On March 10th, He Rui and French President Doumergue sat by the swimming pool on the top deck of a luxury cruise liner. Both bathed in the warm breeze blowing from the African continent, dressed in shorts and short-sleeved shirts. Doumergue's granddaughter, a little over six years old, stood before them, speaking Chinese in a milky voice.

The little girl had just started learning Chinese, and her foreign accent was truly amusing, making He Rui laugh heartily. However, after saying simple common phrases like "Hello" and "Thank you," when He Rui picked up some candy from his side and offered it to her, she became shy. Refusing the candy, she hid directly behind her grandfather.

Doumergue pulled the little girl out and had her accept the candy from He Rui. After several prompts and encouragement, she finally said "Thank you" in Chinese before being let off by her grandfather. Seeing that she couldn't count on her grandfather, the little girl pulled her mother along to escape the control of the two old men, hiding on the other side of the pool to play.

Such a cute little fellow amused He Rui. President Doumergue, lying on a lounge chair under a parasol and comfortably enjoying the sea breeze, asked casually, "I wonder if the visit to the UK will be safe?"

He Rui was slightly stunned for a moment, then smiled, "I can see that the British side is also very worried."

"Mr. He, the British are actually reckless in many instances," President Doumergue continued to instigate casually.

He Rui enjoyed reading history, so various dark deeds of France popped up in his mind. For instance, tricking the black leader of the Haitian revolutionary army into negotiations only to kill him. Including later research indicating that French intelligence agencies were one of the masterminds behind the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.

However, there was naturally no need to say these words. He Rui also lay down on the lounge chair and asked, "Thank you for your concern, Monsieur Doumergue. I have a very good understanding of the British style. Your worries are not without reason."

As long as it was about scolding the British, the French President immediately became interested. "Mr. He, you must know that the British gave clothes from smallpox patients to hostile natives, leading to the extermination of native tribes. This is just a continuation of this British style. Even earlier, Britain was famous for poison and daggers..."

Heads of state only look very solemn and dignified on formal occasions; in reality, they have all kinds of personalities. People who can climb to such positions are rarely of a tranquil nature. He Rui originally had no good feelings toward the UK, so when President Doumergue cursed the British as rogue killers, He Rui listened happily and naturally chimed in with a few words.

The Chinese and French heads of state happily blackened the UK's name for twenty minutes, both feeling very satisfied. After drinking a beverage to moisten his throat, Doumergue asked, "Mr. He, based on your understanding of the Soviet Union, do you think the Soviet Union will repay its debts?"

"In my view, repayment requires the capacity to repay first. When do you think the Soviet Union will possess the capacity to repay debts?"

President Doumergue felt that He Rui was too biased toward the Soviet Union due to geopolitical interests. At this moment, the conversation with He Rui was at a quite intimate and friendly level, so Doumergue simply spoke some truth, "I think this is a matter of attitude."

He Rui felt that President Doumergue had truly been in the limelight for the past year or so. First, as a mediator, he mediated the Anglo-Chinese War. Afterwards, Sino-French cooperation enabled the Franc to achieve a 100:1 exchange rate with the Gold Standard Sterling without being on the Gold Standard itself. This was originally a goal proposed by French Prime Minister (President of the Council of Ministers) Raymond Poincaré, but he had never been able to accomplish it. Unexpectedly, it was resolved by President Doumergue.

If Doumergue could also get the Soviet Union to recognize the money owed to France by the Tsarist Russian government, Doumergue would be destined to be called the most outstanding politician of France in the 1920s or even the 1930s. So He Rui poured a bucket of cold water first, "If France could have communicated with the Soviet Union with an attitude of mutual understanding and cooperation at the very beginning, perhaps the Soviet Union would have acknowledged the debt. As for now, I really can't see any solution."

"...By the way, are you satisfied with China joining the Svalbard Treaty?" Doumergue asked.

The *Svalbard Treaty* made the Svalbard archipelago the first and only demilitarized zone in the Arctic region. The treaty recognized that Norway "has full and absolute sovereignty," and the area "shall never be used for warlike purposes." However, citizens of the contracting parties can enter freely and engage in legitimate production and commercial activities within the scope of complying with Norwegian law. China joining the Svalbard Treaty at France's invitation meant that the Chinese also had the full right to enter the Svalbard archipelago region, establish a logistics base for Arctic expeditions, and carry out normal scientific expedition activities.

He Rui understood that this was President Doumergue asking He Rui to pay the price for France's goodwill, so he answered readily, "Monsieur Doumergue, I think that if I only help you contact the Soviets, the likely result is that even if the Soviet Union meets with French representatives, they will refuse to their faces. Then, what is the significance of such a meeting? I am still willing to be of service to you because of our friendship, but shouldn't this service be used in more valuable areas?"

Doumergue felt that He Rui's attitude was quite sincere. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "What demands would the Soviet Union make?"

