Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 570: Negotiation of a Large Arms Order
Ibrahim arrived at Tianjin Port again. After getting off the boat, he trotted straight to Jia Lian who came to greet him.

After a passionate hug, the mixed smell of perfume and body odor almost made Jia Lian faint.

For the sake of arms deal, Jia Lian endured it.

"Your Excellency Lord Jia, I am here on behalf of the Pasha of the Ottoman Empire to express my most sincere respects to you." Ibrahim, realizing that he had lost his composure, took three steps back, raised his hands to his chest and bowed.

"Your Pasha is so polite. On behalf of the great Emperor of the Great Zhou Empire, I would like to express my sincere condolences to your Pasha."

After some polite greetings, Jia Lian invited Ibrahim to get in the car. After he settled down, he arranged for a few bath-scrubbing uncles to clean up the delegation.

To be honest, the Ottoman Empire didn't have any good gifts to offer. Considering the purpose of this trip was arms, Ibrahim prepared some rose essential oil and a dance team before leaving. Other gifts, such as gems, were matched, not unique.

From the perspective of the Ottoman Empire, the flintlock rifles of the Great Zhou Empire were able to be produced by the Ottoman Empire, except for the flintlock mechanism. However, the revolvers and cannons were different. The revolvers were so popular that the Ottoman Empire could also produce cannons by itself, but it was unable to produce such light field guns.

Among the last gifts, there were a few rifled guns, and this one is more precious.

It's not that Europe doesn't know the advantages of rifled guns, nor is it that it can't make them. It's just that the current European rifle manufacturing depends entirely on the personal touch of top craftsmen, who pull the rifling little by little.

In Europe, only members of the royal family could afford rifled guns. It took a top craftsman half a year to make one by hand.

Ibrahim had seen the rifled guns equipped by the Zhou army and knew that they were equipped in large quantities. He also knew the advantages of this equipment, so the purpose of his visit this time was to purchase rifled guns on a large scale.

The next day, when Ibrahim met Jia Lian again, he decisively put forward the request to purchase a large number of rifled guns, and hinted that Jia Lian would receive a personal reward as long as the purchase could be facilitated.

Jia Lian certainly couldn't be fooled by such a small profit, and said calmly: "This is impossible. The latest rifles are waiting for our army to be equipped. The production is low and the price is high. Without the emperor's permission, I would be destroying my future if I sold it to you. As far as I know, your army was still using matchlocks before. Now you are not satisfied with flintlocks?"

Ibrahim was not so easily fooled. He knew that revolvers appeared in large numbers in Europe, and revolvers also had rifling. This showed that the Zhou Empire had mastered the technology of mass production, unlike the situation in Europe where a top craftsman could make two revolvers a year.

What is a top craftsman? It can be understood as an eighth-level fitter.

"As for the so-called personal benefits, if you treat me as a brother, don't mention it. I am not short of money or women. I am only loyal to the emperor and the interests of the country."

Before Ibrahim could try to persuade him further, Jia Lian sealed the problem for him.

Ibrahim was dumbfounded. Before coming here, he patted Pasha's chest and expressed that he would complete the mission.

After hearing these words, the accompanying minister Muhammad looked at Ibrahim with dissatisfaction, thinking that this guy was too unreliable and only knew how to brag.

Ibrahim could only temporarily stop talking about it.

After Jia Lian had prepared a banquet to entertain the group, Ibrahim took advantage of Jia Lian's absence to catch up with him.

"Master Jia, I know I'm putting you in a difficult position. What conditions do you want to sell us rifles?" Ibrahim was smart. The more high-sounding Jia Lian's words were, the more they could be negotiated.

As for the conditions, we can just talk about them slowly. He's not the one paying anyway.

"One hundred flintlock rifles, one latest rifle, and one cannon, or no deal. I'm not trying to embarrass you, this is the Emperor's will."

Jia Lian had already prepared a plan, but in fact Emperor Chenghui did not care about the arms sales at all.

