The heads of state of the republic rarely gathered at the State Guest House, the former Gongwang Mansion, which was briefly used as the residence of the Qing royal family after the establishment of the Mengshan Army, and then changed to the State Guest House.

The venue was arranged by Lu Bicheng, and the main dish was roast duck -- a dish that the president liked very much, and he especially admired the chef's "flying knife" stunt. On this day, the president was itchy, and he even played with a flying knife in public. This knife is different from the other flying knife, he used the chef's knife to peel the duck to pierce a row of ducks hanging outside the oven, and put three knives in a row 15 meters away, and two knives were pierced on the ducks.

In the laughter of everyone, Long Qian smiled "apologetically", "After a long time away from the pommel horse, the spleen and flesh are revived." All the skills I have cultivated in the past have been returned to the teacher. ”

Only the military cadres who followed him first knew that the president had been a superman in martial arts -- and no one in the civil service present knew about this except Deng Qinghua and Fan Deping.

Zhang Jian, who was already bald, exclaimed, "I didn't expect the president to have this stunt." ”

Long Qian laughed, "This is not bragging. Even now, three or five people may not be my opponent. Ha ha. ”

Potluck is an "AA" system. This is also Long Qian's invention. Unless it is an official reception, even the president and the prime minister have to pay out of pocket. This somewhat pedantic regulation has been praised and ridiculed, and it is China's national condition to welcome and send it to China, even if the top is self-disciplined, the bottom will not ban banquets at public expense. Thinking of this, Fan Deping sighed secretly. He admitted, however, that there is not much public spending on public money.

The State Guest House is subordinate to the Office of the President, and Lu Bicheng is the deputy director in charge. After receiving the meal fee (2.5 Chinese yuan per person) from everyone, she whispered to Long Qian, "Mr. House has already passed Texas. Arriving in the afternoon. ”

"Hmm, Mr. Shaochuan," Long Qian called Tang Shaoyi, who was chatting warmly with Duan Fang, "Edward. House is coming, you come in and receive it. Let's get to the bottom of him. ”

"Understood." Tang Shaoyi nodded, took out his exquisite pocket watch and looked at the time, "I'll pick it up at the station." ”

Long Qian nodded, "How about everyone?" I watched the plane too, ate the meal, and dispersed, right? ”

"Feng Ru. You owe us a meal. Fan Deping smiled and patted Feng Ru on the shoulder. Go back and take your 'light boat' and leave me a seat. ”

Edward. House is the son of President Woodrow of the United States. Wilson's diplomatic adviser was ordered to send an envoy to China, and he was accompanied by David Brown, chairman of Huamei Machinery Company. Divin. Today, Huamei Machinery is one of the largest companies in the United States. The business is booming in machine tool manufacturing, engine manufacturing and trading. Most of the products are exported to China. Due to David's good personal relationship with the top Chinese leader. Mr. House invited David to accompany him.

They landed in Shanghai, visited the Sino-US Huangpu Shipyard, the Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Company, and Aurora University, and then took a special train to Beijing. Due to Mr. House's special status. The Ministry of Railways specially transferred a special train to send House and David to Beijing.

The train arrived at Qianmen Station at 5:30 p.m., and was greeted by Foreign Minister Tang Shaoyi and Vice Minister Gu Weijun. Both of them studied in the United States and did not need a translator.

Tang Shaoyi and House were in the same car, Gu Weijun and David took another car, there was a guard car in front and behind, and the four sedans drove out of the station and headed for the State Guest House.

"What exactly is House's charter?" Gu Weijun asked David. This American is actually more Chinese, and despite his enviable personal relationship with Long Qian, he has played an unimaginable role in China's industrial construction over the years.

"I don't know. But certainly in connection with the foreign policy of the United States. David's eyes look out the window, and every time he returns, he notices a change in Beijing, "A month ago, it was rumored that Germany had invited US President Wilson to mediate the war in Europe. But this is an election year, Wilson doesn't have a lot of polls, and he has to curry favor with the mainstream. Moreover, the Americans were isolated and strict, hated the great war in Europe, believed that they were destroying civilization, and were unwilling to intervene in the European war. ”

"What does this have to do with mediation?" Gu Weijun was stunned, "Americans are not going to war. ”

"I talked to Wilson. I feel that he is still willing to insert a lever. Standing with the UK, of course. But the Germans are not weak, and it is very difficult. Limited to the constraints of Congress, the United States has very poor armaments, and the army is less than 300,000 people, how can it fight a war? I think House is here to coordinate the steps with China, at least not to see us turn to Germany. ”

"Understood. Do you want to see the president first? ”

"Not necessarily. I'd better stay with House. I'll call the president at the State Guest House. ”

"You know what? The Germans found a weakness. They stormed the fortress of Verdun. According to the military, this offensive should be decisive. Gu Weijun said, "Maybe the battle of Verdun will decide a qiē." ”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is under increasing pressure to determine the position of the center, and long-term neutrality is negative and uneconomical. After constantly learning more about the details of the European competition, Gu Weijun also hesitated. As far as the battlefield shape was concerned, the Germans had the upper hand, and their battlefield losses were far smaller than their opponents, especially in defensive battles, both against Britain and France and against Russia.

