Section 7: The Bald-Headed Advisor Framed by His Lover

  In early September 1941, the German army surrounded Leningrad by land, to the north of Leningrad was Lake Ladoga, and the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga was still in the hands of the Soviet army. There was a strategic location and transportation hub there, where Soviet troops and supplies were transported through the railway to the shores of Lake Ladoga, and then across Europe's largest lake to Leningrad. In other words, there was a huge loophole in the siege ring east of Leningrad, unless the German army occupied the entire eastern shore of Lake Ladoga.

  On November 8, 1941, the German 39th Motorized Corps captured this strategic location and transportation hub - Tikhvin, only to be counterattacked by Soviet forces a few days later, who drove the Germans out of town in early December, pursuing them all the way to the west bank of the Volkhov River.

  A few days ago, Li De accurately "predicted" that Stalin would review the parade on Red Square, but was outsmarted by the cunning Halder and almost fell off the stage. He decided to make a comeback in Tyumen, letting the generals thoroughly believe in his superhuman "prediction".

  The armored train was approaching Minsk, and Lidov walked to the VIP room at one end of the carriage. The door was ajar, and Goebbels was writing in his diary on the desk near the window with his back to the door. Hearing footsteps, he shouted loudly: "Why didn't you knock? You really have no manners."

  Li De coughed lightly, and Goebbels jumped up like he had been electrocuted, his face flushing with embarrassment: "I didn't expect it to be the Führer, I thought it was that careless messenger, haha."

  Lee's reaction was quick, knowing Hitler was just a dispatch runner during WWI, and he took the opportunity to retort: "Yes, I was a dispatch runner, only during the period of World War I, and on the Western Front."

  Lü De was satisfied to see Goebbels' face flush slightly, quickly closing his diary, and didn't know if he would record the Führer not knocking on the door.

  He glanced at the photo on the table, a family portrait of Goebbels - seven children representing different age groups and the Goebbels couple, with Magda holding little Heidi, beautiful and elegant, exuding an air of nobility.

  Goebbels stared at him, and Liddell shifted his gaze from Magda to ask knowingly: "And the lieutenant standing next to you is Harrold?"

  "Ah, yes, my Führer," Goebbels flattered with a smile, "the Führer's memory is truly excellent."

  Li De also threw him a plum and replied with a peach: "You're really not simple, treating your ex-wife's child as if it were your own."

  Gao Bo smiled and said: "It's nothing, living together for so long, it's natural to have feelings."

  "Emotions?" Li De looked at the person in front of him with admiration, a face that was thin and narrow, with deep-set eyes. It was this Goebbels couple, who had followed Hitler to the very end, and after Hitler's death, they calmly took their own lives. Magda had even poisoned her six children beforehand. Li De vowed to reuse Goebbels, of course, it would take time.

  "My leader, is there something?" Goebbels asked seriously after he finished laughing.

  Lüdde explained the situation, and Goebbels said calmly: "You are the Führer, you decide what to do."

  Li De was slightly annoyed: "I'm looking for you to discuss this, it's because I value your opinion, and of course, I want to hear your advice. I am the leader, do I need to say that?" For a moment, he stood there at a loss.

  "Shall I inform the military, mein Führer?" Goebbels asked.

  Li De nodded and waited for Goebbels to put on his hat and wave his hand: "No, this is the messenger's business. I'm just here to ask for your opinion."

  He put his hand on Goebbels' shoulder and said slowly, "Doctor, our task is very arduous. You are a man of extraordinary intelligence. I hope to get your help." He almost said that he wanted to reuse him, but finally held back, so as not to appear lacking in style.

  Goebbels glanced at the hand on his shoulder, then looked at Liddell and nodded slightly, with a deep city, only to say after a long time: "My Führer, forgive me for speaking straight, the situation in Tikhvin is indeed not good, we only have one army, winter equipment is very scarce, even if we occupy Tikhvin, troops still need to advance 100 kilometers north through dense forests and wastelands to reach the Vrila River and meet with the Finnish army, only then can we thoroughly encircle Leningrad. The key is that the enemy will not sit back and watch us close the door to Leningrad, they will definitely launch a desperate counterattack."

  Li thought to himself: This guy is definitely smart and capable, grasping the crux of the problem at once. Hitler, who thinks highly of himself, doesn't use such a talented person, but instead heavily relies on that chicken farmer Himmler, making enemies everywhere on the front lines - isn't this just asking for trouble?

  "What do you suggest we do?" Li De asked sincerely, but the answer he got was disappointing. Goebbels suggested that the Finnish army move south, which Li De knew was absolutely impossible. It seemed that Goebbels wasn't all-powerful after all, and one still had to rely on oneself. So he decisively ordered the train to head north.

  The headquarters of the Northern Group of Forces was located in Luga, south of Leningrad. Li De arrived here only on the second day in the afternoon. Because no one had been notified in advance, there was not a single person in the headquarters. The reason was that in winter, it didn't get light until 10 o'clock in the morning and the sun set at half past three in the afternoon. Even if someone slept a lot, they would still lose sleep here.

  The head of state and a large entourage walked into the headquarters of the Northern Group Army in the forest outside Lugou, the house was like an ice cellar, these guys didn't even light a fire. The red phone on the table had been ringing for half a day, Deputy Officer Schmont reached out to answer it, the ringing stopped.

