The reason the Empire manufactured and sent Florentine rifles instead of the standard-issue Imperial rifles used by its own military was not simply because Ming and Japan had made rifles based on the Florentine model. It was primarily to prevent the leakage of the Imperial army’s standard-issue rifle technology to the outside. The mechanism of rotating the bolt through a reciprocating motion could, with just a few modifications, lead to the development of a self-loading rifle.

In fact, the new type of rifle Hyang was currently developing with artisans was a gas-operated automatic rifle. It was a new model capable of both semi-automatic and fully automatic fire using a 20-round magazine. Upon receiving information about this new rifle and its performance, the Imperial Ministry of National Defense began racking their brains to research new tactics.

“With a rifle like this, there would be no need to operate light hwachas separately, would there? It seems we can devise more versatile tactics.”

“The problem is that each soldier would have to carry at least 200 rounds. Hmm…”

“Soldiers wail as if they’re dying if even a single leaf lands on their packs during a march; if we tell them to carry over 100 rounds more at once, there will be an uproar. Should we increase the number of assault vehicles instead?”

“Magazines… increased ammunition consumption… supply… budget… oh, my aching head…”

As the development of a single new rifle demanded changes in many areas, from tactics to supply systems, wailing and groaning erupted daily from the Ministry of National Defense and the Imperial Army General Staff.

Meanwhile, hearing this news, Hyang smirked and muttered.

“There’s actually something else meant to fill the spot of the light hwacha…”

Having roughly finished the development of the new rifle, Hyang turned his attention to a new hwacha that would succeed the standard model. And this new hwacha was a GPMG (General-Purpose Machine Gun).

Hyang intended to integrate the existing hwachas and light hwachas into one using this new hwacha. Interestingly, the first person in the Empire to conceive of this new concept of hwacha was not Hyang, but Jang Yeong-sil.

It was an item designed and prototyped by Jang Yeong-sil, who ran Area 52 in the New Frontier. After Jang Yeong-sil’s death, the item, which had been sealed away, was preparing to come out into the world again. Of course, it wasn’t being remade exactly according to Jang Yeong-sil’s design. There were a few points in Jang Yeong-sil’s design that needed improvement, and Hyang had embarked on developing a new hwacha incorporating these improvements. Because of this backstory, the Empire had taken out the molds for the Florentine rifle kept in storage and manufactured new products to send.

“As time passes, other countries will make similar things. But there’s no need to spoon-feed them in advance, is there?”

With this consensus formed, they produced and sent the Florentine rifles. Furthermore, Hyang was one step ahead.

“Looking at history, there are more than a few monstrosities and failures that could compete for the lead with Japan’s Type 11 light machine gun; shouldn’t similar children appear here too?”

***

Ismail, having received the gifts from the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance, moved quickly. First, he set aside half of the received long rifles and hwachas to arm the Royal Guards protecting himself and the palace. Then, he began organizing new units to use the remaining weapons. And the vizier, stepping forward as Ismail’s proxy, actively proceeded with negotiations with the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance.

“The brothers of the East said they would provide certain support. I am curious to what extent that ‘certainty’ reaches.”

At the vizier’s question, the Ming envoy stepped forward and asked back.

“Which part of the support are you asking about?”

“First, I wish to know about the military aspect.”

“First, we will supply long rifles, hwachas, and cannons to arm about 10,000 men.”

“10,000 is too few. It must be at least 40,000.”

“If it is just to suppress the Qizilbash, I believe 10,000 is sufficient?”

At the Ming envoy’s point, the vizier shook his head.

“For the Qizilbash, perhaps. However, the Ottomans are a bigger problem.”

At the vizier’s answer, the Imperial envoy stepped in.

“The Ottomans? We are friendly with the Ottomans, so we can mediate.”

At the Imperial envoy’s words, the vizier shook his head again.

“If it were something like a border issue, mediation might be possible. However, we are Shia and they are Sunni.”

“Ah…”

At the vizier’s answer, the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance simultaneously showed similar reactions.

***

The first thing the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance felt upon arriving in Persia was that the grudge accumulated between Sunni and Shia ran considerably deep. Through the Minor Occultation and Major Occultation periods, the Shia suffered much persecution from the Sunni, and the Shia did not forget this.

Therefore, as Ismail seized control of Persia, the Shia entered into attempts to overturn the power dynamics of the past. The most extreme of these attempts was the Qizilbash’s massacre of Persians and forced conversions. However, because it was too extreme, the Qizilbash ended up being discarded.

As the Qizilbash became targets for purging, the Ja’fari school of jurisprudence filled the void. Although the word ‘jurisprudence’ was attached, the Ja’fari school was quite moderate and flexible. The problem was that even such a Ja’fari school was unwilling to retreat a single step on the issue that Persians must be converted to Shia. Naturally, the Ottomans, whose populace was mostly Sunni, were unlikely to just watch this happen. A clash between the Ottomans and Persia was already preordained.

Realizing this acutely, the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance let out long sighs.