A few years ago, I met General Ye Yanbing, who had been reappointed commander of the Central Military Region in Beijing, and General Ye said in a joking tone: The Germans have learned all those things about the defense of Texas and carried them forward. Whether it was Aobo Ridge, Artois or Shambani, the losses of the Anglo-French forces were too great. It's just out of proportion. The population of the French was already smaller than that of Germany, and if they were wasted in this way, without the Germans attacking, they themselves would collapse.

Gu Weijun took advantage of the situation to ask General Ye for his opinion on the outcome of the European war, and General Ye said that Germany would win or settle it through peace talks. The latter may be a bit larger.

It is said that Marshal Feng Guozhu, who was famous for winning the Battle of Shandong, openly judged that the Germans would win, and he said in an interview with the reporter of the "Declaration" that if Austria-Hungary was not too bad, the Germans could have ended the war by the end of 1915!

But Gu Weijun didn't see it much. The British Empire, which controlled the seas, had too many overseas resources, from Africa to Asia. The British and French colonies were connected in a circle, and the combined strength of the Commonwealth countries alone was not to be underestimated. Unless Germany achieves a quick and decisive victory on the Western Front, the balance of victory will slowly tilt in favor of the Entente.

"Verdun will not decide on a qiē." David interrupted Gu Weijun's recollection, "Don't forget that there is also the United States." The Americans will not see a unified European war. With the strength of the Americans, once they enter the war, the status quo will be completely changed. ”

That's right. Gu Weijun's understanding of the United States is not much worse than David's. And the Americans will definitely be on the side of Britain and France......

This is the first time that the Houst envoy has come to China. When he walked into the antique and full of Chinese elements of the guest house, he said to Tang Shaoyi, "Mr. Tang, I must admit that my understanding of China is too biased. Beijing is a beautiful city, and her beauty is beyond my imagination. ”

The VIP Building is a newly built Chinese-style building in the State Guest House to receive foreign heads of state. There are only two floors. But the interior decoration is completely Western, from the furniture to the utensils, and even the decorative paintings are Western-style oil paintings.

"Do you mean this guest house?"

"No, no. I noticed the streets and buildings of Beijing. and pedestrians. I am ashamed of my ignorance. "House has the frankness that is characteristic of Westerners. He admits that his understanding of China is extremely one-sided, and that he has gradually subverted his impression since Shanghai, he admits. In some ways, China is already quite modern.

"Beijing has a long history as the capital," Tang Shaoyi, accustomed to seeing Westerners go from arrogance to submission, "If you are interested, I can accompany you to explore Beijing's famous attractions, imperial palaces, imperial gardens, and the unique Great Wall ......"

"Very gratifying. But I still have to complete my mission first. When can I meet the President of your country? ”

"Tomorrow."

"Great."

After taking a shower and eating Chinese food, House sat down at his desk and began to write letters to his wife. He had a habit of writing letters to his wife every day when he was away from home, some of which he would send, some of which he would take home for her to see, and some of which would be destroyed when it was related to government affairs.

"My dear, I must admit that China is beyond my imagination. Some descriptions of China are complete nonsense! She is ancient and even more beautiful. In Shanghai and Beijing, there are wide concrete or asphalt streets, street lamps that are more beautiful than Washington, and there are majestic buildings, especially the huge square in the middle of the city adjacent to the railway station, which I have never seen before. On the east and west sides are the Capitol and the museum, and to the north is the famous palace of this ancient empire, and the official who accompanied me who studied in the United States told me that the palace had been converted into a memorial and was open to the general public. A small group of people fly kites in the square, a toy for Chinese children in the spring. None of the Chinese I met had the legendary braids, were not so lean, but neat and clean, and had a healthy complexion, showing confidence and calmness. Some of them are fluent in English and have a deep knowledge of the United States.

I stayed at a manor called the State Guest House. It is said that this is the residence of a famous prince in the Qing Dynasty, with a huge area and beautiful architecture, showing luxury and dignity everywhere. The furnishings of the room are completely modern and very comfortable.

