When the cavalry company escorted Bismarck and Xiao Letian back to the Sadova war headquarters, it was already the time when the sun was setting and the land was enveloped by the sunset.
In front of Xiao Letian, the entire Sadowa wilderness was filled with smoke and dust that could not be seen to the end. This was not gunpowder smoke but the smoke from more than 200,000 troops who jointly opened fire to cook dinner.
Sometimes the strength of a country can be seen from the logistics and maintenance of the army. If this was the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of troops would be exhausted after dinner, and it would take less than ten minutes to get tired.
Because the logistics and supplies of the Qing Dynasty army were completely based on the routines of the Middle Ages. A large amount of unpeeled wheat and rice, as well as air-dried meat and shelf-stable vegetables, were transported thousands of miles from the rear.
After the grain is close to the front line, it is peeled and processed into flour and rice in a special mill. This has the advantage of avoiding food problems during transportation, but it also causes a lot of trouble for the troops.
After the soldiers in each department were given rice and noodles, they had to cook them in the stove. What good craftsmanship could a group of big-head soldiers have? It was nothing more than dry flour pancakes that choked people to death, and they could barely eat half-cooked rice.
Let’s look at the Prussian logistical supplies, including tin cans of water, beef, bacon, and cans of various unknown sea fish. Soldiers received food in squad units, often stabbing them with bayonets. After two clicks, the aroma of meat has begun to fill the air.
The oval iron pot, which was shaped like a telescope box, had been set up on the campfire. The water inside had begun to bubble. Large pieces of beef and fish were poured in, and the aroma of the broth penetrated Xiao Letian's nose. .
Dinner was not only meat, but also a large amount of staple food. Hard bread, which was more than one meter long and heavy and could be used as a door latch, was distributed in strips. This was not the snack bread that Xiao Letian would often eat in later generations. This kind of hard bread was There is no sugar in it, but a lot of salt, and it is kneaded very firmly.
This is European steamed buns. If an adult eats four or five pieces at a time, it is equivalent to three or four steamed buns.
A dinner included meat, fish, carbohydrates, soup, and finally there was canned fruit for dessert. This wasn't the end of it. After the soldiers finished eating, the cleaned iron pot could still be used. After making coffee, the soldiers after the battle could sit on the ground and lean on their backpacks to look at the distant mountains, wildness and sunset. The fatigue of the day's battle was quickly left behind.
"Xiao! Xiao?" Just as Bismarck was about to enter the headquarters, he suddenly found Xiao Letian sitting on horseback looking at the battlefield in a daze. He called several times before getting a response from him.
"Huh? Well... Oh, I'm sorry, I was a little distracted just now... Prime Minister, I will wait outside the military tent. After all, I don't know the reason for the quarrel inside. If I rush in, I'm afraid it will cause embarrassment. !”
Bismarck thought it made sense. After all, Xiao Letian was a guest and it was indeed rude to get involved in such a dispute. Thinking of this, he nodded and turned around and walked into the military tent.
Xiao Letian dismounted and walked towards a cavalry squad on the side of the road who were preparing to serve a meal. Looking at their military uniforms, one could tell that they were cavalry guards belonging to the king. The broth on their campfire had already begun to boil.
"Gentlemen, is it okay if I come to have a meal?" Xiao Letian stepped on the ground plowed by artillery with his riding boots, and walked towards the class with a smile.
"Stand at attention!" the squad leader gave the order, and the ten cavalrymen put down their lunch boxes and stood at attention to salute. They are the Imperial Guard Cavalry, and their most important task is to protect the important figures of the empire. They all know who Xiao Letian is.
"Reporting to the commander...the Guards Cavalry Division, the 1st Brigade, the 4th Regiment, the 1st Battalion, the 2nd Company..."
"Stop, stop, stop... what are you doing? I'm not your direct commander, and my German skills are not good either. You talk too much and I can't understand you. Hahaha... sit down, sit down!" Xiao Letian waved his hand. Everyone sits down.
Xiao Letian didn't show off, and the soldiers obviously felt that the Dongfang Prime Minister was much closer to him. After a while, the soldiers abandoned their restraint and started chatting with Xiao Letian.
Xiao Letian was not good at German but his English skills were good. In addition, Jonas was there to help translate later, so there was no problem in communication between the two parties.
"Oh... it's so hot, so hot... this beef soup is so delicious... please pass me a piece of bread, thank you!" Xiao Letian had no airs at all. He picked up the lunch box and ate the big piece of hard bread and tore it open. Dip it in the thick broth and it tastes extremely sweet.
The soldiers liked big men who had no airs. When they saw that Xiao Letian was not big, they started eating with all their heart. During this period, they also asked a lot of questions about China.
"Sir, you don't use knives and forks when eating, do you just use two sticks? Then how do you eat...I heard that even the poorest people in China can wear silk. Is this true?"
"Prime Minister... is polygamy really true in China? Can a man really marry multiple wives? Aren't they afraid of God's punishment? Do Oriental women really have their feet bound?"
"Sir, I once read a report in The Times. It said that many ethnic groups in China live together. There are actually dozens of different ethnic groups in one country. Is there no conflict between them?"
