Saigon, the future Ho Chi Minh City. This city has no dry season and rainy season, and no winter. Even on February 17, when northern China was still covered in ice and snow, the temperature here was still above 20 degrees. Compared with the Dutch colonies near the equator, the climate here was truly warm and humid.

Feeling the comfortable temperature, the Dutch envoy still spoke carefully, "The He Rui government has been established for a year, and the news has spread throughout the Southeast Asian colonies, including the news of the fleet being sunk. We believe that the domino effect is very likely to occur. We have also received some news that many changes have taken place in Korea now."

Hearing the Dutch envoy say this, the Japanese envoy's face didn't look very good. He Rui's troops did not deliberately support the resistance forces in northern Korea during the few months there, but systematically eliminated the Japanese forces in northern Korea, causing huge difficulties for Japan in restoring rule in northern Korea.

Human resources loyal to Japan were eliminated and could be dispatched again. The hearts of the people in the entire Korea, especially in northern Korea, were fluctuating, but could not be quickly salvaged by rebuilding the Japanese government in northern Korea. Unless Japan could completely defeat He Rui, the people of northern Korea would know that anyone who launched an attack on Japan had no future.

However, in the current situation, the He Rui regime was becoming stronger and stronger. The people of northern Korea would only think that as long as they defeated Japan, they could obtain their own interests. This was the biggest headache for Japan in implementing rule in Korea at present. Those Koreans believed that as long as He Rui launched another attack, Japan could be driven out of Korea. Korea would be able to restore its independent status.

The French envoy was not unaware that Indochina, bordering China, was the first domino, but the French government was facing economic pressure. Before this trip, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already set the tone: 'France cannot send troops, but the French government expects to see the British government go to war with the He Rui regime!'

With such a diplomatic mission, the French envoy expressed support for the Dutch envoy in a sincere tone, "I declare again that I support Britain in launching a comprehensive military strike against the He Rui regime. Based on the obligations of the Allied Powers, France will give the British Expeditionary Force maximum support."

Hearing this, the Dutch envoy said unhappily, "Is France not preparing to send troops?"

The French envoy answered righteously, "Of course we will send troops. As long as it is passed by the parliament, France will fight side by side with Britain. Completely destroy the He Rui regime. At this stage, before the parliament passes the war resolution, the only forces that can provide military support are the local armed forces in Indochina."

The Dutch envoy fully understood France's attitude. The so-called 'parliamentary approval' was indeed the French war process. The French President and Prime Minister did not have the power to declare war; the war decision must be passed by the parliament. Given the current Anglo-French relations, the French parliament would never pass a resolution to declare war on China. As for the troops in Indochina... this small number of troops facing He Rui's million-strong army could probably only put up a little defense.

So the Dutch envoy looked at the British envoy and probed, "I wonder when the British side prepares to send troops?"

The British envoy was full of exasperation. The current situation was the same as the view of the British Foreign Office. France, Japan, and the Netherlands all fully agreed with the British view, that is, the He Rui regime threatened the security of Southeast Asian colonies. However, France, Japan, and the Netherlands all wanted Britain to charge at the front and fight directly with China. They would watch the British army fight bloody battles and give all support except participating in the war. When Britain defeated the He Rui regime, this group of countries would participate in the war to grab the benefits of victory together.

If Britain had the strength to defeat the He Rui regime, there would be no need to convene such a meeting now. Britain only needed to send someone to inform these countries that the British Empire was going to move troops, and these countries would naturally follow like the wind.

In a sense, international diplomacy in 1925 was essentially no different from a triad meeting. The leading big brother Britain certainly wouldn't want to charge and kill in front alone; he always wanted the 'brothers to show something.'

The second-in-command France had clearly expressed its attitude, so Britain turned to the loyal little brother Netherlands. The Dutch envoy naturally had to use diplomatic rhetoric, but using triad words could also extremely aptly reflect the situation at this time: 'Big brother, you know my family assets. A population of several million, and only a few warships capable of fighting on the Chinese coast. As long as big brother takes the lead, I, your little brother, will definitely follow!'

Britain certainly knew the family assets of the little brother Netherlands. Hearing the Netherlands express its stance like this, it turned to Japan, the former 'Double Flower Red Stick' [top fighter] on this street of the Far East. Japan's attitude was very sincere: 'Big brother, we were set up by China a while ago, and now we also want revenge. However, the Emperor doesn't send hungry soldiers. My family pot can't even be uncovered. I ask big brother to send some money to me first, at least let the brothers eat a full meal and buy some machetes. So we can charge into battle with big brother.'

Talking about the domino effect and the threat to the colonies, the attitudes of various countries were highly consistent, sharing a bitter hatred of the enemy. When talking about practical issues, everyone's own calculations came out. The British envoy couldn't help but feel that 'people's hearts are scattered, and the team is hard to lead.'

Finally, on February 17, the "Saigon Four-Power Joint Declaration" was issued.

On February 19, the British Foreign Office in London received the complete document of the Joint Declaration. The British Foreign Office was not happy about this; they were waiting for another document, the economic assessment of China produced by British economic experts.

Birmingham, an important industrial city in Britain. The University of Birmingham in this city happened to be celebrating its 100th anniversary. The school's senior management had formulated a grand anniversary plan. At this time, there were still a few months before the anniversary, and it hadn't started yet.

The buildings in the school had a history of one hundred years, and their shapes were full of 19th-century style. However, the building materials were red bricks. Compared with those "stone" universities in Oxford and Cambridge, they had a more concise and lively style.

