He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 291

(291) Napoleon’s Encounter with the Betrayal King

The era that would later be remembered as the golden age of the French army was not unified under the Revolution.

“Freischütz [German for ‘free shooter,’ a term often associated with skilled marksmen or snipers, and a nickname for Eugène] is coming? That’s hardly welcome. Why on earth is he coming?”

Moreau, the commander of the Austrian occupation forces, frowned.

The force numbered 30,000, with the mission of overseeing the partition of the Austrian Empire, but in reality, it was more like a vacationing army.

It was surprisingly comfortable, as the country had beautiful scenery, many beautiful women, and was unexpectedly kind to the occupying forces.

But suddenly, they received notice that Eugène was coming.

Brieune, the Deputy Chief Aide to the Consul, shrugged.

“Strictly speaking, he’s returning home, Lieutenant General Moreau.”

“Why is he returning home this way? He could pass through Prussia and the Batavian Republic [the Netherlands under French control].”

“That would require passing through too many German principalities. And the Electorate of Hanover is in the middle. All things considered, passing through Austria and Switzerland is the safest route.”

In May 1801, Eugène succeeded in establishing diplomatic relations as a Russian envoy and concluded peace negotiations with Prussia.

Now it was time to return home.

However, he designated Austria as his return route and sent a notification to Moreau.

Brieune, who had come to Berlin for the Prussian peace negotiations, came to Vienna first to deliver this notification.

Normally, they should welcome him as a fellow French Revolutionary.

However, Eugène and Moreau belonged to different factions within the military.

They were divided into the so-called Italian Army faction and the Rhine Army faction.

The other faction within the French military, the Flanders faction, was currently divided between Hoche in Egypt and Pichegru in the New World.

So, the two major military factions could be said to be the main force of the French army.

Of course, Moreau’s displeasure wasn’t solely due to this sense of rivalry.

“What’s the real reason, Deputy Chief Aide? Is it a notification of my dismissal?”

Moreau revealed his true feelings.

Currently, Moreau was the commander of the Austrian occupation forces, living comfortably.

But Eugène’s sudden arrival made him uneasy.

Brieune shrugged and replied.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you *were* dismissed? If you return to the homeland, you’ll be the second-in-command of the military. No, the Consul isn’t a soldier, so you’d be the first.”

“What about Freischütz? Besides, I’d rather be the top dog here than be treated poorly back home.”

“You can’t be stationed here forever. You’ll have to return home when the dissolution of the Empire is decided.”

Brieune’s gaze turned to the French military headquarters on the outskirts of Vienna.

“The Chief Aide to Bonaparte is coming to finalize that dissolution.”

Later, in the 19th century of the original timeline, the overseas deployment of French troops became commonplace.

This was due to the colonial empire.

However, at this time, the conscription system had just been introduced, so the overseas deployment of troops was not so common.

Knowing this, Moreau repeatedly smacked his lips and protested.

“Wouldn’t it be better for me to be here to control Austria?”

“We can’t keep Austria under our control forever. Austria will resist, and so will all the countries of the former Holy Roman Empire.”

“Then, what’s Freischütz’s plan?”

Brieune shrugged.

“I don’t know. But I do know that he’s pushing for a four-way split.”

At that moment, a handsome general leaning against a wall of the headquarters spoke up.

“Deputy Chief Aide, that’s not what the Commander is asking.”

“What do you mean, Deputy Commander Bernadotte?”

“It’s about the fate of the Austrian occupation forces.”

Deputy Commander Bernadotte, with his piercing eyes, bared his teeth.

“Are we going to dissolve them as they are, or reorganize them, or station them somewhere else?”

Ten years had passed since the start of the Revolutionary Wars.

The soldiers, who were once just conscripts, had fought long enough to rival professional soldiers.

Also, the non-commissioned officers, who were once just corporals, had become generals and boasted high positions.

They rubbed shoulders with foreign nobles they could never have dreamed of before and were amassing fortunes by getting involved in huge vested interests.

They didn’t want to end this glorious time by simply returning home.

That was Moreau’s thought, and the sentiment of his aide, Bernadotte.

Brieune raised his eyebrows and replied.

“It’s not the Chief Aide’s plan, but there *is* a way.”

“What is it?”

“Move the garrison to another satellite republic, not mainland France. Batavia, Switzerland, or Naples.”

Moreau, who had been pondering the garrison, tilted his head.

“Naples would be good if possible. What do you think, can you persuade him?”

