He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 282

(282) The 19th Century Is Still the Era of Kings

In the end, a monarchy is a world where the monarch has the final say.

“What is this? Never mind not giving us the princess, what are they asking us to give them?”

Tsarskoye Selo, originally the location of the Russian Imperial family’s summer palace, served as the French delegation’s residence.

It was a place frequently used by Empress Catherine as a summer retreat.

It is located about 30 kilometers south of Peterhof, where the Tsar resides.

During the Empress’s reign, this place was the heart of the Russian Empire, but not anymore.

That’s because the Tsar hated his mother, the Empress, so much.

Come to think of it, Empress Catherine hated the Tsar first.

However, Eugene smiled bitterly at Ippolit’s words.

“It seems the Empress had a reason to dislike the Tsar.”

“Right? Isn’t he strange? What does he need to receive to be satisfied?”

“Well, something that would make him recognized as the Tsar.”

Suddenly, Eugene’s eyes narrowed.

“Like glory.”

Upon hearing those words, Danton rushed over and whispered.

“Hey, shouldn’t you put in your proposal then?”

“What proposal?”

“Did you forget that I heard everything? That, the India conquest.”

At that moment, Eugene quickly looked around and covered Danton’s mouth.

-Thump!

Ippolit, Tourne, and Nicolas also surveyed the surroundings.

Marie and Danton’s wife, Louise, who were getting out of the carriage behind, didn’t hear it.

But they quickly searched in case there were any listening ears.

Suddenly, Tourne’s subordinate approached and whispered to Tourne, who returned and bowed.

“There’s no one around, sir. Not even a rat.”

Only then did Eugene breathe a sigh of relief and frowned.

“Ambassador, please be careful. That is top-secret information.”

“Oh, I know, so I said it quietly. What’s the problem?”

“The problem isn’t just that there are more than a few people in this country who know French; there’s a bigger problem.”

Eugene looked far to the west and said softly.

“England’s influence is everywhere in this city.”

Originally, England and Russia had a huge trade relationship since the 17th century.

It was especially active during the reign of Catherine the Great, with Russia sending wheat and England sending manufactured goods.

These trade activities were a very important source of assets for Russia.

It’s no wonder that Russia protested when Napoleon issued the [Continental Blockade] in the original history [a trade embargo against Great Britain intended to cripple its economy].

Above all, Sidney Smith is coming soon.

Along with his brother and appointee to the Russian ambassador, Spencer Smith.

Unlike France, England has formal diplomatic relations with Russia, and the embassy is located in the best location in St. Petersburg.

It wouldn’t be strange if spies were moving around at any time.

“Really? I thought you were worried about something else.”

“Which way?”

“Our royalist exiles.”

Suddenly, Danton smiled strangely.

“The Duke of Orléans understood your warning, but will the other nobles? I think those friends will be a big hindrance to us.”

Eugene paused for a moment, then shrugged.

“Then, I guess we’ll have to wait until the Tsar is in a situation where he absolutely cannot refuse.”

Because in the end, the final decision-maker in Russia is the monarch, the Tsar.

***

The three cities with the most French exiled aristocrats are currently:

London, New York, and Saint Petersburg.

England is an enemy of the French revolutionary government, and the United States is a country that was liberated by royalist France, but why are there so many aristocrats in Russia?

Because the Russian aristocratic society is modeling itself after France.

This is the case anywhere in the European upper class at this time, but Russia in particular is using the French court as a model case.

You can see this from the fact that Peterhof Palace was intended to imitate Versailles [the opulent palace of the French monarchy].

So, the self-proclaimed [King] who has passed through Brussels, London, and Vienna is currently in this city.

The self-proclaimed Louis XVII, Louis Stanislas Xavier de Provence, frowned.

“That damn aide has arrived?”

In a place identical to a large mansion in Paris, France, except that it is very cold, his brother, the Count of Artois, replied while drinking coffee.

“The arrival of the princess is more important, brother.”

“Hmph, a child born to an Austrian woman, I don’t even know if she is a proper successor. Louis Charles is definitely Fersen’s child, right?”

“When Charlotte was conceived and born, surveillance was much more thorough. There is no room for denial. In the first place, His Late Majesty the King was immature, but at that time, Queen Antoinette was probably immature too.”

There is a reason why the Count of Artois, that is, Charles X of the original history, asserts this.

It is because the Count of Artois was the first person to have a scandal with Marie Antoinette.

Charles Philippe de Artois, who had been watching Antoinette’s love affairs and sometimes instigating scandals from then until his exile.

When Louis Provence frowned, knowing the inside story, Charles said softly.

“We must accomplish two things this time. One is to keep Marie here, and the other is to make a proposal to the new Consulate government.”

At that time, a man drinking coffee at the end of the table widened his eyes.

“Your Excellency, Count of Artois, is that possible?”

“What’s impossible, Prince of Condé? Marie is the only heir of His Majesty King Louis XVI. The kingdom cannot be inherited, but the property is different. However, that is a dangerous weakness in the current ‘rebel’ regime.”

“No, I mean the proposal. That proposal.”

