Chapter 127: Money? No Problem

"Money problem, I'll solve it," Chen Feng's voice remained calm, "You just need to answer me—if the money is in place, the materials are in place, the workers are in place, by the end of 1914, can these ships be launched?"

Liu Yongfu looked at the engineer team beside him. Several people whispered for a few minutes, then all nodded together.

"Yes," Liu Yongfu said, "but there are conditions."

"Speak."

"First, priority. We must phase it, building the most urgent first."

"Agreed. Which phase builds what?"

Liu Yongfu walked back to the podium and picked up a piece of chalk.

"Phase One, January 1911 to June 1912," he wrote on the blackboard, "concentrate forces to build two battleships and twenty submarines. Because battleship construction takes the longest and submarine technology is the newest, both need time to smooth out."

"Phase Two, July 1912 to December 1913. Build the remaining two battleships, five cruisers, twenty destroyers, and sixty submarines."

"Why split it this way?"

"Because we need time to perfect the craft," Liu Yongfu said, "The twenty‑two ships of Phase One are essentially 'prototype ships.' Once they are built, the problems become exposed, the craft matures, and Phase Two can advance quickly."

Chen Feng thought for a few seconds, then nodded, "Reasonable. Any other conditions?"

"Second, the technical breakthrough teams," Liu Yongfu said, "I will draw the best engineers from each factory to form three task groups: hull group, propulsion group, weapons group. They will do nothing else for three years, just study these blueprints and solve technical challenges."

"Approved. Each group gets fifty people; add more if insufficient."

"Third, and most important—" Liu Yongfu inhaled deeply, "President, you must tell me why 1914?"

The hall fell silent again.

Everyone stared at Chen Feng.

Chen Feng walked to the window and watched the bustling Dubai harbor. Cranes swung back and forth under the blue sky, cargo ships came and went, and farther away, sparks from welding in the shipyard flickered like fireworks.

"Because in 1914 the world will change," he said without turning, "so thoroughly that if we are not ready before then, we will lose the chance forever."

"What chance?"

"The chance to go home," Chen Feng turned, "also the chance to survive."

The meeting entered its substantive phase.

Chen Feng had the staff hand out the pre‑prepared plan books. One per person, sixteen‑page format, kraft‑paper cover, with the title page printed in red: "1911-1914: Lanfang Navy Expansion Plan (Top Secret)".

"Turn to page three," Chen Feng said, "this is the schedule."

Wang Wenwu took the plan book and skimmed it quickly. His eyebrows rose higher and higher.

"President… this intensity… the workers will die of exhaustion."

"Therefore we will manage scientifically," Chen Feng said, "Eight hours of work per day, three shifts. Overtime is voluntary, with double pay. Provide nutritious meals, one day off every ten days. All work injuries covered, medical care free."

"Even so…" Wang Wenwu flipped to the budget section, "Good heavens, Phase One requires twelve million pounds?"

"That's only the cost of the ships themselves," Chen Feng said, "The accompanying shipyard renovations, equipment procurement, and technology import need another eight million. Phase One totals twenty million."

"Where does the money come from?"

"Loans, exports, trade," Chen Feng said succinctly, "Minister Wang, that's your matter. Within three months I want to see five million pounds deposited."

Wang Wenwu gave a wry smile, "I'll do my best."

"It's not 'do your best,' it's mandatory," Chen Feng looked at the others, "Everyone, I know this plan sounds crazy. Four battleships, five cruisers, twenty destroyers, eighty submarines—that's the scale of the world's third‑largest navy. Yet now we can't even fit the top ten in."

He paused.

"But this must be completed. Because—" Chen Feng tapped the submarine blueprint on the table, "these submarines aren't for naval battles. They're for blockading sea lanes."

Li Te jerked his head up, "Block whose sea lanes?"

"All hostile nations' sea lanes," Chen Feng said, "Eighty submarines, if positioned in key straits, can cut off twelve major routes simultaneously. No merchant ship dares to sail, no supplies can be transported. In three months a nation will collapse."

The hall's temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

"President," a young navy officer stood up, "We… who are we to fight?"

"It's not us who choose who to fight," Chen Feng said, "Someone else will choose to fight us. And when that day comes, we must have the ability to tell them—the cost of war, you cannot afford."

He walked to the world map and his finger traced several red lines.

"Strait of Malacca, Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait, Taiwan Strait… also the English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal. These places are the world's throats. And submarines are the spikes lodged in those throats."

Liu Yongfu murmured, "So that's why you're so eager for submarines…"

"Correct. Battleships are for deterrence, submarines are for killing," Chen Feng's voice was cold, "I will make the whole world know that Lanfang's submarines can sink any ship at any time, any place. That way, when they consider acting against us, they'll think twice."

Li Te stood up, "President, I have a question."

"Speak."

"Are these submarines… complicated to operate? How many crew members must we train?"

"Each submarine needs forty people. Eighty submarines mean three thousand two hundred crew," Chen Feng had prepared, "So starting next month the navy will establish a submarine school. Textbooks are being written, instructors will be hired from Deguo— we have already contacted retired officers of the submarine forces." (Deguo already has submarines but not yet at scale)

"Deguo will teach us?"

"They will, for money," Chen Feng said, "Five hundred pounds per person per month, two‑year contract. They teach the technique, we learn the skill, very fair."

The meeting went on for another hour. Each department received its tasks:

The steel plant must double special‑steel capacity within six months;

The shipyard must remodel two large dry docks, dedicated to building battleships;

The machinery plant must develop large gantry cranes and modular transport vehicles;

The training school must recruit an additional five thousand trainees;

The logistics department must stock 300,000 tons of high‑quality coal and 100,000 tons of fuel oil…

When the final task assignment was finished, it was already 12:30 pm.

Chen Feng glanced at his pocket watch, "First, lunch. At two pm we will continue discussing the army and immigration issues."

People rose one by one, but no one left the hall. They formed small groups, pointing at the drawings and debating fiercely. Liu Yongfu was surrounded by several engineers, a crowd arguing endlessly over the pressure‑hull design of the submarines.