He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 84

(84) Acquiring the Gold of the House of Savoy

In the theater of history, there are those who play unseen roles behind the scenes.

“We won!”

The cry of victory echoed through the valleys.

In truth, the victory had occurred two weeks prior.

However, a sight that made the victory feel more real than winning the war unfolded before their eyes.

It was the capital of the enemy kingdom opening its gates and surrendering.

The capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont.

The largest city in western Italy, nestled in the hills where the Alps begin their descent.

Turin.

This region, also known as [Turin] in the Piedmontese dialect, was conquered.

Ironically, it was not Napoleon who conquered this city.

Napoleon, astride his horse, looked at the conqueror with surprised eyes.

“Amazing, Brigadier General Sérurier. You defeated General Colli at Cuneo?”

Jean Sérurier, born in 1742, a seasoned general of 52, smiled and bowed to Napoleon.

“Yes, Commander.”

“I only dispatched you as a diversion, but you’ve achieved remarkable results!”

“All thanks to the Commander’s wise strategy.”

In truth, Napoleon liked to take credit for successes and blame his subordinates for failures.

However, the conquest of Turin exceeded Napoleon’s expectations.

Napoleon, subtly praising himself, asked:

“Indeed. But how great was your victory that Turin is so empty?”

The capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Turin, was practically deserted.

Of course, there were citizens who couldn’t escape.

About 200,000 people.

The total number of the Italian Legion, excluding casualties, was about 47,000, so they might be able to quell a citizen uprising.

However, the city, without an army, nobles, or a king, surrendered helplessly.

All thanks to Sérurier’s victory five days ago at Cuneo, a fortress south of Turin.

A great victory where 10,000 infantrymen crushed 17,000 troops of the Sardinian Royal Army.

Napoleon mentioned the name of the enemy commander, who seemed like he would be good at painting, and asked:

“How did you defeat Michelangelo Colli? I heard he was quite skilled.”

Sérurier only smiled, but eventually opened his mouth.

“I was lucky. Strictly speaking, it was the effect of the Commander’s great victory and the capture of Corsica.”

“What do you mean, Sérurier?”

“This Kingdom of Sardinia is slow in everything else, but rumors spread incredibly fast.”

On the other hand, the French army was even faster than the rumors.

Already, as they were talking, they were passing through the main street and reaching the palace.

A keen-eared man with a fox-like face, who had been listening to the conversation in front of the palace, smiled and responded.

“The capture of Corsica had already shaken public sentiment, or rather, military sentiment, and the victory at Monteynotte completely shattered it. They ran away before even fighting, and then ran away while fighting! Haha!”

It was Antoine Saliceti, one of the five Directors [of the French Directory, the government in power at the time] and a collaborator of Napoleon.

He had rushed over as soon as he heard about the victory at Monteynotte in Paris.

Thanks to this, he was able to participate in the victory at the Battle of Cuneo.

“Ran away?”

“Yes. They deserted. All of them.”

“Good heavens, they all ran away after losing once. The military discipline is a mess.”

Napoleon clicked his tongue.

However, in the original history, Napoleon faces the same army.

After the victory at Monteynotte, he crushed the Sardinian army he encountered in Mondovi while advancing north.

The reason for the victory was the same: desertion.

Nevertheless, it is clear that Sérurier’s faithful execution of the diversionary operation brought results.

Because he conquered Turin without any additional battles.

In the original history, Napoleon did not conquer Turin at this time, but only received their surrender and headed to Milan.

At that time, Saliceti, a man who enjoyed self-praise as much as Napoleon, boasted and guided Napoleon.

“Hehe, it’s all thanks to this Director’s efforts. You should be grateful to me, Commander Bonaparte.”

Napoleon entered the empty palace and asked:

“By the way, why aren’t you defending Paris and why are you here?”

“Ah, your brother and younger brother will protect Paris. I am, frankly, your representative, aren’t I? If there are other representatives, I should come to the more urgent battlefield.”

“Brother and younger brother? Joseph is one thing, but even Lucien went to Paris, Saliceti?”

Saliceti shrugged, then suddenly saw Eugene, who was accompanying Napoleon.

