I want to be emperor

Chapter 1107 Halbrand’s Desire

After the inspection and notification, Halbrand entered the building of the Domain Affairs Bureau, and was then taken away to a small reception room to wait.

Sitting on the soft sofa in the living room, Halbrand looked at the small living room. The living room was not big, with two rows of sofas.

There is a candle chandelier on the ceiling, but in addition to the candle chandelier, there is also an electric lamp.

Halbrand is no longer unfamiliar with electric lights. After all, electric lights are also installed in the embassy building of the Kingdom of Sweden. But when he saw the electric lights for the first time, Halbrand was frightened. Not light...

He couldn't imagine that such a small transparent glass bulb could emit such bright light after being connected to a copper wire and connected to the so-called 'electricity'.

This made Halbrand, who was used to traditional lighting fixtures such as candles and oil lamps, unable to imagine...

In addition to the electric lamp, there was an appliance next to it that Halbrand had never seen before... Halbrand had also been to the office building of the Domain Affairs Bureau several times before, and had also stayed in this reception room, but the previous few times I haven't seen this thing before.

It was standing on the ground, about one meter high, with a wire mesh mask on top. Inside the mask were blades similar to windmills and ship propellers, and there were several button switches in the middle.

There are also wire connections at the bottom of this thing.

Although Halbrand had never seen it and didn't know what it was specifically, judging from the wire connection, it should be a new type of electrical appliance.

However, many companies are still focused on research and innovation, trying to introduce more electrical products to the market...especially consumer electrical products with huge potential...and finally household products!

However, the above-mentioned things are basically very expensive and technologically complex, such as air conditioners... You say it is an air conditioner, but the contemporary so-called air conditioner in the Chu Empire is, to be precise, an air temperature control system for scientific research or industry... Just by looking at these adjectives, you can imagine that this thing is not only expensive but also expensive!

This kind of thing is basically customized, and a set can easily cost thousands or even tens of thousands... and requires professional operation and maintenance.

The same goes for airplanes. It is normal for fighter jets to have various problems. Military airplanes around the world will crash once every three days, and this kind of thing does not even make the news... For example, in the 30 to 40 years after World War II, the United States had a total of More than 12,000 military aircraft were lost... 70% of which were caused by accidents during takeoff and landing of aircraft carriers.

After the gradual application of electricity, the power source of refrigerated warehouses began to change from steam engines to electricity... and some miniaturized commercial freezers and even air conditioners appeared one after another...

So... sometimes don’t think that the technology of civilian products is simple. In fact, in many fields, the technical requirements of civilian industrial products are far more stringent than those of industrial and military products!

Many electrically driven things in the Dachu Empire had actually been invented and patented one after another in the 1930s...but they were basically of no use at that time. After the late 1940s, electricity was gradually promoted and matured. , these things can be used, but the patents have basically expired.

Currently, this thing is generally used in high-tech fields, well... mainly used in scientific research laboratories or high-standard production plants.

Even electric lights can only be seen in commercial buildings, government offices and rich manors. Ordinary families still cannot afford electric lights and continue to use kerosene lamps.

In particular, the technical requirements for household electric fans are actually more stringent than those of contemporary industrial fans that have been used in production.

Household industrial products, especially industrial products with relatively high unit prices and high technical content... can create a huge market size and bring huge profits to the company.

At that time, these refrigerated warehouses did not use electricity, but directly used steam engines to drive compressors to operate.

Then there are also various frozen warehouses for storing food on land.

The steam engine elevator was turned into an electric-driven elevator.

In the era of electrification, in addition to a series of industrial production uses, commercial air conditioners and elevators are two prominent representatives. However, for ordinary people, the so-called electrification is limited to electric lights!

Contemporary air conditioners have nothing to do with ordinary families... Because such a set of things is more expensive than your house... Even a house in Songjiang City only costs a few hundred thousand yuan, and the price of an air conditioner is basically It starts with several thousand!

Not to mention ordinary people, the rich are too tired to use it...

But if you drop a commercial airliner, it will make headlines around the world!

The concrete manifestation is that every once in a while, some new things will appear... things that even the people of Chu have never seen before, and are even shocked... especially various industrial or civilian equipment that use electricity as energy.

There are elevators in similar situations... The elevators in the past were also powered by steam engines.

The construction and maintenance costs are naturally sky-high!

This is still the cost, and it will be more troublesome to use later. You have to find a whole team to serve this kind of thing 24 hours a day... Specifically, it can be benchmarked against those production plants in the high-tech field. The constant temperature and humidity system in other factories has a complete The team is on hand 24 hours a day... After all, the technology is not yet mature, and various problems may arise at any time.

For industrial fans, as long as the manufacturer is cost-effective...you don't have to worry too much about malfunctions, because this kind of production equipment will have technicians checking and maintaining it every day...even if it breaks down, there will be technicians who can do it immediately. solve.

