He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 150

(150) Seizing Italy with Money

So, what would Napoleon’s adopted son, Eugene, the new power in Italy, try to do?

“Let’s start with a briefing for the first time in a while. Listen carefully. This is a briefing directly from the owner—no, the *patron*—so there won’t be a second time.”

The executives of the Cleves de Eugene, soon to be the Eugene Club, gathered at the Bank of Saint George in Genoa.

Cartel General Manager Damas, Milan Bank Manager Collo, Genoa Trading Company Captain Nicolas.

Ippolito Charles and Tournay, who had advanced into the military.

Furthermore, Polly, who had been in charge of weapons manufacturing, and Dupont, who had been developing gunpowder in Paris, also came.

With the exception of Marceau, the commander of the Paris Public Safety Forces, who could not leave his post, almost everyone was present.

Eugene gathered them in the bank manager’s office and spread out a map of Italy.

“Currently, Italy is not yet completely under French control.”

“Huh? It was recognized by the Treaty of Schönbrunn, wasn’t it?”

“That’s a treaty signed with the Austrian Emperor, Ippolito. Besides, the internal situation in Italy is complicated.”

First, there is the problem of Venice.

In fact, Milan and Tuscany, which were originally occupied by Austria, are simple.

Sardinia, which was an independent country but had strong French influence, is the same.

Beyond mere military and political issues, the so-called [citizens] relatively easily accepted the satellite republics or direct control systems under French administration.

But Venice is different.

From the beginning, it was not Austrian territory, and French influence was weak.

Moreover, it has maintained its independence for a thousand years as a city-state.

It has also occupied the Terra Ferma [Venetian mainland territories], including Verona, for nearly 400 years.

Even if influential figures saw the Treaty of Schönbrunn right in front of them, resistance was inevitable.

“There will be a rebellion.”

Nevertheless, the Eugene Club executives were surprised by Eugene’s assertion.

It was hard to imagine that anyone would revolt at the point when Napoleon had completed his conquest.

If they were going to revolt, wouldn’t it have been better to do so when they were fighting Austria?

Still, Damas, a nobleman with military experience, quickly asked.

“Why now? No, if you know that, shouldn’t you report it to General Bonaparte?”

“He already knows. He has already dispatched spies to Venice. Our side, the postal workers of the Milan Bank, are also there.”

“Oh, come to think of it, Armand is not here.”

Just as Damas was looking around and admiring, Eugene shrugged.

“There will be uprisings in Verona, Padua, Bergamo, and Brescia. As soon as they happen, Junot and Murat are prepared to sortie and suppress them.”

This is an event that originally happened in the original history.

The Veronese Easter Rebellion.

In the original history, it took place in April 1797, but now that France has won early, this event will happen sooner.

But conversely, unlike the original history, Napoleon’s control over Northern Italy has become firm.

The rebellion will not be led by the masses, but only by the old aristocratic groups.

This is because Napoleon has already compromised with the Vatican, which has a strong influence on the people.

So, the Venetian rebellion itself is not a problem.

The problem is what comes next.

“Venice is not only made up of the mainland and the city. It still controls the islands in the old Greek region, especially the Ionian Islands scattered in the Adriatic Sea.”

“Oh, isn’t that close to the Ottoman Turkish Empire?”

“Yes, Damas. But the Turks have a weak navy. The Venetian mainland fleet is also weak. So, there is a concern that these islands will be up for grabs.”

Eugene pointed to the south of the map.

“Next is the Kingdom of Naples. Currently, the British Prime Minister, John Acton, holds the real power.”

“Oh, isn’t Britain still at war with France? Then!”

“There’s no need to be so surprised. Laharpe is scheduled to advance into Naples.”

What Napoleon decided in Schönbrunn’s dressing room.

Originally, Sérurier would guard the base in Sardinia, where Napoleon would be stationed.

Masséna, Augereau, and Lannes would be stationed in Milan as Napoleon’s direct army.

Napoleon would mainly stay in Milan and march towards the entire Italian region when necessary.

Here, Junot and Murat would take charge of Venice.

What remains is the Kingdom of Naples, which is still surviving as an independent country.

Suddenly, Collo licked his lips.

“Oh, the Kingdom of Naples is not small at all. I don’t know much about the military, but General Laharpe moving means a division-level movement, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right, Manager Collo.”

“Can that many troops seize the entire Southern Italy?”

Eugene shook his head.

“We only need to seize Naples. Currently, the Kingdom of Naples has a weak army. We will drive the king to Sicily, and like the Kingdom of Sardinia, we will control the mainland by using the local nobles.”

In the actual original history, the Kingdom of Naples is subjugated later.

But whether it was then or now, the army is equally weak.

The British Prime Minister, John Acton, made many reforms, but like the British, he mainly invested the resources of the Kingdom of Naples in naval vessels.

As a result, there are currently as many as 150 ships in the port of Naples.

