Years of the Republic of China 1913

Volume 110 The Unsettled Times Chapter [-] Chapter [-] Horror in the Lobby (Second more to come!)

Before leaving, Li Xinkai proposed to hold a banquet to see Fang Zida and his party off. Originally, Fang Zida didn't like to attend such occasions, but in these days in Tianjin, the people in charge of China Merchants gave Fang Zida a good impression, especially Manager Li Xinkai, this middle-aged man who has gone from the grassroots to the current position step by step is not only shrewd and capable, but also has a very good professional ethics, giving Fang Zida the feeling of a professional manager of later generations.Because of Fang Zida's background as a businessman, he naturally got closer to them and accepted the invitation gladly.

For convenience, the evening banquet was held in Lishunde, where Fang Zida lived.It was still early after the meeting, Fang Zida called Zhang Huchen and Jiang Zhiqing, and the three went downstairs.

As soon as he got out of the elevator, a man rushed over and almost bumped into Fang Zida who was walking in the middle.Zhang Huchen had sharp eyes and quick hands, he quickly dodged in front of Fang Zida, and with a swipe of his left arm, he threw the man stumbled.

"How did you walk? Are you blind?" Zhang Huchen, who had experienced the flames of war, was no longer the Zhang Biao who used to play tricks on Tianqiao.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." The man didn't even dare to answer, he quickly bowed his head to apologize, pressed down his top hat, walked around Fang Zida and they hurried into the elevator.

"Sir, are you alright?" Zhang Huchen turned to Fang Zida and asked after watching the elevator door close cautiously.

"Hehe, what could be the matter? Besides, I'm not made of tofu, so I can't stand it. It's you, Huchen! This is not a military camp. The Astor Hotel is a well-known high-end place in Tianjin. That person probably has something urgent to do. There's no need to be surprised."

Zhang Huchen responded, but he didn't take Fang Zida's words to heart. In his opinion, protecting Fang Zida was the most important thing, and he didn't need to care about other things at all.Don't say that the man just now was a Chinese, even a white man would do the same according to Zhang Huchen's personality.

"Come on, I haven't tasted the famous steamed stuffed buns in Tianjin for so many days." Fang Zida smiled, Tianjin Goubuli is very famous, if he hadn't been busy these days, he might have gone there long ago It's an old shop, and it's still early before the dinner party, so Fang Zida thought of going there first to have a good time.

Going out and getting in the car, three people and three rickshaws soon arrived at the old shop.After a few plates of steamed stuffed buns came out, Fang Zida tasted it, and was immediately full of praise.This taste is simply amazing. There is no way to compare with the waxy gnocchi after a hundred years. It is better to be old!Fang Zida couldn't help sighing, he wiped out several of them in a few mouthfuls, and he was so addicted to eating.

After eating the buns, they simply wandered around the neighborhood and took a walk back to the hotel. They didn't return to the hotel until around four o'clock in the afternoon.Seeing that it was almost time, Fang Zida didn't want to go upstairs, so he sat down with Zhang Huchen and Jiang Zhiqing at the side of the lobby, took a newspaper and drank coffee while reading it.

The owner of Astor is German, and the hotel’s newspapers are mostly foreign newspapers, either in English, French or even German, but the time is a little later than in Europe.Jiang Zhiqing could only understand Japanese, and Zhang Huchen could barely recognize all Chinese characters, let alone those distorted foreign languages.Neither of them had much interest in this. Sitting on the left and right, Zhang Huchen was still guarding vigilantly, while Jiang Zhiqing closed his eyes slightly to rest.

The war in Europe has been almost two months now. On August 8rd, Germany declared war on Belgium and occupied the entire territory of Belgium in just 3 days. On August 6, Germany divided its forces into five routes to attack northern France, and the French army fell. On September 8, the German army approached the French capital Paris, and the French government was forced to retreat to Bordeaux. On September 21th, a battle broke out between the German army and the British and French forces on the Marne River near Paris, known as the Battle of the Marne River.This battle lasted for a whole week, and both sides fought exhaustedly, and no one took advantage of it.

Now, not long after the end of the Battle of the Marne, the two sides of the war have formed a stalemate.The newspaper in Fang Zida’s hands had news reports on the Battle of the Marne. In these reports, he expressed great surprise at the strong military strength of Germany, and expressed concern about whether the British and French allied forces could hold the line of defense under the second German offensive.

After all, since the start of the war, the German army has been overwhelming. If the British and French allied forces tried their best to stop the German army at the Marne River, I am afraid that even Paris would be defeated now.The balance of the war seems to have been tilted towards the Allies, especially in several German newspapers, there was even a burst of applause. A German reporter even wrote that the war might end within half a year, and the powerful Allies would inevitably The Allied Powers were torn to pieces by force, and the scene of the Franco-Prussian War was reproduced on the land of France.

Seeing this, Fang Zida couldn't help but find it funny.Perhaps Kaiser Wilhelm thinks the same way now, and even regrets handing Qingdao back to China so easily.But Fang Zida knew very well in his heart that due to the appearance of machine guns, trenches, and barbed wire, the traditional way of warfare was no longer suitable for the new way of warfare.Although the German army is strong and has achieved great results in a short period of time, it did not quickly take down the French capital Paris.Today, the war has gradually turned to positional warfare and attrition warfare, and neither party in the war has the absolute power to break through the other side's defense line in one fell swoop.In the future, apart from a few large-scale battles, there will be more constant consumption of you coming and going.By then, the arrogant Kaiser may not be able to laugh anymore.

