Chinese New Year's Eve.

In the temporary staff headquarters of the Pacific Army in Ryukyu, looking at the two gangs of bastards on land and sea who were arguing, Chen Ping was a little absent-minded, he did not expect that after he untied the knot for the young master, Fang Boqian suddenly took his leave, and did not even agree to the young master's arrangement to have a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner with him, so he left for Honolulu, saying that he first wanted to meet Fubo, who had already met several times.

In the final analysis, Fang Boqian was still a little resistant to Li Mo's delay in not seeing him, and the knot in his heart couldn't be untied for a while, so he chose to avoid it for the time being.

Although today is the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, and all parts of Ryukyu Island, which is rich in Han style, have long been lit up, and even red lanterns have been hung on the corridor of the staff department, the newly established staff department is still full of people and is extremely busy.

In addition to arranging for the retreat of the fleet after the holiday, there was a large number of voices discussing how to distribute the materials seized from the day.

The seized ocean-going freighters were very simple to deal with, except for a few coal carriers and freighters left in the fleet to be incorporated into the newly formed logistics fleet, the remaining thirty large ships were all sold to Lin Yongxiang's guy at a price of 50,000 pounds each, and those small ones were also towed to the South Seas or sold to some small ship owners on the spot.

The vain fortune made Lin Da's shopkeeper smile, these are all ocean-going freighters purchased abroad in recent years, and the average price is not less than 150,000 per ship. With the addition of 30 freighters this time, the Pacific Cargo Company's next level is already in sight!

According to the regulations of the Pacific Army, the trophies captured and sold by the fleet this time belong to the special funds of the Navy, which are under the care of the Government Council and used for naval construction, so this guy has been muttering all these days that he wants to use this money to transform the three captured capital ships into light cruisers to make up for the vacancy of the Pacific Army's regular patrol mission.

It's just that as soon as this suggestion was put forward, it was rejected by the young master and Li Enfu at the same time. The reason is very simple, the three ships of Matsushima do not meet the needs of the fleet in terms of ship type, firepower and speed, and even if they want to be renovated, they will cost a lot of money, which is not much cheaper than directly purchasing three light cruisers. Of course, it is also impossible to purchase new ships, and at present, the Pacific Army is just starting out, and there are many places to spend money, and the size of the fleet is already quite large, and it is impossible to expand it at all.

So although this money was counted on the head of the navy, it was actually intercepted by the Government Council, but Li Enfu also knew the important surname of the navy, and agreed to Li Mo's proposal to build a joint army and navy military academy in Honolulu.

didn't get a new cruiser, Long Guozhang vented all his anger on the three warships parked in the harbor, and ordered people to dismantle the three ships overnight, and turned the steel on them into farm tools and kitchen knives for sale, saying that he would not be able to turn over for the rest of his life!

This bastard!

Chen Ping shook his head helplessly, he was really helpless about the bad taste of Commander Long, fortunately, at present, the development of Ryukyu also continues to farm tools and equipment, although the three warships are not big, it is also an unexpected gain.

As for those things that were moved along with the freighter and from the warehouses in Kure Port and other places, they became the main cause of the current war of words between the army and the navy.

According to the army, the army guns and artillery in it must be handed over to the army to deal with, and the army has no credit for fighting the Ryukyus! The navy led by Long Guozhang insisted that it was captured by the navy, so it should belong to the navy, not to mention that the navy also has marines and can use these materials and munitions.

At this moment, the loudest voices are Zhao Long and Long Guozhang, but neither of them dared to go to the young master, so they had to drag Chen Ping to call the shots, in the face of this dragon and tiger fight, the chief of staff who had meat on the palms and backs of his hands was also holding his forehead, and he couldn't make up his mind for a while, so after thinking about it, he still asked the young master if there was the best way. So regardless of the idle and nonsense guys, grab their hats and prepare to see the young master.

As soon as Chen Ping walked to the door, he saw Tan Xiaozeng suddenly grabbing a telegram, and hurriedly bumped into himself, and before he could open his mouth, he heard him shout urgently: "Come and see, everyone, I am crazy!" ”

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?"

"Meiji, that old guy committed suicide?"

