Chongguang Kui hated coming to Shanghai very much, and the result of the negotiations with Wuhan made him even more frustrated.

The empire seemed to have lost its former glory, and the aggressive Chinese clamored to reclaim Korea and land on Taiwan.

The clamor is ridiculous, they can't cross the Taiwan Strait, but it cannot be denied that they might be able to occupy Korea and push the Japanese into the sea and back to that lonely, barren island.

The army red deer, the navy is weak, has been suppressed by the military, and the diplomat who specializes in giving the military a bad ass, he counts those incompetent people over and over again in his heart.

"If you can't get something on the battlefield, you don't want to get it at the negotiating table. If Japan does not admit defeat, then war! ”

Damn woman!

Actually humiliated by a woman?

Song ML's triumphant tone still echoed in his mind, and the Chinese insisted on reclaiming Manchuria, Lushun, and Shanghai Hongkou.

These places should actually be under their control, and if they want to take them back, they can only go to war.

And what about the Japanese elite soldiers at the moment, digging coal in the Northeast and Shanxi?

Negotiations have been going on for three months, and they have been talked several times, but there is no result.

No result is also a result.

In short, the Chinese forcefully took back all rights and interests in the northeast, and made no secret of it, and the Kanto continent, which the Japanese had operated for many years, was gone.

Shigemitsu Aoi ended the negotiations with a heavy heart and sent the news back to Tokyo.

"Yaga! This loss of power and humiliation of the country! ”

In the palace, Lu Xiangyuyuan was angry when he heard it, shouting that he would launch a new offensive in Korea.

The emperor and the navy did not have much confidence, the problem was with the army, they were defeated by the Chinese. Failed miserably. Otherwise, you won't lose Kanto Island.

"Air power rises. Changing the mode of warfare. In the face of the enemy's strong air power, the navy was not sure to carry out a landing operation at the risk of the battleship being sent under the enemy's torpedo machine. ”

The sea phase shows its attitude.

The meaning is obvious, the navy is the foundation of the empire, and the madman of the army cannot go on an adventure.

Tanaka frowned, dissatisfied with the navy's "fear of death" behavior, and he thought: If there is another incident, the belligerent Chinese may take away even North Korea.

The country is horrible. With an innumerable population, a huge military industry, and a huge army that can be armed at any time, the imperial army is greatly damaged, and the number of people is small, maybe it is really not an opponent!

The Western powers can't count on it again, and they can't do it again, so they can only make a decision on the spot!

In 1932, an armistice was signed in Shanghai, and the Japanese received nothing. Even the property of the expatriates in the Northeast could not be guaranteed (it was recommended that they expropriate the property of the Chinese expatriates in Japan), and the only thing they got was a few thousand half-dead prisoners of war.

The Japanese media and officials were bitter when they saw it. Holding the League of Nations, formed by Britain and France, accused the Chinese of abuse.

What about the British and the French themselves?

In the face of the Chinese's demand to recover the concession, they were very difficult.

The Yankees did not have the face of the great powers at all, and they did not care; the newly appointed Roosevelt wanted to abandon the Shanghai concession and carry out friendly and comprehensive cooperation with China, hoping that the Wuhan government would lower tariffs on American goods and that Chinese would buy more American goods.

The US business community is in great need of orders from the Chinese, and big capital consortia are trying to gain more benefits in the development of Shanxi and Northeast China.

The William Foundation played a key role in this and persuaded the Japanese to accept reality.

That is, crude oil from the Daqing Oilfield, ore from the Anshan Iron Mine, coal, timber, and grain from northern China can all be exported to Japan with the help of the Americans.

The Japanese were tempted, and Mitsui and Mitsubishi politely rejected the kindness of the Americans, turned their heads and directly contacted the Chinese, and obtained all kinds of raw materials they needed through investment and trade.

Of course, doing business honestly is less enjoyable than running to other people's houses to burn and loot, which is not quite in line with the perverted aesthetics of the Japanese.

This is the case, and it can only be so.

Politics is like this, tearing away the disguise of nobility on the surface, there are actually only two words -- interests.

As time went by, the newspapers in Shanghai gradually added articles about the friendship between China and Japan for generations, and the trade between the two countries was revitalized.

In order to build more aircraft carriers, Japan has stepped up its efforts to export geisha.

