The Empire will continue to win

Chapter 94 The Most Expensive Honey Trap in History

Shen Moqing: "Is it wrong to love one's country?"

Countess: "Of course you're right. No one is more patriotic than us nobles."

"I don't understand. Is your country preparing to openly become an enemy of our country by brazenly selling four advanced warships to East Asia at this time?"

Sensing the other party's anger, Maria took the initiative to shorten the distance and whispered close to him, "Shen, let me explain."

The confidential telegram from Paris traveled through several embassies across Eurasia before finally reaching Baron Gros (the plenipotentiary minister to China).

My husband, Pierre, the military attaché at the embassy, ​​asked me to tell you that this arms sale was not approved by the cabinet at all; it was decided by the shipyard on its own.

"Is the Brest Shipyard some kind of independent kingdom?" the professor asked instinctively, sliding his hand into the Southern Hemisphere.

Oh ~

Yes~

The noblewoman closed her eyes slightly, her expression comfortable, and continued, "The situation in Frankish China is turbulent, public opinion is boiling, and conflicts between various parties are sharp. The Thiers cabinet is teetering on the brink of collapse, and its orders cannot even leave Paris. In addition, the huge reparations from the Franco-Prussian War have left the navy unable to pay for the warships, and the Brest shipyard is in dire financial straits. That's why they sold the battleships originally scheduled to be delivered to the Mediterranean Fleet to the East."

silence.

All that could be heard was breathing.

Today's weather forecast: Beijing is very cold, Paris is very hot, and the Southern Hemisphere is generally warm.

"Shen, do you know how chaotic Paris is?"

Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "In order to resist the attack of the Prussian army, Emperor Napoleon III led a large army in person, but was defeated and captured at Sedan. Then, the Second Empire that I supported collapsed."

That period was chaotic, and not long after, Professor Adolphe Thiers organized a provisional cabinet in Paris.

professor?

Shen Moqing felt a little guilty.

The lady puffed out her chest and continued:

-

"The damned Prussians are demanding 50 billion gold francs in war reparations, otherwise they will never withdraw from their northern territories, and they even threatened to invade Paris."

"That's a huge sum of money."

As you may know, 50 billion gold francs is roughly equivalent to 13 billion taels of silver.

The Boxer Protocol stipulated that the late Qing Dynasty had to pay 450 million taels of silver, and the Treaty of Shimonoseki stipulated that it had to pay 260 million taels of silver. However, even combined, this amount was less than half of the indemnity paid for the Franco-Prussian War!

Frank is still too rich.

When Shen Moqing got angry, the Southern Hemisphere changed shape.

"Please be gentle."

"Ahem, Madam, I don't understand how your country's citizens managed to scrape together 50 billion gold francs?" Shen Moqing asked the question that had been hidden in his heart for a long time.

"Patriotism!"

"Patriotism?"

-

"That's right. In order to reclaim the northern territories as soon as possible, the government issued patriotic bonds with an annual interest rate of 5%. In order to drive out the Prussian army as soon as possible, the people bought war bonds and quickly raised more than 40 billion."

"The great people."

"That's right, Franks don't disagree on the issue of patriotism itself, but they often fight each other over how to choose the right way to be patriotic and which class should lead the patriotism movement. Have you heard of the Paris mob?"

"It's a household name."

"After the Franco-Prussian War, they formed the Paris Commune, held provisional elections, even sent nobles to the guillotine, expelled scientists, and declared that Paris belonged to the people."

At this point, the noblewoman's eyes filled with tears. Clearly, there is considerable controversy surrounding the definition of "the people."

Shen Moqing remained calm and composed.

"And then?"

"Later, the government troops, which were under the command of Thiers’ cabinet, and the Prussian army joined forces to suppress the mob, resulting in the deaths of at least 100,000 people."

A century of bloodshed.

Over the past century, nobles, scientists, merchants, intellectuals, and mobs have all been sent to the guillotine in turn. I've dreamt of being sent to the guillotine myself several times!

