Located in the heart of Rome, on the north side of the Capitoline Hill, Palazzo Venezia is one of the landmarks in the city and the prime minister's office of Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini.

At noon on May 7, a convoy of five cars rushed from the airport on the outskirts of the city into the city center and drove straight into the parking lot of the Palazzo Venezia.

Chen Dao got out of the car and took the crutches handed by Major Bach.

One morning, Chen Dao took an F-200C transport plane and slept from Crimea to Rome under the influence of sleeping pills.

The effect of sleeping pills had not yet passed, and Chen Dao's brain was dizzy, so he could only use crutches and staggered into the Venetian Palace with Italian Foreign Minister Ziano, who came to greet him.

In the Venetian Palace, the lieutenants were taken to other rooms, and Chen Dao followed Ciano alone into Mussolini's office.

Seeing Chen Dao's arrival, Mussolini in the office and Goering, who arrived in Rome two hours earlier than Chen Dao, got up together and hugged Chen Dao one after another.

After the four of them sat down again, Chen Dao first took a sip of hot coffee, and the bitter and sweet taste spread from his tongue all over his body, and his head instantly cleared up a lot.

"Have the Americans arrived?" Chen Dao asked.

"They arrived yesterday and are resting in the hotel, and the meeting is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m." Ziano said.

Chen Dao snorted, looked at Mussolini and said, "Today, with your wise mind, Mr. Prime Minister should have been able to guess what the big business I am talking about is, right?" ”

Hearing the word big business, Mussolini was overwhelmed by the hatred of Chen Dao's appetite for several days.

"Hmph, I've guessed it a long time ago, what you're trying to say is that we first use the method of supporting the United States to become the world's currency to get the Americans to forgive our loans, and at the same time stabilize the Americans and let them stand by us in the war as much as possible.

"Doing so could also damage the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, so that they can't join forces against us." Ziano continued.

Every time Mussolini and Ziano said a word, Chen Dao nodded.

"You're right, that's what I thought, but is there anything else? That's all you can think of? ”

Hearing Chen Dao's question, Mussolini turned straight and glanced at Ciano.

Ziano understood and then asked, "I have always wondered why the world currency must be the US dollar or the British pound, and not the Reichsmark or the Italian lira?" ”

"You're right, of course, it doesn't have to be the Reichsmark or the Italian lira to make the world currency, but if Germany proposes to use the Reichsmark as the world currency, will the Americans be happy? Will the British be happy? Also, Mr. Prime Minister, will you be happy? Chen Dao asked.

"Uh······" Faced with Chen Dao's question, Mussolini was speechless.

Chen continued: "On the other hand, if the Italian lira were used as a world currency, would the Americans be happy? Will the British be happy? ”

Compared to the previous question, Chen Dao said one less sentence, and both Mussolini and Ziano knew that the Germans would be equally unhappy if the Italian lira were used as the world currency.

"I see what you mean, are we just going to watch the Americans have the last laugh?" Mussolini asked.

"Mr. Prime Minister, even if you don't believe me, you should believe Marshal Goering," Chen Dao pointed to Goering, who was sitting on his right, "Do you think Marshal Goering is the kind of person who will do a loss-making business?" ”

This profiteer, a money junkie, certainly won't do a loss-making business.

Mussolini glanced at Goering and immediately made the right judgment.

"I believe in Marshal Goering, and I believe in your abilities."

"There's no one else here, and I'm going to give you some insider information today. The big business I'm talking about is to wait until the war is over and find a suitable opportunity to take back ownership of the world's currency from the Americans. ”

Mussolini took a deep breath: "Oh······ It's pretty much the same as I guessed, but it's still the same question, after snatching it back, whether to use the Reichsmark or the lira as the world currency. ”

"Don't worry, I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer, now because of your lack of creditworthiness, I need to keep it secret for the time being."

Mussolini's face instantly turned purple, and the emotions that had just calmed down became agitated again.

"Mr. Chancellor, Heinz is a young man, and his speech is a little out of proportion, please don't care." Goering opened his mouth in time to pull the shelf.

"Good, good, he's a young man, and I'm not going to meet him like him. I have one more question, how are you going to take back ownership of the world's currency? Mussolini asked.

Chen Dao first took a sip of coffee unhurriedly before he spoke: "Because······ Hmm······ That, you should understand. So, I need to keep it a secret for the time being. ”

Mussolini forcibly resisted the urge to send Chen Dao to Sicily to be humanely destroyed by the mafia, and patiently asked, "What do I have to do to accumulate enough credit?" ”

"It's actually quite simple······

There was a knock on the door, interrupting Chen Dao's words.

The restaurant is ready for lunch, and it's time for lunch.

