Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Chapter 221: The Governor-General
The second day after the Shonan Sanda King Championship ended.

Chen Jie first moved all the gold coins he had made to the "other world".

Also transported over were 100,000 silver dollars.

no way,
The Daqian Dynasty did not circulate gold coins, only silver dollars.

Therefore,
Before he opened the money shop, he needed a lot of funds to maintain the normal operation of Ximen Hall.

After moving the silver dollars and gold coins and hiding them in a secret place, Chen Jie headed for Tianjin Port!
Tianjin Port now belongs to Ximentang.

Chen Jie built a large warehouse in the shipyard at Tianjin Port.

There are three consecutive warning lines around the warehouse.

This will become his transportation base, so he naturally has to be cautious.

The purchased merchant ship has not returned yet.

However, the entire shipyard has been put into action.

The workers began to resume production and repair some of the previous ironclad ships.

After staying in the "other world" for two days and getting everything done, Chen Jie came back again.

He shipped another batch of goods, gathered some funds, and flew to the Netherlands to handle the handover matters at the European shipyard.

Before this, he originally wanted to buy a shipyard in the country.

However, management is very strict in many places of the shipyard.

His purpose was not to produce ships, but to use the shipyard's equipment and debug naval guns.

Therefore, he finally gave up on domestic shipyards and had to go to the Netherlands in Europe where the environment was more relaxed.

He met Yan Limin in Europe.

He asked Yan Liming to recruit people for the management of the shipyard.

He let Yan Liming take charge of the entire European business with confidence.

If Yan Limin doesn’t understand something, just go and recruit people!
Nowadays, all you need to do is know how to manage money, and leave professional matters to professionals.

Yan Liming has become Chen Jie's most loyal subordinate.

There was an "imprint" of Chen Jie in his mind.

In order to raise 200 million US dollars to acquire the shipyard, Chen Jie has spent almost all of his money!
Next,
Only after the payment for Lu Yanting's rare wood furniture is settled, will he have the funds to purchase a naval gun production line.

Chen Jie stayed in the Netherlands, Europe for a week.

Finally got everything done.

The shipyard employs few workers and has a huge warehouse.

He placed all the things he was going to move in the warehouse.

and,

He also built a huge oil depot in the shipyard's warehouse.

This stronghold that spans the two worlds is the junction of the shipyards on both sides.

The ship's 'power assembly' prepared here, after debugging is completed, Chen Jie can easily move it to the 'other world'.

The core components for the production of naval guns also need to be transported by this shipyard.

Before preparing to move the purchased items, Chen Jie prepared them himself.

Medium ship powertrain: 24 diesel engine sets (48 points)

Diesel: 1000 tons (10 points)

Medium-sized gantry crane: one set (5 points)

This time he moved 1000 tons of diesel, ten times more than last time.

Since the power train of medium-sized ships uses diesel generator sets, a large amount of diesel is required.

Chen Jie has already planned to let Ximen Hall occupy Hebei in the future.

Exploit the oil fields!
That's right, the West has already started to have "kerosene".

If Ximen Tang wants to gain the upper hand in the coming period, it must exploit the oil fields in advance.

We must build an oil refinery, even if the output is lower.

If we continue to rely on him to transport diesel, it will not be a long-term solution.

This time, 1000 tons of diesel were transported here to repel the Western warships and the Eastern fleet.

Only by breaking the maritime blockade can Ximentang have a stronger voice.

and,

Whether it is the development of heavy industry, light industry, money houses, etc., it is necessary to lift the maritime blockade first.

The power train of a medium-sized ship costs 2 points of [Martial Arts Merit] for each set transported, which is similar to a generator set.

This is a German product. Although it is expensive, it is very powerful and not easy to break down.

A warship with a displacement of 500 tons, equipped with a diesel engine set, can reach a speed of 20 knots at sea;
If two are configured, the speed can exceed 40 knots;
After checking the surroundings, lock the door.

Chen Jie took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

A desolate voice sounded in his mind:
[Consume 63 martial arts merit points! ]

[The Blood Dragon Jade has been activated, and the Martial Saint Gate has been opened! ]

hum!
As the red light appeared, it enveloped Chen Jie and everything around him.

Next,
He stepped into the rotating 'Martial Saint Gate'!
As the dizziness set in, he opened his eyes and returned to the shipyard warehouse in Tianjin Port.

at this time,

The remaining [Martial Arts Merit Points] of the 'Blood Dragon Jade' in his mind is 98200 points!
-

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month in the Daqian calendar.

