Episode 77 Molotov's confession

The next day, November 11th, .

Of course, Singles' Day was born in the Internet era in later generations, and there was no "Singles' Day" at this time. But when Xiang Xiaoqiang was a single in later generations, he would be very sensitive at this time every year. Now that I have crossed over, although I have long been a "non-single", and I am still a "double non-single" who hugs left and right, I am still very sensitive to discover the differences today.

He tore off "November 11, 1936" from the desk calendar, and said happily:

"Ah...... Today's Singles' Day...... That's nice, haha. The festival of those singles, it's a pity that I don't have my share. ”

"But......" he rolled his eyes and said again, "but today is still the festival of Zhu Yourong, Zheng Yuxuan, and Fourteen Gege." There is no distinction between men and women...... We need to put an end to them as soon as possible. ”

Therefore, Xiang Xiaoqiang decided to go up the mountain to find Zhu Yourong at noon today, tell Zhu Yourong what he talked about with Bai Deli last night, and mention to her that they wanted to ask her to "endorse" the Lincoln car.

…… Zhu Yourong "endorses" luxury goods, and has always only picked the first, not the second. Like jewelry, she only picks Cartier. cars, she also only picks Rolls-Royce. It's a question of identity. These brands are brands, and her three words "Zhu Yourong" are also brands, if everything is messily "endorsed", then her brand will also be damaged.

Of course, this kind of "endorsement" is also in quotation marks, it is certainly not a formal agreement like in later generations, and there is no need to sign any contract, she is Her Majesty the Empress, and it is offensive for people to take her too seriously. This is a tacit act on the part of both sides. So in normal times, she is unlikely to accept such a gift from Ford. Especially if you have already received a gift from Rolls-Royce.

But today Xiang Xiaoqiang is very confident. Because it involves national interests. As long as it can be beneficial to the Unification War, not to mention the Lincoln sedan, it is a three-wheeled motorcycle, and Xiang Xiaoqiang estimates that she will also laugh at it.

After the morning negotiation, Xiang Xiaoqiang did not show off, only took a few guards, followed the path behind the villa to the Purple Mountain, stopped a military vehicle going to the fortress on the winding mountain road, and hitched into the fortress.

In Zhu Yourong's room, Xiang Xiaoqiang closed the door and had a good chat with her about last night. Zhu Yourong also knew that Xiang Xiaoqiang's brother-in-law had found a girlfriend who was the daughter of the vice president of Ford, and asked Xiang Xiaoqiang to congratulate Ye Ziyu on her behalf. It seems that Zhu Yourong is also very satisfied with this family business, and also thinks that in general, the country is also beneficial.

Xiang Xiaoqiang hid the "espionage plot" and did not say it. Now I don't have any eyebrows, so I can't say this to Zhu Yourong. The relationship between the People's Guard and Dongchang has always been delicate, and Zhu Yourong must be able to see it. Xiang Xiaoqiang was worried about this, this Nizi didn't think about it anymore, and suspected that she was suspected of taking the opportunity to give Dongchang eye medicine. Wait until you have real evidence. Now whether it is the East Factory or the sticky pole, Xiang Xiaoqiang's policy is to pretend not to know.

Xiang Xiaoqiang told her Bai Deli's request again, asking Zhu Yourong to accept a Lincoln car. Then, he also said that the elder Ford would find a way to ask Chaplin to publicly express his appeal to the United States to support the Ming Dynasty, and at the same time "tearfully advise" the Jewish community in the United States.

Zhu Yourong lowered his head and thought for a while, then raised his head and said:

"Chaplin? He wasn't necessarily Jewish. ”

"What? Wasn't Chaplin Jew? ”

Zhu Yourong smiled:

"Saying that Chaplin was a Jew has always been controversial, and no one has ever made it clear. It seems like...... The first to say that Chaplin was Jewish, it was the German official. They say that the Hollywood film industry is dominated by Jews, and Chaplin, for example, is also Jewish...... But after such a long time, no one has any evidence. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang only vaguely remembered that Chaplin was a Jew in later generations, not to mention that his standard face was also very Jewish, and in "The Great Dictator", he played a Jewish barber of Hitler. It stands to reason that Chaplin should have been Jewish.

"And what did Chaplin himself say?"

"Hehe, Chaplin didn't admit it, but he didn't deny it head-on...... He said that would fall into the Nazi trap. Master Chaplin said that if he had Jewish ancestry, he would be proud of it, because geniuses almost all have Jewish ancestry...... Hehe. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiangqi said:

"No, then why didn't I?"

Zhu Yourong was amused by him and smiled. Then, too, she raised her face and said:

"Okay, then you go and check, maybe there is."

After teasing Zhu Yourong for a while, Xiang Xiaoqiang turned to the topic again.

