At the residence of the Chinese delegation to the Paris Peace Conference, Ge Yunfei and his wife, Sa Zhenbing and other members of the delegation met. Foreign Minister Tang Shaoyi was the head of the delegation, and Gu Weijun, deputy head of the delegation, and other members of the delegation, returned to China after attending the Paris Peace Conference. After receiving the news of Ge Yunfei's visit, Foreign Minister Tang Shaoyi decided to stay late in Paris and visit Germany together, and then return to China with Ge Yunfei. Ge Yunfei considered visiting France and Germany, and many diplomatic mediations required their participation, so he readily agreed.

After the meeting, Foreign Minister Tang Shaoyi gave a detailed report on the situation of the Paris Peace Conference, and Ge Yunfei listened carefully and nodded frequently. Tang Shaoyi said happily after the report: "Chief Minister, Mr. Gu's speech at the Paris Peace Conference was very wonderful, which greatly boosted the morale of the Chinese people and made the Chinese people praise. Gu Weijun said a little shyly: "Chief, it is the strength of the country that makes me confident, and this is the unshirkable responsibility of the lower officials." Gu Weijun was previously the minister to the UK and was appointed deputy head of the Chinese delegation. He is three years younger than Ge Yunfei, Chinese New Year's Eve this year, and belongs to the young diplomat.

Ge Yunfei looked at this young elite, who was called "the first diplomat of the Republic of China" by later generations, and said: "I have long heard of Mr. Gu's talent, and the cabinet has decided to appoint you as the Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China Government to the Republic of America. "Subordinates obey!" "Foreign Minister Tang, what is France's attitude towards the rights and interests of Chinese workers?" "At present, a large number of workers are returning to China, and the compensation issue has not yet been negotiated, and Mr. Hu will further negotiate with the French."

"Leave this matter to me, I will discuss it directly with the President of France!" "Chief, the contemptible person proposed to meet the French president, but the other party excused himself on the grounds that he was busy with official business. It seems that the French are worried that we are asking for a high price on labor issues. "Chinese laborers played a pivotal role in France's victory in the war, and some even paid the price with their lives. Labor is organized by the government of the Republic of China, and the government is obliged to obtain reasonable remuneration for them. ”

Ge Yunfei continued: "France has huge commercial interests in China, and they will not turn a blind eye. Especially in the colonies of Annam, France needs our support. Rest assured, I will give you satisfactory results. Presidents Raymond and Poincaré will summon me tomorrow, and Mr. Gu will accompany me! Soon Ge Yunfei accompanied his wife Wenqing to visit the Eiffel Tower, a landmark building in Paris.

"Yunfei, this is the Eiffel Tower, is building such a tall tower to suppress demons and eliminate monsters?" Wen Qing couldn't help but exclaim as he looked at the towering tower. Ge Yunfei said with a smile: "Madam, this iron tower is not to suppress demons and eliminate monsters, but a sign that the French use it to show off their strength and wealth, and the French proudly call it the Iron Lady." The tower was built 20 years ago, the tower is 300 meters high and weighs 10,000 tons. ”

"Why is it called the Eiffel Tower? Instead of the name of Paris, France. "Because the engineers who designed the tower were called Gustav and Eiffel, after the tower was built, the French government named him after him in recognition of his achievements." "Foreigners are very pragmatic, and the names of craftsmen can be famous through the ages!" After visiting the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, the couple did not return to their accommodation until dusk.

The next day, Ferdinand and Foch personally accompanied Ge Yunfei and his wife to the Elysee Palace to meet with President Raymond and Poincaré. After the necessary understanding of the meeting between the guests and the hosts, Ge Yunfei said openly and honestly: "Your Majesty President, first of all, on behalf of President Duan Qirui, I would like to express my sincere greetings to Your Majesty!" President Raymond and Poincaré said politely: "General Ge, France is grateful to the Chinese government for giving fair treatment to the legitimate interests of its businessmen and the private property of French citizens. I hope that the unpleasant events of the past will become history, and that a new type of major-country relations will be established between China and France. ”

"It is the tradition of the Chinese nation to embrace all rivers and be tolerant, we will not dwell on the past, tomorrow and the future are what we have to face. In the future, China will be more open, we welcome businessmen and industrialists from all over the world to do business and set up factories, and hope that all countries in the world will benefit from us and create happiness for mankind. We are committed not to interfere in the internal affairs of any country and not to impose our will on others. ”

Ge Yunfei continued: "We pursue friendly exchanges with all countries in the world, but we also don't want others to point fingers at us, the Chinese nation has experienced nearly a hundred years of suffering, we will remember the past, and the times when any foreign enemy wants to wantonly ravage us are gone." "General Ge is very frank, we respect the rise of the ancient country in the East, and I believe that China and France will establish a new type of relationship between China and France that respects each other."

