The expression on Tang Shaoyi's face was blue and white. How could those two battleships and two battlecruisers, which were the main force of the Imperial Navy, and even the backbone of the revival of the Imperial Navy, sell these capital ships to the Japanese?

Although, Tang Shaoyi knew very well that the so-called negotiations were just to show weakness to Japan and delay time. But even so, the Japanese request still made him very angry.

"These little devils really kicked their noses in the face. Could it be that they really thought that the empire was afraid of them? Tang Shaoyi scolded in his heart. However, at the moment, he could not show it. The warships of the Imperial Navy are still undergoing maintenance, and in order to speed up the progress, the naval sailors and shipyard workers have been working almost all night. But even so, it will take about 10 days to complete the maintenance. And the Imperial Foreign Office must find a way to buy these times for the Navy.

Seeing the expression on Tang Shaoyi's face, Lin Quanzhu smiled and smiled happily. He was not afraid that Tang Shaoyi would not agree to Japan's conditions, and if the Chinese Empire refused these conditions, then war would inevitably break out.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, I can't make decisions about such a big matter, I need to report it to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We'll talk about it tomorrow! Tang Shaoyi said.

"Of course, Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, our negotiations can continue tomorrow. However, it is best not to try to use this method to stall for time. Our patience is very limited. Lin Quanzhu's face was arrogant, which made Tang Shaoyi want to slap him in the face.

Tang Shaoyi nodded and didn't say anything more. However, from his iron-blue expression, you can see how angry he is in his heart at the moment. Right now. He was trying his best to suppress the anger in his heart, otherwise, I am afraid it would have exploded long ago.

Lin Quanzhu and Sir Zhu Erdian left, and Tang Shaoyi sent them outside the office door. However, after the two left, the anger on Tang Shaoyi's face had disappeared. Instead, a smile on his face.

"The whimsical little Japan, do you really think that you will eat the empire? I'd like to see what your expressions will be like when the Imperial Navy's warships are finished in maintenance and galloping across the sea. Tang Shaoyi muttered to himself.

Subsequently, Tang Shaoyi left the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs and went to the Imperial Palace to inform Wu Haoxuan of the progress of the negotiations.

"Your Highness, little Japan is very arrogant and arrogant. The proposed conditions are too whimsical. Not only do they demand that we provide them with mineral resources at a favorable price, but they also demand that we stop supporting the life and death industries. The most unbelievable thing is that they actually asked us to transfer four capital ships of the Navy to them. Tang Shaoyi said to Wu Haoxuan.

"Hmph, little Japan is really thinking too much. Do they really think that the Empire is really afraid of them? However, since the Japanese want our capital ship, then use it as bait. Keep talking to them. The Navy is already speeding up its preparations, up to ten days. You're done. When the time comes, we will have nothing to fear. Wu Haoxuan said.

"Yes, Your Highness. However, how much will our asking price be raised for these four capital ships? Tang Shaoyi asked.

"The higher, the better, so that we have room to bargain with little Japan. In a word. On the issue of price, let's talk to little Japan slowly. Strive to buy more time for the Navy. Wu Haoxuan advised.

"Yes, Your Highness, I see." Tang Shaoyi nodded. He had completely understood what Wu Haoxuan meant.

On January 10, 4608 (10), negotiations continued. Perhaps it was for fear that the Chinese Empire would stall for time. The Japanese Minister to China, Hayashi Quansuke, and the British Minister to China, Sir Zhu Erdian, arrived early in the morning. As soon as Tang Shaoyi entered the office, the two appeared outside Tang Shaoyi's office.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, Sir Sir, you are early!" Tang Shaoyi said with a smile, he was very clear about the intentions of Lin Quanzhu and Zhu Erdian. The two of them did this, obviously because they were afraid that the Chinese Empire would use it to delay time.

"Your Excellency, you are also early. Now that we're here, let's continue our negotiations. Lin Quanzhu couldn't wait.

Tang Shaoyi nodded and didn't say anything more.

"Your Excellency, I wonder how your country has considered our proposal?" Lin Quanzhu asked.

"Your Excellency, your country has put forward too many conditions, and we have discussed them overnight, and now we have made a decision. Now, let's talk about the first issue. Your country wants us to export all kinds of mineral resources, and we have no problem with that, in principle. However, now the Chinese Empire is also vigorously developing industry, which also needs to consume a large amount of mineral resources. Therefore, there are not many that can be exported. Tang Shaoyi said.

"The Chinese Empire is vast and rich in mineral resources, and even if it meets the needs of the Chinese Empire itself, there are still many leftovers that can be sold to the Great Japanese Empire." Lin Quanzhu said with some dissatisfaction.

