Episode 85 Who's the Fool

"Pursue your Empress!"

When Xiang Xiaoqiang first heard this, his whole body sank, his mouth opened into an O-shape, and the first feeling was the "little ninety-nine" in his heart.

He thought he had misheard. But the words couldn't be clearer, and they still ring in my ears. I obviously didn't hear it wrong. He turned his face to look at the translator and then at Hitler, trying to make sure whether Hitler had made a mistake or if the translation had been wrong. The translator's expression was also shocked and embarrassed, apparently Hitler said so, and he heard it clearly.

"Mr. Prime Minister," Xiang Xiaoqiang asked in a dumbfounded voice, "what do you mean......"

Hitler looked at him, smiled and nodded, and said:

"Didn't you ever think of it?"

Hitler smiled, his expression was like that of a kind elder, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if he had been staring at Xiang Xiaoqiang's mind.

Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled dryly, noncommittal. After being silent for a while, he blushed and said stubbornly:

"But...... Mr. Prime Minister, it's too hard. Me and ...... and our majesty, the status disparity is too great. ”

Hitler laughed, with the kind of expression on his face that only a traitor would have:

"Yes, it's hard. But sir, I suggest that you compare whether it is more difficult to become the husband of the Empress or the Minister of the First Assistant, given your current age and status. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang slowly tasted his words: ...... It seems that if you want to launch the Northern Expedition, you must hold the supreme power of the state. And the supreme power of the state is in the hands of two people: the empress and the first minister. Although it seems unrealistic to marry Zhu Yourong now, in comparison, it is too unrealistic to become the first auxiliary minister at a young age.

Hitler added:

"Sir, you now have the actual power of the People's Guard, as well as the nominal power to dominate the armed forces of the country. These powers are already enormous, far beyond your age and beyond what is customarily accepted. Until your age and political experience are commensurate with it, you should not expect that the nominal power that dominates the armed forces of the country will become practical. …… Of course, I'm not saying that you're not worthy of the power, and I have no doubt about your talent. But you need a powerful boost, a great prestige that no one can compete with.

"If you can make Your Majesty the Empress your wife, then at least your nominal power over the armed forces of the whole country will at once become practical. Before that, those gray-haired generals and marshals would think: why should I listen to the command of a young man in his twenties? …… But then they think: he is His Royal Highness, and he represents Her Majesty the Queen...... Sir, as a general, age represents seniority and experience, which is difficult for young people to surpass. But once you are in the royal family, age is no longer important, what matters is the distance of blood and in-laws.

"Yes, as you said, it's hard. But after all, it is possible to do it in a short time. It would take at least fifteen to twenty years if power had been gained little by little through normal means. If you can make Her Majesty the Empress your wife your wife, then you will have 100 percent of the military power of the whole country, and at least 50 percent of the political power. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang bowed his head and was speechless, pondering every word of his in his heart. Hitler was right when he said that once you are in the royal family, age is no longer important, what matters is the distance of blood and in-laws. In that case, of course, you can control 100 percent of the military power, and even if you have political power, you can be sure that you can take 70 or 80 percent. Hitler said that he could master 50 percent, but he was still underestimating himself. In other words, he underestimated his influence on Zhu Yourong.

Xiang Xiaoqiang figured this out, and a burst of excitement suddenly surged in his heart: Go back and launch an offensive against Zhu Yourong! …… The road is tortuous, but the future is bright! …… Only the tallest grapes are the sweetest! …… It turns out that after setting a difficult goal, it will be so exciting!

Yes, it's a very difficult goal, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. I've accomplished more difficult goals myself.

He remembered that when he had just crossed over and climbed the anchor claw of the Qing destroyer to Pukou, he had no clothes, no food, no weapons, no plan, and he had no idea of the basic situation of the Ming and Qing dynasties at this time, but he was determined to rescue a female soldier of the Ming Dynasty. At that time, wasn't it more difficult than marrying Zhu Yourong?

Also, after Fourteen Gege kidnapped Qiu Yu and them to the Northern Qing Dynasty, he took a dozen guns and parachuted deep into the vast hinterland of the Northern Qing Dynasty, intercepting the train escorted by thousands of Qing soldiers, and also traveling long distances, evading the pursuit of the Qing army, retreating to the beach and submarine rounds...... At that time, wasn't it more difficult than marrying Zhu Yourong?

He has been born and died, he has been on the knife mountain and under the sea of fire, it can be said that he has "walked through the south, crossed the north, and crossed the rails on the train track", and now what is stopped in front of him is just a little difference in status, is it frightened and afraid to move forward?

……

In fact, Xiang Xiaoqiang's purpose was nothing more than to launch an attack on the Manchus and become the protagonist of this war. If you think about it, you don't necessarily have to be the first minister or marry the empress to achieve it. The most important thing is whether he can influence the empress and the Manchu civil and military to make this decision. And this has nothing to do with whether he is the empress's husband or not. The reason why Xiang Xiaoqiang accepted "only marrying the empress is the only way" at once was mainly because he finally had a good reason to let go and chase Zhu Yourong!

