"This country is buying the machines they need all over the world, just like they did more than a decade ago, and the only difference is that this time they send a huge group of students to buy machines, and they will not only buy machines, but also learn how machines work and research methods of science and technology......"

For the industry of various countries, they are most concerned about the former, not the latter, and it is also the former that can make a country go crazy, for Germany, a few months ago, the total amount of machine orders of up to 100 million marks was enough to make the whole Germany rekindle the favor of this oriental country, and in the following months, millions or tens of millions of marks per month, although these Chinese have a stinky problem, that is, if you order machinery and equipment in various countries, the conditions attached are that technology transfer must be carried out! Although this stinky problem is indeed offensive, the huge order book and the future market still give confidence to the country's industrial and banking circles, especially the "historical" pleasant cooperation.

In Berlin, the splendid imperial palace of the German Empire, three Chinese naval officers dressed in Chinese naval clothes were sitting bored, as members of the Chinese Navy's receiving group, although they came to Europe with Cheng Biguang, they did not return to China with them, and they wanted to inspect the fleets and naval technology of various countries in European countries, so as to provide reference for the development of the Chinese navy.

Whether it was Hong Hailiang, Liu Peimin or Jiang Zhixian, this was not their first time abroad, but it was their first contact with the imperial palaces of European powers, so they were full of curiosity about everything around them, from the Hohenzollern family decorations in the hall to the Western-style frescoes in the corridors, from the exotic baroque furniture to the distinctive Persian-style carpets.

Hong Hailang's eyes kept looking around, and he whispered a few words to Liu Peimin from time to time, although they had participated in the reception banquets held by the navies and industries of various countries, they were extremely unfamiliar with the imperial palaces of Europe. Only Jiang Zhixian turned a blind eye to this, and only tasted it with a smile and a wine glass.

"It's clear that the Kaiser wants to receive us, why hasn't there been any movement until now?"

After waiting for a long time, Liu Peimin, who was tired of watching, finally couldn't help muttering.

"Don't rush, the slower he is, the more he values us."

Jiang Zhixian's words made Hong Hailiang and Liu Peimin both look puzzled, what kind of logic is this?

It's just that after saying that, Jiang Zhixian himself couldn't help laughing, although he had never met Wilhelm II, but after arriving in Germany from France, he carefully searched for information about the emperor, and was born due to the paralysis and atrophy of his left arm, which caused the emperor to form an inferiority complex and arrogant surname since childhood, it was his surname that made him spare no effort to build a first-class fleet, his grandfather Wilhelm I was a hero, and made Prussia a European power by training the army, and he, Wilhelm II, Germany would be placed in the ranks of world powers by building a fleet, and there was no doubt that he would be the commander-in-chief of such a fleet, Admiral Atlantic.

Originally, Jiang Zhixian, who was only a lieutenant colonel officer, did not have much confidence in the reception of Wilhelm II, after all, how could this conceited emperor receive him, the small lieutenant colonel of the eastern country that he despised?

However, in the end, the orders signed by the ruling axe with the German industry in the past few months with a total of up to 140 million marks, and their actions of only inspecting various shipyards and arsenals in Germany without placing orders, made the arms dealers, who were originally full of confidence and felt that they could get orders of at least 40 million marks from the Chinese Navy, become impatient, and finally, at the suggestion of the business community, His Majesty the Emperor, the "Admiral of the Atlantic," finally decided to meet with these three small colonel-level officers.

Based on his understanding of this "Admiral Emperor", Jiang Zhixian clearly knew what the other party was doing at this moment - changing clothes! The German emperor, who was extremely conceited and inferior, had to change four sets of clothes a day, and at the same time matched different jewelry and medals, he used swagger to cover up his inner inferiority.

If he wants to meet someone he thinks is more important, he must dress up carefully, and the more important the person, the longer he spends dressing up, why is he "dressing up" at this time? Maybe it's because he wants the other party to feel his strength!

At this moment, a servant approached.

"Please come with me!"

