Following Li Runshi's public announcement upon taking over as head of the delegation, *The Times* in Britain immediately ran the headline: "China Wants to Provoke a European War!"

French newspapers had been singing He Rui's praises since 1928, calling him a "World-class Leader," the "Founder of Franco-Chinese Economic Cooperation," and the "Savior of the World Economy." However, upon seeing China's stance, some French right-wing papers, out of genuine concern, published relatively frank articles: "China's attitude does not help solve the problem. Chairman He Rui should make a wiser choice."

Czechoslovakia had already released its general mobilization plan in May. Hitler, naturally, would not be scared by such a move. Before the Anschluss, Germany already bordered the Czech lands. After the annexation of Austria, Czechoslovakia was effectively semi-encircled by the new Germany, allowing Germany to launch an offensive against Czechoslovakia from a much longer front line.

Prime Minister Chamberlain frowned as he listened to the reports. He had not expected the cool and rational He Rui to create such a mess, clearly willing to risk provoking a war just to suppress Nazi Germany. This was both consistent with the impression He Rui had left on Britain and yet completely different.

"...Prime Minister, the French government collapsed again today," the Foreign Secretary reported on the latest situation in France.

Chamberlain was not surprised. Britain had previously thought that as the French economy improved, its government would stabilize. Unexpectedly, France had only been stable for a few years. Once the period of rapid economic growth ended and the French Third Republic entered the phase of "dividing the spoils," the old drama of revolving-door cabinets immediately resumed.

The Foreign Secretary continued to explain that in the face of Hitler's brash military threats, not only did the French right wing resolutely oppose war, but the centrists also had no desire to see a repeat of the horrors of twenty years ago. Only the left wing, led by the French Communist Party, opposed Nazi Germany's aggression against Czechoslovakia. Consequently, the French right wing launched a vote of no confidence, the centrists stood by, and the left-wing government, which had been in power for only seventeen days, immediately collapsed.

"Prime Minister, the French upper echelons have indicated to us that France does not want war. However, regarding the venue for this conference, they need to seriously consider China's opinion."

The British Chamberlain government believed that France did not want war, and certainly did not want to be actively attacked by Germany. Bringing in China, a great power from outside the region, to intervene in European affairs might at least temporarily divert Nazi Germany's attention from Europe to China, buying France some time.

As the master of offshore balancing, how could Britain accept being balanced by an external great power! Chamberlain asked, "The United States has already stated it will not participate in this conference. Is there any way to persuade France to stop insisting on China's inclusion?"

The British Foreign Secretary looked troubled. He had already probed this in a tactful manner, but the French Foreign Ministry had firmly rejected his suggestions. Not giving up, he had communicated through various channels with parties in France that were less close to China, but those parties also indicated they would not refuse China's participation. Although the Chinese government's statement seemed to be intensifying the conflict, the various French parties believed that China's move held no malice towards France. If France had the strength to defeat Nazi Germany, it would have surely already dragged China along to declare war on Germany.

But since Chamberlain's attitude was so firm, the Foreign Secretary could only produce a document and hand it to him. "Prime Minister, this is an official statement sent by the Japanese government to the countries involved in the Sudetenland issue. Japan has no intention of intervening in European affairs, but it is willing to contribute to world peace. Therefore, the Japanese government is willing to provide a venue."

Hearing this, Prime Minister Chamberlain could not help but shout angrily, "What is this? European affairs are to be discussed in the Asian region? do those Asians really think they are civilized nations?"

Just as Chamberlain felt the global status of the British Empire was being provoked, German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop was in Warsaw, the Polish capital, exchanging toasts with Polish Foreign Minister Józef Beck. Ribbentrop's experience as a wine merchant meant the wine he brought suited his host's taste perfectly, and at this moment, Beck was slightly tipsy. However, this bit of alcohol did not affect the Polish Foreign Minister's thinking ability in the slightest.

Ribbentrop did not use pressure tactics with Beck; instead, he feigned a somewhat cold and dull demeanor. Sure enough, with Poland's restoration leader Piłsudski gone, Beck, one of the ruling triumvirate, felt he had completed his probing of Ribbentrop and began to talk about the history between Poland and its neighbors.

