The attitude of the Soviet Russian negotiators underwent a 180-degree turn. While one couldn't quite say they went from arrogance to humility, they certainly shifted from confrontation to full cooperation. regarding the content of the negotiations, the Soviet representatives were willing to export the timber and iron ore that Russia produced in abundance.

Hearing that the Northeast was willing to import coal from the Amur region, the members of the Soviet delegation kept their faces stern, but their eyes exchanged looks of pleasant surprise.

The list proposed by Russia, however, put enormous pressure on the Northeast negotiation team. It was unclear where the Russians had learned their geography, but seeing tropical products like rubber appear on the list left the representatives baffled. Why would the Russian delegates think the Northeast possessed tropical commodities that the Northeast itself needed to import?

But compared to the results achieved, these minor details seemed insignificant. In the later stages of the negotiations, the Northeast delegation raised a question: "Have the Soviet Russian comrades completed the railways and roads leading to the mines?"

The Soviet comrades were stunned and asked for clarification. Hearing that the Northeast was willing to provide sales of railway and other infrastructure construction, the Russian delegation became alert.

The Northeast delegation didn't beat around the bush. "If transportation can be completed as soon as possible, the cost of minerals will decrease."

The Soviet representative across the table asked unhappily, "Are you plotting against us?"

There was some truth to that. Although the Northeast representatives didn't reply, they agreed in their hearts. If possible, everyone wanted to buy cheap goods.

Once the emotions of the Russian delegation had stabilized somewhat, the Northeast delegation continued, "Without a railway, a large part of the cost lies in transportation. This is a waste for both Soviet Russia and the Northeast. We are willing to work hand in hand with our Soviet Russian comrades to reduce transportation costs."

These words did not meet with a benevolent response. Although the negotiations had started with a very good atmosphere, they ended on a rather unpleasant note.

Carrying rich results as well as a fair amount of disappointment, Han Haitao and the others reported the matter to He Rui. Seeing that He Rui was completely unaffected and simply praised the comrades for their hard work and effective results, the comrades felt something was amiss.

Since they were facing He Rui, everyone summoned their courage to ask, "Chairman, are there other considerations outside of the negotiation list?"

He Rui chuckled lightly. "Heh, Russia hopes to determine the border with China immediately. If they acknowledge those goods as imports, it amounts to acknowledging that the territory is Russian."

Han Haitao and the others couldn't help but be startled. When they went, they hadn't expected such considerations to be involved at all. Some worried they might have ruined He Rui's arrangements. However, before they could ask, He Rui replied, "Comrades, you have done very well. Let's leave the discussion here for today."

Concluding the project deal did not mean everything was problem-free. After the broad framework, there were more details to be completed. For example, to complete the transportation, should a bridge be built over the river? After all, transshipment from the railway would require unloading, and that cost would be too high.

Railway transport was just one of many detailed issues; there were even more details involved. A special working group needed to be established to handle the implementation of the project. When asked within the negotiation team if he was willing to be the leader of the liaison group, Han Haitao immediately refused. At heart, Han Haitao actually didn't like doing this work. Working in the Price Bureau suited his desires better. Every day, researching and analyzing those prices that concerned people's livelihoods was truly full of fun. At least Han Haitao felt it was quite fun.

Such a life was very similar to the rhythm of Han Haitao's life when he was a small teahouse owner. Back then, what Han Haitao talked about with the guests was often these matters. At that time, Han Haitao could only make wild guesses about what market-impacting events had occurred based on extremely limited intelligence. Now, Han Haitao could truly understand what had happened by operating the Price Bureau.

The organization did not force him, so Director Han Haitao returned to the Price Bureau. The bureau was also very busy, seeing as 'Suishou' was approaching. That is, January 1st of the Western calendar. The Republic of China had designated it as 'Yuandan' (New Year's Day), and changed the first day of the Lunar New Year to 'Spring Festival'.

In the Northeast, He Rui had explicitly ordered that January 1st of the Western calendar be called 'Suishou' (Head of the Year), while the first day of the Lunar New Year would be 'Yuandan', or commonly known as 'New Year'.

Although he hadn't been able to immediately figure out the Soviet side's political attempts from the trade negotiations, Han Haitao did understand the political significance within the Northeast Government's 'Suishou' versus the Republican Government's 'Yuandan'. After all, quite a few domestic newspapers had commented on the dispute between 'Yuandan' and 'Suishou'.

From a calendar perspective, traditional scholars largely identified with He Rui's terminology. But the matter wasn't that simple. From a political perspective, the Northeast regional government establishing its own calendar was considered an attitude of He Rui towards the position of the Beiyang President.

