow, the purposeofour Union presupposes permanent peace in Europe. In order to achievethis, aboveall, theallied forces need the military right to quickly travel between member states. LouisNics Davoutwas bringing up thisissueagain. Member stateswere puzzled. TheFrench had already copsed under thecoboration between Austriaand Prussia, but they werebringingupthe sameagenda right away? This was like the host countryofthe talks was cutting downits own authority. Austriaand Prussiawouldneverept it. Andofcourse Prussiavotedagainst it. As I saidbefore, ourpositionisthe same. Until trust rtions between member statesare established, it must be agreed in advance for foreign troops to cross borders. It was a remark made by Prussias Foreign Minister, Hardenberg. Small andmedium-sized countries supporting Prussiaalso joinedand agreed. Now if Austriajoined them Austriasforeign staff stayedupall night to discussthis matter. And theconclusion that we cameupwith is until military safetyisguaranteed, the formation of theUnionitself is threatened. The remarksofFranzI, the Emperorofthe Austrian Empire, brokeeveryones expectations. Infact, Britain, Russia, andSweden are explodingtheirmilitarybudgets, trainingtroops, andcasting warclouds on the European continent. It doesntseem necessarytoexin where their guns are headed. In order for theUniontoprepare forthis, the member statesmust eptthe permanent right of military passage as the military adviser said. Our country agrees with thisproposalfor the cause andsurvivalofthe Union. What is the Emperor saying now! W-Wait! This What the hell happened!? That is all. Friedrich WilhelmIIIsembarrassing lookrepresentedPrussias position. Foreign Minister Hardenbergand MarshalBlcherwere also surprised andcouldnot hidetheirdisappointment. Napoleon wasthe onlyone smilingamongthe member statesthat were unable to figureout whatwas going on. Chapter 112: Chapter 112: 19. EuropeanSummit 9 If onewere to express the situationonthe second dayofthe Strasbourgtalksinone word, thenpanic would be thebest choice. Thesmand medium-sized countriesofthe Confederationofthe Rhine, which hadbeen tryingtocreate acefor themselveswhilebeingwary of thegreatpowers, were unable to wake up to the radical changesinAustrias attitude. Austria wassilent or tacitlysympathetictoall issues ledbyFrance after voting in favor of thepermanent military right betweenmember states. The bnce of the conference halpletely copsedasthe hostcountry of thetalksand the country withthe secondrgest speaking power among the memberstates weregrouped together. DidntI tell you? That thingswouldgowell. Thats right. Carnot still lookeduneasy. He didnot trust Talleyrand, and hadstronglyopposed hisappointment. However, as it appeared, Talleyrand broughtresults. Butthat doesnt change thefact that he is adangerous person. Your Majesty mustalways remember thatfact. A person whobetrayedhis countryonce could do it twice. Carnot knewthat Talleyrand was a man whocouldchange his face at any time if he got theopportunity. However, to put it theotherway around, italso meant that Talleyrandcouldnot betray Napoleon unlesshewas defeated. I will never copse as long as I amsitting on thethrone. So theMinisterdoesnt have to worry at all. Carnotcouldnot helpbut bow hishead at Napoleons words, which seemedlike an oath. Whocoulddevalue this saying as theEmperors arrogance? Evenifone looked back on the path thatNapoleonhad taken so far, hehad proved himself enough. Carnot thoughtthat no words could be applied in front of thishuge human being. === Thepurpose forcreatingthe Union evenwhen theFrench Empire gave up its conquest wasnot simply because it wanted to unite pro-French forces andattract publicopinion beforepreparing for a great war. A lot of small and medium-sizedcountries hostiletoeach other attended theStrasbourg talks because of the pressure from France. Even themiddle-sized countries above them never got along well. Inthis situation, any threatening actionbetween them was prohibited if an alliance was formedand apermanent mutual defenseworkwas established. Im annoyed, but I cant fight for now could summarize well the mindset of those who hadbeen consciousofeach other, checking, and struggling so far. Rtionships would be re-established. Logisticsbetween countries, which had been temporarily blockedbyhostile rtions, willflow again, promoting the revitalization of thecity-oriented marketeconomy. The cirction of capitnd the exchange of goods andresources meanthat newaddedvaluecan be created. In the end, juststoppingdisputescan boost the countries productivity. And the Empire, the masterofall this, musttake full advantage of thefruits of stopping these disputes. Carnot seededinengraving the image of a justand tolerant bureaucratineveryones mind throughoutEurope thanks to hisDeration. But on thecontrary, his true opinions wereextremely pragmatic andnationalistic. How unified tradewsand tariffscouldy a big role in revitalizing themarket economyhad alreadybeen sufficientlyproven throughthe RegionRevolution that took ce across France. Carnotmade an ambitiousn to realize thiswithin the international unitofthe Union and to lead the Unions wealth andeconomy, centeredonFrance. Therewas no doubt thatthis huge painting would benefitFrance, so Napoleon immediately agreed. Of course, there was an order in narratives. Thediscussion on this was just astoryinthe distantfuture right now. Without certaintyand trust in its existence, the newborn Union was still only agroupofsand grains. Although it wasonly forwartime, the currentmilitaryrightofpassage alone made member statesfeel ufortable, so what would happen if they talked about unified tariffs? Theywouldget angry and opposeit. However, it was necessarytoprepare a bridgeheadfor the process now. Thebiggest reasonfor the Unions creation was because, as youall know, we dreamedofa Europethat enjoyed peace withoutwar. However, Imashamed butthis wasnot the only thing I had announced at theFrench Imperial Council. Carnot onceagainpreachedthat memberstates of the Union shouldjointly develop and pursuebetter future values. He added thatclosecooperationbetween memberstates was neededtoachieve this process. Weshould be abletopurchaseproductsfrom memberstates first rather than products fromcountries thatare not part of the Union. However, thew cannotforceconsumers to buy expensiveitems. Therefore, reasonable pricesshould be set forreasonable consumption, allowingcitizensofmember countries to voluntarily purchase products from the other countriesbelonging to the Union. Tothis end, I arguethat tariffs betweenmember states need to be lower and differentfor foreigncountries. In other words, this was to sign anew tariff agreementbetween membercountries and imposelowertariffs than foreigncountries. Lower tariffs meant thatproductscouldbesold to consumersatrtively lowprices. Asa result, Carnots proposal was to strengthen the domestic marketwithin the Union andprevent wealthfrom leaking outside. It wasa very goodand irresistible cause, but there was a traphere. The factthat Britain and Francewere theonly twocountries to haveachievedthe mechanicalrevolution. Themechanical revolution makes it possible to mass-produce quality and cheaper products withlessbor andthe sameraw materials. Originally, only Britain enjoyedthe benefits of thisinnovation anddominated the European market, but nowweare intervening and fighting forthe pie. Therefore, measures to cuttariffs withinmember states areneeded. Since the UnitedKingdom wasanoutside country, it would notbenefit from thismeasure, whileFrance was a member country, so itsproductswouldbesold at lower prices. In other words, France would haveanadvantage in pricepetition withthe United Kingdom. In fact, it wasa proposal with Napoleon and Carnots willingness to usethe entire Union andtomake it into aFrench consumption warehouse. TheKingdom of Pndwill obey the will of the Empire. The Kingdom of Italy agrees as well. Countries faithful to Francesuch as Pnd, Westphaliaand Italy expressed their approval as if they had been waitingtodoit. In addition, the pro-Frenchsmand medium-sized countriesofthe Confederationofthe Rhine, Denmark, Naples, and Sicilyjoined quickly, creating public opinion. Prussia objected again thistime, but it could not go against the trend. The eyes of the rest of the countrieswere on Austria. Would it followthe willofFrance again thistime? They lookedatFranzI, whoseeyes were closed, Metternich, who had an expressionless face, andKarl Ludwig, who wasslightlybiting his lips. It wasMetternich whoopened his mouth among them. Austriaapproves, too. A groan was heard from the Prussian side. Foreign Minister Hardenbergclosed his eyes, andMarshal Blcher could be heard clenchinghis teeth. Thesecond meetingwas literally ledbythe French. === Austria must definitelyhave an exnation forthis. This was what Friedrich Wilhelm III, who leftthe pce with astiffface after themeeting, told Austrian foreign staff. TheKing, who had been criticizedfor being moderate and passive throughouthis reign, didnot hidehis anger at Austrias actions today. Thiswill be a humiliating day foryou and your country, seriously! I hope you feel fortunate that I have patience anddiscernment. ToAustria, who had decided to forma unitedfronttogetherwith Prussia to containFrance, butsuddenlybrokeits promiseand joined theenemys side, Blcher uttered these ferocious words. Austrian foreignofficials and escortofficerswarned him, but Blcher continued to threaten them, saying, This is asacred meetingce, and thetalksare not over yet, sothinkcarefully and stopped thiswhileits still at this level! Therewas onlya cool and sinister atmosphere remaining after thePrussianofficials left. Foreign Minister, what thehell is going on? Ifyou weregoingtochange yourposition, you shouldhave at least discusseditwith us! Small andmedium-sized countries such as the Grand Duchy of Frankfurtand the CountyofIsenburghad beensemi-forcedly cooperating with France as members of the Confederation of the Rhine butsought to benefitfrom Austria in thismeeting. They asked Metternich as if theywere arguing. Im sorry. Its because of the internal situationofthe Austrian Empire. Please understandthat we cannotreveal the reason. Passing by them, whohad apuzzled expression on their faces, theAustrianofficials leftthe pce. What on earth washappening betweenFrance and Austria? Thequestions of these member stateswere solvedatthe verynext meeting. === As Imtelling youinadvance, the rating setdoes notmean discriminating against any memberstate. All memberstates willbeprotected by the Union andwill enjoy thesame benefits, rights, andpeace. Onthe third day of theStrasbourg talks, French Empires ForeignMinisterArmand-Augustin-Louis de Caincourt[1](promotedfrom Vice Minister to Minister of ForeignAffairs duringthe Russianexpedition) announced the criteria fordividingthe ratingsofmember states in theUnion. To quantify theranksofall member states, the evaluation indicatorswerergely dividedinto three areas: poption, economy, and military. Among thethree, the oneying thegreatestrole in thecalctionofgrades was thepoption. Citing theDeration of the RightsofMan and of theCitizen set by Frances National Constituent Assembly in 1789, Caincourt said thatall citizens of member statesdeservedfreedom andsovereigntyasindividuals, regardlessofnationalityand origin. Caincourts logic was that the more citizens acountry had, the more power it should have in the talks of theUnion. Next, theweight and role thatthe member statescouldupy in the security anddevelopmentofthe Union wereused as indicators. Ifa membercountry wasattackedbyanexternalenemy, member stateswere obligatedtunch ajointfrontagainst it. Considering this, how much military contribution could be made had certainlytobeanimportant factor in determining therating of members. The economic indicatorwas simr. With the birth of a group of countries calledUnion, economicblockages would inevitablyproceed, and countries with specialties, products, and goods thatcouldhelp theUnions joint development deserved preferentialtreatment. France, thehost country and chair country, setthe ratingsofmember states acrosstheseindicators as follows: ChairCountry France. ViceChairCountry Austria. Standing States Prussia, Denmark, Naples, Pnd, Bavaria. FederalStates Saxony, Westphalia, Switzend, Italy, Wrttemberg, Sicily, Baden, etc. SmallFederal States Other small countries, city-states. The first thing thatcaught the eyes of the foreign officials of themember states was the presence of Austrias name nexttothe awkwardand subtle position of Vice Chair Country. In the midst of their colorful facialexpressions, Metternichsighed lightlyand recalled his reunion withTalleyrand. === Austria had been properly caught forhiding Fouch for years. Metternich, whopredicted thathewouldbedragged by Talleyrand at thisrate, made a counter-proposaltooveethe situation by demonstrating his natural talent fordiplomacy. I admitall my faults. What your countrywantsinreturn is our cooperation in thetalks. It sounds good. After today, Austria will actively supportFrancesside at theStrasbourg talks. Wewill provide you with Joseph Fouchswhereaboutsand clues to findhim. We will alsopromise as much military supportaspossiblefor the futurewar thatyour country willparticipatein. Hehe, thisisa sign of sincerity that exceedsthe expectations of me andthe Imperial Ministry of ForeignAffairs. Its only naturalfor the FrenchEmpire to keepsecret the fact thatyou havehidden Fouch Im sureyou haveadditional suggestions here? Givewhat youcan and receive whatyou need. There was no blockage in thenegotiations becausethey were bothexperiencedand simrdiplomats. In calcting the ratingofmember states, the intention of your countryistohave several mid-sized countriesunderthe chair country. Thus, if there ispetition betweenthem, France can exercise strongdecision-making power in the Union, asthe onlychaircountry. Talleyrand nodded without showingany expression, and Metternich continued. Pleaseprovide a ce for us under thechaircountry andabovethe centralstates. We will not challengeFrancesauthority, butplease allow us to exercise our rightsasa secondcountry, different fromthe other member countries. Asifhehad beenwaiting forthesewords, Talleyrandshowed adeep smile. === Hehehe! Austria Austria! Did they betray us forthis littletitle? Thisisthe moment when the Habsburgsthat dominatedEuropepletelydegeneratedinto Frenchdogs! Blchers insultsdid not reach theears of theAustrianforeign officialswho werefar away. However, if theyhad heard him, itcouldhave been aserious diplomatic issue, so Prussian officialsshould havestopped or warnedhim. However, noone on the Prussian side stoppedBlcher. No, they could not do it. Prussia got thesame grade as Denmark and Bavaria? Denmarks poption was only over2 million, andBavarias one wasa littlemore than that, but farless than 4 million. Onthe other hand, Prussiahad apoption of 6.6 million. Inaddition, its military power andeconomicpowerwere also iparable to these twocountries. Naples and Pnd, evenifthey were groupedtogether, could not bepared to Prussia in any wayinpoption, economy, ormilitary. And they werenot groupedtogether. In the end, thiswas aFrench trick to keepPrussia in check andpressureit. Creak Friedrich Wilhelm III gritted his teeth slowly. Austrias unexpected betrayal, Frances dirty tricks, and other memberstates doubtful views. This wasmore than he had endured during theTreatiesofTilsit. Hehad never beenhumiliated to this extend in hislife. Aseveryonewas lookingathim, FriedrichWilhelm III rose from his chair. Almost at the same time, Prussian foreignofficials and escortofficersstoodaswell. I dont think Prussiadeservestobeinthis circus. With that one sentence left, FriedrichWilhelm III and the Prussian officialsimmediatelyleft themeeting. Therewas onlycold silence remaining after they left. Letscontinuethe talks. We will decideter which memberstatewill bea standing state to fill Prussias vacancy. Napoleon expelled Prussiaina light tone as if thissituation was reallytrivial. Member statesofthe Union swallowed their salivalooking at Napoleon andFrance. Then theyrealized. Napoleonsderationonthe first day of thetalksthat Francewouldhave a reasonable, fair, and democratic position was nothing but superficial. In the end, the Strasbourg talks werejust onewell-organizedpuppet showcontrolled by thepuppet master calledFrance. TL notes [1]Armand-Augustin-Louis de Caincourt Chapter 113: Chapter 113: 20. Thereisnosun rising forever 1 Its been areally longtime. How haveyou been? How could younot contactmeearlier! AsI getolder, it besharder to maintain rtionshipswith people. However, I always keepthe longingfor the years I studiedunderthe master. Mymy Are you sayingsuch a weakthingeven thoughyoure still in yourprime? Youre notacting likea master. The two musicians, who were onceteacher andstudent, hugged eachotheraffectionatelyand greetedeach other after a longtime. Beethoven, whose earcondition had worsened, couldhardly understandhumanspeech evenwith a hearingaid on. Therefore, they had to reluctantly share their affectionthrough writing, butthat alone could notprevent thetwoswill to resolve their regrets. Beethoventalked likethat fora long timeaftermeeting hisold teacher, and eventually found ayoungman standing behind Salieri withanawkward gesture. Is thisdedicated and politeyoungman astudent currentlybeingtaught by the master? He was praised for being thegod of Viennas music My student That expression is too much. Just callita rtionshipbetween a senior whosponsorsa brillianttalent and a junior whoisanexample forthat senior. A shining junior whobecame an example This wasa Salieri-style praise that Beethoven hadheardwhen he hadbeen taughtbySalieri in thepast. It meant thatthis young maninfrontofhim was talented enoughtoberecognized by Salieri and hadthe abilitytobecalled amaster in the future. Beethoven, who knew how great hisold teachers eyes for peoplewere, showed great interest in the young man, who wasstiffasifnervous, standingbehind Salieri. Im dtomeet youand willstop being rude for notgreetingyou earlier. Franz Schubert, Ive heard thatname a lot. Ifyou are thegod illuminating Viennas music, nodoubteveryonehas saidthis name. It, its a great honor to meetyou, Kapellmeister! TheperformanceofEroica Buonaparte, whichyou directed here, willremain alegacy in our history. Beethoven knew his name! Franz Schubert tried to hide the cornerofhis mouth rising with emotion, while writinghis words in Beethovens notebook. The meetingwith thegiant, who wasadmired andrespected, made thisemotional young man very unstable and excited. Salieri, whowas happilywatchingthe scene, added to Beethoven: Schubertisone of the young musicianswho worshipyour music very much. He proudlypraised your music in front of me, sayingthat your level was above Haydn, aswell as Bach and Mozart. Is thatso? Itsheartbreaking. Beethovensmiled, butthis conversationwas not very pleasant. It wasa great pleasure to be praised by someone, but howmuch didthis young musician understood topareHaydn, Bach, and Mozarts writing and music with his own? There maybenodoubtabouthis talent as he wasrecognized by Salieri, buthewouldbea nuisance to Beethovenifhewas humiliatedsomewhere and pretendedtoknow him. Didhenotice Beethovens inner thoughts? Salieri handed over asheetmusicwith a deepsmile. Beethoven, who carefullyeptedit, readComposer, Franz Schubert written at thetop and showedinterest. Isitthe musicposed by Schubert? Its afamiliartitlefor somereason Ivedefinitely heard a songofthe samename. I made thatsong, too. Heposed a songwith thesame name, this timefor apianoquintet. Beethovensmiled at Schubert, whowas nervousasifhehad be a studentevaluated by ajudge, and slowlyunfoldedthe sheet music. Thesong seemedtobestilliplete. Nevertheless, this score containeda lotofelementsthat could interest Beethoven. Piano, violin, vi, cello, contrabass Its avery fresh andunconventionabination. Usually, theposition of apianoquintet consistedofa piano anda stringquartet (two violins, one vi, and one cello), while Schubertssong excluded oneviolin and added a contrabass. It wasabination that emphasizedheaviness and grandeur ratherthan thecheerfulness unique to chamber music, butironically, the songitself was light andbright likepetals in the springsky. From thefirstmovementwith rich colors andlyrical themes, the secondmovementreminiscentofMozart and Bach, andthe third movement as if the piano andstring instruments weretalking. Justbylooking at thescore, he could hearharmony in hisdistant ears. It wasanextremely interesting and shiny song. Beethoven, who lost track of timereading thescore, sighed quietly and closedthe sheet music. First of all I havetoapologize to you. BeethovenaddedwordstoSchubertwho had a puzzledexpression. I didnt like the wayyou tried toplimentmebyselling thenamesofmyseniors. Ifa young friendknowsa bitaboupositionand music, howmuch could he evaluate them? Thatswhat I thought. But I realized it after seeing this score. That it was me whowas trappedina small world. If he wasaposer whocouldmake such asong, hehad alreadyestablishedhimself as a musician. Beethovenwas reflectingonhis reckless evaluationand foundationofsuch a person that he madeonly by looking at his ageand appearance. Andfor Schubert, this was themost precious praise. As the young disciple, oveebyemotion, was at aloss forwhat to do, Salieri watched withsatisfaction as his teacher. You understood it, too. About the huge possibilitiescontained in thisscore. If it ispleted properly, itwill surelybe amasterpiece. If I can, I really want to inspectit. Schubert, who worshipedBeethoven, said yes immediately. No, rather, his eyeswere begging him to do it. Beethoven once again looked at thesheetmusicand the cover with the title of thesong written on it: Die Forelle (TheTrout).[1]It wasa very simple song name. Beethoven liked this score evenmore. === Almostall European countries, except Britain, Russia, Sweden, andsmallBalkans, showed their willingness to jointhe coalition at theStrasbourg talks hostedbyFrance. Infact, itwas safetosay thatitwas ameeting involvingthe entire Europe, and as such, various issues, events, andnews stories arisingfrom themeeting could have had a big andsmallimpact on European society. On thefirstday of the talks, France thatwas hostingthem wasdefeatedbythe Austrian-Prussian united front. The allies of theFrench wereworried that their influence, asthey ledthe formation of theUnion, was shrinking, but they werefortunate thatthe Union did notlead to a single states dominance. To sum up thesecond day in a word, it could be expressed as theFrench Great Counterattack. Nomatter whatkind of dark dealwas made, France appeased Austria, broke theunited front, andled the negotiation as it wanted. Theatmosphere of thetalksrepeatedly went up and down likea seawith severewaves, and it wasa very interesting story fromthe perspective of the peoplehearing it. However, the atmosphereonthe third day wapletely differentfrom thetalkssofar, andatthe sametime, itbrought a tremendousshockand impact to European society. France will apply certainstandards to distinguish the memberstates thathave joinedthe Union. Professor Moravia, whohad worked as theAustrianambassador in Paris andwas now a professor of politd diplomaticscience at theUniversity of Salzburg, had expected Frances division of memberstates. From the huge Empire that ims to be thesessor of the Roman Empiretothe city-states reminding us of ancient Greek polis. Memberstates varywidely fromone another. A frame is neededtolead them wend achievethe ultimate purposeofthe Union. At thesame time, it is also agood means of reviving theauthority of the host countryand increasingits influence. As predictedbyhim and several other political scientists, Francetook thelead in presenting ratingsconsisting of chair country, vice chair country, standing states, federal states, and small federal states. Someliteracygroups criticizeddividingthe ranks of member statesasifthey were reminiscent of the feudalssofthe old system, saying that theywere notsuitabletodiscuss respect for human beingsandmon development, but no matter howmuch they tried, they could not help butpromise withreality. In away, it wasa betrayal of interest fora huge Empire anda small city-state to exercise the same rights withinthe Union, so most of themseemed to respectthe opinions of France, the hostcountry andchaircountry. No, to be precise, allthe attention wasfocused on it because of the eventsthat urred after that, so these issueswere less talked about. Prussiaabruptlydisrupted the Strasbourg talks and eventually walked a paththat cannotbereversedwith France? Foreign Minister KarlAugust von Hardenberg saidFrances attitude toward ourcountry made us no longer need patience. Prussian foreignstaff, who raisedthe problemwith therating method, expressed harsh anger, saying, TheUnionwas justa stepping stone forFrench dictatorship. Prussia is isting itself. Whatisthe nextstrategy? Willtherebea brightfuture there? Britain andRussia willbesmiling brightly at Prussiasdeparture. Will anew coalition be formed? Itwas truly ashockingincidentthat shook thecontinent thatPrussia dered that it would leave the Union altogether, nottomention withdrawing from the talks. Europes leadingmediareportedthis surprising factasa scoop, taking up the front pages of numerous daily newspapers. It wasnolonger an exaggeration to saythat warwas being prepared again around central Europe. Although defeated by France, losing morethan half of its territoryand taking a heavy blowtoits prestige, Prussiastradition and power built up beforeFriedrich the Great wassecond onlytoAustria in Central Europe. Prussiastormed outofthe conferencehall, dering the alliance invalid. It wasa major w in the existenceand legitimacyofthe Union. People greatlycriticized Prussiasmove, fearing that the alliance gathered under theidealofpeaceinEurope would falter. On the other hand, suspicions arose thatFrance tookthe initiativeinisting Prussia, leadingtocontroversyamongfamous people. Huh I didntknow thingswouldgothe way they do now. I didntknow Prussia would leave likethis. Itisa scene that inevitablyurs at the negotiating table where many countries gather. It exploded onlyonthe third day, soitfeelsa littlte. Hmm Thats a little disappointing. DidPrussia want to be morethan a standing state? However, sucha sharp reaction didnoteout at the Rohan PceinStrasbourg. Rather, thepeople there stood on the side of France andcriticized Prussia for breaking thetalks. Exceptfor those who were directly sentbythe state or the court because theyworked fromcountry to country, celebrities hada slightsenseofbelonging ording to their nationality. Thisproved thatnot onlyPrussianpeople but also anumber of people from Ennd, the main enemy of France, hadehere. In the first ce, the factthat they attended the Strasbourg banquetitself was a tacit act of expressing supportfor the ideas andideologies imed by France andNapoleon, so nationality and originwere notimportant here. In other words, they wereoriginally enthusiasticsupporters of Napoleon, sotheirpresencewas not a problem. Hesaid that he would exinthe unfortunate situation that happened at thest meetingand thathewouldexpress hisambitionfor how to lead the Union in this speech. His Majesty, the Emperor of the Empire, himself. Oh, Imreally lookingforward to that! Theonly peoplewho can enjoy such luxury areuswho havedecided to attendthe banquet. Outside Strasbourg, there wasalso a favorable atmosphere thistime, amidst the turmoil of news. Strasbourgscelebritiesonly expressedtheiranticipation of whatthe giant of the times would sayinhis speech. With their expectations, Napoleonssecond speech washeld in themain hall of the pce. I respect Prussias decision, they have the right to choosewhat they want. However, the conference willproceed as scheduled. Evenifa country is missing, the purpose of these talks to discusspeaceand ideal values in Europewill notfade. TheFrench EmperorNapoleonBonaparte was sayingthat he didnot careinthe slightest about thedeparture of Prussia. Rather, asifhehad waited, heexcludedPrussia from the Union andbegana newagenda and a new discussion. Some might doubt whether thiswas apolitical conspiracyfrom Napoleon, but it was notapplicable to theenthusiastic worshipersgatheredhere. And here, ahistorical remarkbegan, thatwouldenterworldhistory beyondEuropeanhistory. Theleader who governs the state is only arepresentativewho receives and uses someofthe rights from the peopleofthat country. I haveneverforgotten thatfact since I became theEmperor. I am working hardnot to follow thefootsteps of the olddictators whose purposeand means are opposite of these rights Atany time, thispowerwill definitely return to itsoriginalowners. !! TheStrasbourg talks arejust a small beginning towardthe future. Please remember thatthe people whocan build thisbeginning are notme, nor other monarchs of Europe, but those whoform European civil society. Letthe trueowners of Europe watch thebirthofthe Union witha sense of ownership. I, the Empire, and themember states that are with me willfighttoprotect that glimmerofhope. It wasNapoleons speech, which would havea huge impact on theentire European civil societybeyond France. What did HisMajesty just say? That means In theend, even the position of Emperor!? It wasntjust thecelebritieswho werelistening thatwere shocked. It might nothave been prepared in advance, becauseeven among Frenchbureaucrats, there was a clear signofsurprise. That is all. Inthe silencethat haddescended on the pce, onlythestsentenceofNapoleon, who wasthe onlyone witha calm expression, echoed. TL notes [1]Trout Quintet Chapter 114 Chapter 114 20. There is no sun rising forever - 2 "...You did it after all." Frangois Carnot sighed as he watched the situation in the very chaotic central hall. The second son of a small family, a native of a Corsican vige, became the Emperor of Europe''s hegemonic country with his own abilities and established absolute power. The great Emperor, who seemed to conquer Europe, had now half-dered that he would step down from his throne. Around the middle of the Strasbourg talks. This ripple effect would remain for a while, covering not only the previous issues but also the inevitable huge trend surrounding Europe. As a result, the rapidly changing trend of the European situation would be so intense that even Carnot could not predict it. ''But it cannot be denied that this moment is the best time to dere that he will step down from the throne.'' Carnot was one of the people who had a good grasp of Napoleon''s true nature, although he wrapped his speech in pure words, calling it a grand act to protect the principles, beliefs, and foundations of the revolution. The Emperor of the French Empire was moderate, simple and enterprising, and a deauthoritarian person who did not fit in with the position of Emperor. However, when the decisive moment came, he was also a man of mercilessness and cruelty who could do anything, regardless of means, for the victory and supremacy of his country. Because Carnot knew him well, he was able to figure out what Napoleon aimed at making this surprise deration. What was currently sweeping Europe was a ''Napoleon craze''. Attention and support for the Strasbourg talks, the Union that would govern Europe, and Napoleon, who led all this, reached its peak. This seeded in burying all the numerous evils and ugliness he had umted in conquering Europe in the past. His name was called and resonating in all Europe except the Iberian Penins, Ennd, Russia, Sweden, and the Balkans. Napoleon intended to double this heat even more. The n was to make the atmosphere more fanatical to create an optimal peak, and then engrave the strongest impression and imprint on Europeans at that very moment. Although they had enjoyed the sweet dreams of peace in recent years, there were French who had fought nonstop for more than 20 years before that. Their fatigue from the war did notpletely disappear, and they were looking at the war clouds between Ennd and France with anxious eyes. How long would itst if war broke out again? This uneasy psychology inherent in them, thinking how much blood they, or their families and friends, would shed during the war, Napoleon overturned it with a single speech. The war, which would be dered under the title of the Emperor''sst trial, would turn all French people into fanatic warriors. They were willing to give their bodies and souls and fight for thest moment of their Emperor. "You''re wrapping yourself up until the end. And in the most sneaky and holy way. It''s... just like you, Your Majesty the Great Emperor." Although he had been criticizing him carelessly, Carnot apuded in awe at his monarch who exceeded his expectations every time. In the middle of the Strasbourg talks, the thoughts and feelings that Napoleon Bonaparte revealed were only a few really short words in his entire speech, and he did not even promise to step down from the throne (as many interpretations were possible). However, that alone was enough to turn the whole of Europe upside down. Furious citizens rushed out into the streets and were venting out all kinds of reactions. Even celebrities had fierce debates, and all countries in Europe were rushing to discuss this matter. Napoleon, the one who caused all this, was meeting someone in a very quiet ce in the meantime. Jewel-like blue eyes, nicely grown sideburns and a stylish outfit symbolized the wealthy Eugene de Beauharnais, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy. In the world where Napoleon came from, Eugene had lived his life as a trainee, staff, and aide, andter made his debut in Paris politics. But now Eugene was facing Napoleon as his adopted son and the most reliable king. As Eugene brought a teacup to his mouth, he eximed. "The vor of this tea is really incredible. It''s more fragrant, enchanting, and softer than any other beverage I have ever drunk. Could you please tell me more about it, Your Majesty?" "As expected, I thought you would like this tea, too. It''s called Earl Grey. As you can see from its name, ites from Ennd." Europe''s pride was to have the best culture, technology, and innovation in the world, but in some areas it had fallen behind other continents, especially China. The best example of this was tea. The British, who loved tea so much that they had tea time several times a day, were very ashamed of it. At the same time, however, they had epted and actively improved Chinese tea manufacturing methods and technologies for themselves. Earl Grey tea was the product of that effort. Another interesting fact was that the name ''Grey'' in ''Earl Grey'' was taken from the family of Charles Grey, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. "Indian ck tea leaves, Sri Lankan ck tea leaves, and bergamot (a hybrid of bitter orange and lemon) are blended and brewed in a way that mimics expensive Chinese teas. It is an object that is currently gaining sensational poprity in the British aristocratic society. We also paid high patent fees to obtain it. Judging from your reaction, it seems that it is worth its price." Eugene nodded at Napoleon''s exnation and soon asked with a strange look. "Do you really need to pay them patent fees for this product? The Empire and Britain are probably heading for war. In addition, isn''t the Grey family the second biggest enemy of the Empire after the Hanover dynasty (the British royal family)?" "That''s right. But that''s precisely why we imported it at such a price. You are a brilliant person, so please think carefully about it." Napoleon smiled suspiciously at Eugene, who still had a puzzled face. There had already been several precedents for France to infringe and extort British property rights. The mechanical revolution yed a key role in France''s current economic development and revival, and most of the technologies and innovations needed for it had been stolen from Britain. Through this, it was possible to establish a mass production system in various industries, including textiles, and France was able to take away a significant portion of the European market upied by the United Kingdom. This was the biggest reason why the British were grinding their teeth and preparing for war. Considering the current rtionship between France and Britain, it would not change much to steal one more patent. Therefore, the fact that France paid a considerable price to purchase the patent for Earl Grey''s tea to the British Prime Minister Charles Grey had a special and insidious meaning. ''This will lead to British people doubting whether there was a secret deal between me and Charles Grey. It will be said that I tried to fund Charles Grey''s politic.'' Of course, unless they were fools, they would not conclude that their Prime Minister was a traitor only for this one thing. However, it was clear that it was something that could be used to politically attack Charles Grey. There was no way that the wild dogs of the Tory Party, who were grinding their teeth against him, would leave alone the Whig Prime Minister, who had financially benefited from Britain''s greatest enemy. It was one of the doctrines of basic strategy to cause internal conflict in enemies prior to war. Napoleon only made a very small move, stabbing the chronic weaknesses of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. "I thought a lot after hearing Your Majesty''s speech. The ideal Your Majesty has dreamed of is too profound and vast for someone like me to even dare to imagine its end." "I am not a saint in any doctrine or myth, and such excessive praise is rather shameful." Napoleon smiled and drank Earl Grey tea, and Eugene looked down, fiddling with his fingers. There was a moment of silence between the two. Historically, the father and the adopted son had a very close rtionship, but Napoleon and Eugene were currently using honorifics suitable for each other''s external positions. The reason why it became this awkward rtionship... "Josephine de Beauharnais , her death changed a lot.'' In 1814, about four years ago, Josephine died of pneumonia. She was the one that Nabot had loved so much in the past. However, Napoleon, who took over his body, was not Nabot, and he had already a new family. He had received letters from Eugene and Hortense (Eugene''s sister and Napoleon''s stepdaughter) that Josephine''s death was imminent, but Napoleon did not go. After much consideration, he did not even read Josephine''sst letter. He had no feelings for her, and it was an act to respect his current wife, Marie-Louise. Josephine was said to have died crying Napoleon''s name. Hortense had felt a great sense of betrayal and anger toward his cold-hearted and cruel adoptive father, and she had not talked to him since then. Eugene understood his stepfather''s difficult position, but their rtionship did not return to how friendly it used to be. Honestly, Napoleon was a little ufortable with him. "Your Majesty." "Say it." "Will you really step down from the throne?" What was this? Napoleon raised one eyebrow. "Nothing has been decided yet. But I don''t want to hide the fact that I''m willing to." "Your Majesty has really changed a lot." At Eugene''s words, Napoleon drank some Earl Grey tea before replying. "I always hear that..." "Yes, I was going to say what I''ve always said at first. But... You have really changed a lot. It''s like you have be apletely different person." Only then did Napoleon put down his teacup and looked at Eugene. His adopted son looked very confused. Napoleon opened his mouth. "Eugene." "Except for myte mother, I think that I''m the one who knows my father the best. The father I knew would never put down his power or his crown himself. Why... What''s wrong with you?" "You saw me and called me a hero with Achilles'' bravery and Hector''s military power. Yes, I have changed. I even put the wisdom of Odysseus in my hands to protect France, my country, which could not escape destruction at this rate. The result is the Napoleon you see today." It was already time for the Strasbourg talks to resume. Napoleon got up from his seat. "I''m only thinking about the future of France right now. Everything else is just secondary factors for this ultimate purpose." "If the people of the Empire still desperately want you... then, will you remain the Emperor?" Napoleon did not answer this. "The moment I dere that I will throw my goldenurel, my family and rtives, who are faithful to their desires, will certainly go into action. Even the greedy Marshals of the Empire will not sit still. I hope that the Viceroy will take good care of their surveince." He then left the room. "Are you really the Napoleon Bonaparte that I know?..." Listening to Eugene''s murmur, Napoleon sighed quietly. Perhaps the reason why he did not meet Josephine at the end was because he did not have such confidence in himself... In this remote world, Napoleon felt a little stuffy. "His Majesty the Emperor of France could not tolerate even this stain on thest remaining part of his reign. It is hisst journey to remain trulyplete and closest to God." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a writer of the times, and his party were also among the crowd of celebrities who were looking at Napoleon as they entered the Rohan Pce for thest meeting. Those who had originally been close to him and celebrities who became close to him in Strasbourg smiled and nodded in agreement with his words. "The young man from Corsica became a general by making numerous achievements with his talents. However, the trials of his country continued, and in the end, the young man defiled the spirit of revolution for his country in crisis and ascended to the throne himself. Everyone pointed fingers at him, saying that he betrayed his ideals, but the Emperor did not stop. When thest obstacles were ovee and the country regained stability, the Emperor abandoned all pleasures, glory, and dignity to keep his past pledges and ideologies. In doing so, the Emperor became an immortal hero." Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, the great Polish writer and ywright,id out these long sentences in one breath. John Dalton and Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi apuded quietly. In particr, the chemist Dalton''s homnd was Ennd, but he liked Napoleon a hundred times more than George IV, who was authoritative, stupid and was not responsible for his politics. "Some people did note to Strasbourg even though they were invited. I''m sure that they will be recorded as idiots who missed the most special and glorious moment of their lives." The celebrities who criticized Napoleon and burnt their invitations, saying that he was misleading others by spreading usible idealism, missed this historic scene due to their narrow doubts and distrust. Did they not resemble the Hebrews who missed the opportunity to be the Lord''s subjects because they did not believe in Moses? There was no one to disagree with Antonio Canova''s words. And next to him, Beethoven and Schubert were standing side by side affectionately, as if they were an old teacher and his student. Beethoven was able to make a brighter face than ever in the greatness and holiness of the owner of ''Eroica Buonaparte''. It was a beautiful day to mark the end of the Strasbourg talks. TL notes Here''s a painting of the Tsar Alexander I meeting the Beauharnais family, by Hector Viger. The Tsar is on the left, Hortense is sitting with her two youngest sons (Napoleon-Louis Bonaparte and Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, who wouldter be Napoleon III), Eugene is behind them and Josephine is on the right. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 20. There is no sun rising forever - 3 On January 24, 1818, the Strasbourg talks, which had been going on for nearly a month, ended. The talks, which began under the grand name of discussing Europe''s permanent peace and future order, were evaluated to have left a mark and meaning that would be engraved in European history as expected. The person who hosted this huge event was Napoleon Bonaparte, and the main character was also Napoleon Bonaparte. "In the end, the fake emperor of Corsica won everything with that hypocritical political show. The national interests of his nation, his reputation... and justification and support for the war toe." While all Europe did not hesitate to praise Napoleon''s name, there were not a few people showing hostility by seeing through evil tricks. Alexander I, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, was certainly one of them. "Even a viper would not be this sneaky and weak. However, those who pursue apostles eventually copse to the hero who walks on the royal road. Everything will fall into ce, so don''t worry too much, Your Majesty." "Only the people of Western Europe, the Iiberals that are like dogs and pigs and live in vain delusions, are used on the tongue of the wicked Nabot. The diligent and sincere vs are offering their unchanging loyalty to Your Majesty." "The time hase to avenge Hrodna''s disgrace and humiliation. Your Majesty will be able to appreciate the fall of the fake emperor from the highest ce." In recent years, Alexander I became ufortable as praise for Napoleon increased significantly, mainly in European civil society, and therefore, to soothe him, the court nobles spoke by carefully choosing their words. Britain''s Ambassador to St. Petersburg, Viscount Cathcart , who was watching all of it, was clicking his tongue in sorrow. What was the difference between the public who was swayed by Napoleon, and them, who were blinded by their desire for revenge? "So... How is our ally''s preparation for the Great War going?" To Alexander I''s question, Viscount Cathcart answered with courtesy. "The recruited generals performed well at the training center, raising their banner against Napoleon. The Army has begun to reorganize the regiment and is discussing a full-fledged strategy by setting up a joint staff headquarters. The Royal Navy is currently carrying war supplies to ports and naval bases, including Gibraltar, with fully-loaded ships. With this, preliminary work is underway to blockade the coast of France." In fact, this was only diplomatic rhetoric, and Britain had yet to properly prepare for war. France''s boundaries were very tight, but the biggest reason for the dy was the Strasbourg talks. "It''s a lot slower than I thought. If you''re still at that stage, doesn''t that mean that it will take you at least half a year to get ready for war?" Alexander I could not have ignored this. Facing his dissatisfaction, Viscount Cathcart simply bowed his head and expressed his country''s position. "Westminster believes that entering the war with France right now would make it difficult to avoid criticism from the internationalmunity. The Grand Alliance countries will have to go to war with their own cause only after public opinion over Europe and its Union subsides. It would be perfect to be fully prepared before that." Britain and Russia had already approved the formation of the 6th anti-French coalition more than half a year ago. This was because they realized that if they let France be, which became stronger over time, they would never be able to challenge it again. In particr, the United Kingdom was feeling a real threat from France''s economic growth. Indeed, its imports from European trade had decreased by 23%pared to five years ago. At the height of its war against France, Britain was unable to formally trade with the entire European continent except for some countries. This was due to the trade blockade against Britain that had been established under the leadership of France. Nevertheless, Britain had somehow found a smuggling route to sell its products to the continent, through which it was able to build huge wealth and economic power to fight France. Now that the trade blockade had been lifted, free trade was possible again, but nevertheless, Britain''s trade imports to Europe had decreased significantly, and that was due to France. "The situation on your side (Britain) is more urgent than on ours (Russia), but politicians in your country are so generous and rxed." Alexander I was mocking him. He was not wrong because France''s market share had risen as Britain''s share of the European market had fallen. In particr, the decline was noticeable in the cotton, weaving and wool industries, as well as in handicrafts and steel, all of which were industries in which France achieved rapid growth through the mechanical revolution. The British had to punish France for stealing their patents and imitating their sess. For their survival and benefit. "Is St. James Pce''s opinion (George IV''s opinion) the same as the one of your politicians?" "...I don''t think that is something I will reveal, Your Majesty." "You can think of it as important, of course, to look at public opinion and trends in the internationalmunity. However, inpetitions between states, and between forces, victory or defeat is often determined by the leader''s boldness and judgment. It seems necessary to remember that Alexander the Great''s heroic charge at the Battle of Issus determined the oue." In the end, Alexander I was implying the words ''George IV is a coward''. Viscount Cathcart noticed this diplomatic disrespect but chose to remain silent rather than heating the discussion. At this point, Russia was an ally that Britain could never let go. Rather than go against the Tsar, it was wiser to endure the humiliation. "Even if there were 10,000 trouts, they would be no match for the weight of a single whale. The ambassador will have to engrave the lessons that His Majesty, the Tsar of Russia, said and prepare to fulfill his duties as soon as possible." "The patience of the vs is not long. I hope you don''tmit the foolishness of missing a decisive opportunity through passive intervention as in thest anti-French coalition." The sarcastic remarks of high-ranking Russian aristocrats tested Viscount Cathcart''s patience, but there was nothing he could do. "...Is there anything else to do? War has be inevitable. We remember what our country must do for close cooperation with our allies." For now, Viscount Cathcart, as always, soothed these arrogant and ignorant nobles by saying that Britain would help its allies with all its might. "Historically, therger the country is, the less patience it has. The Russian Empire has a bigger territory and more inhabitants than any other country, so keep this in mind." Viscount Cathcart felt very reluctant at thest words left by Alexander I. However, as long as the Tsar showed the same brutality when dealing with the ambassador of an allied country and at war, he did not mind. He was just worried that Russia might have a different n. After the British Ambassador, Viscount Cathcart, left. The rough vs, who had been belligerent as ifthey would dere war against France immediately, erased all signs of war as if they had been washed away. The cynicism and sarcasm were typical characteristics of sneaky characters trying to perform tricks. By now the whole of Europe was excited about what was happening in Strasbourg. Alexander I, who clearly watched the people''s madness swirling around it, was able to realize two main facts. First, never allow freedom and power to civil society and the people. At the Strasbourg banquet, freedom, romance, human rights, and anti-war ideologies were considered to have blossomed and made progress on philosophy and ideas, but paradoxically, Alexander I felt very reluctant to them. Permanent peace throughout Europe, the return of the revolutionary spirit, the rise of republicanism... These absurd sounds, which seemed to be full of pretentiousness, were aiming at Russia''s tyrannical and absolute monarchy. Whether it was intended or not. ''Although the sneaky French and Nabot started it all, all of these divisions were eventually caused by the people''s desire for freedom, equality, and political power.'' For Alexander I, the meaning of the Strasbourg talks and banquet was a collective action in whichmoners dared to openly demand equality and power from all European monarchs following the French Revolution. In order for that not to happen in Russia, serfs had to be controlled and suppressed more strictly and more thoroughly. Alexander I''s reactionary tendencies became stronger after seeing the reaction of European civil society after the Strasbourg talks. Second, Napoleon Bonaparte had to be removed for the future of the vic Empire. As soon as possible. Although he was a fake emperor from lowly origin without any legitimacy, he was still at the top of an empire. He seeded in numerous wars and expeditions and revived France, which had copsed, making it a hegemonic power in Western Europe. He was a man whose abilities one could not help but acknowledge, even Alexander I. There had been Austerlitz, Friend, and then Hrodna. Although he was told by his officers that they were confident of winning, it was burdensome to deal with Napoleon, who had smashed the Russian army three times, and with the Great Army he was leading. The image of the French fanatically supporting Napoleon, who was holding a political show over the emperor''s seat, was certainly a threat to Russia. ''Then... Wouldn''t it be best to make sure that this man doesn''t go on this great stage at all and then wage a war?'' ''Complete exclusion'', that was an operation that the Russian intelligence department had been preparing for a long time. Alexander I, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, asked a question to a staff officer from a noble of the court. "How is the organization and evaluation of the corps evaluated by your official prior to the Great War?" "The 1st Corps,manded by Marshal Bennigsen, is in excellent condition. Captain Bagration''s 2nd Corps is also working on training while inspecting the border with Pnd. The rest of the Cossack cavalry is exploring the terrain and the possible paths in the meadow, looking for where arge army could pass." Many Western European countries used topare Russia to a powerful and ignorant bear, and Russian generals were well aware of it. However, a beast with only strength and no brain could reign for a long time in Eastern Europe after destroying the Ottoman Empire. In particr, Russia''s military was more capable of learning and application than any other European group. The Russian army, which had been confused by French artillery forces in the Battle of Hrodna, had since spurred the development and expansion of its artillery forces and was only seeing now the results. "700 field guns, 650,000 shells, and 185 tons of gunpowder are prepared. All of the artillery officers in charge of them are soldiers with proven excellent qualities and loyalty. Napoleon''s Great Army will melt away under the fire of the Empire." It meant that preparations for the war were close to the end. Alexander I smiled in satisfaction when the officer said that if the Tsar were to give the order, he could immediately cross the border and march on the continent. ''The ind bastards have always been whining ahead of important things. They arezy people who can barely keep pace when we force them by kicking their buttocks.'' Britain was clearly afraid of France and Napoleon. That was why they were hesitating about war. Viscount Cathcart made several excuses, but Alexander I understood it like this. Therefore, Russia intended to carry out an event that would make the war against France inevitable for Britain. "The French Emperor won''t even have time to feel the afterglow of the party." At the words of the court nobles, Alexander I smiled and drank alcohol. Yes, before it was toote, the giant had to be eliminated. "The speech you gave at the Rohan Pce was very touching and progressive, but at the same time it was very dogmatic. You sometimes seem to think that you are the only member of the Bonaparte family." Napoleon was a giant of the era who led historical talks and was praised and admired by numerous European monarchs, nobles, and celebrities. But even he was just a husband who was ripped off by his wife at this moment. Napoleon, who was riding a carriage with Marie-Louise on the way back to Paris, had to hear this shot from her as soon as he entered the carriage. "It''s an honor to serve Your Majesty the Great Emperor." "I ask for a gentle journey." Napoleon roughly epted the coachman''s greetings, and thought hard about the words to appease the upset Marie-Louise. But how could he respond... Napoleon brought up the most normal thing. "I''m sorry I couldn''t pay attention to my family''s grudges. I will take appropriate measures against them in the near future." "Sigh... It''s true that they came in and out of the small pce where I stayed, but I''m angry for other reasons. If you give up the position of Emperor and dismantle the imperial family... What will happen to me and Charles?" Only then could Napoleon, the indifferent husband, know. What he did wrong. "Thanks to your indifference, my position and Charles'' have be very difficult. But even so, didn''t you think of the ordeal and persecution that Charles, the heir of your blood, will face in the future?" "I''m so sorry. But I will make sure that you and Charles are not persecuted inside France." "Yes, as a wife, I can''t blindly object to my husband''s decisions. But at least we could have discussed this in advance. How can we make the future of our family..." Napoleon, who was guilty of many sins, had no choice but to listen to all of herints. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 "I met my father after a long time and we had many conversations that we couldn''t have during the years I was away." "Right, I saw you with the Austrian Emperor. Can you tell me what you talked about?" "Hohoho, most of them were personal stories. However, my father is still afraid of you." Whether her anger at him for saying that he would step down from the throne had subsided a little, or whether she realized that Napoleon would not change his mind no matter how much she begged, Marie-Louise naturally changed the subject and began to talk about her father, Franz I, and her homnd Austria. "Hmm..." "Isnt it funny? It''s already been 10 years since the war between France and Austria ended, and the emperors of the two empires are tied up in the rtionship of father-inw and son-inw. During that time, didn''t the two countries fully protect their loyalty to each other as allies?" Although they were married, there was no one in Europe who ignored that Napoleon and Franz I still had a bad rtionship. However, Marie-Louise said the above without hesitation, as if she had no idea of such a nuanced rtionship. Was she inexperienced or rather high-level? Napoleon listened to her. Marie-Louise was exining in a lengthy way why France and Austria should continue to get along well without breaking this friendly rtionship. Napoleon could tell at a nce that she had received a request from her father or the Austrian imperial family. Rather, the intention was so explicit that even the fact that it was a ''deal'' made in the dark felt light... The creativity and ingenuity of the Austrian foreign officials were really admirable. ''Maybe... She expressed dissatisfaction with my arbitrary deration of stepping down from the emperor''s position, and put pressure on me, asking why I didn''t consult with her, all to put up a smoke screen to easily bring this up. She knows little about the international situation, but she is very clever when ites to dealing with rtionships between people or fighting for dominance.'' Marie-Louise, whose eyes were shining with sweet dreams of hope, trust, and happiness, looked pure and innocent like the heroine in a novel. She had no knowledge of the cold international diplomacy that did not show any blood or tears. Napoleon, who smiled bitterly at his wife, still found one unexpected fact: Austria was trying to get closer to France. As always, the rtionship between France and Austria was narrowly maintained by each other''s needs. ording to the trend of the times, the two countries exchanged hostility or friendship, keeping each other in check or sometimes cooperating. It was a typical rtionship between two European neighbors. However, France''s rapid growth and recent series of events had destroyed this bnce. Austria could not even face France in the same weight ss, and the returning European situation no longer allowed them to act as a diplomatic bncer. The Austrian government now realized that the above tightrope diplomacy was meaningless. It judged that the time hade to decide whether to confront France or hold its hand. ''Prussia withdrew from the Union and joined the anti-France camp. The French Imperial Foreign Ministry was outwardly rxed and took the same high-pressure attitude toward our enemies as before, but in fact, it was wary of further departure from the Union.'' This was because the enemy forces, including Britain, Russia, Sweden, and Prussia, were by no means insignificant, and even Austria was likely to join there. It was a terrible thing just to imagine. France would have to deal with the worst double-sided front, and Pnd, its faithful ally and the most important strategic point, would bepletely exposed to a general offensive of hostile powersing from the north, south, east and west. If that were to happen, Napoleon and the staff headquarters would seriously think of abandoning Pnd, and would urgently discuss the formation of a new defensive front centered on the Confederation of the Rhine, Switzend, and Italy. To that extent, Austria would y a key role in the future war. Austria, the one that should first kneel or hold hands with France, was now signaling that they wanted toe up first and stand on France''s side. With Marie-Louise, the pure white Empress. "Since the time of my great-grandmother (Maria Theresia), France and Austria have been discussing the situation of Europe as a family with blood rtives. Now that the two countries have the highest position as members of the Union representing Europe, shouldn''t we cooperate to strengthen our family friendship?" "...Since when did you start to care about improving rtions between France and Austria?" "Since the moment you dered that you would give up the position of Emperor of the Empire, the only ce Charles and I could rely on is the Schdnbrunn Pce. You seem to want to raise Charles strong like a weed in the meadow, but I intend to do everything I can as a mother." In other words, Marie-Louise was promised some kind of price by the Austrian court as a condition of persuading Napoleon to ally France and Austria. The price would be a shield to protect her and Charles after the title of the ''Imperial family of the French Empire'' disappeared. How cold-hearted he looked as a husband and father. Reflecting on himself, Napoleon saw the hands of Franz I and Metternich behind her. And of course, the price of holding these hands was not free. There had to be a huge demand as they knew better than anyone else that their value had jumped significantly before the start of the Great War. ''But Austria is a country worthy to be an ally, even at a great price. Whether intentionally or not, Marie-Louise has done a great job.'' It would not be a mistake to say that she looked admirable while chatting today. Napoleon used to think of the national marriage between France and Austria as one of Nabot''s many lies. But at this moment, he could not help but admit that it was a divine move. The alliance waspleted, and the sides were clearly divided. Now it was time to discuss the real strategy. "I''m looking forward to everything in Paris. I will not forget your help." Napoleon smiled as he looked at Marie-Louise''s puzzled expression. He was an individual who could be said to be the firm peak of the French Empire and, at this point, the central axis that could move almost all of Europe. Even if they were not necessarily literate, European citizens knew the most prominent person representing this era. Even if that person was an enemy of their country, they would have gone out into the streets and sneaked a peek at him while trying to hide their anger and sense of defeat. As such, there were many people who envied the important figures who could meet him. However, some of them never had to hide their anger or sense of defeat. Because Napoleon Bonaparte was the Emperor of their homnd, the French Empire. He was the God of war and the greatest leader who built the greatest France since Charles the Great and built the ''Frankia hegemony'' in Europe. A carriage carrying Napoleon and his wife arrived outside of the city of Nancy, but there was no room for it to pass. Citizens were calling the Emperor''s name while filling the street. Even the experienced attendants serving the imperial couple struggled because they could not see any gap in the procession of citizens. The sky was darkening. It was time for the citizens to relieve the fatigue of the hard day by eating warm meals at home with their beloved families, but nevertheless, it seemed that it could not stop the desire of the citizens of Nancy to see the most beloved Emperor in French history. "Long live the strong, dignified and supreme Emperor Napoleon!" "Your Majesty, please protect France forever!" "The Empire is Your Majesty''s country! We are Your Majesty''s subjects!" Napoleon had dered that he would step down from the throne after finishing everything. Not a few French worshiped this noble and holy decision, but in fact, there were more people who did not want it. The spirit of revolution, the idea of equality, republicanism... The individual Napoleon Bonaparte was heavier than all of these. Along with him, the citizens of France, who shared the era of glory and clearly saw the rise of the Empire, were voluntarily shouting for him to remain their great Emperor. Even Napoleon lost what to say for a while as he looked at this magnificent sight. "Look carefully, kid. The man in that carriage is the greatest hero of this era, His Majesty the Emperor." An old man pointed at Napoleon''s carriage with an old wrinkled hand. In some parts of Europe, there was a belief that boys who grew up seeing outstanding characters and heroes of the century could be as great as them. So when an important person or celebrity came, parents and grandparents brought their children or grandchildren to follow them. "Is he like Hercules and Achilles from Roman and Greek mythology?" "That''s right. No, His Majesty is a greater and holier hero than them." Hercules and Achilles created personal myths, but Napoleon created a myth for France as a whole. And that was not enough, so he was now walking on a path that no great leader in history had ever taken. The old man hoped that his grandson would share the fate of that great hero and emperor. "Wow!..." The boy''s eyes sparkled. The boy, whose heart beat as he heard the stories of Hercules and Achilles, did not hide his excitement that a bigger hero than them existed and that person was right in front of him. The old man smiled as he stroked the boy''s head. "All right. So you should be a great man like His Majesty." Taking a hero like Napoleon Bonaparte as an example and chasing his footsteps. It was meaningful to many people. There were countless people sharing stories like the old man and the boy on the streets here. Among the citizens who shouted for the Emperor''s lifetime rule, the hearts of those who wanted their children or grandchildren to resemble that great Emperor were also getting warmer steadily even on a chilly winter evening. "If this continues, it could interfere with the safety of His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress. Instead of moving on the main road, I suggest to take a side road to get to the theater." "It can''t be helped. Let''s do that." Napoleon and his wife, who were scheduled to watch an opera performance in the city of Nancy, decided to follow the advice of Baron Lacenne, who was in charge of security. It was a very inspiring and proud feeling for Napoleon to face the citizens who respected him. However, it was burdensome to get through the people who filled the streets and squares tightly without any safety measures. Above all, this situation was not predicted at all, so there was a risk of an unexpected ident. "The citizens of Nancy still want you to rule as the head of the Empire. And it''s not only in this city but in other ces as well. If even the citizens of Paris wish for your lifetime rule... Are you going to let their hopes down?" "As the head of state of France, I am responsible for the survival and wealth of the Empire and have a duty to maintain a peaceful and leisurely life for the people. My next goal is to maintain the spirit of revolution, which is the basis of this country, and preserve it for future generations. Unless it vites the former, I will protect the values of the revolution." Restoring the pure spirit of the revolution was to create a new world for the people while overturning the old system, and to rebuild the value of the ideology that had been tarnished. It was something that Napoleon had firmly decided on since he first settled in this world, and he nned on undoing the mistakes made by Nabot. France, to which he devoted his life, had never been an empire. At her husband''s resolute attitude, Marie-Louise no longer spoke of this. Meanwhile, the court servants who had previously gone to the opera theater returned. When he saw them with an uneasy expression, sweating even on a cold day, Napoleon could immediately tell that the situation was not good. "The situation in front of the theater is worse than here. The people shouting the name of Your Majesty are crowded everywhere, and their number is increasing over time. It seems that it has been leaked that Your Majesty the Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress are watching an opera performance at the theater today." "What did you say? How on earth did you manage and supervise security so that things that you had to keep absolutely confidential leaked!?" Security guards and officers bowed their heads in shame at the shouts of Baron Fain, the chief secretary. Napoleon had a puzzled expression on his face. TL notes Here''s a painting of the Empress Marie-Louise by Robert Lefevre: And here''s a map of the French Empire in 1812 with the cities of Nancy and Strasbourg highlighted: Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Perhaps it had not been leaked by them. Because Napoleon knew better than anyone else about the loyalty of his guards. There were many people who were suspected of being the culprits of the leak, such as officials from the theater that had made his reservation or government officials from the city of Nancy. "No one would have known that so many people would gather to see us. They even analyzed our movements and followed us passionately! No leader in France has ever received such luxurious attention." Napoleon''s soft words were like an affirmation that they would not be held guilty of this, and it was a direct medicine to melt the frozen atmosphere. Baron Lacenne and other security guards and attendants breathed a sigh of relief. Marie-Louise asked Baron Fain. "Then why don''t we rent the entire theater under the na me of the imperial family just for today? Then at least we will be able to enjoy itfortably." "Today''s concert is so popr... There are more than one or two people who made reservations. If the executive power is mobilized to enforce it, there is nothing impossible to do, but it would harm the honor of His Majesty and Her Majesty." Nevertheless, Marie-Louise, who usually enjoyed opera, was determined to watch today''s performance. The opera ''Fidelio'' , which Beethoven produced andposed himself, performed at the Opera Theater, was not an easy performance to watch. If it had been like usual, Napoleon would have persuaded Marie-Louise to give up watching the performance, but because he felt a sense of debt for various reasons, he promised to watch the performance she wanted together. "I salute His Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Empire, and Her Majesty the Empress. I''m Joseph Romani, the ownerof the OperaTheater. This is themost honorable moment in my life! It is an infinite honor for the theater and our family to serve you!" "I wanted to see the opera performance at your theater today, but now that the situation hase to this, I''m a bittroubled. Is there any goodwayto do? I want to trust the theater owner''s thoughts so that it does not harm the customers of the theater who reserved thisperformancein advance." Imperial Guard, bodyguards, and attendants were surrounding the theater owner Joseph Romani. In terms of shape, it seemed like the Emperor was using his position to force him to give up seats for the performance. The reservation had already been made under the name of Bonaparte, but it was so crowded that it became difficult to enter the theater itself. Joseph Romani, who had been pondering at Napoleon''s words for a while, said this. "Today''s Fidelio performance will be held once more at 9:30 p.m. If your Majesty wants, we can reschedule your reservation to the best seat for that time period. Also, unlike the 6 p.m. performance, there are quite a few seats left. If you wish, we will empty one area to wee Your Majesty." Joseph Romani apologized for bothering the Emperor and said that he would empty half of the concert hall altogether. The headline ''The French Emperor Napoleon waited for this performance at the theater!'' would make a good promotional text. The owner might have further intentions, but it seemed pretty good for Napoleon and would not do any harm. If it was this much, Napoleon could see it at a cute level and pass it. "We should do that, Your Majesty. It is said that not only outside the theater but also nearby streets are full of people gathered to meet Your Majesty. We don''t know what kind of unsavory things will happen if we go through them, so I think it''s better to get rid of the trouble and wait for the next performance." Napoleon, nodding at the words of Baron Lacenne, the captain of the guard, looked at Marie-Louise. She was the one who wanted to watch the opera performance the most, so her judgment was the most important. Marie-Louise sighed lightly. "If that is your will, then there is nothing I can do. Let''s watch the next performance." With the consent of the imperial couple, Baron Lacenne persuaded the crowd who gathered to see Napoleon by saying, ''The Emperor and the Empress have canceled the opera performance due to unavoidable circumstances, so please disperse and go back to your business to free the boulevard!'' There was amotion, but it would be sorted out. Some of the people might expect Napoleon''s cool speech, but he was honestly tired and wanted to rest a little. Meanwhile, Marie-Louise suggested. "How about taking a look around the city center while eating for the rest of the time before the performance? It''s been a while since I came out of the pce, so I don''t want to go back early." "It''s going to be hard because there are so many people who came to see us... Well, it should not be bad." She seemed to want to enjoy this short break more. As the Empress, Marie-Louise had to stay often at the court, but she had an extroverted personality. As he said earlier, Napoleon was tired, but there was nothing he could do because he promised to lose to her unconditionally today. ''But if not now, when can I rx and enjoy this kind of leisure? It may be the luxuriousst break that I can enjoy as the Emperor of France.'' Marie-Louise had a joyful expression. Seeing that, Napoleon''s body was tired, but his heart was proud. The ce where Napoleon and his party were going to stay for a day was the city hall, located in the center of Nancy. Originally, there were going to go back to the official residence right after watching the opera performance, have ate meal and rest, but the order changed due to the small incident. First, the imperial couple decided to relieve their fatigue after dinner after being guided to the official residence. Before that, Napoleon sent a message to the officials of Nancy. Don''t waste your precious manpower while preparing useless protocols or wee greetings. Those who prepared and those who received are tired. It''s best for them to focus on their respective duties as if nothing happened. "Dinner is being prepared in the hall of chandeliers. We will move to the dinner hall soon." Hmm. Listening to the horseman''s voice, Napoleon looked through the window at the city of Nancy. Even under the darkened night sky, the city''s citizens looked bright as they traveled enthusiastically through the streets. There werenterns lit in each building, with chattering of men and women of all ages in between them. It was around sunset, so he could not see their expressions in detail, but he heard their bright-colored voices. Nancy, full of hope, happiness, and rxation, was a great city at a nce. It was very enjoyable to see the cities and countries developing through the reforms he led, and the people who regained their happiness. Scenes that were not seen in the Empire that Nabot had ruined would now be easy to see anywhere in France. Napoleon''s face also had a small smile. Meanwhile, an object caught his gaze. The object in front was getting closer as the carriage moved forward. It was a barrel of rum, and a cart that appeared to have carried it. The two objects were located right next to the streetlights that illuminated the road. They weremon items that could be found anywhere in the city. Especially around bars, rum and beer barrels were always rolling around. However, in thismonndscape, Napoleon felt a little ufortable. The street where Napoleon and his party were now passing was a ''street of clothes'' filled with clothing stores, fabric manufacturers, repair shops, andundries. There were no bars or pubs, and no drunken citizens to be seen. Every day at 6 p.m., local police patrolled the streets and imposed penalties on the locals who let objects spoiling the air in the streets, and they strictly managed obstacles that interfere with traffic on the central road where carriages passed. There were no exceptions in any city in France. Napoleon knew it well because it was one of his own bills in discussion with the Imperial Council. ''It''s 6:20 p.m. right now. Less than 20 minutes have passed since the city''s officers inspected the streets once. In other words, the barrel and cart were brought by someone in a short time. There is no bar and no one drinking around, so who?'' "Stop the carriage for a moment." "Your Majesty?" "I told you to stop the carriage." The horseman looked puzzled, but did not disobey the Emperor''s order. When the imperial couple''s carriage stopped, all the guards and attendants apanying them stopped walking. They stood in front of the carriage and tried to ask why the Emperor stopped the march. It was then. Booooom-1! A huge noise shook the earth, like lightning in the dry sky, and the carriage loudly. Red mes and ck debris spreading in all directions devastated the neighborhood like a gunpowder warehouse hit by an explosion. The shouts, screams, and cries of the people who were swept away directly or indirectly by the explosion rang out alternately. This was no longer a street mixed with vitality and peace. Guards and citizens copsed while groaning. Startled by the sound, horses that were cut off from the carriage ropes ran wild. There were houses and shops on fire, and citizens fleeing in fear of another explosion. Napoleon, who was the first toe to his senses in the midst of extreme chaos, responded first. He calmed Marie-Louise, who was greatly shocked. "Ojemine! Ojemine (Oh my God)l!" "Caml down, Marie!" "Explosion... An explosion!... Lord Christ! Please protect this young subject!!..." "We''re all safe! The situation is over. Close your eyes and catch your breath." When he hugged her strongly and stroked her back, Marie-Louise, who was panting as if she was out of breath, gradually stabilized. Napoleon leaned out of the carriage while the maids took care of her, who was in tears. Guards and officers, who were wary of the surroundings, managed the injured and caught suspicious people recklessly, freaked out at the scene. "There might be another explosion or shooting! It''s dangerous, so Your Majesty must go inside the carriage and stay safe!" "In such dark conditions, sniping is difficult even with for a British green coat. If I die here, think of it as the will of the Almighty God." Napoleon looked at the explosives and the surrounding area with sharp eyes. The rum barrel and cart, which stimted his senses, were indeed dangerous substances aimed at his life. Explosives, wicks, and embers must have been hidden there. For an emperor, the threat of assassination could be said to be routine. However, most of the assassination attempts were filtered out by secret inspectors, intelligence organizations, and court guards that protected Napoleon''s surroundings. It was the first time since he moved to this world that he was directly exposed to this threat. "...I will cancel all schedules and return to the residence at the city hall. Issue a formal summons to the mayor and the head of the local police office, and other people who have any connection to this incident. If they refuse, immediately exercise your right to arrest them." "I will obey your order, Your Majesty!" "We must uncover the truth of today''s situation in detail. Search for criminals regardless of means or methods." Napoleon''s eyes gleamed blue. "...Is this letter really from Viscount Cathcart?" "That''s right, Your Excellency." Prime Minister Charles Grey received a secret letter from the Ambassador to St. Petersburg. His hands trembled and his face seriously stiffened. What was written in the letter was like a detonator that would literally create a tremendous ripple effect through the European continent. It was a great event that could shake the whole of Europe, and was iparable to what had happened so far. And it was something that the British did not know until now. "Why the hell are they doing this!? We even begged them to wait like that, but they arbitrarily made such an extreme conspiracy!?" The incidentmitted by their allies could never be called a small conspiracy. They ignited a huge explosive containing thousands of pounds of gunpowder. Soon there would be a huge explosion that would wipe out all of Europe. He was not angry because they made a dirty plot. Charles Grey would consider all means if they could get rid of Napoleon. The reason why he was truly angry was the fact that Britain was excluded from all this. Thanks to this, Britain was unable to prepare at all to respond to the subsequent ripple, and it was quite likely that it would be driven to the forefront of the incident due to its previous belligerent diplomatic activities. In other words, it created a situation in which Russia acted and Britain would pay for the consequences. "We should also contact the former subjects of the Kingdom over the sea, and proceed with the nned action as soon as the gunfire sounds." "Sir, then?..." "I think we should advance our war one step further. If Russia''s crazy Tsar wants to go to war so badly, he should do it." It was a point of no return. Once they passed it, they would not be able toe back. Charles Grey judged that Alexander I had passed the critical point from the moment he devised this ridiculous conspiracy. TL notes Such an assassination attempt actually happened in Paris on December 24, 1800: the Plot of the rue Saint-Nicaise. Napoleon and Josephine were in a carriage heading for the opera when a cart full of gunpowder exploded near them. They were not hurt but 22 people died and several houses got destroyed. Napoleon first suspected the Jacobins to be behind it and arrested some of them, but Joseph Fouche, who was then the Police Minister and a former Jacobin, tried to protect them. Heter found out that it was a royalist conspiracy. