Soong Mei-ling frowned slightly when she heard this. After restoring Peking, Chiang Kai-shek had not visited Peking for a long time. This has begun to arouse speculation from the outside world. Of course, there are all things to say, but some have mentioned the relationship between Chiang Kai-shek and Zhuang Jihua. Among them, British journalists are the most courageous and have begun to publicly discuss the political differences between Chiang Kai-shek and Zhuang Jihua.

Yang Yongtai glanced at Soong Mei-ling without notice. Soong Mei-ling immediately understood the hint, and she smiled slightly: "Mr. Changqing is right, let Hopkins go to North China to take a look."

Chen Bulei laughed in his heart. Yang Yongtai is now paying more and more attention to Zhuang Jihua. When he encounters difficulties, he will try every means to seek Zhuang Jihua's opinions. Now it is obvious that the lords here can't come up with any good ideas, so Yang Yongtai takes his ideas to Zhuang Jihua.

Chiang Kai-shek was calm. In addition to the Hopkins incident, the election of the sixteen counties in Chongqing also involved a lot of his energy. Although this was only a county-level election, it had an extraordinary significance for the future. The Kuomintang had a strong foundation in these sixteen counties. All the ten counties that had completed the election so far were the Kuomintang members who won the victory, and the remaining six counties were far ahead in the polls.

There is an obvious situation in this election. The elected county magistrates were all from the Southwest Development Team, both of whom were not young, and they were only in their thirties. This also made Chiang Kai-shek understand the deep strength of the Southwest Development Team in the sixteen counties around Chongqing.

This election was actively welcomed and highly praised by domestic and foreign media and political forces. Although the political forces in various domestic factions lost, they were still highly praised, except for the Xinhua Daily that it was still accusing them.

On the one hand, the Xinhua Daily accused the Kuomintang of excluding **. This kind of election is incomplete pseudo-democratic rule. On the other hand, it requires further abolishing the Party’s headquarters. The Party’s headquarters can no longer exist as a government agency. The Party’s country must separate the family, the Party can no longer interfere in state affairs, and the state’s finance must also be clear. The Party’s salary can only be paid by the Party, but not by the state’s finance.

The Kuomintang did not respond to the accusation of "Xinhua Daily", and only the Democratic League responded to the Democratic League. However, in the context of the great victory in North China, it did not cause much storm, but the storm always existed, although it was small, but he could not refute Yang Yongtai's proposal. Peking was liberated, and the Pingjin refugees who went south from Beiping were preparing to return one after another. The southwest industry circled north to look for business opportunities. Even the students of the Southwest Associated School were excited to move the school, but Chiang Kai-shek was never so arrogant. This was absolutely inappropriate.

"Okay, call Hopkins and tell him that I'm going to Peking the day after tomorrow and ask him to go with me."

Chiang Kai-shek's tone was a little stiff. Soong Mei-ling didn't let Wang Chonghui call, but stood up and went to the next door to make the call.

Hopkins did not live in a hotel, but in the US Embassy. When Soong Mei-ling called, he was talking to Gauss and Weidmai about the Chinese battlefield and the current political situation in China.

When Gauss' secretary reported Chiang Kai-shek's invitation to him, Hopkins calmed down and nodded in agreement. He held Erlangtui with a glass of wine in his hand. Weidemai and Gauss sat opposite him. As the United States pays more and more attention to its relations with China, more and more staff at the Embassy in China. The original embassy became narrow and cramped. Last year, he moved to the newly built embassy in Datian Bay, Lianglukou.

This embassy is more spacious and elegant than the original building. It is divided into two parts: front and back. The front is a work area and the back is a living area. The living area has five buildings and three bungalows, and the work area is two six-story buildings.

"Go to Peiping?" Hopkins' tone was a little playful. He stared at the red wine in the wine glass, and smiled out of his mouth: "General Weidemai, in your judgment, China and the Soviet Union had a conflict in ancient times. Is there any possibility of China winning?"

This is a difficult problem. From the current perspective, both China and the Soviet Union have achieved great victories on the battlefield, but it is obvious that the victory of the Soviet Union is even more difficult. The European battlefield is far greater than that of Asia in terms of scale and intensity, and Germany's military machines are also far stronger than Japan. However, the main military force of the Soviet Union is in Europe, which is tens of thousands of kilometers away from the ancient Méng, but China is not the case. The most elite force is in North China, and it can support the ancient Méng battlefield at any time.

"It is hard to say that at present, there are only four reorganized troops in the Chinese army in the ancient times, and the rest are all unreorganized troops. The situation of the Soviet army is not very clear, but I probably are not the elite troops of the Soviet army. However," Wei Demai hesitated and nodded, "I am still optimistic about the Soviet army. The logistics of the Chinese team is too poor, and their shells are less than two bases."

Hopkins didn't ask again. He sipped some red wine, and seemed to be hesitant about a decision. After a while, he looked up at Weidemai: "If, I say, if our transport planes temporarily stopped transporting to Chinese people, will it have an important impact on the situation on the front line?"

Wei Demai shook his head in shock. As the chief of staff of the Chinese theater, he knew the importance of these hundreds of transport aircraft controlled by the US airline to China. He just said that the Soviet Union was far away from ancient times, but in fact, China's transportation lines were also far away, from the Indian Ocean to the ancient times. The Soviet Union also had a Siberian railway, but China's railway was intermittent, and many areas needed trucks, even human and animal power to transport. In the Battle of North China, China mobilized five or six million manpower to transport supplies, which was a clear proof.

