"The arsenal needs to be expanded as soon as possible." Zhang Cheng lit a cigarette and looked serious, "If there are not enough workers, I will recruit, if the production line is not enough, I will buy it, and if the technology is insufficient, I will come to me." In short, we must expand our production capacity as soon as possible, and then we will show our strength in the arms market. Who else in this world could be richer than the military? ”

Although the financial revenue of the Ming Empire was a little less than that of the Americans. However, most of the financial revenue of the Ming Empire was used to fill the hole in military spending, which no country could do.

Although the military expenditure of the Americans is also not small, their main investment is still in the navy, and the military expenditure of the army is less than a fraction of that of the army of the Ming Empire. The Americans, who are sitting on the protection of the two oceans, only need a strong navy to protect themselves. By the time they begin to expand their army, it will be a large-scale war.

Xu Mu frowned slightly: "The arms industry also has trusts. What do you think will happen to us when we rob other people's business like this? Just you and me? ”

Zhang Cheng shook his head with a smile and glanced at him, "I didn't say that I wanted to do a traditional arms industry. We don't do those rifles, cannons, or anything. ”

"So what else can be done?" Xu Mu looked puzzled: "You can't make a steel helmet, right?" If you just rely on the Navy's orders for those depth charges, expanding production will be a waste of money. ”

"If you can really win the order for steel helmets, it will make a lot of money." Zhang Cheng responded with a smile: "There is no technology in depth charges, just fill a bomb barrel with a depth fuse." Selling it for 300 yuan is that the Navy made me a patent money. It's less than 10 million in three years, which is better than nothing. I want a production line for tanks, airplanes, and all sorts of other new weapons. If it weren't for the lack of money, I would also like to buy a shipyard. The largest single one in the arms is the warship. ”

"Hey." Xu Mu lit a cigarette and shook his head helplessly, "The idea is very good, but what if the army doesn't give the order?" Produce it for your own use? What's more, we are not qualified to participate at all. ”

Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath of cigarette, and then said in a deep voice, "Then let them take the initiative to place an order!" Take the initiative to get us involved! ”

"Huh?" Xu Mu had a surprised expression on his face, and he couldn't understand where Zhang Cheng's confidence came from

A few days later, Governor Zhu Dingsong hosted a Lantern Festival dinner party at his official residence, and at the same time welcomed the inauguration of the new commander of the British garrison.

As the acting commander of the army garrison, Zhang Cheng naturally received an invitation letter. As for the new commander of the British fleet, he is also an acquaintance of Zhang Cheng, the former chief of staff of the Mediterranean Fleet, Rear Admiral Yunmo.

Because of the excellent performance in the battle for the port of Savona. successfully saved face for the navy and army, which was in a state of distress at that time, and he was also the supreme commander on the surface. As a result, he was highly appreciated and was exceptionally promoted! After officially becoming the commander of the British fleet, Rear Admiral Yunmo has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.

After the end of the Second Global War, in order to suppress the ambitions of the British. The Ming Navy formed a brand new fleet in the North Sea region, which was the British Garrison Fleet stationed at Portsmouth Military Port in southern England. Over the years, the British fleet successfully carried out the task of suppressing the British Navy.

However, with the continuous development of Britain's economy and technology, the national strength is increasing day by day. The most important thing was with the birth of epoch-making dreadnoughts and the rapid expansion of the American, French, and German navies. The Ming Navy could no longer afford to continue to maintain a large fleet in the North Sea region. As the repressive power weakened, the naval power of the British, who had taken off the shackles, was expanding at an unprecedented rate.

In the North Sea region, there was a joint pressure from Britain, France and Germany, and even the naval power of the Russians in the Baltic. After some controversy, the worried Ming navy sent General Yunmo, who had performed well in the Northern Italian War, to Britain as the new fleet commander. He hoped to use his prestige to suppress the irrepressible ambitions of the British.

In fact, at this time, the Ming Navy was still the strongest force in the world. They are still maintaining the two best standards. No matter in the face of the challenge of any single country, it can use absolute superiority to carry out crushing operations. It's just that when the hostile forces expand into almost all naval powers, the Ming Navy will fall into a situation where it can't be overwhelmed.

After all, the Ming Navy is a powerful force that wants to cruise the world. Their naval strength is very dispersed, and there are simply too many places to watch.

Because it is not possible to deploy a large number of naval combat forces in the North Sea region. Facing the challenge of several naval powers far from home, no amount of arrangement is enough.

Therefore, the strength of the British berthing fleet of the Ming Navy was not strong. The flagship of this fleet is an old super-dreadnought, the Hengshan, built fifteen years ago. In addition, there is an old-fashioned heavy patrol of the same class as the Yancheng, the Nanyang. As well as a light cruiser and twelve destroyers as an escort force.

