Episode 27 England or Germany

The cement wall between the headquarters and the official residence had already blown a hole the day before the wedding, and now the small door was being recast, and Xiang Xiaoqiang couldn't care so much, so he entered the headquarters through the small door where the cement was not dry, and he immediately felt that it was really convenient, and he got rid of the nasty paparazzi at the door.

This is also very convenient, and it has the feeling of "front shop and back factory". Even after returning home, when it is very late, subordinates can easily report and ask for instructions, and many affairs can be handled at home. In this way, the boundary between "going to work" and "going home" is very blurred, and it is easy for everyone to subconsciously have such a concept: the People's Guard is open to Xiaoqiang's family. Although it was a small door, it was more convenient for him to have a firm grip on the People's Guard.

Xiang Xiaoqiang came to the office, invited Fourteen Gege, and listened to her briefly about the situation. It turned out that this morning, the Queen's secretary called and said that His Majesty has a call, please answer it to Your Excellency. But Xiang Xiaoqiang was still in the cave room, and the two adjutants, even the two wives, were also in the cave room. Because in addition to Lord Xiang, the most qualified person to talk to His Majesty is Princess Liaoyang, and the call was received in the office of Fourteen Gege.

If it were someone else, Zhu Yourong might have told him to hang up, or simply let the secretary say it. But it was Princess Liaoyang who answered the phone, and this was the first time they talked on the phone, and both sides cheered up and laughed for a while. Fourteen Gege was curious, and in a few words, he took out Zhu Yourong's meaning.

It turned out that a few days ago, during Xiang Xiaoqiang's trip to Tongli, a German tourist came to Daming, and during the "tour", he received invitations from several industrial and commercial giants of Daming one after another, and frequently went to these people's houses for banquets, and received the attention of Dongchang. Because the People's Guard Force was established not long ago, the level of intelligence collection was not high, and it fell behind the East Factory, and did not notice this person.

"Who is this man? What for? What is it called? ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang asked.

Fourteen Gege smiled slightly:

"I don't know what it's called, Your Majesty just said that he was the heir to a wealthy family in Germany."

"The heir to a wealthy family?"

Xiang Xiaoqiang's interest plummeted, and he listened to her absent-mindedly.

Fourteen Gege said that after this person was noticed by the Ming government, he was invited to a banquet at his home by a cabinet dignitary in his private capacity on the third day. Listening to His Majesty's tone, it seems that the Minister of First Auxiliary has also seen him. On the surface, this German was a tourist and had traveled to Daming in a private capacity, but in fact he had been sent by the German government to have further informal negotiations with senior government officials of Daming.

If the last time the "Condor Legion" came to Daming, it was purely a temptation, then this time the sincerity is much greater. This man brought the intention of the Hitler government and made it clear that Germany was sincere in reaching some kind of cooperative relationship with the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, he also said that Chancellor Hitler privately entrusted him to bring a message to the Ming government, and sincerely hoped that the Ming Dynasty would send a representative with the appropriate status and influence to visit Germany. Of course, if the Ming Dynasty felt that it was inconvenient to send an official representative, he could also send someone to Germany for "tourism" like them.

"Oh," Xiang Xiaoqiang understood, and what he had been hoping for had finally happened, "So, the government thinks I am the person with the right identity and 'right influence'?" ”

Fourteen Gege nodded, then spoke her mind. Probably after the cabinet got the news, they took advantage of Xiang Xiaoqiang's absence in Nanjing to pick up Zhu Yourong and send Xiang Xiaoqiang to Germany. From Daming to Germany, if you take the Suez Canal, it will take half a month or 20 days to go one way, and if you go back and forth plus the time you stay there, I am afraid that you will not be able to come back in two months.

In the past two months, Zhu Yourong has not seen Xiang Xiaoqiang, and the cabinet can take the opportunity to strengthen the influence and control of Zhu Yourong and break Xiang Xiaoqiang's "monopoly" on her. It is even possible to pay attention to the people's guards, so that the means can rectify Xiang Xiaoqiang's subordinates, or the people who planted them, and put Xiang Xiaoqiang in the air.

As for how it is with Germany, Fourteen Gege estimates that the cabinet bigwigs may not be interested, they are still traditional ideas, and the Ming should stick to Britain. That's why I suggested letting Xiang Xiaoqiang go. It seems to them that there are two fights against Xiaoqiang, but after all, he is a young man. This trip relied on diplomatic skills, and diplomacy is definitely not for young people, and most of the visits are in vain.

