He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 142

(142) Singing of a Great France

At this moment, the entire city of Paris sings with one voice.

“Dying enemies, witness our success and glory!”

It’s early February 1796, the month of Ventôse (Wind) according to the French Revolutionary Calendar.

With the official announcement of victory, citizens are toasting in celebration everywhere.

Perhaps the same scene is unfolding not just in Paris, but throughout France.

However, the only places singing the military anthem La Marseillaise would probably be Paris and Marseille.

From his home, dressed in formal attire, Director Danton watched out the window and clicked his tongue.

“They’re really excited.”

“Isn’t it obvious, Director? It’s the dissolution of the Empire, the dissolution of the Empire! This is something that even the former French kings couldn’t achieve. It’s a symbolic event showing that our revolution has triumphed!”

Danton shook his head, rebuking his close aide, Deputy Déglandine.

“Déglandine, how have you survived in politics this long with so little sense? The revolution won? No. Bonaparte won.”

Danton continued.

“Bonaparte fought alone, Bonaparte defeated the Empire, and Bonaparte ended the war. That’s the truth.”

Suddenly, a loud explosion rang out.

-Bang!

Danton, startled, looked out the window to see fireworks going off outside.

“Goodness. Well, who authorized fireworks? Even if the war is over, how much does saltpeter cost!”

“Perhaps Director Auguste Robespierre authorized it.”

“Tsk! He gets excited too easily. How can he get re-elected next term like that? His brother’s influence is almost over, too.”

The Republic, even the aristocratic republic of Venice, has terms and elections.

Unless it’s a lifetime appointment, all powerful figures must be re-elected at the end of their term.

The Council of Five Hundred, the Council of Elders, and the five-member Directorate, all of them.

Back during the [Sans-culottes Revolt: a radical, lower-class Parisian movement] of Marat, when Robespierre died, it was an emergency situation, so they only conducted a constitutional vote.

But now that the war is over and the end of the term is approaching, it’s truly election season.

Danton, who is both a philistine and power-hungry, but also a sensible politician, has no intention of avoiding the election.

Just then.

“Still, doesn’t it have the effect of making everyone forget the soaring prices and the collapse of Assignats [early French paper money] due to import liberalization? Director.”

Danton’s eyes widened as he saw the guest at the door.

“Barras? And Fréron is here too. What’s going on?”

Barras and Fréron, who once served as commissioners of the Committee of Public Safety in Toulon, had arrived.

They were the very people who had carried out the Reign of Terror under Robespierre.

Thus, they were also deputies who had been pushed out of the mainstream of power for their past actions.

In particular, the real problem was that they were Danton’s opponents.

However, Barras approached Danton with a thick-skinned smile.

“If I said I came to celebrate the victory of the Republic, it would sound too hypocritical, wouldn’t it, Director?”

“Cut the ‘Director’ crap. Say what you have to say quickly. I may seem idle, but I have to attend a [Memorial Service] soon.”

“What do you mean by that? Not a ‘Reception’?”

Danton shrugged.

“Everyone’s forgetting because of the victory, but the commander died in the Spanish Pyrenees. General Dugommier is dead. His son, Jacques, is bringing the body to Paris soon.”

So, Danton’s formal attire was not for a reception, but for a memorial service.

The general who was once the chief responsible for retaking Toulon, and later became the commander of the Spanish border forces.

He also sent Lannes, Murat, and Bessières to Napoleon with 5,000 cavalry, contributing to the victory in Italy.

However, he died from shrapnel while repeatedly leading the charge in the rugged mountains of the Pyrenees.

Barras also knew Dugommier because he had been in Toulon.

“That’s unfortunate. General Dugommier also contributed to the recovery of Roussillon, but it’s not well known.”

“It would be different if he had conquered Catalonia. Did you know? Originally, General Dugommier’s goal was to capture Catalonia.”

“The entire northeast of Spain? He had big dreams.”

Lightly dismissing the dreams of the dead Dugommier, Barras wore a strange smile.

“Then, shall we talk about the next election preparations later?”

Danton’s hand, which had been adjusting his decorations with Déglandine’s help, stopped.

“What do you mean by that?”

“In September, the month of Vendémiaire [the first month of the French Republican calendar, meaning ‘grape harvest’] when we harvest grapes according to the Revolutionary calendar, there will be an election for the Council of Five Hundred. And in that election, you will lose.”

“What?”

