Chapter 355 Coincidence
After listening to Tijani's story, Charles calmly replied: "Your father is right. You should consider it from his perspective."
Tijani looked at Charles in disbelief: "He is right? You actually... stand on his side and speak?"
It's really a ghost!
So what am I doing? A clown who can't please anyone?
Charles analyzed: "You should have heard about the sharp increase in steel prices not long ago..."
"I know." Tijani interrupted Charles. "Shipyards need steel. Fluctuations in steel prices will affect shipyard profits. Is that what you want to say?"
Charles didn't deny it.
"This has never been the focus of our argument." Tijani explained: "He shouldn't be so short-sighted and ignore the future for the sake of the immediate benefits. He doesn't need this little money!"
"Do you think this is a matter of money?" Charles looked at Tijani with interest. He found that the young man in front of him did not seem to understand the logical relationship behind the business.
"What else could it be?" Tijani said, getting more and more excited. "The shipyard can even pass these costs on to the military. Steel is expensive, and the warships built will of course be more expensive. What does he lose? Nothing!"
"Survival, General," Charles replied calmly. "It won't be long before the Brest Shipyard ceases to exist at this rate, and all you and your father will have left is money."
"What?" Tijani still didn't understand.
Besides, if you have money, what is impossible to do?
"Just answer one question," Charles said, "The performance of the same type of warships is not much different. If the price of Schneider Shipyard is one-third or even more cheaper than that of Brest Shipyard, which one would you choose?"
Tijani was stunned, he understood what Charles meant.
Of course the military would choose Schneider's, and then there would be no need for the Brest shipyard to exist, because its ships would always be more expensive than others, with the same quality and performance.
In the end, Wells will lose everything, his voice, influence, power... He may still have money, but he can do nothing and can only be at the mercy of others.
"We have torpedoes." Tijani still held out a glimmer of hope: "We have successfully improved the torpedoes according to your method. It has been tested. We can confirm that the range has increased by two or three times and has reached three kilometers!"
Tijani then added: "In addition, we also have landing craft and amphibious landing ships. We own their industrial property rights and maintain a leading position in technology..."
"It's useless, General." Charles reminded: "They all need steel, and special steel. Moreover, even if the military is willing to continue to cooperate with the Brest Shipyard, the shipyard may be limited to these areas."
The Brest Shipyard has been building warships for France for hundreds of years. It was founded in 1624 during the reign of Louis XIV.
But now, it is possible that because of its support for Charles, it will end its shipbuilding history and turn to the production of landing ships, landing craft, or torpedoes... This means that it will be kicked out of the warship arena.
Charles concluded: "They hold the lifeblood of the Brest Shipyard, General. Although I can give the shipyard a future, they can decide the life and death of the shipyard. If it were you, which one would you choose?"
Tijani was silent.
Without survival, there will be no future, and the future will have no meaning.
But if there is no future, survival at least offers a glimmer of hope.
Therefore, Wells could only hesitate between the two, and at the critical moment he would rather have no future than to survive.
"One day," said Charles, "if you inherit the Brest shipyard, you will do the same thing, because this is the only choice you have. There is no other way."
"You mean we will become enemies in the future?" Tijani smiled and shook his head: "I would rather end it!"
"You don't understand, General," said Charles. "That's the only way you can help me when the time comes."
Tijani was stunned at first, but after a little thought he understood the meaning of this.
Closing down the Brays Shipyard would actually mean losing all influence and becoming an outsider. After that, he would be powerless to do anything for Charles and would even need Charles' protection.
This is the cruelty of power struggle. It is more about "not being able to control oneself" rather than "being free and easy" as Tijani thought.
Gradually, Tijani began to understand Wells.
He leaned back in his chair, his tone somewhat frustrated: "So, we can only let this happen?"
Suddenly, Tijani sat up straight again and looked at Charles with expectation in his eyes: "You must have a way, otherwise you wouldn't be so calm!"
"What else can I do?" Charles raised the documents in his hand. "I am trapped in the military camp and can't even go home, let alone take care of my business."
Tijani smiled bitterly: "Don't you think this is ironic? You are running around all day to save France, while the capitalists are poaching you under your protection, and you are going to accept your fate?"
"Provocation doesn't work on me, General." Charles smiled and turned his attention back to the precautions of the gas mask.
"I think we should do some tests," said Charles. "We need to know how long the gas mask is effective under poison gas. This may be very useful in future battlefields."
After a pause, Charles continued, "There is also the concentration of the poison gas. Different concentrations should have different effective times. Only after knowing this can we formulate targeted countermeasures."
But Tijani did not answer. He stared blankly at the map of France hanging on the wall, shaking the pencil in his hand, as if thinking about something.
"Hey, are you listening, General?" Charles reminded, "This concerns the lives of many people!"
"Other people's lives have nothing to do with us, Charles." Tijani replied slowly: "You have saved enough people. It's time to think about yourself."
Then he added, "If you don't want to, let me think about it!"
"Okay." Charles asked, "What did you think of?"
“Steel!” Tijani replied. “You said it was the lifeblood of the shipyard.”
"Yes."
"So, if we solve the steel problem, will we be able to take control of the lifeline?"
"The key is how you solve the steel problem." Charles asked back: "Buy a steel plant? From the Schneider or Windel family?"
During this period, no one would be stupid enough to sell a steel mill. If anyone did, it would be at an unrealistically high price. The key point was that it also had to have iron ore.
Tijani drew a small circle with his pencil towards the German-controlled area on the map. "You seem to have forgotten one thing, Mr. Charles. 68% of France's steel industry is concentrated in the northeast, and it is now in the hands of the Germans!"
Charles smiled slightly, Tijani had made progress, their ideas coincided with each other!
(End of this chapter)
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