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 "It seems to be a fait apli that an assassination attempt against the French Emperor is underway. No, maybe the work has already been done." When Charles Grey, the leader of the Tory Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, heard the news from St. Petersburg like a bolt from the blue, he immediately ran to St. James'' Pce to meet Prince Regent George IV of Ennd. The current time was 2:30 a.m., long after midnight. The courtiersmitted the rude act of waking the Prince Regent at a time when he was in deep sleep, but the ''conspiracy to assassinate Napoleon'' was an urgent enough matter to wake up the real ruler of Britain. "The most important thing before the grand judgment is whether Napoleon Bonaparte survives or not. Does the Prime Minister think this will end with sess?" "If I had thought so, I wouldn''t havee running to see you in such a hurry." Even if he did not consider the short-term nature and sloppiness of the n, the assassination of the head of the state was originally a gamble with no guarantee of sess. In addition, in the end, how vulnerable the target was and how much they were supported by the people around them yed an important role in an assassination. Napoleon was not a scarecrow without a support base, and arge number of politicians and loyal soldiers followed him and protected him. In other words, if they proceeded with the assassination of Napoleon, it would be very difficult to find an aplice to embrace in the process, and they could hardly establish a bolder ''operation''. Therefore, Prime Minister Charles Grey''s judgment was that even with small variables, the situation would easily be distorted or it would be difficult to achieve any practical effect. In the past, there was a time when resentment against the Emperor was rising inside France due to excessive military expeditions, but it was highly unlikely for such a n to seed with the current Napoleon, who had absolute loyalty and support. "Napoleon Bonaparte is a man born with natural luck. To get rid of him, it must be apanied by ns that are as borate as the watchwork of a Swiss craftsman and as tough as a whale hunting from which he would not escape, but unfortunately, such precision is hard to expect from Russia." George IV nodded as he agreed to the harsh criticism of the wide and inferior empire of the East. The British government, which currently ranked Russia''s danger second after France, could not see Russia''s behavior as European cultured and advanced. It was not helpful at times like this. Annoyed, George IV opened his mouth. "As the Prime Minister knows, the position of the Kingdom is quite embarrassing. It is not enough to receive the criticism of all European citizens and media, now even some educated sses in the Kingdom are secretly ring at us." They had a justification for punishing France for refusing topensate with interests for the patents infringement. Naturally, it was well recognized by the internationalmunity. Based on this, Britain would be able to gain European economic supremacy again if it could hurt France''s industry and market economy by waging a war and prolonging it. Numerous strategies and policies had already been established to subdue France and Napoleon. They, who seeded in oveing the financial and economic crises to some extent and clearing up the front of the new continent, deserved enough confidence. But the Strasbourg talks broke out under such circumstances. Exquisitely. "Permanent peace and themon development of Europe! If that was possible, European countries would not have fought fiercely for more than a thousand years after the copse of the Roman Empire. In the end, isn''t it a remark that deceives and agitates European citizens who were simply distracted by a few words while ignoring the basis of human history?" Prime Minister Charles Grey agreed with George IV. It would not be a bad thing to say ''Let''s stop fighting and let''s enjoy peace in Europe now'', as the world wasrge enough and there were manynds for Europeans to conquer. However, at least Napoleon and France were not qualified to say this. Under their own justification of spreading the revolutionary spirit during the revolutionary war, they looted, invaded, and ughtered neighboring countries. In such a situation, Napoleon Bonaparte was wrapping himself up as a saint challenging a utopia that no one had been able to reach. Like a vicious viin repented by confessing to the priest of the cathedral, he dered that he would step down from the throne, as if saying he would pay for what he had done. With these few ceremonial acts alone, the entire European ss of citizens was on his side. Rather, Britain, which was preparing for a war to regain its lost interests, was thoroughly ssified as a viin and a sinner, and received all kinds of condemnation and criticism. From the British point of view, it was truly a st. ''He is a shrewd, cunning politician, good at political instigation and manipting people. Such a trick can only be achieved by a person born with a reading mind and natural luck, and who can crush others without hesitation. That''s fascinating. Someone born and raised in an environment where there is no need to beg for votes has the talent to exert fatal power in a parliamentary democracy.'' If Napoleon had been born in Ennd, it would have been worth seeing. Charles Grey even thought that the Count of Liverpool (the former British Prime Minister) or himself might not have been able to reach the prime minister position because they would have been pushed back in a political fight against him. Charles Grey did not think that Napoleon really brought up such remarks with the intention of resigning from the position of Emperor. Currently, Europe was perfectly split into two sides. The game had never been so extremely divided in history. The two groups would never bend until they overthrew each other. Soon, a war fiercer than any other war in Europe would begin. If France were to lose this war, Napoleon would lose everything. All the wealth and honor he had received so far, his future, and even his position of emperor. But what if France won? Napoleon would be a savior in the true sense of the word. The Emperor who conquered Europe would be reborn as the most noble human being itself. And France and its people would never allow such a great human being to step down from the imperial throne. In the end, Napoleon was betting on a gamble that he would never lose. The result of calcting and acting on all of these things at the end was the current Strasbourg talks, with the formation of the ''Union''. Napoleon revealed his true self, which he had long hidden from many European rulers, including Charles Grey, who were watching him closely. The genius of war was also a genius of politics. "European intellectuals and citizens tend to dazzle and encourage transformation with false sounds, but they have always bowed their heads to thest winner." That was right. In the end, victory was the on ly way to reverse all this. If only Britain could beat France and raise a Union Jack at the center of the Tuileries Pce. The system and alliance that Napoleon had built for a long time, the political stand he struggled with, and the explosive growth of France in recent years. All of this could be turned into nothing. And Britain would be able to regain its economic and marine hegemony. "The Kingdom is the most powerful country in Europe. Due to differences in disposition, environment, and position, its forces are often divided into several ces, but when brought together, they can always defeat France. Your Highness and the royal family will stand in theirmand and strive for the Kingdom to exert all its might." Feeling George IV''s gaze, Charles Grey lowered his eyes and bowed his head. The reason why George IV was woken up in the middle of the night was not just to notify him of the incident, but because there was a more ultimate purpose. "The issuance of bonds in the name of the royal family is necessary for our victory." "Huh, the war hasn''t even started yet, are you already talking about this?" George IV was still showing signs of difort. Charles Grey decided to touch his weak point. "Napoleon''s trick was mean but definitely effective. On the other hand, we can hope that the decisions taken by Your Highness are noble both in the process and in the result." War was done with money, not guns. In order to crush France by pouring overwhelming financial power from the beginning of the war, there was nothing like issuing bonds guaranteed by the royal family. Charles Grey mentioned Napoleon in the process. The sense ofpetition and inferiority that George IV had deeply in his heart against Napoleon... Knowing it, Charles Grey carefully chose his words. It was only for the victory of his country. George IV''s mouth finally opened, after thinking that he resembled Napoleon in the way that he would do anything for his country regardless of the means. The explosion in Nancy was reported through several newspapers and editorials the next day as an ''ident'' that urred due to inexperienced handling of war materials such as gunpowder and oil and a problem of management responsibility. Citizens who heard this exnation, both from the city hall and the media, moved on, easily epting it. For those who did not know the truth and seriousness of the incident, yesterday''s explosion was a simple event. However, this was an assassination attempt aimed at Napoleon, the Emperor of France, and it waspletely different for those who knew that the explosives actually exploded in front of the Emperor''s eyes. They could not help but shudder to realize thatst night''s explosion would lead to a true ''explosion'' that would cover not only the Empire but also the entire Europe. The treatment of some citizens, bodyguards, and guards who were caught up in the explosion was the first thing to be done at the scene. And immediately after that, the mayor of Nancy, the head of the local police office, and the general inspector were summoned first. Perhaps because they heard about the situation, they were shaking their whole bodies with white faces, but Napoleon only said one sentence to them. "I believe that there will be no ''rat'' among you." However, the interrogations conducted on them were harsher than any other criminal or civil war suspect who had been in the Empire so far. They were not ordered by Napoleon, but by his angry subordinates, who tended to be overly loyal. "This is a serious threat to the integrity of the Empire and its unity. The entire cab will have to fight this threat with all its heart and make every effort to ensure the safety of His Majesty the Emperor and the management of state affairs in the emergency." These words were said by Police Minister Jean Marie Savary, who was staying in Strasbourg dealing with the arrangement and security of the conference hall, and who immediately ran to Nancy as soon as he heard the news of the ''attempted assassination of Napoleon''. This was like a deration to dig into the bottom of this shameless act through a thorough and merciless investigation. Officials, police, and attendants, who had nothing to do with the plot of the murder, shrank their necks at the bitter atmosphere of Nancy. The precursor before the terrible blood wind blew was cold. "January 27, 1818, 6:22 p.m. This is the time when His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress were exposed to explosives on the street where their carriage passed." Baron Fain, as Napoleon''s chief secretary, attended as a serious witness of the case, testified about the situation, and actively cooperated with the investigation. "The Emperor and his wife were going to watch a performance at the Opera Theater at 6 p.m. However, I didn''t know where the news came from, but I had to change the schedule urgently because of the citizens flocking to the city center and the streets to see His Majesty. The imperial couple decided to wait for the next performance by relieving their fatigue at the city hall. Explosives blew up on the way, but most of the attendants were able to escape thanks to His Majesty''s dazzling senses." Testimonies from him and other attendants continued. The testimony that Napoleon was able to avoid the disaster thanks to his cry to stop was very surprising and phenomenal. Thanks to this, they were able to feel relieved by thinking of God''s protection. Police Minister Jean Marie Savary and investigators uncovered some facts through this. "The Emperor and the Empress urgently changed the nned schedule and headed to their residence because of the unexpected situation. Only the internal personnel of the attendants knew about this. However, as you know, explosives were installed on the street as if they knew that their carriage would pass there." The attempted assassination by installing and blowing up explosives could never be done without knowing the subject''s actions in advance. "In other words, it''s impossible unless there is an aplice in His Majesty''s entourage, who deliberately exposed his schedule to attract people to the theater so that His Majesty would head to his official residence early." "The interrogation of the theater owner and other officials has already begun. We''ll have to interrogate His Majesty''s attendants as well." "Make sure to keep track of their behavior, motivation, and status thoroughly whileparing them. However, some of them have been serving His Majesty for a long time. If we try to suppress them recklessly, we could face His Majesty''s disappointment and anger. Until the charges are revealed..." "You don''t have to do that." It was Napoleon with a firm expression that cut off the words of the investigators. He continued as he was greeted by them, who hurriedly bowed their heads and showed courtesy. "I can roughly guess who did this. To conduct an investigation into ''them'' is a top priority." The expressions of the investigators listening to Napoleon''s words changed in an instant. Some expressed doubts, but they had no choice but toply with the Emperor''s absolute order. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Assassination. The act of killing a politically or militarily threatening person and preventing their own losses that could be caused by the person''s survival. As the Emperor of the French Empire, which held European hegemony, Napoleon had many enemies. Really a lot. The forces that could benefit from his assassination were overflowing, and of course, it could serve as a strong motive for the crime. It was exactly six hours after the explosion that Louis Nics Davout , Duke of Auerstaedt, Marshal of the Empire inmand of the Great Army, who was appointed ''military adviser to the European Union'' created at the Strasbourg Conference, heard of the attempted assassination of the Emperor. Davout had always maintained his calm and cheerfulness in all situations, when the French were caught behind the sudden appearance of the Marquis of Wellington''s corps, when the British Nelson''s fleet smashed thebined French and Spanish fleets of Villeneuve at Trafalgar, or when Napoleon crossed the Alps and defeated three times the Austrian troops. However, upon hearing this incident, Davout was able to realize for sure what it felt like to have his hair stand up on his head. Even though it was well past midnight, Davout immediately left Strasbourg and drove his carriage to Nancy. ''It won''t be enough to rip those bastards to death!...'' For Davout, who had an unwavering loyalty to the Emperor and the Empire, this incident was as ugly and terrible as Satan''s doing. The guards and attendants had no choice but to be afraid of his brutal appearance. Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon, a deputy and staff officer, soothed the Marshal, who looked like he was ready to crush the world. "There are a total of three types of forces within the Empire that have the power to target His Majesty, as the inspectors and staff think. Please tell His Majesty that in the investigation of this case, the surveince and interrogation of these people must be thoroughly carried out." Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon was one of the best officers of Davout''s Corps and was a young officer whom Davout liked very much. He quickly organized the situation in the carriage heading to Nancy and listed what Davout needed to know and what to say in front of the Emperor. Davout, who was an outstanding soldier butcked political sense, had been able to avoid making big mistakes in several ces thanks to the help of his officers. The most influential forces that could have plotted the Emperor''s assassination cited by Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon were as follows: First, royalists dreaming of restoring the Bourbon family. Second, former political forces that were purged or dismissed by the Emperor in the past. Third, radical republicans, including the Jacobins. Among them, the word ''Jacobin'' caught Davout''s ears. "His Majesty dered the end of the imperial government and the return to the Republic. You may wonder why Republicans like the Jacobins would be hostile to His Majesty, but... They really are a different kind of people. They probably don''t believe in His Majesty''s deration itself. I know a bit about them, because... I was also a Jacobin until a few years ago. I know their habits well." Surprised by the words, Davout opened his eyes wide and Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon added with a bitter smile. "Those who keep following the Jacobin movement now do not believe in the sincerity of His Majesty. They are those who cannot ept a positively changing Empire. Even if the Republic is re-established, they know better than anyone else that they will not be the protagonists. They will not admit to the end that they are wrong and live with hatred for His Majesty and the Empire." "Then do you think this was a done by Jacobins? Was it idental, out of a burning desire for revenge against His Majesty?" "...I don''t know if it was idental, but I think Jacobins are most likely to be behind it. It seems that the story has not reach the Marshals of the Empire yet. Our staff officers often talk about the risk of Jacobins and their radicalism." "If I share what I''ve just heard with His Majesty, you could be a prime suspect in this case at once." Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon smiled at the words. "Your Excellency is not like that, right? Even if you make a statement to His Majesty, I know that you will only act after obtaining consent from him. And... His Majesty will not treat me that simply because I was a Jacobin in the past. I now fully believe in the fairness and justice of my superiors. That''s why I can say things like these now." The firm and strong words certainly moved the heart of the Iron Marshal. Davout had no choice but to nod. All of this began with Napoleon Bonaparte''s changes. It could not be said that he had be friendly, but his maniac-like fickleness had disappeared and he had shown much flexibility and tolerance in handling workand his subordinates. In the end, it was an example that proved that when the person at the top changed, the entire atmosphere changed with him. If Napoleon had been the same as in the past, Davout would have kept the story to himself to protect his loyal andpetent officer. But if it was Napoleon now... Yes, he could trust him enough. "I''m not good at persuading anyone or exining a situation. But... I''ll help you out. And if an unsavory situation urs, I will handle it with my honor. If it doesn''t work, we will die together." It was a promise that he would risk his life to stop Napoleon and protect his subordinate. Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon bowed his head deeply. This was the reason why he followed Davout. Although Napoleon was currently revered for his poprity and support throughout the country, there was certainly a group within France that could handle the extreme conspiracy of assassination. Napoleon knew about their existence, but he let them go because of his cause. A tolerant monarch could not draw his sword recklessly. Anyway, it was like this within the Empire, but how many people outside France and in hostile countries would want his death? In fact, Napoleon''s head was like the world''s most expensive bounty. Before Napoleon entered the interrogation room and revealed his doubts about the incident, he met two people with only a few loyal guards. One was Davout, who had just rushed from Strasbourg, covered in sand dust, and the other was Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon, his subordinate. He heard quite interesting stories from them. "Your Majesty! I have already decided to clean up the past and fully devote my loyalty to the Empire for several years. It is true that I had previously joined the Jacobin Club, which His Majesty had banned, but thanks to this, I was able to know their true condition and madness... Please be merciful about it." Napoleon remained silent for a while because he had something to think about. But it seemed that his silent made the two very uneasy. It made himugh. "In a way, the Lieutenant Colonel is a whistleblower. He loyally brought information for the sake of the Empire and me. Considering that fact, he deserves to be rewarded, but what misunderstandings did you two make?" "Aha... Hahaha. No, Your Majesty, I seem to have misunderstood for a moment." "Sometimes, the Duke tends to underestimate my inclination. I am rather saddened by this." Napoleon, who enjoyed the facial expressions of the two, who had no idea what to do, soon started talking seriously. "All three groups selected by Lieutenant Colonel have reasons to aim for my neck. That was a very reasonable guess. But no matter who pulls out the knife, they can never proceed alone. There must be a force to help from behind. I think that our outstanding adversaries are behind it." "I''m sure there must be some wicked ind bastards and vs involved! Maybe it''s the vengeful Prussians. They will have to pay the price for the crime of aiming at the survival of the Empire." Davout was punching his chest with his fist. "That''s also what I think. However, it cannot be denied that they have been working hard until they join forces to make filthy tricks. Who could be their aplice in my entourage? I thought deeply about it while staying at the residence... Only one person''s name came to mind." Joseph Fouche. A person who fled to a foreign country with his family when he was caughtmitting treason such as conspiracy and instigation of a civil war with Talleyrand. The French secret service had even informed Napoleon that he was staying in a secret pce in Austria, but since then, his track record was unknown. Given that the cab had ced a huge bounty on him but failed to catch his tail, there must have been systematic concealment and protection from other countries. The presumption that foreign countries might have intervened in the attempted assassination was somewhat reasonable. "He used to serve as the Police Minister. As you know, the Police Minister has a position where he can collect information flowing from Paris at a nce, including rumors and scandals. As such, it is easy for him to find out the weaknesses and corruption of Parisian politics, business circles, and military personnel." Now Napoleon had transferred much of this authority to other departments or organizations, but when Fouche was active in Paris politics, the post of Police Minister deserved to be called the ''flower of shadow politics''. Under the purpose of monitoring and wiping out the reactionaries within the Empire, secret inspection organizations under Fouche were given unlimited autonomy and inspected people regardless of if they were bureaucrats, citizens, or soldiers. For more than a decade, Fouche had been sitting in a position that exerted such an unexpected influence. Naturally, the remnants would not have beenpletely washed away even yearster. "Now he has been branded as a traitor and chased, but that does not mean that big politicians or high-ranking officers who have fatal weaknesses known by him would have changed. Wouldn''t they sumb to the threats of Fouche if they were threatened with information that would lead to their ruin?" The remnants of the secret organizations run by Fouche, a number of imperial executives whose weaknesses were held by Fouche, vengeful Jacobins who were extremely resentful of Napoleon, and the surrounding countries that considered him very threatening... "Lastly, Joseph Fouche... was also a Jacobin. Who was more enthusiastic than anyone else before leaving." Davout and Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon swallowed their saliva with tense faces. Obviously, it was usible, but there was no evidence for this. Most of this was just the result of Napoleon''s suspicion. Nevertheless, it was clear that his strong intentions were added to drive the atmosphere by saying the above. In other words, Napoleon was trying to put the guilt and responsibility for all these things on Fouche, his remnants, and the enemy powers of the Empire. Its purpose was, of course, only one. "Of course, I won''t stop chasing the truth. I am also very curious about who was aiming for my life. But... As you all know, isn''t there an important battle at stake for the fate of the Empire?" Napoleon was rather preaching the legitimacy of a method that other monarchs have used in the past, inspiring and uniting his people before confronting the enemy. Marshal Davout and Lieutenant Colonel Le Delon had rushed to the Emperor after hearing of the assassination attempt. However, they had an ambiguous expression as they watched Napoleon gently persuading them to join his conspiracy. It was in early February that news of Napoleon being attacked began to spread throughout France, starting with Paris. ording to the government''s guidelines, the media lifted restrictions on article reports, and the whole story of the incident was distributed in breaking news one after another. "Our Great Emperor almost suffered such a terrible thing!?" "What kind of an evil traitor was it! Who dared to aim for the Great Emperor!?" "Oh mon Dieu! What can we do to those demons, burning them alive would not be enough!" "The death penalty! The death penalty! The death penalty!!" The sassy French did not give the title of ''the Great'' to anyone except Henri IV. Then Napoleon Bonaparte appeared and met their high evaluation standards sufficiently. No one doubted any longer that he was the greatest, best, and most revered monarch in French history. Napoleon Bonaparte was now the pride, treasure, and faith of the French. The news that their Great Emperor was exposed to the threat of assassination by rebels was enough to elicit fierce anger from them. Citizens of France flocked to the squares of each city to identify the traitors and their forces, demanding merciless retaliation. The French were not the only ones paying attention to the incident. Central Europe, where the Union was formed, Pnd and Russia in the east. Northern Scandinavian countries, the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire. Britain, Spain, Portugal. All Europe''s breathless gaze was focused on Paris. What position would Napoleon express in this situation? The next day, the door of the Tuileries Pce opened. Standing in the front was Jean-Pierre Simon, the Duke of Dax and president of the Imperial Council. "The history of France has always been a history of reaction to the trials and hardships of the outside world. Our ancestors, who inherited the spirit of the Gauls, protected the kingdom and the borders of the Empire, yielding to such oppression, fighting against it, and winning. France''s territory and sovereignty werepleted with the blood and flesh of the French." "On January 27, the Empire was exposed to a more serious threat than ever. His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon, who is the supreme Emperor and the sun of the Empire, and his wife, Her Majesty the Empress Marie-Louise, were threatened by ruthless and unscrupulous people. Fortunately, the fair God did not take these two from France. Dieu Juste, Merci! (Thank you to the righteous God!)" "Just as the Lord Jesus Christ proved his faith in God at the end of the path of the saint, the whole story of this terrible incident was finally revealed through the dedication of numerous executives, bureaucrats, and officers of the Empire. The name of the shameless criminal is... surprisingly, Joseph Fouche, a traitor of the Empire. The man, who was the former Police Minister of the Empire, was corrupted in the most terrible and ugly way and pointed his de at the Emperor of his own country." " ii" "In addition, to all humans both inside and outside the Empire who obeyed Fouche''s order and sumbed to his malice, to those who urged Fouche and assisted him, the Empire deres war under infinite justification. This deration will take effect immediately... I dere that the guns of the Great Army and the Navy will not stop until they repent and surrender." This is war! Chapter 120 Chapter 120 This was before Jean-Pierre Simon, the president of the Imperial Council, read the de facto Deration of War at the Tuileries Pce, and before the shocking attempted assassination of Napoleon urred. La Gazette, the self-proimed best andrgest newspaper in the French Empire, had attempted a very special andrge project that was difficult for a newspaperpany toe up with. The name of the project was ''The 1st Gazette Survey''. It was a survey of French citizens living in Paris and its suburbs, which wouldter be called the ''world''s first public opinion survey'', asking about opinions on state affairs, political tendencies, administrative evaluations, and foreign perceptions. Of course, this was a survey with a limited sample, as it was only selecting the Parisian subscribers to La Gazette. This meant that it was difficult to represent the public opinion of the entire Empire. Nevertheless, many French literacy groups highly praised La Gazette''s breakthrough ideas and experimental spirit, saying that it would change the world. This was because creating ways that could know the public''s opinion fragmentarily was an act of stimting thewmakers who had to carry out politics for them in a good direction. "Looking at it again, this unterally biased response is both pleasant and strange. Didn''t they (La Gazette) make a move to make themselves look good in our cab? They could have manipted the statistics..." "My my... His Majesty put the Empire at the top and gave a lot of support, so it is natural for citizens to express their gratitude toward him. It is said that the Minister of the Administration Carnot conducted a thorough inspection of this himself. These figures are reliable." La Gazette faithfully epted the imperial government''s order to give the results of the questionnaire. The favorable response of Parisians to the current government system, cab heads, and policies and achievements they had made in the process was remarkable. When asked if their families economic situation had improved over the past decade, 85% of citizens answered positively and only 4% chose ''it has worsened''. More than 80% of citizens evaluated the pledges promised by the imperial cab and the foreign policy as ''sessful1. In addition, the number of citizens who were positive about the current situation of the Empire was far higher than those who were not, and the approval rating for the Emperor was also higher than ever. (Even if this figure included the subscribers1 fear of expressing opinions against the Emperor, officials from the Ministries of the Interior and of the Administration judged that their support for the Emperor was still solid.) In particr, it was more noticeable because the survey was conducted before the Strasbourg talks, which took Napoleon''s poprity to the next level. How much more enthusiastic would they be now? "The Minister of the Administration said that the size of this survey will be increased, the samples will be varied, and then the government will lead it to regr events. I heard that it is a good means to determine whether the policy direction is right or what the citizens are thinking." "Yes, I definitely said that." "Ackl... You are here, sirI" "I greet the Minister." A person who made all the busy bureaucrats stand up appeared. He, who was considered to have contributed the most to France''s explosive economic growth, was the Minister of the Administration of France, Frangois Carnot, called ''the wise white owl''. "I brought a bunch of good gifts, paying respect to you who are working hard today like diligent honeybees. Pleasee to this side." At Carnot''s order, the court''s servants and lower officials released what they had brought. Bang! A bunch of paper fell on the table loudly. "Sir, this is...?" "It is the result of the ''second survey'' conducted secretly and a report containing the evaluation of citizens. The topic is... about the war of the Empire." Ahead of a significant event that could determine the future of the Empire, Carnot conducted a slightly different survey in cooperation with La Gazette, which imed to be a French political paper. Unlike the first survey, which asked about overall state affairs, diplomacy, policies, and pledges, this time, it investigated the enthusiasm of Parisians for war, and their hatred for hostile countries. The results had just arrived. Officials from the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Administration gathered to discuss and prepare various matters rted to future war implementation through this result sheet. Cab officials began receiving questionnaires from Carnot and calcting the results. It was a simple butborious work, but no oneined. Because they all knew how important this job was. "Through this, it is the job of the Ministries of the Interior and of the Administration to promote the war of the Empire on arge scale and lead the public opinion of citizens and rural society. It''s probably not going to be easy." "The subjects will be as strong as they can for the glory, security, and justice of the Empire. Maybe there will be a lot of young people who will voluntarily ask for military service. Even if we don''t have to do propaganda work, wouldn''t this war attract sufficient support?" "Haha, will it be like that? I think it''s naive to hear that your high loyalty to His Majesty and the government leads to positive public opinion about the war." Carnot, who had a cold reason and cynicism that was not like a French, was well aware of the extremely defensive and realistic attitudes that the people had toward the state and government. It was a defense shield that the people, who had been sacrificed by the greed and ambition of the rulers for a long time, had to protect themselves. Of course, the French were very respectful and proud of their Emperor Napoleon. As it could be seen from La Gazette''s first questionnaire, they were loyal with their bodies and minds dedicated to the sovereignty and hegemony of the Empire. Regardless of that, however, no one weed the war itself. Even if it was for the sake of the Empire and the Emperor. In that sense, the second survey conducted in secret ahead of the Strasbourg talks in 1818 suggested many things. A few hourster, the results appeared. "...In general, there was a strong public opinion against Britain, Russia, Sweden, and Prussia, and the opinion that they should be disciplined was strong. However, there are many negative answers to the question of whether the Empire should attack first." "The pros and cons of the war itself are surprisingly tense. There are many opinions that we need to find a peaceful solution." As public opinion on the war itself did not rise as much as expected, the bureaucrats seemed embarrassed. Some re-examined whether the questions and answers were wrong. Only Carnot nodded as if he knew it would be like this. ''If you think about it, it''s natural. Apart from fanatics during the Crusades, who would want to bet their only body and soul, and go to the battlefield where they die if they don''t kill?'' Although various mobilization orders were abolished within the Empire with the advent of the era of peace, the Empire was still maintaining a national conscription system that originated from the days of the Republic. In other words, in the event of a war, adult men included in the conscription criteria would be forcibly conscripted and taken to the military. Not only the men caught in conscription, but also their families, lovers, and friends would all be impacted by the war. Dering war while enduring their resentment would bear a considerable burden, no matter how well the imperial government was doing. The Ministries of the Interior and of the Administration began preparing countermeasures by disclosing the results to the Imperial Council and other cab departments. It was necessary to somehow attract the support of the majority of French citizens. "I''ve been so troubled to arouse public opinion in favor of the war, but I didn''t expect this to be resolved at once." Carnot''s gaze reached the appearance of citizens gathering at Saint-Simon Square and calling for war strongly. And at the assembly hall on the other side, healthy young men were gathering and asking for voluntary enlistment, saying, ''Please let me join the war for the Emperor and the Empire!'' Things that were hard to imagine in the past were happening because of the news from Nancy. Napoleon and Marie-Louise were caught up in explosives installed by someone and almost suffered a terrible fate. And it seemed certain that France''s enemy countries were behind this. These two facts seeded in sweeping away all the peaceful ideas that were covering France. Now the public opinion had beenpletely turned upside down. "The neck of the Rabies King (George III), or death!" "I''ll give my life to wipe out the vs!" "Infinite punishment to all those who aimed at His Majesty the Emperor!" "Let''s smash Prussia! Let''s crush Sweden!" The French filled the streets and called for war before the government. Raising their heated eyes, faces, and strong chins, they demanded indiscriminate retaliation against the enemies aiming at the Emperor''s life. The various ns made by the Ministries of the Interior and of the Administration by taking into consideration their worries went to nothing at once. Should theyugh at this? ''Anyway, the Empire finished its final preparations. Now, only a true battle of iron and blood remains.'' Listening to the cries of angry citizens reaching his ears, Carnot quietly closed his eyes. That huge heat would soon swallow up all of Europe. ''May the winner standing until the end be the Empire after the heat goes out.'' Carnot prayed to a god he did not normally seek. Jean-Pierre Simon''s deration, as the president of the Imperial Council, was practically a justification to dere war for retaliation against France''s enemies. Although it referred to Fouche and his aplices, anyone could predict that it was aiming at the countries behind him. Naturally, the countries hostile to France, which belonged to that group or were deeply rted to it, responded immediately. Britain, Sweden, and Prussia issued fierce criticisms, saying France was trying to realize its hegemony and desire to conquer, using the attempted assassination of Napoleon as an excuse, and Russia imed that all this was a self-made y to justify France''s war of conquest. However, as testimony and clues began to emerge one after another, the initiative rapidly began to fall over to France and pro-France countries. The kingdoms of Pnd, Denmark, and Italy argued that the cause of the war was here. In particr, the Polish King Jozef I continued with his strongest attitude, saying, ''The leaders of Russia, Britain, Prussia, and Sweden should directly exin this incident.'' Countries in the Confederation of the Rhine, such as Westphalia, Bavaria, and Saxony, also pressured them, saying, ''The countries designated by the Empire should prove their innocence while helping to track Joseph Fouche down.'' Naturally, Britain and Russia could not ept this. Some people asked to recall the purpose of the Union''s formation, but war supplies already sold on the market began to run out. It was the most decisive evidence that war was imminent. "We have already received breaking news that Gibraltar and Lancaster are gathering their proud fleet of battleships. Britain will mobilize these fleets as soon as the war begins to block the main ports of the Empire." Napoleon and other officials nodded at the words of Denis Decres, the Minister of the Navy and the Colonies. The maritime empire that dominated the sea would strangle France in the most standard and persistent way, as always. With the lifting of the coastal blockade by the British Navy over the past four years, sea-based trade had flourished again in France, and coastal trading stations and marketces had also been revitalized. Transportation through the sea was at least 10 times more efficient than throughnd and was also economical. In France''s dynamic economic growth now, free maritime transportation clearly yed a significant role in the revitalization of logistics movement. Britain was also aware of that, so it would tighten the blockade as soon as possible to forcefully hurt France''s sustainability and war capabilities. "There are different rules and methods to block a port with an anchored fleet and a port without one. Of course, the former takes a lot more time, manpower, and finance. In the past, France used this kind of strategy to induce continuous bleeding in the British economy." "Then, there are two major strategies, whether to fight back or follow the past." "That''s right. However, even if thetter is chosen, it will be difficult for Britain to do the same iron blockade as in the past. The power of the current imperial fleet of battleships is as formidable as that." A French fleetparable to the British fleet. It was truly a remarkable growth. However, what Napoleon wanted did not end here. "I will ask a question to the Minister, who oversees all the fleets of the Empire." At Napoleon''s words, Denis Decres replied with his head down. "Please do, Your Majesty." "The Empire has invested generously in the Navy so far. Of course, all this is topletely defeat Britain, which has taken our seas." Napoleon had established an institution that could nurture talented officers and nonmissioned officers, brought in Admiral Rosnay, who was originally active in the world where Napoleon lived, and rebuilt new battleships with the best wood from Sardinia that had been difficult to find. On top of that, the true secret weapon of the Empire developed by Lieutenant Colonel Henri Joseph Paixhans was added, so Napoleon had used all the methods he could. "I think this is the moment to see the light. However, the eyes of the expert on this matter are also important. What does the Minister think?" "...As Your Majesty said, so far, battles and wars at sea have been a history of defeat for the Empire." Everyone paid attention to the words of the Minister of the Navy and the Colonies, Denis Decres. Would a war, in which Britain would take the lead by blocking France with a sea wall, be reproduced? Or would the French unlock thetch and engage in an adventurous battle? The conclusion depended on his words. "There will be no stage more majestic than this to decorate the prelude of the Great War. I would like to show Your Majesty the greatness of a different Imperial Fleet." Dice were thrown against the world''s strongest maritime empire. With everyone holding their breath and swallowing saliva, only Napoleon burst into a lowugh. "I had toe back to Paris without seeing the opera performance I had booked due to an unsavory situation." ''Show me the best performance to rece the opera. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 "A clear sky with a cool breeze... It''s the perfect weather for fireworks." An old man limped past the railing and appeared on top of the upper gun deck. The old man''s name was Pierre de Vaugiraud de Rosnay. He was a royalist who had opposed the revolution and dedicated his loyalty to Louis XVIII, who called himself the king of France. He was the hero of the Battle of Chesapeake Bay, almost the only naval battle in which the French fleet defeated the British fleet head-on. The sailors and marines on board expressed respect for the legend of the French Navy. Until now, Rosnay had lived a rtively peaceful old life, training his juniors as the principal of the Naval Academy in Nantes. However, he was originally an admiral who had to live on the deck, breathing the smell of cannons and gunpowder. ''When the war breaks out, you will return as an admiral and bemander of the fleet.'' ording to the content of the contract he made with the French Emperor Napoleon, Rosnay took themand of the fleet after a long time. Between the salty and bitter winds of the Mediterranean Sea passing through his face, he felt the energy of the battleship. His feeling of living on the dock and deck all his life told him. A fatal battle would soon take ce here. Rosnay turned his head without loosening his sped hands. He could see hisrades fighting back to back in the battle toe. "It may be a moment that will remain in the history of the Empire, but why are your expressions so dark? Don''t tell me you''re still afraid of the illusion of pirates from the ind country, are you?" "No, Admiral!" "Tsk tsk, you faintly weak guys. I''m almost 80 years old, and I''m standing on the deck..." Rosnay clicked his tongue, saying that young people had no spirit these days, took out a telescope from his sleeve and looked at the sea. Soon after, he began to see colorful bannersing from afar with the wind. Their symbol, the Union Jack, hung from the highest sail. ''I expected the match against them around the middle of the war. I didn''t know we would face each other this quickly.'' The Emperor and other imperialmand seemed to intend to decorate the prelude to the Great War with a naval battle victory. If the Empire, which was invincible onnd but fragile at sea, could win against the world''s best maritime hegemony, it would be able to gain the momentum of war properly. In the midst of tension, the experienced admiral smiled confidently. If so, it would be reasonable to assume that it satisfied that demand. "The men of the sea should be tough and strong. In other words, you should be calmer than a rifleman, more courageous than a grenadier, and more reckless than a cuirassier! Judging from this weak mental state, you''ve been trained in vain so far 1" Drennan came down from the stern while chewing a cigarette. He was an Irish ghost who had drifted from ce to ce after the failed revolution in Irnd, and was promised independence and sovereignty of his country by the imperial government in exchange for fighting for France. "Hehe, is that why you''ve been criticizing me for being the principal of the naval academy?" "Well, if Your Excellency the Admiral thinks so, it might be." Drennan did not hide his dissatisfaction with the situation as he had to fight on a battlefield at an unwanted time. "It''s hard enough to keep up with those vicious bastards, but if you rush to meet the orders and timelines of your superiors, you can''t avoid being humiliated. Can you handle the current situation of the sailors and the marines?" "What are you worried about when the ind pirates are not even three-headed monsters like Cerberus guarding the door of the underworld? They are just poor creatures like us, whose heads can be smashed and whose limbs can be broken. Besides, aren''t we protected by naval heroes?" Drennan could not refute Rosnay''s words as he stroked the railing of the deck. Currently, the fleet led by Admiral Rosnay was a new fleet created by consolidating the marine capabilities avable to the French Empire. Among them, there was the best battleship of the Empire produced under the cooperation of prominent craftsmen using the finest wood. ''La Ruyter'' was the name of the ship that Admiral Rosnay and Drennan were currently on. This majestic sea monster had three gun decks with 114 cannons, and its crew wasposed of the most experienced sailors and marines and the graduates from the naval academy with the highest grades who had beenmissioned as officers. It would probably leave a strong imprint on the Royal Navy approaching from beyond the ocean. Booml Boom! Boom! The first fire flew from the British fleet''s artillery. However, this was not a shot to neutralize enemy ships when naval warfare began. It sent a signal to distant enemy ships. It had been a long-standing custom for European naval forces to temporarily lower their gs and to fire a cannon on the opposite side of the fleet, to inquire about their willingness to engage in battle or surrender, or to exchange conversations between admirals or captains before battle. "You need to know who your enemy is. So that you can answer ordingly." At the order of Admiral Rosnay, the French new fleet also fired. It was the tense moment when both fleets lined up side by side and look at each other while riding the waves. The admirals of the two fleets nned to meet on an ind in a neutral area. "It''s both nice and unfortunate to see Your Excellency the Marquis again in a ce like this and in this situation. I would like to express my sadness for your absence of the past years." "Long time no see. But don''t call me Marquis. When I returned to the Empire, I gave up all the titles and honors of the days when I was a member of the royalist faction." Rosnay firmly responded by mentioning his current position to an old officer who had served with him in the army of Conde (the royalist army). The officer guided Rosnay with a bitter smile as if he could not help it. The ce where the British and French admirals faced each other was a small rocky ind in the northeast of the Balearic Sea. They greeted each other, and Plymouth Tasman, themander of the British fleet who called Rosnay here, opened his mouth first. "I didn''t know that the French admiral woulde all the way here to greet me in the face of the Kingdom''s fleet. And that it would be a long retired admiral like you. I''d like to ask you first if this is really what your country intended or if it''s your own active judgment?" "It was themand''s decision, but I also agreed with it. As themander of the fleet, should I miss a golden opportunity to intercept the ships of an enemy country that have sailed 1,500 km from Gibraltar through the rough winter sea of the Mediterranean Sea?" Admiral Rosnay said that andughed. At his provocation that meant ''You will be fish food here'', British officersughed while raising their eyebrows. They showed the ridiculousness of their absolute confidence that they wou Id not lose in the sea. However, Admiral Rosnay had a real belief. The fleet stationed in Gibraltar, which usually anchored in Gibraltar and defended Britain''s maritime trade rights in the Mediterranean Sea, departed immediately after the war began, and its destination was, of course, the southern coast and major ports of France. In order for the blockadework, which the maritime empire boasted, to be restarted, a forward base was needed to anchor the fleet and supply the sailors, and that was the British ind of Menorca. In other words, it was inevitable for the British fleet to pass through the sea route between Gibraltar and Menorca Ind. The imperial government obtained the exact departure date of the stationed fleet through several smuggling routes, and was able to intercept the British fleet after calcting the time based on the sailing speed of the ships. All of this was not a coincidence, but coboration made through borate calctions and ns. ''In the end... Even the order that seemed unreasonable at first nce looks now to have been the best move in the current situation.'' Even luck was following the Empire. A country loved by God would never be defeated. The fleets representing the two countries, and the two admirals representing the fleets, could not reach an agreement, and it was now time to have a dialogue of power on the ocean. Seeing Britain''s proud battleships opening their guns at once and approaching the original formation of the French fleet was enough to tension the crew of the new fleet. The overwhelming record that the Royal Navy had umted so far, the fear of battle, and the Union Jack pping over the ocean. It was a fear and pressure that the French had no choice but to bear, so they had to ovee it with their own hands. "You remember the name of the legendary naval master who buried the most British warships in history and drove Britain to the brink of defeat, right? As you all know, this gship is named after this hero." Michiel de Ruyter. Europe''s No. 1 admiral, a hero of the British-Dutch War, surpassing Horatio Nelson. The French gship ''La Ruyter'' was named after him. "Our merciful and brilliant Emperor tried to use my name shamelessly. However, I tly rejected His Majesty''s proposal. It was because I wanted to remind you of the weight of Ruyter''s name. My name is quite well known, but how dare Ipare myself to Ruyter!" The admiral''s self-mockery humor causedughter among the sailors and marines. Rosnayughed with them. "The Empire led by His Majesty is a country of tolerance. True to its name, it is not enough to ept countless immigrants, ethnic groups, and refugees from countries with forgotten names, but even rebels of the Empire are hired without hesitation." The power to unite various people. It was a strong and tough principle to defeat the British. Large and small resentments built up as their families and friends were hurt by the British tyranny and oppressed by Britain. It was the driving force moving them. "Raise the tricolor g up high! The time for the decisive battle hase! As of today, the Empire will fly high on the ocean!" "Wooaaaah!!" The curtain rose on the first battle of the Great War, which would be called the ''Battle of C Emboixar'' because it faced off the coast of the same name. Of course, it was also reported on the British side that France was training the navy with enormous finances, resources, and manpower. As Britain had a history of breaking the French navy dozens of times, the Britishughed lightly, but internally, they were very wary of these changes in France. The French had always failed to show their ability due to various restrictions, unexpected situations, and bad luck, but the British were well aware that the French navy was the only force that could threaten the British sea, even by a little. What Whitehall''s naval headquarters feared the most was for them to unleash their full potential and rush into power. "Obviously, they must be confident in this fight to be this active. It would be better to take our time to look at the situation before entering the battle." "We must uproot them before they get stronger. Isn''t it part of our mission to clean up the French navy in the Mediterranean Sea anyway?" The opinions of the officers of fleet stationed in Gibraltar were divided into two. Should they watch and collect information or go into battle right now? Plymouth Tasman, who was struggling between them, decided to choose thetter and fight. "It''s time to start harvesting!" As the rm of all ships rang, theiryout was changed to a double line structure, and the formation was changed to a form in which fast-speed frigates wrapped around both sides. "Well, well... Lastly, check the port and the explosives. Check the artillery cartridges, too!" "Appointed officers,e up to the watchtower!" "Raise the anchor from the second-ss battleships on the left! Open the leading 35 gun ports!" Tasman ordered them to take the formation of a semi-circle resembling a crescent moon. The skillful sailors andpetent captains faithfully moved ording to hismand and drew the exact picture that the admiral wanted. On the other hand, the French fleet still did not show much movement, drawing a horizontal line close to a straight line. The staff officer who saw it suggested the following. "How about using the tactics of Admiral Nelson''s great victory in the Battle of Trafalgar? If wemand the two and three columns to charge in parallel like this, they will be able to break through each of their ships." "You''re talking about the central breakthrough tactic. It causes arge number of casualties. But you have to use it while looking at your opponent." At that time, the opponent of Nelson''s fleet was a French-Spanishbined fleet, so its organizational power was very weak. Thus, it had copsed without controlling the breakthrough of the solid British battleships. On the other hand, even at a nce, their current proficiency and organizational power seemed iparable to those of then. "I''m going by the book. Ships from 1st to 4th on the left side, advance! Same goes for the right wing!" While Tasman''s gship, the HMS Hound, took its ce in the center, the other battleships advanced and entered the range of artillery fire. In a tense moment, no matter who came first, the guns lit up at the same time. Boom! Booom! Boom! "Forward! Move forward!" "Keep the heat, but be flexible and fire and engage autonomously!" Along with the order, the HMS Hound also began to advance. The first-rate warship carrying 110 cannons was such a powerful battleship that it was one of the best in the United Kingdom. Tasman had no intention of using its splendor only for decoration. Even though it was a gship, it bravely charged in line with the other battleships and fired from its 45 starboard cannons. Boom! Boom! Booom! Booom! "All cannons on port side! Raise the shooting angle!" "Turns slightly on the right! Keep the same angle!" "Enemy chain shots! Everyone, get down!!" Despite the noise, senior British naval officers led each battleship andunched autonomous offensives and counterattacks. As the battle progressed, the British fleet had already turned into a streamlined and convex formation, and the French fleet returned to a semi-circle, so at first nce, it looked like the British Navy was trapping the French ships. But the problem was the frigates ced at the end of the left and right sides. The British Navy''s frigate was qualitatively different from other navy''s frigates. Although small in size with a single deck and weak defense, the British frigate was a ship with 40 cannons and a crew of 300 men. In other words, it meant that it was different from normal frigates in terms of firing power. In a raging battle between battleships, a typical frigate would only be able to throw pebbles into the waves. However, the British frigate showed the power to break thatmon sense. The situation changed suddenly as they advanced at a high speed unique to frigates to engage the fight on the nks of the French fleet. French ships began to be helplessly hit by the British fleet''s crossfire on both nks. ''These are special frigates designed to deal with pirates'' barbary. They''re fast, can freely rotate, and have firepower at the level of a fourth-ss battleship. Neglecting to cope with them is the cause of your defeat.'' The captains of the frigates cleverly targeted the masts and sails of the French warships. This was to reduce their mobility. A stationary ship was just a huge ta rget. Now, it was time to gradually nibble at the French fleet from the outside. It was not without twists and turns, but it was around the time when the idea of a smooth victory spread on the HMS Hound. Whaaaam!! A huge explosion sounded with the sou nd of guns. A momentter, it was confirmed that the frigate caught up in it was not pierced by a shell but ''exploded and burned down''. Tasman had no choice but to scream. "What... What the hell is this...!!" Inside his field of view, there were images of the frigate that had almost been destroyed in a single blow and the miserable crew aboard it. TL notes Here''s a picture of the HMS Victory, a first-rate ship of the line (I suppose the HMS Hound looked simr): Chapter 122 Chapter 122 The Paixhans cannon, named after Lieutenant Colonel Paixhans. And explosives that had so far been conceived only in the imagination of some scientists and artillery officers. These two weapons were like gifts bestowed by the Almighty God for the rise of France. Admiral Rosnay fell in love with the Paixhans cannon and its explosive shells the first time he saw them. "First of all, a total of 18 Paixhans cannons wilI be distributed to the fleet here. After that, there will be additional deliveries depending on the circumstances of the production center and factory." "Huh! On which ship should I put only 18 guns on? Please take a look at the situation. It is very shallow for the imperial fleet." "Sigh... The quantity produced is infinitely insufficient, but everyone is asking for them. Of course, the fleet under the Admiral is important, but the Antic fleet of the Empire, which is directly in contact with the British Navy, cannot be ignored. They are also very eager to see the Paixhans cannon." "The first naval battle will surely take ce in the Mediterranean Sea. Why don''t we use the initially produced items first and then turn them toward the Antic Fleetter?" Admiral Rosnay was eager to secure supplies for Paixhans cannons and explosives long before the war broke out. When Emperor Napoleon himself showed off the power of this new weapon, Admiral Rosnay recognized the value of the cannon and its shells at once. In order to equip his fleet with just one more weapon that couldpletely reverse the naval battles that had happened up until now, he did not hesitate to do all kinds of lobbying that he hated. Thanks to this, Admiral Rosnay was able to equip a total of 27 Paixhans cannons and 1,300 explosive shells. He distributed them evenly among the major battleships, including the gship ''La Ruyter''. "All fleet, open fire! Fight at will while maintaining a certain distance between ships! However, don''t use the Paixhans cannons and explosives yet!" As if watching a battle between battlefield infantry onnd, Rosnay opened only the gun ports on one side after lining up the ships and gave orders like in a typical artillery battle. A ship of the line was a warship specialized in naval battles that could open gun ports on its sides and fire cannons. In order to do so, the side of its hull had to be thick and strong enough to protect the crew members while enduring the side shelling of the enemy fleet. For this reason, the side hull of the battleships became harder as the shipbuilding technology developed over the years, and by the 19th century, they became so thick that they could never win with this kind of naval artillery battle. Taking advantage of that, Admiral Rosnay maintained a deadlock on the front line by deliberately making a straight line that did not leave a gap. ''If we continue to spend time like this, we, whose distance from our ports is close, are overwhelmingly advantageous. You guys should take out your cards first.'' Eventually, the British fleet made a move. They ordered an autonomous response by matching the French line ships with their own lines, and then began to bombard the French with fast-paced frigates on the nks. The captains of the French battleships, which had been belittling the frigates, freaked out at their power beyond imagination. In the midst of umting damage, urgent signals were pouring out toward Admiral Rosnay. "This is a message from the ''Grace''l They are requesting to leave the battle line to chase the frigate firing at them." "Tell them they can''t do that! Instead, they are allowed to change the direction of the ship!" "The captain of the ''Saint-Domingue'' is rmending the use of the Paixhans cannons and explosive." "Tell him to wait! For now, respond with normal cannons!" Meanwhile, Captain Drennan of ''La Ruyter'' released the anchor and advanced the gship. The highest ranked person in the fleet was Admiral Rosnay, but Drennan was inmand of ''La Ruyter''. "The battleship located at 15 degrees to port on the front is the gship of the enemy fleet. Find simrities in the signal system they send to other battleships. And show me a rough sketch of their structure." "Yes!" "Open the gun ports, but do not fire. When we seize a decisive opportunity, we will charge and break the heart of the enemy." "Yes, Captain!" There were not a few Irish people, including Drennan, in this fleet. They had a huge grudge against Britain, who had swallowed and brutally robbed their homnd, and they never intended to miss today''s opportunity to take revenge. Perhaps it was judged that they could take the chance to win, so the Britishmand tolerated the active offensive of the frigates on both sides and ordered the advance of the other battleships. In doing so,rge and small holes were formed in their solid line, where no gaps could be seen. At that moment, Admiral Rosnay, who was looking at the progress of allies and enemies with a telescope, clenched his fist strongly. "Now! Show the new weapon of the Imperial Fleet to that flock of sparrows!" The frigates, which were approaching at a close distance fearlessly after seeing the poor response of the French warships, were IIterally new weapons to conquer the sea in the future. Whaaam!! Booml! Booml! The Paixhans cannon had several problemspared to othermon guns. Not only its effective range was short, but sometimes the trajectory was incorrectly configured, the consumption of gunpowder was extreme, and the gunpowder barrel had to be changed frequently. In addition, the risk of explosion was considerable, the preparation process to firing was veryplicated and long, and could not be used at all with shells other than explosives. There was a famous saying in the history of war that ''war is not about fighting the enemy, but about enduring the difficulties of time, nature, and the field. The army that wisely endures the trials faced by the military will achieve victory.'' Following this saying, it would be logic in war to abandon weapons that were not uniform and that were cumbersome and tricky like the Paixhans cannon and its explosive shells. However, there were ''exceptions'' in everything in the world, and sometimes such exceptions had achieved very revolutionary results. Things would change as much as possible with the utility and destructive power to endure all those inconveniences, waste, and inefficiency. The cannons made by Lieutenant Colonel Paixhans that had been quietly sleeping in each battleship fired at once. After finding the right target, a tremendous sound made by a huge cannon that was clearly different from other artillery sounds was heard. The frigate, which was smaller than ships of the line, with a weaker hull made of lighter materials, was the best stage for explosives to y. Amid the pouring of ordinary shells, an explosive shell flew in and fell in the middle of the upper deck. And it exploded. BoooooomH The upper deck was the second most frequented ce after the artillery deck in naval battles. In particr, there was arge proportion of senior officers and lieutenants giving orders to other crew members. The mes triggered by the explosion swallowed them at once. One frigate caught at the aiming point of the Paixhans cannon became a sea of fire. The frigate, which lost a lot of officers and nonmissioned officers in an instant, fell into a state of incapacity for battle. "Send to each captain a signal not to forget the main hunting target of the Paixhans cannon! I''m watching everything, so it would be very good for captains who are overly greedy to prepare themselves after the battle!" The Paixhans cannons and the explosives that the new fleet had been cherishing were part of an operation to focus on the enemy fleet''s frigates from the beginning. Rosnay had conducted various experiments before the war to know the characteristics and power of this new weapon. If it hit the target, it could unleash hell by pouring out mes, explosions, and debris, but there were quite a few variations in its power. In particr, it was difficult to inflict fatal damage on a huge ship with multiple decks on several floors, such as ships of the line. This was because the explosion spread horizontally rather than vertically. On the other hand, it was very effective for small ships such as frigates and sloops made up of small, single decks. If it hit properly, it could neutralize the entire ship in a single blow. Indeed, this order was effective. The frigates, which had been bothering very much both sides of the French fleet, were hit by explosive shells fired from Paixhans cannons and were left paralyzed. Only some of the frigates who quickly widened the distance were able to escape alive, but the ranks of the British fleet copsed in the process. "Now is the right time to order an assault!" "Yes! Send a signal to the captains." Upon Drennan''s advice, Admiral Rosnay ordered the advancement of the front line of the fleet. And at that time, the new fleet that had never been seen in French naval history moved precisely under his orders. "The 4th and 6th ships of the left wing adjust the port angle, and the rest stays in line like this!" The ships reacted and moved like a creature at themand of the admiral. The French navy in the past had often failed to maneuver after unexpected variables appeared. Rosnay had been training French naval officers and lieutenants, imitating the methods of Britain, the strongest naval power. Assuming various situations, including when exposed to the artillery fire of the enemy fleet, he established strategies and policies to respond, and conducted repeated training on them. As a result, the captains of the battleships moved flexibly under autonomous judgment while following the given overall operational outline, and the crew members also showed their true value by performing their duties with unimaginable calmness and coolness even in the midst of shelling. "It''s time to pay back for the Battle of Abukir! Open the gun ports on both decks! All cannons, get ready... Fire!" "For the great Britannia Empire! Show the glory of the Royal Navy! Fire!!" Booml Booml! Bang! Booom! Bangl! In the path where the battle ships of the two fleets crossed each other, no matter who came first, they fired artillery at the same time. In the middle of the battlefield full of roars, screams, and explosions, La Ruyter led by Drennan approached the HMS Hound, the gship of the British fleet. Now it was their turn to do their job. "If you catch the gship of the French fleet, you can turn all this around! Attack! Attack!!" A brutal attack began under themand of the captain of the HMS Hound, Viscount Rodmell. One of the railings of the upper deck was blown by their artillery fire, and chain and grape bullets flew in, killing crewmembers of La Ruyter. La Ruyter also fought back immediately, making the area a mess, but both battleships did not slow down their speed as they approached each other. "These ignorant bastards! Admiral! Please stop postponing it ande down! I think they''re going to board us! Evacuate to the officer''s cabin for a moment!" "Hahaha! I will reject that offer. An admiral never leaves themand under any circumstances!" "Ha, again with that! What are you doing!? You''re pretending to be Nelson instead ofing right away!" Now the battlefield was in a state of chaos. In the middle of it, themand signals from the gship were invisible because of the thick smoke, fog, and dust. The only thing left was for each captain to independently destroy the enemy in front of him. Drennan took Admiral Rosnay, who could no longer influence the battle, to a safe ce. He twitched his lips and red at the opponent''s gship. "That ship is taller than ours, so they will definitelye over first in a boarding. The defenders wait with their muskets and riffles loaded. If theye into range, we''ll shoot first." Although Drennan had never served in the Royal Navy, he had been fighting them for nearly 20 years. He already knew all their tactics. Indeed, a mast of the HMS hound side was loosened and tied with a string. The mast was fixed to the railing of the opponent''s ship, making it look like a bridge over the sea. Boarding a ship to take control of it was a ssic yet effective strategy in this kind of turbulent situation. Most of the officers who saw that scene advised the gunners to aim above the mast, but Drennan did not listen to them. "They are not the ones we have to kill first! The aiming point is still the deck of the enemy gship." Unlike the noticeable movement on the mast side, something secret was being done on the deck. Drennan was watching the enemy sailors bending their backs on the deck of the HMS Hound, and he shouted as soon as they stretched their backs and raised ''something'' they were holding. "Now! Kill those guys!!" Tatatata! Tatata! Muskets and riffles fired all at once. The crew of the HMS Hound, who were preparing to throw something, fell into chaos. The gunners shot at the captain''s order but did not know what their targets were holding. Soon, the smoke went away and the sound of explosions was heard here and there, indicating the identity of that ''something'': grenades. "They''re still using that cunning trick of creating a diversion with a mast while they throw grenades on a ship with a lower deck! They haven''t changed!" Drennan sneered as he simply blocked the enemy''s tricks. The screams and shouts of the British were more satisfying for him than thepany of a beautiful woman. After that, the HMS Hound and La Ruyter crossed each other and passed by, because of the retrograde of currents and wind directions thatmonly urred. However, the two vessels had no intention of retreating like this. Under the control of their crews, the gships returned close to each other. It was like seeing fighting dogs that did not back down until one copsed. Drennan, who seeded in giving the HMS Hound and Captain Rodmell a shot, went down to the gun deck. This was to issue a new order to the artillery there. "At this distance, explosives would be perfect. Get the Paixhans cannons ready!" "Yes, Captain!" Now that they were back in range again, the HMS Hound was shooting shells and chain shots without mercy, but La Ruyter responded by only using 76-pound guns to make holes in the enemy''s hull. Except for the crew members on the upper deck that were openly exposed, the damage on both sides was not so great, because the hull on the side of the gships was so hard and both sides were controlling the ships as to not expose their rear, which could be a weakness. On the deck, marines and sailors were shooting muskets and riffles at each other. Both French and English sailors were bleeding to death. Meanwhile, the distance between the two ships became so close that they could throw grenades again. Drennan ordered the prepared operation. "Aim at the perforated area of the hull with the four Paixhans cannons. Now that the distance has be this close, you will be able to hit it easily." At that time, a shell shot flew in from the guns of the HMS Hound and hit La Ruyter. Since it was shot from a close distance, it neatly prated the middle of the hull and flew to the other side. The crew members who were swept away by it were killed or seriously injured, but the gun deck, where the Paixhans cannons were located, was a rtively safe area slightly below it. "It''s time to show them hell. Fire!" The four Paixhans cannons deployed on La Ruyter fired. Two of the four explosives that flew at close range exploded when they hit the outer side of the hull, but the other two prated the holes in the hull of the HMS Hound. And exploded in the center. Whaam! Whaaaaml! Booml! The explosions outside were blocked by the hull of the ship of the line, so the damage was certainly minorpared to the frigates. But the explosion inside the ship, which had nothing to protect, showed a different level of power. The explosion in the center caused a huge me storm that swept all crew members in the cabin inside the ship. As if the fire broke out in a dry reed field, it quickly spread, and hell was unfolding inside the HMS Hound. The crew members were screaming all over the ship. But this was not the end of the disaster that fell upon them. Whaaaaaaml! Booom!! An explosion that was more overwhelming than any other before urred. The fire that was spreading inside had finally reached the gunpowder stock. The gunpowder gathered caused a series of explosions and smashed the insides of the ship one after another. The crew members died en masse. No matter how huge and solid this first-ss ship of the line was, it had no chance to withstand in this explosion. Burning firewood barely floating on the water. There would be no better expression to describe the HMS Hound that had turned to ashes. Soon after, a white g went up on their mast. After confirming that, shouts and cheers that pierced the sky rang out on La Ruyter. Drennan was able to smile coolly at the beginning of the year. