CHAPTER 624: CHAPTER 615: SPLITTING THE ARAB WORLD

Outside Topkapı Palace.

Nobody knew when the ceremonial cannons appeared in the open area outside the palace, lined up in formation, ready to fire at any moment.

The officer in charge of commanding the cannons first glanced at them, then looked toward the gate of Topkapı Palace behind him.

After a while, a general in uniform emerged from the palace, his expression serious as he approached the officer and said, "By the command of His Majesty the great Sultan, I am here to deliver his orders: light the ceremonial cannons immediately!"

"Yes!" The officer nodded and replied, taking large strides to the front of the cannons to give the order: "Everyone, get ready!"

Upon hearing the officer’s command, the artillerymen swiftly loaded the specially made shells into the cannons. Once all the shells were loaded, the officer gave another command: "Fire!"

The artillerymen lit the fuses, and with a roar, the ceremonial cannons fired their shells, which exploded in the air, creating one beautiful but fleeting scene after another.

The residents of Constantinople standing by their windows looked up at the fireworks blooming in the sky, and their faces lit up with joy.

It had been a long time since fireworks were seen in the Ottoman Empire; the last time was years ago when Abdul Majid I ordered his troops to set them off in celebration after receiving thanks from the Irish.

Of course, while some rejoiced at the appearance of fireworks, others were indignant.

Those angered were the extremist Imams of the Ottoman Empire.

Infused with a blend of nationalism and religious study, they interpreted Abdul Majid I’s actions as an attempt to curry favor with Jerome Bonaparte by setting off fireworks.

They clamored that Allah would surely punish Abdul Majid for being a "traitor."

However, the Abdul Majid I, labeled a "traitor" by extremists, was at that moment dining with Jerome Bonaparte.

The two monarchs sat side by side, surrounded either by important ministers of the Ottoman Empire or members of the French Embassy.

Since Jerome Bonaparte and Abdul Majid I had already laid everything bare before the dinner began, neither said much during the meal beyond the opening formalities.

With no words from the monarchs, the entire banquet went without conversation, and everyone quietly finished the food in front of them.

After dinner, Jerome Bonaparte declined Abdul Majid I’s invitation to stay longer and left Topkapı Palace in a carriage with Valerovsky, Klein, and others.

Richard Metternich, who also joined them earlier, took a separate carriage alone to the Austrian Empire Embassy.

...

Sitting inside the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte looked at the dark surroundings outside the window and then turned to observe Klein.

Under the gaze of Jerome Bonaparte, Constantin Klein slightly retracted his neck, instinctively avoiding Jerome Bonaparte’s eyes.

"Your name is Constantin Klein, isn’t it?" Jerome Bonaparte’s voice reached Klein’s ears.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Klein responded in French to Jerome Bonaparte.

"I hear from Valerovsky that you are a rare talent! I’m curious, what exactly are your abilities?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired calmly.

Adhering to an Eastern humility and wisdom, Klein immediately shook his head, complimenting Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty, I really do not possess much wisdom! Everything I have comes from you and Envoy Valerovsky; without your help, I would just be a street smuggler in Constantinople!"

"Klein!" Jerome Bonaparte’s face broke into an amused smile as he slowly said, "Excessive humility can be perceived as arrogance, and it can cause you to miss opportunities! Let me ask you again, what exactly is your job under Valerovsky?"

"Your Majesty, my duties include..." Klein informed Jerome Bonaparte that under Valerovsky, besides his main role as a secretary, he was responsible for liaising with the ambitious in the Syria Province (currently part of the Ottoman Empire’s territory, including Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Kuwait), providing them with as much assistance as possible, including weapons and food supplies.

"Valerovsky, is what he says true?" Jerome Bonaparte turned to inquire of Valerovsky.

"Your Majesty, everything Secretary Klein says is completely true!" Valerovsky promptly responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Klein!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s expression was unusually serious, and Klein knew that the real test was just beginning.

"You are indeed a rare talent! I want to inquire about your thoughts on the Syria Province and the Holy Land. Can you provide me with some answers?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Klein.

