Beiyang Dream

Chapter 29 Lanfang, Luo Jingrou

Changde Sheng turned around.

Sai Jinhua stood there, smiling. Today she wore a lake-green dress, her hair was up, and she wore light makeup; she looked even prettier than when she was at the embassy last time. Next to her stood a girl, about seventeen or eighteen years old, with an oval face, delicate features, and large, bright eyes, who was openly sizing up their group.

Chang Desheng looked at the girl; her appearance was top-notch, impeccable. But "it's easy to paint the skin and bones, but hard to paint the soul." This girl's "soul" seemed a bit out of place with her exquisite dress and the room full of perfume.

She didn't have that "never showing her teeth when she smiles" air that's typical of ladies from well-to-do families these days.

When she looks at someone, her gaze sweeps over them, as if she's assessing their abilities and what they can accomplish.

This behavior... Chang Desheng thought for a moment, it was just like those female clients he had met in his previous life in real estate companies, each one more difficult to please than the male clients.

No, it seems even wilder than that. The way she looks at people seems to have a kind of... boldness?

The old phrase suddenly popped into his head; he didn't know why he was thinking it, but he just had that feeling.

Sai Jinhua spoke first, her voice warm: "Zhenbang, you have brought a lot of glory to our Great Qing Dynasty. My Lord Hong has been beaming with joy ever since he received the imperial edict."

She gestured to the side and introduced her with remarkable ease: "This is Luo Jingrou, the daughter of the Luo family from Southeast Asia. She's studying in England and is currently in Berlin, considering enrolling at Victoria Girls' School."

The Luo family of Nanyang?

Chang Desheng had no recollection of any wealthy man surnamed Luo in Southeast Asia.

Guo Shigui, who was standing next to him, seemed to know him inside and out. He immediately leaned closer and, in a low, rapid Tianjin accent, said:

"Zhenbang, this Miss Luo is extraordinary! Her ancestors were the governors-general of the Lanfang Republic! What's a governor-general? It's like the emperor over there! The one sitting on the top seat!"

He took a breath, glanced at Luo Jingrou, and lowered his voice even further:

"Didn't Lanfang disappear a few years ago? The Dutch took it all. But the Luo family retreated to Sumatra a long time ago, and they're still doing business. Even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse; they're still Hakka community leaders! Her father, Luo Zhenxing... when he was young, he went toe-to-toe with the Dutch in Pontianak; he was a tough nut to crack!"

After Guo Shigui finished speaking, he quickly pulled his neck back, his expression clearly saying: This guy, we have to be careful.

The ruling family of the Lanfang Republic!

Chang Desheng's eyes lit up.

Although the Luo family is a remnant of a fallen regime, they should still have considerable wealth.

These days, overseas Chinese leaders in Southeast Asia mean connections, funding channels, and maybe even... private armies!

Although Lanfang's background inevitably attracted the attention of the Dutch...

However, this also shows that they have a rebellious spirit and are not the kind of people who only care about making money and don't care about anything else.

Besides, this rich woman and I are probably destined to meet! Otherwise, how could we possibly have met in Germany?

It's worth developing.

His smile remained unchanged, but in his mind, he had already turned to the "marrying a rich and beautiful woman" chapter. He even gave Sai Jinhua a wink!

Sai Jinhua is such a clever person. Chang Desheng is a rising star in Beiyang, and Luo Jingrou's family is a wealthy family in Nanyang. If these two get together, she, as the matchmaker, will benefit from both sides.

Thinking of this, she smiled and turned to Luo Jingrou, saying, "Jingrou, didn't you always say that German was difficult and you were afraid of failing the girls' school interview?" She pointed to Chang Desheng, "Look, this Chang Zhenbang in front of you is a real genius. He scored three points short of a perfect score in five subjects at the Prussian War Academy. The Kaiser even summoned him for a private meeting and talked for over an hour. Isn't it better for you to cram at the last minute and practice your spoken German with him than to try to learn it all by yourself? Besides, his English is better than his German. Like you, he learned German from English."

Luo Jingrou didn't reply immediately. Her bright eyes swept over Chang Desheng again, this time more slowly, from his braid at the back of his head to his leather boots, finally settling on his face.

Suddenly, she spoke, her voice clear and crisp, in impeccable English with an Oxford accent:

"Mr. Chang," she raised her chin slightly, "Sister Sai said your English is even better than your German?"

Well, they're asking for "verification of funds" right off the bat!

