Hearing that He Rui had sent an envoy to escort Lieutenant General Kawai Misao out of Port Arthur, Major General Fukuhara Yoshiya wondered for a moment if he had heard wrong. Immediately, many thoughts surged in his mind. Did He Rui want to capture Lieutenant General Kawai Misao alive, so he used such a deceptive method? Or did He Rui want to use such means to humiliate the Kwantung Army?

But an impulse immediately popped up. Major General Fukuhara Yoshiya hoped that Lieutenant General Kawai Misao could return to Japan so that he could recount the experience of the Kwantung Army to the Ministry of the Army and the General Staff Headquarters. This defeat indeed made Major General Fukuhara Yoshiya feel great shame, but it also gave rise to too much confusion. The war shouldn't have been fought like this. The weapons in He Rui's hands were not unexpected, and it was impossible to build an army powerful to this extent in six years. There must be unknown factors involved. Chief of Staff Fukuhara Yoshiya really wanted to figure out where the problem lay.

Just then, Lieutenant General Kawai Misao spoke, "Bring that person in."

Chief of Staff Fukuhara Yoshiya felt a joy in his heart, but when he turned to look at Lieutenant General Kawai Misao, the joy in his heart was completely extinguished. Lieutenant General Kawai Misao's expression was so firm; it was the determination to die.

Before long, the envoy of the Northeast Army came in. Chief of Staff Fukuhara Yoshiya felt he looked familiar. After a brief recollection, he remembered immediately. It was this person who had come to the Kwantung Army Headquarters to declare war two days ago.

Chief of Staff Fukuhara Yoshiya remembered correctly. Major Yu Cen hadn't expected to come to the Kwantung Army Headquarters to see Commander Kawai Misao again. Although Yu Cen didn't understand He Rui's thoughts at this time, seeing the miserable state of the Kwantung Army, he was truly happy in his heart.

Saluting Lieutenant General Kawai Misao, Yu Cen said, "Your Excellency Commander of the Kwantung Army, I am ordered by Chairman He Rui, Commander of the Northeast Army, to escort Your Excellency out of Port Arthur. The car is waiting outside; we will take Your Excellency to the port. Before this, we have contacted the Japanese Navy and asked them to send a ship to pick Your Excellency up from Port Arthur."

Lieutenant General Kawai Misao did not question whether this action was credible. He sneered, "The reason?"

"Your Excellency is Chairman He's teacher. Chairman He has always admired Your Excellency. Under these circumstances, he asks Your Excellency to leave Port Arthur. Moreover, Your Excellency can take any items you wish to carry. Our Northeast Army is an army with honor and will absolutely not detain or search Your Excellency's personal belongings."

"What about my subordinates?" asked Lieutenant General Kawai Misao.

Yu Cen did not hesitate. "We will persuade them to surrender according to convention. If they insist on military honor, the Northeast Army can only act according to the rules of the battlefield. But Your Excellency can take three personnel as your guard."

Hearing this, Lieutenant General Kawai Misao was slightly moved, but military honor prevented him from wavering in the slightest. Lieutenant General Kawai Misao said coldly, "In that case, why didn't He Rui come personally?"

Yu Cen smiled slightly. "Could Your Excellency please move?"

Kawai Misao was stunned; he hadn't expected He Rui to actually be in Port Arthur. But on second thought, with the battle of the Kwantung Leased Territory fought like this, those officers who had followed He Rui for six or seven years couldn't possibly possess such command ability. If He Rui commanded personally, it would be reasonable.

Before long, the Northeast Army car that drove to the front of the Kwantung Army Headquarters started up and drove to a pavilion in a park. This pavilion was considered a small scenic spot in Port Arthur. At this time, it had been affected by bombs, and there was a big hole in the roof. However, after a brief cleaning, the stone table and stools underneath were clean.

Kawai Misao got out of the car and saw a person standing in front of the pavilion, not wearing a military uniform but a green gown. It was He Rui.

Seeing He Rui coming up to greet him, Kawai Misao smiled and said, "Is He-kun's attire intended to see me off?"

He Rui stepped forward and bowed before saying, "Principal, I have absolutely no intention of harming the Principal."

Kawai Misao did not pick up on this topic. He looked left and right. "Since it's a send-off, how can there be no wine and food?"

He Rui pointed to the pavilion. "Principal, please take the seat of honor."

Kawai Misao didn't stand on ceremony. Walking to the stone table, he saw a three-tiered food box placed next to it. He Rui opened the food box and took out Japanese-style dishes such as tempura and pickles. Finally, he took out two bottles of Japanese-made Daiginjo sake.

Kawai Misao was not polite either; he picked up his chopsticks and picked up a piece of tempura. After eating, he sighed, "He-kun, the taste made by your chefs is still different from Japan."

He Rui also ate one, and it was indeed as Lieutenant General Kawai Misao said. Probably because the production of edible oil in the Northeast had increased rapidly in recent years, they were a bit too generous when frying tempura. In Japan, the method of making tempura is quite different from the Northeast Army's mode of frying dough sticks (youtiao).

So He Rui raised his cup and drank a cup with Lieutenant General Kawai Misao before saying, "Principal, the tempura made by Ms. Oda, the owner of Momiji-tei in Tokyo, is superb. I wonder if the Principal has been there."

Mentioning Tokyo's delicacies, Kawai Misao sighed. "Ms. Oda passed away last year. Her second son, Oda Yuji, inherited the family business."

"Oh? Did Ms. Oda's eldest son get into the military academy?" He Rui was pleasantly surprised.

"I heard Oda Yuji say that his older brother was first in the written test among the candidates. Naturally, he got in." After speaking, Lieutenant General Kawai Misao readily tasted other dishes.

