Chapter 340 You're Not Followers: Followers Expect Benefits

Wang Xiao didn't mince words and directly made his request: "Tibet, stop interfering in Tibet's affairs."

To be honest, she knew before she transmigrated that the Russian political scene in the 1990s was extremely weak, turning itself from a world-class power into an international laughing stock.

But now that he's truly living in this era, Wang Xiao has come to realize that the reason Russia doesn't have ice-free ports is because the entire country is submerged in the ocean, surrounded by water from all sides.

Can you believe it? Russia, which separated from the Soviet Union, is clearly in a mess, with a mountain of troubles to deal with.

What were Russian diplomats at the United Nations doing? They were busy joining Western countries in condemning the so-called "Tibetan human rights" issue.

When Wang Xiao found out about this, he really had to pinch his philtrum.

Da Mao, why are you joining in the fun with this yarn ball?

Tibet has absolutely nothing to do with you, so why are you waving your flag and shouting your praises?

Now, Wang Xiao is still furious: "What exactly are you guys doing? Every accusation you make against China on the Tibet issue can be directly used against what others say about your actions against Chechnya!"

Yura looked bewildered: "Is that so?"

Look at this, this is the Russian government, a complete mess, literally a complete mess.

Without overall planning or coordination, things are done haphazardly and incoherently, like someone without a brain.

As a high-ranking government official, someone who sits in the Kremlin and has afternoon tea with the president, it's surprising that he doesn't understand his own country's foreign policy.

Yura panicked and instinctively emphasized, "I don't do diplomacy."

Wang Xiao ignored him completely: "I didn't dare to count on you either."

Her eyes were fixed on Punonin. "Vlamikil, sincerity, please show me your sincerity."

Punonin frowned slightly: "This is a bit troublesome, you know, this is not something that can be done..."

"Go and solve it," Wang Xiao interrupted him directly. "Go and solve this problem."

She looked at Punonin in the rearview mirror. "I know why your diplomats do such stupid things. It's the one-sided principle, unconditionally siding with Europe and America, hoping to maintain good relations with them. But that's not how you make friends."

She suddenly turned to Ivanov and said, "Let's have durian tonight."

Ivanov looked terrified and refused without hesitation: "No! I won't eat it."

He can't stand the smell of durian; it makes him want to vomit.

Fortunately, both Yura and Punonin came from privileged backgrounds and were typical children of the powerful and wealthy.

In 1995, when logistics were underdeveloped, an ordinary Russian might not have even known what a durian was.

Wang Xiao laughed and pointed at Ivanov: "See, that's a normal person's reaction."

She grabbed Ivanov's hand and shook it: "We're the best of friends in the world."

Yura pursed her lips. Women's jealousy is terrifying. They always need to assert their presence and find every opportunity to sow discord.

Wang Xiao wouldn't stray from the topic like him, and continued at her own pace: "But it's not like I'll die if I don't eat durian. Ivan hates the smell of durian, so he refuses to eat it. I can't possibly turn against him just because he doesn't eat durian. If I did that, it would only mean one thing: that I don't consider him a friend, or even a person."

Seeing the men in the driver's and passenger's seats remain silent, she smiled. "Don't worry, a person doesn't only have one friend. For example, Yura, you're good to Vlamikil, and you're good to Ivan too. Even if you're closer to Vlamikil, it won't affect your relationship with Ivan..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yura jumped up and hurriedly denied it: "Hey! Don't talk nonsense, Ivan and I are just as good friends."

Ivanov's reaction was to turn his head away and snort.

Yura panicked: "Ivan, please believe me, we are best friends."

Wang Xiao fanned the flames from the sidelines: "Oh—"

She took a single note and navigated the winding mountain road.

Punonin also turned his head to look at them.

This is definitely a Russian version of Burning Winter.

Yura broke down: "Hey! She's trying to sow discord, don't be fooled by her."

He had never seen anyone so eager to stir up trouble!

Wang Xiao laughed out loud and said casually, "Why are you in such a hurry? Aren't Ivan and Vladimir friends?"

Yura was stunned by the question.

In terms of international relations, China and the United States established diplomatic relations in the 1970s. The war against Vietnam was even seen as a pledge of allegiance to the United States.

Only after that did China's reform and opening up truly begin.

"So what if they're not friends?" Wang Xiao pointed at Punonin. "Would you stop Yura and Ivan from making other friends?"

Punonin glanced at her, his meaning unspoken.

If he had been able to stop her, she most likely wouldn't have been on that car.

