On the morning of January 27th, shortly after 10:00 AM, Yan Huiqing stepped out of his residence and looked up at the sky. The winter sky in Paris was gloomy. Having spent the entire night pondering Britain's reaction, Yan Huiqing couldn't help but think of the English winter where the sun was almost entirely invisible. The winter in Paris was quite different from London, where it was either raining or about to rain, so Parisians always considered themselves vastly different from those gloomy Englishmen.

Arriving at the train station by car, it didn't take long for Yan Huiqing to spot his old friend Lu Zhengxiang. Meeting an old friend in a foreign land is one of life's three great joys. As soon as Lu Zhengxiang saw Yan Huiqing, he dragged his suitcase over with quick steps. A moment later, Yan Huiqing grasped Lu Zhengxiang's arm, looked his old friend up and down, and sighed with emotion, "Brother Lu, you've lost weight."

Lu Zhengxiang shook his head, "Now everyone in Belgium knows that China and France have signed an agreement, especially the business community..."

At this point, Lu Zhengxiang's expression became complicated. Yan Huiqing understood Lu Zhengxiang's thoughts and took his rolling suitcase, leading the way out of the platform. The two remained silent throughout the walk. It wasn't until they got into the car that Yan Huiqing said, "Brother Lu, you suffered many grievances during the Reorganization Loan and the series of fundraising events back then. I imagine your insistence on going to Belgium was also because of this."

Lu Zhengxiang's gaunt face showed no expression, but the emotions in his chest rose and fell like waves. Back then, in order to get money to clean up the mess and unify China, Yuan Shikai orchestrated the Reorganization Loan in 1913. Later, because the Beiyang government lost its credit in the international financial circle, several attempts to borrow more money failed. That was how the Twenty-One Demands came about.

In both of these events, Lu Zhengxiang, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, acted on orders and completely shouldered the infamy. Going to Belgium in the name of his late wife was certainly to fulfill a wish, but in reality, it was also because he couldn't bear the pressure.

After the car had driven for a while, Lu Zhengxiang spoke with hatred, "Brother Yan, fifteen years ago, the Reorganization Loan totaled 25 million pounds, with an annual interest of 5%, actually delivered at 84%, to be paid off in 47 years. The principal and interest totaled 67,893,597 pounds, secured by salt taxes and customs duties. Today, a 20 billion franc interest-free loan, fully paid at 100%. Looking back, I was truly blind! I thought I was really doing something for the country back then!"

"Brother Lu, there's no need to be like this. When Chairman He was still studying in Japan, Yuan Shikai was the only one in China who could be called a hero." Yan Huiqing now referred to Yuan Shikai directly by name. After becoming the Foreign Minister of He Rui's government, Yan Huiqing could no longer muster any respect for the old Beiyang figures. In this cooperation with France, He Rui seized the strategic opportunity. Seeing the easy acquisition of a 20 billion franc interest-free loan, Yan Huiqing also felt incredibly emotional when recalling the previous loans.

"Brother Lu, if Britain wants to negotiate with us again regarding the Reorganization Loan, would you be willing to help?" Yan Huiqing asked.

Lu Zhengxiang's eyes widened. Given their relationship, Lu Zhengxiang believed Yan Huiqing hadn't invited him to Paris just to mock him. But Lu Zhengxiang also couldn't figure out what he could do regarding the Reorganization Loan.

The car didn't go to the Chinese delegation's residence but stopped in front of a hotel. Lu Zhengxiang followed Yan Huiqing inside and saw the room Yan Huiqing had already prepared for him. Lu Zhengxiang quickly said, "Such a room is unnecessary. Before this trip, I already got a letter of introduction from the abbot of the monastery. I can just find any monastery to stay in."

The hotel conditions were actually quite good, and Yan Huiqing knew Lu Zhengxiang felt he didn't deserve it. He closed the door and smiled, "Brother Lu, you came so quickly this time. I assume the Bishop of the Belgian Church must have visited you."

The first thought in Lu Zhengxiang's mind was that Yan Huiqing had investigated him, but on second thought, he felt there was absolutely no need for Yan Huiqing to do so. The Belgian Archbishop actually hadn't said much, but based on the current situation and his experience as a diplomat, Lu Zhengxiang could basically determine that the Archbishop hoped to establish some cooperation with China through Lu Zhengxiang's connections.

