He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 237

(238) The Beginning of Venice, the Thousand-Year City

Here, there is a city where a thousand-year republic once existed.

“The time has come for our great Venice to rise again!”

Venice, a city of canals.

The largest of these canals is the Grand Canal, shaped like a Z.

A man was rowing through this canal, which cuts through the heart of Venice, in a large gondola, shouting.

Francesco Battaglia, a nobleman who was the defense commander of Verona.

-Waaaa!

Cheers erupted from all over Venice.

Citizens roamed with guns.

Nobles roared and smashed French symbols.

Above all, the French administrators and police who had reigned in Venice were being captured and dragged out.

About three years have passed since the fall of Venice in 1797.

In the meantime, Venice, which had dominated at least the Adriatic Sea, repeatedly suffered setbacks.

Britain and France fought fiercely in the Eastern Mediterranean, and all the ships in Venice were requisitioned and incorporated into the French Navy, effectively ending Venice’s naval power.

The people of Venice, now facing the crisis of becoming a mere provincial city, finally exploded in anger.

Suddenly, Battaglia, who was clenching his fists and roaring, turned his gaze coldly.

“Did you see that, Doge? This is the public sentiment.”

An old man clinging to one side of the gondola raised his head.

The old man’s name is Ludovico Manin, the last head of state of the Republic of Venice, the [Doge: the chief magistrate and leader of Venice].

He was elected Doge in 1789, the year the French Revolution began.

Therefore, Manin’s reign was entirely a period of suffering under French domination.

Repeatedly, cities revolted, were seized by Austria, and finally, the country was destroyed by France.

That’s all Manin had witnessed.

Therefore, even while seeing the seething anger, Manin could only tremble with fear.

Not of the Venetian citizens, but of the power of the French army.

“Won’t France destroy us again? We don’t even have a navy now.”

“Get a hold of yourself, Doge. Our republic existed for a thousand years. But it didn’t even take a month to collapse. Why do you think that is?”

“Well, the enemies are too powerful…”

In an instant, Battaglia shouted passionately.

“No! It’s because everyone who had to protect Venice, including the Doge, didn’t fight at all!”

Those words were also a self-reproach for Battaglia himself.

He was originally the commander of Verona’s defenses, but he surrendered Verona to Eugene without putting up a proper fight.

Of course, he wouldn’t have been able to win even if he had fought.

But what if he had delayed them even a little bit?

France would certainly not have been able to defeat Austria so overwhelmingly.

Nevertheless, former Doge Manin tried to persuade Battaglia again.

“Battaglia, this is a dangerous thing. All the Venetian nobles could die!”

“That’s what will happen if you don’t hand over the [Golden Book], Doge Ludovico Manin.”

“W-What are you talking about?”

Battaglia pointed a gun at the Doge, who was being held by his men.

“A book containing the lineage and names of all Venetian nobles. Hand over that book. We will forcibly conscript all the nobles and make them commanders of the army to defend Venice!”

The Golden Book is a list of nobles.

Those who have their names on this list have a duty to fight when Venice is in danger of national survival.

But Manin did not call upon the nobles when the French army invaded.

The same was true when Junot suppressed the first Venice riot.

Battaglia is forcing him to hand over this list.

Can the nobles really rise up now and defeat the French army?

Manin laughed helplessly and raised both hands.

“Huh, do as you please. I don’t know anymore. It’s hidden behind my portrait in my mansion.”

Battaglia nodded and gestured.

His men busily moved Manin to another gondola.

He will be transferred to St. Mark’s Basilica, the temporary rebel headquarters, and placed under house arrest.

At that time, the former Governor of Padua, Alvise Contarini, asked Battaglia.

“Battaglia, is this really okay? Can we win?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why did you start a rebellion? No, don’t lie about the civil uprising. I know you incited your old subordinates.”

Battaglia turned to Alvise and said in a low voice.

“Austria and Russia are scheduled to come, Governor Contarini.”

You cannot succeed in a rebellion with just courage.

