Chapter 67

Unconsciously, it has been almost a month since I arrived in Shanghai. The time to leave is now counting down. Having spent so much time in this city, Yang Yuanzhao has developed a certain inexplicable feeling towards Shanghai. Shanghai carries so much of China's history and is one of the most industrialized cities in the country, with a ready supply of workers, and relatively convenient access to financing and raw materials.

From Shanghai, he obtained a large number of industrial blueprints, covering a wide range of light industries. The presence of the concessions also allowed foreigners to bring in a lot of materials from abroad, all of which could become advantages for commercial investment.

For other businessmen, such a city would be a paradise for investment, but it is not suitable for Yang Yuanzhao. The northwest is extremely remote, and there are a series of traffic issues. However, precisely because it is remote, foreign influence is not very strong, and there is room for development, which is exactly what he lacks. To build a powerful industrial base, a certain level of secrecy is needed.

Baotou has the characteristic of being secluded, and it is close to Baiyun Ebo, which is rich in mineral resources. Apart from transportation, it almost has all the conditions needed to establish a heavy industrial base. With the help of the integrated machine, the possibility of success is almost certain.

Zheng Danium entered Yang Yuanzhao's room and said, "Mr. Yang, Uncle Guang has come to inform us that we can set off now!"

"Then let's go!"

This time, they were heading to the China Hotel by car. The De Mei Trading Company had several cars, which were already waiting at the entrance of the Hui Zhong Hotel. When they came down, the cars took them to the China Hotel.

The China Hotel is located in the International Settlement. It is not the most luxurious hotel, but it is known for its authentic flavors, even featuring imperial dishes, which makes it very popular among high-ranking officials and foreign diners.

In the Lotus Hall of the China Hotel, Yang Yuanzhao and Yang Yue waited after arriving. According to Uncle Guang, today's main attendees would be the chief officers of the cruiser fleet, along with the captains and some of the main officials of the fleet. There wouldn't be many people, only about 18 or so.

Around 6 p.m., a man with obvious characteristics of a civil servant entered the Lotus Hall with a few others. Yang Yuanzhao had already been informed by Uncle Guang that this was a chief clerk of the Beiyang Navy Office, who had facilitated the contact with the officials of the Hai Qi.

Following the chief clerk was a refined-looking official who walked with a powerful presence, leading the others who were also strong and disciplined.

"Mr. Yang, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Cheng Biguang, the director of the Beiyang Shipbuilding Bureau and the commander of the cruiser fleet. Let's all get acquainted!" the chief clerk introduced.

Uncle Guang stood up, greeted Cheng Biguang, and then introduced Yang Yuanzhao and Yang Yue. Cheng Biguang didn't speak, and the chief clerk introduced the others. Indeed, apart from a few officials of the cruiser fleet, they were the captains of the various ships. Yang Yuanzhao had only recently learned that the navy currently had only a few warships capable of long-distance voyages, all of which were Hai-class cruisers. Although they were all small gunboats and torpedo boats, with a tonnage not exceeding 800, they were quite powerful on rivers and lakes.

Uncle Guang invited everyone to sit down. Chinese dining culture has a long history. After a few pleasantries, the dishes, which had been prepared in advance, came in like a flood.

Yang Yuanzhao ate casually. The officials of the Hai Qi were different from the officials of the old China. They were well-trained and fierce, and Yang Yuanzhao held them in high regard. As the seeds of the Chinese navy, they had persisted after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, using a martial spirit to arm the Chinese navy. After the war, China no longer had the ability to build or even import main battle ships.

In this situation, these naval seeds had a lot of passion but no way to use it, eventually becoming dispirited. The Hai Qi, which Yang Yuanzhao had always wanted to visit, had once participated in the British king's celebration, circumnavigated the world, and protected Chinese expatriates abroad, achieving remarkable military accomplishments. But decades later, it could only be sunk in the Yangtze River, facing the invaders, which was a great regret.