It is an ancient country that has been rejuvenated and has achieved quite remarkable achievements in some respects. I look forward to meeting President Long Qian. A friend in Washington once told me that it was a military dictator in the guise of democracy, and I could smell his breath when I arrived in China. But it must be admitted that this man has changed this ancient empire. I look forward to meeting him......"

In this letter, Mr. House detailed to his wife his impressions of his initial contact with China, acknowledging that the propaganda about China he had received in the United States was extremely one-sided. Two huge cities gave him a huge shock and subverted his impression of China.

The next day, the Horst envoy was accompanied by Foreign Minister Tang to the newly built presidential palace to meet Long Qian. The Central Administrative Region, which had been under construction since 1910 and was put into use in 1915, had disappeared from the vast expanse of farmland outside Guang'anmen in Xizhimen and replaced it with a majestic new city with buildings of different shapes serving as office buildings for various ministries and commissions, with the highest being 12 floors (Ministry of Culture and Education) and the lowest being 8 floors (Ministry of Water Resources). Solemnity is their common characteristic.

The entire system of the Government Council, except for the General Administration of National Security, has been moved here, including the Presidential Palace and the Prime Minister's Office. The Prime Minister's Office is at the southernmost point of the administrative district, while the Presidential Palace is at the northernmost point. The National Assembly has been promulgating policies related to the official residence system for quite some time. This will be the office and residence of the central ministry. By law, senior public officials, including the President, are required to move out of their former offices and residences after leaving office.

Interspersed between the buildings are a large number of residential buildings of various shapes, and these modern residential buildings, which are the envy of Beijing's citizens, are the residences of the staff of the central ministries. Hotels, shops, hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and small playgrounds are all available. It is worth mentioning that these residential buildings, which were delivered at the same time as the office buildings, were connected with heating and running water, which was the envy of Beijing citizens who visited the residential buildings. When they learned of the high price of residential buildings, they fell silent, and even if the salaries of civil servants were high, it was only a few who paid for the houses in one lump sum. As a result, policies and new economic terminology became popular. Spurred on by the central administrative region, Beijing has set up two real estate development companies, one of which is government-run. The other is private in nature. Preparations for the construction of new residential areas in the northern and eastern suburbs began. In response, the Beijing municipal government issued plans and policies, and the banking sector showed signs of prosperity, with a commercial bank called the Residential Bank officially registered. In order to meet the needs of citizens to buy houses with loans.

The streets of the central administrative districts are all named after the ministries. This has made it very convenient for other localities to go to Beijing to do business. While the Howst envoy's car travels through the wide, neat streets of the central administrative district. He had a feeling of being back in the United States.

The presidential palace is located in the northernmost part of the central administrative region, and the straight-line distance from the Xizhimen Tower is about 12 huali. Completely different from the Prime Minister's Office, the Presidential Palace is a garden-style building complex covering an area of about 500 acres, in addition to carefully checking documents and personnel. The tall, straight-faced guard let him go, and the car drove into the presidential palace, and after making a circle, stopped in front of the main building, which was painted with pale yellow walls, where Ms. Lu Bicheng, deputy director of the presidential office, was already waiting.

"Welcome, Mr. House. The President awaits you in the reception room. Please come with me. Lu Bicheng spoke fluent English to the envoy of Haust, and then she said to Tang Shaoyi and David. Devon nodded.

House nodded, followed Lu Bicheng into the main building in a completely Chinese style, and went up to the second floor, he saw the tall man in a straight military uniform without any ornaments, yes, he recognized him at a glance.

But the man preemptively held out his hand, "Mr. House, welcome to China." ”

"Thank you, Mr. President." House took the large outstretched hand and felt the strength of it.

In addition to Foreign Minister Tang, the Chinese representatives attending the talks also included Speaker Hong Yuecheng. The talks took place in a casual atmosphere.

First, House handed over a handwritten letter from President Wilson to Long Qian, and Long Qian quietly read the short letter, "I already understand what Mr. Wilson means. I agree with his basic view of the world situation. Indeed, the enormous European war was a great catastrophe for all mankind......"

