In the morning, Zhong Yifu, dressed in plain clothes, entered a teahouse with a cultural instructor.

The waiter had seen Zhong Yifu come for three days straight, so he hurriedly brought tea and asked with a professional smile, "Master Zhong is early today."

Zhong Yifu paid for the tea and tossed a few copper coins in his hand. The waiter immediately leaned in close and whispered, "Master Zhong, what would you like to inquire about today?"

The accompanying cultural instructor smiled. "According to the rules, bring some snacks first, and we'll talk slowly!"

This cultural instructor was named Chen Deli. He grew up in the slums of Tianjin, losing his father at a young age and being raised by his mother and a brother barely older than himself. Before finishing higher primary school, he had worked as a waiter and bookkeeping apprentice in a tea shop. Smart, diligent, and meticulous, he was intimately familiar with the ways of the streets, and Zhong Yifu valued him highly. For this intelligence-gathering mission in Siping, Zhong had specially brought him along as his right hand.

Before long, tea and snacks were served. The waiter rubbed his hands as he approached. Taking the tip, he heard Zhong Yifu ask, "Waiter, yesterday you said there are six major merchant guilds in Siping. I walked along the streets, but I only saw five guild halls."

"Master Zhong, the one you didn't see belongs to Third Master Zhou. He mines gold in Heilongjiang and mainly trades with Russia. He doesn't usually come to Siping."

"If he's rarely here, does he still count as a merchant guild? But if he dares to mine gold, I imagine this Third Master Zhou must have quite a formidable guard." Zhong Yifu sighed with feigned admiration.

"That, I wouldn't know."

Zhong Yifu added a few more copper coins for the waiter. Only then did the man lean in and whisper, "Master Zhong, I've heard people say that Third Master Zhou has two or three hundred men who can shoot, and forty or fifty who can shoot from horseback. Whether it's true or not, I can't say for sure."

"If I wanted to pay my respects to Third Master Zhou, how long would I have to wait?"

"Third Master Zhou comes to Siping once in the autumn. If you come back to do business then, Master Zhong, you should be able to see him."

Zhong Yifu had fabricated an identity as a merchant from Fengtian scouting the markets in Siping and Changchun. Following the waiter's lead, he asked, "I wonder what other big shots will be coming around then?"

"It's hard to say if any big shots will come then, Master Zhong. But I heard one arrived just recently—a Governor He from the capital. He hasn't shown his face since reaching Siping; he only sent his deputy commander and two battalion commanders to visit the Mayor, the Police Chief, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce. I wonder if you've heard of him?"

Zhong Yifu shook his head. "Never heard of him." Feeling his answer was too curt for a merchant, he smiled and added, "He came all the way from the capital; how could a man like me meet such a person?"

As they spoke, a man dressed like a small-time trader suddenly ran in. "Boss Han! Boss Han!" he shouted.

The shopkeeper emerged from the back room with a smile. "Boss Zhu, what's the rush?"

"Boss Han! Has that Governor He finally arrived in Siping?" Boss Zhu asked urgently.

"Didn't he arrive three days ago? Why are you asking again?"

"Oh, we had it wrong before! Governor He didn't come with the troops; his subordinates arrived first. I heard that the soldiers in the Siping barracks all turned out to line up in welcome just now. Later, Commander Song of the Garrison Regiment went to the barracks in person to pay his respects."

Shopkeeper Han was stunned for a moment. "Really?" he said thoughtfully. "This Governor He certainly puts on quite a show."

Boss Zhu spat on the ground. "Hmph!" he grumbled. "Every time one of these Marshals shows up, it's nothing but tax hikes, grain requisitions, and press-ganging men." He looked uneasy. "Boss Han, you have wide connections. We can't afford to offend anyone who comes. What if we pool some money and send it over first as a greeting?"

Shopkeeper Han gestured toward the inner hall. "Boss Zhu, let's talk inside."

