German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop had not even left Paris when the French Foreign Minister arrived at a café along the Seine. Upon entering this establishment, one could see a photograph of Chinese Chairman He Rui hanging on the wall. During He Rui’s visit to France in 1928, he had eaten in this very café, which primarily catered to the city's working class.

The shop owner, limping slightly, came forward to greet him. After the German occupation of Paris, the Gestapo had attempted to force the owner to surrender that signed photograph of He Rui. The owner was a practical man who cared about his business; the first thing he did after obtaining the photo was to summon all his courage and find the Chinese delegation before they left Paris, requesting He Rui's signature.

For a politician, such gestures were standard practice, and the shop owner quickly secured the signed photo. Since then, it had become the shop’s greatest treasure and was regarded as one of many symbols of Sino-French friendship.

Naturally, the German Gestapo was displeased by the existence of such a signed photograph. However, the shop owner held out, refusing to reveal where he had hidden it. In his view, the revenue the photo brought in was worth far more than his own life. Moreover, despite being a businessman, he was a patriot. He would rather endure torture than let the Germans have their way.

The French Foreign Minister had heard the shop owner's story and politely said, "Could you reserve two quiet seats for us, please?"

The shop owner led the Minister to a private room on the second floor. His loyalty to France and his resistance against German oppression had earned him a stellar reputation; even with the French economy in dire straits, his shop remained successful. He had even managed to buy the second floor while real estate prices were low.

Shortly thereafter, a Chinese special envoy appeared in the room. Since they were not meeting in an official capacity, the conversation was much more relaxed.

The Chinese envoy asked, "Mr. Minister, has the French Parliament decided to discuss the issue of citizenship for Algerians?"

Regarding Algeria, China's stance had remained consistent: as long as France granted Algerian citizenship, China did not mind letting Algeria make its own choices. In fact, many Algerians were not particularly opposed to joining France as citizens. Within the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, many held a "spectator" attitude, curious to see how France would handle it.

The French Foreign Minister smiled bitterly and did not answer the question directly. Instead, he asked, "We have heard that Chairman He Rui’s health is not very good. If possible, many old friends would like to travel to China to convey our regards."

These words were somewhat barbed. France had fully awakened its national consciousness during the Hundred Years' War and achieved centralization by the era of Richelieu. The French understood perfectly well how the health of a nation's top leader could impact the country.

The Chinese envoy, formerly the Deputy Director of the European Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, remained silent upon hearing this, simply taking a sip of his tea. It was old tea, but since it was Pu-erh, the flavor was acceptable.

After this initial exchange of barbs, they quickly moved on to matters of mutual concern. The French Foreign Minister said, "France currently needs to strive to ensure its security. My old friend, you may soon see France undergo another national mobilization."

Although France had joined the Allies, it had not mobilized. Aside from not wanting to provoke Germany, France was currently "lying flat." Since the world was turning into a sea of blood, France was content to ensure its own safety within such an environment.

The Chinese envoy smiled. "Many in the Chinese Volunteer Army are willing to return and join their comrades in France's anti-fascist war. I have met some of those pilots; they fondly remember their old French brothers-in-arms."

"But the radicals within France are very dissatisfied with China."

"I completely understand. But time heals all wounds, does it not? And I have heard that in the end, memories only preserve the most beautiful things."

The French Foreign Minister agreed with this poetic response. He nodded and turned to more practical matters. "The financial cooperation between China and France is undoubtedly beautiful. I believe it is necessary to restore those wonderful times of the past."

"The new era will have an even more beautiful future," the Chinese envoy agreed, while also hinting that the old model of pegging to the Yuan was no longer possible. The Yuan had already replaced the US Dollar and the British Pound in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, becoming the most powerful currency on the planet.

After saying this, the Chinese envoy tossed out a "carrot." "By the way, your son has a distinguished reputation at the Bank of France. I wonder if he would be interested in a position at the newly forming World Bank?"

The French Foreign Minister was indeed tempted. China was currently establishing the World Bank and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The World Bank was intended to provide financial services for the China-led world order. If his son could become an official there, his future would be brilliant, and the Minister's own influence in France would be greatly enhanced.

After reflecting for a moment, the Minister sighed, "I must ask my son about his intentions."

The Chinese envoy smiled and asked another question, "I heard that Britain wants to import grain from France?"

Upon hearing this, the French Foreign Minister’s mood instantly brightened. French diplomatic missions in Britain had sent back reports of the dire situation there. France was a major agricultural power in Europe, and Britain's land could not compare. Reports of starvation were already emerging in Britain. While the Minister felt some sympathy, it did not stop him from feeling a sense of satisfaction. Those damned British newspapers had invented far too many jokes at France's expense.

For instance: "No one can capture Paris before Paris surrenders."

Or: "What does the French flag look like? It’s white, though sometimes they paint parts of it red and blue."

Or: "What is the standard drill for a French soldier? Holding a rifle high with both hands."

