The sun never sets

Lin Yongchang had no interest in helping the Germans. He hoped that Britain would deploy all its forces to Europe to deal with Germany. It would be better to leave the challenge to the world hegemony to the stubborn Germans. There was no need to steal their limelight.

China can verbally support the people of Southeast Asia and the South China Sea in their pursuit of independence, but the main task is to be accomplished by the people of Southeast Asia. There has never been a savior in the world, and if you want to pursue independence, you must make great sacrifices.

If they don't even have the courage to sacrifice, why should China help them?

The rebellion in Burma has caused headaches for countries such as Britain, France and the Netherlands. Britain and France can still suppress the local uprising, but the Dutch no longer have the strength to do so. Like Portugal and Spain, the Netherlands is also a poor country. Their ancestors were once rich, but now they are no longer so.

In the past, the Dutch could defeat the natives who used cold weapons with their foreign guns and cannons, but now the natives also have guns and cannons, and they are in a passive position. The Chinese government has a lot of outdated guns and cannons, and it is dumping them abroad at very cheap prices.

A brand new Lee Enfield with 1,000 rounds of ammunition would cost more than 100 taels of silver, while various light weapons in the hands of Chinese arms dealers would only cost 20 or 30 taels of silver. If bayonets and other accessories were not needed, they would be even cheaper. Although the performance of these weapons was slightly worse and the failure rate was slightly higher, they were cheaper and could still kill people, so they sold very well in Southeast Asia.

The Dutch were overwhelmed by the uprisings in Kalimantan and protested to China several times, demanding that the Chinese government not provide weapons to the rebels. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaded the issue by saying "this is a business activity". Business activities, hey, are we not allowed to sell things?

Chapter 530: Double Standards

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the Dutch that it was okay for them to not allow us to sell weapons, but they could just open up the Kalimantan market and allow other Chinese products to be sold freely in Kalimantan.

The Dutch colonial government was unable to confront ASEAN. The few old destroyers and cruisers the Dutch had in the Far East could not even catch up with the smuggling ships. The Japanese Navy often sent warships to hang around Kalimantan to survey hydrological data or intercept and inspect Dutch merchant ships, saying that they suspected they had weapons of mass destruction.

This is fucked up. Even if there are weapons of mass destruction, what does it have to do with the Japanese?

The Dutch government protested to Japan while rushing to cling to the British. There was no other way, the Japanese were too familiar with this, wasn't it the same thing they did before they attacked the Philippines?

If Japan attacks Kalimantan again... the Dutch know they are no match and can only call their parents. Britain and the Netherlands used to be mortal enemies, but that is all in the past. There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. The Netherlands no longer has the strength and ambition to compete with Britain. Like the other low-lying countries, they are all considered Britain's younger brothers.

Japan coveted the Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia, which immediately aroused strong opposition from Britain. In order to deter the Japanese, the British government decided to deploy two of the latest dreadnoughts and two old battleships to the Far East. At the same time, British Ambassador to China Jordan once again protested to China, asking the Chinese government to restrain Japan's behavior in the South China Sea.

If China wants to unilaterally change the international order in Southeast Asia, it will inevitably lead to very bad consequences.

Foreign Minister Lu Zhengxiang said that he would hand over diplomatic documents to Japan, "China has no intention of challenging Britain's world hegemony", and then asked the British government whether it could open up its market and exchange what it has?

Jordan said this was impossible. Britain had expanded all over the world and had seized so many colonies. How could it possibly share them with other countries? Don't even think about it.

After Chairman Lin led the Olympic team and the visiting delegation to Europe, Jordan called on Foreign Minister Lu Zhengxiang and implicitly asked whether China could stand idly by if Britain took action against Japan.

"According to the treaty signed between China and Japan

If any country declares war on Japan, China will stand on Japan's side."

