Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 356 Sultan of Brunei
The Civil War was drawing to a close, and with British and French mediation, the South's independence was a foregone conclusion. However, the fate of the North remained uncertain; maintaining the current situation was no longer possible, and the question was whether they could hold onto the region east of the Mississippi River.

Iran is at best a bystander, uninterested in peace talks, but interested in oil from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other areas. Therefore, Iran fully supports the north's move to secede from the federal government.

Regarding Native Americans, the Confederate States of America and other nations reached an agreement to allow them to establish a nation within Native American territory (Oklahoma). This effectively gave Native Americans a place to go, and halted the barbaric practices of the United States.

Meanwhile, cotton exports from the Confederate States of America had resumed, and as expected, cotton prices plummeted across the country. Cotton plantation owners who had planned to expand their operations were forced to change their strategies and plant other crops. Iran, having been prepared, suffered relatively smaller losses.

"Shah, the Allied powers have resumed cotton exports, and cotton prices have plummeted everywhere. This is going to bankrupt cotton plantations in India and Brazil."

Nasserdin already knew this news; the United States had utterly failed. Some European scholars were overjoyed because this proved their point: republics are only suitable for small countries and are destined to fail for large ones.

"Who could have imagined that a country that once aspired to surpass Britain would suddenly disappear? How can this be described as the unpredictability of life?"

Shah shook his head, somewhat regretful, but undeniably, the absence of the United States is beneficial to every country.

"Any news about Qinistan?"

"Yes, our army has already occupied the area south of Nha Trang, and at the same time, the fleet has moved north and captured Tuo Thanh. The King of Vietnam has fled to Hanoi to hide."

Iranian troops swept through Vietnam, occupying most of the country. The Vietnamese central government was forced to flee north, leaving only Nguyen Kinh Phuong and others to continue leading the Vietnamese army in resistance.

Iran has made another peace proposal to Vietnam, which includes allowing Iranian businessmen unimpeded access throughout Vietnam, increasing the number of open ports to six, requiring the Vietnamese king to hire three Iranian advisors to guide local reforms, and stationing Iranian troops in Hanoi and Tuo Dan.

Clearly, Vietnam could not agree to such conditions, so the fighting had to continue. Representatives from the Far East also came to negotiate, but everyone knew that Iran wanted Vietnam to become its vassal state.

To avoid upsetting the Far East, Iran indicated that Vietnam could continue paying tribute to the Far East. Furthermore, this was a crucial period for the Far East in suppressing the Jiangnan regime, and they were unwilling to expend significant effort on tributary states.

"Let them continue to put pressure on Vietnam. Don't worry, the Far East won't send troops thousands of miles away."

Since the Shah has said so, they all have to carry it out. Iran's overall advantage over Vietnam could disappear at any time, so they must press their advantage.

Nasser al-Din looked at the letter in his hand; it was from his younger brother, Sultan Abbas, who was far away in Southeast Asia. By this time, he had doubled the size of his territory, and the local people had submitted to his rule.

Despite the difficulties, Abbas established government institutions in the region. With the help of Iranian economic aid, he won over a group of local elites and intellectuals among the Chinese community, and the country began to move in the right direction. However, this small territory was far from sufficient to satisfy the Sultan's ambitions. He set his sights on the remaining territories of Brunei. In 1860, he led 3000 Iranian mercenaries and their retinue to attack Brunei, successfully seizing all of Brunei's territory, including Brunei City. To legitimize his rule, Abbas married the Sultan of Brunei's daughter, and the capital was moved to Brunei.

Despite a significant increase in territory, the local economy remained underdeveloped. Annual revenue barely exceeded £50,000. To stimulate the economy, Abbas began introducing Chinese laborers and Iranian capital. Forestry and mining became the fastest-growing sectors, while Brunei City was expanded, the port dredged, and railways built, revitalizing the local economy. The results were positive, with a substantial increase in revenue. Given more time, further development is expected.

Of course, he also formed his first homegrown army of over 4000 men, equipped entirely with Iranian weaponry, and purchased two small warships. This indicates his desire for further expansion and his desire to gain Iranian support.

In the letter, Abbas outlined three directions for Nasser al-Din: the first was to head north, attack the Sulu Sultanate, acquire vast island territories, and even potentially gain control of Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

The second option was to move south and acquire the Dutch-controlled territories of Borneo.

The third option is even more impressive: a direct westward expedition into Malaya, where the Sultan would become the local Sultan. The feasibility of this plan lies in the fact that Malaya is currently embroiled in political turmoil, with the Sultan and his rival vying for power. Meanwhile, the Ghee Hin and Hai San factions, both composed of Chinese, are respectively supporting the Sultan and his rival in their struggle for control of the Larut region's tin mines.

Last year, Ghee Hin and Hai San engaged in armed conflict over mining rights, with both sides using firearms, artillery, and even hiring Malay militias, turning the Larut mining area into a battlefield. Although a ceasefire has been implemented, the issue remains unresolved.

Abbas wrote a detailed account of the situation in Malaya to his brother, hoping for his support in obtaining the title of Sultan of Malaya. Nasser al-Din, however, knew nothing about this region and assumed that Britain had complete control over it at that time.

In reality, Britain only controlled the port areas of Singapore and Malacca. The inland regions were still ruled by various Malayan sultans, and the economy was shared equally by Chinese and British merchants. The current state of chaos in this region presents an opportunity for them to intervene.

"Little brother, you really give me so many surprises."

Nasser al-Din began replying to him, congratulating Abbas on his current achievements, but advising him to be cautious about military action. He warned that conquering Brunei only a few days prior, and then moving on to another place, might incite internal resistance.

If expansion is truly desired, then a few years of rest are necessary. During this time, it's advisable to seek cooperation with any regimes willing to cooperate. If such cooperation can be achieved, it will be of great benefit to him.

After writing the letter, he marked it and had it quickly sent to Brunei City. He was truly afraid that his brother might act impulsively and launch an attack in some direction, leaving him to clean up the mess.

While Britain hasn't fully occupied Malaya yet, it has already seized Singapore and the Strait of Malacca, two important ports, giving its fleet unimpeded access to the Strait. Iran's intervention at this juncture will severely test its diplomatic and military capabilities. Nasser al-Din truly doesn't know what will happen next; he'll have to wait and see.

(End of this chapter)