The next moment, Bernadotte handed over a bag he had prepared.

-Swish.

Brieune’s mouth dropped open at the sight of 30,000 pounds of [British bonds] filling the bag.

Of course, he hadn’t come expecting this, but Brieune was not one to refuse a bribe.

In the original timeline, he would eventually be kicked out because of bribes.

Brieune grinned and subtly pulled the bag back.

“For the sake of the country, I must try, even if it’s difficult.”

While also taking care of his own interests.

***

Of course, Eugène didn’t choose to go to Austria to work at all.

“The partition of Austria isn’t finished yet?”

On the way from Berlin to Vienna, Eugène asked in the carriage, dumbfounded.

In fact, there was another reason for choosing Vienna.

It was exactly as Brieune had initially explained.

Currently, Eugène had encouraged Prussia to conquer the Electorate of Hanover.

In this situation, he judged that crossing the northern German region was too dangerous.

As it turned out, there was still a lot of work to be done in Vienna.

Talleyrand, who was in the same carriage with a brazen face, nodded.

“Didn’t you know? Your uncle, Ambassador Joseph Bonaparte, returned home without making a final decision.”

“Then what was decided in the last agreement?”

“The partition of the Austrian Empire and an indemnity of 120 million francs [French currency]. However, since the indemnity is being paid in 10 annual installments, only about 12 million francs have come in this year.”

Eugène pressed his throbbing head and asked again.

“There will be a war before we even receive all the reparations, won’t there, Foreign Minister? Why haven’t you settled this yet?”

There was no need to think about the fact that countless wars would break out until 1810 in the original timeline.

Eugène knew well that the structure he had created was unstable.

Most European countries were still under monarchies.

Even if Napoleon became a monarch, he would have no tradition, so other monarchies would have potential hostility.

Unless France completely seized hegemony, war would inevitably break out.

But to pay in 10 annual installments was unbelievable.

Perhaps Joseph had been bribed and played by Metternich?

Just as he was thinking of confronting Joseph when he returned, Talleyrand replied.

“It’s because of the Bohemia issue.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Archduke Karl reigns in Hungary, and Franz II still reigns in Austria. Friedrich I was born in Galicia. But Bohemia remains vacant.”

Talleyrand lightly counted on his fingers and smiled.

“Besides, Austria is demanding the former Austrian Netherlands. They want the land occupied by France in exchange for partitioning the Empire.”

In modern terms, it’s the Belgium region.

Before the Revolutionary Wars, it was clearly Austrian territory.

However, after repeated victories by the French Flanders Army, it was now virtually French territory.

But they were making the outrageous demand for this land.

Eugène, dumbfounded, asked again.

“What makes them so brazen?”

“They believe that our France no longer wants war? Isn’t the Consul a lover of peace?”

“Tell me the truth. I need to understand.”

Talleyrand, who had been answering jokingly, sighed slightly.

“The Austrian royal family believes in the royalist supporters within France. An even stronger belief than in the self-proclaimed Louis XVII [the claimant to the French throne after the execution of Louis XVI].”

Just as Eugène’s eyes widened, Talleyrand lowered his voice and said.

“There will be a general election for the Lower House soon.”

“I know. But the Bonaparte faction will win a majority.”

“Our Ministry of the Interior has a different analysis. The Bonaparte Club will win the most seats. But it won’t be a majority.”

Talleyrand narrowed his eyes and made a terrifying statement.

“With the current election structure, royalist members are likely to take the second-largest party.”

Eugène frowned.

This was the result of Eugène placing more importance on elections, unlike the original timeline.

Originally, after Napoleon’s coup, he went on to become Consul for Life and then Emperor after a few formal elections.

However, in the process, Napoleon lost a significant amount of his support base and instead became more obsessed with foreign expedition achievements to build his base.

Of course, thanks to that, there were victories like the Battle of Austerlitz, but also failures like the intervention in Spain.

So, Eugène left the Senate and the Lower House alone to strengthen his domestic support base.

But that seemed to be holding him back now.

Because, in fact, most of the French public are farmers who are mostly friendly to the royal family.

Even so, it was strange that Napoleon’s popularity had no reason to fall.

“What happened while I was in Russia?”

“It’s been half a year. In the meantime, there was an event that could have lowered the Consul’s approval rating. The imposition of income tax.”

“Approval ratings have fallen in the city. But do they turn to the royalists?”

Talleyrand shook his head.

