He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 71

(70) The Directory is Formed, Resolving the Rhine War

Byron said that the world changed overnight.

“Good heavens, what on earth is going on?”

It was still 1794, and Byron was a young child of six.

Carnot, a member of the Committee of Public Safety in France, was experiencing a change as drastic as the mulberry fields turning into the sea [a Chinese idiom referring to drastic changes].

He had simply fallen asleep, exhausted from his military duties, for a single day.

But Robespierre was dead, Marat was torn apart by grapeshot, and Hébert had become a traitor and was imprisoned.

Paris was a chaotic scene of fire and corpses.

Standing before the completely devastated Tuileries Palace, Carnot was dumbfounded.

Of course, Carnot was not the only one shocked.

Neutral factions not involved in the overnight uprising, the protected Montagnards [a radical political group during the French Revolution], or the Marat faction that had defected midway, all gathered in the Assembly in a state of panic.

Only three people remained calm.

Danton, Salicetti, and Desmoulins.

“Now, everyone! Get a grip! This is an emergency; the Committee of Public Safety has revolted!”

Danton began with extremely provocative language.

“Re-Revolted? Who in the Committee of Public Safety has revolted?”

“Good heavens, surely not defying Robespierre? Do they want their heads to roll?”

“Perhaps a coup within the inner circle?”

Members who were unaware of the situation exclaimed in surprise.

Pierre Brissot, the leader of the Girondins [a moderate republican faction], Fouquier-Tinville, the prosecutor of the Revolutionary Tribunal, and Antoine Barnave, a prominent member who had argued for saving King Louis.

One was in the opposition, one in the ruling party, and one was neutral.

However, unbeknownst to them, they all had one thing in common: they were all people who should have lost their heads before and after this period.

All of them were shocked by this situation.

The Committee of Public Safety.

Established two years ago, it had reigned as the supreme power in France.

That seemingly impregnable Committee of Public Safety had experienced an internal revolt.

Suddenly, Danton pointed to one side of the Assembly.

“Far from it! Look at that man, it is Hébert!”

A man was being dragged in, bound, led by soldiers of the National Guard in blue uniforms.

“Mmph, mmph, mmph!”

Hébert, the representative of the radical faction who had been a prominent figure in French politics until yesterday.

But he had been reduced to a bloody, bound state.

Danton roared, pointing to Hébert, who was unable to speak with his mouth tied.

“Hébert incited the radical sans-culottes [common people of the lower classes in 18th century France]. It is said that Jacques Roux and radical elements from the former Vendée suppression army participated as well! The groups of Carrier and Rossignol!”

“Carrier and Rossignol? Wait, then!”

“That’s right, Monsieur Brissot!”

Danton declared towards Brissot, or rather, towards the Girondins faction.

“Marat was behind it! As proof, outside, at the center of the rebels, is Marat’s corpse!”

The faces of the Marat faction members turned pale.

In fact, the Marat faction members had either participated in the [uprising] or knew the situation even if they hadn’t participated.

They had simply not been deeply involved, which was why they had not been hit by grapeshot last night.

They wanted to pretend they didn’t know.

However, with Danton’s statement, one thing was confirmed.

The key person responsible for this situation was Marat.

At that moment, Desmoulins stepped forward with a somber face.

“Marat is at the center of the rebellion. I, Camille Desmoulins, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Public Safety, testify to this.”

Desmoulins was an icon of the Revolution.

From the very beginning, he was the one who started the armed uprising with his speech urging people to take up arms during the storming of the Bastille.

He was a reformist but hated executions, and he was radical but not extreme.

Thanks to this, he was a politician who was well-liked despite being a Montagnard.

Therefore, Desmoulins’ words carried weight.

Above all, he was someone who had been at the scene.

“Wait, then what happened to Monsieur Robespierre?”

Tinville, the prosecutor of the Revolutionary Tribunal, who was Desmoulins’ relative and also a Montagnard, asked in surprise.

“Robespierre, Maximillian, yesterday, he…”

Desmoulins couldn’t continue and shed tears.

