Age of Rebirth

Facing such an unruly negotiator who played cards unreasonably, completely disregarded diplomatic etiquette and international conventions, was a mixture of hooligans, thugs and blackmailers, and was even more evil than the Sicilian Mafia, Ciano felt himself He felt that the real power figure in front of him was a black-hearted profiteer, a profiteer with no bottom line.

Tang Qiuli didn't care whether the negotiation broke down. He had 10,000+ Italian prisoners of war in his hands, and his capital was enough, but he couldn't make it. When he came to Busan on the Korean Peninsula, his father-in-law summoned him alone to teach him the opportunity. He still clearly remembered that his father-in-law was haggard If the 10,000+ prisoners of war are not brought back to the country, the status of the father-in-law in Italy will be shaken. The current mood of the Italian people is as dangerous as a volcano that may erupt anytime.

Ciano suppressed the anger and disgust in his heart, and said in a low tone: "General Tang, the ransom you asked for, please allow me to use this term temporarily, the amount is so huge, and for such an important matter, General Flavio and I We can’t decide, please give us enough time, and we will give you an answer after consulting the country!”

"Yes!" Tang Qiuli agreed very happily, "I'm not unreasonable, how long will it take you?"

"Five days!" Ciano said after thinking for a while.

"No!" Tang Qiuli refused politely, and said: "Up to three days, I only give you three days, I don't have much energy, wasting it on insignificant things, on the way to Busan, you You should have seen that, I am busy commanding my troops. Make preparations before attacking the Japanese mainland!"

"Oh, by the way, let's talk about attacking the Japanese mainland. I also want to remind Mr. Ciano that there are more than [-] Italian soldiers in the Japanese mainland. When you ask Mussolini for instructions, don't forget Prepare a ransom for them in advance, and the price will be negotiated at that time, but it will never be the current price, it can only be higher!"

"It must be reminded that my principle is first-hand money and first-hand goods. I will not owe on credit. When the money is handed over to the person, the money and the goods will be settled! We Chinese have a saying called 'If you lose money, you can avoid disaster!' I hope Mr. Ciano. Send this sentence to Prime Minister Mussolini, and he will understand the meaning!"

"Also, it's okay, don't keep yelling about personal freedom. If you want to visit the streets of Busan, the head of my secret service department told me that there are already more than ten meters of Japanese ace agents sneaking into the downtown area of ​​Busan, not towards me. Tang Qiuli came here, but he took a fancy to several heads. Especially the heads of Mr. Ciano and General Flavio!"

"Uh!" Ciano's eyes went dark, he staggered a few steps, and almost fainted, if the Japanese wanted his own head.Not credible, but this damn Chinese, Italian POW issue of the North American War.Before we finished talking, our eyes were on the 10,000+ Italian soldiers in Japan.Insatiable, Ciano can only use this word weakly.To describe what Tang Qiuli did.

Walking in the courtyard of the villa, Mei Ting held her husband's arm and kept smiling, "Sister Ting, what are you laughing at?" Tang Qiuli asked strangely.

Mei Ting raised her flowery face, shook her head and said, "Qiu Li, why do I look at you more and more like a black-hearted profiteer now, okay, the lion opened his mouth and asked the Italians for more than 100 tons of gold at once , you are getting more and more comfortable doing this!"

"Is there? Sister Ting means that I am a veteran?" Tang Qiuli retorted dissatisfied: "I am a gentleman, and I behave myself!"

"Huh!" Mei Ting hummed coquettishly, and said, "You said it yourself!"

"Puchi!" Tang Qiuli was overjoyed, counting with his fingers, it was really the case. At first, Stalin asked Stalin to redeem the prisoners of war and asked for a lot of strategic materials, and then the British got the mineral resources of the West Indian continent. Mining rights have also gained a lot of benefits. As for the Japanese prisoners of war, apart from those who were killed, they were sold more often, from the northeast to the Indochina Peninsula.

Mei Ting buttoned up Tang Qiuli's coat, and said worriedly, "Qiuli, you're asking such a high price, are you afraid that the Italians won't be able to afford it?"

"Mussolini can do it!" Tang Qiuli said with a smile: "The Italians have earned a lot of gold from the Japanese alone. After the start of Europe, they followed the Germans' ass and contributed. You don’t spend a lot of money, you just pick up the cheap ones, but there is no shortage of oil and water. Don’t worry, Sister Ting, Italy’s family is well-off! Not to mention that if he doesn’t negotiate, if he continues to burn a few fires under Mussolini’s ass, he will Get off stage!"

"This time it just hurt Mussolini's muscles and bones. There are more than [-] Italian prisoners of war in Japan. I have to let him go bankrupt! If you want to take food from my mouth, Mussolini will Be prepared to pay a high price, the interests of Asia and the Pacific region, not everyone can reach out!"