Chang Desheng thought to himself: This girl doesn't play by the rules. Instead of responding to the topic of learning German, she directly used English to "checkmate". This is not asking for advice, but clearly testing the waters.

Moreover, when she asked this question, there was no admiration in her eyes, but rather a bit... distrust? It was as if she believed that his "King's audience" and "top student in the academy" were not genuine, and that he was just a pretty face who got in through connections and back channels.

Chang Desheng was overjoyed. In his entire life (and past lives), he only ever had two kinds of people to deal with: clients and people who looked down on his skills.

This girl is the latter!

He switched to English, speaking with the same fluent but more relaxed Oxford accent, and asked with a smile, "You've lived in London?"

"Hmm." Luo Jingrou nodded, answering simply, and then the name of the school, "Cheltenham Ladies College," came out of her mouth effortlessly.

Cheltenham College, a women's college.

Chang Desheng knew that this was the place where the daughters of true wealthy families studied! It seems that the Luo family of Lanfang, despite the fall of their country, still has a considerable fortune.

He nodded, and said in his Oxford-accented English, "A good school. Miss Luo, what area of ​​study do you intend to pursue at Victoria Girls' School?"

"It's not decided yet, maybe art history, maybe painting," Luo Jingrou said, her gaze never leaving Chang Desheng, seemingly showing some interest. "I heard that the War Academy's curriculum also includes drawing and war history? Mr. Chang must be proficient in those as well, right?"

Art history and painting... These sound like something a rich girl from a wealthy family would study as a hobby!

"I know a little bit," Chang Desheng laughed. "I've loved drawing since I was a child, especially architecture and structures. It's a pity that nowadays all I think about is how to dismantle other people's architectural structures in the most economical and efficient way."

Upon hearing his words, Luo Jingrou's lips curved slightly upward, revealing two small dimples. She didn't respond in English, but instead uttered a string of Hakka words that were difficult to understand:

"...They all have some skills."

......

In a private room on the second floor of the Kempinski Hotel, golden light shimmered under the crystal chandelier.

Chang Desheng, Guo Shigui, Shang Dequan, Duan Qirui, Kong Qingtang, and Wu Dingyuan sat around a long table that could seat twelve people, each holding a white porcelain cup filled with freshly poured, still steaming.

At the other end of the table sat three people: Chang Desheng, Luo Jingrou, and Sai Jinhua.

The three of them spoke English. Two had Oxford accents, sounding like old British aristocrats, and the other had... Sai Jinhua's English, a mix of soft Wu dialect and German accents, as she tried to bring the two sides together.

At this end of the table, Guo Shigui, Shang Dequan, and the other three were chatting idly in Chinese.

"The German word for 'war game' is 'Kriegsspiel,' which literally means 'war game.' Should we translate it as 'war simulation' or 'sand table war game'?" Shang Dequan stroked his chin, his eyes glancing towards the other side of the table.

Wu Dingyuan took a sip of coffee, glanced at it, and lowered his voice: "I think it should be translated as 'sand table warfare.' 'Battle situation simulation' is too literary; soldiers won't like it. But... you know, Brother Zhenbang and Miss Luo seem to be having a very lively conversation."

Kong Qingtang kept his head down, and after a long pause, finally managed to utter, "It's warm."

Duan Qirui didn't speak. He held his cup and looked at the other end of the table.

Chang Desheng sat opposite Luo Jingrou, leaning slightly forward with a smile on his face, speaking fluent Oxford-accented English. Luo Jingrou tilted her head slightly, her large, bright eyes listening intently, a small dimple appearing and disappearing at the corner of her mouth.

Duan Qirui looked away and took a sip of coffee.

bitter.

He sighed inwardly.

In academics, he could compete with Chang Desheng. He could even vie for a government position. But winning a woman's heart… well, he resigned himself to it. Chang Desheng's face, coupled with that dark blue uniform of the Prussian War Academy, was indeed conspicuous.

Duan Zhiquan is not bad-looking (he thinks so, but others don't), but compared to Chang Desheng... tsk.

This person didn't come here to study; he came here to become a prince consort.

"Brother Zhiquan," Shang Dequan nudged him, "what do you think? How should this 'wargaming simulation' be translated?"

Duan Qirui put down his cup: "Let's use 'wargaming simulation.' 'Wargaming' is a new term, and 'simulation' is also a new term. We're translating something from Germany, so using new terms is perfect."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the other end of the table again.

.......

