He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 292

(292) The Revolutionary Army Is Not One

In truth, all this complex structure is Eugene’s fault.

“If you hadn’t dismantled the Empire in the first place, none of this would have happened, right? Hmph!”

Suddenly, [Princess] Maria Clementina, the sister of the former Emperor Franz II, scoffed.

This place is the Schönbrunn Palace’s annex, once the summer palace of the Austrian Empire.

Now, the former Imperial Family, the current Royal Family, has moved to the Hofburg, the winter palace.

The French garrison is using it as their headquarters instead.

However, one of the royals who used to reside in this palace frequents it often.

It’s Princess Clementina.

Lieutenant Louis Bonaparte, the adjutant to the deputy commander, who was sitting across from her pouring coffee, nodded.

“Yes, Princess Clementina. I think so too.”

“Right? Louis, you don’t like seeing this imperial palace trampled by soldiers either, do you?”

“Well, I don’t have an eye for art, but it seems like too much luxury for soldiers to enjoy.”

Then, Clementina frowned and snorted.

“Hmph! All the costs those soldiers eat, use, and spend are a waste too! It’s coming out of our ‘Imperial Family’s’ coffers!”

Dismantling the empire has led to the palace being defiled by military boots, Austria having to bear the burden of foreign garrisons, and Clementina growing old as a spinster.

Of course, she’s only 24 years old, but by the standards of this era, she’s definitely past her prime for marriage.

The only good thing about the French army’s arrival for Clementina is just one thing.

Suddenly, Clementina recalled the reason she visited this palace today and said to Louis.

“By the way, there’s an imperial hunting event tomorrow. You should come along.”

“Excuse me? But, is it okay for me to attend such an event?”

“Then what am I supposed to do? I don’t have enough aides to escort me.”

The ‘Princess’ who still calls herself a princess, Clementina, raised her nose haughtily and said.

“Your ‘Rhine Corps’ dismantled our Austrian ‘Imperial Army,’ so we’re even short of guards. The remaining troops were taken to ‘Magyar’ [Hungarian territory] by my brother Karl!”

This is the ‘excuse’ Clementina used to enter Schönbrunn Palace today.

Of course, both Clementina and Louis, who is listening, know that all of this is just an excuse.

However, Louis politely smiled instead of pointing it out explicitly.

“Understood, Princess Maria Clementina.”

“You have to come! You absolutely have to come! Otherwise, I won’t have any escorts! I’ll be humiliated by my other siblings and nieces!”

“I will never forget.”

Just as Louis turned around after seeing Clementina off, someone suddenly appeared from behind.

“Hey, Mr. Popular. Must be nice, huh?”

“Eek! Wh-who? Huh? Hippolyte?”

“Long time no see. You’ve really landed on your feet since coming to Austria, haven’t you? Always being suppressed by your brothers, and now you’ve hooked a princess here?”

Originally, Louis Bonaparte joined the military as Napoleon’s adjutant after the Italian campaign.

He didn’t have much conversation with Eugene, who was the chief adjutant, but he interacted quite a bit with Hippolyte, who had a good personality.

Above all, Hippolyte is a great friend when it comes to seeking advice on ‘women’ problems.

Recalling that point, the 23-year-old Louis Bonaparte smiled with a troubled expression.

“Don’t joke around, Hippolyte. I’m just a target for the Austrian royals’ complaints. Since I’m the deputy commander’s adjutant.”

“How did you end up in the Rhine Corps? Weren’t you part of the Italian Army?”

“It’s an inter-corps dispatch. There’s been a lot of talk about internal divisions within the military recently, so Napoleon ordered it directly. I came here at the beginning of this year.”

This happened after Eugene left as a special envoy to Russia.

In fact, even in the original history, Napoleon tries to resolve the divisions within the military.

For example, appointing early revolutionary veterans or members of the Rhine Corps who haven’t particularly distinguished themselves among the 26 marshals is one of them.

The famous Legion of Honor, which is currently being prepared, is actually part of the military integration effort.

