Chapter 770: Frankfurt's Slap

June 10, 1918

Location: Deguo Frankfurt City Hall

At seven a. m., the square of the Frankfurt City Hall was already packed with people.

It wasn't a welcoming crowd, but armed soldiers. Deguo soldiers, dressed in brand‑new gray uniforms, holding rifles, formed a circle along the edge of the square. One every ten steps, backs to the City Hall, faces toward the open square. Their faces showed no expression; they simply stood there like statues.

The square was empty. No citizens, no reporters, no carriages, not even a pigeon. Every road leading to the square was blocked, and plain‑clothes police stood there, checking every vehicle that passed. The entire city of Frankfurt was cleared on that day.

The City Hall building was an ancient structure, with gray stone walls, pointed towers, and arched windows. It had witnessed countless wars and peaces, the rise and fall of innumerable dynasties. Today, it would witness a negotiation that would decide Europe's fate.

The second‑floor conference room's windows were open, white curtains fluttering gently in the morning breeze. Looking in from the window, one could see a long table covered with dark green velvet, rows of neatly arranged teacups and documents on it. At the two ends of the table stood five flags—a French tricolor, the Union Jack, the Stars and Stripes, Deguo's black‑red‑gold tricolor, and a golden dragon flag of Lanfang.

The golden dragon flag had been delivered overnight yesterday. Chen Feng's representative—not Chen Feng himself, but a diplomat surnamed Lin—would attend today's negotiations as an observer. Lanfang had no formal qualification to take part in the European armistice talks, but everyone knew that without Lanfang's assent, the negotiations could produce no result.

At 9:30 a. m., the first automobile entered the square.

It was the Faguo delegation's car, a black Renault with a small tricolor flag mounted on the hood. The car stopped at the City Hall entrance, the door opened, and Ke Liemengsuo stepped out.

This 77‑year‑old French prime minister, dressed in a dark gray suit with a meticulously knotted tie, had completely white hair and deep, knife‑like wrinkles on his face, but his eyes—his eyes still gleamed, sharp as an eagle's. He looked up at the City Hall building, glanced at the open window, and then walked briskly toward the entrance.

Behind him followed his foreign minister Pi Xiong, along with several secretaries and attendants.

At 9:40 a. m., the second automobile entered the square.

The Yingguo delegation's car, a black Rolls‑Royce with the Union Jack on the hood. A Si Kui Si stepped out, his face bearing an indefinable expression—some nervousness, some anticipation, and a vague anxiety. His eye sockets were a bit dark; he clearly hadn't slept well the night before. He adjusted his tie, took a deep breath, and walked toward the entrance.

Behind him followed his foreign secretary Ge Lei, along with several stern‑faced generals.

At 9:50 a. m., the third automobile entered the square.

The Meilika delegation's car, also black but larger. Wilson stepped out, smiling, glancing around. His smile was the standard politician's smile—just right, neither cold nor warm, flawless to the eye yet revealing no sincerity. He wore a crisp dark‑blue suit, with a tiny Meilika national flag pin on his chest.

Behind him followed Secretary of State Lansing, along with several advisers.

At ten o'clock sharp, the fourth automobile entered the square.

The Deguo delegation's car, a gray Mercedes with no flag on the hood. Xingdengbao stepped out, wearing a Marshal's uniform, his chest covered with medals. His back was perfectly straight, his face showing no expression. He was already seventy, yet standing there he was more upright than any young man. Behind him followed Tirpitz, also in military attire, also expressionless.

The fifth car—the Lanfang delegation's vehicle—bore no markings. The diplomat surnamed Lin stepped out, short in stature, wearing a dark gray Zhongshan suit, his face bearing a courteous smile. He glanced around, then followed the preceding delegations into the City Hall.

In the conference room, the five nations' representatives had already taken their seats.

On one side of the long table sat the French: Ke Liemengsuo in the center, Pi Xiong to his left, several secretaries in the back row. On the opposite side sat the British: A Si Kui Si in the center, Ge Lei to his right. At the head of the table sat Wilson, his seat slightly elevated to signify his role as mediator. At the foot of the table sat the Deguo representatives: Xingdengbao and Tirpitz side by side, with two officers standing behind them.

Lanfang's representative sat on a row of chairs against the wall, the observer's seat.

The conference room was extremely quiet. No one spoke; only the wall clock ticked tick‑tock. Occasionally, the faint sound of soldiers' footsteps came from outside, light and brief, then vanished.

Wilson glanced at his watch; it was exactly ten o'clock. He stood up and cleared his throat.

"Gentlemen," his voice rang loudly, echoing in the conference room, "I declare that the Frankfurt armistice negotiations now commence."

He paused, scanning the assembled people. Ke Liemengsuo was expressionless, A Si Kui Si stared at the table, Xingdengbao stared straight ahead, and Tirpitz looked at the sky outside the window.

Wilson continued, "This war has lasted four years, bringing profound disaster to the whole world. Over thirty‑million casualties, countless cities destroyed, countless families shattered. Today we sit here to end the war, not to perpetuate hatred. To seek peace, not to settle old scores."

He spoke slowly, each word clear. Yet his words contained no substantive content—only pleasantries, all rhetoric. Ke Liemengsuo listened, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop. A Si Kui Si bowed his head, his thoughts unreadable. Xingdengbao still stared straight ahead, his expression unchanged.

Wilson spoke for twenty minutes—about the war's brutality, the value of peace, and how every nation should lay down hatred and jointly build a new world. When he finished, he sat down, lifted his teacup, and took a sip.

The conference room was silent for three seconds.

Then Ke Liemengsuo stood up.

"Mr. President, you have spoken well," his voice hoarse yet each word clear and forceful, "the war is over, peace has come. But peace requires a foundation, it requires conditions."

He turned to Xingdengbao, staring directly at those cloudy yet sharp eyes.

"Marshal Xingdengbao, France's conditions are simple—first, Deguo must return Alsace and Lorraine. Those two territories were seized from France during the Franco‑Prussian War. Fifty years have passed, and the French people have never forgotten."

Xingdengbao said nothing. He merely nodded.

Ke Liemengsuo continued, "Second, the Deguo army's Scale must be limited to no more than 200,000. No more General Staff, no large‑scale conscription. Third, the Rhineland must be demilitarized; Deguo may not station troops on the left bank of the Rhine."

He finished, and sat down.

The conference room fell silent again. Everyone looked at Xingdengbao. He remained expressionless, merely watching Ke Liemengsuo, silent for three seconds.

Then he spoke. His voice was hoarse but steady.

"Prime Minister Ke Liemengsuo, France's conditions, Deguo can accept."