Chapter 261: Tunisian Conspiracy
"The Dey's stance is that the land west of Tlemcen Fortress can be offered to the great Sultan in exchange," Turs's special envoy, Rum Zaganos, stated in as firm a tone as he could muster. "But Varseynis is absolutely unacceptable."
The Tlemcen Fortress he referred to was already on the border between Morocco and Algiers, a hundred kilometers less than the Varseynis proposed by the British.
The Sultan of Morocco merely smiled faintly, gesturing for his guests to drink tea, and offered no comment on the matter.
He knew the British needed him, so he could let them handle all the 'heavy lifting.'
As expected, Marquis Wellesley shook his head immediately after the translation. "Your Excellency, I must remind you that just a few months ago, your nation engaged in a sizable war with the French, and you were utterly defeated.
"Furthermore, according to the intelligence I've gathered, the Crown Prince of France himself participated in that battle.
"This means that although the French are not currently making any moves—that's because their country is in the midst of a massive uprising—I can assure you that once their rebellion subsides, they will immediately remember Algiers' provocation against them."
The interpreter beside him immediately repeated the statement in Arabic.
Zaganos struggled to suppress the anger welling in his chest, thinking, 'If it weren't for you British meddling, Algiers wouldn't have lost tens of thousands of elite troops in Annaba!'
Therefore, when the British proposed last month that Algiers cede border lands to Morocco in exchange for Moroccan support, the Divan quickly agreed to the plan.
His purpose in coming here was merely to bargain as much as possible, so he absolutely could not say anything to offend the British.
"We can offer another 100,000 Riyals..."
100,000 Riyals, equivalent to 2.2 million Livres, was practically the entirety of Algiers' national treasury.
Marquis Wellesley immediately cut him off. "West of Varseynis, that is the fundamental condition for us to continue discussions. If you refuse, Consul Green and I will regrettably have to depart."
"Don't..."
The Algiers special envoy argued strenuously for a while longer, but ultimately lowered his head, defeated. "In that case, the Dey hopes Britain can provide equipment for at least twenty thousand soldiers to help us resist France."
"I will strive to secure that for you from Parliament."
Marquis Wellesley smiled, turning to Ibn Abdullah. "Esteemed Sultan, regarding reinforcements for Algiers..."
Abdullah merely rubbed his teacup and said, "Marquis, regarding the tariffs on British textiles and ironware imported by Morocco, I've always felt we should renegotiate those."
A flicker of irritation crossed Marquis Wellesley's eyes. To think that the mighty British Empire was being extorted by a petty North African nation.
But for the sake of his North African strategic deployment, he strove to control his emotions, nodding stiffly. "I will have a trade representative discuss this thoroughly with you..."
Hours later, with the 'help' of the British, Algiers agreed to cede two provinces to Morocco and to ensure the Algiers navy gained a higher political status within the Divan.
Morocco, in turn, would dispatch troops and provide substantial supplies to assist Algiers against France and, when the time was right, jointly restore Janissary rule in Tunisia.
The next day, Marquis Wellesley left Meknes, and as soon as he boarded the British warship, a messenger came forward to greet him. The messenger saluted and said, "Marquis, this is from Mr. Lambert in Tripoli."
Marquis Wellesley took the letter and opened it, then pulled out his codebook to decipher it. Suddenly, he turned excitedly, waving to the captain nearby. "Please take me to Captain Acton immediately. Aha, our luck has taken a turn for the better since the French rebellion began!"
The letter stated that an Ottoman officer named Ali Benjiur was frequently meeting with opponents of the Pasha in Tripoli, and there seemed to be signs of a coup brewing.
The letter concluded by mentioning that Benjiur and his conspirators did not seem fully prepared yet, but it was well worth monitoring.
Marquis Wellesley hurried into the officers' cabin on the second deck and said to the fleet commander, Captain Acton, "Please hoist the sails immediately; we are heading to Tripoli."
Tripoli was located east of Tunisia, a small nation with only five or six hundred thousand inhabitants. Historically, it had paid tribute to the Ottoman Empire but had pursued a policy of close political and trade ties with France.
If its political orientation could be altered through a coup, then, combined with his Morocco-Algiers strategy, it would create a pincer movement, attacking Tunisia from both east and west.
Furthermore, Ali Benjiur was an Ottoman officer, meaning there was a high possibility of dragging the Ottomans into this murky situation. Even if the French could not be driven out of Tunisia, it would still significantly alter the trade landscape of the Mediterranean region!
Soon, the British fleet set sail, heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar. After entering the Mediterranean from there, it would take about ten days of sailing to reach Tripoli.
Marquis Wellesley gazed at the distant horizon, then suddenly smiled and murmured to himself, "While pressure is being applied to both flanks, why not do something in Tunisia as well?
"For instance, the lie about 'Roman origins' that the French fabricated, perhaps it's time to help the Tunisians clarify it."
...
The Parlement of Paris.
The Duke of Chartres' request to lift all seizures on the Duke of Orleans' property and for himself to fully inherit his father's estate officially opened for trial.
Unlike the previous cases involving rioters, this matter concerning a top French noble allowed only a select few individuals of high status to observe, and strictly forbade any journalists from entering.
After a series of routine opening procedures, Prosecutor Danton, acting as public prosecutor, stood solemnly to the side, his gaze fixed coldly on the Duke of Chartres' legal team.
A lawyer in his fifties, with a fleshy face, was the first to step onto the small platform for statements.
He began by exhaustively detailing the respected status of the Duke of Orleans and his son, then cited relevant noble inheritance laws, speaking for over half an hour. Finally, he demanded that the court assign the Duke of Chartres his rightful legal inheritance.
"Prosecutor, please present your case," Duport said, looking at Danton. As instructed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, as President of the High Court, he would personally preside over this trial.
Danton strode onto the platform, declaring loudly, "I have no objection to the Duke of Chartres' right of inheritance. However, I must remind the esteemed judges that the Duke of Orleans was recently convicted of treason."
Duport watched him simply return to his seat, utterly astonished. 'The Crown Prince surely didn't intend for the Duke of Chartres to just walk away with the inheritance, did he? What was Danton doing?!'
He could only grit his teeth and continue with the trial proceedings. With the prosecution offering 'no resistance,' the court swiftly issued a verdict: 'The Duke of Chartres shall fully inherit the Duke of Orleans' estate.'
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