I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 201

< The Grand Canal >

The war between the Ottoman Empire and the Anglo-French allied forces, the new treaty, and the independence of Greece.

This event, symbolizing the new order of the 19th century, was received differently in Europe and West Asia.

Most of the European powers responded with a mocking attitude, as if they had expected it all along.

“See? The Ottomans are just a bunch of losers now, aren’t they?”

“Is it true that the Ottomans couldn’t even sink a single British ship? How could that be?”

“That’s nothing. The French army, fighting against the Mamluk cavalry, only had five casualties. Even fighting the barbarians in the southern New World wouldn’t have been that easy.”

On the other hand, various peoples living under Ottoman influence were making more realistic analyses.

“Hey, can’t we also become independent like Greece?”

“Yeah… now that I see it, it seems like we don’t need to be trapped within the Ottoman framework.”

“Exactly. If Greece can do it, why can’t we?”

“Let’s rise up too! Britain, France, Russia, or the Holy Roman Empire, someone will take our side!”

Bulgarians, Romanians, and Serbians openly began to voice their demands for the establishment of independent states.

Even the Arabs were slowly accepting that the current Ottoman system was hopeless.

Of course, the Ottomans did not just stand by and watch.

Dozens of Kurdish and Armenian thinkers who spoke of independence were hanged as an example.

Of course, no European country spoke out for the Islamic peoples.

It’s different from Greece.

The independence of a nation is ultimately just a dream that cannot be achieved unless the interests of powerful nations align.

It’s harsh and cruel, but that’s reality.

And even more cruelly, someone’s tragedy can become someone else’s opportunity.

There were plenty of internal figures who used the Ottomans’ desperate situation to their advantage.

The stage was Egypt, which had lost its main forces to France.

Mehmed Ali, who already knew this situation would arise, was the main character.

Bang!

“What is this! How dare you point a sword at us!”

“I’m sorry, but the Sultan has now decided to entrust Egypt to me.”

“You made us fight France and now you’re pulling this trick in the meantime? Is this the autonomy that the Ottomans claimed to grant us!”

“I think you’re mistaken. We said we would allow autonomy for Egypt, not for the Mamluks. I, Mehmed Ali, will take responsibility for the future of Egypt, so rest assured and sleep well.”

Ali, who was appointed as the new governor of Egypt, captured all the Mamluks who attended the celebratory banquet on the spot.

No force in Egypt could stop him, as he had already entered Cairo with Albanian mercenaries loyal to him.

This was because the French army led by Napoleon had literally plowed through the Mamluks’ base and left.

“You bastard! This was your goal from the beginning! You brought in the French to weaken us!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What is certain is that the citizens’ dissatisfaction exploded due to the disgraceful behavior you showed in the last war. The navy was completely wiped out by the British, and the army achieved the amazing feat of killing five French soldiers before being annihilated, right?”

“That’s…”

“So how can the citizens feel safe and engage in their livelihoods? Anyway, you were in a position where you had no choice but to step down, taking responsibility for the defeat in this war. So, dedicate your lives to becoming the cornerstone for this country.”

“Wait a minute!”

“May God have mercy on your souls.”

A perfect declaration of purge.

The end of the Mamluks, who had reigned as the ruling power of Egypt for hundreds of years since the Mongol Empire’s invasion, was so pathetic.

Ali, who seized power in Egypt, was not satisfied here.

To keep his contract with Christian, he had to completely take control of this country of Egypt.

And Ali had the skills to do so.

He first thoroughly uprooted the Mamluk forces and established tax administration offices throughout Egypt.

There were several resistances, but he easily crushed them with Albanian mercenaries.

In the process, he naturally reduced the power of the Albanian mercenaries, eliminating any potential risks.

After months of stabilization and solidifying his foundation, Ali decided that it was time to fulfill the contract.

Anyway, this is a deal that will bring huge benefits to his Egypt in the long run.

‘If any problems arise, we will take care of it, so proceed without hesitation.’

Christian had promised him several times, so even if the Ottomans or the British intervened, there would be no problem.

