Chapter 66

After seeing off Zhang Jingjiang and Feng Yuxiang, Yang Yuanzhao turned and returned to the trading company. Habi approached Yang Yuanzhao and said, "Boss, you seem to have a very high opinion of the Tongmenghui?"

"No, I don't have a high opinion of the Tongmenghui," Yang Yuanzhao replied firmly.

"Then why?" Habi asked, puzzled.

"Even if I don't have a high opinion of them, I can't afford to offend them. After all, the Tongmenghui is a major force in China. I have a higher opinion of Feng Yuxiang!" Yang Yuanzhao explained.

From the moment he met Feng Yuxiang, Yang Yuanzhao had been paying attention. History has proven that power comes from the barrel of a gun. A capable military officer with a strong army is far more powerful in this era than empty revolutionary slogans. The Tongmenghui has grown rapidly and gained a great reputation, but they are too scattered. Revolution to them is like a game, and they have suffered many losses and deceptions. It took decades for them to change and truly seize power in China.

In this era, the Tongmenghui has a great reputation and significant influence among most progressive young people and even those who are aware of the world. Forming a good relationship with them is just a matter of making a good connection. Yang Yuanzhao didn't think much about it. At this moment, he couldn't yet intervene in the major events of the era. The power he could control was too small, barely affecting Baotou, let alone the entire country. However, to some extent, strengthening the Tongmenghui, especially by purposefully enhancing the status of military officers within the organization, could help. The reason the Tongmenghui failed and fell into chaos was that they fought separately, with low military competence. In the crucial north, they had little development, leading to the futile sacrifice of many Tongmenghui members in the Beiyang Army. Yang Yuanzhao had already hinted at this to Feng Yuxiang, who had clearly started to act in this direction, contacting his comrades in the Beiyang Army and aiming to secure a foothold, with Northeast China being the best place for development.

Habi looked at Yang Yuanzhao in surprise. If he didn't have a high opinion of them, why did he give them so much? The equipment for a battalion, worth a few hundred thousand, was not a big deal to him, but the support for the Tongmenghui was substantial. If they could sell 10,000 rifles, it would significantly reduce their profits.

Understanding Habi's thoughts, Yang Yuanzhao laughed and said, "Don't worry, they won't take over our market!"

Yang Yuanzhao was very clear that in the coming years, the Chinese arms market would be enormous, almost limitless. Besides, selling guns was just a way to make money initially. Once he developed, things like silk stockings, penicillin, and sulfonamides, which were as valuable as gold, would be far more profitable than selling guns. Moreover, when heavy industry developed, the value of money would decrease. A country's strength is not determined by how much money it has, but by its production capacity. Otherwise, the Qing Dynasty would have been the strongest country in the world. Even now, the country's GDP is still among the world's top, but its actual strength is lacking. Steel is the backbone of a country, the foundation of its war potential. Heavy chemical industries represent the quantity of arms, and a country's mobilization, organizational, and latent combat capabilities are more important than money.

The entire afternoon, the De Mei Trading Company was extremely busy. Yang Yuanzhao watched the busy Habi and decided to return. On his way back, he met Yang Yue, who called him over and said, "Uncle Guang has been in contact with the Navy Department about the visit to the Hai Qi. We have some news."

"Really?" Yang Yuanzhao was very excited. Through Habi and the trading company, he had seen some light weapons and even 75mm mountain and field guns. In the past ten days in Shanghai, he had seen a lot and collected many blueprints. He had also visited some industrial enterprises and gathered a lot of machinery. After replicating and studying these, he could determine whether the northwest could produce them. However, he was still missing a true warship blueprint. The 1,000-ton steamer on the way to Shanghai didn't count. The Hai Qi, one of the three main warships of the Qing Navy, was a modern and advanced warship, even though it was built a few years ago. Through archival records, Yang Yuanzhao was very interested in the Hai Qi, a warship that had been overlooked in Chinese history. It was the first warship to protect Chinese expatriates overseas, enhancing China's national prestige.

The most powerful weapon humans can build is a battleship. Since the 1894 Sino-Japanese War, China had no more main warships, not even heavy cruisers. The Hai Qi was a technically advanced ship with some highlights. As a new and advanced Chinese warship, it participated in the coronation of King Edward of Britain in 1912, circumnavigated the globe, and even played a role in the anti-Chinese incidents in Mexico, enhancing China's national prestige.

On the way to Shanghai, after visiting the Hanyang Iron Works and the Hanyang Arsenal in Hankou, Yang Yuanzhao had obtained complete design blueprints for steel production, textiles, and some machine tools. His industrial needs were largely met, but his weapons were still limited to rifles and pistols, which were barely sufficient for factory security. He needed more powerful weapons.

The knowledge and machinery he had collected could ensure that Baotou, a backward agricultural city, could develop into an industrial city, even a heavy industrial city. However, even if this were successful, it would be like a castle in the air. Without a means of self-defense, the city would be built on sand, destined to be washed away by a large wave.

Both hands must be strong. Heavy industry is the foundation of everything and a necessity for a strong country. However, necessary protection is also essential. In this era, a powerful army is almost directly linked to artillery.

Artillery is the king of the army. To some extent, China's loss to the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900 was due to a lack of powerful artillery. Without sufficient artillery, even the most capable army is not guaranteed.

China had very few artillery pieces, and advanced European and American artillery could not be transported to China. Therefore, in the early stages of World War II, 75mm guns were considered heavy artillery in China. However, the Hai Qi was different. It was a modern battleship built in Britain, equipped with advanced steam engines and powerful artillery, including a 203mm main gun. While it was not as strong as a battleship, it could be modified for land use as a defensive artillery platform. Apart from coastal defense artillery, few land artillery pieces had a caliber over 200mm; 155mm was considered very powerful in this era.

Without any hesitation, Yang Yuanzhao said, "Let's go quickly!"

"Don't rush. We have an appointment tomorrow. Today, we will host a reception for the Hai Qi's captain and the main officers of the Shanghai Navy at the China Grand Hotel. It will be an initial contact."

Yang Yuanzhao was willing to meet the navy. In China, if any military branch had a positive attitude towards technology and China's independence, it was the navy. The Hai Qi had represented China at the British coronation and, upon returning, joined the revolution almost immediately after the news of the Xinhai Revolution broke, becoming a monument in Chinese naval history.