But household electric fans... this thing requires that it not malfunction during its entire service life!

And don’t expect ordinary users to be able to disassemble, assemble, maintain, and repair on the spot by themselves... You are guaranteed that after your product is sold, it will be repaired at high frequency without the need for maintenance. It can also ensure a long enough service life under the conditions of use.

But as an emperor, there is no need to look at the price when using things... As long as the Chu Empire has things and can produce them, Luo Zhixue can basically use them as he wants.

In the field of electrification applications, there are also a lot of companies that dream of making products like cars!

The electric fan is a brand-new electrified product made by Songjiang Electric Company at a considerable investment... Of course, the fan has no patent rights, and there are no patent issues with the electric fan.

In the whole world, there is only one family that currently uses air conditioning... and that is the royal family!

As the emperor, Luo Zhixue actually used air conditioning as early as the era of steam engine refrigeration... Basically, he directly improved the industrial air conditioning system and used it in the palace. Later, he also switched to an electric-driven one. Air Conditioning System……

However, this requirement has stumped countless manufacturers in the empire... These requirements may sound simple, but in fact, each one of them is a trap for extremely demanding technical requirements.

There are also consumer-grade semiconductor chips for civilian use. Look at the CPUs used in computers and mobile phones. Although everyone in future generations will have a mobile phone, the manufacturing difficulty of the chips in mobile phones is comparable to that of military and industrial chips.

If an industrial product has very limited uses, then the market size will not be much larger... For example, it is also an internal combustion engine. So far, gas engines are still limited to industrial applications, and the market size is very small... But gasoline engines Well, this thing was used in cars, and the market size quickly expanded to a potential size of several billion.

Such things as air conditioners and refrigerators... This stuff is actually familiar to the Chu people. It was used in industry and commerce in the steam engine era. The most typical examples of it should belong to various refrigerated transport ships or what comes with large ships. Frozen warehouse.

Even as an outsider, after spending some time in Jinling City, the political center of the Chu Empire, he could deeply feel the rapid development of electrification and other sciences in the Chu Empire.

If nothing else, the service life must be guaranteed for at least one summer...otherwise consumers will return this product.

The use of fans driven by electric motors is nothing new... In the 1930s, researchers tried to use electric motors to directly drive the blades... not only to drive the blades, but also to drive ships. As for the propeller... Yes, electrification has not yet been commercially applied. In the laboratory stage, scientists have already tried to use primitive batteries as energy sources, and then use DC motors to drive propellers as ship power... But because it was too advanced, I just tried it and then didn’t continue!

The daily use and maintenance costs of this thing depend on throwing money at it, and it's not a small amount at all.

Because of the fan thing, there were fans driven by mechanical power in the steam engine era... For example, the ventilation systems used in many factories, such as textile factories, are steam engine power-driven fans.

The electric fan is similar. The basic technology of this thing has no patent restrictions. Now anyone can do it...but whether it can be done well is another matter.

A similar situation is also happening in the Dachu Empire.

After all, the rich still live in large manors... The space that needs cooling is very large, and the layout is very complicated. It's over. If you build such an air constant temperature and humidity system, it will cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. ...More expensive than the manor itself.

Even rich people wouldn't do this.

For example, cars, military cars have a bunch of technical soldiers waiting on them, and it is normal for tanks, armored vehicles and the like to break down after running for hundreds of kilometers continuously. However, civilian cars, especially trucks and buses, are broken down all day long. They are all in operation... If you dare to break down a lot today, you will go bankrupt tomorrow.

When jet aircraft were introduced to ships in the early days, the losses were extremely exaggerated. Hundreds of aircraft were lost every year... It was very exaggerated.

Many things have actually begun to be used in the industrial and military fields, but they have not yet been seen in the civilian consumer field... The reason is very simple. Civilian consumer-grade industrial products have more stringent technical requirements!

It’s not difficult, it’s demanding!

The same is true for electric fans specifically... A lot of companies in the Dachu Empire have been struggling for many years. Some companies have launched so-called electric fans one after another, but basically they have not made any waves... because either the price is too expensive or the performance Too bad.

There's just a motor inside, so it's not that easy to do.

Songjiang Electric Company is also a major manufacturer in the field of research and development of electric fans. It has developed several types of electric fans before, but they all failed.

Until this year, after years of technical research, they have developed a small electric motor for industrial and household use.

The size of this motor is very small. The initial development goal was to use it as a small power source for some industrial equipment to supply the production needs of other cooperative companies. Later, a sewing machine manufacturing company used this thing to manufacture household sewing machines... …

Then the technicians from Songjiang Electric Company were inspired... and took this thing directly to try to make an electric fan... and found that it was very easy to use. As a result, we developed and launched a new electric fan using this new motor to the market, which received good feedback from the market.

