The sun never sets.

The organizing committee was unable to resolve these disputes because there were also conflicts between the British and Irish athletes. The Irish athletes, who had not yet gained full independence, were forced to compete on behalf of Britain, and they were also unhappy.

Although there were some disputes during the opening ceremony, certain practices, such as the delegations wearing uniform clothing and marching into the venue under the guidance of their respective national flags, set a precedent for subsequent Olympic Games.

The main venue of the London Olympics is the White City Stadium. The stadium was built within 10 months without spending a penny from the government. It was mainly funded by the funds of the joint exhibition held by Britain and France. The London Organizing Committee used the above sponsorship funds to build a large stadium located in the western suburbs of London and close to the Franco-British World Exhibition. The stands can accommodate more than 7 spectators.

The track and field stadium used a cinder track for the first time, with a circumference of 536.45 meters. In addition to the jumping and throwing venues for field events, there are also gymnastics, wrestling and football competition fields. In addition, a 100-meter-long and 15-meter-wide swimming pool and a diving platform were built in the middle of the venue. Later, a bicycle track with a circumference of 666 meters was added to the outside of the track. Baicheng Stadium is a comprehensive stadium that combines four functions in a 7-person stadium.

Considering the conditions of the time, this stadium was already a remarkable sports building. It was built in just 10 months and was the first stadium to provide spectators with steel-structured stands, which was quite magnificent.

Lin Yongchang sat in the VIP seats in the stands and watched the chaotic opening ceremony. After seeing the performances of countries like Finland, the United States and Ireland, he couldn't help but smile. The Olympics is a microcosm of the international community. The conflicts between Russia and Finland, the United Kingdom and the United States, and the United Kingdom and Ireland are all vividly displayed here.

In comparison, the countries from East Asia were very disciplined. Most of the athletes were originally soldiers, and even those who were not soldiers had received several months of military training. When the East Asian League team appeared, except that they did not wear military uniforms, their performance was similar to that of the military in the parade.

Lin Yongchang was not interested in the Olympics at first, but after watching the opening ceremony, he changed his mind and decided to watch it because it was so exciting. However, he couldn't watch the whole thing because the entire schedule lasted for half a year and he didn't have that much free time to spend in London.

In this Olympic Games, the Chinese team participated in archery, track and field, boxing, cycling, wrestling, tug-of-war and swimming, but did not participate in other events such as gymnastics, diving and figure skating.

The Chinese players were all very strong, and their performances on the field shocked many people. For example, in the two events of boxing and wrestling, they knocked their opponents over in just a few moves. However, the Chinese players did not win the gold medal because the referee said they had violated the rules. Lin Yongchang in the stands was speechless, as were the others around him.

However, such things as whistling the wrong whistle have always existed, and it was not invented by the British, so forget it. Anyway, Lin Dashuai doesn't care much about it, so it's better to have more physical and mental exchanges with the British girls.

German girls are very cute, and so are British girls. After meeting with King Edward VII and the British Prime Minister, Lin Yongchang visited British industry, mainly shipbuilding, while communicating with various girls.

The Times described President Lin from the East as "Zeus came to earth."

Chapter 534 Consideration

When Lin Yongchang arrived in the UK, he was also warmly welcomed. Although Britain and China have conflicts in the South China Sea and Southeast Asia, they are minor matters and cannot be compared with the conflict between Britain and Germany.

Britain is at the end of its golden age, and its national strength has reached its peak. In this golden age of prosperity, the British are bathing in the afterglow of the British Empire and enjoying a happy and joyful life... Well, the poor proletarians in East London are definitely not counted as British, and the poor people in Ireland are not counted as British either.

But the power of the British Empire was so great, and the glory of the British Empire was so brilliant, that even the poor proletarians in the East End of London would hold their chests high when they thought of this.

The charity of the Expo and the completion of the spectacular Olympic complex aroused a strong sense of national pride among the British people. As the masters of the birthplace of modern sports and the hosts of the Olympic Games, they viewed the Olympic world with a critical eye.

Although the British boxer was beaten half to death by the Chinese boxer in the boxing match and almost died, he still won by points. The British in the stands ignored the continuous rain and shouted wildly with flags, appearing extremely excited.

The British people were caught in a frenzy, and the British intelligence agencies were unable to remain calm. Listening to the sounds of the Chinese President making love with different women all day long, no one could remain calm.

In a building not far from the embassy, Agent James put down the monitoring equipment and complained: "Can't we do something serious?"

"Monitoring is serious business."

