World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

Chen Feng didn't speak, but just looked at Saionji. His gaze was very focused, as if he were listening or analyzing.

Yamamoto added, "The Ministry of the Army has done detailed calculations. Equipping one division costs three million yen, so fifty divisions would cost 150 million yen. This does not include maintenance and transportation costs. If these divisions are to be sent to Europe, additional ocean shipping costs will be required, which will be another huge expense."

"Therefore," Saionji concluded, "it's not that the Sakura Kingdom is unwilling to fulfill its promises, but rather that its financial resources are limited. If His Excellency the President could provide some financial support..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: he wanted money.

The room was quiet for a few seconds. Only the chirping of birds outside the window and the faint sound of distant waves could be heard.

Chen Feng put down his teacup, the bottom of the ceramic cup hitting the tray with a crisp sound.

"Lord Saionji, I recall that when we signed the Borneo Treaty two years ago, it was clearly stipulated that Germany would pay for the expenses of the Japanese army dispatched by Japan. Did Germany not pay?"

"It was paid, but..." Saionji smiled bitterly, "Most of that money was used to pay war reparations. As you should know, according to the treaty, Japan was required to pay Lanfang 300 million yen in war reparations, to be paid in ten years. The reparations for the first two years, plus interest, almost exhausted all the income we received from Germany."

He spoke very sincerely, even with a hint of pleading for understanding.

But Chen Feng knew this was a negotiation tactic. Saionji was exaggerating the difficulties to negotiate better terms. The 300 million yen in reparations were indeed a burden, but Japan's domestic economy, though stagnant, wasn't entirely without income from sending "laborers" to Germany. Most of that money flowed into the pockets of conglomerates, not the national treasury.

"I understand the difficulties faced by Japan," Chen Feng said slowly. "But the war won't stop because of our difficulties. The situation in Europe is changing, and Mica will soon be entering the war. Once Mica leaves the battlefield, the pressure on Germany will increase exponentially, and they will need more support—including support from the Far East."

He leaned forward, placing his hands crossed on the table:

"Lord Saionji, General Yamamoto, let's speak frankly. Lanfang hopes that Japan will fulfill its promise and form fifty divisions, ready to be deployed to the European battlefield at any time. This is not only for Germany, but also for Japan's own interests."

"Our interests?" Yamamoto frowned.

"If Germany is defeated, the postwar order will be dominated by Britain and the United States." Chen Feng's voice was calm. "At that time, Japan's interests in Caoxian, its voice in the Pacific—all of these may be re-examined. But if Japan has made enough contributions in this war, the situation will be different."

He looked at Saionji: "Your Excellency is an experienced politician and should understand this principle. The essence of international politics is a transaction. You get what you give."

Saionji remained silent. He understood, of course, but as the negotiator, he couldn't easily concede.

"Your Excellency the President is right," he finally said, "but the reality is that Japan cannot afford this money right now. Unless..."

"Unless Lanfang provides funding?" Chen Feng chimed in.

Saionji nodded: "Yes. If Lanfang can provide interest-free loans or prepay part of the fees, Sakura Country can speed up the mobilization process. I guarantee that, as long as the funds are in place, fifty divisions can complete basic training within six months."

Chen Feng smiled. Not a cheerful smile, but a smile that seemed to see through everything.

"Lord Saionji, are you aware that Lanfang is also expanding its military? We have just promoted fifteen major generals and formed fifteen new divisions. We also need funds, a lot of funds."

He paused, letting disappointment show on Saionji's face, then changed the subject:

"However... perhaps we can try a different approach."

Yamamoto's eyes lit up: "How?"

"Bartering," Chen Feng said. "Japan provides manpower, and Lanfang provides...technology."

"Technology?" Yamamoto repeated the word, his tone both wary and expectant.

Chen Feng didn't answer directly, but nodded to Wang Wenwu. Wang Wenwu stood up, took a thick kraft paper folder from his briefcase, and placed it on the table.

"Before we discuss the specifics, I'd like to ask a question," Chen Feng said, tapping lightly on the folder. "General Yamamoto, as the Minister of the Navy, what do you think the Japanese Navy needs most right now?"

The question was direct, even abrupt.

Yamamoto hesitated for a moment. He knew there was a trap in this question, but as a naval commander, he could not avoid thinking about naval development.

"Rebuild the Combined Fleet," he finally said, his voice filled with a long-suppressed desire. "Two years ago, the Japanese navy was almost completely wiped out. Now we only have some old cruisers and destroyers, not a single real battleship. Without battleships, there is no control of the sea; without control of the sea, Japan is just an island nation, not a maritime nation."

He spoke with great emotion. These were his true feelings, and also the pain of all Japanese naval officers.

Chen Feng nodded, opened the folder, pulled out a large design drawing, and unfolded it on the table.

The blue and white drawings were finely drawn and covered with densely packed data and parameters. At the very center was the side profile and top view of a warship, with the scale indicated as 1:500.

Yamamoto leaned forward involuntarily. As a naval expert, he could tell at a glance that this was not the design of existing warships—the hull was longer, the main guns were more densely packed, and the superstructure was simpler.

"This is..." His voice was a little strained.

"The latest achievement of the Lanfang Naval Design Bureau," Chen Feng said, his tone as if introducing an ordinary product. "We call it the 'Ise-class' battleship. Its standard displacement is 29,900 tons, and its full load displacement is 32,000 tons. It is 210 meters long, 31 meters wide, and has a draft of 9 meters." (Originally, a code name was prepared, but worried that comrades wouldn't understand which type it was, so the name was given directly.)

He pointed to the key parts of the drawing with his finger:

"Propulsion system: four steam turbines, eight boilers, total power of 60,000 horsepower, maximum speed of 25 knots, range of 8,000 nautical miles at 14 knots."

"Armor protection: Main armor belt thickness 300 mm, sloped; horizontal armor 120 mm; turret frontal armor 350 mm."

He paused for a moment, then looked at Yamamoto:

"Most importantly, it has a firepower system. Six twin-mounted turrets, with a total of twelve 356mm 45-caliber main guns. It has a range of 30,000 yards and an armor-piercing capability that can penetrate the main armor of any existing battleship at a range of 20,000 yards."

Yamamoto's breathing became heavy. He stared at the blueprints, his eyes unblinking, like a hungry man seeing food.

Twelve 356mm main guns. This firepower exceeded that of any battleship previously possessed by Japan, and even surpassed most of the British battleships currently in service. Although it could not compare to the 380mm guns of the Bismarck-class battleships of Lanfang, it was still world-class.

"Where's the secondary gun?" he asked, his voice a little hoarse.

"Twenty 140mm single-mounted guns, used for anti-destroyer operations," Chen Feng continued.

Saionji also came over to take a look. He wasn't a naval expert, but he could understand the basic parameters. This was indeed a powerful warship, powerful enough to allow the Japanese navy to stand tall again.

"Such a warship..." Yamamoto looked up, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Is Lanfang willing to provide it to Japan?"