"Too much. One rifled gun is matched with ten flintlocks. I want to buy 10,000 flintlocks and 20 field guns. All paid with gold coins. If the deal is done, you can get 10% of the transaction amount." Ibrahim felt that the latter part was the key point, and the former was just a cover. After finishing speaking, he looked at Jia Lian expectantly, thinking that he would definitely impress him.

Jia Lian really didn't care about this commission. To put it bluntly, he could use the R&D department's money as he pleased and no one cared.

"What good things are you thinking? In consideration of your good personal training, within the scope of my personal authority, I will sell you 500 flintlock rifles, not one more. But the price is expensive, three times that of the flintlock rifles, you'd better think it over, don't say I didn't warn you. In my opinion, your country doesn't need to use such good weapons. With this money, you might as well buy more artillery. Also, for the same flintlock rifles, the steel and craftsmanship we use are simply not comparable to your country's."

If Jia Lian really meant it, strengthening Ottoman Türkiye would mean dragging down Tsarist Russia. As two great powers bordering each other by land, the threat from Tsarist Russia was obviously greater than that from the European and American powers coming by sea.

As they were talking, Jia Lian took Ibrahim into a single room, where a maid served tea and handed over hot towels, provided chairs for the two of them to rest, and offered fine cigarettes.

Ibrahim saw that Jia Lian was indeed sincere. But the truth cannot be told. The Ottoman Empire also has its own military industry system. Although the products are not as good as they should be, it is more economical to make them by yourself, especially to save precious metals. The Ottoman Empire has low production capacity for gold and silver, and it does not have a strong navy, so it cannot rob them.

"Is there nothing you personally want?" Ibrahim racked his brains but couldn't think of anything that could satisfy Jia Lian's needs, so he just asked directly.

Jia Lian pretended to be in deep thought, and Ibrahim immediately found the key point. As long as he catered to his needs, he would definitely be able to solve the problem. As for the stupid thing of meeting the emperor to make requests, Ibrahim would never do it. That would really offend people to death. They are all people working for the monarch, how can they not have some B-sense?

"Our country's trade lines with the world are mainly controlled by the British. His Majesty the Emperor is deeply worried about this. If the sea routes are cut off one day, it will be a catastrophic blow to our country's trade. I can use this to persuade His Majesty the Emperor. However, your country must also show sincerity." Jia Lian began to fool people.

Ibrahim perked up instantly, leaned forward and whispered, "You might as well just say it directly. The sincerity required is what you need."

"As a world power, our country cannot accept the current situation at sea, so we need a route that we can control. The year you came, our country controlled the South China Sea and turned it into an inland sea. Last year, I personally led the army to obtain a supply point in the Indian Ocean. If your country can provide a suitable place on the Arabian Peninsula as a supply point for long-distance voyages, things will be much simpler. As long as our navy has a presence in the Arabian Sea and unites with some European countries, it can deter Britain and make it dare not easily take the risk of cutting off trade routes and threaten our country."

These words were very convincing and, at least in Ibrahim's view, they were a very real threat.

The Ottoman Empire had been fighting with Europe for more than a hundred years, and had always been suppressing the opponent. It was not until the Spaniards adopted new weapons and new tactics to push back that the Ottoman Empire's offensive was curbed.

As the empire's power gradually declined, the new Pasha was ambitious and wanted to restore the empire's prestige. The first thing he had to do was to attack Tsarist Russia.

The reality is that you can imitate a flintlock rifle, but you can't imitate a rifled rifle, let alone a percussion cap.

I had no choice but to buy it. It would be even better if we could join forces with the University of Tokyo to attack the Russian Empire.

Thinking of this, Ibrahim became excited. The two sides actually have common interests. After all, there were conflicts between Tsarist Russia and Eastern Asia in Central Asia. According to reliable sources, the Russian delegation left only last year. Whether the two sides reached an agreement or not, Ibrahim thought it was not important. There was a border conflict between the two sides. They were the same enemy, so they would definitely be able to reach cooperation.

"I need to discuss the supply point with Minister Muhammad before I can answer you. After all, I am just a representative purchasing for the Pasha, and he is the plenipotentiary representative."

