The first dish was served, and the cocktail party livened up. Not only were the British merchants beaming with joy, but even Morrison couldn't help recalling his time studying at the University of Edinburgh Medical School when he saw the fish and chips. Back then, a bottle of cheap whiskey and a few portions of fish and chips were enough to spend a happy weekend eating and chatting with medical school classmates.

This counted as He Rui's gift; the other dishes were arranged by the British merchants themselves. Morrison ate a few dishes and felt none had the taste of authentic British cuisine. However, the fish and chips had already been eaten up by the merchants. Morrison could only stare wide-eyed at the small fish solidified inside a small fish pancake.

With the sound of footsteps, a fragrance wafted over. Morrison looked up happily and saw the chef carrying another large platter of fish and chips over. The merchants happily cleared their plates, ready for another big serving.

Sated with food and wine, the conversation opened up. He Rui listened seriously to the British merchants' questions, then answered, "If you can provide new oil pressing equipment, we certainly welcome it."

"...Oh, I said last time. We cannot distribute shares. Siping will give the uniform merchants money for transporting and purchasing equipment; this counts as part of the deposit. We will also pay for equipment debugging and hiring technical personnel, but we cannot distribute shares."

"...My friend, I am not prejudiced against limited companies. But Siping is the government, and our current policy is to increase production capacity. At this stage, joint-stock companies do not help much in increasing production capacity."

"...You ask why? It's simple. If you open an oil press here entirely with your own funds, whether joint-stock or sole proprietorship, we won't interfere. But if you want to run a joint-stock company with the Siping government, it means this company is likely to become a large joint-stock company controlling regional commodity output. For such a corporate organizational form, the core business method is to maintain product prices at a relatively high level, increasing or decreasing production at this price point to obtain the optimal solution for maximum profit. But our Siping economic policy is to maximize production capacity. Free competition undoubtedly helps increase capacity, which is also why I cannot engage in joint-stock companies."

Morrison originally wanted to hear what He Rui would say at the British merchants' thank-you cocktail party. After hearing this paragraph, he listened with rapt attention.

Even though He Rui had spoken so clearly, the British merchants still didn't give up. They tried to make He Rui understand the problems of free competition through communication. One of them asked seriously, "Does Governor He know about economic crises?"

Morrison didn't know how to evaluate this merchant's statement, but at least he could be sure this merchant hadn't read He Rui's works.

He saw He Rui nod gently. "I know about economic crises."

"Economic crises are caused by free competition. In any industry, as long as there is money to be made, people will invest. Everyone swarms in, raising production capacity to an unnecessary level in the short term, then prices collapse, and the industry is finished. Other industries also suffer major damage, and the whole country falls into an economic crisis. Governor He, if you support free competition so firmly, you will definitely encounter an economic crisis."

Morrison ate fish and chips, slowly raising his whiskey, waiting to hear how He Rui would deal with this somewhat thorny question. He heard He Rui answer, "I am willing to take such a risk."

The arm holding the whiskey froze temporarily in front of Morrison. In Morrison's feeling, He Rui was initially a scholar-type staff officer, then a noble soldier, and now he had turned into a commander of an army. A general capable of making decisive decisions and not fearing sacrifice to achieve his goals.

Taking a sip of whiskey, Morrison looked forward to seeing He Rui's new characteristics. But on second thought, wasn't He Rui himself a commander? In Siping, all troops were under He Rui's command. According to the current rules of Beiyang, local administration was also under He Rui's control. If following British titles, He Rui shouldn't be called Governor in Siping, but Governor-General [Viceroy]. A Governor-General with total power.

A noble Governor-General. Morrison had a new positioning for He Rui.

At this time, Johnson stood up. Under the light, his fluffy, thick blond hair was very conspicuous. Johnson asked somewhat drunkenly, "Your Excellency, Governor-General, have you been to India?"

"I haven't been there yet," He Rui replied.

