In the next few days, he was busy with diplomatic mediation with the United States, and the result was confusing: on the one hand, the Americans said that they would remain neutral and would not intervene in the Sino-Chinese war, and would never send the Pacific Fleet to visit Qingdao; On the other hand, he said that it was very necessary to establish a free international trade port in Qingdao, and President Roosevelt was very interested in serving as an honorary citizen of Qingdao, and was studying the history and customs of Qingdao, saying that the Qingdao issue should be treated cautiously, that the safety of the citizens of the United States of America in Qingdao must be absolutely guaranteed, and that the legitimate commercial activities of the merchant ships of the United States of America must be protected. In particular, the major newspapers in the United States have published news of the atrocities committed by the Chinese army in China and the heroic resistance of the Chinese squadron, and have called on the US political axe to impose a comprehensive embargo on the Chinese army. Xiao Yueben was confused, and he couldn't figure out what the Americans were going to do.

On the morning of May 31, Liu Yimin rushed to Qingdao by car and a battalion of guards.

Chen Dayong, commander of the Seventh Brigade, Liu Yi, political commissar, Li Deguang, chief of staff, and Shi Ran, director of the Political Department, accompanied Ni Hua to greet him on the highway outside the city.

Since Ni Hua arrived at Qingdao Port, a pair of beautiful eyes swept through the crowd, hoping to see the figure that she had been thinking about, but unfortunately she was disappointed, she had seen every face, and the smiles of many comrades-in-arms were stored in her mind, but there was no such person. Sure enough, as soon as he got off the boat, Chen Dayong told him that the Luzhong Campaign had just ended, and that the Eighth Division of the Yue Army, the Third Brigade of the Reading Li Mixed Brigade, the Qingdao Garrison, and the puppet Shandong Autonomous Alliance Army had been wiped out, and a total of more than 35,000 Yue troops and 12,000 puppet troops had been wiped out. Right now, the division commander is in Weixian County and can't greet her.

Although he was extremely disappointed in his heart, he was soon relieved, Liu Yimin, as the commander of the army, and the war had just ended, so he couldn't think about it.

So, Ni Hua didn't think about anything, introduced the American volunteers who came with the ship to Chen Dayong, handed over the list of goods to Chen Dayong, and began her intense work according to the requirements of Liu Yimin in the telegram that Chen Dayong handed over to her.

After receiving the notice that Liu Yimin was about to arrive in Qingdao, Ni Hua hurriedly freshened up, and rushed to greet him with several leaders of the Seventh Brigade.

It's closer, it's closer, Ni Hua's heart is fluttering, his face is feverish for a while, and his palms are sweaty.

Liu Yimin's motorteam arrived.

Li Chengyi jumped out of the car, ran to the truck where Liu Yimin was sitting, and opened the door.

After Liu Yimin got out of the car, he saw Ni Hua at a glance: a white floral dress, a hairpin inlaid with jade holding the waterfall-like hair, and he looked more and more slim.

Chen Dayong and Liu Yi both ran forward, saluted and reported loudly: "Report to the division commander, our brigade has successfully captured Qingdao and completed the task of welcoming American merchant ships. All the commanders and fighters of the 7th Brigade welcome the division commander to inspect Qingdao! ”

After Liu Yimin returned the salute, he said "hard work", and he didn't listen to what Chen Dayong said anymore, and stepped in front of Ni Hua in a few steps, his eyes were fixed on the flower-like face, and he asked for a long time: "Are you back?" ”

With this question, Ni Hua's nervousness in anticipation of the reunion ran out at once, and he laughed out loud with a "flutter".

After laughing, Ni Hua raised his face and looked at Liu Yimin, and the smile rippled in the breeze of the early morning of Xia Yu. After a long time, he whispered: "Fool, I thought you were going to say that sentence again, have you ever seen a wolf?" ”

Liu Yimin grinned, stepped forward and picked up Ni Hua, walked to the war horse led by Chen Dayong's guards, put Ni Hua on the horse, turned over on the horse, and said to Chen Dayong and the others: "Go, enter Qingdao!" After speaking, he turned the horse's head, "drove", and galloped towards Qingdao City.

