Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 928

928. The Imperial March (2) – Charge, Ghost Ship, Run on the Ground. (16)

Charles looked puzzled at Louis’s words.

“Sincere about the war? Is there any country that isn’t sincere when engaging in war?”

“Do you really think so?”

“I have no idea what you’re trying to say. Explain yourself properly.”

At Charles VIII’s command, Louis paused, organizing his thoughts. After a moment, having gathered his thoughts, Louis spoke.

“Their aim wasn’t to wage war for negotiation.”

“Not for negotiation? Hmm….”

Charles VIII pondered Louis’s words with a serious expression. Seeing this, Louis added.

“Your Majesty, consider Burgundy.”

“Burgundy? Burgundy… Ah!”

Charles VIII, repeating ‘Burgundy,’ finally understood what Louis meant.

“The Empire will only negotiate when the outcome is decided? And that outcome will be when the Empire has achieved complete victory?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm….”

Charles VIII looked serious at Louis’s answer.

* * *

During this period, European wars were largely characterized as ‘wars for negotiation.’

In other words, war was the ultimate means to gain an advantage in political negotiations.

The Hundred Years’ War between France and England wasn’t fought for a hundred years straight.

Rather, the negotiations that took place in between occupied more time.

The ‘Burgundy’ that Louis mentioned was the ‘Burgundian Inheritance War’ conducted by the previous king, Louis XI.

At the time, Louis XI did not engage in any negotiations until the annexation of the Duchy of Burgundy was complete. Instead, he seized more territory of the Duchy of Burgundy with every moment saved from negotiations.

As a result, the Habsburgs and the Roman Papacy missed their opportunity to intervene and eventually had to recognize the annexation.

* * *

“Isn’t a ‘war without negotiation, a war to the end’ only possible in a civil war?”

Charles VIII’s point was valid.

The justification Louis XI put forward during the ‘Burgundian Inheritance War’ was that it was a ‘civil war.’

-Even if it is an autonomous duchy, Burgundy is French territory! This is an internal matter for France! External interference is not allowed!

Louis XI put forward this justification, blocking the intervention of the Habsburgs and Rome.

By the time the Habsburgs and Rome found a justification to counter Louis XI’s claim, the annexation of Burgundy was already complete.

Louis immediately responded to Charles VIII’s point.

“Couldn’t the war in Italy also be seen as a civil war?”

“That’s true. So, the Empire isn’t considering negotiations?”

“That’s correct.”

“Even with the former Emperor of the Empire here?”

“The former Emperor came not for negotiation but to find justification for the war. As I have already reported, the first thing the former Emperor of the Empire did was to block the intervention of foreign powers and Rome.”

“How?”

“Do you remember the ‘Caesar Controversy’ [a complex theological debate about the Emperor’s authority]?”

“It wasn’t just a simple religious dispute?”

“That’s correct. As a result of this negotiation, Rome has lost its role as a mediator.”

At Louis’s answer, Charles VIII stroked his chin and muttered.

“I see. So, what the Empire wants is ‘winner takes all’?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm….”

Charles VIII firmly closed his mouth at Louis’s answer. After pondering alone for a long time with his mouth shut, Charles raised his head and looked at his vassals.

“If the Empire has decided to see this through to the end, we must also change our attitude. I would like to hear your thoughts.”

At Charles VIII’s command, the civil and military officials and nobles in the throne room began to organize their thoughts.

Just then, the door of the throne room opened, and a young officer rushed in.

“What’s going on?”

“Urgent news!”

“Urgent news?”

“The Florentine army has begun to move. They have already left the territory of the Florentine Duchy!”

At the officer’s words, one of the generals immediately asked.

“South or north?”

“Both!”

At the officer’s answer, the generals all shouted to Charles VIII.

“The Empire has made a mistake!”

“That’s right!”

“A two-front war! This is definitely the Empire’s mistake!”

The faces of the generals, who were convinced that it was the Empire’s mistake, were filled with joy.

-A two-front war must be avoided at all costs!

This was a basic principle of warfare, regardless of East or West.

“Even the great Roman Empire did not attempt a two-front war! This is the Empire’s mistake!”

“The Empire is arrogant!”

However, unlike the reactions of these generals, Louis’s face was full of doubt.

‘That Emperor made a mistake? As far as I know, that Emperor is not ignorant of war….’

Louis, questioning the actions that Xiang, whom he knew, would not have taken, asked the officer.

“Where is the Empire’s main force heading?”

“We don’t know yet!”

“Don’t know? Then, where is the Imperial Navy heading?”

“We haven’t confirmed yet!”

At the officer’s answer, Louis, greatly angered, shouted.

“You don’t know this, you don’t know that! What do you know properly! And what are the generals doing! Cheering and laughing, saying it’s the Empire’s mistake without even checking properly!”

At Louis’s fierce words, the generals, who had been cheering until just now, became silent.

“Tsk!”

Louis, clicking his tongue without realizing it, reported to Charles VIII.

“Your Majesty, the former Emperor of the Empire that I have seen and experienced is not one to make mistakes! There is definitely a trick! It is urgent to confirm where their main force is heading! No, we must move our army immediately! If we are wrong, we may not even be able to enter Italy!”