Everyone had to sense it.

Robespierre was dead.

Just as silence was about to overwhelm the Assembly, a slender-faced member suddenly stepped forward.

“Greetings. My name is Antoine Christophe Salicetti. I am a member from ‘Corse’ [Corsica]. I will explain the situation yesterday. After realizing that the rebels had launched an attack yesterday, I headed to the Cité Island, the headquarters of the National Guard.”

Salicetti, an unknown member from Corse, that is, Corsica, calmly explained the situation.

“Because Commander Bonaparte of the National Guard was there.”

At that moment, soldiers entered through one of the doors of the National Convention.

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to them.

The black uniform of the Postal Special Forces Commander.

Commander Napoleon was entering.

Napoleon respectfully saluted and stood behind Salicetti.

He said nothing.

But all the members once again sensed it.

That man had suppressed the uprising last night.

-Clank, clank, clank.

Amidst the loud sound of military boots echoing through the Assembly, Salicetti smoothly said.

“After discussing the situation with General Bonaparte, I contacted Member Danton and asked for advice. Member Danton immediately told me that we had to rush to rescue the members of the Committee of Public Safety.”

He naturally made Danton one of the central figures in this situation.

At the same time, Salicetti himself, who was explaining, subtly entered the center.

The members of the National Convention noticed, but they couldn’t stop him from speaking.

Because such a big event had happened last night that they were dying of curiosity.

A man who knew the art of storytelling, Salicetti, paused slightly.

“So, I went to save Monsieur Robespierre, but, alas.”

Instantly, the soldiers placed a corpse wrapped in the tricolor flag, symbolizing the French Revolution, on the platform.

-Thud!

The corpse of Maximillian de Robespierre.

His corpse was blue, devoid of blood and pale, and stained with blood.

The members were overwhelmed by the sight that stood out in harmony with the tricolor flag.

Salicetti stood before the corpse and coldly stated again.

“After recovering that corpse, we met Deputy Chairman Desmoulins. And we were able to accurately grasp the situation. The fact that Marat and Hébert had started a rebellion.”

“Th-Then, was that why there was shelling? The sound of artillery yesterday.”

“That’s right. There was no other way for the small number of National Guard to suppress the [rioters].”

Just as Salicetti was answering Brissot’s question, Napoleon suddenly opened his mouth.

“They are, indeed, rioters. Everyone.”

The rough words mixed with a Corsican accent silenced the members.

Rioters.

With this, the nature of the armed citizen soldiers who had started the uprising yesterday was defined.

The revolutionary government had defined the citizen soldiers who had once started the revolution as rioters.

Of course, it wasn’t wrong.

In any case, the current National Convention was a republican government elected through legitimate elections.

Although it was a national crisis, it wasn’t to the extent that the government would collapse, yet they had launched an armed uprising.

It was no exaggeration to call them rioters.

But what if Napoleon hadn’t been there yesterday?

The ones who would have launched a new government in this Assembly would have been Marat and Hébert.

As the members of the National Convention recalled that point, Danton stepped forward again.

“Now, everyone! I believe you know the situation. We are now facing an emergency. One of the leaders of the Committee of Public Safety, which leads the National Convention, has started a rebellion. Also, the supreme leader is dead!”

“Good heavens.”

“Cambacérès! This is no time to lament. The same goes for the other members!”

Chastising Cambacérès, a member of the Committee of Public Safety who had barely survived the incident yesterday, Danton roared.

“France is now surrounded by the monarchs of Europe. Before those monarchs cut off our heads, we must cut off theirs! Take courage, everyone!”

Robespierre was the best at the content of speeches.

Marat was the best at the incitement of speeches.

But Danton was the best at the power of speeches.

This refers to the three giants of the Jacobin Montagnards during the Revolution.

Danton delivered a magnificent speech.

“We have the homeland on our shoulders!”

The members who had been in a state of panic now began to show enthusiasm.

That’s right.

Whether a rebellion had broken out, Robespierre had died, or the Committee of Public Safety had collapsed, France’s crisis remained the same.

