At 2 p.m. on September 3, 1940, in the underground headquarters opposite 10 Downing Street, London, England.

Winston Churchill, the wartime prime minister of the British Empire, sat in the chair of the conference room, holding a of his favorite Havana cigar in his right hand, but did not light it.

He stared indifferently at the numerous high-ranking officials in the conference room, and said heavily: "The island of Malta, the heart of the Mediterranean, the dividing line between the East and the West, the most loyal sentinels of the British Empire in the Mediterranean since Nelson's time, has surrendered like this, in just two days, gentlemen, do you have anything to say?" ”。

Churchill's tone was calm, and the anger in his tone was clearly heard by the people in the conference room.

War Secretary Aiden glanced cautiously at Churchill, raised his right hand to cover his mouth and coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

Admiral Beckhausen sneered in his heart, and said in his heart that who doesn't know that you are a confidant of Mr. Prime Minister, even if you take the initiative to jump out and share the responsibility, he will not do anything to you.

As Beckhausen expected, Churchill had no intention of blaming Aiden.

"Now is not the time to be held accountable, the topic we are going to discuss is what should we do after the loss of Malta?"

Beckhausen exchanged a "I knew it would be like this" look with Ismay, who was sitting across from him, then stood up and walked to the wall of the conference room, pointed to the map on the wall, and said: "There are two most direct consequences of losing the island of Malta. One is that there is no garrison in Malta to intercept it. The convoy from the Italian mainland would reach Libya unimpeded. And this voyage is only 500 nautical miles, and it will take only three days at most to complete this voyage. Second, our fleet to Egypt and the Middle East had to make a detour through the Cape of Good Hope via Madagascar for a journey of more than 11,600 nautical miles, a voyage that would take three months at a time, and would also be attacked by the German Navy's submarine forces along the way. ”

"The lengthening of the supply lines has made the situation in North Africa even more sinister, and Germany and Italy have been sending more troops to Libya since mid-July, and I think they are not rushing to attack because the logistics are not adequate, and the troops are not adapted to the climate in North Africa," Aiden said worriedly. Now the island of Malta is lost. The security of their supply lines was secured, and the troops were well trained during this time, and their attack on Egypt could begin at any time, no longer than this month.

Germany and Italy have at least 500,000 troops in Libya and Ethiopia, while we can only muster up 100,000 at most. ”

Aiden's words made the atmosphere in the conference room even more oppressive.

"If our army in Egypt cannot withstand the enemy's attack, Egypt will soon be lost. Once Egypt is lost, the Suez Canal will be controlled by the Germans. The Mediterranean Fleet stationed in Alexandria would have lost its base and would have to retreat to the Indian Ocean. If only Hitler and Mussolini had been more ambitious. They will even hit the Middle East in one go. General Ismay said.

"Not only that, but once the Suez Canal falls into the hands of Germany and Italy, the attitude and position of the countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean will inevitably waver, and this is also something we have to consider." Beckhausen continued.

"I know what you're saying, and I need a solution right now. Can anyone tell me how to solve this dilemma? Churchill asked impatiently.

"According to the information we have, the German High Command is preparing a landing plan called Operation Sea Lion, and they have built a large number of airfields in northern France and Belgium, as well as a large number of ships to prepare for this plan, and if they are successful, they may launch a landing at any time. When we consider the war in North Africa, we must not forget that the homeland is still under the threat of the German army. MI6 Chief Menchis said.

Churchill finally couldn't help but light the cigar in his hand, took two sharp puffs and said anxiously: "Hasn't the bombing of the German fleet by the air force already had an effect?" Do they have enough ships to guarantee the landing? ”。

Sir Dowding saw that Churchill asked about the Air Force, and hurriedly said: "The first two bombings had an effect, destroying some of the German transport ships in Belgian and French ports, but then they increased their vigilance, and they also built radar stations in the English Channel, and it was difficult for the Air Force bombers to carry out sneak attacks."

"You mean we can only let the Germans gather ships and land on our homeland?" Churchill asked, glaring at Sir Dowding.

General Ismay saw that Churchill seemed to have another seizure, and hurriedly diverted the topic.

"Our situation in the Mediterranean is such that the Mediterranean Fleet is strong enough to deal with the Italian Navy, our weakness in North Africa lies in the Army and Air Force, and I propose that the defenses of the homeland, especially the Army, cannot be weakened until the threat to the homeland is confirmed, so we can only mobilize troops from other places, such as Australia, India and South Africa, etc. However, all they can provide is the army, and the air force still needs us to find our own way, so I suggest that a part of the air force be transferred to Egypt to supplement the country, and as for the quantity, it will not affect the security of the mainland. ”

Churchill pondered for a moment and said, "That's all we can do at the moment, do you have any better suggestions?" ”。

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement with General Ismay's suggestion.

Churchill then looked at Sir Dowding.

