Volume 1: The Empire Awakens Chapter 63 Naval Attaché (Part 1)
Just over three months into his studies, when Tan Renhao was considering whether he should take the final exams for the semester, an unexpected telegram disrupted his plans.
The telegram was sent by Principal Nie Renfeng.
After receiving the telegram, Tan Renhao immediately boarded a plane and returned to the Zhoushan Naval Command. He didn't even have time to bring a few more clothes.
Along the way, Tan Renhao was trying to figure out the content of the telegram. In fact, there was not much content in it. It just asked him to return to the Navy Headquarters immediately because there was an important job waiting for him to do.
Tan Renhao felt a bit of a headache. What important matter had pulled him out of school so suddenly? In addition, Principal Nie Renfeng should have retired, so why did he return to the navy? There were too many questions, and the more Tan Renhao thought about it, the more he felt that this matter was strange. Later, he simply stopped thinking about it. Anyway, he would know what happened when he arrived in Zhoushan.
When the plane landed, night had already fallen.
Nie Renfeng's adjutant came to the airport to greet him.
Tan Renhao knew the officer. When he was in school, he was the adjutant of Principal Nie Renfeng.
"Lieutenant, where are we going now?"
As soon as the car started, Tan Renhao found that they did not leave the airport, but drove towards the other side of the airport runway.
"The principal is waiting for you in the lounge over there. The plane is ready and will take off in two hours."
Tan Renhao hesitated for a moment and did not ask the other question. He also knew that he could not get anything valuable out of this adjutant.
Five minutes later, the jeep stopped outside the officers' lounge.
When Tan Renhao walked in, Nie Renfeng was talking to an officer at the airport.
"Principal , I'll leave first. I'll pick you up when I come back!"
Apparently, this officer is also Nie Renfeng's student.
Nie Renfeng smiled and sent the officer to the door, then pulled Tan Renhao to sit down.
"Captain, it seems that you are very surprised to be invited here so suddenly?"
Tan Renhao laughed a little awkwardly. He felt as if he was wearing nothing in front of the principal. The principal could tell what he was thinking at a glance.
"Now, I have retired and am only a vice admiral in name only. Of course, as an admiral of the Imperial Navy, I still have the obligation to serve the Empire and the Imperial Navy."
Nie Renfeng handed a document on the table to Tan Renhao, "This is the information of the Japanese Navy. We will fly to Japan later to conduct a new round of naval arms treaty negotiations."
"negotiation?"
Tan Renhao was shocked, he even suspected that he had heard it wrong.
"Yes, the Matsue Treaty will expire this year. This time we will hold negotiations in Tokyo, Japan. All nine signatory countries will send representatives to discuss whether to extend the arms treaty."
Nie Renfeng nodded. "This time, Marshal Sagittin entrusted me to represent the Imperial Navy in the negotiations. This can be regarded as another contribution to the Imperial Navy. We need an expert in aviation and aircraft carriers. I thought about it and you are the best candidate. Therefore, I put your name on the list of negotiating members. You won't object, right?"
Tan Renhao shook his head awkwardly. What was the point of his objection?
"Then you should hurry up and familiarize yourself with the situation."
Nie Renfeng stood up and said, "This is the plan for the development of aircraft carriers by the Japanese and other powerful navies, most of which are intelligence we have obtained.
Therefore, you must ensure the security of this information.
You have a few hours to read slowly on the way.
After arriving in Japan, in addition to arms negotiations, we will also visit several major shipyards in Japan to monitor Japan's implementation of the treaty.
You need to familiarize yourself with the information at hand as soon as possible, and then you will naturally know what to do."
After the two left the officers' lounge, they quickly boarded the transport plane.
This is also the Imperial Navy's VIP transport aircraft.
The environment inside the plane was not too bad. There were even two beds, probably for the generals to rest during long flights.
What surprised Tan Renhao the most was that there was a small bar near the stern cabin, and there were quite a few fine wines in the wine cabinet.
After the plane took off, Nie Renfeng went to pour two glasses of wine and finally brought all the bottles over.
He was also looking through the information.
Tan Renhao did not waste time. He had to seize every minute and every second to familiarize himself with this "mission". In his eyes, this was just a mission.
The information is not very detailed and the content is not very substantial.
During the treaty period, various naval powers, especially those that sought to challenge Tang imperial supremacy, secretly developed warships that violated the restrictions of the Songjiang Treaty.
Take Japan as an example. The displacement of its latest aircraft carrier has exceeded 30,000 tons, far exceeding the treaty requirements.
In addition, the heavy cruisers and battleships developed by the Japanese Navy exceeded the restrictions of the treaty, and they even expanded the strength of the naval fleet by developing large-tonnage light cruisers.
Like Japan, other powers had similar plans.
The British Empire had already started designing new battleships and aircraft carriers, the Kingdom of France was also designing new "Richelieu" class battleships, and the German Empire was preparing to build "Bismarck" class battleships .
The United States has begun to develop the Iowa-class battleship and Essex-class aircraft carrier.
Even the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Spain, the Persian Empire, etc., whose naval power was not very strong, launched their own new warship development plans.
Before the plane started to land, Tan Renhao finished reading all the information.
The only conclusion he came to was that no naval power would renew the Songjiang Treaty. The twenty-year truce period was long enough, and the wounds of the last war had begun to heal. So, what would come next would be for the major powers to once again expand their armaments and prepare for war for their own interests, or even a new global war.
"So, do you have any ideas now?"
Nie Renfeng also closed the document in his hand at this time.
Tan Renhao smiled awkwardly, then picked up the wine glass next to him. He needed some time to think carefully and sort out his confused thoughts.
"Think about it, in half an hour, we will be in Tokyo."
Nie Renfeng also poured himself a glass. "Tonight, the Japanese Navy Minister will hold a banquet for us. When the time comes, you will come with me and get familiar with the situation in Japan."
Tan Renhao nodded. All he wanted now was to take some time to rest.
