On March 2, 1923, Soviet trade representative Nikolaev and his comrades followed Morrison, the Director of the Merchants Bureau, into the Merchants Bureau canteen. The air in the canteen was a mixture of various food aromas. Nikolaev looked left and right; behind each window, there was a dazzling array of fish, meat, pasta, and vegetables. He felt that a canteen displaying such a variety of food had a delightfully luxurious feel.

The lines in front of the various windows were of varying lengths. At the most popular stall, the chef threw many white dough balls into a large pot and stirred them with a huge colander. Before long, the dough balls in the pot floated to the surface. Every Northeast staff member asked for a bowl, though the number of dough balls varied.

Nikolaev really couldn't figure out what was so delicious about the dough balls. As he passed the large pot stall with the dish Morrison had ordered for them, he couldn't help but take a few more glances.

Morrison stopped and said to the shop owner, "Boss, six bowls of *tangyuan*. Six in each bowl."

"Coming right up!" the owner answered cheerfully, and threw the freshly wrapped *tangyuan* into the pot together.

The food was served quite quickly. In this short time, Morrison roughly explained the development of *tangyuan* in China, and at the same time told everyone, "Today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, China's Lantern Festival. It is the day when *tangyuan* must be eaten."

Comrade Nikolaev thought hard but couldn't quite understand why festivals, blessings, and specifically shaped foods were so closely linked. Finally, he barely managed to propose an explanation, "Is this like taking Holy Communion?"

Morrison felt that Nikolaev's attempt to explain Chinese culture using European cognition was completely beside the point. However, Morrison could understand why the Soviets suddenly wanted to understand China so much. A month ago, the Soviet representatives' view of the Northeast Government had become cautious. Around February 15, caution had almost turned into pessimism. By February 25, the pessimism gradually eased.

When the Japanese army's second offensive was smashed to pieces in front of the Yalu River defense line, again suffering nearly 200,000 casualties, the attitude of the Soviet representatives returned to the level of a month ago. Not only the Soviet Union, but American merchants also signed a preliminary agreement yesterday with the Northeast Merchants Bureau to exchange pig bristles for copper ore.

After finishing the working meal, the Soviet delegation, who loved sweets, was slightly critical of the *tangyuan*, thinking that the *tangyuan* was too sticky and the sweetness was just a little bit lacking. As soon as he returned to the office, the secretary handed Morrison an invitation letter. The British Consulate in Shenyang was holding a ball and invited the Director to attend.

"I don't have time today. Apologize to the Consul on my behalf, and I look forward to the success of this ball," Morrison instructed.

One big order currently being discussed between the Soviet Union and the Northeast was for the Northeast to import 1.7 million tons of iron ore annually from the Soviet Far East for a period of ten years. The negotiations had been going on for more than a month. At this time, the Soviet delegation was naturally inclined to sign, and the progress was flying. By evening, both parties had completed the drafting of the commercial contract, waiting only to hand it over to their respective superior departments for study.

Morrison's secretary only then conveyed a message to Morrison, "Director, Mr. Victor called you four times this afternoon, asking to have dinner together."

The invitation from the British Consulate could be declined, but Victor's invitation was really not easy to refuse. This guy had cooperated with the Northeast for a long time, had many connections in Britain's Southeast Asian colonies, and provided many trade opportunities for the Northeast.

Looking back at the Soviet comrades who were already preparing to have a good meal tonight, thinking of how bold these guys were when they raised their glasses filled with vodka, Morrison finally decided to finish dinner with Victor. After all, British gentlemen and British football hooligans were like people from two different worlds at the dinner table.

Victor had tawny hair and amber eyes, dressed completely in the style of the Victorian era. Entering the British-run restaurant they had agreed upon, Victor walked to the table, inserted his cane into the umbrella stand beside the dining table, and then smiled at Morrison, who had arrived a few minutes earlier. "Dear Mr. Director, I really didn't expect that you would be willing to grace us with your presence."

Morrison knew that he couldn't hide forever, so he simply waited silently for Victor to explain his intentions first. After Victor sat down, he raised his left hand, and a folded banknote had already appeared in his backward-facing palm. The waiter walked over quickly and asked in a low voice, "May I ask, what are your orders?"

Victor gave instructions in a low voice for a moment. The waiter took the banknote and left quickly.

The British restaurant provided authentic British dishes, so the customers were mostly British and curious Chinese; the usual number of diners could only be described as average. After the war broke out, the number of British customers increased, probably because many Chinese restaurants that the British in Shenyang usually went to had closed for various reasons.

