Chapter 13: Treasury Reform
The council meeting was still ongoing as everyone returned after a short break. Vijay took charge and initiated the discussion.
"Uncle Ravi, please calculate how much money is needed to form all the necessary departments," Vijay asked.
Ravichandra pondered for a moment in his head and replied, "It will take 60 million Varaha, your Highness."
Vijay frowned, as the amount was way more than what he had imagined. But he soon gritted his teeth and made his heart firm to continue with the reform.
"Uncle, what is the amount of money in the treasury?" Vijay inquired. Ravichandra replied, "Due to your father taking away some of the privileges of the landlords and nobles, it is currently around 40 million Varaha, your highness. This is the highest it has been since the founding of the kingdom."
So they were still short of 20 million, Vijay thought. He nodded his head and asked again, "What is the value of all the property my family owns?"
Even though Uncle Ravi was retired, he had been the butler of the royal family for decades, so he should still know all the finances and property details of the Royal family.
As he expected, without missing a beat, Ravichandra replied immediately, "It will total over 37 million Varaha, your highness."
"But, your highness, most of the money is in the form of land property and castles," he added, sensing that something was not right.
Listening to Uncle Ravi's worry, Vijay comforted him, "Don't worry, Uncle. I will be cautious. I know what to do."
Upon hearing Vijay's reply, Ravichandra became sullen and sat down reluctantly.
Vijay continued to explain his plans for the kingdom's treasury. "I have decided to separate the public treasury from the private treasury," he announced.
Everyone in the room looked confused. Public? Private? What were those?
Ignoring their confusion, Vijay went on to explain the difference between public and private treasuries.
Despite Vijay's explanations, everyone was still puzzled. "Your Highness, don't both public and private treasuries belong to you? What's the point of having them separate?" Ravichandra asked, voicing everyone's doubts.
Vijay replied, "There are actually several reasons, but one of the main ones is that I have future plans for the treasury. I intend to make investments from my personal treasury, which some may consider reckless. However, I have full confidence in my investment choices and future vision. In the event that these investments do not succeed, I do not want the kingdom's treasury to bear the burden of my mistakes."
Though still confused, everyone agreed with his decision.
Vijay continued, "Uncle Ravi, please hand over 20 million Varaha to Logananda for military expansion and 10 million to Arjun for the police department."
Ravichandra, though reluctant, agreed to the allocation.
"Marshall Logananda, please use this money to expand the army by another 50,000 for a total of 100,000 professional soldiers," Vijay instructed.
"The military will be trained according to the document you submitted," he said, signing a document on his desk and handing it over to Logananda.
Logananda respectfully accepted the document and saluted, replying, "It will be done according to your wishes, your highness."
"Director Arjun, the 10 million I have allocated to you will be used for the formation of police stations and the police department. I hope you make good use of the money," Vijay continued as he signed the document and handed it over to Arjun. Arjun respectfully accepted the document with a bow, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity.
"As for the remaining 10 million Varaha, it will be used as emergency funds for the empire."
Vijay called his butler Vinod, and a middle-aged man came running. "Vinod, please arrange for all the property in the form of land to be sold as soon as possible."
Everyone in the room, including Vinod, was startled by the request. Ravichandran couldn't sit still anymore. "Prodigal, you're squandering all the centuries of the wealth of your ancestors. Please don't do this," he yelled, with a livid expression on his face, like an elder reprimanding a younger generation.
Vijay was taken aback by Uncle Ravi's sudden outburst, but he soon realized the reason behind it. He understood that Uncle Ravi had dedicated most of his lifetime to serving the royal family, and witnessing a younger generation making decisions that could affect the family's wealth must have been difficult for him.
However, Vijay didn't take offence to Uncle Ravi's reprimand. Instead, he smiled and calmly explained, "Uncle Ravi, don't worry. I am only selling the family's land, not the palaces and mansions. I believe that strengthening the kingdom's military is more important than holding vast amounts of land. Even if I owned all the land in the kingdom, it would bring little to no benefit."
