Section 12: The Power of Official Promotion and Enfeoffment is Decentralized

  G?ring gravely explained to Himmler: "At the time, the Führer's armored car was blocked from inside, outside were dense Soviet troops, artillery fire opened on the carriage without stopping, we really had no way out, so we blew open the iron gate and carried away the Führer who was covered in blood and dying, a minute later there was a big explosion, if it was a moment later, the Führer would have..."

  Himmler's little eyes were still flickering: "Can you be certain that there was only the Fuehrer inside when you went in?"

  Goebbels panted heavily, turned his face away and no longer paid attention to him. Everyone stared at Himmler with the same gaze as they would look at a madman.

  G?ring waved his big hand: "Himmler, what's wrong with you? The Führer has suffered such a great calamity, been stimulated, and was injured in the head. It's not surprising that he did something unconventional."

  Li De suddenly stood up, pointed around and scolded: "What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Yes, I was stimulated, but it made me see the real situation facing the empire. You're not blind, who dared to let the Eastern Front troops turn into defense? Who commanded Hube to win the Battle of Ladoga Lake? And who changed the policy in the East and gained support from some Russians for the German army? Honestly tell you, if it wasn't for me..."

  He clenched his fists and pounded his chest, making a hollow sound: "If it weren't for me - Adolf Hitler, you wouldn't be sitting here, because the Eastern Front has collapsed. If the party splits, I'll shoot my own brains out."

  He pointed at Himmler and shouted: "If the SS doesn't follow me, I'll go to the Wehrmacht. I believe that millions of Wehrmacht soldiers and ordinary SS soldiers will be loyal to me... Eighty million Germans, as well as most people in the occupied territories, will support me..."

  The two Keitel and Jodl of the Supreme Command were busy expressing their loyalty to the Fuehrer, while Keitel habitually touched his waist. Goebbels hastily mediated: "Fuehrer, calm down, Comrade Himmler didn't mean anything else -"

  Seeing the leader's face turn red with rage, everyone turned their spearheads to Himmler, scolding him for speaking nonsense and boasting.

  Himmler argued: "You haven't noticed that many of his physical characteristics have also changed? For example, dark eye pupils."

  "This time, even Goebbels raised his thin fingers and scolded loudly: 'Bastard, this is the result of North Korea's scar treatment medicine. Dr. Modell said it when we were all present, are you finished or not?'"

  "Hey Himmler, you keep saying I'm shell-shocked from the front line, so how did your brain get waterlogged?"

  Himmler stared at him in astonishment. Li De raised his voice: "If your brain hasn't been waterlogged, why did you send people to Tibet to find the ancestors of the Aryans?"

  Himmler's reaction was like that of a bedwetter who had been discovered, he finally softened up and, fearing the wrath of the masses, spoke kindly to the Führer and apologized.

  "Apologies are not necessary, I just want the SS to stop causing trouble for me. The SS special task force must be disbanded and these idlers should be put into the army uniform and sent to the Eastern Front."

  "The army is not a place for hiding dirt." "Alright, General Yoder, even farting can add some wind." Everyone took the opportunity to mock and ridicule.

  Li De stared at his face. Under the gaze of the leader and the attack of his colleagues, Himmler finally lowered his head and replied after a long time: "Yes, sir".

  Li De let out a long sigh, he walked to the large glass window and gazed outside. The snow was getting heavier, and soon big flakes started falling. The wind began to howl, and a blizzard arrived. In an instant, the dark sky merged with the sea of snow, and everything became invisible.

  Lee De-jun read out the record of Bao Man, then leaned back against everyone, weighing every word: "In accordance with the Constitution of the German Empire, the National Organization Law, and the Law to Eliminate the Suffering of the State and People...the following orders are hereby issued, discussed and approved by the National Assembly for implementation."

  1. The establishment of a German political bureau to discuss and decide on major Nazi Party and national affairs and policies.

  Two, implement three-level responsibility: general matters are decided by the person in charge of each department, important matters are discussed and decided by the Political Bureau meeting, major matters are decided after discussion at the full meeting of the Political Bureau, and the country's major policies and personnel appointments are finally decided by the National Congress.