Britain had not stopped its mockery when France was down. Now that Britain was suffering, France felt no obligation to empathize with their pain.

However, the French Minister joked, "Does China intend to send its submarine fleet to the North Atlantic to stop French convoys?"

The Chinese envoy shook his head. "I don't believe China has any such intention. Furthermore, I am unaware of what capacity Britain still has to pay for such goods. Britain’s gold was shipped to American vaults long ago. As for the paper called the Pound, I don't believe it holds any value."

The French Foreign Minister nodded. He then asked a crucial question: "The French government believe that only another meeting with Chairman He Rui can ensure the French people's confidence in China."

This was the second mention of a high-level state visit to China. Even in this private meeting, the Chinese envoy could no longer demur. Fortunately, the Chinese government had already authorized the envoy with certain diplomatic powers, and such a commitment fell within them. Given the current situation, if France were to leave the Allies, it would inevitably face great pressure. If the French leader could not meet He Rui directly, it would indeed fuel French anxiety about restoring a quasi-alliance with China.

"I wonder if our old friends in the French government would find a long-distance flight uncomfortable?" the Chinese envoy finally replied.

At this stage, France had no desire to continue fighting. The French Foreign Minister quickly brought the news back to the government. The current French government originated from the Vichy regime, which believed its greatest achievement was the defeat of the democratic system. Although the Vichy government had not abolished the parliament, it had made significant adjustments to the system of the Third Republic. Parliamentary power was strictly limited, and government authority was ensured. All reforms aimed to establish a "normal" presidential state. The Vichy government had actually utilized the shock of defeat to achieve this.

The French Third Republic had originally been designed as a transitional system for a royal restoration, which led to a "stable throne but rotating cabinets" model. However, since the King failed to be restored, the ruling parliament refused to relinquish power, turning France into a country where cabinets fell every few days.

The presidential system established by the Vichy government was a standard one. Voters separately elected the executive and legislative branches, with the President serving as the head of state and head of government.

Upon implementing the presidential system, the Vichy government defined the president's powers in the constitution. Compared to a parliamentary system, the presidential system featured the President as the chief executive, with the executive branch subordinate to the President rather than the parliament. Under this system, the President was independent of the parliament and elected periodically by citizens, either directly or indirectly; the President was responsible only to the voters, not to the parliament.

France was indeed a "veteran of revolutions"; even as the Vichy government proclaimed, "I have destroyed democracy," they had essentially created a normal presidential system where the president no longer had to answer to the parliament. As for the chaos and dismissals within the parliament, they would not directly affect the President’s decisions under this system.

The current president was still Marshal Pétain, who was not a dictator in the traditional sense. He simply wanted France to become a "normal" country where the government could focus on its proper duties. For example, regarding the issue of whether France should withdraw from the Allies, Marshal Pétain first discussed it with his cabinet members and obtained their consent.

Once the basic principles were approved, the Minister of Defense briefed the cabinet on the fundamental military preparations. Only after the cabinet members expressed support for this major move did the French government prepare to submit the matter to the parliament for a vote.

After all, the parliament represented French public opinion. The French President held the power over major matters such as declaring war or truces, but the decision to exercise that power required the approval of the parliament as a representative body. This political structure was a consensus between different spheres of power on major issues, no longer the chaotic situation of the parliamentary system where public opinion could whimsically dictate national affairs.

The French Finance Minister, Murat, was somewhat distracted as the meeting neared its end. As soon as it concluded, he immediately left the conference room. Half an hour later, Minister Murat appeared at the home of his mistress. She was an Italian beauty with a classical look—an Italian Countess, in fact.

For a long time, there had been close interactions between Italian and French nobility. During Mussolini’s rule, life had become even harder for Italian nobles, leading many to flee to France.

As for the various relationships between nobles, they had a long history. When Minister Murat’s mistress saw him, she embraced him directly, laughing and complying with his desires.

After the Minister was satisfied and they lay in bed together, Murat said, "Tell your friends to quickly withdraw their money from Swiss banks and bring it to France. An investment opportunity has arrived."

The Countess was somewhat surprised. She propped herself up, her beautifully shaped upper body completely exposed. "What is the French government planning to do? Are they going to build a canal?"

This sounded like a joke, but it wasn't. The presidential system had an advantage: its cabinet members were mostly technical experts rather than mere politicians. In the current Pétain government, although officials were still corrupt and used their power for personal gain, the ministers were at least graduates in relevant fields with considerable professional experience.

For instance, Minister of Finance Murat was a graduate of the École Normale Supérieure (ENS); before that, he had graduated from the Economics Department of the University of Paris. After ENS, he worked at the Bank of France and had several years of experience in the Ministry of Finance.

In the past, however, Murat could never have become Finance Minister because he lacked experience as a member of parliament.

As for that canal plan, it was a grand project proposed jointly by the Ministry of Land and Resources and the Ministry of Transport. The plan was to carry out a large-scale expansion of France’s current canals to ensure that the post-war economy could achieve rapid growth through cheaper inland water transport.

