Chapter 7, No Sound Without a Knock

As the overall supervisor of the Phoenix modification project at the Royal Arsenal, Sigur found it hard to believe that his decision was questioned by a foreman named Alem among his subordinates

"Two hundred pounds?" Sigur inquired tentatively.

Looking at the indignant and nearly furious Sigur, Lin Haijiang smiled slightly and said, "There is no way around it; the price of justice is often exceedingly high. However, after this, I can pretend to be unaware of any modifications to the Phoenix."

Because Sigur is not a complete fool, no matter how chaotic the situation becomes, the only one who ends up suffering is Sigur himself, and it will have no impact whatsoever on the Aetwen Royal Artillery Factory

Xigeer looked at the already angry Lin Haijiang and naturally smiled, saying: "Respected Lin, this is not good for you. Being angry will only make you feel unhappy"

Xigeer indeed harbored a certain degree of fear towards Lin Haijiang, not merely because Lin Haijiang was the first Chinese Royal Navy cadet officer he had encountered. For a project of this magnitude, it was expected that at least one Royal Navy officer with a so-called background would oversee it. Xigeer initially believed that once the project reached its critical phase, a figure to take credit would naturally emerge. At that point, he could showcase his efforts, as leveraging connections was Xigeer's forte, ultimately leading to a mutually beneficial outcome for all parties involved.

Lin Haijiang looked at Sigur with a gaze of pity and said, "It seems there is nothing more for us to discuss! My dear Mr. Sigur, I am a candidate officer of the Royal Navy of the British Empire, not a beggar!"

This point has almost become an open "secret" within the navy, yet Xigeer is unclear whether Lin Haijiang understands this unwritten rule

Lin Haijiang let out a cold laugh and said: "Mr. Xigeer, please reserve your confession for the priest! You should think carefully about how to compensate me for the moral guilt you have caused!"

What Lin Haijiang is truly concerned about is how much profit he can extract from Xigeer through this matter

After more than half a month of indirect inquiries during the construction, Lin Haijiang finally realized that the little interest that Xigeer showed him was as pitiful as dismissing a beggar? Today, Lin Haijiang, who had long been angry, finally found a reason he had been looking forward to.

Moral guilt?" Xigel murmured to himself, slightly taken aback

However, Lin Haijiang's blatant demands for benefits truly relieved him; it is not that he fears your requests, but rather that he fears your refusal

Aside from paying the necessary portion, there is still a significant profit to be made. After hesitating for a moment, Xigeer steeled himself and said: "Deal!"

As Lin Haijiang turned to leave, he cast a glance from the corner of his eye at Xigeer, whose face was pale and legs slightly trembling. Xigeer watched Lin Haijiang depart, unable to utter a sound from his throat; it could be said that he was truly frightened by Lin Haijiang

Lin Haijiang then extended two fingers and shook them

At over forty years old, Sigur always gives off a sickly impression, appearing listless in whatever he does. However, once the topic of money arises, Sigur springs to life as if wound up tightly.

Lin Haijiang's last words came out almost in a roar. Lin Haijiang glared and swung his arm, saying: "I will report this matter directly to Mr. Edward and seek the approval of His Excellency Count Vincent. I want them to know that the Aitwen Royal Arsenal serves the Royal Navy in this manner. You are joking with the lives of the officers and men of the Royal Navy."

Lin Haijiang's words left Xigel momentarily stunned. Xigel quickly calculated in his mind that £20,000 was indeed a substantial amount. However, for such a large warship, it would be quite simple to save on materials. The double-layered oak deck in the hold and the pearwood handrails could be completely eliminated; just the pearwood handrails on the second deck alone would exceed £30,000

Xier was momentarily taken aback, shrugging her shoulders to indicate her confusion regarding Lin Haijiang's words

Looking at the normally expressioned Sigur, Lin Haijiang smiled slightly and said: "Dear Mr. Sil, I have always thought of you as a generous and honest person, do you not think so?"

Lin Haijiang shook his head expressionlessly, and Xigeer gasped in astonishment, exclaiming: "Damn it, could it be twenty thousand pounds? You might as well kill me!"

The most important point is that the Phoenix, which originally had three decks, has canceled the lower deck gun positions. This means that at least three sets of supporting beams have been removed from the lower hold. After such modifications, the importance of the first deck's connection to the keel becomes evident, and the first deck must also bear the recoil forces generated by the firing of the guns positioned on the first deck.

