The person sent by General Zhen'an [^1], Zhang Xiluan, was waiting at the Fengtian train station. The leader was a Major surnamed Liu, about thirty years old. After exchanging a few pleasantries with He Rui, he praised, "Commander He is so young."

He Rui smiled and pointed to the team behind him. "Brother Liu, it's not just me who is young; my officers and soldiers are all very young."

Major Liu looked at the young men behind He Rui and laughed dryly. "Hehe, Commander He is a young hero. I admire you, I admire you. Commander He, how should these brothers be settled?"

"Please send a few brothers to lead them to a larger inn to stay. I will go with Brother Liu to pay my respects to General Zhang immediately."

"...Very well. Zhang Xiang, lead Commander He's men to find an inn. Commander He, follow me."

Horses were already prepared outside the train station. Major Liu invited He Rui to mount. He Rui's horsemanship was limited to getting on and off; he wouldn't fall off when the horse trotted on the road, but that was about it. Fortunately, Zheng Silang was a cavalry specialist and his horsemanship was superb. In moments, he calmed the horse down, making it obediently follow his lead.

Holding the saddle, He Rui asked, "Brother Liu, exactly how arrogant are the Japanese troops outside the pass?"

Major Liu rode alongside He Rui. Hearing this question, he sighed. "Alas, Commander He, there are only two thousand Japanese troops outside the pass. If we really fought, we could beat them. We're just worried it would trigger a major war, and at that point, us brothers couldn't bear the responsibility."

"The brothers outside the pass have worked hard," He Rui sighed, then changed the subject.

On the way, they chatted about the general situation regarding Russia, Japan, and the Mongol tribes. The group arrived at the entrance of the government office. Major Liu went in to announce their arrival. Zheng Silang whispered, "Commander, Japan's intimidation tactics seem quite effective."

He Rui chuckled lightly and instructed, "We are meeting General Zhang to deal with Japan together. This is something we just need to do. If you say it out loud, others might misunderstand and think we are mocking them."

His competitive little thought punctured, Zheng Silang couldn't help but stick out his tongue.

He Rui slapped Zheng Silang on the shoulder. "Don't worry about how to deal with the Japanese. Once we settle down, we'll hold a meeting to arrange it. At that time, even if you don't want to speak, you'll be forced to speak."

Zheng Silang nodded, the jumpy look from a moment ago gone from his face.

He Rui and his group were led before General Zhen'an, Zhang Xiluan. The room was quite bright; the Four Treasures of the Study sat on the desk, and calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls.

An old man sat in the main seat. It was Zhang Xiluan. His appearance was handsome, and his gestures were still vigorous; he showed no signs of senile slowness. Aside from his completely white hair and beard, he didn't look like the seventy-something-year-old man He Rui had heard about.

He Rui stepped forward and saluted. "Subordinate He Rui, under orders to report for command under General Zhen'an, Lord Zhang."

Zhang Xiluan ordered in a northern accent with a Sichuan intonation, "Commander He, you've had a hard journey. Sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Lord Zhang."

Zhang Xiluan finished reading the official document and understood Duan Qirui's intent. "Commander He wants to recruit soldiers in Changchun?"

"Answering Lord Zhang, Director-General Duan ordered this subordinate to obey Lord Zhang's deployment."

Seeing that He Rui wasn't using his connections to act self-important or asking for a lucrative post right away, Zhang Xiluan felt He Rui wasn't here to cause trouble. He asked, "How does Commander He plan to deal with the Japanese army?"

"Answering Lord Zhang. This subordinate believes that in negotiating with the Japanese, it comes down to being justified, beneficial, and restrained [^2]. Facing provocations from the Japanese army, we must act with reason and evidence, not getting entangled in unreasonable pestering. Where national interests are concerned, we absolutely cannot retreat. The Japanese have few personnel; their provocations rely mostly on intimidation. Once we overpower the Japanese army, we must exercise restraint and stop at the appropriate time. Regardless of the method, the goal is to let the Japanese army know the stakes so they won't cause trouble in the future. After all, the Japanese army causes trouble partly because they want the Japanese General Staff to know they are doing something, to facilitate their own promotions."

After listening to He Rui, Zhang Xiluan didn't rate him very highly. Having been outside the pass for over forty years, he naturally understood how unreasonably the Japanese pestered people. If it could really be solved by reasoning, things would never have become what they were today.