Murat looked at his mistress’s beautiful breasts and felt a surge of impulse again. He reached out toward her chest but was brushed away. Murat could only put his arm around her waist and replied, "It's more profitable than that."

Seeing that Murat refused to tell the truth, the Countess pounced on him and began to tease him. However, just as Murat’s desire returned, she got up and began to dress. Minister Murat could not withstand such teasing and felt his previous explanation was indeed unconvincing. He pulled the Countess back to the bed and said, "The Franc is very likely to be pegged to the Chinese Yuan again. What price do you think the German Mark, the Italian Lira, or even the Swiss Franc will be after the war? If you exchange all your money for Francs now, you can exchange it back for several times that amount later."

Hearing this, the Countess lay back on the bed, looking at Minister Murat with elegance and beauty. However, this elegant expression was merely her natural look; in reality, she was observing Murat, trying to gauge the truth from his expression. Her friends indeed had a lot of money, but during wartime, that money was their lifeline. Unless she could be absolutely certain the information was correct, she wouldn't be able to convince them.

Fortunately, while men might be capable, their minds are often quite simple. For the Countess, seeing through a man was all too easy. In Minister Murat’s face, she saw honesty—and the ambition to use this opportunity to make a fortune.

The Countess’s eyes crinkled into a beautiful smile. She laughed, "Darling, seeing how serious you are, I almost thought France was going to withdraw from the war."

At this teasing remark, Murat’s expression changed. Seeing this change, the Countess was essentially certain that France was up to something big. She pulled Murat into her arms, gently biting his earlobe while her body writhed. Under this passionate stimulation, the Minister quickly forgot about the remark he had just made.

After their second round of passion, Minister Murat left, his body exhausted. He still needed to find several other friends so they could all invest in this matter together.

The Countess, meanwhile, took a shower. Amidst the rushing water, she had already decided how to maximize the profit from this intelligence. Finding friends was important, but like many minor Italian nobles, she was quite poor—otherwise, with her beauty, why would she be content being the mistress of a French minister?

The Countess did not doubt the information Murat had revealed and wanted to make a fortune for herself. To make money, she needed capital. There weren't many countries that could provide such capital, and before coming to Paris, the Countess happened to have connections with German intelligence. She imagined the German intelligence department would pay a handsome price for this information.

As Minister Murat said, after Germany’s defeat, the exchange rate of the Mark to the Franc would plummet. Getting a sum of money now was a matter of timing.

Thus, the news that France was preparing to leave the Allies reached the German side. A few days later, German intelligence even obtained film. The Countess had Murat bring over cabinet documents for her to see, supposedly to confirm the reliability of the information. She then exhausted him in bed and, with the help of sleeping pills in the wine, he fell into a deep sleep. The Countess then photographed the documents.

Germany was now basically certain that France intended to "jump ship," though they were unsure of when exactly it would happen. Upon receiving the intelligence, the German intelligence department immediately brought the news to Hitler.

When Hitler saw that the French government was preparing for a parliamentary vote in September, he was furious. He immediately ordered the German military to submit plans for an invasion of France. If France really switched to China’s side, Hitler did not mind conquering France all over again.

However, the German government was also heavily infiltrated by British intelligence, and the news quickly reached the British Cabinet. When the British Chancellor of the Exchequer learned of the news, he immediately ran to one of his many mistresses—a Polish one.

This Polish mistress was of noble descent and claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of a Polish noblewoman and Napoleon, from when Napoleon created the Duchy of Warsaw and invaded Russia.

Claims of being someone’s illegitimate child were very popular in European high society. The British Chancellor didn't care; his reason for seeking out this Polish mistress was that her mother was French and had considerable connections in France. The Chancellor wanted to use these connections to exchange a large sum of his Pounds into Francs.

In Europe, the flow of money was quite smooth. The British Chancellor believed the Pound was destined for a massive devaluation, so he wanted to exchange it for other currencies before that happened. The Chancellor himself was willing to fight to defend Britain, but he also believed his money should earn more—at least, there was no need for it to be buried with Britain.

The Polish woman then traveled to France. The European upper class had their own circles. She quickly found her cousin. Upon hearing that her cousin had become the mistress of the French Finance Minister, the Polish woman felt a sudden urge to compete with her.

The two female relatives met soon after. They reached a consensus on how to handle the future. While treating her cousin to a drink, the Countess asked about the current situation in Britain. The Polish woman smiled bitterly, "The British government has mobilized millions of poor people to build fortifications on the coast, supposedly to deal with a Chinese landing."

At this point, the Polish woman lowered her voice. "I heard from the British side that it is very likely a Black army that will attack Britain. They say if the Black army lands, they will kill all the men and rape the women. Do you believe it?"

The Italian Countess was speechless for a moment. Finally, she comforted her, "Don't worry, Black people aren't that powerful."

The Polish woman looked a bit off as she asked, "Are they really not that powerful?"