"So, does Your Excellency Jordan consider black Africans to be civilized people? Are African tribes human civilizations worthy of equal treatment?" He Rui pressed.

Jordan answered this question, which was obviously charged with moral accusation, frankly. "Your Excellency, we must face reality. I personally oppose cruel slavery, and I believe black people are also God's creations. In the process of the West spreading civilization to the world, inevitable tragedies occurred. As diplomats, we should strive to prevent such tragedies from happening again as much as possible. General, your current actions are destroying peace. Only by resolving disputes through peaceful means can tragedies be avoided."

Having said this, Jordan waited quietly for He Rui to attack with further moral accusations. Instead, he saw He Rui nod slightly and reply with a look of gratification: "Sir John, as an elite, you still cannot break free from simple civilizational confidence to view problems with a completely realistic attitude. As for the British public, because they lack your profound learning, broad knowledge, and abilities honed through hard work, the world in their eyes is mechanical, simple, and binary. Now the British public must already know what has happened. They will feel their dignity has been struck, they will feel the current Central Government of China is barbaric and unreasonable, and thus demand the British government launch an attack on China. Any rational politician or diplomat, at this time, has to bow to the boiling, angry public opinion of Britain. Under such circumstances, diplomats will use British public opinion as their reason to demand our submission. Hmm... speaking of this..."

As He Rui spoke, he raised his teacup, making a toasting gesture as if holding a wine glass. "Your Excellency did not express it this way this time, which really makes me appreciate the valuable quality of your persistence in rationality."

Jordan only felt that He Rui seemed to be insulting him, but he couldn't refute it. If a British diplomat were to use public opinion as an excuse for pressure, that would be reserved for the Great Powers—only Western Great Powers were entitled to such treatment. As for China, there was no need for such sophisticated means at all. In Jordan's view, He Rui's expression could undoubtedly be described as 'putting gold on his own face'.

However, since He Rui's attitude was mild, Jordan decided to continue communicating rather than resorting to meaningless verbal attacks.

Sure enough, He Rui took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and continued, "In London, in Manchester, in Birmingham, in Edinburgh, those angry British citizens will definitely clamor for war because they lack Sir John's rationality. Only when the conscription orders are mailed to their hands, when the conscription officers personally knock on their doors, will these people realize that war with China is not verbal clamoring, but reality. You were just questioning whether I have the ability to influence Downing Street's policy formulation. I very much admire your keenness. In order to influence Downing Street, I believe it is necessary for a full-scale war to break out between China and Britain. Only a full-scale war can promote true, rational, and pragmatic peace. The more one has strong expectations for peace, the sooner one must fight, fight big, and fight a full-scale war."

Listening to He Rui's rational and mild words, Jordan lost even the minimum self-control for a moment, and the thought in his heart blurted out, "Your Excellency, you are crazy."

"No, Sir John, I have never been crazy. I am trying to find an effective way for the British government to counter irrational public opinion. Based on my judgment of Britain, the British Empire has the ability to send one million British troops to Chinese territory... Oh, I sincerely suggest the British government not send colonial indigenous troops. Their combat effectiveness is far too inferior compared to the Japanese army. Sending them to China is just wasting Britain's precious transport capacity and funds. An army composed of one million British native white subjects is likely to win the war. Although the Boer War does not seem to support such a judgment, I personally respect Britain very much, so I believe Britain is likely to win the war. At that time, I will be wiped out, and Britain will naturally win everything. The whole world will tremble under Britain's unparalleled strength, and Britain's rule over the globe will last for at least another hundred years."

Seeing He Rui calmly hinting that the whole world would watch Britain's spectacle, Jordan shuddered at the judgment.

"If Britain is unfortunately defeated, and the lives of one million young Britons are ended in China, the irrational British public will return to rationality. The new British government on stage at that time will be completely liberated from being held hostage by irrational public opinion. At that time, lasting peace will surely be realized."

