Make France Great Again

September 5, 1849.

The scorching heat of summer blew the horn of the last wave of "offensive". The scorching sun raged on the earth and swayed its own heat to its fullest. The soil under the sun's rays gradually became hot and dry.

In this drowsy temperature, there is still a group of people next to the Tours train station in the Indre-Loire department in the central and western regions of France. They are wearing black suits and top hats. Standing at the railway station under the scorching sun, looking into the distance along the northward railway line.

Even though the white lining was soaked with sweat, the lips were dry, and the sweat on the forehead could not stop sliding down from the top of the head to the cheeks, they had to wipe it with a pure white handkerchief over and over again, and the white handkerchief was also wiped again and again. They were wet from wiping with their handkerchiefs, but they still refused to leave.

Until the rumble of a steam train in the distance, followed by a train appearing from the distant horizon and gradually heading towards Tours train station.

Only then did the gentlemen standing at the train station in Tours show relieved smiles.

After more than an hour of long waiting, they finally got the train coming from the north, but they didn't know whether the people on the train were the "visited guests" they were waiting for.

"Quick! Line up! Line up!" In charge of commanding this team of dozens of people is a man with gray hair, gray attire, and several Legion of Glory medals and knighthoods hanging on his chest (there are gossip that these Legion of Glory medals are all He bought it from a middle-aged man who had served the emperor. The broad forehead and aquiline nose gave this middle-aged man an inexplicable majesty.

The gentlemen lined up in three rows under the command and dispatch of middle-aged men. Each row has 10 people to form a square formation. Next to the square formation is a band wearing imperial uniforms. This is the bronze drum, trumpet and clarinet. The configuration of the small band, just don't know where they got so many imperial uniforms.

Beside the iron guardrails on both sides, the National Guard, wearing a National Guard uniform and carrying a variety of front-loading guns, is responsible for maintaining the security of the Tours train station.

[Because the National Self-Defense Forces have to rely on their own expenses to solve everything, the guns equipped by the National Self-Defense Forces are also allocated according to personal economic strength. Those who are rich are equipped with MTL1842 of the French regular army, and those who are poor are equipped with Charleville 1777, which is said to have produced 7 million sticks. 】

"The military band is ready! Listen to my command! Once you see someone getting off the train, play music for me immediately! And the flag bearer, you are also ready, watch my gestures and raise the flag at any time!" The middle-aged man who was worried about the military band urged again again.

"Mr. Mayor de Renal, don't worry! The boys I have accepted have played many times,

You can't go wrong this time! "The band leader holding the clarinet in his right hand patted his chest to the middle-aged man, that is, Mayor De Renal, assuring the ticket. Then he showed a treacherous expression like a businessman, and whispered in front of Mayor De Renal: " Mr. Mayor, you see it is not easy for my young men to stand here, so can you..."

The band leader rubbed his hands, his eyes were full of treachery and greed, and he looked like "I'll eat you".

Mayor de Renal's face drooped instantly when he heard the talk about money. He glanced at his colleagues who were watching the show, grabbed the band leader's arm, came to the open space 10 meters away from the phalanx, and said in a low voice: "We Hasn’t it already been negotiated? A performance costs 300 francs! How can you raise the price at will!”

The leader of the band showed the cunning of mountain people, pretended to be worried and complained with an unhappy expression: "But Mr. Mayor, 300 francs for a performance is the price at the opera house! My band and I have stood here for nearly a month." Hours, at least this number!"

The band leader opened the palm of his left hand, and the meaning is self-evident.

"Damn it, 500 francs! Are you the reincarnation of vampires? At this price, I can definitely hire a better band from Tours!" Mayor de Renal still lowered his voice and said in a drawn out tone.

"Mr. Mayor, we are the only ones here now!" The band leader yelled while biting the price of 500 francs, pointing to the approaching train: "Look, the train is coming, Mr. Mayor, you have to make a choice! "

Mayor De Renal hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth and said, "You greedy guy! Well, you win! I will give you the rest of the money after the show!"

"Thank you! Generous Mr. Mayor! May God bless you!" The band leader smiled instantly.

"Remember!" Mayor de Renal said viciously to the band leader: "If you screw up the welcome ceremony, don't even try to get the rest of the money!"

"Of course, Mr. Mayor!" The band leader patted his chest and assured Mayor De Renal: "I guarantee that every penny of your gold coins is worth the money!"

If I had known, I should have added some money to the best band in Tours!

Mayor De Renal secretly regretted his original decision, and then comforted himself that there was no need to argue with a group of vulgar people.

The most important thing is to deal with the situation in front of him first. He must "fight this battle well". Only in this way can he pave the way for his subsequent request.