"But we didn't hear any useful information except the sound of sex."

"Isn't that what our business is like? Just keep going and maybe you'll get something useful someday, or maybe you won't get anything at all.

"

James put the monitoring device to his ear and said, "Damn it, it's been an hour and they're still doing it! Poor Lady Elizabeth has already started begging for mercy... I can't take it anymore. Can you help me watch it for a while? I'm going to go to Victory Street to cool down!"

The British intelligence department bought a lot of electronic equipment from China, which was very effective for monitoring. The gentle voice of Lady Elizabeth was like echoing in their ears. Listening to the moans of different women every day, the agents were tortured and had to go to the red-light district next door to relax from time to time. Only by entering the sage state can one become immune to the sobbing moans.

Half an hour later, James came back refreshed and brought four cups of coffee. "Here, divide it among yourselves. Is Lady Elizabeth done yet?"

Colleagues each took a cup of coffee and said, "It's been over an hour, can we not end it? If we continue, I'm afraid someone will die."

"I can finally feel at ease......."

"Quiet!" The team leader suddenly shouted, "The target is calling the embassy. Turn on the recording device!"

"Yes!"

The room suddenly became quiet, with only the sound of electricity buzzing. James listened for a long time with a frown on his face, and even when the target's call ended, his frown did not relax.

“We need a Chinese expert!”

James said after the recording session, "We don't understand what they are saying!"

"Yes, there will be. The director has already submitted an application to the ministry."

The team leader relaxed his tense body, took a sip of coffee, and said, "Now, we can only rely on ourselves. Our China experts are all in China, and Cambridge University does not teach Chinese, so......"

He put down his coffee, spread his hands and looked helpless.

James finished his coffee and replaced a colleague to monitor the situation. After a while, he suddenly said, "The target is going to the White City Stadium!"

"Let the people from Group D catch up!"

"So what's left for us now?"

"It's alright, go and have a rest. Leave someone on duty, as we have to stay up late tonight!" The team leader stood up and stretched his body. "Remember to call me when it's time for dinner!"

Britain is now facing the challenge of Germany. It is powerless to do anything about the Americas and Asia, but the British are still very arrogant. The business delegation brought by Lin Yongchang did not achieve much useful things. The British government firmly disagrees with lowering tariffs, even if China is willing to open up more markets.

China's cars are good, but the UK can make them. Even if the UK's cars are a little ugly, have poorer functions, and cost a little more, what does it matter? As long as high tariffs are imposed on Chinese cars, they will naturally be blocked from entering the UK. With such a vast colony and such a large population, is the UK still worried that it can't sell its cars after it is made?

Similarly, the British government has the same attitude towards other Chinese products. It would rather use expensive and low-quality goods than keep jobs at home.

During the negotiations, Britain vetoed most of the proposals put forward by China, and in turn demanded that China must restrain Japan's actions in the South China Sea and guarantee that it would no longer smuggle goods into Southeast Asia.

The British government wanted the colonies to use only industrial products from London, but the colonial government and Downing Street were not on the same page. The officials who went to the colonies were all there to make money. Between making money from smuggling and being loyal to the king, the officials wisely chose the former. They were patriotic, but... making money was more important!

Because Britain took back its power to Europe, smuggling was rampant in Southeast Asia and the South China Sea. Local officials and businessmen made a lot of money, but the British government's income decreased. At this critical juncture of the naval arms race, the British Empire needed more and more money.

China's negotiators naturally did not admit that there was any smuggling activity. Facing pressure from the British, the Chinese representatives spoke eloquently, claiming that the Chinese businessmen were engaged in legal business activities.

As the Olympics progressed, the negotiations between China and Britain dragged on and on, and after a long time, no useful results were achieved. The British brought up the previous topic and expressed their willingness to help China build warships and sell more machinery and equipment to China. The British were not sincere enough. They said they were willing to sell everything, but they kept the core technology tightly in their hands. What they brought out were all outdated things, and the prices were very expensive.

As for the latest Chinese electronic products, such as radios, refrigerators and air conditioners, the British were only willing to buy a small amount, probably preparing to crack them and make them themselves. The excuse given by the British side was that China and the UK used different voltages. The Chinese representative expressed his willingness to produce special products for the UK, but the British avoided the question and said they would consider it. In fact, everyone knows that considering means refusing.