Lu Zhengxiang felt no problem serving China's interests. But serving the interests of the Belgian Church was something Lu Zhengxiang completely resisted in his heart. This was also the biggest reason he left Belgium.

Since Yan Huiqing was so confident, Lu Zhengxiang asked, "Please enlighten me, Brother Yan."

Pulling Lu Zhengxiang to sit on a chair, Yan Huiqing said, "Britain will definitely find a way to cooperate with China to hedge against France's influence on China. The Reorganization Loan was initiated by the Beiyang government, not benefits obtained by the banks of Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan through war, so the government had to acknowledge it. Now the other four countries have resolved this matter with China. If..." At this point, Yan Huiqing emphasized his tone, "If the British government negotiates with us on cooperation in the financial sector, and we can end the Reorganization Loan through other means, that would naturally be good."

Lu Zhengxiang knew this was an opportunity Yan Huiqing was giving him, only he wasn't sure if He Rui's intention was behind it. But either way, Lu Zhengxiang himself hoped to wash away the shame. After thinking for a moment, Lu Zhengxiang suddenly blushed and sighed, "The Chinese Constitution stipulates that citizens have religious freedom, right?"

Yan Huiqing was stunned for a moment before he understood Lu Zhengxiang's meaning. Looking at his old friend's awkward expression, Yan Huiqing immediately replied, "That is precisely so. Citizens have the freedom to believe in religion, and also the freedom not to believe. Believing yesterday and not believing today is naturally the right of a Chinese citizen."

After comforting Lu Zhengxiang, Yan Huiqing was actually very happy in his heart. He had always believed that Lu Zhengxiang was not a believer at his core, but only used religion as spiritual solace because the pressure was too great. Now that there was an opportunity to do things, how could he continue to use so-called religious belief to numb himself.

By this time it was already noon, so Yan Huiqing invited Lu Zhengxiang to lunch. The most obvious scenery on the streets of Paris was the open-air cafes. The layout of Paris cafes was different from elsewhere. The ground floor of buildings facing the street were all shops, and there would be a cafe every few shops.

Through the glass windows with logos, one could roughly see the L-shaped bar counter inside. At one end of the counter, a large pot for brewing coffee was ready, capable of pouring out hot water at any time. French workers, after finishing work at noon or in the evening, would often spend a few coins to buy a cup of coffee—originally a cup of coffee only cost one coin, that was over a decade ago, now each cup had risen to four coins—find a seat at a table by the street, and drink it hot to rest. If they were willing to spend a few more coins, they could buy a piece of dessert or a snack to eat with the coffee. If they were willing to take out a few small-denomination banknotes, they could buy meat dishes.

But the customers sitting in the street-side seats were mostly workers in short jackets, generally not that wealthy. Only those wearing long suits would stroll into the shop, order wine and food, and sit and drink slowly. Then have a cup of coffee after eating.

Today was a cloudy day in Paris, so the two walked directly into a cafe and quickly ordered food. Yan Huiqing handed the newspaper he brought out to Lu Zhengxiang. Lu Zhengxiang opened it and saw the headline was news about the French company Renault receiving orders from China, followed by information about Renault recruiting technical personnel.

Lu Zhengxiang certainly knew that Renault was a very powerful large French company, and it was common to publish recruitment advertisements in newspapers, but Renault's recruitment this time was obviously a commercial hype. After flipping through the content of the first two pages, Lu Zhengxiang asked, "Brother Yan, how much good can Renault doing this do for boosting the stock price?"

Yan Huiqing sighed in his heart. Lu Zhengxiang hadn't left the diplomatic circles for that long, how could he be completely out of touch with the situation?! But on second thought, he felt he was being a bit too smug. If it were two months ago, he wouldn't have figured out what the national forces participating in a national-level economic strategy would do either.

"Brother Lu, this is France wanting to boost the French stock market," Yan Huiqing replied.

Lu Zhengxiang was stunned, and pondered for a good while before slowly nodding, "So that's it!"

Yan Huiqing whispered, "Contracts with a number of French enterprises have actually already been signed, and some have even been signed for a while. The French side is releasing these large companies' contracts one by one, constantly releasing good news. Does Renault really have so many orders now that they can't finish them? The second phase of cooperation hasn't started yet, and Renault's production schedule isn't that tight. But releasing the recruitment information first, firstly boosts Renault's stock, and secondly creates an environment of rapid improvement in the French economy."

