"Also, ma'am, I have a very important question." "That is, once you start building an airport, how do you calculate the cost of building it?" ”

"Didn't we have an agreement on this issue before?" Song Meiling showed a puzzled look, "General Ron, you should know that with my country's current national strength, it is difficult to undertake such a project. ”

"Yes, ma'am. But there's a catch. "It's how the cost of the airport is converted into dollars." I have been to China once before and I know that in China, the de facto exchange ratio of the dollar to fiat currency is much higher than the official exchange rate. And now, the exchange is much higher than the last time I was in China. I have to worry that if the price of labor and materials in China is settled in fiat currency and then converted to US dollars at the official exchange rate, the cost of the entire airport will be terrifyingly high. It is so high that even the United States can hardly afford it. ”

Ron's question was clearly beyond Song Meiling's expectations. She turned her eyes to a woman in men's clothes sitting next to her.

"General Ron, by the 'de facto exchange ratio', I guess I mean the illegal black market. Don't you know that this exchange is illegal and a violation of the economic order in our country? As allies, how can you make such a request? The woman in men's clothes replied angrily, speaking as fast as a machine gun.

"Who is this?" Ron turned his eyes to Song Meiling when he read a 'novel'.

"This is my niece Kong Lingjun. She's a straightforward person, General Ron, don't blame him" Song Meiling smiled at Ron, turned her head to Kong Lingjun and said, "Don't apologize to General Ron." ”

"I'm not wrong, why apologize!" This Miss Kong Er, not only did not mean to apologize, but also stared at Ron viciously, as if she was planning to fight with Ron.

"This is Miss Kong Er, right?" Ron smiled, "I heard that Miss Kong Er is also in business. I would like to know how much fiat money Ms. Kong's company usually pays its employees now? As far as I know, the salary of the average shop clerk in Chongqing is even higher than that of someone doing the same job in New York if converted to dollars at the official exchange rate. The amount of fiat currency issued by your country is converted into US dollars at the official exchange rate, which is more than the US dollar issued. Does Miss Kong Er think that China is already richer than the United States? The official fiat currency exchange rate against the dollar hasn't moved much since 37 years, but I've heard that in 1937, 100 fiat dollars could sell a cow. Now I'm willing to buy farming cattle from you for 200 fiat dollars a cow, what do you think of this business? ”

"You!" Kong Lingkan trembled with anger, but the quality of the businessman made her calm down immediately, obviously, the Americans did not come unprepared. If we continue to dwell on this issue now, it will most likely not end well. So she stopped talking.

"General Ron, what you said is not completely unreasonable. But we also have our difficulties. Maintaining the official exchange rate of fiat currency against the US dollar is extremely important for stabilizing our economy, and if this thing is breached, market confidence will be dealt a huge blow. It could even lead to the collapse of the economy of an entire country. I believe that the American people don't want to see such a thing happen, right? Song Meiling also spoke.

"Of course, I can understand your country's difficulties." "But we have our own difficulties. According to our calculations, the cost of these five airports, all completed, may reach more than 200 million or even more than 300 million US dollars. If we hand in such a bill. The old men in Congress are going to be angry. Moreover, the Navy will certainly have something to say as well. $300 million is enough for the Navy to build 10 fleet aircraft carriers. In this case, we will also be very passive in the face of Congress and the Navy. ”

"So, General Ron, do you have anything better to do?" Song Meiling asked.

"I wonder if we can do this, and we can bid directly from the enterprises in your country. In this way, your Government can avoid direct involvement. As for what price we agree with those companies, it's a matter between us. Isn't it? ”

"However, by doing so, you are also disrupting our financial order. Because those companies are going to put dollars into the black market. Miss Kong Er said indignantly.

"How to regulate, that's your government's business. If you are in your country, you must pay according to the official exchange rate. We have only to consider making changes to the plan. $300 million is enough for the Navy to grab a forward base for us in the Pacific. ”

"General Ron, can you represent the attitude of the U.S. Army Aviation?" Song Meiling asked.

This question has been asked very harshly. Ron understands that getting in the way of people's wealth is like killing someone's parents. There's a whole bunch of guys waiting to get a piece of fat at the airport. But if Ron is slaughtered for nothing like this, I am afraid that Arnold will be left with the impression that he is not careful and rigorous enough. Even if it doesn't work well, some people have to wonder if Ron is partnering with KMT for Black Army Airlines' money. Therefore, Ron must fight KMT over this issue, even if he still has to be slaughtered in the end, he must let Arnold see his efforts, and let Arnold shoot this board.

