Police Chief Duan Changgui was stunned upon hearing the news about closing the opium dens. Acting Mayor Wu Youping said nothing, waiting for Duan Changgui to respond.

After hesitating for a long time, Duan Changgui declared loudly, "We should have moved against these bastards who profit from destroying families long ago! How many people have these opium dens harmed!"

Then, Duan Changgui lowered his voice slightly. "But Mayor Wu, some opium is sold to the opium dens by Japanese merchants..."

Wu Youping laughed. "I didn't expect Chief Duan to be so resolute about the opium ban. The task of shutting down the Japanese merchants must definitely be handled by you, Chief Duan."

Seeing that Wu Youping showed no sign of being intimidated by the Japanese, Duan Changgui didn't know how to continue. He lowered his head and pondered for a good while before saying, "Since Mayor Wu orders it, I will definitely lead the charge."

That night, after turning it over in his mind repeatedly, Duan Changgui still sent someone out. Under the cover of night, this person headed straight for the large opium den. Business at the opium den was booming at this time, and that peculiar smell made the visitor frown.

Seeing the person sent by Duan Changgui enter through the back door, the opium den owner hurriedly ushered him into the inner room. Just as they were talking, the sound of footsteps suddenly rang out. Someone rushed in and shouted, "Boss, the army is outside!"

Duan Changgui slept very uneasily that night. When he was Chief before, people from all walks of life had to pay tribute to him. But now, He Rui absolutely did not allow corruption and bribery. Duan Changgui had long harbored the idea of retiring. Now, after the land reform in Siping, Duan Changgui's wish to be a landlord in Siping was shattered. He didn't even know where to go. The only thing that could make money for Duan Changgui was his secret shares in the opium den. Now that He Rui wanted to ban opium, Duan Changgui naturally knew He Rui wasn't just going through the motions. After all that had happened, he knew that He Rui might not act, but if he did, he played for keeps.

After much deliberation, Duan Changgui felt it was better not to gamble on luck. He hurriedly dressed and ran straight to He Rui's headquarters. When brought before He Rui, he knelt on the ground. "Governor, spare my life! Please, Governor, spare my worthless life! As long as the Governor gives me a way out, I will never set foot in Siping again."

He Rui ordered the guards to escort Duan Changgui home. Early the next morning, Duan Changgui left home dejectedly. Apart from fifty silver dollars, he didn't take any other family property.

But he didn't need to be sad about this, because compared to him, other former officials were not so lucky.

While the police were sealing opium dens and arresting addicts, the Special Action Team of the Statistics Bureau also began to act, rounding up all the targets.

Facing these guys shouting "I want to see the Governor," Xu Jia couldn't be bothered with their nonsense and let the investigators deal with them.

Meanwhile, Zhao Tianlin was invited to participate in the interrogation. For every person brought in, a cadre from the Statistics Bureau read out the investigation report. Hearing that their secret investments in businesses like opium dens, casinos, and brothels had been discovered, these people's faces turned pale one by one.

Watching their reactions, Zhao Tianlin's expression became solemn. When the morning inquiry ended, Zhao Tianlin went directly to Xu Jia. "Section Chief Xu, this is not proper judicial procedure."

Xu Jia respected Zhao Tianlin very much, so he answered frankly, "Dr. Zhao, there are no clear laws to deal with them right now. We can only try our best to ensure the facts are clear and the evidence is conclusive. Moreover, the things these people did are being done everywhere outside the pass. If you say they did wrong, they really won't admit it."

Zhao Tianlin shook his head. "Section Chief Xu, that's not what I mean. The Siping Court is barely a skeleton right now, and there are no professional judges. What I mean is, detain them first. I will write letters to friends who graduated in law, inviting them to come to Siping. If the Governor approves of them, we will set up the court. As for those people... I study law, so I can't prejudge. But after hearing what Section Chief Xu collected, I hope even more that they receive a fair trial."

Seeing Xu Jia was very puzzled, Zhao Tianlin said sincerely, "Section Chief Xu. I was pen pals with Governor He for a year and worked with him for two months. Governor He said that law is a tool for the ruling class to realize its will. I couldn't agree more. Based on the philosophy of the Civilization Party, things that many countries in the world don't consider crimes are crimes in Siping. This has already pioneered a new era in Chinese justice. It may seem like I am asking for unnecessary trouble, but actually, it's not to give those criminals dignity, but to demonstrate the seriousness of our judicial system. The judicial system itself represents the power and will of the state; we must respect our own judicial system! And the integrity of the judicial system comes from its procedural propriety."

Xu Jia felt he could roughly understand, yet he still couldn't fully understand the propriety Zhao Tianlin spoke of.

But one thing was certain. Zhao Tianlin genuinely wanted to make Siping's judicial system better.

Xu Jia thought for a moment and replied, "In that case, I will proceed according to my arrangement first. Please also proceed with your plan, Dr. Zhao. If Dr. Zhao recruits people, I will wait for you to take over. What does Dr. Zhao think?"

Zhao Tianlin agreed immediately and then went to see He Rui. Unexpectedly, the guard politely stopped Zhao Tianlin. "Dr. Zhao, Governor He is meeting with Japanese merchants."

Zhao Tianlin roughly guessed what was happening inside, so he said, "Please inform the Governor that I have also read a bit of the Hague Opium Convention."

Soon, the guard came out to invite Zhao Tianlin in.

He Rui had already stood up. While inviting Zhao Tianlin to sit, he asked the several Japanese merchants and a Japanese military officer in front of him, "Do you know who this gentleman is?"

Seeing Zhao Tianlin in a western suit with the demeanor of a scholar, the Japanese merchants and officer all shook their heads.

He Rui said, "This is Dr. Zhao Tianlin, a Doctor of Law from Harvard University in the United States. You just said that opium is legal international trade. I will ask Dr. Zhao Tianlin to explain to you whether opium is legal international trade."

Seeing He Rui speaking with righteous sternness, Zhao Tianlin didn't decline and directly explained the content of the *International Opium Convention* to these Japanese.

In 1909, the United States, in coordination with 13 other countries including Japan, convened a meeting in Shanghai regarding the International Opium Convention. The meeting reached a consensus on increasing condemnation of the international opium trade.

On February 1, 1912, the Second International Opium Conference in The Hague passed the *International Opium Convention*. From then on, countries no longer regarded anti-drug efforts as China's "internal affair" but recognized that the drug trade was an "economic loss for the whole world."

After Zhao Tianlin finished explaining this, He Rui said coldly to these Japanese, "As one of the signatories of the *International Opium Convention*, Japan has an obligation to cooperate with China in implementing the drug ban. Tell those people behind you: even though it is currently wartime, if they continue to demand the sale of opium, I will send people to Beijing to lodge a complaint with the Diplomatic Corps. The Diplomatic Corps of various countries will definitely condemn the Japanese government. Facing a Japanese government that has lost face internationally, are you gentlemen prepared to commit *seppuku*?"