After the French Empire officially declared war on the Russian Empire, the city of Paris changed from summer laziness and suddenly immersed itself in the noise of national fanaticism and serious military vigilance, and the streets were full of soldiers patrolling as if they were facing a great enemy, and the atmosphere was solemn, and the grand scene of the whole country celebrating Her Majesty Empress Carona a few days ago was no longer visible. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

In the palace, the lights of the previous days have been re-packed, the incessant music and the laughter of the ladies have disappeared, and the towering buildings are hidden in the grass and trees of the garden, and the silence is almost solemn.

And in this silence, there is an invisible torrent that reverberates between the palace walls, which is enough to rush through the whole world and change the appearance of this continent.

In the grand halls of the Palais Royal, the Emperor of the French Empire was receiving guests from foreign countries according to the usual etiquette.

Outside the meeting room, a large group of guards stood straight at the door, monitoring all the movements outside, and in this hall, both guests from afar and French ministers and officials stood respectfully in front of His Majesty the Emperor, dressed in formal robes.

These foreigners were all Near Easterners, with yellowish skin, high noses, and most of them had jet-black beards, and although they were dressed in European dresses, they wore a small felt hat on their heads, which looked really funny.

But on such an occasion, everyone is serious, and no one pays attention to such trivial matters.

"Gracious Emperor Your Majesty, on behalf of our Sultan, I thank you for your help in this time of crisis for our country." Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, one of the foreigners, one of them, respectfully said to His Majesty Emperor Napoleon III, "Neither the Sultan nor our people will ever forget your kindness, and we will do everything in our power to assist you in repelling the hateful Russians." ”

His name was Omar Sahaz, a close confidant of His Majesty Abdul Mejid I, now the Sultan of Turkey, and his envoy to France to communicate with the Emperor, to thank the French for their help in times of need, and to coordinate their positions with the French.

The young Sultan Abdul Mejid I, who had been on the throne at the age of sixteen, had now ruled the dying empire for fourteen years, and though it was once so powerful that it made all of Europe tremble, it was now a sick man of Europe, coveted by a group of European powers.

His Majesty the Sultan felt the old decay of the country, so he wanted to revitalize the country, and now there is only one way to revitalize the country, that is, to learn from Europe, to modernize and industrialize, and he has made a lot of efforts to achieve this. However, Turkey has been an old empire for hundreds of years, and its internal decay has reached the point where it is difficult to return, so even if he has been working very hard, the country's situation has not improved much.

And at this time, the strong neighbors from the outside were not willing to be lonely, and they were bent on snatching their ancestral family business from this sick man, whether Austrians or Russians, and they were aggressive, invading his territory step by step.

The continuous blows had already exhausted him physically and mentally, and at this time, the latest round of blows came again. The Empire's most dangerous and traditional enemy, the Russian Empire, launched an advance on the two Romanian principalities under the pretext of protecting the Christians, and the Russians were so powerful that they could barely parry the Turks. While the Sultan and his ministers were in a state of panic, they received unexpected help from the French, who personally declared to the Turkish ambassador that he could help the Turks by force, if the Turks dared to defend themselves.

Originally, the Sultan's ministers had no confidence in whether they could hold back the Russian army, and they all knew in their hearts that the Ottoman Empire's armed forces were now extremely weak and overwhelmed, but when they got the news, it was like a booster, which made the Sultan's ministers reinvigorate, and when the British ministers also expressed their willingness to defend Turkey and the existing European order and balance with France by force, they were already cheering.

In today's Europe, and indeed in the world, if any country can get the full support of Britain and France, then there is no need to worry about being invaded.

The sultan's ministers, who had climbed up from the bottom of the valley, of course, did not want to disappoint Britain and France, and immediately agreed to be willing to defend their country by force, and were willing to fully cooperate with the actions of Britain and France, and at the same time, in order to express their sincerity, the sultan immediately sent a special envoy to France, ready to use all efforts to cooperate with these two powers.

It was at this time that the delegation led by Omar Sakhaz landed in France, and on the very day they arrived in France, the French emperor formally submitted an ultimatum to the Russian Empire, demanding that the Russians immediately withdraw from the lands they had already occupied and return to the borders, a demand that would certainly not be accepted by the Russians.

