"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that there could be such a ridiculous thing in the world." Baron Le Bernau chewed a cigar in his mouth and stood cross-legged at the window of the fifth-floor suite of the Chinachem Hotel, looking at the chaotic scene downstairs.

"This is the mysterious East, a place full of wonders, isn't it?" Dr. Pank pulled out a mark bill from his wallet and handed it to the Chinese waiter who had set up the tea table for them.

"Thank you, sir, if you need anything, please feel free to ask." The waiter bowed respectfully and thanked him and spoke fluent German.

"You speak German very well, where did you learn it?" Dr. Pank was very curious about the little squire's educational background.

"It was my father who taught me, and he used to be an employee of Qianxin & Co." The waiter replied.

The Kenshin & Co. mentioned here sounds like it was founded by Japanese merchants, but in fact it is a trading firm established entirely by German merchants, and its main business is chemical dyes. In the early 20th century, there were more than 40 foreign firms established by German businessmen in Shanghai, which were basically engaged in pigment printing and dyeing, iron and steel hardware, and chemical and pharmaceutical businesses, and were not weapons and arms dealers in the traditional concept.

German businessmen set up flour, gas, spinning, shipbuilding, and other factories in Shanghai, and established more than 200 shops, and shared the world equally with the British in the field of investment in Shanghai. However, after the outbreak of World War I, German merchants fled China in large numbers, giving up their share of trade, and German foreign firms and shops were closed one after another, or changed hands to some Chinese agents.

To be able to work in Qianxin Foreign Bank, it is the most basic requirement for Chinese to be able to speak German.

"Does your father still work in a foreign firm? I remember that the German chemical business in China should be handed over to Dove Foreign Company. Dr. Pank picked up his teacup. After the end of World War I, a part of Germany's printing and dyeing chemical enterprises jointly established a large trust, and dozens of foreign companies engaged in German pigment printing and dyeing business were transferred to Defu Foreign Company for unified operation, which could strengthen Germany's competitiveness in the field of trade and avoid cannibalism caused by business overlap.

"A long time ago, he was fired by the head office of the foreign bank because of physical reasons, and if he was still working in the foreign bank, I would not be a waiter at the Chinachem Hotel, sir." The young waiter replied respectfully, and Pank could hear the helplessness in his words.

"I'm sorry kid, I really should have thought of that, what's your name." The waiter looked fifteen or sixteen years old at most, and Dr. Panck was indeed qualified to call him a child.

"My name is Bai Muzhi, sir."

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen, sir." The boy replied.

"Very good, Shiro, would you like to change jobs?" Dr. Pank put down his teacup.

"I don't understand what you mean, sir." The young man looked at the German in front of him suspiciously.

He had heard from the manager in charge that the two floors were inhabited by the big German people, so he had to be very careful when serving, and did not allow the slightest mistake, otherwise he would be ready to roll up and leave.

"Hey, Pank, you've got some strange idea." Baron Le Bernau turned from the windowsill and looked at the foreign affairs and economic adviser.

After working together during this time, Leburnau and Pank had developed a good friendship, and the hardcore Nazi's thinking was gradually changing because of his friend's influence, at least now that he is no longer a staunch believer in racial origin.

"Look, my friend. With the marshal's current physical condition, it is obvious that he will not be able to visit Japan in a short time, and we may have to stay in Shanghai for a while. Pank took a clean teacup and motioned for the waiter to fill it.

"It's possible, but it depends on the Führer's decision, you mean?" Leburnau dusted his cigarettes in an ashtray placed on the windowsill.

"In the event of such a thing, I think it will be difficult for the head of state to make a decision, at least until the investigation of the incident is clear, and the special mission can only temporarily stay in Shanghai. So I think we need a follower who is familiar with the local environment during this period. I think this kid is a good boy, not only does he speak German, but he is also very educated. Pank placed a sugar cube in the teacup, and then motioned for the waiter to bring it to his friend.

"Well, I don't have an opinion, hopefully it's a good decision. Kid, do you know where the best restaurants in the neighborhood are? Shoving the cigar back into his mouth, the baron took the teacup from the waiter.

"Yes, sir. There are five top-notch restaurants nearby, don't know which one you like? The little waiter could see that he was trying to restrain his emotions, but the slight reddening of his cheeks betrayed the excitement in his heart.

"Haha, Doctor, I like this clever little fellow." Leburnau smiled and patted the boy on the back of the head.