All nations wanted to overthrow the republican government.

They had to fight even to protect their own lives.

It was then.

“I agree with Monsieur Danton’s words.”

Someone unexpected stood up.

Lafayette.

The former constitutional monarchist, who, after the king’s death, formed the Feuillant Club [a political group advocating for a constitutional monarchy] and claimed to be the leader of the opposition.

The hero of the people who had won the Battle of Valmy and defended France shouted loudly.

“I, Lafayette, propose. Now is an emergency. Let us elect Directors to lead the emergency situation with the authority of the National Convention elected by the people. The number is five! So that those Directors can temporarily manage the affairs of state!”

At this moment, a new leadership system was born in place of the collapsed Committee of Public Safety.

That is, a collective agreement system government of Directors.

***

The world of power is a ruthless world where there is no time to grieve even when a brother dies.

“Directors? Like consuls? From the Roman era?”

Augustin Robespierre, a member of the French Committee of Public Safety, and Robespierre’s younger brother.

Still a young man of 31.

Now, he was a man who had lost his brother and was sitting down like an orphan.

Fleur Mansion, right next to the Tuileries Palace where the National Convention was held.

In the chairman’s office here, Augustin was blankly listening to the passionate speech.

“You could say it’s similar. Monsieur Augustin. Or, should I call you Monsieur Robespierre now?”

“Just call me Augustin. Robespierre should be a title only for my brother.”

“You must be very heartbroken.”

Augustin lowered his head at Salicetti’s consolation.

“My younger sister Charlotte must be even more heartbroken than I am. Monsieur Salicetti.”

Robespierre’s family members were all ardent supporters of the Revolution.

Augustin and his younger sister Charlotte both supported Maximillian’s ideology and ran alongside him.

Charlotte was also an activist who brought together female Revolution supporters.

But five years after the Revolution began.

In the end, Robespierre met a miserable death without succeeding in the Revolution.

By the bayonets of the people he once led.

Of course, it might be better than having his head cut off by the guillotine in the original history.

But Augustin didn’t know history, and being murdered in a rebellion was just as miserable.

Waiting for him to calm his emotions, Salicetti stated.

“First of all, the Directory will consist of five people.”

“Who are they?”

“Danton, Desmoulins, Lafayette, me, and you.”

Augustin’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected words.

“Monsieur Salicetti, what are you talking about?”

“It’s as you heard. Augustin, you must become a Director.”

“I-I’m not qualified! I couldn’t even protect my brother!”

At that moment, someone wearing military boots entered the office and said.

“Monsieur Augustin, if someone else becomes a Director, you won’t even be able to protect your brother’s honor.”

Augustin’s eyes widened.

Napoleon Bonaparte.

The conqueror of Toulon, the terminator of the Vendée, and now the savior of Paris.

Above all, the author of [a pro-republican pamphlet written by Napoleon] that Augustin had seen and admired.

A fan is agitated when a star is in front of them.

Especially if they are in a state of despair.

Napoleon grabbed Augustin’s hand.

“General Bonaparte.”

“I express my deepest condolences for your brother’s death.”

“It’s not the General’s fault. You told me in advance, but it’s my fault for being late. Also, I know very well that it couldn’t be helped at that time. But I’m really not qualified. Ah, right.”

Augustin shouted with a brighter expression.

“General, please become a Director. I’ve been appointed as a Director, so I can step down and recommend a successor, right?”

In fact, Robespierre’s death was due to Napoleon’s inaction.

Of course, even if Napoleon had moved quickly, the result might have been the same.

Because from the beginning, Marat’s primary goal was to neutralize Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety.

Moreover, Robespierre’s death was the result of his own policy failures in the first place.

However, it was true that Napoleon had deliberately sent Hyppolite to Augustin late.

However, Napoleon didn’t want to abandon Augustin because of that.

Even because of the guilt that pricked at one corner of his heart.

Napoleon quietly looked at Augustin and shook his head.