Shen, Pierre and I are very keen to do something for your country.

1

Shen Moqing temporarily abandoned the Southern Hemisphere and turned his attention to the Northern Hemisphere, pondering deeply.

Yes, the Frankish government has been in turmoil these past few years, with its political system changing hands repeatedly and the ruling class shifting frequently in Paris. Today's members of parliament may very well be tomorrow's death row inmates.

It seems reasonable that the aristocratic couple Jean-Pierre and Maria dared not return to their homeland and even sought refuge in the country where they were staying.

"Madam, is it possible to stop those four battleships from reaching Nagasaki?"

"That's exactly what Pierre was thinking."

We truly are kindred spirits.

"How about we move to a more comfortable place to continue our conversation?"

As they were talking, a warm, soft hand suddenly pressed against the fogged-up car window. Shen Moqing looked closely and, wow, the Earl's fair arm was covered in goosebumps.

"Where to?"

-

"Madier".

A shrewd and calculating person already has the answer in mind when they ask a question.

Such is the case for dating venues.

Is the same true for warships?

Shen Moqing suddenly felt a sense of anticipation.

The Madier Grand Hotel is a spire-shaped building that resembles an Orthodox church, with a green and white exterior. It is located near Xizhimen Railway Station and is known for its high prices.

Push open the door.

The ground beneath your feet is covered in brown tiles, and the murals depict birch forests and grasslands, instantly creating a strong Slavic atmosphere.

"Welcome, distinguished guests!"

A tall, slender, fair-skinned Lucia maidservant, dressed in a sweet Rococo-style long dress, gracefully approached.

"Luxury room on the top floor."

"9

-

The artillery returned to the familiar battlefield.

Clearly, Countess Maria was very familiar with the Hotel Madier, and if there were a membership system, she would at least be a platinum member.

They were very familiar with the process.

I'm in a hotel, just reached the seventh floor.

"Madam, we've arrived."

"Thanks."

Mary casually gave the maid a silver coin, and the maid was very grateful, saying in broken French, "Merci..."

"Millefois merci" means "Thank you so much."

Then he quietly withdrew.

Maria pushed open the door and casually hung up the "Do Not Disturb" sign.

Thick Persian carpets, gorgeous curtains, dazzling gilded chandeliers, antique furniture, oak floors, religious paintings hanging on the walls, and a fireplace burning brightly.

"How's the room?"

"I like the seventh floor."

Why?

"People in officialdom always have some obsessions, such as the idea that the seventh floor is auspicious."

"Then we can come here often in the future."

What if it’s a fairy dance?

While Maria was chatting and pouring wine, Shen Moqing cautiously checked behind the door, under the bed, and inside the bathtub before locking the door.

Click~

I turned around.

"Darling~"

The countess leaned against the stained glass, her shoulders swaying, and her expensive black fox fur coat silently slipped off, revealing her fair and alluring figure.

What else is there to say?

As the poet Xiaoxiaosheng wrote: "After a bout of lovemaking, two fish are like water."

-

The designer who oversaw the construction of the Madier Hotel put a lot of thought into it. The rooms have excellent natural light, with three large glass windows on the south wall, arranged in an upper, middle, and lower section. The upper and lower windows are stained glass with reliefs, while the slightly narrower middle window is a transparent, flat glass.

It can be described as full of charm.

Deeply in love and overjoyed.

Shen Moqing, who was standing barefoot on the carpet, was suddenly dazzled by the white light outside the window. He assumed it was just the reflection of the snow outside and didn't think much of it.

"Shen, it was so rude of you to leave the court ball alone that night. When you got home, Pierre even questioned my charm because of it."

"I'm sorry, I can't disobey the Empress Dowager." Shen Moqing thought to himself, the mental state of these old nobles in Paris is really worrying, each one more insane than the last.