He continued, earnestly convincing his uncle, "Moreover, I am not donating the money to the empire. Instead, I am providing the Empire with a 30 million Varaha loan from the royal family, which I expect to be repaid in the next fiscal year."
Uncle Ravi finally agreed to the proposal, his face still grumpy. "I seem to be compromising a lot today," he thought, shaking his head in self-defeat.
Vijay let out a sigh of relief, relieved that his biggest obstacle had been cleared.
He continued to give orders, "The 30 million Varaha from the royal family will be used to fund the Military Academy and the Police Academy, which will start construction immediately."
Vinod opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but since his teacher agreed, he didn't have much to say.
Seeing there was nothing else to discuss, Vijay said, "Does anyone have anything to add?"
Everyone in the conference shook their heads, indicating that there was nothing further to discuss.
"If that is all, then this is the end of the imperial conference," Vijay declared as he left the room. The others got up and praised, "Long live your Highness! Long live Vijayanagar! Long live!"
The news about the imperial council spread like wildfire, especially among the veterans in the army who were uneasy upon hearing about the retirement of 50,000 soldiers. However, their unease was soon replaced with relief when they discovered the opportunity to secure safer positions as civilian police officers with a decent salaries. Although the salary was not as high as in the army, the job offered a greater sense of security, as they would primarily be dealing with gangsters who lacked combat skills and only knew how to bully the weak.
The civilians were also elated when they learned of the recruitment posted for 50,000 candidates to join the army. What was even more unexpected was that Along with 30 Varaha monthly pay, there were no caste requirements for joining. Although the previous Monark, King Sriranga Raya had not discriminated against any caste, most of the selected army members were from the higher to middle caste. However, this time, in a groundbreaking move for Vijayanagara, caste was not a consideration in the selection process. Many people were astonished and impressed by the fact that the recruitment process was so Open, and the offer of free lodging and food for selected members further heightened the excitement.
Amidst the buzz of enthusiasm, shouts of "Long live your highness! Long live your majesty! Long live!" echoed throughout the kingdom, expressing the people's admiration and support for their Young king.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Mithun_ReddyGaru
Mithun_ReddyGaru I apologize if my last two chapters came across as sub-par. As a newcomer, I am still learning how to effectively put my thoughts into words, and I understand that there is room for improvement. I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. I'm doing my best to learn and get better at writing. Thank you for your guidance and support in advance.
Chapter 14: Dinesh Reddy I
Andepalli Village, outskirts of Hyderabad, Vijayanagar Empire.
In the remote outskirts of Ande Palli Village, a young man of about 18 years is working alone in the fields. Despite his lean and malnourished appearance, there is an undeniable determination shining in his eyes.
Dinesh Reddy, The young man working in the fields, Their family had to leave his hometown because of the oppression in the Mughal Empire. Despite their family's reluctance to abandon their home, misfortune favoured them. They faced tough times due to a bad drought, leaving them unable to pay the high taxes demanded by their landlord. When they asked for more time, the landlord threatened to make them beggars on the streets. With no other option, the family had to escape their homeland to find a safer place to live."
While attempting to make their way back to safety, the family was caught by the border patrol.
But in a tragic turn of events, while trying to save Dinesh, both of his parents took arrows to their backs. This heartbreaking incident left Dinesh as an orphan, without his parents to guide him. Perhaps because of this loss, he matured beyond his age compared to others.
As Dinesh arrived in Vijayanagara, he discovered a glimmer of hope. In this new land, he learned that even those considered from the lowest castes had the opportunity to own their land. Determined to build a better future for himself, Dinesh worked tirelessly towards that goal. Since childhood, he had always been smart, and with his intelligence and hard work, he eventually managed to buy an acre of uncultivated land on the outskirts of the village.
Suddenly;
"DINESH!.... DINESH.....!"
A man came running into the fields, even to the point of tripping on his own legs.
Dinesh, who saw this scene, shook his head in amusement.
"What's the matter, Nandan?" he asked.
The man who came in a hurry is Nandan, and he is Dinesh's friend. Since Nandan is a bit low in IQ, no one talks with him, except Dinesh, of course.