There was some dissatisfaction in Johnson's tone, but it wasn't directed at He Rui. "What Your Excellency describes is exactly the status quo of India."

"Oh? India is already controlled by a super-large joint-stock company?" He Rui asked with interest.

"If it were really like that, it would be better; at least there would be many opportunities. In India, local princely states hold hereditary power, and India's economy is controlled by those nobles who have taken root in India since the East India Company era. A merchant like me, no matter how hard I work in India, actually can't make money. If possible, I really look forward to a few economic crises breaking out in India to finish off those guys together."

Everyone was a bit tipsy. Johnson's words triggered a burst of applause among the British merchants.

When everyone's emotions calmed down slightly, He Rui said, "But as far as I know, in every economic crisis, those large consortia, because of their strong capital and large amounts of cash, take advantage of the time when small factories and companies go bankrupt in large numbers during the economic crisis to buy them up at low prices. So I can understand Mr. Johnson's view, but I don't agree with Mr. Johnson's expectation."

Johnson was stunned, but his eyes brightened. He raised his glass and said loudly, "Let us toast to Governor-General He's frankness and sincerity."

Everyone raised their glasses and drank it all in one gulp. Morrison couldn't hold back anymore; he raised his glass to He Rui, but saw He Rui smile slightly and point to the salon area.

Soon, the two sat over there with their wine glasses. Morrison didn't hide his name and wasn't surprised that He Rui recognized him. After introducing himself, Morrison asked the question that had troubled him for some time. "Your Excellency, Governor, what led you to take geopolitics as your research direction?"

"To explain Britain's success, Mahan's *The Influence of Sea Power Upon History* appeared first. Later, Mr. Mackinder of Britain wrote *The Geographical Pivot of History*, creating a theory that could probably be called Land Power Theory, but I personally feel it is not enough to explain the status quo of human society. Mr. Morrison knows Mr. Yan Fu, right?"

Yan Fu was an important member of the *Chouanhui* promoting Yuan Shikai's monarchy; Morrison naturally knew him. However, Morrison didn't want to discuss Yuan Shikai's monarchy with He Rui, so he just nodded.

"Mr. Yan Fu summarized the Theory of Evolution as 'natural selection, survival of the fittest.' I gained inspiration from this and took geographical environment determining human social development as the starting point for research, writing *Introduction to Geopolitics*. The foundation of geopolitics is natural science. The development of human society is certainly the result of human subjective initiative, but natural conditions have already determined the various development possibilities of different regions."

After speaking, He Rui laughed. "I wonder what evaluation Mr. Morrison has of my humble work? Please speak frankly."

Seeing He Rui so frank, Morrison asked, "I want to ask Governor He, after the war ends, analyzing from a geopolitical perspective, in what direction will the world situation develop?"

"After the war ends, the victorious Allied Powers will re-plan the world order with Britain and France as the core. But Tsarist Russia very likely won't last through the war and will collapse due to internal revolution. As for what the future Russia will be like, I have too little information to judge. But the victor of the Russian Civil War will not have the ability to influence the process of Britain and France establishing the new world order."

Morrison didn't expect He Rui's thinking to remain calm at this time. The minds in the current Beiyang government were all on Yuan Shikai proclaiming himself Emperor. Of course, even without Yuan Shikai proclaiming himself Emperor, before the World War started, no one in the Beiyang government considered Russia's future. Since He Rui could consider problems calmly, Morrison continued to ask, "What about the situation in Northeast Asia?"

"The situation in Northeast Asia is best if China, Russia, and Japan achieve a balance of power. At present, this balance no longer exists. Japan's advantage is growing, almost dominating Northeast Asia alone; even Britain cannot change Japan's advantage. Moreover, after the Great War ends, a new player will intervene in the Northeast Asian situation, making the situation more variable."

"New player?" Morrison was unsure for a moment who He Rui was referring to.