At the other end of the table, Chang Desheng asked with a smile, "Miss Luo, have you prepared your recommendation letter for Victoria Girls' School? I heard that the school has high admission standards, and it's difficult to get in without a recommendation letter."

Luo Jingrou picked up her cup, took a small sip of coffee, and then said slowly, "Mr. Chang is right. I've been worrying about this very thing. Mr. Chang...do you have connections in Berlin?"

She asked the question lightly, but her eyes were fixed on Chang Desheng's face, as if she were assessing his worth.

The second round of capital verification has begun.

Chang Desheng started racking his brains even faster.

Does she lack letters of recommendation?

Nobody believes that. They're best friends, how could someone like her not be able to get a recommendation letter from Victoria Girls' School? Sai Jinhua's boyfriend, Hong Zhuangyuan, is more than qualified to recommend her!

Why did she ask that?

A test?

She was testing my connections in Germany, testing my influence within the Beiyang clique, testing whether I... had the right to pursue her.

Well, this girl is a sophisticated investor; she won't act until she sees a clear benefit.

His smile remained unchanged, but his tone became even more casual: "As for connections, I do have some. I'm currently an inspector for the German Army, appointed by the Minister of Beiyang, with the rank of a fifth-grade official. I can speak on matters concerning the Beiyang government's purchase of guns and cannons in Germany. Although Victoria Girls' School is a prestigious school, it's still a German school. German schools have to give face to major German companies. I can also speak on behalf of Count Krupp. Getting him to write a letter of recommendation wouldn't be difficult."

He was only half telling the truth. He didn't know the big boss of Krupp, but he was familiar with Schneider. Schneider used to be Krupp's general agent in China, and if he asked Schneider to help get a letter of recommendation, Krupp probably wouldn't refuse, after all, Beiyang was a major customer!

But this cannot be said in its entirety.

Leave half of it, and hook it around her.

Luo Jingrou's hand gripping the cup tightened involuntarily.

Her face remained expressionless, but her mind was in turmoil.

Is it true? Could he really control the Qing Dynasty's arms trade?

Lanfang's greatest need for restoring his kingdom wasn't money. It was guns, cannons—Krupp breech-loading cannons capable of blasting open Dutch fortresses. If this man could truly influence the arms trade… his value would be immense!

She tilted her head slightly and quickly asked Sai Jinhua in Hakka, "Really?"

Sai Jinhua paused for a moment, then nodded and replied in Hakka, her voice very low: "That's right, it's true. Lord Hong said that he really had a say in the Beiyang Army's arms deal."

Luo Jingrou turned her head back, smiled slightly, and her two dimples reappeared on her cheeks.

Although Chang Desheng couldn't understand Hakka, he could read expressions. He saw Sai Jinhua's initial surprise followed by a firm nod, and he also noticed Luo Jingrou's smiling face.

Hmm, preliminary estimate, it looks promising.

He pressed his advantage, adding, "Besides, I know quite a few people at the War College. The college's director, Lieutenant General Brauchitsch, is on good terms with me. Asking him for a favor should be possible."

Luo Jingrou was genuinely surprised this time.

A lieutenant general? A German lieutenant general? On the Dutch side, a colonel could do whatever he wanted. This Standing Committee member knows a German lieutenant general, and he talks about it so casually—is he really telling the truth? Or is he just bragging?

She decided to try a different approach: "Mr. Chang knows quite a lot of people... So, which general is more powerful, the German general or the Dutch general?"

"The Netherlands?" Chang Desheng laughed heartily. "Is that even a question? Of course, German generals are more capable! In this day and age, who doesn't know that the German army is the best in the world? The Prussian War Academy is the highest institution of learning for the German army! The Netherlands... ha."

His final "Ha!" seemed to indicate a slight disdain for the Dutch soldiers.

Luo Jingrou understood as well. She didn't reply, but her gaze swept over Shang Dequan, Duan Qirui, and the others at the other end of the table, and she asked casually, "Are Mr. Chang's friends also top students from the Prussian War Academy?"

"No, that's not it." Chang Desheng waved his hand. "They're from the Berlin Military Academy. I'm from the War Academy, and they're from the Military Academy. It sounds similar, but they're not the same thing. The War Academy has a higher entry threshold."

Luo Jingrou made another note of it in her mind.

This Chang Desheng not only got into the highest institution of learning himself, but he also seems to be the leader of this group of Qing Dynasty military students studying abroad. To be a "leader" means that one must not only be good at studying, but also good at interpersonal relationships and have influence.

He seems to be a virtuous official who is worth buying off and using.