binnovel Chapter 145 Rare leisure time
Chapter 145 Rare leisure time
"Oh, thank God for sending you back, dear Captain Zhang." Smith gave Zhang Wenwu a big hug as soon as he saw him.
"Smith, I have been promoted to major today. We are at the same rank. Haha, I am very happy to see you again. How is Lieutenant Colonel Rick?" Zhang Wenwu greeted Smith jokingly with a smile.
Smith said in disbelief: "Oh, I think your general must have made a mistake. How can you be promoted to major at such a young age? This is so unfair. I am going to protest. But before I protest, I still want to congratulate you, Major Zhang. Of course, if you can wash off the smell on your body, it will better highlight your temperament as a major officer." Smith was obviously in a very good mood and joked with Zhang Wenwu.
Zhang Wenwu spread his hands helplessly and said, "There is no way, Smith. I haven't taken a shower for more than a month. You know, it is almost impossible to take a shower at the front line. Besides, I am also very busy and have no time to take a shower."
Smith brought Zhang Wenwu to a guest room on the first floor with a smile. He asked Zhang Wenwu to take a good bath and then have a good sleep. No one would come back to disturb him. After he had rested, the two of them would talk about recent developments together.
Zhang Wenwu took a nice hot bath and then lay down on the soft big bed. The relaxation at this moment made him fall into a deep sleep quickly. He slept until eleven o'clock in the morning. After getting up and washing up, Zhang Wenwu went to the consulate restaurant on the first floor to have lunch.
"Major Zhang... this way." Smith waved his hand and shouted to Zhang Wenwu who had just packed a plate of food.
Zhang Wenwu placed the plate of food on Smith's dining table, sat on the other side of the table, and began to eat voraciously.
"Oh, my God, Major Zhang, it seems that you haven't taken a shower for more than a month. Have you not eaten for a month and a half? Your current appearance is totally inconsistent with your military rank." Smith looked at Zhang Wenwu in surprise. He thought that it had been a long time since Zhang Wenwu had eaten, and he ate too fast.
Hearing Smith's teasing, Zhang Wenwu said nonchalantly: "Major Smith, if you could only eat a hot meal at night for more than a month, you would probably be even braver than me now." He thought that Smith was obviously a full man who did not know the hunger of a hungry man, and it was easy for him to talk without any pain in his waist.
Smith took a sip of the liquor in front of him, then said with a smile: "Haha, Major Zhang, it's always so interesting to chat with you. I like communicating with you. I don't think the situation you described will happen to me."
After Zhang Wenwu finished his meal, Smith asked the Indian servant of the consulate to bring him two cups of coffee. He wanted to ask Zhang Wenwu about the real situation of the Chinese army on the front line. From Zhang Wenwu, he had guessed that the situation of the Chinese army should not be optimistic.
"Major Zhang, what is the reason you are here this time?" Smith asked Zhang Wenwu knowing the answer. He wanted to find a suitable reason to shift the topic to the current war in Shanghai.
Zhang Wenwu took a puff of his cigarette, then smiled at Smith. He felt that Smith's question was not very clever. How could he not know what he was doing here? But he still said, "Major Smith, you know that some Chinese politicians are discussing with other countries to jointly condemn Japan's aggression against China, and hope to get support and help from other countries. Because of you and Lieutenant Colonel Rick, I was selected as a representative to participate in this mediation team."
Smith blinked a few times a little embarrassedly, then said with a smile: "Oh, God, it must be Lieutenant Colonel Rick who mentioned you in front of those politicians. I think Lieutenant Colonel Rick also doesn't want our good friend to encounter any accidents in this cruel war. He also means well."
Zhang Wenwu knew that Smith must have mentioned his own affairs in front of those people. He was using Rick's name to show off for himself. As for their concern for him, there might be some truth to that, but the more important thing was that he could bring them sources of antiques, which was the most important thing to them.
"Well, I am deeply honored by Lieutenant Colonel Rick and your recommendation. At least this allows me to have a hearty lunch today and a comfortable big bed." After saying that, Zhang Wenwu also picked up the coffee cup and gestured to Smith to express his gratitude.
Smith also raised his coffee cup and took a sip, then asked: "Major Zhang, how is the battle going in the front? We don't know the details in the concession, can you tell me about it? I am really amazed that your army can fight for so long under the bombing of Japanese ships and planes." He also asked the question that concerned him most.