So the French emperor had fulfilled his promise and had already begun to fight for the defense of Turkey by force.

No matter how much of the Emperor's scheming he had secretly hidden, he was now a benefactor of the Turks anyway, so as soon as the mission arrived in Paris, it immediately asked him respectfully, and was filled with gratitude to him.

However, gratitude is gratitude, and the so-called "willingness to do anything" is of course just that, Turkey will undoubtedly return the favor to France, but the most fundamental interests are certainly not willing to give up.

"As I said before, empire is peace. Therefore, it is my duty to defend peace in Europe and to defend the inviolable rights of all nations. His Majesty the Emperor smiled and nodded, obviously in a good mood, "What's more, France and Turkey are traditional allies, and we have an obligation to defend our friends from being violated by evil enemies. Rest assured, you and your Sultan, we have made up our minds that we will not withdraw our troops until we win the victory, and we must make a difference with the Russians! ”

The courteous thanks of the foreign envoy greatly satisfied the vanity of the emperor, so that his tone became unusually warm, and it was evident that he enjoyed the feeling of being the savior that a certain country had to flatter.

And at this time, of course, no one would mention the fact that the two countries were belligerents during the reign of his uncle Emperor Napoleon, after all, the past is like smoke, and it seems that anyone can wisely choose to forget it when it is not needed.

"Your Majesty, your words...... I am truly touched and we will never forget the blessings you have bestowed upon us. Omar Sakhaz bowed his head and said to His Majesty the Emperor, almost flatteringly, "I think you are the best person on earth to serve the Christian God and to guard his people in the place of this exalted deity." ”

What he said certainly meant something.

The churches in Jerusalem, where Jesus' tomb was located, and Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, had been exempt and privileged since the time of the Crusaders, and they were preserved even if they fell into the hands of the Turkish Empire, which practiced other religions.

In 1535, King François I of France formed an alliance with the Ottoman Empire against the Habsburg Empire, and in return for the French, the Sultan confirmed the French right to protect the churches in the Holy Land, thus making the French patrons of the Christian Church in the Turkish Empire.

In 1757, under pressure from the Russians, the protection of the Holy Land was returned to the Greeks, although this was not a problem in a religious sense, since the Christians in the empire were predominantly Orthodox Christians, which France had always been concerned about.

But for the next century, France was in turmoil, unable to navigate the cycle of revolution and war, until 1850, when Louis Bonaparte, then President of the Republic, sent an envoy to Istanbul demanding that the Turkish court explicitly recognize France's right to protect the churches of the Holy Land.

At first, Turkey was hesitant for fear of offending other European powers, but the Sultan finally gave in to the threat of force from the emissaries, and in 1852 issued an edict returning the protection of the Holy Land to France.

The Russians, of course, would have been indignant at this, but by this time they had found themselves passive, and in their anxiety and irritation, the Russians reaffirmed to the Turks the Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainaji, which had been signed between the two countries in 1774, which provided for the Orthodox Church's immunities and privileges over the Catholic Church, and the two countries were once again in a dispute.

It is obviously the internal affairs of its own country, but Turkey can only let two other countries argue, and it has no right to say a word more, and when the country is weak, it is indeed so helpless, and can only become a lamb to the slaughter.

In the midst of numerous diplomatic correspondence, Russia and France did not come to an end until Russia launched an offensive against Turkey, and Turkey finally made up its mind to let France act as the protector of the Christian churches in its territory.

To be the protector of the Holy Land, the protector of all Christians in the territory of the Turkish Empire, will surely make His Majesty the Emperor of France excited, after all, this is his uncle, and that great genius has not attained the status of achievement.

"God will be pleased that He is guiding me in the struggle for Christ and for the cause of Europe." His Majesty the Emperor laughed, not at all ashamed, "But if we rely on God's pleasure alone, we may not be able to go to war, for the Russians will pray to Him religiously, will they?" ”

This made the envoy a little embarrassed, and it was clear that His Majesty's appetite had not been satisfied by the benefits he had offered, and he wanted to ask for more.