"Mr. Hopkins, you must not do this, as this will cause Chiang Kai-shek's strong reaction," Weidemai warned.

Gauss also disagrees: "Mr. Hopkins, we are mediating the Sino-Soviet conflict, not taking over the Sino-Soviet conflict. The Soviet Union is important to us, China is equally important to us. In the long run, China is more important to us. After the war, we need China to help us maintain peace in Asia, and the Soviet Union cannot do this."

Hopkins did not expect his proposal to be opposed by both of them. The smugness he won at Huangshan Villa in the afternoon was slightly restrained, but he didn't take it to heart. Instead, he smiled and said nothing. Gauss stood up, pushed the window open, and let the fresh air in the night sky blow in. "Mr. Hopkins, I am actually optimistic about the development of the domestic situation in China," Gauss returned and picked up the bottle and poured it on Hopkins and Weidemai, and then said: "The elections in the sixteen counties around Chongqing have been going very smoothly recently. I have observed the entire process under the order of the State Council. I should admit that this election is fair. Although there are flaws, it is a progress worth looking forward to. You must know that this ancient country has never had such an election in two thousand years."

"So is Chiang Kai-shek really ready to promote the crevict?" What Hopkins hated Chiang Kai-shek the most in the past was his dictatorship. He was a staunch liberal. Although he was pro-Soviet, he also disliked Stalin's dictatorship. However, he agreed with Roosevelt's established strategy of uniting the Soviet Union to defeat Germany.

Gaus thought for a while and said, "The door has been opened for a crack and cannot be closed. Judging from the news I have received, there are many people in the Kuomintang who support the promotion of democratic tyrants in China. The most important one is General Zhuang Jihua, the current commander of the North China War Theater. This election is actually promoted by him."

"Oh," Hopkins's eyes flashed. He had been famous for this person for a long time, but had never seen him: "The president has a good impression of him and thinks he is an outstanding figure in China. This time he goes to North China."

"Oh, Mr. Hopkins, be careful when dealing with him. General Stilwell has hit a lot of nails in his hands." Wei Demai smiled. Zhuang Jihua has always been a controversial figure in the US military advisory group, with many supporters and opponents. Even in North China, the advisory group has equally big differences.

Supporters believe that Zhuang Jihua is the best general in the Chinese team, resourceful, brave and good at fighting, and an outstanding leader; opponents believe that this person is stubborn and rigid, with a rough attitude, and cannot tolerate dissent. The victory in North China is more about absolute superior force and firepower.

"According to our intelligence, Zhuang is a person with a deep national sentiment," Wei Demai added: "Anything that touches China's interests will be subject to his tough counterattack."

Hopkins smiled and didn't care. He was very confident that China now had too many things to ask for from the United States, and China had to refuse to give in. Even if Zhuang Jihua was smart or tough, he had to bow his head in the face of the situation.

"In addition, according to our intelligence, in China's political territory, his status is very subtle and is related to all political forces. It seems that all political forces are fighting for him," said Gauss, who paused and looked at Hopkins: "It seems that ** is also fighting for him."

"Oh," Hopkins's eyes flashed, shocked, and surprised: "Is that so? Is Chiang Kai-shek just watching like this? Is it impossible?"

Gao Si smiled slightly: "Although Zhuang is his student, there are political differences between them, which is not news within the government. Zhuang also publicly stated that he supports the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. ** is probably seeing this, so their liaison director in the North China War Zone has always been his classmate, and the Eighth Route Army troops led by another student ** are also fighting under his command."

Wei Demai didn't interrupt, he just smiled faintly. What Gauss said was almost an open secret in Chongqing, but Hopkins was more interested. He was as curious as a woman who liked to inquire about Yinsi. "So is it possible for the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to cooperate after the war?"

This problem made Gauss and Weidemai embarrassed. Although Hopkins was not their direct boss, he was a celebrity of Roosevelt. Roosevelt trusted him very much. In the Battle of Moscow, the State Council and the Embassy in the Soviet Union both judged that the Soviet army could not defend Moscow. Only Hopkins firmly believed that the Soviet army could defend Moscow, and in the end, the facts proved that he was correct.

It was precisely this experience that when Roosevelt sent Hopkins to the next battle and when something was difficult, and Hopkins could always complete the task successfully.

"This is hard to judge. The Kuomintang demanded that ** give up the ** government and the army, but Yan'an asked the government to carry out political reforms first. The two sides have great differences. If this difference cannot be bridged, it will be difficult for China to ensure peace after the war." Gauss explained.

"Aren't the National Government carrying out political reforms? Are the sixteen counties around Chongqing carrying out elections? What else is there to be dissatisfied with Yan'an?"

"The key is that this election will be excluded because the government requires Yan'an to give up the secret party membership system, which Yan'an refused." Gaoss explained.

"I see."

Hopkins gently sipped in red wine. The Kuomintang and the Communist Party are China's chronic diseases. If the two parties' problems cannot be solved, Roosevelt's expectations for China may all be disappointed.

"But no matter what, after this war, China is probably not the original China." Gauss murmured to himself.
Chapter completed!