Lin Haijiang has already slowed his pace for the second time, yet Xigeer still has not caught up. This has begun to cause Lin Haijiang some concern, leading him to secretly ponder whether he has overperformed. Has he truly frightened that lecherous fellow Xigeer? Or is it possible that Xigeer is simply not afraid of his so-called threats?

Lin Haijiang followed Alem to the location where he had a dispute with Sigor, the base of the gun position on the first deck. Lin Haijiang was very clear that for a training ship like the Phoenix, which was modified from a third-class battleship, even if it did not undertake combat missions, its main deck should be constructed from at least three layers of oak planks. Moreover, there must be iron mesh between these oak planks to prevent secondary damage caused by the splintering of the oak planks when struck by grape shot. Even if it did not undertake combat missions, its main deck should be constructed from at least three layers of oak planks, and there must be iron mesh between these oak planks to prevent secondary damage caused by the splintering of the oak planks when struck by grape shot

What disappointed Sigur was that so far, the transformation project of the Phoenix had reached a critical point, and the prominent figures he had hoped for still showed no signs of appearing

After a considerable amount of time, Xigeer finally exerted himself to chase after the direction in which Lin Haijiang had departed

The cost of the refurbishment, amounting to nearly £400,000, would still be considered an enormous sum in this era, even when calculated at the standard rate of 8% typically used in later times

Lin Haijiang observed that Sir Xier's expression resembled that of a drum needing to be struck with a hammer. He flicked a one-pound coin high into the air with his thumb, then caught it in his hand and, while examining it, remarked: "Mr. Xier is the transformer of warships, while our Royal Navy is the user. Warships are floating territories and also the lifeblood of the British Empire. I find it hard to imagine, Mr. Xier, that you hold such an attitude towards the warships that embody the honor of the British Empire. This is a desecration of the Royal Navy; it endangers the very foundation of Great Britain!"

Xigeer cautiously looked at Lin Haijiang and hesitated, saying: "Two thousand pounds?"

When Lin Haijiang discovered that Xigeer had unilaterally decided to reduce one layer of oak boards, he called Xier to the dock with a dark expression. Xigeer was already quite experienced in dealing with such matters; in his view, it was merely that this Qing person wanted to gain a bit more benefit. The recent overhaul of the Phoenix had already allowed him to reap substantial rewards.

Lin Haijiang nodded seriously and said: "It is very simple. Keeping this secret for you would mean deceiving the Royal Navy, and I happen to be a soldier. Such an act is inconsistent with the integrity of a soldier, which causes my heart to suffer and be tormented. You may want to consider how to heal the scars in my heart."

Xigeer tugged at Lin Haijiang's sleeve and pleaded, "Please forgive my ignorance and naivety! Mr. Lin, I am sincerely confessing to you!"

Lin Haijiang suddenly realized that he seemed to be unprepared for a complete retreat. As for this kind of dirty matter that cannot be cleaned up or clarified, if he were to report it to Edward and seek the approval of Count Vincent, that would be a last resort. What does it matter to him how many layers of oak the British warships have? Whenever he thinks of the historical event where the Anglo-French Allied Forces set fire to the Old Summer Palace and plundered countless treasures and cultural relics, Lin Haijiang wishes that the British ships would encounter some storms and fall apart right away!

When Xigeer caught up with Lin Haijiang, both of them almost simultaneously let out a sigh of relief; however, the difference was that Xigeer was panting while Lin Haijiang remained calm and composed

Lin Haijiang's righteous and eloquent words carry a sense of judging Sigur. This leaves Sigur feeling extremely embarrassed, yet it has come to a point where one must bow their head under the eaves. The only thing Sigur can be certain of now is that this fellow Lin Haijiang truly does not understand the so-called "rules of the game"

Originally, such a warship modification project was inherently ambiguous; to put it plainly, it was a process through which royal family members siphoned funds from the Royal Navy. In the absence of new shipbuilding plans, the refurbishment and modification of warships have almost become a significant source of income for major shipyards. Otherwise, relying solely on the sale of armed merchant ships or inland small boats would make it very difficult to sustain the operations of a large shipyard

Merely questioning had already made him feel an immense anger and irritation, especially in the situation where the two were at an impasse. Alem actually went so far as to directly file a complaint with the plenipotentiary representative Lin sent by Dartmouth Naval Academy