The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 115

Chapter 115: A Piece of Cake

As the two were speaking, they heard the gentle beat of a drum coming from the north side of the training field.

The instructors in charge of the training immediately called for a halt, and the teams began to gather. The team closest to the main gate of the field had already lined up and was running towards a gray building not far away.

Dubois patted Alexander on the shoulder and gestured towards the gray building. "Time for lunch. Ah, what day is it today?"

"Wednesday."

"Ah, yes, Wednesday. You're in luck today, we have beef stew and buttered pea soup."

In the spacious dining hall, Alexander looked around at the hundreds of trainees waiting for their meal and quietly asked, "François, aren't we going to the officers' mess?"

Dubois responded matter-of-factly, "This is the officers' mess, and also the trainees' mess."

"But..." Alexander instinctively thought of the black bread and salted meat the soldiers in his own army typically ate. "Are we really eating here?"

Dubois understood why his old friend had such a question.

In the French army, officers and soldiers belonged to different social classes, and the police force was similar. Soldiers or officers were considered commoners, while officers were akin to nobles. The living conditions of the two groups were drastically different, and they never ate together, nor did they share the same food.

He nodded and explained, "Yes, this is how it is here. Officers and policemen mix together; I've gotten used to it."

Before he finished speaking, a policeman walked over with a tray, bowed slightly to both him and Alexander, and placed two meals in front of them.

Alexander froze. It was beef stew and buttered pea soup, with white bread and half a boiled egg.

He quickly turned to look at the tables of other trainees and was astonished to find the same meals!

He looked at Dubois in surprise and whispered, "The trainees eat this well?!"

Dubois handed him his utensils and shook his head. "You can only get beef stew on Wednesdays, and on Fridays, it's lamb or turkey. The rest of the time, it's just pork or fish."

Alexander widened his eyes, finding it hard to accept. In the army he had served in, the soldiers’ meals consisted of bread, wine, and a small piece of salted meat. The stew in front of these policemen was equivalent to three days' worth of meat rations for those soldiers.

Moreover, this stew was freshly made, steaming and fragrant—nothing like salted meat.

No wonder these officers could carry an 18-pound load and run a mile in 15 minutes. It was all thanks to their excellent meals!

He looked at Dubois again. "How much does this cost?"

"Five to seven sou per person, per day. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince insists we don't skimp on food."

"That's a lot!" Alexander could hardly believe it. Was this really for the police? His soldiers only got three sou a day...

He suddenly noticed something. "François, why do you always mention the Crown Prince?"

"Because His Highness the Crown Prince is the one who established this police academy." Dubois chewed his beef. "All the funding comes directly from him. The training curriculum is also set by him. Oh, and he often comes to attend classes or join in on the training."

As he was speaking, a loud voice from an instructor at the door called out, "Everyone, stand up!"

The entire dining hall instantly stood up in unison, followed by the friendly voice of a young man, "Please, everyone, sit down. Don't let me interrupt your meal."

Alexander looked over, and saw a young man in a Paris police uniform, walking into the dining hall accompanied by several high-ranking police academy officials.

Dubois whispered, "See? I told you, His Highness often comes by."

"Is this the Crown Prince?"

"Yes, he usually only comes on Mondays and Thursdays, but sometimes he just drops by for a visit."

It wasn't until Joseph sat at a table that the other officers sat down as well.

Soon, several officers proudly carried their beef stew and other dishes to Joseph's and the Commandant's table. Delivering food to the Crown Prince was the highest honor, and one could only earn this privilege by consistently performing excellently in training exercises.

"Thank you very much."

Joseph nodded and thanked the officers. His eyes suddenly fell on a unfamiliar face sitting beside Dubois.

"Major Dubois, who is this?"

Both men hurried over and saluted.

Dubois gestured to the side. "Your Highness, this is Major Berthier, whom you asked about before."

Alexander Berthier appeared very reserved and immediately stood up again. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness."

Joseph's eyes immediately lit up. He had only decided on a whim to attend a logistics class today, and now there was an unexpected bonus.

Finally, I meet the Chief of Staff in person! I must keep him around!

He smiled at Berthier. "Please, sit down. I’ve heard of your excellent performance in the Battle of Yorktown. Without your meticulous planning, the British might have held out much longer."

Berthier sat up straight. "It truly was a difficult battle, Your Highness. Thankfully, we ultimately achieved victory and honor."

Joseph then steered the conversation to the Battle of Yorktown, engaging Berthier in a lively discussion.

"Oh? Was it Major Dubois who invited you to visit the police academy?"

Joseph asked as he gave Dubois a subtle appreciative glance.

"Yes, Your Highness." Berthier still seemed a bit nervous, rambling on. "Actually, I have a cousin in Paris who is getting married, so I came to town. By coincidence, François mentioned in his letter that he worked at the Paris Police Academy and said that it's a very special place..."

Joseph waited for him to finish, and then casually asked, "By the way, Major Berthier, are you currently serving in Soissons?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Dubois leaned in and whispered, "Your Highness, François has always been in the engineer corps. Actually, he came to Paris this time to try to find a way to get transferred back here. But I’m afraid he doesn't have ‘enough connections’ yet."

Joseph understood that by "connections," Dubois was referring to the costs of getting favors. He hadn’t expected the Chief of Staff to be in such a poor position within the old military system.

But for Joseph, this was a case of "no need to search far for something that comes easily."

He was secretly pleased. "Perfect. I need people in Paris."

He smiled at Berthier. "Perhaps I could recommend you to Marquis de Saint-Priest for a position in the Imperial Guard or the French Guard."

Berthier didn’t expect the Crown Prince to offer him such significant assistance. He immediately stood up, overwhelmed with gratitude. "Your Highness, I don't know how to express my thanks!"

...

Bessonval tugged at his collar as the cold winter wind stung his eyes. "Damn this weather."

He shook the reins and turned to the officer beside him. "How much further?"

"General, it's less than three miles."

"Alright, tell everyone to pick up the pace."

"Yes, General."

As the officer gave the command, the drumming quickened, and the soldiers of the French Guard hurriedly sped up their pace.

Bessonval muttered to himself, "Why couldn't those noble ladies wait for it to be a bit warmer?"

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