Chapter 472

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Just then, a confidential staff officer walked in quickly, snapped to attention with a crack, and saluted.

"Report, sir! Governor Smith of British Burma has sent a telegram requesting a meeting with you five days from now this afternoon."

After hearing this, Sun Liren asked Lv Muzhi, "This meeting concerns reopening the Burma Road. Can the British agree? They were terrified by the Japanese!"

Lv Muzhi said, "This meeting concerns not only reopening the Burma Road, but also a major arms sale plan. On these two matters, we certainly aren't looking at the British for approval!"

Governor Smith of British Burma bypassing the Central Government to meet Lv Muzhi directly was exactly like the behavior of former Governor Cartier of French Indochina.

However, this Governor Smith of Britain still notified the Xia Guo Ministry of Foreign Affairs that he would meet Lv Muzhi, of course merely informing them, without needing Central Government approval.

The news quickly reached Hankou, and the old man's heart was struck again.

"The Governor of British Burma bypassed the Central Government and went directly to Kunming to meet Lv Weiyue." Chen Cheng reported this news to the old man.

Crack!

The old man slapped the table with one palm.

"Too much!"

"These British, simply lawless!"

"Just now they closed the Burma Road and stabbed me in the back, and now they actually go find that rebellious fellow Lv Weiyue!"

"The former Governor of French Indochina went to see him, and now the British Governor goes to see him. Am I just a decoration here in Hankou?"

"Who exactly is the one calling the shots in this Xia Guo?!"

"Where is the prestige of the Central Government? Where is the dignity of the country?"

Chen Cheng sat to the side, seeing the old man so angry he was about to explode on the spot, and hurried forward to comfort him.

"Calm your anger. The British looking for Lv Weiyue at this time is most likely for that road."

"If the road reopens, it's also a good thing for us."

The old man snorted coldly: "Talk about the road? They should be talking to me about it! What does Lv Weiyue count as?"

"You set off for Kunming immediately to represent the Central Government at this meeting. I want to see exactly what they're plotting!"

Chen Cheng was stunned: "Ah? They didn't invite me either?"

The old man furrowed his brow: "Tsk! I tell you to go, so you go. Can they still chase you away? Last time He Yingqin went, this time it's your turn!"

No choice, Chen Cheng dared not defy the old man.

He could only arrive early at Lv Muzhi's Kunming Expeditionary Force headquarters, pretending to represent the Central Government to comfort the troops.

Finally, with extreme nonchalance, he tactfully proposed joining the meeting at the table, representing the Central Government at the talks with the Governor of British Burma.

This was like going to someone's house to chat at mealtime, but actually preparing to eat at the table.

Lv Muzhi saw through it at a glance, saying this was Governor Smith's own request for a meeting, not his summons, and Chen Cheng could sit in as an observer.

After all, Lv Muzhi had nothing to plot secretly with Governor Smith either. To care for the old man's self-esteem, let Chen Cheng join the table!

The meeting was set in a quiet public mansion.

Governor Smith of British Burma was a British gentleman, elegant and proper in manner, but Lv Muzhi could see a hint of impatience in the depths of his eyes.

This meeting concerned not only reopening the Burma Road, but also Lv Muzhi's arms sale to Britain.

Yes, you heard right. Xia Guo selling weapons to Britain to fight the hateful Hans!

Lv Muzhi's arms sale to Britain mainly involved the Siden submachine gun.

This submachine gun had been successfully developed by the Youth Army Arms Research Institute a year ago. Although Lv Muzhi had prepared several production lines, it had never been widely promoted in the Youth Army.

For the Youth Army, the current main submachine gun was the M3 Grease Gun, with balanced performance and low price, while a small portion of elite troops used the expensive and excellent Thompson submachine gun.

Because three hundred thousand Anglo-French allied troops discarded large amounts of weapons and ammunition during the Dunkirk retreat, and Britain's mainland began mass expansion to deal with the Hans threat, the British now urgently needed light weapons.

The British did not prioritize equipping submachine guns, and now facing the automated firepower of the Hans Army they suffered heavy losses. Under these circumstances, they needed submachine guns that were both cheap and could be equipped on a large scale!

This was a business opportunity, and many arms dealers approached Britain.

Lv Muzhi submitted his Siden submachine gun for bidding, and the Americans submitted their Thompson submachine gun for bidding.

The British requirement was that bidders needed the capacity for large-scale production, and the price had to meet British psychological expectations.

Lv Muzhi naturally possessed the capacity for large-scale production of Siden submachine guns.

The arsenal had begun preparing the Siden submachine gun production line a year ago. Since the production process was simple, and Lv Muzhi's arsenal was experienced, this submachine gun was produced like dumplings, and finally sealed in warehouses.

This year, Lv Muzhi fully opened production of Siden submachine guns. Besides mass-arming the Zhongnan Yixin Society, he also sold quite a few to various friendly forces.