All this is such a harmonious situation, Daisaku Kawamoto, who is locked up in a secret base in the southwest mountains, can't understand it, and he is about to be tortured by those evil doctors in white robes.

Who would dare to believe that there are heinous evils hidden in this peaceful mountainous area, and these people actually use themselves for human experiments?

It's so inhuman!

Isn't there any shame at all?

Distant relatives, you are singing cherry blossoms in Tokyo, but do you know that the samurai of the empire are being planted with smallpox by demons?

Maybe I won't survive next week.

Just when Daisaku Kawamoto thought he was going to die, this was not the case, and Daisaku Kawamoto still had a very chic life.

No abuse, no work, just locked up, not having their frontal lobe amputated like their peers (this is also an experiment, someone won the Nobel Prize for it) and becoming an idiot, still thinking, and still lustful.

But this didn't happen, and slowly he found that he was in a state of condition, and began to lose his hair and vomit, as if the devil was pulling energy......

Nonsense, uranium refined from a nearby factory is placed in the room, and it is subjected to reflected strong radiation, can this Japanese whose soul is full of sin to his cells die happily?

The doctor kept a detailed record of his condition, and the threat of the mysterious force also terrified the experimenters.

Uranium refining is not too difficult, the key is enrichment.

Chinese scientists have so far been unable to find a suitable solution.

It is destined to be a long and winding road.

……

Shenyang, Zhang Mansion, the sky has changed.

The September 18 Incident completely changed the political pattern of Northeast China.

At the beginning, Zhang Shaoshuai found that he had misjudged the battle situation, was very nervous, and hurried back to Shenyang.

As the war progressed, his mood rose and fell several times, and finally settled down, cheering for victory like an ordinary person.

China, the Chinese can finally raise their eyebrows!

Now, he was embarrassed to find out. The Wuhan government quickly took control of the military administration in Northeast China by winning a big victory. He has lost control of the Northeast Army over the Northeast. It made him feel lost.

The Wuhan government's appointment to him also came down, and he sighed to his wife Yu Fengzhi: "It's going to be cut." ”

"How?" Yu Fengzhi became nervous.

"Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission, and Minister of the Air Force. The vice chairman has no real power, he is in a vacant position, and I can't transfer the troops in Wuhan, but the Minister of the Air Force is a little interesting. ”

He said.

Once they went to Wuhan, the Northeast Army ceased to exist, but the whole country was almost unified with military and political power. End the history of warlords fighting in the late Qing Dynasty, the country was torn apart, and the people were displaced.

"What about Shenyang...... How is it arranged? Yu Fengzhi asked again.

"Teacher Guo. As the commander of the Northeast Military Region, he got his wish. ”

Zhang Shaoshuai's mood is a little complicated, Guo Songling identifies with the country more than with the Zhang family, if it weren't for him, he wouldn't have obediently admitted defeat and let go, maybe he would have a fight.

However, I can also understand Guo Songling's approach.

After the victory over Japan, not to mention the people of Northeast China, the middle and lower rank officers and men of the Northeast Army all recognized the central government in Wuhan. The identification with the country and the nation is getting deeper and deeper.

The general trend is the same, and Zhang Shaoshuai and the Zhang family have no room for resistance.

"It's no longer the target of public criticism. In the future, I believe that the lord will not blame you. Yu Fengzhi comforted.

As a wife, wife and mother, she values the safety of the family the most, how Zhang Zuolin died, she doesn't want the tragedy to happen again.

I thought: There is nothing wrong with going to Wuhan. The economy of the mainland is developed, and the level of education and medical care is better than that of the northeast. As far as the wealth of the Zhang family is concerned, it is enough for generations to squander.

After the reshuffle, the Northeast forces are like this, Commander Guo Songling, Deputy Commander Dai Chunfeng. Chief of Staff Guderian, Deputy Chief of Staff and Commander of the 6th Armored Division Xu Qian.

After all, Guderian is a German and will not stay in China forever, and anyone with a discerning eye knows that he is a transitional candidate, and it is actually Xu Qian, who graduated from Wuhan, studied abroad, and has military exploits on behalf of the will of the Wuhan Military Commission.

Wang Tiehan, Huang Xiansheng, Ma Zhanshan, and other former officers of the Northeast Army, who had performed well and resolutely resisted, were also promoted to the post of division commander.