Wang Xiao pretended not to read the deeper meaning in his eyes and said seriously, "No, even parents would never control their children's friendships, let alone friends. Friends are equal. If they are not equal, they are called followers."

Her gaze darted between Punonin and Yura with ill intent. "I'm not good at history, so I don't know who Russia used to be a lackey for."

“Hey!” Yura protested, his fists clenched. “Russia has never been anyone’s follower. Never, ever.”

"Is that so?" Wang Xiao revealed a playful expression. "Then why do you blindly follow the US lead at the United Nations?"

Yura instinctively retorted, "That's not the same thing."

Surprisingly, Wang Xiao didn't refute him. Instead, he nodded and said, "That's right, because followers get what they want. What benefits did Russia receive for siding with the West on the Tibet issue?"

Her gaze was intense as she stared intently at the government official in the rearview mirror. "Even if your diplomats use this as leverage to gain Western support for the Russian Federation government on the Chechen issue, that's fine. After all, whether it's a country or an individual, the first priority is to protect their own interests."

She shook her head, a look of utter dismay on her face. "But nothing! We didn't get any benefits, and we're just groveling to them like that. What's the point? Will it make Westerners think you're such great people?"

“No! No way, absolutely not.” Wang Xiao shook her head more forcefully. “If someone drives you, enslaves you, and deceives you, and you don’t resist, but instead fawn over them, they will think you deserve to be treated like that. And you yourself—”

She pointed at Punonin and Yura, "To condone all of this means that you also believe you are not worthy of kindness."

If Wang Xiao's mockery of Russia as a follower of the United States created an atmosphere in the car like an ICU, then now the car has turned into a funeral home.

If there were no car engine noise, it would be even more exaggerated, as silent as a cemetery.

Punoning couldn't listen any longer and abruptly interrupted her: "Alright, I understand. I'll figure out a way to deal with the Tibet issue."

Wang Xiao flashed his signature second smile: "OK, then I'll await your good news. Good news for me, and for Russia. After all, in this world, it's human nature to harm others for one's own benefit. To harm others without benefiting oneself is just being idle. To harm others and also harm oneself only makes one wonder if there's something wrong with one's brain."

As she spoke, she opened the car door.

Just a second ago, Yura was trying to tap her mouth shut.

In that instant, he exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, Wang, what are you doing? The engine's warmed up, we can drive right away. Hey! Ivan?"

Wang Xiao hadn't let go of Ivanov's hand, and now he pulled him off the car as well.

She said expressionlessly, "What are you doing? Going home, of course. Why did you call Ivan? To take him to the factory? Don't you even look at the weather? Have some decency!"

Yura nearly choked to death. Watching them get out of the car and leave, she couldn't help but yell, "I don't care if I give you a ride!"

God! What a devilishly beautiful woman! She completely bewitched Ivan.

Even if the shopping street is right next to Red Square, wouldn't it be better to just step on the gas and take a car there in this cold weather?

Must we trudge through the snow in the dark, one step at a time, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow?

Lyuba and Nikola quickly followed in their car.

Of course, the bodyguards couldn't let their boss go with someone alone; this was Moscow, the Moscow where the Mafia ran rampant.

However, they couldn't enter the Kremlin in a large group, so only the two of them came.

They only stood guard nearby when the boss needed to speak to them privately.

Now that the boss has gotten out of the car, they naturally have to follow immediately.

Following Wang Xiao and Ivanov was Berezovsky's gaze.

The president's favorite stood by the Kremlin window, looking at the cars outside.

Okay, they got off the bus. It looks like the two sides had a dispute.

That's right. How could a smart businessman tolerate a stupid official?

These idiots in the Kremlin are always so arrogant, still dreaming of the Soviet era where officials controlled everything.

They should wake up and open their eyes to Russia. On this land, businessmen should not be treated as insignificant by the government.

Berezovsky's gaze followed Wang Xiao and Ivanov.

The smart people, these smart people, are the ones who should be allies.

They should unite and tell this country how to move forward.

The defense minister walked up to him and asked, puzzled, "What are you looking at?"

Berezovsky replied nonchalantly, "It's nothing, sir. The winters in Moscow are truly unbearable."

The Minister of Defense warned him: "You have to get through this, no matter how tough it gets. Channel 1, remember, Channel 1 cannot be overshadowed by Channel 4 (Note: NTV uses the signal from the former Soviet Union's Channel 4)."

Berezovsky smiled. "Of course, sir, Channel One won't hold you back."

In this newly formed Russia, when have businessmen ever held back? Aren't the ones who always hold back government officials with their self-righteous attitudes the ones who do it all?