Therefore, Fourteen Gege suggested that Xiang Xiaoqiang must push off this visit, and when he arrived in the palace, he tried to show the disadvantages of getting close to Germany, and insisted on the traditional pro-British attitude, which was absolutely right. In the view of Fourteen Gege, it doesn't matter who is good and who is bad with the Ming Dynasty, the People's Guard must be firmly grasped in their hands.

Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't say no, but just said to enter the palace and look at it.

But he looked at Fourteen Gege and was very happy in his heart. Fourteen Geges were considered for him from his point of view. In fact, Fourteen Gege could have persuaded him to go to Germany, so Xiang Xiaoqiang would have to hand over the burden of managing the People's Guard to Fourteen Gege, or part of it to Fourteen Gege. It is likely that by the time he returns, a large part of the power of the People's Guard has already been seized by Fourteen Gege.

The last "edict incident" was also that if Fourteen Gege was for her own interests, she could support Xiang Xiaoqiang to receive the edict. But she sided with Xiang Xiaoqiang's interests and firmly hinted that he should not accept it.

…… Could it be that she is used to being intimate and considerate of herself? Xiang Xiaoqiang thought so, but he couldn't believe it. It would be great if such a top talent as Fourteen Gege could be completely true to himself.

Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at Fourteen Gege very softly. Fourteen Gege was stunned for a moment, realizing that his gaze was a little wrong, coughed lightly, turned his gaze, and continued:

"My lord, if you go to Germany this time, then the People's Guard ......"

Xiang Xiaoqiang suddenly smiled:

"If I do go to Germany, the People's Guard will depend on you to watch it for me."

Fourteen Gege's voice stopped abruptly, and he looked at him in a daze. After a long time, he turned the corner and said with a smile:

"Xiang Xiaoqiang, are you tempting me? …… It's not interesting. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled and said:

"Why are you tempted? …… There's a real good chance I'm going to Germany. There is a lot we need in Germany at the moment. Doing some deals, political and economic deals, with Germany, is of great benefit to our Ming Dynasty. Although I left Daming, they had some opportunities, but because of this, they couldn't stay at home and dare not move. Not to mention ......"

He looked at Fourteen Gege very seriously and said:

"Zhao Fang. I don't call you 'princess' or anything now, I'll call you Zhao Fang. The princess is the princess of the entire Ming Dynasty, and Zhao Fang is just my old friend to Xiang Xiaoqiang. I speak to my old friends now, and I don't come to talk about it. I'm not going to hand over the entire People's Guard to you, I'm going to let you take care of it with one or two other people. But I will give you the most power. Because you're better than all of them. ”

Fourteen Gege looked at him in a daze, listening to him call out the word "Zhao Fang", and the scene of the two of them lighting a fire and laying noodles together in the small kitchen suddenly appeared in his mind when they were in the Northern Qing Dynasty. Her heart trembled, and then a gentle feeling came up, and for a moment she didn't think about anything, and nodded directly:

"Okay, you can arrange it, I'll listen to it."

……

When Xiang Xiaoqiang came to the palace, Zhu Yourong first smiled and said hello to him, and then apologized to him guiltily like a primary school student, saying that he shouldn't have brought him from home the day after the wedding. Xiang Xiaoqiang waved his hand generously, meaning that our friendship does not need to say these words.

Then Zhu Yourong explained the situation to him, which was basically what Fourteen Gege told him in advance. Then Zhu Yourong said with some hesitation:

"Yes, I asked you to come because I want to hear your opinion. I'd like to ask you to help me with an idea. Because if we're going to send someone, I think you're more suitable. You are in the military, and you are not very involved in politics and foreign affairs, and you are not as conspicuous as sending ministers or diplomats. And your status is high enough to represent me. The most important thing is that this time it must be unofficial, and you have just gotten married, so you can go on your honeymoon in a private capacity. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang is very interested in limited cooperation with Germany. Because he knew that Germany had reached out his hand, and if he held it at this time, it would certainly have a lot of oil and water, much greater than what he had received from England. Da Ming mixed with the British, and the benefits he got were too vain, and he was as old as a little brother. This time, when the Ming Dynasty was in trouble, Britain took a look at it with its hands, and the facts were already laid out.