The original old men of the Northeast Army, such as Zhang Zuoxiang, Zhang Jinghui, and Sun Liechen, were purged, and these people either had problems with their quality, could not keep up with the trend, or had problems with their thinking, and had a history of collusion with the Japanese, and they ended up being idle or arrested and imprisoned.

In short, whether it is the background of the Central Army or the Northeast Army, they are all well-educated, young, and idealistic young Zhuang factions in charge of the army, basically the entire Chinese military circles, and generals in their thirties abound.

I hope these aspiring guys don't degenerate too quickly and indulge in nightclubs and mahjong parlors.

There is a strict financial system in the army, officers are well paid, salaries are quite high, and there are many rules and restrictions, the most important point is not to handle finances easily.

It is impossible for a division commander to gamble and lose the salaries of his officers and men, and he has no money to pay the salaries of his officers and men.

"It's a pity that Jiang Dingwen is a pity, because he gathered people to gamble in the army and was ordered to retire from the army, otherwise he would have become a general, right?

However, this guy mixed very well, became the owner of a mining company, and as soon as the war stopped, he went to the northeast to open a mine, and the business was booming. I was in the wrong business in the first place. ”

In Shenyang City, Xu looked at the car in the distance and was secretly amused in his heart.

There was Jiang Dingwen in the car in front of him, and when this guy arrived in Shenyang, he easily found his door. Such a person who can specialize, it is estimated that he will soon get mixed up in the Northeast.

In addition to Jiang Dingwen's old friends, Wutai Mountain's hometown also came.

Looking at his watch, Hamilton Seiko told him that the train from Shanxi was about to arrive in Shenyang, so he rushed to the train station.

It was a little early, and the train hadn't arrived yet, so he stood on the platform and looked into the distance, looking at his watch from time to time, hoping that the only luxury item on his body would make time go faster.

"The train is estimated to be late, and the Shenyang Railway Station and the mainland are still a little less disciplined."

The adjutant criticized slightly.

"Hmm." Xu Qian nodded.

He was the one who brought his old family in, because he might have been in the Northeast for several years.

The Northeast is vast and sparsely populated, the Japanese have been driven away, and the remnants of the jump-out must also be disposed of, and the resources vacated will naturally have to be occupied by newcomers.

When the train enters the station, the window is no longer a vast plain, and the city buildings occupy the view.

The son secretly went south, and this path was right. Now. The old Xu family also has a great general!

"Daddy. Mother, Shenyang has arrived. My brother was probably waiting for us at the front. An officer reminded the two old men.

He was Xu Shouqian, Xu's former elder brother, who worked as a quartermaster in the Shanxi Army.

Speaking of which, Yan Xishan and their Xu family are villagers in the next village across a river, and they married the daughter-in-law of the Xu family, and the two families still have a little bit of Weibo relationship.

After Shanxi returned to the central government, the Jin army was adjusted. Many troops were also sent to the Northeast Battlefield for "training," and Xu Shouqian's position was also affected.

Originally, he wanted to stabilize his original position locally, but now it seems that there are more options.

How to say it, now the status of their Xu family has been greatly improved, and they are no longer working for Yan Xishan - Xu Shouqian intends to develop in the Northeast.

The old man came back to his senses, he was wearing a robe, which was a little old, but clean and tidy. Wen Yan stood up and shook his robe, a little meticulous.

"The newspaper said that the second son became a general?" The old lady asked again.

"Authentic Great General. He has made meritorious contributions to fighting devils, and he has been promoted to be the commander of the armored division from above. Xu Shouqian smiled.

My mother was uneducated. He tried to be as straightforward as possible.

"That's good, it's good to fight devils." The old lady nodded with satisfaction and asked, "What kind of division is the armored division?" Iron armor on your clothes? ”

Xu Shouqian sighed in his heart that after his wooden younger brother went south to Wuhan, it seemed that his life had embarked on the Avenue of Stars. I knew that there was such an opportunity, and I was -

"The armored division is an iron bull cannon, and people sit in it and fire the artillery."

The old man of the Xu family explained that the iron ox is a tractor, and rural people often call it a tractor iron ox.

In fact, the old man of the Xu family has never seen what the armored troops are like, but he only knows a rough idea from the mouth of the eldest son.