"Rest assured that His Majesty the President will keep what he says, and will remain neutral in European affairs, in particular. Your Majesty, there is one thing I must discuss with you? The French Prime Minister present knew what Ge Yunfei was going to talk about, and then said: "General Ge, it is not appropriate to discuss other topics on this occasion!" Ge Yunfei ignored the French Prime Minister and continued: "Your Majesty, as far as I know, there are more than 30,000 Chinese laborers in France, and nearly 6,000 have died. ”

"The Chinese laborers made their due contribution to France's victory in the war." "What's wrong with the Chinese workers?" "Your Majesty, during the entire European war, the Entente employed more than 600,000 laborers, but the Chinese laborers made the greatest contribution, and they were the least paid." The French Prime Minister said: "General Ge, we have reached an agreement with your government on the employment of labor and wages, and China and France have a contract. ”

Ge Yunfei said: "As far as I know, the recruitment team in your country operates in the dark on the issue of salary, and there are frauds. In addition, your country's recruitment groups cooperate with civil society organizations and do not openly recruit workers at the government level. Rather than prosecuting the recruitment groups in your country for violating the rules, I am not asking Chinese workers to be treated equally with workers from other countries, especially to give reasonable compensation to those who die. ”

"As far as I know, there are three times as many workers going to England as there are in France, and both Britain and France are paid the same," the French prime minister said. "Mr. Prime Minister, we are currently in talks with the British government, and the results will come out soon. Your Majesty, the matter of labor involves the feelings of the people, and I hope that your country will take it seriously. Ge Yunfei looked calm, but the information revealed was aggressive.

Seeing that the president was a little embarrassed, Ferdinand and Foch took the opportunity to interject: "General Ge, this matter needs to be investigated, please give us time." "Your Majesty the President, I want to visit Germany, and then our Foreign Minister to France, Mr. Hu, will continue to negotiate with you, and I hope there will be a satisfactory result." After Ge Yunfei and his wife Wenqing left the Elysee Palace, President Raymond and Poincaré asked: "Everyone, Ge Yunfei is prepared, how to deal with it?" ”

The French Prime Minister snorted angrily: "This is naked coercion, and we cannot meet China's demands." Ferdinand and Foch said: "Mr. Prime Minister, General Ge dared to make such a request, and it was by no means targeted, and don't forget the huge interests of France in China, especially the interests of Annan. If the Chinese side operates secretly in Annan, Annan will never have peace. Compensation is more important than the huge benefits of East Asia. Ge Yunfei is both an iron-blooded soldier and a shrewd businessman. My guess is that Ge Yunfei doesn't want salary, but the face and dignity of Chinese workers. ”

The French prime minister was speechless, and President Raymond and Poincaré said: "The marshal is reasonable, France's interests in East Asia are above all else, especially Annan needs China's support, and must not lose a big one because of a small one." The number of Chinese laborers in France is not large, and the amount of compensation is not large, so we must get a good grasp of this matter and give the Chinese side a satisfactory result. Ferdinand and Foch said: "Britain's interests in China and even in the South Seas are greater, and the British will also give in." We should confirm the fact of China's rise, otherwise we will have no place in China in East Asia. ”

Back at the delegation's residence, Gu Weijun asked with some apprehension: "Chief, diplomatic mediation should pay attention to strategy, are we a little strong?" "Mr. Gu, I am a soldier and it is better to go straight, and you can't negotiate with foreigners, otherwise they will be misunderstood." The interests of this world are above all else, and compensating for the loss of labor is not a matter of a few dollars, we are sending a signal to the world, that is, the principle of fairness and justice. ”

Ge Yunfei continued: "Many of these returning laborers have learned skills in Europe, which is a valuable asset. The government has mobilized all parties to properly arrange for returning workers to use their expertise in industrial and mining enterprises. This industrial army will play a certain role in promoting the domestic manufacturing industry. In addition, prompting Britain and France to provide reasonable compensation to Chinese workers can fully demonstrate China's status as a great power, and it is also a great encouragement for the domestic people. ”

Tang Shaoyi said: "The chief has always been far-sighted, but I am afraid that the laborers we sent to Russia will lose all their money!" "Mr. Tang's conclusion was made too early, and things are not set in stone. China promised the world that it would never interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and the same was true for the Soviet Union. At present, the Soviet Union is regarded by the Western world as a flood of fierce beasts, and it is attacked in groups. Since we have promised, we must keep our word, and we must not only recognize the legitimate status of the Soviet Union in the international community, but also establish diplomatic relations and become good-neighborly and friendly neighbors. ”

"The Soviet Union is embattled and overwhelmed, and we extend an olive branch like a life-saving straw, is the issue of labor compensation between China and the Soviet Union still a problem?" "Chief, do you have to abandon the Far Eastern Republic?" "The Far Eastern Republic involves our vital interests, how can it be abandoned. With our assistance, the Far Eastern republics had no problem holding back the Soviet offensive. As long as the Far Eastern Republic blocks the Soviet Union's attack, the United States, Britain, and France will fully support the Far Eastern Republic at that time, so there is no need to worry. ”

"Chief, if we are friendly with the Soviet Union, we will inevitably be turned against by the Western powers?" Tang Shaoyi asked. "Remember, there are no permanent friends between countries, only eternal interests, and the establishment of good-neighborly and friendly relations with the Soviet Union in the future is also due to interests, and the Western powers understand this truth. France condemned the Soviet Union on the surface, but in fact, they secretly had contacts with the Soviet Union, so don't worry about it, what we have to do is how to dance well on the world stage. ”

Ge Yunfei saw that everyone was a little confused, so he talked eloquently, and a new concept suddenly made everyone realize.