He Rui didn't keep him guessing and answered directly, "The United States is a two-ocean country. They have accumulated huge wealth in the Great War, and their strength has developed unprecedentedly. Britain and France might be able to keep the United States out of Europe and Africa, but they don't have the strength to stop the United States from becoming a new player in the Northeast Asian region."

Morrison probed, "Then does China have the ability to become a country balancing regional power comparisons?"

He Rui shook his head. "Given the current situation, China's internal division will only intensify, and true unification cannot be achieved in a short time."

Although Morrison decided not to talk about Yuan Shikai with He Rui, he agreed very much with He Rui's prediction. Since He Rui could already see this step, Morrison continued to probe, "Governor He, have you considered obtaining the support of the British Imperial Government?"

After speaking, Morrison stared at He Rui, carefully observing He Rui's expression. He saw this excessively young Governor show no surprise or incomprehension, nor any expectation or desire. He Rui just smiled lightly. "I think the most important work right now is to increase production capacity and provide maximum support for the Allied Powers to achieve victory as soon as possible."

Morrison knew this topic couldn't continue. He raised his glass to He Rui. The two clinked glasses. While He Rui poured wine, Morrison felt somewhat in a trance. The surrounding arrangement and the room full of British merchants—even knowing he was in a small county town called Siping outside the pass in China, Morrison felt he was in a club of European high society, talking with a powerful noble with a standard oriental face.

That this young Governor He Rui could make Morrison feel such an atmosphere just through conversation was truly beyond Morrison's imagination.

Just then, he saw the merchants gathering around the bar, seeming like something big had happened. Seeing Morrison's curious gaze, He Rui laughed. "It should be Mayor Wu mixing drinks for everyone."

"Mayor Wu?" Morrison had an impression of the current young Mayor of Siping. "How does he know how to mix drinks?"

"Let's go, taste it." He Rui stood up.

After waiting for a good while, the two finally reached the front of Wu Youping. They saw Wu Youping had taken off his coat, revealing a beautiful silk shirt. Because he wasn't wearing a bow tie but a beautiful necktie, a shiny metal tie clip fixed the tie to the front of the shirt, completely different from the waiters wearing bow ties.

Soon, two glasses of wine were placed in front of the two. Morrison took a sip and felt the taste was much better than other drinks. He asked curiously, "How does Mayor Wu know this?"

Wu Youping naturally wiped away the liquor dripped on the bar while mixing and laughed. "When I was in school in Tianjin, I worked part-time in a club with classmates and learned a little. How about it, do you two want another glass?"

He Rui shook his head, but Morrison nodded. Wu Youping took a rinsed glass, shook off the water droplets, and placed it on the table.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, He Rui and Wu Youping bid farewell to the drunken British merchants. Walking out of the temporary hall, the cold hit their faces. In the night of early December, the temperature had already dropped below zero. The moonlight, cold enough to freeze a person, cast the shadows of the two on the ground.

Wu Youping said, "Governor, tomorrow I will mobilize the cadres to sweep snow from roofs. Not only inside Siping City, but also in the countryside. Every year, people's houses are crushed by snow; this year, we must reduce such disasters no matter what."

"It should be so," He Rui replied. He couldn't help praising, "You can now actively consider problems from the perspective of people's livelihood and mobilize organizations to push work forward; great progress."

Being praised by He Rui like this, Wu Youping answered somewhat shyly, "Governor. I've listened to so many lessons, and my thoughts have changed many times. I now think that the people themselves will pursue a life of peace and contentment; they don't need us to force them. But there are some things the people can't think of or do temporarily. At such times, the organization needs to come forward to coordinate and mobilize. It is neither the organization bearing everything for the people, nor issuing orders from high above. How to say it... it's serving the people."

The road surface had iced over, making a series of crunching sounds when the two stepped on it. He Rui and Wu Youping were careful not to slip while not relaxing their chat about work. Just like this, they headed all the way toward the headquarters.