"Probably a cooperation agreement between France and the Soviet Union identical to the cooperation between France and China."

Doumergue felt at this moment that this kind of requirement was not completely non-negotiable, and pursued, "Would the Soviet Union then acknowledge the debt and negotiate a repayment agreement?"

"...This returns to my original answer: the Soviet Union does not have the capacity to repay debts at this stage. What did Tsarist Russia use as collateral before? Does the Soviet Union have such political space now?" After He Rui finished speaking, he decided not to converse with Doumergue on this matter anymore. The French were indeed enthusiastic, but French enthusiasm was sometimes indeed too unreliable. However, on second thought, given the state of the French Third Republic, it was indeed difficult for politicians to have long-term plans.

While Doumergue began to think, He Rui stood up. "We are here on vacation, Monsieur Doumergue. I greatly appreciate France's Bouillabaisse (Provence fish soup). I'll treat you to this for lunch today."

The luxury cruise liner was not chartered by Doumergue and He Rui; there were very many wealthy tourists on the ship. He Rui walked to the guardrail on the top deck and looked down from above. He heard music playing; an open-air dance party was being held on the deck. Some ladies resting on the chairs beside the dance floor saw He Rui appear by the railing and waved to him. He Rui also waved back to those ladies but had no intention of going down.

Recalling the original timeline, He Rui remembered the layer of 'golden light' presented by European girls in the sunlight due to the dense hair on their arms. in that timeline, He Rui was quite wild when he went abroad, even having a slight tendency towards a collection fetish. But in this current timeline, perhaps because his overall actual psychological age was older, He Rui really didn't have the impulse to act foolishly.

At this moment, he heard President Doumergue behind him say, "I wonder if Bouillabaisse made with fish from the Indian Ocean will have more flavor."

Hearing that President Doumergue had temporarily dispelled his impulse, He Rui walked back to the side of the lounge chair, "Let us look forward to it."

"By the way, Mr. He, what do you think of the recent continuous attacks by Britain and the United States claiming that Sino-French cooperation will lead to dishonest trade?" President Doumergue finished speaking with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

He Rui took a Havana cigar from the cigar box between their lounge chairs, cut off the tail with a cigar cutter, and then sat back on the lounge chair. Smoking and asking, "Britain and the US probably want to set up trade barriers and are finding excuses for themselves. Anglos have always been like this."

"Is that so," President Doumergue answered as if waking from a dream. But He Rui was very clear that by saying this, President Doumergue should be indicating that if Britain and the US did this, France would implement equivalent trade sanctions.

After the cruise ship arrived at France's colony on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean and docked temporarily, the accompanying French journalists sent many photos to the port, ready to send them back to France. A few days later, French newspapers and magazines published photos of He Rui and President Doumergue in shorts and short sleeves, chatting and teasing a child by the swimming pool.

The next day, British newspapers immediately published the news "The French President's Unserious Diplomacy Will Inevitably Become a Laughingstock." French newspapers also immediately counterattacked, 'British newspapers distort facts; President Doumergue is on vacation, not a diplomatic visit. France's successful cooperation has stimulated the British islander mentality, and these islanders have started their traditional shameful rumor-mongering again.'

Originally, this war of words should have stopped quickly. Britain and France had been scolding each other for a hundred years; this little matter really didn't count as anything. But on March 13, 1928, not long after the cruise ship Doumergue and He Rui were on sailed into the Indian Ocean, the UK branch of the International Human Rights Organization, derived from the Asian International Court, published the 1927 Annual Human Rights Report. The report not only attacked the British government's conduct during the General Strike but also attached investigation reports such as the "East London Workers' Life Report" and "British Colonial Human Rights Report—Africa Section, Asia Section."

France naturally knew that it wasn't much better than the UK, but being able to embarrass the UK was enough. Although French right-wing newspapers did not publish excerpts of the report, they quoted the content published by French left-wing newspapers to attack the UK. As for the French left-wing newspapers, they cursed 'The British are not acting like humans.' They especially launched fierce attacks on Britain's behavior of collecting grain at low prices in India and selling it on the international market for profit, causing a large number of Indian people to starve to death.

This matter caused Baldwin to face fierce criticism in the House of Commons once again. This time, even Conservative MPs didn't defend Baldwin much. After all, the Conservative Party originally supported various inhumane actions by the UK and was the biggest beneficiary of these actions.

The attacks from the British opposition party did not question why the UK did these inhumane things, but cursed the Baldwin government for allowing international public opinion to be controlled by other countries. Of course, saying it was controlled was indeed a bit excessive. The International Human Rights Organization led by China did not have such great influence.

