Chapter 418: Chapter 412: The Emperor Who Plays the Good Cop
After everyone entered the castle, the interior was filled with various dishes, and the high-level banquet inside also started in buffet form.
Jerome Bonaparte raised his glass, poured champagne, and drank with all the guests present. Then, he proceeded to toast the ambassadors from the Kingdom of Britain, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and the Sardinian Kingdom.
Apart from the Kingdom of Britain, which treated Jerome Bonaparte as an equal, the ambassadors from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Sardinian Kingdom appeared particularly humble, as if they were entirely submissive to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Please convey my greetings to Prime Minister Cavour!" Jerome Bonaparte clinked glasses with the Sardinian Ambassador and said.
"I will definitely convey your message to His Excellency the Prime Minister!" the Sardinian Ambassador replied to Jerome Bonaparte, slightly bowing.
"Hmm!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded to the Sardinian Ambassador.
Throughout the banquet, Jerome Bonaparte toasted with nearly everyone present, except for the Ambassador of the Russian Empire.
The banquet ended after lasting for more than three hours, with ambassadors and generals successively taking trains back to Paris.
The only ones left in the castle were Jerome Bonaparte and Rifat Pasha. Jerome Bonaparte extended his hand, inviting Rifat Pasha to sit down: "Please sit!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Rifat Pasha showed an expression of being overwhelmed with favor, then sat beside Jerome Bonaparte.
"Mr. Rifat, why have you traveled such a long distance from the Ottoman Empire to come here?" After Rifat Pasha sat down completely, Jerome Bonaparte pretended not to understand, asking Rifat Pasha.
"Your Majesty, I traveled all the way from the Ottoman Empire to Paris to seek help from Paris!" Rifat Pasha said to Jerome Bonaparte with genuine emotion.
"Seek help from France?" Jerome Bonaparte feigned astonishment and shrugged at Rifat Pasha: "We, France, are a peace-loving country, and we do not wish to provoke disputes without cause."
"If even Paris cannot stand up for a weak European country, then no country in the world would believe that Europe is in peace!" Rifat Pasha unhesitatingly alarmed Jerome Bonaparte: "Once the Russian Empire breaks free from the shackles of the Black Sea, the entire Mediterranean will become Russian territory!"
Facing Rifat Pasha’s talk of the Russian threat, Jerome Bonaparte showed a rare "heavy-hearted" expression. After pondering for a while, he spoke again: "It seems that we cannot simply ignore the Russian Empire."
"That’s right! The Russian Empire is the disruptor of the entire European order. The Ottoman Empire requests that the French Empire join hands with it to jointly resist the Russian Empire!" Rifat Pasha responded sincerely.
"Personally, I support your view!" Jerome Bonaparte said in a conflicted manner: "But as a monarch of a nation, I must consider the interests of the people of France."
"Your Majesty, maintaining peace and stability in the Mediterranean is in France’s best interest!"
Rifat Pasha understood that Jerome Bonaparte’s previous series of empty words were all for laying the groundwork to demand benefits from the Ottoman Empire behind him.
Although the Ottoman Empire’s war was waged under the instigation of the French Empire, the Ottoman Empire was also at a point where it had no choice but to fight. Converting some internal conflicts into external wars and using the war to eliminate some opposing forces was an action the ruling class must consider.
"Mr. Rifat, my citizens do not understand what so-called Mediterranean peace is! They only know who can lead them to gain benefits, and they will be willing to help whoever obtains victory." Jerome Bonaparte said unhurriedly to Rifat Pasha: "If France joins the war, it will inevitably cause some degree of personnel and property losses. Who should bear these losses, and how should I comfort those who entrust their troops to me because they trust me?
Once the war reaches a stalemate, the daily expenses will be astronomical. Surely you wouldn’t want me to bear a stack of French foreign debts and announce to the outside world that I’ve secured enough debts for each of you!"
Rifat’s attempt to shift the contradiction did not achieve substantive results, as Jerome Bonaparte insisted on needing some tangible benefits.
"Merciful Emperor, our Ottoman Empire will not forget the selfless support and help you and your country provided when we were in distress!" Rifat Pasha respectfully said to Jerome Bonaparte: "The Ottoman Empire is not a country that forgets favors; we will do our best to repay the French Empire."