In Moscow, the days are short in winter, and at this moment, the sky is already pitch black.

Yura withdrew her gaze from seeing her friend off, settled into her seat, and angrily pounded the steering wheel: "Why did she suddenly bring up Tibet?"

He had assumed Wang Xiao would bring up matters related to the military industry.

Frankly speaking, transferring a technology is actually simpler for them to do.

When diplomacy is involved, it requires cross-system collaboration.

This is not something that can be accomplished simply by opening one's mouth.

In short, this represents Russia's diplomatic stance.

“Because China is also in a bad situation.” Punonin lit a cigarette for himself.

The flickering firelight illuminated his cold, hard face.

"The Galaxy incident two years ago and the Yellow Sea standoff last year have put China under tremendous pressure. If four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council unite to deal with it, it will be overwhelmed."

In fact, since last year, Russia has changed its attitude and abstained from voting at the United Nations.

Otherwise, the Chinese president wouldn't have visited Russia last year.

Clearly, Wang Xiao felt that her attitude wasn't strong enough and that she needed more steadfast support.

Punonin took a deep drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke. "She forgot to mention one thing: if Russia is involved, at least we Russians have the confidence to refuse the presence of American troops. If China were to split into small countries like Japan and South Korea, all of which would be American bases and American troops stationed there, that would be a catastrophe for China."

We cannot afford to fight. To fight would mean a complete standstill in China's economic reforms.

Ignoring it is impossible. Who can sleep soundly under the threat of guns and cannons?

China would revert to the 1960s and 70s, sacrificing economic development to ensure national security.

This is something they absolutely do not want to see.

Yura looked at her best friend's blurred face in the smoke and swallowed the words that were about to come out.

By then, Russia no longer existed, so they had no time to care about anything else.

He wasn't surprised at all that Punoning knew what Wang Xiao said in the reception room after leaving with the president.

That's the Kremlin. He can know anything that happens in the Kremlin, if he wants to.

Even though KGB doesn't exist anymore.

As for why Yura already knew that what they said behind the president's back would also be known to the president; he still launched a surprise attack, asking Wang Xiao why Americans did not expect the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, but are now happy to see Russia fall apart.

Isn't this setting a trap for Wang Xiao?

Yes! Yura did not deny this, nor was he ashamed of it.

Compared to Wang Xiao's inability to answer or her contradictory statements, which made people realize she was a fraud, it is clearly more serious to treat a fraud as a treasure and push her to the president's attention, influencing the president's decision.

He did indeed consider Wang Xiao a friend.

But when faced with the interests of ordinary friends versus the interests of his country, he knew clearly which choice to make.

Moreover, if she can't even solve this problem, she's no longer the queen she knows.

So, is Yura afraid that she might offend Wang Xiao and then be retaliated against later?

No, he wasn't afraid at all.

Because it was obvious to him that walls have ears.

Listen to what she says and think about it carefully. Every single word she says seems to come from the heart, but in reality, they are all very measured.

She fully affirmed the necessity of the president's choice of the engine, emphasized that the president was forced to take action and that there was a legitimate reason for the action.

This is a great comfort to a president who has always feared that taking military action would invite misunderstanding and criticism from the international community.

It's important to understand that ever since the White House bombardment in the fall of 1993, what the president fears most is being seen as a butcher by the international community.

Punoning smoked one cigarette after another.

In Moscow in January 1995, this was certainly a luxury.

Because now, cigarettes are the standard hard currency, a more popular hard currency than the ruble.

“Yura, I need your help.” He swallowed a puff of smoke and looked at his friend in the rearview mirror. “I got you a job through the president: you’ll be in charge of public opinion control, the public opinion control for the Chechen operation.”

He sighed, “I can only trust you, my friend. It’s terrible. The country is in turmoil, and instead of uniting against a common enemy, we’re fighting amongst ourselves.”

On November 29, 1994, the president issued an order explicitly demanding that all Chechen factions cease fire within 48 hours, or the Russian federal government would "take decisive measures".

Forty-eight hours later, not a single Chechen faction paid him any attention. Even more embarrassingly, the Russian federal government remained completely silent, as if his previous threats were nothing more than empty threats.

Undoubtedly, the president's move was met with widespread ridicule.

However, Punonin, who knew the inside story, had to speak up for the president. It wasn't that the president was unwilling to take measures, but rather that at that time, 11 Russian generals were busy writing a joint letter to the State Duma, demanding an explanation of the legality of Russia's military intervention in Chechnya.

