It was raining heavily outside the window. Inside the dim consulate office, a young official was reviewing documents.

After Third-Class Counselor Lin Xuemin walked into the office, he bowed slightly and then reported.

"Consul, the contract between the Navy Department and Taichang has been signed!"

"Um,"

Tan Sitong, who was looking through official documents, first responded lightly, and then asked.

"Taichang agreed?"

"Yes, they agreed to send technicians to guide the construction of the second ship. The technicians of the Navy Department believe that after the second ship is completed, they can use some of the Imperial components to build the third ship, thus fully mastering the technology of building aircraft carriers."

Listening to Lin Xuemin's report, Tan Sitong, the Tang Dynasty's Consul General in Linhai, nodded slightly.

"I hope so. There is no need to rush. It takes time to digest and absorb. If we want to develop, we must introduce technology from Ming Dynasty and learn from here. Little by little, we can achieve the real industrialization of the country!"

Real industrialization!

This is exactly what many reformists, including Tan Sitong, desired. Most reformists had studied abroad in the Ming Dynasty. Tan Sitong also studied at Bingzhou University in the Ming Dynasty. It was his study abroad experience that taught him that the future of the Tang Dynasty lies in industrialization. Only through industrialization can the country be truly rich and strong.

Although on the surface, through the thirty years of Westernization Movement, the industrial scale of the Tang Empire has even surpassed Italy, becoming the eighth industrial power after the Ming Empire, the United States, Britain, Germany, France, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Roman Empire, the industrial base of the Tang Empire is still relatively weak. Compared with Italy, which can use some imported parts to build battleships, the Tang Empire has never built a battleship until now. At most, it has built two dreadnoughts using parts and raw materials imported from the Ming Empire.

The lack of experience led to Datang being relatively conservative in mechanical construction. They could design warships and locomotives, but they often commissioned factories in the empire to do the work. Of course, OEM was not without benefits for Datang. Just like three years ago, Datang Railway Department designed the KF steam locomotive to meet the rugged and complex terrain of the Zhushao section of the Yuehan Railway. It was built by Changde Locomotive Company in Taiyuan. After completing the construction of the first batch of 21 locomotives, under the guidance of Changde Locomotive Company, Datang's Haizhou Locomotive Factory used some imported parts to assemble and produce hundreds of KF locomotives. They run on Datang's railways and become the main locomotives for pulling express trains, express freight trains and special trains. Last year, the KF steam locomotive has become Datang's most well-known domestic locomotive, and Haizhou Locomotive Factory has also acquired the ability to manufacture advanced steam locomotives in this process, becoming the most advanced locomotive manufacturer in Asia.

"What the Consul General said is very true. We really can't rush the absorption of technology. However, Chen Jizhen and his colleagues in the Navy Department are very confident. They believe that domestic shipyards can meet the requirements of building aircraft carriers in terms of design and even the skills of workers. They just lack experience. As long as we get technical guidance, there will be no problem."

Nodding slightly, Tan Sitong said.

"I'm a layman in technology, but it's definitely not that simple. For example, we need to learn a little bit about armored steel and steam turbines. Oh, and there are also airplanes..."

After a pause, Tan Sitong looked out the window. The naval aviation forces conducted flight training in Linhai Bay every day, and sometimes the roar of aircraft engines could be heard in the consulate.

"We also need to learn how to manufacture and even design airplanes. We have to learn these little by little. The only thing to be thankful for is that we and the Ming Dynasty are both Chinese, so they are willing to teach us. Otherwise... it wouldn't be that easy to learn!"

When talking about the empire's generosity to the Tang Dynasty, Tan Sitong's heart was full of gratitude. The empire's help to the Tang Dynasty over the years was well known. From encouraging private investment in the Tang Dynasty, to providing huge loans to support the Tang Dynasty in building railways and ports, to transferring technology, it can be said that the Tang Dynasty's industrialization over the years benefited entirely from the help of the empire.

The "eighth industrial power in the world" that the court officials were so proud of was made possible by the help of the empire. And this year, thanks to the investment of the empire, the industrial output value of the Tang Dynasty may even surpass Rome and become the "seventh industrial power in the world."

What did such generosity get in return?

Thinking of Xuzhou's ambiguous attitude in this war, Tan Sitong frowned.

Isn't it time to stand with the Empire?

Isn’t Britain one of the biggest external threats to the Tang Dynasty?

Only by disintegrating Britain's rule in Southeast Asia could the Tang Dynasty achieve real security in the southwest region.

But what is the attitude of the officials in the court?

Sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight...

Thinking about the court's attitude, Tan Sitong couldn't help but talk to himself.

"What a bunch of people who just sit there doing nothing."

Although the Consul General was just speaking casually, Lin Xuemin knew who those guys were, so he responded.

"General, the pressure from the court is increasing, and the military is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the court's neutral attitude. I heard that Head Zheng of the naval inspection team directly expressed his dissatisfaction with the court at the Navy Department in Zhongdu. It is said that..."

Lin Xuemin said in a low voice.

"At the reception, Captain Zheng promised that the navy would continue to increase its force in the Pacific Ocean. They also felt that the Empire should consider exerting pressure on the Tang Dynasty..."

"This kind of thing is just hearsay. Don't talk nonsense in the future, understand?"

Tan Sitong said directly.

He was not worried that Lin Xuemin would say things that should not be said, because he was also a member of the Commonwealth. What was the mission of the Commonwealth?

It was to rescue the Tang Dynasty from the hands of "corrupt officials and parasites".

In fact, they had had a chance last year, and he had participated in the plan, but the plan was shelved indefinitely - the empire did not want to see civil strife in the Tang Dynasty. Although he was a little disappointed, Tan Sitong also knew that for now, this might be the best choice.

"For Datang now, the most important thing is development and learning. Only in this way can we have a better future..."

After saying that, Tan Sitong stood up, walked to the window, looked at the heavy rain outside, and then talked to himself.

"Now, what is the biggest pressure for the country? It is the victory of the Empire in North America! As long as the Empire wins a decisive victory in North America, no matter how much the officials in the court do not want to offend Britain, they will join the war. After all, everyone is always used to standing with the victor. Whether they are willing or not, they will choose to stand with the victor for the sake of their own interests, and the victor must be... Ming!"

In fact, there was no other choice for the Tang Dynasty. If the Ming Dynasty failed, how could the Tang Dynasty remain unscathed?

This war itself is a war of civilizations and races. It's a pity that those high-ranking officials in Xuzhou can't understand this at all, and their vision is still stuck in the past few hundred years.

But those people are destined to be eliminated, sooner or later.

Tan Sitong was full of anticipation for that day and was eager for it to come.

This war will eventually bring about this.