Descending On France 1780
Chapter 108: Go back to Paris for the 102nd time

Chapter 108: Go back to Paris for the 102nd time

When Dan Dong arrived, Anning was playing bridge in his office with several local gentlemen.

After all, he had not heard that Dan Dong would be coming.

The Attendant knocked and entered, saying to Anning, "Commander, there’s a gentleman from Paris who claims to be your friend."

Anning frowned, "I have many friends in Paris, which one is it?"

"This one!"

Dan Dong’s voice made Anning look up.

"Dan Dong!" Anning was overjoyed, putting down his cards and saying to the local gentlemen, "Let’s stop here for today. We have a distinguished guest from Paris, I need to find the guest."

The gentlemen nodded and stood up to take their leave of Anning.

Once they had left the room, Dan Dong asked, "Who are those people?"

"Oh, those are the local grain and cloth merchants," Anning waved his hand dismissively, "I gave them titles as deputies of the National Assembly and brought them into the local Parliament. My troops are stationed here permanently; their support is indispensable."

Dan Dong was shocked: "You’re planning to stay here permanently? All of Paris is waiting for your triumphant return! Everyone wants to meet the great hero who defeated twenty thousand enemies with just over a thousand men."

Anning: "Twenty thousand enemies? My conscience is clear, the entire Rebel Army of Conte doesn’t even number ten thousand..."

"But the people of Paris are saying you defeated twenty thousand, and some even swear that you did it because you fought and killed enemy leaders in a duel in front of your troops, claiming that you slayed over a dozen Rebel Army leaders!"

— Am I Guan Yu or what?

Drinking warm wine while beheading Rebel Army leaders? That’s not right either; I’d need a Zhang Fei to drum for me!

While Anning was in shock, Dan Dong continued: "Maximilien proposed in Parliament to promote you to the rank of Brigadier General, saying ’If such a soldier is not a general, I would question what’s wrong with our military system.’"

— Robespierre, what are you up to! Just take care of yourself!

Dan Dong: "Later, it was Lafayette who said that the promotion should wait until you return to Paris, at least until they’ve heard your battle report.

"I think Lafayette just doesn’t want you to get promoted. It’s said he wanted to delay sending troops and let the Rebel Army teach you a lesson, but you ended up crushing them instead!

"Amazing, how did you manage to take down twenty thousand with less than two thousand men?"

"Uh, as I just said, I didn’t take down twenty thousand..."

"Then shouldn’t you hurry back to Paris to explain the situation?" Dan Dong interrupted Anning, "If you don’t return soon, they’ll start claiming you defeated a hundred thousand!"

Good grief, two thousand against a hundred thousand? Am I, like, leading a Space Marine Chapter from Warhammer 40K?

Dan Dong: "Look at how shocked you are, hurry back to Paris! I don’t get it, why don’t you quickly return and, with your victory’s prestige, become a leading voice of Parliament instead of hiding out here?"

— I’m staying in Conte City precisely because I don’t want to become a leading voice!

At this rate, I’ll become the backbone of the revolution, so much for sitting on the fence!

Anning: "The thing is, I’ve found that I’m more suited to leading troops and fighting wars than sitting in Parliament meetings with the gents. I plan to continue leading my troops and ensuring Conte City is secured against more revolts."

Dan Dong: "And then you can play bridge here?"

"Playing bridge is part of the job, it’s to win over the local nobility," Anning explained.

"Okay, I understand," Dan Dong nodded, "Anyway, you still have to return to Paris sooner or later, right? You need to report back, and ever since your victory, the King has been looking forward to your return. Your triumph has also greatly increased the Royal Family’s prestige. I heard His Majesty is even planning to give you a dukedom!"

Anning: "We’re in the midst of a revolution, what would I do with a dukedom? After the August Decree, peasants sent all the local nobles to the guillotine, I don’t plan on joining them."

Dan Dong: "I know; your heart is with the revolution, no one is more passionate about the revolution than you."

——What the devil?

Dan Dong my friend, you seem to have quite a big misunderstanding about me!

Yet, this misunderstanding could not be explained, Anning had no choice but to accept it: "Alright alright, I will dispatch a company, and in a few days, escort the masterminds of the Conte rebellion to Paris."

Anning paused for a moment and added, "I also have to repay the military funds I borrowed from the Duke of Orleans."

Anning certainly remembered the ten thousand Crowns in silver coins given to him by the Duke of Orleans.

He planned to repay the Duke with twenty thousand Crowns.

After all, Anning was now wealthy, possessing the gold and silver treasures of the entire Great Cathedral.

Dan Dong: "Well, that’s great, then I’ll stay here for a few days, just in time to keep you company playing bridge!"

**

A few days later, the troops returning to Paris were decided upon.

Anning had called up a company of infantry and all of the Cavalry, forming a large contingent for the return to Paris.

The remaining troops were left in Conte, led by Lieutenant Russell.

Dan Dong was shocked to hear this arrangement: "Russell? Isn’t he the mason you promoted? You’re really letting him lead the entire troop?"

Anning replied: "What’s wrong with being a mason, I used to be a leatherworker myself. Russell performed well in the suppression battle, he can be trusted."

Dan Dong: "Alright then, you are the god of military affairs who has just won a great battle, the Magician of the battlefield, you have the final say."

Anning: "Why are you also calling me the Magician of the battlefield now?"

"I went to the tavern for drinks yesterday, heard the locals all calling you that. I think this title is quite fitting, it suits you, with just two thousand men you defeated— I mean, one hundred thousand, no, ten thousand men, it really is like magic."

Anning could only shake his head.

Another day passed, and preparations to return to Paris were completed, with the troops assembled at the monastery gates.

Anning prepared two prison carriages, holding the former Cardinal of Conte and the heads of various monasteries.

Christina led the Cavalry girls in front of the prison carriages, while the selected company by Anning formed the rear guard.

As for Anning himself, he rode on a big white horse at the very front of the procession, with Dan Dong riding beside him on a horse.

When this troop set out from Conte City, the common folk of Conte surged onto the streets, gathering on both sides to watch.

Seeing the former bishops on the prison carriages, the masses bowed their heads and crossed themselves.

Observing this, Dan Dong said to Anning, "You are really impressive, to make these devout commoners so compliant as they watch their bishops being taken away."

"They are so obedient because after arriving here, I increased the grain merchants’ purchasing prices, letting the merchants buy at high prices and sell at low prices, with the difference being compensated by the Church’s wealth."

Dan Dong asked with some surprise, "Can your finances really handle this?"

Anning laughed: "You don’t know how much gold and silver I found in the churches here. These priests, they are simply vampires, fattened with the blood and flesh of the citizens."

Dan Dong nodded in agreement: "Indeed, ever since the confiscation of the Church’s property, Paris’s finances have greatly improved, and the Parliament can finally settle down to draft a constitution. Everything will develop in a positive direction from now on. In my view, the revolution will soon come to an end!"

Having read the historical script, Anning chose to remain silent at this moment.

At that time, a breeze blew from behind, bringing along the military song sung by the infantry marching behind.

Dan Dong turned his head to listen for a few seconds, then asked Anning, "What’s this song about?"