“……”

With his words, the officers who were still scolding nonsense just now hula came up, and the inner and outer three floors were even more like monkey plays. "Sure enough! Hey, they're all bastards who have nothing to do! Chen Ping scolded secretly, grabbed Tan Xiaozeng's hand, and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Here we go!"

Tan Xiaozeng smacked his lips, stuffed the telegram into Chen Ping's arms, and exclaimed: "I said that I announced my plan to purchase a warship!" Two American battleships, two armored cruisers, two British battleships, two armored cruisers, two French armored cruisers, two protective cruisers, two Austro-Hungarian protective cruisers, five torpedo ships. Five Italian torpedo ships!

Together with the two battleships they had ordered in Britain before, there were a total of six battleships and six heavy cruisers (the Pacific Force, armored cruisers are equal to heavy cruisers)! And the battleships are all over 10,000 tons, and the heavy cruisers are at least 9,000 tons! Plus protective cruisers, torpedo ships and some auxiliary boats, a total of twenty-five warships! That's a million pounds alone! Add to that the fact that they want to rebuild the port, build the arsenal, etc., at least double it! ”

"Hiss!" As soon as Tan Xiaozeng finished speaking, a sound of inhalation suddenly sounded around him. Liu Haitao, the captain of the Determination, screamed even more, dancing and scolding: "I am so rich? Isn't our young master too soft-hearted? Dog calf! If you knew it, you would have bitten 100 million to death, and if you don't give it, you will go straight to grab it! ”

"Rich fart!"

Long Guozhang kicked the noisy Liu Haitao away, stretched out his hand and scolded: "I think you are a dog calf!" I usually know that I am opportunistic, and I don't know how to read more newspapers and learn more! ”

"Do you know what the national income is for the year? Let me tell you, no more than 60 million dollars, which is equivalent to about 6 million pounds! In addition to the indemnity paid to us, I said that I had mortgaged all the financial revenues of the United States for the next ten years and took out 50 tons of gold reserves to make up such a sum of money! ”

Hiss.......

With Long Guozhang's explanation, the sound of everyone gasping for air conditioning became louder, and everyone had the same thought in their hearts.

"I'm really crazy!"

"I said I was desperate!" Seeing that Chen Ping didn't raise his head, Tan Xiaozeng's face became more and more solemn: "It seems that in a few years, what awaits us will be a vicious battle!" ”

"Vicious battles are vicious battles, who is afraid of whom!" Liu Haitao held his buttocks, bared his teeth and said, "Didn't we also make 30 million this time!" Why don't we all go together and suggest the young master, and also buy seventeen or eighteen battleships, so that everyone can have one, and see if you can't die! ”

"Oh, yes." This guy glanced at Luo Feng's army officers, and then forgot about the quarrel just now, and shouted: "Your army has also expanded to 180,000, and our fleet will protect you and land directly in Tokyo!" ”

Liu Haitao's words immediately made the captains who were envious of the battleships nod their heads, and there were advocates of expanding the army, and suddenly the heartless guys of the 1st Army Division even attracted him as a confidant.

"Good! Then I'll send you to talk to the young master. Long Guozhang glanced at Liu Haitao, grabbed the telegram and sneered. Yes. Liu Haitao, who was also clamoring for the expansion of the army and ships just now, was immediately dumbfounded, if he just ran to tell the young master that he would buy another seventeen or eighteen battleships or something, it is estimated that it would not be a kick in the ass, but a shark in the sea to be fed!

Unlike the naval officers, who were worried, the army officers led by Zhao Long didn't have so many ideas, not that they didn't care, but they couldn't interfere in the affairs of the sea at all, but a big war was inevitable, and the expansion of the 1st Army Division must also be put on the agenda!

Unlike Zhao Long and Long Guozhang who each made a small abacus after hearing the news, although Chen Ping's face was still calm, he had already smiled bitterly in his heart. The frenzied construction of the ship was actually already expected by him, although the scale was slightly larger than expected, but this was not the thing that worried him the most!

Seeing that everyone was talking about Yue Ben's ship-building plan, Chen Ping sighed quietly, compared to his own crazy ship-building plan, he cared about another thing! Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at the villa in the distance, and his heart trembled slightly.

Like the staff headquarters that was detonated by the news of his crazy shipbuilding, in the living room that had been renamed the Yuanhai Villa, Young Master Li was also worried about his crazy actions.

