Chapter 9

"Second category, mechanical equipment." Wang Wenwu continued explaining, "Besides the equipment obtained from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, we also need to purchase large machine tools from the United States, precision instruments from Switzerland, and special steel from Sweden. These purchases will be carried out through the foreign firms in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, disguised as ordinary commercial orders."

"Third category, talent recruitment." Chen Feng added, "We will hire unemployed European engineers and technicians with high salaries, especially those experts not valued in the arms race. Germans, Austro-Hungarians, Italians…… As long as they have genuine ability and are willing to come, we will offer triple wages, provide housing, and solve employment for their families."

Zhao Qianli frowned: "President, bringing in foreigners…… will there be a leak?"

"Yes." Chen Feng admitted candidly, "So we need selective recruitment, strict management systems, and core technology protection measures. But more importantly——" He looked around the room, "We need our own R&D capability. The purpose of recruiting talent is to cultivate our own people. In ten years, I hope the 'young' ministers sitting in this room are all experts we have trained ourselves."

The meeting lasted a full four hours. As the sun set westward, the final plan was settled.

Allocation of 4.2 million pounds:

Industrial expansion: 1.2 million

Infrastructure construction: 800,000

Agricultural development: 500,000

Education: 300,000

Global procurement: 1.4 million

"Wang Wenwu," before the meeting ended, Chen Feng kept Wang Wenwu behind alone, "The procurement plan is yours to draft, but how difficult will its execution be? Do you have a sense of it?"

Wang Wenwu put away his professional smile, rare to see a solemn expression: ", President. The difficulty is great. The British are not fools; our large-scale purchase of strategic minerals will eventually be noticed. The Americans are rising, eyeing global resources covetously. Germans, French, Japanese—all are scrambling for resources."

"I know." Chen Feng looked at him, "So I need you to achieve three points."

"Please speak."

"First, disperse and disperse again. Do not buy too much in one place, do not use one method, do not use a single agent. We want to cast a net like spreading it worldwide, but each line so fine it's invisible."

"Second, legal and compliant. All transactions must comply with local laws, pay taxes as required, and handle necessary connections properly. We want to be model investors, not speculators."

"Third," Chen Feng paused, "Prepare contingency plans. If a channel is cut off, immediately have another channel supplement it. If a country's policy changes, we have response plans."

Wang Wenwu pondered a moment, then nodded: "Understood. I will form three teams: an overt business team handling legitimate trade; an underground team handling gray-zone transactions; and an intelligence analysis team dedicated to studying various countries' policies and market dynamics."

"Regarding funds, the procurement budget is 1.4 million pounds; I give you a ten percent discretionary amount." Chen Feng handed him an authorization letter, "If necessary, it can be urgently drawn."

Wang Wenwu took the authorization letter, his hand trembling slightly. The discretionary fund of 140,000 pounds—in 1905, that was a huge sum enough to buy a medium-sized factory.

"President, you trust me this much?" he asked softly.

"Employ without suspicion." Chen Feng patted his shoulder, "More importantly, you were recommended by Wang Bo. Wang Bo said, although you work for foreigners, you have never harmed our own people. When Lanfang's mobilization order was issued three years ago, you were among the first to sell your property and bring your whole family to the Persian Gulf."

Wang Wenwu's eye sockets suddenly reddened. He took a deep breath, straightened his back: "Wang Wenwu…… will not fail the trust."

Over the next few days, Dubai Port turned into a huge construction site.

German Navy cadets began training, six hundred young Germanic men in brand-new uniforms, under the scorching sun learning to operate the battleship's Main Gun, maintain steam turbines, and use Optical Rangefinder. Their instructors were Captain Li Te and the first batch of Chinese crewmen—three years ago, these people were still fishermen, sailors, and dockworkers in the South Ocean, but now they have become experts on the world's most advanced battleships.

The first batch of materials from the Austro-Hungarian Empire also arrived. Three cargo ships brought twelve machine tools, two hundred tons of steel, and five thousand tons of grain. Accompanying the ship were six technical advisors from Škoda Armaments; they will work here for six months.

What pleased Chen Feng most was that the Austro-Hungarian Empire agreed to technology transfer. Although not the latest artillery manufacturing technology, it included some basic metallurgical formulas, machining processes, and quality management systems. This seemingly ordinary knowledge is exactly what the Lanfang industrial system lacks most—you can have the most advanced blueprints, but without qualified craftsmanship, you cannot produce qualified parts.

