He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 284

It’s quite unusual for the French to witness the sea freezing over.

-Crack! Crack! Crack!

It’s December 23, 1800, as Christmas approaches.

However, since the Russian Empire used the Julian calendar, Christmas celebrations fall on January 7th according to the Gregorian calendar.

Thus, in late December, before Christmas, the French delegation was greeted with an unexpected [surprise].

Ippolito was taken aback, seeing the harbor frozen over for the first time in his life.

“Isn’t the sea supposed to be saltwater, Nicolas?”

“Indeed. It would taste salty if you tried it.”

“Why is it frozen like this? Colonel Tournay! Is it the same over there?”

Tournay, who was examining the ground far away, waved his hand.

“The ship won’t be able to return, Brigadier General Ippolito.”

In any case, Russia has not yet re-established diplomatic relations with France.

Problems can arise at any time, so a means of escape is necessary in case of emergency.

However, at least for now, the ship is out of the question.

Ippolito clicked his tongue, looking back at the Horus, trapped in the ice.

“If this whole thing falls apart today, we’ll have to make a quick escape. Tsk.”

“Do you think the chances of success are low?”

“Well, what the Russians expect, what our exiled nobles know, and what the Tsar expects are all different, aren’t they? And even what we’ve prepared is different.”

Ippolito shrugged, replying to Nicolas Surcouf.

This place is too cold for Ippolito, who is from southern France.

It’s the kind of day he wants to rest in the warmth of a woman’s arms, but today there’s no time to find a bed.

A banquet awaits soon at the Peterhof Palace.

The problem is that the expectations of those waiting with bated breath at this banquet are all different.

Russian nobles, of course, want the downfall of Eugene, the Suvorov killer.

French exiled nobles want Eugene to fail and come crawling back, begging for the restoration of the monarchy.

The Tsar is probably expecting some kind of grand offering.

But the proposal Eugene has brought is an extremely absurd Indian expedition.

Ippolito couldn’t imagine how to package this to make it palatable.

At that moment, a leisurely fellow who had come out to observe the ship’s condition grumbled.

“It’s all because we fought Russia and couldn’t win. Tsk!”

Ippolito turned to look at Danton, the ambassador who was effectively idle because there was no functioning embassy, and protested.

“There’s too much room for misunderstanding, Ambassador. We defeated the invincible General Suvorov.”

“Hmph, I see now that Suvorov was a general out of favor with the Tsar. Or am I wrong?”

“No, but we crushed 80,000 troops. If you think about it, we also defeated 50,000 mixed troops from the Ottoman side.”

However, Danton scoffed.

“The Tsar’s main army has never been defeated, has it? Look at that vast land stretching behind the sea. Has our army ever reached this place? No, will it be able to reach it in the future?”

Ippolito fell silent at those words.

Certainly, coming here makes you realize the vastness of the territory, more than ten times the size of France.

In any case, it’s hard to truly grasp the horizon in France.

On the other hand, it’s a sight you can see anywhere outside the city in Russia.

Here, Colincourt, who is fluent in Russian, nodded and joined in.

“It’s difficult. Moreover, what you see here is different from reality, and if you advance, you’ll quickly find yourself bogged down in the mud.”

“Oh, good expression, Colincourt. You’re just like the son of a prestigious family. Your grandfather was Marshal Marc de Colincourt, the field marshal in the Seven Years’ War, right?”

“I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable in genealogy, Ambassador. But what I said isn’t a metaphor.”

General Colincourt, a lower-ranking nobleman from a prestigious military family, explained seriously.

“This Russian land becomes truly muddy in early spring and late autumn. It’s because the ice has melted. It’s a phenomenon called [Rasputitsa – a season of muddy roads due to melting snow and spring rains].”

A phenomenon that triggered the disastrous Russian campaign in original history.

In later generations, even Hitler was eventually bogged down by Rasputitsa in original history.

However, for the French delegation, this was the first time they had heard the term.

“Is it that difficult to maneuver?”

Colincourt widened his eyes at Ippolito’s question and then chuckled.

“Is that what General Freischütz is thinking? Well, if it were me, I wouldn’t come to Russia; I’d lure the Russian army in and fight.”

If Eugene is Napoleon’s closest aide, then Ippolito is undoubtedly Eugene’s closest confidant.

Furthermore, most generals know that Ippolito has no special talent other than seducing women.

So, asking this now is probably Eugene’s usual question.