Six battleships, six heavy cruisers, and the 66th Fleet, which was only expanded after winning the Sino-Japanese War in the previous life, finally appeared in advance under the flapping of the wings of its own butterfly.

Judging from the intelligence data, in addition to the first two ships that were in accordance with the Polaris standard, the two ships I ordered in Britain this time were completely in accordance with the standards of the Majesty class, and all of them used the L40 type 305 mm main guns, and even the Iowa-class battleships that had just been built in the United States according to the United States will also be equipped with more powerful main guns! As for the heavy cruisers, they were built to suppress their own four determination-class standards, not only with a displacement of nearly 10,000 tons, but also with high speed and endurance!

The two heavy cruisers built by France were simply equipped with 240 mm guns of a similar caliber to the Longxiao, but with longer barrels and faster speeds! Add to that the fact that more than a dozen other ships were being built at the same time in France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and other countries, and it can be said that in only two to three years, I will be able to rebuild a formidable naval force!

Such a huge plan is completely aimed at completely suppressing the Pacific Fleet! What's more, in the eyes of those powers, his actions that can be called a big robbery have already disturbed the situation in the Far East and broken the rules of the game! The British and Americans even went straight to their minds.

"Build a battleship? It's good not to drive a battleship directly to trouble yourself. Li Mo turned his head and looked at Lecker, who was standing in front of him, smiling with a cup of coffee.

This is already the third time that Lecker has come to ask him when he will withdraw the fleet! Compared with the previous two times, this guy has long lost the urgency and coercion he had at the beginning, and the smile on the corner of his mouth feels that the conspiracy is deep.

"Dear Minister, please rest assured that the first warships will set sail for the Ryukyus in three days." After Li Mo finished speaking, he took out a cigar from the table and gave it to Lecker before continuing: But there is something I still want to trouble you. "Oh? I don't know if there's anything I can do for the Prince? Lecker didn't say the duke, but deliberately called Li Mo the prince, and the banter in his words was undisguisedly exposed.

Li Mo pretended not to understand, and continued: "I want to trouble you to talk to your Admiralty and build me five more Majestic-class battleships!" ”

"Five Majesty-class!"

Lyckel took the cigar, his hands trembled, and he almost wanted to put the coffee cup on Li Mo's head! Five? This guy doesn't want to challenge the Far East Fleet of the British Empire! Do you really think the empire is a stupid hat? Suckers?

Lecker's head shook like a rattle, and there were five more! Even the Imperial Navy has only been allowed to build nine battleships of the Majesty class, not to mention that the two you ordered before have been secretly ordered to slow down, and you must wait until you return with the warships you ordered.

That's fine, when everyone's battleships arrive, you can have fun! Rykel took a sip of coffee and glanced at Li Mo, not to mention how much it tasted in his heart.

Young Master Li didn't know that the construction of the warship he ordered had been secretly delayed, and seeing that Lekel was silent, he continued: "Why not four?" Three ships will do! ”

Lecker sighed and shook his head deliberately, pretending to be helpless and sighed: "Dear Lee, although I would like to help you, but now our country is at the peak of upgrading the Royal Navy, and there is no dockyard to help you build new warships. Of course, I'll relay your request to the Admiralty, but according to my estimate, it won't be until at least three years before there will be a free dockyard. ”

"Three years! The daylilies are cold! ”

Li Mo pouted, in fact, he already knew Lykel's answer, these old powers played the so-called balancing strategy in the same way, provoking the Qing Dynasty to fight the Qing Dynasty, in order to curb Lao Maozi, and in order to earn huge arms profits, now they suddenly came out and overturned themselves, they naturally didn't want to, it would be good if they didn't directly declare that they were the least popular people, and they still wanted to build ships? Let's go while it's cool.

In the eyes of these guys, the best way now is to restrain themselves, wait until all the warships they ordered come back, and provoke the two sides to fight again, so that they can profit again.

"Your Excellency, I believe you already know about your own ship-building plan, could it be that as an ally, the British Empire is watching Hawaii being bullied like this?" Li Mo looked at Lecker pitifully.

"Allies! Ahem. "Lecker coughed twice, his eyes white, does the British Empire have allies? I've seen shamelessness, I've never seen such shamelessness, isn't it just that a few warships were ordered in the empire? Just climb up the pole and think you're an ally? According to this logic, aren't the allies of the empire all over the world?

