The Winter Solstice was fast approaching, and snow had begun to drift down over Beijing, quickly coating the streets in silver. A car came to a steady halt in the parking lot opposite the newly opened "Beijing Old Hotpot" on Zhongyuan Road, a main avenue of the city. Sitting in a private room on the second floor, Xu Shichang and "Old Man" Wang saw Duan Qirui step out of the car and cross the street, strictly observing traffic rules.

Before long, the door curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold air rushed in with Duan Qirui as he entered. The two men inside rose to greet him. Duan Qirui took off his military greatcoat and hung it up.

Xu Shichang introduced him: "This is Brother Wang, the former Provincial Administration Commissioner of Yunnan and Guizhou. A *Jinshi* scholar from the 15th year of the Guangxu reign. His son, Wang Donglu, is now an intermediate engineer at the Aircraft Design Bureau. Promotion to senior engineer is just around the corner."

In the past, Duan Qirui had merely considered engineers to be a type of scholar. But after three years in the new government, he had come to understand the true value of engineers. Those sturdy ships, powerful cannons, aircraft, and tanks were all designed and produced by engineers. It was only with the fruits of their labor that the nation could be strong.

So Duan Qirui praised, "Brother Wang has truly raised a *Qilin*—a brilliant son. I am envious."

Old Man Wang had been observing Duan Qirui since he entered. The military greatcoat he had removed was of the Beiyang style. His uniform was also a Beiyang military uniform, only with all the insignias removed. For years, the old Beiyang men had said that Duan Qirui never forgot his roots. It seemed those words were true.

Hearing Duan Qirui praise his son, Old Man Wang was delighted. He smiled and said, "Speaker Duan is too kind. My unworthy son just had good luck and went to school in the Northeast. Otherwise, he wouldn't have found the door to learn aircraft manufacturing even if he wanted to."

Seeing that they had exchanged greetings, Xu Shichang guided Duan Qirui to sit near the radiator. This heating system had been installed by the hotpot restaurant owner himself, and it was burning quite warmly. Duan Qirui didn't stand on ceremony and sat down briskly. He took the cup of tea Old Man Wang poured for him, took a sip, and soon the warmth dispelled the chill, causing him to shiver slightly before feeling much more comfortable.

Xu Shichang had already ordered the hotpot to be served, and the three men began to chat as they sat together. There was no special purpose for this meal; Old Man Wang was traveling from Beijing to Guangxi to visit his son and had stopped by the city to visit his old friend Xu Shichang.

There were few old Beiyang men left in the central government. After the capital was moved, most of the old Beiyang brothers who weren't in the central administration were unwilling to leave their hometowns to go to Henan. Xu Shichang and Duan Qirui really didn't have many people to socialize with in Beijing. Old Man Wang was both an old friend from the Qing era and a former provincial official; eating together was a genuine opportunity to catch up.

Soon, the hotpot arrived. The three men chatted about Wang Donglu. Hearing that Wang Donglu had secretly run off to the Northeast during the May Fourth Movement, was subsequently expelled from the Tsinghua preparatory school for studying abroad, and then went to the Northeast again, Duan Qirui thought of his own role in the May Fourth Movement and smiled bitterly. "I didn't expect it to be a blessing in disguise. I was that 'disaster'."

Old Man Wang naturally couldn't let him say that, so he replied, "Elder Duan's intentions were also good. Besides, who in the world doesn't know that it was Elder Duan who sent the current Leader to the Northeast? Elder Duan's contribution in recommending talent for the country cannot be buried."

At this moment, several plates of lamb rolls were brought up. The old fellows immediately started eating, critiquing the differences between the new and old styles of Beijing lamb. Amidst the lively conversation, the awkward topic from a moment ago was avoided.

After the first round of eating, the three men ladled soup from the pot into small porcelain bowls, sprinkled in emerald-green chopped scallions and cilantro, closed the vent on the copper hotpot, and asked the waiter to add water. Once the waiter left and the water in the pot ceased boiling, Xu Shichang drank his soup comfortably before speaking. "Brother Duan, Brother Wang has some insightful evaluations of the Leader's three years in power, which is why I specifically invited you here."

