News and the Prospect of New Reforms

January 16th, 1801 Palace of Versailles. Inside Napoleon's office, the Minister of War, Berthier, handed Napoleon an official document detailing the situation in Northern Italy.

"Everything is written there, Your Excellency," Berthier said, "General Brune signed the Armistice of Treviso with Austrian General Heinrich von Bellegarde, effectively ending the war in Northern Italy."

Napoleon took the document from Berthier and quickly scanned through its contents. His face remained composed, but his eyes flickered with satisfaction at the news.

"Good work, Berthier," Napoleon said, nodding approvingly. "With this, the Austrians have no means of continuing the war against us."

"Not only that, Your Excellency," Berthier interjected, "but with the defeat of the Austrian Empire, only the Kingdom of Naples and the Portuguese Empire remain as threats to France. However, neither of them offered much of a fight."