In the Victorian era, the six major industrial center cities in England established science and engineering universities and received the Royal Charter before the First World War. In the era of establishment, Britain had already entered the industrial age. The building material of the six universities was red brick, so they were also called 'Red Brick Universities' by the British.

In the red brick library with a history of one hundred years, Capelli, who was studying for a doctorate in economics, buried his head in studying a document. Several economics monographs were placed on the table in front of him. Capelli's pen in his right hand recorded constantly, and when he needed information, he searched in the books.

Writing and writing, the light became dimmer and dimmer; unknowingly, it was already evening. Suddenly, the room brightened; the librarian turned on the electric lights. The next moment, a burst of joyous sounds rang out among the students in the room, and tables and chairs made various noises as students stood up. The library was immediately filled with the breath of movement.

However, Capelli was not affected; he still concentrated on his work. This report needed to be handed over to the professor tomorrow, and then the professor would forward it to the government in Downing Street.

Busy until past 9 PM, Capelli finally put down his pen and let out a long breath. Finally finished. The feeling of relief made him suddenly feel hungry. In fact, Capelli had felt hungry long ago, but this feeling stimulated his mind and work speed.

Economics is not a subject that can be completed by pure calm thinking; the hunting-like impulse stimulated by hunger is more suitable for such work. Capelli needed such an impulse to capture the inner core from this document on the He Rui government's economic thinking.

At this time, the 'hunt' was over. The exhausted Capelli felt that he needed to eat a meal to eliminate hunger and replenish nutrition. He picked up the coffee cup, poured the remaining cold coffee into his stomach, packed up the documents, returned the books, and hurriedly walked out of the library.

There was definitely no food in the cafeteria. Capelli put the manuscript in the dormitory and ran out to find food himself. Gas lamps lit up on the streets of Birmingham. It rained lightly yesterday, and the ground was quite slippery. Relying on the little light reflected by the stones on the dim ground, Capelli determined where it was not easy to slip.

At this time, the streets were full of night walkers. Drunkards and some shady characters wandered on the streets. There were also some nightingales who failed to solicit customers standing on the street corner with heavy makeup, greeting potential customers passing by. The nightingales were knowledgeable after all. Seeing Capelli's nerdy attire and demeanor, they didn't come forward to talk, but just watched him pass by hurriedly.

Finally seeing a fish and chips shop, Capelli hurriedly went up and bought a portion. The boss, who looked a bit greasy, wore a white chef's uniform with a dark blue apron over it. When he was about to close the stall, he saw there was still business, so he weighed potatoes and fish pieces and put them into the oil pan to fry respectively. At the same time, he didn't forget to talk to Capelli, "Mr. University Student, I haven't seen your classmates coming so late recently. Did something happen to the school?"

Capelli studied economics and couldn't help complaining to the boss, "The government's work center now is to pay debts, pay war debts. Taxes are so heavy, there is no money for development."

Hearing this, the boss sighed, "Sigh... Mr. University Student, we won the war, but life is even harder. Those Germans really deserve to die!"

Capelli could answer the boss's previous question with simple policies, but he couldn't discuss with the boss in the chat that although the current situation was related to the war, the core was not simply that the Germans were hateful. The core of the economy lay in the expansion of the market. The outbreak of the European War seemed related to Germany's ambition, but Germany's ambition was not simply due to German Emperor Wilhelm II's delusion of dominating the world. From the disclosure of various matters, Wilhelm II was very cowardly, and a large part of the reason for starting the war was passive.

The force that truly promoted the European War was that the whole world had been carved up clean. Under the current economic system, the market was saturated. If Germany wanted to continue to develop, it had to snatch the market. Capelli knew very well that if he said this to the boss, he would be considered a person disloyal to the country. There was no need to cause trouble for himself.

Soon, the fish and chips were cooked and brought to Capelli. Capelli bought a cup of cheap strong liquor from the boss, and with the seasoning, swept the food away like a whirlwind. Then he went straight to the dormitory.

Electric lights had been installed in the university dormitory. Opening the door and entering, he saw his roommate Williams reading the report written by Capelli. Capelli poured himself a glass of water, drank it in one gulp, then fell on the bed and asked, "Socialist, what do you think of this report?"

Williams, like most educated youths at present, supported the socialist system. Capelli had debated with his roommate on the Soviet issue many times. This report targeted the Chinese socialist system, which was rarely discussed by British educated youths. Capelli wanted to see his roommate's view on this economic thinking of the distant East claiming to implement the socialist system.

Williams didn't answer immediately. He turned back only after finishing the last page. His brown eyes were full of contemplation and doubt. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Are these all true?"

"Should be. The materials given by the Foreign Office are more reliable than those official news agencies." Capelli said, pillowing his arms behind his head, looking at the somewhat mottled ceiling.

"If so, I think China's economic policy seems more radical than the Soviet Union's economic policy. The Soviet Union uses a command economy for forced distribution, while China wants to improve efficiency through the market by enhancing the consumption power of the Chinese people. Although I prefer the Soviet policy, I have to feel that China's economic policy indeed has greater ambition." Williams replied. After speaking, he scratched his right cheek. "I think the Chinese government has realized that they have to face various problems of the market economy and is prepared to meet the challenge... I am very interested in this."

Capelli liked discussing issues with his roommate Williams because this guy's thinking was often unexpected, just like the sentence just now 'The Chinese government is prepared to meet the challenge.'

Should he continue to revise based on this idea now? Capelli only felt sleepy and decided to sleep first. He said 'Good night,' pulled the quilt over his head, and fell asleep in a moment.

Work, it's not too late to rush it early tomorrow morning.