I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 341

Hannibal, one of history’s greatest generals, challenged Rome, the dominant power of his time.

His double envelopment tactics, refined from Alexander the Great’s hammer and anvil strategy, were a masterpiece of military art.

Had Hannibal defeated Rome, he would undoubtedly be remembered as the greatest general of all time.

However, even the most brilliant general cannot overcome a vast disparity in national power.

Rome, already the strongest power in Europe, possessed the resilience to adapt and learn from Hannibal’s tactics, even after suffering defeats.

Ultimately, Hannibal was defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama, forever missing his chance to be celebrated as history’s greatest general.

Eastern strategists who studied Western history often cited this relationship as an example of a student surpassing their teacher.

From Hannibal’s perspective, it was a tragedy, not an ideal outcome, but the underlying principle was compelling.

Scipio’s command style differed significantly from Hannibal’s in its specifics, but his broader strategic thinking clearly showed Hannibal’s influence.

This example was so striking that Asian strategists frequently revisited it, especially when seeking inspiration.

For the Four Dragon Alliance [a likely reference to a group of East Asian nations], it was a necessary morale booster, as they needed to believe in their potential for growth and victory.

In such a context, it was impolitic to point out, “But Rome was clearly stronger than Carthage, wasn’t it?”

Or, “The Roman soldiers were at least as good as, if not better than, the Carthaginians, right?”

Such details were generally avoided.

“They are merely invaders, while we fight to protect our homeland!”

“The will to protect is stronger than anything! Let’s fight! To protect those we love!”

It was debatable when Fujian became ‘their’ land, but the army’s morale was surprisingly high.

“Let’s go out! Let’s fight!”

Liu Xiaoyuan and Konohe requested additional support and troops from their respective countries, swelling their ranks to over 40,000.

Confident that this force was sufficient for battle, the allied forces advanced along the border between Fujian and Guangdong.

However, Napoleon, having launched his offensive ahead of them, was already well-informed about the allied forces’ movements.

Unlike the Korean Empire or the Japanese Empire, he understood that the Manchurian Empire was easily intimidated.

Hui, the Manchurian commander, deliberately kept his forces at a distance from the main army to minimize casualties.

His plan was to let the Korean and Japanese Empires bear the brunt of the fighting against the main French forces from Guangdong.

However, Napoleon was not one to ignore such opportunistic behavior.

The Guangdong French army, moving swiftly north, launched a surprise attack on Hui’s isolated forces, inflicting heavy losses.

Liu Xiaoyuan and Konohe, receiving the news belatedly, rushed their troops to strike the rear of the French army, but the Manchurian army was annihilated far faster than they had anticipated.

The allied forces, arriving late to the battle, suffered heavy casualties from the French army’s prepared counterattack and were forced to retreat.

They eventually retreated to Xiamen City, locked the gates, and shifted their strategy to focus on defense.

“Now we have them cornered completely.”

Napoleon, arriving near Xiamen City, received a report from his staff and surveyed the distant cityscape.

“Hoo… It’s absurd.”

What were these men relying on to be so confident?

In the previous engagement, the French army had suffered approximately 500 casualties.

Considering they had fought successively against the armies of the Manchurian Empire, the Korean Empire, and the Japanese Empire, this was a remarkable achievement.

Conversely, the allied forces had suffered over 5,000 confirmed casualties.

It was a miraculous 10:1 ratio, yet Napoleon was simply bewildered.

‘What on earth did Italy do to lose to these guys…’

The accounts of them voluntarily marching into the jungle and suffering near-total annihilation must be true.

Otherwise, there’s no way they could lose to such opponents.

“These guys must have thought that if they fought us head-on, they would win in the end, right? Did they really believe that was possible…”

It’s a common misjudgment for those who have only defeated weaker opponents.

Repeatedly defeating inferior enemies can create the illusion of being a great general.

Perhaps that was their situation.

They likely knew intellectually that France was far superior to any opponent they had faced before.

However, they believed that their unbroken string of victories would somehow allow them to cope.

The tactics and strategies that had worked against previous enemies might also work against France.

They must have entertained such delusions.

“Marshal, now that we’ve trapped the enemy in the city, we’ll prepare to besiege and annihilate them.”

“No. Lay siege, but focus on solidifying the defensive line to prevent them from breaking out. There’s no need for a direct assault.”

“…Yes? But Xiamen City is located by the sea and has ample supplies. A war of attrition will take too long.”

Originally a small fishing village, Xiamen City had become the center of Fujian after the fall of the Qing Dynasty [the last imperial dynasty of China].

Its favorable location for maritime trade had fueled rapid growth in just over a decade, which the allied forces occupying Fujian were now exploiting.

However, Napoleon had never intended to annihilate the allied forces’ main army through a siege.

“The ports on the Vietnam side have been secured, so our navy will soon recapture Taiwan. Once Taiwan is ours, it won’t take three days to control the waters off Fujian. Those guys are rats in a trap anyway. There’s no need to wait for them to starve.”

Even a cornered rat will bite a cat.

Besides, fighting within a city inherently favors the defenders.

No matter how well-prepared you are, the enemy also has cannons and guns, so you’re bound to suffer casualties.

