Chapter 467: Expeditionary Force, Targeting Europe (Third update, please subscribe)

August in Buenos Aires is spring, and the temperature is a little cool with a temperature of around 10 degrees.

Compared with the past, Putrajaya has now regained its former prosperity, but what is different from the past is that in the past month or so, there have been fewer and fewer soldiers on the streets. Only a few soldiers, wearing neat woolen uniforms, walked on the streets, holding flowers or food in their hands. People looked solemn.

war!

The war far away in Europe has affected these soldiers. With South China declaring war on Prussia, the soldiers canceled their leave and trained day and night in the barracks to prepare for war.

The expedition may begin tomorrow.

Holding a small bouquet of flowers in his hand, Li Ping walked silently along the sidewalk. His mood was a little complicated. Today was a big day.

Today is his blind date day.

What does a woman look like? He didn't know, but for him, who was already 27 years old, it was time to get married, but now was not the right time because of the war.

Finally, he arrived at the agreed coffee shop. He stood across the street and wanted to "scout the enemy situation". Just as he stood still, someone suddenly shouted.

"Extra, Extra, the expeditionary force has been established and will soon set out to conquer Europe!"

The newspaper seller's shouting revealed his presence, and he saw a woman in the open-air cafe across the street looking towards him.

It's Alicia.

The captain's wife, the captain was not the captain in the army, but the team leader on the railway construction site. When his sister-in-law found him, Li Ping hurried over and said.

"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

Alicia, who was more than seven months pregnant, stood up with some difficulty.

"We just arrived too, Li Ping, let me introduce you, she's Julia, my neighbor. Julia, he's the Li Ping I told you about, he's an army sergeant."

What caught Li Ping's eyes was a beautiful girl with black hair and a pair of amber eyes. The girl's gaze was bold and direct. She looked straight at him and spoke in unfluent Chinese.

"Nihou, oh, call Julia."

After introducing the two people to each other, Alicia said with a smile.

"Now that you know each other, I won't bother you anymore."

Before leaving, she even made a cheering gesture to Li Ping. Looking at Alicia leaving, Julia said with some envy.

"Alicia is very happy now, even happier than before, and her current husband really loves her very much."

Turning her gaze to Li Ping, Julia said in a serious tone.

"That's why I came to see you!"

The girl said this while looking at the bouquet of roses.

Looking at the girl, Li Ping hesitated for a moment and said.

"Well... you should know that I may go to the front line at any time. At that time, it is very likely that... So, I think that the timing of our acquaintance may not be appropriate."

"Yeah?"

Looking at the man in front of her, Julia thought for a moment and then said.

"In that case, let's hurry up!"

"What?"

"We should hurry up and get to know each other. If nothing goes wrong, I believe you will fall in love with me after you leave."

Li Ping opened his eyes wide, not quite believing what he heard. They had only just met. Are all the women here so enthusiastic?

…

On September 6, the third day after the establishment of the expeditionary force, the advance troops were finally about to set off.

As a member of the advance team, when Li Ping set out with the troops, along Suzaku Avenue, formerly known as July 9th Avenue, as they marched in an orderly line toward the dock, he would always keep his eyes on the roadside, searching for that figure there.

But the roadside was crowded with people, many of whom were pregnant, and some were holding babies. The women kept calling out the names of the men in the team, the names of their loved ones, and whenever they got a response, they would always run over excitedly to the team and express their reluctance with passionate kisses.

The relationships between people are always so wonderful.

At the end of last year, these men came here as occupying troops, as conquerors, as invaders, but in less than a year, many of them have integrated into the city, into the lives of thousands of people, and become a part of their lives. When they came here, they were resisted by many people, but now when they leave, many people are reluctant to let them go.

"Li Ping, Li Ping..."

Suddenly Li Ping heard Julia's cry. Although he was the deputy platoon leader, when he saw Julia, he ran over regardless of everything, hugged her, and held her tightly, while the two of them kissed passionately in front of no one else.

Whistles and laughter continued to sound, and the soldiers' laughter was filled with envy and blessings.

"Promise me, you will come back alive!"

Julia said loudly, staring at the man.

"Well, I promise you..."

Once again, Li Ping hugged the girl tightly and swore silently in his heart. Then he reluctantly let her go and ran forward as if he had made up his mind to catch up with his comrades who had already gone far away.

"Promise me that you will come back..."

On that day, both sides of the street from Zhuque Avenue to the dock were crowded with people. Even at the dock, when the troops were boarding the ship, the dock was still crowded with people seeing them off.

When the officers and soldiers of the advance team began to board the ship, in the building next to the dock, Zhu Xianhai, wearing a green military uniform, looked at Zuo Zongtang, Wang Youling, Qian Deshan and others who came to see them off. When Zhu Xianhai said goodbye to them, he looked at them and said.

"Gentlemen, from now on, all matters concerning Nanhua will be in your hands!"

Upon hearing this, they all bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. We will live up to your trust and devote ourselves to Nanhua!"

After the long bow, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but sigh in his heart. He had advised His Majesty before, but... His Majesty had his reasons, a reason that could not be refuted.

After briefly explaining some matters concerning the expedition to his ministers, Zhu Xianhai walked up to Charlotte and Elizabeth. One of them was his wife, and the other was his most trusted lover. Looking at their eyes filled with reluctance, Zhu Xianhai smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

"I know,"

Charlotte nodded.

"Don't worry, I will help you protect our home."

According to European tradition, the monarch must stay with his base camp during wartime. This is the monarch's responsibility. When the prince is underage, the queen and the prime minister will form a regency council to prevent one party from monopolizing power. As regent, Charlotte is his family keeper.

"I know,"

Zhu Xianhai said softly while hugging his wife.

"My queen, I believe you can protect our home."

Charlotte is not a queen in name only. In the eyes of many Chileans and Argentines, as a Spanish princess she is their king. Of course, this is just a "fig leaf" for those people.

After saying goodbye to Charlotte, Zhu Xianhai walked over to Elizabeth and looked at the woman who was still as beautiful as ever, who had been following him all these years.

"Elizabeth..."

"I know."

Before he could finish, Elizabeth threw herself into his arms and just hugged him, and when they were about to separate, she whispered in Zhu Xianhai's ear.

"My dear, the Queen of France is a world-famous beauty..."

What?

When Zhu Xianhai let go of Elizabeth, he saw her mischievous smile. She just stared at him with a smile on her face, and finally said.

“Come on!”

More than an hour later, the Great Eastern and 13 other transport ships, carrying 32,000 officers and soldiers of the South China Expeditionary Force, slowly left the port under the escort of several South China and French warships and headed for the other side of the ocean...

(End of this chapter)