Ottoman Empire.
Constantinople.
Said walked past the guards who were bowing their heads in salute on both sides with a gloomy expression, then turned to glance back at the Topkapi Palace, feeling increasingly desolate.
Just now, the Sultan had appointed him as a special envoy to "inspect" Tunisia.
A few years ago, this would have been a coveted position that many envied—typically, fringe provinces like Tunisia would treat the Sultan's envoy well and give him a substantial amount of "travel expenses" upon departure.
However, this mission was doomed to be devoid of such benefits.
The empire was facing a critical situation in Ochakov. That Potemkin from Russia had a large army pressing hard, and the important fortress on the northern shore of the Black Sea could fall at any time.
Moreover, with the previous crushing defeat at the Battle of Fidonisi Island, the empire was now facing an extremely grim situation, with its finances, military, and other aspects stretched to the breaking point.
And at such a crucial time, a coup had erupted in Tunisia.
The Pasha appointed by the empire, Hamoud Ali, was killed, and his nephew Haji declared himself the successor, yet he had not followed the usual protocol of seeking investiture from the empire to be Pasha, which had undermined the empire's dignity.
It was against this backdrop that the Sultan had chosen him to go to Tunisia.
Said sighed; there wasn't even a budget for this mission, and he had to dig into his own pockets.
Moreover, according to the empire's usual practice, if he couldn't get Haji to apologize to the Sultan and request to be recognized as Pasha, he would most likely be executed for "incompetence and insulting the imperial dignity"...
He got into his palanquin with the assistance of his servant, mentally calculating his family fortune. He could probably take out 30,000 sultanis, wondering if this small favor would be enough to "persuade" Haji.
Ha! What an irony, the Sultan's envoy now had to bribe a Pasha of a border province...
United States.
Philadelphia.
Outside Independence Hall, about two or three thousand citizens were excitedly shouting slogans and waving vigorously towards Congress Hall.
Hamilton stood in front of the second-floor window, watching the scene outside with satisfaction, feeling that the more than 200,000 US dollars spent before were well worth it.
The news from the Mediterranean yesterday was that, with the help of France and the Netherlands, the US fleet had eradicated the Barbary pirates of Tunisia, significantly improving the safety of the Mediterranean sea lanes in the future.
And he, as the congressman who had strongly advocated for the special funding to fight the pirates, had gained a wealth of political prestige.
Madison, also a member of the "Federalist Party," approached and, gesturing towards the window, laughed:
"Mr. Hamilton, you are now a legendary hero in Philadelphia! Ah, 'Pirate Judge,' just listen to the nickname everyone is giving you."
He lowered his voice a little, "Looking at this momentum, you might even have a shot at the presidential seat."
"Ha, you jest. My reputation is still far from enough," Hamilton said with a laugh, waving his hand. Yet the title of "Pirate Judge" did stir something within him.
The navy had reported that the French had captured thousands of pirates and offered to sell them to the US at a price of 2000 US dollars each.
That money could buy five sturdy male slaves. But the fleet commander at that time thought it was too expensive and didn't buy any.
Hamilton shook his head privately; that fool definitely should have bought a hundred or so pirates, conduct a public trial, and then hang them in front of everyone. That way, his title of "Pirate Judge" would indeed suit him!
Those fervent and proud citizens outside, perhaps, could give him a pleasant surprise in next year's presidential elections...
With this thought, he turned to Madison:
"I will submit an appropriation request to purchase the Barbary pirates in Congress, please support me."
Netherlands, Amsterdam.
Sir Joseph York, the British ambassador to the Netherlands, walked out of the Congress building with a stern face.
At the recently concluded provincial union Congress, the Dutch did not condemn France's actions in North Africa as Britain had hoped.
Instead, they issued a statement saying that free trade in the Mediterranean had been better protected recently, which included Dutch contributions.
York cursed under his breath; everyone knew that the Dutch ship was just assisting the French, which was clearly a form of support for France!
Although the Dutch were intimidated by Britain, they were deeply resentful of British high-handedness. Therefore, they were very willing to seize such minor incidents to annoy Britain.
Then York suddenly remembered a rumor he had heard a couple of days before—the Dutch East and West India Companies were going to merge and accept French investment to establish the "United East India Company."
