Zeng Zhongming froze for a moment, and the information fed back from Gao Zongwu said that he would negotiate with China on the condition that he would not want territory, not reparations, and withdraw troops within two years, and this condition made Wang Jingwei very encouraged, and after discussing with Zhou Fohai, Chen Gongbo and others, he decided to send Mei Siping to Hong Kong to cooperate with Gao Zongwu to continue to negotiate with Yue Ben and refine the conditions.

However, after the Yucheng War, Gao Zongwu and Mei Siping called from Shanghai, and they were suddenly snubbed by the Ben side, and Takeo Imai, the head of the China Division of the Yuben Staff Headquarters, who was originally scheduled to come to Shanghai, did not arrive.

Thinking of this situation, a question in Zeng Zhongming's mind, if he said that he was in a hurry to negotiate peace, then why did they do this? But these can't be put on the table, this is done with the axe of national politics on their backs, and they can't see the light of day yet.

"General Zhuang is very articulate, but why don't you insist on fighting in the Fifth War Zone, and go to Sichuan in the rear to carry out construction?" Tao Xi Shengyin asked compassionately, pointing directly at Zhuang Jihua's sore spot.

Zhuang Jihua sighed softly, and said righteously: "As a soldier, it is naturally my duty to obey orders, and if the country needs me to go to the front, I will go to the front line, and if I need to do construction, I will engage in construction, which is not surprising." ”

"I'm afraid it's your loyal headmaster who is jealous of his ability," Chen Bijun has endured it for a long time, and now he finally can't help it: "Anyone can say big things, but he is not bad to you, and the high-ranking officials are still there." ”

Zhuang Jihua smiled faintly: "Madam, this is not the case, before I came to Sichuan, the principal had discussed with me, I thought about it for a long time before accepting, our problem is that the materials are not enough, if it is not for this reason, after the battle of Yucheng, we will be able to break my own battle line and recover Xuzhou in one fell swoop, in view of this, I accepted this appointment." ”

"Counseling? Ha," Chen Bijun snorted: "When did Mr. Jiang become so talkative, General Zhuang is probably insincere." ”

"It doesn't matter where I go," Zhuang Jihua shook his head and said calmly: "Mr. Wang is the most important thing to go there, the slogan of peace cannot be shouted from time to time, but if you really want peace talks, you must be cautious. As soon as the chairman of the committee agreed to negotiate on the basis of this condition, the conditions immediately changed, Manchukuo wanted to be recognized, the reparations were paid, and the political axe was reorganized. Therefore, I have no reputation, don't look at what he says very well now, as long as he agrees, they will definitely change. ”

The meaning of Zhuang Jihua's words made Wang Jingwei break out in a cold sweat, the most important thing is that he went there, what does this mean? He looked at Tao Xisheng and Zeng Zhongming vigilantly. Chen Bijun didn't think about it so much, she stared at Zhuang Jihua coldly, and the anger erupted as if she wanted to burn him to ashes.

"General Zhuang, you came to my house today to humiliate our husband and wife, right?" When Chen Bijun saw Zhuang Jihua, he thought of Chen Mingshu, and he hated it so much.

"Madam, this is serious," Zhuang Jihua said solemnly, but he looked down on Chen Bijun by two points in his heart, and the gap was more than one or two meters compared to Song Meiling: "I came today to sincerely discuss peace with Mr. Wang, in fact, I am clear about Gao Zongwu's behavior in Hong Kong and Yueben." ”

Zhuang Jihua set up an ambush and did not mention Shanghai. Wang Jingwei's heart was temporarily put down, it turned out that this was the case, this Zhuang Jihua came as a lobbyist for Chiang Kai-shek, and his face turned cold when he thought of this.

"Then I'd like to hear your opinion on peace." Wang Jingwei asked calmly.

"My idea is relatively simple," Zhuang Jihua said, "I want to make peace, I must first restore the situation before the Lugou Bridge Incident, that is, first withdraw troops, Jiangnan from Nanjing and Shanghai, and North China from Suiyuan Chahar in Shandong, and then we will start negotiations." ”

"It is impossible for me to accept such conditions." Wang Jingwei frowned, and Chen Bijun sneered: "Naïve." ”

"Before the Rehe armistice agreement, Huang Yin also said this," Zhuang Jihua said lightly, the purpose of his coming today is to persuade Wang Jingwei, after all, he is the vice president of the Kuomintang, and the impact of defecting to the enemy is too bad: "But the result is that I will be in the end." Asking for a price and paying back the money on the spot, this process can determine the true intention of the person. Anyone who engages in diplomacy knows this skill. ”

"Tricks? What kind of trick is this? Chen Bijun sneered: "Don't say that there is no negotiation yet, even if there is negotiation, you must first show sincerity, can such conditions be regarded as sincerity?" ”

"Sincerity? First of all, I will ask if I am sincere. Zhuang Jihua didn't plan to care about Chen Bijun anymore, he turned to Wang Jingwei and said: "Mr. Wang, since I met in Shantou, I have always admired Mr. Wang, Mr. joined the revolution back then, in order to save the country and save the people, now the country is in danger, Mr. as a national cadre, where to go, please think twice, the younger generation farewell." ”

Wang Jingwei didn't keep it, or even send it out of the Wang Mansion, he was extremely disappointed, Chen Bijun scolded hatefully: "What kind of dog does someone raise, what kind of name." Fourth brother, I think Zhuang Wenge is unreliable, and I can't count on him. ”

"Madam is right, we can still do things without him, isn't Yu Hanmou in Guangdong, send someone to contact him, I don't believe it, there is no Zhang Butcher, and he still eats hairy pigs." Zeng Zhongming immediately proposed.