Zhang Wenwu put down his coffee cup. He did not answer Smith's question. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Major Smith, aren't you going to introduce me to the current situation of the mediation team?" He wanted to know what various countries thought of the war and what countermeasures they were taking.
"Major Zhang, you are a very smart soldier. You should know that what those politicians are discussing now is meaningless to this war. Appeasement diplomacy is prevalent in European countries. In the Far East, countries do not actually have the strength to have a direct conflict with Japan. After all, this war is still far away from those politicians. If the Japanese bombs fall in their yards, the situation may be completely different." Smith shrugged. He felt that this mediation team was completely useless. The Japanese would never accept mediation before they got huge benefits, and the Chinese government would not offer the fantastic price offered by the Japanese.
Zhang Wenwu understood what Smith meant. If China could not prove that it could defeat Japan militarily, all other so-called mediation and negotiations would be futile. All countries only cared about their own interests in China. As long as the Japanese did not go too far, they would continue to condone the Japanese behavior. They would not offend the Japanese for China unless the Japanese went to war with them.
"Major Zhang, I'm very happy that you're here. Thank God that you survived such a brutal war. However, I don't think your arrival can add any strong support to the negotiations of the mediation team." Smith told Zhang Wenwu bluntly that you are just a small major and insignificant in the eyes of those politicians. The right thing to do is to survive.
Zhang Wenwu also knew that what Smith said was the truth, but he still asked: "Major Smith, I was sent here to assist the mediation team. No matter how things develop, I will still participate in the work."
"Of course, Major Zhang, you are already participating in the work. Lieutenant Colonel Rick and I have applied to the mediation team to transfer you over. Your main job is to be responsible for the liaison between your Chinese politicians and the British Empire in the mediation team. However, there is no substantive work to be done at the moment. You must know that those politicians are now holding talks and meetings in the British and American concessions every day. You just need to relax and have a good rest." Smith explained to Zhang Wenwu with a smile.
Zhang Wenwu understood that this was paid leave. He didn't need to do anything. He just had to eat and drink quietly in the consulate. He didn't need to participate in mediation or negotiations. It was simply Rick and Smith using their authority to rescue Zhang Wenwu from the front line.
Zhang Wenwu was very grateful for Rick and Smith's actions, but at the same time he felt that it was a bit of a waste of his time. There were still many things he needed to do in the front-line troops, but now that he was here, he couldn't go back. If the mediation team's work was not concluded, he would have to waste his time like this.
"Thank you again, Lieutenant Colonel Rick, and your concern." Zhang Wenwu still expressed his gratitude politely. After all, Rick and Smith had good intentions.
"Major Zhang, now you have plenty of time to tell me about the battle situation ahead." Smith gladly accepted Zhang Wenwu's thanks, and at the same time he brought the topic back to the original track.
"Of course, Major Smith, I'm happy to introduce you to the situation of the previous battle. This is also part of the work of the mediation team." Zhang Wenwu spread his hands and continued: "You also know that our army's equipment and firepower cannot be compared with the Japanese army. Although our army's fighting desire and the will of officers and soldiers are very strong, the previous battle can be said to be very tragic. The casualties of the troops are relatively serious, and the loss of heavy weapons is also very large, but the front line is still relatively stable." Zhang Wenwu briefly described the current situation.
Smith nodded, looked at the coffee cup in his hand and said, "Major Zhang, the intelligence we got is similar to what you said. You know, you have assembled 700,000 troops in this war in Shanghai. It is also this war that made me completely change my view of the fighting quality and will of your Chinese troops. Facing such serious casualties, you still withstood the Japanese offensive on the front line. I really didn't expect this. You know, the number of artillery pieces in a Japanese division has exceeded the number of artillery pieces of all your troops participating in the war. Now you can still basically maintain the front line. It's simply a miracle. I admire you Chinese soldiers very much. I propose that we use this cup of coffee to toast all the brave Chinese soldiers on the front line." After speaking, Smith raised the coffee cup and took a sip.
Zhang Wenwu was a little excited as he picked up the coffee cup and drank the coffee in it in one gulp. He knew how difficult it was for the troops on the front line to stop the Japanese offensive.
As the two continued to chat, a consulate staff member came over, handed Smith a telegram paper and said, "Major, Lieutenant Colonel Rick sent you a telegram, please sign for it."