The four moved to the dining room, and after sitting down, Mussolini and Ziano showed due hospitality.

Mussolini asked, "Hermann, Heinz, what do you want for lunch?" Wine? Champagne? Or beer? ”

Chen Dao stared at Mussolini for five seconds without speaking, almost making Mussolini think that his face was stained with something.

"Mr. Prime Minister, you know, at the end of last year, I was assassinated by the rebels, who poisoned the vodka I drank and almost killed me, but fortunately I was able to sit here and eat with you and talk about business now. Since that poisoning, I've rarely drunk alcohol.

What I want to say to you is that you'd better get rid of your alcoholism as well, so that you can build credibility with someone like me, who rarely drinks. ”

The corner of Goering's right mouth curled up slightly.

What kind of rebels poisoned was clearly caused by drug alcohol poisoning caused by drinking sleeping pills and vodka, and finally planted the blame on ······ Wrong.

Goering looked at Chen Dao, and suddenly remembered that Chen Dao had just come off the plane not long ago, and he looked dazed.

Yes, this is the strength of the sleeping pills on his body has not passed, and he can't drink alcohol now.

It's easy to get into trouble if you drink, and this time there are no rebels who can frame a false sentence and hang it.

Mussolini had heard about Chen Dao's assassination, but he didn't know the real inside story of the matter, so he frowned slightly and said, "Do you suspect that I will poison you?" ”

"You misunderstand me, this afternoon, Marshal Goering and Mr. Ziano and I are going to negotiate with the Americans, and I think it is better to keep a clear head. After the business is negotiated, during the celebration banquet, I will accompany you to drink, and you can drink as much as you want when the time comes. ”

That's an acceptable reason, there is a lot of business to talk about in the afternoon, and you have to stay awake.

Mussolini was no longer verbose, and said simply: "We don't drink for this meal, we can serve it." ”

When a third of the food on the plate was wiped out, Chen Dao suddenly said: "Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for going to Berlin last time to help me convince the Führer. That trip to Berlin made me feel your sincerity and deepened my trust in you, so I have revealed some information to you today. There is one more thing I need your help with, there is a merit waiting for us to collect, do you have any plans to cooperate with me? ”

"What feat?" Mussolini asked.

"Do you remember your country's Indian Ocean Fleet? Is that the fleet that was completely annihilated by the Nagumo Fleet of the Japanese? Chen Dao asked.

Mussolini's hand holding the knife and fork trembled, and Ziano and Goering also stopped their movements and looked at Mussolini together.

Can't you just be polite when you speak? Can you still have a nice meal and chat with the Italians?

No commander wanted to hear anything about his defeat, especially a man of great vanity like Mussolini.

Goering glared at Chen Dao dissatisfied.

Sure enough, Goering saw Mussolini slowly put down the knife and fork in his hand, and said expressionlessly: "General Rosen, what exactly do you want to say, it's better to finish it all at once." ”

Chen Dao didn't seem to hear Mussolini's suppressed anger, and said to himself: "The Japanese annihilated the Italian Indian Ocean Fleet by sneak attack, sank the German Gneisenau, and also used a submarine to sneak attack the Prince Eugen on which I was riding, which almost killed me, and I am very angry. But the Nagumo fleet has fled, and there is no way to vent my anger. Presumably, Mr. Prime Minister was also angry about the sneak attack on the Indian Ocean Fleet, right? ”

Hearing that Chen Dao gave the Indian Ocean Fleet a reason for being completely annihilated by the Japanese army, Mussolini's face looked better.

"Of course I was angry, and the whole Italian Navy was angry about this unexpected failure."

"Now, I've found an opportunity to get our anger out on it." Chen Dao said.

"How do you vent?"

"Of course we won. Only in this way can the lost honor of the Navy be restored. Chen Dao said.

"Where?" Mussolini asked.

"There is a Russian Black Sea Fleet in the Black Sea to the east of the Mediterranean, this fleet has one battleship and four cruisers, and we can easily take them out. Mr. Chancellor, is your country's fleet interested in going with the German Navy to achieve this victory? ”

"But the Turks will not let our warships pass through the Turkish Straits," Ziano said. ”

Chen Dao said: "This is exactly where I want to ask you for help, and after we have finished negotiating business with the Americans, we will go and negotiate a deal with the Turks, so that they can open the right of passage in the straits and let our fleet enter the Black Sea." Go and take the Russian Black Sea Fleet to export evil spirits, brush up some merit points for the soldiers of the navy, and accumulate some credibility. Of course, if you don't want to go, the German Navy can do it yourself. ”

Mussolini's eyes froze for a full ten seconds.

"General Rosen, I think this proposal of yours is necessary."