"Wang Bo, this batch of equipment will all be installed in the newly expanded No. 2 workshop." Chen Feng personally directed the unloading at the dock, "Those six Austrian engineers, arrange the best accommodation, meals at the highest standard. Tell them, as long as they are willing to teach, remuneration can be renegotiated."

"Young Master, rest assured." Wang Bo, though sixty years old, still vigorous, said, "I have already arranged it: each person gets a single dormitory, with a translator, and two days off per week, they can go fishing by the sea."

"Fishing……" Chen Feng laughed, "They came from the Danube River to the Persian Gulf, after all they can experience different fish."

Just as they were speaking, hoofbeats came from afar. Several camels and a group of horsemen were coming from the desert direction, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"They are from the Al Maktoum family." Wang Bo glanced, "They should be here to exchange goods."

Chen Feng nodded: "I'll go see them."

The one who came was Sheikh Khalid bin Al Maktoum, chief of a local Bedouin tribe. In his forties, with a thick beard, wearing a white robe, head draped in a red-and-white checkered headscarf. He speaks simple English, because Dubai itself is a small trade port, often visited by Indian and Persian merchants.

"Chen, my friend!" Khalid jumped down from the camel, warmly embracing Chen Feng, "God bless, you guys are getting livelier here!"

"Sheikh, welcome." Chen Feng greeted in Arabic, "How's the pasture lately?"

"Good, very good!" Khalid laughed heartily, "The drilling equipment you gave is extremely useful! We dug three deep wells in the oasis; now my tribe no longer needs to worry about water!"

Three years ago when Chen Feng first arrived, he gained the goodwill of the local tribe by exchanging grain and cloth. Later he provided simple drilling equipment and medical aid, completely winning the trust of these Bedouin people. Now, the Al Maktoum tribe is Lanfang's most steadfast ally—although this "ally" relationship is loose, essentially it's mutual benefit.

"What did you bring today?" Chen Feng asked.

"Wool, three hundred sheepskins, and this——" Khalid gestured for an attendant to bring over a wooden box, which he opened to reveal some black stones, "My son discovered them while herding sheep in the northern mountains; they smell strange when burned, but they ignite."

Chen Feng picked up a piece, his heart jolted. It was asphalt, or rather low-quality oil sand.

But he kept his composure: "These black stones…… do you have many of them?"

"Plenty!" Khalid gestured, "The whole mountain is like that, black and sticky, clinging to your feet. We call it 'devil's dung'; besides burning, it has no use."

"I want to go see." Chen Feng said, "If the quantity is large, I can purchase it long-term, price…… three times higher than wool."

Khalid's eyes lit up: "Really? Chen, you won't cheat me, will you?"

"When have I ever cheated you?" Chen Feng smiled, "But you must promise me two things."

"Go ahead!"

"First, do not tell other tribes about this. Only your Al Maktoum family can sell it to me."

"Of course! Of course!" Khalid nodded repeatedly, "This is our discovery, of course we only sell it to you!"

"Second," Chen Feng lowered his voice, "I want the deed to that mountain. Not the Ottoman government's kind, but the tribal-recognized traditional deed. I will pay, buying it outright in one payment."

Khalid was stunned. Buy land? In this desert where besides sand and black stone there is nothing?

"Chen, my friend, are you sure? There really is nothing there, not even grass grows……"

"I'm sure." Chen Feng patted his shoulder, "You set the price. Grain, cloth, weapons, medicine, even…… I can reserve spots for your sons in our school, teaching them to read, write, and learn skills."

Finally this condition moved Khalid. Learning to read and write is what Bedouin people dream of. The Ottoman government never taught Arabs literacy, let alone technology.

Good! Khalid gritted his teeth, "That mountain, from Antelope Spring to Black Stone Cliff, roughly... roughly how many 'fifty hectares' as you Chinese say? I'll sell it to you! But I need five hundred sacks of flour, a hundred bolts of cloth, twenty rifles, and... five study slots."

"Deal." Chen Feng extended his hand, "We'll sign the contract tomorrow, and the first batch of supplies will be delivered to your camp within three days."

After seeing Khalid off, Chen Feng immediately returned to the administrative building and summoned the core staff.

"Wang Bo, how is our geological survey team coming along?"

"Following the Young Master's orders, we found seven people who know mining among the immigrants, and borrowed two who have studied geology from the Deguo trainees." Wang Bo replied, "But the equipment is rudimentary—only a compass, hammer, and magnifying glass."

"Enough." Chen Feng spread out the map, pointing to the area Khalid had said, "We'll depart tomorrow, go here. I need to know three figures: first, the thickness and extent of the oil sand layer; second, if we drill down, how deep we expect to hit liquid crude; third, how to plan the transport route."

