A Father Tricks His Son

"Father Emperor, there is no need to worry about money. With the German Welfare Lottery Company's profitability, supporting the construction of a Battleship would be no problem at all. The main issue now is probably that no shipyard will undertake the Battleship I designed. Those people from the Naval Technical Committee will definitely obstruct it." Oscar said with a bitter expression.

The German Welfare Lottery Company could bring Oscar at least two hundred million marks in profit every year, perhaps even more. Building a Battleship cost only forty or fifty million marks. For the wealthy Oscar, that was nothing at all. But finding a shipyard willing to help him build a Battleship and turn his blueprints into reality would not be so easy.

"This is indeed a problem. Even I do not have many options when it comes to this matter." Wilhelm II frowned.

The German shipyards capable of building Battleships were mainly the Navy Shipyard and Germania Shipyard in Kiel, the Royal Shipyard in Wilhelmshaven, Weser Shipyard in Bremen, Vulcan Shipyard and Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, and Schichau Shipyard in Danzig. Apart from the Navy Shipyard and the Royal Shipyard, these shipyards were all privately owned. Even Wilhelm II could not force them to build a Battleship for Oscar.

"Father Emperor, if I build a shipyard myself, could I receive your support? I mean in terms of technical personnel and management staff. After all, I have no foundation whatsoever in this field." After thinking it over, Oscar spoke.

Since those shipyards would not help him build a Battleship, then he might as well do it himself. Relying on others was worse than relying on himself, and in any case, he would not lack funds. The German Welfare Lottery Company had already become a cash cow, bringing him enormous profits every month.

"Build a shipyard yourself? That is not impossible. However, I have a better idea. Rather than building a shipyard yourself and starting everything from scratch, it would be better to acquire one. At least that way, you would have some foundation to build upon." Wilhelm II said.

"Acquire a shipyard? That is indeed a good idea. But which shipyard would be suitable?" Oscar thought about it and realized that this was indeed better than building an entirely new shipyard from the ground up.

"How about this? The Imperial Shipyard owned by the imperial family can be transferred to you!" Wilhelm II said.

"The Royal Shipyard in Wilhelmshaven? That would be great. But I am afraid I do not have that much money right now. I would have to owe it first. I can borrow from you at bank interest rates." Oscar was immediately delighted.

The Royal Shipyard in Wilhelmshaven was one of Germany's major shipyards, capable of building all kinds of vessels, including Battleships. Of course, acquiring such a large shipyard would require an astronomical amount of money. At least two or three hundred million marks. Although Oscar's German Welfare Lottery Company was profitable, those were future earnings. It was simply impossible for Oscar to produce that much money all at once, unless he waited another year or two.

A trace of awkwardness flashed across Wilhelm II's face.

"Oskar, it seems you have misunderstood. I was not referring to the Royal Shipyard, but the Imperial Shipyard. They are two different shipyards. The former is located in Wilhelmshaven, while the latter is in Danzig!" Wilhelm II explained.

"Ah? The Imperial Shipyard in Danzig?" Oscar was dumbfounded as well.

Although the Imperial Shipyard had been established for more than a century, it was still only a medium-sized shipyard. It had experience only in building small and medium warships and vessels, and had no ability whatsoever to build Battleships. Not to mention anything else, the entire shipyard did not even have a slipway capable of building a large Battleship. If Oscar remembered correctly, the Imperial Shipyard operated at a loss every year.

"Father Emperor, the Imperial Shipyard simply does not have the ability to build Battleships!" Oscar was speechless.

"That is easy enough to handle. Once you acquire it, expand it, recruit more technical personnel and skilled workers, and I will find a way to transfer a batch of engineers to you from the Royal Shipyard and the Navy Shipyard. Once the Imperial Shipyard's shipbuilding capabilities are raised, there will be no problem." Wilhelm II made it sound remarkably simple.

Oscar hesitated. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed Wilhelm II was eager to get rid of the perpetually loss-making Imperial Shipyard! But if Wilhelm II wanted to swindle someone, he could have found someone else. Oscar was Wilhelm II's own son! How could a father possibly trick his own son?

"Oskar, Germany's economy is developing rapidly now, and every shipyard is making fairly decent profits. If you want to acquire another shipyard, it will not be so easy. It will also cost far more money. Besides, they will not lend directly to you as I would. You should think it over carefully. Once you miss this village, there will be no such inn ahead." Wilhelm II urged.

The Imperial Shipyard had already become a bad asset under the imperial family. Though its annual losses were not large, they still gave Wilhelm II quite a headache. If he could sell off this shipyard, that would undoubtedly be for the best.

What was more, after Oscar took over the shipyard, the Battleships he built would belong to the German Navy. This could be said to kill two birds with one stone!

Oscar was extremely speechless. Had he not gone to such great lengths precisely to fulfill his own promise? This would also bring enormous benefits to the German Navy and even to all of Germany.

After deliberating for a long time, Oscar still decided to take over the Imperial Shipyard. Since Wilhelm II had already made this request, as his son, he had little room to choose otherwise.

However, for the sake of his own interests, Oscar naturally intended to bargain with Wilhelm II as much as possible.

"Father Emperor, how much do you intend to sell the Imperial Shipyard for?" Oscar asked.

"Fifty million marks. Not one mark less."

"Uh, Father Emperor, I simply do not have that much money. I only have ten million marks on hand right now." Oscar spread his hands, looking helpless.

"That does not matter. You can pay in installments, ten million marks each time. With the German Welfare Lottery Company's earning power, it will be paid off very quickly." Wilhelm II said with a smile. He was not worried about Oscar's ability to pay in the slightest. The German Welfare Lottery Company's ability to draw in money made even him, the Emperor, green with envy. If the company had not belonged to Oscar, and if Oscar had not been sensible enough to hand over part of its profits to the imperial family, Wilhelm II would have been unable to resist swallowing the company through every means at his disposal.