Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 484 New Policy Investment

Hearing this, Abdullah felt as if he had been put on a pedestal. Moreover, these two were not diplomatic envoys of the shogunate; at most, they were sent by some disobedient Japanese warlord seeking diplomatic support.

Okubo Toshimichi may have realized that what he said was inappropriate, so he went on to talk about his experience when he came to Iran.

"When I first arrived in Iran, I saw many novel things. I suppose your country relies on these..."

"If that's all you two have to say, then you can leave. If you're talking about war, then it was your businessmen who deceived us first. I've lived in Shanghai for several years and I've never seen anything so shameless."

Even after being beaten, Japanese merchants remained the same. Using inferior goods was commonplace, and breaking contracts midway was no big deal. If Japanese raw silk weren't half the price of Shanghai silk, no merchants would have gone there.

"Please don't insult me..."

"This is not an insult, this is reality."

He still gets angry when he talks about it. Even the most shameless and unscrupulous merchants he's ever met are nothing compared to the Japanese.

"Your Excellency, we have come with friendly intentions; you cannot do this."

Abdullah scoffed, “As far as I know, you were sent by the Satsuma Domain. A local government cannot represent the national government.”

Abdullah really didn't want to see them, and now that the conversation had reached this point, he made an excuse to send them off hastily.

........................

"You mean, Japan sent two people?"

"Yes, Shah, but not officially, but as a representative of the local government."

This puzzled the Shah. "Local government? Or perhaps the Satsuma Domain?"

What's the latest situation in Japan?

Musharraf replied, "Nothing much recently, except that rice prices have tripled due to market turmoil caused by their government's chaotic economic policies."

With marketization and trade development, Japan exports large quantities of raw silk, rice, sugar, and other products, which reduces domestic supply. Rice, in particular, is a major concern; the Japanese seem to consider it their staple food, and attempts by merchants to export other grains to them have yielded few buyers.

The rice crisis triggered a new social crisis, with ordinary people and local lords rising up against it. The shogunate's rule was on the verge of collapse, with only Emperor Komei supporting it.

When Naser al-Din and Alexander made peace, they acknowledged Russia's special interests in northern Japan. It seems Japan will also become the center of the storm.

Shah pondered for a moment, then asked the Grand Vizier, "Is the Korean side still refusing our demands?" Musharraf replied that the Koreans were more stubborn than those in the Far East. They were unwilling to open up at all; they had submitted proposals twice already, both of which were rejected by the King's father.

Compared to Japan, Korea's spirit of expelling foreigners had a deeper meaning. Supporting this policy was the ideology of upholding righteousness and rejecting evil. Some believed that Western Europe wanted to reduce Korea to a nation of beasts, therefore "foreign things" should be resolutely rejected. The de facto ruler at the time, Daewongun, the father of King Gojong, also advocated rejecting "foreign things" and vigorously promoted the theory of war. He argued that adhering to the "Way" of the sages was an absolute act that transcended the survival of the "nation," and strongly advocated defending Confucian civilization to the death.

"If all else fails, use warships to fight them. Force them into a corner."

Since they don't want to open up, let Iran lead its Asian brothers onto the road to prosperity and strength. This way, they can reclaim their rightful place.

Of course, the Grand Vizier and the Chancellor of the Exchequer didn't just talk about that. They also agreed on how much in bonds the royal family would buy, and Naser al-Din didn't mince words, handing out 7000 million rials with a wave of his hand.

Such extravagant spending was something neither the Ottomans nor the British could have achieved. However, the Shah spent relatively little on personal enjoyment; it seemed he preferred saving money to spending it.

The ministers were half right. Besides saving money, Nasser al-Din also liked to invest everywhere, otherwise it would be too boring for the money to just sit in a safe.

At this time, the most direct investment was to establish various factories and trading companies; those who wanted a more sophisticated approach would purchase bonds and stocks or establish banks. Nasser al-Din did all of these, and even hired the most astute accountants to manage the investments. This is why the royal family's assets increased year after year.

Nasser al-Din felt that Iran should be given a more cultural atmosphere. He thought it would be good to build a few wonders, which would also increase national cohesion. However, he hadn't yet decided what to build.

So far, Nasser al-Din has spent money building a few small structures. One is the royal palace in Baghdad, and the other is the reconstruction of the Sassanid palace in Ctesiphon. If technology allowed, he would have liked to rebuild the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The Gulestan Palace is also under expansion, this time incorporating Eastern features. The plan is to build one similar to the large garden in the Far East. Abdullah was fortunate enough to visit once; it was truly beautiful. Thankfully, at the last minute, Britain and France didn't attack Beijing, otherwise, this place would have been destroyed. Of course, this is also thanks to Iran.

Of course, besides these, the Shah also funded the construction of Iran's first museum, the Tehran Museum. Iran is, after all, a civilized country, and it does possess some cultural relics. These include various pottery, textiles, texts, artworks, astrolabes, and adobe calligraphy from the Achaemenid period. There are also artifacts from the Sasanian, Khwarazmian, Timurid, and Safavid dynasties. When the building opened, it attracted many celebrities and students, who felt a sense of pride as they witnessed the history of their ancestors.

Having successfully obtained the funds from the Shah, the two left the palace. Their investment plan was now officially underway. The Finance Minister also needed to plan the use of the funds; misuse would result in accountability.

The government has officially announced plans to construct three railway lines across the river, as well as the Mashhad-Kabul railway. It has also allocated 1000 million rupees for rural road improvements.

At the same time, the government will also establish a postal ministry to be responsible for postal and telegraph affairs nationwide. This is to improve efficiency, just like the transportation department.

Every change in government is for the purpose of better governing the country, but this only applies to those who genuinely want to govern. Others, such as those seeking personal gain or engaging in brutality, are simply trying to prevent themselves from being overthrown.

The following days were relatively calm in Iran. However, changes continued; the postal savings policy was being rolled out to other cities, and the land tax policy was still under intense cabinet debate. Farzadi and others remained opposed, and Musharraf nearly came to blows with him.

However, other projects are progressing quite quickly. The Ministry of Education has approved documents for the construction of 100 libraries, and construction is expected to begin soon. Furthermore, a trade agreement with Russia has been made public, allowing Iranian and Russian businessmen to travel between the two countries for trade, thus contributing to regional trade.

(End of this chapter)