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 The British gship had surrendered, but the battle was not over yet. They obviously saw theirmander taken prisoner, but the British warships continued to fight, still shooting terrifying artillery, and the captains firmly refused to surrender. This was possible because the British Navy had amand system that differentiated it from other navies. A battle at sea had greater variables and uncertainties than a battle onnd. Starting with the fickle natural environment, some unexpected situations could ur. In order to actively respond to these variables, Britain guaranteed the fleet''s captains more autonomy. Thanks to this, while following the admiral''s strategy in arge framework, each ship was able to take its own steps in various situations, including engagement, pursuit, retreat, and boarding, depending on its own judgment. Even without the admiral''s order, they would advance to rescue allies in danger, or voluntarily step down if the enemy ship''s power was strong. If the enemy''s battleship seemed to focus only on firing artillery, they could force a closebat to seize it, and such movements were only seen in the British Navy. "You tough bastards!" "Stop trying and surrender!" The captains of the French Empire, who had an advantageous position, looked rather fed up. This was the fear of a unit with a mission-typemand system. There was no easy way to defeat them or make them surrender. The enemy was trying to reverse the battle by continuing to counterattack with their own organized movements even after the disappearance of their admiral. Admiral Rosnay, who was watching it all through a telescope, eximed in pure admiration. "Isn''t it like watching Hydra, the mythical monster who faced Hercules? When one head is cut, two heads rise from the spot and attack." "It''s a very nobleparison, different from their usual nicknames such as the swarm of cunning pirates and the cow demons on the sea." Drennan answered as he shook off the cigarette he had been smoking. "If the Empire''s fleet could grow to that level, I would have no regrets even if I closed my eyes at this moment and never wake up again." "There is no loser stronger than the winner in war. We defeated them, so we''re stronger. The admiral''s wish has alreadye true." Admiral Rosnay burst intoughter at the irrefutable argument. "Right. That''s true, too. It''s not that the strong survive, it''s that the ones surviving are strong." Human greed was endless without knowing satisfaction. When they first encountered the British Navy, the French restlessly prayed to survive. When they were engaged in a fight against them, they only hoped that they could enjoy the victory by swinging the tricolor g at the end. However, at this moment when the victory was ahead against the British Navy, officers and sailors on La Ruyter were unable to hide their bitterness and regrets. "Oh, to think that we have to give it up...!" "It''s something that can permanently stuff the servile and miserable appearance of the British into the French naval forces..." The power of the Paixhans cannons and explosives was greater than what they had imagined. They realized right away why the leaders of the Navy Headquarters had tried to hide this new weapon thoroughly. At the same time, however, they realized that it had one big drawback. Capturing an enemy gship was the highest honor given to the crew of a ship. In particr, if the gship was British, it was an achievement that could leave its name in the naval history. The remaining mission for the crew of La Ruyter, who defeated the HMS Hound, was to raise the honor of their country by harvesting great spoils. Sailors were waiting for the smoke and dust to subside with joyful and falling faces. However, the appearance of the HMS Hound revealed in the dense field of view was like a pile of rags. Explosives had exploded inside twice, causing great damage that was unbearable for a wooden sailboat. The gunpowder stock hadpletely destroyed an entire area of the ship when it exploded. In fact, the lifespan of the HMS Hound waspletely over. No, maybe not to that extent, but it was impossible for it to sail at all. Drennan eventually ordered to give up the HMS Hound, which could not be dragged. He was disappointed, too. It was really a shame. That ship should have been captured and be a symbol of humiliation that could not be washed away by the British forever. The person who soothed them was Admiral Rosnay. "The Empire''s new fleet has already gained greater and more valuable spoils. That is the confidence that it defeated the fearsome navy of that maritime empire itself." Admiral Rosnay said, pointing to the battlefield where fierce fights continued. The French Empire''s new fleet was not pushed back by the world''s strongest navy. It was the French Navy''s dream to be able to fight and counterattack bravely without fearing the fierce British guns. "It''s time to end this battle." The British captains, who judged that no matter how hard they tried, it was difficult to reverse the battle, began to withdraw. Admiral Rosnay took themand again, and pulled out the weapon he had saved for the moment. Frigates, which had fast navigation speed and easy direction adjustment, were masters of maritime pursuit. Like the light cavalry of a medieval battle chasing the remnants of the defeated, French frigates persistently bit the tails of the British ships. Frigates acting like hyenas would not be able to do much against ships of the line, but the story was different if the ships were damaged. In the fight against the French warships, the damage suffered by the British was by no means small. A number of marines and sailors were killed and injured, some guns were lost, and other structures responsible for the function of the battleships were also broken. In this state, the joint attack of the French ships of the line and frigates was enough to inflict a serious blow. Eventually, the British captains ordered an ''honorable retreat'', and the battle between the two countries ended there. "The pirates are retreating! Victory is ours!!" "Woaaaahh!" The first battle in the Great War, off the coast of C Emboixar in the Balearic Inds, ended with a French victory. The crew of the new fleet cheered, throwing off their hats and cloak. It was the moment when the egg broke the rock. Aftering to this world, Napoleon had been evaluated by the people around him as considerably calmer and moderate. "Won! It''s won!" However, when he heard of the victory of the naval battle, he reacted more dramatically than ever, as if he had returned to his passionate form. "Hahahaha! Youpletely met my expectations! You did a great job! Tell the admiral about my happy expression, heart, and praise. And that if he returns, there will definitely be a big feast for the entire fleet." "Yes, Your Majesty!" "Today is going to be a fantastic day! Hahaha!" Rosnay was the fastest to deliver the news of his victory to Napoleon, who rejoiced with a roaringugh that revealed his Adam''s apple. The surprise of the servants, bureaucrats, and officers who were watching him was never small. The Emperor had never expressed this much emotion even when he won great victories that would remain in the history of war, such as the Battle of Hrodna, the Battle of the Anzdn River, and the Battle of La Buena-San Felices. As the Emperor cheered so hard, forgetting to save face, they came to think again about the victory of this naval battle. In fact, the meaning of the victory of the ''Battle of C Emboixar'' was enormous. Upon hearing the news first, members of the Imperial Council greeted Napoleon with a heated standing ovation as soon as he entered the parliament. Was this how the Roman senators weed Scipio after he defeated Hannibal in the Battle of Zama? Napoleon received this consideration even though he was not a victorious general, and the reasons were as follows. "Early on, His Majesty the Emperor saw through the importance of the Navy and spared no investment in it. Despite the concerns of many ministers, bureaucrats, andwmakers, he did not stop reinforcing it and ordered to continue. This incredible result today is a feat created by His Majesty''s foresight." "The Empire actually rose by gaining His Majesty the Emperor. The greatest evidence of being chosen by God would be the presence of His Majesty!" The reviews ofwmakers were more passionate and intense than ever. Napoleon, who used to lower this kind of praise, also enjoyed it with a satisfying smile. "The Empire''s war has only just begun. We should be happy with this victory, but we should aim to win on all battlefields using it as a basis for further progress." "Your Majesty is right! But when do you n to inform the citizens of Paris of this congrattory news? Several newspapers areining of the reporting ban." He could feel the heat from the eyes of thewmakers. Whenever there was an issue or achievement, the imperial government had announced it to the citizens of the square through speakers. Naturally, this was an action of great political significance for the speaker. Although the concept or role as a voter could not bepared to that of Britain, where parliamentary democracy was established, politicians supported by citizens had more speaking power. The victory in this naval battle was one of the most sessful achievements of the Empire so far. In addition, the target was Britain, the world''s strongest maritime empire. ''A glorious ce to dere victory over the British Navy!'' ''If His Majesty lets me y that role...!'' At least the speaker could leave a very strong impression on Parisians. Everyone gathered at the parliament wished to be the person to give that speech. However, Napoleon had already thought about the protagonist. "The naval victory is like the victory of the naval minister who oversees the Navy. Please let the Minister deliver this glorious news at the ce de Concorde (the square in front of the Tuileries Pce)." Napoleon''s choice was the Minister of the Navy and the Colonies, Denis Decres. In fact, Decres was the number one contributor to raising the French Navy with Rosnay to this extent. Thewmakers were disappointed, but congratted with apuse, saying they acknowledged him. Minister Decres promised the best speech for the Empire, expressing his excitement, as if he had expected it but did not really know if he would receive the chance. Praise the majestic and holy victory ofthe French Empire! The birth of a new invincible fleet! Exactly three days after the Battle of C Emboixar, La Gazette, which imed to be the political voice of the Empire, sent out a special report with headlines on the entire front page along with an illustration of the new fleet departing. Subsequently, other newspaperspetitively covered the case. A triumph rang from the south! Aplete victory in the Battle of C Emboixar! The sea is no longer the territory of the British! The appearance of the divine Imperial Fleet! Heroes! Admiral Rosnay and the Southern Fleet are the new heroes of the Empire! News about the victory in the Balearic Inds could be read everywhere. At first, Parisians looked puzzled because they did not understand all the news bursting out at once, but soon found themselves enthusiastic with explosive cheers and shouts. Unlike the familiar victories innd battles, France had rarely won at sea. In the naval battle that took ce immediately after the outbreak of the war, France achieved a great victory that would remain in history. "God! Please bless our Great Empire forever!" "Long live the French Empire! Long live Emperor Napoleon!!" "The Empire has conquered the sea! Death to the ind bastards!" The citizens'' cheers were very enthusiastic! That was because this victory was something they had never expected. It was only less than 15 days after the deration of war. By this time, the main battlefield had not yet been formed. The victory report heard in such a situation was literally like a surprise gift given to them. At the same time, it was a sign making them aware that the Empire had changed this much. "Of the 24 British ships of the line heading to Menorca Ind, 4 were captured and 3 sank, and ofthe 12 frigates, only 6 were able to escape the coast. In other words, this one battle destroyed one-third ofthe British Mediterranean fleet. The Mediterranean Sea is again an imperial sea." On the other hand, the French fleet only had a few battleships damaged and did not lose a single ship. It was an overwhelming victory! This allowed France to gain control of the Mediterranean Sea. "Thest battle against Ennd at sea was the Battle of The Chesapeake Bay. It happened on September 5, 1781, more than 37 years ago. Coincidentally, the captain who yed a major role in this naval battle became a hero with the most brilliant victory in today''s Battle of C Emboixar. We will have to remember the name of Pierre de Vaugiraud de Rosnay forever." "Rosnay! Rosnay! Rosnay! Rosnay! Rosnay!" Upon being ordered by Napoleon to boast Admiral Rosnay, Minister Decres faithfully performed the task. The story that France''sst naval victory and this victory all came from the fingertips of one person was enough to touch the hearts of French citizens. Rosnay had already be France''s Horatio Nelson. "Roma eventually conquered its rival Carthage and was able to take supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. The French Empire is following the great journey of Rome. Citizens of the Empire can now rx. Our Navy will fight at the forefront to protect your property and life and will win in the end! Long live the Emperor! Long live the French Empire!" The speech by the Minister of the Navy and the Colonies, Denis Decres, was enough to drive the ce de Concorde into a frenzy. French citizens were cheering and shouting Napoleon''s name enthusiastically. The war had only just begun, but Nike, the goddess of victory, was clearly smiling toward France. TL notes Here''s a painting of the ce de Concorde in 1829 by Guiseppe Cane: Chapter 124 Chapter 124 The remarkable victory of the Battle of C Emboixar was enough to drive the whole of France into a frenzy. As soon as they heard the news, citizens of each city flocked to the squares and streets to share the heat. While singing Le Chant du Depart, the national anthem, they listed the names of the protagonists of this great victory one by one and praised Napoleon very enthusiastically. Several stores and shops held events at significantly discounted prices tomemorate this celebratory day, and restaurants provided food at a lesser price to the delighted citizens. It was truly a festival scene. "The Empire will surely win in the Great War. And it willpletely end the continental hegemonypetition that has continued for hundreds of years. After the Roman Empire, a superpower thatpletely dominated Europe was born." "Of course! The Empire was a perfect country in every way except for one thing: the Navy was weaker than the British one. But the Emperor eventually seeded in oveing them even with the Navy. This war will make the Empire the greatest country in European history." "The British bastards won''t be able to sleep at night now! Just think that the Rabies King (George III) of Windsor Castle and the Gambling King (George IV) of St. James Castle will wake up and jump in their sleep!" "Hahaha! Cheers to His Majesty the Great and the majestic Empire!" France''s oldest rival was the United Kingdom. And their navy, which Britain was most proud of. Breaking down the British fleet was the same incident as crushing the British pride and nose from the front. It was natural for French citizens who hated Britain to enjoy a sense of victory as if they had won the war. The oue of this one battle even wiped away their vague anxiety about the war. Citizens really wanted to see the disappointed and defeated faces that the British were building by now. Shortly after dering war, Napoleon temporarily merged themand systems of the Navy Headquarters and the Army Command into a single department. Its name was ''War Command''. In the Great War fought by the Empire, it was an organization that judged and decided everything about war, overseeing various strategies and operations using legions, fleets, fortresses and defenders, war supplies, and key points. Naturally, the pinnacle of this organization was Napoleon. In the past, Napoleon''s attendants, marshals, and staff officers would have put their heads together to establish operational ns without such department. Some help from the members of the cab would have been added to this. However, this time, there were many difficulties to control the war in that way. First of aII, the entire battlefield of the Great War was too vast, and there would be numerous battles simultaneously, and the existing system would have to bear a huge overload to deal with everything. In addition, it was necessary to establish a grand strategy in the true sense, including the naval forces that were not (or rarely) present in the previous wars of the Empire, so this was not something that only a small number of people could solve. "The reaction of citizens in each region of the Empire is much more encouraging than we expected. Some wealthy people and local leaders have expressed their desire to contribute to the victory of the Empire by voluntarily offering property andnd. The administration happily epted their donations and ns to make a separate list of donors to repay them after the war ends." "Also, as soon as news of the victory of the Battle of C Emboixar spread, crowds flocking to conscription centers set up in various cities exploded. Even those who are not conscripted are scrambling to fight for the Empire. We will promote this series of happenings through local newspapers and use it as a way to inspire citizens'' patriotism and war fever." In addition, the Minister of the Administration Frangois Carnot took various administrative measures to ensure that imperial citizens felt as little fatigue from the war as possible through the efficient distribution of national goods. All of them were appropriate and efficient responses, so he was apuded again this time by a lot of people who recognized hispetence. Smiling satisfactorily, Napoleon was one of them. ''The greatest achievement of this naval battle was not to hurt Britain''s naval power or to protect our southern ports and Mediterranean trade routes.'' It was the fact that it diluted all the anxiety of French citizens caused by the Great War. Having confirmed the superiority of the Imperial Army even at sea, they believed in victory in the war and were ready to blindly follow the judgments of Napoleon and the War Command. Now, citizens would never lose their enthusiasm for the war unless the French army was really defeated. "Since His Majesty came to power in thisnd, the Empire has never lost a war against outside enemies. However, there has never been a war with that many countries at once like now." The chief of staff of the army, Louis-Alexandre Berthier, opened his mouth while pointing at arge map. Strictly speaking, there had been once a war spilt between the East and the West. However, they had struck Russia before the end of the Iberian Penins War, and had not dered war on several countries at the same time. The war against Russia had ended more quickly than expected. "And about the allies next to the Empire? Unfortunately, Austria is still an unreliable ally. If the situation of the Empire is not favorable anymore, they will turn their guns in the opposite direction. The rest of the allies are also insignificant except for some countries. The small states of the Confederation of the Rhine cooperate with the Empire to the extent that they give passageways and war subsidies instead of military assistance. Eventually, the Empire will have to deal with all its enemies on its own." They should never show any weakness while fighting the anti-France coalition and winning over them. Only then would France''s allies recognize the difference in power and actively fight on the side of the winner. It should never happen during the Great War that the troops of the anti-French allied countries, including Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden, push into the territory of the Empire, even once. In order to do so, it was necessary to strengthen the borders of the Empire, and among them, the eastern front had to be protected. "The ''Great War'' is just thest gateway to the final purpose of eliminating all anxiety, discord, and conflict in Europe. So, in the process, we shouldn''t show anyziness." Napoleon''s eyes had been on Pnd from the beginning. The first ce where thend forces of the anti-French coalition and the pro-French allies would collide would be Pnd. "Now that the Navy has won, it''s time for the Great Army to continue with that momentum." It was before the results of the Battle of C Emboixar, which was enough to surprise all Europe, spread. The fire of the Great War also began to spread in Eastern Europe. No, considering the fierceness, desperation, and cruelty ofnd and field battles, this side should be considered the main battlefield. "Warriors of the Russian Empire! Advance! Move forward!" Pooooooo-1 "God''s punishment to the foolish people (the Polish) who have begged the French!" Legion in green uniforms with shako hats were advancing through wends and forests to the sound of trumpets and drums. Under the orders of the officers dressed up in noble attires, the Russian army filled thend like the seawater at high tide and proceeded toward its target. In front of them were the defenders guarding Fort Hrodna on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Pnd. Despite the overwhelming feast of troops and cannons filling the forest ahead, the defenders showed little shaking. "This is an impregnable fortress built between heaven and earth by the best engineers of the French Empire and our country.Thesoldiershavenothingto worry about. No matter how many hundreds of thousands of troopse at us, they won''t be able to pass here." The sharp and strong words of Colonel Wtadyw,manding Fort Hrodna, represented their firm determination. In the Great War that broke out in the whole of Europe, dividing the continent into anti-French and pro-French sides,Pndstoodat thecenter. The first news toe was that the number of Russian troops advancing to cover all of Pnd was about 300,000. Prussia had deployed as many as 60,000 soldiers to clean up Pnd, which was located between Russia and Prussia. In addition, Swedish troops joining through Novgorod and Livonia beyond the Baltic Sea would be added. Their goal was clear. Theplete annihtion of Pnd by the three countries of the anti-French coalition. Pnd''s fate was as dire as a frail leaf in the wind. "Once again, the soldiers don''t have to worry about anything. The Empire and the Great Emperor Napoleon will never abandon us. Just lift your guns. And aim and shoot at them." "Chroh krolestwo naszq krwiq (Protect the Kingdom with our blood)!" "Yes. The soldiers are well aware of our duties. By dedicating our blood to the omnipotent God, we are defending our country and people, and being loyal to His Majesty!" Their country, sovereignty, people, and king had long been lost. The Poles were well aware that all of them had been restored by Napoleon. They also knew the fact that if they lost this war, they would lose the name Pnd, which they barely got back, and all the foundations of their country. ''We can''t lose this country again.'' ''If I can shed blood so my descendants can continue to speak Polish on thisnd, I will surely do so.'' It was the reason why they were fighting this war with a desperate determination. To protect their family, home, and friends as much as possible. Largely speaking, it was to protect the spirit of their country, their sovereignty, and people. Despite being in a more desperate situation than ever, the Polish army did not lose its steel will. It was a spirit of struggle that only a nation that had lost its country could have. "Fire!!" Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!! A Polish battery ced on top of the fortress fired first. The flying shells crushed the Russian troops advancing toward the castle wall in a row. Their advance was briefly dyed. "Second battery, fire!" Even before the Russian army could form the battle line, the battery of Fort Hrodna fired shells again. They did not know that the artillery attack would take ce again so quickly, and even the uracy of the firing point was excellent. Among the Russian infantry, signs of surprise and fear appeared. "Fire!" The battery consumed cannonballs nonstop. There were no attempts to save shells and gunpowder to prepare for a long siege. They moved as if to pour all their supplies at once in today''s battle. This relentless shelling certainly worked and seeded in hitting the Russian troops seeking the fortress considerably. It was true that the most important factor in evaluating the power of an army was its morale. An army that had no will to fight was nothing more than a mess. In that respect, the Polish army had an element that was stronger than any other army in Europe. However, with this alone, they could not be elite soldiers, and could not deal with therge army that was rushing toward them. This was because the war of this era was eventually directly rted to the economy. "We have as much ammunition as we want! Shoot mercilessly at the enemy climbing the castle ondders!" Fort Hrodna''s defense had already received a veryrge amount of ammunition even before the battle began. The musket soldiers waiting in the trenches at the foot of the fortress walls loaded their gun at themand of the officers, and shot without hesitation when the enemy came within range. Hit, Russian troops copsed one after another bleeding, and the shooting Polish gunmen took turns in the trenches. This series of processes went smoothly on the fortress. The Polish army of Fort Hrodna was generously consuming shells and bullets. The Russian military seemed embarrassed by the resistance of those who were much tougher than expected. The reason why the fortress defenders, who had to save as much time as possible, could pour out war supplies so generously was because there was also an arrangement of Napoleon. ''If there is a great war to end everything, the main battlefield will surely be Pnd. The Empire needs to improve Pnd''s defense and military power to protect the Empire and its borders.'' Pnd was a military base that was on the way to conquer Russia, and a de to stab Prussia and Austria in the back. Since a long time ago, Napoleon and the officials of the French Empire had recognized the geographical importance of Pnd and had made huge investments there. From the time the outbreak of the war became inevitable, a huge amount of war supplies were stocked in each province of Pnd. There was only one purpose of this enormous support. In the event of a war, it should hold out the offensive of anti-French countries until Napoleon led the elite corps of the Empire and marched directly to Warsaw. Pnd was a hound raised solely for this one mission. "They''re using those tactics...!" As Colonel Wtadyw said, the Russian army took a breath and soon began to push with their supplies. They did not care whether they were bombarded or not from the fortress or the trenches, they just moved forward. Their damage quickly increased due to the Polish defense''s counterattack, but the proportion of troops in green uniforms reaching the fortress also increased. Despite the defenders firing a few times their guns without sparing supplies, the Russian took the damage and reversed the battle to a standard power fight and siege, and Fort Hrodna quickly fell into a crisis. Bang! Boom! Bang! Boom! On top of that, Russian artillery deployed in the hilly areas of the southern part of the fortress carried out support artillery fire. The defensive battery in the fortress was unable to easilyunch a counterattack due to fierce enemies'' artillery fire, so its movement slowed down. The defenders gathered to protect Pnd fought bravely against the Russian army as the descendants of the Winged Hussars, but they tired at the endless attacks. "The Russian offensive is fierce! In particr, the battery deployed in the hilly areas in the south is a big issue!" "Wait a little bit! The reinforcements will definitely arrive!" The officersforted the soldiers once again, but they could not stop them from losing their strength with a vague promise. If more time passed, Hrodna would soon remain one of the numerous fortresses that fought well in the beginning but fell helplessly. It was then. Pooooooo-H TL notes: You can listen to the French cavalry charging to the sounds of trumpets while you read (): 000/117<) "They''re here! They''re finally here!" "It''s the French Imperial Army!" A corps appeared on the battlefield with a wonderful marching song. The banner of the Duke of Tarente was flying majestically in the center. Etienne Macdonald , one of the Marshals of the Imperial Army, appeared to save Fort Hrodna. "Save ourrades! Destroy the enemy of the Empire!" "Long live the French Empire! Long live the Emperor Napoleon!" It was only after the Russian army noticed the presence of the approaching French army and changed its formation. Instead of besieging the fortress, they spread their wings wide and took an advantageous position, waiting for them toe closer. But the French, and especially Marshal Etienne Macdonald, were much bolder. "The proud cavalry of the Empire should carry out its duties!" Under Macdonald''s order, the French cavalry began to charge. Their goal was a Russian battery on the hill. The Russian artillery officermanding the battery sneered at their charge. "Are you trying to beat us with cavalry? You have big dreams. The horses will be exhausted and fall down before they get up here. Let''s send cannonballs to those stupid ones!" Boom! Boom! Bang! Russian artillery swept the French cavalry, but the cavalry held out and ran toward the hills where the battery was ced. The Russian artillerymenughed at their action, but the French did not slow down and continued climbing the hill. They were actually doing what the Russian thought was absurd. It was only then that the Russian officer opened his eyes wide and shouted. "Ah! Polish horses! The French are riding Polish war horses!" In the myth of the Winged Hussars defeating the Ottoman Empire with a heroic charge in the Battle of Vienna , some of the main characters were the strong war horses they were riding on. They had a very solid appearance, huge size, shining mane, and strong and tough muscles. French cavalry rode Polish war horses through the sloping hills and plunged over the battery. Like salmon running backwards in a river. It was a miniature version of the advance of Napoleon''s Corps across the Alps and into Italy. "Pour I''Empire (For the Empire)!!" TL notes Here''s a painting of the Winged Hussars charging at the Chapter 125 Chapter 125 1. This is war! - 7 No matter how much war supplies and finances were provided and how much the border region was fortified, Pnd could notpete with Russia, Prussia, or Austria in terms of basic national weight. Among these three countries that would be France''s leading enemies, the French managed to attract Austria to their side thanks to diplomatic agreements with various interests. However, even so, it was not certain that Austria would actively help Pnd in a crisis. In the end, it was necessary to deploy practical power to support Pnd in case of emergency. The Empire''s government had already been convinced that war was imminent fromst year and started preparing for it. Under Napoleon''s order, the corps of two of the Empire''s Marshals, Davout and Suchet, moved to Warsaw in April. In July, Macdonald''s corps was also dispatched to support Pnd. If a war broke out, they were instructed not to return to France but to protect Pnd with the Polish troops. Of course, not all of these actions were performed unterally. In exchange for France''s protection of its territory, Pnd had to hand over nearly half of its stallions to France. The Hungarian-Polish war horses had stronger jaws and stronger muscles and ankles than other breeds of horses. In addition, due to their good adaptability to the environment, it was possible to expect rtively high survival rates in other climates and regions. Napoleon was the first to supply these war horses to the imperial troops (the corps of Davout, Suchet, and Macdonald) stationed in Pnd. At the same time, they trained and worked together on the prairie-likend. The result was the emergence of French cavalry riding Polish war horses. "Woaaahhhl!" The Polish horses easily stepped on the rough slopes as if they were on a mountain path. The cavalry was flying vigorously toward the battery regardless of the brutal artillery fire. The small number of Russian infantry guarding the battery could not block them. The Russian lost to the very French cavalry that they thought would not be able to attack recklessly because it was a hilly area. The French cavalry stirred the battery with superior mobility and height differences. "The bombardment has stopped. Their artillery is bing a mess!" "Good! We hit the vs right in front of us!" Macdonald, who simply neutralized the Russian batteries, immediately advanced his own artillery. Originally, Russian artillery would have interfered with these tactical movements on hills, but they had been robbed by cavalry, making it impossible for them to operate normally. Thanks to this, the French artillery was able to deploy their battery forward significantly without any obstruction or threat. And this movement returned to tremendous forward firepower. Booom! Boom! Boom! Bang! Boooml Under the artillery fire, the Russian army was paralyzed. Their solid formation quickly cracked into several branches, and the soldiers in front copsed in confusion. The end of the battlefield infantry exposed to the artillery without protection was truly miserable. Themander of the Russian army urgently deployed cavalry to overpower the battery. But all of this had been calcted by Marshal Macdonald. The French infantrymen and grenadiers, which were already on standby, easily defeated the Russian light cavalry. "Infantry, move forward!" The cavalry was swept away, and the artillery was pierced. The finish was the infantry'' turn, and the Russian army, which had already copsed here and there, was demolished under the powerful march of the French infantry battalion. "The Imperial Army is dominating the battlefield!" "Let''s help our allies! Protect the Kingdom!" Encouraged by the rapidly changing situation of the battlefield, the Polish defenders ran out of the fortress and joined the great advance. When the Polish army, which morale had grown 100 times more, joined and hit their nk, the Russian could not stand it anymore. Russian troops were routed inplete disorder. Looking at them, the French and Polish cheered for victory. As such, the French side won both a naval battle and and battle. It did not reach the extent of the Seven Years'' War, where battles between great powers took ce in the New World and Asia between overseas colonies. However, the Great War of 1818 that had the public''s prediction that the size of the war itself would be more than that, such as the number of countries participating in the war, the size of the military, and the size of the fleet, had only just begun. The method of distinguishing whether neighboring countries were enemies or allies in this vicious and chaotic battle that had dragged the entire Europe was surprisingly simple: did they ept or reject the European order led by the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte? Numerous member states that attended the Strasbourg talks brought about by Carnot''s Deration, witnessed the birth of the European Union and requested membership, dered their participation on the French side. These were the countries that chose to join Napoleon''s order, and were called the ''Allies'' after joining the European Union. On the contrary, countries such as Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden that refused the European order led by France dly created an anti-France coalition to confront them. France, with Napoleon as its Emperor, called these countries the ''Coalition'' that could not ept hegemony in Europe. A sh between the Allied Powers and the Coalition''s Powers was inevitable unless one of the two yielded to the other. Napoleon''s attempted assassination was nothing more than a catalyst for the war, and people argued that even if it did not happen, the war would have taken ce. "For a stable victory in the war, we must be able to effectively iste France, the center of the Allies. In order to achieve this, it will be necessary to "Our Prussian military''s role in this process is to push into the territory owned by our country in 1793 (the second division of Pnd) and upy major cities and military facilities. In the process, it would be perfect if we could capture the King of Pnd, Jdzef I." Just before the outbreak of the Great War, Prussia, who knew that this was an unstoppable trend, brought military seniors and court ministers to the Berlin Pce for an emergency meeting. Army Chief of Staff Carl von usewitz exined to them the grand strategy agreed within the Coalition and the strategic moves Prussia should take in the meantime as follows. "Our staff expects toplete the Coalition''s first strategy by nearly 80% in half a year. If Pnd ispletely overpowered, the three allies'' territories (Russia, Sweden, and Prussia) will bepletely in contact. The strategic value that can be created through this is expected to be excellent, and it will be easier to proceed with the subsequent continental war." Six months were required topletely knock Pnd down. This six-month period predicted by usewitz was by no means a short estimation. In fact, despite the disturbance of Russia, it took only 10 months for Napoleon to conquer all of Prussia in the past. Even then, the gap between Pnd and the Coalition''s countries was far greater than the power gap between France and Prussia at the time. It was not just Prussia. Russia, Sweden, and even Britain beyond the strait considered the Polish conquest a fait apli. Pnd would melt away in an instant if hundreds of thousands of troops'' tsunamis hit it from the east, west, and north. Pnd, an Ally, was only the first gateway to setting the stage for dealing with France. However, the Coalition''s expectations were shattered gracefully only two months after the start of the war. There seemed to be no hope for Pnd, which was surrounded on all sides. Even Allies proposed the establishment of an asylum government to King Jdzef I. Like the royal families of the Sardinian Kingdom, who lost their entire country to France and fled to Ennd, rights could be asserted again after the war, if they could survive the mes of war. However, Pnd was more powerful and the French troops were stronger than expected. The Russian Infantry Division, led by Brigadier General Gottliev, was attacked and defeated by enemy troops whiie moving in the Brest Forest. The brigadier general was rescued safely, but nearly 30% of the division is now unable to fight. The identity of the enemy is presumed to be French and Polish miHtia. The Russian-Swedish forces have not made much progress in the siege of Fort Seini. Commander Baggehufwudt, who is in charge of attacking the fortress, is requesting support, saying it would take a long time to reach the grasnds of Podolia. A street battle between Prussian and Polish forces took ce in downtown Wadowice. There have been more than 4,000 casualties in both armies, and Prussian troops have stopped advancing and are waiting in the vige of Chocznia. The Russian army was greatly defeated in the battle over Fort Hrodna. About 20 siege cannons and field guns were lost, and the corps could only be maintained after retreating 17 miles. The news from all over Pnd was enough to make Westminster and other London political circles noisy. Wherever the Coalition''s troops fought, they were defeated. Since they only talked of how they failed to capture strongholds, their ambition to conquer Pnd at once and make them pay for their loyalty to France had long disappeared. "It''s just frustrating to see their stupid behavior. I cant hel p but feel nervous about this even though they have several times the enemies'' power." "If it were normal, we would be enjoying their conquest... Unfortunately, the reality we face causes concern." In June 1818, there would be a general election in Britain. A political war in which the two pirs of Westminster would face each other to choose between regime change or extension. If the ruling party had sessfully led the management of state affairs such as economy and people''s livelihood, social welfare, expedition achievements, and international diplomacy, it would have be able to maintain its power without difficulty, but unfortunately, Charles Grey''s Whig party did not. It ended the war with the United States and prevented worsening rtions with financial conglomerates, but failed to prevent France from expanding decisively and failed to manage people''s livelihood problems. In other words, the current public opinion supporting the Whig Party was the result of a decision to join forces in the face of the national war with France, not because the Whig Party was doing well. In such a close situation, the news of the allies defeat was likely to be fatal to the Whig Partys support public opinion. Prime Minister Charles Grey and other ruling forces of the Whig Party set the line after secret discussions. "It is not reasonable for the Kingdom to deal with the breakdown of wars by allies hundreds of miles away. We''d better draw a thorough line on this and exin that there is no reason attributable to us." Members of the Charles Grey Cab attributed all these failures to the allies'' ipetence to avoid criticism from citizens. The proud Red Coats and Royal Navy expressed confidence in the war, saying they would never do such a shameful thing. The Tory Party were fiercely criticizing them, saying, ''They are trying to cover their mistakes with political deception!'' but the Whig party did not budge. "No matter what they say, let''s focus only on the election in front of us. It is not toote to discuss a full-scale grand strategy after that." For them, securing seats to maintain the ruling party was more important than the war on the continent beyond the strait. As always, the French could never threaten the British maind. Britain''s provocative media fell for the Whig Partys lobby and tricks, and rather than coldly weighing the situation ofthe war, they only criticized the ipetence of their allies. It was clearly to instill a sense of rtive superiority by discrediting other countries, instead of promoting their own strength. The citizens who read it responded as expected without an inch of error. As if they were spectators appreciating the ridiculous behavior of a clown, whenever news of defeat came out, they apuded andughed at it rather than taking it seriously. Although they had joined hands to fight theirmon enemies, Russia, Prussia, Sweden and Britain were ugly countries where betrayal, conspiracy, and war had been going back and forth in the past. After examining the citizens'' reactions, the Whig Party was able to breathe a sigh of relief. If the government could enter the election whiie maintaining this support, it would be possible to maintain the current regime with a high probability. However, their imagination of a rosy future quickly fell short. This was because the news of a defeat that came from the south was not from their allies, and had a nature that could not be forcibly tarnished. A defeat so shocking that 100 mouths would find nothing to say! The wooden wall ispletely crushed. A great disgrace that will be remembered in the history ofthe Kingdom''s naval battles! Let''s find out the list of the traitors ofthe ''Battle ofC Emboixar''l The Mediterranean Sea is nowpletely French... We need to reinforce the Southern Fleet... Where did Admiral Nelson''s legacy go? The Navy Headquarters, where indolence and corruption run, and the Prime Minister who stands by it... The British Navy was smashed by the French Navy. At least this news could not be veiled by the Whig Party. As the results of the naval battle of C Emboixar were delivered one after another, an onught led by the Tory Party continued against the current cab. "Did the greatness ofthe Royal Navy, which the Whigs imed, only mean these things?" "Charles Grey, step down from the prime minister''s seat right now! And hang yourself to death!" "The only pledge that the Whig Party kept after taking power was to stop the war with the United States! Everything else is ruining the country!" After the unbelievable shock of defeat went away, citizens who could not stand it woke up. They protested around 10 Downing Street, where Charles Grey was staying, and threw stones and raw eggs to the Whig party members who were entering Westminster. If the betrayal felt by citizens who believed only what the Whigs said and did not doubt the victory of the war was great, such a huge headwind would blow. But this wind... No, this ordeal that fell on the entire Britain was not over yet. "This is an urgent message from Viscount Buckingham, the ambassador to Berlin... the Austrian army has started to move! It is said that a corps led by Prince Karl is now heading north toward Krakdw!" " ir1 It was so serious and shocking news that it immediately silenced Westminster Parliament that had been stained with a tumultuous and scandalous political dispute. The 600 members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons forgot to save face and opened their mouths and their eyes wide. Marquis Wellington, who attended the session as a military advisor to represent the military situation, sighed and grabbed his forehead. It had only been three months since the Great War broke out, but the situation was heading in the worst direction that Britain had never dared to imagine. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Arthur Wellesley was of Irish descent, but was basically an admirer of parliamentary democracy, the foundation of the British political system. It was because it was the reason why Britain could secure and control vast overseas colonies with a strong navy, had innovative industrial technologies, excellent finance, and tax systems to make it the richest country in Europe, and could promote the interests of the country to the fullest while wisely grasping and exerting influence. For all these reasons, Arthur Wellesley chose parliamentary democracy, which allowed various and outstanding talents from all walks of life to participate in state affairs. It had been praised as the most advanced and exemry political system in Europe. However, today, Wellesley had no way to hide his skepticism about the parliamentary cab, which he had considered to be the ideal political system. ''The war in which the fate of my country is at stake has just begun. With the victory or defeat of this war, the Kingdom will face an extreme future of prosperity or decline. But these people are only buried in the uing elections and are engaged in a political dispute that does not help at all the important matters of the country...!'' Hepared it with Britain''s rival, France. Starting with politicians, high-ranking officials, and capitalists under the outstanding figure of the era of Napoleon Bonaparte, the media, citizens, soldiers, and even the poor were united to cry for the overthrow of Britain and Russia. Stimted by the Strasbourg talks and the attempted assassination of the Emperor, they were engaged in the war in a more serious manner than ever. When the British heard of this extraordinary mindset of the enemy''s people, they should have work to unite the national opinion and discuss countermeasures, but they were only rejecting the responsibility on each other, so Wellesley could not hide his miserable heart beyond frustration. "I''d like to say a word to thewmakers I respect. I guessed that the reason why I was summoned to Westminster Parliament was to discuss about the reorganization of the corps, maneuver training, and preparation of field tactics, and to have in-depth discussions about the difficult situation of the war. I hope that Britain''s top institution, where collective intelligence is concentrated, will perform their proper duties in the right way. This is also what I want to say as a citizen of London, not only as amander of the British army." The Westminsterwmakers straightened their faces at Wellesley''s words that meant that they should stop being rude and talk constructively. They must have been aware that their actions were shameful. "...We believed too much in Austria''s caution. Although they gave in to France and Napoleon, we all doubted that sincerity. In fact, I didn''t think they would blindly devote their loyalty to France like Denmark, Pnd, and Saxony." Prime Minister Charles Grey spoke about his mistakes with a dark look. This wrong judgment was alsorgely attributable to him. "But breaking our predictions, Austria began to act much earlier. Perhaps because of their fear of Napoleon. I don''t know if the full revision of their diplomatic route was done in Strasbourg, but they seem to have decided to take one side anyway." The defeat of the kingdom in the naval battle could also be one of the reasons why Austria thought differently than before. Anyway, Austria, Britain''s long-standing ally, joined the opposite camp for the first time since the Seven Years'' War, and that would be a big mistake among the numerous circumstances that Charles Grey had to go through during his prime ministerial term. "It has already be a game that we cannot win with a short, decisive battle. Then, the Kingdom should use all the means that can be used regardless of saving face. France''s defeat of the Kingdom''s navy will eventually strengthen the vignce of other powers against them. I think there is a hole here to ovee this difficulty." It was already certain that the ruling party would be reced. Charles Grey gave up his desire to extend his term as Prime Minister. Instead, he wanted to make up for a little bit of his past mistakes for the short time he had left. ''If you don''t want to be hit by stones thrown by angry Londoners, of course you should do that.'' Wellesley red at the Prime Minister with an ungraceful look. He was dissatisfied with both parties who made this filthy political struggle, but he was still more resentful toward the Whig Party, which had made the situation even worse. "...The other day, I met His Highness and received significant information. Originally, it was scheduled to be revealed when the momentum of the war had matured a bit, but the situation has changed, so it can''t be helped." Wellesley was listening to the Prime Minister''s speech in the hope that this ipetent idiot would not waste his precious time in vain again. But what Charles Grey said was something to which even Arthur Wellesley could not keep the same facial expression. "His Highness was sorry that the royal family could not set an example for the war in which the Kingdom''s life is at stake. Therefore, I have rmended the bravest, most dedicated, and most meaningful thing the royal family can do. It is to set the name of the royal family itself as coteral for a safe asset." The news of George IV''s permission to issue war bonds in the name of the royal family was a surprise to both the Tory Party and the Whig Party. Since the honorary revolution in 1688, the British Parliament had been responsible for the issuance and repayment of government bonds, and the royal family had not been involved at all in them. For the first time in a long time, the royal family gave its name. Among the pouring sad news, there was some really dramatic good news. ''He was saving it to take it out at the most decisive moment. He seems to be a sly person to monopolize all the spotlights and praise while wrapping up as if it was only his ability that persuaded the royal family.'' The situation had changed now and his term as Prime Minister would soone to an end, so he must have revealed it without hesitation. Arthur Wellesley, who understood the Prime Minister''s intentions, did not deny the fact that royal support would be a great help despite his slight displeasure. Wellesley opened his pocket watch hanging on his right hand. The hour hand and minute hand of the clock, handcrafted by Swiss craftsmen, were moving very regrly. At that moment, Wellesley''s consciousness escaped from Westminster and swam through the battlefields of the past. He saw a person with an arrogant smile standing on top of fallen red coats. Napoleon Bonaparte, the man who gave him a fatal defeat, was there. Wellesley felt some fateful attraction. He would surely face him again on a different battlefield. ''I don''t have to win much. Only one. If I can achieve only one victory, the final winner will be me and the Kingdom.'' Waiting for his participation in the near future, Wellesley had a determined expression. ''Battle is the act of filling thest piece in a work called victory.'' This was the theory that Napoleon, who learned military tactics in the biography of old heroes, had long embraced and polished. He faithfully followed his theory and made his enemies be impatient first. At the same time, he also enjoyed using operations thatpletely destroyed the willingness of his enemies to carry out the war by building a scheme in which he could not lose, and then bringing in his enemies to annihte them at once. In this way, Napoleon, who was called a ''strategist with a devil''s brain'' by his enemies in the past, changed his position before the Great War and thought about it. ''If I were the British Prime Minister or a British general, which strategies would I try to deal with France?'' This genius strategist imagined it without difficulty. The sharpest and most deadly move that could corner France at once. It was to promote France''s geopolitical weaknesses and psychological anxiety in neighboring countries. In 1812, Napoleon''s soul, which was in a very different world from here, crossed over and started a new life in a new body. At that time, France was in a great crisis, and at the heart of it was Nabot of this world, who had made a crazy n to advance to Moscow by mobilizing hundreds of thousands of soldiers from French troops and allied countries. He hurriedly revised this grand strategy and somehow managed to escape the terrible situation by improvising, but when he thought about it, he was still caught up in a dizzying feeling. History and records were mirrors that illuminated the future. There were always precedents in the history of war with the numerous countries that had existed on thisnd, even if it was not France. One fact that could be deduced from them was that no matter how wealthy a country was, and no matter how powerful its army was, it would inevitably copse if it fell into the hell of a multiple front. If Napoleon was British, he was confident that he would give France this multi-front hell. Britain had the strongest and most reliable means and conditions to make this possible. Their capital was powerful enough to beparable to the economic power of Europe as a whole, and was safe from the French Great Army. ''If I were the Commander of the British army, I would have built a line of defenses at key points between Prussia and Russia along the Elbe River. And I would have dragged the war as long as possible with a double or triple defense line.'' In the end, the war of this era was a fight of capital, and the trend intensified as the war progressed. Although France had grown a lot, it was still no match for Britain, which had been a European leader long before. Imports, raw materials, and supplies from vast overseas colonies had made it possible for Britain to pour out finances that could overwhelm other countries only in military expenses. Its maind was safe and the Antic Ocean was still under British control. No matter how much money Britain distributed to Prussia, Russia, and Sweden, it would be able to maintain its wartime status for a longer period than France. ''If they prolong the war like that, drive France and its neighboring countries to their limits, and work from behind, the French side will be shaken a hundred times. In that way, they could make French allies one by one into French enemies.'' Now, France''s hegemony in Europe seemedpleted based on the ''European Union'', but in reality, it could not be seen as solid. No, the reason why many European countries joined the Union in the first ce was because they judged that their participation in the Union was advantageous for their own interests, while being guaranteed safety from foreign countries. If safety and interests were threatened, there would be no reason to maintain the Union. The same was true for the countries on the Iberian Penins. Overwhelmed by France''s strong military power and hegemony, they dered neutrality in this war under the pretext of preventing the independence of their colonies. However, if France was shaken, they would be willing to go back on their words at any time and resume the war again. In particr, Spain suffered tremendous damage from the French army in the Penins War and even lost some territories. Indeed, if Britain had been preparing for war like this, it would have been difficult to find a solution, even for Napoleon. However, there was no strategist in Ennd who could pursue bold operations like Napoleon without being blocked. After all, this was also the luck of France. The news that the corps of Karl Ludwig, themander-in-chief of Austria who returned to the military, moved north was the very news that Napoleon had been waiting for. The French troops were already ready to go out, but they could not move easily. Because Austria''s silence was ufortable and suspicious. They knew that Austria would never betray France easily after the victory of the Battle of C Emboixar, but they were still one of the few forces that could advance directly to the French maind due to their geographical position. The French could not help but be vignt. So Napoleon, along with his field marshals and staff officers, set the conditions for the campaign: Austria should at least raise its troops first and move. This promise itself was another pressure on Austria. Eventually, the Austrians raised their army as promised shortly after, and Napoleon and his party were able to hold a ceremony in Paris before it was toote. "Finally, Judgement''s Day hase! Death to the enemies of France!" "This will certainly be thest war that threatens the future of the Empire!" "Long live His Majesty the Great Emperor! Hurrah!!" Napoleon shook hands with each of the high-ranking officers powerfully, receiving their loud cheers. Napoleon and the officers turned around and stood in front of the soldiers they would lead. After that, flutes and drums started to be heard from the military band. The elite soldiers selected within the corps began marching in rows ording to the beat and melody without even a centimeter error. Their march, angr and unstoppable, was propaganda. They were promoting how well-trained they were to the citizens gathered at the ce de Concorde. Of course, Napoleon was leading them at the forefront. Napoleon''s appearance as he greeted the citizens with a dignified expression while lifting his symbol, his tricorn, high on a colorful horse, was no different from a hero in a myth. The citizens of the square were revered by the majestic appearance of their Emperor and had no choice but to give enthusiastic cheers and apuse. The city''s women generously sprinkled hyacinth flowers on the path of the Emperor and his guards. The meaning of hyacinth in flowernguage was ''victory''. Napoleon received the attention of all citizens at once. He looked at the tallest building on the ce de Concorde, the clock tower, and waved for thest time. This was because there was a family member that Napoleon, who was very indifferent to family love, sincerely loved. As if responding to him, a small white hand shook frantically outside the clock tower. A smile appeared on Napoleon''s face. ''I really want to see the final stage of my father''s appearance as the Emperor of the Empire.'' Napoleon could not refuse the request of his son, who was already showing his mature side. Although he may not be able to pass on to him the Emperor''surel crown, Napoleon vowed to let him live as the most respected, envied, and loved Frenchman in the world. In the streets were Napoleon and his troops passed by, there were numerous newspapers scattered. The newspapers were all different, but their covers and headlines were about the same. ''Never forgive the Prussian traitors!!'' TL notes Here''s a map of the current situation in Europe, with some troop movements: dark blue = French Empire light blue = French allies, members of the Union red = Coalition members grey = neutral countries I made this map based on to which I added the Basque country to France, and the provinces of Volhynia and Podolia to Pnd. