Chapter 489

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Along the railway north of the Red River, the Youth Expeditionary Army was stationed.

The Youth Army numbered over fifty thousand, and under the Common Defense Agreement, they would never cross south of the Red River.

Only when Zhongnan State was on the verge of destruction could the Youth Army, in the name of protecting the railway, cross the border to sortie.

Unlike being restricted militarily, Lv Muzhi's economic tentacles had already reached every corner of Zhongnan State.

According to the signed Economic Cooperation Memorandum, over ten thousand Xia scholars and technical personnel had already entered Zhongnan State to serve.

Zhongnan State's high officials were both worried about Lv Muzhi's infiltration and relieved about the country's development.

But Lv Muzhi was actually not satisfied either; during this period, he had been losing money while making a show of it.

Although the common people supported him and military rations were supplied locally,

the most important Hongji Mei Kuang had not been going smoothly in its extraction.

Because this coal mine was located in the northeastern coastal region!

Although the Japanese had left, they still sent warships from time to time to harass, firing at the coal mine at sea.

If this continued, how could they produce safely and efficiently?

Lv Muzhi's losses would only keep growing.

If planes were sent to take off and drive away the Japanese warships, cruising day and night, that would also cost money.

——————

But Lv Muzhi had no mind to manage such matters now.

Last month, the United States Congress officially passed the Lend-Lease Act; this was now the most urgent matter that must be paid attention to.

Lv Muzhi thought of striving for some rights for Xia, while also introducing the newly established Zhongnan State to the United States.

Speaking of the Lend-Lease Act, the act was formulated against the backdrop of World War II.

If certain countries were vital to the national defense security of the United States, such as Britain and France, later Xia and the Soviet Union were also on this list.

For these vital countries, the President of the United States could directly provide them with military equipment, grain, and other strategic supplies (in principle, these lent supplies needed to be returned after the war.)

In the later period of the Second Sino-Japanese War, most of the American-made weapons within Xia's borders were supported from the United States through the Lend-Lease Act.

When the Lend-Lease Act was just passed, the old man was very happy.

If the United States could provide weapons to Xia, the Central Army's days could be said to be quite good.

Therefore, the old man immediately assigned Song Zhiwen to go to the United States to mediate, hoping the United States would equip Xia with 30 modernized army divisions and support a modernized air force of a thousand planes!

Unfortunately, Xia's request was rejected.

This made the old man and Song Zhiwen utterly disheartened.

But immediately after, Lv Muzhi actually directly arranged for a United States delegation assigned by high officials to visit the Youth Expeditionary Army's station in Zhongnan State!

This made the old man very envious, but it was also an opportunity.

With the spirit of taking advantage whenever possible, the old man assigned Song Zhiwen, who was still staying in the United States, to immediately go to Lv Muzhi's main camp in Zhongnan State, pretending to "bump into" the United States delegation.

And by the way, discuss the Lend-Lease Act with the Americans again.

——————

Before the United States delegation arrived, Song Zhiwen had already arrived two days early, using the pretext of coming to reward the Youth Army.

During these two days, Song Zhiwen, in the capacity of Xia's special envoy, also conducted an inspection of Lv Muzhi's actions in Zhongnan State.

Especially after reading the signed article Lv Muzhi published in Unity Daily, and associating it with the land reform work.

Song Zhiwen was even more shocked in his heart, and directly broke into a cold sweat for the old man.

Matters have their priorities; considering that his primary task was to bump into the United States delegation and push for Xia to join the Lend-Lease Act,

Song Zhiwen could only put aside the article Lv Muzhi published, and pretend to have casually learned the news that the United States delegation was visiting the Youth Expeditionary Army.

Song Zhiwen, as Xia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lv Muzhi's Youth Army belonged to Xia's army; since he had come, there should be no problem for Song Zhiwen to meet with the United States delegation, right?

Lv Muzhi did not refuse; this method of "sneaking into meetings" was too familiar to him, and it was already the third time it had been staged.

The first time, French Governor-General Cartier bypassed the central government and met Lv Muzhi in Beiping; the old man sent He Yingqin to sneak in.

The second time, British Governor-General Smith bypassed the central government and met Lv Muzhi in Kunming; the old man sent Chen Cheng to sneak in.

The third time, the United States delegation bypassed the central government and met Lv Muzhi near Hanoi; the old man sent Song Zhiwen out again.

Lv Muzhi did not resent it, only feeling somewhat heartbroken and amused.

Looking at Song Zhiwen before him, Lv Muzhi seemed to see the old man behind the scenes, powerless to the extreme.

