NOVEL NEXT Chapter 484 Strength
The vase was shattered, shattered into pieces, beyond the possibility of restoration.
Xia Fei was defeated, utterly defeated, without any chance of a comeback.
The reputation he had built up over the years through propaganda was completely lost, leaving instead an infamous name, with people whispering:
"I heard Xia Fei is trying to blame Shire, saying all of this is Shire's fault."
"I heard that too. He would do anything to keep his position as commander."
"It's not hard to imagine; he could sacrifice anyone for that position, including General Fuxu and Shire, let alone the soldiers!"
...
The major newspapers were all reporting on Xia Fei, no longer covering up and certainly not whitewashing like before.
Because everyone knew the truth, any whitewashing would only result in the newspapers being abandoned by the public.
Soon, newspapers from Britain, America, Italy, and even Russia reported on the matter. Although the headlines were different, their points were quite similar:
The objectives Shire could achieve in one day were those that Xia Fei could never attain in his entire life.
So, was Shire too excellent, or was Xia Fei too incompetent? Or perhaps both!
There were also newspapers that reviewed Xia Fei's tenure as commander, finding that apart from the credit he took from Gallieni for being the "Guardian of Paris," he had almost no other achievements.
This raised further questions: how could such a general stay in the position of commander for so many years? Could it be a flaw in France's system?
By this point, Gallieni certainly wouldn't recommend promoting Xia Fei to marshal.
Even if Gallieni proposed it, the parliament would not approve it.
For at this time, Xia Fei could no longer serve as a symbol to boost morale. If he were a symbol, it would be one of incompetence and shamelessness.
...
At the City Defense Headquarters, Gallieni leaned against the headboard, with a pillow propped behind his back.
Since his injury had recurred, Gallieni often felt weak, with the wound intermittently throbbing with pain.
Shire placed a basket of apples on the table and took out some medicine he had just gotten from the hospital, placing it in the drawer.
"The doctor said you should eat more fruits and liquids," Shire instructed, "like mashed potatoes. I've talked to Major Fernan; from now on, every meal will have mashed potatoes and vegetable soup."
Gallieni replied with a terse "Mm," feeling a bit touched but not wanting to show it to Shire.
Gallieni thought, he might think I'm just a pitiful old man, unable to even eat without his help.
"Wait, Brigadier," Shire was about to leave when Gallieni called him back.
"Yes, General," Shire looked at Gallieni in confusion. He had an appointment with Steed, and it was almost time.
Gallieni gestured towards the door with a nod.
Shire understood, closed the door, and then realized what Gallieni was about to ask.
Sure enough, Gallieni lowered his voice: "It's true, isn't it? You gave the British misleading intelligence about Xia Fei."
Shire openly admitted, "Not just that."
"Not just that?"
Shire nodded but said nothing.
Gallieni understood: "Major General Kristin, he's your man."
It wasn't hard to guess; there were two ways to countersign Xia Fei's wrong judgment: intelligence and Major General Kristin's theories.
The first led Xia Fei to believe that Belfort was the real target of the Germans.
The latter caused Xia Fei to redeploy the artillery and artillerymen from Verdun.
Gallieni sighed lightly, "I won't comment on whether this was the right thing to do, because I also believe Xia Fei is not fit to be the commander. But the way you did it is something I find difficult to approve."
Gallieni added, "You know this violates many military regulations? Xia Fei wasn't wrong in saying he had grounds to court-martial you. What you did was unscrupulous."
"General," Shire replied calmly, "as long as the outcome is correct, the process doesn't seem to matter. Just like on the battlefield, killing the enemy and surviving is what's important, no one cares about the process."
Gallieni was momentarily at a loss for words. He vaguely felt that Shire's ruthless tactics against Xia Fei were because of him.
From the moment he woke up in the hospital, Gallieni knew Shire wanted revenge, a ruthless revenge.
But Gallieni hadn't expected Shire's revenge to be so thorough, so resolute, even Gallieni himself felt a bit fearful.
...
The sea breeze carried a salty scent as it gently caressed Dunkirk. The sky was dark with stars scattered everywhere, and the moonlight sprinkled silvery rays on the sea, mingling with the distant lighthouse.
Outside a three-story villa at the suburban-urban junction, British Army soldiers stood fully armed at the gate, with several snipers hidden in the shadows, ready for action.
This was the headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force, where Vice Admiral Haig, commander of the First Army, and Kitchener were discussing something under the lights on the second floor.
(The image above shows Vice Admiral Douglas Haig, commander of the First Army of the British Expeditionary Force. He was a former subordinate of the British Minister of the Army, Kitchener, during Kitchener's time in India.)
"What we need to focus on is not just the military, General," Kitchener said, holding a glass of wine by the window, gazing at the moonlit sea over a low cluster of buildings, "When one reaches a certain height, the focus becomes political. And the military must always serve politics. When there's a conflict, political needs come first."
Vice Admiral Haig noticed that Kitchener's glass was nearly empty, so he stood up and poured him some more wine: "But Your Excellency, I don't think our current situation conflicts with political needs."
Kitchener smiled slightly: "Think about our countless colonies, General. Some are on the other side of the world, beyond our reach, with barely any troops stationed there. What makes them still willing to submit to the rule of the Sun Never Sets Empire?"
Haig was taken aback and replied, "It's strength."
"Yes," Kitchener nodded, "it's strength. If they don't obey, our troops will crush them like stomping a bug, leaving only stench and mangled limbs struggling in agony."
Kitchener turned to look at Haig, raising his glass: "But now, under Shire's leadership, the French are gaining momentum. They've recaptured the Belgian capital and Antwerp, and stabilized the front at Verdun, while we are idling in Dunkirk."
Haig understood, nodding slightly: "The world sees the strength of France and the decline of the Sun Never Sets Empire, which could make us lose control over the colonies."
Kitchener grunted a confirmation: "So, we can't just sit here and reap the benefits, General. We need a plan, a successful offensive plan, or at least to stand on the front lines and fight the enemy!"