World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

At 8 p.m. on August 20, in the Crystal Hall of Dolmabahçe Palace.

This hall, measuring 60 meters long and 25 meters wide, is named after the four-and-a-half-ton crystal chandelier in its center, a gift from Queen Victoria of Great Britain to Sultan Abdul Mejid I. Beneath the chandelier, representatives from the three parties sat around a long table covered in deep red velvet, the atmosphere heavy and somber.

On the German side, Emperor Wilhelm II attended in person. He had specially changed into the uniform of a Prussian Field Marshal, his medals gleaming, but the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his sleepless nights. General Falkenhayn sat to his right, the cuffs of his uniform hastily patched with matching thread—the result of the Chief of the General Staff not changing his service clothes for four consecutive months.

On the Ottoman side, Enver Pasha and Halim Pasha sat side by side. Enver stood ramrod straight, as if resisting some invisible pressure, but his grip on the hilt of his saber was very tight. Halim Pasha, on the other hand, looked gaunt, and overnight, another patch of white hair had appeared.

Chen Feng, representing Lanfang, was still dressed in a dark gray suit. Wang Wenwu sat to his left, with three copies of the agreement laid out in front of him—an Ottoman Turkish version, a German version, and a Chinese version.

"Gentlemen," Chen Feng began, his voice calm, "before the formal signing, I would like to reiterate a few commitments on behalf of the Lanfang Republic."

All eyes were on him.

"First, all religious sites within the designated area—whether mosques or churches—will be fully protected, and the Lanfang security forces will never interfere in religious affairs."

"Second, the land ownership and housing ownership of existing residents in the area will be recognized. If land needs to be acquired when Lanfang carries out infrastructure construction, compensation will be three times the market price."

"Third, all resource development projects will prioritize hiring local residents, with salaries no lower than those for equivalent positions in Lanfang."

"Fourth," he paused, looking at Halimpasha, "5% of the concession fee will be used to establish a 'Regional Development Fund' to build schools, hospitals, and roads. The fund's management committee will be jointly composed of representatives from Lanfang and the Ottomans."

Halim Pasha was slightly moved. These details had not been fully clarified in the previous negotiations, and Chen Feng's initiative to bring them up now at least indicated that Lanfang wanted more than just plunder.

Wilhelm II tapped the table impatiently: "Your Excellency, these details can be discussed later. We have already reviewed the text of the agreement. The question now is—after signing, when will the tank technology be delivered?"

Falkingham added, "The Western Front cannot afford to wait. Every day, the Somme is claiming the lives of German soldiers."

Chen Feng turned to Liu Yongfu. The Minister of Industry immediately opened his briefcase and took out a folder sealed with sealing wax: "Your Majesty, General, this is a catalog of the complete set of technical drawings for the 'Number One Armored Assault Vehicle.' The originals were loaded onto a ship yesterday and are being transported by the transport ship 'Dongting Lake,' and are expected to arrive at Hamburg Port in twenty-five days."

He pushed the list over. Falkenhayn eagerly grabbed it and flipped through it, his eyes gradually lighting up: "Fully welded hull construction...slope armor design...detailed gearbox specifications...excellent! excellent!"

Wilhelm II looked at Chen Feng: "President, you previously said that the first batch of fifty training vehicles could be delivered within three months?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Chen Feng nodded, "but we need Germany to provide the chassis and engines. Lanfang's production capacity is currently focused on naval vessels, and the land combat equipment production line is still being expanded." (Part of Lanfang's production capacity is for its own use, and it also needs to equip the Ottomans. Moreover, once the British have tanks, the Germans can also produce them.)

"We have the chassis!" Wilhelm II immediately said. "MAN truck chassis can be modified. As for the engine... Daimler's six-cylinder gasoline engine should be sufficient. Falkingham, go back and organize production immediately!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Enver Pasha then spoke, his voice dry: "Your Excellency, regarding the ten Ottoman divisions..."

"The first batch of equipment has been loaded onto a ship in Dubai," Chen Feng gestured to Wang Wenwu.

The Foreign Minister opened the document: "According to Annex III of the agreement, Lanfang will deliver to the Ottomans by the end of September: 50,000 Lee-Enfield rifles (produced in Lanfang), 800 Maxim heavy machine guns, 200 81mm mortars, and 120 75mm field guns. All weapons will be accompanied by one basic ammunition load."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "At the same time, the Lanfang Army will send sixty instructors to assist your army in modern training. Lanfang will cover half of the trainees' costs for tank operation training."

Enver Pasha breathed a sigh of relief. While the equipment wasn't the most advanced, it was enough to arm three full-strength divisions. More importantly, with this arsenal, he could at least stabilize the Caucasus front and free up troops to deal with the Palestinian crisis.

"Well then," Halimpasha slowly stood up, "if there are no further objections from any party... please sign."

The attendant presented a silver inkwell and four gilded fountain pens.

Wilhelm II was the first to sign. He signed with tremendous force, the pen tip almost piercing the parchment, as if he were pouring all his anxiety and expectations into it.

Next is Chen Feng. His signature is simple and fluent, with the Chinese characters "陈峰" standing out prominently in both Ottoman and German.

When it was Enver Pasha's turn, his hand began to tremble. The pen hovered above the agreement, ink dripping and spreading into a small black blot over the word "ninety-nine years." He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and finally put pen to paper. The signature was crooked, like a wounded reptile.

Finally, it was Halim Pasha's turn. This old minister's hand was very steady, but when he finished signing and put down his pen, he looked as if he had aged ten years.

The four agreements were made, with each of the three parties holding one original copy and one copy kept in the Ottoman court archives.

When the final stroke was completed, the Crystal Hall fell into a deathly silence. Only the crystal pendants of the chandelier clinked softly in the sea breeze blowing in from the window, making a faint, mournful sound.

Two hours after the signing ceremony, Chen Feng boarded a special train back to Dubai.

This eight-carriage train underwent special modifications: the bodies were fitted with armor plates, the windows were triple-layered bulletproof glass, and the wheels had derailment prevention devices. The first three carriages were for guards and communications, the middle carriages were Chen Feng's office and living quarters, and the last four carriages carried classified documents and his entourage.

It was already evening when the train started moving. The setting sun dyed the Bosphorus Strait blood red, and the Galata Tower on the opposite shore was silhouetted sharply against the twilight. Chen Feng stood by the train window, watching the ancient city slowly recede into the distance.

"Your Excellency," Wang Wenwu said as he entered the office carriage, holding a newly translated telegram, "the Sultan has fallen into a coma. The royal physician says... he may only be alive in the next day or two."

Chen Feng didn't turn around: "Notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare a condolence message and a eulogy. In my personal capacity, I will add one more sentence: 'History will fairly evaluate every monarch who sought a way for the nation to survive in dire straits.'"