  Three, Appointment:

  Hitler as Chairman of the Political Committee, General Secretary of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, Head of State of the German Empire and Commander-in-Chief of the German Armed Forces, in wartime situations, is mainly responsible for commanding the war. All concurrent posts are automatically abolished after this appointment.

  G?ring was a member of the Political Bureau, a permanent member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, Vice President of the German Empire and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the German Armed Forces; Responsibilities: Assist Hitler in handling daily work of state and military affairs, and be in charge of naval and air force affairs.

  Goebbels as Commissioner for Political Affairs, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Socialist German Workers' Party and Chancellor of the German Empire; duties: to take care of the daily work of the government.

  Goebbels jumped up as if his backside was on fire, waving his thin arms wildly and the others suspected their ears. Li De signaled everyone to calm down, turned around, staring at the raging flames in the fireplace:

  "Himmler as Commissioner of the Political Bureau and Deputy Secretary General of the National Socialist German Workers' Party; duties: to assist Hitler in carrying out the daily work of the party."

  Himmler was still waiting for the next sentence, when G?ring reminded him: "Didn't you hear? You are the Deputy Secretary of the Party, and we are just ordinary members." He sat down heavily upon hearing this, his chair creaking.

  Comrade Himmler is in charge of the various party organizations and the assessment of the party's leading cadres.

  "Wow, you're not simple, are you? We'll have to butter you up from now on."

  "What about the SS?" Himmler never forgot this main issue. Li De explained that as the party's armed forces, daily affairs would be reported to and asked for instructions from the party's deputy secretary.

  Himmler's eyes moistened at once, grasped the Führer's hand and said: "I always thought you wanted to take the SS away from me, forgive me, I wronged you."

  Lidt shook his hand, which was too cold. He warned that from now on, the SS would only serve as an armed police force, mainly for domestic stability, and would no longer perform racial policing and concentration camp guard duties.

  "Ribbentrop was a member of the Politburo, a permanent member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party and a State Commissioner, President of the Reichstag."

  Ribbentrop, dizzy from getting up to pour water, dropped the cup in his hand. From a foreign minister to the president of the national assembly, he had risen two ranks, theoretically, rather than actually, half a rank higher than Himmler, which made him extremely excited, but tried to control his expression, pretending to be calm, so as not to show his shallowness. After all, Ribbentrop was not deep in city, and after ten seconds of restraint, the tightly closed face finally burst out laughing.

  Himmler glanced at the Führer and stabbed Ribbentrop with a sentence: "Look, you're so happy, can't hold back. Ah, how many days have you been in the party? The Führer gave you a regular committee."

  Ribbentrop shot him a sideways glance and retorted sharply: "Hess joined the party early, but he became a traitor and is now locked up in an English prison."

  "Speer was a deputy member of the Politburo, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of armaments and war production for all of Germany and the occupied territories, and assisted the Chancellor in economic matters."

  Speer nearly fell out of his chair and G?ring was devastated, for it meant the end of his Four Year Plan.

  Everyone stared at him with a gaze that looked like they were watching a nouveau riche, forcing the Führer to explain. The gist was that modern warfare is about comprehensive national strength, and as the world war drags on, the empire must strengthen its military-industrial production. Speer is a genius in military-industrial production, and Germany needs him to win. In short, Speer bears the heavy responsibility of victory or defeat; if Germany fails, Speer should be the first to take his own life to atone for his guilt.

  Everyone fell silent at this.

  The leader's gaze fell on Jodel, and Jodel opened his mouth wide, his heart in his throat, staring at the leader with eager eyes, as if he wanted to tear off his ears and stick them to the leader's mouth.

  Lidewang saw that Jodl's mouth was full of saliva, and he suppressed a smile to announce: "Jodl is the alternate member of the Political Bureau, serving as the deputy commander-in-chief of the German armed forces, assisting the commander-in-chief in handling daily military affairs, and being in charge of the army and logistics."

  Yodel swallowed hard and brought back the lump in his throat, asking innocently: "What is a deputy commissioner?"

  Everyone stared. Bowman dispelled the doubts: "You can attend policy bureau meetings, participate in discussions and studies, but under special circumstances you only have the right to vote, not the right to be elected, nor can you participate in deliberations."