Nandan said hurriedly, "Big people said there is a recruitment going on in the new building in the city. They said that the salary is 30 Varaha," he said excitedly while showing 4 fingers. Seeing this, Vijay chuckled, folded 1 finger, and asked, "Oh, what is the recruitment for?"
"Big people in the village said that it is for the army. They said anyone can join from the age of 18-20 years, big people send all the young kids in the village"
Listening to this, Dinesh's heart was set ablaze with excitement. He quickly put all his tools inside his hut and hurried to the city to see for himself.
Dinesh made his way to the newly built building called the "VIJAYANAGARA NORTH MILITARY ACADEMY". When he arrived, he saw a massive queue with groups of people his age waiting in lines.
After asking around, he found out that 10 people are interviewed at a time, so he patiently waited for his chance to go in. After an afternoon of waiting, he was finally allowed inside by the uncles at the door, who looked like veterans.
Inside, Dinesh found himself among 9 other people. In front of him stood an army officer dressed in khaki. The officer appeared impatient as he asked, "Does anyone here know how to read?" It was as if he had asked the same question countless times before. To Dinesh's surprise, a person to his right hesitantly raised his hand. The officer pointed at a place and asked, "Read this."
The candidate who raised his hand read the text, "No spitting, please," with a nervous tone. The officer seemed satisfied and declared, "Excellent! No need for a test, you are selected."
The person who was selected was overjoyed as he left the room, proudly wearing the badge given by the officer. The officer then turned his attention to the rest of the candidates and started asking them some questions.
He asked questions like:
1. "The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?"
2. "What belongs to you but is used more by others?"
3. "You are in a situation where you need to make a quick decision that could have significant consequences. How would you approach making that decision?"
4. "How do you handle conflicts or disagreements with others in your life?"
5. "You are on a boat with several other people in the middle of the river. The boat is sinking, and it can only hold a certain weight before it capsizes. There is one person on the boat who is extremely overweight, and their weight is endangering everyone else. Would you throw the overweight person overboard to save the rest of the passengers? Why or why not?
Dinesh was confused by the questions asked, he didn't get how any of the questions were related to him being recruited, but he answered them truthfully, trying his best to convey his thoughts and feelings to the officer.
Later, Dinesh came to know that those seemingly unrelated questions were designed to filter out the simple-minded candidates and identify the ones with sharp minds. He was surprised to discover that he had been selected despite his initial confusion during the interview. This news made him feel proud and grateful, realizing that his responses had been recognized and valued by the recruitment officers. Excited and eager, Dinesh prepared himself for the journey ahead at the Vijayanagara North Military Academy.
ARMY BARRACKS - DAY 1
Sergeant Harish, a stern and no-nonsense figure, stands near the entrance, wearing his uniform with pride. He checks the sky and glances around the room, noticing a group of recruits still sleeping soundly in their beds.
In a booming voice, Sergeant Harish yells, "Wake up, ladies! Rise and shine! You're not here to sleep your life away!"
The sergeant claps his hands together loudly, startling everyone awake. The recruits groggily open their eyes and sit up, confused and disoriented.
Dinesh wakes up, rubbing his eyes and asks in confusion, "What's going on?"
Darshan, his colleague who took the interview with him and knows how to read, yawns and said, "Why is the sergeant here so early?"
Striding towards the bunks, Sergeant Harish yells with nerves sticking in his neck, "You recruits are a shame for our nation! You should be up and ready for duty! Now, get out of those beds, you useless waste of resources, and form a line by the wall!"
The recruits scramble to their feet, stumbling out of their bunks and hastily arranging themselves against the wall, some not even properly dressing themselves as they assemble. Sergeant Harish watches them with a burning gaze.
The sergeant marches back and forth in front of the recruits, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent room. He takes a moment to let the tension build, and the recruits stand at attention.
Sergeant Harish stops in front of Dinesh, comes close to his face, and yells, "Everyone! Drop and give me twenty push-ups!"
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After several rounds of intense training and more yelling from Sergeant Harish, the recruits can't help but wonder, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
1,530 Power
stone 
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