“No. The votes are split. The Feuillant Club [a moderate political faction during the French Revolution], led by Lafayette, is currently the third-largest party.”

This was due to the current weakness of the Napoleonic system.

Napoleon was a soldier, and this was his first time in politics.

So, the Bonaparte Club, Napoleon’s political base, was actually composed of moderate Jacobins and Girondins [factions during the French Revolution].

Saliceti, Desmoulins, and Auguste were the main leaders.

The moderate revolutionary supporters, the Feuillant Club, seemed to have taken advantage of this gap.

Their support base overlapped relatively with Napoleon’s, but not with the royalists.

As a result, the royalists were in a situation where they would win more seats by default.

Just as Eugène was frowning, Marie, who had been listening from the side, asked.

“Isn’t the reversal of approval ratings possible with just the Russian communication?”

“That’s not enough. Something bigger is needed, Mademoiselle Marie.”

“For example?”

Talleyrand smiled elegantly, waving his fingers very lightly.

“Wouldn’t it be the acquisition of territory, after all?”

Eugène still frowned and retorted bluntly.

“So Metternich brought up the Austrian Netherlands.”

Now, the French Consulate Government definitely needed the achievement of acquiring territory.

***

In a place that was once enemy territory, unexpected welcoming fireworks exploded.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Vienna was clearly a hostile place for Eugène.

It had already been occupied by French troops twice, and Eugène was the main player.

Who on earth was giving such a welcome?

Looking at the many welcoming crowds, Ipolite whistled.

“What’s this? Why such a noisy welcome? Is it an ambush?”

But a handsome nobleman on a magnificent white horse rode up to the carriage and shouted loudly.

“Welcome, General Eugène Bonaparte, and my cousin Marie.”

A young man with an exotic French accent.

Marie took Eugène’s hand and got out of the carriage, startled.

It was a face she had seen in portraits from the old Versailles Palace days.

It was Archduke Johann von Habsburg, the son of the former Emperor Leopold II and the brother of Franz II.

“Your Highness Archduke Johann? It’s my first time meeting you.”

“My sister Maria Clementine came with me. She wanted to see you for a long time.”

“Really? I’ve only heard about her and never seen her. Oh my!”

At that moment, Marie couldn’t close her mouth.

Because a noble lady with a face that looked like she was looking at Marie in a mirror was approaching.

The only difference was that the other person was more arrogant and sexier.

“Wow, they said I look just like you. It’s true?”

The noble lady, Maria Clementine, smiled brightly.

She was also the daughter of Leopold II, the former emperor and the third son of Maria Theresa.

So the two dukes and duchesses, cousins of Marie Therese, came out to greet them.

Eugène was so surprised because she looked so much like Marie Therese.

Marie nodded and replied.

“Really, it is.”

“Anyway, welcome, cousin. Now that our Princess Marie has arrived, can I get married too? I’m so frustrated.”

“What do you mean, Duchess Clementine?”

At that moment, Clementine glared at Eugène and smiled.

“Because of Princess Marie’s lover, I can’t meet my fiancé? I’m stuck in Sicily.”

Eugène was startled and smiled at the feeling that Marie was glaring at him.

He had some idea.

Because Maria Clementine was originally supposed to be the Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Sicily at this time in the original timeline.

“I don’t think that’s because of me, Princess.”

“Really? Then, can I go to marry the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Sicily?”

“You’re asking a very difficult question.”

Just as Eugène was about to choose his words carefully, a loud French voice was heard from the back of the welcoming line.

“Hahaha! Don’t harass our Sharpshooter too much, Your Highness.”

A man in a huge general’s uniform stood tall on a black horse.

Behind him was a relatively shabby adjutant.

The Black Horse General laughed loudly as he looked at Eugène.

“It’s my first time seeing you. My name is Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. I’ve heard so much about Freischütz’s reputation! Directly from your [uncle]!”

A handsome man who would have made a name for himself as a knight in the Middle Ages.

But now it was the 19th century, and the era when Sharpshooters were in the spotlight rather than Sword Masters.

Eugène smiled brightly as he looked at the general, who was really a sword master in the army, and his adjutant.

“Nice to meet you, Deputy Commander Bernadotte. And, ‘Uncle’ Louis.”

In the original timeline, the man who became the King of Sweden because of Napoleon and also betrayed Napoleon.

It was the moment when Eugène first met Bernadotte in person.

Along with Louis Bonaparte, who was serving as an adjutant.