Descending On France 1780
Chapter 46 - 46 042 My classmate Napoleon

46: 042 My classmate Napoleon 46: 042 My classmate Napoleon In the blink of an eye, a month had passed in military school.

During this month, Anning and Napoleon had both sunk to the very bottom of the class hierarchy.

Napoleon was there because he was from Corsica and poor.

Anning was there because he was a commoner.

But Anning had a trump card: taking off his gloves.

The moment he did so, the nobles would immediately start speaking politely.

Especially after Anning used the Anti-rebound ability provided by the system to block the instructor’s attack in Swordsmanship Class, no one dared to misbehave in front of Anning with his glove in hand.

It was said among the noble classmates that Anning was actually a swordsmanship instructor from a Duke’s family, a once-in-a-generation swordsmanship prodigy.

As for how a commoner could become a swordsmanship prodigy, of course, it was because Anning was actually a hidden noble.

The most exaggerated rumor claimed that Anning was, in fact, the grandson of a bastard son of Louis XIV, fostered by the Duke of Orleans.

But these rumors did not change the situation of Anning being ostracized by his noble classmates in the class.

Anning didn’t really care; after all, Napoleon was destined to be ostracized because of his Corsican origin, and this was a good opportunity for Anning to establish a deep friendship with the future Emperor of France.

When Napoleon became Emperor, he would surely remember his good friend who was ostracized together at Briena back in the day!

Furthermore, after Napoleon’s ascension to the throne, he liked to bestow noble titles on his relatives and friends; perhaps Anning could get a Duke or Prince title himself.

During the first month at the military school, Anning had only seen the noble ladies from Briena at Christina’s ball.

Anning had danced with one of the girls who had a large chest and had stepped heavily on her feet.

The noble classmates present at the ball did not miss this chance to ridicule Anning, until he took out his glove.

Napoleon had no interest in Christina’s ball, but was forcibly dragged there by Anning and so he spent the whole time at the dessert section, eating his heart out with desserts made by Christina’s chef from Paris.

It was evident that Napoleon, still a boy at heart, had a childlike desire for sweets.

It’s normal for kids to love candy.

But when Anning gave Napoleon a “big brother understands you” look, Napoleon noticed and then never touched another dessert again.

He probably saw it as a weakness and stubbornly wanted to overcome it.

Apart from inviting Napoleon to Christina’s ball, Anning also frequently invited Napoleon to his home for book clubs, to share insights from reading Rousseau and others.

Additionally, Napoleon, not wanting to waste his own candles, would sometimes come to Anning’s place at night to catch the light from the oil lamp to read.

That evening, Napoleon came over again.

After Vanni brought him up to Anning’s second-floor study, she gave Anning a meaningful look—it was clear Vanni still somewhat suspected Anning of being a pervert who liked boys.

Anning: “Vanni, have you finished your work for the night?

Come join us for a read, I know you bought the latest romance novel today.

This way we can save on lighting another lamp.”

Vanni: “Wouldn’t that disturb you guys?”

“Not really.

Rather, our discussion might disturb you.”

Vanni: “Ah, a discussion?

About what?”

Just as Anning was about to reply, Napoleon impatiently asked Anning, “You were telling me yesterday that France is now at a juncture where a social revolution is about to erupt, and that the people of France are on the eve of awakening.

So, do you mean a massive change is coming?”

Anning: “Yes, but humans are creatures of inertia; as long as life is bearable, they tend to procrastinate.”

Napoleon asked with concern, “Then what would it take to get them to act?”

Anning shrugged, “Maybe a natural disaster?

Because a natural disaster makes life unbearable, and thus the general outbreak comes.”

Napoleon immediately retorted, “How is that possible?

France is so large and has a good climate with fertile grain-producing regions everywhere.

How severe would a natural disaster have to be to make the entire France unable to carry on?”

One has to say that it’s just like Napoleon to immediately zero in on the crux of the issue.

Places with favorable natural conditions don’t easily burst into large-scale revolutions.

Look at Brazil, a place favored by God; even in its sorry state, no great revolution has erupted.

Because the natural conditions there are too good, people can just scrape by and still be able to have enough to eat.

The reason why France was able to have a major revolution in 1789 is that in 1788, France experienced a whole year of natural disasters, resulting in a decrease in the grain harvest.

Even so, the people were still starving until the middle of 1789, and then the revolt finally broke out in full.

Anning: “How should I put it, there are some things that when it’s time for them to come, they will come.”

Napoleon sneered, obviously not wanting to dwell on this problem related to fate and instead promptly changed the subject: “Assuming the revolution does come, will France then instantly turn into the kind of civil society depicted by Rousseau?”

Anning shook his head: “Of course not.”

“Why?”

“Because France is such a large country, and the degree of enlightenment among the people varies.

People in Paris have a high literacy rate, they read newspapers about the Enlightenment all the time, listen to orators speak on the streets, watch plays, and they would naturally become qualified citizens rapidly.

“But in the vast countryside of France, the villagers are illiterate, and haven’t been to school, they don’t even know what Enlightenment thought is.

They might initially rise up simply because they can’t go on living like this.

“But these people will not become citizens just because the revolution has come.

Their initial demands were merely to have enough to eat.

Once that demand is met, they would want to return to the stable life they had before.”

Napoleon frowned: “You mean to say, the people will be divided?”

“Yes, that’s inevitable.”

“What happens after that?

What will happen after the division?”

“Use your brain, by then the people would have already tried once to express their thoughts through violence, they will resort to violence again, and the division among the people will turn into a civil war.”

Napoleon looked at Anning puzzledly: “Why do you look as though you’ve already seen them do this when you speak?

It’s as if you’re talking about something that will definitely happen, why are you so confident…”

Because I really have seen it…

For you, it’s the future; for me, it’s a past written in the history textbooks.

Of course, Anning couldn’t say that, so he revealed a mysterious and inscrutable smile: “We can make a bet of twenty sous.”

Napoleon sneered: “I’m not going to bet with you.

Betting is only meaningful when there’s a disagreement, but I’m convinced by you.

If civil war is destined to happen in France’s future, then we soldiers will have quite the opportunity, won’t we?

After all, during the years of chaos brought on by continuous civil war, the value of military force will increase.”

Anning nodded: “That’s exactly it.

In that kind of chaos, it’s even possible for a military dictatorship to emerge.

Just like in ancient Rome, think about Caesar and Octavian.”

Exactly, you, Napoleon, will become the Caesar of France.

Napoleon looked at Anning: “I remember you actively requested the Duke to recommend you join the Briena Military Academy, right?

Could it be…

that this is your plan after seeing through the future?”

No, no, no, my active choice to come to Briena was because you were here.

I came to get close to you, to cling to your coat-tails.

But that was something Anning couldn’t just come out and say.

Napoleon nodded to himself: “What terrifying foresight and decisiveness.”

— Wait a second, is there something wrong here…

Am I perhaps getting a little too carried away showing off based on the script I’ve seen?

At this moment, Anning’s system suddenly popped up a prompt: [Napoleon Bonaparte’s admiration for you has increased.]

Well, as long as the outcome is good, everything is fine…

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