After entering a hall with an oil painting of Wilhelm I enthroned at the Palace of Versailles, the three of them finally saw the conceited German emperor. And beside the German emperor, they unexpectedly saw a person, the president of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Ritifen? Feng? Gram, how did he end up here? The three of them had a little doubt in their hearts, when they were in France, it was the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce that took the initiative to invite them to Germany, and arranged their accommodations and travel, their purpose was very simple, just to do more business with China, maybe it was they who facilitated this meeting.

"I've seen Your Majesty!"

All three bowed respectfully at the same time as a salute.

"Ah...... Three young Chinese naval officers, it's a pleasure to meet you. ”

A burst of laughter from Wilhelm II, the emperor in military uniform, with a sword at his waist, and several large medals on his chest, was full of smiles, and the emperor was obviously carefully dressed, but no matter how Hong Hailang looked at it, he felt that this emperor with the same beard as the ruling emperor could not see a little bit of the temperament of a soldier.

After the initial salute, there were only four people left in the spacious hall, and at the signal of His Majesty the Emperor, Jiang Zhixian and the three sat on the sofa, Jiang Zhixian originally spoke English, French and German, which would naturally not need to be translated.

"Well, what do you think of the German Navy, aren't you here on a mission?"

Wilhelm II was still smiling, and to some extent he was reluctant to meet with the three Chinese naval officers, if they were generals, perhaps he could have considered it, but at the request of many Berlin business magnates led by Krupp, led by Krupp, and the president of the German Central Bank, he decided to meet with these three Chinese naval officers, whose naval expansion required the support of the military industry and the German financial community.

"We are amazed that your navy has built a powerful navy in just six years!"

Jiang Zhixian said truthfully: Six years ago, the German Reichstag passed the Naval Expansion Act, expanding the fleet into a fleet with 19 battleships, 8 armored cruisers, and 42 small cruisers, and the expansion period was six years, and four years ago, with the support of this "Pacific Admiral", Tirpitz effortlessly passed the amendment of the Naval Act, and the Reichstag approved the plan to expand the fleet to 38 battleships, 20 large cruisers, and 38 small cruisers.

"This is all due to the fact that Germany is ahead of the world's shipbuilding industry, and without the shipbuilding industry of other countries, Germany cannot build a strong fleet in the short term."

Wilhelm II said solemnly, if it weren't for the fact that they had placed an order for six twin ship turrets and two 305-mm railway guns from Krupp, he really didn't believe that these three petty colonels were actually burdened with procurement tasks.

The fact that China's ruling lady had purchased two warships from the British Navy reminded the German shipbuilding community that the country had begun to rebuild its navy, that Britain was marketing its fleet's already technical and reputational advantages, and that China's ruling lady was British, and that the couple had a lot of personal relations with Fisher, who was about to become First Admiralty, and that the German shipbuilding community had to rack their brains to get their own orders from China.

As the emperor, Wilhelm II was naturally willing to contribute to the shipbuilding industry, which was beneficial to the German navy, which could expand production, increase the income of shipyards, and use foreign trade ships to conduct technical tests for his new ships.

"Indeed, compared with the warships of Britain or other countries, the excellent quality and protection capabilities of your [***] ships have always enjoyed the honor of the world, and your country's style of building ships that attaches importance to defense is also in line with countries like China that cannot afford to buy too many warships, but are in urgent need of warships!"

Jiang Zhixian nodded in agreement, he was also telling the truth, German [***] ships generally attach importance to defense, and this is indeed what China needs.

"Germany's warships are the best in the world, twenty-four years ago, your country had purchased warships in Germany, you are no strangers to German [***] ships, if your country wants to reorganize its navy, willing to purchase warships in Germany, I think German shipyards must be willing to design and manufacture warships that can meet the needs of your navy at the most favorable price, the quality must be far better than the "Zhenhai" class warships purchased by your country, and your country's current situation is also in urgent need of warships, isn't it? ”

Taking advantage of the praise of the other party, Wilhelm II immediately made a sales pitch for the German shipbuilding community.