Hearing that He Rui had truly arrived, Zhong Yifu lost interest in the conversation. He took a final sip of tea and stood up to leave. The waiter hurriedly called out, "Boss Zhong, if you want to ask about market prices later, just come find me here!"

On the way back, Zhong Yifu felt a prickle of unease. He was on a mission, and returning like this felt wrong. Xu Jia had been strict about discipline: no one was to return to base during the day without authorization. Stopping in his tracks, Zhong ordered, "Chen Deli, let's swap clothes. You stay and continue collecting intelligence."

With his excuse ready, Zhong Yifu donned the attendant's clothes and headed straight for the barracks, entering through the back door.

In the main hall, He Rui was presiding over a meeting with Xu Jia and the others. When Zhong Yifu entered, He Rui nodded and signaled for him to sit.

The intelligence on Siping had already been condensed into a summary. Siping had once been a small settlement, but after the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway, it had become a vital transportation hub. Though it couldn't rival Fengtian or Changchun, it still boasted a population of over two hundred thousand.

Strategically, the military presence in Siping was not weak; it hosted a Garrison Regiment of over five hundred men. As a crossroads of various interests, the city's power dynamics were intricate. Local figures balanced one another; for instance, Police Chief Duan Changgui and Mayor Peng Minsheng were in league with each other but remained wary of the Garrison Regiment.

In the current work plan, the local gentry who held no military or political office were not the primary focus of investigation. However, they remained an important part of the city's fabric. At this point in the meeting, Zhong Yifu opened his notebook and began reporting on the merchant guilds.

Merchants operating outside the pass were often required to maintain their own armed forces. The presidents of the five major merchant guilds in Siping each controlled a private guard. Members relied on these forces to escort goods and protect their businesses.

Aside from these, the only other armed forces in Siping were a Japanese squad stationed near the station and Russian railway guards who conducted regular patrols.

Once the report was finished, the cadets couldn't contain their curiosity. Zhong Yifu was the first to speak. "Commander, when you went to the Kwantung Territory to negotiate this time... the Japanese didn't make things difficult for you, did they?"

He Rui offered a slight smile. "It went well. We exchanged some political and economic interests, and the matter has been settled. If you're interested, I'll find a time later to explain it in detail. But for now, we must focus on Siping."

Seeing that the analysis of the municipal administration, police structure, and basic military intelligence was complete, He Rui frowned. "Does anyone have suggestions for a rapid takeover of Siping?"

The cadets all spoke at once. Some suggested training the troops first and seizing power when the time was right; others proposed taking office and slowly dismantling the local power structure piece by piece; a few even suggested a slow infiltration.

He Rui shook his head. "Our task is heavy and time is short. We don't have the luxury of tangling with these 'local snakes.' We must cut the Gordian knot; delay only brings trouble." He turned to Xu Chengfeng. "Chengfeng, send a telegram to Major General Hamatsura Matasuke, Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Governor-General's Office. Tell him that I will officially take office at noon three days from now, and that I will be hosting a banquet at the Huaqing Tower in Siping. Invite Major General Hamatsura to attend."

Per the established structure, every meeting required a recording clerk. This time it was Tang Gui, who was being groomed as a key talent. Upon hearing the name of the invited guest, he was so shocked he forgot to write.

He Rui shook his head, took the record book, and wrote the contents of the telegram himself before placing it back in front of Tang Gui.

Zhong Yifu looked from He Rui to Xu Chengfeng, utterly bewildered. He wanted to ask but didn't dare. He shot a questioning look at Xu Chengfeng, but the man remained solemn and offered no objection.

Then Xu Jia asked, "Commander, how did the meeting at the Kwantung Governor-General's Office actually go?"

"There's no rush to discuss that now," He Rui replied. "Later, we'll have a specific session on politics, economics, and diplomacy to bring everyone up to speed. For now, let's deal with Siping. Go to the Huaqing Tower and place the order. Also, reserve a banquet for five hundred people. On the morning the day after tomorrow, we will host the local officials. In the afternoon, we will reward the officers and soldiers of the Garrison Regiment."