Facing Ishiwara Kanji's counter-question, Takahashi Korekiyo wasn't stumped at all. He laughed, "Young people have great spirit. Ishiwara-kun, are you dissatisfied with the cabinet's resolution?"

Ishiwara Kanji shook his head. "This subordinate is just puzzled why His Excellency Makino Nobuaki was sent as a representative to attend the Paris Peace Conference. Now that China's market has opened to Japan, and the European war has ended, the world will enter a period of peace. This subordinate would rather believe that His Excellency Makino Nobuaki expected to reduce the animosity between China and Japan, first obtaining the rights and interests in Shandong, and then returning them decently to China in exchange for the Japanese Navy's right to enter Qingdao Port, as well as most-favored-nation treatment in Shandong. But with things developing to the current situation, hasn't it run counter to that?"

Takahashi Korekiyo couldn't help being surprised. Takahashi Korekiyo held no illusions about Japanese officers anymore. These soldiers often shouted slogans of seizing Manchuria and Mongolia and conquering China at every turn, completely lacking the ability to understand political economy. The reason he wanted to meet Ishiwara Kanji was that Ishiwara Kanji's view on 'counter-cyclical adjustment' already far exceeded that of Japanese soldiers, and even possessed the vision that senior civil officials should have.

Hearing Ishiwara Kanji's meaning now, he actually didn't pursue war but started from a political and economic perspective. This was no longer the level an ordinary Japanese officer should have; he might be even wiser than Yamagata Aritomo.

But having seen so many Japanese officers, Takahashi Korekiyo dared not easily trust these guys, so he probed again, "Ishiwara-kun, I heard there are moderates in the Japanese army who believe the best situation is for Japan to exist as the Britain of Asia, and China as Japan's India. I wonder what Ishiwara-kun thinks of this?"

"Absolutely impossible." Ishiwara Kanji answered briskly, "Your Excellency, China does not lack talents like He-kun, and is simply not an object Japan can conquer. The best situation at present is for Japan to help China develop raw material production and obtain a stable supply of raw materials. While China opens its market to Japan, Japan opens investment opportunities to Chinese capital. While Chinese investors gain returns, Japan can also fully utilize capital from China to develop Japan's industry and economy. Having read the cabinet's annual national development reports, this subordinate deeply feels these things. So this subordinate truly doesn't understand why His Excellency Makino Nobuaki actually incited anti-Japanese sentiment nationwide in China. His Excellency Makino followed Prince Ito in his early years and is not of the military faction."

Takahashi Korekiyo had to make a judgment: the young officer in front of him could view problems at the national level, and at a serious national strategic level. While happy, he couldn't help but be disappointed. The result caused by Makino Nobuaki's actions at the Paris Peace Conference was indeed not the expectation of Takahashi Korekiyo and Prime Minister Hara Takashi.

So Takahashi Korekiyo asked, "Ishiwara-kun, perhaps it is precisely He-kun who is driving this matter behind the scenes. Within just two years of He-kun commanding Manchuria and Mongolia, he has already begun selling large quantities of industrial products inside the pass. Looking throughout China, the person who least wants Japan to sell industrial products to China must be He-kun. With He-kun's means, inciting this matter would probably be effortless."

For a moment, both Ishiwara Kanji and Taira Toyomori were speechless. Both were close to He Rui and had a very high evaluation of He Rui's ability. If He Rui instigated it personally, he could indeed stir up anti-Japanese sentiment throughout China.

However, after a moment, Ishiwara Kanji couldn't help defending He Rui. "If what Your Excellency Takahashi says is true, then among His Excellency Makino's close entourage, there must be someone colluding with He-kun. Or perhaps His Excellency Makino exchanged views with He-kun on what to do at the Paris Peace Conference?"

Seeing Ishiwara Kanji actually make a counter-accusation, Takahashi Korekiyo was amused and laughed out loud. He had heard that Ishiwara Kanji was a very spirited fellow in his youth; seeing Ishiwara Kanji dare to speak like this now, it seemed this guy hadn't become slick just because he reached 30.

However, Ishiwara Kanji couldn't be considered making irrational arguments. If He Rui were really playing tricks behind the scenes, he would definitely give himself away. He Rui did meet with the Chinese Foreign Minister, and when the Japanese side conducted diplomatic offensive and defensive deductions, they had assessed the possibility that the Chinese diplomatic mission might withstand the pressure and not sign the agreement of the Paris Peace Conference.

The officials sent by the Beiyang government this time were all diplomats with high education, excellent character, and very good reputations. These diplomats cared very much about their reputation and were unwilling to be stained.

