On January 20, 1897, William McKinley officially entered the White House after taking the oath with his hand on the Bible.

There is not much suspense in the new federal cabinet.

Without exception, they are all big businessmen.

Secretary of State John Sherman, a millionaire and shareholder of several banks and financial institutions;

Finance Minister Lehman M. J. Gage, banker, president of the National Bank of Chicago;

Attorney General John A. W. Grieg, who owns several large corporations in New Jersey, is also president of Paterson National Bank.

When the cabinet was formed, McKinley again invited Chen Jianqiu into the cabinet to take up positions such as home secretary.

But Chen Jianqiu still refused.

First of all, I am not a politician myself.

There is no foundation in the Republican Party, let alone the identity of a Chinese, and if he really becomes the Minister of the Interior, he has to be attacked by those members of Congress who are idle every day.

And he knows these businessmen too well.

When there is no conflict of interest, everything is easy to say, and everything is fine, but once something happens, I am afraid that even my father will sell it.

Nine times out of ten, I'm going to pull him out of the top tank.

He doesn't plan to do this kind of loss-making business, so why bother to make himself uncomfortable.

However, Chen Jianqiu still left a mark in the cabinet.

For example, his good friend, Russell Brown, the largest timber merchant in the West, A. Ajay served as Minister of War; And the cotton tycoon James J. Brown, who was fooled into the election team by himself, was fooled into the election team. A. Gehry got a postmaster.

Most importantly, Theodore Roosevelt, with his strong recommendation, assumed the post of Deputy Secretary of the Admiralty.

The Admiralty Chief, John Long, was an old sick man half buried in the earth, and had always been known for his idleness and wild cranes.

Therefore, Roosevelt was basically in power, and he was the real speaker of the Admiralty.

In addition, in this election, many Chinese politicians affiliated with the "Chinese Suffrage Alliance" performed prominently and began to enter the more core level of the states.

Chen Jianqiu asked Wang Qingfu and the "Political Participation Alliance" to start preparing for the midterm general election to enter the National Assembly.

When it comes to the repeal of the bill, it is better to ask for others than for yourself.

Only by daring to choke the throat of fate can we seize the opportunity and turn things around.

And he himself continues to be busy expanding his business empire.

All of this needs to be supported by strength.

Helping the new president come to power will always get a little benefit.

And affordability is the most important thing.

However, to Chen Jianqiu's surprise, the first person to be found by the new federal government was not from the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Communications.

It was Army Quartermaster Henry Brown. C. Cobain.

When the army's butler appeared at the door of No. 36 Baker Street, he bumped into Chen Jianqiu, who was walking out of the door.

"I'm sorry, I almost stepped on you," Cobain said, straightening out his uniform.

This high-achieving West Point graduate has never been on the battlefield.

He had a very strict family upbringing, and his style of conduct was quite gentlemanly, not like a soldier at all, so he was also criticized by the big bosses and coarse people in the War Department all the year round.

He was just about to look up and apologize or something.

But a pair of black cloth shoes caught his eye.

Cobain raised his head and found that Chen Jianqiu was looking at him with his hands in his sleeves.

He took two steps back, stepped out the door, and craned his neck to look at the number on the top right: 36 Baker Street.

"That's right." Cobain muttered, "Isn't this the headquarters of the International Gunpowder Association?" ”

If so, how could someone dressed like this appear here.

He had the impression that the arms dealers he dealt with were either dressed in military uniforms all day long, like old Henry, to show that they had served in the army; Or just a suit and leather shoes, with a good demeanor.

"Yes." Chen Jianqiu smiled.

"You should apologize to me too, sir." "You bumped into me." ”

"I'm sorry." Chen Jianqiu was still smiling.

Cobain was confused.

Why is this Chinese so precious as gold? Is it because I am not proficient in English words?

But don't hit the smiling man.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Chen in this building?" Cobain cleared his throat and asked, "I'm Quartermaster Henry Brown, the chief quartermaster of the Federal War Department. C. Cobain, there is something to look for him. ”

"Yes." Chen Jianqiu's answer was still brief.

Cobain was a little impatient.

Any arms dealer in the United States would come up to him with a smile and hold his hand when he heard his position and name.

Not to say shock, but at least to show respect.

The dirt bun in front of him knows that he must be a person here, but it seems that he has never seen the world.

