1890 King of Southeast Asia

\\"The British agreed to sell two world-class warships and give us the internal price." Zaifeng stood in the middle of the room, looking at the ministers with joy.

"Prince Chun, what is the British offer? The internal price. Seeing that everyone was silent, Prince Qing spoke up to help.

In fact, he didn't want to care, but there were not only these people in the room, but also a chief eunuch behind him. He couldn't let people run in vain, otherwise someone would be unhappy.

"Two ships, 5 million!" Zaifeng said happily.

The ministers looked at each other, and Prince Qing asked tentatively: "Silver?" \\"

"Pounds," Zaifeng said angrily.

\\"The price difference is not big, are the British so kind? \\" Shixu calculated silently and asked in confusion. The British are expensive! The cheap ones have problems, this is their most simple cognition.

"British, what kind of ship are you selling? How long is it? How wide is it? How deep is the draft? \\"Zhang Nanpi pursed his lips and asked.

"There are two types. One is 163 meters long, 25 meters wide, and 8 meters deep. It can be moored in the military port, and it is ready-made. There are 5 30-cm cannons, 10 guns! And 20 15-cm rapid-fire guns! \\"Zaifeng gestured, and he was very excited. \\"The second type is that they provide the design, we choose, and then manufacture, but the price is not certain. \\"Zaifeng said indifferently.

Why is the difference so big? Because the British promised to give the former a 4-point rebate, which is 200,000 pounds and 1.4 million taels of silver.

The latter does not have these preferential conditions.

"Japan's latest warship is equipped with a 34-cm cannon, and its conditions are better than the first one. It is useless to buy it to fight against Japan. \\"Zhang Nanpi lost interest in this matter in an instant.

The people on the scene have more or less the most basic understanding of the navy because of the wars in recent years. The Japanese bought 343 mm artillery, so they need larger caliber and more artillery.

Otherwise, if a war breaks out and they lose, someone will use this as an excuse, and whoever agrees to buy this warship will be the sinner.

And everyone present knows that Nanhua took sides in the previous two times. If we don't buy Nanhua's products this time, who knows if Nanhua will take sides again?

Even if it doesn't take sides, the new army's guns and ammunition need to import a large amount of Nanhua products. If they don't sell them to you when the war starts, you will suffer enough.

\\"That is more powerful than the Japanese pirate warships, stronger in all aspects. How much does such a ship cost? \\"Prince Qing thought of the person behind the screen. He didn't want to ask, but he had to ask, because his face was full of dissatisfaction with Zaifeng.

"I haven't asked yet," Zaifeng looked at Prince Qing in confusion.

"Prince Chun, I'm not saying you should do things clearly and clearly, so that the master knows what she wants. Do you let the master guess by herself when you do things like this? Prince Qing said unhappily, and winked at him.

Seeing Prince Qing's eyes, Zaifeng looked at the screen in confusion and immediately broke out in a sweat.

\\"Go and ask clearly, all the adults are very tired. How can you not ask clearly about such a big thing? You are not young anymore, don't be impatient\\"

"I'll go right away," Zaifeng staggered out the door and asked the price.

He really didn't expect that there was someone listening behind the screen.

This is the Military Affairs Office. The only one who can send people to listen openly is the emperor, of course, now it is the empress dowager who holds the imperial power.

Zaifeng left, but the discussion did not stop. The old witch sent someone to express her dissatisfaction. If she did not come up with a plan as soon as possible, several people might have to go home.

"Lord Lu, what are the conditions proposed by Nanhua?" Zhang Nanpi asked.

Lu Chuanlin stroked his beard: \\"I have been entangled with it for a long time. Nanhua agreed to reduce 600,000 taels. If it reduces further, the interest-free loan conditions will be deducted. \\"

"Have you made a plan? Can you tell me in detail?" Zhang Nanpi asked curiously.

\\"Nanhua is based on the design plan given by the Japanese Kongo class, equipped with nine 35-liter cannons, the thickest part of the steel armor is one foot and seven points, and it can travel 22 nautical miles per hour, and cooperate with existing ships to form a team. Two ships together, 33 million taels of silver, can be loaned, or goods can be used as collateral."

"33 million, enough to rebuild a Beiyang!" Shixu took a breath.

"Five million pounds is 35 million taels." Prince Qing said softly.

\\"From all aspects, this ship is much cheaper and better than the British one, and to suppress Japan's wolfish ambitions, more than two giant ships are necessary!" Zhang Nanpi nodded.

He knew the international arms prices. Not only were warships getting more and more expensive, but silver was also depreciating. In the past ten years, silver in the national market has depreciated by 75%. This price is actually acceptable.

And it is an interest-free loan, so you just have to pay it back slowly, and there is not much pressure.

"Take a break first, and wait for Prince Chun to come back." Prince Qing stood up and pounded his waist.