However, the army is almost entirely made up of the modernized troops that were annihilated in the Battle of Borghetto.

Eugene’s victory in the Battle of Borghetto inadvertently blew away the defense of the Kingdom of Naples.

Laharpe should easily be able to occupy such a Kingdom of Naples.

However, defending it is difficult.

This problem applies not only to the Kingdom of Naples.

“Now, this is where the problem arises. Venice, where a rebellion will occur; Naples, which will be occupied soon; and Lombardy, Tuscany, and Liguria, which have been organized as satellite republics. It is difficult to control them all with military force alone.”

If they were to fight, Napoleon’s legions would defeat any army in Italy.

No, perhaps any French general would do the same.

The conscript army of revolutionary France, inspired by patriotism, had gained tremendous combat experience in just three years.

However, domination is a different matter.

Suddenly, Dupont whistled.

“Oh, you’re going to fill it with [money]?”

Eugene raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

Dupont, the gunpowder developer, noticed what the banker Collo and the general manager Damas had not noticed.

Perhaps he was showing the qualities of the person who would later create a huge company in the original history.

“That’s right, Monsieur Dupont. Seizing economic power. This is how we will truly seize Italy.”

Furthermore, it is the task that Eugene’s Beauharnais Cartel will accomplish under Napoleon’s rule.

***

So, how do we seize economic power?

-Cheep!

Eugene examined the gunpowder laboratory installed behind the Bank of Saint George building.

This building is now the headquarters of the Eugene Cartel.

Therefore, some chemical research facilities, including gunpowder, were also planned to be built.

The reason why he called Dupont, who is in charge of chemistry, is also because of this.

Eugene watched from afar the smokeless gunpowder experiment burning in the laboratory and said.

“During the war, Polly and your help were great.”

“We just made the ideas that the patron came up with a reality. Heh heh.”

“I think we’ll have to make that idea a reality again.”

Suddenly, Eugene’s eyes lit up.

“I need you to make nitrogen, Dupont.”

Dupont was surprised by the completely unexpected words.

“H, how do you make nitrogen?”

“You know what it is, right? It’s a ‘basic substance’ that your teacher, Lavoisier, proved.”

“I know. Although the British discovered it first.”

Nitrogen is a substance commonly scattered in the air.

However, this substance was discovered in the 1770s, which is extremely recent at this point.

Fortunately, Lavoisier also experimented with nitrogen quite a bit and proved its existence, so French chemists also know about nitrogen.

The problem is that synthesizing this nitrogen is the basis of the chemical revolution.

Gunpowder and fertilizer come from synthetic nitrogen.

Eugene held the air in one hand and said.

“Nitrogen is also the basis for making saltpeter [potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in gunpowder]. But do you know this? The substance in compost is also nitrogen.”

“What? Really? Have you analyzed it?”

“You have to prove it from now on. Of course, I’m not telling you to do that already.”

There is a so-called Haber-Bosch process, an ammonia synthesis method.

It is a method developed in the early 20th century by chemist Fritz Haber with Carl Bosch.

It is almost difficult to fix nitrogen in the air, but ammonia, which is created when this nitrogen is combined with hydrogen, can be synthesized using this method.

As a result, [chemical fertilizers] are created by combining ammonia with nitric acid.

In simple terms, compost can be made artificially.

This method can be applied to gunpowder manufacturing as well, which had a great impact on the wars of the 20th century.

Of course, it is difficult for Eugene, who is not a chemist, to develop this method.

However, natural fertilizers, not artificial fertilizers, can still be made now.

“First of all, I want you to use your chemical knowledge to make two things together. One is a gunpowder factory to be built in Turin. The other is a fertilizer factory. This will be built in Naples.”

Dupont’s eyes widened.

“Fertilizer is made with compost, isn’t it? It’s not a matter of chemistry?”

“That’s right. But how do you make saltpeter, the raw material for gunpowder?”

“Oh, that’s also with excrement······.”

Suddenly, Eugene pointed out something that Dupont had not thought of.

“That’s right. So, while making gunpowder, you can make compost at the same time just by adding a process. And refine that compost and supply it to the entire Italy.”

In this era, gunpowder is black powder.

The main ingredients of black powder are saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal.

Among them, saltpeter must be extracted from soil full of nitrogen, or from excrement.

However, in an era where there are no chemical fertilizers yet, natural fertilizers are also made by rotting excrement.

In short, it means that farmers individually make fertilizers, but the factory professionally mass-produces them.

Eugene added the real reason here.

“Furthermore, to receive this compost, you must become a customer of the Bank of Italy. How about it?”

Only then did Dupont realize why he had been summoned.

“I was wondering why you were talking about pie in the sky, but it will be the foundation for seizing Italy’s financial power. Okay, let’s do it!”

Of course, there is something else that Eugene will really ask Dupont to do in the future.

Eugene smiled and swallowed those words for the future.

That pie in the sky.

