Chapter 449: The Signing Ceremony in the Crystal Hall

3:00 p. m. on August 20, at the Crystal Hall of Dolma Bachche Palace.

The hall, sixty meters long and twenty‑five meters wide, is named for the crystal chandelier at its center, weighing four and a half tons—a gift from Yingguo Queen Victoria to Sultan Abdul Majid I. Beneath the chandelier, the three parties' representatives sit around a long table draped in deep‑red velvet, the atmosphere as heavy as lead.

On Deguo's side, Emperor Wilhelm II attended in person. He deliberately changed into the Prussian Army Field Marshal uniform, his merit medals polished to a shine, but the dark circles under his eyes revealed days of sleeplessness. General Fa Jinhan sat to his right, the worn cuffs of his uniform hastily mended with matching thread—result of the Chief of Staff not changing his regular attire for four consecutive months.

On the Ottoman side, Enweier Pasha and Halim Pasha sat together. Enweier's back was perfectly straight, as if resisting some invisible pressure, yet his hand gripping the saber hilt was clenched tightly. Halim Pasha's face was gaunt, and overnight another strand of white hair had appeared.

On Lanfang's side, Chen Feng still wore a dark‑gray suit. Wang Wenwu sat to his left, three copies of the agreement spread before him—the Ottoman Turkish version, the German version, and the Chinese version.

"Gentlemen," Chen Feng spoke first, his voice calm, "before the formal signing, I, on behalf of the Lanfang Republic, wish to reiterate several commitments."

All eyes focused on him.

"First, all religious sites within the concession area—whether mosques or churches—will receive full protection, and Lanfang security forces will never intervene in matters of religious belief."

"Second, the land and housing ownership of existing residents in the area will be recognized; if Lanfang needs to expropriate land for infrastructure construction, compensation will be at three times the market price."

"Third, all resource development projects will prioritize hiring local residents, with salary standards no lower than those for equivalent positions within Lanfang."

"Fourth," he paused, looking at Halim Pasha, "5 % of the concession fees will establish a 'Regional Development Fund' for building schools, hospitals, and roads, with the fund's governing committee composed of Lanfang and Ottoman representatives together."

Halim Pasha showed a slight emotion. These details had not been fully clarified in earlier talks; Chen Feng's proactive proposal now indicated that Lanfang sought more than mere plunder.

Wilhelm II tapped the table impatiently: "President, these details can be discussed later. We have already reviewed the agreement text; the current issue is—after signing, when can the tank technology be delivered?"

General Fa Jinhan added, "The Western Front cannot wait. Every day, the Somme devours Deguo soldiers' lives."

Chen Feng turned to Liu Yongfu. The Minister of Industry immediately opened his briefcase, pulling out a fire‑sealed folder: "Your Majesty, General, this is the catalog list of the complete technical drawings for the 'Model 1 Armored Assault Vehicle.' The originals were loaded onto a ship yesterday, transported by the vessel 'Dongting Lake,' and are expected to arrive at Hamburg Port in twenty‑five days."

He handed over the list. General Fa Jinhan seized it eagerly, leafing through; light began to shine in his eyes: "Fully welded body construction… inclined armor design… detailed gearbox parameters… Good! Good!"

Wilhelm II looked at Chen Feng: "President, you previously said the first batch of fifty training vehicles could be delivered within three months?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Chen Feng nodded, "but we need Deguo to supply chassis and engines. Lanfang's production capacity is currently focused on naval vessels, and the land‑war equipment production line is still being expanded." (Lanfang's capacity must serve its own needs, also equip the Ottomans, and with the British having tanks, Deguo can also start producing them.)

"We have the chassis!" Wilhelm II replied immediately, "Man Company's truck chassis can be modified. The engine… Daimler's six‑cylinder gasoline engine should suffice. General Fa Jinhan, return and organize production at once!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Enweier Pasha spoke then, his voice hoarse: "President, regarding the Ottomans' ten divisions…"

"The first batch of equipment has been loaded onto a ship in Dubai," Chen Feng indicated to Wang Wenwu.

The Foreign Minister opened the document: "According to Annex III of the agreement, Lanfang will, by the end of September, deliver to the Ottomans: 50,000 Lee‑Enfield rifles (produced in Lanfang), 800 Maxim heavy machine guns, 200 81 mm mortars, and 120 75 mm field guns. All weapons come with a base quantity of standard ammunition."

He paused: "At the same time, the Lanfang army will dispatch sixty instructors to assist your forces in modern training. For tank operation training, Lanfang will cover half of the trainees' fees."

Enweier Pasha breathed a sigh of relief. Though these weapons were not the most advanced, they were enough to arm three fully‑manned divisions. More importantly, with this arsenal he could at least hold the Caucasus front and free forces to address the Palestine crisis.

"Then," Halim Pasha rose slowly, "if no party has further objections… please sign."

The attendant presented a silver ink bottle and four gold‑plated pens.

Wilhelm II signed first. He pressed so hard that the pen tip nearly pierced the parchment, as if trying to pour all his anxiety and expectations into it.

Next was Chen Feng. His signature was concise and fluid; the Chinese characters "Chen Feng" stood out prominently among the Ottoman and German signatures.

When it was Enweier Pasha's turn, his hand began to tremble. The pen hovered over the agreement, ink droplets spreading into a small black blot on the word "Ninety‑nine Years." He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and finally set the pen down. The signature was crooked, like a wounded reptile.

Finally came Halim Pasha. The veteran's hand was steady, but when he set down the pen after signing, he seemed a decade older.

Four copies of the agreement: each of the three parties holds an original, and one is kept in the Ottoman court archives.

When the final stroke was set, the Crystal Hall fell deathly silent. Only the chandelier's crystal drops lightly clinked in the sea breeze from outside, emitting a faint, whimper‑like sound.

Two hours after the signing ceremony, Chen Feng boarded the special train bound for Dubai.

The train, composed of eight cars, had been specially modified: the body fitted with armor plates, windows of triple‑layer bullet‑proof glass, and wheels equipped with anti‑derailment devices. The first three cars served as guard and communications cars, the middle car as Chen Feng's office‑living car, and the rear four cars carried classified documents and accompanying staff.

When the train set off, it was already dusk. The setting sun turned the Bosphorus into a blood‑red hue, and the silhouette of Galata Tower's spire on the opposite shore stood sharply against the twilight. Chen Feng stood by the window, watching the millennial city recede slowly.

"President," Wang Wenwu entered the office car, holding the freshly translated telegram, "the Sultan has fallen into a coma. The royal physician says… it may be only a few days."

Chen Feng did not turn around: "Notify the Foreign Ministry, prepare a condolence telegram and elegiac couplet. Add one more sentence in my personal name: 'History will judge fairly every monarch who seeks a survival path for the nation in dire straits.'"