Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 1725: The Great Power Chess Game (Second update, please subscribe)

What's a better place to start?
It was noon, the day after the welcome banquet at the Kremlin. The reason it was noon was that everyone got drunk at the banquet!
Brezhnev was full of passion. He hugged Li Yian warmly and even kissed him hard, which is a characteristic of Russians.

Even Li Yian got drunk in the end.

Although he didn't have a hangover, he still slept until noon. Before he even had lunch, the door was knocked open. It was none other than the tall and handsome man.

"Lee! Let's go out together!"

Brezhnev said excitedly:

"I'll show you around Moscow!"

After saying that, without even giving Li Yian a chance to refuse, he "dragged" him out of the room, and then the two of them walked out of the hotel together. When walking out of the hotel, Li Yian looked at the BMW 700 in surprise.

"Are you going to take this one?"

"Yes, my friend! I will take you personally!"

After saying that, Brezhnev dragged Li Yian into the car, then stepped on the accelerator and drove like a tiger.

After getting in the car, Li Yian finally understood why everyone recorded how much Brezhnev loved cars. It was not that he loved cars, he just enjoyed the pleasure of driving.

In the heavy traffic in Moscow, Brezhnev drove at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour!

Seeing this scene, Li Yian, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was nervous. God knew that the passenger seat was the most dangerous, especially when the steering wheel was in someone else's hands, and this was in the urban area.

Seeing the car break through the 100 km/h speed, Li Yian said:

"Drive slower, drive slower, this is downtown."

Brezhnev ignored him and stepped on the accelerator. There was only this car in the central lane, and the guards' car was left behind. Of course, the car left behind was the Soviet KGB's car. They were driving Soviet cars, and Li Yian's special agents were following closely behind the car.

As he drove the car, Li Yian took a closer look at the car. The interior was black velvet, and there was an inscription in Russian on the dashboard:
"In fond memories, with best wishes."

After driving out of Moscow, he said to Li Yian:

"Li, now you believe in my skills!"

Li Yian nodded and praised:
"You are indeed a skilled driver."

Then they sped away along a narrow road outside Moscow.

Previously, the car was driving at high speed without any obstacles on the cleared Moscow Avenue. Now, after the car drove out of the city, Li Yian couldn't help but imagine what would happen if a car suddenly appeared at the corner of this one-way street?
But this seemed unlikely, as there was a very steep downhill bend with a bright sign with the icon of a sharp turn.

Normal people would slow down and pay attention to safety here.

When approaching the downhill slope, Brezhnev was driving at a speed of more than 80 kilometers per hour.

Li Yian leaned forward and said:

"slow down!"

God knows airbags haven’t been invented yet!

But he ignored it, and the tires squealed as he reached the turn and slammed on the brakes…

After the trip, Brezhnev told Li Yian:

"This is a very good car. Even here it performs very well. You really make the best car in the world, better than the American, German and Italian cars."

"You are such an amazing driver."

Li Yian replied:

"There's no way I can turn here at your speed."

Diplomacy is not always an easy art and flattery is inevitable.

"You know, I was born into a working class family. I learned how to drive a car on the battlefield. At that time, German planes were bombing, and I drove the car by myself, dodging the bombing between craters and bullets. You've been to the battlefield, so you should understand all this..."

While listening to Brezhnov talking about his experiences on the battlefield, Li Yian nodded from time to time. These people had all experienced World War II and war, so of course they had some common language. Only those who had been to the battlefield could understand such common language.

In this way, the car kept driving in the forest outside Moscow, and somewhat to his surprise, the road conditions were much better than he had imagined.

Although it is a forest road, it is indeed a well-paved asphalt road, which is a bit unexpected.

After all, according to previous intelligence, the Soviet Union's road infrastructure was very backward, but this current highway has overturned the previous intelligence.

Maybe it's a dedicated road.

When the car reached the river, Brezhnov stopped the car with a reluctant look on his face and got out. It was spring now and the grass by the river was green.

Brezhnov got out of the car and walked towards the river, followed by Li Yian.

When he reached the river, he turned his head, his eyes still sparkling with excitement.

"Li, thank you for bringing this gift. It is not only a car, but also a symbol of friendship."

"As long as you like it." Li Yian responded with a smile.

“Hope it brings you more joy.”

"Happiness, this is indeed a very rare happiness..."

Brezhnov nodded, thought for a moment, and said:

"Lee, is there anything you need me to do?"

Brezhnov said bluntly:

"Or rather, where you need my help! We all know that we always need to discuss something at this time."

Is this Russian directness?
Standing next to Brezhnov, Li Yian looked at the water birds that occasionally flew over the river. He thought for a moment and then said:

"Hanoi!"

"Hanoi?"

Brezhnev said.

"Are you asking us to give up our support for them?"

Brezhnev shook his head and said.

“You have to know that Hanoi’s biggest supporter is not us. The resources we provide are limited. Its real supporter is another country. Even if we stop supporting them, it will be meaningless.

And on the other hand, we need them to be there to fight, to fight the Americans.”

This is not because Brezhnev confessed, but because everyone knows the answer.

