The train driver in the courtyard

Chapter 719: An agreement was reached to export locomotives (more updates, monthly tickets requested)

This time, the IRR purchased locomotives at the risk of offending the Russians, and the lineup it sent out was also particularly luxurious.

Becker is one of Iran's real top leaders.

There were also two ministerial-level figures from the IRR, and the remaining three were engineers proficient in steam locomotives.

The other party seemed very anxious, and after both parties introduced their identities to each other, the negotiations officially began.

The main force in the negotiations was Deputy Chief Engineer Wang, who handed over the documents he had prepared long ago.

"This is the most generous price we can offer, and it also has specific technical indicators."

The leaders and engineers of the IRR had already studied the Patriot steam engine. After receiving the official documents and briefly reading through them, the two sides engaged in a heated debate.

Buying a train is similar to buying clothes. If you want to lower the price, you have to find the other party’s weakness.

"Dear Chief Engineer, you are aware that we took a big risk in purchasing the trains this time. Shouldn't you lower the price a little more?"

"We understand your difficulties, but you should also know that the Patriotic Steam Locomotive is the most advanced steam locomotive in the world. It is more powerful and durable than the old Russian locomotives. This price is already very low."

If you want to sell at a high price, you have to brag about how excellent your product is.

While the verbal battle was going on fiercely, Li Aiguo sat nearby and chatted with Becker.

When Becker learned that Li Aiguo was followed by the Russians on the way here, his face turned a little ugly and he muttered something in a low voice.

Although Li Aiguo did not understand Iraqi, he still guessed: "Mr. Becker, it seems that both of us are being targeted."

"Both parties?" Becker frowned. "Comrade train driver, you are the ones being followed, and you should be the ones being targeted."

Li Aiguo took out a Daqianmen cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Becker: "Don't be in a hurry, try our cigarettes first."

Becker took it, lit it with a lighter, took a deep puff, and gave his evaluation: "Choking, this cigarette is too choking."

He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took out one and handed it to Li Aiguo.

This tobacco is much thicker than ordinary cigarettes, but it is not a cigar. It should be the spiced tobacco commonly smoked by Middle Eastern people.

Spice cigarettes have a spicy flavor and are more mellow, but Li Aiguo is not used to them and always feels his mouth is full of the taste of pepper powder.

After taking two puffs, he analyzed with the cigarette between his fingers: "Mr. Becker, we came to see you today on a whim, and we took a car.

Even if we were being targeted by the Russians, it is impossible for them to have deployed people in the city to wait for us in advance, and the stalker appeared right next to the department store, as if he had been waiting for us for a long time. "

"This can only mean that the other party knew where you were going, so they made arrangements in advance."

Hearing this, Becker's face turned serious. "According to the original plan, we were supposed to meet at the hotel. Apart from me, only the people from the committee knew the location. For their own selfish interests, they actually sold us out to the Russians."

When Li Aiguo heard the term "committee", he remembered what he had learned from the foreign affairs department before leaving.

The Yi family has been very close to the Russians these days, but there is no unanimous opinion within the family.

It is roughly divided into two parts, and those who have a good relationship with the Russians are called the committee.

People who have a good relationship with us are commonly known as the command center.

This time, the Yi family was able to withstand the pressure and purchase our train, thanks to the comrades in the command center who did a lot of work behind the scenes.

The Becker in front of him is an important member of the command center.

Seeing that Becker realized the seriousness of the problem, Li Aiguo did not delve further into the topic.

Li Aiguo came here just to sell the train and was not interested in the internal affairs of the Yi family.

This is also the attitude from above, and it’s what makes us different from the Russians.

Li Aiguo began to turn the topic to the news in Yi’s country.

"I heard that someone shot at your commander-in-chief's motorcade on the street a while ago?"

Becker was surprised that Li Aiguo knew the news.

However, thinking that the other party might also be a domestic staff member with a special mission, I didn't think much about it.

