The gatekeeper had long since spotted He Rui's squad heading straight for the university. When the small column halted at the gate, the attendants in the guardhouse didn't dare venture out immediately, choosing instead to peer cautiously through the window.

Fortunately, one of them possessed a keen memory and recognized the man standing at the head of the unit. He stepped out boldly and asked, "Is that you, Mr. He?"

Even as he spoke, several figures hurried out from the main building of the National Beiyang University, rushing toward the gate. At their head was a young man dressed in a sharp Western suit—Zhao Tianlin, the President of the university.

President Zhao was only twenty-nine years old, a Ph.D. who had recently returned from government-sponsored studies in the United States. Recognizing He Rui, he called out from a distance, "Brother He! You're back already!"

He Rui didn't waste time on pleasantries. "I've come this time to ask for your help, Brother Zhao..."

Zhao Tianlin waited until He Rui had finished explaining his reasons and objectives for heading to the Northeast in meticulous detail before asking, "What exactly do you need me to do?"

"I'd like to ask for the use of your dormitory space for a few days. I also need to rent the university's mimeograph office to print a batch of materials."

Zhao Tianlin considered the request for only a moment before answering. "Since it is to head to the Northeast to deal with the Japanese, I must naturally do what I can to help. It is only that your subordinates must strictly abide by university discipline."

He Rui knew well that the reputation of soldiers in this era was less than stellar, so he formally introduced his unit. "These young officers with me graduated from the academy just three days ago. I believe Brother Zhao is well aware of the discipline maintained at the Baoding Military Academy."

Hearing that the group consisted of fresh military graduates, Zhao Tianlin felt a wave of relief. "In that case, I shall have the arrangements made immediately."

***

Two hours later, in an office within the four-story main building of the university.

He Rui offered his thanks. "You've done me a great favor, Brother Zhao."

Zhao Tianlin himself felt the turn of events was quite unexpected. Only a few days prior, He Rui's first stop upon returning to China had been Tianjin. They had met briefly then, and He Rui had left two large crates filled with books and research materials in Zhao's care, promising to retrieve them soon.

Now He Rui had returned from Beijing, bringing an entire unit to the campus. Fortunately, the university was currently on break, allowing Zhao to settle the men into the student dormitories.

But these logistical issues were minor in Zhao Tianlin's eyes. To him, He Rui was indeed a soldier, but he was first and foremost a scholar. He smiled and said, "Last time we met, it was such a rush that we had no chance for real conversation. Surely you aren't in such a hurry to leave again?"

It had been a year since Zhao Tianlin first learned of He Rui's existence. Zhao was an alumnus of National Beiyang University himself. When his former classmates who had studied in Japan returned home, they brought with them the first Japanese edition of *Geopolitics* written by He Rui and recommended it to him. Having studied at Harvard Law School, Zhao's Japanese was limited; he had found the rough, crude translations of the work deeply unsatisfying.

Zhao had written a letter and requested an acquaintance in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to forward it to He Rui. Soon after, he had received a large package containing the handwritten Chinese manuscripts of several of He Rui's works.

He Rui hadn't just sent the manuscripts; he had included the funds for their publication, requesting that Zhao see them into print. After reading the texts, Zhao had been profoundly impressed. He had immediately arranged for two hundred copies of each book to be printed. Following Western academic customs, he had written letters of recommendation to the major universities in Beijing and Tianjin, requesting that their libraries add the volumes to their collections.

The various universities, out of respect for Zhao Tianlin, had complied. From that point on, the two men had become regular pen pals, exchanging letters frequently across the sea.

Hearing that Zhao wanted to exchange views, He Rui gave a solemn promise. "I shall stay and talk with you, Brother Zhao, until we have both said our fill."

Though they had been correspondents for a year, this was their first face-to-face meeting. From the shifting global situation to the latest trends in Western academic thought, Zhao Tianlin conversed with visible delight. After several topics had been exhausted, he asked, "You've just returned from Japan. How do you view the situation here at home?"

"I wonder, Brother Zhao, how you yourself view it?"

"Currently, the provincial governors and warlords hold all the power, acting with total lawlessness. How can the nation ever hope to improve if this continues?"

"You are correct. At this moment, government decrees are ignored and military orders carry no weight. If this state of affairs persists, China will inevitably descend into total disintegration."

Zhao Tianlin let out a heavy sigh. "Alas... Brother He, do you believe that if we were to establish a system of separation of powers and a comprehensive legal framework, we might be able to reverse this decline?"

"Brother Zhao, the system of separation of powers is neither efficient enough nor truly suitable for China's needs. China currently has a population of five hundred million. While our territory is vast, much of it consists of rugged mountains. Without a modern industrial system, our grain production has already reached its ceiling under current technology. The amount of food available per capita barely allows the populace to scrape by on the edge of starvation.

"The United States, by contrast, expanded by nearly exterminating the indigenous population, seizing a land of vast, fertile plains. They have a situation of immense land and few people. Furthermore, they are close to Europe and possess ideal conditions for industrial development. Attempting to transplant the American system into China would be a profound mismatch. Even if it were successfully implemented, it would neither save the people nor enrich the state and strengthen the military."

Zhao Tianlin found himself nodding in agreement, but he pressed further. "Even so, we cannot simply abandon the pursuit of law and the rule of law."

"The legal system is a powerful tool, but the laws of any nation are invariably built upon the foundation of its own social development. I agree that a legal system is indispensable. However, the American legal framework emerged through the specific process of American development and exists to serve the American state. The national conditions and development paths of China and the United States are fundamentally different; their laws are not suited to us."

"Then I wonder, what does the 'rule of law' look like in your eyes?"

"The rule of law serves three primary purposes: to secure the polity, to implement distribution, and to facilitate the transfer of costs. We need not discuss the security of the polity for now. But China has too many people and too little land; our per capita resources are low and our surplus production is extremely scarce. Even if the state truly intended to implement a fair distribution of wealth, the poor could not survive on the social surplus—it is not even enough to maintain basic existence.

"As for 'cost transfer,' that is one area that is never neglected in today's China. At the top, we have warlords accumulating massive fortunes; at the bottom, we have the landlords and gentry who transfer the entire burden of their taxes onto the backs of tenant farmers who are already living hand-to-mouth. Hmph!"

At the end of his explanation, He Rui couldn't help but let out a sharp, indignant snort.

Zhao Tianlin sighed along with him. The points He Rui raised were the foundational principles of the rule of law; there was no room for disagreement. Faced with the grim reality of China's current state, Zhao felt a deep sense of dejection. He asked, almost desperately, "Then what must be done for China now?"

He Rui calmed his emotions before answering. "There is a way, of course. The rule of law that China needs must have the 'assistance of the laborers' as its core, rather than continuing to serve only the property-owning classes. First, we must elevate China's production capacity and increase the income of the working people. We must formulate tax laws that collect as little as possible from the laborers. Even so, as their incomes rise, even a small contribution from each individual will result in a substantial total revenue, given our population of five hundred million.

"With that, we can establish an efficient, incorruptible government and invest a portion of that revenue into the military to build a force capable of defending the nation. The remaining funds should be used to expand production, universalize education and healthcare, and provide relief for those affected by natural disasters. Although enriching a nation of five hundred million is no easy task, such a path would reverse our decline and set China on a trajectory of upward development. China's rejuvenation is not an impossibility."