บท 41: Chapter 41: The Egyptian Rebellion
By the end of the year, Napoleon had firmly established his control over Egypt, and he took a trip to the Suez Isthmus and the Sinai Peninsula to enjoy the scenery of Egypt. This journey was both practical and tinged with romanticism, an aspect that always appealed to him. He only wished his wife could be there to share the experience.
In Suez, to revive trade, Napoleon reduced tariffs, established a branch of the Egyptian Commercial Company, and warmly received a delegation of Arabs from the Toul region.
Napoleon's interest was then piqued by the idea of excavating the Suez Canal. In the north of Suez, he gathered a group of civil engineering experts. Thanks to their expertise, they quickly identified the remnants of a canal previously excavated by the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Sesostris. The reconnaissance report from his corps of engineers confirmed his suspicion. However, the project of reconstructing a sea-connecting canal was too immense and had to be abandoned.
Upon returning to Cairo, Napoleon immediately wrote a letter to the Imam of Muscat, reaffirming his friendship and asking him to relay a message to Tipu Sultan. The letter proposed an alliance and promised to rescue India from "the iron shackles of Britain," mentioning that "an invincible French army" had already reached the Red Sea coast. Unfortunately, this letter was intercepted by a British cruiser, and these ambitious plans greatly alarmed Britain.
As time progressed, Napoleon's rule in Egypt became increasingly stable. Many Egyptians had grown accustomed to his governance, and developments were generally positive.
However, not everything was perfect. While most Egyptians had adapted to Napoleon's rule, there were still some rebellious elements causing trouble around Egypt. At the end of October 1798, a significant uprising erupted in a small village near Cairo called Keni. Nearly two thousand people participated in this uprising, which showed signs of spreading further—a situation Napoleon could not tolerate. He decided to send troops to quell the rebellion immediately.
In the governor's palace in Cairo, which had been Murad's residence but was now occupied by Napoleon, the halls were filled with French generals summoned by Napoleon because of the Keni village rebellion.
"Gentlemen! You must already know why I have convened you here today," Napoleon said authoritatively from his throne in the center of the palace, looking down at the assembled French military leaders.
"General, we are aware. The audacity of these Egyptians, rebelling without knowing their limits! But rest assured, General. We can eliminate them within a week," Marmont immediately stood and responded upon hearing Napoleon's query.
"Marmont is right. Since Egypt is under our dominion, rebellion is absolutely unacceptable. We must suppress it decisively. Only then can we serve as a warning to others and ensure that the Egyptians fully submit," Napoleon said, nodding in agreement with Marmont's comments.
"General, do not worry. It's merely a rebellion instigated by some Egyptian rabble. They can be easily subdued; this won't impact our situation in Egypt significantly," Desaix added, supporting the discussion.
After Desaix spoke, the other French military leaders nodded in agreement, believing his assessment was correct. To them, the rebellion was merely a minor disturbance caused by local dissatisfaction with Napoleon's rule.
However, Roland saw things differently. He found the rebellion suspicious and suspected that the Turks might be behind it. Seeing that everyone else seemed to dismiss the severity of the rebellion, he felt increasingly uneasy.
Unable to hold back, Roland stood up and said, "Uncle Napoleon, I believe Colonel Desaix is mistaken."
His interjection immediately quieted the lively discussion. All eyes turned to Roland, the young captain who dared to contradict a colonel. Desaix's face darkened at being publicly challenged, an embarrassing situation for him. If not for the fact that Roland was Napoleon's nephew, Desaix might have engaged in a heated debate. Even so, his displeasure was evident.
"Roland, you believe Colonel Desaix is wrong. What do you suggest, then?" Napoleon asked, knowing his nephew to be intelligent and not one to speak without reason. If Roland disagreed, he surely had his reasons.
"Uncle Napoleon, gentlemen, I believe the situation with this rebellion in Egypt is not as simple as we think. I suspect that the Turks are involved," Roland stated firmly.
"The Turks!" The room erupted in surprised murmurs at Roland's assertion.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง