Clear winter nights were the coldest. The government-run kitchen provided food for several departments, so it was open 24 hours. Past nine in the evening, just after the night shift personnel left, the door curtain was lifted, and two people walked in—Wu Youping and Zhuang Jiaxiong.

They each ordered a meal and sat down near the stove, chatting while eating.

Zhuang Jiaxiong had been chatting in Wu Youping's office. Because they were too engrossed, the indoor temperature had already dropped very low by the time they noticed. Now in the warm canteen, he finally felt like he had returned from an ice cave to a normal environment.

After a few mouthfuls of hot food, the chill was driven from his body. Zhuang Jiaxiong spoke while eating, his voice a bit muffled. "Although the local powers in Fujian weren't benevolent before, they still followed some rules. Now, the leaders in the localities are all evil people who act recklessly. I originally thought the government had gone bad and indulged these evil people. I didn't expect the real reason to be that China's tax collection method has changed."

Wu Youping hurriedly corrected him. "It's not that China's tax collection method has changed, but that the division has caused a change in China's economic form. This change is not a national policy, but a result caused by the political and economic status quo."

Zhuang Jiaxiong nodded while eating.

Wu Youping also chatted while eating. "After the collapse of the Manchu Qing's grassroots government, local figures in various provinces confronted and merged with the Beiyang clique. If local forces want the local government to be under their control, they cannot let the local government possess grassroots tax collection capabilities. The Beiyang governors want to rule the provinces; they have neither the will nor the ability to spend great effort building grassroots government. But rural taxes still have to be collected, so the tax farming system appeared. Local forces control rural taxation, and no officials are responsible for cracking down on local tyrants. Among these people, those who disregard human life the most naturally develop in the direction of local tyrants and evil gentry, ravaging the countryside horribly."

Thinking of the changes in his hometown over the past few years, Zhuang Jiaxiong fully understood Wu Youping's explanation of the economic status quo. He sighed sincerely, "I really want to sweep away these scums who bring disaster to the country and the people immediately!"

Hearing his classmate speak from the heart, Wu Youping wanted to bring up Zhuang Jiaxiong's view on land policy again, but he heard Zhuang Jiaxiong take the initiative to say, "Youping, can I go take the political review one more time?"

Wu Youping was relieved. His classmate was truly willing to serve the country; otherwise, Wu Youping wouldn't have written to invite Zhuang Jiaxiong to Siping. Since Zhuang Jiaxiong had improved his cognition, he naturally had to give him a chance. Wu Youping replied, "I'll arrange it."

Zhuang Jiaxiong was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly. Then he asked somewhat uneasily, "Youping, if I can pass the political review, can I go listen to the Party classes you mentioned?"

"Training classes are different from Party classes. You have to apply yourself, and the organization has to look at your work performance. If your work isn't serious..."

"Don't worry, I'm not afraid of doing work," Zhuang Jiaxiong answered decisively.

Wu Youping had great confidence in Zhuang Jiaxiong. Seeing him so determined, he was also happy in his heart.

Two days later, Xu Jia invited Wu Youping to the Statistics Section and asked straight to the point, "Did you talk about policy with Zhuang Jiaxiong?"

"Yes, we talked about the domestic economic form of compradors plus tax farmers."

Xu Jia frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "I want to talk to him again."

"Is there any arrangement for him?" Wu Youping was very expectant.

Xu Jia replied, "In this political review, Zhuang Jiaxiong's view on land reform policy is like a completely different person. I want to have a deeper conversation with him to see what the ideological cognition of such people is like."

Wu Youping couldn't help frowning. "What did he do wrong to be investigated so deeply?"

"He just represents many people in the future. We followed the Governor to participate in land reform, so the content of earlier political reviews didn't include the current parts. Using the previous inquiry points is already somewhat unable to keep up with the current situation. Your classmate changed so much before and after; there must be a reason. I want to adjust the political review questions through conversation."