Tianjin Port Shipyard!
Ding-dong—ding-dong—!
At the huge shipyard production site, workers are hammering and installing diesel engine powertrains.

The twelve merchant ships purchased from Hendri's Dutch trading company were delivered ten days ago.

Chen Jie asked the craftsmen at the shipyard to strengthen their learning of the installation of ship power assemblies through video training.

at this time,

The knocking sounds around mixed with the roar of the steam engines in the former shipyard.

Anyone who walks into the shipyard's workshop can feel the bustling work scene.

A huge gantry crane and hundreds of people were working continuously around two merchant ships.

They were wearing the same shipyard uniforms and there was steam rising around them.

Xu Shichang, the new Minister of War of the Daqian Dynasty, came to the shipyard with Chen Jie as an imperial envoy.

Since the imperial court has raised 500,000 silver dollars for Ximen Hall.

Then,

The emperor and the Sixth Prince naturally wanted to know whether Ximen Tang had put the silver dollars to good use.

Xu Shichang was shocked when he saw the production scene in the shipyard.

He had never seen a gantry crane or a ship's diesel engine assembly.

hiss--!
Xu Shichang couldn't help but take a deep breath, and his heart couldn't calm down for a long time.

Is this the most advanced shipbuilding technology in the West?
At this time,

The guard following Xu Shichang whispered to Chen Jie:
"Lord Xu is inspecting the shipyard. Do you want to ask a craftsman to come over and ask about the situation?"

but,

At this time, the knocking sound in the shipyard was very loud, and Chen Jie couldn't hear clearly what he said.

Seeing the guards gesturing constantly, Chen Jie asked in surprise: "What? What did you just say? Speak louder, I can't hear you!"

The guard approached Chen Jie, and for fear that Chen Jie couldn't hear him, he shouted, "Do you want to ask a craftsman to come over and ask about the details?"

Chen Jie immediately shook his head and pointed at the merchant ship that was being renovated and installed, and said:
"The craftsmen are in a hurry now and don't have time! If you have any questions, just ask me!"

What should I ask the craftsman?
Every craftsman only knows a small part of his job, so what can he ask?
If it were someone else, they might care about Xu Shichang's identity as an imperial envoy.

But Chen Jie didn't take the imperial envoy seriously.

In the presence of the emperor, he ate whatever he wanted.

Naturally, Xu Shichang didn't care much about asking the craftsmen, he just went through the motions.

He walked around the shipyard.

When he saw that all twelve merchant ships were in place and had begun the transformation phase, he breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that the 500,000 silver dollars raised by the Emperor and the Sixth Prince were not wasted.

After taking a tour of the shipyard.

Xu Shichang stopped, looked at Chen Jie and said:

"Westerners' industry is indeed advanced, but I didn't expect that shipbuilding has become like this!"

"Mr. Chen is very knowledgeable and talented. I really admire him."

"A lot of money was invested in this shipyard to maintain the Beiyang Fleet."

“I never thought that the shipyard, which was almost abandoned, and the steam engines around it would be put to use again.”

"By the way, can the Ximentang Arsenal produce steam engines now?"

The development of Western industry began with the invention of the steam engine.

Xu Shichang had studied in the West for many years, so he naturally knew the importance of steam engines.

in fact,

He didn't know that the 'ship diesel power unit' that Chen Jie brought over was not a steam engine, but an updated product.

He thought it was the most advanced steam engine in the West and was purchased from the Dutch.

Chen Jie nodded and said, "It's just a steam engine. Of course we can make it."

Simon Hall’s arsenal could even manufacture imitation AK47 assault rifles and mortars, so how could it not be able to manufacture steam engines?

"However, the current refined steel mills do not have enough output, and are unable to produce steam engines in large quantities for the time being!"

In fact, it is not difficult for Ximending to imitate the steam engine.

The most difficult part is actually the output of steel.

He now only had a small steel refinery, which could not supply enough steel to mass-produce steam engines.

of course,

As the industrial foundation, the steam engine is definitely the most core industry for the current Daqian Dynasty.

If steam engines could not be mass-produced, it would be almost impossible for the Daqian Dynasty to change the status quo.

Ever since Ximen Tang took over the Dagukou Fortress in Tianjin, Chen Jie had a plan in mind.

If we want to improve production efficiency, we must widely use steam engines in all walks of life.

but,

He is not a philanthropist, so how could he casually provide steam engines to the Daqian Dynasty?
Even if it is to be provided, it can only be the territory under Ximen Tang.

