He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 38

(37) The Postal Service: The Era’s Blood Vessels

July 1793. Summer in Marseille is scorching.

“Seriously, why are so many letters being sent through military mail?”

It’s been three months since Eugene arrived in Marseille.

Soon, Paris will be debating the creation of the Republican Calendar, following the introduction of the metric system.

The battles on the Rhine are intensifying, and the civil war that began in the south is spreading westward.
A mailman in military uniform appeared at the Café Boarneh de Marseille, sighing.

-Thump!

It was a mountain of letters.

The person who delivered the pile was Jean Gomis.

Like Tournai and Ellie, he was one of Eugene’s trusted aides who crossed the Atlantic with him.

Currently, his military rank is Sergeant.

He followed Eugene to the Marseille headquarters and was assisting with his work.

Gomis’s main job was handling the constant stream of letters that Eugene sent.

Eugene smiled sheepishly and looked at the letters.

“There’s not much I can do, Sergeant Jean Gomis. My whole family is in Paris. Besides, if I want to conduct business, I have no other means of communication but to send letters.”

“Don’t lie to me! Do you think I don’t know that 50 out of 100 letters are written and sent by the Princess?”

“Oh, really? I thought I told her to restrain herself. I guess she’s not listening.”

Come to think of it, most of the signatures on the letters were the same.

Marie Therese Charlotte de Café.

Over 50 letters were sent by the former deposed princess who gave Eugene his first kiss.

In the late 18th century, before the telegraph was invented,

there was no other way to get news from afar except by letter.

Even Eugene, who remembered the instant messaging of the modern era, was slightly overwhelmed.

“W-well, that’s quite a lot.”

Just then, Ippolito, who was arriving with the accounting book, chuckled and nudged Gomis’s shoulder.

“Hey, give him a break, Sergeant. The ‘Grande Poste’ [Royal National Post Office] collapsed after the revolution. Now everyone is scrambling, sending mail through private postal services. Marseille is no exception.”

Suddenly, Eugene blinked at Ippolito’s words.

The fact that the post office had collapsed meant that the country’s postal system had collapsed.

He hadn’t realized this because he had been sending letters through military mail whenever he needed to.

Even though he had sent countless letters for three months to establish the [Boarneh Cartel] in Marseille.

Eugene looked at Ippolito and asked.

“The postal system has collapsed? I hadn’t considered that.”

“Huh? What, weren’t you sending letters by military mail because of that?”

“No, I just sent them because it was the easiest and fastest way. I knew Sergeant Gomis would take care of it anyway.”
Military mail is a system in which soldiers carry letters directly.

So, the fact that Gomis was in charge of Eugene’s letters meant he was personally delivering them to the recipient.

For example, if the recipient’s address was a café mansion on the outskirts of Paris, he went there directly.

Gomis, who had traveled to and from Paris more than 50 times, was dumbfounded and shouted as he left.

“Oh, please stop writing so much! I’m going to break my legs delivering love letters!”

Eugene smiled again, and Ippolito burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

Anyway, Marie’s reason for sending letters is clear.

Eugene’s reply seems to be motivated by a desire to avoid a scolding.

But if this continues, Gomis’s legs might actually be crushed.

Eugene frowned, tapping the letter lightly.

“Hasn’t the revolutionary government revived the post office yet?”

“Didn’t you know? Well, the Holy Roman Empire has the famous Thurn und Taxis family in charge. But we had the royal family do it all, right? And the royal family is gone.”

“Originally, France also did it privately. Hmm.”

The Thurn und Taxis are a noble family that started in the postal business as early as the 13th century.

They had a special permit from the Holy Roman Emperor and monopolized the mail within the Empire.

It’s a 500-year monopoly.

Mail seems simple, but it’s a different story when you monopolize the mail of the entire empire.

The Taxis family owns thousands of horses and employs 20,000 postmen.

In addition, the delivery costs and fees alone are enormous, accumulating huge wealth and allowing them to live like aristocrats.

Even in the original timeline, the Thurn und Taxis family controls a vast fortune with tens of trillions of won in assets [hundreds of millions of US dollars].

Eugene recalled this and tapped the coffee table with a strange expression.

“Wait. Post office.”

At that moment, the quick-witted Ippolito was horrified and asked.

“Huh? Don’t tell me you’re going to start a postal business? Someone tried that a long time ago and failed.”

“Piarong de Chamousse did it. The royal family took it over.”

“Oh, yeah. That means it’s not a profitable business. We don’t have enough time to focus on our current business. That Paulie guy is costing us a lot of money!”

Piarong de Chamousse, primarily a doctor, was also famous as a postal businessman.

He brought together the previously unsystematic French postal business.

