World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"Then," Gerald said, making one last attempt, "could you at least promise not to deploy any more troops in the concession area? The size of a division... is simply too conspicuous."

Chen Feng pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "I can promise that no more combat troops will be sent to this area for three months. But engineering troops, geologists, and construction workers (these civilian personnel) are not subject to this restriction. We need manpower to build ports, roads, and oil wells there."

Three months. Gerald calculated in his mind: three months later it would be December, Europe would enter winter, and the fighting would usually slow down. Perhaps then…

"I need to consult with London," he said.

"Of course." Chen Feng stood up, signaling the end of the talks. "Please convey to Prime Minister Asquith that Lanfang is willing to be a stabilizer in the Middle East, not a troublemaker. Our investments, construction, and development bring jobs and tax revenue, which benefits everyone—including Britain, because a stable Middle East means a safer Suez Canal."

Gerrard also stood up. The two shook hands again.

"The tea's gone cold," Chen Feng said, glancing at the teacup. "Next time you come, I'll treat you to something better."

After seeing the Consul General off, Chen Feng returned to his office. Wang Wenwu was already waiting.

Did he believe it?

"Half." Chen Feng walked to the window, watching the Rolls-Royce drive out the door. "He knows I'm playing legal games, but he can't find a way to break them yet. And... he's more worried about the tanks."

"tank?"

"During the conversation, he mentioned 'new equipment' three times and 'technology transfer' twice. The British are preparing some secret weapons on the Somme and are now worried that we'll give the Germans something better." Chen Feng turned around and said, "Inform Liu Yongfu to 'leak' the simplified technical parameters of 'Vehicle No. 1'—a deliberately weakened version—to British intelligence agents through commercial channels. Let them think that what the Germans got is nothing special."

Wang Wenwu's eyes widened: "This..."

"We need to make the British anxious, but not desperate," Chen Feng explained. "Anxiety will distract them and make them willing to exchange other benefits for technology. But despair... desperate people will do crazy things."

He walked to the map and traced an arc from Hurdlesa to Basra with his finger: "Our goal is not to go to war with Britain, but to establish a strong foothold before they can react. Once the oil wells are producing oil, the ports are built, the railways are completed... then, if they want to uproot us, they'll have to consider the cost of burning the entire land."

Outside the window, the Dubai sky was a clear, deep blue. But Chen Feng knew that seven thousand kilometers away in London, a heated debate about how to deal with Lanfang had only just begun.

Every step he takes must be carefully treaded on the edge of a knife.

Gerrard's telegram arrived in London that afternoon.

The war cabinet convened again, this time with an even more somber atmosphere. Gerald's report detailed the entire meeting and included a copy of the agreement provided by Chen Feng.

"...In conclusion, Lanfang is well-prepared on the legal front, making it difficult to force their withdrawal through diplomatic means in the short term. Chen Feng proposed establishing a military communication mechanism and transparency measures, demonstrating a cooperative stance while maintaining a firm position. My personal assessment is that their core objective is to acquire oil resources along the Persian Gulf coast, rather than directly intervening in the European war..."

After reading the last paragraph, Sir Grey took off his glasses and rubbed his nose: "Gentlemen, the situation is clear. Chen Feng exploited a loophole in the law—that land is still legally Ottoman, and the Ottomans have the right to grant concessions to anyone. We are at a legal disadvantage." (It seems that the great powers used to operate in the same way when leasing land in China.)

"Then create new laws!" Lord Kitchener roared. "Declare that area a 'military control zone,' and any unauthorized foreign troops must withdraw! If the Lanfang people don't leave, expel them by force!"

"And then?" Belfort asked coldly. "And then we're going to fight a nation with super battleships on a secondary front? Our main fleet is tied down in the North Sea by the German High Seas Fleet, and our Far East Fleet is no match for the Lanfang Navy. Not to mention... the Western Front needs 30,000 shells a day, half of which comes from trade with Lanfang in terms of copper and steel."

He picked up a document: "These are the data from the Ministry of Trade. In the past year, we imported from Lanfang: 80,000 tons of rubber, 15,000 tons of tin, 30,000 tons of copper, and 500,000 tons of petroleum products. If trade is disrupted, the naval factories will reduce production by 40% within three months, and the navy's fuel reserves will only last for six months."

Kitchener opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He was a soldier and knew that logistics were the lifeline of war.

Sir Swinton then spoke up: "Prime Minister, there is another factor... tanks."

All eyes turned to him.

"The first batch of fifty Mark I tanks has arrived in France, ready for use in the new offensive on the Somme on September 15th. This is our secret weapon, the one we're counting on to break the stalemate." The ordnance director's voice was somewhat hoarse. "But if the Germans get a better model from Lanfang... our advantage may vanish completely."

He pulled several new photos from his briefcase: "These were taken by our men outside the Dubai testing range. Although they're still blurry, you can make out the outlines—more compact than the Mark I, the turret appears to be able to rotate in all directions, and the frontal armor of the hull has a noticeable angle."

The photos were passed around the table. Each photo showed a blurry steel outline, parked in the desert, surrounded by surveyors and engineering vehicles.

"Angled armor..." Swinton murmured, "This means that for the same thickness, the protective effectiveness could be increased by more than 30%. If the Germans equipped their tanks with such armor, our Mark I would be at a disadvantage in head-on engagements."

A terrible silence fell over the meeting room.

Asquith slowly rose and walked to the window. Outside was Downing Street Gardens, where roses were in full bloom in late summer, but no one was in the mood to appreciate them.

"Gentlemen," he said, his back to the crowd, his voice tired but clear, "we face a choice: to confront Lanfang now, risking the loss of vital resource supplies, being bogged down in a two-front war, and even giving Germany a technological advantage; or to endure for now, concentrate our forces to defeat Germany first, and deal with the Eastern problem after the war when we have the time."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces: "My decision is: to endure."

Kitchener was about to say something, but the Prime Minister raised his hand to stop him: "I know this is humiliating. For three hundred years, the British Empire has never tolerated such insolence in our sphere of influence. But now... it's not three hundred years ago."

He returned to his seat, placing his hands on the table: "Order the Sinai front: increase vigilance, but avoid contact with the Lanfang army. Reply to Gerald: accept Chen Feng's transparency proposal and send two observers to Haldessa—but they must wear civilian clothes and act as 'trade representatives.' At the same time, accelerate the development of the Mark II and double the budget."