The armored corps is a new thing, not to mention the marginal Chinese intellectuals like him, even the city people and even foreigners who can play may not know about the armored corps.

However, it did not prevent Master Xu from being proud and excited about his son: "This battle is well fought, raise your eyebrows!" ”

In the Sino-Japanese War, the Sixth Armored Division became famous all over the world, and the invincible Kwantung Army also made Xu Qian famous in one fell swoop.

Even Yan Xishan couldn't help but put gold on his face, if I had a general like Xu Qian in Shanxi, I would ......

Seeing the father and mother getting off the train, Xu hurriedly greeted him.

"Father, mother, the child is not filial, I haven't seen you for many years, I miss you." Xu said ashamedly.

"Men are ambitious in all directions, not daughters. Well, my son is loyal to the country and kills the enemy on the battlefield, and my father is very relieved. ”

Father Xu patted his son's shoulder excitedly, he was a little reserved, not as casual as his wife, as soon as he saw his son, he pounced, just grabbed his hand, touched his head up and down, and was in awe of the straight general uniform on his son's body, his movements were a little cautious, and he felt that he looked good and majestic, and he was very happy in his heart.

How much longing is in a voice of "son-!" Among them.

"Big brother, is this going well?" Xu said to his brother earlier.

"Smooth." Xu Shouqian nodded, and after his brother hugged him, he said, "You have a lot of responsibility now, so I won't bother you, right?" ”

"The army is not busy, unlike the government, which has a lot of problems." Xu Qianqian said.

The brothers have a lot to say, but they have to go home to talk. Xu's previous military uniform attracted the attention of many people at the train station, and people were separated by the guards from afar.

After the group left, order quickly returned to the train station.

The battle was fierce, the Japanese set up artillery early to bombard the Beidaying, and many buildings in the city were damaged and did not have time to clean up.

What Chief Yang meant was to simply tear down the city wall and build a new city. ”

As he passed through the city, Xu had previously explained to his brother while the second elder sat in another car.

Yang Yongtai has some ability, and is trusted by the central government, he has been the mayor of Shanghai for several years, and during his short reign in Beiping, he has made many contributions to the construction of North China's industry. Sending him to Shenyang can be regarded as knowing people and making good use of them. ”

Xu Shouqian said.

After the war ended, the army quieted down, but the central government vigorously developed and built the northeast, and there were more opportunities.

Xu previously briefly talked about the future development of the Northeast, and he had a little understanding of his brother's intentions, and it was better to develop in the military than to engage in politics!

He has stayed abroad and had the experience of "suppressing bandits" in South China, but he has long since lost his own concept of developing outside and his relatives living in the countryside. The resource-rich Northeast China. It can also be regarded as a contribution to the development of the Northeast.

The new kid on the block. Both military officers and government officials were encouraged by the government to emigrate and invest in the Northeast.

Xu previously told his brother about his idea, and was approved. The Xu family has been cultivators for several generations, and the eldest sister and brother-in-law's family are still authentic farmers, and there is no harvest after a hard year, not because they are not diligent, but because they are born wrong.

Change in Northeast China or South China. Those who dare to fight have already made a fortune and become new landlords.

Xu's previous house was good, spacious and bright, and the second elder was very satisfied, but when he heard the decision of the two brothers, he immediately became excited. Didn't think about moving?!

"Dad, if everyone thinks like you, stays in their hometown and doesn't build the frontier, this northeast will fall into the hands of outsiders sooner or later."

Xu Shouqian persuaded. He is eloquent. Raising the significance of moving to the point of a nation-state, Daddy Xu is not easy to refute.

Chinese. Who wouldn't want to have 100 acres of fertile land?

"I forgot to mention that I have been in the army for the past few years and have accumulated a lot of money. Now the government takes care of the soldiers and will allocate some low-cost land to the officers and soldiers of the army. I think it's not a problem to buy a thousand acres. ”

Xu Qianqian said.

"That's a lot of money! Son, be innocent! Master Xu was a little skeptical and warned.

Even Xu Shouqian was secretly surprised, he was a quartermaster, so he would naturally associate with it.

"Every penny is clean, I'm not that kind of person." Xu previously assured.

I don't know how to explain it, but the Zhi Gong Party government has spared no effort to win over the generals in the army, and it is particularly fond of ********.

