However, what shocked Jabucci the most was why Prussia had a five-year time limit. If you add the time of equipment and training after the equipment, I am afraid that it will take six years, it is obvious that this is Prussia's plan to start a war against France within six years!

Absolutely!

Yabuqi stammered a little and asked, "Master Li, are you—what you said is true?" Such important news is not a joke! ”

Li Hongzhang's face sank, and he replied: "It is precisely because of the importance of the matter that I will not talk nonsense, Mr. Yabuqi, this matter, out of my mouth, into your ears, do not hesitate to keep it strictly confidential, once it is leaked out, you know how much consequences it will bring to our Chinese Empire!" When the time comes, don't say that the old man is ruthless, I will cut you off and go to Prussia to take the blame......"

Jabuchi nodded, and suddenly exclaimed: "In that case, we need heavy machine guns even more, and we must sell us five thousand heavy machine guns!" No, we want six thousand heavy machine guns, what good did Prussia give you, we France are just as many, more than them! Aren't you asking for a loan? If we can sell us a large number of heavy machine guns, we can bring you a loan of 150 million francs! ”

"Impossible!"

Li Hongzhang replied: "Since the contract has been signed, how can our Huaxia Empire go back on its word? The reason why I tell you this news is also because I don't want to see the French Empire being beaten to the ground in the future, and in four or five years, you still have time to prepare, maybe you find a way to restrain the heavy machine gun, maybe ......"

Find a way to restrain a heavy machine gun?

Don't say that Yabuqi doesn't believe it, even Li Hongzhang doesn't believe it, call Guo Ye over, there is no good way to restrain heavy machine guns, even in the First World War, fifty years later, there is still no ultimate weapon to restrain heavy machine guns, tanks can, but tanks in World War I, they are only temporarily emerging, not mainstream weapons at all, only seventy years later, World War II tanks have really become trump cards, can ignore the existence of heavy machine guns. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Jabuchi was completely panicked, 2,500 heavy machine guns, which means that in the future in the offensive and defensive battles of the position, the French army will be at an absolute disadvantage, even if their own artillery is invincible in the world, it can only suppress Prussia in the field However, in front of the fortifications with strong fortresses, the shells cannot destroy the fortifications, and the heavy machine guns in the fortifications are the sharpest counterattack weapons!

However, 2,500 heavy machine guns are better than nothing, right?

"Two thousand five hundred is two thousand five hundred! We bought! ”

"Mr. Jabucci, actually, there is another way to help you ......"

Tang Tingshu on the side replied lightly.

Jabuchi was stunned for a moment and asked, "What method?" ”

"That is, we signed a secret agreement to license the patent of the heavy machine gun to you, so that you can produce it yourself, and our contract with Prussia stipulates that we cannot sell you a large number of heavy machine guns, but there is no restriction on us to transfer the patent......"

Yabuqi's heart was shocked, and he transferred the patent? It's true? Do Chinese really have to be so good at talking? This is not Guo Ye's style, such a major matter will never work without Guo Ye's approval!

"Lord Tang, are you sure that His Majesty the Emperor of your country has this plan?"

Yabuqi barely suppressed the surprise in his heart and hurriedly asked.

Tang Tingshu shook his head and replied: "Mr. Yabuqi, this is just my idea to provide you with a method, but I don't know if our Majesty will agree or not......

Jabuchi hurriedly shouted: "Lord Tang, please ask His Majesty the Emperor of your country about your intentions, if possible, our French Empire is willing to do whatever it takes, those deals!" ”

Tang Tingshu showed a look of embarrassment on his face, and hesitated: "Mr. Minister, our Majesty regards the heavy machine gun as the root of life, in this case, I don't dare to ask indiscriminately, once I provoke Your Majesty's anger, I will be unlucky......"

"Lord Tang, please help, I will contact our Emperor Majesty, and I will definitely show enough sincerity!" Please, two adults......"

Jabuch is now an ant on a hot pot, although it is absolutely impossible for Prussia to launch an attack like the French Empire in a year or two, but this threat is real, in the next five or six years, the possibility of Franco-Prussian war is infinitely close to 100%, half a year later, the Prussians are equipped with 3,000 heavy machine guns, after the experience of the Austro-Prussian War, then their heavy machine gun troops will become the most terrible combat force in the world, even the Chinese Empire is not equipped with such a large number of heavy machine guns......

"Okay, let's sign the loan contract and the arms purchase contract first, as for the rest of it, I'll figure it out with Master Li, I hope I can help you ......"

Tang Tingshu replied.

Jabuchi nodded again and again and signed the contract.

The French Empire provided the Chinese Empire with a loan of 120 million francs, which was repaid for a period of ten years at a fixed annual interest rate of four percent, to be repaid in five installments, and at the same time provided for the preferential purchase of goods from the French Empire, and if the French Empire was unable to provide goods that met the requirements of the Chinese Empire, the Chinese Empire could use the funds to purchase goods from third countries.

The Chinese Empire sold 2,500 heavy machine guns, 500,000 boxes of ammunition, and the unit price of heavy machine guns was 2,000 taels of silver to the French Empire; The unit price of the bullets was 221 boxes, with a total price of 15 million taels of silver, and all the weapons and ammunition purchased were supplied to the French Empire in three installments within three years, and the French Empire had the right to order heavy machine guns from the Chinese Empire as soon as possible after five years.

Now Yabuqi is a big deal, first get the right of first refusal, the future of the province has reached the time limit, and the Chinese Empire is restricted by Prussia again, which is a big trouble! In order to obtain this preferential right, Jabucci had to pay an additional loan of 20 million francs, and agreed to use the interest to donate two Western-style universities to the Chinese Empire in the future.

After signing the contract, Jabuchi couldn't sit still any longer, got up and left as soon as possible, returned to the French minister, and sent a telegram to the mainland, two things must be reported quickly, this is a big thing, I am afraid that His Majesty the Emperor will be shocked when he gets the news, right?

Jabuchi thought well, Napoleon III originally authorized Jabuch, and now he is waiting for the good news of Jabuchi, but he didn't expect that there was not only good news, but also bad news!

(To be continued.) )