For a whole day, Liu Yimin locked himself and Ni Hua in the State Guest House where Ni Hua stayed, which was the former German governor's residence at the foot of Signal Mountain.

Ni Hua said that she accompanied Mr. Doug to President Roosevelt, and she said that President Roosevelt was extremely wise, erudite, and had a certain understanding of China's situation, and could even name the Chinese provinces. When she mentioned Xi'an, President Roosevelt said with a smile: "I know that in that place, Yanjing, the greatest emperor of the Chinese, lives there, Qin Shihuang, Emperor Wudi of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, little girl, I don't know if what I said is right?" ”

Liu Yimin interjected: "Roosevelt is one of the greatest presidents in American history, and his success in bringing the United States out of the economic crisis is extraordinary." Do you think President Roosevelt is illustrating his attitude towards our war of resistance? ”

Ni Hua said that President Roosevelt asked her to convey his sympathy for the Chinese people, and that he himself was very willing to help China, but the United States practiced neutrality and isolationism, and Congress passed the Pittman Act in 1935, prohibiting the export of weapons and equipment and credit, and also imposed a "cash and carry" clause, requiring belligerents to pay cash for non-war materials purchased in the United States, and must use their own ships to ship, and not to hire American merchant ships. Under these circumstances, President Roosevelt had no choice but to slowly change US policy. This time, I wanted to buy arms directly from the United States, and especially wanted to buy American artillery equipment, but unfortunately I couldn't do it at all. Only civilian equipment and civilian supplies could be purchased, that is, sniper rifles, silencers, sights, silent pistols, and walkie-talkies brought back in small quantities, all of which were shipped out of the United States in advance through illegal channels and shipped on board halfway. Fortunately, we opened Huamin Machinery Import and Export Company in advance, otherwise we would not even be able to hire American merchant marine.

Ni Hua's words were intermittent, because it was summer and the weather was hot. However, to say that it is hot is to be ashamed to describe young men and women. Several years of lovesickness broke out at this moment, Liu Yimin was hot from the tips of his hair to his toes, and a pot of red charcoal was burning in his heart, wanting to melt the two of them. Not to mention Ni Hua, after several years of suffering, he finally got a happy reunion with his sweetheart, and the love in his heart was like the tide of Qingdao, wave after wave, constantly spreading to the coast. Ni Hua, who was intoxicated with love, was incomparably beautiful, and Liu Yimin was even more majestic like a mountain, the two men were greedy for women, and the youth sonata played was elegant and loud, so that Li Chengyi, the head of the guard regiment, had to order all the battalions that were on guard duty to withdraw from the building and put the cordon 50 meters away from the governor's residence.

Ni Hua told Liu Yimin that the United States now is very different from the past, and after his own press conference, the media in the United States have been mobilized, and the Chinese chambers of commerce in various localities have also been mobilized; not only news from China has been published in the newspapers every day, but there are also fund-raising activities organized by the Chinese chamber of commerce in several major cities every day.

President Roosevelt was very good at adapting to the situation, and although he delivered a "quarantine speech" last October, most Americans were aware of the horrors of war from his speech. In January this year, President Roosevelt urged Congress to increase its appropriation for naval construction by 20 percent, and in May, after heated debate, Congress passed the Vincennes Expansion of the Navy Act, allocating $1 billion to develop the Navy.

As soon as Liu Yimin heard this, he knew that the United States was acting the same as in history, and had begun to strengthen its defense.

On this day, Liu Yimin stayed at home, and even lunch was sent by Li Chengyi, and the two of them went from Chengdu to Xi'an, from New York to Qingdao, and they couldn't wait to finish talking about a few years. In the end, Ni Hua told Liu Yimin that she came back this time to fight with her husband, and if she didn't leave, she would use her medical skills to serve the soldiers.

It wasn't until Li Chengyi knocked on the door and reported that it was time to meet with the American aid personnel, Liu Yimin reluctantly let Ni Hua freshen up, and the two of them took the two downstairs to meet the American aid personnel.

