The Shadow of Great Britain

343: Chapter 211: French Thematic Encyclopedia (5K2)_2 343: Chapter 211: French Thematic Encyclopedia (5K2)_2 Great Dumas echoed, “Right, indeed, my fellow.

Judging from your earlier responses, you should not be a scoundrel, but it’s improper of you to boast about having a connection to Napoleon.

If you admit your mistake promptly, there is still time.

However, I must warn you, the next question I’m about to ask is not one that an ordinary Frenchman could answer.

My father truly had a connection with Napoleon.”

Louis Bonaparte, already quite frightened, but upon hearing Great Dumas dare to question his lineage, the twenty-three-year-old young man suddenly couldn’t keep his composure anymore, “Then ask away!

The men of the Bonaparte family have never died of fear!

Our nobility is inherent!”

“Good!

Spoken with spirit!” Great Dumas couldn’t help but look at him admiringly, “With those words, even if you are not a member of the Bonaparte family, you’re at least of noble birth.

So please listen to the question…

Who was the French First Empire’s honored military commander, once the Alps Corps Commander, and who followed Napoleon on his expedition to Egypt?”

Upon hearing this, Louis Bonaparte was initially startled, then fell into contemplation, “That…

Jean Lannes?”

Seeing his reaction, Great Dumas simply tossed his pen aside, “Enough, Arthur, if he doesn’t even know the basics, he’s a fake.

Drag him out and finish him off.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur just pinched his chin, “The French really are efficient in handling matters!”

Hearing this, Louis Bonaparte, in his urgency, quickly stood up and said, “Can I get a hint?

There were many generals during the First Empire, you must give some characteristics!”

Great Dumas, all ready to walk out the door, couldn’t help but frown upon hearing this, but he gave a slight hint, “Black Devil.”

Louis Bonaparte slapped his thigh and stood up, exclaiming, “General Thomas Alexandre Dumas!”

“Hmm?” Great Dumas, upon hearing this, widened his eyes in astonishment, “It seems you do have some understanding of that period.

But this still can’t prove that you are a member of the Bonaparte family, at most it proves you are an educated man.”

Having said that, Great Dumas was about to return to the table to continue with the next question.

Unexpectedly, before he had even taken his place, Arthur spoke up, “Let me ask one too.

I heard about this matter from Mr.

Talleyrand, the French ambassador.

You’ll earn extra points if you can answer it, and you won’t lose any if you can’t.

That’s not too unreasonable a request, is it?”

Louis Bonaparte breathed a sigh of relief, “Then ask.

Although I don’t know everything, what if…

”

Arthur, leaning back in his chair, began, “At one meeting during the First Empire, Mr.

Talleyrand said something that made Napoleon furious.

Do you know what it was?”

“That…”

Louis Bonaparte thought hard and ventured, “Was it when the scandal of Talleyrand and Fouché plotting to overthrow my uncle was rampant in Paris?

At that time, my uncle put down military matters and rushed back from Spain overnight, summoned Talleyrand to the Tuileries Palace, and severely berated him.

I remember my father telling me about it; he scolded him fiercely.

If I recall correctly, what my uncle shouted at Talleyrand was, ‘You thief!

Scoundrel!

Person with no shame!

Listen!

I will crush you like smashing glass…

You are nothing but—mud in a silk stocking!

Mud!’

I heard that after being scolded, Mr.

Talleyrand remained very calm.

He just took out a handkerchief to wipe the saliva off his face and coldly retorted, ‘What a pity, such a great man, yet so uncouth.’ After that, he walked out of the palace gate, limping along with his cane.

My uncle’s reaction to this calmness was so furious, he immediately announced the revocation of all his positions.”

“At the time, my uncle was prepared to execute Talleyrand for treason, but couldn’t find any definitive evidence of his guilt.

In the end, the matter was dropped.

Looking back now, it’s certain that Talleyrand began to sell the First Empire’s military intelligence to Austria after being scolded, and the reason they didn’t catch him must have been because Fouché, the Minister of Police, was covering for him.

Ah…

those two scoundrels are truly detestable!”

Arthur, hearing this and seeing the young man’s expression of indignation as well as the lively story, couldn’t help but bolster his belief in the young man’s identity a bit more.

Could Fiona have actually brought me back an emperor?

Still, whether this emperor was genuine or not, proper procedures had to be followed.

If this young man was real, then afterwards, the Home Office and the Foreign Office would surely want to review the arrest procedure; as long as Arthur could keep them from finding fault, this matter would not just be blameless but also a merits could be recorded.

With that thought, his smile grew broader, and he cheerfully said, “Mr.

Bonaparte, you should be thankful, for you have fallen into the hands of the British.

Had it been the Prussians, your luck would not have been so good.”

Louis Bonaparte hadn’t yet realized the shift in Arthur’s form of address; he was still curious about the meeting between Talleyrand and Napoleon that Arthur just mentioned, eager to know everything about his uncle.

“So tell me, Mr.

Hasting, what exactly did Mr.

Talleyrand say at that meeting?”

Arthur spoke, “As I recall, Mr.

Talleyrand said at the meeting, ‘Over the past years, due to the Emperor’s overexpansion, the empire has always been on the brink of collapse.

But after the Battle of Leipzig, I can proudly declare that His Majesty has now taken a major step forward!’”