Dreaming back to 1949, the great powers were there to deceive us

While Wang Zhi was rushing to dismantle the parts, Hu Zhenhua, who was thousands of miles away, welcomed a special guest: Barron.

This guest from the Gentleman's Country is ostensibly a buyer who came to negotiate the purchase of protective clothing, but his real identity is that he belongs to the Secret Intelligence Service of the Gentleman's Country, commonly known as MI6.

In the country of gentlemen, there is also an intelligence agency: the Security Service, commonly known as MI5.

The two agencies have their own division of labor, with Department Six responsible for foreign intelligence and Department Five responsible for domestic security and counterintelligence.

In order to gain Hu Zhenhua's trust, Barron specially invited Charlie from Huifeng Foreign Company as an introducer.

The two sides exchanged greetings for more than ten minutes. After seeing that Hu Zhenhua and Barron had become more familiar with each other, Charlie left tactfully. He was just a businessman and did not want to be too deeply involved with people from the intelligence agency.

After the door was closed, Barron said with a smile,

"Mr. Hu, I'm here this time to buy protective clothing, a lot of protective clothing!"

Hu Zhenhua picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile,

“I don’t know the exact number.”

Barron had a smile on his face and he stared at Hu Zhenhua closely. Just now, the other party frowned slightly, and the expression was very subtle.

Generally speaking, when a businessman hears that someone wants to purchase goods on a large scale, his first reaction is joy, but Hu Zhenhua's first reaction was to frown, which shows that he is opposed to this business.

Barron pondered for a moment and said,

"Between 10 and 200 million units."

Hu Zhenhua laughed again.

"Mr. Barron, since you're willing to purchase protective clothing, you must be well-informed. To be honest, my protective clothing won't be a problem to sell. The quantity you've purchased isn't too much, but it's not too little either. If you want me to sell it to you, it's not impossible. What I want to know is, what can I gain?"

"Of course, to reap huge profits!"

Seeing that Hu Zhenhua's expression did not change, Barron added,

"And the friendship of a gentleman's country!"

This statement made Lao Hu slightly interested. He raised his eyebrows, picked up the teacup, raised it slightly, and said with a smile,

“May our friendship last forever!”

"Most definitely!"

Hu Zhenhua put down his teacup and said loudly,

"Carter and I have negotiated the purchase of protective clothing. The price for subsequent purchases is 65 yuan per set, which includes a top, pants, and rubber gloves. Respirators and boots are extra! All purchases must not be made for the civilian market. I can offer you the same terms."

There is a kind of people who are so stubborn that they still fantasize about living in the glory of the past and refuse to face the reality.

The same is true in some countries.

Since the rise of the United States, the country of gentlemen has not yet awakened from its glory when the sun never sets. It does not think that it has become a second-rate country and still acts arrogantly.

Since this is the case, Hu Zhenhua must of course satisfy their vanity. People carry people in fancy sedans, and saying a few nice words won't cost you anything anyway.

What's more, 65 yuan per set, it's a huge profit.

Barron was quite pleased to hear that he had received the same treatment as the Americans. As an intelligence officer, he always tried to probe, probe, and probe again, and then asked the core questions after he was sure of the situation. However, after seeing Hu Zhenhua's frankness, Barron decided to change his strategy and get straight to the point.

"Mr. Hu, thank you for your frankness, but I have a small question. If our country purchases 200 million sets of protective clothing, I wonder if they will be used for anything?"

He was actually asking in disguise: Will a nuclear war break out?

Hu Zhenhua already understood his intention and said with a smile,

"Mr. Barron, what makes you think I know the answer to this?"

"hehe!"

Barron took a sip of tea gracefully and smiled.

"There's information indicating that the source is here with you. It seems that Mr. Jimla left in a hurry from you."

Hu Zhenhua smiled. Barron's words proved one thing: he was monitoring Jimla.

There is no one who works in intelligence who doesn't play the game of Infernal Affairs. Even among allies, there is a sense of interdependence.

"Mr. Barron, I want to clarify that I'm not the source. Someone wanted to use me to pass this news to Jimla. I'm sure you know the specific reason."

Barron's pupils contracted sharply, he leaned forward and spoke quickly.

"So, Mao Xiong's experiment was successful?"

Hu Zhenhua smiled without saying anything, but his expression gave a positive answer.

Seeing that Barron was lost in thought, Lao Hu decided to test his words. When people are lost in thought, they will always answer questions subconsciously.

"What a shame! We were just a little bit away from a thunderbolt strike from the United States!"

Barron nodded slightly.

"Yes, just a few days!"

As soon as the words came out, Barron realized his gaffe, but he did not show any abnormality and said lightly,

"But this is a good thing. With both sides now in a state of equilibrium, peace is highly likely. It seems we can now focus more on improving people's livelihoods."

Hu Zhenhua was already satisfied with the information he had gotten out, and said cheerfully,

"Peace and development are the main themes of the future. Perhaps, you don't even need to purchase protective clothing. The money saved can be used to improve people's livelihood. Even if there are changes, the United States will provide protection for the Gentleman's Country!"

This statement hurt Barron's self-esteem a little.

The Gentleman Country is an ally of the United States, not a younger brother.

Barron was not interested in provocation. He thought about it and said,

"Mr. Hu, please draft the contract. I will first purchase 20 sets of protective clothing. I will make a decision on the subsequent quantities after I ask for your instructions!"

"Seunghye!"

Hu Zhenhua rang the desk bell and waited for Zhuge Lin to come in. He then instructed,

"Please arrange it. I want to have lunch with Mr. Barron!"

"Yes!"