Louis Joseph de Bourbon, that is, the Prince of Condé of the time, frowned.

“Isn’t it the return of the king? Would the current [rebels] accept the restoration of ‘Louis XVII’?”

The Prince of Condé is a branch of the royal family famous for its military lineage.

Louis Joseph, the Prince of Condé of the time, was similar, leading the so-called royalist army.

These are soldiers called the [Army of Exiles], which once numbered 10,000.

Of course, the military funds are running out, and the support from England, which was behind them, has now been cut off.

It is only possible to maintain about 1,000 people with the charity of the Russian Tsar.

But that doesn’t mean they would use these soldiers to attack Eugene.

What is the reason?

Everyone here is an aristocrat.

They think that battles should be fought on the battlefield after a declaration of war.

Besides, even if they kill Eugene, the king will not be restored, right?

Here, there is another reason.

Charles Artois smiled.

“Let’s think about what happened to those who killed the king in England. I’m talking about the guys who killed Charles I. That Cromwell was posthumously disgraced [his body was exhumed and subjected to symbolic execution], and conversely, those who restored the king lived in glory.”

This is the historical result of the so-called English Puritan Revolution.

The famous Lord Protector Cromwell killed Charles I, but he could not prevent the republic from collapsing after his death.

George Monk, a loyal subordinate of Cromwell, helped restore Charles II and lived comfortably as the Duke of Albemarle.

It is common sense in Europe in 1800 that a republic can collapse at any time.

Wouldn’t they want Napoleon, who now holds all the power, to become the Monk of France?

The great aristocrats in Russian exile think it is possible.

Also, isn’t Eugene originally a nobleman who was a servant of the royal family?

Louis Provence took a sip of coffee and sneered.

“Good. He wasn’t a completely rootless guy, was he? Are you in contact with the Marquis of Boarné?”

“The previous Marquis says he’s dying today or tomorrow. Now we have to talk to his successor, François.”

“That former aide who came this time, is he really a powerful figure in France? Roger?”

At that moment, an officer who was standing by bowed his head.

“Yes, my cousin Antoine is one of his confidants, so I know him well. He is the Consul’s adopted son, succeeded in the Orient expedition, and above all, he is the richest man in France.”

Roger de Damas, an officer from the famous aristocratic family of Damas that has been around since the Middle Ages.

In later original history, he served as a military commander and member of the House of Representatives when the royalists returned.

But now he is just a Russian exile and one of the commanders of the Army of Exiles.

However, Roger has a deep connection with one of Eugene’s closest aides.

That is Antoine de Damas, the general manager of the Boarné Cartel.

Thanks to Antoine, who would have had his head cut off by Robespierre in the original history, Roger now has a strong connection in Paris.

Anyway, Antoine was a man who had the decency to reply when his cousin sent him a letter.

However, the self-proclaimed Louis XVII still sneered and looked back at Charles.

“The royal family must have collapsed and stolen the property! Charles, just because that damn gambling prodigy is doing well, how can the king be restored?”

“Oh, brother. That’s why you couldn’t even use that aide, and you lost to me in every gambling game.”

“Why are you bringing up something from 10 years ago again? Tsk.”

Charles Artois, who once used Eugene as a royal gambling player, smiled.

“Brother, why did the revolution happen in the first place? The bourgeois guys rose up to eliminate privileges. But who is becoming the privileged class now?”

Louis Provence narrowed his brows.

“Became a new privileged class? The rebels of the past?”

“Protecting privileges is ultimately authority. That authority is guaranteed by the king. That’s why nobles can’t ignore the king, no matter how much they run wild.”

“If there is no king, there are no nobles. Wait a minute.”

Suddenly, Louis Provence widened his eyes and asked.

“Are those rebels going to want to become nobles too?”

The Count of Charles Artois laughed.

“Isn’t that obvious? There are only honorable great sword nobles [nobles of ancient lineage] in this position, but think of someone like Turgot. 법복귀족 [nobles of the robe, who gained their status through judicial or administrative positions] were the ones who opposed the revolution the most.”

Before the revolution, France had the highest proportion of nobles in Europe.

Anyway, 5% of the entire population was noble.

Furthermore, even if they were not nobles by blood, they could buy noble status with military achievements or wealth.

Therefore, those who had been nobles for four generations were called great sword nobles, and those who were not were called certificate nobles, military nobles, and 법복귀족.

The 법복귀족, who became nobles as commoners, were the strongest opponents of the revolution.

Because they were in danger of losing their privileges completely.

On the other hand, some of the great nobles were reformists who changed their names, like the Duke of Orléans.

The Prince of Condé nodded.

“There are more 법복귀족 than great sword nobles in our Army of Exiles. Your Majesty.”

The self-proclaimed king, Louis Provence, shrugged.

“Good, Roger de Damas. Have you ever approached the aide? But how do we keep our cute niece here?”

Suddenly, Charles Artois smiled slyly.

“I’ll have my son, Louis Antoine, coax her well. Heh heh, she’s a lonely child, so she’ll fall for it easily.”

Originally, he was the young man who became Marie Therese’s husband in the original history.

December 1800.

A time just before the 19th century.