Chapter 203: Cooperation and Utilization
"Your Highness, the first two points you mentioned are very reasonable, and I can now promise you on my father's behalf."
Rabia then feigned a troubled look. "However, the matter of the Port of Bizerte exceeds the authority my father has granted me."
Before Joseph could respond, she quickly added, "But if you could provide some financial support, I am confident I can persuade my father.
"Moreover, your assistance would also help us defeat Hammuda Ali more quickly, wouldn't you agree?"
Joseph smiled and nodded.
"Very well, I will provide another 2 million livres in military funds to Younis Pasha. However, since these are military funds, they will only be disbursed after I have seen his army."
Two million?! Greed and surprise flashed in Rabia's eyes.
Although she had some reservations about the timing of the payment, she considered that it might be due to the French Crown Prince's lack of confidence in her father's influence, and thus, she accepted.
She immediately declared loudly,
Afterward, Joseph and she finalized some "cooperation" details, then he had Joanne escort her to a nearby guest room to rest, and she would return to Algiers early tomorrow morning.
Consul Joanne, after settling Rabia, immediately returned to Joseph's office and saluted anxiously.
"Your Highness, I do not mean to question your decision, but my duty requires me to offer you due counsel. I have had dealings with Younis before. He is undoubtedly an ambitious and extremely cunning individual.
"You have provided him with substantial support, including weapons and millions in funds, but it's difficult to guarantee that he will uphold his promises or avoid colluding with other factions.
"Perhaps you should station some troops near him to keep watch, to ensure we secure our rightful interests."
Joseph cast an appreciative gaze at him.
"Thank you very much for your advice. Clearly, your concerns are valid. However, I have never truly trusted Younis."
"Oh?"
Joseph smiled and gestured for him to sit.
"You see, Mr. Younis once raised an army and betrayed his own father. After his defeat, he fled to Algiers. If he could betray his own father, what makes you think he wouldn't betray anyone else?"
Joanne nodded repeatedly.
Joseph continued, "Furthermore, are you aware of Younis's other identity?"
"Are you referring to Algiers' largest smuggler?"
Joseph shook his head. "Smuggling is merely his overt cover. In reality, he is a major shareholder behind the Algiers pirates."
Previously, the incident where the American Charles acquired intelligence about pirates from one of Younis's smugglers had already made Joseph suspicious of Younis.
He was merely a smuggler, yet he knew the pirates' routes at sea perfectly clear. This was clearly amiss.
Therefore, Joseph had the Police Intelligence Bureau investigate Younis more thoroughly, and discovered that he was directly involved in the pirate trade.
This was also why he enjoyed a certain degree of freedom in Algiers—by investing in pirate factions and influencing the Algiers Council, he eventually secured the privilege of living in the Dahra region. Of course, for Younis, this was merely a 'collaboration' with the Algiers navy.
Joanne exclaimed in surprise, "He's actually a pirate?!"
"Precisely. Younis's fleet typically smuggled goods from Britain back to Tunisia, but if they encountered a suitable target en route, the smuggling ships would immediately transform into pirate vessels. In fact, such information about him isn't difficult to uncover in Dahra.
"Oh, and that Ms. Rabia just now is a ferocious pirate leader. She has repeatedly sold 'white slaves' in Algiers. I even suspect that the 'white slaves' she sent as gifts were captives she herself abducted from the European coast."
Joanne suddenly recalled something and asked,
"But, Your Highness, I heard that American acquired pirate intelligence from one of Younis's subordinates. If Younis is a shareholder in the pirate trade, then why would he..."
"There's a power struggle among the pirate factions," Joseph chuckled. "Younis belongs to an external faction and has been openly and covertly feuding with the local Algiers factions. He is using the Allied Fleet to strike at his rivals."
Joanne nodded silently. Given his understanding of Younis, the latter was certainly capable of such a thing.
Joseph smiled as he looked at him.
"You see, how can I confidently cooperate with a man who would betray even his own associates at any moment?"
Joanne asked, puzzled,
"Then why are you supporting his return to Tunisia?"
He looked up and saw the Crown Prince smiling but silent. Immediately realizing his blunder, he bowed deeply.
"Oh, I apologize profoundly, Your Highness; that was not my place to ask."
...
Tunisia.
Qahil Palace.
A woman in her twenties, with a graceful figure and distinct Greek features, turned from side to side before a mirror, admiring the French fashion she wore—custom-made in an Arabian style, of course.