He Rui's critics believed that if He Rui were only considering the calendar, he could have directly petitioned the Republican Government. Given He Rui's influence, the matter might not have failed to pass. After all, from a calendar perspective, ancient China took the Winter Solstice as the head of the year, and the Winter Solstice was only a few days earlier than January 1st of the Western calendar.

So the critics believed that He Rui doing this in the Northeast was obviously to implement it after he ascended to the position of Great President. It could be considered a declaration to the outside world.

Seeing this old matter brought up again in newspapers like *Shen Bao* this year, Han Haitao was truly somewhat puzzled. In Han Haitao's view, He Rui becoming the Great President of China was only a matter of time. Were those people grasping at an old matter and talking endlessly because they had nothing better to do?

In any case, Director Han Haitao had plenty of things to do. It was already deep winter, and the selling price of coal had begun to rise. At this time, the government had to step in to provide a batch of coal for the people to keep warm. With Suishou passed, the Spring Festival was visibly approaching, and all sorts of prices had to be watched.

From Suishou to the Spring Festival, the Price Bureau was exceptionally busy. After traveling for a few days to inspect work, by the time Han Haitao returned to his office, the Suishou holiday was already over. On January 5, 1921, the *Northeast Daily* published a piece of news: the Soviet Red Army had broken through Kolchak's defense line, their spearhead pointing directly at Vladivostok. Northeast Government Chairman He Rui appealed to Soviet Russia and Kolchak, hoping to solve the problem peacefully. The Northeast Government was willing to provide a venue for peace negotiations for both warring parties to avoid a humanitarian disaster breaking out in Vladivostok.

Han Haitao was stunned. He felt that the Red Army's fierce offensive was likely related to the commercial negotiations conducted by the Northeast Government. But he wasn't quite sure exactly what was going on.

Northeast Price Bureau Director Han Haitao was unclear about what was happening, but Northeast Government Chairman He Rui was very clear. Although He Rui himself hadn't received news directly from the Soviet side, the list of goods urgently purchased by the Soviet Red Army already proved too much.

Grain, food, clothing, shoes and socks, artillery shells, medical supplies—these emergency materials were all urgently needed by a warring party. Not only had Soviet Russia proposed such a list, but the White Army's Kolchak had proposed an almost identical list. It was just that the Northeast Government hadn't provided goods to Kolchak.

At this time, He Rui had no choice but to meet with the British Minister to China, Sir John Jordan, who was acting as the plenipotentiary representative of the British Government. Jordan immediately accused He Rui, "Your Excellency Chairman, you have not done your utmost for the stability of the Far East situation!"

He Rui looked at old Jordan's feigned official solemnity and found it quite funny in his heart. If Jordan hadn't donned the title of Plenipotentiary Representative of the British Government, He Rui wouldn't have met with Jordan personally at all.

But with things at this stage, He Rui patiently listened to Jordan recount the attitude of the British Imperial Government, and then replied, "Sir John, from an official perspective, you should go see His Excellency President Xu Shichang of the Republic. I am a regional government; whatever you say to me is useless."

Jordan naturally knew He Rui was right, but the British Empire was also somewhat blind at the moment. Before He Rui stepped onto the Chinese political stage, the British Empire was accustomed to dividing China into North China and South China. Now, they divided North China into 'Manchuria-Mongolia' and North China. The Manchuria-Mongolia region was already one of the three major powers in China, and was even considered to have potential no less than the entire South China.

In the just-concluded year of 1920, the North suffered a severe drought. The Zhili clique warlords occupying Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other places saw that the North China warlord leader Duan Qirui's strength was damaged, so they had consistently wanted to attack Duan Qirui. But He Rui had remained silent in Chinese politics, his attitude ambiguous. Moreover, the Zhili warlords believed that He Rui had obtained the position of Tuchun of Siping from Duan Qirui, so they feared they couldn't persuade He Rui. They turned instead to hoping for British support.

Britain was indifferent about whether to support the Zhili warlords, but if Duan Qirui failed, it would have a huge impact on the Chinese situation. This was something Britain did not want to see. Turbulent situations and rapidly changing political structures were of no benefit to Britain's existing interests.

Furthermore, Britain was also unclear about He Rui's attitude. Currently, Duan Qirui's Anhui clique was indeed encountering huge difficulties and, purely from a military aspect, should not be a match for the Zhili warlords occupying Jiangsu and Zhejiang. But once He Rui took advantage of the Anhui clique's defeat and the shaking of the regime to send troops to Shanhaiguan, expel the Zhili clique, and become the Great President of the Republic, the entire North China would be unified in the hands of this young warlord. A brand-new North China would possess an overwhelming advantage over South China, and He Rui would likely take the opportunity to march south and unify all of China.

Britain absolutely did not want to see such a situation.

At this moment, seeing He Rui still maintaining a matter-of-fact demeanor, Jordan only felt that He Rui looked detestable. Shouldn't a young man be high-spirited and daring in speech and action? Why did He Rui, this 31-year-old young man, appear even more cunning and seasoned than China's most treacherous old bureaucrats?

