Chapter 758 Benefit Distribution
The Salpetriere Hospital is very busy. There are a large number of seriously injured soldiers sent down from the front line who need surgery, while some people are recuperating here after completing the surgery.
The corridors and outside were filled with wounded people wearing bandages or on crutches.
They all recognized Charles and stopped to salute him as he passed by.
Charles always stopped to say hello:
"Take good care of yourself. The motherland will not treat you unfairly."
"Don't worry, if you can't find a job, come to my factory."
"Believe me, you can feed yourself, and the French soldiers will never be defeated!"
The wounded stood in awe with tears in their eyes.
They knew what Ciel said was true because that was exactly what Ciel did.
Charles gave the wounded their own jobs and new goals so that they would not become destitute or even starve to death after spending their 130 francs in pension.
Charles walked up the corridor to the second floor, arrived at the ward, saluted Lieutenant Colonel Fernando, took the carnation from the guard and walked in.
"You seem much better today," Charles said to Gallieni, who was lying on the bed reading a newspaper, and replaced the flowers in the vase.
Although Gallieni still looked haggard, some color had returned to his face.
Gallieni said "hmm", slowly put down the newspaper in his hand and looked at Charles: "How did you do it?"
"What do you mean?" Charles moved a chair and sat beside the bed.
Gallieni gently took off his glasses from his nose and said, "The Council, Charles. They should have dismissed me at this moment, but they did nothing. You stopped them, didn't you?"
Charles said "Oh" and replied: "You don't want to know, I used some tricks, which were not very glorious."
This is the difference between Gallieni and Charles. Gallieni is too upright and demands due process in everything.
But Charles will do whatever it takes to achieve his goal.
In the past, Gallieni would have reprimanded Charles for this.
For example, only procedures can ensure the normal and healthy operation of the country, otherwise one day it will fall into trouble like before.
But now, he nodded slowly: "Maybe you are right."
Charles looked at Gallieni in surprise; this was not like him.
Gallieni deadpanned, "You must think I'm old and stubborn, don't you?"
"No, General," Charles answered. "I only..."
"Don't deny it. I know what you are thinking." Gallieni sighed softly, "If you can save more soldiers' lives, then do it. I will stand by your side no matter what. This is my promise!"
After walking back from the brink of death, Gallieni felt that his thoughts had changed.
Why should we still be obsessed with procedural justice?
Is it worth sending thousands of soldiers to die?
Those who should pay the price are the parliamentarians, politicians and capitalists.
Ciel felt relieved.
Before this, Charles had been tied up, one of the reasons being Gallieni's fairness, who would "side with the right rather than the relative" when faced with certain matters.
Now that he had said this, Charles felt as if he had been freed and his whole body was relaxed.
"You should have thought of it a long time ago." Charles peeled an apple for Gallieni, cut it into small pieces on a plate and handed it to him.
"That's because that person is you." Gallieni took the plate and replied, "I know that power is not a problem in your hands, not that you have changed your principles. But of course, you still have to keep a sense of proportion."
"Yes, General," Charles answered, but he didn't agree in his heart.
Gallieni just refused to admit his mistake, but the moment he gave in, he had actually given up his principles.
…
At Mézières, Foch was in full swing directing the garrison and surrender work at the headquarters located at the airport.
This was his unprecedented highlight. In just three days, the troops he led fought from Verdun to Mezieres, recovered a large tract of land and captured nearly 200,000 German troops.
Of course, everyone knew that it was Ciel who played the role.
But as the commander-in-chief of France, in principle all victories were related to Foch, which was the credit given to him by Charles.
At this time, two Avro planes landed at the airport under the protection of a group of fighter jets.
Foch, who happened to see this scene, was a little surprised: "Do we have 'Afro' at our airport?"
The staff officer walked to the window and answered excitedly: "Commander-in-Chief, that is Charles' plane."
"Are you sure?" Foch asked.
"Confirmed." The staff officer nodded confidently: "His plane has a canopy. So far, France has less than 10 planes with canopies, and the Avro is one of them."
Foch hurriedly took down his military cap and belt from the wall and went to greet him.
It was Charles. Foch came forward with a smile and gave Charles a warm hug: "You should have called, Lieutenant General. I almost thought it was a German plane."
As he spoke, Foch nodded towards the phone behind Charles.
Charles smiled and replied, "It doesn't matter, as long as the airmen recognize it, that's enough."
Currently, the air defense equipment is weak, and the only weapons that can pose a threat to aircraft traveling at speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour are fighter jets.
But there was more to Ciel's words.
He was implicitly reminding Foch that the most important war resources were in his hands, and the air force was one of them.
Foch smiled nonchalantly: "Yes, of course."
Foch had resigned himself to his fate.
He had just learned that Charles had saved Gallieni's position as commander of the Reserve Army Group from the parliament.
Foch had not yet had time to find out what specific methods Charles had used.
But that was Parliament, and Charles was able to make Parliament surrender and change its resolution, which shows how powerful Charles is.
Plus, Charles controls supplies, military industry, energy, and elite troops, and can also bring victory to himself...
Foch did not think he had the leverage to confront or compete with him.
The two of them invited each other into the conference room. When they were the only two left, Ciel said expressionlessly:
"I came here this time hoping to discuss the appointment of the commanders of the various army groups with the commander-in-chief."
"You know, the Meuse line is basically stable."
"We should take this opportunity to promote capable officers to important positions. I believe that only in this way can the army exert greater combat effectiveness."
Foch immediately agreed: "Yes, that's what we should do."
He appeared calm on the surface but inwardly he exclaimed: God, this is the power of the parliament, even I, the commander-in-chief, cannot decide, and now you are "discussing" this with me?
Charles continued, in a relaxed tone: "I think it is a good choice for Major General Weygand to be the commander of Army Group North. What do you think?"
Foch was stunned, Weygand was his man.
But Foch immediately understood that this was a distribution of benefits.
"Oh, yes, I think so too." Foch nodded: "And the commander of the reserve army group should undoubtedly be General Gallier."
Foch was returning the favor.
(End of this chapter)
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