Generally speaking, when everyone attends a banquet, they must dress up like a dog. Just like Shepard, he combs his hair like an adult, puts on a handsome suit, puts some wax on his hair, and styles it. It's very honorable to blow off pussy or pick up girls, but this weird big brother, well, Shepard can't figure out whether this guy is here to fight or chat.
Because he is wearing an olive green M1964 combat uniform with a vertical zipper and rank insignia on the chest. This should be regarded as the second standard combat uniform used by the French Army after the war. He is wearing a red beret on his head. Even if you said that he went to fight in Algeria, there would be no sense of incompatibility, but the other person had a delicate two-stroke mustache on his face and a white square scarf wrapped around his collar. Shepard could only It is rated as having a kind of innocent beauty!
"Who is this?"
"This is Lieutenant François Parde, a fighting hero from Algeria!"
"Really, then I want to thank you on behalf of those Algerian civilians!"
Shepard immediately picked up a very light glass of brandy and drank it in one gulp.
Then he saw the other party's slightly distorted face, and Adorian who was trying to hold back his laughter.
"Well, Mr. Shepard, let me correct you, the lieutenant is a French battle hero!"
"Oh, that's right, I'm sorry! I apologize to you!"
Shepard's serious look made everyone around him laugh uncontrollably. After all, no one knew whether this guy was teasing or really didn't understand, but it looked like he really didn't understand!
Algeria is a French colony. After the war, it was frantically clamoring for independence. For this reason, France carried out ruthless suppression. Unfortunately, due to many factors, it was unable to suppress it in the end and could only allow it to become independent.
This is also the reason why Francois's face is distorted, because his fighting hero was obtained by suppressing the uprising. However, Shepard said that he wanted to thank him for the Algerian people. It's strange that he didn't feel ashamed!
"It doesn't matter, it's normal. After all, the history of Americans has always been bad!"
Then happy laughter erupted from the surroundings again. This can be regarded as an old joke that can continue forever. In the 21st century, Europeans are still laughing at Americans for their bad history.
"There is no way, the history of the United States is too short, there is nothing to remember at all!"
Shepard's self-deprecation once again made the people around laugh happily, attracting the attention of everyone at the banquet. The women around them didn't know what these men were laughing about, but soon they also started arguing with the men because of various gossips and fashion topics from Europe and the United States. People also made a fuss.
Although Shepard's self-deprecation gained a lot of favor, Francois was obviously not among them. Shepard's previous words made him very unhappy, and he was here to cause trouble!
"Mr. Shepard, didn't you know you had been on the battlefield?"
"That's really not true. After all, I have a good father and I can't help it. He has already fought all the battles I have to fight in my life!"
"That's no wonder! It seems like it's just a kid from a rich family who comes to play house!"
"Of course it can't be compared with Algeria's fighting heroes!"
Shepard looked at the man in front of him. He was about fifty years old. Well, Shepard had never seen a fifty-year-old veteran. Plumli had been a sergeant major for half his life, but he was fifty years old. It was the first time Shepard had seen someone using the rank of lieutenant as a basis for discussion.
"It's good to know. I think it's better for a young man like you to go back home and play with young people's things..."
"You mean the developer conference? Oh, I'm tired of playing. I almost died from a dozen long-legged waves. It's so wasteful for my body!"
The corners of Francois's eyes twitched again. This was what he was talking about, but he had never participated in a developer conference for most of his life. Now the old man was even more malicious towards Shepard.
"It seems you really think you can make a name for yourself here, just with your yellow thugs and a few white supervisors?"
"How will you know if you don't try? Do you have to just throw up your hands and surrender when you encounter a problem?"
"Then you will lose miserably! You will lose all your money and die without a burial place!"
"An old French man told me this last time. He taught me how to play chess. I guess you have heard of his name, Pierre Bilott!"
"Pierre Billot?"
Francois was stunned for a moment, and then his face became more and more ugly. He was not sure whether the two people were talking about the same person, but if they were the same person, then he seemed to be really not qualified to force Lai Lai here, because the former There is a very resounding nickname, called Stoney Butcher!
Moreover, after the war, Bilott also served as a small official in the French government. As for the official position, he was just Minister of Defense!
Does the guy in front of me know Bilott?
Francois struggled for a long time, and finally decided to forget about it. He left simply, and then got into a few white men next door who were also dressed in military uniforms.
"It seems that my colleagues welcome me very much, don't they?"
"After all, to them, an outsider like you is robbing them of the meat in their bowl!"
Adorian shook his wine glass and said slowly.
"What about you? You're not French. Why don't you like these guys?"
"It's not about whether you like it or not. Francois's people and Eike's people are monopolizing the industry in Katanga Province, which always makes people feel a little uncomfortable!"
"Eck, the head of those Belgians?"
"Yes, quite a few of the mercenaries in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were brought by Bob Denard. They were Belgians, French, um, and some Moroccans. Later, after Bob Denard and Mobutu had a falling out, he brought The mercenaries who came also split up, and Francois and Eike stayed in Katanga!”
"Oh, he didn't run away with Denard. This guy seems unreliable!"
"how about you?"
Adorian asked pointedly.
"Didn't I tell you before? We are regular contractors and we will act in accordance with the contract!"
"Can the contract be cheaper? After all, Europe and America have been old friends for hundreds of years! We have a very deep traditional friendship!"
"We cannot speak of traditional friendship, Mr. Adorian. The traditional friendship between Germany and France must be deeper than the one between us, right?"
Shepard frowned and changed himself a cup of freshly squeezed juice and soda lemonade. This stuff tastes better than wine!
"But haven't Germany and France reconciled? Now we are brothers in the same camp!"
"Isn't it more important to settle the accounts openly? Besides, traditional friendship has been used to death by the British a long time ago. This thing is worthless!"
"That's a shame, Mr. Shepard, but I think we will definitely become friends!"