At this moment, the position where the two were sitting was inherently suitable for conversation, and the waiter deliberately avoided this area when showing other customers to their seats, so the two ate a quiet dinner very relaxedly.

When the after-dinner coffee was served, Victor spoke easily, "I had dinner with the Consul two days ago. He started complaining again, saying that the news you told him a few months ago caused him to be reprimanded by the Foreign Office again. Recently, the Foreign Office reprimanded him again because of this matter."

Morrison naturally couldn't apologize for the strategic misdirection, so he replied, "Moving against Japan in order to unify China, this choice might be able to unify China faster. The Consul lacks such judgment; it is not strange to be criticized."

"Hehe." Victor nodded while smiling. "I heard that someone in the homeland proposed that, in view of your outstanding ability, they want to strive for a knighthood for you."

After speaking, Victor looked at Morrison, only to see that Morrison looked calm, without any look of joy or expectation. Victor then asked, "Director Morrison, the situation in the Far East is already out of control. The British Empire needs your help, and I need the British Empire's help, so I was forced to come and pass the message."

Morrison felt that Victor was telling the truth, but he was unwilling to discuss this issue, so he asked, "Then how does the British Empire plan to deal with the situation in the Far East? At least there will be some action commercially, right?"

Victor did not answer the question, but just sighed, "Morrison. I am not a government man, just forced to carry a message for them. So, can we not be so antagonistic between us?"

Morrison's expression also became serious. "Victor. Since you can understand that we are not antagonistic, you shouldn't carry messages for them. I joined the Northeast Government to be the Director of the Merchants Bureau, not to act as a spy or eyes and ears for the government. I don't understand why those people asked you to bring such a question that humiliates me."

In the past twenty-something years, Morrison had been active in China as a columnist and a political broker. So Morrison knew very well that if the Northeast Government unified China, the Merchants Bureau would be a department directly under the jurisdiction of the Premier of the Chinese Government, equivalent to a smaller ministry in Britain, and Morrison would be a 'Cabinet Minister' of the largest country in the Far East.

If he were ordered to visit France formally in such a capacity, the French government would have to fire a gun salute to welcome him. Such an identity would never be granted to a traitor, a betrayer.

Victor also seemed to be very clear about this matter. He was silent for a moment, then asked, "Morrison, I also don't like this imposed mission. How about this, let's exchange views on the matters we are each concerned about. For example, does the Northeast Government regard Britain as an enemy?"

Morrison replied, "Everything that has happened so far proves that the Northeast Government does not regard any country as an enemy, unless those countries treat China as an enemy."

Victor frowned slightly, but continued to ask, "Then, what about the Chinese Eastern Railway?"

Morrison did not answer, but asked, "Then have you received any bans or advice from the British side requiring an embargo on certain bulk commodities in trade?"

"So far, Downing Street seems to be discussing this kind of issue, but there is no result yet. As for the Governors in various places, they have no intention of actively carrying out such actions, nor do they have any strong desire to cooperate with such bans." After Victor finished speaking, he repeated his previous question, "Then what about the Chinese Eastern Railway? What about the Boxer Indemnity?"

"I don't think the Japanese or Italian governments will accept treaties similar to the Boxer Indemnity, but this does not equal the outbreak of a war between countries. How to solve these problems without triggering a tragedy, I think Britain has enough political wisdom to take care of both."

Hearing Morrison's answer, Victor was amused. "Oh, Morrison, your answer is really like a diplomat."

Morrison did not respond with the humility of a Qing Dynasty official, nor even with the humility of a British non-aristocrat, but answered readily, "When I was young, becoming a diplomat was once my ideal. So, to what extent is the British government willing to go to support Japan?"

Victor frowned, "Morrison, you know that I have no close acquaintances among the lords in Downing Street. Please don't make things difficult for me with such questions."

Morrison also felt that Victor probably wouldn't give a correct answer. If Britain already had a clear plan at present, they wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to try to rope Morrison in. Since this was the case, the subsequent conversation was meaningless. Morrison stood up, "Then, I bid you farewell."

Victor hurriedly stood up, "Morrison, if you could make some rational suggestions to Excellency He Rui, do you think Excellency He Rui would accept them?"

"Excellency He Rui is a very wise leader. If they are truly rational suggestions, I suggest you make them directly to Excellency He Rui. Please believe me, Excellency He Rui will absolutely not refuse any rational choice, even if it is a choice he does not like." After speaking, Morrison left the restaurant.

Walking out of the restaurant, Morrison only felt that although the oncoming wind was cold, it also contained the unique scent of spring. Starting from last October, unknowingly, winter had passed. The Goddess of Spring was descending upon the earth with light footsteps.