Chapter 8, Absurd Sea Training

However, when Xigeer sent over 20,000 pounds, Lin Haijiang still indulged in a lavish display of wealth! After instructing that no one was to disturb him and locking the door, he piled the large sum of pounds on the bed and rolled around on top of it. Although it was quite vulgar, Lin Haijiang's subconscious still yearned to experience such a thing at least once.

Lin Haijiang ultimately did not immediately agree to Edward Irwin, as he was well aware that this matter of maritime training could be significant or trivial. However, it was rather excessive that Edward Irwin, who originally came to seek personal gain, did not even want to go through the process and was solely focused on maneuvering in London.

The submission of Xigeer gave Lin Haijiang a sense of accomplishment. Previously, he had regarded the meager handouts that Xigeer offered him, akin to those given to beggars, with disdain. At this moment, with newfound capital, Lin Haijiang was filled with fervor and determination. He resolved to make a grand display of his abilities and to rapidly accumulate his wealth.

A week later, the refurbishment of the Phoenix was nearing completion. During this week, Lin Haijiang had hardly visited the dock; he devoted all his time to conversations with Alem. Through these discussions, Lin Haijiang discovered that Alem was not only a very meticulous artillery technician but also an inventor. Alem had invested all his savings into the development of a breech-loading spiral rifled fixed ammunition armor-piercing shell, yet it went unappreciated. Due to financial constraints, Alem could only manufacture small three-pound cannons, and the ammunition existed only in theoretical design, never having been put into practical research.

Although Robert did not explicitly state it, Lin Haijiang has already realized that there are at least no issues regarding the Dartmouth Naval School in this so-called maritime exercise

The first words Lin Haijiang spoke upon meeting Edward Irwin were "Respected Sir, this is a small token from the Irwin Royal Artillery Factory." Edward Irwin was completely taken aback; although he had heard before that overseeing the refitting or major repairs of warships could be quite lucrative, he had never anticipated such a substantial sum.

Robert was momentarily taken aback; Lin Haijiang was giving him a gift? This surprised Robert greatly, as the almost wooden boy, who only knew how to devote himself to his studies, had surprisingly become quite slick? Robert did not care whether the cigar was expensive; what mattered to him was Lin Haijiang's attitude towards him, which represented a bond and feeling between teacher and student

The actual purchasing power of £20,000 in 1852 is not particularly clear to Lin Haijiang; for him, this amount corresponds to 2% of the funding already in place for a first-class battleship

With wealth, Edward Irwin suddenly had many thoughts. If he could establish a relationship with the Duchess, his future prospects would be greatly promising. However, after the Phoenix was refurbished, it was set to go out for training at sea. In a week, it would be the Queen's birthday celebration. As a nobleman, Edward Irwin naturally understood that socializing was far more effective than fighting in bloodshed.

Upon returning to his residence and dismissing Butler Zhao, Lin Haijiang did not notice the presence of the two young maids, Bai He and Cong Zhuang. Upon returning to his room, he found it strange and suddenly discovered that the two young maids had actually put on the maid outfits he had purchased. The alluring figures caused Lin Haijiang's throat to involuntarily move slightly.

Lin Haijiang truly doubts whether the personnel at the Royal Navy Department of the British Empire, specifically those in the Armaments Procurement Bureau, are a bunch of blind individuals. Such a weapon, which holds significant importance across eras, has been completely overlooked.

Lin Haijiang smiled subtly and placed a box of one-pound, one-stick "Mod" premium cigars on Robert's desk, saying: "This is a gift from the other party, but unfortunately, you know I never smoke"

After hastily signing the acceptance form for the Phoenix, Lin Haijiang found Edward Aiven, who had just arrived in Dartmouth, with two thousand pounds. The rapid modifications to the Phoenix and the replacement of its artillery were unforeseen by Edward Aiven. Had it not been for the fact that his pockets were emptied by the extravagant spending of Duke Henry, Edward Aiven would have been reluctant to leave London.

The annual royal celebration is approaching, and it is feared that the number of trainees participating in the naval exercise will reach a historical low. You are now a candidate officer of the Royal Navy, and if you truly decide to replace Edward Aven in commanding this naval exercise, you will likely have to find one hundred crew members yourself to fill the vacancies

On the following day, Lin Haijiang arrived early at the Dartmouth Naval School. His promotion from First Corporal to Royal Navy Cadet Officer could be said to have set a precedent for the academy. Now that the refitting of the HMS Phoenix had been completed, in addition to filing his qualifications as a Royal Navy Cadet Officer, Lin Haijiang also wished to discuss Edward Irwin's so-called proposal with the Director of Instruction, Robert.

