Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 201 Distance
The economic crisis came on so suddenly that Nasser al-Din was waiting in his room for news of East-West investment.

Since he still had a month before heading to his final destination, the UK, he could take the opportunity to see whether his investment should be expanded or reduced.

However, information exchange is not yet perfect at this time, and this wait will last up to 10 days. During these 10 days, various situations may occur.

And that's exactly what happened; the New York Stock Exchange was in a frenzy. There were people selling stocks everywhere, and no matter how low the price, no one was buying. But there were always some wealthy individuals willing to step in and buy stocks at incredibly low prices.

"We have already purchased 6000 shares of Erie Railroad stock. It has been more difficult to purchase shares of Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Railroad because other banks have been acquiring them."

Persian banks began acquiring stocks on the stock market, with railway companies such as the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Railroad being key targets. However, they only acquired shareholder status and did not control these companies.

Moreover, rather than directly engaging in the conflict, it's more advantageous to cultivate agents who dominate the American business world. Although Shia Islam instills fear in most Christian societies, some still convert. Overwhelmed by the pressures of life, some who have lost faith in God turn to Allah for help, and they too have become a source of Iranian influence in the United States.

"According to our estimates, dozens of industries, including textiles, coal, and copper, have suffered the most severe losses this time. Our funds have already been invested in the coal and copper mining industries."

Along with the document came a thank-you letter, expressing gratitude to the bank for helping her and her family, saving her from suicide, and concluding with a "God be great!"

This was the first investor the bank sought. He was a coal merchant from Pennsylvania who had lost his business due to the economic crisis. He later found salvation in the mosque and the Quran. At this time, a sum of money from the Persian Bank revived him and allowed him to re-enter the coal industry.

It is unknown how much power this person wields, but Iranian influence has already begun to take root in the United States.

The economic crisis has also impacted this year's US presidential election, and Democratic President Pierce seems unable to alleviate the situation. Coupled with widespread resentment towards the White House in the North due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Democratic leaders know Pierce has no chance of winning. Therefore, they have changed their strategy and are preparing to select former Secretary of State James Buchanan as their candidate.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party's opponent, the Republican Party, which was only established two years ago, is coming on strong. They demand the abolition of slavery and the promotion of freedom and equality, making them a frontrunner in this year's election.

But banks won't get involved in that; they're too busy taking care of themselves. It's either bankruptcy or expansion.

The crisis also extended to Iran, with some export orders to Europe being cancelled and the construction of new factories delayed. The government implemented some preferential policies to minimize losses for the factories, but the most important thing was to expand the market.

Iran's railway network has expanded to 2000 kilometers, successfully connecting major cities. This has reduced transportation costs and boosted the development of other industries.

At this time, instability in Europe led Iran to turn eastward, with new colonies and the Qing Dynasty becoming its main targets.

After the war with Siam, the Iranian army turned its attention to Vietnam. Emperor Tu Duc was genuinely afraid that the enemy would directly attack Hue, but he couldn't defeat them by directly resisting, so he could only wait and see.

Having acquired this vast land, it's time to begin its development, especially for sustainable income. How can locals buy Iranian goods if they don't prosper? The goal is to get them to buy willingly, not through coercion.

A railway is also going to be built here. The first step is to build the railway from Saigon to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and then north to Vientiane. The central government will pay one-third of the cost, and in return, it will receive one-third of the railway's revenue.

Of course, the government also has to pay to support the more than 10,000 Iranian troops in Saigon, and their consumption also boosts the local economy.

However, having these soldiers here wasn't a solution; they wanted to earn merit, not come here for a vacation. But without the general's orders, they couldn't move.

"The soldiers are eager to earn military merit, but we're just sitting here doing nothing. What is this, exile?" Mustafa, the expeditionary commander, angrily asked Bahram. But the governor couldn't do anything about it; he couldn't just let them storm Bangkok again, could he?

"Please be patient. His Highness has already negotiated with the Qing Dynasty. As long as we can obtain a guarantee of non-interference, we will send troops immediately."

Abdullah continued to propose negotiations on the Vietnam issue, but these were all rejected by the Qing Dynasty. On the one hand, the Qing Dynasty could not relinquish its suzerainty over Vietnam; on the other hand, the British had arrived.

On February 29th, the Father Ma incident occurred. Britain and France used this incident as a pretext to declare war on Qing China and mobilized troops from Europe. They were certainly looking to gain more benefits this time; let's see how things unfold.

"But this can't go on forever. The young men will miss home eventually. They can't stay here forever, can they?"

Bahram knew he should find them something to do, but Southeast Asia was at peace, so where could they find work?
"Sir, Mr. Song has arrived."

"Please invite him in."

Song Xiuwen was the highest-ranking Chinese official in the colonial government and also represented all Chinese. Many of his suggestions were passed, and their safety was guaranteed, but they had to pay money.

"Greetings, Your Excellency, General Mustafa."

Song Xiuwen looked at the two men's luggage and asked Bahram, "What's going on today?"

"It's like this, sir. I have a friend whose ancestors ran a company in Southeast Asia, but some people, with the help of the Dutch, seized the company. I've also heard that you have an army here, so..."

"So your friend wants to hire my soldiers to take the company back, is that right?" Mustafa asked.

"Indeed, he knows that you will not easily send troops, so he brought the draft treaty with you for your review."

The treaty was well-written: each soldier would receive 10 taels of silver (25 rials) per month, and if they died in battle, they would receive 300 taels as a resettlement allowance. They could also freely acquire spoils of war.

"With so many soldiers, if all of them went there, your friend would probably go bankrupt."

Song Xiuwen was somewhat embarrassed, but still said, "Please rest assured, sir, no matter how difficult it is, we will still pay you the reward."

Mustafa didn't dwell on that; he began to inquire about the specifics.

"What's your friend's name, and where does his company work?"

"Your Excellency, my friend's surname is Luo, and his company is located in Borneo in the south."

(End of this chapter)