This silence did not last long, Yang Zhengjin met Liu Ping's fierce gaze, like a big Buddha, and his voice was like a bell: "This is all to end the war as soon as possible." ”

"Before the start of the war, the General Staff predicted that as the US military gradually completed its military mobilization and successively entered the battlefield, if our army could not achieve a real rendezvous with the German army by September 1916, it would be very difficult for China and Germany to have a chance to establish sustained and effective strategic ties. At that time, it is necessary to formulate more flexible guidelines for war on the premise of complete separation between China and Germany. ”

Liu Ping had no intention of confronting Yang Zhengjin head-on, and when he said this, he glanced at Liang Tianhe: "Chief of General Staff Liang, is what this king said true?" ”

Liang Tianhe nodded reluctantly: "This is indeed the case, but this is the result of the arbitrariness of Marshal Liu Bailiang, the chief of the general staff at the time, and now it seems to be ......." ”

Liu Ping interrupted him without hesitation: "It's August now, and this king thinks that the situation is already very clear——"

Liu Ping paused, took a long breath, and his tone changed, becoming unusually sharp: "First, Russia is still blocking the continental communication line between China and Germany, and its army not only shows no signs of collapse, but with the increasingly effective military assistance of the Entente, the level of weaponry and training has been continuously improved, and recently it has successively thwarted the summer offensives launched by our army and the German army, and its combat effectiveness cannot be underestimated. This king really can't see how sure you are that the Russian army will be completely defeated in the next one or two months, or even three or five months. ”

Second, after Turkey's surrender, the Entente occupied the Black Sea Straits and Asia Minor, thus blocking the Indian Ocean communication line between China and Germany. Until the Basrah-Mosul Railway is completed, it will be difficult for our army to maintain an expeditionary force sufficient to reach the Balkans by means of a large amount of mules, horses, trucks, and water transportation limited by season and river section. ”

"As far as the king knows, because of the two main rivers in the region, the Euphrates and the Tigris, the season is at the confluence of the lower reaches. As a result of the vast flooding areas that are difficult to bypass, our army has to build a large number of bridges and causeways for the railways passing through these areas, and the project is so vast and cumbersome that the entire 'Baghdad Railway' will not be opened to traffic until at least two years later. That is, within the next year or two. The chances of opening up the Indian Ocean lines of communication are slim. ”

"Since it is no longer possible for the Chinese and German armies to achieve a meaningful meeting before the predetermined time limit, the General Cabinet of Ministers does not discuss how to shrink the front and cultivate national strength, but has to attack from all sides, exacerbating the difficulty of supply and accelerating the dissipation of national strength. The root of the future war is laid for the king, who really can't understand it. ”

After Liu Ping finished speaking, his eyes swept again: on this side, Liang Tianhe was dumbfounded and at a loss; On that side, Yang Zhengjin's golden body is majestic and immovable; However, Hook, who has always lacked a sense of presence in the middle, opened his mouth coldly, and his voice and posture were empty, like an old monk chanting.

"It's getting harder and harder to resupply. The national strength is also becoming more and more overwhelming, so it is even more necessary to take the initiative in various battlefields, achieve more overwhelming victories, and force the Entente to make peace with our country on sufficiently decent terms - I wonder why the regent is still puzzled? ”

Liu Ping frowned, his momentum decreased slightly, and he felt that he had fallen into a logical circle similar to "the chicken came first, or the egg came first".

"Regardless of whether it will work, who will be responsible if it leads to a major failure?"

Yang Zhengjin took advantage of the situation to take over the conversation: "That's really the case." The heads of the Cabinet and the General Staff naturally have to shoulder the corresponding responsibilities. ”

Liu Ping gritted his teeth, his mind was blank, the results of staying up late last night to make up for it, I don't know what to do, and they were all thrown out of the clouds in the blink of an eye.

"The stakes are high, and this king has to think carefully. That's all for today, change rì and make a decision. ”

Yang Zhengjin finally showed a victor's smile: "According to the Organic Law of the Base Camp, the regent must give a clear decision within three days. ”

……

入夜, zhōngnánhǎi northwest corner. Close to the north wall of Xinhua Palace, there is a combination of Chinese and Western gardens called "Jiling Garden", which is Liu Ping's residence before his wedding. After marriage, the crown prince and his wife were supposed to live in the Yuqing Palace in the Forbidden City, but in fact, they still lived in this Jiling Garden, and only temporarily moved to the Yuqing Palace when the necessary ceremonies were held.

Now, it has become a corner of the Regent's Palace, a small side room is brightly lit, and the three royal highnesses of the Liu royal family are sitting around to drink tea, talking about the old and discussing the new, this is the first time since the war.

"Brother Wang was ordered to be in danger this time, be careful, blessings and misfortunes go hand in hand, there is no free lunch in the world."

With fair skin, long hair over the ears, and a white shirt decorated with openwork, Liu Fan, the twenty-three-year-old Prince of Wuhe, spoke with an ethereal and thorough voice that did not match his age.

"Liu Fan, what do you mean by that?"

At this time, Liu Ping had already changed out of the prince's dress with fluttering ears during the day, and changed into a simple and slim Praetorian Guard major uniform, his face had already been sunburned into bronze by the rì light of the Asia Minor Peninsula and the Southwest Pacific, and his eyebrows were heroic, coupled with the straightforward and unreserved frankness, sitting with Liu Fan, who was young and old, and the city government was deeply hidden, it was difficult for outsiders to imagine that this was a pair of brothers.