"My God, you and the Empress Dowager too??" the noblewoman asked, turning her head.

"Shen, you've given me a huge surprise."

"This is a secret of the imperial court and must not be leaked."

Don't worry.

Maria propped herself up on her arms, staring at the luxurious carpet, thinking to herself, "Fool, how can such an elegant affair be kept secret? Is it even necessary to hide it?"

They could even hire a few writers to produce erotic articles for publication.

Back then, the Count of Champagne and the Queen had a one-night stand, and the whole of Paris knew the details.

After a long time~

"Shen, please sit down."

Maria's pillow talk was even more extravagant than that of a prostitute, and her obsequious flattery was indescribable. However, he was then momentarily blinded by a white light.

"What's wrong?"

There was light outside the window, but it disappeared in a flash.

Once might be an accident, but twice should raise a red flag.

Shen Moqing walked naked to the window and peered out through the narrow transparent glass. The hotel had sprung up, offering a unique view, and there were almost no buildings over three stories in the surrounding half-mile.

Standing here, you can even see the Xizhimen Railway Station platform, which is a kilometer away.

How strange.

Turn around.

"Shen, don't spoil our good mood." As he spoke, the count skillfully tied up his blond hair. "I'm an amateur painter, and I'd like to paint an oil painting of you to take back to Paris for an exhibition." His voice was muffled.

"Can you take photos?"

"Painting is art, photography is vulgar. By the way, regarding those four warships still at sea, Pierre said he has a good idea."

"What method?"

"Sold twice with one ship."

"Sold twice?"

"Yes, your court paid the shipyard 900 million silver dollars. In that case, the warships will not have to sail to Nagasaki. They can sail directly into Weihaiwei and join your navy."

Holy crap~

The professor gasped and gripped the handrail tightly.

I feel like I've fallen into a trap.

"Brest shipyard has been without cash flow for several months. If they had a choice, they wouldn't want to offend your country, but they have no other option but to survive. If they could sell the ship to two different parties, Brest shipyard would definitely abandon the East Sang without hesitation."

I forgot to tell you, the sailors are all shipyard employees; they'll stop at each colony to refuel and water them.

"Don't shipyards consider business ethics?"

"The people of Dongsang are barbaric, ignorant, uncivilized, and terrifying in appearance. There is no need to apply business ethics to them."

One minute later.

"Hmm~"

The professor suddenly relaxed, his eyes glazed over, and he slumped onto the sofa, unwilling to move. He didn't care about imperial affairs or the future of the nation; he would deal with those later.

"Honey, I ran into a really annoying person while I was waiting for you outside the train station. You probably don't know her, but anyway, she was awful."

"Michelle?"

-

"What? How did you know it was her?" The countess jumped up in surprise, her eyes wide. "No way, you and her?"

"No, she just took pictures for us."

"Shen, I must warn you, this woman is dangerous. You must never get close to her, and you absolutely cannot have any relationship with her. I'm not jealous; I'm doing this for your own good."

"Is it that serious?"

"Yes, she was a member of the Paris Commune."

So that's it. Michel's hostility towards the petty bourgeoisie and Maria's hostility towards Michel both stem from class hatred. Suddenly, everything makes sense.

But how did she become a newspaper reporter? Agence France-Presse would never hire a member of the Paris Commune.

I was just about to get to the bottom of it.

Outside the window, the white light flashed by again.

The two locked eyes.

"Did you see that?"

"Yes."

Shen Moqing pulled a revolver from its holster, walked behind the glass window, and cautiously observed the outside world from behind the curtains, looking down at the vast landscape below.

The sun is shining brightly today, and the sky is cloudless.

The 7-story Madier is almost the tallest building in the vicinity.

As he looked further and further away, he saw a Buddhist pagoda, a solitary pagoda about a mile away.

"Shen, who's spying on us?"

"Don't speak."

After five minutes of focused observation, the white light flashed by again. This time, Shen Moqing finally saw clearly that the light source was coming from the top of the pagoda.

