Chapter 182: Buying
The agreement was finally reached successfully.
Francis got what he wanted and left the manor feeling satisfied but also terrified.
Watching Francis' car disappear outside the gate, Armand handed Grevi a cigarette and asked curiously, "It can be seen that you don't really want to upgrade the CA-1."
"That doesn't help us, Armand!" Grevy replied. "It's Schneider's way of controlling us."
Armand was stunned, and even stopped to light his cigarette: "How do you control us?"
Grevi hummed, struck a match to help Armand light his cigarette, then lit one for himself, and explained in the smoke: "We have nothing in industry. If we want to rely on Schneider to upgrade now..."
Armand suddenly understood and nodded. "We will always need Schneider from now on. Even the maintenance of the tanks will require Schneider's people."
Grevy hummed and exhaled a long puff of smoke: "James is a very shrewd guy. He looks like he is helping us, but he actually intends to spend our money to do something that benefits him!"
Then Armand was confused again: "But you knew all this, why did you finally agree to this cooperation condition? It doesn't seem to be of any benefit to us."
If there is any benefit, it is that the CA-1 can continue to be produced, which can bring some additional income to the right wing.
But the right wing doesn't care about income.
"Perhaps Schneider has not considered one thing." Grevi replied thoughtfully: "If he had invested similar technology in the CA-1 as in the Saint-Chamond, such as upgrading the CA-1 with the Holt 120 engine, it could have become a weapon to counterbalance Schneider."
Armand was stunned for a moment, and then he thought about it carefully before he understood:
Although CA-1 does not have much technology, one day, when Schneider and Charles are evenly matched, it will be able to play a decisive role.
At that time, as long as Grevi hands the CA-1 to Charles, Charles will be able to win a complete victory. Then Grevi will have the weapons to check and balance Schneider and Charles at the same time.
Thinking of this, Armand couldn't help but secretly praise Grevi in his heart. He would consider this step. Can he be considered a normal person?
However, neither Armand nor Grevi expected that Charles might not even think highly of these. To him, these were extremely backward technologies that would undoubtedly be eliminated in the end, no matter how they were upgraded!
…
In the afternoon, Charles was still sorting out documents at the headquarters as usual.
Perhaps because both sides were tired of fighting, the offensive and defensive information from the front line gradually became less and less, and was replaced by reports of lack of supplies, lack of tools, lack of grenades, etc.
The process of sending two officers from each division back to Paris for training is in progress.
The reporting time was set for a week later, so that the front-line troops would have time to select candidates and send them to Paris. In addition, it would take a few days for the Saint-Etienne Arsenal to produce mortars, which would then need to be tested.
At this time, a guard came up to report to Charles: "Major, your father asked me to tell you that he hopes you can call the factory."
As an ordinary citizen, Deyoka had a phone but could not get through to the city defense headquarters, so he could only contact Charles by sending verbal messages.
Charles immediately called the tractor factory to inquire about the situation.
"Eric sent a telegram back saying he has successfully contacted Martin Company," Dejoka said on the phone. "Originally the negotiations went smoothly. The other party planned to sell the whole set of machines for 800,000 francs. There were not many core technical personnel, only about 30 people. After talking with them, Eric was convinced that most of them would accept a monthly salary of 200 francs to work in France."
"What's the problem?" Charles asked. If it were just this, it would be perfect.
Dejoka continued: "But someone else also wanted to buy them, and it seems that the price has increased to 1 million francs. Eric has not yet found out who the other party is."
Charles frowned. This was a problem. Someone was rushing to buy it.
This will result in a situation where both parties raise their prices, and in the end even if you get the item, you will have to pay a much higher cost than before.
Who could it be?
The first company that came to Charles' mind was the British Sopwith Aircraft Company, which was the one that had historically bought the car company.
But Charles felt that this was too coincidental. She didn't show up earlier or later, but just when Eric was negotiating with Martin Motor Company.
This is clearly targeted, and it’s directed at me…
The next second, Ciel knew who it was: Schneider.
This is a common method used by powerful companies to suppress up-and-coming companies, competing with them to buy out newcomers and thus compressing their development space.
Schneider may not have vision, and he doesn't need to predict the future like Charles. He only needs to do one thing: he will pay a higher price for whatever Charles buys. Although Schneider loses money, Charles can't buy anything and can only waste his limited resources.
Charles didn't think much about it and immediately said to Djoka, "Let Eric keep raising the price, by 100,000 or 200,000, until it reaches about 2 million!"
"Charles..." Djokovic seemed to want to persuade Charles to give up, which was obviously not worth it.
Charles added: "Don't mention the technicians, and don't contact them!"
Djokovic said "Oh" and seemed to understand something.
After hanging up the phone, Charles immediately contacted Steed.
After the call was connected, Steed's excited voice came from the microphone: "We have produced ten prototype guns, Charles, it is unexpectedly useful!"
Charles didn't intend to talk to Steed about this. He asked anxiously, "Mr. Steed, do you have any expatriates in the UK?"
"Of course," Steed replied, "I just sent a team to discuss the purchase of grenades with the British military!"
Steed believed that this would quickly expand the sales of grenades. After all, the British army was fighting in France, and if they could buy grenades, it would be an "export" that did not need to be shipped abroad and was consumed in the country.
"Please do me a favor, Mr. Steed!" Charles spoke quickly: "I hope you can let this team use all their connections, even the British military, to sign the core technical personnel of Martin Motor Company!"
Then Charles added: "I hope this can be done in secret!"
There was no need for Charles to say anything else. Steed was an expert and immediately understood what was going on.
"Leave this to me!" Steed responded straightforwardly: "Don't worry, Charles, they can't run away!"
After hanging up the phone, Charles was still feeling anxious.
He realized that he was careless and should have let Eric find an excuse to travel without telling anyone so that there would be no complications at the critical moment.
If we can't sign this team, what other companies can replace it?
For the time being, Charles has not thought of any other car company with the same strength that is planning to sell.
What's more, no matter what I buy, Schneider may interfere, which is the most troublesome thing!
(End of this chapter)
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