When Xu Shichang heard that Ximentang’s arsenal could manufacture steam engines, his eyes suddenly lit up.

No wonder Ximen Tang developed so rapidly, it turned out that it could really produce steam engines.

"The Westerners' industrial development is so fast, and their weapons are far superior to those of Daqian. Steam engines play the most important role!"

"More than a few decades ago, the 'Westernization Movement' initiated by the late emperor had a great impact on our Daqian!"

"Unfortunately, all we can learn from Westerners are old technologies. New technologies are kept strictly confidential."

Xu Shichang sighed.

Next, he asked:
"What is the current status of the artillery produced by Ximen Tang's arsenal?"

It is clear,
This is what the Emperor asked Xu Shichang to ask.

With the continuous development of Ximentang, the number of 60mm mortars in the entire Dagukou Fortress exceeded !
In addition, the number of 120mm mortars has exceeded 300.
The current population of Ximen Hall is still 20,000.

but,

The overall combat effectiveness has reached a terrifying level.

The royal family felt increasing pressure and became more wary of Ximen Tang.

Although Emperor Li Zheng had met with Chen Jie, Chen Jie had also promised the emperor that he would not attack the capital.

but,

The emperor’s heart is unpredictable!

How could the emperor feel at ease when there was an army with such terrifying combat effectiveness stationed in Tianjin, the gateway to the capital?
According to the investigation of the court's military intelligence department, Ximen Tang's current combat effectiveness is insufficient if it were to attack the capital.

With the combat effectiveness of the Capital Guards, the battle will be over in less than an hour.

If Ximen Tang bombarded the imperial palace in the capital, it could be razed to the ground within half a day.

This is also the reason why Emperor Li Zheng specially asked Xu Shichang to inspect Ximentang’s shipyard and asked indirectly to understand the important reasons of Ximentang’s arsenal.

To know,
Although Ximentang’s arsenal was located in the Xicheng District of the capital.

but,

The arsenal is under closed management.

There are three consecutive outer security lines, and two infrared security lines inside.

Even the top experts of the imperial military intelligence department could not enter Ximen Hall’s arsenal to gather information.

Therefore,
Xu Shichang could only ask Chen Jie about this.

Chen Jie said calmly: "The current production is very limited. We can only be self-sufficient and cannot provide it to the Ministry of War!"

As soon as he heard Xu Shichang's tone, he knew what Xu Shichang was thinking.

Xu Shichang sighed with regret.

He didn't expect Chen Jie to be so alert and immediately knew what he wanted to say.

After a moment's silence, he continued:
"The amount of fine steel required for a musket is not high, so why don't we see the Ximen Tang Arsenal producing Western muskets?"

Hearing this, Chen Jie couldn't help laughing.

What is the value of producing the Western people’s broken muskets?
Ximen Tang has now started mass production of imitation AK47 assault rifles.

Currently, the elite troops of the 'War Division' and the 'Eagle Division' have each been equipped with 200 assault rifles.

"The court is encouraging Ximen Tang to imitate Western muskets and provide them to the Ministry of War?"

Chen Jie asked with a calm smile.

Xu Shichang nodded and said:

"Yes, that's exactly what it means. Can't the Ximen Tang Arsenal replicate it?"

"That's not it!"

Chen Jie smiled and said, "Westerners don't restrict the sale of muskets, and the current price is relatively not too expensive!"

"Our cold forging plant is still too small, and the output of steel is very small."

"There's little point in using our current equipment to produce muskets!"

Xu Shichang nodded slightly, and after a moment of silence, he said:

"The imperial court is planning to build an arsenal to manufacture muskets and cannons. Can Ximentang provide support?"

Ok?
Chen Jie muttered to himself when he heard this.

In fact, he had already understood this with the appearance of various new weapons of Ximen Hall.

Inside the imperial court, the royal family was absolutely unable to sleep or eat well.

No, it should be said that the royal family, the powerful families, and all the factions will be wary of Ximen Tang.

To know,
Ximen Tang was independent of the imperial court and did not participate in the power struggle within the court at all.

Therefore,
The major families, who were always good at internal fighting, had no way to deal with Ximen Hall.

Ever since Ximen Tang razed the Piaoxiang Building of Taipinghao overnight without even saying a word,

All the major families were afraid when they heard about Ximen Tang, and dared not offend him.