He operated 200 postmen as a unit and established a circuit postal system connecting Paris and the provinces.

Of course, this is far behind the UK, which was already creating a modern post office.

Nevertheless, he was the most advanced businessman in France in this field.

However, as Ippolito pointed out, he did not make a huge profit.

Thurn und Taxis accumulated wealth, but why did Chamousse die poor?

Because he failed to achieve economies of scale.

20,000 and 200.

The number is simply 100 times different, but the fees and capital requirements are more than 10,000 times different.

Ippolito’s point is correct, although he may not have known it so precisely.

However, Eugene smiled and shook his head.

“I know that too. But the postal business isn’t just about money. It’s about needing an organization to collect information.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you know why the royal family took over the postal business that Chamousse used to run? To censor letters in the ‘Black Room’.”

This is the so-called Cabinet Noir, or [Black Room – a secret office where letters were opened and read by government officials].

After acquiring the postal business, the French kings set up a post office in the Palace of Versailles.

As a result, all letters were delivered to the recipient through the Palace of Versailles.

The king personally read the important letters among these letters, and the room where this censorship work took place is called the Cabinet Noir.

Ippolito’s mouth dropped open when he heard this.

“What, does that mean the royal family read all the letters we sent?”

“It’s not that simple. The French are so talkative that they send a lot of letters, like the princess here. I imagine they only read the important people’s letters.”

“Oh my god. Are all kings perverts? Reading other people’s letters.”

Ippolito, who was gulping down coffee as if his throat was burning, asked.

“But what are you going to do?”

In fact, even Eugene doesn’t have the financial resources to run a postal business.

Even if he hires 200 people at Chamousse’s level, he is likely to go bankrupt in less than a year.

However, Eugene had another way.

It’s the way Eugene is currently delivering letters.

“I’m going to have to do this within the military unit. I’m going to create a [Postal Unit].”

In short, in this age of war, he is leveraging the military organization.

***

In fact, Napoleon is the one who creates the Imperial Postal Headquarters in the original timeline.

But now he is just a resident military attaché and brigadier general in Marseille.

Today, Napoleon was showing interest in a new object.

-Click!

It’s the Patrick Rifle that Eugene brought.

He quickly loaded the bullet and then unloaded it again.

A speed that cannot be compared to a musket.

With a satisfied face, Napoleon turned to his adjutant, Juno, and asked.

“Hmm, this gun is very easy to load. Whose idea was it? Who suggested producing breech-loading guns? Lieutenant Juno?”

“Well, it’s the boy genius. That guy always likes to start new things.”

“Really? Well, the idea of building a munitions factory is not normal in itself. There’s no guarantee that it will be successful.”

Juno shrugged at Napoleon’s words, who pretended not to be overly enthusiastic.

“He’s still just buying factory sites and recruiting technicians. But he’s submitted another proposal.”

“What is it?”

“He wants to create a postal unit? With the Marseille headquarters as the center.”

Napoleon raised his eyebrows and gestured.

“Postal unit? First, call him.”

Anyway, Eugene’s primary role is still as a soldier.

Eugene’s position is as an adjutant to Napoleon.

In fact, the Marseille headquarters is a somewhat relaxed reserve unit, except for tracking Genoa’s movements.

That’s why the commander’s adjutant has the leisure to pursue business ventures as a side job.

Conversely, the creation of a unit is a significant undertaking because of this.

Because Marseille currently has no large army except for the city garrison.

That’s why Napoleon is calling Eugene.

However, Eugene, who was called in, smiled very naturally and said.

“It’s simple, General. You don’t have the authority to create a unit yet, but you have the rank to propose it. In this time of chaos, you can establish your own postal unit in Marseille.”

A brigadier general is not a commander.

Therefore, he cannot create a unit at will, and he does not originally have independent command.

However, as a general, he can propose the creation of a unit to the revolutionary government.

That’s the gist of what Eugene said.

Still, it’s something that could arouse suspicion in Paris.

Above all, why a ‘postal unit’?

Napoleon looked at Eugene for a moment and asked.

“Military mail is still running. But why should the military do what the private sector or the state should do?”

Eugene smiled and replied.

“You know the answer, General. Because you collect rumors, gossip, and news from all over.”

“Information gathering?”

“That’s right. Mail is just an excuse. The reality is that you have information gathering agents directly under your command.”

Postmen inevitably have to travel everywhere.

From the place where the letter originates to the place where it arrives at the recipient.

Therefore, mail has always been synonymous with information.

Even modern information and communication departments all started as postal headquarters that handled mail.

The moment interest arose on Napoleon’s face, Eugene explained without missing a beat.

“Here’s how it works. Before the royal family took it over, Chamousse hired 200 postal workers. He paid two coins per letter.”

