The French ambassador to China, Jean-Cétim Conde, personally protested to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the Chinese expulsion of an embassy member involved in a spy case. The member, who had been detained for two days, was brought back by him, but had to be repatriated. In the face of the ironclad evidence issued by the Chinese side, Kant is just a fierce inward-looking.

After some calculation, since September, the Chinese side has expelled seven diplomats in a row. Among them, 3 are from Japan, 1 from the United Kingdom, 1 from France, 1 from Russia, and 1 from Austria. China suddenly showed an extremely tough diplomatic style, and did not hesitate to protest from the great powers. On October 2, China publicly executed 19 Chinese convicted of treason, with the highest position being a director of the Ordnance Industry Administration, including two employees working in foreign embassies.

As far as the outcome of the counter-espionage case is concerned, China's bias towards Germany and Austria is clearly visible. As the Chinese have stepped up their counterintelligence efforts, foreigners in Beijing are feeling the pressure, including employees of Chinese institutions: university teachers, foreign experts in research institutions, etc. In order to dispel their concerns, on September 30, the Bureau of Foreign Experts under the Ministry of Culture and Education was formally established, and all foreigners registered with the Bureau received a certificate, with which they not only enjoyed the national treatment of the Republic of China, but also various preferential treatments: all public transportation facilities (including railways) in the country can be used for free, all paid parks, museums and libraries are open to them free of charge, and Chinese-funded hotels are all 50% discounted.

In distant Europe, the Battle of the Marne was over, France was "lucky" to keep Paris, and the three armies of the powerful German right flank were forced to retreat. The French government, which had already moved to Bordeaux, was relieved. It also made Ambassador Kant breathe a sigh of relief. If Paris falls, France is basically finished. Even so. After more than a month of fighting, France lost a large part of its territory, and the northern mining and industrial areas fell into the hands of the German army, and France's power was greatly weakened. The population was already smaller than that of Germany, and the armaments were inferior to those of the opponents, and now they are even more passive. According to his wife's letter, she met Commander-in-Chief Xia Fei at a reception in Paris, who was still confident and was said to be preparing a major counteroffensive, but Kant was not quite convinced that it would succeed. It was a foregone conclusion that the Western Front would be plunged into a protracted war, and France was destined to shed even more blood. And there is no guarantee of victory.

Kant had to meet with Jurdian almost every day. Today is no exception. Back from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kant's car was parked directly downstairs at the British Embassy. Zhu Erdian's reception room was lively, and the diplomatic salon formed since the founding of the People's Republic of China was being held, with American Ambassador Reinsch and British Navy Lieutenant Commander George. Major of the French Army, Langlezak. The Australian journalist Morrison who lived in China for two decades and named an important street after him (Morrison Street was renamed Wangfujing Street in 1910). and the American capitalist David Brown, who is said to have a deep personal relationship with President Long Qian. Devon, now David has officially taken over as chairman of Huamei Machinery Company, spending most of his time in the United States. But I have to come to China at least for a month or two every year.

Because of the presence of this special David, some of the things that Kant was going to say to Jurdian could not be said publicly.

They were talking about the war in Shandong. Speaking was China's Thong Morrison, a fully Chinese Australian who played for the British, who was telling the latest news from his trip to Shandong.

"My dear," said Jurdian to Morrison, "you go on. I think Mr. Kant will be interested in your message. Not wanting to interrupt the interesting conversation with Kant's arrival, Jurdian asked Kant, "Would you like coffee or tea?" ”

"Coffee bar." Kant sat in an empty easy chair, took a cigar from his pocket, cut it with a cigar cutter, and lit it, hiding his face in the curling smoke.

But Moritson's "report" has come to an end, "Jiaoxian has been occupied, Qingdao has been encircled, and the attack on Qingdao should have begun in these two days." On the northern front, the Japanese army had crossed the Baisha River and approached Changyi, and perhaps the battle would soon be over. In fact, Morrison had already recounted what he had learned about the battle in Shandong, and because of Kant's arrival, he once again briefly stated his conclusions.

"I don't see it that way." It was David who spoke, "I just came back from Jinan, and it's normal there. There was not the slightest panic. What does this mean? It shows that the Mengshan army is in the chest. Commander Feng is an old friend of mine, and he is known for his bravery in battle. In my opinion, the battle is still to come. ”

Several of the generals under Long Qian were all big names who had been repeatedly studied by foreign ambassadors. They were the pillars of the Wehrmacht, and although the military control system had long since ended at the time of the founding of the country, those generals (with the exception of the Chief of the General Staff Situ Jun) still had a profound influence on the political situation, including several lieutenant generals who served as commanders of the Grand Military Region.

"It is said that this admiral is known for his recklessness, and since President Long Da handed over the Shandong war to him, it seems that he must be extraordinary. This was the first major war since the founding of the People's Republic of China. "Not long after US Ambassador Reinsch arrived in China, Cheng Dù, who was familiar with the important generals of the new Chinese military circles, was not as familiar as Zhu Erdian and others.

