Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 485 Private Visit (Part 1)

The conference hall in Tehran welcomed a different group of people: expert conference members elected from all over the country.

They were filled with great enthusiasm and ready to contribute their strength to the country. Larijani, as the leader of the Progressive Party, was successfully elected as a member of parliament for Tabriz and entered here. Behind him were 67 other members of parliament from various regions.

As the largest group in the expert panel, the Progressive Party was entitled to a deputy position. Larijani naturally took this role, and of course, he also spoke on behalf of the other members at the meetings.

"I feel very honored to participate in the discussions and deliberations of this prestigious legislative body. We have encountered many difficulties, but we have overcome them all. I hope the country will continue to improve in the future."

Everyone applauded, but some people were thinking that these people were going to have a lot of arguments in the future.

One of the councilors quietly asked the person next to him, "What did you just say Lord Amir did?"

The person next to him said casually, "He went on a trip, and I heard that Shah reimbursed part of the expenses."

"I'm so envious!" After all, to have the Shah reimburse your expenses requires immense prestige or personal connections.

Amir had already arrived in London; this trip was for relaxation and to see what the world's number one was like.

However, upon arrival, Amir was greeted with the warmest welcome. In addition to the Iranian ambassador to the UK and other Iranian students, the Leader of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gladstone also came to the dock to welcome the Grand Vizier, who had served diligently for 17 years.

"Hello, Mr. Amir."

"Hello, Mr. Gladstone."

Amir hadn't expected Britain to send this person to welcome him; the other person's status was simply too high. He, a retired man, couldn't compare.

"I've heard that Mr. Amir has governed Iran for 17 years and has made many contributions to Iran's current status. The Prime Minister has long wanted to meet you. Please come with me."

"That's troublesome, haha."

The carriage traveled smoothly all the way to Westminster Palace.

"This is where our parliament meets, and many important decisions are made here," Gladstone explained to Amir.

"I've heard of this place. I've heard that your country's parliament has a history of over 500 years. It truly deserves to be called the most civilized country; even your system is so advanced."

Gladstone was pleased with these words, after all, the British Empire was invincible. If only Iran had behaved a little better and hadn't caused them so much trouble.

The carriage stopped at the entrance, and Amir followed Gladstone inside. Westminster Palace comprises approximately 1,100 individual rooms, 100 staircases, and 4.8 kilometers of corridors. The building has four floors; the ground floor contains offices, dining rooms, and private rooms. The second floor houses the palace's main halls, such as the Parliament Chamber, the Parliament Lounge, and the Library. The House of Lords is located on the south side, and the House of Commons on the north side.

Amir followed Gladstone into the parliamentary lounge, where applause erupted as soon as they entered. All the members of parliament were eager to see what the former Iranian Grand Vizier looked like, and Amir shook hands with each of them. Gladstone personally introduced them to him.

"This is Prime Minister Russell!"

Amir grasped Russell's hand. "Hello, Your Excellency Prime Minister. I believe that your country will become even more beautiful under your leadership."

Russell was pleased with these words and said, "Thank you for your blessing."

Gladstone then introduced him to Lord Derby, the Lord Secretary of War, who, though having served two terms as Prime Minister, had only held office for a combined total of a little over two years. However, he was a very charismatic orator, which was why he had repeatedly won more than half the seats in his constituency. "Greetings, Your Excellency."

"Hello."

There was no need for Gladstone to introduce them further, since there were so many members of parliament and it would be too time-consuming to introduce them one by one. So the Earl of Derby directly introduced the member of parliament he thought had the most potential to Amir.

“Mr. Amir, please allow me to introduce you to Benjamin Disraeli, he is a Buckinghamshire councilor.”

A short, thin-faced member of parliament stepped forward and shook hands with Amir.

"Hello, Mr. Amir."

"Hello there!"

Amir sensed that the man looked like he hadn't woken up properly, but that was just his outward appearance; his inner self was definitely different, he could tell.

After meeting with the MP, Gladstone had his attendant take Amir on a tour of Westminster Palace. As mentioned before, it has over 1000 rooms and takes a long time to see.

A servant led Amir through a long corridor inlaid with stained glass, sunlight filtering through the glass and casting dappled shadows on the carpet. They first arrived at the Senate chamber, where scarlet benches gleamed like velvet in the dim light.

“This is where the nobles deliberate on bills,” the attendant explained. “All bills passed by the House of Commons must ultimately be passed here to become law.”

Amir stroked the carved oak railing, lost in thought: "So, the nobles can veto the decisions of elected councilors?"

The attendant smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Theoretically, yes, but in recent years the Senate has rarely used its veto power..."

They continued on, passing through a corridor lined with portraits of past kings. Amir paused before one portrait—that of Cromwell, the founder of the English Republic. His attendants hurried past, seemingly reluctant to discuss this history.

The House of Commons chamber was much smaller than Amir had imagined, a long, narrow space with benches facing each other on either side. “The ruling party sits to the right of the prime minister, and the opposition to the left,” the aide said. “Members of both parties debate face-to-face, sometimes so close that they throw punches at each other.”

Amir couldn't help but smile: "It seems that heated debate is a necessary price to pay for freedom."

After leaving the central hall, the attendant led Amir to the famous Victoria Tower. Standing on the observation deck at the top, the entire city of London was laid out before them. The Thames River meandered through the city like a silver ribbon, and in the distance, the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral gleamed in the sunlight.

“From here you can see the heart of the British Empire,” the attendant said proudly. “Parliament makes the laws, and the laws shape the empire.”

Amir gazed into the distance, lost in thought. He thought about the Iranian elections that had just ended, wondering if the system could survive on Iranian soil.

At a dinner at the Prime Minister's residence, Amir became the center of attention. Members of parliament vied to ask him about the details of Iran's reforms, particularly the land tax system and postal savings system. Gladstone showed great interest in Persia's ability to integrate modern finance with local practices, while Prime Minister Russell was more concerned with Iran's strategic positioning in Central Asia.

When the topic turned to British politics, Amir cautiously stated, "Every country has its own path. Iran is learning from the strengths of other countries, but ultimately it must find a constitutional path that suits its own circumstances."

Amir's words won everyone's applause, and Prime Minister Russell invited Amir to attend a hearing in the House of Commons the next day. Amir agreed, as he wanted to see what the British Parliament was really like.

(End of this chapter)