The nasty Chinese left, leaving the Italians with pain and anger. In the temporary villa, Ciano and the deputy commander, General Flavio, had already quarreled.

According to Admiral Flavio's meaning, let's not talk about it, it is more than 100 tons of gold, an absolute hard currency, even if the treasury is emptied, it will not be available. Obviously, this villainous Chinese is In naked blackmail Italy, we must not give in!

After finishing Flavio's words, Ciano immediately became furious. He has been in high-level Italian official circles for many years, and he is also an old turtle who has climbed the sea.

As the commander-in-chief of the Italian Army, Flavio holds certain military power and has a group of followers in the army. He is considered one of the most powerful figures among the Italian party, government and military leaders. If the negotiations break down, 10,000+ prisoners of war could not return to the country, and the emotions of the domestic people broke out, and no one could suppress it, thus shaking his old father-in-law's throne as the prime minister, and even stepped down because of this. Didn't he just have the opportunity to ascend to the peak of power in Italy?

"The issue of prisoners of war must be negotiated with the Chinese, no matter how much the price is paid!" Ciano said in a dark tone: "We must complete the mission assigned by the Prime Minister, and now I will send a telegram to the country, The original text conveys the conditions of that hateful Chinese, let the Prime Minister decide everything!"

Ciano's telegram went directly to the confidential room of the Prime Minister's Office, and was quickly delivered to Mussolini who was already asleep. He was wearing pajamas, and after reading the telegram in a very unhappy mood, he immediately froze. Immediately, there was a mad roar, "It's too much to bully!" Then, the utensils and furniture were smashed to the ground one after another, mixed with a series of curses from the Prime Minister.

Mussolini was full of anger, and the sound of cursing echoed in the prime minister's mansion. The secretaries, guards and servants were all silent, looking in the direction of the prime minister's bedroom. Your Excellency the Prime Minister found out that he became the unlucky guy who vented his anger.

Mussolini scolded for more than ten minutes, and then there was no more movement. Everyone was worried, did something happen to the Prime Minister?But no one dared to enter the prime minister's bedroom without being summoned.

In the bedroom, Mussolini's face was pale, like a defeated rooster, he was exhausted and collapsed on the chair, greedy for a while, believed the words of the Japanese, and stretched his hands to Asia and the Pacific. It was so tragic, and it was unexpected that that damned Chinese Tang Qiuli would propose such a shameless method to release the prisoners of war.

More than 100 tons of gold, Italy can still get it out, even if it is its own private property, it can also get out one-fifth of it, but it is also painful, and more importantly, it is a great insult to Italy's international reputation. Mussolini has always believed that he is absolutely shameless and bottomless, but in front of that Chinese Tang Qiuli, he found that his shamelessness and bottomless can only be regarded as pediatrics.

Has anyone ever seen that both sides of the belligerent countries will take prisoners of war as hostages and ask for ransom? Only the Chinese can do it, but as Tang Qiuli concluded, Mussolini dared not take 10,000+ prisoners of war Take it back to the country, even if you pay a high price.

Because now Mussolini has already felt the crisis. Through the incident of prisoners of war, he found that the foundation of his rule is not unbreakable. There are a lot of people against them, and they are military families, especially the families of those captured senior officers. The water is so deep that I dare not go there easily.

Once the use of force is used to suppress the situation in Italy, the situation in Italy will be out of control. Who dares to guarantee that the generals under him will not take advantage of the fire and take their place? Even Ciano can detect it. The old and cunning Mosso Lini could see it even more.

Mussolini knew that there would not be much resistance within the government if he took out so much gold. Italy is now a military government, and those big officials are all members of the military system, so they dare not risk offending a few The risk of millions of relatives of captured officers and soldiers and several big families, what obstacles are set up in this matter, not to mention that he is the prime minister, and he can promise everything.

Mussolini hoped that some heavyweight bosses would jump out and oppose this matter, attract the attention of the domestic people, reduce his pressure, and then pass through forcefully to restore his reputation, but he knew that he could only Just think about it, those big bosses are smarter than monkeys, and they can take the initiative to jump out and be unlucky, and take the thunder for themselves?

After calming down, Mussolini had already made a decision, and was going to take out the gold that could be stolen without losing money. However, such a huge amount still made him tremble with distress, but his son-in-law Ciano In the telegram, it was clearly stated that the Chinese, Tang Qiuli, would never give in.

Italy alone could not allow Tang Qiuli to reduce the price. A super heavyweight must come forward to mediate, and Mussolini racked his brains to think.

(to be continued) (to be continued...)