“Haa~. I wanted to go a bit easier somehow.”

“I agree. It is truly regrettable.”

***

Knowing the situation between the Ottomans and Persia, the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance had no choice but to accept the vizier’s request.

“Understood. However, please do not forget that it is a ‘minimum.’ If a conflict breaks out with the Ottomans, 40,000 could disappear in an instant.”

“Is there no way to avoid war?”

“Again, they are Sunni and we are Shia.”

“Haa~.”

At the troubled expressions of the envoys, the vizier added a word.

“If you do not wish for European hands to touch the petroleum you desire, you will have to choose well.”

“…We shall keep that in mind.”

The negotiations continued fiercely thereafter. With the political shackle called the Qizilbash gone, the vizier proceeded with negotiations even more actively.

“We underestimated our opponent too much.”

“I agree. I thought they were all just people buried in Islam seeking only Allah, but they exceeded expectations.”

“To think there is someone so astute… Indeed, anyone capable of becoming a country’s prime minister is absolutely not an easy opponent.”

Reflecting on their complacency, the envoys gathered their wits and engaged in negotiations again. However, as per the envoys’ assessment, the vizier was not an easy opponent. Having grasped in the first meeting that what the East wanted was petroleum, the vizier wielded this as a weapon.

“Joint venture. A good word. However, our Persia is not yet wealthy, so we will substitute people for gold. Hire our subjects.”

• For the construction proceeding for the completion of the One Belt, One Road, hire Persians as laborers.
• And recognize the provision of these laborers as our Persia’s share.
• Wages to be paid to the laborers? Of course, they must be paid. However, our Persia lacks wealth, so the brothers of the East should pay.
• Of course, guarantee payment of wages at a level where the laborers and their families will not starve, even if they are not affluent.
• Guarantee in writing that sufficient compensation will be paid to those who die or are maimed during construction.
• Provide sufficient support for constructing schools to educate Persian subjects and hospitals to treat them.

“….Are the demands not too excessive?”

At the objection raised by the Three-Nation Alliance envoys, the vizier asked back instead.

“Did the East not say you wanted to be friends of our Persia? Are you weighing the amount of a request for help from a friend in trouble? Is that how it is done between friends in the East?”

“…..That is not so.”

Answering the vizier’s question, the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance could only smile bitterly.

‘We took another hit.’

However, the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance did not just take it lying down.

“In return, Persia’s share of the profits obtained from petroleum shall be 1/4.”

“Look here! It is petroleum coming from our land! Yet only 1/4! We must receive at least half!”

“Who do you think provides the technology to bring up that petroleum, the technology to refine the extracted petroleum, the technology to manage the equipment and facilities necessary for extraction and refining, and the operating funds?”

“Then 2/5!”

“1/4. Does poor Persia have anything more to offer than people and land?”

“We can concede up to 1/3!”

“Will you pay the entire cost of the weapons we supply to Persia, minus the portion for 10,000 men? If you accept 1/4, we will receive only half the payment for the remaining portion for 30,000 men. And we will also receive only half the payment for quantities consumed or lost in training or war, and for additionally requested supplies.”

“……Give me time to think.”

Returning to the palace and consulting with Ismail, the vizier eventually accepted the proposal of the Three-Nation Alliance.

“We agree to 1/4 of the total shares.”

“A good decision.”

Even after this, the vizier and the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance continued fierce debates over various issues. However, rumors coming from outside the negotiation venue gradually turned the situation in favor of the Three-Nation Alliance. This was because the Imperial Cavalry pursuing the Qizilbash sent news of victory day after day.

• The military power possessed by the soldiers of the East is strong enough to utterly defeat those powerful Qizilbash warriors.

• However, even that powerful force is merely a part of the power the East possesses.
• If they judge that negotiating with us is a loss, the East will seize our Persia by force.

Through the ‘Tabriz Urban Warfare’ and the subsequent ‘Qizilbash Pursuit,’ Ismail and the vizier, having acutely realized the power of the three Eastern nations, abandoned excessive greed.

Eventually, the negotiations concluded with a situation where both sides were moderately satisfied. Having successfully wrapped up the negotiations, the envoys of the Three-Nation Alliance reported this to their home countries. Not long after the reports sent by the envoys arrived, ships laden with weapons and troops began to depart in rows from the trade ports of the three countries.

***

As new weapons and troops arrived, the position of the Three-Nation Alliance envoys changed from envoys to ambassadors. Embassies of the three countries began to be built near the encampment where the envoys had stayed, and the newly arrived troops rotated duties with the existing troops.

Additionally, a group of troops became instructors, taking charge of training and tactical education for the army newly organized by Ismail. As the Three-Nation Alliance firmly secured a bridgehead in this way, ships carrying all sorts of construction materials finally began to flock in.

“First, let us begin by constructing a proper port and building a railway connecting Basra and Tabriz.”

“I agree.”

At last, the grand journey called ‘One Belt, One Road’ began.