Chapter 789 My surname is Bonaparte!
Giuseppella continued to nod: "Yes, that painting is currently in the San Lorenzo Basilica. If you like it..."
After Napoleon reported eight or nine top-notch works of art in a row and received Giuseppella's promise to "give them away", he finally smiled brightly and raised his glass to the nobles of Milan: "To the heroic French soldiers!"< br>
Everyone hurriedly raised their glasses and stood up, saying in unison: "To the brave French soldiers!"
Napoleon suddenly thought of something, and said in a louder voice: "To the great King! To the 'son of God'!"
More than a hundred nobles in the hall also repeated it, and then drank the wine in the glass.
After Napoleon sat down, a nobleman with a sunken face on his left bowed to him and said to him: "Colonel Buwanaba, I guess you must be of Italian descent, so Milan is destined to be liberated by you!"
Napoleon frowned: "Italian origin? Why do you say that?"
The nobleman obviously didn't notice the change in his expression, and was still approaching: "'Buwanaba', you see, this is such a typical Italian surname. Anyone from the Apennine Peninsula will know that you are one of their own."< br>
He also thought proudly and said to the people around him: "Everyone said, is that so?"
There was a burst of agreement from all around. Milanese nobles believe that calling someone "one of their own" is a very close and flattering gesture.
However, Napoleon's face darkened and he shook his head very stiffly: "No, I am French and have no Italian blood at all."
Yes, he was no longer the Corsican Zionist.
He now only has one identity, that is, a senior general of France. He once followed His Royal Highness the Dauphin to fight in the Southern Netherlands, and led the French army to sweep across Lombardy, a Frenchman who gained supreme glory!
What Italian ancestry?
They were just weak people who were conquered by themselves, allowed to ask for their property, and didn't even dare to fart.
How could I have anything to do with these weaklings?
The nobleman with the sequelae of smallpox on his face still didn't react, and said with a smile: "How could it be? Your last name sounds like..."
Napoleon slammed his wine glass on the table and made a "bang" sound: "I don't want to repeat it a second time! I am French."
The Milanese nobles suddenly looked at each other, lowered their heads and did not dare to make any more noise. Even the band was so frightened that they stopped what they were doing, and the hall fell silent for an instant.
Giuseppella hurriedly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Colonel Buwanaba, please don't be angry. Count Gonella has no intention of offending you. Oh, he also donated 100,000 francs to your army, which is enough to show his sincerity. .”
Gonera was so frightened that he was sweating and nodded hurriedly: "I, I apologize for my recklessness. Oh, 100,000 francs, yes, I donated 100,000..."
He actually only donated 8,000 francs, but at this time he didn't dare to say anything more, just 100,000, as long as it could calm Colonel Bouwanaba's anger.
Napoleon's expression softened a little, and he picked up the wine glass and motioned to Giuseppella.
Then the soothing music sounded again in the hall.
When the banquet was over, Napoleon did not attend the subsequent ball, and returned to his command post at the villa of Baron Tremeloni on the pretext of being busy with military affairs.
He entered the office and immediately began to write an application, which was to change his surname "Bouanaba" to the more French "Bonaparte".
He is now the person with the highest status in the Buwanaba family, and his brothers all depend on him for their future, so as long as he decides to change his surname, no one dares to object.
Napoleon finished the application and gave it to the clerk to revise and polish. Then he copied two copies and ordered his attendants to hand one to the Royal Council of Versailles, the agency that manages noble status, and the other to the Minister of Household Registration. .
After doing all this, he let out a long sigh of relief. From now on, I am an authentic Frenchman!
The next day, the main generals of the legion gathered at the headquarters to hold a combat meeting.
Victor first reported on the situation of clearing out the remnants of the Austrian army in Milan - more than 200 people have been arrested so far, and basically all Austrians with some identity have been thrown into prison, and the arrests are still continuing.
After he finished speaking, Marmont immediately reminded: "Commander, we must go to Genoa as soon as possible. General Dimobin has been besieged by the enemy for more than a month..."
Napoleon just listened without comment.
In fact, he had received two letters from Dimobin asking for help, indicating that the situation in Genoa was already very urgent.
"Lord Commander?"
Marmont was about to say something more, but Napoleon raised his hand and interrupted him: "Our most important thing right now should be to eliminate the remaining enemies of Lombardy as soon as possible, otherwise once we go south, our retreat may be cut off by them at any time."
Well, after Beaulieu escaped, the cities in the entire Lombardy region added up to less than 2,000 Austrian troops, and they were all troops responsible for local security and had basically no field capabilities.
But when Napoleon was less inclined to save Genoa, these troops were a serious threat.
Marmont: "But..."
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Napoleon continued: "General Dumopin has a lot of experience in command, and it is impossible for the Austrians to defeat him so quickly.
"As long as we completely control Lombardy, we can deploy a defense line along the Po River and cut off the connection between western Italy and Austria."
Melas's main forces are currently around Genoa, which means Napoleon used Lombardy and the Alps to counter-encircle them on a larger scale.
"And Melas will definitely give up Genoa and choose a decisive battle with us. By then the pressure on General Dimobin will naturally disappear."
Napoleon did not give his men a chance to question and ordered: "Captain Grouchy, immediately lead two cavalry squadrons to Varese.
"Major Marmont, leading the 3rd Infantry Regiment to capture Como and Bergamo.
"Melas' reinforcements will arrive in Milan in a week at the earliest. Before then, you must end the battle and return."
"Yes, Commander!"
……
While Napoleon prepared to raid Milan, Genoa was engaged in a bitter struggle.
In the French frontline headquarters, Demobin rubbed his ears that were numb from the sound of artillery, and said loudly to the staff officer on the side: "Is there no news from Colonel Bouwanaba?"
The latter shouted equally hard: "Not yet, General, I have sent three groups of people to sneak out of the enemy's siege, but there has been no reply."
The ground suddenly trembled, and what must have been a heavy artillery shell landed near the command post. The British transported several 24-pound guns for Melas by sea, which had a very long range and posed a huge threat to the Genoa defense line.
Demobin seemed to have become accustomed to it, and said loudly: "How long can our food and ammunition last?"
"There are still enough shells and gunpowder for half a month, but there is only less than a week's worth of food left."
(End of chapter)