He sighed, frowned, and said:

"Alas, whether Chaplin is Jewish or not, at least as long as he doesn't admit to being a Jew himself, then don't expect him to say anything specifically to American Jews. It's called being unbearable. But fortunately, Chaplin's huge social influence, as long as he called on the American people to support the Ming, the effect is not bad. …… By the way, after talking for a long time, do you want that Lincoln? People are still waiting to bring it to you. ”

Zhu Yourong smiled, then showed a melancholy expression that was more melancholy than him, shook his head and said:

"That's right...... Ford said to 'arrange' Chaplin to make a public statement, how did he 'arrange'? ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang was stunned for a moment, and blurted out:

"He can...... He could...... He's Henry Ford, he can sponsor him. You can invest in making movies for him. ”

Zhu Yourong smiled and said:

"Master Chaplin is not a young actor who has just come out of film school, the master has his own film company. As long as the master wants to, the rich people of all America will line up to invest in him...... As long as Master Chaplin doesn't want to do something, who can buy him with money? ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang frowned and said:

"No, even if Chaplin is not short of money, he won't be able to get along with our Daming. As an American, does he prefer the Northern Qing Dynasty? ”

Zhu Yourong shook his head and said slowly:

"But he certainly didn't like Mr. Ford. If we go to the master ourselves, maybe the master will be willing to speak for us...... But for Henry Ford...... It is unlikely that the master will buy his account. ”

"Why?"

Zhu Yourong smiled:

"Don't you know? Master Chaplin was a staunch leftist, and almost every one of his films spoke for the lower classes...... Big bosses like Mr. Ford have always been the object of criticism and ridicule from the masters. Quite right, have you watched the master's new movie this year? Hehe, everyone can see that this film is simply aimed at Mr. Ford, almost tailor-made for Mr. Ford......"

"I haven't watched it, what film?"

Zhu Yourong smiled:

"Modern Times. The assembly line in there...... Hehehe...... Anyone could see who it was mocking. Well, some say that Master Chaplin was a socialist-ist, and some simply say that he was a Bolshevik. ”

Sky. Xiang Xiaoqiang was completely stunned.

Xiang Xiaoqiang has read "Modern Times", and middle school political textbooks have repeatedly talked about this. Moreover, regarding Chaplin's left-wing tendencies, Xiang Xiaoqiang also remembered a lot of deeds to confirm.

For example, in 1947, just after the end of World War II, all Americans were still immersed in the sense of justice to save Europe, defeat the Nazis, and defeat Japan......

God forbid, this is just after World War II, and those so-called "murderers" are all fathers, husbands, and sons of ordinary Americans. With your ass, you can imagine the extent of the uproar in the United States. As expected, the feelings of the American people were seriously hurt, and Chaplin was immediately boycotted widely in the United States, and countless movie theaters preferred not to make money than to show his films.

In the fifties, when McCarthyism was at its most rampant on the American right, Chaplin was even expelled from the country. Since then, they have settled in Switzerland. The McCarthy period can be said to be the most serious period in which the freedom of speech in the United States was destroyed, and it was also the only period in which leftists could be convicted for their speech. But then again, being able to be targeted by McCarthyism, and being so serious as deportation, can also show how "leftist" Chaplin's political leanings are.

Later, Chaplin also went to China, became a guest of honor in Zhou-en-lai, and the story of him eating roast duck in China was also spread. …… Come to think of it, it was the Cold War.

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed, leaned back on the sofa, and thought to himself: Yes, this Master Zhuo is still an old and angry young man. …… It depends on how capable the old elite is that Old Ford, who can please the old and angry. There's not much to count on anyway.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yourong beside him smiled gently:

“…… I'd better take the Lincoln first. Now that you are related by marriage after all, Mr. Bai has also found you...... Besides, since Mr. Ford has the heart to run for the affairs of Daming, then we have to thank others. It doesn't matter if someone is invited or not, the key is that everyone works together for the common thing. …… That's right, you tell Mr. Bai to send someone to send the car over when it's convenient. When there is the right occasion, I sit on it and show up a few times. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart warmed, turned his head to look at Zhu Yourong, smiled and nodded. Then he grabbed one of her hands, put it on his lap, and held it gently.

Zhu Yourong smiled and rested his head on his shoulder.

After a while, Zhu Yourong said softly:

"As long as we work hard, the difficulties will be overcome. These setbacks are nothing. As long as...... We firmly believe that our cause is just. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang raised his head and said:

"yes...... These setbacks ...... After all, it's just a setback. ”

……

Beijing.

For several days, Molotov had been threatening Guangwu, exaggerating the gravity of the situation to him, describing to him the tragic situation of the Qing Dynasty once the Ming army had crossed the Yellow River, and the tragic fate that Guangwu himself might face.

