He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 31

Napoleon’s Genius Son – Episode 30

(30) Lieutenant Eugene Goes to Marseille with Napoleon

War is always much harder in the aftermath.

Even if the massacre is prevented, not everything is resolved.

Dealing with war criminals, restoring destruction, and providing post-war compensation.

Especially difficult is, of course, compensation.

At this moment, farmers near Toulon were rushing to the military unit, shouting.

“Why can’t the requisition slips be exchanged!”

“Well, the country doesn’t have any money, so how can it be! Just be patient. There’s war everywhere!”

“Are you telling us to starve to death then!”

Tournet, who had been promoted to sergeant, screamed at the protesting farmer.

“Hey, old man! The northern front line is a disaster right now! Paris is in danger! Do you understand?”

Originally, a requisition slip is a note given by the military in exchange for forcibly seizing supplies from civilians.

During the suppression of the Toulon rebellion, Napoleon requisitioned supplies from civilians to create an artillery unit.

Most of them were farmers who had no choice but to give up food and cloth under pressure from the military unit.

However, after the rebellion was suppressed, the military turned a blind eye.

Louis Tournet, Eugene’s direct subordinate sergeant, was also under orders and had no choice but to stop the farmers.

In any case, there is no money or supplies to pay for the requisition slips.

Seeing this, Eugene, his superior, came out of the unit.

“It’s a mess.”

“Toulon is still better off. The Mediterranean fleet has returned, so it functions as a military port. And there were fewer massacres.”

“What do you mean, Hippolyte? Did you hear something?”

Hippolyte, who was always accompanying Eugene as his de facto adjutant, looked around and spoke in a low voice.

“You know the deputy Fréron, who is General Lapoype’s brother-in-law, right?”

“I know him. He’s the one who tried to lead the massacre here.”

“That guy has already swept through Provence. He’s sent at least 100 people to the guillotine in each city.”

Recalling what he had already read in the history books, Eugene sneered.

“In the name of the revolution, purify people by killing them. Is that it?”

Originally, this would happen around May 1793, around this time.

However, King Louis’s quick death accelerated a series of royalist rebellions.

So, the royalist massacre seems to have happened much earlier.

All of this is still beyond Eugene’s power to stop.

Besides, Eugene has already killed people, enemy soldiers, with a pistol or by order.

Nevertheless, not preventing the civilian massacre is definitely a burden on his mind.

With a heavy heart, Eugene kicked a stone.

Just then, Junot approached from afar, whistling.

“Hey, a letter came. Boy Rider!”

Eugene tilted his head, looking at the letter in Junot’s hand.

“What is it, Junot? Are you in charge of the mail now?”

“Ah, this sergeant has finally been promoted to lieutenant! Well, it’s a temporary position.”

“Temporary position? Then what’s the next position?”

Junot chuckled and tapped Eugene on the shoulder.

“That’s up to our General Bonaparte to decide, right? Well, our Boy Rider is getting a special promotion, right? I think they said major?”

“Well, I heard the order will be issued soon. But what is this?”

“Well? The sender is Marie Therese? That princess, right?”

At that moment, Eugene snatched the letter and ran.

-Thump, thump!

Eugene, his face flushed red, stopped after running for a while.

Junot seems to be walking slowly instead of running.

Hippolyte ran, panting for breath.

Very carefully, Eugene opened the letter.

-〈Dear Eugene. I’m wondering if you’re doing well.〉

The first letter is a very sweet love letter.

But the problem was that there was more than one letter.

With each letter Eugene opened, the tone strangely became stronger.

-〈Why haven’t I heard from you? Are you healthy? Are you hurt?〉

-〈I heard Toulon is fighting fiercely right now? I heard it from Mr. Récamier. Why don’t you reply? Please reply.〉

-〈Why haven’t you replied? Should I go to Toulon? I hope you send a reply as soon as you see this letter.〉

Looking at the last letter, Eugene licked his lips.

Of course, he had been too busy with the war.

Just surviving was overwhelming, and he had to achieve merits and win Napoleon’s heart.

Now he has some time to look around.

But the former princess of Paris wouldn’t know.

Hippolyte, who had rushed over, whistled as he glanced at the letter over his shoulder.