——————

Song Zhiwen and Lv Muzhi stood side by side on the tower of the field airport, waiting for the United States delegation's plane to arrive.

Lv Muzhi said to Song Zhiwen: "Coming early is not as good as coming at the right time; Minister Song has been here for less than two days and already runs into the United States delegation."

Song Zhiwen looked eager: "Sigh! Originally I was sent by the old man to reward the troops; I rushed here day and night, not daring to delay for a moment."

"Coincidentally learning the news that the United States delegation was coming, the old man was afraid you would suffer a loss in front of the Americans, so he sent me, this Minister of Foreign Affairs, to come along and offer some counsel!"

Lv Muzhi laughed; clearly he had come to sneak in, yet it had become offering counsel.

But he also understood in his heart that it was mainly for the matter of the Lend-Lease Act.

Lv Muzhi had long heard the news of Song Zhiwen suffering a loss in the United States.

Regarding Xia's practice of applying to the United States for aid supplies through the Lend-Lease Act, Lv Muzhi supported it.

Although many of the strategic supplies aided by the Americans might be embezzled by Xia's officials and nobles.

But some will always end up in the hands of the Summer State Army, and embezzling them is far better than having nothing.

Based on this, Lv Muzhi would also accept Song Zhiwen coming to him, pretending to "encounter" the United States delegation.

A tower staff member wearing headphones stood at attention and said: "The United States delegation will land in five minutes!"

Lv Muzhi nodded and extended a hand: "Please, Minister Song, we will go down to welcome them."

Song Zhiwen instead bent his waist slightly and also extended his right hand forward: "Wei Yue, you please go first."

"Hope Wei Yue can speak up for me later, pushing the United States side to agree to include Summer State within the scope of aid under the Lend-Lease Act; this is a great good thing for both the nation and the people!"

Such politeness! It made Lv Muzhi sigh that times had changed.

All along, Song Zhiwen, bearing the title of "National Uncle," was so unrestrained!

A figure with far-reaching influence, almost no one dared to provoke him.

Lv Muzhi's first trip to the United States was also through Song Zhiwen's channel; back then, he dared not show the slightest negligence toward Song Zhiwen.

More than ten years later, the status suddenly changed, and Song Zhiwen now had to ask him for something.

Lv Muzhi glanced at Song Zhiwen and said: "Let's go together and talk as we walk."

"If the United States agrees to include Summer State within the Lend-Lease Act, it is indeed a good thing for us; I will do my best!"

Song Zhiwen followed Lv Muzhi's steps: "That's right! I went to the United States to apply for aid not long ago, but was refused."

"I knew you had some connections on the United States side and should have invited you to go together, but... because of the old man, he was unwilling for you and me to go together."

"I said back then, without Wei Yue accompanying me, how would the Americans agree to Summer State's demands!"

"But the old man disregarded everything and insisted that I, this Minister of Foreign Affairs, go alone; the result! As expected, I was refused by the Americans!"

Lv Muzhi looked at Song Zhiwen's animated expression; a long string of words half true and half false, he smiled and comforted him: "The Americans are stingy to the extreme; how much supplies did you ask them for?"

Song Zhiwen did not lie on this point, and he also worried that Lv Muzhi would verify with the United States side.

"Wei Yue, everything I said is true; I want the Americans to help us train and equip 30 American-equipped divisions, and equip a modern air force of 1000 aircraft."

Lv Muzhi heard this; the good things inside were indeed not few.

No matter how much the Americans could actually deliver, this benefit could not be taken by the old man alone.

The Youth Army must get a share from inside; otherwise, many supplies would eventually flow to the black market through the Four Great Families to be monetized!

Lv Muzhi got straight to the point: "Oh~ is that so, there are quite a lot of things; the Americans naturally need to be more cautious."

Hiss! ~

If the supplies under the Lend-Lease Act enter Summer State, the Youth Army should also get a bit, right?"

Song Zhiwen said nothing; this was openly starting to negotiate the price.

The supplies in the Lend-Lease Act were a huge piece of fat meat; anyone who saw it would be tempted.

If things succeeded, Song Zhiwen including the old man did not want to give supplies to the Youth Army in their hearts.

Because the supplies obtained from the Americans were not only for fighting the Japanese; those thirty American-equipped divisions plus one thousand aircraft were to reverse the equipment disadvantage and completely overwhelm the Youth Army!

But Song Zhiwen could not say this, nor dared to say this; he only asked back: "How much does Wei Yue want?"