Wang Xuexin and Zhao Gang were acquaintances, so they didn't waste any time during the meeting. They rushed directly to the shipyard to see Mao Xiong's four newly arrived warships.
On the way, Zhao Gang said cryptically: "Captain, let me first tell you that you have some confidence in your heart. Let's not put too much hope in Mao Xiong's warship. After all, the tonnage is only over a thousand, and it is not as good as the one we captured from the Japanese."
!”
At that time, Wang Xuexin just said "hmm" and didn't think much about it.
Wang Xuexin’s idea is that the four warships of Mao Xiong were built in 1935. Although Mao Xiong is good at warships, it has only been less than ten years since they were built. They must be passable in terms of advanced level and maintenance, right?
However, when Wang Xuexin rushed to the shipyard and saw the rusty warships with all kinds of wires and cables and things that were not known to be clothes racks or antennas scattered all over the deck, he couldn't help but be shocked.
At that moment, Wang Xuexin had some doubts about whether these were broken ships abandoned by the shipyard. He also looked at Zhao Gang doubtfully. After Zhao Gang nodded helplessly, he realized that these were the four warships bought by the Eighth Route Army.
Zhao Gang just asked in a low voice: "Captain, the price you offered is not high, right? Did we make a loss?"
Wang Xuexin swallowed his saliva and replied: "Ten million per boat!"
"Ten...ten million?" Zhao Gang's eyes widened, and then he asked hopefully: "Ten million border coins or silver dollars?"
"Dollar!"
"U.S. dollars?" Zhao Gang became a little anxious when he heard this: "Captain, can we refund this? Or we can pay a little bit. Look at this..."
Wang Xuexin responded with one sentence: "If we retreat, what will we do to fight the Japanese?"
"But this piece of scrap metal can be worth ten thousand?"
"You have to buy scrap copper and iron!" Wang Xuexin said helplessly: "Who told us we can't make it!"
Yes, you have to buy scrap copper and iron. This is the tragedy of industrial backwardness.
In fact, let alone China at this time, historically China purchased the "Four King Kong" in 1954.
At that time, when Huaxia was negotiating with Mao Xiong to purchase it, it felt like a coward:
The deputy commander of the Navy went to Mao Xiong to negotiate the negotiations. He went twice to see the actual warship and then sent a telegram back: "What Mao Xiong gave me is scrap metal, but I still want a high price!"
The reply from China is simple: "I want to buy scrap copper and iron too!"
In the end, each of the warships was bought at a high price of 17 tons of gold. Four of them were about to be decommissioned. However, these four "broken coppers and scrap iron" can become the "Four King Kong" in China!
Wang Xuexin summed it up in his mind:
Based on the gold price of about US$35 per ounce at the time, 17 tons of gold was worth about US$13 million.
Now the Eighth Route Army can buy each ship for US$10 million and its age is ten years earlier than that of 1954. This is definitely a good deal.
However, this is only a relative term. The vertical comparison still gives Mao Xiong a hard blow... Usually warships with backward technology like Mao Xiong should be new and only worth 10 million US dollars. This warship Mao Xiong has used
It has been in the past ten years and has serious maintenance problems. Seven to eight million US dollars is a big deal.
Later, Wang Xuexin learned from Lemon Lokov that the reason why these warships were under-maintained was because Mao Xiong was fighting Hans during this period. All manpower and material resources were concentrated on the army, and even the navy and crew were sent to
After fighting Hans on land, how could he have the time and energy to maintain a warship that was basically ineffective.
At that time, Wang Xuexin couldn't help but said to Lemon Lokov: "They say it's a penny for a price. It's understandable that you have poor maintenance due to the war, but you can't sell it as a new ship, right?"
Unexpectedly, Lemon Lokov replied: "Comrade leader, if you can buy it elsewhere, we don't dare to sell it at this price!"
So Wang Xuexin understood that this is the so-called "things are rare and valuable". At this time, the Eighth Route Army could only buy from Mao Xiong, so the price should be whatever it was called.
In their opinion, 10 million US dollars is considered a conscientious price!
But it doesn't matter. Wang Xuexin nodded and said, "As long as you understand the principle of "rare things are valuable"!"
Then he turned around and tripled the price of transistors used in air-to-air missiles. From then on, Mao Xiong no longer dared to do business with the Eighth Route Army.
Just as Wang Xuexin and Zhao Gang were watching and frowning on the deck of the warship, an officer wearing a bear military uniform and a military cap crookedly came forward. His big beard almost covered half of his face.
The face looks like a head poking out from the grass.
Wang Xuexin believed that if one day he wanted to escape back to Mao Xiong, all he had to do was shave his beard, and no one would be able to escape him.
After Zhao Gang greeted him in blunt Mao dialect, he introduced to Wang Xuexin: "This is Major Mayakovsky, commander of the Mao Bear Fleet!"
Major Mayakovsky looked Wang Xuexin up and down and said, "Are you the commander of the Chinese regiment?"
Wang Xuexin stepped forward, shook hands with him, and said: "Welcome, Comrade Mayakovsky!"
Mayakovsky nodded perfunctorily and replied: "Comrade Commander, my subordinates and I are only concerned about one issue. When do you plan to put the warship into the battlefield? Also, where are your crew members? I have to
Let me remind you, we are only responsible for bringing the warship here and training the crew, not for combat!"
"I know, Comrade Mayakovsky!" Wang Xuexin replied: "I will not make it difficult for you. As for when to enter the battlefield... it is not up to us to decide!"
After hearing this, Mayakovsky opened his mouth half-open and said, "You are not going to put the warship into battle when the Japanese attack Dalian, are you?"
"Do we have any other choice?" Wang Xuexin asked back: "You have to know, Comrade Mayakovsky, we only have this one port and only these warships. If they don't go into battle and the port is lost, where will the warships stop?
Do we still have to drive back to Mao Xiong and give it back to you?"
Mayakovsky said with a pale face: "These are things you need to consider, Comrade Commander! However, if you plan to form an army in such a short period of time, it is almost impossible. It will take at least a few months.
Do you understand? Only then can they become an army and fight the enemy! Otherwise, they are just looking for death! Besides, you are still dealing with such an enemy..."
As he spoke, he raised his head in the other direction.
Following Mayakovsky's gaze, Wang Xuexin saw a warship larger than the "Wrath-class", which he thought was the "Natori" captured from the Japanese.
The "Natori" is much stronger than the "Wrath-class" in terms of tonnage, maintenance, and advanced level.
No wonder Mayakovsky had so little confidence in himself.