Listening to He Rui's analysis, a thought suddenly arose in Jordan, a thought that seemed to answer all doubts. He Rui is not crazy now; He Rui was a madman to begin with. Only a madman could maintain a calm and rational train of thought under the heavy pressure of challenging the Great Powers. Any normal person, even if they just understood how heavy such pressure is, would go crazy in a situation where they could not choose to escape. Compared with He Rui, the power holders of the Qing Dynasty and Beiyang who chose to escape were undoubtedly respectable, kind, normal people.

Facing a madman, there was no need to beat around the bush. Jordan asked frankly: "General, do you have any requests you want me to convey to Downing Street?"

He Rui smiled slightly, "The current Central Government of China wants to complete a purely new treaty of equal diplomatic relations with the British government through negotiations with a sincere and frank attitude, on the basis of completely ignoring all previous treaties."

Jordan wanted to speak but stopped. He thought this request was completely whimsical. But the war threat He Rui just gave seemed to really want to push for such a fantasy negotiation.

Seeing Jordan's reaction, He Rui reminded him with a sincere look: "As an old friend of yours, Sir John, I suggest you—immediately, right now—send a warning to the British colonial governors in Southeast Asia and the Viceroy of India. Due to Britain's irrational attitude, they have fallen into an extremely dangerous situation."

***

When Jordan and his party left, they looked quite unhappy. He Rui just stood up from the sofa to express the minimum respect. After the British diplomatic staff left, He Rui sat back in his seat. After the recorder left, He Rui asked the Chinese participants to sit in a circle. Seeing that Yan Huiqing and Gu Weijun both looked quite serious, He Rui laughed: "Gentlemen, did you suddenly have the idea of leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"

Yan Huiqing waved his hands hurriedly, but Gu Weijun actually spoke first: "Hearing Chairman He use the case of the Boer War as a warning to the British side, I have determined to serve the country in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Unexpectedly, Gu Weijun spoke out the point he cared about first. Yan Huiqing could only change the angle of entry, "Does Chairman He think the European and American countries will really reach a dialogue regarding a trade embargo?"

He Rui touched his cigarette case, held back, then picked up his teacup and took a sip before answering: "France only has Indochina in Asia. Although we will support the cause of colonial liberation in countries around the world, in order to stabilize France for the time being, we can only temporarily recognize France's existence in Indochina. But France wanted limited things originally, and currently France is very dissatisfied with Britain. The recent German hyperinflation has reached the point where 4.2 trillion German marks exchange for one US dollar. One US dollar can buy a house in Germany. This has led to the rapid expansion of conflicts between Britain, the US, and France."

Yan Huiqing and Gu Weijun had not participated in higher-level meetings, so they did not understand this very well. Gu Weijun asked directly: "I would like to hear the details."

He Rui briefly introduced the situation. In January 1923, because the German government could not pay reparations, France united with Belgium to send 100,000 troops into the German industrial center, the Ruhr area. The German government was powerless to resist and issued a passive resistance policy. Civil servants and bank employees did not go to work in the Ruhr area. Workers did not go to work in the Ruhr area and did not produce products for the French.

Ten months later, now, the French occupation forces in the German Ruhr area have used all means but cannot make the region run. Not only do they get no supplies, but they also have to pay for the occupation costs out of their own pockets. The German Weimar government took the opportunity to default on domestic debts, creating hyperinflation, and wiped out the war bonds that needed to be repaid in Germany through this inflation.

At this time, Britain and the US did not want to see Germany collapse completely and were trying to convene an international conference to solve the problem. Seeing that it could not get compensation and could not take the opportunity to completely dismantle Germany, France's conflict with Britain increased suddenly.

"That is to say, there is now a very clear view in France: The Anglo-Saxons show no gratitude to France." He Rui laughed. Some things were not convenient to say. In fact, He Rui had been spreading some news through various channels according to the situation in the past two years.

'The Anglo-Saxons show no gratitude to France'—this sonorous and forceful sentence was the slogan He Rui asked personnel abroad to work hard to spread.

Public opinion is just like this. As long as everyone feels it makes sense, a certain sentence can become a popular 'golden sentence'. Moreover, this sentence indeed voiced the dissatisfaction of French nationalist sentiment.