"How many planes can the Air Force send to Egypt? Submit a report to me within two days after the meeting, and I will have someone arrange for the boat to be transported. ”

Seeing that Sir Dowding nodded in agreement, Churchill immediately turned his head to look at Menheath, the head of MI6.

"Has there been any major news in Germany lately?".

Menchis raised his gaze, a look of remembrance on his face.

"There are several pieces of information, the first of which is that we have figured out the pattern, and Hitler will go every two weeks to inspect the construction progress of the Black Panther Line."

Churchill did not interject. Just continued to smoke with a gloomy face.

"The second piece of information is something that we have just recently investigated. In the middle of last month. Heinz. Feng. Rosen was on the Poseidon troop transport to Libya, but was sunk by a submarine on the island of Malta on the way, and he was nearly killed. It is said that the Luftwaffe Marshal Pig's heart attack was caused by the shocking news. Later, the Luftwaffe marched south and joined forces with the Italian army to launch the Battle of Malta in order to avenge him and Marshal Pig. ”

"Heinz. Feng. Rosen! It's him again. Aiden exclaimed.

Churchill bit the cigar in his mouth and said angrily, "His luck is good." Why didn't the torpedo kill him? ”

"Nothing good happens to us every time we meet him, first the Rosen plan of the French campaign, then those leaflets, and now Malta, is he sent by God to punish us?". Ismay smiled wryly.

Hearing General Ismay praise Britain's enemies, Churchill glanced at him dissatisfied. Then I remembered a big event.

"What is the state of the people now?"

Evans, the head of MI5, who had been silent, saw Churchill staring at him, and hurriedly said: "I have personally observed that the citizens of London are now indifferent to the air raid siren, all they do is get up every morning to pick up the leaflets, and then discuss the contents of the leaflets, and even the enthusiasm for joining the National Guard has been reduced a lot, they seem to have decided that the Germans will not land on British soil, and the Germans do not want to go to war with the British, and all the clouds of war are deliberately created by us to deceive them."

The hottest topic of discussion among the people at the moment is the upcoming family visit of the families of the prisoners of war to Germany on September 5. After this family visit, the people's enthusiasm for the war may fall to an unprecedented freezing point. ”

There was a lot of discussion in the meeting room. Visiting family has become one of the most popular topics in the UK.

The German government promised to invite 100 families of British prisoners of war to Germany on 5 September to visit their relatives living in the camps.

The German government also promised: The German government will pay for the entire cost of the trip, and when they return home, the German government will release a second group of 500 British wounded soldiers as a sign of the German government's sincerity for peace.

For British nationals, and especially the families of prisoners of war, the German government's commitment was more powerful than any of Churchill's war speeches.

For Churchill, however, the news was tantamount to a sinister slap in the face, knocking out a mouth full of teeth only to swallow in his stomach.

With his keen political sense, Churchill knew that when the families of the prisoners of war returned home, the power of the domestic peacemakers would rise again, and his premiership would face a major challenge.

"Heinz. Feng. Rosen, this family visit must have been planned by him, and those warriors in the German High Command could not have made such a vicious plan, and this person must be the target of key surveillance, and I have a hunch that he will become the most dangerous enemy in the history of the British Empire. Churchill said.

After the meeting, Admiral Beckhausen of the Admiralty did not leave immediately, but followed Churchill into his office.

"Mr. Prime Minister, now our fleet to Asia and North Africa has to make a detour to Africa, which will give German submarines more opportunities to ambush our transports, we need more destroyers to ensure the safety of the route, when will the destroyers provided by the Americans be in place?"

A look of pain flashed across Churchill's face.

Yesterday, Churchill just signed an agreement with the US Government on "swapping destroyers for bases," according to which the US Government will provide Britain with 50 destroyers that are overage, and Britain will lease military bases in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and British Guiana to the United States for 99 years, and at the same time provide the bases in Argenshia and Bermuda in Newfoundland to the United States free of charge.

The price paid by Britain for the much-needed fifty overage destroyers was so heavy that even Churchill felt pain.

What made Churchill even more heartbroken was that the deal was sent to his door by the Americans on his own initiative, and in exchange for a bunch of tabula rasa destroyers, the British Navy had to install sonar on them before they could use them against German submarines.

"According to the agreement, these destroyers will depart from the mainland of the United States on September 5, and you should calculate the time yourself and prepare fifty sonar devices as soon as possible. Wait for these destroyers to arrive. Retrofit now. ”

Beckhausen nodded and said, "I have ordered the equipment department to prepare." And the crew is being urgently trained. In short, please urge the American side to send the ship as soon as possible. ”

Churchill nodded slowly and saw General Beckhausen away.

On the 5th of September, the tragic 5th of September, was God going to destroy Britain by the hands of the Germans? Why else would Heinz be lowered in Germany? Feng. Rosen this freak? Churchill thought bitterly.

In Churchill's resentment, the 5th of September finally came.

At ten o'clock in the morning, Churchill walked into the Palace of Westminster with a staggering step and a constipated expression. Ready to be questioned by members of the House of Commons on the loss of Malta.