But now when dealing with Germany, first of all, it is equal status, and even the Ming still has a sense of condescension. The most important thing is that Germany needs Daming, and it is more urgent than Daming needs Germany. Da Ming will get a lot of tangible things. Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that Hitler was not stingy, and he was very willing to pay a lot of money to achieve his goal.

Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't say these reasons, but asked Zhu Yourong to talk about his views first, and he listened to it first.

To his surprise, Zhu Yourong analyzed international relations in a clear and insightful manner, which was not at all what she usually looked like. Only then did Xiang Xiaoqiang know that although Zhu Yourong is relatively simple in dealing with people's relationships, he is really very good at handling national relations. She may not be a good leader, but she seems to be a good diplomat.

For decades, Ming's "princess diplomacy" has been very successful. Zhu Yourong has also been trained since he was a child, taught by the best diplomats, and followed his father and queen mother to visit countries around the world, experienced in diplomatic activities all day long, and later visited frequently alone, it can be said that he is already a quite qualified young diplomat.

Xiang Xiaoqiang thought that Zhu Yourong also intended to contact Germany, but she was fooled by the old men in the cabinet, but it turned out that she herself saw the pros and cons very clearly.

"In the past few days, I have carefully studied the important diplomatic documents of the past 30 years," Zhu Yourong said, holding his forehead, biting his quill, and frowning, "I have a feeling that since the beginning of the 20th century, Britain is gradually abandoning us...... By the time the world war had passed, Britain had actually abandoned us...... The Ming Dynasty is no longer the Ming of the 19th century, and Britain is no longer the Britain of the 19th century. For more than three decades, Britain's attention has gradually shrunk from the world to Europe. By the time of the world war, Britain was reluctant to stand up for its allies. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang stared at Zhu Yourong and nodded. This Nizi's analysis is too incisive, and she can see through it at a glance. is the same as the analysis of historical materials that Xiang Xiaoqiang saw in later generations and after World War II. "War phobia" and "hypochondria" firmly strangled Britain and France, and it was precisely because Hitler saw this that he constantly used "war" to blackmail and succeeded repeatedly. It's just that it was after the war, and it's an afterthought. Zhu Yourong saw Britain through several years before the war.

When King Edward VII died in 1910, royal families from all over the world gathered in London for the funeral. At that time, Emperor Deyong of Nanming also crossed the ocean and traveled thousands of miles.

And this time, on January 20, 1936, less than a month ago, King George V died, and Zhu Yourong did not go, but only sent a message of condolence. Of course, at that time, Daming was busy defending Nanjing, and Zhu Yourong had a good reason not to go. However, after the end of the Ming and Qing wars, you can always taste a taste, as if this is a signal, the Ming and Britain will be estranged.

A thought flashed through Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart, and he smiled:

"What does Shen Ge Lao think?"

Zhu Yourong's face flushed slightly, a little worried that Xiang Xiaoqiang asked this, thinking that these were all taught to her by Shen Rongxuan. She explains:

"Well, Elder Shen Ge also agrees with me, and he also thinks that the symbolic meaning of the British allies is greater than the practical significance. Especially in this Ming and Qing war, the whole world saw Britain sitting on the sidelines and watching us almost break the country. Then in the future, the British card in our hands will not even be able to pretend and scare people. But Shen Ge Lao doesn't seem to be optimistic about Germany. He suggested that you take a trip to Europe, two or three more countries, preferably to Moscow. He felt that the role of the Soviet Union was much greater than that of Germany. …… However, I always felt that the Soviet Union was not authentic, and I had to be cautious in dealing with it. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang secretly admired Shen Rongxuan. Shen Ge Lao really deserves to be the first assistant of a country, the situation is so pleased, and he can kill two birds with one stone so well. Indeed, at this time, Germany's situation is hardly promising. It's not so much a matter of level, it's Hitler's subsequent series of diplomatic victories, and the element of luck is so great that God is helping him. At the beginning of 1936, Germany was not optimistic about the performance of a sound and responsible statesman. Those who are optimistic about Germany are either geniuses or gamblers.