She was Hafsa, the favorite wife of Hammuda Ali, the Bey of Tunisia.
"Inam, isn't this color a bit too dark?" She turned to ask the maid beside her. "I recall ordering a lighter one as well."
"That's right, my esteemed lady." Before the maid could answer, the assistant from the tailor's shop, who was attending nearby, eagerly stepped closer. "You mean this one, don't you?"
"Yes, help me change into it."
The moment the maid Inam took the long dress and turned, the assistant slipped a note into Hafsa's hand.
Hafsa frowned slightly. Glancing at the maids, she saw they were busy unfurling the elaborate long dress, so she quickly unfolded the note.
When she saw the special crossed-arc symbol on the note, she quickly crumpled the note into a small ball, popped it into her mouth, and swallowed it. Then she quietly asked the assistant,
"Who gave you this?"
The latter also replied in a low voice,
"It's your fashion designer. He's just outside the palace hall."
Hafsa nodded, casually tried on the new dress, then hurried outside the hall, where she saw a young man respectfully bowing to her.
"Mr. Zaganos, isn't it? I am very pleased with your dresses." Hafsa adopted an air of arrogance and deliberately walked away from where the guards were stationed. "I would like to commission a few more dresses for formal occasions."
"Ah, it would be my honor!" Zaganos quickly lowered his head and followed her. If Joanne had been there, he would have recognized him at once as Ishaq, an agent from the Police Intelligence Bureau.
Hafsa whispered,
"What does he want?"
Ishaq glanced back at the guards and said in a barely audible voice, "There will be a rebellion soon."
"What? Is it related to him?!"
"Don't worry, he is safe," Ishaq said. "However, he asked me to inform you that you must find a suitable time to tell the Bey about this matter."
"Oh? Why?"
"You will learn the specific details later. For now, you only need to remember to inform the Bey of the rebellion within seven days. Oh, and there are some clues you can use..."
"Yes, the styles will definitely be close to the latest trends." Ishaq, passing by several guards, said loudly for show, then quickly whispered, "Madam, this is the crucial part. Once the fighting begins, you must persuade the Bey as quickly as possible to..."
Hafsa's expression remained calm, but inwardly, a storm raged. She meticulously committed every word from 'Zaganos' to memory.
Only after he finished speaking did she interject hastily, "Tell him I will handle it. And to be careful himself."
"Yes, Madam."
...
Algiers.
Dahra's northwest coast.
The sky was dim. Inside a three-story palace, entirely white, with tall colonnades and onion-shaped domes, a detachment of Janissaries, clad in orange robes, approached the arched, gold-trimmed main gate. The officer leading them politely rapped on the door.
"Lord Younis, do you have any instructions?"
What he called 'instructions' was, in fact, a routine inspection. Such inspections occurred once each morning, noon, and evening.
Although Younis had close ties with the Algiers navy, he was also the Algiers Janissaries' 'cash cow'.
Over twenty years ago, Muhammad ibn Hussein and his brother Hammuda Ali, using troops from the Algiers Janissaries, returned to Tunisia and seized the Bey's throne.
According to the pre-arranged 'troop lending fee', Tunisia would henceforth pay an annual tribute of 50,000 rials to the Algiers Janissaries.
Younis, serving as leverage to compel the Bey of Tunisia to make timely payments, was 'protected' by the Algiers Janissaries.
However, Younis also possessed considerable influence, managing to connect with the navy, which compelled the Janissaries to allow him to live freely in Dahra, though he was absolutely forbidden from leaving the area.
There was no response from inside. The officer raised his voice.
"Lord Younis, are you asleep?"
After asking three times, the officer's expression shifted, and he exchanged a glance with another officer, then ordered the soldiers to force open the gold-inlaid gate.
The room was empty.
The officer was startled, frantically blowing his wooden whistle. Immediately, fifty to sixty Janissary soldiers swarmed in from all directions.
"He's gone! Search for him immediately!"
In less than ten minutes, reports began to trickle back from the soldiers. Not only Younis himself, but also his son, two daughters, and personal servants had all vanished from the palace.
Four bodies of Janissary guards, who had been on patrol, were also discovered.
The officer's face turned ashen with fright. He personally leaped onto a horse and rode off to report to his superiors.