In the distant future, his name will be recorded in history as the unparalleled wise ruler who revived Egypt.

“Good. Hey, I need to meet with the French ambassador right away. Bring him in with the utmost respect!”

A little research revealed that what they were trying to do was something the pharaohs of Egypt had been attempting for thousands of years.

It made sense when he thought about it.

If the Red Sea could be connected to the Mediterranean, Mediterranean countries could directly access the Arabian Sea through it.

However, with the technology of ancient Egypt, directly connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean was impossible.

Instead, as a last resort, they used a method of connecting the easternmost branch of the lower Nile to Suez.

But this wasn’t a perfect method either, as there were sections where ships had to be dragged.

In other words, he was about to accomplish something that even the god-like ancient pharaohs couldn’t achieve.

The mere thought of it made his heart race with exhilarating excitement.

“Yes. This is the beginning.”

The Egyptian corporation, ‘Universal Suez Maritime Canal Company.’

This company, which will lead the construction of the grand canal, will immortalize his name.

※※※

Someone once said that a likable person looks good no matter what they do, and an unlikable person looks bad no matter what they do.

There’s no profession where this principle is more evident than in politics.

Once you’ve established a favorable image, the public will generally react positively to most things, unless you really mess up.

Especially when the economy is booming like now.

Combined with the French people’s love for national pride, the newspapers were having a field day.

[Even the British, who fought alongside us, are trembling with fear! The formidable power of the French army!]

[Meeting the hero of the Giza battle myth! A meaningful dinner with Marshal Napoleon]

[Hearing the voices of the locals in Greece. Greeks express their gratitude to France]

[Clues to unlocking the secrets of forgotten Egyptian hieroglyphs have been discovered! The French army’s insight leads to a great discovery during wartime]

Wouldn’t you get tired of national pride at this point?

Not for the French.

They find it fun every moment and new every time, so what can you do?

The reporters, knowing that this was an inexhaustible source of money, began to competitively churn out pro-government articles without being told.

Their intention was to get on my good side and the good side of my close aides to get new scoops.

At least in France right now, if you write an anti-government article, the company will be ruined before I even have to intervene.

Before, a reporter once reported on Marie’s affair, thinking of stirring things up.

He even created loopholes by saying that there were such reports, rather than using a definitive tone.

However, the public’s affection for me and Marie did not allow even that level of malice.

Before I could take any action, the publishing house that published the newspaper was smashed by angry citizens, and the reporter was seriously injured and taken away.

Even the medical staff who found out about the article refused treatment, putting his life in danger.

An attack on Louis Christian is considered an attack on me!

It wasn’t a joke; it seemed that the French citizens really thought and lived like that.

And a piece of hot news that would make this overheated atmosphere even hotter flew across the sea.

“Prime Minister, we have received a call from the Egyptian ambassador. As planned, the Universal Suez Canal Company will announce the canal construction plan and attract investors.”

“Good. Are there any special remarks?”

“It’s exactly as we agreed in advance with you, Prime Minister. France will be the largest shareholder of the company, and all the big names from various countries we contacted in advance are showing great interest. The contract states that after the canal is completed, they will operate it for 100 years and then transfer the operating rights to Egypt.”

“Good, perfect.”

That’s more than enough to get several times the return on the invested funds.

Moreover, owning a canal that directly connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea means perfectly seizing the initiative in the coming age of steamships.

“I hope construction can begin as quickly as possible. If funding is secured, can construction begin immediately?”

“That’s where there’s a bit of a problem.”

“Problem? What problem?”

Talleyrand, watching my expression, cautiously handed me a report written by foreign ministry officials.

“As soon as the news of the canal construction was announced, the British ambassador stationed in Egypt expressed strong opposition.”

“Of course, they would.”

I had expected from the beginning that some countries, including Britain, would oppose it.

It’s not because they anticipate the age of steamships.

In this era, the trade route with Asia, especially India, was more important than ever before.

