While Cheng Nuo was still sighing, Gustav walked slowly from the back door, crossed his hands in front of him, looked at Li Zhongtang's group photo and said with a little pride in his tone: "This is a group photo of Mr. Li from the Qing Empire in the Far East and the elders in the family. ”

"Really?" Cheng Nuo was a little surprised, he really didn't expect this Li Zhongtang to be so popular in Germany.

Gustav took down the photo, picked up the towel and wiped it carefully, with a face full of reminiscence: "I still remember that when this Mr. Li first arrived in Germany, I had not yet joined the Krupp family, and I had no chance to shake hands with the other party, and the closest one was a crowd ten meters away......

In fact, as early as when the Tongzhi Emperor was still alive, Germany had already begun to trade arms with China, from artillery to ironclad ships, to torpedo boats, batteries, etc., and now there are Krupp coastal guns in our country.

At that time, in order to sell arms, Li Zhongtang, who was in his twilight years, had been snubbed by the Qing court, but when he visited Germany, he still received unprecedented attention, not only placed him in the most luxurious Caesars Hotel in Berlin, but also specially arranged it according to his preferences through the people around him.

Even the cigars he often smokes and the playful thrush have to find some similar products and display them according to the layout of Li Zhongtang's home, which is quite rare.

And this is not over, in addition to the German Foreign Minister at that time, there are also the Minister of Shipping, Xiangguo, etc., as for the German Chamber of Commerce that is difficult for ordinary people to see, such as the Electric Association, the Agricultural Chamber of Commerce, the Flour Chamber of Commerce and other important people, they can only sit at the last seat to accompany the guests.

In the end, when the German emperor personally received Li Zhongtang, he reciprocated the national salute, wearing a jade crown on his head, holding Jiegui, and wearing a sword at his waist.

Of course, these efforts of the Germans have been richly rewarded, after returning to China, Li Hongzhangzhang gave priority to Krupp products everywhere in weapons and equipment, and stipulated that the artillery team of the Huai Army was equipped with Krupp guns, and the coastal batteries and the artillery equipped with the Beiyang Navy also took Krupp guns as the first choice.

Looking at Li Zhongtang, who was smiling brightly in the photo, Gustav said proudly: "Mr. Li is the closest and highest-ranking Far Eastern official of our Krupp company, and it has been proved that this friend is worthy of our deep friendship." ”

Then after Gustav said this, after hanging the photo on the wall, he turned to look at Cheng Nuo and immediately said seriously: "But for you Japanese, I'm afraid there is no friendship between us to talk about." ”

Cheng Nuo rubbed his nose and said expressionlessly: "It doesn't matter about friendship, as long as the profit is enough, I believe that this bond is stronger than any emotion, do you say yes, Mr. Gustav?" ”

Gustav's eyes narrowed slightly, and he threatened: "If you really want to do business with us Germans, do you need to release your soldiers who have detained us in Qingdao, China, to prove that you are sincere enough?" ”

Cheng Nuo shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands: "I'm sorry, I'm just a businessman, and there are some things that I can't decide, but I'm doing business with your Krupp company, not with the German government, do you say yes, Mr. Gustav?" ”

Gustav looked at Cheng Nuo carefully for a while, and then laughed: "Yes, yes, money or something, it's a pity to be contaminated with politics, and the taste is not pure." ”

took the initiative to beckon to Cheng Nuo and pointed to the position next to him: "Please take a seat, my dear young friend from the Far East, I don't know what business you are coming to do with me this time?" ”

This is not because Cheng Nuo is arrogant, but because he understands the nature of the Krupp company, he dares to say so.

Even before the outbreak of World War I, German enterprises, represented by the Krupp company, were not only generally reluctant to accept the mass production system, but also did not actively adapt their products to munitions.

As early as 1915, Krupp began to consider whether wartime military orders would be lasting, and worried that there would be no demand for large-scale products for production and living after the war. Thus, even Krupp, as a leading German industrial company, switched to the production of artillery from exchangeable parts only during the war.