For example, Li Zongren of the Gui clique. After the French cut off supply lines, to stockpile weapons, he gritted his teeth and placed an order for two thousand Siden submachine guns with Lv Muzhi.

Now Lv Muzhi had essentially become the biggest arms dealer in the country. With international supply lines cut off, Lv Muzhi had prepared in advance. Domestically, whoever wanted guns had to look at his face.

After research, the British found the Siden submachine gun was practically tailor-made for them: cheap and effective!

Meanwhile, the Thompson submachine gun the Americans were selling to the British cost over two hundred dollars each. Such expensive guns, if equipped on a large scale, would truly pain the British.

Fortunately, Lv Muzhi understood the British needs so well and had even prepared large stocks in advance, truly surprising the British greatly!

"General Lu, let's be direct. We need Siden, large quantities of Siden submachine guns." Governor Smith spread his hands, his tone helpless.

"General Lu, we hope to purchase the production license for this weapon to manufacture it domestically."

"Also, I know you need dollars to buy war supplies from the Americans. We'll pay directly in dollars, saving you the trouble of currency exchange!"

"To solve the current urgent need, we commission you to first produce fifty thousand in Xia Guo, twenty-five dollars each. How about it?"

Hearing this news, Chen Cheng, representing the Central Government, was both tempted and envious. If the Central Government could also produce its own weapons, be self-sufficient, and earn foreign exchange at the same time, how wonderful that would be!

Lv Muzhi smiled. The domestic production cost of the Siden submachine gun converted to dollars was fifteen dollars. Selling at twenty-five dollars simply wouldn't do!

On rainy days umbrellas sell best; in wartime you sell arms.

Right now the Americans haven't set their sights on this business—they're busy selling planes to the British! That's where the huge profits are.

General Motors in America now holds the patent for the M3 Grease Gun; that thing is cheap too, but they haven't set up large-scale production lines.

The production license for General Motors' M3 Grease Gun was long ago secured by major shareholder Lv Muzhi, and today the world's largest M3 Grease Gun production line is right in Xia Guo, where ground combat is most frequent, producing submachine guns for the Youth Army!

Therefore, under current circumstances, in the low-end submachine gun domain, Lv Muzhi possesses very strong competitiveness!

If we wait until the Americans react and open up all production capacity, then light weapons will be the Americans' world, and Lv Muzhi won't be able to earn anything. The opportunity is this one time—he'd better raise his price.

"Governor Smith, Britain urgently needs them, and I happen to have thirty thousand in stock right here."

Smith was both surprised and delighted: "That's wonderful, my country urgently needs them too—I want to inspect the goods right now!"

Seeing Smith so excited, Lv Muzhi feigned difficulty: "But... my good friend General Li Zongren urgently needs this batch of stock!"

Before Smith could be disappointed, Chen Cheng was first shocked.

"Wei... Wei Yue! You want to sell thirty thousand submachine guns to Li Zongren?!"

Lv Muzhi saw at once that things had gone wrong—Li Zongren had bought two thousand submachine guns, and he had merely exaggerated a bit, blowing his boast into thirty thousand, which instead scared Chen Cheng and the Central Government!

Who are the Gui clique? In the old man's eyes, the Gui clique are also rebels!

So many submachine guns flowing into the hands of the Gui clique—what great undertaking are they planning? Chen Cheng naturally worried for the old man.

"Yeah... hehe."

Words spoken are like water spilled—Lv Muzhi couldn't very well say he'd been lying before, so he could only feign nonchalance: "What, does the Central Government lack weapons too? Want to buy some?"

Chen Cheng hurriedly said: "No matter how much money Li Zongren offers, for these thirty thousand submachine guns, the Central Government's bid will definitely be higher than his!"

Smith couldn't sit still—how was someone else running in to cut in? Besides, he hadn't said he wanted to meet Chen Cheng, this Central Government representative of Xia Guo!

"Mr. Chen Cheng, it seems you weren't invited to this meeting? These weapons should be sold to the Great British Empire!"

After saying this, Governor Smith looked at Lv Muzhi, hoping he would make the call on who to sell these thirty thousand submachine guns to.

Lv Muzhi sighed: "Alas! Governor, I was thinking of selling to the Great British Empire."

"But whether it's the old man or General Li Zongren, they're all my dear friends—I can't bear to disappoint them... alright... you'll have to add more money..."

Smith slammed the table: "How much?! The Great British Empire lacks weapons, lacks time, but certainly doesn't lack money!"

Considering Tomson's price of over two hundred, Lv Muzhi compromised, extended one finger, and said tentatively:

"As for the price of this batch of stock, one hundred dollars apiece—thirty thousand submachine guns, right here in Kunming!"

"Stock ships direct, no free shipping!"