Lu Zhengxiang's expression did not change at all, as if Jordan was not talking about destroying China's military allies, but about today's weather. The British just like to be so vague and cover up their words. However, British diplomats are not always like this. They only use various diplomatic rhetoric when facing strong people. For those powerless countries, the British government has always been direct and brutal. Ten years ago, the British ambassador to China would not speak so vaguely.

"Even in England?"

“Even in England.”

Zhu Erdian was angry. The Chinese... Humph! He was angry, but a smile appeared on his face. "What if Japan took the initiative to declare war?"

"That would be beyond the scope of the treaty."

Zhu Erdian stopped being so reserved and asked, "In other words, if Japan takes the initiative to declare war on other countries, China will not join in?"

"According to the treaty, if Japan is attacked by another country..."

Listening to Lu Zhengxiang's skillful use of various diplomatic rhetoric, Jordan was helpless. In the past, it was the British who fooled other powers in this way. Now the roles have been reversed, but Jordan did not reflect on it. Instead, he felt more annoyed in his heart.

Double standards are one of the hallmarks of imperialists. If we don’t have double standards, can we still be considered imperialists? We sell opium, we massacre indigenous peoples, we sell slaves, we do all kinds of bad things, but we never reflect on them because we are imperialists.

Zhu Erdian thought bitterly in his heart: When the imperial warships arrive, I will see if the Chinese can still be so arrogant!

China can already build 10,000-ton ships, but they are cargo ships, not warships. In terms of building warships, China has just started. It built a destroyer last year and will start building another destroyer this year. What else? Nothing else.

Lin Yongchang seemed to be a little embarrassed to visit Europe on the latest destroyer, but he didn't care. Face is something that needs to be based on strength. China's navy is indeed not good, but so what? China has 1.5 million ground forces, plus a large number of militias and armed police forces. As long as the battle is on land, China will not be afraid of any enemy.

This year is the fourth Olympic Games, and the opening time is in July. The delegation needs to leave four months in advance. Lin Yongchang needs to visit Berlin first and then go to London. The delegations of Japan and other ASEAN countries set off together, and the Japanese government sent the latest dreadnought and a new cruiser to escort them.

After arriving in Singapore, the British also sent a cruiser to join the team.

Although there are many frictions between Britain and China and Japan, the relationship has not broken down and some gentlemanly demeanor can be maintained on the surface.

When passing through the Strait of Malacca, the British personnel specifically introduced to Lin Yongchang the coastal defense fortresses built by the British Empire in the Far East. From a distance, the so-called "unbreakable fortresses" of the British looked like a few small mounds of earth, and they did not look very majestic.

There were constant roars coming from the direction of the fortress, which were salutes to show respect for the guests. When the British finished firing, several cruisers in the fleet also started firing blanks. The two sides had a friendly and enthusiastic interaction, and there was no sign of a ripple under the water.

In fact, the commander of the fortress aimed the cannons at the Chinese and Japanese fleets, and the Chinese and Japanese generals were also thinking about how to destroy or seize the British coastal defense fortress. The geographical location of the Strait of Malacca is very critical, and it is considered to be the throat of ASEAN in and out of the Indian Ocean. The geographical location of this strait is not as critical as the Suez Canal and the unfinished Panama Canal, but it is also very important.

Lin Yongchang looked at the coastal defense fortress through the telescope for a few times, and then ignored it. China no longer needed him to lead troops to fight on the front line, and the generals could do the fighting. If he really had to deal with the British coastal defense fortress, he would definitely send the army to attack from the ground, rather than using warships to fight against the fortress.

Eight years ago, when the gap between Britain and China was the greatest, the fleet led by Fisher could not even bombard the Dagu Fort, and the ASEAN joint fleet could hardly directly destroy the British fortress. Warships are not used to fight fortresses, but sailors are.

