Having no money was an awkward problem. The Kingdom of Sardinia lay in northwestern Italy and was considered the most developed state in Italy.
Unfortunately, that did not change the Kingdom of Sardinia's nature as a pauper. Its territory was barely 70,000 square kilometers, its population only five or six million, it had no significant resources, and its industry had only just begun to develop.
Yet though they were poor, their aspirations were not. They had always striven to unify Italy, and because of those lofty ambitions, the Kingdom of Sardinia had only grown poorer.
To unify Italy, they naturally had to rely on their fists. The Kingdom of Sardinia's military spending had increased by just a little, which was why its finances had remained in the red.
It was not until 1852, when the legendary prime minister Cavour appeared and reformed the tax system, increased national revenues, expanded railway and port construction, developed industry and commerce, and implemented a string of other measures, that they escaped the fiscal crisis.
Prime Minister Azeglio echoed with a furrowed brow, "Your Majesty is right. We truly have no money left. This war came too suddenly, and we were not adequately prepared.
"Occupying Lombardy consumed an enormous amount of financial and material resources, far exceeding our budget. So far, we have already spent more than 28 million lira.
(1 lira = 4.5 grams of silver)
"Because of the war, we cannot count on tax revenue from Lombardy this year. It will remain in a state of net expenditure through the second half of the year.
"The French have also suddenly cut off the weapons aid they promised in advance. We now have no choice but to squeeze out a sum from our limited war funds to purchase weapons and equipment. That item alone