Currently, he’s working on it in the form of dispatching the fourth son, Louis, who hasn’t achieved any distinguished service.

“In short, you’re a bridge between the Italian Army and the Rhine Corps? You’re going through a lot.”

Just as Hippolyte was about to nod, Louis asked with a serious face.

“It’s the Austrian garrison corps now. Everyone’s uneasy. They’re worried that Eugene’s visit is for a dismantling operation. Do you know anything about it?”

“That’s what I want to ask you. Actually, Eugene is a special envoy to Russia, right? I only found out about the Austrian situation after coming here. What do you think, does he want to dismantle it?”

“If I were to speak as the deputy commander’s adjutant, I’m against it. The Austrian garrison is elite. It would be a waste to summon this corps back to the homeland and dismantle it.”

At that moment, Hippolyte smiled with a sly expression.

“Then, personally? You don’t want to return to the homeland?”

For a brief moment, the face of the vigorous young man, Louis, turned red.

He clearly understood what he meant.

However, Louis is also a young man who knows his place.

“I’d like to stay a little longer. If possible.”

He just wants to see a little more for now.

Clementina wandering around Vienna with nothing to do.

***

So, what exactly is the complex structure that Eugene has taken on?

“I have received instructions from the Consul [Napoleon Bonaparte]. Everything will be entrusted to Chief Adjutant Eugene.”

Talleyrand smiled as he sipped the famous [Vienna] coffee with great elegance.

This is the main palace of Schönbrunn Palace, now the headquarters of the French garrison.

The maids who once filled the palace are nowhere to be seen, and a desolate commander’s orderly pours the coffee.

For some reason, the coffee doesn’t taste very good, and Eugene frowned.

Entrusting it is bound to be Napoleon’s style.

All the responsibility to Eugene, all the credit to Napoleon.

However, once he’s taken on the task, he has to see it through.

“So, Princess Maria Clementina is the sister of the Emperor, no, the King of Austria?”

“That’s right. She was also originally supposed to be the wife of Prince Francesco di Bourbon of the Kingdom of Sicily.”

“Isn’t she a maternal cousin? I think the Queen of Sicily is almost the youngest sister.”

Talleyrand shook his head with an elegant gesture.

“Strictly speaking, the youngest is Archbishop Maximilian Franz of Cologne, and the youngest daughter is Queen Antoinette, the mother of General’s lover, Marie Therese. The Queen of Sicily is the 13th child.”

Empress Maria Theresa had a whopping 16 children.

The last child born is Maximilian, the current Archbishop of Cologne.

Also, the youngest daughter is Marie Antoinette, who is still alive and well.

The Queen of Sicily, Maria Carolina, who is currently exiled to an island, is about an older sister of Antoinette.

In addition, Leopold II, the third child and former Holy Roman Emperor, had 12 sons and 4 daughters with the Empress.

Not illegitimate sons or daughters, but all legitimate children.

Furthermore, Franz II has 9 children as of 1801, and 13 children based on original history.

Eugene shook his head, recalling the staggering numbers.

“It’s truly a prolific empire. So, what’s the reason Clementina’s marriage was stopped?”

“Because of the war. The engagement was in 1790, but the war continued afterwards. Moreover, since the Kingdom of Sicily was expelled from Naples, it was even more impossible to proceed.”

“And now we can’t help the reunification of the Kingdom of Sicily and Austria, can we.”

This is why Eugene couldn’t tell Clementina to marry in front of the gates of Vienna.

Strictly speaking, the Kingdom of Sicily is a country that France must destroy.

Like the Kingdom of Sardinia, the royal family has fled to the island.

However, the French have virtually seized the mainland, the southern Italian peninsula.

What’s hindering complete control is the Bourbon royal family hiding on the island of Sicily.

Strictly speaking, this royal family is a relative of the French Bourbon royal family, belonging to the Spanish Bourbon lineage.

It’s a family that split from the time of Louis XIV’s grandson.

