From Corsica to the Fourth Rome

The fire on the Reasonable was still burning. Although the experienced sailors on the ship had controlled the fire on the upper deck, there was nothing they could do about the flames spreading across the ship.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, the white flag flew on the Reasonable, announcing to the Corsican army their formal surrender.

The officers on the ship climbed down from the gangway in an orderly manner. The moment they stepped onto the dock, they were immediately detained by the Corsican soldiers waiting on the side and brought to Lawrence.

"We surrender to you, Governor Bonaparte."

The leading officer bowed deeply and said politely:

"I hope you will give the prisoners of war the treatment they deserve and allow us to contact our families and the country to prepare our ransom."

"Pooh!"

Before Lawrence could respond, Lieutenant Seth behind him could not bear it anymore.

Although Lieutenant Seth could not understand the officers' English, after seeing their pretentious expressions and hypocritical etiquette, Lieutenant Seth couldn't help but cursed:

"This beast with a human face and an animal heart! What kind of gentleman are you talking about every day? Their hands are covered with Corsican blood, and the blood hasn't even dried yet!"

After cursing all to himself, Lieutenant Seth apologized to Lawrence with a look of shame and said:

"Sorry, sir, I got excited."

Lawrence just shook his head indifferently and said calmly:

"It doesn't matter, I think so too."

After saying that, Lawrence turned his attention to the sanctimonious British guys in front of him and said expressionlessly:

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, to disappoint you."

"Huh? What do you mean?!"

The leading officer suddenly froze on the spot, looking at Lawrence in confusion.

In his opinion, the conditions he proposed were nothing more than the most basic war etiquette. If Governor Bonaparte could not even meet such requirements, then what on earth would he do?

Just when all the officers were hesitating, Captain Morris, who was the most depressed, suddenly laughed miserably twice. This laugh was both self-deprecating and mocking the stupidity of these officers.

As early as a few weeks ago, when Captain Morris and William Pitt were living in the Government House, Morris had inquired about Lawrence with Pitt, and had some knowledge of Lawrence's behavior.

For this decisive young man, Captain Morris had long insisted that he would not let him live. This is why Captain Morris never considered surrendering.

"Grosso, are you ready?"

Lawrence ignored the shocked expressions of the officers and asked Grosso behind him.

"The stake was set up, and it stood in the midst of the people, and they were all gathered around it."

Grosso also put away his cynical expression and said seriously:

"Are you really planning to burn all these people to death? You didn't make the decision impulsively, right?"

Lawrence nodded slightly, he certainly did not decide to execute all these officers on a whim.

This burning was not only an explanation to the citizens of Ajaccio, but also a warning sent by Lawrence to all forces in Ajaccio.

For those forces with ulterior motives who took advantage of Lawrence's unstable foundation, the wailing of these British people was enough to keep them in peace for a while.

"It's useless for me to keep these people. William Pitt alone is enough for the hostages." Lawrence nodded and confirmed to Grosso.

"What about the sailors on the ship? And those captured during the pursuit. I didn't prepare so many burning stakes." Grosso asked with a frown.

Lawrence glanced at the Reasonable. With the assistance of the Corsican soldiers, the fire on the ship had been basically controlled. The sailors also held their heads in their hands and left the ship under the supervision of the soldiers.

"No, they still have some effect." Lawrence shook his head and said:

"The Ajaccio silver mine is now in dire straits and is short of labor. These British, together with the more than a thousand Sardinian prisoners of war, will work to death for Corsica as atonement."

"hiss"

Grosso took a breath and glanced pitifully at the British sailors. If he had to choose, instead of spending the rest of his life like a slave in a mine, it would be better to have him burned to death on the spot.

"Governor Bonaparte, what do you want to do?!"

Seeing that Lawrence never responded to them, the British officers asked anxiously and loudly.

Lawrence glanced at these people with cold eyes, especially at Captain Morris, who was pale at this moment. Then he turned his eyes away from them completely, waved his hand and ordered to the surrounding soldiers:

"Take them away."