No matter how much scheming and calculation this Emperor hides in the shadows, for now, he is the only existence the Ottoman Empire can rely on. Even though Jerome Bonaparte openly expressed "hegemonism," Rifat Pasha still felt grateful for the French Empire’s help.
Relations between nations exist purely for interests, and any relationship that goes against interests will eventually be ended by greater interests.
However, gratitude is one thing; the so-called "doing everything possible" report is just talk. The Enqin’an Empire will undoubtedly reciprocate to the French Empire, but the Ottoman Empire will never give up its fundamental interests despite any reports to France.
"Since you and your Sultan claim to do everything possible to repay me, I hope the French Empire can gain the power to spread the doctrine in the Ottoman’s Tunis Province, North Africa Province, Egyptian Territory, and the Middle East, as well as certain commercial priorities!" Jerome Bonaparte, climbing up the pole Rifat Pasha handed him, said greedily.
Having the missionary rights in Ottoman territories means France can freely enter and exit Ottoman lands in North Africa and the Middle East, using a method of infiltration to control these regions.
Commercial priorities allow French capital to penetrate into Tunisia (now heavily indebted to France due to British and French economic infiltration) and Libya, thereby controlling North Africa’s economy.
As long as North Africa’s economic lifeline is in the hands of the French Empire, the entire region becomes France’s possession.
As for Egypt, Jerome Bonaparte never intended to take over that area from the start.
Jerome Bonaparte understands that seizing Egypt means challenging Britain’s interests in the Mediterranean, and Britain would undoubtedly use all its might to stop him, even threatening war.
Without completely subduing Germany, making enemies with Britain is unwise.
Egypt, for the foreseeable future, could only be used by Jerome Bonaparte as a means to squeeze Britain. As long as the Kingdom of Britain doesn’t want to lose Egypt, they must negotiate with France.
Just as Jerome Bonaparte anticipated, Rifat Pasha gently rejected Jerome Bonaparte’s proposals after hearing them, raising the flag of the Kingdom of Britain: "Merciful Your Majesty, I’d be delighted to agree to all your conditions, but these conditions may not be recognized by the Kingdom of Britain. The Ottoman Empire does not wish to see a confrontation between the Kingdom of Britain and the French Empire, both friendly nations to the Ottoman Empire."
The conditions Jerome Bonaparte proposed were no different from placing all of North Africa and the Middle East under French control. Even if the Ottoman Empire accepted these conditions, the Kingdom of Britain would not.
Although the Ottoman Empire began leaning towards France due to Russian influence, the Ottoman Empire High Gate still dominated by pro-Britain factions.
After all, the British Empire remains the global, omnipresent empire. Although the French Empire is formidable on land, it still falls short compared to the comprehensive strength of the British Empire.
One should naturally cling to a thicker, stronger thigh.
"Very well!" After hearing Rifat Pasha put up the flag of Britain, Jerome Bonaparte reluctantly agreed: "These conditions are indeed somewhat harsh for the Ottoman Empire!"
Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte extended a finger solemnly and said, "I need your country to agree to one condition of mine!"
"Your Majesty, please speak!" Rifat Pasha responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"I hope the Ottoman Empire can provide logistical support for the expeditionary army about to set off for your country!" Jerome Bonaparte proposed an exceedingly simple condition, which surprised Rifat Pasha.
"Of course! The Ottoman Empire will fully ensure the logistics of the French Empire!" Rifat Pasha confidently replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Are you sure?" Jerome Bonaparte eyed Rifat suspiciously and added, "We are preparing to dispatch an expeditionary army of 150,000 to the Ottoman Empire to aid them! I believe the Kingdom of Britain will also dispatch over 100,000 troops. Thus, the allied forces will number nearly 300,000. Does the Ottoman Empire truly have the capacity to sustain the logistics for an army of 300,000?
The supplies needed by the Imperial Army in battle are not on the same level as your forces... I mean no offense!"
"We..." Rifat Pasha swallowed hard, realizing he might have overestimated the Ottoman Empire’s capacity and replied hesitantly, "We cannot fully guarantee the expeditionary army’s logistics!"