Descending On France 1780
Chapter 163 - 156 As long as Demure launches an attack, everything will get better

Chapter 163: 156 As long as Demure launches an attack, everything will get better

Three days later, Anning reined in his horse by the seaside of Nice.

Strangely enough, after so many years since his transmigration, he had not once thought to come and see the sea.

Lasalle took a bunch of grapes and happily munched away next to Anning, asking as he ate, "General, are you thinking about your hometown?"

Anning hesitated for a moment.

It had been over a decade since he transmigrated, and he had never returned to his hometown. Mainly because, as a transmigrator, he didn’t feel a sense of belonging there, and he also worried about being found out when communicating with relatives upon returning.

What if they thought he was possessed by a devil? That would be troublesome.

Although the power of religion was not as strong as during the witch hunt era, still...

In short, Anning considered it a hassle and had never gone back home, only occasionally sending money to prove he was still alive.

His family had not come looking for him either; perhaps they thought "General Frost" was another person with the same surname.

After all, the Frost surname was quite common in France.

Now, facing Lasalle’s question, Anning shrugged, "I am indeed thinking a bit about my hometown."

Lasalle: "I saw you enjoying the fish soup last night."

Anning smiled; he mainly hadn’t eaten fish for a long time, especially since there was no refrigeration technology, and it wasn’t easy to keep fish fresh while transporting it inland.

In places like Paris, they also ate river fish, which didn’t taste as good.

Anning: "Yes, the fish soup, the taste of home, did remind me of my childhood."

Lasalle: "In the future, we can often have fish soup, and when we get to Italy, there will be Italian delicacies! I’m telling you, Italian cuisine is no less excellent than French!"

In this era, France symbolized the high-end, speaking French and dining on French cuisine were the hallmarks of the upper class.

Consequently, most French people also thought French cuisine was the best in the world—a sentiment similar to the confidence Chinese people have in Chinese cuisine.

Yet here was Lasalle, a Frenchman, singing praises of the Italian food he had tasted, which was somewhat atypical.

Anning: "Yes, indeed, I’m looking forward to Italian cuisine as well."

Just then, Napoleon rode up on his horse: "Andy! What are you looking at?"

Lasalle: "The General is reminiscing about his hometown. By the way, isn’t your homeland right across the sea, Bonaparte?"

Napoleon turned somber: "Yes, it’s my homeland."

Anning took a glance at Napoleon and teased, "Back in his days at the Briena Military Academy, he was always clamoring for Corsica’s independence."

Napoleon smiled awkwardly: "Back then I was just a kid, and my idol was the Corsican hero of independence, Pauli."

Lasalle: "He’s not your hero anymore?"

"No, not anymore. It’s been a long time." Napoleon laughed, then looked at Anning.

Anning immediately said, "His hero now is Caesar, no doubt!"

Napoleon burst into laughter: "Yes, that’s right, Caesar! Who wouldn’t admire Caesar? Don’t you as well, Andy?"

Anning shook his head: "No, I don’t admire Caesar. Compared to Caesar, I admire the hero Horatius more."

"Horatius?" The painter David and Beethoven approached on horseback, his brow furrowing slightly, "Ah, I remember now, wasn’t he the guardian of the bridge?"

Napoleon: "I remember this man; he only has a short section in the Roman hero legends. What about him is admirable?"

Anning looked back at the Agientra Peak over forty kilometers away, then recited the poem "Horatius at the Bridge" written by the English poet:

"The guard at the city gate, Horatius said:"

"All life on this world will one day meet its end.

"Given this, to protect our ancestors’ ashes and the sacred temple of the gods, and to die fighting against the formidable enemy, bears the utmost value.

"For the sake of guarding my mother who loved me so dearly,

"For the sake of guarding my wife who has nursed the young to this day,

"For the sake of guarding the pure maidens who will kindle the eternal flame,

"For the sake of protecting the masses from the despicable ravages of Sextus, such a death is truly glorious!

"Governor, please give the order to dismantle the bridge!

"I shall stand with two of my comrades and fight off the enemy!

"Let us hold back the thousand enemy troops occupying the bridge with just three men!

"Come! Which two brave warriors will stand by me to guard the bridge?"

Anning finished reciting the entire poem with vivid expression, then turned his head to ask Napoleon, "Don’t you find this spirit of self-sacrifice for the people of the Republic, this fearlessness, extraordinarily moving?"

Napoleon: "Now that you put it like that, indeed..."

Lasalle took out his flask, biting the cap to twist it open—grape cluster still in his other hand—and then raised the flask high: "Let’s drink to Horatius!"

Anning: "If you want to drink, go ahead, no one will say anything."

Lasalle laughed heartily, then spit the cap from his mouth into the hand holding the grapes and tipped his head back for several hearty swigs.

The smell of the strong alcohol mixed with the sea breeze and rushed toward the faces of those present.

At that moment, Bertier rode up to the hilltop where Anning stood: "General, I’ve obtained the battle maps, and the supplies are arranged. I plan to leave a thousand men in Nice, responsible for the transportation of food and materials. I’ve also chosen the spots along the road where garrisons are needed, leaving a thousand men at each.

"By such count, when we reach Savona, we will still have twenty-five thousand men, plus Savona’s ten thousand, giving us thirty-five thousand to face Boliue’s fifty thousand.

"The good news is, Boliue also needs to disperse his forces to defend various places and transport logistics. I estimate their field force to be between forty and forty-two thousand men."

Anning: "Very well, that’s much better than expected, extraordinarily good! When can we depart?"

"I plan to rest and repair in Nice for a day and to send Cavalry to scout the road conditions ahead," said Bertier, "Most of the way is sea and coastal hills, with complex terrain."

Anning: "Lasalle, your first task has arrived!"

Lasalle casually tossed away the grapes he hadn’t finished, tightened the cap of the flask, and replied: "Alright! I’ll set off right away! Before the army marches out tomorrow, I will make sure the route to Albenga is clear!"

With that, Lasalle turned his horse around and galloped off.

Napoleon, watching his departing figure, said with a smile: "I quite like this Cavalryman, he seems to never have any worries."

Anning: "Indeed, he’s a likeable fellow."

After all, that was one of the most formidable cavalry officers during the French Revolution.

**

At this time, in Paris, the bigwigs of the Girondists were holding a meeting in the hall of the Girondins Club.

"Gentlemen!" Brissot excitedly said, "According to the latest news, that Frost has already arrived in Nice and will soon be out of France!"

The gentlemen of the Girondists all showed smiles.

"Italy is but a minor theater," someone said, "no matter what feats he pulls off, he won’t gain as much prestige as before!"

Brissot: "Exactly, and on our side, as soon as General Demure achieves victory in the north, we will instantly gain immense prestige! Then, we can finally liberate ourselves from Frost’s tyranny!"

The crowd nodded in agreement, everyone looking jubilant.

"We should issue another order, commanding Demure to attack immediately!"