He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 162

Becoming Napoleon’s Genius Son – Episode 162 (162/547)

(162) The First Mission of the Sûreté is to Uncover a Coup

Sûreté. The word sounds elegant, but it is actually a fearsome term.

France already has an organization in charge of maintaining public order.

However, the Sûreté literally handles national security, tracking down rebels, and even crushing major criminal organizations—a kind of military force within the police.

It is distinct from the Public Order Forces in Paris.

In the original timeline, it was first created when Fouché became the Minister of Police.

In short, it’s a secret police organization.

It is, of course, a name for an organization that has not yet been created in this timeline.

It’s also why Eugene deliberately chose this name.

The Vendée Postal Regiment, Milan Bank employees, retired soldiers.

These disparate elements form the intelligence organization that Eugene had been operating within the Italian Expeditionary Force.

This is the identity of this place, [Sûreté], located in the basement of the [Haou] Fortress in Bordeaux.

Suddenly, Rochejacquelein stared intently at the person who introduced themselves as Sûreté and asked.

“I think I’ve seen you before. Was it on the battlefield of Vendée?”

“That’s right. My name is Jacob Helie, a retired soldier from the Toulon unit. On the Vendée battlefield, you probably saw me standing behind General Eugene.”

“It’s good to see you like this. It feels like just yesterday we were fighting as enemies.”

Helie is one of the three soldiers who left with Eugene for the New World, Martinique.

While Tournay is active as Eugene’s head of the guard, and Gomi is active in the Horse Grenadier Brigade, Helie retired a little earlier.

Afterward, he was in charge of the Milan Bank’s postal organization, playing a significant role in the Italian expedition.

The person who is virtually running the Sûreté now is also Helie.

Looking at Helie, Eugene’s closest aide, Rochejacquelein said to Eugene as if he finally understood.

“So, these people are General Bonaparte’s informants.”

Eugene smiled and nodded.

“That’s right, Rochejacquelein.”

“Are you going to use me as an informant too?”

“It’s more than that. Now, everyone pay attention!”

Eugene clapped his hands to draw the attention of all the Sûreté informants.

“Everyone here knows who this friend is. He is a rebel from Vendée, a hero of the New World battlefield, and the King’s Knight, Rochejacquelein.”

In fact, the core of Eugene’s informants is originally comprised of royalists from Toulon and Vendée.

Eugene’s direct unit started with former royalists organized into postal regiments and volunteers.

In particular, the Vendée royalists were difficult to recruit directly as soldiers, so they were mainly used as postal workers for the Milan Bank.

So, there were bound to be many who knew Rochejacquelein.

Eugene reminded them of that point and asked the informants.

“Especially, the Vendée friends all know him, right?”

“Of course! Hahaha!”

“Wasn’t he our commander? Well, he swore allegiance to the Little Corporal [a nickname for Napoleon] now, though!”

Eugene nodded and addressed the Sûreté informants.

“Good. From this moment on, Rochejacquelein will be the head of our [Sûreté]. That’s all, everyone return to your duties!”

Just as Rochejacquelein was about to be shocked and widen his eyes, all the agents applauded.

-Clap clap clap!

Only then did Rochejacquelein realize.

This was all discussed in advance.

It was as if only Rochejacquelein was hearing the story for the first time.

However, Rochejacquelein couldn’t help but be embarrassed.

Suddenly being the head of an intelligence organization felt like too rapid of an appointment, wasn’t it?

“Wait, General. Head? I didn’t create this; isn’t it an already established organization? Besides, I have no experience in counterintelligence!”

“Yes, everyone has much more experience as informants than you. But everyone is of a lower social class and holds lower ranks from their military days.”

“What do you mean?”

Eugene returned to his seat and said, watching the informants who were once again immersed in intelligence analysis.

“It doesn’t matter if we leave these people in the shadows. In fact, Helie and Tolli prefer to work in the shadows. But I can’t leave everyone as my private organization forever.”

Francesco Tolli is an informant whom Napoleon dispatched to subvert Venice in the original history.

Angelo Pico is the same.

Karl Schmeister, who is sitting in the corner acting as a clerk, is even more amazing, though Eugene didn’t introduce him.

In the original history, he is the one who brings the double intelligence that led to the victory at Austerlitz.

It is a group of intelligence talents that Eugene has gathered with considerable effort.

Rochejacquelein is clearly a talented person, but as an intelligence agent, he is far behind these intelligence officers.

But what about as a [figurehead]?

A nobleman, a current general, and a hero who has achieved great feats in the New World.

Except for Eugene, no one in this position has the fame to match.

In modern terms, he is a [celebrity].

“First, it will be a secret unit of the Italian garrison, and in the future, it will be made into an official government organization. To do that, we need a face. A face that everyone knows.”

Rochejacquelein, who had been listening to Eugene’s words, nodded.

“If that’s the case, I’ll do it. Even if it’s just to repay the people of Vendée.”

Even if that wasn’t the case, Rochejacquelein had decided to listen to all of Eugene’s orders.

There is a reason for this.

Eugene kept his promise.

Within five years, he had opened the way for the Vendée Legion to go to the continent.

When Rochejacquelein realized that the promise had really been kept, he swore to God.

That he would repay this grace even at the cost of his life.

Becoming the figurehead of an intelligence organization is nothing.

But Eugene wore a strange smile.

“Good. But that’s not enough to become the head, is it? First, I’ll attach an adjutant to you.”

In fact, there is another reason why Eugene introduced this organization to Rochejacquelein.