The development of the Haber-Bosch method.

***

However, all of this must eventually be executed by someone directly.

“Good heavens, banks must be installed throughout Italy. Do you even know that our capital is barely enough right now? Patron?”

Pierre Collo.

The banker of the Eugene Cartel and the manager of the Milan Bank.

Also, if he executes the seizure of Italy’s financial power, he is definitely the one who will directly promote the work.

Again, Eugene and Collo were left alone in the bank manager’s office.

Eugene chuckled.

“I know. Because I spent 10 million francs just to pay off this bank’s debt.”

“The money that France is supposed to receive from the Vatican is only 5 million francs. No matter how much money we made by supplying military supplies during the war, there is a limit! Right now, we could go bankrupt!”

“After the occupation of Venice and Naples, we are supposed to extract 8 million francs each from the republic’s treasury and the royal treasury. That money will come to our side.”

Collo whistled after calculating in his head for a while.

“It will barely work out somehow. Okay, then I’ll ask just two things.”

“What is it?”

“First, is it me who has to do it? Are you telling me to come to Genoa?”

To build the Italian Bank, invest capital, and use fertilizer to create branches throughout Italy.

To capture the hearts of Italian farmers through this bank organization, capital, and loans.

Furthermore, to strengthen Napoleon’s control over Italy.

It’s a huge project.

But Eugene is Napoleon’s adjutant and cannot be tied to this banking business alone.

Then, only one person remains who has successfully established the Marseille Bank and the Milan Bank.

Eugene nodded.

“That’s right, Collo. Because you are the best financial expert in our cartel.”

“Whew, I’ve only just settled the Milan Bank! At this rate, the management of the Milan Bank will be a mess! The banking business is all about personal connections, you know? You can’t leave even for a moment!”

“That’s probably the same for Marseille. Genoa would be more convenient to go back and forth between the two, wouldn’t it?”

Collo opened his mouth wide.

“T, then I’ll die!”

Eugene looked at Collo and smiled.

“Don’t exaggerate. Do whatever you want, whether it’s family members or recruiting talent. After all, you’re going to entrust the Marseille Bank to an agent anyway, right?”

“I’m going to die. Is that as easy as it sounds? Well, okay. Then I’ll ask the second question.”

“What is it?”

Collo frowned and asked.

“Why did you choose Genoa as the new base? There’s Milan and Turin too. Isn’t Milan, where the bank is already established, or Turin, where the military headquarters is located, better? If it’s Milan, I don’t have to come to Genoa.”

At those words, Damas, who was listening from the side, and Ippolito turned to Eugene.

Certainly, it is easier to work by starting from a place where the foundation has already been laid.

Why did he make Genoa, where he had to create a sales network from the beginning, the new base?

Or Turin, where the military headquarters will be located, might be much easier.

But Eugene shook his head firmly.

“No. The Milan Bank is useful as an information base or for collecting money. It was quite useful in the war too. But it’s not French territory yet.”

“The head of the Lombardy Republic and the parliament are all made up of our people, aren’t they?”

“Elections can be overturned at any time. Also, the politicians of the republic can change their minds at any time.”

Milan cannot be trusted.

That’s why he didn’t choose Milan.

But Genoa is not French territory yet either.

Damas, who was listening from the side, was about to point that out, but his eyes widened.

“That’s the same for the Ligurian Republic······, isn’t it?”

Eugene twisted his lips and replied in a low voice.

“This place will be annexed soon, Damas.”

“Good heavens. I don’t think the people of Genoa I met this time know about it?”

“I’ve talked to Archbishop Giovanni Lercari. He is a religious leader who has gained the trust of Catholics in Genoa and Liguria.”

Giovanni Lercari is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Genoa.

He was also a native Genoese clergyman who valued the interests of Genoa more than the Roman Catholic Church.

After weighing the interests, Archbishop Lercari also chose France.

It is something that happens in the original history as well, but the reason why Lercari made a decision so quickly is because Eugene intervened.

Eugene did not bother to explain that point and summarized only the results.

“As soon as the Clergy Management Act is abolished in mainland France, we will start a vote in favor of annexation. Then, it will come under military rule just like the former Kingdom of Sardinia.”

Suddenly, Ippolito clapped his hands.

“Wow, you thought that far? The whole of Italy is really on a board made by you, Eugene!”

Then Eugene shook his head.

“No, this is a board made by General Napoleon, not me.”

“Huh? Isn’t that the same thing?”

“It’s different.”

Eugene looked at his easygoing friend Ippolito and flashed his eyes.

“Someday, General Napoleon will reach the peak. Until then, we must develop the power to create our own board independently.”

Clearly, Napoleon will reach the peak in some form.

But if we only ride on that peak, there is something we cannot prevent.

The future in which Napoleon becomes intoxicated with victory, goes on a rampage, and destroys himself.

Eugene saw the death of his biological father, Baron Beauharnais.