Guilherme Karasa saw Fang Lang nod and acknowledge Adams Teach's words, and finally raised his doubts.
Fang Lang had been prepared for this question, but he knew in his heart that no matter how he explained, Guilherme Karasa would not really believe it. After all, what men want is nothing more than power, money, and beauty. Who would believe that someone would give up the power that is within their reach?
So, after a little thought, he decided not to answer his question directly, but pointed to Adams Teach beside him and introduced Guilherme Karasa:
"General Adams Teach will serve as the Chief of Staff of the Navy Department, but I am still too young. I will serve as the Deputy Minister of the Navy under you!"
Hearing this, Guilherme Karasa's eyes suddenly froze, staring at Fang Lang closely, anger boiling in his heart.
What does this mean? Is it telling me that he, the Minister of the Navy, is just a decoration? The Deputy Minister is Fang Lang, and Chief of Staff Adams Teach has just clearly told me that Fang Lang is his boss. Does that mean that I, the Minister of the Navy, will be directly sidelined after taking office?
Some people might think that the Navy Department is such a large department, in addition to the Deputy Minister and the Chief of Staff, there are many other senior officers! Once he has the title of Minister of the Navy, can't he cultivate his own power?
But family members know their own business. As a general who has always served as a logistics officer, his influence on the naval combat forces is actually very low, because the military is a very special place. Here, the strong are respected. Only if you are strong, can fight and win battles, will everyone obey you.
If you can't even fight, who would take you seriously? Compared with Fang Lang, I have no advantage in this aspect, so how can I compete with him?
...
...
As for using money to buy the hearts of his subordinates, there was no need to think about it. Even he himself was still waiting for his subordinates to give him gifts! How could he use money to buy the hearts of his subordinates? Besides, how could he be richer than Fang Lang?
Therefore, although Fang Lang did not say it explicitly, his meaning was expressed very clearly.
It's not that I can't be the Navy Minister, it's that whether I do it or not, I can control the power in my own hands. Now I will be the Deputy Navy Minister for a few years, and when I am older in two years, I will become the Navy Minister.
Then the entire navy department can develop for many years under his control, and by then, the navy will inevitably become Fang Lang's territory.
Thinking of this, Guilherme Karasa couldn't help feeling a little dizzy. This young rear admiral was really a deep-minded person!
But he certainly didn't want to give in so easily, so he couldn't help but sneered and said:
"I was wondering why General Fang and I had no relationship at all, so why would he suddenly be so nice to me? It turns out he just thought I was the easiest to control!
Then I may have to disappoint General Fang. A Navy Minister without real power has no appeal to me. I'd better continue to manage my logistics department!"
Fang Lang was not surprised by Guilherme Karasa's refusal. No one would willingly serve as a puppet for others. He had anticipated this, which was why he asked Adams Teach to come with him today.
As soon as he finished speaking, Adams Teach on the side spoke bluntly.
“Haha… General Karasa, I think you must have misunderstood something. If you are unwilling to cooperate with your boss, then you should be prepared to go to court-martial!
You have been the Secretary of Logistics in the Navy Department for so many years, and your illegal income has reached more than three million US dollars. I have detailed accounts here. If you have time, we can compare them carefully to see if there are any discrepancies with your own accounts.
By the way, you bought that villa in the United States two years ago, but you haven’t lived in it yet! It’s a pity that it’s been given to others at a low price!”
As soon as these words were spoken, General Guilherme Karassa, who had just had a look of disdain on his face, turned pale instantly. It was normal for the Brazilian army to be corrupt, but if someone got the evidence and exposed it directly, then his life would be ruined.
At this moment, he finally understood why Fang Lang was so calm and composed. It turned out that his destiny was no longer in his own hands.
From the moment he was chosen, he had only two choices: either obey his arrangement and become a glorious Navy Minister, or go to the military court and become a typical anti-corruption fighter in the Navy Department and be thrown into prison.
As for whether the other party was defrauding him, General Guilherme Karaza was not so naive. If he simply guessed how much money was embezzled, it might be a random guess.
But the villa in the United States is very secretive, even his wife doesn't know about it, but the other party knows it very well. How can he not be scared?
In just a breath of time, beads of cold sweat the size of beans had already covered his entire forehead. His entire body was instantly soaked and he had no strength left at all.
"You, you guys, what do you want to do?"
Seeing the other party's expression, Adams Teach also looked disdainful, not taking this colleague who was about to be pushed to the position of Minister of the Navy by his boss seriously at all. He said in a cold tone:
"Shame on you, do you think the boss has nothing to do? I let you go up because I think highly of you, don't refuse a toast and drink a forfeit."
The relationship between the two had not been very good to begin with, and Adams Teach said this without any psychological pressure at all. He had also heard about Guilherme Karasa's greed, but he did not expect that the other party would be so greedy.
When he first received the materials from Fang Lang, he was also shocked. Three million dollars is an astronomical figure in this era. There might be some money that was taken from him. How could he not be angry?