"Forgive me for my frankness. We are very concerned about your country's position. Some news upset Mr. Wilson. "House had heard, and David had repeatedly emphasized, taken a straight-up approach," the Germans showed their terrible side in the war. The use of poison gas and the massacre of civilians are unacceptable to the civilized world. We understand that your country has a history of good cooperation with Germany in many ways, but the U.S. government led by Mr. Wilson does not want China to side with Germany. ”

"After the founding of the People's Republic of China, we have given us great support and help not only from Germany, but also from your country. So, I attach great importance to the opinion of the U.S. government. Long Qian's sharp eyes stared at House's blue eyes, "I like frankness and hate hypocrisy. I also frankly tell you that the Germans do not care about our repossession of Tsington, and they want us to join them in attacking Russia from the east. They. You know, in the recent history of our country, no country has hurt us more than Russia, including Japan. The people want the government to take advantage of this to regain the lost rights, and you should understand the feelings of the kind Chinese. ”

"Mr. President, you are a great politician who has led China on a path of civilization and prosperity. I have come to China and have felt this very deeply. You should be responsible for the country and, more importantly, for history. The European War has spread into a world-wide war, destroying wealth and civilization as well as destroying old patterns. We believe that the Chinese government, led by you, should not lose sight of the reality that Germany will not win. When the war becomes prolonged, the side with the wider resources will win the final victory without arguing. Out of friendship with China, the U.S. government wanted China to join the Entente and not to join Germany as an enemy of the world. At the very least, neutrality should be maintained. ”

"Then why didn't the United States declare war on Germany?" Hong Yuecheng interjected. This is the first time that the United States has publicly revealed its position, which shocked Hong Yuecheng.

"Dear Mr. Speaker, the current state of affairs in the United States does not yet allow for a final decision. These are the things you should know. House blinked, "The United States wants to be able to end the war in a peaceful way." The war in Europe was terrible, and it sent shivers down the shoulders of the American people. It is impossible to imagine that science and invention are used to kill people, the light of Europe has been extinguished, and we cannot sit idly by and watch civilization be destroyed. Any support for Germany, even moral, would not be conducive to ending the war. ”

"But what Germany promised, Britain, France, and Russia could not give us. tariffs, concessions, and others. These things imposed on the Chinese people are increasingly disgusted by the awakened people, and Congress reacts strongly to this. As you know, the British have sent envoys to China twice, and we are very disappointed that they have no sincerity in hoping that China will send troops but are unwilling to meet China's minimum demands. Hong Yuecheng said.

"As I said, I take Mr. Wilson's attitude very seriously. I believe that Mr. Wilson planned the end of the European war with a noble spirit. But as the democratically elected president of the Chinese people, I have to work for the interests of China, don't I? This is an election year for your country and for my country, and I must take into account the will of the people. As for your assertion that Germany must fail, I disagree. If nothing else, as far as the art of war is concerned, the Germans are masters. They are disciplined and born warriors. As you may already know, on your way to China, Germany launched an attack on Verdun. The information that had been obtained indicated that the Germans were bound to succeed in this major offensive. Militarily, Germany's hopes of victory over France were skewed and great. If the Anglo-French forces were driven out of the European continent, do you think the Russians would be able to hold it on their own? What's the use of having more colonies in Britain and France? Mr. House, history is all written by the victors, massacring civilians? Wanton sabotage of neutrality? And the use of poison gas? It seems to me that there is no difference between killing people with poison gas and using machine guns. The Japanese also undermined neutrality, didn't they? Why didn't Britain and France sanction Japan? Put away the hypocritical moral preaching, there have been countless examples of the so-called forces of evil triumphing over axioms in history, do you think the Boer War of the British was just? Dear Mr. House, I repeat, I attach great importance to your country's position, and if the United States Government can persuade Britain to meet our minimum requirements, the Chinese Government may consider adopting a new diplomatic position. ”

"So, what are your requirements?" House raised his voice.

"I think you have already received the attitude of China from Britain and France. The tariffs were self-determined, the extraterritoriality that was hated by the Chinese people was abolished, and the remaining reparations of the Xincho Treaty were waived...... These are all things that Germany has explicitly promised to give us. ”

"Well, if you meet...... Is your Congress a party to the Entente? ”

"Yes." Long Qian smiled slightly, "But, will the British agree?" ”

House was well aware of the attitude of the major Entente powers towards China, and they wanted China to join the Entente and provide a large number of troops to fight on the Western Front. They were impressed by the Chinese Wehrmacht, which had simply defeated the Japanese Army. For this reason, he has been constantly lobbying China, but he is unwilling to agree to China's conditions. They were particularly afraid that China would turn over to the side of the Allies, and the Russians were extremely vehemently concerned about this, and they were particularly worried about Chinese's military presence in Outer Mongolia and North Manchuria, believing that it constituted a real threat to the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Far East...... "Mr. President, please forgive my bluntness, if it were a good thing, would you send your army to fight in Europe?" ”

"China has always kept its promises, hasn't it?" Long Qian did not answer directly.

"Thank you. I see what you mean. I think the British, as well as France and Russia, will make a move. (To be continued......)