World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

The battleship "Huaihe" was on its return voyage at 4:8 AM on August 14, 1916.

The eastern horizon was tinged with the pale light of dawn, and the Mediterranean Sea gradually changed from deep black to indigo, then tinged with the first hint of orange-red. The "Huaihe" sailed eastward at 28 knots, the spray from its bow gleaming like pearls in the morning light. The deep roar of its engines came through the steel bulkheads, steady and powerful, like the heartbeat of this behemoth.

In the officers' conference room below the bridge, Chen Feng, Li Te, and Wang Wenwu sat around a chart table. Charts of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea were spread out on the table, with routes, estimated times, and potential risks marked in red and blue pencil.

"At the current speed, we'll arrive in Dubai by noon tomorrow." Li Te's finger traced across the nautical chart. "We'll stay for twelve hours to refuel and replenish supplies, then immediately set sail for Istanbul."

Chen Feng nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on the nautical chart. His finger pointed to Istanbul, the strategic point connecting Eurasia and controlling the Black Sea straits.

"Has the Ottoman side confirmed it?" he asked.

Wang Wenwu opened the folder: "I received an encrypted reply from Enver Pasha early this morning. The special envoy of German Emperor Wilhelm II—General Falkenhayn, Chief of the General Staff—has arrived in Istanbul. Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V has agreed in principle to hold trilateral talks, but has put forward one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"The contents of the talks must be kept strictly confidential, and no agreement may be made public before the end of the war. Otherwise, the Ottoman Empire will not be able to face domestic public opinion and... pressure from the Holy Land."

Chen Feng chuckled lightly: "This Sultan is indeed cautious. Agree to his conditions. Reply: Lanfang respects the sovereignty and religious sentiments of the Ottomans; all meeting content will be handled as top secret."

"Yes," Wang Wenwu noted. "In addition, Enver Pasha privately conveyed a message that he hopes to know the specific parameters of the 'new equipment' we are going to showcase in advance. He is worried that... the Germans might try to lower the price."

"Tell him that once he sees the real thing, he'll understand its value." Chen Feng turned to Li Te, "Have both the prototype vehicle number one and the improved version number two been loaded onto the ship?"

"They've already been loaded onto the 'Dongting Lake' transport ship, which departed a day earlier than us, and should have already crossed the Red Sea," Li Te replied. "Accompanying them is a 15-person technical team personally led by Minister Liu Yongfu, including pilots, mechanics, and tactical instructors."

"Alright." Chen Feng finally shifted his gaze from the nautical chart to the brightening sky outside the porthole. "The key to the Istanbul talks is not the tanks themselves, but the possibility they represent—the possibility of breaking the deadlock on the Western Front. Falkenhayn will understand what this means."

Wang Wenwu closed the folder, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Commander-in-Chief, regarding last night's conversation with the King of England... I have a few questions I don't quite understand."

"explain."

"First, why did you compare Japan to 'a hungry person'? Won't this make the British think we're making excuses for Japan?"

Instead of answering directly, Chen Feng asked, "Minister Wang, what do you think King George V was thinking after hearing that story?"

Wang Wenwu pondered for a moment: "Anger? Doubt? Or... should I start rethinking my strategy towards Japan?"

"Both are important, but the last point is the most crucial." Chen Feng stood up, walked to the coffee machine, and poured himself a cup of black coffee. "The purpose of that story wasn't to exonerate Japan, but to change the way the British think about this issue. From 'how to punish the traitor' to 'how to address the root cause of the betrayal'."

He returned to the table with his coffee: "Once the mindset changes, the solutions change. Punitive solutions—sanctions, severing diplomatic ties, military threats—are simple, but often ineffective, or even counterproductive. Constructive solutions—economic aid, technological cooperation, strategic understanding—are complex, require patience and vision, but can truly solve the problem."

Li Te seemed thoughtful: "So you're laying the groundwork... for Lanfang's postwar involvement in the Japan issue?"

"It's more than just a prelude." Chen Feng took a sip of coffee, the bitterness making him even more clear-headed. "I'm telling the British: First, I understand the logic behind Japan's actions; second, I have a solution to this problem; third, if you're willing, we can work together to resolve it. But the prerequisite is that you need to move beyond simple anger and see the longer-term benefits."

Wang Wenwu suddenly realized: "So when George V asked Lanfang what role he would play, you said, 'I welcome any efforts to stabilize East Asia'..."

"That's leaving room for maneuver," Chen Feng smiled. "We're neither saying we'll definitely intervene, nor that we won't. We're maintaining ambiguity and taking the initiative. When the time is right—for example, when Japan is completely in trouble after the war—we'll decide whether to act alone or cooperate with Britain, depending on the situation."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, I'm sure George V understood the subtext. That's why he asked me that question at the end. He wanted to know whether Lanfang wanted to be a player or just an observer."

"So, are we players?" Lee Te asked.

Chen Feng looked at the admiral with a deep gaze: "General Li, from the moment we built our first Bismarck-class ship, from the moment we decided to sell weapons to Germany and Britain simultaneously, we have been players. The only difference is how big we want to play and how much we want to win."

The meeting room fell silent. Only the roar of the engine and the soft sound of a coffee cup being placed back on the table could be heard.

Outside the window, the sun had fully risen above the horizon, and golden rays instantly bathed the entire sea. The dark gray hull of the "Huaihe" was tinged with a warm gold, and the towering bridge cast a long shadow in the morning light.

"The second thing," Wang Wenwu continued, "is that last thing you said to George V—'History is often written by those who can transcend present anger and see the long-term interests.' Was that a compliment, or...?"

"It's a reminder, and also a test." Chen Feng looked eastward, where the sun was rising with unstoppable force. "I'm testing whether George V is that kind of monarch. If he is, he will calm down after his anger, reassess his strategy towards Japan, and might even actively seek cooperation with us. If not... that's fine too. We've already secured the warship order and established a framework for technological cooperation. Our basic interests have been secured."

Li Te suddenly remembered something: "Speaking of warships, Minister Liu Yongfu sent a telegram saying that the morale of the officers and soldiers on the 'Fuxing' and 'Guangfu' has basically stabilized. Your proposed solutions—name inscriptions, naming new ships, promotions and pay raises—have been very effective. Most of the veterans are willing to transfer to the 'Dingyuan' or 'Zhenyuan', or to teach at naval academies."