Chapter 232 Christmas is coming
Of course, problematic designs should be left to opponents.
Steed's approach is very simple.
There are usually such designers in the factory. They rely on their knowledge of many secrets of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal and think that Steed dare not fire them. Steed does have such concerns and often turns a blind eye to their violations and laziness, but in return they become more and more rampant.
Now, Steed thinks that he can take this opportunity to rectify them.
Of course, before firing them, Steed will first sign something like a "confidentiality agreement" with them, and write down how much compensation will be paid if the secrets are leaked, so that these designers firmly believe that the information in their hands is useful.
There is no doubt that the design drawings of the Chauchat machine gun will eventually fall into the hands of the Pito Arsenal.
But this is exactly what Steed hopes.
Steed can even imagine how the Pito Arsenal will feel when they see the design drawings of this machine gun.
They have no design experience and no relevant talents. Perhaps they are collecting machine guns from all over the world, disassembling them to learn, and then trying to build a machine gun of their own.
Suddenly, a mature machine gun design was in front of them. They would be overjoyed. They would rush to register industrial property rights and then purchase machines for mass production as quickly as possible, because only in this way could they get ahead of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal.
Unfortunately, they didn't know that Saint-Etienne was not on the same level as them. Their machine guns were produced for only one purpose, that is, to be ruthlessly trampled under the feet of Saint-Etienne and become the foil of the victor.
Steed was quite satisfied with this picture, and he was more determined in his own thoughts: supporting Charles' choice was right. No one could defeat Charles, whether on the battlefield or in equipment design. Because he was the one who understood war best and had talent in this area.
Before leaving, Charles gave Steed another suggestion: "It's time to develop a new bullet, Steed. Only in this way can you regain the rifle market!"
Steed woke up from a dream.
Charles was right. Everything was because of bullets: Lebel's tubular magazine was because of bullets, Berthier's only 3 rounds of ammunition were because of bullets, and Chauchat's machine gun was designed as a sickle-shaped magazine because of bullets.
All the design flaws are caused by the large taper of the bullet, so why not solve the root of the problem?
Steed held Charles' hand tightly and said excitedly: "Thank you very much, Colonel! I know what to do."
He did know what to do. It was very simple. Just imitate the bullets of the German Mauser rifle. What could Mauser do during the war? Besides, the Germans were also imitating Saint-Etienne's grenades and mortars!
Steed wanted to say something corny: "You are our direction and our future, Colonel!", "With you, we are invincible!".
But thinking about it, it seemed inconsistent with his age, and finally he only hid the compliment and excitement in his eyes.
...
Charles got three days of vacation, which was the first time since he joined the army.
The vacation was approved by Gallieni, who said to Charles with a smile in his eyes: "Merry Christmas!"
Charles was stunned, and then he realized that Christmas in Europe had come.
"Merry Christmas!" Charles replied.
This feeling is a bit strange. As a time traveler, Charles spends more time during the Spring Festival, but this is not the case here.
…
On the way back to Darvaz, Charles looked curiously at the falling snow outside the car.
Before this, Charles had always thought that hexagonal snowflakes only appeared in comic books in the fairy tale world, and thought they were beautified things. Now he found that they really exist and are falling right in front of him.
"Charles!"
Just when Charles was wondering how they were formed, he heard someone calling his name in the distance.
Turning his head, he saw a group of teenagers chasing and playing under the sycamore trees on the roadside.
They were throwing snowballs at each other and noticed Charles' car. They stopped what they were doing and waved to Charles, and some even called on Charles to join.
Charles recognized them as his classmates, including Teddy, and quickly turned around and waved in response: "Hello!"
Laurent turned his head and asked softly: "Do we need to stop, Colonel?"
Charles hesitated for a moment and replied: "No, Major, I have other things to do."
In fact, Charles was very free and wanted to be with them, but he found that he seemed to be unable to fit in this carefree group, although Charles was about the same age as them.
And they, Charles' former classmates, would definitely feel pressured if Charles really joined them to play.
Charles could even imagine that weird scene: the snowballs magically couldn't hit him, and the classmates were all cautious, their eyes occasionally glanced at the revolver on Charles' waist, and Major Laurent standing next to him watching all this.
So, keep your distance!
……
The car slowly stopped in front of Deyoka's cottage. Deyoka and Camille were decorating the Christmas tree in the house, and they came out to greet Charles' car when they saw it.
"Merry Christmas!" Camille opened his arms and gave Charles a hug, with a proud and happy smile on his face.
Deyoka called Laurent: "Would you like a glass of wine, Major? Come inside to warm up?"
"No, Mr. Deyoka!" Laurent declined: "I should go to the factory to check, those bastards always make me worry!"
Deyoka did not insist, and waved to Laurent who was turning around and shouted: "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!" Major Laurent responded.
Deyoka added: "Tell them I will put Christmas presents in the security room, everyone will get one!"
"Thank you very much, Mr. Deyoka!" Laurent turned around and responded.
As the car accelerated, Major Laurent sighed in his heart that they were all good people, capitalists with conscience, and all French capitalists should be like them.
This is the strength of Deyoka, who values feelings. He knows how to treat people around him well, guards, neighbors, and employees.
If this trait is a disaster for small capitalists, small capitalists do not have the capital to treat others well. They will soon go bankrupt and then face the cold eyes of others, even those who have treated them well.
But Charles is no longer a small capitalist at this time. His assets have grown sharply to more than 20 million francs in just three months.
Motorcycles, tractors, tanks, grenades, airplanes...
This does not include the deposit for the "Charles A1" tank and the 43.8275 million authorized production fee from the US military.
The former is because the French military has no money and hopes that the Charles Tractor Factory can "deliver first and pay later".
The latter is because the US military needs to go through the process, and it is estimated that the money will be received in the next two days.
Selling arms, especially arms that can win wars, the speed of wealth growth is unimaginable, and the speed is still accelerating.
With such an economic foundation, Charles needs a butler like Deyoka: spending a little insignificant money and giving others a little favor can get a good reputation, so why not?