Otherwise, it would never have been this reaction.

Cobain finally held back and didn't show it on his face.

"Please take me to meet him." He said with a gentlemanly demeanor.

Chen Jianqiu nodded, turned around, and walked towards the elevator.

The staff in charge of reception at the door saw Chen Jianqiu returning, and was about to stand up and salute him.

But Chen Jianqiu gave him a look.

The little golden retriever's ass returned to his chair and said no more.

The same situation was also suffered by the people who drove the elevator.

He saw the boss bring in a middle-aged man in military uniform, and then pressed down on him with his hanging hand.

He didn't know what medicine was sold in the boss's gourd, so he didn't dare to squeak, so he had to open the elevator door and watch the two walk towards the depths of the corridor.

Along the way, Chen Jianqiu didn't say a word, and took Coben to a carved wooden gate.

He pulled a bunch of keys out of his pocket.

Cobain suddenly realized that this person was a gatekeeper, otherwise how could he have so many keys on him.

Chen Jianqiu took advantage of the light from the window at the end of the aisle, and quickly found a silver-white key and reached into the keyhole.

He twisted it slightly.

The door was opened.

Cobain was quickly drawn to the décor of the office in front of him.

The antique Chinese wooden furniture was a far cry from the offices of other arms dealers he had seen, and by the window was a table with an ingenious pine bonsai.

The large desk is heavy and quaint, and a small knick-knack on the table catches Cobain's eye.

It was a bullet casing.

"The shell of the world's first smokeless powder bullet." Chen Jianqiu said as he walked inside.

He walked to the windowsill, removed a rag from the shelf, and then walked to the side of the wooden sofa with the rag, and began to wipe down the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"Well, is this Mr. Chen's office? He doesn't seem to be there. Cobain asked, continuing to look at his office. Can you help me tell him? ”

When he saw Chen Jianqiu wiping the coffee table, he couldn't help but raise his voice a little more:

"Sir, don't you be busy wiping the table yet, please go find him for me first, I have something important to discuss with him."

"I am." Chen Jianqiu said without raising his head.

Cobain froze on the spot.

He looked at the Chinese man in his thirties who was still wiping the table in front of him with a suspicious face, his face full of disbelief.

How could this person be Chen Jianqiu, the famous president of the International Gunpowder Association and the largest arms dealer in the United States?

Chen Jianqiu finished wiping the table, washed the rag in the sink by the window, and hung it on the shelf again.

As soon as he turned around, and found Cobain standing there like a fool, he immediately smiled and pointed to the wooden sofa, and said to him:

"You may be seated."

Cobain was relieved.

He sat in the chair and looked at Chen Jianqiu suspiciously:

"Are you Chen Jianqiu?"

Chen Jianqiu walked over with an ashtray in his hand.

He placed the ashtray on the coffee table, then pulled out a leather case from inside his robe, and pulled out a cigar from it.

"Yes, I am." Chen Jianqiu cut the cigar butt, lit it with a lighter, shook it, and handed it to Cobain, "Do you smoke cigars?" ”

Cobain waved his hand.

His focus now is not on cigars.

He felt as if he had been tricked.

"Then why didn't you tell me when you were downstairs?" Cobain asked eagerly.

"You didn't ask." Chen Jianqiu unceremoniously stuffed the cigar into his mouth and said slowly.

Cobain felt like his lungs were going to be blown up.

But he hasn't forgotten the mission he came for.

"Mr. Chen, I'm here to look for you for something this time." He finally straightened out his anger and said.

"Well, I know, I don't want to go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing." Chen Jianqiu took a puff of his cigar, his face was full of spring breeze, and he crossed Erlang's legs and said, "I was just about to go out, didn't this bump into you coming back." ”

"We've never seen a big man in the War Department." He said with a smile.

Cobain didn't hear the ridicule in Chen Jianqiu's words, but it sounded like a kind of respect for him, and he suddenly felt a lot more comfortable.

After all, he was an arms dealer, and he still gave him face as the chief quartermaster of the War Department.

Even if the Army is really not very popular in the current government.

He took out two black-and-white photos from the pockets of his military uniform, put them on the coffee table, and then pushed them in front of Chen Jianqiu.

Chen Jianqiu glanced at the photo on the table.

It's a gun.

The black-and-white photograph is a little blurry, but the model of the gun is still recognizable.