Chen Dayong and Liu Yi knew that these aid personnel were all technical talents and baby bumps, because they were senior cadres and knew how much credit David and others who came to the first batch of people were, so after receiving them, they arranged their lives very well. Not to mention the security, that's that everyone has two guards.

This guest house, formerly known as the Admiral Building, was built for Tolpar, the first governor of Jiaoao, Germany, designed by the German architect Mark, supervised by Strassel, masonry, steel and wood structure, composed of the main building and the auxiliary building, with three floors above ground and one floor underground, with a total construction area of 4,000 square meters and a total cost of 1 million marks. However, the invader Tolpar was impeached because of the high cost of this building, and he stepped down in disgrace, and this building later became the official residence of the leaders of Germany and the colonists, and after the political axe of the Republic of China was recovered, it became the official residence of the mayor of Qingdao, and in 1934, Shen Honglie changed this building into a guest house to entertain the distinguished guests who came to Qingdao. After the army occupied Qingdao for the second time, the building was converted into an international club.

Knowing that the division commander was coming to meet these guests, Chen Dayong cleaned the guest house. Not to mention, the governor's mansion built by the Germans is really big and luxurious, with the atrium, hall, private rooms, conference rooms, and dance halls all used, so that Chen Dayong insisted on setting up a full fifty tables.

When Liu Yimin and Ni Hua walked into the banquet hall holding hands, the Chinese aid personnel standing in several rows in the hall all let out an English exclamation of "angel, angel, angel of the East", and everyone's eyes were fixed on Liu Yimin and Ni Hua.

The cadres who have been educated by Liu Yimin over the years can speak Chinese, and they can also speak a little simple English, as soon as they heard the admiration of these foreigners, Chen Dayong, Liu Yi, Li Deguang, and Shi Ran couldn't help but look at Liu Yimin and Ni Hua, only to see Liu Yimin I don't know where to get white short sleeves, black pants, and leather shoes, looking like a jade tree in the wind; Ni Hua has long flowing hair, a face like a peach blossom, and a dress, she is really a fairy.

Shi Ran was born as a cultural person, and after seeing the two of them, he muttered to Liu Yi in his ear: "Immortal couple, it is nothing more than this." The power of love is so great that Dr. Ni, who has been traveling for months in one day, is as beautiful as rain hitting new branches. The division commander is too good! That's awesome! ”

Liu Yi stared at the two of them, didn't look back, and only whispered: "Shut up!" ”

Liu Yimin did not speak directly to everyone, but took Ni Hua's hand and went straight to the German-style tripod piano on the side of the fireplace, adjusted it, sat down, and played "Dedicated to Alice", beautiful, simple and lively music echoed in the hall.

After playing a song, Liu Yi's public opinion was still unfinished, and he played "Ten Sending the Red Army".

Ni Hua knows this song, because on the Long March from Chengdu to Xi'an, the soldiers will sing a paragraph from time to time, and the sad and tactful tone will make this girl burst into tears. Although those foreigners don't know what music Liu Yimin plays, Liu Yimin has been playing the piano since elementary school before he crossed over, and he has been playing the piano for more than ten years, which can be regarded as very good in this era, and the foreigners are also drunk and fascinated.

As soon as the tune turned, Liu Yimin played the "March of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Red Army" and the "Military Song of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Red Army", and the hall immediately reverberated with an indomitable majestic string rhythm.

In the end, Liu Yimin played "Beautiful California" again, bringing everyone's thoughts to the blue sky and blue sea of California.

After playing, Liu Yimin stood up, closed the lid, took Ni Hua's hand and came to everyone, and said in English: "Gentlemen: welcome to beautiful Qingdao!" Allow me to welcome you all with "I Hear America Singing" from Whitman's Leaves of Grass! ”

As he spoke, Liu Yimin recited:

"I heard America singing, I heard all sorts of joyous songs, the joyous songs of the mechanics, each according to his mood, the happy and sturdy carpenter singing his song as he weighed his planks or beams, the bricklayer singing his song as he was ready to go to work or resting, the boatman singing all that he had on board, the deck sailor singing on the deck of the ship, the shoemaker sitting on his bench singing, the hatter standing and singing the song of the lumberjack, the farmer's son singing in the morning, the noon break, the sweet song of the mother, The young wife at work, the young girl when she sews or washes, each sings a song that belongs to him or her, and not to the others, and sings about the things of the day by day—by night it is a crowd of young men, healthy and friendly, with their throats open and singing their powerful and beautiful songs"

These Americans, who came to China thousands of miles away, could not have imagined that a general of the Eighth Route Army could play the piano and recite Whitman's poems in English. The reporters of the major media in the United States kept taking pictures, and fixed all their lenses on the night of 31 May, on the legendary general of the Eighth Route Army, Liu Yimin.