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The Coalition''s first strategy, the upation of Pnd, failed heroically under the Polish persistent and strong resistance and fierce counterattacks by French troops. Nevertheless, the outstanding operationalmanders of the Coalition''s countries changed their goals and turned their heads on the spot. War was led by those who could control the variables. The Coalition kept in mind the possibility that the Allies would arrive first before conquering Pnd, and prepared countermeasures for this. ''The Poles have chosen to iste themselves by building fortresses. If put under thorough surveince, they won''t be able toe out anyway. In the meantime, it is enough to organize the rest of the Coalition.'' Other goals could be achieved, while leaving only some troops to keep the Polish army in check. It was themon opinion of the militarymanders of the Coalition''s countries. With this in mind, Russian Field Marshal Levin von Bennigsen secretly sent a letter to Archduke Karl, who was marching north to save Pnd. l/l/e are truly sorry that your country has decided to antagonize us. But the Coalition allies1 views on Austria are still solid. Our two countries are not obligated to fight because of France, and there is no need to shed any blood. We are not going to attack Pnd, which you are defending, for a while. I hope you make a wise choice. ''We have no intention of fighting. So don''t chase us and fight for nothing. Didn''t you move your troops to defend Pnd only to save your face in front of France anyway?'' The letter had this meaning. Karl Ludwig did not hesitate to deliver the letter to Vienna. Franz I and Metternich, the final decision makers of Austrian state affairs, did not necessarily reject the hands of the Coalition. Although they were siding with France because of unavoidable circumstances, they had no intention of shedding their own people''s blood to help the French in the first ce. The best judgment Austria could make in this situation was to stock up as much power as possible and then use it after the war waspletely divided. As the interests of the two sides matched, peace briefly came throughout Pnd, and the mes of war moved west. The Saxony region was the battleground of great powers whenever a huge war broke out in Europe. It had the geographical misfortune of being between Prussia and Austria, two powerful countries in central Europe, but the more fundamental reason was that it was an importantmercial and transportation hub, with fertilend where wheat, barley, fruit, and x were produced inrge quantities. In addition, the Ore Mountains were surrounding its eastern border, and forests andkes were forming a thick semicircle to the west, making it easy to prepare for foreign invasions. It was not for no reason that Friedrich the Great chose to upy Saxony first as soon as the Seven Years'' War began. Saxony''s upation would stabilize Prussia''s southern part while effectively preventing Austria and other Allied countries from advancing northward. In terms of not only geographical factors but also political judgments, the Coalition had plenty of reasons to attack Saxony. The king of the Kingdom of Saxony was Friedrich August I. He was a follower of Napoleon who openly revealed his loyalty to Napoleon even when public opinion against him was very extreme within German states, and recognized him to the extent that he was hated by his servants and the people. At a time when Napoleon''s poprity soared around Central Europe, he went very passionately to France without hesitation, but of course, the Coalition did not ignore it. The main forces of the Coalition immediately made the decision to step out of Pnd. Then, they marched west through Silesia and raided Dresden, the capital of Saxony. The person who led all these operations was Field Marshal Bliicher, the Commander of the Prussian army. He ran right into the city after passing through Saxony''s border fortresses in a surprise maneuver, as if he were Friedrich the Great in the past. Because of how fast and stealthy their movements were, the Saxon Guards and intelligence units guarding the border had to surrender the capital without even detecting their invasion. The heads of the kingdom, including Friedrich August I, fled to Erfurt (the second biggest city in Saxony), taking advantage of the night, and Dresden fell into the hands of the Coalition. Although Pnd did not give up any territory even after being attacked for 50 days, the capital of Saxony was taken over in just three days. This was news that greatly inspired the morale of the members of the Coalition and at the same time agitated the Allies. When the Great War broke out, the members of the European Union did their part in ordance with the agreement initiated in Strasbourg. Member states each dispatched troops and officers tomand them. In the suburbs of Paris, the reorganization and armament of troops sent by member states was in full swing, and as soon as this was over, they would be deployed to the front to fight against the enemies. However, not all member states could mobilize their own troops to support France. "The poption of our city is only 50,000, and there are only battalion guards and patrols here. It''s hard to transfer enough troops on the battlefield." "The same goes for us. All the citizens traveling to and from our city are traders and merchants, so they can''t be conscripted." At the Strasbourg talks, several free cities expressed the above opinions and sought Napoleon''s understanding. Even if there was a war, it was difficult for them to dispatch troops due to their situation. Napoleon replied like this. "Then follow past precedents and do what you can to help the whole Union instead of providing troops." The free cities had been guaranteed great diplomatic autonomy, tariffs, trade, and tax privileges by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in the past, and had been able to reap enormousmercial benefits. When the war broke out, other countries in the Empire mobilized troops and mercenaries to help the Emperor, but the free cities reced military help with contributions based on profits. Napoleon made a proposal ording to this past. After several negotiations, the specific type and amount of support were determined, and the free cities epted it after much consideration. The city of Frankfurt was where Napoleon''s corps was currently stationed. Frankfurt had been recognized as a free city since the days of the Holy Roman Empire, and was one of the small countries of the Union exempted from mobilization of troops in this Great War. In return, it had to provide a ce to rest for a day and food and water to Napoleon''s troops. In this way, Napoleon entrusted the free cities throughout the Union to serve as garrison stations from which troops could be moved or stationed. It was veryte at 11 p.m. that the news that Dresden had been upied reached Napoleon''s corps, which was recovering from the fatigue after marching for a day. Napoleon immediately brought in his marshals and staff officers. "Their goal is probably aplete upation of the Saxony region. They want to face Your Majesty''s corps with a geographical advantage." "It looks like we need to go to Erfurt as soon as possible. If the entirety of Saxony is taken over by the Coalition, our grand strategy will suffer." There were also many strategic advantages from controlling Saxony in the Great War. In addition, if they let Saxony''s territory be vited by their enemies like this, voices of concern about France''s leadership would spread within the Union. Considering all of these, the officers insisted on speeding up the troops'' march. Napoleon nodded after a brief thought. The next day, the soldiers woke up at dawn and began marching. Their purpose had changed: it was now to save their loyal ally, Saxony. Napoleon sent a letter to King Friedrich August I, the king of Saxony, saying, ''Retreat with your army to preserve your full power even if you have to give up morend.'' In the meantime, he ordered the officers of his corps: "They must know quite well that we areing for them. Find out what you can about them, so that we can get a detailed idea of what forces are gathered and who has the overallmand of the army." His instinctive sense after having fought several wars and walked around numerous battlefields was speaking. There would be a huge fight over the Saxony region. Indeed, his keen sense was not wrong again this time. Waiting for Napoleon''s troops to arrive in the city of Erfurt, an army of more than 200,000 soldiers of the Coalition gathered in Leipzig, about 150km away. War was unfolding in Saxony. The Union''s and the Coalition''s forces were getting closer to each other. The first to recognize the other side was the Prussian corps. Upon hearing the news that Napoleon wasing here with his own corps, Prussian officers raised their arms and shouted with excitement. "It''s finally time to bury this Corsican peasant in German soil forever!" "Please put the brigade I''m leading at the forefront, sir! I''ll cut the noses of those French bastards diagonally ande back!" "If they marched from Paris to here without a break, their energy will be weakened beyond imagination. Now is the golden opportunity to avenge 1807 (the Treaties of Tilsit)." Violent, the Prussian officers were ready to fight on the spot. The morale of the Prussians, who seeded in taking Dresden and upying 70% of Saxony in a few days, had risen iparably. They were showing the confidence that they could do enough against Napoleon. Bliicher frowned and scolded these idiots. "Shut up, you stupid and pathetic bastards! From now on, no one talks except for me and the officers I''ll point at!" No matter how fierce they were, they could not do anything at Blucher''s roar. Bliicher, who killed the officers'' spirits, arrogantly put his legs on the table and fell into thought. His nickname ''Marshal Forwards'' that he had earned while fighting Napoleon and France did not mean that he would act with blind recklessness. Bliicher took his position as Commander of the Prussian Army more responsibly than anyone else, and knew well what would happen if he faced Napoleon with equal power from the beginning. "Double our size! We won''t fight with Nabot''s corps until we have more than double the power difference! Ask Russia and Sweden for help! We''ll hold on to them, so they should run there as fast as they can!" Since Prussia was the closest to the range of threats posed by France among the countries of the Coalition, it always kept a close eye on Paris'' politics and military with many spies. Prussia was the first to obtain information about Napoleon''s departure with his own corps. It was said that the number of soldiers in Napoleon''s corps was about 100,000. If so, if they prepared twice as many troops and defeated them, they would be able to determine the course of the Great War at once. Russian and Swedishmanders immediately epted Blucher''s strategy and sent troops. Russia sent their proud Prince, Pyotr Bagration, and the King of Sweden, Karl XIV Johan (Bernadotte), led the Swedish troops himself. In order to overthrow Napoleon''s world, the main forces of the three countries gathered in Leipzig. "Wasn''t it within our calctions that Saxony was going to copse so quickly and that the troops of Russia and Sweden woulde here? Give me the information you collected." Napoleon was calm despite hearing that more than twice the number of enemy troops was stationed so close. Rather, he showed interest by looking at the names of the enemy generals gathered in Leipzig. ''Bliicher, Bagration, and Bernadotte. They all are working so hard after what happened between them and Nabot.'' In particr, Bernadotte''s name stood out. In the world where Napoleon came from, Napoleon and Bernadotte could not be said to be very close, but they were also not distant. They had beenrades on several battlefields, and the bond between them was not weak. However, here, they were great enemies hating each other extremely, with quiteplex rtionships such as past politicalpetitors, general and his subordinate, and traitor to the country. Comparing the stark rtionship difference between the two worlds, the reason attributable to this was probably Nabot in this world. ''But there is nothing I can do about it. I have no choice but to destroy him thoroughly because he is my enemy now.'' Napoleon was now somewhat immune to handling Nabot''s cheap errors. Even old ties could be dealt with mercilessly. "We have two options." His corps was in garrison in the city of Erfurt. After being treated kindly by the King of Saxony Friedrich August I, who desperately asked him to defeat their enemies to save the kingdom, Napoleon summoned his chief of staff Berthier, Oudinot, Soult, and the other field marshals apanying him. "The first option is to hit Leipzig like this. It would prove the bravery of the Imperial Guard against more than 200,000 troops. Aren''t outnumbered fights the area in which the Imperial Army is most confident?" The total number of soldiers in Napoleon''s corps was about 107,000. On the other hand, the smallest estimation of the enemies'' troops exceeded 200,000. Napoleon was talking about the gruesome operation of attacking first while twice as many troops were guarding a key point. However, the officers were willing to do so. Because their leader was Napoleon. "The second option is to be patient. As you all know, there are troops of Allied countries waiting behind us. They could be leaving now and running here. It would be a good strategy to attack Leipzig with their support." However, as they wait for them to arrive, their enemies would also be stronger. Both options had pros and cons, but the marshals'' choice was unteral. "If we were to call in reinforcements, wouldn''t it be more advantageous to our side because we are closer to our maind? The second one seems to be a better option." "If the enemies are overly conscious of Your Majesty''s corps and concentrate their troops too much in Leipzig, the siege on the Polish side could be weakened. We could use that opportunity to order a counterattack from there." "I''ll choose thetter, too. It looks vague, but it seems more likely than dealing with twice as many troops right away... Oh, of course, I do not doubt the Emperor''smanding skills. If Your Majesty leads, we would be able to annihte more than 200,000 enemies." "It''s no use trying to wrap it up. It''s already toote." At Napoleon''s words, Junot made an awkward smile as the hair on the back of his head stood up. Andoche Junot had been newly granted a position of armymander the year before in recognition of his achievements in the Iberian Penins War and the Russian expedition. "Contrary to your thoughts, I have no intention of waiting for long. I don''t know what kind of tricks the British will do in our back, but I don''t see the need to leave them alone." As expected. The marshals nodded. While talking, they felt strangely forced to choose the first option. But at the same time, they began to wonder. Napoleon had always defeated arge number of enemies with a small number of troops, but he had often used tactics that divided the enemies to gain the upper hand and defeat them one by one. However, now, they would be openly attacking twice as many enemies who were waiting for them. It was not an ancient battle where the qualitative difference of soldiers between countries wasrge, and it was never easy to defeat an enemy twice as big no matter how outstanding amander was in this era. It did not matter who the enemies were. And weren''t the Prussian, Russian and Swedish troops known for their bravery in Europe? In addition, theirmanders were also called war masters. "I will show you the exact calcted time, schedule, and the beauty of joining forces." Napoleon was confident of victory. As always. The influence of the Emperor, called the God of war, was enough to stabilize the hearts of the marshals that were beating irregrly in anxiety. TL notes Here''s a map showing Saxony in 1812: Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Although he showed off infinitely in front of his marshals, the sess or failure of this fight would ultimately be determined by an extremely simple question: which army woulde first to Leipzig? ''In the end, the first true battlefield of the Great War will be here in Saxony.'' Napoleon, at the head of the Allies, had long grasped the route of this war. Napoleon''s allies were by no means ipetent, so they must understand the importance of this battlefield surrounding Saxony''s control. Thus, all European troops were running toward this battlefield. The stakes in Saxony would grow over time. In other words, even if Napoleon''s corps and Bliicher''s corps engaged in a fierce battle, the reinforcements sent from both sides could reach with high probability during the battle. So the important points were who engaged first and with how many troops. If Alexander I was the first to arrive with the Russian elite corps, Napoleon would begin to lose his hair again. "This is a map of the topography, features, and surrounding cities around Leipzig. With the permission of the King of Saxony, we were able to bring the documents used in their internal affairs." Napoleon''s corps departed from Erfurt and prepared to encamp in the city of Apolda, between Erfurt and Leipzig. While soldiers built a camp and dug waterways and trenches, the marshals and staff officers gathered at Napoleon''s barracks to plot operations to attack Leipzig. At the center of the table, a map representing the region centered on Leipzig was ced. "Leipzig, where the White Elster, PleiBe and Parthe rivers intersect, basically forms a basin with a low ground. In order to enter the city from the west, it is inevitable to cross the river. The width of the bridge is narrow and the current is fast, so ess is easily controlled from a defensive position. Forests and mountains are spread out north and south of the rivers, so they are not suitable paths for arge army to move." There were a total of four ways to go to Leipzig. First, advancing directly from the vige of Lindenau on the bridge over the White Elster River. Second, using a side road going through the forest area west of the PleiBe River. Third, taking arge detour to the northern part of the Parthe River and then going south. Finally, passing through the vige of Wachau, and going up north along the main road. The third method inevitably had to pass through the territory of Prussia, so the risk of being noticed by enemies was very high. They had no choice but to use the other paths to confront the enemies stationed in Leipzig. Since the armies on both sides were sorge, they had to prepare for both battles and countermeasures in a wide battlefield. "ording to intelligence, about 30,000 Swedish troops are currently in the vige of Lindenau. And... some spies reported that they saw the g of the king of Sweden." "Bernadotte, the traitor of the Empire, and his remnants are blocking us." The French officers burst intoughter at Napoleon''s words. To be honest, it was almost thanks to Nabot''s support that Bernadotte was able to be the Crown Prince of Sweden. It was not sure why Nabot had sent Bernadotte, who was usually at odds with him, to be the adopted son of the King of Sweden, but Bernadotte ended up betraying his old country and hit Nabot in the back of his head as he joined Russia''s side. Anyway, thanks to this patriotic act, Bernadotte had be aughing stock among French people. "The battlefield has been divided into several ces, but looking at the enemies'' formation, their purpose seems to be ''dy'' and not ''counterattack''. Except for one ce." "That''s right. They, too, seem to think of the main battlefield as the ins south of Leipzig, including the vige of Wachau." Various military models were ced on the scaled 1/10,000 map representing Leipzig and its surroundings. Blue soldiers, yellow soldiers, green soldiers, and ultramarine blue soldiers represented the French, Swedish, Russian, and Prussian troops, respectively. The number of blue soldiers was 10, which meant 100,000, the number of troops in Napoleon''s corps. The chief of staff Berthier moved the blue soldier models into the southern ins of Leipzig. "On the march route that passes through the vige of Wachau, the trenches, temporary bastions, and batteries are already thoroughly installed by the enemy. The allied armies of Russia and Prussia are supporting each other and protecting the ce. It will take a considerable sacrifice to break through their defenses." The faces of the marshals and officers showed signs of embarrassment. They did not know when they were bravely marching to Leipzig, but looking at the formation and readiness of the enemy corps on the map, they realized that it would never be an easy battlefield. Napoleon''s corps was based on the Imperial Guard and was France''s elite corps, with the best officers and soldiers added to it. However, dealing with an enemy that was alreadypletely prepared was a very heavy burden. In this case, a strategy was needed to ovee it. "Gentlemen, we need to change our thinking." Napoleon picked up models of French soldiers standing in the vige of Wachau. And he pushed them in front of the Swedish soldiers on the side of Lindenau vige. "Effective strategies and operations eventually catch the enemy off guard by creating variables. Does the main battlefield seem difficult to break through? Then let''s change the battlefield." While trying to move the main forces toward the vige of Lindenau, Napoleon thought the enemies would also respond. Bliicher, Bernadotte, and Bagration. All of them were enemies who knew the pulse of this war. ''So we must bury them in this battlefield.'' A blue glow shone in Napoleon''s eyes for a very short time and then disappeared. Coincidentally, at such a time, a military meeting was in full swing in Leipzig, where themanders of the three kingdoms were gathered. Upon hearing the news that Napoleon was directly leading his corps to get here, Bliicher ordered the avable troops of his country to gather in Leipzig. In addition, the Prussians urgently asked their allies Russia and Sweden for assistance, and their troops spreading across northeastern Europe were arriving here in Leipzig one after another. That was how the multinational army of more than 200,000 soldiers was constituted. "Before the meeting, I''d like to share some good news with you. On May 2, 1818... so, four days ago, an army led by our Imperial Commander-in-Chief (Levin von Bennigsen) defeated the Polish-French troops'' attack in Bytdw. With this battle, the free city of Danzig fell into our hands, giving us full ess to the Baltic sea routes." The victory report delivered by Bagration was enough to inspire his allies ahead of the battle against Napoleon. The fact that the road to the sea was opened meant that Russia and Sweden, which had difficulties supplying and supporting because they were so far from the battlefield, could dispatch troops and transport war supplies more easily. In particr, Sweden was guaranteed disembarking safety in northern Germany by being able to beat Denmark, which acted as the owner of the Baltic Sea, bynd and sea. Indeed, the Swedish officers'' expressions were the brightest. "The ce whererge-scale battles can be held is also presumed to be the vige of Wachau. We have secured our defense against this, and there is no way Napoleon is unaware of this." It was not for no reason that the Coalition''smanders focused their defense facilities and corps on the southern ins. They, too, knew that the ins of Wachau were a good battlefield forrge armies to rotate. The officers were discussing tactics, positions, and the deployment of subordinate corps in anticipation of a big battle there. However, Bliicher, who had to express his opinion most vigorously while leading the military meeting, remained silent throughout their discussion. usewitz, his chief of staff, asked him. "Don''t you like the contents of the meeting, Commander?" Bliicher, who was quietly petting his beard, opened his mouth. "...No. I''ve been thinking about it. As to how Napoleon would try to deal with us at this moment." Bliicher had been thoroughly analyzing from the bottom of his mind for a long time how to catch Napoleon. He looked at the map and pondered over and over again. The moment when everyone''s attention was focused on him, an inspiration shed through his head like lightning. Bliicher''s mouth opened. "Napoleon will note to Wachau. Gentlemen, we need to revise our strategy so far." "Commander? But the only area where 100,000 troops can significantly advance is the road through the vige of Wachau." "Hmm... I''m sure everyone thinks so. But we realized toote that our opponent is Napoleon." Bliicher disyed animal sense on the battlefield. This driving force behind his rise to this position, this sense, had now been activated again. When the officers were confused by the sudden change of the Commander''s position, there was someone who agreed with it. It was Bernadotte, Karl XIV Johan, who mmed the table with his fist. "The people who are geniuses constantly want to prove that they are different from others. In particr, Napoleon is very arrogant, has a strong pride, and always desires to praise himself. I promise you that I, who have been with him for a long time, know well that he will not act in standard ways again this time." "Hehehe! As expected, Your Majesty is well aware of the personality ws of the Corsican peasant." The genius of war, who had always defeated numerous enemies with unexpected strategies, deceit, and maneuver operations, did not do it unless it was a battle in which themander''s abilities had to be extremely outstanding. Since he thought that he was fundamentally different from others, his desire to constantly show something outstanding had engulfed his rationality as amander. "Let''s change our strategy. The vige of Lindenau! Here, our allies will surely stop Napoleon''s ambitions." Whether it was coincidence or fate, themanders of both sides were looking at the same ce. The battle between the Allies and the Coalition over Leipzig began at dawn on May 19, 1818, exactly 100 days after the Great War broke out. The quiet Saxony vige was shaken by gunfire and shells flying through the forest''s mist, and by the sounds of trumpetsmanding the infantry to advance. Poooooooo- As they stepped into the cold muddy field, the two armies gradually approached Wachau. They identified the opponents they would kill. Despite the loud artillery fire, the French and Russian infantry regiments narrowed the distance without break. "After walking fifty more steps, the soldiers in the front will load their muskets." Andrei Gorchakov , themander of the 2nd Corps of the Russian Army, gave his orders while staring coldly at the approaching French army. A hundred years had already passed since tactics and fighting methods were developed for the infantry on the front line. Numerous military experts who had appeared in the meantime had improved them. However, as the soldiers were shot one by one on the front lines, the cruelw that fell on the battlefield did not change much. "Twenty steps!" The two armies had reached a distance 20 steps outside the musket''s range. The remaining time until the terrible consumption match was narrowing. It was before Gorchakov gave the order to stop the march and prepare to fire. "Huh?" "Wait, what?" "What are they doing?" At one point, the French stopped marching. They were still a little outside the effective range of ordinary muskets. Not knowing what the French were doing, the Russian military officers murmured and Gorchakov frowned. It was then. "Aim!" ck! ck! ck! ck! ck! The Russian officers who knew French raised their heads at that word. Even if they did not know French, they could not help but be bewildered by their sudden movement and change of formation. The musketeers in the French front line dispersed in unison and fell into the back lines. Behind them, soldiers with different guns lined up in the front with their guns pointed straight ahead. The embarrassment and fear created by this scene were quickly conveyed to the Russian soldiers. The line was broken in an instant. "Fire!" Holding a telescope, Gorchakov could only identify their weapons just before they started shooting. "They don''t have muskets but rifles! Oh my god, damn it!!" Tatatatata!! His roar was buried in the gunfire that tore the air. The unexpected rifle shot prated the Russian army from a long distance. Currently, the distance between the French and Russian forces was too much to use muskets, but the range was sufficient for rifles. The rifle fire gave a huge shock to the Russian infantry that was in a defenseless state. The battle line that was shot copsed, and the soldiers fell into great confusion. But what awaited them was another disaster. Boom! Bang! Booom! Boom!! French cannons fired on the shaking troops without fail. The artillery attack, which had been concentrated in the rear so far, swept the copsing Russian army. The surprise rifle shooting and the subsequent shelling had a splendid synchronization, and the French had most likely been aiming for this moment. And this swept the Russians with destructive power. Gorchakov bit his lips until he bled. He had no choice but to call for retreat with an upset heart. "Great! It''s very sessful again this time!" Marshal Nics Oudinot , who was overseeing the battle near the vige of Wachau, heard the news of victory from various ces and was delighted. This was not the main battlefield and he was on his own, but nevertheless it was his duty to hold as many enemies as possible and for as long as possible. ''As expected, His Majesty''s strategies and operations know no failure! He is such an amazing person. How can he think like this?'' After the war on the Iberian Penins, a period of rest came to the Empire. However, Napoleon did not waste this break on the military side. Just as more powerful ships and the new Paixhans cannons and explosives were given to the Navy, the Army was also reformed from the inside, establishing new sses that had been disbanded and remanufacturing weapons that had been abandoned. The best example among these changes was the re-establishment and organization of the Chasseur Regiment using new rifles. Now France, like other countries, had a regiment of light infantry with rifles. Napoleon did not stop here. He quickly created new tactics for the existing battlefield infantry, cavalry, and artillery to act in harmony with the Chasseurs, and numerous strategic policies to maximize the effects. Although Napoleon disregarded this by calling it ''residual work'', Oudinot and the other marshals had never seen such high-quality detailed operations and tactics. And its value was proved on this battlefield. Thanks to Napoleon''s ''residual work'', Oudinot''s troops neatly defeated the Russian army without taking any damage. They ran away as if chased by ghosts. ''The Imperial Army has be so strong. And the reason is the presence of His Majesty the Emperor.'' The battlefield was still overwhelmingly dominated by the Coalition in terms of number of troops, and they had the strategic advantage of having prepared while waiting for the French to approach. It would be normal for an ordinarymander to give up the fight and step down in this situation. Nevertheless, Oudinot felt a sense of stability that he was not going to lose. Napoleon''s transcendental influence covered the battlefield around Leipzig. TL notes A painting of by Isidore Pils: Chapter 129 Chapter 129 "How is the other battlefield? The battle would have started by now." "Both the Imperial Guards led by His Majesty and Marshal Soult''s corps repulsed the enemy''s frontline defenders and entered into full-scale battle with the main force. All the results about that were reported three hours ago." "Report the war situation from time to time." "Yes, sir. Shall we prepare to dispatch a support unit separately?" "You don''t have to do that. We wait here." Quickly repel the enemy in front of you and move to help the allies around you. ording to the correct strategic judgment for such a situation, Marshal Oudinot should immediately help Napoleon or Soult''s corps. But Oudinot did not do that. Rather, he ordered his engineers to repair the vige of Wachau, which was upied by the battle a while ago, and did not show enthusiasm for expanding the territory he controlled, as if he wanted to rest. Because all of this was a strategy prepared in advance. ''In the future, fierce battles will continue around this ce. Let''s strengthen the construction of the fortress so that it doesn''t break.'' Oudinot''s serious eyes lit up as he carried out the orders that the Emperor had given him. On the way to Lindenau Vige, there were long-grown bushes and forests spread out in early summer, which was a suitable terrain for the defense to engage in guerri warfare. Themanders of the Coalition sent a separate eastern unit to the tree forest to dy the advance of Napoleon''s corps, causing additional damages. Napoleon''s choice to deal with this was as follows. "We aim for the moment when those who engaged in the war step down to receive ammunition and others supplies. Reconnaissance cavalry follow their traces from their rear, and the Chasseur Regiment will engage in irregr warfare after hiring a guide from here." Originally, it was the norm for the Chasseurs and the light cavalry to act as bait and for the main force to take the lead. Napoleon turned it upside down. His corps, waving the Emperor''s banner, lured the enemies and the Chasseurs and the light cavalry intercepted them. The operation seeded remarkably and neatly swept away the Prussian-Swedish guerri troops. Thanks to this, Napoleon''s corps arrived at the vige of Lindenau with little casualties due to the irregr warfare. There, the French army faced their old enemy and traitor. Although you are now a crimlnal and traitor to the Empire, aiming your guns at your formerrades, you used to be the most loyal marshal of the corps in the past. You have a chance to deeply repent of your sin and reach purgatory. I want to give you an opportunity toe back with the generosity of the Empire... The French troops reached right in front of the vige of Lindenau. Their Emperor sent a letter with this content to King Karl XIV Johan of Sweden, formerly known as Bernadotte. Rip! Rip! Rip! Karl XIV Johan tore the letter apart at once. "What should I do with this arrogant and vicious man? The tongues of Judas and Medea would not be as evil as this!" The officers surrounding Karl XIV Johan looked surprised at his pouring anger. However, it was an obvious reaction for him because what Napoleon mentioned in his letter was his disgrace, which Karl XIV Johan wanted to bury the most. Purgatory, a series of processes in which people prepared to face God after death, was a religious term meaning a state in which a sinful and iplete soul was purified. Purgatory did not exist in the Protestant worldview. It was a word and concept that appeared only in Catholic doctrines. Napoleon''s letter mentioning purgatory suggested the King''s reconversion to Catholicism. It was like dismissing his conversion, which he had made after deep worries and conflicts, not being able to sleep for days, like a light whim of a child. "Clearly convey my position to the yer of Corsica, the author of this letter! Sweden''s guns will not turn away from France as long as its ''majestic'' dictator is in power!" Karl XIV Johan was not a foolish person. Although he was sincerely angry at Napoleon''s disgraceful behavior, he judged that this situation was not necessarily bad for him. Achieving national political unity by setting upmon hated external enemies had been a strategy of rulers since ancient times. The King himself was insulted by the emperor of another country. Wouldn''t it be a remarkable bonus if Swedish military officers, nomissioned officers, and soldiers could unite and shout ''Death to Napoleon!'' from this incident? The Swedish army faced Napoleon''s corps arriving at Lindenau. Karl XIV Johan expected them to sincerely anger and jump on the insult their King received. However, the reality was cold. "Hey, did you hear about what happened at the meeting three days ago? The French Emperor asked His Majesty to change his mind." "Really? How did His Majesty answer?" "Of course, he rejected it and cursed fiercely, and it''s good to save the prestige of the Kingdom... but isn''t it a pity in our situation?" "That''s true. Damn, how long do we have to stay in this distant foreignnd...!" "It seems like the first thing for us to do is to worry about surviving against the Great Army led by the monstrous Emperor." "Sigh... It''s a terrible thing. How can we beat Europe''s strongest army alone?" The two soldiers, who were talking while chewing military biscuits, could not hide their gloomy looks. There were slightly different words among the junior officers who were managing military facilities such as trenches, waterways, and iron fences. "I don''t want to say this, but... No matter how bad the situation bes, wasn''t His Majesty originally French? Napoleon must have given him somefort knowing that." "That''s true." "We''re fighting a war where the fate of the Kingdom is at stake. If we lose this war, we will lose everything. But His Majesty... Even if he loses, he has another ce to go back..." "Shh! Don''t say that! There is no one who doesn''t know how much His Majesty loves our country, so don''t doubt it." "I don''t doubt his sincerity either! However... Wouldn''t there be a difference in mindset between those who have a ce to go back to and those who don''t?" Karl XIV Johan dreamed of bing the second Gustav II Adolf. Just like when the crazy Swedish army won the Battle of Liitzen after the Lion of the North died at the hands of their enemies. Karl XIV Johan expected a rise in the Swedish army''s morale after Napoleon''s provocation. However, there were two major factors that Karl XIV Johan did not think of. First, he was not receiving absolute support and respect from the Swedish like Gustav II Adolf did. Second, it was the fact that the Swedish army had to face Napoleon and his undefeated elite French troops. One tended to be submerged by their strongest emotions. And Napoleon was a giant with absolute strength and reputation who could show such pressure and fear to his opponents. For the Swedish, fighting the incarnation of war that conquered Europe was greater than the honor and dignity of their king, who was a foreigner. Karl XIV Johan realized this toote. "The rude man ripped the letter of His Majesty on the spot. He also cursed His Majesty the Emperor and the Marshals with words so vulgar that it would be difficult for me to repeat them. It was the behavior of a traitor that could not be forgiven." The exasperated words of the officer sent as a messenger immediately spread throughout the French army. And in the vige of gwitz (the base of the French military), the reactions that Karl XIV Johan wanted so much appeared among the French soldiers. "Let''s catch Bernadotte, that traitor! And kill him!" "I will rip to pieces the traitor who insulted His Majesty the Emperor!" "Let''s send all those Swedes to hell without leaving a single one behind!" In fact, it was Napoleon who deliberately stimted Bernadotte to provoke his anger, but from the perspective of the loyal French soldiers, their great Emperor had sent a generous offer of reconciliation to his formerrade. As a result, the Swedish king answering with terrible curses sparked a hot fire in their sleeping hearts. The soldiers, enraged to the very end, all wanted to take the lead in this battle. There were also soldiers who dered that they would not be discharged from the military until all the traitors, who insulted the Empire and the Emperor, and those who followed them were brought down. It was also Napoleon''s job to calm them down and rearm them with cold anger and reason. Napoleon''s troops arrived at Lindenau. The Swedish army was waiting for them and had already finished preparing for battle. Napoleon examined them through a telescope. ''You''re pretending not to, but you can''t avoid my eyes. This clutter is not like the Swedish army with strict discipline.'' He guessed that there was a high probability that his trick was the cause, and that he actually managed to hit him. Anyway, seeing the enemy army unable to fully focus on the battle was a fortunate sight from his point of view. The brave advance of the French troops, which anger and determination had soared, marked the beginning of the Battle of Lindenau. From the beginning the French had more than twice the number of field guns. In addition to the qualitative level of artillery officers and the bold deployment of Napoleon''s artillery, the French army was able to overwhelm its enemies with the firepower of shells pouring into the battlefield. Before Sweden came up with countermeasures, Napoleon immediately implemented the next level of operations. "Send the grenadiers in and make them cross the trenches!" The field of view had be extremely narrow due to dust, smoke, and debris created by the two armies'' artillery fire. Napoleon did not miss this opportunity and sent his grenadiers in. The Grenadier Regiment of the Imperial Guard, which had the heart of a lion, did not fear death and bravely advanced. Having been trained with high intensity for a long time and umted numerous battlefield experiences, they faithfully fulfilled the Emperor''s orders. "Throw them!!" The grenadiers threw their grenades forward, relying only on their individual senses and judgment, in a situation where their vision was obscured by smoke. The grenades they threw were enough to turn Swedish infantry into hedgehogs waiting for the smoke to go away in the trench. "Charge!" "Woahhhhh!" The French seeded in breaking through the first trench line lightly. In the process, they suffered less damage than the Swedish army defending the ce. "I can see them shaking rapidly in my eyes, but what do you think about them?" "My insight is notparable to that of Your Majesty. However, I think that now is an opportunity to break them up." Napoleon, who smiled as if he was satisfied with Andoche Junot''s answer, ordered him after entrusting him with themand of ten battalions. "As you know, you have to cross the White Elster River to go from Lindenau to Leipzig. However, this river is wide and has a strong current, so if the bridge copses, the Swedish army will be destined to be our prisoners. They will react greatly if you show signs of hitting this ce first." "I will obey Your Majesty''s orders!" Napoleon nodded to Junot, who answered dignifiedly with loyalty. As soon as Junot left with the order, Napoleon looked for the cavalrymander. "If they are not fools, they must have been thoroughly preparing for defense on the river bridge. In order for the Duke of Abrantes (Junot) to fully carry out his mission, military movements that can attract the enemy''s attention are needed." After drawing the attention of the enemy battery to the fast cavalry, the main force led by Napoleon moved forward and put pressure on them. Finally, if Junot''s detached unit attacked the bridge, the Swedish army, which was already overwhelmed by the French, would have no choice but to retreat. It was exactly as Napoleon had predicted. Surprised by the copse of the defensive blocking line in an instant, the Swedishmand was distracted by French guards walking around in colorful clothes, excessively focusing their firepower on them. In the meantime, Napoleon''s main forces safely advanced with their battery and infantry to secure an advantageous position. They upied the outskirts of the vige, and opened the iron gate to enter inside. Panic hit King Karl XIV Johan and the Swedish Command. They were pushed back little by little, unable to respond to Napoleon''s cards one after another. In such a situation, the intelligence that Junot''s unit appeared on the bridge on the White Elster River broke their thin patience. "The ultimate purpose of the Coalition is to protect Leipzig''s defenses, not here. Didn''t Count Wahlstatt (Blucher) also ask you to cross the river at any time if the situation was not favorable?" "It can be said that it was an achievement of the Kingdom to have blocked the army led by Napoleon himself to this extent. We need time to catch up with his soldiers." Karl XIV Johan nodded with a sullen face. From Marshal of the French Empire to King of Sweden, he had to admit only then thatmanding the French army andmanding the Swedish army were very different. And he had to realize that the gap with Napoleon, with whom he hadpeted in a simr position in the past, was extremely wide, which was hard for him to ept. The Swedish army seeded in retreating while guarding the bridge. But in return, they had to leave most of their war supplies, such as ammunition, shells, gunpowder, hay, and clothing, as gifts to the French. To prevent the French from chasing them, 10,000 troops, or about a third of the total corps, had to suffer from the misery of being consumed (injured or taken prisoner). However, this was not all the misfortune of Sweden, or of the entire Coalition. The Coalition also lost in a battle between Soult''s corps and Prussian forces in the western part of the PleiBe River. Viscount Weitenburg, who was in charge of defending the region, retreated with about 5,000 casualties, and the western part of the PleiBe River was fully in the hands of the French army. All three simultaneous battles (Wachau, PleiBe, and Lindenau) on May 19, 1818 resulted in French victories. The Coalition lost about 20,000 troops, as well as the control of the western and southern sides of Leipzig. In the prelude to the battles surrounding Leipzig, Napoleon seeded in taking the lead. TL notes Here''s Karl XIV Johan (Bernadotte) painted by Fredric Westin, and Jean-Andoche Junot painted by Henri Felix Emmanuel Philippoteaux: Chapter 130 Chapter 130 22. Battle of Lepzg - 5 Napoleon gave his soldiers special gifts in celebration of the French army''s victories in all three battles on May 19, 1818. His principle was to reward those who had achieved results deserving sufficient respect. The French army did not miss a day of training, marches, andrge-scale maintenance even on remote expeditions outside the country. Napoleon gifted a special exemption from this training to all soldiers. For three days, too. There were no soldiers who liked training. As soon as they heard the news, they shouted ''Long live the Emperorll'' without listening to the officers. "Training is an essential routine that keeps the sense of battlefield and pulls the strings of tension. Exemption from the routine in terms of establishing discipline will have a negative impact on the soldiers''bat power and military discipline." "Victory is something to be very proud of, but strictly speaking, I think its a strategic victory for Your Majesty. Nevertheless, I''m afraid that if we praise them this much, they will be conceited and ignore Your Majesty''s achievements or underestimate the enemy." Some officers expressed concern in this way. However, Napoleon stubbornly rejected their advice, "Gentlemen, we have only just begun a long, long war. In order to sessfully carry out this long war, you should know that it is important not only to think about the soldiers1 training, but also to keep them in a state where they can do their best on every battlefield." A unit''s discipline and training were itsbat power. Napoleon did not deny this statement itself. In fact, soldiers who had solid military discipline and training were physically strong enough to maintain thisbat power, and the French soldiers had been trained a lot, so of course they were strong, However, Napoleon could not agree if the method was to forcefully control the soldiers and tame them harshly. Soldiers were not machines. They were human beingsposed of blood and flesh. Units that did not manage physical and mental fatigue might show short-term results, but would eventually copse. In particr, this response was even more important in a long-term war. "The origin of the Imperial Army is the revolutionary force, the National Army founded by the National Assembly. The first ideology of the National Army was to protect the sovereignty of the country and the rights of the people. The Im perial Army that seeded it can be said to be a group of patriotic young people who joined the army with a noble heart to protect their country. Do I have to blush here for giving them one small benefit?" "Oh, no, Your Majesty!" "I think that Your Majesty is right!" Now Napoleon had no hesitation in mentioning the pre-imperial republic system. The officers bowed their heads with an expression of embarrassment. At the same time, they deeply admired the Emperor''s attitude of giving to the people below him. ''As expected of the Emperor...!'' "Now I understand why there are so many soldiers who would lightly give their lives for His Majesty.'' A group that could show unlimited creativity and potential in a soft and free atmosphere that was not like the military. That was what Napoleon thought was an ideal army, and that was why his corps had never been defeated. *** The power of the allies protecting Leipzig itself was twice that of the French. Their overwhelming numerical superiority was the only reason why their soldiers, who were nervous about confronting Europe''s strongest army, could feel somefort. As a result of the officers brainwashing hard, saying that even the French army led by Napoleon would not be able to ovee this power gap, the soldiers were able to prepare for the uing battle with confidence, The results of the day came to them. In the battles fought in three directions, the allied forces were mercilessly defeated and pushed back without being able to keep the strongholds they had to defend. "At this rate, will even the main base fall?'' ''Can we really defeat Napoleon''s army?'' The anxiety of the soldiers that they had tried to suppress quickly increased and shook the military camp. Even the efforts of the officers to calm them were useless at this moment, and they eventually pulled out the sharp des they had been hiding. "Oh these guys, they''re totally out of it. Why don''t we do it properly to make theme to their senses, battalionmander?" "We are proud soldiers marching under the eagle (the Prussian g) with our swords! Judging by the main forces, the mental state of the soldiers is shameful to call them Prussians. ''Discipline'' is allowed!" Napoleon''s corps was approaching Leipzig. A full-fledged battle was imminent. Nevertheless, Prussian officers had no hesitation in punishing their soldiers. In the military camp, the sounds of beating soldiers on the backs with leather whips rang out one after another. Between the sharp sounds were the voices of young men groaning and screaming. In the military camp, harsh, torture-like acts were carried out. The Prussian soldiers had to walk, run, and repeat twice the distance of their average march with heavy equipment. A number of soldiers exhausted from this high-intensity training were waiting to be beaten by officers and nonmissioned officers. Indeed, it was a violent act worthy of the Prussian army, which was famous for having the strictest and harshest military rules among the European armies. Under the Prussian beliefthat human beings with weak bodies and minds couId be converted into soldiers through severe corporal punishment and harsh acts, the soldiers were controlled and educated like hell, and this bloody tyranny was tolerated by the Prussian generals. "The Prussian are now disciplining very violently at the training grounds." "Really? Then we cant stay put either. Let''s do ''edification'' right now!" The harshness of the means and methods used to control the soldiers also increased in the Russian army. The severe ordeal unique to the Russian army, called ''edification'', was simr to the Prussian army''s ''discipline'', but there was a big difference: even if the soldiers died inrge numbers, the officers did not care at all. In Russia, the serfdom system was still maintained, so there was a very strong tendency among the nobles to overlook human life. Of course, in the mil itary, where strategic consumption wasmon, such disregard for life was inevitably more severe. For them, the soldiers were just livestock. "I, I can''t do this anymore!" "I''m going to die, I''m going to die...!" The protests and rebellion of some energetic soldiers were rewarded with summary execution. With the sound of gunshots,rades fell with holes in their foreheads. The eyes of the Russian soldiers looking at them lost focus for a moment. "The enemy that we are facing is the emperor who conquered Europe. We''re trying to deal with that powerful and cruel enemy, but its rather disturbing to see their rxed mental state." "It would be better for such people to die first at our hands not to tarnish the reputation of the Empire and the Tsar. Feel free to refuse. There are plenty of people to rece you." The cold words of the officers kicking the corpses reminded the soldiers that their lives were not worth more than flies. Russian soldiers clenched their teeth, They did not dare to rebel to this murderous oppression. Russian and Prussian officers suppressed and beat the soldiers under theirmand as if there were an invisiblepetition. In the brutal and bloody process, countless soldiers were crippled or even killed. However, their edification and discipline did not stop. In the end, the strong and irrational will to live of the soldiers, who thought they would be beaten to death before they could even fight, changed the situation. The soldiers forcibly raised their shaking and numb bodies, clenched their teeth and corrected their posture and training. At that time, a soldier made a mistake during the march. He missed the beat and could not keep the pace. Normally, the officer would have kicked him and would have harshly punished the entire unit that was moving with him... Punch! Punch! Kick! Kick! "You useless bastard!" "Damn this guy!" "How did such a waste get into our unit!" The fellow soldiers next to him were ring at him, They trampled and beat the soldier who made the mistake as if they had met an enemy. The strongradeship between them who shared life and death had long disappeared. In order for them to survive, they had to crush the person next to them. Now, the soldiers beside them were only objects of resentment that made them suffer. The soldier, who was mercilessly beaten by hisrades for a single mistake, trembled and forced himself to stand up, The blood-soaked soldier''s eyes were filled with bitter resentment. He clenched his teeth and prepared to march again. The soldiers thoroughly monitored, pressed, and assaulted each other. They worked hard to keep the pace and lifted their legs even further. It was ''march or die1. They moved their arms and legs until their joints were worn out. "Hum... I guess they''re now a little useful!" "These vulgar things must taste hell like this toe to their senses." "This is why we can''t help but beat them." Only after all soldiers moved ording to the instructions of the officers without mistakes did the barbaric and sadistic training end. The soldiers from both the Prussian and Russian armies werepletely exhausted and sat down in that state, staring nkly at the sky. As soon as the end of the discipline and edification was dered, officers from both sides were about to roar at the soldiers who looked like marites with fallen strings, but Blucher, themander of the alliance, blocked them. Blucher silently approached the soldiers as they tried to get up. "Are you still alive?" "...Yes, sir." "Good, But if you lose next time, a hell of a lot worse than now will be waiting for you guys." Blucher added to them who were silent. "So in the next battle, fight with all your might, Even if you sell your soul to the devil, kill the French army by all means. Don''t forget that victory is the only way for the soldiers to be freed from this hell and go to heaven." If this was not the devil''s whisper, then what was it? "If the French army had continued to push that harshly, we would have been in great trouble. However, that did not happen, and we seeded in reforming the atmosphere inside the ckened military, so your actions deserve praise." Hundreds of soldiers, from both the Prussian and Russian forces, had been sacrificed in this overwork. There were so manyrge and small injuries that it was hard to estimate. Nevertheless, Blucher praised the allied generals and officers. They, too, nodded with a natural expression. Even if the sacrifice was great, they managed to filter outziness and infused a will to fight into the eyes of their soldiers. In this situation, the rest was insign ifi cant. In an era in whichmon sense and humanity had been forsaken, with a desperate war where the fate of their mothend was at stake, this kind of incident was not even considered special, It was only routine. "ording to intelligence, the French army did not train yesterday and today, neither on marches nor formations. It appears to be the result of their emperor''s order," "After winning once, their pride is piercing the sky! Their carelessness will surely be our luck." "Many tactical geniuses have copsed, crushed by their own arrogance and carelessness. Now it really looks like its our turn to draw Nabot''s limits." The allied officers imed that the French militarys suspension of its usual training was the most convincing evidence that the enemymander was arrogant, Everyone gathered here felt the same way. Even progressive officers like usewitz were devaluing Napoleon for being foolish. Everyone argued that it was an opportunity given by God and that they should not avoid theing fight. Blucher and Bagration decided to fight without hesitation. In this way, the curtain of the battle that wouldter be called the ''Battle of Leipzig'' rose. The French were aiming to cross the White Elster River and enter the city of Leipzig. To do so, they first needed a stable bridge for their troops to cross. There was a bridge on the White Elster River, but it was too narrow for theirrge army. Napoleon deployed engineers and ordered the construction of temporary bridges over the river. Of course, the Coalition could not let this happen. The first engagement took ce on the banks of the river. The Coal ition tried to deal with the French in a traditionaI way, byunching attacks and using the river as a natural obstacle that separated the enemy forces. Napoleon''s tactics in response were to use artillery, the French military''s long-term weapon. Napoleon, who had predicted this situation from the beginning, secretly hid a battery near the bank, and used it as a starting point for a counterattack by revealing it just in time with the Coalition''s advance. With the offensive of the French artillery, the advance was temporarily hindered. Napoleon immediately put all the reserve engineers into the construction, and was able toplete several bridges, "Give your life to stop their advance!" "Let''s clear the way while protecting the bridge! Long live the French Empire!!" The Prussian and Russian troops, with their haggard faces and messy appearance, were showing more desperate resentment than ever before. The French army was united with their faith in victory, their trust in their Emperor, and their patriotism for their country. The two armies, who werepletely at opposite ends in ideological terms, faced each other with a bridge between them. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 22. Battle of Leipzig - 6 One of the reasons why Napoleon chose to enter Leipzig via the White Elster River through the vige of Lindenau was because it had the advantage of being close to the route, but an even greater reason was to induce misjudgment among the members of the Coalition. The Coalition''smanders were experienced generals who had been on the European stage for decades. Napoleon knew their abilities better than anyone else because he had fought against them several times, whether in this world or in the previous one. It was difficult to deceive such seniors and masters with conventional tactics. ''The White Elster River is an easy ce to defend just by its topography itself. Apetentmander would deploy only a few troops to prevent enemies from crossing it and would draw an overwhelming picture on the rest of the battlefield. They would not have thought that I would choose to cross here with so many troops and leave a ce where it is easy to march (the route toward Wachau Vige).'' Perhaps Bernadotte''s Swedish army was the only defensive force protecting this ce? If so, they could immediately defeat them and proceed with the operation quickly. Recapturing Leipzig on the day of the war was not a dream, Even if they noticed French troops on this side, they would not have expected Napoleon to step up and lead the offensive himself. He had prepared a lot of operational techniques for this and had sufficient confidence in the sess of the strategy. The battle began. After defeating the enemy with overwhelming artillery firepower and blocking their line of sight, Napoleon''s operation proceeded without blockage until the engineers built a number of bridges to allow therge army to cross. Afterwards, under a covering firing by a hidden battery, an infantry regiment mixed with grenadiers was suddenly sent in to seize the bridge and attempt to cross with the main corps. The enemymand failed to properly cope with Napoleon''s tactics, which progressed smoothly without errors, like well-made cogwheels turning together. The Coalition''s artillerymanders were confused because they could not decide whether to target the field artillery beyond the bridge, the hidden battery, or the French troops trying to take control of the bridge. In the meantime, the French army secured a numerical advantage in most of the bridges and entered into hand-to-handbat. If they managed to cross the river, take control of the bridge and open the way to Lei pzig, the operation would be a sess. However, while the enemymand was struggling, there were brave enemies who voluntarily stepped up from the tactical unit and blocked this operation. It was the Prussian and Russian forces. Despite the unfavorable situation, the soldiers of the two countries, who foug ht with a II their might as if supported by evil, seemed to be pierced and defeated, but did not give way in the end. While being swept away by a flurry of bullets and shells, they blocked the advance of French elite soldiers several times. As they died, they desperately bit the enemy''s ankle and held them back. They fought against death with their lives on the line. They were soldiers with that contradictory behavior. Napoleon, who was watching their desperate cry from afar, could immediately recognize whose work this was. Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher. Prussia''s Marshal Forwards, who fully realized themander''s virtue of selling souls to the devil for victory, was the culprit. "Should we send in the reserve forces now?" The enemy soldiers guarding the bridge were fighting as if they had two or three lives, but the overall formation and defense line were still poor. The reserve forces were the most prestigious units among Napoleon''s Corps, including the Old and Middle Guards, the most elite units of the Imperial Army. They would be able to break through the blockage at once in ce of the front-line units that had been temporarily stopped by the desperate resistance of the enemy soldiers. No matter the enemies1 desperate state of mind and screams, they would be no match for the reserve forces1bat power. ''But our opponent is Blucher. An old, unpredictable Prussian fox,'' Although he was nicknamed ''Marshal Forwards1, in fact, he was a general who did not hesitate to use clever and vicious strategies. His way of fighting was simr to Napoleon''s in that he could use any means to win. Should Napoleon go against such an enemy? Was France now in a crisis of despair? Once he had made a decision, there was no hesitation. When Napoleon ordered with a gesture, the officers issued a retreat order to each unit. "This isn''t easy." The French eventually failed to cross the White Elster River. Napoleon removed his gaze across the river with a bitter face. In the meantime, people approached him. They were French soldiers who had just returned from fighting against the enemies on the battlefield. They approached Napoleon with a face that did not lose the heat and excitement of the fight and knelt down on one knee. How dared they approach without the Emperor''s permission? This inadequate and rude attitude raised the eyebrows of the officers and guards. However, Napoleon dissuaded them, epted the soldiers'' approach and said that they were the warriors who risked their lives for him and the Empire. "Your Majesty, the Great Emperor! We don''t know how happy we are to be able to enjoy the light of fighting for Your Majesty. But why did Your Majesty order to retreat? We were confident in beating up, breaking down, and breaking through those wicked people!" Napoleon replied this way to the soldiers''ints that they could have won if they fought more. "If I had trusted you and left you alone to decide, that would have been the case. You would have proved your loyalty to the Empire with your whole bodies and would have be heroes." Then...!" "However, close to half of you would not have been able to step back into this vige alive." The soldiers could not refute Napoleon''s words. They could not admit it easily because of their pride, but they knew it. That the resistance of Prussian and Russian soldiers was rougher and tougher than expected. "Please, my men, value your lives. You are not worthless to be defeated on such an insignificant battlefield. Young people who are excellent and smart like the soldiers are rare even in the 40 million people of the Empire, and even rarer among them are those who have a patriotism so strong that they would give their lives for their country. Such jewel-like talents have an obligation to live a long time and convey their pride, spirit, and noble ideology to future generations, For the future of the Empire." At the end of Napoleon''s words, there were no soldiers here who did not have tears in their eyes, They once again vowed loyalty to Napoleon while crying. The officers and guards who watched this scer said that it was a nobler and more sincere oath than any other oath. "They are retreating! Let''s chase them right away and show our strength...!" "Now, in your eyes, do the French look like they''re routing in disorder? You idiot! Have you lost both your reason and eyesightl?" Blucher, who coldly rebuked the young officer Juncker, issued a strict order not to chase the enemies, along with the threat of punishment for the troops who disobeyed orders, regardless of their rank. The Prussian officers, and even the Russian and Swedish officers from different affiliations, were dazzled by the intense momentum, but Blucher''s eyes did not turn to them. He was staring at the splendor of the French Emperor, visible through the wind across the river, with a zing gaze. As Napoleon expected, Blucher had his own n. If the French army had tried to put in reserve forces or use other means to prate the defense of the bridge, Blucher intended to attract them by deliberately letting them break through. It was not visible from the enemies'' side, but in fact, on the left and right sides of the central bridge, Russian heavy cavalry andncers borrowed from Bagration were waiting. In addition, Prussian artillery was ced in the hilly area aligned with the bridge, and on the road between them, a light infantry regiment was on stand-by. If the French army had crossed the bridge and entered the ''killing zone'', Blucher had a n to send them all to hell. However, the evil monarch Napoleon did not fall into Bliicher''s trap. Rather, as soon as he reached the critical point of the offensive, when the consumption of the French army began in earnest, he immediately retreated. Giving up all the bridges that he had tried to build with his engineers, he leisurely returned to the path he hade without any regret. All that remained on the battlefield were several wooden bridges made by the French army and countless bodies of Prussian and Russian troops who died enduring their offensive. In the chilly silence, Blucher clenched his teeth. "But in the end, it was us who stopped the French offensive, They lost the advantage of time, and lost momentum as their winning streak was broken. This battle is a clear victory for the Coalition, and you have achieved an outstanding strategic victory." There were aspects of thefort of his chief of staff usewitz that seemed reasonable at first nce, but Bliicher''s heart did not improve in the slightest. The French were the ones who stepped down, but in fact, it was the Coalition''s soldiers who truly chilled their spine. Just as the French army was fed up with the Prussian and Russian forces that desperately endured and resisted, the explosive fanaticism, bravery, and fighting spirit exuded from the French refined postures and movements reminded them of what it was like to deal with the best army on earth. The French soldiers were the angels of battle and could instill the feeling of fear even to soldiers who were pushed to their limits, They were united and had an absolute loyalty to one man, Napoleon Bonaparte. Was there any way to significantly hurt such a monster? Would that moment evere? Blucher suddenly became frustrated. "...Saying that the performance of the soldiers who fought in the lead today was remarkable is an understatement. Let''s praise them properly... Ug h...l" Blucher took a few staggering steps, and felt his vision spinning, His body suddenly faltered, "Commander!! Oh my...!" "Sir, are you alright? Are you awake?" "Hurry up and bring a doctor!" Prussian officers, including usewitz, who was devastated, rushed to support Blucher. Russian and Swedish officers were at a loss for what to do. "It''s nothing, so don''t make a fuss! It''s just the aftereffect of not sleeping well for a few days... Ugh..." Blucher was waving his hand as if it was insignificant, but his fingertips were already trembling. There were already anxious nces among the officers, usewitz sighed quietly. "Let''s stop here so that you can recuperatefortably. We''ll discuss it again tomorrow." "Who should recuperate..." "Your body belongs to the country. You have to keep it safe," In the meantime, usewitz ordered the officers to join him. The expressions on their faces were very depressed. On this day, the allies remained silent without any military actions, provocations, or propaganda. If they won the battle, they had to do well to boost the morale of soldiers and boost the support of citizens of his home country. Regardless of other things, if the battle was won, they had to do well to boost the morale of the soldiers and raise the support of the citizens in their countries. However, the allies did not even do that and returned to Leipzig without making much noise. In response, various spections were made by diplomats and war reporters, but the truth remained unknown. In the surprise operation over the bridge two hours ago, more than 1,800 French soldiers were killed or injured, but the allies estimated that more than 6,000 of their soldiers were killed or injured. The tactical result of the battle was iparably aplete victory for the French. This was the result of Napoleon''s judgment that ordered him to step down at the right time and the bravery of his loyal soldiers. Nevertheless, this operation was ultimately unsessful for the French. This was because they had to step down first without being able to use or maintain the bridges they had worked so hard to build. Napoleon ordered the tired soldiers to rest, and with his staff officers held a countermeasure meeting at the spire of the church in the center of the vige of Lindenau. "Tsk... it was said that the enemy soldiers'' discipline was improving greatly. It was something that could not be exined unless it was that old man inmand." "Had you foreseen Bliicher''s presence, Your Majesty?" "I didn''t even know he would be there before the battle, But I could tell by the way the enemy army operated and the attitudes of its soldiers," Thanks to his innate sense and numerous battlefield experiences, Napoleon was able to roughly guess the presence of a person. As he had expected, Blucher was the enemymander. It waster confirmed by spies. The expressions of French military officers were dark. Blucher was the strongest among the allied generals currently gathered in Leipzig. The fact that he was guarding the White Elster River also meant that the main force of the Coalition was ced here. The enemy''s main forces were blocking the river. Napoleon''s surprise operation, which consisted in crossing the river by inducing the enemy''s misjudgment and seeking a gap, was virtually out of the question. While the officers looked perplexed, Napoleon recalled the stubborn Prussian ''Marshal Forwards''. Blucher was famous for pushing his soldiers to their limits very harshly before the battle. In the name of instilling a fighting spirit in the soldiers, he could do anything, He received enormous resentment and anger from the soldiers under hismand exposed to such irresistible tyranny and beatings, but he turned these emotions to the enemy. He did so in a very clever and sneaky way. It was not like training an army, but closer to training beasts, fighting dogs. Contrary to Arthur Wellesley, Karl Ludwig, Mikhail Kutuzov, Levin August von Benn igsen, etc. whom Napoleon did not forget to respect even if they were enemymanders, this was the biggest reason why he could never acknowledge Blucher. The way Blucher controlled his army was enough to disgust Napoleon. IL notes Gebhard Leberecht von Blcher, painted by Emil Hiinten: Chapter 132 Chapter 132 22. Battle of Lepzg - 7 Nevertheless, the fact that Blucher was a verypetent and demandingmander itself could not be denied, As long as the troops he wasmanding were determined and guarding the river, it was hard even for Napoleon to defeat them and cross the river. ''You''re such an unpleasant, vicious and abominable old man. You''ve been living like that in this world and in the other for a long time.'' While Napoleon was bitterly thinking of his long-standing bad rtionship, his chief of staff Berthier came to him. "Now that things havee to this, it seems inevitable to revise the strategy. How do you n to operate the corps after that, Your Majesty?" "I want to hear what you think first." "If you''re asking about my opinion... It would be to temporarily block the entire area of Lindenau. And I rmend you to move to Wachau with the main forces of the corps, while leaving only some defensive forces here." Berthier''s opinion eventually meant giving up the attack route through the White Elster River and changing the main battlefield. Originally, the topog raphy of the river was absolutely disadvantageous to the attacking side, but now even the number of defenders was higher. Berthier was insinuating that there was no need to fight on an unfavorable battlefield. It was advice from a first-ss chief of staff who rarely made mistakes. "However, if we stay still while upying the west bank of the river, our enemies will feel ufortable." The distance between the vige of Lindenau and the city of Leipzig was only 4km. If the French army was holding this vige, the allies would have no choice but to send troops to retake it. It was a close threat to them. In this way, strategies that deliberately weakened the power in the field while upying a major base and inducing enemy attacks were also a type that appeared frequently on the battlefield. Napoleon''s thinking was very open-minded, and he did not drag on a strategy that had already failed. Some officers, who were worried that they might show pride for nothing, expressed their opinions at ease on the Emperor''s much more forward-looking attitude than expected. As the head of themand showed clear thinking and receptive attitude in this way, people below him were able to freely express their thoughts without being tied to their positions. Compared to 1812, the imperial military staff had be incredibly flexible. "Currently, the number of enemies in the southern part of Leipzig, identified by the Duke of Reggio (Nics Oudinot), is about 40,000. On the other hand, the number of their troops engaged with the Duke of Dalmatia (Jean-de-Dieu Soult) is a little less than 30,000. However, this is the number of enemy soldiers exposed throughbat or intelligence, and there may actually be more than this." "If we move the army on our side, the enemies will respond immediately. Concealment of information is more important than ever when moving troops, and for intelligence management..." "That''s good, but in the end, it''s worth considering trying to concentrate our firepower in an all-out war. In this battle, we overwhelmed their artillery, right? Next time, if we use the cavalry..." In the words of the officers, there were quite a few concrete and feasible solutions. It was enjoyable just to hear the fresh and unconventional opinions of new officers. ''They must have dispatched a lot of spies around our camp. Even if we move the corps a little bit, they will figure it out right away ande up with countermeasures... So, is there a way? That''s a very simple question,1 As the discussion continued, Napoleon smiled quietly. The officers who noticed it stopped talking among themselves and looked at the Emperor''s mouth, "Gentlemen, do you remember the Battle of Hrodna?" "Of course, Your Majesty! How can we forget the greatest and most dramatic victory of the Empire?" "The battle reports contain the answer to the current situation." Napoleon spoke to the officers, who had puzzled expressions. "The main battlefield will change, But the soldiers don''t have to move. The troops will not be transferred, and the officers whomand them will still carry out their duty to protect this ce." "Your Majesty! Then, how...?" Napoleon replied with a smile. "I will go to Wachau alone." Napoleon''s Corps, which started from Paris with a total of 107,000 soldiers, defeated the Swedish troops with 46,000 of them and upied the vige Lindenau. There were also soldiers who engaged in skirmishes with the allies led by Blucher to cross the White Elster River. The rest of the troops were equally divided between Oudinot and Soult. The number of soldiers deployed in their corps was not small, andbined, it was more than the troops led by Napoleon himself, but theirbat power was definitely lower. It should have been seen as a second-tier power. But the military was where the leader''s magic worked. How a second-tier power could be stronger than the first-tier power depended on whomanded them. That was the power of themander himself. The Emperor would go to the vige of Wachau alone? The officers who attended the meeting all opposed it. It was a very dangerous thing to do, and such a decision did not mean changing the main battlefield. "Did you not say that my existence was the greatest power of the corps, but now you are changing your words? What would be the most reliable way to change the main battlefield if not moving the greatest power of the corps?" "But, but your Majesty...!" "I will move with some of the soldiers of the Old Guard, the most loyal warriors in the Empire. As long as they are around, there will be absolutely no danger for me, so rest assured." Napoleon, who resisted the dissuasion of the officers, arrived at the vige of Wachau, where Oudinot''s Corps was stationed, along with more than 100 people, including attendants and guards, and immediately took over themand of the corps from Oudinot. And the military staff conducted a bold maneuver that no one expected. At the dawn of May 23, 1818, the army, which unofficially changed its name from Oudinot''s Corps to Napoleon''s Corps, moved. 