Chapter 202 Cooperation and Utilization

Chapter 203 Cooperation and Utilization

"Your Highness, the first two points you mentioned are very reasonable. I can now promise you on behalf of my father.

Rabia said, looking embarrassed again: "It's just that the matter of Bizerte Port is beyond the authority given to me by my father."

She didn't wait for Joseph to say anything, and immediately added: "But if you can give some financial support, I have the confidence to convince my father.

"Moreover, your funding can also help us defeat Hamud Ali faster, don't you think?"

Joseph smiled and nodded:

"Let me provide another 2 million livres of military expenses to Yunis Pasha. However, since it is military expenses, the money will be paid after I see his army."

2 million? ! Rabia's eyes suddenly flashed with greed and surprise.

Although she had some opinions on the payment time, she thought that this might be because the French prince lacked confidence in his father's appeal, so she accepted it.

She immediately said loudly:

"You will soon see the army that will satisfy you!"

After that, Joseph discussed some details of "cooperation" with her, and asked Joan to take her to the guest room next door to rest, and return to Algiers early tomorrow morning.

After Joan settled Rabia, he immediately returned to Joseph's office and saluted anxiously:

"Your Highness, I am not questioning your decision, but my duty requires me to give you due advice. I have been in contact with Younis before. He is definitely an ambitious and extremely cunning person.

"You have provided him with a lot of support, including weapons and millions of huge sums of money, but it is difficult to guarantee that he will fulfill his promise or not collude with other forces.

"Perhaps, you should send some troops to keep an eye on him to ensure that we can get the benefits we deserve."

Joseph cast an admiring look at him:

"Thank you very much for your advice. Obviously, your concerns are correct. However, I have never really trusted that Yunis."

"Ah?"

Joseph smiled and motioned him to sit down:

"You know, Mr. Yunis once rebelled against his father and fled to Algiers after being defeated. He can even betray his father, let alone others?"

Joan nodded repeatedly.

Joseph continued: "In addition, do you know Yunis's other identity?"

"You mean the largest smuggler in Algiers?"

Joseph shook his head: "Smuggling is just his cover. In fact, he is the major shareholder behind the Algiers pirates."

Earlier, the American Charles bought the pirates' intelligence from the smugglers under Yunis, which made Joseph suspicious of Yunis.

He is just a smuggler, but he knows the pirates' sea routes clearly. This is obviously wrong.

Therefore, Joseph asked the police to investigate Yunis in detail, and found that he was involved in the pirate business.

This is also the reason why he was able to obtain a certain degree of freedom in Algiers - by participating in the pirate forces, influencing the Algiers Parliament, and finally getting the treatment of living in the Dakhla area. Of course, for Yunis, this is just a cooperation with the Algiers Navy.

Joan was surprised: "He is still a pirate?!"

"That's right. Yunis's fleet usually smuggles goods from Britain back to Tunisia, but if it encounters a suitable target on the way, the smuggling ship will immediately become a pirate ship. In fact, it is not difficult to find out about this information about him in Dakhla.

"Oh, the lady Rabia just now is a fierce pirate leader. She has sold "white slaves" in Algiers many times. I even suspect that the "white slaves" she sent as gifts were looted by her from the European coast. "

Joan suddenly remembered something and asked:

"But, Your Highness, I heard that the American bought the pirate information from Yunis's men. If Yunus has invested in the pirates, why is he..."

"The pirate factions are fighting for power." Joseph laughed, "Yunus belongs to the foreign faction, and has been fighting openly and secretly with the local faction in Algiers. He is using the joint fleet to attack his opponents."

Joan nodded silently. Based on his understanding of Yunus, the latter is definitely capable of doing such a thing.

Joseph looked at him with a smile:

"Look, how can I trust to cooperate with such a person who can betray his accomplices at any time?"

Joan asked in confusion:

"Then why do you support him to return to Tunisia?"

He looked up and saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince smiling but not speaking. He felt that he had spoken out of turn, and bowed hurriedly:

"Oh, I'm very sorry, Your Highness, this is not something I should ask. ”

…

Tunisia.

Kasir Palace.