So apart from Germany, who is the most worthy of Daming's courtship? There was only the USSR left. By befriending the Soviet Union, it would be possible to form a strategic encirclement of the Manchus in the north and greatly reduce the danger faced by the Southern Ming. In other words, in the eyes of today's first-class politicians, it is real to play with the Soviet Union, even more so than to play with Britain. And to play with Germany, it's just an ethereal thing.

The Soviet Union was now in political isolation, and it was keen to break it. The Manchu Qing Dynasty directly bordered the Far Eastern border of the Soviet Union, and was so close to Japan that it was possible for the Soviet Union to sell it a few weapons, and it was impossible to form an alliance with it.

But was the USSR so easy to pull? Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that Stalin was an old fox who was more difficult to deal with than Hitler. You bargain with him, and you don't want to take advantage of it. For Hitler, Xiang Xiaoqiang still has a bit of a spectrum in his heart, knows where his itchy flesh is, and knows how to follow his hair. For Stalin, Xiang Xiaoqiang had no confidence at all. This old guy can smell from hundreds of kilometers that you have something to ask him for and want from him. Then they will knock the bones at the negotiating table and leave you with nothing left.

For Stalin, no one could bargain at the negotiating table. Hitler couldn't do it, and neither did Roosevelt and Churchill later. …… Xiang Xiaoqiang naturally knew that he couldn't do it either. Zhu Yourong can't do it, and neither can Shen Rongxuan.

Zhu Yourong, this girl is probably also a diplomatic genius, and she can say that the Soviet Union is "not authentic" and difficult to deal with, which is very rare. Xiang Xiaoqiang relied on a large amount of knowledge and materials in later generations, and only when he saw the problem was roughly the same as Zhu Yourong.

Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at Zhu Yourong with a smile and nodded with satisfaction like a teacher looking at a student, and then casually pointed out a few points, all of which Zhu Yourong couldn't say, such as Hitler's character and Stalin's character, how they must get used to seeing problems, and so on. With a few casual words of knowledge from later generations, Zhu Yourong immediately admired him, and immediately felt that Xiang Xiaoqiang not only had unique views on military affairs, but also in international politics.

The two talked all morning and decided to make a decision, Xiang Xiaoqiang went to Europe for his honeymoon in a private capacity, from one month to forty days, and the main destinations were Germany and the Soviet Union. Xiang Xiaoqiang first went to Germany to explore the way, if the German side talks very ideally, and the two sides can determine the "love relationship", Zhu Yourong will then officially visit Germany.

Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't dare to slap his swollen face and become fat, he knew that he was young, and he was too tender to play with Hitler's gang of party sticks. Although it is unlikely that he will meet Hitler, he will most likely meet Goering, Himmler, and Goebbels. Especially Goering and Himmler. One of the main purposes of my trip this time was to dig up German aviation technology, and I had already spotted the Messerschmitt fighter jets that were still in the laboratory. Well, dealing with Goering's big fat man is indispensable. Moreover, he is still the head of the People's Guard, so how can the head of the German SS have to receive himself politely.

The two set a date for their trip, about a week later. Within this week, Xiang Xiaoqiang could not take a vacation, but had to explain and arrange many affairs of the People's Guard, and review a large amount of information on European relations, as well as various technical materials. There are also a few more attachés to pick. These attachés include translators and experts in various fields. They will become Xiang Xiaoqiang's assistants.

A week later, it was the day when the new cruise ship ordered by Zheng's shipping company, the Yongan Princess, was launched. This is a luxury cruise ship named after the title of Princess Zhu Yourong era, with a displacement of more than 30,000 tons, a cruising speed of 30 knots, and a 10,000-nautical-mile route from Guangdong to Bremen can be completed in 14 days.

The Yongan Princess will make its maiden voyage at the port of Guangzhou. At that time, Zhu Yourong and Xiang Xiaoqiang will fly to Guangzhou by special plane to preside over the inaugural voyage of the cruise, and then Xiang Xiaoqiang will take this oil tanker to Europe for a "honeymoon".

Xiang Xiaoqiang carefully tasted the arrangement, and felt that there was something else he hadn't remembered.

"By the way," he suddenly asked Zhu Yourong, "The 'tourist' who came to Daming from Germany, what kind of heir to a wealthy family, who is it?" ”

Zhu Yourong smiled:

"Oh, Alfred Krupp. Heir to the Krupp company. He will also take the Yongan Princess back to Germany, and you can talk more on the way. ”