Chapter 535: Heir

Since the fallout with the United States, most Chinese students have moved to Europe to continue their studies, mainly to Germany and the United Kingdom, followed by France and Russia. Most of the students in the UK study naval and shipbuilding, followed by law and finance. During his stay in the UK, Lin Yongchang took time to meet with the student representatives, had lunch together, and took a group photo.

This trip to the UK has achieved some results, but the most important

The conditions for reducing tariffs on each other and including China in the most-favored-nation list were not agreed upon. Britain now needs external support, but it is still arrogant, so Lin Yongchang did not force it. When the world war breaks out, the attitude of the British will change.

According to the military attaché in Germany, Germany has fully accepted the [Infantry Infiltration Attack] tactic. With some help from China, even if the German Army cannot conquer all of France, it will definitely perform better than in another time and space. If the German Army in this time and space can win a great victory like Dunkirk, let's see if Britain can still act cool and arrogant.

However, this may not be too high. The French army in World War I was not the French army in World War II. They had a strong fighting spirit. Even if they were outflanked, they would only suffer more casualties. The density of troops on the Western Front was too high, the artillery fire was too fierce, and the [Infantry Infiltration Attack] was not effective. After the Germans came up with the [Storm Commando], the exchange ratio with the British and French forces was only 1:1.2. They had some advantages, but in essence, they were still consuming each other.

The Eastern Front is truly suitable for the [Infantry Infiltration Attack] tactics. The Eastern Front has a vast depth, which is suitable for pulling and tactical play.

After spending nearly a month in the UK, Lin Yongchang was fed up with the rainy days and excessive PM2.5 in London, so he went to France. The irises in Paris are more passionate than the roses in England, and can be used in more poses and occasions. The French are not arrogant Brits, and it is much easier to do business with them.

This group of loan sharks will sell anything as long as they pay enough. Although ASEAN and France had fought a war before, the relationship has not deteriorated. But the French don’t have many good things. China has almost everything the French have. However, France still has some industrial strength. In addition to its stronger shipbuilding capacity than China, the machinery and equipment it produces can also be used by China. China can now produce more than 50 tons of steel per month, but it is still not enough. So many mines and factories require a large amount of machinery and equipment. French-made locomotives can also be used. Anyway, the railways are now running on steam engines, which are basically the same.

Lin Yongchang stayed in Paris for more than half a month, and the accompanying personnel from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs negotiated several deals with the French. The Chinese government customized a number of integrated factories for the sugar and textile industries, and also bought 20 locomotives and 200 carriages. In order to facilitate these deals and get the French government to agree that Chinese products such as radios and refrigerators can be produced in France, China transferred some technologies to France at a low price, including electroslag remelting and barrel self-tightening, and also sold several blueprints of battleships and light warships. In addition, various military products including armored steel were also sold, as long as the French paid.

Although France is an ally of Britain, the British government is still very wary of France. They are willing to strengthen the French army, but are unwilling to share shipbuilding technology with France. If the British are unwilling to give it, China will not have this concern. Anyway, France's navy has never been strong, and its economic situation is not good enough. Even if they are given some high-tech, France will not be able to make waves.

Developing a navy requires not only technology, but more importantly, money. The navy is a very expensive military branch, and you can’t afford it without money. France is rich, but it is still far behind Britain and Germany, not to mention the United States.

The French government’s strategic planning is correct. They must be tied together with Britain, otherwise there is no way they can confront Germany.

After spending more than half a month in Paris, Lin Yongchang tried all kinds of food and girls, sometimes even the two together. But Lin Yongchang still put work first, no matter how affectionate the girls and ladies in Paris were, it was impossible for him to stay.

He waved his sleeves, and not a single cloud was taken away with him.

After leaving Paris, Lin Yongchang visited various European countries by train, and then entered Russia by car. The rails used in Russia are 1675mm in gauge, which is wider than the 1435mm in Germany and France, and has a stronger carrying capacity. The disadvantage is that the train needs to be changed when entering and exiting too close. There are also advantages. Wider gauges can bring stronger carrying capacity. In addition, due to the different gauges, different gauges can bring some strategic advantages to the defender and the weaker party when foreign invasions occur.

China also uses 1435mm rails. It is cheaper to use narrow rails, but the more important reason is inertia. The previous dynasty used 1435mm rails, and the people's government followed suit after taking over. Wide gauge may be better than narrow gauge, but it has been like this, so it can only continue. As China's railway mileage becomes longer and longer, the resistance to change is getting greater and greater, and it is probably impossible to change it in the future.

Europe is the center of the world, but that refers to Western Europe, mainly Germany, France and the United Kingdom. After leaving Western Europe, the situation on both sides of the railway changed rapidly. The situation in Russia is much worse than that in Germany and France. In Germany and France, even in the countryside, you can see many two-story or three-story buildings, while most of the houses in Russian rural areas are low and small. Russian cities are far less prosperous than those in Germany and France, and the complexion of the people is also much worse.

The train was heading east on the Russian railway. The warmth gradually faded and the cold came in. Looking out the window at the wilderness, Lin Yongchang knew that winter was coming.

A few years ago, Nicholas II invited President Lin to visit St. Petersburg.

He refused. The situation is different now, and Marshal Lin no longer needs to worry about his personal safety.

Winter comes earlier in Russia than in Western Europe. Lin Yongchang first meets up with Grand Duchess Olga, and then they head to St. Petersburg together. When they get off the car, the air is already filled with a solemn atmosphere.

After giving birth to Alexander, Olga gave birth to another daughter. Now the younger daughter is two years old and is taken care of by Olga. The same is true for Alexander.

Alexander is five years old this year. He is the most active boy. He was not quiet on the train and often ran around. When he arrived in St. Petersburg, Alexander also liked to run around. That afternoon, he climbed up to the top of the bell tower, which gave the people who followed him a headache.

Olga grabbed Alexander down from the upstairs and gave him a good scolding. Alexander was very naughty, but Nicholas II liked him very much. His son Alexei was very weak because he inherited "hemophilia" and he dared not run around. If he bumped into something and got a wound and bled, it might endanger his life.

Because of the Sino-Russian War, the Russians hated Lin Yongchang, but many people also believed that Alexander should be made the crown prince. Grand Duke Nicholas would have been a better candidate, but Nicholas was Nicholas II's uncle, and logically speaking, Nicholas II would have lived longer, so Grand Duke Nicholas refused to become the heir to the throne.

In this case, Alexander was the best candidate for succession.

Chapter 536 Disagree

Lin Yongchang showed great respect to Nicholas II. The Chinese have a tradition of respecting the elderly and loving the young. Moreover, Olga gave birth to two children for him. Nicholas II looked at him with a complicated expression, thinking of many things. If it weren't for the man in front of him, Russia wouldn't have experienced so much turmoil; if it weren't for Lin Yongchang, he wouldn't have been forced to the point of being unable to step down by those people in the State Duma.

Nicholas II thought a lot, but in the end he still smiled, "You...are not what I imagined."

Although he had seen Lin Yongchang's photo in the newspaper, in Nicholas II's mind, Lin Yongchang should be very majestic, and should be as arrogant as Frederick or Napoleon. But Lin Yongchang looked very kind, and just by looking at him, he felt like getting close to him.

"Your Majesty is no different from what I imagined."

The leaders of China and Russia were talking cordially, while Alexandra was holding Olga's hand and talking. A little further away, Alexander's eyes widened and he said to Alexei: "You are my uncle? But......"

Most of the Romanov family members were on the lawn. They came here with a scrutinizing attitude, but now they were staring at the smiling President Lin with fiery eyes. Nicholas II paid great attention to his appearance, and his clothes and beard were always neatly groomed, which made him look very charming. But as long as Chairman Lin stood beside him, people's eyes would naturally focus on Lin Yongchang.

The atmosphere was a little awkward at first, but soon became lively. They were relatives, and blood ties were a natural bond in this era and in any era, and they could not be severed. Especially in today's Romanov family, it was well known that Alexei suffered from hemophilia.

Nicholas II let down his guard and looked sideways at Alexander Lin Romanov Nicholas, who was running around with great energy. An idea suddenly occurred to him: Perhaps, it would not be a bad idea to let Alexander be the heir...

However, this idea was quickly extinguished.

Nicholas II said to Lin Yongchang: "Would you like to walk with me in the garden?"

"of course."

The two walked side by side into the Tsar's Imperial Garden, with the guards following behind them. It was late autumn, and the climate in St. Petersburg was already a little chilly. Nicholas II felt a little cold. He thought about it for a while and asked, "Can China join the Allied Powers?"

Lin Yongchang raised his eyebrows, "What's the benefit?"

The Russians have always been simple and rough in their actions, but Nicholas II would not have thought of pulling China into the Allied Powers. It was probably the British who were testing the waters. As long as there were enough benefits, there was nothing wrong with joining the Allied Powers. In terms of land, population and resources, the Allied Powers had an advantage. Even if the Germans could defeat France and replicate Napoleon's success, they would still be blocked on the continent.