After the ministers went down to rest, the people behind the screen came out.

"General Manager Li, please talk to the old Buddha and let the old Buddha make a decision. It's not a good thing to keep dragging it on like this, and it's tiring for you to make a trip." Prince Qing said with a smile.

"Oh my, Your Majesty, you are embarrassing me by saying this. We are all here to share the burden for the Empress Dowager. I am just running errands, so how can I be tired or not? On the contrary, you and the others are responsible for all the important affairs of the world. That is the hard work and great merit!" Li Lianying knelt down and said. qqxδnew

"The British have found a nephew of my family. He is so poor that he has come to Beijing to be a lobbyist. Li Lianying shook his head and laughed immediately.

"Li, the chief steward, get up quickly, quickly, quickly." Prince Qing pretended to support him.

"I have already taught him a lesson. The old Buddha is most concerned about stability. At this moment, the old Buddha is most worried about Japan and Russia. If a lot of money is spent, Japan and Russia will not be suppressed."

Li Lianying stopped talking here and left Prince Qing with a mysterious smile.

"Oh my chief steward, you should have said it earlier!" Prince Qing slapped his thigh fiercely.

"Your Highness, this is..." Li Lianying smiled even more brightly.

"A few days ago, there was an assistant in Jiangnan Factory who wanted to be vacant. I was worried about where to find someone to replace him. Isn't this a coincidence? So, you ask him to come to the Qing Palace, and I will give him a post to go to Jiangnan Factory. \\"Prince Qing laughed.

"That won't work! He is just a commoner." Li Lianying waved his hand hurriedly.

"Just donate one, donate a fourth-rank hat is enough." Prince Qing was interrupted by Li Lianying again.

"Your Highness, no, no! I have to report to the old Buddha in a hurry, and I can't stay for long, so that the old Buddha knows that the prince led a group of military officials to waste time with Nanhua in order to save money. \\"Li Lianying kept refusing and hurried out the door. \\"Tens of thousands of taels are gone again, Zaifeng is a guy whose son is the eldest prince, hum! \\"Prince Qing looked at Li Lianying's background and shook his head.

The assistant of Jiangnan Factory is equivalent to the third in command, but Jiangnan Factory has more than one vice-director and more than one assistant, but it is also a lucrative job.

Adding the money for donating his birthright, tens of thousands of taels were gone.

As for not doing anything? Eunuchs may not be able to accomplish anything, but the ability to do bad things is innate, not to mention a big eunuch like Li Lianying.

Everyone knows that the old witch will die soon, but who knows when the old witch will die? As long as she is not dead, she has the final say in this empire, even if he is the three-generation veteran Prince Qing, the oldest prince of the royal family, is just a slave!

"No! Zaifeng has to pay for this money!" Prince Qing was more and more angry as he thought about it, and he lost tens of thousands of taels in vain.

\\"Old Buddha. \\"Li Lianying knelt on the ground.

"How is the matter going? \\"The old witch was lying on the chair, her breath was weak.

"The British had a relationship with Prince Chun," Li Lianying said honestly, only glancing at some things and emphasizing some things.

\\"This waste, seeing that he was the father of the eldest prince, wanted him to help the eldest prince and stabilize the court. Now it seems that he did not inherit the cleverness of the old Prince Chun. \\"The old witch said with her eyes closed.

\\"Tell Prince Qing not to worry too much about small money and buy it as soon as possible. I am becoming more and more uneasy in my heart. "Lord Lu, the offer really can't be lower. I dare to say that except for the Americans, no one can build such a warship for you at such a favorable price." Wang Tinghan looked at Lu Chuanlin.

"And the Americans? He himself has never built a warship equipped with 356mm guns. He dares to quote, do you dare to buy it? Aren't you afraid that the huge sum of money you buy back is a defective product that has been repaired twice a day? \\"Wang Tinghan said contemptuously.

"That's all. I've been talking to you for so long because I want to have a long-term cooperation with you. According to the contract, if the order is cancelled midway, the party in breach shall bear all losses and pay double the fine.

Considering the good cooperation between the two parties, we have been restrained, but it does not mean that we are a good man.

That's all!\\" Wang Tinghan didn't even open the bag and took it directly.

"Sir Wang, this is not the first time we have cooperated with each other, but before, we had a lot of difficulties!" Lu Chuanlin began to play the emotional card.

\\"We provide interest-free loans and allow you to pay in installments. I don't know where we are embarrassed?\\" Wang Tinghan knew that Lu Chuanlin was going to show his cards.

'If I had known it would be so useful, I would have used it earlier. What's the matter with the Qing Empire? Do you want to breach the contract and don't want to take responsibility? '"This is the thing, the British" Lu Chuanlin told the story, limited to what he knew and could say.