Chapter 69: Perilous Return

As the ship's anchor chain was slowly raised, the vessel loaded with France's elite also gently set sail. These ships would travel from Egypt, all the way to France.

Throughout the journey, Napoleon was extra cautious. He was acutely aware that the seas still belonged to the British. If they encountered the British navy during their return, it could mean certain doom.

Thus, Napoleon ordered that no lights be lit on the ships. He also ordered that all ships be disguised as merchant vessels, with only the two remaining warships flying Venetian flags. He strictly prohibited all French soldiers from appearing on deck.

Dressed in disguise, they reached Cape Bon uneventfully yet amidst pervasive danger.

"Trouble, it's a British warship. The British have spotted us."

Just when everyone had let down their guard, a sudden roar from the deck once again tensed everyone's nerves. The sailors on deck had spotted a British warship. At that moment, they were only half a ship's length away from the British fleet. Fortunately, it was August, the cold was intense, and the north wind was strong, causing some fog over the sea. It was this fog that momentarily prevented the British from noticing anything unusual about this fleet.

However, this did not mean they were out of danger yet.

"Everyone, stay quiet! Any disturbances will be dealt with by military law. Sailors on deck, do not panic; just continue as normal. The British haven't discovered us," Roland ordered, maintaining his composure during the crisis.

"Moula! You personally lead the team to supervise. Just as Roland said, anyone causing trouble will be dealt with by military law," Napoleon also commanded.

"Yes!" Moula nodded.

Napoleon's authority was still very much intact within the army. With his firm command, the restless fleet soon regained its calm. All the ships pretended as if nothing was amiss and slowly passed by the British warship.

The British evidently did not expect the French to set sail at this time, and coupled with the poor weather and low visibility, they did not scrutinize this "Venetian" fleet too closely, but instead slowly turned away.

"Hurrah, the British didn't discover us."

"God bless, our luck is truly good."

"I can't believe it; I've got my life back. My heart is still racing."

After the British warship left, all the French soldiers could no longer suppress their emotions. They each felt as if they had survived a great disaster.

The north wind was fierce. Napoleon and others sat on the deck under the twinkling stars, which provided a beautiful scene. But at that moment, everyone was so disheartened that no one paid attention to the beauty above.

Though they had successfully evaded the British navy today, it was merely a stroke of luck. Considering they had only covered about 13% of the journey back to France, would they be as lucky next time?

After a brief moment of revelry, the crowd on the ship once again sank into depression and despair. They did not know if they would be able to evade the British navy again or if they would be discovered and have their ships sunk, plunging them into the sea to feed the fish.

Seeing such a somber mood, Napoleon suggested playing cards to lighten the atmosphere, with everyone squinting at their cards in the dim night light. Napoleon was delighted that his cheating went unnoticed. However, the next morning, he childishly admitted to cheating the night before and returned the money he shouldn't have won.

The days that followed were filled with monotonous sailing and desperate waiting. The two ships were constantly in danger. Finally, in a moment of despair, a French soldier mustered the courage to approach Napoleon and asked, "Esteemed General Napoleon, what should we do if we are discovered by the British?"

Faced with his subordinate's question, Napoleon responded forcefully, proclaiming loudly to the soldier, "What if the British fleet discovers us? To fight is to die. Surrender? I think no one would agree. There's only one option left—blow up the ship!"

Everyone fell silent. Desaix, standing nearby, turned pale with fright.

Seeing Desaix's reaction, Napoleon felt displeased. After all, it was because of his own supply line that they had been cut off. Thus, Napoleon pulled Desaix from the crowd and said to him, "This task is yours. You blow up the ship." Napoleon looked at him and smiled emotionlessly.

However, just a few days later, they indeed encountered a vessel that people mistook for a British warship. In an instant, Desaix was nowhere to be seen. It was later discovered that Desaix had actually stood guard at the gunpowder magazine door!

This incident showed how seriously Desaix took Napoleon's orders and the weight of Napoleon's words.

Finally, after sailing the Mediterranean for over a month, one bright morning in October, the sun was shining brightly. Before Napoleon, a familiar island appeared.

Corsica!

"Corsica, it's Corsica! My homeland. I am back." Seeing the familiar island in front of him, Napoleon was visibly moved. At this moment, he completely forgot the restraint typically required of a leader, not to show emotions too freely. Now, he was like a child who had been wandering far from home and had finally returned.

He excitedly ordered the sailors to head quickly towards the island. As they got closer to the island, Napoleon's emotions became complex, and he hesitated for a moment.

Because it was still unclear whether it was still under French control. After all, France had just suffered a terrible defeat in Northern Italy, and Corsica, located in the western Mediterranean, was inevitably at risk of British attack.

Over the years, Napoleon had conquered Italy and Egypt had submitted to him, and even Paris was under his command; he was now significant enough to warrant British concern.

As the wind grew stronger, a signal from the lighthouse at Corsica's harbor came through, indicating that the port was open to French ships.

Corsica became a haven for Napoleon once again. So, those who had been adrift at sea for a long time eagerly abandoned the ship and landed. They greedily breathed in the air of the land, each of them like someone finding water in the desert.

Meanwhile, the residents of Ajaccio rushed to the port, those who had cursed Napoleon countless times were now smiling broadly to welcome him. Napoleon watched the crowd impassively, indifferent to how many people wanted to shake his hand.

At this moment, Napoleon could finally understand the phrase "returning home in glory." Before, he was just an annoying fellow on the island of Corsica, someone everyone wished to keep at a distance. But now, things were different; he was a hero, the talk of all Corsica.

Napoleon stood there, indulging in the cheers of the crowd, a feeling that intoxicated him.

"Napoleon! Is that you, child?"

Suddenly, a familiar voice reached Napoleon's ears. Turning around, he saw Camilla—his nursemaid. Now nearly fifty, she remained robust. Her presence ignited a warmth in Napoleon's heart; she had been the sole light of his childhood.

He followed her back to his childhood home, where he immediately met with informants who could provide him with updates. He learned that within just three months, all his previous glorious achievements had vanished into smoke.

Under the foolish command of the French authorities, Mantua and Milan had fallen back into enemy hands, and most of Italy was lost. Although France still controlled Genoa, the situation was fraught with danger. Masséna had reluctantly retreated back to France! The British had also successfully landed in Holland! France was once again surrounded by enemies.

Faced with such a dire situation, Napoleon decided to return to France quickly. Taking advantage of the fact that the situation could still be controlled, he resolved to return immediately and reorganize the larger picture.

Originally, Napoleon had planned to stay in Corsica for a while to enjoy the "warmth" of his fellow countrymen. But now, regretfully, he had no choice but to cancel those plans.