The European battlefield was full of war, from the sky to the land, from the sea to the sea, the figures of soldiers on both sides were everywhere.

In contrast, the ancient Asian land seems to be much quieter, but under the calmest ice surface, there are often the most surging undercurrents.

Due to the initial attack setback, the Japanese army outside Qingdao has been actively deploying troops since mid-September. In addition to the previous attacks launched by the Japanese army to test the performance of tanks, the two sides have only conducted less than ten small battles in the past month, and the two sides have only advanced and retreated a few kilometers.

As the most primitive and legal master of this land, the Chinese people made full use of the opportunity of the Allies and the Allies who had no time to look east due to the fierce war and vigorously developed national industry and commerce. Although the Japanese tried their best to win over, given that Germany's strength in Qingdao is still strong and the European war situation has been developing in a direction that is beneficial to the Allies, the scheming and bald Yuan government has no intention of joining the war for the time being.

Japan, Tokyo, British Embassy.

British Ambassador Lauren sat in his office frownfully. He was not worried about the fate of the country now. Everything came from the chubby guy in front of him.

"Mr. Ambassador, is there still no news about the Japanese?" The fat man held a thick cigar in his mouth, and the whole room was filled with the smell of high-quality South American tobacco.

For Lauren, this smell was what he hated the most.

"Yes, Mr. Churchill! After all, you are now the Director of the Intelligence Department of the British Empire. If you want to be received by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeon Okuma, Japanese Foreign Minister Kato Takamaki, Japanese Navy Minister Saito Shi, and Army Minister Yuzuhara, you may have to wait for a while!"

The fat man was silent and sipped at the cigar again.

"The Japanese are now busy strengthening their offensive against Qingdao, so they will be more busy recently..." Lauren said sadly. In fact, after the British navy suffered a heavy blow, the Japanese's attitude in front of them seemed to become tough overnight. In addition, Churchill was not considered King George's special envoy, because the king was strongly skeptical about whether the Japanese would be willing to join the European war. Churchill thought he knew the nation and country very well, so he insisted on carrying out this trip to Japan.

Churchill shook with his hand holding the cigar, "If I wait like this, I'm afraid I will never have a chance to be received by them! No, we don't have much time to waste like this anymore! Sir Ambassador, who is the easiest thing I see among these people?"

Lauren thought for a while, "External Secretary, Kato Gaoming! I have a little personal relationship with this person, and I still have a chance to see him alone!"

"Okay, let's see him first!"

One night two days later, the Minister of Foreign Affairs' residence.

"Mr. Lauren, we haven't seen each other for several days! Today, I brought such a valuable gift to me. Lauren, you are so polite!" Kato said in fluent English, while playing with the antiques brought by Lauren, to be precise, it was the gift given to him by Churchill.

Officials of the British Empire actually had to rely on personal friendships and gifts to meet Japanese ministers. Churchill felt that the world had really changed.

"Just as long as Mr. Kato likes it! I also brought a guest here today, Mr. Churchill, Director of the Intelligence Department of the Navy Department of our country!"

Kato stared at Churchill carefully for a while, and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Isn't this Mr. Churchill, the Navy Secretary of the British Empire? It turns out it's really you! Do you remember? We met in London four years ago. Our naval delegation went to your country's Vickers Arms Company to order the King Kong-class battlecruiser. At that time, I was still an inconspicuous little person, so your minister naturally would not have any impression of me!"

"Oh, so that's it! It's so honor!" Churchill suddenly felt that the hope of achieving his goal in this trip increased greatly, and Kato was his first breakthrough.

"Don't just stand, sit down and have tea together! The meal time will be ready soon, we have a few drinks later!" Kato led the two of them to sit down at the small wooden table so that he would not feel embarrassed to speak with his head raised.

Churchill and Lauren both chose to sit cross-legged, but for Churchill's figure, the look was really funny.