"...Czechoslovakia is a country created by Britain and France. During the border delineation, they carved away much territory from Poland and Hungary that did not belong to them. Now, only a one-time solution can bring true peace to Eastern Europe."

Ribbentrop was eager for Polish Foreign Minister Beck to take the lead in carving up Czechoslovakia, but his experience in drinking with others was many times that of Beck's. He continued to wear a look of indifference, feigning a bit of stupidity, as if he hadn't fully understood Beck's words. To deepen this impression, Ribbentrop asked with a single-minded attitude, "Mr. Foreign Minister, Germany does not fear war or death to recover the Sudetenland. Therefore, Germany hopes to extend its treaty with Poland and help Poland defend against the Bolsheviks..."

Beck felt Ribbentrop's thinking was too linear. What did Germany mean? Did they want to monopolize the benefits?

With this thought, Beck asked, "Does Germany not wish to help other countries solve the Central European problem together?"

Ribbentrop reminded him, "France has already dragged China in, and the risk of war is now almost uncontrollable. Germany is ready for war!"

Beck had a nickname, "the most cunning man." He was already certain that Germany would not hesitate to fight to take back the Sudetenland. Based on his understanding of France, he had already formed a plan to maximize Poland's interests. In Beck's view, France hadn't dared to stop the German army from reclaiming full sovereignty over the Rhineland in 1936, and had already changed the French Embassy in Austria to a Consulate in Vienna. There was no hope that France would have the courage to go to war with Germany over the Sudetenland.

If Germany could recover the Sudetenland through the principle of self-determination, why couldn't Poland recover the land stolen by the Czechs through the same principle? So, adopting a teacher-like attitude, Beck said to Ribbentrop, "I ask again, does Germany not wish to help other countries solve the Central European problem together?"

"Are you certain Hungary has enough courage to face Britain and France?" Ribbentrop continued to play dumb. If it were just Germany demanding land from Czechoslovakia, the variable of British and French compromise would be large. But if Germany, Poland, and Hungary demanded land together based on the principle of self-determination, Britain, already unwilling to be tough on Germany, would be unlikely to support Czechoslovakia. France would face the collective opposition of the Central and Eastern European countries it had heavily invested in, and its meager courage would collapse completely.

"Mr. Ribbentrop, do you like history?" Beck asked further.

Ribbentrop shook his head. He picked up the bottle and filled Beck's glass. "Aside from my love for Germany, my greatest talent is probably wine tasting."

Beck was very appreciative of Ribbentrop's expertise in wine. They had merely chatted casually about wine before, yet the wine Ribbentrop brought this time impressed Beck greatly. Raising his glass and taking a sip, Beck began to recount the historical connections between southern Poland and the northern Czech regions.

Lecturing others is a delightful thing, especially since Ribbentrop indeed had little research on history and listened very seriously. After recounting the complex history, Beck poured the blood-red liquid into his empty glass again. "Mr. Ribbentrop, if you go to Hungary, I believe the Hungarians will tell you about the historical connections between Hungary and southern Slovakia."

Ribbentrop feigned an attitude of having been educated but being reluctant to comply. "Minister Beck, Germany is truly prepared for war."

Beck found Ribbentrop quite cute and laughed, "Mr. Ribbentrop, if you can help other countries solve the Central European problem together, perhaps war will not break out."

Ribbentrop returned to Berlin to report to Hitler, carrying the assurance that Germany would support Poland and Hungary's territorial claims against Czechoslovakia. Hitler's lips couldn't help but curl upwards. Hitler didn't drink alcohol; he raised his teacup. "Ribbentrop, I salute you. For your contribution to the German Reich."

Facing the Führer's praise, Ribbentrop lowered his head humbly. "Mein Führer, Germany's present state stems entirely from your iron will."

Hearing "iron," Hitler couldn't help but think of Stalin. The number of people in the Wehrmacht who staunchly opposed Hitler was decreasing, but those officers who no longer firmly opposed him had not immediately joined the faction that supported him. These opponents had now turned into skeptics, so Hitler prepared to guarantee to them that he would never let Germany fall into the strategic disadvantage of a two-front war like Wilhelm II. To avoid this strategic disadvantage, when Germany went to war with either the Soviet Union or France, the other party must be Germany's ally.

