Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 692 Deterrence!

The French Navy went completely mad when they saw the new cruiser. With ten small tubes on each of its two hulls, this warship must be incredibly fast.

The problem is that these small tubes are incredibly powerful! The wooden hull can't withstand a single salvo.

Upon hearing the news, Napoleon personally rushed to Marseille. After boarding the warship and inspecting its cannons, he thought that only by bringing this thing to land could he truly be called the King of War.

As soon as he disembarked from the warship, Napoleon proposed the idea of ​​purchasing warships. His real purpose was to put cannons on land, so that line formations would become sitting ducks.

Under the anxious gazes of Napoleon and his naval commanders, the minister who accompanied Napoleon throughout the journey could only say that he did not have the authority to do so and that he needed to report back to his country.

The diplomatically astute Talleyrand suggested that if procuring artillery was difficult, a batch of rifled rifles could be purchased first, provided that the Zhou Empire delivered the goods to their doorstep. After all, the French navy was not well-equipped and could not guarantee the safety of picking up the goods.

The minister said that this was not difficult to arrange, but payment must be made in advance before the goods are delivered.

Napoleon was busy and needed to rush back to Paris. Before leaving, he took with him the state gifts presented by the Zhou Empire, which included, not counting luxury items such as silk, porcelain, and tea, five hundred muzzle-loading rifles and five hundred revolvers.

Previously, through the Ottoman Empire, Napoleon had also obtained several hundred rifles and revolvers, tested their power, and used them on the battlefield.

The key issue is that this thing cannot be mass-produced; relying on manual rifling would never meet the demand. The most crucial thing is how to achieve industrialized mass production.

In Marseille, the Global Fleet rejected the French Navy's request for joint exercises, stating that it needed domestic permission.

French naval commanders could only drool over the new cruisers, which could easily defeat three of the most powerful battleships of the time.

It wasn't about having a lot of cannons, but rather the power of cannons in terms of speed and range.

Both Britain and France had cruisers, but what difference was there between a cruiser with thirty-odd bow-mounted guns and a cruiser like this? It was like sending food to the slaughter.

They couldn't win in a fight, and they couldn't outrun each other; they could only be beaten to death.

During the fleet's stay in Marseille, daily parties were held, attracting large numbers of noblewomen from Paris, all hoping to seduce a Zhou Empire naval officer's lover and become the focus of social interaction.

The naval officers were quite informal, pulling up their pants and leaving immediately. Jia Quan, however, repeatedly reminded his colleagues not to catch any disease, as things were very chaotic in France.

After resting for twenty days in Marseille, the circumnavigation fleet continued its journey, heading towards England after leaving the Mediterranean.

They encountered British warships repeatedly along the way, and both sides very amicably opened their gun ports to each other.

The British genuinely wanted to annihilate this fleet in the Mediterranean, but the consequences were too severe to bear. The Royal Navy, however painful, had no choice but to grit its teeth and bear it.

Not only did they have to be patient, but they also had to send a fast cruiser to guide the Global Fleet. After arriving at Portsmouth, the Royal Navy's request to board the ship for a look was granted.

The story of how Pitt, a fleet commander, a commoner from the lower rungs of British society who was just a low-ranking officer in the Royal Navy, rose to the rank of general in the Zhou Empire had already spread in the newspapers.

Some of Europe's most influential thinkers had long been advocating that the Zhou Dynasty, inheriting its ancient civilization, employed an examination system to select officials. Promotions in the military were based on ability and performance. Even those not of noble birth could become generals and join the new nobility. Currently, only France in Europe has achieved this. This is why the French have swept across Europe on land.

As a result, questions were raised in the media, such as "How can this country be so stable?" and "I am lost in thought."

This kind of thinking spread widely in Europe for a time. The media also had a relatively unified stance: don't ask, the answer is always the same – it's a systemic problem.

Otherwise, how could a continental country surpass the British Royal Navy at sea in just a few decades?

The media will not tell readers that the Zhou Empire was a vast empire with a population of 200 million, nor will they tell readers that the Zhou Empire was rich in resources and had a huge trade surplus with the world.

Media outlets all over the world are pretty much the same; they're the bullies among their own people. They bark the loudest when they're barking at their own people.

After boarding the new cruiser and witnessing the new naval guns, the Royal Navy officers fell silent, looking as if the end of the world was approaching.

After disembarking from the warship, he immediately went to find a place to drink, cursing Armstrong Company as useless for failing to produce a new type of breech-loading naval gun.

