News of Uncertain Truth

The Military-Industrial Complex has its own unique cryptographic system, which can rapidly transmit information through the nation's economic signaling system. On this particular day, Napoleon, who was fishing and picnicking by the river with several officers, received a message sent to him using the Military-Industrial Complex's code.

As Napoleon chuckled and accepted the intelligence, he remarked to Berthier, who was spreading butter on his bread, "I bet it's that coward Joseph again, urging us to go and save his life..."

With that, Napoleon took the intelligence report, but after only a couple of glances, he jumped up from the ground. "Damn Joseph! Stop playing around, get up, we need to prepare for a forced march!"

"What's wrong? Has something happened at the front?" Berthier was startled by Napoleon's appearance. His hand trembled, and the bread he had just spread with butter slipped from his hand and fell onto his trousers, making them covered in butter.

"Yes, something's happened, something terrible! That idiot Joseph, that moron!" Napoleon cursed viciously, his face ashen. "Where's his brain? Did the dogs gnaw it all down there?!"

Seeing Napoleon's ferocious expression, Berthier hesitated and asked, "General... could it be... could it be that Verdun has fallen?"

"If that were the case, that would be fine!" Napoleon said bitterly. "But that's impossible. I told you, that idiot Joseph could hold Verdun until he dies of old age... It's just that this guy is too ruthless. In just three days, three days! That idiot has killed and maimed tens of thousands of Britain and Prussia. Now he says that the Britain and Prussia haven't come out to attack for a whole day! They're trying to run away! Damn it, I gave up the honor of annihilating Suvorov in Italy, crossed treacherous mountains, and traveled thousands of miles to Paris, just to... just for a picnic? That fool, couldn't he have gone a little easier and given them something to look forward to? He..."

As Napoleon walked back, he tried hard to recall all the words Joseph had used on him before, and then applied them all to Joseph. Once he was on his horse and had calmed down a bit, Berthier quickly said, "Then why don't we have General Joseph Bonaparte take the initiative and hold them off?"

"Dream on! Don't even think about it, this guy will never take the initiative to attack!" Napoleon replied almost without hesitation.

"Isn't Murat there?" Berthier said. "Why don't we let him lead the troops to counterattack?"

"Then we can really just turn back to Italy," Napoleon said. "If it were Davout or... Ah, Louis, I was so stupid, so very stupid! I thought Joseph only needed to hold Verdun and didn't need any technical guidance at all. I never imagined Joseph would go so far, so I sent Murat. If I had listened to you and Davout instead, things would be much better now... Ah..."

After sighing for a moment, Napoleon said again, "Send a message to that fool immediately. I don't care what method he uses, but he must stall the Britain and Prussia for at least another week!"

In fact, when the Britain and Prussia hadn't launched another attack for a whole day, Joseph knew things were getting serious. What if, what if the Britain and Prussia stopped fighting and went back to a defensive posture? That wouldn't be good for things to do later. So, while cursing that bastard Napoleon for not coming sooner, Joseph racked his brains trying to figure out how to keep those Britain and Prussia there.

"What if we take the initiative, give away some kills, and make them think we've suffered heavy losses but have a glimmer of hope?" Joseph wondered. "No, that would damage my reputation later; and what if things go wrong?"

Therefore, Joseph immediately rejected this idea himself.

So what if we take the initiative, stick to our opponent, and prevent them from retreating immediately?

This is a highly technical task, requiring excellent control over the timing, method, and force of contact. To do this, one needs at least a level eight level of micro-management. Joseph spent a full five hundred billion picoseconds conducting a preliminary assessment of his micro-management skills, and then rejected the plan without hesitation.

So how do we get John and Fritz to stay? The answer is to create the illusion that with a little more effort, they can succeed. But how do we guide them to this illusion?

Thinking about it this way, Joseph then wondered what he would think if he were a general on John's or Fritz's side.