You must gather internal support, external forces, and former influential figures.

The Contarini family is the most influential family in Venice and has enough influence to sustain the rebellion.

Battaglia calmly explained to Alvise, who was stroking his chin and rolling his eyes.

“Bonaparte is still in Paris. His son, Eugene, is in Constantinople [modern-day Istanbul]. Our people in Corfu will revolt and block the Venetian Sea.”

“Then Austria is the closest. Is he really coming?”

“Archduke Charles is scheduled to come in person. He has already left Vienna.”

Instantly, Alvise clapped his hands.

“The Archduke is coming? The victor of the Rhine! Then he will defeat all the Frenchmen defending Venice!”

Although he lost to Napoleon, Charles, who defeated Moreau, is famous throughout Europe.

This is because he is almost the only general who has gained victory over the French Revolutionary Army, which is called invincible.

He will be able to defeat the Italian garrison without Napoleon.

Battaglia nodded.

“That’s right. Except for one possibility.”

“What is it?”

“Bonaparte crossing the Alps.”

Just as Alvise was about to be startled, Battaglia smiled as he looked around the Grand Canal.

“But with the Rhine River threatened by Prussia and Russia, would he do that?”

Logically, it is an absolutely impossible strategy.

Of course, if you know it, even Archduke Charles will think the same.

***

Of course, Napoleon is not the only one in France.

“So, Venice has revolted?”

Genoa, the capital of the Ligurian Republic, a satellite republic of France.

In fact, the French garrison was in charge of national defense, French merchants led maritime trade, and even the Banque d’Italie de Beauharnais controlled the banks.

Therefore, along with Milan, it is the most important base for French rule in Italy.

The man who protects this place, Andre Massena, gritted his teeth and asked, and the adjutant tilted his head.

“Unfortunately, that’s not the only place that has revolted.”

“What do you mean, Serboni? Who suddenly revolted?”

“A full-scale rebellion has also broken out in Naples.”

Instantly, Massena slammed the desk.

“No, what is the commander-in-chief doing! If he sent Laharpe to Switzerland, he should have appointed a successor long ago!”

Currently, Naples is undefended.

Laharpe, who was guarding this place, was sent to Switzerland by Napoleon.

Dabou, who was scheduled to take office, was stopped in the middle, and Napoleon used him to fill Junot’s vacancy.

There are about 70 French major generals, but the former Kingdom of Naples is a large territory that accounts for half of the Italian peninsula.

A rebellion has broken out at a time when a suitable person has not yet been found.

Then, someone spoke from behind Massena.

“That’s an unfair criticism. Strictly speaking, the responsibility for defending the Parthenopean Republic [the short-lived republic established in Naples by French forces] lies with the parliament there and the Paris Directorate.”

“That’s just a formality! Who doesn’t know that the commander-in-chief decides? But who are you?”

“The commander-in-chief you are criticizing.”

Massena blinked his eyes, turned his head, and jumped up.

“Commander-in-chief?”

Napoleon, covered in dust, adjusted his commander’s hat and smiled.

“Yes, the man loved by the goddess of fortune. How have you been?”

To put it shortly, a man nicknamed Lucky.

Massena was speechless and opened his mouth wide.

France is surrounded by enemies on all sides.

However, the commander-in-chief left the capital and came to Italy.

“Are you crazy! Commander-in-chief!”

This thought will be the thought of all of Europe except for two people.

Suvorov and Eugene.

***

There are also Napoleon Club members who cannot understand even after listening to the explanation.

“Really, is General Bonaparte really going to Venice himself? Why?”

Junot, who was riding in a carriage instead of a horse for the first time in a while, kept asking Eugene.

Eugene glanced out the window of the marching carriage and smiled.

If Junot doesn’t understand, it’s obvious that other generals won’t be able to predict it.

In fact, that is probably the biggest reason why Napoleon decided to go to Italy.

“Unless there are other variables in the middle. Like suddenly catching a cold, falling off a horse, or wasting time meeting a beauty along the way.”

