The Situation Joseph Needed

Joseph looked at the report on the captured supplies and could not help smiling in satisfaction.

They had met almost no meaningful resistance from the Hanoverians in this battle-the earlier encirclement and interpenetration had chiefly been responsible, scattering their deployments into utter disarray and leaving them unable to organize a proper fight-and the enemy had left behind nearly half their logistical supplies, saving the Royal Guard Legion over a million livres in expenses at the very least.

Those British-style cannons were treasures as well. They would be extremely useful for aiding forces whose support could not be publicized, such as Poland. They would not lead anyone to connect the matter to France.

Several Hanoverian officers had also been captured, and Joseph calculated whether he could squeeze two or three million livres out of them in ransom. Of course, that was his asking price; those nobles of the North German Confederation might not be able to afford it.

"Your Highness, good news!" came a staff officer's voice from behind him.

Joseph, Berthier, and the others all turned to see a legion staff officer hurrying over with a messenger, his face beaming as he called out, "Major Mason unexpectedly encountered Karl II's guards and successfully captured Karl II!"

Everyone immediately broke into exclamations of admiration and cheers. Only Joseph stood rooted to the spot as though struck by lightning, unable to utter a word for a long while.

My dear Battalion Commander Mason, did you have to be quite so formidable...?

I went to all that trouble to let the Hanoverian main force escape, and you went and captured their commander. Karl II was also the governor of Hanover. With this, Hanover would most likely withdraw from the war in the Southern Netherlands.

*The Austrians would certainly be delighted-Blücher alone could not