Now Yan Huiqing and Gu Weijun both understood. If a military conflict broke out between China and Britain, France would be happy to see Britain's joke.

He Rui continued to explain: "The so-called British Empire wears the title of Emperor of India on its head. The King of England should be called the British Governor of the Indian Empire."

Yan Huiqing and Gu Weijun didn't feel much when they first heard this. Suddenly, both their faces changed, and suppressing their laughter made their expressions turn strange.

He Rui continued to explain: "If India is lost, Britain is just one of the Great Powers in Europe, and there is no power to dominate the Versailles system. European countries will not fight to the death with our country for Britain. Therefore, the only object of military conflict we have to face is Britain alone. As long as we chase and beat Britain, other European countries will be happy to see Britain alone maintaining the dignity of Europe."

Speaking of this, He Rui couldn't hold back anymore, took out a cigarette and lit it. "As for the United States, we can easily get the United States' understanding."

Yan Huiqing was somewhat puzzled, "Chairman He, it is unlikely that the United States will support us because of moral factors. Where does the understanding you mentioned come from?"

"We have no navy." He Rui gave the reason frankly.

Yan Huiqing and Gu Weijun both frowned. After some thought, Yan Huiqing understood first, "Because we have no navy, the United States does not think China can threaten the United States."

Gu Weijun understood instantly. Seeing the reaction of the two, He Rui was very disappointed in his heart. When members of the Northeast Government heard this explanation, although everyone understood quickly, the hurt expression on their faces came from the heart. That was the emotion of patriots, and even more the manifestation of longing for strength.

"What can threaten us is Japan. Japan must currently solve the domestic chaos caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake and cannot launch a war in a short time. Britain will never believe that they will be quickly defeated by us at this time, nor will they believe that we will really chase and beat Britain, trying to provoke a full-scale war between China and Britain. At this stage, Britain will absolutely not give the interest temptation that will make Japan enter the war. Even if Britain is willing to make a request to Japan now, Japan will also ask Britain for hundreds of millions of pounds, or even a billion pounds. The British Parliament cannot pass such a bill. Then, Japan is not a concern at this time either. So, we have only one enemy at present, and that is the weak Britain within China. Beating Britain is absolutely correct. The effect will be very good."

Yan Huiqing only felt that everything was clear before his eyes. Although he was happy, he still felt uneasy. He raised the one question he was most worried about, "If Britain demands the Great Powers to be consistent, how should we respond?"

He Rui shook his head, "First, this is impossible. Second, if diplomatic personnel of other countries in China are really stupid to that extent, they will definitely come to negotiate with us. At that time, just ask them one question: do they want to declare war on us? By declaring war on us, it can be proved that those countries have become 'son countries' of Britain, disregarding everything for the interests of 'Father Britain'."

Yan Huiqing couldn't help but be awed. The diplomacy of the Great Powers is very serious. Any diplomat accused of treason is a very serious matter. Especially the reason He Rui stated can completely nail a Great Power diplomat to the pillar of shame.

Although Yan Huiqing had always been trying to keep up with the new government's diplomatic thinking, when it was confirmed again that he was still stuck in the thinking of the old era, Yan Huiqing only felt a burst of shame. He unconsciously lowered his gaze.

Seeing that the talk was about done, He Rui stood up. "That's about it for diplomatic work. What everyone needs is to find content in international law that is sufficient to prove the rationality of our actions. As long as we have not established formal diplomatic relations with foreign countries, our space is infinitely large."

After speaking, He Rui left the drawing room. What supports diplomatic space is national strength. If politics, economy, and military fail, diplomacy will naturally fail. This is an iron law. In order for diplomacy not to fail, He Rui precisely does not need to focus his attention on diplomacy.

The only purpose of meeting Jordan personally today was to convey the request that 'the new Chinese government wants to sign a new equal treaty with Britain' accurately and unmistakably through Jordan. After achieving this goal, He Rui didn't care at all who Jordan was.