After passing through the Strait of Malacca, the fleet entered the vast Indian Ocean, then crossed the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, and then crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. After more than three months of long sailing, it finally arrived in Germany. The British warship also stopped at the German port. It was just a cruiser, and the Germans did not regard it as a threat.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Germans surveyed British warships, and the British surveyed German ports. Neither side was a good friend, and neither was the other great powers.

Chapter 531 Lover

Half a year ago, Chinese scientists visited Germany and were warmly welcomed. This time, it was a visit by a Chinese national leader, and it was his first visit to Europe, so the delegation received an even warmer welcome.

The Germans were happy to show their hospitality, and Lin Yongchang was willing to cooperate with the Germans. After passing through the Brandenburg Gate, he stood up from the car and waved his arms to the people on both sides of the road, as if he was not a visiting foreigner, but a military parade on the streets of Chang'an.

car

They were brought all the way from China, three in total, and enough parts to assemble two cars. Before getting off the ship, the cars were thoroughly inspected to ensure that there would be no problems in front of the Germans. Lin Yongchang came to Germany not only to let Akiyama Shinyuki teach the Germans how to use the navy and to improve his favorability, but also for commercial promotion.

Chinese cars are cheap, safe and reliable, but few Chinese can afford them. They still need to rely on the purchasing power of Europeans. He brought not only cars, but also electric fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, kettles and other products. The average income of Chinese people is not as high as that of Europe. If they want to sell more products, they have to rely more on external markets. Lin Yongchang not only sells to Germany, but also to France, Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom. As for other countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium, he will not go there in person.

Germany also has cars, but compared with China's "BMW", it seems very backward. Look at Chinese cars, they are elegant in shape, fully functional, easy to operate, and less fuel-consuming. After having so many advantages, the price is 10% cheaper than German cars. There is no reason for Germans not to buy them.

Even if ordinary Germans can't afford it, can't the royal family and the Junkers afford it? There are so many nobles in Europe, and it's not a problem to pay tens of thousands of dollars. If you do the math, there is a lot of potential!

Kaiser Wilhelm II stood on the steps in front of the Capitol, looking at President Lin, who was waving his hands, with a smile on his face. British newspapers described him as an irritable fool. If he was really a fool, how could he drive Bismarck back home? At that time, Bismarck was at the peak of his powers. Even if Wilhelm II could not be called wise and powerful, he was definitely above the passing line.

He was very satisfied with his sudden idea of inviting Chinese leaders to visit Berlin, and he was in a very good mood during the subsequent talks. He was also very satisfied with the BMW car Lin Yongchang gave him, but when it came to business, William II was not ambiguous at all.

"In principle, I have no objection to selling these goods in Germany, but the reduction of tariff rates requires further discussion in the cabinet."

Lin Yongchang hopes to develop further cooperation with Germany, and both sides will reduce the tariff rate to 5%, which will promote the economic growth of both countries. China's industrialization process requires a large number of machinery and equipment, and consumes dozens of tons of gold every year, more than half of which flows to Germany, easing Germany's fiscal pressure. However, China's gold mining volume is limited. The growth rate of gold production in Shandong and Henan is constantly slowing down, and the marginal effect is already very obvious. It is not a good idea to continue to increase investment. The people's government needs new income growth points to maintain the process of rapid industrialization.

"This is beneficial to both China and Germany. When China exports products to Germany, the marks it earns will not be exchanged for gold, but used to buy German machinery and equipment."

Lin Yongchang's expression was sincere and his words were convincing. "Isn't this the best of both worlds?"

There are two ways to improve economic vitality or continue to develop. One is to expand the market, and the other is to make breakthroughs in science and technology. China does not need to fight for colonies like other powers, but it also needs markets. China's market can support many enterprises through internal circulation, and expanding the market can support more enterprises, including state-owned enterprises and private enterprises.

William II was convinced that Germany's biggest problem now was that it did not have enough markets. The products produced by domestic factories were piled up in warehouses with nowhere to sell. China was willing to buy more machinery and equipment for production and shipbuilding equipment, but it did not have enough precious metals. The RMB has now become a credit currency, which other powers generally do not accept.