So, when Fang Lang asked him to play the good guy role, he was very proactive.
Seeing that Guilherme Karasa's face was ugly because of Adams Teach's words, but he didn't dare to refute at all, Fang Lang laughed and stood up to play the good cop, trying to smooth things over:
“Haha… General Karasa, don’t mind. General Teach was born as a military commander, so he has an impatient temper and speaks bluntly. I apologize to you on his behalf.
We are all friends, and even for General Leta's sake, we would not do such a thing."
Fang Lang's words were polite, but Guilherme Karasa didn't believe a word of it in his heart. If it was really for General Leta's sake, why did you collect all these evidences of my crimes?
Besides, Guilherme Karassa is not a fool. You two are singing the same tune and are basically in cahoots with each other. If he can't see through this trick, he has lived all these years in vain.
But even if he saw it, what could he say? The problem now was that the other party was completely fearless, and he was just a fish on their chopping board, and they could do whatever they wanted.
Therefore, he could only force a bitter smile with an ugly expression on his face, and said to Fang Lang:
"General Fang, aren't you afraid that I'll cause you trouble after I become the Minister of the Navy?"
Hearing this, before Fang Lang could speak, Adams Teach on the side suddenly stood up and shouted angrily:
“You dare!”
Seeing that Adams Teach looked like he was about to rush up to fight, Fang Lang couldn't help but laugh. He stretched out his hand and pressed him down, signaling him to be patient, and then he slowly said:
"Adams, don't get excited. General Karasa won't do that. He is not alone. There is an entire logistics system behind him. If he really does that, his own people will not let him off first.
Then he will have no place to stand."
As soon as these words came out, Guilherme Karassa was shocked. He could understand the meaning of Fang Lang's words. This was equivalent to telling the other party clearly that his position as the puppet Minister of the Navy was not just his business, but also related to the interests of their entire faction.
If he didn't understand why General Leta had the opportunity to challenge the position of Chief of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense, he now understood everything. It was obviously Fang Lang's forces that supported him from behind, which gave him the confidence.
And his position and power as the Minister of the Navy might just be part of the deal.
After figuring all this out, he just felt cold all over and felt a sense of despair. For someone who could reach his current point, there was no way he could accept becoming a mere puppet. But now it seems that he really has no choice.
After seeing Fang Lang's actions, Adams Teach stopped and just looked at this ungrateful guy with cold eyes.
After hearing Fang Lang's words, he was also shocked, thinking that his boss was very capable and he had made the right choice.
Fang Lang saw Guilherme Karassa's pale face and a look of despair, and knew that the suppression was almost enough, so he took the initiative to speak again:
“General Karasa, in fact, my friends all know what kind of person I am. I have never been a person who keeps all the benefits to myself. Compared to eating alone, I prefer to share the benefits with my friends.
Even if you don't tell us what your real purpose is in wanting to be the Navy Secretary, we all know it clearly. In fact, there is no need to go through so much trouble.
Even if you don't have the power of the Secretary of the Navy, I can make you money, even more than you can make as the Secretary of the Navy."
Hearing this, Guilherme Karasa, whose face was extremely ugly, gradually regained some luster in his eyes, and there was a hint of expectation in his eyes when he looked at Fang Lang.
Seeing Fang Lang stop talking and take a bite of food slowly, his eyes were waiting for his reaction. He understood that the other party was waiting for his attitude.
At this moment, Guilherme Karasa had only one thought in his mind, that is, life was like being raped, and if there was no way to resist, he might as well lie down and enjoy it.
As if he had grasped the last straw, he swallowed hard and slowly said:
"What do you mean, General Fang?"
He did not deny that he was just doing it to make money. After all, Fang Lang and the others had already revealed all his cards, and there was no point in denying it.
Seeing that he took the initiative to ask what he meant by what he said, Fang Lang knew that the other party had basically agreed with his idea, and now he just wanted to see if the step he gave was really appropriate.
Fang Lang understood this and stopped hiding it. He spoke directly:
“In the future, as the leader of our Brazilian Navy, you will naturally represent our Brazilian Navy and promote the image of our Brazilian Navy everywhere.
So what good things does the Brazilian Navy have now? Is it our aircraft carrier fleet? Of course not. How much role can an aircraft carrier play in a modern naval battle? It can't play any role at all. Its symbolic significance is far greater than its actual combat significance.
If you really want to form combat effectiveness, without five or so aircraft carriers, it will be difficult for you to provide even an effective landing support.
What does the Brazilian Navy have? I think it is the destroyer we have just completed. This warship is a complete imitation of the American Fletcher-class destroyer. Not only is its function and strength almost the same as the American original, but it is also an emergency product produced by the United States. The quality is quite guaranteed.
More importantly, the new warships we manufacture are cheaper than the second-hand warships of the Americans, making them the absolute best value for money.
If General Karasa has any questions about this, you can ask General Teach. I believe you will get a satisfactory answer. "
General Karasa didn't believe Fang Lang when he heard that his aircraft carrier fleet couldn't even support landing operations. Although one aircraft carrier was indeed not enough, it was definitely not that bad.