This matter had to be ascertained as soon as possible, and if true, it must be thwarted at all costs to prevent the Netherlands from continuing to lean toward France.
The Low Countries were a strategic "bridgehead" for the British Empire, absolutely not to be lost!
...
On board the "Avant-garde," Joseph read through the "Origin Analysis of Tunisia" with a smile on his face.
Mr. Saint Pierre's writing was undoubtedly excellent; he interwove history, various legends, and even myths skillfully into one narrative, making the story very vivid...
No, it was a record of Tunisia's colorful history.
He handed the manuscript to Isaac, the "North Africa expert," asking him to review it and, if there were no issues, to translate it into Arabic and Berber as soon as possible, and then print it in large quantities.
To increase efficiency, he even brought a printing press and craftsmen on board.
Another day passed, and the fleet arrived at the Port of Tunis.
Bertier and a group of officers had already arrived at the dock to welcome them. However, as Joseph had requested that his identity not be disclosed, there were almost no soldiers there.
The landing craft moored and steadied, Bertier and the others saw an exaggeratedly long gangplank extending from the ship, and shortly afterward, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince appeared before their eyes.
After a simple welcoming ceremony, Joseph walked straight along the more-than-30-meter gangplank to the carriage that had been unloaded from the ship.
Bertier, eyeing the strange carriage with a sealed bottom and pointed ends, pulled Kesode aside with a puzzled look and asked:
"What is this... for the Prince?"
The latter spread his hands helplessly and whispered:
"His Royal Highness promised the Queen that he would stay on the ship at all times. So, that is a ship. A ship mounted on a carriage."
Bertier: "..."
Half an hour later, the procession arrived at the outskirts of Tunis City, where Joseph immediately saw a vast array of tents—thousands of them—arranged on open ground beside the main road.
Judging by the flags around the camp and the attire of the patrolling soldiers, it seemed to be the Tunisian Guard.
"What's all this?"
Bertier, seated across from the "ship", quickly explained:
"Your Highness, these are Koja's Imperial Guard, more than twelve thousand strong. After the end of their conflict with Eunice, they have returned to Tunis City. I was worried they might cause trouble, so I had them stationed outside the city."
It was well known that the French legion had breached the defenses of a hastily assembled 7000-strong Imperial Guard in just over an hour, so Koja did not dare to engage the French Army lightly and had obediently remained outside the city.
Bertier continued: "However, these Tunisian soldiers are accustomed to living in comfort and have been clamoring to return to their homes in the city. Ah, they usually train only once every three days and spend the rest of their time away from the military camp."
Joseph immediately caught on to something and asked, "So, the most combat-effective units of the Tunisian Guard are mostly here, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Joseph smiled slightly and said, "Then let them go into the city and return home."
Bertier hastily said, "Your Highness, last week Mr. Prosper and his men, disguised within the French merchant convoy, successfully repelled an attack on the convoy and captured several bandits.
"It turned out that these men were from the Tunisian Guard in the north of Kaf.
"Many pieces of evidence suggest the previous attacks on the French people were indeed the work of the Tunisian Guard.
"If we let thousands of Imperial Guards into Tunis City, they may very well..." Continue your story on empire
"It doesn't matter," said Joseph. "To prevent another assassination attempt on the Bey, they must deposit their weapons in the armory before entering the city.
"Additionally, we'll increase the number of Berber police and strengthen patrols; there shouldn't be a problem."
Only then did Bertier nod hesitantly:
"Yes, Your Highness."
The next morning, Joan, accompanied by two men, one tall and one short, came to Joseph's temporary residence south of Tunis City.
The taller middle-aged man had a typical Arab face, yet his attire was quite European in style. The shorter, plump man was clearly French but wore a turban and an open long robe.
The three were led in by Eman, and upon entering, they immediately saw the wooden planks on the floor arranged in the shape of a ship.
Joan, no longer surprised by this, came forward and bowed, pressing his hand to his chest:
"Sir, Mr. Agadon and Mr. Morel have arrived."
He then addressed the two men beside him:
"This is Mr. Joseph."