And this was also the reason why Takahashi Korekiyo was quite disappointed with Makino Nobuaki. Takahashi Korekiyo didn't want to see what was happening now; the relationship between China and Japan was already quite bad. China's hostility toward Japan was getting higher and higher. Such hostility not only affected the opening of the Chinese market to Japan but also affected the possibility of Japan attracting Chinese investment. From a political perspective, this was an unacceptable result.

Yet Makino Nobuaki indeed triggered such a result, and the courage and determination displayed by the Chinese public this time made even Takahashi Korekiyo feel somewhat uneasy. Burning down the Zhaojialou, beating up Zhang Zongxiang. These people pointed the spearhead at the Beiyang high-level officials and adopted such fierce means.

Duan Qirui and Zhang Zongxiang were both figures in China that Japan had spent considerable effort cultivating. What happened now swept away the reputation of the pro-Japanese faction Japan had invested hugely to cultivate. Paying such a big price for interests in Shandong was not worth it.

Moreover, Takahashi Korekiyo still felt He Rui was not innocent in this matter. Perhaps He Rui used more ingenious means to instigate this?

If He Rui knew his old acquaintance Takahashi Korekiyo viewed him this way, he would definitely praise Takahashi Korekiyo for having the vision of a politician. Although He Rui didn't deliberately incite the public because he knew the intensity of domestic nationalist sentiments, He Rui did put some effort into the Chinese diplomatic delegation.

Of course, at this time, He Rui didn't join this fierce national movement in a high-profile manner, but put all his energy into organizing and guiding the strengthening of the nationalist sentiments of the people in the Northeast. At this stage, He Rui needed China's nationalist sentiments.

With Zhao Tianlin and others coming forward, students in Northeast schools didn't parade, let alone cause trouble. Through the explanation of the internal reasons for the current situation, the prestige of the Beiyang government among students in the Northeast plummeted, and its legitimacy vanished. He Rui felt the current goal had been achieved. The Beiyang government must be overthrown. The current students would become the grassroots backbone of the Northeast government within a few years. In the war to liberate all of China, He Rui didn't want any of these grassroots cadres to think Beiyang was the orthodoxy.

Northeast University had resumed normal teaching. After classes ended, Li Hongguang of the Law Department carried his thick schoolbag and left the classroom. Not long after, Li Hongguang led a person to the dormitory. At this time, many people were already waiting in the dormitory. Hearing there was a student from Beijing, even more people ran over. Everyone wanted to hear what specifically happened in Beijing.

The visiting student was named Li Junyu. Seeing so many students come, Li Junyu was excited. He stood up and recounted the story of thousands of Beijing students and citizens marching on the streets, rushing into the Zhaojialou, and catching and beating Zhang Zongxiang, who was disguised as a Japanese.

The young students applauded repeatedly upon hearing such a feat. Seeing the enthusiastic response, Li Junyu struck while the iron was hot. "Now universities all over the country have joined the Student Union. I came here this time to invite the students of Northeast University to send representatives to join together."

Unlike the enthusiastic performance just now, the expressions of the students of Northeast University no longer had that enthusiasm, which puzzled Li Junyu very much. Why did the students of Northeast University lose interest in such a great thing?

But things happened just like this. The students of Northeast University only cared about the excitement in Beijing but had no intention of joining the student movement.

When Li Junyu returned to his residence disappointed, he was still not in despair. Perhaps because there were many people and mixed eyes before, those students who wanted to join were unwilling to express their attitude publicly. Anyway, the address had been left to the students; those who wanted to join should come privately.

Waiting until 9 PM, no one knocked on the door. Li Junyu's eyelids were fighting, and he was ready to sleep when there was finally a knock on the room door. Li Junyu quickly tidied his clothes before opening the door.

Outside the door were not Northeast University students wearing student uniforms, but soldiers wearing black military uniforms. The leading soldier pushed the door open and entered. That man was extremely strong; Li Junyu couldn't even block the door and was squeezed aside by the force of his push.

Several soldiers in black clothes entered the room and checked silently. After confirming there was no one else in the room, one of them took out his credentials. "Student Li Junyu, right? We are from the Security Bureau. Please come with us."

After speaking, without allowing any explanation, they picked up Li Junyu and left. Two cars were parked outside the door. The Security Bureau people stuffed Li Junyu into the back seat of a car, with a soldier sitting on each side, sandwiching Li Junyu in the middle.

The car started and drove toward the unknown front in the vast dark night, quickly disappearing into the night.