The gateman had long since spotted He Rui's group heading straight for the school. When the squad stopped at the gate, the people in the gatehouse didn't dare come out immediately, peering out from the window first.

Fortunately, someone had a good memory and recognized He Rui standing at the entrance. He boldly walked out and said, "Isn't this Mr. He?"

As they spoke, several people hurried out from the main building of the National Beiyang University and rushed to the gate. The leader was a young man in a Western suit—Zhao Tianlin, the President of the National Beiyang University.

President Zhao Tianlin was twenty-nine years old this year, a Ph.D. who had returned from government-sponsored studies in the United States. Seeing that the visitor was He Rui, he shouted from afar, "Brother He, you're back so soon!"

He Rui didn't beat around the bush. "I've come this time to ask for Brother Zhao's help..."

Zhao Tianlin waited until He Rui had explained the reasons and objectives for going to the Northeast in full detail before asking, "What do you need me to do, Brother He?"

"I would like to ask Brother Zhao to lend me some dormitory space for a few days. I also want to rent your school's mimeograph room to print a batch of materials."

Zhao Tianlin answered after only a moment's consideration. "Since it is to go to the Northeast to deal with the Japanese, I naturally must help. It's just that Brother He's subordinates must abide by school discipline."

He Rui knew that the reputation of soldiers in this era was "very average," so he introduced his unit to Zhao Tianlin. "The young officers with me graduated just three days ago. I wonder how Brother Zhao evaluates the discipline of the Baoding Military Academy."

Hearing that the young officers were military cadets who had just graduated, Zhao Tianlin felt relieved. "Brother He, I will arrange it immediately."

***

Two hours later, in an office in the four-story main building of the National Beiyang University.

He Rui thanked him. "Brother Zhao has really helped me out."

Zhao Tianlin also felt the situation was unexpected. A few days ago, He Rui's first stop upon returning to China had been Tianjin. The two had met briefly, and He Rui had stored two large boxes filled with books and materials with Zhao Tianlin, agreeing to pick them up soon.

Now He Rui had run back from Beijing and brought a unit to the school. Fortunately, the school was on break, so Zhao Tianlin arranged for the unit to stay in the National Beiyang University dormitories.

But these weren't particularly difficult issues for Zhao Tianlin. After all, in Zhao Tianlin's eyes, He Rui was indeed a soldier, but he was also a scholar. He smiled and said, "Last time I met Brother He in a rush, we couldn't talk freely. Surely Brother He isn't in a hurry to leave again this time?"

It was a year ago that Zhao Tianlin, President of the National Beiyang University, learned of He Rui's existence. Zhao Tianlin himself had graduated from National Beiyang University. When his classmates who had studied in Japan returned, they brought back the first Japanese edition of *Geopolitics* written by He Rui and recommended it to Zhao Tianlin. Zhao Tianlin had studied at Harvard Law School in the United States and didn't understand much Japanese. Relying on crude translations, he found the reading experience very unsatisfying.

Zhao Tianlin wrote a letter and asked someone in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help forward it to He Rui. Soon, Zhao Tianlin received a large package containing the handwritten Chinese manuscripts of several of He Rui's books.

He Rui not only sent the manuscripts but also included money for printing, asking Zhao Tianlin to print the books. After reading them, Zhao Tianlin appreciated He Rui greatly and acted immediately. He printed two hundred copies of each book and, following European and American customs, wrote letters recommending them to schools in Beijing and Tianjin, asking domestic university libraries to add them to their collections.

Various universities gave Zhao Tianlin face and collected these works by He Rui. From then on, the two became pen pals, exchanging letters frequently.

Hearing that Zhao Tianlin wanted to exchange views, He Rui solemnly promised, "I shall chat with Brother Zhao until we are fully satisfied."

Although the two had been pen pals for a year, this was their first face-to-face conversation. From the world situation to European and American academic thought, Zhao Tianlin chatted happily. After discussing several topics, Zhao Tianlin asked, "Brother He just returned from Japan. How do you view the domestic situation?"

"I wonder how Brother Zhao views it?"

"Currently, warlords are in power everywhere, acting lawlessly. How can the country get better if this continues?"

"What Brother Zhao says is correct. In China right now, government decrees are blocked, and military orders do not flow. If this continues, we will only fall into a state of disintegration."

Zhao Tianlin sighed. "Alas... Brother He, do you think that if we establish a system of separation of powers and a complete legal system in China, we could reverse the current situation?"

"Brother Zhao. The system of separation of powers is neither good enough nor suitable for China. China now has a population of 500 million. Although the land area isn't small, much of it is mountainous. Without an industrial system, grain production under current technology has already reached its ceiling. The grain available per capita only allows the populace to struggle on the starvation line. The United States killed almost all the Indians and took over a land of vast plains and abundant arable land. It is a situation of much land and few people. The United States is also close to Europe and has good conditions for industrial development. Applying the American system to China would inevitably be a mismatch. Even if it were truly spread across China, it would be impossible to save the nation and the people, nor would it enrich the country and strengthen the army."

Zhao Tianlin nodded involuntarily after listening but asked again, "Even so, we can't just do nothing about law and the rule of law."

"The legal system is a very good tool, but the laws of every country are invariably based on the foundation of their own social development. I also believe that a legal system is indispensable. However, the American legal system emerged during the development of the United States and serves the American state. The national conditions of China and the United States are different, and their development directions are different. American laws are not suitable for China."

"I wonder what the rule of law looks like in Brother He's eyes?"

"The rule of law—its purpose is to secure the polity, implement distribution, and transfer costs. We don't need to discuss securing the polity. China has many people and little land; the per capita is low, and the surplus product is extremely scarce. Even if the state could truly implement distribution, the poor cannot live on the social surplus product; they can't even maintain basic survival. In today's China, 'cost transfer' is never neglected. Above, there are warlords accumulating wealth; below, there are landlords and gentry transferring their tax costs onto the tenant farmers who are already living precariously. Hmph!"

At the end, He Rui couldn't help but let out a cold snort! He felt quite indignant in his heart.

Zhao Tianlin sighed along with him. The content He Rui spoke of was the basic content of the rule of law; there was no room for debate. Facing China's status quo, Zhao Tianlin was also very depressed. He could only ask reluctantly, "What should be done for China now?"

He Rui calmed his emotions at this point. "There is naturally a way. The rule of law that China needs should have 'assisting the laborers' as its core, rather than continuing to help the property owners. First, we must elevate China's production capacity and increase the income of laborers. Formulate tax laws to collect as little tax as possible from laborers. But as laborers' incomes rise, even if each person pays only a little, with China's population of nearly 500 million, the total tax revenue will be very substantial. Establish an efficient and incorruptible government, invest a portion of the money into the army to build a force that defends the country. The remaining tax revenue should be used to expand production, universalize education and hygiene, and provide relief to disaster-stricken people. Although China has a population of nearly 500 million and it is not easy to become wealthy, doing so will reverse the decline and set China on a path of upward development. The rejuvenation of China is not impossible."