These concepts weren't hard for Lu Zhengxiang to understand, but he still felt very emotional. What he lamented was not that the French side was so calculating, but that he had failed to participate in China's actions.

At this time, in a cafe named "Fish and Bee" in a workers' residential area of Paris, several sturdy men walked in. They walked back and forth in the shop a few times to ensure the diners inside presented no danger, before sitting down in a few empty seats inside. The doorbell rang, and two people walked in.

One was a European man in his sixties, with graying hair, looking refined, like a university professor, yet with a bit of the air of an English gentleman. The other was a very young-looking Chinese man. The French technical workers eating in the room looked up at the two whose attire didn't belong there, but didn't pay much attention. Even those who paid the most attention just thought these two were managers of some company working nearby, coming here to eat because of work.

When paying the bill after the meal, someone was still attracted by that young Chinese man. After all, there had been so much news about China recently, even if the lower-class workers and technicians didn't have money to speculate in stocks or foreign exchange. But hearing news like a big company like Renault recruiting, they would still have some feelings. If they could apply for a job at a big company like Renault, it would definitely be much better than their current jobs.

They saw the young Chinese man chatting easily while eating with the French old man in his sixties next to him. Although the age difference between the two was large, it surprisingly wasn't a relationship between an elder and a junior. Judging from their expressions, it looked more like an elderly butler eating with the young young master of a wealthy family...

Being workers and technicians, someone noticed the old man looked very familiar. Thinking carefully, wasn't this the French President Doumergue who had appeared frequently in newspapers recently? But how could a worker be in such close contact with Doumergue? The technician was stunned.

The companion next to him was a bit surprised and was about to ask, when he saw this brother with a complex look of surprise on his face, leaning over to whisper, "I think that person looks like the President."

This sounded really interesting. The companion laughed, "Whether it's the President or not, wouldn't you know if you go over and ask?"

After saying that, he walked straight over and stopped next to President Doumergue, "Hello, sir."

President Doumergue turned his head. He had invited He Rui here for a meal, and it would have been fine if he wasn't recognized. It was also no problem if he was recognized. Even if no one recognized him, as long as Doumergue and He Rui walked out of the cafe, the reporters who had received the news and were rushing here would 'recognize' Doumergue and He Rui.

Since someone asked, and there were enough security personnel around, Doumergue put down the knife and fork in his hand and turned to this person, "Hello."

This worker technician faced Doumergue at close range and also felt a bit familiar, and couldn't help but feel nervous. But France being an 'old revolutionary base area', even a King's head had been chopped off. The Third Republic had also been maintained for 58 years, and politicians had to canvass for votes everywhere to get elected. The upper class was long past being representatives of divine right of kings.

"Excuse me... are you President Doumergue?" the worker technician plucked up the courage to ask.

As soon as these words came out, everyone else was surprised. Doumergue replied with a kind expression, "I am indeed Doumergue. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Soon, the workers in the cafe were astonished. Although everyone might not like Doumergue, everyone still wanted to make contact when face-to-face with the French President. The worker technician who recognized Doumergue first immediately stepped forward and said, "Mr. President, can I shake your hand?"

As a country of votes, Doumergue readily agreed to the request. After a simple handshake, Doumergue said to the workers surrounding them, "Gentlemen, let me introduce you. The gentleman beside me is Mr. He Rui, the President of the Republic of China."

He Rui stood up naturally and greeted the workers in unskilled French. The worker technicians really didn't expect to be able to eat with two heads of state at such close range. Such an opportunity could not be missed, so they stepped forward to shake hands with He Rui as well. Some people remembered the autograph matter and immediately took the newspaper, wanting to ask Doumergue and He Rui to sign the newspaper reporting the news of the two as a souvenir.

The cafe was bustling, and a crowd of onlookers soon gathered outside. The security personnel immediately took action. Suddenly, the cafe door was pushed open, and bright flashes appeared in the room. With a click, security personnel immediately stepped forward to block the incomers. It turned out the reporters had arrived.

He Rui and French President Doumergue acted as if nothing was happening and continued to shake hands and talk with the French workers. When turning his head, He Rui saw President Doumergue with a natural expression. Sure enough, politicians under vote politics were very familiar with performing this set, and the European public still bought this set after so many years. He Rui came here this time with the purpose of creating a close-to-the-people image for the European public. The image of an Eastern monarch with a serious face and a mouth full of grand principles was not a beloved image in Europe.