The three of them glanced at each other, and finally understood why the conceited emperor received the three of them, it turned out to be to sell them warships, Germany's shipbuilding level has long been not inferior to Britain, but it seems that no country has a green eye for Germany, in the past 20 years, the German shipbuilding industry has received the largest order or 24 years ago to clear the country, and then the largest order is the "Yakumo" from the order of the book, South America and even Russia are still more inclined to Britain and even Italy than Germany. The German shipbuilding industry urgently needs to open up the foreign trade market for warships, and what market could be bigger than that of a country that is anxious to rearm its navy; if it were not for this, how could the German military industrial enterprises such as the Volkeng shipyard, the Siemens company, the Krupp company, and the Brushkov torpedo factory hope that Your Majesty would be able to meet with the representatives of the Chinese navy and express Germany's goodwill to them?

"Your Majesty, although China intends to rearm at sea, but now for China, we are facing a problem, said that Russia and our country are at war in the northeast, and our country is suffering from the lack of defense at sea, the weak navy urgently needs warships to defend the sea frontier, but what we urgently need is warships that can be obtained immediately, if we order warships from your country now, it will still take three years to complete it at the earliest, Your Majesty, the war has ended in three years, and there have been too many changes in the meantime!"

When Jiang Zhi said these words first, Hong Hailiang and Liu Peimin were both startled at the same time, although they received instructions from China to "do everything possible to find a warship that can be purchased!" But he didn't expect to meet Wilhelm II for the first time, and Jiang Zhixian followed the emperor's words and expressed his needs.

Can it be obtained immediately? ”

Wilhelm II was stunned and looked at the colonel with some surprise.

"Yes, Your Majesty, what our country needs is a warship that can sail back to China immediately like the "Zhenhai class", our country is eager to reorganize its navy, but at least in the next few years, with our country's economic strength, it is not enough to support the expansion of the navy, of course, as a naval officer, we are more inclined to achieve the expansion of the naval force immediately, but Your Majesty, if the war between the two countries between the two countries ends in the northeast, in the face of the sudden disappearance of security threats, I think the ruling axe will never approve a large-scale naval expansion plan! ”

Jiang Zhixian put on a helpless look.

"For example, the 6 armored turrets and railway guns ordered in your country are just to meet the needs of coastal defense, and the ruling axe has invested heavily in strengthening coastal defense, with the aim of achieving coastal peace in the short term.

Listening to the colonel's account, Wilhelm II frowned dissatisfiedly, he did not expect that his painstaking efforts would be such an answer, the Chinese did not have the intention of ordering warships at all.

Baron Rietifen, who had been listening carefully to the conversation between the two and had not spoken, had his eyes twinkle when he heard Jiang Zhixian's explanation, and only two words were beating in his head.

"Money...... Chances......"

Seeing that the emperor had no intention of continuing, he took the initiative to ask.

"What if! I mean hypothetical! ”

Baron Ritifen blinked before continuing.

"If Germany can provide your country with warships in stock in the next few months, I wonder if your Admiralty can obtain permission to purchase ships from the ruling axe!"

"In the coming months."

Jiang Zhixian's heart moved, and he didn't express his position directly, but asked rhetorically.

"I don't know how long the months are being spoken, Your Excellency!"

As he spoke, he seemed to ponder again, and then glanced at Hong Hailang and Liu Peimin beside him before he said.

"If so, your country can guarantee that the warship will be delivered by February next year, I think I can apply to the Admiralty, of course, in the end, this will need to be decided by the Admiralty!"

Although Jiang Zhixian failed to give a positive answer, but after getting the answer he wanted, Baron Rietivhan's face showed a smile, he was not worried about these Chinese selling warships to Yuben, like the British when selling the "Zhenhai" class, clearly stipulated in the contract that China must not sell warships to third countries in the next ten years, otherwise Britain has the right to claim back warships, which is why he does not need to consider other factors.

"Perhaps, we should discuss this further, right? Maybe we can meet the needs of your country! ”

This answer surprised Jiang Zhixian and the others, but Jiang Zhixian tried his best to make his voice feel indifferent and serene.

"This ...... I'm afraid it is necessary to wait for further instructions from the Admiralty! ”

(To be continued)