Fréron, who had been standing nervously beside him, interjected.

“Prices are soaring, food is scarce, and we barely managed to solve it with gold and wheat brought from Italy, but there are limits. There is information that those who are aiming for this gap now.”

Fréron originally had his eyes on Napoleon’s younger sister, Pauline.

But Pauline was too free-spirited to be caught by Fréron.

Also, Napoleon succeeded in Italy earlier than in the original history, and with Eugene getting a little attention, Pauline left for Milan.

In the meantime, Fréron had become a non-mainstream deputy under the Directory.

He had no chance to form a connection with the victor, Napoleon.

So Danton understood why he had come to him.

But what did it mean that the ruling faction of the Directory, the [Dantonists], who had won the war, would be defeated?

Danton frowned and asked.

“Lafayette?”

“No. It’s the Royalists.”

“What? Isn’t Lafayette a Royalist?”

Fréron shook his head and explained.

“That’s not the case. Lafayette is a former constitutional monarchist. And now that there is no monarch, he is closer to the Girondins [a moderate republican faction]. He supports pacifism and moderate reform. But the majority of the people now think differently from Paris. They believe in Catholicism and long for a king.”

For example, the Duke of Orléans and the Count of Provence, or the Count of Artois, who claim to be Louis XVII.

The people who follow them are not just the former Vendée rebels or the Royalists of Toulon.

Rather, there are many rural farmers who long for a king.

The problem is that under the constitution created by Robespierre, almost all common men have citizenship.

The Royalists are trying to exploit this gap.

Danton smacked his lips and nodded.

If there are voters who believe in the king and Catholicism, there is a gap to exploit.

“We need to come up with a plan. We should abolish the Civil Constitution of the Clergy.”

“Bonaparte has left the Pope unharmed.”

“Tsk! Do I have to rely on Bonaparte again? But we have to use everything we can. In the end, the candidates who the clergy move will be elected, right? I’ll even get a letter from the Pope.”

Six months before the election, this is very useful information.

Danton twisted his lips.

Barras and Fréron had proven themselves to be quite useful.

“But, coming here like this means you want to join hands with me?”

Barras spoke, and Fréron bowed his head silently.

“If you allow it, we would be happy to.”

In February, when the French Revolutionary War had virtually ended in victory.

Behind the scenes, politicians were already calculating for the next seat of power.

But the citizens of Paris are purely enthusiastic, regardless of that.

About the victory itself.

“The day of glory has arrived! Great nation, France!”

It was the day when the victory news resounded loudly over Paris.

***

Even though it is not yet the era of nation-states, victory in war has a tremendous impact on the people.

“Alright! Now, all the interests in Milan are in our hands!”

Collo jumped up and down in the Milan Marseille Bank office.

Of course, even until now, the largest bank in Milan was by far Marseille Bank.

Because it was created by Eugene, the closest aide to the victorious General Napoleon, people trusted it and influential figures rushed to deposit their money.

But now, not only Milan, but the entire Italy becomes the target of Marseille Bank’s business.

That alone means that a truly enormous interest comes into the hands of the [Eugene Cartel: a powerful financial group controlled by Eugene].

Just then, [Messenger] Armand Ganet, who brought the news, dusted off his military uniform and asked.

“Whew, delivering letters is tough. But didn’t you already seize all the interests in Milan?”

“Hehe, the tentative and the confirmed are different! Besides, now we can get Venice and Genoa in our hands, centering on Milan! Genoa is especially important!”

“Really? What’s so good about taking over Genoa? Eugene Patron also seemed to say that he had to do something with Genoa.”

At that time, a stern-looking young man entered the bank manager’s office and said instead.

“We can seize all the West Mediterranean trade connecting Marseille, Toulon, and Corsica. Now, real trade is possible, not smuggling. Monsieur Ganet.”

Nicolas Surcouf, the captain in charge of smuggling in Eugene’s business.

His younger brother Robert is currently participating in the Mediterranean fleet in the direction of Corsica.

Collo, the manager of the Milan Marseille Bank, greeted Nicolas happily.

“Oh, Nicolas. You came all the way here?”

“I was instructed to take charge of this trade when the capture of the Republic of Genoa is achieved.”

“Already? Did the Patron give the order himself?”

Nicolas explained bluntly to Collo, who was slightly surprised.

“The road from Vienna to Paris is closer. Besides, President Damas said that he has to leave Milan for a while.”