"Ah, yes, General Situ, Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese Army, has returned to Beijing. A few days ago, I watched the game in Fengtai with Mr. President, which shows that the situation in Shandong is not strict, at least not at the highest level in China. Ambassador Kant interjected.

"Oh? Mr. Diwen, have you met General Feng Guozhu, the supreme commander of the Chinese army? He didn't reveal anything of interest to you? Zhu Erdian manipulated the topic, which was a must-have for the owner of the salon.

Invite David. Divin's visit to the British Embassy was arranged by Zhu Erdian, and Ambassador Reinsch came forward. Juerdian was curious to know what was going on at the highest levels of China, and David certainly knew more than all of them combined.

"I didn't see General Feng. But I have my own judgment. David seemed to have no intentions, "Guarding Qingdao is the 6th Division, the trump card of aces." It was not so easy for the Japanese to take Qingdao. ”

"Dear Mr. Divin, I respect your feelings for China. However, with the support of the fleet's powerful firepower, Qingdao was obviously unable to hold on. The tenacity of the Japanese has taught our Russian friends a lesson. Ambassador Kosowicz judged that Qingdao would change hands in a week at most. To know. At that time, the Lushun fortress was stronger than Qingdao. If you say that the Chinese will hold Jinan, I can believe it. But Qingdao is not good. This good port in the Far East, which had been occupied by Germany for more than ten years, was about to change hands, and without a navy, it would be impossible for the Chinese to take it back. Morrison said.

"Speaking of the navy, the Japanese navy is disgraced," Lieutenant Commander George continued, "the value of submarines has been proven, and although there is no accurate information, it is certain that those who once laughed at the Chinese for developing submarines from Germany were a huge mistake should shut up." The Chinese have brought big trouble to the Japanese Navy, which is the first in Asia and the third in the world! "George was an alternative to the British Navy. He once vigorously advocated the development of submarines, but was squeezed out by the top brass of the Navy, was expelled from the Grand Fleet to teach at the Naval Academy, and was rushed to China to serve as a naval attaché for advocating the threat of submarines. Now his opinion has been confirmed. One of Germany's newest U-boats sank three British cruisers in a single day. The miracle of naval warfare was created. Britain's sea lines of communication are already under great threat. This caused great panic in the British Empire, which depended on blood transfusions from overseas colonies, and George had been ordered to return home, and they finally remembered the assertions they had made the big men unhappy.

"And airplanes. It's hard to imagine that the Chinese have built so many planes. "It is said that the planes have caused great trouble for the Japanese, and Russian friends say that the Chinese have attacked the Japanese shore warehouses with their homemade incendiary bombs, and the Japanese have suffered great losses. I agree with my American friend," he said, glancing at David, "the war in Shandong will not end soon!" The Chinese will definitely fight, they will not ask for peace. ”

"It seems that I am more isolated," Morrison smiled, "in the opinion of the two, who is more optimistic?" China or Japan? He looked at the two military attachés.

"Japan, of course." Lieutenant Colonel George mused, "I admit that China has made extraordinary military progress, but there is still a gap compared to Japan. Airplanes and submarines are not the decisive factor. However, it will be more difficult for Japan to win this battle, and the war will not end soon, and the key lies in Qingdao. If the Chinese army could not relieve the siege of Qingdao, the Japanese victory would be irreversible. ”

"I have a different view from Lieutenant Colonel George," said Langlezak, "and the Chinese deployment is very abnormal, and since Qingdao is the key, why did the Chinese evacuate the outskirts of Qingdao lightly?" If you abandon Qingdao to seek a diplomatic solution, why place an elite army division in Qingdao? This doesn't make sense. In addition, several divisions of the Chinese army were concentrated near Gyeonggi, which had long exceeded the need for defense, and they even withdrew the 1st Division, which was said to be the most elite of the Chinese army, to Zhili before the outbreak of fighting, which is puzzling. There is also the 2nd Division, which originally belonged to the Southwest Military Region, but before the start of the war, it was transferred to Zhili and incorporated into the garrison. It is said that a unit of the South-Eastern Military Region also went north. If these military transfers were directed against Shandong, the Japanese would be in big trouble. In terms of troop strength, if Shandong adds three more Chinese army divisions, its strength will completely overwhelm Japan, unless Japan continues to increase its troops in Shandong. ”

"Maybe the Chinese are looking for a diplomatic solution." Ambassador Reinsch interjected, "Mr. Rockefeller had a pleasant meeting with me upon his return, and he greatly appreciated our mutual friend for his mastery of the world situation above all other political authorities. He is especially good at using 'momentum', oh, the East has a philosophy different from the West, and the Chinese are better at 'going around in circles' than going straight. Many officials in the Chinese government, including those in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explicitly want the dispute in Shandong to be resolved through diplomatic channels. Just yesterday, Mr. Tang Shaoyi talked about this when I had lunch with me. I think he asked me to bring a message to Japan. ”

"No, it's not." Kant interrupted Reinsch, who remembered Lebel, who had been deported, and who had been arrested precisely because he had gone to Baoding without permission to spy on the movements of the Chinese army, "According to the exact information, on October 1 alone, at least eleven military vehicles headed south to Hengshui, and although the slabs were covered with canvas, the shape of the cannon could still be seen. The Chinese have already increased their troops to Shandong! ”

This news did not surprise everyone present.

