The end of the military era

Chapter 63 Islands for Warships

Zhou Rui and Song Limin had just confirmed the new establishment of the coastal defense fleet in the future, and Zhou Xiaorong walked into Zhou Rui's office.

"Major General, that Liu Shaochang is here again, and he still insists on seeing you." Zhou Xiaorong said helplessly.

Song Limin immediately said: "Young General, if there is nothing else, I will continue to work."

Zhou Rui looked at the pair of obvious dark circles on Song Limin's face, and couldn't help saying with concern: "Old Song, you have to pay attention to your body.

You, the deputy commander in chief of the Coastal Defense Fleet, must not become exhausted at this critical moment. "

Song Limin said with a smile: "Don't worry, Major General, the ships, personnel and various combat materials have basically been arranged, and I won't be so busy in the future.

As long as the major general gives the order, the expedition fleet can set off at any time! "

After Song Limin left the office, Zhou Rui said to Zhou Xiaorong: "Second Uncle, let me meet that Liu Shaochang!"

"Major General, another telegram has been sent from the Jiedu Mansion, urging our Zhou family to send troops to Jingyang City to join the battle."

"Second Uncle, continue to procrastinate with the previous reasons. Anyway, I will not send our Zhou family's army to be cannon fodder in Jingyang City!"

"Well, I'll have someone send a telegram to the Jiedu Mansion, and continue to emphasize that our Zhou family has too many new recruits, and we can't send troops to support the front line of Jingyang City for the time being."

When Zhou Rui saw Liu Shaochang, he said straight to the point: "General Liu, the two fury-class all-steel battleships are the spoils captured by our Zhou family's coastal defense fleet from the Tongze fleet.

It is impossible that because the Tongze Fleet snatched these two Furious-class all-steel battleships from your Liu family, our Zhou family has to give them to your Liu family for nothing.

If they were exchanged, surely your Liu family would not give up the loot easily. Is it too much for me to ask your Liu family for hard work? "

Liu Shaochang is a major general officially appointed by the Fengwu Jiedu Mansion, so Zhou Rui called him General Liu.

Liu Shaochang smiled and said: "Not too much! Not at all too much!

General Zhou, our Liu family is also willing to pay the Ganyang City Coastal Defense Fleet a hard fee, but 1500 million silver coins is too high. Our Liu family only spent 1800 million silver coins to buy four violent-class all-steel battleships. "

Because Zhou Rui is not only the commander-in-chief of the coastal defense fleet of Ganyang City, but also the brigade commander of the No.20 Second Independent Brigade of the Fengwu Army, so the Fengwu Jiedu Mansion just awarded Zhou Rui the rank of Major General not long ago , This is also a means for Fengwu Jiedu Mansion to win over the Zhou family.

Zhou Rui's title as a "general" has already lived up to his name.

Although Liu Shaochang's attitude was very low, Zhou Rui was not going to give Xiyun Liu's family any favors.

"General Liu, a capital ship like an all-steel battleship cannot be bought even if you have money in our Han and Tang Empire.

If it weren't for the fact that the two families belong to Fengwu Town, I wouldn't even open the price with your Liu family. Our Zhou family is not short of money! "

Liu Shaochang cursed at Zhou Rui in his heart, your Zhou family paid such a high price even if they were not short of money, obviously they wanted to covet the two Furious-class all-steel battleships and my Liu family's more than 1200 sailors!

"General Zhou, let me tell you the truth, in order to buy four fury-class all-steel battleships, our Liu family has almost wiped out all their wealth.

Not to mention 1500 million silver coins, it is 150 million silver coins. Our Liu family is struggling to get them out now. "

When Zhou Rui heard this, his color changed almost instantly, "General Liu, since your Liu family has no money, there is no need for us to continue the discussion.

Wait for your Liu family to collect enough 1500 million silver coins someday and come to me again!

I still have a lot of business to deal with today, so I won't send General Liu off. "

"General Zhou, although our Liu family can't afford so many silver coins, our Liu family is willing to use Xiwei Island in exchange for two violent-class all-steel battleships and more than 1200 naval officers and soldiers on board the two ships!"

"What? Your Liu family wants to exchange Xiwei Island?"

Zhou Rui was taken aback by Liu Shaochang's words.