“Well, didn’t you know Joseph was coming? Ah, the young standard-bearer. Lucien said he’s determined to get back at you for not keeping your promise? Did you promise him something?”

Eugene raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

The promise to meet with Robespierre.

It was a promise he couldn’t keep because he was too busy, and Robespierre ended up dying.

Of course, from the perspective of a Jacobin worshiper like Lucien, it was a lamentable thing that he didn’t keep it.

But the fact that even Lucien went to Paris is concerning.

Eugene asked Saliceti:

“Aren’t they protecting the house in Marseille? There aren’t any adult men there.”

“They left it to Louis. Ah, haven’t you met Louis yet? He’s Napoleon’s fourth younger brother, and he’s been training at the artillery school.”

“I see. I should repay Monsieur Lucien somehow.”

Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother who is now 17 years old.

I heard he was receiving artillery training until recently, but it seems he has now returned to Marseille.

In fact, Eugene has a kind of bad relationship with him.

Originally, Louis is the person who will marry Eugene’s sister, Hortense.

However, Eugene has no intention of accepting Louis as his brother-in-law.

Because that marriage will be an extremely unhappy one.

Anyway, Eugene, who was thinking about something to appease Lucien, showed interest.

“Soon, there will be new parliamentary elections, right?”

“Yes, there will be. We need to justify the Directory government, so we need to revise the constitution.”

“Director Saliceti, you probably have the right to recommend candidates, right? At that time, please recommend Monsieur Lucien as a candidate along with Monsieur Joseph. The district should be Marseille or Toulon.”

Eugene smiled and told Saliceti, who was slightly surprised.

“Banque Marseille will provide the funds. Of course, if the Commander pays for the military supplies.”

Of course, Lucien will become a politician even if left alone.

However, if Eugene helps a little, his debut will be much easier.

Also, instead of the promise with Robespierre, it also serves to show him favor.

However, the one condition he deliberately added is because Banque Marseille is slowly reaching its limit.

At that time, Napoleon grabbed Eugene’s ear and chuckled.

“Hmph, that cute standard-bearer. You take care of everything.”

“Ouch, my ear, my ear hurts!”

“Don’t worry. It won’t fall off! Well, there’s nothing to worry about. Because we didn’t just win the battle!”

Suddenly, Napoleon stood before the real purpose of entering the palace.

“Here, thanks to General Sérurier, we have the keys to the Palace of Turin in our hands!”

The Royal Treasury.

The vault of the 300-year-old ruling family called Savoia in Italian and Savoie in French [the House of Savoy].

In the original history, the value of the treasures in this vault is said to be about 22 trillion won in Korean currency [approximately $17 billion USD].

Saliceti, who had rushed over first to receive the city’s surrender and obtained the vault keys, held up the keys.

-Click!

The moment the vault opened, Masséna, the boldest of the generals following behind, whistled.

“Wow, amazing. Is this the treasure of the House of Savoy?”

Even the strict Augereau, the victorious Sérurier, the brave Lannes, the playboy Hippolyte, and the fearless Junot were all speechless.

Marmont and Duroc stood behind Eugene, repeatedly admiring the scene.

Eugene smiled as he looked at the treasure.

“It will be enough for the payment. Very much so.”

Gold, jewels, and crowns filled the vault room.

***

A shout that shook the entire city echoed.

-Waaaaah!

Almost all the soldiers, except for the military police and sentries, were rampaging through the city.

A large bonfire was lit in the middle of the square.

Burning the carriages used by the old royal family.

A victory party with alcohol, meat, bread, and beautiful women was in full swing in the square.

Napoleon glanced at the scene through the window and smiled bitterly.

“The soldiers must be happy. It’s a complete festival today, isn’t it? And it’s only one victory.”

“I will warn them not to loot, rape, or commit arson.”

“Yes, General Augereau. By the way, where did Masséna go?”

Augereau, with a stern face, looked embarrassed and replied.

“He’s probably there enjoying the banquet. Or, he’s gone to find a woman.”

Augereau and Masséna had worked together for quite a long time, but their lifestyles were completely opposite.