However, He Rui was obviously here to cooperate, and it was Duan Qirui's arrangement. Zhang Xiluan asked, "How many men did Commander He bring?"

"Answering Lord Zhang, this subordinate brought 6 officers and 43 non-commissioned officers. Including this subordinate, a total of 50 people."

"Siping is close to Changchun. Commander He, you should go garrison Siping."

He Rui stood up and bowed. "As you command."

"When does Commander He plan to set off?"

"My subordinates can set off at any time. This subordinate needs to make a trip to the Kwantung Governor-General's Office first. Director-General Duan told this subordinate about the Japanese army's actions in Changchun. This subordinate asks Lord Zhang to dispatch a subordinate who understands Japanese to accompany me to the Kwantung Governor-General's Office to demand an explanation."

As soon as these words came out, several people in the room gasped. In the ears of Zhang Xiluan's subordinates, the term "Kwantung Governor-General's Office" was no different from a dragon's pool or a tiger's den. They looked at He Rui, then at Zhang Xiluan, their eyes filled with shock and incomprehension.

Zhang Xiluan seemed deep in thought. After a moment, he chuckled lightly. "Hehe, why doesn't Commander He go directly to the Japanese consulate in Changchun?"

He Rui didn't avoid Zhang Xiluan's gaze at all and responded decisively, "The Japanese consulate in Changchun cannot control the Japanese garrison. The Kwantung Governor-General's Office is the one in charge. If the Kwantung Governor-General's Office doesn't issue an order, such incidents will only emerge one after another endlessly."

"Can Commander He persuade the Kwantung Governor-General's Office?"

"This subordinate is not going to quarrel with the Kwantung Governor. Persuading people with reason is the best policy."

Hearing this, the expressions of Zhang Xiluan's subordinates in the room became strange. They felt that if He Rui's words weren't the most ridiculous thing they had heard in their lives, they certainly ranked among the most ridiculous. However, Zhang Xiluan's expression had become solemn. "When does Commander He plan to go?"

"First, I ask Lord Zhang to send a telegram informing Hamamo Matasuke, Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Governor-General's Office, that this subordinate will go to negotiate as a representative of the Fengtian General Zhen'an's Office. Once Japan replies, this subordinate will head to the Kwantung Governor-General's Office."

Zhang Xiluan was somewhat surprised. "Why meet the Chief of Staff instead of the Kwantung Governor?"

"Answering Lord Zhang. The current Governor of the Kwantung Governor-General's Office is Nakamura Satoru. I heard of this person when I was in Japan. He was born in 1854 and is 61 years old this year. He was promoted to Army General on January 25th of this year. According to Japanese rules, Nakamura Satoru no longer manages specific affairs; daily affairs are the responsibility of the Chief of Staff. To discuss matters, one naturally should find the person truly in charge."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiluan was certain He Rui had come prepared. He actually felt a hint of expectation for resolving this matter. But having been disappointed too many times over the years, Zhang Xiluan didn't dare to harbor any fantasies. He simply called the quartermaster and approved a batch of weapons and ammunition for He Rui.

Returning to the unit's accommodation, He Rui called the core personnel and explained the upcoming arrangements. Upon hearing that He Rui was going to the Kwantung Governor-General's Office, Xu Chengfeng immediately stated he wanted to go along as a guard.

He Rui smiled and shook his head. "It's not like I'm going to a dragon's pool or tiger's den; what need is there for guards? I would be more reassured if you and the others led the team to Siping. Once you arrive in Siping, inquire about this news immediately."

Saying this, He Rui took out a document from his briefcase and placed it on the table. He Rui had long planned what intelligence to collect first upon reaching the local area. He just hadn't taken it out earlier because he didn't know where Zhang Xiluan would send him.

Just as he was about to explain the contents to the young officers, Zhong Yifu said, "Commander. Siping isn't a dragon's pool or tiger's den either. If no one follows you to the Kwantung Governor-General's Office, *we* won't be reassured."

***

[^1]: General Zhen'an (镇安上将) is a title, roughly "General who Pacifies/Stabilizes".

[^2]: "Justified, Beneficial, Restrained" (有理、有利、有节) is a famous principle for struggle often attributed to Mao Zedong (during the anti-Communist friction in WWII), meaning to fight on just grounds, to your advantage, and with restraint. He Rui is applying this anachronistically but appropriately for his character.