Jia Lian didn't care at all about the conflict between the two and how serious it was. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'm not in a hurry." Muhammad was a so-called royal family. The conflict between him and Ibrahim was nothing more than the uneven distribution of spoils. The new Pasha was considering power politics, and the country was on the eve of change. Everything needed a victory to enhance the Pasha's personal prestige. Therefore, in the selection of the Minister to the East, the Pasha was very cautious and sent a person who was absolutely trusted to take charge, and the two supervised each other.

After the reception, Ibrahim talked to Muhammad alone and told him about his conversation with Jia Lian.

Although he was very tempted, he did not express his opinion. After all, he was going to stay, and Ibrahim was the one who was going back. If he did not agree on the terms in advance, and this bastard took all the credit, how could he complain?

Seeing that he remained silent, Ibrahim further analyzed: "It is no secret that there is a border conflict between the Zhou Empire and Tsarist Russia. As an envoy, you should promote an agreement between the two countries to cooperate against Tsarist Russia. Even if it is a secret agreement, it is a great achievement. For you, exchanging supply points for cooperation between the two countries is an achievement that no one can take away. As for me, I just want to complete the Pasha's mission and make some money by the way. The most important thing is that only you can discuss this matter. It is not appropriate for me to discuss it."

Muhammad remained silent, he was still weighing the pros and cons. Ibrahim was not in a hurry either, he sat aside and waited patiently.

"I can try!" Muhammad finally gave in. Seeing this, Ibrahim leaned in and whispered, "It's not about trying, but about achieving this goal. It's easy to find reasons to convince the other party. Tsarist Russia has extraordinary ambitions for territory. In the past few years, it has been launching invasions everywhere. Lord Jia Lian said that as long as the problem of supply points can be solved, he can persuade His Majesty the Emperor to agree to sell the latest weapons and equipment to our country. By then, we can completely imitate them and get rid of the dilemma of relying on money to buy equipment. This is extremely beneficial to you and me."

Mohammed Che was silent for a long time: "Okay, I'll try my best!"

Ibrahim stared at him and said word by word: "Of course!" (Fortunately there won't be a next time.)
The next day, Muhammad, who was supposed to rest, took the initiative to ask to see Jia Lian.

After getting permission, Muhammad called Ibrahim to meet Jia Lian together.

Muhammad first expressed his concern about the negotiations between Zhou and Saudi Arabia, and then mentioned the invasion of the Ottoman Empire by Tsarist Russia in recent years. He pointed out that Tsarist Russia had great ambitions for aggression, and the Zhou Empire should be vigilant and not have illusions about the short-term peace brought by the contract. Sooner or later, the two sides will have to fight, and Tsarist Russia will definitely take the initiative to move south.

Jia Lian knew what he said was right. After gaining access to the Black Sea, Russia was not satisfied and continued to move westward to gain access to the Mediterranean. It was finally beaten up by Britain and France, but soon turned south again and took advantage of the Qing Dynasty's isolation to control the entire Central Asia. Later, it took advantage of the Qing Dynasty's weakness and fear of the great powers and seized large tracts of territory through contracts.

To put it bluntly, let alone the barren land that is not suitable for farming, even if you cut down trees in the lost territories, you can get countless woods, not to mention the countless treasures underneath.

Jia Lian certainly couldn't accept this, but he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he smiled contemptuously: "If Russia dares to invade, I will personally lead 100,000 elite troops to wipe out the invading enemy."

When Muhammad saw Jia Lian's attitude, he became anxious, but he didn't know where to start to persuade Jia Lian.

Fortunately, Ibrahim spoke in time: "Your Excellency is invincible in martial arts, so you are naturally not afraid of Tsarist Russia. But war requires a lot of consumption. Is it less consuming for your country to fight against Tsarist Russia alone, or for the two countries to join forces? Besides, our country does not need your country to make a big move. We just need your country to cooperate, set up a battle array on the border, and contain some of the Tsarist Russia's troops. I heard that your country hopes that the Caspian Sea will become a controlled area. We can definitely reach an agreement. The ownership of the area around the Caspian Sea can be discussed."