  After a long while, a duty officer came out of an outer room, buttoning his buttons as he ran in. Seeing the room full of dignitaries, he was so nervous that he got his buttons wrong. When he saw the leader, he let out an "ah" and gave a huge salute, bouncing up like a jack-in-the-box. With too much force, his fingers knocked off his cap, revealing a bald head steaming with sweat.

  Li De swung his right hand holding the glove and asked directly: "Since you're on duty, why aren't you at headquarters?"

  The duty officer replied casually: "The headquarters is too cold, everyone is working in their own rooms, my leader."

  At this time, a tender voice came from outside the house, in Russian. Someone with interest translated on the spot: "Damn bald head, where did you put my red pants?" Suddenly, the bald man's face also turned into red pants. Someone pointed at his crotch, looked down and found that his fly was unzipped, revealing white underwear inside. Big drops of sweat seeped out from the bald head.

  The red phone on the desk rang, and the bald man hesitated before picking up the receiver. The voice on the other end of the line was loud enough to be heard throughout the room: "Damn it, you're messing around with Russian women again? You don't have what it takes, what's the point? I hear the leader is coming for an inspection, get your people to clean up the office right away and light the stove."

  "Ah, ah——" Baldy was just about to report when the other party slammed down the phone.

  Lidell stormed over to the map wall, Halder's face fell, and he stepped forward, slapping the bald head with a loud slap. The bald head immediately shook the phone like a wound-up toy, stuttering as it reported the news of the Fuehrer's arrival to the other party.

  A few minutes later, a series of car door closing sounds came from outside, and under the escort of the generals, the commander of the Northern Group Army, Feng Yueling, rushed to the headquarters in a hurry. While running, he was giving instructions to a fat man beside him, but he didn't notice being tripped by a tree stump, his military cap rolling far away, but the marshal's baton was tightly grasped in his hand.

  Li De secretly delighted: There are still three months before the Spring Festival, and this old official has come to pay New Year's greetings to me. I haven't prepared any New Year's money yet. But on the surface, he pretended to be sad and shook hands with Old Marshal several times: "Dear Marshal, I heard that your beloved son sacrificed his life for the country a few days ago, I offer my deepest condolences."

  General von Leeb took part in the Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion of China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion. A famous defensive strategist in German military history, he opposed the launching of wars and was extremely disgusted by policies that mistreated Jews. Li De saw the General's eyes become moist, choking as he said: "Thank you for your concern, Commander-in-Chief. I also heard that not long ago, you were ambushed and almost became like my son..." Halder and Brauchitsch simultaneously coughed in a hurry, the General realizing the inappropriateness of the analogy, hastily changing the subject: "I represent the Army Group North, welcoming the Commander-in-Chief to inspect."

  Li De became serious and pointed at the bald head hiding in the corner of the house, saying: "No need to be polite, we have been welcomed by this gentleman."

  His bald head flushed bright red, he lowered his head and stared at the ground, wishing a crack would open up in it so he could crawl inside. Just then, from outside the house came a woman's voice, utterly out of place: "Darling, where did you hide my pants? And my bra? Come find them for me quickly, I want to worship our great leader too."

  This is no longer a prank, it's clearly intentional harm to the bald man, because Li De heard it clearly, she said it in German. Looking at the unlucky bald man again, his face has turned from red to purple.

  Suddenly, the bald man stormed out in a fit of rage, waving his fists and bursting into the house outside. Curses and slapping sounds followed. Everyone rushed over to rescue the beauty, only to see the bald man being kicked out of the door by someone, sitting on the ground with a thud. A red-haired woman chased out from behind, still kicking the bald man who was sitting on the ground with one foot.

  "She is truly beautiful." Li De blurted out, and a string of praises poured out like a fountain: Without makeup, her complexion was as radiant as the morning sun shining on snow, her waist was slender and elegant like a weak willow, one glance and smile could charm hundreds, the beauties in the six palaces were dull in comparison, truly a glance could overthrow a city, another glance could overthrow a nation.

  Several German soldiers rushed over to grab her, and she struggled free. The leading German sergeant pulled out his gun and aimed it at the fierce young woman. "Don't shoot!" Li De shouted in a flustered tone. The leader noticed that during her struggle, a kind of wild beauty was revealed, and there was also a hint of seductiveness, which made him feel itchy in his heart and think about keeping this vixen by his side.

  Everyone's gaze turned to the leader, and the German sergeant also turned his head with a bewildered expression. The young woman took advantage of the opportunity to grab the sergeant's wrist, spun her body around, and pressed her left elbow against the sergeant's right joint. The pistol was now in her hand.

  "Good job." Someone blurted out, Li De took a glance, and it turned out to be Goebbels.

  Several guardsmen of the flag troops who were protecting the head of state finally subdued her with great effort, twisting her arms behind her back and pushing her in front of the head of state. Li De's heart skipped a beat as he signaled for them to release her. Her long, curly red hair cascaded down, giving off an air of languor and rebellion. She brushed her hair back behind her ear with her hand, her expression cold as ice, her body full and curvy, her movements elegant, her skin pale and smooth, her nose high-bridged, her large grey-blue eyes gazing into the distance, her long eyelashes seeming to flutter.

  He stared at her, lost in thought, until Goebbels nudged him. He swallowed hard and pretended to interrogate her sternly: "You, what's going on?"

  She slanted her eyes, with a hint of mockery flashing at the corners, and said: "I beat up a German military officer, do with me as you please."

  "Press down." General Leb shouted, but the object of his order was the bodyguards of the head of state, not the constabulary, who didn't care about his orders at all. The warriors of the guard flag team didn't even glance at him, they just stared intently at Li De.