Here, Colincourt was implying that a war of attrition was the only viable strategy.

Then Danton scoffed again.

“Why are you making it so difficult? Just come by boat and fight.”

“Wow, you think war is so easy, Ambassador. Is the British Navy just playing around?”

“Hahaha! Look at this simple soldier. Hey, Casanova. I hear you’ve been playing around with Russian noble ladies these days? But when you’re seducing those ladies, do you only seduce one lady directly?”

Just as Ippolito was about to be speechless, Danton’s eyes flashed.

“I don’t think so. Don’t you first target the lady’s friends? That’s the essence of seduction.”

In fact, Danton also has a history of seducing many noble ladies.

He’s just refraining from it since coming to Russia.

On the other hand, Ippolito, who has already been seducing noble ladies for a month, whistled.

“Sweden and Denmark?”

“That’s right. Why go alone to fight the winter kingdom of the north? You have to bring in other winter countries.”

“But there’s no guarantee we can beat the British Navy.”

Danton clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Why do we need to win outright? Isn’t it enough to buy time for our navy and army to come here? And to open an escape route in case of emergency.”

Originally, this was a strategy that Napoleon couldn’t effectively use in original history.

Because Sweden turned into an enemy, and the navy was completely defeated by the British.

Furthermore, Napoleon only prepared for the cold and didn’t even consider Rasputitsa.

But as it happened, the winter of 1812 was unseasonably warm.

Warm enough for Rasputitsa to spread severely.

“Hmm, you could be a strategist.”

Looking back at Ippolito, who was briefly admiring, Danton laughed heartily.

“Haha! Did you think I became a director while simply playing around? Now, let the officers suffer here. This noble ambassador must attend the banquet!”

So, the reason why the French delegation came to St. Petersburg and looked at the frozen sea is simple.

The time has finally come to reunite with the Russian Tsar.

***

Beautiful music echoes in the Peterhof Palace.

-Keening, keening, keening!

Listening to the French string quartet’s performance, Danton patted his plump cheeks and said.

“The string quartet suits the atmosphere well. It’s music that suits this winter country’s palace. Haha!”

“Oh, Ambassador. Do you also have a deep knowledge of music?”

“Surely not. I’m just a crude lawyer. Unlike the noble aristocrats, I just hum along when I hear great music. However, I believe I have an ear for good music.”

It was while Russian Chancellor Alexander Borisovich Kurakin and Danton were having an elegant conversation.

Far away, there were those who watched that scene with hatred.

Of course, they are also guests formally invited to this banquet.

“That Jacobin bastard is entering this noble imperial palace!”

They are none other than the self-proclaimed Louis XVII and the French royalist exiled nobles.

In fact, the French nobles had been carrying out a plot leading up to today’s banquet.

Count Charles of Artois reported with a bitter face that all the plots had failed.

“It seems that the seduction of Marie has failed, brother.”

“Surely the Duke of Orléans didn’t succeed? That guy’s son is quite handsome, isn’t he?”

“My son is no less handsome. It’s just that the gambling prodigy isn’t helping us much.”

Louis Provence frowned, glaring at the Count of Artois, who was boasting about his son.

“Surely, that guy isn’t after our Marie, is he?”

Then the Count of Artois widened his eyes and chuckled.

“Surely not. A Bourbon princess isn’t a good match for the Consul’s adopted son.”

“Why? If our monarchy returns, it will be the opposite, Charles.”

“Hmm, a mere cadet of the Count family can’t be the husband of a princess. Conversely, the daughter of an ousted royal family doesn’t suit a revolutionary army general either.”

The Count of Artois shook his head, pondering for a moment.

“Our gambling prodigy isn’t that stupid. I think he has some other intentions. Something beyond marriage.”

Half of it was wrong, but half of it was an accurate analysis.

But it was also a useless judgment in that he didn’t know what Eugene was truly aiming for.

Just as the Count of Artois had lived his life.

On the opposite side of the banquet hall, Russian nobles were chatting, waiting for today’s [main attraction].

“General Kutuzov, what kind of person is the [Freischütz – literally ‘free shooter,’ a term alluding to Eugene’s reputation as a skilled commander] who is arriving today?”

The one-eyed Kutuzov drank his wine and replied to the great noble who had spoken to him.

“Oh, my dear Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin, that’s a very difficult question.”

“Why, is it because he’s the opponent the general lost to?”