However, Guangwu has always insisted on not relaxing at all: we welcome Soviet assistance very much, but the Soviet Army will fight directly on the land of the Qing Dynasty, and it will definitely not work.

"Mr. Molotov," Guangwu said, holding his pipe, standing in front of the sofa with his other finger, "we welcome your air force into the Qing Dynasty, and you are welcome to provide us with tanks...... But your ground forces must not fight across the border. No way. ”

Molotov had a mustache and small glasses, and his sly gaze radiated through the lenses. He looked up at Guangwu and listened to the translator without saying a word.

Emperor Guangwu's style is very similar to Stalin's. Smoking a pipe, he walked slowly around while talking. …… It's just that according to the intelligence, this young emperor has always smoked cigarettes, when did he start smoking pipes?

…… Is it just to imitate Stalin, while giving yourself a subconscious awe of the spirit?

Molotov smiled slightly and said:

"Your Majesty the Emperor, Nanming's advantage lies in the air force. With only our Soviet Air Force, we have little confidence. The disadvantage of Nanming is the ground forces, and our advantage is also the ground forces. Your Majesty, if you let us cross the border to join the war, the situation you face will be changed at once. Compared with our Red Army armored forces, Nanming's armored troops are just toys. ”

Guangwu shook his head:

"Our ground forces are sufficient, and the armored forces should be more than Nanming. That's not a problem. So far, we are far superior to the Ming army in the ground forces. ”

Molotov smiled slightly, did not refute directly, just leaned back on the sofa, took out a cigarette by himself, and smoked it.

Guangwu's face was slightly feverish, and he knew what Molotov's speechlessness meant. This means that he does not bother to refute his words at all.

There is no doubt that he didn't know that his Qing army couldn't defeat the Ming army at all? How could he not have known that his army was under the fighting power, surrender was commonplace, and it was often on the verge of collapse? If it weren't for the huge numerical advantage, this Forbidden City would no longer be where he lives.

Moreover, Guangwu also knew very well that once the Soviet Red Army crossed the border to participate in the war, whether it was in the name of "volunteer troops" or what, then Nanming's strategic advantage would be defeated head-on.

He has always believed that Nanming's strong combat effectiveness is due to air superiority and armor maneuverability. The Soviet Volunteer Air Force did not immediately level the balance of air power, but at least it made air superiority less one-sided. More importantly, on the ground, the Soviet tank forces and the Ming army are not the same, and the combat effectiveness is not clear, but in terms of numbers, it is first of all overwhelmingly superior. Moreover, the war potential of the Soviet Union and the war potential of the Qing Dynasty together were by no means something that Nanming could bear.

But Guangwu was extremely uneasy about the Soviet Union. Once the Soviet troops are allowed to come in and fight, do you know if they will go back?

Guangwu says:

"Mr. Stalin's kindness was appreciated...... As long as Mr. Stalin is willing to support us in the air force, I will definitely repay the favor and will not let his hard work be in vain...... We can discuss the dispute between the northern and western borders slowly, and we can make some concessions...... But the support of the ground forces ...... Hehe, isn't your country supporting the Spanish government army? There's a greater need for 'volunteers' on the ground. ”

Molotov shook his head and said:

"Your Majesty, we are not the same as the fascists. The fascists in Italy and Germany can go into battle shirtless, but we can't...... We will not send 'volunteers' directly into the war. …… Your Majesty the Emperor, please do not be careful, Comrade Stalin is willing to help you resist imperialist aggression, which is also in line with the core interests of the Soviet Union. China is not the same as Spain, and whoever wins in the end will not have much influence on the Soviet Union, nor will it be too direct.

"But China is a different story. Once Southern Ming imperialism has eliminated you and occupied all of China, it will soon become even more powerful than all of Europe combined...... And right behind us, close to us...... The dual threat of imperialism and the bourgeoisie will directly face our country's long borders......

"Your Majesty the Emperor, Comrade Stalin has specially authorized me to say these words to you in order to dispel your concerns. Comrade Stalin's readiness to lend a helping hand to you was not on the basis of any unscrupulous intentions, but purely out of the security of the USSR itself. This is also the common interest of our two countries. ”

Chewing on Molotov's confession, Guangwu felt that this should indeed be said at Stalin's behest. Stalin did not give clear instructions, and Molotov did not dare to say so in any case.

This is indeed true.

"The double threat of imperialism and the bourgeoisie will directly face the long border of our country", especially this sentence. Guangwu smiled very evilly in his heart: At that time, the Soviet Union will also face the problem that has plagued the Qing Dynasty for many years - fleeing south.

"The threat of imperialism" refers to the military threat of Nanming, which is not said. …… However, coupled with the "double threat of the bourgeoisie", doesn't that mean the matter of fleeing south?

……