He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 36

(35) Hoche and Napoleon Become Blood Brothers

Hoche was surprisingly unmarried.

“Why is that surprising? Robespierre is unmarried too, isn’t he?”

“No, that’s just because he’s weird. Usually, everyone gets married in their early 20s. Besides, Colonel Hoche, or rather, Brigadier General Hoche, actually had a fiancée.”

“What? Really? When?”

Ippolito asked in surprise, and Eugene casually replied.

“Anne Adelaide Desceaux. It was a marriage arranged by his uncle. They were originally supposed to get married this year.”

Ippolito was quite close to Hoche in his own way.

In any case, Eugene often accompanied Hoche when he interacted with him, and they even went to Martinique together.

However, after returning, Ippolito worked at the Boerne Bank with Eugene.

On the other hand, after returning, Hoche returned to the military through the National Guard.

Since then, he went to the front lines, the Rhine front, so Ippolito didn’t know the news well.

Of course, Eugene didn’t either, but he knows the original history.

Anyway, Ippolito tilted his head and asked.

“Why didn’t he get married? I’ve heard of the Desceaux family. They’re quite wealthy, and they’d bring a dowry, wouldn’t they?”

“Would you get married for such a reason?”

“Why wouldn’t I? You can still date after marriage.”

Eugene smiled bitterly at the extremely French playboy-like remark and replied.

“Yeah, well. But not General Hoche. It’s probably because of my mother.”

In the original history, Hoche begins to interact with Josephine in earnest during this period.

Then, during the Reign of Terror [a period of extreme violence during the French Revolution], they are both imprisoned.

This is when they are imprisoned in that infamous place of death, Les Carmes, spending a frantic time.

Inside, prisoners waited for death, holding orgies.

Afterward, Hoche, who survived, abandons Josephine to forget the horrific memories of that time and marries a virtuous young lady, Adelaide.

Disappointed, Josephine looks for another husband and marries Napoleon.

Even after that, Hoche couldn’t forget Josephine and sent her letters.

That’s the story of the original history.

It’s one of the tragedies that Eugene must prevent.

Of course, Ippolito, who wouldn’t know that far, expressed admiration.

“Wow, she’s a truly enchanting woman. Well, I liked Mrs. Rose a lot when I was young too.”

“I’ll kill you, Ippolito.”

“Ah, not anymore! I like Pauline more! Anyway, so you’re marrying General Hoche to that girl from the Clary family, Désirée?”

Eugene glared at Ippolito with displeasure and shrugged.

“Yeah. At least it’s a better match than a Sword Master.”

“What master? *Sabre maître* [French for ‘sword master’]? Who are you talking about?”

“There is such a guy.”

Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who would later become the King of Sweden in the original history.

He is also one of the 26 marshals who betrayed Napoleon.

He doesn’t have any particularly outstanding tactical skills, but he is a very brave soldier from the ranks.

Above all, he is excellent at swordsmanship and held the position of ‘Sword Master’ during the old royal family.

Of course, it’s a useless skill in this era dominated by gunpowder.

But how did this useless Sword Master become the King of Sweden?

It’s a very simple principle.

He was a relative of Napoleon, that is, the husband of the sister-in-law of his older brother Joseph.

That sister-in-law is Désirée.

Still, was Désirée happy because she became queen?

Not at all.

She spends her whole life unable to adapt to the cold Sweden, longing only for Marseille before she dies.

One way or another, the marriage between Désirée and Bernadotte must be broken.

In that respect, Hoche is a very suitable match.

Ippolito, who is now a lieutenant in the Marseille Command, shrugged.

“Okay. According to what Major Marceau and I have gathered, Colonel Hoche, or rather, Brigadier General, is in Dunkirk.”

“Already? He went quickly. So?”

“I heard that the British suddenly invaded there, but he stopped them?”

Eugene’s pen stopped as he was doing paperwork at the Marseille Command after a long time.

“Did Britain declare war?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s neither declared nor undeclared.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ippolito chuckled and replied.

“The Electorate of Hanover declared war? So they’re fighting our Northern Army right now.”