Just as Jordan felt somewhat anxious inside, he saw He Rui smile brightly. "Sir John, we have probably reached a consensus from an official perspective. As a friend, I have words I wish to say as a friend. Would you like to hear them?"

Jordan paused, turned his head to look at the interpreter and the recorder, and then turned back. If He Rui spoke in a private capacity, it would certainly appear in the report, but it would not be recorded in official documents. Turning his head just now was to signal the interpreter and recorder, saving those people from mishearing and making incorrect records.

"What suggestion does Your Excellency Chairman have?" Jordan asked.

He Rui spoke frankly, "The White Guard as an army is finished. The Red Army is about to seize Vladivostok. I have already begun arranging ships, sending icebreakers to pick people up. At a time like this, Your Excellency should hurry and contact France to get people out. I am about to publish news in *The Times*, *Le Figaro*, *The New York Times*, and other newspapers that the White Guard is at the end of its rope. And I will demand that the Western world accept refugees. In the news, I will not be polite in the slightest."

Jordan couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. It would be strange if He Rui were polite in such news. It was obvious that He Rui was prepared to take this opportunity to gain a huge amount of good reputation.

If no one reported this matter, and no one jumped out to take the lead, Britain actually wouldn't care if the Red Army really finished off a million White Guard soldiers and civilians.

But once He Rui reported it first and created such a scene, the European media would definitely follow up. Sir John could even imagine a few news headlines, for example, *Over a Million Lives in Imminent Danger*.

Or perhaps *Accomplice to Massacre, Britain! When Soviet Russia Raised the Butcher's Knife Against a Million Civilians, Britain Remained Silent*... This should be a headline from a French newspaper.

Jordan steadied himself and asked, "Let us continue the official topic. Your Excellency He Rui, are you truly unwilling to contribute to the stability of the Far East?"

He Rui's face darkened. "I have already made all the contributions within my power. Sir John, if I order troops to be dispatched now, Japan will send troops this very night. And who they will attack, I find it hard to determine. Does the British Government hope for the entire Northeast Asia to fight into a chaotic ball?"

Jordan knew He Rui was not wrong. At present, Japan was already very nervous about the changes in the situation. Unless Britain sent troops personally, only then would Japan have a certain assurance. If Britain did not send troops, Japan actually didn't want the situation to develop in a direction favorable to He Rui.

After another bout of meaningless official wrangling and mutual spouting, the official meeting ended.

At the banquet that evening, He Rui and Jordan sat by the warm fireplace in a small private room, holding wine glasses. He Rui gently swirled the goblet in his hand, letting more of the fragrant wine aroma escape. Taking a sip, He Rui said, "As the Chinese saying goes, 'As long as the green hills remain, there is no fear of running out of firewood.' Saving the lives of these White Russians... only when there is a change within Soviet Russia will the Provisional Government have a chance."

Jordan probed, "Does Your Excellency intend to take in these White Russians?"

He Rui chuckled lightly. "I don't want a single one. In the newspapers, I will vigorously criticize Britain, France, and the United States for sitting idly by in the face of a humanitarian disaster. I will use the power of the media to make Britain, France, and the US hurry up and transport the people away."

Taking in a hundred thousand or a million White Russians really wasn't much for Britain and France. Moreover, there were a large number of old Russian aristocrats and clergy among these people; completely ignoring them would indeed create significant public pressure.

"Your Excellency He Rui, I am very curious. Why would you do this?"

He Rui replied solemnly, "If there is no humanitarianism, what difference is there between us and beasts? Does Sir John enjoy seeing the blood of a million people flow like a river?"

Jordan naturally didn't enjoy seeing it, but he also didn't believe He Rui's words came from the heart. After thinking for a moment, Jordan asked, "Your Excellency He Rui, if you had the opportunity to use the conflict between the Zhili and Anhui cliques to obtain a higher status..."

He Rui immediately interrupted Jordan. "The Chinese people have suffered for too long. I do not want to see any war within the country! Right now, if I dare to say a single sentence, countless people will come running to Shenyang to probe me. Because they feel I have an interest in intervening in the situation. So I can only remain silent."

Jordan still didn't believe He Rui's words, but he decided to believe He Rui's attitude. After dealing with him for several years, Jordan felt that He Rui was a very steady person. Although he wouldn't let slip any benefit he ought to grab, He Rui would completely avoid bottom lines that shouldn't be touched. The calmness He Rui displayed now was likely because he felt the time was not yet ripe. Moreover, considering reality, the Manchuria-Mongolia region was growing stronger day by day; He Rui had no need to be anxious at all.