But should we allow the Habsburgs of Austria and the Bourbons to reunite again?

Of course not.

But there are points to consider that cannot be ignored.

Eugene asked Talleyrand.

“There must be a reason why Johann and Clementina came to see me, right?”

Talleyrand smiled subtly and replied.

“You’re quick to notice. The Austrian kingdom’s secret proposal arrived this morning. They want one of the two to be placed on the throne of the Kingdom of Bohemia.”

“Or are they going to move the royalist members and turn France upside down? Minister Talleyrand?”

“They didn’t say that. But, they will never stand still.”

At that moment, someone slammed the command table.

-Bang!

The tall Sword Master, Bernadotte.

“There’s no need to be swayed. There’s a very simple way, isn’t there?”

“What is it, Deputy Commander Bernadotte?”

“Satellite Republic!”

Bernadotte shouted in a loud voice, making the temporary French military headquarters in Schönbrunn Palace tremble.

“There’s no suitable royal family in Bohemia? Then, let’s create a satellite republic. Let’s show the republican system in the heart of the Holy Roman Empire!”

“Then there will be strong opposition, won’t there?”

“Rather, the former royal family will come to their senses. Show them the taste of revolution. Freischütz [A legendary marksman in German folklore]!”

Eugene smiled bitterly at the very enthusiastic words of a Jacobin supporter.

Clearly, as of 1801, Bernadotte is one of the staunch revolutionary generals.

But in the original history, the lineage that remains as a [royal family] is Bernadotte’s lineage.

Of course, oddly enough, Eugene’s original history daughter is involved in that lineage.

Glancing at the general who is related by marriage in the original history, Eugene turned his gaze away.

“Does General Moreau think the same way?”

Just as Moreau, the commander of the Austrian garrison, was about to open his mouth, Brienne, who was sitting on one side, said.

“I have a suggestion regarding that matter.”

“I asked General Moreau. Chief Adjutant.”

“It’s important.”

Consul’s Second Adjutant Brienne stated to Chief Adjutant Eugene.

“The Austrian garrison must be maintained continuously. Only then can we prevent the divided Austria from stirring.”

Eugene blinked at the absurd proposal and looked at Moreau.

Moreau only nodded and didn’t say anything else.

Of course, it’s not a bad story from the perspective of the Napoleonic regime.

However, from the perspective of the overall situation in France, it’s not a welcome conclusion.

Eugene shrugged and said to Talleyrand.

“That’s why you didn’t organize it, Minister.”

Talleyrand nodded with a very satisfied face.

“Everyone, it’s a disaster they brought upon themselves. Chief Adjutant.”

In the first place, the dismantling of the empire itself is the cause of all this.

***

There’s a reason why Napoleon didn’t dismantle the Holy Roman Empire in the original history.

“So, that’s what they say? Can’t we just maintain the current state? Everyone seems happy except for Austria.”

Organizing the structure of the divided forces, the problem of foreign garrisons, and securing French interests here.

There’s a very simple way to handle things this complicatedly.

It’s to take the emperor.

That’s why Napoleon wildly increased the number of electors in the original history.

It is presumed that he had the ambition to be elected as the Holy Roman Emperor himself.

However, Napoleon died in 1821, and Franz II died in 1835, so it was actually a pointless act.

Furthermore, the sickly Franz II feared Napoleon’s ambition in the original history and dismantled the Holy Roman Empire himself.

It seems simple at first glance, but the reason why it’s a failed and more complicated method as a result.

That’s why Eugene chose to simply divide the empire itself.

Thanks to that, all sorts of headaches are pouring in now.

But Hippolyte’s words also make sense.

If the situation is complicated, delaying time is also one of the diplomatic methods.

But Eugene shook his head while sitting in the former Crown Prince’s residence, which had become his personal quarters.

That’s something I can never choose.

“Do you even know how much it costs to dispatch troops overseas?”

That’s because the issue of overseas expedition military spending, which was the cause of the French Revolution, is at stake.