Originally, Britain preemptively declared war at the beginning of the Revolutionary Wars in the original history.

However, things got twisted when King Louis died early.

Anyway, the revolutionary government did not execute Louis.

So, with public opinion divided in Britain, the relatively free King of England moved.

The Electorate of Hanover, a German territory inherited from his ancestors, which he rules as an absolute monarch.

It’s one of the diplomatic means that Britain used during the old Seven Years’ War [a global conflict fought between 1756 and 1763].

However, it’s just an attempt to deceive, and the whole of Europe knows that Hanover and Britain are the same entity.

Eugene smiled bitterly.

“Soon, the National Convention [the government of France from 1792 to 1795] will eventually declare war on Britain too.”

“Anyway, he won the defense of Dunkirk there, and he became a brigadier general for that achievement.”

“Then, he can take a short vacation.”

Ippolito, who was reporting the collected information, blinked.

“No, but we’re in the middle of a war right now? It’s not like we’re fighting every day, but will he leave his post?”

The Rhine Front is literally the front line of France.

Besides, Dunkirk is literally the northernmost end of France.

This Marseille, on the other hand, is the southernmost end.

Nevertheless, Eugene smiled confidently.

“He’ll come if I ask him to.”

Hoche will definitely come.

If Josephine’s son, Eugene, calls.

***

Even in the late 18th century, before the advent of shrapnel shells, cannonballs explode.

-Bang!

At this time, there are usually three types of cannonballs.

Round shot, grapeshot, and explosive shells.

First, round shot is literally a lump of iron flying and delivering impact force, and grapeshot tears the opponent with the fragments inside.

Then, what is an explosive shell?

It is a cannonball that causes an explosion when a fuse inserted into it burns out.

The threatening fire that the Austrian army is firing at Dunkirk right now was this cannonball.

Of course, it takes time for the fuse to burn out.

A young general, lightly riding his horse and avoiding the spot where the bomb was, smiled bitterly.

Louis Lazare Hoche, a man who has just been promoted to brigadier general.

“Even if we succeed in the defense, the enemy is still full of spirit.”

“Did you hear? There’s a rumor that General Dumouriez is making backroom deals with the Austrian commander, Duke of Coburg.”

“Surely not? Major Trabot? I know you don’t like Dumouriez, but forget such nonsense.”

While rebuking his adjutant, Jean-Pierre Trabot, Hoche stared at the front.

“But with General Dumouriez’s command ability right now, we can’t break through this campaign. We need other means.”

In fact, what Trabot just said is true.

Originally, Dumouriez is the victor of the Battle of Valmy in the original history.

However, after that, he fails to gain any special achievements, his position narrows, and he falls to the royalists.

He commits the act of taking the officer corps and defecting to the enemy on a large scale.

Moreover, now the hero of Valmy has become Lafayette.

His position is even narrower, and he is only repeating advances and retreats near Dunkirk.

In addition, the revolutionary government is now sending dispatch commissioners to various parts of the army.

All of this combines, and Dumouriez is now colluding.

With the opposing commander, Prince Friedrich Josias von Coburg.

However, Hoche, who is basically a good-natured man, belittled Dumouriez instead of suspecting him.

He believes in his intentions, but he doesn’t believe in his abilities.

Trabot said cautiously.

“How about requesting a corps formation from Paris?”

“Are you telling me to cling to politicians? I’ll pass.”

“Why not? Dumouriez, Kellermann, and Pichegru all became generals by colluding with the political world, didn’t they? No, it’s not just those guys!”

Suddenly, Trabot shouted loudly enough for the surrounding guards to hear.

“Haven’t you heard about that lucky guy from Toulon? Robespierre’s younger brother is a fan! That’s why he got command!”

He’s talking about Napoleon Bonaparte.

In fact, from the outside, it’s just a case of being promoted through connections.

Of course, Hoche, who accurately sees through his abilities, smiled and shook his head.

“Surely, I’ve heard about General Bonaparte. Rather, I think that’s a counterexample. It’s the failure of Carteaux, who clung to politicians.”

“General Hoche! You are not someone to be compared to Carteaux!”

