After Zhang Shusheng set the tone for the Sino-German negotiations at the high-level talks, the negotiations began to accelerate, and the Germans began to send one good news after another back to Berlin, and Hitler even happily drank wine with his wife and held a family banquet.

However, after briefly making a few conditions and agreeing to two, the Chinese began to be confused about the details again, and the negotiations began to stall again in the second week.

The Hanking Hotel, the residence of the German negotiating team.

"The attitude of the Chinese is changing a little fast."

Heisenberg, Hitler's senior military adviser, complained to Ribbentrop with some sullen regret that he had thought that the Chinese would agree to these conditions in one go, but he did not expect to reach an impasse in a blink of an eye.

The Chinese first agreed to the Germans' request for a joint military offensive on land, then to paid military aid, readily agreeing to exchange oil and mineral resources and reserves of rare metals such as gold for military supplies, but then unusually forcefully vetoed the many requests for technical assistance that the Germans hoped for.

"General Heisenberg, I know the Chinese very well." Ribbentrop, who is fluent in Chinese, has been to China three times, and is a long-term expert on Chinese issues in the study of Eastern civilization and the study of New China, is not surprised that this situation has been encountered in the negotiations, "In fact, when I came, I had a premonition that China would never agree to these conditions. Let's see what the military needs, the technology of the TL series of jet fighters, the latest Vostok series of missile technology, the technology of the Tiger 5 tank, the drawings of large aircraft carriers, and even the Chinese technology of ejection and interdiction of carrier-based aircraft, by the way, God, they actually want to get the most advanced submarine technology in China......"

Hearing what he said, Heisenberg's gaze was a little evasive, and he was one of the military personnel who advocated for these technical requests when he was at home. He believes that Germany will benefit greatly from even paying a huge price for these technologies, even just the early technologies that are not advanced among the Chinese, or just one or two technologies.

"General Heisenberg, I can tell you very clearly that the Chinese will not agree to a single condition of technical cooperation. As Foreign Minister, I am well aware that in the nearly two decades of technical cooperation between China and Germany, the Chinese have almost never provided truly advanced technology. Of course, some of the technologies they provided, including tank technology, did help us a lot in attacking the USSR and bombing the British. However, these technologies have never been strategic, nor have they ever been able to affect a country's overall strength. ”

When Ribbentrop was in Germany, he wanted to tell Hitler that China would not agree to any of these demands, even if it paid a big price, even if it turned over the hole cards, the Chinese would not agree, but he did not dare to do so, Hitler, the Führer, had an almost crazy paranoia, once he listened to the opinion of someone or some people, he would take risks, even if he saw only 1% of hope.

"They will never say yes. Zhang Shusheng is a very stubborn person, for the sake of the nation, he can refuse everything. Ribbentrop shook his head, ending his exclamation.

"So what should we do next? Mr. Minister, you are a China expert who knows much more about Chinese culture and politics than I do, and I will follow your arrangement. When I return home, I will also explain to the Führer the problems encountered during the trip and the maneuvers that Mr. Minister has made to this end. ”

Heisenberg generously said that, in fact, since it was a negotiation, he was also mentally prepared to negotiate and not negotiate, and now that the Chinese can accept most of the requests and the corresponding quid pro quo, he already feels very successful.

What he meant was that Ribbentrop could go and talk to the Chinese and turn over the German cards.

"General Heisenberg, rest assured, I'm ready." Ribbentrop said with a smile.

…… The next day, the German negotiating team proposed to take a day off, and the head of the German delegation, Ribbentrop, hoped to lead the members of the German negotiating team to visit the Chinese Martyrs' Shrine as a representative of the ally.

What is intriguing is that the German side only expressed this sincere wish to Chinese and foreign reporters at a press conference held at the Hanking Hotel just one hour after informing the Chinese side.

At the press conference, Ribbentrop highly praised Sino-German cooperation and the great achievements of the Axis since World War II, and he believed that the Chinese political axe and the Chinese people made great contributions to World War II and world peace.

At the same time, Ribbentrop said that at a turning point at the end of World War II, China and Germany should strengthen cooperation and create a new situation in the world with greater determination.

I have to say that this move of the Germans is very clever, which greatly caters to the current public opinion of the Republic, and does not hesitate to give China and the Chinese nation a very high approval and praise from the perspective of Germany, and even makes people feel that the Axis powers will undoubtedly lose without China.

The Chinese people are happy to see such a thing, at least the domestic public opinion and public sentiment have a favorable opinion of Germany and Ribbentrop at this time. After all, at present, China and Germany do not have a substantive conflict, but are allies, and the Germans highly praise and praise China from the perspective of Westerners, which is another form of recognition of the Chinese nation.