It is precisely this way that China's role in this war has not yet been revealed.Before the European countries are completely consumed, they temporarily ignore the distant and poor China.Coincidentally, this also gave Fang Zida a buffer time. No matter how fast the domestic industry and commerce develop, it will take at least a year of accumulation.By this time next year, the European countries that have consumed a lot of material and personnel by the war will have to turn their attention to China. By then, China will truly usher in its take-off.

Looking at the contents of the newspaper, and thinking of his own arrangement, Fang Zida couldn't help but chuckled.

"What's the matter?" Jiang Zhiqing opened his eyes and asked with some puzzlement seeing Fang Zida's mouth was smiling.

"The Germans are bragging in the papers that it only takes three more months to end the war in Europe."

"End the war..." Although Jiang Zhiqing couldn't read German newspapers, news of the European War was also reprinted in Chinese newspapers, and he usually paid attention to it.

"Zhiqing, what do you think?"

"What does the president mean?"

Fang Zida reached out to tap the newspaper, and Jiang Zhiqing also smiled and said, "Perhaps, Germany has the strongest army among the great powers. The current war situation is very good for Germany. However, Britain and France are not vegetarians. Since Germany does not If you take down Paris in one go, I’m afraid it’s hard to say what’s next. Stalemate is the most feared thing in war. Once a stalemate is compared, it’s not the army, but manpower and national strength. Compared with Germany, although France’s national strength is weaker, Britain is different. Although the British Empire is not big, its colonies around the world are enough to support their long-term wars. The final outcome of the war is hard to predict."

Fang Zida secretly praised that although Jiang Zhiqing's ability to command and fight is not very good, his strategic vision is still good.A few words can express the essence of the European War. If there is no accident, the mighty Germany will be dragged down like this. As for the last participation of the United States in the war, it is just to take advantage of the danger. The Allies are gone. , no matter whether the Yankees send troops in the end, the final fate will not change.

"What else?" It was rare to hear Jiang Zhiqing's judgment, and Fang Zida asked again with interest.

"The other thing is..." Jiang Zhiqing had just finished speaking, when suddenly his eyes tightened, and he looked into the distance in surprise.

"What's the matter?" Following Jiang Zhiqing's gaze, there were a few guests coming in and out at the gate, and there seemed to be nothing unusual, Fang Zida asked strangely.

Smiling awkwardly, Jiang Zhiqing said: "It's nothing, I thought I saw an acquaintance just now, it must be my blind eye."

"Oh..." Fang Zida didn't care, and continued to chat with Jiang Zhiqing about the European War.But just when they said a few more words, they suddenly heard a rush of footsteps coming from the corridor. Looking up, they saw a man running stumblingly, as if someone was chasing after him. .

Fang Zida had good eyesight and immediately recognized that this man was the one who almost bumped into him a few hours ago.He was wearing a top hat and couldn't see his face clearly. He looked back while running, and bumped into several people one after another along the way, causing them to scream and curse.

"boom!"

With a gunshot, the marble pillars in the middle of the lobby suddenly splashed with stone foam, and after a brief silence, there were screams and shouts of fear.Zhang Huchen was startled by the gunshot, his first reaction was to push Fang Zida back, and threw himself on him.When he judged that the gun was not aimed at them, Zhang Huchen turned over again, picked up Fang Zida and dodged to the back of the sofa. With both hands on his waist, two gun tags were revealed.

"Give me a gun!" Jiang Zhiqing's movements were not slow, but a little later than Zhang Huchen also dodged to the other sofa, carefully poked his head to look, and in a blink of an eye saw that Zhang Huchen had two guns in his hands, and rushed at him shouted.

He ignored him, Zhang Huchen covered Fang Zida with his body, and poked his head out slightly to observe the situation.In just an instant, the entire lobby was in chaos. The man I saw just now was rushing towards the door in the crowd, while two men in black with guns rushed out from the other side of the corridor. One of them fired the gun. Judging from their appearance, they seemed to be chasing and killing the man.

Due to the abnormal chaos at the scene, although the two sides were not far away, it was not easy to hit the man in the crowd.The man fleeing for his life was getting closer and closer to the gate under the cover of the fleeing crowd. Once he ran out of the hotel, he was temporarily safe.

"Hu Chen, give me a gun!" Jiang Zhiqing was trembling nervously, and shouted softly again in a hurry.

"Get out!" Zhang Huchen didn't even bother him, and continued to strictly adhere to the movements in the lobby.At this moment, Fang Zida also took out the pistol that he always carried with him. His hands were covered in cold sweat. Seeing Jiang Zhiqing hiding on the side anxiously, he took out a spare small gun from his trousers and pointed at Jiang Zhiqing who was two meters away from him. With a shout, he raised his hand and threw it to him.

With a gun in hand, Jiang Zhiqing was determined, at least not as nervous as before.Following Zhang Huchen's example, he quietly looked out from behind the sofa. At this time, the man fleeing for his life had already opened the door of the hotel and strode out.

One step to live, one step to die.After leaving the hotel, the sea and the sky were wide open, and when the man had already left the hotel with most of his body, he was glad that he had finally escaped, when a situation that no one expected happened.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!  …."

A short figure suddenly appeared from nowhere, and without a word, he drew his gun and shot at the man.Blossoms of blood splashed on the man's chest, and his body was swaying in the air like an electric shock. When the gunfire stopped, he collapsed to the ground like a deflated ball, dead. I can't die anymore.