Although the way of maintaining integrity is on par with that of its Western counterparts, it also includes investment and financial management.

Xu only learned that the army had a foundation for general-level officers to manage and invest in the army, and this foundation had a huge amount of funds, not only owning shares in the US-China Bank, but also participating in almost all the US-China enterprises, investing heavily in land and mineral resources, including huge overseas investment.

Participate in major projects such as domestic railway construction, Henan coal development, Shanxi coal development, North Iron and Steel Company development, and of course, the development and construction plan of Northeast China is also indispensable.

Xu didn't know who invented this set before, let alone the complicated investments behind it, but he was sure that it was a genius idea that had put all the upper echelons of the army into it.

It can be said that when you become a general, you don't need to rush to "go out and make money", on the contrary, you want to hand over the money to them to manage.

It is said that the Foundation decided early on to participate in the development of the Daqing Oilfield, and the Japanese wanted to seize the Northeast, so how could the leaders of the Military Commission be indifferent?

The entanglement behind it is not easy to explain to the family.

It didn't take long for the Xu family to buy a large piece of land outside Shenyang, and the original owner was a bullshit Manchurian pioneer group, and after being "wiped out" in one fell swoop, the land was finally returned to the original owner.

However, in this time and space, it is estimated that no one has erected a monument to recite virtue.

Even if a certain neurotic county magistrate dares to do this in the future, then such a neuropathy will certainly not be a county magistrate.

The Xu family is a family of cultivators, touching the fertile black soil, and the father of the Xu family sighs that this is the foundation of inheritance for future generations!

…………

Xu Shouqian met Yang Yongtai under Xu's previous introduction, and after communicating with Yang Yongtai, he resolutely retired, abandoned the military and entered politics, and the first thing he did to assist Yang Yongtai was to raid his home!

In order to develop the Northeast, Wuhan deliberately set up the Northeast Administrative Region, and Yang Yongtai became the chief executive, and soon he carried out drastic reforms in the Northeast.

Full of energy, living is the style of the leaders of Dongguan in the 90s, and they are extremely fascinated by industry and GDP.

Many people don't understand how the unknown Dai Chunfeng became the deputy commander, when Yang Yongtai and Dai Chunfeng teamed up to create an anti-corruption/defeat anti-espionage storm in the Northeast, Zhang Jinghui, Zang Shiyi, Rong Zhen, Zheng Xiaoxu (contemporary Qin Hui, good calligraphy. When he was thrown into the Great East Asia Hotel and the officialdom earthquake, people woke up to Dai Chunfeng's terribleness.

The Great East Asia Hotel (the original Japanese property, confiscated.) In and out, the pro-Japanese officials peed their pants without going in.

"Maybe these guys who don't want ancestors are a little wronged, but if we don't clean up these bastards like garbage, how can our people come in?"

Dai Chunfeng said to Yang Yongtai with a smile.

"The Japanese have been operating here for too long, and they have been connected up and down.

We need to erase the influence of the Japanese politically, spiritually, and economically.

The banking syndicates and industrial giants in the south are about to go north, and Wuhan will not give us much time, and we must be quick to cut through the mess. ”

Yang Yongtai nodded.

In the Northeast officialdom. The two have become the best example of "embarrassment".

Arrested and imprisoned. Guilty of a crime. The property is confiscated and auctioned to form a standardized and smooth process.

With the acquiescence of Wuhan, the Zhang family took a considerable amount of money with them when they left the Northeast, and Yang Yongtai hoped to obtain some of the funds for the construction of the Northeast through a big auction.

Compared with the reticent Xu before, Xu Shouqian's performance satisfied Yang Yongtai, and he was different from being a quartermaster under Yan Xishan's boss Yan, and he was particularly financially conscious.

Optimistic estimates. Through the sale of land, the government can obtain more than 100 million yuan in fiscal revenue.

The society applauded as a whole, and some people complained, well, it should be a plea for mercy to the commander Guo Songling, Guo Songling also has no good impression of the pro-Japanese faction, and does not want to go against the will of the Wuhan government, so they have no reason to offend Yang Yongtai.

Besides, Yang Yuting, who didn't deal with him, had been transferred to Beiping as Bai Chongxi's deputy, and it seemed that he was still being reused. Responsible for the work of the military industry in the north, the central government is so knowledgeable. Guo Songling also has to be a good person.

