December 10, 1788.
The whole of Paris shivered under the biting cold wind, especially as news of insufficient grain supply from other provinces arrived from time to time, making this winter seem exceptionally cold.
Only the news of victory in North Africa brought some good spirits to people during this difficult winter.
At the eve of national awakening, the French people could now empathize with the achievements and glory of their country, and the topic heatedly filled the streets and alleys.
When the Guard Corps returned to their Paris quarters, the area outside the barracks was already surrounded by people, greeting them with cheers and warm smiles.
Meanwhile, the Palace of Versailles was also hosting a grand victory celebration.
Joseph, somewhat exhausted, stepped down from the rail carriage and was immediately greeted by a tsunami of cheers; looking up, he saw thousands of nobles thronging the sides of the road in the Versailles Palace Square, all the way to the palace gates.
Summoning his energy, he waved to the crowd, again sparking fervent cheering.
To be honest, he had traveled for more than half a month from Tunisia to Paris, and at this moment, what he desired most was to sleep soundly on a soft bed for an entire day.
However, Joseph also knew that one often cannot control one’s own circumstances, and he still needed to face the necessary ceremonies.
He glanced back at the carriage; Bertier, Joan, and a few agents from the Police Affairs Department, along with the representative from Tunisia, Xilada, got down from the carriage one after another.
The group was clearly unaccustomed to such a grand scene, standing in place for several seconds before being prodded awake by the Ceremonial Officer’s whisper and quickly stepped forward to follow behind the Crown Prince.
The party, escorting Joseph, walked through the dense crowd, accompanied by the sound of the court orchestra playing nearby, followed by the booming salute of the cannons.
The young noblewomen of Versailles Palace were more passionate and infatuated with the Crown Prince than ever before. His recent experiences in distant North Africa had darkened his complexion slightly, giving him a more masculine air, along with an added sense of mystery that nearly made the young maidens swoon.
And the high-ranking nobles, at this time, looked upon Joseph with a gaze that was evidently different from before.
Before the Crown Prince went to Tunisia, the place was a mess, with attacks on the French left, right, and center, and the Cabinet was even prepared to drop this hot potato. However, after the Crown Prince’s arrival, the situation in Tunisia quickly stabilized. By the time he returned to Paris, he even brought back a new province for France!
No one would think this was a mere coincidence.
Clearly, the young Crown Prince possessed talents and capabilities far beyond his years.
Of course, all this might also have been directed by Queen Mary herself, but that the Crown Prince managed to implement it without fault was equally remarkable.
Regardless of whether it was Queen Mary or the Crown Prince’s maneuver in Tunisia, the prestige of the Royal Family was notably elevated. At least, no one regarded the royal house as a laughing matter anymore; on the contrary, those who praised and respected the Royal Family were becoming increasingly numerous.
Moreover, nobles who frequented the Royal Palace were undergoing intense inner struggle at this moment.
They had watched the Duke of Orleans falter step by step, losing the High Court, media control, and the reins of banking.
So should they continue to align with the Duke of Orleans, or should they make overtures to the Royal Family early, to secure a retreat for themselves…
On the steps in front of the main entrance to the Palace of Versailles, Queen Mary looked eagerly at her son approaching, but suppressed the impulse to rush forward and embrace him due to the presence of the Tunisian envoys, merely exchanging customary greetings with him.
Xilada stepped forward from behind, respectfully bowed to the King and Queen, and then presented the application signed by Haji Bey to join France to Louis XVI.
The addition of Tunisia as a French province was a matter settled ten days ago; this was just a formality now.
Louis XVI took a deep breath, mustering all his strength before resoundingly proclaiming, “I accept the loyalty of Tunisia, and in the name of the King of France, I will forever protect Tunisia, granting you peace and prosperity.”
The crowd at Versailles Palace Square erupted into thunderous cheers: “Long live the King!”
“May our King’s glory shine upon Tunisia forever.”
“Praise the Lord! Praise our King!”
However, these ever-rising waves of cheers made the socially anxious Louis XVI extremely nervous, until the Ceremonial Officer came close to remind him, and then he raised his hand to signal for silence before inviting the Tunisian delegates and others into the Palace of Versailles.
Afterward, Queen Mary presided over the ceremony of France’s acceptance of the four provinces of North Africa in the Hall of Mirrors.
This was a suggestion made by Joseph to the Queen on his way back to Paris, splitting Tunisia into four provinces – the Province of Bizerte, Sousse Province, Kairouan Province, and Sfax Province.
Tunis City was incorporated into Sousse Province. The more barren areas to the south were part of Sfax Province, and from then on, the name Tunisia would only appear as a geographic concept.
Joseph also broke his heart over this arrangement for the future long-term stability and order of Tunisia.
Dividing Tunisia into four provinces could, first of all, dilute the sense of a unified Tunisia, to prevent someone from promoting separatism in the future.
Secondly, the four Governors could check and balance each other, overseeing each other’s actions, preventing the emergence of independent vassals overseas. After all, the lesson of the Ottoman Empire was still there; as soon as Imperial power weakened, the Imperial Guard immediately began to rule the roost in Tunisia.