A slender woman in her twenties with obvious Greek features turned back and forth in front of the mirror, looking at her French fashion with satisfaction - of course, it was customized in Arabic style.

She was Hafsa, the favorite concubine of Bey Hammoud Ali of Tunisia.

“Inam, is this color too dark?” She turned to ask the maid next to her, “I remember I ordered a light-colored one.”

“Yes, my dear lady.” Before the maid could answer, the female assistant of the tailor shop who was serving next to her came over attentively, “Are you talking about this one?”

“Well, help me change it.”

Just as the maid Inam took the long skirt and turned around, the female assistant stuffed a note into Hafsa’s hand.

The latter frowned slightly, glanced at the maids, and saw that they were busy unfolding the cumbersome dress and quickly unfolding the note.

When she saw the special cross-arc mark on the note, she hurriedly crumpled the note into a small ball, stuffed it into her mouth and swallowed it, and then asked the female assistant in a low voice:

"Who gave this to you?"

The latter also replied in a low voice:

"It's your fashion designer. He's just outside the palace."

Hafsa nodded, casually tried on the new dress, and hurried outside the palace, where she saw a young man saluting her respectfully.

"Mr. Zaganos, right? I'm very satisfied with your dress." Hafsa put on a proud look and deliberately walked away from the guards. "I want to customize a few more formal occasion wear with you." skirt.”

"Ah! This is my honor!" Zaganos hurriedly lowered his head and followed. If Qiao An were here, he would definitely recognize him at a glance. He is Special Agent Ishak from the Police Intelligence Department.

Hafsa whispered:

"What's wrong with him?"

Isaac looked back at the guards and said in an inaudible voice: "There will be a rebellion soon."

"What? Does it have anything to do with him?!"

"Don't worry, he is safe." Ishaq said, "However, he asked me to tell you that you should find a suitable time to tell Bey about this."

"Ah? Why?"

"You will know the specific situation later. Now you just need to remember to let Bey know about the rebellion within seven days. By the way, there are some clues you can use..."

"Yes, the style must be close to the popular style." Ishak passed by several guards and muttered something loudly, then hurriedly whispered, "Madam, the focus is after this. After the war begins, you must convince Bey as soon as possible , want him..."

Hafsa's face looked normal, but her heart was filled with turmoil, and she tried to remember every word of "Zaganos".

After the latter finished speaking, she hurriedly added: "Tell him that I will take care of it. Let him be more careful."

"Okay, ma'am."

…

Algiers.

Northwestern coast of Dakhla.

The sky was dim, and in a three-story palace that was all white, with tall columns and onion-shaped spires, a group of guards in orange robes came to the arched door with gold rims, headed by The officer knocked on the door politely:

"Lord Eunice, do you have any orders?"

It was said to be an order, but it was actually a routine inspection. Such inspections are conducted once in the morning, noon and evening every day.

Although Younes has a close relationship with the Algiers Navy, he is also a "cash cow" for the Algiers Guards.

More than 20 years ago, brothers Muhammad ibn Hassan and Hamoud Ali used the troops of the Algiers Guards to fight back to Tunisia and seize the throne of Bey.

According to the "troop loan fee" agreed in advance, Tunisia will pay an annual tribute of 50,000 rials to the Algiers Guards every year.

As a bargaining chip to blackmail Tunisian Bey into paying on time, Younes was "protected" by the Algiers Guards.

However, Younes was also quite energetic and actually got on the navy's line, so that the Janissaries had to allow him to live freely in Dakhla, but he must not leave this place.

There was no response from the room, and the officer increased his voice again:

"Lord Eunice, are you asleep?"

After asking three times, the officer showed a strange expression, looked at each other and ordered the soldiers to open the gold-inlaid door.

The room was empty.

The officer was frightened and hurriedly blew his wooden whistle. Immediately fifty or sixty Guards soldiers came from all over.

"He's missing! Find him quickly!"

In less than ten minutes, the soldiers sent back news that not only Younis himself, but also his son, two daughters, and personal servants had all disappeared from the palace.

The bodies of four patrolling guards were also found.

The officer turned pale with fright and jumped on his horse to report the news to his superiors.

Soon, more guards arrived and blocked all nearby roads. At the same time, cavalry chased towards the port - as long as Younis did not leave the port, there was still hope.

In the darkness, more than twenty horses ran like crazy towards the Dakhla port. Due to the low response efficiency of the Algiers Guards, only so many cavalry could be dispatched in a short period of time. More officers and soldiers were still at home at this time, not even dressed.

After about twenty minutes, the cavalrymen finally saw the light of torches in the distance.

The officer leading the team whipped the horse vigorously, then drew out his saber and shouted loudly: "Get ready to intercept! Attention, except Younis, anyone else who dares to resist will be killed immediately!"

"yes!"

Seeing that the seven or eight horses in front were getting closer and closer, suddenly, a dense row of firelight flashed in the night, followed by a series of loud "bangs".

The three Algiers Guards fell off their horses immediately, and the others all raised their reins in fear and hid on both sides:

"It's a musket. There's an ambush, be careful!"

"What should I do? There seem to be quite a few of them..."

"Eunice ran away!"

"I know! Xikeli, go back and call someone! Pili, go over and check the situation!"

"I...yes, my lord!"

On the other side, after firing once, Prusspur from the Police Intelligence Department immediately called on his men to mount their horses and rushed towards the port in the dark.

There were only 14 of them in total—almost the entire police force in Algiers.

They didn't know how many pursuers there would be, and they only hoped to scare the enemy by firing two guns at the same time.

It was more than ten minutes later when the Algiers Guards found that the ambushers had left.

At this time, Yunis had already arrived at the port.

The Algiers pursuers divided their troops and rushed directly to the port's artillery, while others notified the navy to send ships to intercept.

Not long after, a navy's galley discovered that a small boat was moving. At this time, no one usually goes out to sea.

They immediately issued a warning, but the small boat sped up and headed towards the deep sea.

On the galley, the Algiers naval officer ordered the artillery to load and issued a final warning to the small boat. At the same time, the artillery that received the signal not far away was also ready to destroy the small boat at any time.

At this moment, a huge figure suddenly appeared in the night, like a prehistoric monster lying on the sea.

Before the Algiers' galley could react, a series of flames spewed out from the huge black shadow, and then several water columns several meters high rose in front of the galley, stirring up waves that made it shake violently.

"Yes, it's a warship!" The commander of the galley screamed in surprise, and then hurriedly ordered his men, "Retreat! Retreat immediately!"

He could clearly feel that the shells were at least 24 pounds. If it had been hit by one just now, his light patrol boat would probably have been torn in two.

The "behemoth" on the sea was the French Navy's fourth-level battleship "Advance"!

Seeing the galley retreating rapidly, the "Advance" also turned slightly, facing the port side towards the artillery on the shore, and soon burst out a volley.

In fact, it is difficult for naval guns to cause substantial damage to the artillery, especially since the British had just helped Algiers strengthen the artillery and added many large-caliber heavy artillery to the artillery. In a head-on bombardment, let alone a fourth-class ship, even a first-class ship would never be the opponent of this fort.

However, the vibration caused by the shells hitting the fort, as well as the dazzling artillery fire and terrifying roar in the night, frightened the Algiers gunners so much that they trembled and ignited the primer without taking aim seriously.

Most of the shells from the British cannons fell half a mile away from the "Advance". At this time, the small boat that Yunis was riding had arrived next to the French frigate.

Several ropes were thrown from the frigate. Yunis immediately jumped up, grabbed the knot and climbed up.

The French sailors dragged Yunis's family and the police department onto the boat and immediately set sail for the deep sea.

Behind them, the Algiers Navy finally reacted, and the oarsmen on seven or eight warships paddled desperately, and the sails slowly rose.

However, the gunfire of the "Advance" soon caused them to scatter and hide - these light warships, with only 18 guns at most, were no match for the "Advance" with 60 guns. Even the frigates responsible for picking up people in the shallow sea were no match.

The two French warships headed straight north, and immediately implemented a blackout after entering the deep sea, and the two ships disappeared in the dark sea.