#845 - Morale

As they spoke, the sound of gunfire ahead became increasingly clear.

Joseph raised his eyes and saw the French artillery positions in the distance, spewing flames, meaning they were less than 1 kilometer from the front line.

Just then, the Allied artillery fire from the southeast began to gradually weaken, and after a moment, it stopped completely.

The French army positions sounded a long bugle call, followed by bagpipes, indicating that the enemy had retreated.

Joseph looked at the sky and gestured to Masséna, "Let's go and say hello to the soldiers at the front."

Masséna hurriedly stopped him, "Your Highness, we really can't go any further forward. If you want to inspect the troops, I'll have them come here to see you. Anyway, the enemy shouldn't launch another attack today."

He was really afraid that a stray shell would hit the Crown Prince; he would have no place to cry.

Joseph couldn't persuade him, so he pointed to the flat open space next to the artillery positions, "There, that will do."

……

On the southeast side of Eschdorf, Auror took a deep breath of the stewed beef aroma wafting from the field kitchen, and couldn't help but swallow.

"Isn't it ready yet?" He looked at his comrade next to him. "Actually, I think it's good to stew it for a shorter time; the meat is chewier."

The sergeant came over and smiled, "Wait a little longer. I heard that Colonel asked Old Simon to add a dish of 'Scrambled Corn and Eggs' for us because our combat performance today was excellent."

Auror swallowed again. "Great. I'm going to mix it with mashed potatoes…"

"Oh, you always turn any delicacy into something that looks like feed," André teased from the side. "Can't you forget the days of raising pigs?"

"Damn it, I told you not to mention raising pigs!"

As the two were bickering, the company commander ran over breathlessly, pointing to the rear and saying, "Quick! Assemble quickly, the Prince, Crown Prince is here!"

The soldiers were stunned. Someone asked, "Are you saying, the Crown Prince is here?"

"Yes," the company commander waved vigorously. "His Highness is over by the cannons. The Colonel said His Highness wants to see us!"

The soldiers cheered immediately. "The Crown Prince is here to see us!"

"God, the Prince is really here? Long live the Crown Prince!"

"Aha, it must be that our beating the Prussians to a pulp today has earned the Prince's praise…"

"Stop talking nonsense, it's getting dark! Hurry up!"

Joseph was an idol in the hearts of all French soldiers, especially in the new army. Everyone mentioned the victories the Crown Prince had led them to almost every day.

Now hearing that the Crown Prince himself had come to the front lines to see them, the soldiers had already forgotten everything in excitement.

Everyone completed the formation as quickly as possible, and then ran towards the artillery positions to the beat of the drums.

Auror passed by the field kitchen and could almost hear the "bubbling" sound of the meat soup boiling in the pot, but he didn't even turn his head, only complaining to André, "Damn it, my hat got a hole punched in it by the Prussians. Oh, God, why do I have to meet the Crown Prince looking so ridiculous?"

"I can help you ask for leave." The latter smiled mischievously and pretended to raise his hand. "Sergeant, Auror said he…"

Auror hurriedly grabbed his arm, glaring and saying, "I swear, I'm going to duel with you when we get back, you bastard!"

Before long, their company arrived next to the artillery positions.

Seven or eight companies had already gathered here. The soldiers were all desperately holding their heads high, afraid that the Crown Prince wouldn't see them.

Joseph, wearing a hussar officer's uniform, sat on the wheel of a 12-pounder cannon, smiling and waving to the soldiers, "Everyone relax, it's not combat time now."

He jumped down from the cannon, walked in front of the soldiers, and said loudly, "First, some good news, I've brought everyone what they want most.

"Oh, it's not brandy, and it's certainly not pretty girls.

"You certainly won't lack girls when you return to Paris."

He gestured to the west, "I've brought reinforcements! Nearly 40,000 reinforcements!

"You don't have to endure the enemy's shells in this godforsaken place anymore. We're going to launch a counterattack soon! We're going to cross the Rhine and strike at the Germans' homeland!"

Joseph clenched his fist and waved forcefully, "You will use the guns in your hands, and the courage to destroy everything, to make the enemy tremble at the sound of 'Glory and Victory'!

"Perhaps one day, when the children in Potsdam and Vienna cry and refuse to sleep, their mothers will also sing this song to scare them."

The soldiers all laughed.

Joseph suddenly noticed the bullet hole in Auror's hat, stepped forward, took it off, and nodded, "I like this 'medal', can I have it?"

The soldier breathed rapidly, nodding desperately, "Of course, Your Highness, of course, it's my honor!"

Joseph took off his own hat and put it on his head, "Thank you. Consider this a return gift, I hope you like it."

He turned and jumped back onto the gun carriage, raising the hat with the bullet hole and saying, "Do you know what the Austrian newspapers are saying?

"They say 'The sun of France will surely fall'.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

"But I want to tell them that there are thousands of suns standing in front of me! You will use the most dazzling light to blind their eyes and illuminate the whole of France!"

Auror felt the blood rushing to his head, waving his hands and shouting, "Long live France! Long live the Crown Prince!"

The surrounding area immediately erupted in a tsunami-like cry,

"Long live the Crown Prince!"

"Blind those German bastards!"

"For France, for the Crown Prince!"

"Fight to Vienna!"

Masséna was also filled with emotion, looking at the soldiers whose heads were steaming with excitement, and was overjoyed at the terrifyingly high morale.

He believed that if the Crown Prince ordered the soldiers to attack Vienna at this time, they would definitely cross the Rhine without hesitation.

The next morning.

After Duke Brunswick finished brushing his teeth, he suddenly realized something was wrong, and immediately frowned at the staff officer, "Where are my cannons? Why don't I hear the sound of cannons?"

The latter also went to ask the reconnaissance cavalry with a puzzled look, and returned after a moment, and said loudly, "Marshal, the French retreated overnight!"

Duke Brunswick suppressed the joy in his heart and personally rushed to the front line to confirm. After seeing the empty French positions in his telescope, he pretended to be calm and said to the signal officer, "The French have persisted for several days longer than I expected. Order Blücher's corps to pursue immediately!"

"Yes, Marshal."

The French army seemed to have collapsed in morale. After abandoning the Eschdorf defense line, they continued to retreat to the vicinity of Budesheim under the powerful offensive of the Prussian army the next day.

Duke Brunswick came to the former French positions in Eschdorf, satisfiedly stepping on the flag fragments on the ground, and said to the signal officer, "Order an attack from the direction of Kautenbach at the same time. I want to have dinner in Würzburg before the day after tomorrow."

At this moment, Scharnhorst walked over quickly, tipped his hat and saluted him, and then considered, "Marshal, I always feel that the recent performance of the French army is not quite normal…"