For European countries to trade, they first had to take a ship from Europe, sail along the west coast of Africa, and go down to the Cape of Good Hope [the southern tip of Africa] at the southernmost tip.

And from there, they have to navigate around the entire African continent to reach the Indian Ocean.

What if a route were to open, providing direct access to the Indian Ocean through the Mediterranean?

Naturally, the Cape of Good Hope route [the sea route around the southern tip of Africa] would lose its value, and Britain, which firmly controls this route, would suffer indirect losses.

Furthermore, with direct passage from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean’s importance would inevitably resurface.

This was a painful prospect for Britain, which had lost Gibraltar and seen its influence in the Mediterranean diminish.

Conversely, Spain, having seized Gibraltar and steadily increasing its Mediterranean influence, was enthusiastically in favor.

“Even if Britain opposes it, if France and its allies all agree, there shouldn’t be any issues with the construction itself, right? Even if they pressure the Ottomans [referring to the Ottoman Empire], we can offset it.”

“That’s true, but if Britain is determined, they can continue to interfere indirectly. If Britain sets out to sabotage the project, the 10-year construction period could easily be extended to 15 or 20 years.”

“That makes sense.”

“What should we do? Should we issue a strong warning to the British?”

“Do you think those guys would listen to a warning? They’d be even more incensed and try to interfere even more. So, let’s try something else.”

Britain isn’t acting alone in this.

They seem to be trying to persuade countries like Portugal and the Netherlands to join their opposition, but such alliances tend to crumble as soon as one party defects.

And I knew better than anyone that Britain is a country that would readily betray its allies for its own benefit.

※※※

The joy of winning a landslide victory in the general election, riding on the wave of popularity from the Greek War of Independence, was short-lived.

Pitt was once again summoning ministers from every department almost daily due to the infuriating news arriving from the south.

“Gentlemen, I must reiterate that the construction of the Suez Canal cannot be ignored. The moment that canal opens, we will face an enormous threat.”

“Prime Minister, wouldn’t we also benefit from the canal’s opening? After all, we currently control most of India.”

At this question, revealing a lack of understanding, the Minister of War frowned and slammed his hand on the desk.

“Think before you speak! A shorter route to India means that the French and Spanish fleets can directly approach India. As it stands, we only need to block the Cape of Good Hope route, but if Egypt is breached? We no longer control Gibraltar! It will be doubly difficult to stop Spain and France.”

“That’s right. The Suez Canal is bound to be a huge threat to the British Empire. But the unfortunate reality is that we won’t be able to stop the canal’s construction.”

“Then does that mean our fierce opposition is meaningless?”

“Not at all. Even if we can’t stop the construction, we can delay it as much as possible. The longer the construction is delayed, the more France loses. We must exploit this to extract more concessions from them.”

The goal isn’t to stop the canal construction, but to feign opposition and secure favorable terms.

The ministers, understanding Pitt’s strategy, nodded in agreement.

“That seems like a sound strategy. Let’s further strengthen our solidarity with countries that share our concerns…”

“Excuse me for interrupting the meeting! Minister, I need to deliver this urgently…”

The Foreign Secretary, who was in the middle of his speech, received a note from his urgently approaching subordinate and paused.

After quickly reading the contents, he hesitated before speaking again.

“…This is news from our ambassador to France. The French will be selling special bonds to raise construction funds starting next month. They’re offering a 10-year discount on canal tolls specifically to the countries that purchase them first…”

“…”

An instant silence filled the room.

Everyone looked at each other, waiting for someone to speak.

Pitt looked at the Foreign Secretary and tapped his fingers on the desk.

“What are you waiting for?”

“…Yes?”

“You should send someone to France immediately to buy up all those bonds.”

“Then what about the countries that share our concerns…?”

“I guarantee they’ll be setting sail for France as soon as they hear the news. But no matter. We can reach France faster than anyone else.”

Solidarity to oppose canal construction?

What’s that compared to a 10-year toll discount?

“Time is of the essence, so let’s end today’s meeting here. Now! Let’s set sail for France!”