Chapter 12: Turkish Barbecue

Exchanging three diamonds for funds enough to purchase five or six new barges brought immense joy to Zhang Hainuo's face, though he remained outwardly calm. In fact, since that stormy night two days ago when the safe was blown open, he knew his plan was already halfway to success!

A long string of dazzling jewelry, along with dozens of diamonds stored in a black velvet bag, items not prevalent in an era where artificial jewelry was not yet in vogue and kept in a safe, gave Zhang Hainuo a 99.9% certainty that they were genuine treasures. Judging solely by the quality of these jewels, their value could not be less than a million pounds!

For safety reasons, Zhang Hainuo brought only five diamonds to Antalya Port this time, three of which he had already sold to the Turkish jeweler, with the remaining two kept with Simon and Blatz. Donning ordinary attire, Simon appeared much like a shrewd gunman, while Blatz, needless to say, was definitely the muscle! However, providing protection and maintaining appearances were just one of the reasons they had come here together. To sail back with a barge or a small freighter, a helmsman and an engineer were also indispensable!

Zhang Hainuo didn't continue to negotiate the price, which had already allowed the shopkeeper, Solak, to earn a considerable sum. Moreover, businessmen like them smelled more opportunities for profit. So, the jeweler happily arranged for his staff to prepare a feast to welcome these "lords of fortune" from afar.

When it came to Turkish barbecue, Zhang Hainuo had tasted it a few times back home and found it quite unique in flavor. Yet, Turkish-style barbecue joints were rare in this era's Germany, and coupled with the scarcity of resources during wartime, this was his first taste of such delicious barbecue in over two years!

Turning and grilling while slicing and eating, a characteristic of Turkish barbecue, the towering meat tower before Zhang Hainuo was about half a meter tall, with slices of beef and lamb marinated and skewered onto large iron rods. Under the fiery grilling of charcoal, these meats emitted an enticing aroma. They were glossy but not greasy, tender and fragrant to the taste buds.

With the aroma of the barbecue wafting in the air, Zhang Hainuo's stomach couldn't help but growl disobediently. Simon and Blatz weren't exactly gentlefolk in the face of such delicacies either, nor was their young guide. Children from poor families like his didn't get to eat such fine food often.

Despite the war's end, Turks could still enjoy such delicacies, indicating their full efforts during the war. After all, cattle and sheep husbandry was one of their most important food sources in this Muslim country. Of course, another factor not to be overlooked was that the life of a jeweler was far from comparable to that of an ordinary citizen, especially in a harbor relatively unaffected by the war!

At the table, shopkeeper Solak seemed very excited. He kept trying to get closer to Zhang Hainuo and his companions through his German-speaking guide, curious about whether they had more high-quality goods to offer.

High-quality goods?

Zhang Hainuo couldn't help but feel emotional. To avoid drawing too much attention, he had only picked five diamonds from the velvet bag, which appeared ordinary in size and appearance. Unexpectedly, they were considered high-quality goods in the eyes of this Turkish jeweler! It was evident that the original owner of these diamonds had considerable strength in the jewelry industry. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, he had transported these jewels at an inappropriate time and in an inappropriate manner. On top of that, they had the misfortune of encountering Hessen, an elite German ace captain.

Too many coincidences made Zhang Hainuo ponder "fate." Whether the big jeweler intended to make a fortune during the war or transfer the jewels to a safer place, if these jewels hadn't been on board, if Hessen hadn't recorded the detailed location of the sunken ship, and if he hadn't had this plan, he, Hessen, Otto, and the crew of U21 and U148 would probably be as desolate as other German naval officers and men in the empty military port now!

Just a day before, on November 21, 1918, seventy-four German warships slowly entered Pasca Bay under the escort of a vast fleet of over 250 ships from the Allied navies.

This was the magnificent swan song of the High Seas Fleet, and also a unique and splendid gathering in the history of the German Navy.

Thinking of these heart-wrenching events, Zhang Hainuo suddenly felt that the food before him was so tasteless. With his status and prestige in Germany, even if he could get more wealth from the sea, it was impossible for him to save the High Seas Fleet at this time. Even if he could stop the officers from carrying out the Rainbow Operation, the Allied powers would not return these warships to Germany. The final fate of the High Seas Fleet would be divided among the victorious powers such as Britain, France, the United States, Japan, and Italy. It was better to sink with honor!

While enjoying his meal gracefully and politely engaging in conversation, Zhang Hainuo skillfully avoided revealing any details about "Hessen Island," yet he made the other party believe that these diamonds were from reliable sources.

The stout jeweler couldn't "eat his fill," but neither would he go hungry.

At this point, the busy translator had his hands full, juggling between handling food and conveying messages for the newly formed big dealmakers. He probably regretted not having an extra mouth at this moment!

After bidding farewell to the shopkeeper, Zhang Hainuo had the guide take them directly to the port of the harbor and informed him that he wanted to buy a barge or a freighter, new or used, but with good performance and moderate tonnage.