The Fox of France

Chapter 408: The Art of Winning Hearts

Back at their residence, after completing the remaining tasks, Bishop Torres knelt before the small shrine in his bedroom, devoutly confessing to the image of Christ:

"Lord, I have sinned, I repent before You..."

Having sincerely confessed his sins, Bishop Torres lay on his bed with a clear conscience, still calculating how much he had earned in the recent deal. However, he was indeed too exhausted, and before long, he entered a deep sleep.

Because he had received forgiveness from God during his confession, Bishop Torres slept unusually soundly, waking up only around noon the next day.

In the afternoon, Bishop Torres, along with Victor, went to meet the slaves who had been confirmed as Christians. Most of these slaves had lived here for several generations and, aside from retaining their religious beliefs, most of them no longer spoke their ancestors' languages; they now primarily spoke Arabic or Turkish.

However, this did not diminish their gratitude towards the French and the Vatican, who had liberated them. Especially when Victor and Bishop Torres assured them once again that not only would they gain freedom, but they would also receive land exclusively for themselves, these former slaves were almost ready to kneel down and kiss their feet.

"My children," Bishop Torres spoke in Turkish, "I've heard that not all Christians have been freed from Egypt. Some of our brothers are still being hidden by infidels. These infidels do not want our brothers to be liberated from slavery and hardship.

The Almighty God heard the prayers of our brothers and saw the suffering they endured over the years and their devotion to God. Just as He appeared before Moses, commanding him to rescue the Jews from the bondage of the Egyptians and lead them to the land flowing with milk and honey, now He has appeared before His most devout servant—the Pope, under the crown of the Roman Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte—to issue a clear, undeniable command:

'Go, go to Barbary, rescue my lambs from the hands of infidels. I not only want them to gain freedom, but I will also compel the infidels to cede their land as compensation. I will elevate them, placing their status far above those infidels who once enslaved them.'

My children, this is the will of God and it will be accomplished. Now, with the consuls sent by the great French Republic, the first consul of the Roman Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, in accordance with the orders of the Pope and the Emperor, we have negotiated with the leaders of the infidels, accusing them of breaking their promise and hiding some of our brothers. With the help of God, the leaders of the infidels could not deny it and had to agree to let us inspect all the slaves in their possession to see if our brothers are among them.

Brothers, those who have been hidden by the infidels are also God's lambs, just like you. You have lived together for a long time and will witness the glory of God together in the future. So, at this time, I implore you to join us in the identification process and rescue those brothers who have been hidden by the infidels. Are you willing to help us, to help your brothers?"

"We are willing," shouted the people below.

"Very well, very well. Your devotion is seen by God, and in the future, you will be rewarded in heaven," Bishop Torres said. "For those who lived on the same estate before, please choose a reliable and intelligent person to assist us."

Watching the excited crowd below, Victor couldn't help but feel the weight on his shoulders—these people's religious enthusiasm was a bit too much. Competing with the Vatican for influence over them was not an easy task.

Early the next morning, Pasha Benharden sent people to Victor and Bishop Torres' residence, inviting them to participate in the identification activities.

After resolving the dispute over interests, Pasha Benharden no longer obstructed the identification process and even provided some conveniences voluntarily. Frankly, this greedy infidel did have some business ethics. In these circumstances, the entire identification process went smoothly. Basically, anyone who might be a Christian slave was selected.

In fact, for these Christian slaves, rescuing more "brothers" was not particularly beneficial. According to the agreement, the land allocated for cultivation was fixed for Christians. This meant that the more Christian slaves were rescued, the less land each of them would receive.

However, these simple slaves could not think that far ahead, and their religious enthusiasm motivated them not to consider such issues.

But when the identification was over, a more practical issue arose—how to distribute the land.

If, in the past, relying on the religious appeal, the Vatican took the initiative, now, in this matter, Victor, with administrative power, definitely aimed to turn the tide.

Victor gathered the freed Christians and introduced them to the land-related policies.

"Dear gentlemen," Victor deliberately avoided using the religiously charged term 'brothers,' given the ongoing struggle with the Church, "firstly, congratulations on gaining your freedom. But gaining personal freedom is just the beginning; to achieve financial freedom and a happy life, there is much to be done. Some of you, if you have property and family in Europe, can choose to sell the land here for francs and return to Europe. If you prefer to stay here, you will receive a piece of land of your own. You only need to follow the rules for cultivation and pay taxes."