"I have the authority to propose evaluations and amendments to the plan." Ron replied, "It's my job to take stock of the plan as a whole." ”

"General Ron, this issue, including your suggestion, needs to be carefully studied. I'm afraid I won't be able to give you an immediate reply. Song Meiling said. Obviously, she didn't want to go on with it now. Ron also understood that it was not appropriate for him to continue dwelling on this issue. Anyway, my attitude has already been indicated.

After that, the conversation went in a different direction, or rather, it was basically idle talk. Soon after, Ron took his own with Chennault.

"Ron, the question you asked is important." "However, if you get too stiff with the Chinese authorities, it will have a bad impact on the work in the future." ”

"I've thought about it." "I think it might be better to put a little pressure on them," Ron said. We can't make them feel like we're free to fool around. It's not that we can't suffer, but we can't suffer losses and let people treat us as fools. I didn't quite say it to death, did I? They can still make a lot of money. I don't think any of them will really have anything to do with money. ”

……

The next day, Ron left Chongqing and flew to Chengdu. The advance personnel of the US military took a fancy to more than 10 sites near Chengdu, believing that there were conditions for building large bomber bases in these places. In the original history, the US military built 5 B-29 bases here in one go, spending 300 million dollars. Then it took only a few months, well, the navy took Iwo Jima, so the B-29s originally stationed in these places moved to Iwo Jima closer to Japan, without passing over land on the way, and it was difficult for the Japanese to get early warning, organize interception, and have better logistical support conditions. 300 million US dollars, equivalent to a huge investment of 243 tons of gold, has been put to use for so many months.

Ron, who knows history, did not intend to build such a large number of bomber airfields in China from the beginning. The argument with the KMT government over the cost of airports could be the reason for his proposal to reduce the number of airports. Still, Ron honestly ran through these places. In the end, they decided that Guanghan, about 40 kilometers from Chengdu, had the best conditions.

At the same time, there was a response from KMT. A special envoy came to continue contact with them, and this envoy was the same Miss Kong Er who almost quarreled with Ron last time.

This Miss Kong Er does not have any official identity. But as Kong Xiangxi's second daughter and Song Meiling's favorite niece, she actually has a lot of energy. At least on this issue, she represents the interests of the Confucian and Song families, two large families that are important in China.

When it comes to this Miss Kong Er, people are probably most familiar with her various bad deeds, such as shooting and killing traffic police on the streets of Nanjing, kicking important government officials from the last plane to evacuate Hong Kong in order to grab a place for the family dog in Hong Kong, and what kind of aunt's wife plays with lilies. Anyway, she is almost the first lady in the Republic of China.

But it's not for nothing that this female bully has always been loved by Song Meiling. It is said that although this woman is weird, her business level is not bad, and she helped Song Meiling make waves in the capital market, and she doesn't know how much money she made. Ron felt that now that Song Meiling had sent her over, she was probably planning to compromise with the Americans. After all, it is a little to be able to earn a little. What's more, the airport can definitely earn more than a little bit for the Kong family and the Song family.

When they met again, the female bully was very cheerful. She put forward several conditions: first, all the business of the airport, whether it is construction or future maintenance-related sales, will be contracted to her; Second, although she agreed not to settle at the official exchange rate, she also did not agree to settle entirely at black market prices; Third, she demanded the construction of at least seven or more B-29 airfields in China, and the construction of these airports must be contracted to her.

"General Ron, I can be clear, there is no other company in China that can take such a deal. This is true even if I don't use some extraordinary means. The female bully sat on the sofa with a big grin, raised Erlang's legs high, and leisurely spewed out a string of smoke rings. Behind her, her fifth aunt's wife, a handsome woman in a cheongsam, was rubbing her shoulders.

Ron knew that the female bully wasn't lying. In China at that time, except for the Confucian and Song families, other private capital was facing high taxes and inflation, and almost all of them were struggling on the verge of bankruptcy. Where is the strength to make such a big buck? At that time, Ron proposed that the company come forward to talk about this matter, which was actually equivalent to saying that I don't want to completely cut off your financial route.