In this case, lowering tariffs to allow the Chinese to earn some marks, and then use the marks to buy German products, is indeed a way to ease the domestic pressure in Germany. But again, it requires the cabinet's approval.

The China-Germany summit was a great success, but they only confirmed the general intentions, and the specific matters still needed to be discussed one by one by the lower-level officials. After the business was discussed, the next step was the cocktail party that the people loved.

William II introduced many noble ladies to Marshal Lin, some of whom were the mistresses of the German emperor. When the introductions were made, the husbands of the noble ladies stood by, but they were not angry because they were cuckolded. Instead, they seemed very proud. It was an honor for their wives to be slept with by the emperor.

The European mistress culture has a long history. Christianity stipulates the system of monogamy, and the upper class has to abide by it. But human instincts are the same, and how can the lust between people be so easy to control? Finding a lover outside of the wife/husband has become a European tradition.

Germany is still conservative, but Paris in France is the real capital of lust, or to be more literary, the "capital of romance". Rousseau once said: It is better to have sex with a noble lady than to discuss moral issues with a group of philosophers.

Except for Germany and France, the UK, Russia and a bunch of other European countries are the same, women have lovers, men also have lovers. It's not to say that there are no conservative Puritans, but in the upper class, a decadent life is normal.

At the reception, beautiful women and girls dressed up like butterflies flying around. William II said to Lin Yongchang, "If the President likes any of them, and the other party is also

You can take her to the room upstairs if you like."

Lin Yongchang now has a buzz cut and looks very energetic, mainly because he is handsome. Many girls and young women are flirting with him.

"His Majesty."

"Mrs. Christina."

After greeting William II, Christina said to Lin Yongchang with a smile, "Mr. Lin, you are completely different from what the rumors say."

"Oh. What do the rumors say I look like?"

"Some people say you are the Napoleon of the East, but Napoleon is not as tall as you. Some people also say that you are cruel and like to kill people, but after seeing your photo in the newspaper, I know that the rumors are untrue."

Chapter 532: Eternal Bond

The Olympic delegation stayed in Germany for three days, eating, drinking, and resting, and then went to London. Although Lin Yongchang didn't care much about the Olympics, others didn't think so. The slogan "Olympic athletes, win glory for the country" appeared repeatedly in newspapers. This is not a bad thing, and it's good to have a competitive spirit.

Ryukyu and Siberia did not send many athletes, they just followed the lead of China. Japan was different, they sent a delegation of more than 100 people, hoping to make a splash at the London Olympics.

The athletes went to London, while Lin Yongchang stayed in Berlin for a few more days, interacting with all kinds of people every day. During the day, he played with William II or went hunting together, and at night he had in-depth exchanges with the girls.

When in China, Lin Yongchang had to be careful about his influence, but when he arrived in Europe, he let go completely. After all, it was just a casual relationship, and there was no responsibility, so Lin Yongchang accepted everyone who came. There were three or four at the cocktail party, several at night when he was sleeping, and he could also take the opportunity to have sex when hunting. Since he found out that he could get a lot of points by having a tryst with women and having children, President Lin completely let go of himself.

China's industrialization requires machinery and skilled workers, as well as more advanced technology. With the development of science and technology, the subject classification becomes more and more detailed, and more and more technologies need to be purchased with points. Purchasing technology that exceeds the current level of science and technology requires additional expenditure of many points. Even though he has reached the monarch's three dimensions of [455], and has power projection, and can get points from various events, it is still not enough.

In order to get more points, President Lin devoted himself to the production team and was busier than the donkey. The Germans were first impressed by the physical strength of President Lin's countrymen, and then shocked. Seven or eight, or even ten, a day, even an iron pestle would be ground into an embroidery needle, right? But President Lin was still energetic, and many people envied his talent.

