I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1297 A Super-First-Class Power

Everyone craned their necks to look in one direction. The city was quiet, with only the occasional bird call audible.

Golden iris banners hung from the windows of every building; the nobles used silk embroidery, while the poor used paper cut out of gold. The streets undulated like a golden sea of ​​flowers.

As the brilliant sunlight swept across the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral, a tsunami of cheers erupted at the end of the Boulevard de la Kron, followed by the court orchestra playing the stirring "Ode to the Vanguard."

"He has arrived! He is the great Son of God!"

The shout was like a spark falling into an oil tank; thousands of people on both sides of the road instantly erupted, almost into a state of religious fanaticism, desperately shouting, "Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"May God protect the French war god!"

"Louis! Louis who has conquered everything!"

First, the royal guard of grenadiers, wearing bearskin hats and carrying military flags, rode past on horseback. Then, the Crown Prince, dressed in a hussar officer's uniform and wearing a dark blue cloak, appeared at the end of the road, smiling and waving to the crowd.

Everyone started pushing and shoving forward, nimbly climbing up the trees along the roadside, while children were lifted above their parents' heads.

Fortunately, the Paris police and intelligence agencies worked together to maintain order, otherwise a stampede could have occurred at any moment.

It's no wonder people are so excited.

This time, France was facing an attack by hundreds of thousands of enemy troops. All the citizens of Paris could see with their own eyes that almost every day, entire groups of new recruits boarded trains to go to the front lines, which showed how fierce the battle was.

Even the most optimistic people believed that this would be a hard-fought war that would last for several years, and that it was even possible that another Thirty Years' War could break out.

But in less than a year, their crown prince swiftly and decisively defeated all their enemies, causing all the powerful nations of Europe to bow their proud heads to France.

This is a glorious victory unlike any seen in French history!
From then on, France's status in Europe was completely different from before, leaping from a "first-class power" to a "super-first-class power" in a class of its own. This was accompanied by an unprecedented surge in the confidence and morale of the French people.

Undoubtedly, this will usher in a new "golden age" for France!
Following behind the Crown Prince's retinue were the proud and imposing Murat Cavalry Regiment, the orderly 12th Infantry Division, and the 7th Cavalry Artillery Regiment carrying various imposing "big guys".

Further back, about 40 or 50 meters away, was a square formation of over a thousand dejected British prisoners of war.

Several dwarf actors dressed in British and Russian military uniforms surrounded the prisoners, impersonating the Duke of York and Korsakov, riding comical ponies and performing how they suffered setbacks in the Battle of Karlsruhe.

Joseph's ears were ringing from all the noise. He finally made it to the outskirts of Paris and looked up to see his parents waiting under the curtain, and Alexandra standing beside them.

Joseph quickly dismounted from his Arabian stallion. Before Queen Mary could even finish her greeting, tears welled up in her eyes as she rushed forward and embraced him tightly: "Thank God, you have returned unharmed."

She wiped away her tears, looked her son up and down, and said with lingering fear, "They said you led your soldiers, bayonets in hand, into the Russian lines, and fought for seven hours before finally repelling them..."

Joseph was both amused and exasperated: "Who started this rumor... Don't worry, unless my bayonet is two kilometers long, I won't be able to reach the Russian positions."

Alexandra curtsied beside him and whispered, "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen prays for you for several hours every day. She just wore out her third kneeling cushion last week." Joseph felt a surge of warmth in his heart and gently patted Queen Mary's back, saying, "You see, God has always been kind to me."

Seeing his mother still crying, he joked, "By the way, this time I really did eat three meals a day as you instructed. Oh, and I've finished all the mints you gave me before I left. I can't do anything without them now, so you'll have to prepare some more for me."

Queen Mary finally smiled: "I told you long ago that peppermints are a gift from God. I'll have Mr. Cecilian make you a few boxes right away."

When Joseph heard "several boxes," he felt his teeth were about to go numb from the spit.

Queen Mary then looked at Joseph's youngest son behind him, reached out and hugged him, her smile becoming one of contentment: "Oh, my dearest darling, your chest has become stronger, and you've grown taller..."

Charles's skin had been tanned to a wheat color by the battlefield sun and had become rougher, clearly showing that he had undergone a real ordeal.

The boy struggled to push her away and said awkwardly in a low voice, "Mother, I'm not a child anymore, please don't say these things."

Joseph smiled and said, "Charles is already a sergeant, and his drills and marksmanship are excellent."

Charles immediately puffed out his chest, beaming with pride as he said to his mother, "You know what? I also accepted the surrender of Grand Duke John, who had an army of 4 men..."

He pulled Queen Marie Antoinette aside and recounted the grandeur of the surrender ceremony. Louis XVI finally got the chance to speak with his son, but the sea of ​​people around him made him blush, and it took him a long time to squeeze out a sentence: "You are truly my pride!"

Before Joseph could say anything, he saw his father nervously retreat back under the curtain.

Alexandra stepped forward and took his arm, whispering, "My mother always made me go with her to the palace chapel to pray for you, but I haven't been many times..."

She looked at Joseph, her eyes filled with admiration and adoration: "Because I know that no one can defeat you, and you will surely return in triumph. All I need to do is greet my great hero on that day."

Joseph felt a surge of emotion, realizing that even if it was just for his family, everything he had sacrificed on the battlefield was worthwhile.

The Crown Princess winked at him playfully again: "Besides, I have to go to Strasbourg every few days, so I can't spend all my time in the church."

Joseph whispered in her ear, “I’ve already heard from Mr. Lavallet that you’ve done a very good job.”

Yes, while the fighting raged on the front lines, Alexandra also undertook an important task: to "educate" specially selected Russian prisoners of war.

“This is also my own revenge.” Alexandra gritted her teeth, then said with some regret, “It’s just that those people have never been able to be sent back to their country.”

Joseph asked in confusion, "Why?"

According to the original plan, those prisoners should have returned to Russia more than two months ago.

“Mr. Lavalette said that St. Petersburg has not yet offered to ransom the prisoners of war.”

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(End of this chapter)