They're all using cannons, but others are already using breech-loading metal cartridges, while you're still using muzzle-loading cannons. How are you going to fight? How are you going to win?

The British side extended the greatest goodwill to the Global Fleet, offering to help clean the barnacles from the bottom of the ship.

The Global Fleet politely declined, stating that the area had already been cleared once in Marseille.

After seeing the new warships, the British Navy's eyes cleared; the Indian fleet's losses were well worth it.

In terms of leisure and enjoyment, the British were simply no match for the French. After a five-day visit to Britain, the fleet officers left grumbling and complaining.

Of course, the main criticism is that the food was terrible; it was mostly fish and chips, and also that British women couldn't cook as well as French women.

There isn't much to criticize regarding the homoerotic content, after all, child molestation is rampant in China, so we won't criticize the older brother.

Conversely, women in England and France unanimously agreed that the officers of the Zhou Empire, whether in the navy or the army, were as reserved and conservative as ever, making them the best choice for lovers.

Because of the military observation mission, it was a very prestigious thing for the ladies in European social circles to have a Zhou Empire officer as a lover.

After the fleet left Britain, the whole of Britain fell into reflection and panic. Despite the Zhou Empire’s claim of not interfering in European affairs, it sent its fleet over to show off its power.

According to the logic of the Anssa people, being backward does not necessarily mean being attacked; it just depends on whether others want to attack you.

Therefore, we must increase investment and improve the level of military equipment as soon as possible, at least to catch up with the level of the Zhou Empire. Otherwise, the invincible British Navy will be nothing but a self-deceiving joke.

Even more terrifying is the thought of the Zhou Empire's population, which numbered in the hundreds of millions; it sends chills down one's spine.

Austria and Prussia didn't even have the chance to see the Zhou Empire's global fleet, mainly because the two countries weren't at a high enough diplomatic level.

This is not the fault of the Zhou Empire; it's just that both countries are currently unable to take care of themselves due to the defeats inflicted by Napoleon.

As for Spain, it is currently occupied by the French army, so going there is naturally even less of an option.

This round-the-world trip, viewed from Jia Quan's perspective, once again validated Jia Lian's words: although Europe had entered industrialization in terms of strength, it remained feudal in its system. Napoleon's ambition to achieve European unification faced immense difficulties, and his chances were only moderately optimistic.

When the global fleet, which had crossed the Atlantic, arrived in New York, the docks were packed with onlookers, and New York Harbor was in an uproar.

It's not that the relationship between the two countries is particularly good; the reason is that the US government received a message from London that the visit of the Global Fleet was part of a project to elevate the diplomatic level between the two sides.

Previously, the relationship between the two countries was only at the chargé d'affaires level, but now it has been elevated to the consular level, which is enough to greatly excite the US government.

The major newspapers have already been hyping it up, saying that the Zhou Empire's invincible fleet's round-the-world tour only stopped at four countries: the Ottoman Empire, France, Britain, and the United States, for friendly visits.

What does this mean? It means that the Zhou Empire recognized America's strength, and that America could now be compared to Britain and France in Europe. They just wouldn't mention that diplomatic relations were at the consular level.

The Global Fleet did indeed receive a mission: to severely intimidate the United States and show them clearly the vast gap in military capabilities between them and the Zhou Empire.

Upon arrival in New York, the fleet organized a troop landing by sailors to escort the fleet's high command.

As the sailors, carrying their new rifles and revolvers, marched in unison through the streets of New York, the rhythmic sound of their footsteps resonating in the hearts of the onlookers, the American civilians were initially silent before erupting in cheers. While both were armies, the American military simply could not compare to this naval unit.

Military bearing, discipline, formation, and imposing presence completely overwhelmed them.

The purpose of this move was very clear: to intimidate! To bolster the colonies on the West Coast and buy them time for development and expansion.

To achieve a deterrent effect, the Global Fleet also took the initiative to invite the U.S. Navy to conduct a joint exercise.

At this time, the US Navy was still very weak. It wasn't until after the Civil War that the US Navy truly became powerful. Because it was suppressed by the British fleet's "neutrality" during the war, the US government learned its lesson and increased its investment in the navy. Don't underestimate the speed of American development; at the time of the Civil War, American industry was still in its infancy, but a few decades later, by the end of this century, it had become the world's number one.

This rate of development is already quite alarming, of course, this is the historical United States. In the novel, without the many states on the West Coast, the United States would inevitably suffer a significant loss of power.

