Descending On France 1780

Anning put down the telescope and sighed, "It's over, we originally planned to capture Vienna ahead of time, banking on the enemy's chaos and our army's presence to make them flee. Now the enemy hasn't fled and has even started to organize their defenses. It looks like Vienna won't be taken so easily."

Napoleon consoled him, "No worries, this battle isn't under your banner, but mine, the loss is mine, not yours. You are still the undefeated War God of France."

"That's the problem!" Anning shook his head, originally intending to promote Napoleon in rank and title, and now he couldn't.

Just then, Moura came galloping along the road with a small squad of cavalry, not yet reaching Anning but already shouting, "Hey! Your Excellency! Guess what I have caught?"

Anning and Napoleon looked over, then noticed amongst the horses one had a rider and also another person with bound hands.

Anning scrutinized for a long time but couldn't recognize who it was and asked in confusion, "Who did you catch?"

"The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire!" Moura said gleefully, "How about that, aren't the cavalry rations justified?"

The cavalry had better food supply conditions than the infantry because they could carry some provisions on their horses, and also because they looted the fodder stored in the farms near the cities.

Anning was overjoyed, "Really? You caught the Holy Roman Emperor? That Franz? Are you sure it's him?"

"I'm sure, my main forces are pushing the fleeing carriages on their way here, and inside, there are Franz's queen and children. Also, I've captured this!"

Moura pulled out a scepter from his saddlebag, "Look! The Emperor's scepter!"

Anning burst into laughter, clapping his hands as he walked towards Moura, took the scepter to look at it, then his gaze fell on the disheveled Franz II.

"Why is His Majesty still bound? Quick, unbind His Majesty!"

Moura's cavalry clumsily unloaded Franz from the horse, loosened the bindings, and even pushed him from behind, making him stagger towards Anning.

Anning spoke, "Your Majesty, please, give the command to stop the resistance in Vienna, to avoid unnecessary casualties."

Franz was extremely shocked, "What? Vienna is still resisting?"

Anning too was shocked, "Yes, didn't you know?"

Franz, with an incredulous expression, said, "How can they still be resisting? They're just a ragtag army! The palace guards ran faster than I did!"

Anning questioned, "Then what are we fighting?"

Napoleon answered, "It seems we are fighting merely a ragtag army. If we had artillery and supply vehicles, we probably would have taken it instantly."

Anning remarked, "It seems so. Never mind, you're here now, Your Majesty, I think you should just sign this surrender document. Of course, we'll give you some dignity; we won't call it a surrender. Bertier, go prepare the document immediately."

Bertier nodded, "Alright, just a moment."

A moment later, the surrender document—no, the ceasefire agreement was completed.

Franz, trembling, looked over the agreement, "You call this a ceasefire? You want me to dissolve the Holy Roman Empire, recognizing the independence of all the imperial princes?"

Anning responded, "Yes, any objections?"

"I—" Franz began to speak but suddenly saw Napoleon place his hand on the hilt of his sword, immediately he wilted, "I... have no objections."

At that moment, Moura's main force arrived with a carriage, seemingly that of Franz II's escape.

It seemed like the Queen jumped out of the carriage door wanting to run towards Franz, but was stopped by a guard's bayonet.

Franz glanced at the Queen, shakily picked up the pen, and signed the agreement.

Anning smiled contentedly, patting his shoulder, "Don't worry, we will treat you and your family well. But we'll have to wait until we enter the city, as we currently have no food. Even I am starving."

Hearing Anning say this, Franz became even more disheartened: "I didn't know you were already at the end of your rope, I...I didn't know! It's not my fault!"

Anning burst into hearty laughter.

**

Carl was inspecting the front lines of the city defense when he suddenly saw a French Army officer approaching with a white flag.

Upon reaching the Austrian lines, the officer raised a scepter high: "Look, this is the scepter of Emperor Franz II! Your Emperor has already signed an armistice agreement, the war is over!"

Grand Duke Carl closed his eyes: "Damn it, even if we run, we still got caught..."

At this moment, Imperial Chancellor Wilhelm stepped forward: "There is actually another way, which is for you to assume the throne, and then inform the French that he was no longer the Emperor before the treaty was signed."

Carl: "No, I cannot usurp my brother's throne. He is still the Emperor of the Empire."

"Your Highness!" Wilhelm raised his voice, "For Austria! Look around, the whole of Vienna will acknowledge, until the very end, it is you who leads us, you are the true King of Austria! Long live His Highness Carl!"

The surrounding Austrians, from soldiers to ordinary citizens, all echoed together: "Long live His Highness Carl!"

"Long live!"

The sudden cheers confused the waiting French officer: "What long live? Didn't you hear what I said…"

Grand Duke Carl angrily rebuked: "I will not usurp my brother's throne, I won't! Even for Austria, there are better ways!"

Wilhelm: "What ways?"

Grand Duke Carl slowly removed the sash from his body, which was proof of his royal kinship, and threw the sash on the ground.

"If you insist on stripping my brother of his throne, it can only be done this way. Long live the Austrian Republic!"

Others looked at each other, seemingly unable to accept this change at once.

Grand Duke Carl shouted again: "Long live the Austrian Republic!"

People still looked at each other.

Carl sighed: "Then there's nothing else we can do, let's surrender, in my brother's manner."

With these words, immediately some soldiers were unwilling: "To bring back that man who abandoned us? No, I can't accept this!"

"Right, we won't accept this!"

"You just said we had a chance! We could break the myth of the invincible French Army!"

"Please lead us, Your Highness!"

Carl looked troubled.

Wilhelm picked up the sash from the ground, dusted it off, and slowly draped it back on Carl.

"You may initiate a phased reform, it seems that the sudden change was too much for everyone to accept.

"For the phased reform to proceed, you should not surrender today. Your leadership against the French Army will accumulate enough credibility for your reforms.

"Not surrendering would mean violating your brother's orders."

Grand Duke Carl held his forehead: "How could it have come to this...how could it have come to this?"

However, just at that moment, an unexpected change occurred again.