There is a reason for Lao Hu's hospitality. He plans to develop a nuclear power plant, but he has no technical knowledge. What should he do? Of course, he will take the opportunity to lay eggs.

Barron got the information he wanted and didn't want to stay any longer. Just as he was about to politely refuse, he heard Hu Zhenhua say,

"The second half of the century will be a century of science and technology. Aerospace, electronics, life sciences, nuclear power plants, and other fields will flourish. Whoever can achieve breakthroughs in these areas will stand out in future international competition. Although our TA company is also relatively small, we are willing to invest heavily in these areas. I wonder if I could be fortunate enough to establish a relevant R&D facility in your country? Or even initiate some cooperation with you, such as in nuclear power plants?"

When Barron heard this, his mind became active.

Collaborate on nuclear power plants?

The talent pool of TA company is almost zero. How can they cooperate? Of course, the country of gentlemen provides the people and TA company provides the money.

This is a great opportunity to make some money.

Barron smiled and said,

"Mr. Hu, you may have some misunderstandings about our country. Unlike other countries, our market is completely open. We treat all companies equally, whether foreign or domestic."

Next, Barron introduced to Hu Zhenhua the origin of free trade in the Gentleman's Country.

Between 1846 and 1860, the Industrial Revolution in the United States had achieved remarkable results. Industrial production capacity had increased significantly, requiring a wider market to sell its products and a larger supply of raw materials. Therefore, the United States actively promoted free trade, abolishing almost all trade and tariff restrictions in an attempt to gain greater economic benefits by opening up markets.

Other countries need to formulate restrictive policies to protect their fragile agriculture and industry, but the Gentleman's Country does not need it. Their machines are the most advanced, their workers are the most skilled, and their production efficiency is the highest in the world.

Therefore, free trade is most suitable for a country of gentlemen.

The policy measures and economic development trends during this period laid the foundation for the opening of the Gentleman's market and had a profound impact on its subsequent economic development.

Even after the end of World War II, when their national strength was greatly weakened, the thinking inertia and guiding ideology of the free economy remained unchanged. They firmly believed that the "invisible hand" of the market could regulate the economy.

Therefore, the Gentleman's State lacks laws specifically directing or restricting foreign investment. Foreign companies or foreign-controlled companies enjoy essentially the same legal treatment as British companies and can engage in a wide range of economic activities within the Gentleman's State. With limited exceptions, there are no restrictions on foreign ownership of real estate, allowing foreign investors to acquire or occupy real estate through a variety of channels. Industry access in the Gentleman's State is extremely relaxed. There are no regulations limiting participation to nationals, nor are there any requirements for nationals to hold a majority or a certain percentage of shares, facilitating the entry of foreign investors into various industries.

Hu Zhenhua had heard in his previous life that the market in the Gentleman Country was extremely open, but he never expected it to be so open. He found it a little unbelievable and confirmed it again.

"Really, there are no restrictions?"

Barron looked at Hu Zhenhua, who looked like he had never seen the world before, and said with a smile,

"no!"

He paused and continued,

"But when it comes to the use of nuclear energy, it's best to cooperate with the government."

Hu Zhenhua had been trying his best to find something, but he didn't expect to get something. He immediately smiled and said,

"The Gentleman Country has always been at the forefront of nuclear research, but was forced to interrupt it due to the war. Otherwise, it's hard to say who would have been crowned the world's first atomic bomb. But I believe that within three years at most, you will achieve a breakthrough. The foundation of the British Empire is unfathomable!"

Hu Zhenhua cleared his throat and continued,

"Our TA company is naturally willing to cooperate with the government of Gentleman Country. To show our sincerity, TA company will cover all the expenses, and both parties can enjoy all the benefits. How about that?"

There is such a sucker, it would be a waste if not to kill him, Barron was very proud in his heart, and said with a smile,

"No problem, I'll report back as soon as I get back."

Hu Zhenhua didn't want to be a sucker, but he had no bargaining chips. In terms of relevant talent reserves and related technologies, he had almost no choice but to use funds as bait.

Hu Zhenhua looked at Barron with a proud face and complained in his heart: High-end hunters often appear in the form of prey. It is too early to say who is hunting whom.

Hu Zhenhua, the master of empty promises, started to deceive people again and said,

"Actually, nuclear energy has a wide range of uses. Besides generating electricity, it can also be installed on aircraft carriers and submarines. Of course, if the size is reduced to a certain level, it can also be installed on bombers. Imagine a plane that can cruise in the sky for months, a submarine that can lurk in the sea for dozens of days, and an aircraft carrier that can run for dozens of days. How terrifying would that be! The Commonwealth's territory is too vast, and you are the ones who need this equipment the most!"

Barron was attracted by these beautiful visions. There was a fire in his chest, and he was eager to realize the former glory of the British Empire.

"Mr. Hu, it's probably not easy to achieve this, right?"

Lao Hu waved his hand.

"The most difficult part is how to achieve controllable nuclear energy. As long as you solve the heart problem, everything else will be child's play for you!"

Barron paused and asked,

"TA company wants to enter the arms industry?"

Hu Zhenhua flatly denied it.

"We do plan to enter the field of light weapons, but TA Company can't handle large aircraft carriers and submarines. At most, we can only participate in the system. I am more interested in nuclear power plants. With economic development, people's demand for electricity will increase in the future. If TA Company can own dozens of nuclear power plants, I can count my wealth in the future without any effort!"

Barron nodded slightly. One was interested in the civilian market, and the other was interested in the military market. This would reduce a lot of conflicts between the two sides.

The two of them became more and more interested in the conversation, from the office to the dinner table, and the topic shifted from the situation and projects to local customs and poetry, until both of them were drunk.

……