After the introductions, Joseph, following the local customs, invited the two men to sit on the rug, ordered the servants to bring drinks and pastries, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then got straight to the point:
"I hope to utilize your channels to help me transport some special items to various locations in Tunisia."
Agadon was the French-Tunisian Chamber of Commerce's top member and French descendent clothing merchant who had previously assisted the Police Affairs Department in entering Ksar Hellal Palace. He had extensive connections and resources in Tunisia.
And the Mr. Morel beside him was his local partner, a native of Arab descent.
Agadon had only heard from Joan that this young man before him held a prestigious status and possessed extremely high authority over affairs in Tunisia.
Thus, he asked very politely:
"May I know what you would like me to transport?"
"Weapons, ammunition," Joseph stated without any hesitation, "and some silver coins."
Agadon and Morel exchanged a glance, their expressions immediately tensed:
"Sir, you must be aware, things have been very chaotic around Tunisia lately, and these items might get hijacked..."
"I will send men to protect you. The number won't be large, but as long as it's not a sizable Imperial Guard, it should be sufficient to handle it. Oh, and you can rest assured about the payment, it will definitely satisfy you."
Seeing the hesitation in the other party, Joseph brought out a greater temptation:
"By the way, this matter is of interest to the Royal Family. If you handle it well, I can guarantee you a place in Parisian high society."
Agadon's eyes immediately lit up. To these French-descended businessmen striving in this "Barbaric land," no matter how much money they made, Parisian nobility would only scornfully label them nouveaux riches.
And their greatest dream was to become true French upper-class gentlemen. Who would want to muddle through life in a godforsaken place like North Africa?
He nodded vigorously at once: "Please rest assured, no matter the quantity of weapons... Uh, I mean goods, I guarantee they will be delivered on time to the place you desire!"
"You can avoid the Imperial Guard's inspections?"
"That's the very basic, sir. I am perfectly clear on how to bribe those greedy fellows. Moreover, I can mobilize the power of the Chamber of Commerce; even if there's an inspection, just a little money should sort it out."
"Excellent, Mr. Agadon! Allow me to express my heartfelt thanks on behalf of His Majesty the King."
...
On the outskirts of Tunis City.
In a typical Arab-style two-story building, several well-dressed individuals were excitedly passing around two pamphlets.
The title on the cover of the pamphlets read — "An Analysis of the Origins of Tunisia."𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
A middle-aged man with a beard pointed vigorously at a page, saying excitedly:
"Ceilabi Xilada is absolutely right! We are Roman Descendants, with a glorious history and noble bloodlines!"
The term "Ceilabi" is a title of respect for a very well-known scholar. The Xilada he mentioned is indeed a scholar with a great influence in Tunisia.
Another immediately added:
"These historical evidences demonstrate that we share common ancestry with countries like France and Spain, and we can completely integrate into the advanced civilization of Europe!"
"Look, Ceilabi mentions that many people in France consider us as their long-lost kin!"
The bearded man flipped through a few pages and said in a grave tone:
"It's all because of those accursed Ottoman People, severing our ties with the Roman motherland and leading Tunisia to ruin and decline!"
Joseph had truly not anticipated that there would be so many in Tunisia who were "pro-French".
However, this was not surprising since there were many French people doing business in Tunisia, showcasing enviable fashion, wealth, confidence, and the strength of France itself in front of the locals. In an era where national and ethnic consciousness was extremely weak, it was easy for Tunisians to embrace pro-French sentiments.
Initially, Joseph had simply planned to identify as many common ancestors as possible between France and Tunisia, with little expectation that many Tunisians would believe it.
Even if he could influence 10% of the population, it would make his plans go much more smoothly.
Yet, his historical proof of common origins gained huge popularity among many Tunisians, especially the intellectual class. No one cared about the reliability of the evidence in the text and immediately accepted the conclusion.[Note 1]
Just like in the future, if an American scholar were to "prove" that Filipinos and Americans share common ancestry, the latter would happily agree as well.
[Note 1]: At this time, the main population of North Africa was Berbers, Arab descendants, and Ottoman descendants, with the latter two being standard Caucasians, not differing much in appearance from Europeans. Even among Berbers, who had slightly browner skin, their long history of interbreeding with Caucasians meant they looked like sun-tanned Caucasians.