However, this is to be expected, after all, God is false, the actual thing is important, and it is time to listen to the French bid.

"The Sultan has instructed me that we are willing to make any effort to this end, as long as it is beneficial for your country to defeat Russia and relieve our country of the present danger." Omar Sahaz replied in an unwavering tone. "To defend the country requires sacrifice, whether it be blood or wealth, and we Turks know this deeply and are willing to give everything for it."

"It would be great if you were so determined. Only by trying to save oneself can one get help from others. The sacrifice of others will only be meaningful if you make your own sacrifices. His Majesty the Emperor nodded approvingly, "So, do you think that close military cooperation between the coalition forces is crucial?" ”

"That's definitely crucial." Although he knew that the other party must have some hidden purpose, Omar Sakhaz could only agree.

"Good." His Majesty the Emperor whispered another round of approval, and then waved his hand at the group next to him.

At his signal, a group of people in military uniforms immediately surrounded him.

At the head was an elderly general, dressed in a dazzling uniform and holding a thin scepter in his hand. Although his beard and hair were white, he was in good spirits and his eyes were bright, as if he was ready to take on the most important responsibility.

"This is Marshal de Treville, and he will be the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, the highest-ranking Frenchman who will be responsible for dealing with your government and army in the future, and he will have full authority over all major matters." His Majesty the Emperor introduced the old man to the envoy in a low voice.

"I've heard your name for a long time, Your Excellency Marshal." The envoy hurriedly saluted His Excellency the marshal.

Of course, he had heard of Marshal Tréville for a long time, the old general of the Napoleonic era, who had always been regarded as the spiritual leader of the Bonapartist in the army, and who had contributed greatly to the rebuilding of the empire, so that he was made a marshal by His Majesty the Emperor as soon as he came to power, and had great influence in the army.

Although it was a little surprising that he was still the commander of the expeditionary force at such an age, it was not particularly surprising.

After the envoy saluted, Marshal Trevier took his marshal's staff and raised it to his chest, then lowered it again, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sahaz. ”

After greeting the two men, His Majesty the Emperor then pointed to the others and introduced them one by one, "This is General de Saint-Arnault, Minister of War of the Reich, and this is Mr. Jean-Dieco, Minister of the Admiralty of the Reich......"

Soon, Omar Sakhaz met with the main military leaders of the Empire, and he did not dare to slack off, complimenting the soldiers and assuring his country that he would do its best to cooperate with the actions of the French Expeditionary Force.

"Sir, now that you have met with the leaders of the entire French army and navy, you need to consult with them on military matters, and make sure that everything is in good shape." His Majesty the Emperor gave the order.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The messenger nodded repeatedly, then stepped back and spoke quietly in Turkish with a group of attachés behind him.

There is no doubt that the question of military coordination is of paramount importance at present, so there are of course many officers in this special mission, who are convenient not only as advisers to the special envoy himself, but also as a convenient coordinator and communication with the French military leaders.

Soon, the French military leaders and members of the envoys, led by the palace attendants, were taken to another room for a brief meeting.

"Sir, I have great admiration for your courage and am willing to help you in any way I can, but I also ask you to do everything in your power to cooperate with us." As soon as he sat down, Marshal Tréville went straight to the point with the style of a soldier, "Please understand, I am responsible for leading the entire expeditionary force, France has handed over hundreds of thousands of her best young people to me, I have no right to bring any unnecessary losses because of my own negligence, I must do everything I can to make sure that more young people can come back alive and enjoy the honor they deserve." ”

"I totally understand your thoughts, Your Excellency." Omar Sakhaz replied immediately. "Please tell us what you need, and we won't be vague if we can do it."

"First of all, we need to maintain a continuous flow of information with the country." The marshal was not polite, and said directly, "When we fought in the north and south on the European continent, we often felt the pain of being too far away from the mainland to communicate in real time, and now we ...... Fortunately, scientific progress has solved this problem for us. Sir, we wanted a telegraph line between mainland France and Turkey, and we ran it ourselves—it was a must for us. ”

These words made the envoy suddenly enlightened.