“Wow, I didn’t know the princess was such a possessive person.”

“Let’s refrain from saying things that could cause misunderstandings, Hippolyte. She’s a deposed princess, and Mademoiselle Marie is the correct title.”

“Mademoiselle or princess. Anyway, you should write back quickly, right?”

Eugene shook his head, holding another letter.

“First, let’s check this out.”

Hippolyte whistled again as he looked at the letter.

“Wow, as expected of a banker. Money is more important than a lover!”

Just then, Junot, who had arrived slowly, asked.

“What do you mean, Hippolyte? Money?”

“Ah, Lieutenant Junot, no, Lieutenant. This guy is looking at Mr. Récamier’s letter first.”

“Who is that?”

Only then did Hippolyte realize that Junot only knew Eugene as the [Princess’s Knight].

He probably doesn’t know that he had a brilliant reputation in Paris.

With a slightly boastful feeling, Hippolyte smiled and said.

“Mr. Récamier is the current acting manager of Banque Boarneh [Boarneh Bank].”

“Ba, Banque Boarneh? I’ve heard of that? Is that his father’s? Was he rich?”

“Hahaha! Eugene founded it, to be exact. Well, it was one of the top five banks in Paris. I was the bank manager’s secretary there. Haha!”

Junot opened his mouth wide and shook his head.

“Wow, you really grabbed a golden opportunity? You seem better off than me?”

In fact, Junot and Hippolyte don’t have a very good relationship in the original history.

Hippolyte had an affair with Josephine, and Junot told Napoleon about it, earning his hatred.

However, with Josephine gone, the two became comrades who exchanged jokes.

Eugene glanced at them and chuckled, folding Récamier’s letter.

“I should send a reply to this first.”

“Wow, no sooner said than done! Money is really more important than a lover! Excellent, banker Eugene! Silver will flow in your veins instead of blood!”

“Shut up, Hippolyte. Mr. Récamier informed me. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to trade with England.”

Eugene declared to the startled Hippolyte.

“The time has come to forcibly change our business areas, Hippolyte.”

The Banque Boarneh business is also entering a transition period.

***

To expand and transform a business, recruiting talent is essential.

“What’s the reason for calling me, Princess’s Knight?”

Toulon in May is a city that has just been liberated from the rebellion.

That means countless prisoners are being released.

During the rebellion, most of the prisoners captured in Toulon were sailors in the city.

Originally, most of them were naval officers made up of nobles, so they surrendered to the British army and fled.

However, because Eugene entered Toulon too quickly, the British army could not take the prisoners properly.

As a result, a considerable number of naval officers, especially nobles, remained in the city.

One of them, a naval officer requesting retirement, entered Eugene’s unit office.

Looking at the rather tired face of the former prisoner, Eugene smiled.

“François-Paul Brueys D’Aigalliers. A participant in the American Revolutionary War, a resident in Algeria, and an officer in the Mediterranean Fleet. And a prisoner of the royalists during the Toulon rebellion.”

“You know me well. I’m a captain.”

“I’m a major. Captain Brueys. Please use honorifics.”

In fact, the promotion to major has not been officially announced yet.

However, since Napoleon promised, the promotion to major is certain.

However, the other party is older than Eugene and a noble, so it is not easy to suppress him.

So, he deliberately emphasized his rank.

As expected of a thorough soldier, Brueys sat up a little straighter and asked.

“I see. Major Boarneh. Why did you call me?”

Again, Brueys knows who Eugene is.

The son of Alexandre Boarneh, a participant in the American Revolutionary War and now a general in the Revolutionary Army.

Also, one of the standard-bearers of the constitutional monarchy faction called the Princess’s Knight.

Even if Brueys in front of him was a prisoner of the royalists, he is still a former noble who is loyal to the country.

The revolution would not be very welcome.

That’s why he applied for discharge.

However, Eugene has a reason to catch Brueys.

First, Brueys is a very talented naval officer.

Eugene changed the subject slightly and started talking.

“You won’t be able to return to the navy for a while. You know that, right?”

“I know roughly. I’m from a noble family, and I was in Toulon, which was controlled by the royalists. My loyalty will be questioned.”

“But the navy is in a hurry now, so you’ll be able to return soon. But it will take time.”