Augereau doesn’t bother to join in on these festive occasions.

On the other hand, Masséna never misses them, and he’s crazy about beautiful women.

Of course, the same goes for gold.

At that time, Hippolyte, who was standing behind Eugene, whispered to Eugene.

“Isn’t General Masséna married?”

“I think so. I know he has a wife in Nice.”

“Wow, really! That’s how a man should live!”

Hippolyte, who was admiring, quickly closed his mouth when Napoleon stared at him.

He seemed to have grown up a bit.

Napoleon clicked his tongue and lightly scolded Eugene.

“You need to keep good company. Young standard-bearer. After marriage, you must behave properly!”

“Ah, yes, Commander.”

“Anyway, let’s continue the conversation we were having earlier.”

Napoleon, who was still behaving properly, pretended to be a moralist and frowned.

“The King of Savoy is one thing, but he ran away to Beaulieu? Does that make sense?”

The King of Savoy literally fled in the night.

The 17,000 troops of the Sardinian Royal Army collapsed after the Battle of Cuneo.

They all deserted.

In the rapidly changing situation, the House of Savoy and the nobles who were defending the city of Turin also fled en masse.

This is because the shockwave from the complete victory at Monteynotte shook Turin.

The escape route was neither the Duchy of Savoy to the northwest nor Genoa to the south.

It was Sardinia, a distant southern island.

Thanks to this, France had the opportunity to seize the entire territory of the Kingdom of Sardinia at once.

But the more difficult opponent, the Lombardy Army, retreated.

If they were to suddenly attack now, Napoleon’s army would be in danger.

Eugene looked at the map on the table in the palace’s [main hall] and replied.

“It’s not a trick.”

“Why? The enemy still has forces equal to ours. Rather, it would be dangerous if they attacked while we were off guard. No, if I were them, I would have done that.”

“That’s because you’re the Commander.”

Eugene picked up a piece of chalk and drew Beaulieu’s escape route on the map.

“Beaulieu is an even more diligent general than Argentau. He prioritized the defense of Milan.”

Originally, Beaulieu’s main Lombardy army was stationed near Genoa.

However, after the victory at Monteynotte, the Beaulieu army began to retreat en masse.

The destination is one place.

Milan.

He prioritized the Duchy of Milan, the territory of the Habsburg dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire.

Napoleon snorted.

“Foolish. We won, but we had so many weaknesses. In particular, our food was almost completely depleted.”

“And gunpowder too. We used too much in one battle.”

“We need to use more in the future. Now that we’ll be paying, bring a lot. Berthier, you also need to revise the supply plan.”

Napoleon, who was instructing Eugene and Berthier on the supply plan, turned his gaze.

“By the way, have you prepared the supply wagons to send to the Revolutionary Government?”

The [supply wagons] are actually wagons to send the looted spoils.

Three days after the victory.

The Italian Legion did not touch the property of the citizens, but thoroughly looted the property of the royal family and the fleeing nobles.

Some of it is now going to Paris.

It is truly like rain after a drought for the Revolutionary Government, which is burdened with debt.

Sérurier nodded.

“Yes, Commander. At least 1 million livres, almost 5 million francs worth of gold, will go.”

“Make sure to protect it thoroughly so that it is not looted in the middle. Division Commander Sérurier, you will manage everything. This is all your achievement.”

“Leave it to me. I will gladly complete it. But.”

Suddenly, Sérurier’s eyes lit up.

“What is the next target? I want to fight on the battlefield this time too.”

Before, he was a general who was only worried when Napoleon came to the Italian headquarters.

Even after starting the Italian campaign, he followed orders faithfully, but seemed full of anxiety.

But now that he has finished the first campaign with a perfect victory, Sérurier has also changed.

Rather, he is waiting for the next fight.

At that time, Eugene smiled and shook his head.

“You are not yet fully accustomed to our [club]’s method, General.”

“What do you mean, Colonel Bonaparte?”

“It’s simple.”

Suddenly, Eugene looked at the key figures of the headquarters who were there and said.

“What is important to us is not the destination. It’s the enemy itself. So, our army’s goal is already determined.”