Here, Victor paused to let the freed Christians digest the information. They were already aware of this through various sources, but hearing it officially from Victor still excited them. They shouted, "Thanks be to God!"

This declaration displeased Victor because what he needed was for them to thank France and shout "Long live the Emperor" rather than thanking God. Although theoretically, thanking God was not wrong, as the Emperor was seen as the agent of God's will. But thanking God first would only strengthen the influence of the Church, which Victor found unsatisfactory.

Victor couldn't directly say, "Don't thank God; thank the Emperor." So, he had to wait for them to finish before continuing:

"If you choose to stay here as small farmers, you will face an issue—your nationality. In clearer terms, which country do you now belong to? According to the usual rules, you should be subjects of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. But the land allocated to you belongs to the French Republic. This involves the issue of how to pay taxes.

Since you are cultivating the land of the French Republic, naturally, you should pay taxes to the French Republic. However, you are still subjects of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, so you must also pay head tax to the Ottoman Turkish Empire and perform duties like other Ottoman subjects. Additionally, as believers, you also need to pay the tithe. Overall, although you will gain land, your life will not be easy in the future.

However, the great First Consul of the French Republic, the Roman Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, is very concerned about your well-being. Therefore, he has provided you with generous conditions. First, he has proposed to the French Council to exempt you from taxes for three years. This means that within three years, you can pay one less tax—a measure to help you get through the initial difficult period more easily."

"Merciful Majesty!" someone quickly exclaimed.

"Praise the Merciful Majesty, may God bless him, Amen!" followed another.

"

Of course, to receive this benefit, you need to abide by the rules and cultivate the land diligently, achieving economic independence as soon as possible," Victor emphasized.

"Three years! We thank the Merciful Majesty! May God bless him!" the crowd shouted.

Victor was not too concerned about their excessive religious enthusiasm, as long as it did not undermine his authority. After all, religion was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the Church had a long history of influence.

"Now, let's talk about the specific allocation of land," Victor continued. "I have designed a land distribution plan based on the number of people in each family and the land area available. Please follow my instructions, and everything will be fair and reasonable."

Victor unfolded a detailed map of the region on the table, explaining the distribution plan carefully to the freed Christians.

"May I ask, Mr. Victor, where is your land?" a Christian asked.

Victor smiled and pointed to a relatively large piece of land on the map.

"Here, this is where I plan to build my residence. You see, I am also one of the new landowners here. Of course, my land is not as large as yours, but it is enough for my needs. I am here to help you, and I will be with you as we develop this place together."

"Thank you, Mr. Victor! Thanks be to God!" The Christians were grateful.

Victor's arrangements for the land were meticulous, taking into account the number of family members, the fertility of the soil, and the availability of water resources. He also arranged for experts to provide guidance on cultivation techniques.

After the land distribution meeting, Victor had another conversation with Bishop Torres.

"Bishop Torres, I hope we can work together to guide these people towards a better future. Of course, the Church's influence is essential, and I respect your position as a spiritual leader. However, I also have to ensure that the interests of the French Republic are safeguarded. I believe we can find a balance between the two."

Bishop Torres looked at Victor, his eyes revealing a trace of cunning. "Mr. Victor, I am here to fulfill the will of God and guide these people towards salvation. If the interests of the French Republic align with the divine will, then we are on the same path. However, if there is a conflict, I must prioritize the salvation of these souls."

Victor sighed inwardly. The struggle for influence with the Church was indeed challenging. He needed to be cautious and find a way to win the hearts of the people without undermining the authority of the French Republic.

As the sun set, Victor and Bishop Torres walked together towards the newly allocated lands, where the freed Christians were beginning to settle. The future of this land was uncertain, but it held the potential for prosperity and growth. The challenge for Victor was not only to develop the region economically but also to navigate the complex dynamics of religion and power, ensuring a harmonious coexistence between the Church and the state.

Victor knew that in this journey, the means of winning hearts would be crucial, and striking the right balance between secular and spiritual authority would be the key to success. The story of the liberated Christians in Barbary was just beginning, and the path ahead was filled with both challenges and opportunities.