“It’s an honor. But a soldier has a soldier’s path, and I want to go my own way.”

“What path?”

“Italy.”

At that moment, Napoleon’s eyes flashed.

“It has always been my wish to attack Italy and bring down Austria. Now that I have defended Paris, I want to run to defend the country.”

Napoleon was still 25 years old, and a division commander who had risen rapidly.

He had no experience commanding a corps, and furthermore, he lacked military achievements that everyone could agree on.

The achievements he had mainly built up were, after all, internal wars.

He needed achievements that could defeat foreign enemies.

To soar even higher.

Even in the original history, Napoleon comes to the same conclusion in the same situation.

That he would fight on the battlefield.

That battlefield was Italy.

But to Napoleon’s fan, the man in despair, Augustin, it was like a voice of salvation.

He had saved Paris, maintained order, and now he was going to risk his life to fight foreign enemies.

“Really, the General is a patriot. Good!”

At that time, there was a commotion outside the office.

-Crash!

Augustin, who had been moved, was surprised and turned his head.

A young man broke through the door guarded by the guards and rushed in.

A very familiar face.

The one who had acted as the second-in-command in this Fleur Palace until just yesterday.

The Archangel of the Guillotine, Saint-Just.

Saint-Just, looking like a frightened mouse, shouted towards Augustin.

“O-Augustin! Please, save me. It’s me, Saint-Just!”

Augustin glared at Saint-Just.

Saint-Just was clearly the one who had accompanied Robespierre when he fled yesterday.

But Saint-Just had escaped alone and survived along the way.

Who was the one who first advocated for countless guillotine executions?

Who was the one who made the Committee of Public Safety lose public sentiment with his strong measures?

Who was the one who led the reckless military purge operation, making even the military units untrustworthy?

If he had executed even Marat’s rampage first, he wouldn’t be so hateful.

“How should we handle him?”

At Napoleon’s question, Augustin coldly replied.

“I don’t know such a person.”

Saint-Just shouted in surprise.

“Augustin!”

But Augustin turned away from Saint-Just, and Napoleon ordered the guards.

“Take him away. Let him be punished in the Revolutionary Tribunal.”

Watching Saint-Just being dragged away, screaming, Napoleon politely said goodbye.

He probably wouldn’t see Augustin for a while.

Salicetti followed Napoleon and said in a low voice.

“With this, you have two people on your side in the Directory government, including me, Napoleon.”

“Could you call my brother in Marseille? I heard that the Assembly is being newly formed, so I was wondering if we could put my brother in the Assembly on this occasion.”

“That’s good. I’ll see Joseph after a long time. Huh?”

Suddenly, in the hallway of the Fleur Mansion, a huge man was seen standing.

The one who had ruined Napoleon’s engagement announcement ceremony three days ago and made him decide to settle the score.

Danton.

Georges Danton, who had now become one of the five Directors, smiled leisurely and spoke.

“Now, you’re going to Italy. Commander.”

“It’s not just me going, so there’s no need to praise me.”

“Well, what will be resolved this time is the Rhine War.”

Danton winked and patted Napoleon on the shoulder.

“Just make some achievements and come back. Then I’ll take responsibility for the rest.”

Napoleon flashed a cold look for a moment and then smiled.

They were politicians who had already seen the power of force once.

But as the situation stabilized, they were trying to act as powerful figures again.

Napoleon could accept it at this moment.

In any case, Napoleon sympathized with the Revolution, supported the republican government, and mobilized the military to protect the constitution.

But no one knew how the world would change in the future.

“Understood, Monsieur Danton.”

Fructidor [the twelfth month in the French Republican Calendar], soon the month of ripening fruit, September.

There was a coup, and the revolutionary government suppressed it.

Napoleon and Danton, the winners of the fruit, passed each other in the Fleur Mansion.

***

Now, there was also a boy who was half an orphan in Paris.

-Step, step, step.

Footsteps echoed in the Boarné mansion, which was once full of people.

The boy sitting on the sofa in the dark living room raised his head.

A handsome young man scratched his head at one side of the door and asked.