This fleet is more of an existential force at this time.

Not to mention the naval power of France and Germany, the strength of the rapidly expanding British navy alone has already occupied an overwhelming advantage in front of this fleet. The British Royal Navy already has four cutting-edge battleships, two old super-dreadnoughts and two old dreadnoughts. A large group of light escort fleets. As well as an aircraft carrier of an experimental nature. In addition, the British secretly had a force of more than twenty submarines.

If it weren't for the huge disparity in the country's absolute strength in all aspects of politics, economy, and military, the British would have launched a war to recover the concession with great difficulty.

Lieutenant General Yunmo himself is also quite helpless. He understood the meaning of the navy, but the strength in his hands was insufficient, and he could not play a role in suppressing the British navy at all.

Moreover, the current Ming Navy has no choice but to launch a preemptive war. Several other powers in the world have begun to draw closer together, and now it is the turn of the Ming Empire to worry about being provoked by others.

The treaties that limited the British naval power drawn up many years ago have long since been thrown into the dustbin of history as waste paper by the British. They are desperately trying to increase their strength all the time. At least until the Ming Empire voluntarily relinquished the incomparably important London Concession, a war seemed inevitable.

London Concession, Governor's Residence. Hundreds of well-dressed elites from all walks of life gathered in the lavish and spacious banquet hall to welcome the new commander of the British fleet with elegant smiles on their faces and reserved applause.

The lavish marble floors are shiny enough to reflect the shadows, and the crystal chandeliers are huge and dazzling. A variety of utensils that are beautifully crafted and richly decorated. A huge banquet hall with a whole band on stage! It's a fantastic paradise and a place that all the poor people yearn for.

Groups of white-skinned, yellow-skinned, black-haired, blond-haired, flaxen-haired men and women dressed in luxurious handmade clothes and wine filled with amber and blood roamed the grand banquet hall. They are all darlings of the times.

is different from Zhang Cheng, who is completely transitional. Lieutenant General Yunmo is a real official commander, and he is also a high-powered lieutenant general. This welcome reception is a formal reception in the essence of the word, which is completely different from the scene when Zhang Cheng took office, when no one said anything. The people here are very practical.

Lieutenant General Yunmo, who was born in an aristocratic family, is impeccable in both appearance and demeanor and speech. His good upbringing and appearance full of male maturity and charm made him very loved and welcomed by the ladies on the scene. Ever since I finished saying thank you, I have been surrounded by many famous ladies. At least from Zhang Cheng's point of view, Lieutenant General Yunmo's figure was completely surrounded by a group of warblers and Yanyan in luxurious evening dresses.

After a short break, the live band played cheerful music again, another dance song.

Zhang Cheng, who was standing alone at the dining table, randomly selected a few snacks, turned around and looked at Lieutenant General Yunmo, who was leading a bright lady into the room, and shook his head helplessly.

Zhang Cheng doesn't know any kind of dancing, he only broadcasts gymnastics. On such occasions he can only be a spectator. Moreover, the protagonist of today's banquet is Lieutenant General Yunmo, who is known to everyone as the acting commander of the transitional major, and will not be taken very seriously.

Of course, Zhang Cheng's identity as another billionaire will still attract many women to him. It's just that Zhang Cheng, who is not on this at all, has no interest in those women whose acting skills are terrible in his eyes. Zhang Cheng is not a casual person.

Listening to the cheerful music and the laughter of the guests, I watched this joyful feast of drunken gold fans. The smell of wine wafting around mixes with the smell of perfume on the woman's body, plus the mixed stimulation of sight and sound. Zhang Cheng felt that he had made a mistake. "If I had known this, I might as well have stayed in the office and drew drawings." Zhang Cheng shook his head helplessly.

After thinking about it, Zhang Cheng turned around and left the banquet hall, which was full of extravagant cheers, and came to the garden outside with a plate of snacks.

"It's much quieter." After leaving the noisy ballroom, London is already chilling in early spring. Still, the starry sky overhead and the lush, quiet garden made Zhang Cheng feel much more comfortable, at least not so noisy here. Unbuttoned the wind and discipline button, feeling the cold wind of the night, the corners of Zhang Cheng's mouth curled slightly.

Picking up a piece of pastry from the plate and putting it in his mouth, Zhang Chengxin walked leisurely in the garden. The banquet hall was not only drunk with Chinese people, but also a large number of British people living in the concession area, as well as representatives of European countries stationed in the concession area. Most of these representatives are spies. And, of course, the British officials outside the essential concessions. These people have always had bad intentions.

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