"It is possible to seek a diplomatic solution by military means," Zhu Erdian nodded, "after all, Shandong is one of the most important provinces in China, and they are not willing to destroy Shandong, so that China's ongoing industrialization will be affected by Yanzhòng." ”

"Do you think there will be a new conflict in Manchuria or Tianjin?" Kant answered, "The Japanese have increased their troops in Manchuria, could China's increase in troops in Gyeonggi be aimed at the Japanese garrison?" Ambassador Lin Quanzhu was very nervous about this. ”

"It's hard to say about Manchuria, but it's unlikely that war will break out in Gyeonggi." "We have jointly made diplomatic demands to China and Japan to guarantee peace in Gyeonggi, and this involves the interests of all countries," Zhu said. Our old friend made it clear that as long as Japan does not provoke elsewhere, China will not do anything to Tianjin. Ambassador Hayashi Quanzhu also said that Japan has no intention of engaging in a wider war with China, and that as long as China cedes Qingdao and opens up the Jiaoji Railway and the Jiyang oil field, Japan can negotiate with China to resolve the Shandong conflict under the mediation of the British Empire. Of course, the Chinese side should pay the corresponding fees. ”

"Hehe, the Japanese economy is under a lot of pressure. As soon as the war began, the issue of military spending was put on the table. If I were Chinese, I would definitely not make peace with him. Lieutenant Colonel George, who was about to return home, had a gloomy face, "The Japanese do not deserve sympathy, I must express my true thoughts, and only represent myself." They should have moved the main naval forces to the south to cooperate with the British Far East Fleet to find and annihilate the Spee fleet, and their land forces should be deployed in the European theater to fulfill the responsibilities of the Allies. ”

"The Japanese are taking advantage of the fire to rob. Use the war in Europe to achieve hegemony in East Asia. David, who had been silent, exclaimed, "But they miscalculated." China is no longer the sick man of East Asia that was bullied by others in the past, and it must be China that wins this war. Japan won't get a penny of war reparations, I bet you. ”

Kant's face darkened. George and David's words hit the nail on the head. It would have been nice if Japan had sent a few divisions for the battle in Shantung to Europe, although not a decisive force, but the situation was such that even an additional Allied division for the German-French theater was urgently needed. He knew that the government had negotiated with Japan to send troops to Europe, but Japan made it clear that the Japanese army and navy could not be mobilized across the ocean until the threat from China was lifted, even if the Allies could bear the full cost.

Is China a threat to Japan's security? Kant did not admit this. China had declared neutrality and disarmed Germany by force. In this regard, China seems to be leaning more towards the Entente camp. There is no other explanation for Japan's behavior than selfishness.

"It looks like we'll have to wait and see." Zhu Erdian concluded, "Let's see how long the Qingdao fortress will be captured. I agree with the point of view that the Qingdao defense will determine the outcome of the Shandong War. "Japan had invited Britain to send troops to help in the war, but Britain flatly refused. It was a clear instruction of the British Empire that China must not be pushed to the side of Germany and Austria, and the conflict could only be confined to China and Japan. In order not to provoke China, Britain refused Japan's request to use British naval bases, causing discontent in Japan. But Zhu Erdian said the move did not violate the surviving Anglo-Japanese alliance.

The diplomatic salon is over. Rynsch and David. Divine took his leave, and the two military attaches left, but Kant stayed behind and exchanged views with Zhu Erdian about the Chinese government's expulsion of diplomats.

"The attitude of the Chinese is extremely tough. They said that they would increase the punishment of traitors in the future. As a result of the increasingly stringent counter-espionage measures taken by the Chinese, our Chinese friends who used to maintain close ties with us have become worried, and I am worried that we will become deaf and blind in the future," Kant worried, "You must have noticed that the national consciousness of the Chinese is awakening, and they are not only hating Japan, but also becoming more and more hostile to us." ”

"So we want Japan to win," Jurden put away his usual smile. Kant was right, since the outbreak of the war in Shandong, demonstrations against Japan have broken out in major cities in China, and in Wuhan there was an incident of people beating up the Japanese, and the people strongly supported the government's war of resistance, and spontaneous donations were very common, especially in the industrial and commercial and educational circles. In Xisi, Zhu Erdian witnessed the crowd in Beijing enthusiastically subscribing to war bonds, and some even tore up the bonds on the spot and threw them away, "If Japan loses this war, China will become more uncontrollable, and the Far East will be even more insecure." However, the actions of the Japanese must be restrained and limited to a reasonable range. Damn the wars in Europe, damn the Germans, they are ruining the miè civilization, the world order that miè whites have built for generations! (To be continued......)