At the same time, amid the cheers of countless families of prisoners of war and onlookers on both sides of the Thames, the Dutch cruise ship Tulip slowly sailed away with more than 200 families of British prisoners of war.

In the evening, a special train full of family members arrived at Berlin train station from Wilhelmshaven, where they were taken to the long-awaited coach and taken to the Royal Oak Hotel, the most luxurious hotel in Berlin.

In the hotel's restaurant, a full hundred carefully selected British prisoners of war sat at the table in clean and neat military uniforms, staring closely at the door of the restaurant.

When they saw the family members pouring in from outside the door of the restaurant, they could no longer suppress the excitement in their hearts, and they all stood up and waved to the family members who came from afar. Then they hugged each other and cried, and staged touching scenes one after another.

At table number one. Lord Gott, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, did not say a word, and hugged his weeping wife tightly

At table four, Lieutenant General Dobie, who had just been granted prisoner of war status, and his graceful wife showed off their able-bodied hands and feet to prove that they were in good health and had not been mistreated in the camp.

At table forty-seven, Tom of the fifty-first Scottish Highland Division. Sergeant Johnson held his two-year-old daughter in his lap and kissed her young face with tears streaming down his eyes. His young and beautiful wife wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled at the warm scene between father and daughter.

As prisoners of war and their families sat at the table to pour out their lovesickness, the empathetic hotel manager ordered the waiters to turn off the lights, light the candles, and hand the menu to each table for a warm candlelit dinner.

Around the restaurant, countless reporters from different countries recorded the moving scenes with their cameras and camcorders until after dinner, when a hundred families were led by waiters to their elaborate rooms.

Unfortunate families have their own misfortunes, while happy families are always similar.

In the hall of Karin Manor's villa, Chen Dao sat on the sofa, the fruit knife in his hand flew up and down, and he cleanly peeled an apple.

With a strange uncle's smile, Chen Dao handed the apple to a slender little Lori beside him.

"Thank you, Mr. Rosen." Little Lori took the apple and thanked Chen Dao carefully.

"Don't call me Mr. Rosen, call me Uncle Heinz." Chen Dao corrected with a smile.

On the sofa to Chen Dao's left, Goering and his wife Amy stared at Chen Dao with sorrowful faces.

On the sofa to the right of Chen Dao, the eyes of the Count and Earl Fauck swept between Chen Dao and Little Lori, and the expressions on their faces were similar to those of the Goerings.

Seeing Chen Dao keep shouting at Little Lori, Goering endured it for two minutes and finally couldn't bear it anymore and stood up suddenly.

Everyone in the living room looked at Goering in unison, and Goering's gaze lingered on Lori's timid little face for a few seconds, and then a smile on his face was more ugly than crying.

"Heinz, you come with me, I have something to discuss with you."

"I have something to discuss with you." Count Falk also stood up.

Chen Dao had no choice but to stand up and say to Amy and eldest sister Jiley, "You help me take care of Miss Hepburn, and I'll be back immediately." ”

The three of them walked into Goering's study, and as soon as Chen Dao closed the door of the study, Goering angrily asked in a loud voice: "You don't let go of such a young girl, are you too much?" Say, which bastard taught you to get into this vice? I assure you, I will definitely send him to a concentration camp. ”

Unlike Goering, Count Faulk bitterly advised: "A man can have some innocious hobbies, but he can't be perverted." Eleven years old, Audrey. Miss Hepburn is only eleven years old this year, and she is still a child, how can you bear to do it? I really can't find the right words to express how I feel now, anyway, you send Miss Hepburn back to her family as soon as possible, and don't go further down the evil path. ”

Upstairs in the study, Goering and Count Falk waged a wheel war against Chen Dao word by word, trying to save Chen Dao from the perverted road of no return.

In the living room downstairs, Chen Dao's eldest sister Jili cried to Amy with a handful of snot and tears: "We were supposed to go back to Sweden last month, just to see the goddess in Heinz's mind, but but"

Gilly's right hand trembled and pointed at little Lori Hepburn and said, "But how did Heinz become like this?" Who the hell did he learn from? ”

Upstairs in the study, Goering said to Count Faulk bitterly: "It is all my fault, it is my lack of care for Heinz that has caused him to fall into the vices of pedophilia, rest assured, I will definitely conduct a comprehensive investigation of the people around him, and I will find out the villain who seduced him to fall, and I will make him regret coming into this world." ”

Chen Dao: "I"

"Don't speak, listen to me." Goering coldly interrupted Chen Dao's words.

"The Führer is a man of moral purity, and if he had known that you had such a bad habit, your image in his eyes would have plummeted, and for the sake of your future, you must at once send Miss Hepburn back to her parents."

Chen Dao: "I"

A knock on the door interrupted Chen Dao's words.

It was the old butler Wahowiak who came in.

"The Führer has come, and is now speaking to the two ladies in the drawing-room." (To be continued......)