Chapter 142: French Troops Deploy

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong, Consul?" Seeing Napoleon's sudden change in demeanor, Desaix thought he might have misspoken.

"No, Desaix, you're right. Today I gathered everyone here to discuss this matter," Napoleon said.

"Everyone, you must have heard some rumors. The Austrians want to negotiate with us," Napoleon said calmly, observing everyone's reactions, which thankfully weren't overly intense regarding the peace talks.

"First Consul! And what was the outcome of the negotiations?" Finally, someone spoke up to inquire.

"It failed! Due to Austria's demands, we found them unacceptable. They want us to withdraw from Italy and pay them compensation of a full 100 million Austrian florins," Napoleon said flatly.

"What! Those damned Austrians dare to propose such conditions? Are they insane?"

"These Austrians are too arrogant. Clearly, they were defeated, yet they dare to make such demands."

"First Consul, we must severely punish them."

Upon hearing Napoleon's words, the French generals became inflamed with indignation. The conditions offered by Austria were unacceptable to anyone.

"Alright, calm down, everyone! I know it's difficult for all of you to accept such negotiations, so I immediately rejected the Austrians harshly," Napoleon reassured the generals.

But then Napoleon's tone shifted as he continued, "However, Austria has not yielded. That much is clear. Therefore, I plan to launch another military campaign to pressure the Austrians."

After finishing his statement, Napoleon did not speak again but turned to look at the crowd. His intention was clear: he intended to continue the war until Austria submitted.

"Fight! Of course, we must fight! The Austrians are so arrogant, we must continue to deal with them."

"Not only must we fight, but we must fight fiercely. We must let these Austrians know who the victors are."

Inside the meeting room, the French generals discussed fervently, each expressing their own views. However, surprisingly, their goal was remarkably unified: to continue the war.

"Very well! You are truly the elite of France. I did not misjudge any of you. So, next, I will formulate a strategy for everyone," Napoleon said, satisfied with their reactions. He then turned around, took out a map of Italy, and pointed forcefully.

There, shining in the Mediterranean, was the pearl of the Adriatic: Venice.

"This is our next target for the offensive. Venice is the most important city in southern Austria and their only port. If we take it, it will be a huge blow to Austria. By then, let's see if they still dare to be so obstinate," Napoleon said, pointing at Venice.

---

Following the decision of the French troops to continue the war against Austria, their target was set on Venice, a major town in southern Austria. With the direction set, a large number of French troops began to advance eastward day and night.

This battle became the largest deployment of French forces in Italy. Approximately 100,000 French troops assembled within Italian territory, with an additional 50,000 reinforcements from France expected to join the main force in Kaja.

"In three days, we will be fully prepared. Then, we will launch a comprehensive counterattack," General Lannes said excitedly. This operation saw a massive force of 150,000 soldiers gathered, the largest General Lannes had ever commanded in his lifetime.

"Very well. Execute the operational plan as you have outlined. I trust your judgment," Napoleon nodded, refraining from interfering with Lannes' operational plans.

"Yes, First Consul! Rest assured, we will achieve victory," General Lannes replied with a salute.

---

With the arrival of 150,000 French troops at the gates of Venice, the once serene and luxurious city suddenly became bustling with activity. No one had expected Venice to once again face the ravages of war. It was supposed to be the rear area! What were the front-line troops doing to allow the French to reach here?

News of the French arrival threw the city into chaos. Masses of people started packing their belongings and fleeing north. Meanwhile, the 10,000 Austrian troops stationed there began hastily fortifying their defenses.

"General Boris, do you think we can hold Venice?" a junior officer asked General Boris.

"Sigh, I don't know. We'll take it step by step," General Boris sighed, at a loss. Like most people, he never imagined Venice would be drawn into the war.

For many years, Venice had been a peaceful economic town in southern Austria, untouched by war. That was precisely why General Boris had chosen to come here as a small local commander—it was calm and perfect for retirement. Never did he imagine that one day, war would come to this tranquil place. Boris could only curse under his breath. All he wanted was a peaceful retirement, but fate had other plans for him. Who did he offend to end up in this mess?

Despite his frustrations, abandoning the city and fleeing was out of the question. The Emperor's orders had just arrived—to hold Venice at all costs and await reinforcements. So, despite his reluctance, Boris had to grit his teeth and defend the city.

Outside Venice, the French artillery was already prepared. The gunners didn't even need to aim precisely; they just fired their shells into the city. As long as the shells landed inside, they could kill or wound Austrian soldiers. Venice was primarily an economic city, and its defenses were minimal, all built during the reign of Archduke Karl. During Napoleon's previous attack, these defenses had been largely destroyed, and subsequent commanders hadn't bothered to repair them.

Now, all the Austrian soldiers were crowded into a few hastily repaired defensive positions, easily targeted by French artillery. Hundreds of cannons boomed relentlessly. Although the Austrians had made some hurried repairs upon discovering the French advance, stopping the barrage of shells raining down was proving extremely difficult. They could only pray to God that the bombs wouldn't fall on their heads.

"General Rana, how long do you think these Austrians inside the city will hold out?" Napoleon asked with interest, observing the battlefield in the distance.

"I estimate they won't last more than seven days. According to the intelligence from our front-line scouts, there are only 10,000 Austrian troops inside Venice, and they are all second-line operational units. Both in numbers and in elite status, they are inferior to us. So, capturing this city is just a matter of time," Rana confidently replied.

Napoleon nodded in agreement. He naturally believed this assessment. However, the sooner they dealt with the Austrians here, the better. It was already mid-August, and they needed to defeat the Austrian troops before their next gathering. They had to maximize their advantage.

"Starting tomorrow, intensify the artillery bombardment on the Austrian troops inside the city. All howitzers should join in, advancing step by step. I want to see how long they can hold out," Napoleon ordered.

"Yes, Your Excellency!" The generals nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, the surrounded Austrian troops were living through days of agony. Every day, shells rained down from the sky, claiming the lives of countless Austrian soldiers. Due to Archduke Karl leading a large army in a counterattack, all their food and ammunition had been transferred to Klagenfurt. Now their food was running low, and ammunition was almost exhausted. Nearly everyone knew they were on the brink of defeat.