The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 281

Chapter 281: The Young Napoleon

Among the various tasks, the initial ones progressed very smoothly.

For instance, the Paris Police Academy had mostly converted Joseph’s estate into a training ground and purchased several hectares of surrounding land, becoming the largest military and police training base in France.

Of course, there was still a significant shortage of faculty.

With the cooperation of the newly appointed Minister of War, Duke of Broye, an old aristocrat who had become particularly diligent since aligning with the royal family and ascending to this position, many of his protégés and former officials agreed to teach at the Paris Police Academy. However, given the academy’s current size, this was still a mere drop in the bucket.

According to the Duke of Broye, other military aristocrats seemed to harbor delusions, believing the royal army lacked sufficient strength to handle all troubles. They thought the monarchy would eventually have to turn to them, so they continued to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

Joseph stroked the armrest of his chair, frowning slightly. These hereditary officers were indeed “stubborn.” It seemed he needed to pay closer attention to this matter.

Although his plan was to rely on the new army he trained to shoulder France's military tasks while relegating the old army to garrison duties, it did not mean he would discard the valuable resources cultivated over decades in the old army.

In particular, mid-level officers and cavalry were talents that required substantial resources and time to develop. Joseph intended to integrate these into the Royal Guard Corps for his use.

Historically, during the Great Revolution, the extensive execution or expulsion of noble officers from the old army led to Napoleon’s cavalry largely being composed of poorly trained civilians. The cavalry, as a unit, benefited most from training starting at a young age. This was something impoverished civilians simply could not achieve. Consequently, Napoleon’s cavalry forces were often subpar, sustained only by the reckless fervor inspired by revolutionary zeal.

If Napoleon had possessed a cavalry corps composed of elite nobles, it might not have reversed his fate entirely, but it certainly would have allowed him to endure encirclement for several more years.

Joseph was not overly concerned about attracting talents from the old aristocracy. Soldiers, after all, were spirited individuals. And for those lacking such spirit, he had no interest in recruiting them either.

Thus, he needed to find ways to ignite the fervor of these aristocratic officers, to make them revere him and fully submit to the Royal Guard Corps. Only then would they flock to serve him willingly.

After formulating a plan to recruit aristocratic officers, Joseph finally turned to the last section of the General Staff Headquarters’ report.

This was a list of personnel who had made meritorious contributions during recent suppression campaigns, along with their personal information and reasons for commendation.

Most of the names belonged to the Royal Guard Corps, though there were also a few from the Moulin Corps and Paris Corps. What piqued Joseph’s curiosity most was that several individuals from the old army had also made the commendation list.

Captain Marc Dimitri Babo, who led his men in bravely defending the city hall in Vendée when insurgents attempted to set it ablaze.

Second Lieutenant Napoleon Bwanaba, who confronted nearly 500 rioters in the town of Amnay with only 50 soldiers under his command and ultimately dispersed them.

Joseph paused at the name Napoleon. It was a rare name, unlikely to belong to someone else, yet this man’s surname was not "Bonaparte."

Hastily pulling out the accompanying documents, Joseph read: Napoleon Bwanaba, born August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, Corsica. His father, Carlo Maria de Bwanaba, was a Corsican noble. The family included four brothers. In 1784, he entered the Paris Military Academy, graduating early in 1785. Currently attached to the Raphael Artillery Regiment in Valence, serving as the temporary commander of the second company.

Joseph’s breath quickened. If it were just the same first name, it might have been a coincidence. But with the matching training duration, family background, and father’s name, it was undeniable—this had to be Napoleon himself!

But why was his surname Bwanaba? No wonder Joseph’s extensive search across France for Napoleon Bonaparte had yielded nothing. The discrepancy in surnames explained everything.

Regardless, discovering Napoleon, at a time when France needed to expand its overseas interests, was an extraordinary boon! With Napoleon on his side, Joseph’s confidence in leading France to dominate the European continent soared exponentially.

When the convoy stopped in Vitrolles, Joseph immediately handed Napoleon’s documents to Eymond, instructing him to send someone to summon the young officer from Valence.

While Eymond was briefing the courier, Joseph suddenly recalled that the General Staff Headquarters had mobilized forces from Montpellier to Tunis, and Valence fell under Montpellier’s jurisdiction. It was highly likely Napoleon had been dispatched as part of this deployment.

He instructed Eymond to leave several men at Toulon Port to look for Napoleon among the troops bound for Tunis. The army would need to cross the Mediterranean and would inevitably board ships at Toulon.

Unexpectedly, Joseph’s courier returned the next afternoon, reporting that they had encountered the Tunis-bound troops south of Montpellier. Sure enough, Second Lieutenant Bwanaba was among them.

At 8 p.m., while Joseph was staying temporarily at a villa, a knock came at his door. Outside, Eymond whispered, “Your Highness, Second Lieutenant Bwanaba requests an audience.”

Joseph exclaimed with excitement, “Let him in immediately!”

The door opened, revealing a young man clad in a white uniform from the old army. His face was slightly gaunt, his nose prominent, and his blue eyes filled with nervousness. He stepped quickly into the room, standing by Eymond’s side, appearing somewhat uneasy.

It wasn’t until Eymond gave a light cough that the young officer hastily removed his hat and bowed deeply to Joseph. “It is a great honor to be summoned by you, Your Royal Highness.”

Joseph approached him and returned the gesture, saying, “You are a hero who defended against rioters. There is no need to be so reserved.”

Joseph scrutinized the young Napoleon. He was not as heavyset as often depicted in portraits but bore a striking resemblance in features.

After a moment’s hesitation, Joseph cautiously asked, “Do you have an elder brother named Joseph, and younger brothers named Lucien and Louis?”

Napoleon appeared visibly surprised by the Crown Prince’s familiarity with his family. He nodded quickly and added, “My youngest brother is named Jérôme, Your Highness.”

“Then there’s no mistake.” Joseph motioned for Napoleon to sit on the sofa beside him and casually inquired, “How is your mother’s health? I imagine the vineyard keeps her very busy.”

Napoleon nodded instinctively. “Yes, Your Highness. She is well. The vineyard operates with minimal hired help to reduce expenses.”

Joseph gestured to the tea cups on the table and then smiled warmly at the artillery officer. “I greatly admire your courage at Amnay. In fact, I hope you will join the Royal Guard Corps. Considering your achievements, you will be promoted to Captain and command an artillery company.”

“And so, what is your answer?”

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