Chapter 305: Emperor Napoleon's Family Letter
More than the food itself, what truly impressed the Champagne Legion soldiers was that the Guards Corps officers actually ate with their men!
Even the contents of their bowls were identical to those of the soldiers.
They all couldn't help but murmur among themselves:
"Now, these are officers worth serving, worth respecting. In contrast, our pompous officers in the Champagne Legion treat us as nothing more than beasts of burden armed with muskets."
Then, they were stunned to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince himself gathering with a group of Guards Corps soldiers, eating the food directly from the pot!
"Mm, this vegetable soup tastes quite good," Joseph remarked, dipping a piece of bread into the reddish broth before putting it into his mouth. The tomato soup, with its faint spicy kick, tasted very much like borscht.
Lefebvre nodded.
"Indeed, Your Highness. This is the soldiers' favorite meal, apart from the meat."
A staff officer chimed in from the side:
Joseph, the genius inventor, didn't engage on that topic. He turned his gaze to Napoleon, who was silently devouring his food.
"Captain Buonaparte, are you accustomed to life in the Guards Corps?"
Napoleon started, quickly putting down his food, and snapped to attention.
"Very much so, Your Highness. Everything is excellent!"
"Oh, you don't have to be so tense," Joseph mused. 'We'll be working together a lot in the future; there's no need to be so stiff.'
He suddenly noticed the bloodshot in Napoleon's eyes and asked with a puzzled frown:
"Why are your eyes so bloodshot? Haven't you been getting enough rest?"
Napoleon truly hadn't been resting well. For the past two months in the Guards Corps, he had been desperately catching up on his training. His unyielding nature meant he only slept five or six hours a day.
"No, it's nothing, Your Highness. Thank you for your concern."
The legion's staff officer turned to Joseph.
"Your Highness, Captain Buonaparte is exceptionally diligent. Since joining the corps, he has already completed several basic assessments."
Joseph nodded approvingly at Napoleon, then shifted into a more casual tone.
"By the way, after leaving Troyes, you will be heading to Verdun."
The staff officer asked in surprise:
"Your Highness, there doesn't seem to be any corps needing assessment there, does there?"
"It's not an assessment," Joseph explained. "We're going to war. Against truly formidable enemies."
The eyes of the surrounding officers and soldiers immediately gleamed with excitement. According to the Guards Corps' system, war meant military merits and honor, which in turn meant promotion.
It also meant the envy and respect of their families and neighbors.
This was all thanks to the highly effective work of the Ministry of Military Affairs.
The homes of decorated officers and soldiers would receive a grand celebration, complete with military bands, banners, flowers, and bonuses. Coupled with three consecutive days of proclaiming their heroic deeds in the neighborhood, these officers and soldiers would instantly become local heroes.
When they returned home, the feeling of pride and honor was even more satisfying than a promotion itself.
"Your Highness, who will we be fighting?" a company commander immediately inquired.
"It's not certain yet, but the Prussians are likely to be among them."
Upon hearing that they would be facing a proper European army, everyone was immediately champing at the bit, eager to prove themselves.
They had previously defeated the armies of Algiers and Albania, and the Montcalm Legion, but those victories weren't enough to fully prove their strength.
If they could defeat the Prussians on the battlefield, who would dare question the legitimacy of the Guards Corps' victories?
Speaking of war, Joseph suddenly recalled something and turned to Lefebvre.
"Major, have the latest 'compact horse artillery carriages' been delivered yet?"
Lefebvre shook his head. "Not when we left Paris, Your Highness. However, the ordnance factory had already sent the training manuals, saying they would arrive within a week."
Joseph exhaled softly. It was still a slight delay. He instructed:
"Then have the horse artillery carriages sent directly to Verdun. You'll need to practice operating them diligently there; there may not be much time before the war begins."
Napoleon's interest immediately piqued at the mention of "horse artillery carriage." He turned to the staff officer beside him.
"Sir, what new equipment was His Highness just referring to?"
"Oh, it's a type of fast-moving artillery carriage. You'll know all about it when you reach Verdun." The staff officer looked down on the Corsican somewhat; discrimination against outsiders was common in that era, let alone a country bumpkin from a remote island.
Napoleon wanted to inquire further, but seeing the staff officer and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince discussing training matters, he couldn't get a word in edgewise. His mind was a flurry of conflicting thoughts.
If he wanted to see the horse artillery carriage, he would surely miss the next meeting of the Corsican Restoration Organization. Perhaps Speaker Paoli would have new instructions...
But the new, cannon-related equipment was equally enticing...
As he found himself torn and unsure of how to choose, the army's postal courier arrived in Troyes the next morning.
This was the most exciting moment for all the soldiers. The wooden crates brought by the courier contained news from their families, loved ones, or friends—their only link to the world outside the barracks.
Once the crowd collecting their letters gradually dispersed, Napoleon approached the two couriers and stated his name:
"Napoleon Buonaparte. Do you have any mail for me?"
A tall courier picked up the logbook, checked the alphabetical index for the name, then retrieved a letter from the second wooden crate and handed it to him.
"Yes, a letter for you. From Joseph Buonaparte. Oh, quite an unusual surname. Is he your father, or a brother?"
"He is my elder brother."
Napoleon answered casually, took the letter, and quickly returned to his tent, eager to tear it open and read it.
In the letter, his elder brother first, as was customary, inquired about Napoleon's recent situation in the army. Then, with an excited tone, he informed him that by a chance encounter last month, he had been selected by the assistant to the Minister of Commerce to become an administrative assistant at the Negotiation Bureau.
Due to an urgent need for personnel, he didn't have to pay for the position, and his monthly salary was a generous 65 livres, along with a substantial allowance.
Napoleon smiled happily. This was far better than his brother's previously struggling business. With this stable income, he finally wouldn't have to face the enormous family debt alone.
Joseph Buonaparte's government position had, of course, been arranged for him by Joseph at Bailly's instruction. Corsicans had extremely strong family bonds, and after Napoleon's father passed away, his elder brother was like a father to him. Napoleon also respected his brother greatly.
Therefore, Joseph had arranged for Napoleon's elder brother to enter the French bureaucracy first, knowing that as the latter was promoted, his position would eventually dictate his perspective. By then, even if Napoleon wanted to pursue Corsican restoration, his elder brother would likely object.
Napoleon continued reading. Joseph Buonaparte informed him that by the time this letter was sent, he had already left Paris with the Minister of Commerce to travel to Bavaria for an important trade negotiation.
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