  Jodl remained perplexed, and Brauchitsch waved his hand impatiently: "Anyway, you are already the leader of the party and state, it seems that you only have an interest in big guns and no understanding of politics."

  Li De turned to Kettel with wide eyes: "You are the chairman of the German Council, a newly established organization responsible for conveying information from below to above, reflecting public opinion and serving as a bridge between government and society."

  Tears suddenly welled up in Kaito's eyes: "Thinking of taking off the military uniform I've worn for a lifetime, I..."

  Li De'an comforted: "Alright, you've already become a marshal, it's time to retire from the military with honor and fame."

  Ketler was still sniffling. Goebbels patted G?ring on the back: "Looks like you'll have to give your Reich Marshal to him, or else he'll cry forever."

  Li De added: "Oh, right, you're also an alternate member of the Politburo."

  Kaito burst out laughing.

  The Fuehrer rose from his seat and snapped his fingers, beginning to assign tasks. Bormann looked up from the minutes: "Is there anything else the Fuehrer wishes to say?"

  Li De was taken aback, and immediately burst out laughing, bending over at the waist. As he laughed, he said: "How could we forget our god of wealth? If we offend him, who will provide for us?"

  In the midst of everyone's laughter, Li De panted and said: "Bao Man... Alternate member of the Political Bureau, Director of the Premier's Office... Must also be a Standing Committee member, otherwise cannot take minutes at party meetings."

  Bormann hastily took notes, and when everyone left, he had not finished writing. Himmler sighed to G?ring and Goebbels: "Even the farm owner Bormann has entered the Standing Committee, we have been idle for so many years."

  Goebbels cast a wary glance at the Fuehrer, and Goering nodded in agreement: "Yes, that's what they call the advantage of coming later."

  Ryabentsov slapped Bowman on the neck: "Latecomer, why aren't you leaving yet?" Bowman sneered: "I joined the party when you were still selling wine, what makes me have two more alternate words than you? Spit."

  Ribbentrop was left red-faced and slunk away. Bohman had joined the party in 1928, four years before Ribbentrop.

  Himmler turned around, Ribbentrop thought he was going to take him down again. Himmler ignored him and stretched out his hand behind him to the Führer: "Excuse me, my Führer, I thought you had an opinion about me."

  "It's just an opinion." The Führer lectured solemnly, "Himmler, you're too extreme. You have to understand that some things are just beautiful ideals, but as a politician, you can't let ideals replace reality, because the two are distant from each other, and sometimes even opposite. For example, racial purity, can you guarantee that German blood is so pure? Take you for instance, I heard your aunt's sister-in-law is a Jewess. You can't possibly send her to a concentration camp, can you?"

  Himmler scratched his head awkwardly. "If we take ideals for reality and propaganda slogans as a goal to strive for, then we have made a childish mistake. Ideals are beautiful, but reality is cruel..."

  "I understand. I'm listening." Himmler stood up straight and loud. The two old comrades were together again.

  Goebbels walked briskly at the front, G?ring pushed aside the guards and strode proudly along the mountain ridge, while Speer trembled with fear, his heart secretly vowing to redouble his efforts to repay the Führer's trust and prove himself to the world.

  Jodl walked with a spring in his step today, he never dreamed that the son of an artillery captain, a colonel general and chief of operations at Supreme Headquarters would join the ranks of party and state leaders and bring honor to the nobility of the House of Hohenzollern.

  Although he had no position in the party with Speer and Keitel, one rank lower than other state commissioners, compared to those famous old comrades and generals in the party, they felt dizzy - the feeling brought by sitting on a helicopter.

  A new leadership collective has emerged in the German Empire. At a critical juncture when the empire's fate hangs in the balance, Li De boldly separated his role as Chancellor, which he could not manage due to commanding military operations, and increased the powers of each individual, forming a new combat collective that transformed palace politics into government - although still far from Western countries, it can only be called "a national socialist system with German characteristics", but compared to before, the new government introduced modern management mechanisms, efficiency, simplicity, hierarchical responsibility, and democratic centralism, turning the country into a massive machine that will become more efficient and scientific. They will lead the mighty locomotive of the German Empire forward with courage.

  The leaders of the empire left the eagle's nest in laughter and conversation. The heavy snow covered their footprints, and the road ahead was still a vast expanse of white.