"Young Master, are you really sure there's oil there?" Wang Bo couldn't help but ask, "The Ottomans and the British have searched this desert before, but aside from the Persian side, the Arabian Peninsula side has never discovered a major oil field."

"They looked in the wrong place." Chen Feng's finger moved on the map, "The oil along the Persian Gulf coast is mainly distributed in two areas: one is Persia (Iran) side, already discovered; two is here——" His finger stopped at the location later called the "Ghawar oil field," which is the world's largest onshore oil field, but for now it's still an unknown desert.

"The eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, from Kuwait to Qatar, this whole underground area is oil. It's just buried deeper, requiring wells of a kilometer or even deeper. The Ottomans lack this technology, and the British haven't yet paid attention here."

Wang Bo took a deep breath: "If it's really there…… what does that mean?"

"It means we no longer need to worry about money." Chen Feng's eyes gleamed, "It means we can exchange oil for everything—machinery, technology, weapons, and even…… international recognition."

"But this also means danger." Wang Bo warned, "Holding a jade brings guilt. If the British know there's oil here……"

"So we must keep it secret." Chen Feng tapped the table, "Exploration will be carried out under the pretext of searching for groundwater. After discovering oil, small-scale extraction, on-site refining, producing only kerosene and diesel, mainly for self-use. Large-scale development will wait until we have sufficient strength to protect it."

He paused: "Wang Bo, you personally handle this. Everyone in the exploration team must sign confidentiality agreements, family members centrally housed, no unauthorized contact with the outside. During exploration, dispatch a company of troops to protect it, and outwardly say…… we are testing new agricultural irrigation technology."

"Understood." Wang Bo solemnly noted.

"Moreover," Chen Feng added, "Starting today, establish the 'Lanfang Oil Company'. Registered in Switzerland, shareholders use offshore trusts, the legal person uses a foreign name. We want to make this shell thick, so that even if the British discover it later, they cannot trace it back to Lanfang."

The meeting ended, it was already late at night.

Chen Feng alone walked up to the administrative building's rooftop, looking down at Dubai harbor. Three years ago this place had only a few shacks; now there are piers, factories, residential areas, schools, hospitals, warehouses. The night lights stretched into a sheet, like pearls scattered on black velvet.

In the distance, the silhouette of a German cruise ship loomed faintly in the moonlight. Farther out, ten Dreadnought-class battleships lay at anchor in the deep-water zone, six of them already flying the German Navy flag, three flying the Austro-Hungarian Empire flag, and one flying the Argentine flag. They were about to depart, to change the fate of their respective nations.

And what Chen Feng exchanged them for was Lanfang's future.

"President."

A voice came from behind. It was Wang Wenwu, holding a telegram.

"Just received, forwarded from Singapore." Wang Wenwu handed over the telegram, "The British have noticed our bulk purchases. The Singapore colonial government inquired why suddenly so much Chinese capital is buying Australian iron ore and Malayan tin."

Chen Feng took the telegram, glanced at it: "How did you reply?"

"Following your prior instructions, I replied: the South Ocean Chinese Chamber of Commerce is conducting a joint investment, aiming to stabilize raw material supply and lower production costs." Wang Wenwu said, "But I estimate the British won't easily believe it. Their spy network in Singapore is highly developed; sooner or later they'll find out about the Persian Gulf."

"However long we can delay, that's how long." Chen Feng returned the telegram to Wang Wenwu, "We need at least two years. Within two years, the industrial system must take initial shape, oil production must begin, and the troops must be trained into shape."

"Two years……" Wang Wenwu gave a wry smile, "Will the British only notice this place after two years?"

"Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't." Chen Feng gazed at the starry sky, "But if a major event occurs, drawing their attention?"

"What major event?"

Chen Feng gave no answer. He knew clearly: in 1905, the world was on the eve of great upheaval. The Russo-Japanese War was about to end, the First Moroccan Crisis was brewing, the Persian Constitutional Revolution was about to erupt, the Ottoman Empire was trembling in the wind and rain…… These major events would divert the great powers' attention.

What he needed to do was, in the gaps between these major events, strive for Lanfang's survival and development space.

"Wenwu, you leave tomorrow." Chen Feng turned to look at him, "First go to Singapore, then Australia, South Africa, Chile. Remember, you're not going to buy mines, you're going to sow seeds. Every investment must appear as pure business. Every mine must have a local partner, preferably British or German."

"Understood." Wang Wenwu nodded, "I will act cautiously."