"Victory! The South China Army defeated a hundred thousand Prussian troops in Rouen!"
"Bismarck went to see the Emperor of Nanhua and ask for peace!"
Even on the streets of Paris, newspaper sellers shouted loudly to him. They waved the newspapers in their hands and told the citizens of the city the news of victory. For ordinary citizens, the news of victory was certainly important, but more importantly
What's important?
Of course it was the news in the newspaper.
"For the sake of peace and the lives of the two million people besieged in Paris, after negotiation, Prime Minister Bismarck agreed to bring a train loaded with food into Paris! It will be escorted by Emperor Nanhua himself!"
On September 15, the vanguard of the German army entered the suburbs of Paris. The last train left Paris on the 18th, and the railway was cut off the next day. The Prussian army completely surrounded Paris, the capital of France. This was the first time in history that this city with a history of 150 years was cut off.
The first siege of a large city with a population of 10,000 people increased the city's population to 2 million due to the influx of refugees.
However, the Prussian army did not dare to attack Paris. They had good reasons: first, the number of garrison troops in the city was close to 350,000, while the number of German siege troops did not exceed 120,000; secondly, the Prussian army only had 622 gates under the city of Paris.
artillery, while the defenders were equipped with 2,627 artillery pieces. In the history of world wars, it is difficult to find a situation where the besieged side has such a huge numerical advantage over the attacking side.
Although most of the troops defending Paris were newly recruited National Guardsmen, the strong bastion walls and city walls still provided good defense for this heart-shaped city.
However, for ordinary Parisians and the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have poured into the city, they are more concerned about food - food!
Although the siege took less than a month, the food supply in Paris had nearly doubled, and many ordinary people were already half-starved.
Parisians need bread!
If there were no more bread, a revolution might be waiting there.
In fact, many revolutions in Paris were caused by bread. After all, for the vast majority of ordinary Paris citizens, what they care about is not a republic or an emperor at all, all they care about is bread.
.
All they need is bread!
"Let us give peace a chance! Mr. Bismarck, for the sake of the two million hungry citizens in Paris, I ask you to allow us to send the food donated by Nanhua into the city!"
During the meeting with Bismarck, Zhu Xianhai made this request, and Bismarck agreed!
In fact, there is not much food, only 2,000 tons, and the average amount for each citizen is only... 1 kilogram!
But it was enough to excite and cheer every Parisian, whether rich or poor, republican, royalist or Bonapartist, who were there to praise the benevolence of the Emperor of Nanhua.
Overnight, no, I should say, with Nanhua's victory again and again, the name of the Emperor of Nanhua has been sung by the Parisians and the French.
France’s glorious history belongs to Napoleon, but their Emperor Napoleon III did not live up to expectations!
Fortunately, they also have a son-in-law from Napoleon's family.
Well, you can be considered half French!
France can only win if it is led by foreigners and women!
Regardless of whether this was a joke or not, this was not good news for Emperor Napoleon III who was on the front line. Even when faced with the Queen's suggestion that he go to the Paris train station to welcome Emperor Nanhua's visit, he directly
He refused flatly.
"You must understand that the Prussian army is outside the fortress now. As the emperor, I must defend my country and Paris. The emperor cannot give up his responsibilities!"
After such a righteous answer, Napoleon III, who became the protector of Paris, directly gave the queen the task of receiving the arrival of the Nanhua Emperor and his niece-in-law.
"Damn it, do they want to use me as his foil?"
The reason why Napoleon III was unwilling to greet Zhu Xianhai was, to put it bluntly, because of his face. How could an emperor who had been defeated many times stand in front of an emperor who was victorious in every battle?
When they stood together, he, Napoleon, was nothing but a loser! At that time, it would only intensify the Parisians' dissatisfaction with him!
"Your Majesty, what you need now is a victory! On the battlefield and in diplomacy!"
Count Alexander Vanevski was not only the foreign minister of the empire, he was actually the emperor's cousin, the illegitimate son of his Napoleon I and Countess Valevskaya of Poland.
As a member of his own family, Alexander certainly understood the crisis the emperor was facing. Now that the emperor's reputation had been severely shaken by failures, he needed a series of victories.
Only a series of victories could allow the emperor to retain his throne, and of course his own personal glory and wealth.
"Victory on the battlefield? Alexander, don't you know our situation? Although we have 350,000 troops in Paris, the vast majority are National Guardsmen, gendarmes, policemen, customs officers, foresters, and security guards.
and other paramilitary personnel. They are very short of training and experience, and do not know what to do or how to do it. Using them to defend Paris may be possible, but if you want to defeat the Prussians, this..."
It's like a dream. Napoleon III didn't even dare to dream this dream!
After all, the dream is too beautiful to be believed!
"Unless, together with them, but Alexander, even then, McMahon and he defeated the Prussians, but, in the eyes of the outside world, the victory still belongs to him and has nothing to do with me!"
When the emperor finished speaking, Count Alexander Vanevsky said.
"If the battlefield doesn't work, let's do diplomacy! Everyone in the world is paying attention to him, but this is France! Bismarck and the others must also know this very well. Your Majesty, if you agree, I am willing to visit Mr. Bismarck. I think
Now he knows better than anyone else - the war will definitely end with Prussia's defeat!"
"Go to Bismarck!"
Napoleon III looked at Count Alexander Vanevsky and said,
"Peace talks? We must make the Prussians pay the price for their atrocities. God can testify that in six months at the latest, we will launch a new counterattack. By then, we will fight all the way to Berlin! Alexander, my brother,
You tell Bismarck that now is their only chance to end the war!"
A few hours later, when Count Alexander Vanevsky left Paris in a carriage along the front line of the battle between the two armies, in the other direction, a train was slowly passing through the front line of the battle between the two armies and entering Paris.
, this train was not only loaded with food aid from South China, but Zhu Xianhai was also sitting on the train, and he was full of expectations for visiting Paris.
Looking at the Paris city wall getting closer and closer, Zhu Xianhai said to himself.
"This Paris, there is no Eiffel Tower yet, no..."
But even though there is no Eiffel Tower, Paris in this era is still the most famous city in Europe, and now the city has opened its doors to him...
This chapter has been completed!