Expedition to Europe

It was still Tianjin Port, and it was another morning.

The Tianjin dock was particularly lively on this day. Many people gathered here early, including young women holding flowers and officials in formal attire.

The head of the official representatives was Hu Wei-de, the former Minister of the Republic of China to France. After Lu Zhengxiang went to France to serve as the ambassador to France, Hu Wei-de returned to the Republic of China and became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Beiyang Government.

Although the dock seemed to be decorated with flowers and lights, people's faces were not happy. Many people would subconsciously look up from time to time and glance at the banner above their heads with complicated eyes.

A huge banner was pulled on the dock, with black words on a red background, which was very conspicuous: Warmly celebrate the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China and Lan Fang at the ambassadorial level, and warmly welcome the Lan Fang delegation to the Republic of China to Hong Kong!

At this time, the Republic of China, after experiencing last year's "big exposure" and the "washing" of the "Daily News" afterwards, was no longer unfamiliar with the Foreign Legion. Many people knew that the Foreign Legion was Lan Fang.

To be honest, every time they looked up and saw the big words on the banner, people on the dock would feel both absurd and helpless.

Just three months ago, the first unit of the Foreign Legion arrived at Tianjin Port with the joy of returning to the motherland. At that time, they were greeted with insults and the "Tianjin Wharf Incident" that shocked the world.

Now, this unit is about to arrive at Tianjin Port again. Although it is still the same group of people, they no longer belong to the Republic of China, but to Lan Fang, thousands of miles away.

And the people of the Republic of China, who were once hostile to the Foreign Legion, have to come to welcome their former enemies who were driven away with a unanimous "get out" three months ago because of "friendly diplomatic relations".

This is really ironic.

Compared with the Chinese who were silent like death, a group of foreigners gathered in a corner of the dock. They were talking and laughing unscrupulously, and from time to time they cast sarcastic and mocking eyes at the Chinese.

Although the distance was not close and many people could not understand the language used by the foreigners, it did not prevent them from understanding what the foreigners meant: Look, it is this group of so-called "patriots". Three months ago, they drove away the most powerful troops in their country, and now they have to welcome them back in another way...

Is it funny?

But it was caused by myself!

Is it a pity?

Regret is not enough to describe it...

At ten o'clock in the morning, four brand-new destroyers escorted a cruise ship to the shore slowly.

On the sides of those destroyers, the numbers were clearly written in Chinese, namely 001, 010, 011, and 021.

And the cruise ship also had its name written in Chinese on its side: Sishui.

Seeing these Chinese characters, the people on the dock couldn't help but feel dazed: This... is this the Lan Fang fleet?

Once, this fleet also belonged to the Republic of China.

Once, this fleet would firmly protect the interests of the Republic of China.

Once, this fleet could completely free the Republic of China from the embarrassing situation of "having a sea but no defense".

But now, all fantasies have become false. The national flag flying above the fleet proves that those fleets do not belong to the Republic of China, but to Lan Fang.

Everyone present is familiar with the Lan Fang flag.

Just half a month ago, when the news of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China and Lan Fang at the ambassadorial level came out, the Daily News used a full five pages to introduce all aspects of Lan Fang, including Lan Fang's national flag.

Lan Fang's national flag is very simple, with blue, green and yellow evenly distributed on the national flag, forming the basic elements of the national flag.

Blue and green represent the traditional "blue sky and clear water", so blue is on the top, green is on the bottom, and the yellow in the middle represents people, which is the implementation of the traditional Chinese concept, and yellow represents dignity.

Lan Fang's national flag also symbolizes that in the country of Lan Fang, the three elements of "heaven, earth and man" can achieve a high degree of harmony and unity.

Well, this looks at least much simpler than the five-color flag of the Republic of China.

After the fleet docked, the military band on the side immediately played the national anthems of the Republic of China and Lan Fang to welcome the Lan Fang delegation ashore.

The melody of Lan Fang's national anthem was "themass", with only some adjustments made to the lyrics, changing all the words related to "mass" to "Lan Fang". In this way, the original hymn immediately transformed into a majestic national anthem.

At the same time, the name of the song "themass" was officially changed to "Lan Fang".

This was actually the first time many people on the dock heard "Ah, Lan Fang".

Like the reaction of many Europeans when they first heard "themass", the song "Lan Fang" immediately conquered everyone's ears with its majestic and powerful melody, especially after the military band played the national anthem of the Republic of China and the two sides made a comparison.

How to say it, although the Republic of China has been established for seven years, in fact, the Republic of China now has no national anthem, at least there is no national anthem in a unified concept.

When the Republic of China was first established, the "National Anthem of the Republic of China" with lyrics by Shen Enyun and music by Shen Pengnian was adopted. However, during the reign of Yuan Xiangcheng, the national anthem was changed to "China Reigns Proudly Between Heaven and Earth". After the fall of Yuan Xiangcheng's "Hongxian Dynasty", the Republic of China no longer had a real national anthem, so that now only the first version of the "National Anthem of the Republic of China" can be played again, which is really ridiculous.

