Britain in 1912 must have been a bit inappropriate to describe it as powerful. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

Although the Boer War more than a decade ago left them disgraced and began to carry out strategic contraction around the world; Although the Americans have long surpassed the British, the industrial power has jumped to the first place in the world, and even the Germans have surpassed the British in many fields, but in 1912, the British were undoubtedly the world hegemon!

From Europe to the Far East, from North America to South Africa, the prestige of the Empire on which the sun never sets is spread all over the world!

Even if they were as powerful as the Americans, at the Paris Peace Conference after World War I, they could only be indignant in the face of the run between Britain and France, and even if Europe was in ruins after World War II, it took a long time for the Americans to adapt to the changes in their status and really kick the British off the altar. So when John decided to deal with the British hard, it was only natural that he was met with almost all the opposition.

"Sir, I still think it's too risky!"

After seeing off the overjoyed German consul and representatives of the Chinese government, the U.S. consul in Shanghai, Jeff? Mr. Stanford said with a worried face: "As far as I know, the British are tempting Beijing with arms, loans, and other conditions, trying to get them to agree to a series of political conditions, and if you do this, you will completely offend them...... And, moreover, the words of the Germans ......"

When he said this, Mr. Stanford said in a panic: "Sir, I know that what the British have done makes you angry, but please believe me, I will definitely do my best to help you solve it, so that the British can release the freighter as soon as possible!" ”

"Hehe, no need."

Waving his hand, John smiled faintly: "Mr. Stanford, I appreciate your kindness, but...... This time they can stop, but what about next time? I'm leaving China next week, and I don't want to go back to New York and get telegrams from China all the time! And I guess you don't want to deal with this kind of thing all the time, right? ”

"But ......"

After listening to John's words, Mr. Consul said with a bitter face: "Sir, I dare not comment on the conditions you have made for the Germans, because they are beyond the scope of my duties, but cooperation with the Chinese government ...... Tens of millions of dollars in interest-free loans, and six-figure arms deals, this is probably no longer a normal business, let alone a deal with the Germans! I'm sorry, but I have to report back to Washington in time. ”

The thought of the deal John had just mentioned made Mr. Consul's heart tremble.

The deal with President Yuan was nothing more than loans and arms, but the amount was too large, so that Mr. Consul once again clearly realized the size of the Huntelaar consortium. But the deal with the Germans caused Mr. Consul to fall into a panic: the most advanced super-dreadnought battleship technology in the United States, the most advanced small radio technology, the most efficient synthetic ammonia production technology, and the most powerful artillery technology, etc., were completely beyond his imagination!

"Hehe, I can understand."

Looking at Mr. Consul with a panicked face, John's eyes narrowed slightly. It's okay to say that John's own money is spent by himself, and no one can interfere. But the huge amount of cheap munitions, especially if they also included hundreds of cannons, I am afraid that it is really not something that he can decide with a pat on the head. This involves state-to-state transactions, and the U.S. government will not allow it lightly.

However, after a short pause, John smiled slightly: "Mr. Stanford, I suggest that you postpone reporting to Washington, after all, this is just an intention, and I haven't made a final decision yet, have I?" ”

"Uh......"

Hearing this, Mr. Consul blinked his eyes and suddenly came to his senses, and asked in surprise, "Sir, what do you mean...... Just to scare the British and force them to give up? “

"Hehe, of course it's good if that's the case."

With a chuckle, John said casually: "If they understand that the Huntelaar consortium is not easy to mess with, we don't want to really turn against them, after all, the British are too powerful......"

……

Seeing off the restless American consul, the smile on John's face immediately disappeared.

Of course, it is true to scare the British, after all, the Huntelaar consortium does not have the strength to really turn their faces with others. Among other things, John's estate earns tens of millions of dollars a year from Britain and the colonies...... No, that was a few years ago, and the pharmaceutical companies, automobile companies, agricultural machinery companies, aircraft companies, radio companies, and chemical companies alone could harvest more than $100 million a year from the UK!

Really turned his face with the British, John must be reluctant.

And John also believed that the British would not be able to turn against themselves, as long as they still wanted advanced cars, trucks, tractors, airplanes, radios, and the important technology to synthesize ammonia...... The most important thing is that it is impossible to give up cooperation with the Huntelaar consortium for the benefit of the Far East without giving up a lot of powerful military technology to the Germans!

There was only one result of that, and that was to push the Huntelaar consortium to the Germans!

The Huntelaar consortium is so large that its industries are not only pharmaceutical, the most profitable, but also military such as warships, munitions, radios and chemicals, and many technologies are coveted by the British and Germans! Although there is also a U.S. government on the Huntelaar consortium, the whole world understands that both Roosevelt and Taft have extremely close relations with the Huntelaar consortium, who dares to guarantee that they will really be able to restrain this giant?

All the provocations of Jurdian, John has the confidence to give a tough counterattack.

Of course, John knew very well that he was playing with fire. If the British were really as tough as ever, and fought to the end with the Huntelaar consortium, then John would really be crying. Not only will the Far East be unable to bear the territory, but it will also suffer huge economic losses. If it weren't for Zhu Erdian's excessive demands, which would almost have cut off John's way to help China develop industry, he would not have chosen such a dangerous approach. It doesn't matter what the face is, but it is impossible for John to withdraw his investment in China and assist the powers in squeezing the Chinese.

"If that were the case, I would fall completely to the Germans!"

Thinking of the key point, John gritted his teeth and thought viciously: "The battleship is too sensitive, but the fighters that can strafe with machine guns, as well as the army's mass killers, are all sent to the Germans, I believe it will be enough to make up for the losses, and then when the war breaks out, these British will know how powerful they are!" ”

And......

After thinking about it for a long time in the study, John sent someone to call Yan Fuqing over: "Keqing, did Dong Pengcheng from Han Yeping and Meng Fei from the Meng Arsenal leave?" ”

"Well, not yet."

I felt a little strange about the teacher's question, but Yan Fuqing immediately replied: "The two of them are still in Shanghai, and it seems that they are discussing with other students to form a Huntelaar Chamber of Commerce, and want to organize all the students who have returned from studying abroad......"

"Hmm...... Not bad! ”

Tapping his fingers lightly on the tabletop, John applauded the students' spontaneous behavior.

If you put it in a hundred years, there will be many chambers of commerce and associations, and the symbolic meaning is far greater than the actual meaning. But in China in 1912, when modern industry was just in its infancy, the role of such organized associations was quite large. Especially when the members are all from the Huntelaar system, have the same educational background, the same way of thinking, and even have the same support from the Huntelaar Bank and foreign banks, this role will be magnified several times!

That sense of identity from the same origin is the most rare!

After a slight groan, John nodded and said, "Very good, I will inform the people of Huntelaar Bank and foreign banks when I go back, and come up with a sum of money to support it, at least so that everyone can get together regularly......"

"Thank you, sir."

Yan Fuqing's face was happy, and he quickly nodded and smiled: "If they know that Mr. supports them, they will definitely be very happy...... By the way, sir, you asked Meng Fei and Dong Pengcheng what the itinerary was......"

For John's interference, Yan Fuqing was not wary or dissatisfied.

Unlike Wu Liande, who thinks too much, Yan Fuqing, who has studied in the United States since he was a child, has long been accustomed to this. And he knew very well that if John had a different purpose, he would not have invested so much in China at all. Therefore, after hearing this, his first reaction was to be overjoyed - he believed that other international students must have the same idea!

"Hehe, invite them to come tomorrow."

His eyes narrowed into a slit, and John said lightly: "I'm leaving China soon, and there are some things that I need to do as soon as possible before I leave......" (To be continued.) )