Soon, more Janissaries arrived, blocking off all nearby roads. Meanwhile, cavalry units pursued in the direction of the port—as long as Younis didn't leave the harbor, there was still hope.
In the dim night, more than twenty horses galloped furiously towards Dahra Port. Given the Algiers Janissaries' abysmal response efficiency, only this many cavalry could be mobilized in a short time. Most of the other officers and soldiers were still at home, not even fully dressed.
About twenty minutes later, the cavalry finally spotted scattered torchlights in the distance.
The commanding officer forcefully cracked his whip on his horse, then drew his saber and shouted, "Prepare to intercept! Attention! Aside from Younis, anyone who dares to resist will be killed on sight!"
"Yes, sir!"
As they closed in on the seven or eight horses ahead, suddenly, a line of concentrated muzzle flashes burst forth from the darkness, followed by a series of booming bangs.
Three Algiers Janissaries fell from their horses. The others, terrified, reined in their steeds and dodged to either side.
"It's muskets. An ambush! Be careful!"
"What do we do? It seems like there are quite a few of them..."
"Younis has gotten far away!"
"I know! Sekri, go back and call for reinforcements! Piri, scout ahead and assess the situation!"
"I... Yes, sir!"
Meanwhile, after firing once, Prussipur of the Police Intelligence Bureau immediately signaled his subordinates to mount their horses and hastened towards the port under the cover of darkness.
They numbered only fourteen men in total—this was almost the entire complement of the Police Intelligence Bureau in Algiers.
They didn't know how many pursuers there would be; they only hoped that by firing two guns simultaneously per man, they could use the cover of night to frighten off the enemy.
By the time the Algiers Janissaries realized the ambushers had departed, more than ten minutes had already passed.
By then, Younis had already reached the port.
The Algiers pursuers split up, some heading directly for the port's battery, while others went to inform the navy to dispatch ships for interception.
Soon after, a navy galley detected a small boat moving. At this hour, it was uncommon for anyone to be at sea.
They immediately issued a warning. However, the small boat accelerated, heading towards the open sea.
On the galley, the Algiers naval officer ordered the cannons loaded and issued a final warning to the small boat. Concurrently, the nearby battery, having received the signal, was also ready to destroy the small boat at any moment.
Just then, an enormous silhouette suddenly emerged faintly from the night, like a prehistoric beast resting on the sea surface.
Before the Algiers galley could react, the massive dark shape spat out a series of muzzle flashes, and then several water plumes, several meters high, erupted in front of the galley. The resulting waves caused it to rock violently.
"It's... it's a warship!" The galley's commander gasped in alarm, then frantically ordered his subordinates, "Retreat! Immediately retreat!"
He could distinctly feel that the cannonballs were at least 24-pounders. If even one had hit, his light patrol boat would likely have been torn in half.
That "sea beast" was none other than the French Navy's fourth-rate ship-of-the-line, the 'Avance'!
Seeing the galley rapidly retreat, the 'Avance' also turned slightly, presenting its port side towards the shore battery, and soon unleashed a broadside.
In reality, naval cannons rarely inflicted substantial damage on shore batteries, especially since the British had recently helped Algiers reinforce its batteries and added many large-caliber heavy cannons. In a sustained exchange of fire, let alone a fourth-rate ship, even a first-rate ship would be no match for this battery.
However, the tremors from shells striking the battery, combined with the dazzling cannon fire and terrifying roars in the night, terrified the Algiers gunners, leaving them trembling. They couldn't aim properly and haphazardly ignited the powder charges.
Most of the British-made cannonballs landed half a nautical mile from the 'Avance'. By then, the small boat carrying Younis had already reached the French frigate.
Several ropes were thrown down from the frigate. Younis immediately leaped, grabbed a knot, and climbed aboard.
French sailors pulled Younis's family and the Police Intelligence Bureau agents onto the ship, and immediately hoisted the sails, heading for the open sea.
Behind them, the Algiers navy finally reacted. Oarsmen on seven or eight warships desperately rowed, while sails slowly unfurled.
However, the 'Avance''s cannon fire quickly forced them to scatter and evade—these light warships, with a maximum of 18 cannons, were no match for the 60-gun 'Avance'. Not even the frigate, which had been responsible for picking up people in the shallow waters, could stand against it.
The two French warships sailed directly north, and immediately implemented light discipline upon entering the open sea. The two vessels promptly vanished from the dark expanse of the ocean.
(This chapter is finished)
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