The steam locomotive started to slow down when it approached the Tours train station. A strong buzzing sound came from the wheels and the rails, and the sparks generated by the brakes scattered on both sides of the rails.

When the predecessor of the steam train left the station, the train stopped completely.

The doors of the three red carriages hanging behind the steam locomotive opened one after another, and a soldier in a blue and white imperial uniform stepped out of the carriage first.

Some of them armed with MTL1842 front-loading guns aimed their guns at the crowd headed by Mayor de Renal, and the other part trotted to the front of the National Guards, who were supposed to protect the safety of Tours Railway Station. fully control.

The sudden change made Mayor de Renal and everyone present unable to react.

Until a slightly bald soldier came out of the carriage, he scanned all the people at the Tours train station with sharp eyes and said loudly: "I am Colonel Conrobert, the adjutant to the president, and you are gathered at the Tours train station What are you trying to do? Are you trying to murder the President?"

There was a stern look in Conrobel's eyes, and everyone present believed that once his response dissatisfied the presidential adjutant Conrobel, the only thing waiting for him was death.

"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding!" De Renal, who reacted, shouted and wanted to walk in the direction where Conrobert was.

Before Mayor de Renal could reach Colonel Conrobert, a soldier blocked Mayor de Renal with a muzzle-loading gun, and the bayonet from the gun almost stabbed de Renal mayor.

Mayor de Renal hurriedly raised his hands and explained sincerely: "I am the mayor of Tours, de Renal, and I led the Tours City Hall here to meet with Mr. President, and I have absolutely no intention of murdering the president! "

"What's going on with those people!" Conrobert asked, pointing to the controlled National Guard?

"They are the ones we specially use to protect the president's safety in Tours!" De Renal said with a slightly embarrassed expression, complaining in his heart that this group of National Guards really failed to accomplish anything.

"They? Defending His Majesty the President?" The soldier who put his bayonet on Mayor de Renal's chest said with disdain: "Stop joking! They should protect themselves!"

After all, all the soldiers present laughed.

The National Guard, controlled by a small group of soldiers, showed shame, anger, and even resentment.

The unscrupulous ridicule of the soldiers made Mr. de Renal even more embarrassed.

As the chief executive of Tours, he also took part in the training of the National Guard.

After De Renal became the mayor, he focused on taking a firm hold of the National Self-Defense Forces, making the originally loose National Self-Defense Forces into what it is now. Although it cannot be compared with the Paris National Self-Defense Forces, at least it can Undertaking the daily security work can be said to be one of the achievements that Mayor de Renal is most proud of.

Today, this political achievement was ruthlessly punctured by the guards directly under the leadership of Conrobel.

Of course, if Mayor de Renal knew that the presidential guard in front of him was a soldier of the Zouav Regiment who was famous for his fierceness and combativeness in the Algiers area before he became the guard, his mentality might be much more balanced, and he could The team that made a bad name in Algiers is not in the same breath as the National Guard in the country.

"Quiet!" Conrobert yelled loudly, and then waved his hand.

The presidential guard who received the order from Conrobert put down their guns, and they lined up in two rows in front of the second carriage.

Jerome Bonaparte appeared in front of everyone in a large flip-flop jacket made of breathable linen, white tight trousers and long breathable leather boots.

For a moment, everyone present was stunned, and even the band leader forgot to play and muttered: "The emperor's...nephew?"

De Renal, who was the first to wake up from the sluggishness, hurriedly greeted: "Quick! Play music! Play music!"

The band leader who reacted hurriedly started to play the music, and the supposedly impassioned "Marseillaise" was played intermittently because of being too flustered.

The eagle flag symbolizing the Bonaparte family was also played out by De Renal.

Jerome Bonaparte stood quietly on the train watching what happened on the platform.

"Welcome Your Excellency the President to Tours!" Mayor de Renal said respectfully to Jerome Bonaparte who was still standing on the train.

Jerome Bonaparte walked off the train slowly, came to De Renal and patted De Renal on the shoulder: "Thank you!"

"No hard work! No hard work!" Mayor De Renal responded to Jerome Bonaparte with a simple and honest expression.

"Let all your subordinates go back! And these National Guards also go back!" Jerome Bonaparte pointed to the subordinates behind De Renal and the members of the National Guard.

"Yes!" De Renal followed Jerome Bonaparte's suggestion to let his subordinates and the National Guard leave first.

The subordinates who endured the scorching heat quickly dispersed after receiving De Renal's order.

Jerome Bonaparte officially left the station under the leadership of De Renal, and got into the open double-bridge carriage that De Renal specially prepared for him.

De Renal and Persini sat on the left and right sides of Jerome Bonaparte, while Canrobert commanded the guards on horseback to protect the president.