After the two dances ended, the Japanese field officers applauded one after another. The geishas bowed elegantly again, preparing to withdraw.

Asking geishas to stay and pour wine required extra money. Fortunately, this was on the public dime, so a field officer shouted, "Ladies, please stay. Let's match *haiku*."

Everyone immediately agreed. They looked at Major General Hamamo Matasuke, and seeing the Major General nod, they all raised their glasses in respect.

The creation of Japanese *haiku* must follow two basic rules: the haiku consists of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, totaling seventeen *on* (sounds), using Japanese kana as the standard.

There must be a *kigo* (seasonal word) in the haiku. A *kigo* is a word used to indicate the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, winter, and the New Year.

Major General Hamamo Matasuke held the highest status at the table, so naturally, he started. Next, it was He Rui's turn. He Rui listened to Major General Hamamo Matasuke's opening line, thought for a moment, and responded: "Yuugure no, furaingu meku, natsutoshi." (Late summer sunset, lights turn on hurriedly before night). [^1]

Translated into Chinese, it roughly meant, "The midsummer sun sets late; the lights hurry to brighten before the night."

Hearing this, the officers were quite surprised. Even the geishas looked over.

Nagata Tetsuzan raised his wine glass and cheered loudly, "Gentlemen, please toast He-kun together."

The group of Japanese officers raised their glasses in respect.

He Rui laughed heartily, raised his glass, and drank it in one gulp. Seeing He Rui so forthright, the group of Japanese officers also cheered and praised, "He-kun is friendly and bold; the number one scholar of the Army War College truly lives up to his reputation!"

He Rui could only nod modestly and acknowledge these academic underachievers who couldn't get into the Army War College one by one.

The Japanese writer Matsuo Basho once said: "The paper on which *waka* is copied becomes waste paper after the gathering disperses." This illustrates that the true essence of linked verse lies in the pleasure of the moment. The fun lies in the exchange, not in the completeness of the whole piece. One line and the next form a transition of their own; every two lines create a world.

As everyone matched haiku, they gradually became tipsy, and the atmosphere grew warmer. Seeing his subordinates flushed with wine, Major General Hamamo Matasuke turned to He Rui. "He-kun, I wonder what your future plans are?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, General. This subordinate has been appointed as the local administrator of Siping and is about to take office."

"Is He-kun not going to serve as a staff officer in the General Zhen'an's Office at this time?" Major General Hamamo Matasuke laughed.

"Your Excellency, this subordinate believes that Siping is not necessarily worse than Fengtian. After arriving in Siping, I will naturally rectify the social order and encourage production. Protecting the peace of a region is also my long-cherished wish."

Major General Hamamo Matasuke looked impassive, merely praising casually, "Ambitious."

"Your Excellency, goods only yield profit when they are sold. This subordinate believes that for industrial development to obtain more sufficient raw materials, there must first be good public security and stability. If the industrial and commercial environment is chaotic, with troops causing trouble and forcing trades, farmers and factory owners will certainly not feel safe enough to produce more grain, coal, iron, and other raw materials. Of course, there are many bandits in the Northeast, and rogues run rampant. This subordinate will absolutely not let these bandits and rogues off; I will certainly rectify security and restore order. This subordinate believes that as long as the situation is stable, the export of affordable grain and industrial raw materials from the Northeast will definitely increase significantly. During the World War, the urgent task is for China and Japan to join hands, support each other, and revitalize the economy and develop national power together. In my humble opinion, the Kwantung Garrison led by Your Excellency should serve as an escort for Japan's industrial and commercial development and assist in friendly cooperation between the two countries."

Major General Hamamo Matasuke listened but didn't respond. He pointed at Nagata Tetsuzan, and the two looked at each other and smiled.

Nagata Tetsuzan laughed. "Your Excellency, has my prediction from yesterday come true? Does the top scholar of this Army War College class live up to his name?"

Major General Hamamo Matasuke turned his head and smiled at He Rui. "Upon receiving your telegram yesterday, Nagata Tetsuzan immediately concluded that you definitely came prepared. He suggested I make things difficult for you for a round: first, not entering the headquarters; second, not talking about official business; and avoiding any talk of Sino-Japanese affairs immediately to see what you were capable of. Unexpectedly, truly unexpectedly, He-kun is indeed as wise as the rumors say."

Nagata Tetsuzan clapped his hands and laughed. "He-kun, among everyone, only I had full confidence in you, though even I didn't know what you would say!"

He Rui smiled faintly. "The slight disputes between China and Japan are not worth mentioning, so why say more? Only the economy and industry are matters of great importance and cannot be ignored!"

Major General Hamamo Matasuke nodded, put on a serious expression, and said gently, "Does He-kun have any suggestions?"

"Your Excellency. During the World War, Japan's greatest interest lies in exports. I had an accidental meeting with Mr. Mitsui Yasuki [^2] and discussed some economic ideas. After returning to China, I had some realizations and have written a proposal. I would like to ask Your Excellency to forward it to Mr. Mitsui Yasuki on my behalf."

After speaking, He Rui took out the written letter and handed it to Major General Hamamo Matasuke along with Mitsui Yasuki's business card.

Major General Hamamo Matasuke took the business card and was instantly moved. The heir to the Mitsui Zaibatsu was no ordinary figure. He looked at He Rui with a complex expression. Before this, he never imagined this person could even connect with the Japanese business world, though he didn't know how deep his relationship with the Mitsui family actually was.

The Mitsui Group was Japan's number one conglomerate and had founded Japan's first private bank. Although the Mitsui family kept a low profile externally, it didn't mean their influence wasn't significant. As for Mitsui Yasuki, he controlled the Mitsui family's banking sector in his early forties; rumor had it he might become the next head of the Mitsui family.

Thinking of this, Major General Hamamo Matasuke asked, "He-kun, I wonder what you wrote in the plan for Mitsui-kun?"

"When I was in Tokyo, I wanted to buy some candy. Because production and sales were booming, the shops on the street outside the military academy were out of stock. This shows how great Japan's demand for raw materials is. I am stationed in Siping. Siping is a transportation hub in the Northeast; grain, coal, iron, and non-ferrous metals are all transshipped through my garrison area. In my view, the people of the Northeast live in hardship and should strive to develop production and open up trade to improve their standard of living. Therefore, in the letter, I invited Mr. Mitsui to send someone to Siping to discuss export and import matters."

Major General Hamamo Matasuke was stunned for a long while before putting away the letter and business card. He raised his wine glass and said happily, "Since He-kun has such ambition, I will naturally help with forwarding the letter. Come, He-kun, please drink."

The two drank another two cups. Nagata Tetsuzan then stood up to excuse himself and whispered to a staff officer in the corner of the room. The staff officer nodded repeatedly, stood up, and went out. Before long, he walked back quickly and reported to Major General Hamamo Matasuke, "Reporting to Your Excellency, General. The headquarters just received a telegram. Battalion Commander Matsuoka unauthorizedly sent people to Changchun to recruit local volunteers to fight in Europe, causing some friction with the local government. The unit commander asks for Your Excellency's instructions."

The staff officer reported loudly. The room full of officers instantly fell silent, all looking solemn.

Translator Zhao hurriedly translated in a low voice. Things had suddenly turned out like this; Major Liu and Xu Chengfeng were dazed throughout the whole process, as if in a dream.

***

[^1]: The Japanese in the raw text includes "Furaingu meku" (flying-like?), which seems anachronistic or a specific creative liberty. I've translated the Chinese explanation provided in the text.

[^2]: Mitsui Yasuki (三井康木) appears to be a character specific to this novel representing the Mitsui interests.