"Kragg-Jorgensen M1892, the Army's current standard rifle, what's wrong?" Chen Jianqiu disagreed.

Cobain had a satisfied smile on his face.

is worthy of being a knowledgeable arms dealer, and he can see at a glance that he now believes that the person in front of him is Chen Jianqiu.

"This gun was designed by a Norwegian designer from the last War Department and mass-produced by the Springfield Arsenal."

Cobain suddenly changed his words.

"However, this gun has not performed well in recent actual battles and has been criticized."

He said as he observed Chen Jianqiu's expression.

Chen Jianqiu almost didn't laugh out loud.

Isn't it that the U.S. Army has been beaten and wiped out by its own militia in New Mexico and the warlord forces in Juarez on the U.S. border recently.

As an officer of the War Department, even if he has just entered the decision-making level, he must know a little bit about it.

Looking at yourself like this, what are you going to say?

"Hmm." Chen Jianqiu nodded, not in a hurry to make a statement.

Seeing that Chen Jianqiu didn't react, Cobain continued:

"I discussed it with the new Secretary of the Army, Mr. Aijay, and I thought it was a problem with the logistics procurement of my predecessor, and there were also many problems with the Springfield Arsenal, the state-run arsenal responsible for producing guns."

"Their quality control and craftsmanship have deteriorated dramatically."

Chen Jianqiu immediately understood when he heard it.

Affection is Russell M. A. Agey: This guy started doing things as soon as he became the Secretary of the Army.

The friendship or friendship between the two originated when Chen Jianqiu was first at the helm of the Pacific Railroad.

That winter, heavy snow fell in the northwest of the United States, and tens of thousands of tons of logs from the lumber yard run by Ai Jie almost rotted in the Rocky Mountains.

The old man was originally very disgusted with immigration, but after this incident, his attitude took a 180-degree turn.

His company has a long-standing transportation partnership with Pacific Railroad.

Chen Jianqiu has always given him the best shipping price.

Later, after he temporarily left the railroad company, he was criticized by a profit-supremacist and sat down to raise the price.

This made Ai Jie miss Chen Jianqiu very much.

Since then, he has been very close to Chen Jianqiu.

The old man's behavior this time is not clear whether he reciprocated the peach, but he must have some personal thoughts in it.

Otherwise, how could they be looking for him?

"So, what can I do for you?" Chen Jianqiu asked.

"As far as I know, your Roswell Armory is well-known at home and abroad, there are many excellent gunsmiths working for you, and you also have a very rich and successful experience in the management of military factories. So."

Cobain still said while observing Chen Jianqiu.

"What? Do you want me to integrate the Springfield Arsenal for you like the railroad? ”

Chen Jianqiu saw that Coben was talking hesitantly, so he simply took the initiative and asked with a smile.

"No, no, Mr. Chen, that's not all."

Cobain quickly shook his head.

"Springfield Arsenal is a state-owned arsenal with a history of 100 years, whether it was during the Mexican-American War or the Civil War, it made great contributions; Until now, it is in direct service with the Army. ”

"His funding is all federal appropriation, and Congress will not allow such an arsenal to be privately controlled."

"What I mean with the minister is that you can start by being their outsourcer, just to make up for their lack of capacity."

Chen Jianqiu sneered in his heart.

The army has a good hand in calculation.

This Springfield Arsenal has a hundred years of history, and I am afraid that the interests in it are not complicated.

These people not only don't want to offend people, but also give Chen Jianqiu a favor, and they can also improve the equipment level of the army itself.

It's a triple win.

However, his expression did not change, and he was still smiling:

"Yes, I think this plan is feasible, but I hope that our designers can also participate in the design of standard weapons, we only need patent rights, no design fees."

Cobain thought about it for a while, and finally chose to agree.

As we all know, the products of the Roswell Ordnance Factory are recognized as the most advanced in the industry.

He felt that this would be beneficial and harmless.

"If you have time, you can go to Springfield (Springfield), Massachusetts, and have a look first, we have already communicated with the head there, Captain Rhodes, in advance."

Cobain stood up, shook Chen Jianqiu's hand, and said.

Chen Jianqiu sent Coburn out of the office.

He looked at the back of the Army Quartermaster, and the corners of his mouth curled.

This time, his smile was heartfelt.

The design is in my hands, and it's hard to say who this Springfield Arsenal will listen to.