There is no psychological preparation for war, and there is no psychological expectation that war will become protracted.

Even when World War I was fought here, German industry forced the government to return export control to the industrialists, so tons of German steel were shipped through Switzerland to France and Italy, Germany's enemies.

What's even more exaggerated is that because Britain introduced a policy to ban steel exports in order to expand its own military production, resulting in a surge in steel prices in the international market, and then more and more steel outflows from Germany, the chaos in the German domestic market, not only steel prices skyrocketed, but also military orders were greatly delayed delivery.

In other words, as long as there are enough profits, Krupp companies do not mind continuing to pull the country's bottom line down.

Taking the coffee handed over by the waiter, Cheng Nuo took a sip: "Actually, we are here to do the grain business, to be precise, it is to exchange grain for your industrial equipment and technology." ”

After hearing this, Gustav laughed and couldn't help but cross Erlang's legs: "Little friend, are you kidding me, our German Empire is one of the most powerful countries in the world today, and with our synthetic ammonia technology, our grain yield is so high that we can't eat it all."

But for the sake of your friend, I'm willing to trade with you, but for the sake of the price......"

Gustav shook Erlang's leg and said with a painful face: "What price in the international market before the war, on behalf of Krupp Company, I am willing to buy all of them, and even one percent higher than the average price, so as not to let our Krupp friends suffer." ”

Cheng Nuo smiled dumbly, and said meaningfully: "Yes, it seems that we are still making a profit?" ”

Gustav said proudly: "Of course, if nothing else, just to make a friend of the Far East." ”

Cheng Nuo shook his head and said to himself: "But I heard that there is a famine in Germany at the moment, and it is no exaggeration to say that there are thousands of residents in Berlin who struggle every day to get a little meat scrap or a small piece of lard, and at this time they still use the price before the war, is this friend a little ...... Well, failure? ”

Gustav immediately retracted Erlang's legs, and his eyes flashed with a fierce light: "So you know all this, and you still use it to make fun of me?" ”

Although Germany has the technology to synthesize ammonia, due to the shortage of raw materials, the shortage of feed and fertilizer has led to a failed harvest of potatoes in Germany in the summer of 1916, and the German winter of 1916~1917 has become a difficult "turnip winter".

Of course, the agrarian dilemma prompted Germany to make the decision to launch unrestricted submarine warfare, which brought the neutral United States into the war and hastened Germany's defeat.

Cheng Nuo didn't take Gustav's unkind words, but took another sip of coffee and said slowly: "There is a sage named Confucius in the Far East, and he has a very good saying, called 'Sufficient food, foot soldiers, and the trust of the people'."

Although in the past few years you have defeated the agricultural countries of the East with your strong ships and artillery, and warned the world that industry has replaced agriculture as the industrial basis of modern warfare, the basic position of agriculture has not changed. ”

Gustav was silent, but he looked at the flashes of light in his eyes from time to time, and obviously listened.

Cheng Nuo opened the briefcase he was carrying, took out a document from it, and spread it out on the table to reveal a map of Europe, on which was the situation of the countries on the battlefield of the current World War.

Pointing to Germany above, Cheng Nuo said: "For industrial countries, to maintain the survival of a large number of non-agricultural population, they must either rely on their own agricultural productivity, or they can only make up for the lack of domestic agricultural production by importing agricultural products."

Once the agricultural products of the industrial countries have to be replenished by imports, cutting off the replenishment channel in wartime will cause a big blow. ”

Although he does not want to admit it, Gustav knows better than most people that German agriculture, despite its greater capital accumulation and technological progress, still shows a certain vulnerability to the forces of nature.

However, Gustav wanted to continue struggling for a while, and said stiffly: "Yes, I admit that German food imports have always maintained a large share of imported goods, and the current situation of the people is indeed not optimistic, but Britain also has a weakness in the supply of primary products."