Now, everything is different for China. With Yang Yuanzhao's appearance, as long as he can replicate all the warships of the world into the integrated machine and, based on his knowledge of the engine field, create the most advanced engines and various advanced ship decks and armor steel, these will become the foundation for the world's most powerful battleships. At that time, with advanced warships, these naval seeds will be different. They will operate top-tier warships, patrol the seas, and protect China's security.

These are things that will happen in a few years, but it doesn't hinder Yang Yuanzhao's interaction with them. The current navy is already quite weak, otherwise, a merchant family like the Yangs would not be able to get close.

As they gradually became familiar, Cheng Biguang learned that Yang Yuanzhao was a graduate of Oxford University. Cheng Biguang himself was a graduate of the Fuzhou Shipbuilding School and had little overseas experience in his early years. However, after becoming a captain, he made several trips to Britain to oversee shipbuilding matters. The Hai Qi and other Hai-class cruisers were mostly introduced to China under his supervision. He was very familiar with Britain and asked many questions.

In their interactions, Yang Yuanzhao discovered that Cheng Biguang had a broad knowledge base, not limited to military matters but also including economics and diplomacy. His words often carried a sense of dissatisfaction with his superiors. The navy has always been an offensive force, but China's long coastline has been defenseless, lacking even first-class warships, leaving it vulnerable to bullying.

Initially, Cheng Biguang only reluctantly attended the banquet, not particularly interested in the Yang family, thinking they might be pretentious merchants with some whimsical idea of visiting the Hai Qi.

For a military man, a captain, allowing wealthy people to visit the Hai Qi was a difficult decision. In principle, the Hai Qi belonged only to the navy's officers and men. It was their weapon of war, and allowing outsiders to visit would compromise secrecy and training.

However, Cheng Biguang did not refuse, mainly because Uncle Guang offered 5,000 silver dollars. 5,000 dollars was a significant amount. The officers and men of the Hai Qi had not received their pay for over a month, and his efforts to raise funds had been ineffective. With 5,000 dollars, the Hai Qi's officers and men could be supplemented, and they could even go out to sea for training, which was a necessary measure.

So, he came with a grudge. At the beginning, when Yang Yuanzhao tried to get closer, he was indifferent. However, Yang Yuanzhao did not give up. When he learned that Yang Yuanzhao was from Oxford University, he asked some deep questions, which surprised him. This seemingly gentle and weak young man was not a haughty nouveau riche but a very calm person. When Yang Yuanzhao mentioned his studies in Britain, Cheng Biguang became very interested and talked to him about many interesting things about Britain. Yang Yuanzhao was well-prepared, knowing a lot from some British people, though not comprehensive, it was enough to correspond, which made Cheng Biguang more favorable.

By the end of the meal, Cheng Biguang was very pleased. Yang Yuanzhao took the opportunity to propose visiting the Hai Qi and the navy camp, and Cheng Biguang readily agreed.

The meal was very enjoyable. The navy officials drank freely, and the scene was chaotic. Cheng Biguang didn't drink much, and Yang Yuanzhao, being young and drinking light alcohol, remained sober. On the other hand, Yang Yue, after being forced to drink a few cups by the navy officials, was somewhat dazed.

"Brother, let's go for some tea!" Cheng Biguang looked around, patted Yang Yuanzhao, and pulled him out without hesitation. On the street, the driver, seeing Yang Yuanzhao come out, immediately drove over. Cheng Biguang's eyes lit up, and he pulled Yang Yuanzhao into the car, saying, "Let's go to Da Xi Road!"

"But what about them?"

"Your manager and Mr. Lu are here. What are you afraid of? Let's find a place to chat!"

Yang Yuanzhao, of course, did not object. At the banquet, with many people and much noise, they had only touched on many topics. Besides, he wanted to learn more about this famous naval commander after the Beiyang Navy.