Chapter 208: Savior of Suffering
Berthier never met Sinanuddin, who had arrived as an envoy. Instead, he sent someone to Kahi Palace to submit a list of pirates, demanding Hammuda Ali immediately hand them over.
Ali, acting on Hafsa's advice, decided to adopt a hardline stance, immediately and unyieldingly expelling the French negotiators from Tunis City.
At the same time, a large-scale mobilization began within Tunis City.
Due to the previous deployment of a large number of troops to Kairouan to deal with Younis, fewer than a thousand Janissaries remained in Tunis City. However, Sinanuddin demonstrated impressive personal capability, mobilizing over 7,000 privileged Janissaries in just two days.
For those unfamiliar with the situation in Tunisia, this might sound somewhat awkward. That is because the term "Janissaries" in Tunisia did not refer to a military unit, but rather to a social class.
Over a century ago, the powerful Ottoman Empire dispatched elite Janissaries to invade North Africa, including Tunisia, Algiers, and Tripoli. They easily defeated the local populations, transforming these regions into Ottoman provinces.
Later, as the Ottoman Empire declined, the Ottoman Janissaries stationed in North Africa began to assert control over these areas, gradually breaking away from Ottoman rule and establishing independent regimes.
The Ottoman Sultan, having no other recourse, simply bestowed upon them the title of "Pasha," a designation similar to a governor, acknowledging their rule over various parts of North Africa.
To prevent assimilation by the local populace, these Ottoman Janissaries strictly practiced endogamy and maintained Ottoman traditions such as dress and customs, thereby forming a distinct social class.
Concurrently, a schism began to emerge within the Janissary ranks. Lower-ranking Janissaries continued to perform military duties, while the powerful and influential could hire others to serve in their stead. This eventually evolved into a system where military service could be avoided simply by paying a fee.
By then, the Tunisian Janissaries were no longer a military force but had become synonymous with nobility.
At present, the Janissary Class in Tunisia numbered nearly ninety thousand, but the actual combat forces amounted to fewer than twenty thousand.
Nevertheless, nominally all Janissaries were still considered soldiers. Thus, after the Bey of Tunisia issued a mobilization order, a large number of these privileged Janissaries were called up and organized into military units.
However, most of these individuals had barely touched a firearm, and their military training was practically non-existent; their combat effectiveness was predictably low.
The following day at noon, an envoy from the Guards Corps arrived outside Tunis City. He enumerated the pirates' crimes and vehemently denounced Hammuda Ali for colluding with and harboring them.
Subsequently, Berthier ordered the attack to commence.
Tunis City, nestled alongside Tunis Port, was a coastal city. Therefore, its construction primarily focused on defending against threats from the sea; even its city walls only covered three sides, with the side facing inland having almost no defenses whatsoever.
However, the Guards Corps was attacking from the land.
Unlike the landing operation required in Bizerte, this time the entire corps could deploy fully. Artillery, warhorses, and all other equipment were in place. This was a battle that would fully showcase the Guards Corps' complete strength!
Berthier's ability to become Emperor Napoleon's Chief of Staff stemmed from his exceptional talent in troop deployment.
He had already thoroughly mapped the surrounding terrain the previous night and formulated a detailed battle plan.
At that moment, he stood atop a small hill opposite Tunis City, observing the dense mass of the Tunisian army through his telescope. Despite a flicker of nervousness, he strictly adhered to the planned timeline and ordered the artillery to open fire.
The booming artillery fire immediately echoed through Tunis City. Coupled with news that Tunis Port had been blockaded by the European fleet the previous day, chaos erupted throughout the city.
At a side entrance of Kahi Palace, the guards were surprised to see Lord Haj, the Bey's nephew, approaching with over a dozen retainers.
The leading guard hastily stepped forward, saluted, and inquired, "Pasha, is there something you need?"
"I have urgent business with the Bey," Haj replied, gesturing to the men dressed as tailors behind him. "And while we're at it, we'll make him a new robe."
"Make a robe? Now?" The guard's expression was utterly perplexed as he listened to the distant roar of cannons.
Just then, the "tailors" suddenly burst through the palace gates, using pistols to subdue the guards. From behind the statues at Kahi Palace, forty or fifty men armed with muskets and scimitars immediately rushed out, gathering around Haj as they pressed deeper into the inner palace.
Due to the impending battle with the Europeans, many of Kahi Palace's Janissaries had been redeployed. At this moment, only a few dozen guards remained, scattered throughout the palace on patrol.
