The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 282

Chapter 282: The Troublesome Corsican Nationalist

Napoleon clearly hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to summon him for such a matter. Momentarily stunned, he hastily stood up, placed his hand on his chest, and said, "I am deeply honored, Your Highness. That is to say, of course, I am willing to join the Royal Guard Corps!"

Joseph observed the young Napoleon, who, in history, would go on to storm across Europe and upend the old order. Seeing him standing there, nervous and restrained, Joseph couldn’t help but find it rather amusing.

He had anticipated that the young Napoleon would not reject his recruitment. After all, his family’s vineyard in Corsica still owed a substantial debt, and they were in desperate need of him to earn money to support the household.

Joseph was about to offer a few words of encouragement to draw closer to him, but Napoleon’s face suddenly flushed. It seemed he had mustered all his courage as he said, "Your Highness, but I have a request, and I hope you can grant it."

"Oh? Please, go ahead."

“Well, I would need four to five months of leave each year to return to Corsica…” Napoleon evidently realized that the Royal Guard Corps would have much stricter discipline than his post in Valence, where he could casually request leave. Thus, he chose to be upfront about it.

"You see, my health is not very good and requires regular treatment. Also, my family’s vineyard needs my help with the management…”

Joseph narrowed his eyes. As far as he knew, apart from hemorrhoids, Napoleon didn’t suffer from any serious ailments. So why did he need to return to Corsica every year? Suddenly, Joseph remembered that at this point in his life, Napoleon was still a staunch Corsican nationalist. Under the leadership of Pascal Paoli, head of the Corsican independence movement, Napoleon had frequently and secretly participated in political activities.

Historically, Napoleon had served as a soldier for four years before the Revolution, during which he spent nearly three years on leave—most of it to participate in these Corsican affairs. Thanks to the chaotic management of the French military at the time, no one even noticed.

Joseph sighed inwardly. Having someone like Napoleon half-heartedly loyal to France wasn’t sustainable; he needed to quash the idea of Corsican independence in Napoleon’s mind sooner rather than later.

However, rushing the matter could backfire. After all, young men in their twenties were prone to rebelliousness. If handled poorly, it might harden Napoleon’s resolve to commit to Corsican independence and turn against France—a scenario Joseph would prefer to avoid.

For now, he decided to bide his time, foster a good relationship, and handle things gradually.

With great magnanimity, Joseph nodded. "Your health is paramount; taking leave is, of course, permissible. As for your family’s vineyard, I have some friends in Bordeaux who might be able to assist with its management."

Napoleon had expected that the Crown Prince might grant him one or two months of leave at most. He hadn’t anticipated such a straightforward agreement.

Hearing the Crown Prince’s warm and considerate tone, Napoleon couldn’t help but feel a twinge of gratitude. He promptly bowed again. "Thank you for your kindness and understanding, Your Highness. My brothers and I can manage the vineyard ourselves."

“Oh, I will do my utmost to serve the Royal Guard Corps and repay your recognition with my achievements on the battlefield!”

Having temporarily "pocketed" Napoleon, Joseph was delighted. He even invited him to dine together before instructing Kessold to assign two guards to escort Napoleon back to Paris so he could report directly to the General Staff.

As for the matter with the Raphaël Corps, Joseph simply wrote a note and sent it to Valence. The current French military was highly compliant, and as long as the officer in question had no objections, Joseph could generally make personnel adjustments as he pleased.

...

Once Napoleon had left, Joseph stepped into the villa’s garden. In the cool late-spring evening breeze, he gazed at the distant starlight, pondering how to neutralize Corsica’s independence movement.

It wasn’t just about dispelling Napoleon’s notions of Corsican nationalism. This island, suspended off the mainland of France, would need proper reorganization sooner or later, or it would undoubtedly become a problem.

First, he needed to deal with Pascal Paoli. Without this agitator stirring things up, the Corsican nobles would soon forget their delusions of independence.

However, Paoli was currently in England, relying on books and remote commands to incite the Corsican nobility, rarely showing his face. Perhaps the Intelligence Bureau could devise a solution for this.

Second, there was the matter of dismantling the Corsican parliament.

After Louis XV purchased Corsica, he had no intention of fully integrating it and thus allowed its parliament to continue functioning. This had given Corsica significant autonomy, and its parliament, fearing the loss of its power, had been actively supporting the independence movement.

In addition to these measures, Joseph also recognized the importance of strengthening France’s national power and improving Corsica’s economy. Once the Corsican people were living stable and prosperous lives, who would still want to engage in an independence movement?

A strong France would naturally foster Napoleon’s sense of identity. Over time, he would integrate into French society and become a true Frenchman. At that point, anyone advocating for the division of French territory would face Napoleon’s vehement opposition.

It was almost amusing to think that, historically, after ascending to the throne, Napoleon himself had drastically curtailed the powers of the Corsican parliament and unified the island’s administration, ultimately ending its independence movement.

...

Nine days later, after a long and bumpy journey, Joseph’s convoy finally entered Paris.

In his carriage, he opened the latest newspaper sent by Émond. The front page of the Paris Commercial Gazette announced: “Finals of the Star of France to Take Place at Versailles, Featuring Fifty Contestants.”

He chuckled and shook his head. In truth, there were two far more important events happening today, far outweighing the significance of any competition.

The first was the conclusion of the long-running Duke of Chartres inheritance case. It was officially announced that the Duke had inherited the entire estate of the Duke of Orléans, but with a fine of 26 million livres, he was formally declared bankrupt. Large properties, including the Palais-Royal, and the Duke’s annuities had been confiscated by the French Reserve Bank to repay debts.

However, Queen Marie Antoinette, too soft-hearted to withstand the tearful pleas of the Duchess of Orléans, had agreed to leave the Duke of Chartres a manor and several hundred thousand livres to preserve a modicum of noble dignity.

Given the Duke of Chartres’ current state, afflicted with syphilis, it seemed unlikely he had many years left...

Meanwhile, the 60-million-livre estate of the Duke of Orléans officially entered French treasury accounts, with the majority allocated to national debt repayments. As the largest holder of French national debt, most of this money ended up on the books of the French Reserve Bank.

The second major event was the sentencing of the hundreds of rioters arrested earlier. Most of them received the death penalty. Joseph had no intention of showing mercy to these gang-affiliated criminals.

Yet, overshadowed by the excitement surrounding the Star of France, the people of France were now focused on the fifty finalists, eagerly debating their skills and placing small wagers on the eventual champion.

Happy and forgetful, the French populace had already moved on from the plight of the Duke of Orléans and the condemned rioters.

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