This remark was once again met with Jia Lian's arrogant attitude: "Talk? Talk about what? Is your country's military very close to the Caspian Sea? What qualifications do you have to dictate the ownership of the area surrounding the Caspian Sea? I advise you to be more pragmatic and not think too much. Let's solve the problem of the supply point on the Arabian Peninsula first, and then talk about other cooperation. Things should be done bit by bit. If you take big steps, you may get into trouble."

The part after this sentence caused a power outage for the translator. I don't know how to use a vivid metaphor to describe it.

Although Muhammad was very upset and felt that the Ottoman Empire was looked down upon, the strength of the Zhou Empire was well known. Otherwise, Britain and France would not have taken the initiative to sign a peace treaty and consciously give up the Strait of Malacca. And Tsarist Russia, as the dominant party in the Russo-Turkish War, took the initiative to negotiate, which shows its fear of the strength of the Ottoman Empire.

In this world, strength is still the key. If you talk about other things, other countries won’t understand.

For some countries, you have to put a bayonet to their face before they sit down and talk to you patiently and rationally.

(PS: I’ve had a blast eating melons recently, 5:0, and I don’t even have to go out on the field myself, it’s so good that I’m hurt.)
Although he was unhappy, in order to complete the task of purchasing new equipment and promote the goal of the two countries' union, Muhammad still held his nose and took out a map.

After taking a look, Jia Lian sneered, "You can call this a map?" Then he turned around and waved his hand. The staff officer came forward and took out a world map.

After spreading it out, Jia Lian pointed to a part of the Arabian Peninsula near the Indian Ocean and drew a circle with his finger: "Let's go here. The area doesn't need to be too big. This area is all sand, and we can't farm here."

Anyone who is familiar with current maps can see that this area includes several major oil-producing areas.

When Ibrahim saw this detailed map, his eyes turned red and he wished he could have it for himself immediately.

"Can you lend this to me for a few days?" Ibrahim did not hide it and asked directly to borrow it, so that he could go back and find someone to copy it.

Muhammad remained silent, holding his breath, hoping that Ibrahim would succeed.

"What are you thinking about?" Jia Lian stretched out his hand, took the map back, handed it to the staff officer and kept it, saying: "This is a state secret, how can it be loaned out?"

Although he was disappointed, Muhammad still had to do his job. He asked decisively: "I can write to the Pasha and lend this piece of land to your country as a supply point on the route. But what guarantees can you make? We need your latest weapons and equipment to defend our national interests."

"You can want to unite, but your country needs to prove its ability. Do you understand what I mean? Don't let your country rely on us to fight when our country is left behind. What you need to do is first demonstrate your ability to fight, and then talk about cooperation. It's too early to talk about cooperation now." These words were very impolite, but they were all true.

Ibrahim felt that Jia Lian had become arrogant and not as kind as before. It was not because his character had changed, but there must be other reasons.

What was the reason? The Russian envoys, the British and French envoys, all of them were unwilling to see the Ottoman Empire prosper.

People's words are scary and accumulated criticism can destroy one's character. These are very real things.

Seeing that Muhammad was about to speak, Ibrahim gently pulled his sleeve, signaling him to stop.

"Sir, can you fill the order for 10,000 flintlock rifles, 3,000 rifled guns, 100 field guns, and 1,000 revolvers?" Ibrahim placed the order.

This is not a small deal, it is a big deal. Arms transactions are never simple and will definitely involve political interests.

As long as the Ottoman Empire bought weapons, the interests of both sides were bound together. Everything else would be easy to discuss in the future.

If the Ottoman Empire lost the war, it would be the Zhou Empire that would be anxious, just as when India was beaten, the ones that would be anxious were the Plain White Banner and the Russians in the north.

"Well, it takes time. Besides, does your country have that much money? How do you pay for it?"

Jia Lian’s question was very realistic. The Ottoman Empire could indeed come up with the money for such a large order, but it was better to save on precious metals as much as possible.

Ibrahim smiled and said, "Doesn't your country need a supply point? I think you should buy it instead of renting it."

Jia Lian's expression turned cold instantly, and he stared at Ibrahim intently, which made him smile awkwardly and in an ugly way.

(End of this chapter)