"Don't worry, I haven't asked this kid's opinion yet? Shiro, would you like to work for us for a while? I guarantee you'll get a pretty good salary. Pank asked with a smile.

"I would very much like to, Mr. Doctor." The boy is indeed very clever, and for an ordinary waiter at the bottom, this may be an opportunity to completely change his fate.

"Very well, I'll go and tell your manager that you've been hired by the Great German Reich Envoy during this time. The name Bai Muzhi may be too tongue-twisting for several other colleagues in the mission, so for convenience, I will call you Xiaobai. Dr. Pank put down his teacup.

"Yes, sir." Xiaobai owes and agrees.

"I like this kid." Leburnau said with a smile again.

Just when the two members of the special mission were happy to find a follower, on the banks of the Huangpu River, less than 100 meters away from them, Lieutenant General Tanimoto's mood fell to the bottom.

With the arrival of reinforcements from the British and French colonies, the Bund area has been completely blocked by the army. The British colonial infantry set up a blockade on the banks of the Suzhou Creek, and the Ministry of Industry stopped two flying fortresses at the southern end of the Waibaidu Bridge, and completely blocked the lane with sandbags and barbed wire, so that the Japanese could not cross the bridge unless they used heavy equipment.

The French eventually drove their fleet of antique Renault tanks, not to deter anyone, but purely to join in the fun. But don't underestimate the pile of old tanks, which seemed to be sent to the museum, and just two months ago, the French garrison drove them out to scare the puppet police and agents.

Ten Renault tanks lined up in two rows at the intersection of Hankou Road, and the muzzles of their guns were pointed directly at the Japanese troops more than 200 meters away. Although it is only a 37 mm caliber gun, it looks quite scary in the here and now.

The situation that the Japanese side feared the most arose was that the Japanese army and navy had been tightly surrounded by reinforcements from the concession, and they would no longer be able to withdraw to the Hongkou Japanese concession on their own until negotiations with the top officials of the concession were completed.

What made the Japanese even more troublesome was that a large number of news media appeared at the scene, belonging to major overseas news agencies, and this incident seemed to be uncontrollable, and Tanibo could have foreseen that within 24 hours, this farce that took place in China's magic capital would spread throughout the Western world.

In fact, Tanimoto still didn't expect that he would be standing in the front row of the team, and he would become a "star" in the world's attention, and from today onwards, I don't know how many newspapers and magazines will add a photo of the lieutenant general after the title of the article, of course, the following description will not be what makes him happy.

"Where are the Special Marines? And where are the support units of the army? What is this guy grinding Takeda on? Tanimoto paced back and forth anxiously.

"The radio station of the Special Marine Corps cannot be contacted, and the fleet command has already sent someone to investigate." The communications staff reported.

"It's not okay to go on like this, you are optimistic about the troops here, and I will go and negotiate with the other party now." Tanimoto couldn't bear it anymore, he gave Akiyama a word of advice, and then walked with his adjutant towards the concession troops in the outer circle.

At this moment, there was a sudden roar of an engine on the river, and Tanimoto couldn't help but stop and look back.

Immediately, Tanimoto saw a cloud of white smoke rise from the waist of the Prinz Eugen, and a biplane seaplane burst out of the smoke. With the terrible roar of the engine, the AR-196 flew across the Huangpu River, and when it flew over the embankment, the pontoons under the fuselage almost grazed the heads of the soldiers on the shore.

Amid the exclamations of officers and soldiers from various countries at the scene, the driver made a 90-degree roll, neatly avoided the building of the Chinachem Hotel, and then climbed up at full speed between the gaps between the buildings on both sides of Nanjing Road.

"If this show-off bastard were my subordinate, he'd be locked up for a week." Lieutenant Ludwig corrected the hat that was being blown crooked.

"But now that he's my subordinate, I'll apply for a medal for him." Feng. Hertz said with a smug face.

"That Japanese lieutenant general is here again, Colonel, who is in charge here now?" Ludwig decisively changed the subject.

"Who knows? You go and ask the fat man in the back. "Feng. Hertz flipped through the silver cigarette case.

"Which fat man?" Ludwig took a cigarette roll from the cigarette case.

"The one in the dress with the blue ribbon."

"That's the French Consul General in Shanghai, and it's not fat at all."

"This is the place where he brings the most troops, and of course he will talk to the Japanese." Feng. Hertz pulled out his lighter and lit a cigarette in his mouth.

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