Knowing that Britain was invincible, it was not impossible for it to join the Allies. No matter how strong the German army was, it was impossible for it to cross half the world to attack China. As long as Britain offered enough benefits, everything could be discussed.

But no, the British only promised to give benefits, but they would not deliver until China joined the Allied Powers. This was very insincere. The British always liked to go back on their word. As far as Lin Yongchang knew, the British had cheated the Indians twice and cheated the principal again and again in Burma. When dealing with the British, you have to be more careful.

Now the British did not come forward themselves, but sent the message through Tsar Nicholas II, most likely they had already made up their mind to break their promise and make a profit. Lin Yongchang was not interested in the pie the British painted, and immediately said after Nicholas II finished speaking: "If Britain, Russia and France are willing to give China most-favored-nation treatment, we can join the treaty!"

This is impossible

, the British did not even give France the most-favored-nation treatment, how could they open their market to China? Even temporarily. Britain knows its own business. The industrial strength of the British Isles has fallen to the third in the world. Although it still maintains an absolute advantage in the shipbuilding industry, other aspects are not so good. If the market is opened, Britain's colonies will soon be filled with industrial products from other countries, and Britain's industrial strength will further shrink.

No matter what, it is impossible for Britain to open its market to other countries. Neither France, Russia, nor China can do this.

Nicholas II knew this very well. He shook his head and said, "The British government will not agree."

Lin Yongchang smiled and said, "The British government will not agree, so what about Russia?"

"Huh?" Nicholas II looked puzzled.

Lin Yongchang smiled and said, "If Russia is willing to grant China most-favored-nation treatment, the People's Government is willing to sign a mutual defense agreement with Russia." He stopped and waited for Nicholas II, who was a few steps behind due to surprise, "Just like the treaty signed between China and Japan."

"Mutual Defense Pact?"

Lin Yongchang explained: "If Russia takes the initiative to declare war on other countries, China can not participate in the war. But if other countries declare war on Russia, China will fight alongside Russia. The same is true in reverse. If China takes the initiative to........."

After listening to Lin Yongchang's explanation, Nicholas II was obviously moved. He knew the combat effectiveness of the People's Army very well, and China had 450 million people... Now it has 470 million people. Such a huge population base is enough to mobilize tens of millions of troops. If China and Russia form an alliance, they will be invincible.

He looked at Lin Yongchang, a man who made people respect and like him as soon as they met, and thought to himself: After all, we are relatives and have blood ties.

But... the joy only lasted for a short time, and Nicholas II calmed down again. Russia's industrial strength was not strong, and its livelihood economy was at the bottom among the great powers. This was the case before, and it was still the case after China joined the great powers. Opening the market to China would not be a big loss for Russia, but Britain and France would not agree, as Britain and France had special interests in Russia.

On one side were China, and on the other were Britain and France. Nicholas II did not need to convene a State Duma meeting to know that he had no choice. Even though Lin Yongchang was the father of his grandson, Alexander, Nicholas II could only stand on the side of Britain and France.

"I'm sorry, but I can't agree to such a condition."

Nicholas II had a melancholy look on his face, which made Lin Yongchang shake his head in his heart. The Tsar had to be tough, even cruel, otherwise he would not be able to control the huge country of Tsarist Russia. Nicholas II obviously did not have the characteristics of toughness and cruelty, nor was he as cunning as William II.

He was a good man, a good husband and a good father, but not a good Tsar.

Chapter 537: Self-reflection in the Looking Glass

Nicholas II prepared a sumptuous dinner for Lin Yongchang, Olga and his party. The economic situation of Tsarist Russia was not very good, but the Romanov family was quite wealthy, which was more than enough to maintain the Tsar's family's extravagant life.

The banquet not only had a variety of traditional Russian food, but also a lot of Chinese food. The Tsar's family had several Chinese chefs, so they had all the cuisines they wanted. In addition to roast suckling pig, sweet and sour spareribs, and lion's head, Lin Yongchang also saw braised bear paws. Black bears and tigers in China are not protected animals these days, but he has never eaten those things. When you are in China, you need to maintain a simple and frugal style, and you have to maintain it abroad, but now you are eating the Tsar's food, so you can eat as much as you want.

It is called braised bear paw, but it is actually stewed until it is soft and sticky. It tastes good, but it is not particularly good. It can only be said to be average. It is probably because this dish is not common and things are precious because they are rare, so it has become a famous dish. As far as Lin Yongchang personally feels, it is just like that, similar to braised pork.