Ngo Dinh Diem's governing philosophy has a bit of a meaning of "rule by inaction".

In particular, in the area of village administration, it was believed that each village should form an autonomous body, preferably like a militia in the North Vietnamese Catholic villages before they withdrew to the south, to protect themselves.

It is worth mentioning that he did not have so many cadres sent to the grassroots level, and he did not have the power to control the countryside.

The formation of the militia must have weapons, and bamboo guns alone cannot deal with the Viet Minh, and the government is in a mess, and only the eight immortals who want weapons and ammunition can cross the sea to show their magical powers.

The Fifth Infantry Division had not been abolished and was stationed in the most dangerous Xining area, and the original weapons and equipment could not be diverted to the Nong resettlement site, so Li Weimin could only come to Lansdale to find a way.

"Chairman, something is not right, why don't we come back tomorrow?"

The villa rented by Landsdale and other CIA officials was close in front of him, and Li Weimin was confused, looked out of the car window, and asked with a puzzled expression: "What's wrong?" ”

Ah Cheng glanced back and said nervously: "There are several military jeeps in the streets and alleys, and the people sitting in them are not Americans, all French troops, and French troops with loaded guns. ”

"The French army has nothing to worry about, borrowing a few of them dare not attack the Americans."

"I still don't feel right."

"We're here, let's go in and have a look."

After contacting him in advance, Lansdale personally stood in the garden to greet him, Li Weimin got out of the car and shook his hand, and asked with a sideways smile: "Colonel, what's going on with the French army at the corner of the street?" ”

Lansdale flashed a worried look and asked casually, "Did you notice?" ”

"I didn't notice, my guards did."

With nothing to hide from him, Lansdale beckoned him to sit down, and said frankly, "There is a guest to-day besides you, and every sign is that the news has leaked. He's on the way, I can't get in touch, God knows what's going to happen next. ”

There is only one person to deal with by the French expeditionary force, Li Weimin chuckled in his heart, stared at him and asked, "You made an appointment with Zheng Mingshi!" ”

"He asked me out."

"Isn't this self-defeating, it's too dangerous. Now what? ”

Lansdale shrugged his shoulders and smiled helplessly: "I just received the news that the street crossing is only part of the ambush plan, and in order to kill our mutual friend, several French officers have mobilized two battalions, and the expeditionary force command claims that it is a normal change of guard, and there is nothing Mr. Ambassador can do about it. ”

Assassination of the commander of the family, how can people not retaliate.

After all, he had to pay it back, Li Weimin sighed lightly. Leaning on the handlebar, he said, "Looks like we can only help him pray." ”

"May God bless him."

If Zheng Mingshi is really killed by the French, all the previous efforts will be useless. The more Lansdale thought about it, the more depressed he became, and he said angrily: "The French have been making small moves behind our backs, not only sending people to secretly monitor our movements, but also shamelessly slandering us. Yesterday there was a joint meeting of the US and French military advisory groups, and I sat at the back because I was late, and none of them noticed.

A French bastard spoke up front and said: 'Recently, Lansdale has used money to bribe Hoa Hoa General Le Quang Quang to leave the city with a few million Piastes in a suitcase. As a result, the car was ambushed by Lai Glorious Army, and Lai Glorious people's people robbed the money'. Speaking of which. He paused deliberately, trying to give the attendees a sense of how stupid I was as an American. ”

The news that he used CIA money to buy off warlords and warlords was widely reported, and everyone in Saigon knew about it.

Some say it cost tens of millions of Piasters, others say tens of millions of dollars.

Tens of millions of Piasters are possible, tens of millions of dollars is too exaggerated, you must know that tens of millions of dollars are equivalent to hundreds of millions in later generations. In addition to the "Freedom Routes" operation to evacuate and resettle refugees. The South Vietnamese government has received only $60 million in U.S. aid.

Li Weimin glanced back at the street again, and asked absentmindedly, "What happened later?" ”

"I got up to break the silence and asked him to go ahead and tell if Li Guangrong had killed Lansdale."

"That bastard must be embarrassed."

No doubt everyone laughed, and he rolled out of the conference room in disgrace.

American humor doesn't solve the problem at hand. Lansdale didn't bother to talk about the arms, so he greeted a few American intelligence officers and planned to go to the street corner to meet the French officers on the ambush mission.

Zheng Mingshi is very famous, and Li Weimin, who died in the end, really doesn't know. But it is certain that the French did not dare to shoot at Lansdale and simply followed along.

The French officer who led the team obviously knew him, and warned with a dark face: "Mr. Colonel, we have received reliable information, Zheng Mingshi will come over soon, if he appears, kill him, the bullet is not long, please stay away." ”

"Who's giving the order?"

"It's not about you."

The French officer waved his hand, and several soldiers jumped out of the car and drove the two back.

Surrounded by French soldiers, and unable to reach them on the road, Lansdale was in a hurry. At this time, a sedan slowly drove into the alley, and everyone's eyes were focused on the car and the people in it.

The driver was a short man who wore an old hat with the brim pulled up above his eyes, making it difficult to see his face. A big fat man with a ruddy face sat in the back row, like a boss, holding a Panama hat in his hand and fanning himself constantly.

The car stopped in front of the garden villa, and the driver flexibly jumped out of the car to open the door for the big fat man, and the slippers made a snapping sound when he stepped on the ground.