When the applause subsided, Liu Yimin said again in English: "Gentlemen, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Liu Yimin, and I am the instructor and teacher of the Eighth Route Army, and I am the one who said that the army offered a reward of one million yuan for his head. Standing beside me was my beautiful wife, Ms. Ni Hua. She's an old friend with you. What I want to tell you is that as a result of the invasion, our ancient and beautiful China is suffering unprecedented hardships, and wherever the army goes, good Chinese families are ruined and their wives are separated. The man was stabbed to death with a bayonet by the army, and the woman was killed after being bullied by the army. The devils who have lost their conscience often carry out killing competitions, even the elderly and children. Since the beginning of the age of civilization, there has never been an army so ferocious and tyrannical as the Yue Army, an army of wild beasts, which has completely lost its human name in what it has done. ”

After a slight pause, Liu Yimin said: "The American people love peace and advocate fairness and justice, but it is a pity that the US political axe is still practicing isolationism and adhering to a neutral position, but everyone knows that this move is conniving at the aggressor and helping the aggressor to invade China." The reason is very simple: China is a poor and weak country, while it is a modern industrial country, and the reason why China dares to invade China depends on their industrial level. At a time when the Chinese people needed the help of the American people the most, the US Congress passed the Pittman bill, which not only banned the sale of weapons and war materials to belligerents, but also that civilian materials must be purchased in cash and transported by domestic ships. Let's think about it, China is in a period of aggression, all the ships have been blown up by the army, where are the ships, and where is the money? On the contrary, he can buy scrap steel, oil, and rubber from the United States in a ship, and then make warships, planes, tanks, and cannons to slaughter unarmed Chinese. People say, is this neutral position fair? Does this isolationism want to be won? ”

Liu Yimin forgot one thing: these Americans, including journalists, doctors, military talents, and civilian industrial talents, although there are some recruited pilots and military instructors in the middle, there are too few soldiers to answer in unison like the troops who teach instructors. Therefore, the answer to Liu Yimin is not only uneven English, but also a sharp whistle.

Liu Yimin knew the Yankee's surname, so he didn't care, and continued: "The attitude of the American political axe is not terrible, and I believe that in the near future, the American people will push the American political axe to support our war of resistance, and even fight side by side with us." We only invite you to come to China so that you can experience for yourself the arduous war of resistance of the Chinese people and defeat the invaders with us. What you may not know is that we already have American volunteers on our team, and they have made immortal achievements. We have six retired instructors of the US Air Force, and they are the ones who led our Air Force to bomb the airfield of the Japanese Army many times, causing the commander of the North China Front Air Force to commit suicide by disembowelment. Not only did these American heroes receive medals and a lot of dollars, but they were also able to enjoy the love of beautiful women at will, and lived a romantic and fulfilling life like a western cowboy. ”

These words went straight to the hearts of the Zhang Gang Americans, and the hall was full of whistles.

Liu Yimin had a wicked smile on his face, and then said: "Actually, the army is very rubbish, my comrades-in-arms and I have just finished the Luzhong Campaign, which eliminated the eighth division, the elite permanent division of the army, and killed the division commander Lieutenant General Maeda Toshiwei. This was the heaviest loss of the Japanese army since the Meiji Restoration of the Army. What we can do, you can do too. I hope that my friends will not only live and work happily in China, but also send home a salary equivalent to several times that of the United States, and taste the gentleness, beauty and love of this beautiful woman by the way! ”

At this moment, it can be regarded as completely fanning the flames in the hearts of the American aid personnel, and a few people even shouted loudly.

(To be continued)