“All of them are possible, but I don’t think you’ll be late. Then we don’t need to hurry? You won’t explain the reason?”

“It means there’s no need to rush. But it’s also a problem if it’s too late.”

Still without explaining the reason, Eugene leaned his arm against the carriage window and rested his chin.

“It is unlikely that the Prussian army will encounter us. However, it is highly likely that we will encounter mercenaries from the former Holy Roman Empire or the Russian Imperial Army.”

Outside, you can see 15,000 soldiers marching.

Normally, Eugene would ride a horse, supervise the infantry’s march, and encourage them to continue.

But this time, there is no need to show off the marching speed that the French army boasts.

The pro-French regime in the Balkans is responsible for supplies, and the same goes for information along the march route.

Rather, it is much better to enter the battle with combat power at its peak.

“He must be stronger than a man named Kutuzov. The Russian Imperial Marshal.”

Suddenly, Ippolito broke Eugene’s thoughts as he was lost in thought.

“Yes, Ippolito. He’s not an opponent to be taken lightly. But did you solve the Esma Princess problem well?”

“Of course. That princess isn’t just having an affair with me. Sebastiani is the top priority.”

“We need to handle Constantinople with a honey trap for the time being.”

At that time, another carriage came into Eugene’s eyes.

It is a carriage used by the nursing unit.

Originally, Angelique, the leader of the nursing unit, remained in Constantinople with Marceau.

However, the original identity of the nursing unit is strictly the wives or lovers of French soldiers.

There were also lovers of the French returning soldiers, and they joined the returning ranks.

Until now, they have mainly been transported by ship, but now they have to use carriages.

Someone in the carriage running at the very front winked.

Ippolito sneered at Eugene, who quickly looked away from the window.

“Oh, Aunt Pauline is sending you a love greeting? Aren’t you going to return the favor?”

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll spread a scandal with Princess Esma in the newspaper as soon as I get back to Paris.”

“Huh, that will only increase my popularity! By the way, do you have any sure-win measures? Like dropping balloon bombs.”

Eugene snorted.

“That’s a secret strategy to use in the desert. If I use it in Italy, it will fall on our side even if the wind changes a little.”

But it seems that Ippolito was not the only one curious about the operation.

All the commanders of the Eugene Homecoming Corps in the carriage looked at Eugene.

Eugene shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Junot and Desaix’s earnest eyes.

“I have a method in mind. However, my father has to win first.”

“What. Are you just going to pick the cherry on top of the cake?”

“Don’t you know that cherry-picking is the hardest thing to do? Everyone is eager to eat cherries.”

Eugene lightly retorted to Junot with a joke and turned his gaze.

“To do that, [Surte: Eugene’s intelligence agency] has to play an active role this time. Rochejacquelin.”

Rochejacquelin, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, replied to Eugene.

“Of course. Ellie [Deputy Director] is currently working with the Commander-in-Chief.”

“Did you attach a [rat: a spy] to the Archduke?”

“Karl Schmeister is in a state of infiltration.”

Karl Schmeister, the spy of Austerlitz in the original history.

He is the perfect choice as an infiltrator into the Austrian army.

But the really important side is different.

“Russia?”

This time too, Rochejacquelin answered clearly.

“Major Suukovski is inside.”

“What? He’s from Poland?”

“There are already many Polish soldiers in the Russian army. He broke through that gap and entered.”

Suukovski is an adjutant from Napoleon’s bodyguard.

Originally, in the original history, he followed the Egyptian expedition and died during the Alexandria rebellion.

But now, he is just one of the adjutants working busily under Napoleon’s General Headquarters.

But Eugene’s Surte discovered Suukovski and used him as a spy in this operation.

Eugene tilted his head and nodded.

He is an adjutant that Napoleon highly praised in the original history, but his actual achievements are ambiguous.

However, the work that a spy has to do in this operation is not that difficult.

“Okay. Just make sure to spread the word on when Suvorov is coming. That’s the key to this operation.”

That is the time when Eugene must arrive in Italy.