Once upon a time, Westerners regarded China as the sick man of East Asia, but now they can only come to curry favor with China.

The twofold expansion of the territory and the fear of the West are the true portrayals of the present.

Soon after, the headquarters of the Republic responded by welcoming the German delegation to the Chinese Martyrs' Shrine, accompanied by Vice Premier Liu Shaoqi and Foreign Minister Li Zongren.

On the same day, a simple but solemn ceremony was held at the Martyrs' Shrine, and after a brief military parade and viewing ceremony for foreign guests, Chinese officials accompanied Ribbentrop and others to pay incense and bow to the Chinese side of etiquette.

I have to say that even though they encountered many surprising things in Hanjing, when the German delegation paid homage to the Martyrs' Shrine, they were still greatly shocked by the huge cemetery, high-level political status, and majestic atmosphere.

Lieutenant General Heisenberg, deputy head of the German negotiating delegation and Hitler's senior military adviser, who became interested in Chinese two years ago, even openly said, "I am very surprised that a nation has such a high level of respect for their martyrs, which embodies the boldness and unforgetfulness of a great nation." I would like to convey a Chinese remark just made by Mr. Ribbentrop: The country treats the soldiers with courtesy, and the soldiers repay the country with death. ”

Subsequently, Ribbentrop was given the opportunity to walk alone with Comrade Liu Shaoqi in the Martyrs' Shrine for 30 minutes.

The two men first exchanged views on some less important international issues and the issue of war, and then the two sides began to exchange views on some differences and issues in the negotiations.

"Mr. Liu Shaoqi, before coming to China this time, the great head of state once asked me to convey to your head of state that once World War II ends, the world will need a new pattern.

Today, both China and Germany have large spheres of influence, and after the end of World War II, how these territories will be arranged may be a question worthy of in-depth discussion. ”

In the pine forest path, Ribbentrop stopped, looked at Liu Shaoqi beside him and said, the guard and the others are far away, and the two have the opportunity to communicate openly and honestly.

"What does the minister mean? Shaoqi is willing to listen. Ribbentrop's Chinese is so good, Liu Shaoqi didn't talk much nonsense, stopped directly, and asked him what he meant.

"There's no hurry, let's talk as we go."

The two walked forward for a while, and Ribbentrop said slowly, "What the Führer means is that once China and Germany cooperate to quickly eliminate the Soviet Union and liberate India, then it will be difficult for the remaining Allied forces to affect Eurasia, and World War II can come to an end here." ”

"Yes, it is true, the chairman also said that the war will not last forever, and World War II has reached a corner." Liu Shaoqi agreed.

Ribbentrop: "In the post-war landscape, I can convey a very important message to you. We are ready to form a huge federation, and the Nazi federation will be replaced by the future European federation, and in turn, we are willing to conclude a permanent peace agreement with China and support you in establishing the Chinese federation, so as to completely divide the continent of Europe, Asia and Africa. ”

"This is your negotiating card?" Liu Shaoqi's eyes lit up and asked.

"Not bad. The Führer promised not to use the existing spheres of influence as a criterion, that is, if we were finally able to reach an agreement, the Führer could make some significant concessions on the division of power between the two federations. For example, India as a whole, or half of the Middle East, could even make even greater concessions. ”

Seeing that Liu Shaoqi did not speak, Ribbentrop thought that the other party was contemplating, so he continued, "Perhaps the plans of the two federations are a little shocking, but with the current strength of the Nazi Federation in Europe and the strength of your national defense forces, security can have a larger and more territory. It can be said that China and Germany really have the ability to carve up half of the world this time. ”

"I am shocked by this suggestion, Mr. Minister, and allow me to respond to it to the Supreme Council of Power before replying. However, I would like to assure you, Mr. Minister, that even if we are unable to reach all the agreements in the end, the Sino-German friendship will guarantee victory in the war, and this is what Chairman Zhang asked me to convey to Mr. Minister. ”

Liu Shaoqi said haha, and he didn't express his position, so he naturally couldn't express his position on such a major issue.

"Okay, let's talk slowly."

Ribbentrop saw that his purpose had been achieved, and it was up to the Oriental Führer to think about it.

Liu Shaoqi, who ended the worship ceremony, soon went to the base camp to report the situation to Zhang Shusheng, and a high-level meeting of great importance was soon held in the base camp.

In Zhang Shusheng's view, although there were few people attending this meeting, it had a greater impact on the world than the Yalta Conference that divided the world in his previous life.

The Germans' hole cards were finally revealed, and it was nothing else, but they actually invited China to participate in a feast to carve up Europe, Asia and Africa, and divide half of the world.

(To be continued)