He Rui actually still wanted to persuade Lieutenant General Kawai Misao to leave, but he couldn't find an opportunity. Putting down his chopsticks and looking to the side, he saw that many trees in the park were charred black, presumably affected by incendiary bombs. Further away, rolling thick smoke rose from still-burning houses, and the column of smoke from the destroyed Port Arthur Fortress was undoubtedly the most striking.

Just then, he heard Kawai Misao ask, "He-kun, I heard that when you left Tokyo, you told many people that if we meet on the battlefield in the future, you will show absolutely no mercy. Is there such a thing?"

He Rui turned his head back and nodded. "There is indeed such a thing."

Kawai Misao put down his chopsticks, stared at He Rui, and asked, "Then why is He-kun acting like this today?"

"What the student said at that time was about meeting on the battlefield. Now that the situation is decided, the student still sincerely wants to ask the Principal to leave."

Kawai Misao smiled and shook his head. "He-kun is still so sentimental. I will not leave, but I want to ask, can you let the others leave?"

He Rui sighed, "Principal, the battlefield has its own rules. If the Principal does not leave, no one can leave. However, the student will definitely treat prisoners of war well in accordance with the Geneva Convention. When the war is over, prisoners of war will also be exchanged according to the rules."

Kawai Misao nodded and praised, "This is what a soldier should look like."

After speaking, he picked up his chopsticks and ate and drank again. The two no longer talked about military-related matters, but spoke of things in Tokyo and the past at the school. During the conversation, Kawai Misao asked about a few things among the students that he cared about but didn't know, and He Rui informed him one by one. Kawai Misao only realized now what kind of tricks those students had played in private and couldn't help laughing out loud.

When his spirits were high, Kawai Misao tapped the beat with his chopsticks and sang, "Human life lasts but fifty years, it is like a dream, like a dream. Having life, there is death; what regrets does a brave man have?"

He Rui was stunned. This was something he had sung loudly when he got drunk at a New Year's party at the Japanese Army War College. This was actually an adaptation of Oda Nobunaga's famous poem (part of the Noh play "Atsumori"). The handed-down poem of Oda Nobunaga is 'Human life lasts but fifty years, contrasted with the heaven and earth, it is but a dream and illusion. Is there anyone within the world who lives forever and never dies?' Unexpectedly, Kawai Misao kept what He Rui sang at that time in his heart.

After singing, Kawai Misao stood up and smiled, "He-kun, parting this time, I don't know how long it will be before we meet again. On that day, I will invite He-kun for a drink. Farewell."

He Rui quickly stood up, wanting to make a final persuasion. Just as he said 'Principal', he was interrupted by Kawai Misao. "He-kun, regarding today's defeat, I have been reflecting constantly for the past two days and actually couldn't find any possibility of turning the tables. To be able to achieve this level, you are worthy of being an excellent soldier. In my life, I am proud to have taught He-kun."

After saying that, Kawai Misao walked away. Watching Kawai Misao's retreating figure, He Rui sighed slightly. If possible, He Rui really wanted to let Kawai Misao go back. Even if it was considered a utilitarian approach to show goodwill to Japan indicating that He Rui had no hostility towards Japan, He Rui didn't want to kill his teacher.

But He Rui also knew very well that with Kawai Misao's personality, it was difficult for him to accept such goodwill.

Kawai Misao returned to the Kwantung Army Headquarters and called Chief of Staff Fukuhara Yoshiya for a private talk. When there was no one in the room, Kawai Misao immediately bowed deeply to Fukuhara Yoshiya. "Fukuhara-kun, I have a presumptuous request. Please, Fukuhara-kun, you must agree."

Fukuhara Yoshiya quickly helped Kawai Misao up. "Commander, please never perform such a great ceremony."

Kawai Misao sighed. "This matter should have been borne by me, but this great defeat is entirely my responsibility. If I do not commit seppuku to apologize, all guilt will be borne by the entire Kwantung Army."

"Commander..." Although Fukuhara Yoshiya knew that Kawai Misao would inevitably meet this end, actually saying it out loud was still inevitably sad.

Kawai Misao continued, "Just now I spoke with He Rui. He Rui guaranteed that the rights and interests of prisoners of war would be guaranteed in accordance with the Geneva Convention. Therefore, after I commit seppuku, I ask Fukuhara-kun to lead the troops to surrender. The officers and soldiers have done their best; we have no reason to let them shatter like jade (die honorably/suicide charge) after my death. As for the experience of this battle, after Fukuhara-kun is released, you need to state it to the Ministry of the Army and the General Staff Headquarters so that later soldiers can learn lessons from this battle."

Hearing this, Fukuhara Yoshiya shook his head repeatedly. "Commander, your subordinate also has responsibility. Your subordinate also wants to take responsibility."

"Fukuhara-kun! The responsibility you have to bear is not at this time!" Kawai Misao's voice was full of solemnity and stirring emotion. "If both you and I commit suicide, when the officers and soldiers return to Japan, it will definitely be officers of lower rank than you and me who will be held accountable. If you are still alive, and the ones bearing the responsibility are you and me, they can continue to serve the Empire of Japan. Fukuhara-kun, I know that what I am saying is an extremely inhumane request. Fukuhara-kun can completely ignore it. If you cannot accept it, you can also shoot me directly."

After speaking, Kawai Misao drew his service pistol and handed it to Fukuhara Yoshiya. Fukuhara Yoshiya was stunned for a while, then pushed away the pistol handed over by Kawai Misao. His expression was full of pain, but also had some relief like liberation. "Excellency, since it is so, please let your subordinate live on to bear the responsibility. Please rest assured, Commander; your subordinate will definitely do his best to defend those officers and soldiers at the military tribunal."

"Thank you!" Kawai Misao said, bowing deeply again.