In order to promote the market, Songjiang Electric Company also provided some trial samples to some institutions in Gyeonggi Province at the price of half sale and half free... After all, these officials are not short of money, and they are also the main manufacturers of high-end household products such as electric fans. Customer object.

This uses an electric fan in the yamen. If you think it is useful, then you may spend twenty or thirty yuan to buy an electric fan for use at home.

An electric fan costing twenty or thirty yuan is still very expensive. Ordinary families simply cannot afford it, or even those who can afford it are unwilling to buy it... After all, this thing is not a rigid necessity, but a product that improves the quality of life. They will only buy when the economy is relaxed to a certain extent.

In an ordinary family, well, that is the kind of family where the total annual income of the couple is about 100 yuan, they may spend more than 10 yuan to buy a bicycle, but they are definitely not willing to buy a bicycle that costs more than 20 yuan. Electric fan!

The two are completely different in importance to them.

To a certain extent, bicycles are a necessity!

But the electric fan... It's okay to use a fan to fan yourself in the summer... A fan, even if it's a little better, only costs more than ten cents at most.

Therefore, if things like electric fans want to be promoted to the market, they can only target middle- and high-income families, and they must also be middle- and high-income families who live a relatively leisurely and relaxed life, have no pressure, and are willing to spend money.

The official group fits this standard very well...the salary is generally high, the job is super stable, the income is expected, and they are willing to spend money.

Therefore, when Songjiang Electric Company promoted electric fans, it standardized its early customer groups to this group of people, and then launched a so-called activity of half selling and half giving away trial products to official yamen.

This is also the reason why Halbrand can see this electric fan in the reception room of the General Administration of Domain... This is a half-sold, half-free electric fan promoted by Matsue Electric Company.

Although Halbrand still doesn't know what this is, he can probably guess that it is a new electrical appliance.

And this also made Halbrand sigh with despair in his heart... Look at the Chu Empire, and then think about the Kingdom of Sweden in his hometown... The gap between the two is really as big as heaven and earth.

Not to mention other high-level fields, just the things we come into contact with in daily life are enough to reflect the huge gap between the two.

Fortunately, Halbrand is also a determined person... What's more important is that along the way, he has been shocked too many times. Once he is shocked, he will naturally get used to it.

Now Halbrand is more concerned about how to persuade the vassal officials who will meet him later to obtain the qualifications for the kingdom to import a batch of mechanical equipment. At the same time, he also needs to test the empire's attitude towards the export of rifled weapons. .

Many generals and even kings in the kingdom have been drooling over the Chu Empire's rifled weapons for many years... They all dream of importing a batch of Chu Kingdom's rifled weapons, even if they are just single-shot rifled guns, that would be great.

In the past few years, Halbrand would not even have such illusions, but it is different now... After Halbrand came to the empire, he had already heard that the regular army of the Da Chu Empire was already in full swing. Replaced with a brand new, so-called epoch-making smokeless powder small-caliber repeating rifle.

Under this smokeless rifle, the previous so-called small-caliber repeating rifles have become scum, let alone the 11mm caliber repeating rifle used before!

On the basis that the Chu people themselves had eliminated two generations of repeating rifles, Halbrand felt that he had hope of getting the empire to relax restrictions on single-shot rifled rifles and allow his kingdom to import them.

After all, to the Chu Empire itself, this thing is just an old weapon that was used twenty years ago and has been eliminated by the regular army for many years. Even if it is equipped by other countries, it will not have any real impact on the Chu army itself. Sexual threats.

In terms of threats, even the Foreign Legion has been widely equipped with this thing... The soldiers in the Foreign Legion are all indigenous, and there is also the risk of rebellion.

At the same time, Halbrand also found out that several Chu vassal states had obtained permission to import single-shot rifled rifles and even rifled cannons... Not only that, in fact, several Chu vassal states represented by the West African Kingdom also used A security company nominally run by Chu people, purchasing and using civilian repeating rifles and even machine guns.

The Army Guards of the Kingdom of West Africa adopts this model for training, and it is said that contracts for weapons and equipment have been signed.

This Guards regiment of the West African Army is actually very complicated... because the personnel inside are all armed employees of Chu State's security companies... which are often referred to as mercenaries.

In other words, although the name is nominally the West African Army Guards, in fact, from a legal perspective, this army is actually a mercenary force.

Its real owner is actually the West African Security Company!

The West African Security Company was established by Chu people and registered in Cadiz. The company is headquartered on the Gold Coast and has major business subsidiaries in the West African Kingdom.

According to the corresponding laws of Chu State, the company can use various civilian weapons, including small-caliber black powder repeating rifles modified from military versions... Basically, except for the most advanced smokeless powder eight-mm repeating rifles, it cannot In addition to purchasing, other firearms can basically be purchased in their so-called civilian versions...

