When An Ning opened her eyes this morning, the room was already very bright.
Just looking at the brightness, An Ning concluded that he got up late.
He touched around him and found that the bed was empty.
So he turned over and put on his coat while yawning.
At this time, I don't know if they heard the noise in the house. The maids opened the door, filed in, and began to change An Ning's clothes.
An Ning: "No, no! I can dress myself! Don't wait on me, go do other things! Really, why do you have so many maids? I have to tell Christina."
One of the maids hurriedly said: "Don't tell me, we now rely entirely on our work in the Palace of Versailles to support our family."
"Yes, yes, I work as a maid for Madam, and my husband works as a gardener outside in the garden. Many people in Paris envy our jobs." Another maid said.
An Ning had a complicated expression and muttered: "Gardener, now that the patriots are on the front line, my wife actually has a gardener. He should join the army."
The maid who spoke sighed: "He tried, but he was kicked off immediately because someone reported him that day and said that he was once in the ranks of the royal party. If he hadn't been working as a gardener for his wife, he might have been on the list.
Guillotine.
"Many people here are like this. In fact, we are not royalists at all. We can't live anymore, so someone took the lead and shouted, and we followed him on the streets."
An Ning curled her lips and thought to herself, what's the matter? I, the leader of the four Jacobin sects, am now sheltering a group of former royalists.
At this time, another maid suddenly said: "I can see, General, you are a good person! If you ask me, why don't you become the king of France? That will definitely make us live a good life. Anyway, my wife belongs to the king.
Sister, I don’t understand the rules of inheritance, but I think you are definitely qualified to inherit."
An Ning Khan has come down, good fellow, I have the military power, otherwise your words would be enough to get me on the guillotine.
An Ning: "I was the one who exiled Louis XVII and almost became a regicide. No kingdom would let me become the king.
"Moreover, now is the era of the Republic. What we want to build is a republic like Rome."
If Napoleon were here, he would probably say "The Roman Republic finally turned into an empire", but the maids present did not know the story of Rome. To them, Rome was just one of many lofty words, far away in the horizon.
something.
While talking, An Ning had already put on her clothes, and Christina came in at that moment: "Andy, you slept too late last night, so I didn't call you."
The maid gave up her position very wisely, so Christina came to An Ning and helped him organize his clothes.
An Ning: "Has Berthier's routine report arrived?"
"We arrived this morning, and your staff have updated the map with the latest situation."
An Ning: "Okay, send breakfast to the headquarters, I'll eat it there."
Christina: "As you wish."
After saying that, she kissed An Ning's cheek gently: "It's a little late, but good morning, my dear."
"Good morning, my dear." An Ning kissed her cheek back.
After a while, An Ning arrived at the headquarters. The staff were busy around the map table. When they saw An Ning coming in, they immediately stopped and stood at attention to salute.
An Ning: "You guys keep busy. Berthier is...here now. Why is he even further forward than yesterday?"
The staff officer replied: "This is his position yesterday. Considering the distance from the front line, our situation is delayed by one day."
"Okay, the location the day before yesterday." An Ning looked at the map.
At this time Julian brought the coffee on a tray.
Yes, stableboy Julian is now also doing the work of an orderly.
An Ning picked up the coffee and sipped it while muttering: "Is Berthier's location a bit too far forward? How wide is this road?"
An Ning picked up the pointer and pointed at a path south of the Verdun Fortress.
"This is a second-class post road." A staff officer immediately reported.
"The second-class post road can probably supply 20,000 to 25,000 people. Well, tsk, Berthier's position..."
At this time, someone came in and announced loudly: "Report! Your Excellency, Mr. Paul Barras is here to visit!"
An Ning raised her eyebrows, raised her head and asked, "Why is he here?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Barras entered the headquarters: "I'm here to say goodbye to you. The National Assembly has decided to send special commissioners to all parts of the country to completely wipe out the remnants of the Royalists and Girondists everywhere."
An Ning: "Then I should congratulate you on your promotion?"
"No, it would be better to say that I just took the opportunity to leave Paris." Barras shrugged, "Fouche has left long ago, and Talleyrand also went to England to serve as minister. It seems that everyone thinks that Paris is now a
Fire pit.”
An Ning curled her lips helplessly: "I just want to have breakfast, let's eat together."
Just as she was talking, Fanny pushed the cart into the headquarters.
**
La Salle personally led a half-brigade of cavalry - the half-brigade was the name of the French army's larger organization, which replaced the original regiment.
He went north along the post road and approached Verdun.
After running up a hill, Lazarus tightened the reins, stopped the horse, and looked far into the distance.
"Good boy," he muttered, "I told you that someone would take a backseat! Come here, go to the headquarters as quickly as possible. The enemy's corps and at least three brigades are coming from Verdun.
Go south!”
Immediately, a cavalryman saluted La Salle, then turned his horse and galloped away.
One lieutenant asked, "What do we do?"
"You still have to ask?" Lasalle drew out his saber, "We have a whole brigade and a half here. Facing the enemy on the march, do you think we can just go back like this? That is definitely not possible! Follow me, my saber
I’m already very hungry and thirsty!”
As he said this, Lazarus rushed down the hill first.
The cavalry behind him immediately followed, and the trumpeter took out his trumpet and blew the horn of attack without even waiting for Lasalle's order.
**
Berthier was deploying today's march plan, and suddenly there was a noise outside the headquarters.
Then the door banged open.
A hussar burst into the room, shouting: "The enemy is coming! Coming south from Verdun!"
Berthier shook his head: "That's impossible. This must be La Salle's plan to trick me into returning to defense! How could he encounter the enemy heading south not long after he left!"
The hussar took two steps forward and grabbed Berthier's collar: "If we are surrounded here and return in defeat, can you bear this responsibility? This is the army entrusted to you by the General! You
This is going to the guillotine!"
Berthier knocked off the hussar's hand and said angrily: "Pay attention to the relationship between superiors and subordinates! Is there any military law in this?"
"You will regret it! I did see at least three brigades of enemies heading south!"
Berthier stared at the hussar's face suspiciously for a few seconds, and finally changed his mind: "You said three brigades, right? OK, I will order the sixty-sixth, sixty-seventh, and sixth line infantry."
The 183rd Brigade was sent to guard the road south from Verdun, here, at the village of Babi! This is exactly the intersection of the post road going south and our logistics line. Isn't it because La Salle is afraid of being cut off by the enemy?
?
"If the enemy's strength in moving south exceeds three brigades, it means that La Salle's reconnaissance was wrong!"