He nodded and said, "This happened in October. Five assassins shot at the convoy on Rashid Street. The commander-in-chief was injured, one assassin was killed and one was injured. One assassin was shot in the chest. Most of the assassins were captured later, except for the guy who was shot in the chest. His name seems to be Saddam, and he has not been seen until now."

He went to Egypt to study at university, Li Aiguo complained in his heart.

Li Aiguo secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard from Becker that Saddam was still alive.

He was really worried that his time travel would cause a butterfly effect, causing this future hero to lose his life prematurely, which would mean he would have one less important chess piece to use in dealing with the United States.

People in later generations all know about Saddam’s miserable final fate, but few people know that he was a true hero, a man born to do great things.

In 1958, Saddam assassinated the governor in his hometown of Tikrit and was imprisoned.

In 1959, Saddam Hussein was released and started causing trouble again.

He led a five-man team to assassinate the commander-in-chief on the street, but after the mission failed, he actually escaped.

Saddam was shot but he rode a horse for four days and four nights to return to his hometown. He later took a train to Damascus and escaped capture.

On the other side, the negotiations between IRR and Deputy Chief Engineer Wang have come to an end.

After learning that IRR was interested in purchasing the Patriotic steam locomotive, the Railway Research Institute, at the suggestion of Li Aiguo, carried out targeted modifications to the Patriotic steam locomotive.

Sand guards were installed on the steam locomotives and the wheels were replaced with cast iron forgings that could withstand high temperatures.

In addition, five large industrial fans have been installed in the locomotive, which can provide 360-degree air supply without dead ends, ensuring that the train driver will not faint from the heat in the locomotive when the train is running in the desert.

"This fan is really good, and the angle can be adjusted." The IRR engineer nodded in appreciation. Every time they went on the locomotive to repair it, they had to endure the high temperature.

With fans, their lives would be a little better.

The excellent train has undergone localization modifications, but its price is almost the same as that of the old Russian locomotives. This deal is a huge profit.

IRR decided to purchase fifty Patriotic steam locomotives from Datong Locomotive Works at one time. The purchase price was the international market price, with rubles and US dollars as the transaction currencies.

The settlement method is bookkeeping settlement.

Accounting and settlement is the method we usually use when doing business with our brothers.

This settlement method does not require cash payment, but is instead settled through bookkeeping in currencies such as rubles based on signed trade agreements.

The bookkeeping and settlement is carried out by the national banks of both parties, who will set up fee-free and interest-free clearing accounts with each other to offset the relevant trade payments.

Datong Locomotive Factory also provides corresponding maintenance services, of course, this service requires payment.

"How much salary do your engineers need per day?" the IRR leader asked Deputy Chief Engineer Zhang.

Deputy Chief Engineer Zhang looked at the contract and said with a smile, "400 rubles, plus additional transportation and meal allowances."

These days, the exchange rate of RMB to ruble is 1:4, and 400 rubles is equivalent to 100 yuan, which is a sky-high price as a daily wage.

The leaders of IRR, however, called it a bargain.

"The Russian engineers we used before asked us for 2000 rubles a day.

The German engineers were even more abominable. They just made a phone call and instructed our engineers to repair the train, then asked us for two hundred dollars.

Compared to you, they are just robbers."

"We are good friends and brothers, so the price is naturally cheaper." Li Aiguo felt that Deputy Chief Engineer Wang was too honest, and walked over with a smile, "We have recently developed an automatic railway signal that can ensure 100% safety of trains. Do you want to learn more about it?"

“Our maintenance engineers can solve both train problems and railway automatic signal problems at the same time.”

“You only need to pay one travel fee to solve two problems at the same time and enjoy double the service.”

"Don't worry, we will definitely give you the best price for the sake of our friendship and brotherhood."

Deputy Chief Engineer Wang looked at the contract with the seal still wet, and then looked at Li Aiguo who was talking to IRR leaders and engineers about the superior performance of railway automatic signaling, and was a little dazed for a moment.

Is this guy a good material for working in cross-border trade?

(End of this chapter)