French Ambassador Albert was having dinner in the restaurant, although it was still three o'clock in the afternoon, but the French who pay attention to food had already begun the most important meal of the day, and he was in a very happy mood today, especially after receiving the instructions of the domestic government, the foreign minister hinted that as long as he had done this well, he could return to China as the executive deputy minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the minister of the Ministry of Far Eastern Affairs, after all, he was about to make great contributions to the French Republic. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

He happily cut a small lamb chop, and Bach's waltz was played on the gramophone, the tune was as melodious as his mood, and the butler came in and bowed slightly, "Sir, the British ambassador, Mr. Wade, is here, saying that he wants to see you." ”

The silver knife stained with blood and sauce paused, and the tender lamb chops on the fork were about to be put in his mouth, Albert was slightly surprised, "What is he doing here?" Immediately realized, he ate the lamb chop, and nodded, "Please Mr. Wade come in." ”

He wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin, and after a while, Wade hurried in, and Albert's ass got up slightly from the padded chair to greet him.

"Oh, Mr. Ambassador, it is not an honour to come from afar, why don't you send the servant prophet to me first? I can also be ready for that. The subtext was to complain that Albert didn't know etiquette and rushed in while he was eating.

Wade looked at Albert with an unhappy look, "Mr. Ambassador, I heard that you are negotiating with the Chinese?" ”

"We've been communicating with the Chinese about Vietnam," Albert said quietly, "so if it's a negotiation, that's right." ”

"Mr. Ambassador, why play stupid?" Wade sneered slightly, "We all know it. ”

"Got it? I don't understand what you mean," Wade instructed the servant, "please bring me a pot of black tea to Mr. Ambassador, yes, and some more cakes." ”

"You're welcome!" Wade called out to the servant, "I'm not here to be a guest, I'm here to ask, Mr. Ambassador, I'll be honest - I don't have the heart to talk nonsense now, may I ask you if France and the Chinese are negotiating about the Suez Canal shares." ”

Albert waved the servants out, "Since it was Mr. Ambassador himself who came to ask me," he waved his knife and gestured to the dining room, "and in such a private environment, out of friendly relations between the two countries, and out of personal friendship between us, I said, Yes." ”

"This stake is between us and China!" Wade said fiercely, "I hope your country doesn't interfere!" ”

"Aren't you going to buy shares in the Chinese?" Albert said disapprovingly, "The Chinese think that the price you offer is not attractive enough, and it is completely okay to talk to us in France, this is free competition, right?" If it weren't for the Chinese government contacting us, we didn't expect that Britain would actually pull the Chinese together to buy the shares in the hands of the Egyptians," Albert's eyes were a little indifferent, but there was still a smile on his face, "Winning so many shares at such a cheap price, your country is silent, it's really powerful, I admire it very much." ”

"This is another matter," Wade had to complain at this time how the British government could be so stupid at that time, actually pulled the Chinese to buy Suez's shares together, and now it is so embarrassing, "It's just that the division of shares between us and China is internal, and no one else is involved." ”

"It's internal, but there are also treaties and contracts, do you want to go back and break them?" Albert sneered, "The Chinese have also expressed to us their concern that Britain will break the treaty, and I have consulted with the Prime Minister that we will guarantee the safe and secure existence of the Chinese shares in the Suez Canal until the day it is handed over to us France." ”

"We are against it!" Wade said loudly, "The shares of the Chinese are not entitled to be transferred to any other third party!" ”

"We are not a third party, we are also the majority shareholder of the Suez Canal, Ambassador Wade," Albert shrugged, "we cannot compromise on this matter, and unfortunately, we must negotiate with the Chinese on the issue of the Suez Canal's shares." ”

Although the 4.7 percent stake is very small, it has become a key minority between the two forces, and Albert knows that this is like a small party that occupies a small number of seats in the parliament in the general election in China. The French have only 47 percent of the shares, and with this stake of China, they can exceed 50 percent and become the largest shareholder of the Suez Canal!

Although Britain and France are superficially peaceful, they are still desperate for the competition for key core interests, and the French can decide on the distribution of profits in the Suez Canal if they get a controlling stake here, and the key is that they can use the Suez Canal to deal an economic blow to the hostile forces.

For example, Germany's steel products can be increased to hit its market competitiveness, and the types of goods produced by the British in India can also be adjusted by the economic levers of the canal, making the industrial and agricultural products produced in France and the colonies more competitive.

This is the economic aspect, as well as the political and military aspect, although the British captured Egypt and took the Sinai Peninsula into their pockets, but the existence of the Suez Canal can firmly nail a position here, echoing the French colonies in Northwest Africa and Central Africa, although the canal is operated by a commercial company, but if there is a war with other countries in the future, the military forces of the relevant countries can be restricted and reduced through the Suez Canal by means of canal control. This is also the reason why the British want to control the Balkans and Suez, the British believe in the continental balance of power, and it is impossible to see the re-rise of France, so now that there is such a good opportunity to take a controlling stake in the Suez Canal, how can the French not be tempted? We French are romantic, but not stupid.

"What conditions did the Chinese put forward?" Wade asked annoyedly, Albert smiled silently, Wade seemed to understand something, "It's Vietnam, right?" The Chinese definitely need France to leave Vietnam, damn it, our British Empire also came forward to help put pressure on China! "That's how you repay the friendship of the British Empire?!

"I am grateful for mentioning this, so we will also repay your country." Albert took a sip of brandy and said slowly. (To be continued.) )