Chapter 554: Don’t You Have Any Requests for Yourselves?
The man with the full beard was setting a trap, waiting for Charles to fall into it.
Among the lower-ranking soldiers and civilians, there were many with deeply ingrained resentment and suspicion toward capitalists. From the moment they could understand the world, they had been exploited by capitalists, a condition that persisted to this day.
Such hostility was not built in a day. Having endured years of oppression, they refused to believe that there could be any good capitalists, and Charles was no exception.
They believed that everything Charles did was insincere, motivated by hidden agendas, and designed to exploit civilians for his own gain:
“Those funds and supplies are mere trifles to a capitalist, but they earn him the people's support.”
“Yes, Charles does achieve victories and develop equipment, but it also brings him immense personal gains.”
“All of this is just a stepping stone for his rise to power. Charles is the smartest one among them—he knows exactly how to manipulate the people's hearts!”
...
This mindset was shared by many.
The man with the full beard was one of them. He firmly believed Charles had ulterior motives.
For instance, in this case, Charles seemingly sought to replace Nivelle as the Supreme Commander of both the French and Allied forces.
The bearded man had already made up his mind: if Charles accepted the invitation to become "Supreme Commander" without hesitation, it would reveal his true intentions.
This would prove that Charles was no different from other capitalists—he was just better at hiding it.
If that were the case, the mutiny should not end. Otherwise, many participants would be "dealt with" later, an outcome that involved their lives and honor, requiring careful consideration.
(Note: Historically, this mutiny led to over 20,000 people being punished, with most of the leading representatives executed by firing squad.)
To everyone’s surprise, Charles refused without a moment’s hesitation:
“No, I don’t believe I should become the Supreme Commander.”
The bearded man was stunned. He hadn’t expected Charles to refuse, let alone with such decisiveness and conviction.
Other soldiers, less calculating than the bearded man, asked anxiously, their voices tinged with disappointment:
“Why?”
“Is it because Parliament won’t agree?”
“We can fight for you, General!”
...
“No, gentlemen,” Charles replied. “You don’t understand the responsibilities of the Supreme Commander. He must answer to Parliament and even to the British.”
The soldiers froze, some nodding in vague understanding while whispering softly among themselves:
“Yes, if Charles becomes Supreme Commander, he’ll have to deal directly with Parliament’s orders.”
“And the British—they’ll still use resources to pressure the Supreme Commander.”
“At that point, Charles will lose his freedom and flexibility, unlike now, when he can seize opportunities to attack weak points in the enemy’s defenses.”
“That makes sense. Once he’s Supreme Commander, Charles will have to report everything to Parliament, and Parliament will leak those plans to the Germans.”
...
Since the Grevy treason scandal broke, everyone knew that Parliament was full of intrigue and incapable of keeping secrets.
This was one of the reasons Parliament was under martial law at this time.
Martial law wasn’t Charles’ doing. It was his proposal, approved by Parliament, that led to its implementation.
The lawmakers knew their secrets couldn’t be kept, and a large-scale mutiny at the front was no trivial matter. If the Germans found out, France would be doomed.
Thus, for the sake of the greater good, the lawmakers voted to implement the martial law proposal:
No lawmaker was allowed to leave the Bourbon Palace or communicate with outsiders.
The lockdown was enforced by the guards of the Army Minister, Gallieni.
The order sent Charles to negotiate with the mutinous soldiers along the Somme River. Parliament was not to lift martial law until the mutiny was resolved!
...
Charles added:
“Moreover, have you considered that if I rely on your support to become Supreme Commander, Parliament will see me as an enemy?”
“Today, I might rely on your strength to force Parliament to make me Supreme Commander, but tomorrow, I could just as easily force Parliament to pass other proposals.”
“What do you think this would look like?”
The soldiers exchanged glances.
They had only thought about supporting Charles. They hadn’t realized they were unwittingly stepping onto the very path of dictatorship they had always opposed.
“I won’t do that,” Charles reiterated. “Although Parliament has made many wrong decisions, I believe it represents the liberty and justice of France. We should protect this system, not challenge it. Don’t you agree?”
This was nonsense. Charles was fully aware of the state of Parliament—it was merely the result of struggles between different capitalists’ interests.
However, due to the long-term propaganda of the capitalists, the French people widely recognized the parliamentary system. Charles had no choice but to say things that aligned with their expectations.
Otherwise, even with his unparalleled reputation, he could face the same fate as Boulanger—abandoned.
This was dangerous. Parliament excelled at using this very point to seize the moral high ground.
Charles’ words immediately won widespread support from the soldiers:
“He’s a general worthy of respect. He has the conditions to become a dictator but chose not to.”
“Yes, he willingly gave it up—power, position, and immeasurable benefits!”
“This is the spirit of France. He’s the commander we truly need—our hope!”
...
The bearded man froze. He had considered many possibilities, even that Charles might feign a polite refusal, but he had never expected such an answer.
Charles’ words almost completely cut off his own retreat. Becoming Supreme Commander with the soldiers’ support would now be equated with dictatorship.
This overturned the bearded man’s prior perception of Charles.
Charles might genuinely be a pure capitalist and general, striving for the interests of France and its citizens.
“Do you have any other questions?” Charles spread his hands and scanned the surroundings, finally locking eyes with the bearded man.
“No, General,” the bearded man answered. “At least, I don’t.”
“Are you sure?” Charles fixed his gaze on him and then swept it over Captain Jeremy and the other representatives. “Don’t you have any requests for yourselves?”
The bearded man and Captain Jeremy exchanged glances and shook their heads lightly.
“No, General,” Captain Jeremy replied.
“Thank you very much, General,” the bearded man said, his eyes betraying sincerity. He had come to believe in Charles completely.
Charles’ question might have seemed simple, but it carried deep significance—and a heavy weight.
“Don’t you have any requests for yourselves?”
Its other meaning was: You’re likely to face retribution afterward. You should think about how to protect yourselves.
No one else would say such a thing—except Charles.
Any other officer sent to negotiate would have sworn: “You won’t face retribution. We’ll forget all of this, as long as you reorganize the troops now.”
Only Charles went so far as to warn them otherwise.
This confirmed it—Charles was on the soldiers’ side, no doubt about it!
“Very well!” Charles nodded at the representatives. “You are true warriors, brave enough to face life and death. I’ll do my best to protect you!”
The bearded man broke down instantly, his eyes reddening as he silently gazed at Charles.
How could he have doubted Charles all along?!