"But in this case, then we will have to increase the exploitation of mineral resources, which requires a huge amount of investment. So, in terms of price, there are basically no discounts. Tang Shaoyi continued.

And Lin Quanzhu is obviously not satisfied with this. The Japanese side wants to obtain these mineral resources at a low price, and if there is no preferential treatment, then Japan will undoubtedly pay a lot of extra money.

The two sides bargained on this issue, and a morning passed without being able to reach an agreement. As a result, the two sides had no choice but to continue the talks in the afternoon.

Eventually, the Chinese Empire relented and agreed to sell its mineral resources to Japan at 80 percent of the market price.

The next day, January 11, the issue of negotiations between the two sides became the raw silk industry, which was vigorously supported by the Chinese Empire. Tang Shaoyi insisted that the Chinese Empire had always been a major exporter of raw silk, but it was only recently surpassed by Japan. The revival of the life and death industry of the Chinese Empire was solely for the purpose of developing the domestic economy and would not pose a threat to Japan.

However, Lin Quanzhu does not think so. Raw silk has become a key product for Japanese exports. If the export of raw silk is affected, it will have a huge impact on Japan's exports. Exports were affected, and Japan did not have enough foreign exchange to purchase the machinery and equipment needed to develop its industry.

In this regard, the two sides once again began to argue, and one did not reach an agreement until January 13. The Chinese Empire promised not to provide support for the raw silk industry anymore. At the same time, the raw silk produced by the Chinese Empire was mainly for consumption in the domestic market. The Japanese side expressed its satisfaction with this result.

And the negotiations, at this time, also took four days. The Chinese Navy only needs six days to complete maintenance and maintenance.

There is one condition left, and the trickiest one. The Japanese wanted to buy four capital ships of the Chinese Navy, and the Chinese Empire, did not want to sell them very much.

"Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, what are your plans for the four capital ships of your navy? These four capital ships have seriously threatened the security of the Japanese Empire. If your country is not willing to sell to the Japanese Empire, then war will be inevitable. "Lin Quanzhu has become a little aggressive. A few days were wasted, which led him to be reprimanded at home. He also knew that no more time should be wasted.

"The Chinese Empire is also unwilling to undermine peace in the Far East, and since the Japanese Empire wants to buy these capital ships, of course we have no opinion. However, these capital ships were purchased by the empire at great expense. If you want to buy it, you must compensate the Empire sufficiently. Tang Shaoyi said. Now, he just wants to drag these last few days out.

Tang Shaoyi's attitude made Lin Quanzhu very excited. As long as the Chinese Empire sells those four capital ships to Japan, the Chinese Empire will not pose any threat to Japan.

"So, Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, how much do you need to sell these warships?" Lin Quanzhu asked.

"Four capital ships, each with 50 million Chinese dollars, a total of 200 million Chinese dollars!" Tang Shaoyi said directly.

Lin Quanzhu was dumbfounded for a moment, 200 million Chinese yuan, that is 400 million yen. The Japanese Navy is not unjust, and it is absolutely impossible to spend so much money to buy these capital ships.

Sir Zhu Erdian was also stunned, even if the Chinese Empire was asking for a sky-high price, but this price was too ruthless. You must know that the price of the dreadnoughts built by the British Navy now is less than two million pounds, and when converted into Chinese dollars, it is less than 20 million Chinese dollars. And the Chinese Empire actually directly more than tripled this price.

Of course, the cost of the British battleships was already much cheaper than the German ones. On the one hand, the shipbuilding industry in Britain was well developed, which allowed them to build warships with minimal cost. On the other hand, the British battleships were notoriously thin-skinned, and although their firepower and speed were very good, they were no match for the German battleships in terms of defense. This point has been fully demonstrated in the later Battle of Jutland.

"Impossible, at this price, the Great Japanese Empire will never accept it. The Chinese Empire, this is simply insincere. Lin Quanzhu's face was angry.

"Your Excellency, is it possible that the Chinese Empire will be able to demonstrate our sincerity by transferring these warships to Japan at a loss? In that case, you are deceiving people too much, right? Tang Shaoyi said angrily. (To be continued.) )

PS: The second update is here, and I was squeezed to the eighth again, asking for monthly ticket support! Thanks to the book friend maoxunjun, the sky of the lighter, the four fires, Liu Lijin of Dongshan Village, Ningxiang County, under the bridge across the river, the in the rooster, and the gh_xxj for the reward! Thanks to book friends Fu Xiaochen and Changfeng Daxian

, Little Spaceship, Tang Tang 781206, Ling Xu, Deep Boy, Lei Zi's monthly pass!