Hearing that it was an evaluation of current events, Duan Qirui felt a bit annoyed. As the Speaker of the National Assembly, what he heard all day were the opinions of parliament members. The Civilization Party members were alright; their words had substance. But the regional assemblymen from the Beiyang era just spouted nonsense. However, since the host was Xu Shichang, Duan Qirui smiled and said, "I am willing to hear Brother Wang's high opinion."

Old Man Wang had finished his soup. He sighed comfortably and offered cigarettes to Xu Shichang and Duan Qirui. Xu Shichang accepted, but Duan Qirui declined. Wang knew Duan didn't smoke; the offer was just courtesy. After lighting cigarettes for Xu and himself, Wang spoke slowly.

"Three years ago, the Leader defeated Japan and swept through the world. He was only thirty-four when he took power—an age of aggressive ambition. I admired him greatly, but I worried that given his age and the ages of the ministers in his government, they might be eager for quick success. Three years have passed, and the path the Leader has taken is one of recuperation and rehabilitation. Although there was a war with Britain, it did not disrupt the country's order. Today, China and Britain are about to sign a peace agreement. The foreign enemy is gone, and the domestic situation is settled. It is time to make great strides. This year, the Leader is only thirty-seven, yet his governance is so mature. It is truly a fortune for our China."

Hearing this, Xu Shichang nodded slightly, while Duan Qirui felt a sense of enlightenment. Compared to those parliament members from the Qing and Beiyang eras, Old Man Wang, though now a commoner, possessed true insight.

The phrase "three years of recuperation" alone gave Duan Qirui much to think about. At least over the past year or so, many local assemblymen had proposed various motions under the pretext that "the country should have a new atmosphere." Although these proposals were rejected, the intent of those people to stir up trouble was all too obvious.

Based on his own experience in governing the country, Duan Qirui knew their motives. At the time, he just felt those people were too impatient, revealing their true colors after only a year of behaving themselves. Now, hearing Wang's evaluation from a national perspective, he truly felt as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.

Just as he was about to say a few words, Xu Shichang praised, "The Leader's gaze is like a torch; he sees domestic and foreign affairs with absolute clarity. Even sixty or seventy-year-old veterans may not compare."

Duan Qirui nodded, feeling he had a rough prediction of He Rui's future administrative direction. He then asked, "Brother Wang, you served as the Yunnan-Guizhou Commissioner. In your high opinion, the Leader is about to make great strides, but where do you think he will start?"

"I was just a petty official under the Administration Commissioner, never the Commissioner myself. Speaker Duan, please don't mock me," Wang said humbly.

"I wish to hear your high opinion," Duan Qirui urged.

Old Man Wang took another drag of his cigarette before speaking slowly. "I have some old friends in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi. Hearing them speak, the local tyrants and bandits have been swept clean, leaving the region peaceful."

Hearing this, Duan Qirui also recalled his old friends in the southwest and the news from the councilors there. In Guangxi, "local tyrants" and "bandits" meant much the same thing. The National Defense Force showed no mercy in suppressing them. Conversely, the bandits who had been forced into the mountains by official oppression received relatively lenient treatment because they came from the common people.

After this cleanup, local security had improved comprehensively. The passes and roads once controlled by various strongmen had become thoroughfares. The people's lives would indeed be much better. But...

Old Man Wang didn't know Duan Qirui's thoughts and continued based on his own experience as an official in the southwest. "Not just the southwest—right now, every province in the land should be about the same. In the past decades, the three most difficult things for China were: first, the obstruction of goods transport; second, the harsh exploitation of the people, so they couldn't make money no matter how hard they worked; and third, too many people and too little land, making industry difficult. After this Sino-British war, combined with three years of rest, all three issues can be addressed. Upper Burma has a population of only three million but an area of 500,000 square kilometers. The people of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and even Hunan can migrate there. I hear that the land is suitable for rubber, palm oil, sugarcane, sisal, and other crops. Now that the roads are open, that produce can be transported back into the country. This alone can benefit millions of people. It is truly a wonderful thing."

This evaluation stunned Duan Qirui. First, he hadn't thought of this. Second, he hadn't expected Old Man Wang, a former official, to have such insight. After a moment of surprise, Duan Qirui praised, "For your son to have his achievements today, it is indeed due to a family tradition of learning."

