On the last day of 1922, while Contini was writing the New Year's message for the newspaper Youth, the elder Ciano called and said that the leader had invited him to go to the prime minister's office immediately.

"The leader wants to see me?" Contini asked suspiciously, "What's the matter with him?" ”

"I didn't say it explicitly, but it seems that I want you to write an article."

"Doesn't he have a secretary? Why did you find me? Besides, the leader's own writing skills are not bad? ”

Old Chiano smiled bitterly: "I don't know why, probably because the article you wrote last time was very appetizing to him, and this time I have to let you figure out a way." You hurry up to see him, you can do it, if you can't do it, I'll find a way to mediate. I'll wait and wait, so I won't go with you. ”

Before half past nine, Contini appeared at the door of the prime minister's office, and Caesar Rossi, Mussolini's confidant and director of the press office of the Prime Minister's Office, immediately introduced him into the office. Doubts to doubts, when he met Mussolini, he not only respectfully raised his hand, but also specially sent a New Year's greeting - a Patek Philippe watch brought back from Switzerland.

Mussolini is not yet 40 years old, it is the prime of life, plus he has just held power, full of passion for work, and has endless enthusiasm all over his body, far less slack than later, seeing Contini's arrival, he poked his head out of the thick pile of briefs, nodded and motioned for the other party to sit down, and then swept the watch, his eyes lit up, and said in an apologetic tone: "Wait for me for two minutes, let me finish reading this report first." ”

Two minutes later, Mussolini walked up to Contini with a spring breeze on his face, and the latter was about to stand up, but was held down by the other party: "Sit, let's not be so polite ourselves." ”

Before Contini could speak, Mussolini said in an approving tone: "Report that I have seen it, very good!" Not only do I completely agree with you about the Italian aviation industry and the independent air force, but I also ask all departments to learn this down-to-earth style of work. ”

"You mean?"

"That's right, it's the report of the Ministry of Aviation, Mr. Du Hei said that it was all written by you, and I looked at the style of writing and your consistent style, so I hired you as an assistant to the Minister of Aviation, I think he has a good vision."

"You've won the prize, Leader." Contini asked, "I heard you have a job for me?" ”

"Don't be in a hurry for work, let's talk......" Mussolini changed into his trademark smile, "I heard that you started a motorcycle factory?" Still ready to run civil aviation? ”

"I personally like motorcycles, and at the same time think that the current promotion of motorcycles in Italy has market prospects, this time I mainly inspected aviation companies in Germany, and by the way also inspected vehicle companies for the Ministry of Transportation, and introduced a good vehicle design from BMW, planning to enter the motorcycle industry on this basis, as for the civil aviation ......" Contini smiled, "one is inspired by the British, French, and German civil aviation, and the other is also a transportation project; Thirdly, I am an explanation to my teacher, and I am also a supporter of air supremacy. ”

Mussolini nodded: "It's always good for young people to be willing to do it, you impress me very much, my achievements at your age are far worse than yours." ”

"Where, where, if I can achieve one percent of the achievements of a leader in the future, I will be very happy."

"How can you kid learn from those politicians who say such insincere things? Your father became a minister, so you can't be a minister? Maybe you can be prime minister in another 20 years...... We're always going to get old! ”

"No, no, no, the leader will lead Italy for at least 50 years...... I plan to follow the leader to seek some development for the country, for myself, and to make a little contribution to the Italian people, and the prime minister does not dare to expect anything, and I am satisfied to be a minister and serve the people. ”

Mussolini laughed, he didn't believe that he would continue to lead Yunyun for 50 years, when he was 90 years old, and he doubted that he would live to this age, but it seemed early to ask him to hand over power in 20 years - he was only 60 years old at that time, which was still the golden age of politics. In any case, Contini's sycophants were so good that he listened to them with great pleasure and thought they were much better than the cheap flattery and flattery.

"When your motorcycle company and civil aviation company open, I will come to cheer for you; In addition, I have also approved the report on the purchase of idle air force planes to serve as civil aviation equipment, and considering that you have not only found a place for the army's retired equipment, but also found a way out for some officers and men, as prime minister, I naturally want to express some of them, and I agree to give you all those old fighters and training planes, and the machine guns on them do not need to be removed, and other infantry light weapons will also be given to you to be used by internal guards...... In addition, you have just given me a New Year's gift, and I will give you a copy, and the army will sell it to you for 1 million lire at that abandoned airfield on the outskirts of Rome. ”

The report on the purchase of idle aircraft of the army and the recruitment of some retired servicemen into civil aviation was submitted together with the report on the German inspection, and Contini considered using more than 10 million lire to pull back all the nearly 300 obsolete bombers that the army is currently idle, and in addition, he also applied for a large number of fighters, reconnaissance planes, training planes, and infantry light weapons (mainly rifles and pistols, without machine guns) on the grounds of forming aviation clubs, youth aviation training schools, and internal security. They were also worried about what to do with this batch of rags, and they were overjoyed to hear that someone was willing to accept it.

As for the latter request, the Minister of War himself fully agreed, but there is no precedent for the sale of weapons and equipment to the civilian population, although the fascist and the Black Shirts have weapons, but that is a special situation, and now the United Aviation and its subsidiaries are theoretically reasonable to purchase weapons, and the old Chiano cannot but give face, but it is always a precedent that is not too big or small, so he made a comment on the report: agree to the purchase, and ask the prime minister to make a final decision.

As for the airport, Contini was still thinking about how to find a way to get it - whether it was rented or bought, there must always be a foothold, not to mention the building attachments on it, it was a blank land to start with 5 million, but he didn't expect Mussolini to easily use 1 million lire to send it away, and he suddenly became vigilant.

first agreed to the scene, and then agreed to the request for formation, and also gave a batch of equipment for nothing - although it is tattered, but arms are arms after all, not just anyone can get their hands on it, and an additional airport with an almost cabbage price - although the land in the suburbs of Rome is not expensive, but it is not cheap, the airport Contini has been to see, covering an area of 40 hectares, enough for the next 20 years of civil aviation, such a good thing must be behind the cat!

However, he had to admit that Mussolini was powerful, and he could see the key to civil aviation: airports! In addition to the airport facilities that really undertake aircraft take-off and landing, the corresponding supporting logistics bases and aviation towns all rely on the airport. If there is no airport or the airport is not under the control of the company, it will be too difficult for the civil aviation to run, which is equivalent to a steady stream of work for the airport side. In the future, there may be many civil aviation companies in Italy, but there cannot be many airports, and whoever controls the airport will control the route and the future.

For this reason, the elder Ciano circled more than 100 hectares of land in Milan, saying that it was for the motorcycle industry, but in fact, motorcycles could not be used so much, and the rest was all the space needed for the construction of Milan Airport. In addition to Rome and Milan, Contini intends to build airports in Turin, Naples, Florence, Venice, Genoa, Catania, Cagliari - these are heavy assets!

Contini is not afraid of the remote location of the airport, the old man is in charge of what the Ministry of Transportation does, and when the time comes, it will be enough to open up roads and public transportation - of course, for the first 10 years, as long as there are roads, almost all customers who can take a plane will have a car!

Sure enough, Mussolini was quick to speak......