Wu Youping originally thought Xu Jia had some prejudice against Zhuang Jiaxiong. Now he realized he had underestimated Xu Jia. After being speechless for a while, he praised sincerely, "Section Chief Xu has worked hard. I will definitely make my classmate cooperate fully."

Before the two could set a time for the interview, someone ran in hurriedly. "Report. Regiment Commander Xu asks Section Chief Xu to go over. He said Instructor Zhou from the military academy has arrived."

Hearing "Instructor Zhou," Xu Jia immediately dropped the sentence "We'll talk about this later" and hurried to the headquarters. Entering the office, he saw that the other five officers from the Baoding Military Academy had all arrived. Sitting in the center were He Rui and Major Zhou Yinshan, Chief of the Personnel Section of the Baoding Military Academy.

Xu Jia stepped forward and saluted. "Report. Xu Jia reporting for duty."

Zhou Yinshan looked at the short and stout Xu Jia, seeing that he was full of vigor like the other military cadets, his gestures and bearing already very different from the student of half a year ago. Happy in his heart, he praised He Rui, "These students really have the look officers should have."

Sitting next to Zhou Yinshan was Adjutant Liu. Seeing He Rui's subordinate officers warmly welcoming Zhou Yinshan, he confirmed that Zhou Yinshan was indeed an instructor from the Baoding Military Academy, so he chimed in, "As soon as I saw Instructor Zhou on the train, I felt Instructor Zhou had an extraordinary bearing. Truly, a famous teacher produces brilliant students."

Zhou Yinshan just smiled slightly at this. On the train, Adjutant Liu had treated Zhou Yinshan with a very wary attitude.

He Rui stood up and said, "Everyone chat first. Brother Liu, let's go to the room next door."

When alone with He Rui, Adjutant Liu explained the current situation in Fengtian to He Rui and repeated Zhang Xiluan's message. Hearing that other governors actually wrote such persuasive letters disregarding the relationship between superiors and subordinates, He Rui said firmly, "Please, Brother Liu, go back and report to Lord Zhang: as long as I, He, am in Siping for one day, I won't let a single soldier pass through Siping to go south."

Adjutant Liu sighed. "I know this sentiment of Brother He, and the Marshal knows it too."

He Rui then probed, "The Marshal has been a hero all his life; naturally, he won't be [intimidated] by these petty people. After I wrote the letter, I was always worried the Marshal would blame me for meddling. Brother Liu, what exactly is the Marshal's intention?"

Adjutant Liu recalled Zhang Xiluan's changes these days, and thinking of the market situation seen in Siping this time, he asked, "Brother He, I wonder what this Instructor Zhou came to Siping for?"

"After graduation, cadets of the Baoding Military Academy must intern in local units for half a year. After half a year, if the unit is dissatisfied with the cadet, or the cadet doesn't approve of the unit, they can return to the military academy for another arrangement. When I came outside the pass this time, the military academy originally only gave me four recruitment slots. Brother Zhou and I were both students in Japan; he gave me two extra slots for Grade-A students from the academy. At that time, Brother Zhou said he would come to see the cadets after half a year. Now he should be here to see how the cadets are doing."

Hearing He Rui's explanation, Adjutant Liu calculated He Rui's connections. He had connections with high-level Japanese abroad; domestically, besides being sent by Director-General Duan Qirui, he also had his own people in the Baoding Military Academy. He was indeed a formidable character.

Only then did he ask, "Brother He, your previous correspondence with the Marshal made the Marshal very happy. I wonder if Brother He has anything for me to take to the Marshal this time?"

He Rui thought for a moment, then picked up a pen and wrote a letter.

"Brother Liu, the previous matters were all Lord Zhang's cultivation of me. People say small gifts are useless; at this moment, it is exactly the time for me to repay Lord Zhang's kindness of recognizing my worth. Please, Brother Liu, report back to Lord Zhang: if there is any place where I can be used, please let Lord Zhang command. I will go through water and fire, definitely serving Lord Zhang."