Of course, it is faster to go directly than to deliver news from Vienna to Paris via Milan.

That’s why Eugene urgently summoned Nicolas ahead of securing control of Italy.

Because there was a high possibility that the port of Genoa would fall into French hands in the future.

Collo smiled bitterly.

“Somehow, they seem to know the situation here faster in Vienna. That’s right. By the way, when is Damas coming back from Rome? Tell him to help with our work.”

At that moment, Ganet shook his head.

“Oh, President Damas can’t come. He has to go somewhere else.”

“Huh? No, are you leaving Milan Bank open like this and leaving me alone? Don’t you know that my main job is Marseille business manager? The general manager has to take over Milan now!”

“There are other orders.”

Ganet shook his head, taking out another letter.

“Our Madame Bonaparte and Patrone will be going to Vienna soon. This is General Bonaparte’s direct order.”

Originally, Damas’s job, who is not in this position, is to oversee the Eugene Cartel business.

But why did Damas come to Milan?

It’s not because of the Milan business.

It is because Madame Josephine Bonaparte and the Cartel’s Patrone, Marie, came to Milan.

Escorting them is Damas’s current top priority.

However, since the summons order has been issued for Josephine and Marie to come to Vienna, Damas also has to go to Vienna.

Collo frowned and sighed.

It seemed that Collo would have to take charge of all the Marseille businesses for the time being.

“If we have to serve them, there’s nothing we can do. But why are they going to Vienna? General Bonaparte or our Patron will also come to Milan.”

Ganet shrugged and explained.

“No, they said they’re holding a victory confirmation ‘reception’ in Vienna. The two of them are needed in that position. The commander’s wife and the former princess of Bourbon.”

Collo blinked and widened his eyes.

Inviting the commander’s wife and the former princess of the Bourbon family to the party.

Even to Vienna, the capital of the Habsburgs where the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved.

There is no doubt that this is Napoleon’s intention to show one thing to the Habsburgs, France, and Europe.

The quick-witted financier, Collo, shone his eyes.

“Indeed, he’s trying to show that the number one person in France is General Napoleon.”

At that time, congratulatory fireworks announcing the victory were set off noisily outside Milan.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

It was the day when everyone in Italy learned of France’s victory.

***

At this moment, there is also a carriage running violently.

-Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

1,000 cavalrymen are running from Rome to Milan.

The cavalry itself, running as if surrounding the escort, is not very fast.

However, the carriage in the center was rushing very violently.

Suddenly, Antoine Damas, who was in the carriage, leaned out and shouted.

“General Dumas! Please drive the carriage more smoothly! Madame Bonaparte is pregnant!”

“I’m sorry. But we have to go to Vienna as soon as possible. We may not be able to make it in time for the victory banquet!”

“What’s the point if you lose the child!”

Inside the carriage, Josephine, who was pregnant, smiled at the loud shouts.

Her now quite swollen belly is prominent.

In the shaking carriage, someone suddenly grabbed Josephine’s hand.

It was Hortense, but it was someone else.

It was Marie Therese.

“Are you okay, Madam?”

Josephine smiled as she looked at Marie.

“I’m fine. When I was pregnant with Eugene, I even crossed the Atlantic while pregnant.”

“Yes? Really?”

“I’m kidding. But I rode in the carriage a lot. Even then, it was noisy because it was our princess’s birthday.”

Looking at Josephine, who was still reminiscing about the days when the Bourbons were still strong, Marie smiled brightly.

“When we go to Vienna, Eugene will finally be waiting. Mother. Oops.”

The memory of the royal family is not a pleasant memory for Marie.

The revolution destroyed everything, and her father, the king, also died.

So she was trying to change the subject, but she accidentally called Josephine mother.

At that time, Josephine smiled as she looked at Marie.

“You can call me mother.”

“Yes? Really?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t mean I’ve given permission yet, Princess?”

So it’s about the marriage issue with Eugene.

It was the moment when Marie, who was now 19 years old, blushed.

Hortense, a 13-year-old girl who was sleeping, jumped up and hugged Marie.

“Hmph, I like Marie unnie [older sister]. Be my new sister-in-law!”

In an instant, a horse cried out outside.

-Neigh!

1796, the time when Napoleon and Eugene became victors.

Now, Josephine and Marie were rushing to Vienna, the city of the defeated, where the victors’ banquet would be held.