Rochejacquelein didn’t know why and just blinked.

***

It is quite ironic to choose a prisoner as the adjutant of a prisoner.

“Tch! Let go of this! I have no reason to listen to orders!”

Château de Haou, where the Sûreté is located, has a space that was used as a torture chamber in the past.

It is a fortress-like structure that has been used as a prison.

A prisoner was dragged there.

Rochejacquelein tilted his head.

At first glance, he is a young man just over 20 years old.

What crime did he commit to be chained up like that?

Then Eugene, who was sitting, said to the young prisoner.

“No, you have a reason to listen to orders. Eugene François Vidocq, a skirmisher from Arras, a subordinate of General Dumouriez.”

If a modern French person heard that name, they would be surprised.

But Rochejacquelein, Hippolyte and Tournay, who are always behind Eugene, and Helie, who followed as the de facto head of [Sûreté], do not yet know that name.

In fact, the young man himself didn’t seem to know, and he denied it with a startled face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. My name is Rousseau. My hometown is Lille!”

“Arras is close to Lille, but it’s not your hometown. You were famous among the skirmishers as a fencing master. You also played a part in the escape when Dumouriez caused a mutiny in the camp.”

“Wait! I never participated in the rebellion! I just, ugh.”

The young man didn’t like the stigma of being a rebel.

After getting angry and making a slip of the tongue, the young man named Vidocq quickly shut his mouth.

Seeing that, Eugene smiled and approached.

“Yes, recently you became a hussar under a pseudonym, and you escaped from the Saint-Pierre prison in Lille. Recently, you tried to escape from the Brest prison again, but you were caught again.”

At that moment, the young man, Vidocq, moved like lightning.

“Shall I show you what I learned in prison? Ugh!”

Very quick movements.

But Rochejacquelein, who was right next to Eugene, was faster.

In an instant, Rochejacquelein drove Vidocq, who was bound in chains, against the wall and calmly said.

“Savate [a French martial art using feet and hands], huh? I’ve learned it too.”

Savate is a unique French martial art.

It is mainly a martial art of sailors that developed in the 18th century, and it is like a combination of boxing and kicking.

Eugene asked Nicolas Surcouf, who was with him.

“Is that Savate? Nicolas, have you ever seen it?”

“The sailors of Marseille are the best at it, but I’ve learned a little too. Excellent skill.”

“Hmm, I guess you learned it when you went to the New World.”

Vidocq groaned while being pressed down.

“Keuh! Yo, your skills are amazing. For someone who looks so pretty!”

Eugene gathered Vidocq as if he was amused.

Vidocq, France’s best thief and escape artist.

He is also a person who remained in history as the founder of the modern French police.

In fact, Vidocq created the name [Sûreté].

Of course, it was Napoleon who recognized the title.

There is a reason why Eugene specially hired Vidocq.

Since he was still a deserter and an escape artist, it wouldn’t be too difficult to recruit him.

Eugene approached Vidocq and asked.

“Vidocq, do you want to live as a fugitive chased as a traitor?”

“What?”

“You know that Dumouriez is wanted, right? You could be implicated with Dumouriez and become a national traitor. Just recently, the former Minister of War, Beurnonville, who returned, is grinding his teeth.”

Eugene whispered to Vidocq, who had turned pale.

“But, if you cooperate with me, you can become a national hero instead. How about it?”

Vidocq, still a 22-year-old young man, eventually succumbed to Eugene.

***

So, what is Eugene trying to find by gathering former royalists and former deserters?

“A national treason plot?”

It is the plot that Lafayette told him about.

Of course, it can only seem absurd to those who hear it for the first time.

Vidocq reacted cynically from the start.

“Isn’t that too grandiose? Huh, in my opinion, the most dangerous person is General Bonaparte!”

“Vidocq, what are you saying, daring to speak as a prisoner?”

“Ha! Hey, former royalist. Wake up! Who is the strongest in France right now!”

Vidocq shouted at Rochejacquelein, who was furious.

“Isn’t it the well-known Sharpshooter and his stepfather here!”

Apparently, even though he is a deserter, his information gathering has been accurate since then.

Anyway, he knows that Eugene and Napoleon are the core of power in France right now.

Eugene nodded.

“Vidocq, you’re definitely sharp.”

“Huh, isn’t that why you specially hired me? I don’t know how you knew me, though.”

“But your vision is narrow.”

Suddenly, Eugene counted on his fingers and asked back.

“Why would the strongest person cause a rebellion? Rebellion is a means of the weak.”

The reason why Napoleon staged a coup in the original history is actually simple.

Because he didn’t have the highest power.

If you have power, it is safer to choose legal methods.

So, if someone is staging a coup as Lafayette said, that person is vulnerable.

Rochejacquelein narrowed his brows and asked.

“Then, who are you suspecting? Patrong [a high-ranking officer]?”

Eugene shrugged.

“Well, anyone who is a soldier who has not gained glory in this war and a politician who has lost in the election is a suspect.”

“Hey, if you say that, are you going to investigate all the generals and congressmen? Forget it!”

“However, there is someone I suspect the most. Vidocq, it’s also why I specially hired you.”

At that moment, everyone froze.

“Dumouriez’s friend, Pichegru. Dig into that guy.”

A hero who once conquered Flanders.

Pichegru may be the main player in the coup.

New Year’s Eve, just before January 1797.

It was the moment when Eugene and Napoleon’s spy group, [Sûreté], began to track down the coup plot.