Brueys replied with a tired face.

“I want to retire. I’m tired of war now.”

Brueys, who is saying this, will later become Napoleon’s admiral in the original history.

He is the general who will be in charge of transportation when leaving for the Egyptian expedition.

What was the result?

He loses to Nelson and dies.

In other words, Brueys’s ability was recognized enough to take on this dangerous mission.

Besides, there is one more connection between Brueys and Eugene.

So, Eugene had no choice but to choose Brueys in many ways.

Eugene looked at Brueys and suggested.

“Then, why don’t you work with me for a while until you change your mind?”

“Work? What do you mean?”

“You’ve only heard about me from Mademoiselle Marie, and haven’t heard anything else?”

Suddenly, Eugene shone his eyes and began to praise himself.

“A prodigy of gambling, finance, and smuggling.”

Brueys, who was quietly looking at Eugene, smiled with a good-natured face.

“Actually, I think I’ve heard of the first two. But I haven’t heard of the last one?”

“Now you’ve heard it. Please help me a little.”

“Are you going to expand your business? But why do you need me?”

Again, Brueys knows about Eugene.

He knows that he was infamous as a gambling prodigy and famous as a financial prodigy.

He seems to know a little about Banque Boarneh.

Then the story becomes easier.

Eugene shrugged and revealed half the truth.

“Because of Gibraltar, my ship can’t come to the Mediterranean. But I think I’ll have to do business in the Mediterranean for a while.”

It’s not a lie at all.

Société Boarneh, soon Eugene Trading Company, now travels the Atlantic and the North Sea.

However, for Eugene’s ship, the San Maria, to enter the Mediterranean, it must pass through Gibraltar.

The British have long controlled both sides of the strait, Gibraltar, since the Seven Years’ War.

But even if the ship can’t come, he can call Captain Nicholas or President Damas.

Nevertheless, there is another reason for contacting Brueys.

The naval officer group.

Most of them are royalists or close to anti-revolutionaries.

Originally, they would be taken away when the British army’s Sidney withdrew.

However, because Eugene came too quickly, most of them were forced to stay in Toulon.

Brueys is essential to absorb them.

Brueys, unaware of his intentions, pondered and asked.

“Do you have a ship?”

“I’m thinking of receiving three or four ships from the British. After all, the Toulon city authorities won’t have enough money to maintain all the ships.”

“What kind of business are you going to do exactly? I know that smuggling is inevitable. But if you’re only going to do that, it’s hard to cooperate. Anyway, even if England is blockading, smuggling is a crime.”

In fact, under normal circumstances, smuggling is not something that a former navy would help with.

However, after the revolution, France virtually entered a state of war with the British Navy.

That means the British Navy is often blockading at sea.

This problem is even more serious, especially in the Mediterranean.

It’s because of Corsica.

The British Navy is stationed in Corsica, making normal trade difficult.

So, smuggling is inevitable, Brueys knew.

But no matter what, if he only smuggles, it will be difficult for Brueys to continue cooperating.

Of course, Eugene also prepared a different vision for Brueys this time, unlike Nicholas.

Eugene lightly began to explain the business plan.

“First, I’m thinking of starting a bank. And······.”

Banque Boarneh also made a considerable amount of money from Surcouf’s smuggling exchange.

The smuggling trade with Brueys this time will also require a bank.

But that’s not enough, of course.

Finance, trade, and manufacturing.

The so-called industrial revolution is just beginning to sprout in England.

Nevertheless, factory-style handicraft industry already exists in France.

But what kind of industry would be useful in this revolutionary, wartime situation?

There is.

It’s the munitions industry.

“We have to get involved in the munitions business. Fortunately, I have a pretty strong background. That’s General Bonaparte, the hero of Toulon.”

Uniforms, weapons, food.

No matter what you make, military supplies make money.

And it’s even easier if you have strong connections in the military.

It’s the same even in modern history, let alone the French army at the end of the 18th century.

Brueys nodded and narrowed his brows.

“Okay. Then why me?”

Brueys has already half crossed over.

Then should I tell the truth here?

In fact, Brueys’s wife, Anne Aubin de Bellevue, is from Martinique.

In short, she is Josephine’s friend.