Including heavy machine guns!

West African security companies use their own weapons procurement licenses to purchase large quantities of civilian versions of advanced weapons.

West African Security Company also signed a defense services agreement with the Kingdom of West Africa, which gave the company the authority to carry out military missions within the Kingdom of West Africa.

Then he signed a mercenary work contract with the retired soldiers in the West African Kingdom and hired retired soldiers in the West African Kingdom to work for him... As for the fact that these soldiers were still wearing military uniforms the day before, it didn't matter at all!

Then after such a series of operations, these advanced weapons of the Chu Empire can be legitimately used by the soldiers of the West African Kingdom.

This method, you may say, is not legal...it is really legal...but you may say it is legal, even fools know that this is a loophole.

However...why no one has blocked such a big loophole...because this is a loophole deliberately left by the empire!

This situation can occur because the empire turns a blind eye to these Chu-origin vassal states, and even uses it to attack the indigenous people out of support.

For example, in West Africa, the empire's official policy support for the West African Kingdom is quite strong, because the empire also needs the West African Kingdom to continue to carry out combat operations against the indigenous people in the interior of Africa...

You don't have to spend your own money to give people, you just need to provide some policies on the use of weapons, and the West African Kingdom will scream and fight in it. This saves a lot of time.

Besides, although this West African Security Company is nominally a puppet company officially arranged by the Kingdom of West Africa...but in fact the main commanders are all serious retired officers from the Chu Kingdom...

At the same time, the reason why this West African security company was able to obtain authorization to purchase many advanced weapons was because it accepted the armed security management regulations of the Dachu Empire.

According to this law, all armed employees affiliated with Chu State security companies must unconditionally accept military recruitment when necessary, and their main commanders also need to have a number of retired officers.

Only under such circumstances can we obtain authorization for the purchase of advanced weapons and authorization for overseas armed activities...

It doesn’t mean that you just set up a so-called security company and then be able to purchase these advanced weapons... Without various reviews and approvals, and then take over the management of security management regulations, let alone purchase advanced repeating rifles, even single-shot rifles You can't even buy it.

Under such circumstances, the Guards of the West African Kingdom composed of employees of the West African Security Company... Normally Chen Jingyun can naturally command, but at certain critical moments, such as when Chen Jingyun wants to plot against the empire, this Guards The regiment will transform into part of the Empire's Foreign Legion stationed in West Africa in a few minutes. There is a high probability that they will turn their guns and shoot Chen Jingyun!

It's just that Chen Jingyun is not stupid and would not do such a thing... So this kind of measure is more of a preventive measure and will not affect anything on weekdays.

Under such specific circumstances, the Guards Regiment in the West African Kingdom purchased and equipped 43-type heavy machine guns, older 75mm mountain cannons, 70mm infantry cannons, and even 60mm mortars. .

As for the rifle, it is purchased and equipped with the so-called civilian version of the classic 24-year-old rifle... It is said to be a civilian version, but in fact, except for the label, everything else is no different from the one currently in military service... Other people's weapons The company has gone crazy, so it will develop a so-called civilian version specifically for the small batch orders of these security companies... After all, except for the domestic military police and the security companies registered in the country and operating overseas, this thing has no other users...

Unlike ordinary hunting rifles, pistols, shotguns, etc., these are the ones that really have a large civilian market.

The well-equipped Guards Regiment of the West African Kingdom is not only the anchor of the West African Kingdom, but also one of the important military forces for the Chu Empire to maintain its military presence in West Africa... Although this army was raised by Chen Jingyun, it has never been They are not just the West African Kingdom's own army, but to a certain extent, it is more like an army jointly commanded by the two countries... It's just that the only investor is Chen Jingyun, but don't think that Chen Jingyun is losing money... these other vassal states, Even if you want to pay for this, the empire won't approve it.

Advanced weapons and equipment like the Type 24 rifle are not something you can just buy if you have the money.

If Chen Jingyun hadn't hugged the Empire's thigh tightly... and wanted to purchase Type 24 rifles, nothing would have been so good in his dreams.

In any case, the West African Kingdom at least actually owns repeating rifles... This also means that the empire's top officials have further relaxed their control over rifled weapons.

Under such circumstances, Halbrand thought that it was possible for the Chu people to further relax export restrictions on single-shot rifled rifles in order to obtain more orders and profits.

Although I still don’t know how likely this is, but if you don’t try it and don’t take the initiative to lobby... How can you still expect the Chu people to take the initiative to deliver rifled weapons to your door?

Therefore, when the feudal officials met with him later, after discussing some economic and trade matters, Halbrand made a request to purchase a batch of single-shot rifled rifles.

(End of this chapter)