The joint exercise is essentially the US Navy watching the Global Fleet perform, while a target ship drifts aimlessly on the sea, waiting to die in solitude.

The Global Fleet deployed three warships, which approached in a column formation, then made a smooth turn and fired a salvo from one side of the ship, turning the target ship into fragments.

The US government was terrified. If this fleet were to blockade the waters off New York, the city would instantly lose its vitality.

If trade were lost, the value of New York City would instantly be halved. If a fleet were to blockade the East Coast, the United States would become a landlocked country.

Following the exercises, the friendly rhetoric in New York's major newspapers intensified, touting the friendship between the two countries and making no mention of the cold reception the delegation had received in the Zhou Empire.

The US government isn't stupid; they immediately recognized the vast disparity in strength. The navy is utterly outmatched, and the army has a slim chance relying on sheer numbers. Crucially, the current US army is also quite weak, primarily composed of militia.

In general, the United States has always been a loose federation. The main reason it was able to become a powerful nation and form a unified whole is due to Lincoln.

The Civil War, through blood and fire, bound together the loosely connected United States and enhanced the authority of the central government.

In the modern era, Roosevelt emerged and once again elevated the United States to an unprecedented level.

It's a pity that Americans don't thank Roosevelt; instead, they call him a dictator.

The United States during the Roosevelt era undoubtedly represented the pinnacle of central government authority, and since then, it has been on a downward trajectory.

If there hadn't been another Roosevelt or Lincoln, the United States would probably have split apart, or there would have been another civil war.

The Global Fleet deliberately extended its stay in the United States, stopping at almost every port along its southward journey, except for New York. This was to demonstrate to the Americans the power of the Zhou Empire's fleet.

As the Global Fleet departed the United States, the Zhou Empire, across the ocean, welcomed an envoy from the Ottoman Empire.

To emphasize respect for the Zhou Empire, the chief leader of the visiting delegation was the uncle of the new Pasha.

After Fang Song received them, the two sides held lengthy talks that lasted for half a month before reaching a new cooperation agreement.

With few options left, the Ottoman Empire had no choice but to use real money to repay previous loans and then place new arms orders.

The most pressing task was to procure three new cruisers, with the Ottoman Empire hoping to use them as the core of a fleet to reclaim control of the Black Sea.

This time, the Ottoman Empire was more honest. After the technology transfer was rejected, they decisively placed a large order, totaling as much as ten million silver dollars.

Furthermore, it was proposed to reinstate the military advisory group of the Zhou Empire and fully intervene in the construction of the Ottoman Empire's new-style army.

The last Russo-Turkish War dealt a heavy blow to the Ottomans. Despite the French army sweeping across Europe and being equipped with Zhou Dynasty weapons, they still failed to win.

This is not a problem of equipment, but a problem of tactics and technology. The French are no longer reliable, and a complete military overhaul is necessary.

There was another issue they didn't mention. That was to leverage diplomatic victories through a sworn alliance with the Zhou Empire to enhance the legitimacy of the powerful faction's support for the new Pasha's ascension to the throne.

The Ottoman mission received positive feedback from the Zhou Empire!
Because of the war in Anxi, Jia Lian, when facing Li Yuanshi, pointed out that it was necessary to curb Tsarist Russia's territorial ambitions. Reasoning with them was futile; the only option was to launch military strikes while simultaneously increasing support for the Ottoman Empire. In other words, with the outbreak of the Anxi Incident, the Ottoman Empire's value as a resource increased.

Li Yuan highly approved of Jia Lian's views, especially after his plan to use the imperial treasury for infrastructure construction in the capital not only didn't lose money but actually made three times the profit. Li Yuan was even more elated after that.
Domestic affairs are no longer his concern; he must look to the world.

To demonstrate his friendship with both the Zhou Empire and the Ottoman Empire, Li Yuan specially hosted a banquet to entertain the key members of the Ottoman delegation.

At the banquet, Li Yuan personally promised the Ottoman Emperor that the goods could be taken delivery with only a 30% down payment; if the remaining balance was insufficient, the central bank would provide a loan. New cruisers, for sale!

A military advisory group, they're sending one! And it's a large group of a thousand people.

The Ottomans were ecstatic!
The rifles procured this time are all rifled, with no more smoothbore muskets. As for the cruisers, we'll send people to train them after we return, and then they'll sail back themselves.

The Ottoman mission's visit was very successful in every way except for the inability to transfer technology.

(End of this chapter)