2.4km east of Wachau was the vige of Liebertwolkwitz, which ran through the forest. It was where the Coalition members had deployed many defensive forces to keep the French in check, Naturally, the defense was tight, and preparations for the offensive were thorough, so it served as an outpost to protect Leipzig. In other words, in order for the French to go to Leipzig, they had to upy this ce, The officers of Oudinot''s corps expected Napoleon to attack this ce immediately, but he ordered an advance to a ce they had never thought of. "We hit Kolmberg first." Kolmberg was a vige further east than Liebertwolkwitz. At the same time, it was also the ce where reserve forces were staying, waiting to quickly support Liebertwolkwitz''s and Galgenberg''s defenders in case of crisis. Like in the Battle of Hrodna, Napoleon came here with nothing but his body, leaving the emblem of the French Emperor symbolizing him in Lindenau. The Coalition''s spies focused on Lindenau, where Napoleon was thought to stay. It was their caution to deal with the enemy who could not be left alone for a moment. Meanwhile, the French troops in the vige of Wachau, where Napoleon was actually in, were only under rtively light surveince, Thanks to this, the movement of the new corps was much more free and allowed bold maneuvers to be carried out. Napoleon, who set up a detached unit with only light troops, immediately left the main forces of the corps and followed a semicircle to bypass the vige of Liebertwolkwitz. And without being caught in their sight, he immediately ordered to attack Kolmberg. Guarding Kolmberg were the Brigademander Olsufiev and Russian troops, who had never imagined the French would attack this location at this point. Napoleon drew their attention with the Hussar Regiment and other light cavalry, and then quickly hit the empty heavy army to capture Olsufiev and his officers, leading the battle to victory. After securing 2,000 prisoners in a single surprise attack, Napoleon''s next goal was the allied forces in Liebertwolkwitz. "They are blind people who don''t even know where we are, how many numbers we have, how we will attack, and who ourmander is, Let''s simply smash them and move on to our original destination," Napoleon''s prediction soon became a reality. Upon hearing the news that Kolmberg had been attacked, reinforcements sent from Liebertwolkwitz approached in line, unaware that they were in danger. Their troops moving that way were attacked by Napoleon''s detached unit. The detached unit, which seeded inpletely annihting them with a perfect tactic, by devouring the nks from the front and rear while surrounding the reinforcements, marched the way the reinforcements came. And Oudinot, who was still in Wachau, also responded as nned and attacked Liebertwolkwitz. Usually, this kind of offensive would not have been possible, It was reckless to hit with fewer troops a ce equipped with defense facilities such as trenches, stone walls, bastions, and artillery. However, the first thing was that once Napoleon''s detached unit had cut off their reinforcements, the number of defensive forces in the vige of Liebertwolkwitz had decreased significantly. The second was the tactical effect added by the fact that the French were attacking at the same time in the east and west, not in only one direction. Above all, the difference in power was overturned when Napoleon, thest third factor, was added to lead the French army to battle. In addition, luck followed Napoleon. "The elite cavalry regiment of the Kingdom of Wiirttemberg has arrived! They are waving the banner of the Allies!" Wurttemberg''s cavalry was joining the Battle of Leipzig to help the French. They appeared on the western ins of Liebertwolkwitz exactly at the most optimal time. "Immediately send them orders to turn left and neutralize the enemy''s artillery! Victory is not far away! If the enemies'' shelling decreases, we canunch an all-out attack!" Napoleon''s judgment was right. As Wurttemberg''s elite cavalry regiment trampled on Liebertwolkwitz''s battery and messed it up, the front firepower of the Coalition, which was not supported by artillery, rapidly weakened. Aiming for this moment, the French forces attacked from all directions, and the weakest rear of the Coalition troops copsed and the battlefield turnedpletely. At 7:30 p.m. on May 23, 1818, Napoleon ended the day''s battle by dering victory in the center of the town of Liebertwolkwitz. In the series of battles, the French suffered only about 1,500 casualties, but at least 10,000 were killed or wounded in the Coalition forces, and more than 4,000 soldiers were taken prisoner. The morale of the French army soa red to th e sky. Napoleon had the best day, but he did not slow down the attack. Now was the perfect time, as the Coalitionmand in Leipzig had not yet grasped the situation. On May 24, 1818, he immediatelyunched an offensive against the remaining outpost, Galgenberg Hill. Major General York, themander of the hill''s defense, fought hard taking advantage of the topographical advantage, but the morale of the troops had long fallen to the ground at the news of the defeat from all sides. It was the result of Napoleon exaggerating his achievements to shake them, With such a clear difference in the will of soldiers to fight, the difference in terrain had now be insignificant, The Coalition''s troops were defeated again, and the number of captured prisoners increased day by day. When Pyotr Bagration, the mander of the Russian military, grasped the situation in the south and led the corps himself, the defense line of Wachau-Galgenberg-Liebertwolkwitz had already beenpletely handed over to Napoleon. One piece of news arrived in Leipzig while Bagration shouted in anger. Blucher had a face paler than before, but his expression brightened when he opened the letter. "You''re finally here... The time has finallye to counterattack these damn French and Nabot!" The letter was ful I of dense words and letters, but only a few of them made Blucher so excited. ...omitted... Alexander I, Friedrich Wilhelm III and Levin August von Bennigsen arrived at the city of Grima... It was a weight that could turn the tide of the Battle of Leipzig, TL notes Here''s a map with the approximate locations of the main troops and battles: Google Maps Chapter 133 Chapter 133 22. Battle of Leipzig - 8 The num ber of troops jointly led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III was close to 150,000. Originally, they were the core corps of the Polish Front, but as the front became firmly established and the importance of Saxony rapidly increased, the battlefield was moved. Even a four-year-old child knew that if the corps entered Leipzig and joined Bliicher, the battle would turn in favor of the Coalition. Therefore, Napoleon and other alliedmanders had been paying keen attention to their moves since they came to Erfurt, while they were deciding on sending the Great Army to Leipzig as soon as possible. "I didn''t know they would choose the path of self-destruction aftermitting such a reckless act. The Danish navalmander is such an idiot and ipetent man. Napoleon smiled helplessly as if dumbfounded when he saw the news on the letter paper in his hand. At the end of the letter was written, ''The Danish Navy was defeated by the British Expedition Fleet and nearly half of it was destroyed''. The chain effects triggered by the defeat of the naval battle were enough to dim the spirit of Napoleon and the Allied forces around Leipzig. And the final result was the 150,000 reinforcements led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III, who were just arou nd the corner. "Tell all the troopsing to Leipzig now. Join our allies as soon as possible at all costs and expenses." The position of the vige of Liebertwolkwitz was tenser than ever. If the Union members could retake Saxony, they could immediately hit Berlin, the capital of Prussia. This was because it would be possible to secure a march route to send troops and a supply route to maintain supply. Napoleon in 1806 also sessfullypleted his expedition against Prussia in this way. On the other hand, if the Coalition members upied Saxony, a stable central European defense line would be drawn starting from the Ore Mountains. This meant that Prussia, the closest to France geographically, would gain strength based on its natural terrain. This would allow the Coalition to have time to lead France to an unwinnable war and to divide the Union. As such, the side holding Saxony could unconditionally lead the Great War. There was a reason why it had emerged as a key battlefield for this Great War, which both the Coalition and the Union could not give up. Naturally, the ''Battle of Leipzig'', which took ce over the center of Saxony, forced the two sides to engage in an all-out war. All European countries dispatched their troops to Leipzig, more or less quickly, expressing their willingness to fight and protect. This was because a very disadvantageous prospect awaited if they lost this battle. Even Britain, which had always taken a step away from ind wars and showed an attitude of ''wait-and-see'', was no exception. "...To calm down the fire of the Great War that drives Europe into fear and anger, and to resist Napoleon''s hegemony, the Kingdom decided to give unprecedented investment and support to its allies." The defeat of the Battle of C Emboixar was an event that was sufficient to change the tone of Britain as a whole. Senior members of the British royal family, including King George IV, the Tory Party, and the Whig Party, realized that there was a crisis in which their nation''s survival was at stake, and agreed that unprecedented support for the continent was needed to ovee it. Under their solemn resolution, the Westminster Parliament passed thergest defense budget ever. And it was executed more quickly than ever, apanied by the exercise of military power. Although hit by the French Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, the British Navy was still Europe''s, or perhaps the world''srgest naval power. It took only two weeks for it to be proved again. During this two-week period, the British Navy won a crushing victory over the French privateer fleet (the Battle of Surmer), and also won the ensuing naval battle against the French Antic Fleet (the Battle of Ile-de-Brehat). The Royal Navy was still the Royal Navy, and they had seeded in rebuilding their crumpled pride to some extent. There were two options in front of the British Navy, which clearly took control of the maritime leadership in the Antic Ocean. The first was to directly hurt France''s economy and war capabilities by blocking its Antic coast. This was the naval strategy that Britain had traditionally implemented against France, and it adhered to this strategy in the Iberian Penins War, driving France''s economy to the brink of copse. Unlike before, however, naval staff officers and spies expressed negative opinions about this solution. "During the war on the Iberian Penins, we were able to control all the coasts of France with the powerful naval power of the Kingdom and torment them, but it is not possible to do that in this Great War. Unfortunately, the defeat at the Battle of C Emboixar resulted in the Kingdom losing control of the Mediterranean Sea." "The Kingdom seeded in improving its rtions with the United States andpleted India''s conquest, leaving no battlefield outside of Europe. Are you saying that it is difficult to control the coast of France even though all navy and army power can be brought onto the European continent?" "To be honest... Yes. So we have to find a new way." A blockade of the Antic coast was still possible but it was now meaningless, because France was able to continue maritime trade through the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, France''s economic foundation was firmlyid down by Napoleon''s numerous reforms, constitution, and industrial improvements, and the Union established after the Strasbourg talks was enough to unite Europe into one huge market. In other words, France''s economy had be too solid to be hit with intermittent coastal blockade. Thus, the new strategy that emerged among the Navy''s leaders was to change the target of their ships. They turned their eyes toward Denmark. "The Kingdom must unconditionally take control of the Baltic Sea to ca rry out a stable war. In order to support our allies with finances and war supplies, dispatch troops to the continent, and maintain continuous supply, we need a route there." "Of course, Denmark, which is loyal to Napoleon, will not let us do as we please. So we need to overpower them first before they bother us." Under the strategy of ''Hit Denmark first!'' Robert Dundas, the First Lord of the Admiralty, took the lead in the battle n and parliamentary approval immediately followed. And this n led to great sess. The British fleet, which raided the port of Hundested on the northwest coast of Zend Ind, on which the capital of Denmark was situated, sank three Danish ships of the line, destroyed two, and captured one along with six frigates in a great victory. London media praised it as ''a great victory that washes away the disgrace of C Emboixar''. In this one battle, Denmark lost more than a quarter of its naval power. The victory of the Battle of Hundested was very valuable for the Coalition. This was because the Baltic Sea waspletely taken away from Denmark. This also meant that sea supplies were made possible from the British maind to the Baltic regions from Germany, Pnd and Russia. Currently, the strongest army of the Coalition was the Russian and Prussian allied corps led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III. If these troops could reach the battlefield in Leipzig, the situation would bepletely reversed in an instant. It meant that the most decisive battle could end with victory. However, therge army of 150,000 troops, with their horses and artillery, had a colossal size. Supplying them with military supplies, food and drinking water was a tremendous amount of hard work. In other words, as always, the supply was a problem again this time. However, winning the Battle of Hundested opened the way for supply through the sea. The strategic decision makers from Britain and its allies naturally decided to take full advantage of this. The troops of Alexander I-Friedrich Wilhelm III departed from Danzig. Their number reached 150, 000, but their march speed was very fast, unlike the speed of a regr giant army. It was because they did not carry the supplies necessary for the war and to maintain the army to such an extent that it looked like they had almost no supplies. At the same time, Britain set up 550 transport ships and set sail. They contained gunpowder, ammunition, muskets, rifles, hay, extra clothing, and drinking water for more than 150,000 people. By the time Alexander I-Friedrich Wilhelm III''s army had just entered the city of Szczecin, the transport ships also arrived at the port of Szczecin. The date was May 17, 1818, two days before Napoleon won the battles on three fronts. And they arrived in Leipzig at 5 p.m. on May 26, 1818, dering their participation in the ''Battle of Leipzig''. This was how the surprising news hit Napoleon and the French army. "We have properly hit their gaps with strategies and methods breaking their expectations. Now Napoleon must be feeling like a cornered mouse. Have themanders prepare for a counterattack immediately." Alexander I''s exciting words were filled with absolute confidence. Confidence that he would be able to conclude this battle with victory. Friedrich Wilhelm III and the generals of Russia, Prussia, and Sweden, who were in the same position, also felt the same way. However, just as Napoleon misjudged the movements of the Coalition members, they also made the mistake of misjudging Napoleon''s capabilities. May 28th, 1818 was the date when the gunfire, which had stopped for several days, rang out again on the battlefield of Leipzig. As soon as therge corps led by the Russian Emperor and the Prussian King joined, the Coalition members switched to the offensive. It was only natural. Their enemies were 100,000 when they had 350,000 troops on their side. Even considering the soldiers consumed in the battles so far, the difference in power was overwhelming. As if to repay the humiliation they had suffered so far, they hurriedly pushed down toward the territories upied by the French, and the area toward the vige of Liebertwolkwitz, where Napoleon was staying, was no exception. The French soldiers gulped their saliva with a look of nervousness at the sight of the Russian and Prussian forces rushing in, The French army seemed to be about to be swept away under that huge wave. ''It would be arrogance and madness for us French to fight such a fight. But... there is something going on here that breaks thatmon sense.'' There was a man shining more than anyone else in the absolute inferiority of power of the French army. Amander who opened the lens of a telescope on the hill of Galgenberg in the northwest of the vige of Liebertwolkwitz and dissected the enemies'' formation with a sharp gaze, Napoleon, the Emperor of the French Empire, and Marshal Oudinot, oveid a 4m-wide map and the situation of the battlefield in front of him in three dimensions, andid down the tactics to respond. "The infantry battalions belonging to the 7th Brigade immediately turn around Meringer''s clock tower and attack the side of the Prussian army. Since the alley is narrow, go in four rows, fire before the enemy and return to the central square, Subsequent instructions will be delivered ording to the situation, so respond with the goal of protecting the front line." "Kolmberg''s defense is limited to three infantry regiments and two artillery battalions. All other troops should be led by Major General Morand and gather northwest of the hill, Don''t forget to order nonbatants to move shells, ammunition, and guns as transporters." "Immediately deliver my order to Joseph ude, the artillerymander of the 3rd Division. Based on his position, he should adjust the artillery shelling by 25 degrees upward. Convey that the destruction of Russia''s elite artillery battalion is the top priority." "The hussar cavalry wait in the left nk of the main force, Later, when the artillery battle broke out, enemy cavalry will pour in, but light infantry riflemen and grenadiers are ced on their routes. They will hinder the enemy cavalry''s advance and when that timees, the hussars will raid them immediately and annihte them." There was no error in Napoleon''s operations and tactics for which he issued orders mechanically without taking his eyes off the battlefield. The tremendous advance of the enemy was blocked by Napoleon''s defensive tactics. In battles taking ce here and there on the wide battlefield, the French army brought overwhelming fighting power. Prussian, Russian, and some Swedish troops all danced as Napoleon intended, and were destroyed by the arrangement that he had prepared. Oudinot, who was watching all this in real time, felt a thrill squeezing his entire body. ''This person...!'' The environment of the battlefield defended by the French armywasa hill about 300 to 400 m above sea level, a smal I town in front of it, and a muddy a rea. Since it was protected with temporary defense facilities such as trenches and stone walls, no matter how many enemies there were, the amount that could fight at once was limited. It was definitely an easy terrain to defend. The number of enemy troops on this side of the battlefield easily exceeded 100,000 and reached nearly 120,000. On the French side, reinforcements from the Kingdom of Wiirttemberg and the Grand Duchy of Baden were added to form a total of 43,000 troops. Nevertheless, Napoleonpletely blocked the enemy''s wave offensive. Oudinot took a telescope and looked at the progress of the enemy''s formation. He saw a movement that seemed slow and full of hesitation. At a nce, the enemies seemed em barrassed by the fierce counterattack of the forces of France and its allies. In proportion, the morale on the French side was gradually rising, The French army was a little better, but in fact, soldiers from Wiirttemberg and Baden had lost their fighting spirit from the beginning because of the overwhelming number of enemy troops pouring in. However, as they moved ording to themanders'' instructions, they defeated enemy troops, supported allies, and brought victory to each battle, so they could now pletely trust their superiors and fight with confidence. The chaotic foreign reinforcements were already transforming into warriors brave enough to entrust the back of the French army. ''The God of War.'' Oudinot, who had served Napoleon for 20 years, was well aware of how great the Emperor was. But today, he realized it once again. The army led by Napoleon could never lose. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 22. Battle of Le''pzig - 9 Now the battle in Leipzig was taking ce on three battlefields. The first was the vige of Liebertwolkwitz and Galgenberg''s hill, where Napoleon was now located, southeast of Leipzig. The second was the main road of the vige of Connewitz, where Soult tookmand of the defense, in the south of Leipzig. The third was between the White Elster River and the vige of Lindenau, west of Leipzig. Napoleon left his g in Lindenau and secretly moved to Wachau to lead the army, devastating the southeast of Leipzig, The allies responded by turning some of their main forces there, but were still most wary of the White Elster River. It was because they thought that Napoleon was still here. The current Napoleon was amander that could deceive the enemy at any time, throwing away things that symbolized the Emperor, such as his own g, the Imperial Guards, and the training barracks. However, Napoleon of this world, before the change, did not do any of these acts. No, not only that, but also other European monarchs did notmit to downgrade their symbols to deceptive tools like this. Napoleon after the change was unique. Boom! Bang! Booom! Booom! Bang!! On May 28, 1818, the Coalition troopsunched an attack to cross the White Elster River. The spectacr multinationaI forces marching in line as they densely spread in the fields might be a magnificent sight from a third partys point of view, but it was a very frightening scene for the French soldiers who had to stop them. "Levin August von Bennigsen''s g was seen 1.6 kilometers northwest of here! The Russian Marshal''s troops are also around." "The informants say that the traitor Bernadotte and the Prussian king, Friedrich Wilhelm III, also appeared on the outskirts of the battlefield. However, we have not yet discovered the g of Marshal Forwards (Blucher)." Outside the bridge was a shower of shells fired by enemy artillery, but intelligence from themander''s barracks was simr in frequency. Andoche Junot personally took a telescope and scanned the Coalition''s troops preparing to cross the White Elster River. As soon as he checked their uniforms, he cursed inside. ''Those demons are clearly of the Pavlovsk Guards. Those standing next to them are the Life-Guards Grenadier Regiment! On the other side are the Jaeger Special Forces, the Chevalier Guard Regiment! Damn, these bastards are so determined to push us away!'' As expected, they were convinced that the Emperor was in charge of the army here. The fact that Napoleons movement was kept secret was wee in itself, but the list of notorious special forces and elite units, including the Russian Imperial Guard, the Prussian Senior Guard, and the Swedish elite Grenadier Regiment, was enough to dazzle Junot. Of course, the French army, which had fought against the great powers of Europe, had dealt with those elite European soldiers several times, Junot also had some experience fighting them and even won against them. But the biggest reason for this was that the Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, was leading the French army. The different strategies and new tactics dictated by a being nicknamed ''the God of War'' made those elite soldiers look like children. That was why Junot could not be afraid or worried about them. But now, at this moment, the existence that would protect the French army like an iron wall had left for another battlefield, and Junot had to take the baton on his behalf and blockthem. Even though he had set up suitable strategies and tactics in advance, his fingertips trembled under the tremendous pressure as soon as he confirmed the enemy unparalleled power. "The French soldiers guarding Lindenau are holding their positions without being shaken in the face of a fierce offensive. This is because they believe in the power of His Majesty, who they think is still here." The voice that awakened Junot was the one of Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Marshal of the Empire and Chief of Staff of the Emperor. After Napoleon left, Berthier was the highest-ranking soldier on the battlefield. He had a longer military career than Junot, was older, and had been made Marshal much earlier. Nevertheless, the actualmander here was Junot. "His Majesty has handed over the baton of the corps to you himself. If you doubt yourself, trust His Majesty''s choice, and put everything else aside, Do you think the Emperor has ever made a wrong decision?" "Of course not... His Majesty has always been right," He did not know if it was in the past, but his faith in the Emperor now was as high as mountains. Junot rubbed his cheeks and nodded at Berthier''s words. Anyway, this was the best stage. He had been granted the baton of the Marshal of the Imperial Army, and could prove h is qualifications. Junot had been implicitly evaluated as having poor military abilitiespared to other prominent marshals, and had not been able to refute it. To Junot, who was feeling a little intimidated, the Emperor entrusted without hesitation the Imperial Guard corps, including the most elite troops of the Empire, the Old Guard. It was a sign of absolute trust that the Emperor could show to a general. Junot was recognized by the greatest man in European history. That was right. As Berthier said, if he was not confident in himself, he could believe in the decision of the great Emperor who chose him. "Let''s do what we can do well. I risk my honor, my body, and my soul in this battle. I will definitely win and put the shining tricolor g on Leipzig." Andoche Junot was a general who was ready to sacrifice his life for the man who believed in him. A time war between the Coalition and the Union broke out over Leipzig. It was the allies who won the fight. The first reinforcements to arrive were the Russian-Prussianbined corps led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III. With the addition of these 150,000 troops, there was a momentary overwhelming power gap in the battlefield. 300,000 against 100,000, three times the number of men. The strategy that Napoleon had often used in the past, defeating divided enemies by using the superior mobility of his army, was now being used against him. Napoleon was cornered by his own fighting method! The Russian generals, including Alexander I, who was obsessed with this conceited idea, could not hide their excitement. ''Let''s repay the disgrace of Hrodna!'' The vs were united under this one thought, The atmosphere of the crazy battlefield quickly spread around, sweeping even Prussian and Swedish soldiers. Their will to end the battle in the present overwhelmingly favorable situation, and not to give Napoleon time, forced them to give the order to advance withoutposure. "Be sure to capture Napoleon! This is where we end this Great War and Napoleons rule with our own hands!" Pyotr Bagration, who took the glorious lead in this battle, and the Russian army, united under his orders, crossed the river first of all the allied forces along the bridge and temporary bridges over the White Elster River. They blocked the French artillery and sporadic attacks solely with their bodies, and continued to advance again and again. They suffered heavy damage while crossing the river, but they continued to push forward recklessly. "Long live the Russian Empire! For the great vic nation!" "God, please protect our Tsar!!" In the battlefield with a terrible smell of gunpowder, Russianbat infantry armed their bays. Bullets fired by the French took countless lives again them. But they could not take away as much courage and will. After a fierce close battle, Bagration''s corps eventually seeded in taking over the bridgehead west of the river by pushing out the French army. However, in front of them, another French army appeared, forming a new line and preparing for a counterattack. A pure white top and bottom uniform with a blue torch and a dark gray coat with a bearskin hat. Among the French Imperial Guard, it symbolized the Young Guard. "Proud sons of the Empire! Save your ce by death! Give your body and soul generously for the future of our country!" "Uraaaah!!" Russian military bands were ying a series of thrilling marches. Bagration exploded the anger and madness inherent in the vs, "It could have been different if it were the Old Guard or the Middle Guard, but kids like them dare stand in our way!?" The fierce charge of Bagration''s corps, the strongest and most elite in the Russian army, made even the Guards, the pride of the French Empire, falter. "Brave cavalry! Follow me!" Thepetent and experienced fieldmander, Bagration, judged in the current situation that it was time to do something in the tactical stage. He himself led the Cossacks and turned to the side of the French Guard, which was engaged in closebat. The shots of the enemy light infantry and snipers were concentrated in his direction, but Bagration did not care. Like Alexander the Great, he was also a brave man who set an example by leading directly the soldiers at the forefront. "Charge!!" His efforts and judgments were exactly the same. The risky cavalry charge took a significant toll on the side of the French Guard. The Guards officers ordered a retreat, and the white army stepped back. Bagration defeated even the French Imperial Guards, who were known for never surrendering even if they died. Only then did Russia''s bravemander be confident of victory. He clenched his fists in the enthusiastic cheers of the troops. "Your Excellency! The Prussian and Swedish armies are also crossing the river! They have only been looking at us, and now they''re moving!" "Those fuckers (BnaTb) only want to take the golden path we''ve opened!" The officers fierceints broke out. By shedding a lot of blood, they broke through the French army, which had been guarding the western river bank, and defeated all the guards who came to reinforce them. When they fought so fiercely, the Prussian and Swedish stayed still and crossed the river only after the battlefield was organized to some extent, so they could not say anything good about them. "You dont have to speak III of the cowardly. They are herbivores by birth! However, people in the world will remember who the protagonist in this battle is. It is you who will remain in history as the ones who brought down Napoleon!" Bagration did not scold or defend them, but simply unted them. His choice was extremely wise. Only then did the Russian officers relieve their expressions. Bagration, who was smirking at them, froze his face at the thought that suddenly came to his mind. But its a little... strange. No matter how unfavorable the war may be, Napoleons army was defeated that easily...? Isn''t his corps proud of its strength that will never copse under any circumstances?'' He knew this fear well because he had fought with Napoleon several times, tasting the bitter taste of defeat many times. Even an army of the same number of men could be two or three times as powerful ifmanded by Napoleon. To be honest, he still could not believe that Napoleon was about to copse so ndly. ''I dont think that should ever happen, but could all this be his deception? Bagration felt the need to analyze the situation over time. Even though victory was just around the corner, he could not rx because his opponent was Napoleon. While Bagration''s troops were guarding the bridges along the western bank of the river, the other troops of the Coalition hurried across the river. Among them, amander of the Prussian army visited Bagration, who was observing the enemy, apanied by a lieutenant. "I am Osten-Sacken, themander of the second division under General Tauentzien mander of the 4th Prussian corps). I express my utmost respect for your remarkable tactics and bravery." "Thank you very much. Is there any instructions or messages from the Allied Command to me?" "Yes, Your Excellency. In this operation, themand will send the main unit to destroy Napoleons headquarters by the end of the day. The most prestigious corps of the Russian Empire should take the lead, but themand asked that the soldiers of your corps take a short break and defend the bridgehead." In fact, the damage received by Bagration''s corps was significant, so time was indeed needed to recover from it. There was no problem with the order itself, but Bagration could not erase his still uneasy feeling. "What was the atmosphere of themand?" "The Tsar of the Empire praised the overwhelming performance of your corps. The soldiers were stimted by Your Excellency and looked energetic. It seemed that everyone wanted to participate in this glorious battlefield as soon as possible." Indeed, the moment hade to defeat Napoleon and his troops, who boasted invincibility, It was natural that the excitement of those who had suffered from Napoleon countless times had reached its peak. If it had been another time, Bagration would have shared the joy of victory with them, but now the atmosphere was not good enough. "The battle is not over yet. There''s no way we dont know what a terrible monster our enemies are, but everyone seems to be moving too fast." "Hahaha! You dont have to worry too much. I dont think there is anyone who doesnt know that the tactics established by Your Excellency are the best." At the moment when Bagration was about to respond to the divisionmander, scouts rushing on horseback appeared in his sight. Their white faces and their actions revealed their urgency. Bagration let out a groan, as he held his anxiety deep in his heart, Russia''s greatest warriors caught their breath before they could speak. "Rafts! The French have released a huge number of rafts upstream of the river!! The scene that came into Bagration''s field of view was floating bridges and temporary bridges, installed so that soldiers and horses could cross, being smashed by rafts flying from the upstream. "Napoleon, that bloody man again...!!" The allies across the river were instantly isted. Then arge French counterattack began. TL notes Here''s a painting of made by George Dawe: Chapter 135 Chapter 135 22. Battle of Le''pzig - 10 During the Iberian Penins War, Rond Hill, who made numerous achievements under Arthur Wellesley, was promoted to lieutenant general after returning to London after the war. He was now able tomand a corps instead of a division. He departed from Szczecin on a transport ship with 15,000 men. His duties werergely divided into two. One was to ensure that these war supplies, which had been prepared with astronomical funds, were delivered to the 150,000 soldiers of the Coalition. The other was to participate in the Battle of Leipzig as an advance team for the British army and to maintain the front line until the main troops arrived. Arriving at Szczecin Harbor, Rond Hill exined the mission of this army and the judgment of the British Army Command to the monarchs andmanders of the Coalition. In his home country, a corps of about 100,000 troops had been under themand of the Duke of York and Albany and under the Duke of Wellington, receiving close-to-act, quality training three months before the war began. It was a deration that broke the usual strategy used by Britain against France so far, and it meant that these troops would be sent in the near future to bring a decisive victory in the war on the continent. However, despite Britain''s promise of such great investment and sacrifice, the reaction of allied monarchs was lukewarm. "I don''t feel the need to wait for the British toe. As long as our army arrived in Leipzig before them, the strategy itself isplete." Alexander I, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, insisted on just attacking and destroying the enemy like this. Most generals agreed, and Rond Hill did not bother to refute it. Indeed, the strength of the Coalition''s forces gathered in Leipzig was three times greater than that of the Union, and no matter how far Napoleon flew or crawled, he could not ovee this difference in strength, Since then, however, strategies and tactics led by Alexander I were sufficient to confuse and destabilize Hill. "The strategy of having arge number of troops attack the enemy''s upied territories in the south and direct the elite soldiers to cross the river on the west, inducing with our own will fights on multiple fronts is a bizarre fighting method that has never been heard or seen." Rond Hill felt the same way when British officersined. Attacking bridges and crossing a river would inevitably cause a lot of sacrifice on the attacker''s side. Therefore, whenpetent generals in history attempted such operations, they put low-cost conscripts on the front to drain the enemy''s strength, and then sent elite troops to rece sacrifices. However, the alliedmanders were currently defying past examples and pushing Bagration''s corps, the most important force, forward. The reason for this was to capture Napoleon, who was expected to run away after seeing his disadvantage, but Rond Hill described it as a result of Russia''s greed, Alexander I''s obsession with Napoleon, and his inferiorityplex. ''They''re acting hastily when we have a safe path to victory. If Prussia''s Marshal Forward had been stronger, he could have stopped this runaway to some extent.'' Unlike the French army, where Napoleon could decide everything, the Allies had to think, discuss, and conclude various matters together. Before the reinforcements arrived, the highest-ranking person to attend the military meetings was Karl XIV Johan Bernadotte, who had inherited the throne two months earlier. However, the actualmand of the entire army rested with Bliicher, the head of the Prussian Army. The Russian army was following the orders of Pyotr Bagration, and even when making important strategic decisions, the intentions of Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III, who were far away at the time, had to be considered as well. When Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III arrived in Leipzig, the physical distance disappeared. Nevertheless, the Allied Command was unable to make a rational decision. First of all, Bliicher, whose health had deteriorated, could not attend the military meeting because he was recuperated outside the camp, and Marshal Bennigsen, despite his rank, was nothing more than Alexander I''s subordinate. Friedrich Wilhelm III was weak, and Karl XIV Johan had a weak voice. In fact, the leadership of the Allied military strategy meeting was entirely handed over to Alexander I. Sadly, his strategy was not very bright. ''There have been many cases in which a monarch who was not well versed in military tactics ruined a war with anger. I hope that all my worries will end with nothing happening...'' However, Rond Hill, who was born into a baron family in Shropshire and had received a lot of education in history, humanities, and military science, may have predicted to some extent future fateful events. The scouts'' reports reached the Alliedmand on the fastest route, but were too slow to respond to the speed of rafts and spikes. These floats, made by cutting logs sharply, went smoothly along the swift current of the river and cut off the floating bridges and temporary bridges on the White Elster River at once. Crack-! The desperate screams of the victims following the thunderous sound covered the river. Allied soldiers marching along the bridges lost their bnce and fell down the river, either drowning or brutally torn to death by logs riding over the water. As soldiers'' blood and flesh, crushed horses and carts, and pieces of split wood and debris tainted the White Elster River, a loud trumpet rang simultaneously from the French army on the other side. There was no need for intelligence officers to decipher the pitch of the instruments or the codes that were being used. The generals of the Allied Command, who had already been devastated by the appearance of the rafts, knew what that trumpet meant. "Themander of the French army has now ordered a full attack!" The French had physically separated their enemies and were nning to destroy each of them. That was right. Napoleon was not trying to escape after being cornered. Even in this unfavorable situation, he intended to bring in his enemies under his method of fighting. ''If we don''t do it right, we''ll give him another myth today!'' Rond Hill ran towards the British positions. Now it was time for his army to move. Before Napoleon moved out of Lindenau, he left secret instructions to Junot and Berthier. It was about how to separate the enemies across the White Elster River. Acacia trees, especially Waddywood logs, were very strong and resistant to water. Following Napoleon''smand, they prepared sharp rafts and spikes made of acacia wood. They waited for a satisfactory number of troops to cross the river. Junot, themander, was able to deceive his enemies by acting with all his might like the French were stepping down. "Now! Let the rafts and spikes flow!" The upper reaches of the White Elster River lead to the town of Connewitz, which, fortunately, was upied by Soult''s corps, Thanks to this, Berthier was able to carry out the operation established by Napoleon without fear of being caught by spies. The rafts and spikes, which moved at high speed while riding the current, coolly cut off the bridges built by the Coalition. "It''s time for a counterattack!" "For the glory and prosperity of the Empire! Long live the Emperor!!" The Coalition forces were separated, and the troops across the river were quickly surrounded by the river behind them and the French in front of them. The tide turned rig ht away. The allies, who were drunk with the sweetness of victory that was approaching, trembled with fear as they became a prey whose escape route was cut off. Tatatatata! Tatatatal! "Woaaaaahh!!" Shots from muskets and rifle flew at effective range with higher precision. The line infantry and grenadier regiments rushed to the pierced allies after having been beaten. In particr, the grenadiers had been resting and preserving their physical strength without being put into the battlefield of the White Elster River basin. These regiments, the most elite and belligerent of Napoleon''s corps, crushed all the enemies that stood in their way, "Two hours ago, ou r juniors took care of you, didn''t they?" Among them, some units wore simr clothes to the Young Guard, but showedpletely different fighting power. It was the Middle Guard of the French Empire. Their performance was definitely outstanding. The Middle Guards, who equipped their bays and rushed like hungry beasts, dominated the battlefield with a one-sided ughter with a dance that looked like the realization of Richard the Lionheart. Boom! Boom! Bang! Booom!! The artillery was also active. In such a closebat fight, the French artillery was the only one in the world that was able to strike enemies without hitting al lies. It melted the will of the isted troops of the Coalition that were struggling to resist through this error-free shelling with thoroughly calcted coordinates. When all these circumstances were added, the instantaneous engagement ratio even exceeded 100 to 1. ''So far, the operation is perfect. Now, if we take control of that bridge, we can achieve a reversal that will remain in history!'' Swallowing his saliva, Junot stared at the ''Elster Bridge'', a huge bridge across the White Elster River. The prepared rafts and spikes performed well, but it did notpletely iste the allied forces across the river. There were some bridges that were notpletely damaged, and in particr, the Elster Bridge, wide enough to pass even a carriage pulled by six horses, was toorge and solid to copse with rafts or spikes. ''To break down the Elster Bridge, we have no choice but to detonate arge amount of explosives, but... Of course they will not let us do it willingly.'' Junot''s gaze reached the enemy who was enduring the onught of the French with a thoroughly defensive formation. Pyotr Bagration, Russia''s firstmander, made the best judgment even in an instantaneous reversal. He united the disorderly fleeing allies and built barriers on the side of the Russian army. After that, he thoroughly controlled the Elster Bridge to protect its connection with the Leipzig main unit. Junot, who was watching it, recalled Napoleon''s evaluation of him. ''There are many valiant generals, but few can fully control their bravery. There are only a handful who have the reflexes to seek the best in a rapidly changing battlefield. In that respect, Bagration is a generalparable to Seydlitz.'' Napoleon cited the best cavalrymander of Prussia, who yed in the Austrian session war and the Seven Years'' War under Friedrich the Great. Napoleon added, ''If there is an opportunity to get rid of him, don''t hesitate to do so''. It was indeed the highestpliment to an enemy. "Despair and death to the enemy of the Empire!" "Fight and die for the glory of the Tsar!!" The final battle to gain the control of the Elster Bridge began. The purpose of Bagration''s corps was to hold out until the engineers built floating and temporary bridges again, and the French army led by Junot aimed to pierce them while keeping them isted. The two armies were absolutely ipatible and fought fiercely, shedding blood, Numerous bodies piled up like mountains on the battlefield and turned the White Elster River red. The battlefield, a mixture of groans, shouts, screams, and cries, was a tribute to the brutal war of this era. "I understand why His Majesty was wary of him! Bagration, what a formidable enemy." Berthier, who was in charge of coordinating the corps'' tactical movements and pulling the rain of engagement, murmured with his face hardened. The same went for Junot, who was excited about the possibility of victory. Junot looked anxiously at his pocket watch, The current time was 2 p.m. It had already been more than three hours since they started breaking the temporary bridges and forced their enemies into a state of semi-istion. Nevertheless, Bagration''s corps did not copse in the end. He solidified his defensive posture in the Elster Bridge basin and held out by blocking the pouring shells, bullets, and preventing the French infantry from charging. In the meantime, the Coalition''s forces in Leipzig deployed a lot of engineers to restore the bridges. French artillery strongly checked this, but the allies were also not without cannons and artillery, and the construction itself was sorge that its shelling was useless. Ominous conditions continued to emerge for the French. The Coalition''s cavalry appeared on arge scale in the western part of the viges of Markranstadt and Lindenau. Berthier immediately grasped their identity and the route of their march. "This cavalry crossed the Ore Mountains and the Nedorov Forest. They must have chosen this way toe around without crossing the river." "We can''t move the artillery in this situation. To stop them, we have no choice but to send in our own cavalry." The French also had to send out the Cuirassiers cavalry and the Hussars regiment, and soon the battle between the cavalry began. The skirmishes on farms and roads near Markranstadt were fierce, but eventually the winner was determined. The French cavalry seeded in defeating the Coalition''s cavalry. However, Junot and Berthier''s expressions were dark, and the other staff officers were no different. This was because the cavalry power that should be saved until thest minute had been greatly consumed, making it impossible to reuse. Now, the French army was unable to use cavalry operations at a time when its power was inferior. In the meantime, the annexes and bridges of the allied forces were nearingpletion. Bagration''s corps was still holding out, and now the French had to stop the numerous forces crossing the river. All the officers in themand realized it at that time, The operation was a failure. "...Let''s go back to the city of Naumburg. For this battle... I think we should admit defeat and seek aeback." "Oh, my God! How can I look at His Majesty now?" Junot banged on the ground and cried, and there was only sadness in the French barracks. After the battle was over, Pyotr Bagration would remain an immortal war master. The French would be recorded as foolish enemies who had been sacrificed by such a master. ''It''s more unfortunate that I couldn''t keep the oath I made to His Majesty, rather than my personal dishonor. How could a disgraced general live after leaving the Empire?'' Junot unknowingly reached for the pistol at his waist. However, the goddess of victory had not yet determined the winner, and the situation on the battlefield could be reversed until thest moment. Junot''s life did not end here. Pooooooo! Poooooooo! The sound of a trumpet was heard in the rear of Lindenau. Junot, who realizes its identity, raised his head. The same went for the other officers. As if they were possessed by something, they ran out of the barracks without saying a word. At the end of the officers'' field of view came a group of men running busily toward this ce and a strong man leading their cavalry at the forefront. The man, dressed in splendid decorations, gold patterns, and a khaki cloak, was Joachim Murat. "Here Ie, myrades! You don''t have to worry about anything now!!" Joachim Murat, King of Naples and Marshal of the French Empire. He smiled at Junot and Berthier, who were stunned, and passed by them without stopping. Murat looked at the French side, checked Bagration''s corps, and pulled out his sword from its scabbard. And he shouted. "There is nothing more to see! Cut the beards of the vs!" "Woaaaah h! I" A disaster struck Bagration''s corps, which had been rxing their squares with relief after confirming the consumption of French cavalry. Murat and his heavy cavalry rushed at an elerated pace ignoring the enemies'' unimpressive shots, and swept through Bagration''s troops. The troops, which had not copsed before even while being isted, were brutally swept away under the cavalry waves that came like a tsunami. "Haha! This is really...! It''s the best appearance since the Winged Hussars at the Battle of Vienna." Only then did Berthier burst intoughter. Junot sat down on the spot, as if he had lost all the strength in his body. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 22. Battle of Lepz g - 11 As the role of artillery and infantry on the battlefield grew, the proportion of cavalry decreased. For example, during the Spanish Session War, thergest war in Europe 100 years ago, the ratio of infantry and cavalry soared to 2:1, and as much as 1:1... But it was now impossible. No country was now organizing its army like that. This was because cavalry could no longer serve as a decisive weapon due to the emergence of flintlock muskets and bays, and the development of anti-cavalry tactics such as infantry squares. However, now, the heyday of cavalry was being reproduced again here, in a battlefield that transcended 150 years of time and space. The identity of the cavalry, decorated with colorful uniforms and brilliant decorations, was abined cavalry division from France and Naples. When theirmander-in-chief, Murat, shouted, the cavalry thrilled the viewers by showing its destructive power, able to cut the beards of the Russians, The shock given by thebined weight of a heavy armored rider and his horse was not something that could be withstood, even by a strong adult man. The battle lines of Bagration''s corps, which had remained firm under any unfavorable conditions, copsed with this single charge. For the fallen, split, and isted enemy soldiers, the riders surely had precise and sharp des. The ce where the cavalry swept by was filled with only the bodies of Russian soldiers who copsed covered in blood. "Pour gloire d''un Empire immortel I (For the glory of an eternal Empire!)" The reason why the old-fashioned cavalry charge was able to exert such tremendous power was also because of the carelessness of Bagration''s corps. Theirmander, Pyotr Bagration, changed the formation of the battalion horizontally and thinly as soon as he confirmed that the French cavalry was exhausted and un usa ble. Such a straight line was very useful in gunfights and hand-to-handbat against infantry, but was vulnerable to nk and rear attacks. Above all, the width of the line, which meant the thickness of the battle line, had be narrower, so if a cavalry hit from the front, it would not withstand it and the line would break immediately. All the units in the front line were preparing for a battle between infantry, but arge cavalry suddenly intruded and stormed through them. Even the experienced Bagration failed to respond properly. "Viscount Toledo, lead the 6th and 10th Cavalry Battalions now, and strike their artillery! You''ll have to take at least five Russian gs there!" "I will obey your orders!" "Dont let the rest of the cavalry scatter, keep in line, and follow me! I will show you again the myths of Eu and Hrodna!" Joachim Murat''s mysterious cavalrymand skills were added to this. Well versed in cavalry tactics, Murat was considered to be the best to maneuver at the best time, taking into ount not only the formation of enemy troops but also the terrain and intelligence. He was a general who could show the best charge. In particr, Murat''s intelligent tactics in squad-level cavalry maneuvers were unrivaled. Using the high speed of the horses, he broke the enemies'' ranks by making sequential attacks on the vulnerable nk and rear. Afterwards, he sent in chasseurs with muskets to break them up into smaller groups, and finally, the Hussar cavalry simply erased one regiment like they were hunting rabbits. "Those who fail to keep their position are not my army! Even if you die on the spot, hold on, hold on, and hold on!!" When infantrymen were dealing with cavalry, it was fundamental to respond in unison. Bagration ordered the officers under hismand to control the soldiers very strictly. However, Murat did not let them form a square. Raising the epaulettes hanging from his shoulders, he sent the promised signal, and the officers watching Murat ran out in unison to deliver the order. Thebined cavalry division was quickly divided into groups of 50 men. Each of them was led by young and brave officers. They scattered all over the battlefield. And they moved organically under their arbitrary judgment, not under themander''smand. "Charge!" As soon as Russian soldiers tried to unite and form a square, small units appeared. Without any hesitation and forgiveness, they broke through their rear trying to change the formation. Under their rush, the squares copsed. Overwhelming mobility and wide visibility were the privileges of cavalry. As such, they were able to easily and quickly stab the enemies'' weaknesses, and they were able to exert great destructive power even in such a small unit. Only Murat could use this tactic, which utilized 100% of the cavalry''s characteristics, "That is why the Emperor did not abandon him, but held him to the end." Among the marshals of the Empire, many did not get along with Murat. Even Junot did not like him, who was arrogant and greedy. Murat had even openly asked the Emperor forpensation and a title for his contributions. He was a man who earned the ire around him with his words and actions. Nevertheless, Murat survived and kept his position. Even if he made a mistake, the Emperor would rather criticize him than reject him. It was because Murat had such an irreceable ability that only he could exert. If Junot were to disappear, someone else would be found to rece him, but without Murat, the Great Army would inevitably face problems, That was why Junot was truly envious of Murat. "I can''t waste this decisive opportunity he has created for me." Junot and Berthier had been preparing for a full-fledged counterattack since the appearance of Murat''s cavalry. They turned those who were exhausted from the long fight to the rear, distributed ammunition and bays to all units, and the batteries were supplied with gunpowder and shells to give them time to breathe. The French soldiers, who had the time to rearm, watched the battlefield ahead with zing eyes. They were the best elite troops of the French Empire, the corps direct led by Emperor Napoleon. The performance worthy of their reputation was, of course, establishing the best performance and winning on any battlefield. However, in this battle, they failed to break through the defense of Bagration''s corps, which guarded the Elster Bridge, The soldiers did not express their feelings, but in fact, they were slightly disappointed. Their old enemy was now being thoroughly ravaged by the cavalry division that came running from outside. How could they not be stimted by this performance? Their desire to revenge the past disgrace immediately gathered with an increase in their will to fight, "Long live the French Empire!!" ''Woah hhhh!!" "For the Emperor!!" Nothing could stop them from rushing like lions. If the Russian army was already in disarray due to Murat''s grand cavalry charge, it could not deal with even more. Armed with a fiery fighting spirit, Napoleon''s corps overwhelmed its enemies with superiorbat power and operational capabilities. Bagration''s corps, which seemed so firm, copsed like a sand castle. Only then could themand''s staff burst into cheers and rejoiced. The Russian military discipline was progressively falling apart. Junot was deeply moved as he looked at the copsing Bagration''s corps. The Battle of Leipzig was considered to be one of the most important turning points in the Great War in which Europe as a whole was involved, Among others, the battlefield of the vige of Lindenau was a key battlefield where the most elite corps of the two factions faced each other. In this decisive battle in which themand had been entrusted to him by the Emperor, Junot was about to win, ''This day hase to me, too. God, I thank you for your grace.1 Junot, who faithfully followed the Emperor and longed for the baton of Marshal of the Empire, realized its weight after receiving it. Those who had received the baton with seven stars before Junot were all generals with great achievements and victories, so he always felt that he had to buildparable merit to them in order to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. Although the main character''s position was taken by Joachim Murat, who appeared with the cavalry division, Junot''s contribution to themand of the corps asmander from the beginn ing to the end of this battle did not disappear. Now he would not be under such pressure. He had won the most important battle! "Let''s offer an honorable surrender to Bagration." "Yes, sir!" Andoche Junot''s name would be recorded as the winner of a battle that would remain in French war history, defeating Russia''s bestmander and his elite corps. All he had left was to enjoy his victory. Unfortunately, however, Junot''s suffering was not over yet. Just before sending the surrender document, the Chief of Staff Berthier brought very terrible news. "It seems that they are as strong against bad luck as we are. Huh! What a third-rate novel!" It was really a close call. Just before Bagration''s corps copsed, the floating bridges over the river werepleted. In other words, it meant that the allies across the river, who had been carrying all the supply and support with only the Elster Bridge, had now a way to march over the river very quickly. The Alliedmand did not hesitate to order a number of elite units to attack at once. The appearance of Russian, Prussian, and Swedish troops crossing the river while shouting was terrifying. As soon as they joined, the battlefield plunged into abyrinth. Juno tore his hair out. If the bridge had beenpleted 30 minuteste, or even 15 minuteste, this battle would have ended in a French victory! ''Oh, cruel God! Are you testing me again!?'' The atmosphere of the Frenchmand in Lindenau became extremely dark. Their side had not managed to decide the oue even though all avable power had been poured out except for the Old Guard, which was thest bastion. On the other hand, lively soldiers were constantlying over the numerous new bridges. It was obvious who the final winner would be. At a time when Berthier, a cool-headed strategist, was touching his lips without finding anything to say due to the atmosphere of the battlefield that changed in an instant, a magnificent man strode toward this ce. He was Joachim Murat,ing back from the front line. "You thought that we were the only troops sent as reinforcements? Hahaha! No army moves its cavalry alone!" The officers'' expressions were nk as they watched Murat, who wasughing loudly. That was right, Allied troops from the French Army, the Naples Army, and small German powers belonging to the Confederation of the Rhine wereing to the vige of Lindenau! Murat''s cavalry did note alone, but they arrived in advance. Berthier asked him urgently. "How in the world did you know that we were in an emergency? We didn''t receive any signal or intelligence that aplete corps woulde here...!" "His Majesty gave the order." Junot and Berthier looked as if they had been hit hard in the head with a blunt weapon. It was the Emperor''s order? All of this? "This is the content of the message sent by His Majesty just yesterday morning." Junot and Berthier quickly received and read the letter from Murat. The letter revealed the strategy proposed by the God of War, who had a perfect grasp of the situation here even when he was several kilometers away. The enemy advancing to cross the river is the most vulnerable at the precise moment when its troops are divided between units that have crossed the river and units that have not. In order to achieve a reasonable goal, it is needed to keep the enemies in that state, To that end, I instruct you to go to Lindenau in secret with quick maneuvers without informing the Prince of Neuchatel (Berthier) and the Duke of Abrantes (Junot). The Emperor judged that if Berthier a nd Junot knew that reinforcements were arriving after a short wait, they would have used a formation centered on dy instead of repulsion, and therefore the experienced enemymanders would have surely noticed the presence of the reinforcements. So, he hid information from Junot and Berthier so that the Coalition''s troops could cross the White Elster River ''safely''. In order topletely deceive the enemy, even the allies were deceived. With their (Junot, Berthier) capabilities, the Elster River can be defended sufficiently without information about the reinforcements. However, ording to the tendency of the hasty Russian Tsar and the Allied Forces Command, there is a high possibiHty that they willunch an unreasonable attack without waiting, If you (Murat) personally lead the cavalry division of the reinforcements and participate in an advance support, I will be relieved. The battlefields of Lindenau and the Elster River had been in the hands of the Emperor from the beginning. Just as Junot swallowed his saliva while his hand holding the letter was trembling, the familiar sound of a military band resounded from behind him. JlJlJ''fiJ''J''JlJ''-! "Oh, it looks like they''ve just arrived. A corps of warriors who will end this war." The first th ing that caught Junot''s eye with the merry ma rch of the Imperial Army was the tricolor g ofthe French Empire waving in the wind. And after that, the gs of countries belonging to the Union, including the Kingdom of Naples, appeared one after another, filling his sight. The soldiers of the unified corps wereing this way in perfect, orderly fashion without any trace of battle. Would the crusaders who arrived to save the castle of Acre, which was in danger of being upied by Muslim armies, be as majestic and reliable as them? "Long live the Great Emperor!!" One of the staff officers, unable to resist the intense joy that hit his head, gave a headless cheer without realizing it. But no one could say anything to him. Because they all felt the same way. "He could have told us about the existence of reinforcements from the beginning and order us to fight a fierce battle, without dying it. His Majesty is really..." Berthier shook his head and smiled dejectedly. Nearly half of the Coalition''s forces had just crossed the river when the Union''s forces, with troops from France, Naples and the Confederation of the Rhine, led by Emmanuel de Grouchy and Edouard Mortier, arrived in Lindenau. It was a n that perfectly followed the theory that the time when the enemy was precisely divided was the time when he was the weakest, and Junot got goosebumps once again when he thought of the Emperor who had calcted this urately. "His Majesty is truly a divine man. Standing in an area far beyond our minds." "Hahaha! Wouldn''t it be enough for this body to serve at that level?" While listening to Murat''s hoarse voice with one ear, awe and a sense of despondency at the unknown being enveloped Junot. He had assisted Napoleon since he was a young officer, and had shared numerous miracles and simr moments. However, he concluded that today''s event would be by far the most awe-inspiring of all. No matter how much the Emperor was called a giant representing this era, was this not a strategic n far beyond the norm? Junot seemed to believe that the Emperor was a prophet who could foresee the future. No, rather, he was convinced of it. ''Anyway, the Almighty God of War is on our side. Then we will never lose this war.'' Junot nodded vigorously, There was no more hesitation in his movement from themand post to the battlefield. charging at the Battle of Jena, painted by Henri-Georges Chartier: Chapter 137 Chapter 137 23. In tne sege SLTOunding the Giant - 1 Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III were at a loss when the rafts and spikes, believed to have been sent down by the French, cut off the floating bridges connecting the White Elster River. However, the blessing for them was thatpetent and experienced generals and staff officers were under theirmand, Not only Baron Diebitsch, chief of Russia''s general staff, and Gneisenau, chief of Prussia''s general staff, but also usewitz, who now boasted a certain maturity, were all staff members who could be called top-notch strategists. "The Elster Bridge alone is not enough for us to help our troops across the river, nor can we cover them so that they can step down safely! We must immediately deploy all avable engineers to restore the floating bridges. Right now, materials are insufficient, so even wooden warehouses, carts, and temporary military barracks should be dismantled to make up for the shortage." "Our troops across the river have been fighting without eating since morning, and their fatigue must be at its I imit now. It is urgent to distribute drinking water and food through reliable bridges." "If we deploy our artillery forward and use cover fire, it will strike the enemy across the river and give us strength to hold on. If weplete the floating bridges while Bagration''s corps holds out and advance the main unit, we can reverse the situation." The advice of wise staff was sufficiently reasonable, so Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III entrusted the work to their advisors. Indeed, the situation went as expected. Bagration''s corps fought well against Napoleon''s direct corps, matching its reputation, and thanks to the supply of materials, engineers were able toplete the bridges earlier than expected by themander. At this rate, the Alliedmand would have greatly celebrated the defeat of Napoleon with champagne. If it were not for therge-scale reinforcements following the cavalry division that suddenly appeared on the French side. "I believe in the strength of our soldiers. I won''t give up until the end!" The war situation had long been reversed. Among the three monarchs, Alexander I, the leader, never gave up on his dream. He made a strong bet with all the troops he had left out as reserve forces, Now, ingenious strategies and tactics had disappeared. Only the head-onpetition of power and strength to upy the riverside, the bridge, and the surrounding area remained. The battle took ce everywhere, and the bloody smell of the river breeze grew stronger and stronger. The battle along the river, which had been pushing and pulling bodies over it, gradually turned against the Coalition, contrary to Alexander Ts expectations or wishes. Although arge number of floating bridges were built to move various battalion units at once, they had to take risks when crossing the river because they were exposed to enemy artillery shells, and it was difficult to advance as quickly as on the bare in. In addition, it was hard to secure a ce to station troops west of the Elster River, as the forces who came as reinforcements quickly took control of major strong holds. In the end, the Coalition''s forces had no choice but to fight in unfavorable situations, both when crossing the river and after crossing it, and because they were not against an average army but France''s elite corps, they were foreseeing an overwhelming disadvantage. "What are you doing nowi? Blow the trumpet of retreat immediately and call them back from across this river of deathi!" An old man awoke themand headquarters'' members, who were panicked and disappointed as they looked at the deepening war situation. The person walking with a cane supported by a young officer was Bliicher, Prussia''s Marshal Forwards, who had been away from the battlefield for a while due to his poor health. "Are you going to ughter all the soldiers of the Coalition!? If you really intend to give the whole of Europe to a Corsican viger, the three of you will have no choice but to get down here, even if you are shot!" "Marshal! What kind of rudeness is this in front of the monarchs!?1'' "Russia, Sweden, Ennd and Prussia are determined to end Napoleon''s regime with all their might! This is not the judgment of individual monarchs, but the ''decision of the state'' in which the people, nobility, ethnicity, religion, and ideology are collectively gathered! Betraying this decision is uneptable as themander of the Coalition ! Even for the ruler of a country!" At that, Alexander I, who was wriggling, shouted as if he was hit, "So you are saying that I betrayed the decision of the Russian Empire!? Who here hates Napoleon more than me! If anyone has made more investments and sacrifices than me to end Napoleon''s rule,e out!" "Then you should have gathered your forces and held on to your reason! The results of the investment and sacrifice made by Your Majesty are melting away there! We are about to give Bonaparte another myth!" Even at the gathering of the Tsar of Russia, the King of Prussia, and the King of Sweden, Bliicher did not stop this rude scolding, The dreary momentum shut up even the prominent generals and officers. Bliicher red at the people in themand line except for the three monarchs. He had strong eyes that could not be thought of as an old man who had difficulty even moving a few hours ago. "You mock me for being ignorant, straightforward, and belligerent in the manners of the nobles, but in my view you are the real fools. Even monarchs are human, so they can make mistakes. Then, when the monarch made a mistake, you had to make a wise statement and correct it, not only with honor and dignity, but also with your life." The Coalition''s generals and officers averted their gaze in shame. Without Baron Diebitsch, Gneisenau and usewitz who had disappeared from the headquarters to fulfill their respective assigned duties, there was no one to refute Bliicher''s words as he said that they were no different than scarecrows. Bliicher had caused many problems in the court and the army because of his peculiar personality. However, at least at this moment, his stubbornness worked positively for the allies. His shouting awakened the panickedmand and made it possible to make rational judgments. Alexander I was finally able to give up his greed and order the retreat. War was the most simr to gambling. The winner of the bet won sweet trophies, but the loser had to leave the game after giving up everything he had bet so far. And the bleeding that urred in the process was often more terrible than the battle itself. Thanks to Bliicher''s appearance, the allies across the river were able to retreat in time, but the situation was still gloomy. The French side would never miss this opportunity to reduce the strength of the Coalition''s forces, and at this rate, countless officers and soldiers would have to bury their bones there without crossing the Elster River. ''Finally, it''s our turn.'' British officers, including Rond Hill, who had remained still so far, stepped up. They gave a courageous suggestion to Bliicher, who was struggling with his superiors'' mistakes. "The Marquis of Wellington has prepared a number of tactics for such a time. If the Marshal entrusts us with the task, we will do our best to minimize the damage to the Coalition." "If it is the Marquis of Wellington... He''s a greatmander I know well. Are you really confident?" "Red coats don''t make promises they can''t keep. We have already prepared everything, so please look forward to it." Eventually, Bliicher nodded, In this way, 15,000 British soldiers epted the mission of leading the allies across the river to the rear while saving as many of them as possible. "Rocket engineers and the Rifle Regiment should proceed with ''our operation''!" It was Rond Hill''s order from themand headquarters. As a result, the Congreve rockets, which had fed the French army on the Iberian Penins, showed its power again here on the Elster Bridge battlefield. The hit rate was also not at an expected level, but the gray smoke emitted and the dust scattered after the explosion served as a smoke screen to prevent enemy artillery from aiming at the bridges over the Elster River. Meanwhile, the Coalition''s forces, including Bag ration''s corps, struggling west of the White Elster River, quickly crossed the river at the headquarters''mand. Of course, the troops who endured at the front line still had to face the enemy with guns and swords, but they had to bear such a sacrifice in the retreat. Tatatata! Tatata! Tata! Tatatata! Tatata! The White Elster River was about 40 meters wide, which was enough to fit within the effective range of muskets. On the other hand, it was close enough to shoot with one eye closed for riflemen of the British Army, the unit with the best shooting skills in the world, with the Baker rifle, the world''s most urate gun. Riflemen stared at the battlefield in a unique lying position under cover such as bushes, poles, and stone walls. They distinguished between allies and enemies even in chaotic situations and showed their ability to shoot only enemies neatly. "Shoot and kill the officers in their fancy uniforms!" The Union''s forces, chasing Bagration''s corps and other retreating troops, were greatly slowed down by urate shots from across the river, especially concentrated on officers. The performance of riflemen shooting with only their guns out of cover was like death falling on them from a ce out of their sight. Thanks to this, the retreat of the Coalition''s troops that were west of the river was safer. The frequency of massacres inevitably urring on the retreating side also decreased significantly. "That''s a new concept of defense transition. Avable only to the British military among the great powers of Europe." Bliicher, who watched their tactics supported by lieutenants,mented this way. All of these were tactical moves that could only be done with the British army''s excellent rifles, shooting skills, and Congreve rockets. Bliicher was not very impressed by the rifles or the rockets themselves. However, the ingenious creativity in the soldiers'' movements, the organic training of the troops, and the tactical understanding of the officers were very high for Bliicher. ''...Perhaps the country that achieved the most military innovation and progress in the period of peace (between the Peninsr War and the Great War) was Britain.'' Anyway, the cover of the British army led by Rond Hill had the best effect. The Union''s forces, the winners of the battle, ended their pursuit of the ''winner''s rights''! The British made them give up. The Coalition''s side was able to save a muchrger number of soldiers than expected. "It was a splendid performance, Lieutenant General! What you and the British army did in today''s battle was truly heroic!" Alexander I had been very depressed by his defeat in this decisive battle. But now he greeted Hill and the British army with a big smile as if it had never happened. "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty." Hill replied, bowing his head, without even forming a smile on his face, Twenty-nine thousand. It was the number of soldiers lost by the Coalition in the battle (casualties and prisoners). Although the damage was reduced thanks to Bliicher''s timely shouting and the performance of the British army, more than 20% of the main force, which boasted a size of 130,000 men, disappeared. And the elite troops from each country that were consumed could not be easily reced. It was clearly a bitter defeat. Nevertheless, Alexander I praised the British army with a bright face. Hill understood the reason. ''You''re going to make us heroes.'' By making Hill and the British army heroes, the Tsar would dilute the corps'' distrust and sense of defeat, and save his own face. It was funny, but it was a basic way of speaking used by those who could not separate politics and war. Hill joined him because the British had nothing to lose. It was strictly true that the damage to the Allies would have snowballed without the Red Coats. "The Allies have not yet been defeated in this battlefield. There are still reserves in our country that have not yet been sent, and if they join and defeat Napoleon, they will be able to repay the disgrace of this defeat twice." Hill smirked as Alexander I looked at the British officers. It could be a reminder that the Duke of York a nd the Marquis of Wellington were preparing abined corps of 100,000 men. It was really interesting to see him change his face and reach out to the British side when he was in an unfavorable situation, but refuse to share his ns when he was full of confidence. "That''s right, Your Majesty! A giant will not fall down with a single scratch, The strength of the Coalition is stronger than that of the Union, which also means that even if we change our strategy ording to the situation, we will still have an advantage." "Hahaha I Exactly! The lieutenant general does not know yet, but General Dokhturov hase with arge army of 115,000 to eliminate the French army south of the city, and if we wipe them out, we will be able to rebuild Leipzig like how it was a month ago." Alexander I had no doubt of victory over the southeastern battlefield. He had reasons to believe so, as it was 120,000 against 40,000. Although the elite level of Dokhturov''s corps was lower than that of the main forces here, the numeric gap was far more severe there, in Liebertwolkwitz. There was no monstrous Napoleon there, so no one here spoke of defeat. Their will to win in the battlefield there showed an explicit intention to wash away the defeat here. In any case, Alexander I and other Alliedmanders tried to ignore the bitterness of today, thinking about a hopeful tomorrow. However, hope and despair were as fickle as the two sides of a thrown coin. The next day, the allies faced hellish bad news. "The German army, which had been attacking the town of Liebertwolkwitz and the hills of Galgenberg, was defeated by the French army''s counterattack! General Dokhturov, themander of the army, Major General Olsufiev, and 117 officers were captured by the enemy!" The silence that encroached on themand headquarters was colder than immediately after the defeat of the Battle of the Elster Bridge. Rond Hill could see veins appearing on Alexander I''s clenched fist. At the same time, at the temporary position of Dokhturov''s corps that had been destroyed by bombing and fierce battles. Napoleon, the winner of the battle, was drinking the champagne of victory over the flowing blood and piled up bodies of the Russian, Prussian, and Swedish armies. In the meantime, he received a report on the Battle of the Elster Bridge. After reading the report carefully while stroking his neatly groomed chin, he smiled satisfactorily. "It seems that the battlefield of Lindenau was also victorious with a development simr to ours here. The presence of reinforcements arriving on time was a decisive factor in itself that reversed the oue of the battle." "All of these victories are thanks to Your Majesty''s strategies. They will remain entirely as a feat of Your Majesty." This honest man who naturally praised the Emperor was Louis-Gabriel Suchet, He, who, along with Davout and Macdonald, had been in charge of the entire Polish front while helping King Jozef I, had now appeared on the battlefield of Leipzig with the whole army. What was clear was that Suchet''s contribution to defeating the enemy corps of 115,000 men was very great. "Now, I am going to drive the Coalition out of Saxony." It was the best time. It was before Britain sent arge army in earnest, before the International situation in the Americas shook greatly, and before the arrival ofeastern troops from Siberia. And most of all, it was before Napoleon''s old enemies came to their senses due to the bad newsing from all sides. With a series of heroic victories, the entire corps was singing a song of praise for the Emperor. "Tell Soult to proceed with the operation. It''s time to cut off the right arm of the Coalition." Napoleon was looking at Berlin, the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. TL notes I suppose that this is referring to the attempted assassination of Napoleon, nned by Russia without telling Britain. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 23. In the sege suTounding the Giant - 2 The general who was given the task of recapturing the vige of Liebertwolkwitz and the hil I of Galgenberg upied by the French army was the Russian general Dmitry Dokhturov. He was an imperial aristocrat loyal to the orthodox vic people and came from a prestigious family. He was also evaluated as a petent, smart, and loyal general'' in a demanding Russian court, and was even trusted in his ability to the extent that he was called a ''great, solid, and brave soldier'' within the military. With a good background, ability, and reputation, it was no wonder that he seeded Bary de Tolly, who was driven away as the culprit for Hrodna''s disgrace. In addition, among the Russian generals, Dokhturov had a lot of experience in fighting against France and had faced Napoleon, the main enemy of Russia, several times. He had led the Allied left-wing battle line in the Battle of Austerlitz and was evaluated to have operated the troops in an orderly manner despite the defeat of the entire army, and in the Battle of Friend, he made extraordinary achievements such as defeating French cavalry charges and helping allies to retreat. In the Battle of Eu, despite being seriously injured, he defeated French troops with his heroic performance. For all his past achievements, Dokhturov was entrusted with themand of arge corps of 115,000 men and a solo operation. However, he had one fatal weakness. He had never dealt with Napoleon as themander in charge of an entire corps. He had never experienced Napoleon''s psychological warfare, strategies and multifaceted tactics that could only be detected by those who had faced him asmander-tomander. He had no choice but to be dragged around helplessly giving up the initiative in the Battle of Liebertwolkwitz. This was a decisive defeat for Dokhturov''s corps, "Ouch! I must be the most foolish and ipetent soldier in Russia. How can I look at the Tsar''s face now!" General Dokhturov, considered a promising Russian aristocratic general, was wailing while tearing off his scattered hair. Rather than breaking the enemy with three times as much power, he was captured miserably and thrown into the attic of a church. His military career was almost over. A future of contempt and ridicule more humiliating than the defeat of the Battle of Hrodna was awaiting him. Then he heard a knock on the door from outside the attic, Dokhturov, who was endlessly ming himself, opened his mouth with an extremely gloomy voice. "Come on in, Enjoy the ugly and miserable appearance of a defeated general," The one who opened the door with a squeaking sound was the one who defeated him horribly. Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of the French Empire. He looked around the attic and said. "It''s a little shabby for a Russian armymander to stay, but I hope you understand. There aren''t many buildings around here that remain intact because of the cannons fired by your subordinates." "...I don''t know what Your Majesty is up to, but it won''t do much to get me involved, This is because the defeat of thest battle willpletely sink my position in Russia." "Oh, don''t get me wrong. I came here because I was worried that you, who were ming yourself for the defeat, might make an extreme choice." Dokhturov did not evenugh at those words. French guards had already searched the attic. In the process, they swept away objects that could be life-threatening, even in the slightest bit, such as cutlery. On top of that, there was a thorough surveince, so Dokhturov could notmit suicide even if he wanted to, Therefore, he came to check the condition of his spoils from the victor''s position, With a joke and taunting words! Whatever Dokhturov was thinking, the merciless winner continued to say what he had to say. "I have asked your soldiers about their hometowns and affiliation. I don''t know if it''s a coincidence, but most of them are refugees from the steppes of the Baltic or ck Sea regions. Pure vs are very rare." "Based on your reaction, it seems that you already knew where they came from. It wouldn''t make sense that themander of a corps does not know the origin of the soldiers under hismand, right? Did you choose them on your own?" Dokhturov remained silent, but Napoleon continued to ask questions regardless. Sometimes, he whispered secretly to his aides sitting next to him and did not threaten or intimidate Dokhturov, who did not answer the questions. "Is there any other corps of non-Russian-speaking soldiers besides yours?" "I won''t give any answer." "All your troops must have been drafted by force, right? Is it the same for officers and nomissioned officers?" Dokhturov raised his suspicion about what this was all about, but he soon put it aside. ''There''s nothing I can do anyway. I did my duty just by not releasing any information to protect my loyalty to my country and His Majesty.'' At this time, Dokhturov did not know the identity of the aides sitting next to Napoleon. It was onlyter that he realized that they were top diplomats and intelligence agents who came to observe and understand his psychology through his facial expressions, reactions, and actions. What was Napoleon trying to learn through this, what was the strategy centered on this? Dokhturov did not know until a long timeter. Mon roe Doctrine. Originally, it was an istionist foreign policy de ration announced by James Monroe, the president of the United States, who would have grown rapidly under a stable political system and economic boom if the history of Europe and North America had passed. The U.S. territory was as vast as the entire continent of Europe, excluding Russia. No, it would be wider than Europe as a whole if the unexplored westernnds, potential American territories, were added up. All the products from that vast territory belonged to the United States. In addition, there were aImost no forces around the United States to threaten or contain them. Th is meant that there was no need to consume the nation''s resources to stabilize the situation while colliding with neighboring countries, and the United States was able to invest its resources solely for national development and progress. The United States, which had benefited from this natural environment, was able to have absolute confidence at least in the North American continent, That''s how Monroe Doctrine was born, However, the situation facing the United States in the current changed history was very different. "Let''s exercise our influence generously in the Latin American countries that have dered independence from Spain and Portugal. We can make a big profit by selling American products and military supplies to them." When Latin American colonies entered the war for independence from their countries, Spain and Portugal, the diplomatic stance taken by the United States was to make sweet profit. After all, war was a way to make neighboring countries fat and wealthy. In ordance with the harsh rules of international diplomacy, the United States sought to use the blood of Latin countries as an opportunity for its own growth. U.S. shipping tradingpanies headed south with the dream of good fortune under the active support of the federal government. However, they soon realized the existence of another country that had already reached out to Latin America. "France, France, France! Wherever we went, cotton products and handicrafts made by the frogs were filling warehouses and factories in Latin American countries. There is no room for us!" "Even though we have reduced our margin for the shipping fee, everyone is making a fuss about high prices. They didn''t even look at the products we made. They did buy some grains, including beans, corn, and wheat, but still..." The federal government immediatelyunched an investigation. They simply could not understand. France was in the middle of a war in Europe, but had the spirit toe to Latin America through Britain''s coastal blockade and sell their products there? Moreover, transportation andbor costs would be enormous to cross the Antic Ocean, but even considering that, the price of French-made products was rather cheaper than American products!? With the mechanical revolution in France, extreme cost reduction had be possible, However, such a mechanical revolution was in fact also actively underway in the United States, and American-made products were also produced by machines, not by manpower. Therefore, the gap in prices could note from the machines. Thanks to an exhaustive investigation into the matter, the federal government was able to quickly reach the reason. "France had signed a minimum tariff agreement with the colonies in advance. As soon as they dered their independence from their country." "They were tempted by the French, who offered to establish a conste and diplomatic rtions in exchange for the agreement. In colonial countries, they must have been happy because they needed support from European powers to be recognized by the internationalmunity." It was the result of diplomatic negotiations that had been done in advance. France was the dominant power on the European continent, and did not need to be wary of Spain, In addition, the French had won the recent war. Therefore, France was rtively free to ess the independent Latin American colonies, which were originally Spanish, and the signature of diplomatic documents was possible as the colonies were struggling with European interest. In the case of Portugal, it was a little unusual, as their Brazilian colony in South America had long since surpassed its home country in terms of power, territory, and poption. In addition, in order to avoid Napoleon''s invasion, most of the Portuguese royal family, including the king, evacuated to Brazil and discussed state affairs in Brazil for nearly 10 years, so it could not be treated as a simple colonial state. Portugal upgraded Brazil to a member of the Kingdom, rather than a colony, and therefore, the ''Treaty of Madrid'' signed by France after the war showed its power. ''Portugal has been guaranteed independence from France. In return, its maind and its Brazilian colony have to maintain a minimum tariff policy only on French trade for 50 years.'' This forced Latin American countries, whether they were independent or colonial, to impose the lowest level of tariffs they could impose on products from France, which in turn led to the pricepetitiveness of French products in the Latin American market. French products had already been deeply spread among countries such as Brazil, Peru, Venezu, Chile, Paraguay, and Nueva Granada. Merchants, citizens, and even rebel governments of each country bought French goods and products. The trade ie France was earning through this was such an amount that the federal government''s members had no choice but to open their mouths when they saw it. "What the hell are those British doing, so that the country at war with them is still making tremendous trade profits across the seai?" When Da niel D, Tompkins, Vice President of the United States of America, understood the situation, he banged the table and shouted angrily. What was the British Navy doing, when it bragged that it would block all the coasts of France as soon as the war broke out, when its country was called the world''srgest maritime empire, and when the United States had the opportunity to make tons money? "...That''s why France has the upper hand in the maritime hegemony race between Britain and France in the Mediterranean Sea, Thendscape is very different from the Antic Ocean." Secretary of War William H. Crawford exined the reason carefully. Even after the Battle of C Emboixar, the British Navy and the French Navy engaged in minor battles over the Western Mediterranean Sea. Most surprisingly, the French side won. Now, rumors were circting beyond the ocean about Admiral de Rosnay''s outstanding abilities, his incredibly developed and powerful French fleet, and his explosive cannon bullets. The Antic coast of France was still tightly controlled by Britain, but the Mediterranean Sea control had already been lost to the French. France, on the contrary, seized the strait to the Antic Ocean by blocking the British from passing through Gibraltar. This was the reason why French merchant ships could travel to and from Latin America. "In the end, the ipetence of the English has produced this result! Even with 130 battleships, they still can''t do anything!" "The French are pretty vicious, too. Taking advantage of the earnestness of the new South American nations, trying to suck their bones!" Federal cab members expressed anger by belittling Britain and France. If only the English had been a little morepetent, and if the French had not done such a sly thing, the U.S. could be sitting on a pile of money by now! "...I think everyone here will agree that the United States should not stand still." James Monroe said, looking all over those who had gathered at the meeting. And his gaze reached Congressman William Henry Harrison, who led the American strategy of reversing its alliance. Despite being a first-term congressma n, William Henry Harrison was selected as a Special Committee ofthe Ministry ofWar and was able to stand here in recognition of his insight into the international situation. In fact, prior to joining the cab, the core members of the cab held preliminary meetings, and House of Representatives Harrison attended them and expressed influential opinions, The results were announced now. Congressman Harrison nodded softly, and James Monroe continued. "As soon as the Great War broke out, Britain demanded that the federal government join the war as an ally. But we refused, Because we thought that it was right for Europe to do Europe''s work and America to do America''s work, But now the situation has changed. Their war is not limited to Europe, and American interests are also being vited by European powers." He hid the details because the former government was from the same political party, but in fact, there was also a problem with the ownership of gold mines in Georgia. It was uneptable for the federal government to have been deceived by Napoleon and to have handed over the right to use the two gold mines, which were presumed to contain enormous amounts of gold. The two gold mines had to be recovered as quickly as possible, and there was only one way. "If the French Empire leads this ''Great War'' to victory, there is no guarantee that it will not exert its influence here in America. Therefore, as the President of the United States of America, I am determined." In the original history, James Monroe proimed the Monroe Doctrine and advocated istionism in the Americas. Ironically, this was the moment when he dered active intervention in the European war, "I dere war on France. It is a decision for the sovereignty and future of the United States." On May 29, 1818, the United States officially dered war on France through its ambassador to Washington and entered in the Great War. This was exactly a day before the Battle of Liebertwolkwitz, in which the Coalition''s defeat was confirmed in Leipzig. You can read all the remaining chapters on Chapter 139 Chapter 139 "The United States has finally pulled out its sword! The opportunity that we''ve been waiting for hase atst!" The ambassador of the French Empire, August Ravez, delivered the newsing from the Washington Embassy. As the leader of the Native American Federation, Tecumseh, who was secretly gathering anti-U.S. forces, could not believe it even after hearing the breaking news. He could not believe that the United States dered war on France, a former ally and a European hegemony! "...That''s right. The prophecy of your Emperor hase true. He said that the United States and Britain would join hands aga inst France..." "There is no mistake in what His Majesty prepared. It''s only natural," Tecumseh could not refute the French words fulI of trust and loyalty. Among the indigenous tribes of North America, there wasa legend in the Mohican tribe. It was about a prophet who had eyes to see the future and remembered all the events until the end of the world. Tecumseh thought that the French Emperor was the very legendary prophet, He had a strong urge to meet the character named Napoleon Bonaparte. ''But now I must do what I am supposed to.'' Although a native, Tecumseh had a European mindset more than anyone else among the natives, and knew the meaning of the participation of the United States in the war. His sympathy for Napoleon was short-lived, and he judged and decided on the strategy the current Native American Federation should take, This was a great opportunity. His name meant ''Celestial Puma''. The eyes of the beast that caught its prey were shining like stars. "Call the agents of all the tribes of the Federation in secret right now!" "Chief! What are we calling them for?" "The time hase to reim our lostnd, spring, and nation!" The time hade for Napoleon''s arrangements in the New World to shine. The war clouds of the Great War were gathering not only in Europe but also on the new continent. The fierce battle between the Coalition and the Union over the entire Leipzig area and Saxony, which became the center of Great War, was called the ''Battle of Leipzig or the ''Leipzig Campaign''. First of all, its scale was different from the previous battles. The number of troops easily exceeded 500,000. Taking both the city and the area around it... it was worth calling it an all-out war in which all the capabilities of the Coalition and the Union were gathered. Except for the armies confronting in Pnd, all corps and divisions of both sides headed for Leipzig, the promised battlefield, as if possessed by something. In the process, battlefields were formed here and there around Leipzig, and close battles took ce everywhere. The Russian Grenadier Regiment faced the Swiss and Dutch Allied divisions, and there was a unique scene in which the northernmost Swedish and southernmost Napoli forces in Europe fired at each other between trenches. It was a series of great fights, worthy of the Great War in which all European countries participated. The victory and oue of theserge and small battles were made known to the whole of Europe in real time by multinational war correspondents dispatched to the battlefield. Whenever the results were heard, interested authorities and the people repeatedly expressed their joys or sorrows. The defeated army was ridiculed and despised, and the victorious army was enthusiastically praised and worshiped. It was like watching a cruel form of sport. Strictly speaking, however, the above fights were actually just side events. It meant that they hardly had a big impact on the whole battle. The most important battlefields that could determine Saxony''s control were Lindenau, Connewitz, and Liebertwolkwitz. In any case, everyone now knew that the winner of the battles in these three key points would be the owner of Saxony and would take the lead in the Great War. The whole of Europe was focused on this ce. Not only members of royal families and cab, but also capitalists, intellectuals, citizens, and farmers were waiting for the oue of the battle regardless of ss. "Extra, extra edition! Finally, the winner of the ''Battle of Leipzig'' has been decided!" "What? Reallyl? Where, where...!?" "Who won? Huhl?" "Buy it and read it. Extra edition, extra edition!" And the results spread throughout Europe, giving shock and fear to some and joy and delight to others. The Coalition defeated in the Battle of Leipzig! Its leaders decided to temporarily retreat to Berlin... A desperate and insulting defeat! The great alliance lost in Saxony. What are the odds of the war now? Was Bonaparte''s empire an insurmountable wall? Skepticism about war is rising among allies... Uncoordinated allies caused a catastrophe in which 100,000 people disappeared in 15 days! The French Empire''s millennium hegemony isplete! A great victory in the Battle of Leipzig! Everything there is to know about the Battle of Leipzig, another masterpiece that the God of War showed us! All European military schrs and war reporters speak together: ''The winner of the Great War will be the Union.'' Long live the Emperor!! French citizens are shouting in Paris squares!! ''Battle of the Three Battlefields'', ''Battle of the Elster Bridge'', ''Battle of Connewitz'', ''Battle of Liebertwolkwitz''... The Union members, especially the French, seeded in defeating all of their enemies in these important battles. And at the center was Napoleon Bonaparte, who led the French army and showed innovative operations and tactics, After the victory (or defeat), the specific history of the battle, the battle process, and the strategic situation after that, created an insurmountable gap between the two sides. London, Berlin, St. Petersburg, and Stockholm spent the day in despair, sadness, and misery, and the whole court fell into a heavy silence. Conversely, the nations in the Union burst into cheers and congrattions as if they had won the Great War. They said that it was the right choice to stand on Napoleon''s side. The Coalition members were tasting the devastation and misery of the defeated, but Prussia was the hardest hit of all. The Coalition lost Saxony with the Battle of Leipzig. This meant that the des of the Union were flying right down under Prussia''s chin. There was already a flurry of criticism within Prussia. Now, Prussia''s weight ss and situation would never stop the Union''s forces advancing northward. Rather than face the humiliation of having the whole of Prussia upied by France again, it would be better to engage in an honorable negotiation. If Britain had not hastily bought Prussian politicians and court ministers and sent 3 million of pounds in subsidies to the Prussian government, they would have done so. Meanwhile, Napoleon''s armies were preparing to march north. Berlin was like a light shaking in front of the wind. "The God of War, born in Corsica, has created another myth." It was not only the salons or courts of each country who marveled at Napoleon''s heroic victory. The generals, who were among the top Europeanmanders due to their careers and reputation, could see the true value of Napoleon''s victory. Ka rl Lud wig,mander-in-chief of the Austrian Imperial Army that marched with the French-Polish forces throughout Pnd,wasa manwho waswell within that category. Looking at the postwar report, Karl praised again and again themander who used to be his enemy and inpetition against him in the past. "It''s a very bold strategy and maneuver. I never thought he would form a hammer and anvil in this way and destroy the enemy''s central forces. If he were to point his guns at our mothend... I''m sure something scary would happen just by imagining it." "Your, Your Highness! How can you say that?..." "It''s a fact that you can''t deny, what do you mean? There''s nothing to make a fuss about. It''s rather arrogant to say that you can beat the best militarymander in European history head-on." Karl Ludwig was considered the hope and beacon of the Austrian Imperial Army, so when he himself said that he would not be confident if his enemy was Napoleon, the officers under hismand looked bewildered. Regardless of their expressions, Karl once again recalled the Battle of Liebertwolkwitz, one of the highlights of the Battle of Leipzig, Napoleon deceived his enemies by keeping the Emperor''s g in the vige of Lindenau, He first induced the enemies'' carelessness by letting them have an advantageous terrain for defense, and attacked. Moreover, he had secretly summoned Suchet''s corps, which was defending Pnd, instructed him to make a detour, and to strike behind the enemy troops in the midst of the attack on Galgenberg hill. In a perfectly coordinated operation, more than 110,000 enemy soldiers were shattered in an instant, and all themand line was captured. Thebined loss of the Coalition''s forces was 43,000, while that of the French army was only 5,000. If Hannibal Barca and Julius Caesar had watched it alive, they would have given the highest praise. It was the final version of Napoleon''s hammer and anvil perfectly reinterpreted with modern tactics. "The higher someone''s position, the less likely they are to change. Few monarchs experience progress in a better direction,'' Didn''t even Friedrich the Great turn into a single-minded man in hister years and undermine the reputation he had earned in the early and mid-term of his reign? However, Napoleon was bing more reasonable and wiser as he grew older. Compared to 10 years ago, he really seemed to have changed. He had changed as the ruler of the Empire and as a human, but Karl paid more attention to his changes as a general. Karl was confident that he knew Napoleon well because he had directly faced him at the Battle of Aspern-Essling and the Battle of Wagram. Napoleon was by no means a man of deceit that casted aside authority and pursued such tactical refinement. The extremes of practicality and efficiency, the countless gamers and tricks derived from them in the process, and finally the overwhelming tactical ability toplete all of them. Napoleon had never been at this level in the past. The current Napoleon really looked like the god of war had descended into his body. If Karl had faced today''s Napoleon in Aspern-Essling... He probably would not be there anymore. "Have you heard from the Schbnbrunn Pce... or the Foreign Minister?" "No, Your Highness. Doesn''t that mean that they will leave it entirely to your judgment?" "Well, they''re giving me freedom now and then." Carl Ludwigughed sarcastically. Austria was in a very unusual position in this ''Great War''. It was the only country in the Union that never wanted France to ascend, and that cared about maintaining rtions with the Coalition members, From Austria''s point of view, the best scenario was for the Union, including France, to end the war without either side winning (of course, with the least damage to Austria in the process). Metternich, the Foreign Minister, set up a major strategy based on this. Karl insisted that if they wanted to side with a force, they had to join it, but Metternich refused. Franz I sided with Metternich, and Austria had been a bat since the beginning of the Great War. In Karl''s eyes, it was a dangerous tightrope. However, Metternich''s dangerous strategy was undermined by external factors, As soon as the Great War broke out, news about the French armys victories were heard regardless of the battlefield, onnd or sea. The French fought too well, which served as an opportunity to strengthen the unity of some loose allies. Taking advantage of hisst victory, Napoleon directly pressured Austria, And a series of discussions and debates with great strategies was led in the Schbnbrunn Pce. It was the military, including Karl Ludwig, who won the ''political struggle of the court. Austrian Emperor Franz I gave full power to Karl. This was why Karl Ludwig was able to go to war to help Pnd. And, realizing the results of the Battle of Leipzig and the power of the epic written by Napoleon, Karl could realize that this choice was right. Perhaps Metternich was thinking the same now. ''If France wins andslide victory in the Great War, Austria will have to pay the price for acting like a bat. Austria should actively fight the Coalition and dilute its previous reputation.'' At the same time, luck also followed Karl. The defeat in the Battle of Leipzig greatly reduced the morale of the Coalition''s forces and created a power gap in the front lines surrounding Pnd. In such a case, if the Austrians actively stepped up and defeated their enemies to bring victory, Austria would be able to get rid of the image of a bat and share the fruits of victory. Karl was cautious, but once he made up his mind, he did not hesitate. The Austrian army, which had been passively responding to enemy attacks and protecting Pnd so far, immediately began to act as if all that had never happened. The ''Battle of Brest began when Austrian troops raided the Russian-Swedish forces gathered in the wend of Brest. The Coalition members, who had never dreamed that Austria would be so active, were greatly surprised, and Karl''s solidmand was enough to break them down. The Russian and Swedish forces fled with nearly 10,000 casualties. The news that Austriapletely joined the Union was a bigger disaster for the Coalition than the Battle of Brest itself. Now in Central Europe, a solid line had been formed between Pnd and Austria, and Prussia was clearly isted. Half a year after the outbreak of the Great War, victory was certainly leaning toward the Union. The Coalition needed groundbreaking strategies and tactics to ovee this crisis. A reference to the Fable of Aesop . During a war between the birds and the beasts, the bat switched sides easily depending on which looked more likely to win. At the end of the war, neither side would ept it. Archduke Karl during the Battle of Aspern-Essling (painting by Jacques-Louis David): Chapter 140 Chapter 140 23. In tne sege surrounding the Giant - 4 "The Coalition lost the Battle of Leipzig? Then won''t this ce be dangerous tooi?" "Let''s evacuate quickly! The devilish French areing!" Upon hearing the news of the defeat at the Battle of Leipzig, the Prussian citizens, prepared to evacuate urgently. They remembered 12 years ago, when France invaded Prussia on a massive scale. The revolutionary army viciously plundered theirnd. Rebellious houses were set on fire and burnt down, and ruthless oppression was imposed on citizens who deviated from their discipline, In the process, countless Prussian citizens were killed or injured. The ten months of upation and domination by the French were simply hell. ''I can''t let my wife and children go through that terrible and cruel devastation!'' ''How much I worked for thisnd! The French can''t rip it all off!'' Citizens living in Brandenburg packed their bags to leave their beloved hometowns. The farmers in the suburbs ploughed up the farnd they had worked hard to cultivate and left with only seeds, Many merchants and industrialists also arranged their own properties and prepared to evacuate. Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia, issued a statement as they were about to pack up and leave home. The armies of the Kingdom and of the AUies will surely defend the Kingdom and protect the Hves and property of the people. Prussia''s security is no probiem, so our good citizens should rest assured! No matter how much they disyed, it was not easy to turn their back on their hometown. If the Coalition''s members protected Prussia''s territory, there was no need for a painful evacuation. Citizens rxed and praised the king''s statement. Some citizens, who knew that the situation was dire, fled quickly despite the statement, but most of them put down their luggage and headed back to their homes, believing the government''s deration, They then learned some news. The fact that Napoleon''s own allied forces were just around the corner of Berlin. And the fact that Friedrich Wilhelm III and other Prussian royal families, court and cab ministers had already left for Kbnigsberg, in East Prussia. "Damn it! He bragged so much that he wouldn''t let the French cross the border!" "What kind of king is he! He deceived and abandoned his people!" "Shh! Watch your tongue! You''re going to get caught by the secret police." "Hmph! Are you really talking about the police when the government is running away like that!?" Citizens who stopped evacuating after believing in the words of the king and the government threw up their anger, betrayal, and resentment without filtering. It was toote to pack now. The French army, like hungry wolves, woulde and repeat the nightmare of 12 years ago! In Berlin Square, there was a fierce confrontation between those who wanted to form militias to stop the enemy and those who said that they should just give up their assets and ask for mercy. Some left their properties and left the city and vige with nothing but their bodies. As the gloomy atmosphere engulfed Berlin and its suburbs, the French army finally emerged. Chuck-i Chuck-i Chuck-i Chuck-i The symbol of the French Imperial Army appeared. Uniforms with blue like the sea and white like drawing paper, ck boots, and shako hats. They were undoubtedly French soldiers, walking in line in rhythm, The citizens fell into despair as they watched them approaching confidently, as if the French knew that there were no obstacles to block their way here. They were drenched in fear. It was like that 12 years ago. As soon as the French found out that there were no resistance forces while entering Berlin in an orderly manner, they turned into hungry and fierce wolves, leaving irreparable wounds to the citizens of Berlin. Even if they died, they would protect their families. Berlin''s men watched the French with nervous eyes, holding their own weapons. Women, boys, girls, powerless old men were ready to ask the French for mercy. Chuck-i Chuck-i Chuck-i Chuck-i Disregarding the tense appearance of the citizens, the French simply walked silently. They did not start plundering. They did not even threaten the citizens with their guns to get their properties, They only advanced under the leadership of the officers, not creating a matter of concern to the citizens of Brandenburg. The French army upied only the major government offices, military and administrative facilities in Berlin one after another. In the process, they did not inflict any harm on citizens who were standing helplessly with farming tools or knives. Rather... "Come on, we are passing through. Citizens, get out of the way!" They just did their job, asking for their understanding. The administrators who followed the army packed the documents, cabs, and articles of the official residence, and the French carried them. In a series of processes, there was nothing that could pose a threat to ordinary citizens. Some friendly soldiers gave military biscuits to a boy wearing dirty clothes, while others winked at a girl hiding behind her mother''s back and sticking her head out. It was the citizens of Berlin who were bewildered by the unexpectedly gentlemanly appearance of the French. "What, what...? What happened?" "...They''re not robbing us, are they?" "Wake up! You know what kind of people they are!" "But... We''re still fine?" The tension did not seem to ease easily. Learned fear and memories were still there. However, as the above process was repeated and time passed, the tension and fear surrounding the street were relieved surprisingly quickly. First of a II, innocent children unlocked their hearts. They waved to the French marching in a disciplined gesture. They aIsoughed and liked it when the soldiers waved back at them, "Huh... the world has really changed." "I heard that the French Emperor discussed European harmony, peace andmon development in Strasbourg... He must have fixed their demonic mentality." "Hey! Watch your words!" "But it''s definitely better than His Majesty the King who spoke empty words." The elderly people around them shook their heads, but they could not refute the old man''s words. Some citizens remained vignt until the end. They stayed aware, saying that they never knew when the French would turn into wolves. But in the end, the French never did so, Before they knew it, Berlin regained its vitality as before, as if the fact that it had been upied by the enemy had disappeared. The citizens were no longer afraid of the French. ...Just as France in the past and France in the present are different, we know that His Majesty in the past and His Majesty in the present are different. The intellectuals of this time arembs who are thrilled and obedient to the values of harmony,mon development, and human rights that His Majesty disyed in Strasbourg. Please consider their trust... This was before the French entered Berlin. After his great victory in Leipzig, Napoleon received a letter from Goethe, one of the most prominent writers in Germany. The letter contained pitiful words asking for the mercy of the French. "That''s not a pleasant misunderstanding, What kind of Mongolian nomads does he think our French soldiers are?" "Haha haha! Isn''t it proof that the majesty of the Imperial Army underthe leadershipofYour Majesty the Emperor covers al I of Germany?" "The Battle of Leipzig and its consequences have caused not only Germany but also all of Europe to vibrate under the name of the French Empire. Any intellectual representing Germany would now know who to bow to." Generals from Bavaria and Westphalia threw tteries one after the other, The atmosphere of the Union''s forces, which led to the victory of the most decisive battle, was perfect, and generals and officers who were not from France were impatient because they could not see well the letter in Napoleon''s hands. While listening to their ttery, Napoleon handed over Goethe''s letter. So that everyone here could read it. The metaphorical expressions, artistic rhetoric, and writing skills contained in the letter were truly worthy of someone being called the best writer in Germany, so the admiration of the readers continued. But that was not what was important... "I''ve said it once, but... In this war, the Union''s forces should not touch the goods and property of the citizens under any circumstances." Napoleon issued a ban on looting. Originally, it was difficult for the military to carry on with only the supplies sent from its home country. Therefore, the vacant part of the supplies was covered by looting cities, private houses, and government offices. In particr, the French army had an extremely high proportion of local procurement. Thanks to this, it was possible to march quickly without the burden of supplies, but it was very notorious. It was known for being an army that would take every door of even a shabby house... Napoleon, however, banned plundering for local procurement, even giving up the strategic advantages of fast manoeuvring and rapid supply. Napoleon did not give such orders because he did not need such advantages, but, because this was a matter of justification. The direct cause of the war was the attempted assassination of the Emperor. Napoleon turned this into a warmitted by the remnants of Fouche, with the support of foreign powers, and was able to dere war with national support. There was no probiem so far, but as Goethe mentioned in his letter, Napoleon had spoken in Strasbourg. The reason why Napoleon was truly praised as an enlightened monarch and emperor of tolerance throughout Europe was because of his derations at the Strasbourg Conference. A person who preached the values of European harmony, unity, andmon development by saying ''At least in Europe, we must seek peace and coexistence,'' allowed the looting of European homes and property to facilitate the war? Like the French did in the past? It would soon be a denial of the cause of the creation of the European Union itself. France, whatever its intentions, should now act like an indulgent empire. Further wars of conquest were unnecessary, and France needed to conquer Europe in a more sophisticated way. That was why the Union was established and Napoleon showed clemency. For Napoleon, it was hisst duty as the Emperor to establish a grand scheme for France to seize European hegemony for a thousand years while wearing sheep''s clothing. The Brandenburg region, including Berlin, was not an easy terrain to defend, and the Coalition''s forces needed time to reorganize their corps and rest after losing the decisive battle. The Coalition retreated to East Prussia. As if they were going to take a chance to turn situation by fighting there. The Union did not bother to pursue them. With the unity of the Union and its exquisite interests, Berlin, the capital of Prussia, fell into the hands of the Union''s members without shedding a single drop of blood. Thus, this allowed Napoleon to visit for the first time in 12 years the capital of North Germany. There was no resistance, Although there were militias and vigntes guarding the city, they quickly raised a white g as soon as the Union''s forces appeared. ''I saw their expressions of humiliation, oppression, and anger.'' The vast majority of the Union''s soldiers were French, and they had humiliated Prussia twice. Although this time they did not plunder and were acting as gentlemanly as possible for an enemy. The citizens of Berlin would not cooperate with the Union after all. They would rather choose to be aggressive and spy. Germany''s poprity and favorability for Napoleon differed depending on the region, and Prussia, including Brandenburg, had the lowest rates. Napoleon felt the need to change the minds of these Prussian citizens even a little in order to facilitate future wars. "Call Goethe, He spoke arrogantly to the Emperor, so he must pay for it." ording to intelligence, Friedrich Wilhelm III had left for East Prussia like he was abandoning his people. By now, the citizens of Berlin must be venting their anger at their king''s behavior. Wouldn''t it be quite a sight if this anger could be used? The literacy sses in German culture were already mostly pro-France and pro-Napoleon. It was a really reliable method to make use of celebrities who could lead public opinion and who were on the same side. Napoleon, who was preparing for a personality that would go down in history in Prussia after Spa in,ughed like a viin before a prank. Why did Prussia switch sides? He originally intended to scold only Ennd and Russia, TL notes Napoleon and the Great Army entering Berlin in 1806 (painting by Charles Meynier): Chapter 141 Chapter 141 23. In tne siege surrounding :he G''ant - 5 As the aftermath of the Great War engulfed in depression chilled Britain, Londoners staged a massive demonstration in hopes of recing the ipetent Whig party''s regime as soon as possible, George IV made a special decision as the trend of public opinion flowed to the royal family. It was to hold an early general election ahead of the election date, Of course Charles Grey and the Whigs wanted to hold the election after public opinion calmed down, but George IV was tough. "It is the Prime Minister''s prerogative, of course, to set the election date. However, it is up to me to decide whether the Prime Minister keeps his seat or not." George IV pressured Charles Grey, saying that he would rece him if he did not hold an early general election. Some citizens, who usually did not like the royal family''s participation in politics, weed King George IV''s decision with open arms. No one sided with Charles Grey and the Whigs. They ended up having to weep and eat mustard. On 24 May 1818, a general election was held a month earlier than scheduled. Angry citizens exercised their right to vote against the ruling party in unison, and the Tories won a great victory, sweeping 341 seats, more than half of the 658 seats in the House of Representatives. The new British Prime Minister, George Canning , was the leader of the Tory Party, following former Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson. "The most influential figures in 19th century British politics are neither the former Prime Minister, the Count of Liverpool, nor the current Prime Minister, nor His Majesty. Neither am I, of course, as the humble loser." Charles Grey had won the elections six years ago and managed to change the ruling party by pinching the mistakes of the previous one. Exactly six yearster, today, he was now proving the proverb in the Gospel of Matthew, ''He who uses the sword, perishes by the sword1. "Considering the two prime ministers, no, we should include Pitt (the former British prime minister, who died of ill health after hearing about the oue of the Battle of Austerlitz) as well, so three prime ministers, Napoleon Bonaparte, who blew up the London political scene three times in a row, is the most powerful man, able to control the Westminster parliament and the British electorate?" Charles Grey left while taking full responsibility for the failure of state affairs. Thest words he uttered as he left Westminster Pce left a deep echo for the members of the House of Representatives. It was also a warning. If Napoleon was not overthrown, today''s events would be repeated like a Mbbius strip. The idea that they could be the targets of political witch-hunts gave members of the new cab extraordinary determination. Either way, Prime Minister George Canning and the Tories seeded in changing the regime and returned to power. And they did so with andslide victory, winning the majority of seats. However, they had to face a multitude of issues that were rushing before they could enjoy the sweetness of victory. "Wellington''s corps is not far from being operational, we need to do a final check with arge scale maneuver and firing training. ordingly, we need budget and supplies support." "Even after leaving for the expedition, we need to stockpile more war supplies to provide enough food, drinking water, and ammunition, uniforms, gunpowder and firearms." "What theyck most are horses and donkeys to pull wagons and carts, For now, even if they were requisitioned from wagon rentalpanies, the number would still be insufficient, so they would have to import inrge quantities..." Britain was unusually preparing to send arge corps of 100,000 to the European continent. As such, the amount of money and resources spent was enormous. The British Treasury and War Service were sending out daily requests to Westminster demanding the expansion of the war budget,ining of ack of finances, There was also a limit to selling bonds with guarantees from the royal family and the parliament. In the end, as always, it was necessary to directly cover insufficient funds from citizens by collecting a ''war tax''. "Then we''ll have to start from next month to attract publ ic opinion on the special war tax." "It''s not difficult. Tll organize the materials right away." Members of the newly formed cab were not too worried, even though they were aware of citizens'' antipathy to the special tax. To change their minds, it should be enough to uncover war crimes done by France in the past, or to scare them a little bit with the French ruthless tyranny and hegemonism. Of course there were no British citizens willing to pay more taxes, But at least they would acknowledge the need for a special tax and would maintain their level of eptance to ''very annoying but still paying to beat the frogs!'' Westminster Parliament intended to reverse the situation of the Great War by fully utilizing the know-how of dealing with civil power that it had learned through various wars. What they overlooked, however, was the rapidly changing situation of the war and the direction of public opinion that caused it to bounce freely. "Why do we have to clean up the shit of those stupid alliesl?" "The government should stop this useless war right nowl!" "Europe is Europe! We British want nothing to do with it!" It was a demonstration of London''s citizens who were uttering rough words as they blocked the entrance to the Whitehall Pce and the Cathedral. Charles Grey and the Whigs were shouting to stop the war itself this time. George Canning sped his forehead and let out a groan, and the Torywmakers could not find anything to say either, As soon as they achieved a regime change, what they faced was a challenge to their duties and power. Right after the general election, mainstream European media were spreading the news about the Great War as if they were broadcasting sports. And it included the work of instigating and brainwashing the people so that they could have an optimistic perception of the war while extremely exaggerating and praising the achievements of their own country or their own forces. The headlines in their newspapers showed their intention to boost the people''s support for war. While people were feeling tired about it, newspapers that asked more essential and pedantic questions appeared in the spotlight. From May 2 to June 1818, the Coalition and the Union fought 16 battles, Over the past month, the number of young people who became manure of the soil and blood wetting thend is 100,000. Europe lost 100,000 family members, friends and neighbors in a month. During the ''Bloody May'', there was a battle every day. Throughout Saxony and Pnd, there were no days without gunfire. Is this ''Great War'' thest gateway to peace and harmony in Europe? Another year like 1632? European refugees who have lost their homes are groaning under the pain of constant wars and battles: ''We want peace right now!'' France dered war immediately while the Union was seeking permanent peace andmon development in Europe. An ally who plotted insidious schemes in the name of national interest. The two sides need to find an agreement now. The mercilessness and cruelty of war that you forgot, and the importance of peace and freedom that you did not realize. Free cities of the former Holy Roman Empire, such as Frankfurt, Dortmund, Nassau and Hamburg, were guaranteed widemercial and media autonomy even after they were annexed by France or other federal states. The media of the Confederation of the Rhine and France, or of their satellites, did notpetitively praise Napoleon, nor did they force up the war situation of their allies like the media based in Britain, Prussia, or Sweden. They simply borrowed from the experiences of war reporters and veterans and insisted that peace should be restored as soon as possible. "The newspapers I see these days are those of mediapanies that are published under the name of free cities of the former empire (Holy Roman Empire). Other than that, it is nothing but trash that is instigating for political purposes for all of its affiliated countries and organizations. Trash that is wasting ink at the expense of trees. You don''t have to look at it, and you don''t even have to pay attention to it, except for the newspapers of the free cities." British philosopher Jeremy Bentham , who preached utilitarianism, which was emerging as a hot topic inw and philosophy, while publishing (An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and LegitionJ and (n of Parliamentary ReformJ , also left such a vicious remark. As Jeremy Bentham said, the media in the former free cities evaluated and criticized the Great War from a neutral point of view, pointing out the reality of the war itself. This was an area that other European media had not touched. The French Revolution, which cut off the head of an absolute monarch, and the brutal revolutionary war that followed it, gave freedom, peace, and nationalism to citizens of Europe. It made them yearn for romanticism, and this trend was shown during the Strasbourg conference. The new perspective shown by the free cities1 media, which deviated from the old system, customs, and totalitarianism, left a fresh and deep impression on the British intellectuaIs. It was a gift like wee rain in a drought for citizens who hated and avoided the war itself. The popr free cities'' newspapers, so-called ''free press'', began to change their tone one day when they dealt with the events in Berlin after the Battle of Leipzig. The free press, which stayed neutral and refrained from directly criticizing, broke its line andunched a violent attack. And the targets were Friedrich Wilhelm III and the Prussian army. The king of Prussia who dered his determination to protect the capital fled to Kdnigsberg, leaving the people behind. The citizens of Berlin grind their teeth in a sense of betrayal! Is there a king in history who deceived his people like this? Frederick the Great, who is sleeping in the Sanssouci Pce, will suddenly wake up. What was the king of Prussia thinking tomit such hypocrisy and deceit? Some interpret it as a vent of anger on the country itself, which fought poorly at the Battle of Leipzig... ''If the king wants to abandon us, we''ll abandon him, too!'' Prussia suffers from anti-government protests. And the French, the upying forces, calmed them down. The event in which the king of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm III, abandoned the citizens of his capital city, even appeared with ridiculous caricatures and began to spin around. Their fierce and provocative criticism immediately reached the citizens of London who subscribed to the newspapers and spread from mouth to mouth. "Should we help this ally that sells their country''s people like livestock? Its a disgrace to Britain!" "Well be a totalughing stock if we fight together! What a shame!" "This is all because the Prussian people are naive and stupid. The citizens have never stood up and hit their kings head, so they''re being treated like pushovers!" Althoug h they were allied because of the threat of France, the rtionship between Britain, Russia, Sweden and Prussia from the beginning was historically unfa vorable. In such a situation, it was impossible to support the whole alliance when a monarch spread news like this, On the contrary, manyined that they were supporting the war by giving money to see that kind of thing. Britain was a ce where civil power was particrly strongpared to other despotic monarchy countries. They were very reluctant to help their country, when the kingdom and the government regarded the people as livestock. And the person who focused on this atmosphere was also Napoleon Bonaparte, the biggest hand moving Westminster politics. Napoleon, the Emperor of France, once again gathered arge number of people (the vast majority of them were Prussian) in Berlin Square, which he upied, and dered the following: ''Fouche is a traitor to the French people who plotted a civil war, supported insurgents, and stole state secrets from the Empire before trying to assassinate me.'' ''The Empire''s intelligence department recently uncovered a link between Russia and Fouche and secured relevant evidence and witnesses, It will be organized and announced soon.'' ''If Russia hands over Fouche even now, and if the allies against the Union support the significance of the European Union, this war can be stopped.'' Naturally, the remarksnded in Britain with the free press coverage, sending shockwaves through London''s citizens. Russia kept to its existing tough stance, saying that everything was a maniption and delusion and that Napoleon wanted to hide his desire to conquer, but evidence released through the media from the French intelligence agency was enough to chew up their excuses. A handwritten letter from Anton Gorkiskiye, the head of the Russian secret intelligence organization, as well as traces of funds from Moscow at the Amsterdam Bank were found. Napoleon did not bluff, he had found real evidence and revealed them. Public opinion in Europe all criticized Russia. Londoners, especially those in the financial world, were well informed of hidden information such as state secrets from other countries. It was surprising, but not shocking, that Russia was found to be behind the attempted assassination of the French emperor. But they were shocked for another reason. ''We can stop the war now. I won''t make any demands except for Fouche.'' There were not just a few cases in history in which a monarch had shown mercy to an individuaI who tried to kil I them. Richard the Lionheart showed mercy to the crossbowman who killed him, and Louis XV also tried to save Damiens who tried to assassinate him. But was there a case in which the monarch forgave the forces that led and instigated the assassination and asked for reconciliation? There was absolutely no such thing. This was because it was an act that defamed the own legitimacy and divinity of the monarch. But Napoleon asked for reconciliation on a grand scale, while preaching the ''tolerance of Europe'' that he imed in Strasbourg, to Russia, which instigated the assassination. Those who were used to the political arena saw that this was a clever political act, but not the others. "ept the French emperor''s offer right now and stop this pointless war!" "We don''t want to pay a penny for the war on the continent! We don''t want to die fighting for a stupid alliance!!" "The war broke out because of the vs! Let the vs take care of themselves!" "The government and parliament should not think about war in other countries, but just care about our people''s livelihoods! Bread and wages instead of guns and cannons!" The number of anti-war protesters increased day by day. In this situation, what would happen to someone asking the people to pay more taxes to carry out the war? They would be lucky not to be stoned to death. George Canning and the Tories'' ambitious special war tax ended up in smoke. On the contrary, then had to mobilize the remaining administrative power and security forces to stop and calm the protesters. There was a long way to go, but they tripped over a stone from the beginning. "The former Prime Minister was right. The French emperor across the sea can lift Westminster with just a few words." Although the general election was over and they had won a victory greater than expected, Prime Minister George Canning looked five years older than he was. The giant''s speech in itself slowed support for the British expeditionary forces and dyed itsunch by nearly a month. It had also dampened public expectations and support for the new government. The Tory members clearly realized two things. The fact that their adversaries knew how to torment Westminster in a thousand ways, and that Britain''s enemies were lurking inside. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 23. In tne siege surrounding the G''ant - 6 "...This idea is very disrespectful and may be unpleasant to you... But right now, I can''t help but feel skeptical about parliamentary democracy. Ha! How can the educated citizens of London be so easily instigated and confused..." Some objections were raised against what a Torywmaker said, but it was also quietly received with sympathy. Parliamentary democracy had the advantage of being able to lead the entire country in a fair and right direction by adding opinions and rationality from all walks of life, but it had been very vulnerable to external or internal incitement and political attacks. Perhaps at this moment of war, wouldn''t it be better to have a despotic monarchy that could bring the entire nation''s capa bilities together like France? But what they did not know was that the reason why France was able to unite and work together under Napoleon was not because the system of governance was an autocratic monarchy. Administration and tax reforms to correct all kinds of evils umted in society, reform ofws, the end of futile wars, the cirction of goods and enhancement of added value, development of new economically intensive industries, revitalization of national and local economies, a sharp decline of poverty, improvement of the welfare system, etc... Napoleon built the absolute trust of the French people, leading all these reforms and innovations. From this stage, it created a difference in level from the rtionship between British politicians and the people. In Strasbourg, he emphasized European peace by using the framework of a tolerant and enlightenment monarch, and added sincerity by even talking about giving up the throne. With a war that would inevitably break out, all this secured Napoleons justification and legitimacy to dere war for the attempted assassination with the support of most of Europe except the Coalition. He achieved national unity by doing everything possible. Prime Minister George Canning and members of the Tory party were only absorbed in the beauty of the swan swimming on the water, without seeing its legs busily moving underneath. It was the difference between British politicians and Napoleon, not between parliamentary democracy and despotism. "A king who has abandoned his country and his people is no longer worthy to wear the Prussian crown!" "Lies and deceit! Ipetence and neglect! IrresponsibiIity and arrogance! Down with the rabies king''s subordinates!" "Prussia is a country of soldiers and warriors! We don''t need a coward king, coward government, or coward army!" "We will not fight for this shameless king!" "The king and the military government muste back to Berlin right now and exin this! Ore down from the throne!" In Berlin, protests by angry citizens continued after hearing the full story of thest incident. And the measles was spreading throughout Prussia, including Neumark, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Pomerania. As the royal and court figures, officials, cab leaders, and senior officers had all left for Kbnigsberg, the city hall and government offices to manage the states, regions, and cities came into the hands of the Union. In fact, Prussia lost its local administrative power in all provinces except East Prussia. The Union forces were inciting the Prussian people by ignoring or encouraging the protesters'' actions. The provisional government of East Prussia had no choice but to watch the anti-royal, anarchist protests that dared insult the king and royal family and deny the government. "Verdammt, verdammt (damn it, damn it)!" Friedrich Wilhelm III, who was so moderate that he had never uttered a curse in his life, was furious as he tore up the letter that came to him, The temporary pce, built in the middle of the Kbnigsberg monastery, was filled with silence between the angry king and his wary ministers. "What did I say?l I told you that if you deceive the people with this ridiculous trick, there will be a backsh! How on earth are you going to take on these responsibilitiesl?" There was nothing the court ministers and generals could say to Friedrich Wilhelm III, who was beating his chest as if he were dying of injustice. Friedrich Wilhelm III had been in Berlin just before the end of the Battle of Leipzig. After the defeat of the Battle of the Elster Bridge, he realized again that he was not fit for the battlefield. When Blucher, who had been handed over themand of the Prussian army by the king, return to the pce shortly afterwards, Friedrich Wilhelm III was disappointed to hear of the defeat of the entire army. As a result, Prussia fell once again into France''s hands. Anyway, the allies decided to regroup in East Prussia. Sooner orter the British wouldnd and join in on arge scale, so the war was not over yet. There was enough room for reversal. Friedrich Wilhelm III prepared for evacuation as he did in 1806. He had originally intended to sneak away at night. But there was a problem: a procession of Prussian refugees leaving or preparing to evacuate was already filling the main road. If the Union''s forces continued to pursue them, they would be caught before they could leave for East Prussia. It was also dangerous to expose the royal journey to refugees. So the court ministers came up with a trick. If they dered in the name of the king that the capital would be protected, the refugees woulde back and stay. Friedrich Wilhelm III, who could not bear to lie to the people, refused to make the statement after much consideration, but the chief of staff and some ministers disobeyed the king''s order and arbitrarily carried out the n with the mindset that it was a sacrifice for the country. As a result, Friedrich Wilhelm III became a rare tyrant who did not just abandon his people, but even lied to them. Tens of thousands of protesters were shouting that they did not need a king who ran away. The citizens of Kbnigsberg, where he stayed, also looked at him with suspicious eyes. For Friedrich Wilhelm III, it was really crazy. "Your Majesty! In my opinion, there is no need to worry too much about that unsavory thing." "Oh, what do you mean, Chief of Staff! The honor of the Hohenzollern family has fallen to the ground and everyone in the world isughing at me!" Even in the face of the king''s anger, Gneisenau, the chief of staff, calmly expressed his thoughts. "If Prussia wins the final victory in the Great War, Your Majesty''s decision will be regarded as a gra nd judgment to regrou p the country''s forces. If you cover it up with achievements that overwhelm it, that''s enough. There will certainly be no Prussian people who will not bow to His Majesty, who has broken the history of decades of repression from France and established a new order in North Germany." The record of history was also the record of the winner. As long as Napoleon, who conquered Europe, was defeated, Friedrich Wilhelm III could be the greatest king in Prussian history. Who would dare to speak III of the past to such a king? "Public opinion is like a reed. Your Majesty, open your heart proudly. It will not be toote to resolve the misunderstandings between the people and Your Majesty after everything is done." Besides, were there not obvious culprits behind this? The court officials and officers, including the chief of staff, who took the king''s name recklessly and issued a statement. If they were put up as shields and given reasonable trials and punishments in Berlin Square, the public would turn their anger towards them and praise the king. It was not known that everything wouId go as the Ch ief of Staff Gneisenau had expected. Could the angry protesters rage further, saying ''Put away the bulIshit, you cowardly king!'' at Friedrich Wilhelm III''s appeal? In any case, however, it was clear that the words of the chief of staff calmed the king, who had been engulfed in anxiety and anger, to some extent. "...But to create the situation as you said..." "Yes, victory in the Great War is indispensable. But isn''t that the same as before?" Prussia had no future if it were to lose the Great War anyway. Napoleon would tear Prussia to shreds and destroy all its potential so that it could never use force again, Losing the war meant losing everything; winning meant winning everything. The situation was the same as before. So there was no need to bother. It was an extreme change of thought, but Friedrich Wilhelm III felt his beating chest calm down. "The Marquis of Wellington''s expeditionary forces of 100,000 are the most powerful weapon of the Coalition that can change the course of the Great War in a sh. Don''t worry too much, Your Majesty! The Prussian army is still alive and well." Yes, it was just one more reason to win. Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of the French Empire and the ruler of this era. Baron Fain was the chief secretary who served Napoleon from the nearest distance. He was the one who could observe him the most. People from all walks of life in many countries who were curious about the figures representing this era used to ask Baron Fain. About Napoleons personality, personal life, taste, inclination, etc. Whenever that happens, Baron Fang replied: "When he is wearing aurel crown, he is more like an emperor than anyone else. When he is riding a horse, he is more like a general than anyone else. To the ministers and secretaries of the court, he is more like a monarch than anyone else. In front of the royal family, he is more like a father and a husband than anyone else." Peopleughed, saying that he had great loyalty and respect for the Emperor, but Baron Fain was 100% sincere. Baron Fain had watched Napoleon Bonaparte, who was fully aware of his duties and responsibilities and fulfilled them ordingly. He was a perfectionist wearing the mask of simplicity and devolution, "Your Majesty! It''s time to wake up, Your Majesty." "Oh... right... it''s already morning." It was 5:30 a.m. The Emperor was originally a person who woke up like a clock at 5 a.m. every day, but his sleepy face showed that he could not sleep because the changed bed was not very good. As usual, Baron Fain ced Brazilian coffee, buttered bread, and a morning newspaper on the bedroom table, The half-asleep Emperor drank a cup of coffee and then his eyes regained their focus, "Thank you. Ah, you did it good today, too." "It is an honor, Your Majesty." The chief secretary did not have to make coffee. He could just let the servants or the other secretaries do it. However, the Emperor''s sensitive pte always recognized whether it was Baron Fain''s hand that made the coffee or not. The Emperor liked the coffee that Baron Fain made himself. Baron Fain could happily make coffee for the great Emperor more than a hundred times if needed. Reading newspapers while drinking coffee and eating bread was an indispensable part of the Emperor''s morning routine. Originally, the Emperor had a very irregr lifestyle. His time of sleep, wake-up, and meal were arbitrary, and on the battlefield, he did not sleep at all or made up for it with a nap. However, after sometime, he changed drastically, and became a man of upright life who moved ording to a set schedule. Like a machine without error. The results for this change were clear. Baron Fain checked the Emperor''s body and health with a side nce. He could not see anymore the Emperor with a penguin-like body who suffered from all kinds of diseases. He could only see a man with an angr body full of vitality, even though he was close to 50. Themon belief that regr life, steady exercise, and management of eating habits had an immediate effect on health had been re-proven by the Emperor. "Hahaha..." The Emperor, who was reading the newspaper, let out a smallugh. It was a yfulugh that was not usual for the Emperor who ruled Europe''s most hegemonic power. "What is so funny, Your Majesty?" "Oh, it''s funny to see the inders having seizures every time we touch them." Quick-witted, Baron Fain knew immediately why the Emperor was happy. British society was now suffering from measles, The Emperor had thrown a rock, and this was the ripples caused by it. In fact, the Emperor''s direct target was Prussia, not Britain. Domination and stabilization of Prussia were essential to support Pnd, which was acting as a shield at the forefront of the Union, and tounch a fierce counterattack on Russia-Sweden, as Prussia was in the middle. That was why he tried to make political gains by diverting the hatred of the Prussian people toward their royal family and government. The Emperor gently coaxed German writers, including Goethe, who was disappointed by Friedrich Wilhelm III''s madness. This allowed the free press tounch effective political offensives and raise insurgency and demonstrations by anti-government forces, dramatically aggravating the public opinion of the Prussian people against their king. In other words, it was the Emperor who raised and led the unrest in Prussia. But in that situation, something happened out of the blue on the British side. A random bomb thrown at the enemy''s camp in anticipation exploded and swept away the enemy''s leaders, An unexpected performance in an unexpected ce was the cause of the Emperor''sug hter. "If their management of state affairs had been fully supported by the public and the economic situation had been stable, would such luck have worked? It means that we can use it as an indicator that things in Britain are much worse than we expected. It''s a very good and desirable thing. The goddess of victory favors France." Britain, which had been pushed out of the market battle with France, was weakened by the continued economic downturn. Debts also piled up, and social problems such as rising unemployment and crime rates were added to the rest. In addition, due to external expeditions and the failure of the war, British citizens had not been very passionate about the war from the begi nni ng. It was like looking at France at the end of the Seven Years'' War. The hegemony of the maritime empire was being shaken greatly at this point. They had their antipathy against France, but their friends and family were going to die on the battlefield, so who would to wee this? The victory of the Union at the Battle of Leipzig was the most decisive blow. As the tide of the Great War was leaning towards France, the Emperor''s political trick swept London right in time. There could be no greater stimulus than this to ignite the hearts of the anti-warists. Westminster seemed very embarrassed by the will of the citizens to stop the war immediately. It was a very savory and interesting sight. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 23. In the siege surrounding the Giant - 7 "Your Majesty, may I ask you a presumptuous question?" "Well, let''s hear it." "If Russia had epted your offer and handed over Joseph Fouche to the Empire... Did you really intend to stop the war there?" As if there was nothing difficult about Baron Fain''s question, the Emperor smiled and answered immediately. "I was sure that Russia would not hand over Fouche. That was how it was designed from the beginning." The Emperor was convinced that Russia would not ept the deal. In the end, it once again instilled in Europe the perception that the pride Coalition members were solely responsible for this war. As Europeans suffered from the continuation of the war, toward whom would their resentment be directed? France showing its willingness to end the war? Or Russia that created the cause of the war and then turned a blind eye to it? The answer was fixed. Baron Fain could not help but tremble at that deep, dark heart. ''Perhaps... perhaps the greatest blessing of our country is to embrace His Majesty?'' The Emperor entered the central hall of the Berlin Pce where a military meeting would take ce. Following him, Baron Fain thought so, while muttering that thepliment was not exaggerated in the slightest. The existence of the Emperor was an indispensable condition for France''s millennium hegemony. IVe don''t need a king anymore! Go away Prussian army! The citizens will establish their own government! Outside the Berlin Pce, anti-government and anti-monarchy protests were still ongoing, Napoleon left them alone on purpose. There was no reason to suppress the protesters unless they stormed into the government buildings or military facilities upied by the Union. Rather, he met their leaders at night and proceeded with secret deals. While supporting the protesters and embracing their leaders, he added a bit of pro-French feelings. Napoleon likened the process to sprinkling seasoning while cooking to bring back the vor of the meat. The Prussian people would eventually hate their own king and government more than France. "I greet Your Majesty the great Emperor, the sun of the French Empire!" "May the glory never cease in the way of the Empire! May you have a peaceful morning, Your Majesty!" Upon his arrival at the main hall, generals, foreign ministers, and ambassadors of the Union stood up. They all weed Napoleon with respect and awe while apuding or saluting. All of this was because the war wasing out properly. Their expressions were very bright, and their attitude toward Napoleon was more polite. After a brief greeting, the military affairs meeting of the Union began. "They are the bastard sons of the disgusting inders, after all! The Americans have dered war on the whole Union. Let''s show them what we got!" "Hahaha! The British broke those weaklings on their ownnd! Do they even have regr troops to send across the ocean?" "How well would men who sailed 6,000 kilometers fight? If they sneak around Europe fea rlessly, they will be crushed in an instant," Union''s generals wereughing in unison. Well, Napoleon agreed on that point. Napoleon was wary of the United States because of their potential, not their current national power. The deration of war of the United States, delivered by its ambassador, presented evidence of links revealed between the French and Barbary pirates. In 1801, the United States engaged in a war to overthrow the Barbary pirates, who robbed their merchant ships and sailors and interfered withmercial activities, In this war, the United States won a great victory and caused fatal damage to the Barbary pirates, but the pirates continued their activities like cockroaches. The United States, which had been so beaten by the Barbary pirates, dered them enemies and defined them as targets for extermination. ''France has joined hands with our enemies to acquiesce in their piracy and to cause irreparable damage and hurt to good American citizens. Without a reasonablepensation and apology for this, the friendship between the two countries will not be guaranteed.'' Napoleon did not even snort at the stupid request of the American ambassador. Both countries confirmed their intentions toward each other. It was a catastrophe. Thus the United States and France ended their 40-year friendship and pointed guns at each other. ''The New World needs to be solved by the New World. We have invested a lot for this.'' Just as crossing from the New World to Europe was a great hardship, crossing from Europe to the New World and fighting a conquest war was also hard work. What could the French do when they were busy fighting in Europe? Napoleon had thought about it and had prepared things for the United States, He thought that he did not need to worry about this anymore, and moved on to the next agenda. "What is the progress and performance of the manoeuvre and formation training?" "The morale of the soldiers is very high and the discipline is well established. Themanders who were in charge of them are expecting a positive effect soon." "The military system that Your Majesty created is very intuitive and efficient, Thanks to it, the Union forces are able to move as one body on the field without confusion." Currently,rge-scale maneuvers and exercises by the Union forces were in full swing on the Terhausen in, south of the Berlin Pce. As it was a multinational force, a new organization andmand system were needed to control them efficiently, and Napoleon personally took care of it. In order for it to work well in practice, there was nothing better than training, especially maneuver training andrge-scale training. "The sweat that soldiers are shedding now will reduce the blood that they will shed on the battlefield. There will be no offensive against the Union for the time being, so please focus on training." "There won''t be such a thing, Your Majesty!" "I will obey your orders!" Soldiers would spit out curses at the Emperor who made them do hard training even during the war. However, if they could save their lives on the battlefield, it was eptable to take such swear words a hundred times. The less casualties, the better, for a perfect victory of the Union. In addition, it was killing two birds with one stone as it could intimidate the Coalition members with armed demonstrations through training. "The following is an overview of the military operations against the Coalition forces crouching in East Prussia, Our staff is considering the construction of supply bases as a draft of the operation," The Union forces had seeded in recapturing Saxony and upying almost all of Prussia after the Battle of Leipzig. They wanted to go east and sweep East Prussia, but the conditions were not good. The biggest obstacle was supply. The section from West Prussia to Silesia was covered with rugged mountains, slopes, and wends. It was a very unsuitable supply route to support an army of more than 200,000, approaching 300,000. In addition, snow and rain were alternately falling here after October, and this would make the area difficult to drain due to wends and the mountainspletely muddy. Could the carts and carriages pulled by horses pass through there and deliver smoothly supply to the great army? It would be impossible even if Cardinal Richelieu came back to life. Supply bases could alleviate that difficulty. "Before crossing the rugged terrain of West Prussia and Silesia, we need to have sufficient supplies of munitions, food, drinking water and hay for the horses. The process of securing a safe supply route and setting up supply bases in between should precede the expedition, just like how the French prepared the expedition to Russia in 1812." During the expedition to Russia, supply bases from Dresden to Danzig and Warsaw were installed to minimize leakage of supply depending on the terrain and distance. Even with such thorough preparation, some of the troops that followed had suffered from a shortage of supplies. That showed how difficult it was to supplyrge armies. "In order to conquer the main cities of Russia and Sweden, it is essential to build intermediate supply bases. The war has entered a lull, so we should find suitable areas right now." Napoleon, who was not in a hurry, decided to take it step by step, The problem was getting supplies... "Since the battle ended earlier than expected, there are still plenty of gunpowder and ammunition left in our country that have not been sent yet. We will quickly bring them and put them in the supply bases." "Ahem! So instead of supplies, we will provide horses and donkeys to support the supply route. We''re going to need the means to move a lot of wagons and carts in order to run the supply bases smoothly." "Berlin and our kingdom are quite close, so it''s easy to transport food and drinking water, We will be in charge of this..." Diplomatic ambassadors and aristocratic generals representing their country''s situation voluntarily stepped up to support the operation of the Union, even though no one had asked them to do so. The attitude was contrary to the previous one they had, which had been slow until France urged them. In addition, small and medium-sized principalities and free cities of the Confederation of the Rhine, which had difficulties providing state-level support, decided to pay for the Union operation instead of bringing supplies. Austria, too, decided to support with money. Why were they so active? That was because they were seeing the possibility of a victory of the Union in the Great War. With sessive victories, the atmosphere inside the military was very good and the spirits of the soldiers were rising. They actually seeded in upying the capital of Prussia, which was one of the members of the Coalition. ''If they thin k that they are going to win, they will raise the stakes.'' Napoleon knew the fastest and most effective way to run a multinational army. They just had to keep winning so that they did not lose momentum. It may not be simple to do for others, but it was for Napoleon. The atmosphere in the main hall stayed friendly the whole time. And at the center, Napoleon smiled as content as a lion who finished hunting and felt full. Now thest thing left to do was to set up a real strategy to run the Great War immediately afterwards, and to find how to bring that huge empire of Russia to its knees. The generals and diplomatic ambassadors, who had been confidently engaged so far, all closed their mouths like mutes at this moment, They did not know how to do it either. ''Russia, the vast and deste empire of the vs.'' Napoleon had thought about it long ago, even before he stepped into this world. If the day came for France topete with that Eastern empire (although it was best not to fight it), and if such a fight could not be avoided, how should he bring the Russians to their knees? When Napoleon woke up in this world during Nabot''s expedition to Russia, he had been very frightened at first. Swinging arge army into the wilderness was the most ignorant and stupid strategy against Russia. He was sure of it. If Napoleon had not crossed into this world, the Great Army would have been engulfed in devastation and would have melted away without a trace, and Nabot''s empire would have shattered. Even if the Russians lost a battle, they could burn their ownnd and hide in barren fields. No army could withstand guerri and non-regr warfare apanied by their devastating operations. This was why Alexander I was forced to do so despite the unfavorable war situation and European public opinion strongly criticizing Russia, In the end, Russia was a country capable of fighting a war that could not be won, but could not be lost. Bringing such a country to its knees, of course, was impossible with a regr strategy. After a long period of contemtion, Napoleon was able toe up with ''one strategy''. A strategy that had been honed and polished while imagining the day when France would have to fight against Russia. "Would you like to hear my thoughts on this?" It was a strategy refined in a way that people of this time could never imagine. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 23. In tne s ege surrounding the Giant - 8 It was thest day of July 1818. The Westminster Assembly, which had been wandering in chaos, settled the confusion and decided to dispatch Wellington''s corps and the European Expeditionary Force. A transport fleet of 1,100 ships and 41 warships was escorting them. And countless frigates and corvettes set sail from the port of Chatham carrying Wellington''s corps. Never in British history had they organized arge army of 100,000 troops and sent it out to the maind. Britain had always dealt with foreign affairs with diplomacy and capital rather than with the blood of its own people. And Britain was now sending arge corps to the continent, prepared for massive bleeding. Napoleon Bonaparte was a threat to Britain''s national interest and security. It was the result of a national agreement that Britain would copse if his reign was not put to an end. "The future and destiny of the Kingdom, sovereignty, and the freedom and dignity of the people of thend. Its only up to the Marquis." Prime Minister George Canning held Arthur Wellesley''s hand for a long time. Wet sweat dripped from the Prime Minister''s hands. How could he turn a blind eye to that earnestness and desperation as a British soldier? Arthur Wellesley''s shoulders were heavier than ever. If even Wellington''s corps was defeated, spring would no longere to Britain. "I will fight for the dignity of the royal family, the glory of our country, and the sovereignty of Britain, and I will certainly win," Britain''sst master had the spirit to withstand this nationwide pressure. That was why he was chosen as the spear of Britain against the god of war. Arthur Wellesley''s face as he boarded the ship was more determined than ever. ''I will surely win, even if I have to hand over my body and soul to the devil.'' Wellington''s corps, which arrived in Kbnigsberg 10 days after sailing on a fair wind, was warmly weed by the Coalition soldiers who were thirsty for support. "The warriors of the promised victory are here!" "Liberators of the i nd nation I We have been waiting for you I" "Red coats! Red coats! Red coats!!" When would the British, who were despised by mainders, ever receive such praise? The British soldiers shrugged their shoulders and put a lot of strength into their arms and legs. The British officer who saw it muttered with derision, "They are excited like this without knowing that these are cheers asking them to risk their lives in their stead. What a bunch of idiots." "Ahem! Lets not be discouraged by nonsense, and its good to have discipline like this." The 90,000 British troops who arrived in Kbnigsberg, with the exception of 10,000 reservists who would defend the maind and maintain security in the rear, were sufficient to reverse the war that had been disadvantaged by the defeat of the ''Battle of Leipzig''. The British had fought against the French in the Iberian Penins war with guerri, shooting battles and defensive dying tactics, They had been able to defeat Europe''s strongest troops one after another by fig hting with the advantages of terrain, types of troops, and weapons. But now the Coalition was in crisis and there were not much of the advantages that the British had used on this wide in. From an offensive standpoint, they would have to fight with great damage. And yet Arthur Wellesley was confident. ''There is no harsher and stricter discipline than the one of the Prussian army. They don''t even feel as strong a sense of unity and enthusiasm for war as the French army. But the red coats go through more training and correction than any other country''s military before being put into action.'' The British army was the only one in Europe that could train with dozens of live bullets, and that could devote six long months to war preparations. (The average European army would use a month at the longest.) The British army was like well smelted steel. Their qualitative capabilities were among the best in Europe. In addition, the British army had the highest proportion of riflemen in the world, and the number of avable ammunition and artillery shells in the infantry and artillery units was perfect. Congreve rockets and canisters and other secret weapons were also on standby. 90,000 British troops would bring disaster to the enemy with 150,000 men, more fire power and organization. It was the confidence that only Arthur Wellesley, who had trained them for half a year, could have. "Wee, Marquis! I''ve been waiting so long for you, brave and wise, and for the red coats to join us!" It was Alexander I, Tsar of the Russian Empire, who weed him with open arms and a brig ht face. Knowing how long he had been waiting for the British to join, Wellesley greeted him by bowing down without saying a word. Walking along the Kbnigsberg Temporary Pce with the Tsar of Russia, Wellesley asked about the enemy''s news that he had not heard during the voyage. "What about France, or the Union?" "The wicked and greedy are dreaming of advancing into the territories of our country. It looks like they don''t know their ce after winning a few battles." Puzzled, Arthur Wellesley asked Alexander I, who was smirking. "Do you mean that the Union members are preparing a direct invasion of Russia?" "That''s right." Alexander I''s exined that the Coalition''s intelligence agents in Paris, Marseille, Amsterdam, Naples, Prague, etc. all received a single piece of information. It was the intelligence that the French government was preparing a deal to import ''something'' from the Ottoman Empire on arge scale. And that ''something'' was camels. "Camels from the Ottoman Empire?" "Oh,e to think of it, the Marquis served in India, Aren''t you familiar with the characteristics of camels?" "Of course, Your Majesty." Camels, which were used as major means of transportation instead of horses in desert countries, were highly adaptable to the environment, like animals whose main habitat was desert. Unlike horses that copsed when a little severe cold wave blew or were exposed to midday hot weather, camels could withstand rtively intact in different climates and environments. In addition, camels were stronger that horses and had better endurance. That meant they could carry more luggage at once. In addition, the fact that they could survive without drinking water for a long time was also an advantage of camels as a means of transportation. The Coalition''s staff interpreted France''s move to supply camels inrge quantities as follows, Before they could advance into Russian territory in earnest, they would use camels to rece horses as a means of transport to support the supply of troops. At first nce, this was quite a usible reasoning, "At the time of the expedition in 1812, Nabot had spent more than half a year just investing in supplies before attacking our country. Unfortunately, our country lost, but we could see one positive factor: the advantage of having vast grasnds." At the time of the expedition to Russia, the expeditionary forces lost 10,000 war horses in the first two weeks of the war, although Napoleon, the god of war, was so preupied with supply. This was because they were unable to adapt to theck of water, food, and the changed environment. As the horses died massively, the supply was dyed, the advance was slower, and the losses outside ofbat snowballed. Perhaps it had been a reality like a living hell. It was only after the war was over that Alexander I learned that the conditions of the expeditionary force had been that bad. "I med myself for not being too fierce. I should have carried out a more vicious scorched earth campaign, and dragged on the war more severely! Whether or not they had captured our elite armies, or if the serfs of the empire died, if only we had driven the expeditionary forces into our vastnds! If we had done so, the winners and losers of the war would have been reversed." Only then did Wellesley understand the reasoning of the Coalition''s staff. Napoleon was not someone to repeat the mistake he had done once, and therefore he must have taken advantage of the past to prepare measures for the supply problem when advancing to Russia. The Coalition''s staff decided that France''s move to import camels from the Ottoman Empire was part of this n. When camels were brought in and supply bases and supply chains wereplete would be when the Union started their second expedition to Russia. "The clever Nabot has decided that camels are better than horses as a means of sustaining supply. What a funny and pitiful thing to do! If camels could solve all the difficulties of supplying troops, the many armies andmanders that have existed on thisnd would not have worried too much about supply. Nabot only briefly tasted the harshness of the frozen grasnds, and still has the arrogance of thinking he can conquer this empire. I am going to give him a proper experience of the greatness of the Empire." Alexander I seemed to be nning a much harsher scorched earth operation than in 1812. Hell would unfold for the Russian people and serfs who were living on the expected Union''s march, but that was not what Wellesley cared about. Obviously, the scorched earth operation could be a deadly tactic against the Union invading Russia, But Wellesley somehow felt uneasy. ''Na poleon is the author of deceit and trickery that he does as naturally as breathing. Would he expose his army''s purpose and strategy so easily? If even this was meant to be a trick...'' However, there was also no information and no basis for this. Arthur Wellesley pursued his lips. As always, nothing was easy when dealing with Napoleon. The political and military triumphs from Eastern Europe were enough to make the whole of Paris flutter. Their great Emperor once again upied the whole of Germany and perfectly ced the remnants of France''s thousand-year-old archrival, the Holy Roman Empire, at his feet. No monarch in France''s history had achieved such a feat and dignity. Only Napoleon Bonaparte could do it. ''The true master of Europe has been born!'' ''The great victories of the Empire will be repeated forever!'' The squares in Paris were covered with posters with propaganda praising the Emperor and the French army. The faces of citizens passing by the roadside were overflowing with pride and confidence. Artists and writers in Parispeted to present several works. All of them were glorifying the Emperor and the Empire. The Emperor had given them the right to freely express their thoughts and opinions, even if they were different from the direction of the regime. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm for praising for the Emperor was hotter now than before 1812, when there was still a strong censorship. The evil deeds, mistakes, and petty actsmitted by the Emperor in the past were glorified and reevaluated through all kinds of propaganda media. He was simply following the steady idolization process. Even more surprisingly, no one was talking about this abnormal situation in which the whole country was revering a single individual as if he were a religious messiah. Rather, they were enthusiastically assimted into the atmosphere and shouted for the rule of Emperor Napoleon and the continuation of the Bonaparte imperial family. "The Emperor must live for at least 20 more years and rule this country. Theurel crown of the Empire can only be used by His Majesty and his descendants. Our party, with the fervent support of our supporters, will ask the great Emperor who led this war to victory to remain on the throne." "Woaaaaahh!!" "Long live the Emperor!!" "Long live Napoleon the Great!" Members of the Imperial Parliament, regardless of their party, were all saying the same thing. The Emperor could never be separated from the Empire. This was in direct opposition to the abolition of the monarchy and the revival of civil politics that Napoleon had spoken of in Strasbourg and Paris, What the hell was going on in Paris? Napoleon had dered that he would step down from the throne after the war and that he would share the country''s political power with the citizens. At first, the French people had cheered enthusiastically and praised the generous and holy concession. They had praised Napoleon''s bravery, saying that knowing a great Emperor who couldy down all personal achievement and power to recall the forgotten cause of the revolution would remain an immortal pride and honor in their lives. However, as time passed, the enthusiasm cooled and rational judgment became possible, and the citizens began to feel strange emotions little by little. He was a great, noble Emperor who opened the era of European hegemony for the French Empire, which his ancestors had longed for but never achieved, made the people''s food, clothing, and shelter more abundant than ever, and was revered and respected by Europeans, ma king them envious of the French, Could the Empire maintain its current status without the Em peror? Would it be able to stick to its proud and robust attitude even under the threat of itspetitors? This anxiety was immediately revealed through the expression of public opinion. "There is only one leader, His Majesty the Great, who rules the French Empire and takes care of his subjects," "Who built this great country and who put it at the top of Europe? I can''t imagine a leader of the Empire other than His Majesty!" "Even if we have to beg him, we must make him change his mind! His Majesty must rule this Empire forever. By all means!" The middle ss of the Empire did not lower their voices against the abdication of the Emperor in the streets, pubs, squares, The existence of the Emperor itself supported the security of the French Empire. At the same time, they realized that his existence was the biggest factor making other Europeans envy the French people. Who could give up such a leader? They wanted Napoleon Bonaparte to be their leader even if it meant enduring the contradiction of the revolutionary spirit. On the other hand, the atmosphere of the political za of the upper ss and the ballroom was simr and slightly different. "The Emperor''s sincerity and cause shown in Strasbourg must have been fully conveyed to the imperial people. It is meaningful even if he does not put down theurel crown." "His Majesty understands the ideology and ideas of the revolutionary Empire better than anyone else. The Empire is onlyplete with his presence." "His Majesty is the only leader who can lead this country''s wealth and rise. The Bonaparte imperial family must survive." Since the end of the Iberian Penins War in 1813, new industries had blossomed in the French Empire and the nation''s economy had experienced an all-time boom. No bourgeoisie ignored that this was entirely the result of Napoleon Bonaparte''s reforms, If Napoleon were to abdicate and change the political system, the Empire would inevitably experience chaos in the process of shifting power. It was unclear whether the leader who woulde to power in the future would be able to maintain his current achievements, The capitalist ss was concerned about the ''variables'' that could lighten their pockets. Needless to say, the lowest ss of the poor was pro-imperialists. Napoleon expanded welfare for the underprivileged and introduced progressive taxes to ease the tax burden on the poor. As a result, the poor received more sries and benefits than before and had to pay fewer taxes. There was a sense of crisis among the poor that all these policies and benefits could disappear along with Napoleon if he abdicated. They could not ept the retreat of welfare even if it meant maintaining a pre-modern autocratic monarchy. As such, all sses, which were usually difficult to reconcile, supported the continuation of the Emperor''s reign ording to their political and economic interests. Even the most moderate were opposed to the abolition of the imperial family. It was the Imperial Parliament that first acted upon the public opinion. ''Napoleon Bonaparte as the eternal Emperor of the Empire!'' Of course, the members of the Imperial Parliament did not have their loyalty to the emperor stretched to the bone. If the monarchy was abolished and a new cab was established, the power of the Imperial Parliament, which represented the citizens, would increase. Its members admired the Emperor, like the other Frenchmen, but for this reason they were waiting more than anyone else for the day Napoleon came down from the throne. But they were now looking at the public opinion. The vast majority of French wanted Napoleon to sit on the throne, even if it meant maintaining a contradictory despotism. "Even if we oppose it, the situation will not change much anyway, Rather, we would be criticized by the public for being crazy about power and selling out the Emperor. However, it would be better for us to say that we will actively step up to change the Emperor''s will." The Imperial Parliament decided to jump on the trend and gain popr support and favor. They did not know right now, but this would be the basis for the growing influence of the Imperial Parliament in the new cab after the end of the war. In addition, Napoleon was a monarch who respected the authority and opinions of the parliament and expanded its authority, unlike despotic monarchs during absolute monarchy. Although it was against their ultimate ideology of parliamentary democracy, it was not difficult for the members of the Imperial Parliament to say ''Long live the Emperor!1 Napoleon thought that he had made the best political decision to step down. But what he overlooked was the desire of the French people. It was not just about their loyalty to Napoleon himself. It was the people''s praise, support, and pride for their leader who had created the brightest golden age in French history. All the forces in Paris wanted Napoleon to stay on the throne. And this was never intended by Napoleon, currently on the battlefield. The ball that he rolled on the board, after he had calcted everything thoroughly, was bouncing on an unexpected trajectory. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 24. Bartle for a New Era - 1 A woman was spending a quiet afternoon reading books on the outdoor terrace of the Tuileries Pce. There was only one person in the Empire, apart from Napoleon who was now on the battlefield of the Great War, who could treat the pce like their own vi. Perhaps because of her blood, as she was from the Habsburg family and the most beautiful woman in Austria, this woman was showing extraordinary beauty even at the age of 40. She was Marie-Louise, Empress of the French Empire. "It looks like an uninvited guest ising," As the inside of the star pce became noisy, Marie-Louise murmured as she closed her book. And shortly thereafter a man set foot in the detached pce. As soon as the man greeted Marie-Louise, he uttered straightforwardly: "I''d like to say that if it was Your Majesty the Empress who made this, you were very careless." There was only one gray-haired official in the imperial court. Framgois Carnot, the Minister of the Admin istration. The minister showed his rudeness in front of the Empress after suddenlying without an appointment. Angry, the Empress'' servants showed displeasure, but Marie-Louise answered with a smile, "It must have been difficult to fool you. Well, what can one do here in Paris outside the sight of a wise white owl?" "Your Majesty. The abolition of the monarchy and the revival of a civil government are the great and fateful decisions that the Emperor made for his country at the risk of his precious honor and pride. The weight and anguish contained in this decision are heavier than anything else in the Empire." "I know. The fact that the movements that are taking ce throughout Paris are against not only the Emperor''s intentions, but yours as well." Despite Carnot''s increasingly cold expression, Marie-Louise did not erase the smile on her face. She drank a sip of coffee, lifting a cup next to her book. "But that doesn''t mean the whole Bonaparte family thinks like the Emperor." "That means..." "It is true that His Majesty is the head of the imperial family. But he can''t control the decisions made by the other members, can he?" Images of certain people appeared inside Carnot''s head at Marie-Louise''s words. They were the immediate family of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon, who was particrly weak to the family he had spent his difficult childhood with, had been forced to throw away key government posts or the wealth of a vast country to respond to their pleas. He made some of them governors of a province and aristocrats, and even made his close eldest brother and his beloved youngest brother kings of other countries. The Bonaparte family believed in the Emperor behind them and exercised uncontroble power and evil, and many Parisian intellectuals were fed up with their selfishness and madness. Napoleon then suddenly changed one day. He threw his family out coldly and gave them no attention. ims for title or property? He rejected everything. He even kicked out h is eldest brother Joseph Bonaparte, who had been crowned king of Spain, to Sicily, even though he had been rated morepetent than his other brothers. For them, who must be anxious and dissatisfied with the sudden change in the attitude of the Emperor, the deration of the abolition of the imperial monarchywould have been like pouring oiI on a fire. Carnot was eventually able to gain confidence that the imperial family was involved in or at least supported this movement in Paris. Marie-Louise was tacitly or passively sympathetic to the actions of the Bonapa rte family. "...If this goes public, there could be a serious backsh," "Even if you know something, you will not reveal it. As Minister of the Empire, you have no intention of creating internal troubles in the midst of a fierce war." Carnot shut up and Marie-Louise stared at him. Frangois Carnot was the Minister of the Administration. He was one of the twelve ministerial figures who made up the Empires cab. But there was no one in Paris who thought that Carnot was just the minister of a department. The story that he had been personally invited by Napoleon himself was very famous, and he was the one who promoted and implemented Napoleon''s reforms the fields of economy, administration, and justice. Carnot was currently in charge of state affairs on behalf of Napoleon, who left the court due to war, and was one of the most influential figures in the Empire. ''I need to get this man on my side to achieve my will.1 Marie-Louise was a very obedient woman to her husband, except for the things that concerned the future of her child, Charles Bonaparte. In front of Napoleon, she said You are right1, but in fact, Marie-Louise wanted Charles more than anyone else to enjoy all the rights and glory as the Crown Prince. Of course Charles deserved it. It was a golden opportunity made possible by the imperial family. It would be stupid not to take it. And in the process, the person Marie-Louise needed the most was Carnot in front of her. "The Parisians, and by extension the vast majority of the French citizens, want the Bonaparte imperial family to continue. I don''t know much about politics, but I learned that politics is to reasonably listen to the wishes of the majority. I believe the wise Minister knows what the French want most now." "The whole situation is not their arbitrary behavior. If it is confirmed that there is an outside influence, it will have to take legal action." "It''s funny that you think like this. His family just created a little stir. If the public didn''t have a desire for the Emperor and the imperial family to remain in power, would there have been an explosive reaction like this?" "Think for a moment if the existence of the imperial family can absolutely not coexist in the ''citizen government'' that the Emperor wants. Even with my short insight, I don''t think it''s impossible. In fact, beyond the Straits of Dover, there''s a country that practices it while maintaining its royal family, right?" Carnot stood up without saying anything. He knew that too, Even if it''s a feelinging from the military victories, or a delusion from the economic boom, the French people were hoping for the reign of the Emperor. He looked at the polls regrly conducted by the Gazette and others to the public, and an absolute majority su rely supported the existence of the imperial family. But this eventually meant that Napoleon and Carnot had to rebuild their own ns from scratch. "Thank you for your insight, I will think about it. But even if I support the existence of the imperial family, if you can''t convince one person in the end, this whole thing will be in vain." Marie-Louise knew who that one person was, The smile on her face faded for the first time. In fact, he was the biggest problem. Because he had the power to get all this back to square one in a second. Still, Marie-Louise decided not to give up. ''Try to give everything you can to Charles. Even if it''s a little against your ideas... He''s our child.'' After Wellington''s corps,manded by Arthur Wellesley, joined its allies, the Coalition and the Union stood by, dividing the swamps of Orime. The Orime wend was located about 20 kilometers west of the city of Friend, where Napoleon ended his German-Polish expedition in the past. The central city of Konigsberg in East Prussia was essible when going straight north from the Orime wend, and to the west was the border between the provinces of Danzig and West Prussia. It was a key point that the two armies could not give up, so neither the Union seeking a decisive victory nor the Coalition hoping to find a clue to counterattack could give up here. The Coalition and Union faced each other 10 kilometers away, with the Orime wend in the middle. All eyes of Europe were focused here. Because everyone knew that there would be a second Battle of Leipzig here. It would not be strange if arge-scale battle took ce immediately, but the two sides remained silent without firing a single shot, The reason was that they were not ready to fight. "...In fact, even maintaining the supply of troops up to here is a very heavy burden. In order to go further here, we have to reduce or divide the number of troops." The supply ofthe Union''s troops, including the French, was also a problem to the extent that the officers ofthe armycried so much. Keeping the nearly 250,000 field troops able to fight hundreds of kilometers away was really hard work. France, in 1812, had to spend half a year preparing for the supply for the expedition to Russia, but had been frustrated by the enormous nonbat losses in the Neman River basin. The Unionmanders, who had been taking advantage of the experience, were more thoroughly engaged in securing supply stations and supply routes, dyingbat and advancement. "The British army must bemanded by the British. Isn''t this something that was promised before we went out?" "Oh, of course you''re rig ht. But for the leadership of the multinational forces, we need to have a general master and pursue a consistent strategy there." "Then our Marquis will be inmand..." "No, how can a British general be themander-in-chief when the Tsar is here?" The Coalition members were also troubled by the organization of the newly joined British forces. Until now, Russia had taken the lead in the alliance. Russia had thergest number of troops, Prussia was greatly undermined by the loss of most of its territory, and Sweden was originally a country under Russian influence. But Britain was different. The number of soldiers dispatched did not fall far behind Russia, the quality of the troops was not to mention, and it was even the owner of the entire alliance''s financial support. From the time the Coalition was first founded, it was agreed that the armies of each country were led by its own generals. However, as the confrontation was just around the corner, it was inevitable that a power game would take ce between Britain and Russia. As both sides were not ready to fight, a funny happening took ce on the battlefield. A British detachment, which was conducting search and reconnaissance of the area, confronted a French reconnaissance team, which was also exploring the terrain andnd around the wend. It was normal for a gunfight to take ce immediately, but the officers who were in charge hesitated. This was because there was an order from above to refrain from acts that could provoke the enemy if possible. Between their duties as soldiers and orders from their superiors, British military officers in a dilemma rolled their eyes. And, quite by chance, the French officers had also received simr orders from their superiors. The officers of the two countries, who were just looking at each other, waiting to attack or not, soon realized that they had been asked to do the same. "I don''t think Ares'' spear will ring today." "I praise your decision! We will return with honor." The officers of the two countries eventually reached an agreement. They decided to end it by breaking up peacefully without fighting. In the process, some brave and witty British and French soldiers approached each other to share cigarettes and exchange military snacks. It was a love for humanity blooming in the middle of a war without blood or tears. Napoleon, the Emperor of France andmander-in-chief of the Union''s forces, heard this story and found it quite interesting. He wrote a letter to Arthur Wellesley telling his appreciation. ''Please don''t let these British who love peace and know how to respect honor get punished.'' Wellesley also sent a letter in response, ending the situation warmly. August 1818 was the month offort and peace, There were no battles or conflicts, except for the small fights at sea, and there was no tense flow of the situation. But this peace was not meant tost forever. Its only purpose was to drag time to prepare for a bigger battle. As they entered September, a firestorm blew back into Europe. Allled forces gathered in the Orime wend, Russian, Prussian, Swedish... The armies of Europe''s prominent military powers were all here. Even though they had been defeated in thest battle, their spirit was unabated and confident. The British army, who had joined them, appeared to fill the left side of the corps. The faces of their soldiers, who became part of thergest expeditionary group in British history, were full of determination. The size and firepower of the Coalition here now far exceeded that of the Union in Leipzig. The concept of a grand battle would only be established when the other side had equal power. The might of the Union against this was also formidable. Blue waves, looking like a tsunami approaching, were the French, the strongest army in Europe. The army that followed closely was a multinational force of the Confederation ofthe Rhine. Soldiers from Naples, Denmark, the Nethends, Northern Italy, Westphalia, and Bavaria also marched toward the Orime wend in the promised formation. On the first Thursday of September, when the mist rose at dawn, the wend was filled with the heat emitted by hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Their hearts beating loudly gave a piercing sense of the tension there. Themanders and officers of the two armies preparing for a historic battle moved greatly. "Forwardl!" "Advance!" The curtain rose on the ''Battle of Orime'', the most decisive turning point of the Great War. TL notes The person they are talking about is Napoleon, in case it wasn''t clear. Empress Marie-Louise, painted by Frangois Gerard: Chapter 146 Chapter 146 24. Bat: e for a New Era - 2 Two days before the great battle that would decide Europe''s fate. To borrow the expression of the nobles, there were two ''eve festivities'' before that. The center of the front was naturally moved to the northeast as the Coalition and the Union forces gathered around the Orime wend. This meant that the Coalition that had been struggling to crush Pnd could not project its power there again easily. The pressure of the Coalition on Pnd had weakened noticeably. It had no reason to deploy its main corps there. Napoleon sent a letter to Warsaw to call in the Polish garrison, which, of course, was not ignored by the Coalition''s members. A Russian-Swedish allied army from Minsk blocked the advance of the Polish troops. Battles broke out between the two armies in the town of Shedorov, on the border between Pnd and Russia. Alexander Tormasov, themander of the Russian-Swedish allied forces, was clearly apetent general. Unfortunately, however, today''s match was not good for him. Karl Ludwig, Jozef I, Gabriel Suchet, Etienne Macdonald... Each of them could leave its name in the history of European war as one of the greatest war masters. A multinational force armed with more talented people would rarely appear in future history. "Austria and Prussia have so far responded jointly with Napoleon, who has the ambition to conquer the continent, The Archduke of Austria (Karl Ludwig) has to be a good judge of the market. Think about the moderate diplomacy shown by Prince Wenzel (Metternich)." usewitz sent a letter to Karl Ludwig, who had the greatest influence in the Polish garrison, in an effort to buy even a little time. However, Archduke Karl, Austria''s greatest master, did not blink, but rather raised the army''s mobility with confidence that the enemy was not ready. It was the onlymander in Austria who had defeated Napoleon with intuition and judgment, The Polish garrison consisted of Austrians, Poles, and some French troops who had been sent to Warsaw, which Karl Ludwig made full use of. France and Austria were now cooperating on the same side, but they had been fierce enemies until 10 years ago. The feelings between the soldiers could not be good and they had their own sense ofpetition. Pnd also felt the need to impress the internationalmunity as it had just regained its country. All three countries were bound to have different attitudes inbat. Karl did not argue with the generals of Pnd and France over the leadership of the army, but divided the military system by country and decided on the battlefield zone. The three countries had created a structure in which their armies werepeting. And the effect was tremendous. "I will never forgive you for falling behind the Austrians!" "We''ll take that hill first! Before the French!" "Poles! Stick a bay firmly in the belly of the vic pigs that oppressed us!" The officers of the three countries deliberately provoked the soldiers in this way. Encouraged by their fighting spirit, the Union soldiers crushed the enemies in front of them with incredible fighting power. Even though it was the Russian-Swedish army that had an advantage first, it could not prevent the Austrian-Polish-French army frompeting about ''who would destroy them first''. Eventually, the defensive blockade was broken through and the Russian-Swedish army was defeated. This was an event that made Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III jump on the spot as they were preparing for a battle against Napoleon. Incidentally, on the same day, there was another battle at a simr time. ording to the expressions of the nobles, it was a ''fight of knights'', which was said to be a relic of the old times. As the war clouds rose over the Orime wend, the two armies''mand ordered a search battle with cavalry to identify the enemy''s units and types of troops, artillery bases, and supply routes. It was Joachim Murat, King of Naples, who came forward from the Union side. Murat, who had marked the end of the entire Battle of Leipzig with a fierce cavalry charge, received all kinds of attention and praise through various media. Thanks to this, his confidence was now sky-high. Murat led cavalry from France, Naples, and Saxony to search right near the enemy camp. He openly taunted and provoked the Coalition artillery near its limit range. "Those guys are so arrogant because they won a battle! There is a limit to looking down on us!" Alexander I, who was properly angered by this, responded by sending a regiment of cuirassier cavalry from the Guards, which he loved in the Cossack Cavalry Division. A battle was fought between the cavalry, using only ded weapons, with no other types of troops, not even a regiment of dragoons using guns. Murat and the Union cavalry fought valiantly. The kingdoms of Saxony and Wurttemberg were famous for their high-quality cavalry, and it went without saying for France, But like Tormasov, who encountered Archduke Karl, Murat also did not find a good match this time. "God, protect the Tsar and the Empire!" "Long live the great vic Empire!" The Russian Guards were really tough. Geniuses of equestrianbat with first-ss horsemanship and swordsmanship charged like fanatics, believing in the cuirasses protecting their backs and chests. Was this the power of the knights who charged in te armor during the Crusades? Although Murat''s cavalry were well armed, they were essentially scouts and most of them were light cavalry. For them, the Russian Guards were a tough opponent. "The only troops in the Union that can deal with them are the Polish Lancers or the French Imperial Guards! Unfortunately, neither of them are here! Let''s retreat! Come on!" At the urging of the Saxon cavalry captain, Murat was forced to order the retreat. However, Alexander I dispatched Cossack cavalry as well because he knew this would happen, The Cossacks were weak in a head-to-head fight, but there was no one like them when chasing fleeing enemies. Under the pursuit of the Cossacks, like hyenas chasing their prey, the Union horsemen fell one by one and were either killed or captured. Murat, who had been full of confidence in his scouting movements and provocations, had to run away quickly. After he returned to the headquarters, Napoleon said about him ''I sent him to scout, and he came back like a novice matador. And with the bonus that he was very good at lowering the morale of the soldiers.'' In any case, these two ''eve festivities'' highlighted the tension and struggle between the two armies over the Orime wend. In the battle that confirmed the northward movement of the enemy reinforcements, the Coalitionmand realized that the battle was inevitable, and Napoleon did not avoid it. That was how the Battle of Orime, the most decisive battle of the Great War that symbolized the beginning of a new era, began. A short month of peace. It was just a dye to infuse brutality into the ensuing storms. The battle began. The battlefield, where 500,000 men shed between the two sides, was bigger than the entire Leipzig area, and would determine the sess or failure of the Great War. In the midst of heavy artillery bombardment from both sides, the countless armies filling the wends and fields were truly gathering all European talents. And such talents were separated countless of times while ignoring death. Even though the shells containing tremendous destructive power were sweeping the soldiers like bowling pins on the field, no one stopped marching toward the enemy camp. French infantry regiments, led directly by Louis Nics Davout, were breaking through the wends, bearing the artillery fire of the Coalition, with hearts of iron, just like theirmander''s nickname (the Iron Marshal). Napoleon, who was watching the scene through a telescope at themand center of the rear hill, recalled the conversation he had with Davout. ''Your Majesty! Please leave this task to me!'' ''You are a Marshal of the Empire, themander of the First Corps of the Union Army, and the military adviser to the European Union. Anyone in that position should know how to put away unnecessary courage. ''I have fought and won in this way in Marengo, Austerlitz, Auerstaedt. Whatever my rank or position, I will bleed again with the soldiers on the battlefield.1 ''Your Majesty, please n a strategy for victory in a safe ce! All the dangers of the battlefield will be taken care of by the marshals and generals!1 The Iron Marshal was ready to die in battle today. That strong and hot will could be perceived through his skin. Napoleon could not stop him. Just hoping for France to be safe, he was willing to burn his body and soul. Davouts regiment advanced deep into the enemy camp through a torrent of artillery fire. Waiting for them were the Swedish Fusiliers (light infantry) hiding in trenches, "To hell with the French bastards! All fire!" Tatatatatatata-H The Swedish Fusiliers were not as good as the British Riflemen, but they were special forces with very good shooting skills. The French soldiers, exposed to their mes, copsed bloodily. There was no victory without sacrifice in the battle of this era. For Napoleon and France to enjoy the glory of victory, someone had to support them underneath, losing their bodies and souls. Davout and his men were willing toy the groundwork for the victory of the Great War and the glory of France. ''I will never forget your sacrifice until the day I die.'' Despite the firepower of the Swedish Fusiliers, the bravery of Davouts regiment was not dampened. Davouts solidmand, the cooperation ofpetent officers, and the soldiers burning with patriotism eventually seeded in breaking through the fire, and approached right in front of the trenches where the Fusiliers were hiding, "Charge!!" "Woaaaaahh!!" As if they had not expected a bay charge immediately without firing a shot, the Swedish army was surprised, and Davout led the valiant charge with his soldiers. The Marshal of the Empire was walking shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers, no matter the oue of the fight, With that alone, Davouts regiment was able to increase its morale and determination like crazy. The Swedish army, which had resisted through trenches and cover, eventually copsed because it could not stop the French from advancing. Napoleon nodded firmly. As expected from Davout. "Now the problem is them." Just as Louis Nics Davout took lead of the Union advance and pierced the front line, the Coalition also had a shock force ready to make a hole in this side of the line. The Finnish grenadiers were perfect for such a shock force. They were brave and strong, natives of Northern Europe, and were fighting under Russia. Napoleon assigned a separate unit to stop them. Bam bam bam! Bam bam! Red coats appeared from the Union side. Of course they were not British troops. It was the army of the only country that was also dressed in red like Britain. It was the soldiers of the Swiss Republic who remained unshakable and disciplined despite the strong Finnish grenadiers advancing through the shelling. Switzend was a subordinate ally of France, but its army was more like mercenaries. Instead of being excluded from the spoils and diplomatic and economic distribution of war victories, they were fighting on Napoleon''s side for arge sry. The battle also showed the dignity and professionalism of the nation''s military, which had maintained a centuries-old history of mercenaries. Tatata! Tatata! Tatata! The shooting of Swiss Republic gunmen was a little unusual. Ordinary line infantrymen built a long line and fired simultaneously at the officer''smand. Of course, it was to increase the destructive power of shooting, but there was also a disadvantage, which was the ''waste'' of multiple bullets hitting one target that urred frequently. To correct this point, Switzend perfected the tactic of firing sequentially with a battalion or regiment divided into three battalions. Unlike ordinary sequential shots, the interval between the first, second, and third shots was very short, within 1 to 2 seconds. After the first shooting, enemy soldiers hit by bullets fell within one to two seconds, and if other enemy soldiers filled the empty space, they could immediately fire a second shot and cause damage again. In other words, it is a shooting technique that maximizes the destructive power of a volley while reducing the waste of bullets and firepower. ''If it was the 18th century, we probably wouldn''t have implemented that tactic. However, the development of firearms and gunpowder has created a new trend, and this speed will be faster in the future.'' Napoleon was able to realize that the more advanced the weapons and technology, the more he had to have tactics that suiting them. Anyway, the result of innovation and new ideas was truly devastating. The Finnish soldiers were knocked down by the three consecutive shots. The atmosphere quickly heated up. The brave Finns who walked were visibly agitated, as if they were not afraid of death. After the second series of shots, the crack grew out of control, and the control of Russian officers was not working. "Charge!! For the victory of the Union!" The Swiss army also showed its true value in hand-to-hand battle. They were not pushed at all by the Finns who were muchrger in stature. On the contrary, they took advantage of the hole in the middle of the line and pushed hard to take the lead. After a fierce fight, the Swiss army drove out the Finnish grenadiers. They were also excellent soldiers worth high prices, ''They remind me of the Republican Army of the world I''m supposed to be in,'' Maybe he would never be able to go back. Napoleon put down his telescope, hiding his bitter feelings. The troopsmanded by Davout broke through the Coalition lines, and ced the batteries within range. However, the Coalition forces blocked by this front only lost their face. Battle was, after all, a battle of morale among the bottom soldiers. For the sake of the soldiers'' war, they had to make a decision. "Well, it would be better to get the hidden number out as soon as possible." Napoleon sent a letter of congrattions to themander of the Swiss army. In the battlefield of Orime, where hundreds of thousands of troops and numerous armies, divisions, and brigades were fighting simultaneously, Napoleon decided to stand at the center and to be the responder. Wait for the enemy''s movement. And with the most effective response to it, neutralize it and win the fight. Napoleon had never lost a battle like this. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 24. Bartle for a New Era - 3 Between the Coalition and the Union, the more urgent of the two was the Coalition. The fact that the Austro-Polish-French allied corps, which was stationed in Pnd, was moving northward was a factor that greatly encouraged the sense of crisis in the Coalitionmand. It could be seen that the power of the two armies currently gathered in the Orime wend was almost equal. But what if reinforcements were to join only one side? Of course the tight bnce would be broken. As soon as Alexander I heard of the defeat of the Russian-Swedish army led by Tormasov, he called in forces stationed on the Baltic Sea or Crimean Penins. But they were physically so far away that they simply would not be able to get to the battlefield in time, The Austro-Polish-French corps would arrive at the Orime wend long before them and would strike the Coalition''s side. In the end, the Coalition had to hit first before that happened. "For the fall of Napoleon and France, and the eternal glory of Prussia." The health of Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher,mander-in-chief of the Prussian corps, was really bad. After waking up from aa, he suffered from persistent bleeding cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Blucher, who had been struggling on the battlefields for a long time since his youth, was eventually dered unrecoverable. Nevertheless, Blucher did not give up and took opium to improve and dy his condition. In a hazy state of mind due to opium, he sometimes went mad, He knew it himself. That his life span was really short now. But when his country was in desperate danger from its lifelong enemy, how could he wait for his death with peace of mind? The indomitable will to destroy Napoleon was beyond human will and reached the realm of heaven. That was thest driving force that kept Blucher alive. "God Almighty, please do not take this old soldier''s soul before the end of this battlefield." After a short prayer, Blucher got up and started moving forward with the Prussian army. The goal of Blucher''s corps was to repel the Union forces that were waiting in the Pantin forest south of the Orime wend. There, the German troops of the Confederation of the Rhine and the French Third Corps under Michel Ney were on standby. The results of the big and small skirmishes in the middle of the wend could be heard in real time, but Blucher did not care and speeded up, The officers under hismand expressed concern at the bold movement of the troops, which seemed hasty. But Blucher dismissed it in a word. "ording to my senses, they haven''t figured out our advance path yet. There will be no chance like this except now!" Blucher''s unique animal sense on the battlefield was at its peak when his life was at stake. As he predicted, Michel Ney and the generals of the Confederation of the Rhine were agonizing over the question ''Will Prussia reallye right here from the beginning of the battle?'' The topography of mud and wends was also a problem, and the advance was very difficult because of the fog that sank at dawn. Due to the nature of the forest, it was difficult to scout the entire area. However, Prussia was taking advantage of such an environment and boldly entering in diagonal. When Ney confirmed with his own eyes the presence of the Prussian army that was just around the corner, he uttered: "Damn it, damn it...! If they''d onlye half an hourter, we could have stopped them without any problems!" In fact, Ney, who intended to order full-scale reconnaissance in the area, was caught off guard because he failed to meet the time difference. He urgently ordered the soldiers to continue their preparations for battle, and thus the fighting in Pantin Forest began. Tatata! Tata! Tatatata! Tatata! Michel Ney was the bravest among the Marshals of the French Empire. Under his strongmand, the French Third Corps responded firmly to the Prussian offensive and the soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine fought well in their own way. Even though they did not expect the Prussians to boldly attack with so many battalions at this time and did not prepare properly, their fighting was spectacr. But no one would be able to stop Blucher today. "Now! Send in the Pomeranian Cavalry Regiment! The target is the army of the Confederation of the Rhine!" Blucher could smell the battlefield and ride the perfect flow of victory in it. He was a person who had the insight to pinpoint where the enemy''s weakness was and the determination to take out the cards at the most decisive moment. Due to the nature of the forest area, it was difficult for many troops to gather in one ce, and organicmunication between the units was also difficult. Taking full advantage of that, Blucher dyed the fight against the French with some troops, while his main force hit the end of the army of the Confederation of the Rhine. "Ah, sir! The Prussian cavalry!" "What!? Form squares right now!" It was a standard judgment, but this battlefield was already a jungle world where it was impossible to survive with just the standard. The soldiers of the Rhine formed squares, waiting for the Pomeranian cavalry. However, it was not the cavalry, but the Prussian artillery, fully prepared to fire, that appeared. Blucher thoroughly hid the existence and location of his artillery and had not used it since the beginning of the fight. It was just for this one moment. Boom! Bang! Booom-l Bang!! The army of the Confederation of the Rhine, which formed squares after seeing the cavalry, was helplessly hit by artillery fire. The force of shells and shotgun shells at a distance of about 300 meters was enough to tear them apart at once, Blood, flesh, and bone fragments scatter in all directions. A great fear struck them. "The left side ispletely destroyed, sir! The countermeasures...!" "The soldiers have already lost their will to fight! We must retreat!" The army of the Confederation of the Rhine, who fought a noble war under the banner of European unity and harmony, enjoyed numerous victories with Napoleon. Their fighting spirit and confidence were high, and they proudly imed to be a vanguard unit in this battle. From the beginning, it was an army with questionable qualitative capabilities. Moreover, it could not bepared to its opponent if it was the Prussian army. Especially in a remote ce where the French could not assist them, facing that machine-like Prussian army head-on, it was hard to resist such devastating shelling. With a hole open with artillery, the cavalry and infantry''s devious attacks under Blucher''smand were enough topletely break their will to fight. "The army of the Confederation of the Rhine is fleeing! If we pursue it, we can achieve great results." "The chase is over. Now we hit the French with all our might." Blucher even deliberately opened the way for the defeated soldiers of the Rhine to escape easily. They did not even make a good match anyway. The real thing was the French army. Blucher immediately turned his army and struck the nk of the French, who were engaged with the troops that were dying the fight on purpose, The French line was shaken from the sudden appearance of the Prussian fire. However, the French army was also different from the one of the Confederation of the Rhine. Michel Ney and the French Third Corps were persistently holding their positions despite the Prussian onught. "The French are really tough!" Prussian officers gritted their teeth and shouted. It was the bestpliment to the enemy at gunpoint. However, it was not possible to stop ten hands with one hand, and from the beginning, Prussia had the upper hand in the overall power in the Pantin Forest. Not to mention the fact that the army of the Confederation of the Rhine was defeated and fled. "Keep the ranks and slowly step down from the battlefield!" "We are the proud soldiers of the Empire and of His Majesty the Emperor! A great army never shows its back to the enemy!" Realizing that it would be hard at this rate, the French began to retreat. But they did not show such a disorderly rout like the army of the Confederation of the Rhine. The French army would be the only army in the world that could maintain its formation and retreat under pressure from the front without copsing despite being attacked on the nk. Even as therades next to them were pierced by bullets and swept away by shells, the French soldiers stood back in a steady and orderly manner, maintaining the ranks under the control of the officers. The Prussian army, which failed to see it, tried to chase and crush the French, but they fired back with urate gunshots and artillery fire. The French Third Corps, under Michel Ney''smand, was able to get out of the forest, while skillfully giving upnd. With bold advances, offensives, and psychological warfare, they solidified their victorious stance from the beginning of the battle. As the tactics they had prepared fit perfectly, they easily defeated the weak link of the army of the Confederation of the Rhine. And yet, in the end, the Prussian did not defeat the French. During the post-battle damage report, hearing that Prussia and France suffered almost equal casualties despite their victory, Blucher looked up at the sky andugh helplessly. "Why can''t we beat France? Oh, God! Are you really abandoning Prussia?" Anyway, as the French retreated, the Pantin forest came under the control of the Prussian army. It was like saying that an important base for checking and counterattacking Napoleon and the Union in the center was in the hands of the Coalition. And yet the expression of Blucher and the officers never looked bright. Even against a single corps of the French army, and after defeating it by fighting with all their might, their struggles were not over. How would they be able to ovee Napoleon with the other French corps gathered in the wend? Blucher''s mind went nk. And it was not because of opium. The Coalitionmand was able to grasp the formation of the Union from intelligence that came through various channels. France - 127,000 troops Confederation of the Rhine - 48,000 troops Italy - 15,000 troops Naples - 11,000 troops Including soldiers from the Nethends, Switzend, and Denmark, the total was about 225,000 to 240,000. Since the number of troops on the Coalition''s side was 280,000, it was safe to say that its overall strength was equal or superior to the Union''s. In fact, at the time of the expedition to Russia, France had twice more soldiers, And at that time, troops from various countries had formed a mixed multinational coalition with France and had invaded Russia. And yet Arthur Wellesley was many times more frightened of the Union today than how it was then. The reason why only 127,000 French soldiers were in this battle was because they felt the frighteningly cold rationality and efficiency underlying it. ''Mobilizing arge army is one thing, but it''s another matter to bring it into battle without problems. In the past, Napoleon mobilized 420,000 people on his expedition to Russia, but tens of thousands died from nonbat losses.'' Even a steam lotive invented by George Stephenson four years ago could bemercialized across Europe. Napoleon at that time mobilized an unreasonablerge army without considering the circumstances of the times and national conditions. ''But now none of that has happened. The Union forces are receiving abundant supplies and refraining from excessive military operations. The soldiers are preparing for the battle in their best condition.'' All of this was because Napoleon calcted andposed the maximum power without a leak, thoroughly even before the start of the war. As a result, the Union forces, which were the essence and maximum power of the Union members, were born and could stand in the Orime wend without any loss of power. Alexander I and other Coalitionmandersughed at Napoleon''s arrogance, saying that only 127,000 of France''s 300,000-strong army were here. Wellesley did not think so at all. The 127,000 French soldiers here were the finest ones that Napoleon had chosen in his Great Army. Their power would be beyond imagination. "The Prussian army, led by the Count of Wahlstatt, has taken over the Pantin Forest, The Count requested the continuation of the operation." Wellesley nodded as he was briefed by his officer. His gaze was directed at the map of the great battlefield, which stretched around the Orime wend. Napoleon had divided the Union forces into three major groups. Part of the army of the Confederation of the Rhine and Michel Ney''s corps were the Right Army, tasked with protecting the Pantin forest, and Eugene, Jerome Bonaparte, and Joachim Murat formed the Left Army, tasked with keeping the Russian army in check. And Napoleon himself was directly leading the Imperial Guard and overseeing themand of the Central Army. The Coalition''s strategy was simple: defeat the rtively weak Left and Right Armies, iste the Central army, and then annihte it by striking it from three sides. 90,000 British troops and some Russian troops were tasked with holding the Central Army while forces on the left and right were defeated. The Pantin forest was captured by the Prussians and the left was soon to be defeated by the Russian onught. Napoleon would certainly respond to this. ''If Napoleon divides his Central Army to supports the left and right ones, we strike it. If Napoleon strikes us without sending troops, we draw a front line and hold out.'' In this process, faithfully trained British troops and ''mercenaries'' hired in the East at a considerable cost would y a big role. There was a reason why the battlefield was decided to be a wend and a forest area. Not as good as Napoleon, but Wellesley had assembled a strategy in his own calctions, Indeed, not long afterwards, the Central Army of the Union forces moved. ude Victor-Perrin''s corps was detached to support the Left Army, which was shaken by the Russian onught. It was approximately 20,000 people. In other words, the power of the Central Army had fallen that much. The defeated Right Army with the troops from the Confederation of the Rhine would take some time to regroup. This was the most vulnerable time for the Central Army, Arthur Wellesley did not hesitate to raise the g of attack. The British army began to move. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 24. Battle for a New Era - 4 As soon as news broke that the Union''s Right Army guarding the Pantin Forest had been beaten and defeated by a surprise attack by the Prussians, that Russian troops wereunching a massive offensive against the Left Army, letters started to pour into themand of the Central Army. The eyes of all the generals and staff officers in the Unionmand were on Napoleon, Napoleon did not show it, but he could not help but feel pitiful. He had given the order not to attack but to strengthen the defense. All they had to do was dig deep trenches, install a battery in the right position, and hold out. Was that such a difficult mission? They divided their units and cannons, didn''t they? Napoleon asked the Italian officer who brought the letter from Eugene. "It doesn''t say who the enemy''smander is." "Oh, that''s because His Highness enclosed the letter before the intelligence came in. Themander of the Russian army is Levin August von Bennigsen." Bennigsen... He was a Russian general who presented the disgrace of Eu to Nabot. Of course, Nabot paid him back properly in Friend. Bennigsen had not been active on the battlefield and had only served as an assistant to Alexander I, Although he was cautious, he could not take the initiative because his position in the military was weak. If he took full power and led the offensive on the Left Army, it meant that he certainly received Alexander I''s forgiveness and support, and this was not something to be taken lightly. "Is there anything else unusual?" "ording to testimony from nearby farm residents, there were troops in ck and white uniforms headed toward the Russian army with eagle-patterned gs. Judging by their appearance and handwriting, they appear to be the Russian Guard Infantry Regiment." Only then did Napoleon know why Eugene hurriedly asked for reinforcements. The joining of the Russian Guards meant that Alexander I had moved himself, and that the true main force of the Russian army was moving to strike the Left Army. In response to the news of the front, themanding officers represented the situation on the battlefield by moving the models of the military of each country. In Napoleon''s head, who was watching the scene, a picture of the battlefield unfolded in three dimensions. Only then could Napoleon infer what strategy the enemy''smand was working with. They were nning to hit this ce after isting the sides. ''You want to step on thend I''m protecting? It was an uneptable job as amander in chief of an army group. This was a challenge. Napoleon, of course, did not shy away from this challenge. "Tell Perrin to help on the left. He shall lead the entire corps together under hismand." "But if Perrin''s gone, the Central Army''s power will be greatly weakened, Your Majesty! Arthur Wellesley is a defensivemander, but he''s not going to let that slide." Napoleon asked back with a light smile at the words of Berthier, the chief of staff, "Oh, have you forgotten who themander here is? I''m sorry to hear that from you, who''s seen all the myths that I set up from the closest ce." Words that seemed too confident and arrogant. Pride was something that one had to be most wary of on the battlefield. But none of the staff officers gathered here, as well as Berthier, could refute that statement. Because it was an eptable confidence for the God of War, who was about to conquer Europe by achieving unprecedented achievements and feats. "But I haven''t faced them again since we fought in Spain. If we fight thinking of the old Red Coats, we''ll get hurt." In order to survive the great revolution and wars that shook Europe, strong military power was essential. Just as France achieved many military innovations and developments under Napoleon''s leadership after the Peninsr War, Britain would have also improved its troops based on the past battles. Just like the doctrinal innovations shown by the Swiss Republican Army. There would soon be apetition to see who was more advanced and how much progress was made, "The British have begun to advance! It''s Arthur Wellesley''s gI" Napoleon, standing up from his seat listening to the results of the messenger, put his hand in his pocket and fiddled with his handkerchief and his pistol. The time hade to greet the guests. Shortly after the end of the Iberian Penins War, a war correspondent had asked Napoleon this brave question. ''What country do you think has the strongest army in Europe? Oh, except France, of course. Because it''s too obvious,'' Journalists around him burst intoughter and waited for Napoleon''s answer. No general in European history had fought as many battles as Napoleon and experienced such a wide range of battlefields with various types and environments. And no other general had won that many. Napoleon was a man who deserved the title of ''God of War''. Any military expert''s arguments and papers would not have as much authority as his short answer. Among the reporters who all had their ears wide open, Napoleon replied: ''Brita in.'' ''...Is that a conclusion that includes naval forces, Your Majesty?'' ''The advantage of mobility should be taken into ount. But considering the army alone, they deserve a seat after France.'' The war correspondents looked puzzled. Even though there were no British journalists here, how could an ind nation that was only relying on its navy be the second strongest army in Europe after France? Sweden had never had a weak army, from the Viking years to the time of the Lion King in the North to the present day. "Well, I''m not saying this because it''s my country, but thanks to the reforms of Peter the Great, Russia has defeated Sweden and conquered the Baltic Sea, and even overthrew the Ottomans, proving to be the strongest in Eastern Europe. But being pushed back by the inders is a little...'' ''Not to mention Prussia. Since Frederick the Great, the Prussian Army has always been recognized as the most elite and solid army in Europe.'' The war reporters talked back, but Napoleon smirked and uttered only two sentences. "Have you ever fought the armies of these countries yourself? I have fought them.'' It was Napoleon''s short answer, which made them shut up for their noisy chatter. And now, the British were showing their ability to match Napoleon''s assessment of the past. "The Dutch Infantry Regiment is retreating! Lieutenant General Ricksen (the Dutchmander) has arbitrarily issued the order to retreat and said that they can no longer withstand the British offensive." "We have received a message saying that the Rhinnd''s defense forces are in urgent need of help! The British attack is stronger than expected!" Just as Russia put Finnish troops ahead, Napoleon was also cold-hearted and put troops from French upied territories first, such as the Nethends and Rhinnd. They had to drag out time and drain the strength of the enemy, and then the elite French would join the battlefield as a rearguard to fight the decisive battle. However, the Dutch, Rhinnd and other armies sought help much earlier than Napoleon had expected, and even were already defeated and routed. It meant that the fighting power of the British army was more than he had imagined. There was also tension within the Unionmand. Napoleon gave orders while scratching his chin. "Send the rear batteries forward. And among the infantry regiments of this army, the 11th to 20th regiments will be sequentially deployed." "We will fill their gaps with reserve forces in the rear." "Yes." Napoleon deployed the French infantry to form a stop line, and in the meantime, he pulled the battery forward to prepare the counterattack. No elite army could stand in front of a cannon, the queen of the battlefield. In addition, the French artillery was the best artillery recognized throughout Europe, If the fire was concentrated on the advance route, it could create a massacre. Bang! Booom-! Boom!! Boom! The French infantry from the main force saved time for the batteries to be set up, by preventing the British from advancing rtively easily. Napoleonmended the infantry and ordered them to retreat slowly. Soon after, the French cannons that had finished aiming fired. As the finest artillery in Europe, their shells fell right in front of the British lines. It showed better efficiency in terms of killing power to fire in this way than directly targeting enemy soldiers. Normally, shells hit the ground and bounced off, sweeping away the infantrymen in the front row. But the problem was that the battlefield here was the Orime wend. The path taken by the British army was particrly poorly drained. When the ground was wet, its coefficient of repulsion dropped sharply. Even if the cannonball that hit the ground of the wend bounced off, its power was greatly reduced or it was stuck in the ground. Despite the myriad of artillery fire, the British continued to move forward without taking any major damage. Chief of staff Berthier sighed and muttered. "I don''t think the rain that fell yesterday afternoon has washed away yet. It would be better to wait for the distance to shorten and then use the pellets and the grapes." "I guess so, Clever bastards, they have calcted this far and turned this ce into the main battlefield." Napoleon clicked his tongue. The news of the Polish troops'' advance to the North was heard two days ago. It was advantageous for the Coalition to have a quick, decisive battle as soon as possible before the Polish garrison arrived at the battlefield and hit them in the side. However, the Coalitionmand wasted precious time yesterday, when it was the best time to attack. Napoleon did not know what they were up to, but it appeared that it was also a trick to fight in a more advantageous environment. ''With a muddy environment, the artillery forces on both sides are simultaneously reduced. Then, they judged that we, who have rtively superior artillery firepower, would be at a disadvantage.'' In any case, the French artillery had been ordered to rece the shells and was waiting for the British to approach. The artillery officers were slightly arrogant now as the enemy walked proudly without taking much damage. ''You''re not afraid of shells? Then why don''t you get hit with pellets and grapes pouring from close range? We''ll see whoughs in the end after you copse and run away.'' As the French were holding their breath while allowing the British troops to approach, the well-walking British stopped at some point. And they waited on the spot, The officers were worried about whether to issue the fire order or not because they were outside the range where the grapes and the pellets could reach. One of themand''s staff officers watching the scene said with a smile. "It''s a typical ''turtle fight'' trick. If the artillery, tired of waiting, tries to rece the pellets and grapes with regr shells to reach them, they will attack, It''s a poor way of fighting, fitting the inders, who have no amount of chivalry or bravery to be found." Other staff members responded to the usible remarks of the officer. Since Britain had been ''enjoying'' such fights before the Revolutionary War, the staff members looked triumphant as if they had caught habitual criminals with reasoning. Napoleon, however, did not respond this way and was only looking at the front. At that moment, the British who were standing still lifted their guns all at once? The target they were aiming at was the French artillery ahead. French officers were now scoffing at the British army, showing their contempt. The hitting range of the grapes and pellets was approximately 200-300 m and the British army was clearly outside that range now. At that distance, they were trying to shoot with regr muskets, not Baker rifles? Even if Robin Hood or Wilhelm Tell had learned to use gunpowder weapons, it would have been impossible. Tatatatatata! Tatatatata-! The guns were fired, but none of the French soldiers were affected by the bullets. Of course. Even the British could not ovee the limitations of their equipment. While French officers were stillughing at their stupidity, Napoleon''s eyes filled with wonder. He shouted suddenly. "Get the artillery back now!" "Your, Your Majesty?" "Can''t you hear me? Dismantle the cannons and take them back!" The bewildered staff officers, alerted by Napoleon''s second shout, hurriedly took the order and sent it to the artillery unit. The artillery officers could hardly understand why they were ordered to dismantle the battery, which they had worked hard to set up, and to step back. However, they could not disobey the Emperor''s orders, so they ordered each unit to retreat and began to prepare. The British were shooting with their muskets. It did not matter if the target was hit or not, their only purpose was ''shooting''. French military officers, including Major General Jean Latour-Mondron, themander of the battery, began to feel something strange. What in the world were they thinking, doing that? "Commander." "...Go ahead and obey His Majesty''s orders, when has he ever made a wrong judgment?" Major General Mondron urged his men. The dismantling of the battery was a long and difficult task, but the French artillery had enough experience to do it quickly and skillfully. Meanwhile, smoke from the firing and ignition of gunpowder began to cover the entire area beyond the front, starting with the British line. Originally, guns of this era were often covered by thick smoke even after only a few shots were fired, but that was much worse now, as they were firing without knowing what they were doing. Currently, foggy smoke was blocking the view of the French batteries so that the distance could not be measured. At this rate, shell ing would be vain. "What''s the progress?" "Most of the bullets and explosives have been transported and disposed of. Now we just have to move the cannons." "Hurry up a little more!" Now, artillery officers at the scene also felt that the situation was unusual. Major General Mondron bit his lips with nervous eyes. The Emperor''s judgment was correct this time as well. They had to make a hasty retreat before that ominous-looking smoke could cover this ce. However, the British army had already entered the next phase. Chuck- chuck- chuck- chuck- chuck- Regr footsteps echoed through the smoke. Everyone now knew that the British were using the smoke of gunpowder to create a curtain and advance. A battle with enemy line infantry in a blind environment? It would be hell for the artillery, As soon as the fear of death was about to hang on the faces of the artillery soldiers, a new unit appeared next to them. A distinctive blue and white uniform with white diagonals, a tall bearskin, and red epaulets. It was the appearance of the most elite warriors of the French army, the Middle Guard, that no other unit could oppose except for the Old Guard. As soon as he confirmed their identity, Major General Mondron raised his arms without realizing it. And he shouted. "His Majesty the Emperor has sent the Imperial Guard for us! Don''t be afraid of the enemies! The Middle Guard is on our side!" The appearance of the Middle Guard, that did not show up on the battlefield before even in tight situations, was an event sufficient to give the soldiers confidence that the Emperor did not abandon them. The artillery cheered loudly in unison, and the terror that had darkened them disappeared. Under themand of Major General Mondron, the artillery quickly stepped down without shaking. There was no longer any hesitation in their movements, Standing in front of the artillery, the Middle Guards raised their guns at the invisible enemy with the sound of trumpets. "Aim forward! Fire!!" Tatatatatata-!! The pros among the pros were different. The Middle Guards fired shots with restrained movements and postures even when their vision was blocked by the smoke. After firing, moans and screams of the enemy rang out from the far side of the smoke. Major General Mondron was amazed as he watched the scene. Indeed, this was the Middle Guard of the Great Army. "All preparations to step down areplete, Commander!" "We can''t throw away the golden opportunity that the Guards have created for us. Were stepping down right away!" The British offensive would now begin, Even if the French kept their fighting spirit andbat power, this fight would not be easy. But Mondron chose not to worry. In tactical unit battles, the Middle Guard had never been defeated, and the God of War was here. ''But I don''t think their screams are in English...?'' Chapter 149 Chapter 149 24. Bartle for a New Era - 5 "Argh-l" "Ack!" This time, a scream erupted from the guard who fired again and was preparing for a bay charge. A hand-to-handbat began. Whilemanding the retreat of his troops, Major General Mondron opened his eyes wide when he found out the identity of the British troops facing the Middle Guard. Low nose, yel lowish or dark brown ski n, and a lookpletely different from Europeans at first gn ce. Wearing white un iforms, they were ''sickling'' with a strangely curved sword that the French had never seen before. It was unimaginable that they belonged to the British army that the French had been dealing with so far. "Where on earth are they from? Is it right for them to go to war for Britain?!" Major General Mondron''s cry was drowned out by the noise from the battlefield. A simr situation urred in the Bisorov forest, another battlefield where the French and British faced off, while the Middle Guards fought against an enemy they had never seen before. "Damn it, where do those monsterse from...!" Brigadier General Dotro, Brigadier General of the French Imperial Guard. It was summarizing the struggles that the French were experiencing in the chaos of the forest battle. A dull ck military uniform that did not seem to leak a piece of sunlight, a beard long enough to cover the neck, and reddish-brown skin that was not considered European. Those who could never be British pushed the French with tactics and fighting methods that the British had never used. They appeared out of nowhere, attacked the sides with skirmishes, lured the troops to divide and attack them at once. It was more like the way a beast hunted its prey than a soldier''s fight. While freely utilizing the special terrain of the forest, they wielded a saber and dagger with unique patterns. The French Guard, the strongest army on the continent, fell to an unidentified enemy who did not use gunpowder weapons. "Turn the front lines now! Eachpany''s officers, at their discretion, retreat to our positions at the entrance of the forest!" Brigadier General Dotro issued an order to retreat without hesitation. Originally, such a thing would not have been possible for him. Themand given by the headquarters (the capture of the Bisorov forest) was canceled only by a brigademander, But this was possible because it was the French army. ''Themander of the army is me, but you are themanders of the divisions, brigades and regiments. You can autonomously judge andmand on the battlefield for the victory and survival of your units. The burden will be the sole responsibility. Napoleon had created a new military system that respected the judgment a nd autonomy of fieldmanders as much as possible, contrary to the past Frenchmand and doctrine. This was a concept that took a step further from the ''autonomous military system that broke through rigidity and passivity1 led by Scharnhorst , Prussia''s chie of staff at the same time, giving themander of the site the authority to decide the troop''s retreat in the event of conflict. This reform had received much concern and criticism. However, at this moment, the efficiency of the mission-typemand system was maximized. The mission-typemand system was also applied to small units below the brigade. Battalion andpany officers obeyed the overall order in arge framework, but could find and implement the best route for the entire brigade to suffer the least damage based on the situation. When the loss wasrge, the unit closest to the retreat route fell to the rear, and the rtively intact units voluntarily formed a front to protect the retreat and continue to engage with the unidentified enemies. Subordinate officers stopped the enemy''s advance by implementing the best way of engagement at this moment, without the permission of their superiors. Just as the octopus pulled itself out of a small bottle, the retreat proceeded organically without any collisions,plications, or bottlenecks. Eventually, the French troops seeded in taking their feet off the forest. Despite being ambushed, they were able to escape from death with minimal damage. "This is the French army led by Napoleon..." The British officer,mander-in-chief of the mercenaries, smiled bitterly as he watched the whole scene. Even the mercenaries said in their ownnguage that the blue army was formidable. They wondered if they should be paid more... Upon hearing the battle reports from the various ces, Napoleon could not help but admit that he had been beaten by the Coalition on this point. Although he was confident that he could respond fully to the enemy''s offensive, they prepared much more detailed strategies and tactics than he had expected, which led to the current situation. Wellesley, Bliicher, Bennigsen, Gneisenau... they were strong enemies that could never be easily thought of. ''But it''s my first time seeing these troops... I guess the British have hired mercenaries from somewhere else again.'' Britain had even used the desert nomads and the natives of the New World as mercenaries. It was not strange that they brought troops from another culture that France had never encountered, However, if such mercenaries were used on such arge and important battlefield, it meant that the British appreciated their skills that much. Napoleon certainly recognized the mastered skills in hand-to-handbat and irregr warfare of warriors that did not use gunpowder weapons. The time for reflection and analysis was short. Napoleon immediately reced his judgment with reasonable ''tactics1. "Stop the engagement and withdraw the troops from the front line. And deliver my message to your subordinates." Pull the wire back and shrink it. It was the most standard reaction amander could take after receiving an unexpected blow. However, the difference between Napoleon and othermanders was the thorough arrangement of movements and subsequent situations when taking formations. The soldiers of the French expeditionary force were not numerous. Among the Great Army, only those who had received the best evaluation in indicators such as training performance, war experience, education level, values, mindset, and loyalty were eligible to join the expeditionary force. Since then, the French expeditionary forces had be the most elite corps of France, having the mindset of all for one and one for all after going through numerous training and hardship together. These top talents had demonstrated their true worth, fulfilling Napoleon''s orders by 120%. "Shoot-!" Tatatatatata! Tatatatata! British troops were moving forward while others were clearing the trenches first. The Chasseur Regiment, which had been covered with bushes and such, did not forgive their impatience and poured out intensive fire at once. Armed with new French-made rifles, the ''Bonaparte rifles'', their shots were enough to pierce the British troops who were advancing without hesitation. Napoleon had installed several mounds and trenches here from the beginning. Even if the front row was broken through, the next row could be easily defended. The Britishmander shouted and urged the advance, but their momentum was weakened. "Prepare the battery! Let me know as soon as you finish calcting the coordinates." "Yes, sir!" After the Peninsr War, France went into military reform under Napoleon''s leadership and made numerous changes and developments. The instation of a mission-typemand system, the creation of rifle units, modification and addition of tactics, explosives shells and Paixhans cannons... Napoleon had also invested considerably in lightening the field guns and improving their mobility. French field guns were already lighter and easier to move than other countries'' cannons, but Napoleon doubled this extremely. The ssification of field guns by pound was subdivided to enable appropriate distribution ording to tasks and situations. In that sense, the French three-pound field artillery, which could be pulled by two people, was the best cannon to disy the concept of ''mobile artillery''. Maneuverability, a typical weakness of artillery, did not apply to it. In other words, it meant that the field guns could be brought and prepared in the best position to sweep the enemy away. "The calction is over! Waiting for orders!" "To hell with the inders! Fire!" Boom! Bang! Bang! Boom-! The mobile artillery in the front row had grapes and pellets, and the heavy guns and batteries in the rear row had spherical shells. They fired on the British troops who were advancing to cross the mounds and trenches. The shelling distracted them. The advance of the British army was nowpletely halted. "Infantry!" French infantry battalions watching the scene prepared for the final blow. "Charge-!" Who could think of these as troops preparing to retreat? The battle ended as the infantry neatly finished what the Chasseurs and artillery had started. It was like the French were saying ''Are you afraid to get hurt by the enemies pursuit during the retreat? Then you can smash them first. They won''t even dare toe after us.'' The Napoleonic retreat proceeded without any obstruction. A simr situation was happening elsewhere. A French dragon cavalry battalion raided the British batteries that weregging behind, causing great damage. Rifle snipers, who were ambushed in bushes and bridges, shot British officers and engaged in guerri warfare. In the meantime, French mobile artillery was able to fully use its advantages and supported various battlefields at the same time, allowing the French have instantaneously superior firepower. Peeeeeeee-H "You brought your toys." Napoleon smirked. The British response to the French counterattack was also formidable. The Congreve rocket could go higher, was sharper and noisier than regr artillery shells, and had a much longer range than cannons, but had a lower uracy rate. Napoleon had also paid attention to the potential of Congreve rockets, but he quickly gave up. They were not easy to handle, and above all, their unit price was not right. However, the British seemed to have created their own doctrine to make the most of the rocket''s characteristics. "The batteries deployed in the rear are being attacked by enemy rockets." "One of the gunpowder dumps was burned down! Further damage is expected." In the past, British troops had used the Congreve rockets by pouring them in areas where the infantry was concentrated, blocking the view with smoke and mes from the rockets, or demoralizing the enemies. But today, the British Congreve rocket battalion was firing rockets with a fixed target firmly set. Its target was therge artillery and material storage area, which could not avoid the rockets. The shelling of the Congreve rockets briefly paralyzed the French rear batteries and disrupted the transport and supply of gunpowder. The British infantry confidently continued their advance and entered the shooting range. "Shoot-!" Tatatata! Tatatata! As the French pushed their ranks back, they managed to counterattack considerably in the middle, but it was basically Britain who took the offensive on this battlefield. They had no choice but to take the initiative in the battlefield. Napoleon immediately recognized that those infantry were mixed regiments of line infantry and light infantry. Frontline infantry with muskets was shooting from the front, and light infantry with rifles fired again from the rear. Theirbination allowed the British army to greatly increase the intensity of its frontal firepower. The French infantry battalions, exposed to heavy fire from the British mixed regiment, were quickly defeated and forced to retreat to the rear despite the protection of trenches and mounds. As one side advanced, so did the other. "Charge!" When the smoke of the guns covered the front and a hand-to-handbat started, their ''mercenaries'' came out without fail. Eastern warriors were running through the fields like wolves with their strange curved swords and daggers. Even though it was difficult to have a good visibility because of the smoke, they were running around freely like they owned the ce, causing great damage to the French soldiers. Napoleon heard the identity of those Eastern warriors from several captured British officers. Singhs from Sri Lanka, Gorkas from the Kingdom of Gorka in Nepal, and Rajputs from the Maratha Confederacy. The British, with capital, their greatest weapon, hired native Indians, who were enemies of Britain, as mercenaries and sent them to this battlefield. "The hand-to-hand battle against them wasn''t a very profitable business." The regimentalmander of the Middle Guard, who was the first to fight against the Indian mercenaries, gave the following brief appreciation. For France''s elite troops, this expression could be regarded as the bestpliment to the enemy. "They are like beasts. It''s not the virtue of a topmander to insist on a head-to-head fight with them." With a meaningful smile, Napoleon brought back the grenadiers and infantry fighting in hand-to-handbat against them. At the same time, he ordered the other troops to step back another step. As the French army was withdrawing, the enemies seem to have seen the possibility of victory. They began to advance quickly to chase it. The Indian mercenaries, praised by Napoleon for being like beasts, took the lead and ran, followed by the British mixed infantry regiment, with their bays pointing forward. The French were about to be bitten by their sharp teeth. It was then. Booom! Boom-! Whaaam-H A huge explosion shook the earth. British officers shouted, as they were conscious of the French artillery fire. The British troops and Indian mercenaries immediately prepared for shelling in an open formation. Unfortunately, however, this was not the work of the cannons, The explosion did not start from the sky, but from under the ground. "You''re not the only ones who can use terrain tricks." Whaaaam-! Booom-!! Boom! Again, the explosion quickly turned the valiant British and Indian mercenaries passing over it into pieces. The principle was simple. Like grenades used by the grenadiers, a bomb that was designed to explode when its wick burned down was ced under the ground. If sharp des, screws, and nails were enclosed together with gunpowder, the debris scattered in all directions after the explosion, allowing for tremendous lethality. It was Napoleon''s secret weapon, which he had not used in the Battle of Leipzig. ''It was a weapon that was difficult to use unless there was a softnd like a wend, but thanks to your choice of this ce as a battlefield, fortunately, I was able to use it.'' If the Allledmand knew what was going on, would they regret their choice to fight i n the Orime wends? Na poleon became curious. The British and Indian mercenaries, who were making fierce advances with the determination to end the battle, werepletely engulfed in the terror of the intermittent underground explosions and terrifying deaths of theirrades. Themander''s orders were no longer heard. The only things awaiting those who were scattered everywhere in panic were the explosives under the ground that had not yet exploded. Whaaam-H Explosions soaring several meters above the ground, mes arising from them, and countless iron fragments scattering everywhere. The British and Indian mercenaries were torn to shreds with desperate screams. Even the Indian mercenaries, who knew no fear, cried out in search of their gods, making this area look like hell. However, this was not the end of Napoleon''s arrangement. "Ready for regiment fire... Fire!!" Tatatatatata! Hitting a still target for the Chasseur Regiment with Bonaparte rifles was a piece of cake. The uracy rate and effective range may be slightly lower than that of the Baker rifle, but the proper power of the modified Bonaparte rifle was that it was as fast as a musket. Countless bodies of British and Indian mercenaries piled up at the site of the second and third rounds of fire. This devastating power left the Britishmand speech less. Napoleon smirked, imagining them jumping up and down. The Britishmand immediately stopped marching and called back the battle lines. The enemy could not advance any further and stopped at the front line drawn by the French. Gone were the days when battlefield infantry lined up in long lines and engaged in an ignorant war of attrition. The development of guns and gunpowder, the development of tactics, the increasingly diversifying types of soldiers, and the umted experience and record of battle lines. A new era of war had arrived in which the winner would be themander who could mix all of these aspects more effectively and create a ''form'' with creativity and innovation. At the center of history, Napoleon looked up at the sky, steppi ng on the enemy bodies. Even in the battlefield where tens of thousands of people died, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 24. Bartle for a New Era - 6 With its vast, fertile territory, thergest poption in Europe, diverse industriaI resources and skills, France was expanding at a tremendous rate when it met an outstanding leader named Napoleon. The economic and military growth of France and the expansion of hegemony in the European continent, which had been heard since the end of the Penins War, had made Britain feel a tremendous sense of crisis. This sense of crisis soon led to an active and aggressive investment in the army. The royal family and the administration raised money by issuing huge amounts of bonds to London''s financial conglomerates. Military factories in Manchester and Birmingham operated every day even during peace, making war supplies. Military professionals with the highest military experience and intelligence gathered at the army headquarters and continued military innovation day and night, preparing strategies, and tactics to destroy Napoleon and France. The army born from all these factors was Wellington''s corps. It was called ''the Golden Corps1. It was truly a crystal in which all the nation''s capabilities were concentrated, and a window of hope to overthrow Napoleon''s rule. Wellington''s corps showed the power that had been invested in it on the battlefield. It easily defeated troops from the Nethends and Rhinnd, which blocked the front, and advanced to overthrow France. Red coats advancing with Indian mercenaries shouting ''God Save the King'' resembled heroes who were going to save their country from crisis and liberate Eu rope. Some hasty officers were even sure of victory. But they were only falling into Napoleon''s ruse and copsed helplessly. Unidentified bombs exploded beneath the ground and the French fired soon after. British soldiers and Indian mercenaries exposed to this overwhelming firepower were devastated and melted away from the ground. The Golden Corps, which believed it would defeat Napoleon and create a new myth, was now torn apart in and of death and despair. Lieutenant General Lowry Cole , the divisionalmander of the battlefield unit, who was watching all these scenes vividly from the front, immediately issued the order to retreat without permission from themand. He judged that if they did not step down at this point, the useless bleeding would be greater. And his judgment was indeed correct. Lieutenant General Lowry Cole saw the faces of the defeated soldiers retreating to the rear. Having had a long career on the battlefield, he could tell at a nce. They were mentallypletely destroyed, After that, it would be difficult for them to show their full ability even if they took care of their body and mind before participating in the battle again. Even Indian mercenaries, who were so valiant and strong, had no time to stand in the face of the primal fear of death. It would also a task to persuade the mercenary leaders who were saying that they had never heard of this ridiculous weapon and this kind of fighting method. "Damn it...!" Lowry Cole''s face was distorted by indescribable misery in the catastrophe. "The battalions that were in charge of the front line are very exhausted! At this rate, we cannot guarantee the continuation of the operation!" Starting with Lieutenant General Lowry Cole''s urgent message, who was in charge of the infantry battalions, there were a number of battalion-level defectors who said that they could no longer fight, The Central Command Headquarters was flooded with messages from each subordinate unit requesting to retreat or to be removed from the front and dispatch in the rear. The British military had not found a way to deal with the unexpected weapons and tactics that broke half of its battlefield infantry. Looking at an infantry battalion devastated and brutally crushed after advancing, themand issued an empty retreat order and mechanically gave approval for the fleeing troops. A cold silence was hanging over the headquarters. It was not good. It was really not good. There was a shadow of defeat over them. Above all, the staff officers who should not be afraid of failure and actively provide advice and direction to themanders were shrinking. They were afraid. Afraid that Napoleon would pull out another unexpected card and drive the British army into a corner. Since even the militant Russian officers were now keeping their mouths shut, Wellesley was more disappointed in the atmosphere of themand than in the defeat of the battle. "Our enemy, Napoleon, is the most geniusmander in human history beyond Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. Were you expecting not to take this much damage when dealing with him? Unlike the enemies that they (Alexander, Genghis Khan) have faced, we still have the advantage. We will have to ovee the current difficulties with our manpower and spirit." In the dark and miserable situation, Arthur Wellesleymanded the corps unwavering and awakened the disheartened staff. He stressed the fact that they had been hit by a blow, but that there was no problem in carrying out the operation. Under themand of themander, Wellington''s corps systematically gathered its defeated troops, defended against the enemies'' pursuit, and mobilized its cavalry to cover its vulnerable nks. With the quick decision at the scene (Lowry Cole) and the right judgment of Arthur Wellesley, who actively epted the situation and expanded his path, Wellington''s corps did not fall into a ''swamp of disorder'', without further damage. ''The nickname ''Iron Marshal'' would suit this person, not Louis Nics Davout.'' Rond Hill nodded as he looked at Wellesley, who awakened themand in a calm, tough tone and continued to hope for victory. He realized again that this was the only person who could see victory over Napoleon Bonaparte. "The best treatment for dead soldiers is to cross that bloody ridge and focus on the end of the operation. Gentlemen, I hope you will engage in future operations ready to destroy your whole body." Only then could the chiefs of staff at themand headquarters escape from despair and face the reality. Their confidence had dropped significantly, but the defeat of the battle was certainly not a decisive one. Arthur Wellesley''s response was making them understand it. Not only the British officers but also the proud Russian officers and the uncooperative Swedish officers had been ashamed of their actions, hidden in a shell like a turtle, scared of being hit hard by the enemy. They became passionately absorbed in their role as ''advisors'' again. Knowing how to enlighten and lead one''s subordinates without shouting or mentioning militaryw. This was Arthur Wellesley''s leadership. Arthur Wellesley raised his head and looked up at Hill, Hill, who was staring at his superior, did not shy away from his eyes and made eye contact for a long time. Wellesley opened his mouth. "Let''s send a letter to the Russian reserves behind us and the Prussian troops in the Pantin Forest." Wellesley''s intention was clear. "And provide enough rest and food for the soldiers. This will be the end of this battle." He believed in the possibility of a reversal, and made everyone here believe it as well. Wellesley''s request for action reached the Prussianmand while the Prussian troops upying the Pantin Forest were detaining prisoners from the Union, reorganizing their units, and erasing the traces ofbat. "...It doesn''t seem to work out as well as we thought. An operation against the monster can never go ording to n," The old man who smiled bitterly while smoking his rolled opium cigarette was Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, themander-in-chief of the Prussian army. He gave the letter to his staff, Blucher had a bitter smile as he listened to the sighs of the officers. It was a strategy and tactics that Blucher himself, Wellesley, Gneisenau, Bennigsen, Bagration, and other famousmanders and staff members, who were considered the best in the Coalition, worked all night long. The Coalition''smanders said in unison that they could not expect anything better than this. However, it seemed that it did not work this time against the man loved by God. This was the big framework of the operation to target the Central Army: while the Prussian army suddenly attacked the right wing and upied the Pantin forest, and the Russians hold the left wing, Wellington''s corps pushed into the center of the wend and confronted Napoleon directly. In this process, the most important operational goal was to use topographical and geographical advantages, all kinds of misceneous techniques, the Indian mercenaries, and even special weapons to inflict fatal damage on the Central Army and push forward artillery and positions, Later, the Prussian a rmy on the right, the Russian reserves on the rear, and if possible, the Russian main force, which defeated the left, would be brought to the center at once,pletely destroying the Central Army, the main force of the Union. In other words, ording to the n, the Prussian army woulde back to the forefront after Wellington''s corps upied the front batteries and positions of the Central Army. In the early days of the skirmish, everything went as expected by the staff. ude Victor Perrin''s corps left the Central Army to support the left-wing forces under attack by the Russian army. Now the power of the Central Army had fallen below 80,000. On the other hand, the number of troops hitting them (Wellington''s corps + Russian reserves) was 130,000. The momentary power gap widened and Arthur Wellesley ordered the attack without hesitation. Even Blucher, who was half-doubtful until he took over the Pantin Forest, clenched his fists and convinced himself of the possibility of victory, and Prussian officers apuded and cheered. They really thought that the name of the era would soon crash and that the prosperity of their country would be restored. But Napoleon Bonaparte once again proved why he was called the God of War. With fascinating tactics, subtle, shady schemes and the individual bravery of every soldier, the Central Army eventually blocked Wellington''s corps'' offensive like an iron wall. On the contrary, the spear des hidden in the shield pierced the heart of the British army without hesitation. Themand of Wellington''s corps was unable to handle the burnout and eventually asked for help and for the revision the operation. ''It''s a lot of fun to watch these despicable inders suffer, but...'' Blucher had not forgotten the significance of the alliance, which was more important than this kind of resentment, It was only because of one sense of purpose that he continued his life with hisst struggle. "Prussian soldiers never avoid fighting!" "Your Excellency, give us your orders!" Prussian officers showed confidence by puffing out their chests, but Blucher knew their true feelings, Inside the outer skin of bravery and courage, there was a flesh-like tension and pressure hidden, How many people could mai ntain detachment andposure in this situation where they were going to lead the soldiers to march toward Napoleon''s army? Underneath their masks, the fear of Napoleon that they had learned over time remained strong. But Blucher, as Wellesley did a little while ago, was a general with charisma and years of experience who could awake frozen officers. He did not utter any cliches about saving his country. It would be a turning point in the history of Europe and the world, Blucher only uttered these words. "In this fight today..." Bring down the God of War. And he prayed to God. May hisst spark burn meaningfully. After one battle, a brief state of unrest continued. The British troops stepped back from the battlefield and began to reorganize the heavily worn out units, and the subordinate troops were taking a little time off and taking a light rest. Upon hearing reports of the enemy''s movements, Napoleon wrote a letter to Karl Ludwig and gave the French army a short break. With a distance of about 2 kilometers between them, the two armies stopped fighting and began observing each other. "They are afraid of the arrangements Your Majesty has hidden. As time goes by, they know that the situation is advantageous to us, but they can''t move their feet because of that fear." Berthier''s remarks were properly describing the dilemma that the Coalitionmand was facing. The British, once properly hit back, had be more passive in their characteristic cautious attitude. Weren''t they stilI sending some light cavalry out there to search around the area, wary of the explosives i n the ground? In fact, not all the explosives had been consumed in the previous engagement. In any case, it was like giving the French, who were using mounds and trenches as shields, time to adjust and strengthen their defenses. In the meantime, themanders of the Central Army had a meaningful time, such as recing tired artillery, supplying enough ammunition to the battlefield units and the Chasseur Regiment, reorganizing the ranks and redeploying the troops. Having enough time, Napoleon was also curious about the situation of the Left Army, which was in full swing with the Russian army. "Arthur Wellesley realized that it is difficult to cross this ridge with just the cards he has now. That''s why he''s spending his time trying to soothe his tired and embarrassed soldiers and replenish his strength. In addition, he''s bringing in a force to disperse our firepower." Napoleon did not hear any intelligence or information about it, but he was fully aware of the situation outside the battlefield with only his reasoning ability. The God of War was a master of psychological warfare and also a master of urate situational judgment. "The next attack will really be thest one. If only this attack is prevented, it could lead to victory in the Battle of Orime, and even the Great War as a whole." It was almost over. The day woulde when this bloody war would end and the French tricolor g would fly high above Europe. In the next 50 years no country would be able to challenge France''s stronghold. It was exactly two hours after the British offensive was halted under the threat of underground explosives. Signals announcing the Coalition offensive rang out again on the battlefield. Slightly tired of the battle, the French soldiers regained their spirits after a little rest and went back to the front. Russian and British troops wereing from the front and Prussian troops from the right. Looking at the waves dyed in three colors, the French sons did not lose their fighting spi rit. It was a disy of courage that only true elite troops could exert. Napoleon smiled at the sight. "It''s time to put an end to theirst struggle." Chapter 151 Chapter 151 24. Bartle for a New Era - 7 To express the ensuing battle in one word, ''desperate'' or ''terrible'' would be the most appropriate. British, Prussian, and Russian troops were fiercely rushing in without a second thought, ready to sacrifice themselves. And the French were blocking them with their whole bodies. Soldiers from both sides were shot and copsed on the battlefield screaming and groaning, and the officers'' shouts were buried in the gunfire. Along with the rain that started to fall, the shouts of charge turned into screams with blood and sweat. In the mud, the infantry of both armies raised their bays and showed the madness of war. It was the ce where the most barbaric and sublime rituals in Europe were held today, where modern battles with firearms and medieval battles with swords coexisted. "It''s a tragedy where forces that can''t yield to each other meet. It''s a pity." "Sigh... May this war be recorded asthestughterin Europe..." The war reporters could be said to be from an intellectual ss in a society where educational background and career were recognized, and to have been influenced by liberalism and the anti-war ideology that swept Europe. The war correspondents, who were covering the reality of the war from a neutral area, recorded all these things outside of the fire, but had a bitter look. Describing the horrors of the war was a series of pitiful and painful events. However, many of them paid attention to the academic and aesthetic perspectives of war rather than love for humanity or anti-war spirit. Lorenzo, a journalist from Venice, was one of them. He was so interested in the war itself that he had also published several books on European war history. He looked at the battlefield fierce hand-to-handbat and gunfights were taking ce between trenches, batteries, and main positions, Hidden in it, he could see the aesthetics ofmand, tactics, and control of the masters that were shaking this era. The battle of geniuses over the Orime wend made the blood of war-fanatic journalists like Lorenzo boil. He was thrilled. "I am truly convinced today." Lorenzo spoke, drawing attention from his fellow journalists. "In the past, in the present, in the future, Napoleon Bonaparte is the only one deserving the title of greatest military strategist." "Did you realize it only now?" A yful remark flew around, but Lorenzo''s gaze was still nailed to the scene of that savage ughter. The Coalition''s way of fighting on three sides was straightforward, persistent, and crafty at the same time. Using the superiority of their power, they continued to consume each other, and in the process, if they found any weak parts, they tried to break through with a strike force. The all-round bombardmentwith overwhelming firepower projections put pressure on the defender''s position. The topmanders of the three countries that made up the Coalition were experienced talents who could skillfully cooperate with various sses and types of soldiers. Also, they were not bound by nationality or national interest. If their soldiers had to bear the damage, they continued to push forward. Those strong and proud figures hade together solely to bring down Napoleon without considering political battles, disputes for leadership, or interests, It was a truly magnificent sight. Anymander who had shaken Europe in the past would not survive against them. But the misfortune for the Coalition was that the ''only exception1 was there. Poooooooo- As soon as the grand sound of trumpets used exclusively by military bands was heard, the French army''s formation changed rapidly. The troops on the front line slightly retreated with the Russian grenadiers charging in front of them, and the units on both sides advanced in a diagonal line. Naturally, the shape surrounding the front and both sides waspleted around the Russian grenadiers. It was a mysterious tactic that produced the best efficiency with minimal movement. The ensuing fierce shooting and bay charge was enough to crush the nose of the Russian army, which had been attacking vigorously, and to force it to retreat. Napoleon''s geniusmanding skills shone even when dealing with the British army. Against the British riflemen, who used covers such as bushes and stumps to fire at sight, swift special forces armed with short swords and bays infiltrated them and simply destroyed them. Later, the cross-entry of light cavalry and dragoons disrupted the British artillery, while dying the advance of the British line infantry with trench warfare, dispersing its firepower. On the side of the British army, where the advance was turned around, light artillery and chasseurs fired, ying an active role in the counterattack. The situation on the battlefield changed by the minute, and the necessary soldiers and units were always where they were supposed to be. In addition,manders and officers most suitable for the job led them, leading to tremendous synergies. Was this what Argos, the mythical giant with a hundred eyes, would do? Napoleon ced the entire vast battlefield under his control and never made mistakes in the deployment or selection of his troops. This added to the excellent discipline of the French army, advanced doctrines, and the awareness of the French soldiers who were not defeated during the defensive battle. France never missed to take the advantage in exchange costs in the various engagements taking ce. ''In Iberia, the Marquis of Wellington drove the French expedition to hell, showing the limits of defensive tactics using terrain andnd. Without him, the Iberian Penins would have fallen into Napoleon''s hands.'' Lorenzo, who had been a war correspondent for decades, had also watched several battles during the Iberian Penins War. At that time, Lorenzo was quite impressed by Arthur Wellesley''s solid and stable strategy and defensive tactics, and he thought that there would be no general to follow him, at least in defense. But here, today, Lorenzo had no choice but to admit that his judgment was short. Bang! Bang! Boom! Booom-l Reducing the weight of field guns had been attempted by many countries, but only France, which had skilled artillerymen and know-how in making light artillery, made a sessful innovation. Napoleon was making use of this lightweight artillery more than perfectly. Grape bullets poured out as if they were waiting for Prussian troops who broke through the double trench and came right before the front position, Prussian officers looked perplexed. They were sure that there was no battery here. However, there was no reason for French cannons to wait for those in panic. The Prussian army fled in disorder, leaving a trace to be remembered in their war h istory. "These perfect countermeasures are impossible without predicting the enemy''s psychology based on its movements and formation, and clearly identifying the strength of the troops and of the terrain to prioritize the response." Lorenzo even seriously wondered if Napoleon had the ability to read people''s minds or if he had eyes to see the future. Otherwise, how could this borate and perfect response that the French were showing now be exined? To summarize Arthur Wellesley''s defensive tactics, they could be said to be ''the first of the first''. However, Napoleon Bonaparte''s defensive tactics were ''mysterious''. They could go beyond the limits of man and transcend the realm of God. ''After this battle, he will make another immortal myth,'' Lorenzo recorded all these processes and contents with vivid impressions as he refined his boiling thrill and admiration. To bring the greatest strategist of all time to Europe, and to posterity. The God of War existed. He was French and would eventually crush everything that stood in his way and in his country''s way. The battle that turned the Orime wend into blood did not end until the evening when the day became dark and it was impossible to distinguish the sides. The Coalition eventually failed to break through the lines drawn by the Union, but it was a desperate battle in which the Union also had no room to pursue the Coal ition. Both sides, in tatters, withdrew about 1.5 kilometers from each other in a tacit agreement and soon went into camp. "We need to make the soldiers aware that the situation is more hopeful than they think." Alexander I did not dampen his confidence when seeing the disastrous battlefield where the bodies of Russian troops formed a mountain. "I never expected to bring those demons to their knees in a short period of time. We are honestly and steadily tightening our enemies'' throats, and in the end we will be honored as victors." Alexander I delivered a letter of encouragement to themanders of the battlefield. It could be seen as a waste of administrative power, but it was also a necessary act to strengthen solidarity and seek cooperation before the next battle. Alexander I repeatedly emphasized in his letters that he could win the battle, which was not a mere bluff. In fact, themander-level figures of each corps, including Wellesley, Blucher, and Bennigsen, did not underestimate the possibility of victory. Ignoring even the words of his officers asking him to rest, Bliicher spent the night awake in front of the battlefield''s map. So far, Napoleon had paid more attention to preserving power through the superiority of exchange costs than to keep the strategic goal of ''maintaining the line of defense''. This resulted in the French giving away more upied territories to the Coalition instead of losing manpower. In fact, the Coalition''s forces were sessful in pushing the Union south of the wend, upying several defensive bases of the Left and Central Armies. Of course, it was a ''bloody achievement'' that caused the Coalition to suffer nearly three times as many casualties as the Union, but it achieved its goal anyway. To the south of the Orime wend was a river called Teromiro. What if the Coalition''s forces could send a detachment to take control of the river bridge and push the Union there? They could lock up the French along the river in a crossfire. It was simply the best situation the Coalition was drawing. Of course, Napoleon could not have ignored it, so he should have prepared a countermeasure. "From about 10 a.m. this morning, news from Olsztyn (a city 97 kilometers south of Orime) has been cut off. Polish troops seem to be traveling north through there." Early in the morning, reports showed that the Austro-Polish-French army in Pnd would arrive there in 36 hours at the earliest and in 48 hours at thetest. Within that time, the Coalition had to fight. "...Your Excellency. I encourage you to reconsider even now. No matter how much we look at it, it''s too dangerous for you to go in person. Why don''t you leave it to another general..." "A Prussian soldier should act ording to the suitability of the mission rather than its danger. Find someone you think is more suitable than me to carry out this operation. If you can, I''ll reconsider!" Blucher shrugged off the dissuasion of his lieutenants. Fire burned most brilliantly just before going out. As nourishment for Napoleon''s ruin, Blucher was willing to sacrifice himself. As soon as dawn broke, the Coalition offensive began again, starting with the charge of Russian grenadiers. New blood was sttered again on the battlefield to form a river. The sound of gunfire from both armies concealed the movements of a Prussian detachment led by Blucher. It escaped the bloody battlefield and moved southeast, temporarily leaving the marsh. After turning to the right, their goal was to the bridge along the Teromiro river. "Wipe them out!" The Union troops guarding the river were from the Nethends, Rhinnd, and were the same forces that had already been destroyed by the British once. There was no way that Prussian troops would be defeated by non-French soldiers. Blucher and his detachment managed to defeat them very simply and upied the bridge. Blucher doubted that Napoleon could give up the rear so easily. And as expected, the counterattack began immediately. "I thought it was too easy, but you brought your guardian !" ude Victor Perrin. The Marshal of the French Empire, who was supposed to be fighting the Russian army on the left, was with his troops and the defeated Dutch and Rhinnd forces. Blucher intuitively felt that something was wrong, but the chess pieces had already beenid on the board. He began fighting on the bridge, encouraging his soldiers. "To hell with the ves following the frogs!" "Provide eternal rest to the exiled soldiers who have lost their homes!" The battle was fought tooth and nail. The Dutch and Rhinnd forces were treated as weaklings and ignored, but the French troops beside them who took the center made the Prussian army embarrassed by fighting back like skilled soldiers. As the battle continued, Blucher, who was short on time, felt impatience but did not show it. What he needed at this time was a trick to break the te, and the sense of the battlefield at the end of his life inspired him with new inspiration. "Spread the ranks from side to side and switch the front and rear rows!" "Your Excellency! The line infantry still have room to fight! Also, if you change formation during the battle...!" "Don''tin and do as I say!" Blucher, as always, stamped on the objections of his lieutenants. Under hismand, the officers moved their troops, As the ranks changed, the formation of the unit was momentarily disrupted and gaps were created. "The Prussians are shaking! Don''t miss your chance!" The clever French were not immediately fooled, but the Dutch and Rhinnd troops, who had never fought against Prussia, or, more precisely, against Blucher, were deceived. Of course, they were not fools, so they first checked whether the Prussians were hiding field artillery or rifle regiments behind their lines. As soon as it was confirmed that there was no such thing, the troopsunched a bay charge to make a decisive blow, despite the dissuasion of French officers. However, Blucher''s hidden card was not a rifle regiment or artillery. "Great Prussian grenadiers! Give your life for your country!" Those who appeared while singing the ''Song of the Grenadiers'' were the Life Grenadier Regiment of the Senior Guard, with changed military uniforms, It was the best unit of the Prussian army and was considered worthy ofpeting with the French Old Guard in an equal battle. The ferocious fightersunched a bay charge against the rushing Dutch and Rhinnd forces, crushing the linepletely and defeating them. "Now! A twist in the battlefield!" When the Dutch and Rhinnd forces were defeated and the French faltered, Blucher gathered the split troops and encircled them. And immediately, the rear reserve team was deployed to turn the right side and hit the enemy''s side. In an instant, the Union forces, including the French, were under heavy attack on three sides. Since then, the re-introduced of the Life Grenadier Regiment came as a decisive blow, and even the French army of Perrin could not withstand it and copsed. Blucher felt something ufortable among his soldiers who were delighted with the victory of the skirmish, Why was Perrin''s corps here along the Teromiro river? Where had Michel Ney''s corps gone after retreating to the rear? His doubts continued, but Blucher sessfullypleted his mission nevertheless. He could steadily y the role of an anvil while upying the bridge of the Teromiro river. Then the remaining troops of the Coalition would be able to defeat Napoleon with a hammer. But the battlefield was always a ce where unexpected variables and anomalies were born to dominate poor creatures. The goddess of victory had never failed to smile at Napoleon, and she did not stop this time either. A new army appeared in an orderly manner riding in the western sky, in the picturesque sunset. "The Polish army! They are the Polish army!" The screams of Prussian officers confirming their uniforms represented the tragic reality of Blucher. The g of Jozef I could be seen, He, Marshal of the French Empire and King of Pnd, was leading his elite army himself. Blucher''s chest pain got worse. His hands and feet were shaking and the tremor spread to his face. "S-sir! Order to retreat quickly...!" "The retreat route is already blocked." Before they knew it, French soldiers were approaching from the other side. Michel Ney and his corps, which Blucher had been looking for, appeared behind the Prussian army. The Prussians were isted in an instant. They had tried to bring Napoleon down with their hammer and anvil operation, but they were now caught between the hammer and the anvil and only tragedy was in front of them, A great silence fell on them. The officers lost their words with a stunned look on their faces. And what came to them was only the feeling of fear. ''That''s it.'' Blucher smiled bitterly. The Almighty God was fiercely on Napoleon''s side until the end. Chapter 152: The End Chapter 152: The End 25. The End - 1 The battlefield''sw that those controlling the variables would win was a form that Napoleon had never forgotten since he took over. The most important variable that prated the entire battlefield, the Orime wend, was the presence of Polish garrison forces. Depending on how quickly they could join, the situation could be 180 degrees different. Napoleon thus issued the following instructions even before the Polish garrison departed. First, they would separate the main forces from the corps preparing to go to war. Second, the main forces would march as fast as possible with minimal armaments. Napoleon calcted the joining of Polish troops from the beginning and organized the situation here to suit him. First, a warehouse disguised as a vige was set up between the Polish garrison and the Orime wend. The advance troops of the garrison marched quickly with light equipment and arrived at the warehouse, where they were provided with military supplies to arm themselves. The Austrian, Polish and French all did the same. This dramatically reduced the time it took to march, allowed them to be immediately deployed to the battlefield without taking any other action, and led to the Coalition''s misjudgment. ''The Coalition''smand must have misjudged the pace of the reinforcements'' march. The proof is that the timing of the general offensive of their whole army was dyed by one day so they could fight on a battlefield that was more favorable to them.1 In other words, the Coalition made the mistake of misjudging that the rest of the Union''s troops were marching rtivelyte and slowly, without noticing the presence of the main forces that started marching earlier. Napoleon, who saw through this in thete evening, adopted a simple strategy. It was to hold out as much as possible by putting up a defensive posture in the key points, and to limit the consumption of the troops to a minimum unti I the reinforcements arrived. This was the context and preparation stage for a massive counterattack after the arrival of the garrison. Napoleon was on the verge of a victory in the war, sessfully aplishing all his tasks. Surrounding the detached Prussian army that came into the lion''s mouth and eating it was only one of these processes, "Your Majesty! There was a change in the enemy formation. They seem to have noticed the presence of our reinforcements." "Only now? It''s a littlete." Upon receiving reports from the chief of staff, Napoleon climbed on the watchtower and examined the enemy''s movements with a telescope. The Coalition forces had been advancing and maintaining the offensive by enclosing the Central Army. Therefore, their formation had to be changed in order to deal with the new reinforcements arriving, The Coalition formed separate units to respond to this and turned their battery around, disying an elbow formation. They still had not given up the offensive here. Their judgment itself was not wrong, and Napoleon would have done the same. ''But they are very slow to respond. As expected, organizations with multiple heads are bound to waste time with unnecessary discussions.'' They had already gone ''all-in'' to kill each other. They could not get bitten in their back, If they had turned around, Napoleon would have chased them. The Coalition leaders were aware of that. So as long as they saw even the slightest possibility, they would not give up or surrender. "This is a messenger from Archduke Karl to Your Majesty." "Well." Austria''s main forces had newly joined the battlefield and were putting pressure on the left side of the Coalition forces. They were about 30,000 elite troops, fully armed and that had not engaged in any skirmishes yet. They represented an enormous strategic value at this point. The officers seemed anxious to put the Austrians on the battlefield at any moment. But Napoleon''s idea was a little different. "Instead of replying, try to deliver my words. Don''t take the offensive, stay in line and wait and see." Karl Ludwig would know what he meant. The Austrians had just arrived on the battlefield. If the Coalition forces were anxious to receive them, the Austrians were also anxious to fight right now. Other countries in the Union had fought fiercely on major battlefields together with France. This was an act of increasing the stake by investing human and material resources in the Great War, and after the war, a corresponding price would be returned. The Great War was turning out to be a victory for the Union. The countries in the Union were slowly looking forward to their rewards. The same was true of Austria, Even after the end of the war, it would be necessary to establish an influential military force to assert their interests and demands, Austria had the second-highest rank in the Union after France, but was unable to make remarkable achievements except for a few skirmishes across Pnd, so it was particrly heated up. "This is nothing but Napoleon''s cheap political maneuver to keep us in check!" "Your Highness, we don''t have to obey his orders. The Austrians have been involved in the Great War as an independent army." The onlymand they had received from Napoleon was ''stand by on the spot1. Austrian generals and officers who heard it did not hide their anger. No matter how long France and Austria had been enemies, no matter how carefully they had acted in the beginning of the war, they could not ept it. How could he try to keep them here? He could not prevent them from joining the fight on the Union''s side just because he had won before! It was Karl Ludwig, who had remained silent until now, who calmed the anger of his officers. "Once again... The fact that I didn''t meet Napoleon as an enemy is a great blessing to my men and to me." "Your Highness?" "Gentlemen. Don''t you see the other side of the borate strategy contained in this message?" With the addition of the Austrian reinforcements, the war situation, which had been uncertain between the two sides, was leaning toward the Union. If he were a generalmander, he would have ordered the entire army to attack and expand by following the long-standing principle of war: ''if you are stronger than your enemy, risk fighting, and if you are weaker than your enemy, strengthen your defense''. But Napoleon was different. He knew that the Coalition had already crossed the Rubicon. The presence of reinforcements running here was also a factor that prevented the Coalition from stopping the fight. In other words, the Coalition forces had to fight whether they wanted to or not. And as soon as possible, As a result, Napoleon created a board capable of attracting his opponents while solidifying his defense even though he had ''dominant power''. ''It''s a bog you can''t get out of.'' Using a situation in which his enemies were forced to attack, he solidified the position of a rtively advantageous defender and forced his opponents to make harsh choices. If the enemies in the quagmire floundered and exhausted their strength, he would harvest them with the reaper''s scythe that was hidden. It was a really sly strategy. The evaluation of cheapness and cruelty in war was the bestpliment in a way. "As soon as their whole army turns to counterattack, it will be our army that will deal a decisive blow to the Coalition." Britain, France, and Prussia had made military progress. Austria was also strong. Karl Ludwig ordered thorough preparation, believing that the uing battle was a historic one that would prove that Austria''s de had not be dull. The end was drawing near. The world after the war would be very different from now. The Austrian army emerged from the western part of the wend. They would join the battlefield in two hours at thetest. This was more than a day earlier than the arrival time expected by the Coalitionmand. Even Arthur Wellesley, who was not easily surprised, could not hide his cold sweat as soon as he confirmed the presence of the Austrian army. He had no way to figure out what magic it was. He did not have time for that. Only a clever move could ovee this difficulty. Arthur Wellesley decided to take the risk. "Let''s hide who they are. No, let''s tell the soldiers that they are our reinforcements, The victory of the war is just around the corner." "Your Excellency! How could we...i That''s the way to get caught in two hours!" Despite the cries of the officers, Wellesley shook his head with a stern look. "If we don''t get over that hill anyway, we will lose and the Coalition will copse. Therefore, raising the soldiers'' fighting spirit even if it''s false and illuminating their hope for victory will be a way to raise the odds even a little. I''ll take all the responsibility as themander. Just follow me." Wellesley immediately mobilized all the reserves he had cherished so far. The heroes of the British Army such as the 42nd Royal Hignd Regiment of Foot , called the ''ck Watch'', the British Royal Guard, and the Connaught Rangers gathered together. Russian and Swedish forces were not excluded. It was a fateful showdown where they could not lose. In this situation, saving power was a foolish option. King Karl XIV gave away all but the 1st Regiment of the Swedish Royal Guards, and Alexander I sent the entire Guards Division, including the Pavlovsky Life Guards Regiment. Prussia also invested all of its remaining rear reserve forces, forming the best strike forces of four countries that had never been seen before and would not be in the future. And Rond Hill tookmand of this strike force. Rond Hill nodded heavily, looking at his stiff-faced superior. Hill volunteered for the mission himself, Even if it was a dangerous mission that could endanger his life, even as a general, Hill was willing to throw his body for his country. The two, who had been on the battlefield together for a long time, understood each other without having to speak out. Rond Hill risked his life in the next assault. Wellesley respected and trusted his subordinate. Britain''s future and glory were at stake. If they lost this fight, they would not be able to live like before. Rond Hill entrusted his lieutenant with his written will. So that it could be sent to his family if he died. Rows of soldiers appeared in Hill''s sight as he rode his horse. British, Russian, Prussian, and Swedish. The various armies of different countries,nguages, and cultures did not harmonize well at first, but soon began to unite as one group. As expected, it was like an army where only the best of each country''s troops were united. The morale of the strike force was very high. Because the soldiers heard that the approaching army was their rei nforcements. They believed that this charge would confirm the victory of the Great War and end the Napoleonic era. Rond Hill closed his eyes. His whole body was heavy as if a lump of lead was hanging from his chest. And yet Hill, being a British general,mander of the strike force, eximed: "The victory of the Coalition is just around the corner! Soldiers! Fight to thest for the honor of your country! I will be with you in life, in death and in glory!" Behind him, the elite armies of the Coalition began their march one after another. May this charge change the flow of history. Hill looked eagerly forward. A major attack by the Coalition forces began. First of all, they dispersed the firepower of the French battery with the majestic rush and maneuver of the cavalry, and then immediately deployed their best fighters. "Uraaaaaaaaaaaa-!!" In the battlefield, where shells poured in, the Coalition strike forces walked without losing speed. The victory of the war was within reach. A historic moment had arrived that would bring down the genius of war and the hegemony of the continent. Their morale soared to the sky. Singing military songs in their respectivenguages and lyrics, the elite corps of the four countries united and shouted for the glory of their homnd. Now even the Guards were marching with them, and messages arrived on both sides saying that they would attack the French. Their morale soared further and further. The soldiers of the strike force had no doubt that Napoleon Bonaparte''s myth would copse here. Even Rond Hill, who knew the real situation, thought, ''If I can do this well, it''s worth trying''. "The frequency of shelling is less than expected. After all, they don''t seem to be able to afford to give the Austrians military supplies." "The situation is pretty good. If we seed in destroying the enemy''s central forces, we will be able to achieve a historic reversal." Even the lieutenants who knew the situation quietly uttered these words and sprouted hope. The supply line of the Union was much longer than that of the Coalition. Still, the Union had not suffered any disruptions in supply. The Coalition forces tried to harass their supply convoys with the Cossack cavalry, but they could not do much damage... However, the Union''s supply capacity seemed to have reached its limits now. "One of the French light artillery regiments is currently fighting with the 1st Division of the 2nd British Corps, and the other is facing the Russian army in the northwest." The French light artillery, which had previously emerged in a flurry and subjected numerous Coalition soldiers to shelling,wasnot herenow. "We searched the area thoroughly and found no explosives hidden in the ground. It looks like we can advance safely." There was none of the unidentified weapons used by the French in this battle that had destroyed the red coats and theIndianmercenaries. Strangely enough, the whole situation had gone to the advantage of the Coalition strike forces. Hill felt a certain fateful attraction in it. Richard the Lionheart had defeated Sdin with a single charge, overturning an unfavorable battlefield. The thousand-year-old wall of Theodosius had been taken down by the Ottomans by the mistake of one garrison. As such, sometimes wars werepletely reversed or the impossible was made possible due to something mysterious. Could it be said that this was one of these historical moments? Full of confidence in victory, Europe''s best elite forces would break through the depths of the enemy line? "Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory-!!" The Congreve rockets in the rear were fired at the same time and tormenting the French artillery. The striking force defeated the Union''s infantry regiments, breaking through the second trench. If they went a little further, they would see themand headqua rters of the Central Army and of the entire Union''s army. Now their goal was really just around the corner. There seemed to be no army to stop the striking force moving in a desperate manner. But... - ~ - "Right. There''s no way you guys aren''ting out." The French Imperial Guard appeared with the distinctive sound of its military band. Among them, the soldiers at the forefront were the Old Guard. France''s strongest, most elite troops and the best elite strike group of the Coalition faced each other in the smoke of the battlefield. TL notes And here''s thest chapter! The novel is on hiatus and I don''t know if/when the author will continue it. Thank you for your support and thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this novel as much as I did! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!