Expedition to Europe

(Oh my god, I forgot to update. If it weren't for the broken reminder, I would have forgotten...)

After dinner, several people came to the lounge to sit for a while.

There is a billiard table in the lounge, and Old Renault invited Qin Zhiyuan to play for a while.

Qin Zhiyuan looked at the table and rejected Old Renault's request: "I don't like your way of playing, it's too complicated. I prefer British or American."

French billiards is called "Carrom". The biggest difference from British and American is that there is no ball bag, and there are fewer balls, only three balls, the rules are more complicated, and the technical requirements are very high. Perhaps this is why French billiards has not been promoted.

"You should like French billiards, not British or American. This is the standard aristocratic sport. British and American are the ways of playing for nouveau riche." Old Renault was dissatisfied.

There is a saying about the origin of billiards that it originated in France. There is a reason why Old Renault said that the British and American billiards are nouveau riche. The British and American billiards use more balls, while the balls used in table tennis are all made of ivory. Therefore, Old Renault despises the British and Americans.

"Whether you admit it or not, billiards is popular because of the British or American style, and French billiards is destined not to be popular." Qin Zhiyuan laughed at Old Renault at the right time.

In fact, China has played the biggest role in promoting the sport of billiards. Billiards has always been an aristocratic sport in the West, but when billiards entered China after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese magically transformed the highbrow into the lowbrow, and spread billiard tables all over the streets and alleys, which really became popular.

The Chinese have a magical skill. No matter how noble and elegant something is, it can be turned into cabbage that is rotten in the streets when it arrives in the East.

"Then let's have a glass of Bordeaux wine. You won't refuse this." Old Renault changed the subject.

"Of course." Qin Zhiyuan occasionally drinks alcoholic beverages, but never too much. He always keeps a cool head.

"Your tank workshop has been established. All the workers are Chinese. The team leaders are also Chinese. From the production of engines to the production of 75mm guns, all are Chinese. I think you should treat me to a meal to thank me." Old Renault said lightly.

The significance of Old Renault's move is not to be thanked by treating him to a meal. Old Renault is helping Qin Zhiyuan to train industrial workers, management forces, and even engineers. No matter how much he thanks you, it is not too much. If this production workshop can be produced smoothly, even if Qin Zhiyuan returns to the Far East, he can have his own production factory at any time.

"A meal is not enough to express my gratitude. I will always remember your friendship in my heart." Qin Zhiyuan said sincerely.

Qin Zhiyuan understands the meaning of heavy industry and the value of engineers and workers in heavy industry. Qin Zhiyuan remembers Old Renault's help.

"When I need your help, I will ask for it." Old Renault is playing a big game.

"I'm always waiting." Qin Zhiyuan verbally promised.

"Tank, is it the one the British used a while ago?" Huang Bohan interrupted.

"Yes, that tank. Mr. Louis' factory is also producing it, but it's the French version." Qin Zhiyuan explained.

"It's incredible. Can you sell it to us?" Huang Bohan has a big appetite.

"It's impossible now. France doesn't have enough for its own use, and there is no surplus to sell to the outside world." Old Renault refused outright, and his attitude towards Huang Bohan was completely different from his attitude towards Qin Zhiyuan.

"That's a pity." Huang Bohan was disappointed, but immediately received Qin Zhiyuan's "please rest assured" look, so he focused his attention on the red wine in front of him.

"How is the thing I asked you to do for me last time?" Qin Zhiyuan asked Old Renault.

"There are many options to choose from, the price is low, and the distribution is wide. As long as you want, you can have one at any time, and then you can be a king behind closed doors." Old Renault said casually.

During the First World War, Britain and France had the most colonies in the world. Their colonies were spread all over the world, reaching a level that even powerful countries like Germany and the United States envied. Although the French colonies were not as numerous as Britain, which was known as the "Empire on which the Sun Never Sets", they were also enviable enough. The French really didn't care about one or two islands.

"That's great. What are they? Tell me. If it's suitable, I'll buy it." Qin Zhiyuan didn't hesitate.

Buying an island sounds like a fantasy, but it was not a fantasy in the early 20th century. The world's largest land sale agreement was born 50 years ago, when Americans bought Alaska for $7.2 million. This land is about 1.72 million square kilometers and later became the 49th state of the United States.

Even after a few decades, island transactions are very frequent. Puyi's teacher Johnston bought a small island of about one square kilometer from Scotland in the 1940s, spending only 1,200 pounds.

That was the devalued pound.

"I suggest you don't rush it, wait a while, maybe you will get a Christmas egg." Old Renault was mysterious.

"Christmas eggs? Can I get Ratoneau Island?" Qin Zhiyuan was surprised.

Ratoneau Island is an archipelago off the coast of Marseille, and it is also the only archipelago near Marseille. The Chateau d'If is located on a small island in the Ratoneau Islands. The Count of Monte Cristo was created based on the Chateau d'If.

This work was compiled and uploaded by Liujiu Book Bar~~

"You can expand your imagination a little more." Old Renault had bad intentions.

A little bigger, then it would be Corsica.

But that is almost impossible. Corsica has been a province of France since the 18th century. Although the population is only 5,000 to 6,000, the area is more than 8,000 square kilometers, making it the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean.

Qin Zhiyuan doesn't think the French will sell Corsica.

Then a little further away, we have to go to Africa.

Africa is also possible. The French have traditional power in Africa and have huge colonies in Africa. It is not impossible to sell a few small islands at random to obtain funds to support the war.

"No, it's too unrealistic." Qin Zhiyuan knows himself.

"Haha, reality is stranger than fiction. 20 years ago, my two brothers and I drove our self-made cars to participate in a competition, but they broke down on the road. When we were repairing the car, my neighbor passed by us in a carriage. He laughed at us loudly, saying that our invention was "useless" and not even as good as his carriage, and we would not earn even a centime. As a result, less than 20 years later, my factories are all over France. If my factories stop working today, France will be defeated tomorrow." Old Renault was not without pride.

"You did a good job, Louis." Qin Zhiyuan praised generously.

In 1898, 21-year-old Louis Renault began to contact cars, and then became crazy about cars. The original Louis Renault would definitely be laughed at and ridiculed as "fantastic", but Louis Renault did not back down. Louis Renault's achievements today are inseparable from his persistence and arrogance.

Perhaps all successful people are persistent and arrogant at the beginning.