Soon, the police arrived. Doumergue and He Rui walked out of this cafe named Fish and Bee. Many reporters gathered outside the door, cameras like long guns and short cannons, clicking away. President Doumergue was very experienced. Facing the reporters' chatter of questions, President Doumergue casually pulled over a chair, stood on it, and began a speech to the French people in front of him.

"Fellow Frenchmen, after the end of the European War, France's economic situation has not been good. The franc has depreciated, prices have soared, workers are unemployed, and society is in chaos..."

He Rui listened quietly. President Doumergue's choice of words was simple and clear, very suitable for the workers' education level. In this workers' district, Doumergue's speech was very down-to-earth. Moreover, French politicians' description of the economy was different from China's. Although the Chinese government also put economic work in the first place, the method adopted was positive description. Of course, He Rui didn't think there was anything wrong with China's propaganda direction. As a rapidly developing country, such propaganda was the suitable way for China.

As the President, Doumergue first described France's problems, then began to describe the recent situation. "...France is very clear that we must cooperate with vibrant countries in the world to progress together. Fellow Frenchmen, with the cooperation with China, the franc will appreciate, prices will fall, and employment will grow. Now it's just Renault starting to hire, and soon other companies will also hire. After the national tax revenue increases, we will improve people's welfare and invest more funds in the security field to fight crime, allowing the French people to live in a stable society!"

He Rui sighed in his heart. European politicians were like this. Whether they could do it or not, they had to say it first. Historically, what politicians said could definitely not be achieved. So voters actually didn't believe it either. But since they couldn't achieve it, wouldn't it be even worse if they didn't even dare to say it?

Doumergue finished this short, powerful, and inspiring speech. The reporters took the lead in applauding. Because in these few days, the franc had really risen, the stock market had also risen, and there was a joyous atmosphere in French newspapers. Coupled with Renault really announcing recruitment, the public also cheered along.

The reporters wanted to interview more, but Doumergue said, "The government will hold a press conference for specific details. Moreover, the government will also open a special column in the newspaper to introduce the daily progress of Sino-French cooperation."

Amid the reporters' disappointed voices, Doumergue and He Rui left the workers' residential area under the escort of security personnel and police. As He Rui was walking, workers nearby reached out their hands through the human wall formed by the police. He Rui ignored what the French workers were shouting and shook hands with the few arms he could reach. The reporters hurriedly took pictures.

After Doumergue and He Rui got into the car, Doumergue asked with a smile, "Mr. President, I saw that when you were in China, you would also go to the fields to farm with farmers and build reservoirs with workers. Do you also go to workers' districts in China?"

"In my spare time after finishing work, I also go among the people," He Rui replied frankly.

Seeing He Rui answer so confidently, Doumergue didn't ask more. Since 1922, in the imagination of the European upper class, He Rui was a military commander with a cold expression, holding a military saber, and looking down on enemies with a gloomy gaze. The experience just now made Doumergue look at He Rui with new eyes. From the perspective of a politician in an electoral system, He Rui's friendly posture was still a bit unnatural, but this was an evaluation made from the perspective of a skilled politician. As long as the standard was relaxed, He Rui was definitely qualified. Doumergue believed that He Rui might not actually need a very friendly posture, because from any angle, He Rui was a great hero who saved the country in times of national crisis. As long as such a person didn't make a major mistake leading to comprehensive national turmoil, no one would dare to challenge He Rui's political status.

If He Rui was also that friendly in China, it would actually make Western politicians worry. Doing so would mean He Rui was likely seeking lifelong ruling power legally, or even restoring the monarchy.

The next day, the front page of French newspapers published the news of President Doumergue and Chairman He Rui entering the workers' district to eat. The reporters' photos also sold for a good price, especially the photos of Doumergue and He Rui shaking hands cordially with the French public. The photo of He Rui shaking hands with the French public through the police's human wall as he was leaving sold for the second-highest price.

The photo with the highest price had nothing to do with Doumergue or He Rui. It was a photo purchased by *The Times* at a high price, showing Chinese Foreign Minister Yan Huiqing bending down and placing a banknote into the tin box in front of a French 'accordion player'. Accompanying this photo was a snarky article in the British *The Times*, "Begging or Charity—The Latest Sino-French Relations".