During this period of time traveling, Lu Shi also came into contact with many historical figures.
Doyle,
Natsume Soseki,
Bernard Shaw,
…
Lu Shi knew that they were not the cold words in textbooks or web pages.
These lively people have a sincere side and a deceitful side.
Just like Churchill in front of me.
Lu Shi said: "Mr. Churchill, when it comes to public opinion polls... no, let me ask another question."
Lu Shi lowered his head and thought.
Churchill sat up straight and waited quietly.
Half a minute passed, and Lu Shi finally spoke: "If you were to conduct a public opinion poll, what would be the topic you are most concerned about? Is it the Anglo-Boer War?"
The question is straightforward.
Churchill subconsciously looked in the direction of the door to make sure it was closed, then turned his head and stared at Lu Shi,
Lu Shi looked at him with dignity and fearlessness.
"You still have not answered my question."
Churchill smiled,
"The topic I'm most concerned about is, of course, tariffs and trade protection."
Tsk…
Lu Shi was secretly speechless.
As expected, opposition to war and military expansion were all just pretexts.
During World War II, Churchill clearly opposed appeasement, which shows that he had a relatively neutral attitude towards war in his heart. He was neither enthusiastic nor averse to war. He just believed that war must maximize interests.
Churchill's real concern was trade;
Or rather, money.
It's very capitalist.
Churchill took out the cigar he had with him and shook it at Lu Shi.
"Want one?"
Lu Shi shook his head,
"No."
Of course, Churchill would not force it. He used a special clip to clip the end of the cigar, neatly cut off the end of the cigar, and then lit it with a match.
It is easy to tell from his smooth movements that he is a senior cigar smoker.
"Huh~"
Churchill blew out a cloud of smoke,
“In China, do these thick cigarettes have a name?”
Lu Shi said: "Cigar."
These two words were answered in Chinese.
Churchill asked curiously: "The pronunciation sounds very similar to Cigar, so is it a transliteration?"
Lu Shi replied: "It's not just a transliteration. Cigar's burning ashes are as white as snow, and Cigar's tobacco rolls are like eggplant (in ancient times, it refers to lotus stems), so it is 'cigar'."
After speaking, Lu Shi explained the English corresponding to the two Chinese characters.
Churchill nodded,
"Great Chinese characters! Haha, after Mr. Lu's explanation just now, the form and meaning of Cigar's original name have been combined. This is a very high level. No wonder you are so good at English writing, it turns out you have a deep foundation."
This sentence is half sincere and half flattery.
Lu Shi didn't talk about it.
He knew that the purpose of the other party's mention of cigars could not be that simple.
Churchill knocked the ashes from his cigarette and said: "This is a good thing. A cabinet made of mahogany, five feet high, and then divided into six compartments through exquisite inlay technology, with four small wooden boxes placed in each compartment, a total of 2,400 top-quality products... …”
Churchill moved his left hand back and forth as if the cabinet was right in front of him.
Lu Shi asked: "Are you from Cuba?"
Churchill nodded,
“Indonesia, trade.”
Lu Shiqing snorted and said, "Trade... If only it were that simple."
Churchill asked: "What do you mean?"
Lu Shi smiled slightly,
"In Asia, the British Empire captured Burma; in West Africa, it conquered Nigeria, occupied Kenya, and entered Uganda; in South Africa, it occupied Rhodesia; in Fashoda, it forced France to give up its dominance of the Nile..."
Churchill's expression became serious, and he looked at Lu Shi more highly in his heart.
A Chinese person knows the British colonial history very well.
Sure enough, it is not a simple person who can write editorials for the Manchester Guardian and the Daily Telegraph.
Churchill said cautiously: "These are the Prime Minister's handiwork."
Robert Gascoigne-Cecile,
The current Prime Minister,
He was an imperialist and believed that the progress of backward races must go through the stage of European rule, especially the British. Moreover, he believed that this stage must be maintained by force, and he firmly believed that his mission was to expand and defend the British Empire.
With such a person as Prime Minister, it is no wonder that the two parties have to argue over the issue of military expansion every day.
Churchill said: "Not every Englishman is so barbaric."
First enjoy the benefits brought by barbarism, and then once you put on the suit, you can pretend to be civilized again...
What a liar! ?
Lu Shi didn't even bother to talk.
Churchill changed the subject: "Does Mr. Lu know about the Boston Tea Party?"
Lu Shi replied briefly: "The Tea Act."
From ancient times to the present, tea has always been a hugely profitable industry.
At that time, in order to gain a monopoly, Britain relied on the Tea Act to impose heavy taxes on American tea, causing tea merchants to make ends meet.
This was the Boston Tea Party.
Churchill nodded,
"When I was studying this period of history, I always had a question: Why did the workers in the Boston Tea Party pour out the tea instead of taking it home and drinking it themselves?"
Lu Shi replied: "Action represents a position. The demands of the workers in Boston are against colonial oppression. If they take it back and drink it themselves, they will become a group of petty thieves instead of heroes who resist tyranny."
Churchill couldn't help but laugh,
"Your answer is almost the same as the teacher's answer."
The implication is that he does not agree with this orthodox answer.
Lu Shi nodded,
"Yes, if there is no one to take the lead, how can the stragglers have such a high level of consciousness if they rely solely on workers' spontaneous actions? Eighty percent of it is the American tea merchants who are behind it."
"Forehead……"
Churchill choked on the spot.
He mentioned cigars and the Boston Tea Party successively. His original intention was to teach Lu Shi a lesson about "economics is the foundation of politics, and politics is the concentrated expression of economics."
The result was good, Lu Shi turned his back and taught himself a lesson.
Churchill held back his internal injuries.
Lu Shi couldn't help but laugh when he saw the other party's depressed expression.
"Mr. Churchill, you don't need to say things like 'colonization can't last long, trade is fundamental', and you don't need to wrap your demands in historical stories. Just say what you have to say."
Saying this means that the temptation is over.
Churchill became increasingly cautious;
"I must reiterate that this is not my appeal, but Sir Wodehouse's. But..."
Lu Shi was not in a hurry, waiting for the other party's "no" words.
Churchill sighed: "With Mr. Lu's intelligence, I'm afraid it will be difficult for Sir Wodehouse to get anything from you."
This is talking about the exchange of interests.
It's so straightforward that it can no longer be considered a hint.
Lu Shi felt like a mirror in his mind and waited quietly for the next chapter.
Churchill took a deep breath on his cigar and said: "Of course, this is also a manifestation of Sir Wodehouse's unwillingness to embarrass Mr. Lu. After all, no writer wants his pen to be controlled by others."
Lu Shi immediately understood what Churchill meant.
He smiled slightly,
"What a coincidence. Speaking of creation, I'm currently imagining a play."
Churchill's eyes flashed,
"That's it..."
Lu Shi extended an invitation: "If I can get the opportunity to perform, I will definitely invite Mr. Churchill and Sir Wodehouse to watch it live."
Churchill nodded, stood up,
"That being the case, I will take my word to Sir Wodehouse."
As he spoke, he held the door handle with his right hand.
But he was not in a hurry to go out. Instead, the old monk stood there as if in trance, seeming to be thinking about something.
After a while, he said in a deep voice: "Mr. Lu, I am looking forward to your drama."