This time, the major families of the "pro-war faction" were able to raise 500,000 silver dollars, not because of the royal family's face, but because Ximen Tang supported the backbone of the "pro-war faction".

The imperial court wanted to build an artillery and musket factory, an arsenal belonging to the royal family.

Chen Jie didn't mind assisting the court in building a factory.

If the court is not allowed to build an arsenal, it will hinder the development of Ximen Hall.

Chen Jie thought for a while and said in a deep voice:
"No problem! Ximen Tang is naturally willing to help the court build an arsenal, and is willing to provide the most advanced technical support currently available in the West!"

"But the first problem is to solve the batch problem of steel, which will not be done so quickly!"

"The Western coalition forces and the Japanese haven't been driven away yet, and the entire sea is still blocked by them!"

After a pause, he continued, "The manufacture of gun barrels and cannon barrels is a precise engineering project that requires seamless steel pipes!"

"The yield rate of our Ximen Tang Arsenal is still very low!"

"This is not something that ordinary craftsmen can accomplish. It requires training a group of top craftsmen, which will take a long time."

"How about this, the court can start investing and construction first, and we will assist!"

"As for how long it will take to produce qualified fine steel and seamless steel pipes, and to produce qualified muskets and cannons, I can't guarantee it to you!"

"It may take one year at the fastest, or two years at the slowest. But I can promise that within three years, we should be able to mass-produce muskets and cannons!"

Who can guarantee whether the Daqian Dynasty will still exist in three years?

Chen Jie muttered secretly in his heart.

After hearing what Chen Jie said, Xu Shichang also felt that building an arsenal was a very large project.

He originally came from the Grand Council and was a key figure in the "Westernization Movement", and was well-versed in industrial change.

With his level of knowledge and cognition, he knew that Chen Jie was not lying.

indeed,

If you want to build an arsenal, it is definitely not something that can be completed in a short period of time.

The situation at Simon Hall’s arsenal is very special.

Chen Jie directly moved the production line here. Can it be the same as the normal preparation?

Next,
Xu Shichang waved to the guards around him, and then nodded to Tang Feng's personal guards beside Chen Jie.

Obviously,

He has something important to say to Chen Jie.

The guards around left, and after a few minutes, only Xu Shichang and Chen Jie were left.

Xu Shichang said to Chen Jie with a serious face:

"Mr. Chen, there is something I need to discuss with you. People in the court are wary of Ximen Tang!"

"Tianjin Dagukou Fortress is too close to the capital!"

"Even if the emperor is very confident in your Ximen Hall, he is not alone behind him."

"The higher-ups hope that after the sea blockade crisis is resolved, Ximen Hall will give up the Dagukou Fortress!"

"As for Ximen Tang's shipyard and all industries in Tianjin Port, they can continue to operate, and 2,000 people are allowed to be stationed in Tianjin Port!"

"In order to compensate Ximen Tang for his losses, the court plans to appoint you as the governor of Shandong, and Ximen Tang will be stationed in Shandong!"

Chen Jie was stunned when he heard this!
What do you mean?
Governor of Shandong!

This is—a provincial governor!
Exchange Shandong for Tianjin City?
Right,

Tianjin city is too close to Beijing.

Ximen Tang acted so strong that all the powerful people in the capital felt insecure.

However, if they wanted to garrison in Shandong, they had to wipe out all the Eastern and Westerners in Shandong.

Hot potato!
After the Japanese landed in Weihai, Shandong, they almost occupied the entire coastal area of Shandong.

in addition,

Seymour's coalition forces and warships are currently stationed in Dongying!

Since Xu Shichang has said this, I think the decision has already been made.

Although Xu Shichang spoke in a negotiating tone, it was difficult to refuse.

in fact,

Regardless of whether Chen Jie becomes the Governor-General of Shandong, or whether Ximen Tang is stationed in Shandong.

Ximen Tang will definitely have a battle with the Easterners and Westerners next.

The court exchanged Shandong for Tianjin, which was actually beneficial to both Ximen Tang and the court.

After all, Ximen Hall is just a gang of chivalrous men and is not affiliated with the imperial court.

The loss of control over the capital's gateway caused panic among the powerful and wealthy in the capital.

Therefore,
Ximen Hall is becoming stronger and stronger, and staying away from the capital is the best choice.

The imperial court was worried that Ximen Tang had rebellious intentions and was afraid that he would suddenly open fire on the capital.

Chen Jie was also worried that the top masters of the imperial court would secretly attack him.

(End of this chapter)