Chapter 103: Reunion with an Old Acquaintance

"The 1st Cavalry Division will lead the main attack against the French cavalry brigade. The 2nd Cavalry Division will serve as the reserve. As for the 3rd Cavalry Division, the 4th Cavalry Brigade, and the corps' direct units, they will be on alert against other French cavalry units. I don't care what conflicts you two have. But this time, we must annihilate the French cavalry brigade, not just defeat them!" gritted General Philippe, through clenched teeth.

"Yes, General. Please rest assured, my 1st Cavalry Division is fully capable of annihilating the French cavalry brigade. I will secure victory in this war to defend Florence," confidently replied Anjou. He didn't regard the incoming French lightly.

Early the next morning, Austrian General Anjou led his 1st Cavalry Division out of the city, heading north in search of the French cavalry, eager for a decisive battle.

Meanwhile, the French forces were also preparing anxiously. Both Moulis and Davout were confident in their ability to surpass the Austrian cavalry, but they couldn't underestimate them given their reputation across Europe over the past century.

For Moulis, this battle was also a personal vendetta, so complete preparation was essential; there could be no room for error.

Inside the French headquarters, plans were being finalized meticulously to ensure no mistakes were made.

And in the command center, Roland unexpectedly encountered someone familiar.

"Marlin!" Roland exclaimed in surprise, looking at the gallant cavalry officer before him.

"Roland, it's you! I never expected to meet you here," Marlin replied, equally astonished. Since graduating from military school, it had been a long time since he had seen any of his classmates, let alone a former dormitory mate.

"Marlin! I didn't know you joined the cavalry. This uniform suits you," Roland said, admiring Marlin's heroic appearance.

When it came to looking dashing, he was no match for Marlin. The same uniform on Marlin looked spirited, somewhat akin to the dashing German soldiers in World War II, captivating and sure to be a hit with the ladies.

Thinking of this, Roland couldn't help but feel a bit downcast. Damn, he had been so caught up in his career that he hadn't even managed to get a girlfriend!

"Yeah! My father served in the cavalry before, so I guess you could say it runs in the family. What about you, Roland? I've been keeping an eye on you in the military. I heard you even followed Napoleon to Egypt for the campaign. Impressive. And now you're a major," Marlin replied.

Marin glanced at the insignia on Roland's shoulder and said, "Hey! I guess I've just been lucky. What about you? Are you serving under General Mura?"

Roland looked at Marin's uniform and asked, noticing the insignia of the Central Cavalry Division on his shoulder, the same as Mura's.

"Yeah! I joined the Central Cavalry Division right after graduating, and later, when they urgently needed more recruits, I was promoted to squadron leader and my rank was raised to Major," Marin replied, shrugging to draw more attention to his rank.

Seeing this, Roland could only smile wryly. Marin's combative nature hadn't changed in all this time.

"Speaking of which, it's been ages since we've seen each other, you, me, and Jobe, John," Roland remarked.

"I saw Jobe recently; he opened a factory in Paris. Have you seen John? Do you know where he is?" Roland asked curiously.

"I heard he joined the Navy, joined the Atlantic Fleet. It's a shame the navy wasn't involved in this attack; otherwise, we might have seen him!" Marin chuckled.

"Marin? Roland? How do you two know each other?" Just as Marin and Roland were feeling joy at their reunion after a long time apart, a voice behind them interrupted. It was General Mura, who had come to prepare for a military meeting.

"General Mura," Marin and Roland both greeted him together.

"You seem quite familiar! Have you met before?" Mura asked Marin and Roland, his tone light and friendly, like that of an old friend.

It was because Marin and Roland were both people he admired. Marin was a rising star in his army, young but brave in battle, a good seedling that no one could dislike. And as for Roland, he was not only his nephew but also very clever, and Mura liked him very much.

"Yes, General Mura. Marin and I were classmates at the Brienne Military Academy. We even fought together in the Battle of Turin," Roland happily explained to Mura.

"I see. It's no wonder this military academy, known as the cradle of the soul of the French army, could cultivate you two little rascals at the same time. Now I want to visit your academy," Mura said, his tone filled with surprise.

Though Mura had heard of the reputation of the Brienne Military Academy before, he had never truly experienced it. Now, seeing Roland and Marin's capabilities firsthand, Mura realized just how formidable the academy truly was.

"Marin, you're attached to the First Brigade, right? You'll be participating in this decoy operation," Mura said, looking at Marin.

"Yes, General Mura. I'm ready," Marin replied solemnly, saluting sharply and speaking loudly.

"Good. France needs men of your courage. I look forward to good news from your brigade," Mura said, patting Marin's shoulder.

"Uncle Mura, I also want to participate in this battle. I want to test out my new rifle," Roland interjected.

"Roland, I understand what you mean, but this is primarily a cavalry decoy operation. Infantry might not be of much use," Mura hesitated.

"It's okay, I can have them mounted. Since it's a decoy operation, as long as they can keep up with the cavalry's retreat, it'll be fine," Roland insisted firmly.

"Well... all right then. But you must promise me, if things go south, you must retreat promptly, regardless of others. You know the weight you carry on your shoulders," Mura said thoughtfully. He finally agreed to Roland's proposal. However, he insisted that in case of an emergency, Roland must withdraw first. His status was too special; he was Napoleon's heir, and Roland absolutely must not be harmed.

"Okay! I understand," Roland nodded. He was not someone who couldn't distinguish between importance and insignificance; of course, he knew when to advance and when to retreat.

...

After obtaining Mura's consent, Roland left the Decisive Combat Sequence and temporarily joined the First Brigade where Marin was located.

That afternoon, under the command of General Pearson, the commander of the First Cavalry Brigade (not the same Pearson, they share the same name), Roland and Marin moved southward.

"Who would have thought that our commanding general is also named Pearson. It gives me a sense of familiarity, as if it's our first campaign all over again," Roland said to Marin on the road. Upon hearing the name of Colonel Pearson for the first time, Roland was astonished. For a moment, he even thought this Pearson might be his former instructor, Old Pearson.

However, upon seeing the real person, he realized they were just namesakes. This is quite common in Europe, where many people are named after their fathers or famous European figures. It's like randomly throwing a brick on the streets of Paris and eight out of ten people being named Caesar.

...

General Anjou of the Austrian Army's First Cavalry Division led his troops out of the city and headed north in search of the French cavalry, eager for a decisive battle. Shortly after their attack, Anjou's First Division encountered Muret's First Brigade, but to his surprise, the French cavalry barely engaged before withdrawing.

"Come on, you Austrian fools. Let's see if your horse swords are as sharp as ours," faced with the fierce Hungarian hussars, these French soldiers felt no fear in their hearts, but rather a burning passion.

Austrian Hungarian hussars had been famous in Europe for hundreds of years. If the French cavalry could bring them down from their pedestal, it would surely cause a sensation worldwide.