If you have the kung fu to take care of this idle matter, why don't you reorganize the Northeast Military Region and find Guderian and Xu to discuss the construction of armored forces and air force?

When he came to inspect the original site of the Manchurian Railway, Yang Yongtai said to Xu Shouqian: "Being an official depends on two kinds of power and money. With these two things, you have the conditions to do things and implement your ambitions. ”

Xu Shouqian's ability to make money is not small, and he has helped Yang Yongtai a lot, Yang Yongtai plans to expand the capital of the Northeast Bank, build Anshan Iron and Steel Company, and Lushun's petrochemical base, and finally have landed.

"Those consortia in the south are not easy to deal with, and we don't have funds in our hands that will be eaten to death by them. If we have the funds, we can bargain with them, and if we can't get along with Meihua Company, we can also find Zhejiang Industrial Company. ”

Xu Shouqian nodded, and complimented Yang Yongtai slightly, "Sir, your achievements in Shanghai Beiping are obvious to all, and they will give you face." ”

Yang Yongtai shook his head lightly and didn't say anything, Xu Shouqian's level was still too low, and he didn't understand the significance of Meihua Company, in fact, Meihua Company was the key to the development of Northeast China.

Long before coming to Shenyang, I met with Kadoorie, the president of the American-Chinese Bank, and reached a number of consensuses.

Sino-American Bank will support the Northeast construction plan and promote related automobile, steel, shipbuilding and chemical companies to invest in Northeast China.

To this end, he confiscated all the assets of Manchurian Railway with a tough attitude, and prepared to sell them to Meihua Iron and Steel and other related companies.

The Northeast Arsenal that the Zhang family father and son worked hard to establish was also within the scope of dismemberment, and it was divided into two, the military industry department was transferred to the military, and the remaining departments, Yang Yongtai prepared to use it to establish an equipment manufacturing company, an automobile manufacturing company.

The best way to make a joint venture. The United States and China have a wealth of experience in this area, with the capital, technology, and overseas connections that the Northeast lacks.

Xu Shouqian quickly saw what it means to be wealthy and efficient.

Under the leadership of Yang Yongtai, the Northeast side soon reached a cooperation package with the Southern consortium.

For example, the Northeast Automobile Factory, which was on the verge of bankruptcy established by Zhang Shaoshuai, was acquired by the Dasheng Automobile Company and soon resumed production, with equipment from the United States, machine parts from Shanghai, skilled workers from the south, and engineers from the United States and Germany coming one after another.

By the end of 1932, the production capacity of 2,000 Dongfanghong trucks (the original version was Dodge trucks from the United States) per month was basically realized.

There is also the Wudou Tractor Company, which also built a second tractor factory in Shenyang after obtaining a loan from the Chinese Bank.

Liu Wudou, the female legend of China's industry, is very optimistic about the industrialized agricultural machinery market in Northeast China, and Liu Chengmin's Nanhua Grain Company does not know how big a farm to establish in Northeast China, so he ordered 500 tractors in one go.

Of course, Meihua Power Company is also indispensable, and the diesel engine and automobile engine cooperated by Meihua Power and Cummins Company have become the indispensable heart of China's tractor and automobile industry.

The military is also optimistic about the northeast and has prepared some personnel from the tank and aircraft research institutes to be assigned to the northeast to establish branches.

In short, opening up to the north and northeast is a trend in China's economy, which plays a role in stimulating domestic demand, and the southern economy has gained a new market.

Coupled with the government's widening deficit and massive investment in infrastructure, China is gradually emerging from economic depression.

The speed of development is estimated to be comparable to that of the Soviet Union in the north. Moreover, trade between the two countries became more and more frequent, exceeding 1 billion yuan in 1932.

This has been almost impossible to happen in the last decade.

The Kremlin, Stalin listened to the report of the Trade Committee and the report of Chinese trade, and the Chinese were willing to supply the Soviet Union with machinery, chemical technology and equipment, including rubber.

Although the Chinese are not very technological, it is also a breakthrough to be able to get something from them.

The Soviets also planned to build their own armored corps.

Regarding the Sino-Japanese war in 1931, Stalin commented: "In the past, the Chinese did not have a military industry, and whoever was happy would fight him. Not anymore. A new Chinese imperialism has risen!

We need to be vigilant. (To be continued.) )