"Russia has already broken its alliance. If the war drags on, it won't be good for either Britain or Prussia. Well, Paris is already within reach, and they've already paid such a high price. If they give up the offensive, it's tantamount to admitting defeat, which would be difficult for them to explain. So, as long as there's a reason to continue the offensive, even if it's not a very convincing one, they will definitely continue. The problem is how to give them that reason. Hmm, it seems there are some double agents on Fouché's side..."

So Joseph gathered his officers together for a meeting, and then...

In the small living room of Germany Banker Bastian, several people were gathered together discussing matters.

"Philippe, do you think this news is reliable?" a tall, thin middle-aged man asked.

"Your Excellency, I'm not sure if this news is true. This news came from Viscount Thierry in Paris, and Thierry's work in Paris over the years has been quite effective overall," the young man named Philippe replied, his hands on the table. If you looked closely, you would notice that the skin on his hands had a peculiar waxy yellow color, like tanned leather.

"Highly effective?" The tall, thin middle-aged man sneered. "So-called highly effective means letting tens of thousands of people be chased and hacked down by hundreds?"

"Your Excellency, I think you are being a bit too demanding of Viscount Thierry. Whether it's a few hundred or tens of thousands, they are essentially our enemies. So whoever killed whom, I think it's a success for Viscount Thierry. We cannot take back Paris through revolution or riots; after all, we cannot accept a kingdom where parliament decides everything," the man named Philippe replied.

Philippe's reply wasn't particularly polite, but his firm political stance and judgment of friend and foe were very much to the earl's liking. Therefore, the earl wasn't angry and even nodded in agreement, saying, "Philippe, you're right. My demands on Viscount Thierry might indeed have been too harsh. If his news is true, then the day we return to Paris is probably not far off..."

This man was the Count of Artois, exiled abroad; the beheaded King Louis XVI; and the younger brother of the self-proclaimed King Louis XVIII of France. In the original history, after the Bourbon Dynasty Restoration, he also reigned for a period, known as Charles X. Among all the Royalist Party, he was the most conservative and the most stubborn.

"Your Excellency, at this time, I feel that regardless of whether this news is true or not, we should treat it as true," Philippe added.

"Mr. Treville, what do you mean by this?" asked one of the men beside Count Avatu. At the same time, Count Avatu also turned his questioning gaze to him.

"Gentlemen, we have just received news of the setback suffered by the Anglo-Prussian Allied Forces at Verdun," Philippe de Treville said, glancing around at the crowd, who all nodded in agreement.

"And our friends in the Britain and Prussia armies have told us that Britain and Prussia are considering a temporary withdrawal. The reliability of this information is beyond doubt, as you gentlemen are all aware of," Philippe de Treville continued. "What will be the consequences of their temporary retreat? Have you gentlemen considered that?"

Everyone remained silent.

"Soon, General Napoleon Bonaparte's army will arrive in Paris. If the Britain and Prussia cannot take Verdun before this army arrives, then once it does, they will have even less chance of taking Verdun and conquering Paris. Gentlemen, what will happen next?"

Everyone remained silent.

"There will be a decisive battle, the best outcome of which is that both sides lose the ability to continue their offensive. Then we can negotiate a peace, with the rebels betraying the Ireland and Poland, and the Britain Prussia betraying us, thus achieving 'peace'; or General Napoleon Bonaparte will achieve another glorious victory... Gentlemen, how much difference would such an outcome make for us? Wouldn't it both be a great defeat for us?"

At this point, Philippe de Treville paused to allow everyone time to process his meaning before continuing, "Therefore, for us, it is imperative to push forward the Allied offensive against Verdun. Only by taking Verdun and capturing Paris can we achieve victory. Any other outcome would be a bitter pill to swallow, wouldn't it?"

Therefore, this news, whether true or false, is good news that can spur the Britain and Prussia to continue their offensive. If it is true, we will be the biggest winners; even if it is false, a trap, we will not be the ones paying the price, nor even our most reliable ally. So, gentlemen, I don't understand why we, who are neither Britain nor Prussia, should hesitate about whether this news is true or not.

"Clap clap clap..." Count Avatu led the applause.