Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 553 A Predestined Script

Paris was in chaos. Half a century had passed since the last coalition invasion of France. Now, another country had invaded; did this mean another nation would occupy Paris?
The situation in Paris is gradually slipping out of control. Every night, people hold illegal gatherings, and bonfires burn as far as the eye can see. All the police, plainclothes officers, and even soldiers are on tenterhooks, filled with anxiety from the hateful stares around them.

A sense of despair permeated every pore of the empire, from Paris to Marseille, from cities to villages; now all French people could smell the scent of despair.

The republicans were not idle either. Led by pragmatists such as Gambiton, they left Paris and began to spread republican ideas by giving speeches and using their influence throughout the wider French provinces.

The same was true for the Bonaparte family, and some of the collateral nobles had already begun to evacuate to England or Spain. But these two countries were not the final destination; they would go to Louisiana and settle there.

Louisiana was arguably the most supportive of Bonaparte, with a population of over a million and abundant resources, enough to launch a counterattack.

Empress Eugénie first sent the Crown Prince away, at least securing the future of the Bonaparte family. She then continued to wait for news in Paris.

Meanwhile, in Paris, the Queen began implementing a series of policies. She promised the people of Paris that the Emperor would fight relentlessly in the northeastern provinces of France, risking his life to achieve victory to the last bullet!
Furthermore, the Empress stated her willingness to accept diplomatic mediation from European countries and not to abandon diplomatic efforts while waging war.

Finally, the Queen stated sternly, "Now that the government has expressed its goodwill, everyone on the streets should immediately cease their violent actions! If the government's goodwill is ignored, then the army will immediately launch a crackdown!"

Notices were posted all over the crossroads, and soldiers and officials addressed the rioting citizens, announcing the Queen's latest decree that if the rioters dared to burn, kill, and loot three times in a row, the soldiers would immediately open fire to suppress them.

With the nation in crisis, leaders from both the left and right wings began urging their supporters to remain calm. They urged the public to stay composed and avoid doing anything that would benefit their enemies and cause pain to their own people. It was through the combined efforts of both sides that order was slowly being restored on the streets of Paris!
Empress Eugénie also began seeking diplomatic assistance from various European countries, devoting almost all her time to meeting with their diplomats. During these meetings, she expressed France's desire for peace. At the same time, she subtly implied that a powerful Prussia would certainly be a threat to Europe.
These words were actually addressed to the British. France was aware of Britain's policy of containing the West on the continent, and Empress Eugénie was now making her stance clear: "Prussia has not been weakened at all by this war, and this is certainly a situation that you, the British, do not want to see!"

Ultimately, the whole of Europe was stunned by Prussia's insane fighting power. No military analyst had expected Prussia to be so capable of fighting, and its various new tactics were completely beyond the comprehension of these old experts!
I used to think Prussia was a hungry wolf, but now I realize it's a tiger!
At this time, the Sedan Fortress was brightly lit day and night. Torches were lit in all areas, including passageways, city walls, military camps, and stables. Countless soldiers were fast asleep wrapped in blankets, while countless others were engaged in various kinds of war preparations.

Sedan is not a city in the true sense of the word; it is merely a strategically important military fortress on the border. It normally houses more than 10,000 French troops, but in times of war, this complex fortress can accommodate more than 60,000 regular troops.

The small town also had more than two thousand residents, but they had all fled and disappeared. All the residents' homes had been requisitioned by officers, and the entire town had been turned into a large military camp.

At this moment, the French Emperor handed over command of the entire army to Marshal McMahon. The old marshal, under immense pressure, couldn't sleep at all, preparing for the impending bloody battle.

At this point, northeastern France had completely severed ties with central and southern France, making it impossible for the southern support troops to rendezvous with the Emperor. As Marshal, McMahon addressed all his officers: "I know you are all exhausted, weary! And I am no different… The enemy outnumbers us three or four times over; we absolutely cannot win this battle!"

"But even if we can't win, we must fight, and we must fight fiercely! We must let the Prussians know how powerful we are!"

This is not only a matter of honor, but also a matter of our future well-being!

These words moved all the generals present. "My God! Another revolution? What's happening to our country?"

All the generals were worried about their future. The revolution seemed far away, but it was something their ancestors had personally experienced. Once the revolution broke out, everything they had would be gone.

"So we have to go back and take control of the situation. But before that, we have to fight the Prussians to the death, to raise our morale, and to make the Prussians understand that to win, we have to pay ten times the lives!"

"You must remember, we are signing a ceasefire agreement, not a surrender document! The two outcomes are worlds apart!"

McMahon's nose tingled with emotion, and he said with great excitement, "Prepare for war! Especially at this time, we must make sure the soldiers are well-fed. The real battle is probably not far off."

The generals immediately dispersed, and soon the massive Sedan Fortress gradually became busy. The logistics officers received orders to bring out their best food supplies, and soon each unit received ample rations.

Desperate situations often forge an army's reputation. The French army at Sedan Fortress had been driven to the brink of defeat, and inspired by their noble officers, they unleashed an unimaginable fighting force at this most critical moment.

Everywhere there was the harsh sound of whetstones rubbing against bayonets, and all the soldiers looked at the Prussian troops outside the city with eyes full of hatred and rage!

At seven o'clock in the morning, loud bugle calls rang out from the Prussian army's position, and the well-organized Prussian troops began to move out of the camp. Soon, they formed the first wave of attack within an encirclement of more than ten kilometers.

The Prussians poured everything they had into this decisive battle! For Germany, and for themselves.

The rise and fall of an empire hinges on this!
(End of this chapter)