When He Rui first stepped onto the Chinese political stage, Yuan Shikai was still alive, and the Zhili warlord leader Feng Guozhang was also alive. Now He Rui was still young, while those two had passed away. And among the big figures on the Chinese political stage now, there were plenty of sixty and seventy-year-olds. Time was completely on He Rui's side.

The banquet ended, and He Rui returned to his office. As a 'single dog', He Rui spent more than half his time working. Although he had been engaged a residence according to regulations, He Rui was more accustomed to sleeping in the small room of the office suite. With the cafeteria, this blessed place that solved the problem of eating, the small private room was very suitable for a bachelor.

Sleep after finishing work, eat after waking up, work after finishing eating. Dedicating oneself completely to a great cause, obtaining one's satisfaction and life value within that cause—was there any life more simply happy than this?

Before sleeping, he still had to read some reports. For instance, Soviet Russia had sent a letter directly this time, hoping to get He Rui's clear objective.

He Rui scribbled a reply to Comrade Lenin. "Respected Comrade Lenin, death caused by engagement on the battlefield is a tragedy, but also a helpless tragedy. However, the Northeast Government cannot sit idly by regarding a humanitarian disaster. Given the mutual trust between our two sides, I explicitly hope to see Vladivostok surrender without bloodshed. But the situation is obviously unlikely to develop to that stage. In that case, letting the White Russians leave as refugees is a situation that all countries can accept. throughout history's many dynastic changes, there has never been a case where a thoroughly defeated force could seize power again. As of now, the White Russians have thoroughly failed. Letting them leave Russia is not only harmless to Soviet Russia but will also cause unstable elements within Russia to choose to leave as well. From historical experience, this is a wise decision..."

After He Rui finished writing, he felt the probability of Comrade Lenin accepting it was about fifty-fifty. Because Comrade Lenin wouldn't have the chance to see the result of China letting a group of people leave in '89. From the results, that group of people not only failed to affect China's development but actually promoted it very well.

A swarm of flies only induces disgust in ordinary people; at least that was true for He Rui and the vast majority of people He Rui met. Even without the state doing anything, just looking at the disgusting performance of that swarm of flies made the ordinary masses loathe them extremely.

Politically, the only consensus among these escaped White Russians was opposing Soviet Russia. But they would fracture internally first, causing overseas anti-Soviet forces to diversify their investments, leading to a dispersal of strength.

In short, the benefits far outweighed the harm.

After writing the letter, He Rui washed up and went to sleep immediately. Waking up the next day, Hu Xiushan, who was responsible for transferring the refugees, came to report on the preparations.

Vladivostok was a terrible port, but the land route was still passable. If the White Russians were willing to hand over their weapons and enter the Northeast after breaking up into smaller groups, He Rui was prepared to accept it. Efforts to save them were one thing, but how many could actually be saved was something only Heaven knew.

Even so, Hu Xiushan's plan still made He Rui appreciate him greatly. In terms of specific planning and execution, Hu Xiushan's level exceeded even that of Northeast Army Commander Xu Chengfeng. Chief of Staff Cheng Ruofan's intelligence could compare with Hu Xiushan, but in terms of stability, there was at least no sign yet that Cheng Ruofan surpassed Hu Xiushan.

If the three were each to lead a hundred thousand men, Hu Xiushan would definitely win. Leading five hundred thousand troops, Hu Xiushan's winning odds were relatively large. But with an army of a million, Hu Xiushan's overly specialized abilities would conversely lower his odds of winning.

Of course, this was an intuitive judgment He Rui made based on his own experience; after all, there was no opportunity for practice yet. He Rui just felt some regret—if Hu Xiushan's vision and range of interests were broader, perhaps he would be even better.

After reading the plan, He Rui couldn't see any problems either. So he asked Hu Xiushan about the preparation work for operations against Japan.

Hu Xiushan was one of the very few high-ranking officers who explicitly knew of the war plan against Japan, and was even a core member who knew He Rui hoped to make a move by early 1923 at the latest.

Hearing He Rui's inquiry, Hu Xiushan spoke in his steady, peaceful tone, neither fast nor slow. "Chairman, in squad and platoon-level confrontations, our soldiers have already raised some requirements for current weapons."

He Rui felt great joy in his heart. With the development trajectory of the Eighth Route Army and the PLA, it was 'use whatever you have'. But based on the experience of the German army, units raised requirements for weapons during various confrontational exercises. Then the quartermaster department would summarize these weapon requirements, hand them over to the military equipment R&D department for design, then invite tenders from industrial enterprises, and complete samples for the army to test.

This was the construction process of a modern army. The Eighth Route Army and the PLA didn't have such conditions in the early days. He Rui, however, had considered completing such a process from the moment he built the army, to build a formidable People's Liberation Army.

"What requirements?" He Rui decided to have a long talk with Hu Xiushan.