“Are you okay?”

Eugene looked at the young man Hyppolite and shrugged.

He didn’t have a crying face.

But it certainly wasn’t a smiling face either.

“Well, he wasn’t that affectionate of a father.”

“Even so, your father died.”

“I’m depressed for a different reason. Hyppolite.”

Eugene stared at the wall with a stiff face.

“I thought I could change fate. I lived believing that, crossed the sea, and participated in the war.”

On that wall, there was once a Freemason’s sword hanging.

The owner of the sword was Alexandre de Boarné.

A man who had an affair with royalty, participated in the American Civil War in his youth, and had a great ex-wife and son.

If it hadn’t been for the revolutionary period, he would have lived his life as a famous aristocratic playboy.

Although he abandoned his mother and was an irresponsible father, he still wanted him to live.

He was sometimes afraid that the guillotine would cut off his father’s head.

But in the end, Alexandre stupidly ran away, rejecting Marceau, who had been sent to protect him, and died.

At the scene where Eugene was changing history.

“But I couldn’t change it, my father’s death.”

Could it be that there is such a thing as an unchangeable fate?

Eugene was originally supposed to die of illness in 1824 at the age of 43.

Just as Robespierre eventually died in 1794, would Eugene also die?

At that time, Hyppolite suddenly said.

“People die someday.”

“What?”

“Since you’re going to die anyway, isn’t how you live more important? You taught me that, Eugene.”

Hyppolite’s eyes were shining brightly.

“Look at me. If I hadn’t met you, I would just be chasing after women. What am I now? I’m with the national hero who defended Paris!”

It was a fact that Eugene knew even better.

Originally, Hyppolite was just a young man volunteering as a dragoon.

He lived his life as a playboy, had an affair with Josephine, and was supposed to die after committing fraud.

But after meeting Eugene, Hyppolite was living a valuable life instead.

Instead of risking his life.

-Bang!

At that moment, the front door opened as if it were breaking.

“Yes, your father’s death was unfortunate, but it’s time to get up. Boy Jockey.”

In a black military uniform, Napoleon was entering.

Eugene blankly looked at Napoleon.

When they first met, he was a really skinny officer, in Toulon he was a complaining commander, and in the Vendée he was a general who still didn’t have confidence.

But now, Napoleon, who had become the savior of Paris, was different.

The confidence that he had just seen in Hyppolite was shining in Napoleon’s eyes.

“I also lost my father when I was your age. But I didn’t give in. Why? Because I had a family. Because I had a goal. Because I had a dream that I had to achieve!”

In fact, it was a lie.

Eugene was still 13 years old, and Napoleon lost his father at the age of 16.

But the desire to comfort him was revealed even in his rough tone.

Napoleon strode up to Eugene and grabbed his shoulder.

“Today, the new leadership system [Five Directors] has resolved. The Rhine War against the Grand Alliance.”

“The Rhine War? Is it proceeding on the Rhine front?”

“Yes. What has been given to me is the Italian battlefield.”

It was fast.

Originally, even in the original history, the Rhine War, that is, the general offensive against the Holy Roman Empire, begins.

It was an inevitable strategic decision to break the Grand Alliance.

But that point in time was in 1796.

It was still September 1794, and the operation was starting at least two years earlier.

Naturally, what the new government, the Directors, thought of as the main battlefield was the Rhine front.

Italy was only a secondary battlefield.

Suddenly, Napoleon twisted his lips and smiled.

“Of course, it’s what I wanted, but the Directors must have been burdened as well. To give me, who was leading the Paris National Guard, the battlefield of glory.”

At that moment, Eugene shook his head violently.

“No, that’s not true.”

If there is fate, it is also human choice to seize fate.

Napoleon made a decision and seized fate.

What choice should Eugene make?

“Italy is truly the battlefield of glory. General.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Of course!”

Napoleon stared at Eugene and ordered.

“Then, follow me. Boy Jockey. Let’s share the glory together!”

Eugene chose at this moment.

“Yes, Mon Napoleon!”