Chapter 450: Ciel's Promise

It was a sunny Friday with a cloudless blue sky.

The German troops stationed in Ghent, Belgium, assembled early in the morning. Under the orders of several French majors, they lined up in long queues, stacked their rifles neatly in front of prepared wooden boxes and underwent body searches.

Then they took off their helmets and belts, and tore off their rank insignias before letting them go to the other side.

The troops that came to accept the surrender were those of Charles.

The surrender was finalized after the German commander, Lieutenant General Baird, issued a statement that he would only surrender to Charles.

Joffre finally stopped struggling and published a statement in the newspaper: "Charles deserves this honor. His achievements are unmatched. As the commander-in-chief, I am proud of him."

But it seems too late to admit defeat now. People have seen through his true face and the damage to his prestige is a fact.

Prestige did not seem to be important to a victorious general like Charles. Even if it was damaged, people would soon forget about it after a few victories and cheer for him again.

But for a commander like Joffre who had made almost no achievements on the battlefield, it almost meant "future".

Many people, including French parliamentarians, were thinking about the question: "Is it necessary for Joffre to remain as commander-in-chief? Is it more appropriate for someone else to lead?"

Once people have this idea, they will watch Joffre's every word and action through a magnifying glass, and Joffre's fate will be doomed.

…

Charles led his troops into Ghent on foot as a sign of respect for the German army.

"You don't have to do this, Brigadier General." Tijani objected: "Do you know what the Germans did when we lost the Franco-German War?"

Without waiting for Ciel to answer, Tijani continued to talk, anger in his eyes:

"William I rode into Paris on a tall horse, surrounded by princes and nobles, and on both sides were French nobles who were ordered to greet him."

"They were grovelling and trembling, fearing that the Germans would guillotine them."

"Although William I did not do so, he chose to hold his coronation ceremony at the Palace of Versailles and announce the establishment of the German Empire."

"This has become a scar in the heart of every Frenchman that will never heal!"

(The picture above shows the coronation of German Emperor Wilhelm I at the Palace of Versailles in France)

What Tijani meant was that Charles should humiliate the surrendered German army in revenge just as the Germans humiliated France.

But Charles replied: "And what? Other Germans would rather resist to the end in order to avoid such humiliation?"

Tijani was stunned for a moment, then he understood, and there was a little more admiration in his eyes when he looked at Charles.

This is the way a military strategist should think. Unlike ordinary people, he does not act on impulse, but considers everything from the perspective of military interests.

Since Charles chose to walk, other officers, including Albert I, also chose to walk.

Behind them followed the rumbling tanks, armored vehicles and "Saint-Samond" self-propelled artillery.

The team was not long, with one battalion each of armored and mechanized forces, with a total strength of only more than a thousand people and no more than twenty tanks.

The Belgians who heard the news and came to welcome the visitors in their best attire were incredulous at the scene. They had always thought that they would be able to see the strength of Charles's troops this time, but they did not expect to see such a small team.

Doubts even made the cheers much smaller. People looked behind the team and talked about it:

"The main force didn't come?"

"These are just Ciel's guards!"

"Are the other troops stationed outside the city?"

…

Soon, some people reacted and exclaimed: "My God, this is all the troops Charles brought. He only brought a thousand people to accept the surrender of more than 100,000 German troops!"

When people reacted, they immediately burst into thunderous cheers, shouting Charles' name again and again.

This is the effect Charles wanted.

Before this, Charles never appeared in public at specific times for fear of being assassinated by his enemies.

But "accepting surrender" is different. This is precisely the time to show courage to the world. It can not only inspire members of the Allied Powers, but also have a psychological impact on the German army, whether they surrender or not.

The troops finally stopped at Ghent Square, where the German and French armies lined up facing each other.

The German army had been disarmed, while the French army was fully armed and fully armored. The black gun barrels of the tanks in the rear were pointing forward, which was intimidating and formed a sharp contrast with the German army's frustration.

(The picture above shows the Ghent Square in Belgium, which is the historical center of the city. Since 1199, the square has become a trading market every Friday morning, so it is also called "Friday Square". The statue is Arteveld, a hero during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.)

It has been a tradition for hundreds of years that there is a morning market gathering in Ghent Square every Friday, but of course it was cancelled today.

People gathered here holding the Belgian and French flags, quietly waiting for the moment when the German army officially surrendered.

Charles stood in the middle of the team and immediately attracted the attention of all the German soldiers.

The expressions in their eyes were complicated, with admiration, worry, but more of surprise and shock, as if they couldn't believe that the one who defeated them was this hairless boy.

The German commander, Lieutenant General Baird, looked calm. As a senior commander, he had known that Charles had just turned eighteen.

Many soldiers did not know this because the German army blocked the "legend" about Charles and strictly prohibited them from discussing it.

Because the German high command believed that simply discussing Charles's battle record could affect the morale of the troops.

The military band started beating the snare drums nearby. The drumbeats started slowly at first, then quickened, and then suddenly stopped, indicating that the ceremony could move on to the next step.

Lieutenant General Baird walked up to Charles with his head held high, bent down slightly, untied the sword from his waist, and presented it to Charles with both hands: "You win, General. I lose with all my heart."

Then he looked to both sides, glanced at the people walking, and nodded slightly: "Thank you for leaving us the last dignity, which is very important to us."

Ciel took the sword with both hands: "I should thank you, General."

"What?" Lieutenant General Baird looked at Charles in confusion.

"You designated me as your surrender target." Ciel said self-deprecatingly, "I almost lost to my own people."

Lieutenant General Baird forced a smile on his face: "This is as it should be. You are the one who defeated us."

"You did a great job," Charles said, and then turned his gaze to all the surrendered German soldiers: "You have tried your best. For a war situation that cannot be changed, we should lay down our weapons in this way. You are still heroes, and you will be treated with preferential treatment. This is my promise to you!"

The German soldiers breathed a sigh of relief instantly, they got Charles' promise!

(End of this chapter)