"It's a telescope."

"what?"

"Madam, our date is over for today. I need to go and catch someone." Shen Moqing picked up the clothes from the ground.

-

Just now, he suddenly realized that the mysterious man with the high-powered binoculars wasn't spying on the hotel at all, but rather spying on the Xizhimen Railway Station.

He's a spy!

"If you catch them, please execute them."

"Don't worry, I will kill them myself."

After seeing Maria off, Shen Moqing summoned two guards.

"You, immediately go to Nanyuan and summon 20 militiamen, each with a lever rifle and a revolver. Ask the instructors from Baoding Military Academy to lead them over by horse-drawn carriage."

"You, go find Yu Xian, the Minister of Justice, immediately and tell him that I have discovered a spy den near Xizhimen Railway Station. Tell him to bring his men here immediately."

"quick!"

Waiting is boring.

Shen Moqing sat on the sofa in the lobby, legs crossed, watching the hands of the wall clock slowly tick by, his hand in his coat pocket holding a gun.

-

The pagoda is a high vantage point, and so is the Madier Hotel.

It's best to be careful.

It was freezing cold, and the lobby was deserted. He would take a closer look whenever a guest came in or out.

"Sir, would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, but no need."

"That lady left in a hurry; if needed, I can help you too."

Yo?

Mao Sui recommended himself?

Shen Moqing turned his head and carefully examined the maid who wanted to earn extra money. She was tall, with a clear figure, long brown hair, and a fair complexion.

She was identified as a somewhat confused Slavic girl in the early stages of her life.

Five yuan, or three yuan is fine too.

Shen Moqing waved his hand, and the maid left in disappointment.

Suddenly~

"etc."

The maid turned around, a look of delight on her face.

She had just received a silver dollar tip from Maria and wanted to earn more, especially since the guest was handsome and she wouldn't lose out.

"Are you Russian? Which city are you from? Yakutsk? Tyumen? Or west of the Ural Mountains?"

"No," the maid shook her head, "I am from Wanping."

puff~

Shen Moqing looked into her blue eyes and smiled.

"Why don't you go look in the mirror?"

"Sir, in fact, she didn't lie!"

A well-dressed, ramrod-straight-backed man with graying hair approached, carrying two glasses. "Let me introduce myself," he said, "I'm Alexei, the owner here. How about a vodka?"

"no thanks."

Alek shrugged: "Her name is Lina."

Lina's family was in difficult circumstances. Her father died from alcoholism, her mother was sick, and her younger brother was always causing trouble. She was a good girl.

I can vouch for her; she has no bad habits.

After saying that, he drank two glasses of vodka by himself, one after another.

Shen Moqing glanced at Lina standing behind Alexei and had to admit that Slavic girls in their prime possessed a unique beauty.

"She was indeed beautiful, a cold, wild, torn beauty, but without hope."

"Your description is very insightful. Are you a reader of Dostoevsky?" Alexei, his eyes shining with the spirit of vodka, sat down and offered to chat about literature.

"I'm not interested in literature," Shen Moqing decisively steered the conversation back to the main point. "What I'm more interested in is why she's from Wanping?"

"Lina's grandfather was an exile who fled Siberia and came here. She was born in Wanping, she—"

They do not consider themselves Slavic.

Lina looked slightly flustered and nodded slightly.

Shen Moqing's hand was still hidden in his coat pocket, gripping the gun handle.

"And what about you?"

"I am a citizen of the Russian Empire, and in St. Petersburg, I was once a respected university professor."

Are you mocking me?

At this moment, Alexei's blue eyes were filled with melancholy and sincerity: "Sir, you are also a conscientious intellectual, aren't you?"

'

No, I am not.

"6

No, I didn't.

Professor Shen vehemently denied it. Damn it, the term "intellectual" sounds weak, just as unpleasant as Yang Wei's.