Lansdale was a celebrity in Saigon, and there was an endless stream of people from all walks of life who came to find him, but the French army did not find anything suspicious, so they put away their guns and returned to the car to continue waiting.

This guy has the guts, Li Weimin secretly praised one.

Lansdale had already recognized that the driver was Zheng Mingshi, forced down the excitement in his heart, and pretended not to know him, and stepped forward to greet the big fat man enthusiastically.

Li Weimin relieved himself and deliberately said loudly: "You go to the kitchen to find some snacks to eat." ”

"Thank you, sir." Zheng Mingshi nodded and bowed, pretending to be as much as he looked, and ran to the kitchen with his slippers on his slippers.

The big fat man was sweating profusely, and Li Weimin felt that he was still shaking. Lansdale quietly looked back and observed, and finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the French army had returned to its original position and was still waiting for Zheng Mingshi's arrival.

The two threw down the fat man and walked into the kitchen, and Zheng Mingshi smiled and bent over. Shang said breathlessly: "Colonel, Mr. Li, the fat man is my translator." ”

After a morning of worry, Lansdale really couldn't laugh, and kindly reminded: "General Shi, the French intelligence is very accurate. You have traitors on your side. ”

"Yes, but I've already executed you."

Zheng Mingshi smiled casually, and said sincerely: "Colonel, Mr. Li, there are two things that I have come here this time, the first is that we have decided to support Prime Minister Dim Dinh Diem and accept the reorganization of the government; The second thing is that one of our troops has fought with the people who have reconciled with Li Guangrong, so you can't go to Li Guangrong to help us mediate. ”

"The first thing I'm happy with, as for the second thing. I don't know Li Guangrong well, but I can ask Ruan Duwu to see if there is a way. ”

This guy must be fighting on two fronts, the Peace Church and the French army, and he can't withstand it, otherwise he will never risk coming over and losing his sincerity.

As half of the cabinet members, Li Weimin had to help Wu Tingyan test his sincerity, and asked with a smile: "General Shi, as far as I know, the Fifth Infantry Division has made all preparations, when do you plan to change guards?" ”

A long delay means many hitches. Landsdale needed him to take the lead from the other warlords, and said with a serious face: "After the change of guard, it will be the government's army." What happens outside will not happen again, and the French have no reason to deal with you again. The same is true of Lê Quang Ngung's Hoa Cult army, which is more effective than any mediation. ”

Zheng Mingshi was obviously desperate, weighed it a little, looked up and asked, "How will it be in three days?" February 13th, so I have three days to prepare. ”

"Mr. Prime Minister will be glad to know this news."

………

The French army was outside. It's too dangerous to stay here for long.

After agreeing on the time, route and security measures for entering the city to accept the reorganization, Li Weimin and Lansdale returned to the living room and enthusiastically sent the big fat man out of the door to the car, so that Zheng Mingshi, who was disguised as a driver, slipped away under the noses of the French army.

"Unbelievable. He knew that there was an ambush and that it was coming! ”

Li Weimin was also very impressed, and sighed with his arms folded: "If all the generals are like him, the Vietminh is not to worry." ”

"Let's not talk about that, let's talk about weapons."

The efforts were finally about to bear fruit, and then he could show a big face, Lansdale was in a good mood, put his arm around his shoulders and said with a smile: "The Geneva Agreement stipulates the number of military advisers, stipulates that no country shall supply weapons to North and South Vietnam, and the International Monitoring and Monitoring Commission does not go to the north to supervise the Viet Minh, but specifically supervises us in Saigon." Despite the evidence that they were the first to violate the agreement, and although the United States did not sign the agreement, as a responsible Power, the United States will continue to abide by all the terms of the agreement. ”

"Colonel, I don't care about any of this, I just want to know through what channels or ways the more than twenty settlements in the south, including Catholic villages, can obtain weapons that can ensure their own safety."

"This is exactly what I want to tell you, in order to bring peace to North and South Vietnam, Washington has decided to send a 'weapons and equipment recovery team' to collect and dispose of some of the weapons that the United States provided to the French army before the ceasefire."

Recycling weapons is fake, and it is true to be a military adviser, but it is necessary to recycle it somewhat, otherwise the International Monitoring and Monitoring Commission will definitely talk nonsense.

Li Weimin was happy, and couldn't help but smile and asked: "How sure are you, can you help the security team of the industrial investment company solve the equipment problem together?" ”

"When they arrive, I'll help you figure it out, and there shouldn't be any problems."

Lansdale patted him on the arm, and then changed his words: "But before that, you must do me a favor, Mr. Prime Minister first." ”

"What's the busy?"

"Accompany me to see Li Wenyuan, you were worried about him before, but now he is worried about you, I need you to give him a guarantee, dispel his worries, and urge him to hand over the army and police as soon as possible."

If no one doesn't have a gun, there's no security.

It is not surprising that Li Wenyuan has this concern, after all, Li Weimin has won the trust of Ngo Dinh Diem and the Americans, and now that it is in full swing, what if he wants to take revenge after handing over the army?

The reputation of the Pingchuan faction is too bad, Wu Tingyan will not accept Li Wenyuan like Zheng Mingshi, it is very likely that Lansdale made his own opinion, Li Weimin pondered for a moment, and agreed: "No problem, I can accompany you, I can make some promises in person." But only on my own behalf, not on behalf of Mr. Prime Minister. (To be continued......)

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