The newly designed conical bullets delivered superior range and stopping power, prompting the master gunsmiths to put them into immediate mass production.
A full network of industrial support facilities was rushed to completion, with the new arsenal operating under strict European management standards to maximize worker output.
During a routine inspection, Amir Kabir arrived at the governor’s office accompanied by a man smartly dressed in a Western suit, complete with a silk top hat and bow tie.
“Your Highness, allow me to introduce Mr.
Lawrence,” Amir Kabir announced.
“He is a financial specialist recommended by Minister Justin Sheil.” “It is an honor to meet Your Highness,” Lawrence said, bowing respectfully to Naser al-Din.
With deep connections across European commercial circles, Lawrence had been handpicked by Sheil to serve as Naser al-Din’s economic consultant, having previously managed a manufacturing firm and worked inside a commercial bank.
“Welcome, Mr.
Lawrence,” Naser al-Din replied warmly.
“I trust your expertise will help restore prosperity to Azerbaijan.” While Naser al-Din knew little of the man’s personal background, he desperately needed Western experts to drive his financial reforms.
Lawrence came well-prepared, pitching a sweeping plan to standardize the province’s chaotic monetary system on his very first day.
“Your Highness, economic growth requires a stable financial foundation,” Lawrence explained smoothly.
“You’ve successfully cleared the illegal road checkpoints, but the local currency remains a mess, which severely throttles regional trade.” Eager to prove his worth, Lawrence highlighted the total disarray of local coinage and insisted that overhauling the currency was essential.
“What do you propose we do?” Naser al-Din asked attentively.
“It is simple, Your Highness,” Lawrence smiled.
“You should charter a central state bank, which will clean up the currency while raising fresh investment capital for your industrial projects.” Amir Kabir understood the economic logic, yet he worried the plan would hit a brick wall, given that strict Islamic law prohibited usury and interest-bearing loans.
“Is such an institution even viable here?” Amir Kabir interjected cautiously.
“To local clerics, it will look like the government is running a high-stakes money-lending ring.” “Rest assured, gentlemen,” Lawrence insisted, waving off the concern.
“I guarantee this strategy yields massive financial returns and solves your funding shortages once and for all.” Lawrence’s confidence tipped the scales, prompting Naser al-Din to make a final call.
“Very well, let us move fast; we have no time to waste.” With the prince giving his official blessing, Amir Kabir refrained from pushing back further.
Though he was completely unfamiliar with Western banking, the proposed institution sounded suspiciously like a glorified loan sharking operation, leaving him skeptical about its daily mechanics.
Under Lawrence’s blueprint, the bank would issue standardized paper notes, collect private savings deposits, and extend commercial credit to local entrepreneurs, effectively centralizing regional finance.
Before rolling out the system, Lawrence needed to conduct extensive market surveys across Tabriz.
Of course, Lawrence harbored his own selfish motives for pushing the scheme, hoping to secure private control over local currency issuance—a position that promised astronomical profits for minimal effort.
However, Naser al-Din proved far sharper than the American anticipated.
While offering Lawrence a lavish salary, the prince made it crystal clear that the new bank would remain under strict state control, doubling Lawrence’s pay only on the condition that he serve purely as an advisor and train local clerks.
“Your Highness, surely you don’t mean to…” Lawrence stammered, caught off guard.
“I know exactly what you were planning, Lawrence,” Naser al-Din cut in smoothly, his eyes narrowing.
“I hired you for your technical skills, so I suggest you keep your hands out of the till, unless you want your family back home to suffer.” The quiet threat hit Lawrence like a bucket of ice water.
Amir Kabir had previously quietly investigated the man’s past, discovering Lawrence was the disgraced son of a wealthy Louisiana plantation owner who had fled the United States under shady circumstances before resurfacing as a merchant in the Middle East.
Desperate to rebuild his fortune, Lawrence had jumped at the chance to enter Naser al-Din’s service through Justin Sheil’s recommendation, and now his gamble had landed him right in the lion’s den.
Before Lawrence could offer an excuse, a loud, angry roar echoed through the open windows of the governor’s mansion.
Naser al-Din looked toward the main gates, knowing the inevitable storm had finally arrived.
Just as Amir Kabir had feared, news of the proposed state bank triggered a swift backlash from the Ulama, who mobilized hundreds of religious followers to march through the streets of Tabriz.
The clerics were willing to tolerate modern factories and new military draft quotas, but state-sanctioned money lending crossed a red line into blasphemy, which they viewed as a direct violation of Sharia law.
A massive crowd packed the boulevard, led by Ayatollah Mirza and several senior religious scholars who marched with grim determination, intent on forcing the governor to scrap the decree.
“End the usury!
Ban the foreign bank!” the crowd chanted in unison, their voices shaking the courtyard.
Hearing the deafening clamor outside, Lawrence grew visibly rattled inside the governor’s office.
He had witnessed rowdy political rallies back in America, but he had never seen a mob fueled by raw religious fervor.
“Relax, Mr.
Lawrence,” Naser al-Din remarked coolly, adjusting his coat.
“They won’t break down these gates.” Amir Kabir immediately headed down to the front entrance to defuse the situation, personally inviting Ayatollah Mirza and his top aides inside to negotiate behind closed doors.
“Your Excellency Ayatollah, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?” Amir Kabir greeted them warmly.
“Save the pleasantries, Amir,” Ayatollah Mirza barked, waving his hand dismissively.
“We are here to stop the Crown Prince from leading Azerbaijan straight down a path to damnation.” Mirza stepped forward and voiced his grievances.
“We recognize the military threat from Tsarist Russia, so we backed the governor’s army reforms and industrial tax measures as lawful actions.” “However, opening a Western bank to lend money at interest violates Sharia law, and we demand an immediate stop to it!” Amir Kabir listened patiently, fully aware of the old man’s immense political clout.
As an influential Ayatollah leading Azerbaijan’s Ulama, a single religious decree from Mirza could completely paralyze the governor’s administration.
During the famous Tobacco Protest, a single fatwa issued by the Ulama had triggered a nationwide boycott so absolute that even the Shah’s personal servants refused to light his water pipe, proving the clergy’s power over the masses.
“Your Excellency, you misunderstand our intentions,” Amir Kabir explained gently.
“The prince authorized this bank specifically to protect ordinary citizens from predatory loan sharks who trap poor families in cycles of debt, demanding two or three times the principal in interest.” “His Highness’s heart bleeds for the common people, which is why the state is stepping in to offer fair credit.” The explanation softened a few of the younger scholars, but Ayatollah Mirza remained unmoved.
“If loan sharks are victimizing the poor, then send the police to arrest the extortionists,” Mirza countered firmly.
“We do not need to violate divine law by opening a bank!” “Ayatollah, arresting a few loan sharks will only drive them underground,” Amir Kabir replied calmly.
“The governor intends to wipe out usury at its root by providing a clean, state-regulated alternative.” “Furthermore, the current flood of debased silver and gold coins is wrecking market trade across the province,” Amir Kabir added.
“His Highness is entirely devoted to Azerbaijan’s survival, and he would never pursue this path if a better option existed.” (TN: Ayatollah is a high-ranking title for a master of Islamic law and theology within Shia Islam, from my short research, this title only used by Persia / modern day Iran and not in other Islamic Country like Saudi Arabia etc.) ————————————– If you enjoy this story consider support me on P Site/OrbisTranslate,