Augereau, Sérurier, Lannes, Bessières, Marmont, Junot.

Only Murat, who is still rushing back, and Masséna, who went to play, are missing.

Eugene is now discussing [strategy] with the generals who will become Napoleon’s key [Marshals].

It’s quite a strange feeling.

However, Eugene boldly exercised the privilege that the first to know has.

“Beaulieu’s army.”

Defeat the army, not the land or the stronghold.

This is the essence of the strategy that Frederick the Great showed during the Seven Years’ War and that Napoleon modeled after.

Of course, it’s easier said than done.

The problem with this tactic is that once you lose, you fall into the abyss from then on.

Even Frederick the Great himself was almost ruined by several defeats in the later stages of the war.

The same goes for Napoleon in the original history.

But at least for now, Napoleon’s tactics are still valid.

Napoleon, who has now become the victor of Monteynotte, smiled with satisfaction.

“Yes, if we break Beaulieu, it will naturally fall into our hands.”

Napoleon strode to the desk and waved his baton.

“The center of Lombardy, the core of northern Italy, Milan.”

Milan.

A city that successive French kings had conquered several times and lost again.

A place they tried to obtain every time they launched an Italian campaign, but ultimately failed.

At that moment, the strict Augereau, the brave Lannes, and the reckless Junot shouted loudly.

“We will gladly rush there, Commander!”

“I’ll take the vanguard this time. I don’t want to keep handing it over to the young standard-bearer!”

“Me too! I will definitely make a contribution!”

Napoleon nodded and declared.

“Good, then. The soldiers will be summoned in three days!”

Three days.

The Italian Legion of Napoleon, which had been running on forced marches, was given a break.

***

The ashes of the bonfire in Turin’s palace square were used to build a platform.

“Conquerors of Turin, did you enjoy yourselves to the fullest!”

The old royal family has fallen.

Now the French Republic rules this city.

The citizens hold their breath and watch the situation.

The Italian Legion is still in rags.

Just because they won doesn’t mean their uniforms will suddenly get better.

However, victory has the effect of blowing away all complaints, hardships, and tensions in an instant.

The soldiers frowned at the hangover, but cheered.

“Yes! We enjoyed it!”

“There were so many beautiful women. Hahaha!”

“Wine and white bread, it’s the food we only eat on [Christmas]!”

Fortunately, there were no major accidents.

Eugene breathed a sigh of relief.

If there had been any major civilian killings or crimes, there might have been a riot.

They need to be more careful because they can’t afford to leave many troops stationed here.

At that time, Napoleon said solemnly.

“Good. Now the Revolutionary Government will take follow-up measures here. However, there is something we must do before that.”

Napoleon, who paused for a moment to focus his gaze, flashed his eyes.

“The Austrian Lombardy Army is still there. If we don’t defeat them, all our victories will be in vain!”

The soldiers, who had been overwhelmed by the intense gaze for a moment, glared.

The campaign is not over yet.

They won the first battle, but a stronger enemy remains.

The Lombardy main force.

Can they win?

At that moment.

Napoleon shouted, catching his breath.

“Soldiers, our victory will have been heard by the citizens and families of the Republic. I have also received letters. Countless letters from your parents, siblings, wives, and lovers rejoicing!”

“Waaaaah!”

“Will you make the joy contained in those letters futile!”

The soldiers were agitated, and Napoleon declared.

“Now is not the time to fall into weak rest. We have crossed the Alps! Now let’s cross the Apennine Mountains and the Po River and go to Lombardy. The city that the old kings could not conquer, Milan, is there!”

A place that even the French royal family, which the revolution had overthrown, could not conquer.

Milan.

There is an enemy for the Italian Legion to fight there.

Napoleon shouted with the momentum to shake the entire square.

“Go and become the conquerors of Milan!”

At that moment, all 47,000 soldiers responded with one heart.

“To Milan!”

Three weeks after the first battle, the victory at Monteynotte.

In April 1795, Napoleon’s Italian Legion began to move again.

To Milan, where the veteran general Beaulieu is waiting with 50,000 troops.