Although it is a large and decaying empire, the Ottoman monarchs are also next to Europe after all, and they also know the importance of technology, so they are no strangers to the new thing of telegraphy.

What's more, at present, European countries are building their own telegraph networks, and they can see the use and revolution of the telegraph.

The question is...... The French were to build and operate the telegraph line themselves, and did not say when it would be operated.

It is conceivable that even after the war they would maintain this telegraph line, using it as a tentacle reaching out into Turkey to hear everything about Turkey.

If only that's it, but that's just the other party's first request, and God knows what more unacceptable conditions are to come.

However, now is not the time to be reckless, and to get through the current difficulties first.

"Okay, I understand that, and we'll recognize it." Omar Sahaz agreed without much hesitation, while waiting for the next request.

"Next, for the convenience of the movement of the expeditionary force, we ask that your country grant us sufficient freedom of passage, including the straits and the borders of the Black Sea coast." The marshal spoke himself in a calm tone. "At the same time, I hope that your country will have liaison officers stationed within our army, and all military movements of your army need to be informed to me through liaison officers, so that they can be used as the basis for our decision to march."

"We can open your borders for you, and you can do whatever it takes to defend us." Omar-Sakhaz did not feel embarrassed by this request, but he was able to survive the crisis now, "In addition, our army will report to you in real time on its movements, and if necessary, we can also start a joint operation with you, under your own command." ”

"Thank you." The marshal smiled rarely, thanking the other for his generosity. "From your attitude, I see the determination of your king and your fatherland, and I believe that with this determination, it will not be difficult to defend against a vicious enemy."

"Do you have any other requirements?" The envoy plucked up the courage to ask again.

"There is nothing else but one." The old man suddenly sneered, "Now that France has been confirmed by your country to protect the Holy Land, then in order to defend the Holy Land and the rights and interests of Christians, we hope to send a small army to the Near East, of course, this army is only symbolic, and the purpose is only to declare our rights and interests." ”

"This ......" the envoy hesitated.

Having a foreign army stationed in your country, even if it's just symbolic, is sure to feel very unacceptable.

"How?" The marshal frowned, looking angry, "Didn't I just hear from you that your sovereign is willing to make every effort to defend the country?" I remind you, sir, that we have made great efforts to defend your country, and that there will be countless young French men who shed their blood and died for the survival of your country. In that case, where is the sincerity of your sworn in front of our Majesty? If you have to feel embarrassed, then I can only inspire Your Majesty to reconsider the current situation! ”

The envoy's face became even more ugly.

There was no doubt that he knew that the old marshal was intimidating and blackmailing, and that he had certainly consented at the secret behest of the French Emperor, but now Turkey had little confidence to bargain, and if the Emperor were to provoke the anger of the Emperor and make the French rescue slow, would not it be a great loss to the Fatherland? Then he would have become a sinner.

Whatever worries there are in the future, it is the most important thing to solve the current worries, and the French take the opportunity to blackmail while resentful, but if Turkey is finally defeated by Russia, the consequences will be even more terrible - if you lose Jerusalem or even Damascus, Turkey will survive, and if you lose Istanbul, the country will probably fall apart.

Besides, after getting through the difficulties, it is not without a chance to drive out the French in the future.

Thinking of this, the envoy could only let go of his entanglement and hesitation.

"Well, Your Excellency Marshal, if you think that this is really necessary for the operation of the French army, then our country can afford such sacrifices. I only hope that all the sacrifices of my country will be cherished by you......"

"I value all sacrifices, so I will bring you victory." The marshal replied confidently.

Next, the military personnel of the two countries began to discuss the specific issue of military cooperation, and Omar Sakhaz did not participate in it because he was not familiar with the military.

He pondered another question.

The conditions of the French were harsh and ambiguous, and the marshal, in particular, seemed difficult to speak.

And this marshal is one of the people that Turkey has to rely on today.

After pondering for a long time, he decided to go to the grandson of His Excellency the Marshal, the famous young minister.

He wanted to get to the bottom of the French, and at the same time to build a good relationship with the Tréville family - as long as the Minister of Trevill nodded, Marshal Tréville would not be so embarrassed about his country.

I hope so, the envoy smiled bitterly in his heart.