"There is an old Chinese saying that you will not go to the Three Treasures Hall without any trouble. Since you are my old friends, you have brought such a good gift. If you have anything to say, you might as well say it!" Kato knelt across from the British. As a Foreign Minister, he knew very well how these British people spoke frankly.

"Your Excellency is so refreshing to speak. So Mr. Churchill, should I avoid it?" Lauren looked at Churchill, and only sat down firmly after he shook his head and said it was okay.

"That's right, Mr. Kato, you must have known the situation in Europe. The situation is very unfavorable to our allied countries! Since our navy suffered consecutive defeats in the naval battle, the British Isles are facing the siege and blockade of the Germans. On the European continent, Russia can no longer pose a threat to Germany and Austria. Therefore, the Germans were able to concentrate the army's forces on the French battlefield. Now our French allies are just struggling to support it." When Churchill said this, Kato's maid brought in several bottles of sake, filled the wine glasses in front of them and sat aside.

Looking at Churchill's alert eyes, Kato already understood the importance of this meeting, so he waved his hand to let the maid go out.

"Mr. Churchill, we are all very familiar with these situations, and we also sympathize with the difficulties our allies suffered. Unfortunately, we are too far apart from Europe. The Russians took half a year to drive the fleet from Europe to here, and then were defeated by us in one fell swoop. Could it be that Mr. I hope that our navy will also spend the first half of a year from here to Europe to participate in the war? The German Pacific Squadron still exists, and we cannot transfer the main force of the navy with this point, otherwise even our country will be in danger of being attacked by the German ship!"

Kato's thinking was as smooth as his English spoken language, which made Churchill admire him for his good intentions.

"As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kato is so proficient in strategy, which is really admirable!"

"You're welcome!" Kato picked up the wine glass and reached out to signal the British to enjoy it together.

For those who are used to drinking whiskey, the sake, as light as Chinese rice wine, does not have any special taste. While Kato pours wine for the two British people, Churchill slowly spoke:

"Now we do need your country's help. Only by working together to help all countries can we have a chance to defeat the temporarily powerful enemy. If both our Britain and France are destroyed by the Germans, I believe the next target of the Germans is your country!"

"Oh? I think the powerful British Empire would not be defeated like this! Will France, which is known as the world's army power, be occupied by the German army in just a few months? If the Germans really come from Europe to fight our country, then we will make them the second Russia!" Kato answered indifferently.

"But Mr. Kato, after receiving the absolute support of Turkey, the German army can enter Asia from land, cross Iran, and India, after they will stand on the pedals of China and North Korea, and launch an attack on your country at any time! As for their navy, I have to reveal a very bad news here..." Churchill lowered his voice and looked mysterious, "The Suez Canal will soon fall into the hands of the German-Turkish coalition! At that time, the time for the German fleet to come from Europe to Asia will be greatly shortened!"

"Oh? Do the Turks have this ability?" Kato was a little surprised. It seemed that the Japanese were not paying too much attention to the battle situation there.

Churchill looked disappointed, "Under Kemal's leadership, Turkey is no longer the same. After their army was trained by German instructors and equipped with German weapons, their combat effectiveness was extraordinary! When Russia was busy with civil war, the German-Turkish coalition forces even transferred their main force to the front line of Damascus. The British and French coalition forces in Egypt could not compete with them at all!"

"What a bad news!" Kato shook his head, picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

"So, based on your country's fundamental interests, it is absolutely not allowed to appear a Germany that dominates Europe. I always believe that your country should participate in the European war situation, especially your country's powerful navy. If we formed a joint fleet of Britain, Japan and France, there would be great hope to fight the German navy. As long as the German navy is successfully contained, we can transfer the millions of British troops defending the British Isles to the French battlefield, and the French war situation will be completely reversed. At that time, we can divide the German colonies around the world, and your country does not have to be limited to small Asian, Africa, America and even Europe's colonies!" Churchill became more and more enviable, just like he did to the Italians at the time, a spectacular scene came to life in his description.