Old Man Wang waved his hand. "Speaker Duan praises me too much. These matters were discussed clearly when Zhang Zhidong was the Grand Councilor. But the country lacked a heroic master, so even knowing it, nothing could be done. How can the talent of the current Leader be compared to those raised by women in the palace? Now, our China has no external threats and is stable internally. In ten years or so, our China will regain its status as the Celestial Empire."

Hearing the emotion in Wang's voice, Duan Qirui felt a mix of sighing and bitterness in his heart. Naturally, he was happy for China's prosperity. But seeing this prosperity while only being able to watch from the sidelines... a natural discomfort rose in his chest.

Seeing Duan Qirui's expression, Xu Shichang said, "The water is boiling. Let's eat meat."

The three men began eating again, once more smoothing over the awkwardness. Soon, they were satisfied with the meal. Xu Shichang drank a bowl of soup sprinkled only with scallions before speaking. "I have always held a grudge regarding the Jiawu War (First Sino-Japanese War). Now that there is peace between Britain and China, I wonder if Brother Wang thinks the Leader will use force against Japan?"

Old Man Wang pondered for a while, then shook his head. "Brother Xu, the current situation is indeed an opportunity to take back Korea and Taiwan. But rashly using force would likely meet with obstacles. Moreover, the Leader's actions are so brilliant that they have reached a level I cannot guess. I presume the Leader already has a method to deal with Japan. As for what method, forgive my incompetence, I really cannot guess."

Speaking of He Rui's methods, Duan Qirui thought of the Asian International Court. Even now, Duan Qirui hadn't fully understood how this tool, which should have been meant to humiliate Britain, had become a bridge for easing relations between China and countries around the world, including Britain.

At the Asian International Court, judges from European countries tried the cases of the ANZAC corps. Guilty members were sentenced to death or other penalties. Outside the courtroom, the legal circles of various countries exchanged ideas amicably, as if they were all good friends. Not only did they seem to respect each other greatly, but they also jointly expressed opposition and criticism toward various forms of "discrimination."

This situation would have been unthinkable three years ago. Back then, even when Duan Qirui was the Premier of the Republic, foreigners still pressed him with harsh demands. Duan Qirui, filled with grievance, had wanted to gather troops and slaughter all the foreigners in Beijing and other places too many times, but he could only think about it.

He Rui had actually carried out a bloody purge of foreign evildoers in China, yet he received high praise. The difference was truly like heaven and earth.

But at the mention of Jiawu, Duan Qirui indeed held a grudge, so he sighed, "I only hope to see the day of Japan's defeat and ruin soon."

***

While China's capital was covered in white snow, Chittagong on the Bay of Bengal in British India remained in summer. A full ceasefire was in effect between China and Britain, and news that the war was about to end had spread throughout the Allied forces. As the Deputy Commander of the Allied Forces, Ishiwara Kanji chose to return to the troops in Chittagong.

Although they hadn't yet received orders to return home, the Japanese troops knew the war was ending, and they would soon embark on the journey back. The various units of the Japanese Expeditionary Army had begun preparations for repatriation even without explicit orders.

At this time, although the 15th Army had been purged by Okamura Yasuji and the "radical leading" officers sent back to Japan, the entire 15th Army was clear about the current situation. So as soon as Ishiwara returned to the unit, a great many people came to see him.

Seeing the anxiety about the future on those faces, Ishiwara simply said to everyone, "Gentlemen, you need not worry. For three thousand years, Japan has weathered countless storms and still stands as solid as a rock. When I was at Allied Command, the British always liked to say that the British Empire fears no challenge. If the British have such courage even in defeat, how can my Great Japanese Empire fear challenges!"

Hearing Ishiwara say this, although many officers had confidence in him, they truly couldn't see Japan's future.

Seeing that the officers remained fearful, Ishiwara spoke loudly: "Gentlemen, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid that Japan has no future, or are you afraid that you dare not challenge the future? I, Ishiwara Kanji, firmly believe that Japan has a bright future!"

Okamura Yasuji, listening from outside the circle to Ishiwara's loud appeal, felt even more uneasy. Over the past year, Okamura had confirmed that Ishiwara was very influential in the army. Japan's domestic situation was currently like a powder keg; once Ishiwara returned, he would inevitably stir up trouble. But Okamura had no solution. He could only pray that if trouble occurred, it would remain within a controllable range.