At Louis’s advice, Charles VIII once again wore a puzzled expression.

“Whether it’s the Emperor’s mistake or not, our army must move anyway. I’m sure the generals meant the same thing. But not even be able to enter? I don’t understand.”

At Charles VIII’s words, Louis calmed his urgent heart and answered calmly.

“The former Emperor of the Empire that I have seen and experienced is not one to make mistakes. If we are careless and move, we will fall into a trap. Think of Switzerland; we have already lost one important passage. If we move with a complacent mind, talking about ‘the Emperor’s mistake’ and ‘the Emperor’s misjudgment,’ all we will gain is defeat. Look now. They are clearly calculating and moving. They are moving in time with the reports from the returning envoys, including myself! Such meticulous people are attempting a two-front war? This doesn’t make sense!”

The throne room turned cold at Louis’s words. The generals, who had been cheering until just now, froze like stones.

“The Duke’s words make sense….”

Charles VIII, nodding at Louis’s words, ordered his vassals and generals.

“The army will prepare to depart immediately. We must enter Italy as soon as possible.”

“We obey!”

“The navy as well. Enter the Mediterranean as soon as possible.”

“We obey.”

“And Duke Louis.”

“Your command, Your Majesty.”

“Send messengers to Spain and the Habsburgs as soon as possible. If necessary, move yourself directly. We must obtain an army from the Habsburgs and a navy and naval base from Spain.”

At Charles VIII’s command, Louis immediately bowed his head and answered.

“We obey!”

It was an urgent atmosphere, but Charles VIII muttered to himself as he watched Louis bowing his head.

‘He’s been with the former Emperor of the Empire and now he’s paying his respects in the Imperial style. Ah! Clicking his tongue earlier too….’

The fact that the Emperors of the Empire clicked their tongues when expressing dissatisfaction was already widely known in Europe. And the number of European monarchs imitating this by clicking their tongues was increasing.

Even Charles VIII, who was grumbling while looking at Louis now.

As the French army moved busily according to Charles VIII’s orders, the French people also sensed that the war had begun.

“I heard the Empire’s army is very strong….”

“Can we really win?”

“The Empire is far away. No matter how strong they are, it won’t be easy.”

As the French people worried about the outcome of the war that had finally broken out, a rumor spread.

-If we win this war, the sea route to Shinji [a mythical land of riches] will open!

-I heard that gold and silver nuggets are so common in Shinji that you can trip over them!

“Really?”

The eyes of the people who had been worried about the war until recently began to change strangely.

“So, we just need to win?”

“That’s right!”

“Then we must win!”

“Long live the war!”

The atmosphere in French society quickly turned belligerent.

And Louis reported this to Charles VIII.

“Thanks to this, the people of France will support the war with all their might.”

“You’ve done well.”

“It was my duty.”

“But if we win the war, can we really get Shinji?”

At Charles VIII’s question, Louis answered with a resolute expression.

“The Empire was the first to propose ‘winner takes all.’ Then they must also put up the stakes.”

“That’s true….”

Just then, an officer entered the throne room.

“We have confirmed the location of the Empire’s main force!”

“Where is it!”

“They have occupied Bologna and are advancing northwest!”

At the officer’s answer, Charles VIII and Louis looked at the map and shouted at the same time.

“Milan!”

“It’s Milan!”

The generals also believed that the Empire’s main force was heading to Milan. But at the same time, they tilted their heads.

“Why Milan first?”

“I understand attacking Bologna because the Apennine Mountains [a mountain range in Italy] block the path to the north. But why Milan?”

“Is it because they can protect their flank by following the Apennine Mountains?”

“But the opposite flank is completely exposed?”

“Logically, it would be more advantageous to strike Venice first….”

While the generals were pondering ‘Why Milan?’, new urgent news came in.

“Urgent news! The Imperial Navy is bombarding Genoa!”

“Genoa is in danger of falling!”

Upon hearing the urgent news, the generals realized the answer to ‘Why Milan?’

“Bologna was just a defensive stronghold blocking the entrance to the north!”

“If Genoa falls to the Empire, the Empire no longer needs to worry about its flank!”

“If Genoa and Milan are connected, the land route for our French and Spanish armies to enter Italy will be blocked!”

If the Empire succeeded in preventing France and Spain from entering Italy, the only opponent left in northern Italy was the Habsburgs.

“If we are pushed back to the Habsburgs, there will only be the south left, check how far south the Imperial Army has advanced!”

“They are building a defensive line after occupying the Republic of Siena!”

The French generals, having confirmed the movements of the Imperial Army, urgently sought out Charles VIII.

“We will dispatch troops immediately!”

“I permit it! Be sure to win!”

With Charles VIII’s permission, the first contingent of the French army, which had been waiting at the border for two days, entered the Duchy of Savoy.

At the time, the Duke of Savoy, Carlo II di Savoia, was only 2 years old. His mother, Bianca di Monferrato, who had become regent and seized power, allowed the passage of the French army.

“Allowing the passage of the French army is….”

The officials of the duchy subtly expressed their opposition to the regent’s decision. However, their mouths could only be shut by the regent’s words.

“So, if we block the passage of the French army, it will be war, but can we win?”

“….”