On January 3, 1919, Lieutenant Colonel Itagaki Seishirō, head of the 'He Agency', delivered the latest report on He Rui to the General Staff Headquarters. The officers at the General Staff Headquarters merely accepted the report according to regulations but didn't look at the content. This made Itagaki Seishirō feel disappointed yet relieved all over.

Since those 'Excellencies' at the General Staff Headquarters were so complacent, Itagaki Seishirō also prepared to let himself rest well for a few days. As far as the intelligence content was concerned, as long as the old men read the report, Itagaki would probably not be at ease for a while.

Not long after leaving the door, he heard someone shouting behind him, "Itagaki-kun!"

Turning around, he saw Ishiwara Kanji and Yamamoto Isoroku behind him. Seeing that the rank insignia on Ishiwara Kanji's shoulder had changed from major to lieutenant colonel, Itagaki went up to this classmate of the same rank who was 5 years younger than him and smiled, "Already a lieutenant colonel?"

Ishiwara Kanji didn't mention his promotion at all and asked straight away, "Itagaki-kun, do you have time to go to Sendai?"

"Sendai? I have time, but..." Itagaki Seishirō didn't know for a moment why Ishiwara Kanji suddenly had the whimsical idea to go to Sendai. But seeing Yamamoto Isoroku beside Ishiwara, Itagaki knew the reputation of the navy's rising star Yamamoto in the flower districts and gambling. Was there some incredibly beautiful geisha in Sendai that Ishiwara Kanji had to visit together with Yamamoto Isoroku?

So Itagaki Seishirō asked jokingly, "Is it to meet some woman in Sendai?"

"You're right! Are you going?" A smile with deep meaning appeared on Ishiwara Kanji's face.

Having stayed in Tokyo for a long time, Itagaki Seishirō also wanted to go out. His personality was quite compatible with Ishiwara Kanji, and he acted without much scruple, so he answered immediately, "I'll go with Ishiwara-kun."

On the train, two lieutenant colonels and a navy lieutenant commander sat in their seats as if no one else was present. Ishiwara Kanji introduced Yamamoto Isoroku, "Yamamoto-kun, Itagaki-kun studied at the Sendai Army Regional Youth School."

"Oh? That is a famous school," Yamamoto Isoroku replied in a flat tone.

Itagaki Seishirō knew Yamamoto Isoroku was fond of women and gambling, and kept a poker face when gambling, making his thoughts completely unreadable. Seeing Yamamoto Isoroku revealing an inscrutable expression again at this time, he couldn't help asking, "I wonder what Yamamoto-kun is going to Sendai for?"

Yamamoto Isoroku looked at Ishiwara Kanji. "Ishiwara-kun said that in Sendai, one can see the future of Japan."

Even though Itagaki Seishirō had a good impression of Sendai, he really couldn't imagine any incredible factory in that place that could represent the future of Japan.

That evening, the group checked into a hotel in Sendai. While the hotel was serving food, Yamamoto Isoroku had already started chatting congenially with the woman serving the dishes. Even though he was beside them the whole time, Itagaki couldn't figure out how Yamamoto Isoroku could make this hotel maid cover her mouth and laugh happily with just a few words.

When the last dish was served, the proprietress enthusiastically asked if the three mid-level officers had any other requests. Yamamoto smiled, "The food is very good, but there is a lack of someone to pour wine."

The proprietress was stunned. Seeing the maid sitting beside them without any intention of refusing, she could only smile apologetically and respond, "The guest is right. Miya, take good care of the guests."

Since the proprietress was so sensible, Yamamoto Isoroku immediately had the maid pour wine for the three of them. Here, Itagaki Seishirō couldn't help saying, "Yamamoto-kun going to Harvard University in the United States to study is a very good opportunity. However, I'm afraid just as Yamamoto-kun goes to the United States, war will break out between China and Japan."

The maid Miya hadn't expected Itagaki to say such things; she stopped halfway through pouring the wine. Yamamoto Isoroku smiled at Miya. "Don't mind that person; he said that deliberately to make you look at him more."

The hotel maid Miya burst into laughter and hurriedly continued pouring wine for the three.

