On September 10, 1858, the mission of the Brazilian Empire secretly boarded a merchant ship from the Chinese Empire and left the capital city of Rio de Janeiro for the Chinese Empire. They did not go to Europe, which was much closer, but went directly to the Chinese Empire. After all, the Chinese Empire defeated many European powers in the last world war and became the new world hegemon. Even if the South American countries are in a safe corner, they are not unaware of the power of the Chinese Empire. Not to mention anything else, the warships of the Chinese Navy cruising on the world's oceans have already proved the strength of the Chinese Empire.

The weapons sold to Chile by the Chinese Empire have proven themselves to be powerful in the war. This also makes Brazilians subconsciously want to buy these weapons. It would be better to have the same support from the Chinese Empire.

It's just that what worries Brazilians is that the Chinese Empire has already supported Chile in advance, will it support them again? It's very hard to say. Still, the Brazilians plan to give it a try.

At the end of October 1858, after a long journey, the Brazilian mission arrived in Huaxia, the capital of the Chinese Empire. The Imperial Foreign Office has already sent someone to wait for them here. The Imperial Minister Plenipotentiary in South America had already informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Brazilians were coming to the Empire.

Fang Minghong, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Reich, came forward to meet with the special envoy of the Brazilian mission, Nilo, and the deputy envoy, Major General Pesania. Because in the report of the minister to South America, it is likely that these Brazilians have come to buy weapons. Therefore, Major General Chen Qingqiu, vice minister of the Armament Department, also attended the meeting. The empire has a lot of weapons sealed after the war, and if you can take the opportunity to sell a batch, you can also exchange a lot of military spending.

Though. Brazil claims to be an empire. However, the Chinese Empire was very important for such a population of only a few million. The empire, which is also extremely weak, does not care at all. Although, Brazil is also rich in natural resources. Iron ore and some other mineral deposits, as well as agricultural products, etc. However, the empire is now a vast country with a vast territory. Coupled with the fact that the empire has already determined a spokesperson in South America, it is naturally impossible to look at Brazilians differently. The Chileans were able to defeat Peru and Bolivia thanks to the Chinese Empire. Among other things, in the General Staff of Chile, there were a group of officers from the General Staff of the Chinese Empire who advised them. The artillery shells used by the Chilean Navy and the bullets and shells used by the Army were also provided by the Chinese Empire and were given to Chile on credit first. Wait until they win the war. And only then do you pay. If the empire turns to Brazil, will the empire's early efforts be in vain?

When the Brazilians offered to buy weapons from the Empire, the Empire did not refuse, but the price was more expensive than the Chileans. The weapons that the empire promised to sell to Brazil were mainly rifles, heavy machine guns, and small-caliber cannons, and the navy's warships were mainly old warships such as 'Eastern Zhou-class' warships and 'Western Zhou-class' warships.

The Brazilians have also done their homework, and they know that the most advanced warships of the Chinese Empire are not these old warships. They want to overpower Chile in one fell swoop. Therefore, they must have a strong navy. Therefore, they want to buy the 'Eastern Han class' battleships from the empire, or the 'early Tang class' battleships that the empire is building. It can be seen that Brazilians have a lot of appetite.

Moreover. The Brazilians simply did not have enough money to pay for the arms, and they offered to pay for it with iron ore or agricultural products such as coffee and cocoa. But did the Chinese Empire need these things? In terms of iron ore, iron ore from Australia and India was enough to last hundreds of years for the steel industry of the Chinese Empire. As for coffee, cocoa and other king's drinks. There was not much audience in the Chinese Empire. Chinese still want to drink tea, and very few people have been to foreign countries. Or foreigners living in the Chinese Empire and envoys to China will like coffee.

If the Brazilians were agreed, it would be the money they paid for a 'Eastern Han class' battleship. I don't know when it's going to be back! The Imperial Navy's 'Eastern Han class' battleships cost 12 million Chinese dollars, and if the Brazilians were determined to buy them, the price would be at least 18 million Chinese dollars. That's almost the same as a year's worth of revenue for the Brazilian Empire. Are Brazilians willing to spend so much money on warships? They simply can't come up with such a large sum of money.

Therefore, the empire rejected the demands of the Brazilians. He proposed that if Brazil wanted to buy weapons and warships, it would have to use Chinese dollars, or the equivalent of precious metals. There is no doubt that by this time, the Brazilian Empire's attempt to purchase a large number of advanced weapons from the Chinese Empire had failed. The contempt of the Chinese makes the Brazilians feel very uncomfortable.