Xiwei Island is located about 200 kilometers west of Xiyun City, about 450 kilometers away from Ganyang City, with an area of ​​770 square kilometers. It is the largest island in the southwestern coast of the Han and Tang Empires. Its size is almost equivalent to three Fengshas occupied by the Red Tiger Empire. island.

Originally, because of the relative scarcity of fresh water resources on Xiwei Island, the Chihu Empire chose Fengsha Island more than 60 years ago and gave up Xiwei Island.

Currently Xiwei Island is under the control of Xiyun Liu's family. The Liu family has established a port on Xiwei Island. Relying on this port, a small town with a population of several thousand has also been formed.

In the last life, six years later, during the war where the Red Tiger Empire and the Silver Wolf Empire jointly invaded the western coast of the Han and Tang Empires, Xiwei Island was finally occupied by the Silver Wolf Empire.

Three years later, the Silver Wolf Empire discovered a large gold and silver mine on Xiwei Island. As for the gold and silver reserves of this gold and silver mine, the Silver Wolf Empire did not announce it to the public.

However, because of the large gold and silver mine on Xiwei Island, another war almost broke out between the Silver Wolf Empire and the Red Tiger Empire.

Liu Shaochang nodded affirmatively, "As long as General Zhou is willing to return our Liu family's two Furious-class all-steel battleships and more than 1200 naval officers and soldiers on board.

We, the Liu family, are willing to transfer Xiwei Island, including all the facilities in the port of Xiwei Island, to the Zhou family free of charge and sign a formal agreement. "

"General Liu, our Zhou family needs to discuss this matter. I can't answer you right now."

After Liu Shaochang left, Zhou Rui immediately sent someone to find Zhou Xiaorong and Song Limin again.

When Zhou Rui told Zhou Xiaorong and Song Limin that Xiyun Liu's family wanted to exchange Xiwei Island for two violent-class all-steel battleships and more than 1200 officers and soldiers on board.

Song Limin pondered for a while and said, "Major General, although Xiwei Island lacks fresh water, it's not that there is no fresh water resource at all.

If our Zhou family can get Xiwei Island, we can use the current port of Xiwei Island to build a naval base and extend the sphere of influence of the coastal defense fleet to the north.

However, there is nothing wrong with returning the two Furious-class all-steel battleships to Xiyun Liu's family. Anyway, the coastal defense fleet is not bad for those two all-steel battleships.

But the more than 1200 naval officers and soldiers of Xiyun Liu's family have already been absorbed into our coastal defense fleet, and it would be quite inappropriate to return them to Xiyun Liu's family. "

West Cloud City is to the north of Ganyang City, and further north of West Cloud City is the coastal area of ​​Kangyang Town.

Kangyang Town is the only town with a coastline among the six towns in the northwest of the Han and Tang Empires.

Zhou Rui said decisively: "If we want to change, we can only exchange two violent-class all-steel battleships with Xiyun Liu's family for Xiwei Island.

If the Liu family of Xiyun disagrees, they can only cancel the deal. Since the more than 1200 naval officers and soldiers of the Liu family of Xiyun have transferred to our Zhou family, they are already members of the Zhou family.

It's impossible for our Zhou family to do things that go back on their promises! "

Song Limin nodded, "If only two Furious-class all-steel battleships are traded, I have no objection."

Zhou Xiaorong continued: "After all, Xiwei Island has an area of ​​770 square kilometers and is the largest island in the southwestern coast. I think this deal is quite a bargain for our Zhou family."

After Liu Shaochang left the brigade headquarters building of the garrison brigade, he got into a car directly.

"Go back to the Nine Stars Hotel!"

At this time, the middle-aged strong man who got into the car with Liu Shaochang couldn't help but said: "Young master, is it just giving Xiwei Island to the Zhou family for nothing?"

Liu Shaochang said helplessly: "Now the family's funds are tight, and the Zhou family, if they don't take the money, they don't want to get back the two fury-class all-steel battleships, so they have to take Xiwei Island to pay for it."

"Young master, is it worthwhile to exchange Xiwei Island for two all-steel battleships? Xiwei Island is the largest island in the southwestern coast!"

The corners of Liu Shaochang's lips slightly raised, revealing a strange smile, "Over the years, the Red Tiger Empire and the Silver Wolf Empire have been eyeing Xiwei Island, and it is precisely because of this that our Liu family dare not build a port on Xiwei Island.