In the academic affairs office, Robert encountered the visibly gaunt Lin Haijiang. He looked at Lin Haijiang's Royal Navy cadet uniform and smiled slightly, saying, "It seems that the greatest gain this time is none other than you, dear Lin"

It is regrettable that Lin Haijiang was a soldier in his previous life, and it seems that there is no memory of any business acumen in him. Lin Haijiang helplessly discovered that even with startup capital, he lacked reliable investment projects, or rather, those projects with long return cycles and low ratios were simply not within his consideration.

All of this made Lin Haijiang's breathing somewhat rapid, but the two young girls clearly had never seen or worn Western-style dresses; otherwise, they would not have worn their undergarments on the outside, creating an exceptionally tempting appearance

Having finally calmed his emotions, Lin Haijiang smiled slightly and said to the two girls with flushed cheeks: "You two! Why are you wearing your underwear on the outside?"

Lin Haijiang nodded with pleasure, but it was evident that this was not a time for romance. The two young girls, Baihe and Ziju, were already destined to be his possessions, so Lin Haijiang was not in a hurry. In this era, women could be said to be the appendages of men, and those with independent personalities and autonomy were merely rare exceptions.

"Is the underwear worn outside?" Bai He and Hong Juan exchanged confused glances as they checked. Lin Haijiang smiled helplessly and said: "The black tight-fitting top is just like our belly pocket!"

Lin Haijiang accepted it with great composure and smiled slightly, saying: "Thank you for your generosity"

After Robert finished speaking, he raised his teacup to Lin Haijiang as a gesture, and Lin Haijiang smiled and left

The black lace dress, the white tight lace, the round-toed little black leather shoes, the full and half-naked chest exposed, yet this outfit seems rather strange

Lin Haijiang fully recounted Edward Irwin's proposal to Robert, who looked at Lin Haijiang and smiled slightly, saying: "Edward Irwin is the son of Edward Lounder, the Earl. Having him organize naval training is merely a formality. Nearly half of the cadets at Dartmouth Naval Academy do not participate in so-called naval training each year. Although they are nominally part of the navy, it is likely that most of their lives will be spent on land. For most people, being a naval officer is merely a title, which allows them to be exempt from various taxes."

Lin Haijiang gave Alem one thousand pounds, and he decided to act as Alem's partner. This was like a timely help for Alem, and the unpleasantness that occurred during the refitting of the Phoenix was instantly forgotten by Alem. Lin Haijiang realized that satisfying Alem was actually very simple; it was to allow him to fully immerse himself in the research he loved.

Ah! Bai He and Zi Juan were startled and wanted to dodge immediately. Lin Haijiang gently held the two and said: "However, I really like how you both are dressed, but in the future, you only need to dress for my eyes alone"

Undoubtedly, the greatest happiness for a woman lies in marrying into a good family and having a caring husband. Joining a wealthy family is merely a means for her own family to escape their original predicament. Often, they do not do it for themselves; perhaps this is the case for Lily and Zijuan.

In a state of shock, Edward Ivan coughed a few times to mask his embarrassment, then took a small bag containing approximately one hundred pounds in velvet and tossed it to Lin Haijiang, saying: "Thank you for your hard work"

Edward Aiven's new idea took Lin Haijiang by surprise; it turned out that Edward Aiven wanted Lin Haijiang to fully replace him in commanding the Phoenix for the so-called "sea training". As the Phoenix is a training ship without a fixed captain, the temporarily assigned chief officer for the sea training acts in the capacity of the captain. Edward Aiven's request put Lin Haijiang in a difficult position; in fact, this opportunity was something Lin Haijiang had long desired. However, he still felt somewhat apprehensive about whether his abilities and prestige were sufficient to command a warship.

Regarding this sentence, which seems to carry a sense of promise, the two young girls whispered shyly with flushed faces: "We will only wear it for you, young master!"

Because even a general who has fought valiantly and achieved glorious victories is still a barbaric and rude person, while a noble requires a refined and elegant approach to strategizing. Looking at the reserve officer uniform on Lin Haijiang, Edward Aiven suddenly had a new idea

The next day, Lin Haijiang, suffering from back pain, had Baihe and Zijuān gently massage his waist and shoulders. He was in so much pain that even getting out of bed was a struggle, clearly having had a poor night's sleep. He couldn't even go to the dock, and Lin Haijiang's absence from the dock naturally pleased Xigeer, as at least the money spent was not in vain. Moreover, Lin Haijiang had also reassigned Alem, which further allowed Xigeer to act freely, and the progress of the project immediately accelerated.