Chapter 29: Do you think I'm easy to fool?

  "Alright." Without further ado, Wang Hengyue said: "I need about 200 to 250 rifles."

  "It's not a very big order." Kleiman shrugged his shoulders: "Your Excellency, do you know why I'm willing to come here for such business?"

  Wang Hengyue shook his head, and Kleiman pointed to Pete: "I knew him when he was very young. Pete is an honest man who never lies. He told me that although you are just a regimental commander now, you will become a big official in the future, maybe even a general. Now laying a good foundation for better cooperation in the future."

  Wang Hengyue did not expect Pitt to comment on himself like that. Kleman continued, "So this is why I'm willing to come here. Otherwise, I'd rather do business with a bigger official. Two hundred and fifty rifles, no problem. What model does the Governor need? Which country produces it?"

  What kind of gun? Martini? Mannlicher? Hatcher? Or perhaps the most famous Mauser rifle?

  Wang Hengyue was hesitating, when Kleiman took out a sample picture from his bag: "Mr. Wang, I recommend to you the best and most widely used famous gun, even your 'Hanyang Made' is an imitation of it. This is entrusted by my German friend for me to trade. It's a German-made Mauser rifle!"

  As soon as he heard the words "Mauser rifle", Wang Hengyue sneered and curled his lip, without even glancing at the sample: "How much is your German friend planning to sell it for?"

  "This is truly made in Germany." Kleinmann came with enthusiasm: "The original price was twenty-four silver dollars, since it's for Master Wang, I'll waive the small change, twenty dollars. You must be delighted at this price!"

  "Very magnanimous." Wang Heng raised his teacup: "There's an old Chinese saying, 'to see off a guest with a cup of tea.' Mr. Kleiman, take your time, our team leader won't see you off personally."

  Kleiman never thought Wang Hengyue would suddenly give the order to drive him away. He was stunned and didn't know what to do.

  "Pete was getting anxious: 'Wang, what's wrong? Is there some problem?'"

  "Mr. Klayman, in business, what's important is honesty and integrity. You yourself said that Pitt is an honest man, but why can't you do the same? We're going to be doing long-term business together, and since Mr. Klayman looks down on me as a business partner, there's nothing more to say. See you out!"

  "Wait, wait," Kleiman said hastily: "If you have any dissatisfaction, you can say it out loud."

  "You think all Chinese are easily deceived?!" Wang Hengyue heavily put the teacup on the table, using too much force and spilling some on his sleeve. Without even looking, he said: "What Mauser style, this is actually a 19-style Commission rifle, it has nothing to do with Mauser at all! Do you think I'm an idiot?!"

  Cleman was immediately speechless with a wide open mouth.

  The so-called "Mauser rifle" is actually called the "19-style committee rifle", which was originally developed by a German rifle testing committee. It's said to be designed, but in fact it's just a combination of various existing designs into a new gun. There is no relationship with the Mauser company at all.

  This rifle had a high failure rate and was soon replaced by the classic Model 9 rifle developed by Mauser.

  But what about the large quantity of "Type 99 rifles" that have already been produced? Sell them! Sell to Turkey, sell to African countries, especially sell to China!

  At that time, many officials in the Chinese government did not really recognize the goods. German arms dealers detected the superstition of Chinese bureaucrats and pretended to be deer as horses, selling the Commission rifle as a Mauser rifle to China and transferring the design to China. As a result, there was the production of Hanyang-made rifles on the basis of so-called "Mauser rifles".

  Wang Hengyue was crystal clear about this. What delighted these German swindlers was that their trick had not been exposed for many years, and the Chinese officials who were deceived by them consistently regarded it as a Mauser rifle without any doubt for a long time. Even in 1912, when the Chee Yung Company wrote to the Ministry of War of the Republic of China, they still referred to the Commission Rifle as "the latest model Mauser rifle". The officials of the Beijing government also called it "the latest model small-caliber repeating Mauser rifle" in many reports.

  Kleiman was extremely vexed to see his trick exposed. He had thought that although the king's officer was from America, he might not be able to distinguish between the two guns, but he never expected to make such a big fool of himself.

  "Lord Wang, please calm down." Klayman hastily made amends: "It seems that I was deceived by my German partner. Please believe me, I am innocent."

  Wang Hengyu sneered a few times and didn't say anything.

  Kreiman smiled dryly and said: "Since His Excellency doesn't like this type of gun, I'll introduce another one to His Excellency."

  "It's all right." Wang Hengyue waved his hand.

  Kleiman was immediately disheartened, but just when he thought the deal couldn't be made, Wang Hengyue suddenly said: "I want this gun."

  Kleiman was stunned again.

  Since Captain Wang saw through this gun at a glance, why would he still want this gun?

  Wang Hengyue had actually planned ahead. He himself wanted to equip the troops with Mauser 09 rifles, but the Germans themselves hadn't even gotten enough of the 09 model yet, and besides, his own silver reserves might not be enough to buy other advanced firearms either.

  Moreover, the rifle is still equipped with some front-line units in Germany, and serves in second-line units or as a strategic reserve. Although there are various shortcomings, it is used as an advanced firearm in China.

  First equip your own team, and then continue to slowly replace with the most advanced weapons.

  So as to expose Klayman, one is to let this American guy not think he's a fool, and two is that when negotiating prices, he can also occupy the most advantageous position.

  "So, are you going to make this deal or not?" Wang Hengyue said slowly.

  "Let's do it, of course we'll do it." Klayman said repeatedly with a tone of "snatching life from the jaws of death".

  Wang Hengyue smiled slightly: "But we need to discuss the price carefully. This gun has two problems, one is that the failure rate is too high, and the other is that the Mannlicher-style magazine is not very easy to use, it must be loaded with a clip, and the clip stays inside the magazine, and cannot be reloaded before the magazine is empty. In addition, the bottom of the Mannlicher magazine is open, which can easily lead to debris entering and causing jamming, in our China, it's called 'leaky bottom five sons'."

  He clearly pointed out the shortcomings of this gun, making Kleiman extremely embarrassed:

  "Then please, Sir Wang, name a price!"