A group of soldiers immediately swarmed over and stepped forward to forcefully hold the officers up and start walking out.

"You! Governor Bonaparte, what are you going to do!"

The leading officer's hands were locked behind his back by two soldiers, but he still refused to give up and struggled and shouted:

"We are prisoners of war who surrendered on our own initiative. You must treat us preferentially!"

Lawrence just waved his hand as if he didn't hear anything, and directly signaled the soldiers to take them away.

After getting Lawrence's signal, the two soldiers holding the officer unceremoniously hit the officer on the head with their elbows and cursed:

"Be honest, you bastard!"

The soldiers hated these inhumane executioners even more.

The other officers saw the man receiving a solid elbow, and they wisely gave up the struggle. Their bodies were weak and their eyes were dull, and they were parried away by the soldiers.

At the same time, a soldier on the dock also came to salute Lawrence and reported:

"Governor Bonaparte and the sailors are also under control."

Lawrence nodded and saw the sailors on the dock squatting on the ground with their heads in their hands, surrounded by soldiers.

"That's right." Lawrence suddenly remembered something and asked the soldier:

"Is there a little boy inside?"

"Yes, sir."

"Bring him to me."

"yes."

After a while, little Nelson staggered to Lawrence. Until this time, his expression had not recovered from the panic. He had always had this expression since Captain Morris ordered the massacre.

"His Excellency Bonaparte, Mr. Grosso." Little Nelson raised his head and looked at Lawrence and Grosso with a complicated expression.

"Oh, what a pity." Grosso sighed and shook his head, thinking that Lawrence was going to send Nelson to the mine, so he said regretfully:

"This kid is a good prospect."

Lawrence lowered his head and looked at Nelson's saber. It was still smooth and clean without a trace of blood. It seemed that Captain Morris was not crazy enough to let this twelve-year-old boy join the massacre.

"Horatio Nelson, you must have seen the atrocities you committed in Ajaccio."

Lawrence stared into Nelson's eyes and asked in a deep voice.

"It's His Excellency Bonaparte." Nelson couldn't help lowering his head in shame and whispered.

"Although you were not personally involved, you cannot escape your due culpability."

Lawrence's voice suddenly became stern, almost scolding:

"Now you have two choices. One is to spend your life as a laborer in the mines, and the other is to join the Corsican Navy to clear your name. Make your choice."

"I" Nelson's eyes widened. Although he didn't know why Lawrence made two special conditions for himself, he still quickly thought about and compared the two options.

"Hey, Lawrence, you want to recruit this guy? Why is he an Englishman?"

Before Nelson could reply, Grosso frowned and reminded Lawrence.

"It's okay. After all, he is only twelve years old and is still a blank slate. In ten years, he will call himself a Corsican."

Lawrence waved his hand nonchalantly and said.

"I chose to join the Corsican Navy."

After hesitating for a long time, Nelson finally gritted his teeth, made up his mind, looked at Lawrence and said.

No matter what, little Nelson was still unwilling to bury his entire life that had not yet begun in the endless mountains.

"Very good, very good." Lawrence patted Nelson's shoulder with some satisfaction and said to Grosso:

"I'll leave this boy to you. You don't mind multiple students, right?"

Seeing that Nelson had agreed, Grosso had no choice but to say:

"Okay, what this kid can learn depends on him."

While the three of them were talking, a miserable howl suddenly came from behind them.

This wailing sound broke through the shouts of the citizens. It was sharp and long-lasting. It penetrated into the bones of the listener and made Lawrence and Grosso couldn't help but shudder slightly.

Lawrence turned his head and looked behind him. In the center where the citizens gathered, several conspicuous flames had been lit, and black smoke was constantly rising upwards.

Several human figures could be vaguely seen on the stake, writhing in pain with the wailing sounds.

"What happened?"

When Nelson heard the shouting, he quickly turned around to figure out the situation, but Lawrence directly covered his eyes with his hands:

"Okay, good boy, close your eyes and don't look."

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