“Such mischievous words. It’s not that; Freischütz and I have never met in person.”

Kutuzov winked at Count Rostopchin, who remained a weak general in Tolstoy’s famous work in later history.

“He even sent only his adjutant when he was captured. I hear that adjutant is going in and out of noble ladies’ bedrooms these days.”

This is about Ippolito Charles.

Originally, in original history, Ippolito had an affair with Josephine.

It was something he did while Napoleon was doing well, while being a soldier under Napoleon.

Moreover, a few years ago, he jumped into the harem and had an affair with the princess of the Ottoman Empire.

So, a Russian noble lady’s bedroom is nothing particularly shocking.

The weak count, Rostopchin, clicked his tongue and replied.

“I’ve heard the stories. Fortunately, he hasn’t invaded my bedroom.”

“Do you know how far he’s gone?”

“Anna Lopukhina.”

This time, even Kutuzov was speechless and clicked his tongue.

“I recognized him as a bold guy at first sight, but he’s not ordinary after all.”

“Why is that?”

“That adjutant also played around with the wife of the Grand Vizier in Constantinople. He was famous among the prisoners.”

Anyone who knows who Anna Lopukhina is will sympathize with Kutuzov.

Because she is a 19-year-old virgin whom Tsar Pavel recently took as his lover.

In an instant, Rostopchin turned his head and twisted his lips.

The daring man who robbed the Tsar’s lover is walking behind today’s protagonist.

“There, he’s coming with Freischütz.”

Kutuzov rolled his one eye and smiled.

“Huhu, the enemy of our Russian generals is coming.”

Eugene, the Suvorov slayer, the commander killer, was entering, escorting Marie.

***

The host of this banquet, Tsar Pavel, clapped his hands.

“Hmm, well. Everyone, pay attention!”

The performance stopped, the nobles who had been chattering noisily closed their mouths, and the guards lined up all at once.

At least on the surface, it would be difficult to find a monarch as absolute as Pavel in Europe.

He has now silenced all the nobles with a single command.

But that doesn’t necessarily translate to a solid power base.

Pavel smiled strangely and stared at the girl sitting next to him.

“Alexandra, your suitor has come. Go and greet him.”

At that moment, Empress Maria frowned.

“Your Majesty, a suitor? Your joke is in poor taste.”

“I’m not joking? Of course, I didn’t say he was someone to marry. Hehe! Our daughter is so beautiful that she has countless suitors!”

“Good heavens, don’t say such things in a place like this!”

She is a princess who has already been rejected once by the King of Sweden.

Moreover, having many suitors is not necessarily something to be proud of for a princess.

It also implies that she has not yet been able to secure a marriage.

Of course, the eccentric Tsar Pavel urged the princess.

“What are you doing, Alexandra? Why don’t you greet him quickly!”

Alexandra got up from her seat with a sulky look and moved her steps.

-Tock, tock, tock.

Alexandra, the princess of the Northern Empire who welcomed the winter, stood in front of Eugene and held out her hand.

“Viscount Boharne, welcome to Russia. Of course, Princess Marie Therese Charlotte as well.”

Marie Therese paused for a moment.

Although Eugene denied it, she was the person whose marriage had been discussed.

But she couldn’t get angry at the innocent Russian princess here.

Calming her mind, Marie bowed slightly.

“Thank you for the welcome, Your Highness. Eugene?”

But instead of giving the princess a kiss on the hand, Eugene ignored her and walked past.

-Step, step, step.

Everyone was shocked and widened their eyes.

This is impolite no matter what country’s etiquette you consider.

Moreover, the Russian imperial family is even more sensitive to French etiquette because of their perceived inferiority complex.

But a former aristocratic revolutionary army general from France broke the etiquette.

Just as the guards officers were about to put their hands on their waists to draw their swords, Eugene stood in front of the Tsar.

“I am not a suitor, Your Majesty.”

Pavel stared at Eugene and asked.

“Then what are you?”

“I am the special envoy of Napoleon Bonaparte, the leading figure in the West, who has brought a real gift to the Tsar.”

“Huh, a commoner from Corsica dares to adopt an attitude of equality with me, the successor to the Roman Emperor. Good, what did you bring?”

At that moment, Eugene smiled brightly and said.

“It is the way to conquer India together with France. What do you think?”

At the banquet hall, in a public setting where all parties were paying attention and listening, a bombshell declaration was dropped.