Lin Yongchang did not just sleep with girls, he also did a lot of serious work. After a few days of sightseeing in Berlin, he began to inspect German arsenals and shipyards, and during this period he finalized several large-scale cooperation projects.

His performance was very high-profile, and in contrast, the naval advisory group led by Akiyama Saneyuki deliberately kept a low profile. But the Germans were too stubborn, and even if Akiyama Saneyuki came up with a carefully prepared plan, he was unable to change the opinions of Count Tirpitz and the German Navy. The German Navy had their own plans and did not need outsiders to dictate.

Even though the East Asia Combined Fleet had proven itself in previous naval battles, the sea conditions in the Eastern Waters and the Atlantic were different. Before they were badly beaten, the Germans stubbornly insisted on their "doctrine of existential fleet."

After Germany passed the Second Supplementary Act to the Second Naval Act, the British Parliament decisively decided at the beginning of this year to increase the number of capital ships to be built in the fiscal year 1908-1911 to 20, an average of 5 ships per year, exceeding Germany's 4 ships (3 dreadnoughts plus 1 battlecruiser), not to mention that the base number of British capital ships was enough to overwhelm Germany. In addition, Britain decided to increase the caliber of the main guns of the newly built battleships to 13.5 inches in one fell swoop, and all turrets were set on the centerline of the hull. This so-called "super dreadnought" further magnified the firepower advantage over German ships.

Although Germany also built 13.5-inch main guns, due to economic reasons, it was previously prepared to continue using 12-inch guns on its newly built battleships. After hearing that the British had decided to use all 13,5-inch guns, William II was very excited and said that Germany also needed more powerful main guns.

"Those people just say they have no money all day long!"

William II waved his right hand, "But he doesn't understand, we have been surpassed by the British!"

"Your Majesty is right. A 13.5-inch cannon is definitely better than a 12-inch cannon!" Lin Yongchang put down his shotgun and said without losing any time: "So we need to strengthen bilateral trade between China and Germany so that Germany can invest more funds in the navy."

Germany paid a heavy financial price for building a large navy. The naval budget increased by 38% annually in three years, while the British naval budget increased by only 15% during the same period. Because the shipbuilding industry and design lagged behind Britain, by 1908, the construction cost of the same-class German dreadnoughts was more than 20% higher than that of Britain. The emergence of the battlecruiser competition further dispersed the human and technological potential of the German shipbuilding industry. In addition, Germany had to implement the "Schlieffen Plan", and Berlin had to use most of its financial resources for the expansion and preparation of the army. It was really powerless in the naval competition. In 1905, Germany's military expenditure was 35% lower than that of Britain, and by 1908, Germany's military expenditure was % lower than that of Britain.

In 14, Berlin spent % more on defense than Britain, but it was still not enough to ensure security.

Germany once narrowed the gap with the British navy for a period of time, but then it was constantly overwhelmed by Britain. The "existing fleet" was not originally created for combat. If Germany really faced a decisive battle with Britain, the action model it could refer to would still be Mahan's theory of sea power, but this was not feasible in the absence of a numerical advantage.

Since the German battleships were inferior to their British counterparts in terms of speed, endurance and firepower, if the High Seas Fleet ignored the range restrictions and attacked Scapa Flow to the north, it would most likely be surrounded and beaten by superior opponents in open waters.

Fortunately, China's rapid industrialization brought a vast market to Germany and improved Germany's economy. Through Sino-German cooperation, Germany's technological level was improved, so that Germany did not fall behind in naval military technology. This made it possible for the German Navy to install 13.5-inch cannons on all newly built battleships.

"Yes, we need 13.5-inch cannons just like trains need tracks!" Inspired, William II strengthened his confidence and prepared to compete with the stubborn elements in the navy again.