This could have been treated as a joke and laughed it off.

But in this solemn occasion, such a funny scene made people feel the pain from the bottom of their hearts!

It really hurts!

It was like someone tugging at my heart...

Accompanying "Lan Fang" along the gangway to the Tianjin dock was Tang Xinzhi, the first Lan Fang ambassador to the Republic of China.

Tang Xinzhi, male, 24 years old, went to France from the Republic of China to study in 1910. During World War I, he joined the Foreign Legion as a translator. Later, he joined the Lan Fang nationality and became the first Lan Fang ambassador to China.

Lan Fang sent a young man to serve as ambassador to China, not because Lan Fang did not value relations with China, but on the contrary, it attached great importance to it.

Currently, Lan Fang has established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level with five countries, namely France, Britain, Germany, the United States, and the Republic of China.

Because Lan Fang did not have enough diplomatic personnel, and even Lan Fang's Foreign Minister Lu Zhengxiang had to serve as ambassador to France and Britain, so having someone specifically responsible for coordinating relations with China was already a manifestation of Lan Fang's great attention to the Republic of China.

As early as when they were in France, Hu Weide and Tang Xinzhi knew each other.

Even Tang Xinzhi's going to the Foreign Legion as an interpreter was arranged by Hu Wei De, so Hu Wei De was not unfamiliar with Tang Xinzhi.

The original text can be read in Liu # 9 @Shu/Bar!

"Brother Huarun, long time no see. Today, you look better than before..." Hu Wei De shook hands with Tang Xinzhi, trying to smile to convey goodwill, but for some reason, he couldn't smile no matter what.

Huarun is Tang Xinzhi's courtesy name. According to Chinese tradition, Hu Wei De still calls Tang Xinzhi by his courtesy name.

"Brother Xin, long time no see..." Tang Xinzhi also wanted to smile to convey friendship, but as soon as the words came out, he felt a lump in his throat and his eyes immediately turned red.

It is really difficult to describe the feelings between the two sides. They used to be brothers, but now they have become friendly countries by accident.

They should have been in harmony, but now they are like strangers.

They once had the opportunity to fight side by side and strive for a goal, but now they are forced to run for their own interests.

If there had been such a welcoming scene when the Foreign Legion returned to Tianjin three months ago; if the people had been rational about the exhausted army covered in dust three months ago; if all parties had been more vigilant and less restrained three months ago...

Unfortunately, there are not so many ifs.

"The Republic of China and Lan Fang have become brotherly countries. Brother Huarun has come from afar. Thank you for your hard work." Hu Weide was still being polite, but his voice was trembling a little more.

As a diplomat, Hu Weide understood the value of a strong military force, and even more so the role of the Foreign Legion in the Republic of China.

The more he understood, the more unwilling he felt in his heart, and the more heartbroken he felt.

Watching such an armed force become the cornerstone of another country, Hu Weide wanted to beat his chest and stamp his feet to express his grief and indignation.

"Brother Xinwu, if possible, let's complete the ceremony as soon as possible and go to the capital..." Tang Xinzhi was also in a bad mood.

Although the dock was decorated with flowers, people's eyes were strange and empty.

There were indeed young women and flowers coming to greet Tang Xinzhi and his group, but the "welcome" sounded fragmented, and the hands waving the flowers seemed weak. The confusion in many people's eyes was heartbreaking, and they were at a loss.

Tang Xinzhi wanted to end this embarrassing scene as soon as possible.

There were not only Chinese and Lan Fang people present, but also a large group of foreigners next to them. They were now watching everything that was happening here with a smile, and the meaning of mockery was self-evident.

"Wow..." A young woman who came to greet them suddenly threw away the flowers in her hand, squatted on the ground and covered her face and cried.

Maybe three months ago, she was in the crowd who came to protest, but now she came to welcome the group that she had driven away.

Maybe just three months ago, one of her classmates or besties died in the chaos, and her body is still warm.

I don't know how her hypocritical teachers persuaded her to come to the dock to welcome them, just like those people three months ago also called for a boycott.

"We are born from the same roots, why do we have to fight each other so badly, why do we have to fight each other so badly..." An old man in the crowd burst into tears. His turbid tears witnessed the hardships of the years, and at the same time, they were wrapped in layers of fog like the impermanence of the world.

"Alas, what can I do, what can I do..." The middle-aged man in a long gown couldn't help wiping his glasses. No one could have imagined that things would turn out this way.

The "welcome" voices in the crowd gradually weakened, replaced by sobs one after another. The sad mood was spreading uncontrollably, and the welcome ceremony was as heavy as a farewell ceremony.

Yes, this is a farewell ceremony.

It is a farewell to yesterday, a farewell to past friendships, a farewell to impulse, and a farewell to youth.

People always have to grow up!