"Idiot! Don't you even know how to deal with rats?"
Seeing that his subordinate still looked utterly bewildered, Marshal Adrien explained helplessly, "Use cats to catch rats. It's such a simple matter—how could you not think of it?
"If the enemy won't show themselves, find a way to lure them out. Find some local strongmen and have them hunt down the rebels.
"Use both threats and inducements. Not everyone has a backbone; catch one, and you can drag out a whole nest."
Threats and inducements were nothing new. France had already used them when it first annexed the Italian region, and the results had been quite good.
But as time passed, things gradually changed. The cats they had tamed lived too comfortably, and even their rat-catching skills had deteriorated.
The middle-aged officer said awkwardly, "But Marshal, we have no authority to interfere in local affairs. Acting rashly may provoke dissatisfaction from the local government."
For a country to remain stable, the separation of military and civil administration was indispensable. Without question, France was a country where military and civil affairs were kept separate.
The military could arrest members of the Italian Independence Organization who sabotaged logistical transport, but courting powerful local figures was a political taboo.
After hesitating for a moment, Adrien nodded. He had not risen to his current position by being a political novice.
Many seemingly insignificant unwritten rules in officialdom could not be violated. Even as a lofty French marshal, he was no exception.
"Send a telegram to the cabinet explaining the situation. Have them find a way to coordinate with the local government and cooperate with us in wiping out the Italian rebels colluding with Austria."
Adrien knew French bureaucrats' shitty habits all too well. Those who could occupy high office were all the sort who