Even if you minimize them, you must expect thousands of losses.

I won’t spill the blood of my precious subordinates on such a battlefield.

If we’ve already contained the enemy’s main forces, there are plenty of other places to strike.

Napoleon’s sights were set further north than Fujian.

He was aiming for the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago.

※※※

Surprisingly, the representatives of the Korean and Japanese Empires hadn’t considered that the main theater of war could be their own territories.

The allied forces had been using Fujian and Shandong [both provinces in China] as their personal staging grounds.

They naturally assumed that any major conflict would occur there.

Liu Xiaoyuan and Konohe had confidently set out, prepared to die alongside the enemy if they couldn’t win.

However, just one day after receiving the report that they were trapped in Xiamen City,

The French fleet appeared off the coasts of both countries.

All the warships docked at Nagasaki Port were sunk, and the defenses of Ganghwa Island [an island near the Korean capital] were destroyed.

“How did this happen! How can the French fleet be roaming our waters like they own them!”

“Their warships are so powerful that our facilities and fleets can’t stop them.”

“But wasn’t France a land power? When did their fleet become so strong?”

“France has always had one of the strongest navies in the world. Didn’t the Commonwealth [likely referring to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth or another historical entity] surrender to the French navy in the last war?”

France is a land power. Napoleon is the god of that land army.

These stereotypes led to the expectation that this war would primarily be fought on land.

However, the main force of Guangdong, France, was the navy.

It wasn’t that the army was weak, but the navy held a significant advantage compared to neighboring countries.

“Even so, how can we be so helpless while they turn Ganghwa Island into a wasteland! What is Japan doing?”

“Japan’s coast is also being devastated. For now, the best course of action may be to build defenses on the road to the capital and intercept them when they land…”

“Then do so.”

The Emperor’s stomach churned with anxiety.

The Emperor of the Japanese Empire across the sea must have felt the same way.

France, as if mocking the Korean and Japanese Empires, toured their ports like they had in Vietnam, thoroughly destroying their infrastructure.

This was a cruel tactic, aimed not at winning the war quickly, but at inflicting maximum damage on the enemy.

In fact, government officials still believed they could hold out as long as the capital remained secure.

However, a new problem arose.

The public’s morale was beginning to waver.

They had been told victory was assured, but how could things have deteriorated so rapidly?

Unfortunately, both the Korean and Japanese Empires had heavily invested in their port cities and benefited greatly from them, making it impossible to downplay the damage through propaganda.

“Something is wrong!”

“Logically, Guangdong, France, can’t be this strong!”

The damage mounted daily, and denial of reality grew stronger.

The officials and representatives who had most strongly advocated for the war blamed everything on a French conspiracy.

“This is clear evidence that France secretly moved its main forces to Guangdong, France.”

“That’s right! We’ve fallen into a trap.”

“They intended to start a war from the beginning. They moved their main forces to Guangdong, France, and have been manipulating this whole situation from behind!”

In retrospect, it was odd that Napoleon had come to Guangdong, France, in the first place.

Napoleon is the greatest general, the symbol of French military power.

His presence implied that the main French army must have been secretly deployed to Guangdong.

If that were the case, it explained why their army was so quickly pushed into Xiamen City and isolated.

It also explained why the fleet they had painstakingly built was turned into fish food and why their ports were being destroyed daily.

Surprisingly, the Japanese Empire had reached the same conclusion.

The difference was that, unlike the Korean Empire, which was in shock and denial, Japan was burning with renewed fighting spirit.

“Those treacherous Westerners!”

“We must not succumb to such vile tactics! Your Majesty the Emperor! We must conscript additional troops! Please grant us permission!”

“…If we conscript more troops, won’t the people’s discontent grow?”

“No! If we explain that this is all part of France’s plan to invade Asia and that we must rise up to protect the country and His Majesty the Emperor, the people will gladly volunteer!”

Ports are destroyed?

The economy regresses by 20 years?

Who cares? As long as the Emperor remains and the government doesn’t collapse, that’s all that matters.

The destroyed ports can be rebuilt, and the reduced population can be replenished, so there’s no problem.

“Your Majesty! We must immediately contact the Korean Empire and secure their commitment to fight alongside us to the end. If we all unite and face the situation with unwavering resolve, they will eventually be forced to retreat.”

“…But so much blood will be shed…”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty! War is inherently bloody.”

No matter how strong France is, they will eventually have to land their army on our mainland to force our surrender.

If the entire country and all the people resist with unwavering determination, how dare they continue the fight?

Are they going to kill tens of millions of people?

“A fight without retreat is a fight without defeat. Please steel your resolve, Your Majesty!”

“If Your Majesty makes a decision, the Korean Empire will follow suit!”

“And please send a letter to Konohe in Xiamen City, urging him not to cower! Killing even one more enemy with the determination to give up his life is the path to victory!”

Emperor Ninko, still a young man, was overwhelmed by the fervor of his vassals, who were shouting with bloodshot eyes.

Finally, the Emperor’s lips, the symbol of the Japanese Empire, trembled, and he issued a declaration that would be etched in history.

“…I will heed your counsel. Let all officials and people unite and fight to the last man with unwavering resolve.”