Given the Soviet Union's vast territory, Hitler did not believe he could defeat Stalin in the short term; France must be Germany's primary target for future offense. Therefore, after solving the Sudetenland problem, Germany could only ally with the Soviet Union. Originally, Hitler didn't have much confidence in achieving this alliance, but Ribbentrop's huge success in Warsaw made Hitler think that perhaps Ribbentrop could complete this seemingly impossible task.

But Hitler did not speak at this moment, because Ribbentrop was too eager for Hitler's approval. If he told Ribbentrop now, God knows if he would take immediate action. Arranging for Ribbentrop to go to the Soviet Union should wait until Germany had settled the surrounding issues.

As soon as Ribbentrop left, Hitler picked up the *Völkischer Beobachter*. The headline was "The Evil Eastern Imperialist Nation China is Undisguisedly Interfering in Internal European Affairs."

"...Recently, China has undisguisedly put forward demands to interfere in Europe's internal affairs. Europe is a great civilization, the center that created and leads modern civilization. Yet, facing such demands, Britain and France, who pride themselves as European leaders—Britain remained silent, while France acted as a 'Euro-traitor,' slavishly and proactively serving as a guide for Chinese imperialism. People of Germany, Germany is no longer fighting merely for German dignity, but for the glory of Europe!

"The German government firmly opposes China's interference in European internal affairs, therefore..."

Hitler still couldn't figure out why the He Rui government was so set against his government. Hadn't Germany just occupied a piece of colonial territory in Qingdao back then? Compared to the atrocities committed by Britain and France against China, it was trivial. Professor Karl, President of the German Academy of Sciences, led experts to analyze it from a geopolitical perspective, but they didn't reach a very convincing conclusion. The most reliable conclusion was that China now had close economic and trade relations with Europe, and China was worried that a war in Europe would affect Sino-European trade, so it was very vigilant about any possibility of war.

Economic reasons were very persuasive to profiteers, but Hitler could not understand He Rui's logic. In Hitler's view, He Rui was definitely not a mercantilist, nor a spokesperson for capitalism. He Rui should be a genuine nationalist, a leader who placed his nation's interests above all else.

So Hitler had always felt that He Rui should ally with Germany to overturn the Versailles system together. Given China's location, Hitler didn't care at all if China occupied the entire Asia. But He Rui currently didn't seem like a master of geopolitics at all; instead, he seemed like a rash young man confused by revolution. In the Chinese government's discourse, Germany was framed as "extremists of European white supremacy." Hitler felt He Rui was giving Germany too much credit; even in a Europe where anti-Semitism was prevalent, Germany's attitude was among the mildest. The Nazi Party even had to conduct inspections and systematic study in the United States to figure out how to enact racism into law.

As for Hitler's move against the Jews in 1938, it really didn't have much to do with anti-Semitism. From 1933 to 1937, persecuting Jews was for job opportunities and to condense German consensus. The massive looting of Jews in 1938 was to solve Germany's economic problems. He Rui was known internationally as an economist; how could he not see through such things?

Even though he suffered such humiliation from China, Hitler could only sulk. Apart from cursing He Rui in the newspapers, Hitler could do nothing about China. Not only could Germany do nothing about China, even Britain could do nothing about China.

Hitler felt Britain could do nothing about China, but British Prime Minister Chamberlain didn't think so. Recently, European public opinion had been boiling; the distant China's naked intent to interfere in the internal affairs of the great Europe had incited dissatisfaction across the entire continent. Leveraging this wave of public opinion, Chamberlain publicly stated, "The conference regarding European issues must be held in Europe. If China is unwilling to attend the conference, Britain will absolutely not force it!"

This public statement received unanimous support from European countries, while France faced collective condemnation. Consequently, although the French government didn't say anything, many criticisms of He Rui began to appear in French newspapers.

Seeing these changes, Li Runshi immediately said to He Rui, "Let's go to Europe to attend the conference."

He Rui laughed. "After you go to Europe, hold more press conferences. Since Europeans think China is a powerful imperialist country and have a deeper impression of China, then tell all sectors of Europe that China is a safe country. We welcome European scholars to work in Chinese research institutions, and we welcome European merchants to invest in China. A great China opens its arms to welcome all talented people with ability and courage to develop in China."