Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 285 The Grand Vizier Wants Colonies

In Tehran, Amir is assessing the situation in Iran.

By this time, Iran finally had a semblance of industrial foundation, and the Ottoman Empire and Russia could watch from afar as Iran rapidly advanced. New elements such as stock exchanges, banks, and railways brought about transformative changes to Iran.

"Grand Vizier, we have discovered a large gold deposit in the river, and the governor hopes that we can invest in production."

Amir looked at the memorials from Transoxiana. Ever since Yahya became governor of Transoxiana, all he'd asked for was money or personnel. But now Iran needed both from the east and west, and since the west was a crucial investment destination, the east would naturally have to take a backseat.

Of course, compared to this grievance, the grievances of Qinistan and the Far East region are even greater. Their status is that of a commercial colony, so naturally they have to contribute funds to Tehran.

The Far East colonies, including parts of the Ryukyu Kingdom and Kagoshima, were largely unsuitable for agriculture, so they needed to find solutions through commerce and finance. The Ryukyu king had dispatched envoys to Tehran to request an audience with the Shah.

Since Iran allowed Ryukyu to pay tribute to the Far East and provided support to the region, Shō Tai had no intention of opposing it; at least they were much better off than the Satsuma Domain.

In Lanfang, Borneo, efforts have also begun to ramp up, with the introduction of new machinery and methods increasing local gold production to 380 million riyals annually. This has greatly stabilized the riyal's value, and it has become a popular currency for both trade and domestic use.

Over the past decade, Iran's railway network has expanded rapidly, connecting major cities and industrial areas, greatly facilitating domestic trade and resource flow. The banking system has also been reformed, making capital flows more efficient and secure.

Despite its achievements, Iran still faces numerous challenges. He continues to push for reforms, striving to preserve traditional culture while absorbing advanced foreign technologies and management experience to ensure Iran can stand firm in a rapidly changing world and ultimately achieve national prosperity and strength.

"The government in the Transoxiana region has indeed neglected the fact that its population and resources are an important supplement to Iran's economy. Shouldn't 600 million be enough from the Ministry of Finance?"

At this time, the former finance minister resigned due to illness, and the new minister, Musharraf, was someone who kept a very close eye on fiscal balance. Asking him to run a deficit was probably more difficult than climbing to the sky.

As expected, Musharraf immediately voiced his opposition.

"Prime Minister, I personally support Governor Yahya's plan in principle, but isn't the cost too high? Isn't an investment of 600 million riyals somewhat inappropriate?"

In response to the Finance Minister's words, the Minister of Commerce and Industry defended Amir, saying, "This amount of money is not much at all. I've already calculated it, and both the personnel composition and the expenditures are very reasonable. Compared to the future returns, it's already quite good."

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Transoxiana has already sent people to investigate. Although the arable land is not as large as in other countries, the region, like Egypt, can grow cotton and also possesses abundant mineral resources. Cities such as Samarkand are also important trading locations. If properly managed, the costs can definitely be recovered within ten years.

However, for Musharraf, although the return on investment was tempting, it was difficult to meet the requirement of reducing the Treasury’s revenue significantly every year for four or five years.

Moreover, Iran is in dire need of money everywhere. Ottoman's ambassador has twice requested a delay in reparations, citing a lack of funds. Enraged, he nearly drew his gun and shot the ambassador in the head; had someone intervened, it might have escalated into a diplomatic incident.

"Grand Vizier, you are aware of the current situation at the Ministry of Finance. Last year, due to the war, we spent over 4000 million rials, and this year, due to the development of new territory, there's another expenditure totaling 7000 million rials. Furthermore, according to the plan, another 1200 million rials will be needed next year. Prime Minister, you should know the fiscal deficit of the past few years. If we continue with this unrestrained spending, fiscal bankruptcy is not out of the question. Also…" Amir hadn't expected the Finance Minister to suddenly erupt in anger, spilling all the news about the Ministry of Finance. But this wasn't surprising; anyone in the Finance Minister's position would have faced a similar situation.

“In that case, could you perhaps reduce some expenses elsewhere to raise the money?” Amir asked.

Musharraf spoke with a bitter expression to the amiable Prime Minister.

"No, there's nowhere else the government can cut spending right now. Every department's expenses are carefully calculated, so cutting them is simply impossible. Although Qinistan can provide 600 million rials a year, that money has already been allocated to local funds and cannot be touched."

Amir's eyes lit up at the mention of Qinistan. "Speaking of which, isn't that country called Vietnam still around?"

Pezeshkian was puzzled, but still answered the question. "Yes, they have been quiet ever since they ceded the land, although they have tried to attack at times, but have been thwarted."

"In that case, why not just incorporate them into Qinistan?"

Everyone was furious upon hearing the suggestion, especially Musharraf. War means spending money. Look at Europe; which country doesn't spend lavishly during wartime? At the very least, it requires five years of fiscal austerity.

"This time, we don't need to conscript troops from the mainland; the troops in Qinistan will suffice. According to the intelligence sent back by the governor, Vietnam has shown no signs of ambition in recent years. Their monarch continues to indulge in pleasure, and this is our opportunity."

Moreover, the abundant arable land and fishery resources in the region are exactly what we need. Once we conquer Vietnam, this final piece of the puzzle will be complete.

The current situation in Qinistan isn't very appealing; it would be perfect with Vietnam added to the mix. The region has received substantial funding in recent years, which is quite impressive considering the millions of local residents contribute. I've also heard that many people in Vietnam are involved; acquiring the region could further boost their income.

"Is it really possible to do this without spending a single penny?" Musharraf asked doubtfully.

"Spending money is necessary, just a little less. We can make up for some of the expenses by having soldiers acquire land and spoils locally. However, we still need a suitable excuse; our relationship with the Far East cannot be severed because of this."

While Ryukyu dutifully paid tribute, Vietnam was different. They were land neighbors with the Far East, and if the other side wanted to help, they could come directly, unlike Ryukyu, which was separated from them by the ocean.

"If that's the case, then it's certainly possible."

Musharraf finally agreed, saying he would do anything to reduce support.

(End of this chapter)