In the Vulcan Shipyard, everyone who was preparing to return to China had gathered. Yiwang and Fangguan continued to stay in Europe, while Xiang Ying and other more than 50 overseas students took on the task of cooperating with Kevin in escorting the Zhiyuan back to China.
On the deck, Wing King was reading a secret message sent from Ryukyu. In front of him, fifty foreign students who had undergone military training stood in a tofu-like formation. Behind him, more than three hundred Prussian sailors watched quietly. Field appointment awareness.
"According to the Prime Minister's order, the commanders of all levels of the returning fleet are appointed... Captain of the Zhiyuan, Xiang Ying! Come out!"
There was a bang of military boots on the deck. Xiang Ying, who had put on his military uniform, had tears in his excited eyes. When he took the letter of appointment and the command knife, two drops of hot tears finally couldn't help but flow down.
One year in Europe is really like three years for students like them. Everyone forgets to eat and sleep and is never tired. They only sleep for one or two hours a day, and their meals are always a sandwich with two slices of bread and sausage.
They studied with the tutor when he was there, and they went to the library when the tutor had a break. The first batch of European students were all geniuses carefully selected by Xiao Letian. It is not an exaggeration to say that they have a photographic memory.
Language and writing barriers have been solved long ago in Ryukyu, and Ryukyu's basic university education is very good. These top students have no obstacles in learning new knowledge.
What does it matter if there are some obstacles? Diligence can always make up for the gap.
Countless days and nights, they studied non-stop. While other Prussian classmates went for walks, played football, or drank in bars, they were conducting experiments.
When others fell into a deep sleep, they studied hard in the library. If the foundation had not provided them with enough living expenses to keep up with their nutrition, I am afraid that a large number of people would have collapsed by now.
King Yi patted Xiang Ying on the shoulder, "Remember, this is only a temporary appointment. You will still have to come back to study after the task is completed! Don't embarrass your uncle, go ahead..."
With a military salute, Xiang Ying returned to the team.
"Kevin...The Prime Minister has appointed you as the deputy captain of the Zhiyuan and will be responsible for all technical work!"
"Thank you, Prime Minister, for your trust. I am determined to fulfill my mission!"
"Jin Sanshun... I accept your appointment as the Minister of Internal Affairs. When you return home, you can take away 300,000 silver dollars as expenses along the way!"
"Lin Zhen... I accept your appointment as the gunnery commander of the Zhiyuan, responsible for the firepower output of all weapons!"
"Cai Bixia is the communications chief..."
"Yan Xing is the chief engineer..."
"Liu Anchen, Qiu Wei, Jiang Yuheng, Sun Chujian... I accept your orders as captains of the supply ship and follow the command of the Zhiyuan all the way. Even if you lose your life, you must protect our armored ship when it returns home..."
One after another, the international students came out and accepted their fate. From this moment on, the command system of the Zhiyuan officially began to work. Immediately afterwards, the officers began to call names according to the roster. Prince Karl transferred 300 veterans from the Prussian Navy, which was the composition of the sailors on the Reach.
Karl has already told these veterans that this mission will retain all their military ranks and benefits in Prussia, and Prime Minister Xiao of Ryukyu also promised to give everyone three times the allowance for this mission.
It’s not purely about money. Prince Karl made it very clear. Prussia still owes Xiao Letian a favor. The Chinese shed a lot of blood during the Austro-Prussian War. It’s not the Prussian character to repay kindness, so the three hundred veterans I was very attentive to this mission, and there was no backhandedness at all, and everything was given to everyone.
Five clipper ships are now anchored in the Baltic Sea. They are not only filled with the highest quality anthracite coal, but also have a complete set of precision processing instruments.
According to the previous agreement, Xiao Letian provided scientific research and construction funds, but in the end he not only had to give Ryukyu an ironclad ship, but also a complete set of production equipment.
Xiao Letian can purchase equipment with low technical content in Ryukyu and just bring the drawings. However, some industrial mother machines such as precision lathes, boring machines, planers, and drilling machines that are prohibited from being sold in Europe have to be packed and shipped secretly. One portion passed.
Everything is top secret, let alone the Zhiyuan ship. If Britain and France knew that Prussia dared to sell the most core precision instruments to the Chinese, they would go crazy and go to the ocean to intercept it.
The dry dock was in full swing, and King Yi actually saw Steven, Daniel and Grant among the Prussian sailors.
"Steven, Daniel, Grant? Why are you here too?" Yi Wang roared.
With a snap, the three of them saluted King Yi and then said with a smile, "We just came from Ruhr and led troops to escort the best quality anthracite here... We didn't expect to see a familiar Chinese figure here, so we Take the initiative to ask the prince to join this mission..."
"The prince has approved our application... We can go to Asia to see the old monitor!"
At this time, Xiang Ying from a distance yelled at the three of them, "Steven, come here to sign... Have you inspected the 600 armor-piercing bombs? Daniel... Come here and count the number of gunpowder packets!"
"And you, Grant... take the munitions list to check whether the number of torpedoes is correct. We have no time to waste..."
"Yes! Captain..." The three of them smiled at King Yi, turned around and ran back to work.
"The heavens and the earth work together to bring luck! To be able to cooperate with Prussia to this extent cannot be achieved by money alone, nor by emotions alone. People who are not very familiar with Prussia's national strategy cannot formulate such a perfect plan... Brother Xiao, how did you get such a brain?"
In fact, it was not only King Yi who was sighing, but Prince Karl and Prime Minister Bismarck were also equally surprised. In a secret branch of the Vulcan Shipyard south of Szczecin, the prince and the Prime Minister were reviewing a ship that was exactly the same as the Zhiyuan. Battleship.
This was approved by Bismet after Zhiyuan changed its mind after 60% was completed. Therefore, the 00 model warship is not completely completed at this moment, but the structure is complete.
"I can't refuse! I know that Xiao Letian is desperately trying to steal our European technology, and I even know that he is using our Prussian power to develop himself, but I can't refuse!"
Karl, who was standing beside Bismarck in deep thought, also let out a long sigh, "Yes! It's easy to move with emotion and benefit with profit. This already makes it difficult for us to refuse. What's more important is that he actually hits the mark every step of the way." !”
"Any decision made by Xiao Letian seems to be deliberately in line with our grand strategy of the rise of Prussia. We are dealing with Austria and he has brought troops to join the war. Now we are provoking a conflict over the succession of the Spanish throne. In fact, it is not so much escorting the Zhiyuan back to Asia. We know very well that this is our strategy!"
"I can't refuse. This method of following your grand strategy and nailing it is really too clever!"
The relationship between Prince Carl and Prime Minister Bimarck has been restored very well in the past two years, and the two can now have in-depth discussions on grand strategy.
"How are you going to handle the Spanish matter?" Karl asked respectfully.
Bismarck smiled, "Napoleon III is a very irritable person and can easily push his limits. All I have to do is to provoke him and then retreat... By then, this person who doesn't know how to advance or retreat will definitely pursue and fight him." , my ambush circle is set up for him!"
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