However, Lin Yongchang was not optimistic about this. The British held naval and economic hegemony, and were focused on building a navy. Unlike the Germans, who were good at both land and sea, they would definitely be able to last longer in the naval arms race. Germany's power had been used to its limit under "normal circumstances", and the simultaneous development of sea power and land power had turned the German government's finances into a deficit. If no other solution was found, even if the Germans had built a 13.5-inch cannon, it would still be impossible to change the fate of the German Navy.

When Lin Yongchang was about to leave Germany, he had already established a deep friendship with William II, at least on the surface. He also had ties with many women. When Lin Yongchang took a ship to England, hundreds of women came to see him off at the port. It was inconvenient for President Lin to say goodbye to the girls one by one, so he could only wave to everyone at the side of the ship and then slowly leave with the sound of the whistle.

Chapter 533 Zeus

The same thing, happening in different places and to different people, will produce different consequences. Master Dajuewu has deeply felt this.

Two minutes ago, he was still kissing the woman. The beautiful young woman lay with her long hair scattered under her body, and she cried softly as he thrust into her. "Master Zhen...oh..." the woman called out.

Then the door was opened, and the victim rushed in with a samurai sword, "Ahhhhhh...I'm going to kill you!"

Although he was naked and still in the young woman's body, with Master Dajuewu's martial arts, he could knock the man down with anything he grabbed. But he didn't do that. Instead, he hurriedly grabbed clothes and wrapped them around himself, then broke the window, jumped from the second floor to the street, and ran away.

Having sex with a beautiful lady is considered a romantic affair. If you kill her husband, wouldn't you become Ximen Daguanren? Master Dajuewu really couldn't do such a thing.

He ran barefoot along the long street, and passers-by all stopped to watch.

"Oh, it's Master Shizhen!"

"Master Shizhen, what happened?"

“Could it be…?”

The rumors soon reached Ito Hirobumi's ears, and he called Daijukuya Shizhen over, "You want to mess with the wife of Count Tachibana? Shizhen, you disappoint me so much!"

Dajuewu Shizhen was no longer barefoot, but had changed into a neat uniform, and the lipstick marks on his face were wiped clean. He had a bright smile on his face, "Yes, I disappointed you!"

"You..." Ito Hirobumi shook his head, "Tell Miyazaki Toranosuke to stay calm for the time being. London is holding the Olympics, so don't make trouble at this time... Do you have anything else to do?"

"No."

"If you don't have it, get out of here. I get angry when I see you!"

As the footsteps faded away, Ito Hirobumi thought of the absurd things that Dajuewu Shizhen had done, and couldn't help shaking his head again. But he knew in his heart that Dajuewu Shizhen was just expressing his attitude, and it was actually unnecessary.

The ceasefire during the Olympic Games was a rule set by Europeans. Ito Hirobumi didn't care about these things in his heart, but the British were about to send battleships to the Far East, so he had to ask his subordinates to be more restrained.

The 4th Olympic Games, which Ito Hirobumi used as an excuse, had not been going well. The organizer was changed halfway through, and the weather was bad during the opening ceremony, with thick fog and continuous rain. The king, queen and IOC officials attended the conference. At the opening ceremony of the conference, the British first proposed an entry ceremony in which all teams wore uniforms and circled the stadium under the guidance of the national flag, and required each team to tilt the national flag to salute the British king when passing the rostrum.

Unexpectedly, this led to many troubles. First, the Russians forced the Finnish athletes, who had not yet gained independence, to enter the venue under the flag of the Tsarist Russia, but the Finns were unwilling to do so. As a result of the dispute between the two sides, the Finns gave up using their own national flag and followed the Russian team a hundred meters away, like a group of stragglers, to express their dissatisfaction and protest. Secondly, the arrogant British, who regarded the United States as their territory, raised the flags of all participating countries over the venue, except for the flags of two or three countries, including the United States. This caused dissatisfaction among the American team, and their flag bearer looked at the Russian team with a look of dismay when passing the rostrum.

No one held up the national flag or saluted the King of England, causing a commotion in the venue.