The Fox of France

 After receiving the message that Archduke Charles had sent a military envoy, Napoleon turned to General Soult, who was accompanying him, and asked, "General Soult, what do you think the Austrian envoy is here for?"

"Most likely to negotiate a peace agreement," Soult replied after a moment's thought.

"Go on," Napoleon said. His recent interactions with Soult had left him quite satisfied. He found this new subordinate to be tactically sound and sharp-minded, making him curious to hear Soult's opinion.

"Your Excellency, we can certainly defeat the Austrians, and I believe Archduke Charles understands that. However, he also knows how precious time is for us at the moment. He probably wants to use this time to bargain with us."

"So, what do you think our approach should be?" Napoleon asked.

"It depends on the conditions they propose, Your Excellency," Soult replied.

"Very well," Napoleon nodded. "Bring the envoy here and, on the way, let him see the cannons we've captured."

In Verdun, when the British and Prussian armies retreated into their camps, they left behind a significant number of cannons, especially the British, who abandoned many large naval cannons. While military discipline required the firing mechanisms to be disabled when abandoning cannons (to prevent their immediate use without repairs), due to the sheer quantity and limited time, about half of the cannons had functional firing mechanisms.

Thanks to the recent dry weather and the additional labor force from German mercenaries, along with the capture of many draft horses (virtually all of the British artillery horses had been taken prisoner, and with nearly half of the cannons rendered unusable, there was a surplus of these horses), the captured cannons were barely keeping up with Napoleon's marching speed. However, in the context of ammunition shortages, the presence of these cannons only added to the logistical stress.

Nevertheless, these cannons were quite effective at intimidating the enemy, and the Austrians were unlikely to be aware of the limited ammunition at Napoleon's disposal. (Of course, before the invention of synthetic ammonia, few countries had ample gunpowder.)

Soult escorted Archduke Charles's envoy to meet Napoleon.

Although the Austrian envoy had been waiting for quite a while, he remained composed and courteous. This demeanor impressed Soult, and he felt somewhat favorably disposed toward the envoy.

"I regret to inform you, General Bonaparte is not here," Soult said. "However, I have been tasked with taking you to meet him. I'm sorry, but we don't have suitable carriages, so you will have to ride with us to the general's location."

"That's not a problem; when can we depart?" the young Austrian envoy asked.

"Immediately, sir. As you know, we don't have much time to spare," Soult replied.

The envoy mounted his horse and, under the escort of a cavalry unit, they left the village that was under French control, heading towards another village along the road.

The journey was challenging due to the crowded roads filled with French troops, horses, and vehicles. At one intersection, they were halted by a passing artillery column. These artillery units, towing heavy cannons, did not slow down or stop easily due to the immense inertia of the cannons. Stopping abruptly or slowing down could lead to various complications and accidents.

Particularly, this artillery column was equipped with captured British naval 24-pound cannons. The army typically didn't field such heavy cannons in this era, and if they did, they were primarily used in fortifications. The artillery used in field battles was generally not heavier than 8 pounds and often made of relatively lightweight bronze. However, these cannons were heavy iron pieces, and each cannon was drawn by sixteen draft horses. The long, bulky, dark green barrels pointed diagonally towards the sky as the carriages rumbled along, and there were countless cannons in this column.

Soult and his party waited with their horses as they observed the envoy's reaction to the passing artillery column. Unfortunately, Soult couldn't discern much change in the envoy's expression.

Throughout the journey, Soult paid close attention to the envoy. From his control of the horse and his slender, fair hands, Soult deduced that this man likely had limited military experience. Perhaps due to this, he might not fully comprehend the significance of transporting so many heavy cannons to this location within the current time constraints.

They waited for the artillery column to pass, which took a considerable amount of time. Afterward, Soult and the Austrian envoy continued riding towards another village.

The village held a rather decent manor, which likely belonged to some noble. However, it had been requisitioned by the French and now served as Napoleon's temporary headquarters.

Napoleon received the young envoy in the manor's small sitting room. The envoy introduced himself as Clemens Wenzel von Metternich.

Unbeknownst to Napoleon, the young man standing before him would have become Austria's prime minister in the original timeline, creating the influential Metternich system that would shape Europe for decades.

Napoleon gestured for Metternich to take a seat and then casually asked, "I heard you are Archduke Charles's envoy. Our two nations are currently at war, so I'm curious, what brings Archduke Charles to send you at this time?"

"Of course, it's for the sake of European peace," Metternich replied.

"European peace? Isn't that your country's responsibility?" Napoleon retorted with a hint of sarcasm. "Last time, we reached an agreement regarding peace. Yet, not long ago, it was your country that tore the peace treaty to shreds and initiated war. And now you're calling for peace again?"

In the face of Napoleon's accusation, Metternich remained calm. He smiled and said, "General Bonaparte, the question of who is responsible for breaking the last peace is not the main issue here. Different countries have different perspectives on this matter. If we were to engage in a debate on this issue, each nation's stance would differ. Such a discussion wouldn't serve much purpose for the current problem, would it?"

"Very well," Napoleon conceded. "I don't want to waste time on such tedious matters. First, I'd like to know if you, as Archduke Charles's envoy, believe your status is sufficient to discuss matters of peace between our nations."

Metternich nodded with a smile, "Our Emperor has always been a kind and peaceful monarch, so, when the war began, he considered that the disputes between our nations ultimately should be resolved through peaceful negotiations..."

"But your Emperor would prefer to hold the talks in Paris, right?" Napoleon couldn't help but add a touch of sarcasm.

"That is not the main issue, General," Metternich replied. "Due to such considerations, His Imperial Majesty has authorized Archduke Charles and France to engage in peace negotiations at the outbreak of the war. I carry here the Imperial Majesty's authorization, which certifies my negotiating credentials."

As he spoke, Metternich reached for a document bag that had already been inspected by Napoleon's guards to prevent any potential assassination attempts. Such incidents were rare, but Joseph had always been cautious, so Napoleon's guards had received specialized training organized by Joseph.

Metternich opened the bag and handed a document to Napoleon. Upon inspection, it indeed was a valid authorization. It seemed that the Austrian Emperor had planned for negotiations in case the situation turned unfavorable, unlike the Russians who had agreed to conditions but needed nearly a month to send a proper peace envoy.

"Very well," Napoleon nodded. "While I may not have full authorization, I am one of the rulers of the French Republic now. I believe I can represent France in deciding matters of war and peace with your country. Now, Mr. Metternich, what are the conditions Austria hopes to achieve for peace?"

"We hope to return to the state of peace before it was broken. Furthermore, this peace should also include the issue of peace between our nation and the Cisalpine Republic," Metternich said.

Napoleon smiled, "So, your country unilaterally tore up the peace agreement, and now you hope to restore peace without any consequences?"

"We can offer you assistance," Metternich replied.

"Oh? What kind of assistance can your country provide?" Napoleon inquired.

"We can cede Luxembourg, allowing you to save valuable time for your eastern advance," Metternich said.

"We can capture it ourselves," Mura interjected at Napoleon's side.

"But it will take time," Metternich responded. "General, even though I haven't served in the military, when I arrived here, Archduke Charles told me that your army has the capability to take Luxembourg. However, he believes that he can hold out for at least two months. After your brilliant victory in Verdun, both Hanover and Prussia are now vulnerable. But if you don't exploit their vulnerability promptly, the value of your victory in Verdun will diminish. Every second is precious right now. Our country can help you save this invaluable time. Why can't you be more generous to our nation, General?"