“I remember. Was it 1780? I experienced it as a child. They were men who wore black uniforms and swords.”

“Now that it’s a time of revolution, they’ll have to be even more heavily armed. You can do the same, General. The justification is that the military is assisting the paralyzed postal system.”

Juno, who was listening next to him, turned to another adjutant, Marmont, and asked.

“What’s so good about that?”

“Lieutenant Juno. Don’t you really understand? Armed forces are being created!”

“What? Oh my god, Captain Marmont. Is that what’s really happening? This boy genius is really scary?”

Of course, armed forces are also a very important factor.

It means that Napoleon, who doesn’t have direct control of troops, will have power in his hands.

However, neither Napoleon nor Eugene thought much about that.

Napoleon was attracted to the idea of collecting information, especially information from Paris.

On the other hand, Eugene already knows the size of the army that Napoleon will command in the future.

So, he can’t help but be unimpressed by the postal unit, which will be around 200 at most.

Napoleon stared at Eugene and asked.

“Ignore those guys. I think I can do this. So who would be good to take charge? If it’s an adjutant who doesn’t have a job right now, Marceau?”

“Major Marceau would do well. But he needs support.”

“You? Or should I have Marmont or Juno do it?”

Eugene looked back at the brave Juno and the quite resourceful Marmont.

Both are talented people who can be adjutants, even if they are not marshal material.

It’s not a big deal, so they’ll be able to handle it to some extent.

But there is a more suitable choice.

Someone who hasn’t come to Marseille yet.

The palace chief, later called the Emperor’s Shadow.

“No. Please call Michel Duroc. He will be thorough in keeping secrets.”

Napoleon tilted his head and nodded.

“Did that friend have such talent besides artillery? Well, okay. It’s easy to call him anyway, since he’s in Nice. More than that, the creation of the unit, um. Well, shall I ask Salicetti for a favor for once?”

It was the moment when Duroc, who was originally going to stay in the Nice artillery unit, was summoned to Marseille for a new assignment.

To become the commander of the first Marseille postal unit to be created.

***

But even if the postal unit is created, someone will eventually have to work as a postman.

“Oh, in the end, nothing has changed in what I do!”

Jean Gomis, who has now become a formal non-commissioned officer in the Marseille postal unit, grumbled.

Anyway, he still has to ride a horse and travel 780 kilometers from Marseille to Paris.

The thought of going back makes the schedule seem daunting.

Just then, Marie, who was waiting in front of the house, widened her eyes.

“Oh, do you hate seeing me that much? Sergeant?”

“Huh? No, Princess. Haha! It’s an honor to see you, Princess!”

“Just call me Mademoiselle. Hehe! Huh?”

Marie Therese tilted her head at Gomis.

“Your uniform has changed. Monsieur Gomis?”

Gomis smiled, dusting off his black uniform instead of blue.

“Ah, I started in a new postal unit this time. Well, you can think of it as a substitute for the Grande Poste. The only difference is that the headquarters is in Marseille.”

“Oh, really? Did Eugene plan that too?”

“Yes? I guess so?”

In fact, the unit was created because of Marie.

In a sense, Marie inadvertently helped Eugene create a military unit.

Of course, Marie didn’t think so at all, and instead had a dumbfounded look on her face.

“When is he going to come back to Paris? He keeps starting new things!”

Gomis, who roughly knew the situation, blinked and comforted Marie.

“Well, Princess? No, Mademoiselle Marie. Actually, it’s only been half a year since Major Boarneh went to southern France. Also, it’s probably dangerous for you to be in Paris.”

“That’s enough! Give me the letter Tournai sent. Did you send it?”

“Yes, th-that’s right.”

Hurriedly and flusteredly, Gomis took out another letter and handed it over.

-〈To the Princess, former Guardsman Tournai greets you. Today, Major Eugene de Boarneh is concentrating on his business, and there have been no other women around him since Mademoiselle Desiree.〉

That’s right.

The letter that Gomis gives to Marie is not just from Eugene.

There is a letter from Tournai, a former royal guard soldier who has a relationship with the royal family.

That doesn’t mean that Marie is exchanging love letters with Tournai.

The contents of the letter are all about Eugene’s recent activities.

Marie scoffed, looking over the letter carefully as if glaring at it.

“Hmph, he’s already showing interest in women at such a young age. He should show it after he’s older.”

Marie, who had forgotten that she was showing interest in the 12-year-old, got angry again, looking south.

“But when is he going to come back!”

It was a day when the postal unit’s first mission seemed to be delivering Marie’s letter again.

Of course, information from Paris is a bonus.

But soon, no one knew that the postal unit’s true purpose was approaching.

Not even Eugene.