As long as we hold on a little longer and fall after the British, we will win the war. ”

Cheng Nuo smiled: "But there is one thing you should not forget, your Germany lacks the naval strength to cut off the British supply chain, and Britain has the ability to greatly block the flow of primary products to Germany through a naval blockade, and in the end there is only one way to go." ”

Gustav still stiff-mouthed: "Don't forget, we still have submarines in Germany, and under the infinite submarine war, it is not too easy to block the British route." ”、

Cheng Nuo sneered: "But the fact is that you have attracted the retaliation of the United States because of this, how much of your submarine can be used at the moment?" ”

Gustav was speechless: "This ...... This is something we didn't think of before. ”

Cheng Nuo spread his hands: "So, this is the basis of our cooperation, we sell food to get technology, you sell technology to get money, and the profit is enough for us to become good friends, do you say yes, my dear Gustav friend." ”

Gustav sighed and said the last thought in his heart: "As you said just now, the sea is the territory of the British, even if we Krupp agree to trade, how can you bring in the grain and transport the products out?" ”

Cheng Nuo smiled and said mysteriously: "As long as the profits are rich enough, there are friends everywhere." ”

Essentially, the outbreak of the First World War was the result of the unequal distribution of profits among the great powers.

Therefore, even during the war, anything can be bought and sold as long as the profit is sufficient.

Even in order to strengthen the blockade of Germany, Britain and its allies adopted certain blockade measures against neutral countries, forcing neutral countries to change their positions, and successfully suppressed the Netherlands and Norway.

On the other hand, neutral countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Spain are still on their own.

And the chemical weapons brought by Cheng Nuo were brought to Germany through the hands of these people.

As for the subsequent grain trade, it will also be transported through the hands of these people.

After all, it is a family that does business, and Gustav thought for a moment before he understood Cheng Nuo's transportation plan.

"Okay, tell me what you're going to trade food for? Let's talk about it in advance, state secrets will not be changed, and the number is too large to be changed. We are not a professional grain merchant, and there are too many things to attract attention, and it is troublesome for us to deal with them. Gustav said.

Cheng Nuo carefully put away the map and said, "Two requirements." ”

"Which two requirements."

"The first is your steel technology, more specifically steelmaking and rolling technology, and you need supporting steelmaking equipment in the middle, such as iron furnaces, steelmaking furnaces, etc., how many come from them."

"I'll think about this first, and then let's talk about the second one."

"Actually, the second one is simpler, that is, we want to be your company's only arms spokesperson in the Far East!"

"What?!" Gustav was taken aback and puzzled: "Although Mr. Li is a big customer of our Krupp company, it was only during the Qing Dynasty, and the Far East is not the main arms market of our company at the moment, and there is no direct transaction with these countries, so there is no experience at all, are you sure you want to do this?" ”

Cheng Nuo said seriously: "So for us, this is a blank market. ”

Gustav hesitated, but still refused: "At the moment, our German arms orders are too busy, and we really don't have too much strength and energy to open up new markets. ”

Cheng Nuo smiled: "Don't be in such a hurry, this is just something to consider after the war, no matter whether your country wins or loses, it will mean that you will lose national orders, and then production will be extremely shrinking, and then you will need this batch of orders to continue your life." ”

At present, although there are 29 arsenals in the country, only 8 of them are capable of manufacturing ordnance on their own, and most of the rest are in the nature of repair factories.

Therefore, German goods have always been the favorite of the major warlords.

And Cheng Nuo just wants to borrow the identity of the only agent of Piga Krupp in foreign countries to clamp down on the domestic warlords.

In addition, it gives the warlords the illusion that the Academy of Sciences was founded by foreigners, and to threaten the Academy of Sciences is to have trouble with arms, that is, with their own territory.

Such relationships are complex and diverse, and include the use of legal or illegal political institutions, local and municipal authorities, banditry or stragglers, national or international.

In the process of arms sales, it also includes the exchange of military intelligence, staff, etc.

This is also what Cheng Nuo likes.