Ishiwara Kanji answered Itagaki's question: "If He-kun were so impulsive, he wouldn't be scary at all."

Itagaki Seishirō disagreed. "Recently, China's Foreign Minister took several personnel who should be going to attend the Paris Peace Conference to Fengtian... went to Shenyang. Their purpose is to recover all rights and interests in Shandong. A big fight probably won't happen, but it's not impossible that He-kun might send troops to Shandong."

Yamamoto Isoroku picked up the sake bottle and poured a cup for the maid Miya before asking Itagaki Seishirō, "Does Itagaki-kun look forward to a war?"

Itagaki Seishirō was stunned. Ishiwara Kanji picked up his sake cup and said, "Solving the Shandong issue doesn't necessarily require fighting a war, unless the Ministry of War and He-kun already want to fight one."

After speaking, he raised his cup and drank it in one gulp. Yamamoto Isoroku nodded slightly and also drank the wine in his cup.

Seeing that Yamamoto of the Navy and Ishiwara of the Army held the same view, Itagaki Seishirō, responsible for investigating He Rui, said unhappily, "If you two knew what He-kun has done in Manchuria and Mongolia, you definitely wouldn't be so optimistic."

Yamamoto Isoroku shook his head. "There must be a war between China and Japan. Since Itagaki-kun said He-kun is meeting face-to-face with the Chinese Foreign Minister, then a fight won't happen in the short term."

Itagaki Seishirō knew he couldn't reveal much secret intelligence. Thinking of the industrial development in the Northeast, especially how He Rui achieved self-production of light weapons, machine guns, and mortars in just three years, Itagaki Seishirō felt somewhat anxious in his heart. Yamamoto Isoroku saying that war between China and Japan was inevitable was a consensus in the Japanese military circle. And the war strength possessed by He Rui was improving rapidly; the only thing limiting He Rui now was the import volume of saltpeter.

However, Yamamoto Isoroku was already chatting happily with the maid, so Itagaki Seishirō could only eat and drink slowly.

The next morning, the three appeared at the gate of Tohoku Imperial University in Sendai. Yamamoto Isoroku was somewhat puzzled. "Ishiwara-kun, has Tohoku Imperial University developed some decisive weapon?"

Itagaki Seishirō guessed what Ishiwara Kanji was doing here and sneered, "Yamamoto-kun hasn't met He-kun's adopted daughter, right?"

Ishiwara Kanji immediately corrected, "He-kun treats Miss Mitsuko as a younger sister."

Yamamoto Isoroku suddenly realized, "Is Miss Morita Mitsuko studying at Tohoku Imperial University? I thought she went to a women's school in Tokyo."

The women's school Yamamoto Isoroku mentioned was an aristocratic university higher than a women's high school. To cultivate perfect Japanese women, the subjects inside were literature, flower arrangement, tea ceremony, calligraphy, and painting. The girls admitted to those schools were from prestigious families, and after graduation, they basically married into prestigious families. The three officers at the gate of Tohoku Imperial University didn't need to consider getting involved with such women.

Ishiwara Kanji held his head high and chest out. "Yamamoto-kun, if you want to see the future of Japan, I'll take you to see the future of Japan."

After speaking, he took the lead walking into the campus.

The President of Tohoku Imperial University politely received the three mid-level officers who came together. Hearing they came to show concern for student Morita Mitsuko, he no longer felt surprised.

When receiving Morita Mitsuko's admission application, the President had already been surprised. A girl from an ordinary family in Tokyo came to take the exam for the Imperial University, and the secretary of Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo sent a recommendation letter. The President knew he'd better not ask anything.

Later, the Mitsui conglomerate sent someone to show concern, and Tokyo Imperial University Law Professor Taira Toyomori came personally to show concern. Now a navy and an army lieutenant colonel and major came to show concern. The President introduced calmly, "Student Morita ranks second in the mathematics department and also performs very well in literature and law. She is an excellent student our school is proud of."

