Descending On France 1780
Chapter 158 - 151 Bertier’s Joining

Chapter 158: 151 Bertier’s Joining

Beethoven dismounted and entered the house, still eagerly sharing his creative insights.

"I tried my best to use music to express the fearless spirit you displayed when charging towards forty thousand enemy soldiers..."

Anning: "Twenty to thirty thousand, not forty thousand."

"Sorry, the fearless spirit you displayed when charging towards the enemy, and I made the melody lighter because I felt that you were very light-hearted during the charge, without any psychological burden, as if you weren’t putting tens of thousands of enemies in your eyes!"

At this moment, the painter David interrupted Beethoven’s narrative: "Did you see the moment when General Frost charged at the enemy?"

Beethoven: "I saw it, I was at the general’s camp, just a night before the battle, only a hundred meters away from the front line! I saw the general charging towards the widespread enemy alone!"

David: "Oh, fantastic, then I must also listen to the song you composed, so it can help me imagine that scene!"

Beethoven: "Sure! Let’s go!"

Then Beethoven happily walked forward, familiarly heading to the piano in the side room of the monastery.

This side room was originally for the choir to sing, and now it is unused, occasionally Anning would listen to Beethoven playing new music here.

Beethoven tested a few notes, confirmed that the piano was in good condition, then took a deep breath and began to play.

Anning’s brows twisted into knots as soon as he heard the prelude.

He was too familiar with this melody, the first time he heard this melody was while watching the old movie "Tank Battle," which tells the story of the American side during the Battle of the Bulge.

There were also some depictions of the German side, including a scene where a German pioneer armored brigade commander inspected his "new recruits", when the officer yelled, "These are children, it’s impossible for them to counterattack," and then the young German soldiers stomped their feet and sang a German military song.

Later, Anning learned that this song was called "Armored Troops Song."

Yes, Beethoven had written the "Armored Troops Song."

Anning wanted to facepalm. Could it be that famous musicians actually draw from a library of existing music when composing their songs?

That shouldn’t be the case. How could a song praising a French general be drawn from a German tune?

Wait a minute, Beethoven is German!

Although Germany didn’t exist yet, he spoke German!

Suddenly it all made sense!

Fortunately, France was not yet the later "surrendering chicken." Otherwise, the French present would probably raise their hands instinctively when this song played.

Besides Anning, who was pretending to be French, there was a real Frenchman present, and when he heard this melody, he was obviously very enchanted and tapped along with the rhythm.

Beethoven played while rhythmically tapping his foot on the side without the pedal, making the scene more like the movie scene in Anning’s memory.

After the song ended, he turned his head to ask Anning: "What do you think?"

Anning nodded: "Very nice, light-hearted, and yet filled with bravery. Have you decided on the name of the piece?"

"No, I call it ’March No. 4’."

Anning: "How about I name the piece?"

"Of course, this is a song praising you. You can name it anything you like!" Beethoven decisively said.

Anning: "Let’s call it ’Cavalry March’, I feel it fits the Cavalry’s temperament perfectly. What about the lyrics? I hope it becomes a singable song."

The original lyrics Anning completely forgot, just remembered one line was "Only the loyal chariot will give us a steel grave."

Beethoven: "Not yet, I haven’t had the chance to show it to my partner."

Anning: "Complete the piece quickly, as we just got a bunch of cavalry, it would be a gift for them."

Beethoven looked troubled: "This song is to praise you. I originally wanted to call it ’The Great General Frost Marching’, changing it to praise the cavalry... No, if you think so, then let it be!"

It seemed Beethoven convinced himself.

Anning patted him on the shoulder: "Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like this song..."

"I know, you don’t want us to praise your bravery, you are always so humble! But being humble shouldn’t disregard the truth!"

Anning: "No, listen to me, I think that a song is also a kind of combat power! Look at ’Hymn of Rome’, the soldiers’ courage doubles when they sing the Hymn of Rome on the battlefield!"

"I hope this outstanding song also plays the same role! I hope it inspires my soldiers and gives them courage!"

"The situation is very pessimistic now, General Buye is stirring in the northeast, and foreign forces are also gearing up. We must mobilize everything we can to confront the enemy."

When Anning said this, he felt like a motivational speaker deceiving the youth.

Beethoven is indeed a young man now.

But before Beethoven had spoken, the painter David—older than Anning—expressed moved: "It’s great that you are still considering France! Thinking about the future of the country!"

Anning thought somewhat speechlessly, wondering if everything he does now would be praised.

Don’t be like this, you guys calm down.

Just then, Lazar Kano appeared at the door of the room, knocking lightly.

Anning: "Kano, you’re back. Are the Cavalry settled?"

"They are settled. I’m not here to report that. I came because Bertier, who is confined in the monastery, just told the person watching him that he wants to meet you."

Anning slapped the table hard: "Great! He’s finally willing to join us!"

Beethoven: "Isn’t Bertier the Chief of Staff for Lafayette?"

"Yes, he is the most outstanding Chief of Staff I have encountered, so I plan to recruit him," Anning said.

Painter David: "You would actually employ a former enemy?"

Anning: "I want all talented people to come under my command!"

David uttered an "oh," apparently imagining something else.

Anning didn’t care about him and said to Lazar Kano: "Let’s go there quickly."

Beethoven: "Wait, if Bertier comes as Chief of Staff, what about Mr. Kano?"

Lazar Kano: "I’m not really good at marching and fighting..."

Anning interrupted Kano’s modesty: "I’ve decided, if Bertier joins us and becomes the Chief of Staff, I will establish a position of Director of Military Needs, equal in rank to the Chief of Staff, responsible for troop recruitment, reorganization, and logistics procurement. I believe Lazar will play an important role in this area!"

Kano: "I will do my best."

Anning nodded and left the side hall with big strides.

**

Bertier was confined in a suite within the monastery, well supplied with food and drink.

When Anning entered the suite, Bertier was pacing back and forth in the room.

Seeing Anning enter, he immediately stopped and respectfully bowed: "General Frost, good morning."

Anning: "Good morning. As soon as I heard you wanted to see me, I came right away."

Bertier frowned slightly: "I don’t understand why you care so much about me, I am a noble!"

Anning: "You are a military noble. Your father was also a military engineer. I think you are different from those nobles who exploit the people.

"In my army, there are also many such nobles, like Davout—he is my beloved general!"

Just as Bertier was about to say something, Lazar Kano came in.

His face showed difficulty; he hesitated before speaking: "But you already have a Chief of Staff, and letting me be a Chief of Staff..."

Kano: "I’m better at organizing troops and procuring materials; frankly, I’m more suited to be Minister of War, not a Chief of Staff."

Anning: "After you join, I will appoint Lazar as Director of Military Needs, to do what he is best at."

Bertier scoffed, then said: "Do you really not mind? Ask others, during your battle with Lafayette, I once advised Lafayette to use Cavalry to kill you!"

Anning laughed: "At that time we were enemies; there’s nothing wrong with trying to kill an enemy. You did everything a Chief of Staff should do, which is praiseworthy!"

Bertier stared at Anning, silent for a long time, then finally decided with resolve: "Alright! Since you’ve put it this way, it would be too arrogant of me not to agree!"

Anning laughed, extending his hand: "Come on, let’s achieve great things together!"

Bertier firmly shook Anning’s hand.