Kato looked up at Churchill's somewhat intoxicated face, picked up the white wine bottle containing sake and added wine to his cup, and said lukewarmly:

"Mr. Churchill, I have to remind you that the primary concern of our country is how much chance of victory will be after our army joins the European battlefield. Even if I recommend you to the Prime Minister and Ministers, this issue is what they want to know the most. We will never fight a battle without hope of victory!"

"No, Your Honor, Foreign Minister, what you care about is how much benefit you can achieve in the future. I'm right! As for the outcome of the war, it is unrealistic to measure the odds of victory. Before the Battle of Waterloo, before the Battle of Trafalgar, or even before the Battle of Tyma, who knows which side will have the odds of victory? Victory is not achieved by calculation, but by full preparation and determination to win. Isn't this also the belief that your army has always adhered to?"

Kato looked at Churchill with some surprise, and the British also hit the nail on the head and pointed out his ultimate goal.

“Even so, can you really make a commitment to our country on behalf of the UK?”

Churchill was silent, and after a while he spoke in a low voice: "No, I can't!"

"It's really a pity!" Kato sighed helplessly.

"Unfortunately, due to the defeat of the Navy, I have lost the position of Minister of the Navy. But I still hope to save this empire through my strength. If we can reach a cooperation intention, I am fully confident to persuade our country, King George and the government to formally sign an agreement with your country."

"Sir, I am really worried about the country and the people! So are the local ports in Germany, German South Africa, and German Poland all within the range where we can offer prices?" Kato's tone suddenly looked like a businessman asking for the price. Perhaps this is the true face of a diplomat.

"Yes, of course, the premise is to defeat the German and Austrian army!" Churchill nodded seriously. For the British government in distress, everything can be negotiated as long as it can curb Germany's aggressive momentum and win enough breathing time.

The shrewd Kato naturally realized this, so he reported the two most wanted areas in Asia: "What about Hong Kong and Singapore?"

Churchill was not very surprised. The Japanese were famous for their greed. He simply wanted these dwarfs to fight against the Germans. When the British Empire recovered, his current promise would be forgotten.

"I'm afraid I'll ask our king and government for instructions!"

Kato nodded, "Today can only be considered as the private meeting between the two of us, but I will convey your wishes to our government!"

Seeing that the first purpose of this trip had been achieved, Churchill and Lauren stood up and prepared to say goodbye.

"Don't sit for a while?" Kato asked politely, although he knew that the British were not interested in the exquisite food on the table.

"No, Mr. Kato. Let's go back and wait for your good news! I hope our two countries can have a happy cooperation!"

Three days later, Japanese Prime Minister Shigetsuno Okuma was the official residence.

The guards outside the official residence were stacked with layers of guards, soldiers with live ammunition, and vigilant plainclothes military police formed an almost airtight protection network. It seemed that the coup five years ago and the deaths of a large number of senior army generals left a profound lesson to these living people.

Churchill and Lauren were allowed to enter the residence after a rigorous body search.

In a classic Japanese conference room, several serious-looking people knelt on the mat. The heads were the 76-year-old Prime Minister Shigenobu Okuma, while Foreign Minister Kato Takamei, Navy Minister Saito Shi, and Army Minister Yusaki Uehara also attended the event as soon as possible.

Churchill was very satisfied with this. It seemed that the ambition of the Japanese made them decide to risk huge risks to compete in the European battlefield. Churchill would only do this for the Japanese. If it were Americans, this method would almost not work. Americans not only care about the lives of their soldiers, but also the result of the war.

"Sir, please sit down!" The elderly Prime Minister Okuma looks pretty good and speaks very quickly, but unfortunately he speaks Japanese.

Lauren acted as a part-time translator, carefully translating the Japanese words to Churchill.

"My country has no interest in participating in the European war!"

"What?" Churchill looked at Lauren blankly, but Lauren's expression told him that he was not wrong.

"My country does not plan to participate in the European war!" Prime Minister Okuma repeated again.
Chapter completed!