"I'm sorry, sir, my question may be a bit embarrassing. I just want to ask why you lost to the British and French? Our class has all seen the bloody battle in Shiqiao Heights today. With the fighting power of you Chinese, how could the capital be captured?" "
The soldiers had many questions, and Xiao Letian was easy to answer in life, and a few jokes were over. However, the British and French allied forces captured the city of Beijing. This matter cannot be covered up by taking it lightly. It is related to the Chinese people's perception in the minds of the Prussians. image problem.
Xiao Letian and his officer corps have used their sacrifice and dedication to make countless Prussians change their old views. Now there are a large number of people in Prussia who do not believe the lies of Britain and France.
But the war six years ago was a problem that Xiao Letian could not avoid at all. The capital of a country was captured and even the palace was burned down. This represented the most complete failure in the entire history of mankind on earth.
Xiao Letian slowly swallowed the food in his mouth. He felt that there was no need to avoid the question. He nodded slightly to Leo behind him. Leo immediately understood that Xiao Letian wanted to answer this question to the whole of Europe.
Leo was a little excited. He knew that this was the last question his employer would face. As long as Xiao Letian excels in this answer, the image of the Chinese in Europe will be completely improved from now on, at least in Europe. Prussia is like this.
Xiao Letian looked at the endless wilderness and the puzzled faces, and suddenly laughed, "Hahaha... That's a good question!" Xiao Letian almost burst into tears as he laughed.
"Yes, the capital of a country was captured, and even the royal gardens were burned... This is not all. I can tell you now that it was because of this battle that the customs control of the Qing Dynasty was seized by the British. Do you think it's embarrassing for a country to have its tariffs controlled by foreigners?"
"This is not over yet. The Qing Dynasty compensated Britain and France with 8 million taels of silver, and the Russians took advantage of the situation and robbed a million square kilometers of Qing Dynasty land twice... Do you know how big this is? An entire area of four England was occupied. People took it away..."
With a bang, the surrounding soldiers were stunned. At this time, it was not just the soldiers from this class who were listening to Xiao Letian's speech. Soldiers from several surrounding classes gathered around. When they heard this, they all had incredible expressions on their faces. .
Leo's hand trembled and he pressed a piece of film with a click. He was so anxious. He thought to himself, "How can you be so practical? The education rate in Europe is not very high now, and most soldiers only know what's under their noses." Things, the story of the distant Qing Dynasty is a fantasy to them.
These soldiers only knew from newspapers and casual conversations that Britain and France fought a war with the Qing Dynasty six years ago, and Beijing was captured. The emperor's summer palace, which was said to be extremely beautiful, was burned down.
These are all the Prussians' impressions of that war. As for the rest, no one has really popularized it. But today, Xiao Letian actually cut off his wounds by himself and tore the scars into pieces with his own hands, displaying them in front of everyone with blood dripping from them.
Xiao Letian said with a serious face, "Are you surprised? Do you think the Chinese are weak? Yes, I feel the same as you. I am also surprised. I also think the Chinese are weak and worthless..."
"But you have to remember that China has a history of thousands of years. During such a long period of time, we have experienced more suffering than you can even imagine!"
Xiao Letian's voice became louder and louder, "There are countless alien races that live with the Chinese nation. The Xiongnu, Qiang, Turks, Mongols... alien races like meteors rose and declined one after another. When they competed with the Chinese nation, , do you know how much suffering we have suffered?"
"During the Wu Hu rebellion in China, not to mention the capital city was captured, the Han people were almost massacred at that time. In the end, they only retained a trace of vitality thanks to the protection of the Yangtze River's natural moat... There was also the Anshi Rebellion in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, when foreign generals rebelled. The capture of Chang'an directly destroyed the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty..."
"Of course there are the Mongols. You Europeans will never forget the name Genghis Khan. It was the Mongols who went south and directly destroyed the Song Dynasty. Yashan, Yashan! The emperor and his master committed suicide by throwing themselves into the sea. One hundred thousand scholars jumped off the cliff and committed suicide. If we follow, the civilization of the Han people will almost become extinct!"
Xiao Letian's sad and angry tone shocked all the Prussians present. These soldiers were a little out of their minds. They really didn't expect that this ancient nation in the East actually had such a history.
"The Chinese people have experienced countless glories and declines in history. If you look at the history books, you will find that the difficulties we encounter today are nothing compared to those of our ancestors. How many times have our survival been cut off? Continued, even the species was almost wiped out, but we still survived tenaciously, and the firepower is passed down from generation to generation!"
"What do the British and French allied forces have to fear? This defeat may seem like a disaster to your European eyes, but in the eyes of us Chinese, this is just one layer on the ladder of suffering. A small setback cannot stop it. Live in the chariot of Chinese revival!”
"Just like your Prussian nation, although you have experienced countless hardships, once the chariot starts, it is destined to crush all the enemies in front of you! It is this momentum, this spirit in your chest that allows you to win this victory This is a battle for national destiny, I believe you would have taught France a harsh lesson if you had asked..."
"The shame of Jena will eventually be washed away on your generation, and similarly, the shame of us Chinese will also end on us!"
"Look at the miracles on the Stone Bridge Highlands! The nation that can create all this is invincible! I firmly believe in this! Even if this day is leaked, as long as I am still here, I can make up for it. go back!"
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