"I know, and I can certainly understand that."

Li Yian nodded and said.

"But we must understand that a unified Hanoi will most likely be another country of light."

"Land of Light?"

Brezhnov frowned, and although it was just one word, his tone was filled with dissatisfaction. "We all saw very clearly that the Kingdom of Light, which wanders between the two major countries, has never really paid attention to the ideas of Moscow or the other side. They have their own independent ideas and wishes.

The same is true in Hanoi.”

Li Yian and Brezhnov talked while strolling along the river.

"Once Hanoi completes its unification, they will certainly take advantage of the conflicts between the major powers to fight for their own interests, just like the Kingdom of Light. By then, it will be difficult for Moscow to control their thoughts and decisions."

With the precedent of the Kingdom of Light, Brezhnev naturally agreed with what Li Yian said.

"I agree with your statement, but we can't play a decisive role, and we need him now."

"I know, but who knows in the future?"

Li Yian looked at Brezhnev and said.

"The anti-war voices in the United States are getting stronger and stronger. If nothing unexpected happens, a ceasefire is likely to become a major issue in this year's US presidential election, which means that in the next few years, the United States is likely to withdraw its troops from Vietnam."

Brezhnov nodded and said.

"It's definitely possible."

"If the United States withdraws its troops, it will be difficult for Saigon to resist Hanoi's offensive, and Hanoi will most likely complete the unification of the country by then."

Li Yian said straightforwardly.

"This is the most immediate threat to us."

Li Yian stopped and looked at Brezhnev and said in a very serious tone.

"You know me. I will definitely resolve this threat when the time comes. Regardless of whether other countries are involved or not."

Faced with such a reminder, Brezhnov did not give an immediate answer. He certainly knew the guy in front of him.

This guy never ignores the threats around him.

"You are said to intervene in Saigon after the Americans withdraw. But have you ever considered that if the United States cannot win there, how can you win?"

“We are different from Americans.”

Shaking his head, Li Yian said:

"Either don't fight, or go all out. There are no constraints when fighting."

"You will reach Hanoi?"

Li Yian did not answer. After all, someone would help him fight to Hanoi by then.

"All I want is to protect Saigon, just like the peninsula is now. I have no interest in Hanoi."

After thinking for a while, Brezhnov said
"So what do you need?"

“After the U.S. withdrawal, I need you to remain neutral on the issue of Hanoi reunification.”

What is neutrality? It means not supporting or endorsing the monkey.

This would also avoid future conflicts with the Soviet Union.

This was not because he was afraid of a conflict with the Soviet Union, but because the country in front of him was at the pinnacle of history at that time.

If the two sides act rashly without reaching a consensus, there is a high possibility of conflict between them, which is exactly what Li Yian does not want to see, because he does not want to stand up for the United States and resist pressure from the Soviet Union for the United States.

Brezhnev walked forward silently without saying a word.

After walking for a while, he said:
"So how can you give us anything?"

"ensure!"

Li Yian uttered two words directly.

"Promise? What promise?"

Brezhnev looked at Li Yian with some curiosity.

"Promise not to interfere in the internal affairs of Warsaw Pact countries, with the exception of Hungary."

This guarantee made Brezhnev's heart tremble, and he looked at the other party with some surprise.

Why would this guy say that?
Could it be that he had seen the Kremlin's dissatisfaction with Czechoslovakia?

Could it be that he had his own spies in the Kremlin?

"We have diplomats there."

Li Yian didn't give him any room for guessing.

“We know what they are doing and we know what the Kremlin is thinking, but it doesn’t matter.”

Shaking his head, Li Yian continued.

"I care only about Hungary and only about Hungary, that's my promise."

Faced with such assurances, Brezhnev fell into silence.

He did not give an answer immediately. In fact, the Kremlin was discussing how to solve the Czechoslovakia issue.

The problem… they’re worried it’s going to be another Hungary.

Although after the Hungarian incident ended that year, Li Yian and Nikita reached a verbal consensus.

But it is well known that all agreements are meant to be broken, and now Nikita is no longer the master of the Kremlin.

Are there any objections to the verbal agreement between them?

And now this guarantee is made to Brezhnev, which means that with this guarantee, they can do whatever they want in Czechoslovakia.

"I understand your concern for your safety. After all, we are also very concerned about our own safety."

Brezhnev looked at Li Yian and said.

"Well, I think we can reach this kind of tacit understanding and take into account our mutual interests to the greatest extent possible within the scope of mutual safety."

In this way, the fate of the two countries has been decided quietly. In fact, this is the cruelest and most real side of the world. On the world stage, the interests of small countries are always the bargaining chips of big countries.

They are destined to be sacrificed and betrayed. No matter how the world develops, no matter how sanctimonious people are, this most basic fact cannot be changed.

Then they talked a lot until their stomachs rumbled, and then they could sit down by the river and have lunch.

Lunch was very simple, a Russian picnic with bread, jam and other things.

While enjoying lunch, Brezhnev looked at Li Yian and asked him if he had any other requests.

"I hope to meet Nikita before leaving the Soviet Union. After all, we are friends."

(End of this chapter)