"What do you think?" Wang Jingwei looked at the silent Chen Gongbo and asked.

Chen Gongbo smiled bitterly, and then said slowly: "No matter what, I think it is best not to affect the unity of the party, not to split the party, our Kuomintang has suffered enough from splitting, so, sir, even if you want to start secret negotiations with Yue himself, you must inform Mr. Jiang, after all, he is now the nominal leader." ”

"That's natural," Wang Jingwei nodded, "but I'm worried that Mr. Chiang is now surrounded by the generals of the anti-war faction, and I have made it clear that I want him to step down, and I want to wait for us to talk about the results before telling him." ”

"Sir, this will not work," Chen Gongbo said resolutely, which was exactly what he feared, and the current situation in China showed that any peace treaty could not be realized without Chiang Kai-shek's consent: "The vast majority of military generals listen to Mr. Chiang, we have no military power in our hands, and if he does not agree, the war will continue." ”

"Gongbo, you are too careful about this," Zeng Zhongming poured himself a glass of wine at some point, and he said while playing with the wine glass: "As long as we can reach an agreement, it is Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi in Guangxi, Yan Xishan in Shanxi, and Yu Hanmou in Guangdong, they will support us, and the people will also support us, such a strong pressure, Mr. Jiang has to agree." ”

"Zhong Ming is right," Chen Bijun stood up and sneered: "Gongbo, I see if you like to be Chiang Kai-shek's official very much, isn't it just the director of the provincial party department, don't forget that his most proud protégé is still your top boss, the provincial chairman." ”

Chen Gongbo didn't get angry, just shook his head lightly: "Madam, I followed my husband to do the revolution more than ten years ago, what kind of person I am, don't you know?" I'm really thinking about my husband. Come to think of it, when the Tanggu Agreement was signed, Mr. was infamous for it, and this time it was even worse, Sir. This time it was extremely cautious. Zhuang Jihua has a meaning that is actually right, he would rather be slow than in a hurry. ”

"Zhuang Jihua," Chen Bijun gritted his teeth and scolded: "Sooner or later, one day, this account will have to be settled with him." ”

"Sir," Chen Gongbo continued, "I am not in favor of peace, but the stakes are very high, and the slightest carelessness will lead to a catastrophe, and the name of Mr. I will be gone." ”

"Gongbo, now the opportunity is so good, we must seize it, otherwise I'm afraid there will never be it again." Zeng Zhongming said: Chen Gongbo has always been the number two figure in Wang Jingwei's reorganization faction, and among the reorganization faction, if Wang Jingwei is the banner, Chen Gongbo is a doer, and he is handling most of the actual work of the reorganization faction, and his prestige among the Wang faction is relatively high. However, Chen Gongbo has always been opposed to putting aside Chiang Kai-shek's negotiations with Yueben, which makes Chen Bijun angry and puzzled.

Chen Gongbo was very embarrassed, from the bottom of his heart, he did not approve of Wang Jingwei's actions, but the experience of more than ten years has deeply imprinted the Wang family on him, if Wang Jingwei insists on taking this road, what should he do? Leave or go with him? He didn't know. Now he has to do everything he can to dissuade him from going down this path.

"Opportunity?" Chen Gongbo shook his head and said: "Brother Zhongming, is there a chance to see again, if I really do what Zhuang Wenge said, after we take action, suddenly raise the price, dare to ask Mr., how should we deal with ourselves?" Brother Zhong Ming, this is trapping Mr. on disloyalty, so I suggest that Gao Zongwu and Mei Siping continue to be tempted, and clearly tell me that we cannot accept the recognition of Manchukuo, we cannot pay reparations, we cannot garrison troops, and once the treaty is signed, they must withdraw their troops and restore the status quo before the Lugou Bridge Incident within three months. ”

"You," Chen Bijun was a little angry, but Wang Jingwei stopped her in time, and he interrupted her and said, "Gongbo's concern is that this point must be made clear to Gao Zongwu and Mei Siping. Speaking of this, he smiled slightly: "I know that this step is very dangerous, I am afraid that the whole country will be scolded at that time, and the name of Han Annihilation will not escape, but it is worthy of the sky, and the people are worthy of it, and it is not for personal honor and disgrace. ”

Seeing that Wang Jingwei said sadly, Chen Gongbo's heart was sour, and he hurriedly persuaded: "Sir, this is what you are talking about, whether it is now or in the future, the country needs Mr. ”

Chen Gongbo left Wang Mansion with a heavy heart, he didn't know if his persuasion would work, although Wang Jingwei had no fixed opinion, but Chen Bijun was full of power, with her side to encourage, Wang Jingwei's mind would change at any time.

After Chen Gongbo left, Chen Bijun was still angry, Chen Mingshu and Zhuang Jihua came to the door one after another, which made her feel ashamed and humiliated, and the flame jumped in her heart.

(To be continued)