“I’m just fighting bravely, Trabot. I can’t find answers in a seemingly hopeless battlefield.”

Hoche, looking at the battlefield, licked his lips.

“Hmm, if Eugene were here, he might give me some answers.”

“Yes? Who is that?”

“Haven’t you heard the rumors? The gambling prodigy. Once, I worked with that friend.”

At that moment, Trabot hesitated, frowned, and handed something over.

“Is this the person who sent this letter?”

Hoche blinked and took the letter.

Even during the war, France’s military postal system is running quite actively.

Anyway, information distribution is essential for the military, and since there is no telegraph in this era, letters take its place.

However, the adjutant received the letter that came by military mail and kept it.

Hoche smiled bitterly and asked Trabot.

“Eugene sent a letter. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, it came today. And it didn’t seem like a very important letter.”

“With an adjutant like you, I haven’t been able to raise a victory yet! Tsk.”

Hoche’s eyes widened as he lightly scolded him.

“What’s wrong, General?”

Hoche stared intently at the letter without saying a word, then replied to Trabot.

“Eugene invited me.”

“Yes? Where to?”

“Marseille. Down south.”

Invitation means calling.

So now the ‘gambling prodigy’ Eugene has summoned General Hoche to the far south.

Trabot, who was dumbfounded, exclaimed.

“General. You’re not really going, are you? Why would he invite you to Marseille in this situation? That friend is funny too.”

“I have to go.”

“General! What are you saying! Who is that friend!”

Hoche hesitated and smiled.

“Well, the reason he’s calling me is simple. He says he’s going to introduce me to a woman to marry.”

The purpose of the summons is even more absurd.

Hoche is currently active on the front lines and has risen to the rank of general for his merits.

It’s a problem even if it’s not wartime, but it’s even more of a problem to leave his post during wartime.

Nevertheless, Trabot, the adjutant, tried to stop Hoche, who seemed ready to run right away, and asked.

“General, are you in such a hurry to get married?”

“No. I don’t care if I never get married in my life.”

“Then why are you going?”

Hoche looked at the letter.

Eugene de Beauharnais.

He remembers ‘Rose,’ who was called Mrs. Beauharnais.

What is Eugene to Hoche?

Hoche smiled as he quietly looked at the name.

“The friend who knows that best called me. To the city where Bonaparte is.”

There is a reason why he will never marry in his life for Hoche.

Eugene, who knows that fact so well, called Hoche.

Even to the base of Bonaparte, who is emerging as Hoche’s ‘rival’ in the military to the point that even the adjutant knows.

Only then did Hoche realize something strange and blinked at the adjutant, and Hoche told him.

“Isn’t that reason enough? The battlefield is calm anyway.”

Thus, Hoche’s crossing from the northern end to the southern end began.

***

However, Napoleon himself is against this marriage.

“What’s the reason? Boy Jockey!”

Strictly speaking, Eugene’s current status is the adjutant of the resident military officer of the Revolutionary Army Marseille Command.

So Napoleon is Eugene’s direct superior.

Of course, since Juno and Marmont are really acting as adjutants, Eugene is quite free.

Also, since the Bonaparte family’s living expenses come from Eugene’s boarding fees, Napoleon is neglecting Eugene’s business.

However, his brother’s marriage and his prospective sister-in-law’s marriage are completely different matters.

Napoleon, who could not ignore this problem, summoned Eugene to the command office.

Of course, Eugene answered very brazenly even in front of the general.

“General, I have the position of adjutant. If you don’t like it, you can call me Major Eugene.”

“I’d rather call you the seducer of our mother! Diamond bribe-taker!”

“Just call me Boy Jockey. What’s the matter?”

Napoleon, a terrible name-maker, shouted, flailing his arms.

“Why did you call Hoche here! That guy is my competitor!”

This was Napoleon’s real reason for anger.

Before the revolution, Napoleon could never become a general because of his status and age.

However, at just 24 years old, the age of revolution made a young man in his early 20s a general.

However, Napoleon is not the only general who is rapidly rising in the revolutionary period.

Louis Lazare Hoche, born in 1768, is currently 25 years old.