The Fox of France

After putting the artillerymen through a rigorous exercise, the newly-promoted Major Napoleon walked towards his tent with a stern face. To his surprise, he found Joseph waiting for him there.

"Joseph, what are you doing here?" Napoleon's mood was already soured by the string of defeats they had experienced. While these losses were expected, they still weighed heavily on his mind.

"I need to talk to you. Let's take a walk," Joseph said.

Napoleon glanced at Joseph, realizing that something important must have come up. He nodded and replied, "Alright, let's go for a walk."

Both of them were currently residing in the military camp, and while tents provided some privacy, they didn't muffle sound well. So, if they had any secrets to discuss, it was better done outside where they wouldn't risk being overheard.

They walked towards a small hillock nearby. Along the way, they encountered several lazy soldiers who half-heartedly saluted them. It was clear that the current situation had sapped the soldiers' spirits. The lowered morale was evident in the relaxed discipline and courtesy. Soldiers offering salutes was a sign of respect, given the circumstances. Some officers received no acknowledgment from the soldiers, but at such a time, they were hesitant to discipline the men for their lack of etiquette.

Although the soldiers' salutes lacked enthusiasm, Napoleon and Joseph returned the salutes crisply and correctly. Napoleon even extended his hand to pat one of the soldiers on the shoulder. "Pierre, you're a fine warrior. You were very brave in the last battle," he encouraged. "Julien, buck up! We will surely prevail."

They reached a quieter spot, and Joseph began, "Napoleon, you're remarkable. I've noticed you can recall the names of almost every soldier and share something related to them. It's an impressive quality, and it makes the soldiers willing to fight for you. I can't compete with you on this."

Napoleon was taken aback and stared at Joseph for a moment. "Are those words really coming from you, Joseph? It's like a one-eyed giant singing a song about mermaids. Are you not mocking me or plotting something?"

Joseph chuckled and replied, "Napoleon, you should know that strong people never hesitate to praise others. Think of it this way: we all genuinely praise a child for being smart and cute, without any jealousy or ulterior motives."

"You rascal, you're making me sound like a child!" Napoleon retorted.

"Do you want to say, 'I'm not a child anymore?'" the mischievous Joseph inquired.

"Enough of this nonsense. Let's get to the point. Why did you come looking for me?" Napoleon kicked at the grass that had just sprouted.

"Very well," Joseph said. "Have you noticed...?" He glanced around and lowered his voice. "Have you noticed some unusual actions on General's part?"

"Unusual actions from the General?" Napoleon was surprised.

"Yes, he replaced his entire guard with German mercenaries. The French guards have been gradually reassigned to other units. Moreover, did you notice he relocated the Duke of Chartres' men near the command headquarters?"

Napoleon paused, pondering. "Joseph, are you being overly cautious? The General can't be that foolish. How could this happen? Even Lafayette couldn't do such a thing..."

"Who knows? But considering the situation in Paris, can you imagine how long Paris can tolerate him? It's like we all know that goats would die if they jumped off a cliff. But if a pack of goats is being chased by hunters and runs to the edge of the cliff, they might take the risk of jumping off. If one goat jumps, and another jumps onto its back, they might jump over the cliff, right?"

"Nonsense. If goats had that kind of intelligence and discipline, they could form a line like Frederick the Great and make hunters consider jumping over them one by one. But... I understand what you're getting at. You mean the General is running out of options?"

"He might not be entirely out of options, but he's certainly at a point where he needs to take risks," Joseph explained. "Napoleon, if something unexpected happens, can your soldiers follow your orders?"

"Those from the Red Army background surely can. They just need to be gathered. That's quite easy because they should have returned to the Red Army after the war. Maintaining contact with them is entirely reasonable," Napoleon said. "The Red Army still has over three hundred soldiers. The General's German mercenaries number a hundred, and the Duke of Chartres' volunteers amount to five hundred. But they lack artillery. If it comes to a fight, I can easily defeat them!" Napoleon replied in a hushed tone, excitement written all over his face.

"Carnot has written to me, mentioning that he might send some envoys to the army to inquire with the General about certain matters. He's worried this could lead to complications. Additionally, if the General seeks you in these coming days, be cautious. Our ties with Carnot are widely known, so we'll be perceived as staunch republicans and Montagnards. If I were the General, I'd first want to control these two destabilizing factors before doing anything," Joseph cautioned.