However, the International Human Rights Organization did indeed break Europe's monopoly on public opinion. Originally, all the great powers had dirty records; the eldest brother wouldn't speak of the second brother. On many matters, they would just gloss over them superficially. But China, this newly emerging great power, was incomparably clean in these areas. Although the International Human Rights Organization declared from the beginning that it was a non-governmental organization and also a non-profit organization, its headquarters being located in Shanghai was equivalent to obtaining China's moral endorsement. Coupled with the fact that the International Human Rights Organization did not whitewash colonialism and imperialism but comprehensively exposed various anti-human rights and anti-humanity facts, it indeed caused a great impact.

On his way back to the office, Prime Minister Baldwin felt that the assassins who were said to be assassinating He Rui were all gutless waste. Couldn't they disregard life and death, braving the rain of bullets from British security personnel to rush up and continue the assassination?! If they could shoot He Rui, this little bastard who was good at engaging in conspiracies and schemes, into a sieve, it would be a pretty good thing.

After feeling a bit of satisfaction in his heart, Prime Minister Baldwin also understood that this was absolutely unfeasible. When he returned to the office, the Foreign Secretary, who had been scolded together with him in Parliament, came to seek an audience. After the two met, the British Foreign Secretary immediately proposed to Prime Minister Baldwin, "Your Excellency, we should also utilize the UK branch of the International Human Rights Organization, instead of banning the activities of the International Human Rights Organization in the UK!"

After those MPs cursed Prime Minister Baldwin, they proposed banning the activities of the International Human Rights Organization in the UK. Anyone who engaged in secret activities for the International Human Rights Organization would be punished. They could even invoke clauses from the Treason Act.

The British Foreign Secretary felt this method was too stupid! Doing so, wouldn't it be announcing to the whole world that the International Human Rights Organization possessed a status and influence equal to the British government?

After listening to the Foreign Secretary's explanation, Baldwin asked about the human rights organization that Britain had organized in the League of Nations. After the Versailles Conference, Britain also set up an organization related to human rights in the League of Nations, with the aim of using this organization to serve British propaganda. Prime Minister Baldwin believed that they should use this organization to rival the International Human Rights Organization concocted by He Rui.

The British Foreign Secretary answered decisively: "Then we need to establish the UK branch of the International Human Rights Organization even more. At the same time, increase investment in the human rights organization under the League of Nations."

Hearing that money was to be spent, Prime Minister Baldwin instinctively hesitated. Seeing the Prime Minister's hesitation, the Foreign Secretary believed that he had temporarily prevented the Prime Minister from making a stupid decision to some extent. He also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart for being able to buy a little time.

Drinking a cup of clear tea in a few gulps, the Foreign Secretary gave a detailed explanation to Prime Minister Baldwin. Although Prime Minister Baldwin should have understood some explanations, the Foreign Secretary still made a systematic explanation.

The group of human rights organizations under the League of Nations was a pack of domesticated dogs, and a pack of dogs that couldn't be tamed at that. After all, those who could come to do human rights activities were all people who considered themselves reputable and conscientious. Moreover, the price of their conscience was very high. The price of dog food was also very high.

Letting a pack of domesticated dogs fight with a pack of wolves outside, the difference in combat effectiveness between the two sides can be imagined. Because that pack of dogs outside was fighting for the poor. In this world, are there more poor people or rich people? Does it even need to be asked? Even if God really manifested and the number of poor people was the same as the rich, are there more tragedies of the poor or tragedies of the rich?

Therefore, for human rights organizations, a two-pronged approach must be taken now. Every country has people dissatisfied with their own government domestically. Hire these people and let them launch fierce attacks against their country. Regardless of whether the UK has a dirty record, first dig out all the dirt of other countries and stink up the entire environment.

Utilize the human rights organizations under the League of Nations to conduct propaganda towards the middle class, making the middle class believe that their interests are harmed because of caring for the lower class, dividing the middle class and the lower class.

Only by weakening the International Human Rights Organization concocted by He Rui through this two-pronged approach can an advantage be gained in the public opinion war.

Prime Minister Baldwin fully understood the Foreign Secretary's line of thought, but he still asked his own question, "Can the problem be solved by restricting human rights organizations?"

The Foreign Secretary answered without hesitation: "Absolutely impossible."

Seeing Prime Minister Baldwin's disappointed expression, the Foreign Secretary explained: "Your Excellency, if there were only human rights organizations under the League of Nations, your hope might be realized. That kind of human rights organization indeed relies on our funding for activities, and their purpose is to obtain personal benefits through human rights activities. But the International Human Rights Organization concocted by He Rui is a group of arrogant lunatics; they are inciting with hatred. And the funds for this group of people are provided by China. Although China is very poor, this small amount of money is negligible compared to China's GDP of 67.9 billion Chinese Yuan and tax revenue of 20 billion Chinese Yuan."

Hearing such a sinister description, especially understanding through the numbers that China could easily support the International Human Rights Organization financially, Prime Minister Baldwin, despite being very unhappy in his heart, still supported the Foreign Secretary's suggestion. At the same time, Prime Minister Baldwin could only hope that his subordinate could really solve this thorny problem.