Among quite a few naval officer candidates, it is the connection that Eugene specifically chose Brueys.

However, Eugene turned the subject instead of bringing up this story.

Anyway, there are not many husbands in the world who like their wife’s virtue.

“Freemason.”

The moment Brueys opened his mouth, Eugene quickly said.

“General Lafayette, the leader, is my real background. Do you know what I mean?”

“Wait, that’s.”

“Shh, of course, this is not something to talk about in this republic’s political situation.”

Eugene put his finger to his mouth and whispered.

“It’s not for nothing that I’m called the Princess’s Knight, Captain Brueys.”

Freemason, that is, a secret society.

The leader of the current French Freemason is General Lafayette.

Freemason, who shouted for freedom and equality, but after the Jacobins took the lead, the Freemason’s code of conduct in France changed.

It is to introduce a constitutional monarchy.

But Brueys was a member of this Freemason in the original history.

Is he still a member of the Freemason now that the revolution has progressed?

Eugene watched Brueys.

In an instant, Brueys opened his tightly closed mouth.

“It’ll be fun. Okay. Are there any people who will be sailors?”

That’s it.

Brueys was still a member of the Freemason.

It’s thanks to Lafayette.

Eugene lightly snapped his fingers and threw his real intentions.

“I’m thinking of calling one person from the north, but most of them will have to be hired here. There are many naval officers and sailors, right?”

Now the royalist naval officer group has been successfully absorbed.

Under the name of Banque Boarneh.

That is, Eugene de Boarneh.

***

But life is always full of storms that are different from plans.

“Okay, our Boy Rider! Then are you ready to go to Marseille?”

Eugene heard an unexpected story in the [General’s] office, where he was suddenly called.

Brigadier General Napoleon said this with a solemn expression.

Junot, Marmont, and Marceau, who were in the office, were chuckling.

It seems that only Eugene and Hippolyte, who had just followed, had not heard the story.

Eugene scratched his head and asked Napoleon.

“General, why are you saying that as if it’s natural? Suddenly Marseille? I haven’t heard anything?”

“What do you mean? Of course, you have to go. Because I’m going.”

“No, I didn’t even know you were going, but why me?”

Napoleon looked down at Eugene and smiled.

“Well, new Major, Eugene, you are now this Napoleon’s adjutant!”

Eugene’s eyes widened.

Napoleon’s adjutant.

The glory that Junot, Marmont, and Brienne had in the original history.

That position is now given to Eugene.

For a moment, before he could answer, Napoleon hung epaulettes [shoulder ornaments indicating rank] on Eugene’s shoulders.

-Click!

It’s a rank insignia.

The rank insignia of a major.

Suddenly, Junot, Marmont, and Marceau smiled and said.

“Hehe, you’ve been pierced with earrings. You can’t get out. Our Boy Major.”

“Nice to meet you. A colleague has been created after Junot. Ah, is Captain Marceau, no, Major, going with us too?”

“Haha! Actually, I owe our Major Eugene something. I want to go with him if possible.”

Perhaps Marceau, who was a captain, has also been promoted to major.

Eugene was dumbfounded and just stood there blankly.

Rather, Hippolyte, who has good adaptability, intervened smoothly first.

“Oh, then I have to go with you too? Well, I’m Major Eugene’s adjutant, Hippolyte. Haha!”

Then Napoleon joked and retorted.

“A major already has an adjutant. Not bad?”

Only then did Eugene feel his stiff body relax.

The metal rank insignia is unfamiliar.

But now Eugene has really become Napoleon’s adjutant.

All the things he had planned so far can no longer be carried out in Toulon.

Then what should I do?

Suddenly, Eugene smiled.

“Okay. Then I’ll take responsibility for the lives of you and your family.”

This time, Napoleon blinked, dumbfounded.

“What? What do you mean?”

“I have some money, right? Didn’t you see when I was getting cannons?”

“No, well, you had it before because you were doing business. But not now, right?”

There is a very simple solution.

Everything I was going to do in Toulon.

Smuggling, banking, munitions business.

I just have to go to Marseille and do it.

Eugene shrugged and said simply.

“I’m going to start a new bank. I’m going to go to Marseille.”

May 1793.

Eugene went to Marseille again.

This time with Napoleon.