"Our General is a proud man. He has unrealistic self-assessments of his charisma. I don't think he'd take such actions. But I understand the need for caution, and you should be careful as well. After all, I'm an artillery officer, and you're a staff officer, making it more convenient for him to approach you," Napoleon thought for a moment.

"The envoys haven't arrived yet, but be ready to establish contact with the Red Army at any moment," Joseph concluded.

Interestingly, the actions of the envoys were far slower than those of the messengers. After Carnot's messenger delivered the letter to Joseph, it took another two days for the Parisian envoys to reach the army. This was expected, as sending envoys required the proper parliamentary process. Messengers were dispatched before these processes were completed.

After receiving news that the envoys had reached the camp, General Dumouriez immediately ordered some of the officers to gather for their inquiries. However, the messengers sent to find Napoleon and Joseph were unable to locate them. It was reported that they had both left their posts, their whereabouts unknown.

This news made General Dumouriez uneasy, but he had no time to take further action because the envoys from Paris had reached the camp's entrance. He had to attend to them promptly.

Several envoys entered the office, but before they could speak, General Dumouriez launched into accusations. He first blamed Paris for not providing sufficient support at the front. After a rebuttal from the envoys, he declared that the current government was an illegal rebel regime and that he and his army considered it necessary to restore the 1791 constitution and return France to a constitutional monarchy.

The envoys immediately issued orders in the name of the Revolutionary Government and the National Convention to arrest General Dumouriez. However, this wasn't Paris, and they hadn't brought a significant number of National Guards with them. In contrast, Dumouriez's German mercenaries swarmed forward upon his command and immediately restrained the five envoys.

"Traitors! You won't get away with this!" one of the envoys cursed.

"Muffle their mouths!" General Dumouriez ordered.

A few German mercenaries hurried forward and stuffed cloths into their mouths, silencing them.

"General, what do we do next?" the Duke of Chartres inquired.

"We'll send some men to deliver them to the Austrians," Dumouriez said.

A group of German mercenaries then dragged the envoys out of the room.

Dumouriez proceeded to garner support from the officers who were taken aback by the sudden turn of events. He required them to sign a proclamation against the Republic and in favor of restoring a constitutional monarchy, as well as ensuring Dumouriez's leadership. Some officers who hesitated to sign were immediately placed under arrest.

"Once we control the officers, we can control the army," Dumouriez told the Duke of Chartres. "Your Highness, trust me; we will succeed."

After receiving the Parisian envoys and preparing to arrest himself, Dumouriez and the Duke of Chartres made contact with the Austrians. Initially, they hoped that the Austrians would accept the Duke of Chartres as the King of France and provide their support. However, the Austrians rejected this proposal, insisting that Louis XVII should ascend the throne. Consequently, the Duke of Chartres' role shifted from king to regent.

"I'm just worried that the Bonaparte brothers are absent," the Duke of Chartres remarked.

"We control most of the officers; that should suffice," Dumouriez said. "Now, let's gather the soldiers."

A few messengers rushed out. However, as soon as they left, gunfire and shouts erupted in the distance.

"What's happening?" the Duke of Chartres asked.

"Greene, take a few men and check it out," Dumouriez ordered his captain.

Greene quickly saluted and led a few men outside. Shortly after, the sound of galloping hooves indicated that they had mounted horses and ridden toward the source of the gunfire.

"Viella, go ring the bell and gather the soldiers. I need to address them," Dumouriez knew there was no time for hesitation. The gunshots had come from the road leading to the Austrian camp. The distance of the sound suggested an ambush. Perhaps the envoys had already been rescued, and now, he needed to quickly regain control of the situation.

Lieutenant Viella acknowledged and headed out.

Some time passed, and the sound of galloping horses reached them again. Several German mercenaries rushed in, one of them with a wounded shoulder.

"What's going on, Fritz?" Dumouriez recognized the injured man, a captain of the German mercenaries' cavalry unit. He inquired urgently.

"General, we were ambushed," Fritz replied.

"Who attacked you? What about the envoys?" Dumouriez asked.

"It was the Red Army. The Red Army ambushed us, and they've rescued the envoys!" Fritz reported.

The Red Army, responsible for simulating foreign forces, hadn't been provided with the regular blue or white uniforms of the former French Kingdom. They still wore their distinctive red uniforms, making them easily identifiable.

"The Red Army? Damn the Bonaparte brothers!" Dumouriez gritted his teeth.

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