Prosper personally led over a dozen Police Intelligence Bureau agents at the front. Whenever they spotted guards charging, they would immediately issue a command, halt, unleash a volley, reload, and then continue their advance.
With such methodical progression, they escorted Haj to the rear hall of Kahi Palace in just over ten minutes.
Finally, in a second-floor bedroom, Haj saw Hammuda Ali in plain clothes, with Hafsa standing beside him.
His eyes instantly filled with an infinite chill.
Prosper directed his subordinates to thoroughly search the room. Once they confirmed there were no guards, he led the agents out, leaving only Haj's men inside.
Haj's guards immediately stepped forward and surrounded Ali, who, looking fierce but soft on the inside, demanded, "Haj, what are you doing?!"
Haj did not respond, simply drawing a scimitar from a guard's waist and striding towards him.
Ali panicked slightly, stumbling backward, his voice trembling: "You, why are you doing this?"
"Seventeen years ago, you took advantage of my youth, forged my father's will, and stole my position as Bey. I tolerated that!" Haj exclaimed, looking at Hafsa beside him. "Three years ago, you even tried to take my Hafsa! I knelt and begged you, but you had me thrown out."
Haj took a few steps forward, pulling Hafsa with one hand and raising the scimitar with the other. "Don't you understand? Without her, my life is nothing!"
"Ah, you can take her, I... I..."
Ali's words were cut short by a flash of cold steel as the scimitar plunged into his left side, its tip emerging from his back.
Haj gritted his teeth, enunciating each word: "I don't need your permission! Three years ago, I swore I would take her back with my own hands!"
As he spoke, he abruptly pulled out the scimitar, and crimson blood sprayed over both him and the woman.
"I did it! See, I really did it!" Haj tossed the scimitar aside, turned, and embraced Hafsa tightly, burying his head in her neck. "We can finally be together!"
"Yes!" Hafsa nodded vigorously. "I saw it! From now on, we'll never be separated!"
They embraced tightly, both with tears in their eyes.
After a long while, Ishaq's voice came from outside: "Haj Pasha, though I shouldn't disturb you, time is critical. Are you finished in there?"
Haj quickly wiped away his tears, took a deep breath, and called out, "Yes, Mr. Ishaq, you may enter."
Immediately, Hafsa stepped forward and announced to the palace guards that Hammuda Ali had just been murdered by traitors from the navy. Before his death, he had left a will naming his nephew, Haj, as his successor to the Bey.
Outside Tunis City, an infantry battalion from the Guards Corps' left flank had already breached the Tunisian Janissary defenses, quickly triggering the collapse of the Tunisian army.
In fact, after more than a dozen rounds of bombardment from the Guards Corps' artillery battalion, the Tunisian Janissaries were already in disarray. Yet, their only two cannons had still not reached their positions.
Subsequently, the Guards Corps launched a feint on the right flank, allowing their left flank to easily achieve a breakthrough.
The Tunisian army, which outnumbered them two-to-one, was completely helpless, constantly scattering and taking hits.
Just as Berthier was preparing to order the left flank to pivot and encircle, the Grand Steward of Kahi Palace rushed from Tunis City to convey the new Bey's command to the Tunisian Janissaries: "Cease resistance immediately and allow the French army to enter the city."
The Tunisian officers all breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the order. The enemy army was truly terrifying, with impeccable formations, fierce firepower, and expert tactical coordination. They had been constantly worried about when they would be hit by bullets; now, at least their lives were spared.
Berthier left some men to guard the prisoners and swiftly took three battalions to Kahi Palace to provide support for Haj.
It was crucial to remember that although Hammuda Ali was dead, there were certainly many high-ranking Tunisian officials loyal to him. Haj, having been deliberately suppressed by Ali for years, possessed almost no political power and would find it difficult to keep these individuals in check.
The dozen or so agents from the Police Intelligence Bureau alone were insufficient to guarantee Haj's safety.
As the Guards Corps swiftly secured all critical points in Tunis City, officials from across the city, whether willingly or under duress, began to converge on Kahi Palace to pay respects to the new Bey, Haj.
As for Hammuda Ali's death, no one truly cared. The officials knew he had originally seized power through a conspiracy himself. Whether he truly died at the hands of the Tunisian navy was merely whatever Haj declared it to be.
Haj's first act upon taking office was to announce the disbandment of the Tunisian navy involved in the former Bey's murder and to hand over any naval officers who had participated in piracy to France for prosecution.
Subsequently, he ordered the Janissaries in Kairouan to continue their suppression of Younis's rebels and strictly forbade them from abandoning their fortress.