"I think Liu Fan just wants to remind Brother Ping not to be a scapegoat for others."

Tight skin shows a healthy wheat sè, hair is pulled into a refreshing ponytail at the back of the head, slightly close-fitting orange sè inlaid with white trim tracksuit, looming uneven, rich elastic curves, as the chairman of several royal foundations plus a twenty-six-year-old married young woman, Princess Yuelan Liu Yu Chūn is no longer the literary young woman who can only look at books.

Liu Ping narrowed his eyes, tilted his head and said, "Scapegoat? Yu Chūn, do you want to say that my position as regent is actually just an ornament? But the emperor didn't let me see her these days, but just asked the female official to spread the word and let me make up my own mind about everything - at least the emperor wouldn't treat me as a decoration. ”

Liu Yu chūn didn't show mercy to this twin brother who had been fighting since he was a child, and said to the point: "If Brother Ping adheres to the emperor's decree in everything, and only serves as a microphone with peace of mind, no matter what the final consequences are, the corresponding responsibility will still be borne by the emperor." On the contrary, if everything is decided by Brother Ping himself, of course, the responsibility will be borne by the elder brother himself, and the emperor can stand by and watch. ”

Liu Ping was in a hurry, and the teacup slammed on the table: "Impossible, the emperor will never have such a thought!" ”

Liu Fan sneered: "The emperor may not have a heart, Brother Wang is in a dream, politics doesn't matter about the motive, the result is the most important thing." The current situation was originally the result of a compromise between all parties, and if all parties agreed that it was the best choice for Brother Wang to be a scapegoat, even if he was in the name of regent, Brother Wang would inevitably become an outcast. ”

"The parties you are talking about, including the emperor?"

Liu Ping subconsciously did not allow anyone to tarnish Liu Qianhua's image in his mind, even his own brother.

Liu Fan patted the armrest on the chair: "A slap can't make a sound, this empire is neither the emperor's nor our Liu family's, if it doesn't even merge horizontally, exchange interests, bribe, threaten and intimidate, and even struggle and purge, not only will it not be able to do anything, but I am afraid that it will not even be able to keep its seat." ”

Liu Ping's eyes were still clear: "I didn't think about it that much, I just wanted to create a world where everyone could fly, if I had a strong air force, maybe I would be able to realize this dream as soon as possible." You just talked about the exchange of benefits, and whoever can help me now, I will give him some benefits for the time being, but if it involves the fundamental interests of the country......"

Liu Yu chūn held his forehead and interrupted Liu Ping who was sleepwalking: "Actually, the emperor just wants Brother Ping to make a deal with them, right?" Whether it's sincere or fake, anyway, if you can't resist the pressure from the patriarch for the time being, then take the opportunity to seek the greatest interests for yourself and the people around you, and make your ideals go further, and there is nothing wrong with it. ”

Liu Ping thought about it and was anxious: "Then I won't become the marionettes of the patriarchs?" ”

Liu Yu chūn smiled softly, like sending chūn wind: "Didn't the emperor also be a marionette for several years?" If you come, you will be safe, follow the trend, prepare for the momentum, no matter what, Liu Fan and I will be on your side. ”

Liu Ping waved his hand, as if to dispel the troubles that had just gathered in front of him.

"It's hard to get together once, don't worry about these headaches for a while - Yu Chūn, your Ryukyu horse, I heard that you went to sea with the ship not long ago?"

Liu Yu chūn looked disdainful and turned his face away: "He took the initiative to ask for it, and asked me to ask the emperor to dredge the joints - if he likes to fight, let him go, I still have a lot to do, and I don't have time to pay attention to him." ”

Liu Ping finally put on the appearance of his brother and said: "You are not the attitude that military families should have......

Liu Yu chūn tilted his head and smiled: "Brother, you take care of your own family first, I heard that my sister-in-law went to the emperor to complain again, saying that you lied to her, and said that she would not risk to the front line again, but this time she secretly drove a plane to the front line of Solomon, and was involved in an air battle......"

"My good sister, stop it, I said forget these headaches-"

Liu Ping grabbed the life-saving straw and turned to Liu Fan: "Don't listen to your sister's nonsense, your brother is still measured." ”

After that, he sighed: "After the death of the queen mother, I, as an elder brother, didn't care much about you - how is it, you and the young lady of the Qirui Hou family, called Ma Suwan, right, how is the progress?" ”

Qirui Hou is the current Minister of Munitions and Chairman of the Wartime Economic Commission, the title of former Prime Minister Ma Feng, his only daughter Ma Suwan, as early as when the Empress Dowager Ning was alive, she was engaged to Liu Fan, at this time less than a month before the wedding, Liu Fan seemed to care.

Liu Fan didn't answer positively, looked up at the moon and said: "Brother Wang, do you remember, this Miss Ma was originally Her Royal Highness the concubine appointed by the queen mother, but it was only because the imperial brother insisted that Zhu Xin not marry him, so he retreated and pulled the string to me." ”

Liu Pinglu was unhappy: "You didn't object at the time, what's the matter, do you want to regret it now?" Not to mention that this is the queen's will, you are a manly husband......"

Liu Fan interrupted coldly: "I don't regret it, it's just that Miss Ma, I'm afraid I already have a heart." ”

……

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