I want 6 ships

On June 15, the German delegation was the first to arrive.

Leading the procession was Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz—the de facto head of the German Imperial Navy and the creator of the High Seas Fleet. The 58-year-old admiral was tall, sporting a distinctive mustache, and the medals on his dark blue uniform gleamed in the Persian Gulf sun.

He was accompanied by six naval officers, three shipbuilding experts, and a translator.

"Mr. Chen." Tirpitz's English was heavily accented with German. He sized up the young Chinese man before him—around twenty years old, dressed in a simple white shirt and black trousers, looking neither like a businessman, nor an engineer, nor a warlord. "You said you have... battleships for sale here?"

As Tirpitz spoke, he took the simplified warship blueprints that Chen Feng had given him from the officer beside him.

"This is no ordinary battleship, General." Chen Feng gestured for him to follow.

The group boarded a small boat and headed towards the warships anchored in the deep water. As they drew closer, the outlines of those steel behemoths became increasingly clear.

"My God..." a German shipbuilding expert murmured.

Tirpitz raised his binoculars, his hand trembling slightly. As a seasoned naval commander, he immediately recognized the unusual nature of these ships.

The main gun turrets are all of uniform caliber—five twin-mounted turrets, all firing the same caliber. There are no miscellaneous second- or third-tier secondary guns. The ship has a long hull and high freeboard, clearly designed for high speed. The funnels are compactly arranged, indicating the adoption of a new propulsion system…

"Are they all 305mm?" Tirpitz put down his binoculars and turned to Chen Feng.

"Yes, General. Ten 305mm 45-caliber main guns, mounted in five twin-mounted turrets. Two forward, two aft, and one in the middle," Chen Feng replied calmly. "The projectile weighs 386 kilograms, with a maximum range of 18 kilometers. Using the latest optical rangefinders and mechanical ballistic computers, the firing accuracy is at least 30% higher than that of existing capital ships of other countries."

The small boat pulled alongside the gangway of the nearest warship. The ship's number was clearly visible on its side: LF-01. "Lanfang No. 1," Chen Feng murmured to himself.

Upon reaching the deck, Tirpitz and his team were utterly awestruck.

The expansive deck was almost entirely flat, devoid of the chaotic facilities typical of traditional battleships. The turret bases were massive, but the rotating mechanisms were clearly meticulously designed. The bridge was enclosed, featuring large observation windows. Even more surprisingly, there were very few crew members visible on deck—the level of automation was far ahead of its time.

"Power system?" Tirpitz went straight to the core.

"Parsons steam turbines, four-shaft propulsion." Chen Feng led them to the bridge. "23000 horsepower output, designed speed of 21 knots. In actual testing, we achieved a top speed of 22.3 knots."

"Impossible!" a German engineer blurted out. "The fastest battleship in the world right now is the British King Edward VII class, with a maximum speed of 19 knots! And that's a reciprocating steam engine, not a turbine!"

Chen Feng smiled and said, "Mr. Hans, you can go and see the engine room for yourself."

The group descended into the engine room. The enormous steam turbines were running at low speed, emitting a deep, steady hum. Four turbines drove four drive shafts, the structure incredibly compact.

"fuel?"

"It mainly uses coal, but the boiler design is compatible with heavy oil injection, which can increase the power output by 15%." Chen Feng patted the turbine casing. "The range, calculated at an economical speed of 10 knots, is 6500 nautical miles."

Tirpitz remained silent for a full minute. He walked to a turbine and reached out to touch its smooth metal surface. The temperature was moderate, and the vibrations were minimal. As a veteran of the Navy, he knew all too well what this meant.

Faster speed means tactical initiative. Longer range means the ability to fire beyond enemy range. Standardized gun caliber means simplified fire control and higher accuracy.

This is not just a new type of battleship.

This is a revolution in naval tactics.

"Armor?" Tirpitz's voice was a little hoarse.

"Focus on protection." Chen Feng gestured for them to come to the midships of the ship. "The main armor belt is 280 mm thick, angled at 12 degrees, with an effective thickness of over 300 mm. The deck armor has three layers, with a total thickness of 76 mm. The turret frontal armor is 280 mm thick, and the conning tower armor is 300 mm thick. There are torpedo protection compartments below the waterline."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "According to our calculations, this ship is immune to the main gun fire of all currently active battleships of any country at a range of 12000 yards."

"The cost?" Tirpitz asked the most crucial question.

"Each ship, £280 million," Chen Feng quoted the figure. (The cost of the Dreadnought-class destroyers was £180 million in 1906.)

A collective gasp rose from the deck. £280 million—an astronomical sum in 1905. The newest British battleships cost around £80 each. But considering the technological superiority of these ships…

"Does that include training the crew?" Tirpitz pressed.

"Including that. We can train a full crew for each ship for three months. The training covers all aspects, including navigation, combat, and maintenance," Chen Feng added. "Alternatively, we can sell the ship without providing training."

Tirpitz turned and spoke in hushed tones with his team. The German was rapid and intense; Chen Feng only understood a few words: "revolutionary," "better than the British design," and "too expensive, but worth it."

Five minutes later, Tirpitz turned around.

"Mr. Chen, I need to contact Berlin," he said solemnly. "But I can personally assure you that the German Imperial Navy has a strong interest in these warships. A very strong interest."

"How many ships do you have on hand?" another German officer asked.

"Ten ships," Chen Feng said. "All are in stock, fully fueled and loaded with ammunition, ready to be dispatched at any time."

Ten ships!

Tirpitz's eyes lit up. The German Navy was carrying out a massive shipbuilding program aimed at challenging British maritime dominance. But shipbuilding takes time—from design to laying the keel, from launching to outfitting, from sea trials to commissioning, it takes at least three years.

Now, there are ten ready-made battleships, each at least a generation ahead in technology.

"I want all ten!" Tirpitz practically roared. "No, wait... six, I want six! Cash, installments, any method is negotiable!"

Chen Feng smiled: "General, two other delegations are coming. Are you sure you don't want to wait until they've finished looking at everything before making a decision?"

"I can't wait any longer," Tirpitz said firmly. "I'll send a telegram to Berlin right now. Six ships, not one less."