Xiang Xiaoqiang was very happy, raised his face and grinned:

"Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for saying this to me! …… Still, uh...... You seem to be very supportive of our Northern Expedition to the Manchus? ”

Hitler said:

"Sir, I support all just causes."

It's the same as not saying it, Hitler is singing high again.

Hitler saw Xiang Xiaoqiang's frown, smiled frankly, and said:

"Germany needs an ally in Asia, and that ally is best as strong as possible. If you are in Europe, then I will not support your reunification, I will say: you split, as long as possible. But Germany and the Ming were not destined to have any conflict of interest, neither on land nor at sea, and the vast space prevented this possibility. Now the only thing we can reach each other is friendship.

"Germany was destined to be the savior of European civilization, and the Ming was destined to be the savior of Asian civilization. I very much look forward to seeing these two great nations join hands and stand together on opposite ends of the world. …… Oh, sir, I really hope that in two or three years you will be the master of our eastern allies, the one with whom I can deal regularly. Until then, I hope you will visit Germany again with the title of prince, and by the way, your ...... Your wife. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled. The "wife" Hitler is talking about here is obviously not Qiu Qiu, nor Xiuxiu, but Zhu Yourong. Hitler was right when he said that Germany and the Ming were destined to have no conflict of interest, at least no fundamental conflict of interest. Because they are far away from the ocean, and they don't have any overseas colonies. In this sense, Britain is inferior to Germany.

……

Seeing that it was getting late, it was time to take your leave. Because this was the most speculative of the two men's conversations, Hitler personally sent them to the garden in front of the Chancellery and watched them enter the car. The three old men were very surprised, they didn't know what Xiang Xiaoqiang and the German Chancellor had talked about, and they were personally sent out.

Hitler returned the salute and returned to his office satisfied. He stood in front of the big globe next to his desk, thoughtfully and slowly turning the "earth", recalling the terrifying news he had just heard: Xiang Xiaoqiang, commander of the Ming People's Guard, still had five years to live, and he had personally decided to unify China within these five years.

He spun the globe for a moment, and finally smiled sarcastically.

"He's a fool," Hitler said to himself, "and a complete madman." I still have five years to live, but I want to unify China and become the husband of the empress...... Fools, madmen. …… But dealing with fools and madmen is the best deal. ”

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang was lying in the back seat of the car, his eyes closed, and he was digesting every conversation with Hitler. At the same time, he asked about the old man's concern, but he was humming haha.

Hitler was still very incendiary. Xiang Xiaoqiang involuntarily became emotional with him several times. But stripped away those demagogic words, Xiang Xiaoqiang felt that Hitler's suggestion was still very much in line with his heart. At least he has a reason to chase Zhu Yourong.

It suddenly occurred to him: he wouldn't be taken for a fool, would he?

…… It's okay, we'll see.

……

At seven o'clock in the evening, the second floor of the Kurthorn Hotel in Berlin was brightly lit, and the red vertical banner became a sea of swords and gray-green. Dozens of senior and senior officers, from major to general, were all wearing snow-white gloves, holding champagne in their hands, talking and laughing, and from time to time there was the sound of their heels touching each other, which was the statistical officers saluting each other. There are also those who salute the military and raise their hands to the Nazis from time to time...... It was to meet his immediate superior.

Balding colonels and generals with monocles in their eyes, long boots, bright red trouser lines, and a dazzling array of medals on their chests -- all the pride of the last war. There were also several officers who wore one-eyed black cloth or dragged a leg unnaturally, which was a prosthetic leg. These are also the pride left over from the last war. In the gray-green uniforms of the army, there are occasionally a few uniforms of other colors.

Pure black, that's an SS officer. They were all blonde and tall - purebred Aryan features, the basic conditions for selection into the SS.

Dark blue, that's a naval officer.

Sky blue, that's an Air Force officer.

-- There are no female guests, and tonight is destined to belong only to the soldiers.

Suddenly, a loud command rang out through the hall:

“achtung――――！！！”

Suddenly, all the officers turned to the door of the hall, held their cups to their chests, and stood upright. There was silence in the hall.

Xiang Xiaoqiang was dressed in the uniform of a Ming army general, with snow-white gloves, a shiny sword, a golden sword shining on a black collar badge, wearing a Vermilion Bird and Plum Blossom Medals on his chest, a large-brimmed hat tucked under his armpit, striding in, and smiling at the German officers on both sides.

He was followed by a People's Guard lieutenant, who was the guard he had led. Of course, I didn't bring it here to be a guard, but to be a translator.

This was followed by Army Commander-in-Chief Flitsch, Navy Commander-in-Chief Raeder, and finally SS second-in-command Heydrich.