Yamamoto Isoroku had only heard Yamaguchi Tamon mention Morita Mitsuko and hadn't expected a girl to achieve such excellent grades in university. Most of the women around Yamamoto were girls from Yoshiwara and the flower districts. No matter how beautiful, understanding, and dazzling they were, they had nothing to do with scholars. Listening to the President introduce Morita Mitsuko's studies, Yamamoto Isoroku felt a completely different world suddenly open its doors to him. Apart from listening seriously, he couldn't speak at all.

Even indulging his imagination—in the Kure Naval Arsenal, a female engineer in work clothes holding a clipboard with data directing the production of naval guns, or a female officer in a dark blue navy uniform walking across the spotlessly polished teak deck in snow-white socks...

When such imaginations surfaced in his mind, the women's clothing involuntarily transformed into the gorgeous attire of an Oiran, confusing Yamamoto's usually clear thinking.

After introducing Mitsuko's studies, there was a knock on the door of the President's office. Morita Mitsuko walked in wearing a sailor suit. Yamamoto Isoroku felt very fond of that collar style. Thinking that he was facing a real female university student of the Great Japanese Empire, Yamamoto Isoroku's thinking became confused again.

Mitsuko didn't know Yamamoto Isoroku and Itagaki Seishirō. After bowing to everyone, she said politely, "Hello, President."

The President of Tohoku Imperial University was very satisfied in his heart; students should look like students. The female students of Tohoku Imperial University performed satisfactorily in this regard.

Ishiwara Kanji chatted with Mitsuko for a while, then said to the President, "Sir, we will take our leave. We entrust Mitsuko to your care."

The President calmly responded to Ishiwara's request, and Mitsuko saw the three to the school gate. Those male students watching the three Imperial officers walking with Mitsuko showed envious expressions.

Ishiwara smiled. "Mitsuko, do you want to join the army after graduating from university? Although you can't go on a warship, the naval communications department needs university students."

An impulse surged in Yamamoto Isoroku's head. Even knowing this was impossible, he almost expressed agreement.

Mitsuko smiled and replied, "I want to work in a newspaper office after graduation."

"Oh? You want to go into politics?" Ishiwara Kanji replied with surprise and joy.

Itagaki Seishirō was stunned, turning his head to scrutinize Morita Mitsuko carefully. This girl was less than 160 cm tall and had a round face, very lovable. But her life expectations made Itagaki Seishirō feel strong pressure.

The Rice Riots happened more than three months ago, and the cabinet of Field Marshal Terauchi Masatake in power collapsed directly. Next came the Hara Takashi cabinet. Prime Minister Hara Takashi was a politician of non-military background, achieving the formation of a cabinet by a party leader with a seat in the House of Representatives composed of national representatives, serving as the highest responsible person in the government.

In Hara Takashi's life experience, he had been active as a newspaper reporter for several years. Itagaki felt his cognition become confused for a moment. The emergence of a democratically elected government had already shaken Japan; could it be that a woman also wanted to take this path and become a politician?

Ishiwara Kanji didn't say much. Arriving at the school gate, he said goodbye to Morita Mitsuko. After walking for a while, Ishiwara Kanji turned to ask Yamamoto Isoroku, "Yamamoto-kun, did you feel the future?"

Yamamoto Isoroku hesitated to speak, just shaking his head repeatedly. As a member of the intelligence department, Itagaki Seishirō had accumulated considerable pressure during this short meeting and said unhappily, "Is the two-thousand-year tradition of the Imperial Country going to be completely wiped out! Does He Rui want to support a female Emperor in the Imperial Country?"

Ishiwara Kanji shook his head. "Itagaki-kun, if you had been to Britain and France during the European war, you would have seen that a new era has begun. That is not an era of opposition between men and women, but an era where laborers, regardless of gender, can enter society. Half of the workers in European factories are already women, and educated students are emerging at all levels. This is the trend of the future."

Itagaki Seishirō turned his face away unhappily, no longer looking at Ishiwara Kanji. Instead, Yamamoto Isoroku, who hadn't spoken much all along, suddenly sighed deeply, attracting the attention of his two companions. "Proposing 'grassroots rising' (Kusama no Kikki - rise of the grassy莽) in the Bakumatsu era... does Ishiwara-kun think the era of grassroots rising has arrived?"