As for my crazy revenge, it was also caused by your sneak attack! What are you pretending to be pitiful now? Thirty million pounds! Obediently, it's worth two years of military spending of the Imperial Royal Navy! If you give all this money to the Empire, I can help you get a few more warships! Lecker's mind turned for a thousand times, stabilized his body, and said with a smile: "Dear Li, there is really no spare dock in the empire, if you don't believe it, you can go and see for yourself." ”

"Whew! The young master took 30 million, can't he get a few warships! It's a big deal! Li Mo took a sip, he was so low-voiced, but he was still rejected again and again, and the bachelor's temper came up, and he said coldly: "Then thank you, Lord Minister!" With that, he took out two checks for $10,000 from his bosom and handed them over.

"My lord, this is a little caution, and I thank you and General Filimante for supporting me in this negotiation." The county official is not as good as the current management, this Lecker dangles in front of him all day long, coupled with the threat of the British Far East Fleet, although he is distressed and hates half to death, but this kind of money must still be spent.

"Hehe, thank you so much, please rest assured, I will already try my best to fight for the construction of a warship for you!" Lecker smiled and accepted the check.

There is a sentence on the line! Anyway, the young master is also dead, and now he can only rely on self-reliance! I don't know if McKinson's experimental ship has been done. Li Mo twitched the corners of his mouth and said, "Your Excellency, I'm going back to Oahu in three days, so let's go back together." ”

"Oh, dear Lee, I'd love to go back to Oahu, but I'm sorry I have to go back to my home country to report to work." Laker, who got the check, patted his ass and said goodbye, for him, Li Mo, who had just made a fortune, should pay this filial piety, so naturally he would not blush.

A pack of white-eyed wolves!

"Woo, how many years has this been? The young master hid behind a big tree with his tail between his legs, and it was rare to be hated like this by someone for a high-profile time! It's so bad! "Young Master Li took a sip hard!

But this can't be blamed on others, destroying the balance of the Far East, and even robbing and threatening to blackmail so much money from others, it's strange not to be stared at! What's more, I cried my father and called my mother again, and I went back ten years, which is extremely cool! But in fact, he was also isolated by those old empires, not to mention Britain, the United States, and even small countries like Italy, as soon as they heard that they were going to buy their newly developed 305mm artillery technology to upgrade the Polar Star main gun, and also offered a sky-high price comparable to that of battleships, they all wished to insert a tube in themselves and suck blood and extract marrow!

Thinking of this, Young Master Li didn't know whether he won or lost, he could have developed secretly, but now his every move will probably be focused on.

It's hard! How do you leverage this isolation?

"Great Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy ......, etc.!" Young Master Li folded his fingers with a sad face, counting the countries that could build battleships this year, and when he was talking for most of the time, he suddenly stopped moving, and the corners of his mouth hooked suddenly: "It seems that I didn't build warships in Germany." ”

Without waiting for Li Mo to continue to figure out why this time the global shipbuilding only left Germany, Du Dazhuang appeared at the door of the study with a serious face, and reported: "Young Master, Master Li came here just now, and when he saw that you were meeting the minister, he left first." However, he asked me to tell you that among the countries you asked him to consult, except for Germany, which has not yet responded, everyone else has returned the same message, saying that there is no way to build warships for us for the time being! ”

No way yet!

Li Mo turned around suddenly, and the news brought by Du Dazhuang meant that except for the two battleships that had already been ordered and were still being built in Britain, and the two battleships that had begun secret negotiations with the Argentine political axe, the Pacific Fleet would not receive any external replenishment in the next few years.

This means that these people will have to use their existing resources to fight a war on a larger scale and more intense than the current one!

Although Germany has not yet replied, Li Mo still feels that an invisible net is rushing towards him, looking at the shark-like group of ships parked in the harbor in the distance, he can sense that a good show is about to begin!

"At no time can we rely on others!"

Young Master Li waved his hand vigorously, revealing a mouth full of white teeth at Du Dazhuang, who also looked anxious: "Go and tell Chen Ping, don't be idle, practice those rabbit cubs well, we have to start preparing for a few years!" ”

"Since I still want to fight! Then let them try! ”

"Yes!"

Du Dazhuang straightened his body and raised his hands in salute.

(To be continued)