After several telegram communications, the United States finally determined the specifications and number of warships that needed to be purchased. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

According to Zhang Wei's instructions, Li Zhaoshui demanded that the United States pay half of the price in gold or silver first, and settle the payment with materials within one year after receiving the warship, as long as the gold, silver, and materials are sent to the Han Kingdom.

For this reason, Anderson repeatedly asked President Roosevelt for instructions, and finally signed a purchase agreement to purchase a total of three Shang-class battleships, three Baiqi-class battlecruisers, two No. 1 light cruisers, and two No. 2 light cruisers from the Xia Empire.

At the same time, the drawings and other materials of the battleships and battlecruisers were loaded onto the ship, and the fleet sailed mightily to South America.

The United States was afraid of being attacked by the 7-nation alliance on the way, and asked the Xia Empire to send the warship to the Salvador naval base for delivery, Li Zhaoshui did not shirk and readily accepted Anderson's request; It is estimated that when the warship arrives in South America, the Panama Canal will be officially navigable, which is not very difficult, but just a waste of time; Besides, flying the banner of the Xia Empire, I believe that the 7-nation alliance of South America will not do stupid things.

Fortunately, the Xia Empire did not limit the variety of top account materials, but iron ore powder, copper ore powder, yarn ingots, cotton cloth, cane sugar, paper, farm tools, daily necessities, etc. accounted for a large proportion, steel rails and sleepers accounted for the largest proportion, coffee accounted for 10% of the payment, especially the delivery period is very loose, and the remaining materials can be delivered within a year, which greatly reduces the pressure on the United States.

The deal with the United States has come to an end for the time being, and a German arms procurement delegation will arrive in Beijing again, this time headed by Vice Admiral Reinhardt Schell, commander of the German Navy's First Battleship Fleet. He is an old friend of the people of the Xia Empire, and he is very familiar with Li Zhaoshui and others.

This time, the Germans had a very clear goal, which was to buy 2 merchant-class battleships and bring back relevant drawings and technical materials; If Vice Admiral Reinhardt Schell felt the need, key parts such as gun barrels and steam engines should also be purchased back together to speed up the development and manufacturing capacity of German warships.

"Haha, Your Excellency Deputy Chief of the General Staff, it's an honor to meet you." As soon as he stepped off the warship from Xijungang, Reinhardt Schell greeted Li Zhaoshui warmly.

"Congratulations on your promotion to the rank of lieutenant general."

"That's thanks to His Majesty the Emperor."

"Let's go, let's sit in the room, and tonight we will pick up the wind and wash the dust for your guests." Li Zhaoshui said enthusiastically.

"Your Excellency, don't worry for the time being, I'd better take a look at our baby first, otherwise I won't be able to eat anything." Vice Admiral Reinhardt Schell was eager to see the Shang-class battleships.

"Look at you, you are all lieutenant generals and officers, and your temper is still so urgent."

"This is our favorite, closer than our wives." Lieutenant General Reinhardt Schell joked.

"Okay, let's let you appreciate the beauty in your heart first." General Li Zhaoshui personally led the officers of the German arms procurement delegation to board a merchant-class battleship and personally gave a detailed explanation to the participants.

Vice Admiral Reinhardt Schell was full of praise for the Shang-class battleship, and was very satisfied, especially the 356mm thick cannon port, which was too shocking, and with this new type of battleship and related drawings, Germany's naval strength would surely develop rapidly.

In the evening, a grand welcome banquet was held for the German arms procurement delegation at the Xigang Naval Base in Beijing, which was attended by General Lu Weimin, chief of the general staff of the Xia Imperial Empire, Hua Guoqiang, foreign minister, and the German ambassador to Beijing.

On the second day, May 11, General Li Zhaoshui had just arrived at the office when Admiral Reinhardt Schell came to see him.

"Haha, Your Excellency Lieutenant General, how about you taste the coffee produced in the Empire?"

"Your Excellency, the first few times I came here, I drank Chinese tea, and the taste is really evocative, why did you change to coffee?"

"The world situation is becoming more and more tense, and I can't sleep well, and sometimes I drink coffee to refresh myself, so that I get used to the bitter taste of coffee. Your Excellency, don't be surprised. Li Zhaoshui deliberately made nonsense, but today he took Zhang Wei's order to listen to the views of some Germans on the world situation.

"I wonder what Your Excellency the Admiral thinks about the current situation in the world?" Reinhardt Schell was not a fuel-efficient lamp either.

"What else can you think? Pressure, pressure! Difficulty: You don't feel pressure? It is really worrying that the relationship between Britain, France and Russia is so close, and they advance and retreat together in many international affairs. ”

"What is there to worry about, there is an old Chinese saying, soldiers come to be the general, water comes to cover the earth, it is useless to be afraid, you can only face it bravely." Reinhardt Schell said impassionedly.

"Not really, the British navy is not something that your country can resist, and if you add the French and Russian empires, you can imagine the great pressure on your country."

"Your Excellency Admiral, if you have anything to say, you might as well say it directly."

Li Zhaoshui pondered for a while and said slowly: "If the Russian Empire falls into a war on the Western Front, do you think the Chinese Empire will recover the Far East occupied by the Russian Empire?" ”

"They have developed very vigorously in recent years, and if the Russian Empire falls into war, the Chinese Empire will definitely not miss the opportunity." Reinhardt Schell made his own judgment.

"It's a pity that even the Russian Empire is at war, and the Chinese Empire is no match for it." Li Zhaoshui said with emotion.

Although the Chinese Empire developed rapidly, the time was too short, and the overall strength was still too weak, Reinhardt Schell nodded, which was regarded as agreeing with Li Zhaoshui's judgment.

"Can the Xia Empire stand by and watch at this time? If it was just Russia and the Chinese Empire that were at war, Britain and France might not have entered the war, and if the Xia Empire had been involved in the war, would Britain and France have been indifferent? They will definitely attack the Xia Empire's territory in Africa and West Asia, and a big war will be inevitable. “

"Your Excellency, what if Russia does not fall into war?" Reinhardt Schell asked rhetorically.

Li Zhaoshui said with a smile: "Hehe, Your Excellency's idea is a little too naïve, and it is difficult to see that the clouds of world war have been thickened?" The Ottoman Empire's military and economic power grew by leaps and bounds, and he would certainly find a way to regain the many lost territories in the Balkans, much of which was still nominally owned by the Ottoman Empire, and war was on the verge of breaking out. “

The Germans strongly wooed the Ottoman Empire, strengthened military and economic exchanges between the two countries, and provided a large amount of free aid to the Ottoman Empire; The Xia Empire had no choice but to withdraw the relevant military instructors, and the relationship between the two countries was in a delicate state for the time being, so Li Zhaoshui mentioned the Ottoman Empire.

If a war breaks out in the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire will inevitably fight against Britain, France and Russia, while Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Xia Empire will certainly not allow Britain, France and Russia to monopolize the Balkan Peninsula or divide the Ottoman Empire.

Vice Admiral Reinhardt Schell heard that the Xia Empire was a little dissatisfied with Germany's efforts to win over the Ottoman Empire, otherwise he would not have mentioned the Ottoman Empire today, for fear that Li Zhaoshui would ask his opinion, so he hurriedly changed the topic in time and said: "Haha, Your Excellency the Admiral is too worried, I am just a vice admiral, not even the Minister of the Navy, these problems are still a headache for the senior officials of the General Staff, today let's talk about business, talk about your country's Shang-class battleships, this is the most emotional thing for me." ”