Chapter 198: Rebellion and Coup

Chapter 198: Rebellion and Coup

Before long, the Duke of Brunswick received the latest intelligence: right across from them, there was a formidable defense, like an impregnable fortress, manned by the nightmare with the same name, Joseph Bonaparte. In the previous battle, this dread figure, Joseph Bonaparte, had been struck by a bullet, and his fate hung in the balance.

"Have we struck down another French commander?" the Duke of Brunswick couldn't help but find this news rather absurd. However, on the battlefield, absurdity was a common occurrence. After all, wasn't King Theodoric killed in the decisive Battle of Verona after claiming victory?

Furthermore, neither the British nor Prussian high-ranking officers were keen on returning home with a colossal failure. Achieving glory and returning victorious, even at the cost of many soldiers' lives, was more desirable than failing utterly, and the bones of thousands withering away.

However, blindly charging forward without verifying the information and then getting brutally beaten was something no one's pride could tolerate. So, everyone decided to pause and assess the situation while reinforcing their own defenses.

Simultaneously, in Paris, chaos reigned. Joseph understood that he had to keep this from Paris because the city acted like a sieve. Once any piece of information reached the people of Paris, it spread like wildfire. Businessmen and bankers knew military secrets faster and more accurately than the generals did.

Most businessmen had a foot in various camps. So, if Joseph were to inform the Parisian authorities that he was merely feigning injury, it wouldn't take an afternoon for every person with wealth and status in Paris to learn about his ruse. What would be the point then?

Concealing this information from the government created another problem: the government officials took it seriously. This highly confidential military secret soon became public knowledge in Paris, even appearing in some newspapers.

Of course, The Truth of Science, a prominent newspaper, immediately stepped up to debunk the rumors, stating, "In these trying times, everyone must remain calm and resist believing or spreading unfounded rumors!"

However, The Truth of Science did not provide any concrete evidence to dispel the circulating rumors. On the contrary, another news article in the same newspaper seemed to corroborate the rumor: General Moro had repelled the British attack on the Cateau, rapidly moving to support General Joseph Bonaparte in Verdun.Folloow current novÊls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)

For most people, this military maneuver almost confirmed the veracity of the story that Joseph was injured. Obviously, if Joseph weren't wounded, why would Moro need to rush to Verdun urgently?

Other actions seemed to reinforce this belief. Recent reports indicated that Mr. Lavasie, who had just returned to Paris and resumed his teaching position at the University of Paris, had abruptly left for Toulon for work-related reasons. Several researchers from the Institute of Military Research, including many "for work-related reasons," were dispatched to Toulon. The Truth of Science made no attempt to refute these claims, merely stating that these were planned and regular transfers.

Moreover, it wasn't just this. The turmoil gave rise to opportunistic crimes within the government itself. One morning, when the Finance Ministry's employees arrived at work, they discovered that Secretary Garcia had not shown up. It was quickly revealed that Garcia had forged signatures to embezzle a significant amount of government funds and had fled with his young wife.

This wasn't an isolated incident, and similar cases were on the rise.

In this chaos, the Royalists rekindled their activities, especially in areas with a concentration of property owners. They once again formed alliances with some of the National Guard. In some places, the Royalists' white flags were boldly displayed.

The legislators' response took Napoleon entirely by surprise, and he hadn't prepared for such a contingency. He turned pale, unsure of what to do.

Perhaps inspired by Napoleon's actions, the legislators boldly left their seats and began to converge on him. Napoleon had already begun scouting escape routes.

"Damn it, I walked in without a weapon!" Napoleon thought.

In this dire moment, a squad of soldiers and police, led by Lucien and Fouch, stormed in.

Bang! Lucien fired two shots into the air.

The legislators, brimming with zeal, promptly returned to their seats, resembling schoolchildren who had just seen their principal.

Lucien signaled to Napoleon to leave, and Napoleon quickly exited. Then, Lucien took the lectern and cast a malevolent glance around the room before saying, "I know that among you, some have betrayed the revolution, betrayed France, and become the Bourbons' lapdogs! Now you want to plot against the heroes of the revolution, the saviors of the Republic? Don't be fooled by these individuals; be vigilant!"

There was some murmuring among the legislators, but the presence of heavily armed soldiers kept most of them silent.

"Now I propose we revoke the immunity of those parliamentarians conspiring with the Royalists. All in favor, raise your hand," Lucien said, raising his own hand first.

The legislators followed suit, one by one, raising their hands.

"Very well, motion passed!" Lucien declared.

Then Lucien yielded his place to Fouch. Fouch produced a small notebook and began reciting names. For each name he mentioned, a person was escorted out by the police. Fouch only named five individuals, but they were the ones who had openly challenged Napoleon earlier.

After these individuals had been taken away, Lucien declared, "Now, can we invite Mr. Napoleon Bonaparte to continue his speech?"

So, Napoleon was brought back, and his speech became very concise: "You've all heard my proposal earlier. Now, we vote by raising our hands. Who's in favor, and who's against?"

All 500 legislators present voted unanimously in favor, guided by their sense of responsibility to the revolution, France, and history.