Meanwhile, Berthier immediately began forming a police force for Tunis City, composed entirely of indigenous Tunisian Berbers. The corps included many instructors from the Paris Police Academy, and all training duties were entrusted to them. They would also "temporarily" hold all mid-to-high-level positions within the Tunisian police force.
The Janissaries in Tunis City had all been disarmed. For the time being, maintaining law and order in the city was the responsibility of the Guards Corps, working alongside these Berber police officers.
At the same time, Tunisian officials received orders to begin counting the number of white slaves throughout the country, as well as the number of Europeans residing in Tunisia.
...
France, Paris.
Over the past two days, nearly every newspaper's front page had been filled with news from North Africa.
His Majesty the King dispatched an expeditionary force which, supported by the naval fleet, completely annihilated the Barbary Pirates entrenched in Tunisia within just a few months. The expeditionary force rescued over thirty-three thousand European citizens who had been kidnapped by pirates and protected over a hundred thousand Christians in Tunisia from the pirate threat.
On the streets of Paris, people everywhere eagerly discussed the events in Tunisia: "A distant cousin of mine disappeared five years ago. It wasn't until he was rescued by the expeditionary force recently that we learned he had been abducted by pirates!"
"Those cursed pirates! It's a good thing His Majesty's army wiped them all out!"
"I heard nearly a thousand pirates were captured, and a huge number of pirate ships were seized. That's fantastic!"
"Long live His Majesty the King! He truly is the greatest king!"
"Hey, did you see what the newspapers said? The Pope has declared His Majesty the King the "Savior of Suffering," thanking him for the good news he brought to countless Catholics!"
This title, of course, was acquired after Joseph sent envoys to communicate with Pope Pius VI. The Pope also wished to leverage this event to enhance the Holy See's prestige and simultaneously curry favor with France; why wouldn't he?
Meanwhile, among the circles of wealthy nobles and factory owners, the focus was on the news that "following sincere exchanges between His Majesty the King's diplomats and the new Bey of Tunisia, a series of agreements has been signed."
In a salon in the Louvre District, a group of nobles was engaged in animated discussion: "I hear it's now possible to buy land in Tunisia?"
"Yes, I saw it too. The Paris Business Journal published it, and the land prices are very low."
"I have a relative who's in the North African trade business. He told me that Tunisian land is extremely fertile; you can plant wheat three times a year!"
"France has been plagued by droughts and hailstorms these past two years. Perhaps buying land in Tunisia would be a good option."
"Are you only thinking about farming? Now, tariffs on French goods in Tunisia have dropped almost to zero. Just shipping some wine or clothing over there could earn a fortune!"
"Exactly! Viscount Hoin is raising capital, planning to buy two ships to run North African trade. Is anyone interested in investing?"
In Versailles Palace, Mirabeau and several officials from the industrial sector emerged from their offices, looking somewhat fatigued. They had just finished discussing how to utilize the agreement allowing French citizens to establish factories in Tunisia to expand industrial scale, and were now heading to the ball hosted by Her Majesty the Queen to celebrate the successful eradication of the pirates.
The Hall of Mirrors resonated with cheerful music, already packed with nobles attending the ball. Such celebratory dances were the most popular, as Their Majesties the King and Queen were surely in excellent spirits and often bestowed generous gold coins upon their guests.
Queen Marie, her head adorned with an extravagantly styled coiffure, gracefully walked arm-in-arm with Louis XVI to the wooden steps at the front of the Hall of Mirrors.
The noblewomen buzzed, discussing the Queen's fashionable hairstyle. It was a giant sailing ship, almost completely covering her head, its height even exceeding her face.
"Oh, Your Majesty always sets the trend! This hairstyle is simply stunning!"
"Oh my God, that's a warship!"
"Madame Cisneros, do you recognize that ship?"
Madame Cisneros, as the wife of a naval officer, possessed some knowledge in this area and immediately said, "If I'm not mistaken, that should be the flagship of this combined fleet, the Advance."
"They say His Majesty the King made that hair ornament himself."
"Oh, how romantic! If any man made a ship like that for me, I'd marry him in a heartbeat!"
The Queen's lady-in-waiting clapped her hands to signal for silence, then bowed and stepped back two paces.
Queen Marie smiled, raising both hands, then looked admiringly at her husband beside her and declared loudly, "Let us pay our highest respects to the great 'Savior of Suffering'!"
The nobles immediately cheered, "Long live the Savior of Suffering!"
"Long live His Majesty the King!"
Louis XVI, uncomfortable with being the center of so much attention, rubbed his forehead. He thought, 'I haven't really done anything, so why is the Pope being so deferential?'
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