This is the ridiculous Russian Federation government; war is about to break out, and the top leadership still hasn't reached a consensus.

“I dare not count on them.” Punonin frowned.

His intervention in Chechen affairs was something he had painstakingly secured.

But this also means that he has brought trouble upon himself.

What awaits him next is likely to be no help at all, but rather constant hindrance.

The Ministry of Defense cannot be trusted, and the cabinet will also try to sabotage things. Everyone has their own stance, and everyone is striving for their own interests.

so--

Punonin turned his head and looked at his friend seriously: "I only dare to trust you."

Yura's throat was dry and tight, and she stammered, "Vlamikil, I...I don't know what to do."

How could he know how to deal with those journalists and editors? God, their pens are more terrifying than the guns held by soldiers.

He was so impressed by the talent and sharp wit of these people when the Soviet Union was still intact; now he wants to beat them to a pulp.

“Go find the Queen,” Punonin instructed him. “She will tell you what to do.”

Yura doubted, "Would she even bother? She probably wouldn't even acknowledge me."

What a pragmatic woman she was! The way she looked at him was as if she were stripping him naked, then throwing him onto a scale like a naked pig to weigh him.

Clearly, he wasn't important enough, and she didn't want to waste her time on him.

Punoning smirked and flicked his cigarette ash: "No, she'll help you. Just now, she made the request and then taught me how to do it."

Yura was jolted awake, suddenly realizing what was happening.

That's right. The core idea behind all that rambling talk was that she was teaching them how to use the Tibet issue on the international diplomatic stage to garner greater support for the Russian Federation government on the Chechen issue.

If the United States does not support them, they can take the opportunity to side with China, emphasizing that their country's internal affairs do not need to be interfered with by other countries.

China could also take this opportunity to issue a public statement acknowledging Russia's crackdown on the mafia and expressing its willingness to share its experience in this area.

Yura had already begun to think divergently and formulate statements from both sides.

For example, Huaxia Association stated that cracking down on organized crime and optimizing the business environment are necessary actions by the government to ensure the safety of foreign businesses and foreign investment, and to promote economic reform and attract investment.

Punonin laughed when he heard this: "See, you've learned it now, haven't you? One is influenced by one's company."

Yura still instinctively argued, "What if the US agrees? They exchange Tibet for Chechnya. If we then ally with the US, wouldn't China be in an even more passive position?"

"Is it afraid?" Punonin asked him calmly. "Isn't this the current situation? At most, the situation just isn't getting any better."

Yura was confused: "Then what's the point of Wang going through all this trouble? What benefits can she and China gain?"

“Opening Pandora’s box.” Punonin looked at the burning cigarette butt. “This little thing will make us realize that we don’t need to follow the US around like puppets. We can make demands. If one demand is met, what about the next? There will always be demands they won’t meet, but we’ve become so used to putting our own interests first that we’ll make more choices.”

The tax police major general sighed, "It's an open conspiracy, this is their open conspiracy. We know exactly what's going on, but we'll still go through with it. Because it's in our interest."

The feeling of being led by a rope is really unsettling.

Yura started stroking his chin again, and said unhappily, "They're really keeping a low profile. Aren't they worried about Tibet descending into chaos?"

“Even if it’s chaotic, it’s just minor skirmishes.” Punonin took a drag of his cigarette, his mouth full of the bitterness of tobacco. “Unlike us, the weapons and equipment that Chechnya has are all things that Russia voluntarily left for Chechnya. China didn’t do such a foolish thing.”

Yura's awkwardness resurfaced: "Then why aren't they worried about mercenaries? If mercenaries from these countries can enter Chechnya, why can't they enter China?"

“Who are they afraid of?” Punonin felt that his friend really lacked military common sense. “Don’t forget, in the 1950s, when they didn’t even have an industrial system, they directly challenged the UN forces in Korea.”

It is often said that the war in Vietnam was China's pledge of allegiance to the United States; but in reality, the Korean War was perhaps China's pledge of allegiance to the Soviet Union at that time.

You need to prove yourself useful in order to gain favor and more opportunities.

Otherwise, why would anyone waste their time, energy, and money on you?

Yura was speechless and could only subconsciously argue, "But that was forty years ago. The Chinese army today is not what it was back then."

He swallowed the rest of his words, just as the Russian army of today was not the Soviet Red Army of yesteryear.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be so complicated.

Punonin gave a wry smile: "Their two-mountain war ended only a few years ago, while at the same time, we were unable to fight the war in Afghanistan."

This is the real tragedy; they had already lost even before the Soviet Union collapsed.

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[Let me see] Good morning!