People should not compare the aircraft carriers of this period with those of later generations. After all, the bomb load capacity of aircraft in this era cannot be compared with that of later generations. If an aircraft takes off with bombs, it can often only carry one heavy bomb, which is completely different from the later generations where tons are often used as units of measurement.
In addition, because the aircraft has a small bomb load, low take-off weight, and short take-off distance, the requirements for aircraft carriers are not high. Many aircraft carriers of the warring parties during World War II were even converted from large cargo ships.
Therefore, the strength of the aircraft carrier under Fang Lang's command is not strong, and Fang Lang is not lying.
But the real significance of this aircraft carrier fleet does not lie in the strength of its combat effectiveness, but in the fact that it has set a precedent for the Brazilian Navy. In the future, if the navy needs more aircraft carrier fleet commanders, where will they find them?
Needless to say, they are definitely Fang Lang's subordinates. By that time, the navy will be full of his old subordinates. This is the real confidence of Fang Lang's aircraft carrier fleet.
"But what does this have to do with me?"
After listening to Fang Lang's long speech, Guilherme Karasa really didn't understand what Fang Lang wanted to express, so he could only interrupt him directly.
Seeing this, Fang Lang understood that the other party had no patience to listen to him continue talking. He did not get angry, but just smiled and went straight to the point:
"If you want to make a lot of money, I can authorize you to sell our imitation Fletcher-class destroyer. We guarantee that we will only charge you the cost price for all the warships you sell. As for your selling price, we will not care.
This way, not only will you be able to make money, but you will also be able to use your position as Minister of the Navy to expand the global influence of our Brazilian Navy.
I guarantee that both the Navy and the Ministry of Defense will fully support this matter."
Hearing this, Guilherme Karasa was completely dumbfounded. He looked at Fang Lang in disbelief and almost blurted out a curse in his heart.
He had never seen such a shameless person. This was not an opportunity for him to make a lot of money, but to be a salesman for their family! He shook his head without even thinking about this matter.
"General Fang, do I look that stupid? Or am I particularly easy to bully?"
Seeing this, Fang Lang's expression froze, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across his face, but he quickly adjusted himself and continued:
"Hehe... General Karasa, don't worry, this is just one of my plans! I know that many people may not buy into our imitation of the Fletcher-class destroyer.
But what if we work together to promote the Brazilian Navy to upgrade the existing old destroyers? For every ship of our self-made imitation Fletcher class purchased by the Brazilian Navy, Fangyuan Shipyard guarantees that a sum of money will be deposited into your designated account.
In addition, all the warships that we have eliminated will be handed over to you for disposal. What do you think? As for whether you deal with them at the price of scrap metal or refurbish them and sell them outside, General Teach and I promise not to get involved.
Do you think this business is profitable?
Fang Lang's true intentions were finally revealed. He knew very well in his heart that it would be very difficult to simply ask Guilherme Karasa to help him sell the warships.
But through his own connections, he pushed the Brazilian Navy to purchase on its own, and with his own support, there would be absolutely no problem.
The real money-making source is definitely the batch of warships retired from the Brazilian Navy. When the time comes, by selling them to some countries that are not particularly well-funded, Guilherme Karassa can make a ton of money.
More importantly, as someone who has been in charge of logistics for so many years, he is more adept at selling the equipment he has on hand.
Sure enough, as soon as Fang Lang finished speaking, Guilherme Karasa's eyes suddenly lit up and he looked at Fang Lang in disbelief. Of course, he understood what he meant.
Although Fang Lang could make it clear that he and General Teach would not participate in the handling of the retired warships, he was trying to avoid risks. But he was good at this kind of thing! At the same time, he knew in his heart how huge the profit was, and he couldn't help but be tempted.
He looked at Fang Lang with a burning gaze for a long time, and seeing that he was still looking at him with a smile on his face and without any evasive look in his eyes, he understood that this was the other party's transaction condition.
"Are you sure, General Fang?"
Seeing Guilherme Karasa looking at him seriously with a serious tone, Fang Lang knew that this matter should be done. He couldn't help but smile slightly and said frankly:
"certainly!"
Hearing this, Guilherme Karasa finally showed a faint smile on his face. He slowly stood up and stretched out his right hand towards Fang Lang and said:
"It's a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Deputy Minister!"
Fang Lang laughed when he saw this, then slowly stood up, shook the other party's outstretched hand and said:
"It's a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Secretary of the Navy!"
Then the two smiled at each other.
Adams Teach, who was standing by, couldn't help but shrug helplessly when he saw the two people in collusion.
He was not averse to this matter. After all, the domestically produced Fletcher-class destroyer was copied with his participation, and he was very confident about the product quality.
The large-scale deployment of this type of warship is also a recognition of his work, and he certainly will not stop it.
At the same time, it would not be bad for him to use this warship to replace the current old warships. As for how much naval expenditure would be consumed, it was not something he could stop.
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