It was at this time that the Germans handed out their olive branch. Klaus, the German ambassador to China, secretly met with the Brazilian envoy Nilo and the deputy envoy, Major General Pesania. Ambassador Klaus suggested that Germany's weaponry was no worse than that of the Chinese Empire, and that the German Empire would be a very good choice if Brazil wanted to buy it. In addition, and more importantly, Germany could allow the Brazilian Empire to pay in installments, or with Brazilian minerals and agricultural products. This undoubtedly gave Brazilians a new way out in despair.

So, under the arrangement of the Germans, the Brazilian delegation boarded a cruise ship from the Chinese Empire to the German Empire three days later. The Chinese Empire was not unaware of this. It's just that I still don't care about it.

The Germans could sell weapons to Brazil, and the Reich could sell weapons to Chile. What's more, Chile's finances are much better than Brazil's.

As soon as the cruise ship of the Brazilian delegation left the port, Klaus, the ambassador of the German Empire to China, returned to the embassy and sent a long telegram to the German Foreign Office. In the telegram, he claimed that the German Empire should take advantage of this opportunity to open up the South American market. After all, with the rapid development of German industry, they also need a huge overseas market to meet the domestic market. The Brazilian Empire is the largest country in South America, with a population of more than 8 million. The tens of millions of people in South America are also a very good market.

The Chinese Empire had already taken the lead in supporting Chile and began to intervene in the situation in South America, and in this respect, Germany could not lag behind the Chinese Empire. Germany should choose to support the Brazilian Empire to confront it. If South America also falls under the control of the Chinese Empire or Chile, which is supported by the Chinese Empire, then Germany's living space will be further reduced. The Reich's support of Germany could effectively avoid this. In addition, the iron ore and other mineral resources and agricultural products of the Brazilian Empire were also needed by Germany.

While the Brazilian delegation was still on its way, German Foreign Minister Albrecht Murphy was on the way. Feng. Count Ron had already met with Kaiser Wilhelm I and delivered the report from Ambassador Klaus directly to Kaiser Wilhelm I.

Kaiser Wilhelm I was impressed by Ambassador Claus's suggestion. It was now the second half of 1858, three years after the end of the world war. During these three years, Germany's economy and industry have developed and progressed considerably. Although, in the face of a large number of goods from the Chinese Empire, most of the market in Europe was in the hands of the Chinese Empire. However, the goods of the German Empire were still on a par with those of the Chinese Empire.

However, in other markets, German goods are completely at a disadvantage. Although Germany is already a large country with a population of more than 120 million, the domestic market is also extremely large. However, given the pace of industrial development in Germany, it may not be long before it will be able to meet the domestic market. Without a vast foreign market, this will eventually become a constraint for Germany.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think of the report submitted by Ambassador Krauss?" Kaiser Wilhelm I asked.

"Father, I think Ambassador Claus's suggestion is very good, and we cannot sit idly by and watch the Chinese Empire expand its influence in South America. If that happens, most of the world will be under Chinese rule. In addition, the huge market in South America was also indispensable for the German Empire! "Frederick. Crown Prince William said first.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is very right, we need a South America that is under our control. Supporting the Brazilian Empire is conducive to the next development of the empire. "Prime Minister Otto. Feng. Prime Minister Bismarck also said.

Kaiser Wilhelm I nodded: "In that case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready to receive the Imperial Mission of Brazil." The General Staff and the Admiralty cooperated in this meeting, and no matter what weapons the Brazilians wanted, as long as they could afford it, they would sell it to them! ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Foreign Secretary Albrech. Feng. Count Ron, Chief of the General Staff, Count Moltke, Minister of the Admiralty, Prince Felix and others replied.

"If Brazilians don't have enough money to buy it, they can pay with mineral resources and agricultural products. Also, or sell some mines to us! Kaiser Wilhelm I continued. Now that you have made up your mind to support the Brazilian Empire, it is natural that no effort will be spared.

"Your Majesty, what if the Brazilians were going to buy our 'Brandenburg-class' battleships?" The Minister of the Navy, Prince Felix, asked.

"If Brazilians want to buy it, it can also be sold to them. However, we need to rebuild, not sell the ships that have already been built! William I said. After all, those German warships were fighting for maritime supremacy with the Chinese Empire. (To be continued......)

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