"It is my honor, Your Majesty!" Klein nodded and responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Do you think the Empire can take control of the Syria Province in the near future?" Jerome Bonaparte posed the first question to Klein.

"Your Majesty, I’m afraid it’s very difficult!" Klein responded to Jerome Bonaparte, weighing each word carefully: "The Syria Province is different from Egypt and Tunisia; the Ottoman Empire’s control over them is second only to Constantinople.

Even though the internal situation in Syria Province remains in a state of tribal fragmentation, the vast majority of them still maintain loyalty to the Sultan. Our army is limited to the vicinity of the Holy Land, and has only one regiment!"

"Are you suggesting that the Empire must station a large number of troops in the Holy Land in order to make the Syria Province break away from Ottoman Empire’s land?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to probe.

Klein continued to shake his head and answered Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty, separating Syria Province from Ottoman Empire’s control is not something that can be accomplished overnight! Currently, the opportunists within Syria Province are unable to completely expel the forces of the Ottoman Empire, unlike Muhammad Ali..."

Klein advised Jerome Bonaparte that the French Empire should steadily infiltrate, inciting conflicts between tribes, especially between the two large tribes, so that the already tenuous unity between tribes turns into deadly enmity.

As long as the Pasha in charge of managing the Syria Province is incompetent, the tribal conflicts in the Syria Province will inevitably deepen.

Until a bloody massacre breaks out between the two tribes.

At that time, the Ottoman Empire will inevitably intervene. If the Ottoman Empire were an efficient government, the enmity between the tribes would be easily resolved.

However, the Ottoman Empire is an inefficient government full of corruption, and more importantly, they cannot focus all their attention on the Syria Province, as the Balkans are also a key area of concern.

An inefficient empire that cannot unite efforts would rely on conciliatory measures that are bound to be ineffective.

By then, the tribes will focus their resentment on the Ottoman Empire, and their desire for independence will only grow stronger.

"What if the Ottoman Empire does not wish to intervene?" Jerome Bonaparte countered with a question.

"If the Ottoman Empire does not wish to intervene, we can still spread rumors everywhere while dispatching some loyalists to the Empire to attack both opposing tribes separately..." Klein responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, the entire Syria Province is like a large powder keg artificially held together by the Ottoman Empire, needing just a small spark to ignite the whole powder keg!"

"Indeed!" Jerome Bonaparte was very pleased with Klein’s response, and then he said to Klein: "But don’t forget, the Empire’s goal is not destruction for the sake of destruction! Destroying something is easy, but rebuilding it is difficult!"

"I understand, Your Majesty!" Klein nodded to Jerome Bonaparte, somewhat comprehending.

Jerome Bonaparte noticed that Klein still lacked sufficient understanding on this issue, so he decided to find a "mentor" for Klein.

With this purpose in mind, Jerome Bonaparte then asked Valvesky if he had any different opinions.

"Your Majesty, as you just said, construction is more difficult than destruction. Klein’s strategy may indeed lead to the independence of the Syria Province from the Ottoman Empire’s soil, but this might lead to the destruction of our interests in the Syria Province. Therefore, I believe that the act of inciting conflict should be done with restraint, to prevent this fire from burning ourselves!" Valvesky responded to Jerome Bonaparte with a neutral stance.

"I did not consider this carefully enough!" Klein suddenly realized and hurriedly apologized to Jerome Bonaparte.

"This is quite normal! When I was your age, I was not as capable as you are!" Jerome Bonaparte responded with a smile and then continued to ask, "One point you mentioned, which I very much agree with! The current Syria Province is a product forcibly united by the Ottomans. If we take over one day, we should then completely divide them, strive to allocate a territory to each ethnic group, and help them establish their own countries!"

Benefiting from the colonial experience of the past, Jerome Bonaparte understood the "hidden dangers" brought by merging colonies.

Suppose the British Empire had not merged all of British India into a whole, but rather split it like the divide of India and Pakistan; then British India might not have broken away from Britain’s control.

Of course, Britain had also merged British India for the convenience of their rule.

However, they couldn’t foresee that one day the colonies would seek independence, and retaliate against them one by one.